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Objectives: Hypertension is a chronic disease with multiple causative factors that involve metabolic disturbances and can cause various complications. However, the metabolic characteristics of hypertension at different stages are still unclear. This study aimed to explore the metabolic changes induced by hypertension at different ages. Methods: Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were divided into four groups according to age: 5-week-old SHR (n = 6), 5-week-old WKY rats (n = 6), 32-week-old SHR (n = 6), and 32-week-old WKY rats (n = 6). Metabolites were analyzed in primary tissues (serum, heart, lung, kidney, brain, and brown adipose) using a non-targeted metabolomics approach. Results: Thirty-five metabolites and nine related metabolic pathways were identified in 5-week-old SHR, mainly related to the metabolism of amino acids. Fifty-one metabolites and seven related metabolic pathways were identified in the 32-week-old SHR, involving glycolysis, lipid, and amino acid metabolisms. Conclusion: This experiment elucidates the metabolic profile of SHR at different ages and provides a basis for predicting and diagnosing hypertension. It also provides a reference for the pathogenesis of hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article highlights the development of a precision tumor cell-killing system, known as the mtDNA mutation-induced drug release system (MIDRS). This system utilizes programmable DNA/Mg2+ hybrid nanoflowers to target mitochondria, recognize tumor cell-specific mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and trigger the release of a photosensitizer, ultimately inducing the specific death of tumor cells without harming normal cells, both in vitro and in vivo.

This study highlights the role of a high-speed railway system in driving the tourism industry, as the tourism market prepares to achieve sustainable development after the COVID-19 pandemic. Considering the example of southwestern China, this study summarizes the configuration patterns of sustainable tourism development based on the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis method, and subsequently uses the gravity model to express its core factor based on the ArcGIS platform. The study found that the tourism development pattern in this area was not homogenous, but rather a combination of six equivalent patterns (namely configured pattern). Tourism Economic Connection was the core variable to promote tourism development. Therefore, based on the configurational theory, each city should determine its own pattern and accordingly develop strengths as well as complement weaknesses. Furthermore, determined by the complexity theory, cities should capitalize on the strength of the high-speed railway system and learn from the accomplishments realized in other cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Correct cell number generation is central to tissue development. However, in vivo roles of coordinated proliferation of individual neural progenitors in regulating cell numbers of developing neural tissues and the underlying molecular mechanism remain mostly elusive. Here, we showed that wild-type (WT) donor retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) generated significantly expanded clones in host retinae with G1-lengthening by p15 (cdkn2a/b) overexpression (p15+) in zebrafish. Further analysis showed that cell adhesion molecule 3 (cadm3) was reduced in p15+ host retinae, and overexpression of either full-length or ectodomains of Cadm3 in p15+ host retinae markedly suppressed the clonal expansion of WT donor RPCs. Notably, WT donor RPCs in retinae with cadm3 disruption recapitulated expanded clones that were found in p15+ retinae. More strikingly, overexpression of Cadm3 without extracellular ig1 domain in RPCs resulted in expanded clones and increased retinal total cell number. Thus, homophilic interaction of Cadm3 provides an intercellular mechanism underlying coordinated cell proliferation to ensure cell number homeostasis of the developing neuroepithelia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a common tumour type in otorhinolaryngology, and its occurrence is related to long-term exposure to tobacco and alcohol. Recently, HPV infection has become an increasingly important contributor to HNSCC, and HPV-associated HNSCC has a different clinical course and better prognosis than non-HPV-associated HNSCC. However, the exact molecular mechanism of HNSCC is unclear. Here, we obtained data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and gene expression omnibus (GEO) to analyse the mitophagy process and related influencing factors of HPV-associated HNSCC via the integration of bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation. We found that in HPV-associated HNSCC, process of mitophagy affects tumour development, immune cell infiltration and prognosis. In the mitophagy process of HPV-related HNSCC: NOS2, IL17REL, TMSB15A, TUBB4A and other hub genes showed significantly higher expression levels than in non-HPV-related HNSCC. Furthermore, this was also confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT‒PCR), which was used to detect the expression of differentially expressed genes in HNSCC tissues. Furthermore, we found that the unique immunological characteristics by expressing CD8+ T cell in a high level in HPV-related HNSCC, and the scores obtained from the score model affected the prognosis of patients. In conclusion, our study revealed the unique biomolecular signature of mitophagy in HPV-associated HNSCC, which may contribute to the development of precise treatment regimens for HPV-associated HNSCC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study highlights the role of a high-speed railway system in driving the tourism industry, as the tourism market prepares to achieve sustainable development after the COVID-19 pandemic. Considering the example of southwestern China, this study summarizes the configuration patterns of sustainable tourism development based on the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis method, and subsequently uses the gravity model to express its core factor based on the ArcGIS platform. The study found that the tourism development pattern in this area was not homogenous, but rather a combination of six equivalent patterns (namely configured pattern). Tourism Economic Connection was the core variable to promote tourism development. Therefore, based on the configurational theory, each city should determine its own pattern and accordingly develop strengths as well as complement weaknesses. Furthermore, determined by the complexity theory, cities should capitalize on the strength of the high-speed railway system and learn from the