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Abstract Extracellular vesicle (EV) secretion is a dynamic process crucial to cellular communication. Temporally sorting EVs, i.e., separating the newly-produced ones from the pre-existing, can allow not only deep understanding of EV dynamics, but also the discovery of potential EV biomarkers that are related to disease progression or responsible to drug intervention. However, the high similarity between the nascent and pre-existing EVs makes temporal separation extremely challenging. Here, by co-translational introduction of azido groups to act as a timestamp for click chemistry labelling, we develop a microfluidic-based strategy to enable selective isolation of nascent EVs stimulated by an external cue. In two mouse models of anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy, we demonstrate the strategy’s feasibility and reveal the high positive correlation of nascent PD-L1+ EV level to tumor volume, suggesting an important role of nascent EVs in response to immunotherapy in cancer treatment.

Apocynum venetum L. belongs to the Apocynaceae family and is a plant that is highly resistant to stress. It is important in the fields of ecology, feeding, industry and medicine. The molecular mechanism underlying salt tolerance has not been elucidated. In this study, RNA-seq based transcriptome sequencing of A. venetum leaves after 0, 2, 6, 12, 24 and 48 h of treatment with 300 mM NaCl was performed. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of the transcriptome expression profiles of A. venetum under salt stress using the WGCNA method and identified red, black, and brown as the core modules regulating the salt tolerance of A. venetum. A co-expression regulatory network was constructed to identify the core genes in the module according to the correlations between genes. The genes TRINITY_DN102_c0_g1 (serine carboxypeptidase), TRINITY_DN3073_c0_g1 (SOS signaling pathway) and TRINITY_DN6732_c0_g1 (heat shock transcription factor) in the red module were determined to be the core genes. Two core genes in the black module, TRINITY_DN9926_c0_g1 and TRINITY_DN7962_c0_g1, are pioneer candidate salt tolerance-associated genes in A. venetum. The genes in the brown module were mainly enriched in two pathways, namely photosynthesis and osmotic balance. Among them, the TRINITY_DN6321_c0_g2 and TRINITY_DN244_c0_g1 genes encode aquaporin, which is helpful for maintaining the cell water balance and plays a protective role in defending A. venetum under abiotic stress. Our findings contribute to the identification of core genes involved in the response of A. venetum to salt stress.

Abstract To solve the issue of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) contamination in water bodies, blue coke powder (LC) was chemically changed using potassium hydroxide to create the modified material (GLC), which was then used to treat a Cr(VI)-containing wastewater solution. The differences between the modified and unmodified blue coke’s adsorption characteristics for Cr(VI) were studied, and the impact of pH, starting solution concentration, and adsorption period on the GLC's adsorption performance was investigated. The adsorption behavior of the GLC was analyzed using isothermal adsorption models, kinetic models, and adsorption thermodynamic analysis. The mechanism of Cr(VI) adsorption by the GLC was investigated using characterization techniques such as Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), and X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). With the biggest difference in removal rate at pH = 2, which was 2.42 times that of LC, batch adsorption experiments revealed that, under the same adsorption conditions, the GLC always performed better than LC. With a specific surface area that was three times that of LC and an average pore diameter that was 0.67 times that of LC, GLC had a more porous structure than LC. The alteration significantly increased the number of hydroxyls on the surface of GLC by altering the structural makeup of LC. The ideal pH for removing Cr(VI) was 2, and the ideal GLC adsorbent dosage was 2.0 g/L. Pseudo-second-order kinetic (PSO) model and Redlich-Peterson (RP) model can effectively describe the adsorption behavior of GLC for Cr(VI). Physical and chemical adsorption work together to remove Cr(VI) by GLC in a spontaneous, exothermic, and entropy-increasing process, with oxidation–reduction processes playing a key role. GLC is a potent adsorbent that can be used to remove Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions.

Terahertz waves, positioned between microwaves and infrared in the electromagnetic spectrum, are distinguished by their exceptional penetration capabilities, minimal energy requirements, and consistent absorption profiles for specific substances. Their versatility in applications such as non-destructive evaluation, human security scans, and biological diagnostics has propelled them to the forefront of scientific inquiry. However, existing terahertz equipment poses limitations in terms of compromised resolution, diffraction-induced blurring, and degradation of clarity due to texture overlaps. Consequently, numerous multi-view 3D reconstruction algorithms struggle to produce high-quality results with terahertz imagery. To address these challenges—particularly the scarcity of terahertz datasets and texture conflation—we integrated X-ray images from the DTU dataset with our collected terahertz projections. By observing inconsistent texture projections in multi-view terahertz images resulting from angle shifts, we developed DETransMVSnet—a state-of-the-art multi-view 3D reconstruction approach based on the Multi-Scale Deep Equilibrium Layer (MDEQ) paradigm. Leveraging equilibrium layers within homography-projected feature maps enables us to extract masks that differentiate different layers within a scene. The Intra-Attention and Mask-Attention Blocks further refine feature selection by preserving relevant terahertz details while suppressing disruptive background elements. As evidence of its effectiveness, DETransMVSnet achieves comparable performance to conventional algorithms on the DTU dataset but notably outperforms them when applied to terahertz datasets by successfully reconstructing images where previous methods have failed.

The bionic flapping wing aircraft realizes flight by imitating the structure and flapping mode of birds. In this paper, a three-dimensional composite motion aerodynamic analysis model of a bionic flapping wing is established. The diverting field and flapping wing grid are divided up using dynamic hybrid grid technology. The flow field of the flapping wing is analyzed by solving the Navier–Stokes (N–S) equation combined with the Boussinesq hypothesis. The lift of the flapping wing under different flutter frequencies and incoming wind speeds is studied under the asymmetric flutter condition. In order to verify the accuracy of the aerodynamic simulation results, a flapping-wing shrinking-ratio model prototype is made, and low-speed wind tunnel experiments are carried out to test the changes in the flight lift of the wing at different flutter frequencies and angles of attack. A comparative analysis of the wind tunnel experiment and the aerodynamic simulation results shows that when the flapping frequency (1–5 Hz) and incoming wind speed (1–5 m/s) increase, the lift force generated by the wing flapping increases. Due to the deviation between the experimental sample airfoil area and the simulated airfoil area, as well as the wing-driven fuselage vibration during the experiment, a sensor error is produced, resulting in a deviation of about 1 N between the experimental result curve and the simulation result curve. However, the aerodynamic characteristics obtained from the aerodynamic simulation analysis are basically consistent with the aerodynamic change law measured in the wind tunnel experiment.

