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Abstract Antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) is a potential concern for the development of Zika virus (ZIKV) vaccines. Cross-reactive but poorly neutralizing antibodies, usually targeting viral pre-membrane or envelope (E) proteins, can potentially enhance dengue virus (DENV) infection. Although E domain III (EDIII) contains ZIKV-specific epitopes, its immunogenicity is poor. Here, we show that dimeric EDIII, fused to human IgG1 Fc fragment (EDIII-Fc) and encoded by circular RNA (circRNA), induces better germinal center reactions and higher neutralizing antibodies compared to circRNAs encoding monomeric or trimeric EDIII. Two doses of circRNAs encoding EDIII-Fc and ZIKV nonstructural protein NS1, another protective antigen, prevent lethal ZIKV infection in neonates born to immunized C57BL/6 mice and in interferon-α/β receptor knockout adult C57BL/6 mice. Importantly, a single-dose optimized circRNA vaccine with improved antigen expression confers potent and durable protection without inducing obvious DENV ADE in mice, laying the groundwork for developing flavivirus vaccines based on circRNAs encoding EDIII-Fc and NS1.

Abstract Purpose This study utilizes a meta-analytic approach to investigate the effects of cryoablation and robot-assisted partial nephrectomy on perioperative outcomes, postoperative renal function, and oncological results in patients. Methods This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. Four electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library database) were systematically searched to identify relevant studies published in English up to November 2023. The primary outcomes were perioperative results, complications, postoperative renal function and oncologic outcomes. Review Manager 5.4 was used for this analysis. Results This study included a total of 10 studies comprising 2,011 patients. Compared to RAPN (Robot-Assisted Partial Nephrectomy), the CA (Cryoablation) group had a shorter hospital stay [MD -1.76 days; 95% CI -3.12 to -0.41; p = 0.01], less blood loss [MD -104.60 ml; 95% CI -152.58 to -56.62; p

Abstract The insulation performance of oil paper insulation is significantly affected by moisture such that monitoring moisture content is important. However, it is difficult to obtain the moisture content accurately due to its dynamic change under multi physical fields. Studying the moisture transportation in oil paper insulation under multi physical fields becomes a vital method in solving the problem. A multi physical model describing moisture migration was proposed, which considered the effects of temperature on moisture in different existing states in oil‐immersed paper (OIP). The temperature distribution formed a vapour pressure gradient to drive moisture migration and affected migration speed. Then, experiments and simulations of moisture migration were performed, which showed that the experiments were in good agreement with simulation. The results revealed that the temperature gradient caused uneven moisture distribution and the increased temperature reduced OIP moisture content. The established model could fully characterise moisture migration under temperature gradient, which provided a theoretical reference for predicting the risk of partial dampness and evaluating insulation performance.

Abstract A wide variety of metabolic gene clusters exist in eukaryotic genomes, but fatty acid metabolic gene clusters have not been discovered. Here, combining with metabolic and phenotypic genome-wide association studies, we identify a major locus containing a six-gene fatty acid metabolic gene cluster on chromosome 3 (FGC3) that controls the cutin monomer hydroxymonoacylglycerols (HMGs) contents and rice yield, possibly through variation in the transcription of FGC3 members. We show that HMGs are sequentially synthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum by OsFAR2, OsKCS11, OsGPAT6, OsCYP704B2 and subsequently transported to the apoplast by OsABCG22 and OsLTPL82. Mutation of FGC3 members reduces HMGs, leading to defective male reproductive development and a significant decrease in yield. OsMADS6 and OsMADS17 directly regulate FGC3 and thus influence male reproduction and yield. FGC3 is conserved in Poaceae and likely formed prior to the divergence of Pharus latifolius. The eukaryotic fatty acid and plant primary metabolic gene cluster we identified show a significant impact on the origin and evolution of Poaceae and has potential for application in hybrid crop breeding.

Traffic data imputation is crucial for the reliability and efficiency of intelligent transportation systems (ITSs), forming the foundation for downstream tasks like traffic prediction and management. However, existing deep learning-based imputation methods struggle with two significant challenges: poor performance under high missing data rates and the limited incorporation of external traffic-related factors. To address these challenges, we propose a novel knowledge graph-enhanced generative adversarial network (KG-GAN) for traffic data imputation. Our approach uniquely integrates external knowledge with traffic spatiotemporal dependencies to improve data imputation quality. Specifically, we construct a fine-grained knowledge graph (KG) that differentiates attributes and relationships of external factors such as points of interest (POI) and weather conditions, facilitating more robust knowledge representation learning. We then introduce a knowledge-aware embedding cell (EM-cell) that merges traffic data with these learned external representations, providing richer inputs for the spatiotemporal GAN. Extensive experiments on a large-scale real-world traffic dataset demonstrate that KG-GAN significantly outperforms state-of-the-art methods under various missing data scenarios. Additionally, ablation studies confirm the superior performance gained from incorporating external knowledge, underscoring the importance of this approach in addressing complex missing data patterns.

High power conversion efficiency (PCE) flexible perovskite solar cells (FPSCs) are highly desired power sources for aerospace crafts and flexible electronics. However, their PCEs still lag far behind their rigid counterparts. Herein, we report a high PCE FPSC by controllable growth of a SnO2 electron transport layer through constant pH chemical bath deposition (CBD). The application of SnSO4 as tin source enables us to perform CBD without strong acid, which in turn makes it applicable to acid-sensitive flexible indium tin oxide. Furthermore, a mild and controllable growth environment leads to uniform particle growth and dense SnO2 deposition with full coverage and reproducibility, resulting in a record PCE of up to 25.09% (certified 24.90%) for FPSCs to date. The as-fabricated FPSCs exhibited high durability, maintaining over 90% of their initial PCE after 10000 bending cycles.

H-type finned tube heat exchangers have been widely used in boilers and waste heat recovery devices due to their advantages of wear resistance and anti-fouling. In order to improve the energy-saving effect, the flow and heat transfer characteristics of H-type finned tube heat exchangers with different tube bundle arrangements were studied. It was found that, at the same Re number, the column staggered arrangement can compensate for the limited heat transfer performance of the in-line arrangement and reduce the high pressure drop associated with the row staggered arrangement. Honeycomb arrangement was proposed based on the column staggered arrangement. Then, the effects of Re and tube pitches thermal-hydraulic performance of tube bundles with in-line and honeycomb arrangements were examined. The critical tube pitch or velocity at which the honeycomb tube bundle achieves the same thermal performance as the in-line tube bundle are determined. The results provide valuable insights for the practical application of flue gas heat exchangers with honeycomb arrangement.