accomplishments realized in other cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fast neutron radiography (FNR) has a great potential as a nondestructive technique for testing large objects. A FNR system developed based on a deuterium-tritium neutron generator is presented. Resolution of the FNR system is analyzed using the modulation transfer function (MTF). FNR experiments based on film and charge-coupled device imaging are carried out, respectively. The experimental results of image resolution are compared with the results of MTF calculation. Moreover, the impacts of various system components on signal degradation are discussed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we optimized the ceftriaxone dosing regimens based on pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) principles using Monte Carlo simulation (MCS). Based on PK/PD theory, MCS was performed using Crystal Ball software combining PK and PD parameters with 10 000 simulation runs to calculate the probability of target attainment (PTA) and cumulative fraction of response (CFR) for the seven clinically common dosing regimens of ceftriaxone (1 g qd, 1.5 g qd, 1 g bid, 2 g qd, 1 g tid, 1.5 g bid, and 2 g bid). A %fT ≥ 50 as the target value expected to achieve satisfactory clinical efficacy and a dosing regimen with an obtained CFR ≥ 90% or the ability to achieve the highest PTA was used as a reasonable choice for empirical antimicrobial therapy, i.e. the clinically optimal regimen. All eight pathogenic bacteria had a CFR > 90% when the dosing regimen was 2 g bid and 1 g tid, seven pathogenic bacteria had a CFR > 90% when the dosing regimen was 1 g bid and 1.5 g bid, except for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and all pathogenic bacteria had a CFR< 90% when the dosing regimen was 1 g qd and 1.5 g qd. The dosing regimens of 2 g bid and 1 g tid were effective against all eight pathogenic bacteria infections, and 1 g bid and 1.5 g bid dosing regimens were effective against the other seven pathogenic bacteria except for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Robot-assisted reduction of pelvic fracture, the bone traction needles need to be inserted into the iliac bone of the affected pelvis, and the clamping instrument of the robot is connected to the bone traction needle. The biomechanical characteristics of the pelvic musculoskeletal tissues are different with the different spatial position and orientation of the bone traction needle. In this paper, a new PA-MTM model considering the pinnate angle of skeletal muscle is proposed to analyze the muscle force of skeletal muscle. According to the planned reduction path, reduction force during the reduction process is calculated. Based on the pelvic CT scan data and the muscle distribution of the pelvis, the musculoskeletal model of the fractured pelvis is reconstructed. Then, the finite element model of the pelvic musculoskeletal tissue with bone traction needle is established. The maximum reduction force is applied on the bone traction needles, and the stress distribution of the pelvic musculoskeletal tissue with the needles in different spatial position and orientation is comparatively studied. The results show that the suitable force point on bone traction needle is S1 point. When the bone traction needle is inserted into the iliac crest and the anterior inferior iliac spine, the pelvis is in a good stress state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study of a 42-year-old man with a rare trichilemmal cyst discovered in the pulp of his middle finger. It discusses the challenges in ultrasound-based differentiation from tendon sheath giant cell tumors, covering clinical presentation, imaging characteristics, and pathological findings, emphasizing the need for accurate diagnosis of subcutaneous lesions.

The purpose of this study was to establish a method for determining the free concentration of ceftriaxone based on hollow fiber centrifugal ultrafiltration (HFCF-UF) technology in combination with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for free pharmacokinetic studies and the prediction of ceftriaxone concentrations in lung tissue. This method only required centrifugation for a short time, and the filtrate could be injected directly for HPLC analysis without further treatment. The specificity, linearity, precision and stability of this method were validated for quantification of free ceftriaxone. Under the optimized conditions, the absolute recoveries were more than 92.5%. The intraday and interday precision RSDs were less than 3.6%. Additionally, nonspecific adsorption (NSB) between the analyte and the ultrafiltration membrane was considered. This method was successfully applied to the analysis of the free ceftriaxone concentration in rat plasma and lung tissue. The free ceftriaxone concentration of lung tissue could be predicted by using the linear formula Cfl = Cfp (0.342x - 0.0129) (x: time). This method also provides a reliable alternative for accurate monitoring of the free ceftriaxone concentration in therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to analyze the effect of phase change energy storage wall on the internal thermal environment in high-sunshine passive solar residential buildings. The residential buildings in Lhasa are taken as research objects, and the differences in indoor and outdoor thermal environments of the residential buildings in winter are first evaluated. Then, the energy storage wall model based on phase change material is constructed, the meteorological data of the winter solstice day is used to simulate, and the changes of the thermal environment in the room are detected. The results showed that the average solar radiation intensity of the dwellings in Lhasa is 441.8 W/m2, and the average scattering intensity is 156.3 W/m2. The average humidity and temperature of outdoor air are 24.4% and 1.54 ℃, respectively. The temperature difference of the indoor south and north bedrooms is 3.3 ℃, the internal temperatures of the indoor south and north walls are 13.4 ℃ and 7.9 ℃, respectively, and the temperature difference is 5.5 ℃. After the adoption of phase change energy storage materials, the indoor temperatures of the south and north walls on the winter solstice day are 16.75 ℃ and 16.52 ℃, respectively, with a temperature difference of 0.23 ℃. The inner surface temperatures of the south wall and the north wall increase by 25.0% and 109.1%, respectively, after adopting the phase change energy storage wall, indicating that applying the phase change energy storage wall to the passive solar residential buildings in Lhasa can effectively improve the indoor thermal environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most common gastrointestinal tract cancer worldwide