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Ligand-decorated metal surfaces play a pivotal role in various areas of chemistry, particularly in selective catalysis. Molecular dynamics simulations at the molecular mechanics level of theory are best adapted to gain complementary insights to experiments regarding the structure and dynamics of such organic films. However, standard force fields tend to capture only weak physisorption interactions. This is inadequate for ligands that are strongly adsorbed such as carboxylates on metal surfaces. To address this limitation, we employ the Gaussian Lennard-Jones (GLJ) potential, which incorporates an attractive Gaussian potential between the surface and ligand atoms. Here, we develop this approach for the interaction between cobalt surfaces and carboxylate ligands. The accuracy of the GLJ approach is validated through the analysis of the interaction of oxygen with two distinct cobalt surfaces. The accuracy of this method reaches a root mean square deviation (RMSD) of about 3 kcal/mol across all probed configurations, which corresponds to a percentage error of roughly 4%. Application of the GLJ force field to the dynamics of the organic layer on these surfaces reveals how the ligand concentration influences the film order, and highlights differing mobility in the x and y directions, attributable to surface corrugation on Co(11 2 ̄ 0). GLJ is versatile, suitable for a broad range of metal/ligand systems, and can, subsequently, be utilized to study the organic film on the adsorption/desorption of reactants and products during a catalytic process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron (Fe)‐based nanoparticles (NPs) have attracted considerable attention in nanomedicine research due to their enhancement effects in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and cancer therapy. Although zero‐valent Fe (Fe(0)) can serve as an active catalyst to decompose H2O2 into reactive oxygen species (ROS), its activity is compromised in physiological conditions due to its susceptibility to oxidation. Here it is reported that a 9 nm FeAu alloy NP system can efficiently stabilize Fe(0) in neutral pH solution, but release Fe(0) in tumor‐bearing environment, catalyzing H2O2 decomposition to ROS. Although Fe3O4 NPs and Au NPs are well‐known for their biocompatible, FeAu NPs effectively eliminate cancer cells at an IC50 as low as 15 µg mL−1 Fe. Further proteomics analysis reveals that FeAu NPs can concomitantly induce both ferroptosis and pyroptosis. Additional near‐infrared (NIR) irradiation further increases cell death and promotes maturation of dendritic cells within tumor‐draining lymph nodes and infiltration of helper T cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes within tumor sites, resulting in significant reduction in tumor growth and metastasis. The studies demonstrate a great potential of FeAu NPs as a stable Fe(0) reservoir for pH/NIR controlled Fe(0) release and further for ferroptosis and pyroptosis co‐mediated tumor immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic hepatitis B poses a significant global burden, modulating immune cells, leading to chronic inflammation and long-term damage. Due to its hepatotropism, the hepatitis B virus (HBV) cannot infect other cells. The mechanisms underlying the intercellular communication among different liver cells in HBV-infected individuals and the immune microenvironment imbalance remain elusive. Exosomes, as important intercellular communication and cargo transportation tools between HBV-infected hepatocytes and immune cells, have been shown to assist in HBV cargo transportation and regulate the immune microenvironment. However, the role of exosomes in hepatitis B has only gradually received attention in recent years. Minimal literature has systematically elaborated on the role of exosomes in reshaping the immune microenvironment of the liver. This review unfolds sequentially based on the biological processes of exosomes: exosomes' biogenesis, release, transport, uptake by recipient cells, and their impact on recipient cells. We delineate how HBV influences the biogenesis of exosomes, utilizing exosomal covert transmission, and reshapes the hepatic immune microenvironment. And based on the characteristics and functions of exosomes, potential applications of exosomes in hepatitis B are summarized and predicted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Life satisfaction can predict students' school engagement and academic performance, and has shown significant regional differences among adolescents. The predictive effect of economic factors as regional characteristics on adolescent life satisfaction has been extensively examined; however, the regional educational factors that could predict adolescent life satisfaction remain unknown. This study aimed to identify provincial-level educational factors that can predict adolescent life satisfaction. Methods: The participants comprised 16,737 students, aged 11– 16 years (Mage = 13.82; SDage = 0.77; 8767 girls, 7970 boys), from 31 provinces in China. Students completed measures on socioeconomic status and life satisfaction. Multilevel modeling was adopted in data analysis. Results: Adolescent life satisfaction was positively correlated with family socioeconomic status, and negatively associated with age and academic ranking. Life satisfaction was lower for girls than boys. Some regional education development indicators could predict adolescent life satisfaction: ratio of students to teachers, ratio of students to teachers with master's degrees, and multimedia classroom size negatively correlated with adolescent life satisfaction; meanwhile per capita sports field area positively correlated with adolescent life satisfaction. Per capita education expenditure, classroom area, laboratory area, computer room area, language lab area, gymnasium area, green space area, sports field area, computers per student, number of books, and value of equipment and instruments could not significantly predict life satisfaction in this study. Conclusion: The findings suggest that the life satisfaction of female adolescents, those in older age groups, with lower academic rankings and socioeconomic status, and those residing in regions with underdeveloped educational systems was relatively poor. These groups of adolescents should therefore be given special attention. To enhance their life satisfaction, some certain provinces should consider implementing measures such as increasing the number of teachers, reducing class sizes, and providing more opportunities for physical activity among junior middle school students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary A variety of computational methods have been developed to identify functionally related gene modules from genome-wide gene expression profiles. Integrating the results of these methods to identify consensus modules is a promising approach to produce more accurate and robust results. In this application note, we introduce COMMO, the first web server to identify and analyze consensus gene functionally related gene modules from different module detection methods. First, COMMO implements eight state-of-the-art module detection methods and two consensus clustering algorithms. Second, COMMO provides users with mRNA and protein expression data for 33 cancer types from three public databases. Users can also upload their own data for module detection. Third, users can perform functional enrichment and two types of survival analyses on the observed gene modules. Finally, COMMO provides interactive, customizable visualizations and exportable results. With its extensive analysis and interactive capabilities, COMMO offers a user-friendly solution for conducting module-based precision medicine research. Availability and implementation COMMO web is available at https://commo.ncpsb.org.cn/ , with the source code available on GitHub: https://github.com/Song-xinyu/COMMO/tree/master. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientists are faced with a formidable problem in improving the smart properties of multi-stimuli responsive fluorescent materials. Here, we integrated two kinds of stimuli-responsive materials: aggregation-induced emission (AIE) and liquid crystals (LCs) into one system. An AIE-active fluorescence liquid crystal compound of α-cyanodistyrene derivate Py-CN-LBM8 was synthesised using knoevenagel condensation reaction. Its AIE effect, LC behaviour, multi-stimuli responsive properties and mechanisms were investigated by polarised optical microscopes (POM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-visible (UV-vis) absorption spectra and photoluminescence (PL) spectra. The results showed that Py-CN-LBM8 exhibited significant physical response to external stimuli including temperature, mechanical force, solvent, pH and trace water. This work provided a strategy for designing new multi-stimuli responsive materials and made it possible to apply in the multifunction anti-counterfeit, sensor and information storage fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The variability of surface roughness may lead to relatively large dynamic of backscatter coefficient observed by the synthetic aperture radar (SAR), which complicates the soil moisture (SM) retrieval process based on active remote sensing. The effective roughness parameters are commonly used for parameterizing the soil scattering models, the values of which are often assumed to be constant during different study periods for the same site. This paper investigates the reasonableness of this hypothesis from the perspective of backscatter coefficient simulation and SM retrieval using high resolution SAR data. Three years of Sentinel-1A data from 2016 to 2018 were collected over a sparsely vegetated field within the REMEDHUS SM monitoring network. The advanced integral equation model (AIEM) and Dobson dielectric mixing model were combined for optimizing the effective roughness parameters, as well as simulating the backscatter coefficient and retrieving the SM. The effective roughness parameters were optimized at different temporal periods, such as 2016, 2017, 2018, 2016 + 2017, 2017 + 2018, and 2016 + 2017 + 2018, to analyze their temporal dynamics. It was found that: (1) the effective roughness parameters optimized at different temporal periods are very close to each other; (2) the simulated backscatter from AIEM is consistent with Sentinel-1A observation with root mean square errors (RMSEs) between 1.133 and 1.163 dB and correlation coefficient ® value equals to 0.616; (3) the seasonal dynamics ofin situ SM is well-captured by the retrieved SM with R values floating at 0.685 and RMSEs ranging from 0.049 to 0.052 m3/m3; and (4) inverse of the AIEM with the implementation of effective roughness parameters achieves better performance for SM retrieval than the change detection method. These findings demonstrate that the assumption on the constant effective roughness parameters during the study period of at least three years is reasonable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As scientific research progresses, there is an increasing understanding of the importance of paternal epigenetics in influencing the health and developmental path of offspring. Prior to conception, the environmental exposures and lifestyle choices of fathers can significantly influence the epigenetic state of sperm, including DNA methylation and histone changes, among other factors. These alterations in epigenetic patterns have the potential for transgenerational transmission potential and may exert profound effects on the biological characteristics of descendants. Paternal epigenetic changes not only affect the regulation of gene expression patterns in offspring but also increase the risk to certain diseases. It is crucial to comprehend the conditions that fathers are exposed to before conception and the potential outcomes of these conditions. This understanding is essential for assessing personal reproductive decisions and anticipating health risks for future generations. This review article systematically summarizes and analyzes current research findings regarding how paternal pre-pregnancy exposures influence offspring as well as elucidates underlying mechanisms, aiming to provide a comprehensive perspective for an enhanced understanding of the impact that paternal factors have on offspring health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

L-band passive microwave remote sensing (RS) is an important tool for monitoring global soil moisture (SM) and freeze/thaw state. In recent years, progress has been made in its in-depth application and development in the Tibetan Plateau (TP) which has a complex natural environment. This paper systematically reviews and summarizes the research progress and the main applications of L-band passive microwave RS observations and associated SM retrievals on the TP. The progress of observing and simulating L-band emission based on ground-, aircraft-based and spaceborne platforms, developing regional-scale SM observation networks, as well as validating satellite-based SM products and developing SM retrieval algorithms are reviewed. On this basis, current problems of L-band emission simulation and SM retrieval on the TP are outlined, such as the fact that current evaluations of SM products are limited to a short-term period, and evaluation and improvement of the forward land emission model and SM retrieval algorithm are limited to the site or grid scale. Accordingly, relevant suggestions and prospects for addressing the abovementioned existing problems are finally put forward. For future work, we suggest (i) sorting out the in situ observations and conducting long-term trend evaluation and analysis of current L-band SM products, (ii) extending current progress made at the site/grid scale to improve the L-band emission simulation and SM retrieval algorithms and products for both frozen and thawed ground at the plateau scale, and (iii) enhancing the application of L-band satellite-based SM products on the TP by implementing methods such as data assimilation to improve the understanding of plateau-scale water cycle and energy balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel aggregation-induced emission (AIE) liquid crystals bearing dicyanodistilbenic (DC) core was synthesized. • The AIE-active liquid crystal exhibited obvious mechano- and thermo- fluorochromic and electro-tunable behaviors. • The AIE-active liquid crystal could be used in the fields of mechanic, temperature detectors and displays. A novel aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-active liquid crystal of DC-DBM bearing rod-like dicyanodistilbenic (DC) core and alky chain was synthesized by Knoevenagel condensation reaction. It shows remarkable AIE and liquid crystal properties, and undergoes obvious mechano- and thermo- fluorochromic behaviors. The color of DC-DBM changed from green to light-yellow after grinding, and returned after fuming with organic solvent under UV light. It also took a smart response upon temperature accompanying with obvious change of colors. The force and temperature responsive phenomena were all associated with changes in the modes of molecular packing and phase states. The stimuli-responsive mechanism were unveiled by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Moreover, DC-DBM displayed electro-tunable character of luminescence after mixing it with the nematic liquid crystal of 5CB. The fluorescent emission intensity with voltage showed a linear relationship from 10 to 30 V. The results showed that the AIE-active liquid crystal was a multi-function fluorescence material, which could be used in the fields of mechano-sensors, temperature detectors, security encryption and displays. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The N-CQDs are synthesized using o-phenylenediamine as carbon and nitrogen source. • N-CQDs can selectively recognize PA and its homologous (DNP and NP) in the presence of other analytes. • A linear correlation is observed between PA concentration (0 ∼ 10.0 μmol/L) and N-CQDs fluorescence intensity (0.05 mg/mL) at 556 nm, and the detection limit is ∼ 70 nmol/L. • The Stern-Volmer graphs lack sufficient linearity, confirming the static quenching interaction between N-CQDs and PA. • The N-CQDs are successfully applied to determine PA content in simulated and real samples quantitatively. Nitrogen doping carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs) are synthesized using o-phenylenediamine as a carbon and nitrogen source via the water hydrothermal method. The size of the obtained N-CQDs is about 5.51 nm, and FTIR results show that their surface contains many –OH and –NH 2 groups. N-CQDs can selectively recognize PA and its homologous (DNP and NP) in the presence of other analytes (including TNT, Tetryl, PETN, RDX, HMX, NC, NG, DNT, NT, NB, DNP, NP, BP, PC, AN, Ca2+, Cl-, Mg2+, Na+, H 2 O 2). A linear correlation is also observed between PA concentration (0 ∼ 10.0 μmol/L) and N-CQDs fluorescence intensity (0.05 mg/mL) at 556 nm. The linear curve is y = -3.64 × 107x + 404.91, and the detection limit is ∼ 70 nmol/L. The Stern-Volmer graphs lack sufficient linearity, confirming the static quenching interaction between N-CQDs and PA. Finally, the N-CQDs are successfully applied to determine PA content in simulated and real samples quantitatively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional aerodynamic shape optimization methods usually suffer from difficulties in optimization and modeling for high-dimensional aerodynamic optimization problems. To overcome these difficulties, a new high-dimensional aerodynamic shape optimization framework is proposed from the perspectives of geometric domain decomposition for dimensionality reduction and a data-driven model support strategy for changing the role of surrogate model and assisting the optimizer. Geometric domain decomposition uses proper orthogonal decomposition to transform the high-dimensional Class-Shape Function Transformation method into low-dimensional geometric modes to reduce design dimensions for parameterizing the geometric shape, which reduces optimization and modeling difficulties. Also, a data-driven support strategy is proposed to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the optimizer by learning from historical aerodynamic data; this strategy modifies the role of surrogate model in the optimization framework to assist the optimizer; the surrogate model, serving as an auxiliary role, can reduce the dependence on model accuracy, which overcomes the difficulty of high-dimensional