Abstract Background The European LeukemiaNet (ELN) risk classification system for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients has been used worldwide. In 2022, the ELN risk classification system modified risk genes including CEBPA mutation status, myelodysplasia‐related (MR) gene mutations and internal tandem duplications of FLT3 (FLT3‐ITD). Methods We include newly diagnosed de novo AML patients at our center from January 2017 to December 2021, regardless of the further treatment received. Clinical data and date of survival were included. Survival analysis were performed using the Kaplan–Meier method, and the log‐rank test was used to compare survival between different risk groups. Results We include 363 newly diagnosed de novo AML patients from 2017 to 2021 to assess the accuracy of the ELN risk classification system. Their survival results show that the ELN‐2022 risk classification system is not superior to the ELN‐2017 version; for patients with FLT3‐ITD mutations but without FLT3 inhibitor treatment, their survival is similar to the ELN‐2022 adverse risk group. The ELN‐2022 risk classification system cannot accurately clarify ECOG performance status (PS) 2–4 patients, especially in the ELN‐2022 favorable risk group. Conclusion The ELN‐2022 risk stratification system may not be appropriate for patients unable to receive intensive therapy or FLT3 inhibitor; more real‐world data is needed to straify patients with worse ECOG PS and inferior intensive therapy.

Wampee (Clausena lansium (Lour.) Skeels) has natural bioactive components with diverse health benefits, but its detailed metabolism and tissue distribution are not fully understood. Here, widely targeted metabolomics analysis methods were employed to analyze the wampee fruit (peel, pulp, and seed) of 17 different varieties. A total of 1286 metabolites were annotated, including lipids, flavonoids, polyphenols, carbazole alkaloids, coumarins, and organic acids, among others. The quantitative analysis and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization–mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) analysis indicated remarkable variations in metabolite categories and content in the peel, pulp, and seed of wampee fruit. Additionally, the difference analysis found that the metabolic components of peel contributed dominantly to the differences among varieties, and 7 potential biomarkers were identified. In this study, a comprehensive metabolome landscape of wampee fruit was established, which provided important information for the isolation and identification of functional components, food industry application, and nutritional improvement breeding.

The development of efficient processes for value-added utilization of low-concentration CO2 is an on-going challenge. In this work, we present a sequential system based on diamine platforms for the direct utilization of low-concentration sources of CO2 (≤15%) in the production of cyclic ureas. Specifically, the low-concentration CO2 is captured by ethylenediamine to form ethylenediamine carbamate (EDA-CA), which subsequently undergoes the intramolecular dehydration to give ethyleneurea (EU) in the presence of frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) on the facet-engineered CeO2. Remarkably, the productivity of EU obtained from EDA-CA in the sequential system (9.5 mmol·gcat−1·h−1) is ∼4 times higher compared to the traditional catalytic system (2.4 mmol·gcat−1·h−1) using ethylenediamine and pure CO2 (3 MPa). Density functional theory calculations demonstrated that the FLPs on facet-engineered CeO2 significantly reduce the energy barrier for the nucleophilic attack of N-containing segment towards the carbonyl carbon in EDA-CA (rate-limiting step), ultimately optimizing the intramolecular cyclization efficiency of EDA-CA. This work not only provides an innovation tandem approach that enables the production of cyclic ureas from low-concentration CO2, but also opens up a promising avenue for the direct utilization of low-concentration CO2 for value-added applications in the future.

The incidence of leiomyosarcoma (LMS) is about 4–5/100,000 individuals per year. LMSs occurring in the small bowel are even rarer, and their preoperative diagnosis is very difficult. We described two patients with pathologically confirmed small bowel LMS and analyzed their clinical and medical imaging features. Similar cases reported in English in Pubmed database over the past decade were reviewed and summarized. These tumors were categorized by the growth direction and relationship with the intestinal lumen into three types: intraluminal (n = 10), intermural (n = 3), and extraluminal (n = 7). Notably, among the three types of LMS, the intramural leiomyosarcoma stands out as a noteworthy subtype. Emerging evidence suggests that smaller tumor size (< 5 cm) and the intraluminal type may serve as favorable prognostic indicators, while the extraluminal type is associated with relatively poor prognosis. Furthermore, the integration of imaging features with CA125 and LDH biomarkers holds promise for potential diagnostic value in LMS.

Background: Tocilizumab is a well-practiced strategy to manage cytokine release syndrome (CRS) after chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy. However, varied efficiency in CRS mitigation by tocilizumab has been reported to highlight affecting variables such as tumor types and timing of the administration. Objective: The objective of this study is to identify different curative effect between diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) by early use of tocilizumab for prophylaxis and treatment of CRS. Methods: By retrospectively summarizing our institution's experience with a CAR-T clinical trial targeting CD19, 11 cases were analyzed: 5 DLBCL, and 6 ALL. The two groups were compared with patient characteristics, CRS information and clinical outcomes. 3 patients were pretreated with tocilizumab for prophylaxis and the rest were treated with tocilizumab at CRS diagnosis. Results: CRS occurred in 81.8% of patients (9/11), grade 3 or higher occurred in 55.6% of the CRS patients (5/9). The two group were similar in patient characteristics, CAR-T and CRS profile. However, tocilizumab produced much better efficacy against CRS in DLBCL group compared with ALL group (80% versus 16.7%, P ​= ​0.08). Conclusions: Despite the statistical was non-significant, possibly due to small case pool and bias was unavoidable, our analysis suggested that early use of tocilizumab was more effective for DLBCL than ALL in the prophylaxis and treatment of CRS. A treatment algorithm for management of CRS with regard to DLBCL and ALL is proposed, which may extend to other local or systemic malignancies and warrant further investigation.

Hydraulic pumps are the core components that provide power for hydraulic transmission systems, which are widely used in aerospace, marine engineering, and mechanical engineering, and their failure affects the normal operation of the entire system. This paper takes a single axial piston pump as the research object and proposes a small-sample fault diagnosis method based on the model migration strategy for the situation in which only a small number of training samples are available for axial piston pump fault diagnosis. To achieve end-to-end fault diagnosis, a 1D Squeeze-and-Excitation Networks (1D-SENets) model was constructed based on a one-dimensional convolutional neural network and combined with the channel domain attention mechanism. The model was first pre-trained with sufficient labeled fault data from the source conditions, and then, based on the model migration strategy, some of the underlying network parameters were fixed, and a small amount of labeled fault data from the target conditions was used to fine-tune the rest of the parameters of the pre-trained model. In this paper, the proposed method was validated using an axial piston pump fault dataset, and the experimental results show that the method can effectively improve the overfitting problem in the small sample fault diagnosis of axial piston pumps and improve the recognition accuracy.

Existing goaves (e.g., shafts and roadways) in mines represent important hidden dangers during the production of underlying coal seams. In this view, the accurate identification, analysis, and delimitation of the scope of goaves have become important in the 3D seismic exploration of mines. In particular, an accurate identification of the boundary swing position of goaves for 3D seismic data volumes within a certain depth interval is key and difficult at the same time. Here, a wide-band and wide-azimuth observation system was used to obtain high-resolution 3D seismic data. The complex structure of a mine was analyzed, and a seismic double processing system was applied to verify the fine processing effect of a goaf and improve the resolution of the 3D seismic data. Based on the seismic attribute identification characteristics of the goaf structure, we decided to adopt multi-attribute comprehensive identification and data fusion technologies to accurately determine the position of the goaf and of its boundary. Combining this information with the mine roadway engineering layout, we verified the accurateness and correctness of the goaf boundary location. Our study provides a good example of the accurate identification of the 3D seismic data of a roadway goaf.

