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Neurons are post‐mitotic cells, with microtubules playing crucial roles in axonal transport and growth. Kinesin family member 2c (KIF2C), a member of the Kinesin‐13 family, possesses the ability to depolymerize microtubules and is involved in remodelling the microtubule lattice. Myocyte enhancer factor 2c (MEF2C) was initially identified as a regulator of muscle differentiation but has recently been associated with neurological abnormalities such as severe cognitive impairment, stereotyping, epilepsy and brain malformations when mutated or deleted. However, further investigation is required to determine which target genes MEF2C acts upon to influence neuronal function as a transcription regulator. Our data demonstrate that knockdown of both Mef2c and Kif2c significantly impacts spinal motor neuron development and behaviour in zebrafish. Luciferase reporter assays and chromosome immunoprecipitation assays, along with down/upregulated expression analysis, revealed that MFE2C functions as a novel transcription regulator for the Kif2c gene. Additionally, the knockdown of either Mef2c or Kif2c expression in E18 cortical neurons substantially reduces the number of primary neurites and axonal branches during neuronal development in vitro without affecting neurite length. Finally, depletion of Kif2c eliminated the effects of overexpression of Mef2c on the neurite branching. Based on these findings, we provided novel evidence demonstrating that MEF2C regulates the transcription of the Kif2c gene thereby influencing the axonal branching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Verticillium wilt, a soilborne vascular disease caused by Verticillium dahliae , strongly affects cotton yield and quality. In this study, an isolated rhizosphere bacterium, designated Bacillus velezensis BvZ45-1, exhibited >46% biocontrol efficacy against cotton verticillium wilt under greenhouse and field conditions. Moreover, through crude protein extraction and mass spectrometry analyses, we found many antifungal compounds present in the crude protein extract of BvZ45-1. The purified oxalate decarboxylase Odx_S12 from BvZ45-1 inhibited the growth of V. dahliae Vd080 by reducing the spore yield, causing mycelia to rupture, spore morphology changes, cell membrane rupture, and cell death. Subsequently, overexpression of Odx_S12 in Arabidopsis significantly improved plant resistance to V. dahliae. Through studies of the resistance mechanism of Odx_S12 , V. dahliae was shown to produce oxalic acid (OA), which has a toxic effect on Arabidopsis leaves. Odx_S12 overexpression reduced Arabidopsis OA content, enhanced tolerance to OA, and improved resistance to verticillium wilt. Transcriptomics and quantitative real-time PCR analysis revealed that Odx_S12 promoted a reactive oxygen species burst and a salicylic acid- and abscisic acid-mediated defence response in Arabidopsis. In summary, this study not only identified B. velezensis BvZ45-1 as an efficient biological control agent, but also identified the resistance gene Odx_S12 as a candidate for cotton breeding against verticillium wilt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) may disproportionately suffer the adverse cardiovascular effects of air pollution, but relevant evidence on microvascular outcome is lacking. We aimed to examine the association between air pollution exposure and the risk of microvascular complications among patients with T2D. Methods This prospective study included 17 995 participants with T2D who were free of macro- and micro-vascular complications at baseline from the UK Biobank. Annual average concentrations of particulate matter (PM) with diameters <2.5 μm (PM2.5), <10 μm (PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) were assessed using land use regression models. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate the associations of air pollution exposure with incident diabetic microvascular complications. The joint effects of the air pollutant mixture were examined using quantile-based g-computation in a survival setting. Results In single-pollutant models, the adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) for composite diabetic microvascular complications per interquartile range increase in PM2.5, PM10, NO2 and NOx were 1.09 (1.04–1.14), 1.06 (1.01–1.11), 1.07 (1.02–1.12) and 1.04 (1.00–1.08), respectively. Similar significant results were found for diabetic nephropathy and diabetic neuropathy, but not for diabetic retinopathy. The associations of certain air pollutants with composite microvascular complications and diabetic nephropathy were present even at concentrations below the World Health Organization limit values. Multi-pollutant analyses demonstrated that PM2.5 contributed most to the elevated risk associated with the air pollutant mixture. In addition, we found no interactions between air pollution and metabolic risk factor control on the risk of diabetic microvascular complications. Conclusions Long-term individual and joint exposure to PM2.5, PM10, NO2 and NOx, even at low levels, was associated with an increased risk of diabetic microvascular complications, with PM2.5 potentially being the main contributor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High temperature warning indicators play a pivotal role in meteorological departments, serving as crucial criteria for issuing warnings that guide both social production and daily life. Despite their importance, limited studies have explored the relationship between different global warming levels and changes in high temperature warning indicators. In this study, we analyze data from 2,419 meteorological stations over China and utilize the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) models to examine historical changes in high temperature warning indicators used by the China Meteorological Administration. We evaluate model performance and estimate future changes in these indicators using an annual cycle bias correction method. The results indicate that since 1961, the number of high temperature days (TX35d and TX40d) and length of season (TX40d and TX40l) with daily maximum temperature reaching or exceeding 35°C and 40°C have increased over China. The intensity of high temperatures (TXx) has strengthened and the geographical extent affected by high temperatures has expanded. In 2022, the occurrence of 40°C high temperatures surges, with Eastern China experiencing a two-day increase in TX40d and an extended seasonal length in TX40l by over five days. While CMIP6 models have underestimated the high temperature indictors associated with 35°C during historical periods, notable difference is not observed between the models and observations for TX40d and TX40l, given their rare occurrence. However, future projections, after bias correction, indicate that the increasing trends for 35°C and 40°C high temperature days and length of season become more pronounced than the raw projection, suggesting a more severe increase than that anticipated originally. As global warming intensifies, the high temperature days and length of season are projected to increase non-linearly, while the intensity of high temperatures is expected to increase linearly. For every 1°C increase in global temperature, the intensity is projected to rise by approximately 1.4°C. The impact of high temperatures is expanding, with the major hotspot for China located in the eastern and northwestern regions. Under 5°C global warming, certain regions in China may experience prolonged extreme high temperatures. For instance, 40°C high temperature days in areas like North China and the Yangtze River Basin could increase by about 32 d, and the length of season could extend by approximately 100 d. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposed a single-stage AC-DC converter based on boost circuit and CLCL-T resonant converter for improving the performance of the LED driver. In practice, the two-stage LED driver is not suitable for low-power lighting applications. To overcome the problems, by integrating the boost power factor correction (PFC) circuit and CLCL-T resonant DC–DC converter, the proposed LED driver exhibits high efficiency and high reliability. The CLCL-T resonant converter can achieve soft-switching on the power switch and rectifier diode and reduce the switch losses at high frequencies. Operation principle, performance analysis and design considerations for the proposed LED driver are analyzed and discussed. The results indicate that the proposed single-stage LED driver is superior in terms of efficiency, volume and number of components. Finally, a 100-W experimental prototype is implemented, and the experimental results verify the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed LED driver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving the combination of multiple external stimuli responses and mechanical flexibility has become the current emerging research in the field of crystalline materials. Meanwhile, the modulation of its properties remains challenging. In this work, a 1‐[(E)‐[(6‐methyl‐1,3‐benzothiazol‐2‐yl) imino] methyl] naphthalen‐2‐ol (BNO) crystalline material is reported. The modulation of the mechanical elasticity and thermomechanical responses is