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Abstract Background The number of adult orthodontic patients is increasing, and studies have shown that autophagy is involved in regulating orthodontic tooth movement and plays an important role in aging-related changes. Therefore, we aimed to explore the role of autophagy in aging-related changes during orthodontic tooth movement by establishing a rat orthodontic tooth movement model. Methods Forty-five 6-week-old and sixty-five 8-month-old male Sprague–Dawley rats were selected to represent adolescents and adults and establish orthodontic tooth movement model. They were sacrificed on days 0,1,3,7 and 14. Immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence and tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining were applied to measure the expression level of osteogenesis, autophagy, aging factors and osteoclast number in periodontal membrane of left upper first molar during orthodontic tooth movement. Then, we regulated the autophagy level by injecting autophagy activator rapamycin during orthodontic tooth movement and measured these factors and tooth movement distance by micro-computed tomography. Results Aging factor levels in the periodontal membrane were higher in adult rats than in adolescent rats and the autophagy factor levels were lower. The levels of osteogenic factors were lower on the tension side in adult rats than in adolescent rats. The peak osteoclast number on the pressure side occurred later in adult rats than in adolescent rats. The injection of rapamycin increased autophagy, accelerated orthodontic tooth movement in adult rats, and reduced the levels of aging factors. The levels of osteogenic factors were higher and reached those in adolescent rats at some time points. The number of osteoclasts increased significantly in the early stage. Conclusions Autophagy may play a substantial role in regulating aging-related changes in orthodontic tooth movement.

Edible film is now a trend in the food packaging industry. In this study, edible films were prepared by adding two Bacillus spp. (Bacillus amyloliquefaciens Y11 and Bacillus velezensis Y12) to a cassava starch and carboxymethyl cellulose sodium matrix. The structural, physicochemical, and biological characteristics of the film were analyzed, and its application in salmon preservation was explored. The film had a dense structure and no pores, indicating that its polymeric components were compatible with each other. The addition of Bacillus spp. increased the antioxidant activity of the film and its ability to eliminate hydroxyl radicals (84.57% and 91.86%, respectively). The film also showed good antibacterial activity against several pathogens and underwent complete degradation in natural soil within 12 days. The film significantly reduced the total coliform count of salmon and extended its shelf life by 3 days, demonstrating its value as a food-packaging material.

Abstract Background This prospective clinical study aimed to quantitatively evaluate the surface wear of attachments and investigate the associated risk factors. Additionally, the wear values and regions of three types of commonly used attachments were explored. Methods Participants were recruited from the population of patients who received clear aligner therapy from October to December 2022. Intraoral scanning was performed on eligible participants before treatment (T0), immediately after initial bonding of attachments (T1), and at 2 months (T2), 4 months (T3), 6 months (T4), and 8 months (T5) after starting treatment. The attachment volume, average depth and regions of attachment wear were measured using superimposed digitized models. The Kruskal–Wallis test was performed to compare data between multiple groups. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to evaluate risk factors for the volume of attachment wear. Results A total of 47 patients with 617 attachments were included. As treatment time increased, the attachment volume decreased significantly (P = 0.003). The initial attachment volume was positively related to the volume of attachment wear (β = 0.527, P

The greenhouse environment represents a dynamic, nonlinear system characterized by hysteresis and is influenced by a myriad of interacting environmental parameters, posing a complex multi-variable optimization challenge. This study proposes a multi-objective adaptive annealing genetic algorithm to optimize above-ground environmental factors in greenhouses, addressing the challenges of variable environmental conditions and extensive heating and humidity infrastructure. Initially, after analyzing the multi-objective model of greenhouse above-ground environmental factors, including temperature, relative humidity, and CO2 concentration, a comprehensive multi-objective, multi-constraint model was developed to encapsulate these factors in greenhouse environments. Subsequently, the model optimization incorporated multi-parameter coding of decision variables, a fitness function, and an annealing dynamic penalty factor. Validation conducted at Yangling Agricultural Demonstration Park revealed that the application of multi-objective adaptive annealing genetic algorithms (schemes 1 and 2) significantly outperformed the single-objective genetic algorithm (scheme 3) and the traditional genetic algorithm (scheme 4). Specifically, the improvements included a reduction in average temperature rise by 2.64 °C and 5.29 °C for schemes 1 and 2, respectively, equating to 20 % and 34 % decreases. Additionally, average humidification reductions of 2.39 % and 3.9 % were observed, alongside decreases in the total lengths of heating and humidification pipes by up to 2.99 km and 0.443 km, respectively, with a maximum reduction of 14 % in heating pipes. The integration of an annealing dynamic penalty factor enhanced the adaptive climbing ability of schemes 1 and 2, improving static stability and robustness. Furthermore, the number of iterations required to achieve convergence was reduced by approximately 170–240 times compared to schemes 3 and 4. This reduction in iterations also resulted in a significant decrease in running time by 5–13 min, corresponding to time savings of 31 %–56 %, thereby achieving further optimization.

Abstract Background Previous models for predicting delirium after cardiac surgery remained inadequate. This study aimed to develop and validate a machine learning-based prediction model for postoperative delirium (POD) in cardiac valve surgery patients. Methods The electronic medical information of the cardiac surgical intensive care unit (CSICU) was extracted from a tertiary and major referral hospital in southern China over 1 year, from June 2019 to June 2020. A total of 507 patients admitted to the CSICU after cardiac valve surgery were included in this study. Seven classical machine learning algorithms (Random Forest Classifier, Logistic Regression, Support Vector Machine Classifier, K-nearest Neighbors Classifier, Gaussian Naive Bayes, Gradient Boosting Decision Tree, and Perceptron.) were used to develop delirium prediction models under full (q = 31) and selected (q = 19) feature sets, respectively. Result The Random Forest classifier performs exceptionally well in both feature datasets, with an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.92 for the full feature dataset and an AUC of 0.86 for the selected feature dataset. Additionally, it achieves a relatively lower Expected Calibration Error (ECE) and the highest Average Precision (AP), with an AP of 0.80 for the full feature dataset and an AP of 0.73 for the selected feature dataset. To further evaluate the best-performing Random Forest classifier, SHAP (Shapley Additive Explanations) was used, and the importance matrix plot, scatter plots, and summary plots were generated. Conclusions We established machine learning-based prediction models to predict POD in patients undergoing cardiac valve surgery. The random forest model has the best predictive performance in prediction and can help improve the prognosis of patients with POD.

Abstract Objective This study aimed to compare the pain intensity and impacts on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) between orthodontic patients treated with clear aligners (CAs) and fixed appliances (FAs). Methods A systematic search was conducted up to December 2022 using PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Embase. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and prospective non-randomized controlled trials (non-RCTs) comparing pain intensity or OHRQoL between patients treated with CAs and FAs were included. The risk of bias (RoB) of individual studies was evaluated using the Cochrane RoB tool 2.0 and ROBINS-I tool for RCTs and non-RCTs, respectively. Further, meta-analyses were separately conducted for each included study using the total oral health impact profile (OHIP)-14 and visual analog scale (VAS) scores to evaluate OHRQoL and pain intensity, respectively. Results Overall, 12 studies (5 RCTs and 7 non-RCTs) were included in the study. Subgroup analyses conducted according to the total OHIP-14 scores revealed that patients treated with CAs had higher OHRQoL at 1 week, 1 month, and 6 months of the treatment. Meanwhile, subgroup analyses conducted according to the VAS scores revealed that pain levels were lower in the CA group only at 3 and 4 days of the treatment. Conclusions Patients treated with clear aligners had higher OHRQoL than those treated with fixed appliances during orthodontic treatment. However, OHRQoL appeared to be similar between the two groups at the end of the treatment. Moreover, patients treated with clear aligners experienced lesser pain than those treated with fixed appliances on the third and fourth day after the initial treatment. The difference in pain intensity between the two treatment modalities was not noted at other time points.

