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This study aimed to explore the clinical value of simulated puncture in percutaneous nephrolithotomy in the treatment of complex kidney stones.A total of 120 patients with complex kidney stones who were treated with percutaneous nephrolithotomy in our hospital between March 2017 and March 2020 were enrolled in this study and randomly divided into two groups: the research group and the control group (n = 60 in each). Each subject underwent a dual-source computed tomography (CT) scan of the pelvis and both kidneys before the operation. The research team imported the CT data into Mimics19 software to create a three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of the skin, bones, kidneys, collecting system, and stones. Based on the 3D reconstruction model, the target renal calyx to be punctured was determined, the best puncture channel was designed, and puncture was simulated. Data regarding the simulated puncture were imported into 3-Matics11 software; the angle and depth of the puncture were measured, and then these data were used to guide percutaneous nephrolithotomy. 3D reconstruction and simulated puncture were not undertaken for the patients in the control group before the operation. The effects of treatment in the two groups were compared.First-stage percutaneous nephrolithotomy was successfully completed in both groups of patients. The outcome was better in the research group than in the control group in terms of operation time, number of punctures required for successful establishment of a percutaneous renal channel, number of percutaneous kidney puncture channels, and intraoperative blood loss, and the differences were statistically significant (p0.05 for all). The stone clearance rate was higher in the research group than in the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.471). The incidence of penetrating kidney injury was lower in the research group than in the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.154).For patients due to undergo percutaneous nephrolithotomy for the treatment of complex kidney stones, preoperative simulated puncture helps to improve the puncture accuracy and to reduce the number of punctures required for successful establishment of a percutaneous renal channel, the number of puncture channels, the operation time, and the blood loss, and therefore it is worth promoting.

The effects of foliar application of 24-epibrassinolide (EBR) on chlorophyll content, oxidative damage, and antioxidant capacity in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) seedlings during a short-term chilling stress and subsequent recovery were investigated. The eggplant seedlings pretreated with 0.1 μM EBR were exposed to 5 °C for 12 h in the dark and then recovered under a normal temperature for another 12 h. The results show that EBR alleviated a chilling-induced oxidative stress reflected by a decrease in malondialdehyde and H2O2 content, O2 ·− production rate, and an increase in chlorophyll content and activities of superoxide dismutase, guaicol peroxidase, and catalase. The EBR pretreatment also promoted activities of ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione reductase, dehydroascorbate reductase, as well as the accumulation of ascorbic acid (AsA) and glutathione (GSH) involved in the AsA-GSH cycle. Moreover, after the12 h recovery, EBR plus chilling treated leaves showed no significant changes in content of MDA and chlorophyll a, lower reactive oxygen species (ROS) content, and greater activities of AsA-GSH cycle enzymes than in seedlings only chilled. The results suggest that EBR alleviated an oxidative damage caused by the dark chilling stress and accelerated a recovery rate mainly through increasing the ROS scavenging system including the AsA-GSH cycle.

This study was carried out to understand the mechanism of protection of plants under cold stress by exogenous 24-epibrassinolide (EBR). The eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) seedlings were pretreated with five concentrations of EBR (0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.4 °M) and then exposed to day/night temperatures of 10/5 °C for 8 d. The results show that EBR, especially 0.1 °M EBR, dramatically alleviated growth suppression and a decrease in chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rate caused by the cold stress. In addition, EBR also decreased malondialdehyde content and O2·− production rate induced by the cold stress, and increased the activities of superoxide dismutase, guaiacol peroxidase, catalase, and ascorbate peroxidase, and proline content. The results of the present study suggest that exogenous EBR could improve cold tolerance of eggplant by regulating photosynthesis and antioxidative systems.

The effects of exogenous 24-epibrassinolide (EBR) on the growth, oxidative damage, antioxidant system and ion contents in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) seedlings under salt stress were investigated. Eggplant seedlings were exposed to 90 mM NaCl with 0, 0.025, 0.05, 0.10 and 0.20 mg dm−3 EBR for 10 d. EBR, especially at concentration 0.05 mg dm−3, alleviated growth suppression caused by NaCl stress, decreased electrolyte leakage, superoxide production and content of malondialdehyde and H2O2 in NaCl-treated plants. EBR also increased activities of superoxide dismutase, guaiacol peroxidase, catalase and ascorbate peroxidase and the contents of ascorbic acid and reduced glutathione. Furthermore, we also found that Na+, Cl− contents were decreased, K+, Ca2+ contents and K+/Na+, Ca2+/Na+ ratios were increased in the presence of EBR under salt stress.

