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Objectives: Accurate segmentation of the clinical target volume (CTV) of CBCT images can observe the changes of CTV during patients' radiotherapy, and lay a foundation for the subsequent implementation of adaptive radiotherapy (ART). However, segmentation is challenging due to the poor quality of CBCT images and difficulty in obtaining target volumes. An uncertainty estimation- and attention-based semi-supervised model called residual convolutional block attention-uncertainty aware mean teacher (RCBA-UAMT) was proposed to delineate the CTV in cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images of breast cancer automatically. Methods: A total of 60 patients who undergone radiotherapy after breast-conserving surgery were enrolled in this study, which involved 60 planning CTs and 380 CBCTs. RCBA-UAMT was proposed by integrating residual and attention modules in the backbone network 3D UNet. The attention module can adjust channel and spatial weights of the extracted image features. The proposed design can train the model and segment CBCT images with a small amount of labeled data (5%, 10%, and 20%) and a large amount of unlabeled data. Four types of evaluation metrics, namely, dice similarity coefficient (DSC), Jaccard, average surface distance (ASD), and 95% Hausdorff distance (95HD), are used to assess the model segmentation performance quantitatively. Results: The proposed method achieved average DSC, Jaccard, 95HD, and ASD of 82%, 70%, 8.93, and 1.49 mm for CTV delineation on CBCT images of breast cancer, respectively. Compared with the three classical methods of mean teacher, uncertainty-aware mean-teacher and uncertainty rectified pyramid consistency, DSC and Jaccard increased by 7.89–9.33% and 14.75–16.67%, respectively, while 95HD and ASD decreased by 33.16–67.81% and 36.05–75.57%, respectively. The comparative experiment results of the labeled data with different proportions (5%, 10% and 20%) showed significant differences in the DSC, Jaccard, and 95HD evaluation indexes in the labeled data with 5% versus 10% and 5% versus 20%. Moreover, no significant differences were observed in the labeled data with 10% versus 20% among all evaluation indexes. Therefore, we can use only 10% labeled data to achieve the experimental objective. Conclusions: Using the proposed RCBA-UAMT, the CTV of breast cancer CBCT images can be delineated reliably with a small amount of labeled data. These delineated images can be used to observe the changes in CTV and lay the foundation for the follow-up implementation of ART. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Need for closure (NFC) has been found to be implicated in different forms of psychopathology. The 15‐item Need for Closure Scale (NFCS) is an efficient and easy tool for assessing individuals' NFC in Western contexts. However, the psychometric properties of the 15‐item NFCS have not yet been validated in Chinese populations. Methods: Two different samples of university students from China were recruited in this study. The first sample (N = 5080, 49.9% females) was used to conduct exploratory factor analysis and reliability analysis. The second sample (N = 3968, 64.2% females) was used to perform confirmatory factor analysis, exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM), and bifactor models, followed by tests of measurement invariance and criterion validity. Results: The full scale showed good internal consistency. The bifactor‐ESEM result with a general factor and four specific factors was chosen as our final model. Strong measurement invariance across sex and ethnicity groups was supported. Evidence was obtained for the criterion validity of NFCS scores with respect to depression, anxiety, and psychological distress. Conclusion: The Chinese NFCS appears to be a valid and reliable instrument for measuring the NFC, which could promote both the assessment and research of the NFC in Chinese populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tetracycline antibiotics are widely used in human medical treatment, control of animal disease, and agricultural feed because of their broad spectrum of action, high efficiency, and low cost. The excessive use of antibiotics and arbitrary discharge of antibiotic wastewater have become increasingly serious problems, and the current sewage-treatment process is not ideal for treating water contaminated with tetracycline antibiotics, leading to increasingly prominent antibiotic pollution in water and the imminent need for its removal. In order to understand the necessity of removing tetracycline antibiotics from the water environment, this paper first expounds on their source, harms, and pollution status in oceans and in surface water, groundwater, wastewater, and drinking water. It next introduces the research status of conventional treatment methods such as adsorption methods, biological methods, and physical and chemical methods, then introduces new treatment methods such as advanced oxidation methods and comprehensive treatment technology in sewage plants. The degradation effects, mechanisms of action, and challenges of these methods were summarized. The advantages and disadvantages of each treatment technology are compared. Finally, potential future processing technologies are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to present a deep-learning network called contrastive learning-based cycle generative adversarial networks (CLCGAN) to mitigate streak artifacts and correct the CT value in four-dimensional cone beam computed tomography (4D-CBCT) for dose calculation in lung cancer patients. Methods: 4D-CBCT and 4D computed tomography (CT) of 20 patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer were used to paired train the deep-learning model. The lung tumors were located in the right upper lobe, right lower lobe, left upper lobe, and left lower lobe, or in the mediastinum. Additionally, five patients to create 4D synthetic computed tomography (sCT) for test. Using the 4D-CT as the ground truth, the quality of the 4D-sCT images was evaluated by quantitative and qualitative assessment methods. The correction of CT values was evaluated holistically and locally. To further validate the accuracy of the dose calculations, we compared the dose distributions and calculations of 4D-CBCT and 4D-sCT with those of 4D-CT. Results: The structural similarity index measure (SSIM) and peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) of the 4D-sCT increased from 87% and 22.31 dB to 98% and 29.15 dB, respectively. Compared with cycle consistent generative adversarial networks, CLCGAN enhanced SSIM and PSNR by 1.1% (p < 0.01) and 0.42% (p < 0.01). Furthermore, CLCGAN significantly decreased the absolute mean differences of CT value in lungs, bones, and soft tissues. The dose calculation results revealed a significant improvement in 4D-sCT compared to 4D-CBCT. CLCGAN was the most accurate in dose calculations for left lung (V5Gy), right lung (V5Gy), right lung (V20Gy), PTV (D98%), and spinal cord (D2%), with the relative dose difference were reduced by 6.84%, 3.84%, 1.46%, 0.86%, 3.32% compared to 4D-CBCT. Conclusions: Based on the satisfactory results obtained in terms of image quality, CT value measurement, it can be concluded that CLCGAN-based corrected 4D-CBCT can be utilized for dose calculation in lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient yet sufficient exploration remains a critical challenge in reinforcement learning (RL), especially for Markov Decision Processes (MDPs) with vast action spaces. Previous approaches have commonly involved projecting the original action space into a latent space or employing environmental action masks to reduce the action possibilities. Nevertheless, these methods often lack interpretability or rely on expert knowledge. In this study, we introduce a novel method for automatically reducing the action space in environments with discrete action spaces while preserving interpretability. The proposed approach learns state-specific masks with a dual purpose: (1) eliminating actions with minimal influence on the MDP and (2) aggregating actions with identical behavioral consequences within the MDP. Specifically, we introduce a novel concept called Bisimulation Metrics on Actions by States (BMAS) to quantify the behavioral consequences of actions within the MDP and design a dedicated mask model to ensure their binary nature. Crucially, we present a practical learning procedure for training the mask model, leveraging transition data collected by any RL policy. Our method is designed to be plug-and-play and adaptable to all RL policies, and to validate its effectiveness, an integration into two prominent RL algorithms, DQN and PPO, is performed. Experimental results obtained from Maze, Atari, and μ RTS2 reveal a substantial acceleration in the RL learning process and noteworthy performance improvements facilitated by the introduced approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of Pleckstrin homology-like domain family B member 2 (PHLDB2) in the regulation of cell migration has been extensively studied. However, the exploration of PHLDB2 in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is still limited in terms of expression, function, and therapeutic potential. In this study, we discovered an upregulation of PHLDB2 expression in HNSCC tissues which was correlated with a negative prognosis in patients with HNSCC. Additionally, we determined that a high level of expression of PHLDB2 is crucial for maintaining cell migration through the regulation of the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). Furthermore, we demonstrated that the ablation of PHLDB2 in tumor cells inhibited tumorigenicity in a C3H syngeneic tumor-bearing mouse model. Mechanistically, PHLDB2 was found to be involved in the regulation of T cell anti-tumor immunity, primarily by enhancing the activation and infiltration of CD8+ T cells. In light of these findings, PHLDB2 emerges as a promising biomarker and therapeutic target for interventions in HNSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The Tunchang pig is a local pig population in Hainan Province, China, known for its delicious meat. To develop effective conservation and utilization programs, we analyzed the genetic diversity, run of homozygosity (ROH) patterns, and the degree of inbreeding in Tunchang pigs using whole genome sequencing data. Our findings show that Tunchang pigs have high genetic diversity and we identified candidate genes associated with growth and meat quality traits. These results contribute to the sustainable conservation and utilization of Tunchang pigs. Tunchang pigs are an indigenous pig population in China known for their high tolerance to roughage, delicious meat, and fecundity. However, the number of Tunchang pigs has been declining due to the influence of commercial breeds and African swine fever, which could potentially lead to inbreeding. To assess the inbreeding level and the genetic basis of important traits in Tunchang pigs, our research investigated the patterns in "runs of homozygosity" (ROHs) using whole genome resequencing data from 32 Tunchang pigs. The study aimed to determine the length, number, coverage, and distribution model of ROHs in Tunchang pigs, as well as genomic regions with high ROH frequencies. The results of the study revealed that a total of 20,499,374 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 1953 ROH fragments were recognized in 32 individuals. The ROH fragments