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This research paper primarily focuses on the synchronization of a specific class of multi‐weighted coupled neural networks (MWCNNs) with switching topology, employing two adaptive control methods. In complex environments and under the influence of communication disturbances, the topology structures of coupled neural networks with multiple weights inevitably undergo time‐varying changes. To address this, we propose a novel type of MWCNNs with switching topologies. To ensure synchronization within this network, we develop sufficient conditions based on Lyapunov functional and inequality techniques. These conditions guarantee the achievement of synchronization. Moreover, we address the synchronization problem by employing node‐based and edge‐based adaptive controllers. Finally, we provide a numerical example to demonstrate the effectiveness of the obtained results. This example serves as empirical evidence showcasing the successful application of the proposed synchronization approach in practical scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To study the relationship between the ablation range and applied energy of laser ablation (LA) and microwave ablation (MWA) in papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC). Methods: A total of 201 PTMC patients were treated with LA (n = 102) or MWA (n = 99) with single-applicator fixed ablation. The ablation range was determined by contrast-enhanced ultrasound. The ratios of ablation volume, longitudinal diameter, and orthogonal diameter to ablation energy (RAV/E, RAL/E, RAO/E) were analyzed and compared between MWA and LA. The effects of PTMC characteristics and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) on ablation efficiency were evaluated by linear regression. Results: The RAV/E was 0.72 (0.65–0.84) mm3/J for MWA and 0.48 (0.39–0.54) mm3/J for LA. HT was significantly correlated with RAV/E of LA (coefficient = − 0.367, p < 0.0001). RAL/E did not differ significantly between MWA and LA (MWA 0.026 mm/J, LA 0.025 mm/J; p = 0.957). However, MWA had a greater RAO/E than LA (MWA 0.014 mm/J, LA 0.012 mm/J; p < 0.0001). The plateau values of MWA and LA on the ablation orthogonal diameter were 10.7 mm and 8.69 mm, respectively. Conclusions: MWA showed a higher RAV/E than LA. More intuitively, MWA had a better ablation performance than LA on the orthogonal axis rather than the longitudinal axis. Theoretically, MWA and LA could achieve complete ablation of ≤ 6.70 mm and ≤ 4.69 mm PTMC separately by single-applicator fixed ablation considering a unilateral 2-mm safe margin. HT had a negative effect on LA but not on MWA. Clinical relevance statement: This study establishes strong connections between ablation energy and ablation range in papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) in vivo, possibly contributing to the supplementation of the PTMC Ablation Consensus or Guidelines and providing a scientific basis for choosing clinical ablation parameters in PTMC. Key Points: • Both microwave ablation (MWA) and laser ablation (LA) have excellent performance on the ablation longitudinal axis (easily exceeding 10 mm) for papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC). • MWA performed much better than LA on the ablation orthogonal axis. • MWA and LA are expected to achieve complete ablation of ≤ 6.70 mm and ≤ 4.69 mm PTMC separately by single-applicator fixed ablation considering a unilateral 2-mm safe margin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The clinical strategy of oral supplementation of Vitamin D (VD) as a preventive and therapeutic measure for warts needs further exploration. Methods: The clinical data of patients with skin diseases who visited the Children's Hospital affiliated with Chongqing Medical University from February 2018 to June 2024 were collected. The serum VD levels in patients with warts (common warts, flat warts, and plantar warts) and patients with other common skin diseases (atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, alopecia areata, vitiligo, and chronic urticaria) were compared. Two‐sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was performed to investigate potential causal associations between VD and warts. Results: The average serum VD level of children with warts was 23.27 ± 7.07 ng/mL, which showed no statistically significant difference compared to children with other common skin diseases. The inverse variance weighted (IVW) method analysis indicated a positive causal relationship between VD and warts (Odds Ratio [OR] = 1.86, [95% CI: 1.19−2.92], p = 0.007). Sensitivity analysis did not show any indication of horizontal pleiotropy or heterogeneity. The MR‐PRESSO method did not identify any outliers. Conclusion: The levels of serum VD in children with warts do not significantly decrease compared to children with other common skin conditions. The evidence from the MR analysis indicates a positive causal relationship between VD and warts, suggesting caution in supplementing VD for children with warts who have normal or elevated serum VD levels. Further clinical studies are needed for validation in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Kaladawan iron deposit is located in the North Altyn Tagh and exhibits occurrences of iron ore bodies at the contact zone between Ordovician magmatic rocks (basalts, rhyolite, and granodiorite) and marble. However, controversy persists regarding the genetic classification and metallogenic mechanism of this deposit. Through a field investigation, single mineral in situ geochemical analysis, whole-rock geochemical analysis, and Fe isotope determination, the following conclusions are made: (1) Ti-(Ni/Cr) and (V/Ti)-Fe diagrams indicate that the magnetite from all studied rocks underwent hydrothermal metasomatism, while (Ni/(Cr + Mn))-(Ti + V) and (Ca + Al + Mn)-(Ti + V) diagrams suggest a skarn origin for these magnetites. Therefore, it can be inferred that the Kaladawan iron deposit is skarn-type. (2) The iron ore exhibits similar rare-earth-element characteristics to the altered basalt. Additionally, the altered basalts (δ56Fe = 0.024~0.100‰) are more enriched in light Fe isotopes than the unaltered basalts (δ56Fe = 0.129~0.197‰) at the same location, indicating that the ore-forming materials of the Kaladawan iron ore are mainly derived from basaltic rocks. (3) According to the law of mass conservation and the intermediate Fe isotopic composition of the iron ore between the granodiorite and basalt, the hydrothermal fluid for the formation of iron ores was inferred to be derived from the late intrusive granodiorite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gneisses with anatectic characteristics from the Liansan island in the Sulu UHPM (ultra‐high pressure metamorphic) belt were studied for petrography, titanite U‐Pb dating and mineral geochemistry. Three origins of garnets are distinguished: metamorphic garnet, peritectic garnet and anatectic garnet, which are formed in the stages of peak metamorphism, retrograde anatexis and melt crystallization, respectively. The euhedral titanite has a high content of REE and high Th/U ratios, which is interpreted as indicating that it was newly‐formed from an anatectic melt. The LA‐ICP‐MS