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Duplex stainless steel (DSS) is widely used in the marine, petroleum, chemical, automotive, and other fields owing to its excellent mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. However, the research on duplex stainless steel prepared by additive manufacturing is still limited. In this paper, high-density 2507 DSS was successfully prepared by selective laser melting (SLM) additive manufacturing. The effects of energy density on the formability, phase composition, microstructure and corrosion properties of SLM 2507 DSS were investigated. The results showed that with the decrease of the energy density, the density of the specimen increases first and then decreases, and the density achieves 99.18% with the energy density of 190.5 J/mm3. The types of phases are not affected by the energy density, i.e., all 2507 DSS samples prepared by SLM showed a ferrite phase. The YOZ (parallel to the building direction) plane of the SLM 2507 DSS samples showed predominantly columnar grains attributed to the high temperature gradient and epitaxial growth characteristics. With the increase of energy density, the average grain size decreases slightly from 16.97 μm to 15.78 μm, the KAM value decreases slightly from 1.15 to 1.05, and the low angle grain boundaries (LAGBs) increase significantly from 68.4% to 74.8%. The SLM 2507 DSS sample exhibited excellent corrosion resistance. The self-corrosion potential of the sample is 136 mV and the self-corrosion current density is 2.066 × 10−8 A/cm2 at the maximum density. This investigation provides a new approach for the preparation of super duplex stainless steel, which can provide a theoretical basis and guidance for industrialized application.

Abstract The retina plays a crucial role in processing and decoding visual information, both in normal development and during myopia progression. Recent advancements have introduced a library-independent approach for data-independent acquisition (DIA) analyses. This study demonstrates deep proteome identification and quantification in individual mice retinas during myopia development, with an average of 6,263 ± 86 unique protein groups. We anticipate that the use of a predicted retinal-specific spectral library combined with the robust quantification achieved within this dataset will contribute to a better understanding of the proteome complexity. Furthermore, a comprehensive mice retinal-specific spectral library was generated, encompassing a total identification of 9,401 protein groups, 70,041 peptides, 95,339 precursors, and 761,868 transitions acquired using SWATH-MS acquisition on a ZenoTOF 7600 mass spectrometer. This dataset surpasses the spectral library generated through high-pH reversed-phase fractionation by data-dependent acquisition (DDA). The data is available via ProteomeXchange with the identifier PXD046983. It will also serve as an indispensable reference for investigations in myopia research and other retinal or neurological diseases.

In the context of facing the dual challenges of aging population and declining birth rates, the absolute number of working-age population in China is decreasing, while the proportion of middle-aged and elderly workers is significantly increasing. However, China possesses a vast labor force, and the advantages of talent dividend are gradually emerging, both of which can offset the negative impact of the shrinking demographic dividend on social productivity. Labor is the most active factor among various production factors and is an important component for developing new quality productive forces. With the development of new quality productive forces, occupational health and occupational medicine are presented with new development opportunities. In the process of aging of the labor force, occupational health and occupational medicine can investigate how to utilize next-generation information technology, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and other growth engines to safeguard the occupational health of workers, extend their working lives, actively unleash their creativity and initiative, and compensate for the labor shortage caused by an aging population and the potential decrease in labor productivity. This transformation in occupational health and occupational medicine is not only crucial for the health and career development of workers in an aging society, but will also have a positive impact on the creation of an age-friendly society and the sustainable development of productivity.

Abstract Background The choroid plexus (ChP) helps maintain the homeostasis of the brain by forming the blood-CSF barrier via tight junctions (TJ) at the choroid plexus epithelial cells, and subsequently preventing neuroinflammation by restricting immune cells infiltration into the central nervous system. However, whether chronic cerebral hypoperfusion causes ChP structural damage and blood-CSF barrier impairment remains understudied. Methods The bilateral carotid stenosis (BCAS) model in adult male C57BL/6 J mice was used to induce cerebral hypoperfusion, a model for vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID). BCAS-mediated changes of the blood-CSF barrier TJ proteins, apical secretory Na+-K+-Cl− cotransporter isoform 1 (NKCC1) protein and regulatory serine-threonine kinases SPAK, and brain infiltration of myeloid-derived immune cells were assessed. Results BCAS triggered dynamic changes of TJ proteins (claudin 1, claudin 5) accompanied with stimulation of SPAK-NKCC1 complex and NF-κB in the ChP epithelial cells. These changes impacted the integrity of the blood-CSF barrier, as evidenced by ChP infiltration of macrophages/microglia, neutrophils and T cells. Importantly, pharmacological blockade of SPAK with its potent inhibitor ZT1a in BCAS mice attenuated brain immune cell infiltration and improved cognitive neurological function. Conclusions BCAS causes chronic ChP blood-CSF damage and immune cell infiltration. Our study sheds light on the SPAK-NKCC1 complex as a therapeutic target in neuroinflammation.

Abstract Maladaptive changes of metabolic patterns in the lumbar dorsal root ganglion (DRG) are critical for nociceptive hypersensitivity genesis. The accumulation of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) in DRG has been implicated in mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia, but the exact mechanism is not fully understood. This study aimed to explore how BCAA catabolism in DRG modulates pain sensitization. Wildtype male mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 8 weeks. Adult PP2Cmfl/fl mice of both sexes were intrathecally injected with pAAV9-hSyn-Cre to delete the mitochondrial targeted 2 C-type serine/threonine protein phosphatase (PP2Cm) in DRG neurons. Here, we reported that BCAA catabolism was impaired in the lumbar 4–5 (L4-L5) DRGs of mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Conditional deletion of PP2Cm in DRG neurons led to mechanical allodynia, heat and cold hyperalgesia. Mechanistically, the genetic knockout of PP2Cm resulted in the upregulation of C-C chemokine ligand 5/C-C chemokine receptor 5 (CCL5/CCR5) axis and an increase in transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) expression. Blocking the CCL5/CCR5 signaling or TRPA1 alleviated pain behaviors induced by PP2Cm deletion. Thus, targeting BCAA catabolism in DRG neurons may be a potential management strategy for pain sensitization.

