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Background Purpose Methods Results Conclusion Magnetic resonance images (MRIs) are a valuable tool in the study of brain tumors, and multimodal sequences provide unique insights into different aspects of brain tumors. However, in clinical practice, missing modalities are often encountered due to various factors. This makes it difficult to obtain comprehensive and reliable information related to brain tumors.The purpose of this work is to develop an algorithm for the synthesis of missing MRI modality with high precision, and to center on generating accurate tumor‐related information to offer more data for clinical diagnosis.A novel weakly supervised MRI synthesis model named TAM‐DAM‐GAN has been proposed, which integrates tumor‐aware and detail adjustment mechanisms to enhance the quality of tumor generation. The tumor‐aware mechanism leverages weak label information to guide the network to classify images based on crucial information in local structures, thereby compelling the generative network to identify and highlight the learning of local tumor regions. The detail adjustment mechanism utilizes a discriminator to create attention maps at the pixel level in real‐time. These maps are then used to modify the loss weight, which in turn adjusts the details that are generated.Generation quality of four tasks (T1‐to‐T2, T2‐to‐T1, T1‐to‐FLAIR, and FLAIR‐to‐T1) was evaluated. Experiments on the BRATS2015 dataset show that the proposed approach is superior in both qualitative and quantitative measures. Taking FLAIR‐to‐T1 as an example, TAM‐DAM‐GAN improves PSNR of tumor region from 18.556 to 20.576 compared to baseline. Also, using real FLAIR data with generated T1 data boosts tumor segmentation accuracy by 10% compared to using only real FLAIR data.This finding will be conducive to enhancing the accuracy of cross‐modality synthesis in incomplete multimodal MRI, especially for tumor regions, thereby providing more dependable and comprehensive data for clinical diagnosis and scientific research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an irreversible and progressive chronic inflammatory lung disease which affects millions of people worldwide. Activated fibroblasts are observed to accumulate in lung of COPD patients and promote COPD progression through aberrant extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition. In this study, we identified that miR-1307-5p expression was significantly increased in lung fibroblasts derived from COPD patients. Mechanistically, we found that upregulation of miR-1307-5p promoted TGF-β induced lung fibroblast activation and transdifferentiation. We also identified FBXL16 as a direct target for miR-1307-5p mediated myofibroblast activation in COPD. Knockdown of FBXL16 by siRNA prominently increased the expression of myofibroblast markers in MRC-5 fibroblasts after TGF-β administration. Ectopic expression of FBXL16 in MRC-5 counteracted miR-1307-5p agomir-induced fibroblast transdifferentiation. Furthermore, We found that miR-1307-5p promoted pulmonary fibroblast transdifferentiation through FBXL16 regulated HIF1α degradation. In general, our findings indicate that miR-1307-5p is important for COPD pathogenesis, and may serve as a potential target for COPD treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives • In the context of coronary artery disease (CAD) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), it is essential to explore the variations in coronary endothelial diameter. Understanding these variations holds significance for the early diagnosis and treatment of CAD. This study aims to elucidate the relevance of coronary endothelial diameter in the broader landscape of CAD and PCI outcomes. Methods • This study is a retrospective cohort study. Consecutive patients with CAD who underwent PCI during hospitalization were included. IVUS measured the endothelial diameter of the coronary artery, and the patients were divided into the endothelial diameter constricted group, normal group and dilated group. The primary endpoint event was all-cause death, and the secondary endpoint events were cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and elective revascularization. Follow-up was completed from August 2021 to February 2022. The follow-up period from August 2021 to February 2022 was selected to capture a comprehensive view of long-term postoperative outcomes in coronary artery disease patients undergoing PCI, ensuring a contemporary and relevant assessment of the study endpoints. Results • The study ultimately included 705 patients, which included 295 (41.8%) in the endothelial diameter constricted group, 410 (58.2%) in the endothelial diameter normal group and 221 (31.3%) in the endothelial diameter dilated group. Patients with dilated endothelial diameter experienced a reduction in 5-year all-cause mortality, cardiac mortality, non-fatal heart attack, and elective revascularization rates. Specifically, the 5-year all-cause mortality rate in the dilated group was 1.79 (95% CI: 1.07-3.00), cardiac mortality was 3.73 (95% CI: 1.27-10.95), non-fatal heart attack rate was 1.65 (95% CI: 0.99-2.75), and elective revascularization rate was 2.15 (95% CI: 1.30-3.60) (P < .05). The Cox proportional- hazards model indicated that age, AMI, and endothelial diameter expansion were identified as risk factors for 5-year all-cause mortality (P < .05). There was no statistically significant difference in the 5-year all-cause mortality, cardiogenic mortality, elective revascularization rate and non-fatal myocardial infarction rate. Conclusions • Patients with dilated endothelial diameter had decreased 5-year all-cause mortality, cardiac mortality, non-fatal heart attack, and elective revascularization rates. IVUS evaluation of the diameter of the coronary endothelium prior to PCI can aid in the classification and prevention of CAD risk. The retrospective design and potential biases associated with hospitalization data, along with the absence of certain clinical parameters, should be considered when interpreting the findings. The IVUS evaluation of coronary endothelial diameter not only aids in risk classification but also has the potential to inform personalized treatment strategies, enhancing patient care in coronary artery disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transplantation of collagen hydrogels encapsulating human dental pulp stem cell (DPSC)‐derived chondrogenic cells is potentially a novel approach for the regeneration of degenerated nucleus pulposus (NP) and cartilage. Grafted cell migration allows cells to disperse in the hydrogels and the treated tissue from the grafted location. We previously reported the cell migration in type I and type II hydrogels. It is important to explore further how cell culture time affect the cell motility. In this study, we observed the decreased motility of DPSC‐derived chondrogenic cells after culturing for 2 weeks compared with cells cultured for 2 days in these gels. The Alamarblue assay showed the cell proliferation during the two‐week cell culture period. The findings suggest that the transitions of cell motility and proliferation during the longer culture time. The result indicates that the early culture stage is an optimal time for cell transplantation. In a degenerated disc, the expression of IL‐1β and TNFα increased significantly compared with healthy tissue and therefore may affect grafted cell migration. The incorporation of IL‐1β and TNFα into the collagen hydrogels decreased cell motility. The study indicates that the control of IL‐1β and TNFα production may help to maintain cell motility after transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving the efficiency of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is crucial for its clinical applicability in tumor diagnosis. This study presents an accelerated diagnostic approach based on a kernel principal component analysis-support vector machine (KPCA-SVM) model. Initially, elemental features--calcium (Ca), sodium (Na), magnesium (Mg), and copper (Cu)--were selected due to noticeable differences in spectral intensity between tumor and normal tissues. Subsequently, employing KPCA facilitated the projection of LIBS features into a high-dimensional space, capturing nonlinear data relationships. Dimensionality reduction within this space was then performed to retain essential nonlinear features while eliminating redundancy. The resulting reduced matrix was input into the SVM classifier. Both the Gaussian kernel of KPCA and the Radial Basis Function (RBF) kernel of the SVM exhibited exceptional diagnostic efficacy. Optimal results were attained using 15 principal components, achieving a classification accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of 99.03%, 99.72%, 98.89%, 98.90%, and 99.72%, respectively. Importantly, the model's runtime was only 6.77 seconds, highlighting the potential of KPCA and SVM kernel methodologies for rapid lung cancer diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This short report describes the phenomenon of space-charge-limited (SCL) current transport between ballistic and collision-dominated regimes for an inhomogeneous medium with a finite emission area. This intermediate regime can be considered as