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Taxanes are a widely used class of anticancer agents that play a vital role in the treatment of a variety of cancers. However, toxicity remains a major concern of using taxane drugs as some toxicities are highly prevalent, they can not only adversely affect patient prognosis but also compromise the overall treatment plan. Among all kinds of factors that associated with taxane toxicity, taxane exposure has been extensively studied, with different pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters being used as toxicity predictors. Compared to other widely used predictors such as the area under the drug plasma concentration curve versus time (AUC) and time above threshold plasma drug concentration, maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) is easier to collect and shows promise for use in clinical practice. In this article, we review the previous research on using Cmax to predict taxane treatment outcomes. While Cmax and toxicity have been extensively studied, research on the relationship between Cmax and efficacy is lacking. Most of the articles find a positive relationship between Cmax and toxicity but several articles have contradictory findings. Future clinical trials are needed to validate the relationship between Cmax and treatment outcome and determine whether Cmax can serve as a useful surrogate endpoint of taxane treatment efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This study aims to investigate the effect of aerobic exercise training on BKCa channel in diabetic vascular smooth muscle and explore the underlying mechanism. Methods: Control m/m mice and diabetic db/db mice were randomly assigned to sedentary groups (W and D) and exercise training groups (WE and DE). Mice in exercise groups underwent training sessions lasting for 12 weeks, with a speed of 12 m/min for 60 min, five times per week. The thoracic aorta was extracted isolated and examined for measurement of vascular structure, global levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), vasodilation, and protein expression. Rat thoracic aorta vascular smooth muscle cells (USMCs) were cultured, and siRNA transfection was conducted to detect whether AMPK contributed to the regulation. ROS level and protein expression were measured. Results: Compared with control mice, diabetic mice had a larger vascular medium thickness, impaired BKCa-mediated vasodilation, a higher level of ROS, and a lower expression of BKCa α, BKCa β1, Nrf2, p-Nrf2, p-Nrf2/Nrf2, HO-1, and p-AMPK/AMPK. Exercise training increased the expression of BKCa α, Nrf2, p-Nrf2, p-Nrf2/Nrf2, HO-1, and p-AMPK/AMPK. AMPK deletion led to lower ROS levels and expression of BKCa α, β1, Nrf2, and HO-1 in USMCs cultured in high glucose conditions. Conclusions: BKCa channel protein expression reduction in VSMCs contributes to vasodilation and vascular remodeling dysfunction in diabetes mellitus. Aerobic exercise can promote the expression of BKCa channel and improve BKCa-mediated vascular dysfunction in diabetic VSMCs through AMPK/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Important properties of biochar as an effective soil amendment are its high water-holding capacity (WHC) and inhibition of water evaporation. However, the mechanism and the importance of biochar properties in controlling its own WHC and bound water evaporation remain little known. In this study, wheat straw and pine sawdust biochars were pyrolyzed in N2-flow, CO2-flow, and air-limitation environments at 300–750 ℃, and a series of the produced biochars' properties were characterized to explore the dominant controlling factors of their WHC and bound water evaporation. The results have shown that with the increasing contents of hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen as well as such ratios as H/C, and (O + N)/C, WHC of the biochars was also increasing while the evaporation of biochar-bound water was decreasing. With an increase in the other studied factors, such as carbon content, pH, and specific surface area (SSA), WHC of the biochars was decreasing, and the evaporation of biochar-bound water was increasing. That was connected with the fact that biochar-nitrogen was mainly in pyridinic and pyrrolic forms, while oxygen was in the form of C = O and C–O bonds. These forms of nitrogen and oxygen could be the receptors of hydrogen bonds to link to H2O molecules. Aliphatic hydrogen with a weak positive charge could be a donor of hydrogen bonds to link to H2O molecules. However, high carbon content, as well as high SSA, indicated more exposed aromatic carbon (hydrophobic sites) that could suppress the binding of H2O molecules. Additionally, high pH indicated that H2O molecules were dominated by OH–, which generated strong electrostatic repulsion with the negatively charged nitrogen- and oxygen-containing groups of biochar. It was also shown that the nitrogen-containing groups played a more important role (importance – 0.31) in WHC of the biochar than other parameters, including carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, ash contents, pH, SSA (importance from 0.02 to 0.09). Nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon contents had the most important influence on the evaporation of biochar-bound water in all studied factors. Furthermore, wheat straw biochar produced at low pyrolysis temperatures in N2 atmosphere (with high nitrogen and oxygen contents) had the highest WHC and the lowest evaporation of biochar-bound water. Consequently, it can be suggested that biochar rich in nitrogen can be an effective water retention agent and can improve agricultural soil moisture. Highlights: Nitrogen-containing groups (pyridinic and pyrrolic nitrogen) played a crucial role in the improvement of biochar water-holding capacity. Nitrogen- and oxygen-containing groups inhibited the evaporation of biochar-bound water. Biochar rich in nitrogen and oxygen may be an effective water retention agent to maintain soil moisture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is an aggressive and devastating cancer due to its metastasis induced by increased invasion. Lentinan is a polysaccharide exerting antitumor roles in multiple cancers, including lung cancer. However, the influence of lentinan on cell invasion in NSCLC remains unclear. Cell invasion was detected by transwell analysis. Matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9) levels were measured through immunofluorescence staining. The markers arginase‐1 (Arg‐1), CD206 and interleukin (IL)‐10 (IL‐10) of M2 macrophages, Wnt3a, and β‐catenin levels were measured by western blot or enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Lentinan did not affect cell viability and proliferation in NSCLC cells. Lentinan suppressed cell invasion and reduced the expression and secretion of MMP9. Lentinan attenuated also M2 polarization of tumor‐associated macrophages. Moreover, lentinan mitigated the M2 macrophage conditioned medium‐mediated cell invasion and MMP9 alterations in NSCLC cells. Lentinan inhibited the activation of the Wnt/β‐catenin signaling in NSCLC cells. The activated Wnt/β‐catenin pathway reversed the suppressive effects of lentinan on cell invasion and MMP9 level in NSCLC cells. In conclusion, lentinan reduces cell invasion in NSCLC cells by inhibiting the M2 polarization of tumor‐associated macrophages and the Wnt/β‐catenin signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to broaden the muffler frequency band in the low-frequency range of the exhaust muffler and to achieve the purpose of broadband noise reduction, in this paper, a model of an annular connecting pipe muffler is proposed using the finite element method (FEM) to simulate the nonreflection boundary condition and to solve the transmission loss (TL). In addition, the experimental value is obtained by the spatial five-point measurement method and compared with the simulated value, and the validity and reliability of the solution model are verified. Compared with a simple expansion muffler, the average TL of the annular connecting pipe muffler is increased by 11.86 dB, and the maximum TL is increased by 18.31 dB, effectively widening the muffler frequency area, and the overall performance is effectively improved. Finally, the influence of structural factors is analyzed, including the width (W) of the annular connecting pipe, the length (L) of the annular connecting pipe, and the length ratio (m) of the front and rear chambers on the TL and on the width of the anechoic frequency band. The results reveal that the width and length of the annular connecting pipe and front-to-back cavity length ratio are the most