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Multimode interference of light is an optical interference phenomenon based on waveguides, which has broad applications in optical communication, lasers, and optical fiber sensing. Since optical fiber has become the most widely used optical waveguide in modern society, multimode interference in optical fibers is an ideal candidate for projects in university teaching laboratories. Here, we implement an in-fiber Mach–Zehnder strain sensor-based experiment to study multimode interference in optical fibers. The sensor is fabricated by fusion splicing a piece of thin core fiber between two single mode fibers. One end of the thin core fiber is spliced without a core offset, while the other end is spliced with a core offset. Due to the mode field diameter mismatch and core offset, cladding modes are excited and interfere with the core mode in thin core fiber. Students can observe the sensor fabrication demonstration and perform a strain test with an optical spectrum analyzer. The wavelength spectra captured by the optical spectrum analyzer under different strains are analyzed with the signal processing tools of fast Fourier transform and fast Fourier transform filter. Students then find characteristics of the multimode interference in the sensor from the analysis. The experiment extends undergraduates' knowledge of light interference and is an instructive exercise for them in modern coherence theory. This paper reports the development of an advanced instructional laboratory experiment aimed at teaching undergraduates about the physics and applications of multimode interference effects in optical fibers. The experiment is based on an in-fiber Mach-Zehnder strain sensor, which is fabricated by fusion-splicing a thin core fiber between two single-mode fiber leads. The experiment introduces students to optical fiber sensing in a cost-effective way and applies theoretical concepts they have learned in courses in the areas of wave guides, optical interference, and spectral analysis. Experimental results are presented for the sensor's output optical interference spectrum as well as the spectral response to strain. This experiment will be of interest to advanced laboratory and upper-level optics course instructors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Maxillofacial bone defect is a critical obstacle for maxillofacial tumors and periodontal diseases. The osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells BMSCs is critical for maxillofacial osteogenesis and functional reconstruction. Here, our study focused on the functions and mechanism of N6‐methyladenosine during BMSCs osteogenic differentiation BMSCs. Subject and Methods: Biofunctions of BMSCs were detected using ALP activity and alizarin red S staining assays. The molecular interaction within RNA/protein was identified by RNA immunoprecipitation and/or methylation immunoprecipitation. Results: Results indicated that m6A 'writer' METTL3 upregulated during the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs upon osteogenic induction. Functionally, assays' results revealed that METTL3 overexpression promoted the osteogenic differentiation of BMSC, while METTL3 knockdown repressed the osteogenic differentiation. Mechanistically, results revealed that RUNX2 mRNA was a m6A‐methylated target by METTL3 at its 3'‐UTR. Moreover, m6A reader IGF2BP1 recognized the m6A site on RUNX2 mRNA to enhance its stability. Conclusion: In conclusion, our findings revealed the novel roles of METTL3 in BMSCs osteogenic differentiation via the IGF2BP1/m6A/RUNX2 signaling axis of m6A‐dependent manner, providing a potential therapeutic target for maxillofacial bone defects treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article studies an event-triggered fixed-time trajectory tracking control problem of an n-joint manipulator system. Firstly, a fixed-time disturbance observer is proposed to reconstruct the total disturbance composed of external disturbances and model uncertainties, using the estimation as feedforward compensation to enhance the system robustness. Subsequently, based on the backstepping framework, a fixed-time controller with an event-triggering mechanism is designed for the manipulator to ensure the convergence of tracking errors to zero within a fixed time. Additionally, two event-triggering conditions are devised to reduce the transmission time of control input and the computation time of control output. Simultaneously, Zeno behavior is excluded through theoretical proof, validating the fixed-time stability of the closed-loop system. Finally, simulation verification is conducted on a two-joint manipulator, with results confirming the effectiveness of the control strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let G be a graph. A subset D ⊆ V (G) is a decycling set of G if G - D contains no cycle. A subset D ⊆ V (G) is a cycle isolating set of G if G - N [ D ] contains no cycle. The decycling number and cycle isolation number of G, denoted by ϕ (G) and ι c (G) , are the minimum cardinalities of a decycling set and a cycle isolating set of G, respectively. Dross, Montassier and Pinlou (Discrete Appl Math 214:99–107, 2016) conjectured that if G is a planar graph of size m and girth at least g, then ϕ (G) ≤ m g . So far, this conjecture remains open. Recently, the authors proposed an analogous conjecture that if G is a connected graph of size m and girth at least g that is different from C g , then ι c (G) ≤ m + 1 g + 2 , and they presented a proof for the initial case g = 3 . In this paper, we further prove that for the cases of girth at least 4, 5 and 6, this conjecture is true. The extremal graphs of results above are characterized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Topological insulators (TIs) are a new type of quantum state materials. Due to their novel physical properties, such as topological protection defect immunity to edge states, TIs have become the focus of attention in condensed matter and material physics. At present, the research on TIs has been gradually extended to classical wave fields such as electromagnetic waves, acoustic waves, and elastic waves, and has aroused extensive research interest. However, for elastic wave systems, most TIs cannot actively control topological interface states due to the limitation of fixed structure, which hinders their application in practical situations. Here, we propose a kind of tunable three-dimensional (3D) valley Hall insulator composed of magnetoelastic materials. First, the topological phase transition can be induced by the asymmetric geometry. Then, the working frequency of topological interface states can be changed by using static magnetic fields. Second, topological phase transformation can also be induced by independently tuning the distribution of static magnetic fields or pre-stress in each unit. Based on this, reconfigurable propagation routes of interface states with arbitrary shapes can be realized by tuning the distribution of static magnetic fields or pre-stress in each unit. Finally, considering the sandwich structure composed of different magnetic fields or pre-stress distribution modes, the waveguide with tunable width and route is designed by coupling edge and bulk states, which is convenient for application and better energy transfer. This study provides a reference for the design of a tunable intelligent elastic waveguide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A set D of vertices in a graph G is a cycle isolating set of G if G - N [ D ] contains no cycle. The cycle isolation number of G, denoted by ι c (G) , is the minimum cardinality of a cycle isolating set of G. In this paper, we prove that if G is a connected graph of size m that is not a C 3 , then ι c (G) ≤ m + 1 5 , and we characterize the extremal graphs. Moreover, we conjecture that if G is a connected graph of size m that is not a C g , then ι c (G) ≤ m + 1 g + 2 , where g is the girth of G. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the predictive value of plasma sodium at the onset of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) diagnosis in distinguishing surgical NEC from medical NEC. A retrospective review of all NEC neonates treated at our hospital between 2008 and 2022. Patients were divided into two groups based on treatment methods: surgical intervention and medical treatment. Patient demographics, laboratory parameters, and outcomes were all documented. The values of laboratory parameters were collected at the onset of NEC and after treatment. To identify potential predictors of surgical NEC, multivariate logistic regression analyses were used. The receiver operating characteristic curve was applied to determine predictive factors. Surgical treatment was performed in 111 infants (44.6%), and medical treatment in 138 cases (55.4%). Of 249 infants with NEC, 22 patients exhibited Bell stage I, 91 infants had Bell stage II, and 136 patients displayed Bell stage III. We discovered that white blood cell (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, and sodium were independent predictors of NEC receiving surgery based on the results of the multivariate logistic regression analysis. Hyponatremia was found in 122 of the 249 patients (49%). At the onset of NEC diagnosis, hyponatremia was found in 83.8% of surgical intervention group and in 21.0% of medical treatment group (P < 0.001). Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for WBC, CRP, fibrinogen, and sodium were calculated. The cutoff values were determined using receiver operating characteristic analysis. The area under the curve of hyponatremia for surgical intervention was 0.875, with 84% sensitivity, 80% specificity, 77% positive predictive value, and 86% negative predictive value, which had a greater specificity (0.80) for predicting surgical intervention than WBC (0.67), CRP (0.50), and fibrinogen (0.70). When a surgical evaluation is necessary, hyponatremia can effectively distinguish surgical NEC from medical NEC. It could be used as a predictive marker to guide parental counseling for surgical intervention and rapid transfer of patients to tertiary centers when they have a surgical condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the variation in gene expression in the complete transcripts of Congenitalpulmonary airwaymalformation (CPAM) of the lung using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology. There were 20 cases involving children with CPAM were used for selection of study sample. NGS was used to establish RNA-Seq libraries for the two groups of samples separately, and both groups were conducted to differential expression analysis and Gene Ontology (GO) functional enrichment analysis. The pathways of the differential genes were analyzed to find the enriched target pathways. A total of 592 genes were expressed with significant differences (CPAM vs. normal tissue, P < 0.05). GO functional analysis of DEGs indicated that abnormal ciliary function played a role in the development of CPAM. Subsequently, analysis of these genes pathways showed the TGF-β signaling pathway was significantly enriched. Finally, the results of immunohistochemical analysis of some DEGs showed that a significant reduction in the expression of SMAD6, a gene related to the TGF-β signaling pathway, led to abnormal activation of the pathway. TGF-β signaling pathway involved in the evolution of the disease obtained by DEGs enrichment pathway analysis. SMAD6, a gene involved in this pathway, might be a potential biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of CPAM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the prevalence of electric vehicles (EVs) continues to grow, their charging and discharging behaviors pose a challenge to the stable operation of power systems. Therefore, this paper analyzes the charging demand of EV users through GPS trajectory data and proposes an EV-discharging-optimization model based on vehicle-to-grid interaction (V2G). Firstly, the spatial–temporal distribution of EV-charging demand is obtained by cleaning and mining the big data of traveling vehicles, considering dynamic energy consumption theory and users' willingness; secondly, a probabilistic model of EV users' participation in V2G-demand response is constructed based on expected utility theory, which both considers the heterogeneity of users and reflects the interactive influence of users' decisions; finally, a scheduling model of EV discharging in the regional grid is established. The results show that the proposed model can explore the potential of user participation in V2G in the study area, and the V2G response resources can reduce the grid fluctuation and enable users to obtain certain benefits, which achieves a win–win situation between the grid side and the user side. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hazardous waste stream needs to be managed so as not to exceed stock- and rate-limited properties of its recipient ecosystems. The co-pyrolysis of Chinese medicine residue (CMR) and textile dyeing sludge (TDS) and its bio-oil, biochar, and ash quality and quantity were characterized as a function of the immersion of K 2 CO 3 , atmosphere type, blend ratio, and temperature. Compared to the mono-pyrolysis of TDS, its co-pyrolysis performance with CMR (the comprehensive performance index (CPI)) significantly improved by 33.9% in the N 2 atmosphere and 33.2% in the CO 2 atmosphere. The impregnation catalyzed the co-pyrolysis at 370°C, reduced its activation energy by 77.3 kJ/mol in the N 2 atmosphere and 134.6 kJ/mol in the CO 2 atmosphere, and enriched the degree of coke gasification by 44.25% in the CO 2 atmosphere. The impregnation increased the decomposition rate of the co-pyrolysis by weakening the bond energy of fatty side chains and bridge bonds, its catalytic and secondary products, and its bio-oil yield by 66.19%. Its bio-oils mainly contained olefins, aromatic structural substances, and alcohols. The immersion of K 2 CO 3 improved the aromaticity of the co-pyrolytic biochars and reduced the contact between K and Si which made it convenient for Mg to react with SiO 2 to form magnesium-silicate. The co-pyrolytic biochar surfaces mainly included -OH, -CH 2 , C=C, and Si-O-Si. The main phases in the co-pyrolytic ash included Ca 5 (PO 4) 3 (OH), Al 2 O 3 , and magnesium-silicate. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is treated with transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) followed by intravesical instillation of chemotherapy or Bacillus Calmette–Guérin therapy. However, these treatments have a high recurrence rate and side effects, emphasizing the need for alternative instillations. Previously, we revealed that expanded allogeneic human natural killer (NK) cells from peripheral blood are a promising cellular therapy for prostate cancer. However, whether NK cells exhibit a similar killing effect in bladder cancer (BCa) remains unknown. Methods: Expansion, activation, and cryopreservation of allogeneic human NK cells obtained from peripheral blood were performed as we previously described. In vitro cytotoxicity was evaluated using the cell counting kit-8. The levels of perforin, granzyme B, interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α, and chemokines (C-C-motif ligand [CCL]1, CCL2, CCL20, CCL3L1, and CCL4; C-X-C-motif ligand [CXCL]1, CXCL16, CXCL2, CXCL3, and CXCL8; and X-motif ligand 1 and 2) were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The expression of CD107a, major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I), MHC-I polypeptide-related sequences A and B (MICA/B), cytomegalovirus UL16-binding protein-2/5/6 (ULBP-2/5/6), B7-H6, CD56, CD69, CD25, killer cell Ig-like receptors (KIR)2DL1, KIRD3DL1, NKG2D, NKp30, NKp46, and CD16 of NK cells or BCa and normal urothelial cells were detected using flow cytometry. Cytotoxicity was evaluated using lactate dehydrogenase assay in patient-derived organoid models. BCa growth was monitored in vivo using calipers in male NOD-scid IL2rg−/− mice subcutaneously injected with 5637 and NK cells. Differential gene expressions were investigated