in Tunchang pigs were predominantly short, ranging from 0.5 to 1 megabases (Mb) in length. Furthermore, the coverage of ROHs varied across chromosomes, with chromosome 3 having the highest coverage and chromosome 11 having the lowest coverage. The genetic diversity of Tunchang pigs was found to be relatively high based on the values of HE (expected heterozygosity), HO (observed heterozygosity), pi (nucleotide diversity), Ne (effective population size), and MAF (minor allele frequency). The average inbreeding coefficients of Tunchang pigs, as determined by three different methods (FHOM, FGRM, and FROH), were 0.019, 0.0138, and 0.0304, respectively. These values indicate that the level of inbreeding in Tunchang pigs is currently low. Additionally, the study identified a total of 13 ROH islands on all chromosomes, which in total contained 38,913 SNPs and 120 genes. These ROH islands included genes associated with economically important traits, including meat quality (GYS1, PHLPP1, SLC27A5, and CRTC1), growth and development (ANKS1A, TAF11, SPDEF, LHB, and PACSIN1), and environmental adaptation (SLC26A7). The findings of this research offer valuable perspectives on the present status of Tunchang pig resources and offer a reference for breeding conservation plans and the efficient utilization of Tunchang pigs in the future. By understanding the inbreeding level and genetic basis of important traits in Tunchang pigs, conservation efforts can be targeted towards maintaining genetic diversity and promoting the sustainable development of this indigenous pig population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circular RNA circSKA3 (spindle and kinetochore-related complex subunit 3) has been identified as a prognostic factor in ischemic stroke. The objective of this study was to investigate the association of circSKA3 with the risk of extracranial artery stenosis (ECAS) and plaque instability in patients with ischemic stroke. We constructed a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network regulated by circSKA3 based on differentially expressed circRNAs and mRNAs between five patients and five controls. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis was performed on the 65 mRNAs within the network, revealing their primary involvement in inflammatory biological processes. A total of 284 ischemic stroke patients who underwent various imaging examinations were included for further analyses. Each 1 standard deviation increase in the log-transformed blood circSKA3 level was associated with a 56.3% increased risk of ECAS (P = 0.005) and a 142.1% increased risk of plaque instability (P = 0.005). Patients in the top tertile of circSKA3 had a 2.418-fold (P < 0.05) risk of ECAS compared to the reference group (P for trend = 0.02). CircSKA3 demonstrated a significant but limited ability to discriminate the presence of ECAS (AUC = 0.594, P = 0.015) and unstable carotid plaques (AUC = 0.647, P = 0.034). CircSKA3 improved the reclassification power for ECAS (NRI: 9.86%, P = 0.012; IDI: 2.97%, P = 0.007) and plaque instability (NRI: 36.73%, P = 0.008; IDI: 7.05%, P = 0.04) beyond conventional risk factors. CircSKA3 played an important role in the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke by influencing inflammatory biological processes. Increased circSKA3 was positively associated with the risk of ECAS and plaque instability among ischemic stroke patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to heavy metals considered a major risk factor for mental health. Examining how heavy metals in blood are associated with depression in individuals of various body mass indexes. A total sample of 15,560 individuals was screened, with 4355 participants finally enrolled to study. The PHQ-9 was used to assess participants' depressive symptoms. A logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the relationship between the levels of heavy metals in the blood and the depression. Serum cadmium levels were found to be associated with risk of depression, with an odds ratio of 2.247 (95 % CI : 1.584–3.244). However, no significant correlations were observed between depression and blood levels of lead, selenium, and manganese. Subgroup analysis was performed and found that higher Cd concentrations were associated with a greater risk of depression at the same BMI. With the same Cd concentration, the risk of depression was lowest when participants' BMI was ≥30 kg/m2 and increased with increasing BMI when participants' BMI was <30 kg/m2. It is not possible to analyze the effect of external exposure to Cd. Cd in blood may be positively correlated with depression in American adults, and the effect of this trend is different in people with different body mass indices. With the increase in BMI, the risk gradually rises. However, it is lowest among obese people. • Blood Cd exposure and depression were more pronounced. • The correlation between blood Cd and depression was different. • Heavy metal exposure increased the risk of depression gradually. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Birefringent crystals that can switch light polarization have important applications in optoelectronics. In the last decades, birefringence is mostly optimized by chemical strategies. Recently, switching birefringence by physical means has attracted much attention. Here, this work reports the observation of heat switching birefringence in a 2D layered hybrid halide perovskite (C2N3H4)2PbCl4 ((C2N3H4)+=1,2,4‐triazolium). This heat switching birefringence leads to a significant change in the interference color for the crystal plate under the illumination of orthogonal polarized light. Structure analyses reveal a heat dependent structure transition in (C2N3H4)2PbCl4, whose birefringence is switched by the change in the distortion degree of PbCl6 octahedron. This discovery may be beneficial to the further development of stimuli‐responsive polarization optical devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferroptosis is a newly established form of regulated cell death characterized by intracellular lipid peroxidation and iron accumulation that may be a promising cancer treatment strategy. However, the function and therapeutic value of ferroptosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remain inadequately understood. In the present study, we investigated the biological role of the fat mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO) in ferroptosis in the context of OSCC. We found that OSCC had greater potential for ferroptosis, and FTO is associated with ferroptosis. Furthermore, higher FTO expression sensitized OSCC cells to ferroptosis in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, FTO suppressed the expression of anti-ferroptotic factors, acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 3 (ACSL3) and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), by demethylating the m6A modification on the mRNA of ACSL3 and GPX4 and decreasing their stability. Taken together, our findings revealed that FTO promotes ferroptosis through ACSL3 and GPX4 regulation. Thus, ferroptosis activation in OSCC with high FTO levels may serve as a potential therapeutic target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Birefringent crystals that can switch light polarization have important applications in optoelectronics. In the last decades, birefringence is mostly optimized by chemical strategies. Recently, switching birefringence by physical means has attracted much attention. Here, this work reports the observation of heat switching birefringence in a 2D layered hybrid halide perovskite (C2N3H4)2PbCl4 ((C2N3H4)+=1,2,4‐triazolium). This heat switching birefringence leads to a significant change in the interference color for the crystal plate under the illumination of orthogonal polarized light. Structure analyses reveal a heat dependent structure transition in (C2N3H4)2PbCl4, whose birefringence is switched by the change in the distortion degree of PbCl6 octahedron. This discovery may be beneficial to the further development of stimuli‐responsive polarization optical devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of 1565‐nm nonablative fractional laser (NAFL) combined with mucopolysaccharide polysulfate (MPS) cream in the treatment of erythematous acne scars. Methods: A total of 28 subjects with erythematous acne scars from June 2021 to April 2022 were enrolled. One side of each subject's face was randomly assigned to be treated with 1565‐nm NAFL (at 2 sessions with four‐week intervals) combined with MPS cream (twice daily) for 8 weeks, and the other side with 1565‐nm NAFL combined with placebo cream. CBS® images and parameters, dermoscopic images and the quantitative data processed by ImageJ software, and quantitative global scarring grading system (GSS) score were obtained at baseline and after treatment. Subjects' satisfaction assessment was performed after treatment. Adverse events were recorded during treatment. Results: In CBS® parameters, the red area, red area concentration, and smoothness were improved more significantly on the 1565‐nm NAFL combined with MPS cream side than on the 1565‐nm NAFL combined with placebo cream side after treatment (p = 0.015, p = 0.013, and p = 0.021). For dermoscopy, both scar area and scar redness achieved a significantly greater percentage of improvement on the side of 1565‐nm NAFL combined with MPS cream than the side of 1565‐nm NAFL combined with placebo cream after treatment (p = 0.005 and p = 0.041). The reduction of quantitative GSS score and Subjects' satisfaction assessment were similarly superior on the 1565‐nm NAFL combined with MPS cream side. Temporary erythema was experienced by all subjects after each 1565‐nm NAFL treatment. No subject reported intolerance or allergy to the cream during follow‐up. Conclusions: The combined application of 1565‐nm NAFL and MPS cream could be an effective and safe treatment for erythematous acne scars. ImageJ software enables quantitative evaluation of dermoscopic images of acne scars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the low‐frequency (LF) magnetic pulses recorded for the positive leader in two natural lightning flashes as recorded on the high‐speed video camera. The captured positive leader in both cases propagated in a stepwise manner at least over several milliseconds according to the concurrent sequence of LF magnetic pulses. By comparing with previous studies on positive leaders under different situations, the average inter‐pulse intervals (11.7 and 20.3 μs, respectively) obtained for our natural cases are shorter than that of upward positive leaders in rocket‐triggered (typically >25 μs) and tower‐initiated lightning (62 μs in one case). Hence, the stepwise propagation of positive leaders in natural lightning is likely more frequent than that in object‐induced lightning, reflecting a possible influence of ambient electric field and other meteorological factors on the stepwise feature of positive leader. The stepwise extension might be common for positive leaders developing in various scenarios. Plain Language Summary: Many observations have been made with respect to upward positive leaders in rocket‐triggered lightning and tower‐initiated lightning. From the previous observations, it is obvious that the upward positive leader sometimes propagates in a stepwise manner. When it comes to natural lightning, many reliable conjectures have been put forward about the stepwise propagation of positive leaders, but there is still a lack of solid observations. Whether