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Abstract Background Long-term accumulation of misfolded proteins leads to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the precise pathways controlling the decision between survival and apoptosis in CRC are unclear. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the function and molecular mechanism of glucosidase I (GCS1) in regulating ER stress in CRC. Methods A public database was used to confirm the expression level of GCS1 in CRC and normal tissues. Clinical samples from our center were used to confirm the mRNA and protein expression levels of GCS1. Cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis assays revealed the biological role of GCS1. Immunohistochemical techniques were used to evaluate the expression of key proteins in subcutaneous implanted tumors in nude mice, which provided further evidence for the biological function of GCS1 in promoting cancer in vivo. The results of coimmunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry analysis and immunofluorescence colocalization analysis the interaction between GCS1 and GRP78. In addition, the mechanism of action of USP10, GRP78, and GCS1 at the post- translational level was investigated. Finally, a tissue microarray was used to examine the connection between GCS1 and GRP78 expression and intracellular localization of these proteins using immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. Results The experimental results revealed that GCS1 was substantially expressed in CRC, with higher expression indicating a worse prognosis. Thus, GCS1 can enhance the proliferation and metastasis while inhibiting the apoptosis of CRC cells both in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, GCS1 binds to GRP78, recruits USP10 for deubiquitination of GRP78 to promote its degradation, and decreases ER stress-mediated apoptosis, increasing CRC cell proliferation and metastasis. Conclusions In summary, GCS1 stimulates CRC growth and migration and reduces ER stress-mediated apoptosis via USP10-mediated deubiquitination of GRP78. Our findings identify a possible therapeutic target for CRC.

Summary: Purpose: The prevalence of psychological distress is frequently observed among old adults with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). However, current researches are insufficient to clarify the correlation among these relevant factors. This study examined the effects of symptom burden, psychological resilience, coping styles, and social support on psychological distress. Methods: Two hundred fifty five elderly patients with AECOPD were conveniently selected in Taian, Shandong Province. The General Information Questionnaire, Distress Thermometer, The Revised Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire, Perceived Social Support Scale were used to investigate. The relationship among factors was estimated by using a structural equation model. Results: Psychological distress score of elderly patients with AECOPD was (5.25 ± 1.01); coping styles, psychological resilience, symptom burden, and social support directly affected psychological distress (the direct effects were −.93, .17, .17, and −.09); coping styles had the largest total effect on psychological distress (the total effect was −.93); psychological resilience indirectly affected psychological distress through coping styles (the indirect effect was −.74); symptom burden indirectly affected psychological distress through psychological resilience (the indirect effect was .25); social support indirectly affected psychological distress through symptom burden, psychological resilience, and coping styles (the indirect effect was −.80). Conclusion: The psychological distress of elderly patients with AECOPD is at a moderate level; coping styles, psychological resilience, and social support have positive effects on alleviating the psychological distress of elderly patients with AECOPD; symptom burden is negatively correlated with psychological distress. Healthcare professionals should pay more attention to elderly patients with AECOPD who are particularly prone to experience higher levels of psychological distress, especially in the presence of low coping style, limited psychological resilience, inadequate levels of social support, and high symptom burden.

Abstract Fulminant myocarditis has been defined as the clinical manifestation of cardiac inflammation with rapid-onset heart failure and cardiogenic shock. We report on the case of a 17-year-old boy with hemodynamic derangement and cardiac arrest due to fulminant myocarditis. After about 2 h of intensive cardiopulmonary resuscitation, with 13 days of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support, the patient finally bridged to orthotopic heart transplantation. The patient recovered uneventfully and was discharged 37 days after transplantation. The explanted heart revealed diffuse lymphocytic infiltration and myocyte necrosis in all four cardiac chamber walls confirming the diagnosis and identifying the underlying cause of fulminant myocarditis.

The rising demand for increased integration and higher power outputs poses a hidden risk to the long-term reliable operation of third-generation semiconductors. Thus, the power cycling test (PCT) is widely regarded as the utmost critical test for assessing the packaging reliability of power devices. In this work, low-thermal-resistance packaging design structures of SiC devices are introduced, encompassing planar packaging with dual heat dissipation, press-pack packaging, three-dimensional (3D) packaging, and hybrid packaging. PCT methods and their control strategies are summarized and discussed. Direct-current PCT is the focus of this review. The failure mechanisms of SiC devices under PCT are pointed out. The electrical and temperature-sensitive parameters adopted to monitor the aging of SiC devices are organized. The existing international standards for PCT are evaluated. Due to the lack of authoritative statements for SiC devices, it is difficult to achieve comparison research results without consistent preconditions. Furthermore, the lifetimes of the various packaging designs of the tested SiC devices under PCTs are statistically analyzed. Additionally, problems related to parameter monitoring and test equipment are also summarized. This review explores the broader landscape by delving into the current challenges and main trends in PCTs for SiC devices.

The development of high-energy-density Li-ion batteries is hindered by the irreversible capacity loss during the initial charge-discharge process. Therefore, pre-lithiation technology has emerged in the past few decades as a powerful method to supplement the undesired lithium loss, thereby maximizing the energy utilization of LIBs and extending their cycle life. Lithium oxalate (Li2C2O4), with a high lithium content and excellent air stability, has been considered one of the most promising materials for lithium compensation. However, the sluggish electrochemical decomposition kinetics of the material severely hinders its further commercial application. Here, we introduce a recrystallization strategy combined with atomic Ni catalysts to modulate the mass transport and decomposition reaction kinetics. The decomposition potential of Li2C2O4 is significantly decreased from ∼4.90V to ∼4.30V with a high compatibility with the current battery systems. In compared to the bare NCM//Li cell, the Ni/N-rGO and Li2C2O4 composite (Ni-LCO) modified cell releases an extra capacity of ∼11.7 ​%. Moreover, this ratio can be magnified in the NCM//SiOx full cell, resulting in a 30.4 ​% higher reversible capacity. Overall, this work brings the catalytic paradigm into the pre-lithiation technology, which opens another window for the development of high-energy-density battery systems.

