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In the diagnosis of plasma microwave transmission, when the plasma size is large and the electron density is high, the microwave will cause a phase period ambiguity problem. In order to solve the phase ambiguity, a novel method of using the phase shift group delay (PSGD) to recover the true phase shift is proposed. The PSGD method is used to recover the simulated phase shift and diagnose the plasma. The diagnostic accuracy is all greater than 91%, which verifies the method. And the new method is used to diagnose the real inductively coupled plasma with high precision. Through analysis, the method of group delay recover phase shift is more suitable for stable plasma or slow-varying plasma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dermatitis caused by insects and mites, diagnosed as papular urticaria or scabies, is a common skin disease. However, there is still a lack of studies about the effects of weather and air pollution on outpatient visits for this disease. This study aims to explore the impacts of meteorological and environmental factors on daily visits of dermatitis outpatients. Methods: Analyses are conducted on a total of 43,101 outpatient visiting records during the years 2015–2020 from the largest dermatology specialist hospital in Guangzhou, China. Hierarchical cluster models based on Pearson correlation between risk factors are utilized to select regression variables. Linear regression models are fitted to identify the statistically significant associations between the risk factors and daily visits, taking into account the short-term effects of temperatures. Permutation importance is adopted to evaluate the predictive ability of these factors. Results: Short-term temperatures have positive associations with daily visits and exhibit strong predictive abilities. In terms of total outpatients, the one-day lagged temperature not only has a significant impact on daily visits, but also has the highest median value of permutation importance. This conclusion is robust across most subgroups except for subgroups of summer and scabies, wherein the three-day lagged temperature has a negative effect. By contrast, air pollution has insignificant associations with daily visits and exhibits weak predictive abilities. Moreover, weekdays, holidays and trends have significant impacts on daily visits, but with weak predictive abilities. Conclusions: Our study suggests that short-term temperatures have positive associations with daily visits and exhibit strong predictive abilities. Nevertheless, air pollution has insignificant associations with daily visits and exhibits weak predictive abilities. The results of this study provide a reference for local authorities to formulate intervention measures and establish an environment-based disease early warning system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The poor time stability of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates greatly limits their application potential. Although core–shell structures are commonly used to enhance stability, their complex preparation processes, high costs, and susceptibility under acidic or alkaline conditions result in serious disadvantages for practical applications. Here, we propose a new method of external oxygen barrier to improve spectral stability, in which SERS substrates are stored in an oxygen-free environment. Controlled experiments are carried out under air and vacuum. Raman spectrum intensity is measured 11 times within six months for each group. Using the attenuation formula, the Raman spectrum intensity decay results of each SERS substrate over time are obtained. The effectiveness of the external oxygen barrier method is demonstrated through curve fitting using the corresponding function. The substrate spectral attenuation rates of the vacuum group and the argon group within six months are <20%, proving the effectiveness of the external oxygen barrier method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dermatitis caused by insects and mites, diagnosed as papular urticaria or scabies, is a common skin disease. However, there is still a lack of studies about the effects of weather and air pollution on outpatient visits for this disease. This study aims to explore the impacts of meteorological and environmental factors on daily visits of dermatitis outpatients. Methods: Analyses are conducted on a total of 43,101 outpatient visiting records during the years 2015–2020 from the largest dermatology specialist hospital in Guangzhou, China. Hierarchical cluster models based on Pearson correlation between risk factors are utilized to select regression variables. Linear regression models are fitted to identify the statistically significant associations between the risk factors and daily visits, taking into account the short-term effects of temperatures. Permutation importance is adopted to evaluate the predictive ability of these factors. Results: Short-term temperatures have positive associations with daily visits and exhibit strong predictive abilities. In terms of total outpatients, the one-day lagged temperature not only has a significant impact on daily visits, but also has the highest median value of permutation importance. This conclusion is robust across most subgroups except for subgroups of summer and scabies, wherein the three-day lagged temperature has a negative effect. By contrast, air pollution has insignificant associations with daily visits and exhibits weak predictive abilities. Moreover, weekdays, holidays and trends have significant impacts on daily visits, but with weak predictive abilities. Conclusions: Our study suggests that short-term temperatures have positive associations with daily visits and exhibit strong predictive abilities. Nevertheless, air pollution has insignificant associations with daily visits and exhibits weak predictive abilities. The results of this study provide a reference for local authorities to formulate intervention measures and establish an environment-based disease early warning system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented substantial challenges to higher education, leading to economic loss and disruptions in STEM courses. This study addresses these issues through the successful implementation of a problem-based learning research project within the Instrumental Chemistry course at Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC). Focused on instrumental chemistry, the project spans various categories, requiring students to propose solutions to real-case scenarios using specific analytical instruments. Despite the shift to a hybrid teaching modality, students exhibited commendable preparation and investigation skills, as demonstrated by their projects. Assessment data, including a student survey and written report evaluations, underscore significant skill improvements in literature survey, instrument selection, experimental design, and data analysis. This problem-based learning approach not only mitigated the disruptions caused by the pandemic but also fostered enhanced capabilities and motivation among students. The study's findings contribute insights into the adaptability and effectiveness of problem-based learning in analytical chemistry education within a hybrid teaching framework, offering valuable considerations for future educational strategies in STEM disciplines and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a highly prevalent opportunistic infection among liver transplant recipients. When the liver donor is infected with CMV, there is a risk of transmission to the recipient, leading to CMV infection. To improve the postoperative outcome of liver transplantation, it is crucial to shift the focus of CMV detection to the donor and achieve early diagnosis, as well as implement effective preventative and therapeutic measures. However, the commonly used CMV detection methods in the past had limitations that prevented their early and accurate diagnosis in liver transplant donors. This review focuses on the latest advancements in CMV detection methods that can potentially be applied to liver transplant donors. The objective is to compare and evaluate their clinical utility, thereby providing guidance and support for rapid and accurate diagnosis of CMV infection in the clinic. The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-associated proteins (CRISPR–Cas) system-based assay emerges as a promising method for detecting the virus, offering great prospects for early and expedient CMV infection diagnosis in clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient and stable braking feedback scheme is one of the key technologies to improve the endurance performance of pure electric vehicles. In this study, four constraint conditions for different braking feedback schemes were clearly defined, and tests and simulation analysis were carried out based on "the relationship between rear-drive feedback efficiency and vehicle configuration conditions" and "the relationship between front-drive feedback efficiency and braking efficiency". The results show that for rear-driving, the RSF2 scheme with low dependence on the constraint conditions of tramping characteristics is the comprehensive optimal scheme under the condition of decoupling control constraints, and the mileage improvement rate reaches 29.2%. For front driving, the FSF1A scheme is the comprehensive optimal scheme considering both braking efficiency and feedback efficiency, and the mileage improvement rate reaches 35.8%. Finally, the feasibility of the proposed braking feedback scheme is proved using the drum test under cyclic