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Abstract To reveal the velocity distribution law of a gas lift reverse circulation well washing flow field in drilling shaft sinking, a velocity mathematical model of well washing flow field is established. The theoretical analytical solutions and velocity distribution laws in the drill pipe and bottom hole were provided and validated through numerical simulations and similar model tests. Furthermore, this study explores the impacts of mud circulation, wind pressure, rock debris, and mud properties on the flow field distribution, presenting the sensitivity order of the factors. This study indicated the following findings. (1) The velocity theoretical model of well washing flow field was validated through numerical simulation and similar model tests, and the relative error ranged from 4.2 to 18.5%, demonstrating the high consistency. (2) The rock debris and mud experienced slight and consistent deceleration within the drill pipe. Upon reaching the gas input end, the axial upward return of the multiphase flow resulted in a “jumping” sharp increase. (3) The mud circulation, wind pressure, and void fraction positively correlated with the multiphase fluid velocity in the drill pipe, but negatively correlated with the mud density and slag content. The axial upward velocity of the rock debris decreased with increasing particle size and density. (4) The sensitivity of each factor to the discharge speed of rock debris was summarized as follows: air content > mud circulation > wind pressure > mud density > rock debris density > rock debris particle size > slag content. These findings could offer a theoretical basis for selecting well washing parameters and enhancing drilling and washing efficiency.

Abstract Existing deep foundation pit support structures are commonly composed of external earth-retaining structures, internal horizontal bracings, and vertical columns. A closed bracing system, often formed by a horizontal support through a bracket board, frequently impedes vertical excavation and soil removal operations in the foundation pit, and the processes of assembly and dismantling are complex and time-consuming. This study presents a combined support system and construction method consisting of cast-in-place piles and diagonal steel lattice braces. For sloped excavation, diagonal braces were constructed by slotting through the reserved soil, allowing the use of a single layer of support within the excavation depth. This approach significantly optimizes the construction process, reducing both project duration and overall cost. The field monitoring results indicated that the support method effectively controlled the lateral displacement of the pile bodies. Field monitoring results demonstrated that the proposed support system effectively controlled the lateral displacement of the pile bodies. The adoption of a support-first, excavation-second approach significantly controlled the settlement of the ground surface around the foundation pit, thereby preventing excessive increments in the axial force of the supports due to the large longitudinal depth excavation. The calculation results of the three-dimensional finite element model for foundation pit excavation and support indicate that the proposed support method results in a decreasing ratio of the maximum lateral deformation depth of the pile body, denoted as δ h-m , to the excavation depth H e as the excavation depth increases. This implied that the displacement of the pile body was strictly controlled. When the depth of the foundation pit excavation exceeded 10 m, the maximum lateral deformation occurred below 10 m along the pile shaft. The diagonal steel lattice braces transferred the load to the top of the cast-in-place piles at the bottom of the pit, where the stress concentration occurred. During construction, special attention must be paid to the strength of the connection between the pile top and the connecting beams.

Abstract Over the past few decades, metasurfaces have revolutionized conventional bulky optics by providing an effective approach to manipulate optical waves at the subwavelength scale. This advancement holds great potential for compact, multifunctional, and reconfigurable optical devices. Notably, metasurfaces constructed with anisotropic nanostructures have exhibited remarkable capability in manipulating the polarization state of optical waves. Furthermore, they can be employed to achieve independent control of the amplitude and phase of optical waves in different polarization channels. This capability has garnered significant attention from the photonics community due to its unprecedented potential for polarization-selective and -multiplexed optical wave manipulation, offering versatile applications in optical imaging, communication, and detection. This paper reviews the design principles, representative works, and recent advancements in anisotropic nanostructures for optical polarization manipulation, detection, as well as polarization-selective and -multiplexed optical wave manipulation. Personal insights into further developments in this research area are provided.

Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) have been successfully applied in the excavation of deep shaft roadways in coal mines, yielding substantial socio-economic benefits. However, technical bottlenecks remain that hinder their further promotion and application. In response to the challenge of current support structures and techniques failing to simultaneously meet the requirements of support efficiency, strength, and construction costs, which impedes the full utilization of TBM speed advantages, a research team has developed a novel steel pipe segment assembly support structure. Large-scale model tests of the new prefabricated support structure were conducted to ascertain the deformation and failure patterns under loaded conditions, and the support structure was optimized based on the test results. Numerical simulations were performed to evaluate the reliability of the new support structure under TBM tunneling conditions. Industrial trials were subsequently conducted to field-test the feasibility of the new steel pipe segment support structure for TBM-excavated roadways in coal mines. The test results indicate that the maximum tensile strain of the surrounding rock is 803 με, and the deformation of the steel pipe support structure is less than 1 mm. The new support structure can be installed quickly, with the installation of one ring of segments (1.5 m) completed within 90 minutes, significantly enhancing the support strength in TBM-excavated roadways and the adaptability to strata conditions. This research provides a technical reference for further increasing the tunneling speed of coal mine roadways and ensuring the continuity of coal mining operations.

The coal mine drilling shaft wall is a single-layer structure, and water leakage in the deep alluvium will seriously threaten mine safety. If there are construction defects in the stubble part of the well wall at the construction stage, it will lead to groundwater corrosion and rust through the metal and the weld seam of the stubble part, resulting in water leakage from well wall, which, if not treated promptly, is prone to lead to a sudden water-sand inrush and flooding accidents. In order to explore an effective treatment technology, a research on the control technology of water leakage from the wall of coal mine drilling wells was carried out with the background of water leakage control of wall of sub-well of the Xutong Coal Mine. Firstly, the causes of water leakage from the single-layer well wall of the drilling method were analyzed with the information of hydrogeological characteristics of mine. It was found that the main reason of water leakage at the sub-well wall of Xutong Mine was that the high-pressure groundwater recharged from the aquifers flowed into the well through the gravel packing layer with great pore connectivity, after the corrosive effects of groundwater jointly penetrated the stubs of well walls. Then, the feasibility and safety of using post-wall grouting and ground drilling grouting for water leakage control in the wall of sub-well wall in Xutong Coal Mine were compared and analyzed. Post-wall grouting of reinforced concrete single-layer well walls constructed using the drilling method in fluvial sand layer was found to pose a high safety risk, affecting the normal lifting of wellbore and risking the reoccurrence of water leakage. Ground directional drilling grouting technology had a large grouting volume, and the pores in the gravel filling layer behind the wall can be fully filled by cement slurry, improving the leakage prevention and bearing capacity of the wellbore, and the construction personnel operated on the ground, which was safe and did not affect the normal lifting of the wellbore. Finally, the ground directional drilling grouting technology for water leakage control of coal mine wall in deep alluvium was proposed and demonstrated. A total of 130.9 m3 of cement slurry was injected into the two boreholes, which completely filled the pores space between the gravel of the filling layer behind the wall of the layer from 94.00-131.40 m, and successfully blocked the water outlet point at 94 m downhole. No further water leakage from this section of the well wall had been observed on site over a long period of time. The research results shown that, the ground directional drilling grouting technology had good control effect and high safety for the water leakage of coal mine drilling well wall in deep alluvium. The research results can provide a certain reference for the water leakage control of coal mine drilling well wall in deep alluvium.

To study the law of surface subsidence velocity caused by coal seam mining under thick and loose layers and thin bedrock, taking the 110801 first mining face of a mine in Huainan Mining Area as the engineering background, the finite difference software FLAC3D was used to simulate the surface subsidence velocity of coal mining under the conditions of different mining speed, mining height, mining width, loose layer thickness and bedrock layer thickness conditions, and the influence mechanism and sensitivity of various parameters on the surface subsidence velocity were obtained. The results indicate that: the surface subsidence velocity increases with the increase of mining speed, mining height and mining width, but decreases with the increase of foundation rock thickness and loose layer thickness; the maximum surface subsidence velocity increases linearly with the increase of mining speed, mining height and mining width, and decreases linearly with the increase of loose layer thickness, which decreases in power function with the thickness of bedrock layer; the sensitivity of each influencing factor to the maximum surface subsidence velocity is mining width, bedrock layer thickness, loose layer thickness, mining speed and mining height in descending order.

