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Stimuli‐responsive molecules with dynamic covalent bonds show physicochemical changes in response to external stimuli but also exhibit active molecular motions and poor luminescent properties. Hence, the manipulation and balance of dynamic and static behaviors are crucial for the development of multifunctional materials. In this work, a series of hydrazone‐based compounds with aggregation‐induced emission characteristics and hydrogen‐halogen interactions are designed and synthesized. Among them, TPAHPyCl showed the highest quantum yield of 54.0% and morphology‐dependent mechanochromic properties due to the strong chlorine‐hydrogen interactions and other multiple intermolecular interactions in the aggregate state. With the help of the turn‐on emission response to the non‐polar environment of lipid droplets, TPAHPyCl is also utilized for high‐resolution latent fingerprint detection and intracellular lipid‐droplet imaging, demonstrating multiple functions with dynamic and static properties. This work highlights the role of halogen‐hydrogen interactions and provides a new strategy to develop stimuli‐responsive materials with dynamic and static features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microwave hyperspectral instruments represent one of the main atmospheric sounders of China's next-generation Fengyun meteorological satellites. In order to better apply microwave hyperspectral observations in the fields of atmospheric parameter retrieval and data assimilation, this paper analyzes the sensitivity of trace gases to five selected bandwidth channels using a radiative transfer model based on the simulated data of microwave hyperspectral radiances at 50–60 GHz. This method uses information entropy and a weighting function to select channels and analyze the impact of this on the retrieval accuracy of atmospheric profiles before and after channel selection. The experimental results show that channel selection can reduce the number of channels by approximately 74.05% while maintaining a large amount of information content, and this retrieval effect is significantly better than that of MWTS-III. After channel selection, the 10 MHz, 30 MHz, and 50 MHz bandwidths have the best retrieval results in the stratosphere, whole atmosphere, and troposphere, respectively. When considering the number of channels, computational scale, and retrieval results comprehensively, the channel selection method is effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intussusception is a common cause of acute abdominal pain in children and the most frequent cause of intestinal obstruction in infants. Although often idiopathic, it can stem from conditions like lymphoma. This study delves into lymphoma-related intussusception in children, aiming to enhance early detection and management. A retrospective review encompassed children admitted from 2012 to 2023 with intussusception due to intestinal lymphoma. Demographic, clinical, and imaging data were meticulously extracted and analyzed. The study included 31 children in the lymphoma-related intussusception group. Contrasted with non-lymphoma-related cases, the patients of lymphoma-related intussusception were notably older (median age: 87 months vs. 18.5 months), predominantly male, and demonstrated protracted abdominal pain. Ultrasound unveiled mesenteric lymph node enlargement and distinct intra-abdominal masses; enema reduction success rates were notably diminished. Detecting lymphoma-related intussusception remains intricate. Age, prolonged symptoms, and distinctive ultrasound findings can arouse suspicion. Timely surgical intervention, based on preoperative imaging, proves pivotal for accurate diagnosis. Conclusion: Swift identification of lymphoma-related intussusception, distinguished by unique clinical and ultrasound features, is imperative for timely intervention and treatment. Further research is warranted to refine diagnostic approaches. What is Known: • Intussusception in pediatric patients can be caused by a wide spectrum of underlying diseases including lymphoma. • Early Identifying the exact underlying cause of intussusception is crucial for tailored therapy, however often challenging and time-consuming. What is New: • Lymphoma-related intussusception may present with increased abdominal fluid accumulation, intestinal obstruction, and a higher likelihood of failed reduction during enema procedures. • For high-risk children, repeated ultrasound examinations or further investigations may be necessary to confirm the diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Devonian magmatism is one of the most important tectonothermal events in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB). However, little is known regarding the petrogenesis and geodynamic setting of the widely distributed Devonian granitoids in the eastern Southern Beishan Orogenic Belt (SBOB). Early-Devonian granitic magmatism has been recognized from the Luotuoquan area, and the granites were emplaced between 404.9 Ma and 399.4 Ma according to LA-ICPMS zircon U–Pb dating. Geochemically, the granites exhibit high SiO2 and Al2O3 contents and are enriched in light rare earth elements as well as Rb, Th, Nd, Zr, and Hf, while being depleted in heavy rare earth elements and Ba, U, Sr, and Ti, with distinct rare earth element fractionation and pronounced negative Eu anomalies. According to the comprehensive analysis, they closely resemble the features typically associated with A-type granites. The zircons εHf(t) values are within the range of +0.90–+5.19 (averaged 3.23) for the monzogranite and syenogranite, whereas their TDM2 values fall between 1.05 and 1.34 Ga, suggesting that the magma source of the monzogranite–syenogranite originated from the partial melting of the Mesoproterozoic crust dominated by metagreywackes. Furthermore, the monzogranite and syenogranite exhibit high temperatures (average 782 °C), thin crustal thickness (average 30 km), and A-type characteristics, suggesting their formation in post-collision extensional settings. We propose the closure of the Beishan Ocean occurred before the early Devonian, followed by a transition in the Southern Beishan Orogenic Belt from a compressional to an extensional setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Glioma exhibit heterogeneous susceptibility for targeted ferroptosis. How circRNAs alterations in glioma promote iron metabolism and ferroptosis defense remains unclarified. Methods: The highly enriched circRNAs in glioblastoma (GBM) were obtained through analysis of sequencing datasets. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT–PCR) was used to determine the expression of circRNF10 in glioma and normal brain tissue. Both gain-of-function and loss-of-function studies were used to assess the effects of circRNF10 on ferroptosis using in vitro and in vivo assays. The hypothesis that ZBTB48 promotes ferroptosis defense was established using bioinformatics analysis and functional assays. RNA pull-down and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays were performed to examine the interaction between circRNF10 and target proteins including ZBTB48, MKRN3 and IGF2BP3. The posttranslational modification mechanism of ZBTB48 was verified using coimmunoprecipitation (co-IP) and ubiquitination assays. The transcription activation of HSPB1 and IGF2BP3 by ZBTB48 was confirmed through luciferase reporter gene and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays. The stabilizing effect of IGF2BP3 on circRNF10 was explored by actinomycin D assay. Finally, a series of in vivo experiments were performed to explore the influences of circRNF10 on the glioma progression. Results: A novel circular RNA, hsa_circ_0028912 (named circRNF10), which is significantly upregulated in glioblastoma tissues and correlated with patients' poor prognosis. Through integrated analysis of the circRNA-proteins interaction datasets and sequencing results, we reveal ZBTB48 as a transcriptional factor binding with circRNF10, notably promoting upregulation of HSPB1 and IGF2BP3 expression to remodel iron metabolism and facilitates the launch of a