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Abstract Background The objective of this study was to investigate the association between focal breast edema (FBE) and adjacent vessel sign (AVS) with tumor size, histologic grade, lymphovascular invasion, axillary lymph node status, Ki-67 index, and molecular subtype in breast cancer. These findings have provided valuable insights into the biological characteristics and prognosis of mass-type invasive ductal carcinoma (M-IDC). Methods We retrospectively included patients with M-IDC between January 2016 and December 2021. FBE was evaluated using T2-weighted sequence. AVS was assessed using maximum-intensity projection images obtained using early dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. The breast peritumor score (BPS) was defined as follows: BPS 1, absence of both edema and AVS; BPS 2, AVS without edema; BPS 3, AVS with peritumoral edema; BPS 4, AVS with prepectoral edema; and BPS 5, AVS with subcutaneous edema. The correlation between different BPS scores and clinicopathological variables was examined using Kendall’s tau-b correlation coefficient. The DeLong test was used to compare the performances of three clinicopathological models combined with peritumoral features (FBE, AVS, and BPS) in predicting luminal A-like M-IDC. Results In 228 patients with M-IDC, BPS was positively correlated with tumor size, histologic grade, lymphovascular invasion, axillary lymph node status, Ki-67 index, and negatively correlated with estrogen receptor expression (all P

IntroductionThis study investigated the potential link between serum klotho levels and cognitive function in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).Materials and MethodsUtilizing NHANES data from 2011 to 2014, the research included 356 eligible participants. NAFLD was identified with the United States Fatty Liver Index (US-FLI), and cognition was measured by various tests including the Animal Fluency Test (AFT), Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), Immediate Recall Test (IRT), and Delayed Recall Test (DRT). Weighted logistic regression and restricted cubic splines were employed to analyze the relationship between klotho levels and cognitive scores.ResultsA significant nonlinear association was observed between klotho levels and the performance in DSST and Delayed Recall Test (DRT). After controlling for confounding factors, the study found a positive association between higher serum klotho levels and improved cognitive performance in both AFT and DSST. However, there was no significant relationship between klotho levels and the IRT or DRT, regardless of whether the natural logarithm or quartile was considered.DiscussionThe findings suggest that a higher serum klotho level may be positively correlated with better cognitive performance in NAFLD patients.

Sepsis, a life-threatening condition, involves complex interactions among metabolic alterations, inflammatory mediators, and host responses. This study utilized a bidirectional Mendelian randomization approach to investigate the causal relationships between 1400 metabolites and sepsis, and the mediating role of inflammatory factors. We identified 36 metabolites significantly associated with sepsis (p < 0.05), with AXIN1, FGF-19, FGF-23, IL-4, and OSM showing an inverse association, suggesting a protective role, while IL-2 exhibited a positive correlation, indicating a potential risk factor. Among these metabolites, Piperine and 9-Hydroxystearate demonstrated particularly interesting protective effects against sepsis. Piperine’s protective effect was mediated through its interaction with AXIN1, contributing to a 16.296% reduction in sepsis risk. This suggests a potential pathway where Piperine influences sepsis outcomes by modulating AXIN1 levels. 9-Hydroxystearate also exhibited a protective role against sepsis, mediated through its positive association with FGF-19 and negative association with IL-2, contributing 9.436% and 12.565%, respectively, to its protective effect. Experimental validation confirmed significantly elevated IL-2 levels and reduced FGF-19, AXIN1, piperine, and 9-hydroxyoctadecanoic acid levels in sepsis patients compared to healthy controls. Piperine levels positively correlated with AXIN1, while 9-hydroxyoctadecanoic acid levels negatively correlated with IL-2 and positively correlated with FGF-19, supporting the Mendelian randomization findings. Our findings provide insights into the molecular mechanisms of sepsis, highlighting the unique roles and contributions of specific metabolites and their interactions with inflammatory mediators. This study enhances our understanding of sepsis pathophysiology and opens avenues for targeted therapeutic interventions and biomarker development for sepsis management. However, further research is essential to validate these pathways across diverse populations and fully explore the roles of these metabolites in sepsis.

BackgroundSepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction resulting from a dysregulated host response to infection, yet the potential causal relationship between the immunophenotype and sepsis remains unclear.MethodsGenetic variants associated with the immunophenotype served as instrumental variables (IVs) in Mendelian randomization (MR) to elucidate the causal impact of the immunophenotype on three sepsis outcomes. Additionally, a two-step MR analysis was conducted to identify significant potential mediators between the immunophenotype and three sepsis outcomes.ResultsOur MR analysis demonstrated a significant association between the immunophenotype and sepsis outcome, with 36, 36, and 45 the immunophenotype associated with the susceptibility, severity, and mortality of sepsis, respectively. Specifically, our analysis highlighted the CD14+ CD16+ monocyte phenotype as a significant factor across all three sepsis outcomes, with odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding confidence intervals (CIs) indicating its impact on sepsis (OR = 1.047, CI: 1.001-1.096), sepsis in Critical Care Units (OR = 1.139, CI: 1.014-1.279), and sepsis-related 28-day mortality (OR = 1.218, CI: 1.104-1.334). Mediation analyses identified seven cytokines as significant mediators among 91 potential cytokines, including interleukin-5 (IL-5), S100A12, TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), T-cell surface glycoprotein CD6 isoform, cystatin D, interleukin-18 (IL-18), and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA). Furthermore, reverse MR analysis revealed no causal effect of sepsis outcomes on the immunophenotype.ConclusionOur MR study suggests that the immunophenotype is significantly associated with the susceptibility, severity, and mortality of patient with sepsis, providing, for the first time, robust evidence of significant associations between immune traits and their potential risks. This information is invaluable for clinicians and patients in making informed decisions and merits further attention.

Cognitive impairment is an important component of non motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD), and if not addressed in a timely manner, it can easily progress to dementia. However, no effective method currently exists to completely prevent or reverse cognitive impairment associated with PD. We therefore aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of near-infrared region II light (NIR-II) region illumination on cognitive impairment in PD through behavioral experiments (water maze and rotary rod) and multiple fluorescence immunohistochemistry techniques. The 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced group was compared with the MPTP- untreated rat group, showing a significant reduction in escape latency and significant increase in the fall latency in the MPTP-treated group. The horizontal analysis results indicated that NIR-II phototherapy improved the learning and cognitive abilities as well as coordination and balance abilities of rats. Post-treatment, the MPTP rats showed significantly shortened, escape latency, prolonged target quadrant residence time, and prolonged fall latency compared with pre-treatment. The longitudinal analysis results reaffirmed that NIR-II phototherapy improved the learning and cognitive abilities as well as coordination and balance abilities of rats. The multiple fluorescence immunohistochemistry analysis trend plot showed that the activated microglia and astrocytes in the hippocampus were highest in MPTP-induced PD untreated group, moderate in MPTP-induced PD treatment group, and lowest in the control group. Our data indicates that NIR-II illumination improves learning and cognitive impairment as well as coordination and balance abilities in PD rats by downregulating the activation of microglia and astrocytes in the hippocampus.

In response to the critical implications of single tail rotor failures in unmanned helicopters, this study proposes a distributed electric tail rotor yaw channel controller that employs Active Disturbance Rejection Control (ADRC) techniques. A dynamics model was created for an unmanned helicopter with a distributed electric tail rotor. This model was then employed to verify the yaw channel tracking performance of the helicopter through simulation. The verification process involved the use of a cascaded dual closed-loop active disturbance rejection control strategy. The ADRC framework was enhanced by developing an improved fal function to replace the conventional fal function. This addressed the challenges of excessive error gain and overshoot oscillation in the Extended State Observer (ESO). A test setup for the distributed electric tail rotor of an unmanned helicopter was devised and constructed for empirical testing purposes. This setup was used as a reference for the 700-class electric model helicopter. The findings of the simulation demonstrate that the control strategy for the unmanned helicopter’s distributed electric tail rotor, enhanced by the refined cascaded ADRC method, achieves superior response speed and minimized overshoot during yaw channel tracking. Furthermore, it displays a degree of enhanced robustness and improved control proficiency in comparison to the conventional ADRC approach. The outcomes of the test stand validate the efficacy of this control strategy.

BackgroundAcute pancreatitis (AP) is a severe digestive system disorder with a significant risk of progressing to sepsis, a major cause of mortality. Unraveling the immunological pathways in AP is essential for developing effective treatments, particularly understanding the role of specific immune cell traits in this progression.MethodsEmploying a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian Randomization (MR) approach, this study first examined the causal relationship between AP and 731 immune cell traits to identify those significantly associated with AP. Subsequently, we explored the causal associations between 731 immune cell traits and sepsis. The analysis utilized extensive genome-wide association studies (GWAS) summary datasets, with a focus on identifying common immune cell traits with statistically significant causal associations between AP and sepsis.ResultsOur investigation identified 44 immune cell traits unidirectionally associated with AP and 36 traits unidirectionally associated with sepsis. Among these, CD127 on CD28+ CD45RA- CD8+ T cells emerged as a common mediator, accounting for 5.296% of the increased risk of sepsis in AP patients. This finding highlights the significant role of specific memory CD8+ T cells in the pathophysiology of AP and its progression to sepsis.ConclusionThis study elucidates the critical role of specific immune cell traits, particularly CD127hi memory CD8+ T cells, in the progression of AP to sepsis. Our findings provide a foundation for future research into targeted immune-modulatory therapies, potentially improving patient outcomes in AP-related sepsis and offering new insights into the complex immunological dynamics of this condition.