Abstract To elucidate the distribution law of the multiphase coupling slag discharge flow field in gas-lift reverse circulation during drilling shaft sinking, a numerical analysis model of gas–liquid–solid multiphase coupling slag discharge was established by CFD–DEM (Coupling of computational fluid dynamics and discrete element method) method, taking the drilling of North Wind well in Taohutu Coal Mine as an example. This model presented the distribution of the multiphase flow field in the slag discharge pipe and at the bottom hole, and was validated through experimentation and theoretical analysis. Finally, the impact of factors, including bit rotation speed, gas injection rate, air duct submergence ratio, and mud viscosity on the slag discharge flow field was clarified. The results indicated that the migration of rock slag at the bottom of the well was characterized by “slip, convergence, suspension, adsorption, and lifting”. The slag flow in the discharge pipe exhibited the states of “high density, low flow rate” and “low density, high flow rate”, respectively. The multiphase fluid flow patterns in the well bottom and slag discharge pipe were horizontal and axial flows, respectively. The model test of the gas lift reversed circulation slag discharge and the theoretical model of the bottom hole fluid velocity distribution confirmed the accuracy of the multiphase coupling slag discharge flow field distribution model. The rotation speed of the drill bit had the most significant impact on the bottom hole flow field. Increasing the rotation speed of the drill bit can significantly enhance the tangential velocity of the bottom hole fluid, increase the pressure difference between the bottom hole and annular mud column, and improve the adsorption capacity of the slag suction port. These findings can provide valuable insights for gas lift reverse circulation well washing in western drilling shaft sinking.

Abstract Optical information transmission is vital in modern optics and photonics due to its concurrent and multi-dimensional nature, leading to tremendous applications such as optical microscopy, holography, and optical sensing. Conventional optical information transmission technologies suffer from bulky optical setup and information loss/crosstalk when meeting scatterers or obstacles in the light path. Here, we theoretically propose and experimentally realize the simultaneous manipulation of the coherence lengths and coherence structures of the light beams with the disordered metasurfaces. The ultra-robust optical information transmission and self-reconstruction can be realized by the generated partially coherent beam with modulated coherence structure even 93% of light is recklessly obstructed during light transmission, which brings new light to robust optical information transmission with a single metasurface. Our method provides a generic principle for the generalized coherence manipulation on the photonic platform and displays a variety of functionalities advancing capabilities in optical information transmission such as meta-holography and imaging in disordered and perturbative media.

In early 2021, China introduced the “30–60” objective of “Carbon Neutral and Carbon Peak,” establishing low-carbon and high-quality development as a pivotal direction for China’s economic and social progress. China’s textile industry assumes a vital role in achieving low-carbon and high-quality development. Technological innovation emerges as a means to meet environmental regulations, facilitating an advantageous synergy between economic prosperity and environmental protection. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between direct environmental regulation (DER) and enterprise innovation in the context of the Chinese textile industry. To achieve it, the study utilizes data collected from publicly listed textile companies in China, covering the period from 2004 to 2018, to construct a moderation-mediation model that explores the complex interplay between DER and enterprise innovation. The study’s novelty lies in comparing the impact of environmental regulation on innovation quality through substantive innovation and green innovation, as well as conducting stratified classification analyses by incorporating heterogeneous factors such as DER intensity, region, and sub-industry. The results demonstrate that DER significantly promotes both the input and output quality of innovation in Chinese textile enterprises, exhibiting a complex pattern of mediating and moderating effects. Specifically, DER exerts a substantial influence on the capital investment in innovation by Chinese textile enterprises, with high-intensity DER yielding more pronounced effects. The impact of DER on enterprise innovation quality is also contingent upon enterprise heterogeneity. Additionally, innovation capital investment serves as a pivotal mediating factor that links DER to the innovation quality of Chinese textile enterprises. The enterprise scale exhibits a moderating effect between DER and enterprise innovation quality. In summary, the mediation of innovation input and the moderation of enterprise scale collectively contribute to a comprehensive moderation-mediation effect on the relationship between DER and innovation quality in Chinese textile enterprises. Based on these findings, this study provides novel empirical support for the narrow “Porter Hypothesis” and offers targeted recommendations for enterprise management and policymakers in future applications.

Chestnuts, despite their nutritional value, pose challenges in starch processing, digestion, and absorption. This study employed various color-fixing formulations and processing methods to simulate the in vitro digestion of both untreated and enzymatically hydrolyzed chestnut flour. Changes in starch properties, digestion characteristics, and estimated glycemic index (eGI) were analyzed to understand how enzymatic hydrolysis affects chestnut flour properties. The results showed that the browning of chestnut flour was the least when the mass ratio of vitamin C, citric acid, and EDTA-Na2 was 9:1:0.3. Following treatment with pullulanase and glucoamylase, the content of rapidly digestible starch decreased to 10 %, while the content of slowly digestible starch and resistant starch increased to 62 % and 27 %, respectively. The eGI value of chestnut flour after enzymatic hydrolysis increased to 61.85–65.14, the hydrolysis rate was 78.37 %–89.20 %, the water holding capacity was 5.3–8.6, the solubility was 51.33 %–58.33 %, and the swelling degree decreased to 2.21–3.33 mL/g.

In recent decades, quantum information technologies have attracted significant attention and experienced rapid development due to their ultrafast processing speeds and high level of information security. A significant trend in this field of study involves the ongoing pursuit of integrating and miniaturizing quantum devices. Metasurfaces, which are artificially designed planar nanostructure arrays with versatile wavefront shaping capabilities, present a promising platform for the development of integrated photonic quantum devices by effectively controlling quantum light in multiple degrees of freedom. In this review, recent advances in the field of quantum photonics facilitated by metasurfaces, encompassing quantum light sources, manipulation and measurement of quantum states, and the intriguing functionalities of quantum metasurfaces, are summarized. Additionally, potential future directions for the advancement of quantum metasurfaces are discussed.

Aiming at the problems of gas lift reverse circulation shaft washing slag discharge and low drilling efficiency in the application of vertical shaft drilling method in the Jurassic strata coal mines in western China, taking ϕ4.2 m advanced drilling of central return air shaft in the Kekegai coal mine as the engineering background, based on the CFD-DEM (computational fluid dynamics and discrete element method coupling) research method, a gas-liquid-solid multiphase coupling slag discharge numerical model is established, which reveals the velocity and pressure distribution law of the flow field in the slag discharge pipe and the bottom hole. Based on the self-developed gas lift reverse circulation slag discharge test device, the correctness of the flow field distribution is verified by PIV (Particle Image Velocimetry) test technology. The evaluation index and method of optimizing cutter head suction port are put forward. The number, length-diameter ratio, area ratio and total area ratio of slag suction outlets are optimized. The best way and related parameters of cutter head suction port arrangement of advanced bit are optimized. The effects of main factors such as bit speed, gas injection rate, submerged ratio of air duct and mud viscosity on slag discharge flow field are discussed. The research results show that ① the fluid in the slag discharge pipe mainly moves in the axial direction, and when passing through the gas injection end, the velocity increases sharply. The migration of bottom hole fluid is mainly horizontal flow, and the vertical upward flow of fluid only exists near the slag suction port. The horizontal flow at the bottom of the shaft is mainly tangential flow, and the radial flow is obvious only on both sides of the slag suction port, and it is far away from the slag suction port, so the runoff speed is small and it is easy to produce cuttings deposition. ② When the number of slag suction ports of cutter head is 2, the length-diameter ratio is 0.4, the area ratio is 1, and the total area ratio is 1.94%, the layout of slag suction ports is the best, and the slag removal rate is increased by 66% compared with the current layout of slag suction ports. ③ Increasing the bit speed can significantly enhance the adsorption of the slag suction port. The gas injection rate and the submerged ratio of the air duct are positively correlated with the axial velocity of the fluid in the bottom hole and the slag discharge pipe. The mud with low viscosity and low density is easy to obtain high return velocity, but its rock carrying capacity is poor. The research results can provide a useful theoretical reference for solving the technical problems of washing, slag removal and low drilling efficiency of deep and large vertical shaft drilling in the Jurassic strata.

