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Abstract: A series of rod‐shaped polyoxometalates (POMs) [Bu4N]7[Mo6O18NC(CH2O)3MnMo6O18(OCH2)3CNMo6O18] and [Bu4N]7[ArNMo6O17NC(CH2O)3MnMo6O18(OCH2)3CNMo6O17NAr] (Ar=2,6‐dimethylphenyl, naphthyl and 1‐methylnaphthyl) were chosen to study the effects of cation–π interaction on macroionic self‐assembly. Diffusion ordered spectroscopy (DOSY) and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) techniques show that the binding affinity between the POMs and Zn2+ ions is enhanced significantly after grafting aromatic groups onto the clusters, leading to the effective replacement of tetrabutylammonium counterions (TBAs) upon the addition of ZnCl2. The incorporation of aromatic groups results in the significant contribution of cation–π interaction to the self‐assembly, as confirmed by the opposite trend of assembly size vs. ionic strength when compared with those without aromatic groups. The small difference between two aromatic groups toward the Zn2+ ions is amplified after combining with the clusters, which consequently triggers the self‐recognition behavior between two highly similar macroanions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A series of rod‐shaped polyoxometalates (POMs) [Bu4N]7[Mo6O18NC(CH2O)3MnMo6O18(OCH2)3CNMo6O18] and [Bu4N]7[ArNMo6O17NC(CH2O)3MnMo6O18(OCH2)3CNMo6O17NAr] (Ar=2,6‐dimethylphenyl, naphthyl and 1‐methylnaphthyl) were chosen to study the effects of cation–π interaction on macroionic self‐assembly. Diffusion ordered spectroscopy (DOSY) and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) techniques show that the binding affinity between the POMs and Zn2+ ions is enhanced significantly after grafting aromatic groups onto the clusters, leading to the effective replacement of tetrabutylammonium counterions (TBAs) upon the addition of ZnCl2. The incorporation of aromatic groups results in the significant contribution of cation–π interaction to the self‐assembly, as confirmed by the opposite trend of assembly size vs. ionic strength when compared with those without aromatic groups. The small difference between two aromatic groups toward the Zn2+ ions is amplified after combining with the clusters, which consequently triggers the self‐recognition behavior between two highly similar macroanions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Moon-based Synthetic Aperture Radar (Moon-Based SAR), using the Moon as a platform, has a great potential to offer global-scale coverage of the earth's surface with a high revisit cycle and is able to meet the scientific requirements for climate change study. However, operating in the lunar orbit, Moon-Based SAR imaging is confined within a complex geometry of the Moon-Based SAR, Moon, and Earth, where both rotation and revolution have effects. The extremely long exposure time of Moon-Based SAR presents a curved moving trajectory and the protracted time-delay in propagation makes the "stop-and-go" assumption no longer valid. Consequently, the conventional SAR imaging technique is no longer valid for Moon-Based SAR. This paper develops a Moon-Based SAR theory in which a signal model is derived. The Doppler parameters in the context of lunar revolution with the removal of -stop-and-go' assumption are first estimated, and then characteristics of Moon-Based SAR imaging's azimuthal resolution are analyzed. In addition, a signal model of Moon-Based SAR and its two-dimensional (2-D) spectrum are further derived. Numerical simulation using point targets validates the signal model and enables Doppler parameter estimation for image focusing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MiR-25, a member of the miR-106b-25 cluster, has been reported as playing an important role in many biological processes by numerous studies, while the role of miR-25 in metabolism and its transcriptional regulation mechanism remain unclear. In this study, gain-of-function and loss-of-function assays demonstrated that miR-25-3p positively regulated the metabolism of C2C12 cells by attenuating phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) gene expression and triglyceride (TG) content, and enhancing the content of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Furthermore, the results from bioinformatics analysis, dual luciferase assay, site-directed mutagenesis, qRT-PCR, and Western blotting demonstrated that miR-25-3p directly targeted the AKT serine/threonine kinase 1 (Akt1) 3' untranslated region (30UTR). The core promoter of miR-25-3p was identified, and the transcription factor activator protein-2α (AP-2α) significantly increased the expression of mature miR-25-3p by binding to its core promoter in vivo, as indicated by the chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay, and AP-2α binding also downregulated the expression of Akt1. Taken together, our findings suggest that miR-25-3p, positively regulated by the transcription factor AP-2α, enhances C2C12 cell metabolism by targeting the Akt1 gene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We apply Shannon entropy, an information content measure, in sensitivity analysis (SA), stemming from the fact that the essence of SA is to preserve the maximum information content of the parameters of interest that are inverted from the radar response. Then, the sensitivity to the observation configuration and surface parameters is subsequently analyzed. Attempts are also made to explore advantages, by maximizing the information content, of dual-polarization and multi-angle in improving the parameter retrieval from radar sensing of rough surface. Simulation results show that the entropy is a good indicator of the sensitivity of the radar response to the surface parameter, as it contains information on not only the probability distribution of the scattering coefficient but also on its deviation. By information entropy, richer details, to large extent, on the scattering behavior are offered through quantitatively predicting the scattering signal saturation, evaluating the effect of using multi-polarization and multi-angle observation configuration, and identifying non-significant variables. It is found that Shannon entropy, compared to Renyi entropy, appears to better represent the sensitivity with respect to monotonic variation and narrower parameter ranges. The proposed entropy-based SA method helps to deepen our understanding of the microwave scattering behavior in response to surface parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most traditional voltage transformers in transmission and distribution networks are installed inside the substations. Nearly no accessible voltage information in the real‐time scale is available for field engineers to carry out the field measurement for the purposes of the power quality inspection and the equipment maintenance. In order to offer an on‐site and easy‐to‐use solution for the field measurement, the authors propose a novel electric‐field (EF) sensor array based technique for measuring the overhead‐line voltage. Based on the EFs measured by the EF sensor array and the partially known overhead‐line geometry information from utilities, the proposed voltage algorithm can accurately calculate each‐phase voltage without an on‐site calibration before conducting the field measurement. The simulation results demonstrate that the authors' proposed technique with only three EF sensors can accurately calculate the overhead‐line voltages and successfully reconstruct the real‐time three‐phase waveforms. The experiment results verify the feasibility of the proposed voltage sensor for the overhead‐line voltage measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N-Substituted-3(10H)-acridones have been established as visible-light organic photocatalyst. These photosensitizers are efficient for oxidative coupling reaction of N-aryl tetrahydroisoquinolines with various nucleophiles. Notably, N-methyl-3(10H)-acridone ( Ia ) is stable and can be effectively prepared. It is a water-soluble and atom-economic catalyst, and thus holds promise for green chemical applications. Mechanistic studies confirm a single electron transfer (SET)-induced radical process and a rate-limiting step. Analysis of the photocatalytic reactivity−structure relationship reveals that the acridones are robust and tunable photosensitizers for photoredox catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent results demonstrated