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This article discusses the development of a deep learning (DL) model for the automated detection and classification of degenerative cord signal abnormality, spinal canal, and neural foraminal stenosis on cervical spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The study analyzed 504 MRI cervical spines, with the DL model showing high agreement for binary spinal canal classification and neural foraminal stenosis compared to human readers. The DL model also had a higher recall for altered cord signal compared to human readers. Overall, the DL model demonstrated superior performance in detecting and classifying these abnormalities on MRI. [Extracted from the article]

ObjectiveMethodResultsConclusionResolvin D1 (RvD1) is one of the specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators, which control inflammation resolution and regulate immune responses. Previous research showed that RvD1 could block the progression of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, the detailed mechanism remains to be fully understood.Plasma RvD1 levels, and proportions of T follicular helper cells (Tfh cells) were measured in SLE patients and healthy controls. Plasma RvD1 levels and proportions of Tfh cells were quantitated in an MRL/lpr mouse model of lupus treated with RvD1. Naïve CD4+ T cells were purified from MRL/lpr mice to study the effect of RvD1 on Tfh cell differentiation in vitro.In patients, there were significant negative correlations between plasma RvD1 levels and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) score, as well as between plasma RvD1 and anti-double-stranded DNA antibody levels, and numbers of peripheral Tfh cells and plasma cells. In MRL/lpr mice, the expected amelioration of disease phenotype and inflammatory response with RvD1 treatment correlated with decreased percentages of Tfh cells and plasma cells. In addition, the differentiation and proliferation of Tfh cells were markedly suppressed by RvD1 in vitro.RvD1 may control SLE progression through the suppression of Tfh cell differentiation and subsequent inhibition of B-cell responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe heat generated by the hysteresis loss can be accumulated inside of the aircraft tire during the free rolling stage, which affects the performance and safety of aircraft. In this paper, verifying a thermomechanical coupling simulation method through experiments to predict the temperature field evolution and internal temperature distribution of natural rubber during high-speed rolling. The high-speed rolling performance of the aircraft tire can be reflected by the disc-shaped specimen based on the similar working and contact conditions, which provides theoretical basis for the further application in aircraft tire. The cyclic tensile test is conducted on dumbbell rubber specimen, and the results show that the temperature increases with the strain. The simulated temperature field distribution corresponds well with the test results, and the maximum error of the temperature rise data is within 4%. Rolling test is conducted on solid rubber wheels, the error between the simulated temperature rise curve and the test is within 1.2%, which proves that this method accurately predicts the temperature evolution process of the disc rubber wheel, and provides a basis for the study of aircraft tire heat generation under different conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vibration and sound radiation characteristics of the submarine pressure hull structure are important performance indicators for the acoustic design of the submarine structure. In this paper, the spectral element method is used to analyze the vibration of the shell structure. Combined with the periodic structure theory, the theoretical calculation method of the periodic ribbed shell structure is deduced, and the analytical method that can be used to calculate the vibration of the pressure shell structure is established. The feasibility of applying the spectral element method to the vibration calculation of the pressure shell structure is verified by comparing the analytical calculation and the finite element simulation. The vibration characteristics test experiment of the actual submarine pressured hull structure is carried out. The results show that the theoretical analysis is correct. Highlights: The vibration and sound radiation characteristics of the submarine pressure hull structure have an important influence on the radiated noise of the submarine. A theoretical analysis method of vibration characteristics of pressure hulled based on spectral element method and periodic structure theory is proposed. The experimental study on vibration characteristics and active control of line spectrum of the pressure hull is carried out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freshwater mussels (Order Unionoida) can provide crucial ecological functions and services. However, many of them are endangered worldwide due to local extirpation and reproductive failure, which emphasizes the importance of mussel life cycle monitoring, including reproduction. Buldowskia iwakawai (Suzuki, 1939) is one such species native to the Ishikari floodplain oxbow lakes where its reproductive failure was recently reported. In this study, a species-specific environmental DNA (eDNA) assay was developed to monitor B. iwakawai abundance and winter reproduction in the laboratory and natural environment simultaneously even at times when natural lakes are covered by ice. A positive CPUE-eDNA correlation was observed across all the 14 lakes sampled prior to ice cover formation. The eDNA concentration significantly differed between gravid and non-gravid mussels in relation to their metabolic-rate differences in laboratory experiments, but the eDNA concentration increase was not detected in the intensively monitored lakes during the glochidia release period. PCR inhibition in natural water has been suggested, and reducing its effects combined with appropriate seasonal contexts has the potential to improve the applicability of this method. This research sheds new light on the applicability of the eDNA assay for monitoring mussel reproductive activities throughout their life cycle including the winter season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic properties and coercivity mechanism of an anisotropic Ce–Nd–Fe–B film with a high Ce content (70 at. % Nd is replaced by Ce) have been investigated. After grain boundary diffusion with Tb layers, an enhancement of coercivity from 4150 to 9250 Oe is observed. Combining the initial magnetization curves, micromagnetic theory, and in-siut observation of magnetic domains in the demagnetization process, it is confirmed that the coercivity mechanism for the high-Ce-content magnets is the mixed type dominated by the pinning mechanism. Moreover, as the thickness of the Tb diffusion layer increases, the pinning center of domain walls changes from narrow planar inhomogeneities to wide planar inhomogeneities. A growing role of pinning plays in determining the coercivity of samples with increasing the thickness of Tb layer due to