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In order to elucidate the effect of cooling rate on the carbide formation during the solidification process of high manganese steel Mn13, the solidification process is artificially divided into two stages, namely the liquid-solid phase transition stage and solid-state cooling stage. The final Mn13 samples with different cooling rates are used to the analysis of solidification structure and carbides by high-temperature confocal microscopy (HTCLSM), optical microscopy (OM), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The result shows that the change of cooling rate at the liquid-solid phase transition stage has a great influence on the solidification structure and carbide precipitation. At this stage, with the increase of cooling rate from 0.2 °C/s to 5.0 °C/s, the dendrite structure is obviously refined, and the secondary dendrite arm spacing and cooling rate are satisfied with the relationship: λΠ=54.14×v−0.33. Also, the average grain size in the Mn13 sample decreases from 549 μm to 346 μm, and the aspect ratio of gains in the Mn13 sample increases from 1.7 to 2.0. Moreover, the distribution of carbide in the interdendritic regions and grain boundaries increases, and the morphology of carbide at the grain boundary change from block to dendrite. But it seems that the change of cooling rate from 1 °C/s to 5.0 °C/s at the solid-state cooling stage has a slight effect on the secondary dendrite arm spacing, the average size and aspect ratio of the grain structure and the amount and morphology of carbide precipitation at the grain boundary.

Abstract Background Conflicting results comparing bivalirudin versus heparin anticoagulation in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), in part due to the confounding effect of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors (GPI). The aim of the study was to compare the safety and effectiveness of bivalirudin plus a post-PCI high-dose infusion vs heparin with or without bail-out GPI use. Methods We conducted a pre-specified subgroup analysis from the BRIGHT-4 trial that randomized 6016 STEMI patients who underwent primary PCI to receive either bivalirudin plus a post-PCI high-dose infusion for 2–4 h or heparin monotherapy. GPI use was only reserved as bail-out therapy for procedural thrombotic complications. The primary outcome was a composite of all-cause death or Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) types 3–5 bleeding at 30 days. Results A total of 5250 (87.4%) patients received treatment without GPI while 758 (12.6%) received bail-out GPI. Bail-out GPI use was associated with an increased risk of the primary outcome compared to non-GPI use (5.28% vs. 3.41%; adjusted hazard ratio (aHR), 1.62; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.13–2.33; P = 0.009) and all-cause death (5.01% vs. 3.12%; aHR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.20–2.52; P = 0.004) but not in the risk of BARC types 3–5 bleeding (0.53% vs. 0.48%; aHR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.31–2.66; P = 0.85). Among patients without GPI use, bivalirudin was associated with lower rates of the primary outcome (2.63% vs. 4.21%; aHR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.39–0.77; P = 0.0005), all-cause death (2.52% vs. 3.74%; aHR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.41–0.83; P = 0.003), and BARC types 3–5 bleeding (0.15% vs. 0.81%; aHR, 0.19; 95% CI, 0.06–0.57; P = 0.003) compared with heparin. However, among patients requiring bail-out GPI, there were no significant differences observed in the rates of the primary outcome (5.76% vs. 4.87%; aHR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.36–1.66; P = 0.50; P interaction = 0.07) or its individual components between bivalirudin and heparin groups. Conclusions Bivalirudin plus a post-PCI high-dose infusion was associated with significantly reduced 30-day composite rate of all-cause death or BARC types 3–5 bleeding compared with heparin monotherapy in STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI without GPI use. However, these benefits might be less pronounced in patients requiring bail-out GPI due to thrombotic complications during primary PCI. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03822975.

Tight sandstone water-bearing gas reservoirs typically exhibit low porosity and low permeability, with reservoir rocks characterized by complex pore structures, often featuring micron-scale or smaller pore throats. This intricate reservoir structure significantly restricts fluid flow within the reservoir, necessitating a certain threshold pressure gradient (TPG) to be overcome before flow can commence. This study focuses on the Ordos Basin and explores the influence of high water content tight sandstone gas reservoirs on TPG under different water saturation and formation pressure conditions through experiments. A mathematical model of TPG is established using multiple linear regression method. The results show that TPG is primarily affected by water saturation, followed by formation pressure. As the water saturation increases, the TPG of the core decreases, and the change becomes more pronounced when the water saturation exceeds 50%. As formation pressure increases, the weakening of the slippage effect in gas molecules leads to TPG stabilization, especially when local pressure exceeds 25.0 MPa. The research also shows that low-permeability cores exhibit greater TPG variation with pressure changes, while high-permeability cores remain more stable. A mathematical model was developed and validated to predict TPG based on permeability, water saturation, and formation pressure. These findings highlight the need to monitor formation water content during tight sandstone gas reservoir development to optimize production strategies, providing valuable insights for improving reservoir management and guiding future research.

Abstract Radiated tumor cell‐derived extracellular vesicles (RT‐EVs) encapsulate abundant DNA fragments from irradiated tumor cells, in addition to acting as integrators of multiple tumor antigens. Accumulating evidence indicates these DNA fragments from damaged cells are involved in downstream immune responses, but most of them are degraded in cells before incorporation into derived RT‐EVs, thus the low abundance of DNA fragments limits immune responses of RT‐EVs. Here, this study found that different radiations affected fates of DNA fragments in RT‐EVs. Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) induced DNA accumulation in RT‐EVs (BEVs) by causing more DNA breaks and DNA oxidation resisting nuclease degradation. This is attributed to the high‐linear energy transfer (LET) properties of alpha particles from the neutron capture reaction of 10B. When being internalized by dendritic cells (DCs), BEVs activated the DNA sensing pathway, resulting in functional enhancements including antigen presentation, migration capacity, and cytokine secretion. After vaccination of the BEVs‐educated DCs (BEV@BMDCs), the effector T cells significantly expanded and infiltrated into tumors, suggesting robust anti‐tumor immune activation. BEV@BMDCs not only effectively inhibited the primary tumor growth and metastasis formation but also elicited long‐term immune memory. In conclusion, a successful DC vaccine is provided as a promising candidate for tumor vaccine.

Abstract Background Casuarina equisetifolia (C. equisetifolia) is a woody species with many excellent features. It has natural resistance against drought, salt and saline-alkali stresses. WRKY transcription factors (TFs) play significant roles in plant response to abiotic stresses, therefore, molecular characterization of WRKY gene family under abiotic stresses holds great significance for improvement of forest trees through molecular biological tools. At present, WRKY TFs from C. equisetifolia have not been thoroughly studied with respect to their role in salt and saline-alkali stresses response. The current study was conducted to bridge the same knowledge gap. Results A total of 64 WRKYs were identified in C. equisetifolia and divided into three major groups i.e. group I, II and III, consisting of 10, 42 and 12 WRKY members, respectively. The WRKY members in group II were further divided into 5 subgroups according to their homology with Arabidopsis counterparts. WRKYs belonging to the same group exhibited higher similarities in gene structure and the presence of conserved motifs. Promoter analysis data showed the presence of various response elements, especially those related to hormone signaling and abiotic stresses, such as ABRE (ABA), TGACG (MeJA), W-box ((C/T) TGAC (T/C)) and TC-rich motif. Tissue specific expression data showed that CeqWRKYs were mainly expressed in root under normal growth conditions. Furthermore, most of the CeqWRKYs were up-regulated by NaCl and NaHCO3 stresses with few of WRKYs showing early responsiveness to both stresses while few others exhibiting late response. Although the expressions of CeqWRKYs were also induced by cold stress, the response was delayed compared with other stresses. Transgenic C. equisetifolia plants overexpressing CeqWRKY11 displayed lower electrolyte leakage, higher chlorophyll content, and enhanced tolerance to both stresses. The higher expression of abiotic stress related genes, especially CeqHKT1 and CeqPOD7, in overexpression lines points to the maintenance of optimum Na+/K+ ratio, and ROS scavenging as possible key molecular mechanisms underlying salt stress tolerance. Conclusions Our results show that CeqWRKYs might be key regulators of NaCl and NaHCO3 stresses response in C. equisetifolia. In addition, positive correlation of CeqWRKY11 expression with increased stress tolerance in C. equisetifolia encourages further research on other WRKY family members through functional genomic tools. The best candidates could be incorporated in other woody plant species for improving stress tolerance.