The tribological performances reinforcement is limited by insufficient dispersion and random orientation of nanofillers in composites. In light of above difficulties, a three-dimensional (3D) interconnected graphene architecture (3DGA) was designed, in which the reinforcement is pre-formed in three dimensions. In the 3DGA reinforced epoxy composite (3DGA/EP) fabricated by resin transfer molding combined with in-situ ultrasonic method, 3DGA assembling from graphene sheets was in good dispersion and distribution state, which resulted in exceptional thermal stability, mechanical and tribological properties for epoxy composites. Compared with graphene oxide (GO)/EP composites in direct solution blending, glass transition temperature and tensile strength of the 3DGA/EP composites increased by 27.1 °C and 41.1 %, and wear rate decreased by 38.1 %, respectively. In this work, 3DGA was utilized as the ordered reinforcement of composites instead of two-dimensional graphene sheets, providing a promising strategy to achieve high-performance polymer-based composites with superior mechanical and tribological properties.

To explore the spatial allocation of national fitness resources at different spatial scales in Fuzhou city to provide useful references for optimizing and enhancing the spatial allocation of national fitness resources and urban planning. The equity, spatial distribution characteristics, accessibility and supply-demand balance of national fitness resources in Fuzhou city are analysed in depth by using the two-step mobile search method of multiple travel modes, the Gini coefficient, and exploratory spatial data analysis methods. The results show that the overall spatial allocation of national fitness resources is in a balanced state, but there are serious inequities and spatial mismatches in each district (county); the spatial distribution of national fitness resources is characterized by centralized agglomeration and surface dispersion, being dense in the south and sparse in the north. Areas with insufficient resources per capita have an agglomeration-type scattering distribution; areas with sufficient resources per capita have a dispersed patch distribution. Access to national fitness resources and the relationship between their supply and demand are characterized by positive spatial concentration; however, the layout of the national fitness resources planned for the old urban areas urgently needs to be optimized, with the Chating and Antai streets serving as centres, to increase the effective supply. Finally,we suggestions that Top-level design should be strengthened, the communalization of sports public services should be promoted, the service capacity and utilization efficiency of national fitness resources should be enhanced, and the construction of national fitness resources in new urban areas and new industrial agglomerations should be accelerated.

Under the leadership of China's ''dual-carbon'' goal, clarifying the interaction between the digital economy, artificial intelligence, and the sports industry is an important guarantee to promote the structural upgrading of China's sports industry and achieve low-carbon development. Therefore, a panel vector autoregression (PVAR) model is constructed based on the panel data of 15 provinces in China from 2014 to 2020 to investigate the interaction between the three. It is found that (1) every 1-unit increase in the level of digital economy in the lagged period can cause a 0.008-unit increase in the level of AI application in the current period at the 10% significance level, i.e., the digital economy has a short-term and weakly facilitating effect on AI. (2) Every 1 unit of digital economy level in the lagging period can cause 9.539 units of value added to the sports industry at a 1% significance level. That is, the digital economy has a short-term but strong enhancing effect on the development of the sports industry. (3) Their internal driving force mainly drives the development of digital economy and artificial intelligence, and the self-contribution rate is 72.7% and 91.5% respectively. In contrast, the self-driving force of the sports industry is weaker, and the self-contribution rate is only 68.2%. (4) The contribution rate of the digital economy and artificial intelligence to the development of the sports industry is 12.3% and 19.6% respectively, i.e., the sports industry is more affected by the degree of application of artificial intelligence than the level of development of digital economy.

The field of self-adaptive software is becoming increasingly crucial because software has to adapt its behavior at runtime to keep up with dynamic and constantly evolving environments. The ability of software to modify and adjust itself is known as adaptability, which has been acknowledged as an important quality attribute. As software architecture development represents the initial stage of the design process, architectural design has emerged as a critical development activity. The degree to which the architecture can adapt to changes will be the key factor in determining the adaptability of the software ultimately released to users. Existing metrics for software architectural adaptability typically view adaptability as a positive attribute, meaning that any possibility of change in architectural elements is perceived as an improvement in adaptability. However, the application of adaptability that leads to increased costs or complexity can only be seen as a negative attribute. In other words, the side effects brought about solely for the purpose of achieving adaptability are greatly overlooked; that is, the impacts caused by adaptability exhibit both symmetry and asymmetry for software architectural adaptability. On the other hand, the existing measures of adaptability only define it from the perspective of whether a module will change, without considering changes beyond the topological structure under multiple strategies. In this paper, we propose a comprehensive assessment approach to measure software architecture adaptability. Multiple factors are considered, including the number and types of strategies employed, the cost of completing the adaptation, the extent of changes made to the architectural elements, and the overall impact of the adaptation on the architecture. An extended UML (e-UML) component diagram is presented to model software architectural changes under various types of strategies. Finally, an experiment on the znn.com software is conducted to validate the practical feasibility of our proposed method. Our approach can assist software architects in making informed decisions regarding software architecture design options to improve the adaptability and longevity of their software systems.

The trend of digital transformation fosters enterprise change, helps cultivate enterprises' own competitive advantages and is crucial to the advancement of sports enterprises' sustainable development in the framework of the emerging digital economy as a national strategy. However, there have been few empirical studies on the microlevel of digital transformation and its impact on the sustainability of sports organizations. Therefore, the sustainable growth dynamic model is used to construct indicators of corporate sustainability by referencing 48 sports corporations listed on Shanghai and Shenzhen A-shares markets and the New Third Board in China from 2012 to 2021. The intrinsic relationship between digital transformation and the sustainable development of sports enterprises and the underlying mechanism of action are explored by constructing a panel fixed effects model, a chain mediating effects model, and a panel threshold model. The most important contribution is as follows: To provide a useful reference for analyzing enterprise digital transformation, a more complete indicator indicating the extent of corporate digital transformation is built. The micro viewpoint broadens our awareness of sustainable development in sports organizations and deepens our understanding of the interaction model between sustainable development and enterprise digital transformation. This study provides methodical evidence and insights for an accurate understanding of digital transformation for sustainable enterprise development, looking into the "black box" of the mechanism between digital transformation and sustainable business development. The results show that digital transformation significantly aids sports enterprises in their pursuit of long-term sustainability. Heterogeneity tests demonstrate the pivotal role of digital transformation in advancing the sustained growth of sports firms and high-tech sports enterprises situated in the eastern region of China. Regarding transmission mechanisms, the chain mediating effect of enterprises' digital transformation on improved technological innovation and TFP, which in turn promote long-term business growth, has yet to be validated. Further examination exposes that within the context of the correlation between digital transformation and the sustainability of corporations, there is a single threshold effect based on financing restrictions and operational costs and a double threshold effect based on operational efficiency.

