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High entropy amorphous alloys (HE AMs) have attracted extensive interest lately due to their superior magnetocaloric properties. However, the critical behavior and mechanical properties have received less research, which restricts their applications. This work presented a comprehensive investigation of the magnetocaloric effect (MCE), critical behavior, and mechanical performance of quinary Gd20Dy20Er20Al20M20 (M = Fe, Co, Ni) HE AMs. All samples exhibited distinct spin glass-like behavior below TC and competitive MCE around hydrogen liquefaction temperature range. Excellent MCE was achieved by the HE AMs through a second-order phase transition from paramagnetic state to ferromagnetic state at 79 K for Fe, 41 K for Co, and 36 K for Ni. Among them, the maximum magnetic entropy change (-ΔSM)max of Gd20Dy20Er20Al20Co20 amorphous alloys was 9.59 J kg−1 K−1 under 0–5 T. Furthermore, RC and RCP of Gd20Dy20Er20Al20Fe20 amorphous alloys were respectively 519 J kg−1 and 613 J kg−1, larger than that of most RE-based amorphous alloys. For all samples, the critical behavior of the phase transition approached the mean field model, and this responded to the long-range ordering of the magnetic interaction. The bending plasticity of Gd20Dy20Er20Al20M20 (M = Fe, Co, Ni) HE AMs were 0.78, 1.03, 0.89, respectively. The adjustable Tc, large (-ΔSM), high RCP, and outstanding mechanical properties suggested Gd20Dy20Er20Al20M20 (M = Fe, Co, Ni) HE AMs may find utility as magnetic refrigerants in low-temperature applications.

[Objective] To delve deeper into the spatiotemporal characteristics and pivotal driving factors underlying the hardness of black soil in eroded sloping farmlands. [Methods] Based on the dynamic monitoring of soil penetration resistance across 110 sample points in typical water erosion sloping farmlands, coupled with measurements of pertinent factors, the factors affecting soil penetration resistance were analyzed by multivariate linear regression (MLR) and random forest (RFR) models, and its transfer function was further construct. [Results] The spatiotemporal variability of soil penetration resistance was influenced by a combination of soil depth, moisture conditions, and agricultural practices. Notably, the spatial heterogeneity was significantly lower in the topsoil layer compared to the sub-surface layer, with coefficients of variation of 17.4% and 26.3%, respectively. As the soil dried out and the duration since the last tillage increases, spatial heterogeneity tended to intensify. Soil erosion played a significant role, with higher soil penetration resistance observed in areas of intense erosion compared to deposition zones, particularly under wet conditions where the difference is most pronounced (p

Objective Vehicle base serves as a place for parking and maintenance of guideway rubber-tyred trams. Vehicles are traveling on complex routes and operating turn-back frequently within the base. Since guideway rubber-tyred trams turn-back operation in vehicle base will undermine the vehicle turnover efficiency, a vehicle base layout form that can avoid tram turn-back operation is proposed. Method The characteristics of guideway rubber-tyred tram vehicles and turnouts are introduced. The current production process and existing problems of guideway rubber-tyred tram vehicle base in China are analyzed. Combining the advantage of vehicle small turning radius and the vehicle base site selection conditions, vehicle base schemes are analyzed. A design scheme for rubber-tyred tram vehicle base without turn-back operation is developed, as well as the implementation process for scheduling vehicles without turn-back operation. When the washing garage for daily inspection is not occupied, the daily inspection, washing, and parking process will be adopted; when it is occupied, the process with a designated parking space, daily inspection, washing, and corresponding parking are used. In the latter process, simultaneous dispatching of two vehicles is adopted to avoid vehicle turn-back operation. The advantages and disadvantages of the vehicle base scheme are analyzed, and the conditions for setting up a vehicle base that meets the requirements of no turn-back operation are put forward. Result & Conclusion The proposed vehicle base without turn-back operation is implemented in a testing line project in China, and is expected to achieve certain results in improving vehicle turnover efficiency, reducing personnel count in vehicle base, and saving land.

