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Abstract Streets are an important component of urban public spaces and also a high-incidence area for urban crime. However, current research mainly involves adult crime, or fails to distinguish between adult and juvenile crime, which poses a severe challenge to the prevention of juvenile delinquency. Juveniles have lower self-control abilities and are more likely to be influenced by external environmental factors to trigger criminal behavior compared to adults. Therefore, this study uses New York’s Manhattan district as an example, based on CPTED and social disorganization theories, and utilizes street view data and deep learning techniques to extract street environment indicators. The GWR model is used to explore the influence mechanism of urban street environment on juvenile crime. The results of this study, considering spatial heterogeneity, demonstrate the impact of various physical environmental indicators of urban streets on juvenile delinquency, and reveal that some street indicators have differentiated effects on crime in different areas of the city. Overall, our research helps to uncover the relationship between juvenile delinquency and the built environment of streets in complex urban settings, providing important references for future urban street design and juvenile delinquency prevention.

The objective of this study was to investigate the potential carcinogenic toxicity and mechanisms of PFAS in thyroid, renal, and testicular cancers base on network toxicology and molecular docking techniques. Structural modeling was performed to predict relevant toxicity information, and compounds and cancer-related targets were screened in multiple databases. The interaction of PFAS with three cancers and their key protein targets were explored by combining protein network analysis, enrichment analysis and molecular docking techniques. PFOA, PFOS, and PFHXS exhibited significant carcinogenic and cytotoxic effects. These compounds may induce cancer by mediating active oxygen metabolism and the transduction of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B signaling pathway through genes such as ALB, mTOR, MDM2, and ERBB2. Furthermore, the underlying toxic mechanisms may be linked to the pathways in cancer, chemical carcinogenesis through reactive oxygen species/receptor activation, and the FoxO signaling pathway. The results contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the effects of these environmental pollutants on genes, proteins, and metabolic pathways in living organisms. It revealed their toxicity mechanisms in inducing thyroid, renal, and testicular cancers, and provided a solid theoretical foundation for designing new environmental control strategies and drug screening initiatives. Additionally, the integrated application of network toxicology and molecular docking technology can enhance our understanding of the toxicity and mechanisms of unknown environmental pollutants, which is beneficial for protecting the environment and human health.

The vortex characteristics of the flow field in the coagulation equipment are one of the key factors affecting the agglomeration efficiency of fine particles such as coal slurry and water. To analyze the impact of vortex flow fields on the collision and adhesion of particles, in this study, the vortex street generated by the flow around a cylinder was chosen as a representative vortex flow field. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) was used to simulate the influence of flow velocity and cylinder diameter on the strength and scale of the vortex in the flow field. Additionally, the Extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (XDLVO) theory was introduced to describe the interaction forces between particles in the Discrete Element Method (DEM), and the CFD-DEM simulations of the collision and adhesion processes of particles with diameters ranging from 25−100 μm in the aforementioned flow field were conducted, followed by experimental validation. The results indicated that within the range of flow velocities of 0.06−0.12 m/s, cylinder diameters of 2−6 mm, and Reynolds numbers of 120−720, the relationship between the vortex radius (r) and the cylinder diameter (D) in the cylinder flow field was approximately r=0.133 3D+0.421 4, but with no significant correlation with the flow velocity. The maximum vorticity at the vortex center was directly proportional to the flow velocity, and the vortex intensity was positively correlated with the square of cylinder diameter. The characteristic parameters of the adhesive aggregates obtained from the CFD-DEM (XDLVO) simulation method were in good agreement with the experimental results, indicating its ability to accurately describe the collision and adhesion processes of particles in the cylinder flow field. Analysis of the vortex distribution characteristics in the flow field and the distribution of aggregates in the flow field zones revealed that the vortices in the flow field enriched the particles away from the vortex center towards the viscous shear zone through inertial centrifugal force. This altered the direction of particle motion and increased the local concentration of particles in the viscous zone, thereby enhancing the probability of particle collisions and effectively promoting particle adhesion and agglomeration. When the vortex scale was approximately 10 times the particle size, it was most conducive to particle collision and adhesion. Therefore, the design of the flow-around cylinder diameter can be optimized based on the particle size of the application scenario to achieve the best adhesion effect.

Abstract Purpose The primary aim of this study was to investigate the risk factors associated with poor outcomes following acute compartment syndrome (ACS) of lower leg. The secondary objective was to determine if delayed fasciotomy is linked to poor outcomes. Methods In this retrospective case control study approved by the institutional review board, we identified 103 patients with ACS of the lower leg. Poor outcome was defined as a composite variable that included limb amputation, neurological deficit and contracture. Among these, 44 patients exhibited poor outcome while 59 patients demonstrated a good outcome. Patient-related factors, laboratory values, and treatment-related factors were analyzed using electronic medical records. Univariate statistical and logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine significance. Results Bivariate analyses showed that the mechanism of injury (P = 0.021), open injury (P = 0.001), arterial injury (P

Hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) has emerged as a promising technology for water disinfection. Interestingly, when subjected to specific cavitation pressures, jet pump cavitation reactors (JPCRs) exhibit effective water treatment capabilities. This study investigated the cavitation flow and vorticty transport in a JPCR with various area ratios by utilizing computational fluid dynamics. The results reveal that cavitation is more likely to occur within the JPCR as the area ratio becomes smaller. While as the area ratio decreases, the limit flow ratio also decreases, leading to a reduced operational range for the JPCR. During the cavitation inception stage, only a few bubbles with limited travel distances are generated at the throat inlet. A stable cavitation layer developed between the throat and downstream wall during the limited cavitation stage. In this phase, the primary flow carried the bubbles towards the outlet. In addition, it was found that the vortex stretching, compression expansion, and baroclinic torque terms primarily influence the vorticity transport equation in this context. This work may provide a reference value to the design of JPCRs for water treatment.

