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AbstractThis study aimed to investigate whether patients with low back pain (LBP) had impaired lower limb proprioception and its association with somatosensory acuity. Thirty patients with LBP and 30 asymptomatic people volunteered, using Sway Discrimination Apparatus tests to assess somatosensory acuity during voluntary anteroposterior and mediolateral postural sway. Results showed significantly reduced somatosensory acuity in mediolateral sway in LBP patients (p = 0.005) with ankle, knee, and hip proprioception showing significantly impairment compared to asymptomatic controls (all p ≤ 0.012). Regression analysis showed that ankle and hip proprioception were significantly associated with somatosensory perception (0.001 ≤ p ≤ 0.026, 0.067 ≤ R2≤ 0.235). Overall, findings suggested a global deterioration of lower limb proprioception in LBP patients, with ankle and hip proprioception playing crucial role in somatosensory perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advances in the fabrication of neuromorphic electronic devices using biomaterials have received increasing attention for their prospect in biologically compatible and "green" electronic devices. Here, we proposed a novel electric-double-layer (EDL) synaptic transistor gated with Li-doped natural gelatin membranes, demonstrating larger capacitance at low frequency and extremely strong electrostatic modulation behavior. Experimental results have shown that a concentration of 2 wt. % Li-doping can obtain better electrical performance of EDL synaptic transistor. Ion/Ioff of 4.86 × 105 and threshold voltage of 0.68 V were obtained. Meanwhile, some important synaptic functions such as excitatory postsynaptic current, paired-pulse facilitation, and high-pass filtering characteristic have been successfully implemented. As a result, it can be inferred that the proposed gelatin-based natural polymer EDL electrolyte has demonstrated potential applications in "green" neuromorphic platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Children with idiopathic scoliosis (IS) have a high risk of osteoporosis and IS with low bone mineral density (BMD) are susceptible to curve progression. This review aims to explore the risk factors of low BMD in children with IS. Methods: Studies were retrieved from 5 databases that were published up to January 2022. Search terms are keywords in titles or abstracts, including subject headings related to "Scoliosis", "Bone Mineral Density", and "Risk Factors". Observational studies on risk factors of low BMD in children with IS were enrolled in this review. The number of studies, sample size, outcome measures, research type, endocrine, and lifestyle-related factors, gene/signal pathway, and other contents were extracted for qualitative analysis. Results: A total of 56 studies were included in this scoping review. Thirty studies involved genetic factors that may affect BMD, including the Vitamin-D receptor gene, RANK/RANKL signal pathway, the function of mesenchymal stem cells, Runx2, Interleukin-6 (IL-6), and miR-145/β-catenin pathway. Eight studies mentioned the influence of endocrine factors on BMD, and the results showed that serum levels of IL-6, leptin and its metabolites, and ghrelin in children with IS were different from the age-matched controls. In addition, there were 18 articles on lifestyle-related factors related to low BMD in children with IS, consisting of physical activity, calcium intake, Vitamin D level, and body composition. Conclusions: Genetic, endocrine, and lifestyle-related factors might relate to low BMD and even osteoporosis in IS. To prevent osteoporosis, the effectiveness of regular screening for low BMD risk factors in children with IS needs to be investigated. Additionally, clear risk factors suggest strategies for bone intervention. Future studies should consider the effectiveness of calcium and vitamin D supplements and physical activity in BMD improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the problem of trajectory tracking control for mobile robot nonlinear systems with non-repetitive uncertain parameters, we propose a novel neural network compensator-based robust iterative learning control (NNRILC) scheme to achieve excellent tracking performance and uncertainty compensation. The NNRILC scheme consists of a parallel structure that includes a robust iterative learning control (RILC) term and a neural network (NN) compensator. The RILC term is used to ensure robust control performance and promise closed-loop stability. The compensator based on the neural network is employed to handle the uncertainties resulted from the nonlinear dynamics as well as the suppressed disturbances in the mobile robot nonlinear systems. Additionally, the fourth-order Runge-Kutta algorithm is employed to solve the state differential equation of the mobile robot. Consequently, The H ∞ robust technique is used to construct an iterative learning control update rule to reduce the impact of disturbances. Meanwhile, the RILC scheme is designed to optimize the neural network initial parameters and weights of the NN compensator at each trial. Then the convergence of the proposed NNRILC scheme is analyzed, and the results are incorporated into the control update for the next process trial. