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Abstract Structural variation heavily influences the molecular landscape of cancer, in part by impacting DNA methylation-mediated transcriptional regulation. Here, using multi-omic datasets involving >2400 pediatric brain and central nervous system tumors of diverse histologies from the Children’s Brain Tumor Network, we report hundreds of genes and associated CpG islands (CGIs) for which the nearby presence of somatic structural variant (SV) breakpoints is recurrently associated with altered expression or DNA methylation, respectively, including tumor suppressor genes ATRX and CDKN2A. Altered DNA methylation near enhancers associates with nearby somatic SV breakpoints, including MYC and MYCN. A subset of genes with SV-CGI methylation associations also have expression associations with patient survival, including BCOR, TERT, RCOR2, and PDLIM4. DNA methylation changes in recurrent or progressive tumors compared to the initial tumor within the same patient can predict survival in pediatric and adult cancers. Our comprehensive and pan-histology genomic analyses reveal mechanisms of noncoding alterations impacting cancer genes.

Abstract Background The differential gene expression profile of metastatic versus primary breast tumors represents an avenue for discovering new or underappreciated pathways underscoring processes of metastasis. However, as tumor biopsy samples are a mixture of cancer and non-cancer cells, most differentially expressed genes in metastases would represent confounders involving sample biopsy site rather than cancer cell biology. Methods By paired analysis, we defined a top set of differentially expressed genes in breast cancer metastasis versus primary tumors using an RNA-sequencing dataset of 152 patients from The Breast International Group Aiming to Understand the Molecular Aberrations dataset (BIG-AURORA). To filter the genes higher in metastasis for genes essential for breast cancer proliferation, we incorporated CRISPR-based data from breast cancer cell lines. Results A significant fraction of genes with higher expression in metastasis versus paired primary were essential by CRISPR. These 264 genes represented an essential signature of breast cancer metastasis. In contrast, nonessential metastasis genes largely involved tumor biopsy site. The essential signature predicted breast cancer patient outcome based on primary tumor expression patterns. Pathways underlying the essential signature included proteasome degradation, the electron transport chain, oxidative phosphorylation, and cancer metabolic reprogramming. Transcription factors MYC, MAX, HDAC3, and HCFC1 each bound significant fractions of essential genes. Conclusions Associations involving the essential gene signature of breast cancer metastasis indicate true biological changes intrinsic to cancer cells, with important implications for applying existing therapies or developing alternate therapeutic approaches.

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling is a new method for collecting cervical isolated cells, but research been carried out in multi-ethnic and multi-regional areas of China is scarce. Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the accuracy and acceptability of HPV self-sampling and analyze the characteristics of HPV infection. Study design: Women aged 25–65 years were recruited from 8 provinces in China. Women underwent clinician-sampling and self-sampling and were asked to complete a 65-question questionnaire on their acceptance of HPV self-sampling. The paired samples were analyzed for 23 genotypes of HPV by polymerase chain reaction. Results: 5551 women were recruited, of which 5417 were eligible for analysis. 3163 women have completed and submitted the questionnaire. The top five infection genotypes were HPV 52, 58, 16, 39, and 68. The highest infection rate was in the 25–30 years group. The crude agreement between self-sampling and clinician-sampling was 93.06 %. 43.79 % of women preferred self-sampling over clinician-sampling, and 67.59 % preferred doing self-sampling at the hospital. Conclusion: HPV self-sampling could be an effective supplement to traditional cervical screening in China. Clinicians’ advocacy, timely reminders and guidance for women with abnormal self-sampling results are needed. In addition, new vaccination and cervical screening recommendations might be adjusted to fit populations with different characteristics.

Abstract Electronic fabrics exhibit desirable breathability, wearing comfort, and easy integration with garments. However, surficial deposition of electronically functional materials/compounds onto fabric substrates would consequentially alter their intrinsic properties (e.g., softness, permeability, biocompatibility, etc.). To address this issue, here, a strategy to innervate arbitrary commercial fabrics with unique spirally‐layered iontronic fibrous (SLIF) sensors is presented to realize both mechanical and thermal sensing functionalities without sacrificing the intrinsic fabric properties. The mechanical sensing function is realized via mechanically regulating the interfacial ionic supercapacitance between two perpendicular SLIF sensors, while the thermal sensing function is achieved based on thermally modulating the intrinsic ionic impedance in a single SLIF sensor. The resultant SLIF sensor‐innervated electronic fabrics exhibit high mechanical sensitivity of 81 N−1, superior thermal sensitivity of 34,400 Ω °C−1, and more importantly, greatly minimized mutual interference between the two sensing functions. As demonstrations, various smart garments are developed for the precise monitoring of diverse human physiological signals. Moreover, artificial intelligence‐assisted object recognition with high‐accuracy (97.8%) is demonstrated with a SLIF sensor‐innervated smart glove. This work opens up a new path toward the facile construction of versatile smart garments for wearable healthcare, human‐machine interfaces, and the Internet of Things.

This study systematically introduces the development of the world’s first full-link and full-system ground demonstration and verification system for the OMEGA space solar power satellite (SSPS). First, the OMEGA 2.0 innovation design was proposed. Second, field-coupling theoretical models of sunlight concentration, photoelectric conversion, and transmitting antennas were established, and a systematic optimization design method was proposed. Third, a beam waveform optimization methodology considering both a high beam collection efficiency and a circular stepped beam shape was proposed. Fourth, a control strategy was developed to control the condenser pointing toward the sun while maintaining the transmitting antenna toward the rectenna. Fifth, a high-efficiency heat radiator design method based on bionics and topology optimization was proposed. Sixth, a method for improving the rectenna array’s reception, rectification, and direct current (DC) power synthesis efficiencies is presented. Seventh, high-precision measurement technology for high-accuracy beam-pointing control was developed. Eighth, a smart mechanical structure was designed and developed. Finally, the developed SSPS ground demonstration and verification system has the capacity for sun tracking, a high concentration ratio, photoelectric conversion, microwave conversion and emission, microwave reception, and rectification, and thus satisfactory results were obtained.

Introduction and objectives The present study aimed to investigate different peripheral lymphocyte subsets in patients with severe hemophilia A (HA) and factor VIII (FVIII) inhibitor production. For this, age-matched cases of 19 FVIII inhibitor-positive (IP), 21 FVIII inhibitor-negative (IN) and 45 healthy controls were selected for study. Methods Flow cytometry was used to analyze the peripheral lymphocyte subsets, including T, B, natural killer (NK) and NKT cells. The T cell subsets included CD3 + CD4-CD8- [double negative T (DNT)], CD3 + CD4 + CD8+ [double-positive T (DPT)], CD3 + CD4 + CD8- and CD3 + CD4-CD8+ T cells. Pairwise comparisons of absolute lymphocyte subset values were conducted among the three groups. The cut-off value for absolute lymphocyte counts was determined using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Results The results demonstrated that the absolute values of DPT cells in the IN and IP groups were significantly lower than those in the healthy control group ( P = 0.007). The DNT values were also lower in severe HA patients with or without inhibitor than those in healthy subjects, but these differences were not statistically significant ( P = 0.053). In addition, the absolute value of CD4+ Th cells in the IP group was lower than that in the healthy controls ( P = 0.013). Although not statistically significant ( P = 0.064), the absolute values of NKT cells were higher in the IN group compared with the IP group, and higher in the IP group compared with the healthy control group. There were no statistically significant differences in total T, B, CD8 + and NK cells among the IN, IP and healthy control groups. The cut-off value for absolute CD4+ Th cells in the IN group was 598/µl, clinicians should be vigilant for possible FVIII inhibitor production, especially on days prior to FVIII exposure.