that either non-coding or coding genes generate phased secondary small interfering RNAs (phasiRNAs) guided by specific miRNAs. Till now, there is no studies for phasiRNAs in Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F.H. Chen (P. notoginseng), an important traditional Chinese herbal medicinal plant species. Methods: Here we performed a genome-wide discovery of phasiRNAs and its host PHAS loci in P. notoginseng by analyzing small RNA sequencing profiles. Degradome sequencing profile was used to identify the trigger miRNAs of these phasiRNAs and potential targets of phasiRNAs. We also used RLM 5'-RACE to validate some of the identified phasiRNA targets. Results: After analyzing 24 small RNA sequencing profiles of P. notoginseng, 204 and 90 PHAS loci that encoded 21 and 24 nucleotide (nt) phasiRNAs, respectively, were identified. Furthermore, we found that phasiRNAs produced from some pentatricopeptide repeat-contain (PPR) genes target another layer of PPR genes as validated by both the degradome sequencing profile and RLM 5'-RACE analysis. We also found that miR171 with 21 nt triggers the generations of 21 nt phasiRNAs from its conserved targets. Conclusions: We validated that some phasiRNAs generated from PPRs and TASL genes are functional by targeting other PPRs in trans. These results provide the first set of PHAS loci and phasiRNAs in P. notoginseng, and enhance our understanding of PHAS in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Likelihood methods for large spatial datasets on a d -dimensional lattice are often difficult, if not infeasible, to implement due to the computational limitation. When the number of observations gets increasingly large, it is challenging to evaluate the exact likelihood even if normality is assumed, since the covariance matrix is huge. To alleviate the computational difficulties, one can approximate the exact parametric likelihood through the Whittle likelihood, which is based on periodogram ordinates and spectral density functions. By applying fast Fourier transform, it requires less computational operations to calculate these magnitudes. In this paper, we define a local Whittle likelihood function, which can be used to estimate spectral density functions of general spatial lattice processes and a local Whittle likelihood ratio statistic for testing particular parametric spatial classes. When the bandwidth used is large, this method amounts to ordinary Whittle likelihood, while for moderate or small bandwidth, the method is essentially nonparametric estimation of spectral density functions. In addition, the asymptotic properties of the proposed estimator and associated test statistic are derived. It is shown that the asymptotic distribution of the test statistic is not affected by the underlying spatial asymptotic framework or the shape of the sampling regions. Simulation results and real data examples are also reported to illustrate the finite sample performance of the methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Two-stage reconstruction with total implant removal and re-implantation after infection control is considered the gold standard treatment for infection after hip arthroplasty. However, removal of the well-fixed stem or cup may cause substantial bone loss and other complications, thereby making reconstruction difficult. We evaluated whether an infection post total hip arthroplasty can be treated without removal of the radiographically and clinically well-fixed femoral stem or acetabular cup.Methods: Patients with a chronic infection after total hip arthroplasty, with a radiographically well-fixed, cementless stem or cup, were selected. During the first surgical stage, we retained the stem or cup if we were unable to remove these with a stem or cup extractor. An antibiotic-impregnated cement spacer was then implanted. After control of infection (C-reactive protein level within normal value), we performed the second stage of re-implantation surgery. Treatment failure was defined as uncontrolled infection requiring removal of the retained implant.Results: From January 2004 to December 2013, 16 patients underwent partial component-retained two stage reconstruction. Thirteen patients (81.3%) were free of infection, with a mean follow-up time of five years. The remaining three patients, who had high-risk comorbidities and, of whom, two were infected by high-virulence organisms, had uncontrolled infection and required further surgery to remove the retained implant.Conclusions: Partial component-retained two-stage reconstruction could be an alternative treatment option for chronic infection after an uncemented total hip arthroplasty with a radiographically and clinically well-fixed component in selected patients, who are not immunocompromised and are infected by a low-virulence organism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) is a powerful nonlinear spectroscopy technique that is rapidly gaining recognition of different molecules. Unfortunately, molecular concentration information is generally not immediately accessible from the raw CARS signal due to the nonresonant background. In addition, mainstream biomedical applications of CARS are currently hampered by a complex and bulky excitation setup. Here, we establish a dual-soliton Stokes based CARS spectroscopy scheme capable of quantifying the sample molecular, using a single fiber laser. This dual-soliton CARS scheme takes advantage of a differential configuration to achieve efficient suppression of nonresonant background and therefore allows extraction of quantitative composition information. Besides, our all-fiber based excitation source can probe the most fingerprint region (1100–1800 cm −1 ) with a spectral resolution of 15 cm − 1 under the spectral focusing mechanism, where is considerably more information contained throughout an entire spectrum than at just a single frequency within that spectrum. Systematic studies of the scope of application and several fundamental aspects are discussed. Quantitative capability is further experimentally demonstrated through the determination of oleic acid concentration based on the linear dependence of signal on different Raman vibration bands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The security is a critical issue for business purposes. For example, the cloud meeting must consider strong security to maintain the communication privacy. Considering the scenario with cloud meeting, we apply extended chaotic map to present passwordless group authentication key agreement, termed as Passwordless Group Authentication Key Agreement (PL-GAKA). PL-GAKA improves the computation efficiency for the simple group password-based authenticated key agreement (SGPAKE) proposed by Lee et al. in terms of computing the session key. Since the extended chaotic map has equivalent security level to the Diffie-Hellman key exchange scheme applied by SGPAKE, the security of PL-GAKA is not sacrificed when improving the computation efficiency. Moreover, PL-GAKA is a passwordless scheme, so the password maintenance is not necessary. Short-term authentication is considered, hence the communication security is stronger than other protocols by dynamically generating session key in each cloud meeting. In our analysis, we first prove that each meeting member can get the correct information during the meeting. We analyze common security issues for the proposed PL-GAKA in terms of session key security, mutual authentication, perfect forward security, and data integrity. Moreover, we also demonstrate that communicating in PL-GAKA is secure when suffering replay attacks, impersonation attacks, privileged insider attacks, and stolen-verifier attacks. Eventually, an overall comparison is given to show the performance between PL-GAKA, SGPAKE and related solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to develop a reliable and valid short version of the Udvalg for Kliniske Undersogelser (UKU) to efficiently evaluate the side effects of antipsychotics in patients with schizophrenia. This multi-site study included 10 hospitals, which included 331 inpatients and outpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia. UKU, Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S), Personal and Social Performance (PSP) and dosage of paliperidone were collected. The predictive validity of the UKU-short version, as well as that of the CGI-S, PSP and paliperidone