the positive leader in natural lightning also propagates in a stepwise manner remains an open question. In this paper, we analyze the propagation of positive leaders in two natural lightning flashes using high‐speed imaging and concurrent measurements of the associated radio frequency magnetic fields. It aims to understand the variability in the propagation manner of positive leaders in natural lightning and revealing the differences and similarities of leader propagation between natural and object‐initiated lightning. From the low‐frequency magnetic field measurements, the positive leaders in natural lightning could also propagate in a stepwise manner. Our analysis shows that the inter‐pulse intervals of positive leaders in observed natural lightning are shorter than that previously observed in tower‐initiated and rocket‐triggered lightning. Key Points: First coordinated observations of stepwise propagation for the positive leader of natural lightning flashesThe average inter‐pulse interval of positive leader stepping in two cases is estimated to be around 12 and 20 μs, respectivelyThe stepping of positive leaders in natural lightning appears to be more frequent than that of the object‐initiated upward positive leaders [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Metabolomics is a nascent field of inquiry that emerged in the late 20th century. It encompasses the comprehensive profiling of metabolites across a spectrum of organisms, ranging from bacteria and cells to tissues. The rapid evolution of analytical methods and data analysis has greatly accelerated progress in this dynamic discipline over recent decades. Sophisticated techniques such as liquid chromatograph mass spectrometry (MS), gas chromatograph MS, capillary electrophoresis MS, and nuclear magnetic resonance serve as the cornerstone of metabolomic analysis. Building upon these methods, a plethora of modifications and combinations have emerged to propel the advancement of metabolomics. Despite this progress, scrutinizing metabolism at the single-cell or single-organelle level remains an arduous task over the decades. Some of the most thrilling advancements, such as single-cell and single-organelle metabolic profiling techniques, offer profound insights into the intricate mechanisms within cells and organelles. This allows for a comprehensive study of metabolic heterogeneity and its pivotal role in multiple biological processes. The progress made in MS imaging has enabled high-resolution in situ metabolic profiling of tissue sections and even individual cells. Spatial reconstruction techniques enable the direct representation of metabolic distribution and alteration in three-dimensional space. The application of novel metabolomic techniques has led to significant breakthroughs in biological and clinical studies, including the discovery of novel metabolic pathways, determination of cell fate in differentiation, anti-aging intervention through modulating metabolism, metabolomics-based clinicopathologic analysis, and surgical decision-making based on on-site intraoperative metabolic analysis. This review presents a comprehensive overview of both conventional and innovative metabolomic techniques, highlighting their applications in groundbreaking biological and clinical studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sepsis, a disease caused by severe infection, has a high mortality rate. At present, there is a lack of reliable algorithmic models for biomarker mining and diagnostic model construction for sepsis. Programmed cell death (PCD) has been shown to play a vital role in disease occurrence and progression, and different PCD-related genes have the potential to be targeted for the treatment of sepsis. In this paper, we analyzed PCD-related genes in sepsis. Implicated PCD processes include apoptosis, necroptosis, ferroptosis, pyroptosis, netotic cell death, entotic cell death, lysosome-dependent cell death, parthanatos, autophagy-dependent cell death, oxeiptosis, and alkaliptosis. We screened for diagnostic-related genes and constructed models for diagnosing sepsis using multiple machine-learning models. In addition, the immune landscape of sepsis was analyzed based on the diagnosis-related genes that were obtained. In this paper, 10 diagnosis-related genes were screened for using machine learning algorithms, and diagnostic models were constructed. The diagnostic model was validated in the internal and external test sets, and the Area Under Curve (AUC) reached 0.7951 in the internal test set and 0.9627 in the external test set. Furthermore, we verified the diagnostic gene via a qPCR experiment. The diagnostic-related genes and diagnostic genes obtained in this paper can be utilized as a reference for clinical sepsis diagnosis. The results of this study can act as a reference for the clinical diagnosis of sepsis and for target discovery for potential therapeutic drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Our study identified the primary expression of PD-L1 in vascular endothelial cells that correlated with the expression of the mesenchymal markers YKL-40 and Vim and poor patient survival. YKL-40 induced VE-cad expression, which interacted with and upregulated PD-L1, leading to vascular immune escape. In addition, upregulated VE-cad drove CCR5-mediated tumor vascularization. These data may offer solid evidence to decipher molecular mechanisms that contribute to the rigorous resistance of mesenchymal GBM to single anti-immune or angiogenic therapies. Therefore, our findings suggest a novel therapeutic strategy that combines treatments targeting both YKL-40 and VE-cad/or PD-L1 facilitates the blockade of anti-vascular immune evasion and tumor angiogenesis, benefiting patients with mesenchymal GBM. The mesenchymal subtype of glioblastoma (mGBM), which is characterized by rigorous vasculature, resists anti-tumor immune therapy. Here, we investigated the mechanistic link between tumor vascularization and the evasion of immune surveillance. Clinical datasets with GBM transcripts showed that the expression of the mesenchymal markers YKL-40 (CHI3L1) and Vimentin is correlated with elevated expression of PD-L1 and poor disease survival. Interestingly, the expression of PD-L1 was predominantly found in vascular endothelial cells. Orthotopic transplantation of glioma cells GL261 over-expressing YKL-40 in mice showed increased angiogenesis and decreased CD8+ T cell infiltration, resulting in a reduction in mouse survival. The exposure of recombinant YKL-40 protein induced PD-L1 and VE-cadherin (VE-cad) expression in endothelial cells and drove VE-cad-mediated nuclear translocation of β-catenin/LEF, where LEF upregulated PD-L1 expression. YKL-40 stimulated the dissociation of VE-cad from PD-L1, rendering PD-L1 available to interact with PD-1 from CD8+-positive TALL-104 lymphocytes and inhibit TALL-104 cytotoxicity. YKL-40 promoted TALL-104 cell migration and adhesion to endothelial cells via CCR5-dependent chemotaxis but blocked its anti-vascular immunity. Knockdown of VE-cad or the PD-L1 gene ablated the effects of YKL-40 and reinvigorated TALL-104 cell immunity against vessels. In summary, our study demonstrates a novel vascular immune escape mechanism by which mGBM promotes tumor vascularization and malignant transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foodborne pathogens cause numerous food safety problems, and as a virulent bacterium falling under this category, Vibrio vulnificus (V. vulnificus) poses a huge threat to public health. The conventional methods used for the detection of V. vulnificus, including culture-based and molecular detection methods, have a variety of drawbacks, including being time-consuming and labor-intensive, the requirement of large-scale equipment, and the lack of professional operators. This paper establishes a visible detection platform for V. vulnificus based on CRISPR/Cas12a, which is integrated with nucleic acid isothermal amplification and β-galactosidase-catalyzed visible color reaction. The specific vvhA gene and a conservative segment in the 16S rDNA gene of the Vibrio genus were selected as the detection targets. By using spectrum analysis, this CRISPR detection platform achieved sensitive detection of V. vulnificus (1 CFU per reaction) with high specificity. Through the color transformation system, as low as 1 CFU per reaction of V. vulnificus in both bacterial solution and artificially contaminated seafood could be visibly observed with the naked eye. Furthermore, the consistency between our assay and the qPCR assay in the detection of V. vulnificus spiked seafood was confirmed. In general, this visible detection platform is user-friendly, accurate, portable, and equipment-free, and is expected to provide a powerful supplement in point-of-care testing of V. vulnificus and also holds good promise for future application in foodborne pathogen detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Camptothecin (CPT) and cisplatin (Pt) have shown synergistic effects on a variety of cancers during preclinical and clinical studies. However, the ratio of the two drugs often could not be precisely regulated in different delivery systems, which hinders the desired synergistic effect. In addition, the low delivery efficiency of the two drugs to the tumor further impedes the ideal therapeutic outcomes. Herein, we report that a platelet-mimicking supramolecular nanomedicine (SN) could precisely control of the ratio of CPT and Pt with a high tumor accumulation rate for cascade amplification of synergistic chemotherapy. The SN was fabricated via the host–guest interaction between cucurbit[7]uril conjugated hyaluronic acid (HA-CB[7]) and adamantane (ADA) respectively functionalized CPT- and Pt-based prodrugs. The ratio of CPT and Pt in the SN could be facilely regulated by simply controlling the loading ratio, based on the strong binding affinity between CB[7] and ADA, and SN60 with 60% CPT and 40% Pt showed the highest synergistic effects on 4T1 cells. To improve the tumor accumulation efficiency of SN, 5,6-dimethylxanthenone-4-acetic acid (DMXAA, a tumor vasculature-disruptive agent) was loaded into the optimized SN and then coated with platelet membrane to yield platelet-mimicking supramolecular nanomedicine (D@SN-P). D@SN-P could first passively accumulate in tumors owing to the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect after intravenous administration. The initially release of DMXAA from D@SN-P could induce tumor vascular disruption, and the resultant epithelial collagen exposure around the disrupted tumor vasculature provided a target for further recruitment of platelet-mimicking SN, leading to cascade amplification of tumor accumulation with synergistic chemotherapy. Hence, this platelet-mimicking supramolecular nanomedicine presents a universal supramolecular strategy to finely regulate the ratio of loaded pro-drugs, and improve the accumulation efficiency to amplify chemotherapy via platelet-mimics. This work developed a platelet-mimicking supramolecular nanomedicine (D@SN-P) with a precisely regulated prodrugs for cascade amplification of synergistic chemotherapy. The resultant D@SN-P possessed an optimized ratio of ADA conjugated CPT- and Pt-based prodrugs via facile host–guest complexation between CB[7] and ADA to maximize the synergistic chemotherapy. D@SN-P could passively accumulate in tumors owing to the enhanced permeability and retention effect after intravenous administration. And initially release of DMXAA from D@SN-P would induce tumor vascular disruption, followed by epithelial collagen exposure arround the disrupted tumor vasculature, which then would provide a target for the specific binding of the platelets (including platelet-mimicking SN), leading to cascade amplification of synergistic chemotherapy. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crude oil resource scheduling is one of the critical issues upstream in the crude oil industry chain. It aims to reduce transportation and inventory costs and avoid alerts of inventory limit violations by formulating reasonable crude oil transportation and inventory strategies. Two main difficulties coexist in this problem: the large problem scale and uncertain supply and demand. Traditional operations research (OR) methods, which rely on forecasting supply and demand, face significant challenges when applied to the complicated and uncertain short-term operational process of the crude oil supply chain. To address these challenges, this paper presents a novel hierarchical optimization framework and proposes a well-designed hierarchical reinforcement learning (HRL) algorithm. Specifically, reinforcement learning (RL), as an upper-level agent, is used to select the operational operators combined by various sub-goals and solving orders, while the lower-level agent finds a viable solution and provides penalty feedback to the upper-level agent based on the chosen operator. Additionally, we deploy a simulator based on real-world data and execute comprehensive experiments. Regarding the alert number, maximum alert penalty, and overall transportation cost, our HRL method outperforms existing OR and two RL algorithms in the majority of time steps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power Line Communication (PLC) serves as a medium for communication over power lines, utilizing the existing power grid for information transmission. It offers a low-cost, highly scalable signal transmission method and has the potential to become the preferred technology for providing broadband in smart homes, offices, and smart grids. However, noise in the power line channel, especially impulse noise, seriously affects the communication quality of PLC. In this paper, we establish an OFDM-PLC system with higher-order modulation and polar codes. The higher-order QAM or APSK modulation technique is employed to increase the signal transmission rate and the system performance is analyzed. To combat the impulse noise in the PLC channel, we first model it using a superposition of multi-damping sinusoidal functions and then introduce the polar coding scheme to suppress the impulse noise in the system, thereby improving the transmission reliability. Simulation results verify that the proposed polar coding scheme based on the OFDM-PLC system can improve the Bit Error Rate (BER) performance of PLC channel transmission under impulse interference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Protection of genetic diversity is important for the sustainable development of the animal industry. Due to the unique environment in Hainan Province, the local pig populations have excellent heat resistance and adaptability. Moreover, the meat quality of these pigs is excellent and very popular with the market. Analysis of the genetic composition of the population may provide valuable information for conservation and utilization of the breed. Therefore, in our study, we aimed to assess the genetic diversity and population structure of three Chinese indigenous pig populations in Hainan Province, and further identified candidate selection signatures based on whole-genome sequencing data. Our analysis shows that native Chinese pig populations are more diverse than commercial pigs. In addition, analysis of selection signatures revealed some candidate genes related to certain traits, such as stress resistance. Indigenous pig populations in Hainan Province live in tropical climate conditions and a relatively closed geographical environment, which has contributed to the formation of some excellent characteristics, such as heat tolerance, strong disease resistance and excellent meat quality. Over the past few decades, the number of these pig populations has decreased sharply, largely due to a decrease in growth rate and poor lean meat percentage. For effective conservation of these genetic resources (such as heat tolerance, meat quality and disease resistance), the whole-genome sequencing data of 78 individuals from 3 native Chinese pig populations, including Wuzhishan (WZS), Tunchang (TC) and Dingan (DA), were obtained using a 150 bp paired-end platform, and 25 individuals from two foreign breeds, including Landrace (LR) and Large White (LW), were downloaded from a public database. A total of 28,384,282 SNPs were identified, of which 27,134,233 SNPs were identified in native Chinese pig populations. Both genetic diversity statistics and linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis indicated that indigenous pig populations displayed high genetic diversity. The result of population structure implied the uniqueness of each native Chinese pig population. The selection signatures were detected between indigenous pig populations and foreign breeds by using the population differentiation index (FST) method. A total of 359 candidate genes were identified, and some genes may affect characteristics such as immunity (IL-2, IL-21 and ZFYVE16), adaptability (APBA1), reproduction (FGF2, RNF17, ADAD1 and HIPK4), meat quality (ABCA1, ADIG, TLE4 and IRX5), and heat tolerance (VPS13A, HSPA4). Overall, the findings of this study will provide some valuable insights for the future breeding, conservation and utilization of these three Chinese indigenous pig populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice is the most important crop for worldwide consumers. The water utilization of rice planting is more than 50% of agricultural water in China, and it is necessary to breed water-saving and drought-resistant rice. The rice variety Dianheyou 615 can be planted in the paddy and upland fields, which satisfies rice production farmers in mountainous regions of Yunnan. We aimed to explore the variations in Magnaporthe oryzae isolates collected from Dianheyou 615 planted in paddy or upland fields. Through pathogenicity tests, we found that most isolates had the highest pathogenicities, but there were no significant differences between the paddy and upland isolates. By a combination of monogenetic and elite rice lines, with a further resistance assessment, the monogenetic lines with Pi9, Diantun 506, and Lvhan 1 displayed better resistances. Moreover, we re-sequenced 15 isolates to explore their genetic variations. Our results showed that the source of the upland isolates may have been the offspring of the paddy isolates, but there were many genes with specifically found SNPs in two populations that would develop subdivisions after long-time planting. Overall, we compared the pathogenicities and genetic variations in blast isolates from the planting of Dianheyou 615 in paddy and upland fields, which provided references for the influence of the planting environment on population subdivisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the simplicity and convenience of PPG signal acquisition, the detection of the respiration rate based on the PPG signal is more suitable for dynamic monitoring than the impedance spirometry method, but it is challenging to achieve accurate predictions from low-signal-quality PPG signals, especially in intensive-care patients with weak PPG signals. The goal of this study was to construct a simple model for respiration rate estimation based on PPG signals using a machine-learning approach fusing signal quality metrics to improve the accuracy of estimation despite the low-signal-quality PPG signals. In this study, we propose a method based on the whale optimization algorithm (WOA) with a hybrid relation vector machine (HRVM) to construct a highly robust model considering signal quality factors to estimate RR from PPG signals in real time. To detect the performance of the proposed model, we simultaneously recorded PPG signals and impedance respiratory rates obtained from the BIDMC dataset. The results of the respiration rate prediction model proposed in this study showed that the MAE and RMSE were 0.71 and 0.99 breaths/min, respectively, in the training set, and 1.24 and 1.79 breaths/min, respectively, in the test set. Compared without taking signal quality factors into account, MAE and RMSE are reduced by 1.28 and 1.67 breaths/min, respectively, in the training set, and reduced by 0.62 and 0.65 breaths/min in the test set. Even in the nonnormal breathing range below 12 bpm and above 24 bpm, the MAE reached 2.68 and 4.28 breaths/min, respectively, and the RMSE reached 3.52 and 5.01 breaths/min, respectively. The results show that the model that considers the PPG signal quality and respiratory quality proposed in this study has obvious advantages and application potential in predicting the respiration rate to cope with the problem of low signal quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work reports a new second‐order nonlinear optical (NLO) material [C(NH2)3]3C3N3S3 (GU3TMT), consisting of π‐conjugated planar (C3N3S3)3− and triangular [C(NH2)3]+ groups. Interestingly, GU3TMT exhibits a large NLO response (2.0×KH2PO4) and moderate birefringence 0.067 at wavelength 550 nm, even though (C3N3S3)3− and [C(NH2)3]+ do not exhibit the most favorable arrangement in the structure of GU3TMT. First‐principles calculations suggest that NLO properties mainly originate from the highly π‐conjugated (C3N3S3)3− rings, and the π‐conjugated [C(NH2)3]+ triangles contribute much less to the overall NLO response. This work will inspire new thoughts with in‐depth on the role of π‐conjugated groups in NLO crystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Liver metastasis is the leading cause of death in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Surgical resection of the liver metastases increases the incidence of long-term survival in patients with colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM). However, many patients experience CRLM recurrence after the initial liver resection. As an unavoidable pathophysiological process in liver surgery, liver ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury increases the risk of tumor recurrence and metastasis. Methods: Colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM) mouse models and mouse liver partial warm ischemia models were constructed. The levels of lipid peroxidation were detected in cells or tissues. Western Blot, qPCR, elisa, immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, scanning electron microscope, flow cytometry analysis were conducted to evaluate the changes of multiple signaling pathways during CRLM recurrence under liver ischemia-reperfusion (IR) background, including SGK1/IL-6/STAT3, neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) formation, polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cell (PMN-MDSC) infiltration. Results: Hepatocyte serum/glucocorticoid regulated kinase 1 (SGK1) was activated in response to hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury to pass hepatocyte STAT3 phosphorylation and serum amyloid A (SAA) hyperactivation signals in CRLM-IR mice, such regulation is dependent on SGK-activated IL-6 autocrine. Administration of the SGK1 inhibitor GSK-650394 further reduced ERK-related neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) formation and polymorphonucler myeloid-derived suppressor cells (PMN-MDSC) infiltration compared with targeting hepatocyte SGK1 alone, thereby alleviating CRLM in the context of IR. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that hepatocyte and immune cell SGK1 synergistically promote postoperative CRLM recurrence in response to hepatic IR stress, and identifies SGK1 as a translational target that may improve postoperative CRLM recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to adopt the perspective of organisational ambidexterity to explore the relationships between entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and innovation performance (IP). Based on the resource-based view and social network theory, this study constructs a theoretical model to investigate the relationship between EO and IP, as well as the mediation of network ambidexterity. The empirical results show that EO has a positive and direct impact on IP. The dimensions of network ambidexterity both mediate the relationships between EO and IP. More importantly, the combined dimension has a stronger effect than the balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The maintenance of neural stem cells (NSCs) plays a critical role in neurodevelopment and has been implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). However, the underlying mechanisms linking defective human neural stem cell self-renewal to NDDs remain undetermined. Our previous study found that Supt16 haploinsufficiency causes cognitive and social behavior deficits by disrupting the stemness maintenance of NSCs in mice. However, its effects and underlying mechanisms have not been elucidated in human neural stem cells (hNSCs). Here, we generated Supt16+/− induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and induced them into hNSCs. The results revealed that Supt16 heterozygous hNSCs exhibit impaired proliferation, cell cycle arrest, and increased apoptosis. As the RNA-seq analysis showed, Supt16 haploinsufficiency inhibited the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, leading to rising autophagy, and further resulted in the dysregulated expression of multiple proteins related to cell proliferation and apoptotic process. Furthermore, the suppression of Supt16 heterozygous hNSC self-renewal caused by autophagy activation could be rescued by MHY1485 treatment or reproduced in rapamycin-treated hNSCs. Thus, our results showed that Supt16 was essential for hNSC self-renewal and its haploinsufficiency led to cell cycle arrest, impaired cell proliferation, and increased apoptosis of hNSCs by regulating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR/autophagy pathway. These provided a new insight to understand the causality between the Supt16 heterozygous NSCs and NDDs in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Religious individuals often prefer future rewards more in intertemporal decision‐making than nonreligious individuals, but the reasons behind this preference remain under‐investigated. Focusing on decision‐making in Buddhist culture, the current study aimed to examine three potential mechanisms: Buddhist practices, self‐control and belief in future‐oriented concepts. In five studies, we consistently found that nonbelievers' preference ratings for Larger and Later (LL) options increased after visiting a temple (Study 1, n = 99) or participating in Buddha name chanting (Studies 2–5, n = 314). We also found in Studies 3 and 4 that this effect was mediated by the individual's level of self‐control, but no evidence was found to support the mediation of belief in future‐oriented concepts. These results contribute to the work attesting to the effect of religious practices on individuals (especially nonbelievers). They also provide a mechanism (self‐control) for the positive correlation between individuals' religiousness and preference for future rewards in intertemporal decision‐making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new organic-inorganic hybrid coated titanium fibre was developed via self-assembled modification for rapid and efficient solid-phase microextraction (SPME). Oriented titania nanorods (TiO2NRs) were in situ grown on the Ti wire as a fibre substrate through direct electrochemical anodisation. Subsequently, dodecyl groups were chemically bonded to the surface of TiO2NRs via self-assembly of n-dodecyltrimethoxysilane. The dodecyl-functionalised TiO2NRs coated Ti fibre was used to extract representative aromatic compounds coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection. The new fibre exhibited excellent extraction efficiency and selectivity for the studied polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) compared to commercial polydimethylsiloxane and polyacrylate fibres. The influential factors affecting the SPME process of PAHs were investigated and optimised. Under the optimised conditions, the developed method presented dynamic linear ranges from 0.03 to 500 μg·L−1 with correlation coefficients higher than 0.999 and limits of detection from 0.006 to 0.57 μg·L−1. Relative standard deviations (RSDs) varied between 3.51% and 4.93% and between 4.17% and 5.23% for intra-day and inter-day measurements with one single fibre, respectively. RSDs for the fibre-to-fibre reproducibility from 4.26% to 8.65% were achieved. The developed method was successfully applied to the selective preconcentration and determination of target PAHs in different environmental water samples. The relative recoveries from 89.62% to 113.1% were obtained with RSDs below 8.53%. Moreover, this fibre can be used over 200 times and fabricated in a precisely controllable manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Both sepsis acute lung injury (SALI) and non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are life-threatening diseases caused by immune response disorders and inflammation, but the underlining linking mechanisms are still not clear. This study aimed to detect the shared gene signature and potential molecular process between SALI and NSCLC. (2) Methods: RNA sequences and patient information on sepsis and NSCLC were acquired from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to build a co-expression network associated with sepsis and NSCLC. Protein–protein interaction (PPI) analysis of shared genes was intuitively performed by the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins (STRING) database. The involvement of EZH2 in the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) and sepsis immune microenvironment (IME) was assessed by R software. Western blot, flow cytometry, and other in vitro assays were performed to further confirm the function and mechanism of EZH2 in NSCLC and SALI. (3) Results: WGCNA recognized three major modules for sepsis and two major modules for NSCLC, and there were seven shared genes identified for the two diseases. Additionally, the hub gene EZH2 was screened out. It was shown that EZH2 was closely related to the IME in the two diseases. In the validation assay, our data showed that EZH2 was expressed at a higher level in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of septic patients than those of healthy donors (HDs), and EZH2 was also expressed at a higher level in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced PBMCs and non-small cell lung cancer (A549) cells. EZH2 inhibitor (GSK343) downregulated the proliferation ability of A549 cells in a concentration-dependent manner, parallel with the decreased expression level of PD-L1. Similarly, GSK343 inhibited PD-L1 protein expression and downregulated the level of proinflammatory factors in LPS-induced PBMCs. In the co-culture system of PBMCs and human type II alveolar epithelial cells (ATIIs), the addition of GSK343 to PBMCs significantly downregulated the apoptosis of LPS-induced ATIIs. (4) Conclusions: This study illustrated that EZH2 inhibition could ameliorate A549 cell proliferation and LPS-induced ATII apoptosis in parallel with downregulation of PD-L1 protein expression, which provided new insights into molecular signaling networks involved in the pathogenetics of SALI and NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Cervical cancer has attracted increasing attention in recent years, and the incidence has shown a trend of younger age. Therefore, it is an effective method to regulate the progression of cervical cancer through new prognostic biomarkers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential of lncRNA LAMTOR5‐AS1 (LAMTOR5‐AS1) as a prognostic biomarker and reveal its regulatory role in cervical cancer. Methods: A total of 120 patients with cervical cancer were selected as research subjects to verify the prognostic effect of LAMTOR5‐AS1 in a series of experiments. The expression of LAMTOR5‐AS1 in cervical cancer tissues and cells was determined by polymerase chain reaction assay. The proliferation, migration, and invasion ability of cervical cancer cells were evaluated by Cell Counting Kit‐8 (CCK‐8) and Transwell assay. Luciferase reporter gene detection was used to determine the mechanism of LAMTOR5‐AS1 targeting miR‐210‐3p, and to reflect the prognostic value of LAMTOR5‐AS1 according to statistical methods. Results: LAMTOR5‐AS1 decreased in cervical cancer tissues, while miR‐210‐3p expression increased. In the study of cervical cancer cells, it was found that the LAMTOR5‐AS1 sponge miR‐210‐3p was associated with the malignant progression of cervical cancer. Overexpression of LAMTOR5‐AS1 could effectively inhibit the development of cervical cancer cells and might be chosen as a prognostic biomarker of cervical cancer. Conclusions: LAMTOR5‐AS1 sponges miR‐210‐3p and modulates the progression of cervical cancer, which predict the prognosis of cervical cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liver glycogen is a highly branched glucose polymer found as β particles (~20 nm in diameter), which can bind together into larger composite α particles. Hepatic α particles have been shown to be structurally fragile (breaking up into smaller particles in certain solvents) in mouse models of diabetes; if occurring in vivo, the resulting small glycogen particles could exacerbate the poor blood-sugar homeostasis characteristic of the disease. Here we tested if this α-particle fragility also occurred in liver glycogen obtained from humans with diabetes. It was found that liver glycogen from diabetic humans was indeed more fragile than from non-diabetic humans, which was also seen in the mouse experiments we ran in parallel. Proteomic analysis revealed three candidate proteins from differentially expressed glycogen proteins (Diabetes/ Non-diabetes) in both human and mouse groups. Identifying these proteins may give clues to the binding mechanism that holds together α particles together, which, being different in diabetic glycogen, is relevant to diabetes prevention and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the postharvest storage of broccoli, yellowing becomes a problem that affects the nutritional value and market value of broccoli. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of chlorine dioxide (ClO2) on chlorophyll degradation in postharvest broccoli. Broccoli heads were immersed in 100 mg L−1 ClO2 solution and then stored at 4°C for 25 days. The results showed that postharvest ClO2 treatment delayed the yellowing of broccoli, suppressed weight loss and relative electrical conductivity, and increased total soluble solid content, indicating that ClO2 treatment could delay the decline of broccoli quality. At the same time, ClO2 treatment also reduced the loss of chlorophyll content and suppressed chlorophyllase (CLH), pheophyllase (PPH) and pheophyllase a oxygenase (PAO) activity, which in turn inhibited the expression of BoCLH1, BoCLH2, BoCLH3, BoPPH, and BoPAO. In summary, the results indicated that ClO2 treatment could delay the yellowing rate and maintain the commercial value of broccoli during storage. Novelty impact statement: Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) treatment can delay yellowing and maintain the commercial value of broccoli. ClO2 treatment inhibited chlorophyll degrading enzyme activity in harvested broccoli. ClO2 treatment can downregulate the expression of chlorophyll degradation gene in harvested broccoli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective fault-diagnosis strategies have been the focus of research on multi-agent systems (MASs). In this paper, the belief rule base (BRB)-based distributed fault-diagnosis problem for MASs is investigated, and a topology-switching strategy is developed to increase the reliability of fault-diagnosis model. Firstly, a BRB-based distributed fault-diagnosis model is constructed for the MAS with multiple faults, then expert knowledge is used to judge whether the agent is faulty. Then, considering that the system may be influenced by the fault or some other factors and thus leading to a decrease in the accuracy of the fault-diagnosis results, a topology-switching strategy based on the average distance of the output diagnosis accuracy is proposed to update the topology of the agent so that the fault-diagnosis results can be more reliable. Note that the topology-switching threshold is designed based on the average distance between the accuracy of the fault diagnosis of each agent. The method proposed in this paper can solve the problem when the fault-diagnosis accuracy of the model is affected by some common factors and thus decreases, and can improve the reliability of the fault-diagnosis model very well. Finally, the effectiveness of the BRB-based distributed fault-diagnosis model and the proposed topology-switching strategy to improve the fault-diagnosis accuracy is verified by simulation examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aims to investigate the gasification characteristics of oily sludge in CO2 atmosphere. In this study, the gasification characteristics of two typical oily sludge (SSOS and SLOS) in CO2 atmosphere were compared and studied by fixed bed experiment and thermogravimetric analysis system. TG-DTG analysis results showed that the reaction was completed at 600 °C, while the termination temperature of SLOS was 650 °C. The thermal conversion of oil phase (excluding asphaltene) of SSOS and SLOS both maintained between 200 and 550 °C, showing high similarity. In kinetics analysis part, the average Ea of SSOS and SLOS was about 90 kJ mol−1 and 110 kJ mol−1, respectively, which means the gasification reaction difficulty of SSOS was slightly lower than SLOS. The gasification products are mainly composed of H2 and CO. For CO, as the temperature exceeded 800 °C, the output surged, and the H2 output only increased slightly. The effect of gasification agent was much less than that of temperature. When R exceeded 1, the dosage of CO2 has little effect on the output of gas products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supramolecular polymers (SPs) have attracted broad interest because of their intriguing features and functions. Host–guest interactions often impart tunable physicochemical properties, reversible hierarchical organization, and stimuli‐responsiveness to SPs for diverse biomedical applications. Characterized by strong but dynamic interactions with guest molecules, cucurbit[n]uril (CB[n]) has shown great potential as an important building block of various functional polymers for biomedical applications. In this Minireview, we summarize the most recent examples regarding the design, fabrication, and biomedical applications of CB[n]‐based supramolecular polymers (CSPs), which are categorized as noncovalent and covalent CSPs according to the interactions between the CB[n] and polymer backbones. The design principles of CSPs and their unique advantages for biomedical applications, as well as the developmental trends and future perspectives of this cross‐disciplinary area are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cyclic freezing-thawing action in cold regions leads to the deterioration of rock damage, resulting in local damage and further threatening the safety of engineering. In order to study the degradation characteristics of green sandstone and yellow sandstone under freeze-thaw cycles from macroscopic and microscopic aspects, the sandstone of a mining area in Inner Mongolia was used as experimental material. The freeze-thaw cycles were divided into 20 times, 30 times, and 40 times. NMR images and mechanical test results of two different rock samples were analyzed by binarization, NMR, and mechanical test. The test results show that, except that the mass change is less than that of yellow sandstone, the physical index degradation degree of green sandstone is higher than that of yellow sandstone, and the frost resistance is less than that of yellow sandstone. The change of acoustic emission event rate of green sandstone is mainly in the elastic deformation stage and stable crack propagation stage, and the change of acoustic emission event rate of yellow sandstone is concentrated in the crack closure stage. In the loading process, the energy release trends of the two sandstones are similar; the 30 freeze-thaw cycles are the boundary of brittle-plastic transformation of green sandstone, and the increase of cumulative energy is the most obvious. The research results provide a theoretical basis for studying the rock failure mechanism and improving the stability of rock engineering in cold regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supramolecular polymers (SPs) have attracted broad interest because of their intriguing features and functions. Host–guest interactions often impart tunable physicochemical properties, reversible hierarchical organization, and stimuli‐responsiveness to SPs for diverse biomedical applications. Characterized by strong but dynamic interactions with guest molecules, cucurbit[n]uril (CB[n]) has shown great potential as an important building block of various functional polymers for biomedical applications. In this Minireview, we summarize the most recent examples regarding the design, fabrication, and biomedical applications of CB[n]‐based supramolecular polymers (CSPs), which are categorized as noncovalent and covalent CSPs according to the interactions between the CB[n] and polymer backbones. The design principles of CSPs and their unique advantages for biomedical applications, as well as the developmental trends and future perspectives of this cross‐disciplinary area are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CO 2 methanation has drawn tremendous attentions since it can alleviate the environmental issues caused by the rapid increase of CO 2 and realize the carbon cycle. To effectively activate the stable CO 2 molecule and facilitate the complicated 8 electron-involved process, it is necessary to develop highly efficient and robust catalysts, aiming at large-scale applications in CO 2 methanation. In this review, three major modification strategies for improving the catalysts are discussed, including active sites, surface basicity and oxygen defects. A smaller size and higher dispersion of metallic sites enhance the adsorption of H 2 and CO 2 , thus leading to a higher yield of CH 4. Also, basic sites with medium strength promote the crucial intermediate formation while acidic sites or strong basic sites might adversely affect the CH 4 production. Furthermore, oxygen defects increase the CO 2 adsorption and oxygen mobility, gasifying the cokes and prolonging the lifespan. In addition to the structure-performance relationship, reaction and deactivation mechanisms are introduced at the beginning while conclusive remarks and future works are proposed in the end. [Display omitted] • Overview on the reaction mechanisms of CO 2 methanation. • Categorized discussion on the modification strategies of heterogeneous catalysts. • Critical and in-depth analysis of the structure-performance relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the characteristics that the dynamic tension of rock material is elastic brittle and the dynamic compression is elastic plastic, based on previous studies, the influence of initial damage is considered in the established compression damage model, and the calculation formula of the damage threshold used to evaluate whether the surrounding rock is affected by blasting is given. According to the classic rock impact dynamic damage model and statistical damage mechanics theory, a rock compressive and tensile statistical damage constitutive model and impact damage model under blasting load is proposed. Based on the proposed damage model and the classic dynamic tensile damage model, the numerical simulation of blasting damage was carried out, and the numerical calculation results were compared with the field measurement results. Based on the established damage model, to further clarify the damage evolution characteristics of rock under blasting load, fractal dimension theory was introduced to analyze the rock damage under blasting loads with different blasting hole network parameters. The results show that compared with the axial direction of the blast hole, the direction of blast hole diameter is the main direction of blasting fracture extension. Tensile fracture mainly occurs along the hole diameter direction, and compression fracture mainly occurs below the hole bottom. Compared with the numerical calculation results based on the classical dynamic tensile damage model, the blasting fracture range obtained according to the damage model, especially the fracture depth below the bottom of the hole, was not much different from the measured value and was closest to the measured value. The crack density of 1 us, 90 aperture, and 130 aperture was larger than that of the other working conditions. Among them, the crack density of 130 aperture was the largest, followed by 90 aperture. At 2~3 us after initiation, cracks between two blast holes, radial cracks and circumferential cracks around two blast holes, and obvious cracks were formed around blastholes; at 4~5 us after initiation, the shock wave front decreased rapidly and propagated outward in the form of the compression wave. The crack propagation velocity was much smaller than that at 1~3 us after initiation. In summary, the proposed damage model is reasonable and has certain engineering practicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnaporthe oryzae, the causal agent of rice blast disease, produces devastating damage to global rice production. It is urgent to explore novel strategies to overcome the losses caused by this disease. 