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Herein, the effect of fluoropolymer binders on the properties of polymer-bonded explosives (PBXs) was comprehensively investigated. To this end, fluorinated semi-interpenetrating polymer networks (semi-IPNs) were prepared using different catalyst amounts (denoted as F23-CLF-30-D). The involved curing and phase separation processes were monitored using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, a haze meter and a rheometer. Curing rate constant and activation energy were calculated using a theoretical model and numerical method, respectively. Results revealed that owing to its co-continuous micro-phase separation structure, the F23-CLF-30-D3 semi-IPN exhibited considerably higher tensile strength and elongation at break than pure fluororubber F2314 and the F23-CLF-30-D0 semi-IPN because the phase separation and curing rates matched in the initial stage of curing. An arc Brazilian test revealed that F23-CLF-30-D-based composites used as mock materials for PBXs exhibited excellent mechanical performance and storage stability. Thus, the matched curing and phase separation rates play a crucial role during the fabrication of high-performance semi-IPNs; these factors can be feasibly controlled using an appropriate catalyst amount.

Abstract Myocardial infarction (MI) has a 5-year mortality rate of more than 50% due to the lack of effective treatments. Interactions between cardiomyocytes and the MI microenvironment (MIM) can determine the progression and fate of infarcted myocardial tissue. Here, a specially designed Melanin-based composite nanomedicines (MCN) is developed to effectively treat MI by reprogramming the MIM. MCN is a nanocomposite composed of polydopamine (P), Prussian blue (PB) and cerium oxide (CexOy) with a Mayuan-like structure, which reprogramming the MIM by the efficient conversion of detrimental substances (H+, reactive oxygen species, and hypoxia) into beneficial status (O2 and H2O). In coronary artery ligation and ischemia reperfusion models of male mice, intravenously injecting MCN specifically targets the damaged area, resulting in restoration of cardiac function. With its promising therapeutic effects, MCN constitutes a new agent for MI treatment and demonstrates potential for clinical application.

Objective: To evaluate whether and to what extent changes in cardiovascular health (CVH) based on life's essential 8 (LE8) are associated with incident cardiovascular disease (CVD). Methods: A total of 7,194 participants were derived from UK Biobank. CVH was evaluated using a modified version of LE8. Participants were classified into three groups according to their LE8 score: high CVH (LE8 score≥80), moderate CVH (50≤LE8 score

Summary: The pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 resulted in an increased prevalence of social isolation and loneliness. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to test the association between social isolation/loneliness, multiple cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs) and cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM). In the multivariable adjusted models, compared with the least isolated, the most isolated had independently associated with CMD (HR 1.07, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.11) and CMM (HR 1.24, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.36) in stage I, and CMM in stage II (HR 1.14, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.23). Compared with those with the least loneliness, those who with most loneliness had about 20% increased risk of CMD and 29% increased risk of CMM in stage I. Those with the most loneliness were also significantly associated with increased CMM risk (HR 1.30, 95% CI 1.19 to 1.42) in stage II. This study revealed the associations of social isolation/loneliness with CMD and CMM.

Abstract The celiac ganglion (CG) is associated with the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and plays an important role in the pathogenesis of hypertension. The characteristics of the CG in patients with hypertension remain unknown. The aim of our study was to explore the differences in celiac ganglia (CGs) characteristics between hypertensive and non‐hypertensive populations using computed tomography (CT). CGs manifestations on multidetector row CT in 1003 patients with and without hypertension were retrospectively analyzed. The morphological characteristics and CT values of the left CGs were recorded. The CT values of the ipsilateral adrenal gland (AG) and crus of the diaphragm (CD) were also measured. The left CG was located between the left AG and CD, and most CGs were long strips. The frequency of visualization of the left CGs was higher in the hypertension group than in the non‐hypertension group (p .05). Except for the left CG in the arterial phase, the CT values of the left CG and AG in the non‐hypertensive group were higher than those in the hypertension group (p