Abstract Background Vascular calcification (VC) is a complication in diabetes mellitus (DM) patients. Osteogenic phenotype switching of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) plays a critical role in diabetes-related VC. Mitophagy can inhibit phenotype switching in VSMCs. This study aimed to investigate the role of the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonist exendin 4 (EX4) in mitophagy-induced phenotype switching. Materials and methods The status of VC in T2DM mice was monitored using Von Kossa and Alizarin Red S (ARS) staining in mouse aortic tissue. Human aortic smooth muscle cells were cultured in high glucose (HG) and β-glycerophosphate (β-GP) conditioned medium. Accumulation of LC3B and p62 was detected in the mitochondrial fraction. The effect of EX4 in vitro and in vivo was investigated by knocking down AMPKα1. Results In diabetic VC mice, EX4 decreased the percentage of von Kossa/ARS positive area. EX4 inhibited osteogenic differentiation of HG/β-GP-induced VSMCs. In HG/β-GP-induced VSMCs, the number of mitophagosomes was increased, whereas the addition of EX4 restored mitochondrial function, increased the number of mitophagosome-lysosome fusions, and reduced p62 in mitochondrial frictions. EX4 increased the phosphorylation of AMPKα (Thr172) and ULK1 (Ser555) in HG/β-GP-induced VSMCs. After knockdown of AMPKα1, ULK1 could not be activated by EX4. The accumulation of LC3B and p62 could not be reduced after AMPKα1 knockdown. Knockdown of AMPKα1 negated the therapeutic effects of EX4 on VC of diabetic mice. Conclusion EX4 could promote mitophagy by activating the AMPK signaling pathway, attenuate insufficient mitophagy, and thus inhibit the osteogenic phenotype switching of VSMCs.

In order to address the challenges related to exploration target search and sustainable development of oilfields in the Weixinan Sag of Beibuwan Basin, this study focused on fault-lithologic composite traps within the structural trap development section of the third member of Oligocene Weizhou Formation in the No.2 fracture zone of Weixinan Sag. By examining the relationship between the evolution of depression-controlling faults and the sedimentary characteristics of the third member of Weizhou Formation, it was observed that the No.2 fault zone exhibited weak activity during the sedimentary period of the third member, facilitating the continuous transportation of underwater distributary channels of the braided river delta along the long axis direction of the sag towards the depression. Conversely, the regional tectonic activities were intense during the sedimentary periods of the second and first members of Weizhou Formation, leading to the formation of a series of en-echelon faults. The interaction between relatively isolated underwater distributary channels of the braided river delta front and en-echelon faults resulted in angled staggered formations and intersecting channels, ultimately creating a distinctive channel-type structural-lithologic trap group characterized by NE-SW trending fault sealing and NW-SE trending sand body pinching. The research findings indicate the development of a three-factor coupling fault-lithologic trap model in the third member of the Weizhou Formation. This model includes the depression faulted uplift background of the No.2 fracture zone, low-frequency oscillating channel, and en-echelon tension-torsion fault. The intersection area of the main stream line of underwater distributary channel in a braided river delta and the No.2 fracture zone is identified as a favorable zone for structural-lithologic traps. Additionally, composite structural-lithologic traps are predominantly found in the near-source intersection area, while isolated structural-lithologic traps are more common in the far-source intersection area, leading to the formation of an accumulation model involving axial channel sand control, fault, and sand body composite control. The fault-lithologic trap model and accumulation model have demonstrated effective application in practice. Several favorable fault-lithologic composite trap groups with distinct fault sealing and sand body pinching orientations have been identified, particularly in the Wei B-E structure. Notably, well WB-E 1 has successfully drilled nearly 100 meters of oil layer, with subsequent wells yielding positive results. The exploration efforts in the third member of the Weizhou Formation within the No.2 fault zone of the Weixinan Sag have led to the discovery of geological reserves exceeding 10 million cubic meters, underscoring the significance of fault-lithologic composite traps in this region.

Background Cell death modulates the biological behaviors of tumors. However, the comprehensive role of the multiple forms of cell death in lower-grade glioma (LGG) is unknown.Methods We collected the transcriptional data of LGG patients from public repositories to comprehensively examine six cell death patterns (autophagy, apoptosis, cuproptosis, necroptosis, ferroptosis, and pyroptosis) in LGG samples and systematically correlated these patterns with patient survival, underlying biological processes, and drug sensitivity using serial bioinformatics analysis, clinical sample validation and in vitro assays.Results We identified and independently validated three reproducible cell death-based clusters associated with distinct clinical outcomes and tumor microenvironment characteristics. The Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion algorithm was applied for predicting how these three clusters would respond to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy; we found potential resistance of cluster B to ICB therapy. We also performed drug screening to identify cluster-specific drugs. Furthermore, a scoring system, designated as the CDPM score, was developed to estimate the cell death patterns of patients with LGG; this system could predict both LGG patients’ prognosis and immunotherapy efficacy. By performing multiplex immunofluorescence staining, we validated the correlations of GNAL expression with the molecular and clinical features of LGG in an independent LGG cohort. Finally, in vitro assays showed that GNAL promoted apoptosis and inhibited the proliferation of LGG cells.Conclusion The new cell death-based subtype system indicates several features of LGG biology and reveals novel insights into the use of precision medicine for treating LGG. The CDPM score could be used to predict the immunotherapy response and prognosis of LGG patients; moreover, it could indicate a novel direction for improving LGG management.

A complete technical system of gas field rolling exploration such as target search, evaluation and drilling was introduced to promote the development of the deep-water marginal gas field A in the central canyon of the Qiongdongnan Basin. In addition to the traditional target search technology of oil and gas potential in the zone, a target search technology of evaluation process was proposed for the marginal gas field A. A total of five potential oil and gas blocks were searched, and the structure A4 was selected for oil and gas target evaluation. The main controlling factors of hydrocarbon accumulation in the structure A4 were studied from two aspects: trap interpretation and implementation, and trap hydrocarbon detection. The predicted dominant gas-bearing areas in the central part of structure A4 have favorable gas-bearing information characteristics such as strong amplitude attributes, low density, low velocity, low P-wave impedance, and low P-wave and S-wave velocity ratios. They were generally classified as class Ⅲ AVO anomaly, which can upgrade the HL_0 gas group to control natural gas geological reserves. The rolling exploration well A4-1 was drilled, encountering a gas layer of over 20 m in the Huangliu Formation, and a suspicious gas layer of nearly 10 m in the second member of Yinggehai Formation. The proven geological reserves of natural gas were nearly 3 billion cubic meters, and the drilling effect was good. The application of rolling exploration research in the deep-water marginal gas field A not only effectively promotes the subsequent rolling exploration activities of the marginal gas field A, but also confirms that rolling exploration is also applicable to deep-water oil and gas exploration.

The advancement of graph neural networks (GNNs) has made it possible to accurately predict metabolic sites. Despite the combination of GNNs with XGBOOST showing impressive performance, this technology has not yet been applied in the realm of metabolic site prediction. Previous metabolic site prediction tools focused on bonds and atoms, regardless of the overall molecular skeleton. This study introduces a novel tool, named D-CyPre, that amalgamates atom, bond, and molecular skeleton information via two directed message-passing neural networks (D-MPNN) to predict the metabolic sites of the nine cytochrome P450 enzymes using XGBOOST. In D-CyPre Precision Mode, the model produces fewer, but more accurate results (Jaccard score: 0.497, F1: 0.660, and precision: 0.737 in the test set). In D-CyPre Recall Mode, the model produces less accurate, but more comprehensive results (Jaccard score: 0.506, F1: 0.669, and recall: 0.720 in the test set). In the test set of 68 reactants, D-CyPre outperformed BioTransformer on all isoenzymes and CyProduct on most isoenzymes (5/9). For the subtypes where D-CyPre outperformed CyProducts, the Jaccard score and F1 scores increased by 24% and 16% in Precision Mode (4/9) and 19% and 12% in Recall Mode (5/9), respectively, relative to the second-best CyProduct. Overall, D-CyPre provides more accurate prediction results for human CYP450 enzyme metabolic sites.

