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Electric vehicle (EV) is more environmental-friendly than gasoline vehicle because the main power is not petrol. For the heating system, the waste heat generated by engines is recycled to heat the cabin of gasoline ones, while the EV need extra electric energy consumption for heating the cabin which decreases the driving range. Personal comfort system (PCS) has been reported that it is an alternative technique to improve occupant thermal comfort and indirectly save building heating energy. This study aims to investigate the occupants’ thermal sensation under four heating modes in the EV cabin in winter, including no heating, only PCS, only air conditioning, and both air conditioning and PCS. The field survey is conducted in a parked EV with 12 subjects. Three thermal comfort indexes (PMV, SET*, and operative temperature Top) are used and assessed for their applicability in the thermal environment of the EV. Results show that the thermal environment in the cabin is non-uniform and dynamic with the air conditioning mode, while the PCS mode just slightly affects the temperature differences inside. Meanwhile, the subjects’ thermal sensations cannot maintain neutral or warmer under the PCS mode only. The results of PMV are lower than the subjects’ actual thermal sensation votes (TSV), while the results of SET* and Top show significant linear relationships with the TSV for the correlation coefficients above 0.80. Compare to the air conditioning mode, the neutral SET* and neutral Top are decreased by 2.7 °C and 1.6 °C under the mode with PCS and air conditioning, respectively. The findings indicate that PCS not only has a positive effect on improving the cabin environment and occupant's thermal sensation but also has the potential to lower the setting temperature of air conditioner of EVs in winter.

This retrospective study investigated the efficacy and economic outcomes of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), fondaparinux sodium (FPX), and rivaroxaban after total hip arthroplasty (THA) under Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS). The clinical data of patients who underwent primary THA due to hip joint disease in our Hospital from October 2020 to June 2022 were retrospectively collected and analyzed. According to different anticoagulant methods, patients were divided into LMWH group (42 cases), FPX group (24 cases), and Rivaroxaban group (39 cases). Perioperative blood coagulation-related factors, D-dimer, platelet (PLT) changes, blood routine, blood loss, lower limb vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism, and allogeneic blood transfusion were compared among the three groups. There was no statistical significance difference for coagulation indexes and Visual Analog Scale score before the operation among the three groups, but there were statistical significance differences for prothrombin time and international normalized ratio levels at 3 days after the operation. The postoperative drainage volume and blood loss of the three groups were different, but there were no significant differences in intraoperative blood loss, hidden blood loss, total blood loss, blood transfusion rate, DVT incidence rate and Visual Analog Scale score score 3 days after surgery among the three groups. Besides, the treatment cost in the LMWH group was significantly lower than that of the FPX group and the rivaroxaban group. Hence, Based on the ERAS concept, the use of LMWH, FPX, and Rivaroxaban after THA can effectively and safely prevent the occurrence of VTE and has no significant difference in postoperative pain, perioperative blood loss, and coagulation function. However, Rivaroxaban can be taken orally and has more advantages in some pharmacological effects, while LMWH is cheaper.

Abstract As an unconventional reservoir sedimentary rock, shale contains a series of layers and various microstructures that lead to complex mechanical properties, such as the anisotropy of stiffness and strength. This study is directed towards the anisotropy caused by the microstructures of the shale, employing the 2D particle flow code (PFC2D) to explore stiffness, strength, failure mode, and micro-crack evolution. More realistic microstructures and the calibration of microscopic parameters of the shale are reasonably considered through the computed tomography (CT) images and mineral analysis. The corresponding numerical simulation results are fully compared with the experimental results. In what follows, the sensitivity analysis is conducted on the key microscopic parameters and microstructure characteristics in numerical samples with laminated characteristics. The results show that the influence of microscopic parameters of the parallel bonding model on macroscopic parameters is related to the layering angle and the face type, and the microstructures and initial cracks of numerical samples can considerably affect the macroscopic mechanical behaviors of the laminated samples. Next, the effect of confining pressure on the mechanical properties of layered shale is also discussed based on the numerical results. These findings highlight the potential of this approach for applications in micro-scaled models and calibration of microscopic parameters to probe mechanical behaviors of the laminated rock.

Abstract Background Emotional urgency, defined as a trait concept of emotion-based impulsivity, is at least moderately associated with general psychopathology. However, its clinical significance and associations with clinically relevant features of bipolar disorder remain unclear. This scoping review aims address this gap by determining the extent of evidence in this niche scope of study. Methods Evidence of between-group differences of positive and negative urgency, its associations with mood severity, and all peripheral associations related to illness and psychosocial outcomes were synthesized based on PRISMA checklists and guidelines for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Design Electronic databases were searched for articles published between January 2001 and January 2024. A total of 1013 entries were gathered, and a total of 10 articles were included in the final selection after the removal of duplicates and ineligible articles. Results Differences in urgency scores between bipolar disorder and healthy controls were large (Cohen’s d ranged from 1.77 to 2.20). Negative urgency was at least moderately associated with overall trauma, emotional abuse, neglect, suicide ideation, neuroticism, and irritable/cyclothymic temperament, whereas positive urgency was at least moderately associated with various aspects of aggression and quality of life. Positive but not negative urgency was associated with quality of life in bipolar disorder. Conclusion Large between-group differences found for emotional urgency in bipolar disorder imply large clinical significance. Emotional urgency was associated with worse clinical features and outcomes. Given the high clinical heterogeneity of the disorder, emotional urgency may be an important phenotype indicative of greater disorder severity.

Cerebral protection devices (CPDs) often were applied to improve the safety of carotid artery stenting, but the CPD itself may cause fatal complications. We report a case of a retained CPD that was an Emboshield NAV6 device left in situ, which was retrieved successfully with esophageal biopsy forceps.