Abstract Recently we have shown that protein disulfide isomerase (PDI or PDIA1) is involved in mediating chemically-induced, glutathione (GSH) depletion-associated ferroptotic cell death through NOS activation (dimerization) and NO accumulation. The present study aims to determine the role of PDI in mediating chemically-induced hepatocyte injury in vitro and in vivo and whether PDI inhibitors can effectively protect against chemically-induced hepatocyte injury. We show that during the development of erastin-induced ferroptotic cell death, accumulation of cellular NO, ROS and lipid-ROS follows a sequential order, i.e., cellular NO accumulation first, followed by accumulation of cellular ROS, and lastly cellular lipid-ROS. Cellular NO, ROS and lipid-ROS each play a crucial role in mediating erastin-induced ferroptosis in cultured hepatocytes. In addition, it is shown that PDI is an important upstream mediator of erastin-induced ferroptosis through PDI-mediated conversion of NOS monomer to its dimer, which then leads to accumulation of cellular NO, ROS and lipid-ROS, and ultimately ferroptotic cell death. Genetic manipulation of PDI expression or pharmacological inhibition of PDI function each can effectively abrogate erastin-induced ferroptosis. Lastly, evidence is presented to show that PDI is also involved in mediating acetaminophen-induced liver injury in vivo using both wild-type C57BL/6J mice and hepatocyte-specific PDI conditional knockout (PDIfl/fl Alb-cre) mice. Together, our work demonstrates that PDI is an important upstream mediator of chemically-induced, GSH depletion-associated hepatocyte ferroptosis, and inhibition of PDI can effectively prevent this injury.

At room temperature, the conversion of greenhouse gases into valuable chemicals using metal-free catalysts for dry reforming of methane (DRM) is quite promising and challenging. Herein, we developed a novel covalent organic porous polymer (TPE-COP) with rapid charge separation of the electron–hole pairs for DRM driven by visible light at room temperature, which can efficiently generate syngas (CO and H2). Both electron donor (tris(4-aminophenyl)amine, TAPA) and acceptor (4,4′,4″,4‴-((1 E,1′E,1″E, 1‴E)-(ethene-1,1,2,2-tetrayltetrakis (benzene-4,1-diyl))tetrakis (ethene-2,1-diyl))tetrakis (1-(4-formylbenzyl)quinolin-1-ium), TPE-CHO) were existed in TPE-COP, in which the push–pull effect between them promoted the separation of photogenerated electron–hole, thus greatly improving the photocatalytic activity. Density functional theory (DFT) simulation results show that TPE-COP can form charge-separating species under light irradiation, leading to electrons accumulation in TPE-CHO unit and holes in TAPA, and thus efficiently initiating DRM. After 20 h illumination, the photocatalytic results show that the yields reach 1123.6 and 30.8 μmol g−1 for CO and H2, respectively, which are significantly higher than those of TPE-CHO small molecules. This excellent result is mainly due to the increase of specific surface area, the enhancement of light absorption capacity, and the improvement of photoelectron-generating efficiency after the formation of COP. Overall, this work contributes to understanding the advantages of COP materials for photocatalysis and fundamentally pushes metal-free catalysts into the door of DRM field.

Retinal aging has been recognized as a significant risk factor for various retinal disorders, including diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, and glaucoma, following a growing understanding of the molecular underpinnings of their development. This comprehensive review explores the mechanisms of retinal aging and investigates potential neuroprotective approaches, focusing on the activation of transcription factor EB. Recent meta-analyses have demonstrated promising outcomes of transcription factor EB-targeted strategies, such as exercise, calorie restriction, rapamycin, and metformin, in patients and animal models of these common retinal diseases. The review critically assesses the role of transcription factor EB in retinal biology during aging, its neuroprotective effects, and its therapeutic potential for retinal disorders. The impact of transcription factor EB on retinal aging is cell-specific, influencing metabolic reprogramming and energy homeostasis in retinal neurons through the regulation of mitochondrial quality control and nutrient-sensing pathways. In vascular endothelial cells, transcription factor EB controls important processes, including endothelial cell proliferation, endothelial tube formation, and nitric oxide levels, thereby influencing the inner blood-retinal barrier, angiogenesis, and retinal microvasculature. Additionally, transcription factor EB affects vascular smooth muscle cells, inhibiting vascular calcification and atherogenesis. In retinal pigment epithelial cells, transcription factor EB modulates functions such as autophagy, lysosomal dynamics, and clearance of the aging pigment lipofuscin, thereby promoting photoreceptor survival and regulating vascular endothelial growth factor A expression involved in neovascularization. These cell-specific functions of transcription factor EB significantly impact retinal aging mechanisms encompassing proteostasis, neuronal synapse plasticity, energy metabolism, microvasculature, and inflammation, ultimately offering protection against retinal aging and diseases. The review emphasizes transcription factor EB as a potential therapeutic target for retinal diseases. Therefore, it is imperative to obtain well-controlled direct experimental evidence to confirm the efficacy of transcription factor EB modulation in retinal diseases while minimizing its risk of adverse effects.

Abstract Background Studies have shown that plant endophytic microbial communities are ubiquitous and closely related to plant growth and health. To clarify the mechanism of the melon varieties with high resistant to wilt, the endophytic microbial compositions and metabolites in roots of melon varieties with high resistant ability to wilt were analyzed. Results The results showed that the abundances of Firmicutes, Ascomycota, Bacillus, Bradyrhizobium, Amycolatopsis, Actinospica, and Catenulispora all increased in roots of wilt high resistant melon varieties (MT) which compared to wilt susceptible melon varieties (MS). Meanwhile, Ochrobactrum, Bordetella, Roseateles, Staphylococcus, Acidovorax, Amycolatopsis, Catenulispora, Promicromonospora, and Gymnopilus were the unique endophytic microbes in roots of MT. Moreover, in comparison with the MS varieties, the functions of Defense mechanisms, Secondary metabolites biosynthesis, transport and catabolism, Nucleotide transport and metabolism, Signal transduction mechanisms, Coenzyme transport and metabolism, Carbohydrate transport and metabolism and Amino acid transport and metabolism all increased in roots of MT varieties. Additionally, the nucleotide metabolism and biosynthesis of cofactors metabolic pathways were also significantly increased in roots of MT varieties. On the other hand, the untargeted metabolome results showed that Biosynthesis of various plant secondary metabolites, Nucleotide metabolism and Biosynthesis of cofactors metabolic pathways were significantly increased in the expression of MT varieties; and the content of metabolic compounds such as flavonoids, Cinnamic acid compounds, Organic acid compounds, and Nucleotides were increased. In addition, the correlation between microbiome and metabolome indicates a significant correlation between the two. Conclusions All above results suggested that higher abundant antagonistic microbes and metabolic functions of endophytes in roots of wilt high resistant melon varieties (MT) were the important mechanisms for their high resistance to wilt. Graphical Abstract

