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Objectives: To evaluate the ability of intraoperative CEUS to predict neurological recovery in patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM). Methods: Twenty-six patients with DCM who underwent laminoplasty and intraoperative ultrasound (IOUS) were included in this prospective study. The modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) scores and MRI were assessed before surgery and 12 months postoperatively. The anteroposterior diameter (APD), maximum spinal cord compression (MSCC), and area of signal changes in the cord at the compressed and normal levels were measured and compared using MRI and IOUS. Conventional blood flow and CEUS indices (time to peak, ascending slope, peak intensity (PI), and area under the curve (AUC)) at different levels during IOUS were calculated and analysed. Correlations between all indicators and the neurological recovery rate were evaluated. Results: All patients underwent IOUS and intraoperative CEUS, and the total recovery rate was 50.7 ± 33.3%. APD and MSCC improved significantly (p < 0.01). The recovery rate of the hyperechoic lesion group was significantly worse than that of the isoechoic group (p = 0.016). 22 patients were analysed by contrast analysis software. PI was higher in the compressed zone than in the normal zone (24.58 ± 3.19 versus 22.43 ± 2.39, p = 0.019). ΔPI compress-normal and ΔAUC compress-normal of the hyperechoic lesion group were significantly higher than those of the isoechoic group (median 2.19 versus 0.55, p = 0.017; 135.7 versus 21.54, p = 0.014, respectively), and both indices were moderately negatively correlated with the recovery rate (r = − 0.463, p = 0.030; r = − 0.466, p = 0.029). Conclusions: Signal changes and microvascular perfusion evaluated using CEUS during surgery are valuable predictors of cervical myelopathy prognosis. Clinical relevance statement: In the spinal cord compression area of degenerative cervical myelopathy, especially in the hyperechoic lesions, intraoperative CEUS showed more significant contrast agent perfusion than in the normal area, and the degree was negatively correlated with the neurological prognosis. Key Points: • Recovery rates in patients with hyperechoic findings were lower than those of patients without lesions detected during intraoperative ultrasound. • The peak intensity of CEUS was higher in compressed zones than in the normal parts of the spinal cord. • Quantitative CEUS comparisons of the peak intensity and area under the curve at the compressed and normal levels of the spinal cord revealed differences that were inversely correlated to the recovery rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a promising renewable energy, offshore wind energy currently is gaining more attention, by which the economic and efficient operation of floating wind turbine systems is a potential research direction. This study is primarily devoted to the analysis of dynamic response of the NREL-5 MW reference wind turbine supported by an OC3-Hywind SPAR-type platform using a recompiled code which combines FAST with WAMIT. To verify the reliability of the recompiled code, the free decay motions of a floating wind turbine system in still water are examined with satisfactory results. After that, thirteen scenarios with different angles between wind and wave from 0° to 90° are investigated. The dynamic responses of the turbine system in various degrees of freedom (DOFs) for different incident wind/wave directions are presented in both time and frequency domains via the fast Fourier transform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Strength Envelopes from DEM, UST, VE, MC and DP: Prediction and Comparison. Highlights • A new numerical true triaxial engine is developed for 3D granular material. • Stress-strength behavior in meridian and deviatoric stress space is well produced. • A demonstration of DEM study for real 3D granular material behavior modeling. Abstract A new numerical true triaxial engine based on discrete element method accounting for rolling resistance contact is developed. By this engine, we have simulated mechanical behavior of granular materials under complex stress loading path in this study. Stress-strain responses of a kind of typical granular sand under several stress loading path in meridian and deviatoric stress space are provided. The results show that the three dimensional effects like the intermediate principal stress play an important role in the modeling processes. Theoretical analysis in strength characteristic implies the strength criteria with three parameters such as unified strength criterion and van Eekelen strength criterion are capable of describing cohesionless granular material behaviors in three dimensional stress states. Moreover, the case study for Chende sand further demonstrates the numerical true triaxial engine, is a potential tool. As compared to conventional triaxial compression test, this new developed apparatus could be widely used to "measure" elastic-plastic behavior in three dimensional stress space for finite element analysis in geotechnical problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of a magnetic field on condensed droplet freezing and frost formation was investigated using visualized experimental devices in this study. The size, shape, freezing time of droplets, and frost shape on the magnetic field considerably differ from those on the nonmagnetic surface. Moreover, the magnetic field could suppress droplet freezing and frost formation. The magnetic field suppression effect on droplet freezing and frost formation was analyzed according to the polarity characteristics of water molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The relationship between magnetic field intensity and frost suppression effect is not linear. • As the temperature of the cold surface decreases, the suppressing freezing ability of the magnetic field becomes worse. • The initial freezing time of the droplet decreases as its volume increases from 20 μL to 50 μL. In this study, the effect of magnetic field on droplet freezing was investigated based on a visualization system. Possible influencing factors on droplet freezing, such as magnetic field intensity, cold surface temperature, and droplet volume, were considered in this study. During the two stages of droplet supercooling and freezing process, the changes of the droplet internal temperature, the formation of initial crystal nucleus, and the freezing time were observed. Experimental results show that in comparison with the non-magnetic surface, the supercooling degree of droplets was increased in the range of 150–300 mT magnetic field intensity, thereby prolonging the freezing time of droplets. Particularly, the droplet was best suppressed on a cold surface with 250 mT magnetic field intensity. The freezing time of droplets was prolonged by 132.0 %. However, the droplets were accelerated to freeze on the cold surface with magnetic field intensities of 350 mT and 400 mT. Droplet freezing on cold surfaces was also affected by surface temperature and droplet volume. As the surface temperature of magnetic cooling dropped from −10 °C to −20 °C, the ability of the magnetic field to inhibit droplet freezing would be gradually weakened. With the increase of droplet volume from 20 μL to 50 μL, the initial freezing time of droplets was shortened. These results are related to the influence of magnetic field on the nucleation process and hydrogen bond in the water molecular cluster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new approach for designing mechanical-acoustic porous structures is proposed; • The mixed u / p formulation with the linear material interpolation is integrated with topology optimization; • The porous features are generated to improve acoustic performance; • Interesting 2D and 3D examples are presented. Porous structures are widely found in nature and have been extensively studied due to their high stiffness-to-weight ratio, excellent sound absorption, and robustness regarding loading variation. This paper proposes a new topology optimization approach for the design of porous acoustic-mechanical structures based on the three-field floating projection topology optimization (FPTO) method. In order to capture the change of ambiguous structural boundary during topology optimization, the mixed displacement/pressure (u / p) finite element formulation with the linear material interpolation scheme is adopted. The artificial porous features of the structures are generated by imposing the local volume constraint defined by a constant or adaptive filter radius. The 0/1 constraints of the design variables are simulated by the floating projection constraint so that the final design has a clear topology. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, some interesting 2D and 3D numerical examples considering their mechanical and acoustic characteristics simultaneously are presented to achieve porous structures by minimizing dynamic compliance, possibly with an additional acoustic constraint. The results also show that the resulting porous features are useful in improving the acoustic performance of the optimized designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: Novel customized metamaterial gelatin-based conductive film (GCF) was developed to ensure good biocompatibility and biodegradability for implantable bioelectronics integrating monitoring with tissue repair. The metamaterial property demonstrated high conformal with soft tissues to promote the signal-to-noise ratio. The GCF revealed elastic modulus regulated from 20 to 420 kPa and Poisson's ratio from − 0.25 to 0.52. It was fabricated by embedding different 3D printing ultrafine fiber networks with metamaterial design into ultra-low modulus Gelatin methacryloyl hydrogel. Implantable hydrogel-based bioelectronics (IHB) can precisely monitor human health and diagnose diseases. However, achieving biodegradability, biocompatibility, and high conformality with soft tissues poses significant challenges for IHB. Gelatin is the most suitable candidate for IHB since it is a collagen hydrolysate and a substantial part of the extracellular matrix found naturally in most tissues. This study used 3D printing ultrafine fiber networks with metamaterial design to embed into ultra-low elastic modulus hydrogel to create a novel gelatin-based conductive film (GCF) with mechanical programmability. The regulation of GCF nearly covers soft tissue mechanics, an elastic modulus from 20 to 420 kPa, and a Poisson's ratio from − 0.25 to 0.52. The negative Poisson's ratio promotes conformality with soft tissues to improve the efficiency of biological interfaces. The GCF can monitor heartbeat signals and respiratory rate by determining cardiac deformation due to its high conformability. Notably, the gelatin characteristics of the biodegradable GCF enable the sensor to monitor and support tissue restoration. The GCF metamaterial design offers a unique idea for bioelectronics to develop implantable sensors that integrate monitoring and tissue repair and a customized method for endowing implanted sensors to be highly conformal with soft tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on existing researches, field drillings and numerical simulations are carried out in this paper to analyze the problems of subsidence control in the goaf of multi-layer inclined coal seam. Midas/GTS NX is used to build a three-dimensional calculation model of the goaf. A new method of using borehole data to check simulation parameters is proposed. The whole process of goaf excavation, construction of roadbed (pile foundation) and grouting treatment is analyzed. Analysis theory of different subgrade construction schemes and grouting treatment process on goaf is established. Response characteristics of displacement and equivalent stress and strain of goaf in multilayer inclined coal seam are obtained. A new method for analyzing the characteristics of the stress and deformation of the rock strata before and after grouting in the goaf under the conditions of different foundation schemes on the surface is provided in this research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In the present study, we determined the safety and efficacy of robotic mitral valve replacement using robotic technology. Methods: From January 2007 through March 2011, more than 400 patients underwent various types of robotic cardiac surgery in our department. Of these, 22 consecutive patients underwent robotically assisted mitral valve replacement. Of the 22 patients with isolated rheumatic mitral valve stenosis (9 men and 13 women), the mean age was 44.7 ± 19.8 years (range, 32–65). Preoperatively, all patients underwent a complete workup, including coronary angiography and transthoracic echocardiography. Of the 22 patients, 15 had concomitant atrial fibrillation. The surgical approach was through 4 right-side chest ports with femoral perfusion. Aortic occlusion was performed with a Chitwood crossclamp, and antegrade cardioplegia was administered directly by way of the anterior chest. Using 3 port incisions in the right side of the chest and a 2.5- to 3.0-cm working port, all the procedures were completed with the da Vinci S robot. Results: All patients underwent successful robotic surgery. Of the 22 patients, 16 received a mechanical valve and 6 a tissue valve. The mean cardiopulmonary bypass time and aortic crossclamp time was 137.1 ± 21.9 minutes (range, 105–168) and 99.3 ± 17.9 minutes (range, 80–133), respectively. No operative deaths, stroke, or other complications occurred, and no incisional conversions were required. After surgery, all the patients were followed up echocardiographically. Conclusions: Robotically assisted mitral valve replacement can be performed safely in patients with isolated mitral valve stenosis, and surgical results are excellent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of flexible electronics (FEs) has rapidly accelerated in numerous fields due to their exceptional deformability, bending, and stretchability. Room‐temperature gallium‐based liquid metals (LMs) are considered as efficient conductive materials for FEs due to their outstanding electrical conductivity and intrinsic flexibility. Recently, 3D printing has become a promising technique for fabricating FEs. However, the poor printability due to high surface tension and fluidity offers huge challenges in the 3D printing of LMs. This review summarizes the effective strategies to address these challenges. It primarily focuses on three points: 1) how to improve the printability of LM and its wettability with the substrate, 2) how to select the appropriate printing method to improve the printing speed and ensure the resolution of printing structure, and 3) how to provide perfect encapsulation for LM‐based FEs with 3D printing. Following a brief introduction, the mainstream printing technologies and recent developments in the 3D printing of LMs are provided, with an emphasis on the selection of printing method, improvement of printability, encapsulation, and conductivity activation. Then, the revolutionary changes attained after 3D printing of LMs are specifically focused upon. Finally, opinions and potential directions for this thriving discipline are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: The spinal cord central echo complex (SCCEC) is a special ultrasonography‐based intramedullary structure, but its clinical significance in degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is undefined. This study aimed to explore the potential of the SCCEC in predicting postoperative neurological recovery in DCM. Methods: Thirty‐two DCM patients who underwent intraoperative ultrasonography‐guided French‐door laminoplasty were prospectively enrolled. The modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) score was evaluated preoperatively and 12 months postoperatively. SCCEC width (SCCEC‐W), and anteroposterior diameter (APD) and transverse diameter (TD) of the spinal cord were measured on transverse ultrasonographic images, while the tissue widths from anterior and posterior borders of the spinal cord to the SCCEC were measured on sagittal ultrasonographic images. The APD of the spinal cord and occupying rate of the spinal canal were measured on preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Results: All patients achieved improvements in mJOA scores, with an average recovery rate (RR) of 68.69 ± 20.22%. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that SCCEC‐W, and ratios between the SCCEC‐W and APD/TD based on ultrasonography, correlated moderately with mJOA score RR, with coefficients of −0.527, −0.605 and −0.514, respectively. The ratio between SCCEC‐W and ultrasonographic TD correlated moderately with preoperative APD of the spinal cord. The MRI measurements and ultrasonography‐based tissue widths showed no significant correlation with mJOA score RR. Conclusions: The SCCEC may have predictive potential as an intraoperative indicator of neurological recovery in treating DCM. SCCEC‐W may be related to spinal cord compression in DCM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the neurological recovery between patients with adequate and inadequate immediate spinal cord expansion after sufficient decompression in degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM). Methods: Twenty-seven patients subjected to French-door laminoplasty underwent the guidance of intraoperative ultrasound (IOUS) and were prospectively included. The modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (mJOA) score was evaluated before surgery and at 12 months postoperatively. The maximum spinal cord compression (MSCC) after sufficient decompression was calculated on the IOUS image; patients were divided into adequate (MSCC ≥ 0.95) and inadequate (MSCC < 0.95) expansion groups according to the MSCC. The mJOA score, spinal cord hyperechogenicity, age at surgery, symptom duration, occupational rate of the spinal canal, and the minimum anteroposterior diameter of the spinal cord between the two groups were compared. Results: Initially, 2 cases showed residual compression on IOUS; after further decompression, all patients acquired sufficient decompression. All patients achieved improvements in mJOA scores with an average recovery rate of 68.6 ± 20.3%. The recovery rate of the mJOA score of the inadequate expansion group was significantly inferior to that of the adequate expansion group (59.2 ± 21.7% versus 76.2 ± 16.2%, p = 0.028). The spinal cord hyperechogenicity was more common in the inadequate expansion group, while the spinal cord anteroposterior diameter of the inadequate expansion group was significantly smaller than that of the adequate expansion group. Conclusions: The application of IOUS in French-door laminoplasty could help to confirm sufficient decompression for the treatment of DCM. Inadequate spinal cord expansion after sufficient decompression had the high possibility of predicting less satisfactory neurological recovery of DCM. Key Points: • The intraoperative ultrasound revealed that not all degenerative cervical myelopathy patients acquired adequate spinal cord expansion after sufficient decompression. • Patients who failed to acquire adequate spinal cord expansion commonly combined with spinal cord hyperechogenicity and trended to achieve less satisfactory neurological recovery after surgical decompression. • Inadequate spinal cord expansion after sufficient decompression had the high possibility of predicting less satisfactory neurological recovery of patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In ultra-precision machining, material anisotropy has an essential impact on surface generation and subsurface damage. In this work, the molecular dynamics method is applied to create the diamond nano-cutting models of Ni-based single crystal (NBSX) superalloy workpieces with different crystal orientations, and the surface/subsurface damage characteristics, crystal structure changes, cutting force, and atomic temperature and stress are discussed. The results show significant differences in surface/subsurface quality, crystal structure transformation, cutting force, atomic temperature and stress distributions and dislocation density obtained from nano-cutting workpieces along different crystal orientations. In four groups of workpieces, the surface/subsurface quality is used as an evaluation index, which shows that the [110](001) crystal orientation has the best cutting effect, and the [111](1 ‾ 10) crystal orientation is the worst cutting direction. This work reveals the damage generation mechanism of the machined surface/subsurface of NBSX superalloy on an atomic scale, which provides technical support for improving machining quality and optimizing machining parameters. [Display omitted] • Surface/subsurface damage characteristics are formed by different crystal orientations. • The workpiece with the [110](001) crystal orientation has the optimal surface/subsurface quality. • Material stress induces the formation of dislocations and defects, and three deformation zones appear in the tool-to-workpiece contact area. • The temperature drop point is closely related to chips and side flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile game has become a big industry, whose success heavily depends on the game fairness. Recently, a new type of physical cheating instrument, the capacitance-based gamepad (CBG), has been wildly used in popular mobile games. CBG players can obtain an unfairly overwhelming control advantage (e.g., more sensitive clicking and sliding) over benign players. Moreover, as a physical peripheral, CBG is completely transparent to the game application and the underlying system. This makes it inherently immune to existing cheating detection techniques. In this study, by disassembling the CBG device, we find a leverageable physical limitation that the distributions of generated clicking and sliding are more concentrated around a limited area or a boundary respectively. Accordingly, a novel method is proposed to detect the CBG-based cheating. Specifically, to detect the CBG clicking, we employ the entropy to measure the uncertainty of the clicking coordinates; and to detect the CBG sliding, we introduce the convex hull identification algorithm to recognize the potential sliding boundary. We have applied our detection method to four popular mobile games. The evaluation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. We believe that the proposed method can be easily adopted by the manufacturers to fight against the CBG-based cheating and protect the game fairness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intercropping of hyperaccumulators with crops is a promising measure to enhance phytoremediation without impeding agricultural production. A Cd-hyperaccumulator, Solanum nigrum L. (S. nigrum), was intercropped with upland rice in a pot and rhizo-box experiment with Cd-contaminated soil to evaluate the combined effects of intercropping and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on plant growth and Cd accumulation. The results showed that, compared with monoculture, the combined treatments markedly decreased Cd concentration in rice parts, with the lowest Cd concentration in brown rice (reducing by 64.5%). The spatial distribution of root surface area and DTPA-Cd in the rhizo-box indicated competitive Cd uptake by neighbouring S. nigrum. Moreover, the combined treatments reduced Nramp5 expression but increased HMA3 levels in rice roots, leading to lower bioaccumulation and transfer coefficients. Additionally, fewer secreted organic acids and a higher rhizosphere pH were observed in rice. Conversely, the combined treatments promoted biomass, root length, root surface area, and decreased the rhizosphere pH in S. nigrum , thus increasing the Cd accumulation. Although the intercropping system with AMF inoculation notably reduced rice yield, the land-use efficiency was higher. These results provided insights into the role of AMF in the upland rice/ S. nigrum system and demonstrated an alternative system for Cd phytoremediation. ga1 • Intercropping with AMF inoculation promoted growth and Cd accumulation of S. nigrum. • Superposition treatment exhibits utmost reduction of Cd concentration in rice parts. • A Cd competitive depletion zone was observed in the combined treatment. • Intercropping coupled with mycorrhiza strengthen the rhizoremediation of S. nigrum. • Decreased Nramp5 levels and increased HMA3 expression were present in rice roots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After a peripheral nerve injury, the remaining Schwann cells undergo proliferation and adopt a migratory phenotype to prepare for the regeneration of nerves. Celsr2 has been reported to play an important role in the development and maintenance of the function of the nervous system. However, the role and mechanism of Celsr2 during peripheral nerve regeneration remain unknown. Here, we showed that after sciatic nerve injury, Celsr2 mRNA and protein were significantly increased in nerve tissues. In addition, silencing Celsr2 decreased the ki67-positve portion and the migration distance of Schwann cells in vivo. In vitro , the results of MTT and EdU staining, transwell and wound healing assays indicated that Celsr2 siRNA-transfected primary Schwann cells showed significant decrease in proliferation and migration compared to that seen in negative control (NC)-transfected cells. Furthermore, we found that Wnt/β-catenin luciferase activity was reduced, as were the expression of β-catenin in the nucleus and the mRNA levels of its downstream genes Cyclin D1 and MMP-7 in Celsr2 siRNA-transfected primary Schwann cells. Further investigations showed that silencing Celsr2 inhibited the phosphorylation of GSK3β. Moreover, specific activators of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, LiCl or mutant β-catenin (S33Y), partially reversed the inhibitory effect of Celsr2 siRNA. Taken together, our data indicated that silencing Celsr2 inhibited Schwann cells migration and proliferation through the suppressing Wnt/β-catenin pathway, providing a potential target for peripheral nerve regeneration. • Celsr2 was upregulated after peripheral nerve injury. • Inhibition of Celsr2 impeded the migration and proliferation of primary Schwann