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Prenatal depression, associated with adverse effects on mothers and fetuses, has received little attention. We conducted a large-sample study to investigate the risk factors of, and develop a predictive model for, prenatal depression in the Chinese population. This study enrolled 14,329 pregnant women who delivered at the West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University from January 2017 to December 2020. Participants were divided into a training or validation cohort. Multiple variables were collected and selected using univariate logistic regression and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator penalty regression. After multivariate logistic analysis, a predictive model was developed and validated internally and externally. Nine variables (employment, planned pregnancy, pregnancy number, conception methods, gestational diabetes mellitus, twin pregnancy, placenta previa, umbilical cord encirclement, and educational attainment) were identified as independent risk factors for prenatal depression. Receiver operating characteristic curves in both the training and validation cohorts showed excellent discrimination of the predictive model (the area under the curve: 0.746 and 0.732, respectively). The results of this retrospective study may be affected by confounding and information bias. Some important variables were excluded, such as family history of mental disorders. The study was conducted in China; its results may not be generalizable to other regions. Our study identified nine significant risk factors for prenatal depression and constructed an accurate predictive model. This model could be applied as a clinical decision aid for individualized risk estimates and prevention of prenatal depression. • Prenatal depression can adversely affect mothers and fetuses. • The study enrolled 14,329 pregnant women who delivered at a single center in China. • Nine unique risk factors for prenatal depression were identified from 50 variables. • An accurate predictive model was constructed for prenatal depression. • Clinicians can use the predictive model for early screening of prenatal depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes a parareal approach based on fractional-step methods for the nonstationary Navier-Stokes equations. As an efficient parallel computing framework, the coarse propagator often determines the performance of the parareal algorithm. We present a parareal algorithm using the fractional-step method, a very efficient time discrete scheme for the Naiver-Stokes equations, as the coarse propagator for the Navier-Stokes equations. Then we give the specific stability and convergence analysis of this specific parareal algorithm. Finally, numerical experiments are done to show efficiency and illustrate the theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a quantum many-body system, autocorrelation functions can determine linear responses nearby equilibrium and quantum dynamics far from equilibrium. In this letter, we bring out the connection between the operator complexity and the autocorrelation function. In particular, we focus on a particular kind of operator complexity called the Krylov complexity. We find that a set of Lanczos coefficients { b n } computed for determining the Krylov complexity can reveal the universal behaviors of autocorrelations, which are otherwise impossible. When the time axis is scaled by b 1 , different autocorrelation functions obey a universal function form at short time. We further propose a characteristic parameter deduced from { b n } that can largely determine the behavior of autocorrelations at the intermediate time. This parameter can also largely determine whether the autocorrelation function oscillates or monotonically decays in time. We present numerical evidences and physical intuitions to support these universal hypotheses of autocorrelations. We emphasize that these universal behaviors are held across different operators and different physical systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employed ubiquitously in oral restorations, zirconia-based bioceramics face challenges with low-temperature degradation (LTD) in the tetragonal phase (t-ZrO 2) within oral environments. In order to improve the resistance of ZrO 2 ceramics to LTD, this study utilized vat photopolymerization technology to prepare 7Ce3Y–ZrO 2 (7 mol% CeO 2 and 3 mol% Y 2 O 3). By adjusting the dispersant content and photosensitive resin ratio enabled the attainment of a 63.5 μm curing depth with a 400 mJ/cm2 exposure, meeting the requirements for vat photopolymerization printing. After sintering at 1550 °C, these ceramics shown a relative density of 97.84 % and an impressive flexural strength of 503.1 MPa. Accelerated LTD tests were conducted to assess LTD-resistance, revealing no degradation in mechanical properties or evidence of tetragonal to monoclinic phase transitions. This stability is credited to the cerium ions' efficacy in hindering oxygen vacancy formation and subsequent aging within the ZrO 2. This study affirms that CeO 2 –Y 2 O 3 co-stabilized ZrO 2 ceramics prepared using vat photopolymerization technology exhibit outstanding properties and resistance to LTD, showcasing significant potential in the field of oral restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate subgenome phasing is crucial for understanding the origin, evolution and adaptive potential of polyploid genomes. SubPhaser and WGDI software are two common methodologies for subgenome phasing in allopolyploids, particularly in scenarios lacking known diploid progenitors. Triggered by a recent debate over the subgenomic origins of the cultivated octoploid strawberry, we examined four well-documented complex allopolyploidy cases as benchmarks, to evaluate and compare the accuracy of the two software. Our analysis demonstrates that the subgenomic structure phased by both software is in line with prior research, effectively tracing complex allopolyploid evolutionary trajectories despite the limitations of each software. Furthermore, using these validated methodologies, we revisited the controversial issue regarding the progenitors of the octoploid strawberry. The results of both methodologies reaffirm Fragaria vesca and Fragaria iinumae as progenitors of the octoploid strawberry. Finally, we propose recommendations for enhancing the accuracy of subgenome phasing in future studies, recognizing the potential of integrated tools for advanced complex allopolyploidy research and offering a new roadmap for robust subgenome-based phylogenetic analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A unique, new palaeotaxodont (Protobranchia) genus and species, Yuexiconcha duplicata Zhang, Niu and Johnston, is proposed and described. It is characterized by: a medium-sized, transversely elongated, sub-elliptical shell; heterotaxodont dentition; and posterior tooth row consisting of crowded gradidentate dentition, partially and dorsally overlapped by an additional tooth row that emanates from the beak to form a bitaxodont dentition (new term). Most significantly, a prominent resilifer separates the anterior and posterior tooth rows and shows slight to moderate excavation into the hinge-plate. While a resilifer indicates phylogenetic proximity with Nuculoidea , Yuexiconcha nov. gen. is readily distinguished by its bitaxodont posterior dentition and a more elongate posterior shell lobe and so is provisionally placed in the Family Nuculidae, Order Nuculida. The hinge of Yuexiconcha nov. gen. indicates that a resilifer in palaeotaxodonts first developed in the Ordovician, rather than in the Silurian (Wenlock) as thought previously. Specimens described herein were collected from a fine-grained siliciclastic rock unit in the upper part of the Dongchong Formation in western Guangdong, South China. Other components of the biota occurring with the bivalves are uncommon and include trilobites and brachiopods that indicate a late Middle–early Late Ordovician (late Darriwilian–early Sandbian) age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The novel robot-assisted (RA) technique has been utilized increasingly to improve the accuracy of cervical pedicle screw placement. Although the clinical application of the RA technique has been investigated in several case series and comparative studies, the superiority and safety of RA over conventional freehand (FH) methods remain controversial. Meanwhile, the intra-pedicular accuracy of the two methods has not been compared for patients with cervical traumatic conditions. This study aimed to compare the rate and risk factors of intra-pedicular accuracy of RA versus the conventional FH approach for posterior pedicle screw placement in cervical traumatic diseases. A total of 52 patients with cervical traumatic diseases who received cervical screw placement using RA (26 patients) and FH (26 patients) techniques were retrospectively included. The primary outcome was the intra-pedicular accuracy of cervical pedicle screw placement according to the Gertzbin–Robbins scale. Secondary outcome parameters included surgical time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage, postoperative hospital stay, and complications. Moreover, the risk factors that possibly affected intra-pedicular accuracy were assessed using univariate analyses. Out of 52 screws inserted using the RA method, 43 screws (82.7%) were classified as grade A, with the remaining 7 (13.5%) and 2 (3.8%) screws classified as grades B and C. In the FH cohort, 60.8% of the 79 screws were graded A, with the remaining screws graded B (21, 26.6%), C (8, 10.1%), and D (2, 2.5%). The RA technique showed a significantly higher rate of optimal intra-pedicular accuracy than the FH method (P = 0.008), but there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of clinically acceptable accuracy (P = 0.161). Besides, the RA technique showed remarkably longer surgery time, less postoperative drainage, shorter postoperative hospital stay, and equivalent intraoperative blood loss and complications than the FH technique. Furthermore, the univariate analyses showed that severe obliquity of the lateral atlantoaxial joint in the coronal plane (P = 0.003) and shorter width of the lateral mass at the inferior margin of the posterior arch (P = 0.014) were risk factors related to the inaccuracy