the increase in magnetocrystalline anisotropy after Tb substitution in the RE2Fe14B phase. In addition, the CeFe2 intergranular phase leads to the enhancement of coercivity due to decoupling the hard magnetic phase grains. Our results provide an insight into the coercivity mechanism of high-Ce-concentration Ce–Nd–Fe–B magnetic materials and promote the comprehension of the effect of Tb diffusion in the magnetization reversal process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microstructure and properties of an AlSi10Mg alloy produced by selective laser melting were examined using optical microscopes, scanning electron microscopes, electron backscattered diffraction, and x‐ray diffraction. The results show that the mechanical characteristics of selective laser melting formed AlSi10Mg alloy is superior to those of traditional sand cast AlSi10Mg alloy due to fine grain strengthening and solid solution strengthening. AlSi10Mg alloy formed by selective laser melting is mainly composed of α‐aluminum solid solution, eutectic silicon with network structure and a small amount of Magnesium silicon precipitated phase, and different cross‐sections have unique microstructures and properties. The XOY plane is composed primarily of equiaxed grains with an average grain size of 7.34 μm and a {001} <100> cubic texture, and it has a hardness value of 130.7 HV 0.2. The majority of the YOZ plane, which has a {111}<110> brass R texture and a hardness value of 108.9 HV 0.2, comprises columnar crystals with an average grain size of 8.42 μm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A refined spherical cap model, combined with an elastic foundation model for the elastic substrate, is proposed to study the static wetting of a liquid droplet on a soft elastic substrate. The strain energy of the substrate is evaluated by the Johnson-Kendall-Roberts (JKR) model, and the increase of the surface energy of the substrate outside the contact zone is calculated based on the elastic foundation model. The total potential energy of the droplet-substrate system is given in terms of four geometrical parameters: the contact radius, the contact angle of the droplet, the deflection angle inside the contact zone, and the maximum downward displacement of the substrate surface at the contact zone center. The equilibrium state is determined based on the stationary condition of total potential energy. The present model reduces to the Young's equation for a rigid substrate and to the Neumann's triangle for a liquid-like substrate. Three equations are given to determine the liquid droplet shape in terms of surface energies and substrate's elastic modulus. Reasonable agreement with existing experimental data and simulation results shows that the present model with derived formulas has the potential to catch the role of substrate's elastic deformation on static wetting and fill the gap between the Young's equation and the Neumann's triangle for a soft elastic substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scabies is a World Health Organization‐defined neglected tropical disease, with continuously rising incidence worldwide in recent years. The aim of this study was to provide an update of the worldwide prevalence and new treatment approaches of scabies in population‐based settings. MEDLINE (PubMed), Embase and LILACS databases were reviewed for English and German language population‐based studies from October 2014 to March 2022. Two authors independently screened the records for eligibility, extracted all data and one critically appraised the quality of the studies and risk of bias. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42021247140. Overall, 1273 records were identified through database searching, of which 43 studies were included for the systematic review. Most of the studies (n = 31) examined the scabies prevalence in medium or low human development index countries. The highest prevalence of scabies reported in the general population (children and adults) was recorded in five randomly selected communities in Ghana (71.0%), whereas the highest scabies prevalence in studies, which only examined children (76.9%), was recorded in an Indonesian boarding school. The lowest prevalence was recorded in Uganda (0.18%). The systematic review highlights the prevalence of scabies worldwide, showing that scabies is still a serious, increasing disease that occurs globally and is clustered in developing countries. More transparent data on scabies prevalence are needed to identify risk factors to find new prevention measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a self-supervising learning framework for finding the dominant eigenfunction-eigenvalue pairs of linear and self-adjoint operators. We represent target eigenfunctions with coordinate-based neural networks and employ the Fourier positional encodings to enable the approximation of high-frequency modes. We formulate a self-supervised training objective for spectral learning and propose a novel regularization mechanism to ensure that the network finds the exact eigenfunctions instead of a space spanned by the eigenfunctions. Furthermore, we investigate the effect of weight normalization as a mechanism to alleviate the risk of recovering linear dependent modes, allowing us to accurately recover a large number of eigenpairs. The effectiveness of our methods is demonstrated across a collection of representative benchmarks including both local and non-local diffusion operators, as well as high-dimensional time-series data from a video sequence. Our results indicate that the present algorithm can outperform competing approaches in terms of both approximation accuracy and computational cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Randomness and fuzziness of argumentation have attracted the interest of many researchers. However, though each of these two properties is discussed in the past, seldom literature considers both of them. The purpose of this paper aims to explore semantics of the argumentation frameworks with these two attributes at the same time. Firstly, we introduce probabilistic-fuzzy matrices to describe the arguments with randomness and fuzziness, and define the mathematical form of the probabilistic-fuzzy argumentation frameworks. In these frameworks, an argument has finite fuzzy states and each fuzzy state has a probability. This provides a mathematical foundation for the follow-up work. Then, we introduce a method of modifying the probabilities of the fuzzy states, which proposes a feasible way to revise the probabilities. Formally, it is the revision of the probabilistic-fuzzy matrices of arguments. Finally, based on this process, we set up an extension semantics system for probabilistic-fuzzy frameworks. The semantics enriches the theory of argumentation, and propose a way to check the probabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this work, the wave propagation of Rayleigh type through a periodic elastic element covered with a T-plate is analyzed. Viscous-spring artificial boundaries are used to satisfy boundary conditions of a periodic structure. By using the Carrera Unified Formulation (CUF), the various