Abstract Cancer or endothelial cells preferably catabolize glucose through aerobic glycolysis rather than oxidative phosphorylation. Intracellular ionic signaling has been shown to regulate glucose metabolism, but the underlying ion channel has yet to be identified. RNA-seq, metabolomics and genetic assay revealed that the TRPM7 channel regulated cellular glycolysis. Deletion of TRPM7 suppressed cancer cell glycolysis and reduced the xenograft tumor burden. Deficiency of endothelial TRPM7 inhibited postnatal retinal angiogenesis in mice. Mechanistically, TRPM7 transcriptionally regulated the solute carrier family 2 member 3 (SLC2A3, also known as GLUT3) via Ca2+ influx-induced calcineurin activation. Furthermore, CREB-regulated transcription coactivator 2 (CRTC2) and CREB act downstream of calcineurin to relay Ca2+ signal to SLC2A3 transcription. Expression of the constitutively active CRTC2 or CREB in TRPM7 knockout cell normalized glycolytic metabolism and cell growth. The TRPM7 channel represents a novel regulator of glycolytic reprogramming. Inhibition of the TRPM7-dependent glycolysis could be harnessed for cancer therapy.

Abstract Background Cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM) is becoming increasingly common in patients with hypertension, and it is well established that healthy lifestyle plays a key role in the prevention of hypertension. However, the association between combined lifestyle factors and CMM in patients with hypertension is uncertain. Methods This prospective analysis included the data (obtained from the UK biobank) of participants with hypertension who did not have coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, or diabetes. The outcome was the occurrence of CMM, defined as ≥ 1 disease of CHD, stroke, and diabetes that occurred in participants with hypertension. Four lifestyle factors (smoking, alcohol consumption, diet, and physical activity) were assessed using a weighted healthy lifestyle score, and participants were divided into four groups: the very unhealthy, unhealthy, healthy, and very healthy groups. The flexible parameter Royston-Parmar proportional hazard model was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) between lifestyles and CMM, as well as the difference in CMM-free life expectancy. Results During a median follow-up of 12.2 years, 9812 (18.4%) of the 53,397 hypertensive patients occurred CMM. Compared with the very unhealthy group, the very healthy group had a 41% reduction in the risk for CMM in hypertensive patients and a 32–50% reduction in the risk for specific cardiometabolic diseases such as CHD, stroke, and diabetes. For each lifestyle factor, non-smoking had the greatest protective effect against CMM (HR: 0.64, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.60–0.68). A lifestyle combining multiple healthy factors extended CMM-free life expectancy (e.g., six years longer at age 45 years for participants in the very healthy group). Conclusions Combined healthy lifestyle factors were associated with a lower risk for CMM in hypertensive patients. This suggests that combined healthy lifestyle should be supported to decrease disease burden.

The aboveground carbon sequestration rate (ACSR) of forests serves as an indicator of their carbon sequestration capacity over time, providing insights into the potential carbon sequestration capacity of forest ecosystems. To explore the long-term Spatiotemporal variation of ACSR in the transitional ecotone of the eastern Tibetan Plateau under climate change scenarios, we utilized a forest landscape model that was parameterized with forest inventory data from the eastern Tibetan Plateau to simulate this ecological function changes. The study found that climate warming had significant effect on forests ACSR in different types of forests. ACSR was significantly reduced (p