The Internet of things (IoT) has become a key infrastructure providing up-to-date and fresh information for policy analysis and decision-making of upper-layer applications. However, there are limited sensing and communication resources in IoT devices, which significantly affects the timeliness and freshness of the updated status. This work proposes two schemes, namely, the generation rate control and service rate reservation schemes, to improve the overall information freshness of multiple status update streams at the receiver. Specifically, using the recently proposed Age of Information (AoI) as the metric for evaluating information freshness, we characterized the overall information freshness, i.e., the overall average AoI at the receiver for both schemes, by considering the urgency difference of status update and streams. Both schemes for status updates and streams, respectively, were formulated as two optimization problems. We proved that both problems are convex and the optimal generation and service rates for different streams are found by the standard convex optimization algorithm. Moreover, we proposed both approximate optimal generation and approximate optimal service rate for fast deployment in heavy and light load cases. Numerical results verify the theoretical findings and accuracy of the proposed approximate solutions, guiding the design and deployment of IoT.

This study presents a new strategy to strengthen the flow and thermal performance of gas-liquid tube bundle heat exchangers by combining oval tubes with variable-direction twist method. The effects of twist direction, twist angle and flow velocity on the overall performance were investigated. The variable-direction twisted oval tube enhances the mixing degree of the main stream and the tail vortex, thereby improving the thermal performance and reducing the pressure drop. Both heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop increase with the increase of twist angle, and the overall performance is negatively correlated. Twist period has little effect on overall performance. Convective heat transfer coefficient of the variable-direction twisted oval tube with a twist angle of 120° is increased by 5.8%–10.2%, pressure drop is reduced by 5.0%–7.8% and overall performance is increased by 7.4%–10.7%, as compared circular tube bundle. The proposed variable-direction twisted oval tube realizes the synergistic enhancement of thermal-hydraulic performance, and can directly replace the traditional circular tube. The work of this paper provides technical guidance for improving the processing technology of twisted oval tube and developing new heat exchangers.

We propose and experimentally demonstrate an ultra-broadband metamaterial absorber based on photonic topological transition by using metals with large real part of permittivity (ε′). The simulation results show that the absorptivity is larger than 0.9 in the wavelength range from 400 nm to 2832 nm. The simulation results also show that the absorption effect is insensitive to the incident angle and polarization. According to the effective medium theory, the ultra-broad bandwidth is originated from the photonic topological transition. In addition, the analyses reveal that the absorption bandwidths can be extended by manipulating the wavelengths of photonic topological transition (PTT) points with large-ε′ metals. Furthermore, an ultra-broadband metamaterial absorber with multilayer films is fabricated by using standard film deposition techniques. The measured results show that the absorptivity is larger than 0.9 under normal incidence over the measured wavelength range of 400–2500 nm. This metamaterial absorber is expected to be potential candidate for various applications, such as thermal photovoltaic energy conversion, detectors, and solar cells.

BackgroundDue to its potential to significantly reduce scanning time while delivering accurate results for cardiac volume function, compressed sensing (CS) has gained traction in cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) cine. However, further investigation is necessary to explore its feasibility and impact on myocardial strain results.Materials and methodsA total of 102 participants [75 men, 46.5 ± 17.1 (SD) years] were included in this study. Each patient underwent four consecutive cine sequences with the same slice localization, including the reference multi-breath-hold balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFPref) cine, the CS cine with the same flip angle as bSSFPref before (CS45) and after (eCS45) contrast enhancement, and the CS cine (eCS70) with a 70-degree flip angle after contrast enhancement. Biventricular strain parameters were derived from cine images. Two-tailed paired t-tests were used for data analysis.ResultsGlobal radial strain (GRS), global circumferential strain (GCS), and global longitudinal strain (GLS) were observed to be significantly lower in comparison to those obtained from bSSFPref sequences for both the right and left ventricles (all p

ABSTRACTBackground: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the most common malignant hematological disease originating from hematopoietic stem cells. Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERs) has been reported to be involved in multiple tumor-related biological processes. However, the prognostic role of ERs-related genes in AML has not been fully investigated.Methods: The TCGA-LAML RNA-seq dataset was downloaded from the UCSC Xena website as the training cohort. Univariate Cox regression analysis was used to identify 42 ER stress-related genes associated with prognosis. Then, a ERs risk score prognostic model was established through LASSO regression analysis. AML patients were divided into high- and low-risk groups according to the median risk score. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve, time ROC curve analysis and univariate and multivariate independent prognostic analyses were presented for the high- and low-risk groups. Moreover, we verified the ERs risk model in the TARGET-AML and GSE37642 datasets. Next, we performed immune cell infiltration analysis, immune checkpoint gene expression analysis and drug sensitivity analysis.Results: We found 42 ER stress-related genes with prognostic significance, and a prognostic model consisting of 13 genes was constructed and verified. The survival rate of AML patients in the low-risk group was better than that in the high-risk group. The tumor microenvironment and immune cell infiltration results showed that immune cell infiltration was correlated with the survival status of patients.Conclusion: This research identified a ERs risk model with significant prognostic value. These genes are expected to be potential prognostic biomarkers in AML, providing a new theoretical basis for disease management.

Abstract Background Non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFLD) and its related metabolic syndrome have become major threats to human health, but there is still a need for effective and safe drugs to treat these conditions. Here we aimed to identify potential drug candidates for NAFLD and the underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods A drug repositioning strategy was used to screen an FDA-approved drug library with approximately 3000 compounds in an in vitro hepatocyte model of lipid accumulation, with honokiol identified as an effective anti-NAFLD candidate. We systematically examined the therapeutic effect of honokiol in NAFLD and metabolic syndrome in multiple in vitro and in vivo models. Transcriptomic examination and biotin-streptavidin binding assays were used to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms, confirmed by rescue experiments. Results Honokiol significantly inhibited metabolic syndrome and NAFLD progression as evidenced by improved hepatic steatosis, liver fibrosis, adipose inflammation, and insulin resistance. Mechanistically, the beneficial effects of honokiol were largely through AMPK activation. Rather than acting on the classical upstream regulators of AMPK, honokiol directly bound to the AMPKγ1 subunit to robustly activate AMPK signaling. Mutation of honokiol-binding sites of AMPKγ1 largely abolished the protective capacity of honokiol against NAFLD. Conclusion These findings clearly demonstrate the beneficial effects of honokiol in multiple models and reveal a previously unappreciated signaling mechanism of honokiol in NAFLD and metabolic syndrome. This study also provides new insights into metabolic disease treatment by targeting AMPKγ1 subunit-mediated signaling activation.

