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The presence of convex corners will affect the earth pressure calculation, but there is a paucity of studies on calculating the ground pressure of convex corners in excavation engineering. To address this issue, equilateral convex corners are divided into two types according to the relative relationship between the side length size of equilateral convex corners and the excavation depth, and their respective earth pressure calculation model is established. The microelement static equilibrium equation is set by the horizontal layer analysis method, and then the equations for calculating active earth pressure strength, active earth pressure, and active earth pressure acting points on the equilateral convex corners are derived. The example analysis and comparative Plaxis three-dimensional (3D) finite-element verification show that the friction angle in the soil is an important factor in distinguishing between two kinds of equilateral convex corners, and the active earth pressure strength, the active earth pressure, and the acting point will be affected by the side length and rotation angle, where the influence of the side length on the active earth pressure strength is relatively small. The active earth pressure may show a variety of different variation laws affected by soil parameters. The acting point will move in both directions of the plane with the change of side length and rotation angle. The theoretical calculations of active earth pressure agree with the results of three-dimensional simulations, which may explain the rationality and practicality of the theoretical method in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Conditional survival (CS) takes into consideration the duration of survival post-surgery and can provide valuable additional insights. The aim of this study was to investigate the risk factors associated with reduced one-year postoperative conditional survival in patients diagnosed with stage III T3–T4 colon cancer and real-time prognosis prediction. Furthermore, we aim to develop pertinent nomograms and predictive models. Methods: Clinical data and survival outcomes of patients diagnosed with stage III T3–T4 colon cancer were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, covering the period from 2010 to 2019. Patients were divided into training and validation cohorts at a ratio of 7:3. The training set consisted of a total of 11,386 patients for conditional overall survival (cOS) and 11,800 patients for conditional cancer-specific survival (cCSS), while the validation set comprised 4876 patients for cOS and 5055 patients for cCSS. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were employed to identify independent risk factors influencing one-year postoperative cOS and cCSS. Subsequently, predictive nomograms for cOS and cCSS at 2-year, 3-year, 4-year, and 5-year intervals were constructed based on the identified prognostic factors. The performance of these nomograms was rigorously assessed through metrics including the concordance index (C-index), calibration curves, and the area under curve (AUC) derived from the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Clinical utility was further evaluated using decision curve analysis (DCA). Results: A total of 18,190 patients diagnosed with stage III T3–T4 colon cancer were included in this study. Independent risk factors for one-year postoperative cOS and cCSS included age, pT stage, pN stage, pretreatment carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels, receipt of chemotherapy, perineural invasion (PNI), presence of tumor deposits, the number of harvested lymph nodes, and marital status. Sex and tumor site were significantly associated with one-year postoperative cOS, while radiation therapy was notably associated with one-year postoperative cCSS. In the training cohort, the developed nomogram demonstrated a C-index of 0.701 (95% CI, 0.711–0.691) for predicting one-year postoperative cOS and 0.701 (95% CI, 0.713–0.689) for one-year postoperative cCSS. Following validation, the C-index remained robust at 0.707 (95% CI, 0.721–0.693) for one-year postoperative cOS and 0.700 (95% CI, 0.716–0.684) for one-year postoperative cCSS. ROC and calibration curves provided evidence of the model's stability and reliability. Furthermore, DCA underscored the nomogram's superior clinical utility. Conclusions: Our study developed nomograms and predictive models for postoperative stage III survival in T3–T4 colon cancer with the aim of accurately estimating conditional survival. Survival bias in our analyses may lead to overestimation of survival outcomes, which may limit the applicability of our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: During the detection of volatile organic compounds (VOC) using high‐field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS), the ambient temperature significantly impacts the accuracy of planar FAIMS. To mitigate the influence of ambient temperature on detection accuracy and enhance resolution, a FAIMS system based on the inner impedance characteristics of a printed circuit board (PCB) was designed for temperature control. Methods: This study, conducted under standard atmospheric pressure, aimed to assess the signal stability of a planar FAIMS instrument with and without temperature control, and the effect of temperature change on the detection ability of acetone, ethanol, and their mixture was studied using PCB self‐heating. Results: Experimental results demonstrated that the base noise in FAIMS with temperature control was 0.2 pA, whereas that in FAIMS without temperature control was 1.8 pA. Notably, with increasing temperature, the detection ability of FAIMS changes accordingly. The optimal relative detection ability of acetone was observed when the electrode plate was heated to 45°C under an electric field of 15 kV/cm. Conclusions: This study provides a novel approach to improve the resolving power of FAIMS systems and their signal‐to‐noise ratio. The utilization of a PCB‐based temperature control proved effective in stabilizing FAIMS signal characteristics and optimizing detection capabilities, particularly for VOCs such as acetone. These findings have significant implications for improving the accuracy and resolving power of FAIMS systems in VOC detection applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of reliability engineering, covariate information shared among product units within a specific group (e.g., a manufacturing batch, an operating region), such as operating conditions and design settings, exerts substantial influence on product lifetime prediction. The covariates shared within each group may be missing due to sensing limitations and data privacy issues. The missing covariates shared within the same group commonly encompass a variety of attribute types, such as discrete types, continuous types, or mixed types. Existing studies have mainly considered single-type missing covariates at the individual level, and they have failed to thoroughly investigate the influence of multi-type group-shared missing covariates. Ignoring the multi-type group-shared missing covariates may result in biased estimates and inaccurate predictions of product lifetime, subsequently leading to suboptimal maintenance decisions with increased costs. To account for the influence of the group-shared missing covariates with different structures, a new flexible lifetime model with multi-type group-shared latent heterogeneity is proposed. We further develop a Bayesian estimation algorithm with data augmentation that jointly quantifies the influence of both observed and multi-type group-shared missing covariates on lifetime prediction. A tripartite method is then developed to examine the existence, identify the correct type, and quantify the influence of group-shared missing covariates. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, a comprehensive simulation study is carried out. A real case study involving tensile testing of molding material units is conducted to validate the proposed approach and demonstrate its practical applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, dispersion properties of guided waves in multilayer composite cylindrical shells are studied, which is composed of the inner and outer hybrid nanocomposite (MHC) layers and the middle composite core layer reinforced with shape memory alloy (SMA) fibers. According to the Hamiltonian principle and the thermoelastic theory, wave equations of the composite structure at different ambient temperatures are derived and discretized with spectral elements. By combing the thermal effects and the acoustoelastic effects, the modified semi-analytical finite element method is proposed here for the thermo-acoustoelastic effects of wave characteristics in laminated composite shells. The influence of important parameters on the dispersion characteristics of the structure is explored. The results show that the coupling of SMA fiber reinforced composite layer and MHC layers can significantly improve wave propagation characteristics of the composite cylindrical shells. The frequency of modal conversion increases with the increase of CNT volume fraction. Smaller radius-to-thickness ratios are favorable for internal wave propagation in the structure. This work is of great significance for the regulation of elastic wave propagation in multilayered cylindrical shell structures, and provides a valuable guide for the design and optimization of shell structures in engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trace elements within the brain are important for proper neurological function, but their imbalance has been rarely investigated in