achieved by means of polymorphism (form‐I and form‐II). Further, the structural basis of the 2D mechanical properties of form‐I is investigated. Meanwhile, two types of thermomechanical responses appearing in form‐I are explored in detail from the perspective of crystal structure and thermodynamics, and the second thermomechanical response during cooling is successfully predicted. Then, the acid response of the materials is endowed by molecular design, the fluorescence switch is realized through acid and thermal treatments. Finally, the active/passive dual‐mode optical waveguides of the materials are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Methods Results Conclusions To estimate the association between long‐term changes in frailty and the risk of incident type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and to evaluate the effect of preventing the worsening of frailty on the risk of T2DM.We included 348 205 participants free of baseline T2DM and with frailty phenotype (FP) data from the UK Biobank; among them, 36 175 had at least one follow‐up assessment. According to their FP score, participants were grouped into nonfrailty, prefrailty and frailty groups. Frailty assessed at baseline and at follow‐up was used to derive the trajectory of frailty (ΔFP). Cox regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).Compared with those in the nonfrailty group at baseline, the HRs of T2DM for the prefrailty and frailty groups were 1.38 (95% CI 1.33–1.43) and 1.69 (95% CI 1.59–1.79), respectively (both p < 0.001), in the multivariable‐adjusted model. During a median follow‐up of 5.4 years after the final assessment, data for 472 T2DM patients were recorded. A 1‐point increase in the final FP was associated with a 25% (95% CI 1.14–1.38; p < 0.001) increased risk of T2DM. For the trajectory of frailty, each 0.5‐point/year increase in ΔFP was associated with a 52% (95% CI 1.18–1.97; p < 0.001) greater risk of T2DM, independent of the FP score at baseline. Compared with those that remained in the nonfrailty group, the greatest risk of T2DM over time was prefrailty aggravation (HR 3.03, 95% CI 2.00–4.58; p < 0.001). Using the frailty index did not materially change the results.Long‐term changes in frailty were associated with the risk of incident T2DM, irrespective of baseline frailty status. Preventing the worsening of frailty may reduce T2DM risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the impact of geopolitical risk (GPR) on consumption-based carbon (CCO2) emissions as well as the moderating role of environmental policy stringency (EPS) on the above relationship. Based on data collected from 27 countries from 1990 to 2020, the basic results from the sample of the study indicate that GPR accelerates CCO2 emissions. Quantile regression results reveal that the effect of GPR is more pronounced in countries with higher CCO2 emissions. Moreover, EPS weakens the escalating effect of GPR on CCO2 emissions. The robust test results validate the findings reported in the basic regression model. The heterogeneity test indicates that the impact of GPR on CCO2 emissions is greater in developing countries compared in developed countries. The study also proposes these policy implications based on the findings: (1) countries should ensure a stable political environment, establish a robust legal system and promote energy transition; and (2) the scope of environmental taxes should be expanded where different tax rates should be imposed in order to be useful in reducing CCO2 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on developing an opinion-based explainable recommendation model, addressing challenges in understanding the complex relationship between user opinions and ratings and providing personalized explanations. Topics include joint modeling of user-item interactions for preference-aware rating prediction, alleviating sparsity issues in opinion prediction, and validating the model's effectiveness through experiments on popular datasets.

Low temperature is a major environmental factor limiting plant growth and crop production. Epigenetic regulation of gene expression is important for plant adaptation to environmental changes, whereas the epigenetic mechanism of cold signaling in rice (Oryza sativa) remains largely elusive. Here, we report that the histone deacetylase (HDAC) OsHDA716 represses rice cold tolerance by interacting with and deacetylating the transcription factor OsbZIP46. The loss-of-function mutants of OsHDA716 exhibit enhanced chilling tolerance, compared with the wild-type plants, while OsHDA716 overexpression plants show chilling hypersensitivity. On the contrary, OsbZIP46 confers chilling tolerance in rice through transcriptionally activating OsDREB1A and COLD1 to regulate cold-induced calcium influx and cytoplasmic calcium elevation. Mechanistic investigation showed that OsHDA716-mediated OsbZIP46 deacetylation in the DNA-binding domain reduces the DNA-binding ability and transcriptional activity as well as decreasing OsbZIP46 protein stability. Genetic evidence indicated that OsbZIP46 deacetylation mediated by OsHDA716 reduces rice chilling tolerance. Collectively, these findings reveal that the functional interplay between the chromatin regulator and transcription factor fine-tunes the cold response in plant and uncover a mechanism by which HDACs repress gene transcription through deacetylating nonhistone proteins and regulating their biochemical functions. The histone deacetylase OsHDA716 represses rice chilling tolerance by interacting with and deacetylating the transcription factor OsbZIP46, thus reducing its activity and protein stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between parental autonomy support and children's self-concept, and to explore the role of basic psychological needs in Chinese primary schools from the perspective of self-determination theory. A total of 3109 children aged 6–13 years participated in eastern China. The results indicated a significant correlation between parental autonomy support, basic psychological needs, and children's self-concept. Basic psychological needs play a partial mediating role between parental autonomy support and children's self-concept. Specifically, autonomy support varied by need types whereas parental control steadily played a negative predictive role. Parental autonomy support and control predicted children's self-concept differently through three basic psychological needs, with differences across gender and grades. Boys and elder children had stronger relationships to competence needs, while girls were sensitive to autonomy needs; in addition, both of them were sensitive to relatedness needs. The mediating effects model and cross-group analyses revealed the complex predictive role of parental autonomy support on children's self-concept in China, providing an effective entry point for cross-cultural research and family education to improve children's psychological well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Human estrogen-related receptor γ (hERRγ) is a key protein involved in various endocrines and metabolic signaling. Numerous environmental endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can impact related physiological activities through receptor signaling pathways. Focused on hERRγ with 4-isopropylphenol, bisphenol-F (BPF), and BP(2,2)(Un) complexes, we executed molecular docking and multiple molecular dynamics (MD) simulations along with molecular mechanics/Poisson-Boltzmann surface area (MM-PBSA) and solvation interaction energy (SIE) calculation to study the detailed dynamical structural characteristics and interactions between them. Molecular docking showed that hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions were the prime interactions to keep the stability of BPF-hERRγ and hERRγ-BP(2,2)(Un) complexes. Through MD simulations, we observed that all complexes reach equilibrium during the initial 50 ns of simulation, but these three EDCs lead to local structure changes in hERRγ. Energy results further identified key residues L268, V313, L345, and F435 around the binding pockets through CH-π, π-π, and hydrogen bonds interactions play an important stabilizing role in the recognition with EDCs. And most noticeable of all, hydrophobic methoxide groups in BP(2,2)(Un) is useful for decreasing the binding ability between EDCs and hERRγ. These results may contribute to evaluate latent diseases associated with EDCs exposure at the micro level and find potential substitutes. Method: Autodock4.2 was used to conduct the molecular docking, sietraj program was performed to calculate the energy, and VMD software was used to visualize the structure. Amber18 was conducted to perform the MD simulation and other analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oropharyngeal microbiomes play a significant role in the susceptibility and severity of COVID-19, yet the role of these microbiomes play for the development of COVID-19 Omicron variant have not been reported. A total of 791 pharyngeal swab samples were prospectively included in this study, including 297 confirmed cases of Omicron variant (CCO), 222 confirmed case of Omicron who recovered (CCOR), 73 confirmed cases of original strain (CCOS) and 199 healthy controls (HC). All samples