Abstract This study evaluated the outcomes of a bare metal stent (BMS), DCB alone, atherectomy plus a drug-coated balloon (AT + DCB) and AT alone for the treatment of femoropopliteal artery occlusion. Four groups were included in this retrospective cohort study: 119 patients underwent the BMS procedure, 89 patients underwent DCB alone, 52 patients underwent AT + DCB, and 61 patients underwent AT alone. Patients were followed-up at 1, 6, 12 and 24 months after the procedure, the clinical outcomes and complications were assessed, and the primary outcomes were primary patency and restenosis. AT + DCB showed a lower bailout stent, and BMS displayed a higher retrograde puncture, flow-limiting dissection and postdilation (p

Aiming at the problems of low comprehensive efficiency and high treatment cost in the conventional treatment of mining pressure relief gas in “U” ventilation mining face, taking a mining face in Jincheng Mining Area, Shanxi Province as the research object, ϕ200 mm large diameter high-position directional borehole for gas control of mining pressure relief is proposed. Based on the analysis of the technical difficulty of large-diameter high-position directional borehole in the roof of the coal mine, the key drilling equipment are selected, including ZDY20000LD directional drilling rig, BLY460 mud pump truck and multi-power expanding drilling tool. The combined strong slag-discharge directional drilling technology and multi-dynamic single-reaming technology have been developed to realize directional drilling of ϕ120 mm high hole and single-reaming of ϕ200 mm hole under complex formation conditions, the comprehensive drilling efficiency is more than 50% higher than that of conventional multi-stage expanding. The gas drainage effect shows that the area of 30-40 m away from the roof and 40 m away from the return air roadway is the mining fracture intensive development area. The average gas drainage concentration in the borehole is maintained at more than 40% and the maximum pure amount of gas drainage is 10.94 m3/min, which has remarkable effect.

AbstractObjective The purpose of this study was to investigate vaccine effectiveness in relieving symptoms in patients with the SARS-CoV-2 delta (B.1.617.2) variant.Methods In this retrospective study, 31 patients did not receive any vaccine (non-vaccination, NV), 21 patients received 1-dose of inactivated vaccine (one-dose vaccination, OV), and 60 patients received at least 2-dose inactivated vaccine (two-dose vaccination, TV). The baseline data, clinical outcomes and vaccination information were collected and analyzed.Results Patients in the OV group were younger than those in the other two groups (p = 0.001), but there was no significant difference in any of the other baseline data among the three groups. The TV group showed higher IgG antibody levels and cycle threshold values of SARS-CoV-2 than the NV and OV groups (p

This paper aims to establish a more standardized and regulated carbon emission accounting model for sponge cities by unifying the accounting content for carbon emissions and clarifying the relationships between carbon reduction benefits, carbon reduction effects, and carbon sequestration, in order to evaluate the carbon reduction outcomes and mechanisms of sponge city construction. Based on a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) carbon emission accounting model using the carbon emission factor method, a newly constructed residential area in Tianshui City, Gansu Province, was selected as a case study, and the carbon emission reduction effect of sponge city construction was then investigated. Results indicated that the 30-year full life cycle carbon emissions for sponge city construction in the newly constructed residential area amounted to 828.98 tons, compared to 744.28 tons of CO2 reduction in traditional construction, representing a 47.31% reduction in carbon emissions. Over a 30-year life cycle, this equated to a total carbon emission reduction effect of 1460.31 tons. Additionally, under various rainfall scenarios in a typical year, the carbon emission reduction effect of sponge city construction exceeded the carbon emissions, achieving carbon neutrality within 22 to 30 years of operation. This demonstrates that the carbon emission reduction effect of sponge city communities is significant. The findings of this study provide data and a theoretical basis for the low-carbon construction of sponge cities in China.

The two-stage and two-speed reaming technology can realize one time efficient reaming for the high position and large diameter directional drilling of coal mine roof, and overcome the limitations of conventional forward multistage reaming technology and method, such as heavy drilling workload, long auxiliary drilling time and poor drilling tool safety. Reaming bit is the key tool to implement the multi-power two-stage two-speed reaming technology. In order to further improve the rock crushing efficiency of two-stage two-speed reaming, the crown profile shape, cutter diameter and cutter structural parameters of the two-stage two-speed reaming bit were optimized. On this basis, the two-stage two-speed reaming bit and the corresponding formation 3D model and finite element model were established. Dynamic analysis software was used to simulate the rock crushing effect of three different bit diameters. The diameter ratio of the first bit （ϕ165-ϕ152 mm） and the second bit （ϕ165 mm） was selected. The newly designed double-stage double-speed reaming bit was used for field test, and the two 120 mm drill holes were drilled to 200 mm in one time. Cumulative reaming penetration of 474 m, reaming comprehensive drilling efficiency of 5.6 m/h, the maximum drilling rate can reach 7 m/h. The results show that the two-stage two-speed first-stage bit can effectively reduce the difficulty of rock crushing of the two-stage two-speed bit, extend the life of the bit, meet the requirements of the two-stage two-speed process, and greatly improve the integrated drilling efficiency of the top roof with large diameter.

With the rapid development of origami technologies, worm-inspired robots have attracted a great deal of attention due to their flexible locomotion characteristics. In the present work, we have prepared a soft robot inspired by the worms, which can achieve various locomotion patterns under the actuation of magnetic field. First, the origami technique is used to form the backbone of the robot, and two NdFeB discs are adhered on its two ends. Next, the experiments for controlling the Omega motion and rolling of the robot are performed, and the mechanical analyses are given. In the experiments, the Omega locomotion speed and rolling speed can reach ∼5 mm/s and 2π rad/s, respectively. Then, two typical examples on the composite motion, including the Omega motion and rolling, are demonstrated, where the robot can realize the tasks of sweeping objects and obstacle crossing in unstructured environments. We further design a system to mimic the situation when the worm-like robot detects and responds to the dangerous signal, and the power of the electromagnet can be accurately controlled. These findings cast a new light on engineering intelligent robots and devices originating from the inspirations of living creatures.

IntroductionEmotional urgency is an emotion-based subdimension of trait impulsivity that is more clinically relevant to psychopathology and disorders of emotion dysfunction than non-emotional subdimensions (i.e., lack of perseverance, sensation seeking, lack of premeditation). However, few studies have examined the relative effects of emotional urgency in bipolar disorder. This cross-sectional study aimed to establish the clinical relevance of emotional urgency in bipolar disorders by (1) explicating clinically relevant correlates of emotional urgency and (2) comparing its effects against non-emotional impulsivity subdimensions.Methods and resultsA total of 150 individuals with bipolar disorder were recruited between October 2021 and January 2023. Zero-order correlations found that emotional urgency had the greatest effect on bipolar symptoms (r = 0.37 to 0.44). Multiple two-step hierarchical regression models showed that (1) positive urgency predicted past manic symptomology and dysfunction severity (b = 1.94, p < 0.001 and 0.35 p < 0.05, respectively), (2) negative urgency predicted current depression severity, and (3) non-emotional facets of impulsivity had smaller effects on bipolar symptoms and dysfunction by contrast, and were non-significant factors in the final step of all regression models (b < 0.30, ns); Those who had a history of attempted suicide had significantly greater levels of emotional urgency (Cohen’s d = –0.63).DiscussionNotwithstanding the study’s limitations, our findings expand status quo knowledge beyond the perennial relationship between non-emotion-based impulsivity and bipolar disorder and its implications.