of C1 screw placement. The diagnosis of HRVA (P < 0.001), severe obliquity of the lateral atlantoaxial joint in the coronal plane (P < 0.001), short pedicle width (P < 0.001), and short pedicle height (P < 0.001) were risk factors related to the inaccuracy of C2 screw placement. RA cervical pedicle screw placement was associated with a higher rate of optimal intra-pedicular accuracy to the FH technique for patients with cervical traumatic conditions. The severe obliquity of the lateral atlantoaxial joint in the coronal plane independently contributed to high rates of the inaccuracy of C1 and C2 screw placements. RA pedicle screw placement is safe and useful for cervical traumatic surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As residential buildings become higher and higher, people begin to pay more attention to the views they can see through windows. Currently, the studies on landscape are mostly conducted at the height of human eye level, and little has been done on visual impact assessment of landscapes from other height perspectives. This study divided the high-rise residential buildings into different height partitions and set landscape style, green area, number of colors, water features, and vertical structure as landscape features. Then the residents living in different height partitions were surveyed by photo stimulation experiments and the data were collected and analyzed. The results show that the five features mentioned above are the main influencing factors for the respondents' visual impact assessment; residents living in different height partitions rendered different visual impact assessments of the landscapes in residential areas; different landscape features exert certain influence upon the residents living. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel one-dimensional malleable spin-crossover (SCO) complex {[Fe(MPEG-trz)3](BF4)2} has been successfully synthesized by molecular self-assembly between 4-amino-1,2,4-triazoles (MPEG-trz) grafted with a long flexible chain methoxy polyethylene glycol (MPEG) and metallic complex Fe(BF4)2•6H2O. The detailed structure information was illustrated by using FT-IR and 1H NMR measurements, while the physical behaviors of the malleable SCO complexes were systematically investigated by using magnetic susceptibility measurements using superconductivity quantum interference device (SQUID) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). This new metallopolymer exhibits a remarkable spin crossover transition behavior, between two spin quantum states (Fe2+ ions): high spin (HS) state (quintet state) and low spin (LS) state (singlet state), at a specific critical temperature with a slender hysteresis loop of 1 K. DFT computations revealed the partial rules of HOMO-LUMO energy levels and spin density distributions of different four-position substituted [Fe(1,2,4-triazole)3]2+ derivatives with different length of repeat units in polymer complexes. This can go a step further to depict the spin and magnetic transition behaviors of SCO polymer complexes. Furthermore, the coordination polymers possess an excellent processability due to an outstanding malleability, which can be easily shaped into a polymer film with spin magnetic switching properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epigenetic has been implicated in pulmonary fibrosis. However, there is limited information regarding the biological role of the epigenetic reader MeCP2 in pulmonary fibrosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of MeCP2 and its target WIF1 in pulmonary fibrosis. The pathological changes and collagen depositions was analyzed by H&E, Masson's Trichrome Staining and Sirius Red staining. MeCP2, WIF1, α-SMA, Wnt1, β-catenin, and collagen I expression were analyzed by western blotting, RT-qPCR, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, respectively. The effects of MeCP2 on pulmonary fibrosis involve epigenetic mechanisms, using cultured cells, animal models, and clinical samples. Herein, our results indicated that MeCP2 level was up-regulated, while WIF1 was decreased in Bleomycin (BLM)-induced mice pulmonary fibrosis tissues, patients pulmonary fibrosis tissues and TGF-β1-induced lung fibroblast. Knockdown of MeCP2 by siRNA can rescue WIF1 downregulation in TGF-β1-induced lung fibroblast, inhibited lung fibroblast activation. The DNA methylation inhibitor 5-azadC-treated lung fibroblasts have increased WIF1 expression with reduced MeCP2 association. In addition, we found that reduced expression of WIF1 caused by TGF-β1 is associated with the promoter methylation status of WIF1. Moreover, in vivo studies revealed that knockdown of MeCP2 mice exhibited significantly ameliorated pulmonary fibrosis, decreased interstitial collagen deposition, and increased WIF1 expression. Taken together, our study showed that epigenetic reader MeCP2 repressed WIF1 facilitates lung fibroblast proliferation, migration and pulmonary fibrosis. [Display omitted] • Knockdown of MeCP2 ameliorated mice pulmonary fibrosis. • MeCP2 repressed WIF1 facilitates lung fibroblast proliferation, migration. • WIF1 is novel therapeutic target for pulmonary fibrosis. • WIF1 control lung fibroblast proliferation, migration by targeting Wnt1/β-catenin axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microscopic pore structures are of great significance in evaluating shale gas reservoirs and understanding the occurrence state of shale gas. Integrating geochemical analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), low-temperature N2 adsorption (LTNA), mercury injection pressure (MIP), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), this work systematically characterized microscopic pore structures and then discussed their controlling factors, for the Lower Carboniferous Luzhai (C1lz) shale in Guizhong Depression. The results show that pores in the Luzhai shale are generally shaped by ink bottles, parallel plates, and slits, which are characterized by a larger pore throat ratio, lower efficiency of mercury withdrawal, and poor connectivity. Micropores (<2 nm) and mesopores (2 nm-50 nm) provide the primary specific surface area (SSA) of shale reservoirs, dominantly controlled by the contents of TOC and clay minerals, whereas pore volume is mainly contributed from mesopores, which is positively correlated to quartz content. The fractal dimension (2.94) of macropores is higher than that (2.65) of mesopores, corresponding more complicated and heterogeneous pore structure. With increasing pore size, the correlation between TOC and fractal dimension of macropores weakens. The unconnected pores in mesoscopic range are more complex than connected pores, primarily resulting from morphology and deformation of clay minerals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a parareal algorithm with parameterized propagators for linear parametric differential equations over a wide range of parameters. Through transforming the initial value problem into nonparametric ODEs based on Taylor series, we construct the general parameterized fine and coarse propagators for the parareal algorithm in each time subinterval. Furthermore, to accelerate the convergence of the algorithm, the coarse propagator based on the waveform relaxation method is proposed. By analysing the computational complexity of the WR propagator and the general coarse propagator, we find these two propagators are appropriate for the different situations. Finally, the convergence analysis of the parareal algorithm with these propagators is presented and our analysis is illustrated with two numerical experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We aimed to identify in-hospital outcomes in young (≤ 65 years) and old (> 65 years) patients after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) by analyzing the effect of age on adverse events after on-pump or off-pump CABG. Methods: Patients older than 65 years were defined as older patients and others were defined as younger patients. The qualitative data were compared by chi-square or Fisher's exact tests. The quantitative data were compared by the two-sample independent t-test or Mann–Whitney U test. Multifactor binary logistic regression was used to control for confounders and to investigate the effect of age on dichotomous outcome variables such as death. Results: In the on-pump CABG population, the postoperative in-hospital mortality, the incidence of postoperative symptomatic cerebral infarction (POSCI) and postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) was higher in older patients than in younger patients (P value < 0.05), and age > 65 years was associated with postoperative in-hospital mortality (OR = 2.370, P value = 0.031), POSCI (OR = 5.033, P value = 0.013), and POAF (OR = 1.499, P value < 0.001). In the off-pump CABG population, the incidence of POAF was higher in older patients than in younger patients (P value < 0.05), and age > 65 years was associated with POAF (OR = 1.392, P value = 0.011). Conclusion: In-hospital outcomes after CABG are strongly influenced by age. In on-pump CABG, the risk of postoperative death, POSCI, and POAF was higher in older patients, and in off-pump CABG, the risk of POAF was higher in older patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fluctuation of photovoltaics (PVs) output may cause the voltage out‐of‐limit, while the PV inverters and hybrid distribution transformers (HDTs) bring flexible controllability to distribution networks (DNs). However, there are differences in response speeds between power electronic equipment and traditional discrete regulating equipment. Therefore, a network partitioning and hierarchical voltage regulation method using holomorphic embedding method (HEM) ‐based sensitivity is proposed. Firstly, the HEM‐based voltage sensitivity is derived, and the network partitioning method is proposed using the HEM‐based sensitivity matrix. Then, the hierarchical voltage regulation framework is constructed. The objects of the upper layer are the minimum network loss and voltage deviation, which centrally optimizes the operation status of discrete regulation equipment. The lower layer exploits the fast control ability of PV inverters and HDTs, so as to autonomously regulate the voltage of each partition. Finally, a practical 10 kV DN in China is used for case studies. The results demonstrate that the HEM‐based