dosages, was analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM), latent growth models (LGM), and confirmatory factor analysis to test its content and construct validity. The UKU-short included nine-items of sedation, reduced sleep, rigidity, tremor, akathisia, headache, reduced salivation, constipation and orthostatic dizziness, and has good construct and content validity over time. Confirmatory factor analysis showed good construct validity, with the psychic, neurological and autonomic side effect dimensions having correlations between 0.60 and 0.71. The predictive validity of the short-version UKU for psychiatric symptoms (CGI-S), quality of life (PSP) and dosage showed that the effects of drug dosage were negligible, and only neurological side effects were associated with psychiatric symptoms and quality of life. The UKU-short showed good content, construct and predictive validity. It is a more time-efficient instrument than the original UKU. This study only included patients treated with paliperidone, larger scale studies is needed to validate the UKU-short in detection of side effects in routine clinical practice to prevent non-adherence in patients with schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic and epigenetic alterations observed at end stage OSCC formation could be considered as a consequence of cancer development and thus changes in normal or premalignant tissues which had been exposed to oral carcinogens such as Dibenzo[def,p]chrysene (DBP) may better serve as predictive biomarkers of disease development. Many types of DNA damage can induce epigenetic changes which can occur early and in the absence of evident morphological abnormalities. Therefore we used ERRBS to generate genome-scale, single-base resolution DNA methylomes from histologically normal oral tissues of mice treated with DBP under experimental conditions known to induce maximum DNA damage which is essential for the development of OSCC induced by DBP in mice. After genome-wide correction, 30 and 48 differentially methylated sites (DMS) were identified between vehicle control and DBP treated mice using 25% and 10% differences in methylation, respectively. RT-PCR was further performed to examine the expressions of nine selected genes. Among them, Fgf3, a gene frequently amplified in head and neck cancer, showed most prominent and significant gene expression change (2.4× increases), despite the hypomethylation of Fgf3 was identified at >10kb upstream of transcription start site. No difference was observed in protein expression between normal oral tissues treated with DBP or vehicle as examined by immunohistochemistry. Collectively, our results indicate that Fgf3 hypomethylation and gene overexpression, but not protein expression, occurred in the early stage of oral carcinogenesis induced by DBP. Thus, Fgf3 hypomethylation may serve as a potential biomarker for early detection of OSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, system identification with variable fitness functions (FFs) by using the real-coded genetic algorithm (RGA) is proposed for a liquid crystal display (LCD) glass-handling robot system. The FFs including the state errors and energy balance equation are compared for the system. Firstly, the mechatronic modeling including mechanical and electrical dynamic equations are formulated. Secondly, the FFs including state errors and energy balance equations by using the RGA method are employed to maximize the FFs values, and to identify the unknown system parameters. From numerical simulations, it is found that the identified performance with energy balance equation FF by using the RGA method has the best identified performance among the other FFs. Finally, the RGA method with FFs are experimentally performed to identify the parameters for a real robot system. From the comparisons of the experimental results, it is also found that the energy balance equation FF has the best identified performance among the other FFs. Therefore, the unknown parameters of the real robot system can be correctly identified by the RGA method with the energy balance equation FF. The contribution of this paper is to propose an energetics FF to be implemented in system identification for the mechatronic system. It can be concluded that the more system states are used in the FF, the more correct system parameters are identified for the robot system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previously, we showed that oral application of the environmental pollutant dibenzo[a,l]pyrene (DB[a,l]P) induces oral tumors in mice. Thus, in the present investigation we examined the effect of alcohol on DB[a,l]P-induced DNA damage and immune regulation; we showed that alcohol (6.4% v/v in the diet, 35% of Calories) significantly enhanced the levels of (−)-anti-trans-DB[a,l]P-dA while decreased the levels of GSH in the mouse oral tissues. Analysis of RNA expression revealed that DB[a,l]P alone upregulates inflammatory genes while alcohol suppresses several markers of immune surveillance. Collectively, these results suggest that alcohol may enhance oral carcinogenesis induced by DB[a,l]P. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel tri-detector structure and signal processing method to suppress the local oscillator noise for optical heterodyne receiver is proposed. The tri-detector receiver adds a negative feedback loop and a photodetector compared with the traditional dual-detector receiver. Theoretical analysis shows: By use of proper signal processing technique the intensity noise of the local oscillator, which is not only in the direct current component but also in the intermediate frequency component, has been canceled completely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outstanding performance of halide perovskites in optoelectronic applications can be partly attributed to their high absorption coefficient and long carrier lifetime, which are also desirable for photocatalysts. Herein, we report that cesium lead iodide perovskite quantum dots (CsPbI3 QDs) can be used as catalysts to promote the polymerization of 2,2',5',2"-ter-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene under visible light illumination while preserving the quantum dot in the desirable cubic crystal phase. Simultaneously, the generated conducting poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), PEDOT, encapsulates and stabilizes the morphology of the CsPbI3 QDs. The photocatalytic polymerization clearly depends on the concentration of the CsPbI3 QDs, and the CsPbI3 QDs maintain the desirable perovskite phase when the concentration of the QD increases. Molecular oxygen and 1,4-benzoquinone can serve as electron acceptors during the photocatalytic polymerization reaction. When molecular oxygen is used, the structure of the CsPbI3 QD transforms from cubic to orthorhombic, while usage of 1,4-benzoquinone preserves the cubic phase of CsPbI3 QD. This novel approach enables the one-step formation of CsPbI3/PEDOT composite, which could be promising for the preparation of novel optoelectronic materials and high performance devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phase-pure monoclinic VO 2 (M) was successfully synthesized by hydrothermal reduction method using oxalic acid as a reductant and solvent-thermal reduction method using methanol as a reductant. Oxidative desulfurization (ODS) activities were investigated and the results revealed that intrinsic ODS activity increased with increasing cell volume for different synthesized VO 2 (M) catalysts. DSC measurement gives the evidence that phase transition temperature of monoclinic VO 2 (M) to rutile VO 2 (R) decreased with increasing cell volume for different VO 2 (M) catalysts. Variable-temperature in-situ Raman spectrum also confirmed that phase transition from VO 2 (M) to VO 2 (R) occurred. Mechanism of ODS reaction on VO 2 (M) catalyst was investigated precisely involving temperatures which phase transition occurred. Below the phase-transition temperature VO 2 (M) showed higher ODS reaction activation energy, while above the phase-transition temperature VO 2 (R) exhibited lower ODS activation energy. This result may be explained by the fact that V O bond length for VO 2 (R) (1.93 Å) fits more for the five-member ring formed with the oxidant tert -butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) during ODS reaction compared with V-O bond length for VO 2 (M) (about 2.03 or 1.86 Å). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type I interferons (IFNs) play essential roles in establishing and modulating host defense against microbial infection via induction of IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) through Janus kinase (JAK)–signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling pathway. However, dysregulation of IFNs production and function could also mediate immune pathogenesis such as inflammatory autoimmune diseases and infectious diseases via aberrantly activating inflammatory responses or improperly suppressing microbial controls. Thus, IFN responses need to be tightly regulated to achieve protective immunity against microbial infection while avoiding harmful toxicity caused by improper or prolonged IFN signaling. Multiple levels of cellular and molecular events act in a cooperated manner to regulate IFN responses, in especial, post-translational modification (PTMs) of signaling molecules and epigenetic modification of gene expression programs are two important mechanisms for regulation of IFN signaling and thus critical for orchestrating IFN-mediated host immune response to the complex pathogenic or environmental stimuli. Conventional PTMs such as phosphorylation and polyubiquitylation, as well as numerous other PTMs including acetylation, ISGylation, SUMOylation and methylation have been shown to potently modulate type I IFN signaling transduction via targeting distinct signaling steps or components. Moreover, epigenetic mechanisms, such as histone modification, DNA methylation, non-coding RNAs play critical roles in regulating chromatin structure and function, leading to flexible and dynamic gene expression patterns downstream type I IFN signaling. Herein, we summarize the recent advances in the PTMs and epigenetic mechanisms in regulation of type I IFN signaling and responses. The involvement of dysregulated IFN signaling in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a simple approach to fabricate cost-effective and highly sensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrates based on Au/Cu hybrid nanostructure arrays for the detection of urea, an important molecule in biological and medical fields. By effectively adjusting the gap size between neighbouring nanorods into the sub-10 nm regime, a high density of hot-spots was generated, enabling the substrates to detect urea signals at a concentration as low as 1 mM with great reproducibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new dust suppression device used in metro tunnel is proposed. • The dust diffusion law along the tunnel and its correlation with nozzle selection are studied. • A full-scale 3D CFD numerical model including dust suppression device is established. • The problem of dust pollution in the construction of urban metro tunnels has been effectively solved. In order to solve the problems of excessive blasting dust concentration and portal pollution in a metro tunnel of a central urban area, a new spray device is discussed and its related parameters are studied in this paper. Through field sampling and an experimental spray dust settling platform, the particle size distribution characteristics of the tunnel blasting dust and the applicability of the nozzle are analysed. The tunnel and spray device are simulated by CFD software, and the variation laws of the droplet field concentration, velocity and particle diameter under different different incident angles, pressures and wind velocity are studied. The dust suppression performance of the new partition spray device is tested through field application. The results show that the droplet field generated by the spray device can effectively cover the whole section of the tunnel. At the same angle of incidence, the high concentration area first increases and then decreases in the direction away from the device, and the maximum concentration section gradually shifts away from the spray device. With the increase of the incident angle, the growth and attenuation trend of the high concentration region gradually flattens. The best incident angle for partitioning and dust reduction is 30°. When the nozzle pressure is set to 8 MPa, the parameters such as concentration, velocity and particle size distribution are the most appropriate. The effect of the air velocity at the air outlet on the characteristics of the droplet group generated by the device is not obvious. The field application shows that when the spray device is used, the dust reduction efficiency of respiratory dust and total dust at each measuring point is higher than 70 %. Compared with the original dust control measures, the average dust reduction efficiency is increased by 30 %, which can effectively improve the working environment of constructors in the tunnel and prevent the outward diffusion of dust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Multi-camera common optical path structure is proposed for the tomography of dynamic flame temperature. • The spatial object-image mapping relationship is established quantitatively by convolution method based on the Fourier optics theory. • Both the point spread function and the photoelectric conversion of tomographic imaging system are calibrated by experiments. • The spatiotemporal evolution of flame temperature is analyzed by the proposed method. In the single projection direction, we propose a multi-camera common optical path system for three-dimensional radiation thermometry of dynamic flame, which is realized in the form of prism cascade. Different cameras can focus on certain sections of the flame along the main optical axis synchronously and independently. The image recorded by each camera linearly consists of a focused flame section and other remaining sections with defocused state. On the basis of point spread function, the spatial object-image mapping relationship is established by convolution, and the tomography of flame sections is performed by deconvolution. Then, the flame temperature is reconstructed by use of Planck's Law. The effectiveness of proposed method is verified by experiments, which could characterize the spatiotemporal evolution of flame temperature. Furthermore, it is expected to be able to achieve compatible measurements with high spatial and high temporal resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel fluorescent probe HBT-H based on benzothiazole has been designed and synthesized. The probe has excellent selectivity and can be used for specific detection of Cu2+. Under 360 nm UV excitation, the probe HBT-H itself has a fluorescence emission peak at 487 nm, emitting cyan blue fluorescence, fluorescence quenching after added Cu2+. The detection limit of Cu2+ recognition by HBT-H probe was calculated as 3.08 × 10−7 M. According to Job's plot and high resolution mass spectrometry, the complexation ratio of HBT-H to Cu2+ was 2:1. The sensor mechanism was confirmed as excited intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT). Surprisingly, the probe HBT-H system responded well to pH, showing green fluorescence under acidic conditions and cyan blue fluorescence under alkaline conditions. In addition, the probe HBT-H has excellent membrane permeability and low cytotoxicity, which could not only detect Cu2+ in actual water samples, but also recognize Cu2+ in human breast cancer cells (MCF-7). [Display omitted] • The probe could selectively detect Cu2+ from solutions or water samples. • The detection limit of Cu2+ with this probe was as low as 3.08 × 10−7 M. • The probe could be used to judge the acid-base properties colorimetrically. • The probe was successfully applied to the imaging of human breast cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seeking a material to replace copper (Cu) is essential because the high electron mean free path of Cu has remarkedly increased the resistivity of the interconnect when devices are continuously scaled down. This study aims to deposit a low electron mean free path cobalt (Co) alloy film strengthened by lightly doping nickel (Ni) in a layer-by-layer manner using an automatic electrochemical atomic layer deposition methodology. Through sequential underpotential deposition (UPD) of Co followed by surface-limited redox replacement (SLRR) of Ni, yielding an approximate monolayer, a film with a controlled composition of Co(Ni) can be deposited by modulating the termination time during the open circuit of SLRR-Ni. The nucleation mechanism correlated with the surface morphology was studied to elucidate electrical resistivity of the Co(Ni) film. The Co(Ni) film with 3.9 at.