UAVs have been widely used in deformation monitoring because of their high availability and flexibility. However, the quality of UAV images is affected by changing attitude and surveying environments, resulting in a low monitoring accuracy. Cross-shaped markers are used to improve the accuracy of UAV monitoring due to their distinct center contrast and absence of eccentricity. However, existing methods cannot rapidly and precisely detect these markers in UAV images. To address these problems, this paper proposes an adaptive Radon-transform-based marker detection and localization method for UAV displacement measurements, focusing on two critical detection parameters, namely, the radius of marker information acquisition and the edge width of the cross-shaped scoring template. The experimental results show that the marker detection rate is 97.2% under different combinations of flight altitudes, radius ratios of marker information acquisition, and marker sizes. Furthermore, the root mean square error of detection and localization is 0.57 pixels, significantly surpassing the performance and accuracy of other methods. We also derive the critical detection radius and appropriate parameter combinations for different heights to further improve the practicality of the method.

Abstract Background Increasing research efforts have focused on understanding why some individuals develop severe psychopathology after exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Sleep disturbances (insomnia, nightmares, and sleep disorders) are prevalent sequelae of ACEs and associated with psychopathology; however, there is no meta‐analytic evidence on whether sleep disturbance functions as a transdiagnostic mediator in the relationship between ACEs and psychopathology (internalizing/externalizing disorders and psychosis) in children and adolescents. Methods Systematic searches in three databases (PubMed; PsycINFO; Web of Science) identified 98 articles (N = 402,718; age range 1–17 years) and the present study used a novel two‐stage meta‐analytic structural equation model to investigate whether ACEs predict psychopathology through sleep disturbance. Subgroup analyses determined potential biases due to study design (cross‐sectional vs. longitudinal) and geographical differences (Western vs. non‐Western countries). Sensitivity analyses evaluated the influence of early childhood (

The compression packer is an important downhole oil production tool, and its failure is mainly attributed to the degradation of its embedded rubber cylinders under the action of high temperatures. In the present study we have made a comprehensive investigation on the mechanical response of the sealing packer based on two rubber materials at high temperatures. Firstly, by measuring the material parameters under different temperatures, we established the constitutive relationships of the two rubber materials (Aflas and Kalrez) in consideration of the temperature effect, in the light of the Mooney-Rivlin model. Next, the sealing performances of two optimized packers were analyzed including Aflas and Kalrez rubber cylinders. The effects of high temperature and the initial setting pressure on the sealing effects of these two optimized packers were probed based on the finite element analysis (FEA), and the ranges of temperature and initial setting pressure for best sealing were determined. This study can provide some ideas for the material selection and structural optimization for sealing packers, aiming to ensure the safe operation of the packers in severe environments.

To investigate the quantitative relationship between the volume capture of rainfall and carbon emissions from bioretention facilities, this study introduces the concept of the carbon intensity of volume capture of rainfall. The influence of four key factors—climatic conditions, aquifer height, permeability coefficient, and facility area—was investigated using a residential neighborhood in Tianshui, China, as an example. The results reveal that the carbon intensity value is influenced not only by external environmental changes but also by the inherent attributes of bioretention facilities, such as aquifer height, permeability coefficient, and facility area. The maximum carbon intensity value for the volume capture of rainfall was −0.0005 kg CO2/m3, while the minimum was −0.0852 kg CO2/m3, representing a substantial difference of approximately 169 times. Orthogonal experiments identified the facility area as the most significant influencing factor on carbon intensity, with a correlation coefficient of 0.0520. The area of bioretention facilities can be prioritized to meet deployment requirements, taking into account volume capture reduction effects and carbon emissions. For facilities with a high carbon intensity, an emphasis should be placed on enhancing carbon reduction benefits, and various initiatives can be implemented to achieve this goal.

This article describes and illustrates Paris panxiensis (J. L. Liu) Y. Yuan & J. L. Liu from a morphological perspective, based on field survey, indoor potting and garden cultivation, and observations gleaned from these activities. This variety is closely related to P. delavayi Franch, P. daliensis H. Li et V. G. Soukup, P. lihengiana G. W. Hu & Q. F. Wang and P. polyphylla Smith var. stenophylla Franch, but differs from these in having the following characteristics: flower parts with a basic number of 4–8, petals far shorter than sepals, linear-virgate, bottom linear, gradually thickening upward, erect, never extend or curved, apex rounded or obtuse, and connectivum projecting.

Abstract Osteosarcoma is a common malignant bone tumor characterized by the production of osteoid stroma by the tumor. However, effect of IGFBP4 and TAGLN on the survival of osteosarcoma is unclear. The GEO database was used to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between control samples and osteosarcoma. Genes for biological process (BP), cellular composition (CC), and molecular function (MF) were examined using DAVID, Metascape, and GSEA. GSE14359 and GSE36001 were downloaded in the GEO database. GEO2R was used to find DEGs between control samples and osteosarcoma. The cytoHubb also found the hub genes of IGFBP4 and TAGLN. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to analyze overall survival. A total of 134 patients with osteosarcoma were enrolled in this study. The RNA levels of IGFBP4 and TAGLN were evaluated by RT-qPCR. The correlation between IGFBP4 and TAGLN expression and their associations with clinical indicators were analyzed using Spearman's rho test and Pearson's Chi-squared test. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to determine the potential prognostic factors. And the animal model was used to verify the role of hub genes on the osteosarcoma by the RT-qPCR and immunofluorescence. Support Vector Machine (SVM) was performed to construct the correlation among the expression of IGFBP4, TAGLN, and osteosarcoma. Through bioinformatics, IGFBP4 and TAGLN were identified as the hub genes of osteosarcoma. And osteosarcoma patients with high expression levels of IGFBP4 (HR = 0.56, P = 0.013) and TAGLN (HR = 0.52, P = 0.012) had better overall survival times than those with low expression levels. The results showed that pathologic grade (P = 0.017), tumor metastasis (P

Defects in BRCA1, a gene involved in homologous recombination DNA repair, are common in triple negative breast cancer. Here the authors show that Brca1 deficiency in preclinical breast cancer models is associated with the accumulation of myeloid derived suppressive cells and resistance to immune checkpoint blockade, that could be overcome by targeting S100A9 and CXCL12.