[Objective] This study aimed to clarity the role of sedimentation and erosion in shaping the spatial pattern of soil quality in black soil slope croplands. [Methods] Taking the sloping farmland in typical water-eroded areas in northeast China as the research object, we used the soil attributes of 110 sample points and the soil quality index (SQI) index based on the minimum data set to evaluate the spatial differentiation characteristics of soil quality at the slope scale, while the effects of slope gradient, slope position, and soil depth were determined using generalized linear models (GLMs). [Results] (1) Opposing patterns of soil nutrient content and spatial characteristics were observed between the surface and subsurface layers in sloping croplands. Most nutrient indicators exhibited significantly higher content in the tillage layer compared to the subsurface layer. However, the surface layer showed lower spatial heterogeneity and weaker correlation with related physicochemical indexes comparing with the subsurface layer (p0.05). (3) Soil depth, slope position, and slope gradient emerged as key factors influencing the variability of SQI in slope croplands. The GLM results demonstrated that, for the same soil horizon, slope, aspect, and their interactions explained over 95% variation in SQI. Among them, the explanatory degree of slope position was 68%, and that of slope gradient was 22%. Considering the factor of soil depth, the explanatory degrees of soil depth, slope position, and slope gradient on the variation of SQI in the range of 0—40 cm were 39%, 31%, and 10%, respectively. [Conclusion] The combined method of SQI and GLM was used to clarify the shaping role of the erosion-sedimentation process in the spatial differentiation of black soil quality in sloping cropland, and the research results can provide technical support for the evaluation and management of the quality of eroded and degraded black soil in typical water-eroded areas.

To mitigate the impact of oscillations on new energy power systems， it is crucial to assess the system stability state online and identify weak points susceptible to oscillations for proactive measures. To achieve this， two methods for locating weak points in new energy power systems are proposed， each from the perspectives of frequency domain characteristics and time-domain responses of the ports. The frequency domain method involves evaluating the system’s stability state based on the impedance characteristics of the ports at new energy substations， pinpointing weak substations according to the magnitude of the real part of the impedance at each substation. The time-domain method involves actively injecting a wideband small disturbance signal and utilizing the HHT （Hilbert-Huang transform） to analyze the current response at each port of new energy substations. Damping ratios of weak modes are extracted， and weak substations are located based on their magnitudes. The effectiveness of these location methods is validated using a small-scale new energy system composed of three wind farms. The results indicate that both methods accurately identify weak points in the system oscillations.

The evaporation characteristic of desulfurization wastewater is an important indicator for determining the process parameters of three effect evaporation. Through evaporation experiments，the relationship between the evaporation rate of desulfurization wastewater and the solid content，salt content and density of wastewater was studied，and the discharge concentration under the optimal operation state of the system was determined. The experimental results showed that low solid content of desulfurization wastewater was conducive to wastewater evaporation，solid particles in the wastewater could provide crystal seeds for salt crystallization，particle scouring reduces the risk of tube scaling，considering evaporation efficiency and reducing the risk of tube scaling，the recommended solid content of influent water was 4%.The evaporation rate of desulfurization wastewater decreases with the increase of salt concentration. Moreover，the higher the salt concentration was，the faster the evaporation rate decreased，which may be related to solution viscosity，solution surface tension and ion hydration number. The evaporation rate of desulfurization wastewater is negatively related to the solution density. When the solution density exceeded 1 400 kg/m3，the evaporation rate decreased significantly and the energy consumption increased significantly. Considering the efficient operation of the system and the filter press effect，it recommended 1 400 kg/m3 of the discharge density. The concentration ratio was an important indicator of the process design of the low-temperature three effect evaporation system. The concentration ratio was negatively related to the solid content of raw water. The concentration ratio should be determined according to the solid content of raw water and the discharge density to complete the overall design of the three-effect evaporation system.

The fault characteristics of direct current (DC) distribution network with small current grounding mode are inconspicuous when single-pole grounding fault occurs. In order to accurately and reliably select the fault line, a grounding fault selection method based on the injected signal waveform correlation is proposed. Firstly, a predesigned additional control strategy is applied to the modular multilevel converter (MMC) of the DC distribution network to achieve the detection signal injection. Then, in combination with the zero-mode network, the fault characteristics are as follows. The specific frequency zero-mode current flow at the beginning of each sound feeder are same, which are opposite to zero-mode current flow at the beginning of the faulty feeder. Finally, based on this fault characteristic, the fault selection criterion is designed, and the Pearson correlation coefficient is introduced to compare the correlation between the normalized zero-mode current of each feeder and the total normalized zero-mode current. The fault selection is completed based on the characteristics that the correlation coefficient of the sound feeder is close to 1 and the correlation coefficient of the faulty feeder is close to -1. The simulation results show that the proposed method can reliably identify single-pole grounding fault occurring at any location on the bus or each feeder under high-resistance grounding fault.

