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In order to study the effect of high temperatures on the thermomechanical properties of reinforced concrete (RC) beams, fire and mechanical tests were carried out on four fully dimensioned simply supported beams. A numerical analysis model based on the measured information was developed, and validated through experimental tests and theoretical calculations. The effects of fire exposure time, different physical parameters and concrete spalling parameters on the thermodynamic properties were further analysed. The results show that the measured vibration frequencies exhibit a fluctuating trend of decay with increasing fire exposure time. The simulated frequency decays as a power function of fire exposure time. The frequency decreases with increasing span-to-height ratio and increases with section width, elasticity modulus of the concrete and reinforcement ratio. Cross-sectional temperature field is most significantly affected by spalling depth, and increases rapidly with an increase in this parameter. With the increase in spalling area ratio, the increase in the temperature field gradually becomes smaller. The effect of spalling area ratio was relatively stable after more than 15%. Flexural bearing capacity shows a linear trend of decrease with increase in spalling depth. With the increase in spalling area ratio, it shows a power function of the decreasing trend. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The model of superposition queries in symmetric cryptanalysis has yielded remarkable results, such as Simon's period-finding algorithm, which can break many constructions in polynomial time. However, due to limitations of current physical devices, quantum circuits with long depths are often noisy and difficult to realize in practice. The novel computing architecture of distributed quantum computing is expected to reduce the noise and depth of quantum circuits. In this paper, we propose an offline algorithm model that combines distributed Simon's and Grover's algorithms. This model enables us to perform key recovery attacks on different rounds Feistel structures, Even Mansour construction, and the FX construction, while minimizing the quantum query complexity. Despite being limited to classical queries and offline quantum computations, we leverage the algebraic structure of cryptosystems to achieve successful key recovery attacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of quantum computers has urged the cryptographic community to prepare cryptographic primitives for the eventual arrival of the post-quantum world. At Asiacrypt 2017, Leander and May combined Grover's and Simon's quantum algorithms to break the FX-based block ciphers. Technically this result is based on the combination of the quantum algorithms of Grover's and Simon's for the first time in the cryptographic setting. In this study, we using Bernstein–Vazirani's and Grover's algorithms to generate a new quantum key-recovery attacks on different rounds of Feistel constructions. An advantage of our attack is the keys can be divided into multiple blocks to enter the S-box and realize the process of recovery; this method greatly reduces the complexity of key recovery. Hence, it has strong practicability for key recovery (e.g., DES, Camellia, etc.). In order to show that, a detailed process has been provided in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important topic of quantum cryptography, quantum voting has attracted more and more attention in recent years. In this paper, we propose a quantum voting scheme based on a new set of orthogonal product states. Since different particles in the same orthogonal product state are transmitted separately, the security of the vote message in the scheme can be protected. The availability and security analysis show that the scheme satisfies the basic properties of voting can resist known quantum attacks. Furthermore, our scheme solves the problem of difficult preparation of entangled states in actual situations and improves the practicability of voting scheme. We hoped that our research will provide new ideas for the further study of quantum voting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alkaline rocks commonly occur as volcanic-plutonic ring complexes, but the petrogenetic mechanism for the coexistence between volcanic and plutonic rocks remains controversial. The Early Cretaceous Houshihushan alkaline ring complex in the Yanshan Fold and Thrust Belt, China, contains arfvedsonite granites surrounded by syenites, trachytes and alkali rhyolites. In situ trace elements and Sr-Nd isotopic compositions of apatites from these rocks are presented to constrain the petrogenetic link between coeval alkaline volcanic and plutonic rocks. Petrographic and geochemical features suggest that apatites in the trachyte crystallized from the melt at an early stage. Their initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.7048–0.7052) and ε Nd (t) values (−21.9 to −17.6) well constrain the Sr-Nd isotopic compositions of the lithospheric mantle source for the trachyte, better than those of whole-rock (0.7114 and −18.6, respectively). In contrast, apatites in the syenites crystallized from host melt throughout the whole history of magma evolution. Their geochemical features and variable initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.7084–0.7175) and ε Nd (t) values (−16.0 to −12.7) suggest that the syenites were formed by the cumulation of their parental magma, coupled with gradually mixed by felsic magma with a high initial 87Sr/86Sr ratio. However, a few and small-size apatite grains crystallized from parent magma of the arfvedsonite granites and alkali rhyolites suggest that in situ geochemistry of apatites is not feasible to constrain the petrogenetic process of high-silica alkaline rocks. Combined with whole-rock data, the geochemical features and Sr-Nd isotopic compositions of apatites indicate a crystal mush model to interpret the genetic link between syenites and arfvedsonite granites and alkali rhyolites. The early accumulations of mixing mafic and felsic magmas formed syenites at the margin, while the residual silicic melts solidified as arfvedsonite granites at the core. After the exposure of the intrusive rocks by rapid exhumation, the injection of high-temperature mantle-derived magma into the crystal mush promoted the extraction of the residual melt from the magma chamber. The mantle-derived magmas and residual melts directly erupted to the surface to form trachyte and rhyolite in the middle, eventually forming the alkaline ring complex. • Distinct origins for apatite grains in the Houshihushan alkaline ring complex. • Early-stage crystallized apatite records Sr-Nd isotope signature of the source. • Apatite can reveal the detailed petrogenetic processes of alkaline rocks. • Alkaline ring complex is formed by cumulation-crystal fractionation-magma mixing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Laparoscopic splenectomy and azygoportal disconnection (LSD) is widely used for the treatment of esophagogastric variceal haemorrhage and hypersplenism owing to cirrhotic portal hypertension. However, whether LSD improves liver synthesis function and cirrhosis remains unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of LSD on liver synthesis function and cirrhosis based on a prospective 2-year follow-up study.Methods: A total of 118 patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension who underwent LSD were included in this study. We analysed clinical data including routine blood parameters, liver function, liver-synthesised proteins (antithrombin III, protein S, and protein C), liver fibrotic markers (type IV collagen (IV-C), procollagen type III (PC-III), laminin, and hyaluronidase), portal vein diameter, and portal blood flow velocity.Results: Postoperative portal vein diameter and portal blood flow velocity all showed gradual declines during the 2-year follow-up; compared with preoperative values, these were all significantly decreased from postoperative week (POW) 1 (all P < 0.001). Postoperative Child-Pugh scores and total bilirubin, albumin, international normalised ratio, antithrombin III, protein S, protein C, IV-C, PC-III, laminin, and hyaluronidase levels also all showed gradual improvements during the 2-year follow-up; compared with preoperative levels, these were all significantly improved from postoperative month (POM) 6, POW 1, POM 3, POM 3, POM 3, POM 6, POM 18, POW 1, POM 3, POM 24, and POM 18, respectively (all P < 0.05).Conclusion: LSD not only decreases portal hypertension and improves liver function, it also enhances liver synthesis function and reduces liver fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantum key agreement(QKA) is an important part of quantum cryptography. In QKA, the final shared key must be negotiated equally by all participants, and any nontrivial subset of participants cannot fully determine the shared key. In this scheme, a novel three-party QKA with quantum fourier transform(QFT) is proposed. In addition, we utilize random numbers, decoy states and a hash function to make this protocol be resistant external attacks and participant attacks. Furthermore, the scheme can meet fairness i.e. each participant contributes fairly and equally to the final key. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important topic of quantum cryptography, quantum voting has attracted more and more attentions recently. However, with our analysis, it can be seen that there exist some serious problems in a particular quantum voting model. Firstly, the voter does not have the ability to vote as his own. Secondly, the voter may be dishonest and can deny some corresponding voting results. Furthermore, some improvements will be presented to solve the loopholes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of uniaxial tensile strain on the structural and electronic properties of positively charged oxygen vacancy defects in amorphous silica (a-SiO2) are systematically investigated using ab-initio calculation based on density functional theory. Four types of positively charged oxygen vacancy defects, namely the dimer, unpuckered, and puckered four-fold (4 ×), and puckered five-fold (5 ×) configurations have been investigated. It is shown by the calculations that applying uniaxial tensile strain can lead to irreversible transitions of defect structures, which can be identified from the fluctuations of the curves of relative total energy versus strain. Driven by strain, a positively charged dimer configuration may relax into a puckered 5× configuration, and an unpuckered configuration may relax into either a puckered 4× configuration or a forward-oriented configuration. Accordingly, the Fermi contacts of the defects remarkably increase and the defect levels shift under strain. The Fermi contacts of the puckered configurations also increase under strain to the values close to that of center in a-SiO2. In addition, it is shown by the calculations that the relaxation channels of the puckered configurations after electron recombination are sensitive to strain, that is, those configurations are more likely to relax into a two-fold coordinated Si structure or to hold a puckered structure under strain, both of which may raise up the thermodynamic charge-state transition levels of the defects into Si band gap. As strain induces more puckered configurations with the transition levels in Si band gap, it may facilitate directly the development of oxide charge accumulation and indirectly that of interface charge accumulation by promoting proton generation under ionization radiation. This work sheds a light on understanding the strain effect on ionization damage at an atomic scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important topic of quantum cryptography, quantum proxy blind signature has attracted more and more attentions in recent years. However, with our analysis, it can be seen that there exists a common security loophole in two particular quantum proxy blind signature schemes, i.e., the receiver can forge a valid signature without being caught by others. In order to show that, the detailed attack strategy and the potential improved ideas are proposed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A three-fold interpenetrated metal–organic framework [Co2(OBA)4(PTD)·3DMF·CH3CH2OH·5H2O]n (1) has been synthesized by utilizing 4,4′-oxybis(benzoic acid) (H2OBA) as the linker, 6-(pyridin-4-yl)-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine (PTD) as the ligand, and CoCl2·6H2O via solvothermal method. Compound 1 exhibits not only a high uptake capacity for CO2 molecules with an estimated high sorption heat (50.6 kJ mol−1 at zero loading), but also a significant selective adsorption of CO2 over CH4, which may be ascribed to the presence of proper-sized pores with high polarity, amine groups and triazine rings of PTD linker decorating the pores. Meanwhile, the Grand Canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulations of CO2 adsorption of compound 1 demonstrate that CO2 molecules are preferentially adsorbed around the PTD ligands. Furthermore, complex 1 displays a relatively high adsorption capacity of H2 (101.7 cm3 g−1 at 1 bar) under 77 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. Lactate and lactate clearance were supposed to be associated with cardiac arrest outcomes, but studies obtained different results. Thus, we conducted this meta-analysis to investigate the association between lactate or lactate clearance and neurological outcomes and their usefulness for prediction of neurological outcomes. Methods. We conducted a systematic search in PubMed, Web of science, EMBASE, Medline, and Google Scholar until May 1, 2018, for relevant studies. Studies reporting lactate, lactate clearance on admission, or other time points after admission associated with neurological outcomes were included in our analysis. Pooled effect date was shown as weighed mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI). To measure the usefulness of lactate on admission to predict neurological outcomes, we also pooled the data of diagnostic test. Results. 23 studies involving 6720 cardiac arrest (CA) patients were included. Results from our analysis indicated that patients with good neurological outcomes tended to have a lower lactate level on admission (WMD: -2.66 mmol/L, 95%CI: -3.39 to -1.93) and 12h, 24h, and 48h after admission (P<0.001). Furthermore, the pooled AUC for lactate level on admission to predict neurological outcomes was 0.77 (95%CI: 0.73-0.80). However, a significant association between lactate clearance and neurological outcomes was only found in 24h but not 12h lactate clearance rate. Conclusions. Lactate levels on admission and all time points up to 48h were associated with neurological outcomes after CA, whereas the association between lactate clearance and neurological outcomes was not so stable. Lactate was a more robust surrogate marker than lactate clearance to predict neurological outcomes after CA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

5-fluorouracil (5-FU) has been used in the treatment of colorectal cancer for >50 years. However, drug resistance remains an obstacle in the application of 5-FU-based chemotherapy. Bufalin, a type of steroid with anti-tumor activity, may be purified from the skin and parotid venom glands of toads. In order to improve the anti-tumor effect of 5-FU, the present study examined the combined effects of bufalin with 5-FU on human colorectal cancer HCT116 cells. Following treatment, cell proliferation was quantified using MTT assay and apoptotic cell percentage was assessed by flow cytometry. The apoptosis-associated protein expression was evaluated by western blotting. It was observed that bufalin enhanced the cytotoxicity of 5-FU in HCT116 cells via the induction of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. Additionally, bufalin combined with 5-FU reduced the expression levels of anti-apoptotic proteins, such as Mcl-1, XIAP and Bcl-2 and upregulated the levels of the pro-apoptotic proteins, Bax and Bad. To verify the role of Bax, RNA interference was used to knock-down Bax. It was determined that the synergistic effect between 5-FU and bufalin was diminished following the silencing of Bax. In summary, bufalin in combination with 5-FU may induce a higher level of apoptosis compared with monotherapy, and the combination mat be a potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of colorectal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution of the distribution of several bubbles in a channel subjected to periodic oscillations is examined using direct numerical simulations. The flow is initially quiescent and