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This paper is devoted to two classes of operators related to positively limited sets on Banach lattices, which we call positively limited operators and positively limited completely continuous operators, respectively. We study the relationship between these two classes of operators and other known classes of operators such as (L-, M-)weakly compact operators, almost limited operators, etc. Some lattice-topological properties of Banach lattices, the positive GP and the dual positive Schur property, are characterized in terms of positively limited operators or positively limited completely continuous operators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies attribute the excellent properties of high-entropy alloys to the ordering-phenomena. It can be known from density functional theory that the macroscopic properties of the system can be described by the electron density. Electronegativity is related to electron density, and models describing ordering can be established based on electronegativity scales through machine learning. In this study, a large dataset was established and predicted the ordered state corresponding to the alloy composition. The accuracy of the model on the test set was 94%. Furthermore, this study used different methods to explain the machine learning model and learned more model information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, new stability criteria for linear time-invariant fractional-order systems (LTIFOSs) based on linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) are derived. The solved variable of the existing LMI formulations is generalized to a complex one. In addition, based on the congruent transformation, a new LMI formulation is obtained, which is different from those in the existing literature. To deal with the above LMIs more conveniently with simulation software, the complex LMIs are converted to equivalent real LMIs. Finally, numerical examples are presented to validate the effectiveness of our theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Real-time performance and reliability are two critical indicators in cyber–physical production systems (CPPS). To meet strict requirements in terms of these indicators, it is necessary to solve complex job-shop scheduling problems (JSPs) and reserve considerable redundant resources for unexpected jobs before production. However, traditional job-shop methods are difficult to apply under dynamic conditions due to the uncertain time cost of transmission and computation. Edge computing offers an efficient solution to this issue. By deploying edge servers around the equipment, smart factories can achieve localized decisions based on computational intelligence (CI) methods offloaded from the cloud. Most works on edge computing have studied task offloading and dispatching scheduling based on CI. However, few of the existing methods can be used for behavior-level control due to the corresponding requirements for ultralow latency (10 ms) and ultrahigh reliability (99.9999% in wireless transmission), especially when unexpected computing jobs arise. Therefore, this paper proposes a dynamic resource prediction scheduling (DRPS) method based on CI to achieve real-time localized behavior-level control. The proposed DRPS method primarily focuses on the schedulability of unexpected computing jobs, and its core ideas are (1) to predict job arrival times based on a backpropagation neural network and (2) to perform real-time migration in the form of human–computer interaction based on the results of resource analysis. An experimental comparison with existing schemes shows that our DRPS method improves the acceptance ratio by 25.9 % compared to the earliest deadline first scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate the problem of graph neural network quantization. Despite the great success on convolutional neural networks, directly applying current network quantization approaches to graph neural networks faces two challenges. First, the fixed-scale parameter in the current methods cannot flexibly fit diverse tasks and network architectures. Second, the variations of node degree in a graph leads to uneven responses, limiting the accuracy of the quantizer. To address these two challenges, we introduce learnable scale parameters that can be optimized jointly with the graph networks. In addition, we propose degree-aware normalization to process nodes with different degrees. Experiments on different tasks, baselines, and datasets demonstrate the superiority of our method against previous state-of-the-art ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are widely used in the mobile electronics, power, energy storage and other fields due to their excellent electrochemical performance, but their limited service life has resulted in a large number of spent LIBs being discarded. Due to the advantages of high recovery efficiency and mild reaction conditions, the combined pyro-hydrometallurgical process for recovering valuable metal elements from spent LIBs is emerging in line with the principles of green chemistry and has potential for large-scale industrial applications. Here we review current developments in the combined recovery process, aiming to figure out the challenges and future directions for the combined process. In detail, thermal pretreatment methods for collecting the cathode material from spent LIBs, the combined recovery process for treating the cathode material, and the subsequent separation and extraction process are summarized. Furthermore, the practical application of combined recycling schemes is demonstrated. Finally, the development and challenges of the combined process in recycling spent LIBs are revealed. Achieving pollution-free emissions and high-value utilization of spent LIB resources with low-cost treatment are future directions for the combined process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 5G system is an advanced solution for industrial wireless motion control. However, because the scheduling model of 5G new radio (NR) is more complicated than those of other wireless networks, existing real-time scheduling algorithms cannot be used to improve the 5G performance. This results in NR resources not being fully available for industrial systems. Supervised learning has been widely used to solve complicated problems, and its advantages have been demonstrated in multiprocessor scheduling. One of the main reasons why supervised learning has not been used for 5G NR scheduling is the lack of training datasets. Therefore, in this paper, we propose two methods based on optimization modulo theories (OMT) and satisfiability modulo theories (SMT) to generate training datasets for 5G NR scheduling. Our OMT-based method contains fewer variables than existing work so that the Z3 solver can find optimal solutions quickly. To further reduce the solution time, we transform the OMT-based method into an SMT-based method and tighten the search space of SMT based on three theorems and an algorithm. Finally, we evaluate the solution time of our proposed methods and use the generated dataset to train a supervised learning model to solve the 5G NR scheduling problem. The evaluation results indicate that our SMT-based method reduces the solution time by 74.7 % compared to existing ones, and the supervised learning algorithm achieves better scheduling performance than other polynomial-time algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the primary causes of fires at construction sites is welding sparks. Fire detection systems utilizing computer vision technology offer a unique opportunity to monitor fires in construction sites. However, little effort has been made to date in regard to real-time tracking of small sparks that can lead to major fires at construction sites. In this study, a novel method is proposed to detect welding sparks in real-time contour detection with deep learning parameter tuning. An automatic parameter tuning algorithm employing a convolutional neural network was developed to identify the optimum hue saturation value. Additional filtering methods regarding the non-welding zone and a contour area-based filter were also newly developed to enhance the accuracy of welding spark prediction. The method was evaluated using 230 welding spark images and 104 videos. The results obtained from the welding images indicate that the suggested model for detecting welding sparks achieves a precision of 74.45% and a recall of 63.50% when noise images, such as flashing and reflection light, were removed from the dataset. Furthermore, our findings demonstrate that the