A statistical analysis is conducted on the hourly precipitation at 105 national meteorological stations in the Xinjiang region of China from 2011 to 2020. The purpose of this analysis is to determine the total quantity of precipitation during the warm and cold seasons, as well as the precipitation frequency at each station. The results of the analysis indicate that there is a more pronounced inter-annual variation in precipitation during the warm and cold seasons in Xinjiang, where the total amount of precipitation during the warm season is significantly higher than that during the cold season, with the warm season experiencing at least twice as much precipitation. In terms of the inter-annual incremental amount of precipitation, both the warm and cold seasons exhibit a trend of increasing and then decreasing over the years. However, the curvature change is more prominent in the cold season compared to the warm season, suggesting that the inter-annual variation in precipitation during the warm season remains relatively stable. The spatial distribution characteristics of the total precipitation in Xinjiang indicate that warm-season precipitation is more scattered, while cold-season precipitation is mainly concentrated in the northern region of the territory. This pattern holds true at low, medium, medium–high, and high altitudes. The cumulative precipitation during the warm season is always higher than that in the cold season, and this difference becomes more prominent with increasing altitude. This indicates that warm-season precipitation in Xinjiang is closely related to its complex topographic structure, particularly the convective weather generated by topographic clouds. On the other hand, precipitation in the cold season is mainly concentrated in the low- and medium-altitude stations, and there is not much correlation between precipitation and altitude. Precipitation is mainly affected by the mesoscale and the direct influence of large-scale weather systems. Analysis of precipitation in extreme moments reveals that during the warm season, extreme precipitation events occur mainly from the evening to early morning (19:00–03:00 the next day), accounting for 75.24% of the 105 stations. In contrast, during the cold season, extreme precipitation events occur between 03:00 and 18:00, corresponding to 74.29% of the stations. The relationship between precipitation and altitude differs in the warm and cold seasons. In the warm season, there is a linear relationship between precipitation and altitude, with a slope of 0.72 and a correlation coefficient of 0.52, indicating that precipitation increases with increasing altitude. However, in the cold season, the linear relationship between precipitation and altitude is very inconspicuous, with a slope of −0.05 and a correlation coefficient of −0.05, suggesting that there is no significant relationship between precipitation and altitude during this season. These findings provide valuable insights into the changing patterns of precipitation gradients at different altitudes and seasons in Xinjiang. This information can be used for the site selection of smokestack operations in high-altitude areas and for ground and air weather modification operations in low-altitude areas. Additionally, these data contribute to the understanding of precipitation patterns in Xinjiang, further improving the effectiveness of weather modification efforts and increasing the utilization of airborne water resources.

Abstract Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has gained significant attention in the field of regenerative medicine due to its potential therapeutic applications. However, few studies have reported the components, especially anti-ageing-related components, of PRP derived from umbilical cord blood (UCB). It is essential to understand the influence of age on the composition and efficacy of PRP to optimize its clinical use. The present study compared the concentrations of bioactive components in PRP from healthy female adults and UCB-derived PRP. PRP was obtained from blood samples from females in four age groups (12 per group): neonates (UCB donors) and adults aged 18–25, 26–45, and 46–65 years, respectively. The concentrations of epidermal growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), insulin-like growth factor-1, platelet-derived growth factor-AA (PDGF-AA), PDGF-AB/BB, vascular endothelial growth factor A, RANTES, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, GDF11, and clusterin and activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in the PRP samples were determined and compared among groups. Pairwise comparisons between the groups showed statistically significant differences in the concentrations of some bioactive components of PRP, such as FGF-2, PDGF-AB/BB, and clusterin, and GPx activity. UCB-derived PRP contains various active ingredients such as VEGF-A, CAT activity, and TIMP-2. Contrary to expectations, UCB-derived PRP did not show higher concentrations of the anti-ageing protein GDF11. Because UCB is a rich source of bioactive components with low immunogenicity, its use in PRP preparation is an important research direction for future studies.

In order to explore high-quality proven geological reserves for the "Deep Sea No.1" giant gas field in the central canyon of the Qiongdongnan Basin and promote the sustainable development of the giant gas field, the rolling exploration technology is innovatively introduced into the deep-water natural gas exploration in the central canyon. The main gas-bearing strata such as the Upper Miocene Huangliu Formation and the Pliocene Yinggehai Formation on the periphery of mature exploration area of the gas field are studied. Five potential blocks are searched for rolling exploration, and Block 4 with superior reservoir forming conditions and the ability to control geological reserves is selected. The reservoir forming conditions of T29B and T29E sand bodies in the Yinggehai Formation, upper HL-Ⅰ, HL-Ⅲ and HL-Ⅳ gas groups in the Huangliu Formation are studied. By analogy with drilling data and accumulation rules of the surrounding wells, the accumulation conditions such as trap, reservoir deposition and oil and gas migration and accumulation of Block 4 are studied. The T29E sand bodies of the Huangliu Formation and the Yinggehai Formation in Block 4 are all lithologic traps formed by the joint closure of the central canyon channel bank and the weak-amplitude muddy channel in the later stage of the canyon. The T29B sand body is an anticline trap formed by the local high point of the submarine fan under the canyon background. Through the amplitude attribute sand body characterization and forward modeling, the reservoir-seal combination of the target layer of the Huangliu and Yinggehai formations in Block 4 is well implemented. The vertical migration modes such as diapirs, high-angle fractures and micro-fractures are migrated to the target layer traps, and the effectiveness of the top and bottom plates of the traps is good, thus playing a good role in preserving oil and gas. According to the accumulation factors, the resource parameters and potential resources are implemented, and the deployment of deep-water rolling exploration wells is carried out. The deep-water directional drilling technology is innovatively introduced, and the well L17-10d is deployed to implement the gas-bearing strata and reserve scale as much as possible, and good drilling results are achieved. The well L17-10d encountered a pure gas layer in the T29B, T29E sand bodies and the HL-Ⅲ gas group. The vertical thickness of the gas layer was nearly 45 m, and the proven geological reserves were nearly 7 billion cubic meters. It further confirmed the accumulation law of the deep water area of the central canyon, pointed out the direction for the rolling exploration of the surrounding area, promoted the production of proven geological reserves and controlled geological reserves of some difficult-to-produce natural gas, and provided a strong guarantee for the subsequent sustainable development of the "Deep Sea No.1" giant gas field.

Abstract Cells possess isolated compartments that spatially confine different enzymes, enabling high-efficiency enzymatic cascade reactions. Herein, we report a cell-inspired design of biomimetic cascade catalysis system by immobilizing Fe single atoms and Au nanoparticles on the inner and outer layers of three-dimensional nanocapsules, respectively. The different metal sites catalyze independently and work synergistically to enable engineered and cascade glucose detection. The biomimetic catalysis system demonstrates ~ 9.8- and 2-fold cascade activity enhancement than conventional mixing and coplanar construction systems, respectively. Furthermore, the biomimetic catalysis system is successfully demonstrated for the colorimetric glucose detection with high catalytic activity and selectivity. Also, the proposed gel-based sensor is integrated with smartphone to enable real-time and visual determination of glucose. More importantly, the gel-based sensor exhibits a high correlation with a commercial glucometer in real samples detection. These findings provide a strategy to design an efficient biomimetic catalysis system for applications in bioassays and nanobiomedicines.

The performance-degradation pattern of the planetary roller screw mechanism (PRSM) is difficult to predict and evaluate due to a variety of factors. Load-carrying capacity, transmission accuracy, and efficiency are the main indicators for evaluating the performance of the PRSM. In this paper, a testing device for the comprehensive performance of the PRSM is designed by taking into account the coupling relationships among temperature rise, vibration, speed, and load. First, the functional design and error calibration of the testing device were conducted. Secondly, the PRSM designed in the supported project was taken as the research object to conduct degradation tests on its load-bearing capacity and transmission accuracy and analyze the changes in transmission efficiency. Third, the thread profile and wear condition were scanned and inspected using a universal tool microscope and an optical microscope. Finally, based on the monitoring module of the testing device, the vibration status during the PRSM testing process was collected in real time, laying a foundation for the subsequent assessment of the changes in the performance state of the PRSM. The test results reveal the law of performance degradation of the PRSM under the coupled effects of temperature, vibration, speed, and load.