titanite U‐Pb dating yields 214–217 Ma ages for the titanite (melt) crystallization. The distribution of trace elements varies in response to the different host minerals at different stages. At the peak metamorphic stage, Y and HREE are mainly hosted by garnet, Ba and Rb by phengite, Sr, Nb, Ta, Pb, Th, U and LREE by allanite and Y, U and HREE by zircon. During partial melting, Y, Pb, Th, U and REE are released into the melt, which causes a dramatic decline of these element contents in the retrograde minerals. Finally, titanite absorbs most of the Nb, U, LREE and HREE from the melt. Therefore, the different stages of metamorphism have different mineral assemblages, which host different trace elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses fixed-time output synchronization problems for two types of complex dynamical networks with multi-weights (CDNMWs) by using two types of adaptive control methods. Firstly, complex dynamical networks with multiple state and output couplings are respectively presented. Secondly, several fixed-time output synchronization criteria for these two networks are formulated based on Lyapunov functional and inequality techniques. Thirdly, by employing two types of adaptive control methods, fixed-time output synchronization issues of these two networks are dealt with. At last, the analytical results are verified by two numerical simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alkaline pectate lyases have biotechnological applications in plant fiber processing, such as ramie degumming. Previously, we characterized an alkaline pectate lyase from Bacillus clausii S10, named BacPelA, which showed potential for enzymatic ramie degumming because of its high cleavage activity toward methylated pectins in alkaline conditions. However, BacPelA displayed poor thermo-alkaline stability. Here, we report the 1.78 Å resolution crystal structure of BacPelA in apo form. The enzyme has the characteristic right-handed β-helix fold of members of the polysaccharide lyase 1 family and shows overall structural similarity to them, but it displays some differences in the details of the secondary structure and Ca2+-binding site. On the basis of the structure, 10 sites located in flexible regions and showing high B-factor and positive ΔTm values were selected for mutation, aiming to improve the thermo-alkaline stability of the enzyme. Following site-directed saturation mutagenesis and screening, mutants A238C, R150G, and R216H showed an increase in the T5015 value at pH 10.0 of 3.0 °C, 6.5 °C, and 7.0 °C, respectively, compared with the wild-type enzyme, interestingly accompanied by a 24.5%, 46.6%, and 61.9% increase in activity. The combined mutant R150G/R216H/A238C showed an 8.5 °C increase in the T5015 value at pH 10.0, and an 86.1% increase in the specific activity at 60 °C, with approximately doubled catalytic efficiency, compared with the wild-type enzyme. Moreover, this mutant retained 86.2% activity after incubation in ramie degumming conditions (4 h, 60 °C, pH 10.0), compared with only 3.4% for wild-type BacPelA. The combined mutant increased the weight loss of ramie fibers in degumming by 30.2% compared with wild-type BacPelA. This work provides a thermo-alkaline stable, highly active pectate lyase with great potential for application in the textile industry, and also illustrates an effective strategy for rational design and improvement of pectate lyases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Functional connectivity patterns of table tennis players are more flexible. • White matter structure of table tennis players is related to their attention level. • First probe of brain structure in table tennis players using high-field MRI. Table tennis training has been employed as an exercise treatment to enhance cognitive brain functioning in patients with mental illnesses. However, research on its underlying mechanisms remains limited. In this study, we investigated functional and structural changes in large-scale brain regions between 20 table tennis players (TTPs) and 21 healthy controls (HCs) using 7-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques. Compared with those of HCs, TTPs exhibited significantly greater fractional anisotropy (FA) and axial diffusivity (AD) values in multiple fiber tracts. We used the locations with the most significant structural changes in white matter as the seed areas and then compared static and dynamic functional connectivity (sFC and dFC). Brodmann 11, located in the orbitofrontal cortex, showed altered dFC values to large-scale brain regions, such as the occipital lobe, thalamus, and cerebellar hemispheres, in TTPs. Brodmann 48, located in the temporal lobe, showed altered dFC to the parietal lobe, frontal lobe, cerebellum, and occipital lobe. Furthermore, the AD values of the forceps minor (Fmi) and right anterior thalamic radiations (ATRs) were negatively correlated with useful field of view (UFOV) test scores in TTPs. Our results suggest that table tennis players exhibit a unique pattern of dynamic neural activity, this provides evidence for potential mechanisms through which table tennis interventions can enhance attention and other cognitive functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, thermal ablation has played an increasingly important role in treating various tumors in the clinic. A practical thermochromic phantom model can provide a favorable platform for clinical thermotherapy training of young physicians or calibration and optimization of thermal devices without risk to animals or human participants. To date, many tissue-mimicking thermal phantoms have been developed and are well liked, especially the polyacrylamide gel (PAG)-based phantoms. This review summarizes the PAG-based phantoms in the field of thermotherapy, details their advantages and disadvantages and provides a direction for further optimization. The relevant physical parameters (such as electrical, acoustic, and thermal properties) of these phantoms are also presented in this review, which can assist operators in a deeper understanding of these phantoms and selection of the proper recipes for phantom fabrication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper mainly focuses on the lag H ∞ synchronization problem of coupled neural networks with multiple state or delayed state couplings. On one hand, by exploiting state feedback controller and Lyapunov functional, a criterion of lag H ∞ synchronization for coupled neural networks with multiple state couplings (CNNMSCs) is insured, and lag H ∞ synchronization problem in CNNMSCs is also coped with based on the adaptive state feedback controller. On the other hand, we explore the lag H ∞ synchronization for coupled neural networks with multiple delayed state couplings (CNNMDSCs) by utilizing similar control strategies. At last, two numerical examples are presented to verify the effectiveness and correctness of lag H ∞ synchronization for CNNMSCs and CNNMDSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decade, cancer immunotherapy, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICRs), has attained considerable progresses in clinical practice. T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing protein 3 (Tim-3) act as next ICRs, and