At present, many infectious pathogens, especially emerging/re-emerging pathogens, exist in the blood of voluntary blood donors and may be transmitted through blood transfusions. However, most of Chinese blood centers only routinely screen for HBV, HCV, HIV, and syphilis. We employed metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) to investigate the microbiome in healthy voluntary blood donors to help assess blood safety in China by identifying infectious pathogens presented in donations that could lead to transfusion-acquired infections. We collected 10,720 plasma samples from voluntary blood donors from seven blood centers in different cities during 2012–2018 in China. A total of 562 GB of clean data was obtained. By analyzing the sequencing data, it was found that the most commonly identified bacteria found in the healthy blood were Serratia spp. (5.0176%), Pseudomonas spp. (0.6637%), and Burkholderia spp. (0.5544%). The principal eukaryote were Leishmania spp (1.3723%), Toxoplasma gondii (0.6352%), and Candida dubliniensis (0.1848%). Among viruses, Human Parvovirus B19 (B19V) accounts for the highest proportion (0.1490%), followed by Torque teno midi virus (0.0032%) and Torque teno virus (0.0015%). Since that B19V is a non-negligible threat to blood safety, we evaluated the positive samples for B19V tested by mNGS using quantitative polymerase chain reaction, Sanger sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis to achieve a better understanding of B19V in Chinese blood donors. Subsequently, 9 (0.07%) donations were positive for B19V DNA. The quantitative DNA levels ranged from 5.58 × 102 to 7.24 × 104 IU/ml. The phylogenic analyses showed that prevalent genotypes belonged to the B19-1A subtype, which disclosed previously unknown regional variability in the B19V positivity rate. The investigation revealed that many microbes dwell in the blood of healthy donors, including some pathogens that may be dormant in the blood and only cause disease under specific conditions. Thus, investigating the range and nature of potential pathogens in the qualified donations provided a framework for targeted interventions to help prevent emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.

The city administrative law-enforcing personnel (shorted to ‘chengguan’ in China) burnout is serious. How to timely detect, accurately measure and alleviate the burnout is an important issue for the new urban development areas in China. To construct the job demands-resources (JD-R) model, surveys in new urban areas of China were carried out. Results showed that burnout of chengguan was significantly different in terms of demographic characteristics. Job burnout of chengguan can be predicted by job demands and job resources. These findings can provide implications and guidance for the government sectors to reduce the intangible loss of human resources and to improve their health.

China is currently trying to revolutionize the primary energy industry by introducing clean energy technologies. The Chinese government has set up goals for improving energy utilization efficiency and environmental quality, hence finally achieving carbon neutrality. However, the conflict of interests between different parties, namely, the Chinese government, the energy industry and the third-party clean energy regulatory audit authorities, may impede the promotion of clean energy technologies. We apply the evolutionary game model involving these three parties to a theoretical analysis of the evolutionarily stable strategies adopted by these three parties. The influence factors of strategy selection for each group of stakeholders and the final form of evolutionary stable strategies adopted by each are discussed. We perform a numerical simulation of the progressive stability of several evolutionary stable strategies and the influence of parameter changes on these strategies. The results show that when the government’s initial strategy value increases from 0.2 to 0.8, the time required for game equilibrium is reduced by about 50%, which indicates that the government’s supervisory efforts adapt to the development status quo of China’s energy industry is the decisive factor for the implementation effectiveness of government policies. The government’s strong supervision over the use of clean energy technologies may adversely affect the national economic development and energy stability to a certain degree. Nevertheless, such supervision can effectively inhibit the rent-seeking behaviors between energy industry and the third-party clean energy regulatory audit authorities. Besides, strengthening the penalty while introducing appropriate incentive measures enhances the resistance of the third-party clean energy regulatory audit authorities to rent-seeking behaviors. It is necessary for China to dynamically adjust the policies for promoting clean energy technologies based on the influence factors of policy efficiency to coordinate the interests among the stakeholders and achieve a dynamic balance between the three parties.

Objective: To investigate the quality of life (QOL) of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) donors.