cells. • Silencing Celsr2 inhibited the Schwann cell phenotype via suppressing the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. • The inhibitory effect induced by silencing Celsr2 was reversed by treatment with LiCl or transfection of mutant β-catenin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rictor is an essential component that directly activates the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) activity, which contributes to the intrinsic axon growth capacity of adult sensory neurons after injury. However, whether its action also applies to regeneration after spinal cord injury (SCI) remains unknown. In this study, rats were given spinal cord contusion at the T9‐10 level to establish the SCI model and were subsequently treated with intraspinal cord injection of a Rictor overexpression lentiviral vector to locally upregulate the Rictor expression in the injured spinal cord. Thereafter, we investigated the therapeutic effects of Rictor overexpression in the injured spinal cords of SCI rats. Rictor overexpression not only significantly attenuated the acute inflammatory response and cell death after SCI but also markedly increased the shift in macrophages around the lesion from the M1 to M2 phenotype compared to those of the control lentiviral vector injection‐treated group. Furthermore, Rictor overexpression dramatically increased neurogenesis in the lesion epicenter, subsequently promoting the tissue repair and functional recovery in SCI rats. Interestingly, the mechanism underlying the beneficial effects of Rictor overexpression on SCI may be associated with the Rictor overexpression playing a role in the anti‐inflammatory response and driving macrophage polarization toward the M2 phenotype, which benefits resident neuronal and oligodendrocyte survival. Our findings demonstrate that Rictor is an effective target that affects the generation of molecules that inhibit spinal cord regeneration. In conclusion, localized Rictor overexpression represents a promising potential strategy for the repair of SCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ZIF-L material was incorporated into the polyimide (PI) matrix to prepare MMM for H 2 /CO 2 gas separation. Compared with casting and flat scraping methods, the membrane prepared by spin coating method provides higher selectivity and excellent permeability under the same high MOF loading. The excellent separation performance is due to the ordered arrangement of ZIF-L in the matrix, which forms an orientation film that provides a fast transport channel for H 2 molecules and effectively interferes with the diffusion of CO 2 molecules with strong interactions between ZIF-L. Meanwhile, in-plane orientation is beneficial for optimizing the compatibility between nanosheets and polymer interfaces, thereby maximizing membrane separation performance. [Display omitted] • Novel MMMs fabricated from the fillers of oriented two-dimensional ZIF-L nanosheets in polyimide. • By optimizing the preparation method of the membranes, the in-plane orientation arrangement and high loading of nanosheets in the matrix were achieved using the spin coating method. • The resulting MMMs are simultaneously enhanced in selectivity, permeability, and stability. Mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) formed by combining two-dimensional (2D) nanostructured metal organic framework (MOF) materials in polymer matrices have attracted much attention due to their potential as an important functional component material for gas separation applications. Here, we report the incorporation of ZIF-L material into polyimide (PI) matrix to prepare MMMs for H 2 /CO 2 gas separation. The loading capacity of the filler varies between 15 wt% and 45 wt%, and MMMs are prepared using three different coating methods: casting, flat scraping, and spin coating. When the filler content is 45 wt%, MMMs prepared by the spin coating method exhibit the best performance, with a gas permeability of 368.9 Barrer and an H 2 /CO 2 separation factor of 19.1. The excellent separation performance is owing to the oriented membrane formed by the ordered arrangement of ZIF-L in the matrix, which provides a fast transport channel for H 2 molecules, as evidenced by XRD and SEM results. Meanwhile, the 2D structure of MOF fillers increases the contact area between the fillers and the polymer, promoting the formation of defect-free MMMs. In addition, thermal analysis and tensile testing also indicate that MMMs possess thermal and mechanical stability. This is an important step forward in achieving the excellent performance of MMMs containing two-dimensional porous fillers for gas separation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A modified Brans–Dicke theory (abbreviated as GBD) is proposed by generalizing the Ricci scalar R to an arbitrary function f (R) in the original BD action. It can be found that the GBD theory has some interesting properties, such as solving the problem of PPN value without introducing the so-called chameleon mechanism (comparing with the f (R) modified gravity), making the state parameter to crossover the phantom boundary: w = − 1 without introducing the negative kinetic term (comparing with the quintom model). In the GBD theory, the gravitational field equation and the cosmological evolutional equations have been derived. In the framework of cosmology, we apply the dynamical system approach to investigate the stability of the GBD model. A five-variable cosmological dynamical system and three critical points ( P 1 , P 2 , P 3 ) are obtained in the GBD model. After calculation, it is shown that the critical point P 1 corresponds to the radiation dominated universe and it is unstable. The critical point P 2 is unstable, which corresponds to the geometrical dark energy dominated universe. While for case of P 3 , according to the center manifold theory, this critical point is stable, and it corresponds to geometrical dark energy dominated de Sitter universe ( w tot eff = − 1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The aim of this study was to assess muscle injury associated with upper and lower closed limb fracture using ultrasound, and to develop ultrasound classification criteria for muscle injury. Patients and Methods. Thirty patients with limb fracture and muscle injury participated in this study. Ultrasonography was used to assess muscle fibre, hematoma, vascular injury, and diameter growth rate. Injury was classified into three grades according to the ultrasound imaging: scores of less than, equal to, or greater than 9. Results. Of 30 patients, focal fibre rupture was observed in 11 cases; in 9 cases, the injured area exceeded 30% of the muscle area. Six patients had muscle hematoma (the largest reaching 39 mm); in 4 patients, the hematoma showed a honeycombed pattern. Vascular rupture was observed in 6 patients, of which 2 had decreased main arterial diameter and blood flow. The greatest increase in muscle thickness was 17 mm. Of all patients, 11 showed an increase in the diameter growth rate of the muscle exceeding 50%. In addition, among the 30 patients, 11 patients with scores ranging from 4 to 8 received conservative treatment; 9 patients with scores ranging from 10 to 14 received operative treatment; and 10 patients with scores equal to 9 received either conservative or operative treatment. Conclusions. Ultrasonography is useful for diagnosing muscle injury associated with closed limb fracture. The ultrasound classification criteria for muscle injury can be used to assess the severity of injury and guide the decision of treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PSiQAEp-GH polymers were synthesized by the reaction of gelatin hydrolysate (GH) and polysiloxane quaternary ammonium salts containing epoxy group (PSiQAEp) with different molecular weight from 3147 to 12996. The results of FTIR, 1H NMR and 13C NMR showed that the reaction occurred between primary amino group of arginine in GH and epoxy of PSiQAEp. The XRD and DSC studies showed that the degree of short-range order of PSiQAEp-GH reduced and its glass transition temperature (Tg) lowered more than 10 °C compared with GH. The determinations of moisture absorption and contact angle (CA) indicated that the hydrophobility of PSiQAEp-GH was better than GH. The tests of inhibitory zone and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) illustrated that the PSiQAEp-GHs exhibited excellent antibacterial activity, and the antibacterial activity depended on both the chemical structure of PSiQAEp-GHs and the biological structure of the bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Study Objective: To investigate anesthetic techniques for robot-assisted endoscopic atrial septal defect (ASD) repair. Design: Clinical observational study. Setting: Operating room of a general military hospital. Patients: 56 adult, ASA physical status 1 and 2 patients undergoing elective general anesthesia. Interventions: After induction of general anesthesia, a left-sided, double-lumen endotracheal tube was positioned to allow single left-lung ventilation and contralateral CO2 pneumothorax (capnothorax). With ultrasound guidance, peripheral cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) catheters were placed. Measurements and Main Results: All patients tolerated single left-lung ventilation before CPB; however, hypoxia (oxygen saturation < 90%) occurred in 11 (19.6%) patients post-CPB, which required treatment with continuous positive airway pressure. Fifteen (26.8%) patients had hypotension secondary to capnothorax, which was treated with transfusion and vasopressors. Aortic cross-clamp time was 43.6 ± 11.2 minutes, and CPB time was 106.7 ± 12.4 minutes. The median intensive care unit stay was 21 hours and postoperative hospital stay was 4 to 7 days. Conclusions: The key issue for anesthetic management of robot-assisted totally endoscopic ASD repair is maintaining stable hemodynamics and oxygenation, especially during one-lung ventilation and capnothorax. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A novel POM-based IL immobilized on well-ordered KIT-6 catalyst [Omim] 3 PMo 12 O 40 /KIT-6 was successfully synthesized. Complete desulfurization (100%) can be achieved within 80 min for DBT model oil (S: 1000 ppm) under 60 °C and O/S = 5 using tertbutyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) as an oxidant. The hydroxyl radicals (•OH) was proved to be the most important reactive species by a scavenger experiment. The synergistic effect of super catalytic ability of [PMo 12 O 40 ]3− Keggin structure and the absorption ability of KIT-6 and [Omim]+ contributes to the excellent S conversion rate. [Display omitted] • A novel catalyst [Omim] 3 PMo 12 O 40 /KIT-6 was synthesized by impregnation method. • Desulfurization efficiency of 100% can be achieved within 80 min for dibenzothiophene model oil (S: 1000 ppm). • Different substrates were used as reactants and the oxidation activity decreases in the order of DBT > 4,6-DMDBT > BT. • The hydroxyl radicals (•OH) played an indispensable role in oxidative desulfurization. • The synergistic effect of [Omim]+, PMo 12 O 40 3- and KIT-6 contributes to the excellent catalytic activity. Oxidative desulfurization (ODS) process is one of the most promising desulfurization technologies because of its energy-efficient and mild operation condition. In this study, a novel active phase POM-based IL-[Omim] 3 PMo 12 O 40 was synthesized, and then it was supported on well-ordered KIT-6. [Omim] 3 PMo 12 O 40 /KIT-6 catalyst was used in the dibenzothiophene (DBT) and real diesel oxidative desulfurization with tertbutyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) as an oxidant. The composite materials [Omim] 3 PMo 12 O 40 and [Omim] 3 PMo 12 O 40 /KIT-6 catalysts were characterized by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy (XPS) and nitrogen adsorption–desorption analysis. [Omim] 3 PMo 12 O 40 /KIT-6 catalyst showed high catalytic activity, at the optimal conditions of m catalyst /V Oil = 0.1 g/20 ml, m [Omim]3PMo12O40 /m KIT-6 = 30%, O/S = 5 (molar ratio), 60 °C, S of 1000 ppm (DBT in n-octane) can be completely removed within 80 min due to the superior mass transfer ability of the cubic I a 3 _ d mesoporous structure of KIT-6 and excellent catalytic ability of [Omim] 3 PMo 12 O 40. In addition, [Omim] 3 PMo 12 O 40 /KIT-6 could be easily separated and the catalytic activity remains stable after 9 cycles. The ODS reaction mechanism is also investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oxidation of 5-hydroxylmethylfurfural (HMF) to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) is a sustainable and promising method for the preparation of bio-derived aromatic polyesters. Nitrogen doped carbon material is an effective catalyst support in preparing supported nanoparticle metal catalysts in heterogeneous reactions. In this work, by pyrolysis of bio-waste carbon material, pomelo peel, under 800 °C flowing NH 3 , high nitrogen (up to 11.4 wt%) doped porous carbon material (NC) was facilely obtained. Pt nanoparticles (NPs) can be uniformly dispersed on NC surface and stabilized by the doped nitrogen dopant. Supported Pt NPs by NC-800 (Pt/NC-800) was proved to be an efficient catalyst in aerobic oxidation of HMF into FDCA. Control experiments show that the oxidation of 5-hydrox-ymethyl-2-furancarboxylic acid (HMFCA) to 5-formyl-2-furancarboxylic acid (FFCA) by supported Pt NPs was the key step to determine the oxidation rate of HMF to FDCA. With controlled experiment results and previous reports, a catalytic mechanism involving water, molecular O 2 , hydroxyl ions and Pt NPs was given and explained well of the phenomenon of high HMFCA concentration accumulation during reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explosive pressure relief is often used in process industries to reduce the hazardous effects of dust explosion in the conveyance pipeline. The effectiveness of venting and the conditions associated with the explosive dust cloud and venting area, however, have not been studied. In this research, aluminum dust explosion venting was modeled by a two-dimensional (2D) rotational-axis symmetric computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model. The simulations focused on the effect of vent size on the pressure development and flame behavior inside and outside the pipeline. The internal pressure and temperature decreased sharply with venting. The internal pressure rose after the explosion venting, but this increase was reduced as the venting coefficient K v (K v = S v /S p) increased. The external explosion damage range caused by the venting pressure expanded as K v increased. The applied simulation method and results of this study provide critical information for dust explosion venting design safety and protection in chemical engineering. • The influence of vent size on dust explosion venting in pipeline is verified. • Venting can reduce the coherent deflagration associated with flame and pressure. • The internal pressure and temperature decrease sharply with the vent opining. • The external explosion damage range caused by venting pressure expands as vent size increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of biomimetic cartilage constructs (BCCs) with natural extracellular matrix (ECM) microenvironments and topological cues to accelerate the reconstruction of natural articular cartilage (NAC) after injury is challenging due to its complex structure, low cellular content, and less vascularity. Inspired by concrete rebar structure, a biomimetic cartilage named "biological reinforced concrete" is fabricated, with collagen fiber orientation transitioning from parallel to perpendicular, replicating the ECM microenvironments and complex construct of NAC. 3D-printed ultrafine fiber networks (UFNs) served as a degradable "biorebars", while a hybrid biohydrogel acted as "biocement". The stem cells are utilized as "bioactive aggregates". The biocement is developed by combining and screening various biohydrogels to mimic an ECM microenvironment conducive to the formation of NAC. By adjusting the fiber scale and spacing of the UFNs, the mechanical properties of the biomimetic cartilages are controlled to resemble those of NAC. Additionally, the UFNs guided the directed growth of cells and the orderly secretion of ECM. Subsequently, the developed BCCs are implanted into an osteochondral defect, and after 4 months, they successfully reconstructed the complex structure of cartilage with mechanical properties closely resembling those of NAC. The biological reinforced concrete offers a customizable and universal strategy for tissue regeneration., (© 2025 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Introduction: Colorectal cancer (CRC), characterized by its complex genetic heterogeneity and varied responses to treatment, is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. The role of N1-methyladenosine (m1A)-related genes in tumor biology remains underexplored. This study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of m1A-related genes in CRC, characterize their role in tumor molecular subtyping, and explore their influence on the tumor microenvironment (TME) and immune infiltration., Methods: To identify prognostic markers, univariate Cox analysis was performed using multiple datasets, including TCGA and GEO, identifying 43 m1A-related genes. Four distinct molecular subtypes of CRC were defined based on the expression of these genes using non-negative matrix factorization (NMF). Immune infiltration analysis was conducted, and the TIDE