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Abstract Rhizosphere ecological factors that affect sugarcane ratoons are crucial components in the feedback mechanisms between the sugarcane plant and soil environment. However, systematic investigations on these dynamics are lacking. Therefore, this study investigated the relationship between sugarcane ratoon decline and rhizosphere ecological factors. In first-year sugarcane ratoons, ecological factors such as soil available potassium content, soil nitrogen fixation, and soil peroxidase activity were significantly positively correlated with sugarcane growth (P 0.05) between the alpha diversity of endophytic fungi and key sugarcane growth indicators. The deterioration of mainly non-microbial ecological factors in rhizosphere soil (P

Abstract Background Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and EGFR-TKI combination treatments have become the standard first-line treatments for EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. However, the best option has yet to be determined. This study compares the efficacy and safety of various first-line EGFR-TKI monotherapies and combination treatments for advanced EGFR-mutated NSCLC. Methods We searched PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Clinical Trials databases, and several international conferences to identify randomized controlled trials reporting on first-line EGFR-TKI treatments for patients with advanced EGFR-mutated NSCLC. The study quality was assessed using the revised tool for risk of bias in randomized trials. The efficacy and safety outcomes of the included treatments were compared by network meta-analysis based on a frequentist approach. Results We identified 26 trials (8,359 patients) investigating 14 treatment groups, including first, second, and third-generation EGFR-TKIs and their combination treatments. Osimertinib plus chemotherapy and lazertinib plus amivantamab showed the highest efficacy in improving progression-free survival. New third-generation EGFR-TKIs demonstrated comparable efficacy to osimertinib alone but did not surpass it. Subgroup analyses revealed slight variation in treatment efficacy based on mutation types and patient demographics. Combination treatments were associated with a higher incidence of adverse events. Conclusion These results reveal that osimertinib plus chemotherapy and lazertinib plus amivantamab are superior first-line options for patients with advanced EGFR-mutated NSCLC. However, these combinations are associated with higher adverse event rates.

ObjectiveIn order to study the stress distribution of circular holed infinite corrugated core sandwich panels under uniaxial tension and seek the most unfavorable opening position, Methodboth submodel analysis method and subproblem optimization method were employed just for calculation stress distribution of different holing positions and seeking the holing position where the hole edge stress concentration factor reached the maximum, respectively.ResultThe stress distribution near the opening is closely related to the mesh division, and the maximum stress always occurs on the core layer board. The stress concentration factor of an infinitely corrugated sandwich panel with a circular opening under uniaxial tension is generally greater than 3, with a maximum of 4.104. Conclusion Undergoing the stress extreme value optimization analysis process of the overall model before the submodel can save computation time, achieve high computational accuracy, and improve optimization efficiency.

Abstract Purpose To evaluate the safety and feasibility of intraperitoneal laparoscopic surgery in Trendelenburg position (ILSTP) for pyelolithotomy, pyeloplasty, and heminephrectomy in patients with horseshoe kidneys (HSKs). Methods Between March 2021 and March 2024, three patients with HSKs underwent ILSSP. Of these three patients, two with pelvi-ureteric junction obstruction with recurrent kidney stones underwent pyelolithotomy and pyeloplasty, one with symptomatic nonfunctioning left moiety of a HSK was managed with heminephrectomy. Results Mean operating time was 114 ± 64.8 (44–172) min, and estimated blood loss was 63.3 ± 51.3 (20–120) ml. The mean hospital stay was 3.3 ± 1.5 (2–5) days. There were no major intra- or post-operative complications. Conclusions ILSTP is a feasible and effective technique for performing pyelolithotomy, pyeloplasty, and heminephrectomy in patients with HSKs.

Abstract The integration of seasonal loads, such as cereal baking and aquatic‐product processing loads, often leads to significant voltage deviations and severe peak loads of the distribution system during specific periods, resulting in increased network losses. Traditional approaches for reducing network losses are becoming less effective and cost‐efficient due to the spatiotemporally uneven distribution characteristics of seasonal loads. To address this issue, this study proposes an optimisation model that collaboratively integrates mobile energy storage, switching capacitors, and tie lines to minimise annual network losses in special planning scenarios affected by seasonal loads. The deployment strategies of multiple reinforcement methods are thoroughly analysed, greatly enhancing the explainability and feasibility of the collaborative deployment model. Then, the proposed model is reformulated to a mixed‐integer linear programming model using the inscribed regular dodecagon approximation approach, thereby making it trackable for state‐of‐the‐art solvers. To illustrate the effectiveness of the model, case studies are conducted on a unique 55‐bus distribution system located in East China, which contains feeders with substantial seasonal variation aquaculture loads and with general loads. The effectiveness of multiple reinforcement methods is thoroughly analysed through detailed numerical results. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis of the investment budget is conducted.

Abstract This paper proposes a specific algebraic structure and demonstrates its nature as an extension field, enabling the construction of Golomb Costas (GC) arrays. It provides detailed instructions and examples for constructing GC arrays using this extension field, along with a corresponding flowchart. Additionally, the paper conducts a thorough analysis, incorporating calculations and comparisons, to evaluate the autocorrelation of a GC array derived from the extension field compared to that of a diagonal frequency hopping array. The analysis reveals the superior autocorrelation properties of GC arrays based on the extension field. Furthermore, the paper establishes a mathematical model for the signal coded by the frequency hopping array and subsequently simulates and compares the ambiguity function of the signal coded by a GC array with that of a signal coded by a diagonal frequency hopping array. This comparison underscores the thumbtack ambiguity function of frequency hopping signal coded by a GC array. Moreover, the paper thoroughly investigates the relationship between the correlation function of GC arrays and the roots of an algebraic equation in a finite field, and strictly proves the ideal autocorrelation properties of Golomb Costas arrays.

Objective Shale generally contains water, and it is highly important to clarify the occurrence characteristics of adsorbed water in shale to improve the drainage effect of shale gas. Methods This study analysed shale cores from the JY11-4 and JY41-5 wells in the Jiaoshiba area of Fuling. The influence of high-pressure conditions on the occurrence characteristics of adsorbed water in shale was investigated using custom-designed frozen nitrogen adsorption experiments and nuclear magnetic resonance experiments. Results and Conclusion The results show that (1) under atmospheric pressure, the average volume of adsorbed water per unit mass calculated by the "weighing method" is 0.017 3 mL/g. The volume proportion of water in the micropores and mesopores (average of 90.94%) significantly exceeds that in the macropores (average of 9.06%). This may be because water molecules cannot occupy the adsorption sites in all the shale pores when the relative pressure is relatively low. Most water molecules condense in micropores and mesoporous pores, and only a few water molecules enter the macropores. In addition, the small and medium pores in clay-rich shale become "filled and blocked" by water molecules in the process of water adsorption. (2) Under a saturated water pressure of 30 MPa, the average adsorbed water volume per unit mass of the sample calculated by the "weighing method" is 0.021 6 mL/g. The volume proportions of water in the micropores and mesopores (average of 40.26%) is lower than that in macropores (average of 59.74%), which may be related to the fact that water molecules can occupy more adsorption sites on the inner surface of micropores and mesoporous pores under the action of capillary forces when the relative pressure is significantly increased. (3) Compared with normal pressure, high-pressure conditions increase the volume of water adsorbed per unit mass of shale (approximately 25% increase in the experiment), and the proportion of water volume in large pores is greater than that in micropores and mesoporous pores. (4) During hydraulic fracturing, the relative pressure of the reservoir increases significantly. Under the action of capillary forces, fracturing fluid may enter large pores that cannot enter under the pressure of the original reservoir to "relieve" the "unsaturated state" of the original shale reservoir. After fracturing is completed, the pressure around the reservoir is gradually released, and the fracturing fluid that originally enters the adsorption pores of the shale may have difficulty overcoming the capillary resistance at the pore, making it difficult to return.

