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Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy in the pediatric population. A recent study has revealed a recent decline in overall US thyroid cancer incidence rates. The aim of this study is to assess whether there has been a corresponding decline in incidence rates in the pediatric population. We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to analyze the pediatric thyroid cancer incidence rate. The results demonstrate that the incidence rate of pediatric thyroid cancer continued to increase from 2000 to 2018. Future studies are needed to understand how recent changes in guidelines are affecting incidence rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Traumatic thoracolumbar spine injuries are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Targeted for non-spine specialist trauma surgeons, this systematic scoping review aimed to examine literature for up-to-date evidence on presentation, management, and outcomes of thoracolumbar spine injuries in adult trauma patients. Methods: This review was reported using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses checklist. We searched four bibliographic databases: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. Eligible studies included experimental, observational, and evidence-synthesis articles evaluating patients with thoracic, lumbar, or thoracolumbar spine injury, published in English between January 1, 2010 and January 31, 2021. Studies which focused on animals, cadavers, cohorts with N <30, and pediatric cohorts (age <18 years old), as well as case studies, abstracts, and commentaries were excluded. Results: A total of 2501 studies were screened, of which 326 unique studies were fully text reviewed and twelve aspects of injury management were identified and discussed: injury patterns, determination of injury status and imaging options, considerations in management, and patient quality of life. We found: (1) imaging is a necessary diagnostic tool, (2) no consensus exists for preferred injury characterization scoring systems, (3) operative management should be considered for unstable fractures, decompression, and deformity, and (4) certain patients experience significant burden following injury. Discussion: In this systematic scoping review, we present the most up-to-date information regarding the management of traumatic thoracolumbar spine injuries. This allows non-specialist trauma surgeons to become more familiar with thoracolumbar spine injuries in trauma patients and provides a framework for their management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teachers' conceptions of assessment are a significant indicator of teacher assessment literacy. This study contextualized pre-service teachers' conceptions of assessment in Chinese second language education. An exploratory factor analysis generated eight first-order factors and the following confirmatory factor analysis found a hierarchical model, reflecting a noticeable influence of prior learning experiences and official assessment regimes on conceptions. A follow-up latent profile analysis showed three profiles. Improvement-oriented was the most prevalent profile, but more than 40% of the participants were categorized as negative. The study substantiated the need to develop an integrative and balanced understanding of assessment in teacher education to prepare pre-service teachers for teaching in international contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Despite undergoing an index ablation, some patients progress from paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) to persistent AF (PersAF), and the mechanism behind this is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the predictors of progression to PersAF after catheter ablation in patients with PAF. Methods: This study included 400 PAF patients who underwent an index ablation between 2015 and 2019. The patients were classified into three groups based on their outcomes: Group 1 (PAF to sinus rhythm, n = 226), Group 2 (PAF to PAF, n = 146), and Group 3 (PAF to PersAF, n = 28). Baseline and procedural characteristics were collected, and predictors for AF recurrence and progression were evaluated. Results: The mean age of the patients was 58.4 ± 11.1 years, with 272 males. After 3 years of follow‐up, 7% of the PAF cases recurred and progressed to PersAF despite undergoing an index catheter ablation. In the multivariable analysis, a larger left atrial (LA) diameter and the presence of non‐pulmonary vein (PV) triggers during the index procedure independently predicted recurrence. Moreover, a larger LA diameter, the presence of non‐PV triggers, and a history of thyroid disease independently predicted AF progression. Conclusion: The progression from PAF to PersAF after catheter ablation is associated with a larger LA diameter, history of thyroid disease, and the presence of non‐PV triggers. Meticulous preprocedural evaluation, patient selection, and comprehensive provocation tests during catheter ablation are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An accurate intrinsic structural model is essential to describing the high-temperature deformation behavior of metal materials. Support Vector Regression (SVR) has strong regression analysis capabilities, but its application research in constructing constitutive models of 25CrMo4 steel still needs to be improved. In this study, we use grid search, particle swarm optimization, improved genetic algorithm, and improved gray wolf optimization to optimize SVR parameters. A constitutive relationship model for 25CrMo4 steel under high-temperature compression based on SVR was established through training using experimental data models. The predicted data of SVR constitutive models with different optimization algorithms were compared with experimental data. Statistical values, such as average absolute percentage error (AAPE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), and correlation coefficient (R2), were introduced to evaluate the accuracy of each model. The particle swarm optimization-SVR model achieved the best performance, with an AAPE of 0.455 38, MAPE of 0.489 09%, and R2 of 0.999 74. Furthermore, compared to other models, it requires the least time. This model has a higher accuracy than other commonly used instantaneous models. These findings can provide a basis for selecting appropriate deformation parameters and preventing hot working defects of 25CrMo4 steel, thus helping to improve the manufacturing process and material properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Healthy seed germination is important for improving the yield and quality of maize, but the molecular mechanisms regulating maize seed germination are still unclear. Significant progress has been made in the study of rice quality functional genomics, with the cloning of many important genes related to the regulation of rice quality traits. Selecting crop varieties with high and stable yields, as well as improving quality and economic benefits, has become a long-term topic while facing the continuous increasing population and the adverse effects of environmental changes. Therefore, developing fragrant rice varieties, strengthening the breeding of high-quality conventional indica rice, and developing functional rice with special nutritional value or specific needs of specific populations are important directions for future rice breeding. [Extracted from the article]