Channel steel-reinforced brick column technology has gained significant popularity in rural China due to its convenience and cost effectiveness. However, current research on channel steel reinforcement is sparse, and engineering applications often rely solely on construction experience. This reliance leads to significant construction errors, inconsistent reinforcement effects, and, in some cases, tragedies such as the collapse of Changsha’s “4.29” self-built houses. Therefore, in this paper, experimental and simulation studies on brick columns reinforced with external channel steel were conducted, and the results show that channel steel reinforcement can significantly enhance the axial load capacity of brick columns. However, increased initial stress levels and height-to-thickness ratios substantially reduce the reinforcement effect. Under axial pressure, the outer channel steel fails mainly through bending and buckling instability. Still, due to its good ductility, its failure occurs later than the brick column after being restrained by sufficient wall screws. Based on the experimental and simulation results, a method for calculating the axial compressive bearing capacity of the reinforced column is proposed, providing theoretical support and engineering guidance for applying this reinforcement method.

Lithium-ion battery State of Health (SOH) estimation is an essential issue in battery management systems. In order to better estimate battery SOH, Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) is used to establish a model to estimate lithium-ion battery SOH. The Swarm Optimization algorithm (PSO) is used to automatically adjust and optimize the parameters of ELM to improve estimation accuracy. Firstly, collect cyclic aging data of the battery and extract five characteristic quantities related to battery capacity from the battery charging curve and increment capacity curve. Use Grey Relation Analysis (GRA) method to analyze the correlation between battery capacity and five characteristic quantities. Then, an ELM is used to build the capacity estimation model of the lithium-ion battery based on five characteristics, and a PSO is introduced to optimize the parameters of the capacity estimation model. The proposed method is validated by the degradation experiment of the lithium-ion battery under different conditions. The results show that the battery capacity estimation model based on ELM and PSO has better accuracy and stability in capacity estimation, and the average absolute percentage error is less than 1%.

Oceanic uptake of anthropogenic CO2 causes a decrease in seawater pH and aragonite saturation state (Ωarag), a process known as ocean acidification (OA). The western North Pacific is a hotspot for anthropogenic CO2 sinks; however, the spatiotemporal variability of pH and Ωarag and their controlling mechanisms remain unexplored. In this study, we provide high-frequency and high-precision underway measurements of sea surface pCO2 and pH to investigate the distribution and drivers of OA metrics across different hydrochemical gradients in the western North Pacific in late spring 2018, a season with the highest primary production in the year. Our results show that the surface pH reached near air-sea equilibrium in the subtropical zone but gradually increased northward across the Kuroshio Recirculation (KR) zone and peaked in the Kuroshio Extension (KE) zone. We found that sea surface temperature played the most prominent role in regulating pH, which was also counteracted by the effects of air–sea gas exchange and vertical mixing. In contrast, the distribution of Ωarag largely mirrored the pH and was governed by air–sea gas exchange and vertical mixing, the effects of which on Ωarag were enhanced by temperature. Biological activity thrived in the KE zone to increase both pH and Ωarag, which further reinforced the latitudinal pattern of pH, but weakened that of Ωarag. These findings are based on direct in situ measurements of pH and improve our understanding of the spatiotemporal variability of OA metrics in the western North Pacific region.

Osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF) is a complication of osteosis, whose main manifestations are percussion pain and limited activity. OVCF at high levels of vertebral body is rare and usually treated conservatively. We reported a 65-year-old male patient suffering OVCF at T4 vertebral body, treated with PKP to relieve his serious percussion pain instantly. CT and MRI delineated acute compression fractures in T4 and T9 vertebrae as well as an old fracture in L1. As cranial CT scanning shows that the subdural hematoma was very little and no shifting of midline, we chose to perform PKP after a week of observation. This case suggested that as long as patients’ symptoms seriously affect their life quality, PKP is worth to perform with especial caution even if OVCF takes place at upper segments of thoracic vertebrae.

With respect to the problems of unclear development mechanisms of source rocks and distribution of high-quality source rocks in the Songxi Sag, Qiongdongnan Basin, medium-deep lacustrine source rocks in eastern and western subsags of the Songxi Sag were predicted, according to geochemical characteristics of crude oil from drilled wells, sedimentary characteristics of these subsags, the characteristics of seismic facies and attributes, and comparison and analysis of seismic velocity spectrum. In this study, it was defined that the following three factors, namely, subsidence rate of the Songxi Sag, injection points in the provenance, and sag structure, coupled and controlled the development and distribution of lacustrine source rocks. Western subsag of the Songxi Sag was adjacent to large-scale injection points in the provenance as sand-rich sediments, and then led to low paleo-productivity level, high depositional rate, and open and oxidized water body setting. It had no fundamental conditions for the formation of high-quality source rocks. Eastern subsag was far from these large-scale injection points with the development of only small sand bodies, which was favorable for the development of medium-deep lacustrine source rocks. Geochemical indexes of crude oil from drilled wells indicated that the crude oil in the study area came from medium-deep lacustrine source rocks, which confirmed the occurrence of good source rocks in the Songxi Sag. Eocene medium-deep lacustrine source rocks had seismic characteristics of low frequency, continuous and strong reflectance in addition with low velocity anomalies that were mainly distributed in the center of eastern subsag and gentle slope zone. Above-mentioned understandings could guide well allocation in eastern subsag. Eocene oil shale was firstly encountered in the wells, Qiongdongnan Basin. These source rocks had good indexes and enhanced oil exploration prospect in the Songxi Sag, Qiongdongnan Basin.

Atmospheric ice nucleation particles (INPs) play a crucial role in influencing cloud formation and microphysical properties, which in turn impact precipitation and Earth’s radiation budget. However, the influence of anthropogenic activities on the properties and concentrations of INPs remains an area of significant uncertainty. This study investigated the physical and chemical characteristics of atmospheric ice nucleation particles in Huangshan, China during the May Day labor holiday period (spanning 8 days, from April 27th to May 5th). INP concentrations were measured at temperatures from −17 °C to −26 °C and relative humidities (RHw) from 95% to 101%. Average INP concentrations reached 13.7 L−1 at −26 °C and 101% RH, 137 times higher than at −17 °C and 95% RH. INP concentrations showed exponential increases with decreasing temperature and exponential increases with increasing RH. Concentration fluctuations were observed over time, with a peak of ~30 L−1 (t = −26 °C, RHw = 101%) around the start and end of the holiday period. Aerosol number concentrations were monitored simultaneously. The peak in aerosols larger than 0.5 μm aligned with the peak in INP concentrations, suggesting a link between aerosol levels and INPs. Chemical composition analysis using SEM–EDX revealed the distinct elemental makeup of INPs based on the activation temperature. INPs active at warmer temperatures contained N, Na, and Cl, indicating possible biomass and sea salt origins, while those active at colder temperatures contained crustal elements like Al and Ca.

Cable termination serves as a crucial carrier for high-speed train power transmission and a weak part of the cable insulation system. Partial discharge detection plays a significant role in evaluating insulation status. However, field testing signals are often contaminated by external corona interference, which affects detection accuracy. This paper proposes a classification model based on wavelet transform (WT) and deep belief network (DBN) to accurately and rapidly identify corona discharge in the partial discharge signals of vehicle-mounted cable terminals. The method utilizes wavelet transform for noise reduction, employing the sigmoid activation function and analyzing the impact of WT on DBN classification performance. Research indicates that this method can achieve an accuracy of over 89% even with limited training samples. Finally, the reliability of the proposed classification model is verified using measured mixed signals.