voltage sensitivity calculation method has advantages in computational efficiency and accuracy compared with the conventional method. Moreover, the proposed voltage regulation method can suppress the voltage fluctuation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: There are growing evidences linking chronic apical periodontitis (CAP) to atherosclerosis. Gut microbiota is found to be involved in the development of atherosclerosis. Recent studies have shown that CAP could change the diversity and composition of the gut microbiota. It was therefore, we hypothesized that gut microbiota and its metabolites could mediate the impact of CAP on atherosclerosis. Methodology: Twenty‐four 5‐week‐old lipoprotein E knockout (apoE−/−) mice were randomly divided into four groups: the CAP group, Con group, Co‐CAP (cohoused with CAP) and Co‐Con (cohoused with Con) group. In the CAP group, sterile cotton wool containing P. gingivalis was placed into the exposed pulp chamber, followed by coronal resin‐based composite restoration of the bilateral maxillary first and second molars. In the Con group, a sham operation was performed. Biweekly, mice in the CAP group were anaesthetised to check the sealing of coronal access. Meanwhile, the animals in the Con group were anaesthetised. The cohousing approach was used to introduce gut microbiota from the CAP and Con groups into the Co‐CAP and Co‐Con groups, respectively. Alterations in the abundance and diversity of the gut microbiota were detected using 16S rRNA sequencing, Oil‐red O staining was used to demonstrate the extent of lesions, and serum levels of trimethylamine N‐oxide (TMAO), and immunohistochemistry of flavin‐containing monooxygenase 3 (FMO3) in liver were used to assess TMAO‐related metabolic alterations. Results: Alterations of alpha and beta diversity were shown both in the CAP and the Co‐CAP groups. Moreover, the percentage of atherosclerotic lesion area increased in the CAP and Co‐CAP groups (p <.05). Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) at the family level found the increases of Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae (p <.05), which were positively correlated with serum TMAO levels (p <.05). In the redundancy analysis technique (RDA), serum levels of TMAO were positively associated with the atherosclerotic lesions. Co‐occurrence analysis revealed that the relative abundances of Lachnospiraceae and Porphyromonadacae were positively correlated with both the percentage of lesion area and TMAO level (p <.05). Conclusion: Thus, within the limitations of this study, the data suggest that the gut microbiota can mediate the effects of CAP on atherosclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To analyze the complex spatiotemporal evolution law of the high-speed jet flow field in a liquid-ring pump ejector, both the classic and spectral proper orthogonal decomposition (SPOD) methods were introduced to decompose the transient flow field based on the numerical large eddy simulation. The proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) reduced order model (ROM) of the complex flow in the ejector was established to analyze the transient characteristics and reconstruct the flow field. The spatial mode characteristics of density, pressure and vorticity field, and the frequency domain characteristics of mode coefficients were analyzed. The results show that the spatiotemporal decoupling analysis of a high-speed jet flow field can be accomplished by the POD and SPOD methods. A large-scale symmetric coherent structure is formed in the shear layer of the first two modes of vorticity, and a small-scale antisymmetric structure is formed at the trailing edge of the jet flow for the third and fourth modes. This reflects the evolutionary characteristics of the jet shear vortex. There is a significant spatial correlation between the density and pressure modes, reflecting that the evolution of the two structures has important correlation characteristics. The spectral analysis of the mode coefficients shows that the dominant frequencies of 1250 Hz and 18 kHz correspond to the self-excited oscillation frequency of shock waves and the vortex shedding frequency. The POD-ROM can reconstruct the high-speed flow field of the ejector with enough accuracy using the first 30-order modes, and the root mean square error and mean absolute percentage error for the velocity prediction are 0.48% and 0.24%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium thiocyanate (NaSCN) is a naturally antibacterial component in milk, but excessive consumption of thiocyanate may cause potential risks to human health. Currently available methods for the detection of thiocyanate have some disadvantages such as poor sensitivity and high price. Here, we report a robust and cost-effective method to detect NaSCN based on paper substrates deposited with in situ reduced Ag nanoparticles by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Densely packed multilayer AgNPs provide uniform narrow nanogaps, which exponentially enhance the Raman signals. Moreover, these homogeneous narrow hotspots ensure that this method has high sensitivity (the limit of detection is 10−12 mol L−1), a wide linear range (from 10−9 mol L−1 to 10−4 mol L−1), and remarkable reproducibility (the coefficient of variation within a SERS sensor is 6.5%). Spiked milk samples were detected and the recovery rates of NaSCN were in the range of 95.1%–108.0%. This paper-based SERS sensor offers great potential for sensitive NaSCN detection and milk analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, Deferoxamine (DFO) and magnesium (Mg) have been identified as critical factors for angiogenesis and bone formation. However, in current research studies, there is a lack of focus on whether DFO plus Mg can affect the regeneration of β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) in osteoporosis and through what biological mechanisms. Therefore, the present work was aimed to preparation and evaluate the effect of Deferoxamine/magnesium modified β-tricalcium phosphate promotes (DFO/Mg-TCP) in ovariectomized rats model and preliminary exploration of possible mechanisms. The MC3T3-E1 cells were co-cultured with the exudate of DFO/Mg-TCP and induced to osteogenesis, and the cell viability, osteogenic activity were observed by Cell Counting Kit-8(CCK-8), Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) staining, Alizarin Red Staining (RES) and Western Blot. In vitro experiments, CCK-8, ALP and ARS staining results show that the mineralization and osteogenic activity of MC3T3-E1increased significantly after intervention by DFO/Mg-TCP, as well as a higher levels of protein expressions including VEGF, OC, Runx-2 and HIF-1α. In vivo experiment, Micro-CT and Histological analysis evaluation show that DFO/Mg-TCP treatment presented the stronger effect on bone regeneration, bone mineralization and biomaterial degradation, when compared with OVX+Mg-TCP group and OVX+TCP group, as well as a higher VEGF, OC, Runx-2 and HIF-1α gene expression. The present study indicates that treatment with DFO/Mg-TCP was associated with increased regeneration by enhancing the function of osteoblasts in an OVX rat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

WC–15Co–0.95Cr cemented carbide with various carbon content was fabricated via sintering hot isostatic pressing. The influences of carbon content on the microstructure, magnetic and mechanical properties, as well as corrosion behavior, were systematically investigated. The results show that the increases in carbon contribute to WC grain growth. (Cr, W)Cx phase would precipitate at the interface while excessive carbon is added. The coercive force and Vickers hardness gradually decreased with carbon content added, while the transverse rupture strength initially increased and then decreased. The higher carbon content cemented carbide exhibits inferior corrosion resistance in the sodium sulfate solution. The poor corrosion resistance of higher carbon content cemented carbide primarily ascribes to the precipitation of Cr-rich phase, which gave rise to the lack of Cr elements in the Co binder phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Offshore wind energy has become a hot spot in new-energy development due to its abundant reserves, long power generation time, high unit capacity and low land occupation. In response to the current situation whereby wind energy, and natural and human factors have not been taken into account in the selection of sites for offshore wind-energy-resource development in the traditional "21st Century Maritime Silk Road" region, this paper intends to establish a new risk assessment framework that comprehensively considers the influence of wind resources, the natural environment, and the geopolitical and humanistic environment. The rationality of the new index system and weight determination methods are separately investigated. Some interesting results are obtained by comparing the new framework with traditional frameworks. The results show that the Persian Gulf, the Timor Sea in northern Australia, and the northern part of Sri Lanka in southern India are rich in wind-energy resources and have a low overall risk, making them recommended sites. In addition, unlike the results of previous studies, this paper does not recommend the Somali Sea as a priority area for wind-energy siting due to its high geographic humanity risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The maritime silk road policy of China brings opportunities to companies relating to overseas investment. Despite the investment potentials, the risks cannot be ignored and have still not been well assessed. Considering the fact that ICRG comprehensive risk has certain subjectivity, it is not completely applicable to China's overseas investment. Therefore, based on the data of the China Statistical Yearbook and International Statistical Yearbook, a new indictor is adopted to better capture the Chinese investment risk and to make our prediction more objective. In order to acquire the ability to predict the investment risk in the future which is essential to stakeholders, machine learning techniques are applied by training the ICRG data of the previous year and Outward Foreign Direct Investment (OFDI) data of the next year together. Finally, a relative reliable link has been built between the OFDI indicator