Abstract Viral encephalitis is characterized by inflammation of the brain parenchyma caused by a variety of viruses, among which the Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus (JEV) is a typical representative arbovirus. Neuronal death, neuroinflammation, and breakdown of the blood brain barrier (BBB) constitute vicious circles of JE progression. Currently, there is no effective therapy to prevent this damage. Growth arrest specific gene 6 (GAS6) is a secreted growth factor that binds to the TYRO3, AXL, and MERTK (TAM) family of receptor tyrosine kinases and has been demonstrated to participate in neuroprotection and suppression of inflammation in many central nervous system (CNS) diseases which has great potential for JE intervention. In this study, we found that GAS6 expression in the brain was decreased and was reversely correlated with viral load and neuronal loss. Mice with GAS6/TAM signalling deficiency showed higher mortality and accelerated neuroinflammation during peripheral JEV infection, accompanied by BBB breakdown. GAS6 directly promoted the expression of tight junction proteins in bEnd.3 cells and strengthened BBB integrity, partly via AXL. Mice administered GAS6 were more resistant to JEV infection due to increased BBB integrity, as well as decreased viral load and neuroinflammation. Thus, targeted GAS6 delivery may represent a strategy for the prevention and treatment of JE especially in patients with impaired BBB.

Dyslipidemia is a major risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. Recent advancements in lipid-lowering therapies have seen progress with statins, cholesterol absorption inhibitors, PCSK9 inhibitors, and omega-3 fatty acids becoming widely utilized. Emerging new lipid-lowering drugs, including angiopoietin-like protein 3 (ANGPTL3) inhibitors, apolipoprotein C3 inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies, antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), small interfering RNA (siRNA), and cholesterol vaccines, have diversified the therapeutic landscape, showing promising efficacy. This review explores the development and application of these lipidlowering drugs, offering new insights for therapeutic strategies.

This paper investigates the three-dimensional crack propagation and damage evolution process of metallic column shells under internal explosive loading. The calibration of four typical failure parameters for 40CrMnSiB steel was conducted through experiments and subsequently applied to simulations. The numerical simulation results employing the four failure criteria were compared with the differences and similarities observed in freeze-recovery tests and ultra-high-speed tests. This analysis addressed the critical issue of determining failure criteria for the fracture of a metal shell under internal explosive loads. Building upon this foundation, the damage parameter Dc, linked to the cumulative crack density, was defined based on the evolution characteristics of a substantial number of cracks. The relationship between the damage parameter and crack velocity over time was established, and the influence of the internal central pressure on the damage parameter and crack velocity was investigated. Variations in the fracture modes were found under different failure criteria, with the principal strain failure criterion proving to be the most effective for simulating 3D crack propagation in a pure shear fracture mode. Through statistical analysis of the shell penetration fracture radius data, it was determined that the fracture radius remained essentially constant during the crack evolution process and could be considered a constant. The propagation velocity of axial cracks ranged between 5300 m/s and 12600 m/s, surpassing the Rayleigh wave velocity of the shell material and decreasing linearly with time. The increase in shell damage exhibited an initial rapid phase, followed by deceleration, demonstrating accelerated damage during the propagation stage of the blast wave and decelerated damage after the arrival of the rarefaction wave. This study provides an effective approach for investigating crack propagation and damage evolution. The derived crack propagation and damage evolution law serves as a valuable reference for the development of crack velocity theory and the construction of shell damage evolution modes.

Abstract Introduction Cisplatin-based chemotherapy is one of the fundamental therapeutic modalities for gastric cancer (GC). Chemoresistance to cisplatin is a great clinical challenge, and its underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are involved in the pathophysiology of multiple human malignancies. Methods High-throughput sequencing was performed to determine the differentially expressed profile of circRNA in GC tissues and cisplatin-resistant GC cells. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Fluorescence in situ hybridization was utilized to confirm the dysregulation of circ_0008315 in GC tissues. To evaluate the prognostic significance of circ_0008315 in GC, we used Kaplan-Meier plot. The self-renewal ability of drug-resistant GC cell was verified through tumor sphere formation assay. GC organoids were constructed to simulate the tumor microenvironment and verified the function of circ_0008315 in cisplatin resistance of gastric cancer. In vivo evaluation was conducted using patient-derived xenograft models. Dual-luciferase reporter gene, RNA immunoprecipitation and miRNA pull-down assays were employed to investigate the molecular mechanisms of circ_0008315 in GC. Results We revealed that a novel circRNA hsa_circ_0008315 was upregulated in GC and cisplatin-resistant GC cells. Elevated circ_0008315 was also observed in cisplatin-resistant GC organoid model. High circ_0008315 expression predicted unfavorable survival outcome in GC patients. Downregulation of circ_0008315 expression inhibited proliferation, mobility, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of GC cells in vitro and in vivo. Reducing circ_0008315 expression in cisplatin-resistant GC organoid model reversed cisplatin resistance. Mechanistically, circ_0008315 modulated the stem cell properties of GC through the miR-3666/CPEB4 signaling pathway, thereby promoting cisplatin resistance and GC malignant progression. Furthermore, we developed PLGA-PEG nanoparticles targeting circ_0008315, and the nanoparticles could effectively inhibit GC proliferation and cisplatin resistance. Conclusion Circ_0008315 exacerbates GC progression and cisplatin resistance, and can be used as a prognostic predictor. Circ_0008315 may function as a promising nanotherapeutic target for GC treatment. Graphical Abstract

The grain protein content (GPC) is the key parameter for wheat grain nutritional quality. This study conducted a resampling GWAS analysis using 406 wheat accessions across eight environments, and identified four previously reported GPC QTLs. An analysis of 87 landraces and 259 modern cultivars revealed the loss of superior GPC haplotypes, especially in Chinese cultivars. These haplotypes were preferentially adopted in different agroecological zones and had broad effects on wheat yield and agronomic traits. Most GPC QTLs did not significantly reduce yield, suggesting that high GPC can be achieved without a yield penalty. The results of this study provide a reference for future GPC breeding in wheat using the four identified QTLs.