As a type of transmission actuator commonly used in mechanical structures, high-speed rotary mechanisms are widely used in the machinery, energy, civil engineering, and military industries. The main working part of the mechanism is the end face, and the vibration characteristics of the end face directly affect the accuracy and completeness of the whole mechanism. In terms of performance, the end face vibration characteristics reflect the degree of change in the machine’s end face displacement. The traditional end face displacement test method uses a single contact sensor for measurement, but the degree of error in the system is large. It is also difficult to adapt this method to the current high-precision working conditions under the requirements for accurate vibration prediction and control technology. Therefore, this work proposes a test method based on multi-sensor acquisition and data fusion, using different sensors to form a sensor test network. It seeks to address the limitations of the conventional test method that relies on a single-frequency domain, using high-frequency domain impact signals, medium-frequency domain vibration signals, and low-frequency domain rotational speed signals for multi-sensor data fusion to achieve a complete high-speed rotating mechanism with a particular focus on full-area coverage. In order to better obtain the test data, the sensor layout network is optimized through the optimization design method, and the optimal sensor installation scheme is proposed. Finally, the data fusion algorithm and sensor layout scheme are experimentally verified with a typical high-speed rotating mechanism.

Infrared and visible image fusion is an effective solution for image quality enhancement. However, conventional fusion models require the decomposition of source images into image blocks, which disrupts the original structure of the images, leading to the loss of detail in the fused images and making the fusion results highly sensitive to matching errors. This paper employs Convolutional Sparse Representation (CSR) to perform global feature transformation on the source images, overcoming the drawbacks of traditional fusion models that rely on image decomposition. Inspired by neural networks, a multi-layer CSR model is proposed, which involves five layers in a forward-feeding manner: two CSR layers acquiring sparse coefficient maps, one fusion layer combining sparse maps, and two reconstruction layers for image recovery. The dataset used in this paper comprises infrared and visible images selected from public dataset, as well as registered images collected by an actual Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The source images contain ground targets, marine targets, and natural landscapes. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed image fusion model in this paper, comparative analysis is conducted with state-of-the-art (SOTA) algorithms. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed fusion model outperforms other state-of-the-art methods by at least 10% in SF, EN, MI and QAB/F fusion metrics in most image fusion cases, thereby affirming its favorable performance.

The rapid development of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) in recent years has provided many new opportunities and challenges for human social production. However, recent evaluation methods have some problems with regard to consistency, subjectivity and comprehensiveness. In order to solve the above problems, in this paper, we propose an Artificial General Intelligence Security Evaluation scheme (AGISE), which is based on analytic hierarchy process (AHP) technology with a genetic algorithm, to comprehensively evaluate the AGI security based on multiple security risk styles and complex indicators. Firstly, our AGISE combines AHP technology with a genetic algorithm to realize reliable, consistent and objective evaluation for AGI security. Secondly, in our AGISE, we propose implementing more effective AGI security evaluation classification and indicator settings. Finally, we demonstrate the effectiveness of our AGISE through experiments.

Vapor bubbles in cryogenic fluids may collapse violently under subcooled and pressurized conditions. Despite important implications for engineering applications such as cavitation erosion in liquid propellant rocket engines, these intense phenomena are still largely unexplored. In this paper, we systematically investigate the ambient conditions leading to the occurrence of violent collapses in liquid nitrogen and analyze their thermodynamic characteristics. Using Brenner’s time ratio χ, the regime of violent collapse is identified in the ambient pressure–temperature parameter space. Complete numerical simulations further refine the prediction and illustrate two classes of collapses. At 1 10 does the collapse show more inertial features. A mechanism analysis pinpoints a critical time when the surrounding liquid enters supercritical state. The ultimate collapse intensity is shown to be closely associated with the dynamics at this moment. Our study provides a fresh perspective to the treatment of cavitation in cryogenic fluids. The findings can be instrumental in engineering design to mitigate adverse effects arising from intense cavitational activities.

This work presents an optimal design method of antenna aperture illumination for microwave power transmission with an annular collection area. The objective is to maximize the ratio of the power radiated on the annular collection area to the total transmitted power. By formulating the aperture amplitude distribution through a summation of a special set of series, the optimal design problem can be reduced to finding the maximum ratio of two real quadratic forms. Based on the theory of matrices, the solution to the formulated optimization problem is to determine the largest characteristic value and its associated characteristic vector. To meet security requirements, the peak radiation levels outside the receiving area are considered to be extra constraints. A hybrid grey wolf optimizer and Nelder–Mead simplex method is developed to deal with this constrained optimization problem. In order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method, numerical experiments on continuous apertures are conducted; then, discrete arrays of isotropic elements are employed to validate the correctness of the optimized results. Finally, patch arrays are adopted to further verify the validity of the proposed method.

Abstract Both proteome and transcriptome data can help assess the relevance of non-coding somatic mutations in cancer. Here, we combine mass spectrometry-based proteomics data with whole genome sequencing data across 1307 human tumors spanning various tissues to determine the extent somatic structural variant (SV) breakpoint patterns impact protein expression of nearby genes. We find that about 25% of the hundreds of genes with SV-associated cis-regulatory alterations at the mRNA level are similarly associated at the protein level. SVs associated with enhancer hijacking, retrotransposon translocation, altered DNA methylation, or fusion transcripts are implicated in protein over-expression. SVs combined with altered protein levels considerably extend the numbers of patients with tumors somatically altered for critical pathways. We catalog both SV breakpoint patterns involving patient survival and genes with nearby SV breakpoints associated with increased cell dependency in cancer cell lines. Pan-cancer proteogenomics identifies targetable non-coding alterations, by virtue of the associated deregulated genes.

The application of extended reality (XR) technology in education has been growing for the last two decades. XR offers immersive and interactive visualization experiences that can enhance learning by making it engaging. Recent technological advances have led to the availability of high-quality and affordable XR headsets. These advancements have spurred a wave of research focused on designing, implementing, and validating XR educational interventions. Limited literature focuses on the recent trends of XR within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Thus, this paper presents an umbrella review that explores the exploding field of XR and its transformative potential in STEM education. Using six online databases, the review zoomed in on 17 out of 1972 papers on XR for STEM education, published between 2020 and 2023, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The results highlighted the types of XR technology applied (i.e., virtual reality and augmented reality), the specific STEM disciplines involved, the focus of each study reviewed, and the major findings from recent reviews. Overall, the educational benefits of using XR technology in STEM education are apparent: XR boosts student motivation, facilitates learning engagement, and improves skills, for example. However, using XR in education still has challenges that must be addressed, such as the physical discomfort of the learner wearing the XR headset and technical glitches. Besides revealing trends of using XR in STEM education, this umbrella review encourages reflection on current practices and suggests ways to apply XR to STEM education effectively.