in the next year and the left ICRG indicators in the last year with both the best precision score of 86% and recall score of 86% (KNN method). Additionally, the KNN method has a better performance than the other algorithms even for high-level risk, which is more concerning for stakeholders. The selected model cannot only be used to predict an objective and reasonable investment risk level, but can also be used to provide investment risk predictions and suggestions for stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the rates and risk factors of pedicle screw placement accuracy and the proximal facet joint violation (FJV) using TINAVI robot-assisted technique. Methods: Patients with thoracolumbar fractures or degenerative diseases were retrospectively recruited from June 2018 and June 2020. The pedicle penetration and proximal FJV were compared in different instrumental levels to identify the safe and risk segments during insertion. Moreover, the factors were also assessed using univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: A total of 72 patients with 332 pedicle screws were included in the current study. The optimal and clinically acceptable screw positions were 85.8% and 93.4%. Of the 332 screws concerning the intra-pedicular accuracy, 285 screws (85.8%) were evaluated as Grade A according to the Gertzbein and Robbins scale, with the remaining 25 (7.6%), 10 (3.0%), 6 (1.8%), and 6 screws (1.8%) as Grades B, C, D, and E. Moreover, in terms of the proximal FJV, 255 screws (76.8%) screws were assessed as Grade 0 according to the Babu scale, with the remaining 34 (10.3%), 22 (6.6%), and 21 screws (6.3%) as Grades 1, 2, and 3. Furthermore, the univariate analysis showed significantly higher rate of penetration for patients with age < 61 years old, sex of female, thoracolumbar insertion, shorter distance from skin to insertion point, and smaller facet angle. Meanwhile, the patients with the sex of female, BMI < 25.9, grade I spondylolisthesis, lumbosacral insertion, longer distance from skin to insertion point, and larger facet angle had a significantly higher rate of proximal FJV. The outcomes of multivariate analyses showed that sex of male (adjusted OR 0.320, 95% CI 0.140–0.732; p = 0.007), facet angle ≥ 45° (adjusted OR 0.266, 95% CI 0.090–0.786; p = 0.017), distance from skin to insertion point ≥ 4.5 cm (adjusted OR 0.342, 95% CI 0.134–0.868; p = 0.024), and lumbosacral instrumentation (adjusted OR 0.227, 95% CI 0.091–0.566; p = 0.001) were independently associated with intra-pedicular accuracy; the L5 insertion (adjusted OR 2.020, 95% CI 1.084–3.766; p = 0.027) and facet angle ≥ 45° (adjusted OR 1.839, 95% CI 1.026–3.298; p = 0.041) were independently associated with the proximal FJV. Conclusion: TINAVI robot-assisted technique was associated with a high rate of pedicle screw placement and a low rate of proximal FJV. This new technique showed a safe and precise performance for pedicle screw placement in spinal surgery. Facet angle ≥ 45° is independently associated with both the intra-pedicular accuracy and proximal FJV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: C2 pedicle screw placement in patients with basilar invagination (BI) is fraught with risks because of a high incidence of anatomical variations and high-riding vertebral artery (HRVA). However, no study can be found in the literature that attempted to identify the ideal entry point and trajectory through the C2 pedicle in BI patients with HRVA.Purpose: To investigate the parameters of ideal entry point and trajectory for C2 pedicle screw placement in BI patients with HRVA and compare them with those in BI patients without HRVA and patients without BI as control. These parameters would serve as a guide to pedicle screw placement.Study Design: A retrospective comparative study.Patient Sample: A total of 396 patients (198 consecutive BI patients and 198 matched patients without BI as control) and 792 unilateral pedicles from April 2017 to October 2021 at two medical centers were included.Outcome Measures: The insertion parameters of mediolateral angle, surface distance, cephalad angle, and vertical distance from the superior border of the lamina were the primary outcome measures for the reference of C2 pedicle screw placement. Furthermore, factors that affect the primary insertion parameters were assessed via multiple linear regression analyses.Method: According to the diagnosis of BI and HRVA, the unilateral pedicles were assigned into HRVA of BI, non-HRVA of BI, HRVA of control, and non-HRVA of control groups. Subgroup analyses based on Goel types A and B were also performed. Moreover, vertebral artery (VA) anomalies that might result in potentially serious complications were identified and systematically compared.Results: The measurements of insertion parameters in BI patients with HRVA indicated a mean mediolateral angle of 27.42°, a mean cephalad angle of 43.02°, a mean surface distance of 9.74 mm, and a mean vertical distance from the superior border of the lamina of 3.85 mm. Compared with that in BI patients without HRVA, the measurements suggested that the entry point in BI patients with HRVA should be shifted upward by 0.38 mm and the trajectory should be angled cephalad by 6.05° and medially by 4.78°. In the control group, changes in the insertion parameters between HRVA and non-HRVA showed a similar trend to the BI group. Multiple linear regression showed that mediolateral angle was significantly associated with the male gender (B=-0.930, p=.017) and the diagnoses of HRVA (B=6.964, p<.001), Goel type A (B=-1.656, p=.003), and Goel type B (B=0.981, p=.030). Moreover, cephalad angle was significantly associated with the length of lateral mass (B=-0.319, p=.001) and the diagnoses of HRVA (B=3.254, p<.001) and Goel type A (B=6.924, p<.001). The VA anomalies were significantly higher in the BI group than in the control group.Conclusions: The insertion parameters of the ideal entry point and trajectory for C2 screw placement in BI patients with HRVA were remarkably different from those of non-HRVA of BI, HRVA of control, and non-HRVA of control cohorts. Preoperative 3D computed tomography (CT) and CT angiography are highly recommended in such patients to improve intraoperative safety and reduce postoperative complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The master integrals for the mixed QCD-QED two-loop virtual corrections to the charged-current Drell-Yan process q q ¯ ′ → ℓν are computed analytically by using the differential equation method. A suitable choice of master integrals makes it successful to cast the differential equation system into the canonical form. We keep the dependence on charged lepton mass in the building of differential equations and then expand the system against the ratio of small charged lepton mass to large W-boson mass. In such a way the final results will contain large logarithms of the form log( m ℓ 2 / m W 2 ). Finally, all the canonical master integrals are given as Taylor series around d = 4 spacetime dimensions up to order four, with coefficients expressed in terms of Goncharov polylogarithms up to weight four. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

S-scheme photocatalytic systems with high redox ability and separation efficiency of photoexcited charge carriers supply considerable prospects for environmental optimization and sustainable energy development. However, coupling well-suited reduction and oxidation components for target reactions remains a challenge worth exploring. Herein, an efficient S-scheme system for H 2 generation and tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) photodegradation based on protonated g-C 3 N 4 (PCN) coupling with oxygen-doped g-C 3 N 4 (OCN) is fabricated via a facile electrostatic self-assembly strategy. Intimate interfacial interactions originating from the ultrathin nanostructure and staggered energy band arrangement for the S-scheme charge transfer pathway provide compelling advantages for the highly efficient separation of photoinduced electron-hole pairs in the as-designed PCN/OCN homojunction. The in-situ irradiated X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ISI-XPS) techniques and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements are applied to confirm the successful construction and the validity of the S-scheme charge transfer pathway. The obtained PCN/OCN composites with optimal ratio achieve a decent H 2 generation rate of 6184.7 μmol g−1 h−1 outpacing the single PCN by approximately 4.8-fold, and 90.5 % TCH photodegradation efficiency is also realized within 90 min. This work provides a delicate fresh round of elevation for the exploration of an effective photocatalytic system. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estimating subsurface thermohaline structure from concurrent satellite data is a meaningful way to enrich internal oceanic observations. As a powerful tool for data mining, many studies have used machine learning in subsurface reconstruction, but most conventional applications have been purely black-box in nature without further consideration of oceanic characteristics. Instead, proposed here for the first time is a semi-explicit deep network for reconstructing the oceanic interior from surface data. Named EEFFNN, the method embeds empirical orthogonal functions extracted from reanalysis data (the EE part of the name) into the inner framework of a feed-forward neural network (the FFNN part of the name). Comparison with Argo profiles and reanalysis data shows that EEFFNN can significantly outperform conventional machine-learning algorithms in estimating subsurface thermohaline structures and especially subsurface-intensified eddies. Also, EEFFNN can perform thermohaline reconstruction in one pass, making it more lightweight than "shallow" machine-learning algorithms such as random forest. Overall, EEFFNN shows promise for being applied to operational thermohaline reconstruction in the near future. [Display omitted] • A specialized deep network EEFFNN is developed to make daily surface-interior reconstruction. • The EEFFNN outperforms conventional machine learning in reconstructing thermohaline structures. • The EEFFNN can significantly improve the capability of FFNN in estimating subsurface-intensified eddies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The artificial biological funneling pathway was