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In this study, a phenol–formaldehyde resin–montmorillonite intercalation composite solution was used as a modifier to treat Chinese fir via impregnation and compression. The basic characteristics and wettability of the PF (phenol–formaldehyde)–montmorillonite impregnation solution were analyzed. The effects of the solid content of PF, the quantity of montmorillonite, and the impregnation time on the impregnation weight gain of Chinese fir were studied through orthogonal experiments. The results showed that when the amount of montmorillonite was 1%, the wettability of the PF–montmorillonite impregnation solution performed the best, the curing time was short, and the curing strength was high. The optimal impregnation process consists of a PF solid content of 25%, an impregnation time of 120 min, and a montmorillonite ratio of 1%. Under these conditions, the modified Chinese fir was prepared via hot pressing. The effects of the addition of montmorillonite and different levels of compressibility on the physical and mechanical properties of modified wood were studied. The physical and mechanical properties were found to be better when the compression ratio was 33%: the density increased from 0.33 g/cm3 to 0.58 g/cm3; the surface hardness increased from 33.6 HD to 70.9 HD; the static bending strength increased from 60.4 MPa to 98.7 MPa; and the elastic modulus increased from 6 390 MPa to 11 498 MPa. After 30 days of release, the compression rebound rate was 3.97%. Meanwhile, the micromorphology and heat resistance of the impregnated compressed Chinese fir showed that the PF–montmorillonite impregnation solution entered into the cell cavity and intercellular space of the Chinese fir and formed a good composite, thus improving the water resistance, heat resistance, and physical and mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared with wet coal preparation and traditional dry coal preparation, detection of coal and gangue with small particle size is a difficult problem for dual-energy X-ray separation technology. And small target segmentation is the premise of its detection, which is poor due to the fewer number of pixels and texture information in coal and gangue dual-energy X-ray images. So, the Otsu with crotch structure based on Adaptive Particle Swarm Optimization (APSO) for small target segmentation method is proposed, called after APSO-C_Otsu. Firstly, the Otsu with crotch structure is used to increase the contrast between small target and background. Meanwhile, the APSO algorithm was used to optimize the Otsu algorithm with crotch structure in order to improve its convergence speed and reduce its calculation amount. Finally, after binarization, the location of the targets are labeled based on the bwlabel algorithm. The results revealed that the APSO-C_Otsu algorithm could effectively segment the coal and gangue with a particle size of 5–30 mm, and was also applicable to the coal and gangue with the particle size larger than 30 mm, which was of great significance for accurate detection of coal and gangue and the improvement of coal utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser vision-based seam tracking has been an important research hotspot in modern welding manufacturing. However, severe noise interference during welding and the complex contour curves of filling welds hinder the development of high-precision seam tracking in multi-layer multi-pass (MLMP) welding. To solve this problem, a point distribution model (PDM) has been implemented to express the laser stripe pattern of MLMP welds. Then, an end-to-end feature point extraction algorithm is proposed. The "coarse-to-fine" positioning strategy achieves global correlation and local constraints. The low-resolution heatmap regression and coordinate offset regression balance the efficiency and precision, where the backbone is improved with attention mechanisms. Furthermore, the soft coordinate loss and the Gaussian mixture model were combined to improve the generalization performance. Based on the model, an automatic ROI extraction method and output points filtering are implemented to complete the whole tracking process. In experiments, the proposed method achieved good tracking performance even under strong noise, with the mean absolute error (MAE) being controlled within 0.3 mm. The feature point extraction method shows advantages in both precision and stability, laying a foundation for advanced robotic MLMP welding production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermally reversible luminescent materials with information encryption are important and widely used in the information age. However, it is challenging to obtain such materials. In this work, a 0D In‐based hybrid compound [(CH3)3NCH2CHCH2]2InCl5 ((TAMAC)2InCl5) is synthesized and undergoes a high‐temperature ferroelastic phase transition with an Aizu notation of m3¯$\bar{3}$mF2/m at 333 K. In the room temperature phase (RTP), it shows a weak blue glow with a photoluminescent quantum yield (PLQY) of 0.32% under the UV lamp at 365 nm. By using a metal ion doping strategy to improve the photophysical properties, a series of compounds is obtained: (TAMAC)2In1‐xCl5:xSb3+ (x = 0.1%,0.5%,1%, and 1.5%, x represents the actual amount) with the same ferroelastic phase transition as that found in (TAMAC)2InCl5. When x = 0.5%, the PLQY reaches 50.66% with the luminous color change from blue to orange. Interestingly, it is found that the orange luminescence of the doped materials can rapidly and reversibly quench and recover between heating and cooling cycles, where the thermally induced phase transition results in this thermally reversible luminescence phenomenon. This discovery reveals the mechanism of luminescence quenching and phase transition, and provides a new pathway for the construction of new thermal‐sensitive luminescent materials with information encryption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a highly urbanized country, Japan is facing the phenomenon of a continuous migration of young people from rural areas to cities, leading to an aging and decreasing population in rural communities. Influenced by the pandemic, people began to reconsider the issue of population concentration in large cities, causing urban residents to become interested in returning to rural areas. The focus of this study is on the perceptions and relocation intentions of Japanese youth towards rural areas, particularly in Hanyu-shi, Saitama Prefecture. Through semi-structured interviews with 26 urban university students who live in urban areas, this study explores the factors that attract or hinder them from having rural lives. The survey results show that childhood experiences and current lifestyle preferences have influenced their views on rural areas. The main hindering factors include backwards infrastructure, communication difficulties, and limited job prospects. This study reveals a significant cognitive gap in urban youth's attitudes towards rural life in Japan. The study emphasizes the need to eliminate these hindrances and enhance the attractiveness of rural areas to promote reverse urban migration. This study provides important insights for policymakers and urban planners, highlighting the necessity of formulating development strategies that meet the needs of urban youth residents, which is crucial for the sustainable revitalization of rural Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Dachang is a world-class, super-giant Sn polymetallic ore field mainly composed of Zn–Cu ore bodies proximal to the granitic pluton and Sn polymetallic ore bodies distal to the granitic pluton. In this study, we used petrographic studies and major and trace element geochemistry with calc-silicates from the Zn–Cu ore bodies to constrain the physicochemical conditions of hydrothermal fluids during skarn rock formation and the evolution of ore-forming elements. Two skarn stages were identified based on petrographic observations: Prograde skarn rocks (Stage I), containing garnet, vesuvianite, pyroxene, wollastonite, and retrograde skarn rocks (Stage II), containing axinite, actinolite, epidote, and chlorite. The retrograde skarn rocks are closely associated with mineralization. The geochemical results show that the garnets in the Dachang ore field belong to the grossular–andradite solid solution, in which the early generation of garnet is mainly composed of grossular (average Gro72And25), while the later generation of garnet is mainly composed of andradite (average Gro39And59); the vesuvianites are Al-rich vesuvianites; the pyroxenes form a diopside–hedenbergite solid solution with a composition of Di3–86Hd14–96; the axinites are mainly composed of ferroaxinite; and the actinolites are Fe-actinolite. The mineral assemblage of the skarn rocks indicates that the ore-forming fluid was in a relatively reduced state in the early prograde skarn stage. As the ore-forming fluid evolved, the oxygen fugacity of the ore-forming fluid increased. During the final skarn stage, the ore-forming fluid changed from a relatively oxidized state to a reduced state. The skarn rocks have evolved from