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Carbon fiber epoxy resin (CFRP), as space satellite antenna materials with great application prospects to transmit and receive signals. It is necessary to ensure its normal operation through surface thermal control, which can be achieved by covering with a flexible film. Polyimide (PI) films modified by ceramics particle have been widely studied in the field of flexible devices. However, there is no research on multifunctional PI films with thermal control and wave transmission multifunctional performance. In this study, ZrO 2 modified flexible PI films (PI/ZrO 2 films) which can be covered on the surface of satellite antenna was prepared, and its solar absorption and wave transmission properties were studied. Prepared films exhibited excellent heat resistance and mechanical properties, and the addition of ZrO 2 increased their thermal stability. The solar absorption of films with 50% ZrO 2 is the lowest for 0.30, and the highest reflectance can reach to 88.4%. In addition, the maximum dielectric constant of the films was less than 2.5, and the dielectric loss was less than 0.03, showing an excellent wave transmission performance. The films can be covered on the satellite antenna, and also can be used for other space environment or wave transmission requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To increase the production of biomass and astaxanthin from Haematococcus pluvialis to meet the high market demand for astaxanthin, this study recruited two typical and negligible phytohormones (namely resveratrol and catechol) for the stepwise treatments of H. pluvialis. It was found that the hybrid and sequential treatments of resveratrol (200 μmol) and catechol (100 μmol) had achieved the maximum astaxanthin content at 33.96 mg/L and 42.99 mg/L, respectively. Compared with the hybrid treatment, the physiological data of H. pluvialis using the sequential strategy revealed that the enhanced photosynthetic performance via the Calvin cycle by RuBisCO improved the biomass accumulation during the macrozooid stage; meanwhile, the excessive ROS production had occurred to enhance astaxanthin production with the help of NADPH overproduction during the hematocyst stage. Overall, this study provides improved knowledge of the impacts of phytohormones in improving biomass and astaxanthin of H. pluvialis, which shed valuable insights for advancing microalgae-based biorefinery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This retrospective case-controlled study aimed to evaluate the association between the severity of fall-related injuries and fall-risk-increasing drugs (FRIDs) in hospitalized patients. Methods: Data were collected from Changhua Christian Hospital, Taiwan, of all adult inpatients who experienced falls between January 2017 and December 2021, and were divided into two groups based on whether they sustained severe fall-related injuries. Retrospective data that may affect the severity of fall-related injuries and the use of FRIDs were investigated. Results: Among 1231 documented cases of falls, 26 patients sustained severe fall-related injuries. Older patients and those with osteoporosis were more susceptible to more severe injuries from a fall. The use of mobility aids and osteoporosis medications showed protective effects against fall injuries. No significant association was observed between fall-related injuries and comorbidities or FRIDs. Multivariate analysis confirmed the inverse correlation between the use of mobility aids, osteoporosis medications, and fall severity. Patients with osteoporosis exhibited significantly higher odds of sustaining more severe injuries with a fall (odds ratio = 3.02, 95% confidence interval: 1.21–7.53). Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of addressing risk factors associated with fall severity among hospitalized patients. Providing mobility aids to persons at greater risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The development of a strong and tough conductive hydrogel capable of meeting the strict requirements of the electrode of a hydrogel-based triboelectric nanogenerator (H-TENG) remains an enormous challenge. Herein, a robust conductive polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel is designed via a three-step method: (1) grafting with 3,4-dihydroxy benzaldehyde, (2) metal complexation using ferric chloride (FeCl 3) and (3) salting-out using sodium citrate. The hydrogel contains robust crystalline PVA domains and reversible/high-density non-covalent interactions, such as hydrogen bonding, π–π interactions and Fe3+-catechol complexations. Benefiting from the crystalline domains, the hydrogel can resist external forces to the hydrogel network; meanwhile, the reversible/high-density of non-covalent interactions can impart gradual and persistent energy dissipation during deformation. The hydrogel possesses multiple cross-linked networks, with 6.47 MPa tensile stress, 1000 % strain, 35.24 MJ/m3 toughness and 37.59 kJ/m2 fracture energy. Furthermore, the inter-connected porous hydrogel has an ideal structure for ionic-conducing channels. The hydrogel is assembled into an H-TENG, which can generate open circuit voltage of ∼ 150 V, short-circuit current of ∼ 3.0 μA, with superb damage immunity. Subsequently, road traffic monitoring systems are innovatively developed and demonstrated by using the H-TENG. This study provides a novel strategy to prepare superiorly strong and tough hydrogels that can meet the high demand for H-TENGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider the problem of asynchronous estimation in the presence of packet losses for the randomly sampling nonlinear system. Packet losses occur at the control input and at the measurement side. Firstly, the synchronization of the asynchronous sampling system is realized by weighting the state of the adjacent state update points. Secondly, the projection theorem is used to estimate the system state at the sampling time. Due to modeling errors and unmodeled dynamics, obtaining an accurate dynamic model is challenging. Therefore, observation inference based on interpolation techniques is proposed to solve the asynchronous estimation problem. Furthermore, the algorithm is extended to multi-sensor systems to obtain a distributed fusion estimator. Finally, simulation experiments are conducted to validate the effectiveness of the algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rolling bearing fault signals are accompanied with the specific periodic impulse components in case of fault. Due to the background noise, the periodic impulse component is extremely weak and difficult to be extracted. The periodic segment matrix (PSM) has excellent singular value aggregation property and can accurately separate the periodic impulse components from the signal. Based on this, a symplectic period mode decomposition (SPMD) method is proposed. Firstly, the singular value squared difference ratio (SVSDR) spectrum is defined, and the embedded dimension of PSM is determined. Then, the symplectic geometry component matrix is obtained by symplectic geometry similarity transformation, and the first symplectic geometry period component (SPC) is obtained by periodic impact intensity (PII). Finally, the spectral L2/L1 norm (SNL2/L1) index is used as the termination condition, and the iterative decomposition is terminated when the SNL2/L1 of the residual signal decreases. The emulation and experimental signals results indicate that the SPMD method can extract periodic impulse components accurately and is an effective rolling bearing fault diagnosis method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Abusive supervision by the nurse manager significantly influences nurses' withholding voice about patient safety. The role of impression management motivation and speak up-related climate is crucial in understanding their connection. This study aimed to explore the relationship between abusive supervision, impression management motivation, speak up-related climate, and withholding voice about patient safety. Methods: This cross-sectional study employed a convenience sampling method to recruit 419 clinical nurses from Taizhou Hospital, Zhejiang Province, China, between 1 November 2022 and 31 January 2023. The study adhered to the STROBE checklist. Abusive supervision and impression management motivation were assessed using the Chinese versions of the Abusive Supervision Scale and the Impression Management Motivation Scale, respectively. Withholding voice about patient safety and speak up-related climate were identified using the Chinese version of the Speaking Up about Patient Safety Questionnaire. Results: Nurse leaders' abusive supervision (β=0.40, p<0.01) and nurses' impression management motivation (β=0.10, p<0.01) significantly and positively influenced nurses' withholding voice about patient safety. We introduced impression management motivation as a mediating variable, and the effect of abusive supervision on nurses' withholding voice decreased (β from 0.40 to 0.38, p< 0.01). Nurses' speak up-related climate played