Vitamin D, as a steroid hormone, can promote intestinal calcium and phosphorus absorption, help the human body maintain the balance of calcium and phosphorus levels, and also promote bone mineralization, regulate bone homeostasis, and play an important role in the treatment of osteoporosis and other diseases. With the increasing problem of vitamin D deficiency worldwide, the attention of various disciplines to vitamin D has been increasing in recent years, and it has been found that vitamin D has a wide range of effects in the human body and has a good application prospect in a number of fields. This paper summarizes and analyzes the research progress of vitamin D in the fields of osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, frailty and sarcopenia, diabetes in the elderly common diseases, in order to improve the attention to vitamin D in the clinical treatment of common diseases in the elderly.

Abstract Background To interrupt residual malaria transmission and achieve successful elimination of Plasmodium falciparum in low-transmission settings, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the administration of a single dose of 0.25 mg/kg (or 15 mg/kg for adults) primaquine (PQ) combined with artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT), without glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) testing. However, due to the risk of haemolysis in patients with G6PD deficiency (G6PDd), PQ use is uncommon. Thus, this study aimed to assess the safety of a single low dose of PQ administered to patients with G6PD deficiency. Methods An observational cohort study was conducted with patients treated for uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria with either single-dose PQ (0.25 mg/kg) (SLD PQ) + ACT or ACT alone. Microscopy-confirmed uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria patients visiting public health facilities in Arjo Didessa, Southwest Ethiopia, were enrolled in the study from September 2019 to November 2022. Patients with uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria were followed up for 28 days through clinical and laboratory diagnosis, such as measurements of G6PD levels and haemoglobin (Hb) concentrations. G6PD levels were measured by a quantiative CareSTART™ POCT S1 biosensor machine. Patient interviews were also conducted, and the type and frequency of clinical complaints were recorded. Hb data were taken on days (D) 7, 14, 21, and 28 following treatment with SLD-PQ + ACT or ACT alone. Results A total of 249 patients with uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria were enrolled in this study. Of these, 83 (33.3%) patients received ACT alone, and 166 (66.7%) received ACT combined with SLD-PQ treatment. The median age of the patients was 20 (IQR 28–15) years. G6PD deficiency was found in 17 (6.8%) patients, 14 males and 3 females. There were 6 (7.2%) and 11 (6.6%) phenotypic G6PD-deficient patients in the ACT alone and ACT + SLD-PQ arms, respectively. The mean Hb levels in patients treated with ACT + SLD-PQ were reduced by an average of 0.45 g/dl (95% CI = 0.39 to 0.52) in the posttreatment phase (D7) compared to a reduction of 0.30 g/dl (95% CI = 0.14 to − 0.47) in patients treated with ACT alone (P = 0.157). A greater mean Hb reduction was observed on day 7 in the G6PDd ACT + SLD-PQ group (− 0.60 g/dL) than in the G6PDd ACT alone group (− 0.48 g/dL); however, there was no statistically significant difference (P = 0.465). Overall, D14 losses were 0.10 g/dl (95% CI = − 0.00 to 0.20) and 0.05 g/dl (95% CI = − 0.123 to 0.22) in patients with and without SLD-PQ, respectively (P = 0.412). Conclusions This study’s findings indicate that using SLD-PQ in combination with ACT is safe for uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria regardless of the patient's G6PD status in Ethiopian settings. Caution should be taken in extrapolating this finding in other settings with diverse G6DP phenotypes.

As an ingenious convergence between the Internet of Things and social networks, the Social Internet of Things (SIoT) can provide effective and intelligent information services and has become one of the main platforms for people to spread and share information. Nevertheless, SIoT is characterized by high openness and autonomy, multiple kinds of information can spread rapidly, freely and cooperatively in SIoT, which makes it challenging to accurately reveal the characteristics of the information diffusion process and effectively control its diffusion. To this end, with the aim of exploring multi-information cooperative diffusion processes in SIoT, we first develop a dynamics model for multi-information cooperative diffusion based on the system dynamics theory in this paper. Subsequently, the characteristics and laws of the dynamical evolution process of multi-information cooperative diffusion are theoretically investigated, and the diffusion trend is predicted. On this basis, to further control the multi-information cooperative diffusion process efficiently, we propose two control strategies for information diffusion with control objectives, develop an optimal control system for the multi-information cooperative diffusion process, and propose the corresponding optimal control method. The optimal solution distribution of the control strategy satisfying the control system constraints and the control budget constraints is solved using the optimal control theory. Finally, extensive simulation experiments based on real dataset from Twitter validate the correctness and effectiveness of the proposed model, strategy and method.

Abstract Background Several antifungal agents are available for primary therapy in patients with invasive aspergillosis (IA). Although a few studies have compared the effectiveness of different antifungal agents in treating IA, there has yet to be a definitive agreement on the best choice. Herein, we perform a network meta-analysis comparing the efficacy of different antifungal agents in IA. Methods We searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Clinical Trials databases to find studies (both randomized controlled trials [RCTs] and observational) that reported on treatment outcomes with antifungal agents for patients with IA. The study quality was assessed using the revised tool for risk of bias and the Newcastle Ottawa scale, respectively. We performed a network meta-analysis (NMA) to summarize the evidence on antifungal agents’ efficacy (favourable response and mortality). Results We found 12 studies (2428 patients) investigating 11 antifungal agents in the primary therapy of IA. There were 5 RCTs and 7 observational studies. When treated with monotherapy, isavuconazole was associated with the best probability of favourable response (SUCRA, 77.9%; mean rank, 3.2) and the best reduction mortality against IA (SUCRA, 69.1%; mean rank, 4.1), followed by voriconazole and posaconazole. When treated with combination therapy, Liposomal amphotericin B plus caspofungin was the therapy associated with the best probability of favourable response (SUCRA, 84.1%; mean rank, 2.6) and the best reduction mortality (SUCRA, 88.2%; mean rank, 2.2) against IA. Conclusion These findings suggest that isavuconazole, voriconazole, and posaconazole may be the best antifungal agents as the primary therapy for IA. Liposomal amphotericin B plus caspofungin could be an alternative option.

Abstract Limited test data hinder the accurate prediction of mechanical strength and permeability of permeable cement-stabilized base materials (PCBM). Here we show a kriging-based surrogate model assisted artificial neural network (KS-ANN) framework that integrates laboratory testing, mathematical modeling, and machine learning. A statistical distribution model was established from limited test data to enrich the dataset through the combination of markov chain monte carlo simulation and kriging-based surrogate modeling. Subsequently, an artificial neural network (ANN) model was trained using the enriched dataset. The results demonstrate that the well-trained KS-ANN model effectively captures the actual data distribution characteristics. The accurate prediction of the mechanical strength and permeability of PCBM under the constraint of limited data validates the effectiveness of the proposed framework. As compared to traditional ANN models, the KS-ANN model improves the prediction accuracy of PCBM’s mechanical strength by 21%. Based on the accurate prediction of PCBM’s mechanical strength and permeability by the KS-ANN model, an optimization function was developed to determine the optimal cement content and compaction force range of PCBM, enabling it to concurrently satisfy the requirements of mechanical strength and permeability. This study provides a cost-effective and rapid solution for evaluating the performance and optimizing the design of PCBM and similar materials.