The ground-based continuous hyperspectral remote sensing technique presents a unique opportunity to advance terrestrial ecosystem monitoring. Accurate retrieval of solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) relies heavily on commercially available spectrometers with high spectral resolution (SR). However, high-SR spectrometers are resource-intensive and challenging to maintain, limiting their widespread deployment at observational sites. Here, we explored an alternative low-configuration and low-cost spectrometer for SIF retrieval at 2 sites cultivated with wheat and rice. The results revealed the strong correlations between irradiance and radiance measurements in the selected SIF bands from the high- and low-configuration spectrometers (R2 > 0.90, average root mean square error 0.90). Additionally, we utilized simulated data to examine the impact of SR and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) on the far-red SIF retrieval from both high- and low-configuration spectrometers. Strong correlations (R2 > 0.80) were found between the simulated data with SNR ≥ 300 and SR < 2 nm. Furthermore, we investigated the relationships between crop gross primary productivity (GPP) and far-red SIF from both types of spectrometers and their ability to identify crop growth stages. SIF from both types of spectrometers exhibited high correlations with GPP (R2 > 0.70). The dates of various wheat-specific growth stages observed using the low-configuration spectrometer were consistent with those identified by the high-configuration spectrometer, with less than a 3-d differences for wheat. Our study confirms the capabilities of the low-configuration spectrometers for far-red SIF retrievals and promotes their deployment over large-scale ground observation networks, potentially advancing the large development of low-cost ground-based SIF measurements.

Background: As the omicron variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) surges amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there is limited comorbidities data associated with viral shedding time (VST). We aimed to investigate the effect of comorbidities on VST in asymptomatic and mild patients with omicron. Methods: A multi-center, retrospective, observational study was conducted from March 12, 2022 to May 24, 2022 in Shanghai. The analysis was adjusted for patients’ baseline demographic, using log-rank test and logistic regression model. Results: The study enrolled 198,262 subjects. The median duration of viral shedding time (VST) was 8.29 days. The number of cumulative viral shedding events was significantly lower in the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), hyperlipidemia, diabetes, urinary system disease, and cardiocerebrovascular disease than in the no corresponding comorbidities group. Patients with comorbidities had a lower incidence of viral shedding, and the most significant independent risk factor is COPD (aOR 1.78, 95% CI: 1.53–2.08, p

Drought and salt stresses, the major environmental abiotic stresses in agriculture worldwide, affect plant growth, crop productivity, and quality. Therefore, developing crops with higher drought and salt tolerance is highly desirable. This study reported the isolation, biological function, and molecular characterization of a novel maspardin gene, OsMas1, from rice. The OsMas1 protein was localized to the cytoplasm. The expression levels of OsMas1 were up-regulated under mannitol, PEG6000, NaCl, and abscisic acid (ABA) treatments in rice. The OsMas1 gene was introduced into the rice cultivar Zhonghua 11 (wild type, WT). OsMas1-overexpression (OsMas1-OE) plants exhibited significantly enhanced salt and drought tolerance; in contrast, OsMas1-interference (OsMas1-RNAi) plants exhibited decreased tolerance to salt and drought stresses, compared with WT. OsMas1-OE plants exhibited enhanced hypersensitivity, while OsMas1-RNAi plants showed less sensitivity to exogenous ABA treatment at both germination and post-germination stages. ABA, proline and K+ contents and superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and photosynthesis activities were significantly increased. In contrast, malonaldehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), superoxide anion radical (O2-·), and Na+ contents were significantly decreased in OsMas1-OE plants compared with OsMas1-RNAi and WT plants. Overexpression of OsMas1 up-regulated the genes involved in ABA signaling, proline biosynthesis, reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenging system, photosynthesis, and ion transport under salt and drought stresses. Our results indicate that the OsMas1 gene improves salt and drought tolerance in rice, which may serve as a candidate gene for enhancing crop resistance to abiotic stresses.