proposed model is effective in capturing the number of welding sparks in the video dataset, with a 95.2% accuracy in detecting the moment when the number of welding sparks reaches its peak. These results highlight the potential of automated welding spark detection to enhance fire surveillance at construction sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with the tracking control problem for the lower-triangular systems with unknown fractional powers and nonparametric uncertainties. A prescribed performance control approach is put forward as a means of resolving this problem. The proposed control law incorporates a set of barrier functions to guarantee error constraints. Unlike the previous works, our approach works for the cases where the fractional powers, the nonlinearities, and their bounding functions or bounds are totally unknown; no restrictive conditions on the powers, such as power order restriction, specific size limitation or homogeneous condition, are made. Moreover, neither the powers and system nonlinearities nor their bounding functions or bounds are needed. It achieves reference tracking with the preassigned tracking accuracy and convergence speed. In addition, our controller is simple, as it does not necessitate parameter identification, function approximation, derivative calculation, or adding a power integrator technique. At the end, a comparative simulation demonstrates the effectiveness and advantage of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper focuses on the admissibility problem of descriptor fractional-order systems (DFOSs). The alternate admissibility criteria are addressed for DFOSs with order in (0 , 2) which involve a non-strict linear matrix inequality (LMI) method and a strict LMI method, respectively. The forms of non-strict and strict LMIs are brand new and distinguished with the existing literature, which fills the gaps of studies for admissibility. These necessary and sufficient conditions of admissibility are available to the order in (0 , 2) without separating the order ranges into (0 , 1) and [ 1 , 2) . Based on the special position of singular matrix, the non-strict LMI criterion has an advantage in handling the DFOSs with uncertain derivative matrices. For the strict LMI form, a method involving least real decision variables is derived which is more convenient to process the practical solution. Three numerical examples are given to illustrate the validity of the proposed results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transformation induced plasticity (TRIP) effect in high entropy alloys (HEAs) overcomes the strength–ductility "trade-off" and leads to the synchronous improvement of strength and ductility. In this work, we studied a TRIP Fe60Mn20Co10Cr10 HEA with a dual-phase structure consisting of face-centered cubic matrix and hexagonal close-packed (HCP) martensite. By warm-rolling and subsequent annealing, three samples with different recrystallization conditions and HCP phase volume fractions were obtained. The alloys exhibit a good combination of ultimate tensile strength (∼700–900 MPa) and elongation (∼45%–55%), representing sustainable strain hardening behavior over extended deformation regime. To reveal the deformation mechanism of the present TRIP HEA, the method to determine the stacking fault energy (SFE) via a regular solution model was discussed, and the SFE of Fe60Mn20Co10Cr10 alloys at 300 K was estimated as 15.3 mJ/m2. The low SFE promotes the formation and overlapping of stacking faults via dislocation interaction, which provides nucleation sites of HCP martensite and further contributes to the striking strain hardening capacity upon tension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A green process for recovering valuable metal from spent LIBs was proposed. • Waste copperas was used as reductant and sulfating agent. • The redox interaction mechanism was presented. • A preliminary economic evaluation of the whole process was carried out. A large amount of hazardous spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is produced every year. Recovery of valuable metals from spent LIBs is significant to achieve environmental protection and alleviate resource shortages. In this study, a green and facile process for recovery of valuable metals from spent LIBs by waste copperas was proposed. The effects of heat treatment parameters on recovery efficiency of valuable metals and the redox mechanism were studied systematically through phase transformation behavior and valence transition. At low temperature (≤460 °C), copperas reacted with lithium on the outer layer of LIBs preferentially, but the reduction of transition metals was limited. As the temperature rose to 460–700 °C, the extraction efficiency of valuable metals was greatly enhanced due to the generation of SO 2 , and the gas–solid reaction proceeded much fast than the solid–solid reaction. In the final stage (≥700 °C), the main reactions were the thermal decomposition of soluble sulfates and the combination of decomposed oxides with Fe 2 O 3 to form insoluble spinel. Under the optimum roasting conditions, i.e., at a copperas/LIBs mass ratio of 4.5, and a roasting temperature of 650 °C and roasting time of 120 min, the leaching efficiencies of Li, Ni, Co and Mn were 99.94%, 99.2%, 99.5% and 99.65%, respectively. The results showed that valuable metals can be selectively and efficiently extracted from the complex cathode materials by water leaching. This study used waste copperas as an aid to recover metals and provided an alternative technical route for green recycling of spent LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an interval type-2 fuzzy model is presented to describe the nonlinear singular fractional order systems (SFOSs) with 0 < α < 2. The problem of actuator and sensor fault estimation is addressed by designing a non-fragile sliding mode observer (SMO). Firstly, a new criterion is provided to analyse the admissibility of SFOSs, which does not need to divide the fractional order interval (0 , 2) into interval (0 , 1) and interval [ 1 , 2) to study them separately. Then, by expanding the dimension of the SFOS, the non-fragile SMO and the sliding surface are constructed and the accurate estimations of faults and the SFOS state simultaneously are achieved. A new reaching law is designed, which can divide the process of the system moving to the sliding surface into three stages. Further the control law is constructed to guarantee the observation error reaches the sliding surface in finite time. Finally, three examples show the effectiveness of the proposed scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unified frameworks for fractional order systems with fractional order 0 < α < 2 are worth investigating. The aim of this paper is to provide a unified framework for stability and admissibility for fractional order systems and singular fractional order systems with 0 < α < 2 , respectively. By virtue of the LMI region and GLMI region, five stability theorems are presented. Two admissibility theorems for singular fractional order systems are extended from Theorem 5, and, in particular, a strict LMI stability criterion involving the least real decision variables without equality constraint by isomorphic mapping and congruent transform. The equivalence between the admissibility Theorems 6 and 7 is derived. The proposed framework contains some other existing results in the case of 1 ≤ α < 2 or 0 < α < 1 . Compared with published unified frameworks, the proposed framework is truly unified and does not require additional conditional assignment. Finally, without loss of generality, a unified control law is designed to make the singular feedback system admissible based on the criterion in a strict LMI framework and demonstrated by two numerical examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Thoracoscopic lobectomy is a common treatment for congenital lung malformation. Single-direction thoracoscopic lobectomy may be an effective and safe approach without the need to flip the lung over repeatedly, thus minimizing tissue trauma, but its use has not been reported in children. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of single-direction thoracoscopic lobectomy in children. Methods: A total of 91 patients who underwent thoracoscopic lobectomy in our hospital from January 2020 to December 2020 were retrospectively analysed. According to the inclusion criteria, 21 children were identified as the single-direction group. The details of the single-direction thoracoscopic lobectomy technique are described. Another 21 patients who underwent conventional thoracoscopic lobectomy in the same period were matched using the propensity score matching and set as the control group, the clinical outcomes between the two groups were compared. Results: The median age of the patients was 4.72 months (4.72 ± 0.90) with a mean body weight of 7.43 kg (7.43 ± 1.14). There were no significant differences in intraoperative blood loss (P = 0.549), operation time (P = 0.859), length of chest tube drainage (P = 0.102) and length of hospital stay (P = 0.636) between the 2 groups. No patients experienced bronchopleural fistula and conversion to thoracotomy in either group. All patients recovered well without respiratory symptoms or other complications after follow-up of more than 1 year. Conclusions: Our preliminary experience presented a series of single-direction video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy for children with satisfactory perioperative results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive species can successfully and rapidly colonize new niches and expand ranges via founder effects and enhanced tolerance towards environmental stresses. However, the underpinning molecular mechanisms (i.e., gene expression changes) facilitating rapid adaptation to harsh environments are still poorly understood. The red seaweed Gracilaria vermiculophylla, which is native to the northwest Pacific but invaded North American and European coastal habitats over the last 100 years, provides an excellent model to examine whether enhanced tolerance at the level of gene expression contributed to its invasion success. We collected G. vermiculophylla from its native range in Japan and from two non‐native regions along the Delmarva Peninsula (Eastern United States) and in Germany. Thalli were reared in a common garden for 4 months at which time we performed comparative transcriptome (mRNA) and microRNA (miRNA) sequencing. MRNA‐expression profiling identified 59 genes that were differently expressed between native and non‐native thalli. Of these genes, most were involved in metabolic pathways, including photosynthesis, abiotic stress, and biosynthesis of products and hormones in all four non‐native sites. MiRNA‐based target‐gene correlation analysis in native/non‐native pairs revealed that some target genes are positively or negatively regulated via epigenetic mechanisms. Importantly, these genes are mostly associated with metabolism and defence capability (e.g., metal transporter Nramp5, senescence‐associated protein, cell wall‐associated hydrolase, ycf68 protein and cytochrome P450‐like TBP). Thus, our gene expression results indicate that resource reallocation to metabolic processes is most likely a predominant mechanism contributing to the range‐wide persistence and adaptation of G. vermiculophylla in the invaded range. This study, therefore, provides molecular insight into the speed and nature of invasion‐mediated rapid adaption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Bioscaffolds are widely used for tissue engineering, but failed and inconsistent preclinical results have hampered the clinical use of bioscaffolds for tissue engineering. We aimed to construct a cellular remodelling landscape and to identify the key cell subpopulations and important genes driving bladder remodelling. Methods: Twenty‐four reconstructed mouse bladders using porcine small intestinal submucosa (PSIS) were harvested at 1, 3, and 6 weeks to perform single‐cell RNA sequencing. Cell types were identified and their differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at each stage were used for functional analysis. Immunofluorescence was used to validate the specific cell type. Results: The remodelling landscape included 13 cell types. Among them, fibroblasts, smooth muscle cells (SMCs), endothelial cells, and macrophages had the most communications with other cells. In the process of regeneration, DEGs of fibroblasts at 1, 3, and 6 weeks were mainly involved in wound healing, extracellular matrix organization, and regulation of development growth, respectively. Among these cells, Saa3+ fibroblasts might mediate tissue remodelling. The DEGs of SMCs at 1, 3, and 6 weeks were mainly involved in the inflammatory response, muscle cell proliferation, and mesenchyme development, respectively. Moreover, we found that Notch3+ SMCs potentially modulated contractility. From 1 to 6 weeks, synchronous development of endothelial cells was observed by trajectory analysis. Conclusions: A remoulding landscape was successfully constructed and findings might help surficial modifications of PSIS and find a better alternative. However, more in vivo and in vitro studies are needed to further validate these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) analogs are being used by an increasing number of reproductive-age women. However, there is concern regarding the teratogenic potential of GABA analogs. Methods: We performed this systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the relationship between GABA analog exposure and risk of adverse neonatal outcomes. Results: Eight cohort studies were included in the meta-analysis. Exposure to a GABA analog during pregnancy was not associated with an increased risk of congenital malformation (odds ratio [OR] 1.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.96–1.46, P = 0.106) or a small for gestational age (SGA) infant (OR 1.99, 95% CI 0.78–5.1, P = 0.152) compared to no exposure. However, exposure to a GABA analog was associated with an increased risk of preterm birth (PB) (OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.04–2.35, P = 0.033), spontaneous abortion (SA) (OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.14–2.38, P = 0.008), or termination of pregnancy (TOP) (OR 3.02, 95% CI 2–4.56, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Exposure to GABA analogs during pregnancy does not appear to be associated with congenital malformation, although there was some evidence of a higher risk of several other negative neonatal outcomes. Given the few studies included, larger prospective studies controlling for important confounders are needed to verify our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is dealt with the problem of trajectory tracking with prescribed performance for a family of underactuated surface vessels (USVs) under model uncertainties and disturbances. The prescribed performance means that the USV tracks a given trajectory with the arbitrarily predefined speed of response and accuracy. The existing prescribed performance control (PPC) solutions and the traditional robust control approaches for USVs may have the singularity issue or cause a discontinuous control signal. Thereby, a new-type adaptive PPC strategy is put forward in this article. The adaptive technique is devoted to tackling model imperfections as usual, whereas the constraint-handling technique is adopted in a novel way. Herein, we first construct an auxiliary variable instead of using the approach angle or azimuth angle. Then, we impose constraints on the position error, not the tracking error, and the auxiliary variable, simultaneously. In this way, the predefined performance is achieved by moreover a singularity-free continuous control action. These theoretical findings are illustrated via a comparative simulation study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dietary patterns are closely associated with gut microbiota, which has been proved associated with kidney stones. To assess the association among the dietary patterns, gut microbiota, and kidney stones, patients with calcium oxalate stones and participants without kidney stones were recruited in West China Hospital and were divided into the low nephrolithiasis risk (LNR) and high nephrolithiasis risk (HNR) dietary pattern group based on the results of food frequency questionnaires. The genomic DNA of the fecal samples were extracted for 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. The non-kidney stone (NS) group comprised 39 LNR and 45 HNR individuals, while the kidney stone (KS) group consisted of 19 LNR and 50 HNR individuals. The distribution of oxalate in urine (p < 0.01) but not calcium (p = 0.741) was significantly varied among the four groups. Significant difference was found in the dietary patterns of people with KS and NS controls (X2 = 5.744, p = 0.017). Forty-six discriminative bacteria were found among different dietary patterns groups in KS patients and NS controls. Not only gut bacteria such as Pseudomonas, Sphingomonas, Hydrogenoanaerobacterium, Faecalitalea, etc., but also metabolic pathways associated with inflammation, lipid, and mineral metabolism were found more abundant in KS patients with HNR