Granite hilly areas are among the most ecologically fragile zones in China, and are susceptible to backward erosion under conditions of prolonged heavy rainfall and steep slopes. However, the spatiotemporal dynamics governing sediment generation and energy dissipation during gully headcut erosion in hilly granite areas remain unclear. In this study, through a field in situ scouring test, we investigated the temporal and spatial variation rules of gully headcut erosion energy consumption, sand production characteristics and sediment sorting characteristics of different soil layers (the laterite and sandy layer) at different headcut heights (25, 50, 75, 100 and 125 cm). The results showed that the energy consumption in the sandy layer exceeded that in the laterite layer, and the energy consumption in the upstream area (UA), gully head (GH), and gully bed (GB) consistently and linearly increased with experiment duration (R2=0.765–0.999, P

Background: Obesity is gradually becoming a widespread health problem, and treatment using natural compounds has seen an increasing trend. As a by-product of hazelnut, hazel leaf is usually disposed of as waste, but it is widely used in traditional and folk medicines around the world. Aim of this study: Based on previous studies, the effects of the regulation of lipid metabolism and the mechanism of hazel leaf polyphenol extraction obesity were investigated. Methods: In this study, a high-fat diet-fed mouse model of obesity and 3T3-L1 preadipocytes were established. The ameliorative effects of the hazel leaf polyphenol extract on obesity and the regulating lipid metabolisms were explored based on network pharmacology, gut microbiota, and molecular docking. Results: Network pharmacology showed that hazel leaf polyphenols may play a role by targeting key targets, including PPARγ, and regulating the PPAR signaling pathway. They significantly improved body weight gain, the liver index, and adiposity and lipid levels; regulated the gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acid contents; down-regulated the expression of lipid synthesis proteins SREBP1c, PPARγ, and C/EBP-α; and up-regulated the expression of p-AMPK in obese mice. They inhibited the differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells, and the expression of related proteins is consistent with the results in vivo. The molecular docking results indicated that gallic acid, quercetin-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, quercetin, myricetin, and luteolin-7-O-glucoside in the hazel leaf polyphenol extract had strong binding activities with PPARγ, C/EBP-α, and AMPK. Conclusions: The results demonstrate that the hazel leaf polyphenol extract can improve obesity by regulating lipid metabolism, which provides a valuable basis for developing health products made from hazel leaf polyphenols in the future.

Abstract Birth defect is a global threat to the public health systems. Mitigating neonatal anomalies is hampered by elusive molecular mechanisms of pathogenic mutations and poor subsequent translation into preventative measures. Applying appropriate strategies in China to promote reproductive health is particularly challenging, as the Chinese population compromises complex genomic diversity due to the inclusion of many ethnic groups with distinct genetic backgrounds. To investigate and evaluate the feasibility of implementing a pan-ethnic screening strategy, and guide future reproductive counselling, high-quality variants associated with autosome recessive (AR) diseases derived from the largest publicly available cohort of the Chinese population were re-analysed using a bottom-up approach. The analyses of gene carrier rates (GCRs) across distinct ethnic groups revealed that substantial heterogeneity existed potentially due to diverse evolutionary selection. The sampling population, sequencing coverage and underlying population structure contributed to the differential variants observed between ChinaMAP and the East Asian group in gnomAD. Beyond characteristics of GCR, potential druggable targets were additionally explored according to genomic features and functional roles of investigated genes, demonstrating that phase separation could be a therapeutic target for autosomal recessive diseases. A further examination of estimated GCR across ethnic groups indicated that most genes shared by at least two populations could be utilised to direct the design of a pan-ethnic screening application once sequencing and interpreting costs become negligible. To this end, a list of autosomal recessive disease genes is proposed based on the prioritised rank of GCR to formulate a tiered screening strategy.

Abstract Improper healing of the cornea after injury, infections or surgery can lead to corneal scar formation, which is associated with the transition of resident corneal keratocytes into activated fibroblasts and myofibroblasts (K–F/M). Myofibroblasts can create an extracellular matrix (ECM) niche in which fibrosis is promoted and perpetuated, resulting in progressive tissue opacification and vision loss. As a reversion back to quiescent keratocytes is essential to restore corneal transparency after injury, we characterized how growth factors with demonstrated profibrotic effects (PDGF, FGF, FBS, TGFβ1) induce the K–F/M transition, and whether their withdrawal can revert it. Indeed, the upregulated expression of αSMA and the associated changes in cytoskeletal architecture correlated with increases in cell contractility, fibronectin (Fn) and collagen matrix density and Fn fiber strain, as revealed by 2D cell culture, nanopillar cellular force mapping and a FRET-labeled Fn tension probe. Substrate mechanosensing drove a more complete K–F/M transition reversal following growth factor withdrawal on nanopillar arrays than on planar glass substrates. Using decellularized ECM scaffolds, we demonstrated that the K–F/M transition was inhibited in keratocytes reseeded onto myofibroblast-assembled, and/or collagen-1-rich ECM. This supports the presence of a myofibroblast-derived ECM niche that contains cues favoring tissue homeostasis rather than fibrosis.

Abstract The Community-Group-Buying Points (CGBPs) flourished during COVID-19, safeguarding the daily lives of community residents in community lockdowns, and continuing to serve as a popular daily shopping channel in the Post-Epidemic Era with its advantages of low price, convenience and neighborhood trust. These CGBPs are allocated on location preferences however spatial distribution is not equal. Therefore, in this study, we used point of interest (POI) data of 2,433 CGBPs to analyze spatial distribution, operation mode and accessibility of CGBPs in Xi’an city, China as well as proposed the location optimization model. The results showed that the CGBPs were spatially distributed as clusters at α = 0.01 (Moran’s I = 0.44). The CGBPs operation mode was divided into preparation, marketing, transportation, and self-pickup. Further CGBPs were mainly operating in the form of joint ventures, and the relying targets presented the characteristic of ‘convenience store-based and multi-type coexistence’. Influenced by urban planning, land use, and cultural relics protection regulations, they showed an elliptic distribution pattern with a small oblateness, and the density showed a low–high-low circular distribution pattern from the Palace of Tang Dynasty outwards. Furthermore, the number of communities, population density, GDP, and housing type were important driving factors of the spatial pattern of CGBPs. Finally, to maximize attendance, it was suggested to add 248 new CGBPs, retain 394 existing CGBPs, and replace the remaining CGBPs with farmers’ markets, mobile vendors, and supermarkets. The findings of this study would be beneficial to CGB companies in increasing the efficiency of self-pick-up facilities, to city planners in improving urban community-life cycle planning, and to policymakers in formulating relevant policies to balance the interests of stakeholders: CGB enterprises, residents, and vendors.