The simultaneous high-capacity and fast removal of radioactive barium ion (Ba2+) from nuclear wastewater is necessary but still faces large challenge. In this study, a novel adsorbent containing sulfonic group, MOF-808-SO3H, was prepared based on the oxidation of –SH group. Characterizations confirm the successful introduction of –SO3H, good porosity, and stability of the material. The adsorbent exhibits excellent capture ability for Ba2+ due to strong hard acid-base and electrostatic interactions, with the adsorption capacity of 152.0 mg g−1 and fast equilibrium adsorption time, superior to other reported materials. Optimal pH was found to be almost neutral and temperature cannot affect the adsorption largely. Besides, the irreversible adsorption was demonstrated and thereby the secondary pollution may be avoided. Therefore, our work provides an efficient adsorbent for capturing Ba2+ irreversibly, and proposes a feasible strategy for constructing adsorbents with simultaneous high adsorption capacity and fast kinetics.

To ensure the accuracy of state of charge (SOC) and state of health (SOH) estimation for battery packs while minimizing the amount of pre-experiments required for aging modeling and the scales of computation for online management, a decisive-cell-based estimation method with training-free characteristic parameters and a dynamic-weighted estimation strategy is proposed in this paper. Firstly, to reduce the computational complexity, the state estimation of battery packs is summed up to that of two decisive cells, and a new selection approach for the decisive cells is adopted based on the detection of steep voltage changes. Secondly, two novel ideas are implemented for the state estimation of the selected cells. On the one hand, a set of characteristic parameters that only exhibit local curve shrinkage with aging is chosen, which keeps the corresponding estimation approaches away from training. On the other hand, multiple basic estimation approaches are effectively combined by their respective dynamic weights, which ensures the estimation can maintain a good estimation accuracy under various load profiles. Finally, the experimental results show that the new method can quickly correct the initial setting deviations and have a high estimation accuracy for both the SOC and SOH within 2% for a series battery pack consisting of cells with obvious inconsistency.

Crop growth stages are integral components of plant phenology and are of significant ecological and agricultural importance. While the use of remote sensing methods for phenology identification in cropland ecosystems has been extensively explored in previous studies, the focus has often been on land surface phenology, primarily related to the start and end of the growing season. In contrast, the monitoring of crop growth within an agronomic framework has been limited, particularly in the context of recently developed solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) data. Additionally, some critical growth stages have not received adequate attention or evaluation. This study aims to assess the utility of SIF data, collected from both ground and satellite measurements, for identifying critical crop growth stages within the realm of remote sensing phenological estimation. A comparative analysis was conducted using enhanced vegetation index (EVI) data at the Shangqiu site in the North China Plain from 2018 to 2022. Both SIF and EVI time-series data, obtained from ground and satellite sources, undergo a comprehensive phenological estimation framework encompassing pre-processing, modeling, and transition characterization. This approach involves reconciling time-series phenological patterns with crop growth stages, revealing the necessity of redefining the mapping relationship between these two fundamental concepts. After preprocessing the time-series data, the framework incorporates the phenological modeling process employing two double logistic models and a spline model for comparison. Additionally, it includes phenological transition characterization using four different methods. Consequently, each input dataset undergoes an assessment, resulting in 12 sets of estimations, which are compared to select the ideal estimation portfolio for identifying the growth stages of maize and winter wheat. Our findings highlight the efficacy of SIF data in accurately identifying the growth stages of maize and winter wheat, achieving remarkable results with an R-square exceeding 0.9 and an RMSE of less than 1 week for key growth stages (KGSs). Notably, SIF data demonstrate superior accuracy, robustness, and sensitivity to phenological events when compared to EVI data. This study establishes an estimation portfolio utilizing SIF data, involving the Gu model, a double logistic model, as the preferred phenological modelling method together with various compositing methods and transition characterization methods, suitable for most KGSs. These findings create opportunities for future research aimed at enhancing and standardizing crop growth stage identification using remote sensing data for a wide range of KGSs.

The lack of innovative standards for biosafety in synthetic biology is an unresolved policy gap that limits many potential applications in synthetic biology. We argue that a massive support for standardization in biosafety is required for synthetic biology to flourish.