Transmembrane transport remains a significant challenge for nucleic acid vaccine vectors. Promoting the ability of immune cells, such as macrophages, to capture foreign stimuli is also an effective approach to improving cross-presentation. In addition, polyethyleneimine (PEI) has gained attention in the field of nucleic acid vaccine carriers due to its excellent gene transfection efficiency and unique proton buffering effect. However, although high molecular weight PEI exhibits high efficiency, its high-density positive charges make it highly toxic, which limits its application. In this study, mannose/stearyl chloride functionalized polyethylenimine (SA-Man-PEI) was prepared by functionalizing PEI (molecular weight of 25 kDa) with mannose with immunomodulatory and phagocyte targeting effects, and an alkyl hydrophobic chain segment, which could easily promote cell uptake. Moreover, the functionalized-PEI retains a strong proton buffering effect, which helps the carrier escape from the lysosome. The particle sizes of the composite particles formed by SA-Man-PEI and ovalbumin (OVA) were below 200 nm, with good storage stability at both 4 °C and 37 °C. At a drug concentration of 2 μg/mL, the cell survival rate of functionalized-PEI was 19.2% higher than that of unfunctionalized PEI. In vitro macrophage endocytosis experiments showed that SA-Man-PEI could significantly enhance the macrophage uptake of composite particles, compared to unfunctionalized PEI or single-functionalized PEI. This study offers a new approach for developing PEI as a nucleic acid vaccine carrier, which could simultaneously enhance cell targeting and promote cell uptake.

Purpose Infection by carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) has high mortality. There is no clear optimal therapeutic choice for pneumonia caused by CRKP. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes and safety of the standard doses of polymyxin B-based regimens vs tigecycline-based regimens and to identify risk factors for mortality.Methods This retrospective cohort study included patients with pneumonia caused by CRKP between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2022. The primary outcomes were 7-day bacterial eradication rate and 14- and 28-day all-cause mortality. The secondary outcome was incidence of acute kidney injury.Results Seventy-three patients were included in this study, 29 in the polymyxin B-based combination therapy group and 44 in tigecycline-based combination therapy group. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of the 7-day bacterial eradication rate (31.03% vs 20.45%, p = 0.409), the 14-day all-cause mortality (37.93% vs 22.73%, p = 0.160), and the incidence of acute kidney injury (14.29% vs 6.82%, p = 0.526). The 28-day all-cause mortality in the polymyxin B-based therapy group was higher than in the tigecycline-based group (75.86% vs 45.45%, p = 0.010). Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that male and previous use of carbapenems were independent factors associated with 28-day all-cause mortality for patients treated with polymyxin B (p

Abstract The skin interfaces with the external environment, acting as both a physical barrier and an immunologic defense. The dynamic interactions between various cell types are essential for skin homeostasis and function. Emerging research has unveiled the significant role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) as key mediators of cell communication in regulating many aspects of skin physiological and pathological processes. In this review, we provide an overview of recent advances in understanding the physiological and pathological roles of EVs in skin health, aging, and diseases, and discuss natural and engineered EVs in skin disease treatment along with the potential challenges. The burgeoning area of EVs may expand new therapeutic approaches for various skin disorders and open new avenues for personalized skincare treatments.

In China, fence net aquaculture practices have been established in some subsidence waters that have been formed in coal mining subsidence areas. Within this dynamic ecological context, diverse fish species grow continuously until being harvested at the culmination of their production cycle. The purpose of this study was to investigate diverse factors influencing the bioavailability and distribution of mercury (Hg) and methylmercury (MeHg), which have high physiological toxicity in fish, in the Guqiao coal mining subsidence area in Huainan, China. Mercury and MeHg were analyzed in 38 fish samples of eight species using direct mercury analysis (DMA-80) and gas chromatography–cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry (GC-CVAFAS). The analysis results show that the ranges of Hg and MeHg content and methylation rate in the fish were 7.84–85.18 ng/g, 0.52–3.52 ng/g, and 0.81–42.68 %, respectively. Meanwhile, conclusions are also summarized as following: (1) Monophagous herbivorous fish that were fed continuously in fence net aquaculture areas had higher MeHg levels and mercury methylation rates than carnivorous fish. Hg and MeHg contents were affected by different feeding habits of fish. (2) Bottom-dwelling fish show higher MeHg levels, and habitat selection in terms of water depth also partially affected the MeHg content of fish. (3) The effect of fence net aquaculture on methylation of fish in subsidence water is mainly from feed and mercury-containing bottom sediments. However, a time-lag is observed in the physiological response of benthic fishes to the release of Hg from sediments. Our findings provides baseline reference data for the ecological impact of fence net aquaculture in waters affected by soil subsidence induced by coal mining in China. Prevalent environmental contaminants within coal mining locales, notably Hg, may infiltrate rain-induced subsidence waters through various pathways.

Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) have greater bioavailability and safety than inorganic selenium, and was widely used in medical, agricultural, nutritional supplements, and antibacterial fields. The present study screened a strain L11 producing SeNPs from a selenium rich dairy cow breeding base in Hubei Province, China. The strain was identified as Bacillus subtilis through physiological, biochemical, and molecular biology analysis. By adjusting the cultivation conditions, the experiment determined the ideal parameters for L11 to efficiently produce SeNPs. These parameters include a pH value of 6, a cultivation temperature of 37 °C, a concentration of 4 mmol/L Na2SeO3, and a cultivation of 48 h. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Scanning Electron Microscope-Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) were used to verify that the Se particles produced by L11 are SeNPs with diameters ranging from 50 to 200 nm. The combination of the protein analysis of different cell components and TEM analysis showed that L11 mainly produces SeNPs through the transformation of the cell’s periplasmic space, cell membrane, and cell wall. Adding the L11 SeNPs complex to sheep feed can significantly enhance the antioxidant activity and immunity of sheep, and increase the Se content in the neck muscles, liver, and spleen tissues.

Moderate amounts of Se can promote crop growth, enhance stress resistance, increase yield, and improve nutritional quality. In the present study, kudzu seedlings were used as experimental materials, and their physiological indicators, antioxidant activity, nutritional components, and flavonoid content were measured after being treated with Na2SeO3 hydroponics. Transcriptome sequencing analysis was used to reveal the relevant genes involved in regulating the effects of exogenous Se on the content of Se-compounds and flavonoids in kudzu. The results indicated that treatment with 20 mg/L Na2SeO3 significantly increased stem and root lengths, dry and fresh weight, lateral root development, and chlorophyll b content. However, at higher concentrations (30–40 mg/L), lateral root abundance and chlorophyll levels decreased. Na2SeO3 treatment also augmented the antioxidant capacity and enhanced the content of major nutrients in kudzu seedlings. The total Se content in kudzu escalated with increasing Na2SeO3 concentration, with selenomethionine emerging as the primary organic-Se species. After treatment with Na2SeO3, the content of puerarin in both aboveground and underground parts decreased, while the content of total flavonoids increased. Daidzin increased in the roots. Differential expression gene analysis revealed that genes such as TRXB2, SYM, MMT1, and METE were involved in Se uptake and transformation in kudzu, while bZIP43 and WRKY47 played a role in flavonoid biosynthesis.