The global manufacturing landscape is undergoing a profound shift, and the paradigm of service-led industrial evolution has taken on paramount importance. Service-oriented manufacturing has emerged as a pivotal conduit for the transformation and elevation of China's sporting goods manufacturing sector. However, we acknowledge that the current state of service-oriented transformation in this sector is still in an embryonic phase. The nuanced interplay between the level of servitization and its consequent impact on corporate performance, along with the intricate forms of interference exerted by various factors in the process of servitization, are shrouded in ambiguity. This article, which is predicated upon the financial disclosures of China's sporting goods manufacturing enterprises listed on the A-share and New Third Board markets, presents a rigorous investigation. Through the construction of an imbalanced panel dataset covering the period of 2007 to 2022, we embark on an empirical journey examining the intricacies of a moderated mediation model to ascertain the mechanisms underlying the influence of servitization on the performance of sporting goods manufacturing entities. Through this research, we unearth a compelling revelation: (1) Within the cohort of sampled enterprises, an elevation of servitization evokes a modest suppressive effect on corporate performance, thus resulting in the enigmatic "servitization paradox." (2) A total of 29.1% of the servitization impact on enterprise performance is achieved through marketing intensity; that is, there is a partial mediating effect of marketing intensity on the relationship between servitization and enterprise performance. (3) Market power play a negative regulatory role in this relationship, which drives the servitization paradox in sporting goods manufacturing but can also promote the positive impact of servitization on marketing intensity. In addition, with the expansion of market power, corporate servitization does not need to impact corporate performance through marketing activities. (4) R&D intensity negatively affects the relationship between marketing intensity and corporate performance, promotes the inhibitory effect of marketing intensity on corporate performance, and aggravates the inhibitory effect of servitization on corporate performance through marketing intensity.

The increasing use of underwater vehicles facilitates deep-sea exploration at a wide range of depths and spatial scales. In this paper, we make an initial attempt to develop online computing strategies to identify seafloor categories and predict biogeographic patterns with a deep learning-based architecture, DenseNet, integrated with joint morphological cues, with the expectation of potentially developing its embedded smart capacities. We utilized high-resolution multibeam bathymetric measurements derived from MBES and denoted a collection of joint morphological cues to help with semantic mapping and localization. We systematically strengthened dominant feature propagation and promoted feature reuse via DenseNet by applying the channel attention module and spatial pyramid pooling. From our experiment results, the seafloor classification accuracy reached up to 89.87%, 82.01%, and 73.52% on average in terms of PA, MPA, and MIoU metrics, achieving comparable performances with the state-of-the-art deep learning frameworks. We made a preliminary study on potential biogeographic distribution statistics, which allowed us to delicately distinguish the functionality of probable submarine benthic habitats. This study demonstrates the premise of using underwater vehicles through unbiased means or pre-programmed path planning to quantify and estimate seafloor categories and the exhibited fine-scale biogeographic patterns.

This paper investigates the orbital stability of periodic standing waves for the following coupled Klein-Gordon-Zakharov equations $ \begin{equation*} \left\{ \begin{aligned} &u_{tt}-u_{xx}+u+\alpha uv+\beta|u|^{2}u = 0, \ &v_{tt}-v_{xx} = (|u|^{2})_{xx}, \end{aligned} \right. \end{equation*} $ where $\alpha>0$ and $\beta$ are two real numbers and $\alpha>\beta$. Under some suitable conditions, we show the existence of a smooth curve positive standing wave solutions of dnoidal type with a fixed fundamental period L for the above equations. Further, we obtain the stability of the dnoidal waves for the coupled Klein-Gordon-Zakharov equations by applying the abstract stability theory and combining the detailed spectral analysis given by using Lam\'{e} equation and Floquet theory. When period $L\rightarrow\infty$, dnoidal type will turn into sech-type in the sense of limit. In such case, we can obtain stability of sech-type standing waves. In particular, $\beta = 0$ is advisable, we still can show the the stability of the dnoidal type and sech-type standing waves for the classical Klein-Gordon-Zakharov equations.

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) capillary membranes, known for the great chemical resistance and thermal stability, are commonly used in membrane separation technologies. However, the strong hydrophobic property of PTFE limits its application in water filtration. This study introduces a method whereby acrylamide (AM), N, N-methylene bisacrylamide (MBA), and vinyltriethoxysilane (VTES) undergo free radical copolymerization, followed by the hydrolysis-condensation of silane bonds, resulting in the formation of hydrophilic three-dimensional networks physically intertwined with the PTFE capillary membranes. The modified PTFE capillary membranes prepared through this method exhibit excellent hydrophilic properties, whose water contact angles are decreased by 24.3–61.2%, and increasing pure water flux from 0 to 1732.7–2666.0 L/m2·h. The enhancement in hydrophilicity of the modified PTFE capillary membranes is attributed to the introduction of hydrophilic groups such as amide bonds and siloxane bonds, along with an increase in surface roughness. Moreover, the modified PTFE capillary membranes exhibit chemical resistance, maintaining the hydrophilicity even after immersion in strong acidic (3 wt% HCl), alkaline (3 wt% NaOH), and oxidative (3 wt% NaClO) solutions for 2 weeks. In conclusion, this promising method yields modified PTFE capillary membranes with great hydrophilicity and chemical resistance, presenting substantial potential for applications in the field of water filtration.

Embedding collaboration networks in the context of open innovation can facilitate firm innovation. Previous studies have not considered the impact of multilevel network structural embedding on firm innovation. In this study, organizational collaboration networks, knowledge networks, and urban collaboration networks are viewed as systems to explore their impact on innovation quantity and innovation quality. We validate the research hypotheses using data from Chinese high-tech firms in the field of artificial intelligence and intelligent manufacturing equipment. The results indicate that structural holes occupied by firms in organizational collaboration networks can increase the innovation quantity and have a U-shaped effect on innovation quality. Knowledge network structural holes and urban collaboration network structural holes moderate the relationship between organizational collaboration network structural holes and innovation quantity and quality. Our findings will help firms to efficiently utilize the advantages of multilevel network structural holes to improve the innovation quantity and innovation quality.

Transgenic modification of silkworms has the potential to engineer new silks with a wider range of properties. Here, the authors engineered the expression of the outer layer sericin SER3 in the inner fibroin layer generating a new silk with higher production efficiency and resistance to alkaline conditions.

Conventional X-ray-induced photodynamic therapy usually requires heavy-metal-containing inorganic scintillators and organic photosensitizers to generate singlet oxygen. Here, the authors develop an organic phosphorescent nanoscintillator for low-dose X-ray-induced photodynamic therapy of deep tumours.