Abstract Background Although the association between beverages and a single cardiometabolic disease has been well studied, their role in disease progression from the single cardiometabolic disease state to cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM) state remains unclear. This study examined the associations between three types of beverages: sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs), and pure fruit/vegetable juices, and the incidence of CMM in patients with a single cardiometabolic disease. Methods Our analysis included 37,994 participants from the UK Biobank who completed at least one dietary questionnaire and were diagnosed with only one cardiometabolic disease at the time of recruitment. Competing risk models were used to examine the association between the three types of beverages and incidence of CMM. We conducted analysis both in patients with any single cardiometabolic disease and in patients with specific cardiometabolic disease. Results During a median follow-up of 9.1 years (interquartile range [IQR] 9.0–9.8), a total of 6399 participants developed CMM. The consumption of SSBs and ASBs (>1 serving per day) was associated with a higher risk of CMM (SSBs: hazard ratio [HR] 1.19, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.08–1.31; ASBs: HR 1.15, 95% CI 1.04–1.27). Intake of pure fruit/vegetable juices was inversely associated with the incidence of CMM (0–1 serving per day: HR 0.90, 95% CI 0.85–0.94; >1 serving per day: HR 0.90, 95% CI 0.81–0.99). However, the association of the high-level consumption of pure fruit/vegetable juices (>1 serving per day) was not statistically significant after correcting for multiple testing. In the analysis of patients with specific cardiometabolic diseases, positive associations were observed in patients with hypertension for SSBs consumption, while inverse associations persisted in patients with cardiovascular disease (coronary heart disease or stroke) and in hypertensive patients for pure fruit/vegetable juice consumption. Conclusions Consuming >1 serving of SSBs and ASBs per day was associated with a higher risk of CMM in patients with a single cardiometabolic disease. In contrast, intake of pure fruit/vegetable juices was inversely associated with the risk of CMM. Our findings highlight the need to limit the use of SSBs and ASBs in patients with a single cardiometabolic disease.

Summary: Understanding development of the cerebral vasculature is essential for the central nervous system (CNS) research and therapeutic developments. Here, we developed a simple, convenient, and fast method—the flattened cortex whole mount (FCWM) technique—for imaging of pial cerebral vessels. FCWM involves dissection of the whole cerebral cortex followed by flattening, sectioning and application of CLARITY technology. Compared to conventional methods, FCWM offers several advantages including (1) high-resolution visualization of the whole cortex pial surface vessel structures and distributions; (2) precise localization of a particular blood vessel, allowing observations of a desired blood vessel during normal development or in disease settings; (3) compatibility with confocal imaging. Application of FCWM for examination of cerebral vasculature during postnatal development or in stroke settings allowed us to demonstrate that cerebral blood vessels manifest type-specific maturation and remodeling which are linked to the rate of endothelial proliferation.

Scientific layout of ecological network is a basic guarantee for regional environmental protection and ecological restoration given the influence of global ecosystem changes, which is one of the important national strategies for coordinating ecosystem protection and economic development in China. We adopt a method involving ecosystem services and landscape connectivity to identify ecological source area. Furthermore, the method also can identify key ecological elements such as ecological corridors and ecological nodes based on the minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model and gravity model to optimize the spatial pattern, formulate ecological security control area planning, and propose a development model for ecological spatial functional areas. The results reveal that (1) the high value areas of ecosystem services are mainly distributed in wetland parks, Ningxia Helan Mountain Nature Reserve, Xiangshan Grassland Nature Park and other areas; (2) the ecological network includes 19 ecological source areas with a total area of 1348.25 km2, 169 ecological corridors with a total length of 7098.75 km and 46 ecological nodes; (3) ecological network improves the rationality after the optimization, including 6 supplementary source areas with an area of 797.75 km2, 45 optimized ecological corridors with a total length of 1106.00 km and 30 ecological nodes, spatial formation of “one belt, four areas and multi-center” ecological functional area development model.

