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Background: About 25% of pregnant women experience bleeding in the early stage, and half of them eventually progress to pregnancy loss. Progesterone serves as a useful biomarker to predict miscarriage in threatened miscarriage, yet its performance is still debated. Aim: To evaluate the performance of single serum progesterone predicting miscarriage in early pregnant patients with threatened miscarriage. Method: The online database was searched to yield the literature using the terms of 'Abortion', 'Miscarriage', and 'serum Progesterone', including PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane library, and China national knowledge infrastructure. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, likelihood ratio (LLR) and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were computed. Publication bias was assessed by the deeks funnel plot asymmetry test. Subgroup analyses were conducted according to the progesterone level (< 12 ng/mL), recruited location and region, progesterone measurement method, exogenous progesterone supplement and follow up. Results: In total, 12 studies were eligible to be included in this study, with sample sizes ranging from 76 to 1087. The included patients' gestational age was between 4 and 12 weeks. No significant publication bias was detected from all included studies. The threshold of progesterone reported ranged from 8 to 30 ng/ml. The synthesized area under the ROC curve (0.85, 95% CI 0.81 to 0.88), positive LLR (6.2, 4.0 to 9.7) and DOR (18, 12 to 27) of single progesterone measurement distinguishing miscarriage were relatively good in early pregnant patients with threatened miscarriage. When the threshold of < 12 ng/mL was adapted, the progesterone provided a higher area under the ROC curve (0.90 vs. 0.78), positive LLR (8.3 vs. 3.8) and DOR (22 vs.12) than its counterpart (12 to 30 ng/mL). Conclusion: Single progesterone measurement can act as a biomarker of miscarriage in early pregnant patients with threatened miscarriage, and it has a better performance when the concentration is <12 ng/mL. Trial registration: PROSPERO (CRD42021255382). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Candida albicans, the primary etiology of human mycoses, is well-adapted to catabolize proline to obtain energy to initiate morphological switching (yeast to hyphal) and for growth. We report that put1-/- and put2-/- strains, carrying defective Proline UTilization genes, display remarkable proline sensitivity with put2-/- mutants being hypersensitive due to the accumulation of the toxic intermediate pyrroline-5-carboxylate (P5C), which inhibits mitochondrial respiration. The put1-/- and put2-/- mutations attenuate virulence in Drosophila and murine candidemia models and decrease survival in human neutrophils and whole blood. Using intravital 2-photon microscopy and label-free non-linear imaging, we visualized the initial stages of C. albicans cells infecting a kidney in real-time, directly deep in the tissue of a living mouse, and observed morphological switching of wildtype but not of put2-/- cells. Multiple members of the Candida species complex, including C. auris, are capable of using proline as a sole energy source. Our results indicate that a tailored proline metabolic network tuned to the mammalian host environment is a key feature of opportunistic fungal pathogens. Author summary: Candida albicans is listed as one of four "critical priority" fungal pathogens by the World Health Organization (WHO). Intriguingly, C. albicans is a natural commensal organism thriving in symbiosis with other components of the human microflora. Given the opportunistic character of C. albicans, it is important to understand how nutrient availability within host microenvironments contribute to the transition from commensal to pathogenic growth. Here, we report that proline is catabolized by C. albicans as an important energy source, a characteristic that is conserved among other pathogenic Candida species, including the multidrug resistant C. glabrata and C. auris. Using different infection models and applying a state-of-the-art intravital imaging technique to visualize C. albicans cells infecting kidneys in a living mouse, we observed that strains unable to utilize proline exhibit significantly reduced virulence and filamentous hyphal growth. Genetic dissection of the Proline UTilization (PUT) pathway and deciphering the control mechanisms governing proline use led to the discovery that proline is toxic to cells unable to catabolize this amino acid. Our findings provide novel insights implicating proline metabolism as a key determinant of pathogenic fungal growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To quantify the effect of carnitine on glucose and lipid metabolic profiles and fertility outcomes in women with Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Design: A systematic review and meta‐analysis were conducted. Patients: Women with PCOS diagnosed by Rotterdam or Androgen Excess Society (AES) criteria and taking carnitine supplement were assessment. Measurements: Fertility outcomes (ovulation, clinical pregnancy, live birth, and miscarriage), lipid parameters (BMI, triglyceride, total cholesterol, high‐density lipoprotein, low‐density lipoprotein), fasting glucose and insulin, and Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA‐IR). Results: In total, 839 participants were included in this analysis. The dosage of carnitine and treatment duration reported by studies varied from 250 mg to 3000 mg daily and 84 to 90 days, respectively. The publication bias was absent. Compared with placebo, carnitine significantly improved ovulation rates (RR 3.42, 95% CI 2.39 to 4.89, I2 = 0%) and pregnancy rates (RR 11.05, 95% CI 1.21 to 100.58, I2 = 79%). None of included studies reported live birth. After treatment, carnitine resulted in significant reductions relative to baseline in body mass index (BMI, MD −0.93 kg/m2, 95% CI −1.15 to −0.70, I2 = 55.0%), insulin levels (MD −2.47 mIU/L, 95% CI −4.49 to −0.45, I2 = 0%) and the Homeostasis Model Assessment index (MD −0.67, 95% CI −1.20 to −0.14, I2 = 0%) than placebo, but not for lipid profiles including triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low‐density lipoprotein. Conclusion: With the available literature, carnitine seems to improve ovulation and clinical pregnancy and insulin resistance, BMI in women with PCOS. These effects are warranted to be further validated, due to insufficient statistical power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationships between the temporal focus of mind-wandering (i.e., past-oriented and future-oriented mind-wandering) and well-being are important issues for adolescents, which may have significant implications on their well-being and self-identity development. However, few studies tested the temporal focus of mind-wandering and its emotional consequences in adolescents. In the present study, we conducted two studies using self-reported questionnaires from large sample sets to examine the relationships between the temporal focus of mind-wandering and hedonic (pleasure attainment) and eudaimonic (meaning pursuing) well-being among Chinese adolescents. Study 1 preliminarily tested the relationships between the temporal focus of mind-wandering and hedonic well-being among adolescents (n = 1273) suggesting that both past-oriented mind-wandering (PMW) and future-oriented mind-wandering (FMW) were positively correlated with hedonic well-being. Study 2 used a new sample (n = 986) and included another aspect of well-being (i.e., eudaimonic well-being), showing that PMW and FMW were both positively correlated with hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. Moreover, self-reflection mediated the relationships between FMW and hedonic/eudaimonic well-being, whereas self-reflection did not act as a mediator in the relationships between PMW and well-being. The present findings indicated that both PMW and FMW are beneficial for Chinese adolescents' well-being, and emphasized the mediating role of self-reflection in the relationships between FMW and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the brittle fracture behavior of rock is crucial for engineering and Earth science. In this paper, based on acoustic emission (AE) and laser Doppler vibration (LDV) monitoring technology, the staged damage behaviors of rock-like materials with different brittleness degrees under uniaxial compression are studied via multiple parameters. The results show that the brittleness degree determines the fracture mode. As the specimen's brittleness degree increases, the tensile failure increases and shear failure decreases. AE activity is enhanced at the crack damage point. With an increasing specimen brittleness degree, different instability precursor information is shown during the unstable crack growth stage: the AE b value changes from the fluctuating to continuously decreasing state, and the natural frequency changes from the stable fluctuation to upward fluctuation state. The AE b value near the stress drop is the smallest, and it decreases with an increasing brittleness degree. The natural frequency reduction indicates the rock-like fracture. The natural frequency is a symbolic index that reflects staged damage characteristics and predicts the amount of energy released by brittle failure. These findings provide guidelines for rock stability monitoring and provide