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The improvement of performance and yield in both cultivar and species mixtures has been well established. Despite the clear benefits of crop mixtures to agriculture, identifying the critical mechanisms behind performance increases are largely lacking. We experimentally demonstrated that the benefits of rice cultivar mixtures were linked to relatedness‐mediated intraspecific neighbour recognition and discrimination under both field and controlled conditions. We then tested biochemical mechanisms of responses in incubation experiments involving the addition of root exudates and a root‐secreted signal, (–)‐loliolide, followed by transcriptome analysis. We found that closely related cultivar mixtures increased grain yields by modifying root behaviour and accelerating flowering over distantly related mixtures. Importantly, these responses were accompanied by altered concentration of signalling (–)‐loliolide that affected rice transcriptome profiling, directly regulating root growth and flowering gene expression. These findings suggest that beneficial crop combinations may be generated a‐priori by manipulating neighbour genetic relatedness in rice cultivar mixtures and that root‐secreted (–)‐loliolide functions as a key mediator of genetic relatedness interactions. The ability of relatedness discrimination to regulate rice flowering and yield raises an intriguing possibility to increase crop production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precise regulation of the active site structure is an important means to enhance the activity and selectivity of catalysts in CO2 electroreduction. Here, we creatively introduce anionic groups, which can not only stabilize metal sites with strong coordination ability but also have rich interactions with protons at active sites to modify the electronic structure and proton transfer process of catalysts. This strategy helps to convert CO2 into fuel chemicals at low overpotentials. As a typical example, a composite catalyst, CuO/Cu−NSO4/CN, with highly dispersed Cu(II)−SO4 sites has been reported, in which CO2 electroreduction to formate occurs at a low overpotential with a high Faradaic efficiency (−0.5 V vs. RHE, FEformate=87.4 %). Pure HCOOH is produced with an energy conversion efficiency of 44.3 % at a cell voltage of 2.8 V. Theoretical modeling demonstrates that sulfate promotes CO2 transformation into a carboxyl intermediate followed by HCOOH generation, whose mechanism is significantly different from that of the traditional process via a formate intermediate for HCOOH production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precise regulation of the active site structure is an important means to enhance the activity and selectivity of catalysts in CO2 electroreduction. Here, we creatively introduce anionic groups, which can not only stabilize metal sites with strong coordination ability but also have rich interactions with protons at active sites to modify the electronic structure and proton transfer process of catalysts. This strategy helps to convert CO2 into fuel chemicals at low overpotentials. As a typical example, a composite catalyst, CuO/Cu−NSO4/CN, with highly dispersed Cu(II)−SO4 sites has been reported, in which CO2 electroreduction to formate occurs at a low overpotential with a high Faradaic efficiency (−0.5 V vs. RHE, FEformate=87.4 %). Pure HCOOH is produced with an energy conversion efficiency of 44.3 % at a cell voltage of 2.8 V. Theoretical modeling demonstrates that sulfate promotes CO2 transformation into a carboxyl intermediate followed by HCOOH generation, whose mechanism is significantly different from that of the traditional process via a formate intermediate for HCOOH production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All‐solid‐state lithium batteries (ASSLIBs) show significant promise as the next‐generation energy technology due to their high energy density and inherent safety. However, the severe interface reactions between solid electrolyte and the high‐voltage cathodes pose a major challenge, particularly at higher charge voltages. Herein, a H3PO4‐triggered H+/Li+ exchange strategy is proposed to covert LiCoO2 (LCO) surface to spinel Co3O4/Li3PO4 ionic‐conductive interphase. This spinel interphase presents a thickness of 15 nm and good affinity with LCO, which provides long‐lasting protection to suppress interfacial parasitic reactions. Besides, both spinel Co3O4 and amorphous Li3PO4 feature high ionic conductivity compared to bulk LCO, thereby facilitating the interfacial ionic transportation. With such modification, ASSLIBs delivers high specific capacity (146.2 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C), outstanding rate performance (116.4 mAh g−1 at 2 C), and long‐term cyclability (350 cycles at 0.5 C) under a cut‐off voltage of 4.3 V versus Li/Li+. Moreover, this robust spinel interphase further improves the stable cycling (168.9 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C for 100 cycles) under elevated cut‐off voltage (4.5 V vs Li/Li+). This finding highlights the H+/Li+ exchange to convert LCO surface to a spinel ionic‐conductive interphase, which poses new insights for interface design in ASSLIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ceramsite was made from sludge, phosphogypsum, and red mud and then modified with different concentrations of hydrochloric, nitric, or citric acid. The resulting composite ceramsite was subsequently utilized for the adsorption of Pb(II). The maximum adsorption capacities of hydrochloric acid– and nitric acid–modified ceramsites were 90.38 and 88.57 mg/g, respectively, which were much higher than those of unmodified ceramsite (66.86 mg/g) and citric acid–modified ceramsite (57.85 mg/g). The variation of isoelectric point, acidic and basic groups, and Fourier transform infrared spectra of ceramsite were compared before and after adsorption. A decrease of isoelectric point implied weakening of electrostatic repulsion between Pb(II) and the modified ceramsite. Functional groups, such as O─H, C═O (or C═C), and Si─O─Si (or Al─O─Al), were involved in the adsorption. In addition, phenol hydroxyl, which exhibited a significant increase in modified ceramsite and a noticeable decrease after adsorption, was the most important group. Besides, the modified ceramsite had larger specific surface areas and pores (30.66 g/m2, .11256 cm3/g), more functional groups, and lower isoelectric points (8.57), which were favorable for adsorption. The adsorption processes described by pseudo‐second‐order kinetics were controlled by chemical adsorptions. Isothermal studies indicated that monolayer adsorption occurred on hydrochloric acid–modified ceramsite and multiple processes occurred on nitric acid– and citric acid–modified ceramsites. Thermodynamic analysis confirmed Pb(II) adsorption on modified ceramsite was spontaneous and endothermic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature stability of electrocaloric effect (ECE) is a thorny problem in ferroelectrics (FE). A general method is to design ferroelectric-to-relaxor phase transition at a sacrifice of electrocaloric (EC) strength. The Pb(Yb1/2Nb1/2)O3 antiferroelectrics (AFE) + Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3 relaxors strategy designed in this work is effective to tackle this dilemma [(1 -- x)PYN--xPMN, x = 0.08-0.36]. PMN addition induces a successive phase transition and dual phase boundaries of ferrielectric (FIE)-nonergodic relaxor (NER) and NER-ergodic relaxor (ER), where ferroelectric polarization/strain and ECE reach a localmaximum. Thermally stable ΔT is unexpectedly achieved in FIE (x = 0.14) and NER (x = 0.24), except for a generality for ER state (x = 0.30). A dome-like variation trend is observed in x = 0.14 and 0.24 with a wide temperature span of ~60 and ~55 K (±15%ΔTmax). Notably, x = 0.24 NER possesses a large directlymeasured ΔTmax ~0.64 K simultaneously. Dielectric/ferroelectric properties clarify that two-stage transition of AFE rigid-order de-texture and dissociation of de-textured AFE domains into polar nano-entities accounts for thermal stability of ΔT as the alternation of ordered antipolar domains to disorder relaxors serves as a buffer to compensate for the thermal-shock enhanced random field. This work not only accounts for the underlying mechanism for thermal stability of ΔT at FIE and NER side