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The COVID-19 pandemic over recent years has shown a great need for the rapid, low-cost, and on-site detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In this study, an aptamer-based colloidal gold nanoparticle lateral flow test strip was well developed to realize the visual detection of wild-type SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins (SPs) and multiple variants. Under the optimal reaction conditions, a low detection limit of SARS-CoV-2 S proteins of 0.68 nM was acquired, and the actual detection recovery was 83.3% to 108.8% for real-world samples. This suggests a potential tool for the prompt detection of SARS-CoV-2 with good sensitivity and accuracy, and a new method for the development of alternative antibody test strips for the detection of other viral targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a malignant brain glioma characterized by a high number of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) within its tissues. These TAMs have a close relationship with tumor grade and prognosis. Targeting TAMs has been identified as a promising therapeutic strategy. However, TAM cells play both tumor-killing and tumor-promoting roles, making them a double-edged sword in the immune environment. The different subtypes of macrophages and their effects on the tumor microenvironment remain poorly understood. This study comprehensively elucidates the immunobiology of glioma-associated macrophages (GAMs), including their origin, classification, molecular mechanisms underlying glioma promotion and inhibition, polarization strategies, targeted therapy for GAMs and the current challenges and perspectives in immune modulation. Further research on macrophage function and mechanism may provide a new immunological basis for treating GBM patients and enhancing the efficacy of glioma immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a case study of monozygotic twins with XMEN syndrome, a congenital disorder that weakens the immune system and increases susceptibility to EBV infection and lymphoproliferation. The twins received anti-CD30 CAR T-cell therapy and achieved complete remission, although one twin later experienced disease progression. The study suggests that identifying MAGT1 deficiency in young patients with EBV-positive lymphoproliferative disease is crucial and that anti-CD30 CAR T-cell therapy may be a promising treatment option for XMEN patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma. The article also highlights the potential of gene-editing techniques and combining stem cell transplantation with CAR T-cell therapy, but further research is needed in these areas. [Extracted from the article]

Background: This study aimed to reveal the association between the gut microbiota (GM) and six diabetic complications: diabetic hypoglycemia; ketoacidosis; nephropathy; neuropathy; retinopathy; and Charcot's foot. Methods: GM data were obtained from the MiBioGen consortium and Dutch Microbiome Project while data on the six diabetic complications were obtained from the FinnGen consortium. Two-sample Mendelian randomization (TSMR) was performed to explore the association between GM and the common diabetic complications. Inverse MR analysis was conducted to examine the effect of diabetic complications on the identified GM. Sensitivity tests were conducted to validate the stability of the results. Finally, multivariate MR (MVMR) was performed to determine whether GM had a direct influence on the diabetic complications. Results: After multiple corrections, the inverse variance weighted (IVW) results predicted 61 suggestive markers between GM and six diabetic complications. In particular, the IVW results revealed that the Bacteroidia class and Bacteroidales order were positively associated with diabetic hypoglycemia while the Verrucomicrobiae class and Verrucomicrobiales order were positively associated with diabetic nephropathy. Based on the replication analysis, these results were identified to be stable. MVMR showed that the results remained stable after accounting for traditional risk factors. Conclusion: Extensive causal associations were found between GM and diabetic complications, which may provide new insights into the mechanisms of microbiome-mediated complications of diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our previous study found dementia as a significant risk factor for delirium development in elderly patients with hip fracture. However, the causal relationship between dementia and delirium remains unclear. To assess the causal relationship between delirium and dementia, we conducted a bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. Inversevariance weighted (IVW), weighted median, MR Egger, weighted mode, and simple mode were employed to conduct the MR analysis. Heterogeneity was assessed using the Cochran Q statistic in MR-Egger and IVW methods. Horizontal pleiotropy was examined via the MR pleiotropy residual sum and outliers (MR-PRESSO) and MR-Egger intercept tests. The forward MR analysis revealed a significant association between unclassified dementia (1.604 (1.326–1.941), p = 1.12 × 10−6), Alzheimer's disease (1.259 (1.128–1.405), p = 4.10 × 10−5), and dementia with Lewy bodies (1.121 (1.026–1.225), p = 0.011) with an increased risk of delirium. In the reverse MR analysis, delirium was also suggested to increase the risk of unclassified dementia (1.133 (1.066–1.204), p = 6.31 × 10−5) and vascular dementia (1.246 (1.075–1.444), p = 0.003). These significant results were further validated in the multivariable MR analysis. No evidence of heterogeneity or horizontal pleiotropy was observed (p > 0.05). (1) Limited to European populations. (2) Sample population overlap between delirium and dementia. (3) Not all dementia subtypes were causally associated with delirium. This study provides genetic evidence supporting a causal relationship between dementia and delirium, indicating that dementia may influence the risk of delirium while delirium may also increase the risk of dementia. • Dementia and delirium have a reciprocal causal relationship. • Unclassified dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and dementia with Lewy bodies raised delirium risk. • Delirium increased the risk of unclassified dementia and vascular dementia. • Mendelian randomization reveals genetic causality between dementia and delirium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies have indicated a heightened susceptibility to cataract and glaucoma among rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, while it remains uncertain whether RA is causally associated with cataract and glaucoma. A two-sample mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was used to investigate the causal associations between RA, cataract and glaucoma in European and East Asian populations. Methods: In the European population, genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics for cataract (372,386 individuals) and glaucoma (377,277 individuals) were obtained from the FinnGen consortium (R9), while RA summary data were derived from a meta-analysis of GWAS encompassing 97173 samples. In the East Asian population, summary data for cataract (212453 individuals), glaucoma (212453 individuals), and RA (22515 individuals) were sourced from the IEU Open GWAS project. Inverse-variance weighted (IVW, random-effects) method served as the primary analysis, complemented by MR‒Egger regression, weighted median, weighted mode and simple mode methods. Additionally, various sensitivity tests, including Cochran's Q test, MR‒Egger intercept, MR pleiotropy Residual Sum and Outlier test and leave-one-out test were performed to detect the heterogeneity, horizontal pleiotropy and stability of the analysis results. Results: Following stringent screening, the number of selected instrumental variables ranged from 8 to 56. The IVW results revealed that RA had an increased risk of cataract (OR = 1.041, 95% CI = 1.019–1.064; P = 2.08×10−4) and glaucoma (OR = 1.029, 95% CI = 1.003–1.057; P = 2.94×10−2) in European populations, and RA displayed a positive association with cataract (OR = 1.021, 95% CI = 1.004–1.039; P = 1.64×10−2) in East Asian populations. Other methods also supported those results by IVW, and sensitivity tests showed that our analysis results were credible and stable. Conclusions: This study revealed a positive causality between RA and the increased risk of cataract and glaucoma, which provides guidance for the early prevention of cataracts and glaucoma in patients with RA and furnishes evidence for the impact of RA-induced inflammation on ophthalmic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Converting CO2 to olefins is an ideal route to achieve carbon neutrality. However, selective hydrogenation to light olefins, especially single‐component olefin, while reducing CH4 formation remains a great challenge. Herein, we developed ZnZrOx/SSZ‐13 tandem catalyst for the highly selective hydrogenation of CO2 to light olefins. This catalyst shows C2=−C4= and propylene selectivity up to 89.4 % and 52 %, respectively, while CH4 is suppressed down to 2 %, and there is no obvious deactivation. It is demonstrated that the isolated moderate Brønsted acid sites (BAS) of SSZ‐13 promotes the rapid conversion of intermediate species derived from ZnZrOx, thereby enhancing the kinetic coupling of the reactions and inhibit the formation of