Transmission congestion identification and expansion planning methods for power systems with wind power are proposed in this paper. First, wind farm model is established based on Copula theory considering the uncertainty and correlation of wind speed and wind turbine’s failure. Next, generation rescheduling model with wind farm and TCSC is established and a transmission congestion identification method based on reliability evaluation is proposed. Then, alternative schemes of expansion planning have been proposed according to the results of congestion identification, and the final scheme is determined by probabilistic economic analysis method. Finally, case studies have been carried out on modified RBTS test system. For the mRBTS system, when wind farms are integrated into system from bus 1 and 2, the best expansion solution is to build new transmission line; while when wind farms are integrated from bus 3 and 5, the best expansion solution is to install TCSC. Results of case studies verify the effectiveness of the proposed congestion identification and expansion planning methods of transmission system, and reveal that the location of wind power affects the decision making of transmission system expansion planning scheme.

Urechis unicinctus can utilize the ability of large deformation to advance in sands by radial expansion, just using a small force. However, the large deformation of U. unicinctus skin and the discrete nature of the sands make it hard to analyze this process quantitatively. In this study, we aim to uncover the burrowing mechanism of U. unicinctus in granular sediments by combining discrete and finite elements. We observe that U. unicinctus will expand radially at the head, and then the head will shrink to move forward. The radial expansion will collapse the sands and let them flow, making it easy to advance. U. unicinctus mainly relies on the skin’s large deformation and sufficient pressure to achieve radial expansion. Thus, we first establish the large deformation constitutive model of the skin. The stress–strain relationship can be expressed by the Yeoh model. Meanwhile, the pressure required for radial expansion is indirectly measured by the balloon experiment. To study the effect of radial expansion on the burrowing behavior, we use the finite element method–discrete element method (FEM–DEM) coupling model to simulate the expansion process of burrowing. The simulated pressure for radial expansion is very close to the experimental data, verifying the reliability of the simulation. The results show that the expansion can drastically reduce the pressure of sand particles on the head front face by 97.1% ± 0.6%, significantly decreasing the difficulty of burrowing. This unique underwater burrow method of U. unicinctus can provide new ideas for engineering burrowing devices in soft soil, especially for granular sediments.

Abstract Reliable and reversible adhesion underwater is challenging due to the water molecules and weak layers of contaminants at the contact interface, which requires to deepen the understanding of wet adhesion of biological surfaces. Herein, the co‐effect of microstructures and mucus of abalone foot on wet adhesion is investigated from both experimental and theoretical perspectives. The morphologies, adhesion force and coefficient of friction indicate that the mucus in adhesion zone is crucial for successful attachment of abalone based on capillary forces and viscous forces, and the mucus in non‐adhesion zone with lower adhesion force and friction coefficient may behave as a lubricant for the locomotion. The theoretical calculation manifests that the microstructures may help abalone to form multiple liquid bridges with the secreted mucus, and significantly increase the wet adhesion force of abalone. These findings will bring profound views into the underlying mechanisms of biological surface adhesion.

IntroductionInsulin signaling via the insulin receptor (IR) may be associated with the amelioration of diet-induced metabolic syndrome. Genistein, a soy isoflavone, has been suggested to play a role in the amelioration of high-fat diet-induced metabolic disorders.MethodsHere, we aimed to explore whether genistein regulates glucose and hepatic lipid by activating the insulin signaling pathway in diet-induced obesity mice.ResultsWe showed that treatment of western-style diet-fed mice with genistein (60 mg/kg) significantly improved insulin resistance with decreased hyperglycemia and HOMA-IR index. These effects were linked to activating hepatic IRβ/PI3K/Akt signaling. Furthermore, genistein suppressed gluconeogenesis and promoted glycogen synthesis to maintain glucose homeostasis by increasing the phosphorylation of hepatic FOXO1/GSK3β in vivo and in vitro. The reduced level of insulin and upregulation of insulin signaling in genistein-treated mice also lead to an increase in hepatic energy status by inducing energy-sensing AMPK, reducing hepatic SREBP1c/ACC/FAS without affecting β-oxidation to prevent hepatic lipid accumulation. The protective effect of genistein on hepatic lipid accumulation was also validated in vitro. Besides, genistein had little effect on improvements in intestinal function and liver inflammation.ConclusionTaken together, our results showed that genistein prevents insulin resistance and hyperglycemia through improvements in hepatic function. This study provides new insight into the mechanisms of genistein mediating glucose metabolism and suggests that genistein may be a promising diet ingredient for preventing prediabetes and hepatic lipid accumulation.

Abstract Foams are substances widely used the foam flooding technology, which aim to greatly improve the residual oil recovery. In the present study, we perform a comprehensive investigation on the oil removal process driven by the foam embedded with magnetic particles, under the action of the magnetic force. The experiment shows that the addition of magnetic particles has little effect on the stability of the foam. During the motion of the foam, its maximum displacement and maximum acceleration are fully explored. Such factors as the volume of the foam, the volume of the oil droplet, the mass concentration of magnetic particles, and the Young’s contact angle of surfactant on solid are surveyed in detail. The function curves of the maximum displacement and the maximum acceleration with respect to these variables are obtained in the experiment, and the selection of some optimal parameters is advised. Moreover, the dimensional analysis has been conducted and several scaling laws are given, which are in agreement with the experimental results. These findings are beneficial to understand the oil displacement with the aid of magnetic field, which also provide some inspirations on drug delivery, robots and micro-fluidics.

Abstract Background Few studies have examined clinically relevant mechanisms that underlie the association between two important indices of recovery— depression severity and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in psychiatric outpatients. This study aimed to explicate the roles of pain interference and pain severity as mediating and moderating mechanisms in the relationship between depressive symptoms and HRQOL. Methods Data from 290 outpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia (n = 102), depressive (n = 98), and anxiety (n = 90) disorders were examined. Participants completed a set of questionnaires that queried their sociodemographic statuses, current pain severity and interference levels, depression severity levels, and HRQOL. Subsequently, mediation and moderation analyses were conducted. Results Analyses revealed that pain interference fully mediated the relationship between depressive symptoms and physical (34% of the total effect) but not mental HRQOL. At high pain levels (+ 1 SD from mean), depressive symptoms may interfere with physical quality of life through pain interference, but this was not present at low pain levels (− 1 SD from mean). Conclusions Prolonged pain symptoms could negatively influence psychiatric recovery beyond the physical aspect of HRQOL. These results thus imply a need to detect and manage severe physical pain complaints at the acute stage in psychiatric outpatients.