for the first time in physics but also provides an exotic approach to seek for high-performance EC materials in practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interlaminar fracture or delamination is one of the major failure modes for fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) laminate. Especially, the synergistic effect of environmental exposure and fatigue loads accelerates interface degradation. The main objective in this work was to investigate the fatigue damage propagation of basalt FRP (BFRP) laminate under coupling of acidic environment and fatigue load. The fatigue cycling of 40,000 and the maximum stress of 30% fu (fu = ultimate tensile strength) were adopted. The fatigue specimens under air condition (air fatigue), immersing in water (water fatigue) and immersing in acid (acid fatigue) were introduced. The double cantilever beam (DCB) test was used to evaluate the interlaminar damage of BFRP laminate after fatigue cycling. The fatigue damage propagation mechanism was explored by means of failure modes, load displacement curves, mode I fracture toughness and crack propagation resistance model. The results show that the fatigue weakened the interlaminar properties and resulted in reduced fiber bridging. Especially for the acid fatigue, the laminate was damaged by the coupling of fatigue and acid corrosion. The linear loading stage, nonlinear slow growing stage, stable crack propagation stage and linear unloading stage for DCB after fatigue were observed in the load–displacement curve. The fatigue cycling has caused fracture toughness decrease of 15.0%, 13.8% and 24.1% on air fatigue, water fatigue and acid fatigue respectively. Compared to air fatigue, additional 9.1% interlaminar toughness decrease was evidenced for acidic corrosion fatigue due to the coupling effect of chemical corrosion and physical swelling. The fluctuating decline of crack resistance was caused by discontinuous interface damage, and the interlayer damage was randomly distributed. Thus the interface damage model was proposed to characterize the damage distribution and the damage size. Highlights: Degradation law of BFRP under the coupling effect of acid immersion and fatigue load.Interface damage model for characterization of the damage distribution and damage size.Fatigue damage propagation of BFRP under coupling effect of cyclic load and corrosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have mainly focused on examining families' struggles during the adaptive process of adversity, while the strength of family and how it arises were neglected. This study aims to explore the relationships between individual and family resilience among parents and children in families during COVID‐19. Guided by the longitudinal actor–partner interdependence model, one parent and a child in 136 Chinese families completed assessments of pandemic media exposure and individual resilience in mid‐February 2020 and family resilience in early March. Results showed that the child's individual resilience was positively associated with their own and their parents' family resilience, while parents' resilience was only positively associated with their own. The evidence indicated that a child's individual resilience was critical for all core family members' perceived family resilience and provided implications for family intervention programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retroperitoneal ganglioneuroma is a rare benign tumor that is challenging in terms of clinical diagnosis. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are usually performed for diagnosis rather than convenient and inexpensive ultrasonography. Here, we present the case of a 21‐year‐old female patient who was diagnosed by multimodal ultrasound imaging and whose diagnosis was confirmed by ultrasound‐guided core needle biopsy before surgery. We hope that this rare case will help clinicians and radiologists realize the advantages of multimodal ultrasound imaging in the diagnosis of retropeitoneal solid tumors, and reduce misdiagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfide‐based all‐solid‐state lithium‐ion batteries (ASSLIBs) are the widely recognized approach toward high safety owing to excellent ionic conductivity and nonflammable nature of solid‐state electrolytes (SSEs). However, narrow potential window of SSEs brings about serious interfacial parasitic reactions, resulting in fast degradation of the battery. Herein, a glassy/ceramic analogous solid electrolyte interface (SEI) is constructed on LiCoO2 (LCO) to enhance interfacial stability between LCO and the Li10GeP2S12 (LGPS) SSEs. In which, ceramic Li2TiO3 guarantees good mechanical toughness of analogous SEI, while glassy LixByOz reinforces the coverage to avoid parasitic reactions. Analogous SEI endows ASSLIBs with excellent cycling and rate performance under an upper charge voltage of 4.3 V with 82.3% capacity retention after 300 cycles at 0.2 C. When pushing charge voltage to 4.5 V, analogous SEI also enables desirable performance with an initial capacity of 172.7 mAh g−1 and long lifespan of 200 cycles at 0.2 C. Both experiments and theoretical computation reveal excellent stability between analogous SEI and LGPS, which endows ASSLIBs with small polarization and improved performance. This work provides an insight on glassy/ceramic analogous SEI strategy to boost the interfacial stability of ASSLIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we report two hybrid zero‐dimensional (0D) lead‐free metal oxide halides of [PPip]Sb2Cl6O (1) ([PPip]=1‐(2‐Pyridyl)piperazine) and [PmPip]Sb2Cl6O (2) ([PmPip]=1‐(2‐Pyrimidyl)piperazine). Compounds 1 and 2 are able to exhibit narrow blue light emissions excited by UV light with photo‐luminescence quantum yields (PLQYs) of 25.49 % and 24.71 %, respectively. Through systematical characterizations, these blue light emissions can be attributed to the radiative transition in conjugated organic cations. Benefiting from the highly efficient intrinsic blue emissions, compound 2 can be used as blue fluorophor to fabricate liquid crystal display. This work provides a new to assembly blue emitter through by virtue of the optical active organic cations in hybrid materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N‐doped mesoporous carbon spheres (NHMC@mSiO2) encapsulated in silica shells were prepared by emulsion polymerization and domain‐limited carbonization using ethylenediamine as the nitrogen source, and Ru−Ni alloy catalysts were prepared for the hydrogenation of α‐pinene in the aqueous phase. The internal cavities of this nanomaterial are lipophilic, enhancing mass transfer and enrichment of the reactants, and the hydrophilic silica shell enhances the dispersion of the catalyst in water. N‐doping allows more catalytically active metal particles to be anchored to the amphiphilic carrier, enhancing its catalytic activity and stability. In addition, a synergistic effect between Ru and Ni significantly enhances the catalytic activity. The factors influencing the hydrogenation of α‐pinene were investigated, and the optimum reaction conditions were determined to be as follows: 100 °C, 1.0 MPa H2, 3 h. The high stability and recyclability of the Ru−Ni alloy catalyst were demonstrated through cycling experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prolonged face mask usage, a daily practice for the public due to the COVID‐19 pandemic, creates high levels of humidity underneath the mask, which may cause unexpected skin concerns. Objective: To investigate the impact of repeated mask usage on the face by comparing skin properties inside and outside of the mask‐covered areas. Methods: A double‐blinded, randomized, split‐face clinical study was conducted with 21 healthy female participants who wore face masks at least 6 h every day for 1 week, with one side of their face treated with a moisturizer three times daily. On day 8, after 5 h of wearing the mask, skin properties (sebum, hydration, and trans‐epidermal water loss [TEWL]) were evaluated at 15, 60, and 120 min post‐mask removal, followed by barrier disruption and recovery assessment. Results: Mask usage weakened stratum corneum (SC) on facial skin compared to uncovered areas, including reduced SC hydration (p < 0.02 at 15 min) and increased TEWL in response to tape stripping challenge (p < 0.03 after stripping). In addition, sebum production also increased after