originally function as a co-inhibitory receptor expressed on interferon (IFN)- γ producing CD4 + and CD8 + T-cells. Furthermore, Tim-3 has also been found to express on innate immune cells and several types of tumors, signifying the pivotal role that Tim-3 plays in chronic viral infections and cancer. In addition, Tim-3 and multiple ICRs are concurrently expressed and regulated on dysfunctional or exhausted T-cells, leading to improved antitumor immune responses in preclinical or clinical cancer therapy through co-blockade of Tim-3 and other ICRs such as programmed cell death-1 (PD-1). In this review, the biological characteristics of Tim-3 and the function of Tim-3 in regulating tumorigenesis and inflammation have been summarized. The usage of a single blockade of Tim-3 or in combination with multiple immunotherapy regimens have drawn attention to antitumor potential as a target for immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A ring-width series was developed from Dahurian larch (Larix gmelinii) in the northeastern forest area of Inner Mongolia, China. By analyzing the relationships between tree-ring data and climate records, an August–September mean maximum temperature (T89) series during 1845 and 2012 was reconstructed based on a simple linear regression equation. This reconstructed series explained 40.9% variance of the observed temperature from 1959 to 2012. The reconstructed T89 series was consistent with the historical disaster events caused by extreme climate (e.g., flood, frost disaster, and cold damage). Besides, the temperature comparisons showed that the year in which the warm months (April–September) in northeast China began to warm up has latitude differences. It started with a gradual delay from north to south, starting 1980 in the south region, after 1950 AD in the central region and after 1940 in the north region. Our study can enrich high-resolution temperature series in Northeast China and help clarify the characteristic of recent warming in northeast China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: The plant growth promoting rhizobacteria have been extensively implicated in plant responses to changing environments. However, the action mechanisms still need to be elucidated. This study addressed the effect of Paraburkholderia sp. GD17 on rice seedlings in responses to salt stress. Methods: The experiment consisted of GD17-inoculated and non-inoculated plants, with or without NaCl treatment. Physiological and biochemical parameters, and gene expression were analyzed. Results: GD17 efficiently colonized inside roots, and provided a protection against salt stress. Following exposure to 68 mM of NaCl for 48 h, although the accumulation of Na+ was not affected in GD17-inoculated (+ GD17) roots relative to non-inoculated ones, its concentration was substantially reduced in + GD17 shoots. The contents of K and other mineral elements were higher in + GD17 plants. The expression of Na+ and K+ transporter-encoding genes generally presented a higher level in + GD17 plants. The antioxidative defense especially related to the removal of H2O2 was more strongly activated in + GD17 plants. Correspondingly, salt-induced oxidative damage was significantly ameliorated. A substantial increase in proline content and gene expression was observed in + GD17 plants. Additionally, the cell wall invertase-encoding gene displayed a dramatically higher expression level in + GD17 plants. Conclusions: GD17 efficiently improved rice seedling tolerance to salt stress. The possible mechanisms might be associated with the absorption and redistribution of mineral elements, the vacuolar sequestration of Na+ as well as exclusion of Na+, antioxidative defense, the production of proline, and the sucrose catabolism in apoplast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Osteosarcoma is a primary bone tumor lacking optimal clinical treatment options. Tumor-associated macrophages in the tumor microenvironment are closely associated with tumor development and metastasis. Studies have identified the macrophage receptor with collagenous structure (MARCO) as a specific receptor expressed in macrophages. This study aimed to investigate whether anti-MARCO mAb treatment can induce macrophage polarization in the tumor microenvironment and elicit anti-tumor effects. Methods: THP-1 cells were treated with 20 ng/mL phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and 80 ng/mL interleukin-4 for 48 h to induce macrophage polarization to alternatively activated macrophages (M2). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, flow cytometry, and bioinformatic analyses were performed to evaluate macrophage polarization. The co-culture groups included a blank group, an M2 macrophage and U2OS co-culture group, and an anti-MARCO mAb-treated M2 macrophage group. Cell viability assays, cell scratch tests, apoptosis, and cell cycle analyses were performed to determine the effects of anti-MARCO mAb-treated macrophages on osteosarcoma cells. Results: It was demonstrated that anti-MARCO mAb can drive macrophages toward classically activated macrophage (M1) polarization. Anti-MARCO mAb promoted the secretion of pro-inflammatory factors by macrophages, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1beta, interleukin-6 and interleukin-23. Studies on in vitro co-culture models have revealed that macrophages treated with anti-MARCO mAb can suppress the growth and migration of osteosarcoma cells, induce cell apoptosis, and inhibit cell cycle progression of osteosarcoma cells through M1 polarization of macrophages in vitro. Conclusion: Anti-MARCO mAb treatment exerts anti-osteosarcoma effects by affecting macrophage polarization toward M1 macrophages, offering a potential new therapeutic approach for treating osteosarcoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the exponential anti-synchronization problem of memristive delayed neural networks under the event-triggered controller. To reduce the recalculation of the control signals, two event-triggered control strategies including static and dynamic are proposed. A novel Lyapunov function is constructed to analyze the global exponential anti-synchronization problem. By analysis, we can choose the suitable parameter of the controller to realize global exponential anti-synchronization with a given convergence rate γ without wasting a lot of control resources. Moreover, under event-triggering conditions given in our theorem, we derive that the Zeno behavior will not happen. Finally, numerical examples are given to validate our theorem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although exogenous melatonin can enhance the drought tolerance of plants, reports on the role of melatonin in drought tolerance in male reproductive organs are limited. To explore this, a pot experiment was conducted with cotton cultivar Yuzaomian 9110 to study the effects of exogenous melatonin (100, 200, and 1000 μM) on male fertility and related carbohydrate metabolism in anther under drought. Results showed that drought inhibited the translocation of carbon assimilates to anthers, however, melatonin application (100 and 200 μM) significantly improved the translocation of carbon assimilates to drought-stressed anthers. Drought reduced the