IntroductionAlthough recent studies have shown that the human microbiome is involved in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases, the impact of microbiota on allergic rhinitis (AR) and non-allergic rhinitis (nAR) has not been elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in the composition of the nasal flora in patients with AR and nAR and their role in the pathogenesis.MethodFrom February to September 2022, 35 AR patients and 35 nAR patients admitted to Harbin Medical University’s Second Affiliated Hospital, as well as 20 healthy subjects who underwent physical examination during the same period, were subjected to 16SrDNA and metagenomic sequencing of nasal flora.ResultsThe microbiota composition of the three groups of study subjects differs significantly. The relative abundance of Vibrio vulnificus and Acinetobacter baumanni in the nasal cavity of AR patients was significantly higher when compared to nAR patients, while the relative abundance of Lactobacillus murinus, Lactobacillus iners, Proteobacteria, Pseudomonadales, and Escherichia coli was lower. In addition, Lactobacillus murinus and Lacttobacillus kunkeei were also negatively correlated with IgE, while Lacttobacillus kunkeei was positively correlated with age. The relative distribution of Faecalibacterium was higher in moderate than in severe AR patients. According to KEGG functional enrichment annotation, ICMT(protein-S-isoprenylcysteine O-methyltransferase,ICMT) is an AR microbiota-specific enzyme that plays a role, while glycan biosynthesis and metabolism are more active in AR microbiota. For AR, the model containing Parabacteroides goldstemii, Sutterella-SP-6FBBBBH3, Pseudoalteromonas luteoviolacea, Lachnospiraceae bacterium-615, and Bacteroides coprocola had the highest the area under the curve (AUC), which was 0.9733(95%CI:0.926-1.000) in the constructed random forest prediction model. The largest AUC for nAR is 0.984(95%CI:0.949−1.000) for the model containing Pseudomonas-SP-LTJR-52, Lachnospiraceae bacterium-615, Prevotella corporis, Anaerococcus vaginalis, and Roseburia inulinivorans.ConclusionIn conclusion, patients with AR and nAR had significantly different microbiota profiles compared to healthy controls. The results suggest that the nasal microbiota may play a key role in the pathogenesis and symptoms of AR and nAR, providing us with new ideas for the treatment of AR and nAR.

Objective. Semaphorin3E (Sema3E) mediates reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton, and plays an important role in ensuring the specificity of synapse formation and angiogenesis. However, the role of Sema3E in allergic asthma (AS) and eosinophilic bronchitis (EB) is still elusive. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between Sema3E in vagal ganglion and lung tissue, airway reactivity, and eosinophilic inflammation. Methods. The frequency of coughs and airway reactivity as well as the airway inflammation were observed in ovalbumin- (OVA-) induced AS and EB mouse models. The expression of Sema3E was examined in the vagal ganglion and lung tissues by immunofluorescence staining and western blotting analyses. In the Sema3E treatment protocol, exogenous Sema3E was administrated intranasally before challenge in AS model to study the effect of Sema3E on airway hyperresponsiveness, airway inflammation, mucus production, and collagen deposition. Results. The similar higher frequency of coughs and airway eosinophilic inflammation could be seen in AS and EB groups compared with nasal saline (NS) and dexamethasone (DXM) groups. The absence of the airway hyperresponsiveness was observed in EB and DXM group, while AS group showed increase in airway reactivity to methacholine. The expression of Sema3E in vagal ganglion and lung tissue was remarkably decreased in AS and DXM group compared with EB group. Sema3E-treated asthma mice displayed ameliorated airway hyperresponsiveness, mucus production, and collagen deposition. Conclusion. Sema3E in lungs and vagal ganglia is related to eosinophilic inflammation and has a protective effect on OVA-induced AHR in asthma.

MAS (marker assisted selection) is useful for cultivar development in the lower plant Saccharina japonica. In this study, 167 screened SSR markers and 125 individuals were used to construct a S.japonica genetic linkage map with 27 linkage groups and a total Haldane length of 2069 cM. Constructed linkage groups were aligned with assembled pseudo-chromosomes of S. japonica genome sequences (NCBI: MEHQ00000000) and anchored to 23 of 31 pseudo-chromosomes. A genetic linkage map including 33 linkage groups was constructed with combined 3397 SSR and SNP markers. In the integrated genetic map used for QTL mapping, SSR marker M1895 was closely associated with the major QTL for blade length and width with LOD threshold of >5.0. Annotation indicated that SjPT, coded as a high affinity phosphate transporter, was mapped to this major QTL with cDNA sequence of 1422 bp, which coded 473 aa for 8 transmembrane helics. qRT-PCR and the transcriptomic detection confirmed that SjPT transcription was consistent with increases in kelp blade length and width. Marker M1895 appears to be particularly useful for MAS (marker assisted selection) in S. japonica breeding.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to examine the relationship between social support and its sub-domains and cognitive performance, and the association with cognitive impairment among older adults in China.DesignA cross-sectional study.Setting and participantsWe included 865 community-based individuals aged 65 and above from Hubei province, China.MethodsThe level of social support was evaluated using the social support rating scale (SSRC). The Mini-Mental State Examination was adopted to assess cognitive function, and its cut-offs were used to determine cognitive impairment among the participants. Multiple linear regression models and logistic regression models were used to estimate the β and odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% CIs, respectively.ResultsThe participants were divided into quartiles 1–4 (Q1–Q4), according to the total scores of SSRC. After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, and history of diseases, for MMSE scores, compared to these in Q1, the β of Q2–Q4 were −0.22 (−0.88, 0.43), 0.29 (−0.35, 0.94), and 0.86 (0.19, 1.53), respectively; For cognitive impairment, the ORs of Q2–Q4 were 1.21 (0.80, 1.82), 0.62 (0.40, 0.94), and 0.50 (0.32, 0.80), respectively. Considering SSRC scores as the continuous variable, per 1-unit increase, the β was 0.05 (0.02, 0.09) for the cognitive score, and the OR was 0.95 (0.92, 0.98) for cognitive impairment. In addition, higher levels of both subjective support and support utilization were related to better MMSE performance and lower risks of cognitive impairment.Conclusion and implicationsAmong the older adults in China, as expected, there is a positive relationship between social support and cognitive performance, and high levels of social support, particularly in support utilization, were related to low risks of cognitive impairment. More social support should be provided in this population to improve cognitive function and reduce the risks of cognitive impairment.

BackgroundLow cardiac output syndrome (LCOS) is the most serious physiological abnormality with high mortality for patients after cardiac surgery. This study aimed to explore the multidimensional data of clinical features and outcomes to provide individualized care for patients with LCOS.MethodsThe electronic medical information of the intensive care units (ICUs) was extracted from a tertiary hospital in South China. We included patients who were diagnosed with LCOS in the ICU database. We used the consensus clustering approach based on patient characteristics, laboratory data, and vital signs to identify LCOS subgroups. The consensus clustering method involves subsampling from a set of items, such as microarrays, and determines to cluster of specified cluster counts (k). The primary clinical outcome was in-hospital mortality and was compared between the clusters.ResultsA total of 1,205 patients were included and divided into three clusters. Cluster 1 (n = 443) was defined as the low-risk group [in-hospital mortality =10.1%, odds ratio (OR) = 1]. Cluster 2 (n = 396) was defined as the medium-risk group [in-hospital mortality =25.0%, OR = 2.96 (95% CI = 1.97–4.46)]. Cluster 3 (n = 366) was defined as the high-risk group [in-hospital mortality =39.2%, OR = 5.75 (95% CI = 3.9–8.5)].ConclusionPatients with LCOS after cardiac surgery could be divided into three clusters and had different outcomes.