BackgroundPaclitaxel-coated balloon (PCB) angioplasty is a mainstream treatment for peripheral artery disease; however, the safety of PCB remains controversial.Case presentationWe confirmed acute occlusion during PCB angioplasty in a patient with femoropopliteal artery occlusion. The occluded vessels were revascularized completely after endovascular medical therapy and bailout stenting angioplasty. Then, the patient experienced persistent post-procedure orthostatic hypotension (30 days) and received hydration and vasoactive agents with a target mean arterial blood pressure of 75–85 mmHg. The patient's blood pressure gradually recovered over the 30 days after the procedure, and there was no recurrence of symptomatic hypotension during the follow-up.ConclusionsThis rare complication is helpful to evaluate the safety of the PCB device.

Labyrinth seals are widely used in turbomachinery devices to prevent the leakage of fluid medium in seal structures. Under high parametrical environments, the heat generated by frictional resistance of the turbulence between the stator and rotor walls not only increases the temperature of the fluid and the solid, but also reduces the operation efficiency of the device. Therefore, it is necessary to implement the fluid–solid-thermal multi-field analysis of labyrinth seals and propose a comprehensive optimization design of the load-bearing and heat insulation. In the present study, inspired by a bionic snail shell, a sandwich structure with load-bearing material on both upper and lower surfaces and the heat insulation material in the middle is obtained through the genetic algorithm optimization. Then, the luid-solid-thermal multi-field analysis of the labyrinth seal with the sandwich structure is carried out. It is verified that the layer arrangement and layer thickness ratio of the bionic structure ensured the optimal performance of load-bearing and heat insulation. After changing the layer arrangement or layer thickness ratio, the comprehensive performance of load-bearing and heat insulation is obviously weakened. The result shows that the bionic multilayer sandwich structure can be applied to the labyrinth seal to achieve optimal comprehensive performance of load-bearing and heat insulation.

Magnetic characteristics of the SRM can be monitored directly in the detection of commutation instants. However, the mutual inductance effect between the adjacent phases is prominent for the switched reluctance motor when the adjacent phases are energized simultaneously. Consequently, mutual coupling will distort the response current profile of the injection voltage phase, thereby affecting position estimation precision. In order to acquire a precise estimation and accommodate it for the SRM drive system, it is necessary to take into consideration the modifications for the sensor-less scheme. This study presents a unique rotor position estimation approach to eliminate the mutual inductance effect by using the phase current slope difference method. The sensor-less scheme is achieved by setting a low and a high threshold, and a series of voltage pulses are injected in the idle phase alternately, synchronizing with the chopping current control. Without prior knowledge of mutual inductance and any additional position sensor, a precisely estimated rotor position is achieved. A dynamic model of a 12/8 SRM model is established to evaluate its validity, and both simulation results and experimental evaluation indicate that the proposed sensor-less control can be accomplished with an adequate precision used in a variety of applications.

Abstract The female inflorescence of hops is traditionally used in the brewing industry to impart bitterness, aroma, flavour and longer shelf life to beer, where the bittering acids are the main compounds that enhance the quality of the beer. In recent years, a wide variety of bioactive compounds have been reported to be present in female flowers. Due to the growing consumer interests in natural ingredients, a great deal of research has been carried out in the last few years to find new sources of functional biomolecules. This paper reviews the recent applications of hops in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries and provides an overview of the bioactive potential of hops. In addition, the analytical techniques of hops compound are reviewed. The biological activities of hops compound such as antibacterial, antifungal, cardioprotective, antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory and anticancer are reviewed and the recent effects of hop bittering derivatives on beer‐related microbial activity are also presented. It is thus clear that hops have a high potential as bioactive components for use as preservatives in fresh foods to extend shelf life and as cosmetic formulations for skin care products as well as nutraceutical and health implications.

As an important microbial exopolysaccharide, the sphingan WL gum could be widely used in petroleum, food, and many other fields. However, its lower production is still limiting its wider application. Therefore, to gain insights into the bottlenecks of WL gum production by identifying the key enzymes in the WL gum biosynthesis pathway, more than 20 genes were over-expressed in Sphingomonas sp. WG and their effects on WL gum production and structure were investigated. Compared to the control strain, the WL gum production of welB over-expression strain was increased by 19.0 and 21.0% at 36 and 84 h, respectively. The WL gum production of both atrB and atrD over-expression strains reached 47 g/L, which was approximately 34.5% higher than that of the control strain at 36 h. Therefore, WelB, AtrB, and AtrD may be the key enzymes in WL production. Interestingly, the broth viscosity of most over-expression strains decreased, especially the welJ over-expression strain whose viscosity decreased by 99.3% at 84 h. Polysaccharides’ structural features were investigated to find the critical components in viscosity control. The uronic acid content and total sugar content was affected by only a few genes, therefore, uronic acid and total sugar content may be not the key composition. In comparison, the acetyl degrees were enhanced by over-expression of most genes, which meant that acetyl content may be the critical factor and negatively correlated with the apparent viscosity of WL gum. This work provides useful information on the understanding of the bottlenecks of WL gum biosynthesis and will be helpful for the construction of high WL gum-yielding strains and rheological property controlling in different industries.

Till now, the effect of different embolic materials (particulate vs coil) on pre-embolization of carotid body tumors remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to explore the comparative results between particulate and coil embolization for carotid body tumors. Thirty-seven patients with carotid body tumors who underwent embolization before surgical resection were reviewed and analyzed in this retrospective study between 2008 and 2020. Twenty-one patients were included in the particulate group, while 16 patients were included in the coil group. All procedure-related details, complications and 5-year follow-up data were collected in the study. The preoperative embolization time was obviously longer in the particulate group than in the coil group (42.6 ± 12.3 min vs. 33.7 ± 10.1 min, P =.02), and the fluo time of the procedure (864.5 ± 240.9 s vs. 729.6 ± 251.5 s) and cumulative air kerma (634.6 ± 188.4 mGy vs. 486.7 ± 164.7 mGy) value were higher in the particulate group (P =.01). The incidences of total adverse events in both groups were not significantly different (28.6% vs. 25.0%, P >.05); however, two cases of ectopic embolization only occurred in the particulate group. Interestingly, medical expenditure was higher in the particulate group than in the coil group (P =.02). For the 3-year follow-up evaluation, recurrence and all-cause mortality were similar in both groups (P >.05). Preoperative embolization with coils could be relatively safe, have a lower radiation dosage and be cost-effective for the treatment of carotid body tumors.