Abstract Silver/polymeric vesicle composite nanoparticles with good antibacterial properties were fabricated in this study. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were prepared in situ on cross‐linked vesicle membranes through the reduction of silver nitrate (AgNO3) using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) via coordination bonding between the Ag+ ions and the nitrogen atoms on the vesicles. X‐ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet‐visible spectroscopy (UV‐vis), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses confirmed the formation of AgNPs on the vesicles. The antibacterial test demonstrated good antibacterial activity against both Gram‐negative bacteria (Escherichia coli) and Gram‐positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) for the produced AgNP‐decorated vesicles. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of the AgNP‐decorated vesicles for E. coli and S. aureus were 8.4 and 9.6 μg/mL, respectively. Cell viability analysis on the A549 cells indicated that the toxicity was low when the AgNP concentrations did not exceed the MIC values, and the wound healing test confirmed the good antibacterial properties of the AgNP‐decorated vesicles.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to establish an antineoplastic drugs trigger tool based on Global Trigger Tool (GTT), to examine the performance by detecting adverse drug events (ADEs) in patients with cancer in a Chinese hospital (a retrospective review), and to investigate the factors associating with the occurrence of antineoplastic ADEs.MethodsBased on the triggers recommended by the GTT and those used in domestic and foreign studies and taking into account the scope of biochemical indexes in our hospital, some of them were adjusted. A total of 37 triggers were finally developed. Five hundred medical records of oncology patients discharged in our hospital from 1 June 2020 to 31 May 2021 were randomly selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. These records were reviewed retrospectively by antineoplastic drugs trigger tool. The sensitivity and specificity of the triggers were analyzed, as well as the characteristics and risk factors for the occurrence of ADEs.ResultsThirty-three of the 37 triggers had positive trigger, and the sensitivity rate was 91.8% (459/500). For the specificity, the positive predictive value of overall ADEs was 46.0% (715/1556), the detection rate of ADEs was 63.0% (315/500), the rate of ADEs per 100 admissions was 136.0 (95% CI, 124.1–147.9), and the rate of ADEs per 1,000 patient days was 208.33 (95% CI, 201.2–215.5). The top three antineoplastic drugs related to ADEs were antimetabolic drugs (29.1%), plant sources and derivatives (27.1%), and metal platinum drugs (26.3%). The hematologic system was most frequently involved (507 cases, 74.6%), followed by gastrointestinal system (89 cases, 13.1%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the number of combined drugs (OR = 1.14; 95% CI, 1.07–1.22; P < 0.001) and the previous history of adverse drug reaction (ADR) (OR = 0.38; 95% CI, 0.23–0.60; P < 0.001) were the risk factors for ADEs. The length of hospital stay (OR = 0.40; 95% CI, 0.14–1.12; P < 0.05) and the previous history of ADR (OR = 2.18; 95% CI, 1.07–4.45; P < 0.05) were the risk factors for serious adverse drug events (SAE).ConclusionThe established trigger tool could be used to monitor antineoplastic drugs adverse events in patients with tumor effectively but still needs to be optimized. This study may provide some references for further research in order to improve the rationality and safety of antineoplastic medications.

Abstract Terpenoids are the main active components in the Zanthoxylum armatum leaves, which have extensive medicinal value. The Z. armatum leaf is the main by‐product in the Z. armatum industry. However, the transcription factors involved in the biosynthesis of terpenoids are rarely reported. This study was performed to identify and classify the APETALA2/ethylene‐responsive factor (AP2/ERF) gene family of Z. armatum. The chromosome distribution, gene structure, conserved motifs, and cis‐acting elements of the promoter of the species were also comprehensively analyzed. A total of 214 ZaAP2/ERFs were identified. From the obtained transcriptome and terpenoid content data, four candidate ZaAP2/ERFs involved in the biosynthesis of terpenoids were selected via correlation and weighted gene co‐expression network analysis. A phylogenetic tree was constructed using 13 AP2/ERFs related to the biosynthesis of terpenoids in other plants. ZaERF063 and ZaERF166 showed close evolutionary relationships with the ERFs in other plant species and shared a high AP2‐domain sequence similarity with the two closest AP2/ERF proteins, namelySmERF8 from Salvia miltiorrhiza and AaERF4 from Artemisia annua. Further investigation into the effects of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment on the content of terpenoids in Z. armatum leaves revealed that MeJA significantly induced the upregulation of ZaERF166 and led to a significant increase in the terpenoids content in Z. armatum leaves, indicating that ZaERF166 might be involved in the accumulation of terpenoids of Z. armatum. Results will be beneficial for the functional characterization of AP2/ERFs in Z. armatum and establishment of the theoretical foundation to increase the production of terpenoids via the manipulation of the regulatory elements and strengthen the development and utilization of Z. armatum leaves.

The surface movement duration is a key parameter for the evaluation of the stability of surface movement and deformation, and accurately predicting the surface movement duration under different geological conditions and mining intensity is crucial for the stability assessment of the surface and ground facilities. Firstly, a new model assumption is proposed based on the classical Knothe time model assumption, and an improved Knothe time model, which only contains one model parameter and can accurately describe the dynamic subsidence law of the surface, has been developed. Then, based on the improved Knothe time model, a surface movement duration prediction model that can comprehensively consider the mining depth, coal seam thickness and mining speed of the working face is established, and the determination method of model parameters is provided according to the probability integral method. Finally, the accuracy and rationality of the surface movement duration prediction model were verified by using monitoring data of the surface movement duration in 20 mining areas. The results showed that the predicted value of the surface movement duration prediction model based on the improved Knothe time model is highly consistent with the monitoring values in 20 mining areas, and their root mean square error (ERMS) is only 64 days, which is far less than 882 days of the Specifications of Coal Mining and Pillar Retention Under Buildings, Water and Railways and 152 days of the Knothe time model, which verifies the accuracy and rationality of the prediction model of surface movement duration. The surface movement duration is affected by coal seam mining height, average mining depth and coal seam mining speed, and increases nonlinearly with the increase of coal seam mining height, increases linearly with the increase of average mining depth, but decreases nonlinearly with the increase of coal seam mining speed; When the mining speed of coal seam is less than 5 m/d, the surface movement duration can be shortened by appropriately increasing the mining speed of coal seam. The study can provide some reference for the prediction of the stable time of surface movement and deformation in coal mining.

As a special type of clay, expansive clay is widely distributed in China. Its characteristics of swelling and softening when meeting water and shrinking and cracking when losing water bring many hidden dangers to engineering construction. Expansive clay is known as “engineering cancer”, and in-depth research on the unloading mechanical response characteristics and the unloading constitutive relationships of expansive clay is a prerequisite for conducting geotechnical engineering design and safety analysis in expansive-soil areas. In order to obtain the unloading mechanical response characteristics and the expression of the unloading tangent modulus of expansive clay, typical expansive clay in the Hefei area was taken as the research object, and triaxial unloading stress path tests were conducted. The stress–strain properties, microstructures, macro failure modes, and strength indexes of the expansive clay were analyzed under unloading stress paths. Through an applicability analysis of several classical soil strength criteria, an unloading constitutive model and the unloading tangent modulus expression of the expansive clay were constructed based on the Mohr–Coulomb (hereinafter referred to as “M-C”) criterion, the Drucker–Prager (hereinafter referred to as “D-P”) criterion, and the extended Spatial Mobilized Plane (hereinafter referred to as “SMP”) criterion theoretical frameworks. The following research results were obtained: (1) The stress–strain curves of the three stress paths of the expansive clay were hyperbolic. The expansive clay showed typical strain-hardening characteristics and belonged to work-hardening soil. (2) Under the unloading stress paths, the soil particles were involved in the unloading process of stress release, and the failure samples showed obvious stretching, curling, and slipping phenomena in their soil sheet elements. (3) Under both unloading stress paths, the strength of the expansive clay was significantly weakened and reduced. Under the lateral unloading paths, the cohesive force (c) of the expansive clay was reduced by 32.7% and the internal friction angle (φ) was increased by 19% compared with those under conventional loading, while under the axial unloading path, c was reduced by 63.5% and φ was reduced by 28.7%. (4) For typical expansive clay in Hefei, the conventional triaxial compression (hereinafter referred to as “CTC”) test, the reduced triaxial compression (hereinafter referred to as “RTC”) test, and the reduced triaxial extension (hereinafter referred to as “RTE”) test stress paths were suitable for characterization and deformation prediction using the M-C strength criterion, D-P strength criterion, and extended SMP strength criterion, respectively. (5) The derived unloading constitutive model and the unified tangent modulus formula of the expansive clay could accurately predict the deformation characteristics of the unloading stress path of the expansive clay. These research results will provide an important reference for future engineering construction in expansive-clay areas.