circRNF10/ZBTB48/IGF2BP3 positive feedback loop in GSCs. Additionally, circRNF10 can competitively bind to MKRN3 and block E3 ubiquitin ligase activity to enhance ZBTB48 expression. Consequently, circRNF10-overexpressed glioma stem cells (GSCs) display lower Fe2+ accumulation, selectively priming tumors for ferroptosis evading. Conclusion: Our research presents abnormal circRNAs expression causing a molecular and metabolic change of glioma, which we leverage to discover a therapeutically exploitable vulnerability to target ferroptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of iron-based superconductors in high magnetic fields plays an important role for their practical application. In this work, we measured the magnetostriction and magnetization of BaFe1.908Ni0.092As2 single crystals using pulsed magnetic fields up to 60 T and static magnetic fields up to 33 T, respectively. A huge longitudinal magnetostriction (of the order of 10–4) was observed in the direction of twin boundaries. The magnetization measurements evidence a high critical-current density due to strong bulk pinning. By using magnetization data with an exponential flux-pinning model, we can reproduce the magnetostriction curves qualitatively. This result shows that the magnetostriction of BaFe1.908Ni0.092As2 can be well explained by a flux-pinning-induced mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is frequent in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and is a potentially life-threatening complication with significant morbidity and mortality. This meta-analysis aims to systematically determine the factors associated with the development of rheumatoid arthritis–related interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD). Materials and methods: All primary studies which reported the factors associated with of RA-ILD were eligible for the review except case reports. The Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Chinese Biological Medicine Database (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and WANFANG electronic databases were searched through to December 30, 2022, for studies investigating the factors associated with RA-ILD. The methodological quality assessment of the eligible studies was performed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). 2 reviewers extracted relevant data independently. Then, weighed mean differences (WMDs) or pooled odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were obtained for the relationships between the factors and RA-ILD. The statistical meta-analysis, subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed using the Review Manager 5.3, and publication bias with Egger's test were performed using the Stata12.0 software. Results: A total of 22 articles were screened for a meta-analysis which involved 1887 RA-ILD patients and 8066 RA without ILD patients. Some identified factors that were associated with an increased risk of RA-ILD included male sex (OR = 1.92, 95% CI: 1.54–2.39; P < 0.00001), older age (WMD = 5.77 years, 95% CI: 3.50–8.04; P < 0.00001), longer duration of RA (WMD = 0.80 years, 95% CI 0.12–1.47; P = 0.02), older age at onset of RA (WMD = 6.41 years, 95% CI: 3.17–9.64; P = 0.0001), smoking (OR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.30–2.18; P < 0.0001). Five factors of laboratory items associated with the development of RA-ILD were evaluated in the meta-analysis. Compared with RA without ILD patients, positive rheumatoid factor (RF) (OR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.47–2.01; P < 0.00001) and positive anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA) (OR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.31–1.90; P < 0.00001) increased the risk of RA-ILD. Meanwhile, RF titer (WMD = 183.62 (IU/mL), 95% CI: 66.94–300.30; P = 0.002) and ACPA titer (WMD = 194.18 (IU/mL), 95% CI: 115.89–272.47; P < 0.00001) were significantly associated with increased risk of RA-ILD. Elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (WMD = 7.41 (mm/h), 95% CI: 2.21–12.61; P = 0.005) and C-reactive protein (CRP) (WMD = 4.98 (mg/L), 95% CI: 0.76–9.20; P = 0.02) were also significantly associated with the development of the RA-ILD, whereas antinuclear antibody (ANA) positive status was not significantly associated with increased risk of RA-ILD (OR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.00–1.60; P = 0.05). Conclusions: This meta-analysis showed that male gender, older age, longer duration of RA, older age at onset of RA, smoking, positive RF, positive ACPA, elevated RF titer, elevated ACPA titer, higher ESR and higher CRP were associated with RA-ILD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoswitches with multiple fluorescence states known as photofluoro-chromism upon photo-induced isomerization show practical applications in information storage, anticounterfeiting, and sensors. However, it is still challenging to realize rapid isomerization, efficient fluorescence, and gradient signal output simultaneously. Herein, by incorporating luminogenic units with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) features into photo-responsive hydrazone, a series of novel photofluorochromic AIE compounds are developed. These newly designed compounds exhibit quantum yields of up to 38.4% and could undergo reversible and swift photo-isomerization upon 450/365 nm irradiation. Accordingly, the fabricated photopatterns based on them are utilized as quantitatively described images for information storage, which show excellent rewritability and intensity-variable fluorescence with a high resolution of 10 |m. This work provides a new strategy to develop intelligent photopattern systems with continuous gradient fluorescence for information storage and cybernetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To assess the treatment efficacy of laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal repair for inguinal hernia. Methods. Between November 2018 and May 2020, 130 patients with inguinal hernias diagnosed and treated in our hospital were randomly recruited and assigned to receive either tension-free hernia repair (control group) or laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal repair (study group) at the random method. All patients received routine care including external traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) application. Outcome measures included surgical indices, numeric rating scale (NRS) scores, infections, and postoperative complications. Results. Laparoscopic surgery is associated with a shorter operation duration, time-lapse before postoperative off-bed activity, and hospital stay, as well as less intraoperative hemorrhage volume compared to tension-free hernia repair in the control group. Patients in the study group had considerably lower NRS ratings after therapy than those in the control group. (P < 0.05). After treatment, the levels of blood cell count (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), and procalcitonin (PCT) in the study group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). In the control group, there were 0 cases of hematoma, 3 cases of subcutaneous effusion, 4 cases of urinary retention, 5 cases of scrotal effusion, and 1 case of bladder injury. In the study group, there were 0 cases of hematoma, 1 case of subcutaneous fluid, 1 case of urinary retention, 0 cases of scrotal fluid, and 0 cases of bladder injury. Laparoscopic surgery resulted in a lower incidence of postoperative complications versus traditional surgery (P <0.05). Conclusion. Laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal repair for inguinal hernia improves the intraoperative indices, mitigates postoperative pain, and reduces the risks of infections and complications, with the advantages of short operation duration, less hemorrhage volume, and shorter hospital stay. It shows great potential for clinical promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a degree-based topological index, the arithmetic–geometric index was firstly introduced by Shegehall and Kanabur and was defined as A G = A G (G) = ∑ u v ∈ E G d u + d v 2 d u d v for a nontrivial graph G , where d v is the degree