Search

Understanding how species richness changes along elevational gradients has attracted increasing attention from many researchers. The relationships between species richness and elevations were characterized by monotonic decreases or mid-elevational peaks. The western Sichuan Plateau is an important species diversity hotspot. However, there is little information available about the ant species diversity and distribution patterns of this region. In this study, we hypothesize that ant diversity will show a monotonic decrease from mid-elevation with increasing elevation. Here, the ant species diversity and distribution patterns of this region were investigated by plot surveys. A total of 22,645 ants were collected from eight elevational transects in the central and northern parts of the western Sichuan Plateau, which were identified as belonging to 40 species, 18 genera, and 4 subfamilies. We found a unimodal relationship between elevation and ant species richness, with the highest ant species richness occurring at mid-elevations. The similarity coefficient of ant communities in each elevational transect was at a moderate level of dissimilarity, indicating that the elevation difference and habitat heterogeneity had a great impact on ant communities in the central and northern areas of the western Sichuan Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly vascularized solid carcinoma and tumor vessel–targeted molecular imaging might be effective for early diagnosis of HCC. Herein, we developed a novel trimeric affibody (ZTRI) with highly specific binding to the platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta (PDGFRβ). The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of 68Ga-radiolabeled ZTRI ([68Ga]Ga-DOTA-ZTRI) as PET tracer for diagnosis of HCC. Methods: The bioinformatics analysis of clinical database and immunoblotting of clinical specimens were performed to validate the potential of PDGFRβ as HCC biomarker. The trimeric affibody ZTRI was conjugated with DOTA-NHS-ester and radiolabeled with 68Ga to produce [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-ZTRI conjugate. Immunoreactivity and specific uptake of [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-ZTRI were assessed by dose-dependent cell binding, autoradiography, and biodistribution analysis. [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-ZTRI PET/CT scanning of diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced primary HCC rats and a rare case of idiopathical HCC rhesus monkey was performed to evaluate the imaging capability and radiation dosimetry of [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-ZTRI in vivo. Results: Excessive PDGFRβ was validated as a representative biomarker of HCC neovascularization. The radiolabeling of [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-ZTRI was achieved at more than 95% radiochemical yield. In vitro assays showed specific uptake of [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-ZTRI in HCC tumor vessels by autoradiography. Animal PET/CT imaging with [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-ZTRI successfully visualized the tumor lesions in primary HCC rats and rhesus monkey, and indicated radiation absorbed dose of 2.03E-02 mSv/MBq for each scanning. Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-ZTRI conjugate could be applied as a promising PET tracer for early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An unprecedented number of major U.S. companies announced changes to their campaign contributions following the Capitol insurrection on January 6, 2021. We analyze the role of corporate stakeholders in these announcements as well as their implications for democratic institutions and business–government relations. Mirroring polarized public reactions to the Capitol insurrection, companies with more Democratic-leaning stakeholders (e.g., employees, consumers, shareholders) were more likely to publicly refuse contributing to Republican legislators who objected to the electoral college results. Moreover, these pledges held up in available campaign finance records through the third quarter of 2021, implying significant losses in corporate political action committee contributions for said Republican legislators. Given increasing polarization and heightened expectations of the civic responsibility of businesses, the partisanship of corporate stakeholders may prove important in mobilizing businesses to protect democratic institutions. However, such stakeholder pressure may also weaken businesses' bipartisan legislative coalitions and compel corporate influence-seeking activities to go dark. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of this paper is to study the dynamics and embedded solitons of stochastic quadratic and cubic nonlinear susceptibilities in the Itô sense, which can further help researchers understand the propagation of soliton nonlinear systems. Firstly, a two-dimensional dynamics system and its perturbation system are obtained by using a traveling wave transformation. Secondly, the phase portraits of the two-dimensional dynamics system are plotted. Furthermore, the chaotic behavior, two-dimensional phase portraits, three-dimensional phase portraits and sensitivity of the perturbation system are analyzed via Maple software. Finally, the embedded solitons of stochastic quadratic and cubic nonlinear susceptibilities are obtained. Moreover, three-dimensional and two-dimensional solitons of stochastic quadratic and cubic nonlinear susceptibilities are plotted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) spinel has been found to produce C2−C4 hydrocarbons in a single‐step, ambient‐pressure, photocatalytic hydrogenation of CO2 with a rate of 1.1 mmol g−1 h−1, selectivity of 29.8 % and conversion yield of 12.9 %. On stream the CoFe2O4 reconstructs to a CoFe−CoFe2O4 alloy‐spinel nanocomposite which facilitates the light‐assisted transformation of CO2 to CO and hydrogenation of the CO to C2−C4 hydrocarbons. Promising results obtained from a laboratory demonstrator bode well for the development of a solar hydrocarbon pilot refinery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The SrWO4:RE3+ (RE = Eu, Sm, Pr) fluorescent powders are synthesized using a high-temperature solid-state method. The phase structures and morphologies of the fluorescent powders are examined using X-ray diffraction and field-emission scanning electron microscopy, respectively. The results reveal that pure phase SrWO4 can be prepared via calcination at 900oC for 4 h and that doping with rare-earth ions has no effect on the crystal phase of the fluorescent powders; SrWO4 powders doped with three rare-earth ions all form spherical-like structures. The luminescence properties of the samples are evaluated using a fluorescence spectrometer, and the excitation and emission spectra of the SrWO4:RE3+ (RE = Eu, Sm, Pr) fluorescent powders are analyzed. The results indicate that SrWO4:Eu3+ fluorescent powder can be effectively excited by ultraviolet light at 395 nm and emit red light at 615 nm when a doping concentration of Eu3+ is 7%; Sm3+- and Pr3+-doped SrWO4 can emit red light at 650 and 687 nm when excited at 406 and 460 nm, respectively, with a doping concentration of 5% each. A W-LED device with SrWO4:Eu3+ pink fluorescent powder and a 395-nm UV chip is successfully assembled. The chromaticity coordinates of the device are (0.3055, 0.3532), exhibiting prominent white light. SrWO4:RE3+ (RE = Eu, Sm, Pr) fluorescent powders are expected to be red suorescent powders for UV-excited white LEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) spinel has been found to produce C2−C4 hydrocarbons in a single‐step, ambient‐pressure, photocatalytic hydrogenation of CO2 with a rate of 1.1 mmol g−1 h−1, selectivity of 29.8 % and conversion yield of 12.9 %. On stream the CoFe2O4 reconstructs to a CoFe−CoFe2O4 alloy‐spinel nanocomposite which facilitates the light‐assisted transformation of CO2 to CO and hydrogenation of the CO to C2−C4 hydrocarbons. Promising results obtained from a laboratory demonstrator bode well for the development of a solar hydrocarbon pilot refinery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Daily mean land surface temperature (LST) is a crucial indicator for investigating global long-term climate change. The polar-orbiting thermal infrared sensor (POTIRS) can provide limited instantaneous LSTs of a single day on a global scale. Several studies have developed algorithms to derive daily mean land surface temperature (DMLST) from limited instantaneous daily LST data, but these methods are restricted to using data from a single POTIRS after 2000. This study presents a generalized