alkanes and improve the light olefins selectivity. Besides, the weaker BAS of SSZ‐13 promote the conversion of intermediates into aromatics with 4–6 methyl groups, which is conducive to the aromatics cycle. Accordingly, more propene can be obtained by elevating the Si/Al ratio of SSZ‐13. This provides an efficient strategy for CO2 hydrogenation to light olefins with high selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Converting CO2 to olefins is an ideal route to achieve carbon neutrality. However, selective hydrogenation to light olefins, especially single‐component olefin, while reducing CH4 formation remains a great challenge. Herein, we developed ZnZrOx/SSZ‐13 tandem catalyst for the highly selective hydrogenation of CO2 to light olefins. This catalyst shows C2=−C4= and propylene selectivity up to 89.4 % and 52 %, respectively, while CH4 is suppressed down to 2 %, and there is no obvious deactivation. It is demonstrated that the isolated moderate Brønsted acid sites (BAS) of SSZ‐13 promotes the rapid conversion of intermediate species derived from ZnZrOx, thereby enhancing the kinetic coupling of the reactions and inhibit the formation of alkanes and improve the light olefins selectivity. Besides, the weaker BAS of SSZ‐13 promote the conversion of intermediates into aromatics with 4–6 methyl groups, which is conducive to the aromatics cycle. Accordingly, more propene can be obtained by elevating the Si/Al ratio of SSZ‐13. This provides an efficient strategy for CO2 hydrogenation to light olefins with high selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cold hole expansion is a crucial technology for enhancing the fatigue life of hole structures. This paper presents the design and optimization of a novel multi-convex hulls expansion tool for deep small holes in Inconel 718 superalloy using the finite element method (FEM) and experimental techniques. The results from the FEM model, which was used to investigate the compressive residual stress (CRS) distribution and contact force during the expansion process, indicate that the curved single convex hull (CSCH) structure is more suitable for deep small hole expansion (DSHE). However, accounting for the strength limitations of the actual expansion tool, a multi-convex hulls expansion tool structure was proposed. The FEM model was employed to compare the effects of various tool structures on the hole wall CRS distribution and the contact force during the expansion process. The obtained optimal parameters for enhancing deep small holes in Inconel 718 superalloy under high temperature and high load conditions are as follows: expansion section hull spacing l1 = 0.4 mm, taper ratio C = 0.008, number of convex hulls in the sizing section n = 10, and sizing section hull spacing l2 = 1 mm. Moreover, an optimized convex hull expansion amount allocation scheme was obtained through an experimental study. The results of the FEM simulations and experimental study demonstrate that the optimized multi-convex hulls expansion tool (with an expansion rate of 1.92%) can induce the formation of a high CRS layer and a refined surface without causing significant microcracks in the hole walls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Major depression (MD) is a well-recognized risk factor for delirium. However, observational studies cannot provide direct evidence of causality between MD and delirium. This study explored the genetic causal association between MD and delirium using two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR). Genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary data for MD were obtained from the UK Biobank. GWAS summary data for delirium were obtained from the FinnGen Consortium. Inverse-variance weighted (IVW), MR Egger, weighted median, simple mode, and weighted mode were used to perform the MR analysis. In addition, the Cochrane's Q test was used to detect heterogeneity in the MR results. Horizontal pleiotropy was detected using the MR-Egger intercept test and MR pleiotropy residual sum and outliers (MR-PRESSO) test. Leave-one-out analysis was used to investigate the sensitivity of this association. The IVW method showed that MD was an independent risk factor for delirium (P = 0.013). Horizontal pleiotropy was unlikely to bias causality (P > 0.05), and no evidence of heterogeneity was found between the genetic variants (P > 0.05). Finally, a leave-one-out test showed that this association was stable and robust. All participants included in the GWAS were of European ancestry. Due to database limitations, the MR analysis did not conduct stratified analyses for different countries, ethnicities, or age groups. We conducted a two-sample MR analysis and found the evidence of genetic causal association between MD and delirium. • A two-sample MR analysis was conducted to explore the causal effect between MD and delirium. • Inverse-variance weighted, MR Egger, weighted median, simple mode, and weighted mode were used to perform the MR analysis. • Heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy in the MR results were detected. • We found the evidence of genetic causal association between MD and delirium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Bismuth vanadate (BiVO 4), as the potential and prospective photocatalyst, has been limited by the issue of poor separation and transfer of charge carrier for photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) water oxidation. Here, a significant increase of surface injection efficiency for BiVO 4 is realized by the rationally designed Ni doped FeOOH (Ni:FeOOH) layer growing on BiVO 4 photoanode (Ni:FeOOH/BiVO 4), in which doped Ni2+ can induce partial-charge of FeOOH to serve as ultrafast transfer channel for hole transfer and transportation at the semiconductor/electrolyte interface. In addition, the Ni:FeOOH/BiVO 4 shows the η surface value of 81.6 %, which is 3.28-fold and 1.47-fold of BiVO 4 and FeOOH/BiVO 4 , respectively. The photocurrent density of Ni:FeOOH/BiVO 4 is 4.21 mA cm−2 at 1.23 V vs. RHE, with the onset potential cathodically shifting 237 mV over BiVO 4 and a long-term stability for suppressing surface charge recombination. The UPS and UV–Vis spectra have confirmed the type-II band alignment between Ni:FeOOH and BiVO 4 for promoting carrier transfer. This facile and effective spin-coating method could deposit oxygen evolution catalysts (OECs) availably onto photoanodes with enhanced PEC water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, has a broad host plant range and presents an extreme capacity for developing pesticide resistance, becoming a major economic pest in agriculture. Anticholinesterase insecticides still account for a big part of global insecticide sales. However, there is a growing concern about the serious resistance problems of anticholinesterase insecticides and their nontarget toxicity. In this study, structure-based virtual screening was performed to discover selective AChE inhibitors from the ChemBridge database, and 39 potential species-specific AChE inhibitor were obtained targeting T. urticae AChE, but not human AChE. Among them, compound No. 8 inhibited AChE from T. urticae , but not from human, and had an inhibitory activity comparable to that of eserine. Compound No. 8 had dose-dependent toxicity to T. urticae in glass slide-dipping assay and had significant mite control effects in a pot experiment, but required a high concentration to achieve similar control effects to spirodiclofen. The toxicity evaluation suggested that compound No. 8 had no acute toxicity on pollinator honey bees and natural predator N. californicus and did not affect strawberry growth in our assay. Compound No. 8 is a potential lead compound for developing novel acaricides with reduced nontarget toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recovery ratio of longwall top coal caving (LTCC) technology is an important measure of its effectiveness. However, the recovery ratio of single-opening sequential caving technology in thick and extra-thick coal seams needs improvement. To address this, an independent cluster-group caving technology is proposed in this study. Four numerical simulation experiments were conducted to compare the recovery ratio and drawing balance of four-opening independent cluster-group caving technology and single-opening sequential caving technology. Results show that the recovery ratio in four-opening independent cluster-group caving technology is approximately 6% higher than in single-opening sequential caving technology when the thickness of the broken gangue layer and the coal seam are the same. Additionally, a judgment formula for the broken immediate roof thickness is provided when the top coal recovery ratio is seriously affected. The independent cluster-group caving technology demonstrates stronger stability and better adaptability under different conditions, as its caving sequence can prevent larger thickness changes and gangue disturbances during the drawing process. Overall, this study highlights the potential of independent cluster-group caving technology to improve the recovery ratio of LTCC technology in thick and extra-thick coal seams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To propose a support stiffness based method for improving the stability of coal wall, static stiffness of the support and fracture development of the coal wall are monitored during retraction period of a panel in the second coal mine