of v in G. In this paper, we determine some sharp upper and lower bounds on A G of graphs and characterize the corresponding extremal graphs, respectively. Through the relation between the graph G and its line graph L (G) , some sharp upper and lower bounds on A G (L (G)) are studied and the corresponding extremal graphs are also characterized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The primary aim of this study was to conduct a meta‐analysis to compare the diagnostic accuracy of automated indirect immunofluorescence (automated‐IIF) and fully automated solid‐phase immunoassays (solid‐phase assays), compared with gold standard conventional manual indirect immunofluorescence (manual‐IIF) for antinuclear antibody (ANA) detection. Methods: Indirect meta‐comparison was performed using prospective studies reporting comparative data between automated‐IIF and fully automated solid‐phase assays individually to conventional manual‐IIF. Diagnostic tests regarding different automated solid‐phase assays and automated‐IIF for ANA detection were retrieved from the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Chinese Biological Medicine Database (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and WANFANG electronic databases from their inception to January 2022. Assessment of the quality of the studies was undertaken using a second version of the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS‐2) tool. The investigated diagnostic indices including pooled sensitivity, pooled specificity, pooled positive likelihood ratio (PLR), pooled negative likelihood ratio (NLR), pooled diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), area under the summary receiver operating characteristic (AUC) of automated‐IIF and solid‐phase assays, respectively. Relative diagnostic odds ratio (RDOR) was calculated to indirectly compare the diagnostic accuracy of automated‐IIF and solid‐phase assays. To visualize results, we provide forest plots showing the RDOR with 95% confidence intervals (CI) of the 2 methods against the "gold standard" manual‐IIF by R software. Deeks' funnel was used to investigate the publication bias. Results: A total of 16 studies involving 6111 subjects were included in the analysis. The pooled sensitivity, pooled specificity, pooled PLR, pooled NLR, pooled DOR and the AUC were 0.85 (95% CI: 0.84‐0.86), 0.82 (95% CI 0.81‐0.84), 14.22 (95% CI 8.55‐23.65), 0.06 (95% CI 0.03‐0.12), 287.0 (95% CI 124.30‐662.68) and 0.983 for automated‐IIF respectively, and as for solid‐phase assays those were 0.73 (95% CI 0.70‐0.75), 0.87 (95% CI 0.85‐0.89), 5.66 (95% CI 3.33‐9.62), 0.30 (95% CI 0.20‐0.47), 19.14 (95% CI 8.00‐45.79) and 0.894. The results of indirect comparison indicated that automated‐IIF had statistically significant higher accuracy for the detection of ANA. Conclusion: This meta‐analysis and indirect comparison suggest that automated‐IIF should be recommended as an alternative assay for ANA screening under the condition of increased demand for ANA testing in clinical immunology laboratories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is very important to monitor pH values. In this paper, we fabricated an all-solid-state AlGaN/GaN-based ion-sensitive heterostructure field effect transistor (ISHFET) pH sensor microprobe. The microprobe could facilitate measurement of pH values. The microprobe was fabricated by packaging the pH sensor microprobe chip into a 21 G medical needle. The performance of the integrated pH sensor microprobe was evaluated in pH range of 4–9.18. A sensitivity of 143.57 µA/pH can be achieved using the pH sensor microprobe with a width to length ratio of 4.2 at a drain–source voltage of 0.5 V. The pH sensor microprobe keeps a similar current when the pH values of solutions are the same. A response time of 1 s can be achieved when no neutralization reaction occurs. The pH sensor microprobe can accurately measure pH of solutions under 0.1M interfering ions. This probe-type AlGaN/GaN-based ISHFET pH sensor may be used in medicine or biology, especially in the detection of pH of biological fluid, blood, and some precious biological samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• SDH protects against DSS-induced colitis in mice. • SDH downregulates Th cell expression and regulates inflammatory cytokines. • SDH modulates gut microbiota structure. Ulcerative colitis, a chronic inflammatory condition affecting the rectum and colon to varying degrees, is linked to a dysregulated immune response and the microbiota. Sodium (aS,9R)-3-hydroxy-16,17-dimethoxy-15-oxidotricyclo[12.3.1.12,6]nonadeca-1(18),2,4,6(19),14,16-hexene-9-yl sulfate hydrate (SDH) emerges as a novel diarylheptane compound aimed at treating inflammatory bowel diseases. However, the mechanisms by which SDH modulates these conditions remain largely unknown. In this study, we assessed SDH's impact on the clinical progression of dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis. Our results demonstrated that SDH significantly mitigated the symptoms of DSS-induced colitis, reflected in reduced disease activity index scores, alleviation of weight loss, shortening of the colorectum, and reduction in spleen swelling. Notably, SDH decreased the proportion of Th1/Th2/Th17 cells and normalized inflammatory cytokine levels in the colon. Furthermore, SDH treatment modified the gut microbial composition in mice with colitis, notably decreasing Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria populations while substantially increasing Firmicutes , Actinobacteria , and Patescibacteria. In conclusion, our findings suggest that SDH may protect the colon from DSS-induced colitis through the regulation of Th1/Th2/Th17 cells and gut microbiota, offering novel insights into SDH's therapeutic potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although numerous studies showcase the capability of metalenses to serve as crucial elements of miniaturized optical systems, tunable focusing remains an ongoing challenge. Here, we propose a doublet zoom lens based on a Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST) metasurface at a wavelength of 1.55 μ m. Multistep zooming is realized by the joint control of incident circular polarization inversion and GST phase transition. Three tight focal spots, 0.91 λ, 1.09 λ and 0.89 λ, are achieved from the composite lens. The devised highly-integrated doublet lens, with advantages such as as being multi-foci, easily operated and responding quickly, can find applications in fields that require ultracompact zoom imaging and beam focusing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mitochondrial injury promotes the occurrence and development of kidney diseases. • Existing assays used to determine mitochondrial function have limitations. • Elevated UmtDNA is a novel noninvasive biomarker for mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondrial injury plays an important role in the occurrence and development of kidney diseases. However, the existing assays to determine mitochondrial function restrict our ability to understand the relationship between mitochondrial dysfunction and kidney damage. These limitations may be overcome by recent findings on urinary mitochondrial DNA (UmtDNA). Elevated UmtDNA level may serve as a surrogate biomarker of mitochondrial dysfunction, kidney damage, and progression and prognosis of kidney diseases. Herein, we review the recent research progress on UmtDNA in kidney diseases diagnosis and highlight the research areas that should be expanded in future as well as discuss the future perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is of great significance to design an efficient heterostructure for photocatalytic hydrogen production to solve the energy shortage and environmental crisis. In this letter, we investigate the structure, electron of interface, optical, charge transfer, and photocatalytic mechanism of three different ZnIn2S4/α-In2Se3 heterostructures by hybrid density functional calculation. It is interesting that the presence of an external electric field not only can change the bandgap but also can modulate the band alignment type. Among them, heterostructure