We propose a new generalized Su–Schrieffer–Heeger model with hierarchical long-range hopping based on a one-dimensional tetratomic chain. The properties of the topological states and phase transition, which depend on the cointeraction of the intracell and intercell hoppings, are investigated using the phase diagram of the winding number. It is shown that topological states with large positive/negative winding numbers can readily be generated in this system. The properties of the topological states can be verified by the ring-type structures in the trajectory diagram of the complex plane. The topological phase transition is strongly related to the opening (closure) of an energy bandgap at the center (boundaries) of the Brillouin zone. Finally, the non-zero-energy edge states at the ends of the finite system are revealed and matched with the bulk–boundary correspondence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optical properties of a thin-shell wormhole (TSW) with a Hayward profile is investigated. Adopting the ray-tracing method, we demonstrate that the TSW's contralateral spacetime is capable of reflecting a significant portion of light back to the observer spacetime. We analyze the effective potential, light deflection, and azimuthal angle of the TSW and find that these quantities are affected by the mass ratio of the black holes (BHs). Specifically, if the mass of the contralateral spacetime BH is greater than that of the original spacetime BH, and the impact parameter satisfies the condition H b c2 < b 1 < b c1 , the trajectory of the photon exhibits round-trip characteristics. Assuming the presence of a thin accretion disk surrounding the observing spacetime BH, our results indicate that the image formed by the TSW exhibits additional photon rings and a lensing band compared to an image produced by a BH alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the feasibility of low-dose computed tomography (CT)–based mixed reality and its clinical role in type A aortic dissection (TAAD) operations. Methods: Eighty-seven patients diagnosed with TAAD were prospectively enrolled and underwent thoracoabdominal aorta mixed reality. They were randomly divided into a low-dose mixed reality group, a conventional mixed reality group and a conventional thoracoabdominal aorta computed tomography angiography (CTA) group. Three-dimensional modelling, mixed reality and CT reconstruction technology were selected. The radiation dose and image quality were compared using Student's t test. Doctors with different seniorities evaluated the clinical application value of thoracoabdominal aorta mixed reality using a Likert scale. The consistency was assessed using the Cohen kappa coefficient (k). The Pearson chi-square test was used to test the correlation of perioperative index results in TAAD operations. Results: Low-dose CT technology can be effectively applied to thoracoabdominal aorta mixed reality and reduces the radiation dose by approximately 59% and the operation time and auxiliary cardiopulmonary bypass time by approximately 22% and 29%, respectively. The subjective scores of doctors with different seniorities on the clinical application value of thoracoabdominal aorta mixed reality were higher than those of thoracoabdominal aorta CTA (all p > 0.05). Conclusions: Low-dose CT can be effectively used in thoracoabdominal aortic mixed reality to reduce the radiation dose while ensuring quality. Low-dose thoracoabdominal aortic mixed reality has clinical application value and can effectively reduce the operation time and auxiliary cardiopulmonary bypass time in TAAD operations. Key Points: • Low-dose CT technology can ensure the mixed reality quality of the thoracoabdominal aorta with a radiation dose reduction of approximately 59%. • Compared with thoracoabdominal aorta CTA, low-dose thoracoabdominal aorta mixed reality can reduce the operation time and auxiliary cardiopulmonary bypass time by approximately 20% and 29%, respectively, in TAAD operations. • The application value of low-dose thoracoabdominal aorta mixed reality in operation scheme formulation, operation risk assessment, operation navigation and diagnosis and treatment under safe distance was greater than that of thoracoabdominal aorta CTA in TAAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The calcium carbide slag and boron mud were used as raw materials to react with acetic acid to prepare acetate snow melting agent. The microstructure of the snow-melting agent was analyzed by XRD, TG and other methods. The pH, dissolution rate and relative snow-melting ability of the prepared snow-melting agent were tested to evaluate the snow-melting performance of the snow-melting agent. The results show that the acetate phase is mainly calcium acetate when calcium carbide slag is used as the raw material. The product is mixed acetate of calcium acetate and magnesium acetate after adding boron mud. The extraction rate decreased significantly, and the snow melting performance of the acetate product also decreased. When the calcium carbide slagu boron mud is 8u 2,the acetate snow melting agent prepared has high output efficiency, and the three technical indicators of disolution rate, pH and relative snow melting and ice melting ability conform to GB/T 23851-2017 Snow Melting Agents standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerical simulation is crucial in scientific research. Visualizing simulation data helps scientists understand data and discover connections between data. However, the development of supercomputers brings larger amounts of simulation data, which poses huge challenges for visualization: (1) Storing the whole data used for visualization is hard under the limitation of I/O and storage, making visualization technology impractical; (2) the post-processing visual analysis mode wastes computation resources and reduces analysis efficiency. In this work, we present an in situ progressive visual analytics system, PEViz, which contains the back-end in situ processing and the interactive front-end interface. The in situ processes using real-time analysis and visualization reduce data storage, leading to a smaller data scale for visualization. The visual analytic interface has four aspect views: the parameters view, the statistics views of the ensemble, the one-moment view of all members, and the sequence view of a single member. While the simulation analytics programs are still running, the progressive analytic system allows scientists to explore data space, such as early analysis and interactively ending abnormal analysis. In addition, the system assists users in processing analytical tasks through real-time visualization and abstracting knowledge of the focused object. We present two case studies to evaluate the effectiveness of the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and malignant intracranial tumor in adults. At present, temozolomide (TMZ) is recognized as the preferred chemotherapeutic drug for GBM, but some patients have low sensitivity to TMZ or chemotherapy resistance to TMZ. Our previous study found that GBM patients with EGFRvIII (+) have low sensitivity to TMZ. However, the reasons and possible mechanisms of the chemoradiotherapy resistance in GBM patients with EGFRvIII (+) are not clear. (2) Methods: In this study, tissue samples of patients with GBM, GBM cell lines, glioma stem cell lines, and NSG mice were used to explore the causes and possible mechanisms of low sensitivity to TMZ in patients with EGFRvIII (+)-GBM. (3) Results: The study found that EGFRvIII promoted the proneural–mesenchymal transition of GBM and reduced its sensitivity to TMZ, and EGFRvIII regulated of the expression of ALDH1A3. (4) Conclusions: EGFRvIII activated the NF-κB pathway and further regulated the expression of ALDH1A3 to promote the proneural–mesenchymal transition of GBM and reduce its sensitivity to TMZ, which will provide an experimental basis for the selection of clinical drugs for GBM patients with EGFRvIII (+). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vincristine (VCR), an effective antitumor drug, has been utilized in several polytherapy regimens for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, neuroblastoma and rhabdomyosarcoma. However, clinical evidence shows that the metabolism of VCR varies greatly among patients. The traditional based body surface area (BSA) administration method is prone to insufficient exposure to VCR or severe VCR-induced peripheral neurotoxicity (VIPN). Therefore, reliable strategies are urgently needed to improve efficacy and reduce VIPN. Due to the unpredictable pharmacokinetic changes of VCR, therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) may help to ensure its efficacy and to manage VIPN. At present, there is a lot of supporting evidence for the suitability of applying TDM to VCR therapy. Based on the consensus guidelines drafted by the International Association of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring and Clinical Toxicology (IATDMCT), this review aimed to summarize various available data to evaluate the potential utility of VCR TDM for cancer patients. Of note, valuable evidence has accumulated on pharmacokinetics variability, pharmacodynamics, drug exposure–clinical response relationship, biomarkers for VIPN prediction, and assays for VCR monitoring. However, there are still many relevant clinical pharmacological questions that cannot yet be answered merely based on insufficient evidence. Currently, we cannot recommend a therapeutic exposure range and cannot yet provide a dose-adaptation strategy for clinicians and patients. In areas where the evidence is not yet sufficient, more research is needed in the future. The precision medicine of VCR cannot rely on TDM alone and needs to consider the clinical, environmental, genetic background and patient-specific factors as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The designed synthesis of chiral luminescent molecules with excellent circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) performance and high quantum yield (QY) levels has attracted great interest but remains very challenging. Herein, we report three pairs of chiral europium-titanium-oxo clusters featuring both modest CPL characteristics and high QY levels (up to 79%), which can be regulated by switching between different ligand substituents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A visible‐light‐induced acylation aromatization of para‐quinone methides to access α,α′‐diarylated ketones was realized with cheap and readily available carboxylic acids as acylating reagents via deoxygenation. The synthetic method avoids the tedious preparation of reactants or catalysts and shows a broad substrate scope (34 examples) under mild conditions. Notably, the late‐stage functionalization of some drug molecules could also be achieved via this protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering that under the framework of the massive gravity theory, the interaction between the mass gravitons and Schwarzschild black hole (BH) could make it carry a scalar charge, the phase transition process caused by this scalar charge is investigated in this analysis. The phase transition grade and microstructure of those BHs are investigated from both macroscopic and microscopic points of view. From the macroscopic point of view, it is found that Ehrenfest equations are satisfied at the phase transition critical point, which implies that the phase transition grade of those BHs is second-order. Based on the BH molecules model and Landau continuous phase transition theory, the phase transition of those BHs from the microcosmic point of view is analyzed. The critical exponents obtained from the two perspectives are consistent. By investigating the Ruppeiner geometry, the microstructure feature of those BHs is revealed. These results suggest that the phase transition of BH in massive gravity is a standard second-order phase transition at the critical point, and the microscopic details of those BHs are different from the Reissnerâ€"Nordström AdS BH in standard Einstein gravity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HIF means hypoxia-inducible factor gene family, and it could regulate various biological processes, including tumor development. In 2021, the FDA approved the new drug Welireg for targeting HIF-2a, and it is mainly used to treat von Hippel-Lindau syndrome, which demonstrated its good prospects in tumor therapy. As the fourth deadliest cancer worldwide, gastric cancer endangers the health of people all across the world. Currently, there are various treatment methods for patients with gastric cancer, but the five-year survival rate of patients with advanced gastric cancer is still not high. Therefore, here we reviewed the regulatory role and target role of HIF in gastric cancer, and provided some references for the treatment of gastric cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the growing demands in flexible electronics, the development of plastic and organic materials has gained increased interest. In this focus review, the design concepts and recent advances of organic liquid crystalline materials in optoelectronic devices were introduced. Thermotropic liquid crystalline materials are categorized into three types: calamitic, discotic, and cholesteric types according to the structures of rod‐like, disk‐like, and chiral rod‐like molecules, respectively. Numerous liquid crystalline materials have been successfully incorporated in organic electronic devices. Notably, smectic liquid crystals hold great promise as semiconducting channel, floating gate electret, and charge transporting interlayer in field‐effect transistors, nonvolatile memory, and photovoltaics, respectively. This review sheds light on the great potential and importance of the organic liquid crystalline material for optoelectronic device applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification of sinus node dysfunction (SND) before termination of persistent AFL by catheter ablation (CA) is challenging. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics and predictors of acute and delayed SND after AFL ablation. We retrospectively enrolled 221 patients undergoing CA of persistent AFL in a tertiary referral center. Patients with SND who required a temporary pacemaker (TPM) after termination of AFL or a permanent pacemaker (PPM) during follow-up were identified. Acute SND requiring a TPM was found in 14 of 221 (6.3%) patients following successful termination of AFL. A total of 10 of the 14 patients (71.4%) recovered from acute SND. An additional 11 (5%) patients presenting with delayed SND required a PPM during follow-up, including 4 patients recovering from acute SND. Of these, 9 of these 11 patients (81.8%) underwent PPM implantation within 1 year after the ablation. In multivariable analysis, female gender and a history of hypothyroidism were associated with the requirement for a TPM following termination of persistent AFL, while older age and a history of hypothyroidism predicted PPM implantation. This study concluded that the majority of patients with acute SND still require a PPM implantation despite the initial improvement. Therefore, it is reasonable to monitor the patients closely for at least one year after AFL ablation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on the eddy evolution can help domain experts understand the role in the transport of heat, salt and biochemical properties in the ocean. Advanced visualization techniques provide opportunities for the analysis and research of ocean eddies. However, the visual analysis of eddy evolution usually only focuses on the tracking path and global statistics. The entity relationship and attribute changes in eddy evolution process cannot be reflected intuitively, due to the limitation of analysis tools. Besides, omissions and errors in detection will interfere with the analysis process. To tackle these problems, we propose EddyVis, a multi-view interactive visual system to expose attributes and morphology of the eddy evolution process, enabling experts to analyze the eddy activities and verify the eddy detection results with the help of three-dimensional streamlines. Domain scientists can easily utilize our system to explore the evolution process, and to compare the detection results under different parameters