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is rich in vitamins, minerals, and bioactive components, serving as an important source of selenium (Se) intake for humans. This study investigated the effects of Se treatment on lettuce using different concentrations of sodium selenite (Na2SeO3), focusing on biomass, physiological indicators, nutritional composition, and physiological changes during storage. Through correlation analysis of the transcriptome and Se species, the absorption and conversion mechanisms of Se in lettuce were revealed. The results showed that Se treatment initially increased the chlorophyll content in lettuce, followed by a decrease. Soluble sugar, soluble protein, total phenols, and anthocyanins increased at low Se concentrations but decreased at high concentrations. Flavonoid content decreased only at 1 mg/L Se, while other treatments were higher than the control group. GSH content and superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase activities initially increased and then decreased, while malondialdehyde (MDA) content first decreased and then increased. Five Se species, including Se (IV), Se (VI), selenocysteine (SeCys2), selenomethionine (SeMet), and methylselenocysteine (MeSeCys), were detected in lettuce leaves after Se treatment, with SeMet being the most abundant. During storage, Se-treated lettuce exhibited lower weight loss, a*, b*, browning index, and color difference (ΔE) values compared to the control group. CAT and POD activities and GSH content also followed a trend of initial increase followed by a decrease. Transcriptome data analysis revealed that genes such as MYB1, RPK1, PTR44, NTRC, WRKY7, and CSLD3 were associated with the stress response of Se-treated lettuce.

The Lycoris radiata (L’ Herit.) Herb. is a perennial bulbous plant characterized by its high ornamental and medicinal value, exhibiting a unique growth rhythm where the flower and leaf do not coexist and a period of summer dormancy. However, its metabolic response to various developmental stages remains unclear. To address this gap, we conducted a non-targeted metabolomic analysis spanning six developmental stages of L. radiata. The results showed that most differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) demonstrated enrichment predominantly in carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism pathways, with the former being more active during vegetative growth and the latter during reproductive stages. The proportion of DAMs categorized under “quaternary ammonium salts”, “tricarboxylic acids and derivatives”, “fatty acids and conjugates”, and “pyrimidine nucleotide sugars” was notably higher in comparisons between the flowering and dormancy stages than in other comparative groups. Furthermore, DAMs involved in the KEGG pathways of C5-branched dibasic acid metabolism and lysine biosynthesis were uniquely identified during the transition from Dormancy to Flowering. The proportion of DAMs associated with “linoleic acids and derivatives” and “pyridines and pyridine derivatives” was notably higher in the leafing out versus flowering comparison than in other comparative groups. Furthermore, the glycolysis/gluconeogenesis pathway was uniquely enriched by DAMs during this phase. This study provided an in-depth view of metabolite changes in L. radiata over its annual growth cycle, enriching our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms governing its development, dormancy, and flowering.

Macrophages and T cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) play an important role in tumorigenesis and progression. However, TME is also characterized by metabolic reprogramming, which may affect macrophage and metabolic activity of T cells and promote tumor escape. Immunotherapy is an approach to fight tumors by stimulating the immune system in the host, but requires support and modulation of cellular metabolism. In this process, the metabolic roles of macrophages and T cells become increasingly important, and their metabolic status and interactions play a critical role in the success of immunotherapy. Therefore, understanding the metabolic state of T cells and macrophages in the TME and the impact of metabolic reprogramming on tumor therapy will help optimize subsequent immunotherapy strategies.

Background: Anti-Calcitonin gene-related peptide monoclonal antibodies (anti-CGRP mAbs) have shown significant efficacy in preventing migraine. However, there have been limited reports of adverse events (AEs) after marketing, particularly for eptinezumab launched in 2020. The study aimed to mine and analyze the AE signals with four anti-CGRP mAbs from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database to gain insights into the safety profile of these medications post-marketing.Methods: All AE reports on the four anti-CGRP mAbs (erenumab, galcanezumab, fremanezumab, and eptinezumab) were retrieved from the FAERS database from the first quarter (Q1) of 2018 to Q1 of 2023. Disproportionality analysis was measured by reporting odd ratio (ROR) and Bayesian confidence propagation neural network (BCPNN) to identify potential AE signals. Comparisons were made between the four drugs in terms of AEs.Results: A total of 38,515 reports of erenumab, 19,485 reports of galcanezumab, 5,332 reports of fremanezumab, and 2,460 reports of eptinezumab were obtained, mostly reported in the second to third year after launch in the market. The common AEs to erenumab included constipation (17.93%), injection site pain (14.08%), and alopecia (7.23%). The AEs that occurred more frequently with galcanezumab included injection site pain (24.37%), injection site erythema (5.35%), and injection site haemorrhage (4.97%). Common AEs related to fremanezumab were injection site pain (13.10%), injection site erythema (7.02%), and injection site pruritus (5.47%). Fatigue (13.54%), throat irritation (9.02%), and pruritus (8.20%) were the most common AEs with eptinezumab. In addition, there are new AEs that were not listed in the drug instructions but occurred concurrently with multiple drugs, such as Raynaud’s phenomenon, weight increase, menstrual disorders, throat tightness, and paraesthesia oral.Conclusion: Common AE signals of the four anti-CGRP mAbs and new AE signals were found to provide a reference for clinical drug selection in clinical practice.

AbstractPost-encapsulation and release of the anticancer drug doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX·HCl) through cell-like transmission functions of polymeric vesicles were studied using cross-linked pH-responsive polymeric vesicles. The vesicles were fabricated for the first time via the redox-initiated reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer dispersion polymerization in ethanol-water mixture, using 2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl methacrylate and glycidyl methacrylate, and the vesicle membrane was modified post-cross-linking by using ethylenediamine. A phase diagram was constructed for reproducible fabrication of the polymeric vesicles, and well-shaped vesicles were formed when the target degree of polymerization of the hydrophobic polymer chains was equal to or higher than 50 with solid content in the range of 10–30 wt%. The cross-linked vesicle membrane served as a gate enabling “open” and “closed” states in response to pH stimulation. Up to 50% drug loading efficiency and 39% drug loading content could be achieved, and in vitro release of the DOX-loaded vesicles in aqueous buffer solutions showed a much faster DOX release rate at pH 5.0 than at pH 6.5. The polymeric vesicles were of very low cytotoxicity to A549 cells up to the concentration of 2 mg/mL, and the IC50 of DOX-loaded vesicles were higher than that of the free DOX. The intracellular DOX release study indicated higher cellular uptake capability for DOX-loaded vesicles than that of free DOX.

The synchronization problem in the existing mobile communication network was studied from three perspectives: technology, standard and testing.It includes the research on the synchronization principle of wireless side, the analysis of the impact of synchronization anomaly on wireless service, and the comparison and difference analysis of synchronization standards between wired side and wireless side, etc.Aiming at the above problems, the corresponding solutions were proposed, including wireless side synchronization performance testing, monitoring methods and synchronization standard revision, etc., to ensure the normal operation of mobile communication synchronization system.

In this work, the spatial distribution, potential sources, and risk assessment of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) were investigated at 22 surface water sampling sites in Hefei City. The study encompassed 11 distinct types of PFASs, which included 7 perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) and 4 perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSAs). The findings indicated that the overall concentration of PFASs varied between 12.96 to 545.50 ng/L, with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), perfluorobutyric acid (PFBA), and perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) being the most prevalent, contributing to an average of 71% of the total PFASs concentration. Principal component analysis (PCA) elucidated the primary sources of PFASs, which included industrial emissions, fluoropolymer production and treatment, textile processing, and the impact of the electroplating industry. Employing the risk quotient (RQ) method facilitated the assessment of ecological risks associated with PFASs in surface water within the study area, suggesting that the current concentrations of PFASs in Hefei’s surface water pose a relatively low ecological risk. However, the long-term ecological effects of PFASs cannot be overlooked due to their potential for long-range transport and the cumulative nature of biological food chains.

With the development of coal resource extraction and wellbore construction proceeding towards deeper depths, the stability of drilling wellbore structures has become increasingly severe, even posing a barrier to the use of drilling method technology in deep wellbore construction. To address this issue, this study raised an optimized constraints method involving pre-throwing cement slurry to the bottom before wellbore decent, altering bottom constraints. Firstly, the critical depth and instability criterion of this optimized method was derived by catastrophe theory. Subsequently, the role of single-factor and multi-factor sensitivity analyses on critical depth was discussed. The engineering effects of optimized constraint methods were contrasted and examined in several drilling projects. Finally, the characteristic values of real engineering were computed using numerical techniques and ABAQUS2020 software, and the efficacy of optimization approaches was examined and validated. The results revealed that the critical depth increased by 41.39 ± 5%. The influence factors described in order of the degree were the counterweight water height, the elastic modulus, the thickness of the wellbore, and the self-weight of the wellbore, sequentially. The conclusion on structural stability between the numerical calculation solution and theoretical calculation solution was completely the same. The optimized constraints method can effectively improve the stability of the wellbore structure.