method for estimating global DMLST utilizing one daytime and one night-time observation from any POTIRS since 1981. The proposed method employs a simple linear regression of two instantaneous LST measurements from different observation times (once during the day and once at night) of POTIRSs based on in situ LST measurements from 227 flux stations operating in diverse climate regions globally. The results demonstrate that this simple linear regression model provides highly accurate estimates of DMLST under all-weather conditions, with a root mean square error (RMSE) value lower than 1.7 K. Additionally, the proposed method was employed to estimate DMLST from instantaneous LST products obtained from various sensors, including Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer aboard the Terra satellite, Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer aboard the polar-orbiting National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellite, and Meteorological Operational satellite. Validation results indicate that the DMLSTs estimated from these POTIRS products are in close agreement with the daily mean in situ LST, with RMSE values varying from 2.2 to 2.4 K. We expect that this generalized method will be useful for generating long-term and high-quality DMLST datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report three constitutionally isomeric tetrapeptides, each comprising one glutamic acid (E) residue, one histidine (H) residue, and two lysine (KS) residues functionalized with side‐chain hydrophobic S‐aroylthiooxime (SATO) groups. Depending on the order of amino acids, these amphiphilic peptides self‐assembled in aqueous solution into different nanostructures:nanoribbons, a mixture of nanotoroids and nanoribbons, or nanocoils. Each nanostructure catalyzed hydrolysis of a model substrate, with the nanocoils exhibiting the greatest rate enhancement and the highest enzymatic efficiency. Coarse‐grained molecular dynamics simulations, analyzed with unsupervised machine learning, revealed clusters of H residues in hydrophobic pockets along the outer edge of the nanocoils, providing insight for the observed catalytic rate enhancement. Finally, all three supramolecular nanostructures catalyzed hydrolysis of the l‐substrate only when a pair of enantiomeric Boc‐l/d‐Phe‐ONp substrates were tested. This study highlights how subtle molecular‐level changes can influence supramolecular nanostructures, and ultimately affect catalytic efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report three constitutionally isomeric tetrapeptides, each comprising one glutamic acid (E) residue, one histidine (H) residue, and two lysine (KS) residues functionalized with side‐chain hydrophobic S‐aroylthiooxime (SATO) groups. Depending on the order of amino acids, these amphiphilic peptides self‐assembled in aqueous solution into different nanostructures:nanoribbons, a mixture of nanotoroids and nanoribbons, or nanocoils. Each nanostructure catalyzed hydrolysis of a model substrate, with the nanocoils exhibiting the greatest rate enhancement and the highest enzymatic efficiency. Coarse‐grained molecular dynamics simulations, analyzed with unsupervised machine learning, revealed clusters of H residues in hydrophobic pockets along the outer edge of the nanocoils, providing insight for the observed catalytic rate enhancement. Finally, all three supramolecular nanostructures catalyzed hydrolysis of the l‐substrate only when a pair of enantiomeric Boc‐l/d‐Phe‐ONp substrates were tested. This study highlights how subtle molecular‐level changes can influence supramolecular nanostructures, and ultimately affect catalytic efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is considered one of the main causes of low back pain and lumbar disc herniation. Various studies have shown that disc cell senescence plays a critical role in this process. however, its role in IDD is yet unclear. In this study, we explored the role of senescence-related genes (SR-DEGs) and its underlying mechanism in IDD. A total of 1325 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified using Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database GSE41883. 30 SR-DEGs were identified for further functional enrichment and pathway analysis, and two hub SR-DEGs (ERBB2 and PTGS2) were selected to construct transcription factor (TF)–gene interaction and TF-miRNA coregulatory networks, and 10 candidate drugs were screened for the treatment of IDD. Last but not least, in vitro experiments show that ERBB2 expression decreased and PTGS2 expression increased in human nucleus pulposus (NP) cell senescence model treated with TNF-α. After lentivirus-mediated overexpression of ERBB2, the expression of PTGS2 decreased and the senescence level of NP cells decreased. Overexpression of PTGS2 reversed the anti-senescence effects of ERBB2. The findings in this study suggested that ERBB2 overexpression further reduced NP cell senescence by inhibiting PTGS2 levels, which ultimately alleviated IDD. Taken together, our findings provide new insights into the roles of senescence-related genes in IDD and highlight a novel target of ERBB2-PTGS2 axis for therapeutic strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel mechanical flux-adjusting permanent magnet linear eddy current brake with high performance and its nonlinear analytical model are proposed. The innovative point lies in attaching an additional mechanical magnetic adjuster directly above the interior permanent magnet bar, which can achieve flexible adjustment of the air-gap flux and improve the generation capacity of the braking force and its regulation range. Considering the importance of the analytic model in practical design, the average air-gap flux density and eddy current density are estimated based on the equivalent magnetic circuit method and Ampere's law, where the critical flux-weakening effect and leakage flux effect are calculated quantitatively. Then a practical theoretical model of braking force is derived based on the energy conversion and verified by the 3D finite-element method. Through analysis of the magnitude and regulation range of the braking force in a given range of speed, the advantages of the device and the electromagnetic force model are proved separately. Moreover, design suggestions for selecting the key geometrical parameters are further given, which offer useful information for pre-design and optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is one of the most aggressive solid cancers in humans, with limited treatment options. Recent studies suggest that cancer stem cell (CSC) activity contributes to therapeutic resistance and recurrence of ATC. We show that the expression of the endogenous thyroid hormone receptor ß gene (THRB) is silenced in ATC and demonstrate that the exogenously expressed TRß suppresses CSC activity. Decitabine is one of the demethylation agents to treat myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia patients and is currently in clinical trials for hematopoietic malignancies and solid tumors. We aim to show that the re-expression of the endogenous THRB gene by decitabine can attenuate CSC activity to block ATC tumor growth. We treated ATC cell lines derived from human ATC tumors (11T and 16T cells) with decitabine and evaluated the effects of the reactivated endogenous TRß on CSC activity in vitro and in vivo xenograft models. We found that treatment of 11T and 16T cells with decitabine reactivated the expression of endogenous TRß, as evidenced by western blot and immunohistochemical analyses. The expressed TRß inhibited cell proliferation by arresting cells at the S phase, increased apoptotic cell death by upregulation of cleaved caspase-3, and markedly suppressed the expression of CSC regulators, including cMYC, ALDH, SOX2, CD44, and ß-catenin. Decitabine also inhibited xenograft tumor growth by suppressing CSC activity, inhibiting cancer cell proliferation, and increasing apoptosis. Our findings suggest that re-expression of the endogenous TRß is a novel therapeutic approach for ATC via suppression of CSC activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For Li‐Se batteries, cathode using carbonaceous hosts to accommodate Se performed modestly, whereas those applying metallic compounds with stronger chemical adsorption exhibited even more rapid capacity decay, the intrinsic reasons for which are still not clear. Herein, it is found that Se tends to precipitate on the surface of the electrode during cycling, and the precipitation speed depends on the polarization degree of the host. A further enhanced adsorption does not certainly generate better electrochemical activity, since hosts with overhigh adsorption ability are hard to desorb polyselenides, leading to catalyst passivation and rapid capacity decay. These findings encourage us to design a ternary anatase/rutile/titanium nitride (aTiO2/rTiO2/TiN@C) composite host, integrating good adsorption of TiO2 and rapid electron transport ability of TiN, and introducing rutile to weaken overall adsorption. The aTiO2/rTiO2/TiN@C composite with medium adsorption not only avoids rapid loss of active substances in electrolyte but also slows down the precipitation speed of Se. As a result, the aTiO2/rTiO2/TiN@C/Se electrode delivered good rate capability(154 mA h g−1 at 20 C) and good cycling stability(a low decay of 0.024% per cycle within 500 cycles at 2 C). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adsorption hysteresis is a phenomenon related to phase transitions that can impact applications such as gas storage and separations in porous materials. Computational approaches can greatly facilitate the understanding of phase transitions and phase equilibria in porous materials. In this work, adsorption isotherms for methane, ethane, propane, and n-hexane were calculated from atomistic grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulations in a metal-organic framework having both micropores and mesopores to better understand hysteresis and phase equilibria between connected pores of different size and the external bulk fluid. At low temperatures, the calculated isotherms exhibit sharp steps accompanied by hysteresis. As a complementary simulation method, canonical (NVT) ensemble simulations with Widom test particle insertions are demonstrated to provide additional information about these systems. The NVT+Widom simulations provide the full van der Waals loop associated with the sharp steps and hysteresis, including the locations of the spinodal points and points within the metastable and unstable regions that are inaccessible to GCMC simulations. The simulations provide molecular-level insight into pore filling and equilibria between high- and low-density states within individual pores. The effect of framework flexibility on adsorption hysteresis is also investigated for methane in IRMOF-1. Developing computational tools to study the phase behaviour of adsorbate molecules in complex pore architectures can greatly facilitate our understanding of phase transitions and phase equilibria in porous materials. Here, molecular simulations are used to study the hysteresis and phase equilibria of n-alkane adsorbate molecules in a metal–organic framework with both micropores and mesopores, and simulations in the canonical ensemble with Widom insertions are shown to be a powerful complementary approach to grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land surface temperature (LST) is a key variable for monitoring and evaluating global long-term climate change. However, existing satellite-based twice-daily LST products only date back to 2000, which makes it difficult to obtain robust long-term temperature variations. In this study, we developed the first global historical twice-daily LST dataset (GT-LST), with a spatial resolution of 0.05 ∘ , using Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) Level-1b Global Area Coverage (GAC) data from 1981 to 2021. The GT-LST product was generated using four main processes: (1) GAC data reading, calibration, and preprocessing using open-source Python libraries; (2) cloud detection using the AVHRR-Phase I algorithm; (3) land surface emissivity estimation using an improved method considering annual land cover changes; (4) LST retrieval based on a nonlinear generalized split-window algorithm. Validation with in situ measurements from Surface Radiation Budget (SURFRAD) sites and Baseline Surface Radiation Network sites showed that the overall root-mean-square errors (RMSEs) of GT-LST varied from 1.6 to 4.0 K, and nighttime LSTs were typically better than daytime LSTs. Intercomparison with the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer LST products (MYD11A1 and MYD21A1) revealed that the overall root-mean-square difference (RMSD) was approximately 3.0 K. Compared with MYD11A1 LST, GT-LST was overestimated, and relatively large RMSDs were obtained during the daytime, spring, and summer, whereas the significantly smaller positive bias was obtained between GT-LST and MYD21A1 LST. Furthermore, we compared our newly generated dataset with a global AVHRR daytime LST product at the selected measurements of SURFRAD sites (i.e., measurements of these two satellite datasets were valid), which revealed similar accuracies for the two datasets. However, GT-LST can additionally provide nighttime LST, which can be combined with daytime observations estimating relatively accurate monthly mean LST, with an RMSE of 2.7 K. Finally, we compared GT-LST with a regional twice-daily AVHRR LST product over continental Africa in different seasons, with RMSDs ranging from 2.1 to 4.3 K. Considering these advantages, the proposed dataset provides a better data source for a range of research applications. GT-LST is freely available at 10.5281/zenodo.7113080 (1981–2000) (Li et al., 2022a), 10.5281/zenodo.7134158 (2001–2005) (Li et al., 2022b), and 10.5281/zenodo.7813607 (2006–2021) (J. H. Li et al., 2023). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The southern spread of rice agriculture is of great academic interest. Although it already has a broad chronological framework, newly introduced rice use and its impact on local subsistence and ecological systems are still unclear. In this study, we explore these issues by analysing phytoliths recovered from continuous sediments of Cave No. 4 at the Nanshan site in Fujian Province, together with evidence from surrounding sites. The results show that rice was introduced into southeast China at 7,500 cal. yr BP, but the dominance of the hunting-gathering system was not challenged until later, between 5,000 and 3,500 cal. yr BP, when cultivation of rice, together with foxtail and broomcorn millets, was widely practiced in the region. This suggests that mixed farming in Southeast China, likely originating around the middle Yangtze River, became widespread and gradually systematic during the previous two-millennium adoption. This rice-millet mixed agricultural system changed the former hunting-gathering subsistence system, promoting the agriculturalization process, cultural prosperity and population growth, thus providing a solid basis for rice expansion and cultural migration to Southeast Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the difficulty in adopting the conventional centralized control method for seismic response control of high-rise buildings with complex structures and large sizes, the decentralized control method is applied. The challenge is that the control model of the high-rise structure divided into multiple subsystems changes as large nonlinear deformation under strong earthquakes. Therefore, with an application of the long short-term memory neural network, the long short-term memory intelligent decentralized control method is proposed for seismic response control of high-rise buildings. On the basis of the decentralized control theory for high-rise buildings, a long short-term memory network deep-learning framework is established to construct different types of decentralized controllers, and to determine the sufficient conditions for the stability of the decentralized controllers using the Lyapunov stability theory. The long short-term memory intelligent decentralized control system of a 20-story benchmark building mode is simulated, and its fault tolerance is studied. The simulation results show that the decentralized control method can reduce the complexity of the structure model by dividing the high-rise building structure into multiple subsystems. Compared with the centralized control method, the long short-term memory intelligent decentralized control method can effectively avoid the overall failure of the control system. The long short-term memory intelligent decentralized control method can still have a satisfactory performance under sensor noise and control devices failures. This verifies that the long short-term memory intelligent decentralized control system has a better fault tolerance and can provide an innovative solution for the decentralized control of high-rise buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly-stable and effective Er-doped random fiber laser (RFL) is proposed and experimentally demonstrated based on external optical injection locking technology. By adjusting the optical injected wavelength, the lasing wavelength can be selected precisely and emitted separately within the spectral bandwidth of 1555.5 nm to 