and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. The development of nanosized drug delivery systems has provided a new direction in CRC treatment. Among these systems, magnetic nanoparticle (MNP)-based multifunctional platforms provide a novel strategy for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-related cancer theranostics. At the beginning of this original review, the carcinogenesis and treatment status of CRC are summarized. Then, diversified preparation and functionalization methods of MNPs are systematically analyzed, followed by MRIinvolved theranostic strategies. The latest progress in MRI-mediated multimode diagnosis and image-guided targeted therapy in CRC management is the main focus. Finally, the major challenges in promoting MRI-induced precise theranostics of CRC in clinical practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A weighted track fusion algorithm is proposed to address the complexity of conventional sea monitoring data and the lack of effective and convenient monitoring methods. The new algorithm uses local information entropy and fuses data from the automatic identification system (AIS) and X-band radar. The new model employs ship monitoring data to detect five types of abnormal ship behavior: speed, course, position, ship spacing, and time abnormalities. The method weights various factors using a weight matrix built up from a distance difference matrix between different track points and calculations of the distance information entropy and residual degree using information entropy theory. We tested the proposed weighted track fusion algorithm the fusion accuracy using actual data for 2813 ships, AIS, and radar track points based on local information entropy. The resulting correlation accuracy was 95.54% for 2716 ship track points and a correlation accuracy of 90.72% for 97 ship tracks. The results indicate that the proposed algorithm is suitable for fusing multiple tracks and is more robust than traditional fusion methods. • A weighted track fusion algorithm is developed to address the complexity of conventional sea monitoring data and the lack of effective and convenient monitoring methods. • The new algorithm is based on local information entropy and the fusion of AIS and X-band radar data. • This paper proposes an innovative algorithm that compensates for incorrect speeds, headings, positions, and ship spacing; the accepted but time-abnormal mathematical model is also corrected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of technology, quantum communication has been widely used in modern transmission filed. In this study, the information transmission and identity judgement based on teleportation was researched. Quantum communication in wireless networks was briefly introduced at first, then an improved Grover routing algorithm based on teleportation was designed to achieve the information transmission of communication networks, and a structurized model with a center was designed to achieve identity judgement. It could be found that in this study the method of information transmission could efficiently prolong the lifetime of routing and the method of identity judgement had high security as well as communication efficiency through analyzing the performance of the methods of information transmission and identity judgement. The experimental results proved that the method in this study was reliable, providing some theoretical basis for the further development of quantum communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK signaling pathway (MAPK signaling pathway) plays a significant role in multiple pathological behaviors and is most frequently dysregulated in more than 30% of human cancers. As key elements in this pathway, MEK1/2 play crucial roles in tumorigenesis and the inhibition of apoptosis, which makes their inhibition an attractive antitumor strategy. Dozens of potent non-ATP-competitive allosteric MEK1/2 inhibitors have been developed that have produced substantial improvement in clinical outcomes over the past decade. However, the efficacy of these agents is limited, and response rates are variable in a wide range of tumors that harbor RAS and RAF mutations due to the development of resistance, which is derived mainly from the persistence of MAPK signaling and increased activation of the mutual feedback networks. Both intrinsic and acquired resistance to MEK inhibitors necessitates the synergistic targeting of both pathways to restore the therapeutic effects of a single agent. In this review, the significant role of the MAPK pathway in carcinogenesis and its therapeutic potential are comprehensively examined with a focus on MEK inhibitors. Then, the activation of feedback networks accompanying MEK inhibition is briefly reviewed. Combination strategies that involve the simultaneous inhibition of the original and resistance pathways are highlighted and elaborately described on the basis of the latest research progress. Finally, the obstacles to the development of MEK-related combination systems are discussed in order to lay the groundwork for their clinical application as frontline treatments for individual patients with MAPK-hyperactivated malignancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant nonspecific lipid transfer proteins (nsLTPs) are involved in a number of biological processes including root nodule symbiosis. However, the role of nsLTPs in legume-rhizobium symbiosis remains poorly understood, and no rhizobia proteins that interact with nsLTPs have been reported to date. In this study, we used a bacteria two-hybrid system and identified the high temperature protein G (HtpG) from Mesorhizobium huakuii that interacts with the nsLTP AsE246. The interaction between HtpG and AsE246 was confirmed by far-Western blotting and bimolecular fluorescence complementation. Our results indicated that the heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) domain of HtpG mediates the HtpG-AsE246 interaction. Immunofluorescence assay showed that HtpG was colocalized with AsE246 in infected nodule cells and symbiosome membranes. Expression of the htpG gene was relatively higher in young nodules and was highly expressed in the infection zones. Further investigation showed that htpG expression affects lipid abundance and profiles in root nodules and plays an essential role in nodule development and nitrogen fixation. Our findings provide further insights into the functional mechanisms behind the transport of symbiosome lipids via nsLTPs in root nodules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among persons born in China before 1980 and tested for vaccinia virus Tiantan strain (VVT), 28.7% (137/478) had neutralizing antibodies, 71.4% (25/35) had memory B-cell responses, and 65.7% (23/35) had