Abstract Background Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are the dominant factor leading to tumor metastasis. This study aims to investigate the effect of disparate sources of CTCs on the treatment and prognosis of patients with advanced tumors by analyzing the number and gene mutations change of CTCs in arterial and venous blood in patients with advanced tumors. Results A CTCs sorting system was constructed based on Vimentin-immunolipid magnetic balls (Vi-IMB) and EpCAM immunolipid magnetic balls (Ep-IMB). Results showed that the prepared Ep-IMB and Vi-IMB had lower cytotoxicity, better specificity and sensitivity. The number of arterial CTCs was higher than that of venous CTCs, with a statistically significant difference (P

Abstract Background Owing to high genetic diversities of tumor cells and low response rate of standard chemotherapy, patients with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) have short progression-free survivals and poor outcomes, which need to explore an effective approach to improve therapeutic efficacy. Methods Novel gadolinium doped carbon dots (Gd@CDs) have been designed and prepared through hydrothermal method with 3,4-dihydroxyhydrocinnamic acid, 2,2′-(ethylenedioxy)bis(ethylamine) and gadolinium chloride. The synthesized nanostructures were characterized. Taking advantage of good biocompatibility of Gd@CDs, a nanoplatform based on Gd@CDs has been developed to co-deliver chemotherapy drug doxorubicin hydrochloride (Dox) and a near-infrared (NIR) photothermal agent, IR825 for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guided photothermal chemotherapy for TNBC. Results The as-synthesized Dox@IR825@Gd@CDs displayed favorable MRI ability in vivo. Upon NIR laser irradiation, Dox@IR825@Gd@CDs could convert the NIR light to heat and efficiently inhibit tumor growth through photothermal chemotherapy in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, the impact of photothermal chemotherapy on the murine motor coordination was assessed by rotarod test. Dox@IR825@Gd@CDs presented low toxicity and high photothermal chemotherapy efficiency. Conclusion A noble theranostic nanoplatform (Dox@IR825@Gd@CDs) was developed that could be tailored to achieve loading of Dox and IR825, intracellular delivery, favorable MRI, excellent combination therapy with photothermal therapy and chemotherapy to enhance therapeutic effect against TNBC cells. This study will provide a promising strategy for the development of Gd-based nanomaterials for MRI and combinational therapy for TNBC. Graphic abstract

Abstract Background Laryngeal cancer has the highest mortality rate among head and neck tumours. RNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most plentiful and variable in mammalian mRNA. Yet, the m6A regulatory mechanism underlying the carcinogenesis or progression of LSCC remains poorly understood. Methods The m6A RNA methylation quantification kit was used to detect tissue methylation levels. m6A microarray analysis, mRNA transcriptomic sequencing (mRNA-seq), and proteomics were used to determine RBM15, TMBIM6, and IGF2BP3. Immunohistochemical (IHC), quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot were used to investigate RBM15, TMBIM6, and IGF2BP3 expression in tissue samples and cell lines. The biological effects of RBM15 were detected both in vitro and in vivo. The combination relationship between RBM15/IGF2BP3 and TMBIM6 was verified by RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay, Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeRIP-seq), RNase Mazf, and luciferase report assay. RNase Mazf was used to determine the methylation site on TMBIM6 mRNA. Hoechst staining assay was used to confirm the apoptotic changes. The actinomycin D verified TMBIM6 stability. Results The global mRNA m6A methylation level significantly increased in LSCC patients. RBM15, as a “writer” of methyltransferase, was significantly increased in LSCC and was associated with unfavorable prognosis. The knockdown of RBM15 reduced the proliferation, invasion, migration, and apoptosis of LSCC both in vitro and in vivo. The results were reversed after overexpressing RBM15. Mechanically, TMBIM6 acted as a downstream target of RBM15-mediated m6A modification. Furthermore, RBM15-mediated m6A modification of TMBIM6 mRNA enhanced TMBIM6 stability through IGF2BP3-dependent. Conclusion Our results revealed the essential roles of RBM15 and IGF2BP3 in m6A methylation modification in LSCC, thus identifying a novel RNA regulatory mechanism.

Graphene has presented promising features for application in lithium ion batteries(LIBs) due to its superior electronic conductivity and high surface area. It has been successfully used for modifying cathode materials to meet the increasing demand for LIBs with longer cycle life. However, the improving effect of graphene on cycling stability is still unclear, which restricts its further application in LIBs. Herein, graphene coated hollow sphere-like structure LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4(LNMO) wasdesigned and the improvement mechanism of graphene coating on LNMO’s cycling stability was investigated. The results show that graphene coating not only contributes to suppress structural deformation from mechanistic reaction and extend solid-solution reaction, but also helps protect electrode from corrosion by the products from electrolyte decomposition and suppress the generation of surface defects, especially at high temperature. Owing to graphene coating, graphene coated LNMO can deliver a discharge capacity of 91 mAh g−1 with high capacity retention of 82.5% after 1000 cycles under 20C and 83.8 mAh g−1 with 94.5% capacity retention after 100 cycles under 2C at 55 °C. This work deeply explores the effect of graphene coating on cycling stability from crystal stability and surface stability, which will help a wider application of graphene in energy storage field.

Pseudomonas fluorescens is a common specific spoilage organism (SSO) of aquatic products. The spoilage ability of SSO can be regulated by the quorum sensing (QS) system. However, the QS system in P. fluorescens and their relationship with the spoilage potential have not been systematically analyzed. In the present study, the complete genome of P. fluorescens PF08 isolated from spoilage turbot was sequenced. The identification of key genes that involved in the QS, enzyme synthesis, sulfur, and amino acid metabolism explained the spoilage potential of P. fluorescens PF08. Results of quantitative real-time PCR revealed the key role of the P. fluorescens PF08 QS system in regulating the transcription of spoilage-related genes and its sensitivity to environmental stress. These findings provide insight into the spoilage features of P. fluorescens PF08 from a genomic perspective. The knowledge may be valuable in the development of new strategies for the targeted inhibition of aquatic product spoilage based on QS interference.

Abstract Background Anthraquinone glycosides extracted from rhubarb have been proven to have significant therapeutic effects on ischaemic stroke. It is well known that anthraquinone glycosides are not easily absorb. Thus, how can rhubarb anthraquinone glycosides (RAGs) exert protective effects on the brain? Is this protective effect related to interactions between RAGs and intestinal flora? Methods The model used in this study was established by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and reperfusion. Twenty-seven adult male Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: the normal group (A) (non-MCAO + 0.5% sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC-Na)), model group (B) (MCAO + 0.5% CMC-Na) and medicine group (C) (MCAO + RAGs (15 mg/(kg day)). The rats were fed by gavage once a day for 7 days. Fresh faeces were collected from the normal group to prepare the intestinal flora incubation liquid. Add RAGs, detect the RAGs and the corresponding anthraquinone aglycones by HPLC–UV at different time points. On the 8th day, the rats were euthanized, and the colonic contents were collected and analysed by high-throughput sequencing. In addition, 12 adult male SD rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: the normal group (D) (non-MCAO + RAGs (15 mg/(kg day)) and model group (E) (MCAO + RAGs (15 mg/(kg day)). The rats were fed by gavage immediately after reperfusion. Blood was collected from the orbital venous plexus, and the RAGs and anthraquinone aglycones were detected by HPLC–UV. Results The abundance and diversity of the intestinal flora in rats decreased after cerebral ischaemia–reperfusion injury (CIRI). RAGs could effectively improve the abundance of the intestinal flora. In addition, in vitro metabolism studies showed that RAGs were converted into anthraquinone aglycones by intestinal flora. In the in vivo metabolism studies, RAGs could not be detected in the plasma; in contrast, the corresponding anthraquinone aglycones could be detected. Absorption of RAGs may be inhibited in rats with CIRI. Conclusions CIRI may lead to intestinal flora disorder in rats, and after the administration of RAGs, the abundance of intestinal flora can be improved. RAGs can be metabolized into their corresponding anthraquinone aglycones by intestinal flora so that they can be absorbed into the blood.

