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Remote sensing precipitation data have the characteristics of wide coverage and revealing spatiotemporal information, but their spatial resolution is low. The accuracy of the data is obviously different in different study areas and hydrometeorological conditions. This study evaluated four precipitation products in the Yellow River basin from 2001 to 2019, constructed the optimal combined product, conducted downscaling with various machine algorithms, and performed corrections using meteorological station precipitation data to analyze the spatiotemporal trends of precipitation. The results showed that (1) GPM and MSWEP had the best four evaluation indicators, with R2 values of 0.93 and 0.90, respectively, and the smallest FSE and RMSE, with a BIAS close to 0. A high-precision mixed precipitation dataset, GPM-MSWEP, was constructed. (2) Among the three methods, the downscaling results of DFNN showed higher accuracy. (3) The results, after correction with GWR, could more effectively enhance the accuracy of the data. (4) Precipitation in the Yellow River Basin showed a decreasing trend in January, September, and December, while it exhibited an increasing trend in other months and seasons, with 2002 and 2016 being points of abrupt change. This study provides a reference for the production of high-precision satellite precipitation products in the Yellow River basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanisms for spinal cord stimulation (SCS) to alleviate chronic pain are only partially known. We aimed to elucidate the roles of adenosine A1 and A3 receptors (A1R, A3R) in the inhibition of spinal nociceptive transmission by SCS, and further explored whether 2′-deoxycoformycin (dCF), an inhibitor of adenosine deaminase, can potentiate SCS-induced analgesia. We used RNAscope and immunoblotting to examine the distributions of adora1 and adora3 expression, and levels of A1R and A3R proteins in the spinal cord of rats after tibial-spared nerve injury (SNI-t). Electrophysiology recording was conducted to examine how adenosine receptor antagonists, virus-mediated adora3 knockdown, and dCF affect SCS-induced inhibition of C-fibre-evoked spinal local field potential (C-LFP). Adora1 was predominantly expressed in neurones, whereas adora3 is highly expressed in microglial cells in the rat spinal cord. Spinal application of antagonists (100 μl) of A1R (8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine [DPCPX], 50 μM) and A3R (MRS1523, 200 nM) augmented C-LFP in SNI-t rats (DPCPX: 1.39 [0.18] vs vehicle: 0.98 [0.05], P =0.046; MRS1523: 1.21 [0.07] vs vehicle: 0.91 [0.03], P =0.002). Both drugs also blocked inhibition of C-LFP by SCS. Conversely, dCF (0.1 mM) enhanced SCS-induced C-LFP inhibition (dCF: 0.60 [0.04] vs vehicle: 0.85 [0.02], P <0.001). In the behaviour study, dCF (100 nmol 15 μl−1, intrathecal) also enhanced inhibition of mechanical hypersensitivity by SCS in SNI-t rats. Spinal A1R and A3R signalling can exert tonic suppression and also contribute to SCS-induced inhibition of spinal nociceptive transmission after nerve injury. Inhibition of adenosine deaminase may represent a novel adjuvant pharmacotherapy to enhance SCS-induced analgesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technology has influenced education, business, and communication in the last several years, changing many facets of human existence. Many industries have seen radical changes due to the quick development of technology, especially in artificial intelligence, machine learning, data analytics, and the Internet of things (IoT). This research explores vocal music teaching against the backdrop of the twenty-first century educational reforms seeking innovation and pursuing new teaching methodologies. The goal is to develop an autonomous learning framework reinforced by machine learning techniques that use conventional neural networks. The present study aims to implement machine learning algorithms in education, because esthetic education promotes excellence and humanistic attributes in educational environments, and art is essential in social activities. The main goal is to provide a framework that enables music education majors to access a customizable learning environment by integrating a pluralistic network approach and the strength of conventional neural networks. Music education constitutes an integral facet of quality, ideological, and moral education within general colleges and universities. The mission of music education, cultivating competent teachers for various Chinese institutions, necessitates a comprehensive understanding of students' learning patterns, thinking characteristics, and behavioral phenomena. This study analyzes these facets across diverse levels and perspectives, employing empirical generalization, literature synthesis, logical reasoning, and action research methodologies. The research findings underscore an accuracy rate of 97.4%, emphasizing the augmentation of students' independent learning abilities in vocal music education at higher education institutions. The proposed approach outperforms machine learning techniques such as RNNs, LSTMs, and DNNs. This study highlights the significance and methods for autonomous music education at colleges to improve "music education" students' learning through "independent learning" theory in higher education music. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phytochemical investigation of Cortex Mori Radicis led to the isolation and identification of a new prenylated benzofuranone (1) and four ring-opening derivatives (2–5) named albaphenol A–E, as well as nigranol A (6), together with ten 2-arylbenzofuran derivatives (7–16). The characterization of the structures of the new compounds and the structural revision of nigranol A (6) were conducted using the comprehensive analysis of spectroscopic data (1D/2D NMR, HRESIMS, CD, and XRD). Compounds 1–16 were tested for their inhibitory effects on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). Compounds 1 and 4 showed weak BChE-inhibitory activity (IC50 45.5 and 61.0 μM); six 2-arylbenzofuran derivatives showed more-potent BChE-inhibitory activity (IC50 2.5–32.8 μM) than the positive control galantamine (IC50 35.3 μM), while being inactive or weakly inhibitory toward AChE. Cathafuran C (14) exhibited the most potent and selective inhibitory activity against BChE in a competitive manner, with a Ki value of 1.7 μM. The structure–activity relationships of the benzofuran-type stilbenes were discussed. Furthermore, molecular docking and dynamic simulations were performed to clarify the interactions of the inhibitor–enzyme complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Peripheral blood carries a reservoir of mRNAs that regulate cardiac structure and function potential. Although it is well recognized that the typical symptoms of Myxomatous Mitral Valve Disease (MMVD) stage B2 are long-standing hemodynamic disorder and cardiac structure remodeling caused by mitral regurgitation, the transcriptomic alterations in blood from such dogs are not understood. Results: In the present study, comparative high-throughput transcriptomic profiling of blood was performed from normal control (NC) and naturally-occurring MMVD stage B2 (MMVD) dogs. Using Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analyses (WGCNA), Gene Ontology (GO), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genomes (KEGG), we identified that the turquoise module was the most highly correlated with echocardiographic features and found 64 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that were significantly enriched in platelet activation related pathways. Therefore, from the turquoise module, we selected five DEGs (MDM2, ROCK1, RIPK1, SNAP23, and ARHGAP35) that, according to real-time qPCR, exhibited significant enrichment in platelet activation related pathways for validation. The results showed that the blood transcriptional abundance of MDM2, ROCK1, RIPK1, and SNAP23 differed significantly (P < 0.01) between NC and MMVD dogs. On the other hand, Correlation Analysis revealed that MDM2, ROCK1, RIPK1, and SNAP23 genes negatively regulated the heart structure parameters, and followed the same trend as observed in WGCNA. Conclusion: We screened four