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Many professions experience unique events that highlight their relevance and value. These positive profession‐spotlighting events may significantly influence employees' professional identification, especially for novices in the highlighted professions. In this paper, we aim to gain a comprehensive understanding of this phenomenon. Drawing on the identity construction process model, we investigate how and why positive profession‐spotlighting events influence novices' professional identification. In Study 1, using 10‐wave longitudinal data (five waves before and five after the outbreak of COVID‐19) collected from 322 new graduate nurses, we use discontinuous growth modeling to investigate the impact of the pandemic as a positive profession‐spotlighting event on their increase in professional identification. We found that new graduate nurses' professional identification gradually fell during their initial months in professional practice but rose dramatically after the onset of COVID‐19. We also found that sensegiving and moral elevation during the event led to an increase in professional identification. We further theorize an increase in work meaningfulness as the core mechanism for the hypothesized relationships and obtain supporting evidence from one experiment (Study 2) and two quasi‐experiments (Studies 3a and 3b). Our research reveals the significant influence of positive profession‐spotlighting events on both the identity construction and socialization processes and offers practical implications for how to manage such events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In preclinical radio‐neuromodulation research, small animal experiments are pivotal for unraveling radiobiological mechanism, investigating prescription and planning techniques, and assessing treatment effects and toxicities. However, the target size inside a rat brain is typically in the order of sub‐millimeters. The small target inside the visual cortex neural region in rat brain with a diameter of around 1 mm was focused in this work to observe the physiological change of this region. Delivering uniform doses to the small target while sparing health tissues is challenging. Focused kV x‐ray technique based on modern x‐ray polycapillary focusing lens is a promising modality for small animal radio‐neuromodulation. Purpose: The current manual planning method could lead to sub‐optimal plans, and the positioning uncertainties due to mechanical accuracy limitations, animal immobilization, and robotic arm motion are not considered. This work aims to design a robust inverse planning method to optimize the intensities of focused kV x‐ray beams located in beam trajectories to irradiate small mm‐sized targets in rat brains for radio‐neuromodulation. Methods: Focused kV x‐ray beams were generated through polycapillary x‐ray focusing lenses on achieving small (≤0.3 mm) focus perpendicular to the beam. The beam trajectories were manually designed in 3D space in scanning‐while‐rotating mode. Geant4 Monte Carlo (MC) simulation generated a dose calculation matrix for each focused kV x‐ray beam located in beam trajectories. In the proposed robust inverse planning method, an objective function combining a voxel‐wise stochastic programming approach and L1 norm regularization was established to overcome the positioning uncertainties and obtain a high‐quality plan. The fast iterative shrinkage thresholding algorithm (FISTA) was utilized to solve the objective function and obtain the optimal intensities. Four cases were employed to validate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method. The manual and non‐robust inverse planning methods were also implemented for comparison. Results: The proposed robust inverse planning method achieved superior dose homogeneity and higher robustness against positioning uncertainties. On average, the clinical target volume (CTV) homogeneity index (HI) of robust inverse plan improved to 13.3 from 22.9 in non‐robust inverse plan and 53.8 in manual plan if positioning uncertainties were also present. The average bandwidth at D90 was reduced by 6.5 Gy in the robust inverse plan, compared to 9.6 Gy in non‐robust inverse plan and 12.5 Gy in manual plan. The average bandwidth at D80 was reduced by 3.4 Gy in robust inverse plan, compared to 5.5 Gy in non‐robust inverse plan and 8.5 Gy in manual plan. Moreover, the dose delivery time of manual plan was reduced by an average reduction of 54.7% with robust inverse plan and 29.0% with non‐robust inverse plan. Conclusion: Compared to manual and non‐robust inverse planning methods, the robust inverse planning method improved the dose homogeneity and delivery efficiency and was resistant to the uncertainties, which are crucial for radio‐neuromodulation utilizing focused kV x‐rays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The present study assessed the diagnostic and prognostic significance of endobronchial ultrasound‐guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS‐TBNA) for suspected intrathoracic metastasis after HNC treatment. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 75 patients with a prior history of head and neck cancer treatment who underwent EBUS‐TBNA for suspected intrathoracic metastases between March 2012 and December 2021. Results: A total of 126 targeted lesions, including 107 mediastinal/hilar lymph nodes and 19 intrapulmonary/mediastinal masses, were sampled. The metastatic head and neck cancer (HNC) cases detected by EBUS‐TBNA consisted of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (n = 24), oropharyngeal carcinoma (n = 3), hypopharynx carcinoma (n = 6), laryngeal carcinoma (n = 6), and oral cavity carcinoma (n = 6). Cases with negative EBUS‐TBNA results consisted of tuberculosis (n = 9), sarcoidosis (n = 3), anthracosis (n = 9), and reactive lymphadenitis (n = 9). Six false‐negative cases were found among the 75 patients with suspected intrathoracic metastases. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and diagnostic accuracy of the EBUS‐TBNA procedure for metastatic HNC were 88.2, 100.0, 100.0, 80, and 92.0%, respectively. The diagnosis of HNC intrathoracic metastasis by EBUS‐TBNA correlated with an adverse prognosis in terms of overall survival (OS) (P =.008). The log‐rank univariate analysis and Cox regression multivariate analysis results indicated that the detection of metastatic HNC through EBUS‐TBNA was a significant independent prognostic factor for patients with HNC who had received prior treatment. Conclusions: Endobronchial ultrasound‐guided transbronchial needle aspiration is a safe, effective, and minimally invasive procedure for assessing suspected intrathoracic metastasis in HNC patients after treatment. The intrathoracic metastasis detected by EBUS‐TBNA has crucial prognostic significance in previously treated HNC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extant voice research has focused mainly on the conditions under which employees speak up, but we have limited knowledge about how employees speak up. This study examines voice tactics or the various ways in which employees express concerns to or share suggestions with their managers. Based on the notion that voice is a deliberative behavior, we draw upon a cost–benefit framework and propose that voice tactics are influenced by messages' characteristics and managers' stable and temporal characteristics. Specifically, we examine the joint effects of issue importance, perceived managerial openness, and managers' positive mood on employees' public (vs. private) and formal (vs. informal) voice tactics. Across two independent studies, our findings demonstrate that employees tend to use public channels and formal procedures only when three conditions are met simultaneously: (a) the issue is important, (b) managers are perceived as being open to employees' voice, and (c) managers are in a positive mood at the time of voicing. In addition, we found that speaking up via public channels or formal procedures is positively related to the success of voice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extant team affect literature is silent on how team hopelessness may impact team functioning and, more importantly, how leaders may help to regulate it. Relying on the Appraisal‐Tendency Framework of emotion, this paper examines the effect of team hopelessness on team performance, as well as its underlying mechanism, collective efficacy. It also explores how leaders' use of two different interpersonal emotion management (IEM) strategies can moderate this relationship. Across two field studies involving 80 and 170 workplace teams, respectively, we consistently find that team hopelessness negatively impacts team performance through reduced collective efficacy. Moreover, leaders' use of a problem‐focused IEM strategy weakens the negative relationship between team hopelessness and team performance via collective