a moderating role between abusive supervision and impression management motivation (β= 0.24, p<0.05). Conclusions: Abusive supervision by nursing leaders can result in nurses withholding voice about patient safety out of self-protective impression management motives. This phenomenon inhibits nurses' subjective initiative and undermines their proactive involvement in improving patient safety, and hinders the cultivation of a culture encouraging full participation in patient safety, which should warrant significant attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To predict pathological complete response (pCR) in patients receiving neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy (nICT) for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), we explored the factors that influence pCR after nICT and established a combined nomogram model. Methods: We retrospectively included 164 ESCC patients treated with nICT. The radiomics signature and hematology model were constructed utilizing least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression, and the radiomics score (radScore) and hematology score (hemScore) were determined for each patient. Using the radScore, hemScore, and independent influencing factors obtained through univariate and multivariate analyses, a combined nomogram was established. The consistency and prediction ability of the nomogram were assessed utilizing calibration curve and the area under the receiver operating factor curve (AUC), and the clinical benefits were assessed utilizing decision curve analysis (DCA). Results: We constructed three predictive models.The AUC values of the radiomics signature and hematology model reached 0.874 (95% CI: 0.819–0.928) and 0.772 (95% CI: 0.699–0.845), respectively. Tumor length, cN stage, the radScore, and the hemScore were found to be independent factors influencing pCR according to univariate and multivariate analyses (P < 0.05). A combined nomogram was constructed from these factors, and AUC reached 0.934 (95% CI: 0.896–0.972). DCA demonstrated that the clinical benefits brought by the nomogram for patients across an extensive range were greater than those of other individual models. Conclusions: By combining CT radiomics, hematological factors, and clinicopathological characteristics before treatment, we developed a nomogram model that effectively predicted whether ESCC patients would achieve pCR after nICT, thus identifying patients who are sensitive to nICT and assisting in clinical treatment decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder that impacts a substantial number of individuals globally. Despite its widespread prevalence, there is currently no cure for AD. It is widely acknowledged that normal synaptic function holds a key role in memory, cognitive abilities, and the interneuronal transfer of information. As AD advances, symptoms including synaptic impairment, decreased synaptic density, and cognitive decline become increasingly noticeable. The importance of glial cells in the formation of synapses, the growth of neurons, brain maturation, and safeguarding the microenvironment of the central nervous system is well recognized. However, during AD progression, overactive glial cells can cause synaptic dysfunction, neuronal death, and abnormal neuroinflammation. Both neuroinflammation and synaptic dysfunction are present in the early stages of AD. Therefore, focusing on the changes in glia-synapse communication could provide insights into the mechanisms behind AD. In this review, we aim to provide a summary of the role of various glial cells, including microglia, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and oligodendrocyte precursor cells, in regulating synaptic dysfunction. This may offer a new perspective on investigating the underlying mechanisms of AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fly ash (FA) and granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS) were used as a precursor for geopolymerization to develop a low-carbon pavement base construction material. Based on the orthogonal test method, three levels were set separately for the L9 (34) test considering the proportion of FA (raw fly ash to grained fly ash), ratio of sodium hydroxide to liquid alkaline activator (LAA), and proportion of GBFS mixed with FA and solid–liquid ratio [(FA + GBFS): LAA] as factors influencing the geopolymer. The influence of these factors on the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of soil stabilized by geopolymer was studied. The optimal combinations of levels and factors were determined. The UCS with these ratios combined was 5.1 MPa. According to the above compositions, the mechanical (UCS, splitting tensile strength, and flexural tensile strength) and durability (drying shrinkage, water stability, freezing and thawing resistance, and wet–dry cycle) properties of soil samples stabilized using the aforementioned geopolymer were investigated. Moreover, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis were performed to determine the effect of the change in hydration silicate gel in the UCS development. According to the SEM and XRD test results, hydrated silicate gels exist in the sample, filling the pores of the soil, making the soil more compact, bonding the soil particles, and enhancing the engineering performance of the soil. This study enables waste material utilization as a replacement and partially reactive material in pavement applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of ischemic stroke (IS) is rising in tandem with the global aging population. There is an urgent need to delve deeper into the pathological mechanisms and develop new neuroprotective strategies. In the present review, we discuss the latest advancements and research on various nanodrug delivery systems (NDDSs) for targeting microglial polarization in IS treatment. Furthermore, we critically discuss the different strategies. NDDSs have demonstrated exceptional qualities to effectively permeate the blood–brain barrier, aggregate at the site of ischemic injury, and target specific cell types within the brain when appropriately modified. Consequently, NDDSs have considerable potential for reshaping the polarization phenotype of microglia and could be a prospective therapeutic strategy for IS. The treatment of IS remains a challenge. However, this review provides a new perspective on neuro-nanomedicine for IS therapies centered on microglial polarization, thereby inspiring new research ideas and directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study utilized X-ray computed tomography (CT) technology to analyze the meso-structure of concrete at different replacement rates, using a coal gangue coarse aggregate, after experiencing various freeze–thaw cycles (F-Ts). A predictive model for the degradation of the elastic modulus of Coal Gangue coarse aggregate Concrete (CGC), based on mesoscopic damage, was established to provide an interpretation of the macroscopic mechanical behavior of CGC after F-Ts damage at a mesoscopic scale. It was found that after F-Ts, the compressive strength of concrete, with coal gangue replacement rates of 30%, 60%, and 100%, respectively, decreased by 33.76%, 34.89%, and 42.05% compared with unfrozen specimens. The results indicate that an increase in the coal gangue replacement rate exacerbates the degradation of concrete performance during the F-Ts process. Furthermore, the established predictive formula for elastic modulus degradation closely matches the experimental data, offering a reliable theoretical basis for the durability design of CGC in F-Ts environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on wet chemical precipitation and spray drying technology, a Y–Zr-doped W powder was prepared as a precursor material for the preparation of Y–Zr-modified WC-8Co cemented carbides. The Y–Zr-modified WC-8Co hard alloy prepared by low pressure sintering method was used to study the change in the interface structure between the second phase and the substrate. The result showed that in the Y–Zr-doped W powder, the second phase was Y 2 O 3 and ZrO 2 particles. The Y 2 O 3 particles had a coherent interface with the W matrix, which was the reason for the formation of intragranular nano second phases in the modified hard alloys. The interface between ZrO 2 and W particles exhibited a semi coherent relationship, which was consistent with the interface structure of WC crystals and the second phase at grain boundaries. Some free second phase particles Y 2 O 3 and ZrO 2 in the doped powder formed a staggered interface structure in the modified alloy, generating Y–Zr–O solid solutions dispersed in the bonding phase. The performance of Y–Zr-modified WC-8Co hard alloy were superior to pure WC-8Co alloy prepared by the same process. The stable and compatible interface structure between WC grains and the second phase was an effective means to improve the performance of modified WC-8Co cemented carbide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is grounded on the following information: (1) Disposable masks primarily consist of polypropylene