To investigate the effects of different pasteurization processes (85 ℃ for 20 min and 75 ℃ for 30 min) on the edible quality and shelf life of white cut chicken, the samples were stored at 0~4 ℃ for 0-30-40 d, and the pH, color, texture, volatile flavor substances, volatile salt base nitrogen (TVB-N), total number of colonies, and sensory quality were determined. Results indicated that the pH value of white cut chicken treated by pasteurization process was stable, the total colony count was lower, and the generation of TVB-N was lower. After comparing with the control group, neither of the two groups of different treatments of the pasteurization process would have a significant trending effect on the eating characteristics of white cut chicken such as color, hardness and chewiness, and the sensory scores were not significantly different from those of the control group (P>0.05). Meanwhile, this study compared the relative superiority of two different pasteurization processes and demonstrated that the process condition of 85 ℃ pasteurization treatment for 20 min had a significant effect on inhibiting microbial growth in the product, prolonging the shelf-life of the white cut chicken, and reducing the deterioration of the edible quality of the chicken meat during storage.

As a driving force of the fourth industrial revolution, deep neural networks are now widely used in various areas of science and technology. Despite the success of deep neural networks in making accurate predictions, their interpretability remains a mystery to researchers. From a statistical point of view, how to conduct statistical inference (e.g., hypothesis testing) based on deep neural networks is still unknown. In this paper, goodness-of-fit statistics are proposed based on commonly used ReLU neural networks, and their potential to test significant input features is explored. A simulation study demonstrates that the proposed test statistic has higher power compared to the commonly used t-test in linear regression when the underlying signal is nonlinear, while controlling the type I error at the desired level. The testing procedure is also applied to gene expression data from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI).

ABSTRACT Backgrounds and Aims Our previous study (CCCG‐BNHL‐2015) reported the treatment strategies and outcomes of pediatric B‐cell non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma (B‐NHL) in China which showed that children in low‐risk groups already have a dramatically favorable prognosis. However, for high‐risk groups, the prognosis still needs to be improved. In this study, we aimed to identify the factors influencing prognosis in high‐risk groups (stage III and stage IV). Results Our results revealed that gender, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level, stage at the time of diagnosis, and early complete remission (CR) achievement were significant factors influencing prognosis (p

The province of Alberta has been implementing a new hospital based electronic medical record (EMR) over the past several years based on the Epic system. With this implementation comes challenges related to consistent mapping of data to ensure consistency of data over time before and after implementation, even for standardized and routinely used elements. In a research study evaluating potential disparities in access to Emergency Department (ED) care, particularly in wait times and patient boarding (the time spent in the ED awaiting transfer to an inpatient bed), between mental health (MH) and non-MH patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. An interrupted time series analysis was used to evaluate the impact of the pandemic on boarding time. While there initially appeared to be a large decrease in boarding time near the start of the pandemic, it was later determined to be a data quality issue corresponding to the rollout of the new EMR at one hospital, despite the data coming from a secondary standardized dataset that is used for provincial and national reporting and expected to be reliable. This presentation will highlight how the issue was identified, what steps were taken to confirm the underlying cause, and how it was corrected to ensure accurate results in this research study.

Objective To analyze the correlation between frailty and living conditions in the elderly. Methods A convenience sampling method was used to select 4 869 elderly people who underwent physical examination and hospitalization in 20 medical institutions in hospitals,communities and nursing homes from August 2021 to February 2022.According to the Fried frailty diagnostic criteria,the research subjects were divided into a non-frailty group(2 904 cases),pre-frailty group(1 284 cases) and frailty group(681 cases).Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the correlation between living conditions and frailty. Results The total prevalence of frailty was 14.0%(95% CI:13.0-15.0),and the prevalence of men and women was compared(11.9% and 16.3%),and the difference was statistically significant(P

Abstract In order to balance accuracy and real‐time performance in semantic segmentation, this paper proposes a real‐time semantic segmentation algorithm model based on attention mechanism and multi‐branch feature fusion using Fast convolutional neural network model (Fast‐SCNN). In this method, the spatial detail feature enhancement branch is introduced to enhance spatial detail features firstly. Then, through rational design of fusion module, the feature information of each branch is optimized to achieve better fusion of deep and shallow features. At the end of the feature fusion module, an adaptive feature enhancement focus module is introduced to capture the interdependence between remote pixels. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm achieves 71.55% segmentation accuracy on Cityscapes dataset, the reasoning speed FPS is 97.6 frames/s, and the number of parameters is 1.39 M, which verifies the effectiveness of the network model constructed by the algorithm. Code is available at https://github.com/ccchhheeennn/model.

Inconel 625 alloy cladding layer was prepared by high-speed laser cladding (HLC) on Q245R steel substrate to improve the service performance of the structural components in the power industry in this work. A comprehensive study on the HLC Inconel 625 coating with different scanning speeds was conducted utilizing Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope (LSCM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), a microhardness tester, and an SRV-4 high-temperature friction and wear testing machine. The results show that the cladding layer's thickness and surface roughness decrease with the scanning speed increase. The cladding layers with different scanning speeds contain different microstructures. The phases mainly consist of γ-Ni and NbC. The microhardness of HLC coatings is generally higher than that of substrate, but decreased as the scanning speed increased. After the friction wear test at 500 °C, the cladding layer at the scanning speed of 2 m/min showed the best high-temperature wear resistance. The grain boundary area increases due to the formation of small-sized equiaxed dendrites, which resists dislocation slip and crack propagation, thereby enhancing high-temperature wear resistance. For the cladding layers at the higher scanning speed, the abrasive wear and the fatigue wear occur due to the precipitation of solid soluble elements such as Nb and Mo and the columnar crystal structures prone to deformation.

ABSTRACTDuring the light curing process, the high transmittance of fused quartz leads to overcuring of the paste, thereby affecting its forming precision. To address this issue, aniline black dye was incorporated into the SiO2f/SiO2 ceramic paste to enhance its ultraviolet light absorption. The impact of modifying agent on paste viscosity and the influence of sintering temperature on ceramic microstructure and properties were investigated. The results demonstrated that by adding the black dye, the dimensional deviation rate of SiO2f/SiO2 composite ceramic decreased to less than 8.0%. The optimal sintering temperature was determined as 900°C, resulting in a maximum flexural strength of 21.9 MPa at room temperature and 25.5 MPa at 600°C respectively. However, with further increase in temperature, flexural strength declined due to cristobalite formation. Additionally, dielectric properties were examined and it was found that the main failure mechanisms of the fibers in the SiO2f/SiO2 composite ceramic were fiber fracture and fiber pull-out.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a malignant disease of the hematologic system. The current treatment is based on chemotherapeutic drugs, which are becoming less effective due to drug resistance. TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is an apoptotic protein used to treat cancer that does not affect healthy cells. In recent years, however, ALL cells (e.g., U937) have become more resistant to TRAIL. A novel andrographolide derivative (AND7) with high efficiency and low toxicity was synthesized and combined with TRAIL after the optimal combination ratio was screened using U937 cells. We used peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients before the initial treatment of ALL as a model and PBMCs from healthy subjects as a control to determine the mechanism underlying ALL treatment. AND7/TRAIL combination treatment was shown to prevent the original TRAIL-resistant cells from activating the caspase-8/caspase-3 pathway through DR4/DR5 and promote apoptosis via expression of ROS and the apoptotic gene, P53, to achieve an anti-cancer effect. Notably, this study demonstrated that the AND7/TRAIL combination enhanced the anti-cancer effect of AND7 and improved TRAIL resistance. Therefore, the AND7/TRAIL combination is promising for treating ALL and lays the foundation for clinical research.