efficacy, while their use of an emotion‐focused IEM strategy strengthens it. Our research highlights the detrimental effect of team hopelessness on team functioning and the various consequences of different leader IEM strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic IR drop prediction based on machine learning has been studied in recent years. However, most proposed models used all input features extracted from circuits or manually selected parts of raw features as inputs, which failed to differentiate the order of priority among input features in a flexible manner. In this paper, QuantumForest to vector‐based dynamic IR drop prediction is introduced. With the sparse attention mechanism brought by QuantumForest, important attributes of circuits are weighed more heavily than others. A new multi‐view feature creation method is also proposed and a novel regional distance feature is built up subsequently. The performance is evaluated on two chip designs with real simulation vectors. The experiment results indicate that the prediction result of the method outperforms other prominent methods for dealing with machine learning based IR drop analysis, reaching an average MAE of only 1.457 mV$\text{mV}$ on two designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The link between auditor tax expertise and corporate tax avoidance is investigated in this study. Using a sample of Taiwanese listed firms from between 2005 and 2019, it is found that companies that hire auditor tax experts engage in a higher level of tax avoidance. The results also show that this association is more pronounced among firms that have subsidiaries registered in tax havens. The findings of this study show that this positive association between auditor tax expertise and corporate tax avoidance can be mitigated through the adoption of IFRS. This study makes a contribution to existing literature by using a unique Taiwanese setting to study the tax avoidance effect of auditor tax experts and the effect of a common tax avoidance technique have on tax savings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: High precision radiotherapy with small irradiator size has potential in many treatment applications involving small shallow targets, with small animal radio‐neuromodulation as an intriguing example. A focused kV technique based on novel usage of polycapillary x‐ray lenses can focus x‐ray beams to <0.2 mm in diameter, which is ideal for such uses. Purpose: Such an application also requires high resolution CT images for treatment planning and setup. In this work, we demonstrate the feasibility of using a virtual focal spot generated with an x‐ray lens to perform high‐resolution CBCT acquisition. Method: The experiment with x‐ray lens was set up on an x‐ray tabletop system to generate a virtual focal spot. The flood field images with and without the x‐ray lens were first compared. A pinhole image was acquired for the virtual focal spot and compared with the one acquired with the conventional focal spot without the lens. The planar imaging resolution with and without the lens were evaluated using a line pair resolution phantom. The spatial resolution of the two settings were estimated by reconstructing a 0.15‐mm wire phantom and comparing its full width half maximum (FWHM). A CBCT scan of a rodent head was also acquired to further demonstrate the improved resolution using the x‐ray lens. Result: The proposed imaging setup with x‐ray lens had a limited exposure area of 5 cm by 5 cm on the detector, which was suitable for guiding radio‐neuromodulation to a small target in rodent brain. Compared to conventional imaging acquisition with a measured x‐ray focal spot of 0.395 mm FWHM, the virtual focal spot size was measured at 0.175 mm. The reduction in focal spot size with lens leads to an almost doubled planar imaging resolution and a 26% enhancement in 3D spatial resolution. A realistic CBCT acquisition of a rodent head mimicked the imaging acquisition step for radio‐neuromodulation and further showed the improved visualization for fine structures. Conclusion: This work demonstrated that the focused kV x‐ray technique was capable of generating small focal spot size of <0.2 mm, which substantially improved x‐ray imaging resolution for small animal imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Time periodic driving can serve as synthetic gauge fields and plays a key role in simulating dynamical topological materials. The periodically driven systems, where different spins (or sublattices) are engaged in the different dynamical driving processes are investigated. It is demonstrated that spin‐dependent time‐periodical periodic driving can result in shifted topological edge modes with non‐zero (nor ±ω2$\pm \frac{\omega }{2}$) quasi‐energies. Such shifted topological edge modes are not only related to the spin imbalance at each instantaneous time, but also the details of the dynamical driving. Here, it is also illustrated that the spin‐dependent time‐periodical driving can be conceived as the time‐spin coupling, and similar to the static spatial spin‐orbit coupling, tuning time‐spin coupling parameters can lead to topological phase transitions. Experimental simulations on the spin‐dependent time‐periodic driving are proposed by shaking optical super‐lattices and Raman assisted tunneling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hybrid cavity magnomechanical system to transfer the bipartite entanglements and achieve the strong microwave photon–phonon entanglement based on the reservoir engineering approach is constructed. The magnon mode is coupled to the microwave cavity mode via magnetic dipole interaction and to the phonon mode via magnetostrictive force (optomechanical‐like). It is shown that the initial magnon‐phonon entanglement can be transferred to the photon‐phonon subspace in the case of these two interactions cooperating. In the reservoir‐engineering parameter regime, the initial entanglement is directionally transferred to the photon‐phonon subsystem, so a strong bipartite entanglement in which the magnon mode acts as the cold reservoir to effectively cool the Bogoliubov mode delocalized over the cavity and the mechanical deformation mode is obtained. Moreover, dual‐mode cooling is realized by engineering the dissipation of photon and phonon modes within the target mode, which allows entanglement to be further enhanced. The results indicate that the steady‐state entanglement is robust against temperature. The dual‐mode cooling reservoir engineering scheme can potentially be extended to other three‐mode quantum systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CO2 electrolysis with solid oxide electrolytic cells (SOECs) using intermittently available renewable energy has potential applications for carbon neutrality and energy storage. In this study, a pulsed current strategy is used to replicate intermittent energy availability, and the stability and conversion rate of the cyclic operation by a large‐scale flat‐tube SOEC are studied. One hundred cycles under pulsed current ranging from −100 to −300 mA/cm2 with a total operating time of about 800 h were carried out. The results show that after 100 cycles, the cell voltage attenuates by 0.041%/cycle in the high current stage of −300 mA/cm2, indicating that the lifetime of the cell can reach up to about 500 cycles. The total CO2 conversion rate reached 52%, which is close to the theoretical value of 54.3% at −300 mA/cm2, and the calculated efficiency approached 98.2%, assuming heat recycling. This study illustrates the significant advantages of SOEC in efficient electrochemical energy conversion, carbon emission mitigation, and seasonal energy storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Eye plaque brachytherapy is currently an optimal therapy for intraocular cancers. Due to the lack of an effective and practical technique to measure the seed radioactivity distribution, current quality assurance (QA) practice according to the American Association of Physicists in Medicine TG129 only stipulates that the plaque assembly be visually inspected. Consequently, uniform seed activity is routinely adopted to avoid possible loading mistakes of differential seed loading. However, modulated dose delivery, which represents a general trend in radiotherapy to provide more personalized treatment for a given tumor and patient, requires differential activities in the loaded seeds. Purpose: In this study, a fast and low‐cost radio‐luminescent imaging and dose calculating system to verify the seed activity distribution for differential loading was developed. Methods: A proof‐of‐concept system consisting of a thin scintillator sheet coupled to a camera/lens system was constructed. A seed‐loaded plaque can be placed directly on the scintillator surface with the radioactive seeds facing the scintillator. The camera system collects the radioluminescent signal generated by the scintillator on its