Plant factories offer a promising solution to some of the challenges facing traditional agriculture, allowing for year-round rapid production of plant-derived foods. However, the effects of conditions in plant factories on metabolic nutrients remain to be explored. In this study, we used three rice accessions (KongYu131, HuangHuaZhan, and Kam Sweet Rice) as objectives, which were planted in a plant factory with strict photoperiods that are long-day (12 h light/12 h dark) or short-day (8 h light/16 h dark). A total of 438 metabolites were detected in the harvested rice grains. The difference in photoperiod leads to a different accumulation of metabolites in rice grains. Most metabolites accumulated significantly higher levels under the short-day condition than the long-day condition. Differentially accumulated metabolites were enriched in the amino acids and vitamin B6 pathway. Asparagine, pyridoxamine, and pyridoxine are key metabolites that accumulate at higher levels in rice grains harvested from the short-day photoperiod. This study reveals the photoperiod-dependent metabolomic differences in rice cultivated in plant factories, especially the metabolic profiling of taste- and nutrition-related compounds.

The number of excavated tunnels is increasing day by day, and the corresponding engineering scale is also getting increasing. Safe, efficient, and economically beneficial tunnel construction methods are indispensable in the process of crossing mountains and steep ridges in the southwest region. However, behind the improvement of transportation infrastructure in Southwest China is the support provided by the rapid development of blasting industry engineering technology in China. In the process of tunnel construction using the drilling and blasting method, in addition to blasting vibration disasters the phenomenon of overbreak and underbreak caused by blasting construction is a prominent problem. This phenomenon not only affects the safety and stability of the tunnel excavation but also seriously increases the construction cost. Based on a short mountain hard rock tunnel project in southwest China, this paper studies the effect of blasting construction on the blasting vibration of adjacent structures and the influence of tunnel contour forming quality. Through the monitoring and analysis of in situ blasting vibration, the Sadowski formula is used to study the attenuation law of blasting vibration velocity in different tunnel sites, which provides a theoretical basis for tunnel blasting vibration control. This article compares the use of overbreak and underbreak value with the traditional method to determine the degree of overbreak and underbreak. It introduces the analysis of contour section fractal dimension value and uses fractal theory in the Python image processing module to accurately and quantitatively describe the problems of tunnel overbreak and underbreak. The feasibility and accuracy of this method have been verified, by combining the total station and 3D laser scanner results of overbreak and underbreak measurements of the Brenner Base Tunnel and a short hard rock tunnel in a mountainous area of southwestern China. The blasting scheme was optimized from the aspects of cut hole form, detonator interval time, and peripheral hole charge structure, and the rationality of the optimized scheme was verified according to the on-site blasting experiments. It has a profound influence on strengthening the protection of adjacent tunnel structures and improving the economic benefit of mountain highway projects.

Two types of cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) were isolated from cotton linter fibers and hardwood fibers through mechanical fibrillation methods. The dialdehyde cellulose nanofibrils (DACNFs) were prepared through the periodate oxidation method, and their morphological and structural properties were investigated. The characteristics of the DACNFs during the concentration process were also explored. The AFM analysis results showed that the mean diameters of wood fiber-based CNFs and cotton fiber-based CNFs were about 52.03 nm and 69.51 nm, respectively. However, the periodate oxidation treatment process obviously reduced the nanofibril size and destroyed the crystalline region of the nanofibrils. Due to the high crystallinity of cotton fibers, the cotton fiber-based DACNFs exhibited a lower aldehyde content and suspension stability compared to the wood fiber-based DACNFs. For the concentration process of the DACNF suspension, the bound water content of the concentrated cotton fiber-based DACNFs was lowered to 0.41 g/g, which indicated that the cotton fiber-based DACNFs could have good redispersibility. Both the wood fiber-based and cotton fiber-based DACNF films showed relatively good transmittance and mechanical strength. In addition, to the cotton fiber-based DACNF films had a very low swelling ratio, and the barrier water vapor and oxygen properties of the redispersed cotton fiber-based DACNF films decreased by very little. In sum, this study has demonstrated that cotton fibers could serve as an effective alternative to wood fibers for preparing CNFs, and that cotton fiber-based DACNFs have huge application prospects in the field of packaging film materials due to their stable properties during the concentration process.

Abstract Aims/introduction As a common complication in elderly patients after surgery/anesthesia, postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is mainly characterized by memory, attention, motor, and intellectual retardation. Neuroinflammation is one of the most uncontroversial views in POCD. The sevoflurane-induced neurotoxicity has attracted widespread attention in recent years. However, its mechanism has not been determined. This study aimed to observe the effects of sevoflurane on cognitive function and the changes in inflammatory indices and autophagy protein expression in the prefrontal cortex in aged rats. Method Before the experiment, D-galactose was diluted with normal saline into a liquid with a concentration of 125 mg/kg and injected subcutaneously into the neck and back of rats for 42 days to establish the aging rat model. Morris water maze experiments were performed, including positioning navigation (5 days) and space exploration (1 day). The POCD model was established by 3.2% sevoflurane inhalation. The rats were treated with or without MCC950, a potent and selective nucleotide‐binding oligomerization domain‐like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inhibitor, followed by autophagy agonists and autophagy inhibitors. The expression levels of inflammasome-related protein NLRP3 and autophagy-related proteins LC3B and P62 were detected to test the behavior of rats with a water maze. Results We found that sevoflurane exposure affected learning and working memory ability in aged rats. We also observed microglia activation in the prefrontal cortex. NLRP3 protein expression was significantly upregulated after sevoflurane inhalation. NLRP3 inflammasome activation induced increased expression and mRNA expression of cleaved Caspase-1 and inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18, and increased secretion of peripheral proinflammatory cytokines. The inhibitor MCC950 was used to improve cognitive ability and inflammation in rats and inhibit the secretion of cytokines. In addition, we demonstrated that significant inhibition of autophagy (decreased LC3-II/I and increased P62) was accompanied by increased activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes and more severe neural cell damage. However, autophagy inhibitor rapamycin administration to activate autophagy resulted in the inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasomes, ultimately attenuating neuronal injury. Conclusions The activation of autophagy suppressed the formation of NLRP3 inflammasomes. It also alleviated cognitive impairment in aged rats.

Highlights A composite electrode strategy to fabricate the perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with excellent comprehensive stabilities, particularly reverse-bias stability. A record efficiency of 23.7% (certified 23.2%) for n-i-p PSCs using Cu as the electrode. The strategy can be extended to the combinations of different transparent conducting oxides and low-cost metals.