fiber, which exhibits excellent flexibility. (2) China has extensive coal gangue deposits that pose a significant environmental hazard. (3) Coal gangue concrete exhibits greater fragility compared to regular concrete and demonstrates reduced resistance to deformation. With the consideration of environmental conservation and resource reutilization, a preliminary concept suggests the conversion of discarded masks into fibers, which can be blended with coal gangue concrete to enhance its mechanical characteristics. In this paper, the stress–strain law of different mask fiber–doped coal gangue concrete (DMGC) under uniaxial compression is studied when the matrix strength is C20 and C30, and the effect of mask fiber content on the mechanical behavior and energy conversion relationship of coal gangue concrete is analyzed. The experimental results show that when the content of mask fiber is less than 1.5%, the strength, elastic modulus, deformation resistance, and energy dissipation of the concrete increase with mask fiber content. When the amount of mask fiber is more than 1.5%, because the tensile capacity and energy dissipation level of concrete produced by the mask fiber cannot compensate for the compression and deformation resistance of concrete of the same quantity and because excess fiber is difficult to evenly mix in the concrete, there are pore defects in concrete, which decreases the concrete strength due to the increase in mask fiber. Therefore, adding less than 1.5% mask fiber helps to improve the ductility, toughness, impermeability, and oxidation and control the cracking of coal gangue concrete. Based on Weibull theory, a constitutive model of DMGC is established, which fits well with the results of a uniaxial test, providing support for understanding the mechanical law of mask fiber–doped concrete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review explores the diverse applications of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in neurological diseases, with a specific focus on Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and stroke. The introduction highlights the pivotal role of neuroinflammation in these disorders and introduces the unique properties of AuNPs. The review's core examines the mechanisms by which AuNPs exert neuroprotection and anti-neuro-inflammatory effects, elucidating various pathways through which they manifest these properties. The potential therapeutic applications of AuNPs in AD are discussed, shedding light on promising avenues for therapy. This review also explores the prospects of utilizing AuNPs in PD interventions, presenting a hopeful outlook for future treatments. Additionally, the review delves into the potential of AuNPs in providing neuroprotection after strokes, emphasizing their significance in mitigating cerebrovascular accidents' aftermath. Experimental findings from cellular and animal models are consolidated to provide a comprehensive overview of AuNPs' effectiveness, offering insights into their impact at both the cellular and in vivo levels. This review enhances our understanding of AuNPs' applications in neurological diseases and lays the groundwork for innovative therapeutic strategies in neurology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The current evidence demonstrates that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) hold therapeutic potential for ischemic stroke. However, it remains unclear how changes in the secretion of MSC cytokines following the overexpression of heme oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1) impact excessive inflammatory activation in a mouse ischemic stroke model. This study investigated this aspect and provided further insights. Methods: The middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) mouse model was established, and subsequent injections of MSC, MSCHO‐1, or PBS solutions of equal volume were administered via the mice's tail vein. Histopathological analysis was conducted on Days 3 and 28 post‐MCAO to observe morphological changes in brain slices. mRNA expression levels of various factors, including IL‐1β, IL‐6, IL‐17, TNF‐α, IL‐1Ra, IL‐4, IL‐10, TGF‐β, were quantified. The effects of MSCHO‐1 treatment on neurons, microglia, and astrocytes were observed using immunofluorescence after transplantation. The polarization direction of macrophages/microglia was also detected using flow cytometry. Results: The results showed that the expression of anti‐inflammatory factors in the MSCHO‐1 group increased while that of pro‐inflammatory factors decreased. Small animal fluorescence studies and immunofluorescence assays showed that the homing function of MSCsHO‐1 was unaffected, leading to a substantial accumulation of MSCsHO‐1 in the cerebral ischemic region within 24 h. Neurons were less damaged, activation and proliferation of microglia were reduced, and polarization of microglia to the M2 type increased after MSCHO‐1 transplantation. Furthermore, after transplantation of MSCsHO‐1, the mortality of mice decreased, and motor function improved significantly. Conclusion: The findings indicate that MSCs overexpressing HO‐1 exhibited significant therapeutic effects against hyper‐inflammatory injury after stroke in mice, ultimately promoting recovery after ischemic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growth of Er3+‐doped 100‐nm thick LiNbO3(LN) films on Z‐cut LiTaO3(LT) single‐crystal by e‐beam evaporation and in‐situ anneal at 600–800°C was studied. Crystalline phase, crystallographic orientation, Er3+ spectroscopic properties, constituent element valence states, defects, Er3+ concentration and stoichiometry of the films were characterized. The results show that the films are in LN single‐crystal state and orient along with c crystallographic axis. Constituent elements Li, O and Er are present in their respective single valence states Li+, O2−, Er3+, while the Nb is in two valence states Nb5+ and Nb4+. The films have Li2O‐contents around congruent point. Antisite(NbLi4+) is the major defect. Its concentration decreases, while Li2O‐content, crystallinity degree, and fluorescence intensity increase with increased growth temperature. The presence of Er3+ in the grown films is in the form of LN crystalline phase. Its concentration is considerably lower than that in initial target material because of lower e‐beam evaporation efficiency of heavy Er3+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ongoing reproducibility crisis in psychology and cognitive neuroscience has sparked increasing calls to re-evaluate and reshape scientific culture and practices. Heeding those calls, we have recently launched the EEGManyPipelines project as a means to assess the robustness of EEG research in naturalistic conditions and experiment with an alternative model of conducting scientific research. One hundred sixty-eight analyst teams, encompassing 396 individual researchers from 37 countries, independently analyzed the same unpublished, representative EEG data set to test the same set of predefined hypotheses and then provided their analysis pipelines and reported outcomes. Here, we lay out how large-scale scientific projects can be set up in a grassroots, community-driven manner without a central organizing laboratory. We explain our recruitment strategy, our guidance for analysts, the eventual outputs of this project, and how it might have a lasting impact on the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study investigated the impact of different levels of COVID‐19 social restrictions (social distancing in 2020, large‐scale home confinement in 2021) on myopia prevalence and behaviours in a preschool population with school‐based eyecare programme. Methods: Repeated cross‐sectional surveys were conducted between August and December in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Children aged 5–6 years received ocular examinations, and questionnaires were answered by caregivers before the day of the examination. The main outcome measures were the changes in after‐school time spent on homework, screen‐based devices and outdoors. Secondary outcome was the change in myopia prevalence (spherical equivalent [SE] ≤ −0.5 D in either eye after cycloplegia). Results: A total of 9997 preschoolers were included in the analysis. Under tighter restrictions, more preschoolers spent ≥1 h/day on screen‐based devices (42.8% in 2019, 45.2% in 2020, 48.9% in 2021, p < 0.001), and fewer preschoolers spent ≥30 min/day on after‐school outdoor activities (49.5% in 2019, 46.0% in 2020, 41.0% in 2021, p < 0.001) on weekdays. A similar trend was found on weekends. While more preschoolers spent ≥2 h/day on screen‐based devices (35.3% in 2019, 38.5% in 2020, 43.0% in 2021, p < 0.001), fewer preschoolers spent ≥2 h/day on outdoor activities (41.7% in 2019, 41.7% in 2020, 34.0% in 2021, p < 0.001). The mean SE and myopia prevalence were stable (9.1% in 2019, 10.3% in 2020, 9.4% in 2021, p = 0.707). Conclusion: Our study showed dose‐dependent effect of social restrictions on near‐work and outdoor behaviours at home. The prevalence of myopia did not increase significantly with