Abstract The distributed permutation flow shop scheduling problem (DPFSP) is one of the hottest issues in the context of economic globalization. In this paper, a Q-learning enhanced fruit fly optimization algorithm (QFOA) is proposed to solve the DPFSP with the goal of minimizing the makespan. First, a hybrid strategy is used to cooperatively initialize the position of the fruit fly in the solution space and the boundary properties are used to improve the operation efficiency of QFOA. Second, the neighborhood structure based on problem knowledge is designed in the smell stage to generate neighborhood solutions, and the Q-learning method is conducive to the selection of high-quality neighborhood structures. Moreover, a local search algorithm based on key factories is designed to improve the solution accuracy by processing sequences of subjobs from key factories. Finally, the proposed QFOA is compared with the state-of-the-art algorithms for solving 720 well-known large-scale benchmark instances. The experimental results demonstrate the most outstanding performance of QFOA.

Introduction Non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) remains a significant clinical concern, accounting for over 70% of acute coronary syndrome cases. One well-established risk factor for NSTE-ACS is abnormal glucose metabolism, which is associated with a poor prognosis postpercutaneous coronary intervention. Effective monitoring of blood glucose is crucial in diabetes care, as it helps identify glucose metabolic imbalances, thereby guiding therapeutic strategies and assessing treatment efficacy. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) provides comprehensive glucose profiles. Therefore, the study aims to use CGM to track perioperative glucose variations in NSTE-ACS patients and to determine its prognostic implications.Methods and analysis This is a multicentre, prospective observational study in a sample of patients (aged >18 years) with NSTE-ACS. A total of 1200 eligible patients will be recruited within 1 year at 6 sites in China. The primary composite endpoint will be determined as major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) at 3 years. MACE includes all-cause mortality, non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke and target vessel revascularisation. Employing the CGM system, glucose levels will be continuously monitored throughout the perioperative phase. Prespecified cardiovascular analyses included analyses of the components of this composite and outcomes according to CGM-derived glucometrics at baseline.Ethics and dissemination This study has received approval from the Medical Research Ethics Committee of The First Affiliated Hospital of the University of Science and Technology of China (No. 2022KY357) and will adhere to the moral, ethical and scientific principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki. All participants will provide written informed consent prior to any study-related procedures. Findings from the study will be shared at conferences and published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.Trial registration number ChiCT2300069663.

ObjectiveSubthreshold depression (StD)/subsyndromal depression refers to a threatening precursor to depression. Aerobic exercise is a promising self-supportive adjunctive intervention and an effective measure for StD. Our study utilizes regional homogeneity (ReHo) to investigate the impact of aerobic exercise on resting-state brain function.MethodsA total of 78 subjects, aged between 18 and 48 years, (StD group, n = 44; healthy control (HC) group, n = 34) engaged in moderate-intensity aerobic exercise 3–4 times per week for 8 weeks. Resting-state brain function and structural images were acquired before and after the exercise intervention. The ReHo method was employed to analyze abnormal changes in regional brain function, and a correlation analysis was performed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) scores.ResultsThe principal observation reveals synchronous abnormalities in the right anterior cingulate gyrus of the brain in StD subjects compared to HCs at baseline, with these differences dissipating after the implementation of aerobic exercise. After completing the aerobic exercise program, the StD group exhibited a difference in the right middle cingulate gyrus, while the left supplementary motor area (SMA) was altered in the HC group.ConclusionDisparities in neural synchronization are evident between HCs and StD subjects, and the implementation of aerobic exercise intervention can effectively mitigate these distinctions, leading to a significant reduction in depressive symptoms among StD subjects. The primary mechanism of StD symptoms may involve the inhibition of the anterior cingulate gyrus, while the effects of aerobic exercise may be related to the modulation of neural synchronization of emotional reflexes. The discovery of these fMRI evidence findings may offer novel strategies for early detection and intervention in cases of StD.

Characterized by severe deficits in communication, most individuals with autism spectrum conditions (ASC) experience significant language dysfunctions, thereby impacting their overall quality of life. Wernicke's area, a classical and traditional brain region associated with language processing, plays a substantial role in the manifestation of language impairments. The current study carried out a mega-analysis to attain a comprehensive understanding of the neural mechanisms underpinning ASC, particularly in the context of language processing. The study employed the Autism Brain Image Data Exchange (ABIDE) dataset, which encompasses data from 443 typically developing (TD) individuals and 362 individuals with ASC. The objective was to detect abnormal functional connectivity (FC) between Wernicke's area and other language-related functional regions, and identify frequency-specific altered FC using Wernicke's area as the seed region in ASC. The findings revealed that increased FC in individuals with ASC has frequency-specific characteristics. Further, in the conventional frequency band (0.01–0.08 Hz), individuals with ASC exhibited increased FC between Wernicke's area and the right thalamus compared with TD individuals. In the slow-5 frequency band (0.01–0.027 Hz), increased FC values were observed in the left cerebellum Crus II and the right lenticular nucleus, pallidum. These results provide novel insights into the potential neural mechanisms underlying communication deficits in ASC from the perspective of language impairments.

Introduction ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) presents a serious cardiovascular condition requiring prompt intervention. Dysglycaemia has been identified as a significant risk factor impacting STEMI prognosis. However, limited research has focused on comprehensively examining the association between glucose dynamics during the perioperative period and patient outcomes. This study aims to address this gap by leveraging continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technology to gain real-time insights into glucose fluctuations and their potential impact on STEMI prognosis.Methods and analysis This is a multicentre, prospective, 3-year follow-up cohort study. Between May 2023 and May 2024, 550 eligible STEM patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention are expected to be recruited. Using the CGM system, continuous glucose levels will be collected throughout the perioperative phase. Key clinical parameters, including cardiac biomarkers, angiographic findings and major adverse cardiovascular events, will be assessed in relation to glucose profile.Ethics and dissemination The study was approved by the Medical Research Ethics Committee of The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China and will be conducted in accordance with the moral, ethical and scientific principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Written informed consent will be obtained from all participants before any study-related procedures are implemented. Study results will be disseminated through conferences and peer-reviewed scientific journals.Trial registration number ChiCTR2300069662.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295126.].