opposite side. The predicted dose distribution in the scintillator's sensitive layer was calculated using a Monte Carlo simulation with the planned plaque loading pattern of I‐125 seeds. Quantitative comparisons of the distribution of relative measured signal intensity and that of the relative predicted dose in the sensitive layer were performed by gamma analysis, similar to intensity‐modulated radiation therapy QA. Results: Data analyses showed high gamma (3%/0.3 mm, global, 20% threshold) passing rates for correct seed loadings and low passing rates with distinguished high gamma value area for incorrect loadings, indicating that possible errors may be detected. The measurement and analysis only required a few extra minutes, significantly shorter than the time to assay the extra verification seeds the physicist already must perform as recommended by TG129. Conclusions: Radio‐luminescent QA can be used to facilitate and assure the implementation of intensity‐modulated, customized plaque loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The charging process of a quantum battery (i.e., a two‐level system) is studied in two scenarios, that is, a quantum battery and a charger are coupled to the common reservoir environments or coupled to their respective independent environments. In the common reservoir scenario, it is shown that the optimal charging process can be realized by increasing the number of environments and setting the same coupling strength between battery‐reservoirs and charger‐reservoirs. In the independent reservoir scenario, however, it is shown that decreasing either the number of reservoir environments or the coupling strength would enhance the charging performance. These results demonstrate that the charging performance of quantum batteries can be significantly improved by constructing common environments. This may be of help to the realization of the quantum battery with optimal charging performance in multiple environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen sulphide (H2S), a new gas signal molecule, participates in the regulation of various abiotic stresses in plants. However, how the tandem working of H2S and rhizobia affects the adaptation of soybean to water deficiency is still unclear. In this study, we investigated the adaptation mechanism of H2S and rhizobia in soybean to water deficiency. Our results revealed that H2S and rhizobia jointly enhanced the leaf chlorophyll content and relative water content in plants, and caused an increase in the biomass of soybean seedlings under water deficiency. Besides, in the absence of water, H2S enhanced the biomass by affecting the number of nodules and nitrogenase activity during vegetative growth. The expression of nodulation marker genes including early nodulin 40 (GmENOD40), ERF required for nodulation (GmERN) and nodulation inception genes (GmNIN1a, GmNIN2a and GmNIN2b) were upregulated by H2S and rhizobia in the nodules. Moreover, the combined effect of H2S and rhizobia was proved to affect the enzyme activities and gene expression level of antioxidants, as well as osmotic protective substance content and related gene expression levels under water deficiency in soybean seedlings. In addition, the metabolomic results suggested that the combined effect of H2S and rhizobia remarkably promoted the contents of lipids and lipid‐like molecules. Our results indicated that H2S and rhizobia synergistically reduced the oxidative damage caused by water deficiency through increasing the accumulation of metabolites and strengthening the plant antioxidant capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The Late Pleistocene partial right femur from Maludong in southwestern China has been attributed characteristics of early Homo, especially from the Early Pleistocene, putatively representing a late surviving archaic population in the region. Assessment of additional traits is warranted given newly described postcrania from the Late Pleistocene of southwestern China and characterized by relatively modern features. Materials and methods: We used micro computed tomography (μCT) to extract and evaluate cross‐sectional diaphyseal structure. New predictions of Maludong femoral length were generated from a regression analysis of Holocene modern humans. Robusticity and shape at multiple, standard diaphyseal regions of interest (ROI) were compared to those of Pleistocene and Holocene humans from East Asia and beyond. Results: Standardized torsional rigidities at mid‐proximal and subtrochanteric Maludong ROIs fell within ranges of variation exhibited by multiple comparative groups, and closest to medians of Early and Middle Upper Paleolithic modern humans (E/MUP). For Ix/Iy diaphyseal ratios, Maludong was higher than comparative groups at both ROIs, falling closest to the upper end of the E/MUP range. For Imax/Imin shape ratios, Maludong fell well above group medians at the mid‐proximal ROI and nearest E/MUP and Middle Pleistocene group medians at the subtrochanteric ROI. Discussion and conclusions: In diaphyseal robusticity and rigidity ratios, Maludong fits within variation exhibited by other Late Pleistocene modern humans. While we did not re‐analyze external features described as archaic‐like, internal structure of the Maludong femur contradicts this characterization and instead supports expanding intrapopulation variability expressed by Late Pleistocene modern humans in East Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: NaHS, a donor of hydrogen sulfide (H2S), which is emerging as a potential signaling molecule, may regulate various physiological processes in plants. However, how soybean (Glycine max L.) responds to NaHS and rhizobia (Sinorhizobium fredii) inoculation remains unclear. Methods: We explored the effects of NaHS and rhizobia on the growth rate, nodules, nitrogenase activities (NA), chlorophyll content, soluble protein content, photosynthesis (Pn), chlorophyll fluorescent parameters, endogenous H2S accumulation, l/d‐cysteine desulfhydrase (GmLCD and GmDCD) gene expression, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) contents, and nutrient resorption. Results: The results showed that rhizobia significantly increased the shoot, root, total dry weight, and growth rate, and NaHS promoted nodule numbers and NA in soybean. Moreover, chlorophyll content, soluble protein content, Pn, endogenous H2S accumulation, and GmLCD and GmDCD gene expression levels were promoted by NaHS and rhizobia. In addition, during all growth stages of soybean, the levels of N, P, and K and the N:P ratio in different tissues were affected by NaHS and rhizobia. Additionally, NaHS and rhizobia also significantly enhanced N resorption efficiency (NRE) and K resorption efficiency (KRE), but decreased P resorption efficiency (PRE). Conclusion: Therefore, NaHS and rhizobia regulated the growth rate, nutrient stoichiometry, and nutrient resorption efficiency of soybean. These findings provide information that will be useful for predicting how NaHS and rhizobia lead to variations in nutrient uptake and nutrient conservation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: NaHS, a donor of hydrogen sulfide (H2S), which is emerging as a potential signaling molecule, may regulate various physiological processes in plants. However, how soybean (Glycine max L.) responds to NaHS and rhizobia (Sinorhizobium fredii) inoculation remains unclear. Methods: We explored the effects of NaHS and rhizobia on the growth rate, nodules, nitrogenase activities (NA), chlorophyll content, soluble protein content, photosynthesis (Pn), chlorophyll fluorescent parameters, endogenous H2S accumulation, l/d‐cysteine desulfhydrase (GmLCD and GmDCD) gene expression, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) contents, and nutrient resorption. Results: The results showed that rhizobia significantly increased the shoot, root, total dry weight, and growth rate, and NaHS promoted nodule numbers and NA in soybean. Moreover, chlorophyll content, soluble protein content, Pn, endogenous H2S accumulation, and GmLCD and GmDCD gene expression levels were promoted by NaHS and rhizobia. In addition, during all growth stages of soybean, the levels of N, P, and K and the N:P ratio in different tissues were affected by NaHS and rhizobia. Additionally, NaHS and rhizobia also significantly enhanced N resorption efficiency (NRE) and K resorption efficiency (KRE), but decreased P resorption efficiency (PRE). Conclusion: Therefore, NaHS and rhizobia regulated the growth rate, nutrient stoichiometry, and nutrient resorption efficiency of soybean. These findings provide information that will be useful for predicting how NaHS and rhizobia lead to variations in nutrient uptake and nutrient conservation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Production of value‐added chemicals sourced from biomass platform molecules has tremendous significance for sustainable chemical engineering. Herein, we