kinematics of the three-dimensional structure are consistently expressed and the propagation of waves within the model is obtained. Lagrange expansion is employed to generate the mathematical model of the structure. The numerical evaluation and the comparison with the results obtained by the analytical method and COMSOL involving different structures reveal that the results of this study are reliable and show that the model developed provides accurate results for the analysis of the periodic elastic structure of T-plates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First-principles method is performed to investigate the structural, electronic, elastic and mechanical characteristics of the tetragonal CuAlS2 in the pressure range from 0 to 10 GPa. The results indicated that both the lattice constant and cell volume decrease with the increase of pressure, which are matched well with available previous values. The pressure has a more significant influence on the c direction than the a and b direction. The obtained elastic constants reveal the tetragonal CuAlS2 is mechanically stable between 0 and 10 GPa. The bulk, shear, and Young's modulus are evaluated by Voigt-Reuss-Hill approximation. All these elastic moduli exhibit a monotonic feature as a function of pressure. The Poisson's ratio, Pugh's criterion, and Cauchy pressure indicate that ternary chalcopyrite semiconductor CuAlS2 is ductile against pressure. Meanwhile, the analysis of the electronic structures reveals that the states near the valence band top are derived from Cu 3d and S 3p orbitals, and the lowest conduction band is composed of Al 3p and S 3p orbitals. We expect that the findings predicted the physical properties of this compound will promote future experimental studies on CuAlS2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Choking flow often occurs on ski-jump flip buckets in limited approach flow Froude numbers, which can significantly increase water depth, cause severe turbulence on the bucket, and threaten the safety of hydraulic structures. The study presented herein examines the choking flow characteristics of the rectangular slot-type flip bucket, include choking flow regimes, critical choking flow Froude numbers, and the maximum height on the bucket during the choking flow development process. Eight hydraulic model experiments were conducted, includes five rectangular slot-type flip buckets and three continuous circular-type flip buckets. The effects of slot width, slot angle and inlet water depth on choking flow are studied, the calculation method of equivalent bucket height was proposed to analyze maximum height on the bucket and critical choking flow Froude numbers. It was observed from the research that both the choking flow critical Froude numbers and the maximum choking flow height are proportional to the equivalent bucket height. Based on the conclusion of the equivalent bucket height, the choking flow characteristics of the rectangular slot-type flip bucket and the continuous flip bucket have similar computational rules. The results provide theoretical references for slot-type flip bucket design and proposed a new idea for the analysis of slot-type flow patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine the therapeutic efficacy of Lianhua Qingwen granule combined with peramivir sodium chloride injection in treating influenza and level changes of serum inflammatory factors. The clinical data of 100 influenza sufferers enrolled in our infirmary from January 2018 to January 2020 retrospectively analyzed and they were randomized in the contrast group (n=50) and the experience group (n=50). The former was provided with peramivir sodium chloride injection, while the latter was medicated with Lianhua Qingwen granule after peramivir sodium chloride injection. The clinical efficacy, serum inflammatory factor, C-reactive protein, interleukin-6 level and procalcitonin level of both groups of sufferers were compared. The overall response rate of the injected group was 80 %, lower compared with 96 % of the injected and medicated group (p<0.05). The antipyretic time and sore throat disappearance time, cough disappearance time and general ache disappearance duration in the medicated group were remarkably shorter than those without Lianhua Qingwen powder (p<0.05). The differences in interleukin-6, C-reactive protein and procalcitonin levels before treatment between both groups were not statistically remarkable (p>0.05) and the levels of interleukin-6, C-reactive protein and procalcitonin of both groups of sufferers decreased after treatment. The levels of interleukin-6, C-reactive protein and procalcitonin of patients got injection and took medicine were remarkably lower than those who had no granule (p<0.05). Lianhua Qingwen granule combined with peramivir sodium chloride injection shows a remarkable potency in the treatment of influenza. It can shorten the treatment time and reduce the level of serum inflammatory factors. It is worthy of clinical promotion and application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recovery of metals from the cathode material or used lithium-ion batteries is of both environmental and economic importance. In this study, stepwise precipitation by acid leaching was used to separate and recover lithium, iron, and manganese from the mixed LiFePO4/LiMn2O4 cathode material. The thermodynamic properties of the lithium, iron, and manganese metal phases, especially the stability range, were analyzed using Eh-pH diagrams. The leaching system with sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide released Fe3+, Mn2+, and Li+ ions from the cathode material. Fe3+ in the leaching solution was precipitated as Fe(OH)3 and finally recovered as Fe2O3 after calcination. Mn2+ in the leaching solution was recovered as MnCO3. The remaining Li+-rich solution was evaporated and crystallized into Li2CO3. The purity of the recycled MnCO3 and Li2CO3 met the standard of cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries. XRD and XPS analysis showed that the main phase in the leaching residue was FePO4. This process can be used to separate and recover metals from mixed waste lithium-ion battery cathode materials, and it also provides raw materials for the preparation of lithium-ion battery cathode materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arginine deiminase (ADI) is an Arg-degrading enzyme of the guanidino-group-modifying enzymes (GME) superfamily, which can hydrolyze L-Arg to L-Cit and ammonia through guanidine deamination. It is one of the key enzymes of the ADI pathway in microorganisms. In this study, ADI coding gene arcA of Pseudomonas sp. LJY isolated from the intestine of swamp eel was cloned. Subsequently, the prokaryotic expression vector pET28a-arcA was constructed and transformed into Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). The recombinant protein ADI (rPS-ADI) was induced by IPTG and purified by Ni-NTA His·Bind Resin affinity column. The rPS-ADI was detected by SDS-PAGE and Western blot. The activity of rPS-ADI was examined by TLC assay, and the enzymatic properties of rPS-ADI were characterized. The arcA gene of Pseudomonas sp. LJY had 1257 bp and coded 417 amino acids. Multiple sequence alignments showed that Pseudomonas sp. LJY ADI (PS-ADI) has high similarity with other Pseudomonas bacteria, and its amino acid sequence contains a highly conserved catalytic triplet Cys406-His268-Glu224. TLC assay showed that rPS-ADI catalyzed L-Arg to generate L-Cit. The optimal reaction temperature and pH of rPS-ADI are 45°C and 2.0, respectively. Moreover, Al3+, Cd2+, Zn2+ and EDTA can promote the activity of rPS-ADI. The KM and Vmax of rPS-ADI for L-Arg were 22.42 mM and 68.49 μmol/min/mg, respectively. This study provides promising foundation to further understanding the amino acid metabolism and ADI function of Pseudomonas sp. LJY. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transportation planning refers to a series of actions to guide transportation in a planned way, that is, how planners propose various goals and how to put them into practice. Transportation planning can be divided into broad sense and narrow sense. The broad sense of transportation planning includes the planning of transportation infrastructure construction and development, the planning of transportation organization and management, and the planning of production and operation. Transport planning in a narrow sense refers to the development planning of transport infrastructure construction. The traditional transportation planning method has the defects of long transportation time and high cost. This paper proposes a new method of transportation route planning and design based on strategy balanced allocation. First of all, with the support of the Internet of Vehicles architecture, traffic flow data is collected, and the traffic flow analysis of traffic routes is constructed using Poisson distribution model. Secondly, considering the factors such as alignment, capacity constraints and traffic congestion, the traffic flow is evenly distributed. Finally, according to the feature clustering results of the shortest transportation route, a transportation route planning model is constructed. The experimental results show that the new method of transportation route planning and design based on strategy balanced allocation can effectively shorten the transportation time and reduce the transportation cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a case of monkeypox in a 32-year-old man who presented with itchy and painful lesions on his penis. The lesions started as white papulopustules and progressed to develop a central necrotic black crust and peripheral erythema. The patient had a history of homosexual sex and was diagnosed with monkeypox through PCR testing. Monkeypox is primarily transmitted through direct contact with infectious sores or lesions, particularly during sexual activity. The disease mainly affects middle-aged men, especially men who have sex with men. The average incubation period is 7-10 days, and common symptoms include fever, lymphadenopathy, malaise, myalgia, and headache. Skin lesions typically begin in the oral or anogenital region and may spread to other parts of the body. The diagnosis of monkeypox is based on epidemiological and clinical findings and confirmed through nucleic acid testing. [Extracted from the article]

To understand the efficacy and safety of preferred hepatectomy combined with postoperative systemic drug therapy for breast cancer liver metastases is the objective of the study. We retrospectively analyzed 3 patients with liver metastases included in the initial metastatic sites after breast cancer surgery that preferred hepatectomy and postoperative systemic drug therapy in our department between October 2016 and November 2019, combined with literature review to share our experience. All patients were estrogen receptor and/or human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 positive with good performance status and no obvious drug resistance but still had some unfavorable factors. Patient 1 was 73 y old; patient 2 developed 8 liver metastases after only 7 mo after breast surgery and patient 3 had the largest (6.3 cm) liver metastatic lesion and simultaneous extra-hepatic lymph nodes metastases. They all underwent radical (R0) resection of hepatectomy without complications, combined with systemic drug therapy including timely postoperative chemotherapy, sequential targeted therapy and endocrine therapy. During 28-64 mo of follow-up, they all have eventually achieved clinically complete remission of tumor in the whole body with good quality of life. The longest progression-free survival has been above 64 mo. Preferred hepatectomy combined with postoperative systemic drug therapy was safe and may benefit for estrogen receptor and/or human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 positive breast cancer patients with liver included in the initial metastatic sites who had good performance status, no drug resistance, potential R0 resection, limited and controllable extrahepatic metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Among young drivers, drinking is a primary contributor to motor vehicle crashes. Drinking history metrics have been related to vehicle control among sober drivers. Younger drinking is associated with alcohol- and non-alcohol-related risky behaviors and neurocognitive vulnerabilities. Although early drinking translates to a health-risking profile (i.e., impaired driving, neurocognitive vulnerabilities), few studies have examined the relationship between early drinking initiation/patterns and sober young driver behavior. Objective: To explore the relationship between early drinking patterns and vehicle control among sober young adult drivers. Methods: Participants: U.S. licensed drivers (18-25-years-old) were recruited. Drinking Measures: Self-reported age of first: drink (AgeDrink), drunk (AgeDrunk), and 5 or more drinks (Age5Plus). Driving Simulation: Vehicle control measures were collected using a Vi-cab miniSim® simulator and a scenario with straight and curved roadways, turns, and intersections: standard deviation (SD)/average steering wheel angle, SD lane position, minimum headway time/distance, and SD/minimum/maximum speed. Results: Data from 18 participants were included. All measures were inversely related to lane position on straight roads; average steering wheel angle on curved roads; average steering wheel angle while turning, and positively related to SD steering wheel angle on curved roads and while turning. AgeDrink and AgeDrunk were inversely related to minimum headway time/distance on curved roads. AgeDrunk and Age5Plus were inversely related to SD speed through intersections. AgeDrink and Age5Plus were inversely related to maximum speed through intersections. AgeDrink was inversely related to SD steering wheel angle on straight roads and SD lane position through intersections. Conclusions: Our findings offer an initial perspective on how, even while sober, drinking at a younger age is associated with greater variability in vehicle control measures that are linked to increased crash-risk. These findings point to a need to broaden our understanding of how youth drinking may relate to sober driving performance and potentially heighten crash risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let f be an arithmetic function satisfying some simple conditions. The aim of this paper is to establish an asymptotical formula for the quantity S f (x) : = ∑ n ⩽ x f ([ x n ]) for x → ∞ , where [ t ] is the integral part of the real number t. This generalises some recent results of Bordellès, Dai, Heyman, Pan & Shparlinski and of Zhai (f = φ = the Euler function), and of Zhao & Wu (f = σ = the sum-of-divisors function). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A weakly nonlinear (WN) theoretical model for the two-dimensional incompressible Kelvin–Helmholtz instability (KHI) is proposed. Its solution form is the complete expansion in real space. The transition from linear to nonlinear growth is analytically studied via third-order solutions of plane KHI initiated by a single-mode surface perturbation. The difference between the WN growth of the Rayleigh–Taylor instability (RTI) in plane geometry and the WN growth of the KHI in plane geometry is discussed. It is found that there are resonance solutions in the higher harmonics of KHI but not in RTI. The vertex of spikes and bubbles is deflected because of the shearing effect in KHI compared with that in RTI. The spike velocity increases with the Atwood number before a particular time and then inversely after that time. There is no such reversal in RTI. However, the bubble velocity with the Atwood number of KHI has the same evolution rule as that of RTI. In addition to the influence of initial perturbation on the nonlinear saturation amplitude, the influence of Atwood number on the nonlinear saturation amplitude of the fundamental mode is obtained. Finally, compared with the numerical simulations, at the same initial conditions, the analytical solutions up to the third harmonics are well consistent with the simulated datum in the linear and weakly nonlinear stages for a widely varied Atwood number. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To mix a solid-liquid multiphase flow more uniformly before filling, this paper numerically analyses the multiphase flow field distribution in the near-wall and near-bottom areas in the agitator tank under the effect of spiral ribbon-frame combined paddle, with the aid of the Eulerian multiphase flow model. The results show that, compared to the spiral ribbon paddle, the combined paddle structure with an additional frame paddle could weaken the high-density aggregation in near-wall and near-bottom areas, and reduce the low-density area on the top, making the flow more uniform. As far as the near-wall area is concerned (200-220 mm from the centre), compared to the combined paddle with oblique outer frame, the combined paddle with straight outer frame improves the uniformity of density distribution for the mixed multiphase flow, stabilizes the volume fraction of each single phase, and reduces the deviation from the set value (4 % - 17 %). The numerical analysis may guide the flow mechanism research of the mixing process of complex solid-liquid multiphase flow, and promote the optimal design of mixing structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the rescue delay due to traffic congestion in the urban road network, this paper implemented real-time traffic control with congestion index constraints in emergency vehicle dispatching and proposed a two-stage optimization model and algorithm. In the first stage, salp swarm algorithm (SSA) was combined with Dijkstra algorithm, and a novel hybrid algorithm with new updating rules was designed to get the multiple alternative paths. In the second stage, an improved salp swarm algorithm (ISSA) with a population grouping strategy was proposed to obtain the best evacuation schemes and the optimal rescue paths of emergency vehicles. Results of the illustrative examples show that, after evacuation, the average travel time of all alternative paths is reduced by 24.22%, while traffic congestion indexes of the adjacent road sections almost unchanged. The computation time of the hybrid algorithm for obtaining the set number of alternative paths is 56.62% and 50.47% shorter than that of bat algorithm (BA) and SSA. For the solution of the evacuation model, the computation time of the ISSA is 33.51%, 30.15%, and 30.60% shorter than that of particle swarm optimization (PSO), BA, and SSA, and the optimal solution of the ISSA is 25.92%, 10.06%, and 0.97% better than that of PSO, BA, and SSA. That is, we shorten the emergency response time and control the adverse impact of traffic evacuation on background traffic. The improved algorithm has excellent performance. This study provides a new idea and method for emergency rescue of traffic accidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weld seam detection is particularly crucial within industrial systems, as it promptly reflects the quality of product fabrication and performance, ensuring the final metallurgical product's quality while mitigating potential losses stemming from product quality issues. This paper proposed the InfoFPN Cross Refinement Network (InfoCRNet) for the weld seam detection, achieving an accuracy rate of 98,90% and F1 score of 98,85 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the valuable previous studies on energy harvesting from flutter instability, no decisive ranking still exists between fluttering generators and harvesters based on other Flow-Induced Vibration (FIV) instabilities. In the current empirical study, the hydroelastic response and the energy performance of a self-sustained NACA 0015 hydrofoil are determined and compared to those of oscillators working based on Vortex-Induced Vibration (VIV), galloping, and Wake-Induced Vibration (WIV). Moreover, the effects of an unsteady circular wake on the performance of the hydrofoil are analyzed. With the scale and the aspect ratio considered in the current study, the upstream wake slightly mitigates the FIV response, power, and efficiency of the hydrofoil. Results of the current study show that the three top energy harvesting performances belong to oscillators with instability and combined instability-resonance responses. The high-power production capability of the galloping plus the high efficiency of the VIV makes WIV of the circular oscillator the optimum option for energy harvesting. Specific galloping oscillators like triangular cross-sections can even surpass WIV of the circular oscillator. The average performance of the fluttering hydrofoil makes it the third top instability above all resonance oscillators. • Top energy performances belong to instability and combined instability-resonance. • Small scale unsteady wake doesn't improve the performance of the hydrofoil. • Self-sustained hydrofoil surpasses resonance oscillators. • Galloping achieves higher power and VIV higher efficiency than other instabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wandering subspaces are closely related with wavelets. Fusion frames are a generalization of frames in Hilbert spaces that is more acceptable to applications where two-stage signal/data analysis is required. In this paper, we are concerned with wandering subspaces and fusion frames