Integrating solar energy into the combined energy supply of surface water source heat pump systems is expected to reduce the electricity consumption and carbon emissions. In this paper, a solar-surface water source heat pump system model is established to maximize system performance and save economic cost. In order to find the optimal operation scheme, an improved arithmetic optimization algorithm (iAOA) is proposed. This algorithm integrates elite opposition-based and nonlinear acceleration functions to solve the model. The effectiveness of the proposed model and algorithm is verified by applying it to a SWSHP district energy system in the central area of Xiangtan city. Experimental results demonstrate that incorporating solar energy into the SWSHP district energy system can improve system performance and reduce operational costs. In comparison with several other optimization algorithms, this algorithm has a faster convergence speed and a higher convergence accuracy. Therefore, it is considered an effective method for solving solar-surface water source heat pump district energy systems.

BackgroundAerobic glycolysis is a process that metabolizes glucose under aerobic conditions, finally producing pyruvate, lactic acid, and ATP for tumor cells. Nevertheless, the overall significance of glycolysis-related genes in colorectal cancer and how they affect the immune microenvironment have not been investigated.MethodsBy combining the transcriptome and single-cell analysis, we summarize the various expression patterns of glycolysis-related genes in colorectal cancer. Three glycolysis-associated clusters (GAC) were identified with distinct clinical, genomic, and tumor microenvironment (TME). By mapping GAC to single-cell RNA sequencing analysis (scRNA-seq), we next discovered that the immune infiltration profile of GACs was similar to that of bulk RNA sequencing analysis (bulk RNA-seq). In order to determine the kind of GAC for each sample, we developed the GAC predictor using markers of single cells and GACs that were most pertinent to clinical prognostic indications. Additionally, potential drugs for each GAC were discovered using different algorithms.ResultsGAC1 was comparable to the immune-desert type, with a low mutation probability and a relatively general prognosis; GAC2 was more likely to be immune-inflamed/excluded, with more immunosuppressive cells and stromal components, which also carried the risk of the poorest prognosis; Similar to the immune-activated type, GAC3 had a high mutation rate, more active immune cells, and excellent therapeutic potential.ConclusionIn conclusion, we combined transcriptome and single-cell data to identify new molecular subtypes using glycolysis-related genes in colorectal cancer based on machine-learning methods, which provided therapeutic direction for colorectal patients.

Phase transformation and microstructure change are important ways for the mechanical property improvement of Ti2AlNb alloys, such as ductility, tensile strength, and fracture toughness. However, the brittle α2 phase is stable, and phase transformation is difficult to be introduced at a lower temperature. This seriously affects the mechanical properties of Ti2AlNb alloy. Here, we propose a new method to promote phase transformation in Ti2AlNb alloy by deformation-induced defects through laser shock peening (LSP). The results show that after LSP, high-density defects were observed in the α2 phase, such as dislocations and stacking faults (SFs). After heat treatment at 600 ℃, the phase transformation from α2 phase to O phase was observed in the Ti2AlNb alloy treated by LSP, forming twinned and chessboard-like morphologies with nanoscale grain size. High-density defects induced by LSP reduced the thermodynamic barrier of phase transformation from α2 phase to O phase. LSP promoted the lattice distortion and Nb element diffusion in Ti2AlNb alloy at high temperatures. This work provides a new method to promote phase transformation in Ti2AlNb alloy, which may be used to improve other materials' mechanical properties.

Background: Lysosomes are essential for the development and recurrence of cancer. The relationship between a single lysosome-related gene and cancer has previously been studied, but the relationship between the lysosome-related genes (LRGs) and colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) remains unknown. This research examined the role of lysosome-related genes in colon adenocarcinoma.Methods: 28 lysosome-related genes associated with prognosis (PLRGs) were found by fusing the gene set that is differently expressed between tumor and non-tumor in colon adenocarcinoma with the gene set that is related to lysosomes. Using consensus unsupervised clustering of PLRGs, the colon adenocarcinoma cohort was divided into two subtypes. Prognostic and tumor microenvironment (TME) comparisons between the two subtypes were then made. The PLRGs_score was constructed using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression (LASSO) method to quantify each patient’s prognosis and provide advice for treatment. Lastly, Western Blot and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were used to identify MOGS expression at the protein level in colon adenocarcinoma tissues.Results: PLRGs had more somatic mutations and changes in genetic level, and the outcomes of the two subtypes differed significantly in terms of prognosis, tumor microenvironment, and enrichment pathways. Then, PLRGs_score was established based on two clusters of differential genes in the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) database, and external verification was performed using the gene expression omnibus (GEO) database. Then, we developed a highly accurate nomogram to enhance the clinical applicability of the PLRGs_score. Finally, a higher PLRGs_score was associated with a poorer overall survival (OS), a lower tumor mutation burden (TMB), a lower cancer stem cell (CSC) index, more microsatellite stability (MSS), and a higher clinical stage. MOGS was substantially elevated at the protein level in colon adenocarcinoma as additional confirmation.Conclusion: Overall, based on PLRGs, we identified two subtypes that varied significantly in terms of prognosis and tumor microenvironment. Then, in order to forecast patient prognosis and make treatment suggestions, we developed a diagnostic model with major significance for prognosis, clinical relevance, and immunotherapy. Moreover, we were the first to demonstrate that MOGS is highly expressed in colon adenocarcinoma.