platelet activation related genes, MDM2, ROCK1, RIPK1, and SNAP23, which may be considered as the candidate biomarkers for the diagnosis of MMVD stage B2. These findings provided new insights into MMVD pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The assembly and break-up of supercontinents have been hot research topics in international earth sciences because they represent a breakthrough in reconstructing the history of continental evolution and deepening the theory of plate tectonics, which is of indispensable importance to the development of earth sciences. With the continuous enrichment of paleomagnetic, paleontological, chronological, and geochemical data in the last two decades, the evolution of the supercontinent from Columbia to Rodinia has gradually gained unified understanding, and the reconstruction of the major plates within the supercontinent has basically been constrained. In contrast, the reconstruction of microplates, such as South China, Tarim, and Kabul, is controversial and has now become a popular topic and frontier area of supercontinent reconstruction. Hainan lies at the southern tip of South China, and a few Proterozoic units are exposed on the island. At present, Hainan is often taken as a part of the Cathaysia Block. However, due to the lack of exposed Mesoproterozoic igneous and supercrustal rocks in Cathaysia, the reconstruction model of the Cathaysia Block and even the South China Craton based solely on Mesoproterozoic units in Hainan are distinct from those based on units in the Yangtze Block and younger Proterozoic units within the Cathaysia Block, which makes the paleoposition of the South China Craton controversial. In this paper, we provide new detrital zircon U–Pb age data for the Baoban Complex, Hainan, together with the available data to comment on the affinities between Hainan and the Yangtze and Cathaysia Blocks in the Proterozoic, and on this basis, we can reconstruct the South China Craton within the Proterozoic supercontinents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alternative splicing (AS) is a key transcriptional regulation pathway. Recent studies have shown that AS events are associated with the occurrence of complex diseases. Various computational approaches have been developed for the detection of disease-associated AS events. In this review, we first describe the metrics used for quantitative characterization of AS events. Second, we review and discuss the three types of methods for detecting disease-associated splicing events, which are differential splicing analysis, aberrant splicing detection and splicing-related network analysis. Third, to further exploit the genetic mechanism of disease-associated AS events, we describe the methods for detecting genetic variants that potentially regulate splicing. For each type of methods, we conducted experimental comparison to illustrate their performance. Finally, we discuss the limitations of these methods and point out potential ways to address them. We anticipate that this review provides a systematic understanding of computational approaches for the analysis of disease-associated splicing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey of published literature reveals a difference in the density of amorphous and crystalline solids (organic and inorganic) on the order of 10%–15%, whereas for metallic alloys, it is found to be typically less than 5%. Standard geometric models of atomic packing can account for the polymeric and inorganic glasses without requiring changes in interatomic separations (bond lengths). By contrast, the relatively small difference in density between crystalline and glassy metals (and metallic alloys) implies variations in interatomic separations due to merging orbitals giving rise to reduced atomic volumes. To test this hypothesis, quantum density functional theory computations were carried out on ordered and irregular clusters of aluminum. The results point to decreasing interatomic distances with decreasing coordination, from which one can deduce that the geometrical method of random hard sphere packing significantly underestimates the densities of amorphous metallic alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition metal phosphides (MPx) with high theoretical capacities and low cost are regarded as the most promising anodes for lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs), but the large volume variations and sluggish kinetics largely restrict their development. To solve the above challenges, herein a generic but effective method is proposed to encapsulate various monodispersed MPx into flexible carbon multi‐chambers (MPx@NC, MNi, Fe, Co, and Cu, etc.) with pre‐reserved voids, working as anodes for LIBs and markedly boosting the Li+ storage performance. Ni2P@NC, one representative example of MPx@NC anode, shows high reversible capacity (613 mAh g−1, 200 cycles at 0.2 A g−1), and superior cycle stability (475 mAh g−1, 800 cycles at 2 A g−1). Full cell coupled with LiFePO4 displays a high reversible capacity (150.1 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1) with stable cycling performance. In situ X‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscope techniques confirm the reversible conversion reaction mechanism and robust structural integrity, accounting for enhanced rate and cycling performance. Theoretical calculations reveal the synergistic effect between MPx and carbon shells, which can significantly promote electron transfer and reduce diffusion energy barriers, paving ways to design high‐energy‐density materials for energy storage systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Betaine is a new surfactant with good application prospects in high-temperature and high-salinity reservoirs. The interfacial properties of two kinds of betaine mixtures with a good synergistic effect were evaluated in this paper. On this basis, the effects of temperature-resistant, salt-resistant polymers with different contents of 2-acrylamide-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS) on dynamic interfacial tensions (IFTs) against n-alkanes and crude oil were studied. The experimental results show that the IFTs between betaine ASB and n-alkanes can be reduced to ultra-low values by compounding with anionic surfactant petroleum sulfonate (PS) and extended anionic surfactant alkoxyethylene carboxylate (AEC), respectively. ASB@AEC is very oil-soluble with nmin value ≥14, and ASB@PS is relatively water-soluble with nmin value of 10. The water solubility of both ASB@PS and ASB@AEC is enhanced by the addition of water-soluble polymers. The HLB of the ASB@AEC solution becomes better against crude oil after the addition of polymers, and the IFT decreases to an ultra-low value as a result. On the contrary, the antagonistic effect in reducing the IFT can be observed for ASB@PS in the same case. In a word, polymers affect the IFTs of surfactant solutions by regulating the HLB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the lack of alternating electric fields and alternating magnetic fields in HVdc transmission system, there has been no sustainable and stable energy harvesting method compatible with them up to now, hindering the application of HVdc sensors. In this letter, we proposed a novel dc energy harvesting method using corona current, and an energy harvesting circuit is constituted with space ion flow generated by dc corona. The feasibility of the proposed method is increased by adding an artificial corona electrode and placing the load before the corona electrode. In addition, it can flexibly operate at any position in an HVdc transmission system according to actual demand. Then the output power is further maximized by adopting a capacitor with high working voltages. The detailed measurement results based on the experimental system validate the effectiveness of the proposed method, with a stable output power as high as 10.15 mW in a dc system of 22 kV. A detailed discussion of the overall performance is finally carried out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolutions of a neutron star's rotation and magnetic field (B-field) have remained unsolved puzzles for over half a century. We ascribe the rotational braking torques of pulsar to both components, the standard magnetic dipole radiation (MDR) and particle wind flow (MDR + Wind, hereafter named MDRW), which we apply to the Crab pulsar (B0531 + 21), the only source with a known age and long-term continuous monitoring by radio telescope. Based on the above presumed simple spin-down torques, we obtain the exact analytic solution on the rotation evolution of the Crab pulsar, together with the related outcomes as described below: (1) unlike the constant characteristic B-field suggested by the MDR model, this value for the Crab pulsar increases by a hundred times in 50 kyr while its real B-field has no change; (2) the rotational braking index evolves from ∼3 to 1 in the long-term, however, it drops from 2.51 to 2.50 in ∼45 years at the present stage, while the particle flow contributes approximately 25% of the total rotational energy loss rate; (3) strikingly, the characteristic age has the maximum limit of ∼10 kyr, meaning that it is not always a good indicator of a real age. Furthermore, we discussed the evolutionary path of the Crab pulsar from the MDR to the wind domination by comparing with the possible wind braking candidate pulsar PSR J1734-3333. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the free-form curve contour tracking error problem of CNC machining, a cross-coupled controller based on Fuzzy PID using an improved PSO algorithm is proposed. First, the exact formulas of the linear and circular arc contour errors under a plane trajectory are derived, and an estimation method for the free curve profile error under a plane trajectory based on the principle of approximate approximation of preferred points is designed. Second, a cross-coupled controller based on Fuzzy PID using an improved PSO algorithm is achieved. An improved PSO algorithm, whose learning factor is adjusted with the inertia weight, is used to optimize the controller parameters and achieve contour tracking of the free curve. Finally, a two-dimensional biaxial experimental platform is used to test the proposed method. The results demonstrate that the optimal gain parameters obtained by the proposed strategy can significantly improve contour control accuracy in biaxial contour tracking tasks. The proposed contour error control scheme can achieve not only a nearly perfect contouring error estimation, but also an obvious promotion of contouring accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are extremely strong radio flares lasting several micro- to milliseconds and come from unidentified objects at cosmological distances, most of which are only seen once. Based on recently published data in the CHIME/FRB Catalog 1 in the frequency bands 400–800 MHz, we analyze 125 apparently singular FRBs with low dispersion measure (DM) and find that the distribution of their luminosity follows a lognormal form according to statistical tests. In our luminosity measurement, the FRB distance is estimated by using the Macquart relation that was obtained for 8 localized FRBs, and we find it still applicable for 18 sources after adding the latest 10 new localized FRBs. In addition, we test the validity of the luminosity distribution up to the Macquart relation and find that the lognormal-form feature decreases as the uncertainty increases. Moreover, we compare the luminosity of these apparent nonrepeaters with that of the previously observed 10 repeating FRBs also at low DM, noting that they belong to different lognormal distributions with the mean luminosity of nonrepeaters being two times greater than that of repeaters. Therefore, from the two different lognormal distributions, different mechanisms for FRBs can be implied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Archean Kongling tonalite–trondhjemite–granodiorite (TTG) rocks and Neoproterozoic Huangling granodiorite–monzogranite–tonalite complex occupy the core of the Huangling anticline of the northern Yangtze Craton, South China. These Precambrian felsic rocks have provided crucial clues for understanding the earliest crustal growth in South China. This study presents a set of new zircon U–Pb geochronological and Lu–Hf isotopic data, and whole-rock geochemical data for the mafic dykes, predominantly intruding the Kongling TTG package in the northern Huangling anticline. Our data show that the dykes might be geochemically subdivided into Groups 1 and 2. Group 1 is characterized by low Al2O3, Na2O + K2O, Mg#, Th/Ta, and Sm/Yb but high FeOt and TiO2. In contrast, the Group 2 samples are marked by higher Al2O3, Mg#, Th/Ta, and Sm/Yb but lower FeOt and TiO2. The Group 1 dykes are inferred to be of Paleoproterozoic origin. Group 2 has zircon U–Pb ages of ~ 800 Ma but distinct εHf(t) values among the rock samples, ranging from − 0.3 to − 31.5 and indicating the Neoproterozoic lithospheric mantle being heterogeneous. The Paleoproterozoic Group 1 mafic dykes originated from an enriched and dry lithospheric source. The Neoproterozoic Group 2 mafic dykes were generated by an enriched lithosphere that was modified by slab-released fluid. In addition, a tonalite sample from the southern Huangling anticline is dated at ~ 815 Ma, and has the εHf(t) values ranging from − 19.8 to + 6.9. The wide εHf(t) range suggests the mixing between an enriched lithosphere with a less enriched source. Our data, along with the coeval mafic rocks in NW South China, North Laurentia, and South Australia, indicate that the Neoproterozoic mafic dykes and tonalite in the Yangtze interior are most likely the products in the supra-subduction setting along the Rodinia margin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current sensor integration provides many benefits on the power density and reliability of power modules. However, existing current sensors are not suitable for the integration in silicon carbide power modules. This article proposed a low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) based low profile current sensor with mount-ready structure. The current capacity, bandwidth, electrical insulation, and thermal expansion performance of the proposed current sensor are fully analyzed and evaluated. The mutual inductance between the designed sensing coil and current carrying conductor is 4nH with a relative error less than 5% compared with finiteelement analysis simulation results. The dynamic current measuring accuracy is verified by double pulse test. The error of first peak measurement is reduced from over 20% to less than 5% by changing the commercial Rogowski coil to the proposed LTCC current sensor. The wide temperature test results show that the proposed current sensor can be applied in high temperature environment conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug response prediction is essential for drug development and disease treatment. One key question in predicting drug response is the representation of molecules, which has been greatly advanced by artificial intelligence (AI) techniques in recent years. In this review, we first describe different types of representation methods, pinpointing their key principles and discussing their limitations. Thereafter we discuss potential ways how these methods could be further developed. We expect that this review will provide useful guidance for researchers in the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) has a strong genetic predisposition. However, its risk genes remain incompletely identified. We developed an Alzheimer's brain gene network-based approach to predict AD-associated genes by leveraging the functional pattern of known AD-associated genes. Our constructed network outperformed existing networks in predicting AD genes. We then systematically validated the predictions using independent genetic, transcriptomic, proteomic data, neuropathological and clinical data. First, top-ranked genes were enriched in AD-associated pathways. Second, using external gene expression data from the Mount Sinai Brain Bank study, we found that the top-ranked genes were significantly associated with neuropathological and clinical traits, including the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease score, Braak stage score and clinical dementia rating. The analysis of Alzheimer's brain single-cell RNA-seq data revealed cell-type-specific association of predicted genes with early pathology of AD. Third, by interrogating proteomic data in the Religious Orders Study and Memory and Aging Project and Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging studies, we observed a significant association of protein expression level with cognitive function and AD clinical severity. The network, method and predictions could become a valuable resource to advance the identification of risk genes for AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Partial discharge which often occurs at channel stopper of high voltage chip will cause insulation damage of chips which is harmful to the device application. Thus, it is important to improve the whole design to promote chip insulation capacity. In this brief, a novel chip surface shielding structure named U-protector is proposed which can promote the insulation capability of high voltage chips. Through the simulation, it can be found that the maximum electric field strength of chips can decrease 8% with adding U-protector. Moreover, verified by experiments, the partial discharge initial voltage (PDIV) of chips with U-protector can be promoted about 6.1%–12.7% of rated voltage. Furthermore, the universality and practicality of this structure are also investigated which can be used in multiple high voltage chips. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) data analysis, a fundamental problem is to determine the number of cell clusters based on the gene expression profiles. However, the performance of current methods is still far from satisfactory, presumably due to their limitations in capturing the expression variability among cell clusters. Batch effects represent the undesired variability between data measured in different batches. When data are obtained from different labs or protocols batch effects occur. Motivated by the practice of batch effect removal, we considered cell clusters as batches. We hypothesized that the number of cell clusters (i.e. batches) could be correctly determined if the variances among clusters (i.e. batch effects) were removed. We developed a new method, namely, removal of batch effect and testing (REBET), for determining the number of cell clusters. In this method, cells are first partitioned into k clusters. Second, the batch effects among these k clusters are then removed. Third, the quality of batch effect removal is evaluated with the average range of normalized mutual information (ARNMI), which measures how uniformly the cells with batch-effects-removal are mixed. By testing a range of k values, the k value that corresponds to the lowest ARNMI is determined to be the optimal number of clusters. We compared REBET with state-of-the-art methods on 32 simulated datasets and 14 published scRNA-seq datasets. The results show that REBET can accurately and robustly estimate the number of cell clusters and outperform existing methods. Contact: H.D.L. (hongdong@csu.edu.cn) or Q.S.X. (qsxu@csu.edu.cn) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation Gene-centric bioinformatics studies frequently involve the calculation or the extraction of various features of genes such as splice sites, promoters, independent introns and untranslated regions (UTRs) through manipulation of gene models. Gene models are often annotated in gene transfer format (GTF) files. The features are essential for subsequent analysis such as intron retention detection, DNA-binding site identification and computing splicing strength of splice sites. Some features such as independent introns and splice sites are not provided in existing resources including the commonly used BioMart database. A package that implements and integrates functions to analyze various features of genes will greatly ease routine analysis for related bioinformatics studies. However, to the best of our knowledge, such a package is not available yet. Results We introduce GTFtools, a stand-alone command-line software that provides a set of functions to calculate various gene features, including splice sites, independent introns, transcription start sites (TSS)-flanking regions, UTRs, isoform coordination and length, different types of gene lengths, etc. It takes the ENSEMBL or GENCODE GTF files as input and can be applied to both human and non-human gene models like the lab mouse. We compare the utilities of GTFtools with those of two related tools: Bedtools and BioMart. GTFtools is implemented in Python and not dependent on any third-party software, making it very easy to install and use. Availability and implementation GTFtools is freely available at www.genemine.org/gtftools.php as well as pyPI and Bioconda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation and storage of fresh groundwater in coral reefs is affected by many factors. The permeability of porous media in island and reef formation is one of the main controlling factors. Coral sand is the only medium for the formation of coral reefs. Its permeability characteristics are very different from the permeability characteristics of quartz sand from land sources. In this study, a series of indoor model tests and microphysical property tests were designed in order to reveal the reasons for the special permeability of coral sand from the microcosmic point of view. The conversion equation of the hydraulic conductivity between quartz sand and coral sand was established. Finally, through numerical simulation, the variation rule and the parameter sensitivity of a freshwater lens were studied when the hydraulic conductivity changed within the reasonable range of natural existence. It was found that the special permeability of coral sand was caused by four factors, including roundness (Φ), roughness (Ψ), surface charge, and the surface hydrophilicity of the particles. Among the four factors, the main factors and the secondary factors were classified according to the influencing degree that changed with the sizes of the particles. The influencing sensitivity of the hydraulic conductivity on the properties of the freshwater lens had the following order: freshwater appearance time > steady-state freshwater reserves > thickness of the steady-state freshwater lens> lens stabilization time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect mechanism of Cu2+, Zn2+ and Ni2+ ions in wastewater on photocatalytic activity remained unknown. For phenol-4-sulfonic acid (PSA) photodegradation, we fabricated anatase/rutile/activated carbon fiber composites (A/R/ACFs) by the hydrothermal deposition of rutile TiO2 nanorods and anatase TiO2 nanoparticles on ACFs. A/R/ACFs exhibited better photocatalytic activity than both R/ACFs and A/ACFs because anatase/rutile heterojunctions supported electron transfer from rutile to anatase. All Cu2+, Zn2+ and Ni2+ ions in wastewater improved the chemical stability of PSA by forming PSA-Cu(II), PSA-Zn(II) and PSA-Ni(II) complex compounds, and thus inhibited the PSA photodegradation. Notably, the as-formed photoelectrons over A/R/ACFs were partly consumed due to the reduce reaction of Cu2+ ions into Cu+/Cu0, avoiding electron-hole recombination and improving PSA photodegradation efficiency. No reduce reaction of Zn2+ and Ni2+ ions occurred during the PSA photodegradation process. Hence, the A/R/ACFs are an effective photocatalyst for wastewater purification, and low Cu2+ concentrations facilitated the PSA photodegradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasma extraction transit time (PETT) oscillation will cause electromagnetic interference, which is harmful to the device operation. Thus, it is important to estimate the PETT oscillation frequency accurately to suppress this oscillation. While the existing formula for PETT oscillation frequency is approximate due to its divergent problem, in this letter, a modified formula for PETT oscillation frequency is proposed for insulated gate bipolar thyristor devices. The modified formula considers the acceleration process, which is complex but does not change with the electric field. Therefore, the divergence of the formula can be well solved by introducing the modified term. Moreover, the modified formula can be obtained straightforwardly and well match the measured oscillation frequency, which verifies the accuracy of the proposed formula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electric eel is a unique species that has evolved three electric organs. Since the 1950s, electric eels