With the increasingly complex observation environment of oil and gas exploration, the seismic data collected are often mixed with various noise signals, resulting in the effective weak signal caused by the exploration target is covered, which seriously affects the high-precision seismic data interpretation, so it is more and more important to effectively suppress the seismic data noise. In this paper, the dictionary learning strategy is used to block the complex seismic data. The dictionary atoms are obtained through the dictionary learning of the block data, and the sparse representation of the seismic data is constructed by high-precision dictionary learning. The dictionary atoms are updated through two iterations for data denoising. The dictionary learning algorithm is applied to the processing of simulated and measured seismic data with random noise. The analysis results show that the algorithm can effectively removes the random noise while retains the effective signal phase axis, improves the signal-to-noise ratio which verifies the feasibility and effectiveness of the algorithm. The research results provide a new technical means for complex noisy seismic data denoising.

Angiogenesis and neurogenesis play irreplaceable roles in bone repair. Although biomaterial implantation that mimics native skeletal tissue is extensively studied, the nerve-vascular network reconstruction is neglected in the design of biomaterials. Our goal here is to establish a periosteum-simulating bilayer hydrogel and explore the efficiency of bone repair via enhancement of angiogenesis and neurogenesis. In this contribution, we designed a bilayer hydrogel platform incorporated with magnesium-ion-modified black phosphorus (BP) nanosheets for promoting neuro-vascularized bone regeneration. Specifically, we incorporated magnesium-ion-modified black phosphorus (BP@Mg) nanosheets into gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogel to prepare the upper hydrogel, whereas the bottom hydrogel was designed as a double-network hydrogel system, consisting of two interpenetrating polymer networks composed of GelMA, PEGDA, and β-TCP nanocrystals. The magnesium ion modification process was developed to enhance BP nanosheet stability and provide a sustained release platform for bioactive ions. Our results demonstrated that the upper layer of hydrogel provided a bionic periosteal structure, which significantly facilitated angiogenesis via induction of endothelial cell migration and presented multiple advantages for the upregulation of nerve-related protein expression in neural stem cells (NSCs). Moreover, the bottom layer of the hydrogel significantly promoted bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) activity and osteogenic differentiation. We next employed the bilayer hydrogel structure to correct rat skull defects. Based on our radiological and histological examinations, the bilayer hydrogel scaffolds markedly enhanced early vascularization and neurogenesis, which prompted eventual bone regeneration and remodeling. Our current strategy paves way for designing nerve-vascular network biomaterials for bone regeneration.

Summary: The space gravitational wave detection mission requires a super ''static and precise'' scientific experiment environment. In order to solve the non-conservative force disturbance variation and the actuator noise and measurement noise, this paper designs a drag-free control scheme based on active disturbance rejection control (ADRC) framework to achieve the high-precision index. According to the ultra-high accuracy, low bandwidth limitation, and robustness requirements of drag-free satellite, the H∞ controller satisfying the robustness constraint is designed as an active disturbance rejection feedback controller to achieve the high-precision index. Meanwhile, the non-conservative force disturbance with a wide range of variations is estimated and feedforward compensated by an extended state observer to improve the system robustness. Simulation results show that the control system can achieve the relative displacement of 2 nm/Hznm/Hz1/2 for the drag-free satellite platform and the residual acceleration of 1 × 10−15 m/sm/s2/Hz1/2 for the test mass.

Accurate traffic forecasting plays a critical role in the construction of intelligent transportation systems. However, due to the across road-network isomorphism in the spatial dimension and the periodic drift in the temporal dimension, existing traffic forecasting methods cannot satisfy the intricate spatial-temporal characteristics well. In this article, a spatial-temporal hypergraph convolutional network for traffic forecasting (ST-HCN) is proposed to tackle the problems mentioned above. Specifically, the proposed framework applies the K-means clustering algorithm and the connection characteristics of the physical road network itself to unify the local correlation and across road-network isomorphism. Then, a dual-channel hypergraph convolution to capture high-order spatial relationships in traffic data is established. Furthermore, the proposed framework utilizes a long short-term memory network with a convolution module (ConvLSTM) to deal with the periodic drift problem. Finally, the experiments in the real world demonstrate that the proposed framework outperforms the state-of-the-art baselines.

In this study, the grain boundary character distribution (GBCD) of a B10 alloy was optimized, employing thermomechanical processing consisting of friction stirring processing (FSP) and annealing treatment. Using electron backscatter diffraction, the effects of rotational speed of FSP and annealing time on the evolution of GBCD were systematically investigated. The GBCD evolution was analyzed concerning various parameters, such as the fraction of low-Σ coincidence site lattice (CSL) boundaries, the average number of grains per twin-related domain (TRD), the length of longest chain (LLC), and the triple junction distribution. The experimental results revealed that the processing of a 1400 rpm rotational speed of FSP followed by annealing at 750 °C for 60 min resulted in the optimum grain boundary engineering (GBE) microstructure with the highest fraction of low-Σ CSL boundaries being 82.50% and a significantly fragmented random boundary network, as corroborated by the highest average number of grains per TRD (14.73) with the maximum LLC (2.14) as well as the highest J2/(1 − J3) value (12.76%). As the rotational speed of FSP increased from 600 rpm to 1400 rpm, the fraction of low-Σ CSL boundaries monotonously increased. The fraction of low-Σ CSL boundaries first increased and then decreased with an increase in annealing time. The key to achieving GBE lies in inhibiting the recrystallization phenomenon while stimulating abundant multiple twinning events through strain-induced boundary migration.

The effect of crosswinds on paired approach (PA) procedures for Closely Spaced Parallel Runways (CSPR) is investigated in this paper by fully utilizing the crosswind environment to implement a more efficient PA and increase runway capacity. An improved wake dissipation model is used to quickly predict the change in the wake velocity field for the PA procedures. The change in the width of the hazard zone is explored in detail using the roll moment coefficient as a determination index. The calculation method for the hazard zone of a wake encounter in a PA is designed considering the influence of crosswind, turbulence, and ground effect. The results show the diffusion rate of the hazard zone and a decrease in the width of the maximum hazard zone under a breezeless environment with increases in the turbulence intensity. The maximum hazard zone width decreases with an increase in crosswind speed. Favorable crosswinds can reduce wake separation and improve the efficiency of a PA. Lower turbulence intensity has a better crosswind effect under a normal PA. The 3-degree offset PA can accommodate larger unfavorable crosswinds, with a higher turbulence intensity having a better crosswind effect. The 3-degree offset PA can substantially increase the proportion of time when no wake affects the PA procedure.

The coconut is an important tropical economical crop and exhibits high tolerance to various types of salinity stress. However, little is known about the molecular mechanism underlying its salt tolerance. In this study, RNA-Seq was applied to examine the different genes expressed in four coconut varieties when exposed to a salt environment, resulting in the generation of data for 48 transcriptomes. Comparative transcriptome analysis showed that some genes involved in cutin and wax biosynthesis were significantly upregulated in salt treatment compared to the control, including CYP86A4, HTH, CER1, CER2, CER3, DCR, GPAT4, LTP3, LTP4, and LTP5. In particular, the expression of CER2 was induced more than sixfold, with an RPKM value of up to 205 ten days after salt treatment in Hainan Tall coconut, demonstrating superior capacity in salt tolerance compared to dwarf coconut varieties. However, for yellow dwarf and red dwarf coconut varieties, the expression level of the CER2 gene was low at four different time points after exposure to salt treatment, suggesting that this gene may contribute to the divergence in salt tolerance between tall and dwarf coconut varieties. Cytological evidence showed a higher abundance of cuticle accumulation in tall coconut and severe damage to cuticular wax in dwarf coconut.

