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Abstract Research has demonstrated the significant involvement of immune cells in the development and progression of prostate cancer (PCa). However, the precise causal relationship between immune cells and PCa remains unclear. This study utilized bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to investigate the causal link between immune cells and PCa. Additionally, employed mediation MR design to ascertain the potential mediating role of metabolites in the connection between immune cells and PCa outcomes. Unswitched memory B cell % lymphocyte and CD24 + CD27 + B cell % lymphocyte were positively related to PCa risk, while CD62L − monocyte absolute count and CD62L − monocyte % monocyte were negatively associated with PCa risk. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to validate these results. The mediation MR results indicate that 3-carboxy-4-methyl-5-propyl-2-furanpropanoate (CMPF) levels may be an independent risk factor for PCa, while the succinate to acetoacetate ratio (SA ratio) was found to be a mediator for the effect of CD62L − monocyte % monocyte on PCa, with a mediation proportion of 16.6% (mediation percentage: 16.6%, 95%CI − 163% − 196%). The research validates the genetic causality between particular immune cells and PCa, and has emphasized the potential intermediary function of SA ratio. These noteworthy discoveries provide fresh perspectives for the clinical management of PCa.

Abstract This paper proposes a specific algebraic structure and demonstrates its nature as an extension field, enabling the construction of Golomb Costas (GC) arrays. It provides detailed instructions and examples for constructing GC arrays using this extension field, along with a corresponding flowchart. Additionally, the paper conducts a thorough analysis, incorporating calculations and comparisons, to evaluate the autocorrelation of a GC array derived from the extension field compared to that of a diagonal frequency hopping array. The analysis reveals the superior autocorrelation properties of GC arrays based on the extension field. Furthermore, the paper establishes a mathematical model for the signal coded by the frequency hopping array and subsequently simulates and compares the ambiguity function of the signal coded by a GC array with that of a signal coded by a diagonal frequency hopping array. This comparison underscores the thumbtack ambiguity function of frequency hopping signal coded by a GC array. Moreover, the paper thoroughly investigates the relationship between the correlation function of GC arrays and the roots of an algebraic equation in a finite field, and strictly proves the ideal autocorrelation properties of Golomb Costas arrays.

Abstract Ferroptosis, distinct from apoptosis, necrosis, and autophagy, is a unique type of cell death driven by iron-dependent phospholipid peroxidation. Since ferroptosis was defined in 2012, it has received widespread attention from researchers worldwide. From a biochemical perspective, the regulation of ferroptosis is strongly associated with cellular metabolism, primarily including iron metabolism, lipid metabolism, and redox metabolism. The distinctive regulatory mechanism of ferroptosis holds great potential for overcoming drug resistance—a major challenge in treating cancer. The considerable role of nanobiotechnology in disease treatment has been widely reported, but further and more systematic discussion on how nanobiotechnology enhances the therapeutic efficacy on ferroptosis-associated diseases still needs to be improved. Moreover, while the exciting therapeutic potential of ferroptosis in cancer has been relatively well summarized, its applications in other diseases, such as neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and kidney disease, remain underreported. Consequently, it is necessary to fill these gaps to further complete the applications of nanobiotechnology in ferroptosis. In this review, we provide an extensive introduction to the background of ferroptosis and elaborate its regulatory network. Subsequently, we discuss the various advantages of combining nanobiotechnology with ferroptosis to enhance therapeutic efficacy and reduce the side effects of ferroptosis-associated diseases. Finally, we analyze and discuss the feasibility of nanobiotechnology and ferroptosis in improving clinical treatment outcomes based on clinical needs, as well as the current limitations and future directions of nanobiotechnology in the applications of ferroptosis, which will not only provide significant guidance for the clinical applications of ferroptosis and nanobiotechnology but also accelerate their clinical translations. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Background Low back pain has become a globally challenging health problem, and about 90% of cases are nonspecific. Due to the risks associated with opioid use and the limited effectiveness of drug treatment, acupuncture and other non-drug methods have become the first-line treatment for this disease. However, the best acupuncture method has not yet been determined. In this study, the effects of different acupuncture methods on chronic nonspecific low back pain (CNLBP) were compared by network meta-analysis, aiming at identifying the best option and providing a basis for precise treatment of CNLBP. Methods Clinical randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on acupuncture in the treatment of NSLBP were searched in eight databases including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Sinomed, CNKI, Wanfang Data and VIP from the inception of databases to January 21, 2024. The Cochrane risk-of-bias tool 2.0 (RoB 2.0) and Stata 15.0 (Stata Corp, College Station, Texas, USA) were used to evaluate the literature quality and meta-analysis, and the evidence quality was assessed based on GRADE guidelines. This systematic review was registered at the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews. Results A total of 27 articles were included, involving 2579 patients. The results of the network meta-analysis showed that the top three treatment schemes were warm needle acupuncture, intensive silver needle therapy and meridian-sinew theory-based treatment. In terms of relieving pain, the top three treatments were electrical warm needling, intensive silver needle therapy and warm needle acupuncture. In improving mobility, the top three were meridian-sinew theory-based treatment, routine acupuncture and electroacupuncture. Conclusion For CNLBP patients, warm needle acupuncture, electrical warm needling and meridian-sinew theory-based treatment are mainly recommended. If patients have significant pain, electroacupuncture is strongly suggested. On the contrary, for patients with decreased joint mobility, meridian-sinew theory-based treatment is advocated.

Abstract Modern life is essentially homochiral, containing D-sugars in nucleic acid backbones and L-amino acids in proteins. Since coded proteins are theorized to have developed from a prebiotic RNA World, the homochirality of L-amino acids observed in all known life presumably resulted from chiral transfer from a homochiral D-RNA World. This transfer would have been mediated by aminoacyl-RNAs defining the genetic code. Previous work on aminoacyl transfer using tRNA mimics has suggested that aminoacylation using D-RNA may be inherently biased toward reactivity with L-amino acids, implying a deterministic path from a D-RNA World to L-proteins. Using a model system of self-aminoacylating D-ribozymes and epimerizable activated amino acid analogs, we test the chiral selectivity of 15 ribozymes derived from an exhaustive search of sequence space. All of the ribozymes exhibit detectable selectivity, and a substantial fraction react preferentially to produce the D-enantiomer of the product. Furthermore, chiral preference is conserved within sequence families. These results are consistent with the transfer of chiral information from RNA to proteins but do not support an intrinsic bias of D-RNA for L-amino acids. Different aminoacylation structures result in different directions of chiral selectivity, such that L-proteins need not emerge from a D-RNA World.

