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Three‐dimensional displacement monitoring over long distances has been a long‐standing concern in the structural health monitoring industry. In this study, a multi‐degree‐of‐freedom slope displacement monitoring method is developed by fusing computer vision and the 3D point triangulation method. Attributed to this method, the problems of outdoor binocular camera calibration, multi‐target mismatching, and outdoor illumination effects were solved. First, a two‐stage camera calibration method is proposed to accurately calibrate intrinsic and extrinsic camera parameters under a large field of view and long working distance conditions. Second, the adaptive spatial‐frequency method is proposed to calculate the coding and pixel coordinates of the monitored target. In this step, to solve the problem of mismatching monitored points in different camera frames, the Augmented Reality University of Cordoba code is introduced to provide a unique identity code for each monitored point. To mitigate the impact of illumination and other factors on pixel coordinate calculation, an adaptive pixel coordinate calculation method that combines information from the spatial and frequency domains is proposed., Third, based on the intrinsic and extrinsic parameters of the stereo camera and the pixel coordinates of the monitored points, the 3D coordinates of the monitored points are obtained through triangulation. Finally, the accuracy experiments and stability experiments are conducted. According to the results of the experiments, the measurement distance is positively correlated with the measurement error. And the baseline length is negatively correlated with the measurement error in the z‐direction. Ultimately, we suggest that the ratio of baseline length to measurement distance should be greater than 40%. When the recommended value is satisfied, the measurement error is less than 1 mm when the measurement distance is less than 40 m. When the measurement distance is equal to 90 m, the measurement error is less than 5 mm. Meanwhile, stability experiments of the algorithm were carried out, and in a period of outdoor validation experiments, the fluctuations were only sub‐millimeter, demonstrating good anti‐interference performance. Moreover, the method proposed in this study successfully monitored a landslide disaster in Guangxi, which demonstrated its outstanding practical application capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the presence of a substantial concentration of chlorine in seawater, the anode still faces severe chlorine corrosion, especially the water splitting operated at high current densities. Herein, the cost‐effective and scalable NiFe layered double hydroxides with carbonate intercalation (named as NiFe LDH_CO32−) are synthesized utilizing the etching‐hydrolysis and ion exchange strategies under ambient conditions. Experimental findings demonstrate that NiFe LDH_CO32− shows excellent stability at 500 and 1000 mA cm−2 for 1000 h under alkaline simulated seawater. Additionally, a two‐electrode system offers great stability at current densities ranging from 100 to 1000 mA cm−2 over a duration of 400 h in alkaline seawater. This remarkably catalytic stability can be ascribed to the etching‐hydrolysis and carbonate intercalation strategies. The etching‐hydrolysis strategy leads to an integrated electrode for the catalyst‐carrier, enhancing the adhesion between them, and retarding hence the divorce of catalysts from the carrier. Theoretical calculations suggest that the carbonate intercalation weakens the adsorbability of chlorine on catalysts and hinders the coupling of metal atoms with chlorine, thereby impeding the anode corrosion caused by chlorine and improving catalytic stability. More importantly, this strategy has been extended to the preparation of other layered double hydroxides with carbonate intercalation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terahertz (THz) sensors have attracted great attention in the biological field due to their nondestructive and contact-free biochemical samples. Recently, the concept of a quasi-bound state in the continuum (QBIC) has gained significant attention in designing biosensors with ultrahigh sensitivity. QBIC-based metasurfaces (MSs) achieve excellent performance in various applications, including sensing, optical switching, and laser, providing a reliable platform for biomaterial sensors with terahertz radiation. In this study, a structure-engineered THz MS consisting of a "double C" array has been designed, in which an asymmetry parameter α is introduced into the structure by changing the length of one subunit; the Q-factor of the QBIC device can be optimized by engineering the asymmetry parameter α. Theoretical calculation with coupling equations can well reproduce the THz transmission spectra of the designed THz QBIC MS obtained from the numerical simulation. Experimentally, we adopt an MS with α = 0.44 for testing arginine molecules. The experimental results show that different concentrations of arginine molecules lead to significant transmission changes near QBIC resonant frequencies, and the amplitude change is shown to be 16 times higher than that of the classical dipole resonance. The direct limit of detection for arginine molecules on the QBIC MS reaches 0.36 ng/mL. This work provides a new way to realize rapid, accurate, and nondestructive sensing of trace molecules and has potential application in biomaterial detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resistive random‐access memory (RRAM) stands out as a promising memory technology due to its ease of operation, high speed, affordability, exceptional stability, and potential to enable smaller memory devices with sizes under 10 nm. This has drawn significant attention, with atomic layer deposition (ALD) emerging as an ideal technology to tackle the challenges of nanoscale fabrication in the micro‐ and nanomanufacturing industry. ALD offers technological advantages such as functional multiple‐layer stacking, doping capabilities, and incorporating oxygen reservoirs or reactive layers. These factors contribute to achieving more intriguing, stable, and reliable nonvolatile resistance switching behaviors in RRAM. Specifically, ALD greatly benefits RRAM, that relies on the valence change mechanism, where high‐k transition metal oxides are commonly used as switching materials, and precise control over oxygen vacancies is achievable. This review provides a comprehensive overview of ALD films used in RRAM, delves into resistive switching properties and microscopic mechanisms in binary and ternary oxides and nitrides, and explores the impact of ALD‐prepared electrodes. Furthermore, the current status and future prospects of ALD‐based RRAM are highlighted, which is poised to catalyze further advancements in the fields of information storage and neural networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the impact of public health events, multi-modal projects, multi-project environments, and multi-capacity resource constraints on project scheduling. It describes the comprehensive resource-constrained project scheduling problem (MCMRCMPSP) specifically for public health events, and proposes two approaches for modelling and solving the problem. The objective is to enhance the practical relevance of project scheduling and enrich the problem itself. To improve efficiency and the algorithm for scheduling problems, an enhanced quantum algorithm based on the quantum particle swarm algorithm (QPSO) is proposed. The enhancements include Gaussian variation and a tournament selection strategy. Furthermore, the article integrates multiple heuristic rules with the algorithm to minimize illogical computations, improve computational efficiency, and enhance solution quality. The proposed algorithm's effectiveness is validated through performance tests and practical application experiments. The results show that the algorithm has superior convergence performance and solution accuracy compared with the traditional QPSO, particle swarm algorithm (PSO), genetic algorithm, ant colony algorithm, and cuckoo algorithm. Thus, the algorithm provides a targeted resource scheduling plan for real-world cases. This research contributes to the field of project scheduling problems and proposes a new solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigations on shock train dynamics and relevant turbulence features in a backpressured supersonic channel flow are carried out using direct numerical simulation for three inflow Mach numbers of M a 0 = 1.61, 2.0, and 2.45. As Ma0 increases, the shock train undergoes a structural change characterized by the leading shock which changes from the symmetric "λ" (M a 0 = 1.61) to the symmetric "X" (M a 0 = 2.00) and then to the asymmetric "X" pattern (M a 0 = 2.45). The symmetry breaking of shock structures induces asymmetric separation, which significantly alters the distribution characteristics of wall variables such as wall pressure and friction. To examine the unsteady behaviors of the shock train, a mode decomposition technique, namely, reduced-order variational mode decomposition [Liao et al., J. Fluid Mech. 966, A7 (2023)], is adopted taking its merit of adaptively extracting time-frequency features of dynamic systems. The modal analysis reveals that the shock train system exhibits significant centralization of low-frequency energy. Specifically, two basic types of low-frequency oscillation modes dominate the unsteady motion of the shock train: one depicts overall translating oscillation while another represents accordion-like oscillation. The analysis of turbulent kinetic energy shows that turbulence amplification is mainly dominated by the interaction of the decelerating mean flow with streamwise velocity fluctuations in the vicinity of the leading shock for all three cases, which is unaffected by the symmetry breaking of shock structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two global atmospheric circulation datasets (ERA5 and NCEP FNL) with horizontal resolutions of 0.25° × 0.25° are investigated in terms of kinetic energy (KE) spectra at 200 hPa (roughly between 11 and 12 km). The horizontal KE (HKE) in NCEP FNL is larger and flatter than that in ERA5 at subsynoptic