mask removal (p < 0.01 at 15 min). Notably, a daily moisturizer mitigated these effects by increasing SC hydration (p < 0.001) and improving SC resilience against barrier disruption. Conclusion: Daily prolonged usage of a facial mask, essential due to the COVID‐19 situation, generated a high‐humidity microenvironment and led to compromised SC, which was revealed by a barrier challenge technique. Moreover, proper facial moisturization may help to maintain skin homeostasis and prevent the barrier impairment caused by repeated mask usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Partial deep saturation of magnetic circuit is common in short‐term working permanent magnet (PM) machines in aviation, aerospace, new energy power generation and other fields. In order to accurately calculate the electromagnetic characteristics of the short‐term working machine, a novel mesh‐based equivalent magnetic network for the deep saturation region is proposed. Firstly, the deep saturation mechanism of the magnetic circuit of short‐term working motor is analyzed, and the deep saturation region is determined; Secondly, a Pointy topped hexagonal segmentation approach (PT‐HSA) grid generation method is proposed to effectively simulate complex magnetic flux paths. The PT‐HSA grid division and node compilation rules were analyzed in detail. In addition, a nonlinear magnetic network model based on reluctance grid model and equivalent magnetic circuit model is established. Compared with the quadrilateral segmentation approach (QSA) model, the calculation results of PT‐HSA model are closer to the finite element simulation results in the loading and instantaneous compensation conditions. Finally, an experimental platform is built, and the accuracy of the PT‐HSA magnetic network model is verified by the experimental results. © 2022 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Polylactide (PLA) is an outstanding sacrificial template material for the manufacture of microchannels in a thermosetting matrix. However, the initial thermal degradation temperature of pure PLA is relatively high (about 280°C), which limits its use as a sacrificial template. In this report, we found that TBD, an organic base catalyst, can significantly reduce the thermal degradation temperature of PLA. TBD has higher catalytic activity for the thermal degradation of PLA compared with Tin(II) oxalate (Sn(Oxa)), one catalyst reported in the literature. Moreover, the gaseous products catalyzed by TBD for PLA thermal degradation are mainly lactide, and the formation temperature of the monomer is lower and the yield is higher, which may have potential value for PLA recycling. A combined catalyst, S8T2, was composed of 80% low activity catalyst Sn(Oxa) and 20% high activity catalyst TBD, which can catalyze the rapid degradation of PLA without greatly damaging the mechanical properties of PLA. PLA‐S8T2 sacrificial fibers can form high‐precision one‐dimensional microchannels in the epoxy resin matrix, and 3D‐printed PLA‐S8T2 sacrificial templates can be used to form three‐dimensional microchannels in a thermosetting matrix by vaporization of sacrificial components process (VaSC). These features highlight the great potential of PLA‐S8T2 as sacrificial template material for the preparation of the complicated microchannels in the thermosetting matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scatter‐hoarding rodents play a crucial role in seed survival and seed dispersal. As one of the most important seed traits, seed size and its effect on rodent–seed interaction attract lots of attention. Current studies usually target one or a few species and show inconsistent patterns; however, few experiments include a large number of species although many plant species usually coexist in natural forest and overlap in fruiting time. Here, we tracked the dispersal and predation of 26 100 seeds belonging to 41 tree species in a subtropical forest for 2 years. Most species showed no relationships between seed size and rodent foraging preference, while the remaining species displayed diverse of patterns: monotonic decrease and increase trends, and hump‐shaped and U‐shaped patterns, indicating that a one‐off study with a few species might give misleading information. However, the seed size effect across species was consistent in both years, indicating that including a large number of species that hold a sufficient range of seed size may avoid the aforementioned bias. Interestingly, seed size effect differed among rodent foraging processes: a negative effect on seed harvest, a hump‐shaped effect on seed removal and removal distance, while a positive effect on overwinter survival of cached seeds, indicating that rodents may make trade‐offs between large and small seeds both among foraging processes and within a single process, thus lead to a parabolic relationship between seed size and seed dispersal success, that is medium‐sized seeds were more likely to be removed and cached, and transported with a further distance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic jet lag (CJL)‐induced circadian rhythm disruption (CRD) is positively correlated with an increased risk of allergic diseases. However, little is known about the mechanism involved in allergic rhinitis (AR). Methods: Aberrant light/dark cycles‐induced CRD mice were randomly divided into negative control (NC) group, AR group, CRD+NC group, and CRD+AR group (n = 8/group). After ovalbumin (OVA) challenge, nasal symptom scores were recorded. The expression of Occludin and ZO‐1 in both nasal mucosa and lung tissues was detected by reverse transcription–quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) and immunohistochemical staining. The level of OVA–specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) and T‐helper (Th)‐related cytokines in the plasma was measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the proportion of Th1, Th2, Th17, and regulatory T cell (Treg) in splenocytes was evaluated by flow cytometry. Results: The nasal symptom score in the CRD+AR group was significantly higher than those in the AR group with respect to eosinophil infiltration, mast cell degranulation, and goblet cell hyperplasia. The expression of ZO‐1 and Occludin in the nasal mucosa and lung tissues in the CRD+AR group were significantly lower than those in the AR group. Furthermore, Th2 and Th17 cell counts from splenocytes and OVA‐sIgE, interleukin 4 (IL‐4), IL‐6, IL‐13, and IL‐17A levels in plasma were significantly increased in the CRD+AR group than in the AR group, whereas Th1 and Treg cell count and interferon γ (IFN‐γ) level were significantly decreased in the CRD+AR group. Conclusion: CRD experimentally mimicked CJL in human activities, could exacerbate local and systemic allergic reactions in AR mice, partially through decreasing Occludin and ZO‐1 level in the respiratory mucosa and increasing Th2‐like immune response in splenocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By using the same saturated organic cations as structural templates, we synthesized and characterized a series of organic‐inorganic hybrid lead iodides with different structural types, namely as, 1D [(Me)4‐Pipz]Pb2I6 (1), 1D [(Me)4‐Pipz]PbI4 (2) and 2D [(Me)4‐Pipz]2Pb5I14 (3), in different organic solutions. Remarkably, these hybrid lead iodides display tunable broadband light emissions from yellow (578 nm) to red (680 nm) spectral range, which can be ascribed to self‐trapped excitons based on systematic spectroscopy characterizations. This work affords one structural design strategy to realize tunable structural skeletons and broadband low‐energy photoluminescence emissions in hybrid lead iodides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to summarize the risk factors of type II respiratory failure in patients with an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), to guide clinical treatment in time, and consequently reduce the serious impact of COPD on human health. Methods: Five databases were searched for relevant articles on risk factors of acute exacerbation of COPD combinate with type II respiratory failure. We calculated the standard mean difference (SMD), odds ratio (OR), and their 95% confidence interval (95% CI) utilizing a fixed‐effect model or a random‐effect model according to the level of heterogeneity. Results: As of 14 May 2021, 13 articles were included in our meta‐analysis. The results