the bubbles are randomly distributed in the domain, which is bounded by walls parallel to the direction of oscillations, and periodic in the perpendicular direction. The results show that the oscillations lead to clustering of the bubbles, generally spanning the channel cross-section. The dependency of the rate at which the bubbles clusters, the inter-cluster distances and the void fraction distribution, on the frequency and amplitude of oscillations, as well as the fluid properties, are examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In arid and semi-arid regions, rainfall takes on a critical significance to both agricultural and engineering construction activities, and the transport process and driving mechanism of soil water under rainfall conditions are in need of further investigation. To clarify the variations in soil moisture, temperature, and liquid and vapor flux under various rainfall scenarios, the Mu Us Sandy Land was selected as the study region, and a water–vapor–heat transport model was established using the Hydrus-1D software with in situ observed soil and meteorological data. The simulated results were in good agreement with the measured data during both the calibration and validation periods, suggesting that the model was accurate and applicable to the study region. The variations in the selected dry and rainy periods proved the significant effect of rainfall events on soil matric potential, temperature, and driving forces. When rainfall occurred, the hydraulic conductivity for liquid water rose by three to five orders of magnitude, driving the liquid water flow downward. In contrast, the vapor flux played a vital role in soil water movement, accounting for about 15% of the total water flux in the shallow layer when the soil was dry, while it became non-significant during rainy periods due to the reduction in hydraulic conductivity for vapor and the temperature gradient. These results clarified the mechanisms of soil liquid water and vapor movement in arid areas, which could provide scientific support for future studies on vegetation restoration and ecosystem sustainability in ecologically fragile areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machine learning algorithms, including supervised and unsupervised learning ones, have been widely used in mineral prospectivity mapping. Supervised learning algorithms require the use of numerous known mineral deposits to ensure the reliability of the training results. Unsupervised learning algorithms can be applied to areas with rare or no known deposits. Reinforcement learning (RL) is a type of machine learning algorithm that differs from supervised and unsupervised learning models in that the learning process is performed interactively by the agent and environment. The environment feeds the agent with reward signals and states, and the agent synthetically evaluates the mineralization potential of each state based on these rewards. In this study, a deep RL framework was constructed for mineral prospectivity mapping, and a case study for mapping gold prospectivity in northwest Hubei Province, China, was used to test the framework. The deep RL agent extracted the information of known mineralization by automatically interacting with the environment while simultaneously mining potential mineralization information from the unlabeled dataset. Its comparison with random forest and isolation forest models demonstrates that deep RL performs better regardless of the number of known mineral deposits because of its unique reward and feedback mechanism. The delineated high-potential areas show a strong spatial correlation with known gold deposits and can therefore provide significant clues for future prospecting in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study introduces the construction of the first intraspecific genetic linkage map of the A-genome diploid cotton with newly developed simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers using 189 F2 plants derived from the cross of two Asiatic cotton cultivars ( Gossypium arboreum L.) Jianglingzhongmian × Zhejiangxiaoshanlüshu. Polymorphisms between the two parents were detected using 6 092 pairs of SSR primers. Two-hundred and sixty-eight pairs of SSR primers with better polymorphisms were picked out to analyze the F2 population. In total, 320 polymorphic bands were generated and used to construct a linkage map with JoinMap3.0. Two-hundred and sixty-seven loci, including three phenotypic traits were mapped at a logarithms of odds ratio (LOD) ≥ 3.0 on 13 linkage groups. The total length of the map was 2 508.71 cM, and the average distance between adjacent markers was 9.40 cM. Chromosome assignments were according to the association of linkages with our backbone tetraploid specific map using the 89 similar SSR loci. Comparisons among the 13 suites of orthologous linkage groups revealed that the A-genome chromosomes are largely collinear with the At and Dt sub-genome chromosomes. Chromosomes associated with inversions suggested that allopolyploidization was accompanied by homologous chromosomal rearrangement. The inter-chromosomal duplicated loci supply molecular evidence that the A-genome diploid Asiatic cotton is paleopolyploid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The crystal structures of two molecular clips derived from diethoxycarbonyl glycoluril were reported. Their unique binding behavior towards hydroquinone, which is different from Nolte's clips (high affinity for resorcinol), has been characterized through 1H NMR and IR. Job-plot analyses provide good evidence of a 1:1 stoichiometry for the complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different nutrient media experimentally were N, P and Fe-limited conditions and a serial of diluted BG11 media. The cell change of morphology and life history, cell number, cell color and cell area of Microcystis were analyzed quantitatively. First, the effects of nitrogen, phosphorus and iron depletion were distinctively different. Phosphorus and iron depletion caused more special division cells, slowly growth increasing, the easier change of bigger cell area. Second, the nitrogen and iron depletion could make the color of alga from green to brown. Finally, according to the resource competition and Monod equation, Microcystis kinetics of phosphorus and iron were also examined. K_s and μ_{max} of phosphorus absorption were 0.0352 μmol/L, 0.493 d^{-1} respectively; iron absorption: 0.00323 μmol/L, 0.483 d^{-1}. In a word, some evidences of the Microcystis bloom privilege in certain nutrient conditions were indicated in the experiments. The privileges were determined as the reviving under the adverse circumstances through the special division, the various nitrogen resources, and the lower kinetics of phosphorus and iron than that of most of other algae. The conclusions provided the scientific basis for preventing and managing Microcystis bloom in freshwater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• With the rapid development of digital multimedia terminals, video image zooming solves the demand of high-end display for low resolution signal and low-end display for high definition signal. The main purpose of this paper is to transform the input video image signal into the video image signal with the desired resolution through video image scaling. • This paper mainly studies various image scaling algorithms, analyzes their advantages and disadvantages, and implements FPGA video scaling design by top-down design method, which verifies the correctness of the results. Various traditional image interpolation algorithms are introduced. On the basis of comparing the subjective and objective quality of various algorithms, fuzzy interpolation algorithm is used to scale the video image. • The experimental results in this paper show that the maximum working frequency of the designed image scaling unit is 153.12 mhz and it can process 1080p video signals in real time. Video image zooming technology has a broad market prospect. With the rapid development of digital multimedia terminals, the scaling of video images has solved the needs of high-end displays for low-resolution signals and high-definition signals displayed by low-end displays. The main purpose of this article is to convert the input video image signal into a video image signal with the required resolution through video image