of Zhaogu coalfield. It is revealed that the range of support stiffness falls between 50 and 450 MN/m. In face length direction, support stiffness is characterized by three zones. It is small in the middle section while large magnitude is observed at two end areas. Fracture development of the coal wall is detected by geological radar, which reveal that fracture development is high in the middle section, and a decreasing trend is experienced from the middle to side areas. Such results imply face stability is strongly influenced by support stiffness. Based on such understanding, mechanical model for supporting system of the longwall face is established by considering the stiffness. The results demonstrate that roof pressure transferred onto the coal wall is negatively related to support stiffness. Then, in situ monitored relationship between support stiffness and fracture development of the coal wall is reasonably explained. Moreover, numerical modeling is carried out to validate the influence of support stiffness on face stability, and the results show the minimum support stiffness is proposed to be 100 MN/m for the target panel. The study provides a new method for selecting support stiffness in longwall panel with similar geological conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing support is one of the unique equipment for longwall top coal caving (LTCC) technology in coal mine, whose structure has a significant effect on the top coal drawing mechanism. This research systemically investigates the effect of the dip angle of shield beam (α), length ratio of shield beam to tail beam (RL), and rotation angle of tail beam (β) on the top coal recovery, drawing body and top coal boundary by using particle flow code (PFC2D). The results show that the variation of α and β has a greater effect on the top coal drawing mechanism, the ideal α should be about 55°, RL is within the range of 0.8–1.0, and the tail beam rotates at a small angle range, which is beneficial to the top coal drawing in the panel. When α is large while RL is small, the volume of the initial drawing body gradually increases. With the increase of drawing height, volumes of drawing body under different β all plot an increasing trend with an incremental growth ratio. With increasing RL, the initial top coal boundary on the goaf side experiences the change of “upward concave-nearly linear-upward concave”, while that on the support side shows a curve with a fast-changing slope and closes to the vertical central line of drawing opening. The research results have important theoretical and field guiding significance for the selection and design of hydraulic support in LTCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Illuminance is a key factor in optical sorting in underground coal mining, since it affects the image grayscale and texture features, especially for objects that are sensitive to light, such as bright coal. Appropriate illuminance is beneficial for improving the accuracy of image-based rock mixing ratio estimation, which is essential for optical sorting in underground coal mining. In this study, an image acquisition system with controllable illuminance was established. Groups of images were obtained under six illuminance conditions: 3180, 10780, 17730, 24200, 30700, and 35600 lx. MATLAB code was developed to segment an image and extract image features from each segmented subregion. The relations between illuminance and the image features for bright coal were quantified. The differences in the features between bright coal and sandstone were discussed. Two theoretical models, including area model and volume model, were used for estimating rock mixing ratio of the digital image. Our main conclusions are as follows. In general, the image features of bright coal blocks are different from those of sandstone blocks. There were significant differences between bright coal and sandstone for the variance under 24200 lx, the kurtosis under 10780 lx, and the fractal dimension under 3180 lx. Therefore, the proper illuminance is necessary for accurately determining the image features of bright coal and could even moderately increase the differences in the image features between bright coal and sandstone. Rock mixing ratio obtained by the area model is in better agreement with the manual results than volume model in this study. This research is of great significance as it presents a novel idea for improving the accuracy of optical sorting for underground mining. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although classical morphological classification within the Characidae has long history, this taxonomic perspective is now challenged when using mitochondrial genes to investigate phylogeny of this family. We discovered the problems of classical taxonomic systems from the point of mitochondrial genome of Characidae species. Here, six newly sequenced complete mitogenomes of Characidae (H. armstrongi, H. ocellifer, H. amapaensis, H. anisitsi, H. socolofi, and P. riddlei) are presented. The six mitogenomes were all typical circular molecule, with total lengths ranging from 16,789 to 18,141 bp. Base composition analysis suggested that the mitochondrial sequences were biased toward A and T, with A + T content ranged from 57.40% for H. anisitsi to 60.38% for H. ocellifer. The Bayesian analysis based on sequences of 35 different mitogenomes did not fully support the arrangement of genera within Characidae family. These results might indicate some problems with the current taxonomic system of Characidae, and contribute to further studies on the Characidae phylogeny. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To calibrate non-contact sensors with fast response and high scale factor, it is critical to develop step pulse generators capable of generating standard high voltage step pulses and accurately measuring the generated waveform. In this paper, two types of step pulse generators are designed with output voltages of 2 kV and 100 kV. The 2 kV step pulse generator can generate a step pulse with a rise time of ∼300 ps and an adjustable pulse width. A step pulse with a rise time less than 5 ns and a pulse width over 1 μs can be generated with the 100 kV step pulse generator. The uncertainty of 2 kV step pulse generator is then analyzed by simulations and experiments. Finally, a performance comparison with step pulse generators in previous studies is carried out. Bandwidth, linearity and repeatability of the sensors can be verified with the designed two step pulse generators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In complex driving scenarios, automated vehicles should behave reasonably and respond adaptively with high computational efficiency. In this paper, a computational efficient motion planning method is proposed, which considers traffic interaction and accelerates calculation. Firstly, the behavior is decided by connecting the points on the unequally divided road segments and lane centerlines, which simplifies the decision-making process in both space and time span. Secondly, as the dynamic vehicle model with changeable longitudinal velocity is considered in the trajectory generation module, the C/GMRES algorithm is used to accelerate the calculation of trajectory generation and realize on-line solving in nonlinear model predictive control. Meanwhile, the motion of other traffic participants is more accurately predicted based on the driver's intention and kinematics vehicle model, which enables the host vehicle to obtain a more reasonable behavior and trajectory. The simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a cluster of pebbles to generate clumps is a common procedure to explore granular particles' micro- or macro-scale mechanical responses in DEM simulations. The struggle is to balance the number of pebbles and the shape accuracy of generated clumps compared to the original particles. A low-cost multi-image-based method is adopted in this paper to extract 3D triangular networks of original particles. A voxel-based clump generation method, namely V-CLUMP, is developed to generate clumps based on triangular networks. The operations, such as gradual discretization, surface cell optimization, and candidate pebble hollowing out, are proposed to improve the accuracy and efficiency of clump generation. The ideal of corner preserving is also adopted, and a novel image-based method to detect corners and ridges of particles or clumps is proposed in this paper. Clumps for four idealized geometrical shapes and five quintessential particles are generated using the V-CLUMP. The parameters, including the number of pebbles, volume, projection area, sphericity, roundness, and roughness, are used to evaluate the performance of the clump generation method proposed in this study. The result shows that the absolute value of the errors for most generated clumps with 30 to 120 pebbles in macro-scale descriptors, i.e., volume, projection area, and sphericity, are less than 6%. A better result of meso- and micro- descriptors, i.e., roundness and roughness, can be obtained by selecting optimum clump generation parameters. The code takes less than one second to a few minutes, within the acceptable limits. However, pebble hollowing out and corner detecting are still time-consuming, and more efficient algorithms are needed to improve the performance of the operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• MR analysis revealed 196 immune cell