The design of a hypersonic vehicle controller has been an active research field in the last decade, especially when the vehicle is studied as a time-varying system. A time-varying compound control method is proposed for a hypersonic vehicle controlled by the direct lateral force and the aerodynamic force. The compound control method consists of a time-varying linear quadratic regulator (LQR) control law for the aerodynamic rudder and a sliding mode control law for the lateral thrusters. When the air rudder cannot continuously produce control force and torque, the direct lateral force is added to the system. To solve the problem that LQR cannot directly obtain the analytical solution of the time-varying system, a novel approach to approximate analytical solutions using Jacobi polynomials is proposed in this paper. Finally, the stability of the time-varying compound control system is proven by the Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional (LKF). The simulation results show that the proposed compound control method is effective and can improve the fast response ability of the system.

The acoustically actuated nanomechanical magnetoelectric (ME) antennas represent a promising new technology that can significantly reduce antenna size by 1–2 orders of magnitude compared to traditional antennas. However, current ME antennas face challenges such as low antenna gain and narrow operating bandwidth, limiting their engineering applications. In this paper, we enhance the bandwidth and radiation performance of ME antennas through structural optimization, leveraging theoretical analysis and numerical simulations. Our findings indicate that optimizing the inner diameter of the ring-shaped ME antenna can elevate the average stress of the magnetic layer, leading to improved radiation performance and bandwidth compared to circular ME antennas. We establish an optimization model for the radiation performance of the ME antenna and conduct shape optimization simulations using COMSOL Multiphysics. The results of the Multiphysics field optimization align with the stress concentration theory, demonstrating a strong correlation between the radiation performance and bandwidth of the ME antenna with the average stress of the magnetic film. The resonant frequency in the thickness vibration mode is determined to be 170 MHz. Furthermore, shape optimization can enhance the bandwidth by up to 104% compared to circular ME antenna structures of the same size.

African American (AA) men have the highest incidence and mortality rate from Prostate cancer (PCa) than any other racial/ethnic group. To date, PCa genomic studies have largely under-represented tumour samples from AA men. We measured genome-wide DNA methylation in benign and tumor prostate tissues from AA men using the Illumina Infunium 850 K EPIC array. mRNA expression database from a subset of the AA biospecimen were used to assess correlation of transcriptome and methylation datasets. Genome-wide methylation analysis identified 11,460 probes that were significant (p

Two molecular nanocarbons result from merging a negatively curved nanographene and a carbon nanoring in two constitutional isomers of D2 and C2v symmetry, respectively. They were synthesized by attachment of C-shaped paraphenylene precursors to 2,11,18,27-tetrabromooctabenzo[8]­circulene and the subsequent intramolecular Yamamoto coupling and reductive aromatization reactions. The flexible nature of octabenzo[8]­circulene enabled two different ways of connection in the Yamamoto coupling reactions, leading to the two constitutional isomers. The D2 isomer is shaped like a figure eight, as revealed by X-ray crystallography, and is resolved into two enantiomers by chiral HPLC. The synthesis of the C2v isomer is regarded as a further step toward precision synthesis of carbon schwarzites through a bottom-up approach.

This paper proposes a new optimization algorithm for backpropagation (BP) neural networks by fusing integer-order differentiation and fractional-order differentiation, while fractional-order differentiation has significant advantages in describing complex phenomena with long-term memory effects and nonlocality, its application in neural networks is often limited by a lack of physical interpretability and inconsistencies with traditional models. To address these challenges, we propose a mixed integer-fractional (MIF) gradient descent algorithm for the training of neural networks. Furthermore, a detailed convergence analysis of the proposed algorithm is provided. Finally, numerical experiments illustrate that the new gradient descent algorithm not only speeds up the convergence of the BP neural networks but also increases their classification accuracy.

Forkhead transcription factor FoxF2 plays a crucial role in the development of organs derived from primitive gut. Here the authors show that reduction of Foxf2 expression in stromal cells is associated with high grade prostate cancer and that increasing prostatic stromal Foxf2 sensitizes prostate cancer to immune checkpoint blockade.

Natural Gas Hydrate (NGH) and Hydrate-bearing Sediments (HBS) are emerging as an important potential energy resource. Radial Jet Drilling (RJD) technology, turning sharply in the casing and drilling laterals by using water jet, is a valid approach to solve problems of high cost, low efficiency during the exploitation of NGHs. The performance of water jet drilling remains unclear, and traditional finite element methods cannot accurately depict the water jet drilling ability due to mesh distortion. This paper analyzes the water jet erosion process of NGH and HBS. Experiments on the erosion of reconstituted gas hydrates are conducted and visualized in both submerged and submerged confining pressure conditions. Subsequently, two coupled nozzle–target models are solved by Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian (ALE) and Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) methods. The flow field, the deformation and erosion of the hydrates induced by water jet are simulated. The experimental results show that there are specific shapes of cylindrical erosion pits for NGH and HBS. The numerical results are consistent with the experiments, which proves the effectiveness of water jet exploring hydrate resources. The submerged condition and the confining pressure condition will hinder the erosion efficiency, and the critical erosion velocities for both HBS and NGH are obtained. ALE method has superior accuracy in modeling the damaged area and erosion pit characteristics; while SPH method, has advantages in showing the motion state of the single particles and unstable and discontinuous flow field. This paper provides a good guidance for understanding the water jet drilling performance and selecting the appropriate simulation method in NGH reservoirs development.

Abstract Gasdermin E (GSDME)-mediated pyroptosis is induced in keratinocytes of UVB-challenged skin. The role of GSDME in UVB-caused skin damage remains unknown. To explore the role of GSDME in UVB-induced skin inflammation. We compared differences in skin appearance, histological features, keratinocyte death modalities, infiltration of immune cells, and levels of some inflammatory cytokines between Gsdme −/− mice and wild type (WT) mice after UVB exposure. We explored whether keratinocytes contribute to GSDME deficiency-caused aggravation of UVB-induced skin inflammation in GSDME knockdown keratinocyte cultured in vitro and keratinocyte-specific Gsdme conditional knockout mice. We used anti-Ly6G antibody to deplete neutrophils and explore their role in UVB-caused skin damage. Skin damage and neutrophils infiltration were aggravated in UVB-challenged Gsdme −/− mice, compared with UVB-challenged WT mice. Apoptosis and necroptosis, which were initiated together with GSDME-mediated pyroptosis in UVB-challenged WT mice, were not enhanced in UVB-challenged Gsdme −/− mice. Neutrophils activation indicators and its recruiting cytokines were increased in skin tissue of UVB-challenged Gsdme −/− mice. However, GSDME knockdown did not lead to the further increase of mRNA and secretion of TNF-α and IL-6 in UVB-challenged keratinocytes. Skin damage was not aggravated in UVB-challenged Gsdme cKO mice. Neutrophils depletion alleviated UVB-caused skin damage in WT mice and Gsdme −/− mice, and eliminated its aggravation in Gsdme −/− mice. This study demonstrates that GSDME plays a restrictive role in UVB-induced skin damage through inhibiting excessive recruitment and activation of neutrophils in the immune microenvironment in UVB-caused skin inflammation. However, keratinocytes might not contribute to this restrictive function.