significant factors to influence the TL, muffler frequency band, and elimination or reduction of the passing frequency, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind-induced vibration has become increasingly prominent for long-span bridges. Flutter instability, as a type of divergent vibration, is a key component in the wind resistance investigation of long-span bridges. Based on the principle of instantaneous power balance (IPB) of the flutter critical state of bridge girders, an algorithm for predicting the flutter critical wind speed of long-span bridges was proposed by utilizing a nonlinear optimization strategy. For the bending–torsional coupling two-dimensional (2-D) motion system, the contribution of the wind-induced self-excited and structural elastic forces of the 2-D bridge section to the energy of the system was revealed to be dependent on some key parameters, such as reduced frequency, wind speed, amplitude ratio, and phase lag between vertical and torsional motions. Therefore, according to the principle of IPB during the critical flutter state, the prediction of flutter onset wind velocity can be transformed into an extreme value optimization problem of the IPB objective function. The feasibility and accuracy of the IPB algorithm were verified by comparing them with those obtained from segmental model wind tunnel tests and previous 2-D flutter prediction algorithms. Compared with the traditional methods characterized by force balance, the proposed method clearly and quantitatively presents the contribution relationship among multiple self-excited aerodynamic components on the flat plate and bridge section while flutter occurs; the method first evaluates the flutter critical state as an alternative algorithm from an energy perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the parameters influencing intraoperative calculi excretion (ICE) during flexible ureteroscopy lithotripsy (fURL) using in vitro simulation experiments. Methods: 3D-printed human kidney models were used to simulate the elimination of gravel during fURL. The factors influencing the ICE during fURL were analyzed by comparing the effects of different degrees of hydronephrosis (mild, moderate, and severe), surgical positions (supine and lateral position), ratios of endoscope-sheath diameter (RESD) (0.625, 0.725, and 0.825), gravel sizes (0.50–1.00 mm, 0.25–0.50 mm, and 0.10–0.25 mm), and ureteral access sheaths (UASs) (traditional UAS and negative-pressure UAS) on ICE. Results: The impacts of various UAS, RESD, degree of hydronephrosis, surgical positions, and gravel sizes on ICE were all significant (p < 0.05). We found no evidence of multicollinearity for all the independent variables, and the linear regression equation fitted as ICE (g / min) = 0.102 + 0.083 ∗ UAS grade - 0.050 ∗ RESD grade - 0.048 ∗ hydronephrosis grade + 0.065 ∗ position grade - 0.027 ∗ gravel size grade (R2 = 0.569). Conclusion: Employing negative-pressure UAS, smaller RESD, milder hydronephrosis, lateral position, and smaller gravel size contribute to improved ICE during fURL. Among them, the adoption of negative-pressure UAS had the most substantial effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a generalized multiscale finite element method combined with a balanced truncation to solve a parameter-dependent parabolic problem. As an updated version of the standard multiscale method, the generalized multiscale method contains the necessary eigenvalue computation, in which the enriched multiscale basis functions are picked up from a snapshot space on users' demand. Based upon the generalized multiscale simulation on the coarse scale, the balanced truncation is applied to solve its Lyapunov equations on the reduced scale for further savings while ensuring high accuracy. A θ-implicit scheme is utilized for the fully discretization process. Finally, numerical results validate the uniform stability and robustness of our proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two anthryl-functionalized cyanide-bridged [Fe4Co4] cube complexes, [(pzTp)Fe(CN)3Co(TpEtOAn)]4[OTf]4·8MeCN·7Et2O (1) and [NEt4]3[(pzTp)Fe(CN)3Co(TpEtOAn)]4[OTf]7·5MeCN·2Et2O (2) (pzTp− = tetrapyrazolylborate, TpEtOAn = 2,2,2-tris-(pyrazol-1-yl)ethoxy(9-methyl-anthracene)), were synthesized and characterized. The crystallographic study revealed that the [Fe4Co4] cubes are arranged into a linear supramolecular chain through significant anthryl–anthryl π–π stacking interactions in complex 1, whereas a zigzag supramolecular 1D assembly is observed in 2. The magnetic measurements showed that both compounds exhibited incomplete transitions from the paramagnetic {Fe IIILS (μ-CN)Co IIHS } state to the diamagnetic {Fe IILS (μ-CN)Co IIILS } state at about 200 K. The luminescence measurement of 1 in solution revealed an enhancement of the emission upon dilution or addition of perfluoronaphthalene (PFN) molecules, which could be attributed to the suppression of the aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) effect, suggesting possible aggregation of the cube units in the solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate the dynamic evolution process of overall brain health in liver transplantation (LT) recipients, we employed a deep learning–based neuroanatomic biomarker to measure longitudinal changes of brain structural patterns before and 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery. Methods: Because of the ability to capture patterns across all voxels from a brain scan, the brain age prediction method was adopted. We constructed a 3D-CNN model through T1-weighted MRI of 3609 healthy individuals from 8 public datasets and further applied it to a local dataset of 60 LT recipients and 134 controls. The predicted age difference (PAD) was calculated to estimate brain changes before and after LT, and the network occlusion sensitivity analysis was used to determine the importance of each network in age prediction. Results: The PAD of patients with cirrhosis increased markedly at baseline (+ 5.74 years) and continued to increase within one month after LT (+ 9.18 years). After that, the brain age began to decrease gradually, but it was still higher than the chronological age. The PAD values of the OHE subgroup were higher than those of the no-OHE, and the discrepancy was more obvious at 1-month post-LT. High-level cognition-related networks were more important in predicting the brain age of patients with cirrhosis at baseline, while the importance of primary sensory networks increased temporarily within 6-month post-LT. Conclusions: The brain structural patterns of LT recipients showed inverted U-shaped dynamic change in the early stage after transplantation, and the change in primary sensory networks may be the main contributor. Key Points: • The recipients' brain structural pattern showed an inverted U-shaped dynamic change after LT. • The patients' brain aging aggravated within 1 month after surgery, and the subset of patients with a history of OHE was particularly affected. • The change of primary sensory networks is the main contributor to the change in brain structural patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we report the synthesis of a MOF containing multiple C＝C bonds geometrical features by adjusting the reactant ratio of the synthetic system. The photochemical addition studies revealed that the ligand 1,4-bis[2-(4-pyridyl)ethenyl]benzene can undergo photoisomerization under UV irradiation, and the angle between the C＝C bonds can be changed by about 85°, so that the C＝C pairs that do not conform to Schmidt's rule can be transformed into the conforming state, and then the 2 + 2 photoaddition can occur. We found that the angle range suitable for photoaddition includes not only the 0–15° range, but also the potential 85 ± 15° range. Furthermore, it is not the C＝C pair that best conforms to Schmidt's rule that gives priority to the photoaddition, but the one that enables the lowest total energy in the crystal to occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped phosphate glass with an ultra-low thermal expansion coefficient (55 × 10−7 K−1) was developed. The EYAP5 glass (80Al(PO 3) 3 –20AlF 3 -1.5Er 2 O 3 -7.5Yb 2 O 3 , mol%) exhibits excellent spectral properties, thermomechanical properties, and chemical durability. Compared with traditional high phosphorus-doped silica glasses, EYAP5 glass achieves a higher Er3+/Yb3+ doping concentration and energy transfer efficiency from Yb3+ to Er3+ ions. Meanwhile, the absorption spectra, emission spectra, and fluorescence decay were systematically measured and compared in the temperature range of 300–480 K. Unlike the cases at 915 and 974 nm, the absorption cross section at 940 nm (∼0.21 pm2) has the highest temperature stability, which facilitates the stable operation of the 1.5 μm high-average-power laser. Furthermore, the temperature rises increase the energy transfer efficiency from Yb3+ to Er3+ ions, effectively suppressing the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) at ∼1 μm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of HfC-SiC has been challenging due to difficulties in achieving sintering and satisfactory mechanical properties. However, this study aims to overcome these limitations by incorporating WC as an additive. SPS was employed to process HfC-SiC and HfC-SiC doped with 5 vol.