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Searching for SF6-substitute gaseous dielectrics is currently an urgent task for high-voltage circuit breaker (HVCB) insulation and arc extinction applications. Once leaked, SF6 will affect the Earth's climate on the order of decades to millennia. In this work, we developed a test method that supplies a series of extended pulse voltages to obtain the dynamic dielectric strength of C3F7CN/CO2 and C3F7CN/N2 gas mixtures that are potential SF6 alternative gases in an HVCB during its no-load closing-opening processes, by measuring the dynamic breakdown voltage between the contacts. We also investigated the closing pre-strike and opening insulation characteristics of these gas mixture HVCBs at different voltage polarities, C3F7CN concentrations and pressures during the processes. We experimentally found an obvious “low-voltage-breakdown” phenomenon and much higher dispersion in the dynamic breakdown voltage of C3F7CN gas mixtures compared with pure SF6. Moreover, the dispersion in closing was significantly higher than that in opening, leading to the closing pre-strike characteristics of an HVCB filled with C3F7CN mixtures that are inferior to SF6. The results not only provide a criterion via data but also evaluate the interruption gap design and give insight into the expected performance of the interruption chamber during breaking capacity tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To establish a new and accurate model for standard liver volume (SLV) estimation and graft size prediction in liver transplantation for Chinese adults. In this study, the data of morphologic indices and liver volume (LV) were retrospectively obtained on 507 cadaveric liver transplantation donors between June 2017 and September 2020 in Shulan (Hangzhou) Hospital. Linear regression analysis was performed to evaluate the impact of each parameter and develop a new SLV formula. The new formula was then validated prospectively on 97 donors between October 2020 and June 2021, and the prediction accuracy was compared with previous formulas. The average LV in all subjects was 1445.68 ± 309.94 mL. Body weight (BW) showing the strongest correlation (r = 0.453, P <.001). By stepwise multiple linear regression analysis, BW and age were the only 2 independent correlation factors for LV. Shulan estimation model derived: SLV (mL) = 13.266 × BW (kg) – 4.693 × age + 797.16 (R2 = 0.236, P <.001). In the validation cohort, our new model achieved no significant differences between the estimated SLV and the actual LV (P >.05), and showed the lowest mean percentage error of 0.33%. The proportions of estimated SLV within the actual LV ± 20%, ± 15%, and ± 10% percentage errors were 69.1%, 55.7%, and 40.2%, respectively. The Shulan SLV estimation model predicted LV more accurately than previous formulas on Chinese adults, which could serve as a simple screening tool during the initial assessment of graft volume for potential donors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanical and combustion properties of metal-nested composite hybrid rocket fuel grains composed of spiral aluminium (Al) frameworks fabricated using three-dimensional (3D) printing with an embedded paraffin-based fuel were investigated. The mechanical properties of the resulting grains were evaluated by compression tests. In addition, the combustion characteristics of the Al composite grains were examined in a lab-scale hybrid rocket engine with gaseous oxygen as the oxidizer at an initial mass flow rate of 17.9 g/s. Pure paraffin-based (PP) and acrylonitrile–butadiene-styrene (ABS) composite grains were also tested as baseline fuels for comparison. The Al-A composite grain exhibited superior mechanical and combustion properties, with Young modulus, yield stress, and regression rate increased by 757.1%, 381.3% and 52.5% compared with the PP grain. The Young modulus and combustion efficiency were also further improved, by 51.0% and 14.9%, respectively, by including perforations in the spiral blades. These improvements are discussed in detail herein based on experimental data together with numerical simulations. Emission spectra of the engine plumes were also acquired and used to qualitatively analyze the combustion characteristics of the Al blades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthesizing a subject-specific pathology-free image from a pathological image is valuable for algorithm development and clinical practice. In recent years, several approaches based on the Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) have achieved promising results in pseudo-healthy synthesis. However, the discriminator (i.e., a classifier) in the GAN cannot accurately identify lesions and further hampers from generating admirable pseudo-healthy images. To address this problem, we present a new type of discriminator, the segmentor, to accurately locate the lesions and improve the visual quality of pseudo-healthy images. Then, we apply the generated images into medical image enhancement and utilize the enhanced results to cope with the low contrast problem existing in medical image segmentation. Furthermore, a reliable metric is proposed by utilizing two attributes of label noise to measure the health of synthetic images. Comprehensive experiments on the T2 modality of BraTS demonstrate that the proposed method substantially outperforms the state-of-the-art methods. The method achieves better performance than the existing methods with only 30% of the training data. The effectiveness of the proposed method is also demonstrated on the LiTS and the T1 modality of BraTS. The code and the pre-trained model of this study are publicly available at https://github.com/Au3C2/Generator-Versus-Segmentor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Web content mining describes the classification, clustering, and attribute analysis of a large number of text documents and multimedia files on the web. Special tasks include retrieval of data from the Internet search engine tool W; structured processing and analysis of web data. Today's blog analysis has security concerns. We do experiments to investigate its safety. Through experiments, we draw the following conclusions: (1) Web log extraction can use efficient data mining algorithms to systematically extract logs from web servers, then determine the main access types or interests of users, and then to a certain extent, based on the discovered user patterns, analyze the user's access settings and behavior. (2) No matter in the test set or the mixed test set, the curve value of deep mining is very stable, the curve value has been kept at 0.95, and the curve value of fuzzy statistics method and quantitative statistics method is stable within the interval of 0.90–095. The results also show that the data mining method has the highest identification accuracy and the best security performance. (3) Web usage analysis requires data abstraction for pattern discovery. This data abstraction can be achieved through data preprocessing, which introduces different formats of web server log files and how web server log data is preprocessed for web usage analysis. One of the most critical parts of the web mining field is web log mining. Web log mining can use powerful data mining algorithms to systematically mine the logs in the web server and then learn the user's access or preferred interests and then conduct a certain degree of user preferences and behavior patterns according to the discovered user patterns. Based on the above analysis, the current web log analysis is faced with security problems. We conduct experiments to study to verify the security performance of web logs and draw conclusions through experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Immune inflammatory cells and cytokines play an important role in the occurrence and development of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Acteoside has been reported to regulate the inflammation and immune response. The study aims to investigate the effects of acteoside on the expressions of MCP-1 and TGF-β1 on nephropathy in diabetic mice. Methods: C57BL/6J mice in the model group were given a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ (150 mg/kg). Model mice were divided randomly into two groups: 5 without treatment, 5 treated with acteoside. After continuous administration for 8 weeks, serum, urine, and kidney tissue were collected, then, ralated biochemical parameters, pathological characteristics and MCP-1 and TGF-β1 mRNA or protein were detected. The NRK-52E cells were divided into three groups as follows: the normal control group (NC group), the high glucose group (HS group), the high glucose+acteoside group (HS+ACT group). The expressions of MCP-1 and TGF-β1 in the mRNA and protein levels were assessed with RT-PCR, western blot and ELISA. Results: The expressions of MCP-1 and TGF-β1 were significantly enhanced in DN group and dramatically reduced after acteoside treatment. Compared with those in NC group, the expressions of MCP-1 and TGF-β1 in NRK-52E cell of HS group were significantly enhanced, while both were significantly decreased in HS+ACT group compared with HS group. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that Acteoside has protective effects on DN via inhibiting the expressions of MCP-1 and TGF-β1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precise prediction of aerothermal loads is significantly limited by the unclear interactions between the thermal protection system surface and the surrounding high-enthalpy gas. To address this, we propose an optical diagnostic method based on optical emission spectroscopy and laser absorption spectroscopy to investigate the gas–surface interactions within the boundary layer. Experiments are conducted in an air plasma flow produced by the 1.2 MW inductively coupled plasma wind tunnel at the China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics with an enthalpy of 20 MJ/kg and a heating time of 100 s. The cylindrical samples made of pure silicon carbide are tested, and quartz samples with the same exposed geometry are tested in parallel as a reference material. The optical emission spectroscopy system has four spectrometers to cover the wide wavelength range of 200–1100 nm, providing qualitative, spatially, and spectrally resolved measurements of the multi-species radiative emission adjacent to the sample surface. Laser absorption spectroscopy is deployed at different axial locations to quantify the number density and translational temperature of OI (3s5S) with a 500 Hz scanning rate and 200 kHz acquisition rate. Additionally, the surface temperature of each sample is detected by an infrared pyrometer. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectrometry are performed before and after the plasma heating. Our measurement results provide valuable information on surface reaction pathways and catalytic recombination effects on atomic oxygen number density distributions. Finally, these self-consistent results show that the proposed method is reliable to deeply investigate gas–surface interactions within boundary layer in harsh aerothermal environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimal low-thrust linearized elliptic orbit rendezvous problems are studied for both continuous thrust and piecewise constant thrust considering the communication window constraint. Based on the analytical state propagation expressions for linear relative motion under on–off constant thrust, the analytical energy-optimal solution using piecewise constant thrust is derived by the Lagrange multiplier method for given switching time points. This solution is further extended to obtain the analytical energy-optimal solution using continuous thrust. For the piecewise constant thrust with free switching time points, the fuel-optimal problem is formulated as a nonlinear programming problem, which is solved by a modified differential evolution algorithm. In addition, the derived analytical energy-optimal solution for given switching time points is used to reduce the number of optimization variables, and it is numerically proven to effectively reduce the optimization time. Several examples are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed method for the low-thrust orbit rendezvous problem considering the communication window constraint. • The analytical energy-optimal solution for piecewise constant thrust is derived. • The analytical energy-optimal solution for continuous thrust is derived. • A new method is presented to reduce the optimization time for fuel-optimal problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite numerous advantages of liposomes in treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the in vivo stability remains a critical issue. Current strategies for improving liposomal stability often compromise their original properties. Herein, we designed an alginate nanogel-embedded liposome aiming at retaining those inherent advantages while enhancing their in vivo stability. The introduction of alginate network within the liposome core can provide mechanical support and controlled drug release without affecting the surface properties. Results showed the cross-linking of alginate network within the inner core of liposomes elevated the particle rigidity to 3 times, allowing for improved stability and decreased drug leakage. Moreover, this nanogel-embedded liposome with optimized elasticity obviously facilitated cellular uptake in inflammatory macrophages. When entering blood circulation, increased rigidity altered the composition of protein corona on the particle surface, resulting in 2-fold increase in circulation time and improved drug accumulation in arthritic joints. When anti-inflammatory chlorogenic acid (CA) was encapsulated into the nanogel network, this CA-loaded nanogel-embedded liposome significantly inhibited ROS production and inflammatory response, ultimately achieved superior therapeutic outcome in arthritic rats. Results demonstrated that this nanogel-embedded liposomes can essentially retain the inherent advantages and overcome the drawbacks of liposomes, thereby improving the drug delivery efficiency. Schematic illustration of the formation and in vivo performance of this nanogel-embedded liposome LSHNPs in arthritic rats. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nb-Si-based alloys have important application prospects in the new generation of high-thrust-to-weight ratio aero-engines hot-end components. Understanding how alloying affects the microstructure and oxidation resistance of Nb-Si-based alloys is crucial for their applications. In this work, the effects of Zr, Cr and Mo on the microstructure and high-temperature oxidation resistance of Nb-23Ti-14Si-based alloys prepared by laser directed energy deposition (LDED) were investigated. Results showed that the oxidation resistance at 1250 °C of as-deposited Nb-23Ti-14Si-based alloys enhanced by Zr, Cr and Mo alloying, of these, Cr is the most significant, followed by Zr and Mo. The oxide film of Nb-23Ti-14Si-based alloys have three distinct oxide layer: the inner, middle, and outer oxide layer. The formation of SiO 2 layer in the Nb-23Ti-14Si-based alloys' outer oxide layer when Zr and Cr alloying, respectively. Furthermore, following oxidation at 1250 °C for 20 h, and the weight gain per unit area is around 32.52 mg/cm2, and the creation of CrNbO 4 layer when Cr content is up to 10 at.%. [Display omitted] • The microstructure evolution of as-deposited Nb-23Ti-14Si-based alloys with only Zr, Cr or Mo alloying is examined. • The oxidation mechanism of as-deposited Nb-23Ti-14Si-based alloys with only Zr, Cr or Mo alloying is discussed in detail. • During the initial oxidation Nb 3 Si phase underwent oxidative breakdown, and broke down into TiO, Nbss and α-Nb 5 Si 3 • The formation of SiO 2 layer in the outer oxide layer of as-deposited Nb-23Ti-14Si-based alloys with only Zr or Cr alloying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the problem that the distribution of explosion load in the cabin and the propagation law of structural impact response was unclear, this paper established the numerical calculation model of explosion in a closed cabin by ALE (Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian) method. There was an apparent convergence of shock waves at the cabin's corners, and the pressure relief hole's area and its position significantly affected the peak of quasi-static pressure. The peak acceleration of the deck structure decreased exponentially as the distance from the location of charge increased. Peak acceleration decreased by approximately 50% for each bulkhead crossing. There was a "paper window effect" during the cabin interior explosion on the whole ship. It meant there was a limit to the value for the energy generated by the explosion to be transmitted along the frame structure. When the charge was 150 kg, it reached the limit of the energy transferred by the structure in this paper. The response of the distant structure did not change significantly with the increase in the charge quality. The research revealed the impact response propagation mechanism in the structure and provided a reference for designing protective structures. • The shock wave shows noticeable convergence in the cabin corner, where the area and position of the pressure relief hole significantly affect the peak quasi-static pressure. • The existence of a bulkhead greatly affects the maximum acceleration, each additional bulkhead results in approximately a 50% reduction. • The investigation reveals a remarkable "paper window effect" during the localized explosion of the entire vessel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser-based directed energy deposition (LDED), a significant integrated preparation technique combining material design and production, has been progressively used to manufacture Nb–Ti–Si-based in-situ composites. However, it is commonly known that Nb–Si-based in-situ composites have low room-temperature fracture toughness. Herein, we have designed a novel Nb–40Ti–10Si–5Al–2V (at.%) composite, the microstructure of LDED-built composite is made up of Nbss and γ-Nb 5 Si 3 , the formation of γ-Nb 5 Si 3 precipitate in the Nbss phase with an orientation relationships (ORs) of [1110] γ //[011] Nbss , (10 1 ‾ 0) γ //(011) Nbss and (1 2 ‾ 11) γ //(200) Nbss. The composite has Nbss, Nb 3 Si and γ-Nb 5 Si 3 phases after heat treatment at 1400 °C for 30 h, and δ-Nb 11 Si 4 precipitate has formed in the Nbss phase with an ORs of [100] Nbss //[010] δ , (010) Nbss //(010) δ. The composite processing Nb–40Ti–10Si–5Al–2V (at.%) has outstanding toughness (21.62 MPa·m1/2). It has ascertained that the room-temperature fracture toughness of Nb–Si-based in-situ composite is positively impacted by the high concentration of Ti. [Display omitted] • Nb–40Ti–10Si–5Al–2V (at.%) alloy prepared by LDED processing excellent fracture toughness (21.62 MPa·m1/2). • The formation of γ-Nb 5 Si 3 precipitates in the Nbss of LDED-built Nb–40Ti–10Si–5Al–2V in-situ composite. • After heat treatment at 1400 °C for 30 h, the precipitation reaction can be concluded as: Nbss+γ-Nb 5 Si 3 →Nbss 1 →δ-Nb 11 Si 4 +Nbss 2. • The high content of Ti in the Nb–40Ti–10Si–5Al–2V in-situ composite resulting in the formation of Nb 3 Si phase during the heat treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the working principle of high-speed electromagnetic repulsion mechanism, the main factors influencing the motion characteristics of the repulsion mechanism and their variation rules are analyzed and verified through calculation and simulation. Because of its fast moving speed and large kinetic energy of moving parts, it will produce large operating impact and bounce. Buffer performance is of great significance to the safe and reliable operation of high-voltage circuit breakers. Moreover, aiming at the above problems, this article studies the repulsive mechanism and its buffer problem. First, the mathematical model of the electromagnetic repulsive opening mechanism is established, and the electromagnetic repulsive force of the electromagnetic repulsive opening mechanism is deduced. The simplified model of the electromagnetic repulsive mechanism and the finite element simulation mesh are divided, and the discharge circuit model of the energy storage capacitor is designed. Then, the simulation results show that as the repulsion disk spacing, radius, storage, capacitor voltage, turn ratio, and other parameters adjust, the peak value of electromagnetic repulsion force increases, which can reach more than 60 kN, and the displacement of the mechanism can reach 84 mm within 5.5 ms. Finally, the drop weight contrast test is carried out. When the landing height is 300 mm, 500 mm, and 700 mm, respectively, the energy absorption rate of the buffer in the three groups of tests is higher than 85%. Through the speed curve simulation after the installation of buffer, it is verified that the elastic clay buffer is suitable for the