As one of the important forms of equipment for underground auxiliary transportation in coal mines, monorail cranes have the advantages of large carrying capacity and strong climbing ability, and unmanned driving is its inevitable development direction in the context of intelligent construction of coal mines. In order to ensure the safe driving of the unmanned monorail crane in the underground roadway, it is particularly important for the reliable detection of track joints and key targets. Firstly, the mine image dataset was enhanced to improve its diversity. A YOLOv5 algorithm with improved channel attention mechanism ECA_s and EIOU regression loss function was proposed, and the improved YOLOv5 algorithm was experimentally analyzed, and the results showed that the recognition accuracy was increased by 9.1% and mAP by 3.6% by using the improved YOLOv5 algorithm. Secondly, a machine vision-based single-track crane track seam detection method was established, and the track seam distance was calculated according to the calibration coefficient by using image preprocessing, histogram information statistics, morphological processing and other technologies, and the results showed that the detection error of a seam image processed by the track seam detection algorithm based on machine vision was only 0.3 mm. Finally, the unmanned target detection test of the monorail crane is carried out, and the results show that the average accuracy of the improved YOLOv5 target detection algorithm reaches 90.3%, which has a higher detection accuracy. The average detection error of the seam image processed by the monorail crane rail seam detection algorithm is 0.73 mm, and the maximum detection error is not more than 1.1 mm, which has higher detection accuracy. In order to ensure the safe passage and reliability of unmanned monorail cranes in coal mines, a pragmatic and feasible detection scheme and an accurate and reliable detection algorithm are provided.

In recent years, coal mine robots have become a research hotspot in the field of modern coal machine equipment, and the main coal flow transportation system of most coal mines has basically realized continuity, mechanization and automation, which also puts forward higher requirements for safety monitoring and inspection efficiency in the main transportation roadway, and accurate target detection is a necessary guarantee for intelligent safety monitoring in coal mines, but the existing object detection algorithm is applied to complex and harsh coal mine underground roadway environment, and there is a problem of low target detection accuracy. Aiming at the special working condition detection requirements of low lighting and chaotic environment in the downhole, the target data set in the underground roadway environment was produced, and the dataset annotation was completed and multi-dimensional analysis was carried out. A PT target detection algorithm based on the fusion of pyramid structure and attention mechanism is proposed, and the attention mechanism module is used to replace the convolution module in the pyramid structure, which improves the extraction ability of global features while controlling the amount of feature calculation, realizes the extraction effect of the fusion of local features and global features of the target, and improves the expression ability of the features of the target area of interest in the image. Finally, for the application scenario of underground inspection robot in coal mine, the proposed PT algorithm is compared with the traditional Faster R-CNN and YOLOv4 algorithms. Compared with the mainstream Faster R-CNN and YOLOv4 target detection networks, the PT algorithm has better comprehensive recognition capabilities, and the accuracy of identifying coal mine personnel is increased by 2.90% and 4.30%, the accuracy of identifying underground obstacles is increased by 0.20% and 4.80%, and the accuracy of identifying mine cracks is increased by 4.40% and 8.60%, respectively. The accuracy rate of identifying downhole equipment was improved by 3.00% and 8.70%, respectively. Therefore, the PT target detection algorithm can better adapt to the underground environment, and the target detection algorithm can obtain higher accuracy and detection speed than other algorithms, which can provide theoretical basis and technical support for the construction of underground roadway security control system.

Explosion-proof diesel engine is one of the most widely used power sources for auxiliary transportation vehicles in coal mines at present. It is affected by explosion-proof transformation and harsh underground environment, resulting in serious exhaust pollution, which is contrary to the green mine development strategy. The emission standard of Non-road National Stage III has been implemented in coal mine since December 2020, but at the present stage, the exhaust gas purification of explosion-proof diesel engines for mining uses the internal pretreatment technology, which cannot meet the emission requirements of the Non-road National Stage IV and higher standards. Aiming at the problems of serious exhaust pollution and lagging exhaust purification technology, a four-element combined exhaust aftertreatment system was designed. Through simulation and bench test, the structural parameters optimization of key components and the purification performance of exhaust were studied. First of all, according to the explosion-proof requirements of underground coal mines, a four-element combined exhaust aftertreatment system of explosion-proof diesel engine composed of Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC), Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF), Selective Catalyst Reduction (SCR), and Explosion-proof & Temperature Control device（EPTC） was designed, which exceeds the Non-road National Stage IV standard. The heat transfer analysis of EPTC device structure was carried out through the STAR-CCM+ software. The results show that the pipe wall temperature is less than 150℃, which could meet the explosion-proof requirements of coal mine safety regulations. Then, taking a 60 kW explosion-proof diesel engine as the research object, the simulation models of DOC, SCR and DPF aftertreatment components were built based on the GT-Power software. The key structural parameters and purification performance of the aftertreatment system were optimized by orthogonal test, and the optimal structural parameters of the key components were determined, and the following rules were obtained. The purification efficiency of pollutants increases with the increase of carrier diameter, carrier length and channel density of DOC and SCR. The effect of carrier length and diameter on the capture efficiency of DPF is consistent with the laws of DOC and SCR. Due to the special wall flow carrier structure of DPF, the capture efficiency of PM particles can always be maintained around 96% as the channel density increases. On this basis, the coupling model of the explosion-proof diesel engine and the aftertreatment system was established, and the simulation test of purification efficiency, power and economy of exhaust pollutants from explosion-proof diesel engine was carried out. Finally, a prototype of exhaust aftertreatment system was developed and bench test was carried out. The purification efficiency of the system for CO, NO, HC and particulate matter is greater than 95%, 90%, 83% and 95% respectively, which could meet the requirements of the Non-road National Stage IV standard. The overall output torque of explosion-proof diesel engine equipped with exhaust aftertreatment system decreased by 4.83% on average, and the overall fuel consumption rate increased by 1.19% on average, which had little impact on the power and economy of explosion-proof diesel engine.