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by mobile robot simulation. • A novel ILC scheme combining neural network compensator is designed to solve trajectory tracking problem. • The Runge-Kutta algorithm is introduced to solve the state differential equation and the controller equation. • A neural network compensator is constructed to compensate the suppressed noises, disturbances, and uncertainties. • The H∞ robust technique is used to suppress the noises, disturbances in the ILC process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple myeloma (MM) and bone metastases are both common malignant tumors of the skeleton that share similar clinical manifestations and radiological features. The development of MM following rectal cancer surgery is relatively rare in clinical practice and is easily misdiagnosed as bone metastasis. The present study reported on a patient with MM and postoperative rectal cancer. A 65-year-old man had been diagnosed with low rectal cancer (poorly differentiated, T3N1M0) 10 years prior and underwent curative treatment at that time. During the 6-year follow-up period, no recurrence or metastasis of rectal cancer was detected. The patient was evaluated for bone pain 4 years ago and underwent multiple imaging examinations, including computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging, emission CT and positron emission tomography/CT at several well-known hospitals in China. All of these hospitals diagnosed the patient with bone metastasis from rectal cancer, in view of the earlier history. The patient's condition did not show any significant improvement despite treatment for bone metastasis. Subsequently, 3 years ago, the patient underwent surgical treatment at our hospital (Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China) for a hernia near the colostomy site combined with incomplete intestinal obstruction. Post-operatively, the patient developed a hematoma in the surgical area, along with stubborn anemia and abnormal coagulation function. No improvement was observed with hemostasis and multiple blood transfusions. The bone marrow smear was consistent with MM, with a significant elevation in serum IgA and β2 microglobulin. The patient was ultimately diagnosed with MM (IgA-λ type), stage III, according to the Durie-Salmon staging system. The patient's condition improved with treatment for MM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1) to develop a reliable device for assessing somatosensory perception sensitivity in voluntary postural sway movement, specifically a sway discrimination apparatus (SwayDA) for testing voluntary lateral sway discrimination sensitivity (VLSDS); 2) to explore the relationship between mobility performance and VLSDS in older adults, and 3) to determine the effects of age, gender and sway magnitude on VLSDS. First, eighteen healthy young adults (8 males, 10 females, age ranging from 22 to 70) were recruited for a test-retest reliability study. During the SwayDA test, the participants were asked to discriminate between four possible medial-lateral sway extents when moving away from neutral standing. For Objective 2, twenty-five older participants (9 males, 16 females, mean age 70.1) undertook both the SwayDA and the mobility tests. The mobility testing battery consisted of single task and cognitive dual task timed-up and-go tests, and the 5 times sit-to-stand test. Pearson's correlation was calculated between SwayDA scores and mobility performance. For Objective 3, 20 community-dwelling adults over 65 years old (10 males, 10 females, mean age 71.3) and 20 young volunteers (10 males, 10 females, mean age 23.6) were recruited to study the effects of age, gender and sway magnitude on VLSDS. To obtain a bias-free measure of VLSDS, the probability of correct response was considered as the true-positive judgment, while the probability of incorrect response was considered as false-positive judgment, and these were cumulated across the response values. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was then generated and the Area Under the ROC Curve (AUC) was used to measure VLSDS. There was no significant difference in AUC scores between Day 1 and Day 8 (p > 0.05). ICC(3,1) reliability indices were 0.750 for sway to the left and 0.879 for sway to the right. Pearson's correlation revealed a significant correlation between the SwayDA sores and timed-up-and-go (TUG), cognitive dual task TUG, 5 times sit-to-stand test (r = −0.456, −0.522, and − 0.416 respectively, all p < 0.05). Factorial ANOVA showed age and gender main effects (F = 8.144, p < 0.01, and F = 8.806, p < 0.01, respectively), suggesting older adults and females had worse VLSDS. In addition, a significant difference was found between the young and older participants in the inner range of VLSDS (t = −2.875, p < 0.017), indicating that the decline of somatosensory perception of postural sway in older people may be magnitude-specific, and greatest for small deviations from upright stance. The SwayDA has good to excellent test-retest reliability. The finding that VLSDS score was significantly correlated with mobility performance in older adults highlights the importance of somatosensory perception in postural control. More importantly, the significantly worse VLSDS in older people observed in the inner lateral movement range may represent a unique characteristic of neuromuscular degeneration associated with aging, which should be monitored and addressed in rehabilitation programs. • The sway discrimination apparatus has good to excellent test-retest reliability. • Somatosensation is important in voluntary postural control. • Aging and female gender were significant factors in the decline of somatosensation. • Worse somatosensation in the old was observed in the inner, near vertical range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have shown that the method combining the back-projection mechanism and deep convolutional neural network can well solve the problem of