Impurity scattering in a superconductor may serve as an important probe for the nature of superconducting pairing state. Here we report the impurity effect on superconducting transition temperature $T_\mathrm{c}$ in the newly discovered Cr-based superconductor K$_2$Cr$_3$As$_3$. The resistivity measurements show that the crystals prepared using high-purity Cr metal ($\geq$99.99\%) have an electron mean free path much larger than the superconducting coherence length. For the crystals prepared using impure Cr that contains various \emph{nonmagnetic} impurities, however, the $T_\mathrm{c}$ decreases significantly, in accordance with the generalized Abrikosov-Gor'kov pair-breaking theory. This finding supports a non-$s$-wave superconductivity in K$_2$Cr$_3$As$_3$., Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in SCIENCE CHINA Physics, Mechanics & Astronomy

Landslide monitoring is important in predicting the behavior of landslides, thereby ensuring environmental, life, and property safety. On the basis of our previous studies, we conducted the double shear test by using a third-generation optical fiber transducer that uses expandable polystyrene (EPS) as base material. However, the third-generation transducer has poor performance when cohesive force is present between the grout and capillary stainless steel pipe of the transducer. Thus, the fourth-generation optical fiber transducer was invented. Similar to the third-generation transducer, the fourth-generation transducer also used EPS as its base material. Single shear test was conducted on the fourth-generation transducer after being grouted with cement mortar (1:1 mix ratio). The micro-bend loss mechanism of the optical fiber was considered, and the optical time domain reflectometry instrument was used. The fact that the loss sequence of optical fibers subjected to loading is different at various locations is found. The relationship of the loading-point displacement VS. optical fiber sliding distance and optical loss were measured. Results show that the maximum initial measurement precision of the newly proposed device is 1mm, the corresponding sliding distance is 21 mm, and the dynamic range is 0–20 mm. The fourth-generation transducer can measure the movement direction of loadings, thus making this transducer applicable for landslide monitoring.

We investigate superconductivity and transport properties of Co doped SmFe$_{1-x}$Co$_{x}$AsO system. The antiferromagnetic (AFM) spin-density wave (SDW) order is rapidly suppressed by Co doping, and superconductivity emerges as $x$ $\geq$ 0.05. $T_c$$^{mid}$ increases with increasing Co content, shows a maximum of 17.2 K at the optimally doping of $x\sim$ 0.10. A phase diagram is derived based on the transport measurements and a dome-like $T_c$ versus $x$ curve is established. Meanwhile we found that the normal state thermopower might consist of two different contributions. One contribution increases gradually with increasing $x$, and the other contribution is abnormally enhanced in the superconducting window 0.05 $\leq$ $x$ $\leq$ 0.20, and shows a dome-like doping dependence. A close correlation between $T_{c}$ and the abnormally enhanced term of thermopower is proposed.

A series of 122 phase BaFe$_{2-x}$Ni$_x$As$_2$ ($x$ = 0, 0.055, 0.096, 0.18, 0.23) single crystals were grown by self flux method and a dome-like Ni doping dependence of superconducting transition temperature is discovered. The transition temperature $T_c^{on}$ reaches a maximum of 20.5 K at $x$ = 0.096, and it drops to below 4 K as $x$ $\geq$ 0.23. The negative thermopower in the normal state indicates that electron-like charge carrier indeed dominates in this system. This Ni-doped system provides another example of superconductivity induced by electron doping in the 122 phase.

Based on Landau-Devonshire model, the bifurcation characteristic of rotor-shape memory alloy bearings(SMAB) system was investigated in this paper. Heteronomous system was transformed into autonomous system in averaging method and Van der Pol transformation, and the existence of Hopf bifurcation was proved in theory. The concept of broadened set of equilibrium point was introduced to improve centre manifold method to be adapted to heteronomous system. The equation of the flow on the centre manifold of rotor-SMAB system was obtained, and the existence of transcritical bifurcation and supercritical pitchfork bifurcation was proved in theory. Finally the results in centre manifold method and averaging method were compared with each other. The comparison shows that the results of the two methods were both the parts of global dynamic characteristic of rotor-SMAB system, while centre manifold method can be applied to research bifurcation behavior in the case of more dimensions. It means that the two methods both have limitation, and global dynamic characteristic must be obtained in kinds of method.