signatures were associated with types of OA. • Reverse MR showed the impact of OA on the levels of 140 immune cell signatures. • OA shares genetic variants with some immune cell characteristics. Previous investigations have explored the associations between immune cell signatures and osteoarthritis (OA); however, causality remains unclear. This study employs an integrated analysis, combining bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) and Bayesian colocalization (Coloc), to investigate causal relationships between 731 immune cells signatures and OA, identifying shared causal variants. Utilizing publicly available summary data, this study primarily employs inverse variance weighting (IVW). Supplementary methods include MR-Egger regression, weighted median, weight mode, and simple mode. Various sensitivity tests, including Cochran's Q test, MR pleiotropy Residual Sum and Outlier, and leave-one-out tests, were conducted to assess the robustness of the analysis results. Coloc was employed to identify shared causal genetic variants among potential associations. IVW analysis revealed 196 immune cell signatures potentially linked to OA across diverse subtypes. Reverse MR analyses indicated the causal impact of OA on the levels of 140 immune cell signatures, with subtype-specific variations. Notably, several specific associations, including CD64 on CD14-CD16 + monocyte for Hip OA (OR = 1.0593, 95 % CI: 1.0260–1.0938, P = 0.0004), HLA-DR on CD14 + CD16- monocyte (OR = 0.9664, 95 % CI: 0.9497–0.9834, P = 0.0001), HLA-DR on CD14 + monocyte (OR = 0.9680, 95 % CI: 0.9509–0.9853, P = 0.0003) in the Knee or Hip OA, PDL-1 on CD14-CD16 + monocyte by All OA (OR = 1.7091, 95 %CI:1.2494–2.3378, P = 0.0008), and herpesvirus entry mediator on effector memory CD4 + T cell by Spine OA (OR = 0.5200, 95 %CI:0.3577–0.7561, P = 0.0006) remained significant post-Bonferroni correction. Sensitivity tests validated the credibility of the IVW analysis. Additionally, Coloc revealed several potential associations among shared genetic variants, including rs115328872, rs1800973, and rs317667. Our findings provide evidence for the potential involvement of immune cell signatures in OA development, revealing avenues for early prevention and innovative therapeutic strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aerodynamic flow fields reveal essential physical insights (such as shocks) that substantially affect aerodynamic performance. However, conventional flow field computations require time-consuming simulations. Alternatively, reduced-order models (ROMs) allow fast flow field predictions, enabling real-time decision-making. Efficient sampling is required to train ROMs without incuring prohibitive costs. In this paper, we propose a fully automated optimal experimental design (Auto-OED) strategy on proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) for ROM-based rapid flow field predictions. Auto-OED uses two individual optimal experimental design (OED) strategies, automatically selects the number of POD bases for the first sampling strategy, and intelligently switches to the second strategy on the fly. We showcased the Auto-OED strategy on airfoil flow field predictions in the transonic regime. OED-based ROMs were constructed over 20 trials for robustness tests with a total of 40 training samples in each trial, including 16 random initial samples by Latin hypercube sampling (LHS) and 24 OED samples. The results demonstrated that the ROM predictions completely based on LHS had an error of 1.6 × 10 − 3 while the existing OED strategies-based ROMs over 20 trials achieved a mean error (μ err) of 7.5 × 10 − 4 with a standard deviation (σ err) of 9.0 × 10 − 5. In contrast, the best Auto-OED ROM achieved the lowest μ err of 7.5 × 10 − 4 and lowest σ err of 6.2 × 10 − 5. These error reductions confirm the viability of the proposed Auto-OED-based ROM in fluid field predictions and potentially other engineering applications of a similar type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the arrival of the "von Neumann bottleneck," neuromorphic systems are receiving a lot of attention from scholars as an innovative technology by mimicking the massive parallelism and low‐power operation of the human brain. Herein, a floating‐gate‐like device constructed by the InSe/hBN/O2‐hBN van der Waals heterostructure, where the defective O2‐hBN plays the central role to trap charges, is proposed. This well‐designed device is proved to realize the synaptic functions under UV laser irradiation, such as short‐term plasticity (STP), long‐term plasticity (LTP), paired‐pulse facilitation (PPF), and long‐term potentiation/long‐term depression (LTP/LTD). Especially, the synaptic weight of excitatory postsynaptic current (EPSC) reaches as high as 104%, it reaches the highest standard of this kind of device in recent years, and remains above 300% synaptic weight after 200 s, thus successfully imitating the LTP in biological synapses. The key factors of LTP/LTD curves are overall excellent and can be optimized with input pulses: nonlinearity value can reach 3.32/2.35, and Gmax/Gmin above 10 is achieved. The InSe floating‐gate‐like device with O2‐hBN layer provides an alternative for better and more practical synaptic performances in the field of neuromorphic architectures based on 2D materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We sequenced the complete mitochondrial genomes of Lycosa shansia, and Lycosa singoriensis by combining Sanger and next-generation sequencing methods and analyzed the sequenced genomes in order to explore the phylogenetic placement and the mitogenome composition and evolution of these species. The mitochondrial genome of L. shansia was 14,638 bp, whereas that of L. singoriensis was 13,686 bp. The type of genes and direction of the coding strand present in the mitogenomes were the same as those in other species of Lycosoidea, including two ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs), 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), and 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs). The mitogenomes of the two species exhibited negative AT and positive GC skews. This indicated that the nucleotide compositions of the mitogenomes of L. singoriensis and L. shansia tended to be T and G. Both the mean and median values of Ka/Ks of ATP8 were the highest among the 13 protein-coding genes, indicating that it might have evolved more rapidly than the other protein-coding genes in both species. ATP8 may have undergone more relaxed selection constraints and accumulated more mutations. In addition, many tRNAs lacked T and D stem loops; a few had no acceptor stems. The assessed species were recovered nested within Lycosidae with high support. The present findings will be useful for future studies on the mitogenome evolution of spiders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Image quality enhancement aims to recover rich details from degraded images, which is applied into many fields, such as medical imaging, filming production and autonomous driving. Deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have enabled rapid development of image quality enhancement. However, most existing CNN‐based methods lack versatility when targeting different subtasks in terms of the design of networks. Besides, they often fail to balance precise spatial representations and necessary contextual information. To deal with these problems, this paper proposes a novel unified framework for low‐light image enhancement, image denoising and image super‐resolution. The core of this architecture is a residual hybrid attention block (RHAB), which consists of several dynamic down‐sampling modules (DDM) and hybrid attention up‐sampling modules (HAUM). Specifically, multi‐scale feature maps are fully interacted with each other with the help of nested subnetworks so that both high‐resolution spatial details and high‐level contextual information can be combined to improve the representation ability of the network. Further, a hybrid attention network (HAN) is proposed and evaluations on three separate subtasks demonstrate its good performance. Extensive experiments on the authors' synthetic dataset, a more complex version, show that the authors' method achieve better quantitative and visual results compared to other state‐of‐the‐art methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Table tennis matches consist of many stroke sequences where two players hit the ball interactively and consecutively until one fails to hit the ball. Players usually employ many complicated playing techniques at each stroke in highly antagonistic, variable, and flexible matches. In-depth comparative analyses of players' stroke sequences are necessary to obtain insights into the technical playing patterns of players. Experts commonly use spreadsheets to browse and compare strokes one by one, and this process is tedious and prone to errors. Statistical analyses are limited to well-defined patterns (e.g., value distribution and relation significance) and fail to present complex and peculiar patterns. We collaborated with experts to dig out soft patterns of stroke sequences and proposed a novel interactive visualization system to present and compare the patterns. The main visualization challenge is to display the multivariate stroke sequence and the spatial variation patterns. We designed a glyph-based pattern view to solve the challenge. These comprehensible visualizations and coordinated views in the system allow efficient comparative analysis of stroke sequence patterns and are highly commended by domain experts, who have identified several new and interesting patterns using the system. We demonstrated the effectiveness and usability of the visualization system through case studies with table tennis experts.