interdependence between high- and low-resolution images in single image super-resolution (SISR). However, this method still suffers from problems, such as large number of parameters and blurred detail textures. To address these problems, we propose a progressive residual feedback network with additional constraints for SISR. Specifically, we design a progressive residual structure that improves the densely connected network. This structure not only ensures feature reuse between each layer of the dense network through residual connections but also reduces the network complexity through progressive up-sampling reconstruction. In addition to enhance the detailed texture of the reconstructed image, we construct a spatial feature projection block based on the coordinate attention mechanism, so the extracted features contain spatial information that is relevant to the image reconstruction. Finally, we simulate the image degradation process with a degradation block to provide additional degradation constraints for the up-sampling network and optimize the convergence state-of-the-network. Numerous experimental results have proven the effectiveness of our method, which have advantages in both recovery quality and network complexity compared with other state-of-the-art SISR methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early diagnosis of breast cancer plays an important role in improving survival rate. Physiological changes of breast tissue can be observed and measured through medical electrical impedance, and the results can be used as a preliminary diagnosis by doctors before treatment. In this paper, quantum genetic algorithm (QGA) and support vector machine (SVM) were combined to classify breast tissues to help clinicians in diagnosis. The algorithm uses QGA to optimize the parameters of SVM and improve the classification performance of SVM. In this experiment, the electrical impedance data measured from breast tissue provided by UCI [58] was used as the data set. Objectively speaking, the data volume of the data set is small and the representativeness is not strong enough. However, the experimental results show that QGA-SVM shows better classification performance, and it is better than SVM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Osteoporosis is a risk factor for idiopathic scoliosis (IS) progression, but it is still unclear whether IS patients have bone mineral density (BMD) loss and a higher risk of osteoporosis than asymptomatic people. This systematic review aims to explore the differences in BMD and prevalence of osteoporosis between the IS group and the control group. Methods: We searched 5 health science-related databases. Studies that were published up to February 2022 and written in English and Chinese languages were included. The primary outcome measures consisted of BMD z score, the prevalence of osteoporosis and osteopenia, and areal and volumetric BMD. Bone morphometry, trabecular microarchitecture, and quantitative ultrasound measures were included in the secondary outcome measures. The odds ratio (OR) and the weighted mean difference (WMD) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to pool the data. Results: A total of 32 case–control studies were included. The pooled analysis revealed significant differences between the IS group and the control group in BMD z score (WMD −1.191; 95% CI − 1.651 to −0.732, p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis showed significance in both female (WMD −1.031; 95% CI −1.496 to −0.566, p < 0.001) and male participants (WMD −1.516; 95% CI −2.401 to −0.632, p = 0.001). The prevalence of osteoporosis and osteopenia in the group with IS was significantly higher than in the control group (OR = 6.813, 95% CI 2.815–16.489, p < 0.001; OR 1.879; 95% CI 1.548–2.281, p < 0.000). BMD measures by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and peripheral quantitative computed tomography showed a significant decrease in the IS group (all p < 0.05), but no significant difference was found in the speed of sound measured by quantitative ultrasound between the two groups (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Both the male and female IS patients had a generalized lower BMD and an increased prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis than the control group. Future research should focus on the validity of quantitative ultrasound in BMD screening. To control the risk of progression in IS patients, regular BMD scans and targeted intervention are necessary for IS patients during clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Higher adsorption efficiency of graphene biochar facilitates rapid completion of degradation process. • Smoother and faster electron transfer for catalysts without energy band gap hindrance. • OTC is degraded to small non-toxic molecules in a short period of time. • Pyrrole N and Lewis acid sites play a key role in activating the PDS process. The activation mechanism and degradation mechanism of peroxydisulfate (PDS)-based advanced oxidation technologies in applications have received increasing attention. In this paper, N,B co-doped biochar graphene (N,B-rGO-900) was synthesised from discarded coconut shells, which showed good adsorption and catalytic properties in the removal of oxytetracycline (OTC), there is no energy barrier to impede the electron transfer process. The adsorptive removal rate was 53 % in 30 min, and the degradation rate was 94.14 % in 15 min, with a reaction rate constant of 0.1363 min−1 (k 0- 15min), which was higher than the degradation rate(47 %) in 15 min for N-rGO with an energy barrier of 0.215 eV. More importantly, this study