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High-speed railway tunnels in various countries have continuously reported accidents of vault falling concrete blocks. Once the concrete block falling occurs, serious consequences follow, and traffic safety may be endangered. The aerodynamic shockwave evolves from the initial compression wave may be an important inducement causing the tunnel lining cracks to grow and form falling concrete blocks. A joint calculation framework is established based on ANSYS Fluent, ABAQUS, and FRANC3D for calculating the crack tip field under the aerodynamic shockwave. The intensification effect of aerodynamic shockwaves in the crack is revealed, and the evolution characteristics of the crack tip field and the influence factors of stress intensity factor (SIF) are analyzed. Results show that (1) the aerodynamic shockwave intensifies after entering the crack, resulting in more significant pressure in the crack than the input pressure. The maximum pressure of the inclined and longitudinal cracks is higher than the corresponding values of the circumferential crack, respectively. (2) The maximum SIF of the circumferential, inclined, and longitudinal crack appears at 0.5, 0.68, and 0.78 times the crack front length. The maximum SIF of the circumferential crack is higher than that of the inclined and longitudinal crack. The possibility of crack growth of the circumferential crack is the highest under aerodynamic shockwaves. (3) The influence of train speed on the SIF of the circumferential crack is more than 40%. When the train speed, crack depth, and crack length change, the change of pressure in the crack is the direct cause of the change of SIF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Periodontitis, which results from infection and inflammation, is one of the most common inflammatory diseases. Some studies have shown that plant extracts can inhibit inflammation in periodontitis. However, the anti-inflammatory effects of black rice extract (BRE) have not yet been investigated. Here, we investigated the anti-inflammatory activity of BRE in vitro on Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (A. a) stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. The results showed that BRE did not affect cell viability at concentrations ranging from 0.015 to 0.5 mg/mL, but toxicity was observed >1 mg/mL. A. a-induced nitric oxide (NO) production and iNOS protein expression were inhibited by treatment with BRE. In addition, BRE inhibited the gene expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α, and blocked NF-κB p65 translocation as well as IκBα and IKK α/β phosphorylation. Moreover, the DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity results showed that BRE exhibits strong antioxidant activity in a dose-dependent manner. This study found that BRE exerts anti-inflammatory activity via inhibition of NF-κB signaling and antioxidant activity. The above finding suggests that BRE can be used as a potential therapeutic agent for treating inflammation in periodontitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TRIPOLI-4® is a general-purpose Monte Carlo radiation transport code developed by the Service d'Études des Réacteurs et de Mathématiques Appliquées at CEA-Saclay. It uses continuous-energy nuclear data to simulate neutron, photon, electron, and positron transport in fields like radiation shielding, reactor physics, and nuclear criticality safety. To study radiation protection dosimetry in human tissues and organs, male and female adult computational phantoms from the Medical Internal Radiation Dose–Oak Ridge National Laboratory phantoms family and the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) publication 110 were recently modeled and calculated using the geometry options of TRIPOLI-4. To easily use the ICRP 110 voxel-based phantoms in different exposure scenarios, a newly developed phantom option is available in TRIPOLI-4 and its display tool T4G. This new phantom option is helpful for modeling one or more phantoms and for improving calculation performance in real irradiation environments. The 2020 published pediatric computational reference phantoms are accessible from ICRP publication 143. Male and female pediatric phantoms are also verified with the new T4G tool and TRIPOLI-4 code. This paper reports on recent works using TRIPOLI-4 on adult and pediatric computational phantoms. The modeling methods of stylized and voxel-based phantoms, the graphic displays of modeled phantoms with T4G, and the verification procedures for single-phantom and two-phantom application cases are presented. Validation for external and internal dosimetry calculations has been performed. Calculation results on organ dose S values for nuclear medicine applications are presented for single female and single male voxel phantoms using 131I and 177Lu radiation sources. Effective dose calculations for two-phantom cases using 99mTc and 18F sources are compared with traditional H*(10) calculations from nuclear medicine patient to patient caregiver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a severe event that occurs in the central nervous system (CNS). Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have already been proven to play key roles in different diseases of the CNS. Nevertheless, the roles of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and lncRNAs one week after SCI remain to be elucidated. We established a rat model of SCI and examined the differential levels of mRNAs and lncRNAs, and then, the differentially expressed mRNAs (DE mRNAs) and lncRNAs (DE lncRNAs) were investigated. Gene Ontology (GO) functional enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses of DE lncRNAs and mRNAs were subsequently carried out to explore crucial biological processes and signaling pathways. Moreover, we constructed protein--protein interaction (PPI) networks, the STRING database, and identified the 10 high degree core nodes. We also established a co-expression network by calculating the correlation between lncRNA expression profile and mRNA expression profile. The identified DE lncRNAs and DE mRNAs may potentially be critical targets for the diagnosis and treatment of SCI in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Double perovskite La2FeCrO6 (LFCO) powders were synthesized via the hydrothermal method, which crystallized in an orthorhombic (Pnma) structure and exhibited a spherical morphology with an average particle size of 900 nm. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy demonstrated the presence of fingerprints of vibrational modes of [FeO6] and [CrO6] octahedra in the powders. The XPS spectra revealed dual oxide states of Fe (Fe2+/Fe3+) and Cr (Cr3+/Cr4+) elements, and the oxygen element appeared as lattice oxygen and defect oxygen, respectively. The LFCO powders exhibited weak ferromagnetic behavior at 5 K with a Curie temperature of 200 K. Their saturation magnetization and coercive field were measured as 0.31 μB/f.u. and 8.0 kOe, respectively. The Griffiths phase was observed between 200 K and 223 K. A butterfly-like magnetoresistance (MR)–magnetic field (H) curve was observed in the LFCO ceramics at 5 K with an MR (5 K, 6 T) value of −4.07%. The temperature dependence of resistivity of the LFCO ceramics demonstrated their semiconducting nature. Electrical transport data were fitted by different conduction models. The dielectric behaviors of the LFCO ceramics exhibited a strong frequency dispersion, and a dielectric abnormality was observed around 260 K. That was ascribed to the jumping of electrons trapped at shallow levels created by oxygen vacancies. The dielectric loss showed relaxation behavior between 160 K and 260 K, which was attributed to the singly ionized oxygen vacancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the rolling bearing fault signal captured by a vibration sensor contains a large amount of background noise, fault features cannot be accurately extracted. To address this problem, a rolling bearing fault feature extraction algorithm based on improved pelican optimization algorithm (IPOA)–variable modal decomposition (VMD) and multipoint optimal minimum entropy deconvolution adjustment (MOMEDA) methods is proposed. Firstly, the pelican optimization algorithm (POA) was improved using a reverse learning strategy for dimensional-by-dimensional lens imaging and circle mapping, and the optimization performance of IPOA was verified. Secondly, the kurtosis-square envelope Gini coefficient criterion was used to select the optimal modal components from the decomposed components of the signal, and MOMEDA was used to process the optimal modal components in order to obtain the optimal deconvolution signal. Finally, the Teager energy operator (TEO) was employed to demodulate and analyze the optimally deconvoluted signal in order to enhance the transient shock component of the original fault signal. The effectiveness of the proposed method was verified using simulated and actual signals. The results showed that the proposed method can accurately extract failure characteristics in the presence of strong background noise interference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report microstructures and physical (dielectric, magnetic, and optical) properties of sol–gel derived Ba2FeMnO6 (BFMO) double perovskite powders. The BFMO powders belong to hexagonal crystal structure with P‐6m2 space group. SEM images reveal the powders are nearly homogeneous distribution with spherical morphology and average particle size of 300 nm. Energy‐dispersive spectra gave out the molar ratio of the Ba:Fe:Mn elements equal to 2.16:1.00:1.00. FTIR spectrum verified the [FeO6] and [MnO6] octahedra present in the powders. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectra identified the chemical valence states of the constituent elements. The BFMO ceramics displayed a strong frequency dispersion dielectric behavior. A relaxor‐like dielectric behavior appeared around ∼475 K due to the contributions of oxygen vacancies of(Vö)$({{V_{\ddot o}}})$ and the (FeMn′−)/(MnFe′−)$({\rm{Fe}}_{{\rm{Mn}}}^{\prime} -)/({\rm{Mn}}_{{\rm{Fe}}}^{\prime} -)$ defect dipoles. A ferrimagnetic behavior was observed in the powders at 5 K with MS = 0.14 μB/f.u. and HC = 1.51 kOe. The magnetic Curie temperature (TC) was 381 K, whereas the Neel temperature (TN) was 31 K. The ferrimagnetic behavior is governed by the Mn3+–Fe4+ double‐exchange interaction via the mediated oxygen between them. The BFMO powders have a direct optical bandgap of 1.65 eV, which originates from the electron transferring from O 2p to Mn 3d (and/or Fe 3d) levels. The unique combination of high temperature ferrimagnetism and semiconductivity in the BFMO powders makes them particularly appealing for magnetic spintronics and photovoltaics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spalling of concrete blocks from tunnel linings is a severe defect in high-speed railway tunnels (HSRTs). The amplified initial compression wave (ICW) in circumferential cracks induced by high-speed trains may be the main cause of crack propagation and concrete block formation. To investigate the aerodynamic amplification effect of the ICW in circumferential cracks, tunnel-crack models are established and solved based on the unsteady viscous k–ε turbulence method. A scaled indoor experiment is carried out to verify the reliability of the calculation method. The characteristics of amplified pressure and corresponding mechanisms are analyzed and revealed. Three influential parameters, including the crack width, crack depth, and train velocity, are analyzed and discussed in detail. The main conclusions are as follows: (1) the maximum amplified pressure in a typical circumferential crack is 5.68 times that of the ICW. (2) The maximum power spectrum density (PSD) of the aerodynamic pressure at the crack tip is 91.04 times that at the crack mouth. The crack tip suffers most from the aerodynamic impact of the fluctuating component of pressure waves, whereas the crack mouth is most susceptible to the average component. (3) The train velocity is the most influential parameter on the maximum pressure at the crack tip, followed by the crack depth. The power function with an exponent of 2.3087 is applicable for evaluating the relationship between the maximum pressure and train velocities. (4) The train velocity and crack depth are most influential parameters to the maximum PSD. The relationship between the maximum PSD and the crack widths, crack depths, and train velocities can be reasonably described by the power function. (5) The mechanism of pressure amplification is as follows: first, the superposition of the internal energy possessed by air molecules near crack surfaces. Second, the increase in the internal energy of air near the crack tip because of the gradually narrowing space. The results of our research may be applicable in analyzing the cracking behavior of tunnel lining cracks and preventing the spalling of concrete blocks in HSRTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The effect of gender on patients with mitral valve regurgitation (MR) undergoing transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR) remains to be defined. The aim of the present study is a comprehensive meta-analysis of studies that investigate differences between men and women after TMVR. Methods: A systematic literature search was carried out on eight databases to collect all relevant studies on gender-related outcomes of TMVR before March 1, 2021. The main outcomes of interest were mortality, cardiac function, MR class and other complications. Results: A total of eight literatures were included, all of which were retrospective observational studies. Compared to women patients, men had lower postoperative New York Heart Association (NYHA) class (OR = 1.53, 95%CI [1.23, 1.91], P = 0.0001) and higher incidence of postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) (OR = 1.25, 95%CI [1.16, 1.34], P < 0.05). There were no significant difference on mortality in 30 