High myopia is a common ocular genetic disease in the world. The study sought to investigate the effect of the Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) genes polymorphisms on high myopia in a Han population of China. This study recruited 216 unrelated Han Chinese subjects, including 103 cases with high myopia and 113 controls. Four tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of IGF-1 and MMP-9 genes were genotyped using the Sequenom MassARRAY method. The chi-square test showed that the family history was significantly correlated with myopia. The SNP genotypes were all in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (P > 0.05). Among the four SNPs, there were statistically significant differences in the genotype and allele frequencies of rs2236416 between the groups (P = 0.024). The significant associations of rs2236416 between cases and controls also appeared after Bonferroni multiple correction (P = 0.024). Then, there were significant differences in the genotypes dominant model and codominant model of rs2236416 between groups (P = 0.007 and P = 0.004, respectively). rs5742632 showed a significant difference between the cases and the controls in the recessive model (P = 0.037). Our findings indicated that rs2236416 of MMP-9 was associated with myopia in the population. The result suggested MMP-9 gene locus may play a role in myopia.

In this work, the Pb adsorption and removal ability of biochar from simulated Pb(II)-contaminated wastewater, adsorption isotherms, kinetics, and thermodynamics were studied. Adsorption characteristics of biochar on Pb(II) were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM-EDS). The influence of the pH of the solution, the contact time, and the biochar dose on the removal of Pb(II) were investigated by single-factor design and response surface analysis. With the increase in biochar dose from 2 g/L to 4 g/L in wastewater, the Pb(II) amount adsorbed on biochar reduced from 21.3 mg/g to 17.5 mg/g. A weakly acidic environment was more conducive to the ligand exchange between Pb(II) ions and biochar. Pb(II) adsorption kinetics of biochar showed that the Pseudo-first-order model was more suitable than other employed models to describe the adsorption process. During the isothermal adsorption process, Langmuir and Freundlich’s isotherms fitted the adsorption data very well (R2 > 96%). The Pb (II) adsorption onto biochar was spontaneous in the specified temperature range (298–318 K) and the process was exothermic. Simultaneously, the optimal conditions were a pH of 5, a contact time of 255 min, and a biochar dose of 3 g/L, under which the maximum predicted Pb(II) removal efficiency was 91.52%.

RNAi technology, known as a revolutionary technology in the history of pesticides, has been identified as a very promising novel approach for crop protection, which is of great significance for achieving the sustainable agricultural development of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Although many studies have shown that RNA biopesticides have strong application prospects, its stability seriously restricts the commercial use. As the core component of RNAi, double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) is unstable in its natural form. Therefore, how to ensure the stability of dsRNA is one of the most significant challenges in realizing the commercial use of RNA biopesticides. Nanomaterials such as cationic polymers and lipofectamine can improve the stability of dsRNA in the environment, which has been proved. This paper reviews the recent research progress of nanomaterials that can be used to improve the environmental stability of dsRNA, and discusses the advantages and limitations of different nanomaterials combined with dsRNA, which provides reference for the selection of dsRNA nanoformulations.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is an important enabling technology for promoting global digital development, and it is leading a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation. Promoting AI core software and hardware technologies and industry is strategically significant for the national development, industrial upgrading, and productivity improvement in China. In this study, we summarize the development status of AI core hardware and software in China and abroad from the aspects of technology, industry, and policy, and analyze the problems faced by China’s development. Subsequently, we present the development ideas of China’s AI hardware and software technology and industry, propose the strategic objectives for 2025 and 2035, and summarize the key tasks for future development from the aspects of AI core hardware, AI core software, and AI-related basic technology. To provide references for the sustainable development of AI core hardware and software in China, we suggest that AI core software and hardware technologies should be included in the national top-level planning for science and technology innovation to acquire increased scientific research investment; AI open source platforms should be constructed and demonstrated; the research and development of AI key generic technologies should be promoted to achieve collaborative innovation; the AI industrial base should be reengineered to upgrade the industrial chain; and the AI innovative talent training system should be improved.