% Ni yields the low electrical resistivity of 27.72 μΩ-cm. The Co(Ni) film displays high breakdown strength, supporting its capability as an interconnecting material for next generation metallization beyond Cu. • Electrochemical deposition of dilute Ni doped Co film as interconnects is performed. • Composition of the film can be controlled through OCP termination time. • Structure and property of Co(Ni) films are evaluated. • The growth of Co(Ni) film is controlled by mass transfer-limited reaction. • Co(Ni) film has a high breakdown strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• NK cells are safe in allogeneic applications and therefore are ideal off-the-shelf drugs. • NK cell-based therapeutics have shown satisfying safety profiles and promising efficiency in cancer treatment. • NK cells possess a reservoir of innate immune receptors targeting various types of cancer cells. • With proper engineering, NK cells can function as the universal anti-cancer drugs that are not restricted to HLA and cancer types. Natural killer (NK) cell therapy is emerging as a cancer treatment. NK cells are innate cytotoxic lymphocytes that act as first-line responders to kill target cells without prior encounters. NK cells recognize cancer cells, virus-infected cells, and other types of stressed cell through a reservoir of germline-encoded receptors. NK cells are safe for allogeneic applications. Therefore, they are the ideal off-the-shelf cell, which overcome the low efficiency issue caused by the patient-by-patient nature of autologous cell therapy. Unlike T cells, NK cells cannot form a strong immune memory; therefore, they suffer from short in vivo persistence. However, different from T cells, NK cells have a reservoir of innate immune receptors targeting a variety of malignant cells. In addition, they can utilize antibody guidance in target recognition. With suitable engineering, NK cells can function as universal anticancer drugs that are not restricted to HLA and cancer types, which will benefit the large cohort of patients with rare cancer types and patients with no convenient drug targets for precision and personalized medicine. Here, we summarize and discuss the designs of current anticancer NK cell therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are important regulators on the onset and progression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Our purpose is to explore the role and underpin mechanism of circ_0000396 in RA progression. Methods: RA patients (n = 39) and healthy volunteers (n = 33) were recruited from the Affiliated Hospital of Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine for the present work. Circ_0000396, microRNA-574-5p (miR-574-5p) and R-spondin 1 (RSPO1) RNA levels were analyzed by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Cell proliferation was analyzed by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, colony formation assay, and 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EDU) assay. Cell apoptosis was assessed by flow cytometry. Protein expression levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), Cyclin D1, Cyclin E1, BCL2-associated × protein (Bax), B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl2), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and RSPO1 were detected by western blot assay. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was conducted to analyze the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines including IL-1β and TNF-α. The interaction between miR-574-5p and circ_0000396 or RSPO1 was confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA-pull down assay. Results: Circ_0000396 expression was notably down-regulated in RA patients compared with healthy controls. Circ_0000396 overexpression suppressed the proliferation and inflammatory response and triggered the apoptosis of RA synovial fibroblasts (RASFs), accompanied by decreases in PCNA, Cyclin D1, Cyclin E1, Bcl2, IL-1β and TNF-α protein expression and an increase in Bax protein expression. Circ_0000396 acted as a molecular sponge for miR-574-5p, and circ_0000396 overexpression-mediated protective effects on RASFs dysfunction were largely reversed by the introduction of miR-574-5p mimics. miR-574-5p interacted with the 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) of RSPO1, and miR-574-5p negatively regulated RSPO1 expression in RASFs. Circ_0000396 could up-regulate the expression of RSPO1 by sponging miR-574-5p in RASFs. RSPO1 interference largely overturned circ_0000396 overexpression-mediated effects in RASFs. Conclusion: Circ_0000396 restrained the proliferation and inflammation and induced the apoptosis of RASFs by mediating miR-574-5p/RSPO1 axis, which provided novel potential targets for RA treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized with senile plaques formed by Aβ deposition, and neurofibrillary tangles composed of hyperphosphorylated tau protein, which ultimately lead to cognitive impairment. Despite the heavy economic and life burdens faced by the patients with AD, effective treatments are still lacking. Previous studies have reported the neuroprotective effects of FGF10 in CNS diseases, but its role in AD remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that FGF10 levels were reduced in the serum of AD patients, as well as in the brains of 3xTg‐AD mice and APPswe‐transfected HT22 cells, suggesting a close relationship between FGF10 and AD. Further investigations revealed that intranasal delivery of FGF10 improved cognitive functions in 3xTg‐AD mice. Additionally, FGF10 treatment reduced tau hyperphosphorylation and neuronal apoptosis, thereby mitigating neuronal cell damage and synaptic deficits in the cortex and hippocampus of 3xTg‐AD mice, as well as APPswe‐transfected HT22 cells. Furthermore, we evaluated the therapeutic potential of FGF10 gene delivery for treating AD symptoms and pathologies. Tail vein delivery of the FGF10 gene using AAV9 improved cognitive and neuronal functions in 3xTg‐AD mice. Similarly, endogenous FGF10 overexpression ameliorated tau hyperphosphorylation and neuronal apoptosis in the cortex and hippocampus of 3xTg‐AD mice. Importantly, we confirmed that the FGFR2/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway was activated following intranasal FGF10 delivery and AAV9‐mediated FGF10 gene delivery in 3xTg‐AD mice and APPswe‐transfected HT22 cells. Knockdown of FGFR2 attenuated the protective effect of FGF10. Collectively, these findings suggest that intranasal delivery of FGF10 and AAV9‐mediated FGF10 gene delivery could be a promising disease‐modifying therapy for AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Controversy remains high over the superiority of advanced machine learning (ML) algorithms to conventional logistic regression (LR) in the prediction of prognosis after traumatic brain injury (TBI). This study aimed to compare the performance of ML and LR models in predicting in-hospital prognosis after TBI. Method: In a single-center retrospective cohort of adult patients hospitalized for moderate-to-severe TBI (Glasgow coma score ≤12) in our hospital from 2011 to 2020, LR and three ML algorithms (XGboost, lightGBM, and FT-transformer) were run to build prediction models for in-hospital mortality and the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) functional outcomes using either all 19 clinical and laboratory features or the 10 non-laboratory ones collected at admission to the neurological intensive care unit. The Shapley (SHAP) value was used for model interpretation. Result: In total, 482 patients had an in-hospital mortality rate of 11.0%. A total of 23.0% of the patients had good functional scores (GOS ≥ 4) at discharge. All ML models performed better than the LR model in predicting in-hospital prognosis after TBI, among which the lightGBM model showed the best performance: When predicting mortality, the lightGBM model yielded an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.953 using all 19 features (the LR model: 0.813) and an AUC of 0.935 using 10 non-laboratory features (the LR model: 0.803); when predicting GOS functional outcomes, it yielded an AUC of 0.913 using all 19 features (the LR model: 0.832) and an AUC of 0.889 using non-laboratory