deposition of starch, the hydrolysis of sucrose into hexoses, the generation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in anthers, restricting pollen viability and germination. Nevertheless, the appropriate melatonin concentrations (100 and 200 μM) increased the starch accumulation by enhancing ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase and soluble starch synthases activities and accelerated the hydrolysis of sucrose by increasing sucrose synthase, acid and alkaline invertases activities in drought-stressed anthers. Appropriate melatonin concentrations (100 and 200 μM) also could help to generate more ATP for reproductive activities of drought-stressed anthers, finally increasing the pollen viability and germination of drought-stressed plants. These findings suggest that drought inhibited male fertility of cotton, but a precise melatonin application could regulate the carbohydrate balance of drought-stressed anthers to improve male fertility. This is the first report demonstrating the important role of exogenous melatonin in improving male fertility under drought conditions by regulating the carbohydrate metabolism in the male part of cotton. • Melatonin (MT) improved the photoassimilates transport to anthers under drought. • MT enhanced starch synthesis in drought-stressed anthers. • MT promoted sucrose hydrolysis in drought-stressed anthers. • MT increased anther starch and ATP contents to improve pollen fertility under drought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the global exponential synchronization problem of delayed memristive neural networks (MNNs) with reaction–diffusion terms. First, by utilizing the pinning control technique, two novel kinds of control methods are introduced to achieve synchronization of delayed MNNs with reaction–diffusion terms. Then, with the help of inequality techniques, pinning control technique, the drive–response concept and Lyapunov functional method, two sufficient conditions are obtained in the form of algebraic inequalities, which can be used for ensuring the exponential synchronization of the proposed delayed MNNs with reaction–diffusion terms. Moreover, the obtained results based on algebraic inequality complement and improve the previously known results. Finally, two illustrative examples are given to support the effectiveness and validity of the obtained theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the theoretical results on sliding mode control (SMC) of neural networks via continuous or periodic sampling event-triggered algorithm. Firstly, SMC with continuous sampling event-triggered scheme is developed and the practical sliding mode can be achieved. In addition, there is a consistent positive lower bound for the time interval between two successive trigger events which implies that the Zeno phenomenon will not occur. Next, a more economical and realistic SMC technique is presented with periodic sampling event-triggered algorithm, which guarantees the robust stability of the augmented system. Finally, two illustrative examples are presented to substantiate the effectiveness of the derived theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retrograde eclogite and garnet amphibolite of the Lüliangshan unit of the Shenglikou area, North Qaidam, were studied with emphasis on rutile and titanite. A special focus is on the formation of rutile and its corona of titanite (Ttn1) in retrograde eclogite and on coarse-grained titanite (Ttn2) from the garnet amphibolite. Using zirconium (Zr)-in-rutile and Zr-in-titanite thermometers, the temperatures estimated for the formation of an early generation of rutile are 823–884 °C at 2.5–2.8 GPa, while 812–894 °C at 1.3–1.5 GPa are derived for the formation of coronitic Ttn1 in the retrograde eclogite. Therefore, isothermal decompression must have occurred during exhumation, which also has triggered the partial melting of the retrograde eclogite. Ttn2 of the garnet amphibolite has high REE contents and high Th/U ratios, indicating that it is newly grown from a Ti, Ca, and LREE enriched anatectic melt derived from the partial melting of retrograde eclogite. LA-ICP MS U-Pb dating yields a lower intercept age of 423±4 Ma for Ttn2, which is consistent with the granulite-facies metamorphic age of the retrograde eclogite. Moreover, a temperature of 781–823 °C at 1.0–1.2 GPa is obtained for Ttn2, which fits the P-T conditions of the HP granulite-facies metamorphic stage (P=1.07–1.24 GPa and T=774–814 °C), and documents that the crystallization of the melt occurred at the granulite-facies stage at 423 Ma. The high amount of REE of the garnet amphibolite is a consequence of the formation of Ttn2 from the melt. The contents and ratios of Zr and Hf in rutile and Ttn2 differ from those in the garnet amphibolite, and the whole rock Zr/Hf ratios of retrograde eclogite and garnet amphibolite are both higher than the respective ratios in rutile and Ttn2, suggesting that rutile and titanite cannot be the major carriers of Zr and Hf accounting for the high whole rock Zr/Hf ratios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate the synchronization problem on delayed memristive neural networks (MNNs) with leakage delay and parameters mismatch via event-triggered control. We divide MNNs with parameters mismatch into two categories for discussion. One is state-dependent and can achieve synchronization by designing a suitable controller. A novel Lyapunov functional is constructed to analyze the synchronization problem. Moreover, the triggering conditions are independent from the delay boundaries and can be static or dynamic. Another category of parameters mismatch is structure-dependent and can only achieve quasi-synchronization by appropriate controller. By using matrix measure method and generalized Halanay inequality, a quasi-synchronization criterion is established. The controllers in this paper are discrete state-dependent and can be updated under the event-based triggering condition, which is more simpler than the previous results. In the end of our paper, two illustrative examples are given to support our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vasculogenic mimicry (VM), when microvascular channels are formed by cancer cells independent of endothelial cells, often occurs in deep hypoxic areas of tumors and contributes to the aggressiveness and metastasis of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. However, well-developed VM inhibitors exhibit inadequate efficacy due to their low drug utilization rate and limited deep penetration. Thus, a cost-effective VM inhibition strategy needs to be designed for TNBC treatment. Results: Herein, we designed a low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) dual-responsive nanoplatform termed PFP@PDM-PEG for the cost-effective and efficient utilization of the drug disulfiram (DSF) as a VM inhibitor. The PFP@PDM-PEG nanodroplets effectively penetrated tumors and exhibited substantial accumulation facilitated by PEG deshielding in a LIFU-mediated and MMP-2-sensitive manner. Furthermore, upon exposure to LIFU irradiation, DSF was released controllably under ultrasound imaging guidance. This secure and controllable dual-response DSF delivery platform reduced VM formation by inhibiting