Derived from hazelnuts, hazel leaf has been utilized in traditional folk medicine for centuries in countries such as Portugal, Sweden, and Iran. In our previous investigations, we conducted a preliminary assessment of the hazel leaf polyphenol extract (referred to as ZP) and identified nine compounds, such as kaempferol and chlorogenic acid, in its composition. ZP has shown promising properties as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. Our research has revealed that ZP has protective effects against cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury (AKI). We conducted a comprehensive examination of both the pathological and ultrastructural aspects and found that ZP effectively ameliorated renal tissue lesions and mitigated mitochondrial damage. Moreover, ZP significantly suppressed malondialdehyde levels while increasing glutathione and catalase concentrations in the kidneys of AKI-induced mice. ZP decreased the number of apoptotic cells and decreased pro-apoptotic protein expression in the kidneys of mice and human renal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2). Furthermore, treatment with ZP increased the levels of proteins marking anti-ferroptosis, such as GPX4, FTH1, and FSP1, in experiments both in vivo and in vitro. We elucidated the underlying mechanisms of ZP’s actions, revealing its inhibitory effect on Yap phosphorylation and its regulation of Lats expression, which exert a protective influence on the kidneys. Furthermore, we found that inhibiting the Hippo pathway compromised ZP’s nephroprotective effects in both in vitro and in vivo studies. In summary, this research shows that ZP exhibits renoprotective properties, effectively reducing oxidative damage, apoptosis, and ferroptosis in the kidneys by targeting the Hippo pathway.

Abstract Background Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a new syndrome with some clinical manifestations similar to Kawasaki disease (KD), which is difficult to distinguish. Objective The study aimed to characterize the demographic characteristics, clinical characteristics, laboratory features, cardiac complications, and treatment of MIS-C compared with KD. Study design Studies were selected by searching the PubMed, EMBASE and so on before February 28, 2022. Statistical analyses were performed using Review Manager 5.4 software and STATA 14.0. Results Fourteen studies with 2928 participants were included. MIS-C patients tended to be older and there was no significant difference in the sex ratio. In terms of clinical characteristics, MIS-C patients were more frequently represented with respiratory, gastrointestinal symptoms and shock. At the same time, they had a lower incidence of conjunctivitis than KD patients. MIS-C patients had lower lymphocyte counts, platelet (PLT) counts, erythrocyte sedimentation rates (ESRs), alanine transaminase (ALT), and albumin levels and had higher levels of aspartate transaminase (AST), N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP), troponin, C-reactive protein (CRP), D-dimer, fibrinogen, ferritin, and creatinine. MIS-C patients had a higher incidence of left ventricle (LV) dysfunction, valvular regurgitation, pericardial effusion, myocarditis, and pericarditis. The incidence of coronary artery lesion (CAL) was lower in MIS-C patients [OR (95% CI): 0.52 (0.29, 0.93), p =0.03], while it was similar in the acute period. MIS-C patients had higher utilization of glucocorticoids (GCs) and lower utilization of intravenous immune globulin (IVIG). Conclusions There were specific differences between MIS-C and KD, which might assist clinicians with the accurate recognition of MIS-C and further mechanistic research.

Poxins or P26 have been identified as inhibitors of cGAS-STING mediated innate immunity. Here, the authors describe an independently evolved antiviral function of P26 in suppressing melanization, an insect immune response.

The genetic features of primary lymphoepithelioma‐like carcinoma (LELC) of the upper urinary tract have not been systematically explored. In this study, tumor mutation profiling was performed using whole‐genome sequencing in two patients with LELC of the renal pelvis. Novel candidate variants relevant to known disease genes were selected using rare‐variant burden analysis. Subsequently, a population‐based study was performed using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER), PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, and Scopus databases to explore clinical features and prognostic risk factors. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed seven positive cytokeratin‐associated markers in tumor cells and five positive lymphocyte‐associated markers in and around the tumor area. Sub‐sequently, we identified KDM6A as the susceptibility gene and LEPR as the driver gene by Sanger sequencing in case 2 of LELC of the renal pelvis. Three mutation sites of the existing targeted drugs were screened: CA9, a therapeutic target for zonisamide; ARVCF, a therapeutic target for bupropion; and PLOD3, a therapeutic target for vitamin C. In a population‐based study, patients with primary LELC of the upper urinary tract had clinical outcomes similar to those of patients with primary upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UUT‐UC) before and after propensity score matching at 1 : 5. Focal subtype was an independent prognostic factor for the overall survival of patients with LELC of the upper urinary tract. The carcinogenesis of primary LELC may be due to different genetic variations, including single‐nucleotide variants, insertion and deletions, structural variations, and repeat regions, which may provide the basis for clinical diagnosis and treatment. The prognosis of LELC in the upper urinary tract is similar to that of UUT‐UC. We suggest that the focal subtype can serve as a prognostic factor for LELC of the upper urinary tract; however, further studies are required to confirm this.

Hazel leaf, a by-product of hazelnuts, is commonly used in traditional folk medicine in Portugal, Sweden, Iran and other regions for properties such as vascular protection, anti-bleeding, anti-edema, anti-infection, and pain relief. Based on our previous studies, the polyphenol extract from hazel leaf was identified and quantified via HPLC fingerprint. The contents of nine compounds including kaempferol, chlorogenic acid, myricetin, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, resveratrol, luteolin, gallic acid and ellagic acid in hazel leaf polyphenol extract (ZP) were preliminary calculated, among which kaempferol was the highest with 221.99 mg/g, followed by chlorogenic acid with 8.23 mg/g. The inhibition of ZP on α-glucosidase and xanthine oxidase activities was determined via the chemical method, and the inhibition on xanthine oxidase was better. Then, the effect of ZP on hyperuricemia zebrafish was investigated. It was found that ZP obviously reduced the levels of uric acid, xanthine oxidase, urea nitrogen and creatinine, and up-regulated the expression ofOAT1 and HPRT genes in hyperuricemia zebrafish. Finally, the targeted network pharmacological analysis and molecular docking of nine polyphenol compounds were performed to search for relevant mechanisms for alleviating hyperuricemia. These results will provide a valuable basis for the development and application of hazel leaf polyphenols as functional ingredients.