BackgroundOccupational stress is an important factor affecting the health of working population, wellness is a topic that has received much attention in recent years, and sleep quality and wellness have a certain impact on occupational stress. ObjectiveTo understand the current situation of occupational stress among locomotive engineers in in the Yangtze River Delta, explore the influence of well-being and sleep quality on occupational stress, and provide a theoretical basis for occupational stress intervention among locomotive engineers. MethodsSampling was conducted from October to December 2022 using stratified random sampling. The Chinese version of the Brief Occupational Tension Questionnaire based on the Job Demand-Control Model (JDC model), the World Health Organization 5-item Well-Being Index (WHO-5), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scale were used to investigate the occupational stress, well-being, and sleep quality of locomotive engineers. Logistic regression was used to analyze the effects of sleep quality and well-being on occupational stress, and additive and multiplicative interaction models were applied to evaluate the interactive effects of well-being and sleep quality on occupational stress. ResultsA total of 8243 questionnaires were collected from five locomotive companies, and after excluding unqualified questionnaires, a total of 7976 questionnaires were included in the analysis. The number of locomotive engineers in the Yangtze River Delta reporting positive occupational stress was 4633 (58.09%), the number of low-level well-being was 4949 (62.05%), and the number of poor sleep quality was 4129 (51.77%). The distribution of occupational stress varied by age, length of service, region, technical level, nature of vehicle, education, per capita monthly family income, marital status, smoking, drinking, number of exercise sessions per week, quality of sleep, work shifts, and length of commute (P11000 yuan per capita monthly household income (OR=0.795, 95%CI: 0.656, 0.964), high level of well-being (OR=0.477, 95%CI: 0.430, 0.528), and good sleep quality (OR=0.588, 95%CI: 0.531, 0.651); a higher level of occupational stress was associated with night shifts: 1 or fewer night shifts (OR=1.707, 95%CI: 1.312, 2.221), 2 to 3 night shifts (OR=2.649, 95%CI: 2.111, 3.325), and 4 or more night shifts (OR=2.804, 95%CI: 2.202, 3.571); a higher level of occupational stress was associated with 60 min or more commuting time (OR=1.353, 95%CI: 1.111, 1.646). Regarding interaction between poor sleep quality and low well-being on occupational stress, the relative excess risk ratio (RERI), attributable risk index (API), and synergy index (SI) were 1.451 (1.059, 1.844), 0.417 (0.327, 0.507), and 2.407 (1.787, 3.241), respectively, and the result of the multiplicative interaction was an OR of 1.546 (95%CI: 1.262, 1.893). ConclusionThe prevalence of occupational stress among locomotive engineers in the Yangtze River Delta region is generally at a medium level compared with other industries. Good sleep quality reduces the risk of occupational stress to a greater extent than high well-being, and poor sleep quality and low well-being can interact and further increase the risk of occupational stress.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the effect of banana intake during hemodialysis on serum potassium levels in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. Methods: This study was a single-center, randomized controlled clinical trial conducted from September 15 to December 15, 2021, at a tertiary hospital in southern China. A total of 126 MHD patients were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n = 64) or the control group (n = 62). Patients in the intervention group consumed approximately 250 g of bananas during hemodialysis, while those in the control group did not consume any food during hemodialysis. Demographic information and hemodialysis-related parameters were collected through case information collection before hemodialysis. Laboratory indicators (such as complete blood count, biochemical indicators, inflammation markers, liver function, kidney function, etc.) were evaluated by collecting pre-hemodialysis blood samples from patients. Serum potassium and blood glucose levels were measured at 2 h and 4 h of hemodialysis, as well as before the next hemodialysis session, and hemodialysis-related complications were recorded. The blood potassium and blood glucose indicators during hemodialysis were compared using repeated measures analysis. Results: A total of 122 MHD patients completed the study (61 in each group). The results showed that there was no significant interaction between group and time on serum potassium levels. However, serum potassium levels in the intervention group were higher than those in the control group at 2 h (3.9 ± 0.5 mmol/L vs. 3.6 ± 0.3 mmol/L, P

Abstract Background Although ROX index is frequently used to assess the efficacy of high-flow nasal cannula treatment in acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF) patients, the relationship between the ROX index and the mortality remains unclear. Therefore, a retrospective cohort study was conducted to evaluate the ability of the ROX index to predict mortality risk in patients with AHRF. Method Patients diagnosed with AHRF were extracted from the MIMIC-IV database and divided into four groups based on the ROX index quartiles. The primary outcome was 28-day mortality, while in-hospital mortality and follow-up mortality were secondary outcomes. To investigate the association between ROX index and mortality in AHRF patients, restricted cubic spline curve and COX proportional risk regression were utilized. Result A non-linear association (L-shaped) has been observed between the ROX index and mortality rate. When the ROX index is below 8.28, there is a notable decline in the 28-day mortality risk of patients as the ROX index increases (HR per SD, 0.858 [95%CI 0.794–0.928] P

ObjectiveThe objective of the present study was to explore the relationship between physical activity (PA) levels and serum vitamin D levels in children and adolescents of different ages and sexes.MethodsAll the data in this study were collected during two cycles (2011–2014) of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Our study participants were aged ≥3 and

Abstract As a key factor influencing the cloud life cycle and radiative properties, liquid‐ice mass partitioning remains a major source of uncertainties in modeling mixed‐phase clouds. One of the unresolved problems is that liquid‐ice mixing is highly inhomogeneous, but it has not been well understood and quantified for parameterization. In this study, the liquid‐ice mixing homogeneity (χ) is quantified using the information‐theoretic entropy based on airborne measurements. It is demonstrated that χ is positively correlated with the condensed water content (CWC). Cloud regions with low χ are consist of liquid and ice clusters. With the increase in χ, the size and frequency of continuous mixed‐phase clusters increase. For a given CWC, χ is lower at relatively warm temperatures as sedimentation of large ice crystals can enhance the inhomogeneity. The strong positive relationship between CWC and χ indicates CWC should be considered when parameterizing the liquid‐ice mixing in models.