1563.5 nm. The wavelength and output power fluctuation are less than 0.004% and 2.9%, respectively, indicating that optical injection locking of the RFL is quite stable over a long time. The optical injection locking technology is used in the half-open cavity incoherent RFL systems based on the random distributed Rayleigh scattering scheme, which provides an effective method to control or select the wavelength emission with high stability in a RFL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of empirical analytical tools have been adopted to investigate the driving mechanisms of surface urban heat islands (SUHI) on a global scale, among which spatial heterogeneity is yet to be fully elucidated. In this study, we investigated the spatial non-stationarity of the driving factors concerning surface properties, climate conditions, and urbanization processes for global long-term SUHI. First, the potential impact on SUHI was explored using global ordinary least squares regression. Geographically weighted regression (GWR) and multi-scale GWR (MGWR) from local perspectives were employed for comparison. The results show that the MGWR has the highest goodness of fit at 0.87, 0.73, 0.90, 0.74, 0.85, and 0.76 for annual day/night (AD/AN), summer day/night (SD/SN), and winter day/night (WD/WN) scales, respectively. Although both global and local schemes exhibit similar influencing magnitudes and signs on the SUHI, the MGWR is better at capturing spatial non-stationarity. Globally, for AD, AN, SD, SN, WD, and WN, the coefficients of the urban-rural vegetation index difference (ΔEVI) and surface albedo difference (ΔWSA), urban mean precipitation (MAP), wind speed (WS), population density (PD), and urban area (UA) are −0.50, +0.30, +0.16, +1.31, −0.03, and +0.03, respectively, at daytime, and −0.38, −0.33, −0.39, −0.10, +0.18, and +0.08, respectively, at night-time. Given the spatial heterogeneity of multiple factors, ΔEVI exhibits a strong mitigation effect on the SD SUHI especially in arid zones. The negative influence of ΔWSA on night-time SUHI demonstrates a strong latitudinal disparity and greater sensitivity in the equatorial zone. The positive correlations between MAP and AD/SD SUHIs have evident latitudinal and longitudinal variations. The mitigation effect of WS displayed distinct coastal amplification, especially in WD. In contrast, the PD and UA presented prominent positive impacts on night-time SUHI with less seasonal contrast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: Early detection of brain metastases (BMs) is critical for prompt treatment and optimal control of the disease. In this study, we seek to predict the risk of developing BM among patients diagnosed with lung cancer on the basis of electronic health record (EHR) data and to understand what factors are important for the model to predict BM development through explainable artificial intelligence approaches accurately. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We trained a recurrent neural network model, REverse Time AttentIoN (RETAIN), to predict the risk of developing BM using structured EHR data. To interpret the model's decision process, we analyzed the attention weights in the RETAIN model and the SHAP values from a feature attribution method, Kernel SHAP, to identify the factors contributing to BM prediction. RESULTS: We developed a high-quality cohort with 4,466 patients with BM from the Cerner Health Fact database, which contains over 70 million patients from more than 600 hospitals. RETAIN uses this data set to achieve the best area under the receiver operating characteristic curve at 0.825, a significant improvement over the baseline model. We also extended a feature attribution method, Kernel SHAP, to structured EHR data for model interpretation. Both RETAIN and Kernel SHAP can identify important features related to BM prediction. CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to predict BM using structured EHR data. We achieved decent prediction performance for BM prediction and identified factors highly relevant to BM development. The sensitivity analysis demonstrated that both RETAIN and Kernel SHAP could discriminate unrelated features and put more weight on the features important to BM. Our study explored the potential of applying explainable artificial intelligence for future clinical applications. The summary of the article: Explainable artificial intelligence predicts brain metastases risk in patients with lung cancer from electronic health record. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The orbit determination accuracy of space debris can be remarkably improved when it is observed by two space-based optical (SBO) sensors simultaneously. The key to observation with two SBO sensors is optimizing the pointings of sensors to maximize the length of the double coverage arc. The traditional sensor scheduling method is only based on the mean of the predicted target orbit, and its coverage performance degrades when the error of the predicted target orbit increases. In this paper, the double coverage probability (DCP) is employed as a sensor scheduling criterion with considered the uncertainty of the predicted target orbit. The DCP is obtained by calculating an integral of the probability density function of target position distribution. Furthermore, an approximate expression of the DCP is derived by simplifying the integral region to reduce the computational burden. The simulation results show that the proposed sensor scheduling method based on the DCP can provide a longer double coverage arc and higher orbit determination accuracy than the traditional method. • New sensor scheduling method for space target tracking is proposed. • Orbital uncertainty of the target is considered in sensor scheduling. • Double coverage probability is employed as a scheduling criteria. • High tracking accuracy can be achieved with the proposed sensor scheduling method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence suggests that exposure to coal dust increases immunoglobulin concentration. However, there is a paucity of data reporting immunoglobulin G (IgG) subclass in coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP). Therefore, this study intended to evaluate potential diagnostic biomarkers for the disease. CWP patients, dust-exposed workers without pneumoconiosis (DEW), and matched healthy controls (HCs) presented to the General Hospital of Datong Coal Mining Group and Occupational Disease Prevention and Treatment Hospital of Datong Coal Mining Group between May 2019 and September 2019 were recruited. The serum immunoglobulin concentration was determined by the multiplex immunoassay technique. Totally, 104 CWP patients, 109 DEWs, and 74 HCs were enrolled. Serum levels of IgG1, IgG2, IgM, and IgA were elevated in CWPs compared with those in DEWs and HCs (P < 0.05). The order of diagnostic accuracy between CWPs and DEWs depicted by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was IgG2, IgM, IgG1, IgG3, and IgA. Significantly higher IgG1/IgG3 and IgG2/IgG3 ratios were observed in the CWP group than in DEW and HC groups. Based on the IgG2/IgG3 ratio, the area under the ROC curve between CWP and DEW was 0.785 (95% CI 0.723-0.838), with a sensitivity of 73.1% and a specificity of 73.4%. Our findings suggest that IgG1, IgG2, IgM, and IgA are higher in the CWPs than DEWs and HCs. The IgG2/IgG3 ratio provides a viable alternative for the diagnosis of CWP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land surface temperature (LST) is a crucial parameter that reflects land–atmosphere interaction and has thus attracted wide interest from geoscientists. Owing to the rapid development of Earth observation technologies, remotely sensed LST is playing an increasingly essential role in various fields. This review aims to summarize the progress in LST estimation algorithms and accelerate its further applications. Thus, we briefly review the most‐used thermal infrared (TIR) LST estimation algorithms. More importantly, this review provides a comprehensive collection of the widely used TIR‐based LST products and offers important insights into the uncertainties in these products with respect to different land cover conditions via a systematic intercomparison analysis of several representative products. In addition to the discussion on product accuracy, we address problems related to the spatial discontinuity, spatiotemporal incomparability, and short time span of current LST products by introducing the most effective methods. With the aim of overcoming these challenges in available LST products, much progress has been made in developing spatiotemporal seamless LST data, which significantly promotes