algorithm was used to predict response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Furthermore, a prognostic model based on m1A-related genes was constructed and validated across multiple datasets., Results: The results demonstrated that the four CRC molecular subtypes exhibited significant differences in survival outcomes and clinical characteristics. Stromal cells showed higher m1A scores, suggesting a regulatory role in the TME. There was a positive correlation between m1A-related gene expression and immune checkpoint genes. Moreover, the constructed prognostic model showed robust predictive performance and outperformed other recently published models., Discussion: The findings suggest that m1A-related genes are not only valuable biomarkers for CRC prognosis but also have significant implications for the immune landscape and could serve as potential targets for therapeutic intervention, particularly in the context of immunotherapy. For instance, SLC12A2 was found to enhance invasion, proliferation, and migration of colorectal cancer cells while inhibiting apoptosis. Further studies are needed to understand the functional roles of m1A modifications across different cell types within the TME., Competing Interests: Author FL was employed by the company Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be constructed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2025 Sun, Huangfu, Li, Yan, Kong, Ji and Li.)

The past decades have witnessed the increasing accumulation of plastics, posing a daunting environmental crisis. Among various solutions, converting plastics into value-added products presents a significant endeavor. Here, an electrocatalytic upcycling route that efficiently converts waste poly(butylene terephthalate) plastics into high-value succinic acid with high Faradaic efficiency of 94.0% over cation vacancies-rich cobalt selenide catalyst is reported, showcasing unprecedented activity (1.477 V vs. RHE) to achieve an industrial-level current density of 1.5 A cm -2 , and featuring a robust operating durability (≈170 h). In particular, when combining butane-1,4-diol monomer oxidation (BOR) with hydrogen evolution using the cation vacancy-engineered cobalt selenide as bifunctional catalyst, a relatively low cell voltage of 1.681 V is required to reach 400 mA cm -2 , manifesting an energy-saving efficiency of ≈15% compared to pure water splitting. The mechanism and reaction pathways of BOR over the vacancies-rich catalyst are first revealed through theoretical calculations and in-situ spectroscopic investigations. The generality of this catalyst is evidenced by its powerful electrocatalytic activity to other polyester thermoplastics such as poly(butylene succinate) and poly(ethylene terephthalate). These electrocatalytic upcycling strategies can be coupled with the reduction of small molecules (e.g., H 2 O, CO 2 , and NO 3 - ), shedding light on energy-saving production of value-added chemicals., (© 2025 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine whether ultrasound guidance can reduce the duration, blood loss volume and invasiveness of surgery for internal fixator removal., Methods: The clinical data from 35 adults patients who underwent ultrasound-guided surgical removal of internal fixators after complete healing of limb fractures between June 2019 and April 2023 were retrospectively analysed and compared with those from 34 controls who underwent the procedure without ultrasound guidance. Data concerning the patients' demographic and clinical characteristics and surgical sites were collected. Differences in the patients' demographic and clinical characteristics were compared between the two groups., Results: Sixty-nine patients were enrolled in the study. Thirty-five patients underwent surgical removal of internal fixators with ultrasound guidance, and the average intraoperative blood loss volume was 15.17 ± 18.54 ml, average difference between the incision length and scar length was 4.24 ± 1.38 cm, average operation time was 60.66 ± 24.30 min, and average ultrasound assessment time was 10.00 ± 3.90 min. Thirty-four patients underwent surgical removal of internal fixators without ultrasound guidance, and the average blood loss volume was 46.76 ± 90.74 ml, average difference between the incision length and scar length was 2.68 ± 1.04 cm, and average operation time was 80.15 ± 58.84 min. The difference between the incision length and scar length was significant (P < 0.01), as was the difference in the intraoperative blood loss volume (P < 0.05) between the two groups., Conclusion: Ultrasound is a convenient, noninvasive, radiation-free technique that allows dynamic scanning of multiple sections regardless of patient position. Ultrasound-assisted removal of internal fixators might reduce bleeding and therefore the invasiveness of the procedure. Physicians can use ultrasound for preoperative patient positioning, intraoperative monitoring, and postoperative confirmation of complete removal of internal fixators if necessary., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The Seventh Affiliated Hospital Ethics Committee of Sun Yat-sen University approved the study. All procedures were performed in accordance with ethical standards, and informed consent was obtained from all patients. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: In recent years, the incidence of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has increased rapidly with a suboptimal prognosis. In AML, cell death is independent of tumorigenesis, tumor invasion, and drug resistance. PANoptosis is a newly discovered form of cell death that combines pyroptosis, apoptosis, and necroptosis. However, no studies have explored the role of PANoptosis-based signatures in AML., Methods: We screened for PANoptosis-related genes and established a PANoptosis-risk signature using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and Cox regression analysis. We combined TCGA, bulk RNA sequencing, and single-cell sequencing to investigate the correlation between candidate genes and the AML tumor microenvironment., Results: The PANoptosis risk signature effectively predicted prognosis with good sensitivity and specificity. The risk score emerged as an independent prognostic factor. Functional enrichment analysis of PANoptosis-related differentially expressed genes suggested that the risk score may be related to cell immunity. Patients with high-risk scores exhibited increased immune cell infiltration, implying a hot tumor immune microenvironment. The risk score was positively correlated with the immune scores and expression levels of immune checkpoints. Therefore, we identified three model factors, BIRC3, PELI1, and PRKACG, as predictors for immunotherapy efficacy. Single-cell sequencing analysis demonstrated that PELI1 and BIRC3 may participate in the regulation of the AML immune microenvironment. Finally, we performed a drug sensitivity analysis to target BIRC3 and PELI1 using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations., Conclusion: Our study established and verified a PANoptosis risk signature to predict the survival and immunological treatment response in AML., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Photooxidation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are widely observed in atmospheric particulate matter (PM), largely determines their atmospheric fate. In the environment, PAHs are highly complex in chemical composition, and a great variety of PAHs tend to co-occur. Despite extensive investigation on the photochemical behavior of individual PAH molecules, the photochemical interaction among these coexisting PAHs is still not well understood. Here, we show that during photooxidation, there is a strong photochemical synergistic effect among PAHs extracted from soot particles. We find that neither small PAHs with low molecular weights of 200-350 Da and 4-8 aromatic rings (named PAH small ) nor large PAHs with high molecular weights of 350-600 Da and 8-14 aromatic rings (named PAH large ) undergo photooxidation under red-light irradiation (λ = 648 nm), even though PAH large can absorb light with this wavelength. Interestingly, when PAH large is mixed with PAH small , substantial photooxidation is observed for both PAH large and PAH small . Comparisons of in situ infrared (IR), high-resolution mass spectrometry, and electron paramagnetic resonance analysis indicate that the presence of PAH small inhibits the light quenching effect arising from the π-π stacking of PAH large . This leads to the formation of singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 ), which initiates the photooxidation. Our findings reveal a new mechanism for the photooxidation of PAHs and suggest that complex atmospheric PAHs exhibit distinct photoreactivity from simple systems.