Aging is an important risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases. The activation of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) is involved in inflammation and cognition, but the specific role it plays in aging remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the anti-aging effect of the activation of α7nAChR on aging rats and BV2 cells induced by D-galactose, as well as its potential mechanism. D-galactose induced an increase in the SA-β-Gal positive cells, expression of p16 and p21 in vivo and in vitro. α7nAChR selective agonist PNU282987 decreased levels of pro-inflammatory factors, MDA, and Aβ, enhanced SOD activity and levels of anti-inflammatory factor (IL10) in vivo. PNU282987 enhanced the expression of Arg1, decreased the expression of iNOS, IL1β and TNFα in vitro. PNU282987 upregulated the levels of α7nAChR, Nrf2 and HO-1 in vivo and in vitro. The results of Morris water maze and novel object recognition tests showed that PNU282987 improved cognitive impairment in aging rats. Furthermore, α7nAChR selective inhibitor methyllycaconitine (MLA) results were opposite with PNU282987. PNU282987 improves cognitive impairment through inhibiting oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in D-galactose induced aging via regulating the α7nAChR/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway. Therefore, targeting the α7nAChR may be a viable therapeutic approach for anti-inflammaging and neurodegenerative diseases.

In the production process of puree cans such as chestnuts cans, it is easy to browning due to excessive heating, which causes a lot of waste every year. The heat and mass transfer model of Chinese Chestnut Puree was established through the finite element method. The model simulated the change process of the temperature field, heat flow velocity field and F value during the production of Chinese Chestnut Puree. After comparing and confirming the effectiveness of the model through the thermal penetration test, the model was used to adjust and optimize the production process. For #9121 cans, the two-stage sterilization method was adopted. Through the sterilization method at 10–65–48-14/118–110°C, a sterilization effect equivalent to that of the original process at 10–86-24/121°C was achieved, the browning problem of the product was alleviated, and the product quality was improved. This practice can also provide a reference for canning enterprises to adjust their production processes in the future.

To provide guidance for the selection of woody-activated carbon in the treatment of wastewater containing hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)), the adsorption tests on two varieties of commercial woody-activated carbon powder from different manufacturers were carried out. The physicochemical properties and structural characteristics of activated carbon were studied by using elemental, chemical, and instrumental analyses. The adsorption mechanism of Cr(VI) was discussed by investigating the factors affecting the removal of hexavalent chromium. The two kinds of woody-activated carbon have microporous and mesoporous structures. Commercial woody-activated carbon No.1 (ACI) has a more extensive specific surface area and a better-developed pore structure. While ACI exhibits a higher adsorption capability when the content of Cr(VI) is high, commercial woody-activated carbon No.2 (AC) can remove hexavalent chromium fast when the concentration is low. A rise in pH value is not helpful for the materials to remove Cr(VI) from solutions. For Cr(VI) removal, the optimum pH value is 2. The adsorption of Cr(VI) by AC and ACI followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isothermal adsorption equation. The maximum adsorption value of Cr(VI) is 154.56 mg/g for AC and 241.55 mg/g for ACI. There is chemical adsorption during the Cr(VI) removal. A lot of Cr (Ⅲ) was formed by Cr(VI). The abundance of pores and the reducing ability of the materials are essential for the removal of Cr(VI).

In this paper, we focus on solving the vector scheduling problem with submodular penalties on parallel machines. We are given n jobs and m parallel machines, where each job is associated with a d-dimensional vector. Each job can either be rejected, incurring a rejection penalty, or accepted and processed on one of the m parallel machines. The objective is to minimize the sum of the maximum load overall dimensions of the total vector for all accepted jobs, along with the total penalty for rejected jobs. The penalty is determined by a submodular function. Our main work is to design a 2−1/mminr,d-approximation algorithm to solve this problem. Here, r denotes the maximum ratio of the maximum load to the minimum load on the d-dimensional vectors among all jobs.

Flapping-wing flight control is a multi-input and multi-output nonlinear system with uncertainties, which is affected by modeling errors, parameter variations, external disturbances, and unmodeled dynamics. Parameter uncertainty has a great impact on the stability control of flapping-wing flight, and gain adjustment is a common means to deal with parameter uncertainty, but it is complex and time-consuming. Based on the mechanism of flapping-wing flight, a nonlinear dynamic model for flapping-wing dynamic flight is established by analyzing the forces, moments, and attitude changes of the fuselage and wing in detail. Based on the constructed dynamic model, a fast robust adaptive flapping-wing flight control method is proposed. The state predictor is designed to estimate and monitor the uncertain parameters in the flapping-wing attitude control model, and the adaptive law adjusts the parameter estimation to ensure that the output error between the state predictor and the controlled object is stable in the Lyapunov sense, and finally the adaptive control law is obtained. At the same time, the Monte Carlo-support vector machine method is used to optimize the boundary of the control parameters in the flight control to obtain the control parameters that can meet the control expectations, and the obtained parameters are classified and judged according to the stable level flight conditions. Based on the adjusted parameters and the predetermined control signal, the control amount is adjusted according to the control law. When the adaptive gain is large enough, the simulation results show that the system has good transient response characteristics.