reported a successful fabrication of a highly dispersed copper nanoparticles catalyst, CuO#TiO2, via a facile route of in situ homogeneously hybridizing the metal organic framework Cu3(BTC)2 with titania, and subsequent calcination. Distinctly from the copper catalysts prepared by the conventional routes (impregnation or co‐precipitation), this novel CuO#TiO2 catalyst has a small particle size (∼5 nm), easy‐reducible copper species, and weakened Lewis's acidity. As a result, it shows superior high activity (∼20.8 molFUR/molCu ⋅ h) as well as high furfural alcohol yield (>99 %) at 140 °C and 2 MPa for furfural hydrogenation. Moreover, the CuO#TiO2 can be conveniently regenerated by calcination at 200 °C in the air, with no appreciable changes in its structure or activity, a test that we repeated 8 times. Through comprehensive structure characterizations, it has revealed a significant interaction between the CuO and TiO2 originated from the in situ hybridization, which enables a bi‐functional effect on the resulted CuO#TiO2 catalyst: one is to generate more copper active sites by promoting the copper dispersion and reducibility; the other is to hinder the side reactions by decrease the support Lewis acidity. This work demonstrates a practical strategy to rationally design a highly efficient catalytic system in furfural hydrogenation catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IR (insulin resistance) in diabetic brain gave rise to the generation of toxic factor Aβ42 and axon collapse which were the marker of AD (Alzheimer's disease)‐like lesions in the circumstance of diabetes mellitus. But the underling molecular mechanism was not clear. Chronic HGHI (high glucose and high insulin) exposure accelerates IR has been reported in type II diabetes models. Berberine has been shown to promising effect for IR in vitro and in vivo. This study demonstrates the protective effect and the underlying mechanism of berberine on HGHI‐induced IR. HGHI‐induced cells were used to mimic the hyperinsulinemia resulting in IR. Berberine was used to uncover the mechanisms for the treatment of hyperinsulinemia in IR model. Morris water maze (MWM), PET imaging, CCK8 assay, ELISA assay, glucose kits, microscopy, and western blot analysis were performed to evaluate the protective effects of berberine. Berberine‐improved HGHI‐induced IR was correlated with the increase of glucose application in neurons. Meanwhile, the expressions of Pi3K, as well as GLUT3, PKCε, and APP were downregulated in the model, while p‐IRS Ser307 was upregulated compared with Normal group. Fortunately, these scenes were reversed by berberine administration. Furthermore, berberine decreased GSK3β Y216 expressions, inhibited the production of oligomer Aβ42 and extended neuronal axon. The monomeric berberine treatment improves IR that may be involved in glucose effective application, rectifying the related proteins of the aberrant insulin pathway. Additionally, it suppressed the generation of Aβ42 and ameliorated neuron axon damage. Finally, berberine improves DM (diabetes mellitus)‐induced cognitive impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Propagation of contours from high‐quality magnetic resonance (MR) images to treatment planning ultrasound (US) images with severe needle artifacts is a challenging task, which can greatly aid the organ contouring in high dose rate (HDR) prostate brachytherapy. In this study, a deep learning approach was developed to automatize this registration procedure for HDR brachytherapy practice. Methods: Because of the lack of training labels and difficulty of accurate registration from inferior image quality, a new segmentation‐based registration framework was proposed for this multi‐modality image registration problem. The framework consisted of two segmentation networks and a deformable registration network, based on the weakly ‐supervised registration strategy. Specifically, two 3D V‐Nets were trained for the prostate segmentation on the MR and US images separately, to generate the weak supervision labels for the registration network training. Besides the image pair, the corresponding prostate probability maps from the segmentation were further fed to the registration network to predict the deformation matrix, and an augmentation method was designed to randomly scale the input and label probability maps during the registration network training. The overlap between the deformed and fixed prostate contours was analyzed to evaluate the registration accuracy. Three datasets were collected from our institution for the MR and US image segmentation networks, and the registration network learning, which contained 121, 104, and 63 patient cases, respectively. Results: The mean Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) results of the two prostate segmentation networks are 0.86 ± 0.05 and 0.90 ± 0.03, for MR images and the US images after the needle insertion, respectively. The mean DSC, center‐of‐mass (COM) distance, Hausdorff distance (HD), and averaged symmetric surface distance (ASSD) results for the registration of manual prostate contours were 0.87 ± 0.05, 1.70 ± 0.89 mm, 7.21 ± 2.07 mm, 1.61 ± 0.64 mm, respectively. By providing the prostate probability map from the segmentation to the registration network, as well as applying the random map augmentation method, the evaluation results of the four metrics were all improved, such as an increase in DSC from 0.83 ± 0.08 to 0.86 ± 0.06 and from 0.86 ± 0.06 to 0.87 ± 0.05, respectively. Conclusions: A novel segmentation‐based registration framework was proposed to automatically register prostate MR images to the treatment planning US images with metal artifacts, which not only largely saved the labor work on the data preparation, but also improved the registration accuracy. The evaluation results showed the potential of this approach in HDR prostate brachytherapy practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By constructing a quantum‐control‐assisted multipartite uncertainty relation, a general and efficient multipartite entanglement structure resolution analyzer is provided for all pure states with arbitrary number of parties in arbitrary finite dimension. The lower bounds of this multipartite uncertainty relation present different spectra for different multipartite entanglement structures, and they thus can be considered as a form of resolution analyzer for the multipartite entanglement structure. The resolution analyzer obtained delineates the detailed structure of multipartite entanglement with a suitable number of incompatible measurements, without a complete prior knowledge of the quantum state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Objectives: The paleontological description and comparative analysis using discrete morphology, morphometrics (linear and geometric) and cross‐sectional geometry of three femoral diaphyseal sections from the Middle Pleistocene site of Hualongdong, China. Materials and Methods: The material consists of the original Hualongdong femoral fossils and available data on femoral diaphyses from Middle and Late Pleistocene archaic humans and Middle and earlier Upper Paleolithic modern humans. The methods include visual observation, diaphyseal diameters, cross‐sectional parameters (transverse areas and second moments of area derived from micro‐CT scans), and geometric morphometrics using semilandmark data. Results: The Hualong 11 midshaft section is similar to other Middle and Late Pleistocene archaic humans in being transversely broad and lacking a pilaster despite a prominent linea aspera. It clusters principally with archaic human femora in all measured parameters. The Hualong 15 and 16 subtrochanteric pieces are similar to many Middle Pleistocene and early modern human femora in being transversely broad. In particular, Hualong 15 exhibits a prominent lateral (gluteal) buttress, similar to many Upper Paleolithic femora but also the Lazaret and Krapina archaic ones. In addition, Hualong 15 has a small third trochanter, a common Upper Paleolithic but rare earlier feature. Discussion: The Hualong 11 femoral piece reinforces the general Middle Pleistocene pattern, especially for eastern Eurasia from which archaic human femora are rare. The subtrochanteric proportions of Hualong 15 and 16 reinforce the Early Pleistocene and (generally) Middle Pleistocene pattern of bone distributions, but their subperiosteal contours align them (along with those of the Lazaret and Krapina femora) with Upper Paleolithic ones. It is difficult to account for these proportions from the generally broad pelves of Pleistocene archaic humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The dosimetric properties of inverse Compton (IC) x‐ray sources were investigated to determine their utility for stereotactic radiation therapy. Methods: Monte Carlo simulations were performed using the egs brachy user code of EGSnrc. Nominal IC source x‐ray energies of 80 