In recent years, the research on transferable feature-level adversarial attack has become a hot spot due to attacking unknown deep neural networks successfully. But the following problems limit its transferability. Existing feature disruption methods often focus on computing feature weights precisely, while overlooking the noise influence of feature maps, which results in disturbing non-critical features. Meanwhile, geometric augmentation algorithms are used to enhance image diversity but compromise information integrity, which hamper models from capturing comprehensive features. Furthermore, current feature perturbation could not pay attention to the density distribution of object-relevant key features, which mainly concentrate in salient region and fewer in the most distributed background region, and get limited transferability. To tackle these challenges, a feature distribution-aware transferable adversarial attack method, called FDAA, is proposed to implement distinct strategies for different image regions in the paper. A novel Aggregated Feature Map Attack (AFMA) is presented to significantly denoise feature maps, and an input transformation strategy, called Smixup, is introduced to help feature disruption algorithms to capture comprehensive features. Extensive experiments demonstrate that scheme proposed achieves better transferability with an average success rate of 78.6% on adversarially trained models., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: This work is supported by SRP project of South China University of Technology (X202410561410)., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The 3d organization of the genome - in particular, which two regions of DNA are in contact with each other - plays a role in regulating gene expression. Several factors influence genome 3d organization. Nucleosomes (where ~ 100 basepairs of DNA wrap around histone proteins) also bend, twist and compactify chromosomal DNA, altering its polymer mechanics. How much does the positioning of nucleosomes between gene loci influence contacts between those gene loci? And, to what extent is polymer mechanics responsible for this? To address this question, we combine a stochastic polymer mechanics model of chromosomal DNA including twists and wrapping induced by nucleosomes with two data-driven pipelines. The first estimates nucleosome positioning from ATACseq data in regions of high accessibility. Most of the genome is low-accessibility, so we combine this with a novel image analysis method that estimates the distribution of nucleosome spacing from electron microscopy data. There are no free parameters in the biophysical model. We apply this method to IL6, IL15, CXCL9, and CXCL10, inflammatory marker genes in macrophages, before and after immune stimulation, and compare the predictions with contacts measured by conformation capture experiments (4C-seq). We find that within a 500 kilo-basepairs genomic region, polymer mechanics with nucleosomes can explain 71% of close contacts. These results suggest that, while genome contacts on 100kbp-scales are multifactorial, they may be amenable to mechanistic, physical explanation. Our work also highlights the role of nucleosomes, not just at the loci of interest, but between them, and not just the total number of nucleosomes, but their specific placement. The method generalizes to other genes, and can be used to address whether a contact is under active regulation by the cell (e.g., a macrophage during inflammatory stimulation). Importantly, our findings suggest that gene function may have evolved through selective pressures that co-opted contact-mediated regulatory mechanisms reliant largely on polymer mechanics.

Introduction: During dental treatment procedures ultrasonic scalers generate droplets containing microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses. Hence, it is necessary to study the dynamic properties of generated droplets in order to investigate the risks associated with the spread of infection. The aim of this study was to visualise the flow state of droplets and to evaluate the impact of droplets generated during the use of an ultrasonic scaler during an oral surgical procedure., Methods: We studied the spatial flow of liquid droplets through a combination of imaging and numeric simulation of a simulated dental treatment processes. First, we photographed the real time images of the ultrasonic scaler and evaluated the images using image-processing software Image J to visualise the flow of liquid droplets. Finally we simulated the flow process of liquid droplets by using the initial velocity of droplet splashing and the angle of the obtained information using computerised fluid dynamics technology., Results: Under different working conditions, the droplet particle splashing velocity, maximum height, and spray angle varied, but the particle trajectory was generally parabolic. The maximum droplet velocity varied between 3.56 and 8.56 m/s, and the splashing height was between 40 and 110 mm., Conclusions: During risk assessment of an ultrasonic scaler usage, difficulties arise due to the insufficient research on droplet velocity and distribution. This study aims to address this gap by visualising the flow trajectories of droplets generated by ultrasonic scalers. The obtained data will assist in developing more effective interventions based on spatial and temporal distribution of droplets. This provides a new approach for droplet particle research and offers new strategies for public health prevention and control., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest None disclosed., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) possess the potential to differentiate into cartilage cells. Long noncoding RNA (lncRNAs) urothelial carcinoma associated 1 (UCA1) has been confirmed to improve the chondrogenic differentiation of marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Herein, we further investigated the effects and underlying mechanisms of these processes. The expression of UCA1 was positively associated with chondrogenic differentiation and the knockdown of UCA1 has been shown to attenuate the expression of chondrogenic markers. RNA pull-down assay and RNA immunoprecipitation showed that UCA1 could directly bind to PARP1 protein. UCA1 could improve PARP1 protein via facilitating USP9X-mediated PARP1 deubiquitination. Then these processes stimulated the NF-κB signaling pathway. In addition, PARP1 was declined in UCA1 knockdown cells, and silencing of PARP1 could diminish the increasing effects of UCA1 on the chondrogenic differentiation from MSCs and signaling pathway activation. Collectively, these outcomes suggest that UCA1 could act as a mediator of PARP1 protein ubiquitination and develop the chondrogenic differentiation of MSCs., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: How to quickly read and interpret intraoperative ultrasound (IOUS) images of patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) to obtain meaningful information? Few studies have systematically explored this topic., Purpose: To systematically and comprehensively explore the IOUS characteristics of patients with DCM., Materials and Methods: This single-center study retrospectively included patients with DCM who underwent French-door laminoplasty (FDL) with IOUS guidance from October 2019 to March 2022. One-way ANOVA and Pearson's /Spearman's correlation analysis were used to analyze the correlations between the cross-sectional area of the spinal cord (SC) and individual