An SIW quasi-pyramidal horn antenna based on patch coupling feed with reduced machining difficulty and facilitated integration with the radar chip is proposed in this paper. Compared with the metal pyramid horn antenna, the Rogers 5880 dielectric substrate based on the SIW structure is used to form the horn structure and waveguide structure, which effectively reduces the difficulty of machining the antenna. The patch coupling feed structure provides a solution for integrating the SIW quasi-pyramid horn antenna with the radar chip. The proposed SIW quasi-pyramid horn antenna element achieves approximately 9 dBi realized gain, about 95% radiation efficiency and 8.2 GHz bandwidth (74.1–82.3 GHz). A four-port inverting power divider was designed to verify the feasibility of forming an array with antenna elements. The designed antenna array achieves approximately 14.5 dBi realized gain, about 80% radiation efficiency and 7.2 GHz bandwidth (74.3–81.5 GHz). Simulation and measurement results maintain good agreement for the antenna array. To further assess the impact of errors on the performance of the proposed antenna array, we have implemented a corresponding error analysis. The proposed antenna element and antenna array show promising potential for application in automotive radar systems.

Background: Statins, a first-line therapeutic option for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), have prompted concerns regarding dysglycemia and diabetes, thus posing a dilemma in treating patients with prediabetes. Xuezhikang (XZK) decreases blood cholesterol levels without affecting glucose metabolism, and may serve as a potential substitute. Methods: The XTREME study is a prospective, randomized, open-label, multi-center trial evaluating whether XZK 1200 mg/d, compared with atorvastatin 20 mg/d, has favorable effects on HbA1c levels after 24 weeks of treatment in patients with dyslipidemia and prediabetes. After a 1-week run-in period for adherence assessment, the study will randomly assign (1:1) 392 patients meeting the protocol inclusion criteria to one of two treatment groups: an experimental group (XZK 1200 mg/day) or a control group (atorvastatin 20 mg/day). All participants will be recruited from approximately 20 Chinese medical centers. The last participant is planned to be recruited before December 2023. The primary endpoint will be change in HbA1c level from baseline to 24 weeks, or before anti-diabetic therapy initiation within 24 weeks. The key secondary outcomes will include other biomarkers reflecting blood glucose or lipid metabolism. Discussion: Delaying diabetes is desirable for individuals with prediabetes. The XTREME trial presents a unique opportunity to demonstrate whether XZK might provide an alternative to statins for patients with dyslipidemia and prediabetes.

Background: People with atrial fibrillation (AF) have elevated risk of developing cognitive impairment. At present, there is a dearth of randomized controlled trials investigating cognitive impairment management in patients with AF. The Atrial Fibrillation Follow-up Investigation to Recover Memory and learning (AFFIRMING) study is aimed at evaluating the potential for computerized cognitive training to improve cognitive function in patients with AF. Methods: The study is a multi-center, double-blind, randomized controlled study using a 1:1 parallel design. A total of 200 patients with AF and mild cognitive decline without dementia are planned to be recruited. The intervention group will use the adaptive training software with changes in difficulty, whereas the positive control group will use basic training software with minimal or no variation in difficulty level. At the end of 12 weeks, the participants will be unblinded, and the positive control group will stop training. The intervention group will be rerandomized 1:1 to stop training or continue training. All participants will be followed up until 24 weeks. The primary endpoint is the proportion of the improvement of the global cognitive function at week 12 compared with baseline, using the Basic Cognitive Ability Test (BCAT).

Abstract Objectives To locate an anastomosable constant perforator of the radial artery on the proximal forearm using ultrasonography and describe the application of a free radial artery flap based on a single proximal perforator for the reconstruction of soft tissue defects in finger. Methods In 20 forearms (ten right and ten left) from ten volunteers, the perforators in the proximal half of the forearm from the radial artery were visualized using ultrasonography. The free radial artery perforator flaps based on the single perforator were used to reconstruct digital soft tissue defects in four cases between October 2017 and May 2018. Results Of the 20 forearms, an anastomosable perforator was consistently detected in the radial artery in the forearm’s proximal half. The perforator diameter was 0.7 ± 0.1 mm, and the pedicle length was 12 ± 3 mm according to ultrasonography. The perforator’s location was far from the elbow crease (8.8 ± 1.4 cm), and the relative distance of the perforator’s location from the elbow crease to the wrist crease was 37.2% ± 4.8%. In clinical cases, all flaps survived. Flap size ranged from 3.5 to 6.5 cm in length and 2.3–3.0 cm in width. Donor sites of the forearm were closed primarily in all cases. During a mean period of 12 months (8–14 months) follow-up, the average static 2-PD was 13.8 mm (10–18 mm) in the flap area, and the ROM of DIP was 35° (30–40°), PIP was 82° (45–110°), and MP was 85° (70–90°) of the affected finger. The mean Brief Michigan Hand Questionnaire (BMHQ) score was 72.9 (60.4–85.4) in the affected hand. Conclusions An anastomosable perforator is consistently located on the radial artery in the proximal half of the forearm. The free radial artery flap based on this single perforator provides acceptable functional and cosmetic outcomes for reconstructing digital soft tissue defects. With the preservation of the forearm’s main vessel (radial artery), this flap provides another reliable option for hand surgeons to reconstruct small soft tissue defects in finger.

In this article, the power generation of a concentrated space solar power station (SSPS) is enhanced by current-injected total-cross-tied (TCT-CI) photovoltaic (PV) array. First, a mathematical model of the TCT-CI–connected PV array is established. Second, PV arrays with several common topologies and TCT-CI topology are simulated and analyzed using MATLAB/Simulink. At last, comparative experiments are conducted for TCT and TCT-CI–connected PV arrays under the condition of non-uniform light intensity distribution. The results of the above indicate the following: 1) TCT-CI–connected PV arrays reduce the difficulty of MPPT in concentrated SSPS, 2) TCT-CI–connected PV arrays increase the power generated in concentrated SSPS, and 3) TCT-CI–connected PV arrays are applicable for concentrated SSPS.

Pan-cancer proteomics analysis enables the analysis of protein expression across multiple cancer types. Here, the authors compare proteomics from 14 cancer types and show 11 distinct subtypes across multiple cancer types. Proteome data could link higher pathway activity levels with somatic alteration of specific genes in the pathway.