scales and mesoscales. Restoring the energy of this wavenumber range to the physical space shows that the HKE in NCEP FNL is larger than that in ERA5 over most areas but smaller mainly in the Indo-Pacific warm pool. The spectral budgets show that at these scales, the positive contribution from net vertical flux in ERA5 is stronger than that in NCEP FNL, while the negative contribution from available potential energy (APE) conversion is smaller; assuming that the atmosphere is in a quasi-stationary state, more dissipation is found in ERA5 than in NCEP FNL, which should be responsible for the HKE spectrum in ERA5 to be steeper and weaker than that in NCEP FNL. Our formulation shows that the APE conversion and net vertical flux are related to the pressure vertical velocity (PVV). The APE conversion and net vertical flux differences between the two datasets, like the PVV difference, are mainly from the tropical region. At large scales, the vertical motion in ERA5 is larger than that in NCEP FNL. The amplitude differences of the PVV spectra between two datasets are consistent with those of the large-scale precipitation spectra associated with microphysics parameterizations. These results support that vertical motion is a key dynamical factor explaining energy discrepancies at mesoscales. Significance Statement: The atmospheric kinetic energy spectrum reflects energy distribution characteristics in atmospheric motion at different scales. According to the Helmholtz decomposition, the horizontal wind field can be decomposed into two parts: rotational wind field and divergent wind field. We explore the dynamical causes of the atmospheric energy spectra differences among different datasets from the perspective of rotational and divergent components of motion. Our results reveal that the differences in energy spectra and their energy budget at scales below a few hundred kilometers are relatively significant in tropical regions and are closely related to vertical motion. A better understanding of the differences in kinetic energy spectra will contribute to the improvement of atmospheric models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aeolian sediments accumulated along the desert-loess transition zone of the Tengger Desert include heterogeneous textures and complex component structures in their grain-size distributions (GSD). However, the sources of these aeolian sediments have not been resolved due to the lack of large reference GSD sample datasets from adjacent regions that contain various types of sediments; such datasets could be used for fingerprinting based on grain-size properties. This lack of knowledge hinders our understanding of the mechanism of aeolian dust releases in these regions and the effects of forcing of atmospheric circulations on the transportation and accumulation of sediments in this region. In this study, we employed a multi-scale grain-size analysis method, i.e., a combination of the single-sample unmixing (SSU) and the parametric end-member modelling (PEMM) techniques, to resolve the component structures of sediments that had accumulated along the desert-loess transition zone of the Tengger Desert. We have also analyzed the component structures of GSDs of various types of sediments, including mobile and fixed sand dunes, lake sediments, and loess sediments from surrounding regions. Our results demonstrate that the patterns observed in coarser fractions of sediments (i.e., sediments with a mode grain size of >100 μm) from the transition zone match well with the patterns of component structures of several types of sediments from the interior of the Tengger Desert, and the patterns seen in the finer fractions (i.e., fine, medium, and coarse silts with a modal size of <63 μm) were broadly consistent with those of loess sediments from the Qilian Mountains. The deflation/erosion of loess from the Qilian Mountains by wind was the most important mechanism underlying the production of these finer grain-size fractions. The East Asia winter monsoon (EAWM) played a key role in transportation of the aeolian dust from these source regions to the desert-loess transition zone of the desert. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A single-row plasma tube array (PTA) experimental system is established to improve the backscattering attenuation of a metal plate covered by a plasma tube array. The backscattering test system is utilized in a microwave anechoic chamber to examine the effects of gas composition, pressure, tube diameter, and discharge power on the backscattering attenuation of a metal plate using a plasma tube array. The electron density is obtained via microwave diagnosis. The backscattering attenuation mechanism in different frequency bands is revealed via numerical simulation. The results show that the reasonable selection of PTA parameters achieves strong attenuation in different frequency bands. The strong attenuation frequency bands of Ar–Hg PTA are in low frequency (1.5–3.5 GHz) and high frequency (13–17 GHz), while that of Ne–Hg discharge is in medium frequency (6.4–11.7 GHz). When the pressure is 0.5 and 1 Torr, the PTA shows a low, medium, and high multi-band distribution for the backscattering strong attenuation region. The backscattering strong attenuation region shows a low and high dual-band distribution, while the pressure is 2–4 Torr. As the tube diameter increases, the strong attenuation region maintains the dual-band, but it changes from low and high frequency bands to medium frequency (6-12 GHz), where the backscattering attenuation mechanism is collisional absorption when the frequency of plasma electron oscillation is close to that of electro-magnetic waves. The backscattering attenuation mechanism in the low frequency band involves the periodic structure of PTA generating local surface plasmon to absorb electromagnetic waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The responses of atmospheric kinetic energy (KE) spectra to three convective parameterizations (CPs) in global high‐resolution simulations are revealed. The results show that the KE spectra exhibit high sensitivity to the CPs, mainly at mesoscales in the middle and upper troposphere. The New Tiedtke scheme produces the steepest mesoscale slope, followed by the Kain‐Fritsch scheme and then the Grell‐Freitas scheme. In general, there is a compensating relationship between latent heat released by the CP and microphysics parameterization (MP). The less latent heat released by the CP is compensated by the more latent heat released by the MP. The shallowest mesoscale spectra for the Grell‐Freitas scheme are related to the strongest downscale cascade dominated by the rotational component of the flow, and this is attributed to more latent heat released from MP enhancing the intensity of vorticity in the troposphere and producing more gravity wave activities in the lower stratosphere. Plain Language Summary: At the current horizontal resolution level of the atmospheric models, convective parameterization (CP) is crucial for representing convective clouds unresolved by model mesh and thus is still an important model component. Exploring the impacts of different CP schemes on global high‐resolution simulations is an important subject of modeling. Energy spectra have become a useful diagnostic for validating and comparing atmospheric models. Their sensitivity to CP is an important and not‐well‐studied part of this subject. This paper investigates the impact of CPs on atmospheric mesoscale kinetic energy spectra with global simulations from the Model for Prediction Across Scales. We found that the energy spectral slope and energy cascade are sensitive to the CP schemes. This is related to the complementary relationship between CP and microphysical parameterization (MP), which is also important for moist convection development and evolution. The less latent heat released by the CP, the more released by the MP. This leads to stronger vertical motion, accompanied by stronger convergence/divergence in the troposphere, thereby enhancing vortex motion. As a result, more energy is transferred from the synoptic scale to the mesoscale and more gravity waves are vertically propagated into the lower stratosphere, leading to the shallower spectra at mesoscales. Key Points: The kinetic energy (KE) spectra exhibit high sensitivity to the convective parameterizations (CPs) mainly at mesoscalesThe more latent heat released from CP, the steeper KE spectra at mesoscalesThe shallowest mesoscale KE spectra generated by the Grell‐Freitas scheme are attributed to the strongest RKE downscale cascades [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous studies on project scheduling only consider a single factor, which fails to reflect the actual environment of project operations. In light of this issue, the article synthesizes multiple perspectives and proposes a multi-skill resource-based multi-modal project scheduling problem (MRCMPSP). This problem is described, modeled, and solved using the resource capability matrix and other constraints to minimize the project duration. To effectively solve MRCMPSP and enrich scheduling algorithms, the paper selects the hybrid quantum algorithm (HQPSO) based on the quantum particle swarm algorithm (QPSO). The HQPSO introduces various improvements such as the JAYA optimization search to improve the algorithm's performance. In order to verify the generality, superiority, and effectiveness of the algorithm, independent operation comparison experiments and practical application experiments of the algorithm are designed based on different case sizes and resource quantities. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm has superior convergence performance and solution accuracy and can provide an effective scheduling solution for real cases. Additionally, the article provides targeted management suggestions based on the research findings. Overall, this study contributes a novel mathematical model, solution algorithm, optimization strategies, and managerial insights, advancing the field of project management research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Braking control of urban rail vehicles with multiple carriages is critical to ensure the safe operation of urban rails. However, existing decentralized braking control methods lead to the inconsistent speed and excessive coupler force among carriages, which compromises the operation safety of urban rails. To address this issue, a cooperative braking strategy is proposed for urban rail vehicles based on Koopman model predictive control method. First, a cyber‐physical model is established, where the physical layer characterizes the dynamic model of multiple carriages using the Koopman operator. The cyber layer represents the communication topology of carriages with graph theory. Second, a cooperative braking controller is designed with the distributed model predictive control method. An optimisation problem is formulated to minimize the speed inconsistency and relative displacement difference among carriages. Third, extensive simulations under various scenarios, including normal and extreme operating conditions, are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. Simulation results show that, compared with the classical decentralized method, the proposed braking method reduces the average relative displacement by 78% while reducing the speed error by 29%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the treatment effect of G protein‐coupled receptor 30 (GPR30) agonist G1 combined with hypothermia (HT) on cognitive impairment and anxiety‐like behavior after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in rats. Methods: Fifty male rats were randomly assigned to one of five groups: Sham group, SAH group, SAH + G1 group, SAH + HT group, and SAH + G1 + HT group. The SAH rat model was established by modified endovascular puncture in all groups except the Sham group. Neurological function after the operation was assessed by Garcia scoring. The degree of rat cerebral edema was determined using dry‐wet weighing method on the 28th day after operation. Moreover, the behavioral test was performed on rats on the 4th and 28th days after operation. Results: Compared with Sham group, the Garcia score of each SAH rat model group decreased significantly on the first day and thereafter increased gradually. However, the recovery rate of each treatment group was higher than the SAH group (no treatment), and the Garcia score of SAH + G1 + HT group was much higher than the SAH group on the seventh day after operation. In addition, each treatment group could obviously reduce the cerebral edema degree of SAH rats, among which rats in SAH + G1 + HT group had lower cerebral edema degree than SAH + G1 group and SAH + HT group. Behavioral test results showed that the combination of GPR30 agonist G1 and HT markedly improved the learning and memory ability of SAH rats, alleviated their anxiety‐ and emotion‐related behavior, and enhanced their social interaction. Conclusion: GPR30 agonist G1 combined with HT reduces cognitive impairment and anxiety‐like behavior in rats with SAH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In practice, the cooling channel (CC) is commonly used in the injection molding (IM) because the cooling is an important stage in the IM process. Traditionally, the acetone solution is widely used to remove CC inside the rapid tool. However, it is harmful to the operator and not environmentally friendly and ecological method. Besides, the conventional method of removing polyvinyl butyral (PVB) CC inside the silicone rubber mold (SRM) depends on trial-and-error approach in the laboratory. However, the distinct drawbacks include energy consuming and random efforts. In this study, a sustainable manufacturing method is proposed to remove PVB CC inside the SRM. The Taguchi method is used to optimize the removal process parameters of PVB CC inside SRM. It was found that the advantages of using an ethanol solution to remove PVB CCC include low environmental pollution, low energy consumption, and environmentally friendly and ecological approach. The most important control factor affecting the removal time of PVB CC inside SRM is the ethanol temperature, followed by the ethanol concentration, ethanol flow rate, and hose diameter. The contribution ratio for ethanol concentration, ethanol temperature, ethanol flow rate, and hose diameter is about 15.56%, 60.03%, 13.71%, and 10.71%, respectively. The optimum process parameters for removing PVB CC inside SRM involve ethanol concentration of 92%, ethanol temperature of 70 °C, alcohol flow rate of 1.15 L per minute, and hose diameter of 3 mm. The confirmation tests showed the saving efficiency of removal time is approximately 16 to 66%. The finding of this study is very practical and provides useful application for removing PVB CC inside the rapid tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Photoaging is a degenerative biological process that affects the quality of life. It is caused by environmental factors including ultraviolet radiation (UVR), deep skin burns, smoking, active oxygen, chemical substances, and trauma. Among them, UVR plays a vital role in the aging process. Aim: With the continuous development of modern medicine, clinical researchers have investigated novel approaches to treat aging. In particular, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), non‐coding RNAs are involved in various physiological processes have broad clinical application as they have the advantages of convenient samples, abundant sources, and avoidable ethical issues. Methods: This article reviews research progress on five types of stem cell, exosomes, non‐coding RNA in the context of photoaging treatment: adipose‐derived stem cell, human umbilical cord MSCs, epidermal progenitor cells, keratinocyte stem cells, and hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs). It also includes stem cell related exosomes and their non‐coding RNA research. Results: The results have clinical guiding significance for prevention and control of the onset and development of photoaging. It is found that stem cells secrete cytokines, cell growth factors, non‐coding RNA, exosomes and proteins to repair aging skin tissues and achieve skin rejuvenation. In particular, stem cell exosomes and non‐coding RNA are found to have significant research potential, as they possess the benefits of their source cells without the disadvantages which include immune rejection and granuloma formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate the Blandford–Znajek (BZ) process within the framework of Einsteinian cubic gravity (ECG). To analytically study the BZ process using the split monopole configuration, we construct a slowly rotating black hole in ECG up to cubic order in small spin, considering the leading order in small coupling constant of higher curvature terms. By deriving the magnetosphere solution around the black hole, we determine the BZ power up to the second relative order in spin. The BZ power is modified by the coupling constant compared to Kerr black hole case. Although the general nature of the BZ process in ECG remains unchanged at the leading order in spin, the coupling constant introduces modification at the second relative order in spin. Therefore, we anticipate that it is feasible to discern general relativity from higher derivative gravities by examining the BZ power in rapidly rotating black holes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The morphologies and sizes of TiN inclusions in gear steel 20CrMnTi have a significant impact on its service performance. This paper selects rare earth Ce to modify TiN inclusions in 20CrMnTi. The inclusions are analyzed by SEM (scanning electron microscope), EBSD (electron back-scattered diffraction), EDS (energy disperse spectroscopy), and OTS statistical software, and Thermo-Calc software is used to calculate the inclusion formations. The inclusions of MgAlO4-Ce and CeAlO3 can be formed when rare earth Ce is added into 20CrMnTi, which becomes TiN nucleation core after precipitation. Without the addition of rare earth Ce, square TiN inclusions ranging from 2 to 5 μm account for 60% of the total inclusions in 20CrMnTi. After adding rare earth Ce, the TiN inclusions in 20CrMnTiCe account for 36.7% of the total inclusions. Due to the new phase formations of MgAlO4-TiN and CeAlO3-TiN with sizes less than 2 μm, the titanium-containing inclusions are refined. Fatigue tests are conducted on the steels before and after the addition of Ce. The average fatigue lives of 20CrMnTi do not reach 107 times, and the deviations between the maximum and minimum fatigue lives are great. Large-sized TiN are the main inclusions that affect the fatigue performance of 20CrMnTi. The average fatigue lives of 20CrMnTiCe exceed 107 times, and the deviations of the fatigue lives are smaller than those of 20CrMnTi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bond between a steel reinforcement/rod and glulam plays a crucial role in the resistance and deformation capacity of timbers joints. Existing studies provide different bond–slip models for reinforcements and rods with different anchorage lengths, in which the relationship between local bond stress and global bond behaviour cannot not be established. This study presents a unified analytical method for predicting the bond–slip behaviour of ribbed bars and threaded rods along the grain using a local bond–slip model of reinforcement at the elastic and post-yield stages. In the analytical method, equilibrium, compatibility, and constitutive models for reinforcement and rods are considered. The method is verified using test data of rebars and rods with different anchorage lengths. Comparisons between the experimental and calculated results suggest that the analytical method yields reasonably good predictions of the load–slip relationship and failure mode. Furthermore, the embedment lengths required for yield and the ultimate strengths of the reinforcement and rods along the grain are determined by assuming uniform bond stress distributions over the elastic and post-yield steel segment. The average bond stress over the entire anchorage length is calculated and compared with existing equations. Design recommendations for anchorage lengths are proposed for ribbed bars and threaded rods glued in glulam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well known that accurate estimation of the loop delay between the input and output feedback signals is the key to behavioral modeling and digital predistortion of power amplifier. Nevertheless, most