early Al-rich to late Fe-rich characteristics, indicating that the early ore-forming fluid was mainly magmatic exsolution fluid, which may mainly reflect the characteristics of magmatic fluids, and the late Fe-rich characteristics of the skarn rocks may indicate that the late hydrothermal fluid was strongly influenced by country rocks. Trace element analyses showed that the Sn content decreased from the prograde skarn stage to the retrograde skarn stage, indicating that Sn mineralization was not achieved by activating and extracting Sn from prograde skarn rocks by hydrothermal fluids. The significant enrichment of Sn in the magmatic hydrothermal fluid is a necessary condition for Sn mineralization. There are various volatile-rich minerals such as axinite, vesuvianite, fluorite, and tourmaline in the Dachang ore field, indicating that the ore-forming fluid contained extensive volatiles B and F, which may be the fundamental reason for the large-scale mineralization of the Dachang ore field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tobacco is a critical cash crop in China, so its growing status has received more and more attention. How to acquire accurate plant area, row spacing, and plant spacing at the same time have been key points for its grow status monitoring and yield prediction. However, accurately detecting small and densely arranged tobacco plants during the rosette stage poses a significant challenge. In Sichuan Province, the contours of scattered tobacco fields with different shapes are not well-extracted. Additionally, there is a lack of simultaneous methods for extracting crucial tobacco planting information, including area, row spacing, and plant spacing. In view of the above scientific problems, we proposed a method to extract the planting information of tobacco at the rosette stage with Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) remote sensing images. A detection model, YOLOv8s-EFF, was constructed for the small and weak tobacco in the rosette stage. We proposed an extraction algorithm for tobacco field area based on extended contours for different-shaped fields. Meanwhile, a planting distance extraction algorithm based on tobacco coordinates was presented. Further, four experimental areas were selected in Sichuan Province, and image processing and sample label production were carried out. Four isolated tobacco fields with different shapes in four experimental areas were used to preliminarily verify the effectiveness of the model and algorithm proposed. The results show that the precision ranges of tobacco field area, row spacing, and plant spacing were 96.51~99.04%, 90.08~99.74%, and 94.69~99.15%, respectively. And another two experimental areas, Jiange County, Guangyuan, and Dazhai County, Gulin County, and Luzhou, were selected to evaluate the accuracy of the method proposed in the research in practical application. The results indicate that the average accuracy of tobacco field area, row spacing, and plant spacing extracted by this method reached 97.99%, 97.98%, and 98.31%, respectively, which proved the extraction method of plant information is valuable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grain size in rice (Oryza sativa L.) shapes yield and quality, but the underlying molecular mechanism is not fully understood. We functionally characterized GRAIN NUMBER AND LARGE GRAIN SIZE 44 (GNL44), encoding a RING-type protein that localizes to the cytoplasm. The gnl44 mutant has fewer but enlarged grains compared to the wild type. GNL44 is mainly expressed in panicles and developing grains. Grain chalkiness was higher in the gnl44 mutant than in the wild type, short-chain amylopectin content was lower, middle-chain amylopectin content was higher, and appearance quality was worse. The amylose content and gel consistency of gnl44 were lower, and protein content was higher compared to the wild type. Rapid Visco Analyzer results showed that the texture of cooked gnl44 rice changed, and that the taste value of gnl44 was lower, making the eating and cooking quality of gnl44 worse than that of the wild type. We used gnl44, qgl3, and gs3 monogenic and two-gene near-isogenic lines to study the effects of different combinations of genes affecting grain size on rice quality-related traits. Our results revealed additive effects for these three genes on grain quality. These findings enrich the genetic resources available for rice breeders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper devotes the optimal design problem for comparing two regression curves estimated from two samples with asymmetric errors. The μ p -optimality criterion is developed under the framework of second-order least squares estimation, and the associated design theory, including the general equivalence theorems and efficiency bounds, is established. The particle swarm optimization (PSO) is used to generate μ ∞ -optimal designs. A simulation study shows that the use of the μ p -optimal designs yields a substantial reduction on part of the design space in terms of the width of confidence bands. Some extensions of the μ p -optimal designs are also addressed. • The μ p -optimality criterion is developed under the second-order least squares estimation. • The general equivalence theorems and efficiency bounds for the μ p -criterion are established. • Some extensions of the μ p -optimal designs are addressed. • Numerical results for comparing Michaelis–Menten models are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The question of how to effectively alleviate the financial pressure on pension insurance due to the increase in life expectancy has become an important issue in the reform of China's social security system. This paper introduced two life expectancy-related delayed retirement schemes, namely the fixed expected retirement residual life and the fixed life burden ratio. We modeled the financial balance of the employee pension fund and the pension wealth of employees with a dynamic retirement age according to pension policy. Using the population mortality data, the dynamic retirement age under the two schemes was estimated under the stochastic mortality model. Following this, the impact of the two delayed retirement schemes was quantitatively assessed from the perspectives of the financial sustainability of the pension fund and the pension wealth of employees using insurance actuarial methods. This study found that the two life expectancy-related delayed retirement schemes have obvious effects on reducing the gap between the income and expenditure of the pension fund and increasing the pension wealth of employees. Moreover, it found that the fixed expected retirement residual life program contributes more than the fixed life burden ratio program to improve the financial sustainability of the pension fund and the pension wealth benefits of employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a multimodal fusion 3D target detection algorithm based on the attention mechanism to improve the performance of 3D target detection. The algorithm utilizes point cloud data and information from the camera. For image feature extraction, the ResNet50 + FPN architecture extracts features at four levels. Point cloud feature extraction employs the voxel method and FCN to extract point and voxel features. The fusion of image and point cloud features is achieved through regional point fusion and voxel fusion methods. After information fusion, the Coordinate and SimAM attention mechanisms extract fusion features at a deep level. The algorithm's performance is evaluated using the DAIR-V2X dataset. The results show that compared to the Part-A2 algorithm; the proposed algorithm improves the mAP value by 7.9% in the BEV view and 7.8% in the 3D view at IOU = 0.5 (cars) and IOU = 0.25 (pedestrians and cyclists). At IOU = 0.7 (cars) and IOU = 0.5 (pedestrians and cyclists), the mAP value of the SECOND algorithm is improved by 5.4% in the BEV view and 4.3% in the 3D view, compared to other comparison algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study extends an existing fatigue life prediction approach for constant multiaxial non‐proportional loading, which is based on a material constant and non‐proportional factor of the loading path, to random amplitude loading waveforms and combines it with the rain‐flow cycle counting method. To validate the accuracy of the extended fatigue life prediction approach, fatigue tests under constant and random uniaxial and non‐proportional loading conditions were conducted. Moreover, fatigue limit reduction under constant non‐proportional loading was investigated through crack and dislocation structure observations. Then, fatigue lives under random multiaxial non‐proportional loading conditions were evaluated using the extended approach. According to the results, almost all evaluated failure data were distributed within two‐factor band lines, indicating that the extended approach could accurately evaluate the fatigue life of the study material. Highlight: A random multiaxial fatigue life prediction method has been proposed.Both constant and random loading fatigue tests were conducted.Reduction of fatigue limit under