Cellular senescence is closely associated with age-related diseases. Ovarian aging, a special type of organ senescence, is the pathophysiological foundation of the diseases of the reproductive system. It is characterized by the loss of integrity of the surface epithelium and a gradual decrease in the number of human ovarian surface epithelial cells (HOSEpiCs). To contribute to the research on delaying ovarian aging, we aimed to investigate the novel epigenetic mechanism of melatonin in protecting HOSEpiCs. We discovered that melatonin has antagonistic effects against the oncogene-induced senescence (OIS) of HOSEpiCs. Mechanistically, the oncogene Ras decreased the expression of YTHDF2, which is the reader of RNA-m6A, by stimulating the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Moreover, we found that the suppression of YTHDF2 increased the expression of MAP2K4 and MAP4K4 by enhancing the stability of the transcription of their mRNAs, thereby upregulating the expression of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) through the activation of the MAP2K4 and MAP4K4-dependent nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathways. We further determined that melatonin has antagonistic effects against the OIS of HOSEpiCs by inhibiting the ROS-YTHDF2-MAPK-NF-κB pathway. These findings provide key insights into the potential avenues for preventing and treating ovarian aging.

Residuated basic logic (RBL) is the logic of residuated basic algebras, which constitutes a conservative extension of basic propositional logic (BPL). The basic implication is a residual of a non-associative binary operator in RBL. The conservativity is shown by relational semantics. A Gentzen-style sequent calculus GRBL, which is an extension of the distributive full non-associative Lambek calculus, is established for residuated basic logic. The calculus GRBL admits the mix-elimination, subformula, and disjunction properties. Moreover, the class of all residuated basic algebras has the finite embeddability property. The consequence relation of GRBL is decidable.

Abstract Members of the genus Bougainvillea are rich sources of natural dyes, pigments, and traditional medicines. They are also commonly used as ornamentals in roadside landscape construction. However, the horticultural development of Bougainvillea flowers with extended growth periods and coloration is not always feasible. One reason is limited molecular knowledge and no genomic information for Bougainvillea. Here, we compiled an integrative transcriptome of all expressed transcripts for Bougainvillea × buttiana Miss Manila by integrating 20 Illumina-sequencing RNA transcriptomes. The integrative transcriptome consisted of 97,623 distinct transcripts. Of these, 47,006 were protein-coding, 31,109 were non-coding, and 19,508 were unannotated. In addition, we affirmed that the integrative transcriptome could serve as a surrogate reference to the genome in aiding accurate transcriptome assembly. For convenience, we curated the integrative transcriptome database for Bougainvillea, namely InTransBo, which can be freely accessed at http://www.bio-add.org/InTransBo/index.jsp . To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the most comprehensive genomic resource for Bougainvillea up-to-date. The integrative transcriptome helps fill the genomic gap and elucidate the transcriptional nature of Bougainvillea. It may also advance progress in the precise regulation of flowering in horticulture. The same strategy can be readily applied toward the systematic exploration of other plant species lacking complete genomic information.

Hazel leaf, one of the by-products of hazelnut, which is widely used in traditional folk medicine around the world. In the present study, the profile of free, conjugated, and bound phenolic compounds from hazel leaf was detected and their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities were investigated. The potential health benefits of different phenolic compounds were also predicted. The results showed that the 35 phenolic substances of free, conjugated and bound forms were identified including phenolic acids, flavonoids and catechins. Most of the hazel leaf phenolics were presented in free form, followed by conjugated and bound form. All the fractions effectively inhibited the production of reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde in TBHP-stimulated human umbilical vein endothelial cells by enhancing endogenous superoxide dismutase, and accordingly alleviated inflammatory cytokines (NO, IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6) in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells, showing obvious antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacity. Moreover, combined with network pharmacology, the potential therapeutic effects and functional pathways of hazel leaf phenolics were predicted, which provided value basis for exploring their treatment on diseases and developing health products in the future.

In this work, d-galactose/aluminum chloride (AlCl3)-treated mice with cognitive and neurological disturbances were administered kaempferol for 30 days. The results showed that kaempferol significantly improved learning and memory in step down test and morris water maze test, decreased the contents of brain ROS, MDA, IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α, increased the activity of SOD and GSH-Px, and regulated the SIRT1/NF-κB signal pathway in the brain. Also kaempferol increased the contents of γ-aminobutyric acid, glycine, acetylcholine and dopamine, and decreased the contents of glutamate,a spartic acid and glutamate to γ-aminobutyric acid ratio obviously. A total of 12 potential biomarkers were clearly altered after kaempferol treatment in the metabolomics, which related to phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis, primary bile acid biosynthesis, amino acid metabolism and glycerophospholipid metabolism. To conclude, our study verified the neuroprotective effect of kaempferol on d-galactose/AlCl3-treated mice and serve as a potential nutraceutical agent for cognitive and neurological dysfunction.

Reinforced concrete (RC) structures under earthquake excitation may fail and cause significant casualties and economic losses, highlighting the importance of studying their seismic failure mechanisms. Considering that the commonly used finite element method and discrete element method have inherent limitations, a more efficient meshless method, known as peridynamics (PD), has been proposed and applied in various areas. PD has two types, namely, bond-based peridynamics (BPD) and state-based peridynamics (SPD). BPD is limited by its fixed Poisson’s ratio, while SPD suffers from the zero-energy mode issue. A hybrid peridynamics (HPD) method is introduced in this paper to overcome these limitations, as it establishes bonds between each PD point and other PD points within its horizon and sums up all bond forces on the PD point to calculate the total force. The proposed HPD method is then applied to simulate three RC beams with different shear span-to-depth ratios. The simulation results, including the shear force–deflection of the beams, shear force–strain of stirrups, crack formation and propagation, and diagonal crack width, are compared against experimental data. The proposed HPD method is demonstrated as being capable of simulating RC structures’ behaviors in an accurate and stable manner.

The cut-free single-succedent Gentzen sequent calculus GKt for the minimal tense logic Kt is introduced. This sequent calculus satisfies the displaying property. The proof proceeds in terms of a Kolmogorov translation and three intermediate sequent systems. Finally, we show that tense logics axiomatized by strictly positive implication have cut-free Gentzen sequent calculi uniformly.

S-nitrosylation can influence many pathophysiological processes. Here the authors show that the coupling efficiency of GNAI2 with CXCR5 is enhanced by S-nitrosylation of GNAI2, leading to Hippo-YAP dysfunction in endothelium, and plays a role in diabetes-accelerated atherosclerosis.