short‐term cessation of school‐based eyecare programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Zhurong rover of the Tianwen-1 mission successfully landed in the southern part of the Utopian Planitia and the northern region of the dichotomy boundary. Craters within a ~ 134 km2 region surrounding the Zhurong rover were identified and divided into seven degradation classes based on their preservation states and morphological details. Assessing how craters have degraded over time provides insight into local surface processes and then speculates on the climate evolution of the study area. The small depth/diameter (d/D) of craters in the study area may be caused by the rapid filling of sediments or by impact processes occurring in poorly cohesive weathering layers, and may also be associated with the volatile material alteration. As time went by, the process of crater degradation is nonlinear, and the degradation rate of the fresh crater in the study area at the initial stage of degradation may be as high as 0.2 m/Myr. The calculated surface erosion rate for the study area is ~ 10–2–10–3 m/Myr, indicating that the erosion of the Martian surface since the Middle Amazonian occurred in the dry environment dominated by wind-sand erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of carbon fiber epoxy resin composite (CFRP) in the aerospace industry is limited by the laser treatment, because of the poor oxidation resistance and anti-laser ablation performance of the composites. The application of a coating on components is an effective method to improve their laser ablation resistance. The nitride coatings, consisting of Si3N4, AlN, BN, and an epoxy resin, were applied onto the CFRP using brush painting. When irradiating at 100 W/cm2 for 5 s, the damage has occurred on the coating with Si3N4 and AlN, and the BN coating remains original morphology at 100 W/cm2 for 20 s. With the power density has increased to 200 W/cm2, the serious ablation damage occurs in the BN coating irradiated for 10 s. Due to the heat absorption of resin pyrolysis and the low thermal conductivity of CFRP, the highest back-surface temperature is only 75 °C. The laser protection performance of CFRP should mainly improved by increasing the reflectivity of the coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A liquid bath vibrating vertically can lead to the emergence of a self-propelled walking droplet on its free surface, which can exhibit chaotic motion. It is well-known that trajectories of a chaotic system are sensitive to its initial condition, known as the "butterfly-effect", while its statistics normally remain stable to small disturbances: this type of chaos is called "normal-chaos". However, a concept called "ultra-chaos" has been recently introduced, whose statistical features are unstable, i.e. extremely sensitive to small disturbances. Up to now, a few examples of ultra-chaos have been reported. In this paper, the influence of tiny disturbances on the motion of walking droplet is investigated. It is found that both normal-chaos and ultra-chaos exist in the motion of the walking droplet. Different from the normal-chaotic motion, even the statistical properties of the droplet's ultra-chaotic motion are sensitive to tiny disturbances. Therefore, this illustrates once again that ultra-chaos indeed exists widely and represents a higher disorder compared with normal-chaos. The ultra-chaos as a new concept can widen our knowledge about chaos and provide us with a new point of view to study chaotic properties. It should be emphasized that, for an ultra-chaos, it is impossible to repeat any results of its physical experiments or numerical simulations even in the meaning of statistics! Unfortunately, reproducibility is a corner stone of modern science. Thus, the paradigm of modern scientific research might be invalid for an ultra-chaotic system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cognitive dysfunction is prevalent among the elderly diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Low protein diets are used for retarding the progression of CKD in clinical practice. Nonetheless, the impact of dietary protein consumption on cognitive function in this population remains uncertain. Methods: We recruited 2306 participants (=60 years) from 2011 to 2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). 24-h dietary recall questionnaire was utilized to evaluate protein intake. Cognitive function was measured using the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD), Animal Fluency Test (AFT), and Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST). Participants' characteristics were analyzed, and the interaction between protein consumption and CKD on cognitive impairment were analyzed using a logistic regression model. Results: We divided participants into three groups based on CKD stages: no CKD, CKD stage G1 to G2 (19%), and CKD stage G3 to G5 (18%). The average protein intake was 0.97 g/(kg·d). In the higher protein intake group, CKD stages G1 to G2 elevated the risk of immediate memory impairment (OR: 2.441, 95% Cl: 1.161-5.132 for protein consumption in 1.0-1.2g/(kg·d); OR: 2.225, 95% Cl: 1.015-4.876 for protein consumption in >1.2 g/(kg·d)). However, no similar resuts were observed in the lower protein intake group. In addition, the interaction between CKD status and protein intake on immediate memory was statistically significant (p = .041). Conclusion: A higher probability of cognitive impairment in the elderly with early-stage CKD may be linked to higher protein intake. Low protein diets may be a potential strategy to release cognitive impairment in the elderly with early-stage CKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (L. vannamei) is an economically important species worldwide. As females exhibit a faster growth rate than males, it is crucial to understand the mechanism of sex determination and differentiation for the purpose of mono-sex breeding in shrimp. The feminization-1 gene (Fem-1) serves as a sex-determining gene in Caenorhabditis elegans, and the Fem-1 family is implicated in sex development in several crustaceans. In this study, three Fem-1 family members, namely LvFem-1a, LvFem-1b, and LvFem-1c, were identified and characterized in L. vannamei. Based on genetic sex marker, individuals were separated by sex during the early developmental stages. The expression profiles of these genes were analyzed in female or male larvae. Significant differences between females and males were observed during the early stages of development. In Zoea III or earlier stages, the expressions levels in males were significantly higher than those in females. Intriguingly, there was a shift towards higher expression in females during the mysis and post-larval stages. These findings indicate that the Zoea III stage may be crucial for sex differentiation in shrimp. In addition, the analysis of gene expression across various ovarian stages and tissues was conducted. Results showed that all three genes were highly expressed in the ovary, with particularly elevated levels in ovarian development stage II. These findings suggest that the Fem-1 genes play a critical role in early ovary development. This study is the first research focusing on the sex-specific expression of sex differentiation genes in shrimp. The obtained results provide new insights into to the role of the Fem-1 gene family in sex differentiation and gonadal development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a series of novel compounds Spartinin C1-C24 were screened, synthesised and evaluated for inhibiting xanthine oxidase thus lowering serum uric acid level. The backbones were derived from the components of coastal marine source Spartina alterniflora and marketed drugs. The top hits Spartinin C10 & C22 suggested high inhibition percentages (78.54 and 93.74) at 10 μM dosage, which were higher than the positive control Allopurinol. They were low cytotoxic onto human normal hepatocyte cells. Treatment with Spartinin C10 could lower the serum uric acid level to 440.0 μM in the hyperuricemic model mice (723.0 μM), comparable with Allopurinol (325.8 μM). Spartinin C10 was more appreciated than Allopurinol on other serum indexes. The preliminary pharmacokinetics evaluation indicated that the rapid absorption, metabolism and elimination of Spartinin C10 should be further improved. The discovery of pharmaceutical molecules from coastal marine source here might inspire the inter-disciplinary investigations on public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To systematically evaluate the effect of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOAC) on liver function. Methods The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Wanfang, CNKI and VIP databases were searched to collect randomized controlled trials (RCT) related to non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant treatment published openly before June 30, 2023. Data were extracted according to the inclusion criteria. The quality of the included studies was evaluated. Meta-analysis was performed on the related data using R language. Results A total of 22 RCT studies were included, with 64 063 patients receiving non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant treatment. Compared with the control group, non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants did not increase the risk of abnormal liver function (alanine transaminase (ALT)>3 ULN) (RR=0. 