a weakly collisional regime where the collisional mean free path is comparable to the length of the medium. The SCL current density is calculated as a function of the degree of collision, inhomogeneity of the medium, and the geometrical properties of the emitting area. The inhomogeneity of the medium is characterized by a parameter of (0 < α ≤ 1) , where α = 1 denotes a perfect homogenous medium. The calculated SCL current density is enhanced by finite emission area effects by a factor of 1 + F × G , where F measures the mean position of the electrons in the medium, and G is a geometrical correction factor due to finite emission area. The enhancement is found to be higher in the collisional regime as compared to the ballistic regime. A higher inhomogeneity (with smaller α) also increases the enhancement. Smooth transition between the fully ballistic SCL transport (Child–Langmuir model) and the collision-dominated SCL transport (Mott–Gurney model) is demonstrated and verified, respectively, by the particle-in-cell code and the device simulator. This model is useful for the characterization of high-current SCL transport where the non-ideal conditions (such as inhomogenous medium and weakly collisional regime) cannot be described by the existing SCL models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spastic paraplegia type 4 (SPG4), caused by SPAST mutations, is the most predominant subtype of hereditary spastic paraplegia. Most documented SPG4 patients present as pure form, with the complex form rarely reported. We described the clinical and genetic features of 20 patients with complex phenotypes of SPG4 and further explored the genotype–phenotype correlations. We collected detailed clinical data of all SPG4 patients and assessed their phenotypes. SPAST gene mutations were identified by Multiplex ligation‐dependent probe amplification in combination with whole exome sequencing. We further performed statistical analysis in genotype and phenotype among patients with various manifestations and different variants. Out of 90 SPG4 patients, 20 patients (male:female = 16:4) with additional neurologic deficits, namely complex form, were included in our study. The bimodal distribution of age of onset at 0–10 and 21–40 years old is concluded. On cranial MRI, obvious white matter lesions can be observed in five patients. We identified 9 novel and 8 reported SPAST mutations, of which 11 mutations were located in AAA (ATPase associated with various cellular activities) domain. The AAA cassette of spastin is the hottest mutated region among complex SPG4. All patients with cognitive impairment (CI) are males (n = 9/9). Additionally, 80% patients with ataxia are due to frameshift mutations (n = 4/5). Overall, our study summarized and analyzed the genetic and phenotypic characteristics of complex SPG4, making up over 1/5 of in‐house SPG4 cohort, among which CI and ataxia are the most common features. Further studies are expected to explore the underlying mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In challenging reservoirs where thermal recovery falls short, cold or chemical oil recovery methods are crucial. Spontaneous emulsification (SE), triggered by gentle disturbance, significantly enhances oil recovery. In elucidating SE mechanisms and kinetics, SE processes via direct contact between oil and aqueous phases without stirring were conducted. The effects of temperature, emulsifier concentration, pH, NaCl concentration, and the oil-to-water ratio on SE were investigated through droplet size analysis and turbidity measurements. Furthermore, the emulsification mechanism and derived emulsification kinetics based on turbidity data were obtained. The results underscore the feasibility of SE for oil–water systems, reducing viscous and capillary resistances without agitation. The emulsified oil mass increased with the temperature, pH, and aqueous-to-oil phase volume ratio while decreasing with the NaCl concentration. In this study, for GD-2 crude oil, the optimal emulsified oil amount occurred at a betaine surfactant (BetS-2) emulsifier concentration of 0.45%. Microscopic photo analysis indicated narrow particle size distributions and small droplets, which remained stable over time under various experimental conditions. A combined SE mechanism involving ultralow interfacial tension, interfacial turbulence due to Marangoni effects, and “diffusion and stranding” due to in situ emulsifier hydrophilicity, was speculated. Additionally, an analogous second-order kinetic equation for SE was proposed, indicating exceptional correlation with calculated and experimentally measured values. This study offers theoretical insight for enhancing oil recovery in chemical and cold production of heavy oil in oilfields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective • To study the clinical features of two primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS) patients with neurological symptoms as initial manifestations and review the related literature. Methods • The clinical data, response to treatment as well as prognosis of 2 cases were analyzed and followed up. Results • Case 1, female, initially presented progressive gait instability and distal sensory impairment at the age of 50. Clinical manifestations included spastic gait, sensory ataxia, conduction fascicular sensory impairment, as well as urination and defecation dysfunction. At the age of 58, this patient was unable to walk independently. The laboratory findings revealed a positive result for anti-nuclear antibody with a titer of 1: 1 000, anti-Sjogren's syndrome A (SSA)/Ro-52, anti- SSA/Ro-60, and anti-centromere antibodies. Labial salivary gland biopsy showed lymphocytes and plasma cells infiltration into the glandular tissues, interstitium, and lobules, with 2 foci/4 mm² (lymphocytes >50). The cranial magnetic resonance imaging exhibited bilateral symmetric hyperintensity in the brainstem, characterized by the "snake-eye sign". Electromyography examination revealed axonal impairment of the right peroneal nerve. The patient was treated with high-dose corticosteroid therapy in combination with immunosuppressants. She experienced remarkable improvement. After three months, she was able to walk with aids and take care of herself in daily life. Case 2, female, presented spasmodic torticollis since the age of 81 with unknown reason. She had a history of mild mucosal dryness of mouth and eyes, and painful knee for one year. Laboratory findings revealed positive results for anti-SSA/ Ro-52 and anti-SSA/Ro-60 antibodies, as well as hemoglobin of 86 g/L. Labial salivary gland biopsy demonstrated partial atrophy of the acini and the presence of 2 foci/4 mm² of lymphocytes and plasma cells infiltration into the stroma (lymphocytes>50). Electromyography examination showed reduced conduction velocity in the right median nerve. She got a significant relief after the treatment of immunosuppressants, antispasmodics, and muscle relaxants. Conclusion • Patients presenting initial symptoms such as complex forms of spastic paraplegia and cervical dystonia expand the clinical spectrum of pSS. In clinical practice, it is important to distinguish neurological involvement secondary to pSS from other primary neurological disorders. For patients with neurological impairments but without apparent etiology, it is crucial to screen relevant series of autoimmune antibodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop a general electrostatic steady-state model to calculate the two-dimensional (2D) space-charge-limited current (SCLC) with an initial velocity v0 (i.e., kinetic energy e K V = m v 0 2 / 2) injected from a cathode into a vacuum diode with a spacing D and a potential difference of Vg. We consider two types of beam cross section: (a) a sheet beam with a width W and (b) a circular beam with a radius R, where both W and R are larger than D in the calculation. By introducing a parameter ε ≡ K V / V g ≥ 0 , we can tune the operating regime to be in between the accelerating diode (ε ≪ 1) and drift space (ε ≫ 1). Hence, we verify the 2D SCLC model by converging to some prior analytical findings such as the 2D Child–Langmuir law at ε = 0, 2D SCLC at drift space at ε ≫ 1 , and their 1D limits at W / D ≫ 1 or R / D ≫ 1. Our 2D SCLC model indicates that there is a maximal value at ε ∼ 1 / 60 , which is independent of W/D or R/D. Furthermore, the hysteresis behavior is also studied when the injected current density is beyond the SCLC threshold and its dynamics are mainly influenced by ε instead of geometrical effect. This model is useful in high current electron beam emission with a finite emission area and with a non-negligible arbitrary injection kinetic energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document discusses a research paper on the discharge coefficient of Type-A piano key weirs. The discussers appreciate the authors' efforts but suggest further analysis for one equation in the original paper. They conducted simulations and analysis, providing graphs and tables to support their findings. The document also includes a sensitivity analysis of input parameters affecting the discharge coefficient, showing the varying effects of different parameters. The study provides insights into estimating the discharge coefficient and was supported by funding from the Water Resources Department of Jiangxi Province and the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangxi Province in China. [Extracted from the article]