with the structure of Gabor type unitary systems. We give some properties for a Gabor type unitary system which has a complete wandering subspace, and a structure characterization of all complete wandering subspaces for a Gabor type unitary system is obtained. Moreover, we introduce the concept of fusion frame generators and study the dilation property for Parseval fusion frame generators for Gabor type unitary systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ten monoterpenoids, including new seritramentol A (1), were isolated from Seriphidium transiliense (Poljakov) Poljakov. Compounds 2, 3, 6, and 7 were isolated from this plant as new natural compounds that were previously synthesized. The structures of the compounds were elucidated by analyzing HR-ESI-MS, UV, IR, and 1D and 2D NMR spectra and calculating ECD spectra. Their absolute configurations were established for the first time. The isolated compounds were tested for antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a highly aggressive neuroendocrine neoplasm of the skin, which has an exceedingly poor prognosis. The AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling pathway, which plays a pivotal role in the modulation of protein synthesis and cell survival, has been shown to be extremely important for Merkel cell carcinogenesis. In the current study, we found that AKT has important regulatory functions in MCC cells and that inhibition of AKT with the novel ATP‐competitive AKT inhibitor, afuresertib, has widespread effects on proliferative pathways. In particular, we found that treatment of MCC cells with afuresertib led to deactivation of mTOR and glycogen synthase kinase 3 pathway proteins while increasing activation of proapoptotic pathways through the upregulation of p16 expression and phosphomodulation of the B‐cell lymphoma‐2‐associated death promoter. Overall, afuresertib treatment led to significant and robust inhibition of MCC cell proliferation, thus raising intriguing questions regarding the potential efficacy of AKT inhibition for the future clinical management of MCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple analytical method based on the Kerr-type model is proposed to extend the well-known Johnson-Kendall-Roberts (JKR) model to the adhesive contact between a rigid cylinder and a compressible elastic thin layer under plane strain. The Kerr-type model provides a linear differential relation between the contact pressure and the normal deflection of the upper surface of the layer, whose lower surface is either bonded or sliding on a rigid substrate. With the aid of Betti's reciprocal theorem, several easy-to-use explicit formulas are obtained for the relations between the indentation force, the indentation depth and the contact width, and the pressure distribution inside the contact zone and the pull-off force are determined. Reasonable agreement of the predicted results with existing numerical results shows that the present analytical model can capture the adhesive effects on the cylindrical indentation of a compressible elastic thin layer on a rigid substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The dominance effect is a kind of non‐additive effect due to the interaction between alleles at the same locus. Quantitative traits such as growth traits in farm animals have been found to be influenced by dominance effects. However, dominance effects are usually ignored in the genome‐wide association study (GWAS) of complex traits for farm animals. In this study, we performed GWAS and genetic parameters estimation for the two traits age at 100 kg (AGE) and backfat thickness at 100 kg (BF) of 3572 Large White pigs. The pigs were from three breeding farms of China and were genotyped by an in‐house designed 50k SNP chip. Our results showed significant non‐zero variance for the dominance effect of AGE, while the dominance effect of BF was not significant. Using a GWAS model accounting for both additive and dominance effects, we identified three additive and two dominance significant SNPs for the trait AGE. For the trait BF, three genome‐wide significant additive SNPs were detected, but no significant SNP was found for the dominance effect. In total, six important functional genes (NPAS3, USP16, PARN, ARL15, GPC3, ABHD4) near significant SNPs were identified as candidate genes associated with AGE or BF. Notably, ARL15 and PARN were associated with AGE near the dominance association signals. Overall, the newly detected SNPs and newly identified candidate genes in our study added new information about the genetic architectures of growth and fatness traits in pigs, and have the potential to be applied to the pig breeding program in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This research aimed to investigate the temporal bacterial colonization relating to non‐rumination, transition and rumination phases, together with the spatial organization of microbial community in the jejunal mucosa and digesta of goats. Methods and Results: This study explored the colonization programme of the jejunal microbiota by employing 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. The colonization pattern of jejunal bacterial community exhibited an age‐ and gut region‐dependent progression during animal development process. Approximately 268 bacterial signatures contributed to the discrimination between gut regions, with Lactobacillus, Ruminococcus, Eubacterium and Clostridium_sensu_stricto were enriched in the jejunal digesta, and Bacteroides and unclassified bacteria were enriched in the jejunal mucosa. Intriguingly, a shift from Lactobacillus to Butyrivibrio, Eubacterium and Ruminococcus after d 20 was observed for jejunal digesta. In mucosa, Bifidobacterium, Corynebacterium, Faecalibacterium and Roseburia increased with age (P < 0·05) while Arcobacter, Bacteroides and Porphyromonas peaked at d 10. Conclusions: The jejunal bacterial community was settled after solid starter provision, which may mark the potential boundary of a timeframe for intervention in goats. The spatial heterogeneity highlighted the complicacy of ecological niches during manipulation of gut microbiota. Significance and Impact of the study: The present study extended the understanding of microbial programming and niche specific in the jejunum among different life stages and the basal cognition of persistent enhancement of nutrient utilization and decline of enteric diseases in ruminants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effective elastic modulus of composites with network microstructures is studied by micromechanics methods. Based on their network morphology, a mesoscopic model for them is developed. The predictions found by the model are compared with previous experimental results, and a good agreement between them is found to exist. The effect of some parameters, including the particle size, volume fraction and distribution, on the composite stiffness is analyzed. Finally, the reinforcing mechanism of network morphology is investigated by finite-element method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inward transport flux accompanied by the long-lived mode (LLM) has been observed