and 150 keV were considered in this work. Depth‐dose and lateral dose profiles in water were calculated, as was dose enhancement in the bone. Further simulations were performed for brain and spine treatment sites. The impact of gold nanoparticle doping was also investigated for the brain treatment site. Analogous dose calculations were performed in a clinical treatment planning system using a clinical 6 MV photon beam model and were compared to the Monte Carlo simulations. Results: Both 80 and 150 keV IC beams were observed to have sharp 80–20 penumbra (i.e., < 0.1 mm) with broad low‐dose tails in water. For reference, the calculated penumbra for the 6 MV clinical beam was 3 mm. Maximum dose enhancement factors in bone of 3.1, 1.4, and 1.1 were observed for the 80, 150 keV, and clinical 6 MV beams, respectively. The plan quality for the single brain metastasis case was similar between the IC beams and the 6 MV beam without gold nanoparticles. As the concentration of gold within the target increased, the V12 Gy to the normal brain tissue and Dmax within the target volume significantly decreased and the conformity significantly improved, which resulted in superior plan quality over the clinical 6 MV beam plan. In the spine cases, the sharp penumbra and enhanced dose to bone of the IC beams produced superior plan quality (i.e., better conformity, normal tissue sparing, and spinal cord sparing) as compared to the clinical 6 MV beam plans. Conclusions: The findings from this work indicate that inverse Compton x‐ray sources are well suited for stereotactic radiotherapy treatments due to their sharp penumbra and dose enhancement around high atomic number materials. Future work includes investigating the properties of intensity‐modulated inverse Compton x‐ray sources to improve the homogeneity within the target tissue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our previous study demonstrated mechanical stretch (MS) could induce the apoptosis of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, but the related mechanisms remained unclear. This study was to characterize the protein expression profile in RPE cell line ARPE‐19 exposed to MS, cytochalasin D (CD; an inhibitor of actin polymerization) or CD + MS at 2‐time points (6, 24 hr; n = 3, at each time point) by using proteomics technique. Our data highlighted that compared with control, ECE1 was continuously downregulated in ARPE‐19 cells treated by MS or CD + MS from 6 to 24 hr. Function and protein–protein interaction network analyses showed ATAD2 was downregulated in all three treatment groups compared with control, but successive upregulation of RPS13 and RPL7 and downregulation of AHSG were specifically induced by MS. ATAD2 was enriched in cell cycle; AHSG was associated with membrane organization; RPS13 and RPL7 participated in ribosome biogenesis. Furthermore, transcription factor CREB1 that was upregulated in MS group at 24 hr after treatment, may negatively regulate ATAD2. The expressions of all crucial proteins in ARPE‐19 cells were confirmed by western blot analysis. Overexpression of ATAD2 and AHSG were also shown to reverse the apoptosis of ARPE‐19 cells induced by MS or CD + MS, with significantly decreased apoptotic rates and caspase‐3 activities. Accordingly, our findings suggest downregulation of ATAD2 and AHSG may be potential contributors to the apoptosis of RPE cells induced by MS. Overexpression of them may represent underlying preventive and therapeutic strategies for MS‐induced retinal disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Wet (neovascular) age‐related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in the United States. The mainstay treatment requires monthly intravitreal injection of anti‐vascular endothelial growth factor (anti‐VEGF) drugs, associated with multiple visits, high cost, and the risk of procedural injury and infection. Anti‐VEGF drugs inhibit the formation of neovasculature but do not directly attack it. Radiotherapy can destroy neovasculature and potentially also inhibit wet‐AMD associated inflammation and fibrosis not addressed by VEGF inhibitors. However, the current collimation‐based radiotherapy device uses fixed 4 mm beams, which are prone to overtreat or undertreat the choroidal neovascularization (CNV) lesions because of their various sizes and shapes. This simulation study evaluates personalized conformal treatment with focused kV radiation using cutting‐edge polycapillary x‐ray optics. Methods: Simulation of the polycapillary optics was achieved via Monte Carlo (MC)‐based three‐dimensional (3D) geometric ray tracing. Phase‐space files modeling the focused photons were generated. The method was previously verified by phantom measurements. The ultrasmall ~0.2 mm beam focal spot perpendicular to the beam direction enables spatially fractionated grid therapy, which has been shown to preferentially damage abnormal neovascular blood vessels vs normal ones. Geant4‐based MC simulations of scanning while rotating beam delivery were performed to conformally treat three clinical cases of large, medium, and small CNV lesions with regular and grid deliveries. Dose delivery uncertainties due to positioning errors were analyzed, including ±0.75 mm displacement in the three orthogonal directions and ±5° vertical/horizontal rotation of the eyeball. Results: The simulated CNV treatments by 60‐kVp focused x‐ray beams show highly conformal delivery of dose to the lesion plus margin (0.75 mm) with sharp dose fall‐offs and controllable spatial modulation patterns. The 90%–10% isodose penumbra is <0.5 mm. With a prescription dose of 16 Gy to the lesions, the critical structure doses are well below the tolerance. The average CNV dose varies within 10% (mostly within 4%) due to 0.75‐mm linear displacements and 5‐degree gaze angle rotation of the eyeball. Conclusion: Focused kV technique allows personalized treatment of CNV lesions and reduces unwanted radiation to adjacent healthy tissue. The simulated dose distribution is superior to currently available techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Iron plays a significant role in multiple biological processes. The purpose of this study was to measure whether iron mediated osteoclast differentiation through regulation of triggering receptor expressed in myeloid cells‐2 (Trem‐2) expression and the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Methods: The effects of six different concentrations of ferric ammonium citrate (FAC) (100, 80, 40, 20, 10 and 0 μmol/L) on RAW 264.7 cells proliferation were assessed by Cell Counting Kit‐8 (CCK‐8) gassay. Tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) assay was performed to detect the effects of FAC on osteoclast formation. The expression of osteoclast differentiation‐related (TRAP, NFATc‐1, and c‐Fos) and Trem‐2 mRNA and proteins was analyzed by reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction and western blot, respectively. Si‐Trem‐2 was constructed and transfected to RAW264.7 to measure the effects of Trem‐2 on FAC‐mediated osteoclast formation. TRAP assay and osteoclast differentiation‐related gene analyses were further performed to identify the role of Trem‐2 in osteoclastogenesis. The Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING) was used to explore the target genes of Trem‐2. Trem‐2‐related gene ontology and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway were used for further in‐depth analysis. PI3K/Akt pathway‐related proteins were detected by immunofluorescence and western blot. Results: In groups with FAC concentration of 10 (102.5 ± 3.1), 20 (100.5 ± 1.5), and 40 μmol/L (98.7 ± 3.1), compared with the control group (100.1 ± 2.2), cell viability was not significantly different from the control (P > 0.05). When the concentration of FAC exceeded 80 μmol/L, cell viability was significantly decreased (87.5 ± 2.8 vs 100.1 ± 2.2, P < 0.05). FAC promotes Trem‐2 expression and osteoclast differentiation in a dose‐response manner (P < 0.05). The number of osteoclast‐like cells was found to be reduced following transfection with the siRNA of Trem‐2 (42 ± 3 vs 30 ± 5, P < 0.05). We observed that most of Trem‐2 target genes are primarily involved in response to organic substance, regulation of reactive oxygen species metabolic process, and regulation of protein phosphorylation. The STRING database revealed that Trem‐2 directly target two gene nodes (Pik3ca and Pik3r1), which are key transcriptional cofactors of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. KEGG pathways include the "PI3K‐Akt signaling pathway," the "thyroid hormone signaling pathway", "prostate cancer," the "longevity regulating pathway," and "insulin resistance." Expression of p‐PI3K and p‐Akt protein, measured by immunofluorescence and western blotting, was markedly increased in the FAC groups. Trem‐2 siRNA caused partial reduction of these two proteins (p‐PI3K and p‐Akt) compared to the FAC alone