% WC. The resulting samples were then evaluated for their oxygen content, relative density, Vickers hardness, bending strength, indentation fracture toughness, and microstructure. The Vickers hardness (20.50 ± 0.20 GPa), flexural strength (600.19 ± 84.00 MPa), and indentation fracture toughness (5.76 ± 0.54 MPa·m1/2) of HfC-30 vol.% SiC-5 vol.% WC ceramics are higher than HfC-30 vol.% SiC ceramics. Doping 5 vol.% WC in HfC-30 vol.% SiC not only reduces the oxygen content of samples but also produces the (Hf,W)C solid solution and refines the microstructures, which are the main reasons for the higher mechanical properties of HfC-30 vol.% SiC-5 vol.% WC ceramics. In summary, this study successfully addresses the challenges associated with HfC-SiC by incorporating WC as an additive, leading to improved mechanical properties and microstructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal priming of reef corals can enhance their heat tolerance; however, the legacy effects of heat stress during parental brooding on larval resilience remain understudied. This study investigated whether preconditioning adult coral Pocillopora damicornis to high temperatures (29°C and 32°C) could better prepare their larvae for heat stress. Results showed that heat‐acclimated adults brooded larvae with reduced symbiont density and shifted thermal performance curves. Reciprocal transplant experiments demonstrated higher bleaching resistance and better photosynthetic and autotrophic performance in heat‐exposed larvae from acclimated adults compared to unacclimated adults. RNA‐seq revealed strong cellular stress responses in larvae from heat‐acclimated adults that could have been effective in rescuing host cells from stress, as evidenced by the widespread upregulation of genes involved in cell cycle and mitosis. For symbionts, a molecular coordination between light harvesting, photoprotection and carbon fixation was detected in larvae from heat‐acclimated adults, which may help optimize photosynthetic activity and yield under high temperature. Furthermore, heat acclimation led to opposing regulations of symbiont catabolic and anabolic pathways and favoured nutrient translocation to the host and thus a functional symbiosis. Notwithstanding, the improved heat tolerance was paralleled by reduced light‐enhanced dark respiration, indicating metabolic depression for energy saving. Our findings suggest that adult heat acclimation can rapidly shift thermal tolerance of brooded coral larvae and provide integrated physiological and molecular evidence for this adaptive plasticity, which could increase climate resilience. However, the metabolic depression may be maladaptive for long‐term organismal performance, highlighting the importance of curbing carbon emissions to better protect corals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Increasing evidence suggests that patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) present with peripheral autonomic dysfunction (AutD) that even precedes motor deficits, through which α-synuclein can spread to the central nervous system. However, the pathological mechanisms underlying AutD in prodromal PD remain unclear. Here, we investigated the role of α-synuclein and its interplay with the activation of Schwann cells (SCs) of the vagus nerve in AutD. Methods: Rats were subjected to injection with adeno-associated viruses containing the human mutated A53T gene (AAV-A53T) or an empty vector into the left cervical vagus nerve and evaluated for gastrointestinal symptoms, locomotor functions, intestinal blood flow, and nerve electrophysiology. Further, we examined the impact of α-synucleinopathy on vagus nerves, SCs, and central nervous system neurons using electron microscopy, immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, and western blot. Finally, the role of Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) in regulating the neuroinflammation in the vagus nerve via MyD88 and NF-κB pathway was determined using genetic knockdown. Results: We found that rats injected with AAV-A53T in the vagus nerve exhibited prominent signs of AutD, preceding the onset of motor deficits and central dopaminergic abnormalities by at least 3 months, which could serve as a model for prodromal PD. In addition, reduced intestinal blood flow and decreased nerve conduction velocity were identified in AAV-A53T-injected rats, accompanied by disrupted myelin sheaths and swollen SCs in the vagus nerve. Furthermore, our data demonstrated that p-α-synuclein was deposited in SCs but not in axons, activating the TLR2/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway and leading to neuroinflammatory responses. In contrast, silencing the TLR2 gene not only reduced inflammatory cytokine expression but also ameliorated vagal demyelination and secondary axonal loss, consequently improving autonomic function in rats. Conclusions: These observations suggest that overexpression of α-synuclein in the vagus nerve can induce symptoms of AutD in prodromal PD, and provide support for a deeper understanding of the pathological mechanisms underlying AutD and the emergence of effective therapeutic strategies for PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoreceptor degeneration is one of the major causes of progressive blindness which lacks of curative treatment. GW2580, a highly selective inhibitor of colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor, has the protective potential on neurons; however, little was known about the application of GW2580 on photoreceptor degeneration. In this study, BV-2 and 661W cells coculture system was constructed to investigate the interaction between microglia and photoreceptors. GW2580 was loaded into zeolitic imidazolate framework-90-rhodamine B (ZIF-90-RhB) to synthesize a novel kind of nanoparticles, namely, ZIF-90-RhB-GW2580, through a one-step self-assembly approach. A photoreceptor degeneration model was generated by intense light exposure in zebrafish and ZIF-90-RhB-GW2580 nanoparticles were delivered by the intraocular injection. The results showed that in vitro GW2580 treatment promoted phenotypic transformation in microglia and led to the blockade of photoreceptor apoptosis. Following the intraocular delivery of ZIF-90-RhB-GW2580 nanoparticles, the microglial proliferation and inflammatory response were significantly inhibited; moreover, the photoreceptors underwent alleviated injury with a recovery of retinal structure and visual function. In conclusion, the intraocular injection of ZIF-90-RhB-GW2580 at the early stage enables the precise delivery and sustained release of the GW2580, thus preventing the progression of photoreceptor degeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we propose and analyze finite difference methods for solving two-dimensional Klein–Gordon–Dirac (KGD) system. Due to the nonlinear coupling, it is a great challenge to design and analyze numerical methods for KGD system. To overcome this difficulty, two linearized, decoupled and conservative finite difference methods are presented, which are mass- and energy-conserved. By rigorous error estimates, the conservative methods converge with second-order accuracy in both spatial and temporal discretizations without any requirements on the grid ratios. Several numerical experiments are carried out to illustrate the performance of the proposed numerical methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endovascular mechanical thrombectomy (EVMT) has shown significant efficacy in improving neurological functions in patients with intracranial internal carotid artery occlusion (IICAO), but its clinical outcomes are variable. We examined the relationship between favorable clinical outcomes after EVMT in IICAO and a set of predictors. In this retrospective study, 189 patients with IICAO treated by EVMT at 3 centers from November 2015 to December 2020 were included and analyzed. Non-contrast computed tomography and computed tomography angiography were evaluated on admission. The morphology of IICAO was categorized into Ia, Ib, L, or T types, depending on the involvement of the posterior communicating artery origin, proximal anterior cerebral artery, and middle cerebral artery. The Willis' circle was categorized as integrated or compromised Willis' circle. In combination with the involvement of the IICAO and the integrity of Willis' circle, we used the primary collateral grade (PCG) to describe the presence of functional Willisian collaterals. Baseline data including demographics, characteristics, vascular risk factors, and initial National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores were collected. Hemorrhagic transformation was evaluated using the 24-hour non-contrast computed tomography after EVMT. Favorable outcomes based on modified Rankin scale, were defined as 0–2 at 90 days. A total of 189 patients were included (median age, 69 years; 126 male [66.7%]). 