conditions, and the research results provide a theoretical basis for the optimization of braking feedback energy efficiency of small pure electric vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anti-desiccant is a class of agrochemicals widely used to protect plants from water stresses, rapid temperature variations, heat and sunburn, frost and freeze damages, transplant shock, and pathogen and pest attack. Although anti-desiccants are generally considered non-toxic to organisms, it is unclear whether they may impact the phyllosphere microbial communities. In this study, three film-forming anti-desiccant products, TransFilm, Vapor Gard, and Wilt-Pruf were applied to the canopy of two boxwood cultivars 'Vardar Valley' and 'Justin Brouwers' on April 13 and August 26, 2021. Shoot samples were collected from boxwood plants treated with each of the three products, as well as nontreated control on June 16, August 26 (before the second treatment), and October 18. Microbial and plant genomic DNA was isolated together and 16S rRNA gene and the extended internal transcribed spacer regions were amplified with PCR and sequenced on a Nanopore MinION platform for bacterial and fungal identification. Results: Bacterial communities were more diverse than fungal communities. At the phylum level, the boxwood phyllosphere was dominated by Proteobacteria and Ascomycota; at the genus level, Methylobacterium and Shiraia were the most abundant bacteria and fungi, respectively. Among the three film-forming anti-desiccants, Vapor Gard and Wilt-Pruf had more impact than TransFilm on the microbial communities. Specifically, broader impacts were observed on fungal than bacterial community composition and structure, with most affected fungi being suppressed while bacteria promoted. Conclusion: This study addressed several major knowledge gaps regarding boxwood phyllosphere microbiota and the impact of anti-desiccants on plant microbiome. We identified diverse microbial communities of boxwood, a major evergreen woody crop and an iconic landscape plant. We also found differential effects of three film-forming anti-desiccants on the composition and structure of bacterial and fungal communities. These findings advanced our understanding of the associated microbiome of this landmark plant, enabling growers to fully utilize the potentials of microbiome and three anti-desiccants in improving boxwood health and productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organ fibrosis caused by chronic allograft rejection is a major concern in the field of transplantation. Macrophage-to-myofibroblast transition plays a critical role in chronic allograft fibrosis. Adaptive immune cells (such as B and CD4+ T cells) and innate immune cells (such as neutrophils and innate lymphoid cells) participate in the occurrence of recipient-derived macrophages transformed to myofibroblasts by secreting cytokines, which eventually leads to fibrosis of the transplanted organ. This review provides an update on the latest progress in understanding the plasticity of recipient-derived macrophages in chronic allograft rejection. We discuss here the immune mechanisms of allograft fibrosis and review the reaction of immune cells in allograft. The interactions between immune cells and the process of myofibroblast formulation are being considered for the potential therapeutic targets of chronic allograft fibrosis. Therefore, research on this topic seems to provide novel clues for developing strategies for preventing and treating allograft fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since anomalies are usually caused by changes in shape and amplitude in time series data, and most of the interval‐based methods utilized appear in the literature from a global perspective to detect anomalies. Nevertheless, the anomalies are also usually caused by local changes in shape and amplitude. Following these limitations, an enhanced interval‐based approach based on the interval information granules with the principle of justifiable granularity, viz., the EIA method, is formulated in this study for anomaly detection. First, the interval information granules are produced separately from the global and local perspectives in an abstracted manner on the basis of this principle. An interval‐based similarity measurement algorithm is then designed based on the abstraction results to calculate the anomaly scores from the various interval information granules for anomaly detection. Compared with classical methods, the proposed approach exhibits better performance in terms of data anomaly resolution and detection accuracy, which have been verified and supported in much of real‐world data. © 2023 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional stealth technologies all have their problems such as high cost and large thickness. To solve the problems, we used novelty checkerboard metasurface in stealth technology. Checkerboard metasurface does not have as high conversion efficiency as radiation converters, but it has many advantages such as small thickness and low cost. So it is expected to overcome the problems of traditional stealth technologies. Unlike other checkerboard metasurfaces, we improved it further by using two types of polarization converter units to be arranged in turn to form a hybrid checkerboard metasurface. Because the checkerboard metasurface composed of one type of polarization converter units can have a relatively wide radar cross-section (RCS) reduction in bandwidth when two types of polarization converter units are arranged in turn to form a hybrid checkerboard metasurface and mutual compensation of the two polarization converter units can broaden RCS reduction band further. Therefore, by designing the metasurface to be independent from the polarization, the effect of RCS reduction can be insensitive to the polarization of the incoming EM waves. The experiment and simulation results showed the value of this proposed hybrid checkerboard metasurface for RCS reduction. Mutual compensation of the units is a new attempt in the field of checkerboard metasurfaces for stealth technology and proved to be effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to uncover the potential effects of zingerone (ZIN), one of the bioactive compounds in ginger, on the development of obesity as well as the mechanisms responsible for these effects in C57BL/6J mice fed with a high‐fat diet (HFD). Results: Supplementation with 0.2% (wt/wt) zingerone for 16 weeks significantly reduced the final body weight, liver weight, and epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT) weight without changing the food intake of the mice when compared with the HFD group. The hyperlipidemia of HFD‐fed mice was ameliorated after zingerone administration, including decreased plasma triacylglycerol (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) level. The lipid content in liver was lower and the adipocyte size in eWAT and inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT) was smaller in HFD + ZIN‐fed mice compared with HFD group. Zingerone also binds with nuclear hormone receptor peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor alpha (PPARα) with an optimal docking energy of −7.31 kJ/mol. Uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), PPAR‐γ coactivator‐1α (PGC‐1α), and PR domain containing 16 (PRDM16), the downstream genes of PPAR which are related to thermogenic function of adipocytes, were significantly increased in both brown adipose tissue (BAT) and inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT) after zingerone administration, in comparison with HFD fed mice. Zingerone intake also restructured the community composition of gut microbiota. The ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes was decreased, and the relative abundance of Akkermansia_mucinphila was increased. Conclusion: Zingerone can attenuate obesity and related symptoms in HFD‐fed mice, probably through the modulation of PPARα‐thermogenesis‐gut microbiota interactions. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryptomeria fortunei has been widely planted in many cities in southern China. Eventually some of this material may be utilized for timber, but there are relatively few studies of durability of this resource. There is also some question as to whether Cryptomeria fortunei is a synonym for Cryptomeria japonica or Japanese cedar (Sugi). Evaluating the durability of the Chinese resource will help ensure that the decay resistance of this urban plantation resource is properly categorized. The decay resistance of Cryptomeria fortunei wood was assessed in soil block and agar block tests against Trametes versicolor, Gloeophyllum trabeum and Rhodonia placenta. Hot water and ethanol extractive contents of the heartwood were determined on sections from various distances above ground and then FTIR spectroscopy was used to characterize the wood before and after fungal exposure. Weight losses in sapwood were consistent with the minimal decay resistance of this portion of the wood. Inner and outer heartwood weight losses were more variable suggesting that the heartwood of this species would be considered to be only moderately durable. Extractives were weakly correlated with decay resistance. FTIR results were more variable, although they suggested heavier attack of lignin components by the brown rot fungi. The results suggest that Cryptomeria fortunei would need to be protected from the weather unless supplemental preservative treatments were applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Soil microorganisms are integral to maintaining soil health and crop productivity, but