dietary pattern. It is noteworthy that g__Prevotellaceae_UCG_001, g__hgcI_clade, and g__Bradyrhizobium were negatively related to water intake but instead had a positive correlation with salt and meat intake. Our study revealed that gut microbiota with significantly different abundance existed in the HNR dietary patterns compared to the LNR counterparts in both calcium oxalate KS and NS individuals. The dietary patterns may affect the prevention and management of calcium oxalate stones by regulating the homeostasis of gut microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vertically-ordered mesoporous silica film (VMSF) has proven to be an effective anti-interference and anti-fouling layer in the field of analysis. However, because VMSF is not stable enough in complex samples, its application in sensing field is limited. We herein use mussel-inspired multi-functional agent polydopamine (PDA) to enhance the stability of VMSF on electrode. Owing to the amino-functionalized VMSF combined with amino groups on PDA, superhydrophilicity was achieved which was proved to enhance excellent anti-fouling property. In addition, the electrodeposition of Au nanoparticles (AuNP) in the nanochannel of VMSF serving as an internal electrochemical signal shows excellent electrochemical signal stability, which provides a prerequisite for maintaining the further detection accuracy in complex samples. Finally, we validated the detection performance of the anti-fouling sensing strategy using a foodborne pathogen, Vibrio parahaemolyticus (VP), as a model target. Specifically, the aptamer was modified by covalent bond on the PDA-integrated VMSF interface surface for the recognition of VP. Using shrimp homogenate as a real sample, the anti-fouling detection performance of the aptasensor was verified. The linear range of VP detection in real samples was 103-107 CFU/mL, and the detection limit was 103 CFU/mL. The results show that the anti-fouling aptasensor has excellent anti-interference and stability. It is worth emphasizing that this strategy (using inherent Au signal) enables rapid electrochemical analysis of VP without outer indicators, greatly reducing the difficulty of constructing an electrochemical VP detection strategy. [Display omitted] • PDA as a powerful adhesive layer improved the mechanical stability of VMSF on GCE. • The superhydrophilicity of the surface effectively prevent the adhesion of proteins. • PDA-integrated VMSF provides a prerequisite for the construction of stable Au signals without labeling and external indicator. • The stability of Au signal based on sensing interface realizes the accurate detection of VP in complex samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Co-occurrence and mutual exclusivity of genomic alterations may reflect the existence of genetic interactions, potentially shaping distinct biological phenotypes and impacting therapeutic response in breast cancer. However, our understanding of them remains limited. Herein, we investigate a large-scale multi-omics cohort (n = 873) and a real-world clinical sequencing cohort (n = 4,405) including several clinical trials with detailed treatment outcomes and perform functional validation in patient-derived organoids, tumor fragments, and in vivo models. Through this comprehensive approach, we construct a network comprising co-alterations and mutually exclusive events and characterize their therapeutic potential and underlying biological basis. Notably, we identify associations between TP53 mut -AURKA amp and endocrine therapy resistance, germline BRCA1 mut -MYC amp and improved sensitivity to PARP inhibitors, and TP53 mut -MYB amp and immunotherapy resistance. Furthermore, we reveal that precision treatment strategies informed by co-alterations hold promise to improve patient outcomes. Our study highlights the significance of genetic interactions in guiding genome-informed treatment decisions beyond single driver alterations. [Display omitted] • We built a large multi-omics cohort and a real-world clinical sequencing cohort • A genetic interaction network involves co-occurring and mutually exclusive events • Co-alterations influence treatment outcomes across diverse clinical scenarios • Genome-informed treatment decisions should extend beyond single driver alterations Lin et al. leverage a large-scale multi-omics cohort and a real-world clinical sequencing cohort to explore genetic interactions and their impact on treatment outcomes across various clinical scenarios in breast cancer. These findings underscore the importance of making genome-informed precision treatment decisions that consider individual driver alterations and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To predict the occurrence of calcium oxalate kidney stones based on clinical and gut microbiota characteristics. Methods: Gut microbiota and clinical data from 180 subjects (120 for training set and 60 for validation) attending the West China Hospital (WCH) were collected between June 2018 and January 2021. Based on the gut microbiota and clinical data from 120 subjects (66 non-kidney stone individuals and 54 kidney stone patients), we evaluated eight machine learning methods to predict the occurrence of calcium oxalate kidney stones. Results: With fivefold cross-validation, the random forest method produced the best area under the curve (AUC) of 0.94. We further applied random forest to an independent validation dataset with 60 samples (34 non-kidney stone individuals and 26 kidney stone patients), which yielded an AUC of 0.88. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that clinical data combined with gut microbiota characteristics may help predict the occurrence of kidney stones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional liquid acid leaching method for recycling spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has serious environmental pollution and unsafe transportation. In this study, solid sodium bisulfate was applied as a leaching agent to recover lithium, cobalt, nickel and manganese from the cathode active material of spent LIBs in the presence of a reductant, hydrogen peroxide. It was found that the leaching efficiencies were approximately 93.0, 91.5, 95.5 and 96.6%, respectively, for Ni, Co, Mn and Li under the conditions of 1 mol/L NaHSO 4 and 3 vol% H 2 O 2 as reductant within 30 min at 70 °C and a pulp density of 20 g/L. Kinetic data for the dissolution of valuable metals in the temperature range 40–70 °C showed the kinetic model governed by the Avrami equation. The apparent activation energies for leaching of Ni, Co, Mn and Li were determined as 43.8, 44.2, 42.2 and 27.5 kJ/mol, respectively, indicating that the leaching process was controlled by a surface chemical reaction. This process can be a convenient alternative method for recovering valuable metals from spent LiNi 0.5 Co 0.2 Mn 0.3 O 2. • Solid sodium bisulfate was applied to leach valuable metal from spent LIBs. • Solid leaching agent avoided the danger of transportation and storage. • The leaching kinetics of valuable metals were studied systematically. • The leaching mechanism was studied by micro−scale characterization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metallic materials with high mechanical performance are in constant demand by various engineering applications. However, most conventional strengthening mechanisms inevitably suffer from fiercely sacrificing ductility, which severely limits service safety of metallic alloys, especially under various harsh circumstances. In this work, a novel ultra-strong (CoCrNi) 94.5 W 3 Ta 2.5 medium entropy alloy (MEA) with dual nanoprecipitates is successfully developed. By conducting multiple thermomechanical processes, not only quantities of coherent γ " nanoprecipitates with D0 22 superlattice are introduced, but also massive semi-coherent η nanoprecipitates with hexagonal D0 24 superlattice are reconstructed with appropriate sizes and distributions, meanwhile ultrafine grains are achieved, together enabling superior strength-ductility synergies. This MEA exhibits not only high tensile strength of about 1.7 GPa and ultimate elongation of 23.8 % at room temperature, but also ultra-high tensile strength of about 2.2 GPa and still sufficient ultimate elongation of 13.2 % at cryogenic temperature. In-depth microstructure characterization indicates that the nanoprecipitates are effective barriers to dislocation motion at the early stages of plastic deformation. Intriguingly, the slip and deformation twinning could be transmitted across the phase boundaries with increasing applied strain, ensuring both strength enhancement and plasticity maintenance. At cryogenic temperature, much more complex deformation mechanisms are activated, e.g., multiple slip systems and high-density deformation twins, facilitating even better mechanical properties. The design concept of strengthening materials via tailoring dual coherent nanoprecipitates may afford a paradigm to develop advanced metallic materials with ultrahigh strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• PBOO provokes urothelial inflammation and barrier disruption. • ADRB2 and ADRB3 agonists increased ZO protein expression in HUCs. • ADRB2/ADRB3-RhoA/ROCK signaling inhibited the secretion of inflammatory cytokines. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of β-adrenoceptors (ADRBs) on the urothelial inflammation and zonula occludens (ZO) in a rat PBOO model and in an in vitro model. The PBOO model was established by ligating the bladder neck of rats. Twenty rats were divided into 4 groups: sham operation, PBOO + normal saline, PBOO + ADRB2 agonist, PBOO + ADRB3 agonist. PBOO rats were with treated with ADRBs agonists for 3 weeks. Human urothelial cells (HUCs) were subjected to ADRBs agonist treatment or hydrostatic pressure in an in vitro model. In the PBOO group, there was a significant increase in the expression of MCP-1, IL-6 and RANTES compared to the sham group. By contrast, there was a post-PBOO decline in the expression of ZO-1 and ZO-2 in the urothelium. ADRB2 or ADRB3 agonists exhibited downregulated inflammatory cytokine expression and increased ZO expression in the PBOO model. The regulation of inflammation and ZO by ADRB2 and ADRB3 agonists in an in vitro model was found consistent with that in the PBOO model. Moreover, RhoA and ROCK inhibitors suppressed the expression of hydrostatic pressure-induced inflammatory cytokines. Additionally, RhoA agonist reversed the inhibitory effect of ADRBs agonists on the inflammatory secretion from HUCs. ADRB2 and ADRB3 agonists increased ZO protein expression in HUCs in a rat PBOO model and in an in vitro model. Furthermore, ADRB2 and ADRB3 agonists inhibited the secretion of inflammatory cytokines from HUCs by regulating the RhoA/ROCK signaling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent achievements in triterpenoid semi-synthesis are discussed in this short review, which is divided into three parts according to the type of synthetic strategy being employed. These strategies include functionalization, modification of the carbon skeleton, and glycosylation. In the section on functionalization strategies, both functional group interconversions and new functional group installations on triterpenoid starting materials are described. The section on modification of the carbon skeleton is divided into three parts according to the tactic being applied, and incorporates rearrangement of the carbon skeleton, ring scission, and introduction of an additional heterocyclic ring. Meanwhile, in the section on glycosylation, notable achievements in the semi-synthesis of both natural and artificial triterpene saponins are discussed. Overall, the pivotal transformations that have brought about striking chemical structure variations of triterpenoid starting materials are highlighted herein, and it is hoped that this short review will provide inspiration to both established and new investigators engaged in this field of research. 1 Introduction 2 Semi-Synthesis of Triterpenoids via Functionalization Strategies 2.1 Functionalization of Rings with Functional Groups 2.2 Functionalization of a Side Chain 2.3 Functionalization of Rings without Existing Functional Groups 2.4 Functionalization of Angular Methyl Groups 2.5 Functionalization of Angular Methyl Groups and Functional-Group-Free Rings 2.6 Multisite Modifications 3 Semi-Synthesis of Triterpenoids via C -Skeleton Modification Strategies 3.1 Rearrangement Tactics 3.2 Ring-Opening Tactics 3.3 Additional Ring Introduction Tactics 4 emi-Synthesis of Triterpenoids via a Glycosylation Strategy 5 Conclusions and Outlook [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: An increasing number of bone graft materials are commercially available and vary in their composition, mechanism of action, costs, and indications. OBJECTIVE: A commercially available PLGA scaffold produced using 3D printing technology has been used to promote the preservation of the alveolar socket after tooth extraction. We examined its influence on bone regeneration in long bones of New Zealand White rabbits. METHODS: 5.0-mm-diameter circular defects were created on the tibia bones of eight rabbits. Two groups were studied: (1) control group, in which the bone defects were left empty; (2) scaffold group, in which the PLGA scaffolds were implanted into the bone defect. Radiography was performed every two weeks postoperatively. After sacrifice, bone specimens were isolated and examined by micro-computed tomography and histology. RESULTS: Scaffolds were not degraded by eight weeks after surgery. Micro-computed tomography and histology showed that in the region of bone defects that was occupied by scaffolds, bone regeneration was compromised and the total bone volume/total volume ratio (BV/TV) was significantly lower. CONCLUSION: The implantation of this scaffold impedes bone regeneration in a non-critical bone defect. Implantation of bone scaffolds, if unnecessary, lead to a slower rate of fracture healing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In infants with congenital oesophageal atresia, anastomotic stenosis easily occurs after one-stage oesophageal anastomosis, leading to dysphagia. In severe cases, oesophageal dilatation is required. In this paper, the timing of oesophageal dilatation in infants with anastomotic stenosis was investigated through retrospective data analysis.Methods: The clinical data of 107 infants with oesophageal atresia who underwent one-stage anastomosis in our hospital from January 2015 to December 2018 were retrospectively analysed. Data such as the timing and frequency of oesophageal dilatation under gastroscopy after surgery were collected to analyse the timing of oesophageal dilatation in infants with different risk factors.Results: For infants with refractory stenosis, the average number of dilatations in the early dilatation group (the first dilatation was performed within 6 months after the surgery) was 5.75 ± 0.5, which was higher than the average of 7.40 ± 1.35 times in the normal dilatation group (the first dilatation was performed 6 months after the surgery), P = 0.038. For the infants with anastomotic fistula and anastomotic stenosis, the number of oesophageal dilatations in the early dilatation group was 2.58 ± 2.02 times, which was less than the 6.38 ± 2.06 times in the normal dilatation group, P = 0.001. For infants with non-anastomotic fistula stenosis, early oesophageal dilatation could not reduce the total number of oesophageal dilatations.Conclusion: Starting to perform oesophageal dilatation within 6 months after one-stage anastomosis for congenital oesophageal atresia can reduce the required number of dilatations in infants with postoperative anastomotic fistula and refractory anastomotic stenosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is concerned with the tracking control problem for a sort of networked system with unknown nonlinear functions, unmatched disturbances, and event-triggered input. A novel prescribed performance control strategy together with an actuator update protocol is developed to form a solution. Different from the existing results, only a binary signal (either 0 or 1) needs to be sent to the actuator. In this way, the number and the bit of data transmission are both curtailed, leading to the economy of the communication cost. On the other hand, output tracking with guaranteed transient and steady-state performance is achieved regardless of unknown nonlinearities, disturbances, and measurement errors. Finally, simulation results are given to illustrate the established theoretical findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the frailty status in Chinese cancer patients through establishing a novel prediction algorithm. Methods: The percentage of frailty in various age groups, locations, and tumor types in Chinese cancer patients was investigated. The prediction capacity of frailty on mortality of Chinese cancer patients was analysed by the frailty index composing of routine laboratory data (FI‐LAB) accessible from a blood test and calculated as the ratio of abnormal factors to 22 total variables. The establishment of a novel algorithm, MCP (mortality of cancer patients), to predict the 5‐year mortality in Chinese cancer patients was accomplished and the algorithm's