This study delves into the drag-reducing properties of nickel plating coatings applied to hydraulic pipelines. To investigate the drag reduction characteristics of pipeline coatings, we designed a specialized experimental apparatus to conduct deceleration experiments. The primary objective was to systematically assess the drag reduction effect of varying coating thicknesses on liquid flow within the pipeline. Chemical nickel plating was employed for preparing drag reduction coatings with diverse thicknesses, achieved through precise adjustments in the composition and operating conditions of the plating solution. In the design of the experimental apparatus, careful consideration was given to crucial parameters such as the inner diameter of the pipeline, the inlet flow rate, and the control of experimental variables. It quantitatively assesses how varying coating thicknesses, flow velocities, and pipeline diameters impact the pipelines’ resistance to flow. By meticulously measuring the pressure differential across the pipeline, the research evaluates the extent of drag reduction afforded by the coatings and simultaneously elucidates the underlying mechanisms. Findings indicate a peak drag reduction rate of 5% under conditions of a 20 µm-thick nickel coating, 5 m/s flow velocity, and a 10 mm pipeline diameter. This study aims to comprehend how coatings affect linear losses along the pipeline, thereby establishing the groundwork for optimizing drag reduction technology. These outcomes highlight the coatings’ potential to mitigate linear losses due to shear stress during fluid transport, offering a viable solution to enhance hydraulic pipeline efficiency with significant industrial implications.

The utilization of renewable energy for hydrogen production presents a promising pathway towards achieving carbon neutrality in energy consumption. Water electrolysis, utilizing pure water, has proven to be a robust technology for clean hydrogen production. Recently, seawater electrolysis has emerged as an attractive alternative due to the limitations of deep-sea regions imposed by the transmission capacity of long-distance undersea cables. However, seawater electrolysis faces several challenges, including the slow kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), the competing chlorine evolution reaction (CER) processes, electrode degradation caused by chloride ions, and the formation of precipitates on the cathode. The electrode and catalyst materials are corroded by the Cl− under long-term operations. Numerous efforts have been made to address these issues arising from impurities in the seawater. This review focuses on recent progress in developing high-performance electrodes and electrolyser designs for efficient seawater electrolysis. Its aim is to provide a systematic and insightful introduction and discussion on seawater electrolysers and electrodes with the hope of promoting the utilization of offshore renewable energy sources through seawater electrolysis.

Water electrolysis is currently a major technique to produce clean hydrogen, which is regarded as a promising and sustainable energy carrier. The efficiency of water electrolysis is highly dependent on the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) on the anode. The evaluation of an OER electrocatalyst is frequently carried out on a three-electrode system in a container of electrolyte. Herein, we found that the electrode positions in the electrolyte container could significantly affect the data acquisition of OER performance. After a detailed investigation, we reveal that the difference of the OER activity of an electrocatalyst at a different position is originated from their different iRu drop and the gas diffusion resistance. For the first time, this work evokes concerns on the accurate evaluation of electrocatalysts regarding the electrode position. For fair comparisons and reliable results, it is strongly suggested to keep the electrode position unchanged in the electrochemical measurements. In addition, the establishment of a standard electrolyzer setup for electrocatalysis evaluation in the electrochemical community is also called for.

Background: Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is a common liver disorder specific to pregnancy. Taurocholic acid (TCA) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of ICP. This study aimed to investigate the association between serum TCA levels and adverse maternal and infant outcomes in women with ICP. Methods: Pregnant women diagnosed with ICP were categorized into normal or adverse groups based on their pregnancy outcomes. Baseline data, including age, pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and fasting blood sample (5 mL), were collected at 28 weeks of gestation. Serum levels of total bile acid (TBA), alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), total bilirubin (TBIL), and TCA were measured using a fully automatic biochemical analyzer. The predictive value of serum TCA levels for adverse outcomes in ICP was analyzed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Subsequently, ICP patients were divided into high and low TCA expression groups, and the changes in baseline data and adverse outcomes were compared between the groups. The relationship between serum TCA levels and adverse outcomes was evaluated using adverse maternal and infant outcome curves. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent risk factors for adverse outcomes in ICP patients. Results: The adverse outcome group showed significant differences in gestational age at delivery (median value of 37 years old, p = 0.0001), levels of TBA (mean ± standard deviation 47.05 ± 6.43 µmol/L, p < 0.0001), ICP severity (proportion of severe ICP patients was 85.14%, p < 0.0001), ALT (mean ± standard deviation 82.59 ± 6.29 U/L, p < 0.0001), AST (median value of 67.50 U/L, p < 0.0001), and TBIL (mean ± standard deviation 47.05 ± 6.99 µmol/L, p < 0.0001), compared to the normal outcome group. Serum TCA levels were higher in the adverse outcome group (mean ± standard deviation 17.79 ± 4.56 µmol/L) than in the normal outcome group (mean ± standard deviation 11.72 ± 3.68 µmol/L) (p < 0.001). Serum taurocholic acid (TCA) levels demonstrated predictive value for adverse outcomes in ICP patients, and the areas under the ROC curve/sensitivity/specificity/cutoff value were 0.8430, 66.22%, 91.03%, and 16.17, respectively. The high TCA expression group had higher levels of TBA (median value of 43.40 µmol/L, p < 0.0001), ALT (median value of 79.89 µmol/L, p < 0.0001), AST (median value of 63.87 µmol/L, p < 0.0001), and TBIL (median value of 43.79 µmol/L, p < 0.0001), a higher proportion of severe ICP cases (71.43%, p < 0.0001). There were a remarkably increased number of adverse pregnancy outcomes (postpartum hemorrhage, premature birth, neonatal asphyxia, fetal distress, amniotic fluid fecal staining, and low birth weight) in the high TCA expression group (n = 49) compared to the low TCA expression group (n = 25) (p < 0.0001). The Kaplan-Meier (KM) curve of patients with high TCA expression shifted to the left compared with patients with low TCA expression (p < 0.0001). The cumulative survival rate of patients with high serum TCA expression (22.22%) was prominently reduced compared to patients with low serum TCA expression (85.03%), indicating that high serum TCA levels increased the risk of maternal and infant adverse outcomes in ICP patients. TBAs, AST, and TCA were identified as independent risk factors for adverse maternal and fetal outcomes in ICP patients. Conclusion: Serum TCA is an independent risk factor for adverse outcomes in ICP patients. Serum TCA levels have predictive values for adverse maternal and infant outcomes in pregnant women with ICP, but there are still some false positives. In clinical diagnosis, it is essential to combine other clinical data to increase the diagnostic accuracy.