fumigation used to suppress soilborne diseases may affect soil microbiota. Currently, little is known about the legacy effects of soil fumigation on soil microbial communities and their response to fumigation at the production scale. Here, 16S rRNA gene and internal transcribed spacer amplicon sequencing was used to characterize the bacterial and fungal communities in soils from intensively managed crop fields with and without previous exposure to metam sodium (MS) fumigation. The effect of fumigation history, soil series, and rotation crop diversity on microbial community variation was estimated and the response of the soil microbiome to MS application in an open microcosm system was documented. Results: We found that previous MS fumigation reduced soil bacterial diversity but did not affect microbial richness and fungal diversity. Fumigation history, soil series, and rotation crop diversity were the main contributors to the variation in microbial β-diversity. Between fumigated and non-fumigated soils, predominant bacterial and fungal taxa were similar; however, their relative abundance varied with fumigation history. In particular, the abundance of Basidiomycete yeasts was decreased in fumigated soils. MS fumigation also altered soil bacterial and fungal co-occurrence network structure and associations. In microcosms, application of MS reduced soil microbial richness and bacterial diversity. Soil microbial β-diversity was also affected but microbial communities of the microcosm soils were always similar to that of the field soils used to establish the microcosms. MS application also induced changes in relative abundance of several predominant bacterial and fungal genera based on a soil's previous fumigation exposure. Conclusions: The legacy effects of MS fumigation are more pronounced on soil bacterial diversity, β-diversity and networks. Repeated fumigant applications shift soil microbial compositions and may contribute to differential MS sensitivity among soil microorganisms. Following MS application, microbial richness and bacterial diversity decreases, but microbial β-diversity was similar to that of the field soils used to establish the microcosms in the short-term (< 6 weeks). The responses of soil microbiome to MS fumigation are context dependent and rely on abiotic, biotic, and agricultural management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present numerical results for the dipole induced by interactions between a hydrogen molecule and a hydrogen atom, obtained from finite-field calculations in an aug-cc-pV5Z basis at the unrestricted coupled-cluster level including all single and double excitations in the exponential operator applied to a restricted Hartree–Fock reference state, with the triple excitations treated perturbatively, i.e., UCCSD(T) level. The Cartesian components of the dipole have been computed for nine different bond lengths r of H2 ranging from 0.942 a.u. to 2.801 a.u., for 16 different separations R between the centers of mass of H2 and H between 3.0 a.u. and 10.0 a.u., and for 19 angles θ between the H2 bond vector r and the vector R from the H2 center of mass to the nucleus of the H atom, ranging from 0° to 90° in intervals of 5°. We have expanded the interaction-induced dipole as a series in the spherical harmonics of the orientation angles of the H2 bond axis and of the intermolecular vector, with coefficients DλL(r, R). For the geometrical configurations that we have studied in this work, the most important coefficients DλL(r, R) in the series expansion are D01(r, R), D21(r, R), D23(r, R), D43(r, R), and D45(r, R). We show that the ab initio results for D23(r, R) and D45(r, R) converge to the classical induction forms at large R. The convergence of D45(r, R) to the hexadecapolar induction form is demonstrated for the first time. Close agreement between the long-range ab initio values of D01(r0 = 1.449 a.u., R) and the known analytical values due to van der Waals dispersion and back induction is also demonstrated for the first time. At shorter range, D01(r, R) characterizes isotropic overlap and exchange effects, as well as dispersion. The coefficients D21(r, R) and D43(r, R) represent anisotropic overlap effects. Our results for the DλL(r, R) coefficients are useful for calculations of the line shapes for collision-induced absorption and collision-induced emission in the infrared and far-infrared by gas mixtures containing both H2 molecules and H atoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Arsenic trioxide (ATO) has been effectively used for the treatment of hematological malignancies and some solid tumors, while ATO effects were not tested clinically in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Methods. Patients with primary or secondary platinum-resistant EOC were enrolled from October 2015 to December 2019. Patients were mainly treated with ATO-based combined sequential chemotherapy as follows: Regimen 1 (ATO combined taxanes weekly therapy); Regimen 2 (ATO + taxanes + 5-fluorouracil + adriamycin ± bevacizumab sequential chemotherapy), for 5 patients platinum-free interval >12 months, added oxaliplatin). Prespecified end points in this cohort included confirmed best overall response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety. Results. A total of 33 patients were enrolled in this study. After a median follow-up time of 22.1 months (range 5.5–42.9 months), ORR was 42% and DCR was 85%. The overall PFS was 9.5 months (range 1–38.4 months). The main side effect was myelosuppression. Conclusions. ATO-based sequential combined chemotherapy is effective for primary and recurrent drug-resistant EOC patients in clinical phase II trials. The associated side effects could be controlled, while further study is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial cellulose (BC) is naturally degradable, highly biocompatible, hydrophilic, and essentially non-toxic, making it potentially useful as a base for creating more sophisticated bio-based materials. BC is similar to plant-derived cellulose in terms of chemical composition and structure but has a number of important differences in microstructure that could provide some unique opportunities for use as a scaffold for other functions. In this study, bacterial cellulose was alkylated and then esterified to produce a carboxymethyl bacterial cellulose (CMBC) that was then used to produce six different composite films with potential antibacterial properties. The films were assessed for antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, pyrolysis characteristics using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), microstructure using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and mechanical properties. The addition of nano-silver (nano-Ag) markedly improved the antimicrobial activity of the films while also enhancing the physical and mechanical properties. The results indicate that the three-dimensional reticulated structure of the bacterial cellulose provides an excellent substrate for scaffolding other bioactive materials. Thus, the nano-BC was added into the CMBC/nano-Ag composites furthermore, and then the antibacterial and mechanical properties were improved 44% for E. coli, 59% for S. aureus, and 20% for tensile strength, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasma sheath poses a serious challenge to inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) imaging of hypersonic targets. This paper investigated the distribution characteristics of the electron density and velocity field in the plasma sheath surrounding the hypersonic target in various flight scenes. The incident depth and reflective surface of electromagnetic (EM) waves with X-band, Ku-band, and Ka-band can be determined based on the plasma frequency. We established the echo model coupled with the velocity field of the plasma sheath on the reflective surface and obtained one-dimensional range profiles and ISAR images of the hypersonic target in various flight scenes. The simulation results indicated that the non-uniform velocity field on the reflective surface induced displacement and diffusion in the one-dimensional range profile, resulting in ISAR image distortion. A changing flight scene and radar frequency can have an impact on imaging results. Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) and Structural Similarity (SSIM) were utilized to assess the impact of plasma sheath on ISAR images. This study revealed the defocus mechanism of the ISAR image caused by the velocity field of the plasma sheath and provided a theoretical reference for the selection of radar frequency for hypersonic targets in various flight scenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An equivalent circuit model (ECM) is proposed for a Jerusalem cross metasurface structure loaded with plasma. Based on the microwave network theory, the electromagnetic properties of the composite structure are analyzed through this ECM. Due to the wave-absorbing effect of plasma, the parallel conductive and inductive elements are introduced to the ECM of the Jerusalem cross metasurface, forming the ECM of the composite structure. The circuit element parameters are extracted by genetic algorithm optimization. The consistency between the simulated reflection coefficient and the calculated ones by this model proves the accuracy of the proposed ECM for analyzing the electromagnetic properties of a composite structure. Moreover, the plasma collision frequency and the plasma electron density are selected within a certain frequency range to further prove the accuracy of this model. The influence of plasma parameters on the equivalent circuit element values is also analyzed. The ECM can predict the electromagnetic properties of the composite structure and provide theoretical guidance for the design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the most common cause of cancer death in the world, lung cancer causes approximately 1.6 million deaths annually. Among them, NSCLC accounts for approximately 85% of patients in whole lung cancer patients. Ginsenoside Rg1 has been confirmed to play an important role in various diseases including cancer. As one of miRNAs, miR-126 closely involves in pathogenesis of the several types of cancers including colorectal, prostate, bladder and gastric cancer, and so on. Thus, the present study aims to investigate effects of the Ginsenoside Rg1 on NSCLC and underlying mechanism. In the study, two lung cancer cell lines including A549 and H1650 were used. It was found that expression of miR-126 was decreased in PBMC of NSCLC patients compared to healthy control. Expression of miR-126 was decreased in cancer tissue compared to paracancerous tissues in NSCLC patients. Importantly, it was found Ginsenoside Rg1 could inhibit growth of lung cancer cells. miR-126 KD remarkably increased the expression of apoptosis genes including caspase 3 and caspase 9 and decreased cell viability in lung cancer cells including A549 and H1650 cells. Interesting, in silico analysis indicated that miR-126 could target PI3K signaling pathway, which was confirmed by WB assay. KD of PI3KR2 compromised promotion of miR-126 on cell apoptosis. Similarly, it was found that KD of mTOR compromised promotion of miR-126 on cell apoptosis. Inhibition of Ginsenoside Rg1 on growth of lung cancer cells was through miR-126 and mTOR. Thus, the present study confirmed that Ginsenoside Rg1 remarkably inhibit lung cancer, which is through microRNA-126-PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of the avian wing pattern has been the subject of heated debate due to its special shape. The Suppressor of cytokine signaling 2 ( SOCS2 ) gene encodes a negative regulator of growth hormone (GH) signaling and bone growth and is known to be strongly expressed in the third digit of chicken forelimbs. These observations suggest that SOCS2 might regulate the morphology of the avian wing, however, the function of SOCS2 in avian limb development remains unknown. Here, we reexamined SOCS2 expression in successive developmental stages of chicken limb development by in situ hybridization (ISH) and describe extended expression from the posterior of the stypolod to the third digit of the forelimbs. We used the RCAS avian retrovirus to overexpress SOCS2 in the developing chicken limb buds, which resulted in reduced or malformed chicken wings while hindlimbs developed normally. Transcriptome sequencing (mRNA-Seq) revealed changes in expression of genes known to be associated with growth and development in forelimbs with overexpressed SOCS2. This study highlights a pivotal role for SOCS2 during the development of the wing in the chicken and provides new insight into molecular mechanisms regulating avian limb development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Particle size is a critical influencing factor in assessing human exposure risk as fine particles are generally more hazardous than larger coarse particles. However, how particle composition influences human health risk is only poorly understood as different studies have different utilised different definitions and as a consequence there is no consensus. Here, with a new methodology taking insights of each size fraction load (%GSF load), metal bioaccessibility, we classify which specific particle size can reliably estimate the human exposure risk of lead and other metals. We then validate these by correlating the metals in each size fraction with those in human blood, hair, crop grain and different anthropogenic sources. Although increasing health risks are linked to metal concentration these increase as particle size decrease, the adjusted-risk for each size fraction differs when %GSF load is introduced to the risk assessment program. When using a single size fraction (250–50 µm, 50–5 µm, 5–1 µm, and < 1 µm) for comparison, the risk may be either over- or under-estimated. However, by considering bulk and adjusting the risk, it would be possible to obtain results that are closer to the real scenarios, which have been validated through human responses and evidence from crops. Fine particle size fractions (< 5 µm) bearing the mineral crystalline or aggregates (CaCO 3 , Fe 3 O 4 , Fe 2 O 3 , CaHPO 4 , Pb 5 (PO 4) 3 Cl) alter the accumulation, chemical speciation, and fate of metals in soil/dust/sediment from the different sources. Loaded lead in the size fraction of < 50 µm has a significantly higher positive association with the risk-receptor biomarkers (BLLs, Hair Pb, Corn Pb, and Crop Pb) than other size fractions (bulk and 50–250 µm). Thus, we conclude that the < 50 µm fraction would be likely to be recommended as a reliable fraction to include in a risk assessment program. This methodology acts as a valuable instrument for future research undertakings, highlighting the importance of choosing suitable size fractions and attaining improved accuracy in risk assessment results that can be effectively compared. [Display omitted] • A novel risk-assessment model based on grain size fraction load and bioaccessibility is defined. • Higher loading of metal in fine size fractions always have an anthropogenic origin. • Micro-nano size fraction bearing crystalline, or aggregate alter metal accumulation and speciation. • The forming of aggregates has strong associated with the anthropogenic emissions. • A <50 µm would be recommend as a reliable fraction for risk assessment program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Arabidopsis knockout mutant lacking both the cytosolic disproportionating enzyme 2 (DPE2) and the plastidial phosphorylase (PHS1) had a dwarf-growth phenotype, a reduced and uneven distribution of starch within the plant rosettes, and a lower starch granule number per chloroplast under standard growth conditions. In contrast, a triple mutant impaired in starch degradation by its additional lack of the glucan, water dikinase (GWD) showed improved plant growth, a starch-excess phenotype, and a homogeneous starch distribution. Furthermore, the number of starch granules per chloroplast was increased and was similar to the wild type. We concluded that ongoing starch degradation is mainly responsible for the observed phenotype of dpe2/phs1. Next, we generated two further triple mutants lacking either the phosphoglucan, water dikinase (PWD), or the disproportionating enzyme 1 (DPE1) in the background of the double mutant. Analysis of the starch metabolism revealed that even minor ongoing starch degradation observed in dpe2/phs1/pwd maintained the double mutant phenotype. In contrast, an additional blockage in the glucose pathway of starch breakdown, as in dpe2/phs1/dpe1 , resulted in a nearly starch-free phenotype and massive chloroplast degradation. The characterized mutants were discussed in the context of starch granule formation. • Dpe2/phs1/pwd and dpe2/phs1/dpe1, were generated and analyzed regarding starch. • Metabolic separation was shown to be more explicit to the development of mutants. • Minor ongoing starch degradation in dpe2/phs1/pwd maintained dpe2/phs1 phenotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here experiments are designed to evaluate the effects of >300 eV He+ energy and temperature on the W nano-fuzz growth over W targets. Our measurements show that increasing He+ energy from 300 eV to 750 eV leads to an increase in the W sputtering yield, thus a decrease in the thickness of W fuzz layers. Under the 750 eV He+ irradiation, the growth of W fuzz layers over W targets is not obvious due to the He+ sputtering. The irradiation temperature varying in the range of 1300 K – 1600 K is most suitable for W fuzz growth by high-flux He+ irradiation over W targets. Our analysis indicates that the deposition of sputtered W atoms onto the neighboring W nano-fibers leads to an increase in their diameter, thus affecting the W fuzz growth. When the irradiation temperature varies from 1900 K to 2700 K, the thermodynamic instability of W nano-fibers, which are metastable can be greatly increased, resulting in their shrinkage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of science and technology, in order to provide better financial information for economic decision-making, people urgently need a new financial reporting model. For the existing financial reporting model, it is only published in PDF or HTML format. This paper introduces multimedia technology and XBRL to reform, and studies the financial reporting model under the multimedia complex intelligent system, which can effectively remedy the drawbacks of the existing financial reporting model. Firstly, this paper introduces the theory and technical basis of the financial reporting model; secondly, according to the specific needs, it designs the relevant functions; finally, combined with multimedia technology and network technology, the financial reporting system under multimedia complex intelligent system is constructed. In addition, through testing the system implemented in this paper, the performance and functional practicability of the system are analyzed, which shows that the financial reporting system designed in this paper is suitable for today's economic environment and can provide financial information very well. When the number of process instances reaches 900 at the same time, the average flow cycle is only about 1.5 