prediction capacity was tested in the training and validation sets using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results: We found that the risk of death in cancer patients can be successfully identified through FI‐LAB. The univariable and multivariable Cox regression were used to evaluate the effect of frailty on death. In the 5‐year follow‐up, 20.6% of the 2959 participants (age = 55.8 ± 11.7 years; 43.5% female) died, while the mean FI‐LAB score in baseline was 0.23 (standard deviation = 0.13; range = 0–0.73). Frailty (after adjusting for gender, age, and other confounders) directly correlated with an increased risk of death, hazard ratio of 12.67 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.19, 22.31), compared to those without frailty. In addition, the MCP algorithm (MCP) = 3.678 × FI‐LAB + 1.575 × sex + 1.779 × first tumor node metastasis staging, presented an area under the ROC (AUC) of 0.691 (95% CI: 0.656–0.726) and 0.648 (95% CI: 0.613–0.684) in the training and validation sets, respectively. Conclusion: Frailty as defined by FI‐LAB was common and indicated a significant death risk in cancer patients. Our novel developed algorithm MCP had a passable prediction capacity on 5‐year MCP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a significant global health concern. The gut microbiota plays an essential role in the onset and development of IBD. Sanghuangporus (SH), a traditional Chinese medicinal mushroom, has excellent anti‐inflammatory effects and is effective at modulating the gut microbiota. Despite these attributes, the specific anticolitic effects of SH and the mechanisms through which the gut microbiota mediates its benefits remain unclear. Herein, we demonstrated that polyphenol‐rich extract from SH effectively alleviated the pathological symptoms of dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)‐induced colitis in mice by modulating the gut microbiota. Treatment with SH distinctly enriched Alistipes, especially Alistipes onderdonkii, and its metabolite 5‐hydroxyindole‐3‐acetic acid (5HIAA). Oral gavage of live A. onderdonkii or 5HIAA potently mitigated DSS‐induced colitis in mice. Moreover, both 5HIAA and SH significantly activated the aromatic hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), and the administration of an AhR antagonist abrogated their protective effects against colitis. These results underscore the potent efficacy of SH in diminishing DSS‐induced colitis through the promotion of A. onderdonkii and 5HIAA, ultimately activating AhR signaling. This study unveils potential avenues for developing therapeutic strategies for colitis based on the interplay between SH and the gut microbiota. Highlights: Sanghuangporus (SH) polyphenol extract potently alleviated symptoms of colon colitis in dextran sodium sulfate‐induced colitis mice.The gut microbiota especially Alistipes onderdonkii mediates the anticolitic effect of SH.The SH‐enriched microbial metabolite 5‐hydroxyindole‐3‐acetic acid exhibited an anticolitic effect via the activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor.The "gut microbiota‐metabolites‐signaling pathway" provides an effective perspective for the study of complex Chinese medicine systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oesophageal atresia is a congenital malformation of the oesophagus and a serious malformation of the digestive system, postoperative complications include acute respiratory failure, pneumonia, anastomotic fistula, anastomotic stenosis, tracheal stenosis, gastroesophageal reflux and eosinophilic oesophagitis, anastomotic fistula is one of the important causes of postoperative death. The objective of this study is to identify the risk factors for anastomotic complications after one-stage anastomosis for oesophageal atresia.Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 107 children with congenital oesophageal atresia who underwent one-stage anastomosis in our hospital from January 2013 to December 2018. Single-factor and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the risk factors for anastomotic fistula and anastomotic stenosis.Results: A total of 107 children with oesophageal atresia underwent one-stage anastomosis, and the incidence of anastomotic fistula was 26.2%. The probability of anastomotic stenosis in the long term was 52.3%, and the incidence of refractory stenosis (dilation ≥5 times) was 13.1%. Analysis of the clinical count data in the anastomotic fistula group and non-anastomotic fistula group showed that preoperative albumin (F = 4.199, P = 0.043), low birth weight (F = 7.668, P = 0.007) and long gap defects (F = 6.107, P = 0.015) were risk factors for postoperative anastomotic fistula. Further multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that low birth weight (Wald2 = 4.499, P = 0.034, OR = 2.775) and long gap defects (Wald2 = 6.769, P = 0.009, OR = 4.939) were independent risk factors for postoperative anastomotic fistula. Premature delivery (F = 5.338, P = 0.023), anastomotic fistula (F = 11.381, P = 0.001), endoscopic surgery (F = 6.343, P = 0.013), preoperative neutrophil count (F = 8.602, P = 0.004), preoperative low albumin (F = 8.410, P = 0.005), and a preoperative prognostic nutritional index < 54 (F = 5.54, P = 0.02) were risk factors for refractory anastomotic stenosis in children. Further multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that postoperative anastomotic fistula (Wald2 = 11.417, P = 0.001, OR = 8.798), endoscopic surgery (Wald2 = 9.633, P = 0.002, OR = 4.808), and a prognostic nutritional index < 54 (Wald2 = 4.540, P = 0.002, OR = 2.3798) were independent risk factors for refractory anastomotic stenosis.Conclusion: Low birth weight and long gap defects are important predictors of postoperative anastomotic fistula, and the possibility of refractory anastomotic stenosis should be considered. The long-term risk of anastomotic stenosis was increased in children undergoing endoscopic surgery and in those with a preoperative prognostic nutritional index < 54. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study evaluates the feasibility, safety, and clinical results of the self-pulling and latter transected delta-shaped anastomosis (Delta SPLT) in totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (TLDG) for gastric cancer. Methods: We performed a retrospective study of 66 patients with gastric cancer undergoing laparoscopic distal gastrectomy with Billroth-I anastomosis from May 2017 to December 2018 in Zhoushan Hospital. TLDG with Delta SPLT was carried out in 26 patients (Group 1), and TLDG with conventional delta-shaped anastomosis (DA) was performed in 40 patients (Group 2). Statistical analysis was conducted to compare clinical data between the two groups. Results: All patients successfully underwent TLDG. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of demographic indicators, operation time, anastomosis time, intraoperative blood loss, number of lymph nodes harvested, and resection margin (all P > .05). The gastrointestinal functional evaluation index (first flatus, first liquid/semigeneral diet foods, and out-of-bed mobilization) and hospital stay did not differ between the two groups, but the mean hospital charges were significantly lower in Group 1 than in Group 2 (P < .05). No difference was observed in the overall postoperative complication rate (P > .05). However, Group 1 had a lower incidence of complications associated with anastomosis (3.8%, versus 7.5% in Group 2; P = .016). Conclusions: Delta SPLT is potentially a safe, feasible, and reproducible reconstruction option for TLDG, and was superior to conventional DA in terms of hospital charges and complications related to anastomosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The equiatomic GaInSnZn (GISZ) high-entropy alloys (HEAs) are considered to have the potential as coolants to engage the thermal management owing to their high thermal conductivity. However, the incompatibility between them and other structural materials hinders these practical applications. On the way to seeking suitable structural metals with liquid metal embrittlement (LME) resistance in GISZ environment, the Al 0.7 CoCrFeNi alloys are selected and their temperature-dependent LME sensitivity is investigated through high temperature and slow strain-rate tensile tests at 100, 300 and 500 ℃. The sharp decrease in tensile ductility and serious LME phenomenon are explicitly inspected at all temperatures. The transformation of the LME mechanism, which shifts from adsorption-induced reduction in cohesion of the interior or boundaries of grain colonies to grain/phase boundary wetting with temperature