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The examination and identification of silicate minerals are critical for advancing our understanding of the evolutionary journey of Earth‐like bodies. To facilitate an efficient and productive process, it is imperative that these minerals be detected swiftly and accurately. This study is designed to explore the relationship between varying concentrations of cations and their corresponding Raman shifts. The focus is on primary silicate minerals in Earth‐like bodies, specifically olivine, pyroxene, and feldspar, utilizing data from the RRUFF database. Employing a fitting formula, we identify distinct Raman peak ranges associated with different silicate minerals. Our research covers a wide array of mineral types, including five varieties of olivine (forsterite [Mg2SiO4], fayalite [Fe2+2SiO4], tephroite [Mn2+2SiO4], monticellite [CaMgSiO4], and kirschsteinite [CaFe2+SiO4]), four types of pyroxene (ferrosilite [Fe2+2Si2O6], enstatite [Mg2Si2O6], hedenbergite [CaFe2+Si2O6], and diopside [CaMgSi2O6]), and three varieties of feldspar (alkali feldspar [KAlSi3O8], albite [NaAlSi3O8], and anorthite [CaAl2Si2O8]). The accuracy of matching Raman characteristics is exceptionally high for all olivine and pyroxene types (100%) and an impressive 86% for feldspar. The findings from this study highlight the crucial role of Raman spectroscopy in the field of silicate mineralogy and suggest significant implications for enhancing future exploration missions to Earth‐like bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the key materials used in the civil engineering industry, concrete has a global annual consumption of approximately 10 billion tons. Cement and fine aggregate are the main raw materials of concrete, and their production causes certain harm to the environment. As one of the countries with the largest production of industrial solid waste, China needs to handle solid waste properly. Researchers have proposed to use them as raw materials for concrete. In this paper, the effects of different lithium slag (LS) contents (0%, 10%, 20%, 40%) and different substitution rates of recycled fine aggregates (RFA) (0%, 10%, 20%, 30%) on the axial compressive strength and stress-strain curve of concrete are discussed. The results show that the axial compressive strength, elastic modulus, and peak strain of concrete can increase first and then decrease when LS is added, and the optimal is reached when the LS content is 20%. With the increase of the substitution rate of RFA, the axial compressive strength and elastic modulus of concrete decrease, but the peak strain increases. The appropriate amount of LS can make up for the mechanical defects caused by the addition of RFA to concrete. Based on the test data, the stress-strain curve relationship of lithium slag recycled fine aggregate concrete is proposed, which has a high degree of agreement compared with the test results, which can provide a reference for practical engineering applications. In this study, LS and RFA are innovatively applied to concrete, which provides a new way for the harmless utilization of solid waste and is of great significance for the control of environmental pollution and resource reuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The harpoon mechanism has been a milestone in molecular reaction dynamics. Until now, the entity from which electron harpooning occurs has been either alkali metal atoms or non‐metallic analogs in their excited states. In this work, we demonstrate that a common organic molecule, octamethylcalix[4] pyrrole (omC4P), behaves just like alkali metal atoms, enabling the formation of charge‐separated ionic bonding complexes with halogens omC4P+ ⋅ X− (X=F−I, SCN) via the harpoon mechanism. Their electronic structures and chemical bonding were determined by cryogenic photoelectron spectroscopy of the corresponding anions and confirmed by theoretical analyses. The omC4P+ ⋅ X− could be visualized to form from the reactants omC4P+X via electron harpooning from omC4P to X at a distance defined by the energy difference between the ionization potential of omC4P and electron affinity of X. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considerable progress has been made in the experimental studies on laser-induced terahertz (THz) radiation in liquids. Liquid THz demonstrates many unique features different from the gas and plasma THz. For example, the liquid THz can be efficiently produced by a monochromatic laser. Its yield is maximized with a longer driving-pulse duration. It is also linearly dependent on the excitation pulse energy. In two-color laser fields, an unexpected unmodulated THz field was measured, and its energy dependence of the driving laser is completely different from that of the modulated THz waves. However, the underlying microscopic mechanism is still unclear due to the difficulties in the description of ultrafast dynamics in complex disordered liquids. Here we propose a shift-current model. The experimental observations could be reproduced by our theory successfully. In addition, our theory could be further utilized to investigate the nuclear quantum effect in the THz radiation in H2O and D2O. This work provides fundamental insights into the origin of the THz radiation in bulk liquids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal halide perovskite (MHP) detectors are highly esteemed for their outstanding photoelectric properties and versatility in applications. However, they are unfortunately prone to degradation, which constitutes a significant barrier to their sustained performance. This review meticulously delves into the causes leading to their instability, predominantly attributable to factors such as humidity, temperature, and electric fields and, notably, to various radiation factors such as X-rays, γ-rays, electron beams, and proton beams. Furthermore, it outlines recent advancements in strategies aimed at mitigating these detrimental effects, emphasizing breakthroughs in composition engineering, heterostructure construction, and encapsulation methodologies. At last, this review underscores the needs for future improvements in theoretical studies, material design, and standard testing protocols. In the pursuit of optimizing the chemical stability of MHP detectors, collaborative efforts are in an imperative need. In this way, broad industrial applications of MHP detectors could be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sepsis is defined as a kind of life-threatening organ dysfunction due to a dysregulated host immune response to infection and is a leading cause of mortality in the intensive care unit. Sepsis-induced myocardial dysfunction, also called septic cardiomyopathy, is a common and serious complication in patients with sepsis, which may indicate a bad prognosis. Although efforts have been made to uncover the pathophysiology of septic cardiomyopathy, a number of uncertainties remain. This article sought to review available literature to summarize the existing knowledge on current diagnostic tools and biomarkers, pathogenesis, and treatments for septic cardiomyopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Opinion cascades, initiated by active opinions, offer a valuable avenue for exploring the dynamics of consensus and disagreement formation. Nevertheless, the impact of biased perceptions on opinion cascade, arising from the balance between global information and locally accessible information within network neighborhoods, whether intentionally or unintentionally, has received limited attention. In this study, we introduce a threshold model to simulate the opinion cascade process within social networks. Our findings reveal that consensus emerges only when the collective stubbornness of the population falls below a critical threshold. Additionally, as stubbornness decreases, we observe a higher prevalence of first-order and second-order phase transitions between consensus and disagreement. The emergence of disagreement can be attributed to the formation of echo chambers, which are tightly knit communities where agents' biased perceptions of active opinions are lower than their stubbornness, thus hindering the erosion of active opinions. This research establishes a valuable framework for investigating the relationship between perception bias and opinion formation, providing insights into addressing disagreement in the presence of biased information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interleukin-10 (IL-10) promotes the formation and development of malignant pleural effusion (MPE). Previous studies have elucidated the pathogenesis from the view of the immune-regulation function of CD4+ T-cells. However, the underlying mechanism is still not fully understood. In this study, our results showed that IL-10 deficiency reduced the percentage of macrophages in mouse MPE and regulated M1/M2 polarization in vivo and in vitro. The migration capacity of tumor cells was suppressed, and apoptosis was promoted when tumor cells were cocultured with MPE macrophages in the absence of IL-10. Messenger RNA sequencing of MPE macrophages showed that S100A9 was downregulated in IL-10−/− mice. Bone marrow-derived macrophages obtained from wild-type mice transfected with S100A9-specific small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) also showed less M2 and more M1 polarization than those from the siRNA control group. Furthermore, downregulation of S100A9 using S100A9-specific siRNA suppressed MPE development, decreased macrophages, and modulated macrophage polarization in MPE in vivo. In conclusion, S100A9 plays a vital role