A belongs to type II heterostructure, and heterostructure B and C belong to a Z-scheme heterostructure. Especially in heterostructure C, the electrons deposited on CBM of a ZnIn2S4 monolayer will play an important role in the hydrogen production process. Meanwhile, the small bandgap of ZnIn2S4/α-In2Se3 Z-scheme heterostructures enables it to obtain a wide light absorption range. Therefore, this study contributes to the design of a novel and potential Z-scheme heterostructure photocatalyst with broad application prospects in both electronic and optoelectronic fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A path P is a segment of a tree if the endpoints of P are of degree 1 or at least 3, and each of the rest vertices are of degree 2 in the tree. The lengths of all the segments of this tree form its segment sequence. Denote by T l the set of all trees on n vertices with the segment sequence l = (l 1 , l 2 , ... , l m) , where l 1 ⩾ l 2 ⩾ ⋯ ⩾ l m . In this paper, the extremal structures of trees among T l , which minimize or maximize the first (resp. second) Zagreb eccentricity index, the eccentric connectivity index, and the eccentric distance sum, are characterized. Furthermore, we consider similar extremal problems for trees with fixed number of segments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the electrochemical corrosion behavior of type 444 stainless steel (SS) in synthetic tap water from 25°C to 80°C, i.e. the operation environment of the electric water heater. Design/methodology/approach: The corrosion behavior was studied by using electrochemical measurements such as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and polarization curve. The specimen surfaces were observed with scanning electron microscopy. The passive films were characterized with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Findings: In the typical tap water, 444 SS passivates spontaneously under different temperatures. The passive films formed at higher temperatures contain relatively less Cr-species and more Cl− ions, resulting in lower polarization resistances. The stable pitting corrosion takes place in the potential region of oxygen evolution as the temperature increases to about 55°C. The critical Cl− concentration of pitting corrosion reduces from about 160 mg L−1 to 60 mg L−1 with changing temperature from 25°C to 80°C. Practical implications: The pitting corrosion probability was assessed through the statistical analysis of tap water quality. The results are useful for the application of 444 SS as well as the design of electric water heater. Originality/value: This paper shows the variation of polarization resistance, pitting potential, passive film composition and critical pitting chloride concentration with the temperature of tap water. It is of great significance for the development and application of SS in tap water environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at solving a typical problem of past research using accident experience statistics of being unable to adapt to changing traffic flows, this paper provides an evaluation method of the risk of vehicle rear-end collisions at red-light-camera (RLC) intersections based on theoretical probabilities. Taking advantage of trajectory data of vehicles at the two similar intersections, which are Cao'an Road and Lvyuan Road with RLCs and Cao'an Road and Anhong Road without RLCs in Shanghai, a binary logit (BL) model of stop-and-go decision-making is established. Using the model and adjusting the headway and potential travel time, we can perform simulation and analysis of rear-end collisions. The result shows that this method is feasible to analyse the influence of RLCs on rear-end collisions. The analysis indicates that RLCs can cause higher speeds for vehicles passing the RLC intersection and more abnormal driving behaviors, which increase the difficulty of stop-and-go decision-making. RLCs do not always lead to an increase of rear-end collisions. For vehicles close to or far from intersection at the decision-making time, RLCs will significantly reduce the possibility of rear-end collisions; however, for vehicles in the potential travel time of 2 s∼3 s, RLCs will increase the probability of rear-end collisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millimeter-wave (mmWave) communication systems leverage the directional beamforming capabilities of antenna arrays equipped at the base stations (BS) to counteract the inherent high propagation path loss characteristic of mmWave channels. In downlink mmWave transmissions, i.e., from the BS to users, distinguishing users within the same beam direction poses a significant challenge. Additionally, digital baseband precoding techniques are limited in their ability to mitigate inter-user interference within identical beam directions, representing a fundamental constraint in mmWave downlink transmissions. This study introduces an innovative analog beamforming-based interference mitigation strategy for downlink transmissions in reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS)-assisted hybrid analog–digital (HAD) mmWave systems. This is achieved through the joint design of analog beamformers and the corresponding coefficients at both the RIS and the BS. We first present derived closed-form approximation expressions for the achievable rate performance in the proposed scenario and establish a stringent upper bound on this performance in a large number of RIS elements regimes. The exclusive use of analog beamforming in the downlink phase allows our proposed transmission algorithm to function efficiently when equipped with low-resolution analog-to-digital/digital-to-analog converters (A/Ds) at the BS. The energy efficiency of the downlink transmission is evaluated through the deployment of six-bit A/Ds and six-bit pulse-amplitude modulation (PAM) signals across varying numbers of activated RIS elements. Numerical simulation results validate the effectiveness of our proposed algorithms in comparison to various benchmark schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The probe has typical twisted intramolecular charge transfer characteristics. • The probe is almost non-emissive in aqueous solution, but becomes highly emissive in the hydrophobic microenvironment. • The probe has excellent photostability and high emission efficiency. • The probe can be used for wash-free and long-term imaging of lipid droplets. Lipid droplets (LDs) are dynamic organelles and involve in various physiological processes by regulation of the storage and metabolism of lipid molecules. The real-time and long-term imaging of LDs' distribution and movement is critical for investigation of their biological functions. However, current LDs-targeted fluorescent probes suffer from low photostability and high background noise. To tackle these challenges, we herein reported that the red-emissive fluorescent probe DCQTB with twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) characteristics can be used for wash-free imaging of LDs with advantages of fast cell penetration ability, high specificity, excellent photostability, and low phototoxicity. This LDs-specific fluorescent probe is thus promising for investigation of the biological functions of LDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the issue of the wireless mobile robot deployment for the ad hoc network establishment in disaster environments, which aims to maximize the important locations covered by the established ad hoc network so as to improve the performance of task allocation. In many disaster environments, the number of wireless mobile robots usually is much less than the number of important locations in the environment so that maximizing the important locations covered by the established ad hoc network is the primary objective of wireless mobile robot deployment approaches. To maximize the coverage of important locations, most of the current approaches were developed based on greedy algorithms. Due to the myopia of greedy algorithms, these approaches can only maximize the coverage of important locations of each wireless mobile robot rather than the whole network. To this end, two mathematical