buffer mode of fast switch, and a high-speed buffer device based on the elastic clay material is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Imidazole compounds are important constituents of atmospheric brown carbon. The imidazole components of aqueous secondary organic aerosol (aqSOA) that are generated from the evaporation of droplets containing pyruvaldehyde and inorganic ammonium are on-line characterized by an aerosol laser time-of-flight mass spectrometer (ALTOFMS) and off-line detected by optical spectrometry in this study. The results demonstrated that the laser desorption/ionization mass spectra of aqSOA particles that were detected by ALTOFMS contained the characteristic mass peaks of imidazoles at m/z = 28 (CH2N+), m/z = 41 (C2H3N+) and m/z = 67 (C3H4N2+). Meanwhile, the extraction solution of the aqSOA particles that were measured by off-line techniques showed that the characteristic absorption peaks at 217 nm and 282 nm appeared in the UV-Vis spectrum, and the stretching vibration peaks of C-N bond and C=N bond emerged in the infrared spectrum. Based on these spectral information, 4-methyl-imidazole and 4-methyl-imidazole-2-carboxaldehyde are identified as the main products of the reaction between pyruvaldehyde and ammonium ions. The water evaporation accelerates the formation of imidazoles inside the droplets, possibly owing to the highly concentrated environment. Anions, such as F−, CO32−, NO3−, SO42− and Cl− in the aqueous phase promote the reaction of pyruvaldehyde and ammonium ions to produce imidazole products, resulting in the averaged mass absorption coefficient () in the range of 200–600 nm of aqSOA increases, and the order of promotion is: F− > CO32− > SO42− ≈ NO3− ≈ Cl−. These results will help to analyze the constituents and optics of imidazoles and provide a useful basis for evaluating the formation process and radiative forcing of aqSOA particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Malignant tumor is one of the most common diseases that seriously affect human health. The prior literature has reported the biological function and potential therapeutic targets of SET domain bifurcated histone lysine methyltransferase 1 (SETDB1) as an oncogene. However, SETDB1 has rarely been analyzed from a pan-cancer perspective. Methods. Bioinformatics analysis tools and databases, including GeneCards, National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), UniProt, Illustrator for Biological Sequences (IBS), Human Protein Atlas (HPA), GEPIA, TIMER2, Sangerbox 3.0, UALCAN, Kaplan-Meier (K-M) plotter, cBioPortal, Catalogue Of Somatic Mutations In Cancer (COSMIC), PhosphoSitePlus, TISIDB, STRING, and GeneMANIA, were utilized to clarify the biological functions and clinical significance of SETDB1 from a pan-cancer perspective. Results. In this study, the pan-cancer analysis demonstrated that SETDB1 showed significantly differential expression in most tumor tissues and paracancerous tissues, and SETDB1 expression was associated with clinicopathological features and clinical prognosis. We also found that SETDB1 mutations occurred in most tumors and were related to tumorigenesis. In addition, DNA methylation of SETDB1 primarily occurred at the cg10444928 site and was associated with prognosis in several human tumors. The predicted phosphorylation site of SETDB1 was Ser1006. We found that SETDB1 was significantly related to the specific tumor-infiltrating immune cell populations and expression of clinically targetable immune checkpoints and may be a promising immunotherapy target. The Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses also indicated that SETDB1 may function as crucial regulator in carcinogenesis of human cancers. Conclusions. SETDB1 is an important oncogene involved in tumorigenesis and tumor progression through different biological mechanisms. Furthermore, SETDB1 may be a potential therapeutic target for cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the predominant form of liver cancer and is accompanied by a complex regulatory network. Increasing evidence suggests that an abnormal gene expression of EZH2 is associated with HCC progression. However, the molecular mechanism by which non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) regulate EZH2 remains elusive. Methods: The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) data were used to perform differential expression analysis and prognostic analysis. We used the Encyclopedia of RNA Interactomes (ENCORI) database to predict candidate miRNAs and lncRNAs that may bind to EZH2. Subsequently, the comprehensive analysis (including expression analysis, correlation analysis, and survival analysis) identified ncRNAs that contribute to EZH2 overexpression. Results: EZH2 was found to be upregulated in the majority of tumor types and associated with a poor prognosis. Hsa-miR-101-3p was identified as a target miRNA of EZH2. Additionally, SNHG6 and MALAT1 were identified as upstream lncRNAs of hsa-miR-101-3p. Meanwhile, correlation analysis revealed that EZH2 expression was significantly associated with the infiltration of several immune cell types in HCC. Conclusion: SNHG6 or MALAT1/hsa-miR-101-3p/EZH2 axis were identified as potential regulatory pathways in the progression of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and hypothesis: The aim of the study was to develop artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms using 2D transperineal ultrasound (TPUS) static images to simplify the clinical process of diagnosing stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in practice. Methods: The study involved 400 patients in total, including 265 SUI patients and 135 non-SUI patients who underwent a routine clinical evaluation process by urologists and TPUS. They were classified into different groups based on the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire (ICIQ) to assess the impact of inconvenience on patients' lives. Four AI models were developed by 2D TPUS images: Model A (a single-mode model based on Valsalva maneuver images to classify G-0, G-1, and G-2); Model B (a dual-mode model based on Valsalva maneuver and resting state images to classify G-0, G-1, and G-2); Model C (a single-mode model based on Valsalva maneuver images to classify G-2 and G-01); Model D (a dual-mode model based on Valsalva maneuver and resting state images to classify G-2 and G-01). The performance of the four models was evaluated by confusion matrices and the area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC). Results: The dual-mode model based on the Valsalva maneuver and resting-state images (Model D) had a higher accuracy of 86.3% and an AUC of 0.922, which was significantly higher than the AUCs of the other three models: 0.771, 0.862, and 0.827. Conclusions: The AI algorithm using 2D TPUS static images of the Valsalva maneuver and resting state may be a promising tool in the diagnosis of SUI patients in to relieve clinical processes in practice given its ease of use in clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To research the relationship between meat quality and short‐term starvation in the blunt snout bream backcross variety [Megalobrama amblycephala♀ × (M. amblycephala♀ × Culter alburnus♂) ♂], we addressed the effect of fasting and re‐alimentation on essential nutrients and histology structure, flavour nucleotides in muscles, and analyzed the changes of taste profile in backcross variety by electronic tongue. Our data showed that the essential nutrients, equivalent umami concentration (EUC) and taste profile were found to slightly change in 5‐days fasting stage meat; meanwhile, the histology of the gut and liver has no significant change. However, the flavour composition was improved to enhance meat quality in comparison with control. When prolong starvation to 10‐days or 20‐days, the flavour components promoted continuously, and the crude fat levels were decreased, although the histologically injured intestine and liver are aggravated. Therefore, in addition to cross‐breeding to improve meat quality, short‐term starvation for 5 days without histological damage is also a way to improve meat quality in blunt snout bream backcross variety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present meta-analysis, we systematically investigated the relative contributions of students' initial mathematics, reading, and cognitive skills on subsequent mathematics performance measured at least 3 months later. With one-stage meta-analytic structural equation modeling, we conducted analyses based on 580,437 students from 265 independent samples and 250 studies. Findings suggested fluency in both mathematics and reading, as well as working memory, yielded greater impacts on subsequent mathematics performance. Age emerged as a significant moderator in the model, such that the effects of comprehensive mathematics and working memory on subsequent mathematics increased with age, whereas attention and self-regulation's impacts declined with age. Time lag between assessments also emerged as a significant moderator, such that the effects of word-problem solving and word recognition accuracy decreased as the time lag increased, whereas vocabulary, attention, and self-regulation's effects increased as the time lag increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Direct moxibustion (DM) is reported to be useful for cervical spondylotic radiculopathy (CSR), but the analgesic mechanism remains unknown. Autophagy plays a protective role in neuronal apoptosis, Act A/Smads signaling pathway has been confirmed to be associated with the activation of autophagy. The study aimed to explore the effect of DM on autophagy in rats with CSR and the involvement of Act A/Smads signaling pathway. Methods: Rats were randomly divided into Sham, CSR, CSR + DM, CSR + DM + 3‐MA (PI3K inhibitor), and CSR + DM + SB (Act A inhibitor) group. Three days after establishment of CSR model with a fish line inserted under the axilla of the nerve roots, DM at Dazhui (GV14) was performed six times once for seven consecutive days. Western blot and immunofluorescence staining were used to observe the expression of the neuronal autophagy molecule LC3II/I, Atg7, and Act A/Smads signaling molecule Act A, p‐Smad2, and p‐Smad3. Bcl‐2/Bax mRNA expression was measured by real time PCR. Results: DM improved the pain threshold and motor function of CSR rats and promoted the expression of Act A, p‐Smad2, p‐Smad3, LC3II/I, and Atg7 in the entrapped‐nerve root spinal dorsal horn. DM reduced the expression of Bax mRNA and decreased the number of apoptotic neurons. 