glioblastoma. This study enrolled a total of 14 patients with glioblastoma, and the tumor and peritumoral brain tissues were collected while undergoing surgery. The concentrations of Mg, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Se, As, Cd, Tl and Pb were determined using a well-evaluated ICP-MS method. The Cu- and Cd-binding proteomes were further analyzed using the anatomic transcriptional atlas from Ivy GAP. Histological evaluation was based on rubeanic acid staining and immunohistochemistry, respectively. The 13 trace element concentrations were obtained, and the highest were Ca, Mn, Fe, Zn and Cu, ranging from a few to dozens of ug/g. Correlation analysis suggested the existence of two intra-correlated clusters: essential metals (Cu–Ca–Zn–Mg) and heavy metals (Pb–As–Cd–Tl–Co–Cr–Mn). Compared to the tumor samples, significantly higher levels of Cu and Cd were observed in the peritumoral region. Further analysis of the Cu- and Cd-binding proteins from the anatomic view suggested that DBH and NOS1 were obviously increased in the leading edge than the central tumor region. Consistent with the above findings, histological evaluation of Cu and DBH further confirmed more copper and DBH expressions in the peritumoral area compared to the tumor core. Trace elements differ in tumor and peritumoral brain zone in glioblastoma, which may associate with tumor angiogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The dual S-scheme Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 /Bi 2 WO 6 /C 3 N 4 heterojunction with interlaced lattice was constructed. • Efficient removal of ciprofloxacin was achieved in Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 /Bi 2 WO 6 /C 3 N 4 heterojunction. • The fully blossomed flower-like structure promoted light harvesting and charge transfer. • The role of the interlaced lattice interface in the charge transfer mechanism was revealed. The internal electric field induced by the lattice interfaces in a heterojunction can facilitate charge transfer, thereby improving the photocatalytic performance. However, the details of the relationship between the lattice interfaces and the charge transfer mechanism in heterojunctions remain unclear. In this study, a Bi 2 WO 6 /Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 /C 3 N 4 heterojunction (BBC) with an interlaced lattice was prepared, and the role of the interlaced lattice in charge transfer was revealed. Compared to pristine Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 , Bi 2 WO 6, and C 3 N 4 , BBC exhibited an increased ciprofloxacin degradation rate constant (0.0573 min−1). A series of experiments were performed to reveal the role of the interlaced lattice interface in the enhanced photocatalytic performance. The results show that the driving force provided by the interlaced lattice interface changes the charge transfer mechanism from a dual Ⅱ-scheme to a dual S-scheme. This work provides profound insights into the effects of lattice interfaces in heterojunctions and the design of efficient photocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-component droplet evaporation has received significant attention in recent years due to the broad range of applications such as material science, environmental monitoring, and pharmaceuticals. The selective evaporation induced by the different physicochemical properties of components is expected to influence the concentration distributions and the separation of mixtures, thereby leading to rich interfacial phenomena and phase interactions. A ternary mixture system containing hexadecane, ethanol, and diethyl ether is investigated in this study. The diethyl ether exhibits both surfactant-like and co-solvent properties. Systematic experiments were performed using acoustic levitation technique to achieve a contact-less evaporation condition. The evaporation dynamics and temperature information are acquired in the experiments, using high-speed photography and infrared thermography technologies. Three distinct stages, namely, 'Ouzo state', 'Janus state', and 'Encapsulating state', are identified for the evaporating ternary droplet in acoustic levitation. A self-sustaining periodic freezing & melting evaporation mode is reported. A theoretical model is developed to characterize the multi-stage evaporating behaviors. We demonstrate the capability to tune the evaporating behaviors by varying the initial droplet composition. This work provides a deeper understanding of the interfacial dynamics and phase transitions involved in multi-component droplets and proposes novel strategies for the design and control of droplet-based systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Copper and copper-binding proteins are key components of tumor progression as they play important roles in tumor invasion and migration, but their associations in gliomas remain unclear. Methods: Transcriptomic datasets of glioblastoma, low-grade glioma, and normal brain cortex were derived from the TCGA and GTEX databases. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of copper-binding proteins were screened and used to construct a prognostic model based on COX and LASSO regression, which was further validated by the CGGA datasets. The expressions of risk-model genes were selectively confirmed via anatomic feature-based expression analysis and immunohistochemistry. The risk score was stratified by age, gender, WHO grade, IDH1 mutation, MGMT promoter methylation, and 1p/19q codeletion status, and a nomogram was constructed and validated. Results: A total of 21 DEGs of copper-binding proteins were identified and a six-gene risk-score model was constructed, consisting of ANG, F5, IL1A, LOXL1, LOXL2, and STEAP3, which accurately predicted 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates, with the AUC values of 0.87, 0.88, and 0.82, respectively. The high-risk group had a significantly shorter OS (p < 0.0001) and was associated with old age, wild-type IDH1, a high WHO grade, an unmethylated MGMT promoter, and 1p/19q non-codeletion and had higher levels of immune cell infiltration, cancer-immunity suppressor, and immune checkpoint gene expression as well as a higher TMB. Conclusions: The model based on the genes of copper-binding proteins could contribute to prognosis prediction and provide potential targets against gliomas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a novel method to model shapes using a small set of discrete equivalence classes of planar quads. Unlike previous modular modeling methods that only optimize vertex positions of an input quad mesh without modifying the mesh connectivity, we first generate a quadrilateral mesh considering the equivalence requirement and then optimize the geometry to be modular. Our meshing approach is field-driven, and the key is to transform the requirements of the quad mesh into those of the field. Specifically, the frame field is required to belong to a small set of discrete equivalence classes while being smooth, integrable, and nearly conjugate. After alternately optimizing the requirements to obtain the desired field, we use it to generate a quad mesh, which is further improved to be modeled with a small set of template planar quads. We demonstrate the practicability and effectiveness of our algorithm over various examples. [Display omitted] • A novel alternating method to design frame fields for modular quad modeling problems. • We innovatively use the difference between parallelograms under a rigid transformation as the error between frames. • After using the generated field to generate a quad mesh, we improve the mesh to be modeled with a small set of template planar quads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) is a developing technique and its efficacy and modality of application in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are still controversial. This network meta-analysis aims to determine whether the efficacy and safety of SIRT alone and in combination are superior to that of sorafenib. Methods: Four databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science) were searched before August 2022. Cochrane Randomized Trial Risk of Bias Assessment Tool and the Newcastle–Ottawa scale were used to assess the quality. The outcomes of interest included overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and adverse events (AEs). Results: A total of 9 eligible trials involving 1954 patients were included, and SIRT ranked first among the three treatment modalities in terms of both OS (probability, 52.3%) and PFS (probability, 68.6%). The combination of SIRT and sorafenib did not improve OS or PFS in patients with HCC. Although the combination of SIRT and sorafenib did not raise the risk of grade 3 or higher AEs, it may have introduced more AEs than either alone. Conclusions: SIRT alone was found to be superior to sorafenib and the combination of the two in improving OS or PFS in patients with non-surgical HCC, especially in patients with combined portal vein tumor thrombus. The AEs induced by SIRT were different from those of sorafenib, but the overall toxicity was manageable, the combination of the two may cause an increase in the types of AEs that occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Total-body PET imaging with ultra-high sensitivity makes high-temporal-resolution framing protocols possible for the first time, which allows to capture rapid tracer dynamic changes. However, whether protocols with higher number of temporal frames can justify the efficacy with substantially added computation burden for clinical application remains unclear. We have developed a kinetic modeling software package (uKinetics) with the advantage of practical, fast, and automatic