have generally been assumed to use these three organs to generate two forms of electric organ discharge (EOD): high-voltage EOD for predation and defense and low-voltage EOD for electrolocation and communication. However, why electric eels evolved three electric organs to generate two forms of EOD and how these three organs work together to generate these two forms of EOD have not been clear until now. Here, we present the third form of independent EOD of electric eels: middle-voltage EOD. We suggest that every form of EOD is generated by one electric organ independently and reveal the typical discharge order of the three electric organs. We also discuss hybrid EODs, which are combinations of these three independent EODs. This new finding indicates that the electric eel discharge behavior and physiology and the evolutionary purpose of the three electric organs are more complex than previously assumed. The purpose of the middle-voltage EOD still requires clarification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex brain disorder with risk genes incompletely identified. The candidate genes are dominantly obtained by computational approaches. In order to obtain biological insights of candidate genes or screen genes for experimental testing, it is essential to assess their relevance to AD. A platform that integrates different types of omics data and approaches would facilitate the analysis of candidate genes and is in great need. Results We report AlzCode, a platform for multiview analysis of genes related to AD. First, this platform integrates a rich collection of functional genomic data, including expression data of AD samples (gene expression, single-cell RNA-seq data and protein expression), AD-specific biological networks (co-expression networks and functional gene networks), neuropathological and clinical traits (CERAD score, Braak staging score, Clinical Dementia Rating, cognitive function and clinical severity) and general data such as protein–protein interaction, regulatory networks, sequence similarity and miRNA-target interactions. These data provide basis for analyzing genes from different views. Second, the platform integrates multiple approaches designed for the various types of data. We implement functions to analyze both individual genes and gene sets. We also compare AlzCode with two existing platforms for AD analysis, which are Agora and AD Atlas. We pinpoint the features of each platform and highlight their differences. This platform would be valuable to the understanding of AD genetics and pathological mechanisms. Availability and implementation AlzCode is freely available at: http://www.alzcode.xyz. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work analyses different communication modes in applications of supercomputing, proposes a communication dynamic performance model based on topology awareness, and realizes the prototype system of all-to-all communication and stencil communication optimization based on this model. Basic tests on the optimization of all-to-all communication and stencil communication were carried out on the Sunway TaihuLight System, and this achieved obvious optimization results. Several applications, including molecular dynamics simulation and turbulence simulation, have been optimized and tested. The average performance has been improved obviously. It can be expected that, for other large-scale applications, this optimization method can also be used to obtain significant improvement in communication performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High di/dt during the close-open operation process of hybrid dc breaker will cause differential mode interference (DMI) in the energy supply system of the breaker's driver units due to their inductive coupling. The generated DMI may lead to false action of the breaker, which is an important issue that should be carefully considered in design stage. A method to analyze DMI based on time-domain wideband circuit simulations is proposed in this article. First, a time-domain waveform expression of DMI voltage source is derived, and then wideband equivalent circuit models of major components in the energy supply system are established. Furthermore, a standardized design methodology to reduce DMI is suggested. Applying the method to a high-frequency energy supply system of a ±200 kV hybrid dc breaker, simulation results show that the DMI level for two DMI mitigation measures is reduced by about 90% and 80% of the initial value, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a global health issue associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Serum apolipoprotein C3 (ApoC3) and apolipoprotein A5 (ApoA5) levels were decreased in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, however the relationship between ApoC3 or ApoA5 and HBV DNA load remains elusive. Methods: A total of 384 CHB patients including 194 HBsAg(+) HBeAg(−) and 190 HBsAg(+) HBeAg(+) and 154 healthy individuals were recruited in our study. Serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), total cholesterol (Chol), triglycerides (TG), apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1), apolipoprotein B (ApoB), high-density lipoproteins cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoproteins cholesterol (LDL-C) and lipoprotein a (Lpa) were examined in an automatic biochemical analyzer. Apolipoprotein A5 (ApoA5) and apolipoprotein C3 (ApoC3) were detected via ELISA. Results: Serum ApoA1, ApoB, ApoC3 and ApoA5 levels were reduced in CHB patients. In HBeAg(−) CHB patients, plasma ApoC3 levels were negatively associated with HBV DNA load (r = 0.219, P < 0.001). But no correlation between ApoA5 and HBV DNA load was observed in CHB patients. Conclusions: These data showed that HBV infection inhibits lipid metabolism and ApoC3 is negatively associated with HBV DNA load in HBeAg (−) CHB patients. These findings provided new evidence about the link between ApoC3-related lipid metabolism and immune response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a rapid and highly sensitive ultra high performance liquid chromatography with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry method with the mobile phase of acetonitrile and 0.1% aqueous formic acid was established and successfully applied to comparatively analyze main active components after their compatibility. Besides, the effects of Scutellariae Radix, Coptidis Rhizoma and combined extracts on type 2 diabetic rats induced by high‐fat diet along with low dose of streptozocin were investigated. Under the optimized chromatographic conditions, good separation of seven target components was achieved within 12 min. All calibration curves exhibited good linearity (R2 ≥ 0.999). The relative standard deviation of precision, repeatability and stability varied from 0.69 to 2.23, 0.98 to 2.56, and 0.92 to 2.57%, respectively. The recovery ranged from 91.11 to 105.35%. The contents of seven active components were notably reduced after compatibility; however, the hypoglycemic effect of combined extracts was stronger than single drug by decreasing the activities of fructose‐1,6‐bisphosphatase, glucose 6‐phosphatase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and increasing the activities of glucokinase, phosphofructokinase, pyruvate kinase. Accordingly, the established analytical method was accurate and sensitive enough for quantitative evaluation of seven investigated compounds. Moreover, the combined extract had definite effects on type 2 diabetes through multiple components against multiple targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The capability of precisely determining the atomic identity and position, coupled with an understanding of the inter-atomic interactions is crucial to enabling microstructure-property relationships in modern materials science. Two approaches to the investigation of materials at the atomic-scale are atom probe microscopy (APM) and density functional theory (DFT). On the one hand, APM offers an ultimate in 3D elemental analysis by determining the chemical identity and atomic position in a material. On the other, first principles DFT simulations allow the prediction of atomic structure and, critically, the electronic structure which is the gateway to calculating the real-world properties of