9-phenanthrol is often used as a transient receptor potential melastatin 4 (TRPM4) channel inhibitor for animals, but we found its fungal toxicity to M. oryzae. Thus, we explored the antimicrobial mechanism through transcriptome and metabolome analyses. Moreover, we found that overexpression of a gene encoding 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase involved in the tyrosine degradative pathway enhanced the tolerance of 9-phenanthrol in M. oryzae. Thus, our results highlight the potential fungal toxicity mechanism of 9-phenanthrol at metabolic and transcriptomic levels and identify a gene involving 9-phenanthrol alleviation. Importantly, our results demonstrate the novel mechanism of 9-phenanthrol on fungal toxicity that will provide new insights of 9-phenanthrol for application on other organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, CoCrFeNiMn high entropy alloy (HEA) composite coatings reinforced with different WC particle contents were prepared by induction cladding technology for the first time. The effects of WC particle contents (0–70 wt%) on the microstructure, hardness, wear resistance and corrosion resistance of the coatings were analyzed. The results showed that the coatings prepared by induction cladding exhibited good metallurgical bonding with the substrate. The addition of WC particles led to grain refinement in the CoCrFeNiMn HEA together with second-phase strengthening and solid solution strengthening, improving the microhardness of the coatings. Compared to the average hardness value of 183 HV 0.5 for the CoCrFeNiMn HEA coating, the composite coating with 60 wt% WC particle content exhibited the highest average hardness value of 679 HV 0.5. The addition of WC particles significantly enhanced the wear resistance of the composite coating, with wear mechanisms including adhesive wear, abrasive wear, fatigue wear and oxidation wear. The composite coating with 60 wt% WC particle content demonstrated outstanding wear resistance, with a specific wear rate value of 0.491 × 10−6 mm3N−1 m−1, representing a reduction of approximately 670 times compared to the CoCrFeNiMn HEA coating. However, the addition of WC particles caused uneven potential distribution within the composite coatings, leading to galvanic corrosion. The WC particles and precipitated carbides increased the defects in the passive film, thus reducing the corrosion resistance of the composite coatings. • WC/CoCrFeNiMn high-entropy alloy composite coatings were prepared by induction cladding. • WC particles showed dissolution-diffusion mechanism during induction cladding. • Composite coatings showed excellent hardness and wear resistance. • Different phases tended to produce galvanic corrosion in the composite coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To systematically evaluate and meta-analyze the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) on athletes of aerobic endurance performance parameters.PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, Embase, and Cochrane databases were searched. The assessment of quality was conducted employing The Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool, while heterogeneity examination and subgroup analysis were performed. Moreover, regression and sensitivity analyses were executed.There was no significant difference between the effects of HIIT and MICT on the enhancement of athletes’ running economy (RE) (P > 0.05); 1–3 weeks and 4–9 weeks of HIIT were more effective in improving athletes’ maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) (P < 0.05), and 10 weeks and above were not significant (P > 0.05); 1–3 weeks of HIIT was more effective in improving athletes’ anaerobic threshold (AT) (P < 0.05), and 4–10 weeks was not significant (P > 0.05); 3 weeks of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) did not significantly enhance athletes’ minute ventilation (VE) (P > 0.05), whereas a duration of 6–10 weeks yielded superior results (P < 0.05); 8 weeks of moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) did not significantly enhance athletes’ hemoglobin (Hb) level (P > 0.05), whereas a duration of 2–3 weeks yielded superior results (P < 0.05).(1) HIIT and MICT have similar effects on enhancing athletes’ RE. (2) 6–9 weeks’ HIIT was more effective in improving athletes’ VO2max and VE, and 3 weeks’ HIIT was more effective in improving athletes’ AT. (3) Within 3 weeks, MICT was more effective in improving the Hb level of athletes.CRD42024499039.Methods: To systematically evaluate and meta-analyze the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) on athletes of aerobic endurance performance parameters.PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, Embase, and Cochrane databases were searched. The assessment of quality was conducted employing The Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool, while heterogeneity examination and subgroup analysis were performed. Moreover, regression and sensitivity analyses were executed.There was no significant difference between the effects of HIIT and MICT on the enhancement of athletes’ running economy (RE) (P > 0.05); 1–3 weeks and 4–9 weeks of HIIT were more effective in improving athletes’ maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) (P < 0.05), and 10 weeks and above were not significant (P > 0.05); 1–3 weeks of HIIT was more effective in improving athletes’ anaerobic threshold (AT) (P < 0.05), and 4–10 weeks was not significant (P > 0.05); 3 weeks of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) did not significantly enhance athletes’ minute ventilation (VE) (P > 0.05), whereas a duration of 6–10 weeks yielded superior results (P < 0.05); 8 weeks of moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) did not significantly enhance athletes’ hemoglobin (Hb) level (P > 0.05), whereas a duration of 2–3 weeks yielded superior results (P < 0.05).(1) HIIT and MICT have similar effects on enhancing athletes’ RE. (2) 6–9 weeks’ HIIT was more effective in improving athletes’ VO2max and VE, and 3 weeks’ HIIT was more effective in improving athletes’ AT. (3) Within 3 weeks, MICT was more effective in improving the Hb level of athletes.CRD42024499039.Results: To systematically evaluate and meta-analyze the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) on athletes of aerobic endurance performance parameters.PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, Embase, and Cochrane databases were searched. The assessment of quality was conducted employing The Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool, while heterogeneity examination and subgroup analysis were performed. Moreover, regression and sensitivity analyses were executed.There was no significant difference between the effects of HIIT and MICT on the enhancement of athletes’ running economy (RE) (P > 0.05); 1–3 weeks and 4–9 weeks of HIIT were more effective in improving athletes’ maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) (P < 0.05), and 10 weeks and above were not significant (P > 0.05); 1–3 weeks of HIIT was more effective in improving athletes’ anaerobic threshold (AT) (P < 0.05), and 4–10 weeks was not significant (P > 0.05); 3 weeks of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) did not significantly enhance athletes’ minute ventilation (VE) (P > 0.05), whereas a duration of 6–10 weeks yielded superior results (P < 0.05); 8 weeks of moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) did not significantly enhance athletes’ hemoglobin (Hb) level (P > 0.05), whereas a duration of 2–3 weeks yielded superior results (P < 0.05).(1) HIIT and MICT have similar effects on enhancing athletes’ RE. (2) 6–9 weeks’ HIIT was more effective in improving athletes’ VO2max and VE, and 3 weeks’ HIIT was more effective in improving athletes’ AT. (3) Within 3 weeks, MICT was more effective in improving the Hb level of athletes.CRD42024499039.Conclusions: To systematically evaluate and meta-analyze the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) on athletes of aerobic endurance performance parameters.PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, Embase, and Cochrane databases were searched. The assessment of quality was conducted employing The Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool, while heterogeneity examination and subgroup analysis were performed. Moreover, regression and sensitivity analyses were executed.There was no significant difference between the effects of HIIT and MICT on the enhancement of athletes’ running economy (RE) (P > 0.05); 1–3 weeks and 4–9 weeks of HIIT were more effective in improving athletes’ maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) (P < 0.05), and 10 weeks and above were not significant (P > 0.05); 1–3 weeks of HIIT was more effective in improving athletes’ anaerobic threshold (AT) (P < 0.05), and 4–10 weeks was not significant (P > 0.05); 3 weeks of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) did not significantly enhance athletes’ minute ventilation (VE) (P > 0.05), whereas a duration of 6–10 weeks yielded superior results (P < 0.05); 8 weeks of moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) did not significantly enhance athletes’ hemoglobin (Hb) level (P > 0.05), whereas a duration of 2–3 weeks yielded superior results (P < 0.05).(1) HIIT and MICT have similar effects on enhancing athletes’ RE. (2) 6–9 weeks’ HIIT was more effective in improving athletes’ VO2max and VE, and 3 weeks’ HIIT was more effective in improving athletes’ AT. (3) Within 3 weeks, MICT was more effective in improving the Hb level of athletes.CRD42024499039.Registration number on PROSPERO: To systematically evaluate and meta-analyze the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) on athletes of aerobic endurance performance parameters.PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, Embase, and Cochrane databases were searched. The assessment of quality was conducted employing The Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool, while heterogeneity examination and subgroup analysis were performed. Moreover, regression and sensitivity analyses were executed.There was no significant difference between the effects of HIIT and MICT on the enhancement of athletes’ running economy (RE) (P > 0.05); 1–3 weeks and 4–9 weeks of HIIT were more effective in improving athletes’ maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) (P < 0.05), and 10 weeks and above were not significant (P > 0.05); 1–3 weeks of HIIT was more effective in improving athletes’ anaerobic threshold (AT) (P < 0.05), and 4–10 weeks was not significant (P > 0.05); 3 weeks of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) did not significantly enhance athletes’ minute ventilation (VE) (P > 0.05), whereas a duration of 6–10 weeks yielded superior results (P < 0.05); 8 weeks of moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) did not significantly enhance athletes’ hemoglobin (Hb) level (P > 0.05), whereas a duration of 2–3 weeks yielded superior results (P < 0.05).(1) HIIT and MICT have similar effects on enhancing athletes’ RE. (2) 6–9 weeks’ HIIT was more effective in improving athletes’ VO2max and VE, and 3 weeks’ HIIT was more effective in improving athletes’ AT. (3) Within 3 weeks, MICT was more effective in improving the Hb level of athletes.CRD42024499039. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-view partial multi-label (MVPML) problems are often encountered in our real life. Each training sample described by multi-view is associated with a set of candidate labels, including multiple ground-truth labels and noisy labels. Currently, to tackle the problem, some attempts are focusing on label enhancement. Moreover, disambiguation is a relatively valid method to recover the ground-truth label by disambiguating the candidate label for each sample. However, due to the complexity of the data, the one-stage disambiguation method is hard to fully recover the ground-truth label. To deal with the challenge, we propose a novel two-stage MVPML method motivated by feature-induced manifold disambiguation and low-rank sparse decomposition (TFMDD). Specifically, in the first stage, the KNN-based aggregate manifold structure adaptively fuses feature information from different views, and the obtained structure information is used to build a feature-induced manifold structure in the label space to remove the ambiguity of candidate labels. In the second stage, under the supervision of the disambiguated label matrix, multi-label classifiers and noise recognizers are simultaneously optimized in a unified framework by considering label correlation and low noise levels. Through the two stages, TFMDD attains satisfactory results. Extensive experiments on real-world datasets clearly confirm the method validity and give a validation in a statistical sense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to fabricate healthier beef burgers using high internal phase Pickering emulsion (HIPPE) as animal fat substitute. In this context, HIPPE stabilized by modified soy protein isolates was produced with flaxseed-derived diglycerides (DAGs). Beef burgers were prepared by substituting beef backfat with HIPPE at varying levels (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%). Reformulated burgers showed a significant decrease in WHC (from 89.75 to 77.38%), pH (from 5.73 to 5.58), L* values (from 53.5 to 44.5), and b* values (22.9 to 21.8), while a significant increase in a* values (from 24.4 to 6.7), cooking loss (from 20.25 to 30.62), and cooking shrinkage (from 11.27 to 13.05). Texture attributes, including hardness, chewiness, and gumminess, decreased up to 50% fat substitution and increased with increasing levels of fat substitution. Moreover, the rheological properties (G′ and G′′) and T 2 relaxation time were increased with increasing fat replacement. The reformulation with HIPPE resulted in a decrease in SFA (from 3896 to 1712 mg/100 g), ω-6/ω-3 ratio (from 5.29 to 0.47), atherogenic index (from 0.57 to 0.13), and thrombogenic index (from 1.46 to 0.15) and increase in PUFA/SFA ratio (from 0.20 to 2.79). Notably, burgers with 50% fat substitution were more preferred regarding tenderness, while those with 100% fat substitution obtained higher scores for color and flavor than all other treatments. In conclusion, 50% fat replacement using flaxseed-derived diglyceride-based HIPPE improved beef burgers' textural profile and fatty acid composition without compromising the sensory characteristics. • Up to 50% fat substitution did not affect the cooking shrinkage. • Fat substitution enhanced the texture of beef burgers. • Burger reformulation resulted in an enhanced fatty acid profile. • Fat-substituted burgers presented improved health indices. • Fat replacement improved the flavor of beef burgers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ratchetting–fatigue interaction is found prevalent at higher temperature. • Ratchetting damage arises from the cavitation in the interior of specimens. • Mesomechanical energy-based damage variable is adopted in our theory. • Imperfect interface theory is used to consider the ratchetting damage. • The theory shows a good agreement with our experimental measurements. Fatigue failure is a significant concern for magnesium (Mg) alloy components. However, fatigue damage mechanisms of Mg alloys, particularly in the case of ratchetting–fatigue interaction at elevated temperatures, are still not well understood. In this paper, we combine experiments and theoretical analysis to investigate the high-temperature damage mechanisms of the extruded AZ31 Mg alloy, specifically focusing on the effects of ratchetting–fatigue interaction. We reveal a distinct demonstration of damage, namely the formation of microvoids in the alloy due to significant ratchetting deformation, defined as ratchetting damage. Notably, this ratchetting damage is more prevalent at higher temperatures. Considering the mesomechanics-based energy mechanisms associated with grain boundaries (or twin boundaries), a mesomechanical damage model is established to capture the ratchetting damage under elevated temperatures and large ratchetting deformations. This model can reasonably simulate the intricate process of damage evolution and predict the critical condition of microvoid or microcrack formation. This work has the potential to serve as a theoretical tool for the safety design of structures made from Mg alloys under complex mechanical and thermal conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on gas accumulation mechanisms and variations in gas saturation is limited in the newly established Mugua gas field in the Ordos Basin. Understanding these aspects is vital for reduce drilling uncertainty and exploration risk. This study employed a variety of methods, including: (1) the use of organic geochemical examinations to determine the gas expulsion intensity of hydrocarbon source rocks; (2) fluid inclusion analyses to determine the time of gas accumulation; (3) a combination of optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy observations, pore-simulation and permeability tests, mercury-intrusion capillary pressure experiments, and nuclear magnetic resonance studies to assess the properties of the reservoir quality and identify the tight sandstone rock type; (4) wireline logging and interpretive data analyses to research the gas saturations features; and (5) establish reservoir quality evolution model to systematically study this problem. Integrating fluid inclusion homogenization temperatures with burial and thermal histories indicates that gas accumulation in the Mugua gas fields occurred throughout the Early Jurassic to Late Cretaceous period. Five diagenetic facies have been identified: dissolution, quartz-cemented, clay mineral filling, tightly compacted, and carbonate-cemented facies. The reservoir quality evolution model reveals that the five diagenetic facies experienced densification before the period of gas accumulation. Therefore, for gas accumulation in tight sandstones, it is essential that mature and gas-generating source rocks, provide sufficient expulsion forces to drive gas into the rocks. The mechanism of gas accumulation in the Mugua gas field's tight gas sandstone reservoirs involves the process occurring in sandstones that are either near or interbedded with source rocks, under high pore-fluid pressure generated by gas production. Compared to other Upper Paleozoic gas fields in the Ordos Basin, the gas expulsion intensity in the Mugua gas field is lower, ranging from 6.12–8.39 × 108 m3/km2. Due to the low gas expulsion intensity, the Shihezi 8 Member's tight sandstone reservoirs, situated away from the source rock, typically show low gas saturation. Conversely, the dissolution and quartz-cemented facies within the Benxi, Taiyuan, and Shanxi Formations, intimately interbedded with hydrocarbon source rocks, exhibit good reservoir quality. They offer ideal conditions for gas accumulation, making them prime candidates for exploration and development. • The relationship between the timing of gas accumulation and the evolution of reservoir quality is elucidated. • The mechanisms of gas accumulation and the factors influencing variations in gas saturation are detailed. • Formation and tight sandstone rock typing with exploration and development potential are clarified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • DAG has emerged as a potential alternative to substitute TAG in food products. • Thermal treatment and ultrasonication was used to modify SPI. • Ultrasound treatment reduced particle size and zeta potential of SPI nanoparticles. • SPI subjected to 450 W power resulted in more stable DAG-based Pickering emulsions. Flaxseed-derived diglyceride (DAG)-based Pickering emulsions were fabricated using soy protein isolate (SPI) nanoparticles as stabilizer. The SPI nanoparticles were prepared under the combined action of heating and ultrasound treatment. The SPI nanoparticles exposed to 600 W power exhibited the smallest particle size (133.36 nm) and zeta potential (-34.77 mV). Ultrasonic treatment did not significantly impact the polypeptide chain's primary structure but induced changes in the secondary structure. The Pickering emulsions stabilized with ultrasound-treated SPI nanoparticles showed smaller particle size, lower zeta potential, and improved emulsifying properties. Notably, at 450 W power, these emulsions showed a higher solid–liquid balance, reduced mean square displacement, backscattering fluctuations, and turbiscan stability index. Besides, they displayed a more compact microstructure with smaller droplets. In conclusion, SPI subjected to heating and 450 W ultrasound power resulted in the fabrication of DAG-based Pickering emulsions with enhanced microstructure and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the impact of plasticizer functional groups on starch plasticization, three distinct plasticizers were selected in this study: ethylene glycol (EG), ethylenediamine (EDA), and ethylenebisformamide (EBF). Three models of the plasticizer/starch system were constructed using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and the analysis encompassed the computation of mean square displacement (MSD), radial distribution function (RDF), and hydrogen bonding energy for each system. Additionally, the proportions of simulation were used to prepare thermoplastic starch films, which were subsequently subjected to examinations such as DSC, XRD, FT-IR, SEM, and mechanical property testing. Comparative analysis of the simulation data from the three systems and the properties of the manufactured thermoplastic starch (TPS) established that the diverse functional groups of plasticizers significantly influenced starch plasticization. In different plasticizer functional group types, it was observed that hydroxyl groups in EG and amino groups in EDA predominantly form hydrogen bonds with hydroxyl groups in starch molecular chain. In contrast, amide groups in EBF can establish hydrogen bonds not only with hydroxyl groups of starch but also with ether bonds on the starch main chain, thereby resulting in more effective starch plasticization.Graphical Abstract: To investigate the impact of plasticizer functional groups on starch plasticization, three distinct plasticizers were selected in this study: ethylene glycol (EG), ethylenediamine (EDA), and ethylenebisformamide (EBF). Three models of the plasticizer/starch system were constructed using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and the analysis encompassed the computation of mean square displacement (MSD), radial distribution function (RDF), and hydrogen bonding energy for each system. Additionally, the proportions of simulation were used to prepare thermoplastic starch films, which were subsequently subjected to examinations such as DSC, XRD, FT-IR, SEM, and mechanical property testing. Comparative analysis of the simulation data from the three systems and the properties of the manufactured thermoplastic starch (TPS) established that the diverse functional groups of plasticizers significantly influenced starch plasticization. In different plasticizer functional group types, it was observed that hydroxyl groups in EG and amino groups in EDA predominantly form hydrogen bonds with hydroxyl groups in starch molecular chain. In contrast, amide groups in EBF can establish hydrogen bonds not only with hydroxyl groups of starch but also with ether bonds on the starch main chain, thereby resulting in more effective starch plasticization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]