Abstract Background The introduction of non-native species is a primary driver of biodiversity loss in freshwater ecosystems. The redclaw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) is a freshwater species that exhibits tolerance to hypoxic stresses, fluctuating temperatures, high ammonia concentration. These hardy physiological characteristics make C. quadricarinatus a popular aquaculture species and a potential invasive species that can negatively impact tropical and subtropical ecosystems. Investigating the genomic basis of environmental tolerances and immune adaptation in C. quadricarinatus will facilitate the development of management strategies of this potential invasive species. Results We constructed a chromosome-level genome of C. quadricarinatus by integrating Nanopore and PacBio techniques. Comparative genomic analysis suggested that transposable elements and tandem repeats drove genome size evolution in decapod crustaceans. The expansion of nine immune-related gene families contributed to the disease resistance of C. quadricarinatus. Three hypoxia-related genes (KDM3A, KDM5A, HMOX2) were identified as being subjected to positive selection in C. quadricarinatus. Additionally, in vivo analysis revealed that upregulating KDM5A was crucial for hypoxic response in C. quadricarinatus. Knockdown of KDM5A impaired hypoxia tolerance in this species. Conclusions Our results provide the genomic basis for hypoxic tolerance and immune adaptation in C. quadricarinatus, facilitating the management of this potential invasive species. Additionally, in vivo analysis in C. quadricarinatus suggests that the role of KDM5A in the hypoxic response of animals is complex.

This study reports the preparation of two single-phase high-entropy rare-earth niobates (RE1/5Ho1/5Er1/5Y1/5Yb1/5)3NbO7, (RE = Ce, Lu), and two composite-phase high-entropy rare-earth niobates (RE1/5Ho1/5Er1/5Y1/5Yb1/5)3NbO7:(RE1/5Ho1/5Er1/5Y1/5Yb1/5)NbO4 = 1:2, (RE = Ce, Lu) via solid-phase synthesis. The interactions of these samples with molten calcium-magnesium-aluminum-silicates (CMAS) were studied at 1300 °C to explore their performance and mechanism in CMAS corrosion. The results indicate that the corrosion process involves the phase transformation of RE3NbO7 and the formation of apatite products. The Ce-composition sample exhibits superior performance in terms of reaction layer thickness, remaining CMAS thickness, and RE3+ content in the remaining CMAS. These findings underscore the potential application of high-entropy rare-earth niobates in thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) and contribute to understanding niobate system resistance to CMAS corrosion.

Abstract Background Depression is a prevalent mental health problem in postmenopausal women. Given its significant impact on the quality of life and overall well-being of postmenopausal women, there is need for a comprehensive review and meta-analysis of the existing research globally. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the global prevalence of depression and potential associated factors in postmenopausal women. Methods The Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO databases were systematically searched from inception to March 22, 2023. The meta-analysis used the random-effects model to calculate the prevalence of depression rates and associated factors. In addition, subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis were performed. Publication bias was assessed using funnel plots, Egger’s test, and nonparametric trim-and-fill tests. Results The meta-analysis included 50 studies that involved 385,092 postmenopausal women. The prevalence of depression in postmenopausal women was 28.00% (95% CI, 25.80–30.10). Among the factors relevant to depression among postmenopausal women, marital status (OR: 2.03, 95%CI: 1.33–3.11), history of mental illness (OR: 2.31, 95%CI: 1.50–3.57), chronic disease (OR: 3.13, 95%CI: 2.20–4.44), menstrual cycle (OR: 1.42, 95%CI: 1.17–1.72), abortion numbers (OR: 1.59, 95%CI: 1.40–1.80), menopausal symptoms (OR: 2.10, 95%CI: 1.52–2.90), and hormone replacement therapy (OR: 1.76, 95%CI: 1.31–2.35) were risk factors, while physical activity (OR: 0.56, 95%CI: 0.53–0.59), number of breastfed infants (OR: 0.43, 95%CI: 0.19–0.97), menopause age (OR: 0.44, 95%CI: 0.37–0.51) were preventive factors. Conclusions This study demonstrated that the prevalence of postmenopausal depression is high, and some risk factors and protective factors associated with it have been identified. It is necessary to improve screening and management and optimize prevention and intervention strategies to reduce the harmful effects of postmenopausal depression.

Abstract Transpiration (T) is pivotal in the global water cycle, responding to soil moisture, atmospheric stress, climate changes, and human impacts. Therefore, establishing a reliable global transpiration dataset is essential. Collocation analysis methods have been proven effective for assessing the errors in these products, which can subsequently be used for multisource fusion. However, previous results did not consider error cross-correlation, rendering the results less reliable. In this study, we employ collocation analysis, taking error cross-correlation into account, to effectively analyze the errors in multiple transpiration products and merge them to obtain a more reliable dataset. The results demonstrate its superior reliability. The outcome is a long-term daily global transpiration dataset at 0.1°from 2000 to 2020. Using the transpiration after partitioning at FLUXNET sites as a reference, we compare the performance of the merged product with inputs. The merged dataset performs well across various vegetation types and is validated against in-situ observations. Incorporating non-zero ECC considerations represents a significant theoretical and proven enhancement over previous methodologies that neglected such conditions, highlighting its reliability in enhancing our understanding of transpiration dynamics in a changing world.

Study region: The Tarim River Basin Study focus: Under the warming climate, understanding the impact of glacier storage changes on runoff is essential for maintaining ecosystems and freshwater supplies to lowland areas in cold regions. However, the lack of glacier data significantly hampers long-term analysis of this impact. To address this issue, we proposed a practical method within the Budyko framework to quantify the warming-induced changes in glacier storage. Based on this framework, we further developed a transparent elasticity approach to quantify how runoff responds to the glacier changes, with observations from 17 glacier-covered catchments in the Tarim River Basin, China. New hydrological insights for the region: Our results show that a 1℃ temperature rise in this region would lead to a 5–29 % increase in runoff attributable to warming-induced glacier storage change. On average, the glacier storage change contributes to approximately 25 % of runoff increases during 1960–2019. However, this positive trend may not be consistently sustained due to the non-linear and accelerated glacier loss in response to warming. The approach we present here provides efficient estimates for glacier-related hydrological changes in the Tarim River Basin and is transferable to other glacier-impacted regions due to its transparent methodology and low input requirements.