memory T-cell responses to VVT. Because of cross-immunity between the viruses, these findings can help guide mpox vaccination strategies in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Topological Weyl semimetals (TWSs) with pairs of Weyl points and topologically protected Fermi arc states have broadened the classification of topological phases and provide superior platform for study of topological superconductivity. Here we report the nontrivial superconductivity and topological features of sulfurdoped Td-phase MoTe2 with enhanced Tc compared with type-II TWS MoTe2. It is found that Td-phase S-doped MoTe2 (MoTe2-xSx, x~0.2) is a two-band s-wave bulk superconductor (~0.13 meV and 0.26 meV), where the superconducting behavior can be explained by the s+- pairing model. Further, measurements of the quasi-particle interference (QPI) patterns and a comparison with band-structure calculations reveal the existence of Fermi arcs in MoTe2-xSx . More interestingly, a relatively large superconducting gap (~1.7 meV) is detected by scanning tunneling spectroscopy on the sample surface, showing a hint of topological nontrivial superconductivity based on the pairing of Fermi arc surface states. Our work demonstrates that the Td-phase MoTe2-xSx is not only a promising topological superconductor candidate but also a unique material for study of s+- superconductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine epidemic diarrhea, a highly contagious enteric infectious disease caused by the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) with symptoms of vomit, diarrhea, loss of appetite of suckling pig, has led to serious economic loss to the global swine industry. In this study, a real-time fluorescence reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay was developed to detect PEDV RNA. The real-time fluorescence RT-LAMP assay was performed at 62 t for 60 min, using a simple and portable device, the ESE-Quant Tube Scanner. The detection limit of RNA was 2.9 x 10' copies/pi, 10 times as sensitive as RT-PCR, and the detection was specific only to PEDV. Application of this method to clinical samples yielded a positivity rate of 93%, which was higher than that of RT-PCR. This technique saves time and is efficient, and is thus expected to be useful for the diagnosis of PEDV infection in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly enantioselective Henry reaction of β,γ-unsaturated a-ketoesters with nitromethane in water by virtue of chiral copper complexes has been developed. A series of unsaturated β-nitro-a-hydroxy esters bearing tetrasubstituted carbon stereocenters were obtained exclusively with high yields and excellent enantioselectivities. This method could avoid tedious anaerobic anhydrous manipulation and reduce the environmental pollution caused by organic solvents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adopting a social constructivist approach to discourse, this study investigates multiple images of the Mutianyu Great Wall as constructed by three key stakeholders, namely domestic tourists, the business operator, and the government regulator. The data consist of 7, 466 online travel reviews from two Chinese travel websites, www.lvmama.com and www.ctrip.com, an interview with an administrator of the business operator of the Mutianyu Great Wall and the government document Regulations on the Protection of the Great Wall. The data analysis is based mainly on quantitative (word frequency count) and qualitative discourse semantics. The research has found that domestic tourists visiting the Great Wall are far more impressed by the modern facilities and services than by its history and culture, with a small number of travel reviews expressing high admiration of this world wonder. The business operator primarily uses the site as a tourist attraction and raised several practical problems concerning protection of the Great Wall. In contrast, the government regulator places great emphasis on aspects of heritage preservation. The study considers the complex interrelationship between the three stakeholders and accounts for their conflicting objectives. The study contributes to the field of cultural heritage tourism studies by developing a crossdisciplinary discourse framework and also suggests research implications for studying cultural heritage tourism and China's image. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims The migration and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are crucial events in the neointimal formation, a hallmark of atherosclerosis and restenosis. Semaphorin3E (Sema3E) has been found to be a critical regulator of cell migration and proliferation in many scenarios. However, its role on VSMCs migration and proliferation is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effect of Sema3E on VSMCs migration, proliferation and neointimal formation, and explore possible mechanisms. Methods and results We found that the expression of Sema3E was progressively decreased during neointimal formation in a carotid ligation model. H&E-staining showed lentivirus-mediated overexpression of Sema3E in carotid ligation area attenuated neointimal formation. Immunofluorescence staining showed that the receptor (PlexinD1) of Sema3E was expressed in vascular walls. In cultured mouse VSMCs, Sema3E inhibited VSMCs migration and proliferation via plexinD1 receptor. The inhibitory effect was mediated, at least in part, by inactivating Rap1-AKT signalling pathways in VSMCs. Moreover, we found that PDGFBB down-regulated the expression of Sema3E in VSMCs and Sema3E notably inhibited the expression of PDGFB in endothelial cells. In addition, the number of Sema3E-positive VSMCs was diminished in plaques of atherosclerotic patients. Results from a public GEO microarray database showed a negative correlation between Sema3E and PDGFB transcriptional levels in the human plaques examined. Conclusion Our study demonstrates that Sema3E/plexinD1 inhibits proliferation and migration of VSMCs via inactivation of Rap1-AKT signalling pathways. The mutual inhibition between PDGF-BB and Sema3E after vascular injury plays a critical role in the process of neointimal formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to identify potential human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) amplification, according to American Society of Clinical Oncology and the College of American Pathologists (ASCO/CAP) 2013 HER2 testing guidelines, in patients previously determined not to possess HER2 amplification, in accordance with previous 2007 guidelines. Potential discrepancies may arise from chromosome enumeration probe 17 (CEP17) amplification, deletion, polysomyor monosomy. HER2, CEP17, tumor protein p53 (TP53) and retinoic acid receptor α (RARA) genes from 67 