workflow for dynamic total-body studies. The aim of this work is to verify the uKinetics with PMOD and to perform framing protocol optimization for the oncological Patlak parametric imaging. Methods: Six different protocols with 100, 61, 48, 29, 19 and 12 temporal frames were applied to analyze 60-min dynamic 18F-FDG PET scans of 10 patients, respectively. Voxel-based Patlak analysis coupled with automatically extracted image-derived input function was applied to generate parametric images. Normal tissues and lesions were segmented manually or automatically to perform correlation analysis and Bland–Altman plots. Different protocols were compared with the protocol of 100 frames as reference. Results: Minor differences were found between uKinetics and PMOD in the Patlak parametric imaging. Compared with the protocol with 100 frames, the relative difference of the input function and quantitative kinetic parameters remained low for protocols with at least 29 frames, but increased for the protocols with 19 and 12 frames. Significant difference of lesion Ki values was found between the protocols with 100 frames and 12 frames. Conclusion: uKinetics was proved providing equivalent oncological Patlak parametric imaging comparing to PMOD. Minor differences were found between protocols with 100 and 29 frames, which indicated that 29-frame protocol is sufficient and efficient for the oncological 18F-FDG Patlak applications, and the protocols with more frames are not needed. The protocol with 19 frames yielded acceptable results, while that with 12 frames is not recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-way shape memory effects (2 W-SMEs) have been recently demonstrated in several semicrystalline networks, the underlying mechanism of which is revealed as crystallization induced elongation (CIE) and melting induced contraction (MIC). In this article, a one-dimensional physically based constitutive model, considering the crystallization micro-mechanism at chain-scale, is proposed to describe the CIE and MIC phenomena, as well as the stress-strain-temperature relations of semicrystalline polymers in typical two-way shape memory cycles. The overall model is implemented into Mathematica and a quantitative evaluation of the model is performed by comparisons with the two-way shape memory behaviors of several kinds of semicrystalline networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, fluid viscosity effects on LSP performance in terms of boosting pressure were numerically investigated. A water–glycerin mixture with different concentrations corresponding to varying apparent viscosities was flowed through an in-house manufactured LSP under various flow conditions, e.g., changing flow rates, rotational speeds, and fluid viscosities. The pressure increment between the intake and discharge of the LSP was recorded using the differential pressure transducer. The same pump geometries, fluid properties and flow conditions were incorporated into the numerical configurations, where three-dimensional (3D), steady-state, Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations with a standard SST (shear stress transport) turbulence model were solved by a commercial CFD code. With the high-quality poly-hexcore grids, the simulated pressure increment was compared with the corresponding experimental measurement. The internal flow structures and characteristics within the cavities contained by the LSP impeller and diffuser were also analyzed. The good agreement between the numerical results against the experimental data verified the methodology adopted in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adrenal tumors, including benign cortical adenoma (BCA) and pheochromocytoma (PCC) or paraganglioma (PGL), have been more frequently detected during imaging examinations in recent years. However, the associated clinical or laboratory characteristics, especially on the Chinese population, still need to be investigated. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 491 patients pathologically diagnosed with adrenal tumors, from Jan 19, 2018 to Dec 17, 2019, at a tertiary referral hospital in Wuhan of China. Our findings including 247 (50.3%) BCA cases, and 92 (18.7) PCC/PGL cases and other cases. Both the clinical and laboratory parameters were reviewed and analyzed. Results: Compared with other adrenal tumors, PCC/PGL showed larger tumor diameters and more frequently located on the right side, and were with higher levels of urinary catecholoamines and plasma metanephrines, especially for the 24 h urinary vanilmandelic acid (VMA) and plasma normetanephrine (NMN). The optimal diagnostic thresholds were 29.40 ug/24 h for VMA (sensitivity, 85%; specificity, 91%) and 0.63 nmol/L for NMN (sensitivity, 91%; specificity, 92%). The 24 h urinary VMA and plasma NMN also shared abilities to differentiate between different tumor laterality and different tumor size in PCC/PGL cases. In addition, compared with the other benign tumors, BCA were smaller in diameters (20 vs 35 mm, p < 0.001), and seemed to be lower in levels of plasma epinephrine, dopamine and serum ACTH. Conclusion: 24 h Urinary catecholoamines and plasma metanephrines, especially for the 24 h urinary VMA and plasma MNM, showed higher diagnostic efficacies for PCC/PGL, and were tightly associated with the tumor laterality and tumor size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advancements in radiotherapy (RT) in recent years, several studies have shown that RT can significantly prolong the survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). As a noninvasive treatment option, the application of RT for the treatment of HCC is garnering increasing attention. In this retrospective study, we included data from 13,878 patients with HCC from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database between 2000 and 2019 and 325 patients with HCC treated in three tertiary hospitals in China between 2015 and 2021. Patient data were divided into RT and non-RT groups based on whether the patients underwent RT. Propensity score matching analysis was performed to minimize the deviation between the RT and non-RT groups, and the Kaplan–Meier method, Cox proportional hazard model, and nomogram were used to assess the efficacy of undergoing RT. The median overall survival (mOS) of the RT group was significantly longer compared with that of the non-RT group for the SEER data (16 months versus 9 months, p < 0.01). Similarly, the survival benefit was more significant in the RT group than in the non-RT group at our hospitals (34.1 months versus 15.4 months, p < 0.01). Furthermore, multivariate Cox analysis revealed that factors, including tumor (T) stage, patient age, tumor grade, serum AFP level, and chemotherapy, also affected patient survival. Moreover, these factors were also used to construct a nomogram. Subgroup analysis of these factors showed that RT was effective in prolonging patient survival in different populations. RT significantly improves the survival time of patients with inoperable HCC, thereby providing a basis for selecting HCC patients who can benefit from RT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was to investigate the effect of lignin polyphenols and copper-zinc cross-linking substance combined supplementation on growth performance, immunity and copper, zinc deposition of weaned piglets. Ninety-six healthy weaned piglets (Duroc x Landrace x Yorkshire) with similar body weight were selected and randomly divided into three groups, with four replicates in each group and eight pigs in each replicate. The control group piglets were fed with basal diet + 2 kg/t zinc oxide + 100 g/t chlortetracycline + 40 g/t colistin, T1 group piglets were fed with basal diet + 1 kg/t lignin polyphenols + 700 g/t copper-zinc cross-linking substance, T2 group piglets were fed with basal diet + 2 kg/t lignin polyphenols + 700 g/t copper-zinc cross-linking substance. The pre-feeding period lasted for 7 d, the formal experiment lasted for 28 d. The results showed that compared with control group, the average daily feed intake and average daily gain of piglets in T2 group were slightly increased ( P>0.05), the average daily feed intake of T1 group was significantly decreased (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in feed to gain ratio and diarrhea rate of piglets among all groups (P>0.05). Compared with control group, the content of IFN-γ in serum of piglets in T1 group was significantly decreased (P<0.05). Compared with control group and T1 group, the content of C4 in serum of piglets in T2 group was significantly increased and significantly higher than that in T1 group ( P<0.05), the content of DLA in serum of piglets in T2 group was significantly decreased and significantly lower than that in T1 group (P<0.05). Compared with control group, the content of zinc in serum and feces of piglets in T1 group and T2 group were significantly decreased ( P<0.05). The study indicates that the combined addition of 2 kg/t lignin polyphenols and 700 g/t copper-zinc cross-linking substance to weaned piglet diet to replace the combination of high zinc and antibiotics can maintain the normal growth performance of weaned piglets, improve immunity, significantly reduce the excretion of zinc in the feces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work demonstrated that Enteromorpha biochar with introduced iron (SFB900-3) could activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) efficiently for NTP remediation. It removed 83.9%–95.1% of NTP in 60 min under a wide pH range from 3.15 to 8.95. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed the synergistic relationship between internal Fe single atoms and introduced Fe compounds—Fe3C. The adsorption capacity of SFB900-3 for persulfate improved from −0.953 eV to −4.214 eV, and the Bader charge analysis showed that Fe atoms as active sites (0.658 e) enhanced the adsorption capacity more than carbon (0.050 e). Moreover, the energy barrier for PMS dissociation reduced from 0.072 eV to −5.372 eV due to the longer length of O–O bond under the synergistic effect of Fe single atom and Fe3C which increased from 1.467 Å to 3.890 Å. The quenching experiment confirmed that 1O2 was the main active substance in NTP degradation and its contribution rate was 88.2%, which was further verified by EPR detection. The effect factor experiments proved that the SFB900-3/PMS system had stable and efficient activity for NTP removal, which remained at 73.6% removal rate after three rounds of tests. This work provided novel guidance for constructing efficient and stable biochar-based materials for organic pollutant remediation. Highlights: Improved PMS activation by synergy of single Fe atom and Fe3C was proposed. Variations in electron distribution and energy barrier enhance PMS activation The prepared SFB900 exhibited excellent stability. The degradation pathways of nitenpyram were explained in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: We compared endoscopic "calabash" ligation and resection (ECLR) and endoscopic submucosal excision (ESE) in treating endophytic gastric stromal tumors (GSTs) ≤15 mm in diameter originating from the muscularis propria. Methods: We performed a retrospective study and included patients who visited our hospital for removal of small endophytic GSTs (diameter ≤ 15 mm) confirmed by postoperative pathological reports between February 2019 and December 2020. Patients were assigned to the study (received ECLR) or control (accepted ESE) groups, and their medical records were reviewed. Age, sex, GST size, resection outcomes, procedure measurements, lengths of hospital stays, medical expenses, intraoperative and postoperative complications, and follow‐up outcomes were documented and compared between the two groups. Propensity score matching was used to avoid retrospective biases. Results: A total of 277 patients were included in the analysis, with 135 in the study group and 142 in the control group. After propensity score matching, 119 cases in each group were finally included in the study. Compared to the control group, the study group had significantly shorter procedure durations and lengths of hospital stays, as well as reduced medical expenses. Compared to the control group, the study group also had significantly lower incidence rates of intraoperative stomach perforation, postoperative intraperitoneal infection, and postoperative electrocoagulation syndrome, as well as a lower intensity of postoperative pain. There were no significant differences in the other measurements between the two groups. Conclusion: ECLR is an effective and safe procedure for treating patients with endophytic GSTs ≤15 mm in diameter originating from the muscularis propria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing demand for manned lunar exploration and deep-space exploration missions, the application value of the three-body orbit in cislunar space becomes increasingly prominent due to its special orbital characteristic. The efficient round-trip versions for manned missions of both the nominal fuel-optimal and emergency transfers between NRHO and the Moon are exploited deeply. The collocation method and indirect optimization technique with constraint gradients are utilized in conjunction with the features of the NRHO configuration to increase the algorithm's accuracy and speed. The required initial value and suitable collocation point can be determined quickly based on a global search strategy and Lambert algorithm. To highlight the effectivity of the design scheme and aim at global lunar surface exploration, typical scenarios of lunar sites at different latitudes and longitudes are investigated with various time of flight, which show that the difference of fuel consumption varies from a few kilograms to hundreds of kilograms. Meanwhile, the relations among Moon landing sites, transition time and fuel consumption are analyzed and the advantages and disadvantages of NRHO in lunar exploration are compared. The design results have some reference value for the lunar landing vehicle's deployment in the near-Moon space, as well as the round-trip transfer mission and key parameter selection. • Fuel-optimal round-trip transfers between NRHOs and LLOs of different sizes are deeply studied. • The benefits of the Lambert algorithm and a global search strategy are combined. • The indirect optimization method with incorporated analytical gradients is applied. • Trajectory characteristics between the sample NRHOs and LLOs with varied latitudes and longitudes are investigated. • The relations among moon landing sites, transition time and fuel consumption are analyzed. • The advantages and disadvantages of NRHO in lunar exploration are compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a detrimental factor in infant death and chronic disease. The specific pathogenesis is not entirely clear. Therefore, exploring the pathogenesis of HIE is critical. The expression of miR-19b-3p and SOX6 in umbilical blood of HIE patients was detected by qRT-PCR assay. HT22 cells were triggered with oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) to construct the HIE cell model. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was used to estimate viability. SOD and MDA levels were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Flow cytometry was implemented to ascertain neurocyte apoptosis. Cellular β-catenin immunofluorescence staining was used to detect the expression and distribution of β-catenin protein. Wnt signaling pathway activation was detected by TOPFlash/FOPFlash luciferase reporter assay. The targeting correlation of SOX6 and miR-19b-3p was corroborated by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay and RNA pull-down assay. MiR-19b-3p expression was once down-regulated, whilst SOX6 expression was up-regulated in HIE patients. MiR-19b-3p overexpression promoted cell proliferation, repressed cell apoptosis, oxidative stress response, and Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation in OGD/R-triggered HT22 cells. MiR-19b-3p negatively regulated SOX6 expression. SOX6 knockdown improved OGD/R-triggered HT22 cells injury via Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation. MiR-19b-3p overexpression suppressed OGD/R-triggered HT22 cell injury via inhibiting SOX6 expression via activating Wnt/β-catenin pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking the external corner with equal lengths as the research object, two failure modes of the equilateral external corner are established, and the active earth pressure calculation formula of the equilateral external corner in the limit state is further deduced when the external angle is 90°. The comparison between the theoretical calculation results and Midas/GTS simulation results shows that when the ratio of the side length B to the depth H is large, the sliding wedge failure will occur at the external corner, and the active earth pressure of the external corner in the range of wedge-shaped slider will not change with the change of size B. When the ratio of the side length B to the depth H is small, the displaced soil is composed of two parts, and the earth pressure varies with the change of size B. In this paper, the magnitude and distribution law of the active earth pressure obtained by the horizontal micro-layered limit equilibrium analysis method is similar to the three-dimensional simulation value of the Midas/GTS software, which can prove the feasibility and rationality of the theoretical calculation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitochondrial dysfunctions underlie the pathogenesis in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Comprehensive proteomic profiling of mitochondria-specific changes in human GBM is still insufficient. This study carried out a DIA-MS based proteomic analysis on the mitochondria isolated from human primary GBM and peritumoral tissue (as paired control), and further compared those findings with the transcriptomic datasets. A total of 538 mitochondrion-specific proteins were rigorously confirmed, among which 190 differentially expressed proteins were identified. Co-regulations of the mitochondrial dysfunction pathway networks were observed, including significant up-regulations of mitochondrial translation and apoptosis, as well as down-regulations of OXPHOS and mitochondrial dynamics. Proteins related to FA, AA metabolism and ROS also showed significant variations. Most of these alterations were consistent in trend when compared the proteomics findings with the RNA-Seq datasets, while the changes at protein levels appeared to be more dramatic. Potentially key proteins in GBM were identified, including up-regulated pro-apoptotic protein CASP3, BAX, fatty acid oxidation enzymes CPT1A, CPT2, ACADM, serine-glycine enzymes SHMT2, GATM, ROS-related protein SOD2, GPX1, and CAT; and down-regulated dynamin-related protein MFN1, MFN2, OPA1, and OXPHOS components; and also several differentially expressed ALDH isoforms. This study systematically profiled the mitochondrial dysfunctions by combining proteomic findings and mRNA datasets, which would be a valuable resource to the community for further thorough analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frequency measurement is one of the key techniques in high-precision data acquisition technology of broadband signals. Generally, frequency measurement not only needs to