Background: Evidence indicates that chronic stress promotes progression of colorectal liver metastases (CLM). Mangiferin is the active chemical constituent of the rhizomes of Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge. Mangiferin (MGF) exerts anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative, anti-angiogenic, anti-fibrotic and antioxidant effects in a variety of cancers. Its mechanism in chronic stress and tumor growth is still poorly understood. Methods: To investigate the effects of MGF on the CLM and tumor-associated depression, activated hepatic stellate cells (a-HSCs), HT-29 CRC cells, were used in chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) of tumor-bearing models. Potential antidepressant activity was determined by FST, TST, SIT and serum cytokine (IL-6, IL-18 and TNF-α) examination. Downstream signaling molecules were detected by Western blot, immunohistochemistry and fluorescence microscopy. Results: CUMS induced depression behavior and depression-related cytokines and promoted tumor growth in CLM. MGF-treated mice significantly improved chronic stress behaviors by reducing depression-related cytokines. In addition, MGF treatment inhibits WAVE2 signaling pathway, leading to TGF-β1 induced HSC inhibition, thereby reducing depressive behavior and tumor growth in CLM. Conclusion: MGF can alleviate CUMS induced tumor growth and the treatment of CLM patients with MGF may be beneficial.

Abstract The third isoform of the Na+–Ca2+ exchanger (NCX3) is crucial for a physiological fine-tuning of the Ca2+ fluxes in excitable tissues. In this view, the NCX3 accounts for the aberrant Ca2+ influx seen during neuronal excitotoxicity, such as in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, little is known about NCX3 regulation and functional properties. Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal (W. somnifera), a traditional indigenous plant widely recognized for having numerous medicinal values, was undertaken to determine its potential therapeutic benefit against aggregated Aβ1–42-induced NCX3 dysregulation and the thereof cognition impairment in 5xFAD mice. The undertaken sourced dried roots of authenticated W. somnifera physicochemical compositional tests satisfied standards of pharmacognostic quality, and further phytochemical analysis of the roots methanol extract revealed the roots constitute several antioxidants. Following an intra-gastric gavage administration of synthesized W. somnifera roots methanolic extract from postnatal day 30 (P30) to P75, in vivo cognitional studies and then neurochemical examinations of the NCX3 expression level, Aβ plaque deposition, and antioxidant activities in the AD-associated brain regions of 4-month-old 5xFAD mice suggests that the oxidative stress normalizing effects of W. somnifera constituents, operating on the NCX3, may have a therapeutic role in the improvement of cognition in AD.

In this study, the effect of annealing atmosphere on the electrical properties, optical properties, microstructure and defects of ZnO∶Al films was investigated in detail. The crystallization, surface and fracture morphologies, electrical properties, resistivity, transmittance, Raman vibration and photoluminescence of ZnO∶Al films were characterized by SEM, XRD, Hall effect test instruments, ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer, Raman spectra and PL spectra. The results show that after annealing in air atmosphere, the carrier concentration of AZO films decreases from 1.63 × 1020 cm−3 to 7.1 × 1018 cm−3, the optical band gap varies from 3.51 eV to 3.37 eV, the transmittance in NIR increased and the band edge emission in PL spectrum shifted from 3.49 eV to 3.34 eV. On the other hand, while the carrier concentration of AZO films annealing in H2 atmosphere was 5.3 × 1020 cm-3, the optical band gap increases to 3.78 eV, the transmittance in NIR decreases remarkably, the emission intensity of the band edge increases by more than 10 times and the band edge emission in PL spectrum shifts to 3.57 eV. Furthermore, the 4 order LO phonons are observed in ZnO:Al films annealed in air.

Abstract Background Annexin A1 (ANXA1) exerts anti-nociceptive effect through ANXA1 receptor formyl peptide receptor 2 (FPR2/ALX (receptor for lipoxin A4), FPR2) at the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) level. However, the mechanisms remain elucidated. By using radiant heat, hot/cold plate, tail flick, von Frey, and Randall-Selitto tests to detect nociception in intact and chemical (capsaicin, menthol, mustard oil, formalin or CFA) injected AnxA1 conditional knockout (AnxA1 −/−) mice, applying calcium imaging and patch clamp recordings in cultured DRG neurons to measure neuronal excitability, conducting immunofluorescence and western blotting to detect the protein levels of TRPV1, FPR2 and its downstream molecules, and performing double immunofluorescence and co-immunoprecipitation to investigate the interaction between Calmodulin (CaM) and TRPV1; we aim to uncover the molecular and cellular mechanisms of ANXA1’s role in antinociception. Results AnxA1 −/− mice exhibited significant sensitivity to noxious heat (mean ± SD, 6.2 ± 1.0 s vs. 9.9 ± 1.6 s in Hargreaves test; 13.6 ± 1.5 s vs. 19.0 ± 1.9 s in hot plate test; n = 8; P