To evaluate whether two-dose of varicella vaccine would provide a better protection to children from varicella than one-dose, we conducted a 1:3 matched case-control study in children in Qingdao, China. A total of 509 varicella cases aged 6–11 y were collected from the China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention (CISDCP). And 1,527 controls, who did not suffer from varicella, were selected and matched with cases by age and class. The varicella vaccine effectiveness (VE) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were calculated. The vaccination coverage rate of one-dose varicella vaccine in the cases was 52.9%, while for the controls was 59.1%. And the two-dose vaccination rate in the cases and controls were 4.3% and 14.5%, respectively. A statistically significant difference was found in the immunization history between the cases and controls (P

In rice, high-temperature stress (HT) during flowering results in decreased grain yield via a reduction in spikelet fertility; however, the effect of plant water status on spikelet fertility under HT remains unknown. To investigate the relationship between spikelet water status and spikelet fertility under HT, two experiments were performed under temperature-controlled conditions using four genotypes with varying tolerance to HT. Rice plants were exposed to HT for seven consecutive days during the flowering stage under three soil water treatments (soil water potential 0, −20, and −40 kPa), as well as under hydroponic conditions in a separate experiment. HT significantly decreased spikelet fertility, pollen fertility, and anther dehiscence under each of the three water treatments. HT significantly increased the spikelet transpiration rate, and this change was accompanied by a significant decrease in the internal temperature of the spikelets. HT decreased pollen grain diameter in heat-sensitive genotypes. HT had varying effects on the water potential of panicles and anthers but increased anther soluble-sugar concentration. Different aquaporin genes showed different expression profiles under HT, and the expression levels of PIPs for plasma membrane intrinsic proteins and TIPs for tonoplast intrinsic proteins increased in anthers but decreased in glumes. Correlation analyses showed that anther dehiscence and pollen (spikelet) fertility were tightly associated with anther water status, and the expression levels of almost all anther aquaporin genes were significantly correlated with anther dehiscence under HT. In summary, an increased spikelet transpiration rate and decreased internal spikelet temperature were associated with alleviation of the effects of HT in rice genotypes with varying degrees of heat tolerance, and the response of spikelet water status to HT, involving increased total expression of aquaporins and soluble sugar content, thereby improved pollen fertility, anther dehiscence, and spikelet fertility, especially in heat-resistant genotypes. The heat-resistant genotypes N22 and SY63 may adopt different approaches to reduce heat damage.

Abstract Background Decreased spikelet fertility is often responsible for reduction in grain yield in rice (Oryza sativa L.). In this study, two varieties with different levels of heat tolerance, Liangyoupeijiu (LYPJ, heat susceptible) and Shanyou63 (SY63, heat tolerant) were subjected to two temperature treatments for 28 days during the panicle initiation stage in temperature/relative humidity-controlled greenhouses: high temperature (HT; 37/27 °C; day/night) and control temperature (CK; 31/27 °C; day/night) to investigate changes in anther development under HT during panicle initiation and their relationship with spikelet fertility. Results HT significantly decreased the grain yield of LYPJ by decreasing the number of spikelets per panicle and seed setting percentage. In addition, HT produced minor adverse effects in SY63. The decreased spikelet fertility was primarily attributed to decreased pollen viability and anther dehiscence, as well as poor pollen shedding of the anthers of LYPJ under HT. HT resulted in abnormal anther development (fewer vacuolated microspores, un-degraded tapetum, unevenly distributed Ubisch bodies) and malformation of pollen (obscure outline of the pollen exine with a collapsed bacula, disordered tectum, and no nexine of the pollen walls, uneven sporopollenin deposition on the surface of pollen grains) in LYPJ, which may have lowered pollen viability. Additionally, HT produced a compact knitted anther cuticle structure of the epidermis, an un-degraded septum, a thickened anther wall, unevenly distributed Ubisch bodies, and inhibition of the confluent locule, and these malformed structures may be partially responsible for the decreased anther dehiscence rate and reduced pollen shedding of the anthers in LYPJ. In contrast, the anther wall and pollen development of SY63 were not substantially changed under HT. Conclusions Our results suggest that disturbed anther walls and pollen development are responsible for the reduced spikelet fertility and grain yield of the tested heat susceptible variety, and noninvasive anthers and pollen formation in response to HT were associated with improved heat tolerance.

Abstract Heat events during the reproductive stages of rice plants induce great yield losses. Cultivating heat-tolerant varieties is a promising strategy for guaranteeing grain security under global warming scenarios. Most heat-tolerant rice genotypes were identified under heat during the flowering stage, but it is unclear whether these currently screened heat-tolerant rice genotypes maintain stable high grain yields when heat stress occurs during the other reproductive stages. In the present study, two notable heat-tolerant rice cultivars, Nagina22 and Shanyou63, and one typical heat-sensitive cultivar, Liangyoupeijiu, were evaluated for their yield response and yield stability under heat treatments during the panicle initiation, flowering, and grain filling stages during 2010–2014. Our results revealed that rice cultivars respond differently to heat stress during different reproductive stages. Nagina22 was the most tolerant to heat stress during the flowering and grain filling stages but was susceptible during panicle initiation; Shanyou63 was the most tolerant to heat stress during panicle initiation and grain filling and was moderately tolerant to heat stress during the flowering stages. Genotype and genotype-by-environment interaction biplot yield analysis revealed that Shanyou63 exhibited the highest stability in high grain yield, followed by Nagina22, and Liangyoupeijiu exhibited stable low grain yield when experiencing heat stress across the three reproductive stages. Our results indicate that the heat tolerance of different rice cultivars depends on the reproductive stage during which heat stress occurs, and the effects manifest as reductions in grain yields and seed setting rates. Future efforts to develop heat-tolerant varieties should strive to breed varieties that are comprehensively tolerant to heat stress during any reproductive stage to cope with the unpredictable occurrence of future heat events.