by the edge Langmuir probe array during the L-H transition in the HL-2A tokamak. The cross phase between the poloidal electric field fluctuation and the electron density fluctuation in the LLM frequency changed greatly during the L-H transition, which led to the radial transport flux in the LLM frequency to change its transport direction in a given radial region near the pedestal barrier. By using the long distance correlation method, the phase shift of poloidal electric field fluctuation proved to be the key reason, which led to the cross-phase term to change in the LLM frequency. Furthermore, the shear effect has a mode-selecting characteristic on the LLM and turbulence because the direction of turbulent transport still remains radially outward during the H-mode. In addition, when the inward conducted heat flux accompanied by LLM occurs, the poloidal electric field fluctuation and electron temperature fluctuation both have a positive gradient in the LLM frequency; this may indicate that the positive gradient of radial velocity and electron temperature in the LLM frequency play an important role during the entire transport direction change process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PSR J1012−4235 is a 3.1 ms pulsar in a wide binary (37.9 days) with a white dwarf companion. We detect, for the first time, a strong relativistic Shapiro delay signature in PSR J1012−4235. Our detection is the result of a timing analysis of data spanning 13 yr and collected with the Green Bank, Parkes, and MeerKAT Radio Telescopes and the Fermiγ-ray space telescope. We measured the orthometric parameters for Shapiro delay and obtained a 22σ detection of the h3 parameter of 1.222(54) μs and a 200σ detection of ς of 0.9646(49). With the assumption of general relativity, these measurements constrain the pulsar mass (Mp = 1.44−0.12+0.13 M⊙), the mass of the white dwarf companion (Mc = 0.270−0.015+0.016M⊙), and the orbital inclination (i = 88.06−0.25+0.28 deg). Including the early γ-ray data in our timing analysis facilitated a precise measurement of the proper motion of the system of 6.58(5) mas yr−1. We also show that the system has unusually small kinematic corrections to the measurement of the orbital period derivative, and therefore has the potential to yield stringent constraints on the variation of the gravitational constant in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recovery of iron phosphate from the leaching slag of used lithium iron phosphate cathode materials is a crucial step to achieve closed-loop recovery of lithium iron phosphate, which has not yet been effectively accomplished. In the study, ultrasonic-assisted sulfuric acid leaching was used to remove impurities in the iron phosphate, to meet the stringent impurity content requirements for battery-grade iron phosphate regarding impurity content. Optimization of leaching conditions involved a sulfuric acid concentration of 0.2 mol·L-1, acid-leaching time of 30 min, power of 50 W, and reaction temperature of 80°C. Under these conditions, the removal efficiencies of Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn in iron phosphate were 26.09%, 83.0%, 75.9%, and 96.3%, respectively. Simultaneously, the content of impurity elements Cr and Zn concurred with the standard for battery-grade iron phosphate (HG/T 4701-2021), with both 50 ppm and 10 ppm contents. The leaching results indicated the effectiveness of ultrasound in enhancing the removal of impurity elements in iron phosphate within a sulfuric acid solution. Further analyses, including XRD, particle size, TEM, and XPS indicated that the surface of the iron phosphate particles cavitated after ultrasonic acid leaching, resulting in the formation of numerous pores. Additionally, particle collisions led to a reduction in particle size, with no generation of by-products during the process. This innovative approach not only contributed to the removal of impurity elements but also provided insights into the reuse of leaching slag (iron phosphate) and offered guidance for the recovery of metals from waste lithium iron phosphate cathode materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sugarcane parental lines (Saccharum spp. hybrids) serve as a gene pool for sugarcane breeding and genetic improvement. Phenotypic evaluation is the most direct method to study genetic diversity among sugarcane parental lines. Morphological data of 31 phenotypic traits were collected from 130 major sugarcane parental lines for multivariate genetic analysis. The analysis revealed relatively high coefficients of variation and a wide range of frequencies. The extent of genetic diversity among the morphological traits reached a high level with the Shannon-Weiner index (퐻푠=0.858±0.026). The average genetic diversity index was greater for plant height and stem traits than all other traits. Relatively large genetic distances averaging 0.151 were observed among the 11 series of sugarcane parental lines, with the Guitang-series parental lines exhibiting the most genetic diversity (퐻푠=0.970±0.078). A dendrogram based on similarity coefficients clustered 130 major parental lines into three groups and six subgroups. The results provided key information on genetic diversity useful for the screening and selection of potential parents and the design of potential intercrosses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Control of surface wettability by means of electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) is among the most effective methods of active enhancement of surface wettability. Here, electrohydrodynamics of drop impact onto a dielectric surface with electrodes embedded in the dielectric (or aligned and attached to it) is experimentally investigated. Drop impact of different liquids (water, n-butanol, and motor oil) onto different substrates (stretched Teflon, parafilm, and polypropylene) is studied. Water drop impact onto stretched Teflon (the only Teflon which revealed significant electrowetting) and un-stretched parafilm surfaces is studied in detail. The results for water drop impact indicate that drop spreading on such non-wettable surfaces can be significantly enhanced by the electric field application. In particular, water drop rebound can be suppressed by the electric force. Furthermore, impact dynamics and spreading of hydrocarbon liquids with electric field are explored. Partial suppression of splash phenomena was also observed with the application of the electric field in addition to enhancement of spreading. In addition, the experimental results for water drops are compared with the Cahn−Hilliard−Navier−Stokes (CHNS) simulations for static contact angles and drop impact dynamics, and the results are in close agreement for water drops. This study demonstrates that electrowetting-on-dielectric holds great promise for coating and spraying technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inward particle flux associated with the global long-lived mode (LLM) during the L–I–H transition on HL-2A tokamak has been measured. The inward particle flux arises from the phase change between density and radial velocity fluctuations, where density and velocity