The effect of demand uncertainty reduction (DUR) on supply chain management has received tremendous attention. From a financial perspective, studying the impact of DUR is equally significant. This study explores the relationship between DUR and private equity (PE) financing in retail enterprises within a supply chain, which comprises a dominant supplier and a subordinate retailer. This article establishes decision models for a retailer backed by PE under three market demand conditions: range, mean, and range with mean. The study further investigates the impact of partial demand uncertainty reduction (PDUR) on the retailer and PE through comparative analysis of these scenarios. To address incomplete market demand information during the decision-making process, the study employs the minimax regret criterion to construct and solve the model. An intriguing finding of this study is that contrary to intuition, PDUR not only fails to promote PE but also reduces the retailer's willingness to finance and decreases the asset size for both the retailer and PE. In addition, the better the growth potential for the retail enterprise, the more severe the negative impact brought about by PDUR. Moreover, the impact of PDUR on supplier and supply chain performance is two-fold. PDUR based on range information has a negative impact on the expected profit of the supplier and the supply chain, while PDUR based on mean information has a positive impact on their expected profit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading aging related cause of global mortality. Small airway narrowing is recognized as an early and significant factor for COPD development. Senescent fibroblasts were observed to accumulate in lung of COPD patients and promote COPD progression through aberrant extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition and senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). On the basis of our previous study, we further investigated the the causes for the increased levels of miR-377-3p in the blood of COPD patients, as well as its regulatory function in the pathological progression of COPD. We found that the majority of up-regulated miR-377-3p was localized in lung fibroblasts. Inhibition of miR-377-3p improved chronic smoking-induced COPD in mice. Mechanistically, miR-377-3p promoted senescence of lung fibroblasts, while knockdown of miR-377-3p attenuated bleomycin-induced senescence in lung fibroblasts. We also identified ZFP36L1 as a direct target for miR-377-3p that likely mediated its pro senescence activity in lung fibroblasts. Our data reveal that miR-377-3p is crucial for COPD pathogenesis, and may serve as a potential target for COPD therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep learning (DL) has recently become a powerful tool for optimizing parameters and predicting phenomena to boost laser-driven ion acceleration. We developed a neural network surrogate model using an ensemble of 355 one-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations to validate the theory of phase-stable acceleration (PSA) driven by a circularly polarized laser driver. Our DL predictions confirm the PSA theory and reveal a discrepancy in the required target density for stable ion acceleration at larger target thicknesses. We discuss the physical reasons behind this density underestimation based on our DL insights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MXenes, a family of 2D transition metal carbides, are considered promising high‐rate pseudocapacitive materials because of their metallic‐like conductivity and transition metal oxide‐like surfaces. Currently, nearly 50 stoichiometric MXenes have been synthesized. However, only a few MXenes, such as Ti3C2, have shown stable pseudocapacitive charge storage so far. Further improving the inherent pseudocapacitance of MXenes without losing their cyclability remains a challenge. Herein, a mild method is reported to produce highly stable bimetallic solid‐solution MXene Ti2VC2 using a solution of potassium fluoride and hydrochloric acid. The electrochemical properties of resulting multilayered clay‐like and delaminated Ti2VC2 films are investigated, exceeding the performance of typical Ti3C2 in acidic electrolytes. These electrodes deliver up to 2000 F cm−3 and retain more than 90% of their initial capacitance after 20 000 cycles, surpassing most state‐of‐the‐art supercapacitor materials known. The pseudocapacitive charge storage of Ti2VC2 is deeply investigated through in situ and ex situ experimental studies, confirmed the pseudocapacitive mechanism is a combination of hydrated H+ intercalation and surface redox. This work provides a practical route toward future rational design on the atomic scale for high‐performance pseudocapacitive materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early detection and intervention could significantly improve the prognosis of patients with peritoneal metastasis (PM). Our main purpose was to develop a model to predict the risk of PM in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods: Patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database with CRC classified according to the AJCC 8th TNM staging system were selected for the study. After data pre-processing, the dataset was divided into a training set and a validation set. In the training set, univariate logistic analysis and stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis were utilized to screen clinical features and construct a risk prediction model. Then, we validated the model using the confusion matrix, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, decision curve analysis (DCA), and calibration curves to examine its performance. Results: The model constructed using stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis incorporated the following eight clinical features: age, tumor location, histological type, T stage, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level, tumor deposits (TDs), log odds (LODDS) of metastatic lymph nodes, and extraperitoneal metastasis (EM). The areas under the curve (AUCs) of the model in the training and validation sets were 0.924 and 0.912, respectively. The accuracy and the recall ratio were higher than 0.8 in both cohorts. DCA and the calibration curves also confirmed its excellent predictive power. Conclusions: Our model can effectively predict the risk of PM in CRC patients, which is of great significance for the timely identification of patients at high risk of PM and further clinical decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surgery plays a crucial role in the treatment of patients with chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA). However, there is currently limited information available regarding the use of uniportal thoracoscopy (Uni-VATS) in CPA patients. To address this gap, we conducted a retrospective analysis of surgical procedures performed at a single center, aiming to demonstrate the feasibility and safety of Uni-VATS for patients with CPA. We collected basic information and surgical data from patients who underwent surgery for CPA at our hospital between January 2018 and June 2022. All patients received voriconazole antifungal medication for 3–6 months post-surgery and were monitored for a minimum of 6 months. A total of 110 patients, comprising 59 cases in the traditional open chest incision group and 51 cases in the Uni-VATS group, met the inclusion criteria. Among those who underwent surgery, 70% were male (77/110). The median age (IQR) of all enrolled patients was 55 (46–62) years. There were no statistically significant differences in general information, such as age, sex, comorbidities, BMI, FEV1, FVC, clinical symptoms, location of the disease, and duration of voriconazole antifungal medication, between the OS group and the Uni-VATS group (p > 0.05). The postoperative complication rates were 40.7% (24/59) for the traditional open chest incision group and 17.6% (9/51) for the Uni-VATS group. Through univariate analysis, we identified sex and operative approach as risk factors for postoperative complications. Multivariate logistic analysis confirmed that male and OS procedures were the independent risk factors for postoperative complications. There were statistically significant differences in operative time, intraoperative blood loss volume, postoperative drainage volume, pain scores, postoperative drainage tube removal time, postoperative hospital stay time between the OS group and the Uni-VATS group (p < 0.05). Uni-VATS is a feasible and safe surgical procedure for patients with CPA, and we recommend it as a preferred option for selected patients with CPA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

However, the upstream and downstream slopes of the scour profile with larger HT ht are both mild. (1)-(7), at the range of HT ht , or HT ht . In other words, the larger HT ht of the flow condition has much better effects of energy dissipation than that of the lower one. The scour profile is approximately symmetric for the larger HT ht . [Extracted from the article]