of the traditional loop‐delay compensation algorithms have the disadvantage of high computational complexity. For the purpose of solving this problem, a loop‐delay estimation algorithm based on sliding window has been proposed in this paper, where the first derivative characteristic of the signal is employed to evaluate the correlation between the input and output feedback signals. The simulation and experiment are carried out with different bandwidth signals in this paper. The results show that the proposed algorithm and the traditional cross‐correlation‐based method could align the input and output feedback signals successfully. But in terms of resource consumption, the proposed algorithm could reduce the multiplier nearly by 100% and the adder by approximately 93.2%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing the effect of rainfall on the short-term and long-term stability of earthen structures warrants studying the earth pressures of unsaturated soils under transient flow. This paper presents a variational approach applied to the limit equilibrium method for calculating the resultant force of active and passive earth pressures in unsaturated soils subject to transient flow conditions. The method is developed using the unified effective stress representation and utilizes a log-spiral slip surface. The latter eliminates the need to make any static assumptions in the derivation and leads to a more comprehensive failure mechanism than the planar failure mechanism used in most alternative methods. The proposed analytical solution accounts for the infiltration rate, batter angle, backslope inclination, and surcharge. For verification purposes, the results from the proposed formulations are compared against those from several existing analytical solutions. A set of parametric studies is performed to examine the effects of rainfall on active and passive earth pressures for different soil types. The results show that the soil type, mechanical parameters, and shape of the failure surface will significantly affect the earth pressure coefficient. The proposed formulations provide a valuable tool for evaluating the effect of rainfall on the behavior of earthen structures and forensic studies of failed earthen structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead is the primary toxic element found in jarosite residue; it is necessary to synthesize simulated lead-containing jarosite residue (SLJS) to investigate its lead release behavior and predict the slag's stability and potential for secondary environmental pollution. This study explores the ion release behavior, leaching toxicity, and stability of SLJS during freeze–thaw cycles with EDTA (E-FTC). Experimental results demonstrate that the release of lead, iron, and sulfate from SLJS under E-FTC is contingent upon multiple factors, including solution pH, EDTA concentration, freeze–thaw cycles, freezing temperature, and freeze–thaw mode. Specifically, employing an EDTA concentration of 200 mM, a pH of 6, a freezing temperature of −20 °C, and 12 freeze–thaw cycles, the lead release reaches 15.1 mM, accounting for 94.9% of the total lead content, while iron is negligibly released, thus enabling effective separation of lead from iron. Subsequent to E-FTC, the exchangeable lead content exhibits a substantial reduction, accompanied by a marked increase in residual lead, resulting in a remarkable 98% reduction in leaching toxicity. Moreover, the equilibrium concentration of lead in the continuous stable leaching solution is 0.13 mg/L, significantly below the lead toxicity threshold (5 mg/L). Therefore, environmental stability can be greatly enhanced. This study presents a novel approach for the safe disposal of jarosite residue under mild conditions and at low temperatures, contributing to the broader field of environmentally sustainable waste management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV‐8) unrelated primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) like lymphoma (PEL‐LL) is an exceedingly rare non‐Hodgkin lymphoma with no characteristic symptoms and consensus on the optimal treatment. This case report presents a 55‐year‐old man with prior HBV‐related Child‐Pugh B liver cirrhosis and developing activity‐related dyspnea. A moderate amount of pleural effusion was identified without tumor masses, and cytological studies confirmed a diagnosis of PEL‐LL. The patient received rituximab and lenalidomide, albeit with HBV infection, and is currently on maintenance therapy with resolving symptoms but without HBV reactivation. Hence, the R2 protocol (rituximab and lenalidomide) might be clinically effective and safe for PEL‐LL patients with HBV infection and Child‐Pugh B liver cirrhosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ischemic stroke (IS) is the most common type of stroke and the second leading cause of death overall. Neural stem cells play protective roles in IS, but the underlying mechanism remains to be determined. Neural stem cells (NSC) were obtained from the fetal brain tissue of C57BL/6J mice. NSC-derived exosomes (NSC-Exos) were identified in the conditioned medium. Internalization of NSC-Exos was analyzed by fluorescence microscopy. In vitro microglia ischemic stroke injury model was induced using oxygen glucose deprivation/re-oxygenation (OGD/R) method. Cell viability and inflammation were analyzed by MTT, qPCR, ELISA and Western blotting assay. Interaction between ZEB1 and the promoter of GPR30 was verified by luciferase assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation. NSC-Exos prevented OGD/R-mediated inhibition of cell survival and the production of inflammatory cytokines in microglia cells. NSC-Exos increased ZEB1 expression in OGD/R-treated microglia. Down-regulation of ZEB1 expression in NSC-Exos abolished NSC-Exos' protective effects on OGD/R-treated microglia. ZEB1 bound to the promoter region of GPR30 and promoted its expression. Inhibiting GPR30 reversed NSC-Exos effects on cell viability and inflammation injury in OGD/R-treated microglia. Our study demonstrated that NSC exerted cytoprotective roles through release of exosomal ZEB1,which transcriptionally upregulated GPR30 expression, resulting in a reduction in TLR4/NF-κB pathway-induced inflammation. These findings shed light on NSC-Exos' cytoprotective mechanism and highlighted its potential application in the treatment of IS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Two in five adults were hesitant to receive an influenza vaccination. • Hesitancy was negatively associated with vaccination. • Females and non-Hispanic Black adults were more likely to be hesitant. • 31% of the non-vaccination among unvaccinated adults is attributable to hesitancy. The role of vaccine hesitancy on influenza vaccination is not clearly understood. Low influenza vaccination coverage in U.S. adults suggests that a multitude of factors may be responsible for under-vaccination or non-vaccination including vaccine hesitancy. Understanding the role of influenza vaccination hesitancy is important for targeted messaging and intervention to increase influenza vaccine confidence and uptake. The objective of this study was to quantify the prevalence of adult influenza vaccination hesitancy (IVH) and examine association of IVH beliefs with sociodemographic factors and early-season influenza vaccination. A four-question validated IVH module was included in the 2018 National Internet Flu Survey. Weighted proportions and multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify correlates of IVH beliefs. Overall, 36.9% of adults were hesitant to receive an influenza vaccination; 18.6% expressed concerns about vaccination side effects; 14.8% personally knew someone with serious side effects; and 35.6% reported that their healthcare provider was not the most trusted source of information about influenza vaccinations. Influenza vaccination ranged from 15.3 to 45.2 percentage points lower among adults self-reporting any of the four IVH beliefs. Being female, age 18–49 years, non-Hispanic Black, having high school or lower education, being employed, and not having primary care medical home were associated with hesitancy. Among the four IVH beliefs studied, being hesitant to receiving influenza vaccination followed by mistrust of healthcare providers were identified as the most influential hesitancy beliefs. Two in five adults in the United States were hesitant to receive an influenza vaccination, and hesitancy was negatively associated with vaccination. This information may assist with targeted interventions, personalized to the individual, to reduce hesitancy and thus improve influenza vaccination acceptance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the multiscale interactions between rotational and divergent components of atmospheric motion, a new formulation of spectral budget of rotational kinetic energy (RKE) and divergent kinetic energy (DKE) based on the primitive equations in the pressure coordinate is derived, with four main characteristics: 1) horizontal kinetic energy (HKE) spectral transfer is exactly divided into spectral transfer of RKE and DKE, 2) the exact spectral conversion term between DKE and RKE is constructed, 3) the Coriolis term is considered, and 4) both the baroclinic conversion from available potential energy (APE) and the vertical flux of HKE act only on DKE. With this new formulation, outputs from ERA5 global reanalysis are investigated. At planetary scales, HKE spectral transfer, mainly attributed to β effect, is dominated by downscale DKE transfer. At synoptic scales, it is dominated by an upscale transfer of RKE energized by conversion of DKE mainly due to the Coriolis effect. The ultimate source of DKE in the upper troposphere is conversion of APE, while in the stratosphere it is the vertical flux. At mesoscales, the spectral transfers of RKE and DKE are both downscale, and conversion from RKE to DKE exists at sub-800-km scales in the upper troposphere, which is mainly attributed to the contribution from relative vorticity. At different heights, the intersection scales of RKE and DKE spectra are affected by the scales of positive peaks of the local spectral conversion from DKE to RKE around total wavenumber 10. Significance Statement: The purpose of this study is to