Abstract This paper presents a fusion algorithm based on the enhanced RRT* TEB algorithm. The enhanced RRT* algorithm is utilized for generating an optimal global path. Firstly, proposing an adaptive sampling function and extending node bias to accelerate global path generation and mitigate local optimality. Secondly, eliminating path redundancy to minimize path length. Thirdly, imposing constraints on the turning angle of the path to enhance path smoothness. Conducting kinematic modeling of the mobile robot and optimizing the TEB algorithm to align the trajectory with the mobile robot's kinematics. The integration of these two algorithms culminates in the development of a fusion algorithm. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate that, in contrast to the traditional RRT* algorithm, the enhanced RRT* algorithm achieves a 5.8% reduction in path length and a 62.5% decrease in the number of turning points. Utilizing the fusion algorithm for path planning, the mobile robot generates a superior, seamlessly smooth global path, adept at circumventing obstacles. Furthermore, the local trajectory meticulously conforms to the kinematic constraints of the mobile robot.

Abstract Robot calligraphy visually reflects the motion capability of robotic manipulators. While traditional researches mainly focus on image generation and the writing of simple calligraphic strokes or characters, this article presents a generative adversarial network (GAN)‐based motion learning method for robotic calligraphy synthesis (Gan2CS) that can enhance the efficiency in writing complex calligraphy words and reproducing classic calligraphy works. The key technologies in the proposed approach include: (1) adopting the GAN to learn the motion parameters from the robot writing operation; (2) converting the learnt motion data into the style font and realising the transition from static calligraphy images to dynamic writing demonstration; (3) reproducing high‐precision calligraphy works by synthesising the writing motion data hierarchically. In this study, the motion trajectories of sample calligraphy images are firstly extracted and converted into the robot module. The robot performs the writing with motion planning, and the writing motion parameters of calligraphy strokes are learnt with GANs. Then the motion data of basic strokes is synthesised based on the hierarchical process of ‘stroke‐radical‐part‐character’. And the robot re‐writes the synthesised characters whose similarity with the original calligraphy characters is evaluated. Regular calligraphy characters have been tested in the experiments for method validation and the results validated that the robot can actualise the robotic calligraphy synthesis of writing motion data with GAN.

Abstract Urban ecosystem health is the foundation of sustainable urban development. It is important to know the health status of urban ecosystem and its influencing factors for formulating scientific urban development planning. Taking Zibo city as the study area, the indicators were selected from five aspects: ecosystem vigor, structure, resilience, service function and population health to establish an assessment index system of urban ecosystem health. The health level of urban ecosystem was assessed, and its changing trend was analyzed from 2006 to 2018 in Zibo. Furthermore, obstacle degree analysis and sensitivity analysis were used to quantitatively analyze the main obstacle factors and sensitivity factors affecting urban ecosystem health, so as to provide references for improving urban ecosystem health. The results showed that the health level of urban ecosystem in Zibo showed an upward trend from 2006 to 2018. The poor structure and ecological environment quality were the main obstacle factors to urban ecosystem health. The impact of changes in a single indicator on urban ecosystem health gradually decreased, but the sensitivity index of indicators had obvious differences. Urban ecosystem health was sensitive to changes in ecosystem structure and resilience. In the future, Zibo should strengthen ecological construction, optimize the industrial structure, and develop green economy to promote urban ecosystem healthy.

Abstract Allelopathy is a process whereby a plant directly or indirectly promotes or inhibits growth of surrounding plants. Perennial sugarcane root extracts from various years significantly inhibited Bidens pilosa, Digitaria sanguinalis, sugarcane stem seedlings, and sugarcane tissue-cultured seedlings (P

In this paper, an integrated guidance and control method based on an adaptive path-following controller is proposed to control a spin-stabilized projectile with only translational motion information under the constraint of an actuator, uncertainties in aerodynamic parameters and measurements, and control system complexity. Owing to the fairly high rotation speed, the dynamic model of this missile is strongly nonlinear, uncertain and coupled in pitch, yaw and roll channels.A theoretical equivalent resultant force and uncertainty compensation method are comprehensively used to realize decoupling of pitch and yaw. In response to the strong nonlinear and time-varying characteristics of the dynamic system, the quasi-linear model whose parameters are obtained by interpolation of points selected as the segmentation points in the trajectory envelope, is used for calculation in each step. To cope with the system uncertainty caused by model approximation, parameter uncertainty and ballistic interference, an extended state estimator is used to compensate the output feedback according to the test ballistic angle. In order to improve the tracking efficiency and ensure the tracking error convergence with only translational motion information, the virtual guide point, whose derivative is deduced according to the Lyapunov principle, is calculated in real time according to the projection relationship between the real-time position and the reference trajectory, and a virtual line-of-sight angle and the backstepping method are used for the design of the guidance and control system. In order to avoid the influence of control input saturation on the guidance and control performance due to the actuator limitation and improve the robustness of the system, an anti-saturation compensator is designed according to the two-step method.The feasibility and effectiveness of the path-following controller is verified through closed-loop flight simulations with measurement, control, and condition uncertainties. The results indicate that the designed controller can converge to the reference path and evidently decrease the distance between the impact point and target under different uncertainties.

Abstract Background Understanding of malaria ecology is a prerequisite for designing locally adapted control strategies in resource-limited settings. The aim of this study was to utilize the spatial heterogeneity in malaria transmission for the designing of adaptive interventions. Methods Field collections of clinical malaria incidence, asymptomatic Plasmodium infection, and malaria vector data were conducted from 108 randomly selected clusters which covered different landscape settings including irrigated farming, seasonal flooding area, lowland dryland farming, and highlands in western Kenya. Spatial heterogeneity of malaria was analyzed and classified into different eco-epidemiological zones. Results There was strong heterogeneity and detected hot/cold spots in clinical malaria incidence, Plasmodium prevalence, and vector abundance. The study area was classified into four zones based on clinical malaria incidence, parasite prevalence, vector density, and altitude. The two irrigated zones have either the highest malaria incidence, parasite prevalence, or the highest malaria vector density; the highlands have the lowest vector density and parasite prevalence; and the dryland and flooding area have the average clinical malaria incidence, parasite prevalence and vector density. Different zones have different vector species, species compositions and predominant species. Both indoor and outdoor transmission may have contributed to the malaria transmission in the area. Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto (s.s.), Anopheles arabiensis, Anopheles funestus s.s., and Anopheles leesoni had similar human blood index and malaria parasite sporozoite rate. Conclusion The multi-transmission-indicator-based eco-epidemiological zone classifications will be helpful for making decisions on locally adapted malaria interventions.