support for better responses to stability evaluations of rock slopes, rock collapses, and tunnel surrounding rock in engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integration of luminescence and carrier transport is of prime interest for optoelectronics, but full with challenges in organic semiconductors. Previously, it has been demonstrated that intermolecular charge transfer (ICT) in the herringbone H‐aggregate can lend oscillator strength to the lowest‐lying dark state if electron transfer (te) and hole transfer (th) integrals are in phase (same sign) and greater than 2J$\sqrt 2 J$, where J is exciton coupling. In this work, both herringbone and π–π stackings are considered and a universal descriptor I =2teth/[(|te|+|th|)·|J|]$I\;{\bf = }2{t_{\rm{e}}}{t_{\rm{h}}}/\left[ {(|{t_{\rm{e}}}|{\bf + }|{t_{\rm{h}}}|)\cdot|J|} \right]$ is proposed. It is found that for π–π stacking with I > 1 and for herringbone with I>2$I{\bf > }\sqrt 2 $, respectively, the lowest dark state could become bright through mixing ICT component. Accordingly, it is found that eclipsed packing and use of molecules with acene‐like frontier molecular orbital profiles favor larger I value than the other packing patterns. Finally, with the help of the proposed descriptor, 13 high‐mobility emissive unit cores from 32 fused ring molecules are effectively screened out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tensile strength of loess is closely related to geological disasters. As eco-friendly materials, biopolymers have an excellent strengthening effect on the mechanical properties of soil. The effect of different initial dry densities and xanthan gum (XG) contents on the microstructure and mechanical behavior of XG-treated loess was studied with a series of microscopic tests and splitting tensile tests based on the particle image velocimetry technique. The results show that the XG became concentrated and agglomerated during dehydration, forming bridge links between soil particles and covering their surfaces. The XG-treated loess had a significant concentration of micropores and mesopores, with greater peak pore size distribution values than untreated loess. The specimens' load–displacement curves with different XG contents and initial dry densities showed strain-softening. The displacement vector field indicated that specimens' primary cracks were radial–vertical, and the secondary cracks were well-developed. The strain-softening phenomenon was more significant with increased XG content and initial dry density, and the specimens' splitting tensile strength and brittleness increased. XG treatment gave the soils stronger cementation and a denser structure, helping to increase strength and brittleness. This research provides a scientific basis and practical experience for applying XG in geotechnical engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lateral loading of a plate anchor is a complicated process that involves complex anchor-soil interactions. The deformation characteristics of the soil around an anchor have an important effect on its lateral bearing capacity. In this paper, the noncontact digital image correlation (DIC) technique is used to study the distribution and variation of the soil deformation field under a laterally loaded anchor in sandy soil. The results show that the sand density and embedment ratio significantly affect the distribution and influence range of the active and passive zones around the anchor. The active zone behind the rod gradually decreases with increasing sand density until ultimately disappearing, and the passive zone increases. The maximum influence height occurs in the passive zone behind the rod in dense sand, and the influence range of the passive zone in front of the rod expands with an increasing embedment ratio. Shear bands form during the lateral loading process, which are accompanied by dilatancy in the shear process. The motion path of the rotation center in loose and medium sand is initially rigid translational and then becomes rigid rotational, while the opposite trend occurs in compact dense sand. The results provide important guidance for the development of predictive models for anchor lateral loading and design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The luminol–H 2 O 2 system is crucial in the field of chemiluminescence (CL) analysis. However, luminol exhibits improved solubility and luminescence only in an alkaline environment, and its preparation process is cumbersome. This inconvenience highlights the need for developing a simple and universally applicable method in this regard. This study integrates luminol and a catalyst into metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) for fabrication of functionalised MOF nanoparticles. Further, PEGylated hematin (PEG = polyethylene glycol) was prepared. This modification with PEG enhanced the catalytic properties of hematin and facilitated the formation of zeolitic imidazole framework-8 nanoparticles. Furthermore, the built-in catalyst enhanced the CL in terms of strength and persistence. These MOF nanoparticles were used as signal markers to fabricate a sandwich-type CL immunosensor for detection of carcinoembryonic antigen, which is a disease marker, following which highly satisfactory analytical test results are obtained. This approach of integrating luminophores and catalysts offers a new idea for generating novel materials in the CL analysis field. • An amphiphilic polymer was prepared by self-assembly of PEG and hematin. • One-step integration of catalyst and luminol using MOF and application to chemiluminescence immunoassay. • In non-alkaline conditions, Luminol can also produce a strong chemiluminescent signal. • The sensor is sensitive to detect CEA with a limit of detection of 0.40 pg·mL−1 and has good specificity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The cyclic wetting and drying had a deterioration effect on the down-slope rock bridge, and it affected the failure mode. • AE multi-parameters exhibited obvious critical slowing down phenomenon before the failure. • The timeliness of the failure prediction for specimens with different cyclic wetting and drying was discussed. Down-slope rock bridge in slopes and dangerous rock masses are often affected by cyclic wetting and drying, leading to severe geological disasters. In order to investigate the deterioration mechanism, deformation failure mode and instability precursor information of sandstone down-slope rock bridge under different cyclic wetting and drying, uniaxial compression tests combined with acoustic emission (AE) tests were conducted. The failure of the specimen experienced four stages. As the number of the cyclic wetting and drying increased, the specimen's uniaxial compressive strength and elastic modulus decreased, and the failure mode transitioned from tensile to shear. Utilizing the critical slowing down theory, the variance and autocorrelation coefficient curves of AE multi-parameters were analyzed. The abrupt change of RA value, RA/AF value, and b value at the crack damage stress point and the abrupt change of the peak frequency lagging behind the crack damage stress point can be used as the precursors of instability. The instability precursor identified based on the peak frequency variance is closer to the specimen's peak stress point and can be used for short-term failure prediction. The autocorrelation coefficient curve of AE multi-parameters aligned with the variance curve, indicating that with an increased number of cyclic wetting and drying, the instability precursor appeared earlier, leading to a larger failure prediction time interval. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Main landing gear door of a civil aircraft underwent abnormal cracking during a flight test. • The crack initiated at the upper edge corner of the main landing gear door. • The assembly gap between the hinge joint and the upper edge of outer landing gear door was insufficient. • Internal defects in the sandwich composite structure of the landing gear door were also found. Among the myriad structural and moving components integral to civil aircraft, only a select few confront the dual challenges of meeting aerodynamic and mechanical performance criteria, a circumstance exemplified by landing gear doors. The failure of landing gear poses a substantial threat to both the structural integrity and the safety of an aircraft during flight. Surprisingly, the existing literature lacks an in-depth investigation into the failure of landing gear doors. This paper addresses this gap by examining the abnormal cracking failure observed in the main landing gear door of a civil aircraft. The purpose of this paper is to find out the root cause of the failure, so a comprehensive investigation of the landing gear outer door is carried out. This investigation employed various techniques, including computed tomography, three-dimensional scanning analysis, macroscopic and microscopic morphology analysis using optical microscopy, three-dimensional stereomicroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and micro-area composition analysis using energy dispersive spectrometry. Through repeated sorting and comprehensive analysis of various failure forms and defects, the root causes of the main landing gear door failure were conclusively identified. Evidence revealed that the crack originated at the upper edge corner of the main landing gear door, precisely where abnormal contact and