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China's Danxia landforms are characterized by their indicative red color. Portable ground object spectrometers are widely used owing to their small size, ease of operation in the field, rapid measurements, and simple operation. In this study, we analyzed the characteristic parameters of the reflection spectra of the Danxia rock wall surfaces (i.e., red surfaces, orange surfaces, and pure white spots) and different types of plant cover, as well as their quantitative relationships with color tones, using the visible-near-infrared (VNIR) reflectance spectra of the rock walls. The results indicate that the absorption depths and areas of the red and orange surface samples were highly correlated at 525 and 500 nm, as were the redness and orangeness of the samples. The redness and orangeness of the indoor and outdoor samples were relatively consistent with the absorption depth and area growth rates; however, the indoor samples had larger absorption depth and area values. The absorption depth and area of the pure white spots at 530 nm was highly correlated with redness, but the red surface and pure white spot spectra exhibited considerably different redness values, absorption depths, and absorption areas at 525–530 nm. Thus, these are advantageous parameters for distinguishing between the two surface types. The absorption positions of the red surfaces, orange surfaces, and pure white spots in the visible spectrum differed considerably, which is likely related to changes in the iron mineral types and contents present in the strata. Compared to the red surface absorption position at 525 nm, that of the orange surface shifted in the shortwave direction to 500 nm, which may be related to lower hematite and higher goethite contents. The absorption of the pure white spots at 430 nm may be caused by their pyrite content. The absorption depths of black, blocky, and green plants at 670 nm were considerably correlated with Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI). The NDVI values and absorption depths of the three plant types had widely differing range distributions, which can serve as a basis for distinguishing among the three plant types. The absorption depths of non-white spot and white spot plant coverings at 670 nm also increased with increasing NDVI values. The absorption positions of pure white spots in the visible spectrum were 430, 530, and 690 nm. After plants attached to the white spots, the 430 nm absorption position disappeared while that at 530 nm shifted in the shortwave direction. The absorption position at 690 nm was converted into that of chlorophyll. This study provides a reference for quantitatively investigating the color tones of the Danxia rock walls using VNIR reflectance spectroscopy.

Abstract Background Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is seen in up to 30–70% of women presenting for routine gynecology care and 10% of women suffering from bothersome POP symptoms. Vaginal childbirth is one of the most prominent contributing factors for POP. Pelvic muscle training (PFMT) is considered effective to improve mild to moderate POP symptoms. In addition, higher-intensity, supervised PFMT aided by biofeedback and electrical stimulation may confer greater benefit. However, the long-term efficacy of the PFMT combined with electromyography biofeedback is unknown, which indicates the need for further evidence. Methods This multicenter randomized controlled trial compares the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of conventional PFMT versus biofeedback-mediated PFMT plus neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) for postpartum symptomatic POP women. The primary outcome is the proportion of patients with the improvement of at least one POP-Q stage at 36 months after randomization. The primary economic outcome measure is incremental cost per quality-adjusted life year at 36 months. Two hundred seventy-four women from four outpatient medical centers are randomized and followed up with pelvic floor examination, questionnaires, and pelvic ultrasonography imaging. All participants are arranged for three appointments over 12 weeks. NMES and electromyography biofeedback via intravaginal probe are added to PFMT for participants in the biofeedback-mediated PFMT group. Group allocation could not be blinded from participants and healthcare staff that deliver intervention but remain masked from medical staff that carry out PFM assessment. An intention-to-treat analysis of the primary outcome will estimate the difference of the proportion of POP-Q stage improvement between the trial groups right after the intervention, and during the follow-up until 36 months, using the chi-square test and multilevel mixed models respectively. A logistic regression analysis was used for adjusting for important baseline variables that are unbalanced. Discussion The trial results will provide evidence of the effectiveness of electromyography biofeedback-mediated PFMT in improving women’s POP-Q staging, quality of life, and cost-effectiveness. Trial registration CCTR Registry ChiCTR210002171917 . Registered on March 6, 2019

This study investigated the migration patterns of oxygen in the deoxidation process of Ti-48Al alloy scrap using electromagnetic levitation (EML) technology. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were employed to analyze the oxygen distribution patterns and migration path during EML. The refining process resulted in three types of oxygen migration: (1) escape from the lattice and evaporation in the form of AlO, Al2O; (2) formation of metal oxides and remaining in the alloy melt; (3) attachment to the quartz tube wall in the form of metal oxides such as Al2O3 and Cr2O3. The oxygen content of the scrap was dropped with a deoxidation ratio of 62%. It indicated that EML can greatly promote the migration and removal of oxygen elements in Ti-Al alloy scrap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Wood formation, which occurs mainly through secondary xylem development, is important not only for supplying raw material for the 'ligno‐chemical' industry but also for driving the storage of carbon. However, the complex mechanisms underlying the promotion of xylem formation remain to be elucidated. Here, we found that overexpression of