Maize (Zea mays L.) is an economically vital grain crop that is cultivated worldwide. In 2011, a maize foliar disease was detected in Lingtai and Lintao counties in Gansu Province, China. The characteristic signs and symptoms of this disease include irregular chlorotic lesions on the tips and edges of infected leaves and black punctate fruiting bodies in dead leaf tissues. Given favourable environmental conditions, this disease spread to areas surrounding Gansu. In this study, infected leaves were collected from Gansu and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region between 2018 and 2020 to identify the disease-causing pathogen. Based on morphological features, pathogenicity tests, and multi-locus phylogenetic analysis involving internal transcribed spacer (ITS), 18S small subunit rDNA (SSU), 28S large subunit rDNA (LSU), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF), and β-tubulin (TUB) sequences, Eutiarosporella dactylidis was identified as the causative pathogen of this newly discovered leaf blight. Furthermore, an in vitro bioassay was conducted on representative strains using six fungicides, and both fludioxonil and carbendazim were found to significantly inhibit the mycelial growth of E. dactylidis. The results of this study provide a reference for the detection and management of Eutiarosporella leaf blight.

To analyze the changes of spoilage bacteria on the carcasses of broiler during the slaughtering of yellow feather broiler, the diversity of spoilage bacteria in the processing environment and on the carcass surface during the efficient slaughter of yellow feather broiler was determined by the plate pouring method and Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing. The results showed that the main contamination procedure for the growth of bacteria of yellow feather broilers was eviscerating, pre-cooling and grading procedure, and the grading scale, in which the grading scale, workers' gloves from grading workshop, pre-cooling tank and workers' gloves from eviscerating manual gloves were contamination sources in the three processes aforementioned. Moreover, grading scale and workers' gloves in the decomposition workshop were the main source of contaminated flora of yellow feather broilers carcasses. The growth rate of total viable counts (TVC) and Pseudomonas on the surface of yellow feather broilers carcasses was as high as 24.13% and 41.27%, respectively. The TVC of yellow feather broilers increased to 4.63 lg(CFU/g) after grading scale and grading workshop worker's hands (P

Abstract Background Although whole-genome sequencing (WGS) is the preferred genotyping method for most genomic analyses, limitations are often experienced when studying genomes characterized by a high percentage of repetitive elements, high linkage, and recombination deserts. The Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus), for example, has a genome comprising up to 72% repetitive elements, and therefore we set out to develop a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) chip to be more cost-effective. Aedes albopictus is an invasive species originating from Southeast Asia that has recently spread around the world and is a vector for many human diseases. Developing an accessible genotyping platform is essential in advancing biological control methods and understanding the population dynamics of this pest species, with significant implications for public health. Methods We designed a SNP chip for Ae. albopictus (Aealbo chip) based on approximately 2.7 million SNPs identified using WGS data from 819 worldwide samples. We validated the chip using laboratory single-pair crosses, comparing technical replicates, and comparing genotypes of samples genotyped by WGS and the SNP chip. We then used the chip for a population genomic analysis of 237 samples from 28 sites in the native range to evaluate its usefulness in describing patterns of genomic variation and tracing the origins of invasions. Results Probes on the Aealbo chip targeted 175,396 SNPs in coding and non-coding regions across all three chromosomes, with a density of 102 SNPs per 1 Mb window, and at least one SNP in each of the 17,461 protein-coding genes. Overall, 70% of the probes captured the genetic variation. Segregation analysis found that 98% of the SNPs followed expectations of single-copy Mendelian genes. Comparisons with WGS indicated that sites with genotype disagreements were mostly heterozygotes at loci with WGS read depth 20, indicating that the chip more accurately detects heterozygotes than low-coverage WGS. Sample sizes did not affect the accuracy of the SNP chip genotype calls. Ancestry analyses identified four to five genetic clusters in the native range with various levels of admixture. Conclusions The Aealbo chip is highly accurate, is concordant with genotypes from WGS with high sequence coverage, and may be more accurate than low-coverage WGS. Graphical Abstract

In order to improve the fire resistance of the substation frame, an intumescence fireproof coating for the base material (Q235 steel and stainless steel) of substation frame was developed in this paper. The experiments of pull-out test, fire resistance test and electron microscope scanning were carried out to observe the mechanical properties, fire resistance properties and microphysical and chemical properties of the fireproof coating or base material. The main conclusions are summarized as follows: The bond strength of the Q235 steel to the intumescence fireproof coating is 1.26 MPa, which is greater than that of stainless steel at 0.506 MPa. Moreover, the variations of backside temperature and internal temperature of specimens with fireproofing coating are apparently different from those for conditions without fireproofing coating. For conditions with fireproofing coating, the backside temperature and internal temperature of specimens increase in the initial stage, while after the fireproofing coating is expanded and the insulation layer is formed on the surface, the rise rate of the temperature decreases. The average thermal insulation efficiencies of Q235 carbon steel and stainless steel are 240.32 min and 223.22 min, while the average values of fire resistance limit are 250.8 min and 244.2 min, respectively. The expansion multiples of the fireproofing coating for the two materials after being heated are between 50 and 60. Furthermore, the pull-out test would cause certain damage to the fireproof coating on the surface of steel components, and the damage to the Q235 steel sample was greater than that to the stainless steel sample. At the same time, the fireproof coating would undergo chemical reactions leading to expansion when heated, resulting in a dense surface and porous structure inside, which could reduce heat transfer to a certain extent.

ABSTRACTPreviously, we reported a cohort of Japanese encephalitis (JE) patients with Guillain–Barré syndrome. However, the evidence linking Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) infection and peripheral nerve injury (PNI) remains limited, especially the epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and outcome significantly differ from traditional JE. We performed a retrospective and multicenter study of 1626 patients with JE recorded in the surveillance system of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, spanning the years 2016–2020. Cases were classified into type 1 and type 2 JE based on whether the JE was combined with PNI or not. A comparative analysis was conducted on demographic characteristics, clinical manifestations, imaging findings, electromyography data, laboratory results, and treatment outcomes. Among 1626 laboratory confirmed JE patients, 230 (14%) were type 2 mainly located along the Yellow River in northwest China. In addition to fever, headache, and disturbance of consciousness, type 2 patients experienced acute flaccid paralysis of the limbs, as well as severe respiratory muscle paralysis. These patients presented a greater mean length of stay in hospital (children, 22 years [range, 1–34]; adults, 25 years [range, 0–183]) and intensive care unit (children, 16 years [range, 1–30]; adults, 17 years [range, 0–102]). The mortality rate was higher in type 2 patients (36/230 [16%]) compared to type 1 (67/1396 [5%]). The clinical classification of the diagnosis of JE may play a crucial role in developing a rational treatment strategy, thereby mitigating the severity of the disease and potentially reducing disability and mortality rates among patients.