constructed for vanillin. • Combinational engineering strategies enabled stable vanillin accumulation in yeast. • Protein engineering enhanced the vanillin synthesis from lignin derivatives. • Vanillin was synthesized from real biomass hydrolysate without detoxification. • Engineered S. cerevisiae valorized full biomass components into aromatic chemicals. Valorizing lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) into platform aromatic chemicals could contribute to a sustainable biomass-based bioeconomy. However, lacking simultaneous bioconversion route of lignin and carbohydrates hinders the LCB utilization. The artificial biological funneling pathway (ABFP) was hence designed to convert full components of LCB into vanillin. The results showed that combinational engineering strategies enabled the successful accumulation of vanillin in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The funneling pathways of lignin-derived monomers to vanillin were constructed. Enzyme fusion and S-adenosylmethionine metabolism regulation of heterologous rate-limiting enzyme further promoted the vanillin production to 2.49 and 1.94 mmol/L from ferulic acid and p -coumaric acid, respectively. The construction of funneling pathways of hexose and pentose promoted the carbon flux towards vanillin biosynthesis. Together with the regulation of branch and shikimic acid pathways, the microbial cell factory with a novel ABFP produced 1.97 mmol/L vanillin from real LCB hydrolysates with a recorded yield of 10.5 mg vanillin/g carbon source. Overall, the engineered S. cerevisiae simultaneously valorized full components into fine aromatic chemicals, holding the promise to transform biorefinery mode and contribute to the biomass-based economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The ALTER0203 clinical trial showed that anlotinib, a multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor, had antitumor effects on advanced soft tissue sarcoma (STS) after the failure of standard chemotherapy. We aimed to evaluate the real‐world efficacy and explore prognostic factors and treatment patterns of anlotinib in patients with advanced STS. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of patients with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic STS who received at least one dose of anlotinib from June 2018 to March 2021. The survival data were analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier method and compared using the log‐rank test. The Cox proportional hazards model was performed for multivariate analysis. Results: A total of 209 patients were included. The median age was 48 (range 11–85) years. The median follow‐up, progression‐free survival, and overall survival were 18.7 months, 6.1 months [95% confidence interval (CI): 4.9–7.2], and 16.4 months (95% CI: 13.6–19.1), respectively. The objective response rate was 13.4%. Nutritional status, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status, and anlotinib treatment patterns (combination therapy or switch maintenance therapy vs. monotherapy) were significantly associated with progression‐free survival. Besides, pathological grade, nutritional status, ECOG performance status, and anlotinib treatment patterns were predictive of overall survival. Due to anlotinib‐related toxicity, 31 (14.8%) patients, and 25 (12.0%) patients experienced dose reduction and treatment discontinuation, respectively. Conclusion: These findings confirmed the efficacy of anlotinib in patients with advanced STS in a real‐world setting. The patterns of anlotinib treatment deserve further exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Classical rational interpolation usually enjoys better approximation properties than polynomial interpolation because it avoids wild oscillations and exhibits exponential convergence for approximating analytic functions. We develop a rational interpolation operator, which not only preserves the advantage of classical rational interpolation, but also has a finite Lebesgue constant. In particular, it is convergent for approximating any continuous function, and the convergence rate of the interpolants approximating a function is obtained using the modulus of continuity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro-expressions are subtle facial movements that expose a person's hidden emotions. Recognizing the micro-expression has importance for example in criminal investigations and psychotherapy. Compared with the shallower-architecture model, image magnification of these movements, which is also crucial for accurate recognition, has received relatively less attention in the field of micro-expression recognition. In this work, we find that there are some limitations during the training process, in particular, an imbalance in the distribution of motion amplitudes of samples, optical flow features, and semantic features. To mitigate their adverse effects, we propose adaptive balanced magnification, the balance of optical flow features and the balance of enhanced semantic features, to reduce these imbalances. Experimental results from three benchmarks (CASMEII, SAMM, and SMIC) show that our proposed method has higher accuracy and better recognition success than other micro-expression recognition methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new method for the preparation of LC-PCF sensing probe is proposed to solve welding problem. • We realized a temperature-compensated voltage sensor based on LC-PCF cascaded with long-period fiber grating. • The voltage sensitivity is almost unchanged in the temperature range of 21~27 °C. The voltage response characteristics of nematic liquid crystal fully filled photonic crystal fiber (LC-PCF) are studied, and the temperature compensation is carried out to realize the accurate voltage measurement in temperature changing environment. In the process of fabricating the sensor probe, the capillary effect is used to fill the LC into the micro-nano holes of the PCF. Then, using the negative pressure generated by the syringe, the LC moves to the middle along the fiber length direction. The residual LC from the inner wall of the optical fibers are moved away from the fiber end by filling alcohol to avoid the carbonization of the residual LC near the end face of the fiber, due to the discharge of the splicing machine when the PCF is fused with the ordinary single-mode fiber. when the external voltage or temperature changes, the transmission spectrum of the LC-PCF can be obviously observed to shift, and then the voltage or temperature response can be analyzed. The results show that the fiber sensor possesses the sensitivity of 298 pm/V, and as the temperature is in the range of 21 ∼ 27 ℃, the voltage response sensitivity is basically unchanged. The temperature compensation is carried out by cascading a long period grating by which the fiber sensor has the ability to measure voltage accurately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• NH 3 combustion with H 2 or CH 3 OH enrichment was studied in an optical engine. • The two promoters improve NH 3 combustion from distinct mechanism. • H 2 tends to intensify the formation of early-stage initial flame kernels. • CH 3 OH contributes to the increase of later burning velocity. • CH 3 OH notably reduces NOx emissions while H 2 exhibits an opposing trend. Ammonia is an attractive carbon-free fuel but suffers from poor combustion characteristics and heavy emissions. Green hydrogen and methanol are recognized as the most promising combustion promoters for enhancing ammonia reactivity in pursuit of a carbon–neutral solution. Nonetheless, a comparative study on ammonia combustion and emissions, incorporating hydrogen and methanol enrichment, is currently absent under actual engine conditions. In this work, the combustion performance, visualized flame characteristics, and pollution emissions of ammonia were investigated in an optical engine, allowing for low-level hydrogen and methanol enrichment, specifically at energy ratios of 5%, 10%, and 15%. We have identified the crucial role of hydrogen and methanol enrichment in enhancing various aspects of ammonia engine performance, including thermal efficiency, combustion stability, flame initiation and propagation, and nitrogen-based emissions. Specifically, hydrogen enrichment demonstrates a more pronounced effect on reducing cyclic variations, whereas methanol enrichment exhibits a greater influence on increasing thermal efficiency, manifesting improved controllability in combustion phasing. Combustion visualizations show the contribution of hydrogen enrichment to the formation process of the initial flame kernel, which is reflected as a lower cyclic variation from a macroscopic perspective, and meanwhile, methanol enrichment features a stronger acceleration effect during the turbulent flame propagation process. Furthermore, the quantification of flame response to turbulence is solved and observed much higher effects for NH 3 /CH 3 OH blends than for NH 3 /H 2 blends, indicating a distinctly different mechanism of facilitation by methanol enrichment. Regarding nitrogen-based emissions, both hydrogen and methanol enrichment lead to a substantial reduction in NH 3 slip and N 2 O emissions, consistent with observed variations in combustion stability. However, methanol enrichment induces noticeable decreases in NO x emissions, while hydrogen enrichment exhibits an opposing trend. The present study demonstrates the beneficial impacts of hydrogen and methanol enrichment on improving ammonia combustion and emissions, with the underlying reason correlated to flame dynamics and thermochemical interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• In-cylinder pressure, high-speed photography, and FT-IR spectroscopy are adopted for experiments. • Both low- and high-temperature heat release are observed for n-dodecane and ammonia dual fuels. • Ammonia concentration and n-dodecane injection timing significantly affect combustion evolutions. • Proper advance of injection timing can largely reduce NH 3 and NOx while maintaining high IMEP. Ammonia is regarded as a promising carbon-free fuel, but it suffers from poor ignition and combustion as well as heavy emissions. High-reactivity fuels are often adopted as ignition boosters to solve these issues. In this work, the combustion and emission characteristics of n-dodecane and ammonia dual fuels