Introduction The relationship between schizophrenia and violence is heterogeneous and complex. The aim of this study was to explore the characteristics and the potential risk factors for violence crime in patients with schizophrenia. Methodology We conducted a retrospective case-control study at the Judicial Psychiatric Identification Unit of Xiangya Second Hospital of Central South University from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2016. The case group included violent offenders diagnosed with schizophrenia, while the control group comprised non-violent individuals with the same diagnosis. Results There were 308 individuals in the violent group [subdivided into the homicide group (n = 155) and the intentional injury group (n = 153)] and 139 individuals in the non-violent group. A risk model showed that a history of violence (odds ratio (OR) = 2.88, 95% CI [1.79–4.64]), persecutory delusions (OR = 2.57, 95% CI [1.63–4.06]), regular treatment in the previous four weeks (OR = 0.29, 95% CI [0.16–0.51]) and insight (OR = 0.30, 95% CI [0.14-0.62]) were independently associated with violence. Conclusion This study provided useful clinical information to identify risk factors for violence and develop better strategic programs to manage violence in patients with schizophrenia.

Abstract Background EV71 is one of the important pathogens of Hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD), which causes serious neurological symptoms. Several studies have speculated that there will be interaction between 5′UTR and 3D protein. However, whether 5′UTR interacts with the 3D protein in regulating virus replication has not been clarified. Methods Four 5'UTR mutation sites (nt88C/T, nt90-102-3C, nt157G/A and nt574T/A) and two 3D protein mutation sites (S37N and R142K) were mutated or co-mutated using virulent strains as templates. The replication of these mutant viruses and their effect on autophagy were determined. Results 5'UTR single-point mutant strains, except for EGFP-EV71(nt90-102-3C), triggered replication attenuation. The replication ability of them was weaker than that of the parent strain the virulent strain SDLY107 which is the fatal strain that can cause severe neurological complications. While the replication level of the co-mutant strains showed different characteristics. 5 co-mutant strains with interaction were screened: EGFP-EV71(S37N-nt88C/T), EGFP-EV71(S37N-nt574T/A), EGFP-EV71(R142K-nt574T/A), EGFP-EV71(R142K-nt88C/T), and EGFP-EV71(R142K-nt157G/A). The results showed that the high replicative strains significantly promoted the accumulation of autophagosomes in host cells and hindered the degradation of autolysosomes. The low replicative strains had a low ability to regulate the autophagy of host cells. In addition, the high replicative strains also significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of AKT and mTOR. Conclusions EV71 5'UTR interacted with the 3D protein during virus replication. The co-mutation of S37N and nt88C/T, S37N and nt574T/ A, R142K and nt574T/A induced incomplete autophagy of host cells and promoted virus replication by inhibiting the autophagy pathway AKT-mTOR. The co-mutation of R142K and nt88C/T, and R142K and nt157G/A significantly reduced the inhibitory effect of EV71 on the AKT-mTOR pathway and reduced the replication ability of the virus.

Abstract In implantable electrophysiological recording systems, the headstage typically comprises neural probes that interface with brain tissue and integrated circuit chips for signal processing. While advancements in MEMS and CMOS technology have significantly improved these components, their interconnection still relies on conventional printed circuit boards and sophisticated adapters. This conventional approach adds considerable weight and volume to the package, especially for high channel count systems. To address this issue, we developed a through-polymer via (TPV) method inspired by the through-silicon via (TSV) technique in advanced three-dimensional packaging. This innovation enables the vertical integration of flexible probes, amplifier chips, and PCBs, realizing a flexible, lightweight, and integrated device (FLID). The total weight of the FLIDis only 25% that of its conventional counterparts relying on adapters, which significantly increased the activity levels of animals wearing the FLIDs to nearly match the levels of control animals without implants. Furthermore, by incorporating a platinum-iridium alloy as the top layer material for electrical contact, the FLID realizes exceptional electrical performance, enabling in vivo measurements of both local field potentials and individual neuron action potentials. These findings showcase the potential of FLIDs in scaling up implantable neural recording systems and mark a significant advancement in the field of neurotechnology.

Introduction This study combined the bioinformatics and in vitro experiment-related technologies to analyze the impact of steroid 5 alpha-reductase 3 (SRD5A3) on the prognosis and immune microenvironment of Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma (LIHC).Method Gene expression and clinical data were obtained from public databases. The prognosis was evaluated using survival, multifactor Cox, enrichment, and mutation analyses. This was then verified through in vitro experiments.Results The expression level of SRD5A3 in LIHC tissues was significantly higher than that in the adjacent tissues. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis showed that high SRD5A3 expression was associated with poor overall survival (OS) and short progression-free survival in patients with LIHC. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that positive SRD5A3 expression was an independent risk factor for OS in patients with LIHC. Expression of SRD5A3 was negatively correlated with immune cell infiltration of CD4+ T, CD8+ T, and B cells. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses showed that SRD5A3 was significantly enriched in signaling- and tumor metastasis-related pathways. Nomogram and calibration curve showed that the predicted performance of the model was consistent with the actual results. In vitro results confirmed that SRD5A3 knockdown inhibited the migration, invasion, and proliferation of LIHC cells.Conclusions SRD5A3 is actively expressed in LIHC, and positive expression of SRD5A3 is an independent risk factor for different prognoses in patients with LIHC. SRD5A3 can promote the proliferation, migration, and invasion of liver cancer cells and is related to short immune infiltration in patients with LIHC.

Study region: A well-preserved subalpine peatland in the subtropics, the Dajiuhu peatland, in Shennongjia, Hubei Province, China. Study focus: Over a seven-year period, constant in-situ carbon flux monitoring was conducted using the eddy covariance method. The patterns of CO2 and H2O fluxes were analyzed, encompassing both daytime and nocturnal period observations, spanning both growing and non-growing seasons, and the interconnection between carbon and water within the Dajiuhu peatland. Furthermore, this investigation identified meteorological parameters shaping these flux dynamics. New hydrological insights for the region: The water source function was more resilient to the effects of extreme weather events and showed higher stability when compared to the carbon sink function. Daytime carbon-water coupling presented a pronounced negative correlation during the growing season, contrasting with a more complex trinomial relationship evident during the non-growing season; however, nocturnal periods did not reveal any apparent correlation. Relative humidity (RH), water table depth (WTD), and evapotranspiration (ET) emerged as key variables impacting jointly on both CO2 and H2O fluxes. Furthermore, net radiation (Rn) magnifies the hysteresis loops associated with net ecosystem exchanges of CO2 (NEE) during the growing season, with WTD being the prime determinant influencing seasonal fluctuations in hysteresis related to H2O fluxes. These findings exemplify the complexities inherent in the management of carbon and water resources within subalpine peatlands, underscored by their intricately intertwined and inseparable relationship.