non‐proportional loading was investigated.Accuracy of the proposed method has been verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a highly integrated point-of-care testing (POCT) device capable of immediately and accurately screening bovine mastitis infection based on somatic cell counting (SCC). The system primarily consists of a homemade cell-counting chamber and a miniature fluorescent microscope. The cell-counting chamber is pre-embedded with acridine orange (AO) in advance, which is simple and practical. And then SCC is directly identified by microscopic imaging analysis to evaluate the bovine mastitis infection. Only 4 μL of raw bovine milk is required for a simple sample testing and accurate SCC. The entire assay process from sampling to result in presentation is completed quickly within 6 min, enabling instant "sample-in and answer-out." Under laboratory conditions, we mixed bovine leukocyte suspension with whole milk and achieved a detection limit as low as 2.12 × 104 cells/mL on the system, which is capable of screening various types of clinical standards of bovine milk. The fitting degrees of the proposed POCT system with manual fluorescence microscopy were generally consistent (R2 > 0.99). As a proof of concept, four fresh milk samples were used in the test. The average accuracy of somatic cell counts was 98.0%, which was able to successfully differentiate diseased cows from healthy ones. The POCT system is user-friendly and low-cost, making it a potential tool for on-site diagnosis of bovine mastitis in resource-limited areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Four NDV LaSota strain-based recombinants expressing the MDV gB, gC, gE, or gI were generated. • All rLS/MDV recombinants were slightly attenuated yet retained similar growth abilities compared to the parental LaSota virus. • rLS/MDV-gB conferred significant protection against MD when challenged at 14 DPV (89–95% protection) but reduced at 5 DPV (67–73% protection). • All four rLS/MDV recombinants conferred complete protection against NDV challenge. Marek's disease (MD) is a highly contagious viral neoplastic disease of chickens caused by Marek's disease virus (MDV), resulting in significant economic losses to the poultry industry worldwide. The commonly used live and/or vectored MDV vaccines are expensive to produce and difficult to handle due to the requirement of liquid nitrogen for manufacturing and delivering frozen infected cells that are viable. In this study, we aimed to develop a Newcastle disease virus (NDV) vectored MDV vaccine that can be lyophilized, stored, and transported at 4 °C. Four NDV LaSota (LS) vaccine strain-based recombinant viruses expressing MDV glycoproteins gB, gC, gE, or gI were generated using reverse genetics technology. The biological assessments showed that these recombinant viruses were slightly attenuated in vivo yet retained similar growth kinetics and virus titers in vitro compared to the parental LaSota virus. Vaccination of leghorn chickens (Lines 15I 5 x7 1 F1 cross) with these recombinant viruses via intranasal and intraocular routes conferred different levels of protection against virulent MDV challenge. The recombinant expressing the MDV gB protein, rLS/MDV-gB, protected vaccinated birds significantly against MDV-induced tumor formation when challenged at 14 days post-vaccination (DPV) but moderately at 5 DPV. Whereas the other three recombinants provided little protection against the MDV challenge. All four recombinants conferred complete protection against the velogenic NDV challenge. These results demonstrated that the rLS/MDV-gB virus is a safe and efficacious dual vaccine candidate that can be lyophilized and potentially mass-administered via aerosol or drinking water to large chicken populations at a meager cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying and predicting the distribution of scattered coal and gangue is the premise of locating them. By analyzing the shape of multi-scale coal and gangue, an approach for shape selection and recognition is provided. The issues of independent and adhesion target recognition, adhesion type recognition, and distribution prediction have been resolved. The binary target, circumscribed convex hull, and concave defect images are used to extract a total of 27 shape features. The ReliefF algorithm is employed to select features. The shape recognition model 1 shows the highest adhesion and independent recognition rates of 98.54%. For adhesion kinds, shape recognition model 2 gets the highest recognition accuracy of 92%. According to the experimental findings, the difference between predicted and actual results for the parameters describing the dispersed distribution of targets, such as target number, distribution overlap rate, and distribution density, is less than 4.1%, which is acceptable for use in real-world scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the expression of LINC00958 (BLACAT2) in bladder cancer (BC), the most common malignancy in the urinary system, and to determine its exact mechanism of action, so as to provide novel references for future clinical diagnosis and treatment of BC and lay a foundation for the follow-up research on LINC00958. Materials and Methods: Human bladder transitional cell carcinoma cells (T24 and J82) and human normal urothelial cells (SV-HUC-1) were purchased to detect the expression of LINC00958 and SAPK/JNK signaling pathway-related proteins. sh-LINC00958 targeting to silence LINC00958 expression and corresponding negative blank (sh-Control) were transfected into T24 and J82. Additionally, BC cells cultured with SP600125 (SP600125 group), a specific inhibitor of SAPK/JNK signaling pathway, and those cultured with the same amount of normal saline (Blank group) were also constructed. Cell growth capacity, cell invasiveness, and expression of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated proteins were determined using CCK-8 & clone formation assays, Transwell assay, and Western blot, respectively. Results: The online databases Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis, European Bioinformatics Institute, and StarBase revealed elevated LINC00958 expression in BC, and a potential association between LINC00958 and patient prognosis and survival. PCR results showed that LINC00958 was increased in T24 and J82 compared with the sh-Control group (p < 0.05). The results of biological behavior test revealed that the proliferation and invasiveness capacity of the sh-LINC00958 group decreased, while that of the SP600125 group increased compared with the Blank group (both p < 0.05). In the rescue experiment, the influence of sh-LINC00958 on BC cells was completely reversed by SP600125 (p > 0.05); In addition, the expression of E-cadherin, an EMT marker protein, was lower compared with the SH-LINC0958 group, while the Vimentin expression was higher (p < 0.05). Similarly, the wound-healing assay determined reduced cell healing rate in the sh-LINC00958 group (p < 0.05), and there was no difference between the sh-LINC00958+SP600125 group and the sh-Control group (p > 0.05). Conclusion: LINC00958 shows elevated expression in BC and promotes the growth and EMT of BC cell via inhibiting the SAPK/JNK signaling pathway, which has important potential as a new clinical diagnostic marker and therapeutic target for BC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For mechanical equipment, the wear particle in the lubrication system during equipment operation can reflect the lubrication condition, wear mechanism, and severity of wear between equipment friction pairs. To solve the problems of false detection and missed detection of small, dense, and overlapping wear particles in the current ferrography wear particle detection model in a complex oil background environment, a new ferrography wear particle detection network, EYBNet, is proposed. Firstly, the MSRCR algorithm is used to enhance the contrast of wear particle images and reduce the interference of complex lubricant backgrounds. Secondly, under the framework of YOLOv5s, the accuracy of network detection is improved by introducing DWConv and the accuracy of the entire network is improved by optimizing the loss function of the detection network. Then, by adding an ECAM to the backbone network of YOLOv5s, the saliency of wear particles in the images is enhanced, and the feature expression ability of wear particles in the detection network is enhanced. Finally, the path aggregation network structure in YOLOv5s is replaced with a weighted BiFPN structure to achieve efficient bidirectional cross-scale connections and weighted feature fusion. The experimental results show that the average accuracy is increased by 4.46%, up to 91.3%, compared with YOLOv5s, and the detection speed is 50.5FPS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute lung injury is a critical acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) with high morbidity and mortality. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been demonstrated to play important roles regulating acute lung injury development. In this study, we found that the expression of miR-598 was significantly upregulated in the lung tissues of mice with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury. Both loss-of-function and gain-of-function studies were performed to evaluate the function of miR-598 in acute lung injury. The results showed that inhibition of miR-598 attenuated inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and lung injury in mice treated with LPS, while overexpression of miR-598 exacerbated the LPS-induced acute lung injury. Mechanistically, transcription factor Early B-cell Factor-1 (Ebf1) was predicted and validated as a downstream target of miR-598. Overexpression of Ebf1 attenuated LPS-induced production of inflammatory cytokine TNF-α and IL-6, ameliorated LPS-induced oxidative stress, promoted proliferation, and inhibited apoptosis in murine lung epithelial-15 (MLE-15) cells. Moreover, we demonstrated that Ebf1 knockdown abolished the protective effect of miR-598 inhibition in LPS-treated MLE-15 cells. In summary, miR-598 inhibition ameliorates LPS-induced acute lung injury in mice through upregulating Ebf1 expression, which might provide potential therapeutic treatment for acute lung injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Changpo–Tongkeng tin polymetallic deposit in Dachang, Guangxi, is a world-class, superlarge, polymetallic tin deposit consisting of lower skarn zinc–copper ore bodies and upper tin polymetallic ore bodies. Garnet is the main gangue mineral in the skarn zinc–copper ore bodies and has a granular texture. Based on hand specimens and microscopic observations, the existing garnet can be divided into two generations: an early generation (Grt I) and a late generation (Grt II). The results of electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) in situ microanalysis show that the contents of SiO2 and CaO in the garnets from the two generations present limited variations, while the FeOT and Al2O3 contents vary significantly, indicating the grossular–andradite solid solution series (Gro29–82And12–69). Compared with Grt I (Gro72And25), Grt II (Gro39And59) is Fe-enriched and oscillatory zoning is developed. The total rare earth element (REE) contents in the two generations of garnet are relatively low, showing light rare earth element (LREE) depletion and heavy rare earth element (HREE) enrichment patterns. Grt II has higher REE content than Grt I and exhibits significant negative Eu anomalies (δEu = 0.18–0.44). The contents and variation characteristics of the major and trace elements in the two generations of garnet suggest that there were variable redox conditions and water/rock ratios in the hydrothermal system during the crystallization process of garnet. In the early stage, skarnization was in a relatively closed and low-oxygen fugacity system, with hydrothermal diffusion metasomatism being dominant, forming homogeneous Grt I lacking well-developed zoning. In the late stage of skarnization, the oxygen fugacity of the ore-forming fluids increased, with infiltration metasomatism being dominant, forming Grt II with well-developed oscillatory zoning. The contents of Sn, As, W, In, and Ge in the garnets are relatively high and increase with the proportion of andradite. Sn in zinc–copper ore bodies mainly exists in the form of isomorphic substitution in garnet, which may be the main reason for the lack of tin ore bodies during the skarn stage. This paper compares the trace element contents in garnets from domestic skarn deposits. The results indicate that the Sn content and δEu in garnet can be used to evaluate the tin-forming potential of skarn deposits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: A post-hoc subgroup analysis of prospective collected data in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of minimally invasive discectomy was conducted, to find out the possible underlying reasons for patients with persistent low back pain (LBP) following surgery. Materials and methods: Patients who were diagnosed with lumbar disc herniation (LDH) and underwent either percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy or microendoscopic discectomy in our RCT were analyzed. Patients with persistent LBP in 2-year follow-up were compared with the non-LBP patients to determine the underlying reasons. Then, the demographic characteristics, clinical outcomes and radiological parameters of patients with preoperative lumbar facet joint osteoarthritis (LFJOA) were assessed and compared with the non-LFJOA subgroup. Results: 18 patients (8.1%) were reported to have persistent LBP in 2-year follow-up. Significantly higher proportion of preoperative LFJOA were found in the persistent LBP subgroup and was considered to be a risk factor using multivariate analysis. The prevalence of LFJOA is strongly associated with older age, female, high BMI and heavy labor in the LDH population. All of the clinical outcomes including ODI, SF36-PF, SF36-BP, EQ-5D, VAS-back and VAS-leg were worse in LFJOA subgroup in 2-year follow-up. LFJOA subgroup was associated with more adjacent segment degeneration and more lateral recess stenosis. Conclusions: LFJOA is a possible underlying reason for patients with persistent LBP after minimally invasive discectomy. Surgeons should carefully review the preoperative radiological images to find out whether there is LFJOA in the LDH segment, and kindly diminish the expectation of back pain relief for those patients. Trial registration: This trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov at November 14, 2013, registration number NCT01997086. (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01997086). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary giant cell tumor of soft tissue (GCT-ST) is a low-grade malignant tumor and uncommon cancer originating from soft tissue. Primary hepatic GCT is an extremely rare finding. Only a handful of cases have been reported in the literature. Although GCT-ST has a relatively low malignant potential tumor in the view of histology, some patients who suffered from this tumor have poor prognosis after surgery because of the aggressiveness. Thus, the early diagnosis is important, and a preoperative imaging can supply the evidence of differential diagnosis to evaluate tumor malignancy. In this study, we systematically present a rare case of 56-year-old women with chills, fever, jaundice and anorexia for 3 days. CT showed a huge and multinodular confluent lesion in the left lobe of the liver, and it had a calcification component. This tumor is characterized by fibrous components and calcification, which showed iso-intense with peripheral hypo-intense on T1WI, and mainly inhomogeneous hypo-intense on fat-suppressed T2WI. Moreover, it was mainly hypointense and peripheral linear hyperintense on DWI images with a b-value of 800 (b800) and iso-hyperintense on ADC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to perform accurate physical analysis of digital core, the reconstruction of high-quality digital core image has become a problem to be resolved at present. In this paper, a digital core image reconstruction method based on the residual self-attention generative adversarial networks is proposed. In the process of digital core image reconstruction, the traditional generative adversarial networks (GANs) can obtain high resolution detail features only by the spatial local point generation in low resolution details, and the far away dependency can only be processed by multiple convolution operations. In view of this, in this paper the residual self-attention block is introduced in the traditional GANs, which can strengthen the correlation learning between features and extract more features. In order to analyze the quality of generated shale images, in this paper the Fréchet Inception Distance (FID) and Kernel Inception Distance (KID) are used to evaluate the consistency of Gaussian distribution between reconstructed shale images and original ones, and the two-point covariance function is used to evaluate the structural similarity between reconstructed shale images and original ones. Plenty experiments show that the reconstructed shale images by the proposed method in the paper are closer to the original images and have better effect, compared to those of the state-of-art methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bilayer membranes that enhance the stability of the cell are essential for cell survival, separating and protecting the interior of the cell from its external environment. Membrane‐based channel proteins are crucial for sustaining cellular activities. However, dysfunction of these proteins would induce serial channelopathies, which could be substituted by artificial ion channel analogs. Crown ethers (CEs) are widely studied in the area of artificial ion channels owing to their intrinsic host–guest interaction with different kinds of organic and inorganic ions. Other advantages such as lower price, chemical stability, and easier modification also make CE a research hotspot in the field of synthetic transmembrane nanopores. And numerous CEs‐based membrane‐active synthetic ion channels were designed and fabricated in the past decades. Herein, the recent progress of CEs‐based synthetic ion