Goats rarely move and forage randomly. They tend to move in ways generally influenced by biotic and abiotic factors, respectively. However, few studies have explored the foraging behaviour of goats in the absence of predation and human disturbance. Based on step selection function modelling framework, Normalised Difference Vegetation Index, vegetation surveys, and Global Positioning System tracking of 124 free-ranging domestic adult male Zhongwei goats over one year (2016–2017) were used to assess how biotic and abiotic environmental factors affected their spatiotemporal distribution, and developed a conceptual model to represent the goats’ trade-off between forage quantity and preference at different seasons, in the semi-arid grassland of Loess Plateau of 1 178 hectare. The results showed that spatial distributions of goats responded to spatiotemporal variation of biotic factors rather than abiotic factors of elevation, slope and solar radiation, which indicated that biotic factors were of priority to abiotic factors in the foraging process for the goats. According to the season changing, the goats positively used areas with higher forage quantity in the spring and winter, areas of higher forage quantity and preferred species in summer, and areas of abundance of preferred species in autumn. We developed a model to describe the phenomenon that the goats selected areas with higher preferred species only when the forage quantity was plentiful, otherwise they selected areas with higher forage quantity. Better understanding of the patterns and drivers of spatiotemporal distribution of the goats can improve our ability to predict foraging behaviour of livestock in heterogeneous environment and lead to better management practices and policies for the sustainability of these semi-arid landscapes and associated ecosystem services.

Abstract Background Synchronous multiple primary lung cancers associated with small non-dominant nodules are commonly encountered. However, the incidence, follow-up, and treatment of small non-dominant tumors have been but little studied. We explored the prevalence and management of small non-dominant tumors and factors associated with interval growth. Methods This observational, consecutive, retrospective single-center study enrolled patients diagnosed with synchronous multiple primary lung cancers and small non-dominant tumors (≤ 6 mm in diameter) who underwent resection of the dominant tumor. The incidence, follow-up, and management of small non-dominant tumors and predictors of nodule growth were analyzed. Results There were 88 patients (12% of all lung cancer patients) with pathological diagnoses of synchronous multiple primary lung cancers. A total of 131 (18%) patients were clinically diagnosed with at least one small (≤ 6 mm in diameter) multiple primary lung cancer non-dominant tumor. 94 patients with 125 small-nodule non-dominant tumors clinically diagnosed as multiple primary lung cancers were followed-up for at least 6 months. A total of 29 (29/125, 23.2%) evidenced small pulmonary nodules (≤ 6 mm in diameter) that exhibited interval growth on follow-up computed tomography (CT). On multivariate analysis, a part-solid nodule (compared to a pGGN) (OR 1.23; 95% CI 1.08–1.40) or a solid nodule (compared to a pGGN) (OR 3.50; 95% CI 1.94–6.30) predicted small nodule interval growth. Conclusion We found a relatively high incidence of multiple primary lung cancers with small non-dominant tumors exhibiting interval growth on follow-up CT, suggesting that resection of non-dominant tumors at the time of dominant tumor resection, especially when the nodules are part-solid or solid, is the optimal treatment.

To effectively respond to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), an increasing number of researchers are focusing on the antiviral activity of cepharanthine (CEP), which is a clinically approved drug being used for over 70 years. This review aims to provide a brief overview of CEP and summarize its recent findings in quantitative analysis, pharmacokinetics, therapeutic potential, and mechanism in antiviral and anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity. Given its remarkable capacity against SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro and in vivo, with its primary target organ being the lungs, and its good pharmacokinetic profile; mature and stable manufacturing technique; and its advantages of safety, effectiveness, and accessibility, CEP has become a promising drug candidate for treating COVID-19 despite being an old drug.

Syntactic foams with low density as well as low thermal conduction and proper mechanical performance are vitally important for aerospace, marine, and automotive industries. Here, phenolic-based syntactic foams were fabricated by combining the hollow glass microsphere (GMs) with phenolic resin of in situ synthesis. Benefited from the stirring and hot-pressing treatment, microspheres dispersed homogeneously in the resin matrix and it greatly reduced the density of the composites. Stretching and compression tests were performed to investigate the mechanical behavior of the foams. It is found that both the compressive and tensile strength decreased as the filler loadings increasing. While the elasticity modulus was improved. On the other hand, thermal properties tests revealed superior thermal stability and thermal insulate performance of the composites. The final residue content of the synthetic foam with 40 wt% filler was improved by ∼31.5% than that of the neat one at 700°C. And samples with 20 wt% microspheres reached a minimum thermal conductivity value of approximately 0.129 W (m·K)−1 which is ∼46.7% lower than that of neat resin [0.298 W (m·K)−1]. This work provides a feasible strategy to construct syntactic foams with low density and ideal thermal properties.

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for the human body, and its dietary deficiency has been a widespread issue globally. Vegetables serve as a significant source of dietary Se intake, with organic Se derived from plants being safer than inorganic Se. In the present study, Taraxacum mongolicum plants were treated with various concentrations of Na2SeO3. The results showed that as the concentration of Na2SeO3 increased, the chlorophyll content of dandelion seedlings decreased at high concentrations, and the content of soluble sugars, soluble proteins, flavonoids, total phenols, and Vc all increased. The application of Na2SeO3 at concentrations ranging from 0 to 4 mg/L resulted in a reduction in plant malondialdehyde content and an enhancement in the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Following the Na2SeO3 treatment, five Se species were identified in the seedlings, Se4+, Se6+, selenocysteine, selenomethionine, and methylselenocysteine. Notably, selenomethionine emerged as the primary organic Se species in the shoots of dandelion. Transcriptome analysis revealed that ABC11b, PTR4, MOCOS, BAK1, and CNGC1 were involved in the absorption, transport, and storage of Se in dandelion, and C7317 was involved in the scavenging of reactive oxygen species. This study complements the understanding of the possible molecular mechanisms involved in the absorption and transformation of organic Se by plants, thereby providing a theoretical foundation for the biofortification of dandelion with Se in crops.

The transcription factor family RELATED to ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE3 (ABI3)/VIVIPAROUS1(VP1) (RAV) is a plant-specific group of transcription factors that only contain a conserved B3 DNA binding domain or both their own B3 and APETALA2 (AP2) domains belonging to the B3 superfamily, which is vital for plant growth, development, and stress response. Although genome-wide characterization and analysis of the RAV family genes have been conducted in some species, they have not been systematically reported in chrysanthemums. Here, we found six RAV family genes in the diploid Chrysanthemum seticuspe genome. Based on domain similarity and homology comparison analyses, RAV genes in Chrysanthemum were categorized into two clades: Class-I and Class-II. Conserved motif analysis revealed that all CsRAV proteins contained the B3 repression domain. An analysis of cis-acting elements suggested that CsRAV family genes may play parts in light, hormonal, abiotic stress, growth, and developmental processes. Furthermore, quantitative RT-PCR analysis validated that all six CsRAV genes responded to ethylene treatment, whereas the genes in the Class-I clade responded most significantly to ethylene. In summary, the above results provided a conceptual basis for further investigation into the functions of CsRAV genes in C. seticuspe.

In order to improve the rotating bending fatigue life of PH13 - 8Mo stainless steel, the surface morphology, surface roughness and fatigue life of samples without shot peening, single shot peening and composite shot peening were tested respectively in the H510, H540 and H550 heat - treated states. Results showed that in the comparison with single shot peening, the fatigue enhancing effect of the specimens treated with composite shot peening in H540 and H550 states was significantly better than that of the specimens in H510 state. Under the condition that σmax=800 MPa and R=-1, the Kt=1 fatigue life of specimens in H510, H540 and H550 states was increased by 0.3, 1.4 and 1.4 times respectively. Compared with single shot peening, the enhancing effect of Kt=2 composite shot peening had better than that of Kt=1. Under the condition that σmax=550 MPa and R=-1, the Kt=2 rotating bending fatigue life was increased by 5.5 times. Shot peening could improve the fatigue life of PH13 - 8Mo steel. The Kt=1 rotating bending fatigue life of the specimens treated with shot peening was at least 1 order of magnitude higher than that of the non - shot peening specimens. Besides, the surface roughness, surface morphology, residual stress field and fatigue life of composite shot peening specimens were all better than that of the specimens treated with single shot peening.