clarifies the structure–activity relationship of the catalyst, in the radical pathway, the number of electrons transferred to the PDS from the lone pairs of pyrrolic N and pyridinic N on N,B-rGO-900 was 0.045 e, which was higher than that of N-rGO (0.032 e) and pristine GO (0.019 e), contributing to the decomposition of PDS to produce radicals; in contrast, the N,B-rGO-900 in the nonradical pathway acts as an electron channel to promote electron migration from OTC to surface-confined N,B-rGO/PDS* complexes, the electron migration is driven by the potential energy difference between the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO, −4.932 eV) and the lowest vacant molecular orbital (LUMO, −1.923 eV), a process in which PDS extracts 2 electrons to the OTC, while ketones or quinones in the catalyst can act as Lewis acid sites to activate PDS to produce 1O 2 , in addition the introduction of N and B atoms reduces its activation energy in the reaction process (Ea = 45.45 kJ mol−1). The highest contributing active substance in the degradation process was O 2 • −(97 %) in the free radical pathway, and it was capable of degrading OTC into small molecules that are non-toxic to fish, daphnid, and algae, toxic concentrations much greater than 100 mg/L, and the catalyst was able to maintain an excellent performance after four reuse experiments and anti-interference experiments. This study systematically elucidates the process mechanism of antibiotic degradation by persulfate and provides new insights into the design of economic, efficient and stable targeted carbonaceous catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was undertaken to investigate the prevalence, serotype distribution and antimicrobial resistance in Salmonella isolated from retail meat in Southern China, and to characterize the major mechanisms that mediate the ciprofloxacin resistance of isolates. High levels of Salmonella contamination were detected in pork (67.0%), duck (50.5%) and chicken (46.2%). Thirty different serotypes were identified among 500 detected Salmonella isolates, as well as significant differences in serotypes between different retail meat samples. Notably, 405 (80.1%) isolates exhibited multidrug resistance (MDR). Meanwhile, we also found that 74 (14.8%) Salmonella isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin and the major mechanisms underlying this resistance were investigated. The commonest mutations in gyrA S83F (40.5%) and D87N (35.1%), and in parC was T57S (71.6%) and S80I (35.1%). Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis revealed that the S. Kentucky isolates that were resistant to ciprofloxacin mostly belonged to ST198 (21/23, 91.3%) and PFGE revealed the presence of various genotypes. This study identified a diversity of Salmonella serotypes and a high prevalence of multidrug resistance (MDR) among Salmonella isolated from retail meat in Southern China, which indicates that foodborne Salmonella potentially constitutes a potential food safety risk. • High-level Salmonella contamination exists in retail pork, duck and chicken meat. • Corvallis, Kentucky and Agona were the commonest chicken and duck meat serotypes. • Ciprofloxacin-resistant S. Kentucky ST198 is new to Chinese animal-derived foods. • Ciprofloxacin with gyrA and parC mutations and multiple PMQR genes had higher MICs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Migration of fish bones into abdominal para-aortic tissue after penetrating the junction of 3rd and 4th part of duodenum is incredibly rare.Case Presentation: A 68-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with persistent colic in the lower abdomen after eating fish two weeks ago. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan showed High density streaks along the anterior and lower edges of the 3rd part of duodenum with peripheral exudation and localized peritonitis. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy didn't find foreign bodies and perforations in the digestive tract. Laparoscopic surgery and intraoperative endoscopy were made to detect foreign bodies and perforation site was found. After transition to open surgery, the fish bone was found in abdominal para-aortic tissue and removed without complications. Postoperative recovery is smooth, and the patient resumed normal diet and was discharged.Conclusions: It is difficult to choose a treatment plan for foreign bodies at the 3rd part of the duodenum, because it is difficult to judge the damage caused by the foreign body to the intestine and the positional relationship with the surrounding important organs. Conservative treatment or surgical treatment both have huge risks. The handling of this situation will extremely test the psychology, physical strength and professional experience of the surgeon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the problems of low accuracy and robustness of traditional deep learning fault diagnosis methods, a novel attention-based multi-feature parallel fusion model Diagnosisformer is proposed for rolling bearing fault diagnosis utilizing Transformer as the basic network. Firstly, frequency domain features of the original data are extracted by Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), and then normalization operations and embeddings are performed on the model input. Secondly, the designed multi-feature parallel fusion encoder is exploited to extract the local and global features of the bearing data. The extracted features are fed to a cross-flipped decoder, followed by a classification head for fault classification. Finally, experimental verification is performed using data collected by the rotating