Purpose To evaluate the clinical efficacy of using free tissue flap combined with contralateral instep thick plantar skin in reconstructing complex plantar forefoot defects. Methods During the past 8 years, 15 patients, aged 25–60 years, with defects in the soft-tissue and composite bone of the forefoot were treated. Their defects were caused by trauma. These defects were all located on the plantar forefoot. The free tissue flaps transposed to reconstruct defects were anterolateral thigh flaps, groin flaps, and latissimus dorsi flaps. Flap size varied in width 4-cm and length (6–16 cm). The mean size of flaps was 80.3 cm 2 . The follow-up period ranged from 12 to 90 months (mean, 25.5 months). Results Partial flap loss was observed in one anterolateral thigh flap and one latissimus dorsi flap. One patient showed skin graft loss at the defect site, and the wound was re-epithelialized by changing dressings. Hyperkeratosis was not observed in any of the cases. All patients were able to walk near-normally within 2.5 months after surgery, and there was no recurrence of ulceration. Conclusion We advocate using a free tissue flap combined with contralateral instep thick plantar skin for reconstruction of moderate or large complex plantar forefoot defects.

In this paper, a novel core@shell nanosphere (TiO2@CoAl-LDH) based on layered double hydroxide (LDH) combined with a nano-TiO2 semiconductor was synthesized and introduced to cementitious materials via spraying technology and a smearing method. The compatibility with a cementitious matrix and the effects of TiO2@CoAl-LDH on cement hydration, surface microstructure, and the microscopic mechanical properties of mortar were investigated by AFM, microhardness testing, FESEM, and BET analysis. Meanwhile, the effects of TiO2@CoAl-LDH introduction methods on the photocatalytic performance and durability of the photocatalyst were systematically evaluated by methylene blue (MB) removal ratio and wear testing. The results show that TiO2@CoAl-LDH exhibits enhanced compatibility with cementitious matrices and a higher photocatalytic capacity than individual CoAl-LDH and nano-TiO2. The photocatalytic mortar prepared via spraying technology (CM-C) displays a higher photocatalytic capacity than that prepared via the smearing method (CM-S). Among them, the mortar with two layers of photocatalytic coatings (CM-C2) has the highest MB removal ratio, which reached 95.1% within 120 min of UV-visible light irradiation. While on the other hand, the wear test revealed that the smeared mortar has a higher photocatalytic capacity and better photocatalyst durability than the sprayed mortar. This work is expected to contribute to the development of multifunctional sustainable building materials.

This study investigated the willingness of Qingdao residents to receive COVID-19 vaccination in 2020 and any factors that might influence them. All data were collected by telephone questionnaires and were utilized for analyzing the potential factors of willingness to be vaccinated through descriptive analysis and logistic regression analysis. Of the 2,802 respondents, 2,284 (81.5%) said they would agree to receive the vaccine against COVID-19. People who earned high incomes, who carefully followed media news on COVID-19 vaccine, who looked forward to successful vaccine research, and who closely followed vaccine protective efficacy expressed more interest in being vaccinated than other people did. In addition, people who paid attention to protective efficacy of vaccine, vaccine price, and expert opinion were more likely to accept COVID-19 vaccination than people who focused on vaccine safety. When vaccine price was ≥201 RMB, people were less likely to accept vaccination than ≤200 RMB. 1,842 respondents (65.7%) wished that government could provide COVID-19 vaccination for free. This study suggests that the government should increase vaccination compliance by strengthening publicity efforts and decreasing vaccine price.

Faces are widely used in information recognition and other fields. Due to the openness of the Internet, ensuring that face information is not stolen by criminals is a hot issue. The traditional encryption method only encrypts the whole area of the image and ignores some features of the face. This paper proposes a double-encrypted face image encryption algorithm. The contour features of the face are extracted, followed by two rounds of encryption. The first round of encryption algorithm encrypts the identified face image, and the second round of encryption algorithm encrypts the entire image. The encryption algorithm used is scrambling and diffusion at the same time, and the keystream of the cryptosystem is generated by 2D SF-SIMM. The design structure of this cryptosystem increases security, and the attacker needs to crack two rounds of the algorithm to get the original face image.

In this paper, a high security color image encryption algorithm is proposed by 2D Sin-Cos-Hénon (2D-SCH) system. A new two-dimensional chaotic system which is 2D-SCH. This system is hyperchaotic. The use of the 2D-SCH, a color image encryption algorithm based on random scrambling and localization diffusion, is proposed. First, the secret key is generated by SHA512 through plaintext. As the initial value of the 2D-SCH system, the secret key is used to generate chaotic sequences. Then, the random scrambling is designed based on chaotic sequences. Finally, a pair of initial points is generated by the secret key; the image diffuses around this point. The ciphertext is obtained by a double encryption. Different from the traditional encryption algorithm, this paper encrypts three channels of color image simultaneously, which greatly improves the security of the algorithm. Simulation results show that the algorithm can resist various attacks.

Designing a chaotic system with a simple structure and complex dynamic behavior is one of the main tasks of chaotic cryptography. This paper designs a new 1D chaotic system called 1D two-parameters-sin-cos (1D-TPSC). Compared with high-dimensional chaotic systems, the 1D-TPSC has a simple structure and is easy to implement with software. The Lyapunov exponent analyzes the parameter space of the 1D-TPSC in a chaotic state. Furthermore, using sensitivity analysis, cobweb plot, and bifurcation diagram to verify that the sequence generated by 1D-TPSC has good performance. In addition, the 1D-TPSC has also been applied in chaotic image encryption. Arnold mapping is used to scramble the plaintext, and random XOR is used to diffuse the scrambled image. Simulation experiments show that the method can remarkably resist standard attack methods.