explore more physical insights on the dynamics underlying the atmospheric energy spectra from the perspective of rotational and divergent components of motion. We derive a new formulation of the spectral rotational and divergent kinetic energy budget in the pressure coordinate for the global atmosphere, with application to ERA5 global reanalysis. Our results reveal the differences of spectral energy budget between rotational and divergent motions at different heights and scales. This new formulation provides a good tool for revealing the multiscale cascade and interaction between atmospheric rotational and divergent motions. Future work should investigate these dynamical processes with higher-resolution simulations and datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blast furnace gas (BFG) is an important secondary energy in the iron and steel industries, and its efficient and reasonable utilization is the key to improving the economic efficiency of enterprises and the level of energy conservation and emission reduction. Aiming at the problems of difficult accurate modeling on the generation process and difficult prediction of real-time flow, this paper proposes a generation prediction model based on spectrum decomposition. Firstly, the major chemical reactions, production process, and data characteristics of blast furnace are analyzed, and the input variables for the prediction model are reasonably selected based on the correlation analysis results. Then, according to the spectrum characteristics, the BFG data is decomposed into low-frequency and medium-frequency parts by two finite impulse response filters. Next, for the low- and middle-frequency components of data, a low-frequency component prediction model based on the support vector regression, and a middle-frequency component prediction model based on the Elman neural network (ENN) are designed respectively. Finally, we decompose the spectrum of the actual industrial production data and find that the spectrum of the decomposed data basically meets the expected target, which verifies the effectiveness of the finite impulse response filters. In addition, we compare the prediction effect of the designed combined model with other models, such as the support vector regression, the back-propagation neural network, and the ENN. The final experimental results show the correctness, effectiveness, and superiority of the combined model and the spectral decomposition method proposed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accurate forecasting of tropical cyclones (TCs) is a challenging task. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a dry-mass conserving (DMC) hydrostatic global spectral dynamical core on TC simulation. Experiments were conducted with DMC and total (moist) mass conserving (TMC) dynamical cores. The TC forecast performance was first evaluated considering 20 TCs in the West Pacific region observed during the 2020 typhoon season. The impacts of the DMC dynamical core on forecasts of individual TCs were then estimated. The DMC dynamical core improved both the track and intensity forecasts, and the TC intensity forecast improvement was much greater than the TC track forecast improvement. Sensitivity simulations indicated that the DMC dynamical core-simulated TC intensity was stronger regardless of the forecast lead time. In the DMC dynamical core experiments, three-dimensional winds and warm and moist cores were consistently enhanced with the TC intensity. Drier air in the boundary inflow layer was found in the DMC dynamical core experiments at the early simulation times. Water vapor mixing ratio budget analysis indicated that this mainly depended on the simulated vertical velocity. Higher updraft above the boundary layer yielded a drier boundary layer, resulting in surface latent heat flux (SLHF) enhancement, the major energy source of TC intensification. The higher DMC dynamical core-simulated updraft in the inner core caused a higher net surface rain rate, producing higher net internal atmospheric diabatic heating and increasing the TC intensity. These results indicate that the stronger DMC dynamical core-simulated TCs are mainly related to the higher DMC vertical velocity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the discussion on COVID-19 vaccine booster doses being safe and maintaining protection after receipt of a primary vaccination series. Topics include continued risk for COVID-19–related illness and the benefits and safety of bivalent booster vaccination; and vaccination improving COVID-19 bivalent booster coverage among adolescents and adults.

Objectives: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a retinal microvascular disease associated with diabetes. Ferroptosis is a new type of programmed cell death that may participate in the occurrence and development of DR. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the DR ferroptosis-related genes by bioinformatics methods. Methods: The RNAseq data of DR and healthy control retinas were downloaded from the gene expression synthesis (GEO) database and analyzed using the R package DESeq2. The key modules were obtained using the WGCNA algorithm, and their genes were intersected with ferroptosis-related genes in the FerrDb database to obtain differentially expressed ferroptosis-related genes (DE-FRGs). Enrichment analysis was conducted to understand the function and enrichment pathways of ferroptosis genes in DR, and hub genes were identified by protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis. The diagnostic accuracy of hub genes for DR was evaluated according to the area under the ROC curve. The TRRUST database was then used to predict the regulatory relationship between transcription factors and target genes, with the mirDIP, ENCORI, RNAnter, RNA22, miRWalk and miRDB databases used to predict the regulatory relationship between miRNAs and target genes. Finally, another data set was used to verify the hub genes. Results: In total, 52 ferroptosis-related DEGs (43 up-regulated and 9 down-regulated) were identified using 15 DR samples and 3 control samples and were shown to be significantly enriched in the intrinsic apoptotic signaling pathway, autophagosome, iron ion binding and p53 signaling pathway. Seven hub genes of DR ferroptosis were identified through PPI network analysis, but only HMOX1 and PTGS2 were differentially expressed in another data set. The miRNAs prediction showed that hsa-miR-873-5p was the key miRNA regulating HMOX1, while hsa-miR-624-5p and hsa-miR-542-3p were the key miRNAs regulating PTGS2. Furthermore, HMOX1 and PTGS2 were regulated by 13 and 20 transcription factors, respectively. Conclusion: The hub genes HMOX1 and PTGS2, and their associated transcription factors and miRNAs, may be involved in ferroptosis in diabetic retinopathy. Therefore, the specific mechanism is worthy of further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose for all persons ≥18 years of age. We analyzed data from the National Immunization Survey-Adult COVID Module collected during February 27-March 26, 2022 to assess COVID-19 booster dose vaccination coverage among adults. We used multivariable logistic regression analysis to assess factors associated with vaccination. COVID-19 booster dose coverage among fully vaccinated adults increased from 25.7% in November 2021 to 63.4% in March 2022. Coverage was lower among non-Hispanic Black (52.7%), and Hispanic (55.5%) than non-Hispanic White adults (67.7%). Coverage was 67.4% among essential healthcare personnel, 62.2% among adults who had a disability, and 69.9% among adults who had medical conditions. Booster dose coverage was not optimal, and disparities by race/ethnicity and other factors are apparent in coverage uptake. Tailored strategies are needed to educate the public and reduce disparities in COVID-19 vaccination coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: An increasing number of studies have shown that microRNAs play an important role in the occurrence and development of small cell lung cancer, which mainly manifest as oncogenic and tumor inhibition. Therefore, microRNAs may affect the survival of patients with small cell lung cancer. In this meta-analysis, we will evaluate the role of microRNAs in the overall survival of patients with small cell lung cancer, which may provide valuable information for the treatment of small cell lung cancer. Methods: We searched the PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science online databases to determine the effect of microRNAs on the prognosis of patients with small cell lung cancer. The data and characteristics of each study were extracted, and the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to estimate the effect. Results: A total of 7 articles, involving 427 subjects and 15 studies, were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled HR of the relationship between the microRNA expression level and the overall survival rate of small cell lung cancer patients was 1.25 (95% CI: 1.06–1.47). There was a significant difference in the prognostic value of oncogenic and tumor inhibition microRNAs among patients with small cell lung cancer, with pooled HRs of 1.60 (95% CI: 1.35–1.90) and 0.42 (95% CI: 0.30–0.57), respectively. Conclusions: MicroRNAs have a significant impact on the overall survival of small cell lung cancer patients, suggesting that microRNAs can be used as potential prognostic markers and may provide treatment strategies for small cell lung cancer patients. Trial registration: The protocol was registered on PROSPERO website with the registration number of CRD42022334363. The relevant registration information can be obtained from the website https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/#searchadvanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An elaborate composite of molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP)-modified gold nanoparticles (AuNPs)@silica dioxide (SiO2) was designed and prepared for real-time colorimetric determination of glutathione (GSH) in serum. Firstly, the MIPs were synthesized on the surface of SiO2 utilizing GSH as template molecules. Then, AuNPs were synthesized on the surface of MIPs@SiO2 to produce a composite of MIPs modified by AuNPs@SiO2. Compared with plain AuNPs, the composite possessed