visually and interactively. We conduct several case studies to demonstrate the usage and effectiveness of our system in the research of events in the eddy lifetime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s): The involvement of tetratricopeptide repeat domain 9A (TTC9A) in anxiety-like behaviors through estrogen action has been reported in female mice, this study further investigated its effects on social anxiety and aggressive behaviors. Materials and Methods: Using female Ttc9a knockout (Ttc9a-/-) mice, the role of TTC9A in anxiety was investigated in non-social and social environments through home-cage emergence and social interaction tests, respectively, whereas aggressive behaviors were examined under the female intruder test. Results: We observed significant social behavioral deficits with pronounced social and non-social anxiogenic phenotypes in female Ttc9a-/-mice. When tested for aggressive-like behaviors, we found a reduction in offense in Ttc9a-/-animals, suggesting that TTC9A deficiency impairs the offense responses in female mice. Conclusion: Future study investigating mechanisms underlying the social anxiety-like behavioral changes in Ttc9a-/-mice may promote the understanding of social and anxiety disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a spray control system with variable particle size to address the inaccuracy of droplet size control in the existing spray dedusting system. A PID control algorithm with stable air and water pressure is adopted to ensure droplet size uniformity. An experimental device of the droplet control system is built in the laboratory to verify the algorithm's effectiveness. Experiments were conducted using PLC as the core controller to verify the influence of different types of nozzles on the droplet size under the same air pressure and water pressure through experiments. The results show: (1) the systems droplet size range is 8–200 μ m, which meets the dust removal conditions of respirable dust and is suitable for dust removal. (2) When measured under identical experimental conditions, the droplet size decreases as the nozzle angle increases. It was shown that the spray system combined with various sprinklers can achieve full droplet size coverage and improve the efficiency of dust-fall. It provides a solution for the existing dust removal system to flexibly change the droplet size according to the dust size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Streamline is often employed to visualize the flow field as it is related to the underlying characteristic of the field. However, existing approaches lack focuses on capturing the global motion pattern and dominant features of the flow field. The correspondence between the selected geometry feature of streamline and the underlying feature of the flow field cannot be defined precisely. In this paper, we present a novel feature extraction and analysis approach by introducing workflow mining techniques. In our approach, we define the basic actions of the streamlines which formulate the activity space and model each streamline as a sequence of activities. The workflow model based on streamline is then extracted graphically, from which the global motion pattern and dominant features can be explored. The precise features can be extracted in a more intuitive and understandable way according to the associated motion patterns from the model graph. Besides, we build a visual analysis system called StreamFlow to support visualization, exploration, and analysis of the flow field with our proposed workflow mining-based method. We conduct two case studies to verify the effectiveness of our proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we used a validated socioeconomic status (SES) index and population-based registry to identify and quantify the impact of SES on access to treatment and overall survival for patients diagnosed with synchronous brain metastases. The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database was used to extract all patients between 2010 and 2016 with brain metastases at initial presentation. SES was stratified into tertiles and quintiles using the validated Yost index. Multivariable logistic regressions were used to evaluate the impact of demographic, tumor, and socioeconomic covariates on receipt of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to estimate survival. Between 2010 and 2016, 35,595 patients presented with brain metastases at the time of primary cancer diagnosis. Most patients received radiation and/or chemotherapy as part of the initial course of their treatment; 71.6% (n = 25,484) were irradiated while 54.4% (n = 19,371) received chemotherapy and 44.9% (n = 15,984) received chemoradiation. Patients in the highest Yost tertile and quintile experienced longer overall survival (P < 0.001). Additionally, multivariable logistic regression revealed that the lowest Yost quintile was significantly less likely to receive either radiation (adjusted OR: 0.82; 95% confidence interval: 0.75–0.89; P < 0.001) or chemotherapy (adjusted OR: 0.62; 95% confidence interval: 0.58–0.67; P < 0.001). In a large, population-based analysis of brain metastasis patients, we found significant differences in treatment access and mild survival differences along socioeconomic strata. More specifically, patients in lower SES tiers suffered worse outcomes and received radiation and chemotherapy less frequently than patients in higher tiers, even after accounting for other tumor- and demographic-related information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article titled "Two Coordination Polymers: Protective Activity on Nerve Injury by Increasing miR-219 and Reducing Inflammatory Response" has been retracted by the Editor-in-Chief and the Publisher of the Journal of Cluster Science. The retraction was prompted by an investigation that revealed evidence of systematic manipulation of the publication process, including citations that do not support claims made in the text, non-standard phrasing, anomalies in the figures, and discrepancies in ethics approval statements. The Editor-in-Chief no longer has confidence in the results and conclusions of the article. Some of the authors have agreed to the retraction, while others have not responded to correspondence from the Editor-in-Chief/Publisher. Springer Nature, the publisher, remains neutral regarding jurisdictional claims and institutional affiliations. [Extracted from the article]

• Implementing higher-order mode SCG in waveguides using edge coupling. • Achieving more than 200 nm (−30 dB level) of spectrum broadening using pulse energy of ten pJ. • Choosing a Ti:sapphire femtosecond laser to extend its spectrum into the visible range for more applications. Broadband optical sources emitting low pulse energy have attracted significant attention owing to their remarkable potential for quantum technology. One of the obstacles to achieving this objective is the weak anomalous dispersion. In this study, supercontinuum generation (SCG) from 645.3 nm to 851 nm pumped by a Ti:sapphire femtosecond laser at a center wavelength of 800 nm is demonstrated by using a high-order mode (transverse electric TE 20) and engineering the dispersion within the high nonlinear refractive index material, the tantalum pentoxide (Ta 2 O 5) waveguide. The total on-chip average pulse energy of around few pJ used to excite SCG shows clear future for applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate numerical models of physical systems are vital in engineering applications, and those for single components are generally accurate. However, there are significant errors in modelling the dynamics of bolted joints, which is a key source of friction in real-life systems, because existing experimental techniques are still far from offering sufficient understanding of the contact conditions of bolted joints. In the current study, static contact conditions of bolted joints are investigated