Background: Collagen peptides (CP) have been shown to protect against osteoporosis. Yet, its mechanism on anti-osteoporosis remains unclear. Method: Cell viability, levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced oxidative stress in Saos-2 cells pretreated with CP were examined. The effect and regulatory of CP on FBXW7-p100-NF-κB axis and the relationship between the molecules were explored by overexpressing FBXW7, silencing p100 or NF-κB in Saos-2 cells. Western blot and RT-PCR were performed to determine the expressions of FBXW7, p100 and NF-κB. Hematoxylin & Eosin (H&E) staining was performed to determine morphological indexes of bone tissues in ovariectomized-induced osteoporosis rats treated with CP. Result: CP increased cell viability, ALP and antioxidant activities in H2O2-induced oxidative stress in Saos-2 cells. Results on cell viability, ALP, antioxidant levels, protein and gene expression levels in FBXW7-overexpressed, p100-silenced and NF-κB-silenced Saos-2 cells indicate that FBXW7, p100 and NF-κB are the key regulators and CP treatment modulates FBXW7-p100-NF-κB axis in Saos-2 cells. In addition, pretreatment and treatment with CP in ovariectomized rats improved osteoporosis. Conclusion: CP could effectively prevent and alleviate osteoporosis. The protective effect of CP on osteoporosis was achieved in part by inhibiting oxidative damage of osteoblasts and promoting bone formation.

Purpose – Environmental issues have become an important concern in modern supply chain management. The structure of closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) networks, which considers both forward and reverse logistics, can greatly improve the utilization of materials and enhance the performance of the supply chain in coping with environmental impacts and cost control. Design/methodology/approach – A biobjective mixed-integer programming model is developed to achieve the balance between environmental impact control and operational cost reduction. Various factors regarding the capacity level and the environmental level of facilities are incorporated in this study. The scenario-based method and the Epsilon method are employed to solve the stochastic programming model under uncertain demand. Findings – The proposed stochastic mixed-integer programming (MIP) model is an effective way of formulating and solving the CLSC network design problem. The reliability and precision of the Epsilon method are verified based on the numerical experiments. Conversion efficiency calculation can achieve the trade-off between cost control and CO2 emissions. Managers should pay more attention to activities about facility operation. These nodes might be the main factors of costs and environmental impacts in the CLSC network. Both costs and CO2 emissions are influenced by return rate especially costs. Managers should be discreet in coping with cost control for CO2 emissions barely affected by return rate. It is advisable to convert the double target into a single target by the idea of “Efficiency of CO2 Emissions Control Reduction.” It can provide managers with a way to double-target conversion. Originality/value – We proposed a biobjective optimization problem in the CLSC network considering environmental impact control and operational cost reduction. The scenario-based method and the Epsilon method are employed to solve the mixed-integer programming model under uncertain demand.

There are few studies on the violation of truck drivers, especially the hazmat truck driver, although truck driver's violation may cause serious casualties. This paper aims to investigate hazmat truck drivers' violation behavior and identify associated risk factors. Different data sources in intelligent transportation system (ITS) including hazmat transportation management system and traffic safety management system are extracted and emerged together. Three years (2016-2018) of violation data that comprised 11612 trip record in China are employed in this research. Based on Bayesian theory, this study proposes zero-inflated ordered probit (ZIOP) model and three alternative models to exploring the relationship between hazmat truck drivers' violation frequency and the key risk factors. The results show that ZIOP model can handle excessive zero observation problem of violation data properly and differentiate between `always-zero group' drivers and drivers who did not violate the traffic rules during research period but would do so in different surroundings. The results also indicate that the violation probability and the violation frequency level of hazmat truck drivers are influenced by driver characteristics, freight order attributes, and drivers' violation records. This research provides guidance for driving training and safety education of hazmat truck drivers, and will be helpful in building better driving simulation models.

Images captured under poor illumination conditions often exhibit characteristics such as low brightness, low contrast, a narrow gray range, and color distortion, as well as considerable noise, which seriously affect the subjective visual effect on human eyes and greatly limit the performance of various machine vision systems. The role of low-light image enhancement is to improve the visual effect of such images for the benefit of subsequent processing. This paper reviews the main techniques of low-light image enhancement developed over the past decades. First, we present a new classification of these algorithms, dividing them into seven categories: gray transformation methods, histogram equalization methods, Retinex methods, frequency-domain methods, image fusion methods, defogging model methods and machine learning methods. Then, all the categories of methods, including subcategories, are introduced in accordance with their principles and characteristics. In addition, various quality evaluation methods for enhanced images are detailed, and comparisons of different algorithms are discussed. Finally, the current research progress is summarized, and future research directions are suggested.

In this paper direct electrochemistry and electrocatalysis of myoglobin (Mb) immobilized on a graphene (GR)–SnO2 nanocomposite modified carbon ionic liquid electrode was reported. GR–SnO2 nanocomposite was synthesized by a simple solution method and further characterized by TEM and SEM, which exhibited large surface area beneficial for Mb immobilization. Spectroscopic results indicated Mb retained its native structure without denaturation after mixed with nanocomposite. Electrochemical investigation showed that a pair of well-defined redox peaks appeared on cyclic voltammogram, indicating that direct electron transfer of Mb with the underlying electrode was realized. The results could be attributed to the presence of GR–SnO2 nanocomposite that could enhance the electron transfer between the protein and the electrode. The Mb modified electrode exhibited good stability and catalytic activity to the electroreduction of NaNO2 in the concentration range from 0.2 to 350.0 μmol L−1 with wider dynamic range and lower detection limit. Therefore the fabricated electrode has the potential application in the third-generation electrochemical biosensor. Keywords: Carbon ionic liquid electrode, Direct electrochemistry, Graphene, Myoglobin, SnO2