group. Conclusion: The FAC promoted osteoclast differentiation through the Trem‐2‐mediated PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. However, its regulation osteoclastogenesis should be verified through further in vivo studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structure evaluation was comparably studied with the traditional thin anode‐supported solid oxide fuel cells based on single‐sided electrolyte (SSE‐SOFCs) and the thick flat‐tube solid oxide fuel cells based on double‐sided electrolytes (DSE‐SOFCs) under redox conditions. Results showed that the structure of DSE‐SOFCs remained unchanged, especially the electrolyte kept un‐cracked during the redox process, whereas SSE‐SOFC was warped and, in some cases, cracked as the thickness of supported anode was less than 1 mm, which indicated that the DSE‐SOFCs exhibited better redox stability than the SSE‐SOFCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study analyzes craniofacial shape variation in the Hehuang region of Northwest China within a population genetic framework, and takes a diachronic approach to explore the relationship betwee cultural discontinuity and biological continuity/discontinuity in the Hehuang region during the middle to late Holocene. Materials and methods: The sample comprises 76 adult skulls from five archaeological sites, ranging from 4,500 to 1,530 BP. 3D geometric morphometrics, multivariate statistics, quantitative evolutionary genetic and biodistance analyses were performed to study the diachronic variation in craniofacial morphology. Analyses were performed on two cranial modules: the face and the cranial vault, across three major diachronic groups representing the late Neolithic (LNA), the Bronze Age (BA), and the Han‐Jin dynasty (HD). Results: Average regional FST for both cranial modules was low, indicating relatively greater variation within diachronic groups than among them. While the LNA and BA groups did not show any significant differences in facial and vault shape, significant craniofacial shape changes were detected between the BA and HD groups. Discussion: The consistent craniofacial morphology during the LNA and the BA, and the shift in morphology between the BA and the HD indicates that cultural discontinuity does not always coincide with biological discontinuity. The Hehuang population evolved in situ with few changes, despite cultural and dietary changes, until the HD when migrations from the Central Plains are associated with extra‐local gene flow to the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Planar solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) have been extensively studied during the past few decades, particularly the anode supported SOFC. In traditional electrode‐supported cells, the mismatch of coefficients of thermal expansion between materials in each layer may give rise to thermal stresses during operation, resulting in micro‐cracks of ultra‐thin electrolytes, which may ultimately lead to operational damages and performance degradation. This work proposes a new symmetric, planar SOFC design based on double‐sided cathodes to offset asymmetry of thermal stresses within the structure. This new design has been applied to prepare an anode‐supported SOFC that maintains integrity after two complete redox cycles. Its anti‐fracture load is 20 times stronger than that of traditional ultra‐thin cells, and its electrochemical performance is close to that of traditional large‐scale, ultra‐thin cells. These properties are promising for application under harsh operational environments. Nice structural design for SOFC! A new structure of solid oxide fuel cells is developed, which shows higher anti‐fracture strength and redox stability than traditional solid oxide fuel cells. SEM indicates that this new structural cell can easily obtain dense YSZ and GDC layer. The new structure is suitable for applications under certain extremely environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Eye plaque brachytherapy is the most common approach for intraocular cancer treatment. It is, however, invasive and subject to large setup uncertainty due to the surgical operation. We propose a novel‐focused kV x‐ray technique with potential nanoparticle (NP) enhancement and evaluate its application in treating choroidal melanoma and iris melanoma by Monte Carlo (MC) dosimetry modeling. Methods: A polycapillary x‐ray lens was used to focus 45 kVp x rays to achieve pinpoint accuracy of dose delivery to small tumors near critical structures. In addition to allowing for beam focusing, the use of kV x rays takes advantage of the strong photoelectric absorption of metallic NPs in that energy regime and hence strong radiosensitization. We constructed an MC simulation program that takes into account the x‐ray optic modeling and used GEANT4 for dosimetric calculation. Extensive phantom measurements using a prototype‐focused x‐ray system were carried out. The MC simulation of simple geometry phantom irradiation was first compared to measurements to verify the x‐ray optic lens modeling in conjunction with the Geant4 dosimetric calculation. To simulate tumor treatment, a geometric eye model and two tumor models were constructed. Dose distributions of the simulated treatments were then calculated. NP radiosensitization was also simulated for two concentrations of 2 nm gold NP (AuNP) uniformly distributed in the tumor. Results: The MC‐simulated full width at half maximum (FWHM) and central‐axis depth dose of the focused kV x‐ray beam match those measured on EBT3 films within ~10% around the depth of focus of the beam. Dose distributions of the simulated ocular tumor treatments show that focused x‐ray beams can concentrate the high‐dose region in or close to the tumor plus margin. For the simulated posterior choroidal tumor treatment, with sufficient tumor coverage, the doses to the optic disc and fovea are substantially reduced with focused x‐ray therapy compared to eye plaque treatment (3.8 vs 39.8 Gy and 11.1 vs 53.8 Gy, respectively). The eye plaque treatment was calculated using an Eye Physics plaque with I‐125 seeds under TG43 assumption. For the energy spectrum used in this study, the average simulated dose enhancement ratios (DERs) are roughly 2.1 and 1.1 for 1.0% and 0.1% AuNP mass concentration in the tumor, respectively. Conclusion: Compared to eye plaque brachytherapy, the proposed focused kV x‐ray technique is noninvasive and shows great advantage in sparing healthy critical organs without sacrificing the tumor control. The NP radiation dose enhancement is considerable at our proposed kV range even with a low NP concentration in the tumor, providing better critical structure protection and more flexibility for treatment planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) can colonize human gastrointestinal tract and subsequently cross the intestinal barrier. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced by NADPH oxidase. However, the role of ROS in bacterial invasion remains to be less understood. Herein, we investigated the impact of ROS on Lm invasion to HepG2 using NADPH oxidase inhibitor, diphenyleneiodonium chloride (DPI), as well as the ROS scavenger, N‐acetyl cysteine (NAC). Our results showed that inhibiting ROS increased the invasive capability of Lm. Moreover, after Lm infection, inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α) and interleukin 1beta (IL‐1β) in HepG2 were significantly upregulated. However, after inhibiting ROS, the expression levels of TNF‐α and IL‐1β were downregulated, indicating a failure of host cells to activate the immune mechanism. Taken together, ROS in Lm might be as a signal for host cells to sense Lm invasion and then stimulate cells to activate the immune mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the aging resistance and rutting resistance of the asphalt, a novel OMMT/EVA/asphalt composite was prepared by using organic montmorillonite (OMMT) and ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) as modifiers via melt blending method. The microstructure and morphology of the EVA/asphalt composites and the OMMT/EVA/asphalt composites were characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and fluorescence microscopy (FM), respectively. XRD patterns indicate that the layers of OMMT are peeled off, and an exfoliated structure is formed. FM images show that a network structure appears between EVA and asphalt. The properties of the OMMT/EVA/asphalt composites were investigated by storage stability test, rotating thin film oven test (RTFOT), and dynamic shear rheometer (DSR), respectively. The results show that OMMT/EVA/asphalt composites exhibit better storage stability and aging resistance than that of EVA‐modified asphalt. Moreover, the obtained composites also show an increase in softening point and complex modulus (G*), and a decrease in penetration and phase angle (δ), which indicate that the OMMT/EVA/asphalt composites display good rutting resistance, high elasticity, and superior anti‐cracking properties. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:1959–1966, 2018. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The development of high‐efficiency bifunctional electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction and evolution reactions (ORR/OER) is critical for rechargeable metal–air batteries, a typical electrochemical energy storage and conversion technology. This work reports a general approach for the synthesis of Pd@PdO–Co3O4 nanocubes using the zeolite‐type metal–organic framework (MOF) as a template. The as‐synthesized materials exhibit a high electrocatalytic activity toward OER and ORR, which is comparable to those of commercial RuO2 and Pt/C electrocatalysts, while its cycle performance and stability are much higher than those of commercial RuO2 and Pt/C electrocatalysts. Various physicochemical characterizations and density functional theory calculations indicate that the favorable electrochemical performance of the Pd@PdO–Co3O4 nanocubes is mainly attributed to the synergistic effect between PdO and the robust hollow structure composed of interconnected crystalline Co3O4 nanocubes. This work establishes an efficient approach for the controlled design and synthesis of MOF‐templated hybrid nanomaterials, and provides a great potential for developing high‐performance electrocatalysts in energy storage and conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Special attention is required in planning and administering radiation therapy to patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), such as pacemaker and defibrillator. The range of dose to CIEDs that can induce malfunction is large among CIEDs. Clinically significant defects have been reported at dose as low as 0.15 Gy. Therefore, accurate estimation of dose to CIED and dose reduction are both important even if the dose is expected to be less than the often‐used 2‐Gy limit. We investigated the use of bolus in in vivo dosimetry for CIEDs. Solid water phantom measurements of out‐of‐field dose for a 6‐MV beam were performed using parallel plate chamber with and without 1‐ to 2‐cm bolus covering the chamber. In vivo dosimetry at skin surface above the CIED was performed with and without bolus covering the CIED for three patients with the CIED <5 cm from the field edge. Chamber measured dose at depth ~0.5–1.5 cm below the skin surface, where the CIED is normally located, was reduced by ~7–48% with bolus. The dose reduction became smaller at deeper depths and with smaller field size. In vivo dosimetry at skin surface also indicated ~20%–60% lower dose when using bolus for the three patients. The dose measured with bolus more accurately reflects the dose to CIED and is less affected by contaminant electrons and linac head scatter. In general, the treatment planning system (TPS) calculation underestimated the dose to CIED, but it predicts the CIED dose more accurately when bolus is used. We recommend the use of 1‐ to 2‐cm bolus to cover the CIED during in vivo CIED dose measurements for more accurate CIED dose estimation. If the CIED is placed <2 cm in depth and its dose is mainly from anterior beams, we recommend using the bolus during the entire course of radiation delivery to reduce the dose to CIED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives During the last 13 years, the late Early Pleistocene Gran Dolina-TD6-2 level (Sierra de Atapuerca, northern Spain) has yielded an additional sample of 26 dental specimens attributed to Homo antecessor. In this report, we present a descriptive and comparative study of the six deciduous teeth. Methods We provide external and internal morphological descriptions following classical terminology, as well as the mesiodistal and buccolingual measurements of the teeth. The internal morphology was described by means of micro-CT technique. Results The TD6 deciduous teeth preserve primitive features regarding the Homo clade, such as the presence of styles in lower and upper canines and developed anterior and posterior foveae in the dm2. However, other features related to the complexity of the crown morphology (e.g., cingulum) are not present in this sample. Furthermore, the great reduction of the talonid of the dm1s is also noteworthy. Despite the limited comparative evidence, the presence of a remarkably well-developed tuberculum molare in the dm1 and dm1s from TD6 can be also considered a derived feature in the genus Homo. The TD6 hominins exhibit dental dimensions similar to those of other Pleistocene hominins. The dm1s are buccolingually elongated and the buccolingual diameter of ATD6-93 is the largest recorded so far in the Homo fossil record. Conclusions This study expands the list of plesiomorphic features of H. antecessor, and provides some information on the evolutionary status of this species. However, the identification of some advanced traits evinces a step towards the derived morphology of European Pleistocene teeth. The study of the deciduous dentition confirms the mosaic pattern of H. antecessor morphology revealed in previous studies of this hominin sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In tissue culture, the formation of callus from detached explants is a key step in plant regeneration; however, the regenerative abilities in different species are variable. While nearly all parts of organs of the dicot Arabidopsis thaliana are ready for callus formation, mature regions of organs in monocot rice ( Oryza sativa) and other cereals are extremely unresponsive to tissue culture. Whether there is a common molecular mechanism beyond these different regenerative phenomena is unclear. Here we show that the Arabidopsis and rice use different regeneration-competent cells to initiate callus, whereas the cells all adopt WUSCHEL-RELATED HOMEOBOX 11 ( WOX11) and WOX5 during cell fate transition. Different from Arabidopsis which maintains regeneration-competent cells in mature organs, rice exhausts those cells during organ maturation, resulting in regenerative inability in mature organs. Our study not only explains this old perplexity in agricultural biotechnology, but also provides common molecular markers for tissue culture of different angiosperm species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives This study presents the first detailed morphological description and comparison of a Middle Pleistocene hominin mandibular fragment (PA 831) and associated teeth from the Hexian site in Eastern China. We aim to investigate where the Hexian mandible fits within the genus Homo variability in the light of an increased and better characterized Asian fossils record. Methods Comparative samples include Pleistocene Homo mandibles and teeth from Africa, Asia, and Europe, as well as earlier African hominins ( Australopithecus and early Homo) and Holocene recent humans. Both conventional morphological description and metric analysis were used. In addition, virtual reconstructions of the enamel dentine junction (EDJ) surface, pulp cavity, and roots with micro-CT were used to the mandible and teeth. Results The Hexian mandible is characterized by a plesiomorphic structural pattern for the Homo clade, with strong corpus robustness and a subparallel and low-positioned mylohyoid line that differentiates the swollen subalveolar planum from the shallow subalveolar fossa. Features that are derived compared to early Homo include a moderately curved dental arcade, a well-developed lateral prominence placed at the M2-M3 level, and multiple mental foramina. The Hexian mandible's complex enamel surface and strong, stout root structure are primitive traits for the Homo clade. Finally, the highly crenulated 'dendrite-like' EDJ found in the molars may represent a dental feature specific to the continental Asian Homo erectus, but more data is needed to confirm this. Conclusions Mandibular and dental features indicate that the Hexian mandible and teeth differ from northern Chinese H. erectus and European Middle Pleistocene hominins, but show some affinities with the Early Pleistocene specimens from Africa ( Homo ergaster) and Java ( H. erectus), as well as the Middle-Late Pleistocene mandible from Penghu, Taiwan. Compared to contemporaneous continental Asian hominin populations, the Hexian fossils may represent the survival of a primitive hominin, with more primitive morphologies than other contemporaneous or some chronologically older Asian hominin specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) materials enable the organic light emitting devices (OLEDs) exhibiting high external quantum efficiency (EQE), as they can fully utilize singlets and triplets. Despite of the high level of the theoretical limit in EQE of TADF OLEDs, the reported values of EQE in the literature vary a lot. Hence, it is critical to quantify the effects of the factors on device EQE based on data‐driven approaches. Herein, we use the