showed that low albumin and uric acid levels were the risk factors for type II respiratory failure in acute exacerbation of COPD patients, and the differences were statistically significant (albumin: SMD = −2.03, 95% CI: −2.81, −1.26; uric acid: SMD = −1.28, 95% CI: −1.41, −1.15). Besides, 10 other systematic markers have been reported to be the risk factors for type II respiratory failure of patients with acute exacerbation of COPD, but only in single study. Conclusion: The meta‐analysis results further confirm that low albumin and uric acid levels are risk factors for type II respiratory failure in acute exacerbation of COPD patients. Additionally, this analysis also summarizes many emerging inflammatory indicators, nutritional indicator, and cardiovascular system indicators to predict the progression of acute exacerbation of COPD to type II respiratory failure but only in single study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early treatment has a positive effect on autoimmune encephalitis. However, different treatments have individual differences and corresponding contraindications in the clinical. Few reports have described the application of immunoadsorption with Staphylococcal Protein A Column (SPA-IA) in neuroimmune diseases. We aimed to observe the safety and efficiency of SPA-IA in autoimmune encephalitis.Patients and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed three cases of autoimmune encephalitis wherein the first-line treatment was ineffective or contraindicated. The clinical features and prognosis during and after SPA-IA are described in detail.Results: All patients were definitely diagnosed with autoimmune encephalitis. After treated with SPA-IA, all antibody titers, except for the serum antibody titer in Patient 2, were markedly decreased in both the cerebral spinal fluid and serum. The mean fibrinogen levels before and after SPA-IA were stable, and there were no clinical bleeding events. The modified Rankin Scale scores and their symptoms improved significantly after the last SPA-IA session or 3 months later.Conclusions: SPA-IA may be a viable, efficacious, and safe treatment alternative for autoimmune encephalitis with contraindications to traditional treatment or poor response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the gradual increase of the demand for wooden products, people's requirements for processing quality of wooden products become higher. In this work, the dimension of groove micro‐texture is determined by finite element simulation analysis of tool structure strength. In this article, by designing milling experiments, the wood surface quality and wood surface morphology after milling with ordinary tools, micro‐textured tools, coated tools and micro‐textured coated tools are compared. The experimental results show that the quality of wood surface after milling with micro‐texture coating tool is better than that of the other three kinds of tools. And the wood surface after milling with micro‐texture coating tool is smooth, and the processing defects, such as burr and crack are less. In other words, micro‐texture technology combined with surface coating technology can effectively improve the surface quality of wood after milling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Metabolomics is the newest ‐omics methodology and allows for a functional snapshot of the biochemical activity and cellular state. The goal of this study is to characterize metabolomic profiles associated with cancer‐related fatigue, a debilitating symptom commonly reported by oncology patients. Methods: Untargeted ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry metabolomics approach was used to identify metabolites in plasma samples collected from a total of 197 participants with or without cancer. Partial least squares‐discriminant analysis (PLS‐DA) was used to identify discriminant metabolite features, and diagnostic performance of selected classifiers was quantified using area under the receiver operating characteristics (AUROC) curve analysis. Pathway enrichment analysis was performed using Fisher's exact test and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) metabolic pathway database. Findings: The global metabolomics approach yielded a total of 1120 compounds of known identity. Significant metabolic pathways unique to fatigued cancer versus control groups included sphingolipid metabolism, histidine metabolism, and cysteine and methionine metabolism. Significant pathways unique to non‐fatigued cancer versus control groups included inositol phosphate metabolism, primary bile acid biosynthesis, ascorbate and aldarate metabolism, starch and sucrose metabolism, and pentose and glucuronate interconversions. Pathways shared between the two comparisons included caffeine metabolism, tyrosine metabolism, steroid hormone biosynthesis, sulfur metabolism, and phenylalanine metabolism. Conclusions: We found significant metabolomic profile differences associated with cancer‐related fatigue. By comparing metabolic signatures unique to fatigued cancer patients with metabolites associated with, but not unique to, fatigued cancer individuals (overlap pathways) and metabolites associated with cancer but not fatigue, we provided a broad view of the metabolic phenotype of cancer‐related fatigue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Carbon dioxide (CO2) has the potential to extend the storage time of raw milk, but its industrial application in this regard has not been thoroughly explored. This study aimed to investigate the microflora of CO2‐treated and untreated raw milk from South China using Illumina sequencing. The sequencing results confirmed the presence of Delftia, Pseudomonas and Serratia as the main spoilage species in raw cow milk from South China. However, CO2 treatment was found to selectively inhibit the growth of these spoilage bacteria. Principal coordinate analysis revealed differences in the microbiota structures of samples collected from the Fuyi and Guanyuan sites. Additionally, a total of 119 and 120 bacterial species were identified in the Fuyi and Guanyuan samples, respectively. The spoilage of raw milk from the Fuyi and Guanyuan was delayed by 7 and 19 days, respectively, with the application of CO2 treatment. Conversely, the samples without CO2 treatment were found to be contaminated with Pseudomonas fluorescens and Serratia. Moreover, the CO2‐treated samples from the Fuyi and Guanyuan ranches exhibited a different composition of spoilage bacteria, with a significant increase in the number of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) compared to the control samples. This study suggests that LAB have a remarkable tolerance to CO2, which is consistent with their selection in fruit, vegetable and meat products stored in CO2‐enriched modified atmosphere packaging. The findings of this study provide a foundation for further exploration of the potential application of CO2 treatment in raw milk processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Icewine produced in China is becoming popular, but there is only limited knowledge available on the yeast population that occurs during fermentation and also on the selection of indigenous Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains for its production. In this work, we first investigated yeast species and the evolution of yeast population in spontaneous fermentations of icewine produced in the Qilian region of China and then analyzed the biodiversity and important enological properties of S. cerevisiae isolates. RESULTS: Seven species of five genera including S. cerevisiae, S. uvarum, Torulaspora delbrueckii, Hanseniaspora uvarum, Lachancea thermotolerans, Metschnikowia aff. fructicola and H. osmophila were identified by the colony morphology on Wallerstein Laboratory Nutrient medium and sequence analysis of the 26S rRNA gene D1/D2 domain. Saccharomyces cerevisiae, H. uvarum and L. thermotolerans were the dominant species, representing almost 87% of the total yeast isolates. Microvinification with seven preselected S. cerevisiae strains were performed on Vidal. All selected strains could complete fermentations, and the enochemical parameters were within the acceptable ranges of the wine industry. W5B3 produced higher amounts of ethyl hexanoate and ethyl octanoate than other strains. R3A10 was a low volatile acid producer and the corresponding icewine presented the highest values on some odorants including β‐damascenone, 1‐octen‐3‐ol, ethyl 2‐methylbutyrate, and isoamyl alcohol. Vidal icewines fermented with R3A10, R3A16 and W5B3 were well accepted by the judges because of superior sensory quality. CONCLUSION: Three indigenous strains (R3A10, R3A16 and W5B3) could be used as starters and could potentially improve the regional character of the icewine in Qilian. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focal limbic seizures can cause loss of consciousness. Previous work suggests that hippocampal seizures can increase activity in the lateral septum (LS) and decrease cholinergic output from the basal forebrain (BF), leading to deficits in conscious arousal. The mechanism by which LS and BF interact is unclear. In this study, we used anterograde and retrograde tracing to investigate anatomical pathways connecting LS and BF. We found that LS projects directly to BF and indirectly to BF via the thalamic paratenial nucleus (PT). Acute electrophysiology experiments during electrically induced focal limbic seizures showed that multiunit activity decreased in PT during the ictal period and was associated with increased cortical slow wave activity. These results suggest that LS could functionally inhibit BF during a seizure directly, or could indirectly decrease excitatory output to BF through PT. Further work investigating such parallel inhibitory and excitatory pathways to subcortical arousal may ultimately lead to new treatment targets for consciousness‐impairing limbic seizures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a new material with excellent mechanical properties and good stability, slide‐ring gels have attracted attention and research. However, they cannot be widely used due to their relatively complicated synthesis. Herein, we use 6‐acrylamidomethylether‐modified α‐cyclodextrin (αCDAAmMe) and PEG20000 diacrylate (PEG20000DA) to construct a polypseudorotaxane. Then, the polypseudorotaxane reacts with acrylamide via a photo‐initiated polymerization in situ to conveniently obtain a slide‐ring hydrogel with good elastic property and high recovery property. The hydrogel can be easily stretched to 22.5 times of its original length but recovered rapidly and almost reversibly. These results enable the application of hydrogel to make an intrinsically stretchable and compressible supercapacitor after doping ions and the adhesion of commercially available carbon nanotube (CNT) paper as electrodes, giving the ionic conductivity of 17.0 mS cm−1 (comparable to that of the commercial PVA/H3PO4 electrolyte) and the capacitance of 0.87 μF cm−2 (at the scan speed of 100 mV s−1), and its capacitance can be further enhanced under stretching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) symptoms exhibit prominent 24‐hour variations associated with the biological clock. Although endogenous glucocorticoids synchronize circadian oscillator in the nasal mucosa, the precise mechanism of AR remains unclear. Therefore, using a mouse model, we investigated the association between circadian‐clock genes and AR symptoms at various time‐points. Methods: Based on the rhythmic secretion of corticosterone levels, we chose 2 time‐points, ZT4 (10:00 AM) and ZT16 (10:00 PM), to observe dynamic changes of nasal symptoms, immunologic responses, and circadian‐clock gene period (Per) expressions. Results: In the AR group, nasal symptom scores at ZT4 were significantly higher than at ZT16, with a greater increase in eosinophils, mast cells, and total immunoglobulin E levels at ZT4. The scores had a negative correlation with fluctuation of corticosterone levels. T‐helper 1 (Th1) cell counts and interferon‐γ levels decreased significantly at ZT4 compared with ZT16 in the AR group, whereas Th2 cells; Th17 cells; and interleukin (IL)‐4, ‐13, and ‐17A levels increased significantly at ZT4 compared with ZT16. Furthermore, Per2 gene expression levels were attenuated at ZT4 and elevated at ZT16, but correlated negatively with Th2 and Th17 responses associated with Gata3 and Rorγt expression levels that were enhanced at ZT4 and reduced at ZT16 in the AR group. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the Per2 gene may influence diurnal variations of AR symptom severity, partially through its possible anti‐inflammatory effect on the circadian regulation of GATA3 and RORγt levels in immune cells. This further demonstrates the neural‐immune‐endocrinal mechanism of circadian rhythm in AR and sheds new light on chronotherapeutic approaches to AR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new approach for the preparation of copper nanoparticles has been developed by the chemical decomposition of bulk‐waste copper wire using HNO3/ DMSO/ NaOCl (HDN) reagent. This is a two‐steps synthesis via a top‐down approach for the preparation of NPs. A mixture of Cu NPs was obtained in high basic pHs (>12) including CuO, Cu(OH)2 and Cu2(OH)3Cl NPs. The Cu NPs demonstrated high dependent on pH, which each of copper NPs were selectively prepared with pH control. Selective preparation of copper NPs lead to pure Botallackite Cu2(OH)3Cl, Cu(OH)2, and Tenorite CuO structures at pH =7, pH<7, and pH=11 respectively. The mixture and pure copper NPs were thoroughly characterized by various analytical techniques including XPS, EDX, XRD, DLS, FTIR, FE‐SEM, TEM, BET, and ICP methods. The resultant Cu NPs were used as an efficient heterogeneous, recyclable nanocatalyst for the preparation of α‐aminonitriles and 5‐substituted 1H‐tetrazoles with a synergistic effect. The nanocatalyst not only demonstrated high to excellent yields for the aminonitriles and tetrazoles under mild conditions, but also it can be recovered and reused for several times without considerable loss in activity. Kinetics for the preparation of α‐aminonitrile and 5‐substituted 1H‐tetrazole was studied and chemoselectivity of the method was evaluated by various combinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To investigate the anticancer effects of limonoid compounds that were isolated and purified from Xylocarpus granatum fruits on human esophageal cancer (EC) cells. A structure‐activity relationship experiment was designed to identify the functional moiety of limonoid compounds identified as being critical for its anticancer activity. Methods: Eca109 cells were cultured in RPMI1640 medium and treated with limonoid compounds. Cell proliferation was determined by the MTT assay in vitro. Eca109 cells apoptosis was analyzed by by flow cytometry after being treated with xylogranatin C. The expression of p53, Bax, bcl‐2, caspase‐3 and GRP78 in Eca109 cells after xylogranatin C treatment was examined by western blot assay. Results: Four linonoid compounds strongly inhibited the cellular proliferation of Eca109 cells. Xylogranatin C was the strongest inhibitor, whose inhibitory effect was comparable to that of the well‐known chemotherapeutic agent, cisplatin. Furthermore, xylogranatin C might induce Eca109 cell apoptosis through joint effects on multiple pathways, including the death receptor and endoplasmic reticulum pathways. Additionally, xylogranatin C suppressed tumor cell proliferation by upregulating miR‐203a expression in Eca109 cells. Conclusions: Xylogranatin C induced Eca109 cellular apoptosis and exerted antitumor activity. Xylogranatin C suppressed tumor cell proliferation by upregulating miR‐203a expression in Eca109 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Allopatric divergence is often initiated by geological uplift and restriction to sky‐islands, climate oscillations, or river capture. However, it can be difficult to establish which mechanism was the most likely to generate the current phylogeographical structure of a species. Recently, genomic data in conjunction with a model testing framework have been applied to address this issue in animals. To test whether such an approach is also likely to be successful in plants, we used population genomic data of the Rheum palmatum complex from the Eastern Asiatic Region, in conjunction with biogeographical reconstruction and demographic model selection, to identify the potential mechanism(s) which have led to the current level of divergence. Our results indicate that the R. palmatum complex originated in the central Hengduan Mts and possibly in regions further east, and then dispersed westward and eastward resulting in genetically distinct lineages. Populations are likely to have diverged in refugia during climate oscillations followed by subsequent expansion and secondary contact. However, model simulations within the western lineage of the R. palmatum complex cannot reject a restriction to sky‐islands as a possible mechanism of diversification due to the genetically ambiguous position of one population. This highlights that genetically mixed populations might introduce ambiguity regarding the best diversification model in some cases. Although it might be possible to resolve this ambiguity using other data, sometimes this could prove to be difficult in complex biogeographical areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most frequent malignancies worldwide. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are found to be largely implicated in various cancers, including GC. However, the function of lncRNA VCAN antisense RNA 1 (VCAN‐AS1) in GC remains unclear. Herein, we observed a low level of VCAN‐AS1 in normal gastric tissues through NCBI and UCSC, and that VCAN‐AS1 upregulation in GC tissues was related to poor prognosis by TCGA. Furthermore, VCAN‐AS1 was found markedly enhanced in GC tissues and cell lines, while its upregulation was related with clinical outcomes of GC patients. Besides this, silencing VCAN‐AS1 represses cell proliferation, migration, and invasion but enhances apoptosis. More important, we discovered that VCAN‐AS1 expression was negatively correlated with wild‐type p53 levels in GC tissues and that p53 was negatively modulated by VCAN‐AS1 in GC cells. Furthermore, p53 suppression reversed the repression of VCAN‐AS1 silence on the biological processes of AGS cells. Intriguingly, we identified that both VCAN‐AS1 and TP53 can bind with eIF4A3, one of the core proteins in the exon junction complex. Also, we confirmed that VCAN‐AS1 negatively regulates TP53 expression by competitively binding with eIF4A3. Our findings disclosed that VCAN‐AS1 contributes to GC progression through interacting with eIF4A3 to downregulate TP53 expression, indicating that VCAN‐AS1 is a novel therapeutic strategy for GC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cancer‐related fatigue (CRF) is a debilitating symptom frequently reported by patients during and after treatment for cancer. CRF is a multidimensional experience and is often solely assessed by self‐report measures. The goal of the study is to examine the physical and cognitive aspects of self‐reported CRF using a cognitive function test and a physical fatigue index in order to provide objective measures that can characterize the CRF phenotype. Methods: A total of 59 subjects with nonmetastatic prostate cancer receiving external beam radiation therapy were included in the study. Fatigue was measured using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy‐Fatigue (FACT‐F) questionnaire. Cognitive characteristics of CRF was measured using the Stroop Color‐Word Interference computerized test and the motor aspect of fatigue was measured using the static fatigue test using a handgrip dynamometer. Findings: Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy‐Fatigue scores significantly correlated with the Stroop Interference score, but not performance accuracy in all test conditions. Fatigued subjects exhibited a more rapid decline to 50% of maximal strength and increased static fatigue index in the handgrip test, whereas maximal grip strength was not affected. Conclusions: The results suggest that CRF exhibits both cognitive and physical characteristics. Subjective fatigue was associated with increased time required to overcome cognitive interference, but not cognitive performance accuracy. Fatigued patients exhibited decreased physical endurance and the ability to sustain maximal strength over time. These objective measures may serve as valuable tools for clinicians to detect cognitive and physical impairment associated with CRF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel event-triggered model-free adaptive tracking control problem is studied for non-linear systems with unknown bounded disturbance. A general dynamic linearisation model framework with disturbance input is developed and event-triggered-based model-free adaptive control algorithm is designed by using pseudo-partial derivatives method and input/output measurement data. Owing to the existence of unknown disturbance, a disturbance estimator is designed based on the optimisation criterion technique. Then, a new event-triggering mechanism with dead-zone operator is designed to improve the utility of network communication resources without Zeno phenomenon. Then, an observer-based controller with disturbance compensation is developed, such that the tracking error between the system output and desired output signal converges to a small residual set around the origin. Finally, two simulation examples are provided to show the effectiveness and practicability of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydroxyapatite(HA) has received more and more attention as a drug carrier due to its excellent biocompatibility and bioactivity. However, the poor biodegradability of HA, low drug loading and uncontrollable release rate limits its application. In this paper, in order to study the effect of different HA and tricalcium phosphate (β‐TCP) phase contents on the drug release performance of the composite, co precipitation template method was used to prepare the composite with different Ca/P ratios (1.5~1.63) using polystyrene colloids as templates, and the Ca/P ratio which had the greatest effect on its morphology was selected. With the ibuprofen (IBU) as the drug model, the results showed that the IBU‐loading performance of the composite was significantly better than that of the ordered‐porous pure phase HA. When the Ca/P ratio was 1.5, the composite had the highest adsorption capacity for IBU, reaching 94.5 mg/g. In vitro release tests revealed that IBU release rates from composites with different Ca/P ratios were slower than those from pure‐phase HA in the initial 10 h, and reached the release equilibrium after the subsequent 30 h. Then, when the Ca/P ratio was 1.5, the composite had a cumulative release rate of 86.35 % for IBU. The loading and slow release properties of this ordered porous HA/β‐TCP composite for IBU make it a potential candidate for controlled release of IBU in the future." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Letter proposes a T‐shaped dielectric resonator (DR) antenna (DRA) to achieve a high antenna gain. The proposed antenna comprises a cylindrical DR top‐loaded by a cylindrical DR disk, forming a T‐shaped DRA that can be fabricated in one go. It is excited in the higher‐order HEM115 mode. The DRA was designed in Ku band and fabricated to validate the idea. Its measured peak gain is 16.13 dBi at 13.34 GHz, with a 10‐dB impedance bandwidth of 9.36%. As compared with a conventional DRA, our design has a large gain enhancement of ∼9 dB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long intergenic noncoding RNA 460 (LINC00460) has been identified as a critical regulator for multiple types of cancers. However, the biological role and underlying mechanism in human papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) still remain unclear and need to be uncovered. This study was aimed to ascertain the biological role and molecular mechanism of LINC00460 in PTC progression. Our findings revealed that the level of LINC00460 was significantly upregulated in PTC tissues and cell lines, which was positively correlated with advanced tumor–node–metastasis (TNM) stage and lymph node metastasis. Cellular experiments exhibited that knockdown of LINC00460 decreased proliferative, migratory, and invasive abilities of PTC cells. Mechanism assays noted that knockdown of LINC00460 suppressed cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and inhibited expression of sphingosine kinase 2 (SphK2, a target of miR‐613) in PTC cells, at least in part, by regulating miR‐613. These findings suggested that LINC00460 could function as a competing endogenous RNA to regulate SphK2 expression by sponging miR‐613 in PTC. Targeting LINC00460 could be a promising therapeutic strategy for patients with PTC. The present study first demonstrated that the expression of long intergenic noncoding RNA 460 (LINC00460) was upregulated in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) tissues