data (the LR model: 0.818). The SHAP method identified key contributors to explain the lightGBM models. Finally, the integration of the lightGBM models with different prediction purposes was found to provide refined prognostic information, particularly for patients who survived moderate-to-severe TBI. Conclusion: The study supported the superiority of ML to LR in predicting prognosis after moderate-to-severe TBI and highlighted its potential use for clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backgrounds: Anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) is an attractive option for revision lumbar interbody fusion as it provides wide access for implant removal and accommodation of large interbody grafts for fusion. However, revision lumbar interbody fusion surgery has not been found to result in significantly better functional outcomes compared with other approaches. To date, no prognostic factors of anterior lumbar interbody fusion in revision lumbar interbody fusion have been reported. In this study, we investigated the surgical results and possible prognostic factors of anterior lumbar interbody fusion in revision lumbar interbody fusion. Methods: Patients who received revision interbody fusion surgery between January 2010 and May 2018 in our hospital were reviewed. Clinical outcomes were determined according to whether the VAS score improvement in back pain and leg pain reached the minimum clinically important difference (MCID) and Macnab criteria. Radiographic outcomes were assessed with fusion rate, preoperative, and postoperative lumbar lordosis. Operative-relative factors that may affect clinical outcomes, such as BMI, existence of cage migration, cage subsidence, pseudarthrosis, previous procedure, and number of fusion segments, were collected and analyzed. Results: A total of 22 consecutive patients who received ALIF for revision interbody fusion surgery were included and analyzed. There were 9 men and 13 women with a mean age at operation of 56 years (26–78). The mean follow-up was 73 months (20–121). The minimal clinically important difference (MCID) was reached in 11 (50%) of the patients for back pain and 14 (64%) for leg pain. According to the modified Macnab criteria, 73% of the patients in this study had successful outcomes (excellent or good). The pain and lumbar lordosis had significant improvement (P < 0.05). Preoperative fusion segment ≥ 2 was shown to be a poor prognostic factor for back pain improvement reaching MCID (P = 0.043). Conclusions: ALIF has proven effective for revision lumbar fusion surgery, yielding positive clinical and radiographic results. However, having two or more preoperative fusion segments can negatively impact back pain improvement. Level of evidence: IV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrocatalytically converting CO 2 to hydrocarbons is a very attractive way to use the excess electricity generated from renewable energies. In this paper, we report the electrochemical reduction of CO 2 based on Cu nanowire arrays. The Cu nanostructured electrode shows much higher current density than polycrystalline Cu. By sputter coating a thin layer of Au on the Cu nanowires, the Faradaic efficiency (FE) of CO can exceed 30%. At an overpotential of 540 mV with respect to the formation of CO, the Cu/Au core-shell nanowire array electrode catalyses the formation of syngas, a very useful gas mixture, with a stable CO/H 2 ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

General news recommendations are important but have received limited attention because of the difficulties of measuring public interest. In public search engines, the objects of search terms reflect the issues that interest or concern search engine users. Because of the popularity of search engines, search indexes have become a new measure for describing public interest trends. With the help of a public search index provided by search engines, we construct a news topic search feature and a news object search feature. These features measure the public attention on key elements of the news. In the experiment, we compare various feature models with machine learning algorithms with respect to financial news recommendations. The results demonstrate that the topic search features perform best compared with other feature models. This research contributes to both the feature generation and news recommendation domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an attempt is made to investigate the angular signatures of bistatic scattering, in the azimuthal direction, from rough surfaces, with the aim of deepening our understanding of the bistatic scattering behaviors and exploring its potential applications. Three distinct angular features, dip angle, scattering strength, and angular width, as a function of the surface roughness and dielectric constant, are identified. Brewster’s scattering, and its role in angular behavior, is examined at limited extent. Results reveal that the angular features strongly correlate with the surface parameters and scattering geometry. For small scattering angle, dip angle and width are independent of surface roughness. Comparatively, for larger incident and scattering angles, beyond 50°, the dip angle and scattering strength are sensitive, simultaneously, to rms height and dielectric constant, while the dip width only responses to rms height. Dips, induced by Brewster’s scattering effect, not only shift in the polar direction, but also in the azimuthal direction, and are strongly dependent on surface parameters and bistatic geometry. Increasing the surface roughness or, equivalently, the incident angle tends to promote the disappearance of dips. The main contributions of this paper can be summarized as follows: 1) quantitative description of dip features, including angle, scattering strength, and angular width; 2) comprehensive characterization of the dip features and their dependence on surface parameters and bistatic geometries; and 3) limited investigation of the behavior of Brewster’s scattering-induced dip. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Herein, we report on an innovative method for the preparation of a series of organometal halide perovskite (OHP) photonic crystal beads with pronounced and tunable photonic stop bands by using self-assembled polystyrene spheres as a mold. After infiltration of the mold with OHP precursor solution and slow drying, the OHPs crystallized in the voids of the polystyrene arrays. By controlling the diameter of the polystyrene spheres, the photonic stop band of the OHPs could be precisely tuned. The overlap between the photonic stop band of the beads and the band gap of the OHPs enhances the light harvesting of the perovskite because of the slow photon effect, which arises from the photonic crystal beads. Moreover, the stability of the composite was greatly enhanced by coating with the transparent polymer PDMS without blocking the light propagation. The coated OHP photonic beads kept their composition even after having been in contact with water for 24 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to efficient markets theory, information is an important factor that affects market performance and serves as a source of first-hand evidence in decision making, in particular with the rapid rise of Internet technologies in recent years. However, a lack of knowledge and inference ability prevents current decision support systems from processing the wide range of available information. In this paper, we propose a common-sense knowledge-supported news model. Compared with previous work, our model is the first to incorporate broad common-sense knowledge into a decision support system, thereby improving the news analysis process through the application of a graphic random-walk framework. Prototype and experiments based on Hong Kong stock market data have demonstrated that common-sense knowledge is an important factor in building financial decision models that incorporate news information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we report on an innovative method for the preparation of a series of organometal halide perovskite (OHP) photonic crystal beads with pronounced and tunable photonic stop bands by using self-assembled polystyrene spheres as a mold. After infiltration of the mold with OHP precursor solution and slow drying, the OHPs crystallized in the voids of the polystyrene