Abstract Magnetic nanofluid possesses the characteristic of interfering with the propagation of the magnetic field, endowing it with the sensing property in motion. However, the residual adhesion of magnetic nanofluid as it flows over solid surfaces remains an open question. Liquid marbles allow for quantities of liquids to be encapsulated by hydrophobic particles, ensuring a unique nonstick property for utilization in different applications. In this study, being capsuled by hydrophobic nano‐/microscale powders, a magnetic nanofluid‐based liquid marble (MNLM) with well mechanical stability has been fabricated. A magnetic nanofluid posture detector (MNPD), which consists of an MNLM, a magnetic tube, and coils, has been assembled that can convert mechanical energy to electricity as it freely rolls on the solid surface. Gesture recognition can be achieved when combining five MNPDs with fingers. The fabricated MNPD possesses a good signal recognition capability, which can separately distinguish the bending of each finger. Moreover, a variety of language hand gestures with specific meanings (digits, letters, “OK,” and “I Love You”) can be further recognized through corresponding combinations. The potential of MNPD in the realm of gesture recognition will offer a novel avenue for flexible wearables.

ObjectiveTo analyze the genomic characteristics of the monkeypox virus (MPXV) strains isolated from local cases in Ji′nan city, Shandong province. MethodsBlood serum and vesicular fluid samples from suspected cases of MPXV infection reported in Ji′nan city from June to October 2023 were tested for MPXV nucleic acids. The complete genome sequence of MPXV was obtained using whole-genome sequencing (WGS) technology. Molecular genetic evolution of the MPXV genome sequence was performed using Mega 11 software, Bioedit software, and the Nextclade online comparison website. Systematic phylogenetic trees and nucleotide and amino acid sequence mutation analyses were performed. ResultsIn this study, the complete genome sequences of 7 strains of MPXV isolated from the cases in Ji′nan city were obtained by WGS, with a total genome length of 196 858 bp. The online comparison results uploaded to the Nexttrade website showed that all of them belonged to the IIb branch of the West African branch, and the lineage classification was C.1. The number of nucleotide variations with a depth greater than 50% is 86, and the total number of variations with an effect of ≥ intermediate is 39. ConclusionThe evolutionary distance between the sequences of MPXV strains isolated in Ji′nan city and those in China is relatively close, belonging to the same evolutionary branch, and no new branches have been found.

Abstract Stroke increasingly affects individuals of working age. An accurate assessment of Readiness for Return-to-Work (RRTW) can help determine the optimal timing for RRTW and facilitate an early reintegration into society. This study investigates the current state of RRTW and the influencing factors among young and middle-aged stroke patients in China. A sample of young and middle-aged stroke patients hospitalized in a tertiary hospital in Henan Province between December 2021 and May 2022 were included in this study. A general information questionnaire and the Readiness for RRTW scale, the Social Support Rate Scale, the Stroke Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Fatigue Severity Scale were administered to the patients. Of the 203 patients successfully surveyed, 60 (29.6%) were in the pre-contemplation stage, 35 (17.2%) in the contemplation stage, 81 (39.9%) in the prepared for action-self-evaluative stage, and 27 (13.3%) in the prepared for action- behavior stage. Logistic regression analysis identified education level, monthly income, time to start rehabilitation therapy, social support, stroke self-efficacy, and fatigue severity as key factors affecting RRTW scale readiness in young and middle-aged stroke patients. The readiness of young and middle-aged stroke patients to Return-to-Work needs to be increased further. Healthcare professionals should consider the influencing factors of RRTW and design targeted intervention programs to facilitate a successful Return-to-Work and normal life.

Abstract Objective To compare the application of sequential embryo transfer, cleavage embryo transfer, and blastocyst transfer combined with intrauterine perfusion in frozen–thawed embryo transfer cycles in patients with recurrent implantation failure to provide a reference for reproductive clinicians. Methods The 166 patients who underwent frozen–thawed embryo transfer due to recurrent implantation failure in the reproductive center from January 2021 to March 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the different embryos transferred, they were divided into cleavage embryo transfer groups (72 cases in Group A), blastocyst transfer group (29 cases in Group B), and sequential transfer group (65 cases in Group C). All three groups were treated with intrauterine perfusion 5 days before embryo transfer. The general data and clinical pregnancy outcome indicators, such as embryo implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate, ongoing pregnancy rate, live birth rate, twin rate, were compared among the three groups. Results The embryo implantation rate (53.1%), clinical pregnancy rate (76.9%), ongoing pregnancy rate (67.7%) and live birth rate(66.15%) in the sequential transfer group were significantly higher than those in the other two groups (P

Abstract Background How physical activity (PA) and different sleep traits and overall sleep pattern interact in the development of Parkinson’s disease (PD) remain unknown. Objective To prospectively investigate the joint associations of PA and sleep pattern with risk of PD. Methods Included were 339,666 PD-free participants from the UK Biobank. Baseline PA levels were grouped into low (

With the help of traffic lights and street cameras, optical camera communication (OCC) can be adopted in Internet of Vehicles (IoV) applications to realize communication between vehicles and roadside units. However, the encoded light emitted by these OCC transmitters (LED infrastructures on the roadside and/or LED-based headlamps embedded in cars) will generate stripe patterns in image frames captured by existing license-plate recognition systems, which seriously degrades the accuracy of the recognition. To this end, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a method that can reduce the interference of OCC stripes in the image frames captured by the license-plate recognition system. We introduce an innovative pipeline with an end-to-end image reconstruction module. This module learns the distribution of images without OCC stripes and provides high-quality license-plate images for recognition in OCC conditions. In order to solve the problem of insufficient data, we model the OCC strips as multiplicative noise and propose a method to synthesize a pairwise dataset under OCC using the existing license-plate dataset. Moreover, we also build a prototype to simulate real scenes of the OCC-based vehicle networks and collect data in such scenes. Overall, the proposed method can achieve a recognition performance of 81.58% and 79.35% on the synthesized dataset and that captured from real scenes, respectively, which is improved by about 31.18% and 24.26%, respectively, compared with the conventional method.

Abstract Researchers have typically studied the brain by monitoring characteristic signals, such as electrophysiology and neurotransmitters by implanted electronics. Here, real‐time monitoring of dynamic deformations of the brain tissue in vivo, is demonstrated, as a new characteristic parameter that is reflective of brain states. As a proof of concept, a thin capacitive deformation sensor is fabricated and implanted between the skull and cortex, and the sensor is shown to effectively monitor dynamic deformations of the cortical surface in the rat brain as induced by respiration and heartbeat under different degrees of anesthesia. This brain monitoring approach based on deformation signals opens up a new direction for understanding the brain.