scaling. This article mainly studies various image scaling algorithms, analyzes their advantages and disadvantages, and adopts a top-down design method to implement FPGA video scaling design and verify the correctness of the results. This article introduces various traditional image interpolation algorithms. On the basis of comparing the subjective and objective quality of the image after the summation of various algorithms, the fuzzy interpolation algorithm is used to zoom the video image. In FPGA design, horizontal scaling and vertical scaling are handled separately, which reduces the computational complexity of image upgrades and facilitates control logic and specific implementation. The experimental results of this paper show that the maximum working frequency that the designed image scaling unit can reach is 153.12 MHz, which can process 1080p video signals in real time. Video image scaling technology has broad market prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein-1 (TRP-1), and tyrosinase-related protein-2, (TRP-2, dopachrome tautomerase) were shown by immunoblotting and enzyme assays to copurify from extracts of Cloudman S91 melanoma cells. Antibodies to TRP-1 and TRP-2 immunoprecipitated tyrosinase activity, suggesting a stable interaction (complex) among these proteins. The tyrosine hydroxylase activity of tyrosinase was reduced in the complexed form; treatment with Triton X-100 dissociated the complex and activated the tyrosinase present within it. To further study this complex, we employed sucrose gradient density centrifugation otextracts from cultured murine melanocytes. Tyrosinase, TRP-1, and TRP-2 all existed in high molecular weight "multimers" of ∼200 to >700 kilodaltons. Extraction of cells with buffers containing the detergent CHAPS preserved the high molecular weight multimers; Triton X-100 caused their dissociation into monomers. Low pH, low ionic strength, and millimolar concentrations of calcium ions favored the maintenance of multimers. The results of this study demonstrate that the participation of tyrosinase, TRP-1, and TRP-2 in a multimeric complex could have important physiologic consequences, and raise the possibility that some of the well-known interactions between coat color genes may be explained by intermolecular interactions between the gene products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antiserum raised in rabbits against the Triton X-100 insoluble fraction of melanosomes from mouse melanoma cells specifically decorates the internal matrix of melanosomes in immunoelectron microscopy. In metabolic labeling studies, the antiserum recognizes a protein of 94 kDa, which is processed to a band of 53 kDa. Whereas the precursor is relatively soluble in buffers containing Triton X-100, the processed protein requires the addition of sodium dodecyl sulfate for effective solubilization, as would be expected for a melanosomal matrix constituent. Tunicamycin reduces the Mr of the nascent protein to 75 kDa, but deoxymannojirimycin and swainsonine have no effect, suggesting that following initial glycosylation in the endoplasmic reticulum, the protein is not subject to processing by glycosidases in the Golgi apparatus or may bypass it entirely. Subcellular fractionation followed by immunoblotting confirms that the protein is present in the melanosome-rich, large granule fraction. Expression of the protein is regulated differently from that of the tyrosinase-related protein family. Conditions that greatly stimulate expression of tyrosinase-related proteins do not affect matrix protein expression, nor is the protein immunologically related to the tyrosinase-related protein family. Our results suggest that we have identified an authentic component of the mammalian melanosomal matrix, and that its characteristics lend support to a bipartite pathway for melanosomal biogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coated vesicles play a critical role in the process of melanogenesis. Antisera raised against a coated vesicle fraction from mouse melanoma cells recognize two major glycoprotein antigens, band I (47-55 kd) and band II (90-120 kd). We demonstrate that band II is lysosome-associated membrane protein 1 (LAMP-1) by the following criteria: 1) the molecular weight and abundance of LAMP-1 varies among tissues but is always identical to that of band II; 2) band II and LAMP-1 co-migrate in sucrose gradient sedimentation studies; 3) immunodepletion of cell extracts with antivesicle serum removes all LAMP-1; and 4) intact organelles immunoisolated with antivesicle serum contain band II and LAMP1. Our results further confirm the long-suspected relationship between melanosomes and the lysosomal lineage of organelles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation of rodingites has been a continually controversial topic, largely due to the absence of minerals that can be unambiguously dated. Here, we present a case study that utilized LA‐ICPMS garnet U–Pb dating, in conjunction with field investigations, petrology and Raman spectroscopy, to reveal the age and petrogenesis of rodingite in the northern North China Craton. The rodingites are spatially associated with mafic and alkaline rocks. Our findings indicate that rodingitization occurred at ca. 388 Ma, making it about 5–10 Myr younger than its mafic protoliths, but contemporaneous with the adjoining alkaline plutons. These observations suggest that the rodingitization may be attributed to hydrothermal fluids from the alkaline magmas. Our study emphasizes the importance of utilizing garnet U–Pb dating to determine the timing of rodingitization and introduces a novel perspective on the relationship between rodingitization and alkaline magmas in extensional continental settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Posthepatitic cirrhosis is one of the leading risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide, among which hepatitis B cirrhosis is the dominant one. This study explored whether laparoscopic splenectomy and azygoportal disconnection (LSD) can reduce the risk of HCC among patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related cirrhotic portal hypertension (CPH). Methods: A total of 383 patients with HBV-related CPH diagnosed as gastroesophageal variceal bleeding and secondary hypersplenism were identified in our hepatobiliary pancreatic center between April 2012 and April 2022, and conducted an 11-year retrospective follow-up. We used inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) to correct for potential confounders, weighted Kaplan–Meier curves, and logistic regression to estimate survival and risk differences. Results: Patients were divided into two groups based on treatment method: LSD (n = 230) and endoscopic therapy (ET; n = 153) groups. Whether it was processed through IPTW or not, LSD group showed a higher survival benefit than ET group according to Kaplan–Meier analysis (P < 0.001). The incidence density of HCC was higher in the ET group compared to LSD group at the end of follow-up [32.1/1000 vs 8.0/1000 person-years; Rate ratio: 3.998, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.928–8.293]. Additionally, in logistic regression analyses weighted by IPTW, LSD was an independent protective predictor of HCC incidence compared to ET (odds ratio 0.516, 95% CI 0.343–0.776; P = 0.002). Conclusion: Considering the ability of LSD to improve postoperative survival and prevent HCC in HBV-related CPH patients with gastroesophageal variceal bleeding and secondary hypersplenism, it is worth promoting in the context of the shortage of liver donors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Previous studies by us and others have indicated that berberine is a promising therapy for ulcerative colitis (UC). However, the mechanisms of UC and the therapeutic targets of berberine are poorly understood. iTRAQ-based proteomics was utilized to characterize the proteins and pathways associated with the development of colitis and its improvement after berberine treatment. By using a modified dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) colitis as the UC model, confirmed that berberine significantly attenuated clinical symptoms and colon shorting of the colitis mice. Proteomics identified 140 and 391 proteins that were differentially expressed in the colons of DSS- or DSS plus berberine-treated mice, respectively. Subsequent