machinery fault diagnosis experimental platform and the Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) bearing dataset. The average experimental results on the two fault diagnosis datasets are 99.84% and 99.85%, respectively. The results show that our diagnosis method significantly outperforms the state-of-the-art in accuracy, generalization, and robustness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydro-volcanism in the Longgang volcanic field (LVF) of Northeast China has produced a dozen maars with features of complex sequences. To better understand the formation mechanism of maar volcanos in the LVF, this study focuses on the Xidadianzi (XDDZ) maar volcano, located in the Jinchuan valley of the LVF. Based on detailed stratigraphy analysis, 14C geochronology, grain-size distribution, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis, the eruptive sequence of the XDDZ volcano, including the South Crater and the North Crater, was constructed. The whole sequence was formed after four eruptive phases, including a wet phreatomagmatic eruption, an explosive magmatic eruption, a dry and hot phreatomagmatic eruption, and a small explosive magmatic eruption. 14C geochronology indicates that the formation age of XDDZ is 15,900 ± 70 years, BP. Topographic and stratigraphic characteristics show that the landforms of two craters were damaged and buried because of the destruction of lava flows and agricultural modification. The NE- trending fissure in the hard rock area is thought to participate in the formation of the XDDZ maar volcano. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuropathic pain and neuropsychiatric symptoms are common complications reported by the traumatic brain injury (TBI) population. Although a growing body of research has indicated the effectiveness of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for the management of neurological and psychiatric disorders, little evidence has been presented to support the effects of rTMS on neuropathic pain and neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients with TBI in all age groups. In addition, a better understanding of the potential factors that might influence the therapeutic effect of rTMS is necessary. The objective of this preregistered systematic review and meta-analysis was to quantify the effects of rTMS on physical and psychological symptoms in individuals with TBI. We systematically searched six databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of rTMS in TBI patients reporting pain and neuropsychiatric outcomes published until March 20, 2022. The mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) was estimated separately for outcomes to understand the mean effect size. Twelve RCTs with 276 TBI patients were ultimately selected from 1605 records for systematic review, and 11 of the studies were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, five of the included studies showed a low risk of bias. The effects of rTMS on neuropathic pain were statistically significant (MD = − 1.00 , 95% CI -1.76 to -0.25, P = 0.009), with high heterogeneity ( I 2 = 76 %). A significant advantage of 1 Hz rTMS over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in improving depression (MD = − 6.52 , 95% CI -11.58 to -1.46, P = 0.01) was shown, and a significant improvement was noted in the Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire-13 (RPQ-13) scores of mild TBI patients after rTMS (MD = − 5.87 , 95% CI -10.63 to -1.11, P = 0.02). However, no significance was found in cognition measurement. No major adverse events related to rTMS were reported. Moderate evidence suggests that rTMS can effectively and safely improve neuropathic pain, while its effectiveness on depression, postconcussion symptoms, and cognition is limited. More trials with a larger number of participants are needed to draw firm conclusions. This trial is registered with PROSPERO (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42021242364. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many fractional order calculus researchers believe that fractional order calculus is a good way to solve information processing as well as certain physical system modeling problems. In the training of neural networks, there is the problem of long convergence time. In order to shorten the convergence time of the network, an R‐L gradient descent method is proposed in this study. The article begins with a theoretical proof of the convergence of fractional order derivatives using function approximation and interpolation inequality theorems. Finally, through multiple simulations, it can be obtained that the fractional‐order neural network can maintain a higher accuracy rate compared with the integer‐order neural network, and also can well solve the problem of longer convergence time of the neural network. The convergence time can be reduced by nearly 10% compared to the integer order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of the low accuracy in intrusion detection, a model of extreme learning machine based on the optimization of quantum beetle swarm algorithm is proposed. First of all, this paper proposes a quantum beetle swarm optimization algorithm, which introduces quantum mechanics and combines the advantages of beetle antennae search and particle swarm optimization. In this way, the individual can learn both their own experience and group experience, which enables the beetle to move purposefully and instructively, and improves the convergence performance of the algorithm. In extreme learning machine, it is more difficult to solve the problem in high-dimensional data. This paper proposed an