Concerns have been raised globally regarding the long-term effects of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study aimed to investigate the impact of long COVID on the health of patients recovering from acute COVID-19 in China. We conducted a cross-sectional questionnaire survey from 1 February to 9 March 2023. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to understand the differences in health utility values between individuals with and without long COVID. Factors associated with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) were determined using a multiple linear regression model. A chi-square test was used to compare differences between the 2 groups for each dimension of the EuroQoL-5 Dimension-5 Level (EQ-5D-5L) scale. In total, 307 participants were included in the analysis, of which 40.39% exhibited at least 1 persistent symptom. The common symptoms of long COVID were fatigue/weakness, coughing, memory decline, poor concentration, and phlegm in the throat. Most patients with long COVID reported mild effects from their symptoms. After propensity score matching, the long-COVID group had lower health utility scores than the non-long-COVID group (0.94 vs 0.97). In the multivariable linear regression analysis, persistent symptoms and low annual household income were associated with lower health utility values ( P

Estimation of the annual runoff frequency distribution is an essential basis for water resource management. This study proposes a framework for estimating the annual runoff frequency distribution across 252 catchments in China based on climatic conditions and catchment characteristics from 1956 to 2000. The Budyko land-specific parameter n, which intergrates influences other than the mean climate conditions, is firstly estimated based on easily ascertainable catchment characteristics without the requirements of having long-term runoff observations. Second, the annual runoff statistical parameters, namely, the mean value and standard deviation (STD), are derived based on the Budyko rainfall-runoff model with the central moment method. Finally, the annual runoff on any recurrence interval is obtained by the Pearson-III frequency function. Results show that the parameter n can be estimated from the catchment average slope, longitude, and climatic seasonality index. The estimated statistical parameters of annual runoff have acceptable agreement with observed values (mean value: R2 ∼0.94, STD: R2 ∼0.91, and both relative errors

To systematically estimate the relevance between sperm parameters and serum vitamin D levels and the subsequent reproductive outcomes in men. PubMed, Web of Science and other databases were searched for studies that examined a possible correlation between serum vitamin D levels and sperm parameters and reproductive outcomes. The documents were screened according to the corresponding inclusion and exclusion criteria. Selection criteria included all published randomised and controlled trials and non-randomised studies that focus on vitamin D and the reproductive function of men The patients were classified into observation/intervention and control groups, the intervention group was given vitamin D supplementation and the control group was not. The meta-analysis was conducted using Stata 16.0 software. A meta-analysis of 11 clinical studies that enrolled a total of 1356 patients, revealed that the clinical pregnancy rate in the observation group was no statistically different in the control group. A meta-analysis of 8 studies demonstrated that there was no statistically difference in sperm concentration between the experimental group and the control group. A meta-analysis of 8 studies found that sperm progressive motility in the experimental group was greater than that in the control group by using a random-effects model. The mean concentration of vitamin D was significantly lower in the control group. Appropriate vitamin D supplement intervention in infertile men improves sperm progressive motility. Interpretation of these results should be done with caution due to the significant heterogeneity of the included studies. Furthermore, Well-conducted prospective cohort studies are needed to better explain the relationship between vitamin D and sperm parameters in infertile men.

Three A10 absolute gravimeters (AGs) were first acquired in China by the Hubei Earthquake Agency under the Belt and Road Seismic Monitoring Network Project. Although AG measuring and testing technique is not new, the purchase and simultaneous testing of 3 A10 absolute gravimeters is unprecedented in China. This study conducted the first acceptance testing of the AGs at 3 locations (the Jiufengshan Gravity Observation Station, the Global Navigation Satellite System Observation Station in Wuhan, and the Jiugongshan Observation Station in Xianning). The results were compared using a method based on expert validation, and the acceptance testing scheme was formulated by referring to the Technical Regulations for Tectonic Environment Monitoring Networks in China and Specifications for Gravimetry Control. Based on the repeatability, precision, and consistency of the measured g values, the results from each instrument were evaluated using the air pressure precision test. Comparing the instrument reference values, the final test results can identify the indicator parameters for 3 A10 AGs, the effects of the surrounding environment, and the related parameters on measurement precision. The precision of A10-059, A10-058, and A10-057 exceeded 0.78 μGal, 0.79 μGal, and 0.42 μGal, respectively. This testing scheme can be used as a reference for conducting acceptance testing of AGs in the future and obtaining absolute gravimetric measurements.

Abstract Background Human-guided crop domestication has lasted for more than 10,000 years. In terms of the domestication and breeding of vegetables, cellulose content in edible tissues is one of the most important traits. Primulina eburnea is a recently developed calcium-rich vegetable with a high soluble and bioavailable calcium content in its leaves. However, the high cellulose content in the leaves hampers the taste, and no research has been reported on the genetic basis of cellulose biosynthesis in this calcium-rich vegetable. Results We identified 36 cellulose biosynthesis-involved genes belonging to eight gene families in the P. eburnea genome. The cellulose accumulated decreasingly throughout leaf development. Nineteen genes were considered core genes in cellulose biosynthesis, which were highly expressed in buds but lowly expressed in mature leaves. In the nitrogen fertilization experiment, exogenous nitrogen decreased the cellulose content in the buds. The expressing pattern of 14 genes were consistent with phenotypic variation in the nitrogen fertilization experiment, and thus they were proposed as cellulose toolbox genes. Conclusions The present study provides a strong basis for the subsequent functional research of cellulose biosynthesis-involved genes in P. eburnea, and provides a reference for breeding and/or engineering this calcium-rich vegetable with decreased leaf cellulose content to improve the taste.

Yttrium-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) materials are routinely used as thermal barrier coatings (TBCs). The phase composition and microstructure of YSZ materials significantly influence their properties. In this study, ZrO2 ceramics composed respectively of monoclinic ZrO2 (m-ZrO2), tetragonal YSZ (t-YSZ) and cubic YSZ (c-YSZ) phases were sintered. The effect mechanism of phase composition and microstructure on thermophysical and mechanical properties were investigated by experiment together and numerical calculation. The result indicates that YSZ materials with c-YSZ phase are more suitable as TBC materials in terms of heat insulation, thermal expansion match with the metal substrate, and strain tolerance. The YSZ ceramic with c-YSZ phase also exhibits lower thermal conductivity than those composed of the t-YSZ and m-ZrO2 phases due to its greater lattice distortion, number of oxygen vacancies, and lower sound velocity as a result of greater Y2O3 doping. Bond lengths and cohesive energy calculations based on first principles reveal that the reason that the Y2O3 doping causes the CTE values of ZrO2 to increase is due to the bonding between ions becoming weaker, and the c-YSZ phase exhibits the highest CTE value. First-principles calculations also indicate that the c-YSZ phase exhibits a lower elastic modulus and better malleability and plasticity than m-ZrO2 and t-YSZ phases. However, the t-YSZ phase has better fracture toughness due to toughening under stress and finer grains.