days (OR = 0.95, 95%CI [0.81, 1.11], P = 0.53) and in 2 years (OR = 0.99, 95%CI [0.75, 1.30], P = 0.93), mitral valve regurgitation (MR) class (OR = 1.30, 95%CI [0.97, 1.75], P = 0.08) and incidence of myocardial infarction (MI) (OR = 0.88, 95%CI [0.65, 1.18], P = 0.38), stroke (OR = 0.80, 95%CI [0.63, 1.02], P = 0.08) and bleeding in hospital (OR = 0.84, 95%CI [0.59, 1.19], P = 0.32). Conclusions: Our meta-analysis demonstrates that men undergoing TMVR have worse preoperative diseases (diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, renal failure and myocardial infarction) while they have superior postoperative NYHA class at one-year. There are no significantly difference in other indexes between men and women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RGB-D Salient Object Detection (RGB-D SOD) aims at detecting remarkable objects by complementary information from RGB images and depth cues. Although many outstanding prior arts have been proposed for RGB-D SOD, most of them focus on performance enhancement, while lacking concern about practical deployment on mobile devices. In this paper, we propose mobile asymmetric dual-stream networks (MoADNet) for real-time and lightweight RGB-D SOD. First, inspired by the intrinsic discrepancy between RGB and depth modalities, we observe that depth maps can be represented by fewer channels than RGB images. Thus, we design asymmetric dual-stream encoders based on MobileNetV3. Second, we develop an inverted bottleneck cross-modality fusion (IBCMF) module to fuse multimodality features, which adopts an inverted bottleneck structure to compensate for the information loss in the lightweight backbones. Third, we present an adaptive atrous spatial pyramid (A2SP) module to speed up the inference, while maintaining the performance by appropriately selecting multiscale features in the decoder. Extensive experiments are conducted to compare our method with 15 state-of-the-art approaches. Our MoADNet obtains competitive results on five benchmark datasets under four evaluation metrics. For efficiency analysis, the proposed method significantly outperforms other baselines by a large margin. The MoADNet only contains 5.03 M parameters and runs 80 FPS when testing a $256\times 256$ image on a single NVIDIA 2080Ti GPU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study investigated the value of synchronous tele-ultrasonography (TUS) for naive operators in thyroid ultrasonography (US) examinations. Methods: Ninety-seven patients were included in this prospective, parallel-controlled trial. Thyroid scanning and diagnosis were completed by resident A independently, resident B with guidance from a US expert through synchronous TUS, and an on-site US expert. The on-site expert’s findings constituted the reference standard. Two other off-site US experts analyzed all data in a blind manner. Inter-operator consistency between the two residents and the on-site US expert for thyroid size measurements, nodule measurements, nodule features, American College of Radiology (ACR) Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (TI-RADS) categories, and image quality was compared. Two questionnaires were completed to evaluate the clinical benefit. Results: Resident B detected more nodules consistent with the on-site expert than resident A did (89.4% vs. 56.5%, P<0.001). Resident B achieved excellent consistency with the on-site expert in terms of ACR TI-RADS categories, nodule composition, shape, echogenic foci, and vascularity (all intra-class correlation coefficients [ICCs] >0.75), while resident A achieved lower consistency in ACR TI-RADS categories, composition, echogenicity, margin, echogenic foci, and vascularity (all ICCs 0.40-0.75). Residents A and B had excellent consistency in target nodule measurements (all ICCs >0.75). Resident B achieved better performance than resident A for gray values, time gain compensation, depth, color Doppler adjustment, and the visibility of key information (all P<0.05). Furthermore, 61.9% (60/97) of patients accepted synchronous TUS, and 59.8% (58/97) patients were willing to pay for it. Conclusion: Synchronous TUS can help inexperienced residents achieve comparable thyroid diagnostic capability to a US expert. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pyrazoline fluorophore, generated by photoinduced tetrazole-ene cycloaddition, shows faint fluorescence in protic solvents. To suppress this fluorescence-quenching, we rationally designed a series of substituted diaryl tetrazoles at the N-side phenyl ring to produce a tetrazole-ene based photoactivatable fluorophore. Spectroscopic and cellular imaging studies demonstrated that the version of the fluorophore with a bis(trifluoromethyl)benzene substituent exhibited significantly enhanced brightness and photostability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aryl azide and diaryl tetrazole are both photoactive molecules, which can form nitrene and nitrile imine intermediates respectively by photolysis. Depending on the new finding that the azide can suppress the photolysis of tetrazole in the azide‐tetrazole conjugated system, we developed aryl azide‐tetrazole probes for the photoactivatable fluorogenic azide alkyne click (PFAAC) reaction, in which the aryl azide‐tetrazole probes were not phoroactivatable fluorogenic itself, but the triazole products after click reaction were prefluorophore that can be activated by light. Therefore, in PFAAC chemistry, the fluorescent probes can be activated by two orthogonal events: azide‐alkyne click reaction and light, which leads to spatiotemporal resolution and high signal‐to‐noise ratio. This PFAAC process was proved in vitro by copper‐catalyzed or strain‐promoted azide‐alkyne reactions and in live cells by spatiotemporally controlled organelle imaging. By incorporation a linker to the azide‐tetrazole conjugate, this PFAAC chemistry could covalently label extra probes to the biomolecules and spatiotemporally detecting this process by photoinduced fluorescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores a distinct type of electoral intervention, which we call "harmonising intervention," by the Chinese local state to achieve the goal of securing the joint post of the village Party secretary and Village Committee director. It involves mediating conflicts through electoral interventions and using elections to create harmony. The research finds that through such interventions, the local state simultaneously accomplishes the legitimisation, information collection, elite co-optation, and clout demonstration functions of authoritarian elections. "Harmonising interventions" have obvious power concentration effects and strengthen local state control rather than village self-governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cette étude explore une forme distincte d’intervention électorale, que nous appelons « intervention d’harmonisation », réalisée par les autorités locales chinoises afin de se réserver les fonctions de chef du Parti du village et de directeur du