modeling to some extent. We applied the developed framework to transonic drag reduction of wings to validate its performance. The optimization results show that the developed framework converges faster and offers better designs compared to direct optimization and state-of-the-art surrogate-based optimization frameworks for high-dimensional aerodynamic shape optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Targeting death receptor-mediated apoptosis in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), an aggressive disease with poor prognosis, is hindered by the inherent resistance of primary leukemia cells. Knowledge on therapeutic vulnerabilities in these malignant cells will provide opportunities for developing novel combinatory treatments for patients. Using label-free quantitative mass spectrometry and subcellular fractionation techniques, we systematically compared organelle-specific proteomes between Jurkat cells, an in vitro model for T-ALL, and a Jurkat mutant with increased resistance to death receptor-mediated apoptosis. By identifying several differentially regulated protein clusters, our data argued that extensive metabolic reprograming in the mitochondria, characterized by enhanced respiration and energy production, might allow cells to evade DR5-mediated cytotoxicity. Further analysis using clinical datasets demonstrated that the elevated expression of a three-gene signature, consisting of SDHA, IDH3A, and ANXA11, was significantly associated with poor survival of acute leukemia patients. Our analysis therefore provided a unique dataset for a mechanistic understanding of T-ALL and for the design of novel ALL treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Previous studies have examined family socioeconomic status (SES) and regional-level factors that predict adolescents' present subjective wellbeing (SWB). However, as adolescents' SWB tends to be future-oriented, this study examined the relationships between family SES and provincial-level economic, educational, and health-related factors and adolescents' present- and future-oriented SWB.Methods: The sample includes 17,341 12- to 17-year-old adolescents (Mage  = 13.86; SDage  = 0.79; 9056 girls and 8285 boys) from 31 different provinces of China. Multilevel modeling was used to analyze the data at two levels.Results: The findings showed that family SES (Level-1) was positively correlated with present life satisfaction (LS-P), present positive affect (PPA), hopeful future expectations (HFE), and positive affect toward future life (FPA), but negatively correlated with present negative affect (PNA) and negative affect toward future life (FNA). Provincial-level (Level-2) years of education per capita, average life expectancy, and human development index (HDI) were positively associated with LS-P, PPA, FPA, and HFE, and negatively associated with PNA; only average life expectancy was negatively associated with FNA. There was no association between gross domestic product (GDP) per capita and SWB. Simple slope analyses demonstrated that, in provinces with relatively less or short years of education per capita, GDP per capita, average life expectancy, or HDI, the correlations between family SES and present- and future-oriented negative affect were stronger.Conclusions: The present- and future-oriented SWB of adolescents from families with low SES in underdeveloped areas was relatively poor. More psychologically focused education activities are needed for these adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative (IDDSI) has created global standardized definitions for texture-modified diets (TMDs) and thickened liquids to improve the safety and care for individuals with swallowing difficulties. The IDDSI framework guides health care facilities, such as aged care, to provide food to at-risk patients. Objectives This study aims to design, deliver, and evaluate a tailored intervention to facilitate IDDSI implementation in aged care. Methods Five aged care facilities received tailored interventions, which were guided by the Expert Recommendation for Implementing Change process and used the corresponding barriers identified in the previous study: 1) tailored material, delivery, and planning; 2) opinion leaders and professional input; 3) strategies to attract and involve staff; and 4) reflections and evaluations. Meal compliance against IDDSI standards and staff knowledge acquisition were the primary outcomes evaluating the impact of the intervention. Written consent was obtained from facility managers. Staff trainings were delivered by a dietitian, accompanied with electronic and printed materials. An audit was conducted on all items listed on the TMD daily menu (lunch, dinner, and midmeals). TMD IDDSI audits and staff self-administered surveys were conducted before and 6 mo after the intervention. Results Audits of 68 and 79 TMD meals/items were conducted pre- and postintervention, respectively. Significant improvement in meal compliance was found in all 3 levels of TMDs, including soft and bite-sized (50%; P  = 0.0001), minced and moist (44%; P  = 0.0024), and puréed (42%; P  = 0.0024). The overall IDDSI compliance increased by 46% postintervention (P  < 0.0001). Staff achieved higher scores in both dysphagia and IDDSI knowledge sections (P  < 0.0001). Conclusions Tailored interventions facilitated IDDSI implementation in aged care evidenced by increased TMD compliance and staff knowledge, which remained at 6 mo postintervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purposes: In addition to its role in cellular progression and cancer, SIRT6, a member of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)-dependent class III deacylase sirtuin family, serves a variety of roles in the body's immune system. In this study, we sought to determine the relationship between the expression of SIRT6 and the clinicopathological outcomes of patients with solid tumours by conducting a meta-analysis of the available data. Methods: The databases PubMed and ISI Web of Science were searched for relevant literature, and the results were presented here. Using Stata16.0, a meta-analysis was conducted to determine the impact of SIRT6 on clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis in malignancy patients. The results were published in the journal Cancer Research. The dataset from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) was used to investigate the prognostic significance of SIRT6 in various types of tumors. Results: The inclusion and exclusion criteria were met by 15 studies. In patients with solid tumours, reduced SIRT6 expression was found to be related with improved overall survival (OS) (HR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.45–0.97, P < 0.001) as well as improved disease-free survival (DFS) (HR = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.26–0.91, P < 0.001). Low SIRT6 expression was found to be associated with a better OS in breast cancer (HR = 0.49, 95% CI = 0.27–0.89, P = 0.179), but was found to be associated with a worse OS in gastrointestinal cancer (gastric cancer and colon cancer) (HR = 1.83, 95% CI = 1.20–2.79, P = 0.939) after subgroup analysis. In terms of clinicopathological characteristics, SIRT6 expression was found to be linked with distant metastasis (OR = 2.98, 95% CI = 1.59–5.57, P = 0.694). When the data from the TCGA dataset was compared to normal tissue, it was discovered that SIRT6 expression was significantly different in 11 different types of cancers. Meanwhile, reduced SIRT6 expression was shown to be associated with improved OS (P < 0.05), which was consistent with the findings of the meta-analysis. Aside from that, the expression of SIRT6 was found to be associated with both gender and clinical stage. Conclusion: The overall data of the present meta-analysis indicated that low expression of SIRT6 may predict a favorable survival for patients with solid tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two coumarin-triarylimidazole hybrid derivatives with an N,N-diethylamine at the 7-position and a triaryl-substituted imidazole at the 3-position on the coumarin core, 3-(1-(4-(tert-butyl)phenyl)-4,5-diphenyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)-7-(diethylamino)-2H-chromen-2-one (C-IM-Bu) and 3-(1-(4-cyanophenyl)-4,5-diphenyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)-7-(diethylamino)-2H-chromen-2-one (C-IM-CN), were successfully synthesized for application in organic-light emitting devices. Their photophysical and electrochemical properties, thermal stability and electroluminescence properties were investigated. The results showed that these compounds have excellent thermal stability, and exhibit strong blue-green emission in dichloromethane solution and green emission in thin solid films. Further, the solution-processed doped devices based on the compounds were fabricated, in which the devices fabricated from C-IM-CN exhibited the best device performance with a turn-on voltage of 3.6 V, a maximum brightness of 6896 cd m−2, a maximum current efficiency of 6.39 cd A−1 and a maximum external quantum efficiency of 2.92%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acute fibrinous and organizing pneumonia (AFOP) is a rare lung condition that is associated with acute lung injury. Its etiology may be idiopathic or secondary to a series