Search

The use of efficient photocatalysts to remove mixed pollutants from wastewater is of significance for environmental remediation. In this work, a novel conjugated microporous polymer (TAPP-PD-CMP) was synthesized and applied as a visible light driven photocatalyst to simultaneously remove a heavy metal ion and an organic pollutant. TAPP-PD-CMP possesses a large specific surface area (375 m2 g−1), narrow band gap (1.76 eV) and good chemical and thermal (∼450 °C) stabilities. More importantly, the energy band structure of TAPP-PD-CMP (ELUMO = 0.23 eV and EHOMO = 1.99 eV) enables adequate band edge potentials for photoreduction of a heavy metal ion (Cr(VI)) and photooxidation of an organic pollutant (RhB). Experimental results demonstrate that TAPP-PD-CMP has excellent adsorption-photocatalytic performance towards Cr(VI) (90%, 3 h) and RhB (94%, 3 h) from mixed contaminant wastewater at the same time. Additionally, TAPP-PD-CMP, as an environmentally-friendly photocatalyst, exhibits recyclability and sustainability. Radical trapping experiments reveal a synergistic photocatalytic mechanism, and the excellent photocatalytic activity is ascribed to continuous consumption of electrons and holes, reducing the recombination of photo-generated electron–holes. This work provides a promising CMP photocatalyst and an idea based on energy band engineering to design suitable photocatalysts for mixed pollutant treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compounds with a kagome lattice exhibit intriguing properties and the charge density wave (CDW) adds an additional layer of interest to research on them. In this study, we investigate the temperature and magnetic field dependent electrical properties under a chemical substitution and hydrostatic pressure of ScV6Sn6, a non-magnetic CDW compound. Substituting 5% Cr at the V site or applying 1.5 GPa of pressure shifts the CDW from 92 K to ∼ 50 K. This shift is attributed to the movement of the imaginary phonon band, as revealed by the phonon dispersion relation. The longitudinal and Hall resistivities respond differently under these stimuli. The magnetoresistance (MR) retains its quasilinear behavior under pressure, but it becomes quadratic after Cr substitution. The anomalous Hall-like behavior of the parent compound persists up to the respective CDW transition under pressure, after which it decreases sharply. In contrast, the longitudinal and Hall resistivities of Cr substituted compounds follow a two-band model and originate from the multi carrier effect. These results clearly highlight the role of phonon contributions in the CDW transition and call for further investigation into the origin of the anomalous Hall-like behavior in the parent compound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rice spike, a crucial part of rice plants, plays a vital role in yield estimation, pest detection, and growth stage management in rice cultivation. When using drones to capture photos of rice fields, the high shooting angle and wide coverage area can cause rice spikes to appear small in the captured images and can cause angular distortion of objects at the edges of images, resulting in significant occlusions and dense arrangements of rice spikes. These factors are unique challenges during drone image acquisition that may affect the accuracy of rice spike detection. This study proposes a rice spike detection method that combines deep learning algorithms with drone perspectives. Initially, based on an enhanced version of YOLOv5, the EMA (efficient multiscale attention) attention mechanism is introduced, a novel neck network structure is designed, and SIoU (SCYLLA intersection over union) is integrated. Experimental results demonstrate that RICE-YOLO achieves a mAP@0.5 of 94.8% and a recall of 87.6% on the rice spike dataset. During different growth stages, it attains an AP@0.5 of 96.1% and a recall rate of 93.1% during the heading stage, and a AP@0.5 of 86.2% with a recall rate of 82.6% during the filling stage. Overall, the results indicate that the proposed method enables real-time, efficient, and accurate detection and counting of rice spikes in field environments, offering a theoretical foundation and technical support for real-time and efficient spike detection in the management of rice growth processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Exosomes and other secretory membrane vesicles are collectively referred to as extracellular vesicles (EVs). Relevant data indicate that stem cell‐derived extracellular vesicles (SC‐EVs) play a critical role in angiogenesis by transmitting crucial information such as proteins, second messengers, and genetic material between cells. Therefore, this study aimed to map current trends on SC‐EVs for angiogenesis and provide directions for future research to advance this important field. Methods: We conducted a thorough search for relevant studies on SC‐EVs for angiogenesis from 2003 to 2023 using the Web of Science database. Subsequently, we used VOSviewer and CiteSpace to analyze the collected data. Results: A total of 2359 relevant publications, which included original articles and reviews, related to the role of SC‐EVs in angiogenesis were screened in this study based on the search strategy. China and the United States were leading in this field, with China having a higher output in terms of publications and citations (1172, 43681). Also, the top five universities were located in China, with Shanghai Jiao Tong University having the highest output. Stem Cell Research & Therapy and International Journal of Molecular Sciences, are prominent platforms for researchers in this field to share their findings and advancements, and they had most of published studies on SC‐EVs for angiogenesis. The results derived from the cluster analysis suggested that future investigations should predominantly prioritize studying the involvement of SC‐EVs in angiogenesis across various diseases, with a specific emphasis on skin wound healing. Conclusion: In this comprehensive review, global trends in SC‐EVs for angiogenesis were analyzed. The analysis of journals, institutions, references, and keywords could assist researchers in deciding on the direction of research. The role of SC‐EVs in promoting angiogenesis during wound healing and repair represents an emerging research focus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dietary astaxanthin supplementation has been demonstrated to have many beneficial and health-promoting effects. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the effect of astaxanthin supplementation on fatigue, cognition, and exercise efficiency. A total of 11 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with 346 healthy participants were included. The random effects model and pooled standardized mean difference (SMDs) were used according to Hedge's g for the meta-analysis, and a meta-regression was also conducted. The results of the two existing studies showed a positive trend for astaxanthin in subjective fatigue relief. The effects of astaxanthin supplementation for 8–12 weeks on cognitive accuracy were marginally significant (SMD:.12; 95% CI: −.02–.26) and on reaction time was not significant (SMD: −.08; 95% CI: −.26 to.10). Remarkably, astaxanthin supplementation combined with regular training could enhance the fat oxidation (SMD: 2.56; 95% CI: 1.24–3.89), and significantly improve the physical performance (SMD:.62; 95% CI:.17–1.06). The subgroup analysis further showed significantly greater benefits when performing the aerobic exercises performance (SMD:.45; 95% CI:.13–.76), when the dose was ≥ 20 mg (SMD:.37; 95% CI:.11–.63), and when the supplementation duration was > 12 weeks (SMD:.66; 95% CI:.13–.63). We conclude that astaxanthin supplementation could significantly enhance aerobic exercise efficiency, especially at higher doses and for longer durations. Further studies based on large sample sizes are imperatively warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an affordable form of public transit, the metro still faces first- and last-mile problems. Integration of dockless bike sharing (DBS) and the metro offers a reasonable solution to this problem. However, an in-depth exploration of the spatio-temporal characteristics and determinants of DBS–metro integration, especially meteorological indicators, is lacking. The spatiotemporal characteristics of the transfer volume on weekdays and weekends in Beijing were analyzed. Geographically weighted regression was utilized to investigate the effects of the significant determinants on the spatial variation of the transfer volume. The results indicate that the transfer volume is concentrated within the Fifth Ring Road in Beijing. The effects of education services and metro station density were negatively correlated with transfer volume. As expected, population density and enterprises positively affect transfer volume, whereas wind speed and relative humidity have negative effects. These findings provide new insights into the promotion of DBS–metro integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing fertilizer usage is a crucial measure for achieving high-quality development in Chinese agriculture. Utilizing panel data from 31 Chinese provinces spanning from 2004 to 2019, this study empirically analyzes the dynamic relationship between fertilizer application and grain production, exploring the underlying mechanisms. The study findings reveal that the application of fertilizers maintains a positive impact on grain production. The two variables will demonstrate a dynamic alternation between "strong decoupling" and "retreat decoupling," suggesting that grain production may either increase or gradually decline, while fertilizer application exhibits a decreasing trend. Mechanism analysis reveals a distinct substitution relationship between fertilizer use efficiency and application quantity. Increasing fertilizer use efficiency while reducing application quantity still facilitates the stable and increased production of grains. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that the efficiency of fertilizer use has a more pronounced impact on grain yield in the eastern and western regions. Increasing fertilizer quantity is detrimental to wheat yield but has a promoting effect on corn yield. However, in the main grain-producing areas, increasing fertilizer quantity can enhance wheat yield but is unfavorable for the overall grain yield. Additionally, nitrogen fertilizer input has exceeded the optimal level compared to potassium fertilizer. Continuously increasing nitrogen fertilizer input will hinder the increase in grain yield. Therefore, there is a need to shift from the notion of "more fertilizer is better" and focus on improving fertilizer use efficiency to transition from the emphasis on "quantity" to "quality" of fertilizer application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the properties of β‐Sialon synthesized from secondary aluminum dross. High‐purity β‐Sialon powders were synthesized through nitriding reduction, followed by spark plasma sintering to obtain dense sintered bodies. The phase composition, microstructure, microhardness, and friction and wear characteristics of the sintered bodies were analyzed using X‐ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy, a microhardness tester, and a friction and wear tester, respectively. Fracture analysis revealed a combination of through‐crystal and along‐crystal fractures, with fracture occurrence correlated to crack expansion. The crystalline fractures exhibited a toughening effect. The friction and wear test of the sintered bodies demonstrated a decrease in the friction coefficient with increasing load and speed. The wear behavior of the sintered bodies encompassed abrasive wear, adhesive wear, and fatigue wear. Abrasive wear dominated at low speed and low load, while adhesive wear was prominent at high speed and high load. Increasing speed accentuated adhesive wear characteristics, while increasing load led to the formation of a material layer on the friction ball surface, delaying wear initiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is an acute, contact infectious disease caused by the small ruminant morbillivirus (SRMV), and its morbidity in goats and sheep can be up to 100% with significant mortality. Nanobody generated from camelid animals such as alpaca has attracted wide attention because of its unique advantages compared with conventional antibodies. The main objective of this study was to produce specific nanobodies against SRMV and identify its characteristics. To obtain the coding gene of SRMV-specific nanobodies, we first constructed an immune phage-displayed library from the VHH repertoire of alpaca that was immunized with SRMV-F and -H proteins. By using phage display technology, the target antigen-specific VHHs can be obtained after four consecutive rounds of biopanning. Results showed that the size of this VHH library was 2.26 × 1010 CFU/mL and the SRMV-F and -H specific phage particles were greatly enriched after four rounds of biopanning. The positive phage clones were selected and sequenced, and total of five independent different sequences of SRMV-specific nanobodies were identified. Subsequently, the DNA fragments of the five nanobodies were cloned into E. coli BL21(DE3), respectively, and three of them were successfully expressed and purified. Specificity and affinity towards inactivated SRMV of these purified nanobodies were then evaluated using the ELISA method. Results demonstrated that NbSRMV-1-1, NbSRMV-2-10, and NbSRMV-1-21 showed no cross-reactivity with other antigens, such as inactivated BTV, inactivated FMDV, His-tag labeled protein, and BSA. The ELISA titer of these three nanobodies against inactivated SRMV was up to 1:1000. However, only NbSRMV-1-21 displayed SRMV neutralizing activity at a maximum dilution of 1:4. The results indicate that the nanobodies against SRMV generated in this study could be useful in future applications. This study provided a novel antibody tool and laid a foundation for the treatment and detection of SRMV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of catalysts has significantly advanced the progress of polyolefin materials. In particular, group 4 (Ti, Zr, Hf) non-metallocene catalysts ligated with [N,N] bidentate ligand(s) have garnered increasing attention in the field of olefin polymerization due to their structurally stability and exceptional polymerization behaviors. Ligands containing nitrogen donors are diverse and at the core of many highly active catalysts. They mainly include amidine, guanidinato, diamine, and various N-heterocyclic ligands, which can be used to obtain a series of new polyolefin materials, such as ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHWMPE), olefin copolymers (ethylene/norbornene and ethylene/α-olefin) with high incorporations, and high isotactic or syndiotactic polypropylene after coordination with group 4 metals and activation by cocatalysts. Herein, we focus on the advancements and applications of this field over the past two decades, and introduce the catalyst precursors with [N,N] ligand(s), involving the effects of ligand structure, cocatalyst selection, and polymerization conditions on the catalytic activity and polymer properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salt stress severely damages the growth and yield of crops. Recently, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) were demonstrated to regulate various biological processes and responses to environmental stresses. However, the regulatory mechanisms of lncRNAs in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) response to salt stress are still poorly understood. Here, we observed that a lncRNA, trans acting of BGLU24 by lncRNA (TRABA), was highly expressed while GhBGLU24-A was weakly expressed in a salt-tolerant cotton accession (DM37) compared to a salt-sensitive accession (TM-1). Using TRABA as an effector and proGhBGLU24-A-driven GUS as a reporter, we showed that TRABA suppressed GhBGLU24-A promoter activity in double transgenic Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), which explained why GhBGLU24-A was weakly expressed in the salt-tolerant accession compared to the salt-sensitive accession. GhBGLU24-A encodes an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)–localized β-glucosidase that responds to salt stress. Further investigation revealed that GhBGLU24-A interacted with RING-type E3 ubiquitin ligase (GhRUBL). Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) and transgenic Arabidopsis studies revealed that both GhBGLU24-A and GhRUBL diminish plant tolerance to salt stress and ER stress. Based on its substantial effect on ER-related degradation (ERAD)–associated gene expression, GhBGLU24-A mediates ER stress likely through the ERAD pathway. These findings provide insights into the regulatory role of the lncRNA TRABA in modulating salt and ER stresses in cotton and have potential implications for developing more resilient crops. Long noncoding RNA suppresses β-glucosidase-encoding gene promoter activity, and β-glucosidase protein interacts with RING-type E3 ubiquitin ligase protein, coregulating salt tolerance in cotton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A linear plasma device (LPD) module has been developed under the BOUT++ framework to simulate plasma transport in the MPS‐LD. However, previously, the LPD module used a simplistic neutral particle model that only includes particle density and velocity, which prevents the full understanding of the plasma‐neutrals interactions. In this work, we further optimize the neutral model by using a more complete neutral fluid model containing the continuity equation, momentum equation, and energy equation. The reactions such as charge exchange, excitation, and radiation collisions are included. Since the neutral particle source is mainly provided by particle recycling from the target, a particle recycling model is employed, which includes both fast reflection and slow thermal release. The upgraded LPD module is applied to simulate the argon (Ar) discharge experiment of MPS‐LD, and the benchmark against experiment measurement and SOLPS‐ITER simulation results are presented. Good agreements are obtained, showing the validation of the upgraded module. After that, the impact of particle recycling on Ar plasma is investigated. It is found that a higher recycling coefficient (R) promotes the achievement of high‐density plasma at the target. The recycled Ar atoms change target plasma pressure as well as plasma‐neutral collisions, which both contribute to plasma momentum loss, thus promoting the rollover of ion flux to the target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses recent advances in the synthesis and properties of highly fluorescent hydrazine-inserted pyrrole-based diboron-anchoring fluorophores. The article explores strategies to overcome challenges in developing ideal organic fluorophores and highlights the discovery and properties of a specific fluorophore called BOPHY. Various modifications to the BOPHY core have been explored, resulting in bathochromic shifts in absorption and emission bands. These modified BOPHY derivatives exhibit high chemical and photostability, making them suitable for applications in biomedicine and materials science. The article also discusses other related analogues and the potential applications of these fluorophores. [Extracted from the article]

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T and NK cell immunotherapy is a promising approach for cancer treatment. Due to the lack of tunability in anti-tumor activity, conventional CAR therapies have limited efficacy at low tumor antigen densities. To tune the CAR response to tumor cell surface antigens, we have developed a split CAR using the SpyCatcher-SpyTag system. The SpyCatcher serves as the ectodomain to constitute a SpyCatcher-CAR (SpyCAR), while SpyTag is attached to the antibodies that recognize tumor antigens. With dimerization mediated by SpyCatcher and SpyTag, the number and activation level of SpyCARs recruited by tumor antigens depends on the SpyTag number in the "antibody-SpyTag" fusion protein. The results demonstrated that the increasing number of SpyTags effectively enhanced the cytotoxicity of SpyCAR-NK92 cells against target cells. The development of SpyCAR with tunable cytotoxicity provides a novel strategy for CAR-based tumor immunotherapies. • The SpyCAR system was developed based on non-covalent SpyCatcher-SpyTag. • The SpyCatcher-SpyTag interaction mediates enhanced cytotoxicity of SpyCAR-NK92 cells. • The cytotoxicity of SpyCAR-NK92 cells is in a SpyTag number-dependent manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2016, the People's Bank of China (PBC) together with multiple departments issued the Guidance on Building a Green Financial System (the Guidance), which marked a great breakthrough in China's green finance policy. Aiming to clarify the actual impact and underlying mechanisms of green finance policy on Chinese listed companies' ESG disclosure quality, this study employs the difference-in-differences (DID) model and examines the impact of the Guidance on ESG disclosure practices of A-share listed companies on the Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE) and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (SZSE) during the period 2006 to 2022. This study reveals a positive correlation between the Guidance and listed companies' ESG disclosure. Upon further examination, it becomes evident that the Guidance has a more noticeable positive impact on the quality of ESG disclosure among listed companies that operate in industries with high levels of pollution, state-owned enterprises, and regions that exhibit greater levels of economic development. This paper provides essential insights to policymakers, facilitating a deeper understanding and more thorough assessment of the economic implications of green finance policies. Additionally, it acts as a strategic resource for listed companies, guiding the enhancement of corporate ESG disclosures and the implementation of ESG strategies influenced by green finance policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Gastric cancer (GC) is a severe disease with high mortality. There is an immediate demand for GC prognostic markers. The biological role of the lethal (3) malignant brain tumor-like 3 (L3MBTL3) has been investigated in human malignancies, but its involvement in GC is not well understood. This research seeks to better understand L3MBTL3's prognostic significance and expression profiles in GC. We examined the expression and prognostic significance of L3MBTL3 in GC using bioinformatic analysis. A functional enrichment analysis was conducted to explore the potential mechanisms. The correlations between L3MBTL3 and immune infiltration were determined based on the TIMER database. Our work revealed that L3MBTL3 is a promising diagnostic and prognostic marker for GC, opening new avenues for research and treatment. Recent research has linked lethal (3) malignant brain tumor-like 3 (L3MBTL3) to cancer aggressiveness and a dismal prognosis, but its function in gastric cancer (GC) is unclear. This research investigated the association between L3MBTL3 expression and clinicopathological characteristics of GC cases, as well as its prognostic value and biological function based on large-scale databases and clinical samples. The results showed that L3MBTL3 expression was upregulated in malignant GC tissues, which was associated with a shortened survival time and poor clinicopathological characteristics, including TNM staging. A functional enrichment analysis including GO/KEGG and GSEA illustrated the enrichment of different L3MBTL3-associated pathways involved in carcinogenesis and immune response. In addition, the correlations between L3MBTL3 and tumor-infiltrating immune cells were determined based on the TIMER database; the results showed that L3MBTL3 was associated with the immune infiltration of macrophages and their polarization from M1 to M2. Furthermore, our findings suggested a possible function for L3MBTL3 in the regulation of the tumor immune microenvironment of GC. In summary, L3MBTL3 has diagnostic potential, and it also offers new insights into the development of aggressiveness and prognosis in GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractAiming at defects such as small pits and scratches on the surface caused by the aggregation of alumina particles during the chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process of the cemented carbide inserts, the effect of the dispersant types, pH and dispersant concentration on the dispersion stability of the alumina suspension is investigated. It is found that sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) is the best dispersant of the six different dispersants, and the suspension has good dispersion stability when the pH value is 11 and the SDS concentration is 3 wt%. Furthermore, based on the DLVO theory, SDS is verified to improve suspension stability at the micro-scale. Finally, the insert CMP experiments are carried out using the polishing slurry with SDS and without dispersant. CMP experiments show that using the polishing slurry with SDS to polish the insert can achieve a better material removal rate (MRR) and lower surface roughness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New and dynamical chiral co-assembled systems bearing BOPPY were successfully developed with amplified CPL signals. Remarkably, these stable chiral co-assemblies prepared at high concentrations retain uniform microrods and exceptional chiroptical performance (glum = 0.028, ΦF = 14%) after 48 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study adopted a 256-slice iCT scanner with the double low-dose mode in left atrial-pulmonary venous computed tomography angiography (CTA) and explored its effect on image quality. 