Crocin is one of the most valuable components of the Chinese medicinal plant Crocus sativus and is widely used in the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. Traditional planting of C. sativus is unable to fulfill the increasing demand for crocin in the global market, however, such that researchers have turned their attention to the heterologous production of crocin in a variety of hosts. At present, there are reports of successful heterologous production of crocin in Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, microalgae, and plants that do not naturally produce crocin. Of these, the microalga Dunaliella salina, which produces high levels of β-carotene, the substrate for crocin biosynthesis, is worthy of attention. This article describes the biosynthesis of crocin, compares the features of each heterologous host, and clarifies the requirements for efficient production of crocin in microalgae.

The design concept of a Small High-flux Multipurpose LBE(Lead Bismuth Eutectic) cooled Fast Reactor (SHMLFR) was proposed in the paper. The primary cooling system of the reactor is forced circulation, and the fuel element form is arc-plate loaded high enrichment MOX fuel. The core is cylindrical with a flux trap set in the center of the core, which can be used as an irradiation channel. According to the requirements of the core physical design, a series of physical design criteria and constraints were given, and the steady and transient parameters of the reactor were calculated and analyzed. Regarding the thermal and hydraulic phenomena of the reactor, a simplified model was used to conduct a preliminary analysis of the fuel plates at special positions, and the temperature field distribution of the fuel plate with the highest power density under different coolant flow rates was simulated. The results show that the various parameters of SHMLFR meet the requirements and design criteria of the physical design of the core and the thermal design of the reactor. This implies that the conceptual design of SHMLFR is feasible.

BackgroundHypoxia is involved in tumor biological processes and disease progression. Ferroptosis, as a newly discovered programmed cell death process, is closely related to breast cancer (BC) occurrence and development. However, reliable prognostic signatures based on a combination of hypoxia and ferroptosis in BC have not been developed.MethodWe set The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) breast cancer cohort as training set and the Molecular Taxonomy of Breast Cancer International Consortium (METABRIC) BC cohort as the validation set. Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) and COX regression approaches were used to construct ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) and hypoxia-related genes (HRGs) prognostic signature (HFRS). The CIBERSORT algorithm and ESTIMATE score were used to explore the relationship between HFRS and tumor immune microenvironment. Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect protein expression in tissue samples. A nomogram was developed to advance the clinical application of HFRS signature.ResultsTen ferroptosis-related genes and hypoxia-related genes were screened to construct the HFRS prognostic signature in TCGA BC cohort, and the predictive capacity was verified in METABRIC BC cohort. BC patients with high-HFRS had shorter survival time, higher tumor stage, and a higher rate of positive lymph node. Moreover, high HFRS was associated with high hypoxia, ferroptosis, and immunosuppression status. A nomogram that was constructed with age, stage, and HFRS signature showed a strong prognostic capability to predict overall survival (OS) for BC patients.ConclusionWe developed a novel prognostic model with hypoxia and ferroptosis-related genes to predict OS, and characterize the immune microenvironment of BC patients, which might provide new cures for clinical decision-making and individual treatment of BC patients.

Both Internet use’s impact on depression and urban-rural disparities related to information and communication technologies (ICTs) are crucial topics in the information systems discipline. So far, limited studies have explored these topics in a comprehensive way. This study aims to explore the impact of Internet use on urban and rural older adults’ depression and provide insights into how ICTs play positive roles in human behaviors. Based on data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, we used the panel-data regression approach to examine the relationships between older adults’ Internet use and depression, and adopted the propensity score matching and the difference-in-difference approach to test the robustness of our findings. We found that the influencing mechanisms behind Internet use’s impact on urban and rural older adults’ depression are different. Internet use not only directly reduces rural older adults’ depression but also indirectly reduces it via the mediation of social activity, while the impact of Internet use on urban older adults’ depression is fully mediated by social activity. We found that Internet use exerts different impacts on urban and rural older adults’ depression, and rural older adults can receive a greater benefit.

The problem of reclosing current limiting in voltage source converter based high-voltage direct current (VSC-HVDC) systems is becoming more and more serious. A soft reclosing scheme for DC permanent faults is presented in this paper. Because the converter voltages of stations at both terminals of the disconnected faulty line may be different, the choice of which terminal to reclose first will affect the reclosing overcurrent. A method for selecting the terminal to reclose first is inves-tigated to achieve a minimum peak overcurrent during the reclosing process. In order to ensure that the hybrid DC circuit breaker (HDCCB) adapts to the needs of the reclosing process better, the traditional HDCCB is improved by adding a soft reclosing module (SRM). The energy dissipated in the arresters is significantly reduced when using the improved HDCCB. The improved HDCCB will be able to reclose multiple times safely and thus increase the possibility of successful reclosing. Moreover, the recovery time after the HDCCB is successfully reclosed is very short with the improved HDCCB and its control principles. Simulation results show that this proposed scheme is capable of limiting the reclosing overcurrent when the fault still exists.

In this work, we address the inverse kinetics problem of motion planning of soft biomimetic actuators driven by three chambers. Soft biomimetic actuators have been applied in many applications owing to their intrinsic softness. Although a mathematical model can be derived to describe the inverse dynamics of this actuator, it is still not accurate to capture the nonlinearity and uncertainty of the material and the system. Besides, such a complex model is time-consuming, so it is not easy to apply in the real-time control unit. Therefore, developing a model-free approach in this area could be a new idea. To overcome these intrinsic problems, we propose a back-propagation (BP) neural network learning the inverse kinetics of the soft biomimetic actuator moving in three-dimensional space. After training with sample data, the BP neural network model can represent the relation between the manipulator tip position and the pressure applied to the chambers. The proposed algorithm is more precise than the analytical model. The results show that a desired terminal position can be achieved with a degree of accuracy of 2.46% relative average error with respect to the total actuator length.

BackgroundThe prognosis of diffuse low-grade gliomas (DLGGs, WHO grade 2) is highly variable, making it difficult to evaluate individual patient outcomes. In this study, we used common clinical characteristics to construct a predictive model with multiple indicators.MethodsWe identified 2459 patients diagnosed with astrocytoma and oligodendroglioma from 2000 to 2018 in the SEER database. After removing invalid information, we randomly divided the cleaned patient data into training and validation groups. We performed univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses and constructed a nomogram. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, c-index, calibration curve, and subgroup analyses were used to assess the accuracy of the nomogram by internal and external validation.ResultsAfter univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses, we identified seven independent prognostic factors, namely, age (P

Donor cell-derived leukemia (DCL) is a special type of relapse after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Patients with DCL generally have a poor prognosis due to resistance to conventional chemotherapy. Here, we report a case of donor cell-derived acute lymphoblastic leukemia after umbilical cord blood transplantation. The patient didn’t respond to induction chemotherapy. She then received anti-CD19 CAR-T cell therapy and achieved MRD-negative complete remission (CR). However, MRD levels rose from negative to 0.05% at 5 months after CAR-T cell therapy. Higher MRD levels were significantly associated with an increased risk of leukemia recurrence. Afterward, preemptive interferon-α treatment was administrated to prevent disease recurrence. To date, the patient has maintained MRD-negative CR for 41 months. Our results suggested that anti-CD19 CAR-T cells followed by interferon-α therapy are effective in treating donor cell-derived acute lymphoblastic leukemia. This report provides a novel strategy for the treatment of DCL.