COL1/pro-MMP-2 activity, thereby significantly inhibiting tumor progression and metastasis. Conclusions: Considering the safety of the raw materials, controlled treatment process, and reliable repurposing of DSF, this dual-responsive nanoplatform represents a novel and effective VM-based therapeutic strategy for TNBC in clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reproductive failure in cotton caused by drought has been reported to be closely associated with alterations in pistil fertility; however, the mechanism of the effect of drought on pistil fertility in cotton is less studied. We hypothesized that drought would inhibit the ovule formation to alter pistil potential fertility. To address this hypothesis, we conducted a water deficit induction experiment with a cotton cultivar, Dexiamian 1. Results showed that drought damaged the cytological structure of the developing ovules. This resulted in a lower ovule number, finally leading to lower cottonseed number and boll weight. And the decreased ovule number was closely related to the reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation in pistil during ovule development. Further analysis of antioxidant metabolism found that in the enzymatic antioxidant system, drought decreased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), resulting in the accumulation of superoxide anion (O2•−$$ {{\mathrm{O}}_2}^{\bullet -} $$) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Regarding the non‐enzymatic antioxidant system, the elevated glutathione reductase gene (GhGR) expression under drought promoted the glutathione (GSH) accumulation; however, the decreased dehydroascorbate reductase gene (GhDHAR2) expression under drought inhibited the conversion of GSH to ascorbic acid (AsA). Although the increased monodehydroascorbate reductase gene (GhMDHAR) expression under drought promoted AsA accumulation, drought‐induced reduced ascorbate peroxidase gene (GhAPX) expression inhibited the reduction of H2O2 by AsA, which ultimately led to higher AsA content and H2O2 content. We conclude that drought impedes the ovule formation by disturbing pistil's antioxidant metabolic homeostasis to destruct the cytological structure of the developing ovules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the discussion of H ∞ synchronization in multiple state and delayed state coupled neural networks through the implementation of two adaptive proportional–integral (PI) controllers. Firstly, we consider two types of coupled neural networks with multi-weights. Subsequently, we formulate H ∞ synchronization criteria using inequality techniques and Lyapunov functional. Furthermore, we address the H ∞ synchronization problem for these two networks by employing node-/edge-based adaptive PI controllers. Finally, we validate the effectiveness of the proposed theoretical results through numerical examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The kyanite-bearing garnet pelitic gneiss from the Jianggalesayi area in southern Altyn Tagh high pressure/ultra-high pressure belt was proved to have been experienced UHP metamorphism (>12 GPa) by the discovery of kyanite and spinel exsolution microstructure in quartz (precursor stishovite). In this study, three stages of retrograded metamorphism (M2–M4) after the UHP metamorphism (M1) were identified for the UHP pelitic gneiss. The HP granulite-facies stage (M2) was characterized by the mineral assemblage of garnet+kyanite+K-feldspar+rutile+quartz±ilmenite, recording the P-T condition of >1.12 GPa and ≈850–930 ºC. The granulite-facies stage (M3) was represented by the mineral assemblage of garnet rim+K-feldspar+sillimanite (Sill1)+biotite (Bt1)+plagioclase (Pl1)+ilmenite+quartz, and confined under P-T conditions of 0.5–0.8 GPa and ≈770–795 ºC. The late cooling stage M4 was accompanied by the appearance of fine-grained Pl2, Sill2 and Bt2 in the matrix, and the P-T conditions were 0.4–0.6 GPa and <675 ºC. A clockwised P-T path was obtained for the pelitic gneiss in the P-T pseudosection, which showed a deep subduction/collision processes with subsequent exhumation and cooling. Combined with the corresponding multistage metamorphic assemblages, the age dating results implied that the zircons from the gneiss have integrated the recording peak metamorphic (M1, 484±3 Ma) and retrograded metamorphic ages (M2 to M3, 450±2 Ma). There was about 32 Ma interval during the first exhumation from the upper mantle depth (>350 km) to the lower crust depth (≈40–20 km), resulting in an average exhumation rate of 9.11–9.70 mm/yr. In the southern Altyn Tagh region, the HP and UHP rocks from different areas had identical peak metamorphic ages. Therefore, contemporary UHP and HP rocks with different metamorphic evolutions were recognized coexisting in the same orogenic belt, which can be interpreted by the model of subduction channel. The continental crustal were subducted to different depths along the direction of the subduction channels at ≈500 Ma, suffered different grade metamorphism, and then returned to the surface along the subduction channel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, an amino-functionalized silica matrix encapsulating β-galactosidase was first synthesized in situ, with subsequent covalent anchoring of lysozyme to the outer part of the amino-grafted matrix. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra verified that β-galactosidase was successfully encapsulated. Meanwhile, the co-immobilized enzymes were demonstrated to retain suitable enzymatic activities and outstanding operational stability during successive reaction cycles. Furthermore, when used for lactose removal from skim milk, the packed-bed column system achieved both a high lactose hydrolysis rate and microbial inactivation ratio during 30 days of continuous operation. Notably, this system exhibited favorable stability during 60 days of continuous hydrolysis of lactose in solution and thus may be appropriate for further development for use in industrial lactose removal from milk. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • The dual-functional continuous operating system was established. • The dual-functional continuous operating system exhibited perfect enzymatic activities during the treatment of skim milk. • The dual-functional continuous operating system offered the favorable stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper discusses the passivity of delayed reaction–diffusion memristor-based neural networks (RDMNNs). By exploiting inequality techniques and by constructing appropriate Lyapunov functional, several sufficient conditions are obtained in the form of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs), which can be used to ascertain the passivity, output and input strict passivity of delayed RDMNNs. In addition, the passivity of RDMNNs without any delay is also considered. These conditions, represented by LMIs, can be easily verified by virtue of the Matlab toolbox. Finally, some illustrative examples are provided to substantiate the effectiveness and validity of the theoretical results, and to present an application of RDMNN in pseudo-random number generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the role of electron beam (EB) irradiation as a physical aid in