of conditions, including immune-related diseases, unclassified connective tissue diseases, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, infections, hematological diseases and drug induced lung toxicity. We report for the first time a case of AFOP complicated with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) caused by chronic active Epstein-Barr virus (CAEBV) infection.Case Presentation: A 64-year-old man was admitted with a complaint of fever and dyspnea for 2 weeks. The patient presented with elevated serum aminotransferase levels, splenomegaly, progressive decrease of red blood cells and platelets, hyperferritinemia, hypofibrinogenemia, and elevated of Soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sCD25). His chest computed tomography (CT) scan revealed multiple patchy consolidation in both lungs and multiple lymphadenopathy in the mediastinum and hilum. The serology for antibodies of VCA-IgG was positive, EBV-DNA in peripheral blood was elevated, and EBV nucleic acid was detected in the alveolar lavage fluid. Histopathology of the lung tissue showed a dominant of intra-alveolar fibrin and organizing pneumonia. Hemophagocytic cells was found in the bone marrow smear and biopsy. EBV-DNA was detected in lung tissue and bone marrow using in situ hybridization with an EBV-encoded RNA (EBER) probe. After 50 days of hospitalization, he was improved in lung and hemogram.Conclusion: We report a case of AFOP with HLH caused by CAEBV in an immunocompetent adult, suggesting that AFOP may be a rare but serious complication caused by CAEBV, and glucocorticoid therapy may improve short-term prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teaching–learning-based optimization (TLBO) has become a popular heuristic algorithm recently because of its non-parametric characteristic and strong optimization ability. In the paper, the TLBO is improved to solve expensive engineering optimization problems by making full use of the historical process data. An online data-driven learning strategy is adopted in the DTLBO framework, and the surrogate model is adaptively updated with the increase of historical data. The teaching phase of TLBO is modified by predicting teacher and selecting the offspring individuals with the assistance of the constructed surrogate model. The optimization effect and efficiency of the proposed DTLBO algorithm are verified by a series of numerical examples. Moreover, the DTLBO algorithm is applied to solve a typical expensive engineering optimization problem–aerodynamic shape optimization design. The results demonstrate that the proposed DTLBO has the advantage of high efficiency, strong optimization ability, and non-parametric characteristic for expensive engineering problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multi-group formation fault-tolerant control problem for high-order nonlinear multi-agent systems with parameter uncertainties, unknown external disturbances, switching topologies, and non-cooperative targets are investigated in this paper. A fully distributed formation tracking control protocol is proposed based on the total interaction information between subgroups being zero and the neighboring relative information of multi-agent in the subgroups. In addition, an algorithm is proposed to design the parameters of time-varying formation tracking control protocol. At the same time, it does not require knowing the bounds of actuator faults, parameter uncertainties, control inputs of the leaders, and unknown disturbances. Then, it is proved that the designed control protocols can make the high-order nonlinear multi-agent systems accomplish the desired time-varying multi-group formation, and the errors are uniformly asymptotically bounded stable. Finally, the effectiveness of the designed control protocol is demonstrated by simulation examples of three subgroups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy efficiency of the electric propulsion system in electric aircraft is significantly influenced by the propeller's efficiency, making the design of a high-efficiency propeller critical. Currently, the Blade Element Momentum Theory (BEMT) is widely used for propeller design. The BEMT method exhibits high efficiency but is limited by its low accuracy due to its inability to capture three-dimensional effects of rotating flow. On the other hand, the CFD simulation can enhance the accuracy of simulating complex rotating flows, but it is computationally expensive. To alleviate the contradiction between accuracy and design efficiency in propeller optimization design, this paper describes a Multi-Fidelity Neural Network (MFNN)-based optimization framework for the optimization design of electric aircraft propellers. This method is based on high-fidelity CFD numerical simulations for the optimization design of propellers. In order to enhance design efficiency and accuracy, it fuses low-fidelity BEMT knowledge, aiming to achieve higher model accuracy with fewer CFD simulations. Based on the MFNN, an adaptive sample-infilling approach is employed to update the model, and a teaching–learning-based optimization is used to build the surrogate-based optimization framework. The proposed method improves the cruise efficiency of the propeller from 82.3% (designed by BEMT) to 87.1% and shows advantages in optimization effectiveness and efficiency compared with single-fidelity optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Kidney biopsy, providing the insightful information for most kidney diseases, is an invasive diagnostic tool with certain risks ranging from the least severe macroscopic hematuria to the most severe life-threatening bleeding necessitating renal artery embolization. We aimed to compare the postbiopsy bleeding complications between 2 common methods and to further explore the risk factors of bleeding complications in patients using the negative pressure suction puncture (NPS) method. Methods: We retrospectively collected the data from percutaneous native kidney biopsies in 2016. The clinical, laboratory tests, pathological findings, and the occurrence of bleeding complications following kidney biopsy were analyzed. The kidney biopsy was performed in our center by experienced nephrologists with 2 different methods, namely, NPS method and real-time ultrasound-guided needle (RTU) method. We compared rates of complications between 2 methods and evaluated univariate and multivariate association of risk factors with bleeding complications in the NPS group. Results: 626 kidney biopsies were performed between January 2016 and December 2016. There were 83.2% (521/626) participants in the NPS group and 16.8% (105/626) in the RTU group. There were more participants in the RTU group needing >1 needle pass during biopsy than those in the NPS group (61.0 vs. 14.7%, p < 0.001). Acute kidney disease (AKD) occurred before the procedure of kidney biopsy accounted for 13.8% (72/521) in the NPS group and 1.9% (2/105) in the RTU group. The renal pathological findings revealed higher number of glomeruli in the NPS group than in the RTU group (26.8 ± 13.0 vs. 17.2 ± 8.6, p < 0.001). The incidence of bleeding complications in the NPS group was lower than that in the RTU group (9.2 vs. 21.9%, p < 0.01). Logistic multivariate regression showed that AKD was independently associated with bleeding complications after kidney biopsy in the NPS group. Conclusion: Regarding the bleeding risk, there was noninferiority of NPS over RTU. AKD contributes to higher risks of bleeding complications after kidney biopsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Previous studies have suggested that present subjective well-being promotes students' academic achievement. However, adolescents' subjective well-being tends to be future-oriented; for example, when adolescents think about the future, they have hopeful expectations, feel energized, or confused. Therefore, this 14-month follow-up study conducted in China aimed to establish the longitudinal relationships between present- and future-oriented well-being and academic achievement.Methods: Using two waves of data, this longitudinal study explored the bidirectional relationships between present- and future-oriented well-being and academic achievement among 189 Chinese middle school students (102 girls, 82 boys, 5 unknown) whose mean age was 13.76 at Time 1 and 14.78 at Time 2. The Adolescent Well-being Scale, which has six dimensions (present life satisfaction, present positive affect, present negative affect, hopeful future expectations, positive affect toward future life, and negative affect toward future life) was administered to all students at Time1 and Time 2, and academic scores were collected two weeks later. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data.Results: Cross-lagged analyses revealed that present life satisfaction, present positive affect, and positive affect toward future life at Time 1 were positively correlated with academic achievement at Time 2.Conclusions: These findings suggest that both present- and future-oriented well-being are associated with later academic achievement. Teachers and parents should cultivate students' well-being by targeting not only present life satisfaction and positive affect but also positive feelings toward the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large amounts of data accumulated in ecology and related environmental sciences arouses urgent need to explore useful patterns and information in it. Here we propose coclustering-based methods and a temperatures-photoperiod driven phenological model to explore spatio-temporal differentiation in long-term spring phenology in China. First, we created the first bloom date (FBD) dataset in China from 1979 to 2018 using the extended spring indices and China Meteorological Forcing Dataset. Then we analyzed the dataset using Bregman block average co-clustering algorithm with I-divergence (BBAC_I) and kmeans algorithm. Such analysis delineated the spatially-continuous phenoregions in China for the first time. Results showed three spatial patterns of FBD in China and their temporal dynamics for 40 years (1979–2018). More specifically, overall late spring onsets occur in 1979–1996, in which areas located in Jiangxi, northern Xinjiang and middle Inner Mongolia experienced constant changing spring onsets. Overall increasingly earlier spring onsets occur in 1997–2012, in which areas located in Fujian, Hunan and eastern Heilongjiang experienced the most variable spring onsets. Stable early spring onsets over China occur after 2012. Results also showed 15 temporal patterns of spring phenology over the study period and their spatial delineation in China. More specifically, most areas in China have the same FBD category for 40 years while northern Guizhou, Hunan and southern Hubei have the same category in 1979–1997 and then fluctuate between different categories. Finally, our results have certain directive significance on the design of existing observational sites in Chinese Phenological Network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even though many studies have shown the usefulness of clustering for the exploration of spatio-temporal patterns, until now there is no systematic description of clustering methods for geo-referenced time series (GTS) classified as one-way clustering, co-clustering and tri-clustering methods. Moreover, the selection of a suitable clustering method for a given dataset and task remains to be a challenge. Therefore, we present an overview of existing clustering methods for GTS, using the aforementioned classification, and compare different methods to provide suggestions for the selection of appropriate methods. For this purpose, we define a taxonomy of clustering-related geographical questions and compare the clustering methods by using representative algorithms and a case study dataset. Our results indicate that tri-clustering methods are more powerful in exploring complex patterns at the cost of additional computational effort, whereas one-way clustering and co-clustering methods yield less complex patterns and require less running time. However, the selection of the most suitable method should depend on the data type, research questions, computational complexity, and the availability of the methods. Finally, the described classification can include novel clustering methods, thereby enabling the exploration of more complex spatio-temporal patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the operation mechanisms of organolead halide perovskite based resistive memory cells and explores the device architectures that could ensure high memory endurance and high fabrication reproducibility. By introducing thin polyethyleneimine (PEI) interfacial layers to separate the direct contact of the perovskite layer with the top and bottom electrodes, thus producing a device structure of ITO/PEI/CH3NH3PbI3/PEI/metal, we achieved endurance cycles of more than 4000 times while maintaining a low operation voltage around 0.25 V. Furthermore, reproducible memory switching behavior was demonstrated among 180 devices fabricated from eight different device batches. To study the memory mechanism, we varied the top electrode (TE) metal materials and found three distinctively different resistive switching characteristics for InGa, Ag, and Al electrodes, respectively. The results suggest that the memory switching originates from a concerted effect of defect motion in the perovskite film and metal ion diffusion from the TE and that the switching mechanism is associated with the substitutionality of the metal ion in the Pb–I cage. For Ag ions with high substitutionality, the memory turn-on is dominated by interface vacancies, whereas for Al ions with low substitutionality, filament formation governs the memory switching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterodera glycines is one of the most destructive pathogens of soybean. Soybean seeds coated with Bacillus simplex Sneb545 have shown resistance to H. glycines as a result of induced systemic resistance (ISR) in the plants. In this study, we aimed to identify the resistance-inducing determinants from this B. simplex strain. Combining the ISR bioassay, six ISR-active compounds were isolated from a culture of B. simplex Sneb545 using organic solvent gradient extraction, silica gel column chromatography, Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography, and semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and all systems were based on activity tracking. The compounds were determined as cyclic(Pro-Tyr), cyclic(Val-Pro), cyclic(Leu-Pro), uracil, phenylalanine, and tryptophan using 1H NMR and 13C NMR. In plants from seeds coated with Bacillus simplex Sneb545, these six ISR-active compounds delayed the development of H. glycines in soybean roots. Moreover, cyclic(Pro-Tyr), cyclic(Val-Pro), and tryptophan reduced the number of nematodes in soybean roots. The expression levels of defense-related genes with cyclic(Val-Pro), tryptophan and uracil treatment soybean analysed using Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The results indicate cyclic(Val-Pro), tryptophan and uracil induced the expression of defense-related genes involved in the SA- and JA-pathways to against H. glycines. Our research results provide new agents for the control of H. glycines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A semi-supervised model is proposed for extracting clinical terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine using feature words.Methods: The extraction model is based on BiLSTM-CRF and combined with semi-supervised learning and feature word set, which reduces the cost of manual annotation and leverage extraction results.Results: Experiment results show that the proposed model improves the extraction of five types of TCM clinical terms, including traditional Chinese medicine, symptoms, patterns, diseases and formulas. The best F1-value of the experiment reaches 78.70% on the test dataset.Conclusions: This method can reduce the cost of manual labeling and improve the result in the NER research of TCM clinical terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether TIPE2 participates in the protective actions of dexmedetomidine (DEX) in a mouse model of sepsis-induced acute lung injury (ALI). We administered TIPE2 adeno-associated virus (AAV-TIPE2) intratracheally into the lungs of mice. Control mice were infected with an adeno-associated virus expressing no transgene. Three weeks later, an animal model of caecal ligation-perforation (CLP)-induced sepsis was established. DEX was administered intravenously 30 min after CLP. Twenty-four hours after sepsis, lung injury was assayed by lung histology, the ratio of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) to total cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, BALF protein content and the lung wet-to-dry (W/D) weight ratio. Proinflammatory factor levels in the BALF of mice were measured. The protein expression levels in lung tissues were analysed by Western blotting. The results showed that DEX treatment markedly mitigated sepsis-induced lung injury, which was characterized by the deterioration of histopathology, histologic scores, the W/D weight ratio and total protein levels in the BALF. Moreover, DEX markedly attenuated sepsis-induced lung inflammation, as evidenced by the decrease in the number of PMNs in the BALF, lung MPO activity and proinflammatory cytokines in the BALF. In addition, DEX dramatically prevented sepsis-induced pulmonary cell apoptosis in mice, as reflected by decreases in the number of TUNEL-positive cells, the protein expression of cleaved caspase-9 and cleaved caspase 3 and the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. In addition, evaluation of protein expression showed that DEX blocked sepsis-activated JNK phosphorylation and NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation. Similar results were also observed in the TIPE2 overexpression group. Our study demonstrated that DEX inhibits acute inflammation and apoptosis in a murine model of sepsis-stimulated ALI via the upregulation of TIPE2 and the suppression of the activation of the NF-κB and JNK signalling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomedical ontology matching dedicates to find two heterogeneous ontologies' alignment and address their heterogeneity problem. Typically, a biomedical ontology has various biomedical concepts that are described with various labels and datatype property names, which forms a lexical space where each label or datatype property represents one dimension. Therefore, it is an effective way to present two biomedical