s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Biofeedback therapy is highly effective and safe in treating dyssynergic defecation, which affects more than half of patients with chronic constipation. However, conventional biofeedback training has limitations. Aims: This study aims to modify the adaptive biofeedback (ABF) previously established by the investigators and evaluate its efficacy for dyssynergic defecation. Methods: A total of 42 constipation patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive either 4-week adaptive biofeedback (ABF) training (ABF group), or fixed biofeedback (FBF) training (FBF group). The ABF training program was modified, as follows: (1) the tailored training targets were set according to the ability of the individual subject, instead of the fixed values; (2) the outcome was scored on the basis of the rectal–anal pressure gradient; (3) the feedback information was delivered through multimedia. The outcomes were compared between the two groups. Results: The number of weekly bowel movements (BM) was significantly greater in the ABF group than in the FBF group. The improvement in dyssynergic defecation was also noted with the modified ABF training, which performed significantly better than the conventional training on incomplete defecation, bloating, defecation time, staining, and urgency. Notably, the use of medications was significantly reduced upon completion of the 4-week adaptive training, and this was significantly lesser than that in the fixed training. Furthermore, there was significantly better improvement on anorectal motility and rectal sensation in the ABF group vs. the FBF group. Conclusion: The modified ABF training program significantly improves constipation-related symptoms, and its performance is superior to conventional FBF training for dyssynergic defecation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Burkholderia sp. SSG is a potent biological control agent. Even though its survival on the leaf surface declined rapidly, SSG provided extended, moderate plant protection from a broad spectrum of pathogens. This study used Arabidopsis Col-0 and its mutants, eds16-1, npr1-1, and pad4-1 as model plants and compared treated plants with non-treated controls to elucidate whether SSG triggers plant defense priming. Only eds16-1 leaves with SSG became purplish, suggesting the involvement of salicylic acid (SA) in SSG-induced priming. cDNA sequencing of Col-0 plants and differential gene expression analysis identified 120 and 119 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at 6- and 24-h post-treatment (hpt) with SSG, respectively. Most of these DEGs encoded responses to biotic and abiotic stimuli or stresses; four DEGs had more than two isoforms. A total of 23 DEGs were shared at 6 and 24 hpt, showing four regulation patterns. Functional categorization of these shared DEGs, and 44 very significantly upregulated DEGs revealed that SSG triggered various defense priming mechanisms, including responses to phosphate or iron deficiency, modulation of defense-linked SA, jasmonic acid, ethylene, and abscisic acid pathways, defense-related gene regulation, and chromatin modification. These data support that SSG is an induced systemic resistance (ISR) trigger conferring plant protection upon pathogen encounter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Support crushing and roof fall accidents frequently occur in the large mining height stope covered by the thin bedrock and large-thick alluvium (TBLA). A comprehensive method including field monitoring, numerical modelling, and theory analysis was performed to investigate the strata movement and its induced ground behaviors of a deep-buried stope under TBLA. The filed measurement results indicated that strong roof periodic weighting phenomenon occurred regularly at an interval of 18–23 m during panel 3301 retreating. During weighting period, dynamic characteristics of hydraulic supports are prominent and characterized by high safety valve opening rate and poor working conditions including tilt down operation and excessive end distance. Additionally, numerical modelling results revealed that the thickness of bedrock affects the movement behaviors of the roof strata and its generated spatial structure significantly. Based on the above results, an integrated control measure was proposed and successfully applied to the test site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel food and food compounds interventions have attracted a lot of attention nowadays for the prevention and treatment of metabolic diseases. Raspberry ketone (RK) is aromatic compound found within red fruits and berries, has been used as an over‐the‐counter product for weight loss. However, actually, the effect of RK on weight loss is still controversial, and the mechanism is largely unknown. Besides, in vivo and in vitro studies have demonstrated the beneficial effect of RK on the development of other metabolic diseases. In this review, we comprehensively highlighted the synthesis, bioavailability, and metabolism of RK, and summarized the progress made in our understanding of the potential biological activities of RK, including antiobesity, antidiabetes, cardioprotection, and hepatoprotection, as well as their underlying mechanisms. This paper provides a critical overview about the current findings and proposes the future studies in the area of RK on human health. Practical applications: Raspberry ketone (RK) has been used for weight control for years, but this effect is controversial considering food intake. Additionally, RK is beneficial for T2DM, liver and heart injury. The underlying mechanisms of the protective effect of RK including accelerating fatty acid oxidation, balancing serum glucose level, anti‐inflammation, antioxidant process, and so on. In this context, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the benefits of RK against many metabolic diseases and discuss the underlying molecular mechanisms. We hope our work will be helpful for further researches on RK and improve its public recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The positron source is one of the most important parts of the circular electron–positron collider (CEPC) linear accelerator. The design goal is to obtain a 3 nC bunch charge positron beam from a 4 GeV primary electron beam with an intensity of 10 nC/bunch. In this study, an all-solid-state, high-current pulse power system was developed to drive a flux concentrator to capture positrons by generating a magnetic field with a peak value of 6 T. Based on the inductive load topology circuit, the optimized parameters were designed to generate a pulse current with a high peak value and a high rise rate pulse current. In addition, a non-reverse voltage was realized to protect the solid-state switch components. For the characteristics of the long-distance transmission between the pulse power supply and the load in the system, the influences of the cable distribution parameters on the pulse were analyzed, and the design of the damping circuit was proposed to suppress the high-frequency ripples of the peak pulse current. An optimized coaxial discharge structure was designed to reduce the stray parameters in the main circuit. The design was verified through simulations and experiments, and the results demonstrated that the developed prototype successfully generated an ideal half-sinusoidal pulse current with a peak value of 15 kA, and a front pulsewidth of $2.5 ~\mu \text{s}$ at a repetition rate of 50 Hz. The pulse repetition stability is better than 0.1%. The final output was consistent with the theoretical analysis. The system can be applied in the CEPC positron source, which also provides a reference for the subsequent development of a positron source system at research facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a noncontact plasma microwave diffraction measurement method is proposed, which can obtain the electron density at different diameters of the cylindrical plasma. There is a lot of diffraction when a non-focused antenna is used to transmit plasma. As is well known, when the frequency of the incident microwave is lower than the characteristic frequency of the plasma, the microwave cannot be transmitted through the plasma, so this interface can be regarded as a metal. According to the microwave diffraction of the plasma, the size of the plasma corresponding to the characteristic frequency can be obtained. Furthermore, by sweeping the incident electromagnetic wave, the size of plasma with different characteristic frequencies can be obtained, and the distribution of electron density can be obtained. To verify the method, a cylindrical plasma was measured by microwave diffraction, in which the electron density of the plasma column gradually decreased along with the increase in radius. According to the diffraction of the plasma column at different frequencies, the distribution of the electron density along the diameter is obtained. In order to verify the distribution results, a Langmuir probe was used for diagnosis in a similar propagation path. The two diagnosis methods have a diagnosis deviation of less than 60%. Finally, the accuracy of diffraction diagnosis is given, and the next step to improve the accuracy of the diagnosis is given. In extremely high temperature, regular shape, nonuniformly distributed plasma, microwave diffraction diagnosis has a wider range of applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface adhesion is vital to the capability of precise manipulation of open droplets. However, it is still a great challenge to achieve efficient, large-scale, and cost-effective