arrays. By controlling the diameter of the polystyrene spheres, the photonic stop band of the OHPs could be precisely tuned. The overlap between the photonic stop band of the beads and the band gap of the OHPs enhances the light harvesting of the perovskite because of the slow photon effect, which arises from the photonic crystal beads. Moreover, the stability of the composite was greatly enhanced by coating with the transparent polymer PDMS without blocking the light propagation. The coated OHP photonic beads kept their composition even after having been in contact with water for 24 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Controllable creating of wafer-scale homogeneous vertical or parallel 2D heterostructures with low cost by the van der Waals stacking or covalently bonded stitching of 2D layered materials, such as graphene, hexagonal boron nitride, and transition-metal dichalcogenides, is of great challenge. In this paper, a new green growth strategy for the fabrication of high-quality large-area and low-cost vertical MoS2/graphene heterostructures has been successfully demonstrated via electrochemical deposition in water solution, followed by an annealing process in chemical vapour deposition system for the first time. The vertical MoS2/graphene heterostructures have been systematically investigated by the combined use of Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. This simple, reliable, and environmentally friendly growth strategy on conducting monolayer graphene in a controlled manner opens up a new way for producing low-cost, large-area, and high-quality vertical MoS2/graphene heterostructures, which have promising applications not only in electronics and optoelectronics but also in the fields of catalysis and renewable energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, ultrathin two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), such as MX2 (M = Mo, W; X = S, Se, etc.) have become the flagship materials after graphene. 2D-MX2 have attracted significant attention due to their novel properties arising from their strict dimensional confinement as well as strong spin-orbit coupling effects, which provides an ideal platform for exploring new fundamental research and realizing technological innovation. The 2D nature and the small lattice mismatch between MX2 make them ideal templates for construction of vertical and lateral heterojunctions at atomic scale by means of CVD epitaxial growth. This feature article aims to introduce current advances in the preparation of vertical or lateral epitaxial heterostructures based on 2D MX2 nanosheets as well as their potential applications in electronics, and optoelectronics. Firstly, various epitaxial CVD strategies for synthesis of vertical or lateral 2D MX2 heterostructures are comprehensively reviewed. Meanwhile, the advantages of these epitaxial methods as well as several applications of 2D MX2 heterostructures, such as photodiodes and photovoltaic devices are highlighted. Then the remaining challenges facing the controllable syntheses and the future perspectives of this promising area are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The N-heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed tandem reaction of bromoenals and oxindoles was developed to give the corresponding chiral spirocyclopentene-oxindoles in good yields with good to high diastereo- and enantioselectivities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theoretical modeling plays a significant role as forward and inverse problem in active and passive microwave remote sensing. Understanding the validity and limitations of the models is essential for model refinements and, perhaps more importantly, model applications. Motivated by these, this paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the scattering, both backscattering and bistatic scattering, and emission of rough soil surface predicted by the advanced integral equation model (AIEM), a well-established theoretical model. Numerically simulated data, covering a wide range of surface parameters, and in situ measurement data set of well-characterized bare soil surfaces were used to evaluate the performance of AIEM in predicting the scattering coefficient and microwave emissivity over a wide range of geometric parameters and ground surface conditions. The results show that the AIEM predictions are generally in good consistency with both numerical simulations and experiment measurements in terms of angular, frequency, and polarization dependences, except for some deviations in a few cases (e.g., at large incident angles and dry soil conditions). Extensive comparison confirms the effectiveness and practicability of AIEM for both scattering and emission of rough soil surface. Possible explanations for the discrepancy between the model prediction and data are given, together with suggestions for model usage and refinements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivated from problems in canonical correlation analysis, reduced rank regression and sufficient dimension reduction, we introduce a double dimension reduction model where a single index of the multivariate response is linked to the multivariate covariate through a single index of these covariates, hence the name double single index model. Because nonlinear association between two sets of multivariate variables can be arbitrarily complex and even intractable in general, we aim at seeking a principal one-dimensional association structure where a response index is fully characterized by a single predictor index. The functional relation between the two single-indices is left unspecified, allowing flexible exploration of any potential nonlinear association. We argue that such double single index association is meaningful and easy to interpret, and the rest of the multi-dimensional dependence structure can be treated as nuisance in model estimation. We investigate the estimation and inference of both indices and the regression function, and derive the asymptotic properties of our procedure. We illustrate the numerical performance in finite samples and demonstrate the usefulness of the modelling and estimation procedure in a multi-covariate multi-response problem concerning concrete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Barriers to HIV medication adherence may differ by levels of dosing schedules.Purpose: The current study examined adherence barriers associated with medication regimen complexity and simplification.Methods: A total of 755 people living with HIV currently taking anti-retroviral therapy were recruited from community services in Atlanta, Georgia. Participants completed audio-computer-assisted self-interviews that assessed demographic and behavioral characteristics, provided their HIV viral load obtained from their health care provider, and completed unannounced phone-based pill counts to monitor medication adherence over 1 month.Results: Participants taking a single-tablet regimen (STR) were more likely to be adherent than those taking multi-tablets in a single-dose regimen (single-dose MTR) and those taking multi-tablets in a multi-dose regimen (multi-dose MTR), with no difference between the latter two. Regarding barriers to adherence, individuals taking STR were least likely to report scheduling issues and confusion as reasons for missing doses, but they were equally likely to report multiple lifestyle and logistical barriers to adherence.Conclusions: Adherence interventions may need tailoring to address barriers that are specific to dosing regimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the water purification performances of solid-phase denitrification systems filled with either untreated, acid and alkali pretreated corncob, rice straw and rice hulls. Nitrate reduction improved via pretreatments was found in ascending order from corncob, rice straw and rice hulls systems due to their various chemical compositions, while the pretreated rice hull systems still had the lowest nitrate reduction efficiencies (<90%). Besides, nitrite accumulation only frequently detected (<0.5 mg L −1 ) in rice hulls system especially in untreated system, while ammonium occurrences in effluent were much more prevalent in corncob and rice straw systems than those of rice hulls system, and could be impaired via acid pretreatment. Miseq sequencing analysis showed that the higher abundances of dominant denitrifiers ( Bosea , Acidovorax , Simplicispira , Dechloromonas , etc.) and fermentative anaerobic bacteria ( Actinotalea , Cellulomonas , Opitutus , etc.) co-existed in the pretreated systems than those of none pretreatment, which was vital for efficiently sustainable nitrogen removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The N-heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed [3+3] annulation of indoline-2-thiones and bromoenals has been developed, giving the corresponding indolo[2,3- b]dihydrothiopyranones in high yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a physically based numerical electromagnetic approach, by solving Maxwell's equations, is developed to investigate the scattering and the emission from double-layered media, where both the top and bottom interfaces are random sastrugi surfaces with a random horizontal shift between the two corresponding negative-slope facets of both interfaces. Numerical simulations are illustrated for bistatic scattering and four Stokes parameters at L-, C-, X-, and K-bands. Results indicate that the bistatic scattering and Stokes parameters are asymmetric for the double-sastrugi media, whereas for the other two structures, sastrugi surface alone and sastrugi surface with a planar bottom boundary, their scattering and the first two Stokes parameters are even symmetric relative to the azimuthal angle of 90°, and the third and fourth Stokes parameters are odd symmetric. In particular, the Stokes results no longer have the strong coherent fluctuations in angular variations shown in periodic double-layered structures because the random double-layered structure eliminates the coherent interference. It is interesting to observe that the internal total reflection may cancel if the coupled interactions between the two sastrugi interfaces are very strong, which results in decreasing scattering at the L-band, and its Stokes parameters are similar to those of the sastrugi alone. Numerical results also reveal that the maxima of cross-polarized specular scattering from double-sastrugi structures can be observed at cross incidence; however, they are at a deep dip for the latter two statistical symmetric structures. The sastrugi-sastrugi structure, being geometrically anisotropic, is capable of generating strong cross-polarized scattering and, subsequently, significant amounts of the third and fourth Stokes. The azimuthal patterns, at a viewing angle of 55°, of four Stokes parameters, although more complex, are feature rich where two striking extrema of third and fourth Stokes are presented. Compared with the L-band, the C-band presents strong azimuthal dependence of four Stokes. The simulation results offer deeper insights into the scattering and emission process in sastrugi surface and may lead to better retrieval of surface parameters from radar or radiometric measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Benzo[ c ]phenanthrene (BcP) is a highly toxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) found throughout the environment. In fish, it is metabolized to 3-hydroxybenzo[ c ]phenanthrene (3-OHBcP). In the present study, we observed the effects of 1 nM 3-OHBcP on the development and gene expression of Japanese medaka ( Oryzias latipes ) embryos. Embryos were nanoinjected with the chemical after fertilization. Survival, developmental stage, and heart rate of the embryos were observed, and gene expression differences were quantified by messenger RNA sequencing (mRNA-Seq). The exposure to 1 nM 3-OHBcP accelerated the development of medaka embryos on the 1st, 4th, and 6th days post fertilization (dpf), and increased heart rates significantly on the 5th dpf. Physical development differences of exposed medaka embryos were consistent with the gene expression profiles of the mRNA-Seq results for the 3rd dpf, which show that the expression of 780 genes differed significantly between the solvent control and 1 nM 3-OHBcP exposure groups. The obvious expression changes in the exposure group were found for genes involved in organ formation (eye, muscle, heart), energy supply (ATPase and ATP synthase), and stress-response (heat shock protein genes). The acceleration of development and increased heart rate, which were consistent with the changes in mRNA expression, suggested that 3-OHBcP affects the development of medaka embryos. The observation on the developmental stages and heart beat, in ovo -nanoinjection and mRNA-Seq may be efficient tools to evaluate the effects of chemicals on embryos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives There is no gold standard in diagnosing sarcopenia. We aimed to assess the validity of screening sarcopenia using SARC-F (sluggishness, assistance in walking, rise from a chair, climb stairs, falls). Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Community hospital in Taiwan. Participants Community-dwelling senior citizens. Measurements Participants were interviewed with a structured questionnaire annually. The questionnaire items were recoded into the 5 items of SARC-F (sluggishness, assistance in walking, rise from a chair, climb stairs, falls). In the baseline year, a subgroup was tested for grip strength and body composition. Healthcare utilization and mortality were based on self-report and hospital records. Our main outcome was 4-year mortality. Secondary outcomes included hospitalization, emergency care use, and quality of life (QOL) measured using the CASP-12 scale (control, autonomy, self-realization, pleasure (control, autonomy, self-realization, pressure). Results There were 670 participants. The mean age was 76.1 (standard deviation 6.36). One-half were men (n = 340, 50.7%). The prevalence of sarcopenia was 6.1% (n = 41). SARC-F scores were inversely associated with grip strength ( P = .001) and skeletal muscle composition ( P = .045). Participants with sarcopenia were mostly women ( P = .005) and older ( P < .001). In univariate analysis, sarcopenia was associated with 1- to 4-year mortalities ( P = .033, .001, .001, <.001, respectively), overall hospitalization ( P = .004), overall emergency care use ( P = .017), and QOL ( P < .001). In multivariate model, sarcopenia [odds ratio (OR) 7.35, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.67-20.18], age (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.09-1.29 for each year), and taking vitamin D supplements (OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.11-0.74) were factors associated with mortality. Conclusions Sarcopenia screened using SARC-F was associated with subsequent QOL, overall hospitalization, overall emergency care use, and 4-year mortality. SARC-F can serve as a quick screening tool of sarcopenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mechatronic elevator system driven by a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) is completely modeled by the mechanical and electrical equations. The electrical energy equation, including input, dissipation, magnetic and kinetic energies, is formulated for energetic analysis. The adjusting fraction, defined as the flight time from null to maximum acceleration with respect to the total acceleration time, is optimized by the self-learning particle swarm optimization (SLPSO) method in minimizing the input absolute electrical energy (IAEE). In this paper, multi-region trajectories of high-degree polynomials with constraints of maximum acceleration and velocity are planned, and the flight time and the IAEE are compared numerically. The main contribution of this paper is to propose a methodology in the point-to-point (PTP) multi-region energy-saving trajectory planning for any mechatronic system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The iridium(III) complex 1 operates as a versatile platform for molecular logic gates fulfilling multiple logic functions depending on the inputs and the interrogation channels. In the UV-vis channel, it works as an INH, OR, and NINH gate with F and HPO as inputs when following the absorbance at 244, 262, and 457 nm, respectively. More importantly, the combination of photoluminescence (PL) intensity ratio ( I / I ) and transmittance at 457 nm resulted in the setup of a 1:2 demultiplexer with F and CO as inputs. Finally, a three-input (BF, F, and HPO ) full subtractor was realized by integrating the electrochemiluminescence (ECL) intensity at 642 nm and the absorbance at 262 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]