and cell lines. And the elevation of LINC00460 was correlated with advanced tumor–node–metastasis (TNM) stage and lymph node metastasis. Our results also revealed that the oncogene LINC00460 promoted PTC progression via partly regulating miR‐613/sphingosine kinase 2 (SphK2) axis. These findings suggested that the LINC00460/miR‐613/SphK2 might act as a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of PTC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This technical note deals with a fault estimation (FE) problem for nonlinear systems with varying trial lengths subjected to specified constraints. An iterative learning observer is developed to achieve FE and state reconstruction simultaneously, which thus to consider the state error and fault estimating information from previous iteration to improve the FE performance in the current iteration. Compared with conventional observer‐based FE methods, the proposed method only requires the bounds of parameter matrices rather than the precise model of the system. To deal with the missing and redundancy problems caused by varying trial lengths, a truncation operator is presented to design the FE law. Different from existing iterative learning methods, the presented method aims at the nonlinear systems with specified constraints, such as filling systems. Furthermore, the λ‐norm method and mathematical induction are employed to obtain the solutions of iterative learning matrices and observer gain matrix. Finally, illustrative examples are introduced to demonstrate the validity and the effectiveness of the proposed FE approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer with high morbidity and mortality. The role of dysregulated circular RNAs (circRNAs) in human diseases are receiving more and more attention. In this study, we focused on the role and mechanism of circPKM2 in the progression of NSCLC. Methods: The expression levels of circPKM2, microRNA‐1298‐5p (miR‐1298‐5p) and metadherin (MTDH) in NSCLC were measured by real‐time quantitative PCR (qRT‐PCR) or Western blot. Cell counting kit‐8 (CCK‐8), colony formation, 5‐ethynyl‐2′‐deoxyuridine (EdU) staining, flow cytometry, transwell and tube formation assays were conducted to evaluate the effects of circPKM2 on malignant phenotypes of NSCLC. Western blot was used to measure related marker protein levels. Results: CircPKM2 and MTDH were highly expressed in NSCLC tissues and cells, while miR‐1298‐5p was downregulated. CircPKM2 knockdown effectively suppressed cell proliferation, migration, invasion and tube formation whereas induced apoptosis in vitro. CircPKM2 had a potential targeting site with miR‐1298‐5p and negatively regulated the expression of miR‐1298‐5p. MiR‐1298‐5p inhibitor reversed the effect of circPKM2 knockdown on the progression of NSCLC. CircPKM2 induced MTDH expression via sponging miR‐1298‐5p to promote the progression of NSCLC. MiR‐1298‐5p directly targeted MTDH, and the addition of MTDH partially attenuated the inhibition of miR‐1298‐5p on the progression of NSCLC. In addition, the downregulation of circPKM2 significantly slowed down the growth of xenograft tumors in vivo. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrated that circPKM2 mediated NSCLC progression via regulating miR‐1298‐5p/MTDH axis, providing a novel therapeutic target for NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In this paper, an iterative learning estimator is proposed to deal with period intermittent fault estimation problem in a class of nonlinear uncertain systems. First, state observer is designed for state reconstruction, followed by the Lyapunov function is presented to guarantee the convergence of the system output. Then, the iterative learning scheme–based fault estimator is presented to track the fault signal and the optimal function is established to ensure tracking error convergence. Moreover, linear matrix inequalities and Schur complements are utilized to obtain the sufficient conditions for the existence of iterative learning estimator. Compared with the existing results, error augmented systems should not satisfy the strictly positive realness assumption. Besides, previous state estimation error is used for current fault estimation such that to improve the estimating accuracy. Finally, 2 numerical examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness and validity of the proposed methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate and prompt transient stability prediction is one of the effective ways to reduce the risk of blackout or cascading failures. In an effort to achieve improvements in time efficiency and prediction accuracy, a new transient stability prediction method combining trajectory fitting (TF) and extreme learning machine (ELM) based on two-stage process, named hybrid method, is proposed here. ELM-based method is implemented in central station to ensure the time efficiency, while TFbased method is adopted in local station to guarantee the accuracy. Furthermore, data corruption is taken into consideration to assure the robustness of the proposed algorithm. The hybrid method is validated with the New England 39-bus test system and the simulation results indicate its effectiveness and reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In grassland ecosystems, nitrogen (N)-induced changes in plant community often affect grassland soil organic carbon (SOC) decomposition and accumulation. However, there is no consensus on the biological and chemical mechanisms that underlie the response of SOC decomposition to N-addition. In this study, we did a litter addition experiment to study the decomposition of SOC with added litter of six dominant plant species collected from N alone or N combined with phosphorus (N+P) fertilization treatments in a 7-yr field experiment. The experiment showed that there were no consistent responses of plant chemical properties to N alone or N+P addition. Fertilization altered plants species’ dominance in community, in particular the grass Elymus nutans. Litter addition significantly increased C decomposition, with the highest decomposition rates of SOC with added litter of all six plant species in N+P treatment. In general, both plant litter properties of organic C, total N (TN), lignin concentrations, and soil properties of SOC and TN, but not soil microbial biomass C, were the main factors determining cumulative decomposition of SOC with added litter. Litter properties were more important than abiotic soil properties in controlling C decomposition. This study indicated that fertilization with N alone or N+P can increase decomposition of SOC with added litter and lower SOC accumulation through changes in plant species’ dominance and chemical properties of litter. In terms of maintaining high SOC and increasing soil C, N fertilization, whether in N alone or N+P, should not be used in these alpine meadows [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fast and sensitive analytical method based on stir bar sorptive extraction technology with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry was developed to simultaneously analyze 18 kinds of polychlorinated biphenyls and 20 kinds of organochlorine pesticides in aqueous samples. A long adsorption time and small sample volume, which are problems encountered in conventional methods of stir bar sorptive extraction, were effectively solved by simultaneously using multiple stir bars for enrichment with sequential cryofocusing and merged injection. Optimized results showed good linear coefficients in the range of 10-500 ng/L and the method detection limits of 0.12-2.07 ng/L for polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides. The recovery ratios of the spiked samples at different concentrations were between 64.7 and 111.0%, and their relative standard deviations ranged from 0.9 to 17.6%. Four types of the studied compounds were determined in Qiantang River water samples, and their contents were between 0.82 and 5.00 ng/L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the intermittent fault estimation problem for a class of nonlinear time-delay systems with measurement noise. The time delays are assumed to occur in state vector, nonlinear term as well as output vector, thus reflecting the time delays influence in reality more closely. The aim of the problem is to estimate the intermittent fault by using iterative learning scheme, with the property