using RNA sequence analysis. The chemotaxis of T cells was evaluated using transwell migration assays. Results: We revealed that the NK cells possess higher cytotoxicity against BCa lines with more production of cytokines than normal urothelial cells counterparts in vitro, demonstrated by upregulation of degranulation marker CD107a and increased interferon-γ secretion, by MICA/B/NKG2D and B7H6/NKp30-mediated activation. Furthermore, NK cells demonstrated antitumor effects against BCa in patient-derived organoids and BCa xenograft mouse models. NK cells secreted chemokines, including CCL1/2/20, to induce T-cell chemotaxis when encountering BCa cells. Conclusions: The expanded NK cells exhibit potent cytotoxicity against BCa cells, with few toxic side effects on normal urothelial cells. In addition, NK cells recruit T cells by secreting a panel of chemokines, which supports the translational application of NK cell intravesical instillation after TURBT from bench to bedside for NMIBC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exosomes are nanoscale vesicles with a size of 30–150 nm secreted by living cells. They are vital players in cellular communication as they can transport proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and etc. Immune cell-derived exosomes (imEXOs) have great potential for tumor therapy because they have many of the same functions as their parent cells. Especially, imEXOs display unique constitutive characteristics that are directly involved in tumor therapy. Herein, we begin by the biogenesis, preparation, characterization and cargo loading strategies of imEXOs. Next, we focus on therapeutic potentials of imEXOs from different kinds of immune cells against cancer from preclinical and clinical studies. Finally, we discuss advantages of engineered imEXOs and potential risks of imEXOs in cancer treatment. The advantages of engineered imEXOs are highlighted, including selective killing effect, effective tumor targeting, effective lymph node targeting, immune activation and regulation, and good biosafety. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fluorescence of functional dyes was generally quenched in aqueous solution, which hindered their application in water‐bearing detections. In this work, a novel strategy based on host‐guest interaction was provided for the purpose of fluorescence enhancement in aqueous solution and cell imaging. Three adamantane‐modified fluorescent dyes (Coum‐Ad, NP‐Ad, NR‐Ad) with coumarin, 1,8‐naphthalimide and Nile Red as fluorophores were initially designed and prepared. The ((adamantan‐1‐yl)methyl)amino group, as the auxochrome of those dyes, complexed with methylated β‐cyclodextrin (M‐β‐CD) via supramolecular interaction, and then fluorescent supramolecular nanoparticles (FSNPs) were formed by self‐assembly in water. The inclusion equilibrium constant (K) could be as high as 3.94×104 M−1. With the addition of M‐β‐CD, fluorescence quantum yields of these dyes were separately improved to 69.8 %, 32.9 % and 41.3 %. Inspired by the above satisfactory results, six adamantane‐modified probes organelle‐NPAds with organelle‐targeting capability were further obtained. As the formation of hydrogen bonds between organelle‐NPAd2 and M‐β‐CD verified by theoretical calculation, K of organelle‐NPAd2 (5.13×104 M−1~4.53×105 M−1) with M‐β‐CD was higher than that of organelle‐NPAd1 (1.15×104 M−1~3.66×104 M−1) and their fluorescence quantum yields increased to 32.8 %~83.6 % in aqueous solution. In addition, fluorescence enhancement was realized in cell imaging with the addition of M‐β‐CD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the three-dimensional culture model, the breeding basket of the culture area is symmetrical and it is important to control the dissolved oxygen in the symmetrical region to improve the culture efficiency. Practical engineering issues, such as the influence of flow rate, pH, water temperature, and biological oxygen consumption on the dissolved oxygen content in the circulating water culture system, must be considered along with the presence of modeling errors in the control model. The authors propose an adaptive anti-disturbance control strategy for dissolved oxygen that combines nonlinear disturbance observation with an adaptive sliding model control. Initially, a dynamic model for controlling dissolved oxygen in a recirculating water aquaculture system was developed. The model considers external disturbances like artificial oxygenation, abrupt changes in system flow, and variations in culture oxygen consumption. Secondly, to enhance the robustness and accuracy of controlling dissolved oxygen concentration, the paper introduces a nonlinear adaptive disturbance observer for real-time estimation and observation of external disturbances and system uncertainties. This is accompanied by a sliding-mode control-based adaptive anti-disturbance strategy. Lastly, the simulation results demonstrate that the control strategy proposed in this paper shows resistance to system uncertainties and unknown external disturbances. Furthermore, it reduces the model accuracy requirements for the controller and proves to be suitable for accurately controlling dissolved oxygen in circulating water systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Image aesthetic cropping aims at improving the aesthetic quality by adjusting the composition of the image. Most cropping algorithms generate thousands of candidate windows, which is very time-consuming. Motivated by this challenge, we design a rule of thirds-aware reinforcement learning (RoTA-RL) model for image aesthetics cropping. The RoTA-RL model image cropping is a decision-making process of reinforcement learning. Through some simple actions, images with high aesthetic quality can be generated. Firstly, the deep global features and rule of thirds features are extracted. Secondly, the agent can predict the best cropping action by these features. Double deep Q-learning is used to update the parameters of the agent, and dueling deep Q-learning is used to devise the structure of the agent. Finally, a new reward function is proposed based on the aesthetic score and the rule of thirds score predicted by the improved aesthetic assessment network. The RoTA-RL model has been evaluated on public image cropping datasets, and the accuracy of intersection over union is improved by 5.78% on Flickr Cropping Dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prediction of failure mechanisms in nonlinear elastic materials holds significant importance in engineering applications. In recent years, the phase-field model has emerged as an effective approach for addressing fracture problems. Compared with other discontinuous fracture methods, the phase-field method allows for the easy simulation of complex fracture paths, including crack initiation, propagation, coalescence, and branching phenomena, through a scalar field known as the phase field. This method offers distinct advantages in tackling complex fracture problems in nonlinear elastic materials and exhibits substantial potential in material design and manufacturing. The current research has indicated that the energy distribution method employed in phase-field approaches significantly influences the simulated results of material fracture, such as crack initiation load, crack propagation path, crack branching, and so forth. This impact is particularly pronounced when simulating the fracture of nonlinear materials under finite deformation. Therefore, this review outlines various strain energy decomposition methods proposed by researchers for phase-field models of fracture in tension–compression symmetric nonlinear elastic materials. Additionally, the energy decomposition model for tension–compression asymmetric nonlinear elastic materials is also presented. Moreover, the fracture behavior of hydrogels is investigated through the application of the phase-field model with energy decomposition. In addition to summarizing the research on these types of nonlinear elastic body fractures, this review presents numerical benchmark examples from relevant studies to assess and validate the accuracy and effectiveness of the methods presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol has been widely adopted across various surgical subspecialties. Transoral robotic thyroidectomy (TORT) has grown in popularity in the past decade. Therefore, this study aimed to discuss the initial application of ERAS in TORT. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 95 patients who had undergone TORT in our department from April 2020 to March 2022. All patients were treated using the ERAS protocol. Results: TORT was successfully performed in all 95 patients. Postoperative histopathological examination revealed papillary carcinoma. The average operative time, hemorrhage volume, length of postoperative stay, and pain score (24 hours after surgery) were 227.32 ± 44.37 minutes, 35.81 ± 23.45 mL, 1.37 ± 0.62 days, and 2.11 ± 0.54, respectively. Sixty patients received an analgesia pump, with no significant difference in pain scores between the patients with and without the pump (P > .05). Eight patients experienced transient mandibular numbness, and two experienced transient hoarseness postoperatively. Of the 24 cases of total thyroidectomy/bilateral subtotal thyroidectomy (ST) or lobectomy with isthmusectomy plus contralateral ST patients, 8 developed transient hypoparathyroidism. No common complications, such as incision infection, hematoma/effusion formation, coughing while drinking, or permanent hoarseness/hypocalcemia, were reported. Conclusion: Our initial outcomes demonstrate that implementing an ERAS protocol in TORT is safe and feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The compound continuum robot employs both concentric tube components and cable-driven continuum components to achieve its complex motions. Nevertheless, the interaction between these components causes coupling, which inevitably leads to reduced accuracy. Consequently, researchers have been striving to mitigate and compensate for this coupling-induced error in order to enhance the overall performance of the robot. This paper leverages the coupling between the components of the compound continuum robot to accomplish specific surgical procedures. Specifically, the internal concentric tube component is utilized to induce motion in the cable-driven external component, which generates coupled motion under the constraints of the cable. This approach enables the realization of high-precision surgical operations. Specifically, a kinematic model for the proposed robot is established, and an inverse kinematic algorithm is developed. In this inverse kinematic algorithm, the solution of a highly nonlinear system of equations is simplified into the solution of a single nonlinear equation. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, simulations are conducted to evaluate the efficiency of the algorithm. The simulations conducted in this study indicate that the proposed inverse kinematic (IK) algorithm improves computational speed by a significant margin. Specifically, it achieves a speedup of 2.8 × 103 over the Levenberg–Marquardt (LM) method. In addition, experimental results demonstrate that the coupled-motion system achieves high levels of accuracy. Specifically, the repetitive positioning accuracy is measured to be 0.9 mm, and the tracking accuracy is 1.5 mm. This paper is significant for dealing with the coupling of the compound continuum robot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Middle-third falcine meningiomas (FMs) are usually hidden deep under the eloquent cortex and abundant bridging veins, which represent the main hindrances to surgical access. The endoscopic approach has the advantages of wide visualization and free visual axis without areas of visual blindness, which allows for the resection of FMs with good visualization in a narrow space, especially in deep operations. Here, we report a case of a middle-third FM treated using the endoscopic ipsilateral interhemispheric approach. A 55-year-old female who had suffered a headache for 6 months without other remarkable symptoms was diagnosed with middle-third FM combined with imaging evaluation. According to the imaging performance and anatomical features, we scheduled the endoscopic ipsilateral interhemispheric approach to access and remove the tumor. Consequently, gross total tumor resection was achieved without surgery-related complications. After the surgery, the patient had an uneventful recovery and was discharged with no neurological deficit. During the 24-month follow-up, the patient's condition remained favorable, with no tumor recurrence. In our opinion, the endoscopic ipsilateral interhemispheric approach is a feasible surgical strategy for FMs, which deserves further exploration as a treatment option. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a direct synthesis approach is proposed to extract the coupling matrix of multi‐port filtering power divider (FPD) with arbitrary phase shift, power division as well as reference impedances, for the first time. This method provides an attractive technique to synthesise a multi‐functional device that combines the characteristics of bandpass filter, multi‐port power divider and ideal phase shifters as well as the impedance matching network, which can effectively diminish the overall size and improve the performance of the microwave front‐end network. A newly defined coupling matrix corresponding to arbitrary multi‐port topologies that introduces ideal phase shift by virtue of constant frequency‐independent reactance at the source and load is developed in FPD synthesis process. The coupling matrix is obtained directly by optimising the presented cost‐function in this paper, avoiding complex similar transformation process of coupling matrix. Finally, several numerical examples of multi‐port FPD with equal/unequal power division ratio, arbitrary phase shift and reference impedances are synthesised to well verify the proposed synthesis method, and a practical example is given to verify the validity of arbitrary phase shift and arbitrary reference impedance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Golden jackal optimization (GJO) is inspired by the cooperative attacking behavior of golden jackals and mainly simulates searching for prey, stalking and enclosing prey, and pouncing on prey to solve complicated optimization problems. However, the basic GJO has the disadvantages of premature convergence, a slow convergence rate and low computation precision. To enhance the overall search and optimization abilities, an enhanced golden jackal optimization (EGJO) method with the elite opposition-based learning technique and the simplex technique is proposed to address adaptive infinite impulse response system identification. The intention is to minimize the error fitness value and obtain the appropriate control parameters. The elite opposition-based learning technique boosts population diversity, enhances the exploration ability, extends the search range and avoids search stagnation. The simplex technique accelerates the search process, enhances the exploitation ability, improves the computational precision and increases the optimization depth. EGJO can not only achieve complementary advantages to avoid search stagnation but also balance exploration and exploitation to arrive at the best value. Three sets of experiments are used to verify the effectiveness and feasibility of EGJO. The experimental results clearly demonstrate that the optimization efficiency and recognition accuracy of EGJO are superior to those of AOA, GTO, HHO, MDWA, RSO, WOA, TSA and GJO. EGJO has a faster convergence rate, higher computation precision, better control parameters and better fitness value, and it is stable and resilient in solving the IIR system identification problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A compact microstrip multifunctional reconfigurable filtering power divider (FPD) is proposed based on varactor‐loaded three‐parallel‐coupled line section (TLCS) in this letter. Continuously tunable