patient specimens with suspected amplification, polysomy or monosomy of CEP17 were analyzed using fluorescence in situ hybridization. HER2 status was interpreted using 2007 and 2013 ASCO HER2 test guidelines as well as the reference genes TP53 and RARA. According to ASCO/CAP2007 HER2 guidelines, 20 patients exhibited HER2 amplification (29.85%), 41 were without HER2 amplification (including 25 with polysomy, 15 with monosomy and 1 with suspected monosomy plus co-amplification of HER2 and CEP17) and the remaining 6 patients were equivocal. Using ASCO/CAP 2013 HER2 g uidelines, 4 9 patients e xhibited HER2 gene a mplification (73.1%). T he 29-patient i ncrease included 6 originally at equivocal levels but now demonstrating amplification, 22 originally with polysomy but now revealing co-amplification, and 1 with suspected monosomy plus co-amplification of HER2 and CEP17. According to TP53 and RARA, HER2 was amplified in 43 patients (64.1%). Using the revised guidelines, HER2, originally identified as amplified in 6 patients, was not amplified following the introduction of TP53 and RARA control genes. Among these 6, 4 possessed normal TP53 and RARA. The incidence of co-amplification of HER2 and CEP17 was 1.4% (21/1,518). RARA and TP53 are suitable control genes to evaluate HER2 status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is an important cause of multiple pollutants in water. With population growth and increasing food demand, more nutrients, plastics, pesticides, pathogens and antibiotics are expected to enter water systems in the 21st century. As a result, water science has been shifting from singlepollutant to multi-pollutant perspectives for large-scale water quality assessments. This perspective paper summarizes and discusses four main highlights related to water pollution and agriculture from the multi-pollutant perspective. These highlights reveal the spatial and temporal distribution and main sources of multiple pollutants in waters. Based on the highlights, a scientific agenda is proposed to prioritize solutions for sustainable agriculture (UN Sustainable Development Goal 2) and clean water (UN Sustainable Development Goals 6 and 14). This agenda points out that when formulating solutions for water pollution, it is essential to take into account multiple pollutants and their interactions beyond biogeochemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Automatic ground-based in-field cotton (IFC) segmentation is a challenging task in precision agriculture, which has not been well addressed. Nearly all the existing methods rely on hand-crafted features. Their limited discriminative power results in unsatisfactory performance. To address this, a coarse-to-fine cotton segmentation method termed "DeepCotton" is proposed. It contains two modules, fully convolutional network (FCN) stream and interference region removal stream. First, FCN is employed to predict initially coarse map in an endto- end manner. The convolutional networks involved in FCN guarantee powerful feature description capability, simultaneously, the regression analysis ability of neural network assures segmentation accuracy. To our knowledge, we are the first to introduce deep learning to IFC segmentation. Second, our proposed "UP" algorithm composed of unary brightness transformation and pairwise region comparison is used for obtaining interference map, which is executed to refine the coarse map. The experiments on constructed IFC dataset demonstrate that our method outperforms other state-of-the-art approaches, either in different common scenarios or single/ multiple plants. More remarkable, the "UP" algorithm greatly improves the property of the coarse result, with the average amplifications of 2.6%, 2.4% on accuracy and 8.1%, 5.5% on intersection over union for common scenarios and multiple plants, separately.em [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multifunctional nanocatalysts of Au@Fe3O4/m-SiO2 yolk@shell hybrids had been developed through a template-assisted synthesis, where Fe3O4 nanoparticles (~12 nm) and m-SiO2 shells were sequentially assembled on surfaces of Au/SiO2 core/shell templates, followed by selective etching of the inner SiO2 cores, leading to the formation of Au@Fe3O4/m-SiO2 yolk@shell hybrids. The Fe3O4 nanoparticles were implanted in the inner surfaces of m-SiO2 shells with partially exposed surfaces to the inner cavity. The novel design not only ensures a high surface area (540.0 m2/g) and saturation magnetization (48.6 emu/g) of the hybrids but also enables interaction between Au and Fe3O4 nanoparticles. Catalytic tests toward the reduction of 4-nitrophenol in the presence of NaBH4 indicated that Au@Fe3O4/m-SiO2 yolk@shell nanocatalysts not only showed high stability and recyclability but also maintained improved catalytic activity as a result of the synergetic effect resulting from Au and Fe3O4 interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (M. ovipneumoniae) is a species of Mycoplasma bacteria that specifically infects sheep and goat, causing ovine infectious pleuropneumonia. However, the mechanism underlying the pathogen-host interaction between M. ovipneumoniae and airway epithelial cells is unknown. Methods: A primary air-liquid interface (ALI) epithelial culture model generated from the bronchial epithelial cells of Ningxia Tan sheep (ovis aries) was employed to explore the potential mechanism of M. ovipneumoniae-induced cell apoptosis by characterizing the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), methane dicarboxylic aldehyde (MDA) and anti-oxidative enzymes, as well as the mitochondrial membrane potentials, cytochrome C release, and activities of ERK and caspase signalling pathways. Results: Increased ROS production and MDA concentration with mitochondrial membrane dysfunction and apoptotic cell death but decreased expression of the antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT), glutathione synthetase (GSS), total superoxide dismutaes (T-SOD) and Mn-SOD were observed in sheep airway epithelial cells infected with M. ovipneumoniae. Mechanistically, the M. ovipneumoniae-induced cell apoptosis and disruption of mitochondrial integrity reflected mechanisms by which pathogen-activated mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling sequentially led to mitochondrial damage and release of Cyt-C into the cytoplasm, which in turn triggered the activation of caspase signalling cascade, resulting in the apoptosis of host cells. Conclusions: These results suggest that M. ovipneumoniae-induced ROS and MAPK signalling-mediated mitochondrial apoptotic pathways might play key roles in the pathogenesis of M. ovipneumoniae infection in sheep lungs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to estimate the diagnostic