104 patients [55.0%] showed reperfusion after EVMT, but 72 patients [38.1%] achieved favorable outcomes at 90 days. The mortality rate of type Ib was significantly higher than that with type Ia (χ2 = 14.21, P = 0.001). The outcome with different structure of Willis' circle was not statistically different between the 2 groups. A multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that IICAO T-type (odds ratio, 0.028 [95% confidence interval: 0.323–3.829], P = 0.042) and PCG 2 (odds ratio 9.427[95% confidence interval:1.863–47.698], P = 0.007) were predictors of favorable outcomes. Evaluation of PCG by determining the type of IICAO and the integrity of Willis' circle may serve as a valuable indicator for the prognosis and as an essential reference for screening patients before EVMT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A large frost-free chest freezer with an internal volume of 800 L is studied. • The sandwich air channel of the freezer is formed by the two surrounding walls. • A streamlined supply air channel is proposed. • The air flow distribution should match the distribution of the cooling load. In this study, the cabinet temperature uniformity of a large frost-free chest freezer with an internal volume of 800 L has been studied. After analyzing the flow field and temperature field of the freezer through numerical simulation, two optimization methods were proposed to improve the temperature uniformity in the freezer cabinet: redesigning the structure of the supply air channel to ameliorate the air flow; optimizing the position of the supply air outlets and return air vents to adjust the air flow direction. Results are analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively, which indicated that the proposed two methods can effectively improve the temperature uniformity in the freezer. It was shown that the optimization effect of temperature uniformity is better when relocating the supply air outlets and return air vents, and the maximum temperature difference of the packages in the freezer was reduced from 7.5 °C to 3.6 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predicting price of contemporary ceramic artworks is an important and difficult problem, particularly when every object is unique and potential bidder's tastes may exhibit substantial variation. In recent years, China's ceramic art market has shown a considerable developing trend, but at the same time, there are also problems that severely restrict its development, such as the chaotic price system. As cultural products, contemporary ceramic artworks have the value of cultural services. Unfortunately, the existing price evaluation models all ignore cultural services. By introducing the "cultural services" and "gray model GM(1, N, x(1))," a new predictor, called CCCAP-Pre, has been developed to predict prices of contemporary ceramic artworks. As demonstrated, the minimum error, the maximum error, and the average relative error of CCCAP-Pre were 0.02%, 6.19%, and 1.40% on ceramic sculpture artworks and 0.06%, 9.11%, and 3.63% on ceramic painting artworks, respectively. It will provide a reference for the benign development of ceramic art market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a new tumor treatment strategy, photothermal therapy (PTT) has the advantages of accuracy, ease of administration, a high efficiency and low side effects. Photothermal transduction agents (PTAs) are the key factor which play an important role in PTT. The mechanism of PTT is discussed in detail. The photothermal conversion efficiency (PCE) can be improved by increasing the light absorption and reducing the light scattering of photothermal conversion agents. Additionally, non-radiative relaxation path attenuation can also promote energy conversion to obtain a higher value in terms of PCE. The structure and photothermal characteristics of various kinds of PTAs (metal materials, carbon-based nanomaterials, two-dimensional nanomaterials, and organic materials) were compared and analyzed. This paper reviews the antitumor applications of photothermal synergistic therapies, including PTT combined with immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and photodynamic therapy. This review proposes that these PTAs promote the development of photothermal synergistic therapies and have a great potential in the application of tumor treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of exercise training on arterial stiffness in obese and overweight children. Three databases were searched up to July 2021 for papers about exercise training and arterial stiffness in obese and overweight children. The quality of each identified study was evaluated. Effect sizes were estimated in terms of the standardized mean difference. Egger's test and sensitivity analysis were used to assess publication bias. In total, 26 studies by 19 researchers were included in the meta-analysis. Flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), pulse wave velocity (PWV), and intima-media thickness (IMT) were improved after exercise training in obese and overweight children. Subgroup analysis showed that exercise only reduced the PWV and IMT in individuals with a BMI < 30. FMD, PWV, and IMT were improved by exercise training in participants aged below 14 years, but only FMD was increased by exercise in participants aged 14 years and above. All types of training significantly improved FMD. Aerobic exercise (AE) and high-intensity intermittent training (HIIT) reduced the PWV of the participants, but were less effective than resistance training (RT) and aerobic plus resistance training. Only HIIT significantly reduced the IMT. Conclusions: Exercise training improved vascular endothelial function and vascular sclerosis in overweight and obese children, especially in those with a BMI < 30 and younger than 14 years. AE had a more favorable effect on arterial stiffness. What is Known: • Exercise training was a good way to lose weight and subsequently promoted vascular function in overweight and obese children. What is New: • Exercise training was more effective on the vascular endothelial function and vascular sclerosis in overweight and obese children with a BMI<30. • Aerobic exercise had a more favorable effect on arterial stiffness, while the improvement was not effective after resistance training and combined training mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trap–mediated non–radiative loss is a major efficiency and stability obstale for solution–processed perovskite solar cells (PSCs). To address this issue, defect passivation using organic molecules has been identified as an effective strategy due to the ionic nature of the perovskite lattice. Herein, Ostwald ripening by using formamidine iodine (FAI) is reported to inhibit the carrier trap induced recombination via promoting secondary grain growth at perovskite surface. Based on secondary grain growth with FAI treatment, the graded passivation was presented caused by FA+ and I- from FAI. Moreover, the findings from time resolved photoluminescence and space charge–limited current technology indicate enhancements in the crystal quality. Consequently, this approach yielded a remarkable power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 20.62% for the FAI modified MAPbI 3 photovoltaics, with significantly improved open–circuit voltage ratio of 3.10%, short–circuit density ratio of 6.11%, fill factor ratio of 9.46% and PCE ratio of 19.06%. Moreover, the device show the excellent stability. This study introduces simple and reproducible procedures for fabricating PSCs, which can be readily extended to diverse optoelectronic device applications. • We use formamidine iodine (FAI) to induce secondary grain growth via Ostwald ripening. • The graded passivation was presented caused by FA and I from FAI. • The crystal quality is facilely modulated by FAI, which is also effective for other perovskite optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell therapy and regenerative medicine have made remarkable progress in treating neurodegenerative disorders. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) offer a promising source for cell replacement therapies, but their practical application faces challenges due to poor survival and integration after transplantation. Park et al. propose a novel therapeutic strategy involving the co-transplantation of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and iPSC-derived dopamine neurons. This combined approach enhances the survival of transplanted cells and protects against neuroinflammation-induced damage. In PD animal models, the co-transplantation approach significantly suppressed the host immune response, resulting in improved behavioral recovery. Additionally, Tregs demonstrate acute neuroprotection and contribute to delayed neuro-restoration in ischemic stroke. This combined approach of cell therapy with immunomodulation offers a promising avenue for advancing our understanding of neurological diseases and promoting the development of novel treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ponerorchis wolongensis, a new orchid species from the Hengduan Mountains, western Sichuan, China, is described and illustrated here based on morphological and phylogenetic evidence. Morphologically, the new species is similar to P. capitata, but they can easily be differentiated by the number of leaves and flowers, the shape of leaves, and the mid‐lobe of the labellum. Phylogenetically, based on seven DNA sequences, the new species is more close to P. sichuanica, but these two species are very different in both growth habit and morphological characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Fatty acid structure affected the 3D printability of corn starch–fatty acid (CS-FA) complex gels. • The formation of CS-FA complexes inhibited the "extrusion swelling" of CS gels. • CS-FA complexes changed the microstructure of corn starch gel. • Rheological and printing properties of CS-FA gel highly depend on FA structure. • Complex gels with 12-carbon fatty acid had the highest printing accuracy. The effect of corn starch-fatty (CS-FA) complexes from varying carbon chain length and degree of unsaturation on the rheological and 3D printing properties of corn CS–FA complex gels. The CS-FA complexes with longer carbon chain lengths and lower saturation enhanced the ability of gels to bind water, promoting the formation of intermolecular hydrogen bonds. The CS-FA complexes inhibit retrogradation and increase the amount of bound water, thereby reducing the structural integrity and transforming the original skeleton structure into a flake-like structure. These changes in gel structure led to lower flow stress and storage modulus for CS-FA gels containing FAs with shorter carbon chain lengths and lower saturation, resulting in reduced "extrusion swelling" of the material and facilitating its extrusion. The decreased "extrusion swelling" of gel improved print line width and printing performance. The CS-FA complex gel-printed product with a 12-carbon chain FA has the greatest printing accuracy, thanks to its moderate G', flow stress, and viscosity. This study provides important information for the CS-FA complexes for the preparation of starch-based 3D printing materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron slag, a byproduct of the wet zinc refining process, contains a substantial amount of valuable metals such as iron and zinc, making it highly valuable for comprehensive recovery and reuse. However, before recovery, the iron slag requires dehydration pretreatment. The water content in iron slag remains relatively high and difficult to remove even after pressure filtration, leading to extended drying times, reduced drying efficiency, and increased energy consumption. This study explores a novel ultrasonic pretreatment process for iron slag. Using the response surface methodology, we investigated the effects of ultrasonic power, ultrasonic time, liquid-to-solid ratio, and their interactions on the water content, capillary suction time (CST), and filtration resistance of the slag. Regression equations were established to predict the relationships between the water content, CST, filtration resistance, and the various factors. The optimal process parameters were determined as an ultrasonic power of 60 W, ultrasonic time of 22 s, and a liquid-to-solid ratio of 4:1. Under these conditions, the dehydration performance of the iron slag was optimal. The measured values closely matched the predicted values, demonstrating the reliability of the model and the feasibility of the optimized process. Our study of the mechanism of ultrasonic action on iron slag found that under the influence of ultrasonic waves, the particle size of the slag significantly decreased, and the particle morphology changed. Compared to conventional drying, the drying rate of the iron slag after ultrasonic pretreatment was accelerated, and the drying time was reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examined the impact of phase morphological transformations within the corn starch/gelatin system, induced by varying gelatin content, on its rheological properties and 3D printing performance. Gelatin addition inhibited the gelatinization and retrogradation of starch, which leaded to the transformation of continuous phase structure. The transition process from starch continuous phase to gelatin continuous phase promoted a thinner wall structure of the gel and loosed its dense network, resulting in reduced flow stress (τ f) and storage modulus (G′). These changes improved the extrusion and "extrusion swelling" of gel ink materials, which made the print size of printed product closer to the set model. The formation of a gelatin continuous phase in the gel was helpful in increasing τ f and G′, resulting in enhanced support capacity of the printed product. This study presented meaningful information for the application of 3D printing to starch-gelatin complex foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Treatment of CoCl2·6H2O and tris(pyrazolyl-1-yl)borate tricyanoiron(III) anions at an elevated temperature (55 °C) afforded two less-common pearl-chain-like compounds, {[(TpR)Fe(CN)3CoCl2]2Co(DMF)4}·nDMF (1, TpR = Tp4-Me = hydridotris(4-methylpyrazol-1-yl)borate, n = 1 and 2, TpR = Tp*Me = hydridotris(3,4,5-trimethylpyrazol-1-yl)borate, n = 4.5), in which the 4-coordinate Co(II) ions and [(TpR)FeIII(CN)3]− units are alternately bridged by cyanide groups into squares, which are further linked with the 6-coordinate Co(II) ions into an infinite chain. Interestingly, the magnetic study revealed that 1 exhibits a typical single-chain magnet behaviour with an effective energy barrier of 28.0 K, while surprisingly no Glauber dynamics was observed for 2 despite their very similar structures. The variations of the local coordination environments of the cobalt ions and the cyanide linkages were evidenced, and they may account for the significant difference in their magnetic properties related to the global magnetic anisotropy and magnetic exchange of the chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel biocatalytic membrane based on bacterial cellulose (BC), laccase@zeolitic imidazolate framework-90 (LAC@ZIF-90) biocomposites, and carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (c-MWCNTs) was prepared through a facile method for detection and degradation of phenolic pollutant. [Display omitted] In this work, a metal–organic framework material, zeolitic imidazolate framework-90 (ZIF-90), was firstly used to encapsulate laccase (LAC) and to prepare ZIF-90/LAC biocomposites. Afterward, the composites were combined with bacterial cellulose (BC) and carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (c-MWCNTs) by a facile method to achieve a novel cellulose membrane with biocatalytic function, displaying excellent detection and degradation properties towards phenolic pollutant. Notably, the membrane was directly employed as a biosensor electrode, and it exhibited a linear response to catechol from 20 to 400 μM with a detection limit of 1.86 µM (S/N = 3), as well as satisfactory selectivity, reproducibility, and stability. In addition, the biocatalytic membrane showed higher degradation efficiency towards catechol than pure LAC, and the catechol degradation efficiency of the membrane generally ranged from 93.4% to 82.1% for