72, 95%CI: 0. 61 ~0. 84, I² =59%, P<0. 01), or the risk of severe liver injury (ALT> 3 ULN combined with total bilirubin (TBIL)>2 ULN) (RR=0. 98, 95% CI: 0. 80 ~ 1. 19, I² =0%, P =0. 01). When used for preventing deep vein thrombosis after orthopedic surgery, compared with the control group, non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants reduced the risk of abnormal liver function (RR=0. 69, 95%CI: 0. 61 ~0. 79, I² =0%, P<0. 01). Conclusions Non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants have high liver safety. The occurrence of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant-associated liver injury may be dose-dependent. Regular monitoring of liver function is recommended when applying non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants clinically to patients with a history of liver disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The asymmetric texture on the cutting performance of the tool and its influence on the derivative cutting were studied. Based on the Johnson–Cook model, the finite element is used to simulate and analyze the cutting 45# steel of non-woven tool (NT), forward asymmetric texture tool (FT), and reverse asymmetric texture tool (RT), the corresponding cutting experiments are carried out, and the cutting force, cutting temperature, chip morphology, derivative cutting, and tool wear of NT tool, FT tool, and RT tool are compared and analyzed. It is found that the cutting performance of asymmetric texture tools is better than that of NT tool, but the existence of texture will also induce derivative cutting phenomena, which will have a certain negative impact on cutting performance and aggravate tool wear. The average main cutting forces of the NT tool, RT tool, and FT tool are 601.9 N, 196.4 N, and 419.1 N, respectively, and the cutting force of texture tools is reduced by about 30.4–67.4% compared with the NT tool. The results show that the introduction of texture is conducive to increasing the shear angle, reducing the cutting force, improving the temperature distribution of the tooltip, reducing the adhesion of chips, and improving the cutting stability. However, the texture-induced derivative cutting will aggravate the wear of the cutter surface of the texture at the chip outflow end, which will affect the cutting temperature to a certain extent and increase the cutting force, and the coupling effect of texture and derivative cutting makes the cutting performance of RT tool better than FT tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pathological features of Alzheimer's disease are the formation of amyloid plaques and entanglement of nerve fibers. Studies have shown that Cu may be involved in the formation of amyloid plaques. However, their role has been controversial. The aim of this study was to explore the role of Cu in AD. We applied the "R" software for our differential analysis. Differentially expressed genes were screened using the limma package. Copper metabolism-related genes and the intersection set of differential genes with GSE5281 were searched; functional annotation was performed. The protein–protein interaction network was constructed using several modules to analyse the most significant hub genes. The hub genes were then qualified, and a database was used to screen for small-molecule AD drugs. We identified 87 DEGs. gene ontology analysis focused on homeostatic processes, response to toxic substances, positive regulation of transport, and secretion. The enriched molecular functions are mainly related to copper ion binding, molecular function regulators, protein-containing complex binding, identical protein binding and signalling receptor binding. The KEGG database is mainly involved in central carbon metabolism in various cancers, Parkinson's disease and melanoma. We identified five hub genes, FGF2, B2M, PTPRC, CD44 and SPP1, and identified the corresponding small molecule drugs. Our study identified key genes possibly related to energy metabolism in the pathological mechanism of AD and explored potential targets for AD treatment by establishing interaction networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The latest clinical trials have reported conflicting outcomes regarding the effectiveness of xenon anesthesia in preventing postoperative neurocognitive dysfunction; thus, this study assessed the existing evidence. We searched the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases from inception to April 9, 2023, for randomized controlled trials of xenon anesthesia in postoperative patients. We included English-language randomized controlled studies of adult patients undergoing surgery with xenon anesthesia that compared its effects to those of other anesthetics. Duplicate studies, pediatric studies, and ongoing clinical trials were excluded. Nine studies with 754 participants were identified. A forest plot revealed that the incidence of postoperative neurocognitive dysfunction did not differ between the xenon anesthesia and control groups (P = 0.43). Additionally, xenon anesthesia significantly shortened the emergence time for time to opening eyes (P < 0.001), time to extubation (P < 0.001), time to react on demand (P = 0.01), and time to time and spatial orientation (P = 0.04). However, the Aldrete score significantly increased with xenon anesthesia (P = 0.005). Postoperative complications did not differ between the anesthesia groups. Egger's test for bias showed no small-study effect, and a trim-and-fill analysis showed no apparent publication bias. In conclusion, xenon anesthesia probably did not affect the occurrence of postoperative neurocognitive dysfunction. However, xenon anesthesia may effectively shorten the emergence time of certain parameters without adverse effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Triglyceride-glucose index (TyG) has been widely used to predict cardiovascular outcomes. However, it remains unclear whether TyG holds prognostic significance for patients with coronary chronic total occlusions (CTO). Thus, our study aimed to evaluate the predictive accuracy and prognostic value of TyG in individuals who underwent successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for CTO. Methods: A total of 331 consecutive patients with ≥ 1 successful CTO-PCI were included. The baseline and angiographic data were acquired. The duration of follow-up ranged from 32 to 79 months, with a median of 44 months and an interquartile range of 39 to 67 months. The primary outcome measured was the occurrence of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), including mortality, target vessel revascularization, recurrent myocardial infarction, and stroke. Results: After controlling for confounders, multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that TyG remained statistically significant, regardless of being a continuous or categorical variable. In the partially adjusted regression model, the Hazard ratio (95%CI) for MACCE was 2.54 (1.12–5.79) in tertile 3 and 1.61 (1.22–2.12) per SD increase in the TyG.Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated significant differences in MACCE-free survival rates across tertiles of the TyG, as indicated by the log-rank test (p = 0.001). ROC analysis was conducted to evaluate the predictive ability of TyG for MACCE, resulting in an AUC of 0.677. Conclusion: The TyG index demonstrates independent predictive capabilities for MACCE in patients who have undergone successful CTO-PCI. These findings suggest that TyG holds the potential as a valuable tool in risk stratification and the identification of patients who may benefit from early intervention in the management of CTO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intestinal-type gastric adenocarcinoma (IGA) is a common phenotype of gastric cancer. Currently, few studies have constructed nomograms that may predict overall (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) probability after surgery. This study is to establish novel nomograms for predicting the survival of IGA patients who received surgery. A total of 1814 IGA patients who received surgery between 2000 and 2018 were selected from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database and randomly assigned to the training and validating sets at a ratio of 7:3. Then univariate and multivariate cox regression analyses were performed to screen significant indictors for the construction of nomograms. The calibration curve, the area under the receiver operating characteristic (receiver operating characteristic, ROC) curve (the area under curve, AUC), C-index, net reclassification index (NRI), integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) and decision curve analysis (DCA) curves were applied to assess the performance of the