with at least one component in the assembly being transparent. A novel visual identification method is proposed to (i) measure the clearance between plates in the vicinity of bolted joints and (ii) identify the contact conditions in receding contacts by applying a paste (known as Engineer's blue) to the contact surface. The paste is thinner than most media applied in previous studies. Clearance results obtained by visual inspection are checked against micrometer profile tracing, and the contact regions predicted by the method are used to validate simulation results obtained from two contact mechanics algorithms. Difference between simulation and experiment is as low as 9% in terms of contact region diameters. Last but not least, the reproducibility of the method has been demonstrated, especially if the clearance is in the range of 2 to 5 μ m. • New, visual identification method for bolted joints. • Measures clearance between plates and identifies contact conditions. • Designed for assemblies with at least one component being transparent. • Much thinner medium between surfaces than those in previous studies. • Contact region estimation less than 10% between simulation and experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two novel transition metal coordination polymers (CPs) of {Cu(tdc)(Hdmea)2 (1, Hdmea = N,N-dimethylethanolamine, tdc = 2,5-thiopenedicarboxylate) and [Co3(H2O)3(tdc)3(dioxane)]·2(dioxane) (2) were prepared via the reaction of Co(NO3)2·6H2O or Cu(NO3)2·3H2O and H2tdc with or without the template reagent Hdmea. The following experiments were carried out to determine the treatment activity for compounds against nerve injury. Firstly, the real time RT-PCR was carried out to determine the miR-219 relative expression in the nerve cells. Then the activation level of the AMPK signaling pathway in the nerve cells was measured with western blot. In addition to this, the ELISA detection was also used in this research, for the inflammatory cytokines' evaluation. Finally, the inhibition of the compound 1 and compound 2 on the death of the nerve cells was determined with MTT assay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grain size and weight are the key traits determining rice quality and yield and are mainly controlled by quantitative trait loci (QTL). In this study, one minor QTL that was previously mapped in the marker interval of JD1009-JD1019 using the Huanghuazhan/Jizi1560 (HHZ/JZ1560) recombinant inbred line (RIL) population, qTGW1-2, was validated to regulate grain size and weight across four rice-growing seasons using twenty-one near isogenic line (NIL)-F2 populations. The twenty-one populations were in two types of genetic background that were derived from the same parents HHZ and JZ1560. Twelve F9, F10 or F11 NIL-F2 populations with the sequential residual heterozygous regions covering JD1009-RM6840 were developed from one residual heterozygote (RH) in the HHZ/JZ1560 RIL population, and the remaining nine BC3F3, BC3F4 or BC3F5 NIL-F2 populations with the sequential residual heterozygous regions covering JD1009-RM6840 were constructed through consecutive backcrosses to the recurrent parent HHZ followed with marker assistant selection in each generation. Based on the QTL analysis of these genetic populations, qTGW1-2 was successfully confirmed to control grain length, width and weight and further dissected into two QTLs, qTGW1-2a and qTGW1-2b, which were respectively narrowed down to the marker intervals of JD1139-JD1127 (~ 978.2-kb) and JD1121-JD1102 (~ 54.8-kb). Furthermore, the two types of NIL-F2 populations were proved to be able to decrease the genetic background noise and increase the detection power of minor QTL. These results provided an important basis for further map-based cloning and molecular design breeding with the two QTLs in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility of 3D printing of kidney and perinephric fat based on low‐dose CT technology. Patients and Methods: A total of 184 patients with stage T1 complex renal tumors who underwent laparoscopic nephrectomy were prospectively enrolled and divided into three groups: group A (conventional dose kidney and perinephric fat 3D printing group, n = 62), group B (low‐dose kidney and perinephric fat 3D printing, n = 64), and group C (conventional dose merely kidney 3D printing group, n = 58). The effective dose (ED), signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR), and contrast‐to‐noise ratio (CNR) were determined. The 3D printing quality was evaluated using a 4‐point scale, and interobserver agreement was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: The ED of group B was lower than that of group A, with a decrease of 55.1%. The subjective scores of 3D printing quality in all groups were 3 or 4 points. The interobserver agreement among the three observers in 3D printing quality was good (ICC = 0.84–0.92). The perioperative indexes showed that operation time (OT), warm ischemia time (WIT), estimated blood loss (EBL), and laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) conversion to laparoscopic radical nephrectomy (LRN) in groups A or B were significantly less than those in group C. LPN was more frequent in group A and group B than in group C (all p < 0.017). There were no significant differences in perioperative indexes between group A and group B (all p > 0.017). Conclusion: Low‐dose CT technology can be effectively applied to 3D printing of kidney and perinephric fat and reduce the patient's radiation dose without compromising 3D printing quality. 3D printing of kidney and perinephric fat can significantly increase the success rate of LPN and decrease OT, WIT, and EBL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reliable and efficient risk assessments are essential to deal effectively with potential risks in international construction projects. However, most conventional risk modeling methods are based on the hypothesis that risk factors are independent, which does not account adequately for the causal relationships among risk factors. In this study, a risk assessment model for international construction projects was developed to improve the efficacy of risk management by integrating fault tree analysis and fuzzy set theory with a Bayesian belief network. The risk rating of each risk factor, expressed as the product of risk occurrence probability and impact, was incorporated into the risk assessment model to evaluate degrees of risk. Therefore, risk factors were categorized into different risk levels taking into account their inherent causal relationships, which allowed the identification of critical risk factors. The applicability of the fuzzy Bayesian belief network-based risk assessment model was verified using a case study through a comparative analysis with the results from a fuzzy synthetic evaluation method. The comparison shows that the proposed risk assessment model is able to provide guidelines for an effective risk management process and ultimately to increase project performance in a complex environment such as international construction projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coix lachrymal-jobi L. var. ma-yuen Stapf of Gramineae are annual or perennial herbs and an important food-medicine homologous plants of high value in nutrition, health protection, and comprehensive utilization. In recent years, the revival of researches on its roles in food and medicinal applications of this underutilized grass for food security and economic empowerment of rural communities has been seen. In this research, Coix kernel endophytic fungi were isolated and identified by fungal colony morphology observation combined with the PCR-amplified fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence analyses. All together six isolates to five species of Coix endophytic fungi and two isolates to the genus level were identified from the kernels of six Coix cultivars: Penicillium expansum, Penicillium