The thermal performance of a novel exterior coating material for commonly used grain and food-grain oil structures was investigated. Grain structures included a concrete squat silo and a concrete warehouse while the edible oil structure was a concrete sided tank. The exterior coating provided excellent moisture runoff and solar reflectance properties and is best described as a superamphiphobic self-cleaning passive subambient daytime radiative cooling (SSC-PSDRC) coating. The coating exhibited a remarkable subambient daytime cooling effect in various structures in different climatic regions. Compared with the roof surface temperatures of a cool white-coated concrete grain silo and a gray carbon iron-based edible oil storage tank, those of the PSDRC coated top surfaces could be reduced by 37 °C and 33 °C, respectively. The roof surface temperature of a warehouse painted with a cool-white coating—with a solar reflectance of 0.9 and an emissivity of 0.85—and that of a warehouse with the roof installed with aluminised polymer waterproof membranes were 19 °C and 18 °C higher than that of the PSDRC warehouse, respectively. Consequently, the interior temperature of the wheat pile in the PSDRC grain silo was 10 °C lower than that in the control squat silo. With the inner loop flow temperature control system operating, the interior air temperatures of the PSDRC west-facing separate space were 6 °C and 3 °C higher than those of the cool-white coated and control west-facing separate spaces, respectively. Even after the application of PSDRC coating for only a few days, the interior air temperature of the PSDRC oil storage tank was reduced by 38 °C, and the interior temperature of the oil storage tank was reduced by 4 °C. Furthermore, in practical applications, the coating showed impressive superamphiphobic self-cleaning capabilities and super aging resistance. The wide applications of the coating would have far-reaching, global implications for maintaining grain and edible oil products, particularly in the sub-tropical climates.

Wetland destruction and degradation have been increasing gradually. The biodiversity of the remaining wetlands is under unprecedented threat. Identifying the future trend of wetland biodiversity is a critical step to provide early warnings for wetland biodiversity protection and management. However, studies have focused mainly on the current biodiversity assessment and protection, without emphasizing on the prediction of future changes. Combining the advantages of the key indicators of wetland biodiversity simulation (wetland pattern and hydrological connectivity; PHC) and CA_Markov of land use prediction, this study proposes a prediction framework for wetland biodiversity. Taking Sanjiang Plain as an example, this study predicted the changing trend of wetland biodiversity in the study area and evaluated the potential loss of wetland biodiversity in each reserve. The results revealed that the cultivated land occupation mainly caused the change in the spatial patterns of wetland biodiversity in the study area. According to the land use development trend from 2010 to 2015, the indexes of wetland PHC in the study area will decline significantly from 2020 to 2030, and the wetland biodiversity predicted by our framework will be transformed from the medium to the low level (the biodiversity conservation value will decrease 7.40% on average, with the wetland area reduced by 2.74%). Each reserve in the study area will experience various degrees of degradation in biodiversity due to the decrease in hydrological connectivity. The framework of wetland biodiversity prediction proposed in this study can provide technical support for predicting the changing trend in wetland biodiversity at the regional scale and a reference for long-term protection and monitoring strategies of wetland biodiversity at the reserve scale as an early warning.

ObjectiveSince circRNA can be utilized as a potential diagnostic marker for cancer, to explore the regulatory mechanism of colorectal cancer (CRC) using bioinformatics, the public database of circRNA was mined.MethodsCRC differentially expressed miRNAs were screened in the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, CRC differentially expressed circRNAs were searched in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, the two databases were combined to identify CRC differentially expressed mRNAs, and a circRNA-miRNA‒mRNA regulatory network was constructed by combining a plurality of target prediction databases to identify key genes. The upstream circRNA and regulatory axis of the key genes were identified for gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis to explore the biological functions of circRNA in CRC using the regulatory axis.ResultsAfter the screening of the GSE21815 dataset, a total of 22 differentially expressed circRNAs were obtained, with 12 upregulated and 10 downregulated genes. Similarly, the GSE126094 dataset yielded 104 differentially expressed circRNAs, comprising 56 upregulated and 48 downregulated genes. Among the differentially expressed circRNAs, five were identified, with VDAC3 and SETD2 showing downregulated expression, while RAD23B, RPPH1, and MYBL2 exhibited upregulated expression. Following the selection process, five DEcircRNAs, eight target miRNAs, and 105 target DEmRNAs were identified. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network revealed close relationships among the mRNAs, with E2F2, E2F3, CCND1, TNRC6A, and KAT2B identified as key genes. Notably, CCND1 emerged as a critical gene in the PPI network. Through the upregulation of has-circ-0087862, which binds to miR-892b, the translation inhibition of CCND1 by miR-892b was attenuated, leading to enhanced CCND1 expression. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that CCND1 was involved in protein binding and positive regulation of cellular processes, among other functions.ConclusionThe differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in CRC markedly affected the survival time of patients. CircRNAs could be utilized as diagnostic markers of CRC, and the key genes in CRC could be screened out by bioinformatics, which would be helpful to understand the drug targets for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related CRC patients.

Accurate wind speed prediction has been becoming an indispensable technology in system security, wind energy utilization, and power grid dispatching in recent years. However, it is an arduous task to predict wind speed due to its variable and random characteristics. For the objective to enhance the performance of forecasting short-term wind speed, this work puts forward a hybrid deep learning model mixing time series decomposition algorithm and gated recurrent unit (GRU). The time series decomposition algorithm combines the following two parts: (1) the complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise (CEEMDAN), and (2) wavelet packet decomposition (WPD). Firstly, the normalized wind speed time series (WSTS) are handled by CEEMDAN to gain pure fixed-frequency components and a residual signal. The WPD algorithm conducts the second-order decomposition to the first component that contains complex and high frequency signal of raw WSTS. Finally, GRU networks are established for all the relevant components of the signals, and the predicted wind speeds are obtained by superimposing the prediction of each component. Results from two case studies, adopting wind data from laboratory and wind farm, respectively, suggest that the related trend of the WSTS can be separated effectively by the proposed time series decomposition algorithm, and the accuracy of short-time wind speed prediction can be heightened significantly mixing the time series decomposition algorithm and GRU networks.