In this work, a common third-generation environmentally friendly quaternary ammonium salt disinfectant, dimethyl dioctadecyl ammonium chloride (DDAC), was used as the modifier to achieve one-step rapid preparation of the modified red-mud-based adsorption material under the condition of microwave assistance, and applied it to the adsorption phosphorus in solutions. After the process of this modification, the structure of the red mud (RM) was not changed, and the DDAC modification could provide more adsorption active sites. The adsorption experiments indicated that the novel modified red mud (NMRM) exhibited a good adsorption performance for phosphorus. The adsorption capability of NMRM for phosphorus was significantly enhanced, and was about eight times higher than that of the initial RM. The kinetics model of the pseudo-second-order, which implied that phosphorus was chemically adsorbed on the surface of the NMRM, could accurately represent the adsorption procedure of NMRM. The adsorption equilibrium of NMRM could be better depicted using the isotherm model of Freundlich. It was speculated that the ion exchange might be responsible for the adsorption mechanism of NMRM for phosphorus. Thus, the NMRM is a potential material for the treatment of phosphorus-containing wastewater due to its outstanding adsorption capability.

In this paper, we provide a characterisation of the ionosphere from April 2018 to September 2022 for 48 investigated months. We used the data of the China Seismo Electromagnetic Satellite (CSES-01), which is a sun-synchronous satellite with five days of revisit time and fixed local time of about 2 a.m. and 2 p.m. The unique orbit of CSES-01 permitted us to produce a monthly background of the ionosphere for night- and daytime with median values acquired during geomagnetic quiet time in equatorial and mid-latitude regions (i.e., between 50° S and 50° N of geographical latitude). We compared the obtained CSES-01 monthly median values with the solar activity in terms of sunspot numbers, and we found a high correlation of 0.89 for nighttime and 0.85 for daytime between the mean sunspot number and the maximum of the characterised CSES-01 Ne map values. In addition, we extracted all the anomalous positive increases in CSES-01 electron density and compared them with the Worldwide M5.5+ shallow earthquakes. We tested two different definitions of anomaly based on median and interquartile range or (mild) outliers. We tried two relationships between anomalies inside Dobrovolsky’s area before the earthquake and the magnitude of the same seismic events: one which considers distance in space and time and a second which only uses the anticipation time of the anomaly before the earthquake. Using both anomaly definitions, we searched the best coefficients for these two laws for mid-latitude and equational regions. We found that the best coefficients are independent of the anomaly definition, but better accuracy (greater than 80%) is obtained for the outlier definition. Finally, using receiving operating characteristic (ROC) curves, we show that CSES-01 increases seem statistically correlated to the incoming seismic activity.

The traditional phased array radar is unable to distinguish mainlobe deceptive interference from the true target when they share an identical angle. To address this issue, a method is developed to suppress the interference in the joint transmit–receive–Doppler frequency domain, using secondary compensation and quadratic phase code (QPC) with the frequency diversity array multiple-input multiple-output (FDA-MIMO) radar. The QPC technique is employed by encoding the transmitted pulses in various spatial channels, which extends the degrees-of-freedom (DOFs) of the system. To distinguish and suppress the false targets behind the true target by at least one pulse, Doppler compensation is performed and Doppler filters are employed. To distinguish the fast-generated false targets, which are located in the same pulse with the true target, the spatial frequency compensation is implemented, which equivalently relocates the mainlobe interference to the sidelobes. Via the singular spectrum analysis (SSA) technique and the data-dependent beamforming, the interferences within the ambiguity region are suppressed. Simulation results verify the effectiveness of the method.

Natural tactile sensation is complex, which involves not only contact force intensity detection but also the perception of the force direction, the surface texture, and other mechanical parameters. Nevertheless, the vast majority of the developed tactile sensors can only detect the normal force, but usually cannot resolve shear force or even distinguish the directions of the force. Here, we present a new paradigm of bioinspired tactile sensors for resolving both the intensity and the directions of mechanical stimulations via synergistic microcrack-bristle structure design and cross-shaped configuration engineering. The microcrack sensing structure gives high mechanical sensitivity to the tactile sensors, and the synergistic bristle structure further amplifies the sensitivity of the sensors. The cross-shaped configuration engineering of the synergistic microcrack-bristle structure further endows the tactile sensors with good capability to detect and distinguish the directions of the applied mechanical forces. The as-fabricated tactile sensors exhibit a high sensitivity (25.76 N−1), low detection limit (5.4 mN), desirable stability (over 2,500 cycles), and good capability to resolve both mechanical intensity and directional features. As promising application scenarios, surface texture recognition and biomimetic path explorations are successfully demonstrated with these tactile sensors. This newly proposed tactile sensation strategy and technology have great potential applications in ingenious tactile sensation and construction of various robotic and bionic prostheses with high operational dexterity.

Freshwater ecosystems face numerous threats from human populations, including heavy metal contamination. Phytoremediation, the use of plants to remediate contaminated soils and sediments, is an effective and low-cost means of removing chemical contaminants, including heavy metals, from polluted environments. However, key questions remain unanswered in the application of this technology in aquatic environments, such as the long-term fate of pollutants following plant uptake. In this study, using two common wetland plant species (duckweed and tape grass), we first examined the capacity of plants to remove copper (Cu) from polluted water. Next, we evaluated the leaching potential of plant tissues following decomposition and how it is affected by a simulated freeze-thaw cycle. Using phytoremediated water and leachates from senesced plants we assessed phytoremediation success and Cu leaching potential by conducting standard toxicity assays using pond snails (Physa acuta), a species with known Cu sensitivity. We found that duckweed outperformed tape grass as a phytoremediator at low Cu concentrations. In addition, for plants grown in low concentrations of Cu, leaching from decaying plant material did not negatively impact snail survival, while at high concentrations of Cu, leaching did result in toxicity. Lastly, we found that a simulated freeze-thaw cycle increased the release of Cu from plant tissue in the presence of high Cu concentrations only, resulting in reduced snail survival. Our results indicate that in moderately Cu-polluted environments, some aquatic plants can remove contaminants without a long-term risk of leaching. In contrast, phytoremediation in highly polluted environments will likely require removal of plant tissue to prevent leaching of previously accumulated metals. Land managers must not only consider plant species and degree of contamination, but also geographic location, as freeze-thaw cycles may enhance plant decomposition and increase the likelihood of contaminant leaching following phytoremediation efforts in aquatic ecosystems.

In the sonochemical degradation of nonvolatile compounds, the free radicals must be delivered into the aqueous solution from the cavitation bubble to initiate reduction–oxidation reactions. The penetration depth in the liquid becomes an important parameter that influences the radical delivery efficiency and eventual treatment performance. However, the transport of radicals in the liquid phase is not well understood yet. In this paper, we focus on the most reactive OH radical and numerically simulate its penetration behavior. This is realized by solving the coupled equations of bubble dynamics, intracavity chemistry, and radical dispersion in the aqueous phase. The results present both the local and global penetration patterns for the OH radicals. By performing simulations over a wide range of acoustic parameters, we find an undesirable phenomenon that the penetration can be adversely suppressed when strengthening the radical production. A mechanistic analysis attributes this to the excessively vigorous recombination reactions associated with high radical concentrations near the bubble interface. In this circumstance, the radicals are massively consumed and converted into molecular species before they can appreciably diffuse away. Our study sheds light on the interplay between radical production inside the bubble and dispersion in the outside liquid. The derived conclusions provide guides for sonochemical applications from a new perspective.