improved extreme learning machine that uses the least squares QR algorithm to decompose the matrix, which can reduce the computational complexity of the traditional extreme learning machine. The improved extreme learning machine model optimized by quantum beetle swarm optimization algorithm is applied to intrusion detection, and the simulation results show that the model proposed in this paper can significantly improve detection accuracy and increase convergence rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to systematically review the literature on the effects of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) on insomnia and pain in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health, and Web of Science databases were searched. Outcomes, including pain, sleep quality, and adverse events, were investigated. Differences were expressed using mean differences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The statistical analysis was performed using STATA 16.0. Twelve trials with 476 TBI patients were included. The included studies did not indicate a positive effect of CBT on pain. Significant improvements were shown for self-reported sleep quality, reported with the Pittsburgh Self-Reported Sleep Quality Index (MD, -2.30; 95% CI, -3.45 to -1.15; P < 0.001) and Insomnia Severity Index (MD, -5.12; 95% CI, -9.69 to -0.55; P = 0.028). No major adverse events related to CBT were reported. The underpowered evidence suggested that CBT is effective in the management of sleep quality and pain in TBI adults. Future studies with larger samples are recommended to determine significance. This trial is registered with PROSPERO registration number CRD42019147266. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid increase in the number of tunnels and the complexity of tunnel structures, tunnel safety has attracted widespread attention from all sectors of society. As a narrow and semi-enclosed space, a fire in a tunnel will cause serious accidental consequences. In this paper, a series of experiments were conducted in a 1:10 reduced-size bifurcation tunnel to investigate the temperature rise distribution pattern of the ceiling in the bifurcation tunnel and the cooling efficiency of the air curtain under the synergistic effect of longitudinal ventilation and air curtain. The reliability of the data was first confirmed by comparing it with the along-travel temperature decay model of Li. At the same time, by analyzing the temperature distribution in the center of the fire source at different air curtain wind speeds, the air curtain airflow could be obtained to contribute to the reduction of the temperature in the center of the fire source. And by analyzing the maximum temperature rise beneath the ceiling in the area on both sides of the air curtain, the effectiveness of the air curtain to insulate and block smoke was investigated. Finally, considering the influence of scale principle on the exit velocity of air curtain, the non-dimensional air curtain velocity was defined, and the prediction model of the maximum temperature rise of bifurcated tunnel ceiling under the synergistic effect of longitudinal ventilation and air curtain was obtained, which was in good agreement with the experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Breast cancer anti-estrogen resistance 4 (BCAR4) is closely associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) initiation and propagation. However, the mechanisms underlying BCAR4 function in colon cancer remains largely unknown. In this study, we hypothesized that BCAR4 could regulate colon cancer stem/initiating cells (CSC) function and further facilitates the colon cancer progression. Methods: qRT-PCR was used to examine the expression of BCAR4 and various CSC markers. FACS, acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity and western blot assays were applicable to test the expression of CSC markers. CCK8, tumorsphere formation and transwell assays were adopted to examine the capacity of CRC cells proliferation, self-renewal and migration. Pull down assay was used to test the interaction between BCAR4 and miR-665. Luciferase reporter assay was used to examine the interaction of miR-665 and activators of transcription (STAT3). In vivo tumor xenograft study was used to verify the malignancy of CRC cells with inhibition of BCAR4. Results: Breast cancer anti-estrogen resistance 4 was highly expressed in both CRC cells and stem/initiating cells. In addition, overexpression of BCAR4 facilitated the maintenance of ALDH positive cells (a type of cancer stem/initiating cells) stemness and promoted ALDH+ cells proliferation and migration. Inhibition of BCAR4 restricted ALDH+ cells proliferation and migration. We further proved that miR-665 was the target of BCAR4 and subsequently activated signal transducers and STAT3 signaling which is an important pathway in cancer stem cells self-renewal. Conclusions: Breast cancer anti-estrogen resistance 4 promotes the CRC cells stemness through targeting to miR-665/STAT3 signaling and identification of the BCAR4 in CRC stem cells provides a new insight into CRC diagnosis, treatment, prognosis and next-step translational investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this study, 2887 Salmonella strains were mainly obtained from patients and foods in Shanghai from 2006 to 2014 in order to assess the susceptibility to 16 antibiotics. Among them, 3.8% (110/2887) S. Enteritidis isolates were shown to have an ACSSuT (ampicillin, chloramphenicol, streptomycin, sulfamethoxazole, and tetracycline) resistance pattern. The resistance genes of ACSSuT included sul2 (74.55%), flo (67.27%), tetA (49.09%), and aph(3)-IIa (46.36%). In addition, class 1 integron profiles were detected in 9 isolates, and 55.6% (5/9) were shown to carry resistant genes against aminoglycosides and sulfonamides. Moreover, these isolates had a high rate of resistance to nalidixic acid (95.29%), cefotaxime (70.64%), cefepime (58.72%), and ceftazidime (48.62%). Detection of quinolone genes showed that 93.64% (103/110) of the strains had gyrA single mutations (D87G, D87Y, D87N, S83Y, and S83F), where D87G was the dominant mutation in 55.45% isolates. 