third‐order filtering power division response with two transmission zeros (TZs) including centre frequency (CF), bandwidth (BW) and power division ration (PDR) is successfully attained by varying the external and internal coupling through loading varactors into a three‐parallel‐coupled line topology. For validation, a prototype is implemented. The results indicate that the CF can be tuned from 0.46 to 0.8 GHz, a tunable 3‐dB BW of 80 to 190 MHz is exhibited with better than 17‐dB return loss and higher than 15‐dB in‐band isolation. In addition to the CF and BW tunability, the power division ratio (PDR) for the presented FPD can also be adjusted from 1:1 to 1:5. Additionally, a compact size is realized with only 0.12λg × 0.16λg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-frame circulation aquaculture belongs to the important category of sustainable agriculture development. In light of the visual-detection problem related to survival rate of Portunus in single-frame three-dimensional aquaculture, a fusion recognition algorithm based on YOLOV5, RCN (RefineContourNet) image recognition of residual bait ratio, centroid moving distance, and rotation angle was put forward. Based on three-parameter identification and LWLR (Local Weighted Linear Regression), the survival rate model of each parameter of Portunus was established, respectively. Then, the softmax algorithm was used to obtain the classification and judgment fusion model of Portunus' survival rate. In recognition of the YOLOV5 residual bait and Portunus centroid, the EIOU (Efficient IOU) loss function was used to improve the recognition accuracy of residual bait in target detection. In RCN, Portunus edge detection and recognition, the optimized binary cross-entropy loss function based on double thresholds successfully improved the edge clarity of the Portunus contour. The results showed that after optimization, the mAP (mean Average Precision) of YOLOV5 was improved, while the precision and mAP (threshold 0.5:0.95:0.05) of recognition between the residual bait and Portunus centroid were improved by 2% and 1.8%, respectively. The loss of the optimized RCN training set was reduced by 4%, and the rotation angle of Portunus was obtained using contour. The experiment shows that the recognition accuracy of the survival rate model was 0.920, 0.840, and 0.955 under the single parameters of centroid moving distance, residual bait ratio, and rotation angle, respectively; and the recognition accuracy of the survival rate model after multi-feature parameter fusion was 0.960. The accuracy of multi-parameter fusion was 5.5% higher than that of single-parameter (average accuracy). The fusion of multi-parameter relative to the single-parameter (average) accuracy was a higher percentage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concentric tube robots (CTRs) are a promising prospect for minimally invasive surgery due to their inherent compliance and ability to navigate in constrained environments. Existing mechanics-based kinematic models typically neglect friction, clearance, and torsion between each pair of contacting tubes, leading to large positioning errors in medical applications. In this paper, an improved kinematic modeling method is developed. The effect of clearance on tip position during concentric tube assembly is compensated by the database method. The new kinematic model is mechanic-based, and the impact of friction moment and torsion on tubes is considered. Integrating the infinitesimal torsion of the concentric tube robots eliminates the errors caused by the interaction force between the tubes. A prototype is built, and several experiments with kinematic models are designed. The results indicate that the error of tube rotations is less than 2 mm. The maximum error of the feeding experiment does not exceed 0.4 mm. The error of the new modeling method is lower than that of the previous kinematic model. This paper has substantial implications for the high-precision and real-time control of concentric tube robots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While they do not appear to report the values, they do introduce the possibility of using an error distance that they refer to as the Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) ratio, which they define as Equation (1): (1) HT ht where HT ht is the coil current reference obtained using COMSOL and HT ht is that from the proposed approach. Electromagnetics is the hidden "glue" that holds together almost all electrical and electronic engineering applications. The basis of electromagnetics is electromagnetic force, one of the fundamental forces of nature; from this force, we can derive electromagnetic fields. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose. To explore the expression of miR-141-3p during the osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and its regulatory effect. Methods. Differentiation of BMSCs was induced by dexamethasone. The mRNA expression of miR-141-3p, ALP, RUNX2, and OCN was measured using RT-qPCR. The protein expression was detected via western blot. The target of miR-141-3p was predicted through the TargetScan website and confirmed using luciferase reporter assay. Results. miR-141-3p expression declined during osteogenic differentiation. The relative ALP activities and the mRNA expression of ALP, RUNX2, and OCN were markedly reduced in the miR-141-3p mimic group while increased in the inhibitor group. Cell viability was suppressed in the miR-141-3p mimic group and promoted in the inhibitor group. SIRT1 was predicted to be a downstream gene of miR-141-3p, and this prediction was confirmed via the luciferase reporter assay. The results of the western blot assay demonstrated that SIRT1 expression was decreased in the miR-141-3p mimic group. SIRT1 reversed the inhibitory influence of miR-141-3p on the osteogenic differentiation ability of BMSCs. Conclusion. miR-141-3p targeted SIRT1 to inhibit osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This study developed nano‐sized lutein‐loaded solid microcapsules using antisolvent precipitation followed by spray/freeze‐drying methods to improve chemical stability and dissolution efficiency. In antisolvent precipitation, lutein nanosuspensions with a particle size of 201.1 ± 4.3 nm were obtained with maltodextrin–Tween 80 as combined stabilisers. The effects of two drying methods on the performance characteristics of the microencapsulated powders were investigated. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses revealed the amorphous state of lutein and potential hydrogen bond interactions in the solid microcapsules. Stability testing showed that microencapsulation greatly reduced lutein loss (>80% plateau retention value (RV)) and retained the product colour (<1.5 ΔC) during long‐term storage. The release behaviour of lutein in the microencapsulated powder was evaluated via dissolution studies, which indicated that the spray‐dried microcapsules displayed faster and more complete dissolution behaviour (>90% within 10 min). In conclusion, an amorphous nanoparticle strategy based on antisolvent precipitation and spray‐drying can be utilised to obtain commercially available lutein formulations with high stability and fast release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25(OH)VD3] plays an important role in regulating calcium and phosphorus metabolism via upregulating the expression of calcium ion channel proteins, resulting in improved bone quality. Many publications have reported that dietary supplementation of 25(OH)VD3 could improve the antioxidase activity and immune function of weaned pigs. However, evidence has proven that the biological response of 25(OH)VD3 on pig nutrition depends on the inclusion doses in the diets. This study was conducted to explore the roles of 25(OH)VD3 with different inclusion doses in growing-finishing pigs. The study was conducted to evaluate the effects of 25(OH)VD3 with different inclusion levels of 0, 25, 50 and 75 μg/kg in the diet on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, bone