in the process of IL-10 deficiency-mediated MPE suppression by regulating M1/M2 polarization, thus influencing the tumor-migration capacity and apoptosis. This could result in clinically applicable strategies to inhibit the formation of MPE by regulating the polarization of MPE macrophages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the basic mechanical behavior and the reloading reinforcement characteristics of fractured coal, conventional triaxial loading tests with different fissure angle were first carried out. On this basis, conventional triaxial loading and unloading tests were conducted to investigate the reloading reinforcement characteristics of fractured coal. The results reveal that when the fissure angle was small, the stress–strain curve exhibited the multi-peak phenomena. As the fissure angle increased, the stress drop phenomenon in the peak region was weakened. With the increase of the fissure angle, the peak stress of the specimens increased and then decreased, while the elastic modulus showed an overall increasing trend, demonstrating the controlling effect of the crack angle. Meanwhile, the cyclic loading exhibited a certain enhancement effect on the strength of the fractured coals when the specimens was unloaded near the crack closure stress. The findings can provide a better understanding of the failure mechanism and reloading reinforcement characteristics of fractured coal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanisms of the strain rate dependence of closed-cell PVC foams under shock were numerically studied based on a cell-based model combined with the Coupled Eulerian–Lagrangian (CEL) method in this paper. The strain rate effect of the base material and the entrapped gas effect were focused. The results show that the strain rate effect of the base material has a significant influence on the stress magnitude in the regions before and after the shock front, and the entrapped gas mainly affects the velocity field. Both the strain rate effect of the base material and the entrapped gas have a notable influence on the strain distribution. Taking PVC foam with a relative density of 0.07 as an example, the strain rate effect of the base material will increase the impact stress by 45% and reduce the impact strain by 0.04. The entrapped gas will reduce the impact strain by 0.18, and its effect on the impact stress can be ignored. Finally, two constitutive laws considering the strain rate effect and entrapped gas effect were proposed and compared for the PVC foam under shock with one based on the Hugoniot relationship and the other based on the D-RPH model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seismic stochastic inversion method has received much attention because of its considerable advantage of having higher vertical resolution than deterministic inversions. However, due to the lack of cross-well data, the inversion results typically exhibit poor lateral continuity. Furthermore, the inversion efficiency is low, and the inversion result is highly random. Therefore, this study proposes a geostatistical seismic inversion method constrained by a seismic waveform. The correlation coefficient of seismic data is used to measure the similarity of the seismic waveforms, replacing the traditional variogram for sequential Gaussian simulation. Under the Bayesian framework, the Monte Carlo-Markov Chain (MCMC) algorithm is combined with the constraints of seismic data to randomly perturb and optimize the simulation results for obtaining the optimized parameter inversion results. The model data tests show that the initial model based on seismic waveform constraints can accurately describe the spatial structure of the subsurface reservoir. In addition, perturbing and optimizing initial model can increase the convergence speed of the Markov chain and effectively improve the accuracy of the inversion results. In this paper, the proposed geostatistical inversion method is applied to the actual seismic data of an oil field. Under the constraints of the stochastic simulation process and objective function, the geological information contained in the seismic waveforms is fully mined, and a theoretical foundation is provided for realizing the multidata joint-constrained seismic inversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing demand for vertical isolation in the engineering field, the compressive behavior of low–shape factor (LSF) lead-rubber bearings (LRBs) needs to be further explored. However, the conventional simulation method of lead boundary conditions cannot accurately capture the actual compressive behavior of LSF bearings. Some scientific literature has reported this, but there is a lack of detailed studies to explain it. By comparing the experimental data and numerical simulation results of LSF bearings, the problem of this research is put forward. Thus, a refined numerical simulation method of lead boundary conditions is proposed in this paper based on the manufacturing process of LRBs. Assumed contact types, friction coefficients, and filling ratios of the lead plug are considered as variables of lead boundary conditions. The first shape factor and lead plug diameter are considered bearings variables. The compressive behavior of LRBs, including stiffness, deformation, and stress–strain distribution, are discussed through detailed analysis. The main study results indicate that contact types and filling ratios of lead plugs have a significant influence on the compressive behavior of LSF bearings, and the friction coefficient is negligible. The proposed refined simulation method is capable of capturing LRBs' mechanical behavior with better accuracy than the conventional model under different stresses, especially LSF bearings. However, the conventional numerical modeling method is recommended for LRBs with high shape factors (e.g., 30–50). Finally, an empirical formula is established based on refined simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human-relevant systems that mimic the 3D tumor microenvironment (TME), particularly the complex mechanisms of immuno-modulation in the tumor stroma, in a reproducible and scalable format are of high interest for the drug discovery industry. Here, we describe a novel 3D in vitro tumor panel comprising 30 distinct PDX models covering a range of histotypes and molecular subtypes and cocultured with fibroblasts and PBMCs in planar (flat) extracellular matrix hydrogels to reflect the three compartments of the TME—tumor, stroma, and immune cells. The panel was constructed in a 96-well plate format and assayed tumor size, tumor killing, and T-cell infiltration using high-content image analysis after 4 days of treatment. We screened the panel first against the chemotherapy drug Cisplatin to demonstrate feasibility and robustness, and subsequently assayed immuno-oncology agents Solitomab (CD3/EpCAM bispecific T-cell engager) and the immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) Atezolizumab (anti-PDL1), Nivolumab (anti-PD1) and Ipilimumab (anti-CTLA4). Solitomab displayed a strong response across many PDX models in terms of tumor reduction and killing, allowing for its subsequent use as a positive control for ICIs. Interestingly, Atezolizumab and Nivolumab demonstrated a mild response compared to Ipilimumab in a subset of models from the panel. We later determined that PBMC spatial proximity in the assay setup was important for the PD1 inhibitor, hypothesizing that both duration and concentration of antigen exposure may be critical. The described 30-model panel represents a significant advancement toward screening in vitro models of the tumor microenvironment that include tumor, fibroblast, and immune cell populations in an extracellular matrix hydrogel, with robust and standardized high content image analysis in a planar hydrogel. The platform is aimed at rapidly screening various combinations and novel agents and forming a critical conduit to the clinic, thus accelerating drug discovery for the next generation of therapeutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mutations of the chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9orf72) gene is the most prevalent defect associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). The C9orf72 protein interacts with Smith-Magenis syndrome chromosomal region candidate gene 8 (SMCR8) and WDR41 to form a trimeric complex that regulates several cellular pathways including autophagy and membrane trafficking and is strongly linked to familial ALS and FTD. The C9orf72-SMCR8 complex is important for its GTPase activating proteins (GAP) activity and mutations in the dimer interface affects the GAP activity. Mutations at protein-protein interfaces alter the stability and binding affinity of protein-protein complexes and may lead to diseases. In this study, we used computational saturation mutagenesis, including structure-based energy calculations and sequence-based pathogenicity predictions, to quantify the systemic effects of missense mutations of C9orf72 protein stability and binding affinity to Smith-Magenis syndrome chromosomal region candidate gene 8 (SMCR8). A total of 494 interfacial mutations of C9orf72 were analyzed, and we observed that most of these mutations destabilize the protein and decreased the binding to SMCR8. We further analyzed 240 annotated verified C9orf72 missense variations and revealed that most of the mutations affect the stability and the C9orf72-SMCR8 interaction. These findings shed light on the effect of mutations in C9orf72 stability and binding which can successfully predict the functional consequences of mutations on C9orf72 function and may enable researchers to deduce the mechanisms of ALS and FTD. [Display omitted] • C9orf72 (chromosome 9 open reading frame 72) mutations affect protein stability and binding. • Most of the interfacial mutations destabilize the protein and decreased the binding of C9orf72 to SMCR8. • The mutations in α11 residues (392−419) of C9orf72 may significantly change the binding affinity of the C9orf72-SMCR8 complex. • Mutations at residue G403 destabilized C9orf72 and decreased its binding to SMCR8. • Mutations H406Q, H406R, R407I, L410S, and T411R stabilized C9orf72 but at the same time decreased the binding of SMCR8. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of reactive nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) supplementation on ecosystem dynamics of soil organic matter (SOM) shows extensive variations. The underlying mechanisms of regulation of the chemical composition and dynamics of different SOM density fractions (DFs) in aggregates in a desert steppe by N and P supplementation are unclear. Here, the chemical composition and organic carbon (C) and N dynamics of various SOM DFs under N and P addition were assessed. Surface soil samples taken at 0–10 cm depth were obtained from 4-year (2017–2021) experiments under four conditions, namely N treatment, P treatment, combined N and P treatment (NP), and no nutrient supplementation (CK), in a desert steppe located in northern China. Nutrient supplementation significantly increased (P < 0.05) SOM content by 8.89–35.4%; however, the total N content remained constant. N addition mainly increased SOM content in the macroaggregates (>0.25 mm), while P enhanced SOM in microaggregates (0.25–0.053 mm) and silt-clay (<0.053 mm). The fine particulate organic matter (fPOM) proportion was increased significantly (P < 0.05) by 18.4% and 16.4% in macro- and microaggregates under N addition, respectively; P addition mainly enhanced mineral-associated SOM (mSOM) proportion in aggregates. N supplementation remarkably enhanced (P < 0.05) fPOM's organic C content by 27.3% and 32.0%, and N content by 40.9% and 145.7% in macro- and microaggregates, respectively. Single N and P addition promoted the enrichment of labile and resistant organic components in light fraction (LF), respectively. N promoted the enrichment of stable organic components in the mSOM of microaggregates. Nutrient inputs drive mSOM formation through the interaction of carboxyl-C and mineral surface. Based on a stronger δ13C and δ15N signal, N addition enhanced SOM decomposition in aggregates. Nutrient supplementation promoted SOM accumulation through the formation of more stable old C in POM and silt-clay. Our findings suggest that SOM accumulation in desert steppe probably increases following nutrient addition, but the mechanism is different through which N or P enrichment affects soil dynamics and chemical composition of SOM DFs in desert steppe. • The proportion of fPOM and mSOM were increased under N and P addition, respectively. • N supplementation can promote the accumulation of fPOM fractions with C and N in macroaggregates. • Supplementation with P and N enriched labile and resistant organic components in light fraction, respectively. • Nutrient input drives the formation of mSOM by the interaction of carboxyl-C and mineral surface. • Nutrient addition promoted accumulation of SOM by forming more stable old C in POM and silt-clay [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining the remaining useful life (RUL) of increasingly complex machines provides the decision basis for the predictive maintenance process, which effectively ensures equipment safety, improves the utilization rate, and reduces the maintenance cost. Similarity-based prediction (SBP) methods are one type of RUL prediction technique, generally divided into four steps: condition monitoring data collection, degradation information fusion, similarity evaluation, and model prediction aggregation. SBP methods have advantages which include strong interpretability and a simple implementation process. Intensive studies and wide applications based on the SBP methods exist in both academia and industry. SBP methods have been included in numerous reviews, but they mainly focus on the first two steps or just one of the steps. Existing reviews lack recent advances of SBP methods and discussions of the four steps in detail. To fill the above gaps, this paper reviewed the whole procedure of SBP methods. Firstly, the prognostics industrial scenarios with limited failure data and sufficient failure data are introduced. Then, the degradation indicators (DIs) of the machines are constructed through a fusion of degradation information. Later, similarity calculation and similarity matching rule are utilized to evaluate the similarity of the DIs segments. After that, point estimation and uncertainty management are acquired by integrating the referential DIs segments. Finally, the effectiveness of the SBP methods in different industrial scenarios, the limitations, and future challenges are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Outcome prediction tools for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are lacking. Here, we developed a machine learning-based metabolite classifier for predicting 1-year major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) after PCI among patients with T2DM. Methods: Serum metabolomic profiling was performed in a nested case–control study of 108 matched pairs of patients with T2DM occurring and not occurring MACEs at 1 year after PCI, then the matched pairs were 1:1 assigned into the discovery and internal validation sets. External validation was conducted using targeted metabolite analyses in an independent prospective cohort of 301 patients with T2DM receiving PCI. The function of candidate metabolites was explored in high glucose-cultured human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs). Results: Overall, serum metabolome profiles differed between diabetic patients with and without 1-year MACEs after PCI. Through VSURF, a machine learning approach for feature selection, we identified the 6 most important metabolic predictors, which mainly targeted the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) metabolism. The 6-metabolite model based on random forest and XGBoost algorithms yielded an area under the curve (AUC) of ≥ 0.90 for predicting MACEs in both discovery and internal validation sets. External validation of the 6-metabolite classifier also showed good accuracy in predicting MACEs (AUC 0.94, 95% CI 0.91–0.97) and target lesion failure (AUC 0.89, 95% CI 0.83–0.95). In vitro, there were significant impacts of altering NAD+ biosynthesis on bioenergetic profiles, inflammation and proliferation of HASMCs. Conclusion: The 6-metabolite model may help for noninvasive prediction of 1-year MACEs following PCI among patients with T2DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Death-associated protein kinase 3 (DAPK3) is a serine/threonine protein kinase that regulates apoptosis, autophagy, transcription, and actin cytoskeleton reorganization. DAPK3 induces morphological alterations in apoptosis when overexpressed, and it is considered a potential drug target in antihypertensive and anticancer drug development. In this article, we report new findings from a structure-guided virtual screening for discovery of phytochemicals that could modulate the elevated expression of DAPK3, and with an eye to anticancer drug discovery. We used the Indian Medicinal Plants, Phytochemistry and Therapeutics (IMPPAT), a curated database, as part of the methodology. The potential initial hits were identified based on their physicochemical properties and binding affinity toward DAPK3. Subsequently, various filters for drug likeness followed by interaction analysis and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for 100 nsec were performed to explore the conformational sampling and stability of DAPK3 with the candidate molecules. Notably, the data from all-atom MD simulations and principal component analysis suggested that DAPK3 forms stable complexes with ketanserin and rotenone. In conclusion, this study supports the idea that ketanserin and rotenone bind to DAPK3, and show stability, which can be further explored as promising scaffolds in drug development and therapeutics innovation in clinical contexts such as hypertension and various types of cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogels have emerged as promising materials for the construction of skin-like mechanical sensors. The common design of hydrogel-based artificial skin requires a dielectric sandwiched between two hydrogel layers for capacitive sensing. However, such a planar configuration limits the sensitivity, stretchability and self-healing properties. Here, we report the design of single-layer composite hydrogels with bulk capacitive junctions as mechanical sensors. We engineer dielectric peptide-coated graphene (PCG) to serve as homogenously dispersed electric double layers in hydrogels. Any mechanical motions that alter the microscopic distributions of PCG in the hydrogels can significantly change the overall capacitance. We use peptide self-assembly to render strong yet dynamic interfacial interactions between the hydrogel network and graphene. The resulting hydrogels can be stretched up to 77 times their original length and self-heal in a few minutes. The devices can effectively sense strain and pressure in both air and aqueous environments, providing tremendous opportunities for next-generation iontronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to clutter inhomogeneity, the