Background: Although the use of anti-PD-1 antibodies has fundamentally changed traditional cancer treatment, most patients are resistant to anti-PD-1 treatment. Glucocorticoids (GCs) play an important role in tumorigenesis and tumor progression, but the role of endogenous GCs in resistance to anti-PD-1 antibody therapy remains unclear. Methods: Single cell-derived cell lines (SCDCLs) were generated from a colorectal cancer cell line (CT26) using limiting dilution. We analyzed tumor tissues from anti-PD-1 antibody-treated and untreated mice inoculated with SCDCLs via transcriptome sequencing and flow cytometry to detect pathway activity and immune cell composition changes in the tumor microenvironment. Results: Five SCDCLs were inoculated into wild-type BALB/c mice (all tumorigenic). Single-cell clone (SCC)-2 exhibited the slowest growth rates both in vivo and in vitro compared to other single-cell clones, and better long-term survival than SCC1 and CT26. Flow cytometry showed that SCC2 tumor-bearing mice exhibited significantly higher infiltration of T cells within the tumor tissue, and higher expression of PD-1 on these T cells than the other groups in vivo. However, the SCC2 group showed no response to anti-PD-1 therapy. Transcriptome analysis revealed that the SCC2 group exhibited increased expression of genes related to GC (Hsd11b1, Sgk3, Tgfbr2, and Il7r) compared to SCC2-anti-PD-1 treated tumors. Conclusions: GC pathway activation is related to resistance to anti-PD-1 therapy.

Abstract Aedes sp. mosquitoes are changing their geographic range in response to climate change. This is of concern because these mosquitoes can carry dengue fever and other viral diseases. Changing weather patterns can also increase the numbers of Aedes mosquitoes, leading to greater human exposure and enhancing population health risks. We project the geographic distribution of Aedes and associated changes in populations exposed to dengue in Asian metropolitan areas under warming scenarios from 1.5°C to 5.0°C above pre‐industrial temperatures, using multi‐model ensembles. With global warming, the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula, the coast of the Arabian Sea in southern Iran, southern Pakistan in West Asia, the Korean Peninsula, most of the Japanese islands, and parts of North China in East Asia are projected to become suitable for dengue transmission. The numbers of metropolitan areas exposed to dengue is projected to change from 142 (48%) in the reference period (1995–2014) to 211 (71%) at 5.0°C warming. With the combined impact of socioeconomic and climate change, population exposure to dengue in Asian metropolitan areas is projected to increase from 263 (multi‐model range 252–268) million in 1995–2014 to 411 (394–432) million, 446 (420–490) million, 509 (475–601), 558 (493–685) and 587 (529–773) million, respectively, at 1.5°C, 2.0°C, 3.0°C, 4.0°C and 5°C warming, with an average of 2.9 million new people exposed to dengue fever in metropolitan areas each year.

Background & Aims: Hepatic recompensation may be achieved in patients with decompensated cirrhosis due to chronic hepatitis B (CHB) upon effective suppression of viral replication by nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs). However, the optimal timing and predictors of recompensation and the subsequent clinical course of patients with CHB with vs. without recompensation are not well-defined. Methods: This study was a retrospective extension of a multi-centre prospective cohort, focusing on patients with CHB and decompensated cirrhosis treated with entecavir. We followed patients beyond treatment week 120 until a second decompensation event or June 2023. We identified the optimal timing and predictors of recompensation by week 120, evaluated durability of recompensation in patients fulfilling recompensation criteria by week 120 and examined late recompensation in those who did not fulfil it by week 120. Results: At treatment week 24, serum albumin ≥34 g/L predicted recompensation by week 120. The Brec-PAS model offered good predictive ability for recompensation by week 120. Of the 283 patients who finished 120 weeks of therapy, 175 were followed beyond week 120 (median follow-up: 240 weeks). Among the 106 patients achieving recompensation by week 120, 92 (86.8%) maintained recompensation for another 120 (72-168) weeks. Among the 69 patients without recompensation by week 120, 40.6% attained late recompensation during the subsequent 120 (72-168) weeks. Additionally, hepatocellular carcinoma incidence was lower in the recompensated group (5.0% vs. 16.13%, p = 0.002). Conclusions: A serum albumin ≥34 g/L at treatment week 24 predicted recompensation by week 120. Recompensation achieved by week 120 of NA treatment is maintained in >80% of patients in the long term. Some patients may achieve recompensation only after >120 weeks of NA treatment. The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma was reduced but not completely abolished after recompensation. Impact and implications: Our research provides a meaningful contribution to understanding the long-term prognosis of recompensation in patients with chronic hepatitis B and decompensated cirrhosis, as well as to evaluating the predictive value of serum albumin levels, offering a comprehensive view of clinical outcomes after recompensation. The significance of early biomarkers in guiding therapeutic decisions is highlighted, shedding light on the continued benefits and possible risks after recompensation. This enhances the capability for more precise prognostic evaluations and informed therapeutic strategies. For healthcare providers, these insights afford a detailed perspective on patient monitoring and intervention planning, underscoring the need for ongoing assessment past the initial recompensation phase.

BackgroundNow, there are no sensitive biomarkers for improving Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and comorbid Parkinson’s disease (PD). The aim of the present study was to analyze differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in brain tissue from AD and PD patients via bioinformatics analysis, as well as to explore precise diagnostic and therapeutic targets for AD and comorbid PD.MethodsGFE122063 and GSE7621 data sets from GEO in NCBI, were used to screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs) for AD and PD, and identify the intersected genes, respectively. Intersected genes were analyzed by Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis. Then, STRING site and Cytoscape were used to construct a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network, CytoNCA algorithm to analyze and evaluate centrality, Mcode plug-in to analyze module, and Cytohubba to screen key genes. Combined GO-KEGG enrichment analysis with Cytoscape algorithm to screen the key gene in AD complicated with PD. Then, the DEGs for AD and PD were imported into the Association Map (CMap) online platform to screen out the top 10 small molecule drugs, and using molecular docking techniques to evaluate the interactions between small molecule drugs and key genes receptors.ResultsIn total, 231 upregulated genes and 300 downregulated genes were identified. GO analysis revealed that the DEGs were highly enriched in signal transduction, and KEGG analysis revealed that the DEGs were associated with the MAPK and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was identified as a potential receptor gene in AD and comorbid PD. EGFR was upregulated in both AD and PD, and the proteins that interact with EGFR were enriched in the Ras/Raf/MAPK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways. Semagacestat was identified as a drug with therapeutic potential for treating AD complicated with PD. There was a high binding affinity between semagacestat and EGFRNTD, with seven hydrogen bonds and one hydrophobic bond.DiscussionSemagacestat may improve the health of patients with AD complicated with PD through the regulation of the Ras/Raf/MAPK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways by EGFR, providing evidence supporting the structural modification of semagacestat to develop a more effective drug for treating AD complicated with PD.

In view of the electromagnetic interference existing in the well, it can greatly interfere with the voltage signal of the operational amplifier terminal collected by the dynamometer, and then affect the accuracy of the pressure value measured by the sensor. The design uses the domestic HC32L176 micro controller unit as the main control chip. Develop a dynamometer which uses the chip. Collect the voltage signal through the oscilloscope. Select the appropriate wavelet basis function, the number of decomposition layers, threshold rule and threshold function to decomposesignals containing noise. Filter out the high-frequency components of different layers,and then reconstruct the signal to obtain the denoising signal . Through Matlab simulation and practical test, the results show that the wavelet transform can achieve a good denoising of the collected voltage signal, and improve the reliability and stability of the bolt and cable dynamometer.