polonicum, Cladosporium cladosporioides, Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus flavus, and two genera of Aspergillus and Fusarium. Potential benefits and harms analyses showed that Penicillium expansum, Aspergillus oryzae, and Cladosporium cladosporioides can produce a variety of beneficial composite enzymes and have an extensive application in microbial chemistry, food science, and fermentation, whereas Penicillium, Aspergillus flavus, Alternaria alternate, and Fusarium can produce corresponding toxins harmful to plants, animals, and humans. These results not only provided a basis for the targeted prevention of contamination in the tissue culture of Coix kernels by the addition of specific antibiotics, but also enriched the endophytic fungi resource pool of Gramineae crops and suggested new ideas for the improvement, cultivation, post-harvest seeds/kernels storage, and the development of new natural drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Laparoscopic nephrectomy (LN) has become the preferred method for renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Adequate preoperative assessment or intraoperative navigation is key to the successful implementation of LN. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical application value of mixed‐reality–assisted surgical navigation (MRASN) in LN. Patients and Methods: A total of 100 patients with stage T1N0M0 renal tumors who underwent laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) or laparoscopic radical nephrectomy (LRN) were prospectively enrolled and divided into a mixed‐reality‐assisted laparoscopic nephrectomy (MRALN) group (n = 50) and a non–mixed‐reality‐assisted laparoscopic nephrectomy (non‐MRALN) group (n = 50). All patients underwent renal contrast‐enhanced CT scans. The CT DICOM data of all patients in the MRALN group were imported into the mixed‐reality (MR) postprocessing workstation and underwent holographic three‐dimensional visualization (V3D) modeling and MR displayed, respectively. We adopted the Likert scale to evaluate the clinical application value of MRASN. The consistency of evaluators was assessed using the Cohen kappa coefficient (k). Results: No significant differences in patient demographic indicators between the MRALN group and the non‐MRALN group (P >.05). The subjective score of MRASN clinical application value in operative plan formulation, intraoperative navigation, remote consultation, teaching guidance, and doctor‐patient communication were higher in the MRASN group than in the non‐MRASN group (all P <.001). There were significantly more patients for whom LPN was successfully implemented in the MRALN group than in the non‐MRALN group (82% vs 46%, P <.001). The MRALN group had a shorter operative time (OT) and warm ischemia time (WIT) and less estimated blood loss (EBL) than the non‐MRALN group (all P <.001). Conclusion: MRASN is helpful for operative plan formulation, intraoperative navigation, remote consultation, teaching guidance, and doctor‐patient communication. MRALN may effectively improve the successful implementation rate of LPN and reduce the OT, WIT, and EBL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pitaya peel, a by‐product during processing, contains many phytochemicals. To make good use of it, an approach of adding pitaya peel powder (PPP) to noodle as a bioactive ingredient was applied. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of PPP level (0%‐9%) on phytochemical, textural, and sensory properties of noodle. With an increase in the PPP level, 2, 2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl radical radical scavenging capacity, free polyphenols, and total betacyanins of noodle were enhanced. PPP‐enriched noodle had a redder and darker color. The color of dried noodle was relatively stable during storage, while cooking led to an obvious decrease in betacyanin content and redness of noodle. A higher PPP level significantly reduced extensibility and elasticity of the noodle, but increased tensile strength, cutting force, and cooking loss. Noodle with 0%‐6% PPP had similar sensory scores in overall preference. Healthy and colorful noodle enriched with 3%‐6% PPP had acceptable sensory quality and higher bioactive components. Practical applications: Consumption of food products made with natural ingredients having more phytochemicals is beneficial to health and fits the current trend in food market. After juice processing, pitaya peels are generally discarded as a waste. Since the peels contain lots of phytochemicals including dietary fibers, betacyanins, and polyphenols, pitaya peels were utilized and prepared into pitaya peel powder (PPP) in this study. Increased consumption of PPP‐enriched noodle is proposed for health reasons. The study demonstrated PPP as a bioactive ingredient can be utilized in noodle products. Healthy noodle having good nutritional and sensory quality could be manufactured using PPP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Many studies have investigated the association between dietary iron intake and death due to cardiovascular disease (CVD), but the results were inconsistent. We performed a dose-response meta- analysis to quantitatively assess the risk of CVD mortality with dietary intake of iron (total iron, heme iron, and non-heme iron).Methods and Study Design: PubMed and Embase databases were searched for articles published up to February 21, 2019. Prospective cohort studies were included if reporting relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for risk of CVD mortality associated with dietary iron intake. Restricted cubic splines were used to model the dose-response association.Results: We included eight articles (19 studies including 720,427 participants [46,045 deaths due to CVD]) in the meta-analysis. When comparing the highest versus lowest level of dietary heme iron intake, the pooled RR for CVD mortality was 1.19 (95% CI, 1.01-1.39). With a 1-mg/day increase in dietary heme iron intake, the pooled RR for death due to CVD, stroke, coronary heart disease, and myocardial infarction were 1.25 (95% CI, 1.17-1.33), 1.17 (1.04-1.32), 1.25 (0.70-2.22), and 1.17 (0.55-2.50) respectively. The association between dietary iron intake and CVD mortality was linear (pnonlinearity> 0.05).Conclusions: Higher dietary intake of heme iron was associated with a greater risk of CVD mortality. Reducing consumption of heme iron may help to prevent premature death due to CVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The topology concept in the condensed physics and acoustics is introduced into the elastic wave metamaterial plate, which can show the topological property of the flexural wave. The elastic wave metamaterial plate consists of the hexagonal array which is connected by the piezoelectric shunting circuits. The Dirac point is found by adjusting the size of the unit cell and numerical simulations are illustrated to show the topological immunity. Then the closing and breaking of the Dirac point can be generated by the negative capacitance circuits. These investigations denote that the topological immunity can be achieved for flexural wave in mechanical metamaterial plate. The experiments with the active control action are finally carried out to support the numerical design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this study was to recognize human standing postures in human-robot collaborations such that the robot can serve the human operator better. An intelligent sensing floor was developed based on a thin-film pressure sensor and a human standing posture dataset was obtained by transforming the pressure data into a pressure image. A human standing posture recognition method based on an improved convolutional neural network is proposed. The results of the experiments demonstrate that a convolutional neural network can be used in the field of pressure images. The proposed method returned a recognition rate of 96.6%. Compared