clutter suppression ability of space–time adaptive processing (STAP) is usually constrained by the insufficient number of independent and identically distributed (IID) clutter training samples and, as a result, is sacrificed to achieve the demanded sample reduction. Moreover, since clutter heterogeneity is exacerbated in the real environment, the IID training sample size can be heavily reduced, leading to the deterioration in clutter suppression. To solve this problem, a novel robust space–time joint sparse processing method with airborne active array is proposed. This method has several outstanding advantages: (1) only the single snapshot cell under test (CUT) data is used for the superior clutter suppression performance; and (2) the proposed method completely removes the dependence of the system processing ability on IID training samples. In this paper, the signal model of uniform transmitting subarray diversity is first established to obtain the single snapshot echo observed CUT data. Then, with the matched reconstruction, the single snapshot data are equivalently converted into multi-frame echo data. Finally, a fast multi-frame echo data joint sparse Bayesian algorithm is used to achieve heterogeneous clutter suppression. Numerous experiments were performed to verify the advantages of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify the nature of foam cells in atherosclerosis, carotid atherosclerotic plaques (CAPs) from six patients were studied. Hematoxylin-and-eosin, Congo Red and Oil Red O staining were used to study histopathologic alterations in CAPs. CD31, α-smooth-muscle actin (α-SMA), CD68, desmin and S100 were stained immunohistochemically. The ultrastructure of foam cells was analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). CAPs were shown to be composed of a fibrous cap covering a dome-shaped mass with a peripheral, circumferential fringe merging with a basal band which itself met the tunica media, the latter consisting of smooth-muscle cells (SMCs). The interior of the dome-shaped mass exhibited fibrosis, neovascularization, hemorrhage, necrosis and calcification. Lipid droplets identified by histological stains and TEM were found in the rounded epithelioid foam cells regarded as macrophages, as well as in spindled cells interpreted here as lipoleiomyocytes (lipid-containing SMCs), lipofibroblasts and lipomyofibroblasts; and all these cells were located in different regions of the CAPs. All of these lipid-laden cells were strongly positive for CD68 but negative for desmin. Foam cells were weakly positive for α-SMA, CD31 and S100. The results indicate that the light microscopically identifiable population of foam/lipid-laden cells hide a spectrum of diverse differentiation ranging from the expected macrophage phenotype to non-macrophage phenotypes. The origin of these diverse cell phenotypes in terms of multipotential mesenchymal precursors and the origin of the intracellular lipid are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanism of high harmonic generation (HHG) from condensed matter driven by ultrafast lasers is far from being understood due to the structural diversity and complexity. One of the long-standing open questions is the effect of random disorder in noncrystal HHG. In this work, we identify the critical role of correlations in disordered semiconductor systems and propose them as the criterion to classify the HHG processes. The HHG spectra can be classified into two different categories corresponding to different correlations: short-range correlation and long-range correlation (LRC). Thus correlations build up a solid relationship between the HHG emission and statistical characteristics of a disordered system. In particular, the HHG spectrum from the disordered system with LRC exhibits remarkable consistency with the spectrum from the periodic lattice, revealing that the LRC links HHG processes in disordered and periodic systems. Besides, the mobility edge induced by the long-range correlated disorder enables us to study the behavior of localized- and delocalized-state HHG in one system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible piezoresistive pressure sensors have been attracted a lot of attention due to their simple mechanism, easy fabrication, and convenient signal acquisition and analysis. Herein, a new flexible piezoresistive sensor based on microstructured electrospun rough polyurethane (PU) nanofibers film is assembled. The microstructured PU film with tiny bumps is prepared in one step via electrospinning technology, which imparts a microstructured rough upper surface and a smooth lower surface. With this unique microstructure, we have made it possible for PU/Ag films to serve as sensing layers for piezoresistive sensors by introducing a silver conductive layer on the surface of electrospun PU film. The fabricated piezoresistive pressure sensor delivers high sensitivity (10.53 kPa−1 in the range of 0–5 kPa and 0.97 kPa−1 in the range of 6–15 kPa), fast response time (60 ms), fast recovery time (30 ms), and long-time stability (over 10,000 cycles). This study presents a fabrication strategy to prepare the microstructured PU nanofiber film using electrospinning technology directly, and the as-developed sensor shows promise in applications such as wrist pulse measurement, finger movement monitoring, etc., proving its great potential for monitoring human activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of replacing dietary lipid source FO with a terrestrial lipid blend (LB) on the growth performance, body composition and immunity of juvenile Japanese sea bass when the dietary n‐3 long‐chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n‐3 LC‐PUFAs) requirements are met (Lateolabrax japonicus). Two types of experimental diets were formulated with the total FO (the control) or the LB (linseed oil and lard = 1:1). A 56‐day feeding trial was conducted in floating cages with three replicates for each treatment. The results indicated that a significantly higher specific growth rate (SGR) and feed efficiency ratio (FER) occurred in fish that were fed the LB diet compared with the control group (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the survival rate, body composition or body indicates between the groups (p > 0.05). The respiratory burst, alternative complement pathway activity, lysozyme activity, cytokine genes expression and air exposure test results indicated that the replacement of FO with LB did not significantly affect the nonspecific immunity or stress resistance (p > 0.05). The serum antioxidant enzyme activities and liver tissue antioxidant‐related gene expression were significantly higher in the control group than in the other group (p < 0.05). Therefore, the terrestrial lipid blends from linseed and lard (1:1) could be used as an alternative for dietary fish oil without compromising the growth performance, nonspecific immunity and resistance to stress in juvenile Japanese sea bass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of nanotechnology, researchers can prepare nanomaterials by various methods. The rapid development of nanotechnology has greatly promoted the wide application of nano materials in the field of detection and catalysis. Especially the metal nanomolecules have good biocompatibility, absorption of plasma surface resonance, enhanced Raman surface and other properties. Metal nanomolecules have good biocompatibility, absorption of plasma surface resonance and enhanced Raman surface Rice inspection and catalytic application have attracted wide attention. This paper mainly studies the defect detection and classification algorithm of metal nanomaterials based on deep learning. Through the experimental phenomena, we can understand and master the defect detection methods of metal nanomaterials, and review the problems and future development direction of the preparation of metal nanomaterials. Deep learning algorithm the first mock exam deep learning network model, metal defect multi-mode detection method and the classification of metal surface defects are investigated. The defect detection of metal nano materials based on deep learning is realized. The whole defect and the quantitative detection of metal defects are realized. The detection range of traditional single mode nondestructive testing technology is overcome. The deficiency of accurate quantitative detection is difficult. The results show that there are five characteristic parameters for metal nano surface defect detection. In the deep learning based defect detection and classification algorithm, the big data technology is used to analyze the complete defect data, environmental data and working intensity data to complete the prediction of the future development trend of defects, which can play an important role in the maintenance of materials It is also of great significance to the development of metal nano detection technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widespread use of disinfectants during the global response to the 2019 coronavirus pandemic has increased the co-occurrence of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Although DBPs pose major threats to public health globally, there is limited knowledge regarding their biological effects on ARGs. This study aimed to investigate the effects of two inorganic DBPs (chlorite and bromate) on the conjugative transfer of RP4 plasmid among Escherichia coli strains at environmentally relevant concentrations. Interestingly, the frequency of conjugative transfer was initially inhibited when the exposure time to chlorite or bromate was less than 24 h. However, this