BackgroundBladder cancer is ranked the second most frequent tumor among urological malignancies. The research strived to establish a prognostic model based on endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS)-related long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) in bladder cancer.MethodsWe extracted the ERS-related genes from the published research and bladder cancer data from the Cancer Genome Atlas database. ERS-related lncRNAs with prognostic significance were screened by univariate Cox regression, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression analysis and Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate Cox analysis was leveraged to establish the risk score model. Moreover, an independent dataset, GSE31684, was used to validate the model’s efficacy. The nomogram was constructed based on the risk score and clinical variables. Furthermore, the biological functions, gene mutations, and immune landscape were investigated to uncover the underlying mechanisms of the ERS-related signature. Finally, we employed external datasets (GSE55433 and GSE89006) and qRT-PCR to investigate the expression profile of these lncRNAs in bladder cancer tissues and cells.ResultsSix ERS-related lncRNAs were identified to be closely coupled with patients’ prognosis. On this foundation, a risk score model was created to generate the risk score for each patient. The ERS-related risk score was shown to be an independent prognostic factor. And the results of GSE31684 dataset also supported this conclusion. Then, a nomogram was constructed based on risk scores and clinical characteristics, and proven to have excellent predictive value. Moreover, the gene function analysis demonstrated that ERS-related lncRNAs were closely linked to fatty extracellular matrix, cytokines, cell adhesion, and tumor pathways. Further analysis revealed the association of the 6-lncRNAs signature with gene mutations and immunity in bladder cancer. Finally, the external datasets and qRT-PCR verified high expressions of the ERS-related lncRNAs in bladder cancer tissues and cells.ConclusionsOverall, our findings indicated that ERS-related lncRNAs, which may affect tumor pathogenesis in a number of ways, might be exploited to assess the prognosis of bladder cancer patients.

Background: Acute compartment syndrome (ACS) is an orthopedic emergency that commonly occurs after severe tibial plateau fracture. Fracture blisters form on the skin, and it was found in our previous study that when blisters form, the compartment pressure significantly decreases. However, the potential mechanism underlying this pressure decrease has not yet been elucidated.Methods: To obtain a comprehensive understanding of the changes that occur after blister formation on the skin, the changes in tight junction expression in the skin after tibial plateau fracture were observed. Blister samples and normal skin were collected from patients with bicondylar tibial plateau fractures with or without blisters. The epidermis thickness was measured, and the difference in the levels of K1, K5, K10, and skin barrier proteins such as claudin 1, claudin 2, and occludin between the two groups was evaluated by immunochemistry analysis, immunofluorescence, Western blotting, and qPCR.Results: The skin was thinner and the levels of K1, K5, and K10 were significantly decreased in blistered skin. Furthermore, the PI3K/AKT pathway was found to be activated, and the tight junction expression was significantly decreased in blistered skin. This indicates that the paracellular pathway, which is essential for accelerating fluid accumulation in blisters and indirectly decreases compartment pressure, was activated.Conclusion: Changes in the tight junction expression after blister formation may underlie blister fluid formation and indirectly explain the decrease in compartment pressure under blistered skin after severe tibial plateau fracture.

This paper focuses on the semi-discrete complex short pulse equation which may describe the ultra-short pulse propagation in optical fiber. First, we study the continuous limit of the semi-discrete complex short pulse equation and establish a certain connection with a continuous complex short pulse equation. Then the discrete generalized (p,N−p)-fold Darboux transformation is constructed to generate three kinds of location-manageable discrete localized wave solutions including loop rogue wave, loop periodic wave, and their mixed collision loop structures. With the help of the hodograph transformation, we find a class of implicit solutions of semi-discrete complex short pulse equation, and some specific parameters are added to the analytical expressions so that we can theoretically manage these loop structures where we want them to appear. These unique structures may help researchers better grasp the characteristics of location-manageable loop localized wave solutions and explain many physical phenomena in nonlinear optics.

Endothelial dysfunction is the initial process of atherosclerosis. Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90), as a molecular chaperone, plays a crucial role in various cardiovascular diseases. Hsp90 function is regulated by S-nitrosylation (SNO). However, the precise role of SNO-Hsp90 in endothelial dysfunction during atherosclerosis remains unclear. We here identified Hsp90 as a highly S-nitrosylated target in endothelial cells (ECs) by biotin switch assay combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The elevation of SNO-Hsp90 was observed in atherosclerotic human and rodent aortas as well as in oxidized LDL (oxLDL)-treated ECs. Inhibition of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) or transfection with Hsp90 cysteine 521 (Cys521) mutation plasmid decreased the level of SNO-Hsp90 in oxLDL-cultured ECs. Coimmunoprecipitation and proximity ligation assay demonstrated that SNO-Hsp90 at Cys521 suppressed the interaction between Hsp90 and activator of Hsp90 ATPase activity 1 (AHA1), but promoted the association of Hsp90 and cell division cycle 37 (CDC37). Hsp90 Cys521 mutation increased endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activity and inhibited nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) signaling, thereby increasing nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability and alleviating endothelial adhesion, inflammation and oxidative stress in oxLDL-treated ECs. Also, administration of endothelial-specific adeno-associated viruses of Cys521-mutated Hsp90 significantly mitigated vascular oxidative stress, macrophage infiltration and atherosclerosis lesion areas in high fat diet-fed ApoE-/- mice. In conclusion, SNO-Hsp90 at Cys521, that serves as a conformational switch, disrupts Hsp90/AHA1 interaction but promotes recruitment of CDC37 to exacerbate atherosclerosis.

In this paper, optimized radial basis function neural networks (RBFNNs) are employed to construct a sliding mode control (SMC) strategy for quadrotors with unknown disturbances. At first, the dynamics model of the controlled quadrotor is built, where some unknown external disturbances are considered explicitly. Then SMC is carried out for the position and the attitude control of the quadrotor. However, there are unknown disturbances in the obtained controllers, so RBFNNs are employed to approximate the unknown parts of the controllers. Furtherly, Particle Swarm optimization algorithm (PSO) based on minimizing the absolute approximation errors is used to improve the performance of the controllers. Besides, the convergence of the state tracking errors of the quadrotor is proved. In order to exposit the superiority of the proposed control strategy, some comparisons are made between the RBFNN based SMC with and without PSO. The results show that the strategy with PSO achieves quicker and smoother trajectory tracking, which verifies the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.

Despite the high number of nerve injuries, there is a lack of an effective nerve repair strategy to restore nerve function. As crucial candidates for tissue engineering, electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds mimic native fibrous extracellular matrix and create a suitable micro-environment guiding nerve regeneration. In this review, electrospinning scaffolds fabricated using natural, synthetic, and composite materials have been summarized. Moreover, we have also summarized strategies commonly used to optimize nerve regeneration, including topologies, bioelectricity, surface functionalization with bioactive molecules, and the addition of anti-inflammatory drugs. In addition, this review has discussed the limitations of scaffolds for nerve regeneration and gives an outlook for future research.