of [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, neuro-fuzzy-based identification procedure for Hammerstein model with coloured noise is presented. Separable signal is used to realise the decoupling of the identification of dynamic linear part from that of static non-linear part, and then correlation analysis method is adopted to identify the parameters of the linear part. Furthermore, by combining multiinnovation and gradient search theory, multi-innovation-based extended stochastic gradient approach is derived for improving the parameters estimation accuracy of the non-linear part and the noise model. In addition, the convergence analysis in the martingale theory illustrates that the parameter estimation error will converge to zero under the persistent excitation condition. Finally, two simulation results demonstrate that the proposed approach has high identification accuracy and good robustness to the disturbance of coloured noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electron ( z)-nuclear ( R) dynamics in the molecular high-order harmonic generation (MHHG) from H2+ driven by the plasmonic nonhomogeneous field, generated by the surface plasmon polaritons in the bowtie-shaped nanostructure, have been theoretically investigated through solving the two dimensional time-dependent Schrödinger equation with the Non-Bohn-Oppenheimer approximation. It is found that (i) due to the plasmonic enhancement of the laser intensity, the harmonic cutoff can be extended when the spatial position of H2+ is away from the gap center of the nanostructure. However, due to the limit of the gap size, the threshold value of the harmonic cutoff can be obtained at a given position of H2+. (ii) Due to the asymmetric enhancement of the laser intensity in space, the extended higher harmonics are respectively from E( t) > 0 a.u. or E( t) < 0 a.u. for the cases of the positive and the negative spatial position of H2+. As a result, the intensities of the extended higher harmonics are different and can be controlled by changing the carrier-envelope phase and the pulse duration of the laser field. (iii) In the few-cycle pulse duration, the MHHG mainly comes from the multi-photon resonance ionization (MPRI), while as the pulse duration increases, the MPRI, the charge-resonance enhanced ionization (CREI) and even the dissociative ionization (DI) are contributed to the MHHG. Moreover, as the spatial position of H2+ moves, the contributions of the MHHG from the MPRI, the CERI and the DI can be controlled. (iv) The contributions of the MHHG from the two-H nuclei have been investigated and found that when E( t) > 0 a.u., the intensities of the harmonics from the negative-H is higher than those from the positive-H; while when E( t) < 0 a.u., the intensities of the harmonics from the positive-H plays the main role in the MHHG. Moreover, the multi-minima, caused by the two-center interference can also be found. (v) Finally, by superposing a properly selected harmonics, a single isolated attosecond pulse (SIAP) with the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 34 as can be obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the problem of asynchronous l2 - l∞ filtering is investigated for discrete-time networked Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy Markov jump systems (FMJSs). The system measurements are transmitted over an unreliable communication network affected by sensor non-linearity and packet dropouts. The purpose is to design an asynchronous l2 - l∞ filter for discrete-time FMJSs such that the resulting filtering error system is not only finite-time bounded for the given conditions, but also satisfies a prescribed l2 - l∞ performance. Some sufficient conditions for the existence of the asynchronousl2 - l∞ filter are presented, and the corresponding design problem is converted into a convex optimisation one. Finally, a numerical example and a modified inverted pendulum model are utilised to demonstrate the usefulness of our proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the remarkable adaptability to various environments, rice varieties with diverse flowering times have been domesticated or improved from Oryza rufipogon. Detailed knowledge of the genetic factors controlling flowering time will facilitate understanding the adaptation mechanism in cultivated rice and enable breeders to design appropriate genotypes for distinct preferences. In this study, four genes ( Hd1, DTH8, Ghd7 and OsPRR37) in a rice long-day suppression pathway were collected and sequenced in 154, 74, 69 and 62 varieties of cultivated rice ( Oryza sativa) respectively. Under long-day conditions, varieties with nonfunctional alleles flowered significantly earlier than those with functional alleles. However, the four genes have different genetic effects in the regulation of flowering time: Hd1 and OsPRR37 are major genes that generally regulate rice flowering time for all varieties, while DTH8 and Ghd7 only regulate regional rice varieties. Geographic analysis and network studies suggested that the nonfunctional alleles of these suppression loci with regional adaptability were derived recently and independently. Alleles with regional adaptability should be taken into consideration for genetic improvement. The rich genetic variations in these four genes, which adapt rice to different environments, provide the flexibility needed for breeding rice varieties with diverse flowering times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatolithiasis, originally as oriental cholangiohepatitis, especially prevails in Asia, but globalization and intercontinental migration have also converted the endemic disease dynamics around the world. Characterized by its high incidence of ineffective treatment and recurrence, hepatolithiasis, always, poses a therapeutic challenge to global doctors. Although the improved surgical and non-surgical techniques have evolved over the past decade, incomplete clearance and recurrence of calculi are always so common and disease-related mortality from liver failure and concurrent cholangiocarcinoma still exists in the treatment of hepatolithiasis. In the late stage of hepatolithiasis, is it suitable for liver transplantation (LT)? Herein, we propose a comprehensive review and analysis of the LTx currently in potential use to treat hepatolithiasis. In our subjective opinion, and as is objective from the literatures so far, also given the strict indications, LT remains one of the definitive treatments for terminal hepatolithiasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND γ-Aminobutyric acid ( GABA) can be synthesised by the GABA shunt and polyamine degradation pathway in plants under hypoxia stress and lower temperature. The hypoxia germination freeze-thawing incubation was used as a new technique for accumulating more GABA in soybean. RESULTS Results showed that glutamate decarboxylase ( GAD) and diamine oxidase ( DAO) activity as well as GABA content increased during germination within 24 h under hypoxia. However, the contents of dry matters and protein decreased. When the hypoxia-treated sprouts were frozen at −18 °C for 12 h and thawed at 25 °C for 6 h, GABA content increased drastically to 7.21-fold of the non-frozen sprouts. Subsequently, the freeze-thawing sprouts were ground into homogenates and incubated. GABA content was 14.20-fold of the only-soaked seeds when homogenates was incubated at 45 °C for 80 min within 400 µmol L−1 pyridoxine ( VB6) ( pH 6.5). CONCLUSION The hypoxia germination freeze-thawing incubation was an effective method for accumulating GABA in soybean. During incubation, DAO was more important for GABA formation in homogenate of germinated soybean compared with GAD. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on Fermi-Dirac distribution, a physical model describing the current-voltage characteristics of limiting-current oxygen sensors is presented. The model focuses on the prediction of the current via voltage by using an analytically invertible method. The response of oxygen concentration to limiting current is explained theoretically via a function. The simulations agree very well with the observed curves (either current versus voltage or oxygen concentration versus limiting current). Consequently, the oxygen concentration can be predicted from limiting current by using only one function. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]