Considering the rhizosphere microbes easily affected by the environmental factors, we formulate a three-dimensional diffusion model of the rhizosphere microbes with the impulsive feedback control to describe the complex degradation and movement by introducing beneficial microbes into the plant rhizosphere. The sufficient conditions for existence of the order-1 periodic solution are obtained by using the geometrical theory of the impulsive semi-dynamical system. We show the impulsive control system tends to an order-1 periodic solution if the control measures are achieved. Furthermore, we investigate the stability of the order-1 periodic solution by means of a novel method introduced in the literature [Y. Ye, The Theory of the Limit Cycle, Shanghai Science and Technology Press, 1984.]. Finally, mathematical results are justified by some numerical simulations.

Temperature is an important environmental factor affecting the growth and development of silkworm (Bombyx mori). To analyze the effect of intestinal microbes on silkworm in response to a high-temperature environment, this study used a combination of high throughput sequencing and biochemical assays to detect silkworm intestinal microbes treated with high temperature for 72 h. The results show that high temperature affects the intestinal microbes of silkworm and that there are sex differences, specifically, females were more sensitive. The changes in the metabolism and transport ability of silkworm intestinal tissues under high temperature are related to the intestinal microbes. High temperatures may affect the intestinal microbes of silkworms, regulating the activity of related digestive enzymes and substance transport in the intestine, thereby affecting the silkworm’s digestion and absorption of nutrients, and ultimately affecting growth and development.

This paper proposes a generalized model to cover imperfect debugging and the uncertainty of the operating environment and its effect on fault detection rate into software reliability evaluation based on a non-homogeneous Poisson process (NHPP). Many NHPP software reliability growth models (SRGMs) have been developed to estimate the software reliability measures over the past 40 years, but most of these models assume that the operating environment is the same as the testing environment. However, in fact, due to the unpredictability of the uncertain factors in the operating environments for the software, they may considerably influence the software's reliability in an unpredictable way. So when a software system works in a field environment, its reliability is usually different from the original reliability prediction in the testing phase of the software development process, also from all its similar applications in other fields. In this paper, a general model is used to derive models that incorporate the uncertainty of operating environments, which provides the flexibility in considering a different fault detection rate and random environmental factor and so on. Several published models are shown to be covered by this general model and a new model is also developed and examined. The numerical illustrative examples of the proposed model have been validated on two sets of real software failure data in terms of six criteria. The comparison results demonstrate that the new model can fit and predict significantly better than other existing models.

Background: To evaluate the bioequivalence between test and reference formulations of perindopril tert-butylamine under fasting and fed conditions and to assess their pharmacokinetic (PK) and safety profiles. Method: A randomized, open-label, single-dose, crossover trial was conducted in healthy Chinese subjects. Test or reference perindopril tert-butylamine tablets (4 mg) were randomly given to subjects under fasting (2-period crossover, with an administration sequence of test tablet (T), reference tablet (R) or RT) and fed (4-period crossover, with an administration sequence of TRTR or RTRT) conditions, while each single administration was followed by a 14-day washout period. The plasma concentrations and corresponding non-compartmental PK parameters of perindopril and perindoprilat were determined. The two formulations were considered to be bioequivalent if the 90 % confidence intervals (CIs) of the geometric mean (GM) ratio (test/reference) for Cmax, AUC0-t, and AUC0-∞ (perindopril) was both within the range of 80–125 %. Safety assessments including vital signs, physical examination, laboratory examination, 12-lead ECG and reports of treatment emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were carefully documented. Results: A total of 64 subjects (32 in each trial) were randomized and all completed the trials. Regardless of fasting or fed trials, the PK characteristics of perindopril and perindoprilat for the test formulation were similar to those of the reference formulation (all P > 0.05). The 90 % CIs of the geometric mean (GM) ratio for Cmax, AUC0-t, and AUC0-∞, respectively, were 92.86–106.81 %, 98.44–102.88 % and 98.48–103.02 % under the fasting condition and 90.64–110.04 %, 96.95–101.90 % and 96.83–101.78 % under the fed condition, which were both within the pre-specified range of 80–125 %. A total of 10 (31.3 %) fasted subjects and 11 (34.4 %) fed subjects experienced 11 and 24 TEAEs, respectively, all of which were within the severity of grade 1. The incidence of TEAEs and drug-related TEAEs were similar between test and reference formulations (all P > 0.05) and no serious TEAEs or deaths occurred during the trials. Conclusions: The test and reference formulations of perindopril tert-butylamine tablets (4 mg) were bioequivalent and well tolerated in healthy Chinese subjects under fasting and fed conditions.

Air pollution is the environmental issue of greatest concern in China, especially the PM2.5 pollution in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei urban agglomeration (BTHUA). Based on sustainable development, it is of interest to study the spatiotemporal distribution of PM2.5 and its influencing mechanisms. This study reveals the temporal evolution and spatial clustering characteristic of PM2.5 pollution from 2015 to 2019, and quantifies the drivers of its natural and socioeconomic factors on it by using a geographical temporal weighted regression model. Results show that PM2.5 concentrations reached their highest level in 2015 before decreasing in the following years. The monthly averages all present a U-shaped change trend. Relative to the traditional high concentrations in the northern part of the BTHUA domain in 2015, the gap in pollution between the north and south has reduced since 2018. The obvious spatial heterogeneity was demonstrated in both the strength and direction of the variables. This study may help identify reasons for high PM2.5 concentrations and suggest appropriate targeted control and prevention measures.

In our study, a unique ratiometric fluorescent sensor for the rapid detection of arginine (Arg) and acetaminophen (AP) was constructed by the integration of blue fluorescent N-CDs and yellowish-green fluorescent calcein. The N-CD/calcein ratiometric fluorescent sensor exhibited dual emission at 435 and 519 nm under the same excitation wavelength of 370 nm, and caused potential Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) from N-CDs to calcein. When detecting Arg, the blue fluorescence from the N-CDs of the N-CD/calcein sensor was quenched by the interaction of N-CDs and Arg. Then, the fluorescence of our sensor was recovered with the addition of AP, possibly due to the stronger association between AP and Arg, leading to the dissociation of Arg from N-CDs. Meanwhile, we observed an obvious fluorescence change from blue to green, then back to blue, when Arg and AP were added, exhibiting the “on–off–on” pattern. Next, we determined the detection limits of the N-CD/calcein sensor to Arg and AP, which were as low as 0.08 μM and 0.02 μM, respectively. Furthermore, we discovered that the fluorescence changes of the N-CD/calcein sensor were only responsible for Arg and AP. These results suggested its high sensitivity and specificity for Arg and AP detection. In addition, we have successfully achieved its application in bovine serum samples, indicating its practicality. Lastly, the logic gate was generated by the N-CD/calcein sensor and presented its good reversibility. Overall, we have demonstrated that our N-CD/calcein sensor is a powerful sensor to detect Arg and AP and that it has potential applications in biological analysis and imaging.