were studied in an optical engine, with emphasis on the role of n-dodecane addition and injection timing. Simultaneous pressure acquisition, high-speed photography, and FT-IR spectroscopy were adopted for measurements. The results demonstrate the significance of ammonia energy ratio and n-dodecane injection timing in improving engine performance. Specifically, engine combustion is suppressed as ammonia energy ratio is raised, manifesting decreased peak pressure, postponed combustion phasing, and enlarged cyclic variations. Visualizations show that such changes are closely related to the evolutions of flame initiation and development. Meanwhile, there are always unburned regions which become pronounced at higher ammonia energy ratios, answering for the massive emissions of NH 3 and NOx. Furthermore, with the advance of n-dodecane injection timing, engine performance is first improved and then suppressed, featuring nonmonotonic variations in in-cylinder pressure and combustion evolutions. Particularly, ignition delay and late-stage combustion duration are largely prolonged, which is associated with the weakness of fuel stratification and combustion mode transition. The advance of n-dodecane injection timing facilitates unburned NH 3 reduction while increasing NOx and N 2 O emissions. High thermal efficiency while reduced pollution emissions can be achieved under suitable injection timing conditions. This work can provide useful insights into the combustion control of diesel and ammonia dual-fuel engines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Design: A retrospective study.Objective: To compare the accuracy of pedicle screw placement and proximal facet joint violation (FJV) in single-level degenerative lumbar diseases using cortical bone trajectory (CBT) and traditional trajectory (TT) techniques, and analyze their possible risk factors.Summary Of Background Data: CBT screws have been utilized increasingly to improve cortical bone contact to prevent screw pullout and reduce approach-related morbidity. However, the studies on intra-pedicular accuracy and proximal FJV between the two methods are rare.Methods: A total of 40 patients who required single-level instruments were included in the retrospective study treated with the CBT-TLIF and the TT-TLIF at a 1:1 ratio from March 2019 to August 2020. The radiographic outcomes were the intra-pedicular accuracy and proximal FJV. Moreover, the possible risk factors were assessed using bivariate and multivariate analyses.Results: As for the intra-pedicular accuracy, 73 screws (91.3%) were classified as grade A, 7 screws (8.7%) classified as grade B in the CBT group. A total of 71 screws (88.8%) were graded A with remaining 8 screws (10.0%) graded B and 1 screw (1.2%) graded C in the TT group. The proportion of optimal and clinically acceptable screw positions in the two groups were not significantly different (P > 0.05). In addition, the rate of proximal FJV in CBT approach (8.3%) was significantly lower than that in the TT approach (35.0%) (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed the TT insertion approach and facet angle ≥45° were the independent risk factors for proximal FJV, but no factors above affected intra-pedicular accuracy.Conclusion: Compared with the TT approach in TLIF, the CBT approach showed similar intra-pedicular accuracy and remarkable superiority in proximal facet joint protection. Facet angle ≥45° is the independent risk factors for proximal FJV.Level of Evidence: 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sedimentary successions of the Frasnian–Tournaisian (Late Devonian to Earliest Carboniferous) and their spatial distributions in the Hainan Island, South China are critically reviewed based on updated information of the previously published data and newly obtained fossils. The Upper Devonian strata are assigned to the Frasnian Lanyang Formation and Famennian Changjiang Formation, which are distributed in north‐western Hainan Island. The Lanyang Formation is represented by limestone, siltstone, slate, and intercalated with tuff, and yields tentaculites: Polycylindrites sp., stromatoporoids, and tabulate corals. The Changjiang Formation yields abundant conodonts Palmatolepis gracilis sigmoidalis and Polynodosus germanus, typical of Famennian assemblages, and the associated faunas include corals, radiolarians, foraminifers, and calcareous algae of Famennian age. Of these, corals are assignable to the upper Famennian Cystophrentis Zone of South China. The strata of the Tournaisian Jishi Formation are categorized into two types, typically exposed in the Shilu and Jinbo areas, respectively, both of which are located north to the Gancheng‐Wanning Fault. The lower Jishi Formation yields brachiopods Unispirifer (Unispirifer) extensus, Unispirifer sp., Schuchertella magna, and gastropods. The middle Jishi Formation yields conodonts: Siphonodella isosticha and S. levis, brachiopods: Unispirifer (Unispirifer) forbesi, Atylephorus tornacensis, coral: Pseudouralinia irregularis, trilobite: Weberiphillipsia linguiformis, ostracods, bryozoans, and foraminifers. The conodonts are assignable to the zonation equivalent to the Siphonodella sulcata Zone, implying the Devonian–Carboniferous boundary is placed at the base of the middle part of the formation. The upper part of the Jishi Formation yields abundant brachiopods characterized by Mesochorispira subgrandis, Atylephorus tornacensis, and Marginatia huaqiaoensis. The presence of corals Cystophrentis, Pseudouralinia, Zaphrentites, and Kueichowpora, and trilobite Hunanoproetus, endemic to South China from the Changjiang and Jishi formations implies that the Hainan Island was palaeobiogeographically close to the South China Block of the Tethyan Realm, rather than of Gondwana affinity during the Late Devonian and Tournaisian. Identification of Xinanosprifer flabellum and Homotoma sp., typical of early Silurian from the 'Nanhao Formation' previously assigned to the Tournaisian suggests that no Carboniferous strata are distributed in southern Hainan Island and the area south of the Gancheng‐Wanning Fault. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing environmental pollution and environmental awareness, ecological efficiency has become a hot issue. Based on the traditional DEA model of unexpected output, a new super data envelopment analysis and slacks-based measure considering undesirable outputs (S-DEA-SBM-UO) efficiency model is proposed. Moreover, the weight S-DEA-SBM-UO (W–S-DEA-SBM-UO) is applied to evaluate the ecological efficiency of industrial enterprises. The experimental results show that the W–S-DEA-SBM-UO can measure the ecological efficiency including unexpected output more effectively than the conventional DEA-SBM to solve unexpected output. Finally, it is suggested that enterprises should make great efforts to improve the ecological efficiency and it is pointed out that the results have strong theoretical significance and research value for ecological improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Engineering lattice models with tailored inter-site tunnelings and onsite energies could synthesize essentially arbitrary Riemannian surfaces with highly tunable local curvatures. Here, we point out that discrete synthetic Poincaré half-planes and Poincaré disks, which are created by lattices in flat planes, support infinitely degenerate eigenstates for any nonzero eigenenergies. Such Efimov-like states exhibit a discrete scaling symmetry and imply an unprecedented apparatus for studying quantum anomaly using hyperbolic surfaces. Furthermore, all eigenstates are exponentially localized in the hyperbolic coordinates, signifying the first example of quantum funneling effects in Hermitian systems. As such, any initial wave packet travels towards the edge of the Poincaré half-plane or its equivalent on the Poincaré disk, delivering an efficient scheme to harvest light and atoms in two dimensions. Our findings unfold the intriguing properties of hyperbolic spaces and suggest that Efimov states may be regarded as a projection from a curved space with an extra dimension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biological valorization of lignin to aromatic compounds has attracted extensive attention as this route actively contributes to the bioeconomy. However, the diversity of lignin-derived monomers causes difficulties in the biological upgrading of lignin. Protocatechuic acid is an important potential precursor in polymer synthesis and the pharmaceutical industry. This study aims to effectively funnel lignin derived monomers to a compound platform, protocatechuic acid, by designing a cell factory of engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae. A biological funnel pathway was successfully constructed in S. cerevisiae to produce protocatechuic acid from p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid. A S. cerevisiae chassis was optimized to reduce the further metabolism of intermediates and the generation of byproducts with the deletion of ADH6, ADH7, BDH2, and FDC1 genes. The key genes fcs, ech, and vdh in the CoA-dependent non-β-oxidation pathway were screened to produce the precursor of protocatechuic acid, including p-hydroxybenzoic acid and vanillic acid from p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid, respectively. Following that, the regulatory module of tetrahydrofolic acid metabolism was introduced into the biological funnel pathway with the overexpression of MET6 and metf1 genes and knockout of MHT1 and SAM4 genes, by which 120 mg L−1 protocatechuic acid was produced from ferulic acid. Excitingly, by integrating the multi-copy heterologous pobA gene in the yPCA12 strain, the titer of protocatechuic acid was improved to 720 mg L−1 from p-coumaric acid. Interestingly, the yPCA12 strain also exhibited a good ligninolytic capacity of the actual lignin streams. Together with fermentation optimization, the highest titer of 810 mg L−1 protocatechuic acid was obtained from alkaline pretreatment liquor. Overall, a biological funnel pathway of lignin-derived monomers was constructed in S. cerevisiae to produce a compound platform, protocatechuic acid, for valuable product synthesis. The design of the S. cerevisiae cell factory could be a promising potential route to make lignin valorization sustainable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The studies