Abstract Background Imbalance between positive and negative outcomes, a so-called class imbalance, is a problem generally found in medical data. Despite various studies, class imbalance has always been a difficult issue. The main objective of this study was to find an effective integrated approach to address the problems posed by class imbalance and to validate the method in an early screening model for a rare cardiovascular disease aortic dissection (AD). Methods Different data-level methods, cost-sensitive learning, and the bagging method were combined to solve the problem of low sensitivity caused by the imbalance of two classes of data. First, feature selection was applied to select the most relevant features using statistical analysis, including significance test and logistic regression. Then, we assigned two different misclassification cost values for two classes, constructed weak classifiers based on the support vector machine (SVM) model, and integrated the weak classifiers with undersampling and bagging methods to build the final strong classifier. Due to the rarity of AD, the data imbalance was particularly prominent. Therefore, we applied our method to the construction of an early screening model for AD disease. Clinical data of 523,213 patients from the Institute of Hypertension, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University were used to verify the validity of this method. In these data, the sample ratio of AD patients to non-AD patients was 1:65, and each sample contained 71 features. Results The proposed ensemble model achieved the highest sensitivity of 82.8%, with training time and specificity reaching 56.4 s and 71.9% respectively. Additionally, it obtained a small variance of sensitivity of 19.58 × 10–3 in the seven-fold cross validation experiment. The results outperformed the common ensemble algorithms of AdaBoost, EasyEnsemble, and Random Forest (RF) as well as the single machine learning (ML) methods of logistic regression, decision tree, k nearest neighbors (KNN), back propagation neural network (BP) and SVM. Among the five single ML algorithms, the SVM model after cost-sensitive learning method performed best with a sensitivity of 79.5% and a specificity of 73.4%. Conclusions In this study, we demonstrate that the integration of feature selection, undersampling, cost-sensitive learning and bagging methods can overcome the challenge of class imbalance in a medical dataset and develop a practical screening model for AD, which could lead to a decision support for screening for AD at an early stage.

AimsTo assess the associations of vitamin and/or nutritional supplements (VNS) with falls among patients with diabetes.Methods9,141 and 21,489 middle-aged participants with diabetes from Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) trial and UK Biobank were included. Use of VNS was collected at baseline, and fall events were recorded using annual questionnaires in ACCORD and electric records in UK Biobank during follow-up. The associations of VNS use with fall risk were analyzed using logistic regression models in ACCORD and Fine-Gray sub-distribution hazard models in UK Biobank. The role of specific supplements was also estimated in UK Biobank, adjusting for confounding factors and multiple comparisons.Results45.9% (4,193/9,141, 5.5 median follow-up years) patients in ACCORD and 10.5% (2,251/21,489, 11.9 median follow-up years) in UK Biobank experienced fall and in-patient events during follow-up, respectively. In ACCORD, VNS using was associated with an increased risk of fall (full-adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 1.26, P < 0.05). In UK Biobank, despite no significant association between VNS overall and in-patient fall, vitamin B, calcium, and iron using increased the risk of falls significantly (full-adjusted hazard ratio range: 1.31–1.37, P < 0.05).ConclusionsUse of specific VNS increased the risk of fall among patients with diabetes. The non-indicative use of nutritional supplements for patients with diabetes might be inadvisable.

Clarifying the relationships among regional ecosystem service values is important for ecosystem service management. However, most current studies are based on historical periods or individual time points, and there is still a lack of research on the scenario analysis of the relationship of ecosystem service values. We chose the Yinchuan Plain in northwest China as the research object. Firstly, three development scenarios of natural development, ecological protection, and economic priority were designed. Based on the CA-Markov model, a multi-scenario simulation of land use in the Yinchuan Plain is carried out. The value equivalence factor method was then used to calculate the value of ecosystem services, and the Pearson correlation coefficient method was used to analyze the trade-offs and synergistic relationships between the values of different ecosystem services. Finally, K-Mean cluster analysis and stable metaphorical change trajectory method were used to identify ecosystem service bundle and their evolution trajectories. We found that the ecosystem service value of Yinchuan Plain shows an upward trend under the ecological protection scenario, and the rest of the scenarios and historical periods show a downward trend to varying degrees, and the ecosystem service value declines the most under the economic priority scenario. The dominant cluster is based on food production, and this service bundle is the main function throughout the year. Combining different landscape types, we synthesized the trade-offs and synergies between ecosystem service bundles and various ecosystem services values in different scenarios to formulate management strategies for future ecosystem services in different landscape partitions.