carboxymethylated (CM) starch, it was prepared to employ EB pretreatment, and then it was compounded with PVA and gliadin to prepare ternary plastics. EB irradiation significantly increased the degree of substitution of CM starch (0.086–0.173) and lowered its amylose content. As a result, the CM and EB starch had lower amylose content, molecular weight and more short chains. Moreover, the ternary plastics prepared by EB-CM starch improved the transparency, water contact angle (63.70–69.31°) and elongation at break (127.50–261.48%) of CM starch ternary plastics, and reduced the water vapor permeability (15.51–21.28 ×10−7 g/m·h·Pa) and tensile strength (8.05–11.43 MPa) of multielement plastics. It suggested that EB improved the mechanical and hydrophobic properties of CM ternary plastics. This work could provide new ideas for EB pretreatment-assisted chemical modification and broaden the development and application of EB-treated starch in multielement plastics. [Display omitted] • This advanced the progress on the chemical modification of lotus seed starch. • EB irradiation pretreatment improved chemical activity of CM starch (0.086–0.173). • EB starch in ternary plastics offered new technology for plastics development. • EB improved mechanical and hydrophobic properties of CM starch composite plastics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Development of a series of HSP90 inhibitors-SN38 conjugates for tumor-specific delivery. • These conjugates displayed appreciable HSP90 binding affinity and potent cytotoxic abilities. • Compound 10b exhibited excellent in vivo antitumor activity and low toxicities in Capan-1 xenograft models. Presently, chemotherapy remains to be one of the most important therapeutic approaches for malignant tumors. Ligands based drug conjugates are showing considerable promise as potential therapeutic agents delivery systems for cancer. Here, a series of HSP90 inhibitors-SN38 conjugates were developed through cleavable linkers for tumor-specific delivery of SN38 and reducing its side effects. In vitro assays showed that these conjugates exhibited acceptable stability in PBS and plasma, appreciable HSP90 binding affinity, and potent cytotoxic abilities. Cellular uptake behaviors also indicated that these conjugates could selectively target cancer cells in a time-dependent manner via HSP90. Among them, compound 10b with a glycine linkage exhibits appreciable in vitro and in vivo pharmacokinetic profiles, and excellent in vivo antitumor activity in Capan-1 xenograft models, demonstrating the selective targeting and accumulation of the active payload at tumor sites. Above all, these results suggest that compound 10b has the potential as a potent anticancer drug, meriting further evaluation in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The late cornified envelope (LCE) gene cluster is located on chromosome 1q21, including LCE1-LCE6. Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the LCE cluster were associated with susceptibility to psoriasis in Chinese population. However, there is no report on the relationship in ethnic minority areas in China. This study aimed to investigate the association between the gene polymorphisms of LCE1B, LCE1C, LCE3A, LCE3D and psoriasis vulgaris among Mongolians from Inner Mongolia. Totally, 305 Mongolians with psoriasis vulgaris (PsV) and 383 healthy controls were enrolled in the study from 2006 to 2015. 7 SNPs including rs6701216, rs4112788, rs12023196, rs512208, rs4845454, rs4085613 and rs1886734, were selected for genotyping with ligase detection reaction (LDR). Statistical analysis was performed for comparisons of allele frequencies and genotype frequencies between the patient group and the control group. In this study, excluding rs4085613 and rs1886734, differences were detected in the allele frequencies of other 5 SNPs between the patients and controls. Genotype analysis showed that under the recessive inheritance model, the genotype frequencies of rs4845454, rs4112788 differed between the patients and controls (all p < 0.00 5).Under the dominant and the recessive model, the genotype frequencies of rs6701216, rs12023196 and rs512208 significantly differed between the patients and controls. The LD analysis showed that strong LD existed between rs6701216 and rs12023196, rs4845454 and rs4085613, rs4845454 and rs1886734, and rs4085613 and rs1886734. The SNPs rs6701216, rs4112788, rs12023196, rs512208 and rs4845454 in the LCE gene were associated with psoriasis vulgaris among Mongolians from Inner Mongolia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elman neural network (ENN) is one of recurrent neural networks (RNNs). Comparing to traditional neural networks, ENN has additional inputs from the hidden layer, which forms a new layer–the context layer. So the standard back-propagation (BP) algorithm used in ENN is called Elman back-propagation algorithm (EBP). ENN can be applied to solve prediction problems of discrete time sequence. However, the EBP algorithm suffers from low convergence speed and poor generalization performance. To solve this problem, a new learning rate scheme is proposed, the convergence of new proposed scheme is proved. Furthermore, the contrast experiment is utilized to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme from the aspects of convergence speed and consumption time with some popular schemes such as the original ENN, and PSO–ENN which uses PSO algorithm to search the best structure of ENN. The experience shows that the modified method proposed in this paper works best. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have shown that drought occurring at anther development period will have a certain effect on pollen viability, however, it is not clear which developmental stage of cotton microspore is most sensitive to drought and the mechanism of the effect of drought during this period on pollen viability is not explored. To that end, a polyethylene glycol simulated drought experiment (Experiment 1), where drought stress was imposed at different stages of microspore development, was conducted, using cv. Yuzaomian 9110, in order to identify the most sensitive developmental stage to water deficit based on changes in microspore structure and pollen germinability. The results indicated that the microspore mother cell meiosis (MCM) stage was the most sensitive to water deficit. According to that, a second study (Experiment 2) was conducted, using the same cultivar, and the effects of drought stress during MCM-stage on pollen's carbohydrate and energy metabolism were monitored during and after the stress and their influences on pollen viability were revealed. As per our results, MCM-stage drought down-regulated the sucrose transporter gene GhSUT9 expression which inhibited sucrose import to the anthers; however, increases in sucrose phosphate synthase activity with concurrent decreases in sucrose synthase (SuSy) and invertase (INV) activities resulted in high sucrose content in the water-stressed anthers. In spite of the decreased sucrose decomposition, anther hexose contents were higher in the water-stressed anthers than well-watered anthers, probably due to a decrease in hexose oxidation through the tricarboxylic acid cycle as it was later confirmed by the