deal with a large amount of data processing but also requires a high precision, but these two aspects are sometimes difficult to reconcile. Some algorithms are overly dependent on the accuracy of the to-be-measured data, which might not be the desired option for real projects since it is almost impossible to get ideal error-free data. This article adopts a frequency measurement method based on the coordinate rotation digital computer algorithm, differential algorithm, and Kalman filter. The use of these algorithms for the frequency measurement process would not only simplify the calculation but also reduce the effect of the measurement error. This method can measure all signals that satisfy the sampling theorem and can also measure multi-channel parallel signals. The experimental results of data simulation and actual measurement on the hardware platform show that the accurate frequency measurement algorithm has a strong data processing ability, stable measurement, and steady improvement in the accuracy of measurement results, which can meet the needs of most instruments for accurate frequency measurement. The measurement error could be reduced to the percentile by the Kalman filter and could be reduced to below the thousandth by the combining the algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The early Paleozoic accretionary architecture of the Alxa and Bainaimiao regions in southern Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) is still ambiguous. In particular, the subduction polarity and tectonic origin of the Bainaimiao Arc are intensely controversial. The Ganqimaodu area in Inner Mongolia provides an excellent window to address this issue. This study presents field and detrital zircon U–Pb–Hf isotopic data of Paleozoic (meta)sedimentary rocks from Ganqimaodu to investigate their provenance and tectonic settings. New field observations show that both the Ondor sum and Hadahushu groups are composed of slightly metamorphosed flysch deposits with pervasive occurrence of "block-in-matrix" structure and isoclinal folds. Two chlorite–quartz schists from the Ondor sum Group yield age peaks at ~ 425, ~ 966, ~ 1590, ~ 1930 and ~ 2564 Ma, and three sandstones from the Hadahushu Group display similar age spectrums with peaks at ~ 443, ~ 586, ~ 960, ~ 1473, ~ 1765 and ~ 2480 Ma. New detrital zircon ages constrain the maximum depositional ages of the Ondor sum and Hadahushu groups to Early Devonian. The Ondor sum and Hadahushu groups are here interpreted as an accretionary complex due to northward subduction of the South Bainaimiao Ocean based on field data and provenance analyses. Our new results combined with previous data suggest bidirectional subduction for the western segment of the South Bainaimiao Ocean during Late Cambrian to Early Devonian. We advocate an archipelago with accretionary complexes, continental fragments, and magmatic arcs for the architecture of the southern CAOB during early Paleozoic, an analogous to modern southwest Pacific accretionary system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infrared stealth technology plays a vital role in improving the survivability of future aircraft. The exhaust system is the main source of infrared radiation on the rear side of the aircraft, and stealth coating is an effective measure to reduce the infrared radiation on the solid wall of the nozzle. Mature commercial computational fluid dynamics software was used to obtain and analyze accurate data of the flow field to study the infrared radiation characteristics of the stealth coating on the turbofan engine nozzle. Furthermore, infrared simulation software based on the reverse Monte Carlo method, line-by-line calculation technique, and database technology for high-temperature gas parameters of a narrowband model were used to numerically simulate the exhaust system of a turbofan engine with infrared suppression coating. Assuming that the damage percentage of the external adjusting plate is constant, the findings reveal that the overall infrared radiation intensity exhibits a steadily increasing trend with the increase in the number of damaged adjusting plates. The maximum change in the infrared radiation intensity between eight damaged adjusting plates and one damaged adjusting plate was 11.67%. Thus, regular inspection and maintenance are required for the stealth coating on the external adjusting plate of the aero-engine tail nozzle to maintain stealth integrity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is desirable to develop semiconductors with simultaneously multiple responses to single stimuli. Herein, a thermally responsive hybrid semiconductor (AEV)[Pb2Br8] (AEV4+ = 1,1′‐bis(2‐ammonioethyl)‐[4,4′‐ bipyridine]‐1,1′‐diium) is successfully prepared by introducing functionalized organic cations into 1D lead(II) chains. The lead(II) chain contains an edge‐sharing PbBr6 octahedron with highly electron‐deficient cations distributed in the interspace of the inorganic framework. Interestingly, the as‐formed hybrid exhibits extraordinary thermochromic behavior along with intriguing temperature‐dependent conductivity and thermal conductivity due to the thermal motion of the electrons in the hybrid. Specifically, the color of the pristine hybrid changes from yellow to brown when the temperature rises to 70 °C, and gradually deepens as the temperature continues to rise, accompanied by the continuous decline in electric conductivity and thermal conductivity. Once heating is stopped, the color and conductivity recover to the original state in a few minutes. As demonstrated by electron paramagnetic resonance and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies, the thermal‐induced electron transfer is likely responsible for the intriguing thermally responsive behaviors. This work provides a paradigm for the modular and functional design of hybrid materials that manifest potential applications in semiconductor refrigeration, thermal power generation, intelligent circuit, and other opt‐electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing studies have shown that the unexpected information effect of monetary policy (IEOMP) would affect the fluctuation of stock prices. This paper tests the effect of unexpected IEOMP on stock prices in China. Taking Chinese listed military and defense enterprises, for example, the author further explored how the influence of unexpected IEOMP over stock price varies between industries. The empirical analysis reveals that, despite the industrial heterogeneity of the said influence in China, the stock price of Chinese listed military and defense enterprises is still affected by unexpected IEOMP. Our analysis enables Chinese military and defense enterprises to build a more robust market mechanism for the military and defense market, open more effective channels for the industrial chain, capital chain, and private capital, and drive the national economy with the sci-tech results of defense. In addition, policymakers are recommended to keep an eye on the price fluctuation in the stock market and important economic information from stock price fluctuation in order to effectively identify the potential risks in the future economy and to improve the predictability of the feedback mechanism of monetary policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the influence of a two-mode Gaussian state under the Gaussian channel that describes the curvature effect in de Sitter space. Interestingly, the classical correlation may be unaffected by the curvature effect, while the quantum discord generally vanishes in the limit of infinite curvature. Under the action of curvature effect, the symmetry of both the classical correlation and quantum discord is destroyed. We obtain a useful monogamy relation for correlations between causally disconnected open charts, which means that quantum discord and classical correlation can convert each other but the total correlation is conserved in de Sitter space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using two different types of quantification for quantum steering, we study the influence of Hawking radiation on quantum steering for fermionic fields in Schwarzschild spacetime. The degradation for the steering between physically accessible observers and the generation for the steering between physically accessible and inaccessible observers induced by Hawking radiation are studied. We also reveal the difference between the two types of quantification for steering, and find some monogamy relations between steering and entanglement. Furthermore, we show the different properties between fermionic steering and bosonic steering in Schwarzschild spacetime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fly ash has the potential to be used as the precursor in the acid-activated geopolymer preparation, fly ash can react with phosphorus-containing activators to form geopolymers, but different types of activators present different activation effects on fly ash. In this study, common liquid phosphoric acid (PA), liquid aluminum dihydrogen phosphate (ADP), solid sodium dihydrogen phosphate (SDP) and solid potassium dihydrogen phosphate (PDP) are used as a single-component or composite activators and fly ash as raw material to prepare phosphate-based geopolymers (PGEOs). The effect of different activators on setting time, pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and compressive strength of PGEOs were assessed. Moreover, the activation mechanism of different activators on fly ash was revealed by using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy. The results showed that geopolymer prepared using ADP exhibited the highest compressive strength among the different activators, but