3‐MA and Act A inhibitor SB suppressed the expression of above‐mentioned proteins and reduced the protective effect of DM on apoptotic neurons. Conclusion: DM exerts analgesic effects by regulating the autophagy to reduce cell apoptosis and repair nerve injury, and this feature may be related to the Act A/Smads signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantitative prediction of penetration leakage rate has not been reported so far. The theoretical prediction method of leakage rate of typical penetration static seal structure of closed structure is studied. Based on porous media seepage mechanics, the relationship between leakage rate and microstructure parameters is established, and a new prediction model of the leakage rate of sealing structures is proposed. Then, the relationship between seal-specific pressure and microstructure parameters is obtained by the Hertz contact mechanics model. Finally, the leakage rate calculation, which is independent of any experimental data, is obtained innovatively. The new model is used to predict the leakage rate of penetration, and the theoretical prediction results are compared with the experimental measurement results. It is proved that the two agree well, which verifies the effectiveness of the model. The prediction model based on this method can well reflect the effects of rough surface morphology, material mechanical properties, sealing load, high temperature, and high pressure on the leakage rate. The leakage rate prediction model proposed in this paper is independent of the experimental regression coefficient and can realize the conversion relationship between different sealing media, sealing materials, and working conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The origin, way of growth, and compositional transition (from basaltic to andesitic) of continental crust remain enigmatic. To better understand the evolution of the Earth's crust, geoscientists have hypothesized two competing models, one is the widely accepted island‐arc model, the other is the newly proposed collision‐zone model that continental collision produces and preserves syn‐collisional Mantle‐derived Bulk‐continental‐crust‐like Granitoids (MBGs), and hence maintains net continental crust growth. Here, we tested the collision‐zone model by investigating the existence, temporal‐spatial distribution, geochemical signatures, and possible sources of the syn‐collisional MBGs. We applied deep learning (DL) algorithm and principal component analysis (PCA) to the database GEOROC and Tibetan Magmatism Database. DL successfully built a regression model of whole‐rock element compositional data and mean zircon εHf(t) data of igneous rocks. This can not only assign values to the missing Hf data, but statistically unveil the potential relations between the compositions (both isotopic and geochemical) and the possible sources of the igneous rocks. The DL and PCA enabled to recognize the MBGs and define their geochemical and isotopic fingerprints differing noticeably from arc magmas (e.g., Kohistan arc type and Tibetan adakite‐like type). Besides, our observations suggest that MBGs are common in collisional settings as a response to known collision events. Moreover, the MBGs' distinct geochemical and isotopic signatures indicate that they are likely sourced from subducted ocean crust. Our results therefore generally support evident contribution of syn‐collisional felsic magmatism to net continental crust growth. However, further refinement of the petrogenesis and estimation of the (relative) volume are critically needed. Plain Language Summary: The continental crust archives the evolution of the Earth. There is therefore considerable interest over the topic of crustal generation and destruction linked to plate tectonics. Because of the compositional similarity of the bulk continental crust with magmas formed in subduction‐related settings, subduction zones are accordingly regarded as the major sites of crustal formation. However, not only is there subtle compositional difference between the average continental crust and subduction‐related magmas, there is no net crustal growth at active subduction zones due to equal or even greater amounts of crustal loss. In this situation, collisional magmas of mantle input that resemble the bulk continental crust in composition and have high preservation potential are proposed to contribute to new crust generation and hence crustal growth. To test this hypothesis, we applied deep learning algorithm and principal component analysis to big geochemical datasets by examining the existence, distribution, geochemical signatures, and sources of the collisional magmas. Our results show that they are common in collisional settings as a response to collision, similar with the average continental crust in composition, and possibly sourced from subducted ocean crust, and hence contribute to crustal growth. This will help to strengthen our understanding of crustal evolution. Key Points: We built a deep neural network of whole‐rock geochemistry and mean zircon Hf isotopes of igneous rocks to extract implicit informationWe showed that mantle‐sourced bulk continental crust‐like granitoids are common in collisional settings and differ from arc magmasOur statistical modeling helps to demonstrate evident contribution of syn‐collisional felsic magmatism to net continental crust growth [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Differential Evolution (DE) stands out as an exceptional intelligent evolutionary algorithm, acclaimed for its simplicity in implementation and the ability to optimize without necessitating differentiable conditions. However, a significant pitfall of DE lies in its susceptibility to getting trapped in local minima, leading to algorithmic stagnation and substantial performance impairments. To counteract the shortcoming, the A daptative D ifferential E volution with D iversity M aintenance and R estart M echanism (ADE-DMRM) is proposed. This approach integrates three primary innovations. Firstly, the algorithm controls the number of generations that individuals stay in the external archive based on the successful evolution rate, thereby optimizing the mutation strategy to effectively maintain population diversity. Secondly, ADE-DMRM proposes a novel restart mechanism in which the current stagnant individuals are identified by combining a stagnation tracker and a diversity assessment indicator and then regenerated using a dimension-learning-based approach. Thirdly, wavelet basis functions and Cauchy distributions are employed for scaling factor implementation across different stages, while the dimension change information of successfully evolved individuals is harnessed to refine the adaptive parameter control scheme. Finally, comprehensive experiments were undertaken on the CEC2013, CEC2014, and CEC2017 test sets, assessing accuracy, convergence speed, the efficacy of each module, and time complexity. The results confirm that ADE-DMRM is an efficient single-objective optimization algorithm that outperforms current advanced variants. • An adaptive DE with Diversity Maintenance and Restart Mechanism is proposed. • The external archive is selectively optimized based on the successful rate of the population. • A novel restart mechanism is proposed to avoid premature convergence. • Wavelet basis functions and Cauchy distributions are employed in generating F. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maximization the synergistic effect of each component in transition metal-carbon complexes is expected to improve the bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysis for rechargeable Zn-air batteries but is still challenging. Herein, nucleobase guanine is employed as a supramolecular precursor to generate the core (FeCo alloy)-shell (carbon) structure embedded in ultrathin graphene-like nitrogen-doped carbon nanosheets (FeCo@NCNSs) via a confinement pyrolysis strategy. Thanks to the generated core-shell structure and bimetallic synergistic effect, the as-prepared FeCo@NCNSs exhibits excellent electrochemical performance in both oxygen reduction reaction and oxygen evolution reaction. As a result, when served as the bifunctional air electrode for a practical Zn-air battery, FeCo@NCNSs exhibits a higher open-circuit voltage (1.553 V) and peak power density (197.30 mW cm−2), as well as the greatly improved long-term cyclic stability compared to the noble metal benchmarks. This work provides a promising approach to integrate various active sites for bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysis and inspires the exploration of simple but efficient electrocatalysts for energy storage and conversion. • Guanine-derived core-shell FeCo@NCNSs were successfully synthesized via a confinement pyrolysis strategy. • Mutual synergistic effects of transition metal-carbon composites enhance reversible oxygen electrocatalysis. • The efficient noble-metal-free electrocatalyst exhibits promising performance for rechargeable Zn-air batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the early- and mid-term outcomes of aortic root repair and replacement, and to provide evidence to improve root management in acute type A aortic dissection (AAAD). This study enrolled 455 patients who underwent AAAD root repair (n = 307) or replacement (n = 148) between January 2016 and December 2017. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) method was used to control for treatment selection bias. The primary outcomes were in-hospital mortality, mid-term survival, and proximal aortic reintervention. The success rate of root repair was 99.7%. The in-hospital mortality in the conservative root repair (CRR) and aggressive root replacement (ARR) were 8.1% and 10.8%. The median follow-up time was 67.76 months (IQR, 67–72 months). After adjusting for baseline factors, there was no significant differences in mid-term survival (p =.750) or the proximal aortic reintervention rate (p =.550) between the two groups. According to Cox analysis, age, hypertension, severe aortic regurgitation, CPB time, and concomitant CABG were all factors associated with mid-term mortality. Regarding reintervention, multivariate analysis identified renal insufficiency, bicuspid aortic valve, root diameter ≥ 45 mm, and severe aortic regurgitation as risk factors, while CRR did not increase the risk of reintervention. The subgroup analysis revealed heterogeneity in the effects of surgical treatment across diverse populations based on a variety of risk factors. For patients with AAAD, both CRR and ARR are appropriate operations with promising early and mid-term outcomes. The effects of treatment show heterogeneity across diverse populations based on various risk factors. • New technique for aortic root repair in acute type A aortic dissection. • Comparison of safety and feasibility, assessing survival and reintervention rates. • Large sample size and moderate-length follow-up period. • Subgroup analysis conducted. • Use of inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) for variable balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study develops a practical copula-based FORM in an original physical space for an efficient slope reliability analysis involving correlated non-normal variables. First, the copula theory for modeling the joint probability distribution of cohesion and friction angle of soils is briefly introduced. Second, the traditional expanding dispersion ellipse perspective of the FORM is reviewed. Then, a new expanding dispersion contour perspective of the copula-based FORM is formulated in detail. Finally, two illustrative slope examples are presented to illustrate and demonstrate the developed copula-based FORM and its expanding dispersion contour perspective. The results indicate that the developed copula-based FORM has good accuracy and efficiency in deriving the reliability index and design point for a typical slope reliability problem. It operates in an original physical space and thus is suitable for a complex slope reliability problem with an implicit performance function. The copulas for characterizing various dependence structures between the cohesion and friction angle of soils have a significant impact on slope reliability index, especially under a high reliability level and a strong degree of negative correlation. The proposed expanding dispersion contour perspective facilitates the understanding of the copula-based FORM, which can readily explain the slope reliability results produced by various copulas. The derived design points are obtained by simultaneously considering the marginal distributions, correlation as well as various non-Gaussian dependence structures of soil parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Designed a self-powered intelligent sensing system (IGS) for real-time monitoring of human movement steps and pace. • IGS can be used in sports scenarios such as triple jump or hurdle races that require pressure sensing monitoring. • P(AM-MA)-PEI hydrogels exhibit excellent stretchability (>800 %) and conductive recoverability. • DES-TENG demonstrates excellent contact sensing performance in terms of high frequency, high pressure, and durability. With the continuous development of intelligent wearable devices, new requirements are put forward for the collection of human motion information. In this paper, a self-powered motion sensor with high precision, high stability and high output power was prepared by utilizing the flexibility and stretchability of the conductive hydrogel and combining with the nanogenerator. Even at a contact frequency of 3.0 Hz, the sensor can produce an open circuit voltage of 225 V and a power density of 187 mW m−2. It can not only be used as a power source to drive electronic devices, but also to achieve accurate acquisition of human movement steps and walking speed. When applying different forces, the sensor shows a more obvious difference, and its theoretical resolution can reach 0.1 N. Because the hinge hydrogel has good flexibility, resilience and stability, it can still maintain its original shape after 4000 times of pressure testing, and can be directly attached to the human skin surface, providing a new idea for the field of self-powered pressure sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The formation mechanism of phase, texture and grain of as-deposited Hastelloy X and nano-TiC reinforced Hastelloy X alloy is discussed. • The effect of nano-TiC reinforcement on the friction and wear properties and wear mechanism of Hastelloy X alloy formed by laser powder bed fusion was revealed. • The effect of nano-TiC enhancement on the tensile properties of Hastelloy X alloy formed by laser powder bed fusion at room temperature and the plastic deformation behavior during stretching are revealed. Hastelloy X (HX) alloy as a typical solid solution strengthened nickel-based superalloy, has been widely used in the preparation of hot end components. The microstructure evolution and properties of HX alloy and nano-TiC reinforced HX alloy (TiC/HX) formed by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) were studied. The results show that adding 3 wt% nano-TiC particles can not only inhibit the formation of cracks, but also effectively improve the dry sliding friction, wear properties and room temperature tensile properties. Nano-TiC particles can significantly promote the competitive growth of dendrites, refine the grains, and reduce the residual thermal stress. In addition, it can significantly improve the shear modulus and tensile strength. Under the same forming parameters, the wear rate of the nano-TiC/HX composite material is 51 % lower than that of the pure HX alloy, only 174.49 μm3/(N·mm). At the same time, the tensile strength of the alloy increased from 708 MPa to 1131 MPa, the yield strength increased from 619 MPa to 842 MPa, and the elongation doubled to 16 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nucleophosmin-anaplastic lymphoma kinase (NPM-ALK), a fusion protein generated by a chromosomal translocation, is a causative gene product of anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL). It induces cell proliferation and tumorigenesis by activating the transcription factor, signal transducer and activator of transcription factor 3 (STAT3). We herein demonstrated that STAT3 underwent acetylation at K685 in a manner that was dependent on the kinase activity of NPM-ALK. To investigate the role of STAT3 acetylation in NPM-ALK-induced oncogenesis, we generated Ba/F3 cells expressing NPM-ALK in which STAT3 was silenced by shRNA, named STAT3-KD cells, and then reconstituted wild-type STAT3 or the STAT3 K685R mutant into these cells. The phosphorylation level of the K685R mutant at Y705 and S727 was significantly higher than that of wild-type STAT3 in STAT3-KD cells. The expression of STAT3 target genes, such as IL-6, Pim1, Pim2, and Socs3, was more strongly induced by the reconstitution of the K685R mutant than wild-type STAT3. In addition, the proliferative ability of STAT3-KD cells reconstituted with the K685R mutant was slightly higher than that of STAT3-KD cells reconstituted with wild-type STAT3. In comparisons with the inoculation of STAT3-KD cells reconstituted with wild-type STAT3, the inoculation of STAT3-KD cells reconstituted with the K685R mutant significantly enhanced tumorigenesis and hepatosplenomegaly in nude mice. Collectively, these results revealed for the first time that the acetylation of STAT3 at K685 attenuated NPM-ALK-induced oncogenesis. [Display omitted] • NPM-ALK induces the acetylation of STAT3 at K685. • Acetylation at K685 inhibits the transcriptional activation of STAT3. • Acetylation at K685 suppresses NPM-ALK-induced tumorigenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the fate of terrestrial organic carbon (OC) in a cascade impoundment system is critical for recognizing the role of carbon sink for reservoirs. Surface sediments collected from eight cascade reservoirs across the Wujiang River, southwestern China, were analyzed for elemental and stable carbon isotopic (δ13C) composition, and lignin phenols (Σ8 and Λ8) to investigate the spatial distribution, contribution, origin and degradation of sedimentary terrestrial OC. The values of total organic carbon (TOC) and Σ8 exhibited a remarkable reduction along the upstream–downstream transect suggesting the trapping effect of cascade-damming. A relatively broad range of δ13C (−26.61 to −25.54‰, 95% CI) and C/N (6.80–18.20) indicated mixed allochthonous/autochthonous OC sources in surface sediments. The quantitative simulation indicates that the OC of the sediments mainly was derived from terrestrial organic matter. Soil-derived OC rather than C3 vascular plant-derived OC makes a major contribution to sedimentary terrestrial OC in reservoirs on karst terrain. As evidenced by lignin compositions and δ13C, the predominant vascular plant origins of terrestrial OC along the Wujiang River are non-woody angiosperm C3 plants. The aged reservoirs showed a trend of increasing contribution of autochthonous OC, which potentially weaken the role of carbon sink for reservoirs. The relationship between runoff inputs, watershed area/water surface area ratios, and water residence time and Λ8 were explored, indicating the natural and anthropogenic influences on terrestrial OC remains very complex in a cascade-damming river. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MOF/TMB -based multidimensional spectral array platform for sensitive discrimination of protein phosphorylation. [Display omitted] A multifunctional metal–organic framework (MOF) hybrid Zr-FeTCPP-MOF is fabricated with 2-aminoterephthalic acid (NH 2 -BDC) and Fe (III) meso -Tetra (4-carboxyphenyl) porphine chloride (FeTCPPCl) participating in the coordination to Zr 6 clusters via one-pot hydrothermal method. The adsorption of phosphoproteins on the surface of Zr-FeTCPP-MOF hybrid cause the chances on the absorbance (Abs), fluorescence (FL) and resonance light scattering (RLS) signals of Zr-FeTCPP-MOF/3,3′,5,5′-Tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) system, and an array sensing platform is successfully built for sensitive identification of protein phosphorylation based on the three-dimensional spectral changes of MOF/TMB sensing system induced by the variations on the structure, size, and phosphorylation site of phosphoproteins. This array sensing system is robust in recognizing different phosphoprotein species, and shows high sensitivity in discriminating similar phosphoproteins of different phosphorylation distribution, i.e., caseins (α-, β- and κ-cas). The detection limit of this array sensing platform to individual phosphoprotein is low down to 5 nM. The practical application of this MOF/TMB-base sensing system is substantially demonstrated by identifying tau peptides with different phosphorylation distribution, and distinguishing cancer cells of abnormal phosphorylations from normal cells. This work proves the reliability, sensitivity, and practicality of the MOF/TMB-base sensing system platform for the diagnosis of phosphorylation-related diseases in clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the reliability analysis and residual life assessment model of gas pipelines with multiple corrosion pits are established. Aiming at the simulation evaluation of small failure probability of gas pipelines, a new method for reliability analysis and residual life assessment of gas pipelines with multiple internal corrosion pits is proposed, which is called the Hamiltonian Monte Carlo subset simulation (HMC-SS) method. Compared with the traditional MCS (Monte Carlo simulation) algorithm, the HMC-SS method has the advantages of less sampling, low cost, and high accuracy. And compared with the random walk SS method, the HMC-SS method can analyze the state space more efficiently and achieve faster convergence. In this paper, the HMC-SS method is applied to the reliability analysis and residual life assessment of gas pipeline engineering, and the sensitivity analysis of the random parameters affecting the failure probability of the pipeline is carried out. The results show that the corrosion rate, the depth of corrosion defects, and the wall thickness of the pipeline have great influence on the residual life of the pipeline, while the yield strength, working pressure, and the length of corrosion pits have no obvious influence on the failure probability and residual life of the pipeline. The analysis shows that the proposed HMC-SS method can be used as a reasonable tool for failure assessment of natural gas pipelines affected by corrosion to determine the remaining life of the pipeline system. This method provides a reliable theoretical basis for the integrity management of the gas pipeline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A non-intrusive method for determining the time-resolved fuel mass flow rate in a hybrid rocket engine is proposed based on tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS). The present work performed experimental tests using oxygen/paraffin as the propellant in a laboratory-scale hybrid rocket engine, applying oxidizer-to-fuel ratios in the range of 2.5–2.9 corresponding to combustion chamber pressures of 1.68–2.46 MPa. Variations in temperature and H 2 O partial pressure at the nozzle outlet were determined adopting TDLAS based on H 2 O absorption near 2.5 μm. Three H 2 O absorption lines at 4029.5, 4030.6 and 4030.7 cm−1 were simultaneously measured using only one diode laser at 2.0 kHz repetition rate and adopting a scanned-wavelength direct absorption strategy. The airflow velocity at the nozzle outlet was ascertained in two-dimensional numerical simulations. In this manner, the time-resolved fuel mass flow rate participating in combustion can be derived from the ideal state equation. A detailed discussion of the measurement uncertainty was provided herein considering the influence from determination of temperature, H 2 O partial pressure and velocity. The effectiveness of the novel method was validated by comparing its results with that acquired with the traditional weight-loss technique. Finally, it is initially analyzed that the combustion efficiency of pure paraffin fuel gradually increases during the combustion process according to the measurement results. • An optical fuel mass flow measurement method for hybrid rocket engines is proposed. • The quantitative fuel mass flow rate participating in combustion is obtained. • A compact tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy system was designed. • Variations of temperature and H 2 O partial pressure at the nozzle exit were diagnosed. • Combustion characteristics of the oxygen/paraffin hybrid rocket were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bronchial mucosal epithelial dysregulation and barrier disruption are involved in the initiation and development of acute lung injury (ALI). Some inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-17 (IL-17) contribute to the pathological changes of ALI. However, the roles and relationship between TNF-α and IL-17 during the disruption of bronchial epithelial tight junction remain unclear. Tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) is confirmed to have beneficial functions in hemostasis, inflammation, and cell growth. Here, we demonstrated the protective effects of TMP on bronchial mucosal epithelial injury induced by IL-17. We showed that IL-17 stimulation in vitro markedly reduced occludin and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) expression in bronchial mucosal epithelial cells via the nuclear factor-κB-p65/TNF-α signaling pathway, including NF-κB-p65-triggered TNF-α gene transcription and expression. TMP obviously rescued IL-17-induced occludin and ZO-1 downregulation. Mechanically, TMP substantially suppressed NF-κB-p65 activation and NF-κB-p65-induced TNF-α production in bronchial mucosal epithelial cells caused by IL-17. Taken together, this study indicates that TMP has a protective effect on bronchial mucosal epithelial cell injury due to IL-17 induction by inhibiting the NF-κB-p65/TNF-α signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Passive radiant cooling is a potentially sustainable thermal management strategy amid escalating global climate change. However, petrochemical-derived cooling materials often face efficiency challenges owing to the absorption of sunlight. We present an intrinsic photoluminescent biomass aerogel, which has a visible light reflectance exceeding 100%, that yields a large cooling effect. We discovered that DNA and gelatin aggregation into an ordered layered aerogel achieves a solar-weighted reflectance of 104.0% in visible light regions through fluorescence and phosphorescence. The cooling effect can reduce ambient temperatures by 16.0°C under high solar irradiance. In addition, the aerogel, efficiently produced at scale through water-welding, displays high reparability, recyclability, and biodegradability, completing an environmentally conscious life cycle. This biomass photoluminescence material is another tool for designing next-generation sustainable cooling materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gliomas, the predominant form of brain cancer, comprise diverse malignant subtypes with limited curative therapies available. The insufficient understanding of their molecular diversity and evolutionary processes hinders the advancement of new treatments. Technical complexities associated with formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded (FFPE) clinical samples hinder molecular‐level analyses of gliomas. Current single‐cell RNA sequencing (scRNA‐seq) platforms are inadequate for large‐scale clinical applications. In this study, automated snRandom‐seq is developed, a high‐throughput single‐nucleus total RNA sequencing platform optimized for archival FFPE samples. This platform integrates automated single‐nucleus isolation and droplet barcoding systems with the random primer‐based scRNA‐seq chemistry, accommodating a broad spectrum of sample types. The automated snRandom‐seq is applied to analyze 116 492 single nuclei from 17 FFPE samples of various glioma subtypes, including rare clinical samples and matched primary‐recurrent glioblastomas (GBMs). The study provides comprehensive insights into the molecular characteristics of gliomas at the single‐cell level. Abundant non‐coding RNAs (ncRNAs) with distinct expression profiles across different glioma clusters and uncovered promising recurrence‐related targets and pathways in primary‐recurrent GBMs are identified. These findings establish automated snRandom‐seq as a robust tool for scRNA‐seq of FFPE samples, enabling exploration of molecular diversities and tumor evolution. This platform holds significant implications for large‐scale integrative and retrospective clinical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a correction notice for an article titled "BMP2 induces chondrogenic differentiation, osteogenic differentiation and endochondral ossification in stem cells." The authors acknowledge that the original article contained incorrect figures. The corrected figures show the expression of various types of collagens, staining used to identify chondrogenic and osteogenic differentiation, and BMP2-induced osteochondrogenic differentiation in vivo. The corrected article is now available. The publisher, Springer Nature, remains neutral and does not take a position on jurisdictional claims or institutional affiliations. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Clinically, the coadministration of opioids to enhance antinociception and decrease tolerance has attracted increasing research attention. We investigated the effects of dezocine, a mu- and kappa-opioid receptor agonist/antagonist, on morphine tolerance and explored the involvement of opioid receptor expression in a rat model of bone cancer pain.Methods: Thermal nociceptive thresholds were measured after the subcutaneous injection of morphine (10 mg/kg) alone or combined with dezocine (10 or 1 mg/kg) for 7 consecutive days. Real-time PCR and western blot analysis were used to examine opioid receptor expression in the periaqueductal gray (PAG) and spinal cord.Results: The analgesic effect was significantly decreased after 4 days of morphine administration. We observed that low-dose dezocine significantly attenuated morphine tolerance without reducing the analgesic effect of morphine. Low-dose dezocine coadministration significantly reversed the downregulated expression of mu (MOR) and delta (DOR) opioid receptors in the PAG and the upregulated expression of kappa (KOR) and DOR in the spinal cord induced by morphine. Moreover, low-dose dezocine coadministered with morphine significantly inhibited KOR expression in both the PAG and spinal cord.Conclusions: The combination of low-dose dezocine with morphine may prevent or delay the development of morphine tolerance in a rat model of bone cancer pain. The regulation of opioid receptor expression in the PAG and spinal cord may be part of the mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Re‐customizable mechanical behavior is critical for versatile materials with tunable functions and applications, but inverse design for varying targets is often hindered by complex coupling between structural topologies and mechanics. In this work, a novel "stair‐building" strategy for customizing as well as re‐customizing target mechanical behavior