better peroxidase catalysis activity due to stabilization and protection from hydrophilic SiO2, which can catalyze H2O2 to·OH oxidizing 3,3,5,5-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) to the colored product. In addition, its selectivity was enhanced by MIP modification with special recognition cavities. With the composite as the sensor, GSH was precisely and sensitively detected in the range 5 ~ 40 μM with a limit of determination of 1.16 μM according to the principle of inhibitive peroxidase catalysis activity by GSH. The proposed colorimetric detection was successfully utilized for selective, convenient, and rapid determination of GSH in serum. It provided a new strategy for drug real-time monitoring and has high potential in clinical drug analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim was to prepare copolyimide (BPDA/PMDA-PDA) films of low thermal expansion coefficient by incorporating 1,2,4,5-benzenetetracarboxylic anhydride (PMDA) into polymer backbones 3,3′,4,4′-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride (BPDA)/p-phenylenediamine (PDA). FTIR and WAXD were used to explore the chemical and physical microstructure of the PIs films. DMA, TMA and TGA were used to characterize the mechanical and thermal performance of the PIs film respectively. The results show that the smectic structure of the film was destroyed by introducing rigid PMDA groups. The free volume fraction of polymers reached its maximum value when 40 wt % PMDA was added. The glass transition temperature of the polymers increased from 330 to 430°C and the thermal decomposition temperature declined slightly with the addition of PMDA. The inflection point in thermal expansion coefficient (CTE) of the BPDA-PDA polymers in TMA test reached as high as 470°C. The glass transition temperature of the polymers increased but the service temperature range narrowed with the addition of PMDA. The optimized PMDA concentration to obtain a best CTE was 5% as was revealed by the experimental results. The insights obtained from the experiments indicated that excessive introduction of PMDA into the polymers could increase the glass transition temperature significantly. However, the operating temperature range may be reduced. This research could offer practical and valuable references to the application for co-PI films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Individuals with certain medical conditions are at substantially increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19. The purpose of this study is to assess COVID-19 vaccination among U.S. adults with reported medical conditions.Methods: Data from the National Immunization Survey-Adult COVID Module collected during August 1-September 25, 2021 were analyzed in 2022 to assess COVID-19 vaccination status, intent, vaccine confidence, behavior, and experience among adults with reported medical conditions. Unadjusted and age-adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs and APRs) were generated using logistic regression and predictive marginals.Results: Overall, COVID-19 vaccination coverage with ≥1 dose was 81.8% among adults with reported medical conditions, and coverage was significantly higher compared with those without such conditions (70.3%) Among adults aged ≥18 years with medical conditions, COVID-19 vaccination coverage was significantly higher among those with a provider recommendation (86.5%) than those without (76.5%). Among all respondents, 9.2% of unvaccinated adults with medical conditions reported they were willing or open to vaccination. Adults who reported high risk medical conditions were more likely to report receiving a provider recommendation, often or always wearing masks during the last 7 days, concerning about getting COVID-19, thinking the vaccine is safe, and believing a COVID-19 vaccine is important for protection from COVID-19 infection than those without such conditions.Conclusions: Approximately 18.0% of those with reported medical conditions were unvaccinated. Receiving a provider recommendation was significantly associated with vaccination, reinforcing that provider recommendation is an important approach to increase vaccination coverage. Ensuring access to vaccine, addressing vaccination barriers, and increasing vaccine confidence can improve vaccination coverage among unvaccinated adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When controlling the trailing-edge (TE) interference noise of airfoil, the design of the TE serration shape is still an open issue. To this end, the flow and noise generation for different TE serration shapes are explored by the wall-resolved implicit large-eddy simulation and acoustic analogy. The feather-like serrations are found to achieve the most prominent noise reduction among the four types of curved serrations, especially in the low-frequency range. With the aid of acoustic analogy, the coherence analysis of far-field noise produced by the dipole sources on the airfoil surface is performed. The results show that destructive interference is still the critical mechanism responsible for noise reduction. Considering only the dipole sources, we find that the feather-like serrated TE shape can obtain the best noise reduction performance among all the serrated cases. Furthermore, since flow structures are reorganized near the TE serrations, we investigated the flow noise sources quantitatively in the near field. In these cases, the noise source due to flow structures is suppressed to a greater extent in the feather-like serrated case near the TE serration roots. Consequently, the above findings indicate that the feather-like serration favors suppressing dipole and flow noise sources in the near field, which makes it an efficient configuration for reducing airfoil noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brittleness has a significant influence on rock failure under compression; however, the mechanism is rarely comprehensively discussed. This study numerically investigates the brittleness effect on microcracking behavior of crystalline rock using a grain-based model implemented into a two-dimensional particle flow code, with a focus on the discussion of how rock brittleness affects the failure mechanism. The simulated failure mode changes from tension to shear with decreasing rock brittleness, which is consistent with previous laboratory test results. As the brittleness gradually decreases in the model, the grain boundary (GB) tensile crack to shear crack ratio increases, and the corresponding fractures change from vertical or subvertical to an angle about 45° along the vertical direction. The propagation and coalescence of generated microcracks result in a transition of failure pattern from splitting to shear under uniaxial compression with a decreasing brittleness level in the rock. A transition from GB tensile crack to shear crack is also observed under direct tension when the brittleness index gradually decreases. The tension to shear transition mechanism is closely related to the relative strength of the mineral grain and mineral bonding. The relative strength of mineral and mineral bonding could be used as a parameter to characterize rock brittleness from a microscale viewpoint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioma is a malignant tumor that often occurs in the adult central nervous system. Metadherin/astrocyte-elevated gene-1 (MTDH) is involved in the development of cancer, but its relationship with glioma remains unclear. This study is aimed at clarifying the role of MTDH in glioma. GEPIA was employed to find the difference of the expression level of MTDH and MYB protooncogene-like 2 (MYBL2) in glioma tissues and normal tissues, and real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blot (WB) were applied to verify the differential gene expression of MTDH and MYBL2 cells. After knocking down of MTDH, the expressions of forkhead box M1 (FoxM1), MTDH, and MYBL2 were detected by WB cells. Cell counting kit 8 (CCK-8) was used to detect cell proliferation, and flow cytometry was applied to measure cell apoptosis. The transwell assay was utilized to investigate the ability of cell migration and invasion. The results showed that MTDH and MYBL2 were overexpressed in glioma cells compared with normal cells. The knockdown of MTDH would inhibit the expression of MYBL2 through decreasing the expression of FoxM1 and further reduce glioma cell proliferation and cell migration and invasion. The present study showed that knockdown of MTDH inhibits glioma proliferation and migration and promotes apoptosis by downregulating MYBL2, which suggests that MTDH is a potential gene in clinical treatment of glioma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weibo platform is an indispensable transmission channel in education policy release and dissemination. The events and sentiments contained in education policies microblogs include the public sentiment and support the general management and guidance scientifically and efficiently. This study constructs a dataset based on the "Double Reduction Policy" relevant microblogs and comments. The policy events are extracted by Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) model and Language Technology Platform (LTP). Based on the emotion dictionary, an attention-based BiLSTM model is constructed to classify the public sentiments. The experimental results reveal four themes: "industry impact," "institutional supervision," "public feedback," and "policy implementation." The distribution conforms to the development trend of online public sentiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is concerned with the dynamic investigation and fixed-time synchronization of a fractional-order financial system with the Caputo derivative. The rich dynamic behaviors of the fractional-order financial system with variations of fractional orders and parameters are discussed analytically and numerically. Through using phase portraits, bifurcation diagrams, maximum Lyapunov exponent diagrams, 0–1 testing and time series, it is found that chaos exists in the proposed fractional-order financial system. Additionally, a complexity analysis is carried out utilizing approximation entropy SE and C0 complexity to detect whether chaos exists. Furthermore, a synchronization controller