Background Although the association between shift work and individual cardiometabolic diseases has been well studied, its role in the progression to cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM) remains unclear. In this study, we investigate the association between shift work and the incidence of CMM in patients with hypertension. Methods and Results This study is a population‐based and prospective cohort study on 36 939 UK Biobank participants. We used competing risk models to examine the association between shift work and the risk of CMM, which was defined as coexistence of hypertension and diabetes, coronary heart disease, or stroke in our study. We also investigated the association between the frequency and duration of shift work and CMM risks. In addition, we conducted a cross‐classification analysis with the combination of frequency and duration of shift work, chronotype and sleep duration as the exposure metrics. During a median follow‐up of 11.6 years, a total of 5935 participants developed CMM. We found that usually/always night shift workers were associated with a 16% higher risk of CMM compared with day workers (hazard ratio [HR], 1.16 [95% CI, 1.02–1.31]). We also found that a higher frequency of night shifts (>10/month) was associated with increased risk of CMM (HR, 1.19 [95% CI, 1.06–1.34]) that was more pronounced for >10/month in combination with a morning chronotype or 8 hours of sleep duration (HR, 1.26 [95% CI, 1.02–1.56]; HR, 1.43 [95% CI, 1.19–1.72], respectively). Conclusions We find that night shift work is associated with higher CMM risk in patients with hypertension.

BackgroundIndividual cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs) are associated with an increased risk of depression, but it's unclear whether having more than one CMD is associated with accumulative effects on depression. We aimed to assess the associations between CMDs and depression and determine the accumulative extent.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study based on UK Biobank, participants with available information on CMDs and depression were enrolled. The history of CMDs was derived from self-reported medical history and electrical health-related records. Depression status was assessed by the aggregation of self-reported history and antidepressant use, depression (Smith), and hospital inpatient diagnoses. Logistic regression models were fitted to assess the association between the number or specific patterns of CMDs and depression and to test the accumulative effect of CMD number, adjusting for confounding factors.Results391,083 participants were enrolled in our analyses. After multivariable adjustments, CMDs of different number or patterns were associated with a higher risk of depression compared with the reference group (all P < 0.001). In the full-adjusted model, participants with one [odds ratio (OR) 1.26, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.23–1.29], two (OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.44–1.56), and three or more (OR 2.13, 95% CI 1.97–2.30) CMD(s) had an increased risk of depression. A significant, accumulative dose-related relationship between the number of CMDs and depression was observed (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.24–1.27). The dose-dependent accumulative relationship was consistent in stratified analyses and sensitivity analyses.ConclusionsCMDs were associated with a higher risk of depression, and there was an accumulative relationship between CMD number and depression.

BackgroundProphylactic exercise improves clinical outcomes in patients experiencing severe ischemic diseases. Previous studies have shown that exercise could alter the amount or content of circulating exosomes. However, little is known about the role of precursory exercise-derived circulating exosomes (Exe-Exo) in ischemic diseases. We therefore aimed to explore the function and mechanism of Exe-Exo in endogenous revascularization and perfusion recovery in peripheral arterial disease.Methods and ResultsWe first determined that 4 weeks of precursory treadmill exercise improved perfusion recovery on days 7, 14 and 21 after unilateral femoral artery ligation (FAL) but had no effect immediately after ligation. Then, local muscle delivery of Exe-Exo promotes arteriogenesis, angiogenesis and perfusion recovery, which could be abolished by GW4869, a well-recognized pharmacological agent inhibiting exosome release. This suggests that Exe-Exo mediated exercise-induced revascularization. In vitro, Exe-Exo enhanced endothelial cell proliferation, migration and tube formation. In addition, we identified miR-125a-5p as a novel exerkine through exosomal miRNA sequencing and RT-qPCR validation. Inhibition of miR-125a-5p abrogated the beneficial effects of Exe-Exo both in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, these exercise-afforded benefits were attributed to the exosomal miR-125a-5p downregulation of ECE1 expression and the subsequent activation of the AKT/eNOS downstream signaling pathway. Specifically, skeletal muscle may be a major tissue source of exercise-induced exosomal miR-125a-5p via fluorescence in situ hybridization.ConclusionsEndogenous circulating exosomal miR-125a-5p promotes exercise-induced revascularization via targeting ECE1 and activating AKT/eNOS downstream signaling pathway. Identify exosomal miR-125a-5p as a novel exerkine, and highlight its potential therapeutic role in the prevention and treatment of peripheral arterial disease.