for mechanical metamaterials is proposed. Similar to building a stair with bricks, customizing or re‐customizing a target stress–strain (force–displacement) curve for the material can be realized by stacking the brick‐like loading curves of bistable units visually. The mechanical feasibility of the "stair‐building" strategy is firstly physically realized in a type of array‐structured multistable mechanical metamaterial and then carefully verified by theoretical mechanics analysis. Accordingly, three specific simple design schemes are further proposed for implementation. The "stair‐building" strategy is proved to be rapid, effective, and accurate for mechanical behavior customization by both experiments and finite element simulations. Moreover, re‐customization for diverse mechanical behaviors in a wide range can be realized by the same piece of metamaterial. This design strategy provides a novel approach for tailoring metamaterials with re‐customizable target mechanical behaviors and applies to a variety of bistable units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a mathematical analysis model of economics of prefabricated building structure based on improved neural network algorithm is proposed in order to solve the low analysis accuracy in traditional methods. Firstly, by means of analyzing the costs of materials, labor, and equipment, the economic characteristics of the cost of fabricated building structures are determined. Secondly, the single neuron is analyzed and the weight coefficient is adjusted in accordance with the multilayer neural network structure, so as to minimize the construction error of the economic analysis model of the assembled building structure. Meanwhile, the weight vector is obtained, error-weighted square sum is calculated through choosing an adaptive filter and obtained, and the weight vector is updated by the least squares algorithm. Thirdly, the neural network algorithm training and learning process is designed and improved, the dependent variable is selected, the number of input points is determined, and then, the training and learning process of the improved neural network algorithm is completed. Finally, a fitness function is set to measure the authenticity of dataset, which is further defined as a combination of different weights to construct an economic mathematical analysis model. The experimental results indicate that the analysis results of this method can reach an accuracy up to 96%, so it has a broader application prospect in low-rise buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peritectic solidification has attracted increasing attention as a lot of important binary alloys, such as Fe–Ni, Zn–Cu, Fe–C and Ti–Al, exhibit peritectic reaction during solidification. In order to investigate the solidification behavior of Zn-rich Zn–Cu peritectic alloy containing nominally up to 7.8 wt.% Cu, a series of laser surface remelting experiments were performed. With the increase in growth velocity, Zn–Cu alloys with Cu content below 3.0wt.% showed an evolutional sequence from low-velocity η planar interface → lamellar structures → η shallow cells and finally to high-velocity η planar interface. The Zn-4.0 wt.%Cu alloy showed a similar transitional sequence except that irregular η cells appeared when low-velocity planar interface became unstable. In contrast, ε cell/dendrite was the typical microstructure of the Zn-7.8 wt.% Cu alloy within the whole scanning velocity range. Based on the maximum interface temperature criterion, a eutectic growth model under rapid solidification conditions (TMK model) and a self-consistent numerical model for the cellular and dendrite growth were applied to establish a phase and microstructure pattern selection map, which drew a clear whole picture of the relationship between phase/microstructure and solidification conditions of this series of alloys. Regarding the microstructure feature, our investigation revealed the range of the solidification velocity and chemical composition of lamellar structures as dominant microstructure and their lamellar spacing displayed a considerable range of the average value as a function of growth velocity. The relationship between the lamellar spacing and the growth velocity was further analyzed by using the TMK eutectic model, and the results showed the same overall trend as the experimental results. A phase and microstructure pattern selection map of Zn-rich Zn–Cu peritectic alloys. Regression analysis of the average spacing of lamellar structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Hypertension responsible for more than 10 million deaths annually worldwide and abnormal diurnal blood pressure (BP) variation is associated with cardiovascular events. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the association between the 24-h ambulatory night BP dipping and morning BP surge (MS) with characteristic of coronary artery lesions that may contribute cardiovascular events and mortality burden. Methods: A cross sectional study over 1-year, collected 263 cases of hypertensive (80%) and non-hypertensive patients, aged 61 ± 10 years, who undergoing invasive coronary angiography (CAG) and 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring admitted to cardiology department complain of chest pain. The night-time/day-time dip and sleep-trough MS were calculated. Non-dipper status was considered when night-time/day-time dip < 10%, and significant coronary lesion (SCL) when ≥ 50 % stenosis in 1.5 mm vessels. The SYNTAX (Synergy Between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention with Taxus and Cardiac Surgery) score was used to quantify the complexity of SCL. Result: The mean morning systolic BP (SBP) surge was higher in the high SYNTAX Score subgroup than low and intermediate subgroups (25 ± 11 vs 17 ± 13 and 10 ± 10 mmHg, p < 0.010). Non-dipper SBP status was more frequently in patients with SCL than non-SCL (p < 0.019). In ordinal regression, hypertension was independent predictor of SCL (odd ratio: 0.40, p < 0.003), the night-time/day-time BP dip was independent predictor of being in a higher SYNTAX score subgroup (systolic odd ratio: 0.88, diastolic odd ratio: 1.14 p < 0.05). Conclusion: Hypertension is associated with SCL and the night-time/day-time BP dip as a continuous variable is associated with complex coronary lesion. Non-dipping as categorical variable and morning BP surge were not independent predictors of significant or complex coronary lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The first time to establish the reference intervals for preterm neonates during the 5th to 7th of the life. • The comparisons of serum FT3, FT4 and TSH values of preterm neonates were made by different gestational ages among 26–35 weeks. • The serum FT3 values of males were lower than those of females especially in the 29–32 weeks' group. Due to the lack of reference intervals for serum free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in preterm neonates during the 5th to 7th day of life, we performed a retrospective study using the chemiluminescence immunoassay system. A total of 2040 preterm neonates with a gestational age (GA) of 26–35 weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit from 2014 to 2019 were included. Their serum FT3, FT4 and TSH values were calculated and analyzed to establish reference intervals for preterm neonates stratified by GA. The comparisons of FT3, FT4 and TSH were made by sex (males and females) and gestational age (26–28 weeks; 29–32 weeks; 33–35 weeks). The reference intervals for FT3, FT4 and TSH in preterm neonates with a GA of 26–35 weeks were (1.65~5.21) pmol/L, (8.64~25.41) pmol/L, and (0.406~12.468) mlU/L, respectively. There were significant differences between serum FT3 and FT4 values and GA, while TSH levels were not significantly different (P < 0.01). The serum FT3 values of males were lower than those of females, especially in the 29–32 weeks group. No significant differences in serum values between sexes were found in FT4 or TSH (P > 0.05). Reference intervals of thyroid function tests were established to determine the early diagnostic criteria of thyroid diseases for neonates with a GA of 26–35 weeks and to avoid unnecessary retesting and interventions. The reference intervals of FT4 can be used as an indicator to regulate the doses of thyroid hormone supplement in the treatments of congenital hypothyroidism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present study is to clarify the contributions of cognitive skills (nonverbal reasoning, language comprehension, working memory, attention, processing speed) and academic skills (mathematics facts retrieval, mathematics computation, mathematics vocabulary, reading comprehension) in performing mathematics word problems among elementary school students. With the two-stage meta-analytic structural equation modeling approach, I synthesized 112 correlation matrices from 98 empirical studies (N = 111,346) and fitted the hypothesized partial mediation model. Overall, path analysis indicated that language comprehension, working memory, attention, mathematics vocabulary, and mathematics computation were unique predictors of word-problem solving. Subgroup analysis demonstrated different unique predictors for younger and older students to perform word problems (K-2nd grades versus 3rd–5th grades). Implications, limitations, and future directions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metastable and high-energy electron characteristics obtained from optical emission spectroscopy are used to analyze the dependence of the H mode on the magnetic field strength and discharge pressure. The results show that the H-mode characteristics gradually appears as the magnetic field strength is increased, the reason being that electrons undergo multiple acceleration-collision cycles at high magnetic field strength, thereby the metastable ionization will be increased. This improves energy utilization and making the H mode appearing. The variation in the density of metastable states and the Langmuir probe data shows that the electron energy distribution function evolves from non-Maxwellian to Maxwellian. The radial constraint of the magnetic field to the electrons and thus reduces the electron heating efficiency. Moreover, the increase in electric field strength with magnetic field leads to an increase in energy obtained by the electrons per unit distance. The competition between the two makes the number of high-energy electrons decrease rapidly