120 patients were included and randomly classified into the Observation group and Control group. Patients in the Control group underwent routine left atrial CTA, while patients in the Observation group performed a double low-dose mode. Other scanning parameters were consistent in the two groups. The Full model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR) technique was applied to fulfill image reconstruction in observation group. Continuous variables, ordered categorical variables were analyzed by statistical test. The CT values of left atrial in the Observation group were significantly higher than those in the Control group. The exposure doses (ED) and iodine intake were lower in the Observation group, as compared to the Control group. The left atrial-pulmonary venous CTA with the 256-slice iCT scanner in a double low-dose mode can reduce the ED of radiation and iodine contrast while providing high quality images. Comparatively, the ED in the Observation group was reduced by 13% compared with the control, and the iodine intake was reduced by approximately 33%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the asymptotic behavior of solutions to an initial-boundary value problem for a hyperbolic-elliptic coupled system of the radiating gas on half line, where the data on the boundary and at the far field are prescribed as u - and u + satisfying u + < u - . For the case of the travelling wave speed s = 1 2 (u - + u +) > 0 , we prove that the solution to the problem converges to the properly shifted travelling wave U (x - s t + d (t)) as time tends to infinity under small initial perturbation, where d(t) is first given in investigating the scalar viscous conservation laws by Liu and Nishihara (J Differ Equ 133:296–320, 1997). The proof is based on the energy method. The algebraic convergence rate is also given by applying the time weighted energy method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Recent decades have witnessed a rapid development of the lanthanide silicon chemistry. In this research, by reacting [(THF)3LiSiPh3] with Cp3Ln(III)(THF) (Ln(III) = Sm(III), Tb(III), Dy(III), Yb(III)) or Cp2Lu(III)Cl(THF), a series of middle‐ and heavy‐lanthanocene monosilyl/disilyl ate‐complexes ([(DME)3Li][Cp3Ln(III)SiPh3] and [(DME)3Li][Cp2Lu(III)(SiPh3)2]) were synthesized. The structures of the obtained lanthanocene monosilyl/disilyl ate‐complexes were determined by single crystal X‐ray diffraction. Together with the previously reported [(DME)3Li][Cp3La(III)SiPh3] and [(DME)3Li][Cp3Ce(III)SiPh3], a complex group comprising silyl light‐, middle‐ and heavy‐lanthanocene with identical core coordination pattern are presented. The structure analysis of this group of complexes showed that their key geometric parameters, including the Ln(III)–Si bond lengths and Ln(III)–Si–Cph/Cph–Si–Cph angles, were linearly correlated with the ionic radii of Ln(III) centers. Computational studies based on density functional theory calculations suggested the strongly polarized nature of the Ln(III)–Si bonds in these ate‐complexes. The UV‐Vis spectroscopy measurements of this group of ate‐complexes showed that the characteristic absorptions were hypsochromically shifted for complexes with heavier Ln(III) centers. In addition, as revealed by the time‐dependent density functional theory analysis, the HOMOs, in which the Ln(III)–Si σ‐bonding orbitals were the dominant components, of these complexes acted as main donor orbitals in the major electron transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In urban metro systems, unexpected events often occur to cause discordance in the planned timetable and delay in passenger travel. Therefore, this study focuses on the timetable rescheduling problem by adopting a stop-skipping strategy during the off-peak period. In addition, there are a number of existing optimization models that minimize the total passenger waiting time, which can cause fairness issues for a small group of passengers having longer waiting time at some stations. In this study, a rescheduling model is proposed to consider passenger waiting time fairness and train travel time cost. This model is tested with a randomly designed delay scenario of Nanjing Metro Line 2, which can be efficiently solved by a designed iterative algorithm based on decomposition method. Compared to the standard stop pattern, the result shows that the stop-skipping pattern can better alleviate the impact of sudden delays, while simultaneously ensuring the passenger waiting time fairness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the treatment for adult glottic stenosis using CO2 laser surgery combined with a self-made laryngeal dilator. A retrospective analysis was performed on 18 patients with glottic stenosis who were treated using CO2 laser surgery combined with a self-made laryngeal dilator in our hospital from January 2018 to December 2020. 4 cases were caused by trauma and one by laryngophthisis. Laryngeal stenosis occurred in 4 and 9 patients respectively after CO2 laser surgery and open partial laryngectomy. Of them, one patient underwent postoperative radiotherapy. All patients were treated through CO2 laser surgery combined with a self-made laryngeal dilator under general anesthesia. 3-6 months later, the dilator was removed. Inflammation, ulceration and granulation were observed surrounding the dilator. But these complications would be cured and respiration was not affected. Finally, four patients could not be extubated and the decannulation rate achieved 78%. All patients successfully decannulated could normally intake. 13 cases had good voice quality and only one patient pronounced hoarsely. It is demonstrated that the application of CO2 laser surgery combined with a laryngeal self-made dilator is feasible and effective for the treatment with adult glottic stenosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhodium‐catalyzed hydroformylation of olefins is an important method for synthesizing aldehydes, and it is worth noting that regioselectivity and enantioselectivity of the product controlled by ligand are the most commonly used strategies. The modular synthesis of phosphite and phosphoramidite ligands have significant advantages of simple synthesis and high catalytic activity, which was why these ligands have been widely used in hydroformylation reactions. Herein, we focus on the synthesis methods and design ideas of such ligands, as well as their application effects in hydroformylation reactions. This review aims to provide a reference for the design and synthesis of ligands in hydroformylation subsequently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Autophagy protein 5 (ATG5) regulates airway epithelial cell autophagy, immune response, and inflammation, which is involved in asthma progression. This study aimed to evaluate ATG5 levels and its clinical roles in adult asthma patients. Methods: Totally, 200 adult asthma patients and 100 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled in this case-control study. Subsequently, serum ATG5 was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: ATG5 was increased in asthma patients compared with HCs [median (interquartile range): 44.2 (31.7–77.8) vs. 23.2 (16.7–39.2) ng/mL] (P < 0.001). In asthma patients, ATG5 was positively related to male gender (P = 0.022), a family history of asthma (P = 0.035), eosinophil count (P < 0.001), and immune globulin E (P < 0.001), while it was negatively correlated with forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)/forced vital capacity (P < 0.001) and FEV1 (Predicted) (P < 0.001). Meanwhile, ATG5 was inversely associated with T helper (Th) 1 cells (P = 0.008), while it was positively linked with Th2 cells (P < 0.001), Th2/Th1 ratio (P < 0.001), interleukin (IL)-4 (P = 0.002), and IL-4/interferon-γ ratio (P = 0.015). Additionally, ATG5 was positively correlated with tumor necrosis factor-α (P < 0.001), IL-1β (P = 0.001), IL-6 (P = 0.003), and IL-17 (P = 0.029). Notably, ATG5 was elevated in asthma patients at exacerbation compared to those at remission [median (interquartile range): 53.6 (37.6–90.0) vs. 35.6 (28.2–51.5) ng/mL] (P < 0.001). It was also noteworthy that ATG5 was positively linked with exacerbation severity in asthma patients (P = 0.005). Conclusion: Serum ATG5 is related to increased Th2/Th1 ratio, inflammation, exacerbation risk and severity in adult asthma patients, which serves as a candidate marker for the management of asthma. However, further validation is still needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with the asymptotic stability of a planar stationary solution to an initial-boundary value problem for a two-dimensional hyperbolic–elliptic coupled system of the radiating gas on half space. We show that the solution to the problem converges to the corresponding planar stationary solution as time tends to infinity under small initial perturbation. This result is proved by the standard L2-energy method and the div–curl decomposition. Moreover, we prove that the solution (u, q) converges to the corresponding planar stationary solution at the rate t−α/2−1/4 for the non-degenerate case and t−1/4 for the degenerate case. The proof is based on the time and space weighted energy method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A tropical cyclone (TC) is a meteorological