BackgroundThe prevalence of cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM), which significantly increases the risk of mortality, is increasing globally. However, the role of healthy lifestyle in the secondary prevention of CMM is unclear.MethodsIn total, 290,795 participants with CMM, which was defined as coexistence of at least two of hypertension (HTN), diabetes mellitus (DM), coronary heart disease (CHD), and stroke (ST), and those without these four diseases at baseline were derived from UK Biobank. The associations between specific CMM patterns and mortality, and that between healthy lifestyle (including physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption, and vegetable and fruit consumption) and mortality in patients with specific CMM patterns were calculated using the flexible parametric Royston-Parmar proportion-hazard model. Hazard ratios (HRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated.ResultsDuring a median 12.3-year follow up period, 15,537 (5.3%) deaths occurred. Compared with participants without cardiometabolic diseases, the HRs for all-cause mortality were 1.54 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.30, 1.82] in participants with HTN + DM, 1.84 (95% CI: 1.59, 2.12) in those with HTN + CHD, 1.89 (95% CI: 1.46, 2.45) in those with HTN + ST, and 2.89 (95% CI: 2.28, 3.67) in those with HTN + DM + CHD. At the age of 45 years, non-current smoking was associated with an increase in life expectancy by 3.72, 6.95, 6.75, and 4.86 years for participants with HTN + DM, HTN + CHD, HTN + ST, and HTN + DM + CHD, respectively. A corresponding increase by 2.03, 1.95, 2.99, and 1.88 years, respectively, was observed in participants with regular physical activity. Non-/moderate alcohol consumption and adequate fruit/vegetable consumption were not significantly associated with life expectancy in patients with specific CMM patterns.ConclusionCardiometabolic multimorbidity was associated with an increased risk of mortality. Regular physical activity and non-current smoking can increase life expectancy in patients with specific CMM patterns.

Abstract The controllable construction of two-dimensional (2D) metal–organic framework (MOF) nanosheets with favorable electrochemical performances is greatly challenging for energy storage. Here, we design an in situ induced growth strategy to construct the ultrathin carboxylated carbon nanotubes (C-CNTs) interpenetrated nickel MOF (Ni-MOF/C-CNTs) nanosheets. The deliberate thickness and specific surface area of novel 2D hybrid nanosheets can be effectively tuned via finely controlling C-CNTs involvement. Due to the unique microstructure, the integrated 2D hybrid nanosheets are endowed with plentiful electroactive sites to promote the electrochemical performances greatly. The prepared Ni-MOF/C-CNTs nanosheets exhibit superior specific capacity of 680 C g−1 at 1 A g−1 and good capacity retention. The assembled hybrid device demonstrated the maximum energy density of 44.4 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 440 W kg−1. Our novel strategy to construct ultrathin 2D MOF with unique properties can be extended to synthesize various MOF-based functional materials for diverse applications.

As the requirements of aerospace technology become more rigorous, the performance of solid rocket motor (SRM) cases needs to be further optimized. In the present study, a co-curing technique was used to fabricate carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP)/ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) composites whereby the properties of CFRP/EPDM composites were adjusted by varying the temperature, heating time and type of vulcanizing agent to obtain the optimum manufacturing process. The results of crosslink density (3.459 × 10−4 mol/cm3) tested by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), a 90° peel strength test (2.342 N/mm), and an interlaminar shear test (ILSS = 82.08 MPa) demonstrated that the optimum mechanical properties of composites were obtained under the temperature 160 °C heated for 20 min with the curing agent DCP/S. The interfacial phase and bonding mechanism of composites were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) further indicated that EPDM/DCP/S had favorable thermal stability. This will provide valuable recommendations for the optimization of the SRM shell preparation process.