the successful applications of these products in the field of surface evapotranspiration and soil moisture estimation, agriculture drought monitoring, thermal environment monitoring, thermal anomaly monitoring, and climate change. Overall, this review encompasses the most recent advances in TIR‐based LST and the state‐of‐the‐art of applications of LST products at various spatial and temporal scales, identifies critical further research needs and directions to advance and optimize retrieval methods, and promotes the application of LST to improve the understanding of surface thermal dynamics and exchanges. Plain Language Summary: Land surface temperature (LST) is a crucial geophysical parameter related to surface energy and water balance of the land‐atmosphere system. Satellite remote sensing provides the best way to measure LST and generate various LST products at regional and global scales. In this review, to facilitate the application of LST products in different fields, we first present the physical meaning of satellite‐derived LST. Subsequently, we summarize recent advances in LST retrieval and validation methods, with a special focus on the state‐of‐the‐art product collections, product accuracies and intercomparisons, and main problems in current LST products as well as their possible solutions. Additionally, we also review the major applications of LST products in agricultural drought monitoring, thermal environment monitoring, thermal anomaly monitoring, and climate change. Finally, we offer recommendations or perspectives to promote LST retrieval methods and their applications. This review will aid the user in gaining a thorough comprehensive understanding of satellite‐derived LST products and promoting their appropriate applications. Key Points: State‐of‐the‐art satellite‐derived land surface temperature (LST) product levels, sources, uncertainties, and differences are providedTypical applications of LST products in various fields are summarizedFuture directions for the generation and applications of LST products are recommended [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of the information obtained by humans comes from colour images. However, salt‐and‐pepper noise (SPN) during signal acquisition, encoding, transmission, and decoding easily interferes with the quality of colour images. Most existing SPN denoising methods decompose a colour image into three independent matrices according to the colour channel and then recover each channel signal independently, ignoring the strong data correlation between channels. In addition, most existing SPN denoising methods apply only a single model‐driven or data‐driven approach and fail to take the advantages of their combination fully. Therefore, we first regard a colour image contaminated by SPN as the sum of an SPN tensor and a tensor with missing data. In this manner, we transform the denoising problem into a low‐rank tensor reconstruction problem. We then introduce a model‐driven‐based parallel matrix factorization low‐rank tensor reconstruction algorithm and a data‐driven‐based FFDNet denoising network to restore the colour image better. The proposed method not only enhances the similarity of the colour image channels but also explores the deep prior of the colour image to capture the image details. Finally, the proposed method is compared with some advanced denoising methods. The results show that the proposed method achieves a competitive denoising performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical antennas based on piezoelectric materials can effectively reduce the size of long wave antennas down to 1/1000 of the wavelength (from km scale to mm level). However, the narrow bandwidth and weak field intensity seriously restrict its practical applications in transmission distance and channel capacity. Here, a mechanical antenna‐based electrostrictive effect of relaxor ferroelectric ceramic (PMN‐PT) is proposed to improve radiation capacity and achieve ultra‐wideband characteristics (10 kHz–1 MHz). Due to the ultra‐high dielectric constant at working temperature and the relationship between the strain and applied field intensity, the proposed antenna gets rid of the dependence on the poled materials and exhibits excellent communication properties beyond traditional mechanical antennas, which are experimentally demonstrated by a practical wireless communication system. Only using a single proposed mechanical antenna with 8 mm diameter and 3 mm thickness, the effective communication with a transmission distance of 200 m can be realized. This design offers a promising way of constructing mechanical antennas for long‐wave communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead (Pb) is a developmental neurotoxin that can disrupt brain development and damage the brain regions responsible for executive function, behavioral regulation and fine motor control. Sodium para-aminosalicylic acid (PAS-Na) is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that can cross the blood-brain barrier. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of juvenile rat Pb exposure on behavioral changes and brain inflammation, and the efficacy of PAS-Na in ameliorating these effects. The results showed that Pb exposure during the juvenile period (from weaning to adult period) delayed rats' growth development and impaired their motor learning. Pb exposure not only increased Pb concentrations in several brain regions (including hippocampus, striatum and substantia nigra), but also disrupted metal-homeostasis in the brain, as higher levels of iron (Fe) and calcium (Ca) were observed in the substantia nigra. Moreover, Pb activated the MAPK pathway and increased levels of inflammatory factors such as IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6 in the hippocampus, striatum and substantia nigra. Furthermore, Pb increased the levels of alpha-synuclein (α-syn) in these brain sites. PAS-Na improved the motor deficits and brain inflammation in the Pb-exposed rats. Moreover, the elevated Pb, Fe and Ca concentrations in the brain were significantly reduced by PAS-Na, which contains amino, carboxyl and hydroxyl functional groups, suggesting that it may act as a chelator of brain metals. In addition, PAS-Na inhibited the Pb-induced MAPK pathway activation and α-syn accumulation in the same brain regions. Taken together, our novel study suggest that PAS-Na shows efficacy in improving the Pb-induced behavioral changes in rats by inhibiting MAPK-dependent inflammatory pathways and reducing α-syn accumulation. • Juvenile developmental Pb exposure delayed rats' growth development and impaired their motor learning. • Pb exposure induced MAPK-dependent inflammatory pathways activation and α-syn accumulation in the brain. • PAS-Na showed efficacy in chelating Pb, Fe and Ca. • PAS-Na improved the motor deficits and brain inflammation in the Pb-exposed rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate the problem of pth-moment stability of stochastic functional differential equations with Markovian switching and impulsive control via comparison principle. Employing stochastic analysis theory and an impulsive delay differential inequality, we establish a new comparison principle for stochastic functional differential equations with Markovian switching and impulsive control. Using the comparison principle, we derive sufficient conditions for stochastic functional differential equations with Markovian switching and impulsive control by the stability of impulsive delay differential equations. An example is provided to show the effectiveness of the proposed results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The impairment in the autophagy-lysosomal pathway (ALP) and the activation of NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome represent two molecular events leading to neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease (AD), a devastating neurodegenerative disorder without a cure. Previously we demonstrated the cognitive-enhancing effect of a combined electroacupuncture (EA) therapy termed TNEA in a transgenic mouse model of AD, involving activation of transcription factor EB (TFEB), a master regulator of ALP. However, whether and how TNEA inhibits NLRP3 inflammasome via TFEB-mediated ALP in AD remains to be investigated. Methods: 5xFAD mice overexpressing amyloid-β (Aβ) were treated with TNEA or EA on its composing acupoints (GB13 and GV24). The changes in the signaling pathways regulating NLRP3 inflammasome, the association of NLRP3 inflammasome with ALP, and the roles of TFEB/TFE3 in mice brains were determined by immunoblots, immunohistochemistry and AAV-mediated knockdown assays. Results: TNEA inhibits the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome and the release of active interleukin 1β (IL1B) in the hippocampi of 5xFAD mice. Mechanistically, TNEA promoted the autophagic degradation of inflammasome components via activating both TFEB and TFE3 by modulating kinases including AMPK and AKT. The composing acupoints in TNEA showed synergistic effects on regulating these molecular events and memory improvement. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that TNEA attenuates AD-associated memory impairment via promoting TFEB/TFE3-mediated autophagic clearance of Aβ and NLRP3 inflammasome, and partially reveal the molecular basis of combined acupoints therapy originated from ancient wisdom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demerits of the carbonized eggshell membrane (EM), such as high cost, high brittleness, immutable shape and size, greatly limit its application in demanding supercapacitors as free-standing electrode. Herein, the reconstituted EM (REM) with good flexibility and excellent size-customizability is developed, which is due to their fibrous structure and abundant surface polar groups. Ti 3 C 2 nanosheet (a typical MXene) with ultra-high electrical conductivity and good electrochemical activity is then coated on REM surface, and undergoes a low-temperature carbonization (350 °C) to prepare CREM/T. Multi-functions of Ti 3 C 2 are exhibited: (1) constructing a conductive network on REM surface by randomly stacking to yield a high electrical conductivity of 78.1 S cm−1, (2) being as a protective mold to remain the inherent flexibility and porosity of REM during carbonization, (3) creating nanopores by inducing self-activation, and (4) yielding a large capacitance of 1729 mF cm−2 at 0.5 mA cm−2 and a high rate capability of 82 % after increasing the current density by 50 folds. Furthermore, an all-EM-based supercapacitor is fabricated with REM as the separator and CREM/T as the electrode. It delivers a high energy density of 16.1 μW h cm−2 at 1301 μW cm−2, and shows stable capacitive behaviors during bending. • The reconstitution strategy endows good size-customizability to eggshell membrane. • MXene remains the inherent structure of eggshell membrane during carbonization. • MXene induces a self-activation on eggshell membrane during carbonization. • An all eggshell-membrane-based supercapacitor is fabricated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcium ion is vital for the regulation of many cellular functions and serves as a second messenger in the signal transduction pathways. Once the intracellular Ca2+ level exceeds the tolerance of cells (called Ca2+ overload), oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, and cell/mitochondria apoptosis happen. Therefore, Ca2+ overload has started to be deeply exploited as a new strategy for cancer therapy due to its high efficiency and satisfactory safety. This review aims to highlight the recent development of Ca2+‐based nanomaterials (such as Ca3(PO4)2, CaCO3, CaO2, CaH2, CaS, and others) able to trigger intracellular Ca2+ overload and apoptosis in cancer therapy. The intracellular mechanisms of varied Ca2+‐based nanomaterials and the different types of strategies to enhance Ca2+ overload are discussed in detail. Moreover, the design of more efficient Ca2+ overload‐mediated cancer therapies is prospected mainly based on 1) the enhanced cellular uptake by surface modification and morphology optimization of nanomaterials, 2) the accelerated Ca2+ release from nanomaterials by increasing the intracellular H+ level and by photothermal effect, and 3) the overload maintenance by Ca2+ efflux inhibition, Ca2+ influx promotion, or promoting Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen production by electrolysis of water is a very promising technology but is still limited by catalyst activity and/or catalyst poisoning after catalysis. Therefore, finding new catalysts is highly desirable. In this study, NiCuP-supported nickel foam (NiCuP/NF) catalyst was prepared by the hydrothermal method. The phase structure, morphology, and electrochemical catalytic performance of NiCuP/NF composite catalyst were studied by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and electrochemistry. The three-dimensional dendritic NiCuP/NF catalyst prepared by hydrothermal synthesis at 140 °C for 18 h showed uniform grain distribution. The catalyst was mainly composed of crystalline metal nickel, crystalline Ni2P, and crystalline Cu3P. The electrochemical characterization of the NiCuP/NF electrode displayed overpotentials of 149 and 261 mV at the current densities of 10 and 100 mA·cm−2, respectively. A lower value than that of the blank carrier electrode. The Nyquist plots obtained from the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy revealed significantly smaller charge transfer resistance Rct of the NiCuP/NF electrode than that of the blank electrode. As the resistance became smaller, the charge transfer rate became larger, leading to better electrocatalysis. The formation of 3 D dendritic morphology NiCuP/NF catalyst increased the number of active sites, thereby greatly improving the hydrogen evolution efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcium ion is vital for the regulation of many cellular functions and serves as a second messenger in the signal transduction pathways. Once the intracellular Ca2+ level exceeds the tolerance of cells (called Ca2+ overload), oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, and cell/mitochondria apoptosis happen. Therefore, Ca2+ overload has started to be deeply exploited as a new strategy for cancer therapy due to its high efficiency and satisfactory safety. This review aims to highlight the recent development of Ca2+‐based nanomaterials (such as Ca3(PO4)2, CaCO3, CaO2, CaH2, CaS, and others) able to trigger intracellular Ca2+ overload and apoptosis in cancer therapy. The intracellular mechanisms of varied Ca2+‐based nanomaterials and the different types of strategies to enhance Ca2+ overload are discussed in detail. Moreover, the design of more efficient Ca2+ overload‐mediated cancer therapies is prospected mainly based on 1) the enhanced cellular uptake by surface modification and morphology optimization of nanomaterials, 2) the accelerated Ca2+ release from nanomaterials by increasing the intracellular H+ level and by photothermal effect, and 3) the overload maintenance by Ca2+ efflux inhibition, Ca2+ influx promotion, or promoting Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we develop the moment and almost-sure stability with a general decay rate for stochastic functional differential equations with semi-Markovian switching signal (SFDESMS). We first present a new equivalent concept of moment stability with general decay rate and its implication to almost-sure stability with general decay rate. Subsequently, using the present equivalent concept and implication relationship, we formulate some explicit sufficient criteria of the moment and almost sure stability with general decay rate for SFDESMS. In addition, we consider the application of our results to two special classes of SFDESMS and obtain the moment and almost-sure stability with general decay rate for two special classes of SFDESMS. At last, we illustrate the obtained theoretical results by numerical examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Representation learning techniques for knowledge graphs (KGs) are crucial for constructing knowledge-driven decisions in complex network data application scenarios. Most existing methods focus mainly on structured information, ignoring the important value of rich ontology information constraints and complements, however, ontology information is the key for building knowledge-driven decision-making processes. In this paper, we propose a novel ontology information constrained knowledge representation learning model, TransO, which can efficiently model relations explicitly and seamlessly incorporate rich ontology information to improve model performance and maintain low model complexity. Moreover, specific constraint strategies are proposed for entity types, relations, and hierarchical information to effectively implement reasoning and completion of KGs and construct knowledge-driven decisions that are more consistent with the logic of human knowledge in complex network applications. The experimental tasks of link prediction and triple classification are performed on two public datasets. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed method with better performance than state-of-the-art methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignant tumors. Chrysophanol has been reported to possess antitumor effects on a variety of cancers; however, its role in GC remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of chrysophanol on the proliferation, pyroptosis, migration, and invasion of GC cells. Methods: Human GC cell lines MKN 28 and AGS cells were treated with different concentrations of chrysophanol, then cell proliferation, migration, invasion and pyroptosis were determined by CCK-8, colony-forming assay, wound healing assay, Transwell assay, and flow cytometry. Cell migration and invasion were reassessed in these transfected cells following the transfection of nod-like receptor protein-3 (NLRP3) siRNA in MKN 28 and AGS cells. To examine the downstream signaling pathway of the NLRP3 signaling pathway, NLRP3, caspase-1, gasdermin-D, interleukin (IL)-1ß, and IL-18 were detected by quantitative real-time-polymerase chain reaction or western blotting. Results: Chrysophanol inhibited the proliferation of GC cells, caused pyroptosis, inhibited cell migration and invasion, and increased the expression of NLRP3 inflammasomes in GC cells. Knockdown of NLRP3 inhibited the effects of chrysophanol on proliferation, pyroptosis, migration, and invasion of GC cells. Chrysophanol plays an anticancer role by enhancing NLRP3. Conclusions: Chrysophanol exerts anti-neoplastic effects in vitro in GC cells by modulating NLRP3, thus highlighting its therapeutic potential in GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the σ-error pth ( p > 0 ) -moment stability and synthesis problems for a class of discrete-time semi-Markov jump singular systems (DTSMJSSs). In view of the Lyapunov functions approach, we first derive the σ-error pth ( p > 0 ) -moment stable behaviour of interested systems. Based on semi-Markov kernel approach and the techniques of eliminating power of matrices (EPMs), we then obtain several LMI conditions for σ-error mean square stability. Subsequently, due to the time-varying singular E-matrix in DTSMJSSs, two different forms of controller gain are exploited in order to design stabilising state-feedback strategies. In particular, computational analysis and comparison of the proposed control schemes are provided, which shows the numerical complexity of the proposed control schemes is vastly lower than that of the existing literature. Finally, an example has been performed to verify the obtained analytical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of this paper is to construct the traveling wave solution of the Kaup–Boussinesq system with beta derivative arising from water waves. By using the complete discriminant system method of polynomial, the rational function solution, the trigonometric function solution, the exponential function solution, and the Jacobian function solution of the Kaup–Boussinesq system with beta derivative are obtained. In order to further explain the propagation of the Kaup–Boussinesq system with beta derivative in water waves, we draw its three-dimensional diagram, two-dimensional diagram, density plot, and contour plot by using Maple software. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to extract feature of ship signal more effectively, we propose a new approach for mathematical morphological filtering based on the morphological features. Mathematical morphological filter is a new nonlinear filter, which can effectively extract the edge contour and shape characteristics. The stimulation signal is processed by mathematical morphological filtering of different structure elements, which confirms the effect of morphological filtering on suppressing noise and preserving the nonlinear characteristics. Using flat structure element, the measured ship-radiated noise signals are processed by average filter, and the filtered signals are analyzed on the frequency spectrum. Compared with other filters, the result shows that the mathematical morphological filtering can successfully extract the effective information from the ship-radiated noise signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prognostic value of interventricular septum thickness (IVSd) on the incidence of cardiovascular diseases. Based on the general population in Northeast China, 10,349 participants were successfully followed up for echocardiography over a median follow-up time of 4.66 years, among which 4801 were hypertensive. Coronary heart disease (CHD) and myocardial infarction (MI) incidence were followed up. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the association of the baseline IVSd with adverse outcomes. IVS hypertrophy increased incident rates of CHD and MI compared with normal IVSd in the overall population and in the female sex-stratification group. In males, IVS hypertrophy had parallel increase rates of CHD (all p < 0.05). Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that IVS hypertrophy could predict CHD and MI incidence and CHD-free and MI-free survival. Multivariable Cox analysis revealed that IVS hypertrophy was correlated with CHD incidence (HR = 1.155, 95% CI = 1.155–2.861, p = 0.01) and MI incidence (HR = 2.410, 95% CI = 1.303–4.458, p = 0.005). In women, IVS hypertrophy was independently associated with CHD and MI incidence (all p < 0.05). Our prospective cohort study illustrated that IVS hypertrophy detected by echocardiography has a prognostic significance for CHD and MI. Therefore, the early detection of IVSd should be conducted to avoid adverse outcomes in further clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The basis of organizational innovation is employee innovation, which is of great significance for organizations to gain a competitive advantage. At present, the research on the influencing factors of employee service innovation behavior is increasing. This study, based on the social cognitive theory, with relative deprivation as the mediator and attribution style as the moderator, explores the mechanism of the effect of organizational fairness on employee service innovation behavior. Taking 342 employees of service-oriented enterprises as the subjects of investigation, this paper empirically tests the theoretical model by using Amos and SPSS. The results indicated the following, organizational fairness was positively related to employees' service innovation behavior. Relative deprivation partially mediated the relationship between organizational fairness and service innovation behavior. An external attribution style positively moderated the relationship between relative deprivation and employee service innovation behavior. An external attribution style also positively moderated the mediation effect of the relationship between organizational fairness and service innovation behavior. The internal attribution style negatively moderated the relationship between relative deprivation and employee service innovation behavior. The internal attribution style also negatively moderated the mediation effect of the relationship between organizational fairness and service innovation behavior. The conclusion of this study has managerial implications on how to promote employee service innovation behavior in service-oriented enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pancreatic duct stenting using endoscopy or surgery is widely used for the management of benign and malignant pancreatic diseases. Endoscopic pancreatic stents are mainly used to relieve pain caused by chronic pancreatitis and pancreas divisum, and to treat pancreatic duct disruption and stenotic pancreaticointestinal anastomosis after surgery. They are also used to prevent postendoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis and postoperative pancreatic fistula, treat pancreatic cancer, and locate radiolucent stones. Recent advances in endoscopic techniques, such as endoscopic ultrasonography and balloon enteroscopy, and newly designed stents have broadened the indications for pancreatic duct stenting. In this review we outlined the types, insertion procedures, efficacy, and complications of endoscopic pancreatic duct stent placement, and summarized the applications of pancreatic duct stents in surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Yi Shen An (YSA) is an investigational composite of traditional Chinese medicine (Reference: 2010L000974) for the treatment of renal disease. Objective: To investigate the protective effects of YSA against membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN). Materials and methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with cationic bovine serum albumin (C-BSA) to create a model of MGN. Then, rats were orally treated with YSA at doses of 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2 g/kg for 35 successive days; prednisone (5 mg/kg) was used as a positive control. At the end of the experimental