model. The significant outcomes of multivariate analysis revealed that ten variables (age, sex, race, surgery type, summary stage, grade, AJCC TNM stage, radiotherapy, number of regional nodes examined, number of regional nodes positive) were demonstrated to construct the nomogram for OS and ten variables (age, sex, race, surgery type, summary stage, grade, AJCC TNM stage, chemotherapy, number of regional nodes examined, number of regional nodes positive) for CSS. The calibration and AUC uncovered their favorable predictive performance. Subsequently, C-index, NRI, IDI and DCA curves further validated the predicative superiority of nomograms over 7th AJCC Stage System. The validated nomogram provides more reliable OS and CSS predictions for postoperative IGA patients with good accuracy, which can help surgeons in treatment decision-making and prognosis evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exosomes, as potent intercellular communication tools, have garnered significant attention due to their unique cargo-carrying capabilities, which enable them to influence diverse physiological and pathological functions. Extensive research has illuminated the biogenesis, secretion, and functions of exosomes. These vesicles are secreted by cells in different states, exerting either protective or harmful biological functions. Emerging evidence highlights their role in cardiovascular disease (CVD) by mediating comprehensive interactions among diverse cell types. This review delves into the significant impacts of exosomes on CVD under stress and disease conditions, including coronary artery disease (CAD), myocardial infarction, heart failure, and other cardiomyopathies. Focusing on the cellular signaling and mechanisms, we explore how exosomes mediate multifaceted interactions, particularly contributing to endothelial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and apoptosis in CVD pathogenesis. Additionally, exosomes show great promise as biomarkers, reflecting differential expressions of NcRNAs (miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs), and as therapeutic carriers for targeted CVD treatment. However, the specific regulatory mechanisms governing exosomes in CVD remain incomplete, necessitating further exploration of their characteristics and roles in various CVD-related contexts. This comprehensive review aims to provide novel insights into the biological implications of exosomes in CVD and offer innovative perspectives on the diagnosis and treatment of CVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Astragalus membranaceus is a traditional Chinese medicine derived from the roots of Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge., which has the same medicinal and edible uses in China. It is also widely used in daily food, and its pharmacological effects mainly include antioxidant effects, vascular softening effects, etc. Currently, it is increasingly widely used in the prevention of hypertension, cerebral ischemia, and stroke in China. Formononetin and its glucopyranoside (ononin) are both important components of Astragalus membranaceuss and may play important roles in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). This study conducted metabolic studies using formononectin and its glucopyranoside (ononin), including a combination of the in vitro metabolism of Formonetin using rat liver S9 and the in vivo metabolism of ononin administered orally to rats. Five metabolites (Sm2, 7, 9, 10, and 12) were obtained from the solution incubated with formononetin and rat hepatic S9 fraction using chromatographic methods. The structures of the five metabolites were elucidated as (Sm2)6,7,4′-trihydroxy-isoflavonoid; (Sm7)7,4′-dihydroxy-isoflavonoid; (Sm9)7,8,4′-trihydroxy-isoflavonoid; (Sm10)7,8,-dihydroxy-4′-methoxy-isoflavonoid; and (Sm12)6,7-dihydroxy-4′-methoxy- isoflavonoid on the basis of UV, NMR, and MS data. Totally, 14 metabolites were identified via HPLC-DAD-ESI-IT-TOF-MSn analysis, from which the formononetin was incubated with rat hepatic S9 fraction, and the main metabolic pathways were hydroxylation, demethylation, and glycosylation. Then, 21 metabolites were identified via HPLC-DAD-ESI-IT-TOF-MSn analysis from the urine samples from SD rats to which ononin was orally administered, and the main metabolic pathways were glucuronidation, hydroxylation, demethylation, and sulfonation. The main difference between the in vitro metabolism of formononetin and the in vivo metabolism of ononin is that ononin undergoes deglycemic transformation into Formonetin in the rat intestine, while Formonetin is absorbed into the bloodstream for metabolism, and the metabolic products also produce combined metabolites during in vivo metabolism. The six metabolites obtained from the aforementioned separation indicate the primary forms of formononetin metabolism, and due to their higher contents of similar isoflavone metabolites, they are considered the main active compounds that are responsible for pharmacological effects. To investigate the metabolites of the active ingredients of formononetin in the rat liver S9 system, network pharmacology was used to evaluate the cardiovascular disease (CVD) activities of the six primary metabolites that were structurally identified. Additionally, the macromolecular docking results of six main components and two core targets (HSP90AA1 and SRC) related to CVD showed that formononetin and its main metabolites, Sm10 and Sm12, may have roles in CVD treatment due to their strong binding activities with the HSP90AA1 receptor, while the Sm7 metabolite may have a role in CVD treatment due to its strong binding activity with the SRC receptor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytochemical analysis of Populus euphratica resins has resulted in the isolation and identification of two undescribed terpenoids, including a new triterpene (1), a new sesquiterpene (2), and nine additional terpenoid (3-11) compounds. The structures of these novel compounds were determined using HR-ESI-MS and NMR (1D and 2D) spectroscopic analyses, combined with ECD calculations. The inhibitory activity of these terpenoids against α-glucosidase was also evaluated, and the results revealed that none of the compounds exhibited significant α-glucosidase inhibitory activity at a concentration of 50 μM. Only compound 1 displayed weak inhibitory activity (1.84 ± 8.96%) compared to the positive control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C/SiC composite has been widely used as a high‐temperature material for engineering components due to its excellent thermal properties. Facing the rapid development and threat of high‐energy laser, study on the ablation resistance under laser irradiation is strongly required. In this work, a continuous high‐energy laser was applied to explore the laser ablation behavior and mechanism of C/SiC composite. From the results, C/SiC composite shows different morphologies when irradiated at various laser power densities for 500 and 700 W/cm2. We divided the ablation area into three regions; the central, transition, and edge regions, where the formation of SiO2, SiO, and the breakage of carbon fiber were observed. The generated highly reflective SiO2 layer reduces the absorption of laser energy, which is beneficial to lower the back‐surface temperature and reduce the damage of composite. In addition, we put forward the ablation physical models and ablation mechanisms irradiated at different power densities. The work provides a basis for the laser ablation resistance of C/SiC composites under different conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Grifola frondosa is a Basidiomycete fungus belonging to the family of Grifolaceae and the order of Polyporales. β-Glucans are the main polymers in G. frondosa, playing a crucial role in the physiology and representing the healthy benefits for humans. The membrane-integrated β-1, 3-glucan synthase (GLS) is responsible for glucan synthesis, cell wall assembly, differentiation and growth of the edible fungi. However, the structural/catalytic characteristics and mechanisms of β-1, 3-glucan synthases in G. frondosa are still unknown due to their extremely complex structures with multi-transmembranes and large molecular masses. Results: Herein, a β-1, 3-glucan synthase (GFGLS2) was purified and identified from the cultured mycelia with a specific activity of 60.01 pmol min−1 μg−1 for the first time. The GFGLS2 showed a strict specificity to UDP-glucose with a Vmax value of 1.29 ± 0.04 µM min−1 at pH 7.0 and synthesized β-1, 3-glucan with a maximum degree of polymerization (DP) of 62. Sequence Similarity Network (SSN) analysis revealed that GFGLS2 has a close relationship with others in Ganoderma sinense, Trametes coccinea, Polyporus brumalis, and Trametes pubescens. With the assistance of 3D structure modelling by AlphaFold 2, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations, the central hydrophilic domain (Class III) in GFGLS2 was the main active sites through binding the substrate UDP–glucose to 11 amino acid residues via hydrogen bonds, π-stacking and salt bridges. Conclusions: The biochemical, 3D structural characterization and potential catalytic mechanism of a membrane-bound β-1, 3-glucan synthase GFGLS2 from cultured mycelia of G. frondosa were well investigated and would provide a reasonable full picture of β-1, 3-glucan synthesis in fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pathological features of Alzheimer's disease are the formation of amyloid plaques and entanglement of nerve fibers. Studies have shown that Cu may be involved in the formation of amyloid plaques. However, their role has been controversial. The aim of this study was to explore the role of Cu in AD. We applied the "R" software for our differential analysis. Differentially expressed genes were screened using the limma package. Copper metabolism-related genes and the intersection set of differential genes with GSE5281 were searched; functional annotation was performed. The protein–protein interaction network was constructed using several modules to analyse the most significant hub genes. The hub genes were then qualified, and a database was used to screen for small-molecule AD drugs. We identified 87 DEGs. gene ontology analysis focused on homeostatic processes, response to toxic substances, positive regulation of transport, and secretion. The enriched molecular functions are mainly related to copper ion binding, molecular function regulators, protein-containing complex binding, identical protein binding and signalling receptor binding. The KEGG database is mainly involved in central carbon metabolism in various cancers, Parkinson's disease and melanoma. We identified five hub genes, FGF2, B2M, PTPRC, CD44 and SPP1, and identified the corresponding small molecule drugs. Our study identified key genes possibly related to energy metabolism in the pathological mechanism of AD and explored potential targets for AD treatment by establishing interaction networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intestinal-type gastric adenocarcinoma (IGA) is a common phenotype of gastric cancer. Currently, few studies have constructed nomograms that may predict overall (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) probability after surgery. This study is to establish novel nomograms for predicting the survival of IGA patients who received surgery. A total of 1814 IGA patients who received surgery between 2000 and 2018 were selected from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database and randomly assigned to the training and validating sets at a ratio of 7:3. Then univariate and multivariate cox regression analyses were performed to screen significant indictors for the construction of nomograms. The calibration curve, the area under the receiver operating characteristic (receiver operating characteristic, ROC) curve (the area under curve, AUC), C-index, net reclassification index (NRI), integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) and decision curve analysis (DCA) curves were applied to assess the performance of the model. The significant outcomes of multivariate analysis revealed that ten variables (age, sex, race, surgery type, summary stage, grade, AJCC TNM stage, radiotherapy, number of regional nodes examined, number of regional nodes positive) were demonstrated to construct the nomogram for OS and ten variables (age, sex, race, surgery type, summary stage, grade, AJCC TNM stage, chemotherapy, number of regional nodes examined, number of regional nodes positive) for CSS. The calibration and AUC uncovered their favorable predictive performance. Subsequently, C-index, NRI, IDI and DCA curves further validated the predicative superiority of nomograms over 7th AJCC Stage System. The validated nomogram provides more reliable OS and CSS predictions for postoperative IGA patients with good accuracy, which can help surgeons in treatment decision-making and prognosis evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ecology of the aquatic environment in Poyang Lake, the largest fresh lake in China, is notably impacted by the backflow from the Yangtze River, which conveys a high flux of sediments. This study employs a widely recognized numerical model to replicate the backflow in 2007 (the strongest backflow after the operation initiation of the Three Gorges Dam) to investigate the contributions of wind and backflow to the sediment transport process. The results show that the influences of wind and backflow on flow patterns and sediment transport processes have significant spatial heterogeneity. In the narrow waterway leading to the central lake area, hydrodynamics is mainly driven by backflow. Conversely, the hydrodynamics of the open expanse of the lake is primarily influenced by wind forces. Dominant wind leads to the formation of gyres, which significantly alter flow paths and push sediment into the upstream areas. As a result, the suspended sediment area expands at an average rate of 20.1-21.3 km² daily, marking a 75-85% surge compared to the no wind condition (11.5 km2). The study facilitates a deeper understanding of sediment transport processes in large lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the quest to exploit unconventional oil and gas resources within China's borders, rotary steering tools have been increasingly utilized to enhance the drilling speed and ensure the precision of the drilling trajectory. Nevertheless, the prevalent high temperatures within the well have been identified as a primary cause of failure in these rotary steering tools, thereby impeding the drilling process significantly. Consequently, the real-time prediction and meticulous control of the wellbore temperature have emerged as pivotal elements in the enhancement of drilling efficiency. A myriad of factors contribute to the wellbore temperature, among which the thermodynamic parameters of the drilling fluid play a vital role. In this context, a comprehensive analysis has been conducted on various oil-based drilling fluids, with a focus on controlling their fundamental properties, and the thermodynamic parameters have been meticulously measured. Subsequently, the sensitivity of these parameters to various factors has been scrutinized based on the experimental outcomes. The findings delineate that within a drilling fluid oil-water ratio range of 0.75 to 0.9, the impact of the sensitive factors on thermodynamic performance is ranked as follows: solid content > oil-water ratio > plastic viscosity > apparent viscosity. It is noted that a one percentage unit augmentation in solid content results in a 0.01284 kJ/(kg·K) decrement in specific heat capacity, while the thermal conductivity experiences a 0.00528 W/(m·K) increment. Conversely, when the oil-water ratio ranges from 0.9 to 1, the impact hierarchy of sensitive factors transforms to: oil-water ratio > solid content > plastic viscosity > apparent viscosity, with a one percentage unit increase in oil-water ratio leading to a 0.04121 kJ/(kg·K) decrease in specific heat capacity and a 0.02669 W/(m·K) reduction in thermal conductivity. The findings underscore that variations in the oil-water ratio yield disparate impacts on the thermodynamic performance of oil-based drilling fluids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive malignant tumors with poor prognosis. High‐intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is an effective and safe treatment option for advanced pancreatic cancer, however, the survival time of patients after the treatment was different. So, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the high‐risk characteristics and prognosis of unresectable pancreatic cancer after HIFU treatment. Patients and Methods: This prospective study included 30 patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer who received HIFU at Beijing Friendship Hospital. Data on patients' tumor size, pain scores, peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets, CA19‐9 and contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) features were collected to assess the relationship with overall survival (OS) after HIFU. Results: The median OS from the start of HIFU treatment was 159 days, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 108–210. The levels of pain were determined by visual analogue scale (VAS) score, and the quartile of the score decreased from 6 (2, 7) to 4 (2, 5) immediately after one session of the treatment (p = 0.001). The diagnostic model showed that high post VAS score and decreasing of peripheral CD4+ T cells were significantly correlated with poor prognosis (p < 0.05), and showed good discrimination ability (AUC = 0.848, 95% CI = 0.709–0.987). Conclusion: HIFU can effectively relieve pain in patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer. Post treatment VAS and change of peripheral CD4+ T cells are independent risk factors affecting the prognosis in patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer after HIFU treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large vertical pipes are key structures connecting subsea wells to offshore platforms. However, existing studies mainly focus on small vertical pipes. In a vertical