materials. Both approaches are undertaken at the atomic-scale, and so are intrinsically complementary. This paper provides a review of the opportunities and challenges in combining these approaches to do materials science. We first summarise the status of these approaches and set out a framework for the current main workflows by which APM experiments inform DFT simulations and vice-versa. We point out certain gaps between the approaches and ways that these may be bridged via a series of case-studies organised into the aforementioned workflow framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • U-shaped depression-like effects of CORT exposure via drinking water are observed. • CORT exposure via drinking water for 7 days produces depression-like behaviors. • CORT exposure via drinking water for 14 days produces normal patterns of behaviors. • Depression-like symptoms recur, when CORT exposure is extended to 21 days. Abstract Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity is commonly dysregulated in stress-related psychiatric disorders. The corticosterone rat model was developed to understand the influence of stress on depression-like symptomatology. To further understand the effects of corticosterone on the development of depression-like behavior, rats were continuously exposed to corticosterone (200 μg/ml) or vehicle via drinking water daily for 21 days. The rats underwent a series of behavioral tests, and electroencephalographical recordings were performed after 7, 14, and 21 days of treatment. The measurements included immobility time (i.e. , despair) in the forced swim test, locomotor activity in the open field test, sucrose consumption (i.e. , anhedonia) in the sucrose preference test, and sleep-wake parameters. The rats in the 7-day corticosterone exposure group exhibited depression-like behavior, including increases in despair, anhedonia, anxiety, and sleep impairments. The rats in the 14-day corticosterone exposure group exhibited normal patterns of behavior and sleep structure. When corticosterone exposure was extended to 21 days, depression-like symptoms recurred, including despair, anhedonia, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. Overall, the present study observed U-shaped depression-like effects across 3 weeks of corticosterone exposure via drinking water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, spectral characteristics of the corona-generated audible noise (AN) on a dc conductor are studied through a quadrate corona cage structure. To reduce the influence of background noise, all experiments are conducted in a semi-anechoic chamber. Different from previous investigations, time-domain waveforms of corona-generated AN are recorded and the frequency spectra are calculated based on the time-domain waveforms through the calculation method of A-weighted sound pressure level (SPL). The results confirm that the frequency spectra describe different characteristics at different applied voltages and have a close relationship with pulse amplitude and pulse repetition frequency. In addition, the AN from a negative corona discharge contains more high-frequency components than those from a positive corona discharge. The components with the frequency above 400 Hz contribute most to the resultant total A-weighted SPL. The differences of AN from positive and negative corona discharges are interpreted on the basis of the corona discharge physics. Furthermore, some correlation frequency components in the frequency spectrum are found and can be used to calculate the total A-weighted SPL by adding correction values. Finally, the influences of pulse amplitudes and repetition frequency on the frequency spectrum of AN are discussed on the basis of the time-domain stochastic model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Biomarkers are urgently required for predicting rejection so that anti-rejection treatment can be taken early to protect the allograft from irreversible damage. We hypothesized that the combination of circulating fractalkine, IFN-γ and IP-10 might serve as effective biomarkers for predicting early acute renal allograft rejection. We conducted a retrospective study of 87 subjects, who were classified into acute rejection group (ARG; n = 38) and non-rejection group (NRG; n = 49). Serum fractalkine, IFN-γ and IP-10 levels were measured by Luminex. The levels of fractalkine on day 0 and 7th day, IP-10 on 4th and 7th day, and IFN-γ on 7th day in ARG was significantly higher than that in NRG. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis highlighted the higher-levels groups of fractalkine on day 0, 4th and 7th day, IFN-γ on day 0, 1st, 4th, and 7th day and IP-10 on the 4th and 7th day in rejection-free survival probability were significantly lower than low-levels groups. ROC analyses highlight the superiority of fractalkine on day 0, IP-10 on day 0, 4th and 7th day, and IFN-γ on day 0, 1st and 7th day in prediction of acute rejection. We found the combination of fractalkine on day 0, IP-10 on 7th day and IFN-γ on 7th day had the highest AUC (0.866) for predicting rejection with a sensitivity of 86.8% and a specificity of 89.8%. Our findings demonstrated a more powerful prediction of early acute renal allograft rejection during the first month after transplantation by combination of multiple-biomarkers of fractalkine, IFN-γ and IP-10, and the results might help stratify the immunologic risk of acute allograft rejection in recipients. Highlights • Biomarkers are urgently required for predicting rejection. • We examined the ability of fractalkine, IFN-γ and IP-10 to predict acute rejection. • ARG showed higher levels of fractalkine, IP-10, and IFN-γ than NRG. • Combination of fractalkine, IP-10 and IFN-γ had the highest AUC to predict rejection. • Three markers provide a more powerful prediction of rejection than single-marker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Repeated corticosterone (CORT) injections reliably produce depressive-like behavior in rodents. Our previous study showed that sleep parameters were altered in rats after daily injections of CORT for 7 days, and sleep disturbances appeared to be correlated with depressive-like behavior. The aim of the present study was to investigate time-dependent correlations between changes in sleep parameters and the formation of depressive-like behavior in rats after more prolonged treatment with CORT. Rats received daily injections of CORT (40 mg/kg, s.c.) for 7, 14, or 21 days. Electroencephalographic recordings were performed to study sleep parameters. The sucrose preference test and forced swim test were performed to evaluate depressive-like behavior. Western blot was used to detect protein levels. Our results showed that 7-day CORT treatment resulted in no significant depressive-like behavior or changes in rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep. However, the duration of non-REM sleep significantly decreased, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) levels significantly increased, and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) expression decreased in the locus coeruleus. Treatment with CORT for 14 and 21 days increased depressive-like behavior, enhanced REM sleep, shortened REM sleep latency, decreased TH and GR levels, and increased the levels of the chaperone FK506 binding protein 51 (FKBP51) in the locus coeruleus. These results indicate that the development of depression after chronic CORT treatment may be related to the formation of sleep disorders. Abnormalities of REM sleep may be a characteristic of sleep in models of depression that is induced by chronic CORT administration in rats. The noradrenergic system and GR pathway in the locus coeruleus may be involved in the formation of depression concomitant with sleep disturbances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electric fields are regarded as a promising means of graphene oxide reduction, but previous studies have only focused on pristine graphene. Here, based on first principles density functional theory calculations, we report on electric field mediated reduction of neutral and charged O and hydroxyl groups from both pristine and defective graphene sheets. The critical electric field strengths for different species are determined in facilitating a progressive