disaster that occurs over tropical or subtropical oceans. Automatic TC identification from a satellite image is essential to the subsequent automatic intelligent determination of TC positioning and intensity. Few recent studies have examined the automatic detection of TCs from satellite images. In this paper, wavelet (W) transformation, efficient (E) channel attention mechanism and YOLOX (Y) are combined to construct a deep learning model for TC detection, referred to as WEY-TCNet. WEY-TCNet automatically detects TCs from infrared satellite images. To improve the detection accuracy, a discrete wavelet transform is first used to decompose the infrared satellite image, after which the horizontal high-frequency components, including the TC rainband structure and inner core area, are extracted and fused with the original image. This step enhances the TC structure and brightness temperature gradient characterization. The fused image is then used as the input to WEY-TCNet. The ECANet channel attention mechanism was added to the original YOLOX-S network structure to focus on the key features of TC, such as structure and brightness temperature while suppressing invalid features and noise. This study constructed a satellite image dataset based on the infrared images of the Chinese Fengyun2D geostationary satellite. The dataset contains infrared satellite images of TCs in various life cycle stages, from generation to extinction. Our experiments showed that the WEY-TCNet model proposed in this paper achieves 91.49% detection mAP on the TC dataset, compared with the 86.69% detection mAP of the original YOLOX-S model, significantly improving it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with time-asymptotic nonlinear stability of rarefaction waves to the Cauchy problem for one-dimensional compressible non-isentropic magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) equations (including its isentropic case), which describe the motion of a conducting fluid in a magnetic field. Through some elaborate and rigorous mathematical analysis, we can construct the rarefaction waves v r , u r , θ r , b r (x / t) where magnetic component b r x / t is a nontrivial profile, namely a non-constant function. Then the solution of the compressible MHD equations is proved to tend towards the rarefaction waves time-asymptotically under small initial perturbations and weak wave strength, and also under a technical assumption that the parameter β = v + b + is bounded by a specific constant. The proof of the main result is based on elementary L 2 energy methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To repair the damage to the epoxy/carbon fiber laminate, a single-lap test was performed between sulfuric acid anodized aluminum plate and carbon fiber laminate to study the effect of the anodized layer on the interlaminar shear strength. Then, carbon fiber laminates were prepared by wet-laying method to simulate the damage caused by penetrating cracks, and double-sided adhesive sheets were made from 0.5 mm thick 2024-T3 aluminum alloy and carbon fiber laminates to match the thickness and material of the simulated damage plate. The adhesive matrix used was E51 bisphenol-A epoxy resin with 1.5 wt.% nanorubber added for modification and toughening. After double-sided patching, tensile tests were performed to investigate the effect of different materials on the tensile strength of double-sided adhesive patches. We observed SEM images of the fracture surface of the patch after tensile failure and analyzed the strengthening mechanisms of different material patches. The results show that the shear strength between the single-layer sulfuric acid anodized aluminum plate and the carbon fiber laminate is 9.792 MPa, which is 61.5% higher than the shear strength of the nonanodized aluminum plate. The tensile strength of the 2024-T3 aluminum patch specimen is 271.83 MPa, which is 48.43% and 23.97% higher than the perforated specimen without patch and the specimen with carbon fiber laminate patch, respectively, and reaches 72.56% of the undamaged carbon fiber laminate. The specimens with aluminum plate patches showed a maximum bending strength of 616.47 MPa, which increased by 70.83% compared to the 360.875 MPa of the perforated specimens. The maximum bending strength of the aluminum plate patch specimen reached 74.76% of that of the undamaged specimen. However, the maximum bending strength of the composite patch specimen is as high as 1101.9 MPa, far exceeding that of other samples. Due to the poor toughness of the sample, it cannot withstand large strains. The addition of 1.5 wt.% nanorubber results in shear yield bands and induces silver grains to absorb a large amount of energy during stress deformation. This paper uses anodized aluminum patches for double-sided patching of penetrating damaged composite material plates. Anodizing increases the specific surface area of the patches, enhances the mechanical locking effect, and effectively improves the tensile and bending strength compared to composite patches, approaching a non-destructive sheet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel simple antenna based on substrate integrated coaxial‐like waveguide (SICW) is presented to enhance the gain and bandwidth of circularly polarized (CP) antenna with unidirectional radiation. The stepped inner metal strip is introduced in SICW, which results in a stronger radiation gain and wider axial ratio bandwidth. In addition, unlike traditional spiral antennas, the slot spiral antenna can be directly fed by a coaxial line at the inner port of the waveguide. As SICW can make the antenna directly realize unidirectional radiation, the extra reflector is not needed, and the antenna has a low profile of 0.1λ $0.1\lambda $ (λ $\lambda $ is the free space wavelength at the lowest frequency). The simulation and measurement results show that by using SICW with a stepped inner metal strip, the overlapping bandwidth of CP antenna can be increased significantly from 57.3% (2.7–4.85 GHz) to 71.6% (2.6–5.5 GHz) and the boresight gain of the antenna is improved 2 dBi over the entire frequency band. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are problems of low model detection accuracy, low detection speed and difficulty in deploying online inspection in industrial surface defect detection relying on deep learning object detection algorithms. In order to effectively solve this problem, an efficient channel attention-enhanced lightweight neural network model named as EMV2-YOLOX is proposed in this paper. The algorithm incorporates the ECA module into the lightweight backbone extraction network MobileNetV2 to achieve adaptive adjustment of channel information weights, which can improve the extraction capability of the algorithm. The YOLOX model is also introduced to enhance the model's identification and localization of tiny defects. The improved algorithm can guarantee the model's accuracy and improve the model detection performance, as well as the carrying capacity of hardware devices. The experimental results show that the highest accuracy is achieved on the GCT10 and NEU public defect datasets with mean Average Precision values of 0.86 and 0.68, respectively, which is higher than the accuracy of the EMV2yoloV4 model. The parametric model number is only 10.24 M in size, and the detection rate is 54.25 f/s, which is the highest performance in embedded devices. EMV2-YOLOX, combined with the attention mechanism, can efficiently extract the location and semantic information of hard-to-detect defects and plays a vital role in the intelligent detection methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salt damage is a major threat to sustainable cotton production owing to the limited arable land in China, which is mainly occupied by the production of staple food crops. Salt-stress-tolerant cotton varieties are lacking in production, and the mechanisms underpinning salt stress tolerance in cotton remain enigmatic. Here, DM37, an intraspecific introgression line from Gossypium hirsutum race yucatanense acc TX-1046 into the G. hirsutum acc TM-1 background, was found to be highly tolerant to salt stress. Its seed germination rate and germination potential were significantly higher than those of the recipient TM-1 under salt stress. Physiological analysis showed that DM37 had a higher proline content and peroxidase activity and lower Na+/K+ ratios at the seedling stage, which is consistent with a higher seedling survival rate after durable salt stress. Furthermore, comparative transcriptome analysis revealed that responsive patterns to salt stress in DM37 were different from those in TM-1. Weighted correlation network analysis demonstrated that co-expression modules associated with salt stress in DM37 also differed from those in TM-1. From this