acrylic pipe with 80 mm inner diameter and 11 m height, a high-speed camera was used to visually research the influences of pipe diameters, liquid properties and inlet effect on air-water co-flow characteristic. Different flow regime maps of vertical pipes (diameters are in the range of 50–189 mm) were compared and the critical gas velocity of the transition boundary from bubble to slug flow tended to increase with the increase of diameters at D ≥ 80 mm. Drift-flux models were established in different flow regimes and liquid properties have a significant effect on drift coefficients of bubble flow and slug flow (void fraction α ≤ 0.4). The influence of inlet turbulent effect on the gas-liquid interface distribution gradually weakened and disappeared from the pipe base to 85D, where the flow was fully developed. Slug frequency has a trend of increase first and then decrease with the gas Weber numbers increasing at low liquid superficial velocities (JL ≤ 0.31 m/s). And on the basis of this law, a new slug frequency correlation was proposed. It was found that there was an exponential relationship between the ratio of lengths of Taylor bubble to slug and the void fraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the significant lifecycle degradation and inadequate state of charge (SOC) balance of electric vehicles (EVs) when mitigating wind power fluctuations, a dynamic grouping control strategy is proposed for EVs based on an improved k-means algorithm. First, a swing door trending (SDT) algorithm based on compression result feedback was designed to extract the feature data points of wind power. The gating coefficient of the SDT was adjusted based on the compression ratio and deviation, enabling the acquisition of grid-connected wind power signals through linear interpolation. Second, a novel algorithm called IDOA-KM is proposed, which utilizes the Improved Dingo Optimization Algorithm (IDOA) to optimize the clustering centers of the k-means algorithm, aiming to address its dependence and sensitivity on the initial centers. The EVs were categorized into priority charging, standby, and priority discharging groups using the IDOA-KM. Finally, an two-layer power distribution scheme for EVs was devised. The upper layer determines the charging/discharging sequences of the three EV groups and their corresponding power signals. The lower layer allocates power signals to each EV based on the maximum charging/discharging power or SOC equalization principles. The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy in accurately tracking grid power signals, smoothing wind power fluctuations, mitigating EV degradation, and enhancing the SOC balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Castor oil is a widely used biomass energy source. In this paper, the process conditions for the preparation of sebacic acid by cracking castor oil using the microwave method were investigated using environmentally friendly and recyclable liquid paraffin (petrolatum) as a solvent. The optimum conditions for the reaction were determined in the experiments as follows: the mass ratio of solvent: castor oil: sodium hydroxide was 4:1:2.5 and the concentration of sodium hydroxide solution was 50% (w/t). The average microwave power was 210 W, the temperature was about 280 °C, the cracking time was 25 min under nitrogen protection, and the yield of sebacic acid was measured to be 85%. The solvents can be recycled and the recovered solvent can be used again without affecting the yield of sebacic acid. The solvent recovery was more than 92%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sepsis is a serious complication of liver cirrhosis. This study aimed to develop a risk prediction model for sepsis among patients with liver cirrhosis. A total of 3130 patients with liver cirrhosis were enrolled from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV database, and randomly assigned into training and validation cohorts in a 7:3 ratio. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was used to filter variables and select predictor variables. Multivariate logistic regression was used to establish the prediction model. Based on LASSO and multivariate logistic regression, gender, base excess, bicarbonate, white blood cells, potassium, fibrinogen, systolic blood pressure, mechanical ventilation, and vasopressor use were identified as independent risk variables, and then a nomogram was constructed and validated. The consistency index (C‐index), receiver operating characteristic curve, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to measure the predictive performance of the nomogram. As a result of the nomogram, good discrimination was achieved, with C‐indexes of 0.814 and 0.828 for the training and validation cohorts, respectively, and an area under the curve of 0.849 in the training cohort and 0.821 in the validation cohort. The calibration curves demonstrated good agreement between the predictions and observations. The DCA curves showed the nomogram had significant clinical value. We developed and validated a risk‐prediction model for sepsis in patients with liver cirrhosis. This model can assist clinicians in the early detection and prevention of sepsis in patients with liver cirrhosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the digital economy, achieving rural industrial revitalization in China hinges on digitization. This study delves into the synergistic mechanisms of diverse factors that contribute to Rural Industrial Revitalization across three dimensions: technology, organization, and environment. To investigate these mechanisms, a combination of the necessary condition analysis method and the fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis method is employed. The research findings indicate that no necessary conditions exist for achieving high-level rural industrial revitalization. However, digital infrastructure and the digital financial environment have a universally significant impact. The study identifies four distinct pathways driving high-level rural industrial revitalization: digitaldriven, digital-government-talentdriven, digital-enterprisedriven, and digital-enterprise-talentdriven. Furthermore, significant variations exist in the driving pathways for rural industrial revitalization among the eastern, central, and western regions of China. By unveiling the multifaceted mechanisms underpinning the revitalization of rural industries, this research provides valuable practical insights for the future development of rural industries in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dielectric materials utilized in high-performance barium titanate-based base-metal electrode multilayer ceramic capacitors (BME MLCCs) must satisfy stringent criteria such as high dielectric constant, low dielectric loss, high insulation resistivity, and reliability. In this investigation, the effects of raw materials, BaTiO 3 (BT), and Ba 0.95 Ca 0.05 TiO 3 (BCT) on densification, microstructure, and dielectric behavior were explored by introducing acceptor and rare earth elements. The findings revealed that BCT could attain densification at a lower sintering temperature of 1275 °C than BT. Moreover, BCT samples displayed relatively smaller grain sizes, resulting in a greater number of grain boundaries, which in turn increased the insulation resistivity. BCT had a lower oxygen vacancy concentration, thus resulting in lower leakage currents at high temperatures than BT. Substituting BCT for BT resulted in higher activation energies for conductivity in the core, shell, and grain boundary. This investigation demonstrates that BCT can enhance the dielectric properties, insulation resistance, and reliability of the BME MLCCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Androgen has been shown to regulate male physiological activities and cancer proliferation. It is used to antagonize estrogen-induced proliferative effects in breast cancer cells. However, evidence indicates that androgen can stimulate cancer cell growth in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive and ER-negative breast cancer cells via different types of receptors and different mechanisms. Androgen-induced cancer growth and metastasis link with different types of integrins. Integrin αvβ3 is predominantly expressed and activated in cancer cells and rapidly dividing endothelial cells. Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) also plays a vital role in cancer growth. The part of integrins in action with androgen in cancer cells is not fully mechanically understood. To clarify the interactions between androgen and integrin αvβ3, we carried out molecular modeling to explain the potential interactions of androgen with integrin αvβ3. The androgen-regulated mechanisms on PD-L1 and its effects were also addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we study the representation of generalized loop planar Galilean conformal algebra W (Γ) ; we will determine the Harish-Chandra modules, Verma modules, Whittaker modules, and U (h) -free modules of W (Γ) . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]