programming-based wireless mobile robot deployment approaches are proposed for ad hoc network establishment in disaster environments. The proposed approach can create suitable deployment locations for all wireless mobile robots in a disaster environment. The experimental results demonstrate that ad hoc networks established by the proposed approaches can cover more important locations in a disaster environment than those established by greedy algorithm-based approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Load forecasting has been deeply studied because of its critical role in Smart Grid. In current Smart Grid, there are various types of customers with different energy consumption patterns. Customer's energy consumption patterns are referred to as customer behaviors. It would significantly benefit load forecasting in a grid if customer behaviors could be taken into account. This paper proposes an innovative method that aggregates different types of customers by their identified behaviors, and then predicts the load of each customer cluster, so as to improve load forecasting accuracy of the whole grid. Sparse Continuous Conditional Random Fields (sCCRF) is proposed to effectively identify different customer behaviors through learning. A hierarchical clustering process is then introduced to aggregate customers according to the identified behaviors. Within each customer cluster, a representative sCCRF is fine-tuned to predict the load of its cluster. The final load of the whole grid is obtained by summing the loads of each cluster. The proposed method for load forecasting in Smart Grid has two major advantages. 1) Learning customer behaviors not only improves the prediction accuracy but also has a low computational cost. 2) sCCRF can effectively model the load forecasting problem of one customer, and simultaneously select key features to identify its energy consumption pattern. Experiments conducted from different perspectives demonstrate the advantages of the proposed load forecasting method. Further discussion is provided, indicating that the approach of learning customer behaviors can be extended as a general framework to facilitate decision making in other market domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Let G be a connected graph. The eccentric connectivity index ξ c (G) of G is defined as ξ c (G) = ∑ v ∈ V G d G (v) ϵ G (v) , where the eccentricity ϵ G (v) = max u ∈ V G d G (v , u). Zhang et al. (2012) studied the minimal eccentric connectivity indices of graphs. As a continuance of it, in this paper we consider these problems on bipartite graphs. We obtain lower bounds on ξ c (G) in terms of the number of edges among n -vertex connected bipartite graphs with given diameter. Among all connected bipartite graphs on n vertices with m edges and diameter at least s , and connected bipartite graphs on n vertices with diameter at least s , we establish the lower bounds on ξ c (G) , respectively. All the corresponding extremal graphs are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The aim of this study is to investigate the predictive value of fetal and neonatal echocardiographic parameters for neonatal coarctation repair in fetuses suspected of coarctation of the aorta (CoA), establish a prediction model for neonatal coarctation repair, and verify its predictive effectiveness and clinical applicability. Methods. From September 2017 to September 2022, fetuses suspected with CoA were enrolled. They were divided into two groups based on the need for neonatal coarctation repair. Fetal and neonatal echocardiographic parameters and clinical characteristics were collected retrospectively. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were applied to select significant predictors, which were further used to establish the nomogram prediction model. The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) was employed to quantify its discrimination ability. The calibration curve was drawn for internal verification, and the decision curve analysis (DCA) and clinical impact curve (CIC) were used to evaluate the clinical applicability of the prediction model. Results. This study included 50 infants suspected of CoA prenatally, of which 16 (32%) received aortic coarctation repair in the neonatal period and 34 (68%) did not. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that the fetal echocardiographic parameter aortic isthmus/ductus arteriosus (AoI/DA) diameter ratio and the neonatal echocardiographic parameters such as the distance from left common carotid to left subclavian artery (LCSA) and the diameter of distal transverse aortic arch (DTAA) were independent predictors for neonatal coarctation repair. The ROC curve of the model showed excellent predictive value (AUC = 0.943). The calibration curve of the prediction model exhibited good fitness. The DCA and CIC demonstrated that the model had good clinical utility. Conclusion. The prediction model, which combines the fetal echocardiographic parameter AoI/DA diameter ratio and the neonatal echocardiographic parameters distance of LCSA and DTAA diameter, has an exceptional level of clinical value and prediction accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The more trials that are performed, the more accurate the results of HT ht determination will be. The new parameter HT ht of several soils is compared with the original paper in Fig. In this discussion, a new parameter HT ht is proposed to evaluate the strength anisotropy. [Extracted from the article]

The mechanisms underlying neuroinflammation following cerebral ischemia remain unclear. Hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S), a newly identified gasotransmitter, has been reported to regulate inflammation. In the current study, we investigated whether the endogenous H 2 S production pathway contributed to microglia-mediated neuroinflammation following stroke. We used a mouse middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model and an in vitro cellular model to mimic ischemia-induced microglial neuroinflammation. Expression of the H 2 S synthase cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) and H 2 S synthetic activity were rapidly decreased in the ischemic brain tissue following MCAO. Consistently, when cultured microglia were polarized toward a pro-inflammatory phenotype with conditioned medium collected from neurons that had been subjected to oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD neuron CM), they displayed reduced CBS expression and H 2 S production. Enhancing H 2 S bioavailability either by overexpressing CBS or by supplementing with exogenous H 2 S donors promoted a shift in microglial polarization from ischemia-induced pro-inflammatory phenotypes toward anti-inflammatory phenotypes. Mechanistically, microglia that were exposed to OGD neuron CM displayed reduced activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which was rescued by overexpressing CBS or by supplementing with H 2 S donors. Moreover, the promoting effects of H 2 S donors on microglial anti-inflammatory polarization were abolished by an AMPK inhibitor or CaMKKβ inhibitor. Our results suggested that reduced CBS-H 2 S-AMPK cascade activity contributed to microglia-mediated neuroinflammation following stroke. Targeting the CBS-H 2 S pathway is a promising therapeutic approach for ischemic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distance spectral radius of a graph is the largest eigenvalue of its distance matrix. X.L. Zhang (2012) [31] determined the n -vertex graphs of given diameter with the minimum distance spectral radius. In this paper, we generalize this result by characterizing the graphs of order n with given connectivity and diameter having minimum distance spectral radius. In addition, we determine the minimum distance spectral radius of graphs among the n -vertex graphs with given connectivity and independence number, and characterize the corresponding extremal graph, thus determining the minimum distance spectral radius of graphs among n -vertex graphs with given connectivity (resp. independence) number. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We first establish a lower bound on the size and spectral radius of a graph G to guarantee that G contains a fractional perfect matching. Then, we determine an upper bound on the distance spectral radius of a graph G to ensure that G has a fractional perfect matching. Furthermore, we construct some extremal graphs to show all the bounds are best possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper surveys the literature over the last decades in the field of self-organizing multiagent systems. Self-organization has been extensively studied and applied in multiagent systems and other fields, e.g., sensor networks and grid systems. Self-organization mechanisms in other fields have been thoroughly surveyed. However, there has not been a survey of self-organization mechanisms developed for use in multiagent systems. In this paper, we provide a survey of existing literature on self-organization mechanisms in multiagent systems. We also highlight the future work on key research issues in multiagent systems. This paper can serve as a guide and a starting point for anyone who will conduct research on self-organization in multiagent systems. Also, this paper complements existing survey studies on self-organization in multiagent systems. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Smart Grid markets are dynamic and complex, and brokers are widely introduced to better manage the markets. However, brokers face great challenges, including the varying energy demands of consumers, the changing prices in the markets, and the competitions between each other. This paper proposes an intelligent broker model based on hybrid learning (including unsupervised, supervised and reinforcement learning), which generates smart trading strategies to adapt to the dynamics and complexity of Smart Grid markets. The proposed broker model comprises three interconnected modules. Customer demand prediction module predicts short-term demands of various consumers with a data-driven method. Wholesale market module employs a Markov Decision Process for the one-day-ahead power auction based on the predicted demand. Retail market module introduces independent reinforcement learning processes to optimize prices for different types of consumers to compete with other brokers in the retail market. We evaluate the proposed broker model on Power TAC platform. The experimental results show that our broker is not only is competitive in making profit, but also maintains a good supply-demand balance. In addition, we also discover two empirical laws in the competitive power market environment, which are: 1. profit margin shrinks when there are fierce competitions in markets; 2. the imbalance rate of supply demand increases when the market environment is more competitive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a decentralized belief propagation-based method, PD-LBP, for multi-agent task allocation in open and dynamic grid and cloud environments where both the sets of agents and tasks constantly change. PD-LBP aims at accelerating the online response to, improving the resilience from the unpredicted changing in the environments, and reducing the message passing for task allocation. To do this, PD-LBP devises two phases, pruning and decomposition. The pruning phase focuses on reducing the search space through pruning the resource providers, and the decomposition addresses decomposing the network into multiple independent parts where belief propagation can be operated in parallel. Comparison between PD-LBP and two other state-of-the-art methods, Loopy Belief Propagation-based method and Reduced Binary Loopy Belief Propagation based method, is performed. The evaluation results demonstrate the desirable efficiency of PD-LBP from both the shorter problem solving time and smaller communication requirement of task allocation in dynamic environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air and soil pollution from mining activities has been considered as a critical issue to the health of living organisms. However, few efforts have been made in distinguishing the main pathway of organism genetic damage by heavy metals related to mining activities. Therefore, we investigated the genetic damage of Leymus chinensis leaf cells, the air particulate matter (PM) contents, and concentrations of the main heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cr, Hg) in soil and foliar dust samples collected from seven experiment points at the core mining area and one control point 20 kilometers away from the core mining area in Inner Mongolia in 2013. Comet assay was used to test the genetic damage of the Leymus chinensis leaf cells; the Tail DNA% and Tail Moment were used to characterize the genetic damage degree of the plant cells. The comet assay results showed that the cell genetic damage ratio was up to 77.0% in experiment points but was only 35.0% in control point. The control point also had the slight Tail DNA% and Tail Moment values than other experiment groups. The cell damage degree of the control group was 0.935 and experiment groups were 1.299–1.815. The geo-accumulation index and comperehensive pollution index(CPI) were used to characterize heavy metal pollution in foliar dust samples, and single factor pollution index and CPI were used to characterize the heavy metal pollution in soil samples. The CPIfoliar dust of control group was 0.36 and experiment groups were 1.45–2.57; the CPIsoil of control group was 0.04 and experiment groups were 0.07–0.12. The results of correlation analyze showed that Air Quality Index (AQI) -CPIfoliar dust(r = 0.955**)>Damage degree-CPIfoliar dust(r = 0.923**)>Damage degree-AQI(r = 0.908**)>Damage degree-CPIsoil (r = 0.824*). The present research proved that mining activity had a high level of positive correlation with organism genetic damage caused by heavy metals through comparing with the control point; soil and atmosphere were both the important action pathway for heavy metal induced genetic damage in mining area. Furthermore, heavy metal contents in foliar dust showed a higher positive correlation with genetic damage than when compared with soil. This means the heavy metal contents that L.chinensis absorbed through respiration from the atmosphere could make more serious genetic damage than when absorbed by root systems from soil in the mining area. This study can provide theoretical support for research on plant genetic damage mechanisms and exposure pathways induced by environmental pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using deal level data from 2733 private equity (PE) deals from 35 emerging markets, we find that PE fund managers have a higher probability of successful exits in countries with better business and legal environments. We also find that they are able to mitigate the potential costs associated with inefficient and corrupt business environments to increase the probability of exits by IPOs in countries with higher levels of corruption. Moreover, we find that market shocks in the developed markets result in a negative ripple effect as the probability of successful exits, especially by way of IPOs, decreases in emerging markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cactus is a connected graph in which any two cycles have at most one common vertex. The distance spectral radius ρ ( G ) of a graph G is the largest eigenvalue of the distance matrix D ( G ). Recently, many researchers proposed the use of ρ ( G ) as a molecular structure descriptor of alkanes. In this paper, we characterize n -vertex cyclic cactus with given matching number m which minimizes the distance spectral radius. The resulting cactus also minimizes the Hosoya index, the Wiener index and the Randić index in the same class of graphs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Halin graph G is a plane graph constructed as follows: Let T be a tree on at least 4 vertices. All vertices of T are either of degree 1, called leaves, or of degree at least 3. Let C be a cycle connecting the leaves of T in such a way that C forms the boundary of the unbounded face. Denote the set of all n -vertex Halin graphs by G n . In this article, sharp upper and lower bounds on the