characteristics; the relationships between the morphology, echogenicity, pulsation, decompression statuses, compression types of SC, location of the spinal cord central echo complex (SCCEC) and the disease severity (the preoperative Japanese Orthopedic Association score, preJOA score); the difference of the spinal cord pulsation amplitude(SCPA) and the SCCEC forward movement rate (FMR) between the compressed areas(CAs) and the non-compressed areas (NCAs)., Results: A total of 38 patients were successfully enrolled (30 males and 8 females), and the mean age was 57.05 ± 10.29 (27-75) years. The cross-sectional area of the SC was negatively correlated with age (r = - 0.441, p = 0.006). The preJOA score was significantly lower in the heterogeneous group than in the homogeneous group (P < 0.05, p = 0.005). The hyperechoic area (HEA) was negatively while the SCCEC FMR was positively correlated with the preJOA score (r = - 0.334, p = 0.020; r = 0.286, p = 0.041). The SCCEC FMR and SCPA in CAs were significantly greater than those in NCAs (p < 0.05, p = 0.007; P < 0.001, P = 0.000)., Conclusion: The cross-sectional area of the SC decreases with age in adults. More changes in intramedullary echogenicity and less moving forward of the SCCEC often indicate poor SC status, and the SCCEC FMR and SCPA are more pronounced in CAs., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are the primary organic carbons in soot. In addition to PAHs with even carbon numbers (PAH even ), substantial odd-carbon PAHs (PAH odd ) have been widely observed in soot and ambient particles. Analyzing and understanding the photoaging of these compounds are essential for assessing their environmental effects. Here, using laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-MS), we reveal the substantially different photoreactivity of PAH odd from PAH even in the aging process and their MS detection through their distinct behaviors in the presence and absence of elemental carbon (EC) in soot. During direct photooxidation of organic carbon (OC) alone, the PAH even are oxidized more rapidly than the PAH odd . However, the degradation of PAH odd becomes preponderant over PAH even in the presence of EC during photoaging of the whole soot. All of these observations are proposed to originate from the more rapid hydrogen abstraction reaction from PAH odd in the EC-photosensitized reaction, owing to its unique structure of a single sp 3 -hybridized carbon site. Our findings reveal the photoreactivity and reaction mechanism of PAH odd for the first time, providing a comprehensive understanding of the oxidation of PAHs at a molecular level during soot aging and highlight the enhanced effect of EC on PAH odd ionization in LDI-MS analysis.

To reduce the local scour around the spur dike, the U-shaped collar is proposed in this study. The influence of the collar's length, width, and porosity on the local scour reduction in clear water is studied by model tests and numerical simulations. Experimental studies show that the collar has a significant effect on reducing the local scour. The location of the maximum scour depth of the spur dike moves downstream. The width of the collar has the greatest impact on the reduction effect among the three selected factors, followed by the porosity and the length. Local scour reduction efficiency of the collar can reach 56.9%. Based on the regression analysis of the range and variety, a formula for predicting the reduction effect around the spur dike is put forward, and the deviation between the values by formula and that in experiments are within ± 4%. The characteristics of the flow field around the spur dike under constant conditions with a collar are studied via numerical simulation. The numerical simulation results show that compared to the case without collar, the flow velocities around the spur dike in cases with permeable collar and solid collar reduced by 45% and 25%, respectively, and the shear stresses reduced by 20% and 28.6%, respectively. The results of this study can provide a reference for local scour reduction using the solid collar or collar made of permeable materials such as gabions., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

As the terminal of the power system, the distribution network is the main area where failures occur. In addition, with the integration of distributed generation, the traditional distribution network becomes more complex, rendering the conventional fault location algorithms based on a single power supply obsolete. Therefore, it is necessary to seek a new algorithm to locate the fault of the distributed power distribution network. In existing fault localization algorithms for distribution networks, since there are only two states of line faults, which can usually be represented by 0 and 1, most algorithms use discrete algorithms with this characteristic for iterative optimization. Therefore, this paper combines the advantages of the particle swarm algorithm and genetic algorithm and uses continuous real numbers for iteration to construct a successive particle swarm genetic algorithm (SPSO-GA) different from previous algorithms. The accuracy, speed, and fault tolerance of SPSO-GA, discrete particle swarm Genetic algorithm, and artificial fish swarm algorithm are compared in an IEEE33-node distribution network with the distributed power supply. The simulation results show that the SPSO-GA algorithm has high optimization accuracy and stability for single, double, or triple faults. Furthermore, SPSO-GA has a rapid convergence velocity, requires fewer particles, and can locate the fault segment accurately for the distribution network containing distorted information., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: Exposure to aerosol particles generated from tooth grinding has a negative impact on the health of dental personnel. The aim of this study was to quantitatively analyze the impact of indoor relative humidity (IRH) on the deposition of these suspended particles in a well-controlled dental environment., Materials and Methods: In this study, a humidity control system was employed to effectively regulate and maintain indoor relative humidity (IRH). A novel computer-assisted numerical control system was developed to pre-treat the molar specimens, and accurately simulate clinical tooth grinding procedures. Each procedure was performed in triplicate, with an online real-time particle counter (ORPC; TR-8301, TongrenCo.) measuring aerosol production. All testing devices were controlled remotely. The data obtained were statistically analyzed using descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests (Kruskal-Wallis/ Dunn's post hoc test with Bonferroni correction, p < 0.05)., Results: The findings showed that with increasing IRH, the maximum peak concentration of aerosol particles decreased by 397% from 6.51 × 10 7 particles/m 3 at 30% to 1.64 × 10 7 particles/m 3 at 80%. The Kruskal-Wallis test results indicated a statistically significant effect of IRH on the aerosol increment (p < 0.05)., Conclusions: Increasing the IRH level can effectively promote the deposition of aerosol particles, with a return to baseline within 15 min after reaching 60% or above., Clinical Relevance: Our study suggested that maintaining IRH above 70% during the cleaning process, allowing natural recovery to ambient humidity levels within 15 min after cleaning, and taking basic precautions, may lead to an adequate reduction in the possible health risks of aerosol contamination., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)