Partial discharge detection is considered a crucial technique for evaluating insulation performance and identifying defect types in cable terminals of high-speed electric multiple units (EMUs). In this study, terminal samples exhibiting four typical defects were prepared from high-speed EMUs. A cable discharge testing system, utilizing high-frequency current sensing, was developed to collect discharge signals, and datasets corresponding to these defects were established. This study proposes the use of the convolutional neural network (CNN) for the classification of discharge signals associated with specific defects, comparing this method with two existing neural network (NN)-based classification models that employ the back-propagation NN and the radial basis function NN, respectively. The comparative results demonstrate that the CNN-based model excels in accurately identifying signals from various defect types in the cable terminals of high-speed EMUs, surpassing the two existing NN-based classification models.

BackgroundThe impact of weight loss and/or improved metabolic status on the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has yet to be determined.MethodsA total of 35,322 participants without NAFLD were followed. NAFLD risk was compared between consistently metabolically healthy non-obese (MHNO) and non-MHNO who lost weight to become non-obese and/or improved their metabolic health, using Cox proportional hazards and logistic regression models.ResultsFollowing 148,186 person-years, 8,409 participants had onset NAFLD, with an incidence rate of 56.75 (95% CI: 55.57, 57.94) per 1,000 person-years. Metabolically healthy obese (MHO), metabolically unhealthy obese (MUO), and metabolically unhealthy non-obese (MUNO) at baseline were associated with increased NAFLD risk, with hazard ratios of 4.48 (95%CI:4.24, 4.73), 8.85 (95%CI:7.95, 9.84), and 10.70 (95%CI:9.73, 11.78). Weight loss and/or metabolic status improvements could significantly reduce NAFLD risk by 79.46 to 41.46%. Specifically, after weight loss from MHO to MHNO, the reduction in NAFLD risk [OR decreased from 12.01 (95%CI:9.40, 15.35) to 4.14 (95%CI:3.08, 5.57)] was greater than that of the MUNO subgroup whose metabolic status improved to MHNO [OR decreased from 5.53 (95%CI:5.15, 5.94) to 2.71 (95%CI:2.50, 3.93)]. In the MUO subgroup, the group with the greatest risk reduction of NAFLD was the weight and metabolic state both improvement group [MUO to MHNO, OR decreased from 22.74 (95%CI:17.61, 29.37) to 4.67 (95%CI:3.05, 7.16)], followed by the weight loss only group [MUO to MUNO, OR decreased to 6.83 (95%CI:4.87, 9.57)], and finally the group with the least and insignificant risk reduction was the metabolic state improvement group [MUO to MHO, OR decreased to 13.38 (95%CI:9.17,19.53)]. NAFLD risk was negatively correlated with the duration of improvement (p

ABSTRACTIn recent years, feature engineering-based machine learning models have made significant progress in auto insurance fraud detection. However, most models or systems focused only on structural data and did not utilize multi-modal data to improve fraud detection efficiency. To solve this problem, we adapt both natural language processing and computer vision techniques to our knowledge-based algorithm and construct an Auto Insurance Multi-modal Learning (AIML) framework. We then apply AIML to detect fraud behavior in auto insurance cases with data from real scenarios and conduct experiments to examine the improvement in model performance with multi-modal data compared to baseline model with structural data only. A self-designed Semi-Auto Feature Engineer (SAFE) algorithm to process auto insurance data and a visual data processing framework are embedded within AIML. Results show that AIML substantially improves the model performance in detecting fraud behavior compared to models that only use structural data.

Background Both early correction of anemia and preserving residual renal function (RRF) are reported to improve patient survival. The aim of this study was to explore the efficacy and safety of Roxadustat for treatment of renal anemia in patients new to peritoneal dialysis (PD) and to assess its impact on RRF.Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on 60 initial peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients with renal anemia. Twenty-eight cases were treated with Roxadustat (Roxadustat group) and 32 with recombinant human erythropoietin (control group). Clinical characteristics, hemoglobin (Hb), C-reactive protein, blood lipids, iron metabolism, dialysis adequacy and RRF of the two groups were evaluated and adverse events were recorded. All patients were followed up for at least 40 weeks.Results After 40 weeks of treatment, mean Hb levels were significantly higher from baseline values in both groups, the mean Hb change in Roxadustat group was higher than control group (3.46 ± 1.59 g/dL vs. 2.28 ± 2.27 g/dL, p

Abstract Background Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is an effective treatment for patients with refractory epilepsy, yet with varied predictive factors and heterogeneous long-term outcomes. Adjustment of VNS parameters is critical for obtaining favorable efficacy. In this study, we aimed to investigate the long-term outcomes and the possible predictive factors of VNS in patients with refractory epilepsy. Methods Eighty-six patients (59 males and 27 females) who underwent VNS implantation for treatment of refractory epilepsy between May 2016 and May 2017 at five Epilepsy Centers were enrolled. The clinical data, including sex, age at epilepsy onset, VNS implantation, epilepsy duration, seizure type, MRI findings, history of neurosurgical operations, and responder rate (responders were those with ≥50% seizure reduction), were analyzed. Results Four-year follow-up data were available for 76 patients (53 males and 23 females). The mean current intensity at the last follow-up was 1.8 ± 0.3 mA (range: 0.75–2.5 mA). The mean seizure reduction was 36.2% at 6 months, 38.5% at 1 year, 69.4% at 3 years, and 56.7% at 4 years. A favorable outcome of ≥50% reduction in seizure frequency occurred in 40.0% of the patients at 6 months, 55.9% at 1 year with 4 patients being seizure-free, 63.2% at 3 years with 5 patients being seizure-free, and 68.4% at 4 years with 5 patients being seizure-free. Earlier onset age (P

Head pose estimation serves various applications, such as gaze estimation, fatigue-driven detection, and virtual reality. Nonetheless, achieving precise and efficient predictions remains challenging owing to the reliance on singular data sources. Therefore, this study introduces a technique involving multimodal feature fusion to elevate head pose estimation accuracy. The proposed method amalgamates data derived from diverse sources, including RGB and depth images, to construct a comprehensive three-dimensional representation of the head, commonly referred to as a point cloud. The noteworthy innovations of this method encompass a residual multilayer perceptron structure within PointNet, designed to tackle gradient-related challenges, along with spatial self-attention mechanisms aimed at noise reduction. The enhanced PointNet and ResNet networks are utilized to extract features from both point clouds and images. These extracted features undergo fusion. Furthermore, the incorporation of a scoring module strengthens robustness, particularly in scenarios involving facial occlusion. This is achieved by preserving features from the highest-scoring point cloud. Additionally, a prediction module is employed, combining classification and regression methodologies to accurately estimate head poses. The proposed method improves the accuracy and robustness of head pose estimation, especially in cases involving facial obstructions. These advancements are substantiated by experiments conducted using the BIWI dataset, demonstrating the superiority of this method over existing techniques.

The effects of V–Nb microalloying on the microstructure and mechanical properties of ultra-high-strength spring steel at various austenitizing and tempering times were investigated. To achieve this, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, electron backscatter diffraction, and tensile tests were performed. The equations for austenite grain coarsening at 900 °C and (V,Nb)C carbide growth at 400 °C were obtained. The results indicated that the tensile properties of the investigated steel significantly improved after V–Nb microalloying with the same quenching-tempering treatment. With increasing austenitization or tempering time, the tensile properties of the experimental steels dramatically declined owing to the coarsening of the grain size or of the martensite lath width and carbide size. Because V–Nb microalloying increased the densities of the grain boundaries and carbides, the full width at half maximum 211α, microstrain, and dislocation density decreased slowly with prolonged tempering time. The strength increment among the investigated steels mainly resulted from the grain refinement strengthening, dislocation strengthening, and most importantly, precipitation strengthening of (V,Nb)C carbide.