and an adaptive parameter update law are designed to synchronize two fractional-order chaotic financial systems and identify the unknown parameters in fixed time simultaneously. The estimate of the setting time of synchronization depends on the parameters of the designed controller and adaptive parameter update law, rather than on the initial conditions. Numerical simulations show the effectiveness of the theoretical results obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We derive the conserved currents and potentials for Einstein gravity on the basis of a recently proposed connection-independent formulation of this theory. Particularly, we obtain a superpotential that generalizes naturally the usual Katz–Bicak–Lynden–Bell (KBL) one by including the contribution from an arbitrary reference affine connection. The potentials can be adopted to define conserved charges of Einstein gravity. By contrast with the usual metric formulation described by the Einstein–Hilbert Lagrangian, our analysis reveals that the connection-independent formulation conveniently reproduces the KBL superpotential and it can provide a unified description for conserved charges defined by virtue of the KBL method and the covariant phase space approach. In addition, we investigate the properties of the connection-independent Lagrangian under connection and conformal transformations, and we reveal that the connection-independent Lagrangian can be reproduced by converting the Levi-Civita connection in the boundary term into an arbitrary one in terms of the Gamma squared expression for the Einstein–Hilbert Lagrangian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of superhydrophobic electronic fabric with multifunctionality, encompassing strain sensing, EMI (Electromagnetic interference) shielding, and electrical heating performances, is extremely challenging. These integrated functions enable the superhydrophobic electronic fabric to work effectively in diverse environments. A superhydrophobic electronic fabric is successfully developed by constructing synergetic conductive materials (MXene and MWNTs (Multi-walled carbon nanotubes)) on PDA (Polydopamine) layer adhered to fibers, followed by attaching SiO 2 (Silicon dioxide) and PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane) on conductive layer. MXene/MWNTs materials endow electronic fabric with a broad working range (up to100% strain), favorable GF (Gauge factor: 123.3), ultralow detection limit (0.2% strain), rapid response ability (60 ms), and satisfactory sensing stability over 5000 cycles. The construction of rough surface constructed by SiO 2 and low surface energy provided by PDMS renders electronic fabric outstanding superhydrophobicity (WCA;Water contact angle:158°), enabling it to operate in complex environments (acid, base, and salt solutions), and detect subtle vibrations underwater. Besides, the superhydrophobic electronic fabric exhibits great EMI shielding effectiveness of 47 dB (8.2–12.4 GHz) and prominent electrothermal performance including highly electrothermal generation capability (95 °C at 8.0 V), rapid responsiveness for applied voltages, and satisfactory electrothermal stability. These commendable characteristics demonstrate that the superhydrophobic electronic fabric is promising for potential applications in EMI shielding, thermal management, and underwater movement mornitoring. [Display omitted] • The construction of rough surface constructed by SiO 2 and low surface energy provided by PDMS endows electronic fabric with superhydrophobicity. • Superhydrophobic electronic fabric can be operated in liquid environments and detect subtle vibrations underwater. • MXene/MWNT provides electronic fabric with outstanding EMI shielding effectiveness and electrothermal capability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ten undescribed C 40 /C 30 /C 20 terpenoids were isolated from Pseudotsuga forrestii. • 17,13- Friedo -lanostane 1 has a rare skeleton with an α, β -unsaturated spirolactone. • Tetraterpene 3 is a unique intermolecular [4 + 2] triterpene-monoterpene hybrid. • Compounds 9 and 35 showed significant inhibitory effects against the DRAK2 enzyme. • A molecular docking study was performed to provide an insight into the binding site. Glycolipid metabolism disorders (GLMDs) have been reported to be involved in dysfunctions of a few key enzymes such as ATP-citrate lyase (ACL) and death-associated protein kinase (DAPK)-related apoptosis inducing protein kinase-2 (DRAK2). Exploring new and effective small molecule ligands for these enzymes, natural products are expected to have the advantage over synthesized compounds. In our preceding work, a number of C 50 terpenoids with bioactivities against ACL have been found from Pseudotsuga forrestii (a 'vulnerable' Yunnan Douglas fir) by the guidance of an LC-MS/MS-based molecular ion networking strategy. The combination of the rest portions of the EtOAc fraction from this precious plant sample did not predict any C 50 compounds, but it was detected to be rich in C 40 /C 30 /C 20 terpenoids and preliminarily exhibited DRAK2 inhibition. In this follow-up study, ten undescribed terpenoids (1 − 10) and 25 structurally related known compounds were further isolated and characterized. The new structures and their absolute configurations were determined by spectroscopic methods and/or X-ray diffraction analyses. 7,13- Friedo -lanostanes 1 and 2 feature intriguing skeletons with an unusual α, β -unsaturated spirolactone unit formed between C-13 and C-23 via oxygen-bridge or with an 8(14→13)- abeo moiety. Triterpene-monoterpene hybrid 3 could be regarded as a unique tetraterpene formed by intermolecular [4 + 2] Diels-Alder cycloaddition between a rearranged lanostane (dienophile) and a β -myrcene (diene). Methyl 15-methoxy-8,11,13-abietatrien-18-yl-succinate (9) and 3-oxo-24(E)-lanosta-8,24-dien-26-oic acid (35) were confirmed to have DRAK2 inhibitory effects with IC 50 values of 6.6 and 4.1 μ M, respectively. A molecular docking study disclosed alternative H-bonds/interacting amino acid residues between compounds 9 / 35 and the DRAK2 enzyme when comparing with those of the synthesized inhibitors reported in literature. The above findings could support the important role of protecting plant species diversity in support of chemical diversity and potential sources of new therapeutic agents for the treatment of GLMDS. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since an increasing number of rock engineering structures are constructed in the stratified rock mass, a comprehensive understanding of the mechanical properties of anisotropic rock is crucial for the stability evaluation of these structures. In this study, the combined influences of the dip angle of the bedding plane and intermediate principal stress on the strength and failure behavior of anisotropic rock are experimentally investigated. True triaxial compression tests on a sandstone possessing seven different bedding plane angles (i.e., 0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 75°, and 90°) are conducted under six different intermediate principal stresses (i.e., 10 MPa, 60 MPa, 100 MPa, 130 MPa, 160 MPa, and 190 MPa). The effects of intermediate principal stress and bedding plane angle on the stress–strain curve, Young's modulus, strength, and failure mode of the rock are soundly examined and discussed. The results show that both intermediate principal stress and bedding plane angle have a large influence on the deformation properties of the rock. In addition, the peak strength exhibits a typical U-shaped variation with increasing bedding plane angle under low intermediate principal stress condition, and the U-shaped behavior gradually diminishes with the increase in intermediate principal stress. Multiple failure planes can be observed after the failure of the rock specimens, showing asymmetric V-shaped patterns. The failure angle of the tested rock is found to generally increase as the applied intermediate principal stress gradually increases. The results in the present study deepen our understanding of the strength and failure behavior of anisotropic rock under true triaxial loading conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the unique chemical and biomedical properties of carbon dots (CDs), they have increasingly obtained the attention in many research fields, for example, bioimaging, fluorescence sensing, and drug delivery, etc. Recently, it was found that, under light excitation, CDs can also be exploited as a novel photosensitizer to prepare reactive oxygen species (ROS), which expand their applications in the field of photodynamic therapy for cancer treatment. Nevertheless, the high cost and complex fabrication approach of CDs significantly limit their applications. To address this issue, bottom-up routes usually utilize sustainable and inexpensive carbon precursor as starting materials, employed N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) or ethanol as an environmental-friendly solvent. Bottom-up approach was energy efficient, and the purification process was relatively simple by dialysis. Therefore, carbon dots (CDs) were facilely fabricated in a one-pot solvothermal process using 1-aminoanthraquinone as a precursor, and their application as photosensitizers for in vitro antitumor cells, especially photodynamic therapy (PDT) was established. Then the photophysical and nanoscale dimensions properties of the fabricated CDs were characterized via TEM, UV–visible, fluorescence, and FT-IR spectroscopy. The synthesized N-doped CDs can easily dissolve in water, possess very low biotoxicity, yellow-light emission (maximum peak at 587 nm). More importantly, PDT studies demonstrated that the obtained CDs possess a high singlet oxygen yield of 35%, and exhibit significant phototoxicity to cancer cells upon 635 nm laser irradiation. These studies highlight that N-doped CDs can be facilely synthesized from only one precursor, and are a potentially novel theranostic agent for in vivo PDT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To assess trends in recent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination initiation and factors associated with vaccination among adolescents. METHODS: The 2015 to 2020 National Immunization Survey-Teen data were used to