comité du village. Cela implique la médiation de conflits à travers des interventions électorales et le recours aux élections pour créer du consensus. Notre recherche révèle qu’à travers de telles interventions, les autorités locales accomplissent simultanément les fonctions de légitimation, de collecte d’information, de cooptation des élites et de démonstration de force lors d’élections autoritaires. Les « interventions d’harmonisation » ont des effets manifestes de concentration du pouvoir et renforcent le contrôle des autorités locales plutôt que la capacité des villages à s’autogérer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores a distinct type of electoral intervention, which we call "harmonising intervention," by the Chinese local state to achieve the goal of securing the joint post of the village Party secretary and Village Committee director. It involves mediating conflicts through electoral interventions and using elections to create harmony. The research finds that through such interventions, the local state simultaneously accomplishes the legitimisation, information collection, elite co-optation, and clout demonstration functions of authoritarian elections. "Harmonising interventions" have obvious power concentration effects and strengthen local state control rather than village self-governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This prospective study explored the value of synchronous tele-ultrasound (US) to aid doctors inexperienced in US with breast US examinations. Methods: In total, 99 patients were enrolled. Two trainee doctors who were inexperienced in US (trainee A [TA] and trainee B [TB]) and one doctor who was an expert in US completed the US examinations sequentially. TA completed the US examinations independently, while TB was instructed by the expert using synchronous tele-US. Subsequently, the expert performed on-site US examinations in person. Separately, they selected the most clinically significant nodule as the target nodule. Consistency with the expert and image quality were compared between TA and TB to evaluate tele-US. Furthermore, TB and the patients evaluated tele-US through questionnaires. Results: TB demonstrated higher consistency with the expert in terms of target nodule selection than TA (93.3% vs. 63.3%, P<0.001). TB achieved good inter-observer agreement (ICC, >0.75) with the expert on five US features (5/9, 55.6%), while TA only did so for one (1/9, 11.1%) (P=0.046). TB's image quality was higher than TA's in gray value, time gain compensation, depth, color Doppler adjustment, and the visibility of key information (P=0.018, P<0.001, P<0.001, P=0.033, and P=0.006, respectively). The comprehensive assessment score was higher for TB than for TA (3.96±0.82 vs. 3.09±0.87, P<0.001). Tele-US was helpful in 69.7% of US examinations and had a training effect in 68.0%. Furthermore, 63.6% of patients accepted tele-US and 60.6% were willing to pay. Conclusion: Tele-US can help doctors inexperienced in US to perform breast US examinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the challenges posed by early weak fault signals hindering fault feature extraction and leading to diminished recognition accuracy in deep learning models, we present a method for diagnosing bearing faults. This method integrates the Pelican Optimization Algorithm (POA), Variational Mode Decomposition (VMD), Gramian Angular Difference Fields (GADF), and the Swin Transformer network. Initially, the VMD's key parameter are optimized through POA to dynamically yield the optimal parameter combination. Subsequently, the refined VMD is employed to decompose the original signal. The intrinsic modal function (IMF) is subsequently filtered, and the signal is reconstructed using the weighted composite kurtosis(WCK) index. Following this step, the reconstructed 1D signal is converted into a 2D image using GADF and is then input into the constructed Swin Transformer transfer learning network model for the purpose of training. In conclusion, a fault diagnosis experiment was conducted using the measured signal, which showed the successful extraction of the signal's characteristics and octave frequencies through the method presented in this paper. Moreover, concerning fault identification, an identification accuracy exceeding 95% was achieved. • Using POA algorithm to select VMD parameters. • A new composite signal screening index has been proposed. • Image conversion using the GADF algorithm. • A Bearing Fault Recognition Model Combining transfer Learning and Swin Transformer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Falling debris in high-speed railway tunnels is a prevalent and serious safety concern. Debris falling from tunnel vaults may impact the train surfaces, pantographs and window glasses, resulting in economic losses and even injuries to individuals. The complex train winds inside a railway tunnel are a nonnegligible factor influence the flight trajectory and impact position of falling debris. Therefore, understanding the flight behaviors of falling debris considering the train wind effects is crucial for engineering managers to make informed decisions that improve the operational safety of high-speed trains in tunnels. In this study, we develop a device that controls the automatic drop of a tunnel debris in a high-speed train ejection experiment. By employing the experiment and moving-overset-mesh method, the flight behavior of falling debris from the vault of a railway tunnel under the influence of train winds, including the translation behavior, rotation behavior, aerodynamic coefficient, and corresponding flow mechanism, are investigated. The reliability of the high-speed train ejection experiment is confirmed through repetitive tests. The moving-overset-mesh simulation is verified by a grid independence test and comparisons with the experimental results. The research findings unveil a distinctive two-stage flight behavior of falling debris influenced by the wind generated from the passing train. Specifically, the first stage of debris flight is primarily governed by the wind profile near the train body, while the second stage is characterized by the tail airflow. Moreover, there exists a difference in the flight behavior between square and circular plate debris, which can be attributed to the variation in distribution and scale of vortex structures that form and adhere to the falling debris. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Double perovskite La2NiMnO6 (LNMO) nanoparticles and nanorods were synthesized via a hydrothermal process, where only aqueous inorganic solvents are used to regulate the microscopic morphology of the products without using any organic template. They crystallized in a monoclinic (P21/n) double perovskite crystal structure. The LNMO nanoparticles exhibited spherical morphology with an average particle size of 260 ± 60 nm, and the LNMO nanorods had diameters of 430 ± 120 nm and length about 2.05 ± 0.65 μm. Dual chemical oxidation states of the Ni and Mn ions were confirmed in the LNMO samples by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Strong frequency dispersion dielectric behavior observed in the LNMO ceramics, is attributed to the space charge polarization and the oxygen vacancy induced dielectric relaxation. A ferroelectric—paraelectric phase transition appearing near 262 K (or 260 K) in the LNMO ceramics prepared from nanoparticles (or nanorods) was identified to be a second-order phase transition. The LNMO samples are ferromagnetic at 5 K but paramagnetic at 300 K. The LNMO nanoparticles had larger saturation magnetization (MS = 6.20 μB/f.u. @ 5 K) than the LNMO nanorods (MS = 5.68 μB/f.u.) due to a lower structural disorder in the LNMO nanorods. The semiconducting nature of the nanostructured LNMO with an optical band gap of 0.99 eV was revealed by the UV–visible absorption spectra. The present results enable the nanostructured LNMO to be a promising candidate for practical spintronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Case summary: A patient who underwent mechanical aortic and mitral valve replacement developed three paravalvular leaks 10 months later. We located the tracks by puncturing the apex cordis under transoesophageal echocardiography guidance alone and puncturing the femoral artery guided by fluoroscopy. Three paravalvular leaks were occluded with a hybridization method simultaneously. The patient was followed up for 24 months and maintained a good condition. Conclusion: Multiple paravalvular leaks after double valve replacement can be occluded in patients by the use of different approaches under echocardiographic guidance alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inappropriate water and fertilizer management can lead to unstable crop yields. Excessive fertilization can potentially cause soil degradation and nitrogen (N) leaching. The aim of this study was to explore the optimal N application rate on two wheat varieties with different nitrogen responding under limited water irrigation at three experimental sites in the Piedmont plain of the Taihang Mountains, China. A two-year field experiment was conducted to explore the effects of five N application rates (N0, N120, N180, N240, and N300) on winter wheat growth, leaf area index, aboveground biomass, grain yield, grain N accumulation, and net return. The results showed that N application rate significantly affected leaf area index, aboveground biomass, grain yield, and harvest index. Variety and variety × N rate interactions had a significant effect on few indicators. Compared with N0, N180 improved leaf area index, aboveground biomass, grain yield, and grain N accumulation. Compared with N240 and N300, N180 increased the harvest index and N harvest index, without significantly reducing grain yield or grain N accumulation, while enhancing a higher N use efficiency. Fertilizers applied in the ranges of 144.7–212.9 and 150.3–247.0 kg ha-1 resulted in the highest net return for the KN199 and JM585 varieties, respectively. Our study provides a sound theoretical basis for high-efficiency fertilizer utilization in sustainable winter wheat production in the Piedmont plains of the Taihang Mountains of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-speed railway tunnel lining fragments can cause collisions with trains and track blockages, severely affecting train operation. When a train passes through a tunnel where lining fragment is likely to occur, the train wind effect may significantly affect the trajectory of the lining fragment, making the location where the lining fragment is difficult to predict. For safety purpose, this study aims to analyze the impact of the initial circumferential position and shape of irregular-shaped lining fragments on their aerodynamic performance. Using on-site scanning and mathematical statistical methods, the shape characteristics and probability distribution of actual lining fragments in the tunnel are obtained. The aerodynamic behavior of irregular-shaped lining fragments with different initial positions and three typical aspect ratios (ARs) are investigated based on the overset grid method and the dynamic fluid–body interaction model framework as a high-speed train passes. The study found that the most representative lining fragments with an AR of three have a mass of 1.5 kg and are located 2.5 m from the tunnel centerline. The flight behavior of lining fragments shows distinct three-dimensional features, with both translation and rotation significantly affected by the aerodynamic effects of the train and the geometric shape of the fragments. The longitudinal and lateral translational distances of lining fragments at the top of the train decrease as their initial position moves further from the tunnel's centerline. With an increase in AR, both the longitudinal and lateral flight distances and average flight velocities of the fragments increase. The macroscopic flow field within the tunnel directly influences the motion characteristics of the lining fragments. Complex flow separation and circulation phenomena near the fragments result in uneven pressure differences acting on the smooth and rough surfaces of the lining fragments, causing irregular motion. The conclusions of this study provide a theoretical basis for assessing and preventing the impact of lining fragments on the operational safety of trains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the operation of strong crosswinds, the aerodynamic performance of high-speed trains (HSTs) will be seriously deteriorated when the transition section of flat ground and semi-cutting and semi-embankment (FGSCSE) is traversed, and the setting of windbreaks will help to slow down the impact of strong crosswinds on the trains. In this study, a three-dimensional coupled computational fluid dynamics numerical model to assess the aerodynamic performance of train–windbreak–FGSCSE–air system is developed. A comparative assessment is carried out to identify the variations in aerodynamic performance on the train carriage: no windbreak (NW), 50% ventilation windbreak (VW), and solid windbreak (SW), and the reasons for these variations are elucidated by examining the flow field structure's evolution. Furthermore, the operational safety of the train is discussed based on the indicator of wheel unloading ratio (fΔQ). Across the three distinct conditions, significant abrupt changes in aerodynamic load coefficients (ALCs) and the shedding of vortex structures are experienced by HSTs traversing the FGSCSE transition sections. Compared to the VW condition, the NW and SW conditions result in a greater number of shedding vortices on the leeward side and the tail of the train, and the VW condition results in the smallest magnitude of ALCs fluctuation. The power spectral density peak values of the aerodynamic loads follow the order: SW > NW > VW. Upon the train fully enters the subsequent operational environment, the VW condition has the smallest standard deviation of these coefficients. The standard deviations of CFy, CFz, CMx, CMy, and CMz