Abstract We consider semantic image segmentation. Our method is inspired by Bayesian deep learning which improves image segmentation accuracy by modeling the uncertainty of the network output. In contrast to uncertainty, our method directly learns to predict the erroneous pixels of a segmentation network, which is modeled as a binary classification problem. It can speed up training comparing to the Monte Carlo integration often used in Bayesian deep learning. It also allows us to train a branch to correct the labels of erroneous pixels. Our method consists of three stages: (i) predict pixel-wise error probability of the initial result, (ii) redetermine new labels for pixels with high error probability, and (iii) fuse the initial result and the redetermined result with respect to the error probability. We formulate the error-pixel prediction problem as a classification task and employ an error-prediction branch in the network to predict pixel-wise error probabilities. We also introduce a detail branch to focus the training process on the erroneous pixels. We have experimentally validated our method on the Cityscapes and ADE20K datasets. Our model can be easily added to various advanced segmentation networks to improve their performance. Taking DeepLabv3+ as an example, our network can achieve 82.88% of mIoU on Cityscapes testing dataset and 45.73% on ADE20K validation dataset, improving corresponding DeepLabv3+ results by 0.74% and 0.13% respectively.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) caused an ongoing global pandemic of COVID-19. It has been found that COVID-19 has an influence on the changes of blood coagulation parameters and the high incidence of thrombosis. Changchun experienced the epidemic of the Omicron BA.2 variant SARS-CoV-2 in March 2022 in China. Once infected, BA.2 spreads rapidly and most of them are asymptomatic. The purpose of this study is to research venous thrombosis and laboratory changes (including PLT, PT, APTT, DD, FDP, CRP, WBC, IL-6 and lymphocyte subsets) among 92 cancer patients with COVID-19 and 73 COVID-19 patients with non-cancer by Mann-Whitney U and Chi-square test. It was found that the levels of D-dimer, FDP, CRP and IL-6 in cancer patients were significantly higher than those in the COVID-19 cohort. There were 9 (9.8%) cancer patients and 2 (2.7%) non-cancer patients found VTE, with no significant difference. The results showed that WBC, lymphocytes and B cells in cancer patients were significantly lower than those in the other group. Prophylactic anticoagulation was recommended for cancer patients with high risk factors, while paying attention to the occurrence of bleeding events. The detection of leukocyte classification, D-dimer, prothrombin time and fibrinogen at different time points are helpful for the diagnosis and anticoagulation of COVID-19 patients with cancer.

Designing and preparing chloroprene rubber (CR) with robust mechanical and excellent flame retardancy performance are challenging. In this work, a biomimetic design for high mechanical and flame-retardant CR by synchronous introducing of sacrificial bond (disulfide) crosslinked networks into the chemically crosslinked network is developed based on two new types of vulcanization reactions. Under the catalysis of Mg(OH)2, the dynamic bond cross-linked network is formed by the reaction between the amino group of cystamine dihydrochloride (CA) and the allylic chlorine group of CR, while the covalently crosslinked network is synchronously formed by two types of nucleophilic substitution reactions in series between Mg(OH)2 and CR. The disulfide bonds serve as sacrificial bonds that preferentially rupture prior to the covalent network, dissipating energy and facilitating rubber chain orientation, so a CA-0.5 sample (CR/CA(0.5 wt%)/Mg(OH)2 (10 wt%) with dual crosslinked networks exhibits excellent mechanical performance, and the tensile strength and elongation at the break of CA-0.5 are 1.41 times and 1.17 times greater than those of the CR-0 sample with covalently crosslinked networks, respectively. Moreover, the addition of Mg(OH)2 significantly improves the flame retardancy of CR.

In the present complex electromagnetic environment, radar target detection is threatened by different kinds of interferences, especially mainlobe deceptive interference, which occupies the same energy distributions of targets spatially, meaning that targets and interferences cannot be discriminated. To make matters worse, the number of suppressible interferences is limited by the number of physical array elements, leading to the degradation of the suppression performance of traditional radar. In this work, we propose a frequency-increment-based interference suppression method for minimum redundancy frequency diverse array multiple-input multiple-output (MR-FDA-MIMO) radar, which effectively solves the aforementioned two problems. The interference suppression method consists of two steps: (i) in the sidelobe barrage interference suppression stage, the interference-plus-noise covariance matrix is reconstructed to overcome the influence of the true targets and mainlobe deceptive interference on the performance of the beamformer; (ii) in the mainlobe deceptive interference suppression stage, a nonadaptive beamforming method is employed to suppress mainlobe deceptive interference and overcome the impact of insufficient virtual samples on interference suppression performance. Additionally, we design a frequency-increment-based MR-FDA-MIMO radar, fully utilizing the advantages of the virtual array to enhance interference suppression performance and increase the number of interferences. Numerical experiments undertaken demonstrate the effectiveness of the algorithm under different scenarios.

On 19 September 2021, La Palma volcano (Canarias Archipelagos) started an eruption that persisted until 13 December 2021. Despite the Volcano Explosive Index (VEI) being estimated equal to 3, corresponding to not so powerful eruption, the long eruption activity posed much scientific interest in this natural hazard event. In this paper, we searched for possible effects of this eruption on the atmosphere and ionosphere, investigating the climatological archive and Swarm magnetic satellite data. In particular, we explored Aerosol, Sulphur Dioxide and Carbon Monoxide concentrations in the atmosphere identifying both the direct emissions from the volcano as well as the plume that drifted toward West-South-West and was reinforced during the eruption period. The vertical profile of temperature from the Saber satellite was analysed to search for the possible presence of acoustic gravity waves induced by volcanic activity. Compared with the year before without eruption in the areas, a lot of Saber profiles present an Energy Potential very much higher than the previous year, proposing the presence of Acoustic Gravity Waves (AGW) induced by volcano eruption activity. We also identified Swarm magnetic disturbances on the day of the eruption and in November. The mechanism of coupling could be different for the latter one, as there is no evidence for AGW. They may be due to a more complex of physical and chemical alterations that propagate from the lower atmosphere to the upper one into the ionosphere.

The problem of suppressing mainlobe deceptive jammers, which spoof radar systems by generating multiple false targets, has attracted widespread attention. To tackle this problem, in this paper, the multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar system was utilized by applying a quadratic element phase code (QEPC) to the transmitted pulses of different elements. In the receiver, by utilizing the spatial frequency and Doppler frequency offset generated after decoding, the jammers were equivalently distributed in the sidelobes of the joint Doppler-transmit-receive domain and were distinguishable from the true target. Then, further spatial frequency compensation and Doppler compensation were performed to align the true target to the zero point in the transmit spatial and Doppler domains. Moreover, by designing appropriate coding coefficients, the jammers were suppressed by data-independent Doppler-transmit-receive three-dimensional beamforming. However, the beamforming performance was sensitive to angular estimation mismatches, resulting in performance degradation of jammer suppression. To this end, a center-boundary null-broadening control (CBNBC) approach was used to broaden the nulls in the equivalent beampattern by generating multiple artificial jammers with preset powers around the nulls. Thus, the false targets (FTs) with deviations were sufficiently suppressed in the broadened notches. Numerical simulations and theoretical analysis demonstrated the performance of the developed jammer suppression method.