Modern software systems need to autonomously adapt their behavior at runtime in order to maintain their utility in response to continuous environmental changes. Most studies on models at runtime focus on providing suitable techniques to manage the complexity of software at runtime but neglect reliability caused by adaptation activities. Therefore, adaptive behaviors may lead to a decrease in reliability, which may result in severe financial loss or life damage. Runtime software architecture (RSA) is an abstract of a running system, which describes the elements of the current system, the states of these elements and the relation between the elements and their states at runtime. The main difference between RSA and software architecture at design time (DSA) is that RSA has a causal connection with the running system, whereas DSA does not. However, RSA and DSA have both symmetry and asymmetry in software architecture. To ensure that architecture-centric software can provide reliable services after adaptation adjustment, a method is proposed to analyze the impact of changes caused by adaptation strategy on the overall software reliability, which will be predicted at the runtime architecture model layer. Based on a Java platform, through non-intrusive monitoring, an RSA behavioral model is obtained followed by runtime reliability analysis model. Following this, reliability prediction results are obtained through a discrete-time Markov chain (DTMC). Finally, an experiment is conducted to verify the feasibility of the proposed method.

Accumulating evidence suggests that circular RNAs (circRNAs) may be a key contributor to oncogenesis. Yet, the function of circRNAs in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is still not clear. In this study, we examined the function of circRNA_103862 in LSCC progression by analyzing the tissue specimens collected from a patient with LSCC by using different LSCC cell models in vitro and an LSCC xenograft model in nude mice. We found that circRNA_103862 was frequently upregulated in the tissues of LSCC and was correlated with metastasis and prognosis of LSCC patients. Furthermore, circRNA_103862 downregulation could reduce proliferation, migration, and invasion ability of LSCC cells. In terms of mechanism exploration, miR-493-5p was sponged by circRNA_103862. Rescue experiments also showed that circRNA_103862 could achieve a carcinogenic effect by regulating miR-493-5p. Moreover, a luciferase reporter analysis showed that Golgi membrane protein 1 (GOLM1) is a downstream effector of miR-493-5p. In conclusion, our data suggested that circRNA_103862 promotes the proliferation of LSCC through targeting the miR-493-5p/GOLM1 axis, and it might serve as a potential prognosis marker and therapy target for LSCC.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in various biological progresses of carcinogenesis. However, the function of lncRNAs in human sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma (SNSCC) remains greatly unclear. In the current study, lncRNA AC091729.7 expression was examined in SNSCC samples by using microarray, RNA in situ hybridization (ISH) and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR). Cell viability, colony-formation, wound-healing, and transwell assays were applied to SNSCC cells. Xenograft mouse models were employed to evaluate the role of AC091729.7 in growth of SNSCC in vivo. Human protein microarray (HuprotTM Protoarray) and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) were used for identifying AC091729.7 binding proteins in SNSCC. Results showed AC091729.7 was upregulated and closely connected with the survival of the SNSCC patients. Knockdown of AC091729.7 suppressed SNSCC cell migration, proliferation, invasion in vitro. Furthermore, downregulation of AC091729.7 could inhibit the growth of SNSCC in vivo. Moreover, Human protein microarray and RIP suggested that AC091729.7 directly combine with the serine/arginine rich splicing factor 2 (SRSF2). Our results suggest that in the cell progression of SNSCC, lncRNA AC091729.7 plays a carcinogenic role and serves as a novel biomarker and latent curative target in SNSCC patients.

Emerging evidence has shown that epigenetic changes in DNA methylation, an important regulator of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) expression, can disturb the expression patterns of lncRNAs and contribute to carcinogenesis. However, knowledge about crosstalk effects between DNA methylation and lncRNA regulation in thyroid cancer (THCA) remain largely unknown. In this study, we performed an integrated analysis of methylation and the transcriptome and identified 483 epigenetically regulated lncRNAs (EpilncRNAs) associated with the development and progression of THCA. These EpilncRNAs can be divided into two categories based on their methylation and expression patterns: 228 HyperLncRNAs and 255 HypoLncRNAs. Then, we identified a methylation-driven 5-lncRNA-based signature (EpiLncPM) to improve prognosis prediction using the random survival forest and multivariate Cox analysis, which were then validated using the training dataset [Hazard ratio (HR) = 50.097, 95% confidence interval (CI): 10.231-245.312, p < 0.001] and testing dataset (HR = 4.395, 95% CI: 0.981-19.686, p = 0.053). Multivariate analysis suggested that the EpiLncPM is an independent prognostic factor. By performing a functional enrichment analysis of GO and KEGG for mRNAs co-expressed with the EpiLncPM, we found that the EpiLncPM was involved in immune and inflammatory-related biological processes. Finally, in situ hybridization analysis in 119 papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) tissues and paired adjacent normal tissues revealed that selected candidate lncRNA AC110011 has significantly higher expression of PTC compared to adjacent non-neoplastic tissues, and was closely related to the tumor size, lymph node metastasis, and extrathyroidal extension. In summary, our study characterized the crosstalk between DNA methylation and lncRNA, and provided novel biomarkers for the prognosis of THCA.

In this work, a hybrid coating (TSMA) was produced using tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS)/KH550/Styrene maleic anhydride copolymer (SMA) as raw materials. The coating was afterwards applied to modify recycled coir (r-coir) fibers via dip-coating. R-coir fibers reinforced ABS composites were then prepared and the reinforcing effect of fibers on the composite structure was investigated, as well. The r-coir fibers coated with TSMA were hydrolyzed in air for 3 days. The SiO _2 particles produced by sol-gel reaction of TEOS were used to connect KH550 and SMA to the surface of the fibers and form an organic-inorganic ‘armor’ structure. The successful surface modification of the r-coir fibers was proved via FTIR spectroscopic study and the improvement of their decomposition temperature was evidenced by TGA. Furthermore, the homogeneous dispersion of TSMA on the surface of r-coir fibers was observed via SEM. In addition, the tensile strength of single fibers was found to increase by 36.1%. According to the results, TSMA can be successfully homogenized on the fiber surface, enabling one to repair the damaged areas and improve the tensile strength of single fibers. Besides, good compatibility between r-coir fibers and ABS was revealed by contact angle measurements. Furthermore, the bending strength and elastic modulus of TSMA-modified r-coir fibers/ABS composites were improved by 6% and 27%, respectively. Therefore, the method of plant fiber modification proposed in present work provides a reliable way for effective reuse of r-coir fibers.

Some bacteria can modulate their spoilage potential by responding to environmental signaling molecules via the quorum sensing (QS) system. However, the ability of Pseudomonas fluorescens, the specific spoilage organism (SSO) of turbot, to response to environmental signaling molecules remains unclear. This study investigated the effects of six synthetic N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) on typical behaviors mediated by QS in P. fluorescens, such as biofilm formation and extracellular protease activity. Total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) was used as a spoilage indicator to evaluate quality changes in AHL-treated turbot filets during storage. The results confirm the enhancing effect of environmental AHLs on QS-dependent factors of P. fluorescens and quality deterioration of turbot filets, with C4-HSL and C14-HSL being the most effective. Moreover, the content decrease of exogenous AHLs was also validated by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis. Further, changes in rhlR transcription levels in P. fluorescens suggest that this bacterium can sense environmental AHLs. Finally, molecular docking analysis demonstrates the potential interactions of RhlR protein with various exogenous AHLs. These findings strongly implicate environmental AHLs in turbot spoilage caused by P. fluorescens, suggesting preservation of turbot should not exclusively consider the elimination of SSO-secreted AHLs.