for the head train in the VW condition are only 57.17% (46.81%), 55.85% (54.15%), 72.74% (34.62%), 57.99% (51.92%), and 44.60% (43.82%) of the corresponding values in the NW (SW) condition, respectively. In the NW, VW, and SW conditions, the fΔQ exceeds 0.9 when the wind speeds reach 30, 40, and 35 m/s, respectively. The windbreak with a ventilation rate of 30% performs the best, providing the most effective safety and stability for train operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we propose an optical hybrid encryption scheme based on compressive temporal ghost imaging. This scheme combines the asymmetric of the public key cryptography and the non-linear of ghost imaging. First, according to the principle of temporal ghost image encryption, the chaotic modulation pattern is used as the key to encrypt the plaintext information, and then the chaotic pattern is encrypted by the public key cryptography. Then, only the authorized receiver can decrypt the chaotic pattern with the private key. Finally, the plaintext can be decrypted with the compressive sensing algorithm. This scheme solves the problem of key distribution in traditional ghost imaging encryption scheme. At the same time, the application of public key cryptography reduces the cost of establishing private channels and enhances the security of the system. In addition, feasibility, security, and robustness of the scheme were verified by simulation. This scheme has the advantages of high quality, high safety, wide applicability and low cost, which can immediately be applied to encryption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Patients with functional dyspepsia (FD) often have concomitant anxiety and depression. Mindfulness‐based cognitive therapy (MBCT) combines the principles of cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness. It is a group‐based therapy and has been shown to be efficacious in functional gastrointestinal disorders. There are no randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating MBCT in FD. We aimed to evaluate feasibility and efficacy of MBCT in FD management. Methods: We performed a mixed‐method single‐center pilot randomized trial of 28 patients fulfilling ROME‐III criteria for FD. Fifteen patients were randomized to an 8‐week MBCT program while 13 underwent treatment‐as‐usual (TAU). Patients completed questionnaires at baseline and at week 8. Two focus‐groups were conducted. Feasibility of recruitment, acceptability of randomization, procedures and intervention, handout compliance and feasibility of quantitative measures were assessed. The primary outcome was subjective‐clinical‐assessment of FD symptoms (SCA‐FD). Secondary outcome measures included Short‐form Nepean Dyspepsia Index (SF‐NDI), subjective‐clinical‐assessment of general health (SCA‐GH), EuroQoL‐Visual Analog Scale (EuroQoL‐VAS), and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale–21 Items (DASS‐21). Results: Twelve of 15 patients in the MBCT group completed the program. There was a trend towards symptom improvement, with 90% in the MBCT group reporting improvement in SCA‐FD compared with 45% in TAU(P = 0.063). Patients who underwent MBCT reported greater improvement in SF‐NDI (mean change: −8.8 (SD: 7.5) vs −0.7 (7.2), P = 0.018) and DASS‐21 (−19.8 (29.5) vs −5.5 (6.6) P = 0.13) compared with TAU. There was no difference in SCA‐GH and EuroQoL‐VAS. Based on SCA‐FD improvement, the eventual RCT will require 50 patients (25 in each group). Conclusions: Mindfulness‐based cognitive therapy is likely efficacious for FD, and it would be feasible to conduct a RCT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An intramolecular palladium‐catalyzed tandem γ‐arylation/aromatization reaction of cyclohex‐2‐en‐1‐one derivatives was developed. This work provides a simple and efficient approach for the construction of substituted 3,4‐dihydroanthracen‐1(2H)‐ones in good yields with a broad substrate scope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• NOS3 G894T (rs1799983) and G10T (rs7830) gene polymorphisms have a significant effect on cardiovascular developmental processes. • The NOS3 T-786C (rs2070744) SNP in the promoter region was associated with the risk of developing CHD (P＞0.05). • Investigating the association between NOS3 and CHD and providing appropriate health care during pregnancy is important to reduce the incidence of CHD and improve public health. Endothelial nitric oxide (NO) produced by endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase (eNOS) can promote the expression of pro-angiogenic cytokines and is favorable for angiogenesis. However, the relationship between NOS3 gene polymorphisms and genetic susceptibility to congenital heart disease (CHD) was still unclear. We searched five databases including Pubmed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, CNKI, and Wan Fang, to find all studies on NOS3 gene polymorphisms and CHD. Rstudio was used to merge the data included in the study to obtain OR, 95%CI, and forest plots. Five relevant literatures were included, including three sites of NOS3 gene, rs1799983 (G894T), rs2070744 (T-786C), and rs7830 (G10T). Several models including the homozygous model of rs1799983 (G894T) gene polymorphism (TT VS GG: OR = 1.602, 95%CI: 1.098 ∼ 2.337, P = 0.027), rs7830 (G10T) gene polymorphism allele model (A VS C: OR = 1.171, 95%CI: 1.029 ∼ 1.333, P = 0.017), homozygous model (AA VS CC: OR = 1.474, 95%CI: 1.122 ∼ 1.936, P = 0.005) and implicit model (AA VS CC + AC: OR = 1.451, 95%CI: 1.133 ∼ 1.859, P = 0.003) indicated that there was a correlation. The results of the combined analysis of each gene model of rs2070744 (T-786C) gene polymorphism sites were not statistically significant, and their P values were all>0.05. rs1799983 (G894T) and rs7830 (G10T) polymorphic sites might play a role in the susceptibility of sporadic congenital heart disease and increase the risk of CHD. Yet, it is still necessary to expand the sample size and conduct more prospective/retrospective studies to confirm whether the rs2070744 (T-786C) polymorphism tended to increase the incidence of CHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the transfer and dissipation of strain energy in the surrounding rock of a deep roadway were analyzed, considering the objective strain softening and dilatancy behaviors. The strain energy increment was decomposed, and its variation was analyzed based on the incremental plastic flow theory; then, a numerical simulation was conducted for verification and further analysis. The results were verified by the field monitoring data of a coal mine gateway. The results show that in the elastic stage, the volumetric elastic strain energy density Uev decreases, while the shear elastic strain energy density Ues increases. In the plastic stage, both Uev and Ues decrease. The volumetric plastic strain energy density Upv is negative, and its absolute value increases, leading to strain energy accumulation. In contrast, the shear plastic strain energy density Ups is positive and