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) promotes microangiogenesis and revascularization after ischemia. Neovascularization starts with the destruction of intercellular junctions and is accompanied by various endothelial cell angiogenic behaviors. Follistatin-like 1 (FSTL1) is a cardiovascular-protective myokine that works against ischemic injury. The present study examined whether FSTL1 was involved in H2S-induced angiogenesis and explored the underlying molecular mechanism. We observed that H2S accelerated blood perfusion after ischemia in the mouse hindlimb ischemia model. Western blot analysis showed that H2S stabilized FSTL1 transcript and increased FSTL1 and Human antigen R (HuR) levels in skeletal muscle. RNA-interference HuR significantly inhibited the H2S-promoted increase in FSTL1 levels. Exogenous FSTL1 promoted the wound-healing migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and increased monolayer endothelial barrier permeability. Immunostaining showed that FSTL1 increased interendothelial gap formation and decreased VE-Cadherin, Occludin, Connexin-43, and Claudin-5 expression. In addition, FSTL1 significantly increased the phosphorylation of Src and VEGFR2. However, the Src inhibitor, not the VEGFR2 inhibitor, could block FSTL1-induced effects in angiogenesis. In conclusion, we demonstrated that H2S could upregulate the expression of FSTL1 by increasing the HuR levels in skeletal muscle, and paracrine FSTL1 could initiate angiogenesis by opening intercellular junctions via the Src signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fractal structure was applied to the fin optimization of latent heat storage (LHS) technology based on the fractal principle. By numerical simulation, the performances of LHS units with fractal tree-shaped fins were compared with those with traditional plate fins, and the effects of fin structure parameters based on the fractal principle on heat storage and release performances were studied. The results show that the heat storage performance and heat release performance of LHS units with fractal tree-shaped fins are clearly improved, and the optimal fractal structure parameters allow the LHS units to achieve optimal performance. A nonlinear surface fitting function method was used to obtain the functional relation between the branching angle and length index and the heat storage time of the LHS unit. In fractal tree-shaped fins, the optimal length index is 1.141, the optimal width ratio is 1, and the branching angle is 73.55°. In comparison to the LHS unit with traditional plate fins, the LHS unit with the optimum fractal structure parameters has a 35.85% faster melting rate and a 63.39% faster heat release rate. The least entransy dissipation, least thermal resistance and best reversibility are all characteristics of the LHS unit with the optimal fractal structure parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surgery plays a crucial role in the treatment of patients with chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA). However, there is currently limited information available regarding the use of uniportal thoracoscopy (Uni-VATS) in CPA patients. To address this gap, we conducted a retrospective analysis of surgical procedures performed at a single center, aiming to demonstrate the feasibility and safety of Uni-VATS for patients with CPA. We collected basic information and surgical data from patients who underwent surgery for CPA at our hospital between January 2018 and June 2022. All patients received voriconazole antifungal medication for 3–6 months post-surgery and were monitored for a minimum of 6 months. A total of 110 patients, comprising 59 cases in the traditional open chest incision group and 51 cases in the Uni-VATS group, met the inclusion criteria. Among those who underwent surgery, 70% were male (77/110). The median age (IQR) of all enrolled patients was 55 (46–62) years. There were no statistically significant differences in general information, such as age, sex, comorbidities, BMI, FEV1, FVC, clinical symptoms, location of the disease, and duration of voriconazole antifungal medication, between the OS group and the Uni-VATS group (p > 0.05). The postoperative complication rates were 40.7% (24/59) for the traditional open chest incision group and 17.6% (9/51) for the Uni-VATS group. Through univariate analysis, we identified sex and operative approach as risk factors for postoperative complications. Multivariate logistic analysis confirmed that male and OS procedures were the independent risk factors for postoperative complications. There were statistically significant differences in operative time, intraoperative blood loss volume, postoperative drainage volume, pain scores, postoperative drainage tube removal time, postoperative hospital stay time between the OS group and the Uni-VATS group (p < 0.05). Uni-VATS is a feasible and safe surgical procedure for patients with CPA, and we recommend it as a preferred option for selected patients with CPA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surgery plays a crucial role in the treatment of patients with chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA). However, there is currently limited information available regarding the use of uniportal thoracoscopy (Uni-VATS) in CPA patients. To address this gap, we conducted a retrospective analysis of surgical procedures performed at a single center, aiming to demonstrate the feasibility and safety of Uni-VATS for patients with CPA. We collected basic information and surgical data from patients who underwent surgery for CPA at our hospital between January 2018 and June 2022. All patients received voriconazole antifungal medication for 3–6 months post-surgery and were monitored for a minimum of 6 months. A total of 110 patients, comprising 59 cases in the traditional open chest incision group and 51 cases in the Uni-VATS group, met the inclusion criteria. Among those who underwent surgery, 70% were male (77/110). The median age (IQR) of all enrolled patients was 55 (46–62) years. There were no statistically significant differences in general information, such as age, sex, comorbidities, BMI, FEV1, FVC, clinical symptoms, location of the disease, and duration of voriconazole antifungal medication, between the OS group and the Uni-VATS group (p > 0.05). The postoperative complication rates were 40.7% (24/59) for the traditional open chest incision group and 17.6% (9/51) for the Uni-VATS group. Through univariate analysis, we identified sex and operative approach as risk factors for postoperative complications. Multivariate logistic analysis confirmed that male and OS procedures were the independent risk factors for postoperative complications. There were statistically significant differences in operative time, intraoperative blood loss volume, postoperative drainage volume, pain scores, postoperative drainage tube removal time, postoperative hospital stay time between the OS group and the Uni-VATS group (p < 0.05). Uni-VATS is a feasible and safe surgical procedure for patients with CPA, and we recommend it as a preferred option for selected patients with CPA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a letter to the editor regarding a study titled "Association Between Quality of Discharge Teaching and Self-Management in Patients After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Chain Mediation Model." The author of the letter provides feedback on the strengths of the study, including the exploration of the relationship between discharge teaching, discharge readiness, and self-efficacy. However, the author also points out areas for improvement, such as the need to control for confounding factors and provide more detailed data analysis. Overall, the study is seen as important for improving patient self-management programs and intervention strategies after percutaneous coronary intervention. [Extracted from the article]

The letter to the editor discusses a study titled "Nurses' Engagement in Advance Care Planning Practices: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study" by Lee, Cui, and Kim. The study examines nurses' awareness, attitudes, and participation in advance care planning in different healthcare settings. The study highlights the importance of advance care planning and its implications for healthcare policy and practice. The letter acknowledges the strengths of the study, such as its comprehensive data analysis and the introduction of a novel mobile application for nurses. However, it also points out areas that need improvement, such as the lack of inquiry into respondents' nursing specialties and the overrepresentation of secondary medical institutions in the study. The letter suggests future research directions, including a larger sample survey and the use of face-to-face interviews and mixed research methods. The authors of the letter have read and approved the final version of the manuscript and have no conflicts of interest. [Extracted from the article]

Apart from that, the tests that involved HT ht and HT ht were selected for the flow profile analyses. For each investigated contraction ratio HT ht , Fig. For a small contraction ratio HT ht and a small flow rate of the structure in Fig. The channel width ( HT ht ) is HT ht , and the channel side height ( HT ht ) is HT ht . [Extracted from the article]