Objective To explore the simulation of needle puncture with banana model in the teaching of straight buttonhole technique. Methods The banana model was used to replace the buttonhole of human arteriovenous fistula, 16G steel needle was used for escharectomy and 16G blunt needle was used for puncture. The clinical teaching and training efficacy was evaluated. Results There were 120 nurses attended the training of straight buttonhole technique. After the operation practice, 98. 33% of the nurses have reached the personal goal of this study, and the satisfaction of model demonstration was high(100. 00%). Conclusion Simulation of needle puncture with banana model can assist teaching effectively, help nurses understand the technical essentials, and get better teaching effect. (目的 探讨香蕉模拟穿刺模型应用于动静脉内瘘直行式扣眼穿刺教学中的应用效果。方法 以香蕉代替人体动静脉内瘘模拟扣眼穿刺对120名护士进行教学培训, 评价教学效果。结果 本组护士扣眼穿刺培训的课程评价得分为(53. 9±0. 81)分, 99. 17%的护士对本次教学练习的有效性给予了肯定, 98. 33%的护士认为达到了本次学习的个人目标, 本次动静脉内瘘扣眼穿刺教学的满意度为100. 00%。结论 香蕉模拟穿刺模型能够有效地辅助教学, 帮助护士理解技术要领, 获得较好的教学效果。)

Paleoenvironmental research is critical for understanding delta evolution processes and managing delta sustainability, particularly for delta experiencing significant recent fluvial sediment discharge. Based on other previously reported optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) data, Holocene environmental changes of the Yangtze River delta in response to climate fluctuations and human activities were reviewed on the basis of grain-size analyses of core YZ07. The results of grain-size and end-member analysis (EMA) provide a detailed history of East Asian monsoon variability and environmental changes since ∼10,000 cal year B.P. The lower median values (Md) and sand content reflect relatively cool and dry climate conditions between 10,000 and 9,570 cal year B.P. During the early Holocene (9,570–7,630 cal year B.P.), the highest Md values and sand contents and the lowest end member 2 (EM2) contents suggest the Holocene transgression. The increased Md values and sand contents indicate that the climate conditions were warm and wet during the mid-Holocene thermal optimum. From 4,690 to 4,150 cal year B.P., the climate was cool and dry, corresponding to the cool event, as indicated by the finer grain size. Subsequently, between 4,150 and 2,850 cal year B.P., the grain size derived from the Md value and sand content increased, which reflect a wet and warm episode. The climate, which shifted from warm and wet to cool and dry between 2,850 and 1,020 cal year B.P., may have caused a reduction in the sand contents and Md values. After 1,020 cal year B.P., the lowest values of Md and Standard deviation (Sd) and the highest contents of EM2 and clay suggest that the Yangtze River delta has been severely affected by anthropogenic activity. The variability of the East Asian monsoon intensity in the Yangtze River delta strongly correlates with other East Asian monsoon paleoclimate records in China. These results are important for investigations into the interactions between regional systems and global change in monsoonal climatic regions and can provide an example of the evolution of a large scale geomorphic feature resulting from river-sea interaction.

This paper studies a land primary development project in Pinggu District as an example for analysis since the complete survey data and adequate data analysis are not available on the assessment of social impact from primary development projects of land. In this paper, we carry out regression analysis based on statistical analysis of survey data, explore the attitudes of stakeholders towards development projects, and find out the main factors and risk problems. Finally, the required policy changes based on the analysis are recommended and put forward to provide reference for impact assessment of social stability.

High-voltage pillar-type porcelain insulators are important components of power plants and substations, and are widely used in power grids. In recent years, various kinds of accidents caused by breakage of pillar insulators have occurred frequently during the operation of the power grid, posing a serious threat to the safe operation of the power grid. Aiming at the problem of the deterioration detection of porcelain strut insulators in transmission lines, this paper introduces the detection principle of vibro-acoustic method and the vibro-acoustic detection process of porcelain strut insulators. A set of vibro-acoustic-based porcelain strut insulator detection equipment is studied and designed, and its design principle is expounded. And hardware components, the effectiveness of the detection function is verified through the actual measurement analysis, which provides support for the follow-up research and promotion of this detection technology.