Battlefield surveillance radar is usually 2-D radar, which cannot realize target three-dimensional localization, leading to poor resolution for the air target in the elevation dimension. Previous researchers have used the Traditional Height Finder Radar (HFR) or multiple 2-D radar networking to estimate the target three-dimensional location. However, all of them face the problems of high cost, poor real-time performance and high requirement of space–time registration. In this paper, Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RISs) with low cost are introduced into the 2-D radar to realize the target three-dimensional localization. Taking advantage of the wide beam of 2-D radar in the elevation dimension, several Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) carrying RISs are set in the receiving beam to form multiple auxiliary measurement channels. In addition, the traditional 2-D radar measurements combined with the auxiliary channel measurements are used to realize the target three-dimensional localization by solving a nonlinear least square problem with a convex optimization method. For the proposed RIS-assisted target three-dimensional localization problem, the Cramer–Rao Lower Bound (CRLB) is derived to measure the target localization accuracy. Simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed 3-D localization method, and the influences of the number, the positions and the site errors of the RISs on the localization accuracy are covered.

With the development of IoT technology and 5G massive machine-type communication, the 3GPP standardization body considered as viable the integration of Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) in low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite-based architectures. However, the presence of the LEO satellite channel comes up with new challenges for the NB-IoT random access procedures and coverage enhancement mechanism. In this paper, an Adaptive Coverage Enhancement (ACE) method is proposed to meet the requirement of random access parameter configurations for diverse applications. Based on stochastic geometry theory, an expression of random access channel (RACH) success probability is derived for LEO satellite-based NB-IoT networks. On the basis of a power consumption model of the NB-IoT terminal, a multi-objective optimization problem is formulated to trade-off RACH success probability and power consumption. To solve this multi-objective optimization problem, we employ the Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithms-II (NSGA-II) method to obtain the Pareto-front solution set. According to different application requirements, we also design a random access parameter configuration method to minimize the power consumption under the constraints of RACH success probability requirements. Simulation results show that the maximum number of repetitions and back-off window size have a great influence on the system performance and their value ranges should be set within [4, 18] and [0, 2048]. The power consumption of coverage enhancement with ACE is about 58% lower than that of the 3GPP proposed model. All this research together provides good reference for the scale deployment of NB-IoT in LEO satellite networks.

PurposePatients with digestive system cancers (DSCs) are at a high risk for hospitalizations; however, the risk factors for readmission remain unknown. Here, we established a retrospective cohort study to assess the association between metabolic obesity phenotypes and readmission risks of DSC.Experimental designA total of 142,753 and 74,566 patients at index hospitalization were ultimately selected from the Nationwide Readmissions Database (NRD) 2018 to establish the 30-day and 180-day readmission cohorts, respectively. The study population was classified into four groups: metabolically healthy non-obese (MHNO), metabolically healthy obese (MHO), metabolically unhealthy non-obese (MUNO), and metabolically unhealthy obese (MUO). Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to estimate the effect of metabolic obesity phenotypes on DSC readmission.ResultsThe MUNO phenotype had 1.147-fold (95% CI: 1.066, 1.235; p < 0.001) increased 180-day readmission risks in patients with neoplasm of the upper digestive tract. The MUNO phenotype had 1.073-fold (95% CI: 1.027, 1.121; p = 0.002) increased 30-day readmission risks and 1.067-fold (95% CI: 1.021, 1.115; p = 0.004) increased 180-day readmission risks in patients with neoplasm of the lower digestive tract. The MUNO and MUO phenotypes were independent risk factors of readmission in patients with liver or pancreatic neoplasm. Metabolic obesity status was independently associated with a high risk of severe and unplanned hospitalization within 30 days or 180 days.ConclusionBoth obesity and metabolic abnormalities are associated with a high risk for the poor prognosis of DSC patients. The effect of metabolic categories on the short- or long-term readmission of liver or pancreas cancers may be stronger than that of obesity.

ObjectivesTo analyze the differences in laboratory data between patients with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody-associated disease (MOGAD), multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD).MethodsThe study included 26 MOGAD patients who visited Beijing Tiantan Hospital from 2018 to 2021. MS and NMOSD patients who visited the clinic during the same period were selected as controls. Relevant indicators were compared between the MOGAD group and the MS/NMOSD groups, and the diagnostic performance of meaningful markers was assessed.ResultsThe MOGAD group showed a slight female preponderance of 57.7%, with an average onset age of 29.8 years. The absolute and relative counts of neutrophils were higher in the MOGAD group than in the MS group, while the proportion of lymphocytes was lower. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) IgG level, IgG index, 24-h IgG synthesis rate, and positive rate of oligoclonal bands (OCB) were lower in MOGAD patients than in the MS group. The area under ROC curve (AUC) was 0.939 when combining the relative lymphocyte count and IgG index. Compared to the NMOSD group, the MOGAD group had higher levels of serum complement C4 and lower levels of serum IgG. The AUC of serum C4 combined with FT4 was 0.783.ConclusionStatistically significant markers were observed in the laboratory data of MOGAD patients compared to MS/NMOSD patients. The relative lymphocyte count combined with IgG index had excellent diagnostic efficacy for MOGAD and MS, while serum C4 combined with FT4 had better diagnostic efficacy for MOGAD and NMOSD.

Studies have found differences in the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the breath of diabetics and healthy people, prompting attention to the use of devices such as electronic noses to detect diabetes. In this study, we explored the design of a non-invasive diabetes preliminary screening system that uses a homemade electronic nose sensor array to detect respiratory gas markers. In the algorithm part, two feature extraction methods were adopted, gradient boosting method was used to select promising feature subset, and then particle swarm optimization algorithm was introduced to extract 24 most effective features, which reduces the number of sensors by 56% a nd saves the system cost. Respiratory samples were collected from 120 healthy subjects and 120 diabetic subjects to assess the system performance. Random forest algorithm was used to classify and predict electronic nose data, and the accuracy can reach 93.33%. Experi mental results show that on the premise of ensuring accuracy, the system has low cost and small size after the number of sensors is optimized, and it is easy to install on in-car. It provides a more feasible method for the preliminary screening of diabetes on in-car and can be used as an assistant to the existing detection methods.

Abstract Background The use of cardiac implantable electronic devices has grown substantially over the past two decades, lead-related vascular issues are commonly encountered in clinical practice. Superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome due to pacemaker leads is an uncommon complication. Anticoagulation remains the mainstay of therapy to restore some degree of patency and relieve swelling. However, there are limited clinical trials on direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). Case presentation We report a case of an 80-year-old man who developed SVC syndrome after transvenous pacemaker implantation with symptoms of obstruction that were significantly relieved after four months of DOACs. His symptoms had completely resolved nine months later. Conclusions DOACs are effective in the treatment of SVC syndrome after pacemaker implantation, representing an important new approach. It is a very good choice for patients who do not want to undergo interventional therapy.