With global warming, rice plants may be subjected to heat stress more regularly during the heat-sensitive flowering stage, causing spikelet sterility and grain yield loss. Stigma exsertion is considered to increase pollen reception and promote female reproductive success. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of stigma exsertion on spikelet fertility at high temperatures. Five rice cultivars (Liangyoupeijiu, Shanyou 63, Huanghuazhan, Nagina 22, and IR64) with differing degrees of stigma exsertion were cultivated and exposed to high temperature at anthesis. Heat-tolerant cultivars did not always show a high percentage of spikelets with exserted stigmas, and vice versa. Irrespective of the presence of more pollen grains on exserted stigmas, spikelets with exserted stigmas did not show greater spikelet fertility than spikelets with fewer exserted stigmas or hidden stigmas under heat stress. GA3 application augmented the percentage of spikelets with exserted stigmas; however, it did not increase spikelet fertility under heat stress. Spikelet fertility of whole panicles was negatively correlated with the percentage of spikelets with exserted stigmas, but positively with that with hidden stigmas. Viability of the hidden stigmas was less reduced than that of exserted stigmas under heat stress, suggesting that hidden stigmas have an advantage in maintaining viability. Heat stress delayed anther dehiscence and reduced the viabilities of both exserted stigmas and pollens, thereby causing low spikelet fertility. Together, these results suggest that high spikelet fertility does not depend on stigma exsertion and that enclosed stigma generally contributes to higher spikelet fertility and heat tolerance under high-temperature conditions during flowering in rice. Keywords: Heat stress, Rice (Oryza sativa L.), Spikelet fertility, Stigma exsertion, Stigma and pollen viability

In this study, new organic-inorganic g-C3N4/CoAl-LDH nanocomposites were prepared and introduced to fabricate photocatalytic cement mortars by internal mixing, coating, and spraying. The photocatalytic depollution of both g-C3N4/CoAl-LDH and cement mortars was assessed by NOx degradation reaction under UV-visible light irradiation. The study results suggested that the degradation efficiency of g-C3N4/CoAl-LDH nanocomposites improved with an increase in g-C3N4 content. The g-C3N4/CoAl-LDH1.5 nanocomposite displayed the highest NOx degradation capacity, which was about 1.23 and 3.21 times that of pure g-C3N4 and CoAl-LDH, respectively. The photocatalytic cement mortars which were all fabricated using different approaches could effectively degrade the target pollutants and exhibited significant compatibility between g-C3N4/CoAl-LDH and cementitious substrate. Among them, the coated mortars showed strong resistance to laboratory-simulated wearing and abrasion with a small decrease in degradation rate.

In view of the problems existing in the defects detection for gear， a design scheme of the on-line detection system is proposed based on machine vision， and the functions such as image acquisition and display， image analysis and operation control are realized. The system controls the feeding equipment and the conveyor belt through the MCU control module， and using the photoelectric switch to trigger the high-speed camera to collect the image of the gear in real time. Then， by the industrial control machine preprocesses， the appearance quality information of the gear is obtained. Finally， the outputted signals of NG and OK are transmitted to the single chip computer to realize the sound-light alarm and sorting. Experiments show that the method has high accuracy and efficiency， and can meet the needs of actual production. It provides a new way for on-line measurement of gear.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between serum levels of lipoprotein lipase (LPL), hepatic lipase (HL), and endothelial lipase (EL) and the progression of coronary artery disease (CAD). Materials and methods: According to the inclusion criteria, exclusion criteria, diagnostic criteria, angiography results, and the random matching scheme, the enrolled patients were divided into the following two groups: the progression-free group (n = 47) and the progression group (n = 15). The baseline characteristics and various biochemical parameters were obtained from the medical records and medical history. Serum LPL, HL, and EL levels were detected by ELISA. The correlation between serum LPL, HL, and EL levels and coronary lesions was statistically analyzed with SPSS software. Results: Significant differences were observed in serum levels of HL and EL between the progression-free group and the progression group (HL, 75.5 ± 39.2 ng/mL vs. 125.1 ± 42.1 ng/mL, P 0.05). Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis showed that the area under the curve (AUC) values of LPL, HL, and EL were 0.506 (95% CI: 0.369–0.642, P = 0.9470), 0.792 (95% CI: 0.664–0.888, P

Aiming at the problem that it is difficult to model and analyze the thermal effect of large motors as a whole, a method based on fluid network decoupling is proposed to solve the global thermal effect of large motors. Taking YJKK500-4 2500-kW compact medium-sized high-voltage motor as an example, combined with the internal structure and the actual size of the motor, and using the flow-heat coordination mechanism and the fluid network, the whole internal ventilated paths of motor are divided into four equal pressure regions: end, stator-rotor, end, and internal fan according to the magnitude of pressure. The reasonable basic assumptions and boundary conditions are selected to link each region, which can avoid the problem that the inlet boundary condition is difficult to give. After that, the internally ventilated paths are modeled and analyzed, and the fluid flow and temperature in each region of the internally ventilated paths are obtained. Combined with the experimental data, the calculation results are all within the error. The rationality and correctness of the method used in the paper are confirmed, which solves the problem that the ordinary computer cannot calculate the huge model of large motor and provides a basis for the calculation of similar motor in the future.

In this paper, we consider parallel-machine scheduling with release times and submodular penalties (P|rj,reject|Cmax+π(R)), in which each job can be accepted and processed on one of m identical parallel machines or rejected, but a penalty must paid if a job is rejected. Each job has a release time and a processing time, and the job can not be processed before its release time. The objective of P|rj,reject|Cmax+π(R) is to minimize the makespan of the accepted jobs plus the penalty of the rejected jobs, where the penalty is determined by a submodular function. This problem generalizes a multiprocessor scheduling problem with rejection, the parallel-machine scheduling with submodular penalties, and the single machine scheduling problem with release dates and submodular rejection penalties. In this paper, inspired by the primal-dual method, we present a combinatorial 2-approximation algorithm to P|rj,reject|Cmax+π(R). This ratio coincides with the best known ratio for the parallel-machine scheduling with submodular penalties and the single machine scheduling problem with release dates and submodular rejection penalties.