This paper presents a general testing coverage software reliability modeling framework that covers imperfect debugging and considers not only fault detection processes (FDP) but also fault correction processes (FCP). Numerous software reliability growth models have evaluated the reliability of software over the last few decades, but most of them attached importance to modeling the fault detection process rather than modeling the fault correction process. Previous studies analyzed the time dependency between the fault detection and correction processes and modeled the fault correction process as a delayed detection process with a random or deterministic time delay. We study the quantitative dependency between dual processes from the viewpoint of fault amount dependency instead of time dependency, then propose a generalized modeling framework along with imperfect debugging and testing coverage. New models are derived by adopting different testing coverage functions. We compared the performance of these proposed models with existing models under the context of two kinds of failure data, one of which only includes observations of faults detected, and the other includes not only fault detection but also fault correction data. Different parameter estimation methods and performance comparison criteria are presented according to the characteristics of different kinds of datasets. No matter what kind of data, the comparison results reveal that the proposed models generally give improved descriptive and predictive performance than existing models.

In this research, by means of the scalarization method, arcwise connectedness results were established for the sets of globally efficient solutions, weakly efficient solutions, Henig efficient solutions and superefficient solutions for the generalized vector equilibrium problem under suitable assumptions of natural quasi cone-convexity and natural quasi cone-concavity.

Many NHPP software reliability growth models (SRGMs) have been proposed to assess software reliability during the past 40 years, but most of them have focused on modeling the fault detection process (FDP) in two ways: one is to ignore the fault correction process (FCP), i.e., faults are assumed to be instantaneously removed after the failure caused by the faults is detected. However, in real software development, it is not always reliable as fault removal usually needs time, i.e., the faults causing failures cannot always be removed at once and the detected failures will become more and more difficult to correct as testing progresses. Another way to model the fault correction process is to consider the time delay between the fault detection and fault correction. The time delay has been assumed to be constant and function dependent on time or random variables following some kind of distribution. In this paper, some useful approaches to the modeling of dual fault detection and correction processes are discussed. The dependencies between fault amounts of dual processes are considered instead of fault correction time-delay. A model aiming to integrate fault-detection processes and fault-correction processes, along with the incorporation of a fault introduction rate and testing coverage rate into the software reliability evaluation is proposed. The model parameters are estimated using the Least Squares Estimation (LSE) method. The descriptive and predictive performance of this proposed model and other existing NHPP SRGMs are investigated by using three real data-sets based on four criteria, respectively. The results show that the new model can be significantly effective in yielding better reliability estimation and prediction.

Abstract The rodent is one important component of an ecosystem; however, abundance of rodents may have negative effects to humans. Based on a seasonally breeding model and the logistic model, the effect of impulse lethal control and impulse contraception control on rodent population dynamics is investigated. The existence and stability of the periodic solution were analyzed. The condition of rodent population dying out is the same for lethal and contraception control. However, the process of rodent population tending to a stable periodic solution is different obviously. Under lethal control, the rodent population tends to a stable periodic solution more quickly, whereas under contraception control, the rodent population develops slowly.

Background Gout is the second most common metabolic disease affecting human health. The disease of gout is closely related to the level of uric acid, which is the end-product of human purine metabolism. Moreover, food is the main way of external ingestion of purine. Method A simple and time-saving method was developed to extract purines like adenine, hypoxanthine, guanine, and xanthine from marine fish by single factor design combined with Box–Behnken. The contents of these purines in the edible parts and internal organs of marine fish, as well as Scophthalmus maximus, were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography to investigate the relationship between the boiling process and purine content. Result The mixed-acid method was chosen for the extraction of purine bases and the extraction conditions were as follows: mixture acid 90.00% TFA/80.00% FA (v/v, 1:1); hydrolysis temperature 90.00 °C; time 10.00 min; liquid-to-solid ratio 30:1. The total purine content of the edible parts (eyes, dorsal muscles, abdominal muscles, and skin) was the highest in Scophthalmus maximus, followed by sphyraena, Sardinella, Trichiurus lepturus, Scomberomorus niphonius, Pleuronectiformes, Sea catfish, Anguillidae, and Rajiformes. Moreover, boiling significantly reduced the purine content in the marine fish because of the transfer of the purines to the cooking liquid during boiling. Scophthalmus maximus, Sphyraena, and Sardinella were regard as high-purine marine fish, which we should eat less. We also confirmed that boiling significantly transferred purine bases from fish to cooking liquid. Thus, boiling could reduce the purine content of fish, thereby reducing the risk of hyperuricemia and gout.

In this paper, ‘one-step’ molding process was used to prepare r-PET fiber-reinforced PE composites. Effects of compatibilizer HY-3308 and fiber content on interfacial properties, thermal properties, mechanical properties, and the fiber dispersion of the composites were studied. FTIR, contact angle test, and SEM results indicated that the compatibilizer improved the interfacial combination between the PET fiber and PE matrix. DMA, DSC, mechanical properties, density, and SEM results indicated that with an increase of HY-3308 content, bonding between the fiber and matrix became tight; the phase interface became blurred, and the mechanical properties were gradually improved. Such a ‘one-step method’ preparation of the r-PET fiber-reinforced PE composites is simple, which is beneficial for the industrialization of recycling processes for r-PET fiber.

Aims: Sorafenib, which has been used extensively for the treatment of renal cell cancer and advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), has also been shown to have antifibrotic effects in liver fibrosis. However, the effects of sorafenib on renal fibrosis are unknown. Therefore, we investigated whether sorafenib inhibited renal fibrosis in a mouse model of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) and further explored the potential mechanism. Methods: Mice underwent UUO followed by vehicle or sorafenib treatment. The expression of CD68, a macrophage marker, and the pro-inflammatory cytokines, MCP1 and CXCR3, were immunohistochemically analyzed. The involvement of macrophages in the formation of renal fibrosis was studied using confocal microscopy. Results: Renal histopathology improved in the UUO-sorafenib mice. Sorafenib notably suppressed TGF-β1-mediated renal fibrogenic effects. The mRNA and protein expressions of CD68, MCP1, and CXCR3 in the obstructed kidney were significantly decreased by sorafenib. Immunohistochemistry showed that CD68 and CXCR3 had a similar distribution, whereas MCP1 was observed predominantly in the tubular epithelial cells. Double immunofluorescence demonstrated that CD68-positive macrophages could co-localize with CXCR3. It also revealed that CXCR3 interacted with CXCL11 in the UUO mouse kidneys. Widespread adhesion of macrophages to myofibroblasts was markedly inhibited in UUO-sorafenib mouse kidneys. Conclusions: Taken together, the results indicated that sorafenib had protective effects against renal fibrosis; its mechanism of action was associated with inhibition of macrophage infiltration via the CXCR3/CXCL11 pathway. These data suggest the clinical potential of sorafenib for treatment of renal fibrosis and illustrate the immunological mechanisms underlying the protective effects of sorafenib.

Jahanyne, a lipopeptide with a unique terminal alkynyl and OEP (2-(1-oxo-ethyl)-pyrrolidine) moiety, exhibits anticancer activity. We synthesized jahanyne and analogs modified at the OEP moiety, employing an α-fluoromethyl ketone (FMK) strategy. Preliminary bioassays indicated that compound 1b (FMK−jahanyne) exhibited decreased activities to varying degrees against most of the cancer cells tested, whereas the introduction of a fluorine atom to the α-position of a hydroxyl group (2b) enhanced activities against all lung cancer cells. Moreover, jahanyne and 2b could induce G0/G1 cell cycle arrest in a concentration-dependent manner.