wear with the hinge joint occurred. Targeted countermeasures were proposed from aspects such as design, manufacturing, and installation, and the suggested improvements were adopted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing number of clinical and animal studies suggest that the nucleus accumbens (NAc), especially the shell, is involved in the pathogenesis of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). However, the role of parvalbumin (PV) GABAergic neurons in the NAc shell involved in TLE is still unclear. In this study, we induced a spontaneous TLE model by intrahippocampal administration of kainic acid (KA), which generally induce acute seizures in first 2 h (acute phase) and then lead to spontaneous recurrent seizures after two months (chronic phase). We found that chemogenetic activation of NAc shell PV neurons could alleviate TLE seizures by reducing the number and period of focal seizures (FSs) and secondary generalized seizures (sGSs), while selective inhibition of PV exacerbated seizure activity. Ruby-virus mapping results identified that the hippocampus (ventral and dorsal) is one of the projection targets of NAc shell PV neurons. Chemogenetic activation of the NAc-Hip PV projection fibers can mitigate seizures while inhibition has no effect on seizure ictogenesis. In summary, our findings reveal that PV neurons in the NAc shell could modulate the seizures in TLE via a long-range NAc-Hip circuit. All of these results enriched the investigation between NAc and epilepsy, offering new targets for future epileptogenesis research and precision therapy. • Chemogenetic activation of PV (+) neurons in the NAc shell attenuates seizures. • Chemogenetic inhibition of NAc shell PV (+) neurons aggravates seizures. • The ventral and dorsal hippocampus is innervated by the NAc PV projections. • Chemogenetic activation of the NAc-Hippocampal PV projection fibers also has an antiepileptic effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the widespread adoption of object detection models across various industries, the interpretability of these detectors has become an important research topic. The interpretability of a detector helps humans understand which areas significantly contribute to the model's decision. Furthermore, the interpretability enhances the credibility of detectors and helps identify their strengths and weaknesses. Due to the ability to provide intuitive explanations of models, the saliency map has been widely employed in the field of interpreting deep models. Model-agnostic interpretability methods are more general approaches as they treat the model as a black box without considering its internal complexity structure. However, existing model-agnostic interpretability methods often introduce "noise" into saliency maps by applying random masking and fixed masking granularity. This noise reduces the quality and interpretability of the generated saliency maps. To address this challenge and obtain more interpretable saliency maps for object detection models, this paper proposes a model-agnostic progressive saliency map generation method based on a hierarchical framework called MAPSM. In MAPSM, an adaptive masking partition mechanism is introduced to adapt the masking granularity to different object sizes. Additionally, MAPSM employs a saliency-driven mask generation strategy to effectively reduce the "noise". Utilizing a hierarchical framework, MAPSM progressively discovers and refines the saliency areas of objects, resulting in more interpretable saliency maps. To evaluate the quality of the saliency maps generated by MAPSM, we compare it with other methods in multiple metrics. Experimental results demonstrate that our method produces saliency maps with better quality and interpretability. • A progressive saliency map generation method for explaining object detectors. • The saliency map visualizes the contribution of individual pixels to a prediction. • The quality of the saliency map is validated by multiple metrics. • The method is usable to detectors without accessing their internal information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tensile strength of loess is closely related to geological disasters. As eco-friendly materials, biopolymers have an excellent strengthening effect on the mechanical properties of soil. The effect of different initial dry densities and xanthan gum (XG) contents on the microstructure and mechanical behavior of XG-treated loess was studied with a series of microscopic tests and splitting tensile tests based on the particle image velocimetry technique. The results show that the XG became concentrated and agglomerated during dehydration, forming bridge links between soil particles and covering their surfaces. The XG-treated loess had a significant concentration of micropores and mesopores, with greater peak pore size distribution values than untreated loess. The specimens' load–displacement curves with different XG contents and initial dry densities showed strain-softening. The displacement vector field indicated that specimens' primary cracks were radial–vertical, and the secondary cracks were well-developed. The strain-softening phenomenon was more significant with increased XG content and initial dry density, and the specimens' splitting tensile strength and brittleness increased. XG treatment gave the soils stronger cementation and a denser structure, helping to increase strength and brittleness. This research provides a scientific basis and practical experience for applying XG in geotechnical engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The norm N (G) of a group G is the intersection of the normalizers of all subgroups in G. In this paper, the norm is generalized by studying on Sylow subgroups and ℋ -subgroups in finite groups which is denoted by C (G) and A (G) , respectively. It is proved that the generalized norms A (G) and C (G) are all equal to the hypercenter of G. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to evaluate the risk of lead pollution in 9 kinds of vegetables consumed by residents in 20 provinces/cities of China. Sampling data and vegetable consumption data from 20 provinces/cities in 2019 were used. Combined with dietary exposure assessment, the vegetable categories and provinces were paired, and a risk classification model based on spectral clustering algorithms was proposed. The results of the spectral clustering algorithm showed that the risk level of lead pollution in vegetables can be divided into five levels. The combination of vegetable‐province/cities at the risk level of 1 and 2 accounted for 92.78%, and that at the risk level of 4 and 5 accounted for 2.22%. The high‐risk combinations were fresh edible fungus–Shaanxi, fresh edible fungus–Sichuan, and fresh edible fungus–Shanghai and bean sprouts–Guangdong. In the proposed model, objective data were used as the classification index, and the spectral clustering algorithm was employed to select the optimal risk classification in a data‐driven way. As a result, the influence of subjective factors was effectively reduced, the risk of lead pollution in vegetables was classified, and the results were scientific and accurate. This study provides a scientific basis of supervision priorities for regulatory departments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thin, lightweight micro‐diffractive optical elements (M‐DOEs) are of great significance to integrated optics. However, the narrow working bandwidth of M‐DOEs allows them to operate only at specific wavelengths. Existing solutions require multiple components assembly, which is difficult to implement in an integrated system. Here, a general designing and processing scheme of an optofluidic‐integrated broad‐bandwidth M‐DOE is reported, achieving an average diffraction efficiency of over 84% across the entire visible band (406–824 nm). As a proof‐of‐concept, a wideband operating micro‐diffractive lens and orbital angular momentum beam micro‐generator are demonstrated. This strategy provides a common protocol for various broad‐bandwidth M‐DOEs operating in integrated optical systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to understand the effects of different patterns of prefabricated fractures and grain size compositions on the fracture characteristics, acoustic emission characteristics and mechanical properties of the rock masses. We conducted compression shear experiments on square rock masses with different modes of prefabricated fractures and different grain size compositions. The experimental results showed that five fracture patterns were produced in specimens with different fracture patterns. The first fracture specimen, the fourth fracture specimen and the fifth fracture specimen were all brittle fractures. The other four specimens were not brittle fractures. The fracture patterns, fracture processes and mechanical characteristics of the different fracture pattern rock masses were revealed. The lowest peak shear stresses were found in specimens consisting of two grain size ranges and the highest peak shear stresses were found in specimens consisting of three grain size ranges. The highest shear displacements corresponding to the peak shear stresses were found in the specimens consisting of three particle size ranges. The effect of different grain size compositions on the peak shear stress and its corresponding shear displacement of the rock mass was revealed. Specimens consisting of one grain size range produced