comparing laparoscopic spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy (LSPDP) and laparoscopic distal pancreatosplenectomy (LDPS) are limited. This study aimed to compare clinical outcomes and quality of life of patients undergoing LSPDP and LDPS.Methods: Between March 2004 and December 2014, patients who underwent laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy were reviewed. Patients were divided into 2 groups as LSPDP and LDPS. Data considered for comparison analysis were patient demographics, intraoperative variables, morbidity, postoperative hospital stay, mortality, pathologic findings, and quality of life (SF-36 questionnaire).Results: A total of 110 patients (50 LSPDP and 60 LDPS) were included in the final analysis. Baseline characteristics were similar in the 2 groups. The LSPDP group had a significantly shorter operative time(153.3 ± 46.2 vs. 179.9 ± 54.1 min, p = 0.015) than the LDPS group. Also in analysis of propensity-matched population(LSPDP:LDPS = 35:35, 1:1 matching), LSPDP group still had a significantly shorter operative time (159.3 ± 36.2 vs. 172.9 ± 44.1 min, p = 0.045) than the LDPS group.There were no significant differences with respect to estimated blood loss, first flatus time, diet start time, and postoperative hospital stay. Postoperative outcomes, including morbidity, pancreatic fistula rates, and mortality, were similar in the LSPDP and LDPS group. On the follow-up survey, the total quality of life score (635.8 ± 50.7 vs. 596.1 ± 92.1)was higher in the LSPDP group compared with the LDPS group. However, the differences were not statistically significant(p > 0.05). The score in vitality (82.5 ± 14.4 vs. 68.9 ± 11.4, p = 0.046) was significantly higher in LSPDP group and not statistically significant in other areas (p > 0.05).Similar results of quality of life assessment were found in analysis of propensity-matched population.Conclusions: Compared to LDPS, LSPDP had shorter operating time and better quality of life with similar morbidity and recovery period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, the studied flowing molten salt heated methane/steam reforming membrane reactors are of roughly the same structure and vastly different sizes, which needs to be further explored with the consideration of reactor design optimization and system economy. This research investigates the effect of catalyst bed thickness, membrane tube configuration and reactor length on reactor performance under a series of operation conditions. The impact of concentrated solar thermal cost and methane cost on the levelized cost of hydrogen are focused to provide reference for the reactor design from an economic perspective. The results show that the catalyst bed thickness of 10 mm and the membrane diameter of 20 mm are appropriate for reactor design. Long membrane tube with big flow rate is more economical than the short one and its advantages in economy will be further reflected with the decreasing CST cost. [Display omitted] • A model of molten salt heated membrane reformer is developed. • The catalyst bed thickness of 10 mm is appropriate for reactor design. • Increasing the membrane diameter beyond 20 mm is not sensible. • Membrane reactors with long pipe and high flow rate are more economical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-carbon life is spreading to every corner of the world, but also offers new challenges to the internal combustion engine (ICE). Ammonia (NH 3), as a hydrogen carrier and carbon-free fuel, is the key for ICE to being zero-carbon. Hydrogen turbulent jet ignition (HTJI) is thought as an optimal method to overcome the poor combustion performance of ammonia. In this study, the combustion characteristics of a neat ammonia engine with HTJI are numerically studied by addressing the orifice diameter and pre-chamber reactivity. The results show that an optimal orifice diameter is needed to maximize the promoting effect of HTJI on ammonia combustion. The jet flame quenches under small orifice conditions, and no jet flame products under large orifice conditions. When considering the pre-chamber reactivity, the scavenging process leads to a low degree of H 2 in the pre-chamber during the compression, which results in low-efficiency ammonia combustion. By increasing the pre-chamber reactivity (hydrogen quantity) of the pre-chamber, the jet flame is advanced and much stronger, resulting in better engine performance. For nitrogen-based emissions, the unburned NH 3 emissions mainly depend on combustion efficiency, while NO emissions show an opposite trend. The current results can help find the optimization method of the ammonia engine with HTJI. • Effect of HTJI on ammonia combustion was numerically studied. • An optimal orifice diameter is needed to maximize the promoting effect of HTJI. • The scavenging process leads to a low degree of H 2 in the pre-chamber. • High pre-chamber reactivity results in better engine performance. • Unburned NH 3 emissions mainly depend on combustion efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lean combustion has the potential to achieve higher thermal efficiency for internal combustion (IC) engines. However, natural gas engines often suffer from slow burning rate and large cyclic variations when adopting lean combustion. In this study, using a dual-fuel optical engine with a high compression ratio, the effects of direct-injected hydrogen on lean combustion characteristics of natural gas engines was investigated, emphasizing the role of hydrogen injection timing. Synchronization measurement of in-cylinder pressure and high-speed photography was performed for combustion analysis. The results show that the direct-injected hydrogen exhibits great improvement in lean combustion instability and power capability of natural gas engines. Visual images and combustion phasing analysis indicate that the underlying reasons are ascribed to the fast flame propagation with hydrogen addition. Regarding the direct injection timings, it is found that late injection of direct-injected hydrogen can achieve higher thermal efficiency, manifesting advanced combustion phasing, and increased heat release rate. Specifically, the flame propagation speed is elevated by approximately 50% at −100 CAD than that of −250 CAD. Further analysis indicates that the improvement of engine performance is ascribed to the increased volumetric efficiency and in-cylinder turbulence intensity, manifesting distinct flame centroid pathways at different injection timings. The current study provides insights into the combustion optimization of natural gas engines under lean burning conditions. • Experiments were conducted on an optical SI engine with a high compression ratio. • Thermal efficiency can be increased by late high-pressure injection of hydrogen. • Direct injection timing is more crucial than hydrogen fraction for flame propagation. • Increasing volumetric efficiency and turbulence intensity improve engine performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar plays an important role in improving soil quality and carbon (C) sequestration. However, the effects of different biochar application rates on soil organic C content and its fractions in the Loess Plateau of northwest China are still unclear. In this work, six biochar treatments were studied, with application rates of 0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 t·ha−1 (CK, T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5, respectively). Soil total organic C (TOC), readily oxidizable C (ROC), water-soluble organic C (WSOC), microbial biomass C (MBC), light fraction organic C (LFOC), heavy fraction organic C (HFOC) and the Carbon pool management index (CPMI) in the 0–30 cm layer were analyzed after 3 years of wheat field trials. The content of soil TOC and its fractions decreased with soil depth but was significantly (p <.05) increased by biochar. TOC, ROC and HFOC showed significant (p <.05) positive correlations with the rate of biochar application, with the highest content of these components in T5. MBC, WSOC and LFOC first increased and then decreased with the increasing rate of biochar application. MBC and WSOC of T3 and LFOC of T4 were the highest of all treatments. When compared with CK, the CPMI of all biochar treatments was >100% in the order of T5 > T4 > T3 > T2 > T1. This study provides scientific support for large-scale biochar application on the Loess Plateau to significantly improve soil quality via increasing the soil organic C fractions and enhancing the inert soil C pool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Robotic guidance (RG) pedicle screw placement has been increasingly used to improve the rate of insertion accuracy. However, the superiority of the RG technique over computer-assisted navigation (CAN) remains debatable. To determine whether the Mazor RG technique is superior to CAN in terms of the rate of insertion accuracy and 4 other clinical indices, namely, intraoperative time, blood loss, complications and revision surgery caused by malposition. A search of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Web of Science, CNKI, and WanFang was conducted. We mainly aimed to evaluate the accuracy of pedicle screw placement between the Mazor RG and CAN techniques. The secondary objectives were intraoperative time, blood loss, complications, and revision surgery caused by malposition. The meta-analysis was conducted using the RevMan 5.3 and Stata 15.1 software. A randomized controlled trial and 5 comparative cohort studies consisting of 529 patients and 4081 pedicle screws were included in this meta-analysis. The RG technique has a significantly higher accuracy than CAN in terms of optimal (odds ratio [OR], 2.