With the development of science and technology and the continuous improvement of related technologies, low earth orbit (LEO) satellite communication has become a hot technology that countries all over the world are chasing.The advantages of orthogonal time frequency spacetechnology can well solve the signal transmission problem of broadband satellite ground link in high moving speed scenarios, which is conducive to the unifi cation of modulation waveforms between satellites and the ground, and the realization of space-based integrated communication.However, its transmission performance is aff ected by the accuracy of channel estimation, and the special modulation makes its channel estimation method diff erent from the traditional technology, so it needs to be studied.The existing mainstream OTFS channel estimation schemes are introduced, and the advantages and disadvantages of each scheme were analyzed, which laied a foundation for subsequent research.

The authors developed a pristine hyperspectral SPR microscopy that enables monochromatic and polychromatic SPR imaging with flexible field-of-view option, single-pixel spectral SPR sensing and 2D quantification of thin films with resonant wavelength images.

Abstract In this paper, an intelligent reflecting surface (IRS) assisted cooperative non‐orthogonal multiple access and mobile edge computing (NOMA‐MEC) system is proposed, where a base station sends signals to users through the virtue of the IRS. When the direct links between the base station and the user are blocked, the offloading tasks will be refracted to the near‐end user through the IRS and forwarded to the remote user, where the near‐end user is equipped with an MEC server working at full duplex or half duplex mode. To evaluate the potential performance of IRS aided cooperative NOMA‐MEC, new closed‐form expressions of the offloading outage probability is deduced for a pair of users. The asymptotic expressions of offloading outage probability are provided in the high signal‐to‐noise ratio regime. Simulation results are presented to substantiate the analyses and demonstrate that: (i) The offloading outage behaviors of IRS‐aided cooperative NOMA‐MEC systems are superior to that of NOMA‐MEC without IRS and IRS‐aided OMA‐MEC; (ii) As the value of parameter Q increases, the IRS‐aided NOMA‐MEC system is capable of achieving the enhanced offloading outage performance; (iii) By comparing with NOMA‐MEC without IRS and IRS‐aided OMA‐MEC, the energy efficiency and system throughput of IRS‐aided NOMA‐MEC has obvious advantages in delay‐limited transmission mode.

Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) coatings with different Dy2O3 doping contents were prepared via plasma spraying. The effects of phase compositions, microstructures and lattice defects on the thermal conductivity, fracture toughness and thermal shock resistance were analyzed. The result indicates that the Dy2O3 doping significantly affects thermophysical properties of YSZ coatings. The Dy2O3 doping can improve the insulation performance of the YSZ coating and the minimum thermal conductivity of the coating has reached 0.89 W/K·m. A decrease in thermal conductivity with increasing Dy2O3 doping content can be attributed to the lattice distortion, ions substitution, oxygen vacancies and reducing grain size. Meanwhile, the Dy2O3 doping causes the fracture toughness of YSZ coatings to decrease. Consequently, the Dy2O3-doped YSZ coatings exhibit weaker thermal shock resistance because the Dy2O3 doping promotes the formation of the cubic YSZ phase. The tetragonal phase in plasma-sprayed coatings is beneficial for service lifetime owing to its phase transformation and ferroelasticity-induced toughening under stress. Although the Dy2O3-doped YSZ coatings undergo more severe sintering owing to a decrease in the activation energy of grain growth caused by lattice distortion, they exhibit better phase stability than the YSZ coating under high temperatures because the Dy2O3 doping inhibits the diffusion of Y. Finally, a Dy2O3-doped ZrO2 coating composed mainly of the tetragonal ZrO2 phase was designed, which exhibited a better thermal shock resistance.

The hydrophilic polysaccharides (PS) were isolated and purified from the tuberous roots of Pseudostellaria heterophylla. The extraction process of PS from Pesudostellariae radix was optimized by single–factor experiments and orthogonal design. The extract was purified by DEAE cellulose column to obtain the pure polysaccharide PHP. Then PHP was treated with different intensities of sonication to study the effect of sonication on PHP’s characteristics and its biological activity in vitro and in vivo. The results of this study revealed that ultrasound treatment did not significantly change the properties of PHP. Further, with the increase of ultrasound intensity, PHP enhanced the proliferation and phagocytosis of macrophage RAW264.7. Meanwhile, it could also significantly improve the body’s antioxidant activity and immune function. The results of this study demonstrated that PHP has the potential as a food additive with enhanced antioxidant and immune functions, and its biological activities could be enhanced by sonication.

Complex biochemical systems exhibit traits that appear to be highly adapted. Studies of catalytic RNA demonstrate that adaptive traits, such as increased specificity and error tolerance, could originate as evolutionary by-products.

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common thyroid malignancy. However, it is very difficult to distinguish PTC from benign carcinoma. Thus, specific diagnostic biomarkers are actively pursued. Previous studies observed that Nrf2 was highly expressed in PTC. Based on this research, we hypothesized that Nrf2 may serve as a novel specific diagnostic biomarker. A single-center retrospective study, including 60 patients with PTC and 60 patients with nodular goiter, who underwent thyroidectomy at the Central Theater General Hospital from 2018 to July 2020, was conducted. The clinical data of the patients were collected. Nrf2, BRAF V600E, CK-19, and Gal-3 proteins were compared from paraffin samples of the patients. Through this study, we obtained the following results: i) Nrf2 exhibits high abundance expression in PTC, but not in adjacent to PTC and nodular goiter; increased Nrf2 expression could serve as a valuable biomarker for PTC diagnosis; the sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of PTC were 96.70% and 89.40%, respectively. ii) Nrf2 also shows higher expression in PTC with lymph node metastasis, but not adjacent to PTC and nodular goiter, thus the increased Nrf2 expression might serve as a valuable predictor for lymph node metastasis in PTC patients; the sensitivity and specificity for the prediction in lymph node metastasis were 96.00% and 88.57%, respectively; excellent diagnostic agreements were found between Nrf2 and other routine parameters including HO-1, NQO1 and BRAF V600E. iii) The downstream molecular expression of Nrf2 including HO-1 and NQO1 consistently increased. In conclusion, Nrf2 displays a high abundance expression in human PTC, which leads to the higher expression of downstream transcriptional proteins: HO-1 and NQO1. Moreover, Nrf2 can be used as an extra biomarker for differential diagnosis of PTC and a predictive biomarker for lymph node metastasis of PTC.