increases, leading to strain energy dissipation. Considering strain softening, the elastic strain energy decreases, the plastic strain energy increases, and the region of strain energy dissipation expands. Considering dilatancy, the plastic strain energy varies more significantly, and the effect of strain softening is amplified. The strain energy is transferred from the deep part to the shallow part of the elastic zone and then to the plastic zone. The preexisting and input strain energies in the plastic zone are transformed into considerable amounts of plastic strain energy and then dissipated. Thereafter, a significant plastic strain appears, leading to the large deformation of the surrounding rock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Case summary: A patient who underwent mechanical aortic and mitral valve replacement developed three paravalvular leaks 10 months later. We located the tracks by puncturing the apex cordis under transoesophageal echocardiography guidance alone and puncturing the femoral artery guided by fluoroscopy. Three paravalvular leaks were occluded with a hybridization method simultaneously. The patient was followed up for 24 months and maintained a good condition. Conclusion: Multiple paravalvular leaks after double valve replacement can be occluded in patients by the use of different approaches under echocardiographic guidance alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The study aimed to investigate the predictive value of dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (DCE-US) in differentiating small-duct (SD) and large-duct (LD) types of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). Methods: This study retrospectively enrolled 110 patients with pathologically confirmed ICC lesions who were subject to preoperative contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) examinations between January 2022 and February 2023. Patients were further classified according to the subtype: SD-type and LD-type, and an optimal predictive model was established and validated using the above pilot cohort. The test cohort, consisting of 48 patients prospectively enrolled from March 2023 to September 2023, was evaluated. Results: In the pilot cohort, compared with SD-type ICCs, more LD-type ICCs showed elevated carcinoembryonic antigen (p < 0.001), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (p = 0.004), ill-defined margin (p = 0.018), intrahepatic bile duct dilation (p < 0.001). Among DCE-US quantitative parameters, the wash-out area under the curve (WoAUC), wash-in and wash-out area under the curve (WiWoAUC), and fall time (FT) at the margin of lesions were higher in the SD-type group (all p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the mean transit time (mTT) and wash-out rate (WoR) at the margin of the lesion were higher in the LD-type group (p = 0.041 and 0.007, respectively). Logistic regression analysis showed that intrahepatic bile duct dilation, mTT, and WoR were significant predictive factors for predicting ICC subtypes, and the AUC of the predictive model achieved 0.833 in the test cohort. Conclusions: Preoperative DCE-US has the potential to become a novel complementary method for predicting the pathological subtype of ICC. Critical relevance statement: DCE-US has the potential to assess the subtypes of ICC lesions quantitatively and preoperatively, which allows for more accurate and objective differential diagnoses, and more appropriate treatments and follow-up or additional examination strategies for the two subtypes. Key Points: Preoperative determination of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) subtype aids in surgical decision-making. Quantitative parameters from dynamic contrast-enhanced US (DCE-US) allow for the prediction of the ICC subtype. DCE-US-based imaging has the potential to become a novel complementary method for predicting ICC subtypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the topic of attracting and maintaining inbound international students has received much scholarly attention in higher education, attracting female international students has rarely been discussed. This study addresses the issue of attracting degree-seeking female international students. Based on the notion of situational factors and total quality management (TQM), we assumed both institutional design and students' satisfaction are core concepts for attracting and retaining female international students that will make a difference in higher education. A total of 215 survey responses were analyzed, and a covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) approach was developed. The results confirm female international students' perception of 14 observed variables in the three first-order components and suggest that they can create a secondorder construct of push factors, institutional situations, and satisfaction (latent variables). This study demonstrates that higher-order modeling leads to theoretical parsimony and reduces model complexity in the proposed CB-SEM. The findings suggest that the casual relationship works well and both institutional leadership and international strategy can play crucial roles in the process of transforming female international students' learning satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Congenital pain insensitivity is a rare genetic disease and its clinical manifestations are many. In orthopaedics, common complications of this disease include painless fracture and Charcot's arthropathy. We followed up a case of multiple fractures of the lower extremity in two years, during which time he came to the clinic for five painless fractures of the lower extremity in a total of six parts. A mutation was found on the NTKRI gene (chr1:156813923(hg19), NM_001007792.1: c.1221938C > T). We have developed a combination of surgery and conservative treatments for his condition, focusing on the mental state of the child and considering comprehensive treatment to be the best option for this type of patient. Occult fractures caused by pain insensitivity are often treated only as fractures, however their complications require routine examination and cleaning, suitable protective shoes, splint fixation, stretching, guided exercise planning, and early treatment of injuries. Due to the risk of fracture in the future, it is important that parents pay attention to the behavior and psychology of the child, such as not letting the child participate in exercise with a risk of injury, protective measures while playing, engaging in psychological counseling, and inducing interest in mental activity. These interventions will play a very important role in preventing the recurrence of fracture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The yellow-feather broiler is a popular poultry breed in Asia, particularly in China. In this study, we performed RNA-seq analysis to identify differentially expressed genes (deGs) in the liver of yellow-feather broilers that had been subjected to acute heat stress treatment (38±1°C for 4 h, recovery 