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.85–2.76; P < 0.01) and clinically acceptable (OR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.22–2.34; P = 0.002) pedicle screw insertions. Furthermore, the RG technique showed significantly less blood loss (mean difference, −42.49; 95% CI, −78.38 to −6.61; P = 0.02) than did the CAN technique but has equivalent intraoperative time (mean difference, 0.75; 95% CI, −5.89 to 7.40; P = 0.82), complications (OR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.32−1.33, P = 0.24), and revision surgery caused by malposition (OR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.15–1.43, P = 0.18). The Mazor RG technique is superior to CAN concerning the accuracy of pedicle screw placement. Thus, the Mazor RG technique is accurate and safe in clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The preferential use of renewable energy sources such as wind power has been proposed as one of the most effective strategies in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the energy sector. However, wind energy resources are vulnerable to climate change, which might have a huge impact on the area under consideration. In this research, we used the wind speed data obtained from the seven coupled global climate models in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) to quantitatively analyze the differences in wind energy resource (WER) between the future and the historical period, geared toward understanding the impact of climate change on wind energy sources. Relevant results show that the future WER would decreases below 20% in the region south of the Northwest Passage, while would significantly increase in the north region of 72°N (specifically in the Beaufort Sea). Further, reports predict that by the end of the 21st century, if no interventions are made to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, the northern region's WER would increase even more with some grid points exceeding 30% and have a significant growth trend, but at the same time the intra‐annual variability in these region would also increase significantly with some grid points exceeding 140% of that in the historical period. Moreover, the maximum wind speed values would encounter a noteworthy increase of up to 20%, which will bring great challenge to the development of wind energy in these region. Although the current models still have great uncertainties in the future climate prediction, our work still has certain guiding significance for the future development of wind energy over the Northwest Passage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• NiMo-Pi is obtained via a one pot hydrothermal reaction. • This self-supported cathode shows enhanced water reduction activity. • It responses quickly and robustly in a wide current range. • In-situ reconstruction of its surface enables high stability. Solar power drived water splitting for hydrogen production is pivotal for sustainable energy conversion. Yet, it is challenging to develop earth abundant, high active, and durable electrodes to catalyzing hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) under fluctuating solar electricity. Herein we report self-supprted NiMo phosphate (NiMo-Pi) electrodes, where amorphous NiMo-Pi with nanosheets-like structure grow directly on conductive Ni foam by a facile one-step hydrothermal treatment. The electronic structures of Ni and Mo are tuned by O and P in NiMo-Pi electrodes, resulting the down-shift of their d -band centers. NiMo-Pi electrodes offer high activity and stability for HER, delivering -100 and -500 mA cm−2 mg cat −1 with overpotentials of 343 and 461 mV, repectively. They also sustain long-term electrolysis at a constant industrial-level current density of 500 mA cm−2 and at dynamic current densities ranging from -10 to -1 000 mA cm−2. Their HER activity become higher after stability tests, benefitting from in-situ surface reconstruction. This reconstruction makes the surface rich in active higher-lying d -band centers. This work suggests that tuning the electronic structure of electrodes is an efficient way to design efficient and stable electrodes for HER under harsh conditions. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study in detail the phenomenology of the non-SM SU(2)V singlet Higgs boson at the 14 TeV Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in the Georgi–Machacek (GM) model. We present a systematic comparison of the production mechanisms and decay modes of , especially the vector-boson fusion (VBF) and gluon–gluon fusion (ggF) production mechanisms and the decays to W+W−, ZZ, H5H5, H3H3, and. After performing a comprehensive scan over the seven-dimensional parameter space of the GM model, we find that the , and decay channels are almost excluded by the theoretical and experimental constraints, while can decay into H5H5 in an appreciable region of the GM parameter space. Based on the scanning results, we discuss detailedly the production via ggF and VBF with subsequent decays of , and at the 14 TeV LHC. The integrated cross sections and some kinematic distributions of final products for both the signals at some benchmark points of the GM parameter space and the corresponding SM backgrounds are provided. If the decay to H5H5 is kinematically allowed, can be detected in the decay channel at high-luminosity LHC unless is too small or is too high. In the mass range of , the vector-boson fusion is the most promising production channel in search of due to the two hard tagging jets in the final state, and we may expect to discover in both and decay channels with of data if the decay branching ratio of to a pair of weak gauge bosons is sufficiently large. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we present Co 3 S 4 -SnO 2 supported polyvinylpyrrolidone-cellulose (PVPCS) nano-structure for Lidocaine degradation. The nanostructure was characterized by various techniques i.e. morphological and optical ones. The results have demonstrated that Co 3 S 4 -SnO 2 nanocomposites were evenly supported on the PVPCS. Moreover, the photocatalysis performances of the catalysts were investigated under ultra-violet (UV) light irradiation. The nano-structure Co 3 S 4 -SnO 2 /PVPCS composite (98.72%) revealed the highest photocatalysis performance as compared to SnO 2 nanoparticles, and Co 3 S 4 -SnO 2 nanocomposites. The photo-stability of nano-structure Co 3 S 4 -SnO 2 /PVPCS composite was characterized using cyclic catalytic experimental. Results demonstrated a substantially stable performance of the nano-structure Co 3 S 4 -SnO 2 /PVPCS composite. The biological properties of Co 3 S 4 -SnO 2 /PVPCS composite were investigated through the antibacterial (versus Staphylococcus aureus , and Escherichia coli) and antifungal studies (Candida albicans). As the results declared, Co 3 S 4 -SnO 2 nanocomposites have substantial biological properties as compared to SnO 2 nanoparticles, and Co 3 S 4 -SnO 2 nanocomposites. • The Co 3 S 4 -SnO 2 /PVPCS composites were prepared by facile method. • The photocatalysis efficiency of Co 3 S 4 -SnO 2 /PVPCS was studied for degradation of Lidocaine. • The Co 3 S 4 -SnO 2 /PVPCS composites revealed the highest photocatalysis efficiency. • The Co 3 S 4 -SnO 2 /PVPCS composites has great antimicrobial properties [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (PNENs) are rare neoplasms associated with a long life expectancy after resection. In this setting, patients may benefit from laparoscopic organ-sparing resection. Studies of laparoscopic organ-sparing resection for PNENs are limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the short- and long-term outcomes of laparoscopic organ-sparing resection for PNENs. Methods: A retrospective study was performed for patients with PNENs who underwent laparoscopic organ-sparing pancreatectomy between March 2005 and May 2018. The patients' demographic data, operative results, pathological reports, hospital courses and morbidity, mortality, and follow-up data (until August 2018) were analysed. Results: Thirty-five patients were included in the final analysis. There were 9 male and 26 female patients, with a median age of 46 years (range 25–75 years). The mean BMI was 24.6 ± 3.3 kg/m2. Nine patients received laparoscopic enucleation (LE), 20 received laparoscopic spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy (LSPDP), and 6 received laparoscopic central pancreatectomy. The operative time, intraoperative blood loss, transfusion rate, and postoperative hospital stay were 186.4 ± 60.2 min, 165 ± 73.0 ml, 0 days, and 9 days (range 5–23 days), respectively. The morbidity rate, grade ≥ III complication rate, and grade ≥ B pancreatic fistula rate were 34.2%, 11.4%, and 8.7%, respectively, with no mortality. The rate of follow-up was 94.3%, and the median follow-up time was 55 months (range 3–158 months). One patient developed recurrence 36 months after LE and was managed with surgical resection. The other patients survived without metastases or recurrence during the follow-up. One patient had diabetes after LSPDP, and no patients had symptoms of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency. Nineteen patients who underwent LSPDP (16 with the Kimura technique and 3 with the Warshaw technique) were followed. Normal patency of the splenic artery and vein was observed in 14 and 14 patients within 1 month of surgery and in 15 and 14 patients 6 months or more after the operation, respectively. Partial splenic infarction was observed in 3 patients within 1 month of surgery and in no patients 6 months or more after the operation. Three patients eventually developed collateral venous vessels around the gastric fundus and reserved spleen, with one case of variceal bleeding. Conclusions: Laparoscopic organ-sparing resection for selected cases of PNENs is safe and feasible and has favourable short- and long-term outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: We sought to determine whether survival motor neuron (SMN) protein blood levels correlate with denervation and SMN2 copies in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).Methods: Using a mixed-effect model, we tested associations between SMN levels, compound muscle action potential (CMAP), and SMN2 copies in a cohort of 74 patients with SMA. We analyzed a subset of 19 of these patients plus four additional patients who had been treated with received gene therapy to examine SMN trajectories early in life.Results: Patients with SMA who had lower CMAP values had lower circulating SMN levels (P = .04). Survival motor neuron protein levels were different between patients with two and three SMN2 copies (P < .0001) and between symptomatic and presymptomatic patients (P < .0001), with the highest levels after birth and progressive decline over the first 3 years. Neither nusinersen nor gene therapy clearly altered SMN levels.Discussion: These data provide evidence that whole blood SMN levels correlate with SMN2 copy number and severity of denervation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]