A series of four-terminal V7(Bz)8-WGNR devices were established with wrinkled graphene nanoribbon (WGNR) and vanadium-benzene nanowire (V7(Bz)8). The spin-polarized V7(Bz)8 as the gate channel was placed crossing the plane, the concave (endo-positioned) and the convex (endo-positioned) surface of WGNR with different curvatures via Van der Waals interaction. The density functional theory (DFT) and nonequilibrium Green’s function (NEGF) methods were adopted to calculate the transport properties of these devices at various bias voltages (VS) and gate voltages (VG), such as the conductance, spin-polarized currents, transmission spectra (TS), local density of states (LDOS), and scattering states. The results indicate that the position of V7(Bz)8 and the bending curvature of WGNR play important roles in tuning the transport properties of these four-terminal devices. A spin-polarized transport property is induced for these four-terminal devices by the spin-polarized nature of V7(Bz)8. Particularly, the down-spin channel disturbs strongly on the source-to-drain conductance of WGNR when V7(Bz)8 is endo-positioned crossing the WGNR. Our findings on the novel property of four-terminal V7(Bz)8-WGNR devices provide useful guidelines for achieving flexible graphene-based electronic nanodevices by attaching other similar multidecker metal-arene nanowires.

The study of the changes in stress and deformation of frozen walls during excavation has always been a hot topic in underground freezing engineering, and the size of the plastic zone is an important basis for evaluating the stability of frozen walls. In response to the shortcomings in the current design of horizontal frozen walls, based on the internal excavation unloading conditions of the frozen wall in artificial ground freezing, an elastoplastic mechanical model for the interaction between a circular horizontal freezing wall and unfrozen soil mass is established under nonuniform loads to obtain the corresponding solutions for stress and displacement in the system. In this study, considering the shear stress of the plastic zone, the method for solving the traditional plastic zone contour equation is modified; consequently, the modified solution of the contour equation of the plastic zone for the frozen wall is obtained. Using this theoretical solution, the influence of the external load p0 and the lateral pressure coefficient λ on the contour line of plastic zone and tensile stress zone are analyzed by combining the project case, the calculation results show that: the λ=0.485 is the critical point where the inner edge of the frozen wall just happens to have tensile stress. When λ<0.485, the tensile stress zone is inevitable in the inner edge of the frozen wall vertical direction, and its range is only related to λ and increases with the decrease of λ. The p0 only affects the magnitude of tensile stress in the region, but does not affect its range. At this time, the frozen wall compression plastic zone contour evolves from crescent shaped to ear shaped with the increase of p0. When 0.485<λ<0.61, there will be no tensile stress zone, the frozen wall compression plastic zone contour also evolves from crescent shaped to ear shaped with the increase of p0. When λ>0.61, there will be also no tensile stress zone, with the increase of p0, the compression plastic zone contour evolves from the crescent shaped in the horizontal direction to the elliptical shaped, and there is no ear-shaped plastic zone in the whole evolution process. Based on our results, we show that our method can be used to provide a theoretical basis for the stability evaluation and parameter (thickness) design calculation of horizontal frozen walls under nonuniform loads.

Summary: Leaf senescence is a developmental program regulated by both endogenous and environmental cues. Abiotic stresses such as nutrient deprivation can induce premature leaf senescence, which profoundly impacts plant growth and crop yield. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying stress‐induced senescence are not fully understood.In this work, employing a carbon deprivation (C‐deprivation)‐induced senescence assay in Arabidopsis seedlings, we identified PLEIOTROPIC REGULATORY LOCUS 1 (PRL1), a component of the NineTeen Complex, as a negative regulator of C‐deprivation‐induced senescence.Furthermore, we demonstrated that PRL1 directly interacts with the RPA2A subunit of the single‐stranded DNA‐binding Replication Protein A (RPA) complex. Consistently, the loss of RPA2A leads to premature senescence, while increased expression of RPA2A inhibits senescence. Moreover, overexpression of RPA2A reverses the accelerated senescence in prl1 mutants, and the interaction with PRL1 stabilizes RPA2A under C‐deprivation.In summary, our findings reveal the involvement of the PRL1‐RPA2A functional module in C‐deprivation‐induced plant senescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report an unprecedented surface doping-driven anomaly in the compression behaviors of nanocrystals demonstrating that the change of surface chemistry can lead to an interior bulk structure change in nanoparticles. In the synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction experiments, titania nanocrystals with low concentration yttrium dopants at the surface are found to be less compressible than undoped titania nanocrystals. More surprisingly, an unexpected TiO2(ii) phase (α-PbO2 type) is induced and obvious anisotropy is observed in the compression of yttrium-doped TiO2, in sharp contrast to the compression behavior of undoped TiO2. In addition, the undoped brookite nanocrystals remain with the same structure up to 30 GPa, whereas the yttrium-doped brookite amorphizes above 20 GPa. The abnormal structural evolution observed in yttrium-doped TiO2 does not agree with the reported phase stability of nano titania polymorphs, thus suggesting that the physical properties of the interior of nanocrystals can be controlled by the surface, providing an unconventional and new degree of freedom in search for nanocrystals with novel tunable properties that can trigger applications in multiple areas of industry and provoke more related basic science research.