Aortic dissection (AD), a dangerous disease threatening to human beings, has a hidden onset and rapid progression and has few effective methods in its early diagnosis. At present, although CT angiography acts as the gold standard on AD diagnosis, it is so expensive and time-consuming that it can hardly offer practical help to patients. Meanwhile, the artificial intelligence technology may provide a cheap but effective approach to building an auxiliary diagnosis model for improving the early AD diagnosis rate by taking advantage of the data of the general conditions of AD patients, such as the data about the basic inspection information. Therefore, this study proposes to hybrid five types of machine learning operators into an integrated diagnosis model, as an auxiliary diagnostic approach, to cooperate with the AD-clinical analysis. To improve the diagnose accuracy, the participating rate of each operator in the proposed model may adjust adaptively according to the result of the data learning. After a set of experimental evaluations, the proposed model, acting as the preliminary AD-discriminant, has reached an accuracy of over 80%, which provides a promising instance for medical colleagues.

Abstract Background Several studies on the growth rates of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in Chinese population have been conducted; however, this issue remains unclear. The aim of this study is to systematically review published data of the AAA growth rates among people in China. Methods We conducted a comprehensive search of multiple databases to identify all studies of AAA growth in the Chinese population from inception until June 2017. AAA growth rates were combined to yield the growth rates at specified aneurysm diameter ranges, with using a random-effects model or fixed-effects model according to heterogeneity. Results A total of 8257 studies were initially identified and only 4 studies were eventually included. A random-effects analysis showed that the growth rates of AAA in Chinses population is ranging from 0.18 cm/year to 0.75 cm/year. The pooled mean growth rates among individuals with aneurysm measuring 3.0–3.9 cm, 4.0–5.9 cm and ≧ 6.0 cm in diameter were 0.21 cm/year (95% CI: 0.19 cm/year to 0.23 cm/year), 0.38 cm/year (95% CI: 0.33 cm/year to 0.43 cm/year), and 0.71 cm/year (95% CI: 0.64 cm/year to 0.77 cm/year) respectively. Further analysis found that the pooled mean growth rates for individuals with small AAA (diameters measuring 3.0–4.9 cm) was 0.28 cm/year (95% CI: − 0.06 cm/year to 0.61 cm/year)`and for individuals with large AAA (diameters ≥5.0 cm) was 0.75 cm/year (95% CI: 0.20 cm/year to 1.3 cm/year). Finally, meta-regression showed a strong trend of linear relationship between AAA growth rate and aneurysm diameter. Conclusions The growth rates of AAA in the Chinese population increase with AAA enlargement and appear to range from 0.18 cm/year in the smallest AAAs to 0.75 cm/year when the diameter exceeds 6 cm. However, based on current studies, it is difficult to estimate the accurate average AAA growth rate in Chinese patients. More large-scale, high-quality studies are required to achieve that. Overall, AAA growth rate increase with increased aneurysm diameter.

The optical properties of PET have always been a problem that related research has been trying to break through. In the previous work, we modified PET by adding PSLDH (phosphate antioxidant) to obtain a PET film with excellent optical properties. Through non-isothermal crystallization kinetic analysis of modified PET, we hope to verify the conclusion of optical properties by the effect of PSLDH addition on the crystallization properties of PET. PET and PSLDH modified PET were tested by DSC at different cooling rates. The non-isothermal crystallization kinetic process was calculated and analyzed by Jeziorny and Mo methods and the non-isothermal crystallization activation energy was analyzed by Kissinger and Friedman methods by analyzing the DSC curves. The results show that the addition of PSLDH at 0.05 wt% can make the crystallization of PET smaller and slower, which is the same as the case required for excellent optical properties. At the same time, the results can also guide the processing of the optical PET film.