ObjectiveTo explore the value of 18F-fluordeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) semi-quantitative parameters of primary tumor combined with squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag) in predicting lymph node metastasis (LNM) of cervical cancer (FIGO 2018 stage I-II).Materials and MethodsA total of 65 patients with stage I-II cervical cancer underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT were included in our study. Comparing the primary tumor 18F-FDG PET/CT semi-quantitative parameters and SCC-Ag between the LNM group and the non-LNM group. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) were used to analyze the value of 18F-FDG PET/CT metabolic parameters and SCC-Ag in predicting LNM.ResultsThere were 14 and 51 patients were classified as having LNM and NLNM. The semi-quantitative parameters, including the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), the mean standardized uptake value (SUVmean), the peak standardized uptake value (SUVpeak), the total lesion glycolysis (TLG), the metabolic tumor volume (MTV) of the tumor and SCC-Ag were all significantly higher in LNM than in NLNM (SUVmax, 16.07 ± 7.81 vs 11.19 ± 4.73, SUVmean, 9.16 ± 3.48 vs 6.29 ± 2.52, SUVpeak, 12.70 ± 5.26 vs 7.65 ± 3.26, MTV, 22.77 ± 12.36 vs 7.09 ± 5.21, TLG, 211.01 ± 154.25 vs 43.38 ± 36.17, SCC-Ag, 5.39 ± 4.56 vs 2.13 ± 2.50, all p

Abstract Mixed‐phase stratiform clouds contain numerous liquid, mixed‐phase, and ice clusters, quantifying the cluster scales is potentially helpful to improve the parameterizations of microphysics and radiation models. However, the scales of hydrometeor clusters at different levels of stratiform clouds are not well understood. In this study, using airborne measurements and a large eddy simulation, we show that turbulence plays an important role in controlling the clusters with length of a few hundred meters, while the scales of larger clusters have stronger vertical variations from cloud base to top. The liquid clusters are the largest near the cloud top, while the lengths of ice clusters decrease from cloud base to top. The lengths of mixed‐phase clusters depend on the glaciation process, a faster glaciation results in smaller mixed‐phase clusters. The results improve our understanding on how the liquid and ice are mixed at different levels in stratiform clouds.

The shallow coal in China is gradually being exhausted, and mining resources from deep parts of the Earth has become an inevitable trend and national demand. Faced with the difficulty of deep coal mining beyond 2000 meters, an autonomous walking mechanism suitable for fluidized mining equipment was designed, and the focus was on the problem of multi-cylinder synchronous control in the hydraulic propulsion system of this mechanism. Firstly, based on the principle of fluidized mining technology and equipment composition, a resistance increasing step type autonomous walking mechanism was designed, which can achieve segmented autonomous walking of multiple compartments such as excavation, transformation, and output. Secondly, in response to the requirements of multi-cylinder synchronous control in hydraulic propulsion systems, four control strategies, namely master-slave control, adjacent cross-coupling control, deviation coupling control, and mean coupling control, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of proportional-integral-derivative control(PID) algorithm and automatic disturbance rejection controller (ADRC), were analyzed and compared. Control performance simulation tests were conducted under three working conditions: uniform load, sudden load, and time-varying load. Once again, the radar chart evaluation method was used to comprehensively evaluate the synchronization control performance under different control strategies, and the mean coupled control method based on ADRC was selected as the optimal synchronization control strategy. Finally, an autonomous walking mechanism test bench was developed and multiple hydraulic cylinder synchronization control experiments were conducted. The test results showed that when using the mean coupled synchronization control strategy based on ADRC, the maximum synchronization error of the four hydraulic cylinders under different working conditions can be maintained within ± 5 mm, and they have excellent robustness. It can meet the requirements of multi-cylinder synchronous propulsion for the autonomous walking mechanism of fluidized mining equipment.

Abstract Objective This study aimed to investigate the risk factors for peripheral arteriosclerosis (PAS) and peripheral artery disease (PAD) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients and potential ultrasound indicators that could be used to improve detection. Method Outpatients seeking care between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2020, in The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University were prospectively recruited. Subjects were divided into COPD and non-COPD (control) groups, and the COPD group was further divided into PAD and non-PAD subgroup, at the same time, PAS and non-PAS subgroup. Indicators of PAD -ankle-brachial index (ABI), indicators of PAS- pulse wave velocity (PWV), and ultrasound indices -peak systolic blood flow velocity (PSV) and blood flow acceleration velocity (AccV) were compared. Result Sixty-nine (61.6%) of 112 enrolled subjects had COPD. COPD patients had higher age, and blood pressure (BP)lower than controls. Seventeen (24.6%) COPD patients had PAD, the prevalence of PAD increases with the decrease of lung function, and seven (16.3%) non-COPD patients had PAD, however, there was no significant statistical difference between COPD and non-COPD groups. Fifty (72.5%) COPD patients had PAS, and thirty-four (79.1%) non-COPD patients had PAS, however, there was also no significant difference. The PAS subgroup had higher age, body mass index(BMI), body fat percentage(BFP), lower FEV1 and FEV1/FVC, as well as higher levels of right brachial artery and left dorsalis pedis artery AccV. Factors that correlated with ABI were 6MWD, post-bronchodilator FEV1, FEV1/ FVC, and maximal middle expiratory flow between 75% and 25% of FVC. Age, BP, and 6MWD, but not pulmonary function, were associated with brachial-ankle PWV (baPWV). There was a positive correlation between baPWV and radial artery AccV bilaterally. Conclusion Radial artery AccV correlated well with baPWV, which suggests that ultrasound could be used to assess both morphological and functional changes in vessels, may serving as a better method to identify PAS in high-risk COPD patients.