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the growing popularity of visualizations in various fields, visualization comprehension has gained considerable attention. In this work, we focus on the effect of data size and pattern salience on comprehension of scatterplot, a popular visualization type. We began with a preliminary study in which we interviewed 50 people in terms of comprehension difficulties of 90 different visualizations. The results reveal that data size is one of the top three factors affecting visualization comprehension. Besides, the effect of data size probably depends on the pattern salience within the data. Therefore, we carried out our experiment on the effect of data size and data-related pattern salience on three intermediate-level comprehension tasks, namely finding anomalies, judging correlation, and identifying clusters. The tasks were conducted on the scatterplot due to its familiarity to users and ability to support diverse tasks. Through the experiment, we found a significant interaction effect of data size and pattern salience on the comprehension of the trends in scatterplots. In specific conditions of pattern salience, data size impacts the judgment of anomalies and cluster centers. We discussed the findings in our experiment and further summarized the factors in visualization comprehension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Frozen poultry meat is the most widely consumed animal‐based food. However, water loss often leads to quality loss of poultry meat. Therefore, the present study sought to investigate the combined effect of calcium chloride (CaCl2) and pulsed electric fields (PEF) treatment on chicken breast meats and the mechanisms underlying protein degradation. The results showed that the synergistic effect was superior to the single treatment. Compared with the untreated group, the combination of CaCl2 and PEF increased water holding capacity of chicken breast meats by 16.61% and decreased cooking loss by 28.93%. Low‐field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF‐NMR) results indicated that the synergistic treatment promoted water molecules' binding capacity in myofibrils of poultry meat, which exhibited higher immobilised water. Additionally, the combination of CaCl2 and PEF led to increased degradation of proteins of high‐molecular weight and surface hydrophobicity of myofibrillar protein. Furthermore, the extension of the protein molecule and microenvironmental changes promoted interaction between protein and water. In conclusion, the synergistic treatment of CaCl2 and PEF enhanced water retention and improved physicochemical properties of the myofibrillar protein in chicken breast meats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The elastic solutions of isotropic complex noncircular deep or shallow tunnels are obtained by the complex variable theory in this paper. In the solution procedure, the mapping function in the form of power series is adopted and Cauchy integral formulas are widely applied to simplify the calculation. The unified solutions expressions for the mapping function with any number of series terms (namely the solving accuracy) are presented. When the terms number of the mapping function is determined, the solutions are accurate for the tunnels considering the influence of local rock gravity, as they are derived by analysis without any approximation and numerical method. Compared to previous analytical method that maps tunnels and surface boundary to rings, the surface boundary conditions of this method are not fully satisfied but the coefficients of the mapping function used are easier to solve, requiring fewer series, and the solution process is simpler and faster. Therefore, it is more suitable for deep and shallow rock tunnels that are not near the surface. Semi-circle arch, three-centered arch, horseshoe shape, asymmetric trapezoid and ‘C’ shape tunnels are analyzed as examples, and the validity of the results is verified by comparing the analytical solution obtained with the FEM numerical solution calculated in ANSYS software. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's 2060 carbon neutrality goal has significant implications for energy, water, and land systems. However, the multi-sector dynamics among China's energy-water-land system have rarely been examined explicitly. This study adopts an integrated assessment framework to simulate China's energy-water-land system co-evolution under alternative carbon neutrality scenarios and climate impacts. Results show that although the net zero emission target provides the incentive for the energy system to move away from fossil fuels, total water withdrawal will increase due to the deployment of nuclear, bioenergy, and coal power plants with carbon capture and storage. Diversifying the negative emission technologies, by leveraging direct air capture technology, can alleviate the potential water stress and land use conflicts, which would otherwise be exacerbated by large-scale deployment of afforestation and bioenergy with carbon capture and storage. Northwest and northeast regions of China are the hotspots experiencing water withdrawal increases, while Bohai Rim and coastal regions are identified to experience fierce land competition. This study demonstrates the potential for general applicability to carry out resource planning and policy evaluation from the multi-sector coordination perspective. • Water-intensive electricity generation technologies drive up water withdrawal. • Diversifying negative emission technologies can reduce the impacts on water system. • Climate policy imposes more significant impacts than climate change. • Water withdrawal increases concentrate in Northwestern and Northeastern China. • Land competition mostly occurs in China's population-dense area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • CQDs/TiO 2 /WO 3 is designed on the basis of dual alignment and charge distribution. • TiO 2 epitaxially grow on WO 3 with ~3% lattice mismatch to form heterojunction. • The built-in field of TiO 2 /WO 3 can inhibit bulk recombination with band alignment. • CQDs can extend visible light absorption and shift onset potential cathodically. • PEC water splitting performance of CQDs/TiO 2 /WO 3 has been significantly improved. Photoanode is the key issue for photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) water splitting and organics degradation. However, it always faces several restrictions including severe photocorrosion, low charge separation and transfer efficiencies, poor visible light harvesting, and sluggish interfacial reaction kinetics, which often required a variety of modifications with only low improvements achieved. Herein, a high performance CQDs/TiO 2 /WO 3 photoanode was designed on the basis of density function theory (DFT) alignment of lattice parameters and energy band, and charge distribution. The TiO 2 /WO 3 heterojunction can abate photocorrosion through the hetero-epitaxial growth of TiO 2 (0 0 1) on WO 3 (0 0 2) for the lattice mismatch <3% eliminating dangling bonds, with high corrosion resistance and photostability of TiO 2. As the built-in field constructed by a staggered band alignment structure with the valence band offset (VBO) of 0.51 eV, the photogenerated carriers transfer and separation are promoted dramatically. Through the DFT calculations, the sunlight absorption wavelength can be extended, and the interfacial reaction kinetics can be expedited with the modification of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) on TiO 2 /WO 3 , due to the narrower bandgap (E g) and the accumulation of electrons at TiO 2 side. The DFT designed CQDs/TiO 2 /WO 3 photoanode significantly increase photocurrent density from 0.90 to 2.03 mA cm−2 at 1.23 V, charge separation efficiency from 56.3 to 79.2% and charge injection efficiency from 51.2 to 70.4%, and extend light absorption edge from 455 to 463 nm over pristine WO 3 , with better photostability and lower holes-to-water resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper concerns with the JY-KPLS model based transfer learning for the operation optimization of nonlinear batch processes. Due to problems of data insufficiency and uncertainties in a new nonlinear batch process that has just been put into production, the model-(new) process mismatch is usually inevitable, which is also the main reason for the poor performance of the batch process. To solve this problem, this paper first adopts the JY-KPLS model to capture the behavior of the nonlinear batch process, and takes full advantage of the information in similar batch processes to assist the modeling and operation optimization of a new process. Then, a data selection based batch-to-batch optimization control strategy is proposed in this paper to reduce the adverse effects of this mismatch on the operation of the new batch process. Finally, the feasibility of the proposed method is demonstrated by simulations. • The optimization of the batch process with strong nonlinearity and scarce process data is realized. • JY-KPLS transfer model is applied