The Burgers equation can describe some phenomena such as turbulence, shock wave and traffic flow dynamics problems. Under consideration in this paper is a discrete Burgers equation, which can be viewed as the discrete counterpart of Burgers equation. Firstly, we correspond this discrete equation to the famous continuous Burgers equation under the continuous limit. Secondly, based on its 2 × 2 matrix linear spectral problem, we construct the discrete generalized (m,N−m)-fold Darboux transformation (DT) to derive various exact solutions covering kink soliton, rational solutions, semi-rational solutions as well as their mixed superposition solutions. Furthermore, we discuss kink multi-soliton resonant phenomena through the graphics analysis and use asymptotic analysis technique to investigate the limit states of various exact solutions. Finally, the dynamical evolutions of kink soliton solutions are studied through numerical simulations. The results obtained in this paper may be useful for exploring physical phenomena governed by Burgers equation.

Ginsenosides, as the most important constituents of ginseng, have been extensively investigated in cancer chemoprevention and therapeutics. Among the ginsenosides, Compound K (CK), a rare protopanaxadiol type of ginsenoside, has been most broadly used for cancer treatment due to its high anticancer bioactivity. However, the functional mechanism of CK in cancer is not well known. This review describes the structure, transformation and pharmacological activity of CK and discusses the functional mechanisms of CK and its metabolites, which regulate signaling pathways related to tumor growth and metastasis. CK inhibits tumor growth by inducing tumor apoptosis and tumor cell differentiation, regulates the tumor microenvironment by suppressing tumor angiogenesis-related proteins, and downregulates the roles of immunosuppressive cells, such as myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). There is currently much research on the potential development of CK as a new strategy when administered alone or in combination with other compounds.

Insect hormones and microRNAs regulate lipid metabolism, but the mechanisms are not fully elucidated. Here, we found that cotton bollworm larvae feeding on Arabidopsis thaliana (AT) leaves had a lower triacylglycerol (TAG) level and more delayed development than individuals feeding on artificial diet (AD). Association analysis of small RNA and mRNA revealed that the level of miR-2055, a microRNA related to lipid metabolism, was significantly higher in larvae feeding on AT. Dual-luciferase reporter assays demonstrated miR-2055 binding to 3′ UTR of fatty acid synthase (FAS) mRNA to suppress its expression. Elevating the level of miR-2055 in larvae by agomir injection decreased FAS mRNA and protein levels, which resulted in reduction of free fatty acid (FFA) and TAG in fat body. Interestingly, in vitro assays illustrated that juvenile hormone (JH) increased miR-2055 accumulation in a dosage-dependent manner, whereas knockdown of Methoprene tolerant (Met) or Kruppel homologue 1 (Kr-h1) decreased the miR-2055 level. This implied that JH induces the expression of miR-2055 via a Met-Kr-h1 signal. These findings demonstrate that JH and miRNA cooperate to modulate lipid synthesis, which provides new insights into the regulatory mechanisms of metabolism in insects.

Abstract Background Non-alcoholic fatty liver is one of the most common comorbidities of diabetes. It can cause disturbance of glucose and lipid metabolism in the body, gradually develop into liver fibrosis, and even cause liver cirrhosis. Mangiferin has a variety of pharmacological activities, especially for the improvement of glycolipid metabolism and liver injury. However, its poor oral absorption and low bioavailability limit its further clinical development and application. The modification of mangiferin derivatives is the current research hotspot to solve this problem. Methods The plasma pharmacokinetic of mangiferin calcium salt (MCS) and mangiferin were monitored by HPLC. The urine metabolomics of MCS were conducted by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS. Results The pharmacokinetic parameters of MCS have been varied, and the oral absorption effect of MCS was better than mangiferin. Also MCS had a good therapeutic effect on type 2 diabetes and NAFLD rats by regulating glucose and lipid metabolism. Sixteen potential biomarkers had been identified based on metabolomics which were related to the corresponding pathways including Pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis, fatty acid biosynthesis, citric acid cycle, arginine biosynthesis, tryptophan metabolism, etc. Conclusions The present study validated the favorable pharmacokinetic profiles of MCS and the biochemical mechanisms of MCS in treating type 2 diabetes and NAFLD.

Abstract Cancer immunotherapy has achieved promising clinical progress over the recent years for its potential to treat metastatic tumors and inhibit their recurrences effectively. However, low patient response rates and dose‐limiting toxicity remain as major dilemmas for immunotherapy. Stimuli‐responsive nanoparticles (srNPs) combined with immunotherapy offer the possibility to amplify anti‐tumor immune responses, where the weak acidity, high concentration of glutathione, overexpressions of enzymes, and reactive oxygen species, and external stimuli in tumors act as triggers for controlled drug release. This review highlights the design of srNPs based on tumor microenvironment and/or external stimuli to combine with different anti‐tumor drugs, especially the immunoregulatory agents, which eventually realize synergistic immunotherapy of malignant primary or metastatic tumors and acquire a long‐term immune memory to prevent tumor recurrence. The authors hope that this review can provide theoretical guidance for the construction and clinical transformation of smart srNPs for controlled drug delivery in synergistic cancer immunotherapy.

The main engineering machinery for the hydrodynamic lifting of seafloor mineral particles is rotor machinery with rotating impeller motion. It is important to study the rebound mechanism of collisions between particles and rotating walls to improve the accuracy of numerical simulation of rotor machinery. In this study, the law of motion change after collisions between particles and rotating walls is investigated using an experimental research method. The results show that the deflection angle of the particles after collision decreases with increases in the rotational speed of the wall, and the spin angular velocity increases with increases in the rotational speed of the wall. The normal velocity coefficient of restitution under the rotating wall is not affected by the rotational speed of the wall. The tangential coefficient of restitution under rotational boundary condition is smaller than the tangential coefficient of restitution under the stationary wall, and the higher the rotational speed, the closer it is to the coefficient of restitution under the stationary wall. During collision in the experiment, the main mode of contact between the particle and the rotating wall is sliding contact. Sliding friction between the particle and the rotating wall results in energy loss in the tangential velocity of the particle, and also provides energy for deflection of the particle’s trajectory and increased kinetic energy from the spin angular velocity; sliding friction loss is affected by the speed of the wall.