assess vaccination trends. Multivariable logistic regression analysis were conducted to assess factors associated with vaccination. RESULTS: Overall, HPV vaccination coverage (≥1 dose) among adolescents significantly increased from 56.1% in 2015 to 75.4% in 2020. There were larger increases in coverage among males (4.7 percentage points annually) than females (2.7 percentage points annually) and coverage differences between males and females decreased in 2015 through 2020. Coverage in 2020 was 75.4% for adolescents aged 13 to 17 years; 73.7% for males and 76.8% for females (P < .05); 80.7% for those with a provider recommendation and 51.7% for those without (P < .05); and 80.3% for those with a well child visit at age 11 to 12 years, and 64.8% for those without (P < .05). Multivariable logistic regression results showed that main characteristics independently associated with a higher likelihood of vaccination included: a provider recommendation, age 16 to 17 years, non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, or American Indian or Alaskan Native, Medicaid insurance, ≥2 provider contacts in the past 12 months, a well-child visit at age 11 to 12 years and having 1 or 2 vaccine providers (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, HPV vaccination coverage among adolescents increased during 2015 to 2020. Coverage increased faster among males than females and differences by sex narrowed during this time. Receiving a provider recommendation vaccination was important to increase vaccination coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Exposure to sunlight may decrease the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD), and visible and near infrared light have been proposed as a possible therapeutic strategy for AD. Here, we investigated the effects of the visible, near infrared and far infrared (FIR) light on the cognitive ability of AD mice, and found that FIR light also showed potential in the improvement of cognitive dysfunction in AD. However, the related mechanism remains to be elucidated.Methods: Morris water maze was used to evaluate the cognitive ability of APPswe/PSEN1dE9 double-transgenic AD mice after light treatment. Western blot was carried out to detect the expression of protein involved in synaptic function and amyloid-β (Aβ) production. The protein amount of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, Aβ1-40 and Aβ1-42 were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The mRNA level of receptors was performed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Immunostaining was performed to characterize the Aβ burden and microglial Aβ phagocytosis in the brain of AD mice. The Aβ phagocytosis of primary cultured microglia and BV2 were assessed by flow cytometry. The energy metabolism changes were evaluated using related assay kits, including adenosine triphosphate (ATP), lactate content, mitochondrial respiratory chain complex enzymatic activity and oxidized/reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide assay kits.Results: Our results showed that FIR light reduced Aβ burden, a hallmark of AD neuropathology, alleviated neuroinflammation, restored the expression of the presynaptic protein synaptophysin, and ameliorated learning and memory impairment in the AD mice. FIR light enhanced mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation pathway to increase ATP production. This increased intracellular ATP promoted the extracellular ATP release from microglia stimulated by Aβ, leading to the enhanced Aβ phagocytosis through phosphoinositide 3-kinase/mammalian target of rapamycin pathways for Aβ clearance.Conclusions: Our findings have uncovered a previously unappreciated function of FIR light in inducing microglial phagocytosis to clean Aβ, which may be the mechanisms for FIR light to improve cognitive dysfunction in AD mice. These results suggest that FIR light treatment is a potential therapeutic strategy for AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification plays a crucial role in the progression of osteoporosis (OP). The study aimed to explore the effects of methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) in OP. The levels of METTL3, LINC00657, miR-144-3p and BMPR1B were detected using qPCR. Osteogenesis was assessed using alizarin red and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining assays. The protein expression of Bglap, Runx2 and Col1a1 was measured by western blot. The targets of LINC00657 and miR-144-3p were screened by bioinformatic analysis. The interaction between miR-144-3p and LINC00657 or BMPR1B was analyzed by dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA pull-down assay. The results showed that METTL3 was downregulated in OP. METTL3 mediated m6A methylation of LINC00657 to promote the development of osteogenesis. Further study indicated that LINC00657 functioned as a ceRNA to upregulate BMPR1B via sponging miR-144-3p. Additionally, BMPR1B knockdown alleviated the effects of METTL3 on osteogenesis of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). Taken together, METTL3 facilitated osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs via the LINC00657/miR-144-3p/BMPR1B axis. Our findings may provide a novel insight of m6A methylation in the development of OP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earthquakes are one of the most frequent and inevitable natural disasters that occur on Earth. The most important seismic isolation device used in the isolation technology is the isolation bearing, but the limited structure of the isolation bearing is not suitable for the seismic isolation and shock absorption of smart transportation buildings. Therefore, it is very important to improve the new generation of seismic isolation structures with good seismic isolation effect, stable performance, and economical performance. It is very important to study the structural composition of the isolation bearing and the rigidity of the isolation structure. Isolation bearings are designed to resist and absorb the energy of seismic shocks by installing substructures in the structure. Active control involves installing sensors on the structure and its foundation to determine how the structure responds to seismic action. In this paper, based on the intelligent transportation of the sensor network, the reticulated shell structure of the isolation bearing is analyzed. By introducing the architecture and network layout of the sensor network, it is beneficial to obtain more accurate seismic data in complex and difficult terrain. This paper analyzes the technical principle of seismic isolation technology, which can effectively avoid the upward transmission of ground vibration by increasing the flexibility and proper damping of the system. From the experimental data of the seismic response of the ground-isolated structure to the near-field pulsation and far-field vibration, the total energy of the ground-isolated structure under the near-field pulsed ground motion is the largest. The seismic isolation effect of the reticulated shell structure of the seismic isolation bearing prevents more than 80% of the seismic energy from being transmitted to the superstructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ischemic stroke (IS) is a common nervous system disease, which is a major cause of disability and death in the world. In present study, we demonstrated a regulatory mechanism of CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-alpha antisense 1 (CEBPA-AS1) in oxygen glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R)-induced SH-SY5Y cells, with a focus on neuronal apoptosis. CEBPA-AS1, miR-455, and GPER1 expressions were evaluated by using qRT-PCR and Western blotting. The binding relationship among CEBPA-AS1, miR-455, and GPER1 was determined by a dual luciferase reporter assay. Neuronal viability and apoptosis were examined using MTT and flow cytometry assays, followed by determination of apoptosis-related factors (caspase 3, caspase 8, caspase 9, Bax, and Bcl-2). CEBPA-AS1 and GPER1 levels were upregulated, and miR-455 level was downregulated in the cell model of OGD/R induced. CEBPA-AS1 knockdown increased SH-SY5Y viability and reduced OGD/R-induced apoptosis. CEBPA-AS1 could act as a sponge of miR-455, and CEBPA-AS1 knockdown was found to elevate miR-455 expression. miR-455 overexpression also promoted SH-SY5Y cell viability and rescued them from OGD/R-induced apoptosis by binding to GPER1. GPER1 overexpression or miR-455 inhibition reversed the anti-apoptotic effect of CEBPA-AS1 knockdown. These findings suggest a regulatory network of CEBPA-AS1/miR-455/GPER1 that mediates neuronal cell apoptosis in the OGD model, providing a better understanding of pathogenic mechanisms after IS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to address the issue of high-precision measurement of AC electric field. An electro-optical sensor with high sensitivity is proposed for this purpose. Design/methodology/approach: The proposed sensor combines electromagnetic induction and fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensing techniques. It is composed of a sensing probe, a piece or stack of piezoelectric ceramics (PZT) and an FBG. A signal processing circuit is designed to rectify and amplify the induced voltage. The processed signal is applied to the PZT and the deformation of PZT is detected by FBG. Theoretical calculation and simulation are conducted to verify the working principle of the probe. The sensor prototype is fabricated and its performance is tested. Findings: The results of this study show that the sensor has good linearity and repeatability. The sensor sensitivity is 0.061 pm/Vm−1 in the range from 250 to 17,500 V/m, enabling a measurement resolution of electric field strength of 16.3 V/m. The PZT stack is used to enhance the sensor sensitivity and the resolution can be improved up to 3.15 V/m. Originality/value: A flexure hinge lever mechanism is used to amplify the deformation of PZT for further enhancement of sensitivity. The results show that the proposed sensor has high sensitivity and can be used for the accurate measurement of an electric field. The proposed sensor could have potential use for electric field measurement in the power industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]