to nonlinear batch process operation optimization. • NCO mismatch problem is analyzed and reduced by model updating and data selection. • The algorithm framework of JY-KPLS model based batch-to-batch optimization is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inferring the causal direction between two variables from their observation data is one of the most fundamental and challenging topics in data science. A causal direction inference algorithm maps the observation data into a binary value which represents either x causes y or y causes x. The nature of these algorithms makes the results unstable with the change of data points. Therefore the accuracy of the causal direction inference can be improved significantly by using parallel ensemble frameworks. In this paper, new causal direction inference algorithms based on several ways of parallel ensemble are proposed. Theoretical analyses on accuracy rates are given. Experiments are done on both of the artificial data sets and the real world data sets. The accuracy performances of the methods and their computational efficiencies in parallel computing environment are demonstrated. • Parallel ensemble algorithms for causal direction inference are proposed. • Theoretical analyses of the accuracy rates are given. • Performances on both artificial and real world data are demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pre-blasting zones have a significant influence on the coal broken and the recovery rate of the top coal caving mining. This paper explores the coal movement mechanism in the top coal with pre-blasting zones based on the geological parameters of Jiangcang No. 1 mine in the western of China. The steeply inclined ultra-thick coal seam was mined by using the sublevel top-coal caving mining method. The geo-image process system (GIPS) software was used to track the mark points on the coal and roof. The support was used to record the load on the top of the support during the caving mining process. The results show that the horizontal coal is moved to the shield window and the vertical coal is moved downward in the first level, while that in the second level shows consistency for the integrity of the coal. The vertical displacements of the corresponding points in the first level are lairger than that in the second level. However, the load on the top of the support in the first level is smaller than that in the second level. It indicated that the pre-blasting zones will give a more loosen top-coal and a small degree of difficulty in the top coal caving. The steeply inclined ultra-thick coal seam was divided into three levels in horizontal direction (presenting 25 m in the real sublevel height of top coal) for each level. The technical tunnel was set at the bottom of the first level in the coal. Two rows pre-blasting zones were set with different dip angles and lengths from the technical tunnel to the coal with a proportional distance. The second level without pre-blasting zones was introduced to compare with the first level with pre-blasting zones during the caving process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fast linear transformer driver (FLTD) utilizes a water-insulated transmission line as its secondary. To monitor the fast pulsed current and locate the fault, a compact self-integrating current sensor is developed. Print circuit board (PCB) coils and PCB integrating resistors are used to form the current sensor. By soldering a large number of chip resistors, PCB integrating resistors with various resistance and low inductance can be obtained. The current sensor is designed in a coaxial structure to reduce its inductance and size and can be installed on the inner conductor of the FLTD's secondary water-insulated transmission line with a small opening. The principle and matching schemes for the current sensor are theoretically analyzed with the circuit principle. Both simple matching and two-stage division can be used to obtain signals without oscillation. The time constant of the two schemes is the same. However, the sensitivity of the current sensor with two-stage division is lower than that with simple matching. A 100 kV step pulse generator is used as the pulsed high current generator to verify the properties of the current sensor. The designed current sensor could respond to the step current pulse with the rise time of 4 ns. The matching scheme is verified to be effective with step response experiments. Finally, the influence of the parameters, which are the coil type, the angle between the PCB coil and the magnetic flux, the resistance of the integrating resistor, and the length of the measuring cable, on the output signal of the current sensor is studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recovery ratio of top coal blocks is the direct reflection of drawing effect in longwall top coal caving (LTCC), and predicting the field recovery rapidly and accurately is one of the leading difficult problems. We analyzed the relationship between the recovery and the relative size of top coal, and proposed a recovery prediction model (RPM) in the laboratory. We determined the measurement method of the top coal blocks size, and developed the field setup for measuring the recovery. In addition, we measured the relative size of top coal and the field recovery at four representative LTCC panels in China. The results show that in the laboratory RPM, with increasing relative size of top coal, the recovery increased first and then decreased. Employing the single-opening sequence caving in the panel, the recovery is the maximum when the value of the relative size of top coal is about 0.14. In the field, as thickness of top coal increased, the size distribution curves of top coal gradually changed from convex to concave, and the relative size of top coal gradually increased from 0.005 to 0.202. When the relative size of top coal is large, the recovery also increased and then decreased. However, the value of the field measured recovery is relatively small. When the relative size of top coal is equal to or greater than 0.079, the corrected field RPM can accurately predict the field recovery, verifying the accuracy of the field prediction model. RPM provides a new approach to estimate the recovery, which can greatly reduce the measurement cost and workload, as well as improve the measurement efficiency of recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive nitrogen (N) loading poses a substantial risk to soil biodiversity and disrupts carbon (C) flows within the soil food web. Intercropping with legumes is often considered a sustainable way to maintain soil N availability and mitigate the associated detrimental effects. However, it remains unclear whether and how legume crops restore energetic attenuation caused by N loading within the soil food web. Here, we conducted a two-year field experiment using randomized block design in a subtropic Camellia oleifera plantation with high wet N deposition. We examined the effects of applying N fertilizers at normal or half levels (168 or 84 kg N ha−1yr−1) and intercropping legumes (Arachis hypogaea or Cassia tora) on the soil nematode food web. We observed that N fertilization suppressed the majority of nematode trophic groups, weakened the stability of food web structure, and diminished the C flows across the bacterial and fungal energy channels. Conversely, intercropping with legumes (particularly with C. tora) bolstered the densities of bacterivore and fungivore nematodes. This enhancement facilitated interactions within the soil micro-food web, and subsequently augmented the C flows within their respective channels. Model predictions suggested that the detrimental effects of N fertilizers on the nematode food web are primarily linked to decreased soil pH resulting from soil N accumulation. Notably, higher soil organic C was found to mitigate these effects. Furthermore, N-enriched legume substrates played a beneficial role in stimulating soil microbial activities and facilitating C flows through bottom-up control. Our findings emphasize the positive impacts of legume crops on mitigating soil biodiversity loss and restoring energetic attenuation within soil food web under N-saturated soil conditions. These findings provide valuable insights for agroforestry management practices aimed at sustaining soil health and ecosystem resilience. Schematic representation of the effects of N fertilizations and legume intercropping on the soil nematode food web. Notes: (+) positive and (−) negative effects. [Display omitted] • The N fertilizers had negative impacts on carbon flows within soil nematode food web, whereas legumes had positive effects. • The detrimental effects of N fertilizers are derived from the decreased soil pH caused by soil N accumulation. • The beneficial effects of legume crops are determined by the N-enriched substrates that exert a bottom-up control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen (N) is an essential nutrient for ecosystem productivity, restoration and succession processes. Biological N fixation and chemical N addition are both important strategies for accessing N nutrients in soil ecosystem. However, it is unclear which N supplement strategies is more effective in restoring ecosystem stability, particularly in soil micro-food web component, which plays a crucial role in nutrient cycling. Here, an in-situ study was conducted in a natural grassland to investigate the