completed MiSeq sequencing. The results showed that compared with HC, conditional pathogens increased in CCO, while acid-producing bacteria decreased. Based on six optimal oropharyngeal operational taxonomy units (OTUs), we constructed a marker microbial classifier to distinguish between patients with Omicron variant and healthy people, and achieved high diagnostic efficiency in both the discovery queue and the verification queue. At same time, we introduced a group of cross-age infection verification cohort and Omicron variant subtype XBB.1.5 branch, which can be accurately distinguished by this diagnostic model. We also analyzed the characteristics of oropharyngeal microbiomes in two subgroups of Omicron disease group—severity of infection and vaccination times, and found that the change of oropharyngeal microbiomes may affect the severity of the disease and the efficacy of the vaccine. In addition, we found that some genera with significant differences gradually increased or decreased with the recovery of Omicron variant infection. The results of Spearman analysis showed that 27 oropharyngeal OTUs were closely related to 6 clinical indexes in CCO and HC. Finally, we found that the Omicron variant had different characterization of oropharyngeal microbiomes from the original strain. Our research characterizes oropharyngeal microbiomes of Omicron variant cases and rehabilitation cases, successfully constructed and verified the non-invasive diagnostic model of Omicron variant, described the correlation between microbial OTUs and clinical indexes. It was found that the infection of Omicron variant and the infection of original strain have different characteristics of oropharyngeal microbiomes. Author summary: COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, was first discovered in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China in December 2019, causing a huge impact around the world. In the past three years, novel coronavirus has successively appeared many varieties through gene mutation, among which Omicron strain is the most popular variety. Studies have shown that the imbalance of microflora is closely related to the progress of novel coronavirus infection and the severity of clinical symptoms. In the previous study, we build database of oral-intestinal microbial metagenomics, immunome and metabolome of novel coronavirus Original Strain with mild, medium and severe clinical symptoms and healthy subjects, reveal the role and mechanism of the oral and intestinal microbiome in Original Strain infection and exacerbation, and build the model of susceptibility, severe warning and prognosis of Original Strain pneumonia which based on the microbiome-immunity-metabolism. Our research characterizes oropharyngeal microbiomes of Omicron variant cases and rehabilitation cases, successfully constructed and verified the non-invasive diagnostic model of Omicron variant. We also analyzed the characteristics of oropharyngeal microbiomes in two subgroups of Omicron disease group—severity of infection and vaccination times, and found that the change of oropharyngeal microbiomes may affect the severity of the disease and the efficacy of the vaccine. And we described the correlation between microbial OTUs and clinical indexes. At last, it was found that the infection of Omicron variant and the infection of original strain have different characteristics of oropharyngeal microbiomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article introduces UniTRep, a unified representation learning framework for career mobility analysis, aiming to address the lack of cross-scale interactions between talents and the labor market. Topics include leveraging trajectory hypergraphs for organizing career mobility patterns, attentively propagating market contextual features into individual trajectory modeling, and optimizing learning with self-supervised strategies.

Antiperovskite compounds with abundant magnetic phase transitions provide an ideal platform for exploring nontrivial magnetotransport responses. In this study, the anomalous Hall effect (AHE) in an antiperovskite (110)-oriented Mn3.19Ga0.81N1−δ film up to room temperature was observed, and an unusual sign reversal was detected in the Hall measurements. The AHE reversal suggests that the carrier reversal corresponds to a magnetic transition from a ferrimagnetic order to noncollinear antiferromagnetic order at about 240 K. Analysis of the scaling relation of AHE indicates that the sign reversal originates from the transition from the skew scattering dominated AHE to the intrinsic mechanism dominated AHE. These findings will inspire effective control of the magnetic configuration and innovative applications for manipulating carrier transport in spintronic memory devices based on antiperovskite films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the impact of macroprudential policies on ecological footprint (EF) in the top 11 largest countries. This study uses country-level panel data from these countries, covering the period from 1992 to 2020. Findings indicate that macroprudential policies alleviates ecological footprint in the sample. Macroprudential policies primarily reduce the ecological footprint before medium quantile (50%) while the environmental benefits of the policies end in the later quantiles. Moreover, environmental policy stringency (EPS) amplifies the positive influence of macroprudential policies on environmental sustainability. Estimate results stay the same with basic regression results in the post-global financial crisis (GFC) period while the impact is positive in the pre-GFC period. Finally, other robust tests validate the findings reported in basic regression model. This study suggests that governments should customize various types of macroprudential policies while also considering environmental concerns. The achievement of a sustainable environment can be facilitated by the combined effects of macroprudential policies and EPS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to critically assess existing risk prediction models for postoperative mortality in older individuals with hip fractures, with the objective of offering substantive insights for their clinical application. A comprehensive search was conducted across prominent databases, including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, SinoMed, CNKI, VIP, and Wanfang, spanning original articles in both Chinese and English up until 1 December 2023. Two researchers independently extracted pertinent research characteristics, such as predictors, model performance metrics, and modeling methodologies. Additionally, the bias risk and applicability of the incorporated risk prediction models were systematically evaluated using the Prediction Model Risk of Bias Assessment Tool (PROBAST). Within the purview of this investigation, a total of 21 studies were identified, constituting 21 original risk prediction models. The discriminatory capacity of the included risk prediction models, as denoted by the minimum and maximum areas under the subject operating characteristic curve, ranged from 0.710 to 0.964. Noteworthy predictors, recurrent across various models, included age, sex, comorbidities, and nutritional status. However, among the models assessed through the PROBAST framework, only one was deemed to exhibit a low risk of bias. Beyond this assessment, the principal limitations observed in risk prediction models pertain to deficiencies in data analysis, encompassing insufficient sample size and suboptimal handling of missing data. Subsequent research endeavors should adopt more stringent experimental designs and employ advanced statistical methodologies in the construction of risk prediction models. Moreover, large-scale external validation studies are warranted to rigorously assess the generalizability and clinical utility of existing models, thereby enhancing their relevance as valuable clinical references. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Disorders of immune system may impact cardiovascular health; however, comprehensive study is lacking. We aimed to analyse the association of total and 20 individual immune-mediated diseases (IMDs) with risk of incident cardiovascular disease (CVD). Methods In this prospective cohort study, 414 495 participants (55.6% women; mean age 55.9 years) from UK Biobank with baseline assessment at 2006–10 were included. Among them, 21 784 participants had prevalent IMDs. Information on IMDs at baseline and incidence of CVDs during follow-up were recorded. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the association between IMDs and CVDs risk. Results During the median follow-up of 12.1 years, there were 6506 cases of CVDs in participants with IMDs (29.9%) and 77 699 cases in those without IMDs (19.8%). After multivariable adjustment, participants with IMDs were significantly associated with an increased risk of total CVD [hazard ratio (HR) 1.57; 95% CI 1.52–1.61]. Among the 20 IMDs, 16 showed significant associations with CVD (all P  < 0.0025 after Bonferroni correction), with HR ranging from 1.34 (1.16–1.54) for celiac disease to 2.75 (2.10–3.61) for SLE. Participants with any IMD exposure had a higher risk of all individual CVD events, with HR ranging from 1.34 (1.14–1.58) for cerebral hemorrhage to 1.80 (1.54–2.11) for pericardium diseases. IMD duration <5, 5–10 and >10 years was associated with 55%, 59% and 56% increased risk of total CVD, respectively. Conclusion Total and individual IMDs were associated with an increased risk of overall CVDs. It is important to consider primary prevention of CVD in patients with IMD and dysregulation of immune system in the cardiovascular health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Ni(II) complex of 3,3′-(-(pentane-3,3-diylbis(1H-pyrrole-5,2-diyl))bis(diazene-2,1-diyl)) dipyridine, NiL, has been synthesized and characterized. In the crystal, the Ni(II) ion is in square-planar geometry by coordinating to two pyrrole nitrogen atoms and two azo nitrogen atoms. Anagostic C–H···Ni interactions, as well as C–H···N hydrogen bond were found play important role in the self-assembly of the complex molecules. The intermolecular interactions were evaluated by Hirshfeld surface analysis. Frontier molecular orbitals (HOMO and LUMO), their energy gap and associated reactive parameters were calculated to understand the properties of the complex. UV–Vis spectrum of the complex were also performed. Anagostic C–H···Ni interactions were found play important role in the crystal of the Ni(II) complex with 3,3'-(-(pentane-3,3-diylbis(1H-pyrrole-5,2-diyl))bis(diazene-2,1-diyl)) dipyridine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Colorectal, and gastric cancers have the second, and fourth mortality rates worldwide, respectively. Endoscopic screening is a crucial diagnostic tool for colorectal, and gastric cancers. Effective interventions can improve adherence to endoscopic screening in high-risk populations, which is important for cancer prevention and mortality reduction. This study aimed to identify interventions that could improve adherence to endoscopic screening for cancer in high-risk populations. Methods: Combination keywords including colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, screening adherence, and interventions were used to search for articles in PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and MEDLINE Complete. The review methodology was guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-SCR). Results: A total of 12 articles were included in this review: 9 randomized controlled trials(RCT) and 3 quasi-experimental studies(QEDs). Among the extracted studies, 11 were about colorectal cancer, and 1 was about gastric cancer. Most studies used lecture-based or Information Technology-based health education interventions. Narrative interventions have proven to be novel and effective approaches for promoting adherence to endoscopic screening. Health education interventions included cancer epidemiology, cancer risk factors, warning symptoms, and screening methods. Conclusion: All interventions involved were effective in increasing individual knowledge of cancer-related endoscopic screening, willingness to undergo screening, and screening behaviors. These findings provide a reference for designing endoscopy-related cancer screening interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractWe study the modeling and forecasting of high-dimensional functional time series (HDFTS), which can be cross-sectionally correlated and temporally dependent. We introduce a decomposition of the HDFTS into two distinct components: a deterministic component and a residual component that varies over time. The decomposition is derived through the estimation of two-way functional analysis of variance. A functional time series forecasting method, based on functional principal component analysis, is implemented to produce forecasts for the residual component. By combining the forecasts of the residual component with the deterministic component, we obtain forecast curves for multiple populations. We apply the model to age- and sex-specific mortality rates in the United States, France, and Japan, in which there are 51 states, 95 departments, and 47 prefectures, respectively. The proposed method is capable of delivering more accurate point and interval forecasts in forecasting multi-population mortality than several benchmark methods considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of world heritage conservation, there has been broad consensus on carrying out heritage conservation research on the basis of spatial integration and interregional and international cooperation. However, there are still many deficiencies in the integration of culture with the environment, regional economic and social development, and the regional, holistic and multimodal conservation and utilization of cultural heritage sites. In China, the Dongjiang-Hanjiang River Basin is a representative area of substantial cultural and ecological value for both Guangdong Province and the whole country. This paper uses the morphological spatial pattern analysis and the minimum cumulative resistance model to integrate cultural ecology sources and establish a cross-regional and large-scale cultural ecology network system that includes 1 main corridor, 22 important corridors and 17 secondary corridors. In addition, based on identified cultural landscape nodes and cultural ecology services, the economy of the cultural ecology corridor could be developed with large-scale co-construction, co-governance and shared working mechanisms to overcome administrative limits and realize the conservation and utilization of multimodal and large-scale heritage sites. This approach has strong theoretical and practical significance for innovative methods in cultural ecology research, as well as for new content in the research of Lingnan culture, ecosystem restoration, and the economic and social development of towns and villages. This article supplements unilateral studies of regional culture and ecology and demonstrates an in-depth application of cultural ecology theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of the development of structural defects is an important part of bridge structure damage diagnosis, and cracks are considered the most typical and highly dangerous structural disease. However, existing deep learning-based methods are mostly aimed at the scene of concrete cracks, while they rarely focus on designing network architectures to improve the vision-based model performance from the perspective of unmanned aircraft system (UAS) inspection, which leads to a lack of specificity. Because of this, this study proposes a novel lightweight deep convolutional neural network-based crack pixel-level segmentation network for UAS-based inspection scenes. Firstly, the classical encoder-decoder architecture UNET is utilized as the base model for bridge structural crack identification, and the hourglass-shaped depthwise separable convolution is introduced to replace the traditional convolutional operation in the UNET model to reduce model parameters. Then, a kind of lightweight and efficient channel attention module is used to improve model feature fuzzy ability and segmentation accuracy. We conducted a series of experiments on bridge structural crack detection tasks by utilizing a long-span bridge as the research item. The experimental results show that the constructed method achieves an effective balance between reasoning accuracy and efficiency with the value of 97.62% precision, 97.23% recall, 97.42% accuracy, and 93.25% IOU on the bridge concrete crack datasets, which are significantly higher than those of other state-of-the-art baseline methods. It can be inferred that the application of hourglass-shaped depth-separable volumes can actively reduce basic model parameters. Moreover, the lightweight and efficient attention modules can achieve local cross-channel interaction without dimensionality reduction and improve the network segmentation performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with the Hall effect on the asymptotic stability of the global solutions to an initial-boundary value problem of the planar compressible MHD system. In the case when the heat conductivity depends on the temperature in the form κ (θ) = θ β with β ∈ (0 , + ∞) , we show that the global large solutions decay exponentially in time to the equilibrium states without any restriction on the Hall coefficient ε . The exponential stability of the global large solutions still holds when the heat conductivity is a positive constant, provided the Hall coefficient is suitably small. As by-products, the vanishing limit of Hall coefficient is also justified in both cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the indications and efficacy of gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) as a salvage treatment for recurrent low-and high-grade glioma. Methods: This retrospective study of 107 patients with recurrent glioma treated with GKRS between 2009 and 2022, including 68 high-grade glioma (HGG) and 39 low-grade glioma (LGG) cases. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). The log-rank test was used to analyze the multivariate prognosis of the Cox proportional hazards model. Adverse reactions were evaluated according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.03. The prognostic value of main clinical features was estimated, including histopathology, Karnofsky performance status (KPS), recurrence time interval, target location, two or more GKRS, surgery for recurrence, site of recurrence, left or right side of the brain and so on. Results: The median follow-up time was 74.5 months. The median OS and PFS were 17.0 months and 5.5 months for all patients. The median OS and PFS were 11.0 months and 5.0 months for HGG, respectively. The median OS and PFS were 49.0 months and 12.0 months for LGG, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that two or more GKRS, left or right side of the brain and brainstem significantly affected PFS. Meanwhile, the KPS index, two or more GKRS, pathological grade, and brainstem significantly affected OS. Stratified analysis showed that surgery for recurrence significantly affected OS and PFS for LGG. KPS significantly affected OS and PFS for HGG. No serious adverse events were noted post-GKRS. Conclusion: GKRS is a safe and effective salvage treatment for recurrent glioma. Moreover, it can be applied after multiple recurrences with tolerable adverse effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invar alloys with zero thermal expansion (ZTE), isotropy, high operation temperature, and wide temperature range are of great significance in fields such as aerospace and modern industry. However, it is difficult to simultaneously meet the above characteristics in one material. The traditional methods like element or vacancies doping would increase the operation temperature but at the expense of ZTE behavior. Here, by the coherent coupling between two cubic phases, the isotropic ZTE metallic material with the higher cut‐off temperature (560 K) and a wide operation temperature range (ΔT = 200 K) is obtained in Fe2.75Co0.25PtB0.25. The operation temperature range is much higher than that of commercial Fe0.65Ni0.35 Invar alloy and meets the applications at elevated temperatures. High‐angle annular dark field images and synchrotron X‐ray diffraction prove that by the coherent interfacial coupling between the A1 and its coherent L12 nanodomains, the original negative thermal expansion or positive thermal expansion performances for them can be changed into the same ZTE performances. This thermal expansion regulation strategy realized by coherent coupling will lead to an innovative and significant revolution for ZTE design and promote its development and application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is a mitochondrial genetic disease with central vision loss as the main symptom. It is one of the diseases that cause vision loss and optic atrophy in young and middle-aged people. The mutations of these three primary mitochondrial mutations, m.11778G>A, m.14484T>C, and m.3460G>A, are the main molecular basis, but their pathogenesis is also affected by nuclear genes, mitochondrial genetic background, and environmental factors. This article summarizes the research progress on molecular pathogenesis, clinical symptoms, and treatment of LHON in recent years, aiming to summarize the genetic pathogenesis and clinical treatment points of LHON. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and tumor‐derived exosomes (TDEs) play an irreplaceable role in the metastatic cascade and preventing them from reaching distant organs via blood circulation helps to reduce the probability of cancer recurrence and metastasis. However, technologies that can simultaneously prevent CTCs and TDEs from reaching distant organs have not been thoroughly developed until now. Here, inspired by hemoperfusion, a pro‐metastatic derivative eliminator (PMDE) is developed for the removal of both CTCs and TDEs from the peripheral blood, which also inhibits their biodistribution in distant organs. This device is designed with a dual antibody‐modified immunosorbent filled into a capture column that draws peripheral blood out of the body to flow through the column to specifically capture CTCs and TDEs, followed by retransfusing the purified blood into the body. The PMDE can efficiently remove CTCs and TDEs from the peripheral blood and has excellent biocompatibility. Interestingly, the PMDE device can significantly inhibit the biodistribution of CTCs and TDEs in the lung and liver by scavenging them. This work provides a new perspective on anti‐metastatic therapy and has broad prospects in clinical applications to prevent metastasis and recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By studying both the microscopic physical and chemical typomorphic characteristics of typical mineral pyrite samples associated with representative gold deposits on the north-central margin of the North China Platform, this paper seeks to identify macroscopic metallogenic mechanisms of gold deposits and to reveal the formation mechanism of lattice gold in pyrite. Typomorphic characteristics of pyrite reveal that pyrite grain size has a negative correlation with gold content. Cubic pyrite, as the dominant crystal form, contains more gold than pentagonal dodecahedral pyrite. Both pyrite crystal forms and chemical compositions indicate that the replacement style of gold deposit formed in a low saturability, low sulfur fugacity, and at temperatures either much higher or much lower than its best forming temperature; comparatively, that of the quartz vein style of gold deposit occurred under conditions with the best temperature, rich in sulfur, and with high sulfur fugacity. The Au/Ag ratios of the pyrites show that both the replacement and quartz vein styles of deposits are mesothermal and hypothermal, while the Co/Ni ratios of the pyrites indicate that the quartz vein style is of magmatic-hydrothermal origin. The X-ray diffraction intensity of pyrite rich in gold is lower than that of pyrite poor in gold at the quartz vein style. In general, with an increase in gold content in pyrite, the total sum intensity ΣI decreases. The pyroelectricity coefficient has a negative correlation trend with the values of (Co + Ni + Se + Te)-As and (Co + Ni + Se + Te)/As. The pyrite pyroelectricity of the replacement style is N-type, indicating that it formed under low sulfur fugacity, while that of the quartz vein style is a mixture of P-N types, indicating that it formed under high sulfur fugacity. On the pyroelectricity-temperature diagram, pyrite of the replacement style is mainly distributed between 200 and 270 °C, while that of the quartz vein style varies between 90–118 and 274–386 °C, demonstrating a multistage forming process. In contrast to previous researchers' conclusions, the authors confirm the existence of lattice gold in pyrites through the use of an electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) test. Au in the form of Au+, entering pyrite as an isomorph and producing electron–hole centers, makes the centers produce spin resonance absorption and results in EPR absorption peak II. The intensity of auriferous pyrite absorption peak II has certain direct positive correlations with pyrite gold content. The #I and #III absorption peaks of pyrites possibly result from the existence of Ni2+ and/or Cu2+. γ1, γ2, and γ3 are the strongest and most typical absorption peaks of the infrared spectra of the pyrites. Generally, with the increase in gold content in the pyrite samples, γ1, γ2, and γ3 tend to shift to higher wavenumbers, and the gold content in the pyrite samples has a positive correlation with their relative absorbance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To carry out an in-depth analysis of the scientific research on infertility, we performed the first bibliometric analysis focusing on studies involving global literature on infertility during the period 2013–2022. Analysis of 33239 articles in the field of infertility showed a significant increasing trend in the number of publications over the period 2013–2022, with authors mainly from the USA and China. Shanghai Jiao Tong University published the most articles. This study is the first to analyze the global field of infertility (2013–2022) from multiple indicators by bibliometrics, thus providing new insights into the research hotspots and development trends in the field of infertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decade, non-participation in inter-state cases has been on the rise. While previous research on the topic has centred around the impact of states' non-participation, this article delves into the reasons behind non-participation. By analysing states' public statements, diplomatic documents, informal correspondence with adjudicators, as well as commentators' views, this article describes the evolution of reasons for non-participation. The research reveals that over time, more states refer to jurisdictional objections, doubts about the impartiality of adjudicators and concerns about the strategic use of judicial proceedings for achieving political goals as reasons for non-participation. Moreover, the reasons behind non-participation have become increasingly diverse. These findings suggest a growing sense of distrust and suspicion towards the use of international courts and tribunals to resolve inter-state disputes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To determine the role of plateletcrit as a potential biomarker for disease activity and treatment response in Takayasu arteritis (TAK). Methods: Totally, 215 newly diagnosed TAK patients were consecutively enrolled. Demographic