inhibition transformed into promotion when the exposure time was extended to 36 h. Short exposures to chlorite or bromate were shown to impede the electron transport chain, resulting in an ATP shortage and subsequently inhibiting conjugative transfer. Consequently, this stimulates the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and activation of the SOS response. Upon prolonged exposure, the resurgent energy supply promoted conjugative transfer. These findings offer novel and valuable insights into the effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of inorganic DBPs on the conjugative transfer of ARGs, thereby providing a theoretical basis for the management of DBPs. [Display omitted] • Exposure to chlorite/bromate first suppresses and then promotes the HGT of ARGs. • Disruption of the electron transport chain contributed to the inhibited conjugation. • Restoration of energy supply and increased ROS production facilitated conjugation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, the development of bolt support technology is in the ascendant period, which is of great significance to promote the development of geotechnical engineering. The numerical simulation software RFPA (Rock Failure Process Analysis) has been used to analyze the reinforcement effect of bolt on deep surrounding rock under dynamic load and conduct a comprehensive research on the force state of bolt. The characteristics of stress and displacement change in rock mass and bolt caused by stress wave are compared when the surrounding rock of underground chamber is supported with bolt or not. Numerical experimental results show that, under the action of dynamic load, the high stress area in surrounding rock can be transferred to the interior of rock mass by adding bolt to the surrounding rock of a high ground stress underground chamber, and the displacement value of each segment of bolt is basically the same. Moreover, the acoustic emission (AE) energy and AE count released by surrounding rock have been able to be reduced, and the force pattern of surrounding rock has been changed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Powerful sequence modeling capability for massive multi-sensor data enables deep-learning-based methods to obtain accurate remaining useful life (RUL) estimations. Hybrid neural networks, with learned representations based on various networks, have enhanced the prognostics accuracies than single networks. However, assembly strategies that are limited to either parallel or serial, and insufficient utilization of single networks restrict the development of hybrid networks for more complex problems. This paper proposes a data-driven method using hybrid multi-scale convolutional neural network (MSCNN) and bi-directional long short-term memory (BLSTM) network (namely HMCB network) for RUL estimation. The framework of the network includes two parallel paths. One is composed of MSCNN and BLSTM in serial and the other is a BLSTM path. The HMCB network integrates the merits of multi-scale spatial feature extraction of MSCNN and sequence learning capacity of BLSTM. Validated by C-MAPSS dataset, the HMCB network demonstrates noticeably higher prognostic accuracy than other state-of-the-art methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The instability of slope has already threatened life and property safety of the people, and improving the monitoring method of slope stability has important theoretical and practical significance for disaster prevention and reduction. According to the idea of "Newton force sudden drop and catastrophic occurrence" proposed by M.C. He in the landslide monitoring, a numerical model with constant resistance bolt has been established. Through numerical simulation research, it is found that the maximum principal stress, minimum principal stress and shear stress of the intersection point P of landslide surface and constant resistance bolt are sudden growth and sudden decrease, the vertical displacement and lateral displacement of this point P appear rise and fall before three kinds of stress. When loading to the next step of the step where three stress have reduced to a minimum value the slope is unstable and destroyed. At this time, the constant resistance bolt has undergone larger plastic deformation and damaged. Finally, comparing the stress curves and the acoustic emission (AE) curves, it can be seen that stress decreases from the maximum value and the AE curves begin to show a significant rise, the two curves display opposite law. It can be seen from the AE diagram that the failure mode of the slope is a combined tension and shear failure. The numerical test results provide a new idea for real-time monitoring and forecasting of slope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing population in the face of water scarcity inevitably necessitates the quest for alternative sources of irrigation water, which integrates them with irrigation strategies for improved agricultural productivity to meet the Sustainable Development Goals. A three-year field experiment was conducted in 2017, 2018, and 2019 to investigate the effect of water quality (reclaimed water (RW) and clean water (CW)), irrigation techniques (subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) and furrow irrigation (FUI)), irrigation methods (full irrigation (FI) and alternate partial root-zone irrigation (APRI) (70% ETc)), and their interactions on the fresh fruit yield (FY), irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE), and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of tomatoes. Further, electrical conductivity (EC), pH, and organic matter (OM) of soil were evaluated. The experiments were undertaken over three growing spring seasons in a greenhouse at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Henan Province, China. Throughout the three years of this study, the yield, the IWUE, and the NUE values of all treatments under RW were higher than those corresponding values under CW. The trend was the same under SDI as it was under FUI. Statistical analyses revealed that there was no significant effect (P > 0.05) of water quality, irrigation technique, and irrigation methods on the soil EC, pH, and OM over the three years. In addition, the interaction between the different experimental factors over the three years of the study was not significant. In conclusion, the application of RW under SDI can result in saving CW and increasing productivity without any negative effect on the investigated soil properties. Furthermore, when RW-SDI is used in conjunction with APRI, it can result in increasing IWUE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, a primary region for freshwater lakes in China, have undergone significant transformations throughout the Holocene. These changes, driven by factors such as sea-level rise, climate change, and human activities, have led to the progressive elevation of water levels in this area. As a result, a floodplain has emerged, characterized by the formation of numerous shallow lakes along the river course. However, the pattern of water-level changes in the main channel of the Yangtze River during the Holocene remains unclear. This gap in knowledge poses challenges for understanding sediment transport dynamics, the interactions between the river and its adjacent lakes, and the prevention and control of flood disasters in the Yangtze River basin. To shed light on these issues, our study compiled data on the surface elevation and water depth of 81 lakes in the mid-lower reaches of the Yangtze River basin. Additionally, we analyzed historical water-level records from the 1900s to the 1970s at eight gauging stations from Shashi to Jiangyin along the river's main stream. Our findings reveal that, particularly along the Jingjiang section, the basal elevation of most lakes is lower than the Yangtze River's water level during the dry season. Conversely, the water level of the main stream exceeds that of both the floodplain and the lakes enclosed by the Jingjiang embankment. In the tidal reach, especially within the Taihu Lake basin, the basal elevation of lakes typically falls below sea level. Meanwhile, lakes located along the section from Chenglingji to Wuhu exhibit basal elevations that correspond with the Yangtze River's annual average and dry season water levels. Given the widespread presence of lakes along the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, our study introduces a new proxy for reconstructing the mean water level of the mid-lower Yangtze River in the Holocene. By analyzing sediments from Nanyi Lake and Chenyao Lake in the lower Yangtze River, we attempted to reconstruct the water level of the Yangtze River's main channel since 8 ka BP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the requirement of obtaining the panorama of the worktable in the automatic cutting system of workpiece groove based on machine vision, an image registration algorithm based on SIFT and improved PROSAC is proposed. First, SIFT algorithm is used for feature detection and feature description. Then, the bidirectional matching and cosine similarity method are used for rough matching of feature points. Finally, an improved PROSAC algorithm is proposed, which purifies the matching points and calculates the image transformation matrix. In image fusion, the weighted average method is used to fuse the overlapping parts of the image to obtain a whole image of the cutting platform. Experimental results show that the algorithm in this paper has been improved in terms of matching accuracy and time-consuming compared with several classical algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Injectable hydrogels as an important class of biomaterials have gained much attention in tissue engineering. However, their crosslinking degree is difficult to be controlled after being injected into body. As we all know, the crosslinking degree strongly influences the physicochemical properties of hydrogels. Therefore, developing an injectable hydrogel with tunable crosslinking degree in vivo is important for tissue engineering. Herein, we present a dual crosslinking strategy to prepare injectable hydrogels with step-by-step tunable crosslinking degree using Schiff base reaction and photopolymerization. The developed hyaluronic acid/poly(γ-glutamic acid) (HA/γ-PGA) hydrogels exhibit step-by-step tunable swelling behavior, enzymatic degradation behavior and mechanical properties. Mechanical performance tests show that the storage moduli of HA/γ-PGA hydrogels are all less than 2000 Pa and the compressive moduli are in kilopascal, which have a good match with soft tissue. In addition, NIH 3T3 cells encapsulated in HA/γ-PGA hydrogel exhibit a high cell viability, indicating a good cytocompatibility of HA/γ-PGA hydrogel. Therefore, the developed HA/γ-PGA hydrogel as an injectable biomaterial has a good potential in soft tissue engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been no research on applying gene detection to differential diagnosis of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC). We attempted to explore a novel auxiliary method for differential diagnosis between ACC with benign adrenocortical adenoma (ACA), based on mutations of target genes in tissues. Nine genes were chosen as target genes, including TP53, CTNNB1, ARMC5, PRKAR1A, ZNRF3, RB1, APC, MEN1, and RPL22. Exons sequencing of target genes were performed in 98 cases of tissue samples by FastTarget technology, including 41 ACC tissues, 32 ACA tissues, and 25 normal adrenal gland tissues. Significant mutations were detected and identified, and the clinical information was collected, for further comparative analysis and application to assist differential diagnosis of ACC. We identified 132 significant gene mutations and 227 significant mutation sites in 37 ACC tissues, much more than ACA and normal adrenal gland tissues. Mutation rates of 6 genes in ACC tissues were obviously higher than ACA tissues, including ZNRF3, ARMC5, TP53, APC, RB1, and PRKAR1A, regarded as high-risk genes. The sum of mutated high-risk genes detected in each sample was denominated sum of high-risk gene mutation (SHGM), and the rates of SHGM > 0 and SHGM > 1 in ACC tissues were 73.0% and 62.2%, respectively, both obviously higher than those in ACA tissues, with significant statistic differences. Especially for 8 cases of ACC with diameter < 5 cm, SHGM > 0 and SHGM > 1 were found in 6 samples (75%) and 4 samples (50%), respectively. However, no relevance was found between SHGM and clinical characteristics of ACC. We identified 6 high-risk genes in ACC tissues, with significantly higher mutation rates than ACA or normal adrenal gland tissues. The sum of mutated high-risk genes detected in ACC tissues was denominated SHGM, which was potential to assist the differential diagnosis of ACC with ACA, especially for the small-size ACC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To clarify the characteristics and origin of the cellular components in atherosclerosis, carotid atherosclerotic plaques (CAPs) of four patients were studied by light microscopy using hematoxylin-eosin, Congo red and alpha-smooth-muscle actin stains, and by transmission electron microscopy of different regions of CAPs. By light microscopy, CAPs were composed of 1) a fibrous cap; 2) an atherosclerotic core presenting focal fibrosis, neovascularization, hemorrhage, necrosis, chondrification and ossification; and 3) a basal band composed of a hyperplasic pseudo-media and affected tunica media. Ultrastructurally, the CAPs contained a diversity of cells including fibroblasts, myofibroblasts, osteochondrocytes, vascular smooth-muscle cells, foam cells and other myoid cells characterized by varied features of the above mentioned cells. The results indicated that CAPs were derived from a proliferation of multipotential mesenchymal stem cells, leading to the presence of degenerated foam cells and lipid-laden cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hybrid device integrating both electrochromic (EC) and metal electrodepositing effects is developed. The device consists of a working electrode made with poly(3,4‐(2,2‐dimethyl‐propylenedioxy)thiophene) (PProDOT‐Me2), a counter electrode of bare indium tin oxide, and an electrolyte containing AgNO3, LiBr, and Br2. The electrolyte is specially designed to provide essential elements for both EC and electrodepositing reactions. By applying varying voltages, the device demonstrates three color states: transparent, blue, and opaque. Detailed measurements reveal that the device displays near‐zero transmittance in the opaque state and can work over 10 000 cycles, with 75.7% as the maximum optical modulation and about 5 s as its response time for both coloring and bleaching processes. This study may provide a way to break the limitation of conventional electrochromic devices (ECDs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aged microplastics are ubiquitous in the aquatic environment, which inevitably accumulate metals, and then alter their migration. Whereas, the synergistic behavior and effect of microplastics and Hg(II) were rarely reported. In this context, the adsorptive behavior of Hg(II) by pristine/aged microplastics involving polystyrene, polyethylene, polylactic acid, and tire microplastics were investigated via kinetic (pseudo-first and second-order dynamics, the internal diffusion model), Langmuir, and Freundlich isothermal models; the adsorption and desorption behavior was also explored under different conditions. Microplastics aged by ozone exhibited a rougher surface attached with abundant oxygen-containing groups to enhance hydrophilicity and negative surface charge, those promoted adsorption capacity of 4–20 times increment compared with the pristine microplastics. The process (except for aged tire microplastics) was dominated by a monolayer chemical reaction, which was significantly impacted by pH, salinity, fulvic acid, and co-existing ions. Furthermore, the adsorbed Hg(II) could be effectively eluted in 0.04% HCl, simulated gastric liquids, and seawater with a maximum desorption amount of 23.26 mg/g. An artificial neural network model was used to predict the performance of microplastics in complex media and accurately capture the main influencing factors and their contributions. This finding revealed that aged microplastics had the affinity to trap Hg(II) from freshwater, whereafter it released the Hg(II) once transported into the acidic medium, the organism's gastrointestinal system, or the estuary area. These indicated that aged microplastics could be the sink or the source of Hg(II) depending on the surrounding environment, meaning that aged microplastics could be the vital carrier to Hg(II). [Display omitted] • The MPs exhibited abundant multipoles and active groups after ozone aging. • The adsorption and desorption mechanisms of Hg(II) were elaborated in depth. • BP-ANN model was adopted to predict the adsorptive properties of MPs. • The aged MPs played a vital carrier role in the transportation of Hg(II). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asphalt mixture is a typical granular material, and its macroscopic properties are closely related to the interaction behavior of aggregate particles at the micro scales. Discrete element method (DEM), as an important numerical simulation method in granular mechanics, plays an increasingly important role in analyzing the aggregate packing characteristics, skeleton features, predicting mechanical and pavement performance of asphalt mixtures. However, the complexity of the composition of asphalt mixtures, including the particle size, shape, spatial distribution of aggregate particles, and the viscoelasticity of asphalt binders sensitive to temperature, load, and time, increases the difficulty of constructing DEM models of asphalt mixtures, selecting contact constitutive models, and determining parameters, which directly affects the accuracy and efficiency of DEM simulations. In this review, the generation methods of idealized models, image models, and user-defined models currently used to generate DEM models of asphalt mixtures were summarized in detail. Conventional contact constitutive models, including elastic and viscoelastic contact stiffness constitutive models, as well as fracture models including bonding models and cohesive softening models, were discussed. Moreover, special contact constitutive models, such as damage, self-healing, and two-stage contact models considering compaction evolution, were also summarized and discussed. Then, the contact constitutive model parameters were classified and related determination methods were summarized, and the latest application directions of DEM in current asphalt mixture research were classified. On this basis, relevant discussions were carried out, and the challenges and future development prospects faced by DEM in asphalt mixture research were proposed. [Display omitted] • Generation methods of idealized model, image model and user-defined model were summarized. • Conventional and special contact constitutive models were reviewed. • The application directions of DEM in asphalt mixtures were classified and discussed. • The future development prospects of DEM in asphalt mixtures