value of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis of tumor cells in voided urine specimens for detecting upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). Cytology and FISH analyses were conducted on voided urine collected in the morning from 125 patients with suspected UTUC. During follow-up, ureteroscopy with biopsy and histopathology were used to confirm the presence of tumors. The average follow-up time was 23.8 months (range, 6-36 months). A total of 8 patients who could not be contacted until the last follow-up were excluded from the study. Of the remaining 117 patients, 19 were histologically demonstrated to have UTUC, of whom, 3 patients had stage pTis disease, 6 had stage pTa disease, 5 had stage pT1 disease and 5 had stage pT2 disease (7 G1, 8 G2 and 4 G3). The overall sensitivity of FISH to detect UTUCs in voided urine specimens was 84.21% (16/19), whereas that of cytology was 42.11% (8/19) (P<0.05). The overall specificity of FISH to detect UTUCs in voided urine specimens was 89.80% (88/98), compared with 94.90% (93/98) of cytology (P>0.05). The positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value of FISH were 80.00% (16/20) and 97.78% (88/90), respectively, whereas those of cytology were 100.00% (8/8) (P>0.05) and 90.29% (93/103) (P>0.05), respectively. The present data indicated that FISH was a method capable of detecting UTUCs in voided urine specimens with good sensitivity and specificity, although it exhibited a high rate of false positivity and low PPV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A complex structure has many uncertain factors and how to make a more accurate analysis on the structure reliability by a method is the key in engineering calculation. Rough set theory is utilized to analyze the fuzzy, random and uncertain factors and upper and lower approximation set relation is used to calculate the value taking interval of reliability index to make reliability index analysis. The characteristic of this analysis method is that it is not necessary to distinguish whether the uncertain parameters belong to fuzzy scope or random scope and meanwhile, it is necessary to determine membership function of related fuzzy variables or distribution function of random variables and reasonable value of variable is obtained via objective rough analysis; the difference from non-probability interval reliability analysis method is that it is not necessary to make interval standardization calculation for uncertain parameters and reliability analysis is made in direct utilization of objective rough analysis results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The highly enantioselective hetero-Diels-Alder reaction of Danishefsky's diene with glyoxals was developed by virtue of a readily accessible chiral copper catalyst. This efficient transformation provided a facile and scalable access to a wide range of biologically active dihydropyrones with a high level of enantioselectivities. Moreover, the substrate scope of this reaction could be extended to isatins with this catalytic system. More importantly, the mechanism involved in this reaction was proposed on the basis of the unambiguous structures of intermediates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tuberculosis remains a major public health problem in China. The Hebei province is located in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei integration region; however little information about the genetic diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis was available in this area. This study describes the first attempt to map the molecular epidemiology of MTB strains isolated from Hebei.Methods: Spoligotyping and 15-locus MIRU-VNTR were performed in combination to yield specific genetic profiles of 1017 MTB strains isolated from ten cities in the Hebei province in China during 2014. Susceptibility testing to first line anti-TB drugs was also conducted for all strains using the L-J proportion method.Results: Based on the SpolDB4.0 database, the predominant spoligotype belonged to the Beijing family (90.5%), followed by T family (6.3%). Using 15-locus MIRU-VNTR clustering analysis, 846 different patterns were identified, including 84 clusters (2-17 strains per cluster) and 764 individual types. Drug susceptibility pattern showed that 347 strains (34.1%) were resistant to at least one of the first line drugs, including 134 (13.2%) multi-drug resistance strains. Statistical analysis indicated that drug resistance was associated with treatment history. The Beijing family was associated with genetic clustering. However, no significant difference was observed between the Beijing and non-Beijing family in gender, age, treatment history and drug resistance.Conclusions: The Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains in Hebei exhibit high genetic diversity. The Beijing family is the most prevalent lineage in this area. Spoligotyping in combination with 15-locus MIRU-VNTR is a useful tool to study the molecular epidemiology of the MTB strains in Hebei. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly enantioselective Friedel-Crafts alkylation of pyrrole to β,-unsaturated a-ketoesters was developed by virtue of a chiral copper complex, affording the alkylated derivatives of pyrrole with good yields and excellent enantioselectivities. Moreover, merging copper catalysis with gold catalysis realized a one-pot construction of the seven-membered ring to give annulated pyrroles with moderate to good yields and high enantiomeric excesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the notion of the Lp-mixed geominimal surface area of multiple convex bodies which were introduced by Ye et al., we define the concept of the Lp-dual mixed geominimal surface area for multiple star bodies, and we establish several inequalities related to this concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the topographic and geometric controls on glacier changes in area and equilibrium-line altitude (ELA) in the central Tien Shan, China, since the Little Ice Age (LIA). We delineate the extents of 487 modern glaciers and their corresponding maximum LIA glacial advances using satellite imagery in Google Earth, and analyze the relationships between the magnitude of glacier changes and a set of local topographic/geometric factors including glacier area, slope, aspect, shape, hypsometry and mean elevation. Our results show that: (1) glacier area decreased from 460.2km² during the LIA to 265.6km² in the 2000s (a loss of 42.3%), with an average ELA increase of ~100 m; (2) relative area changes of glaciers are strongly affected by two of these local factors (glacier area and mean elevation); and (3) ELA change does not show a strong relationship with local factors, suggesting