combining ADP and PA would prolong setting time. However, the unreacted SDP and PDP particles were detected in geopolymers activated by PA+SDP and PA+SDP composite activator due to insufficient geopolymerization. Nonetheless, combining PDP or SDP with PA as composite activator is more effective than the single-component PDP or SDP activator in improving compressive strength. The pH values of the geopolymers increased with the curing time while EC showed a decreasing trend which was independent of the activator type. AlPO 4 phase was found in all samples, and Al-containing phases are the main strength-given component of PGEOs. • PGEOs activated by ADP exhibits the highest strength. • Combining PDP or SDP with PA was more effective than the single-component activator. • AlPO 4 phase is the strength-given component of PGEOs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Up to now, the correlation between soil evaporation and cracking within a multi-scale perspective remains unclear so far. For this purpose, X-ray computed tomography was used to dynamically capture the 3D cracking process of a compacted clayey soil with evaporation. The proposed image processing methods combining CT image segmentation and digital image correlation (DIC) allowed multi-scale quantitative analysis of the temporal evolution of soil water distribution, regional deformation and crack network upon evaporation. Different mechanisms are defined to explain the development of regional crack networks. Evaporation-mobilised tensile stress leads to cracking in the top part of the soil, with a single-peaked change along drying time in the cracking rate. A similar variation appears in the cracking process of the bottom soil, attributed to the basal friction activated by soil desiccation shrinkage. Besides, the cracking rate of this region is nearly independent of the regional evaporation. As for the middle part of the soil, a double-peaked pattern dominates the cracking rate, as the curling contributes to the formation of new inner cracks and the bottom soil cracks propagate upwards. Furthermore, desiccation cracks developing to a certain extent facilitate the water loss of neighbouring soil bodies, whereas this phenomenon is difficult to present over the whole soil scale. The current outcomes are expected to advance insights into the spatial–temporal cracking mechanism of soils under evaporation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The introduction of a methyl group successfully facilitated targeted phosphorus doping in g-C 3 N 4. • The composite oxidation system facilitates the degradation of diverse pollutants. • The precise modulation of reactive oxygen species enables tailored degradation of pollutants. • The atomic reactivity of pollutants towards various reactive oxygen species was unveiled. In the photocatalytic degradation process, constructing a controllable composite oxidation system with radicals and nonradicals to meet the requirement for efficient and selective degradation of diverse pollutants is significant. Herein, a methylated and phosphorus-doped g-C 3 N 4 (NPEA) can exhibit selective radical and nonradical species formation depending on the pH values. The NPEA can spontaneously switch the production of active species according to the pH value of the reaction system, exhibiting steady-state concentrations of · O 2 − for 11.83 × 10−2 µmol L−1 s−1 (with 92.7 % selectivity) under alkaline conditions (pH = 11), and steady-state concentrations of 1O 2 for 5.18 × 10−2 µmol L−1 s−1 (with 88.7 % selectivity) under acidic conditions (pH = 3). The NPEA exhibits stability and universality in the degradation of pollutants with rate constant for sulfamethazine (k = 0.261 min−1) and atrazine (k = 0.222 min−1). Moreover, the LC-MS and Fukui function demonstrated that the NPEA can tailor degradation pathways for pollutants, achieving selective degradation. This study offers a comprehensive insight into the mechanism of the photocatalytic oxidation system, elucidating the intricate interplay between pollutants and reactive oxygen species. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effective activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) by polymer carbon nitride (PCN) is hampered by the unpredictable movement and rapid recombination of photocarriers. In this study, niacin served as a beneficial modifier to help constructed the directional electron transfer pathway from the center to the edge in the synthesized PCN catalyst (UCNNA) for efficient PMS activation. The UCNNA/PMS/vis shows the highest kinetic constants (0.050 min−1), which is 2.9-fold increase over the PCN/PMS/vis. The experiments and theoretical calculations indicated that niacin as electron acceptor group prevents the recombination of photocarriers in-plane. Simultaneously, niacin can serve as PMS adsorption site, further facilitating electron transfer and the 1O 2 generation. Mass spectrometry analysis and Fukui index calculations confirm the priority of lateral chain oxidation (1O 2 attack site) during atrazine degradation. These results provide new insights into rational design of metal-free catalysts/PMS/vis system, as well as providing guidance and theoretical support for atrazine degradation mechanisms. [Display omitted] • The electron acceptor grafted PCN has been constructed by facile one-step thermopolymerization. • The electron acceptor nicotinic acid groups server as adsorption sites for PMS. • Electron transfer and 1O 2 in this system facilitate efficient degradation of ATZ. • The UCNNA/PMS/vis system has strong anti-interference ability. • The side chain of ATZ is preferentially attacked in this system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid repair of engineering structures damaged due to explosions can enhance the structural impact resistance after an explosion, thereby reducing the potential for casualties and property losses. A novel concrete canvas was firstly proposed based on G-HPC (geopolymer-based high performance concrete), UHMWPEWF（ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene woven fabric), and 3D BFG (basalt fiber grid) to rapidly repair engineering structures and render their blast resistance. A sequence of contact blast tests was systematically conducted to verify the feasibility of the proposed G-HPC canvas. A normal reinforced concrete slab and a steel-wire mesh (SWM) reinforced G-HPC slab were initially damaged by the contact blast loading, afterwards, the damaged concrete slabs were rapidly repaired by G-UHPC (geopolymer-based ultra-high-performance concrete) and the novel G-HPC canvas. The rapidly repaired concrete slabs were subsequently tested by contact blast loading. A precise 3D finite element model was then developed and calibrated based on the experimental results. Eventually, numerical simulations were performed to better understand the contribution of main parameters including repair materials filling the internal slab, steel-wire mesh, G-HPC canvas location and its thickness towards the improvement of the rapidly repaired slabs against the contact blast loading. The experimental and numerical results indicated that the SWM reinforced G-HPC slab has superior blast-resistance compared with the RC slab and the proposed method to rapidly repair the damaged slabs was feasible. The G-HPC canvas should be placed properly since the location of the G-HPC canvas is related to whether fragments are produced on the rear surface of the damaged slab. Increasing the G-HPC canvas thickness and the layers of SWM could significantly reduce the damage area of the repaired slab. • A novel G-HPC canvas was first proposed to rapidly repair engineering structures damage in the explosion event. • The damaged RC and SWM reinforced G-HPC slab were further tested after being rapidly repaired. • The experimental results proved the feasibility of the proposed method to rapidly repair the damaged slabs. • A precise 3D finite element model was developed and calibrated based on the experimental results. • The effects of repair materials, SWM, G-HPC canvas location and its thickness were revealed by numerical simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the acceleration effect on the genuine tripartite entanglement for one or two accelerated detector(s) coupled to the vacuum field. Surprisingly, we find that the increase and decrease in entanglement have no definite correspondence with the Unruh and anti-Unruh effects. Specifically, Unruh effect can not only decrease but also enhance the tripartite entanglement between detectors; also, anti-Unruh effect can not only enhance but also decrease the tripartite entanglement. We give an explanation of this phenomenon. Finally, we extend the discussion from tripartite to N -partite systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: In China, four symptoms of functional gastrointestinal disorders, postprandial fullness, early satiety, bloating, and abdominal distension are commonly and interchangeably expressed as a single chief complaint, "Zhang". In this study we aimed to explore the most efficient method of determining the characteristics of symptoms in such patients. Methods: Consecutive patients with the chief complaint of abdominal "Zhang" from December 2017 to June 2018 were included. Their symptom patterns were determined by face‐to‐face interviews. Patients with a single symptom (postprandial fullness, early satiety, bloating, or abdominal distension) completed the questionnaire assessing their understanding of the symptoms using three methods including concept terms, pictograms, and verbal descriptions. Results: A total of 230 patients (121 men, 109 women; mean age 43.7 ± 12.6 y) were included. Verbal descriptions