transporters has been comprehensively summarized in this review, including their design principles, functional mechanisms, controllable properties, and biomedical applications. Furthermore, this review has been concluded by discussing the future opportunities and challenges facing this research field. It is anticipated that this review could offer some inspiration for the future fabrication of novel CEs‐derived ion transporters with more advanced structures, properties, and practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a new low‐light image enhancement method, which we call the Local Discrete Mapping Method. The new method limits the processing range to small areas with a high information relevance, which can better coordinate the enhancement quality of each area. First, the discrete mapping relationship of pixels (called discrete mapping points) globally occupying a small part of the critical gray value was extracted and designated to keep the enhancement amplitude of each local area consistent. Then, other free mapping points were adjusted according to the local features to achieve the best visual effect in each local area. In addition, this paper also proposes a span correction function that takes the gray span between local pixels as the adjustment object. The function can preserve the gray difference between freely mapped pixels to the maximum and significantly reduce detailed damage in the local area. Finally, we used 1500 test images and eleven objective evaluation indicators in the public dataset to comprehensively test the seven methods. The experimental results showed that the proposed method has an excellent dark area quality enhancement, brightness detail protection, overall noise suppression, and processing speed. It is significantly better than similar methods in terms of visual quality and quantitative testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of high-performance computers, it is necessary to develop efficient parallel algorithms in the field of computational fluid dynamics (CFD). In this study, a novel parallel communication strategy based on asynchronous and packaged communication is proposed. The strategy implements an aggregated communication process, which requires only one communication in each iteration step, significantly reducing the number of communications. The correctness and convergence of the novel strategy are demonstrated from both theoretical and experimental perspectives. And based on the real vehicle CHN-T model with 140 million meshes, a detailed performance comparison and analysis is performed for the novel strategy and the traditional strategy, showing that the novel strategy has significant advantages in terms of scalability. Finally, the strong scalability and weak scalability tests are carried out separately for the CHN-T model. The strong scaling efficiency can reach 74% with 10.5 billion meshes and 256,000 cores. The weak scaling parallel efficiency can reach 90% with 10 billion meshes and 179,000 cores. This research work has laid an important foundation for the development of the fast design of aircraft and cutting-edge numerical methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A bioinspired "point-and-shoot" molecular strategy is described for engineering noncovalent aptamers via K+-induced reassembly of a split G-quadruplex sequence at the end of monomeric aptamers. This design compensates for insufficient cell recognition of monovalent aptamers in biological environments and minimizes structure-induced nonspecific cell binding, expending the aptamer toolbox available for complex systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we propose an objective Bayesian method to analyze the accelerated degradation model based on the new Wiener process stated in Ye, Chen, and Shen (Reliab. Eng. Syst. Safe., 2015, 139: 58–67). The Jeffreys prior and reference priors are derived after reparameterization, and the posterior properties under each prior are validated. A Metropolis random walk algorithm is then employed to generate samples from the posterior distributions, and a simulation study is carried out to reveal the frequentist properties of these priors. Finally, we apply the approach to a real data and obtain the mean-time-to-failure (MTTF) under the usage condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalytic upgrading of biomass-derived ethanol to C4+ compounds through C–C coupling is an essential green and sustainable approach towards value-added fine chemicals. Developing catalysts to improve the selectivity of C4+ compounds is highly desired due to the complex transformation of ethanol affording diverse species. Here, we report atomically dispersed Co2+ on MgAlOx as catalysts derived from layered double hydroxide (LDH) precursors for the dehydrogenation coupling of ethanol to C4–10 alcohols. The selectivity for C4–10 alcohols reaches 95.4% with 32.9% ethanol conversion over the optimal catalyst, Co0.15Mg2.85AlOx, at 523 K and 0.1 MPa. A yield of 31.4% is greatly higher than that (∼15%) over most of the state-of-the-art catalysts. Characterization techniques including XRD, XPS, UV-Vis and CO-IR reveal that the atomically dispersed Co2+ in the lattice of MgAlOx is originated from the replacement of Mg in the LDH precursor and remain stable during the reactions. Both increments of basic and acid sites are observed after Co2+ replacement according to the TPD-MS measurements of CO2 and NH3. The introduction of an appropriate amount of Co2+ effectively facilitates the dehydrogenation step, thus, high activity under milder conditions. Meanwhile, abundant basic and acid sites boost the following aldol condensation step resulting in ultra-high C4–10 selectivity. These findings can shed light on sustainable heterogeneous catalytic processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the effects of mortality risk awareness and idiosyncratic mortality force on economic decision-making of a retiree, we study the optimal post-retirement consumption and portfolio problem with mortality risk awareness, idiosyncratic individual mortality force. We derive a closed optimal strategy in a complete financial market under stochastic interest rate and national population mortality force by martingale method. A numerical illustration is performed, and shows that mortality risk awareness and idiosyncratic individual mortality force have important effects on the consumption and investment of retiree. Especially, the demand of longevity bond is significantly affected by mortality risk awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the seepage experiment of transparent fractured rock replicas, the optical distortion caused by selected transparent rock material and the seepage fluid is the main obstacle when applying laser imaging technology to experimental fluid mechanics research. Choosing a kind of solution with refractive index matching with transparent rock material as the working fluid is the primary method to eliminate optical distortion in the experiment. The experiment studied the refractive index matching results between different types of mixed salt solutions as well as mixed organic solution and transparent rock material composed of PMMA and 8015T series transparent resin. The recommended refractive index matching methods are as follows: One method is to add NH4Cl (30% by weight) or CaCl2·2H2O (27.5% by weight) salt solution into the saturated CaBr2·2H2O salt solution; and another method is to mix two kinds of organic solutions, such as C10H12 (74% by volume) and CHO (26% by volume). In addition, for these three kinds of solutions, the value of the Thermooptic Constant was introduced to reflect the effect of temperature change on the refractive index of the solution, and the laws of dynamic viscosity change with temperature are also studied. Research results demonstrate that: (a) Thermooptic Constants of 30% NH4Cl (by weight) and 27.5% CaCl2·2H2O (by weight) solutions are acquired as − 3.71 × 10–4 and − 2.92 × 10–4, respectively, which are close to that of water. However, the dynamic viscosity of these two inorganic salt solutions is much greater than water. (b) 74% C10H12 (by volume) solution has a higher Thermooptic Constant, which means its refractive index is greatly affected by temperature. However, its dynamic viscosity is close to water, which helps to study the seepage low of fractured rock mass in the visual environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, multi‐response linear models have gained significant popularity in various statistical applications. However, the design aspects of multi‐response linear models with group‐wise considerations have received limited attention in the literature. This paper aims to thoroughly investigate D$$ D $$‐optimal designs for such models. Specifically, we focus on scenarios involving two groups, where the proportions of observations for each group can be arbitrarily selected or not. Two equivalence theorems are presented to elaborate the characterization of D$$ D $$‐optimal designs. Additionally, we delve into the admissibility of approximate designs and establish necessary conditions for a design to be deemed