fluctuations are strongly correlated with magnetic fluctuations of LLM. Moreover, the radial velocity and its gradient rather than poloidal flow shear play an important role in particle transport associated with the large-scale mode. The strong nonlinear coupling between LLM and ambient turbulence has been confirmed, and this may contribute to most of the inward particle flux in the LLM during the I-phase state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microfluidic flow is typically laminar due to the dominant viscous effects. At Reynolds numbers far below 1 (Re ≪ 1), the fluid inertia can be neglected. For the steady flow of incompressible Newtonian fluids, it approaches linear Stokes flow. At intermediate Re, there exists a weak-inertia flow regime where secondary flows such as Dean vortices are accessible for microfluidic manipulations. Apart from the fluid inertia, other nonlinear factors such as the non-Newtonian fluid properties, concurrent flow of dissimilar fluids, compliant fluidic structures and stimuli-responsive materials can also cause intriguing flow behaviours. Through proper designs, they can be applied for a variety of microfluidic components including mixers, valves, oscillators, stabilizers and auto-regulators etc., greatly enriching the microfluidic flow control and manipulation strategies. Due to its unique working characteristics and advantages, nonlinear microfluidics has increasingly attracted extensive attention. This review presents a systematic survey on this subject. The designs of typical nonlinear microfluidic devices, their working mechanisms, key applications, and the perspective of their future developments will be discussed. The nonlinear microfluidic techniques are believed to play an essential role in the next generation of highly-integrated, automated, and intelligent microfluidics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let x → ∞ be a parameter. Feng [5] proved that the Deshouillers–Dress–Tenenbaum's arcsine law on divisors of the integers less than x also holds in arithmetic progressions for ''non-exceptional moduli" q ⩽ exp { (1 4 - ε) (log 2 x) 2 } , where ε is an arbitrarily small positive number. We show that in the case of a prime-power modulus ( q : = p ϖ with p a fixed odd prime and ϖ ∈ N ) the arcsine law on divisors holds in arithmetic progressions for q ≤ x 15 / 52 - ε . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few relevant research attempts have been made to determine heavy metal resistance mechanisms of rhizomatous perennial plants. Thus, it is pertinent to investigate the physiological and biochemical changes in Phragmites australis under metal‐stressed conditions to facilitate the development of strategies to enhance copper (Cu) tolerance.We measured parameters related to plant growth and development, metal translocation and physiological responses of P. australis subjected to Cu stress. In addition, the differentially expressed proteins (DEP) were evaluated using the isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) system.A large amount of copper accumulates in the roots of P.australis, but the growth parameters were not sensitive to Cu. However, the high concentration of Cu reduced the content of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b, and the expression of important photosynthesis proteins PsbD, PsbO and PsaA were all down‐regulated, so photosynthesis was inhibited. In contrast, the content of ascorbic acid and proline both increased with the increase of copper stress.P.australis fixed a large amount of Cu in its roots, limiting the migration of Cu to other parts of the plant. Moreover, Cu stress can affect photosynthesis by inhibiting the activity of PSI, PSII and LHCII. In addition, P.australis synthesizes ascorbic acid through the D‐mannose/L‐galactose pathway, and synthesizes proline through the ornithine pathway. Ascorbic acid and proline can increase Cu tolerance and protect photosynthesis. These results provide a theoretical basis for understanding the tolerance and repair mechanisms of plants in response to heavy metal pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Improved outcomes of abdominal wall reconstruction (AWR) have been shown when tension-free fascial closure (TFFC) is achieved. Our objective was to determine the clinical and radiologic predictors of TFFC in patients undergoing AWR. Study design: We conducted a single institution retrospective cohort study of adults who underwent AWR between 2007 and 2018. Demographics, hernia characteristics and operative data were collected. Linear and volumetric variables were obtained from preoperative abdominal CT scans, the latter following 3D reconstruction. Logistic regression was used to evaluate predictors of TFFC. Area under the curve (AUC) ≥ 0.70 was considered to have acceptable discrimination. Results: A total of 108 patients were eligible for analysis. The mean age was 57 ± 11 years and 53 (49%) were female. 42 (39%) hernias were recurrent, 10 (9%) patients had a stoma and 9 (8%) had a history of open abdomen. The mean defect width was 11 ± 4 cm and mean defect surface area was 150 ± 95 cm2. The most common AWR technique was endoscopic component separation 75 (69%). TFFC was achieved in 90 (83%) patients. No demographics or 3D volumetric measures were predictive of TFFC (all AUC < 0.7). European hernia society (EHS) class M1 was predictive of failure of TFFC [AUC = 0.70; odds ratio 7.0 (referent M3); 95% confidence interval, 2.1–23.8]. Linear variables of rectus muscle separation were the most predictive of TFFC (AUC 0.73–0.77). Conclusion: In contrast to clinical characteristics, radiologic characteristics of large incisional hernias requiring AWR are predictive of TFFC. In particular, EHS class M1 and linear variables of rectus muscle separation appear to be better predictors of TFFC than volumetric measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tungsten is the material chosen to be used in some of the most demanding parts of fusion test reactors and planned fusion power plants. The irradiation present will degrade the material over time, which lead to the need for component replacement. In order to understand the material degradation and to be able to predict the need for replacement, there is a need to understand how defects are produced in the material. Even though there will be high energy recoils in the material, there will be a substantial amount of recoils in the low energy regime. We study the effect of irradiation on the hundred eV scale and compare it to the commonly used Frenkel-pair insertion method. By conducting this investigation we can investigate if this insertion method is a possible speed up to full cascade simulations. These low energy simulations are also comparable with the energy given to recoils during electron irradiation. We found that the low energy cascades will produce damage as expected and that Frenkel-pair insertion will qualitatively give a similar result. However, we found, quantitatively in the form of clustering, that the results differ between methods, especially for the higher energies investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]