Cancer metastasis is the cause of the majority of cancer-related deaths. In this study, we demonstrated that no expression or low expression of ATP11B in conjunction with high expression of PTDSS2, which was negatively regulated by BRCA1, markedly accelerates tumor metastasis. Further analysis revealed that cells with low ATP11B expression and high PTDSS2 expression (ATP11BloPTDSS2hi cells) were associated with poor prognosis and enhanced metastasis in breast cancer patients in general. Mechanistically, an ATP11BloPTDSS2hi phenotype was associated with increased levels of nonapoptotic phosphatidylserine (PS) on the outer leaflet of the cell membrane. This PS increase serves as a global immunosuppressive signal to promote breast cancer metastasis through an enriched tumor microenvironment with the accumulation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells and reduced activity of cytotoxic T cells. The metastatic processes associated with ATP11BloPTDSS2hi cancer cells can be effectively overcome by changing the expression phenotype to ATP11BhiPTDSS2lo through a combination of anti-PS antibody with either paclitaxel or docetaxel. Thus, blocking the ATP11BloPTDSS2hi axis provides a new selective therapeutic strategy to prevent metastasis in breast cancer patients.

Sphingomonas sp. WG produced WL gum with commercial utility potential in many industries. A hybrid sensor histidine kinase/response regulator WelA was identified to regulate the WL gum biosynthesis, and its function was evaluated by gene deletion strategy. The WL gum production and broth viscosity of mutant ΔwelA was only 44% and 0.6% of wild type strain at 72 h. The transcriptomic analysis of differentially expressed genes showed that WelA was mapped to CckA; ChpT, and CtrA in the CckA-ChpT-CtrA pathway was up-regulated. One phosphodiesterase was up-regulated by CtrA, and the intracellular c-di-GMP was decreased. Most genes involved in WL gum biosynthesis pathway was not significantly changed in ΔwelA except the up-regulated atrB and atrD and the down-regulated pmm. Furthermore, the up-regulated regulators ctrA, flaEY, flbD, and flaF may participate in the regulation of flagellar biogenesis and influenced motility. These results suggested that CckA-ChpT-CtrA pathway and c-di-GMP were involved in WL gum biosynthesis regulation. This work provides useful information on the understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying WL gum biosynthesis regulation.

Single-cell whole-exome sequencing is a powerful method for deciphering intratumor heterogeneity and identifying cancer drivers. Here, the authors analyze SNVs and CNVs simultaneously in bulk and single cells of BRCA1-associated breast tissues and cancers and show that Plekha5 deficiency promotes metastasis.

Abstract Background The Needs Assessment of Family Caregivers- Cancer (NAFC-C) scale is shown to have adequate psychometric properties in assessing family caregiver needs during the cancer journey and its psychometric properties have been studied only in Western populations. This study sought to validate the NAFC-C in an Asian population for wider applicability. Methods Participants (n = 363) completed questions on sociodemographics, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, the Zarit Burden Interview, the Caregiver Quality of Life Index-Cancer scale, and the NAFC-C. Results Results revealed good internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and concurrent validity of the NAFC-C. Confirmatory factor analysis did not demonstrate a good fit of the NAFC-C in our sample. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a similar factor structure in this study’s population. Further reliability and validity analyses with the EFA factor structure demonstrated similar reliability and validity assessments. Conclusions The NAFC-C is shown to be applicable in an Asian population. It would be a useful instrument for determining family caregivers’ needs and to inform future interventions to address those needs and improve or maintain quality of life in both patients and their caregivers.

Abstract Background The fear of illness progression is common amongst those with chronic illnesses including cancers, and contributes to high psychological morbidity. Research in Asia on such fears however, is limited by a paucity of validated measurement instruments. Amongst the many available instruments, the Fear of Progression Questionnaire has a high quality rating, an important consideration in its selection. This study developed a simplified Mandarin version of the Fear of Progression Questionnaire – Short Form (FoP-Q-SF), and validated the English and Mandarin versions for use in Chinese populations. Methods The translation to a simplified Mandarin version was through a forward-backward translation with emphasis on conceptual and cultural equivalence. Cancer survivors (N = 341) completed a self-report questionnaire, the Fear of Progression Questionnaire – Short Form, other measures of fear of progression, depression, anxiety, and quality of life. Reliability and criterion validity were assessed, and the factor-structure was replicated with a confirmatory factor analysis. Results The Fear of Progression Questionnaire – Short Form demonstrated high internal and test-retest reliability. Criterion validity was also demonstrated through convergent, concurrent and discriminant validity. The factor structure was supported and replicated. The goodness-of-fit indices of the original model indicated some misfit, which could be adequately addressed by freeing five parameters in the error covariance matrix, without changing the one-factor structure. Conclusions The Fear of Progression Questionnaire – Short Form is a reliable and valid measure of fear of progression applicable to a mixed-cancer survivor population in Singapore. The simplified Mandarin version of the questionnaire will be useful in other parts of Asia and for Chinese migrants in the West, further extending the use of this questionnaire.

ObjectiveTo assess the safety and efficacy of stent thrombectomy alone or combined with intermediate catheter aspiration for severe cerebral venous sinus thrombosis.MethodWe retrospectively collected the clinical data of 7 patients with severe CVST who received endovascular treatment at our hospital from January 2017 to June 2020. The patients had at least one adverse prognostic factor (mental status disorder, comatose state, intracerebral hemorrhage, or thrombosis of the deep venous system).ResultsThe median age was 51 years. Three patients were women. Two or more venous sinuses were in involved in 5 patients. All patients received systemic anticoagulant therapy before endovascular therapy. Neurological deterioration was the main reason for patients with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis undergoing intravascular therapy. The median time from admission to intravascular therapy was 3 days (1–9 days). Primary endpoints: 6 patients (85.7%) had a modified Rankin scale score of 0 at day 90, and 1 patient (14.3%) had a modified Rankin scale score of 2 at day 90. Secondary endpoints: complete recanalization was achieved in 4 cases (57.1%) and partial recanalization in 3 cases (42.9%).ConclusionStent thrombectomy, combined with intermediate catheter aspiration, balloon dilation, and regional thrombolysis/anticoagulation treatment, is an effective strategy to treat severe cerebral venous sinus thrombosis patients who had inadequate response to anticoagulant therapy. This strategy can quickly eliminate the occluded venous sinus and improve prognosis of severe cerebral venous sinus thrombosis.