Panax ginseng could promote testosterone production and ensure the normal function of androgens in some clinical cases as a medicine and nutritional supplement. The purpose of this work was to investigate the efficacy and way of action of Panax ginseng in the treatment of androgen deficiency rats. The male castrated rats were gavaged with Panax ginseng decoction for 10 weeks. Urine samples were analyzed for metabolites by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS, and feces were analyzed for changes in intestinal flora by 16sRNA high-throughput sequencing. The results showed that Panax ginseng could significantly antagonize the symptoms of weight gain, target tissue atrophy and serum hormone level decline caused by androgen deficiency. A total of 16 potential biomarkers were significantly altered after treatment in the metabolomics, which related to tryptophan metabolism, bile acid biosynthesis and steroid hormone biosynthesis. Based on the changes of intestinal flora, a total of 7 species with significant changes were found to be involved in the regulation of intestinal flora of androgen deficient rats by Panax ginseng. To conclude, our study verified the effect of Panax ginseng on androgen deficient rats, and explored its biological mechanism by metabolomics and gut microbiota metagenomics methods.

In the energy conversion device and fluid transport equipment, the solid–liquid two-phase centrifugal pump occupies a large proportion, but the transport mechanism of dense fine particles has not been studied in detail. In this work, the solid–liquid two-phase flow in a centrifugal pump was numerically simulated by the mixture model. Two-phase performance tests with different particle concentrations and particle sizes at a low flow rate (0.6Qd) were conducted, and dimensionless analysis on the effect of particle concentrations and particle sizes on head and efficiency was conducted. The results show that the increase in particle size and particle concentration can increase the influence coefficient of head and efficiency and the influence of the two parameters on efficiency is greater than that on the head on the whole. The increase in particle size and concentration will lead to more uneven distribution of the solid volume fraction in the pump. The transport of dense fine particles absorbs a large amount of energy, which leads to the relative decrease in the kinetic energy of the liquid phase and inhibits the generation of the vortex in the impeller passage.

Ball valve is an important control component in the pipeline transportation system. It is widely used in pipeline transportation systems to control the pressure and flow parameters of the conveying medium. Based on the user-defined UDF technology and the standard k- ε turbulence model using computational fluid dynamics techniques, the transient numerical simulation of the internal flow field of the ball valve under the variable speed law and different opening degrees is carried out, and the flow coefficient characteristics, resistance coefficient characteristics, inlet and outlet pressure drop, and internal flow field distribution of the ball valve are analyzed and studied. The results show that by designing the curve function of the ball valve actuator movement process with different structure forms, different types of ball valve flow coefficient and resistance coefficient curve can be obtained, which makes the ball valve as a flow regulating valve more widely used; Modifying the motion law of ball valve electric actuator has little influence on the distribution of ball valve flow field. As long as the motion law of ball valve actuator is optimized within a reasonable range, the purpose of pipeline flow control can be achieved, the inconvenience of valve replacement can be reduced, and the economic cost can be saved.

Abstract Background Whole exome sequencing (WES) has been widely used in human genetics research. BGISEQ-500 is a recently established next-generation sequencing platform. However, the performance of BGISEQ-500 on WES is not well studied. In this study, we evaluated the performance of BGISEQ-500 on WES by side-to-side comparison with Hiseq4000, on well-characterized human sample NA12878. Results BGISEQ demonstrated similarly high reproducibility as Hiseq for variation detection. Also, the SNVs from BGISEQ data is highly consistent with Hiseq results (concordance 96.5%~ 97%). Variation detection accuracy was subsequently evaluated with data from the genome in a bottle project as the benchmark. Both platforms showed similar sensitivity and precision in SNV detection. While in indel detection, BGISEQ showed slightly higher sensitivity and lower precision. The impact of sequence depth and read length on variation detection accuracy was further analyzed, and showed that variation detection sensitivity still increasing when the sequence depth is larger than 100x, and the impact of read length is minor when using 100x data. Conclusions This study suggested that BGISEQ-500 is a qualified sequencing platform for WES.

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is composed of tumor cells, blood/lymphatic vessels, the tumor stroma, and tumor-infiltrating myeloid precursors (TIMPs) as a sophisticated pathological system to provide the survival environment for tumor cells and facilitate tumor metastasis. In TME, TIMPs, mainly including tumor-associated macrophage (TAM), tumor-associated dendritic cells (DCs), and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), play important roles in repressing the antitumor activity of T cell or other immune cells. Therefore, targeting those cells would be one novel efficient method to retard cancer progression. Numerous studies have shown that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has made extensive research in tumor immunotherapy. In the review, we demonstrate that Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) and its components induce tumor cell apoptosis, directly inhibiting tumor growth and invasion. Further, we discuss that TCM regulates TME to promote effective antitumor immune response, downregulates the numbers and function of TAMs/MDSCs, and enhances the antigen presentation ability of mature DCs. We also review the therapeutic effects of TCM herbs and their ingredients on TIMPs in TME and systemically analyze the regulatory mechanisms of TCM on those cells to have a deeper understanding of TCM in tumor immunotherapy. Those investigations on TCM may provide novel ideas for cancer treatment.

Microshock tubes are always used to induce shock waves and supersonic flows in aerospace and medical engineering fields. A needle-free drug delivery device including a microshock tube and an expanded nozzle is used for delivering solid drug powders through the skin surface without any injectors or pain. Therefore, to improve the performance of needle-free drug delivery devices, it is significantly important to investigate shock waves and particle-gas flows induced by microshock tubes. Even though shock waves and multiphase flows discharged from microshock tubes have been studied for several decades, the characteristics of unsteady particle-gas flows are not well known to date. In the present studies, three microshock tube models were used for numerical simulations. One microshock tube model with closed end was used to observe the reflected shock wave and flow characteristics behind it. The other two models are designed with a supersonic nozzle and a sonic nozzle at the exit of the driven section, respectively, to investigate particle-gas flows induced by different nozzles. Discrete phase method (DPM) was used to simulate unsteady particle-gas flows and the discrete random walk model was chosen to record the unsteady particle tracking. Numerical results were obtained for comparison with those from experimental pressure measurement and particle visualization. Shock wave propagation was observed to agree well with experimental results from numerical simulations. Particles were accelerated at the exit of microshock tube due to the reservoir pressure induced by reflected shock wave. Both sonic and supersonic nozzles were underexpanded at the end of microshock tubes. Particle velocity was calculated to be smaller than gas velocity, which results from larger drag of injected particles.