properties and pork quality in growing-finishing pigs. The results showed that the average daily gain (p < 0.05) and body weight (p < 0.10) of pigs showed a trend of increasing quadratically as inclusion levels of 25(OH)VD3 increased. Dietary supplementation of 50 μg/kg 25(OH)VD3 increased calcium digestibility compared with the 0 μg/kg group (p < 0.05), and calcium and phosphorus digestibility increased quadratically as inclusion levels of 25(OH)VD3 increased (p < 0.05). Dietary supplementation of 50 μg/kg 25(OH)VD3 increased concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acids, and decreased contents of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids in the longissimus dorsi of pigs (p < 0.05). The addition of 25, 50 and 75 μg/kg 25(OH)VD3 to the diet increased breaking strength and bone stiffness in the tibia compared with the 0 μg/kg group (p < 0.05). Dietary supplementation of 50 μg/kg 25(OH)VD3 improved the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), and increased the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of Cu/Zn SOD in the longissimus dorsi compared with the 0 μg/kg group (p < 0.05). Supplementing 50 μg/kg 25(OH)VD3 improved the mRNA expression of calcium-binding protein D9k (CaBP-D9k) and D28k (CaBP-D28K) in the liver compared with the 0 μg/kg 25(OH)D3 group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, a diet with an added dose of 50 μg/kg 25(OH)VD3 showed a greatest growth performance of growing-finishing pigs, and 25(OH)VD3 enhanced calcium deposition and antioxidant capacity in the longissimus dorsi, which may be associated with improved expression of calcium ion channel proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel type of cross‐like holes phononic crystal with excellent band gap characteristics, machinability and stability is optimized and designed based on genetic algorithm. The improved genetic algorithm is used to enlarge the band gap in the low frequency range, and the transmission spectrum of the structure is calculated by finite element method. In addition, the magnetorheological elastomer was introduced to optimize the spatial magnetic field distribution and study the influence of magnetic field on the band gap. This work provides useful guidance for the topological design of other types of intelligent phononic crystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The early weaning of piglets is a key strategy for the modern pig industry. However, the digestive system of early-weaned piglets is not well developed, and weaned piglets suffering from psychological, nutritional and environmental stresses, cause significant losses to the pig industry. In order to mitigate the challenges of weaning, adding zinc oxide to the diet of weaned piglets has become standard in the industry. However, the excessive output of zinc from pigs' feces to the water and soil will produce toxicity to crops and threaten animal and human health. Mannan-rich fraction, derived from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, can improve gut health and the immune system. In addition, protein-chelated zinc has stable chemical properties, a higher absorption rate and biological potency. Therefore, we speculate that the combination of protein-chelated zinc and mannan-rich fraction will be an alternative to high-dose zinc oxide to relieve weaning stress. Our study showed that the combined addition of protein-chelated zinc and mannan-rich fraction is an alternative for zinc oxide in beneficially supporting the growth performance and intestinal health of weaned piglets, as well as contributing to a lower diarrhea rate and environmental pollution from fecal zinc excretion. A total of 168 weaned piglets (average initial body weight of 7.70 ± 0.75 kg) were used in a 4-week feeding trial to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with protein-chelated zinc (Zn-Pro) alone or combined with a mannan-rich fraction (MRF) to replace high-dose zinc oxide (ZnO) for weaned piglets. The dietary treatments included a basal diet as control (CON), a ZnO diet (basal diet + 1600 mg Zn/kg from ZnO), a Zn-Pro diet (basal diet + 60 mg Zn/kg from Zn-Pro), and a MRF plus Zn-Pro diet (MRP, basal diet + 800 mg/kg MRF + 60 mg Zn/kg from Zn-Pro). The average daily gain of piglets in the MRP group was higher (p ≤ 0.05) than that in CON and Zn-Pro groups during d 15–28 and d 1–28 of experiment. The apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, and crude protein in the MRP group was higher (p ≤ 0.05) than that in the CON group. The serum insulin-like growth factor-1 level in the MRP group was markedly higher (p ≤ 0.05) than that of piglets in the other three treatment groups. Piglets fed the Zn-Pro and ZnO diets had greater (p ≤ 0.05) acetic acid in cecal digesta than those fed the CON diet, while the MRP diet had higher (p ≤ 0.05) cecal propionate concentration than those that were fed the CON diet on d 28 of experiment. Moreover, the villus height of ileum in the MRP group tended to be greater than the CON group (p = 0.09). Compared with the CON and MRP groups, the relative abundance of Lactobacillaceae (p = 0.08) and Lachnospiraceae (p = 0.09) in the Zn-Pro group showed an increasing trend. The relative abundance of Prevotellaceae in the Zn-Pro group was significantly lower (p ≤ 0.05) than that in the MRP group. In conclusion, the combined addition of MRF and Zn-Pro acted as a suitable alternative to ZnO to beneficially support the growth performance and intestinal health of weaned piglets, as well as contribute to a lower diarrhea rate and environmental pollution from fecal zinc excretion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A miniature quad‐band filtering power divider (FPD) based on a quad‐mode stub loaded resonator (SLR) is presented. The quad‐band FPD is formed by a proper coupling topology between the open‐ended microstrip line and two pairs of quad‐mode SLRs. Moreover, to achieve good isolation, two resistors are mounted between the symmetrical SLRs with respect to the open‐ended microstrip line properly. The proposed SLR is analysed by the odd‐ and even‐mode analysis method, and four passbands are accordingly introduced. For demonstration, a quad‐band FPD centred at 1.20, 1.66, 1.89 and 2.16 GHz is designed, simulated, fabricated and measured. The measured results have good agreement with simulated ones, which validates the proposed design concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the differential expression of genes in whole transcripts of congenital pulmonary airway malformation (CPAM) using second-generation sequencing (also known as next-generation sequencing, NGS) technology. Children with CPAM were strictly screened after setting the criteria, and grouped by taking CPAM parietal tissue and CPAM lesion tissue respectively, and RNA-Seq libraries were established separately using second-generation sequencing technology, followed by differential expression analysis and GO (gene ontology) functional enrichment analysis, KEGG (Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes, a database) pathway analysis and GSEA (Gene Set Enrichment Analysis) analysis. Five cases were screened from 36 children with CPAM, and high-throughput sequencing was performed to obtain 10 whole transcripts of samples with acceptable sequence quality and balanced gene coverage. One aberrantly expressed sample (3b) was found by analysis of principal components, which was excluded and then subjected to differential expression analysis, and 860 up-regulated genes and 203 down-regulated genes. GO functional enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes demonstrates the functional class and cellular localization of target genes. The whole transcript of CPAM shows obvious gene up and down-regulation, differentially expressed genes are located in specific cells and belong to different functional categories, and NGS can provide an effective means to study the transcriptional regulation of CPAM from the overall transcriptional level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polarity and