first, and then increase slowly with magnetic field strength increasing. The turning point increases with the increase of discharge pressure and radio-frequency (RF) power. And the higher the pressure the lower the high-energy electron. For fields between 105.5 G and 212.7 G. In the H-mode regime, and with increasing RF power, the number of high-energy electrons will be sudden rise after experiencing a steady increase. The sudden rise RF power increase with magnetic field and decrease with discharge pressure increase. However, at high magnetic fields (>265 G) and high power (>450 W), the high-energy electron density decreases with power increasing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insulating surface ligands capped on the metal nanocrystals and transition metal chalcogenides are reported to function as electron tunneling interim layer to boost interfacial charge separation and migration, contributing to the significantly enhanced photoredox organic catalysis. [Display omitted] • Ligand-induced electrostatic self-assembly of exquisitely designed electron tunneling photosystems is reported. • The ultra-thin ligands layers play a vital role in triggering electron tunneling between TMCs QDs and metal nanocrystals. • Multifarious photoredox selective organic transformations over metal-ligand-TMCs QDs heterostructures are explored. • The ligand-triggered electron tunneling is demonstrated to be universal. Photocatalytic selective organic transformation represents an emerging avenue for artificial photosynthesis toward renewable solar energy conversion. However, solar-to-chemical conversion efficiency in photocatalysis is largely hampered by the sluggish charge transfer kinetic and difficulty in precise control over the charge migration pathway. Herein, we demonstrate conceptually new metal–insulator–semiconductor (MIS) electron tunneling photosystems to finely modulate the directional charge flow for photoredox selective organic transformation. The ultrathin insulating organic ligands layers capped on the surfaces of metal nanocrystals (NYs) and transition metal chalcogenides quantum dots (TMCs QDs) mutually function as precise directing-mediums to stimulate spontaneous electrostatic self-assembly between the tailor-made oppositely charged metal NYs and TMCs QDs for constructing metal (Au, Pd) NYs/TMCs (CdSe, CdS) QDs heterostructured electron tunneling photosystems. The electrons photoexcited from TMCs QDs can be efficaciously extracted and tunneled to metal NYs across the intermediate insulating hierarchical ligands layers to participate in the photoredox catalysis. The metal NYs-insulating ligands-TMCs QDs photosystems can efficiently mediate the minority carrier transport across the intermediate insulating ligand layers with minimal recombination, thereby resulting in the significantly enhanced net efficiency of multifarious photoactivities toward selective organic transformation including anaerobic photoreduction of nitroaromatics to amino derivatives and selective photo-oxidation of aromatic alcohols to aldehydes under visible light irradiation. The ligand-triggered electron tunneling effect has been evidence to be universal. Our work would inspire ongoing interest in exploring diverse organic ligands-based charge tunneling photosystems and provide a valuable roadmap for substantial solar energy conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: A 2-m axial field-of-view, total-body PET/CT scanner (uEXPLORER) has been recently developed to provide total-body coverage and ultra-high sensitivity, which together, enables opportunities for in vivo time-activity curve (TAC) measurement of all investigated organs simultaneously with high temporal resolution. This study aims at quantifying the cumulated activity and patient dose of 2-[F-18]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (F-18 FDG) imaging by using delayed time-activity curves (TACs), measured out to 8-h post-injection, for different organs so that the comparison between quantifying approaches using short-time method (up to 75 min post-injection) or long-time method (up to 8 h post-injection) could be performed. Methods: Organ TACs of 10 healthy volunteers were collected using total-body PET/CT in 4 periods after the intravenous injection of F-18 FDG. The 8-h post-injection TACs of 6 source organs were fitted using a spline method (based on Origin (version 8.1)). To compare with cumulated activity estimated from spline-fitted curves, the cumulated activity estimated from multi-exponential curve was also calculated. Exponential curve was fitted with shorter series of data consistent with clinical procedure and previous dosimetry works. An 8-h dynamic bladder wall dose model considering 2 voiding were employed to illustrate the differences in bladder wall dose caused by the different measurement durations. Organ absorbed doses were further estimated using Medical Internal Radiation Dose (MIRD) method and voxel phantoms. Results: A short-time measurement could lead to significant bias in estimated cumulated activity for liver compared with long-time-measured spline fitted method, and the differences of cumulated activity were 18.38% on average. For the myocardium, the estimated cumulated activity difference was not statistically significant due to large variation in metabolism among individuals. The average residence time differences of brain, heart, kidney, liver, and lungs were 8.38%, 15.13%, 25.02%, 23.94%, and 16.50% between short-time and long-time methods. Regarding effective dose, the maximum differences of residence time between long-time-measured spline fitted curve and short-time-measured multi-exponential fitted curve was 9.93%. When using spline method, the bladder revealed the most difference in the effective dose among all the investigated organs with a bias up to 21.18%. The bladder wall dose calculated using a long-time dynamic model was 13.79% larger than the two-voiding dynamic model, and at least 50.17% lower than previous studies based on fixed bladder content volume. Conclusions: Long-time measurement of multi-organ TACs with high temporal resolution enabled by a total-body PET/CT demonstrated that the clinical procedure with 20 min PET scan at 1 h after injection could be used for retrospective dosimetry analysis in most organs. As the bladder content contributed the most to the effective dose, a long-time dynamic model was recommended for the bladder wall dose estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new design strategy will provide the possibility for preparing a dynamic sensor by employing the inhibition of C = N isomerization. In this work, the functional probe 4-(1 H-imidazo [4,5-f] [1,10]-phenanthrolin-2-yl) benzaldehyde oxime (compound 4) has been synthesized and such molecule gives rise to blue emission. Due to the incorporation of hypochlorite, the oxime group can be oxidized to the structure of aldehyde. As a result, the molecular motif exhibits sharp emission change from blue to green due to the addition of hypochlorite with enough sensitivity and selectivity (detection limit = 53 nM, linear range 0.5-8.0 µM). It has also been used for monitoring ClO− by employing solution color change and the absorption signal difference could effectively rule out the effects of interference species. To our knowledge, it will be the first case of a highly selective hypochlorite sensor derived from oxime isomerization reaction based on phenanthroline backbone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) has the potential to gain global acceptance for diagnosing malnutrition. Of which, calf circumference (CC) was proposed as an alternative to evaluate the reduced muscle mass (RMM). The present study aimed to evaluate whether including the hand grip strength (HGS) was helpful for diagnosing malnutrition under the GLIM framework. Methods: We performed a multicenter, observational cohort study including 3998 patients with cancer at two teaching hospitals. The RMM criterion was separately assessed using the calf circumference (CC), or the CC and HGS combined. Accordingly, two methods of GLIM diagnosis were independently developed to determine the nutritional status of the patients. The diagnostic concordance, baseline characteristics, and outcomes of patients were compared across the malnourished-CC-HGS, malnourished-CC+HGS, and well-nourished groups. The Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) was used as a comparator to identify the optimal method. Results: Malnutrition was identified in 1120 (28%) patients by the CC method and 1060 (26.5%) patients by the CC+HGS method. Compared to the well-nourished group, the malnourished-CC+HGS group (60 patients, 1.5%) had poorer nutritional characteristics, poorer Karnofsky Performance Status scores, poorer global quality of life scores, and higher Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 scores. The severity of malnutrition diagnosed using the CC method (Kappa = 0.136) showed higher agreement with the PG-SGA than the CC+HGS method (Kappa = 0.127). Conclusion: Compared to CC+HGS, the CC alone appears to be adequate to evaluate RMM under the GLIM framework. A simpler method might facilitate the application of these criteria in clinical settings by increasing efficacy and minimizing missed diagnoses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The treatment of wastewater not only helps to alleviate the scarcity of water and environmental challenges but also generates a by-product called Municipal Sewage Sludge (MSS). The MSS is a high moisture precipitant with plentiful organic and inorganic components. However, some pollutants in MSS components and its high-water content complicate its valorization, and thus, special attention is required for its valorization. Hydrothermal treatments (HTs) can be applied to feedstocks with high moisture content without pre-drying. These processes are gaining more attention to processing MSS into fuels and value-added materials. This work systematically reviews the findings recently emerged from HTs of MSS. The related chemical reactions and the effect of reaction parameters are highlighted based on most recent works. The problems addressed and those not yet addressed are also discussed. Some suggestions are made for the plausible applications of end products with the aim to optimize the whole process. Finally, insight is given into the future of MSS HTs and the concerns that might be the focus of substantial studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]