admissible. Several illustrative examples are addressed to demonstrate the application of the derived theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The antinociceptive activity of the flower extracts of Styrax japonicus was confirmed in our previous study. However, the key compound for analgesia has not been distinguished, and the corresponding mechanism is obscure. In this study, the active compound was isolated from the flower by multiple chromatographic techniques and structurally illustrated using spectroscopic methods and referring to the related literature. The antinociceptive activity of the compound and the underlying mechanisms were investigated using animal tests. The active compound was determined to be jegosaponin A (JA), which showed significant antinociceptive responses. JA was also shown to possess sedative and anxiolytic activities but no anti-inflammatory effect, implying the association of the antinociceptive effects with the sedative and anxiolytic activities. Further antagonists and calcium ionophore tests showed that the antinociceptive effect of JA was blocked by flumazenil (FM, antagonist for GABA-A receptor) and reversed by WAY100635 (WAY, antagonist for 5-HT1A receptor). Contents of 5-HT and its metabolite (5-HIAA) increased significantly in the hippocampus and striatum tissues after JA administration. The results indicated that the antinociceptive effect of JA was regulated by the neurotransmitter system, especially GABAergic and serotonergic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Robot online inspection is a new technology for nondestructive and quantitative detection corrosion of vertical storage tank without emptying the liquid. The storage tank safety assessment methods for robot online inspection are still at the exploratory stage of development. An online inspection robot has been developed by the authors. This paper studies the evaluation methods of bottom plate corrosion with this robot detection. Aiming to characterize localized corrosion and pitting corrosion, multi-angle evaluation indices are proposed. Mathematical models based on reliability evaluation are derived. Above models and evaluation methods are then validated by a case study. Assessment results show that the maximum corrosion depth of storage tank floor is 2.44 mm, the residual useful life of the storage tank is 5 years, and the center coordinates of localized corrosion region of numbered A is (0.58 m, − 0.01 m), the area is 0.484 m2, and the average corrosion depth is 2.03 mm. Abundant quantitative conclusions are obtained by using the proposed evaluation methods, instead of rough qualitative descriptions. This research provides references for storage tank safety assessments and formation standard based on robot online inspection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene (TNT) is an aromatic pollutant that is difficult to be degraded in the natural environment. The screening of efficient degrading bacteria for bioremediation of TNT has received much attention from scholars. In this paper, transcriptome analysis of the efficient degrading bacterium Buttiauxella sp. S19-1 revealed that the monooxygenase gene (BuMO) was significantly up-regulated during TNT degradation. S-ΔMO (absence of BuMO gene in S19-1 mutant) degraded TNT 1.66-fold less efficiently than strain S19-1 (from 71.2% to 42.9%), and E-MO mutant (Escherichia coli BuMO-expressing strain) increased the efficiency of TNT degradation 1.33-fold (from 52.1% to 69.5%) for 9 h at 180 rpm at 27 °C in LB medium with 1.4 µg·mL−1 TNT. We predicted the structure of BuMO and purified recombinant BuMO (rBuMO). Its specific activity was 1.81 µmol·min−1·mg−1 protein at pH 7.5 and 35 °C. The results of gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis indicated that 4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoluene (ADNT) is a metabolite of TNT biodegradation. We speculate that MO is involved in catalysis in the bacterial degradation pathway of TNT in TNT-polluted environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past two decades, the visualization experiment technology for transparent geotechnical materials has developed into a method of observing deformation, fluid flow and other internal changes of rock and soil. This paper reviews the emergence and development of transparent rock-soil experiment technology, the preparation for different kinds of transparent geotechnical materials, the experiment equipment, the optical observation method, and the engineering application of this technology. In the traditional physical similarity experiment, the deformation law and the diffusion process of fluid flow cannot be observed directly because of the opaque medium. Therefore, a large number of scholars combined with optical measurement means and digital image processing technology to study the deformation and fluid flow in the rock and soil. Compared with the physical similarity experiment, this technique not only can realize the visual observation of geotechnical engineering change process, but also has the advantages of involvement of simple device, easy operation and low cost. It is also pointed out that it is in urgent need of establishing technical standards for the preparation of transparent rock-soil samples and the determination of engineering property indexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the process of pre-discharging gangue via the dual-energy X-ray coal and gangue sorting device, the pseudo-medium coal in the raw coal will be identified as gangue and then discarded. Clean coal can be recovered and resource waste can be reduced via the crushing and re-separation of pseudo-medium coal, which is the critical step in the treatment procedure of a coal preparation plant. By virtue of dual-view visible-light imaging, an image identification method was proposed to recover the pseudo-medium coal identified as gangue by dual-energy X-ray. The pseudo-medium coal was determined based on the differences in coal and gangue surface organization and reflective properties. Linear dispersion was used to evaluate the distinguishability of features, and the elements were sorted. The recognition effect of the classifier model on pseudo-medium coal and gangue under different feature combinations was experimentally observed. The results unraveled that the identification rate of mixed samples of pseudo-medium coal and gangue that were selected from Dayugou Coal Mine in Zhengzhou City, Henan Province, could reach 95% using the method herein. The invention can effectively recover pseudo-medium coal from the waste rock pre-discharged by the dual-energy X-ray sorting device, realizing the multi-classification of raw coal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An alloy features‐based and chemical compositions‐based machine learning method was used to examine the low cycle fatigue life of austenitic stainless steels at different elevated temperatures employing one model. Furthermore, eight algorithms were used to examine the impact of algorithms on the precision of constructed models. As input, physicochemical features of elements were transformed from chemical compositions. After being conducted by the feature screening process, electronegativity deviation (E2.sd), ionization energy deviation (E6.sd), testing conditions, and tensile strength were chosen as input. The results show that algorithms affect accuracy and the models with the highest accuracy are SVR and ANN for alloy features and chemical compositions‐based method, respectively. Chemical composites‐based model demonstrates relatively lower precision than the alloy feature model. Almost all testing data distribute within two‐factor band lines predicted by alloying feature‐based model. The validation testing results indicate that 83% data plots distribute within two‐factor band lines. Highlights: Alloy features‐based models were constructed using eight algorithms.Chemical compositions‐based models were constructed using eight algorithms.Algorithms affected model's accuracy.Accuracy of chemical compositions model is lower than alloy feature model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and HER2-positive breast cancer are particularly aggressive and the effectiveness of current therapies for them is limited. TNBC lacks effective therapies and HER2-positive cancer is often resistant to HER2-targeted drugs after an initial response. The recent studies have demonstrated that the combination of JAK2 inhibitors and SMO inhibitors can effectively inhibit the growth and metastasis of TNBC and HER2-positive drug resistant breast cancer cells. In this study, deep reinforcement learning was used to learn the characteristics of existing small molecule inhibitors of JAK2 and SMO, and to generate a novel library of small molecule compounds that may be able to inhibit both JAK2 and SMO. Subsequently, the molecule library was screened by molecular docking and a total of 7 compounds were selected out as dual inhibitors of JAK2 and SMO. Molecular dynamics simulations and binding free energies showed that the top three compounds stably bound to both JAK2 and SMO proteins. The binding