ONC201/TIC10 activates TRAIL signaling through ATF4 and the integrated stress response (ISR). ONC201 demonstrated tumor regressions and disease stability in patients with histone H3K27M-mutated midline-glioma. H3K27M-mutation prevents H3K27-methylation on the mutated allele. EZH2 inhibitors (EZH2i) reduce H3K27 methylation and have anti-tumor effects. We hypothesized ONC201 sensitivity and tumor apoptosis may increase by reducing H3K27-methylation with EZH2i or HDACi as mimics of H3K27M-mutation. EZH2i EPZ-6438 (tazemetostat) or PF-06821497 and HDACi vorinostat were combined with ONC201 to treat multiple cancer cell lines and cell viability and histone modifications were analyzed. We observed synergistic effects towards cell viability in multiple cancers by EPZ-6438 or PF-06821497 plus ONC201 or triple therapy with vorinostat, EPZ-6438, and ONC201. EPZ-6438 and vorinostat synergized with ONC201 to enhance apoptosis. Activation of the ISR and TRAIL-DR5 were observed in cells treated with ONC201 -/+ epigenetic modulators. Knockdown of ATF4 reduced DR5 induction and apoptosis following EZH2i and ONC201 treatment of U251 glioma cells. mRNA expression of dopamine-receptors did not correlate with ONC201 sensitivity in the tumor cell lines tested (N = 12), including changes after epigenetic drugs. Dopamine did not rescue apoptosis by ONC201 in different tumor cell lines (N = 10) including 2 GBM, 3 DIPG and did not prevent DR5 activation or apoptosis. DRD2 agonist sumanirole did not protect brain tumor cells (N = 6 including 4 DIPG cell lines) from ONC201 reduction in viability. Although synergy was observed with ONC201 and vorinostat, there was no significant increase in H3K27 acetylation in cell lines including DIPG as compared to vorinostat alone, and in some cases the acetylation was less than vorinostat alone at 72 H. H3K27 methylation reduction correlated with synergy from combinations of either EPZ-6438 or vorinostat with ONC201 or triple combination. Our findings provide a rationale for combination of ONC201 and epigenetic modulators including triple therapy for in vivo and clinical testing in treatment of human malignancies including brain tumors and DIPG.

BackgroundThe anthropometric index is not accurate but shows a great advantage in accessibility. Simple body composition formulas should be investigated before proceeding with the universal nutrition screening.Materials and MethodsClinical data of patients with a malignant tumor of the digestive system were collected. SliceOmatic 5.0 software (TOMOVISION, Canada) was used to analyze abdominal CT images and taken as references. A linear regression analysis was adopted to establish the formula for calculating skeletal muscle index (SMI) and visceral fat area (VFA). In addition, the relweights function was adopted to measure the contribution of each variable.ResultsIn total, 344 patients were divided into the training set and 134 patients into the validation set. The selected formulas were SMI.pre = 0.540 × weight (kg) – 0.559 × height (cm) – 13.877 × sex (male = 1, female = 2) + 123.583, and VFA.pre = 5.146 × weight (kg) – 2.666 × height (cm) + 1.436 × age (year) + 134.096, of which the adjusted R2 were 0.597 and 0.581, respectively. The “weight” explained more than 80% of R2 in the prediction of VFA. In addition, “sex” occupied approximately 40% of R2 in the prediction of SMI. The paired t-test showed no significant difference between the real measured indices and the predicting ones (p = 0.123 for SMI and p = 0.299 for VFA). The logistic regression analysis exhibited similar diagnostic efficacy of the real measured parameters and formulas.ConclusionThe SMI and VFA formulas were developed through basic indices, such as weight, height, sex, and age. According to the contribution of each variable, weight should always be focused on preserving appropriate muscle and adipose tissue.

Abstract Background Combined whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and RNA sequencing of cancers offer the opportunity to identify genes with altered expression due to genomic rearrangements. Somatic structural variants (SVs), as identified by WGS, can involve altered gene cis-regulation, gene fusions, copy number alterations, or gene disruption. The absence of computational tools to streamline integrative analysis steps may represent a barrier in identifying genes recurrently altered by genomic rearrangement. Results Here, we introduce SVExpress, a set of tools for carrying out integrative analysis of SV and gene expression data. SVExpress enables systematic cataloging of genes that consistently show increased or decreased expression in conjunction with the presence of nearby SV breakpoints. SVExpress can evaluate breakpoints in proximity to genes for potential enhancer translocation events or disruption of topologically associated domains, two mechanisms by which SVs may deregulate genes. The output from any commonly used SV calling algorithm may be easily adapted for use with SVExpress. SVExpress can readily analyze genomic datasets involving hundreds of cancer sample profiles. Here, we used SVExpress to analyze SV and expression data across 327 cancer cell lines with combined SV and expression data in the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE). In the CCLE dataset, hundreds of genes showed altered gene expression in relation to nearby SV breakpoints. Altered genes involved TAD disruption, enhancer hijacking, and gene fusions. When comparing the top set of SV-altered genes from cancer cell lines with the top SV-altered genes previously reported for human tumors from The Cancer Genome Atlas and the Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes datasets, a significant number of genes overlapped in the same direction for both cell lines and tumors, while some genes were significant for cell lines but not for human tumors and vice versa. Conclusion Our SVExpress tools allow computational biologists with a working knowledge of R to integrate gene expression with SV breakpoint data to identify recurrently altered genes. SVExpress is freely available for academic or commercial use at https://github.com/chadcreighton/SVExpress . SVExpress is implemented as a set of Excel macros and R code. All source code (R and Visual Basic for Applications) is available.

In the face of the increasing depletion of non-renewable energy sources and increasingly serious environmental problems, the development of green and environmentally friendly renewable energy sources cannot be delayed. Because of the far-reaching development potential of solar energy, solar power has become an important research object for power development. The available solar energy in space is several times greater than that on Earth. Solar energy from space can be collected by a space solar power station (SSPS) and transmitted to the ground by wireless power transfer. In the full-chain ground-based validation system of SSPS-OMEGA, the spherical concentrator is used, and the light intensity distribution on the solar receiver is non-uniform. The non-uniform light intensity makes the output current of each photovoltaic (PV) cell on the solar receiver greatly different, and causes power losses, known as the mismatch problem. This paper proposes a simple, efficient and easy-to-implement method to optimize the structure of PV arrays to reduce the effect of non-uniform light on the output performance of each PV cell, which is beneficial to the topology of PV arrays and also effectively improves the layout rate. Then, a differential power processing (DPP) converter with a simple structure and easy control is designed to further deal with the power mismatch problem between series-connected PV modules. Finally, a simulation circuit model and a physical hardware model of the differential power processing PV system are built and used in the full-chain ground-based validation system of SSPS-OMEGA. The results demonstrate that the influence of non-uniform lighting on PV cells is effectively reduced, the output power of PV modules connected in series under non-uniform light distribution is substantially increased, and the photoelectric conversion efficiency is significantly improved.