Abstract Large-scale human activities especially the destruction of forest land, grassland, and unused land result in a large amount of carbon release into the atmosphere and cause drastic changes in land use/cover in the Sanjiang Plain. As a climate change-sensitive and ecologically vulnerable area, the Sanjiang Plain ecosystem’s carbon cycle is affected by significant climate change. Therefore, it is important that studying the impact of the changes in land use/cover and climate on vegetation carbon storage in the Sanjiang Plain. Remote sensing, temperature, and precipitation data in four periods from 2001 to 2015 are used as bases in conducting an analysis of land use/cove types and spatio-temporal variation of vegetation carbon density and carbon storage in growing season using model and related analysis methods. Moreover, the impact of land use/cover change and climate change on vegetation carbon density and carbon storage is discussed. The findings are as follows. (1) Cultivated land in the Sanjiang Plain increased, while forest land, grassland and unused land generally decreased. (2) Vegetation carbon density increased, in which the average carbon density of cultivated land, grassland, and unused land varied insignificantly, while that of forest land increased continuously from 4.18 kg C/m2 in 2001 to 7.65 kg C/m2 in 2015. Vegetation carbon storage increased from 159.18 Tg C in 2001 to 256.83 Tg C in 2015, of which vegetation carbon storage of forest land contributed 94% and 97%, respectively. (3) Conversion of land use/cover types resulted in a 22.76-TgC loss of vegetation carbon storage. Although the forest land area decreased by 3389.5 km2, vegetation carbon storage in the research area increased by 97.65 Tg C owing to the increase of forest carbon density. (4) Pixel-by-pixel analysis showed that vegetation carbon storage in the majority of the areas of the Sanjiang Plain are negatively correlated with temperature and positively correlated with precipitation. The results showed that changes of land use/cover types and vegetation carbon density directly lead to a change in vegetation carbon storage, with the change of forest vegetation carbon density being the main driver affecting vegetation carbon storage variation. The increase of temperature mainly suppresses the vegetation carbon density, and the increase of precipitation mainly promotes it.

Abstract The QP980-DP980 dissimilar steel joints were fabricated by fiber laser welding. The weld zone (WZ) was fully martensitic structure, and heat-affected zone (HAZ) contained newly-formed martensite and partially tempered martensite (TM) in both steels. The super-critical HAZ of the QP980 side had higher microhardness (~ 549.5 Hv) than that of the WZ due to the finer martensite. A softened zone was present in HAZ of QP980 and DP980, the dropped microhardness of softened zone of the QP980 and DP980 was Δ 21.8 Hv and Δ 40.9 Hv, respectively. Dislocation walls and slip bands were likely formed at the grain boundaries with the increase of strain, leading to the formation of low angle grain boundaries (LAGBs). Dislocation accumulation more easily occurred in the LAGBs than that of the HAGBs, which led to significant dislocation interaction and formation of cracks. The electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD) results showed the fraction of LAGBs in sub-critical HAZ of DP980 side was the highest under different deformation conditions during tensile testing, resulting in the failure of joints located at the sub-critical HAZ of DP980 side. The QP980-DP980 dissimilar steel joints presented higher elongation (~ 11.21%) and ultimate tensile strength (~ 1011.53 MPa) than that of DP980-DP980 similar steel joints, because during the tensile process of the QP980-DP980 dissimilar steel joint (~ 8.2% and 991.38 MPa), the strain concentration firstly occurred on the excellent QP980 BM. Moreover, Erichsen cupping tests showed that the dissimilar welded joints had the lowest Erichsen value (~ 5.92 mm) and the peak punch force (~ 28.4 kN) due to the presence of large amount of brittle martensite in WZ and inhomogeneous deformation.

BackgroundMyotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is the most common and dominant inherited neuromuscular dystrophy disease in adults, involving multiple organs, including the brain. Although structural measurements showed that DM1 is predominantly associated with white-matter damage, they failed to reveal the dysfunction of the white-matter. Recent studies have demonstrated that the functional activity of white-matter is of great significance and has given us insights into revealing the mechanisms of brain disorders.Materials and methodsUsing resting-state fMRI data, we adopted a clustering analysis to identify the white-matter functional networks and calculated functional connectivity between these networks in 16 DM1 patients and 18 healthy controls (HCs). A two-sample t-test was conducted between the two groups. Partial correlation analyzes were performed between the altered white-matter FC and clinical MMSE or HAMD scores.ResultsWe identified 13 white-matter functional networks by clustering analysis. These white-matter functional networks can be divided into a three-layer network (superficial, middle, and deep) according to their spatial distribution. Compared to HCs, DM1 patients showed increased FC within intra-layer white-matter and inter-layer white-matter networks. For intra-layer networks, the increased FC was mainly located in the inferior longitudinal fasciculus, prefrontal cortex, and corpus callosum networks. For inter-layer networks, the increased FC of DM1 patients is mainly located in the superior corona radiata and deep networks.ConclusionResults demonstrated the abnormalities of white-matter functional connectivity in DM1 located in both intra-layer and inter-layer white-matter networks and suggested that the pathophysiology mechanism of DM1 may be related to the white-matter functional dysconnectivity. Furthermore, it may facilitate the treatment development of DM1.

Amino acid metabolization is verified to be a part in the progression of cancer. However, genes related to the amino acid metabolism have not been identified in colon adenocarcinoma (COAD). A systematic prognostic model of COAD becomes a pressing need. Among genes related to the amino acid metabolism, RIMKLB, ASPG, TH, MTAP, AZIN2, PSMB2, HDC, ACMSD, and PSMA8 were identified to construct a risk model. Kaplan–Meier (K–M) analyses demonstrated that the high-risk group achieved a poor prognosis. Area under the respective ROC (AUC) values indicated the robustness of the model. To highlight its clinical value, multivariate Cox was used to obtain the optimal variables to construct a nomogram. A higher tumor mutation burden was observed in the high-risk group. However, the low-risk group had a stronger immune infiltration. Seven molecular subtypes were found by consensus cluster. Twenty-two hub genes were identified related to the ESTIMATE score using WGCNA. In brief, our research constructed a stable prognostic model related to the amino acid metabolism in COAD, revealing its connection to the immune microenvironment. The model guided the outcome of COAD and the direction of immunotherapy.

The use safety of laser additive manufactured (LAM) titanium alloys is closely related to each one’s fracture failure mode. In this study, in situ tensile tests were carried out to study the deformation and fracture mechanisms of LAM Ti6Al4V titanium alloy before and after annealing treatment. The results showed that plastic deformation promoted slip bands to occur inside the α phase and shear bands to generate along the α/β interface. In the as-built sample, cracks initiated in the equiaxed grains and propagated along the columnar grain boundary, showing a mixed fracture mode. However, it transformed into a transgranular fracture after annealing treatment. The widmanstatten α phase acted as a barrier for slip movement and improved the crack resistance of grain boundaries.