concepts in a vector space, and use the cosine distance to measure their similarity. In this work, we present two biomedical concepts in a lexical vector space which is constructed with their inner and context concepts' lexical information, and then utilize two vector's cosine distance to measure similarity value. Then, we propose a compact Evolutionary Algorithm (cEA) to find the concept correspondences. The experiment uses Ontology Alignment Evaluation Initiative (OAEI)'s testing cases, and the expeirmental results with Vector space Based Ontology Matcher (VBOM), Genetic Algorithm based Ontology Matcher (GAOM) and OAEI's participants show the effectiveness of our proposal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, most real-world decision problems consist of two or more incommensurable or conflicting objectives to be optimized simultaneously, so-called multiobjective optimization problems (MOPs). Usually, a decision maker (DM) prefers only a single optimum solution in the Pareto front (PF), and the PF's knee solution is logically the one if there are no user-specific or problem-specific preferences. In this context, the biomedical ontology matching problem in the Semantic Web (SW) domain is investigated, which can be of help to integrate the biomedical knowledge and facilitate the translational discoveries. Since biomedical ontologies often own large-scale concepts with rich semantic meanings, it is difficult to find a perfect alignment that could meet all DM's requirements, and usually, the matching process needs to trade-off two conflict objectives, i.e., the alignment's recall and precision. To this end, in this work, the biomedical ontology matching problem is first defined as a MOP, and then a compact multiobjective particle swarm optimization algorithm driven by knee solution (CMPSO-K) is proposed to address it. In particular, a compact evolutionary mechanism is proposed to efficiently optimize the alignment's quality, and a max-min approach is used to determine the PF's knee solution. In the experiment, three biomedical tracks provided by Ontology Alignment Evaluation Initiative (OAEI) are used to test CMPSO-K's performance. The comparisons with OAEI's participants and PSO-based matching technique show that CMPSO-K is both effective and efficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar energy, as a clean and renewable energy source, holds significant promise for addressing water shortages. Utilizing solar energy for water evaporation is seen as an effective solution in this regard. While many existing interfacial photothermal water evaporation systems rely on nanoparticles or graphene as photothermal or support materials, this study introduced polydopamine (PDA) as a photothermal material due to its environmental friendliness and excellent photon absorption characteristics that closely match the solar spectrum. Polystyrene (PS) was also introduced as a support material for its porous structure and density similar to water, enabling it to float on water. The resulting PS-PDA composite porous structure solar evaporator exhibited a photothermal conversion efficiency comparable to nanoparticles (over 75%), yet with lower production costs and minimal environmental impact. This innovative approach offers a scalable solution for water-scarce regions, providing a cost-effective and efficient means to address water scarcity. The use of PDA and PS in this context highlights the potential for utilizing common materials in novel ways to meet pressing environmental challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the last decade, Rapidly-exploring Random Tree star (RRT∗) algorithm based on sampling has been widely used in the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) path planning for its probabilistically complete and asymptotically optimal characteristics. However, the convergence rate of RRT∗ as well as B-RRT∗ and IB-RRT∗ is slow for these algorithms perform pure exploration. To overcome the weaknesses above, Biased Sampling Potentially Guided Intelligent Bidirectional RRT∗ (BPIB-RRT∗) algorithm is proposed in this paper, which combines the bidirectional artificial potential field method with the idea of bidirectional biased sampling. The proposed algorithm flexibly adjusts the sampling space, greatly reduces the invalid spatial sampling, and improves the convergence rate. Moreover, the deeply theoretical analysis of the proposed BPIB-RRT∗ algorithm is given regarding its probabilistic completeness, asymptotic optimality, and computational complexity. Finally, compared to the latest UAV path planning algorithms, simulation comparisons are demonstrated to show the superiority of our proposed BPIB-RRT∗ algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Tumour necrosis factor-α-induced protein 8-like 2 (TIPE2) has strong anti-inflammatory properties. However, it is unknown whether increased TIPE2 is protective against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI. In the current study, we aimed to investigate whether increased TIPE2 can exert protective effects in a mouse model of ALI induced by LPS. Methods: We administered TIPE2 adeno-associated virus (AAV-TIPE2) intratracheally into the lungs of mice. Three weeks later, ALI was induced by intratracheal injection of LPS into BALB/c mice. Twenty-four hours later, lung bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was acquired to analyse cells and protein, arterial blood was collected for arterial blood gas analysis and the determination of pro-inflammatory factor levels, and lung issues were collected for histologic examination, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), TUNEL staining, wet/dry (W/D) weight ratio analysis, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity analysis and blot analysis of protein expression. Results: We found that TIPE2 overexpression markedly mitigated LPS-induced lung injury, which was evaluated by the deterioration of histopathology, histologic scores, the W/D weight ratio, and total protein expression in the BALF. Moreover, TIPE2 overexpression markedly attenuated lung inflammation, as evidenced by the downregulation of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) in the BALF, lung MPO activity, and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels in the serum. Moreover, TIPE2 overexpression not only dramatically prevented LPS-induced pulmonary cell apoptosis in mice but also blocked LPS-activated JNK phosphorylation and NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation. Conclusions: Our study shows that the increased expression of AAV-mediated TIPE2 in the lungs of mice inhibits acute inflammation and apoptosis and suppresses the activation of NF-κB and JNK in a murine model of ALI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional surrogate-based optimization techniques are facing severe challenges for high-dimensional engineering optimization problems. The main challenges are how to overcome metamodeling and optimization difficulties in high-dimensional design space. To solve the above difficulties, a developed surrogate-based optimization framework combining high-dimensional model representation (HDMR)-based modeling technique and teaching-learning-based optimization (TLBO) algorithm is developed. A high-dimensional model can be decomposed into a series of low-dimensional models by HDMR-based modeling technique, which can greatly reduce the difficulty of building high-dimensional model. The TLBO algorithm which has strong optimization ability and non-parameter setting characteristic is introduced to optimize the HDMR-based model to overcome the difficulty of optimization. Several representative functions are selected as examples to verify the developed optimization method for high-dimensional problems. In addition, The developed surrogate-based optimization is applied to solve a typical engineering optimization problem: high-dimensional aerodynamic shape optimization. It can be concluded that the optimization ability of the traditional surrogate-based optimization framework can be improved with assistance of HDMR-based modeling technique and TLBO algorithm for high-dimensional engineering problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The northern root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne hapla) is a critical pathogen with a wide host range. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) has been used to elucidate gene expression and function of M. hapla. Suitable reference genes are required to ensure accurate results of qRT-PCR for normalising gene expression. Eleven candidate reference genes of M. hapla were selected to evaluate gene expression stability under different conditions. The stability of candidate reference genes was ranked using RefFinder analysis, and the optimal number of reference genes was recommended with geNorm. Notably, the most stable reference genes were SDHA, Mdh, and RpS6 for all samples; SDHA and RpS6 were particularly stable during development stage treatments, whereas Mdh and RpS6 were appropriate for temperature and inorganic compound treatments. In contrast, the least stable reference genes were Actin1 during development stages and all other treatments, GAPDH for temperature treatments, and α-Tub for inorganic compound treatments. One target gene, Mh-Hsp90, was used to verify the selection of reference genes, results showed Mdh and RpS6 could be used as suitable reference genes for M. hapla, and Mdh plus RpS6 were better. Our finding contributes to further work on gene transcription analysis in M. hapla. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a critical syndrome that is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. The activation of the Fas/Fas ligand (FasL) signaling pathway may be an important pathophysiological mechanism during ALI development. Penehyclidine hydrochloride (PHC) has been revealed to exhibit anti-apoptotic properties and may attenuate the observed systemic inflammatory response. The present study was performed to elucidate the molecular mechanism of PHC in the regulation of the Fas/FasL signaling pathway in rats with ALI. An ALI rat model was constructed by inducing blunt chest trauma and hemorrhagic shock (T/HS), with PHC administration prior to or following T/HS. At 6 h following T/HS, blood samples and lung tissues were collected. Western blotting, arterial blood gas analysis, ELISA, hematoxylin and eosin staining, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling staining and biochemical indicator analysis were performed to determine the degree of lung injury and the key signaling pathways associated with lung damage. The results indicated that the administration of PHC following T/HS effectively attenuates lung injury by improving pulmonary oxygenation, decreasing histopathological damage, decreasing polymorphonuclear neutrophil count and decreasing Fas, FasL, caspase-8, caspase-3, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1β expression. The results indicated that PHC exhibits anti-apoptotic functions and exerts protective effects in ALI rats induced by T/HS, which may be attributed to the inhibition of the Fas/FasL signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper conducts a benchmark aerodynamic shape optimization with the developed POD-based CST airfoil parametric method. The POD analysis transforms the basis functions of the CST parametric method into reduced orthogonal POD basis functions which are used to describe the geometric variation of the aerodynamic shape. A benchmark aerodynamic shape optimization for drag minimization of RAE2822 airfoil in transonic viscous flow provided by AIAA aerodynamic design optimization discussion group is used to verify the optimization effect of the developed parametric method. The optimized results indicate that developed parametric method can maintain almost the same ability to cover potential airfoils with much fewer parameters as the original high-dimensional CST method does, which can overcome the contradiction of high-dimensionality of design parameters and increase of optimization difficulty well. Moreover, the benchmark optimized results verify the optimization effect of the developed method by comparing with benchmark results optimized by other international counterparts in the field of aerodynamic shape optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of tracking control is considered for a class of non‐linear time‐delay systems in the presence of unknown dead‐zone input and tracking error satisfying the prescribed performance. The new state transformation for tracking error is firstly utilised to ensure that the tracking error is within the prescribed boundaries. At the same time, the indirect adaptive neural networks and a new inequality are used to deal with the unknown non‐linear time‐delay terms and the completely unknown dead‐zone input, respectively. Then, the authors design the controller based on the dynamic surface control technique. By constructing the Lyapunov functional, it is shown that the resulting closed‐loop system is stable in the sense of uniformly ultimate boundedness and that the tracking error converges to a small residual set with the prescribed performance. Finally, simulation examples are given and the results show the effectiveness of the proposed control design method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, alkyd resin and 3-glycidyloxypropyl-polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes were synthesized from castor oil and siloxane, respectively, and used to as the modifier of the epoxy resins. Laminate of fiberglass-reinforced composite were prepared from alkyd-epoxy resin with different 3-glycidyloxypropyl-polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes content. The properties of nanocomposite were characterized. The results showed that the 3-glycidyloxypropyl-polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes could increase the impact strength of nanocomposite. When the content of 3-glycidyloxypropyl-polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes is 6 wt% of the alkyd resin, theTgenhances to 5.2°C, the impact strength increases to 53.01 kJ/m2(64%), but the tensile strength decreases 15.03 MPa (7.6%). Nanocomposite has good electrical properties and insulating properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimization techniques combined with uncertainty quantification are computationally expensive for robust aerodynamic optimization due to expensive CFD costs. Surrogate model technology can be used to improve the efficiency of robust optimization. In this paper, non-intrusive polynomial chaos method and Kriging model are used to construct a surrogate model that associate stochastic aerodynamic statistics with airfoil shapes. Then, global search algorithm is used to optimize the model to obtain optimal airfoil fast. However, optimization results always depend on the approximation accuracy of the surrogate model. Actually, it is difficult to achieve a high accuracy of the model in the whole design space. Therefore, we introduce the idea of adaptive strategy to robust aerodynamic optimization and propose an adaptive stochastic optimization framework. The surrogate model is updated adaptively by increasing training airfoils according to historical optimization results to guarantee the accuracy near the optimal design point, which can greatly reduce the number of training airfoils. The proposed method is applied to a robust aerodynamic shape optimization for drag minimization considering uncertainty of Mach number in transonic region. It can be concluded that the proposed method can obtain better optimal results more efficiently than the traditional robust optimization method and global surrogate model method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The northern root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne hapla, is one of the most important nematode pathogens occurring in cold regions. It is a sedentary, biotrophic parasites of plants and overwinter in the soil or in diseased roots. This study showed that the cold tolerance for the second-stage juveniles (J2) of M. hapla was moderate with the 50% survival temperature (S50) of -2.22°C and the fatal temperature was -6°C when cooling at 0.5°C min-1. Cryoprotective dehydration significantly enhance cold tolerance of M. hapla J2 with the lowest S50 of -3.28°C after held being at -1°C for 6 h. Moreover, cold shock and cold acclimation had significant effects on the freezing survival of M. hapla J2. The lethal temperature of eggs was -18°C. Therefore, the cold tolerance of M. hapla is sufficiently favorable to withstand winters in cold temperature environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clustering is often used to explore patterns in georeferenced time series (GTS). Most clustering studies, however, only analyze GTS from one or two dimension(s) and are not capable of the simultaneous analysis of the data from three dimensions: spatial, temporal, and any third (e.g., attribute) dimension. Here we develop a novel clustering algorithm called the Bregman cuboid average triclustering algorithm with I-divergence (BCAT_I), which enables the complete partitional analysis of 3D GTS. BCAT_I simultaneously groups the data along its dimensions to form regular triclusters. These triclusters are subsequently refined using k means to fully capture spatiotemporal patterns in the data. By applying BCAT_I to time series of daily average temperature in The Netherlands (twenty-eight weather stations from 1992 to 2011), we identified the refined triclusters with similar temperature values along the spatial dimension (weather stations that represent locations) and two nested temporal dimensions (year and day). Geovisualization techniques were then used to display the patterns of intra-annual variability in temperature. Our results show that in the last two thirds of the study period, there is an intense variability of spring and winter temperatures in the northeast and center of The Netherlands. For the same period, an intense variability of spring temperatures is also visible in the southeast of the country. Our results also show that summer temperatures are homogenous across the country for most of the study period. This particular application demonstrates that BCAT_I enables a complete analysis of 3D GTS and, as such, it contributes to a better understanding of complex patterns in spatiotemporal data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to develop clinical scores to predict the risk of intensive care unit (ICU) admission in patients with COVID-19 and