Summary: Background: Severe open fractures of the limbs caused by high-energy events are common. Orthopaedic surgeons are often confused when making treatment protocols for these injuries. A case series of 8 patients with type IIIB and IIIC open fractures of the extremities managed with free tissue transfer combined with the Ilizarov technique is presented. Method: This is a retrospective study of 8 patients with Gustilo type IIIB and IIIC open fractures of the extremities treated with free tissue transfer and the Ilizarov technique. The bone and functional outcomes were evaluated using the Association for the Study and Application of the Method of Ilizarov (ASAMI) classification, and the complications were classified according to the Paley criteria. Results: The mean follow-up duration was 22.5 ​± ​6.85 months (range, 13–36 months). All patients achieved complete union in both soft tissue and bone defects. The limb length of the 8 patients was completely restored. The mean bone defect was 9.4 ​± ​2.0 ​cm (range, 6.5–13.3 ​cm). The mean bone union time was 11.1 ​± ​2.3 months (range, 7.0–15.0 months). The mean bone transport time was 113.9 ​± ​17.7 days (range, 87–136 days). The mean soft tissue defect was 109.5 ​± ​78.8 ​cm2 (range, 98–299 ​cm2). The mean healing time of the soft tissue defects was 2.5 ​± ​2.3 months (range, 1.0–8.0 months). The mean external fixation time was 17.1 ​± ​3.48 months (range, 10–21 months), and the mean external fixation index (EFI) was 2.1 ​± ​0.7 ​months/cm (range, 1.1–3.5 ​months/cm). The bone outcomes were excellent in five patients, good in two patients, and fair in one patient. The functional outcomes were excellent in three patients, good in three patients, and fair in two patients. There were five problems, 13 obstacles, and one true complication according to the Paley criteria. Conclusion: Performing free tissue transfer combined with the Ilizarov technique in patients with Gustilo type IIIB and IIIC open fractures of the extremities is safe and effective. The translational potential of this article: Our data suggest performing free tissue transfer combined with the Ilizarov technique in patients with Gustilo type IIIB and IIIC open fractures of the extremities is safe and effective.

The local and global buckling capacity of the thin-walled box-section members formed by cold bending of ten BS700 high-strength steel (HSS) specimens are experimentally determined through an axial compression test. The mechanical properties of the materials are evaluated through material performance test, and a material model suitable for finite element analysis is proposed. The initial geometric imperfection of the members is measured, and it is found that the maximum initial deflection can be 1/1000 of the length of the members, as specified in the Chinese code. Based on the test, the ultimate bearing capacity and failure modes of the component with local and global interactive buckling are obtained. Further, a finite element model is established, and the corresponding results are compared with the test results. Furthermore, the test results are compared with those obtained using the existing specifications. The results show that the failure modes of the specimens are primarily local and global buckling failure. The influence of residual stress and initial geometric imperfection is considered in the proposed finite element model. Comparing the ultimate bearing capacity and load-displacement curves with the corresponding test results, it is found that the finite element model can effectively reproduce the test results. By comparing the test results with those obtained based on the steel structure design codes of China, the United States, and Europe, it is found that the test results are all higher than the existing code results, and the Chinese and European codes are relatively conservative with a difference of more than 20%, while the difference between the test results and the American code results is nearly 10%. Therefore, it is necessary to further improve the calculation methods of local and global buckling capacity of thin-walled box-section members of BS700 HSS under axial compression.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of sirolimus (SRL) in the treatment of relapsed/refractory (R/R) primary warm-antibody autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) in adults. Methods A total of 16 R/R AIHA patients admitted in our medical center from January 2016 to January 2019 were recruited in this study. They were all given a dose of SRL 2~4 mg/d to maintain the plasma concentration of 5~15 ng/mL. The total efficacy, complete remission (CR)+partial remission (PR) and side effects after administration were observed. Results The 16 patients (available for efficacy assessment, medication for over 2 months) were 2 males and 14 females, and at a median age of 50 (35~72) years. The median onset of SRL action was 29 d (10~41 d). For the patients taking the agent for 3 months, SRL was still effective for 11 (68.75%) patients. After the treatment for 12 months, it was still effective for 9 patients (56.25%), with 7 patients achieving CR and 2 PR. Till the end of follow-up (median 12 months, ranging from 2 to 42 months) in February 2020, 8 patients still kept continued remission (7 CR and 1 PR). Of note, 5 of them had been discontinued with no relapse, and the longest withdrawal time was as long as 24 months. The side effects of SRL were mild and tolerable to the patients. Conclusion SRL is effective for R/R AIHA in adults, with mild side effects, and recommended as priority choice for treatment of the disease

Objective To investigate the relationship of tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP) with myocardial fibrosis in patients after myocardial infarction (MI). Methods Forty-six acute MI patients admitted to our hospital from March to November 2019 were enrolled in this study and assigned as the MI group, and another 41 patients with negative findings in coronary angiograms during the same period were collected as the control group. The serum TNAP activity was detected by alkaline phosphatase kit. The serum contents of procollagen type ⅠC-peptide (PⅠCP) and procollagen Ⅲ N-terminal peptide (PⅢNP) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Myocardial tissues from 5 patients who died of MI were collected. Collagen fiber area of heart was detected by Sirius red staining and the expression of TNAP was detected by immunohistochemistry. Ten 8-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into sham group and MI group (n=5). In 2 weeks after MI, all mice were sacrificed, and collagen fiber area of heart was detected by Masson staining and the expression of TNAP was detected by immunohistochemistry. Results Compared with the control group, the MI group had significantly increased serum TNAP activity (8.49±3.30 King U/100 mL, P