effects of N supply on soil microbial and nematode communities by three legume species: Amorpha fruticose (AF), Derris fordii (DF), and Indigofera atropurpurea (IA) at two interplanting densities (1: low density, 1.5 × 2 m; and 2: high density, 1 × 1 m), and by two N fertilization rates (N5: 5 g N m−2 y−1 and N10: 10 g N m−2 y−1). Results showed the microbial biomass of total-PLFA, bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes and chlorophyta increased by DF1 and IA2, and the biomasses of total nematodes, herbivores and omnivores were promoted by AF1, AF2 and DF1, but the biomass of most components was inhibited by N fertilizers. The interactions of soil micro-food web were complicated by DF1 and DF2, but simplified by N5 and N10. Furthermore, different N supplement strategies showed distinct energy flow patterns, such as the bacterial channel was promoted exclusively in AF2, the plant channel was enhanced in AF1 and AF2, and the fungal channel was boosted in DF1 and DF2 but declined in N5 and N10. These results demonstrated that the structure and energy flow of the soil micro-food web might be benefited by legume interplanting but impaired by N fertilizers. In particular, interplanting with D. fordii granted a more sustainable way of N supplementation for promoting the complexity and stability of the soil micro-food web, compared to interplanting with other legume species. Our findings provide better understanding of the interactions between legumes and soil biota and have important implications for sustainable restoration of degraded karst grasslands. Concept mode summarizing the effects of legume interplanting and chemical N application on soil micro-food webs. The red arrows and words in the yellow area represent the positive effects of biological nitrogen fixation on biomass, energy flow and network structure of soil food webs, while the black arrows and blue words in the blue area represent the negative effects of nitrogen fertilizer on soil food webs. The size of the green circle represents the magnitude of the soil biota biomass. The combined yellow and blue arrows at the top represent the positive or negative effect of biological nitrogen fixation and N fertilizer on the karst natural grassland ecosystem. [Display omitted] • Interplanting legumes had a positive impact, while nitrogen fertilizer had a negative impact on the soil biota biomass. • The legume species and their N-fixing abilities were important factors in determining the effect size. • Legumes may optimize N availability with more complex trophic cascades and stable energy flows in karst grassland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Developed modified-fly ash powdered inhibitors PMFAC and MFAC. • Explosion-inhibition experiments on methane/coal powder hybrids showed that PMFAC presents a higher inhibitory efficiency than MFAC. • Revealed the microcosmic mechanism of methane/coal powder explosions inhibited by PMFAC and MFAC using reaction kinetics simulation. The inhibitory efficiency of modified-fly ash inhibitors MFAC and PMFAC on methane/coal dust deflagration was experimentally evaluated. Results suggested that PMFAC was superior to MFAC because of the phosphorus-containing substances and abundant reactive radicals. The composite inhibitor first inhibited the gas-phase reactions of the homogeneous combustion in the hybrid explosion field to decrease the maximum rate of explosion pressure rise (d P /d t) max in the period 0–t 1 , while reducing the maximum explosion pressure (P max) by inhibiting the chain combustion reactions in the period t 1 –t 2. Additionally, the impacts of MFAC and PMFAC on the microscopic reactions of hybrid methane/coal dust deflagration were numerically investigated. Results indicated that the inhibitors significantly prolonged the explosion process and decreased the peak rate of productivity (ROP) for each key reactive radical. Subsequently, the inhibition mechanism by which the PMFAC molecules interacted with the deflagration reactions of methane/coal dust was elucidated in detail. Results revealed that the elementary reactions concerning the key free radicals O, H, and OH were considerably inhibited in the gas-phase reactions. The competition for key radicals in the explosion reactions by the inhibitors indirectly inhibited the surface-phase reactions, and the synergistic effect of the radicals significantly decreased the sensitivities of the key reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Downregulation of miR-137 regulates tumor growth in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Yet, the underlying molecular mechanisms stay unclear. Materials and Methods: miR-137 and DNA methyltransferase 3a (DNMT3a) expression levels were detected by Western blot, immunohistochemistry and qRT-PCR assays. Luciferase reporter and Western blot assays were also carried out to explore the correlation of miR-137 and DNMT3a. Flow cytometry assay, MTT analysis, transwell and wound healing assay were used to evaluate cell apoptosis, proliferation, as well as invasive and migratory abilities. Western blot was used to examine the caspase-3, cleaved caspase-3, PCNA, MMP-2, and MMP-7 protein levels, as well as PTEN/Akt signaling alternations. Methylation-specific PCR was applied to detect the PTEN promoter methylation status. Xenograft tumor assay, Western blot and immunohistochemistry analyses were taken to confirm the miR-137 regulation in vivo. Results: Downregulation of miR-137, upregulation of DNMT3a, as well as an inverse correlation between them were observed in HCC clinical samples and cells. Moreover, miR-137 targeted directly and inhibited DNMT3a in HCC cells, which further retarded cell proliferative, migratory and invasive capabilities, while promoted apoptotic ones. Additionally, miR-137 overexpression inactivated the PTEN/Akt pathway in HCC cell by decreasing DNMT3a expression. Furthermore, miR-137 overexpression inhibited tumor growth in vivo in HCC via interacting with DNMT3a through inhibiting the PTEN/Akt cascades. Conclusion: Our findings suggested that miR-137 inhibited HCC tumor growth and progression via interacting with DNMT3a and suppressing the PTEN/Akt signaling in vitro and in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a means to thwart thermal covert channel attack in a multi-/many-core system, a strong heat noise whose frequency band coincides with that occupied by the thermal covert channel is injected to jam the channel. However, this undiscriminating channel jamming-based countermeasure will fail if a thermal covert channel is allowed to change its transmission frequency dynamically in response to the jamming. To combat this enhanced thermal covert channel, a more advanced countermeasure is needed and thus proposed that checks the frequency spectrum and tracks any possible covert channel. Only after a channel is detected to be susceptible, a thermal noise with this channel frequency is then emitted to jam the covert channel. The communication protocols and frequency changing scheme pertaining to this enhanced thermal covert channel are described in this article. The experimental results confirm that, when the proposed countermeasure is applied, the enhanced thermal covert channel, much more resilient to jamming, suffers from an extremely high packet error rate (PER), which makes any meaningful data leakage practically impossible. As the proposed countermeasure method is poised to contain dangerous thermal covert channel attacks with an anti-jamming capability, it lends itself well to secure multi-/many-core systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Application of recycled coarse aggregate concrete (RAC) will generate considerable environmental benefits. However, the properties of RAC must be studied before being adopted in structures. In this research, the failure process and damage assessment of RAC under compression were investigated by applying acoustic emission (AE) technology. The variables include loading rates, maximum coarse aggregate sizes, and water–cement ratios (w/c). Meanwhile, an innovative approach called stage cumulative proportion (SCP) analysis of AE result was put forward. Subsequently, the damage of RAC under compression was evaluated based on the rate process theory. The results demonstrated that void compaction and original crack expansion occurred first in the test and then the stable microcracking in interfacial transition zone (ITZ) and unstable cracking in mortar, and finally, there is the macrocrack expansion followed by the fracture. It was found that AE counts and energy were mainly produced before the peak stress was reached. The increase in loading rate caused the AE counts and energy to increase in stable microcracking of ITZ but decreased in unstable cracking of mortar. Increasing the w/c would also affect the AE results in these stages, but the effect was the opposite to the loading rate. Besides, an increase in coarse aggregate sizes would increase the AE counts and energy in unstable cracking of mortar and decrease in macrocrack expansion. In addition, a polynomial expression of the relationship between AE parameters and stress level was established. Then, an evaluation criterion was proposed based on the expressions and the rate process theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the finite difference method (FDM) coupled with a discrete fracture network (DFN) was utilized to analyze longwall top coal caving (LTCC) behaviors. The integrated FDM–DFN model enabled the influence of the preexisting fracture, stress redistribution, stress rotation, caving material compaction, and periodic rupture of roof strata to be superimposed on the failure process of top coal. It was revealed the LTCC influenced both magnitude and orientation of the principal stress within top coal. The minor and major principal stresses experienced successive peak points as top coal approached the LTCC face, and the corresponding principal axes rotated toward horizontal and vertical directions, respectively. The concentration of the major principal stress and the release of the minor principal stress resulted in the shear failure of top coal ahead of the LTCC face. The failure mode transferred from shear to tension at the rear of the face line. The principal stress rotation led to continuous variation in internal cohesion of top coal and brittle fracturing of the main roof resulted in dynamic load at the LTCC face. The stress rotation and roof rupture greatly promoted the failure process of top coal. This type of promotion was also provided by the preexisting fractures and adjacent goaf. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the strong penetration ability of X-rays and the imaging visibility, X-ray inspection has been gradually applied to power grids. However, various problems occur in the promotion and application of X-ray inspection in ultra high voltage gas-insulated switchgear (UHV GIS) owing to its large size. These problems relate to parameter selection, photography, protection area, random defect recognition, and risk assessment based on the X-ray image. In this paper, an X-ray digital imaging system is set up for UHV GIS inspection. Parameter selection for UHV GIS is discussed, and we demonstrate that UHV GIS can be photographed under a source-to-detector distance (SDD) of 2.8 m, a tube voltage of 300 kV, and an exposure of >240 mA·s. A photographic method for UHV GIS, entailing adjustment of the position of the imaging plate with a fixed position of the X-ray generator, is proposed to reduce the difficulty in image stitching. The influence of the parameters on imaging quality is discussed, and we show that the brightness and contrast increase with increasing exposure or decreasing SDD. The interactions between parameters are qualitatively introduced. Moreover, the sensitivity of X-ray inspection in UHV GIS is studied under selected parameters, and the sensitivity of X-ray inspection to copper particles and aluminum particles in UHV GIS are shown to be <0.7 mm and <1.1 mm, respectively. Radiation protection for operators is also discussed. In addition, a pseudo-color scheme for identifying random tiny defects is proposed to reduce human error. Finally, the risk level of defects with X-ray inspection is defined by size feature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The temperature dependent morphologies of co-existing solid ice and interfacial water within two classic mesoporous materials, MCM-41 and SBA-15, are investigated below the Gibbs-Thomson transition temperature using Cryo-NMR, NMR spin-diffusion and NMR spectral analysis (second moment calculations). By using the combined NMR approach, the difference of the ice cores and interfacial water layers in MCM-41 and SBA-15 is unveiled. Based on the derived thickness of the interfacial water layers, the surface features in the two porous materials are discussed. The work demonstrates an approach to use the combined NMR techniques to study the porous material surface via probing the interfacial water layers, which can be used to study the physical/chemical properties of the material surface on the molecular level in general. Unlabelled Image • The morphologies of the solid ice and the interfacial water in porous materials are probed by NMR. • The thickness of the interfacial water layers in porous materials is measured. • The different interfacial water layers are attributed to the different surface features of the materials. • The NMR methods provide an approach to study the interfacial water layers of material in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Article 6 of the Paris Agreement enables Parties to achieve their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) through direct cooperation or Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMO). Current researches on Article 6 are mostly based on the assumption of unlimited global carbon market link, which may lead to large price volatility and cause concern of policy makers. In order to investigate the impact of inter-regional carbon market link mechanism on global climate action, here, we designed carbon market link scenarios with different degrees of trading volume limits. We simulated the global and regional carbon markets under different scenarios from 2025 to 2060 using the Global Change Assessment Model (GCAM). The findings suggest that as the link limit tightens, both the price volatility of global carbon market and the cumulative mitigation costs saved by carbon market links decrease, which reminds policy makers of the trade-off between economic efficiency and price volatility. The price volatility under the unlimited global carbon market scenario is about 30% higher than that with link limits implemented, while the unlimited market would also save about 0.83 trillion dollars abatement costs than the limited scenario. At the national level, a total of 14 regions are limited in different link limit scenarios, among which China, the United States, EU and India are the most sensitive regions to link limits. Based on the scenario results, we discuss the design of international carbon market link mechanisms, such as absolute link limits and relative link limits. • A trade-off between economic efficiency and price volatility under link limit. • A total of 14 regions are limited in the limit scenarios. • China, U.S., EU and India are the most sensitive regions to link limits. • Regional heterogeneity in sensitivity to absolute and relative limit mechanisms. • The direction of the financial flows remains unchanged with link limits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A image-based method is proposed to estimate the 3D Wadell roundness of particle. • An alternative strategy to estimate roundness from other shape descriptors is tried. • The image-based roundness estimation method is suitable for various shapes. Wadell roundness is a general particle shape descriptor used in many fields, such as mining engineering, civil engineering, and geotechnical engineering. Initially, Wadell roundness was defined as two-dimensional, and now it has been generalized to three-dimensional. This study proposes a novel image-based method using topographic analysis to estimate the three-dimensional Wadell roundness of irregular particles. And an alternative strategy to estimate 3D Wadell roundness from other shape descriptors is further proposed. The effect of mesh density on 3D Wadell roundness is quantitatively analyzed. In addition, the relationships between 3D Wadell roundness and eleven shape descriptors, including 2D Wadell roundness and the other ten 1D, 2D, and 3D shape descriptors, are discussed. Finally, the computation time of the 3D Wadell roundness estimation algorithm proposed in this study is recorded to evaluate the algorithm's efficiency. The results show that the 3D Wadell roundness estimation algorithm is robust and can be used for idealized geometries and realistic particles of various shapes. The mesh density of particles significantly influences the 3D Wadell roundness. It proved difficult to predict the 3D Wadell roundness from the eleven shape descriptors mentioned in this study. The 3D Wadell roundness estimation algorithm can be finished in a few minutes, potentially using the algorithm in rock shape analysis and mechanics responses investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To monitor fast pulsed voltage in the transmission line of the fast linear transformer driver, a compact and self-integrating capacitive sensor is developed. A printed circuit board (PCB) with multi-layer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) serves as a low-voltage arm. Given the reflow structure of the PCB and a parallel arrangement of MLCCs, the residual inductance of the PCB low-voltage arm can be effectively reduced. Moreover, its capacitance can be easily adjusted. The capacitive sensor is designed using a coaxial structure, suitable for installation on the inner high voltage electrode of the secondary water-insulated transmission line. Three matching schemes for the measuring cable are discussed, showing that two-stage division with matching at the end of the cable is more suitable for fast pulsed voltage measurement due to its high dividing ratio and flat frequency response. A square wave with a rise time of ∼1.5 ns and a pulse width of ∼200 ns is used to verify the properties of the capacitive sensor. The results show that the rise time of the designed capacitive sensor can reach 1.5 ns when a short cable is used. Increasing capacitance of the low-voltage arm or resistance at the cable entrance will increase the time constant of the capacitive sensor, which improves its low-frequency properties. A long cable will significantly reduce the high-frequency response and the magnitude of the signal from the capacitive sensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]