Exobasidium rhododendri is a parasite of Rhododendron and also infects apples. A chromosome-level genome of E. rhododendri was assembled using the PacBio and Illumina datasets. The complete genome length is 17.6 Mb, with N50 of 5.45 Mb, and its GC content is 50.08%. The assembly obtained contains four scaffolds, including three nuclear chromosomes and one mitochondrion. There are a total of 6,982 predicted protein-encoding genes containing 406 fungal secretion proteins and 249 candidate effectors in the E. rhododendri genome. This high-quality genome will help understand the pathogenic mechanism of this fungus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sepsis is one of the most common causes of death, which is closely related to the uncontrolled systemic inflammation. Dysregulation of M1 macrophage polarization is the primary contributor to serious inflammation. In this study, it is revealed that the murine homologue of circRNA SCAR (steatohepatitis‐associated circRNA ATP5B regulator), denoted as circRNA mSCAR hereafter, decreases in the macrophages of septic mice, which correlates with the excessive M1 polarization. To restore circRNA mSCAR in mitochondria, exosomes encapsulated with circRNA mSCAR are further electroporated with poly‐D‐lysine‐graft‐triphenylphosphine (TPP‐PDL), and thus TPP‐PDL facilitates the bound circRNA delivered into mitochondria when the exosomes engulf by the recipient cells. In in vivo septic mouse model and in vitro cell model, it is shown that the exosome‐based mitochondria delivery system delivers circRNA mSCAR into mitochondria preferentially in the macrophages, favoring macrophage polarization toward M2 subtype. Accordingly, the systemic inflammation is attenuated by exosome‐based mitochondrial delivery of circRNA mSCAR, together with alleviated mortality. Collectively, the results uncover the critical role of circRNA mSCAR in sepsis, and provide a promising approach to attenuate sepsis via exosome‐based mitochondrial delivery of circRNA mSCAR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The weir height was HT ht and HT ht was 0.02 m thick as shown in Fig. Discharge Formulas and Discharge Coefficients The flow regimes (as a function of HT ht for HT ht ) are compared in Fig. The elevation head over the weir crest, HT ht , was varied between 0.05 and 0.25 m. If HT ht is too low to form free flow, then clinging flow occurs, such that those HT ht formulas are not applicable. [Extracted from the article]

Objective: Spastic paraplegia type 2 (SPG2) is an X‐linked recessive (XLR) form of hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) caused by mutations in proteolipid protein 1 (PLP1) gene. We described the clinical and genetic features of three unrelated families with PLP1 mutations and reviewed PLP1‐related cases worldwide to summarize the genotype–phenotype correlations. Methods: The three probands were 23, 26, and 27 years old, respectively, with progressively aggravated walking difficulty as well as lower limb spasticity. Detailed physical examination showed elevated muscle tone, hyperreflexia, and Babinski signs in lower limbs. Brain MRI examinations were investigated for all cases. PLP1 mutations were identified by whole exome sequencing, followed by Sanger sequencing, family co‐segregation, and phenotypic reevaluation. Results: A total of eight patients with SPG2 were identified in these three families. The probands additionally had cognitive impairment, urinary or fecal incontinence, ataxia, and white matter lesions (WML) in periventricular regions, with or without kinetic tremor. Three hemizygous mutations in PLP1 were identified, including c.453+159G>A, c.834A>T (p.*278C), and c.434G>A (p.W145*), of which c.834A>T was first associated with HSP. Interpretation: We identified three families with complicated SPG2 due to three PLP1 mutations. Our study supports the clinically inter‐and intra‐family heterogeneity of SPG2. The periventricular region WML and cognitive impairment are the most common characteristics. The kinetic tremor in upper limbs was observed in 2/3 families, suggesting the spectrum of PLP1‐related disorders is still expanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared with optical black, few attempts have focused on achieving broadband microwave blackbodies. In this study, all‐ceramic metamaterial microwave blackbodies are created by integrating a graded Gyroid shellular (GGS) metastructure design with additive manufacturing of polymer‐derived SiOC (PDCs‐SiOC) ceramics encapsulated by Si3N4 (SiOC@Si3N4). Hardly influenced by the destructive interference effect, as‐fabricated GGS‐structured SiOC@Si3N4 microwave blackbodies demonstrate a broadband microwave absorption (MA) above 83.6% (91.3% on average) across the entire X‐Ku band and encompassing higher frequencies above 18 GHz as well, together with the temperature insensitivity from room temperature to 500 °C. Based on the flexible electromagnetic tunability of PDCs‐SiOC, exceptional structural scalability is experimentally validated for metal‐doped modified CuSiOC and CoSiOC substrates with the same GGS metastructures, retaining high‐efficiency MA capability. Furthermore, attachment of perfectly reflecting metal backplanes further enhances the MA performance, with an ultrawide MA exceeding 67.9% (89.1% on average) achievable at 2.95–18 GHz for CoSiOC substrate. Meanwhile, the GGS‐structured SiOC@Si3N4 metamaterials possess additional multifunctional properties, such as good noise reduction performance as well as ultrahigh wear resistance. As a proof of concept, this study provides important guidance on achieving multifunctional coupling broadband MA characteristics by fully tapping the application potential of existing materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure and the effect of polysaccharide from peach gum (DPG2) on ameliorating DSS-induced acute colitis in mice were investigated in the present study. The results showed that DPG2 was identified as an AG II arabinogalactan with the backbone of β-D-(1 → 6)-galactan, which consisted of mannose, glucuronic acid, galactose, xylose and arabinose with a molar ratio of 4.64:1.02:2.61:39.82:3.89:48.02. Moreover, DPG2 behaved as a flexible chain conformation with a coil-like structure with a molecular weight (M w) of 5.21 × 105 g/mol. Furthermore, the worm-like chain model parameters for DPG2 were estimated as follows: M L = 379 nm−1, q = 0.74 nm and d = 0.82 nm. The results of the animal assay showed that the intake of DPG2 not only effectively improved the phenotypes of DSS-induced colitis in mice, but also significantly improved the oxidative stress status of mice, such as regulating NO content and T-SOD and MPO levels and repairing oxidative damage to the colonic mucosa. Moreover, DPG2 improved the inflammation of DSS-induced colitis in mice by inhibiting the secretion of the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-17. Therefore, these results suggested that peach gum polysaccharide showed protective effects against colitis, and has great potential for the application of functional components in the food industry. • DPG2 were AG II arabinogalactans with the backbone of β-D-(1 → 6)-galactan. • DPG2 behaved as a flexible chain conformation with a coil-like structure. • DPG2 inhibit the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. • DPG2 had the effect of ameliorating colonic inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, robust beamforming (BF) and artificial noise (AN) design method is proposed for multiuser broadcast secure transmission under secrecy outage probability (SOP) constraints. A special scenario is assumed that the transmitter cannot obtain the accurate channel state information (CSI) of the users' channel, and different users have different priorities and importance. This special scenario makes traditional BF algorithms and AN design methods unable to guarantee the effective and secure transmission of information. To deal with intractable non‐convex problems in this new design, a series of optimization methods like Bernstein‐type inequality (BTI) and S‐Procedure are employed to transform these problems into solvable functions. Moreover, a search algorithm is explored for simplifying the computational complexity of the optimization algorithm. After that, the new robust algorithm is compared with former methods in inaccurate CSI scenarios by numerical simulation, which shows the advantages of our algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemiresistive SiOC Negative Poisson's ratio structures for gas detection under thermal and pressure loading were constructed by vat photopolymerization and surface sensitization. Metal-organic framework-derived SnO 2 nanocubes modification provided the structures with sensing capability, while the high deformation-resistant SiOC substrates protected the integrity and connectivity of the sensing layer. The resulting SnO 2 /SiOC sensing structures exhibited high selectivity to formaldehyde vapor and showed a response value of 3.6 to 100 ppm formaldehyde vapor. The structures also had a short sensing delay with the response and recovery times of 32 s and 41 s, respectively. Besides, the independent deformation of the units