Objective To clarify the consistency of the results of the 2 methods for detecting serum biomarkers in patients with acute graft versus host disease (aGVHD) in order to screen out biomarkers with clinical value and to establish a biomarker screening process for aGVHD. Methods Sixty patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) in our medical center from April 2016 to April 2018 were recruited in this study. Protein chip and ELISA were used to detect the serum cytokine levels in the patients with aGVHD (n=30) and those without (control group, n=30). Results Both detection methods showed that the serum levels of IL-7 and IL-27p were significantly higher (P < 0.05), while the expression level of CD127 was decreased (P < 0.05) in the aGVHD group than the control. The expression level of IL-27 was correlated with the severity of aGVHD (P < 0.05). The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was between 0.7 and 0.9, with no significant differences between the 2 methods. Conclusion Both protein chip and ELISA have high accuracy and consistency in the detection of serum biomarkers in aGVHD patients. It is possible to establish a high-throughput screening of clinically significant cytokines by protein chip, and then expanding the sample size and repeating the validation by ELISA, which is conducive to clinical development.

A new error bound for the linear complementarity problem (LCP) of Σ-SDD matrices is given, which depends only on the entries of the involved matrices. Numerical examples are given to show that the new bound is better than that provided by García-Esnaola and Peña [Linear Algebra Appl., 2013, 438, 1339–1446] in some cases. Based on the obtained results, we also give an error bound for the LCP of SB-matrices. It is proved that the new bound is sharper than that provided by Dai et al. [Numer. Algor., 2012, 61, 121–139] under certain assumptions.

Coronaviruses have spread widely among humans and other animals, but not all coronaviruses carried by specific animals can directly infect other kinds of animals. Viruses from most animal hosts need an intermediate host before they can spread widely among humans. Under natural conditions, coronaviruses do not rapidly change from infecting wild animals as intermediate hosts and to spreading widely among humans. The intermediate host might be the animals captured or bred for the purpose of cross-breeding with domesticated species for improvement of the breed. These animals differ from wild animals at the environmental and genetic levels. It is an important direction to study the semi-wild animals domesticated by humans in search for intermediate hosts of viruses widely spread among humans.

Lead (Pb)-contaminated wastewater is the most common source of heavy metal ion pollution. In this study, agricultural waste edible fungi residue (EFR) was used to adsorb Pb(II) ions in wastewater as a strategy to reduce environmental pollution and minimize poisoning by Pb. The influence of Pb(II) concentration, solution pH, and EFR concentration on the removal efficiency (R) of Pb(II) was investigated with single factor design and response surface analysis. The maximum predicted R for Pb(II) was 76.34% under optimal conditions of Pb(II) concentration of 483.83 mg/L, EFR concentration of 4.99 g/L, and pH of 5.89. The actual experimental value of R reached 76.97% under these conditions. The competition of Pb(II) ions for the available adsorption sites on EFR limited the maximum R. A comparison of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy before and after the adsorption of Pb(II), indicated that the functional groups of EFR significantly affected the effect of adsorption of heavy metals, and that the adsorption process was primarily affected by functional groups in the range of wavenumbers from 500 to 2,000 cm−1.

Fillers can improve the tensile performance of ductile tubes. Mechanical analyses of tensile tubes with filler have generally focused on experimental and numerical studies on concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) components, while mechanical performance of tensile tubes with flexible supporting fillers has rarely been investigated. In the current research, we have proposed a “steel tube+pre-stressed flexible internal support” structure. Meanwhile, strengthening of tensile thin-walled tubes with internal supports was studied in terms of stress and deformation. The trends of yield strength and ultimate strength of tensile tubes were determined and calculation equations of yield strength and normal ultimate strength of tensile tubes with internal support were derived. Strengthening coefficient variations as functions of radius-thickness ratios of steel tubes and elastic moduli of internal supports as well the optimized internal support p corresponding to maximum increment of tensile performance of tubes were also determined. It was experimentally verified that the initial supporting pre-stress of internal support on steel tubes could be achieved by cold shrink fitting technique. Experimental results revealed that the developed composite structure significantly enhanced the mechanical performance, fracture toughness, and energy consumption characteristics of tensile tubes. Hence, the proposed structure was confirmed to have promising applications.