free energies and hydrogen bond occupancy of key amino acids indicate that A8976 and A10625 has good properties and could be a potential dual-target inhibitor of JAK2 and SMO. • JAK2 inhibitors and SMO inhibitors can effectively inhibit the growth and metastasis of TNBC and HER2-positive drug resistant breast cancer cells. • Deep reinforcement learning was used to generate a novel library of small molecule compounds that may be able to inhibit both JAK2 and SMO. • a total of 7 compounds were selected out as dual inhibitors of JAK2 and SMO. • Molecular dynamics simulations and binding free energies showed that the top three compounds stably bound to both JAK2 and SMO proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deadly humid heat conditions exceeding human thermoregulatory capacity have been reported; however, whether and where the deadly humid heat events occur consecutively across the land surface are largely unknown. We calculate the maximum consecutive days of deadly humid heat, defined as daily maximum wet‐bulb temperature (TWmax) ≥35°C, for observations of 9,278 meteorological stations and for simulations of 14 global climate models. We further define short and long deadly humid heatwaves as a period of 3–4 and ≥5 consecutive days with daily TWmax ≥35°C, respectively. Our analyses show that six stations in some subtropical regions have experienced deadly humid heat with daily TWmax ≥35°C, but only occurs in individual days. Deadly humid heatwaves increase exponentially as the global mean temperature rising. When limiting global warming within 1.5°C, long deadly humid heatwaves will not occur across the land surface, and short deadly humid heatwaves will only emerge in some drylands but not in humid areas. Under 2°C warming, 0.09% of the global land, 0.42% of the human population, and 0.56% of the global centres of crop diversity are projected to be exposed to long deadly humid heatwaves. Meanwhile, 18% of the deadly humid heatwaves lasting ≥3 consecutive days will occur in humid areas; the fractions are projected to rapidly increase in humid areas as temperature rising further. At the end of the century, the percentage of land areas and human population exposed to deadly humid heatwaves lasting ≥3 consecutive days are expected to be 76‐times higher than that under 1.5°C warming level. Our finding suggests that keeping global warming within 1.5°C will significantly constrain the emergence of prolonged deadly humid heatwaves and thus reduce the risk of the human population especially outdoor agricultural workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Newcastle disease virus (NDV) strain ZM10, a typical enterotropic avirulent vaccine strain, has been widely used in China for chickens against Newcastle disease. To elucidate its enterotropic mechanism and develop recombiant multivalent vaccines based on it, the reverse genetics system for NDV ZM10 is an indispensable platform. Results: A full-length cDNA clone of NDV ZM10 and three supporting plasmids were constructed using the ligation-independent cloning method. Recombinant NDV rZM10 was successfully rescued after these plasmids were co-transfected into BHK-21 cells. Besides, the recombinant virus rZM10-RFP encoding the red fluorescent protein was generated by inserting the RFP gene into the full-length clone of NDV between the P and M genes. These rescued viruses were genetically and biologically identical to the parental strain and showed similar growth kinetics. Conclusion: The recovery system of NDV ZM10 strain was established, and can be used as a foundation for research on the enterotropic mechanism and development of multivalent vaccines against viral diseases of livestock and poultry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to provide an accurate and improved understanding of anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) anatomy, and to determine the exact positioning and diameter of the bony tunnel during ATFL repair and/or reconstruction surgery. A total of 58 healthy asymptomatic volunteers were examined, wherein 38 underwent bilateral ankle 3D MRI, and 20 underwent unilateral ankle 3D MRI (10 left and 10 right ankles). Data from a total of 96 MRI datasets were collected. The MRI data from these cases were exported into Mimics to enable reconstruction of 3D ATFL models. The resulting image quality was evaluated using a 5-point subjective scoring system. In addition, the length, width, thickness, and positioning of each ATFL and the area of the ATFL footprints were identified within the 3D model using Mimics and SolidWorks. The image quality score was 4.48 ± 0.50. The ATFL formed one (65.6%), two (31.3%), or three (3.1%) bundles forms. The footprint area was 31.25 ± 6.29 mm2 on the fibular side, and 17.48 ± 4.49 mm2 on the talar side. Thin-slice 3D MRI aids in the reconstruction of the 3D ATFL model, and it provides reference for the accurate anatomy of the area and location of the ATFL. This technology will facilitate diagnosis of ATFL injuries and choice of surgical methods. level IV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering of the fact that many of the catalysts reported previously show low selectivity in the hydrogenation reaction. Herein, a series of nickel particles embedded in porous carbon have been synthesized by bio‐template strategy. Among of them, Ni@PC‐900 (PC: porous carbon; 900: the pyrolysis temperature) shows higher activity and selectivity (conversion>99 % within 30 minutes under room temperature) than that of other catalysts. All of the characterizations of the as‐synthesized indicate that the high catalytic activity has a positive correlation with the particle size and distribution of the particles. Moreover, Ni@PC‐900 also exhibits excellent durability maybe due to the well core‐shell structure protecting the active site from leaching during the catalytic process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: At present, the empty nest phenomenon is becoming more and more serious in the world, especially in China, and its health problems deserve attention. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore the impact of community social capital on the health-related quality of life of empty-nest elderly. Methods: The study used data collected from a survey study conducted between 2018 and 2019 in Sichuan province, China, with 638 empty-nest elderly meeting our criteria. SF-12 scale and self-made social capital scale were used to evaluate the health-related quality of life and community social capital of empty-nest elderly. Through descriptive statistical analysis, bivariate analysis and hierarchical multiple regression model, this study analyzes the relationship between community social capital and health-related quality of life of empty-nest elderly. Considering the role of living arrangements, this study further uses the simple effect analysis method to explore the moderating role of living arrangements. Results: After controlling the relevant variables, the cognitive social capital (CSC) of empty-nest elderly had a positive relationship with the physical health summary (PCS) (β = 0.188, p＜0.001) and mental health summary (MCS) (β = 0.205, p＜0.001). No effect of structural social capital on quality of life was found as a result. Living arrangements played a moderation effect on the relationship between CSC and MCS (β=-2.018, p＜0.05). The MCS score of high CSC group (55.516 ± 0.757) was significantly higher than that of low CSC group (49.383 ± 0.722). Conclusion: The results suggest empty-nest elderly has poorer physical health and weaker structural social capital, while the cognitive social capital has a greater positive impact on their quality of life. Targeted interventions to enhance community social capital may be beneficial to improve health status of this vulnerable population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cavernous nerve injury is the main cause of erectile dysfunction (ED) after radical prostatectomy (RP). In our previous study, injection of adipose‐derived stem cells (ADSCs) into the cavernosum can repair damaged cavernosum nerves and ED can be restored to a certain extent. In order to improve these therapeutic effects, we evaluated the efficacy of ADSCs co‐modified with VEGF and Smad7 in a rat model. SD rats were randomly divided into six groups: a sham surgery group, and the five bilateral cavernous nerve injury (BCNI) groups were injected with ADSC or ADSCs genetically modified by VEGF (ADSC‐V), Smad7 (ADSC‐S), or VEGF&Smad7 (ADSC‐V&S) or phosphate‐buffered saline (PBS). The results indicated that the erectile function of the ADSC‐V, ADSC‐S, and ADSC‐V&S groups was significantly recovered, and the erectile function of the ADSC‐V&S group was more distinctly recovered as compared to the other groups. The same results are shown in the expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase and the smooth muscle/collagen ratio of penile tissue comparing the ADSC‐V&S group to the ADSC‐V and ADSC‐S group. These experimental data suggest that ADSCs co‐overexpressed with VEGF and Smad7 can significantly improve erectile function after BCNI. This study provides new therapeutic