that it may be controlled mainly by climatic factors. This study provides important insights into the local controls on glacier changes at the centennial timescale, which are of critical importance to assess future glacier changes in this arid and semi-arid region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, neural networks (NN) impedance control is proposed for robot-environment interaction. Iterative learning control is developed to make the robot dynamics follow a given target impedance model. To cope with the problem of unknown robot dynamics, NN are employed such that neither the robot structure nor the physical parameters are required for the control design. The stability and performance of the resulted closed-loop system are discussed through rigorous analysis and extensive remarks. The validity and feasibility of the proposed method are verified through simulation studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A one-dimensional drug delivery system (1D DDS) is highly attractive since it has distinct advantages such as enhanced drug efficiency and better pharmacokinetics. However, drugs in 1D DDSs are all encapsulated in inert carriers, and problems such as low drug loading content and possible undesirable side effects caused by the carriers remain a serious challenge. In this paper, a novel, carrier-free, pure drug nanorod-based, tumor-targeted 1D DDS has been developed. Drugs are first prepared as nanorods and then surface functionalized to achieve excellent water dispersity and stability. The resulting drug nanorods show enhanced internalization rates mainly through energy-dependent endocytosis, with the shape-mediated nanorod (NR) diffusion process as a secondary pathway. The multiple endocytotic mechanisms lead to significantly improved drug efficiency of functionalized NRs with nearly ten times higher cytotoxicity than those of free molecules and unfunctionalized NRs. A targeted drug delivery system can be readily achieved through surface functionalization with targeting group linked amphipathic surfactant, which exhibits significantly enhanced drug efficacy and discriminates between cell lines with high selectivity. These results clearly show that this tumor-targeting DDS demonstrates high potential toward specific cancer cell lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study boundary value problems for the following nonlinear fractional Sturm-Liouville functional differential equations involving the Caputo fractional derivative: ... denote the Caputo fractional derivatives, f is a nonnegative continuous functional defined on ... are suitably small, ... . By means of the Guo-Krasnoselskii fixed point theorem and the fixed point index theorem, some positive solutions are obtained, respectively. As an application, an example is presented to illustrate our main results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-scale cubic InN nanocrystals were synthesized by a combined solution- and vapor-phase method under silica confinement. Nearly monodisperse cubic InN nanocrystals with uniform spherical shape were dispersed stably in various organic solvents after removal of the silica shells. The average size of InN nanocrystals is 5.7 ± 0.6 nm. Powder X-ray diffraction results indicate that the InN nanocrystals are of high crystallinity with a cubic phase. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and energy-dispersive spectroscopy confirm that the nanocrystals are composed of In and N elements. The InN nanocrystals exhibit infrared photoluminescence at room temperature, with a peak energy of ∼0.62 eV, which is smaller than that of high-quality wurtzite InN (∼0.65-0.7 eV) and is in agreement with theoretical calculations. The small emission peak energy of InN nanocrystals, as compared to other low-cost solution or vapor methods, reveals the superior crystalline quality of our samples, with low or negligible defect density. This work will significantly promote InN-based applications in IR optoelectronic device and biology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on investigating the effects of conventional calcination procedures and O2plasma treatments on the metal precursor−support interaction (MPSI) of 1 wt % Pd/TiO2. MPSI is likely a strong precursor to the metal−support interaction of supported metal catalysts. The authors identify H2-DSC (H2-differential scanning calorimetry) as a sensitive and effective technique for measuring and differentiating the MPSIs of PdO and palladium nitrate with TiO2. At room temperature, the effect of O2plasmas on MPSI is stronger than the effect of high-temperature calcination. In addition, O2plasma treatments can increase the strength of the MPSIs of both supported PdO and palladium nitrate while minimizing the detrimental effects of high-temperature calcinations on the composition of supported metal precursors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe the effects of the overexpression of noggin, a bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) inhibitor, on osteoblast differentiation and bone formation. Cells of the osteoblast and chondrocyte lineages, as well as bone marrow macrophages, showed intense β-gal histo- or cytostaining in adult noggin[sup+/-] mice that had a LacZ transgene inserted at the site of noggin deletion. Despite identical BMP levels, however, osteoblasts of 20-month-old C57BL/6J and 4-month-old senescence-accelerated mice (SAM-P6 mice) had noggin expression levels that were approximately fourfold higher than those of 4-month-old C57BL/6J and SAM-R1 (control) mice, respectively. U-33 preosteoblastic cells overexpressing the noggin gene showed defective maturation and, in parallel, a decreased expression of Runx-2, bone sialoprotein, osteocalcin, and RANK-L. Noggin did not inhibit the ligandless signaling and prodifferentiation action of the constitutively activated BMP receptor type 1A, ca-ALK-3. Transgenic mice overexpressing noggin in mature osteocalcin-positive osteoblasts showed dramatic decreases in bone mineral density and bone formation rates with histological evidence of decreased trabecular bone and CFU-osteoblast colonies at 4 and 8 months. Together, the results provide compelling evidence that noggin, expressed in mature osteoblasts, inhibits osteoblast differentiation and bone formation. Thus, the overproduction of noggin during biological aging may result in impaired osteoblast formation and function and hence, net bone loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a dearth of effective treatments to counter retinol‐induced skin irritation. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of three potential mitigants: (i) phytosteryl/octyldodecyl lauroyl glutamate (PLG), (ii) a physiologic lipid mixture (PLM) comprised of ceramide three and cholesterol, and (iii) niacinamide, in ameliorating irritation instigated by retinol. Methods: An occlusive human patch test, spanning 5 days, was undertaken on 18 Chinese participants aged between 23 and 40. It was designed as a randomized, double‐blind, and vehicle‐controlled study. Clinician erythema assessment (CEA) and instrumental evaluations were employed pre and post‐test. Subsequently, a 4‐week consumer in‐use test, randomized and double‐blind in nature, was executed to substantiate the soothing effects of PLG. Results: Data from CEA and bioengineering assessments revealed that, in comparison to the vehicle control, both 2% PLG and 5% PLM notably curbed retinol‐induced skin erythema and inflammation. Notably, PLG outperformed PLM. Conversely, 3% niacinamide did not offer relief against retinol‐induced discomfort. The subsequent consumer in‐use test affirmed that treatments with 2% PLG were better tolerated than those with the vehicle alone. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this study represents the first confirmation that physiologic lipids effectively mitigate retinol‐induced irritation. Given their capacity to counter retinol‐induced irritation, physiologic lipids, particularly PLG, are recommended for incorporation in retinol regimens. Additionally, the Visia‐CR a* value can serve as a robust objective measure for interpreting patch test outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research delves into the transfer and loss of energy in a discrete mass when subjected to forced vibration. Using discrete element method (DEM), we analyzed the dynamic behavior of regular spherical granular assemblies and the energy distribution characteristics under different excitation frequencies and reduced accelerations. Moreover, the energy transfer and dissipation process of granular assemblies under different vibration states are studied using an experimental method. The results show that the granular assemblies will produce collision energy dissipation, thermal energy dissipation, acoustic energy dissipation and other forms of energy dissipation in the forced vibration state and the proportion of different energy dissipation under different excitation is given. The collision and friction of granular assemblies are the key to affecting other forms of energy dissipation. When the excitation increases, the energy dissipation forms are generated inside the granular assemblies, and the proportion of collision energy dissipation of the granular assemblies increases. The acoustic energy above 20 kHz occupies the main part of the acoustic energy dissipation. Thermal energy consumption always exists, which takes a long time to play a role. The granular also have other forms of energy loss, which is hard to be measured, including Rayleigh waves generated by granular collision. In this study, the relationship between the forced vibration state of the granular assemblies and the energy loss distribution is established. Various types of energy transfer and conversion distribution which further enriches the energy dissipation of discrete element calculation of the granular assemblies is discussed and provides a reference for the energy loss analysis of the granular assemblies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on studies related to the bacteria pathogen Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) including an increase in geometric mean concentrations (GMCs) of antibody in children, an increase in antibody's positive rate in children and need of decreasing Hib infection spread.

Large land consolidation projects modify the structures and functions of regional ecosystems through the reshaping of the territorial spatial pattern, thereby affecting the ecological environmental quality (EEQ). To investigate the effects of large-scale land consolidation projects on EEQ, this study takes the major land consolidation project of "bulldoze mountains to create land" (BMCL) in Yan'an City as a research object and evaluates the change of EEQ based on Remote Sensing Ecological Index (RSEI). The consolidated area and the control area were set up to comparatively analyze the EEQ change processes and spatial distribution characteristics of these two areas in the full life cycle of BMCL. According to the results, the mean RSEI of the consolidated area was 0.128 lower than that of the control area, and the EEQ of the consolidated area was always lower than that of the control area. BMCL had a strong negative impact on the EEQ grade of the consolidated area, especially in the early stage. However, the positive effect of BMCL on EEQ gradually emerged in the late stage of the large land consolidation project. The overall EEQ grade of the consolidated area has also improved. The results of the stepwise regression analysis indicated that the wetness component and the normalized differential vegetation index played key roles in improving the EEQ of the BMCL. Overall, the local BMCL strongly affected the EEQ of the consolidated area but would not cause the EEQ of the whole region to experience any dramatic, abrupt change in the short term. This study provided references for the evaluation and analysis of the ecological effects of land consolidation at the regional scale, offering a feasible way to evaluate the spatio-temporal change of EEQ in BMCL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the research on quantum oscillations in ultraquantum topological materials and tackles the discrete scale invariance (DSI) of single crystal.

A series of MnOx/TiO2 sorbents were synthesized via a sol-gel method and evaluated for elemental mercury (Hg0) removal under low-temperature conditions. The effects of manganese oxide contents (5-20 wt %), calcination temperatures of the sorbents (450-750 °C), reaction temperatures (50-200 °C), and flue gas components, such as H2S (0-5000 ppm), O2 (0-5%), and H2O (0-5%), on Hg0 adsorption and oxidation activity were investigated. The experimental results showed that the introduction of manganese oxide into the pure TiO2 obviously enhanced Hg0 removal ability. Particularly under the conditions of 15 wt % of manganese oxide content, calcination temperature of 550 °C, and 1% O2, the adsorption capacity could be as high as 5.12 mg/g at 100 °C. In addition, O2 significantly enhanced the Hg0 removal efficiency. It works by offering the consumed adsorbed oxygen, which was delivered to Hg0 by redox circle between the changes of manganese states. Catalytic oxidation of Hg0 was the dominant way at 100 °C. Both H2S and H2O inhibited Hg0 removal efficiency, which was ascribed to the competition between the introduced gas and Hg0 on the adsorption and catalytic oxidation activity sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]