viscosity, as important microenvironment parameters, play an essential role in cell metabolism. Therefore, 9-acridine carboxaldehyde reacted with cyano compounds to obtain polarity-sensitive probes 1a–b and viscosity-sensitive probes 1c–d. Among them, with the increase in solvent polarity, the maximum emission wavelength of acridine-dicyanoisophorone-based probe 1a red-shifted from 553 nm to 594 nm, the fluorescence quantum yield increased from 0.5% to 35.6%, and the fluorescence intensity enhanced 38 fold. The acridine-cyanofuranone based probe 1b also has a polarity response similar to 1a. Nevertheless, when the solution viscosity increased from 0.89 cP (100% water) to 856 cP (1% water), the fluorescence intensity of the acridine-tricyanodihydrofuran based probe 1c at 430 nm enhanced 5.6 times. The acridine-cyanobenzothiazole based probe 1d also had a viscosity response similar to 1c. In addition, probes 1a–b were used for further HeLa cell imaging experiments due to their good photostability and the results suggested that probe 1a could locate lipid droplets and probes 1b–c could stain lysosomes. Moreover, probes 1a–b could dynamically monitor the changes in intracellular polarity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the deficiency of weak signal amplification ability in traditional bistable system and combining with the advantages of tristable system and asymmetric system, three novel of combined asymmetric tristable stochastic resonance (SR) systems are proposed by combining the classical bistable potential model with the Gaussian potential model in this paper, namely, asymmetric well depth stochastic resonance (AWDSR), asymmetric well width stochastic resonance (AWWSR) and asymmetric well depth width stochastic resonance (AWDWSR). The stochastic resonance phenomena of the above three systems under α noise with the influence of parameters are analyzed, respectively. Through empirical mode decomposition and adaptive genetic algorithm to optimize the parameters for weak signal extraction, it can be found that this method can achieve stronger SR performance. After the bearing fault diagnosis of the proposed systems, the detection results of the three asymmetric systems are obviously better than the classical tristable stochastic resonance (CTSR) and symmetric stochastic resonance (SSR), and the performance advantage of AWDWSR is the greatest. This can provide some reference value for practical engineering application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the insufficient consideration of medium and long-term wind power contract power in short-term dispatch, long-term planning and real-time consumption of wind power cannot be effectively undertaken, resulting in a large amount of abandoned wind power. A way to improve the wind power absorption capacity has become an urgent problem to be studied. According to the characteristics of the market and dispatching in the process of wind-fire integration construction, this paper constructs a wind power consumption model that connects the mid- and long-term transaction power decomposition and short-term dispatch. Considering the unit output characteristics and maintenance, the monthly contract electricity is decomposed into daily electricity, and the nesting of medium and long-term transactions and short-term scheduling is realized; the second stage is a short-term multi-objective optimal scheduling model considering the decomposition of contract electricity and the output of non-bidding units to improve the real-time consumption of wind power. Finally, a province in northwest China is taken as an example to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new class of 3-D integrated multiband bandpass filters (BPFs) based on substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) technology is presented in this work, for the first time. Split-type dual-extended doublet (SDED) coupling topologies are developed to propose these BPFs with a desired multiband response by the LEGO-style assembly of planar SIW resonant-mode blocks. These design schemes offer attractive and promising advantages with regard to compact size, low cost, flexible and expandable topology, as well as integration of high-density integrated circuits. For demonstration, dual- and triple-band BPFs are designed, fabricated, and measured. The measurement results are in good agreement with the simulation ones. Results indicate that the proposals can provide not only nice selective multiband signal transmission in such flexibly extensible topologies with new spatial schemes but also increase space utilization and reduce footprint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of the bowl‐shaped molecules are synthesized via a core‐periphery strategy with the bowl rim closed at the final stage. However, the construction of heteroatom‐doped buckybowls by the periphery‐core method with the bowl bottom sealed by inserting new atoms in the last step is quite limited. Herein we report the synthesis of a bowl‐shaped compound containing four sulfur atoms and two embedded N−B bonds with the ratio of carbon atom and heteroatom as low as four through a periphery‐core strategy. Crystallographic analysis confirms the formation of a bowl‐shaped structure. The multiple heteroatoms alter the molecular electronic structure, thus resulting in the distinct aromaticity when compared with its all‐carbon congener. The electron‐rich buckybowl shows a strong interaction with the electron‐deficient fullerene C60 by forming a 1 : 1 complex in toluene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of the bowl‐shaped molecules are synthesized via a core‐periphery strategy with the bowl rim closed at the final stage. However, the construction of heteroatom‐doped buckybowls by the periphery‐core method with the bowl bottom sealed by inserting new atoms in the last step is quite limited. Herein we report the synthesis of a bowl‐shaped compound containing four sulfur atoms and two embedded N−B bonds with the ratio of carbon atom and heteroatom as low as four through a periphery‐core strategy. Crystallographic analysis confirms the formation of a bowl‐shaped structure. The multiple heteroatoms alter the molecular electronic structure, thus resulting in the distinct aromaticity when compared with its all‐carbon congener. The electron‐rich buckybowl shows a strong interaction with the electron‐deficient fullerene C60 by forming a 1 : 1 complex in toluene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a rigorous mathematical approach used to compute an effective diameter based on particle size distribution (PSD) has been presented that can predict the hydraulic conductivity of granular soils with enhanced rigor. The PSD was discretized based on an abstract interval system of fractal entropy, while the effective diameter of soil was computed using the grading entropy theory. The comparisons between current entropy-based effective diameter (DE) and those computed using existing procedures show that the current DE can capture the particle size information of a given soil more accurately than others. Subsequently, the proposed DE was successfully implicated into Kozeny–Carman's formula to deduce the saturated hydraulic conductivity of soils with enhanced accuracy. The proposed model was tested using current and previously published experimental data from literature. Not surprisingly, the results of the current model and those from previous experimental studies were found to be consistent, which can sufficiently verify the proposed entropy-based effective diameter model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a new method to solve Lambert's problem with multiple constraints, including the impulse-magnitude constraints, the trajectory-radius constraints, and the terminal-impact-angle constraint. First, the closed-form range of the chordal terminal velocity component for each constraint is derived. Then, the admissible intersection range for all constraints is obtained. Finally, the feasible solutions are solved in the admissible intersection range by