reduced anther adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content under drought. Contrastingly to sucrose and hexose, anther starch content was greatly reduced by drought, due to decreases in the activities of starch synthesizing enzymes, ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase) and soluble starch synthase (SSSase). After the relief of stress, anther sucrose content decreased to levels lower than well-watered anthers, due to unrecovered GhSUT9 expression and increased alkaline INV activity which enhanced sucrose decomposition. Despite the increased fructose content, glucose content decreased to levels lower than well-watered anthers, without however, resulting in higher energy supply as it was indicated by the lower pollen ATP content after the relief of stress. Anther starch remained lower than well-watered anthers, even after the stress was relieved, as starch biosynthesizing enzymes, AGPase and SSSase, remained suppressed. All these findings suggest that drought stress occurring at the MCM-stage has the most detrimental effect to cotton's pollen viability due to alterations in carbohydrate metabolism that result in inadequate energy supply. • The microspore mother cell meiosis (MCM) stage was the most sensitive to drought. • MCM-stage drought inhibited pollen fertility by affecting carbohydrate metabolism and energy supply. • MCM-stage drought altered anther sucrose and hexose contents by influencing sucrose import, synthesis and degradation. • MCM-stage drought lowered anther ATP content to restrain energy supply for pollen growth. • MCM-stage drought reduced anther starch content by inhibiting AGPase and SSSase activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the problem of global exponential anti-synchronization of a class of switched neural networks with time-varying delays and lag signals. Considering the packed circuits, the controller is dependent on the output of the system as the inner states are very hard to measure. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the controller based on the output of the neuron cell. Through theoretical analysis, it is obvious that the obtained ones improve and generalize the results derived in the previous literature. To illustrate the effectiveness, a simulation example with applications in image encryptions is also presented in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates new criteria of the robust $$H_\infty $$ stability for a class of uncertain stochastic fuzzy mixed-delay systems with nonlinear noise disturbances by employing an improved free-weighting matrix approach. The fuzzy system is based on the Takagi-Sugeno model that is often used to represent the complex nonlinear systems in terms of fuzzy sets and fuzzy reasoning. To reflect more realistic dynamical behaviors of the system, both the parameter uncertainties and stochastic disturbances are considered, the stochastic disturbances are given in the form of a Brownian motion. The mixed delays comprise both discrete and distributed time-varying delays. In terms of a stochastic fuzzy Lyapunov functional, a sufficient criterion is proposed to investigate dynamical behaviors of the system in the mean-square sense with an $$H_\infty $$ performance index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate the synchronization problem of multiple neural networks with reaction–diffusion terms under cyber–physical attacks via distributed control. As for the multiagent systems, designing security control laws for multiple neural networks (MNNs) with reaction–diffusion terms is a big challenge when the proposed neural networks perform various cooperative tasks under failures or attacks. In complex environment, the MNNs with reaction–diffusion terms may be under mixed attacks, and one of them has been named cyber–physical attacks which would affect the communication links and nodes leading to the change of topology and states, as well as the distributed controllers. To deal with these issues, we will construct a novel Lyapunov function and combine with some properties of M-matrix to investigate the effects caused by cyber–physical attacks, and a security control law is also given to ensure the synchronization of the proposed neural network system. On the algorithmic side, it is worth mentioning that the security architecture and the security control algorithm are given to choose parameters of the feedback gain matrix and the coupling strength to achieve synchronization. Finally, a numerical simulation is given to support the obtained theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents abstracts on geological topics which include the origin and structure of zircon in metamorphic rocks, the role of fluids during processes involving the continental crust, and geochemical characteristics of granites found in the Dabie Mountains, China.

[Display omitted] • Proposing a general strategy towards microwave-sensitive immune hydrogel. • Exhibiting large-scale production potential due to the mix-and-use manner. • Enabling both enhanced microwave ablation and robust antitumor immunity. • Achieving both elimination of primary tumor and inhibition of metastatic tumor. • Showing promising clinical translation due to the all FDA-approved components. The minimal invasive percutaneous microwave ablation (MWA) combined with immunotherapy is a promising technique in clinic for the treatment of primary and metastatic tumors. However, elaborate encapsulation carrier designs, complex cellular engineering, and poor applicability are the vexing problems difficult to solve currently. Herein, a general strategy was proposed for the design of an injectable microwave-sensitive immune hydrogel for combined MWA and immunotherapy in vivo for the first time. The mix-and-use hydrogel composed Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved components were fabricated by introducing various immunostimulants regardless of hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity into the alginate (ALG)-Ca2+ hydrogel. As a proof of concept, an immunoadjuvant (R837) was employed to synthesize the R837-ALG-hydrogel for systematic studies. This immune hydrogel owns ultra-facile synthesis process, good microwave-sensitivity, adjuvant encapsulation efficiency of nearly 100%, good biocompatibility and syringeability, and large-scale production capability, which could be easily injected into the primary tumor for enhancing MWA. Moreover, the loaded R837 could motivate in situ vaccination by making the utmost of the tumor-associated antigens released after MWA, thereby inducing the robust tumor-specific antitumor immunity to suppress the distant metastatic tumor in vivo. The proposed injectable microwave-sensitive immune hydrogel paves a facile but general avenue with great clinical translation potential for the minimal invasive personalized oncotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The density change in solidification can evoke a kind of melt flow and affect the final crystal patterns. A novel model fitting into the anisotropic lattice Boltzmann scheme was developed to describe density change induced flows, in which the flow was straightly depicted by introducing a density gradient raised body force in the lattice Boltzmann