construction of highly adhesive surface for large-volume droplets manipulation. In this paper, a facile methodology for fabricating a superhydrophobic and highly adhesive polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) surface is presented for multifunctional droplet transferring. The proposed features can be easily fabricated by PDMS replicating and vapor-phase silanization. The 1500-grit sandpaper was chosen as the optimal template, owing to its superior hydrophobic attributes with an approximate contact angle of 155.1°, a maximum adhesion volume of 38.6 μL, and a minimal residual volume of 0.124 μL. Remarkable stability was also validated with exposure to air for more than 9 weeks or to reagents with pH ranging from 1 to 13. Visually colorimetric detection of Cu2+ is successfully demonstrated on both single-droplet and droplet-array forms after a series of transporting, mixing, and reacting processes between different reagent droplets. The facile preparation and equipment-free platform highlights the potential application in point-of-care testing (POCT). [Display omitted] • Wettability-patterned PDMS surface was fabricated by replicating and vapor-phase PFDTS silanization. • Strong adhesion with hanging droplets up to 38.6 μL in volume. • Remarkable superhydrophobicity and stability with exposure to air for 9 weeks or to reagents with pH 1–13. • Colorimetric detection of Cu2+ was demonstrated by droplet array transferring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PbCO 3 is an ancient raw material for Pb minerals and continues to pose potential risks to the environment and human health through mining and industrial processes. However, the specific effects of unintentional PbCO 3 discharge on edible plants remain poorly understood. This study unravels how foliar application of PbCO 3 induces phytotoxicity by potentially influencing leaf morphology, photosynthetic pigments, oxidative stress, and metabolic pathways related to energy regulation, cell damage, and antioxidant defense in Spinacia oleracea L. Additionally, it quantifies the resultant human health risks. Plants were foliarly exposed to PbCO 3 nanoparticles (NPs) and bulk products (BPs), as well as Pb2+ at 0, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 mg·L-1 concentrations once a day for three weeks. The presence and localization of PbCO 3 NPs inside the plant cells were confirmed by TEM-EDS analysis. The maximum accumulation of total Pb was recorded in the root (2947.77 mg·kg-1 DW for ion exposure), followed by the shoot (942.50 mg·kg-1 DW for NPs exposure). The results revealed that PbCO 3 and Pb2+ exposure had size- and dose-dependent inhibitory effects on spinach length, biomass, and photosynthesis attributes, inducing impacts on the antioxidase activity of CAT, membrane permeability, and nutrient elements absorption and translocation. Pb2+ exhibited pronounced toxicity in morphology and chlorophyll; PbCO 3 BP exposure accumulated the most lipid peroxidation products of MDA and H 2 O 2 ; and PbCO 3 NPs triggered the largest cell membrane damage. Furthermore, PbCO 3 NPs at 10 and 100 mg·L-1 induced dose-dependent metabolic reprogramming in spinach leaves, disturbing the metabolic mechanisms related to amino acids, antioxidant defense, oxidative phosphorylation, fatty acid cycle, and the respiratory chain. The spinach showed a non-carcinogenic health risk hierarchy: Pb2+ > PbCO 3 NPs > PbCO 3 BPs, with children more vulnerable than adults. These findings enhance our understanding of PbCO 3 particle effects on food security, emphasizing the need for further research to minimize their impact on human dietary health. [Display omitted] • Metabolomics reveals the toxicity mechanisms of foliar spinach exposed to different sizes of PbCO 3 firstly. • PbCO 3 NPs induce dose-dependent variations in metabolites within multiple uptake pathways in spinach leaves. • The effect of PbCO 3 particle toxicity on green leafy vegetables and its continuous threat to agricultural food safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elucidating the intrinsic relationship between diseases and Golgi apparatus polarity remains a great challenge owing to the lack of the Golgi-specific fluorescent probe for polarity. Until now, the visualization of abnormal Golgi apparatus polarity in clinical cancer patient samples has not been achieved. To meet this urgent challenge, we facilely synthesized a robust Golgi-targeting and polarity-specific fluorescent probe (GCSP), which consists of an electron-acceptor solvatochromic coumarin 343 and an electron-donor Golgi-targeting group phenylsulfonamide. Owing to the typical D-π-A molecular configuration with unique intramolecular charge transfer effect, GCSP exhibits high sensitivity to polarity change in different solvents. Moreover, we revealed that GCSP possessed a satisfactory ability to sensitively monitor Golgi apparatus polarity changes in living cells. Using GCSP , we have successfully shown that Golgi apparatus polarity may serve as an ubiquitous marker for cancer and fatty liver detection. Surprisingly, the visualization of Golgi polarity has been achieved not only at the cellular levels, but also in clinical tissue samples from cancer patients, thus holding great potential in the clinical diagnosis of human cancer. All these features render GCSP an effective tool for the accurate diagnosis of Golgi apparatus related diseases. [Display omitted] • The novelties and meaningful impact of this work are summarized as follows: • Presented a Golgi-targeting fluorescent probe (GCSP) for polarity changes. • GCSP could sensitively monitor Golgi polarity changes in living cells. • Golgi polarity may serve as an ubiquitous marker for cancer detection. • GCSP could be used for the accurate diagnosis of cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel prediction model for high-temperature gas spectral parameters in the HITRAN database, called SCLB, has been developed. • The model utilizes Data Distribution Quantification and Data Distribution Matching modules for accurate prediction of gas spectral parameters. • Experimental results demonstrate that the SCLB prediction model can expand the volume of gas spectral parameter data in the HITRAN database by a factor of 4-5 within a 1% error range. • This predictive model can facilitate the study of high-temperature gas optics and serve as a foundation for the application of high-temperature gases in optical research and optical detection. Recent advancements in aerospace optics have highlighted the significance of high-temperature gas optical radiation properties in the fields of optical research and optical detection. The High-Resolution Transmission Molecular Absorption Database (HITRAN) provides a comprehensive range of high-temperature gas spectral radiation parameters, which are essential for studying the optical radiation of these gases. However, the coverage of common gas spectral line parameters in the HITRAN database is insufficient, particularly in supporting the multi-spectral research in the burgeoning fields of aerospace optics and optical detection, especially in the ultraviolet range. This underscores the necessity of expanding the wavelength range of gas spectral parameters covered in the HITRAN database. In this study, we propose a physics-constrained LSTM-BPTransformer (SCLB) model that utilizes the distribution characteristics of gas spectral parameters in the database to predict spectral parameters for unknown wavelengths. The model combines data distribution quantification and distribution matching modules and incorporates the physical mechanisms of gas spectral radiation, thus enhancing prediction accuracy. Experimental results validate the effectiveness of the SCLB model, demonstrating that it can extend the data volume of gas spectral parameters in the HITRAN database by 4-5 times, while maintaining an error range within 1%. This predictive model enriches the research in high-temperature gas optics and lays a solid foundation for the application of high-temperature gases in the fields of optical research and optical detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A typical quasi-zero-stiffness (QZS) vibration isolator consisting of a vertical spring and two oblique springs has been widely researched on its static and dynamic characteristics. A general criterion for determining structural parameters of QZS isolator is to achieve low nondimensional stiffness around the equilibrium position. However, lower nondimensional stiffness of linear isolator means lower isolation frequency, which may be invalid on QZS isolator. Because there is an implicit relationship between geometric parameter and stiffness ratio of QZS isolator, this study presents an improved optimization criterion for determining the optimal structural parameters of the typical QZS isolator. The optimization criterion is that the QZS isolator has the maximum displacement range around the equilibrium position without exceeding given natural frequency, rather than given nondimensional stiffness. The results show that isolator with these optimal parameters can achieve lower stiffness around the equilibrium position and better vibration isolation performance. Furthermore, an extended QZS isolator consisting of vertical spring with fixed stiffness and prestressed oblique springs is discussed to further improve stiffness characteristic. Better stiffness performance can be obtained when the prestressed oblique springs have softening stiffness and the exponent of the nonlinear stiffness is 2. Considering the existence of friction in practical application, the influence of friction on both static