five cycles. Moreover, the membrane was successfully applied in enzyme membrane reactor (EMR), achieving satisfactory results. The novel membrane harbors a broad application prospect in the fields of real-time monitor and treatment of phenolic wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Picture fuzzy linguistic set (PFLS) is an extension of the intuitionistic fuzzy set (IFS) and linguistic variables (LVs), which has been applied successfully in the process of decision making. Considering the lack of closeness of extant PFLS operations and the interrelationship among input attributes do not consider. In this paper, for the sake of addressing those limitations, we firstly redefine some novel operational laws for PFLS by introducing linguistic scale functions and the related properties are studied. Then, a novel score function and accuracy function are also defined to compare PFLSs. Subsequently, in consideration of the superiority of the Muirhead Mean (MM) operator in capturing the interaction relationship between the input parameters, we extend the MM operator to the Picture fuzzy linguistic context and then propose Picture fuzzy linguistic weighted MM operator and its dual form in a new light. After that, these operators have adopted to build two novel models to solve multiple attribute decision-making (MADM) problems. Finally, a practical example for the selection of the innovative "Mobike" sharing bike design is provided to illustrate the practicality and effectiveness of proposed approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Time series is an extremely important branch of prediction, and the research on it plays an important guiding role in production and life. To get more realistic prediction results, scholars have explored the combination of fuzzy theory and time series. Although some results have been achieved so far, there are still gaps in the combination of n-Pythagorean fuzzy sets and time series. In this paper, a pioneering n-Pythagorean fuzzy time series model (n-PFTS) and its forecasting method (n-IMWPFCM) are proposed to employ a n-Pythagorean fuzzy c-means clustering method (n-PFCM) to overcome the subjectivity of directly assigning membership and non-membership values, thus improving the accuracy of the partition the universe of discourse. A novel improved Markov prediction method is exploited to enhance the prediction accuracy of the model. The proposed prediction method is applied to the yearly University of Alabama enrollments data and the new COVID-19 cases data. The results show that compared with the traditional fuzzy time series forecasting method, the proposed method has better forecasting accuracy. Meanwhile, it has the characteristics of low computational complexity and high interpretability and demonstrates the superiority of this model from a realistic perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here an excellent trimodality imaging‐guided synergistic photothermal therapy (PTT)/photodynamic therapy (PDT)/chemodynamic therapy (CDT) is proposed. To this end, a mixed‐metal Cu/Zn‐metal‐organic framework (MOF) is first assembled at room temperature on a nano‐scale. Interestingly, heating the MOF results in a Cu+/2+‐coexisting hollow porous structure. Subsequent heating treatment is used to integrate Mn2+ and MnO2 in the presence of manganese(II) acetylacetonate. The hollow composite achieves efficient loading of a photosensitizer, indocyanine green (ICG). Under laser irradiation, the aggregated ICG achieves photothermal imaging and PTT. Once released in the tumor site, ICG exhibits fluorescence imaging and PDT capacity. Cu+/Mn2+ ions perform Fenton‐like reaction with H2O2 to produce cytotoxic •OH for the enhanced CDT. Cu2+/MnO2 scavenge glutathione to improve the reactive oxygen species‐based therapy, while the formed Mn2+ ions enable "turn on" magnetic resonance imaging. Significantly, O2 is produced from the catalytic decomposition of endogenous H2O2 to improve ICG‐mediated PDT. Moreover, photothermal‐induced local hyperthermia accelerates •OH generation to enhance CDT. This synergistic drug‐free antitumor strategy realizes high treatment efficacy and low side effects on normal tissues. Thus, this mixed‐metal MOF is an efficient strategy to realize hollow structures for multi‐function integration to improve therapeutic capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of various physical state lipids (rapeseed oil (RO), shortening (ST), beeswax (BW)), on the physicochemical properties of starch (S) (hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate (HP), oxidized hydroxypropyl starch (OS))/gelatin (G) blown films were studied. S/G-lipid blends showed decreased storage modulus and complex viscosity. The formation of hydrogen bonds was inhibited by the ST and BW, but facilitated by the RO. Compared with BW and ST, RO was more effective to promote the melted and fractured of starch. Lipids addition promoted the compatibility of starch and gelatin. The presence of the lipids significantly improved the surface hydrophobicity, mechanical, water vapor barrier and water resistance properties of S/G films. S/G-RO films exhibited the strongest surface hydrophobicity and tensile strength, while HP/G-BW film showed the strongest water resistance and water vapor barrier properties. These results revealed that the appropriate lipids could be used to produce S/G-lipid films with desirable physicochemical properties. • Effects of different physical state lipids on blown S/G films were studied. • Lipids addition facilitated the compatibility of starch and gelatin. • The TS and EAB of films simultaneously increased in the presence of lipids. • HP/G film with the addition of RO formed a hydrophobic film surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are associated with higher anxiety or depression (A/D) incidence. We investigated associations of WMHs with A/D, cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR), and functional connectivity (FC) to identify potential pathomechanisms. Participants with WMH (n = 239) and normal controls (NCs, n = 327) were assessed for A/D using the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA) and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD). The CVR and FC maps were constructed from resting-state functional MRI. Two-way analysis of covariance with fixed factors A/D and WMH was performed to identify regional CVR abnormalities. Seed-based FC analyses were then conducted on regions with WMH × A/D interaction effects on CVR. Logistic regression models were constructed to examine the utility of these measurements for identifying WMH-related A/D. Participants with WMH related A/D exhibited significantly greater CVR in left insula and lower CVR in right superior frontal gyrus (SFG.R), and HAMA scores were negatively correlated with CVR in SFG.R (r = −0.156, P = 0.016). Insula–SFG.R negative FC was significantly weaker in WMH patients with suspected or definite A/D. A model including CVR plus FC changes identified WMH-associated A/D with highest sensitivity and specificity. In contrast, NCs with A/D exhibited greater CVR in prefrontal cortex and stronger FC within the default mode network (DMN) and between the DMN and executive control network. This cross-sectional study requires validation by longitudinal and laboratory studies. Impaired CVR in SFG.R and weaker negative FC between prefrontal cortex and insula may contribute to WMH-related A/D, providing potential diagnostic imaging markers and therapeutic targets. • Impaired CVR in right superior frontal gyrus can aggravate WMH related anxiety or depression. • Negative hyper-connectivity of prefrontal-insula existed in WMH with anxiety or depression. • Altered CVR and FC were both potential imaging markers of WMH-related anxiety or depression. • The CVR and FC were increased as compensation in control subjects with anxiety or depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recreational space is a place for residents' leisure and entertainment, and it is an important part of urban public space. Based on the literature visualization analysis software CiteSpace, with domestic literatures on recreational space included in CNKI as the research object, the hot spots and frontier of China's research on recreational space are analyzed from six aspects: number of published papers, research authors, research institutions, keyword frequency, keyword co-occurrence and keyword burst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A subcooling booster-assisted ejector refrigeration is proposed. • The refrigerant at outlet of the generator is in a two-phase state. • The performance coefficient of the