Abstract Background This study was performed to analyze the clinical effect of different concentrations of ropivacaine in the labor analgesia of the dural puncture epidural (DPE) technique for obese puerperae. Methods One hundred and fifty first-term obese women who received vaginal delivery and required labor analgesia in our hospital were selected prospectively for this study, and divided into groups A, B, and C. The three groups of puerpera were given epidurals with different concentrations of ropivacaine (0.075%, 0.10%, and 0.125%) with sufentanil (0.5 μg/ml) for the labor analgesia regimen. The visual analog scale (VAS), Ramsay scale, and Bromage scale of puerperae before analgesia and at different time points after anesthesia, and analgesic onset time, analgesia time, first PCEA time, PCEA pressing time, ropivacaine consumption, labor time, maternal blood pressure and heart rate, maternal adverse reactions, blood gas analysis in the neonatal umbilical artery, and Apgar score were observed. Results The analgesia onset time, PCEA pressing time, and ropivacaine consumption in group C were lower and the analgesia time and the first PCEA time were longer than those in groups A and B. At T1-T3 and T5, VAS scores of group A were higher than those in groups B and C, Ramsay score of group A was lower than that of groups B and C at T2–T3, and Bromage score of group C at any time point was higher than other two groups. The time of the second stage of labor in groups B and C was longer than that in group A, which in group C was longer than that in group B. Compared with groups A and C, the blood pressure and heart rate of puerperae in group B were closer to normal values. Three different concentrations of ropivacaine had no significant effect on the umbilical artery blood gas analysis indices and Apgar scores at 1st minute and 5th minute in neonates. The incidence of maternal adverse reactions in group C was lower than those in groups A and B. Conclusion 0.1% ropivacaine combined with 0.5 μg/ml sufentanil through DPE technique has good analgesic efficacy and few adverse effects in obese puerperae.

Abstract Background Small airway remodelling is a vital characteristic of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is mainly caused by epithelial barrier dysfunction and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Recent studies have indicated that histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) plays an important role in the dysregulation of epithelial function. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic effects and underlying mechanisms of an inhibitor with high selectivity for HDAC6 in COPD. Methods Cigarette smoke (CS) exposure was used to establish a CS-induced COPD mouse model. CAY10603 at doses of 2.5 and 10 mg/kg was injected intraperitoneally on alternate days. The protective effects of CAY10603 against CS-induced emphysema, epithelial barrier function and small airway remodeling were evaluated using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, Masson’s trichrome staining, immunohistochemical staining, and western blot. The human lung bronchial epithelial cell line (HBE) was used to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanism of action of CAY10603. Results HDAC6 levels in the lung homogenates of CS-exposed mice were higher than that those in control mice. Compared to the CS group, the mean linear intercept (MLI) of the CAY10603 treatment group decreased and the mean alveolar number (MAN)increased. Collagen deposition was reduced in groups treated with CAY10603. The expression of α-SMA was markedly upregulated in the CS group, which was reversed by CAY10603 treatment. Conversely, E-cadherin expression in the CS group was further downregulated, which was reversed by CAY10603 treatment. CAY10603 affects the tight junction protein expression of ZO-1 and occludin. ZO-1 and occludin expression were markedly downregulated in the CS group. After CAY10603treatment, the protein expression level of ZO-1 and occludin increased significantly. In HBE cells, Cigarette smoke extract (CSE) increased HDAC6 levels. CAY10603 significantly attenuated the release of TGF-β1 induced by CSE. CAY10603 significantly increased the E-cadherin levels in TGF-β1 treated HBE cells, while concurrently attenuated α-SMA expression. This effect was achieved through the suppression of Smad2 and Smad3 phosphorylation. CAY10603 also inhibited TGF-β1 induced cell migration. Conclusions These findings suggested that CAY10603 inhibited CS induced small airway remodelling by regulating epithelial barrier dysfunction and reversing EMT via the TGF-β1/Smad2/3 signalling pathway.

The carrier multiplication phenomenon involves hot carriers, which gain kinetic energy while accelerating to equilibrium with the established avalanching electric fields, and is typically explained via the local avalanche model. This work presents two vertical Ge-on-Si avalanche photodetectors fabricated in a separate absorption, charge, and multiplication configuration. Uniformity in materials, doping densities, and device dimensions is maintained, except for the multiplication width, which is used as a control parameter to manipulate avalanching fields under identical electric biasing and illumination schemes. Nonlocal carrier multiplication model is implemented during analysis of the extracted current-voltage signatures under small and large reverse biasing arrangements. For such an APD characterized by thinner multiplication region $\left ({{W_{m}=0.1 ~\mu m}}\right)$ , reduced linear and Geiger-mode multiplication regimes are perceived to be at play, outperforming the device having thicker multiplication region in almost all related figures of merit, e.g., responsivity $(22.58 \mathrm {A/W})$ , photo-to-dark current ratio $(\sim {10}^{5})$ , normalized photo-to-dark current ratio $(2.5\times {10}^{9} \mathrm {W}^{-1})$ , specific detectivity $(7.45\times {10}^{12}\mathrm {Jones})$ , and noise equivalent power $(\sim 2.42\times {10}^{-15} \mathrm {W/}\sqrt {\mathrm {Hz}})$ . The enhanced performance characteristics are due to excessively strong avalanching fields, reduced thermal charge density, and negligible dead space compared to its counterpart characterized by thicker multiplication width.

Abstract Our world is becoming increasingly urbanized with a growing human population concentrated around cities. The expansion of urban areas has important consequences for biodiversity, yet the abiotic drivers of biodiversity in urban ecosystems have not been well characterized for the most diverse group of animals on the planet, arthropods. Given their great diversity, comparatively small home ranges, and ability to disperse, arthropods make an excellent model for studying which factors can most accurately predict urban biodiversity. We assessed the effects of (i) topography (distance to natural areas and to ocean) (ii) abiotic factors (mean annual temperature and diurnal range), and (iii) anthropogenic drivers (land value and amount of impervious surface) on the occurrence of six arthropod groups represented in Malaise trap collections run by the BioSCAN project across the Greater Los Angeles Area. We found striking heterogeneity in responses to all factors both within and between taxonomic groups. Diurnal temperature range had a consistently negative effect on occupancy but this effect was only significant in Phoridae. Anthropogenic drivers had mixed though mostly insignificant effects, as some groups and species were most diverse in highly urbanized areas, while other groups showed suppressed diversity. Only Phoridae was significantly affected by land value, where most species were more likely to occur in areas with lower land value. Los Angeles can support high regional arthropod diversity, but spatial community composition is highly dependent on the taxonomic group.