end stage kidney disease (ESKD). This was a prospective study in which 100 patients with ESKD were enrolled and divided into two groups: the ICU group and the non-ICU group. We utilized univariate logistic regression and nonparametric statistics to analyze the clinical characteristics and liver function changes of both groups. By plotting receiver operating characteristic curves, we identified clinical scores that could predict the risk of ICU admission. Out of the 100 patients with Omicron infection, 12 patients were transferred to the ICU due to disease aggravation, with an average of 9.08 days from hospitalization to ICU transfer. Patients transferred to the ICU more commonly experienced shortness of breath, orthopnea, and gastrointestinal bleeding. The peak liver function and changes from baseline in the ICU group were significantly higher, with p values <.05. We found that the baseline platelet-albumin-bilirubin score (PALBI) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were good predictors of ICU admission risk, with area under curve values of 0.713 and 0.770, respectively. These scores were comparable to the classic Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE-II) score (p >.05). Patients with ESKD and Omicron infection who are transferred to the ICU are more likely to have abnormal liver function. The baseline PALBI and NLR scores can better predict the risk of clinical deterioration and early transfer to the ICU for treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This meta-analysis compared laparoscopic surgery (LAP) and open resection (OPEN) for the treatment of gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) with regard to feasibility and safety. Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science for studies published before March 2016 comparing the LAP and OPEN procedures for GISTs. RevMan 5.1 software was used for the meta-analysis. Results: In total, 28 studies met the inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis. The mean tumor sizes in the OPEN and LAP groups were 4.54 and 5.67 cm. Compared with the OPEN patients, the LAP patients experienced shorter surgical times (P = 0.05), less blood loss (P<0.01), earlier time to flatus (P<0.01) and an oral diet (P<0.01), and shorter hospital stays (P<0.01). The LAP patients also exhibited a decrease in overall complications (P<0.01). In addition, regarding the subgroup of larger GISTs (>5 cm), the present study did not report significant differences in operation time (P = 0.93), postoperative complications (P = 0.30), or recurrence rate (P = 0.61) between the two groups, though LAP was associated with favorable results regarding blood loss (P = 0.03) and hospital stay (P<0.01). Conclusions: Compared with the OPEN procedure, the LAP procedure is associated with preferable short-term postoperative outcomes and does not compromise long-term oncological outcomes. For gastric GISTs >5 cm, no significant difference was detected between LAP and OPEN if patient selection and intraoperative decisions were carefully considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Airfoil geometric uncertainty can generate aerodynamic characteristics fluctuations. Uncertainty quantification is applied to compute its impact on the aerodynamic characteristics. In addition, the contribution of each uncertainty variable to aerodynamic characteristics should be computed by the uncertainty sensitivity analysis. In the paper, Sobol’s analysis is used for uncertainty sensitivity analysis and a nonintrusive polynomial chaos method is used for uncertainty quantification and Sobol’s analysis. It is difficult to describe geometric uncertainty because it needs a lot of input parameters. In order to alleviate the contradiction between the variable dimension and computational cost, a principal component analysis is introduced to describe geometric uncertainty of airfoil. Through this technique, the number of input uncertainty variables can be reduced and typical global deformation modes can be obtained. By uncertainty quantification, we can learn that the flow characteristics of shock wave and boundary layer separation are sensitive to the geometric uncertainty in transonic region, which is the main reason that transonic drag is sensitive to the geometric uncertainty. The sensitivity analysis shows that the model can be simplified by eliminating unimportant geometric modes. Moreover, which are the most important geometric modes to transonic aerodynamics can be learnt. This is very helpful for airfoil design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• ERA5-Land is evaluated and compared with IMERG over the Tibetan Plateau with a special focus on their hydrological utility. • ERA5-Land overestimates precipitation while IMERG-F provides best estimation. • The simulation performance of ERA5-Land is comparable to IMERG-F in ungauged catchment. • ERA5-Land is recommended for long-term hydrological simulation. In the context of global warming, precipitation information over the Tibetan Plateau (TP), known as the water tower of Asia, is crucial for both atmospheric and hydrological cycle research. As important alternatives of gauge observations, the satellite-based precipitation estimations and atmospheric reanalysis precipitation prodcuts have undergone rapid development over the past few decades. However, their performance and usabilities are not effectively investigated over the TP, particularly for the latestly released products. Hence, this study presents a comprehensive evaluation of a state-of-the-art reanalysis precipitation (ERA5-Land) and compares it with two IMERG products (i.e., IMERG-E and IMERG-L) from 2001 to 2018, with a special focus on their hydrological utility. Results indicate that ERA5-Land presents a severe overestimation of precipitation amount and precipitation frequency but well reflects their spatial–temporal patterns over the entire TP. The IMERG products, particularly for IMERG-F, outperform ERA5-Land in estimating precipitation amount. In terms of hydrological utility in the upper Yellow River basin, both ERA5-Land and IMERG-E show poor simulation performance using gauge-based model parameters, which is closely related to their overestimation/underestimation of precipitation amount. In contrast, IMERG-F forced simulation performs much better due to its low systematic error. When the hydrological model is recalibrated based on individual precipitation input, the simulation performance of ERA5-Land is comparable to IMERG-F, slightly inferior to gauge observation. Therefore, it is recommended that the selection of appropriate precipitation products need to accord their own research purposes. IMERG-F provides a more accurate estimation of precipitation amount, while, employing input-specific calibrated model parameters, ERA5-Land can provide long term hydrological simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C 3+ alcohols are widely used as organic solvents, raw chemicals and fuel additives. However, the self-condensation of alcohol can limit the distribution of products. Herein, the binary metal oxide ZnO-ZrO 2 with solid solution structure was prepared and applied into the synthesis of higher alcohols through the ethanol condensation and the coupling of ethanol with the CO 2 hydrogenation. The optimized 0.3ZnO-ZrO 2 solid-solution catalyst shows that ethanol conversion can reach 29% with the C 3+ alcohols (1-propanol, 1-butanol and 1-hexanol) selectivity of 67%. The high selectivity of C 3+ alcohols can be attributed to the acid-base bifunction for performing the condensation of ethanol and the coupling of ethanol and the CH x O intermediates that are produced through CO 2 hydrogenation. This work opens a new avenue for the synthesis of C 3+ alcohols. [Display omitted] • The binary metal oxide ZnO-ZrO 2 with solid solution structure was prepared and applied into the synthesis of C 3+ alcohols. • C 3+ alcohols are produced through the ethanol condensation and the coupling of ethanol with CO 2 hydrogenation. • The C-C bond coupling is realized through the synergetic effect over the acid-base sites of ZnO-ZrO 2 solid solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most modern semiconductor laboratories are equipped with scanning electron or atomic force microscopes based nanoprobing systems for electrical measurement of advanced technology node devices. These nanoprobing systems use a scanning electron or an atomic force microscope in their design to image and make electrical connection to the nanoscale contacts on these devices to perform DC electrical tests and examine their electric properties. While the conventional sweep DC I-V curves can reveal most failures in MOSFETs (metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect-transistors), DC I-V tests have been found to be insufficient for identifying high-resistive gate faults. New techniques based on the pulsed I-V and high-frequency C-V measurements have been recently developed for detecting these high-resistive gate defects in these devices. In this paper, several test samples were manufactured and later measured using both the pulsed I-V and C-V methods to confirm their applicability. Finally, several real resistive gate device failure cases were examined using these same methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]