The underwater noise can be caused by the radial electromagnetic vibration of permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) for electric propulsion. The difficulty in decreasing the underwater noise is not only the high-frequency but also low-frequency vibration reduction. This paper proposes a novel random asymmetric carrier pulse width modulation (RACPWM) method for PMSM vibration reduction in the whole frequency range. Instead of the conventional symmetric triangular carrier PWM, the asymmetric carrier PWM (ACPWM) is used to decrease the low-frequency phase current harmonics and the associated low-frequency vibration. Meanwhile, in order to suppress the high-frequency vibration, the RACPWM control based on the amplitude randomization of the sawtooth carrier is further presented to reduce the high-frequency phase current harmonics. Moreover, the RACPWM is equivalent to the random slope ACPWM in view of the output signals. Furthermore, without the need of any additional circuits in the drive, the presented method is simple to implement by software. Simulation and experimental results show that the proposed RACPWM method can effectively reduce both the low-frequency and the high-frequency vibration.

Objective. This study is aimed at exploring alteration in motor-related effective connectivity in individuals with transient ischemic attack (TIA). Methods. A total of 48 individuals with TIA and 41 age-matched and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs) were recruited for this study. The participants were scanned using MRI, and their clinical characteristics were collected. To investigate motor-related effective connectivity differences between individuals with TIA and HCs, the bilateral primary motor cortex (M1) was used as the regions of interest (ROIs) to perform a whole-brain Granger causality analysis (GCA). Furthermore, partial correlation was used to evaluate the relationship between GCA values and the clinical characteristics of individuals with TIA. Results. Compared with HCs, individuals with TIA demonstrated alterations in the effective connectivity between M1 and widely distributed brain regions involved in motor, visual, auditory, and sensory integration. In addition, GCA values were significantly correlated with high- and low-density lipoprotein cholesterols in individuals with TIA. Conclusion. This study provides important evidence for the alteration of motor-related effective connectivity in TIA, which reflects the abnormal information flow between different brain regions. This could help further elucidate the pathological mechanisms of motor impairment in individuals with TIA and provide a new perspective for future early diagnosis and intervention for TIA.

Objective: To investigate risk factors of local recurrence of synovial sarcoma and the impact of local recurrence on survival.Methods: We retrospectively reviewed clinical data of patients with II to IIIB (AJCC8) synovial sarcoma who underwent surgery at our center between March 2005 and December 2016. Data relating clinicopathological factors, treatment and prognosis were collected. The impact of local recurrence on overall survival (OS), local recurrence-free survival (LRFS), and distant relapse-free survival (DRFS) were analyzed. The prognostic factors associated with local recurrence were also analyzed using Kaplan-Meier Curves and Cox regression analysis.Results: A total of 171 patients were included in this analysis. After a median follow-up of 48 months, 66 patients (38.6%) experienced local recurrence. The 5-year OS, LRFS, and DRFS rates of patients with local recurrence were 37.6, 6.1, and 24.1%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that larger initial tumors, multiple recurrences, positive resection margins, marginal resection, and lack of adjuvant therapy were associated with higher local recurrence.Conclusion: Local recurrence of synovial sarcoma is associated with distant metastasis and poor survival. Chemoradiation improves the prognosis of patients with local recurrence, in particular those for which recurrence occurs shortly after initial treatment.

Objectives: Patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) are at increased risk for ascending aortic dilation (AAD). Our study was aimed at systemically analyzing the expression profile and mechanism of circulating plasma exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) related to BAV and AAD.Methods: We isolated plasma exosomes from BAV patients (n=19), BAV patients with AAD (BAVAD, n=26), and healthy tricuspid aortic valve individuals with low cardiovascular risk (TAVnon, n=16). We applied a small RNA sequencing approach to identify the specific plasma exosomal miRNAs associated with BAV (n=8) and BAVAD (n=10) patients compared with healthy TAVnon (n=6) individuals. The candidate differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs were selected and validated by RT-qPCR in the remaining samples. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses were performed to illustrate the functions of target genes. Western blot analysis and luciferase reporter assay were conducted in human aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) to verify the results of target gene prediction in vitro.Results: The expression levels of three up-regulated (miR-151a-3p, miR-423-5p, and miR-361-3p) and two down-regulated (miR-16-5p and miR-15a-5p) exosomal miRNAs were significantly altered in BAV disease. Additionally, miR-423-5p could be functionally involved in the occurrence and development of BAV and its complication BAVAD by regulating TGF-β signaling. miR-423-5p could target to SMAD2 and decreased the protein levels of SMAD2 and P-SMAD2.Conclusion: Plasma exosomal miR-423-5p regulated TGF-β signaling by targeting SMAD2, thus exerting functions in the occurrence and development of BAV disease and its complication bicuspid aortopathy.

We present an experimental study on the double K-shell ionization of argon in single collisions with the Xe54+ ion at 197 MeV/u. The X-ray spectra of multi-ionized argon are measured at the observation angles of 90° and 145° with respect to the projectile beam. The target K X-ray satellite and hypersatellite lines are analyzed with a fitting model and the cross-section ratio of double to single K-shell ionization is derived. The experimental results are compared to the relativistic time-dependent, two-center calculations, and a reasonable agreement is reached.

Due to the intrinsically high ionic conductivity and good interfacial stability towards lithium, garnet-type solid electrolytes are usually introduced into polymer electrolytes as fillers to prepare polymer/garnet composite electrolytes, which can improve the ionic conductivity and enhance the mechanical strength to suppress Li dendrites. However, the surface Li2CO3 and/or LiOH passive layers which form when garnet is exposed to the air greatly reduce the enhancement effect of garnet on the composite electrolyte. Furthermore, compared with micro-size particles, nano-size garnet fillers exhibit a better effect on enhancing the performance of composite solid electrolytes. Nevertheless, inferior organic/inorganic interphase compatibility and high specific surface energy of nanofillers inevitably cause agglomeration, which severely hinders the effect of nanoparticles for promoting composite solid electrolytes. Herein, a cost-effective amphipathic 3-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane coupling agent is introduced to modify garnet fillers, which effectively expands the air stability of garnet and greatly improves the dispersion of garnet fillers in the polymer matrix. The well-dispersed garnet filler/polymer interface is intimate through the bridging effect of the silane coupling agent, resulting in boosted ionic conductivity (0.72 × 10−4 S/cm at room temperature) of the composite electrolyte, enhanced stability against lithium dendrites (critical current density > 0.5 mA/cm2), and prolonged cycling life of LFP/Li full cells.