Abstract Background Neoadjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitors(ICIs) combined with chemotherapy can improve non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) patients' pathological responses and show promising improvements in survival. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a systemic inflammatory disease, and its associated abnormal inflammatory response affects not only the immunotherapy efficacy but also immune-related adverse events. It remains unclear whether NSCLC patients with COPD can benefit from neoadjuvant ICIs combined with chemotherapy. Methods A retrospective observational clinical study was conducted on 105 consecutive NSCLC patients receiving neoadjuvant ICIs combined with chemotherapy at the Department of Thoracic Surgery of Tianjin Chest Hospital between April 2020 and April 2023. Results A total of 74 NSCLC patients were included in the study, including 30 patients with COPD and 44 patients without COPD. The percentage of patients with a pathological complete response (PCR) was higher in the COPD group than in the non-COPD group (43.3% vs. 20.5%, P = 0.042). Multivariate logistic regression analysis of factors associated with PCR showed that the adjusted odds ratio (OR) was statistically significant for presence of COPD (OR = 3.020, 95%CI: 1.042–8.757; P = 0.042). Major pathological response (66.7% vs. 50%, P = 0.155), R0 resection rate (96.7% vs.93.2%, P = 0.642), N2 lymph node downstaging(92.3% vs. 66.7%, P = 0.182) and objective response rate (70% vs. 63.6%, P = 0.57) were not significantly different between the groups. Progression-free survival(PFS) was not reached in the COPD group and 17 months (95%CI: 12.1–21.9) in the non-COPD group, with statistically significance (χ2 = 6.247, P = 0.012). Multivariate Cox’s regression analysis showed that the adjusted hazard ratio (HRadj) was statistically significant for presence of COPD (HRadj = 0.321, 95%CI: 0.111–0.930; P = 0.036). The grade 3 and grade 4 adverse events in the COPD group were leukopenia (3.3%, 6.7%), neutropenia (3.3%, 6.7%), fatigue (6.7%, 0%), gastrointestinal reactions (3.3%, 0%), and hypothyroidism (3.3%, 0%). In the non-COPD group, the corresponding adverse events were leukopenia (6.8%, 6.8%), neutropenia (3.3%, 6.8%), fatigue (2.3%, 0%), gastrointestinal reactions (2.3%, 0%), and hypothyroidism (2.3%, 0%), respectively. Conclusions The present study indicates that the presence of COPD may improve PCR, prolong PFS, and have an acceptable safety profile in NSCLC patients receiving neoadjuvant ICIs combined with chemotherapy.

By exploiting the concept of row partitioning, we propose an efficient variant of the greedy block Kaczmarz algorithm for solving consistent large linear systems. The number of blocks is determined a priori through numerical experiments. The new algorithm works with a reduced linear system, which dramatically diminishes the computational overhead per iteration. The theoretical result validates that this method converges to the unique least-norm solution of the linear system. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is also justified by comparing it with some block Kaczmarz algorithms in extensive numerical experiments.

Background Trees have developed a broad spectrum of molecular mechanisms to counteract oxidative stress. Secondary metabolites via phenolic compounds emblematized the hidden bridge among plant kingdom, human health, and oxidative stress. Although studies have demonstrated that abiotic stresses can increase the production of medicinal compounds in plants, research comparing the efficiency of these stresses still needs to be explored. Thus, the present research paper provided an exhaustive comparative metabolomic study in Dalbergia odorifera under salinity (ST) and waterlogging (WL). Results High ST reduced D. odorifera's fresh biomass compared to WL. While WL only slightly affected leaf and vein size, ST had a significant negative impact. ST also caused more significant damage to water status and leaflet anatomy than WL. As a result, WL-treated seedlings exhibited better photosynthesis and an up-regulation of nonenzymatic pathways involved in scavenging reactive oxygen species. The metabolomic and physiological responses of D. odorifera under WL and salinity ST stress revealed an accumulation of secondary metabolites by the less aggressive stress (WL) to counterbalance the oxidative stress. Under WL, more metabolites were more regulated compared to ST. ST significantly altered the metabolite profile in D. odorifera leaflets, indicating its sensitivity to salinity. WL synthesized more metabolites involved in phenylpropanoid, flavone, flavonol, flavonoid, and isoflavonoid pathways than ST. Moreover, the down-regulation of L-phenylalanine correlated with increased p-coumarate, caffeate, and ferulate associated with better cell homeostasis and leaf anatomical indexes under WL. Conclusions From a pharmacological and medicinal perspective, WL improved larger phenolics with therapeutic values compared to ST. Therefore, the data showed evidence of the crucial role of medical tree species’ adaptability on ROS detoxification under environmental stresses that led to a significant accumulation of secondary metabolites with therapeutic value.

Monorail crane, as one of the important equipment forms of underground auxiliary transportation, has a generally low running speed (full load < 2 m/s), and the traditional single power drive is difficult to meet the power and environmental requirements of monorail crane. In order to improve the driving performance of monorail crane and achieve the goal of green mine, a new distributed hybrid power drive system is proposed based on the traditional monorail crane structure. Its control strategy is established based on the deterministic rules and its modeling and simulation tests are carried out. First of all, combined with the multi section of the monorail crane structure, different power sources are set at different drive ends, and a distributed architecture is adopted as the hybrid power architecture of the high-speed monorail crane. Different working modes under the architecture are formulated to determine the energy flow direction under different modes; Secondly, in order to improve the power performance of the monorail crane and the working range of the explosion-proof diesel engine, the working mode switching logic strategy and torque distribution strategy are formulated in the face of conventional working conditions. On this basis, the deterministic rule control strategy based on the logic threshold value is designed, and the overall switching logic simulation strategy is built using MATLAB; Then, according to the actual running situation of the high-speed monorail crane, three complete machine cycle conditions are established, namely, small slope heavy load, small slope light load and large slope light load; Finally, the control strategy is imported into AMESim simulation software, and the physical model of the high-speed monorail crane distributed hybrid power system is jointly simulated. The simulation results show that the designed control strategy based on the deterministic rules can make the working points of the explosion-proof diesel engine and explosion-proof motor of the monorail crane in the high efficiency range, and make the whole machine have a good speed following performance; Under the condition of small slope and heavy load, the state of charge (SOC) consumption of the battery pack is only 17.6%, the maximum operating speed under full load reaches 3.01 m/s, and the emissions of CO, HC and NOx are reduced by 67.3%, 36.4%, 49.4% and 13.1% respectively compared with the emissions of traditional monorail cranes; Under the working condition of large slope and light load, the consumption of SOC value of the battery pack is only 13.1%, the maximum operating speed under full load reaches 2.29m/s, and the emissions of CO, HC and NOx are 70.2%, 58.1% and 41.7% lower than those of traditional monorail cranes respectively. The research results are of great significance and practical value to improve the running speed of monorail crane, enhance its transportation efficiency, and reduce exhaust emissions to improve the downhole working environment.