Objective The incidence of surgical site infection (SSI) after femoral neck fracture is significantly higher in immunocompromised patients. This study was performed to explore the temporal changes of blood-related parameters in immunocompromised patients after femoral neck fracture repair and to determine the correlation between the platelet (PLT) count and SSI. Methods This study involved 101 immunocompromised patients who underwent repair of a femoral neck fracture from April 2018 to August 2019. SSI was confirmed by postoperative observation of the incision and B-mode ultrasound imaging examination. Blood parameter measurements and dynamic observation were performed 1, 3, 5, 7, and 14 days postoperatively. Results The procalcitonin concentration, D-dimer concentration, and PLT count were strongly correlated with temporal changes. The PLT count changes crossed between patients with and without SSI 3 to 5 days after surgery, and the PLT count increased in patients with SSI 3 to 5 days after surgery. The PLT count had high specificity and sensitivity for predicting SSI with a cut-off value of 167.5 × 10 9 /L. Conclusion The temporal changes of the PLT count in immunocompromised patients who have undergone femoral neck fracture repair can serve as an early warning of SSI.

Additive manufacturing (AM) enables diversity in honeycomb structure configuration, which benefits optimization of the honeycomb structure. In the present study, we proposed two locally enhanced triangular honeycomb structures to improve in-plane compressive performance by avoiding diagonal fracture band. The compressive behaviors and failure mechanism of the original and enhanced triangular honeycomb structures made of 316L steel were studied by experiments and numerical simulations. The results show that the cell-enhanced triangular honeycomb structure and wall-enhanced triangular honeycomb structure possess significantly improved stiffness and peak load compared with the original structure. The fracture band along the diagonal direction of the triangular honeycomb structure is caused by buckling of the cell wall, which is related to its topologic structure. Stress distribution is an essential index reflecting the performance of a honeycomb structure. Uniform stress distribution makes the honeycomb structure fail layer by layer, and it can improve the peak load of the honeycomb structure. Defects such as unmelted metal particles and voids caused by AM processing weaken the strength and plasticity, and the resulting brittleness makes the honeycomb structure fall into pieces.

Beef jerky is a traditional fermented meat product from Inner Mongolia, handcrafted by artisans. We investigated the bacteria of the microbial community, volatile flavor components, and biogenic amines of Inner Mongolia beef jerky via high-throughput sequencing, solid-phase microextraction with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, and high-performance liquid chromatography, respectively. Thirty-three bacteria were identified, predominantly from the genera Pseudomonas (45.4%), Ralstonia (13.4%), and Acinetobacter (7.3%). Fifty-nine volatile flavor compounds and eight biogenic amines were detected. Based on Spearman’s correlation coefficient, 20 bacterial genera were significantly associated with the dominant volatile compounds in the beef jerky samples (p < 0.05). The results demonstrated that beef jerky may be toxic due to cadaverine, putrescine, and histamine; moreover, the amounts of putrescine and cadaverine were positively correlated with the abundance of unclassified_f_Enterobacteriaceae (p < 0.05). These findings shed light on the formation of the microbial community, flavor components, and biogenic amines of beef jerky, thereby providing a basis for improving its quality.

Introduction: Blunt thoracic aortic injury (BTAI) is rare in elderly patients. As the population ages and life expectancy increases, the frequency of this injury will increase, while the treatment and outcomes remain unclear. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the collected data of patients >60 years old with BTAI to investigate the mechanism of trauma; time interval from injury to diagnosis; type and timing of surgical intervention; aortic arch pattern; choice of left subclavian artery reconstruction; endograft to treat BTAI; length of the endovascular procedure; endoleaks; complications including stroke, paraplegia, and renal failure; length of hospital stay (LOS) and intensive care unit stay (L.ICUS); and 30-day mortality. Results: Five elderly trauma patients were found to have BTAI. Four (80%) were males, the cohort mean age was 68 years, the major mechanism of trauma was fall injury, and the associated injury was thoracic trauma. All patients were transferred to our hospital, and emergency computed tomography angiography showed BTAI in each patient. The average time interval from injury to diagnosis was 2.7 days. Two patients suddenly showed signs of instability in their vital signs and underwent immediate endovascular repair, while 3 patients underwent delayed endovascular repair. The injury site was located in the aortic isthmus just distal to the origin of the left subclavian artery; the aortic arch pattern was II (80.0%) in 4 cases and III in 1 case (20.0%). The choice of left subclavian artery reconstruction included chimney, double chimney, prefenestration, and chimney combined with in situ fenestration. Endografts to treat BTAI included the Ankura (Lifetech Scientific, Shenzhen, China) and the C-TAG (W.L. Gore & Associates, Flagstaff, AZ USA).The length of the endovascular procedure was 75.4 min; there were no endoleaks and no complications including stroke, paraplegia, or renal failure. The average LOS was 25 days, and the average L.ICUS of 2 patients was 15 days, with no 30-day mortality. Conclusion: Elderly patients with fall injury should promptly exclude BTAI. Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) with a left subclavian artery reconstruction technique provided good results without procedure-related or neurological complications. Because of the low incidence of this type of injury, we are unable to provide any evidence to guide the treatment option for this life-threatening condition. Keywords: Blunt traumatic aortic injury, Thoracic endovascular repair, Reconstruction of left subclavian artery

The abalone is well known as a non-permanent adhesive organism, and its adhesion mechanism is beneficial to such areas as underwater robotics, high precision sensors, and intelligent devices. Firstly, we observe the posture response of an abalone under the action of different water flow conditions. The result shows that under a high velocity of water, it tends to make its tail comply with the water flow, and vice versa, under a low speed, its head tends to comply with the water flow. The finite element method (FEM) simulation is performed to display the stress field, which can reasonably explain this phenomenon, and the strength check is also made on the pedal and shell. Next, the critical velocity of water flow when the abalone is peeled from the substrate is calculated, where the CEL (Coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian) method is used in simulation. At last, the adhesion behaviors of an abalone located in a trough or when it is behind an obstacle are explored. Most of these findings can be supported by the experimental results. This analysis is helpful to make a deep understanding on the adhesion behaviors of marine creatures.

In this paper, the methane hydrate phase transition process in deep-sea methane hydrate-bearing soil under heating and compression was simulated by the molecular dynamics method. The evolution of deep-sea methane hydrate-bearing soil’s microstructure, system energy, intermolecular interaction energy, and radial distribution function during heating and compression was investigated. The micromechanism of the influence of the methane hydrate phase transition on the mechanical properties of deep-sea methane hydrate-bearing soil was analyzed. The results demonstrated that the methane hydrate dissociation starts from both sides to the middle and the void spaces between the soil particles had nearly no change during the heating process. For the compression process, the methane hydrate on both sides and the middle dissociated at the same time, and the void spaces became smaller. The methane hydrate phase transition on the effects of mechanical properties of the deep-sea methane hydrate-bearing soil is mainly caused by three aspects. (1) the dissociation of methane hydrate incurs the decrease of methane hydrate saturation. The free water and methane molecules generated cannot migrate in time and thus lead to the increase of excess pore water press and excess pore gas press. (2) The dissipated energy causes the decrease of the effective stress between the soil particles. (3) Due to the methane hydrate decomposition, the free water molecules increase, which reduces the friction of soil particles.