Flexible perovskite solar cells (FPSCs) have emerged as power sources in versatile applications owing to their high-efficiency characteristics, excellent flexibility, and relatively low cost. Nevertheless, undesired strain in perovskite films greatly impacts the power-conversion efficiency (PCE) and stability of PSCs, particularly in FPSCs. Herein, a novel multifunctional organic salt, methylammonium succinate, which can alleviate strain and reinforce grain boundaries, was incorporated into the perovskite film, leading to relaxed microstrain and a lower defect concentration. As a result, a PCE of 25.4% for rigid PSCs and a record PCE of 23.6% (certified 22.5%) for FPSCs have been achieved. In addition, the corresponding FPSCs exhibited excellent bending durability, maintaining ∼85% of their initial efficiency after bending at a 6 mm radius for 10 000 cycles.

Background and purposeHematoma expansion (HE) is a critical event following acute intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). We aimed to construct a non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT) model combining clinical characteristics, radiological signs, and radiomics features to predict HE in patients with spontaneous ICH and to develop a nomogram to assess the risk of early HE.Materials and methodsWe retrospectively reviewed 388 patients with ICH who underwent initial NCCT within 6 h after onset and follow-up CT within 24 h after initial NCCT, between January 2015 and December 2021. Using the LASSO algorithm or stepwise logistic regression analysis, five models (clinical model, radiological model, clinical-radiological model, radiomics model, and combined model) were developed to predict HE in the training cohort (n = 235) and independently verified in the test cohort (n = 153). The Akaike information criterion (AIC) and the likelihood ratio test (LRT) were used for comparing the goodness of fit of the five models, and the AUC was used to evaluate their ability in discriminating HE. A nomogram was developed based on the model with the best performance.ResultsThe combined model (AIC = 202.599, χ2 = 80.6) was the best fitting model with the lowest AIC and the highest LRT chi-square value compared to the clinical model (AIC = 232.263, χ2 = 46.940), radiological model (AIC = 227.932, χ2 = 51.270), clinical-radiological model (AIC = 212.711, χ2 = 55.490) or radiomics model (AIC = 217.647, χ2 = 57.550). In both cohorts, the nomogram derived from the combined model showed satisfactory discrimination and calibration for predicting HE (AUC = 0.900, sensitivity = 83.87%; AUC = 0.850, sensitivity = 80.10%, respectively).ConclusionThe NCCT-based model combining clinical characteristics, radiological signs, and radiomics features could efficiently discriminate early HE, and the nomogram derived from the combined model, as a non-invasive tool, exhibited satisfactory performance in stratifying HE risks.

Background RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) have important roles in orchestrating posttranscriptional regulation and modulating many tumorigenesis events. SERBP1 has been recognized as an important regulator in multiple cancers, while it remains unclear whether SERBP1-regulated gene expression at the transcriptome-wide level is significantly correlated with tumorigenesis. Methods We overexpressed SERBP1 in HeLa cells and explored whether SERBP1 overexpression (SERBP1-OE) affects the proliferation and apoptosis of HeLa cells. We analyzed the transcriptome-wide gene expression changes and alternative splicing changes mediated by SERBP1-OE using the transcriptome sequencing method (RNA-seq). RT-qPCR was conducted to assay SERBP1-regulated alternative splicing. Results SERBP1-OE induced the apoptosis of HeLa cells. The downregulated genes were strongly enriched in the cell proliferation and apoptosis pathways according to the GO analysis, including FOS, FOSB, PAK6 and RAB26. The genes undergoing at least one SERBP1-regulated alternative splicing event were enriched in transcriptional regulation, suggesting a mechanism of the regulation of gene expression, and in pyruvate and fatty acid metabolic processes critical for tumorigenesis events. The SERBP1-regulated alternative splicing of ME3, LPIN3, CROT, PDP1, SLC27A1 and ALKBH7 was validated by RT-qPCR analysis. Conclusions We for the first time demonstrated the cellular function and molecular targets of SERBP1 in HeLa cells at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. The SERBP1-regulated gene expression and alternative splicing networks revealed by this study provide important information for exploring the functional roles and regulatory mechanisms of SERBP1 in cancer development and progression.

The wheel-legged robot combines the functions of wheeled vehicles and legged robots: high speed and high passability. However, the limited performance of existing joint actuators has always been the bottleneck in the actual applications of large wheel-legged robots. This paper proposed a highly integrated electro-hydrostatic actuator (EHA) to enable high-dynamic performance in giant wheel-legged robots (>200 kg). A prototype with a high force-to-weight ratio was developed by integrating a micropump, a miniature spring accumulator, and a micro-symmetrical cylinder. The prototype achieves a large output force of more than 9400 N and a high force-to-weight ratio of more than 2518 N/kg. Compared with existing EHA-based robots, it has a higher force-to-weight ratio and can bear larger loads. A detailed EHA model was presented, and controllers were designed based on sliding mode control and PID methods to control the output position and force of the piston. The model’s accuracy is improved by identifying uncertain parameters such as friction and leakage coefficient. Finally, both simulations and experiments were carried out. The results verified the fast response of force control (step response within 50 ms, the force tracking control frequency about 6.7 Hz) and the developed EHA’s good potential for future large wheel-legged robots.

Emerging evidence shows immune-related long noncoding RNAs (ir-lncRNAs) perform critical roles in tumor progression and prognosis assessment. However, the identification of ir-lncRNAs and their clinical significance in human glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) remain largely unexplored. Here, a designed computational frame based on immune score was used to identify differentially expressed ir-lncRNAs (DEir-lncRNAs) from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) GBM program. The immune-related lncRNA signature (IRLncSig) composed of prognosis-related DEir-lncRNAs selected by Cox regression analysis and its clinical predictive values were verified, which was further validated by another dataset from the Gene Expression Omnibus database (GEO). Subsequently, the association between IRLncSig and immune cell infiltration, immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) biomarkers, O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) gene expression, and biological function were also analyzed. After calculation, five prognosis-related ir-lncRNAs were included in the establishment of IRLncSig. The risk assessment based on IRLncSig indicated that the high-IRLncSig-score group was significantly associated with poor prognosis (p < 0.001), significant aggregation of macrophages (p < 0.05), higher ICI biomarker expression, and MGMT gene expression (p < 0.05). Signature-related lncRNAs may be involved in immune activities in the tumorigenesis and progression of GBM. In summary, the novel IRLncSig shows a promising clinical value in predicting the prognosis and immune landscape of GBM.