Abstract Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanotube arrays coupled with a narrow gap semiconductor—bismuth selenide (Bi2Se3)—exhibited remarkable enhancement in the photocathodic protection property for 304 stainless steel under visible light. Bi2Se3/TiO2 nanocomposites were successfully synthesized using a simple two-step method, including an electrochemical anodization method for preparing pure TiO2 and a chemical bath deposition method for synthesizing Bi2Se3 nanoflowers. The morphology and structure of the composite films were studied by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersion spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. In addition, the influence of the Bi2Se3 content on the photoelectrochemical and photocathodic protection properties of the composite films was also studied. The photocurrent density of the Bi2Se3/TiO2 nanocomposites was significantly higher than that of pure TiO2 under visible light. The sensitizer Bi2Se3 enhanced the efficient separation of the photogenerated electron-hole pairs and the photocathodic protection properties of TiO2. Under visible light illumination, Bi2Se3/TiO2 nanocomposites synthesized by the chemical bath deposition method with Bi3+ (0.5 mmol/L) exhibited the optimal photogenerated cathodic protection performance for 304 stainless steel.

The 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 3 (17β-HSD3) enzyme is a potential therapeutic target for hormone-dependent prostate cancer, as it is the key enzyme in the last step of testosterone (T) biosynthesis. A curcumin analog, H10, was optimized for inhibiting T production in LC540 cells that stably overexpressed 17β-HSD3 enzyme (LC540 [17β-HSD3]) (P < 0.01), without affecting progesterone (P) synthesis. H10 downregulated the production of T in the microsomal fraction of rat testes containing the 17β-HSD3 enzyme from 100 to 78.41 ± 7.41%, 51.86 ± 10.03%, and 45.14 ± 8.49% at doses of 10, 20, and 40 μM, respectively. There were no significant differences among the groups with respect to the protein expression levels of 17β-HSD3, 3βHSD1, CYP17a1, CYP11a1, and STAR, which participate in 17β-HSD3-mediated conversion of androgens to T (P > 0.05). This indicated that H10 only inhibited the enzymatic activity of 17β-HSD3 in vitro. Furthermore, H10 inhibited the adione-stimulated growth of xenografts established from LNCaP cells in nude mice in vivo. We conclude that H10 could serve as an effective inhibitor of 17β-HSD3, which in turn would inhibit the biosynthesis of androgens and progression of prostate cancer.

Due to the scattering of atmospheric particles, images captured under hazy conditions suffer from contrast attenuation and color distortion, which severely affect the performance of machine vision systems. Various types of methods have been developed to improve the clarity of images. However, these methods are typically challenging to apply in real-time systems. We present a fast, single-image dehazing method based on the atmospheric scattering theory and dark channel prior theory. The transmission map is approximately estimated using a fast average filter, the subsection mechanism is designed to avoid the high brightness of the sky region in the recovered image, the region projection method is adopted to obtain the atmospheric light, and image color compensation is implemented using the Weber-Fechner law. Our experimental results show that this algorithm can restore images to a clear and natural state and ensure the balance of quality and the speed of image restoration. Therefore, the algorithm can be used in real-time systems.

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [...]

Older pedestrians are vulnerable on the streets and at significant risk of injury or death when involved in crashes. Pedestrians’ safety is critical for roadway agencies to consider and improve, especially older pedestrians aged greater than 65 years old. To better protect the older pedestrian group, the factors that contribute to the older crashes need to be analyzed deeply. Traditional modeling approaches such as Logistic models for data analysis may lead to modeling distortions due to the independence assumptions. In this study, Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), is used to model the classification problem of three different levels of severity of older pedestrian traffic crashes from crash data in Colorado, US. Further, Shapley Additive explanations (SHAP) are implemented to interpret the XGBoost model result and analyze each feature’s importance related to the levels of older pedestrian crashes. The interpretation results show that the driver characteristic, older pedestrian characteristics, and vehicle movement are the most important factors influencing the probability of the three different severity levels. Those results investigate each severity level’s correlation factors, which can inform the department of traffic management and the department of road infrastructure to protect older pedestrians by controlling or managing some of those significant features.

China's rapid urbanization and high traffic accident frequency have received many researchers' attention. It is important to reveal how urban infrastructures and other risk factors affects the traffic accident frequency. A growing amount of research has examined the local risk factors impact on traffic accident frequency at certain time. Some studies considered these spatial influences but overlooked the temporal correlation/heterogeneity of traffic accidents and related risk factors. This study explores risk factors' influence on urban traffic accidents frequency while considering both the spatial and temporal correlation/heterogeneity of traffic accidents. The study area is split into 100 equally sized rectangle traffic analysis zones (TAZs), and the urban traffic accident frequency and attributes in each TAZ are extracted. The linear regression model, spatial lag model (SLM), spatial error model (SEM) and time-fixed effects error model (T-FEEM) are established and compared respectively. The proposed methodologies are illustrated using ten-month traffic accident data from the urban area of Guiyang City, China. The results reveal that the time-fixed effects error model, which considers both spatial and temporal correlation/heterogeneity of traffic accidents, is superior to other models. More traffic accidents will happen in those TAZs that have more hospitals or schools. Moreover, hospitals have a greater influence on traffic accidents than schools. Because of the location in the margin of the city, those TAZs that have passenger stations have more traffic accidents. This study provides policy makers with more detailed characterization about the impact of related risk factors on traffic accident frequencies, and it is suggested that not only the spatial correlation/heterogeneity but also the temporal correlation/heterogeneity should be taken into account in guiding traffic accident control of urban area.

It is a dangerous behaviour for pedestrians and nonmotorized vehicles to cross intersections without waiting when they arrive at intersections during the red-light period. This paper investigates three typical signalized major-major intersections in the center of Beijing, by collecting and analyzing 1368 samples of pedestrians and nonmotorized vehicles. A random parameter logit model (RPLM) is established, with immediate red-light running (IRLR) behaviour as the dependent variable. The results show that the number of people waiting upon arrival, number of people crossing upon arrival, traffic mode, motor vehicle phase upon arrival, and speed change upon arrival have significant effects on IRLR behaviour. Accordingly, we suggest enforcing education administration on cyclists to reduce cyclists’ IRLR behaviour. Thus, people’s red-light running (RLR) behaviour will further decrease with fewer cyclists’ IRLR behaviour.