maintained the dimensional accuracy and avoided thermal fatigue failure of the structure at the working temperature by dispersing the thermal stress, at which the coefficient of thermal expansion reached 0.71 × 10−6/K, revealing a near-zero expansion behavior. Meanwhile, the mechanical performance can be adjusted by structure optimization, and the compressive strength and Young's modulus of the structure reached 51.25 MPa and 5.14 GPa, respectively. Taking advantage of the strengthened and self-adaptive design, the structure exhibited high load-carrying capacity and low thermal expansion performance, providing a facile strategy for highly stable gas detection under complex loading environments. [Display omitted] • 3D printed chemiresistive gas sensing structures with temperature-adaptive conformation. • High load-bearing SiOC substrates to protect surface sensing layer. • Stable gas sensing performance under thermal and pressure loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of personal glucose meters (PGMs) for blood glucose monitoring and management by the diabetic patients has been a long history since its first invention in 1968 and commercial application in 1975. The main reasons for its wide acceptance and popularity can be attributed mainly to the easy operation, test-to-result model, low cost, and small volume of sample required for blood glucose concentration test. During past decades, advances in analytical techniques have repurposed the use of PGMs into a general point-of-care testing platform for a variety of non-glucose targets, especially the food hazards. In this review, we summarized the recent published research using PGMs to detect the food safety hazards of mycotoxins, illegal additives, pathogen bacteria, and pesticide and veterinary drug residues detection with PGMs. The progress on PGM-based detection achieved in food safety have been carefully compared and analyzed. Furthermore, the current bottlenecks and challenges for practical applications of PGM for hazards detection in food safety have also been proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The weathering of outdoor sandstone cultural relics was dominantly induced by the circulating crystallization of soluble salt Na 2 SO 4. This work proposed to weaken the salt-induced deterioration by a protective material that could reinforce the fragile sandstone and simultaneously remove the salt via continuously transporting the salt towards the air-sandstone interface without damage to the sandstone. Therefore, a new protective material bearing poly(methacryloyloxylethyl phosphorylcholine) (PMPC)-based zwitterionic polymer segment (PMH), hydrophobic polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) segment (APTES-POSS) and small-size CaCO 3 oligomer was prepared and denoted as POSS-PMH/CaCO 3 composite. The presence of phosphorylcholine zwitterionic groups with water/salt affinity contributed greatly to the salt crystallization resistance of POSS-PMH/CaCO 3 coating. Specifically, Na 2 SO 4 crystallization pressure in the (POSS-PMH/CaCO 3)-coated confined medium decreased by 88.1 % and 59.6 % as compared with that in the glass plate confined medium and that in the (APTES-POSS)-coated confined medium, respectively. In addition, the salt in (POSS-PMH/CaCO 3)-treated sandstone could be ingeniously removed by zwitterion-induced outward transport. As a functional additive to traditional paper pulp poultice, POSS-PMH/CaCO 3 could also achieve a high-efficiency extraction of salt from sandstone. More critically, the hydrophobicity and strong interfacial bonding ability of APTES-POSS segment, as well as the small size effect and crosslinking property of CaCO 3 oligomer highly facilitated the interfacial adhesion of POSS-PMH/CaCO 3 towards sandstone, improving the service life of POSS-PMH/CaCO 3 and meanwhile avoiding the potential damage to sandstone during the removal of salt. [Display omitted] • A new strategy for improving the sandstone resistance to salt damage was proposed. • A material bearing zwitterionic/hydrophobic groups and CaCO 3 oligomers was prepared. • Obtained POSS-PMH/CaCO 3 composite showed splendid salt crystallization resistance. • The salt in sandstone could be removed by zwitterion-induced outward transport. • POSS-PMH/CaCO 3 composite was used as a functional additive to traditional poultice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globalization has led to the polarization of world cities and the increasing prevalence of urban shrinkage, posing a worldwide socio-economic development challenge. As an economic form brought about by information science and informatization, whether the digital economy (DE) impacts urban shrinkage and its internal transmission mechanisms are scientific questions worthy of further investigation. Therefore, this study empirically analyzes 287 prefecture-level cities in China from 2011 to 2021 using fixed effect and mediation models. The results show an upward trend in the development level of DE, with a spatial pattern of "high in the east and low in the west"; urban shrinkage exhibits a high-low-high trend from south to north. Additionally, DE significantly accelerates urban shrinkage by catalyzing the loss of population, technology, and capital factors. Finally, there are notable regional heterogeneity and type difference in the impact of DE on urban shrinkage, with a more pronounced effect in non-Northeast regions and central cities. The study highlights that DE enhances resource allocation efficiency, but it exacerbates regional development imbalances, affecting social equity, justice, and residents' well-being. Therefore, it is crucial to utilize the government's "visible hand" to macro-regulate "market failures" and ensure the implementation of people-oriented equalization of basic public services. • Fixed effect model and mediation effect model are used to implement this study in mainland China. • Digital economy catalyzes urban shrinkage by promoting the outflow of population, technology and capital factors. • The influence of digital economy on urban shrinkage has significant regional heterogeneity and type difference. • The development level of China's digital economy generally presents an upward trend. • The distribution pattern of urban shrinkage showed a high-low-high trend from south to north. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Multi-focus beams assisted with wet etching can sculpture 3D glass structures. • Designable distribution of multi-focus enables freeform 3D structure fabrication. • Separating foci with random sequences improves the uniformity of multi-focus energy. • Foci with random sequences realize dense modified regions. • Experimental and numerical analysis optimize the surface quality of structures. The three-dimensional (3D) sculpturing of glass remains a significant challenge owing to its inherent hard and brittle nature. We develop a novel dynamic multi-focus laser sculpting (DMLS) method tailored for 3D glass fabrication. This method employs two-dimensional (2D) spatial multi-focus beams to form sectional profiles of 3D structures, which are modulated by superimposing the phase of Fresnel lenses and blazed gratings. With dynamic switching of phase diagrams on a spatial light modulator, the multi-focus beam rotates and creates a customized 3D laser-modified region inside the bulk glass. Following chemical etching helps remove the modified zones, forming ultimate 3D morphology on glass surface. The feasibility of this method hinges upon achieving uniform foci energy and narrow spatial foci intervals, essential for the precise removal of modified regions through connected crack channels during etching. We propose an extracting strategy to separate foci with random sequences into several groups to disrupt the periodicity of foci, thereby effectively weakening the unexpected Moiré fringes on the phase diagrams. This strategy enables the forming of dense foci by a single diagram with high uniformity, shortening the interval between foci. Further, for the lower surface roughness and higher precision of 3D structures, optimization of fabrication parameters is applied by experimental and numerical analysis. With the above optimization, the DMLS method is capable of carving diversified 3D glass structures, including hemispheres, cones, pyramids, semi-ellipsoids, and petal-like structures. Our method exhibits considerable versatility in processible structures with shape deviation lower than 1.9 μm, showing substantial potential in glass processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zero-valent iron nanomaterials with a chain-like structure (Fe nm 0 ) were prepared by a facile solution reaction at room temperature. Then, the as-prepared Fe nm 0 and micro-sized iron materials ( Fe μ m 0 ) were comparatively applied in removal of methyl orange (MO) in wastewater. Results indicated that the as-synthesized Fe nm 0 exhibited a chain-like structure which was made of many nanospheres with the size of 80 nm. Most importantly, compared with Fe μ m 0 , the chain-like Fe nm 0 has higher reactive performances and could quickly and completely decompose MO in water. In comparison, the Fe nm 0 exhibited structurally enhanced performance of degradation of MO. The kinetic model for oxidation of