were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biofouling is a longstanding problem for biomedical devices, food storage, and marine equipment. Traditional antifouling strategies involve the use of biocidal agents, low surface‐energy surface, and nanopatterned coatings. Recent studies show that hydrophilic surfaces are also promising for antifouling by directly reducing the adhesion of proteins and polysaccharides. However, it remains challenging to stably and conveniently coat nonadhesive hydrophilic polymers to various surfaces in high density. Especially, for marine antifouling, large‐area painting of hydrophilic polymer coatings is susceptible to low adhesion strength, inhomogeneous surface coverage, and short durability. Here, a paintable antifouling hydrogel coating is proposed to overcome these limitations. An epoxy midcoat layer is introduced to provide both strong noncovalent adhesion to various surfaces and covalent linkages to hydrogel layers. The 3D hydrogel layers provide homogenous, relatively low Young's modulus and dense surface coverage and therefore shows outstanding antifouling properties toward various proteins, polysaccharides, seaweeds, and oil. Moreover, this hydrogel coating degrades slowly in sea water and facilitates the release of fouling biomolecules and organisms. Considering the great antifouling and fouling release properties, convenient coating processes, and high adhesion strength, this novel paintable antifouling hydrogel coating is anticipated to be broadly applicable for marine antifouling and other relevant fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amino acid chirality plays an important role in conveying directionality and specificity to their supramolecular organization. However, the impact of enantiopure and racemic amino acids on the favorable packing and macroscopic properties of organic cocrystals with nonchiral coformers is poorly understood. Herein, we performed a systematic study of the effect of chirality on the macroscopic properties of acetylated alanine (AcA) single crystals and cocrystals with a nonchiral photo-sensitive bipyridine derivative (BPE). Cocrystallization with BPE produced a marked morphology transition that improved the supramolecular chirality, thermal stability and mechanical strength of AcA crystals. The distinct supramolecular packing modes were analyzed by X-ray crystallography. The highest rigidity was observed for BPE/ dl -AcA, while BPE/ d -AcA and BPE/ l -AcA crystals exhibited higher efficiency of photo-induced emission for fluorescent imprinting, as well as significantly higher piezoelectricity. This work provides a striking illustration that subtle differences in amino acid stereochemistry translate into tunable macroscopic properties of organic cocrystals for future applications in rigid solids, fluorescent imprinting, and energy harvesting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This experiment was conducted to determine effects of dietary supplementation with coated omega-3 fatty acids (n-3FA) on growth performance, nutrients digestibility, blood profile and faecal microflora in weaning pigs. A total of 200 weaning pigs with initial body weight (IBW, 6.97 ± 1.22 kg) were randomly assigned to four treatments: CON, basal diet; during phase 1, 2 and 3, 0.3FA, basal diet + 0.3%, 0.2%, 0.1% coated n-3FA; 0.6FA, basal diet + 0.6%, 0.4% 0.2% coated n-3FA; 0.9FA, basal diet + 0.9%, 0.6% and 0.3% coated n-3FA. When the graded level of n-3FA supplementation was added in the diet, a linearly increased average daily gain and gain/feed of the pig was observed in every phase (p < .05), the digestibility of dry matter (dM) was linearly increased, whereas nitrogen (N) digestibility showed a trend (p = .0594), the concentration of serum IgG (p = .0886) as well as the faecal lactobacillus count showed a linearly increase at the end of the experiment. However, there were no differences in the concentrations of serum haptoglobin and faecal microflora on among treatment. In conclusion, the coated n-3FA diet showed positive effects in improving growth performance, digestibility of DM and N in weaning pigs. Furthermore, it has a trend improvement on the count of lactobacillus in weaning pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial photosynthesis serves as a promising approach to exploit inexhaustible sunlight energy by converting it into chemical energy. However, the limited availability of stable systems with precise and coordinated organization of both an energy harvesting and a catalytic moiety hinders its practical application. Herein, for the first time, we demonstrate the utilization of self‐assembled G‐quadruplex inspired peptide nucleic acid (PNA)‐tetramer (Fmoc‐G‐PNA tetramer) as a template for an artificial photosynthesis system. Our approach involves integrating a ruthenium light harvesting antenna and a platinum catalyst on the Fmoc‐G‐PNA tetramer. In the presence of the Fmoc‐G‐PNA tetramer, a 3‐fold increase in the rate of NAD+ reduction to NADH is observed, compared to bare ruthenium complex and catalyst. Also, due to direct electron transfer, no external mediators are necessary, and the catalytic system is recyclable. This newly designed, easily fabricated Fmoc‐G‐PNA tetramer architecture could be a promising candidate for the design of bioinspired light harvesting systems and photoelectric devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A burgeoning collaborative government-citizen public service delivery mode is hindered by insufficient policy mix credibility for boosting citizen participation. One reason is the unclear understanding of systematic pathways linking policy mix credibility and citizen participation. This article focuses on the relationship between policy mix credibility and citizen participation behavior based on the policy feedback theory. It also introduces citizen participation willingness as a mediator, and ICT tool functionality as moderators to further understand their boundary effects. Using a panel data from four follow-up surveys during the waste sorting policy pilot in Chongqing, China, and employing the difference-in-difference method, we found that policy mix credibility influences citizen participation behavior through citizen participation willingness. And the translation of willingness into actual participation action depends on policy resources represented by the ICT tool functionality. The findings solve the theoretical perplexity about the role of policy mix credibility in citizen participation in public service provision and provide new ideas for mobilizing it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We aimed to assess whether disease-free survival (DFS) could serve as a reliable surrogate endpoint for overall survival (OS) in adjuvant trials of pancreatic cancer.Methods: We systematically reviewed adjuvant randomized trials for non-metastatic pancreatic cancer after curative resection that reported a hazard ratio (HR) for DFS and OS. We assessed the correlation between treatment effect (HR) on DFS and OS, weighted by sample size or precision of hazard ratio estimate, assuming fixed and random effects, and calculated the surrogate threshold effect (STE). We also performed sensitivity analyses and a leave-one-out cross validation approach to evaluate the robustness of our findings.Results: After screening 450 relevant articles, we identified a total of 20 qualifying trails comprising 5170 patients for quantitative analysis. We noted a strong correlation between the treatment effects for DFS and OS, with coefficient of determination of 0.82 in the random effect model, 0.82 in the fixed effect model, and 0.80 in the sample size weighting; the robustness of this finding was further verified by the leave-one-out cross-validation approach. Sensitivity analyses with restriction to phase 3 trials, large trials, trials with mature follow-up periods, and trials with adjuvant therapy versus adjuvant therapy strengthened the correlation (0.75 to 0.88) between DFS and OS. The STE was 0.96 for DFS.Conclusions: Therefore, DFS could be regarded as a surrogate endpoint for OS in adjuvant trials of pancreatic cancer. In future similar adjuvant trials, a hazard ratio for DFS of 0.96 or less would predict a treatment impact on OS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The recombinant ToAMP4 was expressed in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii for the first time. • The expression of recombinant ToAMP4 was stable. • The recombinant ToAMP4 had a broad antibacterial spectrum. • The recombinant ToAMP4 had good stability, low hemolysis activity and low cytotoxicity. • The recombinant ToAMP4 disrupted bacterial cell morphology and membrane integrity. The antimicrobial peptide ToAMP4 was isolated from Taraxacum officinale Wigg. flowers. Bacterial-expressed ToAMP4 showed antifungal activity but was inactive against bacteria. In this study, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii was used to express a C-terminal hemagglutinin (HA) and 6×His double tagged three repeats of ToAMP4 (3×ToAMP4)and the 3×ToAMP4-expressing cells were screened to express 3×ToAMP4 stably following continuous passaging for six months. Finally, a yield of 0.32 % of total soluble protein was achieved for 3×ToAMP4, which inhibits the growth of bacteria of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative at a minimum inhibitory concentration between 40 and 50 μg/ml. C. reinhardtii -derived 3×ToAMP4 maintained high stability in a wide range of temperature and pHs, tolerated to protease digestion at different extents and showed low hemolytic activity and