significant fracture and acoustic emission prior to the peak shear stress. The acoustic emission was jumped after the main fracture was formed. The specimen consisting of two grain size ranges produced fractures and strong acoustic emission characteristics after the peak shear stress. Thereafter, fracture reappeared and the acoustic emission signature increased again. As the specimen entered the residual strength phase, the acoustic emission was jumpy. Specimens consisting of three grain size ranges were brittle fractures with weak acoustic emission characteristics after the main fracture has formed. The cumulative energy of shear acoustic emission was the highest for a rock mass consisting of three grain size ranges. The rock mass consisting of three grain size ranges was also the strongest and most difficult to fracture because the grains were more fully embedded in each other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Fungal infections have emerged as a major global threat to human health because of the increasing incidence and mortality rates every year. The emergence of drug resistance and limited arsenal of antifungal agents further aggravates the current situation resulting in a growing challenge in medical mycology. Here, we identified that ponatinib, an FDA‐approved antitumour drug, significantly enhanced the activity of the azole fluconazole, the most widely used antifungal drug. Further detailed investigation of ponatinib revealed that its combination with fluconazole displayed broad‐spectrum synergistic interactions against a variety of human fungal pathogens such as Candida albicans, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Cryptococcus neoformans. Mechanistic insights into the mode of action unravelled that ponatinib reduced the efflux of fluconazole via Pdr5 and suppressed the expression of the proton pump, Pma1. Taken together, our study identifies ponatinib as a novel antifungal that enhances drug activity of fluconazole against diverse fungal pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The purpose of this article is to study a power flow algorithm with strong convergence, initial value adaptability, and efficiency. • This paper proposes a two-part alternating iterative framework based on dynamic equivalent admittance. • The proposed algorithm has universality for well-and ill-conditioned systems. • The proposed method combines the convergence characteristics of the Z-bus Gauss method and Newton's method, so it is easy to implement based on existing program codes. Power flow is an extensively used tool in various operations and planning of power systems. In this paper, we propose an efficient hybrid method for solving the power flow problems in ill-conditioned power systems. This method is implemented in a framework of two-part alternating iteration. In Part I of this method, PV bus voltages are regarded as constant and PQ bus voltages are updated by the Z-bus Gauss method. In Part II of this method, PQ bus loads are equivalent to dynamic admittances, and PV bus voltage angles are updated by Newton's method. The values of PQ bus voltage magnitudes and PV bus voltage angles are passed between Part I and Part II. The proposed method is validated in well- and ill-conditioned systems and compared with several well-known power flow methods. Results show that the proposed method is robust and efficient to address the issues related with large-scale ill-conditioned power systems and it is not significantly affected by the considered initial guess. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Multiple effect evaporators underwent premature perforation and corrosion with only 18 days of actual operation. • Welding defects not found in time during the fabrication of evaporators reduced the corrosion resistance of the composite plate. • Improper welding during the maintenance made the repair ineffective. • Surface defects provided conditions for pitting corrosion and galvanic corrosion. Multiple effect evaporators (MEEs) are extensively utilized across diverse industries, such as pulp and paper, sugar, and desalination, for the purpose of concentration and purification. Nevertheless, MEEs often bring forth the issue of corrosion because of severe service conditions, thereby leading to equipment damage and decrease in efficiency. This study scrutinizes the premature perforation and corrosion of some multiple effect evaporators encountered soon after their commencement in a salt processing plant. The failed MEEs, designed to serve for 15 years, underwent severe corrosion and the emergence of multiple leakage points during a trial run of 40 days, with only 18 days of actual operation. To unearth the reasons for this failure, various macroscopic and microscopic analyses were carried out. The studies demonstrated that welding defects not found in time during the fabrication of evaporators reduced the corrosion resistance of the composite plate. Additionally, improper welding during the maintenance made the repair ineffective. Once the stainless-steel cladding layer was damaged, the carbon steel backing layer corroded and perforated rapidly under galvanic corrosion. Based on these findings, effective countermeasures were suggested to evade any future failures of the same kind. The outcomes of this analysis are likely to aid in enhancing the operational safety and reliability of multiple effect evaporators in vacuum salt-making systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Positive-stranded RNA viruses usually remodel the host endomembrane system to form virus-induced intracellular vesicles for replication during infections. The genus Potyvirus of the family Potyviridae represents the largest number of positive single-stranded RNA viruses, and its members cause great damage to crop production worldwide. Although potyviruses have a wide host range, each potyvirus infects a relatively limited number of host species. Phylogenesis and host range analysis can divide potyviruses into monocot-infecting and dicot-infecting groups, suggesting that they differ in their infection mechanisms, probably during replication. Comprehensive studies on the model dicot-infecting turnip mosaic virus have shown that the 6K2-induced replication vesicles are derived from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and subsequently target chloroplasts for viral genome replication. However, the replication site of monocot-infecting potyviruses is unknown. In this study, we show that the precursor 6K2-VPg-Pro polyproteins of dicot-infecting potyviruses and monocot-infecting potyviruses cluster phylogenetically in two separate groups. With a typical gramineae-infecting potyvirus—sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV)—we found that replicative double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) forms aggregates in the cytoplasm but does not associate with chloroplasts. SCMV 6K2-VPg-Pro-induced vesicles colocalize with replicative dsRNA. Moreover, SCMV 6K2-VPg-Pro-induced structures target multiple intracellular organelles, including the ER, Golgi apparatus, mitochondria, and peroxisomes, and have no evident association with chloroplasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Recent studies have demonstrated that first-line nurses involved in the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) crisis may experience sleep disturbances. As breathing relaxation techniques can improve sleep quality, anxiety, and depression, the current study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of diaphragmatic breathing relaxation training (DBRT) for improving sleep quality among nurses in Wuhan, China during the COVID-19 outbreak.Methods: This study used a quasi-experimental (before and after) intervention strategy, with 151 first-line nurses from four wards in Leishenshan hospital. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) to evaluate the effectiveness of DBRT before and after the intervention. Data were examined using the Shapiro-Wilk test, Levene's test, and paired t-test.Results: A total of 140 nurses completed the DBRT sessions. First-line nurses achieved significant reductions in global sleep quality (p < 0.01), subjective sleep quality (p < 0.001), sleep latency (p < 0.01), sleep duration (p < 0.001), sleep disturbances (p < 0.001), habitual sleep efficiency (p = 0.015), daytime dysfunction (p = 0.001), and anxiety (p = 0.001). There were no significant reductions in the use of sleeping medication (p = 0.134) and depression (p = 0.359).Conclusion: DBRT is a useful non-pharmacological treatment for improving sleep quality and reducing anxiety among first-line nurses involved in the COVID-19 outbreak. The study protocol was clinically registered by the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry.Clinical Trial Registration Number: ChiCTR2000032743. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanostructured materials with elegant properties have promising potentials in chemiluminescence (CL) immunoassay. However, the robust preparation of such nanomaterials is still challenging. In this work, biocompatible and easily prepared gelatin/horseradish peroxidase (Gel/HRP) nanogels were exploited as signal labels for chemiluminescence immunoassays. The catalytic property of HRP was well retained and the stability was improved after the incorporation into nanogels. The prepared protein nanogels show enhanced and glow-type luminescence behaviors in luminol-H 2 O 2 CL system. Persistent and sensitive CL immunoassay for CEA were constructed using Gel/HRP nanogels as signal labels. A wide linear response range from 0.01 to 100 ng/mL was obtained with the limit of detection was 3.39 pg/mL (S/N = 3). [Display omitted] • Long-lasting chemiluminescence through nanogels with internal 3D network structure. • Green and simple to synthesize labeled probes with excellent biocompatibility. • High activity of horseradish peroxidase is retained • Immunoassay for accurate detection in an interference environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanostructured materials with elegant properties have promising potentials in chemiluminescence (CL) immunoassay. However, the robust preparation of such nanomaterials is still challenging. In this work, biocompatible and easily prepared gelatin/horseradish peroxidase (Gel/HRP) nanogels were exploited as signal labels for chemiluminescence immunoassays. The catalytic property of HRP was well retained and the stability was improved after the incorporation into nanogels. The prepared protein nanogels show enhanced and glow-type luminescence behaviors in luminol-H 2 O 2 CL system. Persistent and sensitive CL immunoassay for CEA were constructed using Gel/HRP nanogels as signal labels. A wide linear response range from 0.01 to 100 ng/mL was obtained with the limit of detection was 3.39 pg/mL (S/N = 3). [Display omitted] • Long-lasting chemiluminescence through nanogels with internal 3D network structure. • Green and simple to synthesize labeled probes with excellent biocompatibility. • High activity of horseradish peroxidase is retained • Immunoassay for accurate detection in an interference environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) is a commonly used gasoline additive that improves combustion and reduces pollutant emissions. The methanol distillation column is an integral part of the recovery system in MTBE production plants, used to separate and recycle unreacted methanol from water through distillation. During regular maintenance, severe damage to the support ring and abnormal perforations in the column were discovered. Despite repair welding, the column still leaked. Various investigations were conducted to determine the root cause of the failure. The chemical composition, metallurgical structure, and hardness of the support ring and column materials were examined, and the medium in the column was characterized. The medium at the bottom of the column was unexpectedly subjected to an undesirable excessive acidity (with a pH of approximately 3.8) dominated by the upstream etherification reaction deacidification, and provided common basic conditions for localized pitting and uniform corrosion of low carbon steel. What's more, the appearance of clean and smooth corrosion pits and scour traces on the perforated column wall, as well as honeycomb pits and arc-shaped layered traces on the support ring, revealed that the corrosion failure was intensified due to the interaction of selective erosive corrosion and medium concentration accelerated corrosion caused by multiple corrosion types of the acidic medium. In addition, the unpolished surface from incomplete repair welding was another significant factor. Based on these findings, specific countermeasures were implemented and proved effective. • Incomplete repair welding and unpolished surfaces led to column failure. • Surface morphologies reveal different corrosion acceleration mechanisms. • Selective erosion and medium concentration accelerated corrosion. • Countermeasures implemented effectively prevented future column leakage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deformation characteristics of sandy soil around multi-helical anchor piles have an important influence on their bearing capacity under horizontal loading. To explore the interaction mechanism between anchor pile and soil, this study combines a model test system with particle imaging velocimetry to study the deformation and bearing characteristics of the soil around multi-helical anchor piles under horizontal loading. The results show the following. (1) The sand density and anchor sheet buried depth have a significant effect on the range of the influence of the soil displacement around the helical anchor pile, and on the distribution of the active and passive zones. (2) With increasing density, the influence area of the active zone rearward of the pile decreases, whereas the opposite is true for the passive zone in front of the pile. Under shallow buried conditions, the area of influence of the passive zone rearward of the pile extends to the sand surface; whereas under deep buried conditions, the area of influence of the transition zone decreases. (3) The buried depth is the main factor in the formation of the transition zone and the rotating damage zone. As the buried depth increases, the angle between the shear failure surface of the passive zone rearward of the pile and the vertical direction gradually decreases; the development direction of the shear failure surface of the disturbance zone in front of the pile is lower right-vertical downward-lower left. (4) The volume expansion zone on the left side of the helical anchor pile gradually transitions from extending to the surface of the sand to the lower left side of the bottom anchor. Regardless of the buried depth, the maximum value of the volume strain in the soil always occurs in the upper part of the top anchor, and the soil between the two anchor plates is always in the volume contraction zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ammonia has received increasing attention as one of the most attractive energy carriers because of its carbon-free nature and the established reliable and economic infrastructure for its storage and distribution. However, the low burning velocity and nitrogen-containment of pure NH 3 can cause some challenges for its combustion control such as flame instability and large NO x emissions. To overcome these issues, strategies of co-burning NH 3 with highly reactive fuels such as CH 4 or H 2 have been developed and applied. Syngas, which can be produced from biomass pyrolysis, is a promising alternative fuel in the transition from carbon-based fuels to carbon-free fuels. Therefore, comparing to co-firing NH 3 with CH 4 , co-firing NH 3 with syngas is a better environmentally friendly option to improve the NH 3 combustion property. However, co-firing NH 3 with syngas faces severer combustion instability, NO x emissions and NH 3 leakage due to the low heating value of syngas. To the best of the authors' knowledge, the NH 3 /syngas combustion with low NO x emissions and zero NH 3 leakage has not been achieved in a lab-scale combustor. In the present study, NH 3 /syngas MILD combustion was carried out in a novel burner developed in our previous work. In the novel burner, the high-temperature and diluted air produced by the lean premixed syngas combustion is the key to accomplish the MILD combustion of NH 3. The impact of the temperature and O 2 mole fraction of the HTDA on the emissions of NO, NO 2 , N 2 O, NH 3 , and CO was experimentally investigated with varying equivalence ratios and NH 3 flow rates. The chemical reactor network was employed to analyze the experimental observation from the chemical kinetic aspect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work provides an augmented system (AS), constructed based on a modified tangent vector Index, i.e. the full derivative of the uncontrollable parameter with respect to the voltage magnitude of critical bus of the system, to directly detect steady‐state voltage stability margin (SSVSM). The Newton iteration produced by the AS is illustrated to be able to approach the equilibrium manifold until converging to the saddle node bifurcation, given that the initial point is approaching to the corresponding branch. With the special searching direction, limit induced dynamic bifurcations or limit induced static bifurcation that appear along the equilibrium manifold are able to be located with expected precision by the proposed corrections. Several cases in a 2000‐bus synthetic grid exemplify the effectiveness and high efficiency of the algorithm, compared with standard continuation power flow and the predicter‐corrector primal dual interior point algorithm for detecting the SSVSM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new cyanophage, S-B05, infecting a phycoerythrin-enriched (PE-type) Synechococcus strain was isolated by the liquid infection method, and its morphology and genetic features were examined. Phylogenetic analysis and morphological observation confirmed that S-B05 belongs to the family Myoviridae of the order Caudovirales. Its genome was fully sequenced, and found to be 208,857 bp in length with a G + C content of 39.9%. It contained 280 potential open reading frames and 123 conserved domains. Ninety-eight functional genes responsible for cyanophage structuring and packaging, DNA replication and regulation, and photosynthesis were identified, as well as genes encoding 172 hypothetical proteins. The genome of S-B05 is most similar to that of Prochlorococcus phage P-TIM68. Homologues of open reading frames of S-B05 can be found in various marine environments, as revealed by comparison of the S-B05 genome sequence to sequences in marine viral metagenomic databases. The presence of auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs) related to photosynthesis, carbon metabolism, and phosphorus assimilation, as well as the phylogenetic relationships based on AMGs and the complete genome sequence, reflect the phage-host interaction mechanism or the specific adaptation strategy of the host to environmental conditions. The genome sequence information reported here will provide an important basis for further study of the adaptive evolution and ecological role of cyanophages and their hosts in the marine environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light harvesting and charge separation-injection efficiency in the photoanode-electrolyte interface region are two important factors for efficient solar energy conversion. Herein, core-shell-structured Ni@Fe nanoparticles were electrodeposited on the surface of an n-type Si photoanode and in situ electrochemically oxidized to Ni@Fe@FeOOH. The dispersed core-shell-structured islands with a gradient-enhanced work function are beneficial for maximizing the light absorption, the charge extraction, and the charge injection. As a result, the n-Si/SiOx/Ni@Fe photoanode exhibited a low oxygen evolution reaction onset potential of 1.02 VRHE, a high saturated current density of 36.7 mA, cm−2, a charge injection efficiency to nearly 100%, and a stable activity for 83 h in K-borate buffer solution with pH = 9 under AM1.5 G simulated sunlight irradiation at 1 sun. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blood is deposited in fish muscle during storage, and this deposition accelerates the deterioration of flesh quality. We have examined the effect of blood deposition on the degradation of collagen fibrils and fibers in the ordinary muscle of yellowtail (Seriola quinqueradiata). In this study we compared changes in collagen fibrils and fibers in the upper sides and undersides of yellowtails killed by two different methods (spinal cord destruction with blood removal and suffocation in air without blood removal [SA]). Tests of breaking strength showed that ordinary muscle from the underside of fish in the SA group (SA-under)had a slightly low value than the other groups. Histological observations showed thinner collagen fibers and looser structures in the SA-under groups than in the other groups during storage. In addition, blood-derived gelatinolytic activities were higher in muscle from the the underside of the SA group than in other groups. These results indicate that blood contains gelatinolytic enzymes and that when blood is deposited to the underside from the upper side of fish, these enzymes may participate in accelerating the degradation of collagen fibers during storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new algorithm Boundary-Derivative Direct Method (BDDM) is proposed. • The BDDM avoids multiple power flow calculations compared with continuation methods. • The BDDM does not require estimation of the initial eigenvector. • The BDDM shows a better performance compared with traditional direct method. • The BDDM can calculate any intended operation state directly, including the margin point. The Saddle Node Bifurcation (SNB) is the location where equilibrium solutions of one parametric system distinguish when its parameter changes. Load distance between the SNB and the present operation point can reflect the voltage stability of the studied system. At present, Continuous Power Flow (CPF) and Point of Collapse (POC)/Direct Method are main techniques for tracking the point. However, CPF needs multiple power flow calculations, which is not suitable for fast and accurate applications, while POC has problems of large coefficient matrix and initialization of eigenvector. A novel direct method is proposed to calculate the SNB point, titled the Boundary-Derivative Direct Method (BDDM). A one-dimensional boundary condition, which reflects the slope of the equilibrium manifold, is configured to replace the multidimensional conditions of POC. As a result, the dimension of the coefficient matrix is drastically cut and the initialization of eigenvector is avoided. Moreover, we extend the algorithm, considering multi-load growth and general limitations. Several instances on IEEE 9-bus system show the convergence of the proposed algorithm and the cases in IEEE 118-bus system and 2000-Bus Texas System, which contain multi-load increments and reactive power limitations of generators, are used to analyze the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV) is a pathogen of worldwide importance that causes dwarf mosaic disease on maize (Zea mays). Until now, few maize genes/proteins have been shown to be involved in resistance to SCMV. In this study, we characterized the role of maize phenylalanine ammonia‐lyases (ZmPALs) in accumulation of the defence signal salicylic acid (SA) and in resistance to virus infection. SCMV infection significantly increased SA accumulation and expression of SA‐responsive pathogenesis‐related protein genes (PRs). Interestingly, exogenous SA treatment decreased SCMV accumulation and enhanced resistance. Both reverse transcription‐coupled quantitative PCR and RNA‐Seq data confirmed that expression levels of at least four ZmPAL genes were significantly up‐regulated upon SCMV infection. Knockdown of ZmPAL expression led to enhanced SCMV infection symptom severity and virus multiplication, and simultaneously resulted in decreased SA accumulation and PR gene expression. Intriguingly, application of exogenous SA to SCMV‐infected ZmPAL‐silenced maize plants decreased SCMV accumulation, showing that ZmPALs are required for SA‐mediated resistance to SCMV infection. In addition, lignin measurements and metabolomic analysis showed that ZmPALs are also involved in SCMV‐induced lignin accumulation and synthesis of other secondary metabolites via the phenylpropanoid pathway. In summary, our results indicate that ZmPALs are required for SA accumulation in maize and are involved in resistance to virus infection by limiting virus accumulation and moderating symptom severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the influence of blood deposition on flesh quality of ordinary muscle in yellowtail. This study compared the flesh quality changes in upper and under‐sides of yellowtails killed by two different methods: spinal‐cord destruction (SCD) with blood removal and suffocation in air without blood removal (SA). The under‐sides of the SA group showed the highest values for a*, cathepsin B and B + L activities, the lowest value in breaking strength and the greatest degradation of myosin heavy chain (MHC) among the four groups. However, the values of the SCD‐upper group indicated the best flesh quality. In addition, the white blood cells presented the highest cathepsin B and B + L activities among the blood components. These results indicate that blood has the tendency to deposit downward in accordance with the direction of placement. This phenomenon influences the distribution of white blood cells which contain enzymes that accelerate the deterioration of flesh quality. The texture of fish muscle is an important part of the flesh quality. In captured fishery (purse‐seine fishery and dragnet fishery), it is impossible to immediately and completely remove blood. Therefore, suffocation in air is the common method after the fish is caught. The commercial value of fish is decreased and the price varies greatly when these fish enter market circulation. In our study, we examined the influence of blood deposition on the flesh quality of yellowtail during storage. The degradation of structural proteins accelerated in the deposited blood which contain proteases. The movement and deposition of blood caused the difference of quality on both sides, which seriously affected the quality of fish during preservation. Our study has some theoretical guidance for muscle softening and give a better understanding of the adverse effect of blood during preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Pooled reported prevalence in IGE is 27% with a mean follow-up of 14 years. • Psychiatric comorbidities, combined three seizure types, the presence of absence seizure, generalized polyspike trains, status epilepticus, and catamenial epilepsy significantly increase the odds of drug resistance. • Further prospective cohort studies are needed to investigate the clinical and EEG factors to help complete the prognostic guidelines. Idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE) is a common epilepsy syndrome with early age onset and generally good seizure outcomes. This study aims to determine the incidence and predictive risk factors for drug-resistant IGE. We systematically searched three databases (PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library) in November 2022 and included 12 eligible studies which reported long-term outcomes (mean = 14.05) after antiseizure medications (ASMs) from 2001 to 2020. We defined drug resistance as the persistence of any seizure despite ASMs treatment (whether as monotherapies or in combination) given the criteria of drug resistance varied in original studies. A random-effects model was used to evaluate the prevalence of refractory IGE. Studies reporting potential poor prognostic factors were included for subsequent subgroup meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of drug resistance in IGE cohorts was 27% (95% CI: 0.19–0.36). Subgroup analysis of the risk factors revealed that the psychiatric comorbidities (odds ratio (OR): 4.87, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.97–7.98), combined