data, clinical manifestations, laboratory and imaging examinations, and treatment strategy were recorded at baseline and at each visit during the 6‐month treatment period. Normal plateletcrit (0.1%–0.4%) and hyper‐plateletcrit (>0.4%) observed at baseline were used as group criteria. Results: At baseline, the overall plateletcrit was 0.32 (0.24–0.38)%, with a normal and high level observed in 172 (80.00%) and 43 (20.00%) patients, respectively. Baseline plateletcrit was significantly higher in patients with active disease and associated with inflammatory biomarkers, including erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C‐reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin (IL)‐6 (all p <.01). At 6 months, complete remission was achieved in 171 (79.53%) patients, and a significant decrease in plateletcrit was observed in these cases (p <.01). Patients with a normal baseline plateletcrit were more likely to achieve complete remission compared to those with a high baseline plateletcrit (HR = 4.65, 95% CI: 2.38–19.08, p <.01). In addition, ESR (p =.01) and IL‐6 (p =.02) levels were still higher in patients with a high baseline plateletcrit at 6 months. Progression of vascular lesions was indicated in 18 (8.37%) patients at 6 months, and these patients also had significantly higher baseline plateletcrit (p =.03). Conclusion: Plateletcrit levels were positively related to disease activity and inflammatory index in TAK. Importantly, patients with high baseline plateletcrit levels may show a worse treatment response at 6 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores how state-owned capital affects innovation investments in private firms, emphasising second-type agency costs and organisational redundancy. Results show that the innovation investment of private enterprises not only depends on whether state-owned capital participates. The increase in the proportion of state-owned capital holdings, the enhancement of checks and balances on private enterprises, and the prolongation of equity participation time will significantly increase innovation investment in private enterprises. Reducing the second type of agency cost for enterprises and improving the efficiency of utilising unabsorbed redundant resources are two important mechanisms. These results are further confirmed through robustness checks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dalbergia odorifera T. Chen is traditionally referred to as „Dalbergiae Odoriferae Lignum" in traditional Chinese medicine. Its quality is typically assessed subjectively based on colour and texture observations and lacks a universal grading system. Our objective was to establish a relationship between heartwood colour and the content of key constituents, including total flavonoids, six specific flavonoids, alcohol-soluble extracts, and volatile oils, to assess their impact on heartwood quality. Substantial correlations were observed between the colour depth (L*), red–green direction (a*), and yellow–blue direction (b*), as well as the content of the extract, volatile oil, total flavonoids, naringenin, formononetin, pinocembrin, and isoliquiritigenin. Specifically, a* was correlated with the extract, total flavonoids, and isoliquiritigenin, whereas b* was correlated with the extract, volatile oil, total flavonoids, naringenin, formononetin, pinocembrin, and isoliquiritigenin. The results suggested that L*, b*, and chemical composition indices, such as extract, volatile oil, total flavonoids, and naringenin, could serve as primary criteria for classifying the quality of medicinal materials. This is consistent with market classification based on colour and texture, which facilitates material identification and guides the cultivation, harvesting, and processing of D. odorifera. This study provides a scientific foundation for its future development and use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Pregnant women experience enormous psychological pressure, particularly during the late trimester. Symptoms of depression in late pregnancy may persist postpartum, increasing the incidence of postpartum depression. This study is aimed to investigate the factors influencing depressive symptoms among pregnant women in their third trimester at a Chinese tertiary hospital and provide information for effective intervention. Methods: Pregnant women in their third trimester who visited the Ningbo Women and Children's Hospital between January 1, 2020 and June 30, 2022 participated in this study. A score of ≥ 13 on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was considered as positive for depressive symptom. Potential influencing factors were examined by using an online questionnaire and analyzed using multivariate logistic regression. Results: A total of 1196 participants were recruited. The mean EPDS score was 7.12 ± 4.22. The positive screening rate for depressive symptom was 9.9%. Univariate analysis showed that living with partner, annual family income, planned pregnancy, sleep quality, and partner's drinking habits were related to positive screening for depression(P < 0.05). Furthermore, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that living away from the partner (odds ratio [OR]: 2.054, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.094–3.696, P = 0.02), annual family income < 150,000 Chinese Yuan (CNY; OR: 1.762, 95% CI: 1.170–2.678, P = 0.007), poor sleep quality (OR: 4.123, 95% CI: 2.764–6.163, P < 0.001), and partner's frequent drinking habit (OR: 2.227, 95% CI: 1.129–4.323, P = 0.019) were independent influencing factors for positive depression screening (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Family's economic condition, sleep quality, living with partner, and partner's drinking habits were related to positive depression screening in late pregnancy. Pregnant women with these risk factors should be given more attention and supported to avoid developing depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CO 2 injection in shale gas reservoir can not only increase the production of shale gas, but also realize carbon dioxide capture, utilization and storage. At present, most experimental studies of CO 2 injection in shale are carried out by conventional core experiments. However, it is difficult to analyze the process of CO 2 replacing shale gas and adsorption in shale pores on microscopic scale. In this study, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology is used to analyze the migration and conversion of CH 4 in process of CO 2 injection and depressurization production. Based on above experiments, microscopic mechanism of competitive adsorption of CH 4 and CO 2 during CO 2 injection is clarified, and the stimulation mechanism of CO 2 injection to improve shale gas recovery is further proposed. The results show that CH 4 preferentially exists in form of adsorption state in shale. When CH 4 adsorption amount reaches a certain degree, CH 4 gas in form of free state gradually appears. During depressurization stage, further depressurization failed to promote the desorption of adsorbed gas when pressure reduced to 3 MPa. Therefore, adsorbed CH 4 gas still exists after depressurization production. Shale has stronger adsorption capacity for CO 2 than CH 4. CO 2 can replace CH 4 adsorbed on the pore surface, and promote the desorption of adsorbed CH 4 gas to free state. CO 2 has the best displacement effect on adsorbed CH 4 in pores with diameter of 15.04–21.62 nm, but it fails to replace CH 4 in pores with diameter less than 1.08 nm. The competitive adsorption of CO 2 and CH 4 can effectively promote the further desorption of residual adsorbed CH 4 gas after depressurization, and significantly improve the cumulative shale gas production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A nonlinear semi-analytical scheme is proposed for investigating the finite-amplitude nonlinear sloshing in a horizontally baffled rectangular liquid container under the seismic excitation. The sub-domain method is developed to analytically derive the modal behaviors of the baffled linear sloshing. The viscosity dissipation effects from the interior liquid and boundary layers are considered. With the introduction of the generalized time-dependent coordinates, the surface wave elevation and velocity potential are represented by a series of linear modal eigenfunctions. The infinite-dimensional modal system of the nonlinear sloshing is formulated based on the Bateman-Luke variational principle, which is further reduced to the finite-dimensional modal system by using the Narimanov-Moiseev asymptotic ordering. The base force and overturning moment induced by the nonlinear sloshing are derived as the functions of the generalized time-dependent coordinates. The present results match well with the available analytical, numerical, and experimental results. The paper examines the surface wave elevation, base force, and overturning moment versus the baffle parameters and excitation amplitude in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The contouring of organs at risk (OARs) in head and neck cancer radiation treatment planning is a crucial, yet repetitive and time-consuming process. Recent studies have applied deep learning (DL) algorithms to automatically contour head and neck