refrigeration cycle is improved significantly. • The novel cycle can achieve considerable potential of energy saving. This paper presents a subcooling booster-assisted ejector refrigeration cycle (SBERC) for refrigeration applications in the field of solar-driven air conditioning. The innovation is that a subcooler and IHX is introduced to enhance the ejector refrigeration cycle performance effectively. In the SBERC, the refrigerant at the generator outlet is in a two-phase state. Energy and exergy analyses are conducted on two basic cycles and the novel cycle using environmentally friendly refrigerant R1234ze(E). Compared with two basic cycles, the COP t of the novel cycle is increased by 51.1% and 20.5%, respectively; the exergy efficiency η ex is increased by 38.2% and 15.1%, respectively, under a typical working condition. Under all given working conditions, the cooling performance of the novel cycle is better than that of two booster-assisted ejector refrigeration cycles. The results also indicate that the novel cycle obtains higher exergy efficiency, and requires less solar energy input than two basic cycles when solar radiation intensity ranges from 600 to 1000 W/m2. Besides, the performance coefficient of the novel cycle reached a maximum value when the refrigerant vapor quality at the generator outlet is about 0.73 under a typical working condition, and the higher effectiveness IHX and subcooler bring better cycle performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is a first attempt to explore business tourists' distinct emotional experiences, i.e. their mixed emotions during business trips. By providing and validating a moderated mediation model that connected mixed emotions with destination attractiveness, time pressure, and revisit intentions, we demonstrated that business tourists' mixed emotions are generated by the interaction of destination attractiveness and time pressure. In addition, mixed emotions play a mediating role in the relationship between destination attractiveness and revisit intentions. This indirect effect is moderated by time pressure. Our findings reveal a specific mechanism underlying the development of business tourists' revisit intentions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enterprise KV stores are often not well suited for HPC applications, and thus cumbersome end-to-end KV design customization is required to meet the needs of modern HPC applications. To this end, in this article we present bespoKV, an adaptive, extensible, and scale-out KV store framework. bespoKV decouples the KV store design into the control plane for distributed management and the data plane for local data store. For the control plane, bespoKVprovides pre-built modules, called controlets, supporting common distributed functionalities (e.g., replication, consistency, and topology) and their various combinations. This decoupling allows bespoKV to take a user-provided single-server KV store, called a datalet, and transparently enables a scalable and fault-tolerant distributed KV store service. The resulting distributed stores are also adaptive to consistency or topology requirement changes and can be easily extended for new types of services. Such specializations enable innovative uses of KV stores in HPC applications, especially for emerging applications that utilize KV-friendly workloads. We evaluate bespoKV in a local testbed as well as in a public cloud settings. Experiments show that bespoKV-enabled distributed KV stores scale horizontally to a large number of nodes, and performs comparably and sometimes 1.2× to 2.6× better than the state-of-the-art systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to improve the detection accuracy of laser methane sensors in expansive temperature application environments. In this paper, a large-scale dataset of the measured concentration of the sensor at different temperatures is established, and a temperature compensation model based on the ISSA-BP neural network is proposed. On the data side, a large-scale dataset of 15,810 sets of laser methane sensors with different temperatures and concentrations was established, and an Improved Isolation Forest algorithm was used to clean the large-scale data and remove the outliers in the dataset. On the modeling framework, a temperature compensation model based on the ISSA-BP neural network is proposed. The quasi-reflective learning, chameleon swarm algorithm, Lévy flight, and artificial rabbits optimization are utilized to improve the initialization of the sparrow population, explorer position, anti-predator position, and position of individual sparrows in each generation, respectively, to improve the global optimization seeking ability of the standard sparrow search algorithm. The ISSA-BP temperature compensation model far outperforms the four models, SVM, RF, BP, and PSO-BP, in model evaluation metrics such as MAE, MAPE, RMSE, and R-square for both the training and test sets. The results show that the algorithm in this paper can significantly improve the detection accuracy of the laser methane sensor under the wide temperature application environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ovarian tissue cryopreservation is considered to be the only means to preserve fertility for prepubertal girls and women whose cancer treatment cannot be postponed. However, ovarian tissues are inevitably damaged by oxidative stress during cryopreservation, which threatens follicle survival and development, and thus affects female fertility. Therefore, reducing tissue oxidative stress injury is one of the major challenges to achieving efficient cryopreservation of ovarian tissues, especially for whole ovaries. Here, we proposed a new method to improve the antioxidant capacity of whole ovaries during cryopreservation, static magnetic field assisted thawing. The results demonstrated that the antioxidant capacity of the ovarian tissue was significantly improved by static magnetic field treatment. In addition, ovarian tissue allograft transplantation was carried out, which successfully achieved vascular regeneration and maintained follicular development. The findings of this study not only provide a new reference for the preservation of female fertility, but also is a major step forward in the cryopreservation of tissues and organs. It will have good application prospects in the field of assisted reproduction and cryo‐biomedicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study demonstrates the interaction effect of hotel green practices and price image on consumers' skepticism and attitudes toward hotels. When hotels adopt green practices with hotel cost reductions, consumers' skepticism toward hotels with a low price image is higher than their skepticism toward hotels with a high price image, and their attitude toward the former is more negative. When hotels adopt green practices with customer cost reductions, consumers' skepticism toward hotels with a low price image is lower than their skepticism toward hotels with a high price image, and their attitude toward the former is more positive. When green practices with increasing customer cost are adopted, consumers' skepticism toward hotels with a low price image is higher and their attitude is more negative compared to hotels with a high price image. These findings suggest that hotels must carefully consider the combination of green practices with their price image. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: Decline in physical function is associated with older age. Healthcare utilization and expenditures related to physical functioning declines will likely increase as the proportion of the population of older adults rises. This study evaluated resource utilization associated with differences in physical functioning in a nationally representative sample of older adults. DESIGN: A retrospective panel study nationally representative for 26 809 552 older adults in the United States. SETTING: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data from 2013 to 2014. PARTICIPANTS: Adults aged 70 years or older who completed both rounds of the Self‐Administered Questionnaire in MEPS. MEASUREMENTS: Physical Component Score (PCS) from the Short‐Form Health Survey as a measure of physical functioning was stratified into quartiles. Healthcare utilization (count of medical visits by setting) and total expenditures were assessed during and after the PCS measurements. Generalized linear mixed models, adjusted for demographic and clinical covariates, estimated the relationship between healthcare utilization and physical functioning. RESULTS: The lowest functional status (Q1) was associated with significantly increased healthcare utilization of emergency department, inpatient, home health, outpatient, and total medical visits compared with the three higher quartiles groups (P <.001, all). When compared with the lowest functioning group (Q1), the percentage savings for direct healthcare expenditures were 26.