Poor wind environment in residential areas leads to the accumulation of odor from domestic waste, affecting pedestrian health. A reasonable arrangement of waste collection points can reduce pedestrian exposure risks. This study aims to investigate the hydrogen sulfide (H2S) dispersion and residents’ exposure risk at the pedestrian level for five different locations of waste collection points in a residential building array. Simulation results are consistent with the benchmark wind tunnel experiment, validating that the used turbulence model and numerical methods show good agreement with the predictions of the aforementioned problem. Results indicate that the dimensionless concentration of H2S and personal intake fraction in a residential area are lower when the collection point is at the corner of the building array periphery. When the collection point is located in the middle of the periphery of the building array or between two adjacent buildings in the center of the array, the local dimensionless concentration of H2S is 50 at the pedestrian level, and the personal intake fraction is three orders of magnitude higher than that at the corner of the building array periphery. The findings provide a reference for the layout of waste collection points in high-density residential areas and reduction in outdoor exposure risk.

In this study, we aim to probe the self-righting behavior of abalone on a substrate based on experiments and mechanistic analyses. A successful self-righting process of abalone is observed, and its critical condition in theory can be given in terms of the rotation angle. Then, according to the moment balance and potential energy minimization, the required tension force of the abalone foot for self-righting is derived with respect to the rotation angle. The experimental result also shows that in many cases the abalone cannot finish this self-righting process. Then, measurements on the tolerant strength of abalone muscle and tolerant adhesion strength of the foot on substrate are both conducted. It is judged that the abalone muscle is strong enough, which can provide enough tension force, and thus, the self-righting mainly depends on the adhesion area of the foot on substrate. These findings cast new light on engineering new types of biomaterials and devices, such as marine equipment and soft robotics.

Armillaria luteo-virens Sacc (ALS) is a rare wild Chinese medicinal and edible basidiomycete. However, its protective effect on intestinal functions and the underlying mechanism is still unknown. This work explored the improvement of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis by ALS. ALS supplementation markedly improved colitis symptoms, gut barrier integrity, and goblet loss in DSS-treated mice. In addition, ALS inhibited colonic inflammation through the inhibition/activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinases/NF-κB signaling pathway. The 16S rRNA gene-based microbiota analysis revealed that ALS altered the gut microbiota composition, decreasing the richness of Enterobacteriaceae and increasing the abundance of Lactobacillaceae. The bile-acid-targeted metabolomic analysis showed that ALS recovered the microbial bile acid metabolism in the gut, enabling the activation of the farnesoid X receptor signaling by these acids, thus maintaining the intestinal homeostasis. Importantly, broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment reduced the efficacy of ALS-induced protection from colitis. Overall, our findings suggest that ALS may represent a novel approach in the nutritional intervention to prevent colitis.

Abstract Ag–AgX(X = Cl, Br)@TiO2 nanoparticle-aggregated spheres with different mass ratio of R = TiO2/Ag(X) from 35:1 to 5:1 were synthesized by a facile sol–gel technique with post-photoreduction. The photocatalytic activities of both Ag–AgCl@TiO2 and Ag–AgBr@TiO2 under visible light are effectively improved by ~3 times relative to TiO2 NPAS under the simulated sunlight for the decomposition of methyl orange (MO). Ag–AgBr@TiO2 showed 30% improvement and less stable in photocatalytic activity than that of AgCl@TiO2. The role of Ag and AgX nanoparticles on the surface of Ag–AgX(X = Cl, Br)@TiO2 was discussed. Ag on these samples not only can efficiently harvest visible light especially for AgCl, but also efficiently separate excited electrons and holes via the fast electron transfer from AgX(X = Cl, Br) to metal Ag nanoparticles and then to TiO2-aggregated spheres on the surface of heterostructure. On the basis of their efficient and stable photocatalytic activities under visible-light irradiation, these photocatalysts could be widely used for degradation of organic pollutants in aqueous solution.

Abstract Background and purposes The multiplier method was introduced by Paley to calculate the timing for temporary hemiepiphysiodesis. However, this method has not been verified in terms of clinical outcome measure. We aimed to (1) predict the rate of angular correction per year (ACPY) at the various corresponding ages by means of multiplier method and verify the reliability based on the data from the published studies and (2) screen out risk factors for deviation of prediction. Methods A comprehensive search was performed in the following electronic databases: Cochrane, PubMed, and EMBASE™. A total of 22 studies met the inclusion criteria. If the actual value of ACPY from the collected date was located out of the range of the predicted value based on the multiplier method, it was considered as the deviation of prediction (DOP). The associations of patient characteristics with DOP were assessed with the use of univariate logistic regression. Results Only one article was evaluated as moderate evidence; the remaining articles were evaluated as poor quality. The rate of DOP was 31.82%. In the detailed individual data of included studies, the rate of DOP was 55.44%. Conclusion The multiplier method is not reliable in predicting the timing for temporary hemiepiphysiodesis, even though it is prone to be more reliable for the younger patients with idiopathic genu coronal deformity.

Abstract One of the low-dimensional Boron Nitride (BN) forms, namely, cubic-BN (c-BN) nanodots (NDs), offers a variety of novel opportunities in battery, biology, deep ultraviolet light emitting diodes, sensors, filters, and other optoelectronic applications. To date, the attempts towards producing c-BN NDs were mainly performed under extreme high-temperature/high-pressure conditions and resulted in c-BN NDs with micrometer sizes, mixture of different BN phases, and containing process-related impurities/contaminants. To enhance device performance for those applications by taking advantage of size effect, pure, sub-100 nm c-BN NDs are necessary. In this paper, we report self-assembled growth of c-BN NDs on cobalt and nickel substrates by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. It is found that the nucleation, formation, and morphological properties of c-BN NDs can be closely correlated with the nature of substrate including catalysis effect, lattice-mismatch-induced strain, and roughness, and growth conditions, in particular, growth time and growth temperature. The mean lateral size of c-BN NDs on cobalt scales from 175 nm to 77 nm with the growth time. The growth mechanism of c-BN NDs on metal substrates is concluded to be Volmer-Weber (VW) mode. A simplified two-dimensional numerical modeling shows that the elastic strain energy plays a key role in determining the total formation energy of c-BN NDs on metals.