equation. The effects of density ratios on crystal growth were numerically studied. The results show that the density change induced flows can significantly affect morphological transitions and there exists a competition between latent heat release and heat transport with mediation of the density change caused flows. • A LB model is proposed to study crystal growth with density change induced flows. • The density change induced flows can significantly affect morphological transitions. • Morphological changes are caused by the competition between released latent heat and thermal transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The full-length cDNA sequence of F3′5′H gene from the Brunfelsia acuminata was obtained by RT-PCR and RACE, whose GenBank accession number is JQ678765. The sequence contains a 1521 bp open reading frame, 120 bp 5′UTR and 61 bp 3′UTR, encoding a total of 506 amino acids. The molecular mass of the predicted protein is 56.47 kDa with an estimated pI of 8.78, respectively. Sequence alignment showed that the amino acid sequence of F3′5′H was 91%, 87% and 84% with that of Petunia × hybrida, Nierembergia sp., Solanum tuberosum, respectively. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis showed that the expression of F3′5′H gene was different in petals of different days, which was the highest expression level on day 0 and significantly higher than other days. The results indicated that F3′5′H might play key role in flower color regulation and provide a theoretical reference for blue flower molecular breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The outcome of congenital clubfoot treatment is still challenging if the feet deformities are not completely corrected. Here we explore a minimal invasive procedure with an eight‐plate implant to correct the residual forefoot adduction deformity after treatment of neglected or relapsed clubfoot. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients with residual forefoot adduction deformity after clubfoot treatment between January 2013 and June 2016. The patients underwent temporary epiphysiodesis of the lateral column of the mid‐foot, which in detail, an eight‐plate was placed on each side of the calcaneocuboid joint. The foot deformities were recorded according to the weight‐bearing radiographic measurements including talo‐first metatarsal angle, calcaneo‐fifth metatarsal angle and medial‐to‐lateral column length. Results: A total of 13 patients (20 feet) with an average age of 7.8 years old were located with an average duration of 40.8 months follow‐up (range, 28 to 54 months). The average talo‐first metatarsal angle improved from 28.3° (range, 19° to 47°) preoperatively to 8.3° (range, 3° to 18°) and the calcaneo‐fifth metatarsal angle improved from 29.1° (range, 19° to 40°) preoperatively to 8.4° (range, 0° to 21°) at final follow‐up. The mean ratio of the medial‐to‐lateral column length improved from 1.14 ± 0.06 to 1.55 ± 0.09 with statistical significance (t = 3.566; P < 0.001). Conclusions: Eight‐plate epiphysiodesis is an easy and effective method for the correction of residual forefoot adduction deformity after clubfoot treatment in growing children without the need of osteotomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there has been a significant advancement in memristor-based neural networks, positioning them as a pivotal processing-in-memory deployment architecture for a wide array of deep learning applications. Within this realm of progress, the emerging parallel analog memristive platforms are prominent for their ability to generate multiple feature maps in a single processing cycle. However, a notable limitation is that they are specifically tailored for neural networks with fixed structures. As an orthogonal direction, recent research reveals that neural architecture should be specialized for tasks and deployment platforms. Building upon this, the neural architecture search (NAS) methods effectively explore promising architectures in a large design space. However, these NAS-based architectures are generally heterogeneous and diversified, making it challenging for deployment on current single-prototype, customized, parallel analog memristive hardware circuits. Therefore, investigating memristive analog deployment that overrides the full search space is a promising and challenging problem. Inspired by this, and beginning with the DARTS search space, we study the memristive hardware design of primitive operations and propose the memristive all-inclusive hypernetwork that covers 2 × 1 0 25 network architectures. Our computational simulation results on 3 representative architectures (DARTS-V1 , DARTS-V2 , PDARTS) show that our memristive all-inclusive hypernetwork achieves promising results on the CIFAR10 dataset (89.2 % of PDARTS with 8-bit quantization precision), and is compatible with all architectures in the DARTS full-space. The hardware performance simulation indicates that the memristive all-inclusive hypernetwork costs slightly more resource consumption (nearly the same in power, 22 % ∼ 25 % increase in Latency, 1. 5 × in Area) relative to the individual deployment, which is reasonable and may reach a tolerable trade-off deployment scheme for industrial scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper investigates the problem of event-based sliding-mode synchronization of memristive neural networks with delay through continuous/periodic sampling algorithm. • Memristive neural networks are converted into the form of general neural networks by nonsmooth analysis. • The controller is designed on the sliding manifold selected and the trajectory of the system with this controller are analyzed in detail. • Based on the continuous sampling, this paper further draws new results with the periodic sampling rule. • Finally, some numerical examples are given to verify the correctness of the theoretical results. This paper investigates the problem of event-based sliding-mode synchronization of memristive neural networks with delay through continuous/periodic sampling algorithm. Memristive neural networks are converted into the form of general neural networks by nonsmooth analysis. Then the controller is designed on the sliding surface selected and the trajectory of the system with this controller are analyzed in detail. Based on the continuous sampling, this paper further draws new results with the periodic sampling rule. Finally, some numerical examples are given to verify the correctness of the theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we discuss synchronization of discrete-time recurrent neural networks (DRNNs) with time-varying delays via quantized sliding mode control. A feedback controller based on sliding mode control is firstly imported in the synchronization of DRNNs. The activation functional in our paper can be more relaxed than the other papers which should satisfy the Lipschitz conditions. For the sake of reducing the computational complexity and conservatism, we consider two quantized methods with uniform and logarithmic quantizer. We gain some specific conditions to ensure the synchronization of discrete-time system. Several examples are presented to support our theorem in the ending. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]