19.1% (21/110) isolates carried plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) genes (qnrB and aac(6′)-Ib-cr), and the most prevalent was qnrB. Furthermore, we also detected ESBLS genes. The most common were bla CTX-M-55 (57.27%) followed by bla TEM (23.6%) and bla OXY (4.55%). Mart , prot6E , steB , fimA , and sopE2 genes (100%) were the most in these isolates. The strains in the dominant PFGE profiles of G1 were all co-resistant to quinolones, cephalosporins, and ACSSuT, and were isolated from different sources. This suggests that existence of these genes lead to the emergence of high-levels of resistance to quinolone and cephalosporin in these ACSSuT resistance pattern isolates. And these isolates are transmitted between humans and food. Highlights • MDR-ACSSuT S. Enteritidis isolated from various sources in Shanghai, China, 2006–2014. • High-levels of co-resistance to quinolones and cephalosporins in MDR-ACSSuT isolates • The dominant PFGE profiles G1 showed co-resistance to quinolones and cephalosporins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field relations, petrography, bulk and micro-scale chemistry reveal that the most recent history of hazardous Changbaishan-Tianchi volcano should be revised with important implications for volcanic hazard in NE Asia. Currently, the two most recent large eruptions are identified separately as a VEI 5 trachytic Baguamiao eruption (BGM) and the much heralded VEI 7, late 946 CE (Common Era) “Millennium” eruption (ME) of comendite. However, we find that the former is part of the latter based on the following evidence: (1) trachytic fallout of the BGM lies directly on the comendite tephra of the ME without any indication of depositional hiatus; (2) abundant mingled trachyte-comendite pumice in the tephra deposits; (3) similar chemistry of mingled pumice and its components to those in the BGM and ME products; (4) correlation of bimodal glass shard compositions in the distal ‘B-Tm’ ash from the Japan Sea with comendite and trachyte glass from the BGM and ME products. Based on the above evidence, we suggest that the great Millennium eruption of 946 CE should be revised finally to include the BGM trachyte as its final stage. Furthermore, deposits attributed to two other trachytic eruptions in 1668 and/or 1702 CE (also called Baguamiao by some authors), and 1903 CE referred to in historic accounts were also examined. Our field observations, petrography, bulk and micro-scale chemistry combined with previously published Ra/Th ages indicate that all these trachytes are either primary deposits of the ME or its reworked deposits. Thus our findings do not support two separate post-ME eruptions and require that volcanic hazard assessment at Changbaishan volcano include this new interpretation. Recently published geochronological data integrated with our new petrochemical and volcanological framework informs the magma dynamics leading to the ME. The ME comendite, derived from a parental trachyte similar to the BGM started accumulating at shallow levels around 12 ka to 8 ka. Around 4 to 1.6 ka the BGM trachyte sensu strictu separated from its basaltic parent and started accumulating and crystallizing separately from the ME comendite. Just prior to the ME eruption, mingling of trace amounts of a third more mafic hybrid is implicated by the composition of mafic glass selvedges. The strong evidence for mixing of all these endmembers in the eruption products suggests that recharge mixing and overturn of this predominantly comendite-trachyte system occurred during the ~ 1 ka ME. The common occurrence of comendite and trachyte in the last 100 ka (also maybe 1 Ma) at Changbaishan-Tianchi suggests that conditions for trachyte-comendite magma interactions are prevalent in the magma system of Changbaishan and maybe crucial in catastrophic eruptions there. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changbaishan Volcano is located in northeastern China, approximately 1400 km west of the west Pacific subduction zone. Although the west Pacific plate and Changbaishan Volcano are spatially associated with each other, no previous evidence has demonstrated the existence of a direct material connection between the two. In this study, we utilize helium ( 3 He/ 4 He, CO 2 / 3 He) and carbon isotopes (δ 13 C) from the hot springs of Changbaishan Volcano to exclude the possibility of a direct material connection between the volcano and the west Pacific plate at source. A total of 22 gas samples were collected from three hot springs at Changbaishan Volcano in 2002, 2006, 2014 and 2015; isotopic and geochemical analyses were performed on these samples to trace the possible sources of these gases. Our analysis reveals that values for air-corrected 3 He/ 4 He ratios range from 3.98 R A to 6.03 R A (where R A represents the atmospheric 3 He/ 4 He ratio), CO 2 / 3 He ratios vary from 2.20 × 10 8 to 1.92 × 10 11 , and δ 13 C values vary from − 7.9‰ to − 1.6‰. By comparing these measured values to those of typical mantle and crustal sources, we can infer that hot spring gases from Changbaishan Volcano are mostly characterized