Ice-nucleating particles (INPs) are crucial for cloud freezing processes in the atmosphere. Given the limited knowledge about the vertical distribution of INPs and its relation to aerosols in China, we present two aircraft observations of INPs over the North China Plain on 23 October 2019 and 25 October 2019, before and after a cold front passage. We used a well-established method to identify the INPs on a silicon wafer and then performed single-particle chemical composition analysis using an environmental scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive spectrometer (ESEM-EDS). The INP concentrations range from 0.1 to 9.2 L−1 within activation temperatures from −20 to −29 °C. INPs are mostly concentrated within the boundary layer, and their concentration shows a decreasing trend with height (0.5~6 km) before the cold front passage. However, the highest INP concentration always appears at higher altitudes (4~5 km) after the cold front passage. The cold front passage also significantly weakens the correlations between the concentrations of INPs and aerosol particles at different sizes. The activated fraction (AF) of total aerosols increases from 10−6 to 10−4 with height from near ground to 6 km, reflecting a better nucleating capacity of the aerosols at higher altitudes. There is no obvious variation in AF after the cold front passage. Chemical analysis reveals that the INPs containing mineral dust components comprise the majority of total INPs during both flights. The proportion of pure mineral dust declines from 52.2% to 43.5% after the cold front passage while the proportion of mixed mineral dust increases from 23.9% to 45.7%, suggesting that an increased probability of aging or coating of INPs is introduced by the cold front during their long-distance transport. In addition, 88% of INPs have a diameter larger than 1 μm. This indicates that larger aerosols (>1 μm) are the major contributors to INPs at high altitudes despite their relatively low abundance. Our results demonstrate a significant impact of transport events on the sources and vertical distribution of INPs in the atmosphere.

Background: Evolocumab has been demonstrated to significantly reduce ischemic cardiovascular events in patients with stable coronary heart disease. However, it is currently unclear whether this benefit extends to patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and multivessel disease (MVD) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The objective of this study was to assess the safety, efficacy and feasibility of the early addition of evolocumab to statin treatment for ACS patients with MVD undergoing PCI. Methods: The authors conducted a multicenter, retrospective cohort study involving 1199 ACS patients with MVD undergoing PCI and with elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. Patients were divided into an evolocumab group or a standard-of-care group based on evolocumab use or not. The 18-month primary efficacy endpoint was a composite of ischemic stroke, death from cardiac causes, recurrent myocardial infarction (MI), unplanned coronary revascularization or unstable angina requiring hospitalization. The principal secondary efficacy endpoint was a composite of ischemic stroke, death from cardiac causes or recurrent MI. Results: After propensity score matching, the addition of evolocumab to statin treatment lowered LDL-C levels by 42.62% compared with statin therapy alone at 18 months, from a mean baseline level of 3.37–0.75 mmol/L (p < 0.001). Relative to standard therapy, evolocumab added to statins was associated with significant reductions in the primary efficacy endpoint (8.3% vs. 13.3%; adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.60; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.39 to 0.91; p = 0.017) and the principal secondary efficacy endpoint (6.1% vs. 10.2%; adjusted HR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.37 to 0.99; p = 0.048) after multivariable Cox regression adjustment. The treatment effect of evolocumab was consistent across all prespecified subgroups. There were no significant between-group differences in terms of adverse events. Conclusions: In ACS patients with MVD taken for PCI, early initiation of evolocumab along with statin treatment was associated with a significant reduction in LDL-C levels and a reduced risk of recurrent cardiovascular events. Clinical Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trials Registry, identifier ChiCTR2000035165. Date: 2 August 2020. URL: https://www.chictr.org.cn/.

The super-speed tube transport (SSTT) system is called the fifth traffic mode internationally. One of the critical technical problems for the design of SSTT system is the sealing reliability in vacuum tube structures. In this paper, an experimental study of the sealing capacity and mechanical behavior of the segmental lining is carried out, and the following conclusions are drawn. To meet the requirements of the SSTT system, the existing sealing of the concrete segment structure needs to be further strengthened. The joint spacing decreases with increasing vacuum and increases with vacuum pressure relief. There is an obvious correlation between the strain change and the vacuum pumping, which can be divided into four stages. The influence of the pressure difference and the local airflow movement on the concrete surface strain is dominant by turns at different stages. The concrete surface is suggested to be reinforce on account of the tensile strain caused by the local airflow movement of vacuum pumping is significant. The relative pressure caused by vacuum has little effect on the stress and deformation of the structure. The results of the study can help to understand the sealing capacity and mechanical behavior of the underground segmental lining in a low vacuum environment and be beneficial in choosing the appropriate structure type for the SSTT system.

Antibiotics-resistant Propionibacterium acne (P. acne) causes severe acne vulgaris, serious public health, and psychological threat. A new lytic bacteriophage (phage), φPaP11-13, infecting P. acne, was isolated from the sewage management center of Xinqiao Hospital. It can form transparent plaque with diameters of 1.0 ~ 5.0 mm on the double-layer agar plate, indicating a robust lytic ability against its host. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that φPaP11-13 belonged to the Siphoviridae family (head diameter 60 ± 4.5 nm, tail length 170 ± 6.4 nm, tail width 14 ± 2.4 nm). The one-step growth curve showed the incubation period was 5 h, and the burst size was 26 PFU (plaque-forming unit)/cell. Moreover, it exhibited tolerance over a broad range of pH and temperature ranges but was utterly inactivated by ultraviolet (UV) irradiation for 1 h. The whole-genome sequencing results revealed φPaP11-13 had a linear dsDNA with 29,648 bp length. The G/C content was 54.08%. Non-coding RNA genes and virulence factors were not found. Forty five open reading frames (ORFs) were identified after online annotation. This study reports a novel P. acne phage φPaP11-13, which has a robust lytic ability, no virulence factors, and good stability. The characterization and genomic analysis of φPaP11-13 will develop our understanding of phage biology and diversity and provide a potential arsenal for controlling antibiotics-resistant P. acne-induced severe acne vulgaris.

In this paper, we describe how, through the combination of field testing and finite element simulation, the bonding and anchoring performance of small-diameter rebar under the action of medium and low cycle fatigue load was studied and the corresponding conclusions were obtained: ① Through the test, the performance parameters of the 6 mm and 8 mm rebar planting specimens were obtained after the rebar was subjected to 10,000, 50,000 and 100,000 times of medium and low cycle fatigue loading at depths of 10d, 15d and 20d. The analysis shows that the medium and low cycle fatigue load has a significant effect on the elastic ultimate load, elastic ultimate slip and ultimate slip of the small-diameter rebar planting specimens. With the increase in fatigue loading times, the elastic ultimate load of the rebar specimen decreased continuously, and the elastic ultimate slip and ultimate slip showed an increasing trend. By increasing the anchor depth, the influence of fatigue load on the anchoring performance parameters of the rebar planting specimen can be reduced. Under the influence of the upper ultimate condition of 100,000 times of fatigue loading, the ultimate load and failure mode of the planted bars basically did not change compared with the control specimens without fatigue loading. ② Based on the performance parameters of the rebar planting specimens obtained from the field test, the bond–slip constitutive relationship of the adhesive–rebar interface of the small-diameter rebar planting under the medium and low cycle fatigue load is analyzed and proposed. The F-U relationship of the spring element under the fatigue load is defined to simulate the bond–slip behavior of the adhesive–rebar interface. The finite element simulation results are in good agreement with the field test results. ③ Through a large number of finite element numerical simulation results, the elastic ultimate load calculation formulas of 6 mm and 8 mm diameter rebar planting specimens under medium and low cycle fatigue loads are obtained.