and dynamic characteristics is investigated. The analysis reveals that friction has little influence on its stiffness characteristic around the static equilibrium position and friction damping produced by friction affects the response amplitude and resonant frequency in dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• How tax incentives for green development affect enterprise TFP is explored. • A 1% increase in tax incentives for mining companies increases TFP by 0.060%. • Porter hypothesis is confirmed at the firm level in China. • There is a two-way causal relationship between tax incentives and TFP. Based on unique micro-level data on 18,885 Chinese mining companies, this study explores the effect of tax incentives for green development on mining company total factor productivity (TFP) and its mechanism of influence. The results are as follows. (1) Tax incentives for green development can improve mining companies' TFP. A 1% increase in tax incentives for mining companies increases TFP by 0.060%. After considering endogeneity and selection bias, our conclusion is still valid. (2) Heterogeneity analysis shows that the positive effect of tax incentives on TFP is more significant for private companies, companies in central and western China and companies in areas with weak environmental controls. (3) There is a two-way causal relationship between tax incentives and TFP, mining companies with higher TFP receive more tax incentives. Further analysis shows that tax incentives improve TFP through technological progress. This study provides Chinese firm-level evidence for the Porter hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The plasma electron number density can be measured using probes, lasers, and microwaves. When the plasma jet temperature is higher than the upper limit of the temperature allowed by the probe, the probe cannot be used to measure the electron number density. Laser and microwave measurement methods are difficult to obtain the distribution characteristics of the electron number density. In this paper, a calculation method for equilibrium chemical reactions is proposed. The transport and thermodynamic properties are calculated according to the mole fraction of each species in the equilibrium conditions, and the electron number density distribution is obtained by the numerical calculation of chemical reactions and flow fields. Finally, the results of laser measurement and numerical calculation are compared, and the results are consistent. The numerical calculation results can reflect the electron number density distribution of the plasma jet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the developed plasma jet generator is to study the effect of jet plasma on electromagnetic wave propagation, simulating the plasma sheath environment encountered during space vehicle reentry. Because the temperature and velocity of the plasma jet are high, it is difficult to measure temperature and electron density by the contact method. In addition to the normal flow of the entire apparatus, high-power magnetic field energy (generated by the power supply) is injected into the inductively coupled plasma (ICP) generation region. The energy of the magnetic field excites the gas and generates plasma. In this paper, the whole apparatus is calculated numerically, the energy term is added to the corresponding area of ICP, and the enthalpy distribution of the whole apparatus is calculated. The heat flux and total pressure are measured by slug calorimeter (heat flux probe) and total pressure probe, and then, the enthalpy is obtained. When the calculated enthalpy is consistent with the measured enthalpy, the value of the energy term in the numerical calculation process is the injected energy value. The ratio of the energy injected into the ICP region to the total energy provided by the power supply is the power injection proportion. The power injection proportion of the apparatus in this paper obtained by the above method is between 25% and 30%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A bacteriophage (in short, phage) is a virus that can infect and replicate within bacteria. Assuming that uninfected and infected bacteria are capable of reproducing with logistic law, we investigate a model of bacteriophage infection that resembles simple SI-models widely used in epidemiology. The dynamics of host-parasite co-extinctions may exhibit four scenarios: hosts and parasites go extinct, parasites go extinct, hosts go extinct, and hosts and parasites coexist. By using the Jacobian matrix and Bendixson–Dulac theory, local and global stability analysis of uninfected and infected steady states is provided; the basic reproduction number of the model is given; general results are supported by numerical simulations. We show that bacteriophages can reduce a host density. This provides a theoretical framework for studying the problem of whether phages can effectively prevent, control, and treat infectious diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ErbB family of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) contains four members: EGFR, ErbB2, ErbB3 and ErbB4; they are involved in the tumorigenesis of diverse cancers and can be inhibited natively by receptor-associated late transducer (RALT), a negative feedback regulator of ErbB signaling in human hepatocytes and hepatocellular carcinoma. Although the biological effects of RALT on EGFR kinase have been widely documented previously, the binding behavior of RALT to other ErbB/RTK kinases still remains largely unexplored. Here, the intermolecular interactions of RALT ErbB-binding region (EBR) as well as its functional sections and peptide segments with ErbBs and other human RTKs were systematically investigated at molecular and structural levels, from which we were able to identify those potential kinase targets of RALT protein, and to profile the affinity, specificity and cross-reactivity of RALT EBR domain and its sub-regions against various RTKs. It is revealed that RALT can target all the four ErbB kinases with high affinity for EGFR/ErbB2/ErbB4 and moderate affinity for ErbB3, but generally exhibits modest affinity to other RTKs, albeit few kinases such as LTK, EPHB6, MET and MUSK were also top-ranked as the unexpected targets of RALT. Peptide segments covering the key binding regions of RALT EBR domain were identified with computational alanine scanning, which were then optimized to obtain a number of designed peptide mutants with improved selectivity between different top-ranked RTKs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the wheat starch with natural fermentation for 72 h was combined with konjac gum (KGM) at different concentrations (0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5%, w/w), and the changes in physicochemical and digestible characteristics of the complexes were investigated. The results showed that KGM clumped fermented starch (FS) granules together and caused the FS gels to form a close network structure. The addition of KGM significantly decreased the amylose content and swelling power, and reduced peak viscosity, final viscosity, and setback value (SB), which indicated that FS-KGM complexes possessed soft gel structure and could resist the short-term retrogradation. KGM impeded the increase of relative crystallinity, retrogradation enthalpy and gel firmness of FS during storage, suggesting the long-term retrogradation of FS was retarded by KGM. All starch pastes had a weak gel-like structure, and higher storage modulus (G′) and loss tangent (tan δ) values obtained after the addition of KGM. In vitro digestion results showed that KGM could slow the hydrolysis of FS, resulting in the increase of slowly digested starch (SDS) and resistant starch (RS). In particularly, the FS-0.3KGM showed the ideal structure, the best anti-retrogradation effected, and slowest the hydrolysis. • KGM clumped fermented starch together and made the complex form a close network gel. • KGM decreased amylose content and setback value of fermented starch. • Short anti-retrogradation and long anti-retrogradation were improved by adding KGM in fermented starch. • Addition of KGM increased storage modulus and the tan δ value of fermented starch. • KGM reduced hydrolysis and the RDS content of fermented starch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the value of a maximum-intensity projection (MIP) image derived from abbreviated breast MRI for excluding occult nipple-areolar complex (NAC) involvement in patients with breast cancer.Methods: This prospective study included breast cancer patients with clinically normal NACs between April 2016 and May 2019. Abbreviated breast MRI was performed, and an MIP image was generated for each patient. MIP images were examined for the following features: asymmetric nipple enhancement, tumor-nipple distance (TND), tumor diameter, lesion type, location, and multifocality. Independent predictive MIP features for occult NAC involvement were identified by univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Models based on independent predictive MIP features were developed, and their diagnostic performances were evaluated using ROC analysis. The utility of an MIP image for excluding occult NAC involvement was assessed by considering NPVs across patient subgroups.Results: Eight hundred forty-three patients (67 NAC-positive and 776 NAC-negative) were enrolled. On MIP images, asymmetric nipple enhancement (odds ratio, 6.098; p < 0.001) and TND (odds ratio, 0.564; p = 0.003) were independent predictors of occult NAC involvement. A parallel test model of "asymmetric nipple enhancement or TND ≤ 15 mm" yielded the