The demand for a centrifugal pump with open impellers for conveying dense fine particles in solid-liquid two-phase flow has increased significantly in actual engineering. The wear of dense fine particles on the centrifugal pump is also exceedingly prominent, which affects the engineering efficiency and economic benefits. The two-phase flow in the open centrifugal pump is three-dimensional and unsteady; the movement of high-volume concentration particles in the centrifugal pump and its mutual influence on the two-phase flow, which results in the calculation of wear, are very intricate. To study the wear characteristics of the centrifugal pump with open impeller with high-volume concentration particles more accurately, numerical simulation and experimental comparison are carried out for the impeller wear of dense fine particles transported by the centrifugal pump with open impellers. Considering the relationship between particles and walls, we used the Fluent 18.0 built-in rebound function and wear model. The RNG k-ε model and the DDPM model were adopted in the numerical simulation, and the numerical solution for centrifugal pump wear was performed under flow rate (9.6 m3·h−1, 12.8 m3·h−1, 16 m3·h−1, and 19.2 m3·h−1), different particle sizes (0.048 mm, 0.106 mm, 0.15 mm, 0.27 mm, and 0.425 mm), and different particle volume concentrations (10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, and 30%), respectively. By comparing the serious wear positions of the impeller, the experimental results correspond well with the numerical simulation, which can be used to predict and study the wear characteristics of the impeller. The results show that the most serious area of blade wear is the middle part of the pressure surface, followed by the middle part of the upper part of the blade. The wear of the impeller is greatly affected by relevant parameters, such as pump flow rate, particle diameter, and particle volume concentration. These results can provide some basis for the wear-resistant design of dense fine particle impeller.

Lack of precipitation and groundwater for irrigation limits crop production in semi-arid regions, such as the Southern High Plains (SHP). Advanced technologies, such as variable rate irrigation (VRI), can conserve water and improve water use efficiency for sustainable agriculture. However, the adoption of VRI is hindered by the lack of on-farm research focusing on the feasibility of VRI. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of irrigation rates on cotton yield as affected by soil physical properties and topography in the Southern High Plains. This study was conducted in two fields within a 194-ha commercially managed farm in Hale County, Texas, in 2017. An irrigation treatment with three rates was implemented in a randomized complete block design with two replications as separate blocks in each field. A total of 230 composite soil samples were collected from the farm in spring 2017 and analyzed for texture. Information on apparent soil electrical conductivity (ECa), elevation, and final yield were collected from the fields. A statistical model showed that the effect of irrigation rates on cotton yield depended on its interaction with soil physical properties and topography. For example, areas with slope >2% and sand content >50% had no significant response to higher irrigation rates. This model suggests that applying irrigation amounts based on the yield response can be a basis for VRI. This study provides valuable information for site-specific irrigation to optimize crop production in fields with significant variability in soil physical properties and topography.

Under investigation is the discrete modified Korteweg-de Vries (mKdV) equation, which is an integrable discretization of the continuous mKdV equation that can describe some physical phenomena such as dynamics of anharmonic lattices, solitary waves in dusty plasmas, and fluctuations in nonlinear optics. Through constructing the discrete generalized m,N−m-fold Darboux transformation for this discrete system, the various discrete soliton solutions such as the usual soliton, rational soliton, and their mixed soliton solutions are derived. The elastic interaction phenomena and physical characteristics are discussed and illustrated graphically. The limit states of diverse soliton solutions are analyzed via the asymptotic analysis technique. Numerical simulations are used to display the dynamical behaviors of some soliton solutions. The results given in this paper might be helpful for better understanding the physical phenomena in plasma and nonlinear optics.

In the original publication [...]

Machine learning and computer vision technologies based on high-resolution imagery acquired using unmanned aerial systems (UAS) provide a potential for accurate and efficient high-throughput plant phenotyping. In this study, we developed a sorghum panicle detection and counting pipeline using UAS images based on an integration of image segmentation and a convolutional neural networks (CNN) model. A UAS with an RGB camera was used to acquire images (2.7 mm resolution) at 10-m height in a research field with 120 small plots. A set of 1,000 images were randomly selected, and a mask was developed for each by manually delineating sorghum panicles. These images and their corresponding masks were randomly divided into 10 training datasets, each with a different number of images and masks, ranging from 100 to 1,000 with an interval of 100. A U-Net CNN model was built using these training datasets. The sorghum panicles were detected and counted by a predicted mask through the algorithm. The algorithm was implemented using Python with the Tensorflow library for the deep learning procedure and the OpenCV library for the process of sorghum panicle counting. Results showed the accuracy had a general increasing trend with the number of training images. The algorithm performed the best with 1,000 training images, with an accuracy of 95.5% and a root mean square error (RMSE) of 2.5. The results indicate that the integration of image segmentation and the U-Net CNN model is an accurate and robust method for sorghum panicle counting and offers an opportunity for enhanced sorghum breeding efficiency and accurate yield estimation.

The swirl meter is one of the gas flow meters used in the industry. Its advantages are as follows: a strong signal level, easy maintenance, and stable performance. Hence, it has become widely accepted for natural gas metering. In this study, the numerical computation of the three-dimensional unsteady flow in a swirl meter was conducted using the renormalization group k–ε turbulence model and SIMPLE algorithm. The internal flow fields were analyzed in detail, wherein the velocity and pressure distributions were discussed under six flow rates (6, 15, 25, 40, 70, and 100 m 3 /h) and three swirl cone angles (11°, 20°, and 30°). The obtained results are reported and discussed as follows: the stable performance of the swirl meter was due to its capacity to maintain its internal characteristics over a large flow range. Also, it was detected that though the pressure decrease was gradual on the wall, an opposite tendency was shown at the center. On the other hand, the swirler structure was crucial to the metering capacity of the swirl meter, and the swirler cone angle influenced the pressure and velocity.

Abstract Background Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) rarely present with predominantly cystic changes. Here, we report a case of giant GIST of the stomach with predominantly cystic changes in a 74-year-old female patient. Case presentation The tumor was 10 cm × 15 cm in size and positive for CD117, H-caldesmon, and DOG-1. Complete surgical resection was performed without regional lymphadenectomy. The patient recovered uneventfully and no recurrence occurred. Conclusions The case illustrates that GIST with cystic changes should be considered in the diagnoses of hepatic and pancreatic lesions. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry with CD117, DOG1, and other molecular markers is critical for diagnosis of GIST of the stomach and facilitates optimization of treatments for GIST.