The composition of marine aerosol is quite complex, and its sources are diverse. Across the East China Sea (ECS) and the Yellow Sea (YS), multi-dimensional analysis of marine aerosols was conducted. The characteristics of carbonaceous aerosols and gaseous pollutants were explored through in situ ship-based observation, MERRA-2 reanalysis datasets and TROPOMI data from Sentinel-5P satellite. Black carbon (BC)’s average concentration is 1.35 ± 0.78 μg/m3, with high-value BC observed during the cruise. Through HYSPLIT trajectory analysis, sources of BC were from the northern Eurasian continent, the Shandong Peninsula, the ECS and Northwest Pacific Ocean (NWPO). The transport of marine sources like ship emissions cannot be ignored. According to the absorption Angstrom exponent (AAE), BC originates from biomass burning (BB) in the shortwave band (~370 nm) and from fossil fuel combustion in the longwave band (~660 nm). Organic carbon (OC), sulfate (SO42−) and BC report higher Angstrom exponent (AE) while dust and sea salt reveal lower AE, which can be utilized to classify the aerosols as being fine- or coarse-mode, respectively. OC has the highest AE (ECS: 1.98, YS: 2.01), indicating that anthropogenic activities could be a significant source. The process of biomass burning aerosol (BBA) mixed with sea salt could contribute to the decline in BBA’s AE. Ship emissions may affect the distribution of tropospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the ECS, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tropospheric NO2 over the YS has the highest value (up to 12 × 1015 molec/cm2). Stratospheric NO2 has a ladder-like distribution from north to south, and the variation gradient was lower than that in the troposphere. Carbon monoxide (CO) accumulates in the south and east of the ECS and the east of the YS, while the variation over the eastern YS is relatively frequent. Seas near the Korean Peninsula have extremely high CO concentration (up to 1.35 × 1017 molec/cm2).

Hepatocellular carcinoma (CC) is a common and deadly cancer with complex molecular pathogenesis. Little is known about dual‐specificity phosphatases (DUSPs) in HCC. We investigated DUSP9 expression in human HCC, associations between DUSP9 and patient outcomes, and effects of altered DUSP9 expression on HCC biology. We studied public data sets as well as 196 patients at our institution who had HCC resections. Quantitative real‐time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and western blot demonstrated that DUSP9 expression was increased >10‐fold in HCC compared to adjacent liver and healthy controls (P = 0.005). Kaplan‐Meier and multivariable regression analyses revealed that higher DUSP9 expression was associated with shorter disease‐free survival (high DUSP9, 1.6; 95% confidence interval, 0.9‐2.3 vs. low DUSP9, 3.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.8‐5.0 years; P = 0.04) and increased risk of recurrence (hazard ratio 1.55; 95% confidence interval, 1.01‐2.67; P = 0.05) after resection. DUSP9 complementary DNA (cDNA) was cloned using rapid amplification of cDNA ends, revealing two DUSP9 isoforms in human HCC cells. Studies of transcriptional regulation using promoter‐luciferase reporter constructs suggested that DUSP9 transcription is regulated by E26 transformation‐specific transcription factors. Proliferation of hepatic cells in vitro was enhanced by lentiviral‐mediated overexpression of DUSP9. In contrast, DUSP9 knockout HCC cells generated using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) demonstrated decreased HCC proliferation and doxorubicin resistance in vitro and impaired xenograft growth in vivo. RNA sequencing, gene set enrichment, and network/pathway analysis revealed that DUSP9 knockout is associated with activation of protein kinase activity and apoptosis. Conclusion: DUSP9 regulates cell proliferation and predicts recurrence after surgery in HCC. DUSP9 may represent a novel prognostic candidate and therapeutic target. Additional studies are warranted to further explore the role and regulation of DUSP9 in HCC.

BackgroundAtherosclerotic vulnerable plaque is the leading cause of acute fatal cardiovascular events. Thus, early rapid identification and appropriate treatment of atherosclerotic plaque maybe can prevent fatal cardiovascular events. However, few non–invasive molecular imaging techniques are currently available for the simultaneous detection and targeted treatment of atherosclerotic plaques. We hypothesized that diagnostic ultrasound (DU) combined with cyclic Arg-Gly-Asp-modified microbubbles (MBR) could provide targeted imaging and dissolution of activated platelets to identify advanced atherosclerotic plaques and improve plaque instability.MethodsThree mouse models, apolipoprotein E-deficient mice on a hypercholesterolemic diet (HCD) or normal chow diet and wild-type mice on an HCD were used. The most appropriate ultrasonic mechanical index (MI) was determined based on the expression of GP IIb/IIIa in sham, DU alone and DUMBR-treated groups at MI values of 0.5, 1.5, and 1.9. The video intensity (VI) values, activated platelets and plaque instability were analyzed by ultrasound molecular imaging, scanning electron microscopy and histopathological methods.ResultsWe found that the VI values of ultrasound molecular imaging of MBR were positively correlated with plaque GP IIb/IIIa expression, vulnerability index and necrotic center / fiber cap ratio. 24 h after treatment at different MIs, compared with those of the other groups, both the VI values and GP IIb/IIIa expression were significantly reduced in MI 1.5 and MI 1.9 DUMBR-treated groups. The plaque vulnerability index and necrotic center / fiber cap ratio were significantly decreased in MI 1.5-treated group, which may be due to targeted dissolution of activated platelets, with a reduction in von Willebrand factor expression.ConclusionDUMBR targeting GP IIb/IIIa receptors could rapidly detect advanced atherosclerotic plaques and simultaneously give targeted therapy by dissolving activated and aggregated platelets. This technology may represent a novel approach for the simultaneous identification and treatment of atherosclerotic plaques.

Through comprehensive analysis of core description, core slice observation and grain size data, in combination with regional palaeogeomorphology and seismic facies study, the sedimentary structure characteristics and its identification mark of the Meishan Formation sandy debris flow in northern Lingshui Sag of Qiongdongnan Basin were discussed in details.The sedimentary model of sandy debris flow in the study area is then established based on its sedimentary environment and characteristics.Two main lithological associations developed in sandy debris flow sedimentation in the Meishan Formation, which were thick massive bedding siltstone to very fine sandstone without sedimentary structure and silty mudstone, mudstone and siltstone interbeds with abundant contemporaneous deformation structure.These lithological associations formed during the process when the sediments of the delta front and the pre-delta on the shelf went frozen sliding as whole and collapsed and deposited again as sandy debris flow.Their distribution was mainly controlled by the shelf break and roughly distributed parallel to the shelf break showing tongue shaped outline.Combined with regional hydrocarbon accumulation elements study, it was thought the sandy debris flow sandstone in the study area could form lower-generation and upper-reservoir type lithological reservoirs with faults connecting to deep source rock, and this would be an important exploration break through to realize the exploration breakthrough in finding large and medium-sized oil and gas reservoirs in Qiongdongnan Basin.

The South China Sea is one of the four major offshore oil and gas accumulation centers in the world. Many oil and gas fields and hydrate deposits have been found on the northern slope of the South China Sea. The amount of hydrate resources is huge. Relying on high-precision seismic exploration technology, the exploration of hydrate deposits in the South China Sea has progressed greatly in recent years, but the success rate of seismic detection technology needs to be improved. Scientific drillings have proved that there are multiple solutions to find hydrate only by identifying BSR in the stable zone, while the research on hydrate accumulation system is not deep enough, especially the migration, accumulation and dispersion system. Fractures are the main systems of hydrate accumulation and mineralization in the north of the South China Sea. In order to effectively characterize the fracture system of hydrate, this paper, combined with the successful experience of oil and gas reservoir migration and accumulation system research, applied the fracture identification technology used to study fracture channels to discover the diapir gas field to the BSR area of Qiongdongnan Basin, and successfully identified the hydrate fracture transport system. Based on the results, the migration efficiency was discussed. In the study of gas hydrate accumulation systems, the seismic characterization of fractures can be used as a means to study the transport system.

Carburizing and quenching heat treatment process is the key to improve the surface quality of mechanical parts. In order to improve the surface quality of the planetary gear made of 16Cr3NiWMoVNbE， after analysis， take the carburizing after high temperature tempering， quenching after cold treatment process， so that the surface hardness of the product reach above 60 HRC after carburizing quenching. In the process of uncontrollable layer depth of secondary superimposed carburizing， the process control method of slope rise and temperature drop is adopted in the temperature stage above Ac3， the depth of carburizing layer is controlled accurately. Finally， the process test is carried out to verify it. Thus， the superimposed carburizing heat treatment process with different carburizing layer depth between the tooth surface of planetary gear and the surface of inner hole is developed. The excellent comprehensive performance of 16Cr3NiWMoVNbE aviation gear material is obtained make full use of.