Abstract Background Compelling evidence indicates that status epilepticus is a prevalent cause of rhabdomyolysis. However, cases of rhabdomyolysis induced by a single seizure accompanied by viral encephalitis are rarely reported. Herein, we present a case of adult Herpes Simplex Encephalitis complicated with rhabdomyolysis. Case presentation A 32-year-old male was patient presented with fever accompanied by episodes of convulsions, myalgia, and oliguria, which exacerbated the delirium. Routine blood examination showed impaired kidney function and elevated myoglobin (Mb) and creatine phosphokinase (CK) levels. MRI scanning revealed a damaged frontotemporal lobe and limbic system. In addition, herpes simplex virus (HSV) pathogen was identified in the cerebrospinal fluid thus indicating HSV infection. Therefore, a diagnosis of rhabdomyolysis triggered by HSV infection accompanied by epilepsy was made. Notably, the patient recovered well after early intervention and treatment. Conclusion The case presented here calls for careful analysis of rhabdomyolysis cases with unknown causes, minor seizures, and without status epilepticus. This case also indicates that HSV virus infection might contribute to the rhabdomyolysis.

Backgrounds: Up to February 16, 2020, 355 cases have been confirmed as having COVID-19 infection on the Diamond Princess cruise ship. It is of crucial importance to estimate the reproductive number (R0) of the novel virus in the early stage of outbreak and make a prediction of daily new cases on the ship. Method: We fitted the reported serial interval (mean and standard deviation) with a gamma distribution and applied “earlyR” package in R to estimate the R0 in the early stage of COVID-19 outbreak. We applied “projections” package in R to simulate the plausible cumulative epidemic trajectories and future daily incidence by fitting the data of existing daily incidence, a serial interval distribution, and the estimated R0 into a model based on the assumption that daily incidence obeys approximately Poisson distribution determined by daily infectiousness. Results: The Maximum-Likelihood (ML) value of R0 was 2.28 for COVID-19 outbreak at the early stage on the ship. The median with 95% confidence interval (CI) of R0 values was 2.28 (2.06–2.52) estimated by the bootstrap resampling method. The probable number of new cases for the next ten days would gradually increase, and the estimated cumulative cases would reach 1514 (1384–1656) at the tenth day in the future. However, if R0 value was reduced by 25% and 50%, the estimated total number of cumulative cases would be reduced to 1081 (981–1177) and 758 (697–817), respectively. Conclusion: The median with 95% CI of R0 of COVID-19 was about 2.28 (2.06–2.52) during the early stage experienced on the Diamond Princess cruise ship. The future daily incidence and probable outbreak size is largely dependent on the change of R0. Unless strict infection management and control are taken, our findings indicate the potential of COVID-19 to cause greater outbreak on the ship. Keywords: Coronavirus, Mathematical model, Reproductive number, Epidemiology

With the increasing penetration of new-type loads such as electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel vehicles in urban power grids, the peak-to-valley load difference increases sharply, and a multi-energy coordination model is desirable. This article proposes a day-ahead operation model of an urban energy system considering traffic flows and peak shaving, which can positively contribute to multi-energy complement and low-carbon emission. The proposed model minimizes the total cost of electricity and gas by optimizing the charging and discharging strategies of energy storage, in which the output of the wind turbine and energy management of the energy hub are adaptively adjusted. The urban energy system is represented by a second-order cone (SOC) energy flow model, and hence, the optimization problem is modeled as a mixed integer SOC programming (MISOCP). Finally, test results on an integrated urban energy network indicate that the energy storage and multi-energy coordination can alleviate the peak load cutting and valley filling. The relationship between urban grid operation cost and peak-valley difference is also discussed. The maximum utilization of renewable energy sources using gasoline vehicles has been presented in this study to illustrate cost and emission reductions for a sustainable integrated electricity and transportation infrastructure.