by inputs from two isotopically distinct sources: deep mantle fluids and shallower, slab-derived fluids. Fluids liberated from the shallower magma chamber are likely to include ancient Izanagi subduction zone fluids, whereas fluids originating from deeper magma chamber likely consist of MORB-like asthenospheric mantle fluids. Based on these results, we suggest that helium and carbon isotopes in hot springs demonstrate the absence of a direct material connection between Changbaishan Volcano and the west Pacific plate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Air curtain has a great blocked effect from main tunnel to the branch. • Compared with the angle or thickness, the cooling effect of wind speed is more stable. • The temperature change laws caused by positive and negative angles are different. • The temperature reduces firstly and then rises with the thickness broadening. Previous studies have mainly focused on the traditional smoke prevention and exhaustion system in the simple structure of the tunnel. For bifurcation tunnel with air curtain, the temperature characteristic and the ability of air curtain to attenuate heat radiation and block the spread of smoke are still unclear. In this paper, a series of experiments were carried out in a 1:10 scale bifurcation tunnel to study the separation effects of air curtain by changing the wind speed, angle, and thickness. Results show that air curtain has a significantly blocked effect from main tunnel to the branch. Compared with the angle and thickness of air curtain, the cooling effect of wind speed is more stable. The temperature on the central axis of the main tunnel ceiling reduces with the increase of the wind speed. Plus, the laws of positive and negative angles acting on the tunnel are not consistent. When angle of air curtain acts, the temperature change on the left side is different from the right in the main tunnel. Besides that, the temperature reduces firstly and then rises with the thickness broadening. Then combined the temperature attenuation data along the main tunnel, a dimensionless temperature attenuation model was established, and a unified model under various heat release rates is obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, 205 Salmonella enterica serovar Corvallis strains were obtained from humans and foods from Guangdong, Guangxi, and Shanghai in China from 2009 to 2017 to assess drug resistance and molecular epidemiology. These isolates displayed high rates of resistance to sulfisoxazole (94.15%) and tetracycline (77.56%). Surprisingly, the rate of resistance to ciprofloxacin reached 21.46%. Moreover, 63.9% of the strains displayed multidrug resistance. Detection of quinolone genes showed that 97.56% of the strains had single mutations (T57S) in parC. The plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) genes qnrS, aac(6′)-Ib-cr , and qnrB, were also detected. The extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBLS) gene that was most common among the isolates was bla TEM-1 (18.05%). These S. Corvallis isolates are the first to date, that have been reported to possess bla CTX-M-55 or bla NDM-5. Additionally, 95.61% of isolates were biofilm producers. The streptomycin resistance rate was higher in strong biofilm producers (87.50%) than in moderate (37.93%) and weak (26.49%) biofilm producers. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) showed that some strains from different sources had the same genotype. These isolates may be transmitted to humans through food and therefore the monitoring of these isolates should be strengthened in China. • The first special study of antimicrobial resistance of S. Corvallis in China • S. Corvallis strains from food sources were mainly isolated from chicken. • Amikacin, ciprofloxacin, cefotaxime, and ACSSuT co-resistant strains were found. • The bla CTX-M-55 or bla NDM-5 genes were found for the first time in S. Corvallis. • Almost all strains were biofilm producers, which correlated to antibiotic resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural ventilation using vertical shafts shows a growing popularity in urban tunnel and metro tunnel due to less energy cost and no need for maintenance. In order to study its reliability, a number of tests were conducted to investigate the characteristics of the smoke inside the tunnel and complete smoke exhaustion under natural ventilation using a wide vertical shaft in metro tunnel fires. The results indicated the smoke temperature behind the wide shaft would decrease with increasing the shaft height, accompanied by thinner smoke layer thickness. Besides, there exists a critical vertical shaft height existed allowing a complete smoke exhaustion. When the shaft height exceeded the critical vertical shaft height, a safe evacuation environment behind the shaft could be guaranteed. A theoretical model of calculating the critical condition for exhausting total fire smoke was established based on the experimental results. It should be noted that this model does not consider the inclination of the tunnel, vehicle movement and extreme meteorological effects on the portals. And the equivalent HRRs are 1.75–6.98 MW in a full-scale tunnel. The results of this paper can provide guide for the ventilation design of metro tunnel in the future. • The thermal properties under natural ventilation using a wide shaft was addressed. • There exists a critical vertical shaft height allowing complete smoke exhaustion. • The critical vertical shaft height is independent from the fire size. • A model was developed to predict the complete smoke exhaustion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]