Abstract Isoalantolactone (IATL), a sesquiterpene lactone compound, possesses many pharmacological and biological activities, but its role in glioblastoma (GBM) treatment is still unknown. The aim of the current study was to investigate the antiglioma effects of IATL and to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms. In the current study, the biological functions of IATL were examined by MTT, cell migration, colony formation, and cell apoptosis assays. Confocal immunofluorescence techniques, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and pull‐down assays were used to explore the precise underlying molecular mechanisms. To examine IATL activity and the molecular mechanisms by which it inhibits glioma growth in vivo, we used a xenograft tumor mouse model. Furthermore, Western blotting was used to confirm the changes in protein expression after IATL treatment. According to the results, IATL inhibited IKKβ phosphorylation, thus inhibiting both the binding of NF‐κB to the cyclooxygenase 2 (COX‐2) promoter and the recruitment of p300 and eventually inhibiting COX‐2 expression. In addition, IATL induced glioma cell apoptosis by promoting the conversion of F‐actin to G‐actin, which in turn activates the cytochrome c (Cyt c) and caspase‐dependent apoptotic pathways. In the animal experiments, IATL reduced the size and weight of glioma tumors in xenograft mice and inhibited the expression of COX‐2 and phosphorylated NF‐κB p65 in the transplanted tumors. In conclusion, the current study indicated that IATL inhibited the expression of COX‐2 through the NF‐κB signaling pathway and induced the apoptosis of glioma cells by increasing actin transformation. These results suggested that IATL could be greatly effective in GBM treatment.

Combined manufacturing of direct energy deposition (DED) and laser shock peening (LSP) exhibits great potentials in repairing titanium alloy components and improving their mechanical properties. In this study, a DEDed repaired sample was fabricated by depositing TA15 powders on a forged TC17 plate, and subjected to a following LSP treatment. The effects of LSP on microstructures, residual stress, and tensile properties of DEDed samples were evaluated. After LSP, a high-level compressive residual stress state (maximum =−596 MPa) and microstructure refinement were induced in the treated surface. The average α phase area decreased from 1.88 μm2 to 0.73 μm2, and much more low angle grain boundaries were induced after LSP. Meanwhile, the corresponding ultimate tensile strength (UTS) was improved by 12.46%.

The complex in which scribble planar cell polarity protein (SCRIB) is located is one of the three main polar protein complexes that play an important role in maintaining epithelial polarity and affecting tumour growth. However, the role of SCRIB in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains largely unknown. This study used date from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and clinical samples to determine the expression of SCRIB in CRC and explored its mechanism through bioinformatics analysis and in vivo and in vitro experiments. In this study, SCRIB was found to be highly expressed in CRC patients, and it was often associated with malignant characteristics, such as proliferation, apoptosis, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Furthermore, we found that SCRIB may interact with the Hippo signalling pathway and affect the phosphorylation of YAP and its distribution inside and outside of the nucleus. We concluded that increased expression of SCRIB is likely to inhibit the Hippo signalling pathway by promoting YAP phosphorylation. This role of SCRIB in the progression of CRC provides an important information for the treatment of CRC.

Metasurfaces have powerful light field manipulation capabilities, which have been extensively studied in the past few years and have developed rapidly in various fields. At present, the focus of metasurface research has shifted to the tunable functionality. In this paper, a temperature-controllable multifunctional metasurface lens based on phase transition material is designed. First of all, by controlling the temperature of the desired working area and the polarization of the incident light, switching among multiple focus, single focus, and no focus at any position can be achieved, and the intensity and helicity of the output light can be adjusted. In addition, a polarization-sensitive intensity-tunable metalens based on the P-B phase principle is designed, when the incident light is linearly polarized light, left-handed circularly polarized light, or right-handed circularly polarized light, it has the same focal point but with different light field intensities. Therefore, the focused intensity can be tunable by the polarization state of the incident light.

Exercise is believed to have significant cognitive benefits. Although an array of experimental paradigms have been employed to test the cognitive effects on exercising individuals, the mechanism as to how exercise induces cognitive benefits in the brain remains unclear. This study explores the effect of dynamic neural network processing with the classic Go/NoGo task with regular exercisers. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to analyze the brain activation of areas involved in executive function, especially inhibitory control. Nineteen regular joggers and twenty-one subjects as a control group performed the task, and their brain imaging data were analyzed. The results showed that at the attentive visual period, the frontal and parietal areas, including the prefrontal cortex, putamen, thalamus, lingual, fusiform, and caudate, were significantly enhanced in positive activities than the control group. On the other hand, in the following inhibitory control processing period, almost the same areas of the brains of the exercise group have shown stronger negative activation in comparison to the control group. Such dynamic temporal response patterns indicate that sports augment cognitive benefits; i.e., regular jogging increases the brain’s visual attention and inhibitory control capacities.

As a core tool, anomaly detection based on a generative adversarial network (GAN) is showing its powerful potential in protecting the safe and stable operation of industrial control systems (ICS) under the Internet of Things (IoT). However, due to the long-tailed distribution of operating data in ICS, existing GAN-based anomaly detection models are prone to misjudging an unseen marginal sample as an outlier. Moreover, it is difficult to collect abnormal samples from ICS. To solve these challenges, a dual auto-encoder GAN-based anomaly detection model is proposed for the industrial control system, simply called the DAGAN model, to achieve an accurate and efficient anomaly detection without any abnormal sample. First, an “encoder–decoder–encoder” architecture is used to build a dual GAN model for learning the latent data distribution without any anomalous sample. Then, a parameter-free dynamic strategy is proposed to robustly and accurately learn the marginal distribution of the training data through dynamic interaction between two GANs. Finally, based on the learned normal distribution and marginal distribution, an optimized anomaly score is used to measure whether a sample is an outlier, thereby reducing the probability of a marginal sample being misjudged. Extensive experiments on multiple datasets demonstrate the advantages of our DAGAN model.