three seizure types (absences, myoclonic jerks, and generalized tonic-clonic seizures) (OR: 5.37, 95% CI: 3.16–9.13), the presence of absence seizure (OR: 4.38, 95% CI: 2.64–7.28), generalized polyspike trains (GPT) (OR: 4.83, 95% CI: 2.42–9.64), sex/catamenial epilepsy (OR: 3.25, 95% CI: 1.97–5.37), and status epilepticus (OR: 5.94, 95% CI: 2.23–15.85) increased the risk of poor prognosis. Other factors, including age onset, family history, and side effects of ASMs, were insignificantly associated with a higher incidence of refractory IGE. Drug resistance is a severe complication of IGE. Further standardized research about clinical and electroencephalography factors is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limosilactobacillus reuteri 121 4,6-α-glucanotransferase (GtfBΔN) modifies starch by cleaving (α1 → 4) linkages and introducing non-branched (α1 → 6) linkages to produce functional starch derivatives. Research has mainly focused on GtfBΔN converting amylose (linear substrate), whereas the conversion of amylopectin (branched substrate) has not been studied in detail. In this study, we used GtfBΔN to understand amylopectin modification and performed a set of experiments to analyze this modification pattern. The donor substrates were segments from the non-reducing ends to the nearest branch point in amylopectin as shown from the results of the chain length distribution of GtfBΔN-modified starches. Decreased and increased contents of β-limit dextrin and reducing sugars, respectively, during the incubation of β-limit dextrin with GtfBΔN indicated that the segments from the reducing end to the nearest branch point in amylopectin act as donor substrates. Dextranase was involved in the hydrolysis of the GtfBΔN conversion products of three different substrates groups, maltohexaose (G6), amylopectin, and G6 plus amylopectin. No reducing sugars were detected, therefore, amylopectin was not used as an acceptor substrate, and no non-branched (α1 → 6) linkages were introduced into it. Thus, these methods provide a reasonable and effective approach to studying GtfB-like 4,6-α-glucanotransferase in analyzing the roles and contribution of branched substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoparticles show great potential for drug delivery. However, suitable nanostructures capable of loading a range of drugs together with the co‐delivery of siRNAs, which avoid the problem of cation‐associated cytotoxicity, are lacking. Herein, we report an small interfering RNA (siRNA)‐based vesicle (siRNAsome), which consists of a hydrophilic siRNA shell, a thermal‐ and intracellular‐reduction‐sensitive hydrophobic median layer, and an empty aqueous interior that meets this need. The siRNAsome can serve as a versatile nanostructure to load drug agents with divergent chemical properties, therapeutic proteins as well as co‐delivering immobilized siRNAs without transfection agents. Importantly, the inherent thermal/reduction‐responsiveness enables controlled drug loading and release. When siRNAsomes are loaded with the hydrophilic drug doxorubicin hydrochloride and anti‐P‐glycoprotein siRNA, synergistic therapeutic activity is achieved in multidrug resistant cancer cells and a tumor model. The siRNAsome is an siRNA‐based vesicle originating from the self‐assembly of siRNA‐disulfide‐poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (siRNA–SS–PNIPAM) diblock copolymers. It can serve as a versatile nanostructure for loading drug agents with divergent chemical properties and therapeutic proteins, as well as co‐delivering immobilized siRNAs without transfection agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile phones are rapidly becoming the most widespread and popular form of communication; thus, they are also the most important attack target of malware. The amount of malware in mobile phones is increasing exponentially and poses a serious security threat. Google’s Android is the most popular smart phone platforms in the world and the mechanisms of permission declaration access control cannot identify the malware. In this paper, we proposed an ensemble machine learning system for the detection of malware on Android devices. More specifically, four groups of features including permissions, monitoring system events, sensitive API and permission rate are extracted to characterize each Android application (app). Then an ensemble random forest classifier is learned to detect whether an app is potentially malicious or not. The performance of our proposed method is evaluated on the actual data set using tenfold cross-validation. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can achieve a highly accuracy of 89.91%. For further assessing the performance of our method, we compared it with the state-of-the-art support vector machine classifier. Comparison results demonstrate that the proposed method is extremely promising and could provide a cost-effective alternative for Android malware detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF) is an endoplasmic reticulum stress-inducible protein, which has been suggested to be upregulated in inflammatory diseases; however, how inflammation regulates its transcription remains unclear. Activator protein-1 (AP-1), which is a transcription factor complex composed of c-Fos and c-Jun, is activated during the inflammatory process. The present study aimed to investigate whether the AP-1 complex regulates MANF transcription. The results of a luciferase reporter assay revealed that one of three putative AP-1 binding sites in the MANF promoter region is essential for enhancement of MANF transcription. Mechanistically, AP-1 was revealed to directly bind to the promoter region of the MANF gene by chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. Furthermore, MANF was strongly expressed in the liver tissues of patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, compared with in normal liver tissues from patients with hepatic hemangioma. Furthermore, c-Fos and c-Jun were also upregulated in the nuclei of hepatocytes from patients with HBV infection. In mice treated with carbon tetrachloride, the expression patterns of MANF, c-Fos and c-Jun were similar to those in patients with HBV. These results suggested that the AP-1 complex may be a novel regulator of MANF transcription, which may be involved in liver inflammation and fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogeological conditions at the Dongzhuang Hydro-Junction site are complex and include underground water divides, a hanging river and hydraulic drops along faults. The site suffers from seepage because of its location in karst terrain. This study addresses dam bypass leakage at the Dongzhuang site and deficiencies in the regional groundwater seepage model. A hydrological conceptual model is generated, as well as a regional numerical simulation of groundwater flow based on analysis of the geology and hydrogeology of the dam site and surrounding area. From the analysis, a detailed 3D model of the groundwater flow field at the dam site is established, in which permeability and precipitation infiltration parameters are corrected using the inversion method. Leakage quantities are calculated for three different conditions: natural state, regular dam impoundment with an impervious curtain, and regular dam impoundment without an impervious curtain. The results show that underground water flows from west to east during all three conditions. The leakage quantity bypassing the dam region without anti-seepage treatment is 220,000 m 3 /d, with seepage concentrated around the dam foundation, dam abutments and the river bend of the reservoir head. Leakage in these areas accounts for 72% of the total leakage in the study area. However, when an impervious curtain is included in the model, the total leakage quantity is reduced to 51,000 m 3 /d and seepage concentrates along the banks of the reservoir. The 3D numerical model of regional groundwater flow is promising in that it can simulate complex hydrogeological conditions, and the accuracy and confidence levels improve when a detailed 3D model of groundwater flow at the dam site is added to the regional model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Wet-grinding could destroy the crystal structure of insoluble phase in fly ash. • High polymer aluminosilicate in fly ash was broke into oligomer by wet-grinding. • Without aging, wet-grinding material could directly synthesize zeolite P. • Pb2+ ion adsorption capacity by synthetic zeolite in solution reached 497.01 mg/g. • Pb2+ ion removal rate of the synthetic zeolite was more than 92 % after 6 recycles. Using fly ash as a raw material to synthesize zeolite is an effective way to obtain cheap adsorbent. However, the high energy consumption of activating the insoluble silica-alumina phase of fly ash limits its practical application. In this study, a low-energy, wet-grinding hydrothermal method was used to activate the insoluble phase of fly ash to synthesize zeolite P, and the adsorption capacity of zeolite for lead ion in solution was studied. Wet-grinding can reduce fly ash particle size to nanometer scale and break long-chain Q4(Al) into short-chain low-polymer. Without aging, the activated material could directly synthesize zeolite P with a relative crystallinity of 89.37 %. Compared with the common alkali-fusion method, the wet-grinding method reduced energy consumption by 45.93 % and increased synthetic zeolite relative crystallinity by 7.51 %. The synthesized zeolite P could effectively remove Pb2+ ions from solution through ion exchange and hydroxyl reaction, and the adsorption capacity reached 497.01 mg/g. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The organic light‐emitting diode (OLED) has gained widespread commercial use, yet there is a continuous need to identify innovative emitters that offer higher efficiency and a broader color gamut. To effectively screen out promising OLED molecules that are yet to be synthesized, representation learning aided high throughput virtual screening (HTVS) over millions of Ir(III) complexes, which are prototypical types of phosphorescent OLED material constructed via a random combination of 278 reported ligands. This study successfully screens out a decent amount of promising candidates for both display and lighting purposes, which are worth further experimental investigation. The high efficiency and accuracy of this model are largely attributed to the pioneering attempt of using representation learning to organic luminescent molecules, which is initiated by a pre‐training procedure with over 1.6 million 3D molecular structures and frontier orbital energies predicted via semi‐empirical methods, followed by a fine‐tuning scheme via the quantum mechanical computed properties over around 1500 candidates. Such workflow enables an effective model construction process that is otherwise hindered by the scarcity of labeled data and can be straightforwardly extended to the discovery of other novel materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The aim of this review was to evaluate the feasibility of treating sleep disorders using novel gut microbiota intervention strategies. Multiple factors can cause sleep disorders, including an imbalance in the gut microbiota. Studies of the microbiome-gut-brain axis have revealed bidirectional communication between the central nervous system and gut microbes, providing a more comprehensive understanding of mood and behavioral regulatory patterns. Changes in the gut microbiota and its metabolites can stimulate the endocrine, nervous, and immune systems, which regulate the release of neurotransmitters and alter the activity of the central nervous system, ultimately leading to sleep disorders. Here, we review the main factors affecting sleep, discuss possible pathways and molecular mechanisms of the interaction between sleep and the gut microbiota, and compare common gut microbiota intervention strategies aimed at improving sleep physiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anisotropic domain structures and local piezoresponse of rhombohedral Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbZrO3-PbTiO3 single crystals with high ferroelectric phase transition temperature ( TFE-FE≥120°C) were systematically investigated by vector piezoresponse force microscopy. The typical size of labyrinthine domain pattern for [001] C sample was in the range of 100-200 nm, revealing its relaxor feature. While the [011] C sample exhibited ordered ribbon-shaped domain pattern with preferential alignment along <011> direction since the modulation effect of polar nanoregions. For [111] C sample, it had messy and featureless domain patterns. For as-grown crystal, the incorporation of Zr4+ cation in Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 system resulted in that the long-range coulomb interactions of the charged ions in the short range order regions were weakened, leading to an increased relaxor feature. Concurrently, the incorporation of Zr4+ cation enhanced the Pb-B repulsion intensity, resulting in an improved TFE-FE. Temperature-dependent properties of as-grown crystal exhibited good temperature stability from 30 to 120°C, indicating it is a promising material for actuator and ultrasonic transducer applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing demand for energy, coupled with the environmental pollution induced by traditional energy production, is pushing to find solutions for renewable energy storage. Herein, hierarchical porous carbon with a high specific surface area (2449.6 m2/g) has been synthesized from poplar wood chips by the molten salt activation. Simultaneously, a gel polymer electrolyte with excellent mechanical properties, thermal stability and biodegradability was prepared from α-cellulose. A simple all-solid-state supercapacitor was fabricated via hierarchical porous structure carbon electrodes and a gel polymer electrolyte, and the resultant device exhibited a high specific capacitance (133.0 F/g at 0.5 A/g) and an ideal capacitance retention rate (90.4% after 10,000 cycles). In addition, the device presented superior energy density (18.5 Wh/kg) and power density (500.0 W/kg) as compared with other supercapacitors. Interestingly, the gel polymer electrolyte showed a favorable natural degradation rate under aerobic sludge condition. Therefore, this fabricated electric double layer capacitor is expected to be used as a green and sustainable electronic device with amiable economic availability and environmental friendliness. ● Poplar wood-based porous carbon was prepared by molten salt activation. ● The achieved porous carbon exhibited a high specific surface area of 2449.6 m2/g. ● The gel electrolyte showed a favorable degradation rate. ● The fabricated all-solid-state supercapacitor has a superior energy density of 18.5 Wh/kg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are important biological indicators of the lung cancer prognosis, and CTC counting and typing may provide helpful biological information for the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer. Methods: The CTC count in blood before and after radiotherapy was detected by the CanPatrol™ CTC analysis system, and the CTC subtypes and the expression of hTERT before and after radiotherapy were detected by multiple in situ hybridization. The CTC count was calculated as the number of cells per 5 mL of blood. Results: The CTC positivity rate in patients with tumors before radiotherapy was 98.44%. Epithelial–mesenchymal CTCs (EMCTCs) were more common in patients with lung adenocarcinoma and squamous carcinoma than in patients with small cell lung cancer (P = 0.027). The total CTCs (TCTCs), EMCTCs, and mesenchymal CTCs (MCTCs) counts were significantly higher in patients with TNM stage III and IV tumors (P < 0.001, P = 0.005, and P < 0.001, respectively). The TCTCs and MCTCs counts were significantly higher in patients with an ECOG score of > 1 (P = 0.022 and P = 0.024, respectively). The TCTCs and EMCTCs counts before and after radiotherapy affected the overall response rate (ORR) (P < 0.05). TCTCs and ECTCs with positive hTERT expression were associated with the ORR of radiotherapy (P = 0.002 and P = 0.038, respectively), as were TCTCs with high hTERT expression (P = 0.012). ECOG score (P = 0.006) and post-radiation TCTCs count (P = 0.011) were independent factors for progression-free survival (PFS) and TNM stage (P = 0.054) and pre-radiation EMCTCs count (P = 0.009) were independent factors of overall survival (OS). Conclusion: This study showed a high rate of positive CTC detection in patients with lung cancer, and the number, subtype, and hTERT-positive expression of CTCs were closely related to patients' ORR, PFS, and OS with radiotherapy. EMCTCs, hTERT-positive expression of CTCs are expected to be important biological indicators for predicting radiotherapy efficacy and the prognosis in patients with lung cancer. These results may be useful in improving disease stratification for future clinical trials and may help in clinical decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing matrix product operators (MPOs) is at the core of the modern density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) and its time dependent formulation. For the DMRG to be conveniently used in different problems described by different Hamiltonians, in this work, we propose a new generic algorithm to construct the MPO of an arbitrary operator with a sum-of-products form based on the bipartite graph theory. We show that the method has the following advantages: (i) it is automatic in that only the definition of the operator is required; (ii) it is symbolic thus free of any numerical error; (iii) the complementary operator technique can be fully employed so that the resulting MPO is globally optimal for any given order of degrees of freedom; and (iv) the symmetry of the system could be fully employed to reduce the dimension of MPO. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the new algorithm, the MPOs of Hamiltonians ranging from the prototypical spin–boson model and the Holstein model to the more complicated ab initio electronic Hamiltonian and the anharmonic vibrational Hamiltonian with the sextic force field are constructed. It is found that for the former three cases, our automatic algorithm can reproduce exactly the same MPOs as the optimally hand-crafted ones already known in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT This letter proposes a wearable antenna fabricated by multifilament threads. The radiator is conductive threads filled with a copper wire, directly sewn onto a piece of cloth. Its advantages include better impedance matching, enhanced radiation efficiency, and additional value to smart clothing because the radiator is shaped into a logotype. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:1232-1236, 2016 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]