The broadband seismometer or gravimeter installed on the surface of the earth record not only the seismic wave signal excited by the big earthquake, but also the continuous weak high-frequency vibration signal, which is the earth background noise. Therefore, the research on the background noise of the gravimeter is helpful for the site selection of the station, the adjustment of the instrument, the judgment of whether the instrument has the ability to detect the normal mode of earthquake in the near future, and the detection of weak geodynamic signals. In order to evaluate the background noise level of PET/gPhone gravimeters of the National Gravity Network of China, we collected and processed 4-yr continuous gravity data recorded by the 52 PET/gPhone gravimeters from 2014 to 2017. The power spectral density during the quiet period of the gravimeter will be used as an estimate of the background noise level. Firstly, we compared and analyzed the existing background noise level calculation methods, and proposed an improved data selection strategy (called DaySNM method) for SNM (seismic noise level). Then we calculated background noise level at seismic frequency band (200～600 s) based on the Banka method(Banka and Crossley, 1999), presenting a new low-noise level model (CN-NLNM) by fitting the lower envelope of 52 power spectral density curves. Finally, the spatial distribution map of background noise in mainland China was obtained by Continuous Curvature Spline Interpolation with the SNM data. The results show that: (1) DaySNM method can find a lower SNM, compared with the Banka and Bandpass method. (2) the variation range of SNM in mainland China is 2.013 (Yutian station)～4.654 (Yinchuan station). (3) SNM of gravimeters in coastal areas generally larger than inland, indicating that ocean noise may be the main reason for the greater noise of coastal stations; (4) SNM in North China, eastern and northern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is huge, which may be related to the frequent tectonic activities in these areas.

A multiplexed machine-vision-based tracking system enables the high-content analysis of C. elegans behavior in several 96-well plates at a time and shows its utility for comparisons across multiple genotypes and upon drug treatment, tackling the bottlenecks in behavioural quantification.

A reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) is a promising technology for wireless communication and radar detection, owing to its superior ability to realize smart radio environments. Inspired by previous studies on RISs, this study deals with the use of RISs for radar electronic counter-countermeasures (ECCMs) in deception jamming scenarios. At first, a RIS was applied to a monostatic radar, constructing a virtual multi-radar system combined with multi-beam receiving technology. Then, a data-fusion-based deception ECCM method for the proposed virtual multi-radar system was studied to discriminate the active false targets generated by deception jamming. A theoretical analysis of the target discrimination probability was derived. Because the location of RISs is the key to determining the target discrimination ability, the location optimization of the RIS was considered based on the theoretical analysis. Simulation results corroborate the deception ECCM ability of the proposed RIS-assisted virtual multi-radar system, enhancing the survivability of a radar system in a complex electromagnetic environment.

With the update of the power transaction mode and the access of increasing electric vehicles with high randomness to the power grid, the existing carbon emission flow calculation method cannot consider the influence of carbon emission due to the fluctuation in electric vehicle charging and various transaction modes. Given the above shortcomings, this paper proposes an improved carbon emission flow model considering electric vehicle charging fluctuations and hybrid power transactions. The model first considers different transaction modes, allocates the network loss to both sides of power generation, and forms a lossless network, realizing the decoupling of the bilateral transaction mode, pool transaction mode, and network loss and then calculating the day-ahead network’s carbon emission. Then, the changes in different transaction modes caused by the fluctuation in electric vehicle charging under different transaction modes are analyzed and the nodes of ‘spontaneous change’ are found to form a day-ahead intra-day deviation network and calculate its carbon emission flow. Finally, the calculation results are combined to obtain an improved power system carbon emission flow considering electric vehicle charging fluctuations and transaction modes. In this paper, the 33-node system is used for verification.

Background/purpose: Idiopathic osteosclerosis (IO) is an intraosseous lesion of asymptomatic, non-expansive, radiopaque. The study aimed to investigate the prevalence and morphometric parameters of IO in orthodontic patients and variations in longitudinal observations and to assess the relationship between IO and orthodontic treatment. Materials and methods: Five hundred and seventy-one orthodontically-treated patients were reviewed. A cross-sectional study was performed with the evaluated parameters, including the age and sex of patients, as well as the number, shape, location and morphometric data of IO observed in panoramic radiography. Long-term behaviour of IO and orthodontic tooth movement were also observed. Also, a control group was set up for comparisons. Results: Sixty-eight (11.3%) patients had 78 lesions all in the mandible with premolar/molar preference and no sex predilection. Lesions were located more commonly at apical and separate sites related to teeth. A large majority of lesions enlarged in the 10–19 years old group, while most lesions had no change in the 30–39 years old group. Hindrances of tooth movement and external root resorption around IO were not found in affected patients. Conclusion: IO is labile lesion that may develop in early stages of life, with little change occurring once the affected individual is mature and being relatively stable in the middle stage of life. Our study supports the hypothesis that IO may be developmental anatomic variations of normal bone. However, no obvious association between IO and orthodontic treatment was found in patients, which may be due to the limitations of two-dimensional shooting of panoramic radiography and the sample size.

Abstract Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) coatings and Al2O3-YSZ coatings were prepared by atmospheric plasma spraying (APS). Their microstructural changes during thermal cycling were investigated via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). It was found that the microstructure and microstructure changes of the two coatings were different, including crystallinity, grain orientation, phase, and phase transition. These differences are closely related to the thermal cycle life of the coatings. There is a relationship between crystallinity and crack size. Changes in grain orientation are related to microscopic strain and cracks. Phase transition is the direct cause of coating failure. In this study, the relationship between the changes in the coating microstructure and the thermal cycle life is discussed in detail. The failure mechanism of the coating was comprehensively analyzed from a microscopic perspective.

Natural gas leakage occurs frequently due to aging pipes and other factors, but is challenging to detect. In this article, a new, robust method for nondestructive natural gas microleakage detection was proposed. It combines a crop growth model with a convolutional neural network (CNN) approach to quantitatively detect underground natural gas leakage using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) hyperspectral imagery. The environmental stress on wheat was used as an indicator to reflect the intensity of natural gas leakage. First, a crop growth model (simple algorithm for yield, SAFY) was used to simulate the growth of wheat, and the environmental stress factor in the model was used to construct the natural gas stress index (Kgs). Subsequently, CNN models were used to estimate the Kgs value with a hyperspectral image as the input. Finally, the CNN estimated Kgs was used to detect the natural gas leakage in the study area. Results showed that the SAFY model Kgs value could effectively identify natural gas leakage, with statistically significant differences (p-value < 0.05) among three leakage levels. Furthermore, compared to a single spectral index, Kgs had superior robustness throughout the wheat growth period. The CNN-1D model with InceptionV2 architecture exhibited the best accuracy in estimating Kgs, with a robust nRMSE of 6.9%. Overall, the combined CNN and SAFY models could accurately detect natural gas leakage, and this approach is more robust than traditional spectral index-based methods. This article provides a new method for nondestructive detecting of natural gas microleakage.