analysis, GhPP2C43-A , a phosphatase gene, was found to exhibit negative regulation of salt stress tolerance verified by virus-induced gene silencing and the genration of transgenic Arabidopsis. Gene expression showed that GhPP2C43-A in TM-1 was induced by durable salt stress but not in DM37, probably attributable to a variation in the cis -element in its promoter, thereby conferring different salt stress tolerance. These results provide new genes/germplasms from semi-wild cotton in salt-stress-tolerant cotton breeding, as well as new insight into the mechanisms underpinning salt stress tolerance in cotton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dermatophagoides farinae (Acari: Pyroglyphidae) has been regarded as an important source of indoor allergens due to its prevalence and close proximity to humans. This study serves as an introductory probe into the population genetic structure of D. farinae, for which a few related studies of population genetic structure are available. In this study, the genetic structure of seven D. farinae populations in China was investigated based on the 372 bp mitochondrial cytochrome b (cytb) gene. A total of 29 haplotypes of the 68 cytb gene sequences were detected. The network diagram could be divided into Branch I (regions north of the Yangtze River: SJZ, CZ, FY and HN) and Branch II (regions south of the Yangtze River: AQ, WX and WH). Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) conducted according to the results of the network diagram revealed major genetic differentiation among groups, indicating that a significant genetic structure existed among groups. The results of population genetic structure could be largely attributed to geographical isolation. The existence of gene flow in a few populations may be influenced by grain trade activities. This study may facilitate a better understanding of the population genetic structure of D. farinae and could be utilized as the foundation for the development of efficient management strategies for D. farinae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isopropanol has been widely applied in various fields as an important chemical solvent, which is produced by direct hydration of propylene accompanied with the byproduct of n‐propanol. Herein, an ultra‐sensitive fluorescent probe of TPA‐9AC, based on a non‐equivalent hybridized local and charge‐transfer (HLCT) material, is designed and synthesized to quantitatively detect the percentage of n‐propanol in propanol isomers. Owing to the stronger electron acceptor ability of n‐propanol, the excited state of probe transfers from highly emissive HLCT state to non‐emissive charge‐transfer state, resulting in the substantial fluorescence quenching. The low limit of detection (LOD) is achieved as sensitive as 0.02% v/v of n‐propanol in isopropanol. This contribution demonstrates a new approach to distinguish propanol isomers and an effective strategy for designing real‐time fluorescent sensors with high performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A labeling chemistry-based methodology, APSC-8-oxoGua-seq, is developed to sequence 8-oxoGua in the microRNA transcriptome. N-(3-Azidopropyl)-spermine-5-carboxamide (APSC) is designed for the selective labeling of 8-oxoGua, where its azide facilitates the conjugation of a cleavable linker via the click reaction, achieving 8-oxoGua pull-down and sequencing. Using APSC-8-oxoGua-seq, 8-oxoGua can be identified at single-base resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the key module-lifting arm system, based on the principle of similarity and the hydrodynamic experimental method of a multi-dimension vibration test platform, an experimental platform for dismantling equipment is designed and built. Subsequently, the motion control model of the six-degrees-of-freedom platform is established. The three-ring control model of a servo electric cylinder is established, and the active heave compensation control of a servo electric cylinder is realized by combining position control theory. Based on the co-simulation of ADAMS and Simulink, the co-simulation system of the integrated dismantling equipment experimental platform is designed and built, and the simulation system is tested and verified. Finally, simulation and experimental verification are carried out based on the experimental platform and co-simulation system. The results show that the heave compensation rate reaches 58.3% in third-class sea conditions, 61.2% in fourth-class sea conditions, and 62.4% in fifth-class sea conditions. The integrated dismantling scheme of super large offshore oilfield facilities is feasible but, in order to ensure the safety and reliability of the operation, a heave compensation system needs to be added. The error between the simulation results and the experimental results is about 15%. Based on the analysis of external interference factors in the experiment, the error results are within a reasonable range, which proves that the experimental platform, the co-simulation system of the experimental platform, and the heave compensation strategy are accurate and effective. This study, for the first time in China, provides an effective experimental platform and co-simulation platform for the design and optimization of the integrated dismantling equipment of super large offshore oilfield facilities and lays a good research foundation for the construction and engineering demonstration of subsequent equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To study the protective effects of delayed remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) against spinal cord ischemia–reperfusion injury (SCIRI) in mice and determine whether SIRT3 is involved in this protection and portrayed its upstream regulatory mechanisms. Methods: In vivo, WT or SIRT3 global knockout (KO) mice were exposed to right upper and lower limbs RIPC or sham ischemia. After 24 h, the abdominal aorta was clamped for 20 min, then re-perfused for 3 days. The motor function of mice, number of Nissl bodies, apoptotic rate of neurons, and related indexes of oxidative stress in the spinal cord were measured to evaluate for neuroprotective effects. The expression and correlation of SIRT3 and NMDAR were detected by WB and immunofluorescence. In vitro, primary neurons were exacted and OGD/R was performed to simulate SCIRI in vivo. Neuronal damage was assessed by observing neuron morphology, detecting LDH release ratio, and flow cytometry to analyze the apoptosis. MnSOD and CAT enzyme activities, GSH and ROS level were also measured to assess neuronal antioxidant capacity. NMDAR-AMPK-PGC-1α signaling was detected by WB to portray upstream regulatory mechanisms of RIPC regulating SIRT3. Results: Compared to the SCIRI mice without RIPC, mice with RIPC displayed improved motor function recovery, a reduced neuronal loss, and enhanced antioxidant capacity. To the contrary, the KO mice did not exhibit any effect of RIPC-induced neuroprotection. Similar results were observed in vitro. Further analyses with spinal cord tissues or primary neurons detected enhanced MnSOD and CAT activities, as well as increased GSH level but decreased MDA or ROS production in the RIPC + I/R mice or NMDA + OGD/R neurons. However, these changes were completely inhibited by the absence of SIRT3. Additionally, NMDAR-AMPK-PGC-1α signaling was activated to upregulate SIRT3 levels, which is essential for RIPC-mediated neuroprotection. Conclusions: RIPC enhances spinal cord ischemia tolerance in a SIRT3-dependent manner, and its induced elevated SIRT3 levels are mediated by the NMDAR-AMPK-PGC-1α signaling pathway. Combined therapy targeting SIRT3 is a promising direction for treating SCIRI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adoptive chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T or NK cells (CAR-T/NK) have emerged as a novel form of disease treatment. Lentiviral vectors (LVs) are commonly employed to engineer NK cells for the efficient expression of CARs. This study reported the influence of single-promoter and dual-promoter LVs on the CAR expression and cytotoxicity of engineered NK cells. We constructed a third-generation NKG2D-based CAR that kills cancer cells by targeting up to eight stress-induced ligands (NKG2DLs). Our results demonstrated that the CAR exhibits both a higher expression level and a higher coexpression concordance with the GFP reporter in HEK-293T or NK92 cells by utilizing the optimized single-promoter pCDHsp rather than the original dual-promoter pCDHdp. After puromycin selection, the pCDHsp produces robust CAR expression and enhanced in vitro cytotoxicity of engineered NK cells. Therefore, infection with a single-promoter pCDHsp lentivector is recommended to prepare CAR-engineered NK cells. This research helps to optimize the production of CAR-NK cells and enhance