and selective graphene oxide reduction. Our results demonstrate that the presence of vacancy defects significantly inhibits the effectiveness of electric fields as a means of reduction of O and OH functionals, due to the complexities that arise between the functional group and vacancy edge atoms in the presence of an applied electric field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Kupffer cells (KCs) originate from yolk-sac progenitors before birth. Throughout adulthood, they self-maintain independently from the input of circulating monocytes (MOs) at a steady state and are replenished within 2 weeks after having been depleted, but the origin of repopulating KCs in adults remains unclear. The current paradigm dictates that repopulating KCs originate from preexisting KCs or monocytes, but there remains a lack of fate-mapping evidence. Methods: We first traced the fate of preexisting KCs and that of monocytic cells with tissue-resident macrophage-specific and monocytic cell-specific fate-mapping mouse models, respectively. Secondly, we performed genetic lineage tracing to determine the type of progenitor cells involved in response to KC-depletion in mice. Finally, we traced the fate of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in an HSC-specific fate-mapping mouse model, in the context of chronic liver inflammation induced by repeated carbon tetrachloride treatment. Results: By using fate-mapping mouse models, we found no evidence that repopulating KCs originate from preexisting KCs or MOs and found that in response to KC-depletion, HSCs proliferated in the bone marrow, mobilized into the blood, adoptively transferred into the liver and differentiated into KCs. Then, in the chronic liver inflammation context, we confirmed that repopulating KCs originated directly from HSCs. Conclusion: Taken together, these findings provided in vivo fate-mapping evidence that repopulating KCs originate directly from HSCs, which presents a completely novel understanding of the cellular origin of repopulating KCs and shedding light on the divergent roles of KCs in liver homeostasis and diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wireline log prediction of sedimentary microfacies plays a significant role in sedimentary study. It is mainly achieved through the manual interpretation of wireline logs according to the differences of sedimentary microfacies in wireline log shapes. Influenced by interpreters' expertise and proficiency in manual interpretation, the classification results maybe subjective and uncertain. Moreover, the task is labor intensive. Developing an automatic method based on wireline logs to accurately classify sedimentary microfacies is thus, a worthy consideration. The proposed automatic classification of sedimentary microfacies in this study can be implemented in terms of object detection, which involves aspects of machine learning and computer vision. In the stage of machine learning, we manually extract the features that can represent the different well log shapes of sedimentary microfacies. To solve the problem of imbalanced training samples, we use the oversampling technique to propagate the training classes with few samples. In addition, based on the augmented samples, we systematically conduct cross-validation and hyperparameter optimization on a series of machine learning algorithms with different mechanisms. The oversampling algorithm and machine learning model with the best performance can then be selected. In the stage of computer vision, we design an object detection strategy to detect the classes and locations of sedimentary microfacies by integrating the trained classifier. The practical application of the proposed method to the clastic strata of the Ordos basin proves its efficiency and consistency in automatically classifying sedimentary microfacies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phenomenological interplay in the segregation of phosphorus (P) and transition metal (TM) elements at grain boundaries (GBs) in steels has long been suspected to be the main contributor to temper embrittlement. However, many of the details remain unclear. Here, we investigate the segregation, co-segregation and cohesion effects of TMs (Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Mo, Ni, Nb, Ti, V, W) along with P in various ferritic iron (α -Fe) GBs utilising density functional theory and simulations of kinetics. Our findings demonstrate that P is unlikely to cause intergranular fracture via weakened interfacial bonding when segregated by itself. Nevertheless, the stronger segregation binding of P compared to TMs can explain the ubiquitous presence of P segregated at GBs. We find that most P-TM interactions at ferritic GBs are repulsive and differ significantly from the corresponding interactions in the bulk. Due to the repulsive interactions and strong segregation binding of P, the enrichment of P over time at GBs leads to the depletion of prior-segregated cohesion-enhancing solutes at general GBs. Additionally, certain P-TM co-segregation combinations that are cohesion-lowering are energetically favoured at such GBs. We posit these mechanisms act in tandem as critical causalities of P-induced temper embrittlement in alloyed steels. Finally, we reveal a contradiction in the predicted cohesion effects of segregated P calculated in the Rice–Thomson–Wang theory of interfacial embrittlement compared to that as assessed by chemical bonding strength, calculated in the DDEC6 bond-order framework. These findings have important implications for GB engineering for interfacial cohesion. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fully biodegradable blends with low shape memory recovery temperature were obtained based on poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC). By virtue of their similar chemical structures, in situ cross-linking reaction initiated by dicumyl peroxide (DCP) between PLA and PPC chains was realized in PLA/PPC blends. Therefore, the compatibility between PLA and PPC was increased, which obviously changed the phase structures and increased the elongation at break of the blends. The compatibilized blends had a recovery performance at 45 °C. Combining the changes of phase structures, the mechanism of the shape memory was discussed. It was demonstrated that in situ compatibilization by dicumyl peroxide was effective to obtain eco-friendly PLA/PPC blends with good mechanical and shape memory properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ionized field strength on the ground level is one of the fundamental electromagnetic environment parameters of ultrahigh voltage direct current (UHVdc) transmission lines. An algorithm of an upstream boundary element method is presented in this paper to calculate the ionized field on the boundary with a high accuracy. The ionized field is generated and measured in an experimental platform with an HV conductor to a grounded cylindrical corona cage. The relations between ionized field strength and applied voltage, conductor position, and conductor diameter are investigated. Calculations show that the relative error of the ionized field on the HV electrode could be reduced to 0.1% when compared with the analytical solution. Ionized field distribution under the typical ±1100 kV UHVdc transmission lines is also analyzed as the application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stochastic epidemic models describe the dynamics of an epidemic as a disease spreads through a population. Typically, only a fraction of cases are observed at a set of discrete times. The absence of complete information about the time evolution of an epidemic gives rise to a complicated latent variable problem in which the state space size of the epidemic grows large as the population size increases. This makes analytically integrating over the missing data infeasible for populations of even moderate size. We present a data augmentation Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) framework for Bayesian estimation of stochastic epidemic model parameters, in which measurements are augmented with subject-level disease histories. In our MCMC algorithm, we propose each new subject-level path, conditional on the data, using a time-inhomogenous continuous-time Markov process with rates determined by the infection histories of other individuals. The method is general, and may be applied to a broad class of epidemic models with only minimal modifications to the model dynamics and/or emission distribution. We present our algorithm in the context of multiple stochastic epidemic models in which the data are binomially sampled prevalence counts, and apply our method to data from an outbreak of influenza in a British boarding school. Supplementary material for this article is available online. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Switching operation of the disconnector in gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) results in very fast transient overvoltage in GIS pipes. In a smart substation, this process induces disturbance voltage on the port of the intelligent component fixed on GIS pipes or placed in the local cabinet nearby, which then may lead to the failure of the equipment. The experimental results of the port disturbance voltage during the switching operation via a 1100 kV test circuit are first reported in this paper. The test arrangement, including both 70 opening operations and 70 closing operations, had been performed. The influences of different grounding schemes of cable shield on port disturbance had been investigated. Three different cases of the terminal load had also been considered: open circuit, short circuit, and 50 Ω. Over 100 000 micro-pulses had been extracted from the disturbance voltage waveforms. The waveform characteristics including peak voltage, rise-time, oscillation frequency, and decaying had been obtained by statistical analysis of these micro-pulses. Furthermore, the differences between measured waveforms and the IEC 61000-4-18 immunity test standard waveform had been discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The treatment of critical-size bone defects remains a complicated clinical challenge. Recently, bone tissue engineering has emerged as a potential therapeutic approach for defect repair. This study examined the biocompatibility and repair efficacy of hydroxyapatite-mineralized bionic polylactic acid (PLA) scaffolds, which were prepared through a combination of 3D printing technology, plasma modification, collagen coating, and hydroxyapatite mineralization coating techniques. Physicochemical analysis, mechanical testing, and in vitro and animal experiments were conducted to elucidate the impact of structural design and microenvironment on osteogenesis. Results indicated that the PLA scaffold exhibited a porosity of 84.1% and a pore size of 350 μm, and its macrostructure was maintained following functionalization modification. The functionalized scaffold demonstrated favorable hydrophilicity and biocompatibility and promoted cell adhesion, proliferation, and the expression of osteogenic genes such as ALP, OPN, Col-1, OCN, and RUNX2. Moreover, the scaffold was able to effectively repair critical-size bone defects in the rabbit radius, suggesting a novel strategy for the treatment of critical-size bone defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

If no fertilization occurs for a prolonged time following ovulation, oocytes experience a time-dependent deterioration in quality both in vivo and in vitro due to processes called postovulatory aging. Because the postovulatory aging of oocytes has marked detrimental effects on embryo development and offspring, many efforts have been made to unveil the underlying mechanisms. Here we showed that translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP) regulates spindle assembly during postovulatory aging and prevents deterioration in mouse oocyte quality. Spindle dynamics decreased with reduced TCTP level during aging of mouse oocytes. Knockdown of TCTP accelerated the reduction of spindle dynamics, accompanying with aging-related deterioration of oocyte quality. Conversely, overexpression of TCTP prevented aging-associated decline of spindle dynamics. Moreover, the aging-related abnormalities in oocytes were rescued after TCTP overexpression, thereby improving fertilization competency and subsequent embryo development. Therefore, our results demonstrate that TCTP-mediated spindle dynamics play a key role in maintaining oocyte quality during postovulatory aging and overexpression of TCTP is sufficient to prevent aging-associated abnormalities in mouse oocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solute clusters affect the physical properties of alloys. Knowledge of the atomic structure of solute clusters is a prerequisite for material optimisation. In this study, solute clusters in a rapid-hardening Al-Cu-Mg alloy were characterised by a combination of atom probe tomography and density functional theory, making use of a hybrid data type that combines lattice rectification and data completion to directly input experimental data into atomistic simulations. The clusters input to the atomistic simulations are thus observed experimentally, reducing the number of possible configurations. Our results show that spheroidal, compact clusters are more energetically favourable and more abundant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors report on a simple strategy for sensitive determination of the activity of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) using copper nanoclusters (CuNCs) as fluorescent probes. TdT-polymerized long chain AT-rich DNA serves as a template for the synthesis of the CuNCs, and TdT activity is detected fluorometrically at excitation/emission wavelengths of 340/570 nm. The protocol relies on the target-triggered formation of dsDNA polymers and in-situ formation of CuNCs. The calibration plot is linear in the 0.7 to 14 U L activity range, with a 60 mU L detection limit (at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3). The protocol was applied to determine TdT activity in acute lymphatic leukemia cells. This approach is selective, simple, convenient and cost-efficient because a complex DNA sequence is not required. In our perception, the method provides a viable new platform for monitoring the activity and inhibition of TdT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prediction and control methods of radio interference (RI) for HVdc transmission lines passing through high-altitude region are main key factors in design of the HVdc transmission lines. In order to obtain the altitude effect and correction of RI for HVdc transmission lines, four HVdc reduced-scale test lines with the same parameters were built up at 50, 1700, 3400, and 4300 m elevation, respectively. Simultaneously, two HVdc full-scale test lines with the same conductor type of 4 × JL/G1A-500/45 had been set up at altitude 50 and 4300 m as well, respectively. Using these test facilities, a lot of RI measured data were accumulated in a long time span, from Jan. 2010 to Jul. 2014. By analyzing the RI measurement data at different altitude regions, it is indicated that the altitude correction of RI has a nonlinear relation to the altitude. Meanwhile, the RI altitude correction formula for HVdc transmission lines has been proposed in this paper. Using the proposed RI altitude correction formula, the RI levels at high altitude are lower than that predicted by using the RI correction formula of ac transmission lines, which means that it could save a lot of investments at high altitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Ion mobility is one of fundamental parameters to describe the motion of ions in an electric field and a significant quantity to calculate the ionized field and ion current density of ultrahigh-voltage direct current (UHVDC) power lines. This paper presents a measurement method for atmospheric ion mobilities in a DC corona discharge. An apparatus with coaxial cylindrical electrodes is designed and utilized. A vibrating electric field meter is employed to measure the ionized field of the electrode. Experimental results show that under atmospheric conditions, the average positive and negative ion mobilities are 1.76 × 10−4 and 1.88 × 10−4m2·V−1·s−1, respectively. The proposed method is compared with previous works of others. The impact of fluctuations of the measured ionized field and ion current density on the results of ion mobilities is also analyzed. © 2016 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]