to the traditional neural network, the improved convolutional neural network model has better performance. The study results are expected to be used in standing posture monitoring to provide additional data for a robot in a human-robot collaboration system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents and analyzes a wide-locking range divide-by-5 injection-locked frequency divider (ILFD) manufactured in the TSMC 0.18- $\mu \text{m}$ processes. The ILFD uses the balanced injection method and uses the pure harmonic mixing approach at low injection power, and it is designed with an RLC dual-resonance resonator. The harmonic mixer relies on the self-generated second harmonic, which increases with injection power. Because of no narrowband filter as used in the linear mixer counterpart, the divide-by-5 ILFD uses a wideband design method. In addition, the ILFD enhances the divide-by-5 locking range via the overlapped dual-band locking ranges as verified by both experiment and simulation. At the drain–source bias ${V} _{\text{DD}}$ of 0.8 V and at the incident power of 0 dBm, the locking range of the divide-by-5 ILFD is 3.6 GHz, from the incident frequency 13.0–16.6 GHz with the percentage 24.3%. The core power consumption is 4.09 mW, and the die area is $1.02\times0.93$ mm2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circadian rhythm and dairy zinc levels linked tightly to the lipid metabolism in animals. The aim of the experiment was to evaluate the cross effects of zinc status and daily rhythm on lipid metabolism in male mice. A total of 40 male C57BL/6J mice (9 week-old, weight) were randomly into Zn+(30ug/g) and Zn-(0.3ug/g) groups for 30 days. The results showed that zinc-deficient diet significantly reduced the epididymis/body weight (BW) ratio, but increased the epididymal white adipose tissue/BW ratio and tend to increase the abdominal WAT/BW ratio relative weight. Zn status could shift the circadian rhythm by regulate the Bmal1 and Per2 expressions. Moreover, zinc-deficient diet significantly decreased the serum adiponectin at Clo18. Significant circadian variations on serum CHOL and triglyceride were observed in mice that fed zinc-deficient diet. Further, the FASD1 and FASD2 genes that related to de novo synthesis of long-chained fatty acids were up-regulated, and adipose triglyceride lipase gene expression of lipolysis was decreased compared to the control. Taken together, dairy zinc levels would change the daily rhythm and its lipid metabolism in mice, which might affect the serum lipids thereby change lipids accumulation in body. Abbreviations: ALT, alanine aminotransferase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; ATGL, adipose triglyceride lipase; aWATs, abdominal WAT; β-actin, beta-actin; Bmal1, brain and muscle arnt-like protein-1; BW, body weight; CHOL, cholesterol; Cyp21a1, 21-hydroxylase; eWAT, epididymal white adipose tissue; FASD1, delta 5-desaturase; FASD2, delta 6-desaturase; ingWAT, inguinal WAT; mWAT, mesenteric WAT; Per2, period2; TG, triglyceride; WAT, white adipose tissue; SHP small heterodimer partner, Zn, Zinc; [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Inhibitors of immune checkpoints have shown little effect in clinical trials involving glioma patients. Here, we explored novel targets for use in future treatments. Previous studies showed the sialic acid-binding Ig-like lectin (Siglec) family to have a specific role in immunosuppression. We aimed to study the characteristics and immune function of Siglec family members. Methods: Transcriptome data from 1024 glioma samples and 1551 glioma single cells were used in our study. Clinical and molecular pathology information was also included. Statistical, bioinformatical methods, and single-cell sequencing analysis were applied to investigate the role of Siglec family members. Results: Siglecs-5, −7, −9, and −16 showed a significant correlation with immunosuppression in glioma. They are typically expressed in higher grade, IDH-wildtype, and mesenchymal subtype gliomas. Siglec-5, −7, and −9 had a similar immune function to TIM-3, while Siglec-16 was similar to PD-L1, suppressing tumor immunity via different mechanisms. Joint use of Siglec-inhibitors and immune checkpoint inhibitors could prolong the survival of glioma patients. Conclusion: Siglec-5, −7, −9, and −16 suppressed tumor immunity in different ways. Joint usage of inhibitors may be an effective means to improve the efficacy of glioma immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The property of matter-wave vector solitons in a spin-1 Bose-Einstein condensate with spin-orbit and Zeeman couplings is investigated by multiscale perturbation method. The excitation spectrum and the corresponding state vectors of the system are obtained analytically, and they can be adjusted by the parameters of the system. The bright and dark vector solitons are formulated by reducing the three-component coupled Gross-Pitaeviskii equations to a standard nonlinear Schrödinger equation, which has the solutions of the bright and dark solitons with positive or negative mass depending on the product of the effective dispersive and nonlinear coefficients. The moving vector solitons are demonstrated by adjusting specific momentum near the energy minimum. Finally, the magnetized features of the vector solitons are discussed by the spin polarization of the system. • The excitation spectrum for the vector solitons, determined by the parameters of the system, is obtained analytically. • The analytical bright and dark vector solitons are formulated and the moving solitons are demonstrated by adjusting specific momentum. • The solitons with positive or negative mass depending on the product of the effective dispersive and nonlinear coefficients are analyzed. • The magnetized features affected by spin-orbit and Zeeman couplings are discussed by the spin polarization of the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

microRNAs (miRs) serve critical roles in tumor progression. Low expression of miR-125a in gastric carcinoma (GC) may promote tumor development. In the present study, low expression of miR-125a was confirmed in cancer tissues using The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Additionally, the expression and clinical significance of miR-125a-5p was investigated using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR in 150 cases of GC. The results of the present study demonstrated that the level of miR-125a-5p expression was decreased in GC biopsies compared with that in matched adjacent normal tissues. Low expression of miR-125a-5p was associated with increased tumor diameter, high Ki67 expression and poor overall survival of patients with GC. Multivariate survival analysis demonstrated that low miR-125a-5p expression may be used as an independent prognostic factor for patients with GC. However, no effects on the cell viability in a Cell Counting kit-8 assay, and cell migration and invasion in Transwell assays were detected in response to treatment using miR-125a-5p mimics or inhibitors in vitro. Therefore, the results of the present study provide evidence that low expression of miR-125a-5p may be associated with a poor prognosis, suggesting its value as a tumor biomarker for patients with GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition metal carbides (TMCs) are a class of materialswith excellent dielectric properties and thermal stability, which exhibit enormous potential in high temperature electromagnetic wave absorption (EWA). However, the high dielectric constant and electrical conductivity of TMCs usually cause impedance mismatch, and their high density also prevents further practical applications. To solve these problems, the lightweight and impedance matching NbC nanowires (NbCnws) were prepared by using bamboo powder as a carbon source and subsequent carbothermal reduction reaction process. The as-synthesized NbCnws all exhibit a low density of 0.23 