MO in water matches the first-order equation. The reasons can be attributed to a large number of interfaces in the chain-like Fe nm 0 which leads to rapid dissolution rate of Fe nm 0 and subsequently produces lots of hydroxyl radicals (⋅ OH) in water. The experimental results further confirmed that these kinds of chain-like iron nanomaterials with proper size could be used as new type Fenton-like materials without H2O2 addition to effectively remove dyes. Moreover, Fe nm 0 would be completely transformed into magnetite (Fe3O4) nanomaterials which could also be conveniently separated from wastewater by a magnet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prognostic role of pretreatment skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) has been verified in several types of cancers. However, it remains unclear whether pretreatment SMI is a valuable prognostic indicator in esophageal cancer. The aim of the present study was to identify the prognostic value of pretreatment SMI in esophageal cancer. PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science databases were searched for relevant studies up to November 10, 2021. The hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were combined to assess the association of pretreatment SMI with the overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) of esophageal cancer patients. In total, 17 studies involving 2441 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled results demonstrated that a lower SMI was significantly associated with poorer OS (HR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.09–1.27, P < 0.001) and DFS (HR = 1.78, 95% CI: 1.10–2.88, P = 0.019). In addition, subgroup analysis based on treatment (surgery vs. nonsurgery), tumor type (squamous cell carcinoma vs. adenocarcinoma) and cutoff value of SMI showed similar results. The present findings demonstrated that pretreatment SMI is an independent prognostic indicator for esophageal cancer patients, and patients with a lower pretreatment SMI are more likely to have a worse prognosis. However, additional prospective high-quality studies are needed to verify the above findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: LncRNA PCED1B-AS1 (PCED1B-AS1) promotes glioma. This study aimed to investigate its role in osteosarcoma (OS). Methods: The study included 60 OS patients. Accumulation of miR-10a and PCED1B-AS1 in tissues from OS patients and cell lines was determined by RT-qPCR. Cell transfections were performed for interaction analysis. Participation of PCED1B-AS1 siRNA silencing and miR-10a overexpression in proliferation, invasion, and migration of U2OS and MG-63 cells was analyzed by cell proliferation assay and Transwell assay. Results: PCED1B-AS1 level was increased in OS and positively correlated with miR-10a level. In OS cells, PCED1B-AS1 siRNA silencing downregulated miR-10a. Methylation-specific PCR analysis showed that PCED1B-AS1 siRNA silencing decreased the methylation of miR-10a gene promoter. Moreover, PCED1B-AS1 siRNA silencing suppressed OS cell proliferation, invasion, and migration. In addition, miR-10a overexpression attenuated the effects of PCED1B-AS1 siRNA silencing. Conclusion: PCED1B-AS1 knockdown may inhibit OS cell proliferation and movement by regulating miR-10 gene methylation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mercury ions are some of the most toxic heavy metal ions widely distributed in the environment. Hg2+ cannot be degraded by microorganisms and can accumulate in the body through the food chain, posing a great threat to human health. Herein, a method combining surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) with a lateral flow strip (LFS) (SERS-LFS) was developed for the rapid and quantitative analysis of Hg2+. The recognition of Hg2+ by the LFS depends on a specific T–Hg–T strategy. Rhodamine 6G (R6G), as a SERS reporter, was assembled on the surface of Au@Ag core–shell nanoparticles, which served as an effective SERS substrate on both the T and C lines of the LFS. Using this SERS-LFS, the presence of target Hg2+ could be measured through the appearance of an orange color on the T line of the LFS. Furthermore, with the direct measurement of SERS on the T lines of the LFS, the SERS signal could be collected even at a low concentration of Hg2+, at which point the signal on the T lines could not be observed. Based on the intensities of the characteristic peak at 1513 cm−1 of R6G collected on the T lines of the LFS, a linear relationship was obtained in the range of 0.01 nM to 1 nM, and the detection limit of the LFS was greatly improved by at least 20 times over the colorimetric results of the traditional LFS based on naked-eye observation. More importantly, this SERS-LFS did not affect the intrinsic simplicity of the LFS. This developed SERS-LFS holds great potential in practical routine screening in food safety and environmental monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last 20 years, big data techniques in teaching have been overgrown. Making educational decisions now includes information knowledge as a crucial component. This started a trend for using big data algorithms strategically. Technological advances have been used to analyze the enormous amount of information and develop strategic judgments. The current study aims to address issues with the conventional instructional, administrative management solution focused on manual rule formulation in big data storage and interpretation and has poor efficiency in analyzing big data and lacking value in developing education leadership qualities. The study suggests an educational leadership model based on big data algorithm (ELM-BDA) to explore the student leadership performance that relies on cooperative filtration and fuzzy C-means (FCM) and big data. The different influencing mechanisms and factors directly linked to educational leadership were also analyzed using a big data algorithm. To build an intelligent institutional administrative system, the research also exposes it to organizational studies. By evaluating the big data research already in existence, this study emphasizes the expanding significance of big data. Additionally, this study explores the effects of big data analytics on educational leadership qualities by utilizing an FCM. A scoring system is designed to predict the student's leadership level, and using the big data algorithms, the students are motivated and trained to improve their skills. The education and learning method can be enhanced at educational institutions through better decision-making to use this big data for leadership development. Big data facilitates efficient educational decision-making by merging various data and telecommunications technologies. Using big data in schooling will increase-leadership quality among students. To effectively use big data for decision-making, academic leaders must create new types of learning and monitoring systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A biosensor for rapid and simultaneous visual identification of high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes 16 and 18 in clinical samples based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) integrated lateral flow strip platform was developed. Using an one-step protocol to extract nucleic acid rapidly and the functionalized primer sets specific to HPV-16 and 18 were designed for the simultaneous amplification. In the presence of target HPV genotypes, the corresponding functionalized primer sets will participate in the PCR process and produce numerous duplex functionalized dsDNA amplicons. With the bridge effect of duplex functionalized dsDNA amplicons between gold nanoparticles-fluorescein isothiocyanate antibody conjugates (AuNP-FITC antibody conjugates) and other two antibodies on corresponding test line (T1 or T2), visualized color signals on test lines could be obtained directly visible with a naked eye. Combining the high amplification efficiency of PCR and the visualized sensing of LFS, as low as 700 copies of HPV-16 and 18 DNA were detected simultaneously within 75 min, which can promote application in the resource limited settings. High-risk genotypes of HPV-16 and HPV-18 were easily and simultaneously screened with the amplification-assisted molecular lateral flow strip by on-site observation in the resource-limited settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on microwave absorbing (MA) metamaterials with multifunctional coupling designs is a burgeoning topic. Reported here is a design paradigm for architecting mechanically robust all-dielectric MA metamaterials reaching perfect electromagnetic wave absorption. First, we generalized rules of optimal permittivities for nonmagnetic materials reaching theoretically ultimate reflection loss (RL) smaller than −150 dB, and proposed a facile criterion for evaluating MA performance based on the offset of dielectric Cole-Cole curves from theoretical optimal values. Subsequently, electromagnetic tunable polymer-derived SiOC ceramics with the highest reported printing accuracy of 20 μm were developed as metamaterials matrix, and the strong-lightweight gyroid shell-cellular (shellular) is introduced to optimize the MA performance while balancing mechanical properties. Finally, as-fabricated