period, we performed a series of tests, including 24 h urinary protein, and biochemical, immunological, antioxidative, coagulation indices, and histopathological examination. Results: YSA-1 g/kg significantly lowered urinary protein from 68.37 to 30.74mg (p<0.01). Meantime, total protein (TP) and albumin (ALB) recovered from 66.26 and 20.51 g/L to 76.08 and 35.64 g/L (p<0.01), respectively. YSA removed the deposition of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and complement 3c (C3c), prevented inter-capillary cell hyperplasia on the glomerular basement membrane (GBM), and reduced electron-dense deposits and fusion of podocytes. In addition, serum IgG and superoxide dismutase were significantly elevated. In contrast, malondialdehyde, total cholesterol, triglyceride, circulating immune complex (CIC), and immunoglobulin M decreased in the YSA-treated group. Moreover, the blood coagulation dysfunction was adjusted. Discussion and conclusions: These findings indicate YSA may exert a therapeutic effect against MGN through the inhibition of CIC formation, and the removal of IgG and C3c deposition from the GBM, thus supporting the development of further clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spinel Co3O4 is one of the important functional materials applied in many fields such as electrochemical catalysis and energy storage. Compared with pure Co3O4, the activity of the catalytic sites increases when the Co2+/Co3+ located in tetra-/octahedral sites was substituted by Mn2+/Mn3+. In this work, we designed a molar feed ratio of 1 : 2 of bivalent Mn and Co sources and utilized a hydrothermal method to synthesize a spinel manganese–cobalt oxide (Mn–Co–O), however, we found that the atomic ratio of the Mn–Co–O precursor after hydrothermal synthesis was just 0.08 instead of 0.5. Moreover, synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction analyses combined with the electron diffraction data confirm that the final synthetic sample is neither MnCo2O4 nor MnCo2O4.5, and the sample after calcining the precursor is identified as a two-phase coexistence of pure cubic Co3O4 and Mn-doped cubic Co3O4. Furthermore, X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) results reveal that Mn2+ has been oxidized to Mn3+/4+ after hydrothermal processing, while Co2+ still remains unchanged. Finally, XAS and Raman spectra jointly illustrate that Co2+ hydrate transforms to a spinel Co3O4 structure consisting of Co2+ and Co3+ after calcining the precursor. This work indicates that the inconsistent and incomplete reaction between Mn2+ and Co2+ during hydrothermal processing leads to the failure of synthesizing a spinel manganese–cobalt oxide using a Mn : Co molar feed ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three pyridinium derivatives bearing alkyl chains of different lengths (C1, C8, and C18) that show aggregation‐enhanced emission were synthesized. These compounds can be used to detect ClO− ion as the reaction releases the fluorescent core with an increase in emission intensity and change in absorption wavelength. The lowest detection limit of TPA‐Pyr‐18C was 6.04 μM. The length of the alkyl chain and resulting lipophilicity allowed the targeting of different subcellular structures. TPA‐Pyr‐18C could be used for staining yolk lipids in zebrafish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wideband conformal transmitarrays at E-band are developed for multibeam applications in this article. A triple-layer element with double split rings is presented for wideband transmissions, achieving a 360° continuous phase variation range at 74 GHz with less than 2.3 dB transmission loss. A comprehensive design methodology of multibeam conformal transmitarrays is demonstrated for various platforms with different curvatures. To validate the theoretical analysis, conformal transmitarrays with two different curvatures are designed, fabricated, and measured. Multiple radiation beams are realized between ± 30° and ± 45° for the two prototypes, respectively. Good agreement is obtained between simulation and measurement. The 3 dB gain bandwidths are 30% from 66.5 to 90 GHz, and 27.8% from 68 to 90 GHz for the two designs, respectively, covering the entire E-band. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphatidyl ethanolamine-binding proteins (PEBPs) are involved in regulating flowering time and various developmental processes. Functions and expression patterns in cultivated peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.) remain unknown. In this study, 33 PEBP genes in cultivated peanuts were identified and divided into four subgroups: FT, TFL, MFT and FT-like. Gene structure analysis showed that orthologs from A and B genomes in cultivated peanuts had highly similar structures, but some orthologous genes have subgenomic dominance. Gene collinearity and phylogenetic analysis explain that some PEBP genes play key roles in evolution. Cis-element analysis revealed that PEBP genes are mainly regulated by hormones, light signals and stress-related pathways. Multiple PEPB genes had different expression patterns between early and late-flowering genotypes. Further detection of its response to temperature and photoperiod revealed that PEBPs ArahyM2THPA, ArahyEM6VH3, Arahy4GAQ4U, ArahyIZ8FG5, ArahyG6F3P2, ArahyLUT2QN, ArahyDYRS20 and ArahyBBG51B were the key genes controlling the flowering response to different flowering time genotypes, photoperiods and temperature. This study laid the foundation for the functional study of the PEBP gene in cultivated peanuts and the adaptation of peanuts to different environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

De novo gene origination, where a previously nongenic genomic sequence becomes genic through evolution, is increasingly recognized as an important source of novelty. Many de novo genes have been proposed to be protein-coding, and a few have been experimentally shown to yield protein products. However, the systematic study of de novo proteins has been hampered by doubts regarding their translation without the experimental observation of protein products. Using a systematic, mass-spectrometry-first computational approach, we identify 993 unannotated open reading frames with evidence of translation (utORFs) in Drosophila melanogaster. To quantify the similarity of these utORFs across Drosophila and infer phylostratigraphic age, we develop a syntenybased protein similarity approach. Combining these results with reference datasets ontissue- and life stage-specific transcription and conservation, we identify different properties amongst these utORFs. Contrary to expectations, the fastest-evolving utORFs are not the youngest evolutionarily. We observed more utORFs in the brain than in the testis. Most of the identified utORFs may be of de novo origin, even accounting for the possibility of false-negative similarity detection. Finally, sequence divergence after an inferred de novo origin event remains substantial, suggesting that de novo proteins turn over frequently. Our results suggest that there is substantial unappreciated diversity in de novo protein evolution: many more may exist than previously appreciated; there may be divergent evolutionary trajectories, and they may be gained and lost frequently. All in all, there may not exist a single characteristic model of de novo protein evolution, but instead, there may be diverse evolutionary trajectories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal residual strains/stresses cause several defects in hybrid structures and various studies have reported the reduction of residual strain. This paper describes a method for reducing thermal residual strains/stresses in metal-CFRP-metal hybrid tubes (MCMHT). The proposed axial preload tool provides two ways to reduce the thermal residual strains/stresses during the co-cure bonding process: pre-compressing of the metal layers and pre-stretching of the unidirectional carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) layers. An online measurement technique with embedded optical fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors is presented. Thermal residual strains are evaluated based on classical lamination theory with the assumption of plane stress. The theoretical calculations and measurement results agree well. Furthermore, the dynamic characteristics of the MCMHTs are tested. The results show that the reduction of residual strain increases the natural frequency of the MCMHT, but is detrimental to the damping capability of the MCMHT, which imply that the intrinsic properties of the metal-composite hybrid structure can be modified by the proposed axial preload tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]