thoughts for ED following RP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polygonum capitatum, known as "Tou Hua Liao" (Chinese name), is a crucial source of Hmong medicinal plants that has benefited human health for a long time. This folk-medicinal plant is widely distributed in the south-west of China for the treatment of various urologic disorders including urinary tract infections, pyelonephritis, and urinary calculus. The purpose of this paper was to provide a systematic and comprehensive overview of the traditional usages, botany, phytochemistry, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics and clinical applications of this flora. Up until the end of 2022, at least 91 compounds had been reported from P. capitatum, mainly covering the classes of flavonoids, lignanoids, phenols and other components. The compounds and extracts isolated from P. capitatum exhibit a wide range of pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer, analgesic, hypothermic, diuretic and other pharmacological effects. Qualitative and quantitative chemical analyses were also covered. Furthermore, the possible development trends and perspectives for future research on this medicinal plant were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report rapid recurrence and malignant transformation of a benign meningioma during pregnancy in a young woman. A 30-year-old female meeted an operation of benign meningioma (WHO Grade I) before her pregnancy. No signs of recurrence were found in MRI two months before her pregnancy. Subsequent MRI was performed 6 months after her giving birth. MRI results showed a recurrent meningioma with a size of 45 × 49 × 32 mm. Reoperation was performed later, histopathological workup showed an atypical meningothelial meningioma(WHO Grade II) with a Ki-67 level of about 10% and a PR expression above 70%; no ER was observed. To our best knowledge, this is the first report of the rapid malignant transformation of a benign meningioma during pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The pathophysiological mechanisms of aggression are manifold and they may closely interconnect. Current study aimed to determine the gut microbiota and its metabolites, and clarify their correlations with inflammation, oxidation, leaky gut and clinical profiles underlying aggression in schizophrenia (ScZ). Methods: Serum and stool specimens from ScZ inpatients with (ScZ-Ag, 25 cases) and without aggression (NScZ-Ag, 25 cases) were collected. Systemic inflammation, oxidation and leaky gut biomarkers were determined by ELISA, gut microbiota by 16S rRNA sequencing, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis and neurotransmitters by liquid chromatograph mass spectrometry analysis. Results: Significantly higher systemic pro-inflammation, pro-oxidation and leaky gut biomarkers were observed in ScZ-Ag than NScZ-Ag group (all P<0.001). Compared to NScZ-Ag group, the alpha-diversity and evenness of fecal bacterial community were much lower, the abundance of fecal genera Prevotella was significantly increased, while that Bacteroides, Faecalibacterium, Blautia, Bifidobacterium,Collinsella and Eubacterium_coprostanoligenes were remarkably reduced in ScZ-Ag group (all corrected P<0.001). Meanwhile, 6 SCFAs and 6 neurotransmitters were much lower in ScZ-Ag group (all P<0.05). Finally, a few strongly positive or negative correlations among altered gut microbiota, SCFAs, systemic pro-inflammation, leaky gut, pro-oxidation and aggression severity were detected. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that pro-inflammation, pro-oxidation and leaky gut phenotypes relating to enteric dysbacteriosis and microbial SCFAs feature the aggression onset or severity in ScZ individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The study aimed to examine the effects of a cartoon text version of a health education manual with sandplay on the psychological status and cognitive function of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods. Eighty cases of children with ADHD admitted from February 2019 to September 2021 were selected for the study. They were numbered according to the order of consultation, and after obtaining family consent, they were divided into the control group (n = 40) and the observation group (n = 40) using the random number table method. The control group received only medication and verbal health education, while the observation group received a cartoon text version of the health education manual together with sandplay on top of the above, and both groups were treated for 30 weeks. The attention test results and the Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham-IV rating scales (SNAP-IV) were used to assess the effectiveness of the treatment for both groups of children. The awareness rate of health education knowledge of children and their families in both groups was counted. The Conners Parent Symptom Questionnaire (PSQ) and the Combined Raven's test (CRT) were used to assess the psychological status and cognitive functioning of the children in both groups. Results. After treatment, the response time, the number of errors, and the number of missed alarms in the attention test results were lower in the observation group than in the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the inattention, antagonism and defiance, and impulsiveness and hyperactivity scores on SNAP-IV were lower in the observation group than in the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the knowledge of disease and treatment, medical and nursing cooperation, safety and protection, and dietary precautions were higher in the observation group than in the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the learning problems, conduct problems, psychosomatic problems, anxiety, impulsivity-hyperactivity, and hyperactivity index scores on the PSQ were lower in the observation group than in the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the A, B, C, D, and E theme scores in the CRT were higher in the observation group than in the control group, and the IQ score was also higher in the observation group than in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion. The cartoon text version of the health education manual with sandplay can significantly improve the attention deficit, hyperactive behaviour, psychological status, and cognitive function of children with ADHD on the basis of pharmacological treatment, which has a good clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It remains controversial, whether vitamin D reduces urinary albumin excretion in patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN). This metaanalysis was designed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of vitamin D, on urinary albumin excretion, in DN patients. Electronic databases, including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane library were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs), regarding the effect of vitamin D on urinary albumin excretion in DN patients. The study selection and data extraction were conducted by two reviewers independently, and statistical analysis was performed using RevMan software, version 5.2. A total of nine RCTs including 1547 subjects were qualified. There were 815 participants in the study group and 732 in the control group. The fixed-effect model was used to analyze urinary albumin creatinine ratio (UACR) and urinary albumin excretion ratio (UAER), and the pooled standard mean difference (SMD) was -0.24 (95% CI: -0.39 to -0.09), P = .002, and -0.57 (95% CI: -0.71 to -0.43), P < .00001; respectively. These findings indicated that vitamin D-treated patients had a statistically significant reduction in UACR and UAER. High-quality RCTs are still required.  DOI: 10.52547/ijkd.7107. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composite honeycomb sandwich structure shows the advantages of lightweight, high specific strength, and good energy absorption performance. It has been extensively applied to aviation, aerospace, rail transportation and other fields. In this study, a preparation method of multi‐layer honeycomb sandwich structure with the same bulk density is proposed. Various honeycomb sandwich structures with different layers were prepared and could effectively eliminate the effect of the change of bulk density on the mechanical properties of the experimental samples, which was proved by theory. The result of the experiment showed the variation law of transverse dimension of honeycomb sandwich structure. The results also suggest that with increasing the number of layers of the middle panel, both the compressive strength and the absorbed energy of the honeycomb sandwich structure increases. However, the transverse width of the honeycomb sandwich structure decreases under the restriction of the middle panel. When the strain was 0.409, the bearing capacity of two‐layer honeycomb and three‐layer honeycomb sandwich structure increased by 12.08% and 24.16%, respectively, the absorbed energy increased by 10.21% and 21.85%, respectively, and the transverse width decreased by 2.94% and 3.50%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]