signless Laplacian indices of graphs among G n are determined and the extremal graphs are identified, respectively. As well graphs in G n having the second and third largest signless Laplacian indices are determined, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coordination for dynamic task allocation based on available resources is a very challenging research issue in disaster environments with time, space and communication constraints. In addition, the space and communication constraints and the dynamic features of disaster environments make an extra difficulty to achieve efficient coordination through centralised coordination approaches, which require the coordinators to have global knowledge of the environments. To this end, a coordination approach for dynamic weighted task allocation is proposed in this paper. The proposed approach considers time, space and communication constraints in disaster environments and urgent degrees of workloads of tasks without requiring the global knowledge of the environment. In particular, a dynamic group formation mechanism is developed to help agents to form groups and share information for task allocation under space and communication constraints in a decentralised manner, which can reflect real-life situations in disaster environments. The efficient coordination for task allocation is achieved through the utility calculation within each group. The experimental results show that the proposed approach outperforms most of other coordination approaches, such as the group formation approach proposed by Glinton et al. and the heuristics task allocation approach proposed by Ramchurn et al. in terms of group formation and weighted task allocation in disaster environments with time, space and communication constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-agent technologies have been widely employed for the development of web-based systems, including web-based e-markets, web-based grid computing, e-governments and service-oriented software systems. In these service-oriented systems, service provider agents and service consumer agents are autonomous and rational entities, which can enter and leave the environments freely. For simplicity, we use terms 'provider' and 'consumer' to represent this two types of agents. How to select the most suitable service providers according to a service request from a consumer in such an open environment is a very challenging issue. In this paper, we propose an innovative trust model, called the GTrust model, for service group selection in general service-oriented environments. In the GTrust model, the trust evaluation for a service group is based on the functionality coverage of the group, the dependency relationships among individual services in the group, the ratings of individual services on the attributes of the service request and a similarity measurement of the extent to which reference reports can reflect the service request in terms of the priority distribution of attributes. The experimental results and analysis demonstrate the good performance of the GTrust model on the service group selection in service-oriented environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focusing on the high dispersion of stable isotope ratios (δ13C, δ15N, δ18O, δ2H) in edible bird's nest (EBN), a robust method was developed to simultaneously discriminate and quantify three types of substances (sialic acid, egg white and food gums) added separately into EBN. Results showed that by establishing a data processing formula to improve cohesion of the samples' isotope ratios, a discriminant formula was achieved with an accuracy ranging from 88% to 99%. With the three adulterated references, discriminant was set up by the calculated Euclidean distance with prediction accuracy ranged from 95.80% to 99.97%. Additionally, three equations were building-up to quantity the content of those adulterated substances of EBN, with satisfactory relative standard deviations and within the range from 1.34% to 6.31% (n = 6). By applying the developed methods, two out of the twelve samples were found to adulterate 3.9% sialic acid and 2.9% egg white respectively. • The method is used to simultaneously discriminate and quantify the adulterant of EBN. • A discriminant formula is achieved with high accuracy by cohesion isotope ratios. • The method is built by the optimized Euclidean distance with good predictive ability. • Quantification of adulterants exist a good linearity and fewer detection error. • The method is successfully used to identify real sample with a high accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spark plasma sintering (SPS) is a promising method for producing high performance Cu-W composite with high copper and low tungsten content, which has wide application space in some occasions. Cu-20 wt%W composite with uniformly distributed ultrafine tungsten particles has been successfully fabricated under different spark plasma sintering temperatures. This paper deals with the impact of spark plasma sintering temperature on structure and performance characteristics of the composite. The intrinsic relationship between sintering temperature, microstructure and properties was studied. The results showed that the optimum SPS sintering temperature of Cu-20 wt%W composite powders produced by spray drying method is 950 ℃. When the sintering temperature was increased, the content of copper-liquid would be increased, which could not only accelerate the rearrangement of tungsten particles but fill the holes to improve the performance of Cu-20 wt%W composite. However, a much higher temperature may lead to the sintering between tungsten particles, coarse copper net and the existence of copper vapor, ultimately resulting in the inhomogeneous distribution of tungsten and copper phases and the downward trajectory of the performance of the composite. The sintering mechanism was investigated and concluded with a detailed discussion. • The correlation in spark plasma sintering temperature, microstructure and properties was studied. • Cu-20wt%W powder by spray drying and hydrogen reduction has a core-shell structure and the size was as low as 50 nm. • The Cu-20 wt%W composite properties are optimized when a complete network structure with numerous dimples is formed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA methylation plays an important role for mammalian development. However, it is unclear whether the DNA methylation pattern is evolutionarily conserved. The Y chromosome serves as a powerful tool for the study of human evolution because it is transferred between males. In this study, based on deep-rooted pedigrees and the latest Y chromosome phylogenetic tree, we performed epigenetic pattern analysis of the Y chromosome from 72 donors. By comparing their respective DNA methylation level, we found that the DNA methylation pattern on the Y chromosome was stable among family members and haplogroups. Interestingly, two haplogroup-specific methylation sites were found, which were both genotype-dependent. Moreover, the African and Asian samples also had similar DNA methylation pattern with a remote divergence time. Our findings indicated that the DNA methylation pattern on the Y chromosome was conservative during human male history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy dispatch problem is a fundamental research issue in power distribution networks. With the growing complexity and dimensions of current distribution networks, there is an increasing need for intelligent and scalable mechanisms to facilitate energy dispatch in these networks. To this end, in this paper, we propose a multi-agent coalition formation-based energy dispatch mechanism. This mechanism is decentralised without requiring a central controller or any global information. As this mechanism does not need a central controller, the single point of failure can be avoided and since this mechanism does not require any global information, good scalability can be expected. In addition, this mechanism enables each node in a distribution network to make decisions autonomously about energy dispatch through a negotiation protocol. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of this mechanism in comparison with three recently developed representative mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let F q be the finite field of order q and let M m × n (F q) be the additive (abelian) group consisting of all m × n matrices over F q. Given an integer r with 0 ≤ r ≤ min ⁡ { m , n } , the Cayley graph G (m , n , r) is defined as the graph whose vertices are consisting of all the elements of M m × n (F q) , and two vertices A , B ∈ M m × n (F q) are adjacent if the rank of A − B (denoted by r a n k (A − B)) is equal to r. In this paper, a recursion relation for the eigenvalues of G (m , n , r) is established; consequently, explicit formulas for all the eigenvalues of G (m , n , 1) are exhibited immediately, which is a main result obtained previously in Delsarte (1975) [4]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mimicking the multi-functions of biological skin via ionic elastomers is of primary interest for flexible and wearable electronics. Herein, we present a facile all-in-one strategy for preparing highly stretchable and healable iontronic elastomer, being capable of luminescent caution and multimode perception. The all-in-one iontronic elastomer is composed of a phosphor-doped polydimethylsiloxane emitter sandwiched between two solid ionic gel conductors. The all-in-one iontronic elastomer is sensitive to variable stimuli, including tensile, pressure, temperature and liquid. In particular, it shows stable light emission even after stretching up to 250%, bending or twisting 180°, and cut:ting partially. Moreover, the all-in-one iontronic elastomer has been utilized for real-time monitoring of human joint motion and environmental change, as well as signal caution of wearable/portable display, suggesting great potential in personal health and safety care. A highly stretchable and healable all-in-one iontronic elastomer that enables functions such as strain, temperature, liquid sensor together with luminescence is developed. Moreover, the multifunctional all-in-one iontronic elastomer can be utilized for real-time monitoring of human joint motion and wearable/portable display. [Display omitted] • A liquid free solid ionic gel (SIG) possesses excellent stretchable and self-healable property was prepared. • An all-in-one iontronic elastomer was prepared by stacking an electroluminescent layer between two SIGs. • The iontronic elastomer exhibits stable light emission under bending, twisting, stretching, or heat treatment states. • The iontronic elastomer was utilized for real-time monitoring of human joint motion and wearable/portable display. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To generate knockin mice that express a tamoxifen-inducible Cre recombinase from the Prg4 locus ( Prg4GFPCreERt2 mice) and to use these animals to fate-map the progeny of Prg4-positive articular cartilage cells at various ages. Methods We crossed Prg4GFPCreERt2 mice with Rosa26floxlacZ or Rosa26mTmG reporter strains, admin-istered tamoxifen to the double heterozygous offspring at different ages, and assayed Cre-mediated recom-bination by histochemistry and/or fluorescence microscopy. Results In 1-month-old mice, the expression of the Prg4GFPCreERt2 allele mirrored the expression of endogenous Prg4 and, when tamoxifen was admin-istered for 10 days, caused Cre-mediated recombination in ∼70% of the superficial-most chondrocytes. Prg4GFPCreERt2-expressing cells were mostly confined to the top 3 cell layers of the articular cartilage in 1-month-old mice, but descendants of these cells were located in deeper regions of the articular cartilage in aged mice. On embryonic day 17.5, Prg4GFPCreERt2-expressing cells were largely restricted to the superficial-most cell layer of the forming joint, yet at ∼1 year, the progeny of these cells spanned the depth of the articular cartilage. Conclusion Our results suggest that Prg4-expressing cells located at the joint surface in the embryo serve as a progenitor population for all deeper layers of the mature articular cartilage. Also, our findings indicate that Prg4GFPCreERt2 is expressed by superficial chondrocytes in young mice, but expands into deeper regions of the articular cartilage as the animals age. The Prg4GFPCreERt2 allele should be a useful tool for inducing efficient Cre-mediated recombination of loxP-flanked alleles at sites of Prg4 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the phenomenon of the evolution of cooperation in distributed networks by using an iterated game. An iterated game in a distributed network is a multiple round game, where in each round, a player gains a payoff by playing a game with its neighbours and updates its action based on the actions and/or payoffs of its neighbours. The interaction model between players is usually represented as a two-player, two-action (namely cooperation and defection) Prisoner’s Dilemma game (which is a prototypical model for interaction between selfish individuals). Many researchers have developed strategies (also called update rules) for the evolution of cooperation in distributed networks in order to enhance cooperation, i.e., to increase the proportion of cooperators. Experimental results reported in the current literature, however, have demonstrated that each of these strategies has both advantages and disadvantages. In this paper, a self-adaptive strategy is proposed for the evolution of cooperation in distributed networks, which can utilise the strengths and avoid the limitations of existing strategies. Moreover, we have a theoretical finding about the final proportion of cooperators, evolved by any pure (or deterministic) strategies, in four types of a game. This finding is independent of the initial proportion of cooperators, the topology of the network (e.g., a small-world network or a scale-free network), and the specific game (e.g., the Prisoner’s Dilemma game or the Snow Drift game). [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

PGE2 exerts anabolic and catabolic effects on bone through the discrete actions of four prostanoid receptors (EP1–4). We have previously demonstrated that loss EP1 accelerates fracture repair by enhancing bone formation. In the present study we defined the role of EP1 in bone maintenance and homeostasis during aging and in response to ovariectomy. The femur and L4 vertebrae of wild type (WT) and EP1 −/− mice were examined at 2-months, 6-months, and 1-year of age, and in WT and EP1 −/− mice following ovariectomy (OVX) or sham surgery. Bone volume fraction, trabecular architecture and mechanical properties were maintained during aging in EP1 −/− mice to a greater degree than age-matched WT mice. Moreover, significant increases in bone formation rate (BFR) (+ 60%) and mineral apposition rate (MAR) (+ 50%) were observed in EP1 −/− , relative to WT, while no change in osteoclast number and osteoclast surface were observed. Following OVX, loss of EP1 was protective against bone loss in both femur and L4 vertebrae, with increased bone volume/total volume (BV/TV) (+ 32% in femur) and max load at failure (+ 10% in femur) relative to WT OVX, likely resulting from the increased bone formation rate that was observed in these mice. Taken together these studies identify inhibition of EP1 as a potential therapeutic approach to suppress bone loss in aged or post-menopausal patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A k -tree is either a complete graph on k vertices or a graph obtained from a smaller k -tree by adjoining a new vertex together with k edges connecting it to a k -clique. Denote the set of all n -vertex k -trees by T n k . In this paper, the graphs among T n k having the first (resp. the second and the third) largest signless Laplacian index q 1 ( G ) are characterized and the sharp upper bound on the signless Laplacian index of graphs in T n k is determined. Furthermore, sharp upper bound on q 1 ( G ) (resp. q 1 ( G ) + k , q 1 ( G ) − k , q 1 ( G ) ⋅ k , q 1 ( G ) / k ) of graph G in ⋃ k = 1 n − 1 T n k are determined. The corresponding extremal graphs are characterized respectively as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]