were most applicable to identify patients' symptom patterns, followed by concept terms and pictograms. Early satiety was the most difficult to identify (20.9% agreement between patient's understanding and doctor's diagnosis by using concept term), whereas fullness and bloating had apparently higher recognition (70.7% and 72.1% by concept terms). Elder patients (>60 y) and those with more frequent symptom attacks (≥once daily) showed relatively poorer understanding of the symptoms. Conclusions: Early satiety is poorly identified by patients. Existing pictograms fail to show comprehension‐improving features in a Chinese cultural setting. Verbal descriptions may be the best option for diagnosing abdominal "Zhang". More caution is required during the inquiry of medical history from elder patients with frequent symptom attacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is one of the leading causes of neonatal death and permanent neurological disability. Here, we designed to quest therapeutic effects of diazoxide (DZ) on HIE and its mechanism. The cell model of HIE was established. CCK8 and flow cytometry were applied to test cell viability and apoptosis. RT-qPCR and western blotting was evaluated to the expression of miR-21, PDCD4, PI3K, and p-AKT/AKT. Commercial kits were employed to detect SOD, MDA, LDH. DCFH-DA was used to measure intracellular ROS. ELISA was performed to estimate IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α. Dual-luciferase reporter gene and RIP assay were applied to confirm the binding relationships between miR-21 and PDCD4. In H19-7 cells and PC12 cells stimulated by OGD, with low cell viability, high apoptosis, miR-21 high expression and PDCD4 low expression. However, the functions were all reversed by DZ administration. Furthermore, miR-21 inhibitor could abolish the beneficial effects of DZ on OGD-induced cells. Besides, miR-21 could interact with PDCD4. In addition, PDCD4 involved with the regulation of DZ to OGD-induced cells via PI3K/AKT pathway. DZ enhanced miR-21 level and inhibited PDCD4 level via PI3K/AKT pathway to resisted HIE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• rFSAV is a novel recombinant five-antigen Staphylococcus aureus vaccine. • Three immunization doses and four procedures were evaluated in phase 1a and 1b. • rFSAV is safe, well tolerated in healthy adults. • rFSAV elicits rapid and robust specific humoral and cellular immune responses. • Optimal perioperative regimen is worth further evaluation in targeted population. Staphylococcus aureus is an important pathogen that causes hospital and community infections. To control Staphylococcus aureus infection and reduce the usage of antibiotics, we evaluated the safety and immunogenicity of a recombinant five-antigen Staphylococcus aureus vaccine (rFSAV) in healthy adults. We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 1a study and a randomized, open-label phase 1b study. In phase 1a, we randomly allocated 144 healthy participants in a ratio of 1:1:1:1 to receive the low-(60 μg), middle-(120 μg), and high-dose (240 μg) vaccine or placebo at day 0, 3, 7 and 14. In phase 1b, 144 healthy participants were randomly allocated at a ratio of 1:1:1:1 to receive 0–3–7, 0/0–7, 0/0–3–7, 0/0–7–14 regimens to estimate the optimal strategy. The primary study endpoint was the incidence of solicited adverse events post-vaccination. The immunogenicity endpoints included the level of specific antibodies to five antigens after vaccination, as well as the cellular immune responses and functional antibodies. There were 31 (86%), 30 (83%), and 32 (89%) of 36 participants in the low-, middle-, and high-dose group reported solicited adverse events, respectively, most of the adverse events were mild or moderate. In phase 1b, the dose-adjusted rFSAV (90 μg) showed a better safety profile in the four immune procedures, and no vaccine-related serious adverse events were reported. The antigen-specific binding antibodies started to increase at day 7 and reached the peak around day 14 to 21. The cellular immune responses and functional antibodies also were substantially above background levels. rFSAV is safe, well tolerated in healthy adults, elicits rapid and robust specific humoral and cellular immune responses with unconventional immunization procedure in phase 1a and 1b. It deserves to be noted and further explored. Clinical Trials Registration: NCT02804711 and NCT03966040. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the oil shale in situ conversion project, it is urgent to solve the problem that the reaction degree of organic matter cannot be determined. The yield and composition of organic products in each stage of the oil shale pyrolysis reaction change regularly, so it is very important to master the process of the pyrolysis reaction and reservoir change for oil shale in situ conversion project. In the in situ conversion project, it is difficult to directly obtain cores through drilling for kerogen maturity testing, and the research on judging the reaction process of subsurface pyrolysis based on the maturity of oil products has not been carried out in-depth. The simulation experiments and geochemical analysis carried out in this study are based on the oil shale of the Nenjiang Formation in the Songliao Basin and the pyrolysis oil samples produced by the in situ conversion project. Additionally, this study aims to clarify the evolution characteristics of maturity parameters such as effective biomarker compounds during the evolution of oil shale pyrolysis hydrocarbon products and fit it with the kerogen maturity in the Nenjiang formation. The response relationship with the pyrolysis process of oil shale is established, and it lays a theoretical foundation for the efficient, economical and stable operation of oil shale in situ conversion projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Image-level weakly supervised object detection (WSOD) has made significant advancements by employing multiple instance learning (MIL) as a fundamental approach. However, challenges such as instance ambiguity and part domination persist, impeding the generation of more accurate and comprehensive boundingboxes for object detection. Moreover, existing methodologies typically treat WSOD as a two-stage task, involving weakly supervised detection followed by strongly supervised retraining. Unfortunately, the direct utilization of boundingbox-level labels predicted in the former stage, irrespective of their quality, only yields marginal improvements in detection performance. In this paper, we introduce a novel attention module and a boundingbox refinement module in the initial stage. The attention module operates across both spatial and global dimensions, enhancing the saliency and discriminative characteristics of region features associated with positive samples. The boundingbox refinement module employs multiple strategies to optimize labels, with the goal of generating high-quality boundingbox-level labels for subsequent strongly supervised retraining. Furthermore, in the second stage, we propose Loss-based Label Division (LLD) and Score-guided Weight Adjustment (SWA) strategies. These strategies effectively mitigate the impact of noisy labels during the retraining phase. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed modules and strategies, comprehensive ablation experiments are conducted. Experimental results on two public benchmarks including VOC2007 and VOC2012 show that our method achieves satisfactory performance. For access to the code, models, and additional details, please visit the following repository: https://github.com/better-chao/WSOD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ovalbumin (OVA), a major allergen in egg-induced food allergy, is widely used in the food industry. This study investigated the structural and antigenic changes of OVA after covalent conjugation with rosmarinic acid (RA). The SDS-PAGE and RA binding equivalent analysis confirmed that both the radical and alkaline methods successfully prepared the OVA-RA conjugates. LC-MS/MS assay identified 20 and 15 modified sites of RA on OVA in the radical and alkaline OVA-RA conjugates, respectively. The structural changes of OVA were indicated by fluorescence spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, circular dichroism (CD), and ultraviolet absorption (UV) spectrometry. Following conjugation with RA, the antioxidant capacities of OVA for scavenging DPPH• and ABTS•+ showed significant enhancement. Subsequently, the impact of RA on the antigenicity of OVA was assessed both in vitro and in vivo. The ELISA analysis revealed a notable reduction in the binding capacity of OVA to IgG and IgE after covalent conjugation with RA. Additionally, the passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) assay demonstrated lower allergenicity in radical and alkaline OVA-RA conjugates compared to native OVA. These findings collectively suggest that OVA-RA conjugates hold promise for the development of hypoallergenic food. • The covalent interaction between rosmarinic acid and ovalbumin was investigated. • The protein structure of ovalbumin underwent changes following covalent conjugation with rosmarinic acid. • The allergenicity of ovalbumin was diminished following covalent conjugation with rosmarinic acid. • The functional properties of ovalbumin were extended following covalent conjugation with rosmarinic acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The synergistic effect of enhanced electron-donating, and piezoelectricity. • Catalyst/PMS system under piezoelectric potential are calculated by DFT. • l -Cysteine enhanced biochar's hydrophilicity and electron donating ability. • Singlet