machine learning (ML) algorithms to map the relation between the material/device structural factors and the EQE. We established the dataset from a variety of experimental reports. Four algorithms are employed, among which the neural network performs best in predicting the EQE. The root mean square error is 1.96% and 3.39% for train and test sets, respectively. Based on the correlation and the feature importance studies, key factors governing the device EQE are screened out. These results provide an essential guidance for material screen and experimental device optimization of TADF OLEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study introduces a Micro Electro Mechanical Systems ( MEMS) piezoelectric gyroscope with a concentrated rocking-mass, made from PZT ceramic. The gyroscope operates in the rocking mode with a frequency of 91.3 kHz. This gyroscope follows the study of the MEMS piezoelectric BAW gyroscope with an improvement of fewer boundary constraints, which enhances the device's operability and characteristic. Through the MEMS fabrication process, the device with a side of length 12 mm achieves a rate sensitivity of 30.7 μV/°/s and a bias stability of 8.6°/s. This study describes the design, fabrication, circuit system, and characteristics of this micro piezoelectric gyroscope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new series of-fluoro chalcones-substituted amino-alkyl derivatives ( 3a˜3l) were designed, synthesized, characterized and evaluated for the inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase. The results showed that the alteration of fluorine atom position and amino-alkyl groups markedly influenced the activity and the selectivity of chalcone derivates in inhibiting acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase. Among them, compound 3l possesses the most potent inhibitory against acetylcholinesterase ( IC50 = 0.21 ± 0.03 μmol/L), and the highest selectivity for acetylcholinesterase over butyrylcholinesterase ( IC50 (BuChE)/ IC50 ( AChE) = 65.0). Molecular modeling and enzyme kinetic study on compound 3l supported its dual acetylcholinesterase inhibitory profile, simultaneously binding at the catalytic active and peripheral anionic site of the enzyme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Objectives This study investigates where the Xujiayao juvenile (I1 and C1) fits into the array of perikymata distribution patterns found within the genus Homo. Materials and Methods In addition to the I1 and the C1 of the Xujiayao juvenile, this study includes samples of early Homo ( H. rudolfensis and H. erectus), Neandertals, early modern humans (Qafzeh), and recent modern humans from Southern Africa, Newcastle (UK), and North America (Inupiaq, AK). Three sets of analyses were undertaken, including a comparison of percentage of perikymata in the cervical half of the crown, repeated measures analysis of the percentage of total perikymata in each decile, and canonical variates analysis using both total perikymata number and the percentage of perikymata in the cervical half of the crown. Results The I1 and C1 of early Homo and Neandertals have a lower percentage of perikymata in the cervical half of the crown than modern human samples. Repeated measures analysis reveals clear distinctions in the distribution of perikymata between the modern human and fossil samples. Canonical variates analysis suggests greater differences between modern humans and the fossil samples than within the fossil samples, and classifies the Xujiayao teeth among modern humans. Discussion The present study further clarifies variation of perikymata distribution patterns within the genus Homo. The perikymata distribution of the Xujiayao juvenile tends to be more similar to that of modern humans than to either early Homo or Neandertals. Am J Phys Anthropol 157:684-693, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen-doped graphene (NG) materials were prepared with different levels of ammonia modification and their capacitive performances were compared. The surface structure, nitrogen species and contents, as well as the defects and disorders of the as-prepared NG materials were investigated. Electrochemical measurements showed that the capacitance of the NG materials is significantly higher than that of pristine graphene and varies with the ammonia dosage. Graphene modified with 20 mL of ammonia possesses the highest capacitance among all of the materials studied. Further investigation showed that nitrogen species and defects in NG perform pivotal functions in improving capacitance; by contrast, the surface morphology had little influence on the capacitance of the as-prepared NG materials. Results suggested that adjusting the N1 pyridinic N content is an efficient method for elevating the capacitive performance of NG materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT It is generally accepted that from the late Middle to the early Late Pleistocene (∼340-90 ka BP), Neanderthals were occupying Europe and Western Asia, whereas anatomically modern humans were present in the African continent. In contrast, the paucity of hominin fossil evidence from East Asia from this period impedes a complete evolutionary picture of the genus Homo, as well as assessment of the possible contribution of or interaction with Asian hominins in the evolution of Homo sapiens and Homo neanderthalensis. Here we present a comparative study of a hominin dental sample recovered from the Xujiayao site, in Northern China, attributed to the early Late Pleistocene (MIS 5 to 4). Our dental study reveals a mosaic of primitive and derived dental features for the Xujiayao hominins that can be summarized as follows: i) they are different from archaic and recent modern humans, ii) they present some features that are common but not exclusive to the Neanderthal lineage, and iii) they retain some primitive conformations classically found in East Asian Early and Middle Pleistocene hominins despite their young geological age. Thus, our study evinces the existence in China of a population of unclear taxonomic status with regard to other contemporary populations such as H. sapiens and H. neanderthalensis. The morphological and metric studies of the Xujiayao teeth expand the variability known for early Late Pleistocene hominin fossils and suggest the possibility that a primitive hominin lineage may have survived late into the Late Pleistocene in China. Am J Phys Anthropol 156:224-240, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To implement and evaluate clinic-ready adaptive imaging protocols for online patient repositioning (motion tracking) during prostate IMRT using treatment beam imaging supplemented by minimal, as-needed use of on-board kV. Methods: The authors examine the two-step decision-making strategy: (1) Use cine-MV imaging and online-updated characterization of prostate motion to detect target motion that is potentially beyond a predefined threshold and (2) use paired MV-kV 3D localization to determine overthreshold displacement and, if needed, reposition the patient. Two levels of clinical implementation were evaluated: (1) Field-by-field based motion correction for present-day linacs and (2) instantaneous repositioning for new-generation linacs with capabilities of simultaneous MV-kV imaging and remote automatic couch control during treatment delivery. Experiments were performed on a Varian Trilogy linac in clinical mode using a 4D motion phantom programed with prostate motion trajectories taken from patient data. Dosimetric impact was examined using a 2D ion chamber array. Simulations were done for 536 trajectories from 17 patients. Results: Despite the loss of marker detection efficiency caused by the MLC leaves sometimes obscuring the field at the marker's projected position on the MV imager, the field-by-field correction halved (from 23% to 10%) the mean percentage of time that target displacement exceeded a 3 mm threshold, as compared to no intervention. This was achieved at minimal cost in additional imaging (average of one MV-kV pair per two to three treatment fractions) and with a very small number of repositionings (once every four to five fractions). Also with low kV usage (∼2/fraction), the instantaneous repositioning approach reduced overthreshold time by more than 75% (23% to 5%) even with severe MLC blockage as often encountered in current IMRT and could reduce the overthreshold time tenfold (to <2%) if the MLC blockage problem were relieved. The information acquired for repositioning using combined MV-kV images was found to have submillimeter accuracy. Conclusions: This work demonstrated with a current clinical setup that substantial reduction of adverse targeting effects of intrafraction prostate motion can be realized. The proposed adaptive imaging strategy incurs minimal imaging dose to the patient as compared to other stereoscopic imaging techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]