Auxin‐Regulated Gene involved in Organ Size (ARGOS) in hybrid poplar 84 K (Populus alba × Populus tremula var. glandulosa) enlarged organ size. In particular, PagARGOS promoted secondary growth of stems with increased xylem formation. To gain further insight into how PagARGOS regulates xylem development, we further carried out yeast two‐hybrid screening and identified that the auxin transporter WALLS ARE THIN1 (WAT1) interacts with PagARGOS. Overexpression of PagARGOS up‐regulated WAT1, activating a downstream auxin response promoting cambial cell division and xylem differentiation for wood formation. Moreover, overexpressing PagARGOS caused not only higher wood yield but also lower lignin content compared with wild‐type controls. PagARGOS is therefore a potential candidate gene for engineering fast‐growing and low‐lignin trees with improved biomass production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mecapegfilgrastim, a long‐acting granulocyte‐colony stimulating factor has been approved for reducing the incidence of infection, particularly febrile neutropenia (FN), in China. Objective: We conducted a multicenter prospective observational study to examine the safety and effectiveness of mecapegfilgrastim in preventing neutropenia in gastrointestinal patients receiving the chemotherapy, including S‐1/capecitabine‐based regimens or the fluorouracil, leucovorin, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan (FOLFOXIRI)/fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX)/fluorouracil, leucovorin, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan (FOLFIRINOX) regimens. Method: Five hundred and sixty‐one gastrointestinal patients from 40 sites across China, between May 2019 and November 2021, were included. The administration of mecapegfilgrastim was prescribed at the discretion of local physicians. Results: The most common adverse drug reactions (ADRs) of any grade for all patients was increased white blood cells (2.9%). Grade 3/4 ADRs were observed for anemia (0.2%), decreased white blood cells (0.2%), and decreased neutrophil count (0.2%). Among the 116 patients who received S‐1/capecitabine‐based chemotherapy throughout all cycles, ADRs of any grade included anemia (1.7%), myalgia (0.9%), and increased alanine aminotransferase (0.9%). No grade 3/4 ADRs were observed. In 414 cycles of patients who underwent S‐1/capecitabine‐based regimens, only one (0.2%) cycle experienced grade 4 neutropenia. In the FOLFIRINOX, FOLFOXIRI, and FOLFOX chemotherapy regimens, grade 4 neutropenia occurred in one (2.7%) of 37 cycles, four (4.7%) of 85 cycles, and two (1.2%) of 167 cycles, respectively. Conclusion: In a real‐world setting, mecapegfilgrastim has proven effective in preventing severe neutropenia in gastrointestinal patients following chemotherapy. This includes commonly used moderate or high‐risk FN regimens or regimens containing S1/capecitabine, all of which have demonstrated favorable efficacy and safety profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have demonstrated that enzymatically prepared coix seed prolamin hydrolysates (CHPs) contain several bioactive peptides that efficiently inhibit the activity of target enzymes (α-glucosidase and dipeptidyl kinase-IV) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, the anti-T2DM effects and potential mechanisms of CHPs as a whole in vivo have not yet been systematically explored. Therefore, we evaluated the preventive, therapeutic, and modifying effects of CHPs on T2DM by combining physiological and liver transcriptomics with a T2DM mouse model. The results showed that sustained high-fructose intake led to prediabetic symptoms in mice, with abnormal fluctuations in blood glucose and blood lipid levels. Intervention with CPHs effectively prevented weight loss; regulated abnormal changes in blood glucose; improved impaired glucose tolerance; inhibited the abnormal expression of total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoproteins; alleviated insulin resistance; and restored pancreatic islet tissue function in mice fed a high-fructose diet. In addition, we found that CHPs also play a palliative role in the loss of liver function and protect various organ tissues (including the liver, kidneys, pancreas, and heart), and are effective in preventing damage to the liver and pancreatic islet cells. We also found that the intake of CHPs reversed the abnormally altered hepatic gene profile in model mice and identified 381 differentially expressed genes that could serve as key genes for preventing the development of T2DM, which are highly correlated with multiple glycolipid metabolic pathways. We demonstrated that CHPs play a positive role in the normal functioning of the insulin signalling pathway dominated by the IRS-1/PI3K/AKT (insulin receptor substrates-1/phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B) pathway. In summary, CHPs can be used as effective food-borne glucose-modifying components of healthy foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electromagnetic levitation (EML) is a good method for high-temperature processing of reactive materials such as titanium–aluminum (Ti–Al) alloys. In this study, the oscillation and deformation processes of Ti-48Al-2Cr alloy specimens at different high-frequency currents during the EML process were simulated using the Finite Element Method and Arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian (ALE) methods. The data of oscillation, stabilization time, deformation, and distribution of electromagnetic–thermal–fluid fields were finally obtained. The accuracy of the simulation results was verified by EML experiments. The results show the following: the strength and distribution of the induced magnetic field inside the molten droplet are determined by the high-frequency current; under the coupling effect of the electromagnetic field, thermal field, and fluid field, the temperature rise of electromagnetic heating is rapid, and accompanied by strong stirring, resulting in a uniform distribution of the internal temperature and a small temperature difference. Under the joint action of gravity and Lorentz force, the molten droplets are first within a damped oscillation and then tend to stabilize with time, and finally maintain the "near rhombus" shape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]