Forage quality is a key property of grassland ecosystems. In this study, grassland forage qualities were measured at 373 sampling sites throughout Guizhou Province in the karst mountain region of Southwest China, and the factors affecting it were explored. The forage quality level of most plant species was categorized into four levels: (1) preferred forage species; (2) desirable forage species; (3) consumed but undesirable forage species; and (4) non-consumable or toxic forage species. High temperature and precipitation appeared to facilitate the growth of preferred forage species, but limited the growth of other plants. Increasing soil pH had a positive impact on the number and biomass of preferred forage plants, but a negative influence on other plants, especially non-consumable or toxic plants. Both GDP and population density had a positive correlation with the number and biomass of preferred forage species, while such correlations for other levels of forage species tended to be negative. Grazing could lead to a decrease in the preferred forage species. Therefore, it is suggested that by focusing on soil improvement in grassland and maintaining an appropriate grazing intensity, global warming and rapid economic growth in Guizhou Province will likely contribute to increase the forage quality of karst grasslands in Southwest China.

Cardamine violifolia, a species belonging to the Brassicaceae family, is a novel vegetable crop that is rich in glucosinolates. However, the specific glucosinolate profiles in this species remain unknown. In the present study, four parts of C. violifolia were collected including central leaves (CLs), outer leaves (OLs), petiole (P), and root (R). The highest level of total glucosinolate was observed in the R. A total of 19 glucosinolates were found in C. violifolia. The predominant glucosinolate compounds were 3-methylbutyl glucosinolate, 6-methylsulfinylhexyl glucosinolate, Indol-3-ylmethyl glucosinolate, 4-methoxyglucobrassicin, and neoglucobrassicin. A transcriptome analysis showed that 16 genes, including BCAT1, BCAT3-6, CYP79A2, CYP79B2-3, CYP83A1, CYP83B1, and SOT17-18, and nine metabolites, such as valine, tryptophan, and 1-methylpropyl glucosinolate, were enriched in the glucosinolate biosynthesis pathway. These genes may be involved in the regulation of glucosinolate accumulation among the four parts. A weighted gene co-expression analysis showed that five genes were predicted to regulate glucosinolate accumulation, including ABC transporter G family member 19, 3-ketoacyl-CoA synthase 19, and pyruvate decarboxylase 1. This study deepens our understanding of the nutrient quality of C. violifolia and provides insights into the regulatory mechanism of glucosinolate accumulation in C. violifolia.

Metasurfaces, whose electromagnetic (EM) responses can be artificially designed, are two-dimensional arrays composed of subwavelength nanostructures. Accompanied by various fascinating developments in the past decade, metasurfaces have been proved as a powerful platform for the implementation of EM wave manipulation. However, the planar monoatomic metasurfaces widely used in previous works have limited design freedoms, resulting in some disadvantages for the realization of high-performance and new functional EM wave control. The latest developments show that few-layer metasurfaces and polyatomic metasurfaces are good alternatives to overcome the drawbacks of planar monoatomic metasurfaces and realize high-efficient, multi-band and broadband EM functionalities. They provide additional degrees of design freedom via introducing multilayer layouts or combining multiple meta-atoms into a unit cell respectively. Here, recent advances of few-layer and polyatomic metasurfaces are reviewed. The design strategies, EM properties and main advantages of few-layer metasurfaces and polyatomic metasurfaces are overviewed firstly. Then, few-layer metasurfaces and polyatomic metasurfaces in recent progress for EM wave manipulation are classified and discussed from the viewpoint of their design strategy. At last, an outlook on future development trends and potential applications in these fast-developing research areas is presented.

For infertility treatment, the selection of in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is decided by multiplying indicators (including fallopian tube factors, semen count, and semen motility), except for sperm morphology. In this study, we conducted a retrospective analysis, from implantation to birth, over a period of 5 years. A total of 1873 couples with primary or secondary fallopian tube factors and an increased defective sperm morphology rate (DSMR) were divided into different groups to receive IVF or ICSI cycles. By comparing the outcomes, we found that the F1 group (DSMR 98%, IVF group 3; P < 0.05). In contrast, there was no significant difference in the ICSI subgroups. Furthermore, a comparison of the outcomes between IVF and ICSI showed that the S3 group (DSMR >98%, ICSI group 3) had higher cleavage rate (P < 0.001), biochemical pregnancy rate (P < 0.05), clinical pregnancy rate (P < 0.05) and live birth rate (P < 0.05) than the F3 group. However, the ICSI subgroup had a lower two pronuclei fertilization rate than the IVF subgroup (P < 0.05). Our data suggest that the sperm morphology should also be considered when selecting IVF or ICSI combined with other semen parameters before the first assisted reproductive technologies (ART) cycle, especially for males with severe sperm defects.

Purpose: The study aimed to quantify the global trends of the incidence rates of multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) tuberculosis (XDR-TB).Methods: Cases, age-standardized rates (ASRs), and incidence rates of MDR-TB and XDR-TB during 2010–2019 were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. The incidence trends of MDR-TB and XDR-TB were evaluated using the estimated annual percentage changes (EAPCs) in ASRs. The relationships among the ASRs of MDR-TB and XDR-TB, the MDR rate, the XDR rate, and socio-demographic index (SDI) were assessed using locally weighted regression and Pearson’s correlation coefficient.Results: The global ASR of MDR-TB on average decreased by 1.36% (EAPC = −1.36, 95% confidence interval [CI] = −2.19 to −0.52) per year whereas that of XDR-TB was stable (EAPC = 0.69, 95% CI = −0.15–1.54) during 2010–2019. The incidence trends of MDR-TB in most regions and countries were decreasing, but those of XDR-TB were increasing. People aged 35–44 and 55–64 years had the highest incidence rates for MDR-TB and XDR-TB. The MDR and XDR rates both peaked in those aged 35–44 years. Areas with higher SDI tended to have lower ASRs of MDR-TB (p < 0.001, ρ = −0.43).Conclusion: The current achievements for the incidence trends of MDR-TB and XDR-TB are insufficient. More strategies and tools need to be developed to further curb MDR-TB and XDR-TB, especially in high-risk areas and age groups, and in low SDI regions.

The main objective of this study was to rapidly separate asiatic acid (AA), quercetin (QCN), and kaempferol (KPL) from Centella asiatica (L.) Urban using high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) in tandem with the UV detector of semipreparative high-performance liquid chromatography (Semi-Prep-HPLC) and to evaluate their potential as inhibitors of fatty acid synthetase (FAS). To efficiently prepare large amounts of AA, QCN, and KPL from Centella asiatica (L.) Urban, rapid and simple methods by HSCCC were established respectively based on the partition coefficients (K values) of crude samples. The conditions of HSCCC-Semi-Prep-HPLC for the large-scale separation of AA, QCN, and KPL from Centella asiatica (L.) Urban were established and optimized. This included selecting the solvent system, flow rate, rotation speed, and so on. HSCCC-Semi-Prep-HPLC was successfully applied to separate and purify AA, QCN, and KPL, with n-hexane-n-butanol-methanol-water (3 : 1 : 3 : 3, V : V : V : V) as the solvent system for AA, which was detected at a wavelength of 210 nm with the stationary phase retention of 70%, and with n-hexane-ethyl acetate-methanol-water (0.8 : 0.9 : 1.2 : 1, V : V : V : V) as the solvent system for the co-separation of QCN and KPL, which was detected at a wavelength of 254 nm with the stationary phase retention of 65%. AA could be isolated at a large scale with high purity (>91.0%) in only one-step HSCCC-Semi-Prep-HPLC separation (within 150 min) under the optimized conditions. Meanwhile, QCN and KPL could be simultaneously isolated at a large scale with high purity (>99.1%) by another one-step HSCCC-Semi-Prep-HPLC separation (within 240 min) under the optimized conditions. The assessment of inhibition potential revealed that AA exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect on FAS, with an IC50 of 9.52 ± 0.76 μg/mL. Madecassic acid (MA) followed closely with IC50 values of 10.84 ± 0.92 μg/mL. QCN and KPL showed similar and relatively weaker inhibitory effects on FAS, with IC50 values of 43.09 ± 2.98 μg/mL and 36.90 ± 1.83 μg/mL, respectively. Overall, the HSCCC-Semi-Prep-HPLC method proved to be a highly efficient and reliable technique for separating AA, QCN, and KPL from Centella asiatica (L.) Urban, and the isolated compounds showed potential as FAS inhibitors.