At present, the digital image watermarking algorithm has not embedded the synchronization signal in the image, resulting in the poor performance of the embedded image in terms of, for example, imperceptibility, anti-attack ability, and robustness. Therefore, a digital image watermarking algorithm based on scrambling and singular value decomposition is proposed. The digital watermark is preprocessed by dimensionality reduction and encryption; the digital image is processed in sections and embedded in the synchronization signal. The digital watermark image is embedded in the digital image watermark by using the low-frequency energy ratio technology of sound channel. The watermark image extraction step is designed to extract the watermark image. The transmittance of the degraded image is calculated, the transmittance is refined by relying on the soft matting algorithm and guiding filter, the image contrast in the image frequency domain is enhanced, and the results are mapped to the appropriate visual range to optimize the visual brightness of the image. Finally, according to the uniqueness of singular value matrix, the distributed characteristics of image matrix data are described, the visual effect is enhanced, and the research of digital image watermarking algorithm is completed. The experimental results show that the algorithm can extract the watermark information completely, the image contrast and singular value have been significantly improved, and the algorithm has better anti-attack performance.

Soil remediation agents (SRAs) such as biochar and hydroxyapatite (HAP) have shown a promising prospect in in situ soil remediation programs and safe crop production. However, the effects of SRAs on soil microbial communities still remain unclear, particularly under field conditions. Here, a field case study was conducted to compare the effects of biochar and HAP on soil bacterial communities in a slightly Cd-contaminated farmland grown with sweet sorghum of different planting densities. We found that both biochar and HAP decreased the diversity and richness of soil bacteria, but they differently altered bacterial community structure. Biochar decreased Chao1 (−7.3%), Observed_species (−8.6%), and Shannon indexes (−1.3%), and HAP caused Shannon (−2.0%) and Simpson indexes (−0.1%) to decline. The relative abundance (RA) of some specific taxa and marker species was differently changed by biochar and HAP. Overall, sweet sorghum cultivation did not significantly alter soil bacterial diversity and richness but caused changes in the RA of some taxa. Some significant correlations were observed between soil properties and bacterial abundance. In conclusion, soil remediation with biochar and HAP caused alterations in soil bacterial communities. Our findings help to understand the ecological impacts of SRAs in soil remediation programs.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a serious neurodevelopmental disorder and characterized by early childhood-onset impairments in social interaction and communication, restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior or interests. So far there is no effective treatment for ASD, and the pathogenesis of ASD remains unclear. Genetic and epigenetic factors have been considered to be the main cause of ASD. It is known that endocannabinoid and its receptors are widely distributed in the central nervous system, and provide a positive and irreversible change toward a more physiological neurodevelopment. Recently, the endocannabinoid system (ECS) has been found to participate in the regulation of social reward behavior, which has attracted considerable attention from neuroscientists and neurologists. Both animal models and clinical studies have shown that the ECS is a potential target for the treatment of autism, but the mechanism is still unknown. In the brain, microglia express a complete ECS signaling system. Studies also have shown that modulating ECS signaling can regulate the functions of microglia. By comprehensively reviewing previous studies and combining with our recent work, this review addresses the effects of targeting ECS on microglia, and how this can contribute to maintain the positivity of the central nervous system, and thus improve the symptoms of autism. This will provide insights for revealing the mechanism and developing new treatment strategies for autism.

Spinal stenosis is a common disease affecting the elderly that is present in a various forms. Its high incidence forces researchers to pay more attention and offer countermeasures. We used the Web of Science Core collection and PubMed database to obtain 5,606 scientific studies concerning spinal stenosis, and the number of publications maintained a roughly increasing trend from 108 in 2000 to 512 in 2018, only declining in 2011. Bibliometric analysis was conducted using the online analysis software CiteSpace and Bibliographic Item Co-Occurrence Matrix Builder (BICOMB). The United States maintains academic leadership in this field. The journal SPINE was the most authoritative, with 695 articles and an average of 12.73 citations. The exported major MeSH terms were further biclustered with gCLUTO according to co-word analysis to reveal research hotspots, including etiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestation, conservative treatment, operative indication, internal implantation, and postoperative complications. After combination, the main topics focused on pathogenesis and surgical treatment. Narrowing causes flavum ligamentum hypertrophy, and posterior longitudinal ligament ossification is widely accepted. Additionally, minimally invasive surgery and internal implantation fixation are more valid in the clinic. Refining pathological classification and optimizing surgical methods and instrument properties will be important future research directions for spinal stenosis.