In this paper nitrogen-doped graphene (NG) nanosheets were used as the modifier on the surface of glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The modified electrode (NG/GCE) was further applied to the sensitive detection of dopamine (DA) by voltammetric method. Due to the unique properties of NG such as large surface area and excellent electrocatalytic activity, electrochemical response of DA was greatly enhanced on NG/GCE with a pair of well-defined redox peaks appeared on cyclic voltammogram. Electrochemical behaviors of DA on NG/GCE were carefully investigated with the electrochemical parameters calculated. Under the selected conditions the oxidation peak currents of DA had a good linear relationship with its concentration in the range from 8.0×10–7 mol L–1 to 8.0×10–4 mol L–1 with a detection limit of 2.55×10–7 mol L–1 (3σ). The proposed method was further applied to the DA injection samples determination with satisfactory results. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

In this paper nickel oxide (NiO) nanoflower was synthesized and used for the realization of direct electrochemistry of horseradish peroxidase (HRP). By using carbon ionic liquid electrode (CILE) as the substrate electrode, NiO-HRP composite was casted on the surface of CILE with chitosan (CTS) as the film forming material and the modified electrode was denoted as CTS/NiO-HRP/CILE. UV-Vis absorption and FT-IR spectra confirmed that HRP retained its native structure after mixed with NiO nanoflower. Direct electron transfer of HRP on the modified electrode was investigated by cyclic voltammetry with a pair of quasi-reversible redox waves appeared, indicating that the presence of NiO nanoflower on the electrode surface could accelerate the electron transfer rate between the electroactive center of HRP and the substrate electrode. Electrochemical behaviors of HRP on the modified electrode were carefully investigated. The HRP modified electrode showed excellent electrocatalytic activity to the reduction of trichloroacetic acid with wider linear range and lower detection limit. Therefore the presence of NiO nanoflower could provide a friendly biocompatible interface for immobilizing biomolecules and keeping their native structure. The fabricated electrochemical biosensor displayed the advantages such as high sensitivity, good reproducibility and long-term stability. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Objective To identify potential genes that may be involved in lipid metabolism in rats after treatment with aqueous extract of Arctium lappa L (burdock). Methods Rats were randomly divided into six groups: (i) control (standard diet); (ii) model group (high-fat diet only); (iii) high-fat diet and low-dose aqueous burdock root extract (2 g/kg); (iv) high-fat diet and moderate-dose aqueous burdock root extract (4 g/kg); (v) high-fat diet and high-dose aqueous burdock root extract (8 g/kg); and (vi) a positive control group exposed to a high-fat diet and simvastatin (10 mg/kg). Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis was performed to find the potential candidate genes involved in the modulation of blood lipids by treatment with aqueous burdock root extract. Results Burdock root extract reduced body weight and cholesterol levels in rats. KEGG analysis revealed 113 genes that were involved in metabolic pathways. Of these, 27 potential genes associated with blood lipid metabolism were identified. Conclusions Aqueous extract of burdock root reduced body weight and cholesterol in rats, possibly by modulating the differential expression of genes.

Remobilisation of non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) from leaves and stems and unloading into developing grains are essential for yield formation of rice. In present study, three recombinant inbred lines of rice, R91, R156 and R201 have been tested for source-flow-sink related attributes determining the nature of NSC accumulation and translocation at two nitrogen levels in the field. Compared to R91 and R156, R201 had lower grain filling percentage, harvest index, and grain yield. Meanwhile, R201 had significantly lower stem NSC translocation during grain filling stage. Grain filling percentage, harvest index, and grain yield showed the consistent trend with stem NSC translocation among the three lines. In comparison with R91 and R156, R201 had similarity in leaf area index, specific leaf weight, stem NSC concentration at heading, biomass, panicles m-2, spikelets per panicle, remobilization capability of assimilation in stems, sink capacity, sink activity, number and cross sectional area of small vascular bundles, greater number and cross sectional area of large vascular bundles, and higher SPAD, suggesting that source, flow, and sink were not the limiting factors for low stem NSC translocation and grain filling percentage of R201. However, R201 had significant higher stem and rachis NSC concentrations at maturity, which implied that unloading in the developing grains might result in low NSC translocation in R201. The results indicate that stem NSC translocation could be beneficial for enhancement of grain yield potential, and poor unloading into caryopsis may be the possible cause of low stem NSC translocation, poor grain filling and yield formation in R201.

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is an environmental contaminant that could induce developmental cardiotoxicity in a chicken embryo, which may be alleviated by l-carnitine. To explore the roles of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) in such changes and the potential effects of l-carnitine, fertile chicken eggs were exposed to PFOA via an air cell injection, with or without l-carnitine co-treatment. The ROS and NO levels in chicken embryo hearts were determined with electron spin resonance (ESR), and the protein levels of the nuclear factor κ-light chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) p65 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in chicken embryo hearts were assessed with western blotting. The results of ESR indicated that PFOA exposure induced an elevation in the ROS levels in ED19 chicken embryo hearts and hatchling chicken hearts, while l-carnitine could alleviate such changes. Meanwhile, increased NO levels were observed in ED19 embryo hearts and hatchling hearts following PFOA exposure, while l-carnitine co-treatment exerted modulatory effects. Western blotting revealed that p65 translocation in ED19 embryo hearts and hatchling hearts was enhanced by PFOA, while l-carnitine co-treatment alleviated such changes. iNOS expression levels in ED19 embryo hearts followed the same pattern as NO levels, while a suppression of expression was observed in hatchling hearts exposed to PFOA. ROS/NF-κB p65 and iNOS/NO seem to be involved in the late stage (ED19 and post hatch) of PFOA-induced developmental cardiotoxicity in a chicken embryo. l-carnitine could exert anti-oxidant and NO modulatory effects in the developing chicken embryo hearts, which likely contribute to its cardioprotective effects.