Abstract Background Understanding the clustering of infections for persistent malaria transmission is critical to determining how and where to target specific interventions. This study aimed to determine the density, blood meal sources and malaria transmission risk of anopheline vectors by targeting malaria index cases, their neighboring households and control villages in Arjo-Didessa, southwestern Ethiopia. Methods An entomological study was conducted concurrently with a reactive case detection (RCD) study from November 2019 to October 2021 in Arjo Didessa and the surrounding vicinity, southwestern Ethiopia. Anopheline mosquitoes were collected indoors and outdoors in index case households and their surrounding households (neighboring households), as well as in control households, using pyrethrum spray cache (PSC) and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) light traps. Adult mosquitoes were morphologically identified, and speciation in the Anopheles gambiae complex was done by PCR. Mosquito Plasmodium infections and host blood meal sources were detected by circumsporozoite protein enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (CSP-ELISA) and cytochrome b-based blood meal PCR, respectively. Results Among the 770 anopheline mosquitoes collected, An. gambiae sensu lato (A. gambiae s.l.) was the predominant species, accounting for 87.1% (n = 671/770) of the catch, followed by the Anopheles coustani complex and Anopheles pharoensis, which accounted for 12.6% (n = 97/770) and 0.26% (n = 2/770) of the catch, respectively. From the sub-samples of An. gambiae s.l.analyzed with PCR, An. arabiensis and Anopheles amharicus were identified. The overall mean density of mosquitoes was 1.26 mosquitoes per trap per night using the CDC light traps. Outdoor mosquito density was significantly higher than indoor mosquito density in the index and neighboring households (P = 0.0001). The human blood index (HBI) and bovine blood index (BBI) of An. arabiensis were 20.8% (n = 34/168) and 24.0% (n = 41/168), respectively. The overall Plasmodium sporozoite infection rate of anophelines (An. arabiensis and An. coustani complex) was 4.4% (n = 34/770). Sporozoites were detected indoors and outdoors in captured anopheline mosquitoes. Of these CSP-positive species for Pv-210, Pv-247 and Pf, 41.1% (n = 14/34) were captured outdoors. A significantly higher proportion of sporozoite-infected mosquitoes were caught in index case households (5.6%, n = 8/141) compared to control households (1.1%, n = 2/181) (P = 0.02), and in neighboring households (5.3%, n = 24/448) compared to control households (P = 0.01). Conclusions The findings of this study indicated that malaria index cases and their neighboring households had higher outdoor mosquito densities and Plasmodium infection rates. The study also highlighted a relatively higher outdoor mosquito density, which could increase the potential risk of outdoor malaria transmission and may play a role in residual malaria transmission. Thus, it is important to strengthen the implementation of vector control interventions, such as targeted indoor residual spraying, long-lasting insecticidal nets and other supplementary vector control measures such as larval source management and community engagement approaches. Furthermore, in low transmission settings, such as the Arjo Didessa Sugarcane Plantation, providing health education to local communities, enhanced environmental management and entomological surveillance, along with case detection and management by targeting of malaria index cases and their immediate neighboring households, could be important measures to control residual malaria transmission and achieve the targeted elimination goals. Graphical Abstract

Abstract The ventilation rate of cigarettes is an important indicator that affects the internal quality of cigarettes. When producing cigarettes, the unit may experience unstable ventilation rates, which can lead to a decrease in cigarette quality and pose certain risks to smokers. By establishing the ventilation rate prediction model, guide the design of unit parameters in advance, to achieve the goal of stabilizing unit ventilation rate, improve the stability of cigarette ventilation rate, and enhance the quality of cigarettes. This paper used multiple linear regression networks (MLR), backpropagation neural networks (BPNN), and genetic algorithm-optimized backpropagation (GABP) to construct a model for the prediction of cigarette ventilation rate. The model results indicated that the total ventilation rate was significantly positively correlated with weight (P

Automatic detection of pitting on Ball Screw Drive (BSD) is essential to ensure normal production activities. However, the scarcity of defective samples and precisely labeled data poses a significant challenge. To address this, we propose an efficient double self-supervised model that operates at both the image and pixel levels, aiming to construct a high-performance model trained with defect-free data for detecting unknown defects in BSD images. By incorporating global and local information and extracting features at multiple hierarchical levels, the model’s generalization performance is enhanced. The image-level self-supervised representation is first learned by classifying normal images from the PasteNoise, a data augmentation approach by pasting noise patches at random locations in normal images. Meanwhile, the pixel-level self-supervised representation is learned by segmenting the noise patch to locate abnormal regions. Then, we introduce a novel feature masking strategy in a masking and prediction task for accurate defect localization. In addition, we use Histogram of Oriented Gradients (HOG) features with local contrast normalization as prediction targets to capture local shapes and appearances to improve the robustness of the model. The proposed method achieves competitive receiver operating characteristic curves of 97.42 (image-level) and 94.57 (pixel-level) on the BSD dataset. In experiments on the MVTec AD, the proposed model shows good performance, indicating the broad adaptability of our approach.

This study proposed three types of Al–Hf reactive materials with particle size ratios (α), which were almost completely dense (porosity of

Few-shot image classification, whose goal is to generalize to unseen tasks with scarce labeled data, has developed rapidly over the years. However, in traditional few-shot learning methods with CNNs, non-local features and long-rang dependencies of the image may be lost, and this leads to a poor generalization of the trained model. With the advantage of the self-attention mechanism of Transformer, researchers have tried to use vision transformer to improve few-shot learning recently. However, these methods are more complicated and take up a lot of computing resources, and there is no baseline to measure their effectiveness. We propose a new method called ViTFSL-baseline. We take advantage of vision transformer and train our model on all train set without episodic training. Meanwhile, we design a new nearest-neighbor classifier to used for few-shot image classification. Furthermore, in order to narrow the gap between difference of same class, we introduce centroid calibration in classifier after the feature extraction of backbone. We run the experiments on popular benchmarks to show that our method is a simple and effective for few-shot image classification. Our approach could be taken as the baseline upon vision transformer for few-shot learning.

This study proposes a hybrid network model based on data enhancement to address the problem of low accuracy in photovoltaic (PV) power prediction that arises due to insufficient data samples for new PV plants. First, a time-series generative adversarial network (TimeGAN) is used to learn the distribution law of the original PV data samples and the temporal correlations between their features, and these are then used to generate new samples to enhance the training set. Subsequently, a hybrid network model that fuses bi-directional long-short term memory (BiLSTM) network with attention mechanism (AM) in the framework of deep & cross network (DCN) is constructed to effectively extract deep information from the original features while enhancing the impact of important information on the prediction results. Finally, the hyperparameters in the hybrid network model are optimized using the whale optimization algorithm (WOA), which prevents the network model from falling into a local optimum and gives the best prediction results. The simulation results show that after data enhancement by TimeGAN, the hybrid prediction model proposed in this paper can effectively improve the accuracy of short-term PV power prediction and has wide applicability.