highest AUC value (0.838) among prediction models. The NPV of MIP images for excluding occult NAC involvement was 99.5%, which was applicable across various patient subgroups.Conclusions: A single MIP image derived from abbreviated breast MRI has utility for excluding occult NAC involvement in breast cancer patients and reducing the number of unnecessary sub-nipple biopsies in nipple-sparing mastectomy.Key Points: • On MIP images derived from abbreviated breast MRI, asymmetric nipple enhancement and tumor-nipple distance were independent predictors for occult nipple involvement in patients with breast cancer. • Negative findings on MIP image can help select patients at minimal risk of occult nipple involvement, for whom unnecessary intraoperative sub-nipple biopsies in nipple-sparing mastectomy can be omitted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is high uncertainty in reserve estimation during the early development of deep ultrahigh pressure gas reservoirs, largely because it remains challenging in accurately determining the formation compressibility. To overcome this, starting from the definition of compressibility, a novel gas production of cumulative unit pressure drop analysis method was established, of which the effectiveness was proven by applications in calculating the reserves of three gas reservoirs. It has been found that, in the limiting case, i.e., when the formation pressure dropped to the normal atmospheric pressure, the dimensionless gas production of the cumulative unit pressure drop was the reciprocal of the initial formation pressure. Besides, the relationship curve of the dimensionless gas production of the cumulative unit pressure drop and pressure drop was a straight line in the medium term, extending the straight line and intersecting the vertical line passing through the original formation pressure point, and the reserves can be determined according to the intersection point and the initial formation pressure. However, due to the influence of natural gas properties, the value needs further correction, and the correction coefficient depends on the pseudocritical temperature of natural gas. Specifically, when the pseudocritical temperature is given, the correction coefficient would be close to the minimum value of the natural gas deviation factor. When the pseudocritical temperature is more than 1.9 and less than 3.0, the minimum deviation factor would be between 0.90 and 1.0, and the higher the pseudocritical temperature, the closer the ratio is to 1.0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study a family of constacyclic BCH codes over F q 2 of length n = q 2 m - 1 q + 1 , where q is a prime power, and m ≥ 2 an even integer. The maximum designed distance of narrow-sense Hermitian dual-containing constacyclic BCH codes over F q 2 of length n is determined. Furthermore, the exact dimensions of these constacyclic BCH codes with given designed distance are obtained. As a consequence, we are able to derive the parameters of quantum codes as a function of their designed parameters of the associated constacyclic BCH codes. This improves a recent result by Yuan et al. (Des Codes Cryptogr 85(1): 179–190, 2017) for codes with the same lengths except three trivial cases ( q = 2 , 3 , 4 ). Moreover, some of our newly constructed quantum codes have better parameters compared with those constructed recently (Song et al. Quantum Inf Process 17(10): 1–24, 2018, Aly et al. IEEE Trans Inf Theory 53(3): 1183–1188, 2007, Li et al. Quantum Inf Process 18(5): 127, 2019, Wang et al. Quantum Inf Process 18(10): 1–40, 2019). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider single-machine group scheduling with nonperiodical maintenance and deteriorating effects. Nonperiodical maintenance, which has unfixed maintaining interval or the number of jobs in each group is unfixed, results in a variable number of groups. Deteriorating effects lead to longer processing times of which the deterioration index depends on job grouping. This problem is of significance in different production settings and is much more difficult than and general that other simpler single-machine group scheduling problems. Making use of historical processing times, we construct the actual processing time model for jobs. We prove that the problem under study is NP-hard. By transforming the optimization objective, properties are discovered and two batch-based heuristics are presented for small size problems. To further improve the effectiveness for large size problems, an iterated greedy algorithm is proposed being its main advantages simplicity and effectiveness. The proposed methods are evaluated over a large number of random instances with calibrated parameters and components. Comprehensive computational and statistical analyses demonstrate the superiority of the methods proposed over adapted existing approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feature selection is an important issue in machine learning and data mining. Most existing feature selection methods are greedy in nature thus are prone to sub-optimality. Though some global feature selection methods based on unsupervised redundancy minimization can potentiate clustering performance improvements, their efficacy for classification may be limited. In this paper, a neurodynamics-based holistic feature selection approach is proposed via feature redundancy minimization and relevance maximization. An information-theoretic similarity coefficient matrix is defined based on multi-information and entropy to measure feature redundancy with respect to class labels. Supervised feature selection is formulated as a fractional programming problem based on the similarity coefficients. A neurodynamic approach based on two one-layer recurrent neural networks is developed for solving the formulated feature selection problem. Experimental results with eight benchmark datasets are discussed to demonstrate the global convergence of the neural networks and superiority of the proposed neurodynamic approach to several existing feature selection methods in terms of classification accuracy, precision, recall, and F-measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The temperature of the high-power inductively coupled plasma jet is very high, and its temperature is difficult to measure directly. The heat flux becomes a thermodynamic characteristic to measure the plasma jet. The existing heat flux calculation method is based on the temperature change rate after the response time. The slug is required to stay in the high enthalpy jet area for a longer time. With the slug temperature reaching the melting point as the upper limit, the shorter the residence time, the greater the upper limit of the measured heat flux. In this paper, the first-order transient solution is added to the steady-state solution of temperature (the calculation equation of the existing method), which can shorten the response time. The shortening of the response time can reduce the residence time of the slug in the jet region, and the reduction in the residence time can increase the upper limit of the calorimeter heat flux measurement. This paper uses numerical simulation and experimental methods to verify that the steady-state solution method and the first-order transient solution method can obtain consistent heat flux results. Using the first-order transient solution method can reduce the residence time of the slug calorimeter in the jet region. According to the shortening of the residence time, the method of using the first-order transient solution can increase the upper limit of the heat flux measurement by more than 25%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When a space vehicle travels through the atmosphere at a hypersonic speed, it is enveloped by a plasma sheath. The density of plasma sheath is high enough such that communication and telemetry signals are prevented from passing to and from the vehicle, which is called communication blackout. A method to reduce plasma density for communication blackout mitigation by using pulsed magnetic field is proposed in this paper. In order to study the effect of pulsed magnetic field on plasma density, a two-dimensional axisymmetric model was established. The simulation results suggested that the pulsed magnetic field can reduce the plasma sheath density of 5 cm thickness by more than 90%, and was of sufficient size (about 5 cm) and time duration (about 330 μs) to permit transmission of data. On the basis of the simulation results, the interaction mechanism between pulsed magnetic field and plasma is explained by theoretical analysis. Furthermore, experiments of the plasma density reduction by pulsed magnetic field are performed. The experimental results suggested that a 0.55T pulsed magnetic field can reduce the plasma sheath density of 14 cm thickness by 43 % – 78 % , which verifies the effectiveness of the pulsed magnetic field method. A comparison of results from simulation and experiment provided strong evidence for the correctness of the simulation model. The simulation results also show that low pressure and high initial electron density are beneficial to the reduction of plasma density, which also explains the phenomenon in the experiment. In addition, it is found in the experiment that two continuous reverse pulses can play the same role in reducing the plasma density, which provides the possibility for the continuous reduction of plasma density. These investigations could have a significant benefit on the design and optimization of pulsed magnetic field mitigation scheme for the blackout problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]