Recycling of waste plastics is of great significance for human society. The pulverization of waste film plastics is a key technical link in the development of collaborative utilization of waste plastics in the steel industry. In this study, waste polyvinyl chloride film plastics were first heated at different temperatures; then the de-chlorination ratio pulverization and the properties of the pulverized products closely related to blast furnace injection, such as powdery properties, combustion and explosiveness, were further analyzed. The weight loss ratio increased significantly with an increase in temperature and was not obvious between 370 °C and 400 °C. The highest de-chlorination ratio was approximately 84% at 370 °C, and the relative chlorine content in the product was 9%. The crushing performance of heat-treated polyvinyl chloride film increased with increasing temperature. Before 370 °C, there were more pores in the samples, and the surface of the sample seemed to be damaged with the temperature was further increased. The pulverized polyvinyl chloride had better fluidity and strong jet flow compared to industrial injection coals. At the same time, compared with other carbonaceous materials, it also exhibited better combustion performances. The pulverized polyvinyl chloride belonged to non explosiveness substance despite its high volatile content. The obtained results demonstrated that the pulverized polyvinyl chloride obtained under the present conditions could be used for blast furnace injection to some extent.

When searching for multiple targets in an unknown complex environment, swarm robots should firstly form a number of subswarms autonomously through a task division model and then each subswarm searches for a target in parallel. Based on the probability response principle and multitarget division strategy, a closed-loop regulation strategy is proposed, which includes target type of member, target response intensity evaluation, and distance to the corresponding individuals. Besides, it is necessary to make robots avoid other robots and convex obstacles with various shapes in the unknown complex environment. By decomposing the multitarget search behavior of swarm robots, a simplified virtual-force model (SVF-Model) is developed for individual robots, and a control method is designed for swarm robots searching for multiple targets (SRSMT-SVF). The simulation results indicate that the proposed method keeps the robot with a good performance of collision avoidance, effectively reducing the collision conflicts among the robots, environment, and individuals.

The ocean tide can cause the redistribution of the seawater mass, resulting in earth's surface deformation, namely ocean tidal loading (OTL). OTL vertical displacement may reach several centimeters, especially in coastal areas, so its effect in the field of high precision geodesy must be considered. This study concentrates on the influences of OTL on InSAR deformation measurements. We improve the osu.chinasea.2010 regional model and then compare the improved regional model with other regional models. It turns out that the improved regional model can achieve higher precision. Then we use it to replace the offshore part of the global model to generate the present model. We find that the displacement observed by the present model is 2–3 mm larger than that of other models on some sites. Finally, the present model is used to correct the deformation observed by InSAR of Shanghai and Los Angeles. A comparison between the displacements of IGS station with the corrected data shows that the OTL correction can improve the accuracy of InSAR deformation results by about 20%.

This work aims at investigating the impact of different tidal turbine locations on hydrodynamics in near-field and far-field flow; thus, three- and two-dimensional (3- & 2-D) models were exploited in combination and applied in a case study of Putuo-Hulu Islands’ tidal farm. We present a method for the simplification of tidal turbine which, based on the energy equation, determines turbine’s equivalent roughness by calculating resistance loss in flow passage. A 3-D turbine model of near-field flow in the frame of Computational Fluid Dynamics was constructed, and the flow velocity distributions in 7 combinations of “impeller rotating speed - inflow velocity” were simulated. Also a 2-D tidal model of far-field flow was established, and Finite Element Method was adopted to solve the 2-D shallow water circulation equations; thus, the impact of tidal turbine could be simulated by utilizing different location’s compositive roughness. The results show that the impact of turbine location on hydrodynamics is depending on the open degree of sea area, channel trend, and bathymetric and geographic features and that the farther distance from the turbine, the less impact on the flow field. Overall, the impact of turbine location on far-field flow is not significant, and the flow velocity varies below 8% relative to the velocity prior to turbine installation.

This paper presents a simulation method for oil spills in a multi-island area. The simulation considers three parts, which consist of (1) the spreading of an oil slick on its edge as well as the diffusion and drift under dynamic actions, (2) the evaporation and spreading thickness of an oil slick in its interior, and (3) the adsorption and emulsification near shorelines and islands. The Euler-Lagrange method is adopted to track the spill location and particles positions on the edge of oil slicks. A mathematical model of marine oil spills is established for the Luanjiakou District of the Port of Yantai. The flow field verification shows that the BIAS of tidal level, flow velocity, and flow direction is below ±10 cm, 0.11 m/s, and ±2°, respectively, and the oil spill verification captures satisfactory results. Hence, the proposed model could reproduce the oil spill process in this region. Then, we simulate oil spills under various operating conditions. It is concluded that the transport of oil slicks is mainly influenced by flood/ebb currents, whereas the wind plays a major role in the drift and thickness of oil slicks. The study provides an important reference to controlling and handling of accidental oil spills.

Due to the significant uncertainty of charging time and charging power consumption, the large increase in plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) may create a major influences on the power system: According to people’s living habits, PEVs are basically charged during peak load periods (after work). Once PEVs continue the random charging behavior, there will be a higher difference of peak-valley and bigger burden on the grid. A new strategy is put forward for dynamic economic/emission dispatch (DEED) with the consideration of PEVs for the purpose to shave the peak and fill the valley in this paper, and the influences brought from different loads of grid-to-vehicle (G2V) and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) on DEED problem are discussed. The problem to be solved is a challenging multi-objective non-linear problem. By taking advantage of the differential evolution (DE) algorithms and a newly developed crisscross optimization algorithm, a new multi-objective hybrid optimization algorithm is put forward to deal with the problem including effectively dealing with the inequality and equality constraints. A case study is presented to show the feasibility and effectiveness of the put forward method. The analysis results demonstrate that the put forward algorithm could effectively solve DEED problem, showing that the resulting approach of peak shaving and valley filling could significantly save economic costs and reduce emissions under the same load.