Abstract Background Few co-occurrence cases of mosaic aneuploidy and uniparental disomy (UPD) chromosomes have been reported in prenatal periods. It is a big challenge for us to predict fetal clinical outcomes with these chromosome abnormalities because of their highly heterogeneous clinical manifestations and limited phenotype attainable by ultrasound. Methods Amniotic fluid samples were collected from four cases. Karyotype, chromosome microarray analysis, short tandem repeats, and whole exome sequencing were adopted to analyze fetal chromosomal aneuploidy, UPD, and gene variation. Meanwhile, CNVseq analysis proceeded for cultured and uncultured amniocytes in case 2 and case 4 and MS-MLPA for chr11 and chr15 in case 3. Results All four fetuses showed mosaic chromosomal aneuploidy and UPD simultaneously. The results were: Case 1: T2(7%) and UPD(2)mat(12%). Case 2: T15(60%) and UPD(15)mat(40%). Case 3: 45,X(13%) and genome-wide paternal UPD(20%). Case 4: 90% UPD(20)mat in uncultured amniocyte. By analyzing their formation mechanism of mosaic chromosomal aneuploidy and UPD, at least two adverse genetic events happened during their meiosis and mitosis. The fetus of case 1 presented a benign with a normal intrauterine phenotype, consistent with a low proportion of trisomy cells. However, the other three fetuses had adverse pregnancy outcomes, resulting from the UPD chromosomes with imprinted regions involved or a higher level of mosaic aneuploidy. Conclusion UPD is often present with mosaic aneuploidy. It is necessary to analyze them simultaneously using a whole battery of analyses for these cases when their chromosomes with imprinted regions are involved or known carriers of a recessive allele. Fetal clinical outcomes were related to the affected chromosomes aneuploidy and UPD, mosaic levels and tissues, methylation status, and homozygous variation of recessive genes on the UPD chromosome. Genetic counseling for pregnant women with such fetuses is crucial to make informed choices.

Supercooled liquid water (SLW) refers to droplets in clouds that remain unfrozen at temperatures below 0 °C. SLW is an important intermediate hydrometeor in the processes of snowfall and rainfall that can modulate the radiation budget. This study investigates the distribution of supercooled cloud water over mainland China using the East Asia–Pacific cloud macro- and microphysical properties dataset (2016), derived from Himawari-8 observations. The results show that the highest frequency of SLW in liquid-phase stratus clouds occur at the eastern slope of the Tibetan Plateau, the western side of the Sichuan Basin. Additional SLW is mostly found in liquid-phase clouds over the Sichuan Basin and its adjacent areas in southern China. In the region with the highest frequency of SLW, the mechanical forcing of the Tibetan Plateau causes the convergence of low-level airflow within the basin, which also carries moisture that is forced to ascend stably, creating a favorable condition for the formation of supercooled clouds. As the airflow continues to ascend, it encounters the mid-to-upper-level westerlies and temperature inversion. At the mid-to-upper level, the westerlies exhibit stronger wind speeds, directing flow towards the basin. Concurrently, the temperature inversion stabilizes the atmospheric stratification, limiting the further ascent of airflow. This inversion can also restrain convection and upward motion within the clouds, allowing for SLW to exist and persist for an extended period.

This study adapted and validated Barnard's Online Self-Regulated Learning Questionnaire (OSLQ) to assess adult learners' (n = 1302) online self-regulation, and examined its relation with attitude towards online learning and perceived online learning satisfaction. It was found that age and employment status were important demographic factors influencing adult learners' online self-regulation. Specifically, middle- and late-career learners perceived themselves to be more self-regulated than early career learners, and self-employed learners perceived themselves to be more self-regulated than out-of-labour learners. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that online self-regulation contributed to adult learners' perceived online learning satisfaction over and above attitude towards online learning and demographic variables. This suggests that online self-regulation is an important predictor of adult learners' online learning satisfaction. Further, within the subscales of online self-regulation, it was found that the more participants set goals and sought help while learning online, the more satisfied they perceived their online learning. Implications for supporting adult learners' online self-regulation and online learning were discussed.

The increasing number of adult learners in higher education is a trend that has been observed in recent years. An impetus for this trend is the need for upskilling and re-skilling in order to stay relevant and employable in today's world of globalised knowledge. However, finding uninterrupted blocks of time to study in adult learners' busy schedules may be challenging because of their many other commitments and responsibilities. Bite-sized learning, through the utilisation of micro-learning activities that learners can access anytime and anywhere on their mobile devices, is one method of helping adult learners better manage their studies and learn more effectively. Before adult educators put in the resources to develop bite-sized learning activities, it is nonetheless important to ascertain that adult learners would indeed utilise such provisions. This article discusses the results of a study conducted to investigate the utilisation of bite-sized learning by adult learners enrolled in a part-time undergraduate degree programme. Specifically, the study examined whether adult learners utilised bite-sized learning activities during pockets of "down time" in their busy schedules, especially during the daytime, since adult learners tend to study at night after work or over the weekends. The results showed that adult learners were keen to learn from bite-sized learning activities during these pockets of down time. Implications of the results and directions for future investigation, including the aptness of bite-sized learning in today's COVID-19 situation, are also discussed.