gyroid shellular MA metamaterials exhibit an unmatched MA performance coupled with unparalleled mechanical properties: the minimum RL achieves the ceiling value of −70.3 dB, the effective absorption bandwidth spans the whole X-band, and the specific compressive strength is as high as 63.0 MPa/(g/cm3) at 0.606 g/cm3 ultralow density. Besides, the theoretical framework was well-established for guiding structural optimization and practical manufacturing of inhomogeneous metamaterials. This research advanced an unambiguous theoretical direction for the development of structure-function integrated MA metamaterials through the synergistic interaction among theory, computation, and experiment. [Display omitted] • Optimal permittivity yielding ultimate reflection loss (≤−150 dB) was uncovered. • A Photocurable SiOC-based slurry was developed with 20 μm printing accuracy. • A modified Maxwell-Garnett effective medium theory is introduced. • The theoretical basis for designing metamaterials absorbers was well-established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ti-doped polymer-derived SiOC ceramic has multi-functional sensing capability due to its semiconductive properties. Their mechanical and chemical stability provide reliable support for their long-term service and safe operation in extreme environments. The sensing properties of Ti-doped SiOC (SiTiOC) can be optimized by modulation carrier concentration. Meanwhile, it can be fabricated by 3D printing as structural-strengthened components, promising for abnormal environmental signals warning under harsh conditions. In this work, SiTiOC gyroid structures were constructed by vat photopolymerization. The resulting components had thermistor characteristics with a negative temperature coefficient. After the Ti doping, the structures exhibited a high conductivity of 1.10 S/m, as the Ti ions formed an efficient percolation network by introducing acceptor impurities. The structures also had piezoresistive capability as the conductive phases can generate a tunneling-percolation conduction effect. They can detect a strain of less than 0.5%. Furthermore, the structures can realize n-butanol sensing for their p-type semiconductor properties. The components also had an excellent mechanical performance with the compressive strength and Young's modulus of 92.83 MPa and 4.28 GPa, respectively, ensuring reliable service under pressure loading. [Display omitted] • Ti-doped semiconductive SiOC gyroid structures fabricated by 3D printing for temperature, pressure, and gas sensing. • Precursor modification for vat photopolymerization and semiconductive properties modulation. • Reliable mechanical behaviors for detection under harsh environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mounting evidence supports the idea that transcriptional patterns serve as more specific identifiers of active enhancers than histone marks; however, the optimal strategy to identify active enhancers both experimentally and computationally has not been determined. Here, we compared 13 genome-wide RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) assays in K562 cells and show that nuclear run-on followed by cap-selection assay (GRO/PRO-cap) has advantages in enhancer RNA detection and active enhancer identification. We also introduce a tool, peak identifier for nascent transcript starts (PINTS), to identify active promoters and enhancers genome wide and pinpoint the precise location of 5′ transcription start sites. Finally, we compiled a comprehensive enhancer candidate compendium based on the detected enhancer RNA (eRNA) transcription start sites (TSSs) available in 120 cell and tissue types, which can be accessed at https://pints.yulab.org. With knowledge of the best available assays and pipelines, this large-scale annotation of candidate enhancers will pave the way for selection and characterization of their functions in a time- and labor-efficient manner. Experimental and computational methods to detect enhancer RNAs are benchmarked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In implosion experiments, bremsstrahlung radiation ratios of broad-energy-band x-ray emission intensities (sampled by Ross pair) and narrow-energy-band x-ray emission intensities (sampled by multilayer) are typically used to extract the hotspot electron temperature. The latter method could potentially be more accurate because it does not require any additional theoretical arithmetic. However, the boundary conditions of the energy band, drastic influence on the measured electron temperature resulting from response differences of recording devices in the energy band, evident impact from uncertainties of the detector aiming, and coordinate interrelations for the two narrow-energy-band x-ray images have not been explored. These problems should be overcome to obtain the accurate hotspot electron temperature using the narrow-energy-band x-ray emission intensities method. This study solves the problems indicated above by exploring a diagnosis technique to extract the accurate hotspot electron temperature. In particular, we determine that the effect of the response differences and uncertainties could be ignored when the width of the sampled narrow energy band is approximately ±0.5 keV in the linear spectrum response regions of the imaging plate, and the reflectivity of the multilayer is uniform and constant in that energy band and the viewing field of the detector (≥±110 µm). This study is the first to consider the linear spectrum response of the imaging plate in different energy regions, eliminating the effect of the response differences. Finally, the maximal emission intensities in the two recorded-energy-band x-ray images can be used for coordinate interrelation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sensors for general conditions in industrial production and life have been widespread, but rarely suited for extreme environments. The traditional method is replaced by digital light processing (DLP) to obtain unique structure customization. Doping Al promotes phase transition and hybridized transformation as well as affects the valence band value. Ascribed to the existed conductive phase and generated tunneling-percolation conduction effect, the champion piezoresistivity and gauge factor of the 2 wt% aluminum acetylacetonate doped SiOC (SiAlOC-2) are 75.44 % and −647.49. The addition of additives improves mechanical and pressure-temperature response performance, resulting in optimal compressive strength and Young's modulus reaching 40.86 MPa and 16.55 GPa. Both SiOC and SiAlOC-2 exhibit benign temperature monitoring reaching 1000 ℃. However, the resistance-temperature variation rule of SiOC is suitable for the thermistor equation while the counterpart SiAlOC-2 abides by the Steinhart-Hart formula. Consequently, DLP technology offers a promising approach to designing mutable structures to fabricate multifunctional sensors. • Al-doped SiOC, 3D printing digital light processing. • Research on piezoresistivity properties. • Temperature monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mercury ions (Hg2+) are highly toxic heavy metals that are commonly found in natural environments. Owning to their non-biodegradability and accumulation in the food chain, the precise detection of trace amounts of Hg2+ is essential for preventing chronic accumulation and ensuring food safety. In this study, we present a dual-mode paper sensor for simultaneous colorimetric and Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) detection of Hg2+ in tea, achieving ultrasensitive, rapid, and on-site screening. 4-Mercaptopyridine (4-MPY) was effectively chemisorbed onto the gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), acting as a signal probe for colorimetric methods. Moreover, it can produce plasmonic hot spots for SERS by interacting with the pyridine ring. To enhance the signal intensity of both colorimetry and SERS, a silver shell is in-situ grown on the surface of AuNPs captured on the paper sensor by reduction of Ag+, achieving signal amplification. The visual limit of detection (LOD) for the colorimetric biosensor is 2.5 pM, while the LOD of SERS is 0.48 pM with this dual-mode paper sensor. The sensitivity of both the colorimetric method and SERS was improved by approximately 200 and 500 times, respectively, with the designed signal amplification strategy. The system allows for multiple parallel screening of the same sample, ensuring accurate results without any false-positive or false-negative. This study provides a valuable platform for the accurate detection of various other heavy metal ions and provides effective strategies for improving the performance of colorimetric methods. • Colorimetric and SERS dual-mode paper sensor constructed for high throughput screening of mercury ions. • Recognition effect of T-rich probe and 4-MPY to Hg2+ induced the formation of sandwich structure for analysis. • Signal molecule 4-MPY adopted as the recognition probe in the designed recognition sandwich structure. • In-situ grown of Ag shell on AuNPs greatly contributed to both the colorimetric and SERS signal improvement. • Simultaneous high throughput screening of the same sample contributed to the accuracy of the detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]