increasing, is corroborated by the fractographic analysis and crack propagation path. This study not only provides guidance for the LME of this new system, but also encourages a promising landscape for searching for protective measures of Al 0.7 CoCrFeNi alloys and new materials adapted to GISZ, thereby laying a solid foundation for promoting liquid metal cooling applied to the actual industry. • The Al 0.7 CoCrFeNi HEAs in GaInSnZn show a sharp decrease in tensile ductility and serious LME behavior at 100, 300 and 500 ℃. • The LME sensitivity has a strong temperature dependence and its severity is correlated positively with temperature. • The LME mechanism transforms from adsorption-induced reduction in cohesion to grain/phase boundary wetting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To find the group invariant solution, a new shifted parity and delayed time reversal symmetries are used in order to construct Alice–Bob systems. With the help of simple assumptions and of the P ̂ s T ̂ d symmetry, the intrinsic two-place model of the Sawada–Kotera (SK) system is elucidated. A new form of the N -soliton solution for the nonlocal SK equation is obtained, and dynamic properties of the N -soliton solutions with different values are discussed, respectively. In addition, the breather solution for the AB–SK system is also explicitly identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a real-time super-resolution (SR) system. The proposed system performs a fast SR algorithm that generates a high-resolution image from a low-resolution image using direct regression functions with an up-scaling factor of 2. This algorithm contained two processes: feature learning and SR image prediction. The feature learning stage is performed offline, in which several regression functions were trained. The SR image prediction stage is implemented on the proposed system to generate high-resolution image patches. The system implemented on a Xilinx Virtex 7 field-programmable gate array achieves output resolution of 3 8 4 0 × 2 1 6 0 (UHD) at 85 fps and 700Mpixels/s throughput. Structure similarity (SSIM) is measured for image quality. Experimental results show that the proposed system provides high image quality for real-time applications. And the proposed system possesses high scalability for resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) and the associated coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) have spread throughout China. Previous studies predominantly focused on its place of origin, Wuhan, causing over estimation of the disease severity due to selection bias. We analyzed 465 confirmed cases in Zhejiang province to determine the epidemiological, clinical, and virological characteristics of COVID‐19. Methods: Epidemiological, demographic, clinical, laboratory, and management data from qRT‐PCR confirmed COVID‐19 patients from January 17, 2020, to January 31, 2020, were collected, followed by multivariate logistic regression analysis for independent predictors of severe/critical‐type COVID‐19 and bioinformatic analysis for features of SARS‐CoV‐2 from Zhejiang province. Results: Among 465 COVID‐19 patients, median age was 45 years, while hypertension, diabetes, and chronic liver disease were the most common comorbidities. History of exposure to the epidemic area was present in 170 (36.56%) and 185 (39.78%) patients were clustered in 77 families. Severe/critical‐type of COVID‐19 developed in 49 (10.54%) patients. Fever and cough were the most common symptoms, while diarrhea/vomiting was reported in 58 (12.47%) patients. Multivariate analysis revealed eight risk factors for severe/critical COVID‐19. Glucocorticoids and antibiotics were administered to 60 (12.90%) and 218(46.88%) patients, respectively. Bioinformatics showed four single amino acid mutations and one amino acid position loss in SARS‐CoV‐2 from Zhejiang province, with more similarity to humans than to viruses. Conclusions: SARS‐CoV‐2 showed virological mutations and more human transmission in Zhejiang province, indicating considerable epidemiological and clinical changes. Caution in glucocorticoid and antibiotics use is advisable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a large threat to public health in China, with high contagious capacity and varied mortality. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of older patients with COVID-19 outside Wuhan. Methods A retrospective study was performed, with collecting data from medical records of confirmed COVID-19 patients in Zhejiang province from 17 January to 12 February 2020. Epidemiological, clinical, and treatment data were analyzed between older (≥ 60 years) and younger (< 60 years) patients. Results A total of 788 patients with confirmed COVID-19 were selected; 136 were older patients with corresponding mean age of 68.28 ± 7.31 years. There was a significantly higher frequency of women in older patient group compared with younger patients (57.35% vs 46.47%, P  = .021). The presence of coexisting medical conditions was significantly higher in older patients compared with younger patients (55.15% vs 21.93%, P  < .001), including the rate of hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Significantly higher rates of severe clinical type (older vs younger groups: 16.18% vs 5.98%, P  < .001), critical clinical type (8.82% vs 0.77%, P  < .001), shortness of breath (12.50% vs 3.07%, P  < .001), and temperature of > 39.0°C (13.97% vs 7.21%, P  = .010) were observed in older patients compared with younger patients. Finally, higher rates of intensive care unit admission (9.56% vs 1.38%, P  < .001) and methylprednisolone application (28.68% vs 9.36%, P  < .001) were also identified in older patients compared with younger ones. Conclusions The specific epidemiological and clinical features of older COVID-19 patients included significantly higher female sex, body temperature, comorbidities, and rate of severe and critical type disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship of gut microbiota and calcium oxalate stone has been limited investigated, especially with no study of gut microbiota and short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in nephrolithiasis. We provided Sprague Dawley rats of renal calcium oxalate stones with antibiotics and examined the renal crystals deposition. We also performed a case‐control study by analyzing 16S rRNA microbial profiling, shotgun metagenomics and SCFAs in 153 fecal samples from non‐kidney stone (NS) controls, patients with occasional renal calcium oxalate stones (OS) and patients with recurrent stones (RS). Antibiotics reduced bacterial load in feces and could promote the formation of renal calcium crystals in model rats. In addition, both OS and RS patients exhibited higher fecal microbial diversity than NS controls. Several SCFAs‐producing gut bacteria, as well as metabolic pathways associated with SCFAs production, were considerably lower in the gut microbiota among the kidney stone patients compared with the NS controls. Representation of genes involved in oxalate degradation showed no significance difference among groups. However, fecal acetic acid concentration was the highest in RS patients with high level of urinary oxalate, which was positively correlated with genes involvement in oxalate synthesis. Administration of SCFAs reduced renal crystals. These results shed new light on bacteria and SCFAs, which may promote the development of treatment strategy in nephrolithiasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At high temperatures, serrated flows are frequently observed on the stress–strain curves of single-phase high-entropy alloys, indicating their unique mechanical behavior. In the current study, the CoCrFeMnNi (Cantor alloy) alloy was selected as a model material to further verify the temperature dependence on the serrated flow behavior through continuous temperature variation during tensile tests, which shows a certain strengthening effect of the serrated flow. The lattice strain and dislocation density were calculated at different conditions using the Williamson–Hall (W-H) analysis method. Based on the strain dependence of mobile dislocation density and forest dislocation density, a flow stress model related to the Portevin–Le Chatelier (PLC) effect was proposed to quantify the variation in the PLC behavior with the temperature and its influence on flow stress. The model is beneficial to accurately account for the flow stress during plastic deformation at high temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates the trajectory tracking control problem for a family of underactuated autonomous surface vessels under the