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 7.8‐41.7) in Q2, 50.1% (95% CI = 35.6‐61.4) in Q3, and 65.2% (95% CI = 54.7‐73.2) in Q4. Similarly, there were 10.4% (95% CI = 9.2‐11.7), 11.9% (95% CI = 10.5‐13.6), and 14.0% (95% CI = 2.2%‐15.9%) reductions in total medical visits, respectively. CONCLUSION: Lower physical functioning was associated with higher healthcare utilization and expenditures. These estimates are conservative because they do not capture long‐term care utilization due to the nature of MEPS. These results can be used to benchmark other healthcare resource benefits of interventions to maintain or improve physical functioning in older adults in noninstitutionalized settings. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:266–271, 2020 See related editorial by Resnick et al. in this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Accumulating evidence indicates inherited risk in the aetiology of lung cancer, although smoking exposure is the major attributing factor. Family history is a simple substitute for inherited susceptibility. Previous studies have shown some possible yet conflicting links between family history of cancer and EGFR mutation in lung cancer. As EGFR-mutated lung cancer favours female, never-smoker, adenocarcinoma and Asians, it may be argued that there may be some underlying genetic modifiers responsible for the pathogenesis of EGFR mutation.Methods: We searched four databases for all original articles on family history of malignancy and EGFR mutation status in lung cancer published up to July 2018. We performed a meta-analysis by using a random-effects model and odds ratio estimates. Heterogeneity and sensitivity were also investigated. Then we conducted a second literature research to curate case reports of familial lung cancers who studied both germline cancer predisposing genes and their somatic EGFR mutation status; and explored the possible links between cancer predisposing genes and EGFR mutation.Results: Eleven studies have been included in the meta-analysis. There is a significantly higher likelihood of EGFR mutation in lung cancer patients with family history of cancer than their counterparts without family history, preferentially in Asians (OR = 1.35[1.06-1.71], P = 0.01), those diagnosed with adenocarcinomas ((OR = 1.47[1.14-1.89], P = 0.003) and those with lung cancer-affected relatives (first and second-degree: OR = 1.53[1.18-1.99], P = 0.001; first-degree: OR = 1.76[1.36-2.28, P < 0.0001]). Familial lung cancers more likely have concurrent EGFR mutations along with mutations in their germline cancer predisposition genes including EGFR T790 M, BRCA2 and TP53. Certain mechanisms may contribute to the combination preferences between inherited mutations and somatic ones.Conclusions: Potential genetic modifiers may contribute to somatic EGFR mutation in lung cancer, although current data is limited. Further studies on this topic are needed, which may help to unveil lung carcinogenesis pathways. However, caution is warranted in data interpretation due to limited cases available for the current study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimental results of flow boiling characteristics and flow patterns with acetone in two different microchannel heat sinks are presented in this paper. A semi-open microchannel heat sink and a straight microchannel heat sink with 19 parallel microchannels each were designed and tested. The semi-open microchannels have a channel width of 0.8 mm, fin width of 0.4 mm, and pedestal height of 0.2 mm and the straight microchannels have a rectangular cross section of 0.8 mm × 1 mm. The experimental heat fluxes ranged from 0 to 90 kW/m2, vapor quality ranged from 0.05 to 0.5, mass fluxes ranged from 4.34 to 15.62 kg/m2·s and the inlet temperatures were 20 and 30°C, respectively. Compared to those in the straight microchannels, flow boiling heat transfer coefficients can be improved by up to 36.2%. Furthermore, flow patterns were observed with a speed video camera. The flow boiling heat transfer mechanisms are analyzed according to the observed flow patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and lethal primary brain tumor characterized by extensive vascularization. Anti-angiogenic therapy for this cancer offers the possibility of universal efficacy. However, preclinical and clinical studies suggest that anti-VEGF drugs, such as Bevacizumab, actively promote tumor invasion, which ultimately leads to a therapy-resistant and recurrent phenotype of GBMs. Whether Bevacizumab can improve survival over chemotherapy alone remains debated. Herein, we emphasize the importance of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) internalization by glioma stem cells (GSCs) in giving rise to the failure of anti-angiogenic therapy in the treatment of GBMs and discover a specific therapeutic target for this damaging disease. To experimentally prove that hypoxia conditions promote the release of GBM cells-derived sEVs, which could be taken up by the surrounding GSCs, we used an ultracentrifugation strategy to isolate GBM-derived sEVs under hypoxic or normoxic conditions, performed bioinformatics analysis and multidimensional molecular biology experiments, and established a xenograft mouse model. The internalization of sEVs by GSCs was proven to promote tumor growth and angiogenesis through the pericyte-phenotype transition. Hypoxia-derived sEVs could efficiently deliver TGF-β1 to GSCs, thus resulting in the activation of the TGF-β signaling pathway and the consequent pericyte-phenotype transition. Specifically targeting GSC-derived pericytes using Ibrutinib can reverse the effects of GBM-derived sEVs and enhance the tumor-eradicating effects when combined with Bevacizumab. This present study provides a new interpretation of the failure of anti-angiogenic therapy in the non-operative treatment of GBMs and discovers a promising therapeutic target for this intractable disease. • In this present study, we found hypoxia promoted the release of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) by GBM cells and hypoxia-induced sEVs could be taken up by GSC cells. • The internalization of sEVs promoted tumor growth through the pericyte-phenotype transition of GSC cells. • Hypoxia-derived sEVs could efficiently deliver TGF-β1 to GSC cells resulting the TGF-β signaling pathway mediated pericyte-phenotype transition. • Combination of Ibrutinib and Bevacizumab showed a significant synergistic effect in targeting GBM. • We emphasized the importance of GSCs to document the failure of anti-angiogenesis therapy in non-curative surgical resection of GBM, and to discover a brain-specific therapeutic targets for this damaging disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optogenetics is an innovative method for precise control of biological function, which makes light manipulation displays more advantages than electric energy because of contactless spatial flexibility and cell-to-cell synchronous communication. The aim of this study was to perform different illumination modes with blue laser to investigate optical control of the mice hearts. In this study, we transfected the light sensitive protein ChR2(H134R) into mouse hearts, which were illuminated with a 473 nm laser on the Langendorff apparatus. We recorded all the signals of electrograms (EGs), epicardium monophasic action potential (MAPs) and light output signals to analyze myocardial electrical activity. EGs and MAP showed that ChR2 expression in the heart can be flexibly controlled by blue light across different illumination sites with corresponding triggered ectopic rhythm. Illumination intensity, pulse duration, and impulse frequency were associated with the light capture rate. Continuous illumination with the threshold intensity on the left ventricle had little influence on sinus rhythm and ventricular electrophysiology. Our results support that flexible control of the cardiac rhythm with optogenetics provides an innovative approach to cardiac research and therapy. • Heart expressed ChR2 can be controlled by blue light. • Light pulses initiated different ectopic rhythm with different illumination sites. • The constant illumination in threshold intensity was safe. • Different mode of light control can be used in cardiac research and therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]