cytotoxicity. Moreover, C. reinhardtii -expressed 3×ToAMP4 effectively caused damage on the membrane of targeted bacterial cells. In conclusion, our data show that C. reinhardtii has the potential to be used as a platform for the production of bioactive ToAMP4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For precision machinery, the measurement of the relative in-plane displacement of two parallel planes that are separated by several meters is important. In this paper, a theoretical model for measuring the relative in-plane microdisplacement between two parallel planes was developed on the basis of secondary diffraction. Based on this method, we employed a pinhole and a circular-ring as the diffraction screens. The influence of the structural parameters of diffraction screens on the secondary diffraction pattern was analyzed in detail, and the obtained parameters were then used in the experimental measurements. For experimental investigation, a laser beam at 532 nm was used to irradiate a pinhole; the diffracted light was then further diffracted using a circular-ring, and the final diffraction pattern was recorded using a CCD camera. The circular-ring was mounted on the plane to be measured, while the pinhole and the CCD camera remained stationary; the space between the pinhole and the circular-ring was set at 1200 mm. The displacement of the circular-ring can be calculated by comparing the central position of the two diffraction patterns before and after shifting the circular-ring. Over a measurement range of 0–90 µm, the absolute error in the displacement measurement was less than 1.97 µm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last several years, the massive success of the Fuling shale gas field in south‐western China has shown great potential in finding giant shale gas fields in the Upper Yangtze area, and it has also attracted the increasing attention from geologists to find more shale gas reservoirs around the world. However, there is still a great dispute as to whether the neighbouring Lower Yangtze area is a next potential shale gas block in China. In this study, we evaluate preliminarily the shale gas potentials of five important sets of marine shales based on systematic analyses for the sedimentary environment, thickness, total organic carbon (TOC), thermal maturity, and other organic geochemistry parameters of both geological records from outcrops and wells in the Lower Yangtze area. The first two sets of marine shales occur in the Lower Cambrian and the Ordovician, and they all are of over–high organic maturity due to strong effects from regional tectonic movements and thus have poor potential. Although the Lower Silurian shales are widely distributed in the Lower Yangtze region, a terrigenous delta, a low amount of organic matter (TOC < 1.2%), and late tectonic activity together created unfavourable conditions for the generation and accumulation of the Lower Silurian shale gas. The Permian black shales occur in the Middle and Upper Permian. Several proxies, such as the appropriate maturity (vitrinite reflectance Ro of approximately 2.0%), abundant organic matter (TOC of approximately 4 wt%), good total hydrocarbon potential (S1 + S2), and high level of hydrocarbon conversion have resulted in good conditions for shale gas generation. However, the relative thinness (only 30 m), severe tectonic modification, and regional cap rock are not favourable for shale gas preservation. The Lower Yangtze area therefore is not an excellent block for shale gas exploration compared to its neighbouring Upper Yangtze area. However, in some areas with less structural deformation, the possibility of finding shale gas reservoirs cannot be ruled out, especially for the Permian shales, which had a greater opportunity to generate and accumulate shale gas than the other marine shales. In addition, for new shale gas exploration breakthroughs in the future, structural studies are essential in offering better understanding of the preservation conditions in the Lower Yangtze area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Junggar Basin is a typical superimposed system characterized by multilateral steep thrusts and extrusions and one of the primary petroliferous basins in Western China. To date, geologists have been most interested in the basin's tectonic evolution and petroleum geology characteristics. Based on field outcrops, lithologic combinations, logging curves, and seismic reflection characteristics, we present a systematic study of the sequence stratigraphy pattern for the Jurassic central Junggar Basin. Herein, we identify the central Junggar area as having a "dual" characteristic sequence framework composed of a lowstand system tract (LST) and a transgressive system tract (TST), which is distinguishable from the traditional three system tract (LST, TST, and highstand system tract [HST]). In each third‐order sequence, the LST consists of conglomerate or pebbly sandstone deposits, displaying the characteristics of braided channel and fan delta. The TST consists of siltstone, argillaceous siltstone, and mudstone, displaying fine‐grained, shore‐shallow lacustrine deposits. It is considered that the combination of multiphasic thrust extrusion and subsequent, steady deposition is likely responsible for the dual‐system tract. The forming process of the dual‐system tract pattern could divide into four stages: the quiet stage of tectonic activity, the early stage of compression, the continuous stage of compression, and the rapid rebound stage. Additionally, two reservoir predictive models are proposed: the progradational predicting model on the edge of the depression and truncated and pinchout predicting model on the palaeo‐uplift. We conclude that the coarse clastic unit of the LST has bright prospects for oil and gas exploration within the superimposed system in Western China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Little is known about whether mitochondria 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), a biomarker of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) oxidative damage, contributes to the development of coronary artery disease (CAD) in diabetic patients. Here, we explored the associations of mtDNA 8-OHdG in leukocytes with obstructive CAD, coronary stenosis severity, cardiovascular biomarkers, and 1-year adverse outcomes after coronary revascularization in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: In a total of 1920 consecutive patients with T2DM who underwent coronary angiography due to symptoms of angina or angina equivalents, the presence of obstructive CAD, the number of diseased vessels with ≥ 50% stenosis, and modified Gensini score were cross-sectionally evaluated; the level of mtDNA 8-OHdG was quantified by quantitative PCR. Then, 701 of 1920 diabetic patients who further received coronary revascularization completed 1-year prospective follow-up to document major adverse cardiovascular and cerebral events (MACCEs). In vitro experiments were also performed to observe the effects of mtDNA oxidative damage in high glucose-cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Results: Cross-sectionally, greater mtDNA 8-OHdG was associated with increased odds of obstructive CAD (odds ratio [OR] 1.38, 95% CI confidence interval 1.24–1.52), higher degree of coronary stenosis (number of diseased vessels: OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.19–1.41; modified Gensini scores: OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.18–1.39), and higher levels of C-reactive protein (β 0.18, 95% CI 0.06–0.31) after adjusting for confounders. Sensitivity analyses using propensity score matching yielded similar results. Stratification by smoking status showed that the association between mtDNA 8-OHdG and obstructive CAD was most evident in current smokers (Pinteration < 0.01). Prospectively, the adjusted hazards ratio per 1-SD increase in mtDNA 8-OHdG was 1.59 (95% CI 1.33–1.90) for predicting 1-year MACCEs after revascularization. In HUVECs, exposure to antimycin A, an inducer for mtDNA oxidative damage, led to adverse alterations in markers of mitochondrial and endothelia function. Conclusion: Greater mtDNA 8-OHdG in leukocytes may serve as an independent risk factor for CAD in patients with T2DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shengjin Lake is a typical Yangtze River-connected lake, that is also a national nature reserve and a Wetland of International Importance. In order to evaluate the eco-environmental evolution of Shengjin Lake, a210Pb- and 137Cs-dated sediment core collected from the upper part of the lake was analyzed. Based on a biological indicator (subfossil cladoceran) and geochemical indicators (loss on ignition (LOI), total organic carbon (TOC), δ13C of bulk sediments (δ13C org), total phosphorous (TP) and total nitrogen (TN)), we revealed the changes in the cladoceran assemblages and eco-environmental processes of Shengjin Lake. The results showed that there was a healthy ecological environment with low nutrient levels in Shengjin Lake before the 1980s. However, the increasing levels of the eutrophic species B. longirostris , nutrients (TN and TP) and organic matters (LOI and TOC), and the decreasing δ13C org in recent decades indicated that the trophic state of Shengjin Lake has increased since the 1980s. This corresponded with increasing anthropogenic effects, including land reclamation, chemical fertilizer application, and sluice construction. In addition, the droppings of water birds also promoted increases in nutrient and organic matters levels in Shengjin Lake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]