TGM6 encodes transglutaminase 6, which catalyzes the covalent crosslinking of proteins through transamination reactions. Variants in TGM6 have been identified as the cause of spinocerebellar ataxia type 35. However, we found 12 TGM6 variants of low frequency among 308 patients with Parkinson's disease using next-generation sequencing technologies and multiple ligation-dependent probe amplification, including two variants TGM6 p.R111C and p.L517W, which have been reported to affect functions of transglutaminase 6 in spinocerebellar ataxia type 35 cases. The characteristics of these TGM6 carriers were summarized. To clarify the role of TGM6 variants in Parkinson's disease, we constructed the plasmids of wild-type TGM6 and TGM6 p.R111C, p.P359L, p.L517W to transfect A53T-SH-SY5Y cells and conducted transglutaminase assay, western blots, immunofluorescence, and cell viability assay. Results revealed that the distribution and expression levels of transglutaminase 6 were not affected by TGM6 variants. However, the variants showed lower transglutaminase activity than wild-type transglutaminase 6. The overexpression of wild-type TGM6 was proved to relieve the cell damage, down-regulate the level of α-synuclein and enhance autophagy. These effects were weakened in cells transfected with mutant TGM6 plasmids. Our results suggested that there may be some relationship between TGM6 and Parkinson's disease. TGM6 carriers in Parkinson's disease patients presented with typical parkinsonism but progressed slower. The high expression level of wild-type transglutaminase 6 may protect cells by decreasing α-synuclein and enhancing autophagy.

While the prognosis of patients with partial SRCC (PSRCC) has been rarely reported, colorectal signet-ring cell carcinoma (SRCC) has been associated with poor prognosis. The aim of this study was to analyze the prognosis of patients with different SRCC composition and establish a prediction model. A total of 91 patients with SRC component were included in the study. These patients were divided into two groups: SRCC group (SRC composition > 50%; n=41) and partial SRCC (PSRCC) group (SRC composition ≤ 50%; n=50). COX regression model was used to identify independent prognostic factors for overall survival (OS). A predictive nomogram was established and compared with the 7th AJCC staging system. After a median follow-up of 16 months, no significant difference in OS was observed in either group. Preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level, pN stage, M stage, preoperative ileus, and adjuvant chemotherapy were independent prognostic risk factors for OS (p

Dividing wall column (DWC) is an advanced technology which could decrease energy consumption. As the vertical wall inserted in DWC increases the degree of freedom of systems, the control becomes more difficult than the conventional columns. In this study, the mixture glycols (1, 2-propanediol+ 1, 3-butanediol+ 1, 4-butanediol) were taken as feed, an optimized DWC structure was proposed, and three control structures for DWC were tested by ± 10% feed disturbances. The temperature control structure (CS1) was hard to control the system while composition control structure (CS2) and flow rate-composition cascade control structure (CS3) had good performance on controlling the DWC. It showed that CS3 was superior to CS2, as CS3 could stabilize the DWC within 4 hours, and the maximum deviations of the three products, namely 1, 2-propanediol, 1, 3-butanediol and 1, 4-butanediol, were 0.07%, 1.44%, and 0.46% respectively, while CS2 could realize the stability within 7 hours, and the corresponding numbers were 0.35%, 2.78%, and 0.41%, respectively.

Background: The role of ferroptosis in breast cancer brain metastasis (BCBM) is unclear. This study aimed to explore the ferroptosis-related genes (FRG) relations with the tumor microenvironment, as well as evaluate their values in predicting survival and drug sensitivity in patients with BCBM.Materials and Methods: Genes expression and clinical data were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to explore the independent prognostic factors. Consensus cluster principal component analysis (PCA) was used to establish the ferroptosis score. Immunological signatures were analyzed by the single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA). Drug sensitivity was evaluated through the estimated half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50). Finally, results were validated in external cohorts.Results: Fourteen significantly different FRG were identified between breast cancer (BC) and BCBM tissues. Survival analysis demonstrated HMOX1, PEBP1, KEAP1, and LPCAT3 were significantly associated with overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) (all p < 0.05). High ferroptosis score was correlated with iron ion homeostasis, iron metabolism, higher stromal cells and immune cells scores. Patients with high- and low-ferroptosis scores were characterized by different drug sensitivities. Following external validations, the ferroptosis had distinct expression profiles between the BC and BCBM, and could serve as biomarkers for OS and drug response.Conclusion: Our findings suggested that ferroptosis may be involved in the process of BCBM, and ferroptosis could serve as prognostic biomarkers. Evaluation of ferroptosis may deepen our understanding about the tumor microenvironment, and could help clinicians to make individualized therapy.

The Southern Ocean (SO) and Antarctica play important roles in the global climate. The new particle formation (NPF) alters the availability of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), leading to impacts on the cloud reflectance and global radiative budget. In this review, we introduce the common instruments for measuring particle number concentration (PNC) and particle number size distribution (PNSD). Based on the observations over the Antarctic and some Antarctic research stations, we explored spatial and temporal characteristics of PNCs and PNSDs. From the SO to the interior of the Antarctic, the total PNCs show a decreasing trend, and the total PNCs present an obvious seasonal cycle, with the low concentration in winter (June–August) and the high concentration in summer (December–February). By summarizing the research progress over the SO and Antarctica, we discuss possible precursors of the NPF: sulfuric acid (H2SO4, SA), methanesulfonic acid (CH3S(O)2OH, MSA), dimethyl sulfide ((CH3)2S, DMS), iodic acid (HIO3, IA), iodous acid (HIO2), ammonia (NH3), dimethylamine ((CH3)2NH, DMA), highly oxygenated organic molecules (HOMs) and other organics with low vapor pressure. We also explore several possible nucleation mechanisms: ion-induced nucleation of H2SO4 and NH3, H2SO4-amines, H2SO4-DMA-H2O, H2SO4-MSA-DMA, IA-MSA, IA-DMA, heterogeneous IA-organics nucleation mechanisms and environmental conditions required for the NPF. NPF is one of the main sources of CCN in the remote marine boundary layer, such as the SO and Antarctica. Thus, we discuss the contribution of NPF to CCN and the indirect impacts of NPF on climate. Through this review, we could better understand the PNC and NPF over the SO and Antarctica and their impacts on the global climate.

In this paper, methyl glycine diacetic acid (MGDA) was found to have great influence on the morphology and particle size of barium sulfate. The effects of additive, concentration, value of pH and reaction temperature on the morphology and particle size of barium sulfate were studied in detail. The results show that the concentration of reactant and temperature have little effect on the particle size of barium sulfate. However, the pH conditions of the solution and the dosage of MGDA can apparently affect the particle size distribution of barium sulfate. The particle size of barium sulfate particles increases and the morphology changes from polyhedral to rice-shaped with the decreasing of the dosage of MGDA. In solution with higher pH, smaller and rice-shaped barium sulfate was obtained. To investigate the interacting mechanism of MGDA, the binding energy between MGDA and barium sulfate surface was calculated. It was found that the larger absolute value of the binding energy would result in stronger growth inhibition on the crystal face. Finally, the experimental data and theoretical calculations were combined to elucidate the interacting mechanism of the additive on the morphology and particle size of barium sulfate.

In this study, the water-soluble inorganic ions (WSIIs) composition of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was measured in the northern Nanjing city from 2015 to 2021. NH4+, NO3− and SO42− concentrations dominated in total WSIIs (Na+, NH4+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Cl−, NO3− and SO42−), accounting for 87.8%. The nitrate with highest average concentration among all ions was 11.0 μg·m−3. Total WSIIs concentrations were higher in winter and lower in summer, with the highest levels in December (45.6 μg·m−3) and the lowest levels in August (15.1 μg·m−3). NO3−/SO42− was higher than 1, indicating the important contribution of mobile sources. The aerosols exhibited a weak acidic by the molar ratio of water-soluble anions and cations. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis results showed that secondary nitrate and sulfate were the major pollution sources in December 2016 and 2020. The contribution of secondary nitrate in 2020 increased by 47.6% compared to 2016, while that of secondary sulfate decreased by 42.4%. The potential source contribution results demonstrated that for secondary aerosol concentrations, the contribution of regional transport from north of Anhui increased, while the contribution of local emissions decreased. The results from this study could contribute to the better prevention and control of regional air pollution in the future.