verification of 15 selected differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) by multiple reaction monitoring confirmed the reliability of the iTRAQ data. Further comparisons and bioinformatics analysis demonstrated that among the identified DEPs, 26, including Hist2h2be, Tubb3, and five immunoglobulins, were oppositely regulated by DSS and DSS plus berberine treatments. In addition, five commonly dysregulated pathways, including natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity and RRAR signaling were identified. Network analysis revealed that proteins involved in 7 and 11 pathways in DSS and DSS plus berberine treated mice, respectively, engaged in protein-protein interactions. Our study provides the first pharmacoproteomics profiling of colitis and its recovery after berberine treatment. The proteins, pathways and networks identified provide novel insights into the pathogenesis of colitis and the action mechanism of berberine, demonstrating their values for validation in human UC which could serve as targets for the development of novel therapies for UC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The optimal treatment options for gallstones together with common bile duct stones (CBDS) remain controversial. The aim of this study was to further compare the recurrence rate of stones after synchronous laparoscopic cholecystectomy combined with laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (SLCL) and synchronous laparoscopic cholecystectomy combined with intraoperative endoscopic sphincterotomy (SLCE) and to determine which option is more effective in reducing the rate of repeated recurrence of CBDS and the incidence rate of hepatolithiasis. Methods: We retrospectively investigated the clinical data of patients who underwent SLCL or SLCE at our hepatobiliary center between August 2012 and August 2020. The primary and secondary endpoints of this study were the recurrence of CBDS and the occurrence of hepatolithiasis, respectively. Results: In total, 1005 patients were enrolled in this study, including 431 patients in the SLCL group and 574 patients in the SLCE group. SLCL was associated with a significantly decreased rate of CBDS recurrence (4.18% vs. 7.84%, P = 0.018), repeated CBDS recurrence (0.70% vs. 3.00%, P = 0.010), and incidence of hepatolithiasis (0.00% vs. 1.05%, P = 0.040). Compared with SLCE, SLCL was an independent protective predictor of the recurrence of CBDS (relative risk, 0.505; 95% confidence interval, 0.286–0.891; P = 0.018) and repeated recurrence of CBDS (relative risk, 0.226; 95% confidence interval, 0.066–0.777; P = 0.018). Conclusions: SLCL is an optimal treatment option to SLCE for patients with gallstones combined with CBDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Liver cirrhosis is the highest risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide. However, etiological therapy is the only option in cirrhosis patients to decrease the HCC risk. The aim of this study was to explore whether laparoscopic splenectomy and azygoportal disconnection (LSD) decreases the risk of HCC for patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension (CPH). Methods: Between April 2012 and April 2021, we identified 595 CPH patients in our hepatobiliary pancreatic center who were diagnosed with gastroesophageal variceal bleeding and secondary hypersplenism, and performed a 10-year retrospective follow-up. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was used to adjust for potential confounders, weighted Kaplan–Meier curves and logistic regression to estimate survival and risk differences. Results: According to the method of therapy, patients were divided into LSD (n = 345) and endoscopic therapy (ET; n = 250) groups. Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed that patients who underwent LSD had higher survival benefit with those who underwent ET (P < 0.001). At the end of the follow-up, ET group was associated with a higher HCC incidence density compared with LSD group (28.1/1000 vs 9.6/1000 person-years; Rate ratio [RR] 2.922, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 1.599–5.338). In addition, logistic regression analyses weighted by IPTW revealed that, compared with ET, LSD was an independent protective predictor of HCC incidence (odds ratio [OR] 0.440, 95% CI 0.316–0.612; P < 0.001). Conclusions: Considering the better postoperative survival and the ability to prevent HCC in CPH patients with gastroesophageal variceal bleeding and secondary hypersplenism, LSD is worth popularization in situations where liver donors are scarce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of multivariate geochemical anomalies is critical in mineral exploration. Machine learning algorithms have been successfully employed in the recognition of multivariate geochemical anomalies in support of mineral exploration, owing to their strong ability to learn the complex relationship between geochemical characteristics and mineralization. However, applications of machine learning algorithms suffer from data redundancy and the curse of dimensionality. In this study, a hybrid model combining t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE) and random forest (RF) was used to solve the aforementioned problems in geochemical mapping for gold exploration in the northwestern Hubei Province of China. Specifically, t-SNE was used for dimension reduction and feature extraction from the major and trace elements of geochemical survey data, and RF was used for probabilistic classification of geochemical patterns related to gold deposits. A comparative study demonstrated that the hybrid model of t-SNE + RF possesses stronger generalization ability than that of PCA + RF and pure RF. Specifically, after 15 experiments, the mean area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) values of t-SNE + RF, PCA + RF, and pure RF were 0.83, 0.65, and 0.75, respectively. These results suggest that the hybrid model combining t-SNE and RF can more efficiently recognize geochemical anomalies associated with gold mineralization. Compared with PCA, t-SNE can more effectively identify hidden information in complex and nonlinear geochemical survey data. In addition, it can reduce information redundancy and further improve the efficiency of RF for processing multidimensional geochemical survey data. The high-probability areas obtained by t-SNE + RF showed a strong spatial correlation with known gold deposits, which can provide critical clues for further prospecting in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The title compound, Na+·C3H6ClO4S−·0.5H2O, was synthesized from sodium hydrogen sulfite and 2-(chloro­meth­yl)oxirane in aqueous solution. The Na+ ion is coordinated by six O atoms in a distorted octa­hedral manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The title compoud, C21H24N4O8, is an important inter­mediate for the synthesis of more complex glycoluril derivatives. The crystal structure is stabilized mostly by inter­molecular C—H⋯O and C—H⋯π inter­actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Asia, laparoscopic splenectomy and azygoportal disconnection (LSD) has been widely regarded as a preferential treatment modality for cirrhotic portal hypertension (PH). However, LSD involves high surgical risk, technical challenges, and many potential postoperative complications. Technology optimization and innovation in LSD aiming to solve to these difficulties has scarcely been reported. In this retrospective study, we aimed to evaluate the clinical therapeutic effect of our cluster technology optimization and innovation on LSD for PH. Methods: From February 2012 to January 2020, 500 patients with cirrhosis who had esophagogastric variceal bleeding and hypersplenism underwent LSD in our department. According to different operation periods, patients were divided into the early-, intermediate-, and late-period groups. We collected information regarding clinical characteristics of all patients as well as their preoperative and postoperative follow-up data. Results: Compared with the early-period group, operation time and postoperative hospital stay were all significantly different and gradually declined from the intermediate- and late-period groups, respectively (all P < 0.05). Intraoperative blood loss of these three groups was gradually decreased, with significant differences (P < 0.05). The