OARs. This study aims to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize and analyze the performance of DL algorithms in contouring head and neck OARs. The objective is to assess the advantages and limitations of DL algorithms in contour planning of head and neck OARs. Methods: This study conducted a literature search of Pubmed, Embase and Cochrane Library databases, to include studies related to DL contouring head and neck OARs, and the dice similarity coefficient (DSC) of four categories of OARs from the results of each study are selected as effect sizes for meta-analysis. Furthermore, this study conducted a subgroup analysis of OARs characterized by image modality and image type. Results: 149 articles were retrieved, and 22 studies were included in the meta-analysis after excluding duplicate literature, primary screening, and re-screening. The combined effect sizes of DSC for brainstem, spinal cord, mandible, left eye, right eye, left optic nerve, right optic nerve, optic chiasm, left parotid, right parotid, left submandibular, and right submandibular are 0.87, 0.83, 0.92, 0.90, 0.90, 0.71, 0.74, 0.62, 0.85, 0.85, 0.82, and 0.82, respectively. For subgroup analysis, the combined effect sizes for segmentation of the brainstem, mandible, left optic nerve, and left parotid gland using CT and MRI images are 0.86/0.92, 0.92/0.90, 0.71/0.73, and 0.84/0.87, respectively. Pooled effect sizes using 2D and 3D images of the brainstem, mandible, left optic nerve, and left parotid gland for contouring are 0.88/0.87, 0.92/0.92, 0.75/0.71 and 0.87/0.85. Conclusions: The use of automated contouring technology based on DL algorithms is an essential tool for contouring head and neck OARs, achieving high accuracy, reducing the workload of clinical radiation oncologists, and providing individualized, standardized, and refined treatment plans for implementing "precision radiotherapy". Improving DL performance requires the construction of high-quality data sets and enhancing algorithm optimization and innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the process of preparing textile composites by resin transfer molding (RTM) method, both the upper and lower surface of the mold will interact with the composite parts due to the mismatch of thermal expansion coefficient between the mold and the part, resulting in warpage deformation. To address this key technical problem, this article first studied the effect of mold on the warpage deformation of composite material under different fiber volume fractions. Then a mold–part interaction modeling method for RTM process with nonthermoelastic deformation is proposed. By introducing shear layers between the upper and lower surfaces of the mold and the composite part, a finite element simulation model for predicting the curing deformation of the component is established and experimentally verified. The results show that the effect of mold–part interaction on the warpage deformation of the composite decreases with increasing fiber volume fraction. Meanwhile, the proposed modeling method can avoid complete material characterization, and the comparison between experimental and simulation results proves that the model can accurately simulate the curing deformation of composite components under the same process conditions. Finally, the analysis reveals that the interaction caused by thermal mismatch between the composites and the mold is less related to the intermediate layup, but mainly related to the fiber orientation of the layup layer in contact with the mold. Highlights: The warpage deformation law of the mold on the composites with different fiber volume fractions is investigated.A mold–part interaction modeling method for a resin transfer molding process with nonthermoelastic deformation is proposed, where the mold stretching effect is represented by the cumulative effect of the interaction between the two layers on the upper and lower surfaces of the part. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most commonly used road-based homonymous entity matching algorithms are only applicable to the same scale, and are weak in recognizing the one-to-many and many-to-many types that are common in matching at different scales. This paper explores model matching for multi-scale road data. By considering the sources of various scales and landmark datasets, as well as the spatial relationships between the selected objects and the detailed features of the entities, we propose an improved matching metric, the summation product of orientation and distance (SOD), combined with the shape descriptor based on feature point vectors, the shape area descriptor based on the minimum convex hull, and three other indicators, to establish multiple multi-scale road matching models. Through experiments, the comprehensive road matching model that combines SOD, orientation, distance and length is selected in this paper. When matching the road dataset with a scale of 1:50,000 and 1:10,000, the precision, recall, and F-score of the matching result of this model reached 97.31%, 94.33%, and 95.8%, respectively. In the case that the scale of the two datasets did not differ much, we concluded that the model can be used for matching between large-scale road datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the increased employment of robots in modern society, path planning methods based on human–robot collaborative mobile robots have been the subject of research in both academia and industry. The dynamic window approach used in the research of the robot local path planning problem involves a mixture of fixed weight coefficients, which makes it hard to deal with the changing dynamic environment and the issue of the sub-optimal global planning paths that arise after local obstacle avoidance. By dynamically modifying the combination of weight coefficients, we propose, in this research, the use of fuzzy control logic to optimize the evaluation function's sub-functions and enhance the algorithm's performance through the safe and dynamic avoidance of obstacles. The global path is introduced to enhance the dynamic window technique's ability to plan globally, and important points on the global path are selected as key sub-target sites for the local motion planning phase of the dynamic window technique. The motion position changes after local obstacle avoidance to keep the mobile robot on the intended global path. According to the simulation results, the enhanced dynamic window algorithm cuts planning time and path length by 16% and 5%, respectively, while maintaining good obstacle avoidance and considering a better global path in the face of various dynamic environments. It is difficult to achieve a local optimum using this algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of multivariate space-time data collected from monitoring networks and satellites, or generated from numerical models, has brought much attention to multivariate spatio-temporal statistical models, where the covariance function plays a key role in modeling, inference, and prediction. For multivariate space-time data, understanding the spatio-temporal variability, within and across variables, is essential in employing a realistic covariance model. Meanwhile, the complexity of generic covariances often makes model fitting very challenging, and simplified covariance structures, including symmetry and separability, can reduce the model complexity and facilitate the inference procedure. However, a careful examination of these properties is needed in real applications. In the work presented here, we formally define these properties for multivariate spatio-temporal random fields and use functional data analysis techniques to visualize them, hence, providing intuitive interpretations. We then propose a rigorous rank-based testing procedure to conclude whether the simplified properties of covariance are suitable for the underlying multivariate space-time data. The good performance of our method is illustrated through synthetic data, for which we know the true structure. We also investigate the covariance of bivariate wind speed, a key variable in renewable energy, over a coastal and an inland area in Saudi Arabia. The is available online, including the R code for our developed methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Influenza H7N9 virus causes human infections with about 40% case fatality rate. The severe cases usually present with pneumonia; however, some present with central nervous system complications. Pneumonia syndrome is attributed to the cytokine storm after infection with H7N9, but the pathogenic mechanism of central nervous system complications has not been clarified. This study used immortalized human brain microvascular endothelial cells hCMEC/D3 to simulate the blood-brain barrier. It demonstrated that H7N9 virus could infect brain microvascular endothelial cells and compromise the blood-brain barrier integrity and permeability by down-regulating the expression of cell junction-related proteins, including claudin-5, occludin, and vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin. These results suggested that H7N9 could infect the blood-brain barrier in vitro and affect its functions, which could be a potential mechanism for the pathogenesis of H7N9 viral encephalopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neutralizing antibody plays a key role in protecting hosts from invasive pathogens and their virulent components. Current high-throughput assays for antibody screening are based on binding activities. However, those antibodies with high affinity may not have neutralizing activities. Subsequent functionality assays are necessary to identify neutralizing antibodies from binders with high affinity to their target antigens, which is laborious and time-consuming. Therefore, a versatile platform that can rapidly identify antibodies with both high binding affinity and neutralizing activity is desired to curb future pandemics like COVID-19. Results: In this proof-of-concept study, we adapted Saccharomyces cerevisiae to either display human antibodies on the yeast surface or secrete soluble antibodies into the cultivation supernatant under a controllable 'switch' through different carbon source induced promoters. Initially, an engineered chimeric-bispecific Fab antibody, derived from humanized nanobodies against both Clostridioides difficile toxin A and B (TcdA and TcdB), was successfully expressed either on the yeast cell surface or in the culture medium with intact bioactivity, suggesting the applicability of our system in antibody display and secretion. Next, a combinatorial Fab library was constructed from B cells isolated from a convalescent patient with a high serological neutralizing titer against TcdB. Following three rounds of magnetic bead enrichment and one round of flow cytometry sorting, antibodies against TcdB were enriched efficiently. We then sorted out single binders with high binding affinity and induced them to express soluble antibodies in culture medium. The neutralizing activity of culture supernatant was analyzed using cell-based assay immediately. This way, we rapidly identified two unique neutralizers (out of seven binders) that can neutralize the cytotoxicity of TcdB. Conclusion: The antibody screening platform described here simplifies the neutralizing antibody discovery procedure and will be an attractive alternative for screening functional antibodies against infectious diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The pre-operative non-invasive differential diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) mainly depends on imaging. However, the accuracy of conventional imaging and radiomics methods in differentiating between the two carcinomas is unsatisfactory. In this study, we aimed to establish a novel deep learning model based on computed tomography (CT) images to provide an effective and non-invasive pre-operative differential diagnosis method for HCC and ICC. Materials and methods: We retrospectively investigated the CT images of 395 HCC patients and 99 ICC patients who were diagnosed based on pathological analysis. To differentiate between HCC and ICC we developed a deep learning model called CSAM-Net based on channel and spatial attention mechanisms. We compared the proposed CSAM-Net with conventional radiomic models such as conventional logistic regression, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression, support vector machine, and random forest models. Results: With respect to differentiating between HCC and ICC, the CSAM-Net model showed area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) values of 0.987 (accuracy = 0.939), 0.969 (accuracy = 0.914), and 0.959 (accuracy = 0.912) for the training, validation, and test sets, respectively, which were significantly higher than those of the conventional radiomics models (0.736–0.913 [accuracy = 0.735–0.912], 0.602–0.828 [accuracy = 0.647–0.818], and 0.638–0.845 [accuracy = 0.618–0.849], respectively. The decision curve analysis showed a high net benefit of the CSAM-Net model, which suggests potential efficacy in differentiating between HCC and ICC in the diagnosis of liver cancers. Conclusions: The proposed CSAM-Net model based on channel and spatial attention mechanisms provides an effective and non-invasive tool for the differential diagnosis of HCC and ICC on CT images, and has potential applications in diagnosis of liver cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By continuously analyzing the performance data from PV systems, AI algorithms can swiftly identify deviations from expected behavior, such as PV module failures, inverter malfunctions, or shading issues. Leveraging the Internet of Things (IoT) technology, the system remotely monitors critical data such as PV currents, PV voltages, solar irradiance, and cell temperature. Solar Photovoltaic (PV) systems represent key and transformative technology at the forefront of the global shift towards sustainable energy solutions. In [[6]], Dhimish and Lazaridis introduced an innovative approach to estimating the shading ratio of PV systems, a critical parameter for identifying potential PV faults and degradation mechanisms. [Extracted from the article]

Impact sensors are widely used to detect grain loss in harvesters, and the impact sensors with array structure polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) films have been proven to significantly increase the detection efficiency. However, uneven sensitivity and clutters from non-impacted sensitive units seriously affect the detection accuracy. This article proposes a protective shell for the impact sensors with array structure PVDF films. To improve the performance of this kind of sensor, we optimized the structure through finite element simulations and particle impact tests. The vibration modes under three pasting methods of sensitive units were analyzed. The relationship between the hardness of the elastic layer and response performances was investigated. To suppress the clutters, a method of splitting the elastic layer was proposed. Then, we manufactured two optimized impact sensors with one layer and two crossed layers of PVDF films and tested their performances. The results demonstrated that the sensitivities of the gaps between the PVDF films are poor. But when excluding the gaps' data, the two sensors can meet the detection requirement. Accessories were proposed based on that characteristic to prevent particles from colliding with the gaps. After assembling the accessory, multi-grain impact tests showed that the root-mean-square errors (RMSEs) of the impact sensors with one layer and two crossed layers of PVDF films were 1.67% and 1.63%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the spatial distribution of irrigated croplands is crucial for food security and water use. To map land cover classes with high-spatial-resolution images, it is necessary to analyze the semantic information of target objects in addition to the spectral or spatial–spectral information of local pixels. Deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs) can characterize the semantic features of objects adaptively. This study uses DCNNs to extract irrigated croplands from Sentinel-2 images in the states of Washington and California in the United States. We integrated the DCNNs of 101 layers, discarded pooling layers, and employed dilation convolution to preserve location information; these are models which were used based on fully convolutional network (FCN) architectures. The findings indicated that irrigated croplands may be effectively detected at various phases of crop growth in the fields. A quantitative analysis of the trained models revealed that the three models in the two states had the lowest values of Intersection over Union (IoU) and Kappa, i.e., 0.88 and 0.91, respectively. The deep models' temporal portability across different years was acceptable. The lowest values of recall and OA (overall accuracy) from 2018 to 2021 were 0.91 and 0.87, respectively. In Washington, the lowest OA value from 10 to 300 m resolution was 0.76. This study demonstrates the potential of FCNs + DCNNs approaches for mapping irrigated croplands across large regions, providing a solution for irrigation mapping. The spatial resolution portability of deep models could be improved further by designing model architectures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute pediatric vasculitis affecting genetically susceptible infants and children. Although the pathogenesis of KD remains unclear, growing evidence links genetic susceptibility to the disease. Methods: To explore the genes associated with susceptibility in KD, we applied whole-exome sequencing to KD and control subjects from Yunnan province, China. We conducted association study analysis on the two groups. Results: In this study, we successfully identified 11 significant rare variants in two genes (MYH14 and RBP3) through the genotype/allele frequency analysis. A heterozygous variant (c.2650G > A, p.V884M) of the RBP3 gene was identified in 12 KD cases, while eight heterozygous variants (c.566G > A, p.R189H; c.1109 C > T, p.S370L; c.3917T > G, p.L1306R; c.4301G > A, p.R1434Q; c.5026 C > T, p.R1676W; c.5329 C > T, p.R1777C; c.5393 C > A, p.A1798D and c.5476 C > T, p.R1826C) of the MYH14 gene were identified in 8 KD cases respectively. Conclusion: This study suggested that nine variants in MYH14 and RBP3 gene may be associated with KD susceptibility in the population from Yunnan province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]