condition of model uncertainties, actuator faults, and environmental disturbances. The emphasis or difficulty is how to ensure the trajectory tracking with specified accuracy in the fixed-time settings. A new-type fault-tolerant tracking control strategy is developed based on the marriage of a novel bounding function and a method of handling constraints. Compared with the existing results it can be noted that: first, the position error enters into a preassigned residual set in a priori designate time and remains there; second, no adaptive mechanisms, disturbance observers, or command filters are involved, leading to a simplicity control attribute. Results from a comparative simulation on the CyberShip II further illustrate the above theoretical findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Youth friendly services (YFS) was established in pilot areas in China. This study aimed to explore the promoting level on the awareness and utilization of YFS after the implementing of a multi-sectoral cooperation mechanism (MSCM) supported by social network theory (SNT) among multiple sectors related to young people reproductive health (YRH) closely.Methods: A cross-sectional study with two separate self-administered questionnaire surveys was conducted before and after the implementing of a MSCM supported by SNT in both in-school and out-school unmarried young people aged 12-24 year-old in pilot areas in China. Both pre- and post- implementation surveys were conducted between December, 2008 and January, 2009, and between October, 2010 and January, 2011 respectively. The collected categorical data about the awareness on YFS in young people was described in percentage (%). χ 2 test was used to compare the differences between interventional and control areas, pre and after intervention, and changes in investigated areas after the intervention respectively. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze interventional effects after adjusting gender, in-school or out-school, and other factors. Significance level α was 0.05.Results: The percentages of young people in interventional areas who could receive YRH education including that about YFS in schools, working sites and communities increased (OR = 15.485, 6.166, 3.723; 95% CI: 2.939~4.715, 4.014~9.473, 11.421~20.994 respectively) statistically significantly (P < 0.05). The percentages of young people in interventional areas who "have heard of YFS clinic" and "know that YFS clinic has been established in local area" (OR = 9.325, 11.244; 95% CI: 7.433~11.699, 8.780~14.399 respectively), and knowledge rates on YFS manner and contents also increased (OR = 14.830, 8.676; 95% CI: 9.728~22.607, 5.175~14.548 respectively) statistically significantly (P < 0.05). The increments of knowledge rates on YFS price, time, hotline number, contents on contraception, pregnancy and sexual harass/violence were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The satisfaction degree on this service has also increased (OR = 6.394, 95% CI: 2.789~14.655) statistically significantly (P < 0.05).Conclusions: SNT is a helpful tool to facilitate the construction of an effective multi-sectoral cooperation mechanism to promote the awareness and satisfactory degree of YRH services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancers represent approximately two-thirds of all breast cancers and have a sustained risk of late disease recurrence. Cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors have shown significant efficacy in ER+ breast cancer. However, their effects are still limited by drug resistance. In this study, we aim to explore the role of long noncoding RNA TROJAN in ER+ breast cancer. Methods: The expression level of TROJAN in breast cancer tissue and cell lines was determined by quantitative real-time PCR. In vitro and in vivo assays as well as patient derived organoid were preformed to explore the phenotype of TROJAN in ER+ breast cancer. The TROJAN-NKRF-CDK2 axis were screened and validated by RNA pull-down, mass spectrometry, RNA immunoprecipitation, microarray, dual-luciferase reporter and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. Results: Herein, we showed that TROJAN was highly expressed in ER+ breast cancer. TROJAN promoted cell proliferation and resistance to a CDK4/6 inhibitor and was associated with poor survival in ER+ breast cancer. TROJAN can bind to NKRF and inhibit its interaction with RELA, upregulating the expression of CDK2. The inhibition of TROJAN abolished the activity of CDK2, reversing the resistance to CDK4/6 inhibitor. A TROJAN antisense oligonucleotide sensitized breast cancer cells and organoid to the CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib both in vitro and in vivo. Conclusions: TROJAN promotes ER+ breast cancer proliferation and is a potential target for reversing CDK4/6 inhibitor resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bladder growth and development require continuous mechanical stimuli; however, abnormal mechanical conditions caused by partial bladder outlet obstruction (PBOO) result in detrusor smooth muscle hypertrophy and extracellular matrix accumulation. Our previous study demonstrated that PBOO induced an increase in monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) expression. To extensively illustrate whether and how MCP-1 participates in the remodeling of PBOO, we assess the pivotal effect of MCP-1 and its specific receptor chemokine (C-C motif) receptor 2 (CCR2) on the proliferation and contraction of human bladder smooth muscle cells (hBSMCs) under pathological hydrostatic pressure (HP). HP markedly promoted hBSMC proliferation and enhanced cell contraction along with the increase in MCP-1 expression. Recombinant human MCP-1 (rhMCP-1) enhanced HP-induced hBSMC proliferation and contraction. CCR2 antagonists and MCP-1 silencing reversed HP-induced proliferation and contraction. In addition, MCP-1-induced protein 1 (MCPIP1) silencing attenuated the contraction, but not the proliferation, induced by HP, whereas serum-glucocorticoid regulated kinase 1 (SGK1) silencing prevented the rhMCP-1-induced proliferation of hBSMCs under HP. Decrease of reactive oxygen species (ROS) level downregulated MCP-1 expression; in turn, rhMCP-1 promoted the generation of ROS. In conclusion, we demonstrated that pathological HP-promoted hBSMC proliferation was mainly regulated by the MCP-1/CCR2- SGK1 pathway and hBSMCs contraction was mainly moderated by the MCP-1/CCR2 -MCPIP1 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional supervised dimensionality reduction methods can establish a better model often under the premise of a large number of samples. However, in real-world applications where labeled data are scarce, traditional methods tend to perform poorly because of overfitting. In such cases, unlabeled samples could be useful in improving the performance. In this paper, we propose a semi-supervised dimensionality reduction method by using partial least squares (PLS) which we call semi-supervised partial least squares (S2PLS). To combine the labeled and unlabeled samples into a S2PLS model, we first apply the PLS algorithm to unsupervised dimensionality reduction. Then, the final S2PLS model is established by ensembling the supervised PLS model and the unsupervised PLS model which using the basic idea of principal model analysis (PMA) method. Compared with unsupervised or supervised dimensionality reduction algorithms, S2PLS not only can improve the prediction accuracy of the samples but also enhance the generalization ability of the model. Meanwhile, it can obtain better results even there are only a few or no labeled samples. Experimental results on five UCI data sets also confirmed the above properties of S2PLS algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High strength-ductility is the prerequisite requirement for the widely used steel wires in engineering applications. Traditional strengthening strategies on these wires are suffocated inevitably by strength-ductility trade-off dilemma. Recent emerging medium-entropy alloys (MEAs) usually exhibits excellent ductility but relatively lower strength. In this paper, a novel CoCrNi MEA wire with superior mechanical properties was successfully fabricated by heavily drawing process. The yield strength, ultimate tensile strength and elongation could reach 1.5 GPa, 1.8 GPa and 37.4% at liquid-nitrogen temperature, respectively. In-depth microstructure characterization indicates this superior strength-ductility derives from the synergy of dislocations, high-density twins and clear FCC-HCP phase transition. Image, graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]