incidences of delayed gastric emptying and diarrhea in the late-period group were all significantly lower than those in the early- and intermediate-period groups, respectively (all P < 0.05). Compared with the early-period group, the incidence of variceal re-bleeding was significantly lower in the intermediate- and late-period groups (all P < 0.05). Conclusion: Our cluster technology optimization and innovation of LSD not only contributed to faster recovery and fewer complications but also enhanced surgical safety for patients. It is worth promoting this approach among patients with EVB and hypersplenism secondary to cirrhotic PH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Esophagogastric variceal bleeding is the most common lethal factor for patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension. We firstly developed a laparoscopic splenectomy and azygoportal disconnection (LSD) with intraoperative endoscopic variceal ligation (LSDL) technique. In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether LSDL is feasible and safe and whether LSDL can effectively prevent esophagogastric variceal re-bleeding (EVR), as compared with single LSD. Methods: In this randomized controlled single-center study, 88 patients with cirrhosis who had esophagogastric variceal bleeding and hypersplenism were randomly assigned to receive either LSD (n = 44) or LSDL (n = 44) between January 2020 and December 2021. The primary outcome was EVR. Results: No patients withdrew from the study. There were no significant differences in estimated blood loss, incidence of blood transfusion, time to first flatus and off-bed activity, or postoperative hospital stay between the two groups. Compared with that in the LSD group, operation time was significantly longer in the LSDL group (138.5 ± 19.4 min vs. 150.3 ± 19.0 min, P < 0.05); however, LSDL was associated with a significantly decreased EVR rate at 1-year follow-up (8/44 vs. 1/44, P < 0.05). Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression revealed that LSDL was a significant independent protective factor against EVR in comparison with LSD (relative risk: 0.105, 95% confidence interval 0.012–0.877; P = 0.037). Conclusions: Our newly developed LSDL procedure is not only technically feasible and safe; it also contributed to lowering the EVR risk more so than single LSD. Trial Registration: We registered our research at https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/. The name of research registered is "Laparoscopic Splenectomy and Azygoportal Disconnection with Intraoperative Endoscopic Variceal Ligation." The trial registration identifier at clinicaltrials.gov is NCT04244487. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-quality Sr isotope data are critically dependent on the quality of reference materials that are used for instrumental calibration and data monitoring during LA-MC-ICP-MS analysis. A suite of natural plagioclase samples (BDL-1, BDL-2 and BDL-3) from the Badaling intrusive complex, Beijing were investigated here to test their suitability as a plagioclase Sr isotope reference material. Major and trace element analyses by EPMA and LA-ICP-MS showed that plagioclase crystals separated from two troctolites (BDL-1 and BDL-3) and one gabbro (BDL-2) were all characterized by extremely low Rb/Sr ratios (0.00012–0.00047), and low heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) and high Sr contents (2377–2836 μg g−1). A total of 200 LA-MC-ICP-MS analyses for plagioclases BDL-1, BDL-2 and BDL-3 showed consistent and homogeneous Sr isotopic compositions with an average 87Sr/86Sr ratio of 0.70535 ± 0.00007 (2SD), which was in good agreement with solution-based data determined by TIMS or SN-MC-ICP-MS (0.70533 ± 0.00004; 2SD, n = 12), thus suggesting that BDL plagioclase can be used as a potential reference material for microbeam Sr isotopic analysis. Compared to the other available plagioclase Sr isotopic reference materials, the large quantities, long-term availability, high Sr content and extremely low isobaric interference (Rb, Er and Yb) of BDL plagioclase make it especially suitable for instrumental calibration and to adjust for inter-laboratory bias of the measured 87Sr/86Sr ratios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mild and efficient method for the radical addition of α-aryl-β,β-difluoroenol silyl with arene diazonium tetrafluoroborates at room temperature has been disclosed, which involves an innate radical long chain cycle, so only a small amount (0.05 mol%) of photocatalyst and a short light exposure time are required as radical initiators. A proposed mechanism for the transformation is also illustrated based on the results of control experiments and quantum calculations. A variety of α-aryl-α,α-difluoroketones were formed in moderate to high yields, and can be easily further transformed into various difluoromethylarenes under basic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of transforaminal endoscopic lumbar discectomy (TELD) in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation (LDH) and to identify the relationship between TELD efficacy and age. Methods: A total of 207 consecutive LDH patients who had undergone TELD with the THESSYS system from January 2013 to September 2014 were divided into two groups on the basis of their age, with 108 cases in the ≤45-year-old age group and 99 cases in the >45-year-old group. The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) was used to quantify the pain relief. The degree of pain and disability were measured on the basis of the visual analog scale (VAS) and the modified MacNab criteria. Complications, duration of hospital stay, surgical costs, and operation time were recorded and compared between the two groups. Spearman's coefficient of rank correlation was used to assess the learning curves for TELD. Results: The mean pre-operative and postoperative VAS and ODI scores significantly improved in both age ≤45 group and age >45 group, with no significant differences between them. In age ≤45 group, 56 % had excellent outcomes, 28 % good, 14 % fair, and 3 % poor. In the age >45 group, 51 % had excellent outcomes, 20 % good, 25 % fair, and 4 % poor. The average lengths of hospital stay for the age ≤45 group and age >45 group were 6.8 and 8.4 days, respectively. The mean time to return to work or normal activities was ten days for the age ≤45 group and 15 days for the age >45 group. The mean operative time for the age ≤45 group was 94 minutes and that for age >45 group was 97 minutes. The surgical cost of age ≤45 group was 15,480 RMB, which was lower than the 16,381 RMB of age >45 group. A total of 14 patients in the age ≤45 group and 13 patients in age >45 group used analgesic medications. Three and five recurrences were reported in the age ≤45 group and age >45, respectively. The steep learning curves of operative time plotted against the number of surgeries conducted suggest that the TELD technique can be mastered quickly in terms of reducing the duration of operation. Conclusions: The efficacy of TELD is relatively good for the selected young and elderly patients in this study. Therefore, age is not a predictor of TELD surgery-related outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human activity recognition plays an important role in a variety of daily applications. There has been tremendous work on human activity recognition based on WiFi channel state information (CSI). Although achieving reasonable performance in certain cases, they are yet faced with a major challenge: location dependence. An activity recognition model trained at one location does not perform properly at other locations, because the human location also has significant influence on WiFi signal propagation. In this paper, we aim to solve the location dependence problem of CSI-based human activity recognition and propose a device-free cross location activity recognition (CLAR) method via semi-supervised deep learning. We regard the locations with labeled activity samples as the source domains and the locations with unlabeled activity samples as the target domains. By exploiting pseudo labeling and feature mapping, CLAR trains an activity recognition model working across the source and the target domains as well as the unseen domains which have no training samples. CLAR first extracts the trend component from the activity samples by Singular