oxygen dominated on atrazine removal. In this study, pyrolysis and hydrothermal methods were used for Enteromorpha biochar that was co-modified with l -cysteine and barium titanate (LBCBa). It has great environmental tolerance and can remove 93.0 % of atrazine (ATZ, 10 mg·L−1) within 60 mins of ultrasonic treatment. The enhanced hydrophilicity, electron-donating capability, and piezoelectricity of LBCBa are considered to induce excellent performance. The apparent reaction rate of the LBCBa-2/PMS/ATZ system with ultrasonic was 2.87 times that without ultrasonic. The density functional theory points out that, introducing l -cysteine to carbon edges improves the adsorption of ATZ and peroxymonosulfate (PMS), making PMS easier to activate. This work offered unique insights for fabricating effective catalysts and demonstrated the combination of hydrophilic functional groups and piezoelectricity in improving catalytic performance and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modeling the pollutant removal performance of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) plays a crucial role in regulating their operation, mitigating effluent anomalies and reducing operating costs. Pollutants removal in WWTPs is closely related to microbial activity. However, there is extremely limited knowledge on the models accurately characterizing pollutants removal performance by microbial activity indicators. This study proposed a novel specific oxygen uptake rate (SOUR ATP) with adenosine triphosphate (ATP) as biomass. Firstly, it was found that SOUR ATP and total nitrogen (TN) removal rate showed similar fluctuated trends, and their correlation was stronger than that of TN removal rate and common SOUR MLSS with mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) as biomass. Then, support vector regressor (SVR), K-nearest neighbor regressor (KNR), linear regressor (LR), and random forest (RF) models were developed to predict TN removal rate only with microbial activity as features. Models utilizing the novel SOUR ATP resulted in better performance than those based on SOUR MLSS. A model fusion (MF) algorithm based on the above four models was proposed to enhance the accuracy with lower root mean square error (RMSE) of 2.25 mg/L/h and explained 75% of the variation in the test data with SOUR ATP as features as opposed to other base learners. Furthermore, the interpretation of predictive results was explored through microbial community structure and metabolic pathway. Strong correlations were found between SOUR ATP and the proportion of nitrifiers in aerobic pool, as well as between heterotrophic bacteria respiratory activity (SOUR ATP_HB) and the proportion of denitrifies in anoxic pool. SOUR ATP also displayed consistent positive responses with most key enzymes in Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway (EMP), tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) and oxidative phosphorylation cycle. In this study, SOUR ATP provides a reliable indication of the composition and metabolic activity of nitrogen removal bacteria, revealing the potential reasons underlying the accurate predictive result of nitrogen removal rates based on novel microbial activity indicators. This study offers new insights for the prediction and further optimization operation of WWTPs from the perspective of microbial activity regulation. [Display omitted] • A novel microbial activity indicator SOUR ATP with ATP as biomass was proposed. • Predictive model of nitrogen removal rate based on microbial activity was conducted. • The SOUR computed by ATP instead of MLSS can obtained higher accuracy. • Biological interpretation was given for the predictive results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent efforts in stimuli‐responsive soft materials have enabled wirelessly controlled actuation with increasing degrees of freedom, yielding miniature robots capable of various locomotion in open environments such as on a plane or inside fluids. However, grand challenges remain in harnessing photomechanical deformation to induce locomotion and control of friction during the movement, especially for robotic actuations within constrained spaces. Here, the authors report a centimeter‐long polymer strip made of a liquid crystal network that is capable of versatile light‐fueled motions along a human hair. The soft polymer robot can translocate directionally upon temporally modulated excitation and climb vertically through friction control with light. A self‐oscillating strip is demonstrated to continuously translocate along the hair upon a constant light stimulus, and its gaiting is associated to the smoothness of the hair surface. The results offer new insights to small‐scale photo‐actuator, mechanical control, and automation in soft micro robotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the genuine tripartite nonlocality (GTN) and the genuine tripartite entanglement (GTE) of Dirac fields in the background of a Schwarzschild black hole. We find that the Hawking radiation degrades both the physically accessible GTN and the physically accessible GTE. The former suffers from "sudden death" at some critical Hawking temperature, and the latter approaches to the nonzero asymptotic value in the limit of infinite Hawking temperature. We also find that the Hawking effect cannot generate the physically inaccessible GTN, but can generate the physically inaccessible GTE for fermion fields in curved spacetime. These results show that on the one hand the GTN cannot pass through the event horizon of black hole, but the GTE do can, and on the other hand the surviving physically accessible GTE and the generated physically inaccessible GTE for fermions in curved spacetime are all not nonlocal. Some monogamy relations between the physically accessible GTE and the physically inaccessible GTE are found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spinal tuberculosis (STB), which accounts for half of musculoskeletal tuberculosis, is among the leading causes of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Guangxi Province, located in southern China, is among the most severely affected provinces in China. In this study, we collected and analyzed data from 2 Class-A tertiary teaching hospitals in Nanning City, Guangxi Province, from 2011 to 2019, with the aim of providing reference points for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis analysis of STB, using the epidemiological characteristics of 556 STB cases. Our results revealed that males had a slightly higher incidence (50.17%) compared to females (49.83%), with 64.93% of cases falling between the ages of 18 and 45 years. Cases from rural communities accounted for 63.49% of the reviewed cases. The average time between onset of symptoms and hospitalization was 18.0 months (range: 1 day-220 months). The most commonly reported symptoms were lower back pain (78.60%), radicular pain (51.98%), and systemic toxemia (43.53%). Additionally, 53.98% of the reviewed cases had varying degrees of neurological impairment. The main pathological lesion locations were the lumbar spine (43.53%) and thoracic spine (32.55%). Among them, 72.66% of cases involved at least 2 vertebral segments, and 62.77% of cases presented with paravertebral abscesses. Among the cases reviewed, 90.65% underwent antituberculosis chemotherapy prior to surgery. Following treatment, the cure rate was 78.41%, while 3.78% of patients had postoperative relapse. There were cases of concomitant illnesses among the cases reviewed, 40.65% of patients also had pulmonary tuberculosis, 15.29% had hepatitis B, 13.30% had diabetes, and 7.91% had hypertension. Our results still demonstrate that spinal tuberculosis remains a serious public health problem in Guangxi Province. Thus, preventive measures should be directed towards rural residents with comorbidities such as the elderly and diabetic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the incidence of ovarian metastasis in endometrial carcinoma (EC) and analyze its risk factors and provide a theoretical basis for whether retention of the ovary in patients with EC.Methods: A systematic search using synonyms of 'ovarian cancer' and 'metastasis' was conducted in PubMed, Cochrane database, Embase, Google Scholar, and WOS database. Meta-analysis was performed on 7 included studies, comprising 4281 clinical-stage I-IV EC patients. Studies were assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) criteria. Odds risks (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using an inverse variance weighted random-effects model.Results: The ovarian metastasis risk of EC was significantly higher for patients with myometrial invasion >1/2 (OR = 18.19, 95% CI 5.34 to 61.96 compared to myometrial invasion ≤1/2), any pelvic lymph node invasion (PLNI) (OR = 5.41, 95% CI 2.60-10.97 compared to without PLNI), G3 pathological grade (OR = 2.66, 95%CI 1.35-5.24 compared to G1-G2), non-endometrioid pathological type (OR = 6.46, 95% CI 3.25 to 12.83 compared to endometrioid), lymphatic vascular space invasion (LVSI) (OR = 6.46, 95% CI 3.25 to 12.83 compare to without LVSI), age >45 (OR = 2.01, 95% CI 0.29 to 14.11 compared to age ≤45), and cervical invasion (OR = 4.12, 95% CI 1.87 to 9.08 compared to without cervical invasion).Conclusion: About 4.95% of EC patients develop ovarian metastasis. Age >45, myometrial invasion >1/2, cervical invasion, PLNI, pathological type, G3 pathological grade, and LVSI were the high-risk factors for ovarian metastasis of EC. Ovarian preservation should be carefully selected for patients with EC, and preoperative and intraoperative evaluations should be entirely performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]