their functional activity, to provide CAR-NK cell products with better and more uniform quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The auxiliary heating of electrons and ions in linear plasma devices (LPDs) is necessary to achieve the boundary plasma relevant environment of tokamaks, to investigate the boundary physics and plasma—material interactions. In this work, the simulation of ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) in the LPD multiple plasma simulation linear device (MPS-LD) is carried out by using a 3D particle-in-cell method, and the wave—ion interaction mechanism based on a 'beach-heating' technique in the ion heating region is investigated. A left-handed, circularly polarized wave along the magnetic field lines is used to represent the electromagnetic wave in the model, after the analysis of the cold plasma dispersion relation. The mechanism of ion heating by collisionless damping absorption is demonstrated and explained by using the plasma current as the plasma response. The dependencies of the heating efficiency on the plasma density, magnetic field strength and magnetic field configuration are studied. The correlation between plasma density and magnetic field strength, which satisfies the heating efficiency, is found and it is in perfect agreement with the theoretical derivation. Finally, by using the designed parameters of MPS-LD provided by SOLPS-ITER, the prediction of ICRH is performed. The simulation result shows that the ion temperature can be heated higher than 40 eV and it satisfies the requirement for scrape-off layer/divertor simulation experimentally in MPS-LD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Binocular endoscopy is gradually becoming the future of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) thanks to the development of stereo vision. However, some problems still exist, such as the low reconstruction accuracy, small surgical field, and low computational efficiency. To solve these problems, we designed a framework for real-time dense reconstruction in binocular endoscopy scenes. First, we obtained the initial disparity map using an SGBM algorithm and proposed the disparity confidence map as a dataset to provide StereoNet training. Then, based on the depth map predicted by StereoNet, the corresponding left image of each depth map was input into the Oriented Fast and Brief-Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (ORB-SLAM) framework using an RGB-D camera to realize the real-time dense reconstruction of the binocular endoscopy scene. The proposed algorithm was verified in the stomach phantom and a real pig stomach. Compared with the ground truth, the proposed algorithm's RMSE is 1.620 mm, and the number of effective points in the point cloud is 834,650, which is a significant improvement in the mapping ability compared with binocular SLAM and ensures the real-time performance of the algorithm while performing dense reconstruction. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of earth-rich, low-cost, and high-efficiency electrocatalysts toward alkaline hydrogen evolution reactions (HERs) in the water spitting process is extremely desirable yet a huge challenge. In this work, we report the synthesis of novel RuO2/MoS2 electrocatalysts with good conductivity and abundant active sites for efficient HER by uniformly dispersing RuO2 nanoparticles on MoS2 nanosheets. Benefitting from the intense electronic coupling effect endowed with interface modifications, the as-prepared RuO2/MoS2 electrocatalysts exhibited superior performance for HER in 1 M KOH with a very low overpotential of 36 mV at 10 mA cm−2 and a small Tafel slope value of 34.8 mV dec−1. Moreover, the introduction of RuO2 nanoparticles improved the durability of the RuO2/MoS2 electrocatalysts with negligible variation in a 20 h operation. More importantly, the density functional theory (DFT) calculations further revealed the mechanism of strong electronic interaction between RuO2 nanoparticles and MoS2 nanosheets, which contributes to accelerating the H2O dissociation kinetics and optimizing H adsorption Gibbs free energy. This work may provide a deeper understanding for designing efficient HER catalysts through interface modification strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a critical element of time-varying mesh stiffness (TVMS), contact stiffness of a gear drive has been defined based on simplified Hertzian contact stiffness or semi-empirical nonlinear Hertzian contact stiffness in previous works. This study proposes a general contact stiffness model for elastic bodies through piecewise linear interpolation of contact pressure. The TVMS of a spur gear drive is determined through potential energy method and proposed contact stiffness model verified by Hertzian contact theory and finite-element method. Then, the influence of applied load on contact stiffness is studied, and the differences among proposed contact stiffness, simplified Hertzian contact stiffness, and nonlinear Hertzian contact stiffness are analyzed. Results show that contact stiffness increases with the applied load, and the TVMS based on the proposed contact stiffness model is the smallest among the three contact stiffness models. Effects of tooth width and input torque on the TVMS are further discussed. The TVMS becomes bigger with increased tooth width and input torque, but the increase rate decreases as tooth width or input torque increases. These findings indicate that reasonable matching of design parameters is beneficial for increasing load capacity and optimizing the dynamic performance of gear systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biological role of the spen paralogue and orthologue C-terminal domain containing 1 (SPOCD1) has been investigated in human malignancies, but its function in colorectal cancer (CRC) is unclear. This study investigated the association between SPOCD1 expression and clinicopathological features of CRC cases, as well as its prognostic value and biological function based on large-scale databases and clinical samples. The results showed that the expression level of SPOCD1 was elevated in CRC, which was generally associated with shortened survival time and poor clinical indexes, including advanced T, N, and pathologic stages. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that elevated SPOCD1 expression was an independent factor for poor prognosis in CRC patients. Functional enrichment analysis of SPOCD1 and its co-expressed genes revealed that SPOCD1 could act as an oncogene by regulating gene expression in essential functions and pathways of tumorigenesis, such as extracellular matrix organization, chemokine signaling pathways, and calcium signaling pathways. In addition, immune cell infiltration results showed that SPOCD1 expression was associated with various immune cells, especially macrophages. Furthermore, our findings suggested a possible function for SPOCD1 in the polarization of macrophages from M1 to M2 in CRC. In conclusion, SPOCD1 is a promising diagnostic and prognostic marker for CRC, opening new avenues for research and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the clinical features, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of otolaryngological extranodal RDD. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 16 patients who were initially diagnosed and treated with otolaryngological extranodal RDD in our hospital from January 2013 to January 2019. Results: There were 9 females and 7 males. The mean diagnostic age was 45.35. Nasal, laryngeal and otic RDD were, respectively, accounting for 56.25%, 31.25% and 12.5%. The median interval diagnostic time was individually 1, 0.5 and 0.2 year for nasal, laryngeal and otic RDD. The most common symptoms were separately progressive nasal congestion, dyspnea, otorrhea in nasal, laryngeal and otic RDD. 13 had cervical lymph node swelling on MRI. Surgery or postoperative radiotherapy were conformed. In the end, 14 patients with RDD survived. The survival rate is as high as 87.5%. One of them died of RDD in the fifth year. One case was lost to follow-up 2 years after treatment. Patients survive for at least 2 years and up to 9 years. There was no significant difference in life expectancy of extranodal RDD among different parts of ENT (P = 0.508 > 0.05). The average ages of laryngeal and nasal RDD were similar (P = 0.898 > 0.05). However, the age of both was significantly higher than ear RDD (P = 0.023 and 0.019 < 0.05). Conclusions: The average diagnostic age was more than 20 years. Nasal RDD was the most common in this area. All laryngeal RDD had infiltrated subglottis. Functional surgery and postoperative radiotherapy can be used to achieve long-term remission and survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• CFD simulations are conducted for labyrinth seals of a cryogenic liquid expander. • Flow behavior in labyrinth seals with different tooth shapes is explored. • The effect of tooth shape on the leakage is investigated. • The effect of tooth shape on the rotordynamic characteristics is studied. • A parametric study is performed for seal tooth geometric parameters. Cryogenic liquid turbine expanders have been used in many refrigeration systems to save energy, and rotor stability is a top concern in their development. The present study focuses on the influence of tooth geometrical shape on the leakage and rotordynamic characteristics of labyrinth seals in a cryogenic liquid expander, whose rotordynamic characteristics are typically special because of the thermodynamic effect of cryogenic liquid and a large pressure drop. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are conducted in thirteen-teeth labyrinth seals with isosceles trapezoid shaped teeth and two types of right-angle trapezoid shaped teeth for a given geometric parameter through the whirling rotor method and total energy model. The flow behavior in the three labyrinth seals with different tooth geometrical shapes is explored, and their influence on the leakage and rotordynamic characteristics of the labyrinth seal is obtained. The results show that the leakage flow rate of the labyrinth seal with front right angle trapezoid shaped teeth is 1.1% and 0.6% less than that with rear right angle trapezoid shaped teeth and isosceles trapezoid shaped teeth, respectively, because of a larger divergence angle and more leakage flow involved in dissipation, while the labyrinth seal with isosceles trapezoid shaped teeth produces a larger fluid-induced tangential force opposite to the direction of whirling velocity and is more favorable for rotor stability. In addition, a parametric study is conducted to analyze the influence of clearance, tooth height, tooth thickness and inclination angle on the leakage and rotordynamic characteristics of the three labyrinth seals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryogenic liquid turbine expanders have emerged quite recently as a replacement for traditional Joule-Thomson valves in cryogenic processes for energy saving purpose. However, introducing a liquid turbine expander into the cryogenic air separation unit (ASU) can influence the operating points of ASU components, and the maximum benefits arising from the liquid turbine expander have not yet been reported. To fill such a gap, thermodynamic models are first established for ASU components, including the main air compressor, booster air compressor, cryogenic gas and liquid turbine expanders, main heat exchanger, cryogenic pump, and distillation column. To achieve the best possible use of the liquid turbine expander, an optimization method is developed by incorporating the thermodynamic models with the particle swarm optimization algorithm, in which the total minimization power consumption of ASU is the optimization goal while the flow rates and pressures of the high pressure air stream and the air stream drawn from the booster air compressor middle section together with the temperature of the medium pressure air stream exiting the main heat exchanger midway act as the optimization variables. Then, energy, exergy and economic analyses are conducted and the corresponding indexes are chosen to quantitatively evaluate the influence of the liquid turbine expander on the air separation process. For the case study, ASUs of 35000 Nm3/h oxygen production capacity with and without a cryogenic liquid turbine expander are optimized, respectively. The results show that the ASU total power saving through the use of liquid turbine expander is 4.2-fold its output shaft power; thus, the energy consumption of unit oxygen decreases by 2.12% and the overall exergy efficiency increases by 1%. In addition, the economic analysis shows that the period of return of the liquid turbine expander in the ASU is estimated to be 1.75 years. • An optimization method is developed to achieve the optimal use of liquid expanders. • Energy and exergy analyses are performed to study the influence on ASU process. • Comprehensive economic analysis is reported for using liquid expanders. • Sensitivity analysis is performed for liquid expander overall efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The irrational use of nitrogen (N) fertilizer has become a major threat to soil quality and food security, resulting in serious ecological and environmental problems. Holistic approaches to N fertilizer application are required to maintain a high N utilization efficiency (NUE) and sustainable agriculture development. Biochar is an efficient carbon-rich material for amending soil quality and promoting crop N uptake, but knowledge pertaining to the promoting effects of biochar application on N fertilizers is still limited. In this study, a field plot experiment was designed to detect the combined effects of biochar (0, 15 and 30 t ha−1) and N fertilizer (204, 240 and 276 kg N ha−1) on the soil nutrient levels, NUE, plant growth performance and crop production of maize. The results demonstrated that the combined application of N fertilizer and biochar can significantly decrease the soil pH and increase the contents of soil organic carbon, mineral N, available phosphorus and potassium. The crop N uptake and N content were largely promoted by the addition of N fertilizer and biochar, resulting in higher leaf photosynthetic efficiency, dry matter accumulation and grain yields. The highest yields (14,928 kg ha−1) were achieved using 276 kg N ha−1 N fertilizer in combination with 15 t ha−1 biochar, and the highest NUE value (46.3%) was reached with 204 kg N ha−1 N of fertilizer blended with 30 t ha−1 of biochar. According to structural equation modeling, the beneficial effects of N fertilizer and biochar on the plant biomass of maize were attributed to the direct effects related to soil chemical properties and plant growth parameters. In conclusion, N fertilizer combined with biochar application is an effective strategy to enhance the utilization of N fertilizer and crop production for maize by increasing soil fertility, improving plant crop uptake and promoting plant growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formula for the spectral moment of graphs which is represented by the number of subgraphs is called the RNS spectral moment formula of graphs. In this paper, the research on the RNS spectral moment formula of graphs is generalized to hypergraphs. We give a formula for the spectral moment of a hypertree in terms of the number of some subhypertrees. Using this formula, we obtain the first 3k codegree coefficients of the characteristic polynomial of a k-uniform hypertree in terms of the number of some subhypertrees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Undifferentiated pancreatic carcinomas are a very rare form of malignant pancreatic cancer that are difficult to diagnose and very aggressive. They are a kind of anaplastic pancreatic cancer that accounts for less than 10% of all pancreatic cancers. The WHO classifies undifferentiated pancreatic cancers into osteoclast-like giant cell type, sarcomatoid type and rhabdoid type. Patients may have KRAS, TP53 and SMAD4 alterations. In some cases, INI1 expression may be lost. Although there are no standard guidelines for treatment, in patients with resectable tumors, adjuvant therapy may be also beneficial. Since the prognosis is very poor in patients with unresectable tumors, careful assessment of resectability is very important. Undifferentiated pancreatic carcinomas are rare malignant tumors of the pancreas that are very aggressive and challenging to diagnose. The WHO categorizes them into undifferentiated osteoclast-like giant cell, sarcomatoid, and rhabdoid pancreatic carcinomas. Patients present with nonspecific symptoms such as jaundice, vague abdominal or back pain and itchy skin. Their histological characteristics include positive pan-cytokeratin mononuclear pleomorphic cells, osteoclast-like giant cells and CD68. Patients may have KRAS, TP53 and SMAD4 alterations, homozygous deletions of CDKN2A and CDKN2B, as well as INI1 deficiency. Surgical resection is the only curative treatment. Patients may benefit from postoperative adjuvant therapy. There are no widely accepted guidelines specific to this type of tumor; however, some chemotherapy regimens may be promising. The patient prognosis is mostly poor, especially in patients with unresectable tumors. However, several studies have shown patients achieving long-term survival with adjuvant therapy. In conclusion, although undifferentiated pancreatic carcinoma is rare and very aggressive, there is still potential for improved patient survival with proper diagnosis and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]