Urban growth boundaries (UGBs) are seen as an effective tool to control urban sprawl and promote sustainable urban development. Existing methodologies related to urban boundary delineation focus mainly on increasing land intensification and compact urban development. However, it is not sufficient to focus on optimal urban development, especially in China. The delineation of UGBs should not only take into account the heterogeneity of regional natural resources but also further reconcile urban–ecological conflict. Therefore, this paper proposes a new framework for delineating UGBs in an ecologically sustainable manner. This study first uses the remote sensing ecological index (RSEI) and ecological sensitivity as a basis for ecological constraints (EC). Both the background state of the regional ecology and ecological stress from human activities are considered to be constraints on urban sprawl. These ecological constraints are then combined with a CA-Markov model to simulate future urban development. The framework is applied to the Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, an ecologically fragile region in China, where UGB delineation can be used not only to reconcile ecological and land-use planning conflict but also to ensure sustainable resource development in individual zoning districts. The results suggest that a plan that only considers urban development may have a negative impact on the conservation of natural resources and ecological sustainability. The delineation of UGBs based on the proposed EC-CA-Markov model will thus help guide sustainable urban development. The conceptual and methodological advances in this study are applicable to other ecologically fragile cities and can help in the delineation of UGBs.

In order to investigate an influence of the B:Zn:H2O molar ratio on the fire protection efficiency of poly(vinyl acetate)-based thermoplastic intumescent coating materials (ICs), systems containing ammonium polyphosphate, melamine, pentaerythritol and different types of zinc borates (ZBs) were tested in a vertical position in quasi-real fire conditions. 3ZnO·2B2O3·6H2O (ZB6), 2ZnO·3B2O3·3.5H2O (ZB3.5) or 3ZnO·2B2O3 (ZB0) were added in amounts of 1–10 wt. parts/100 wt. parts of the other coating components mixture. Char formation processes and thermal insulation features were investigated using an open-flame furnace heated according to the cellulosic fire curve. Thermogravimetric features (DTG), chemical structures (FTIR) and mechanical strength of the ICs and the chars were analyzed as well. It was revealed that the type and dose of the ZBs significantly affect thermal insulation time (TIT) (up to 450 °C of a steel substrate) and sagging (SI) of the fire-heated coatings as well as the compressive strength of the created chars. The highest TIT value (+89%) was noted for the sample with 2.5 wt. parts of ZB3.5 while the lowest SI (−65%) was observed for the coatings containing 10 wt. parts of the hydrated borates (i.e., ZB3.5 or ZB6). The best mechanical strength was registered for the sample filled with the anhydrous modifier (3 wt. parts of ZB0). The presented results show that the ICs with the proper ZBs can be used for effective fire protection of vertically positioned steel elements.

Preparation of recording coating on inkjet printing (RC-IJP) media was proposed. The microstructure and roughness of RC-IJP was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM). The surface infiltration process of RC-IJP was studied by a liquid infiltration instrument. The distribution of C, O and Si composites on recording coating surface is analyzed by energy dispersive spectrum (EDS). The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis showed that the nanoscale silica could be dissolved uniformly in water. Finally, the print color is shown clearly by the preparative recording coating.

Water--energy sustainability will depend upon the rapid development of advanced pressure-driven separation membranes. Although energy-efficient, water-treatment membranes are constrained by ubiquitous fouling, which may be alleviated by engineering self-cleaning membrane interfaces. In this study, a metal-polyphenol network was designed to direct the armorization of catalytic nanofilms (ca. 18 nm) on inert polymeric membranes. The chelation-directed mineralized coating exhibits high polarity, super-hydrophilicity, and ultralow adhesion to crude oil, enabling cyclable crude oil-in-water emulsion separation. The in-place flux recovery rate exceeded 99.9%, alleviating the need for traditional ex situ cleaning. The chelation-directed nanoarmored membrane exhibited 48-fold and 6.8-fold figures of merit for in-place self-cleaning regeneration compared to the control membrane and simple hydraulic cleaning, respectively. Precursor interaction mechanisms were identified by density functional theory calculations. Chelation-directed armorization offers promise for sustainable applications in catalysis, biomedicine, environmental remediation, and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]