using the terminal-velocity-based Lambert algorithm. The 180° case and the multiple-revolution case are also considered. The proposed method can be also extended to the Lambert algorithms with other independent variables. Compared with the typical method of first solving Lambert's problem and then pruning the solutions that do not satisfy the constraints, the numerical examples show that the proposed method can reduce a lot of computational time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Applying machine learning technology to automatic image analysis and auxiliary diagnosis of whole slide image (WSI) may help to improve the efficiency, objectivity, and consistency of pathological diagnosis. Due to its extremely high resolution, it is still a great challenge to directly process WSI through deep neural networks. In this paper, we propose a novel model for the task of classification of WSIs. The model is composed of two parts. The first part is a self-supervised encoding network with a UNet-like architecture. Each patch from a WSI is encoded as a compressed latent representation. These features are placed according to their corresponding patch's original location in WSI, forming a feature cube. The second part is a classification network fused by 4 famous network blocks with heterogeneous architectures, with feature cube as input. Our model effectively expresses the feature and preserves location information of each patch. The fused network integrates heterogeneous features generated by different networks which yields robust classification results. The model is evaluated on two public datasets with comparison to baseline models. The evaluation results show the effectiveness of the proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. A single center, retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the clinical image features and diagnostic efficiency of pulmonary ultrasound in the diagnosis of congenital pulmonary airway malformations (CPAMs) in children. Methods. The starting and ending time of this study is from May 2019 to December 2021. This study included 200 children with CPAM diagnosed by prenatal ultrasound and postpartum CT imaging (aged from 1 hour to 3 years), including 103 males and 97 females. All of them were diagnosed by fetal ultrasound and were examined by chest X-ray (CXR), chest CT, and lung ultrasound (LUS). The clinical image characteristics and diagnostic efficiency of CXR, chest CT, and LUS in the diagnosis of CPAM in children were analyzed. Results. 200 lesions were limited to single lung, and the most common were right lower lobe, right lower lobe in 80 cases (40.0%), left lower lobe in 60 cases (30.0%), right upper lobe in 30 cases (15.0%), left upper lobe in 20 cases (10.0%), and right middle lobe in 10 cases (5.0%). Among the 200 cases of preoperative CT examination, 196 cases (98.00%) showed lesions and confirmed diagnosis, and 4 cases were missed. Chest X-ray showed multiple focal circular low-density shadow in the right lung, and the heart shadow and mediastinum moved slightly to the left. CXR showed multiple cystic transparent shadows in the left lower lung and slightly to the right of the mediastinum and heart. CXR showed multiple balloon cavities of different sizes in the right lung field, and the mediastinum and heart shadow shifted to the left. The direct signs of LUS (including single or multiple cystic lesions) were not significantly different from those of CXR, but the indirect signs were significantly higher than those of CXR. Conclusion. The most common CT findings of CPAM in children are cystic lesions, especially polycystic lesions, while LUS images of CPAM in children are various. LUS is a noninvasive and nonradiological examination method, which is easy to operate and repeat. LUS can be used for preliminary qualitative screening of CPAM in children, and the diagnostic value of indirect signs of LUS is better than that of CXR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a dual‐band balanced bandpass filter (BPF) based on a single interfered substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) cavity. The TE201, TE202, TE401, and TE402‐modes are controlled by the metallic vias and divided into two groups. The first passband is made up of the affected TE201 and TE202‐modes, while the second passband is made up of the disturbed TE401 and TE402‐modes. In this balanced BPF design, it realizes the requested differential‐mode (DM) transmission and common‐mode (CM) suppression. Particularly, the bandwidths (BWs) of the two DM passbands can be efficiently controlled by only adjusting the locations of these metallic vias. A prototype dual‐band balanced BPF operating at 16.71 and 22.23 GHz with BWs controllable is fabricated and measured for verification. Good accordance between simulation and measurement can be observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimal low-thrust linearized elliptic orbit rendezvous problems are studied for both continuous thrust and piecewise constant thrust considering the communication window constraint. Based on the analytical state propagation expressions for linear relative motion under on–off constant thrust, the analytical energy-optimal solution using piecewise constant thrust is derived by the Lagrange multiplier method for given switching time points. This solution is further extended to obtain the analytical energy-optimal solution using continuous thrust. For the piecewise constant thrust with free switching time points, the fuel-optimal problem is formulated as a nonlinear programming problem, which is solved by a modified differential evolution algorithm. In addition, the derived analytical energy-optimal solution for given switching time points is used to reduce the number of optimization variables, and it is numerically proven to effectively reduce the optimization time. Several examples are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed method for the low-thrust orbit rendezvous problem considering the communication window constraint. • The analytical energy-optimal solution for piecewise constant thrust is derived. • The analytical energy-optimal solution for continuous thrust is derived. • A new method is presented to reduce the optimization time for fuel-optimal problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A concave indolo[3,2,1‐jk]carbazole‐based compound was synthesized and characterized, which was further compared with the property of its planar congener. The results reveal that the change in molecular shape alters the molecular electronic structure, thus leading to the reduced aromaticity and divergent energy levels of frontier molecular orbitals of the concave compound. Moreover, the bowl‐shaped molecule demonstrates a blue‐shift in the UV/Vis absorption and a red‐shift in the weakened fluorescence emission due to the vibration of the concave face. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioma is the most common type of primary brain malignancy with high morbidity and mortality, but little is known about its pathological mechanisms. Kinesin family member 11 (KIF11) is a key driver of malignancy in glioblastoma, a grade IV glioma, but its involvement in glioma chemoresistance remains to be determined. We accessed the TCGA open datasets, collected glioma tumor tissue samples, and analyzed the expression of KIF11 in glioma patients. Meanwhile, the correlation between KIF11 and survival outcomes was determined by the Kaplan–Meier analysis. The role of KIF11 in glioma tumor cell function was assessed in an in vitro knockdown and overexpressing system. Here, we found that KIF11 was upregulated in glioma tumors and negatively correlated with overall survival outcomes via analyzing the open datasets. KIF11 was negatively correlated with TP53 expression. Furthermore, KIF11 promoted the stemness in glioma cells, accompanied by increased cell proliferation and chemoresistance. Mechanistically, we found that KIF11 promoted cell cycle progression via upregulating cyclin expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]