Subtropical regions have clay-rich, weathered soils, and long dry periods followed by intense rainfall that produces large fluctuations in soil water content (SWC) and hydrological behavior. This complicates predictions of spatio-temporal dynamics, as datasets are typically collected at too coarse resolution and observations often represent a duration that is too short to capture temporal stability. The aim of the present study was to gain further insights into the role of temporal sampling scale on the observed temporal stability features of SWC order to aid the design of optimal SWC sampling strategies. This focused on both sampling frequency and total monitoring duration, as previous analyses have not considered both of these sampling aspects simultaneously. We collected relatively high resolution data of SWC (fortnightly over 3.5 years) for various soil depths and under contrasting crops (peanuts and citrus) at the red soil region of southeast China. The dataset was split into a three-year training period and a six-month evaluation period. Altogether 13 sampling frequencies (intervals ranging from 15 to 240 days) and eight monitoring duration periods (between three and 36 months) were derived from the training period to identify temporal stability features and the most time stable location (MTSL). The prediction accuracies of these MTSLs were tested using the independent evaluation data. Results showed that vegetation type did affect the spatio-temporal patterns of SWC, whereby the citrus site exhibited a stronger temporal variation and weaker temporal stability than the peanut site. However, the effects of both sampling frequency and observation duration were more pronounced, irrespective of the role of vegetation type or soil depth. With increasing sampling interval or decreasing monitoring duration, temporal stability of SWC was generally overestimated; by less than 10% when sampling interval increased from every 15 to 240 days and by up to 40% with duration decreasing from 36 to 3 months. Our results suggest that sampling strategies and trade-offs between sampling interval and duration should focus on capturing the main variability in hydro-climatological conditions. For subtropical conditions, we found that sampling once every 45 days over 24 months to be the minimum sampling strategy to ensure errors in SWC temporal stability of less than 10%.

For San-Xin gold and copper mine, deep blasting large block rate is high resulting in difficulty in transporting the ore out; secondary blasting not only increases blasting costs but is more likely to cause the top and bottom plate of the underground to become loose causing safety hazards. Based on the research background of Sanxin gold and copper mine, deep hole blasting parameters were determined by single-hole, variable-hole pitch, and oblique hole blasting tests, further using the inversion method to determine the optimal deep hole blasting parameters. Meanwhile, the PSO-BP neural network method was used to predict the block rate in deep hole blasting. The results of the study showed that the optimal minimum resistance line was 1.24–1.44 m, which was lower than 1.6–1.8 m in the original blasting design, which was one of the reasons for the higher blasting block rate. In addition, the PSO-BP deep hole blasting fragmentation prediction model predicts the block rate of the optimized blasting parameters and predicted a block rate of 6.83% after the optimization of hole network parameters. Its prediction accuracy is high, and the blasting parameter optimization can effectively reduce the block rate. It can reasonably reduce the rate of large pieces produced by blasting, improve blasting efficiency, and save blasting costs for enterprises. The result has wide applicability and can provide solutions for underground mines that also have problems with blasting large block rate.

Neural progenitor cells within the cerebral cortex undergo a characteristic switch between symmetric self-renewing cell divisions early in development and asymmetric neurogenic divisions later. Yet, the mechanisms controlling this transition remain unclear. Previous work has shown that early but not late neural progenitor cells (NPCs) endogenously express the autism-linked transcription factor Foxp1, and both loss and gain of Foxp1 function can alter NPC activity and fate choices. Here, we show that premature loss of Foxp1 upregulates transcriptional programs regulating angiogenesis, glycolysis, and cellular responses to hypoxia. These changes coincide with a premature destabilization of HIF-1α, an elevation in HIF-1α target genes, including Vegfa in NPCs, and precocious vascular network development. In vitro experiments demonstrate that stabilization of HIF-1α in Foxp1-deficient NPCs rescues the premature differentiation phenotype and restores NPC maintenance. Our data indicate that the endogenous decline in Foxp1 expression activates the HIF-1α transcriptional program leading to changes in the tissue environment adjacent to NPCs, which, in turn, might alter their self-renewal and neurogenic capacities.