g/cm³ and superior EMA performance. It is worth noting that the minimum reflection loss (RLmin) of the sample is -43.03 dB at 5.92 GHz and the corresponding matching thickness is only 3.7 mm when sintering temperature is 1500°C. The excellent electromagnetic wave absorption (EWA) performance is attributed to good impedance matching and strong dielectric loss. This research work provides a prospect for the development and utilization of one-dimensional TMC materials in the field of microwave absorption materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We propose a generalized radial basis function interpolant with difference constraints. • Various types of constraints are derived to satisfy the interpolation conditions. • An adaptive iterative algorithm is used for approximating gradient and tangent constraints. • The numerical results reveal the improved performance of our method. In this work, we present a new algorithm for reconstruction of implicit surfaces from a set of cloud points with normals (Hermite data), based on the generalized radial basis functions interpolant with various types of constraints. Our key contribution is a novel construction of difference constraints in the interpolant to satisfy certain linear functional data, named as the domain constraints, the difference constraints of the gradient and the difference constraints of the tangent. To avoid ambiguous constraints, we apply an iterative algorithm to determine the adaptive distance in the difference constraints. The extended interpolant can not only provide an exact interpolation to the function values, but also approximate the function's derivatives by constructing a difference operator along the gradient or tangent direction. We interpolate the sampling points using our method by constructing a signed distance field in the geometry domain. Compared to the Hermite–Birkhoff interpolation with RBFs, the interpolant we use has faster solution efficiency. The experimental results of several data sets show the reliability and performance of our method in a variety of practical scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, 1-naphthol (1-NAP) and 2-naphthol (2-NAP) were extracted from urine by magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE) based on magnetic graphitized carbon black (M-Fe 3 O 4 @C) and analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV). M-Fe 3 O 4 @C was fabricated by simple physical blending method, briefly, the graphitized carbon black (GCB) and Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles were directly mixed and ground in a mortar. In this process, Fe 3 O 4 were physically wrapped and adhered to GCB forming the M-Fe 3 O 4 @C which can be easily collected and isolated from sample solution by a magnet. The prepared M-Fe 3 O 4 @C was used as MSPE adsorbent for isolation of 1-NAP and 2-NAP from urine via hydrophobic and π − π interaction. Several parameters which would affect the extraction efficiency were investigated. Under the optimal condition, the whole pretreatment process can be accomplished within 15 min. The linearity range of the proposed method was 10–5000 μg/L with satisfactory correlation coefficients (R2) of 0.9982–0.9983. The limits of detection (LOD) were 0.9 μg/L for 1-NAP and 1.1 μg/L for 2-NAP. The recoveries in spiked urine were in the range of 78.2–103%, with the RSDs <12.9% (intra-day, n = 6) and 9.9% (inter-day, n = 3). Finally, the established method was successfully applied to detect naphthols in college student volunteers and the workers of petrochemical company. • A new method for the analysis of naphthols in urine was developed based on M-Fe 3 O 4 @C extraction. • M-Fe 3 O 4 @C was fabricated by simple mix and grind without chemical reaction procedures. • The whole sample pretreatment process can be accomplished within 15 min by simple vortex. • The method was proven to be simple, rapid and effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jasmonates are vital plant hormones that not only act in the stress response to biotic and abiotic influences, such as wounding, pathogen attack, and cold acclimation, but also drive developmental processes in cooperation with other plant hormones. The biogenesis of jasmonates starts in the chloroplast, where several enzymatic steps produce the jasmonate precursor 12-oxophytodienoic acid (OPDA) from a-linolenic acid. OPDA in turn is exported into the cytosol for further conversion into active jasmonates, which subsequently induces the expression of multiple genes in the nucleus. Despite its obvious importance, the export of OPDA across the chloroplast membranes has remained elusive. In this study, we characterized a protein residing in the chloroplast outer membrane, JASSY, which has proven indispensable for the export of OPDA from the chloroplast. We provide evidence that JASSY has channel-like properties and propose that it thereby facilitates OPDA transport. Consequently, a lack of JASSY in Arabidopsis leads to a deficiency in accumulation of jasmonic acids, which results in impaired expression of jasmonate target genes on exposure to various stresses. This results in plants that are more susceptible to pathogen attack and also exhibit defects in cold acclimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a constant frequency control technique is proposed for improving the overall power efficiency of a squirrel-cage AC induction motor, so that the induction motor can maintain its original operating state under low energy consumption. In this study, a semiconductor component, the Silicon Controlled Rectifier (SCR), was used as the component for adjusting the voltage phase trigger, and a constant frequency control module was developed to trigger the SCR through the output signals. The experiment records the energy consumption of the rated voltage operation of 0.47 kWh in 4 cycles, and the energy consumption of the voltage adjusting operation is 0.402 kWh. The calculated energy saving rate is about 12%. In addition, the power factor (PF) of the tested induction motor was increased from 0.44 to 0.53 at a low load, which is increased by 22.1%, while the PF of the overall low and high load is increased by about 12.9%. This study improves the conversion effect of converting the overall apparent power (kVA) to active power, to verify the energy-saving effect on the modulation of the voltage input of the squirrel-cage AC induction motor. • This study presents a constant speed control technology. • A silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) element was used to modulate the phase angle. • The proposed control theory effectively reduced unnecessary waste of power energy. • The proposed technology effectively reduced overall energy consumption by 12%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This investigation assessed the profibrotic role that extracellular histones play in the pathogenesis of coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP). Methods: The correlation of extracellular histones with small opacity profusion (SOP) and transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) was analyzed. The stimulating effect of extracellular histones on pulmonary fibroblast was assessed in vitro. Results: The levels of extracellular histones in plasma were positively correlated with SOP and TGF-ß in the coal miners investigated. Plasma collected from patients with CWP caused apparent lung fibroblast proliferation, while anti-H4 antibody antagonized the stimulating effect of the patient plasma by blocking histone H4. In vitro experiments showed that extracellular histones directly stimulated fibroblast proliferation. Conclusion: Consistent with our hypothesis, the concentrations of extracellular histones were indices of the severity of pulmonary fibrosis in simple CWP, and extracellular histones-targeted Intervention could inhibit the proliferation of lung fibroblast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]