Several possible lithosphere–atmosphere–ionosphere coupling mechanisms before earthquake occurrence are presented in the literature. They are described by several models with different interaction channels (e.g., electromagnetic, mechanics, chemical, thermal), sometimes in conflict with each other. In this paper, we search for anomalies six months before the Lushan (China) 2013 earthquake in the three geo-layers looking for a possible view of the couplings and testing if one or another is more reliable to describe the observations. The Lushan earthquake occurred in China’s Sichuan province on 20 April 2013, with a magnitude of Mw = 6.7. Despite the moderate magnitude of the event, it caused concern because its source was localized on the southwest side of the same fault that produced the catastrophic Wenchuan event in 2008. This paper applies a geophysical multi-layer approach to search for possible pre-earthquake anomalies in the lithosphere, atmosphere, and ionosphere. In detail, six main increases in the accumulated seismic stress were depicted. Anomalous geomagnetic pulsations were recorded in the Chengdu observatory, sometimes following the increased stress. Atmosphere status and composition were found to be anomalous in several periods before the earthquake, and, spatially, the anomalies seem to appear firstly far from the upcoming earthquakes and later approaching the Longmenshan fault where the Lushan earthquakes nucleated. The Formosat-3 data identified interesting anomalies in the altitude or electron content of the ionospheric F2 peak in correspondence with seismic and atmospheric anomalies 130 days before the earthquake. In addition, the total electron content showed high anomalous values from 12 to 6 days before the earthquake. We compared the anomalies and tried to explain their correspondences in different geo-layers by the lithosphere–atmosphere–ionosphere coupling models. In particular, we identified three possible couplings with different mechanisms: a first, about 130 days before the earthquake, with a fast (order of one day) propagation delay; a second, about 40 days before the earthquake occurrence, with a propagation delay of few days and a third from 2.5 weeks until one week before the event. Such evidence suggests that the geo-layers could interact with different channels (pure electromagnetic or a chain of physical-chemical processes) with specific propagation delays. Such results support the understanding of the preparation for medium and large earthquakes globally, which is necessary (although not sufficient) knowledge in order to mitigate their impact on human life.

The global impact of somatic structural variants (SSVs) on gene expression in childhood cancers is unclear. Here, the authors analyse cancer genome and RNA sequencing data of 854 pediatric brain tumours and report a landscape of genes deregulated by SSVs.

Space laser communication, with its strong anti-jamming capability, high transmission rate and good adaptability, offers hope for the establishment of 5G mobile networks in areas that are not conducive to the erection of cables, such as islands and remote land areas. Turbulent scintillation effect is one of the important factors affecting the performance of laser communication, which can lead to the increase of communication BER and even communication interruption. Based on the working principle of the photoelectric detector in atmospheric turbulence, an optical communication receiving system based on the detector gain factor regulation control is designed, which calculates the scintillation variance according to the received signal in real time, establishes the function conversion relationship between the scintillation variance and the gain factor, realizes the closed-loop regulation control of the detector gain factor, and improves the SNR of the receiving system. A ground-based 13km static laser communication experiment was set up to test the reception performance, and the test results show that the system reduces the communication BER by more than two orders of magnitude and can be kept at 1E-6 under medium to weak turbulence (discriminated by flash variance) at a communication rate of 2.5Gbps. The technology was applied to the test of laser 5G signal transmission between the airship and the ground, and for the first time, the mobile communication (access network) signal transmission with a downlink speed of 1.230Gbps and an uplink speed of 76.4Mbps is realized, which verified the performance of mobile signal transmission between the mobile base station and the fixed station on the ground.

Abstract A deeper understanding of the molecular biology of SARS-CoV-2 infection, including the host response to the virus, is urgently needed. Commonalities exist between the host immune response to viral infections and cancer. Here, we defined transcriptional signatures of SARS-CoV-2 infection involving hundreds of genes common across lung adenocarcinoma cell lines (A549, Calu-3) and normal human bronchial epithelial cells (NHBE), with additional signatures being specific to one or both adenocarcinoma lines. Cross-examining eight transcriptomic databases, we found that host transcriptional responses of lung adenocarcinoma cells to SARS-CoV-2 infection shared broad similarities with host responses to multiple viruses across different model systems and patient samples. Furthermore, these SARS-CoV-2 transcriptional signatures were manifested within specific subsets of human cancer, involving ~ 20% of cases across a wide range of histopathological types. These cancer subsets show immune cell infiltration and inflammation and involve pathways linked to the SARS-CoV-2 response, such as immune checkpoint, IL-6, type II interferon signaling, and NF-κB. The cell line data represented immune responses activated specifically within the cancer cells of the tumor. Common genes and pathways implicated as part of the viral host response point to therapeutic strategies that may apply to both SARS-CoV-2 and cancer.

ONC201 was originally discovered as TNF-Related Apoptosis Inducing Ligand (TRAIL)-inducing compound TIC10. ONC201 appears to act as a selective antagonist of the G protein coupled receptor (GPCR) dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2), and as an allosteric agonist of mitochondrial protease caseinolytic protease P (ClpP). Downstream of target engagement, ONC201 activates the ATF4/CHOP-mediated integrated stress response leading to TRAIL/Death Receptor 5 (DR5) activation, inhibits oxidative phosphorylation via c-myc, and inactivates Akt/ERK signaling in tumor cells. This typically results in DR5/TRAIL-mediated apoptosis of tumor cells; however, DR5/TRAIL-independent apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, or antiproliferative effects also occur. The effects of ONC201 extend beyond bulk tumor cells to include cancer stem cells, cancer associated fibroblasts and immune cells within the tumor microenvironment that can contribute to its efficacy. ONC201 is orally administered, crosses the intact blood brain barrier, and is under evaluation in clinical trials in patients with advanced solid tumors and hematological malignancies. ONC201 has single agent clinical activity in tumor types that are enriched for DRD2 and/or ClpP expression including specific subtypes of high-grade glioma, endometrial cancer, prostate cancer, mantle cell lymphoma, and adrenal tumors. Synergy with radiation, chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immune-checkpoint agents has been identified in preclinical models and is being evaluated in clinical trials. Structure-activity relationships based on the core pharmacophore of ONC201, termed the imipridone scaffold, revealed novel potent compounds that are being developed. Imipridones represent a novel approach to therapeutically target previously undruggable GPCRs, ClpP, and innate immune pathways in oncology.

Abstract The proximal gradient method is a highly powerful tool for solving the composite convex optimization problem. In this paper, firstly, we propose inexact inertial acceleration methods based on the viscosity approximation and proximal scaled gradient algorithm to accelerate the convergence of the algorithm. Under reasonable parameters, we prove that our algorithms strongly converge to some solution of the problem, which is the unique solution of a variational inequality problem. Secondly, we propose an inexact alternated inertial proximal point algorithm. Under suitable conditions, the weak convergence theorem is proved. Finally, numerical results illustrate the performances of our algorithms and present a comparison with related algorithms. Our results improve and extend the corresponding results reported by many authors recently.