Spectrum Analysis (SSA), then annotates the unlabeled samples with the pseudo labels through a dual-score multi-classifier labeling model. The activity recognition model is trained using the labeled samples from the source domains and the pseudo-labeled samples from the target domains. Both the labeling and the recognition models are based on Bidirectional Long Short Term Memory (BLSTM). Evaluations in real-world environments demonstrate the effectiveness and generalization of the method CLAR, which performs well for both the source and the target domains, and generalizes well to the unseen domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The thrombosis of the main and intrahepatic branches of the portal vein (TMIP) is potentially lethal and deemed a common complication following laparoscopic splenectomy and azygoportal disconnection (LSD) in patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension (PH). The predictors of TMIP after LSD remain unclear. The aim of this prospective study was to explore the predictive and risk factors for TMIP after LSD in cirrhotic patients with PH caused only by hepatitis B virus.Methods: From September 2014 to March 2017, we enrolled 115 patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis and PH who successfully underwent LSD. Patients were subdivided into a TMIP group and a non-TMIP group. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted on 24 items of demographic and preoperative data, to explore the risk factors of TMIP.Results: Twenty-nine (25.22%) patients developed TMIP on postoperative day (POD) 7 and 26 (22.81%) patients developed TMIP on POD 30. From POD 7 to POD 30, 12 patients who did not have TMIP at POD 7 were newly diagnosed with TMIP, with portal vein diameter 15.05 ± 2.58 mm. Another 14 patients in whom TMIP had resolved had portal vein diameter 14.02 ± 1.76 mm. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression revealed that portal vein diameter ≥ 13 mm [relative risk (RR) 5.533, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.222-25.042; P = 0.026] and portal vein diameter ≥ 15 mm (RR 3.636, 95% CI 1.466-9.021; P = 0.005) were significant independent risk factors for TMIP on POD 7 and 30, respectively.Conclusion: Portal vein diameter ≥ 13 mm and ≥ 15 mm were significant independent predictors for TMIP after LSD in patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis and PH on POD 7 and POD 30, respectively.Trial Registration: We registered our research at https://www.Clinicaltrials: gov/ . The name of research registered is "Warfarin Prevents Portal Vein Thrombosis in Patients After Laparoscopic Splenectomy and Azygoportal Disconnection." The trial registration identifier at clinicaltrials.gov is NCT02247414. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characteristics of organic acids in plant organs (roots, stems and leaves) , and root exudates of seedlings of Orychophragmus violaceus and Brassica napus were investigated under the stress of Zn deficiency and excessive bicarbonate by ion chromatography, the two plant species were hydroponically grown and cultured in four different treatments: + Zn0 (the treatment of adequate Zn and none HCO3-), + Zn10 (the treatment of adequate Zn and HCO3- addition), —Zn10 (the treatment of Zn deficiency and none HCO3-) , and —Zn10 (the treatment of Zn deficiency and HCO3- addition) , respectively. The results were as follows: (1) The total content of organic acids in plant organs and root exudations of the two plant species were significantly increased under excessive bicarbonate treatment, particularly under the dual treatment of Zn deficiency and excessive bicarbonate conditions (—Zn10 treatment) ,the organic acids in organs and root exudates of O. violaceus were more sensitive than that of B. napus , oxalic, citric and malic acids were the dominant organic acids in organs and root exudates of 0. violaceus , the content of these three organic acids took account for more than seventy five percent of the total content of organic acids in organs and root exudates of O. violaceus; (2) The leave was the main region of organic acids production of the two plant species, the content and the allocated proportion of organic acids decreased from aboveground parts (leaves and stems) to belowground parts; (3) The variation trends of organic acids contents of organs were identical with that of root exudates in O. violaceus and B. napus , and the source of organic acids in leaves of the two plant species was derived from the processes of dark respiration and photorespiration, while the source of organic acids in other organs such as stems and roots, as well as the source of organic acids in root exudates were come from the process of dark respiration; (4) The adaptability to the environment of low Zn and excessive HCO3- of O. violaceus was higher than that of B. napus ,which provided evidences for the adaptability to karst environment of 0. violaceus , and ecological restoration in environments with low Zn and excessive HCO3-, such as a karst area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead-based perovskite quantum dots (QDs) have promising applications in optoelectronic devices, but commercial applications are limited by the potential toxicity and poor stability of lead. Meanwhile, there are lattice, polarity, and thermal expansion coefficient mismatches in integrating semiconductor materials onto the surface of photoelectronic circuit devices, resulting in high-density defects limiting the reliability of photoelectronic devices. Therefore, there is a need to investigate perovskite alternatives that are non-toxic, stable, and can be effectively coupled to silicon photonic circuits. In this paper, lead-free perovskite Cs 3 Bi 2 Br 9 /SiO 2 QDs were synthesized. The emission wavelength falls within the 400–560 nm range, exhibiting vibrant blue photoluminescence and demonstrating exceptional air stability for a duration exceeding 60 days. Optical tests and density-functional theory (DFT) calculations show that the silica shell layer effectively binds the electron and hole wave functions, prevents photon-generated carriers from escaping, reduces surface defects, and improves the carrier recombination probability. Meanwhile, using Cs 3 Bi 2 Br 9 /SiO 2 QDs as a luminescent down-shifting (LDS) layer in combination with a conventional silicon solar cell, the photovoltaic conversion power was increased by 1.82%. Hence, the core-shell structure is designed by the green environmental protection method to control the improvement of the PL characteristics of QDs, which opens a window for the synthesis of new barrier materials in ethanol and water systems, making the Cs 3 Bi 2 Br 9 /SiO 2 QDs have great potential for the application of novel optoelectronic devices in the future. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Esophagogastric variceal re-bleeding (EGVR) is a common and potentially lethal complication after open or laparoscopic splenectomy and azygoportal disconnection (LSD) in patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Currently, noninvasive biomarkers for predicting EGVR are lacking. This prospective study focused on developing a noninvasive and convenient clinical model for predicting postoperative EGVR. Methods: Between September 2014 and March 2017, we enrolled 164 patients with cirrhosis who successfully underwent LSD. Based on the absence or presence of EGVR, patients were divided into EGVR and non-EGVR groups. We used correlation analysis to determine significant candidate variables among the liver fibrotic markers procollagen type III (PC-III), hyaluronidase (HA), laminin (LN), and type IV collagen (C-IV). Results: Postoperative EGVR occurred in 22 (13.41%) patients. Correlation analyses showed that LN (r = 0.375; p < 0.001) and C-IV (r = 0.349; p < 0.001) were significantly positively associated with EGVR. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of LN was 0.817 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.722–0.913); that of C-IV was 0.795 (95% CI 0.710–0.881). In logistic multivariate regression, cutoff values LN ≥ 64 µg/L and of C-IV ≥ 65 µg/L were independent risk factors for EGVR. LN ≥ 64 µg/L combined with C-IV ≥ 65 µg/L was the best performing model, with AUC 0.867 (95% CI 0.768–0.967). Conclusion: LN and C-IV are potential markers to predict EGVR. Combining the two markers showed satisfactory ability to predict EGVR in patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension after LSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) catalyzes the initial fixation of CO in C plants. Under the control of the rice Rubisco small subunit promoter, cDNA of a C SiPPC gene cloned from Seteria italica was introduced into Japonica rice by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Integration of the gene was confirmed by PCR analysis. RT-PCR showed expression of the gene at the RNA level in transgenic plants, and enzyme activity measurements confirmed the increase in PEPC protein. The transformants showed improvements in both photosynthesis rate and yield only under upland field cultivation. The possible function of PEPC in rice stress tolerance is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Statistical analysis is a useful method for setting the whole string of dam displacement measures in mathematical expressions. A statistical model is usually obtained by the method of stepwise regression. The stepwise regressions based on the least square method have limitations such as the lack of stability of the set of selected variables and bias in the parameter estimates. However, the Artificial Immune Algorithm (AIA) provides good performance as an optimization algorithm. This paper proposes an immune statistical model, which merges the statistical model and the immune algorithm together, to resolve the data analysis problems of dam horizontal crest upstream–downstream displacement. The stepwise regression model and immune statistical model have been compared, showing that the immune statistical model provide a higher degree of accuracy in predicting the future behavior of the dam. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Most heritage buildings and monuments are constructed out of natural stones which suffer irrevocable degradation when undergoing wet weathering, bowing, and dissolution in outdoor conditions. Self-cleaning treatments are effective for stone protecting. Herein, nano-materials which provide enhanced protectants for Marble, Qingshi and Hedishi were prepared. Inherent microscale interstices and holes exist on polished natural stone surfaces. When treated by a commercial protectant, 101S, the surfaces were hydrophobic but not self-cleaning. Colloidal protectants were prepared by dispersion of Al2O3 and SiO2 nano-powder in 101S, respectively. Self-cleaning stone surfaces were achieved after treated by the protectants, meanwhile, the interstices and holes were reserved as much as possible. The principle of the as- prepared protectants is penetrating and crosslinking on the stone surfaces as well as the inner surfaces of the interstices and holes. The reserving of the micro interstices and holes is important since the breathability of the stones is remained. The self-cleaning surfaces showed good thermal stability below 250 °C. Meanwhile, changes of color and gloss of the treated stone surfaces are in the acceptable range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify alien chromosomes in recipient progenies and to analyze genome components in polyploidy, a genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) technique that is suitable for cotton was developed using increased stringency conditions. The increased stringency conditions were a combination of the four factors in the following optimized state: 100:1 ratio of blocking DNA to probe, 60% formamide wash solution, 43 °C temperature wash and a 13 min wash. Under these specific conditions using gDNA from Gossypium sturtianum (C1C1) as a probe, strong hybridization signals were only observed on chromosomes from the C1 genome in somatic cells of the hybrid F1 ( G. hirsutum × G. sturtianum) (AtDtC1). Therefore, GISH was able to discriminate parental chromosomes in the hybrid. Further, we developed a multi-color GISH to simultaneously discriminate the three genomes of the above hybrid. The results repeatedly displayed the three genomes, At, Dt, and C1, and each set of chromosomes with a unique color, making them easy to identify. The power of the multi-color GISH was proven by analysis of the hexaploid hybrid F1 ( G. hirsutum × G. australe) (AtAtDtDtG2G2). We believe that the powerful multi-color GISH technique could be applied extensively to analyze the genome component in polyploidy and to identify alien chromosomes in the recipient progenies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Digestive system complications are among the most important causes of postoperative poor quality of life after open and conventional laparoscopic splenectomy and azygoportal disconnection (CLSD). We firstly developed a modified vagus nerve-preserving laparoscopic splenectomy and azygoportal disconnection (MVLSD). In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether MVLSD is feasible and safe and to determine whether MVLSD can effectively eliminate postoperative digestive system complications, in comparison with CLSD. Method: In this randomized controlled single-center study, 60 patients with cirrhosis were randomly assigned to undergo either CLSD (n = 30) or MVLSD (n = 30) between April and December 2018. The primary outcome was delayed gastric emptying (DGE). Endoscopic physicians were blinded to group assignments. Results: One patient who received MVLSD withdrew from the study. There were no significant differences in intraoperative blood loss, incidence of blood transfusion, time to off-bed activity, time to first flatus, and postoperative hospital stay between the two groups. Compared with CLSD, operation time and incidences of DGE, diarrhea, epigastric fullness, and overall postoperative complications were all significantly reduced in the MVLSD group (all P < 0.05). Compared with CLSD, MVLSD was associated with significantly increased weight and albumin levels at 1, 6, and 12 months postoperatively versus preoperative values (all P < 0.05). The curative effect of resolving gastroesophageal variceal bleeding was similar between the groups. Conclusion: MVLSD is not only a technically feasible and safe procedure, it is also succinct and convenient. Furthermore, MVLSD effectively reduces postoperative digestive system complications, contributing to improved quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), one of the main public health concerns in mainland China, is a group of clinically similar diseases caused by hantaviruses. Statistical approaches have always been leveraged to forecast the future incidence rates of certain infectious diseases to effectively control their prevalence and outbreak potential. Compared to the use of one base model, model stacking can often produce better forecasting results. In this study, we fitted the monthly reported cases of HFRS in mainland China with a model stacking approach and compared its forecasting performance with those of five base models. Method: We fitted the monthly reported cases of HFRS ranging from January 2004 to June 2019 in mainland China with an autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model; the Holt-Winter (HW) method, seasonal decomposition of the time series by LOESS (STL); a neural network autoregressive (NNAR) model; and an exponential smoothing state space model with a Box-Cox transformation; ARMA errors; and trend and seasonal components (TBATS), and we combined the forecasting results with the inverse rank approach. The forecasting performance was estimated based on several accuracy criteria for model prediction, including the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), root-mean-squared error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE). Result: There was a slight downward trend and obvious seasonal periodicity inherent in the time series data for HFRS in mainland China. The model stacking method was selected as the best approach with the best performance in terms of both fitting (RMSE 128.19, MAE 85.63, MAPE 8.18) and prediction (RMSE 151.86, MAE 118.28, MAPE 13.16). Conclusion: The results showed that model stacking by using the optimal mean forecasting weight of the five abovementioned models achieved the best performance in terms of predicting HFRS one year into the future. This study has corroborated the conclusion that model stacking is an easy way to enhance prediction accuracy when modeling HFRS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]