Abstract The creep characteristics of frozen rock and soil are crucial for construction safety in cases of underground freezing. Uniaxial compression tests and uniaxial creep tests were performed at temperatures of − 10, − 15, − 20, and − 25 °C for silty clay used in Nantong metro freezing construction to investigate the effect law of the stress–strain curves and creep curves. However, owing to the complex effects of factors such as temperature and ground pressure, the mechanical properties of underground frozen silty clay are uncertain. The Burgers creep damage model was established by using an elastic damage element to simulate the accelerated creep stage. The traditional particle swarm optimization algorithm was improved using the inertia weight and the fuzzy random coefficient. The creep parameters of the Burgers damage model were optimized using the improved fuzzy random particle swarm algorithm at different temperatures and pressure levels. Engineering examples indicated that the optimized creep model can more effectively characterize the creep stages of frozen silty clay in Nantong metro freezing construction. The improved fuzzy random particle swarm algorithm has wider engineering applicability and faster convergence than the traditional algorithm.

The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) pollution process in mining areas, particularly coal mining areas, has accelerated because of coal chemical production and gangue accumulation. In this study, PHAs concentrations in surface soil was determined via gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The composition, spatial distribution and sources of PAHs were analyzed, and their potential carcinogenic risks were evaluated.Results showed a wide PAH concentration range (218–1548 ng g−1). The high molecular weight proportion in contaminated areas was significantly higher than in uncontaminated areas. Clear differences in PAH distribution were detected in contaminated areas, with higher concentrations in the soils near an industrial park and coal gangue piles. The results of positive matrix factorization (PMF) in contaminated area revealed that coking, oil and biomass combustion, and vehicle emissions and coal combustion, contributed 31%, 26%, 24%, and 19%, respectively, to the detected PAHs. In contrast with the 10% contribution rate of the coking source in uncontaminated areas. The Monte Carlo method was used to assess the cancer risk to residents in the study areas. The carcinogenic health risk values for adults in the contaminated areas was higher than the safety standard (2.92 × 10−6) prescribed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency at 95% confidence level. Sensitivity analysis showed that the relative exposure duration (ED) and soil surface area of skin exposure were the most significant parameters for adults, and ED and body weight for children. The cancer risk for both adults and children in contaminated areas was five times than that in uncontaminated areas.

ObjectiveEven after palatoplasty and speech rehabilitation, patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP) remain to produce pronunciation errors. We hypothesized that nonsyndromic CLP (NSCLP) after speech rehabilitation had structural abnormalities in language-related brain regions. This study investigates structural patterns in NSCLP children after speech rehabilitation using surface-based morphometry (SBM) analysis.MethodsForty-two children with NSCLP and 42 age- and gender-matched healthy controls were scanned for 3D T1-weighted images on a 3T MRI scanner. After reconstructing each brain surface, we computed SBM parameters and assessed between-group differences using two-sample t-tests and permutation tests (5,000 times). Then, we assessed the relationship between the SBM parameters and the Chinese language clear degree scale (CLCDS) using Pearson's correlation analysis.ResultThe speech-rehabilitated children with NSCLP showed lower cortical thickness and higher gyrification index mainly involving left language-related brain regions (permutation tests, p < 0.05). Furthermore, the lower cortical thickness of the left parahippocampal gyrus was positively correlated with CLCDS scores (r = 0.370, p = 0.017) in patients with NSCLP.ConclusionThe SBM analysis showed that the structural abnormalities of speech-rehabilitated children with NSCLP mainly involved language-related brain regions, especially the dominant cerebral hemisphere. The structural abnormalities of the cortical thickness and folding in the language-related brain regions might be the neural mechanisms of speech errors in NSCLP children after speech rehabilitation. The cortical thickness of the parahippocampal gyrus may be a biomarker to evaluate pronunciation function.

It is necessary to optimize the pulverizing system to meet the higher and higher requirements of the power generation unit for the pulverizing system. Through the detailed analysis and research of medium speed pulverizer and pulverized coal pipelines, the crux was found and the optimization measures of pulverizer and dynamic leveling method of pulverized coal pipelines were put forward. The concept of flow field in the mill was introduced into the study of pulverizer optimization, through the improvement of the internal structure of the mill, the overall optimization of the internal flow field of the mill was finally realized, so that the performance of pulverizer was comprehensively and substantially improved. The dynamic leveling of pipeline is to measure the flow deviation of air-powder between pipelines in real time by the pressure difference method under the premise of realizing air-powder homogenization in mill, and according to the measurement results to level the resistance between pipelines in real time by the resistance adjustment device on the pipelines, so as to realize the primary air flow equalizing control between pipelines, and finally realize the air-powder equalizing control of the pulverizing system. The technology can effectively improve the adaptability of the pulverizing system to the coal type and realize the dynamic equalizing control of the air-powder.

It is an essential method for healthy Selenium (Se) supplementation to convert exogenous Se into organic Se via crops. Brassica juncea (L.) Czern (leaf mustard) was employed as plant material in this investigation and was treated with sodium selenite (Na2SeO3). Its physiological indicators, nutritional quality, antioxidant enzyme activity, total Se content, and Se morphology were all evaluated. The absorption, transportation, and transformation mechanisms of Se in mustard were studied using transcriptome data. The results revealed that low concentration of Se treatment promoted the growth of mustard, while high concentration Se treatment inhibited it. The concentration of 10 mg/L Na2SeO3 treatment had the best growth parameters for mustard. Compared to the control group, the content of vitamin C (Vc) and anthocyanins in the treatment group increased to varying degrees, while the content of flavonoids, total phenols, soluble sugar, and soluble protein increased first and then decreased. Five Se forms, Se (IV), Se (VI), selenocystine(SeCys2), selenomethionine (SeMet), and methylselenocysteine (MeSeCys), were detected in the Na2SeO3 treatment group, with organic Se accounting for over 95%. Na2SeO3 treatment can significantly reduce the accumulation of ROS in mustard plants and enhance their stress resistance. Transcriptome data and metabolite association analysis showed that PHO1-H8 promoted the absorption of Na2SeO3 by mustard roots, while SULTR3;3 and SULTR4;1 promoted the transport of Se from roots to the aboveground portion and chloroplasts. Se in mustard was transformed into SeMet, SeCys, MeSeCys, and selenoprotein through the action of genes such as APS, APR, and SEP1, and stored in plant leaves.

Cadmium (Cd) is a common agricultural soil pollutant, which does serious harm to the environment and the human body. In this study, Brassica juncea was treated with different concentrations of CdCl2 and Na2SeO3. Then, physiological indexes and transcriptome were measured to reveal the mechanisms by which Se reduces the inhibition and toxicity of Cd in B. juncea. The results showed that Se alleviated the inhibitive Cd effects on seedling biomass, root length, and chlorophyll, and promoted the adsorption of Cd by pectin and lignin in the root cell wall (CW). Se also alleviated the oxidative stress induced by Cd, and reduced the content of MDA in cells. As a result, SeCys and SeMet alleviated the transport of Cd to the shoots. Transcriptome data showed that the bivalent cation transporter MPP and ABCC subfamily participated in the separation of Cd in vacuoles, CAL1 was related to the chelation of Cd in the cytoplasm of cells, and ZIP transporter 4 reduced the transport of Cd to the shoots. These results indicated that Se alleviated the damage of Cd in plants and decreased its transport to the shoots by improving the antioxidant system, enhancing the ability of the CW to adsorb Cd, reducing the activity of Cd transporters, and chelating Cd.