2 h) and determine the response of the liver to high temperature and its effects on yellow-feather broiler physiology. We found that the cloacal temperature and respiratory rate of yellow-feather chickens were significantly increased immediately after the initiation of acute heat stress (38°c) treatment. And after recovery for 2 h, there was no difference in the cloacal temperature and respiratory rate between the acute heat stress and control groups. A total of 834 DEGs were observed in response to heat stress by RNA-seq. Almost half of the DEGs were involved in the lipid and energy metabolism, including fatty acid metabolism (ACOX1, ACACA, ACSL1, ACSL6, ACAA1, ACAA2, HADHB, and FASN) and propanoate metabolism (ACSS2, ALDH2, ACACA, DLAT, ALDH7A1, MDH1, ME1, ABAT, SUCLG2, and ACSS3). Our findings provide the context for RNA-seq studies in the liver of yellow-feather chickens and suggest that the liver of yellow-feather broilers has the lipid and energy metabolism physiological mechanisms activated in response to heat stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the scheduling problem arising from refueling multiple geosynchronous (GEO) satellites with multiple servicing vehicles [many-to-many (M2M) refueling]. The problem is defined by a set of potential fuel tanker locations, a homogeneous fleet of servicing vehicles with limited capacities, and a set of fuel-deficient GEO satellites with known fuel demands. The objective is to open a subset of fuel tankers, to assign GEO satellites to these tankers and to design vehicle servicing sequences, in order to minimize the total mission costs. To achieve such an economical refueling strategy, the fuel tanker location and routing decision are required to be determined simultaneously. It is shown that this problem can be formulated as a location-routing problem (LRP) which is obviously NP-hard. In order to solve it, an ant colony optimization (ACO) metaheuristic that features a special solution representation scheme is proposed. The proposed algorithm is then tested on two types of instances depending on whether the cost for opening a fuel tanker is considered or not. Numerical experiments show that both the consideration of the fuel tanker opening costs and their locations do affect the refueling schedule. Furthermore, the proposed algorithm outperforms the existing approaches in the M2M refueling mission design, and it is able to detect the optimal refueling strategy on all instances containing 85 GEO targets with 15 potential fuel tankers while previous works stopped at 15 satellites and 2 fuel tankers. • Scheduling of the multiple satellites refueling mission is presented. • Servicing vehicle routing and the fuel tanker location are considered simultaneously. • An ant colony optimization based solving methodology is proposed. • A special solution presentation scheme is applied to improve the computational burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The aerodynamic intensification effect in the lining crack is revealed. • The intensification effect of the circumferential crack is the most significant. • RSMs are established to predicate the maximum tensile strain of the crack tip. • The tensile strain is 0.37 times of the maximum tensile strain of concrete. Falling concrete blocks are serious problems in high-speed railway tunnels, and they cause delays of high-speed trains (HSTs) and even compromise driving safety. When HST-induced aerodynamic shockwaves propagate into cracks, the intensified pressure makes the cracks grow and connect, resulting in falling concrete blocks. In this study, the longitudinal, oblique and circumferential cracks at the tunnel vault are selected as representatives. The temporal, spatial and spectral characteristics of the aerodynamic pressure in the cracks are studied using the unsteady viscous k-ε turbulence model. The aerodynamic intensification effect in the lining crack is also revealed. Results show that the maximum pressure of the circumferential crack is 1.51 and 1.37 times that of the longitudinal and oblique cracks, respectively. On the basis of the results of soil–tunnel–crack models established in ABAQUS, two response surface models (RSMs) are established to quantify the effects of important factors, including crack length, crack depth, crack width, incident angle of the aerodynamic shockwave and train velocity, on the maximum tensile strain of the crack tip of circumferential cracks. Train velocity exerts the greatest influence on the maximum tensile strain in the circumferential crack, followed by crack width. Moreover, a field measurement is performed to investigate the dynamic strain of crack tips under train-induced aerodynamic loads and verify the proposed RSM. The maximum tensile strain caused by aerodynamic pressure is approximately 0.31–0.86 times of the maximum tensile strain of concrete. The proposed RSM can realise a reasonable prediction of the dynamic strain of crack tips. This research may be valuable for analysing the crack tip stability of tunnel lining cracks and guaranteeing the structural health of high-speed railway tunnels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing depth of engineering in rock masses, the issue of significant rheological deformation becomes notably prominent. To accurately characterize the deformation and failure behavior of the surrounding rock near the goaf in deep small coal pillars, we have developed a viscoelastic–plastic constitutive model that takes into account the initial stress associated with creep. This model builds upon an existing viscoelastic–plastic constitutive framework and is implemented numerically using C++ in the FLAC3D. The Oedometer test method is used to check the creep components and the calculated parameter (η/G) ensure convergence of numerical operations. We conducted both pre‐improvement and post‐improvement tests of the constitutive model in a simple numerical analysis of roadways. The enhanced model demonstrates improved accuracy in deviational stress calculations and proves suitable for modeling deep, soft roadways. Furthermore, we applied the improved model to simulate actual working conditions at Zhaozhuang Mine, where mining operations near the working face induce a fracture zone of approximately 3 m in the small coal pillar located at the goaf's edge. The new model closely aligns with the observed results, further validating its suitability for tunneling along the goaf. Tunneling and mining activities result in significant deformation at various locations, including the shoulder socket of the working face, the top angle of the coal pillar, and the bottom angle of the floor. The crushing zone at the working face extends up to 4 m. Rheological effects transform the triangular elastic core, from its original high‐pressure elastic state to a fracture and plastic zone in the deep coal. Stress in deep coal is transmitted along the triangular elastic core. Numerical simulation results closely match the excavation profile of the tunneling, providing valuable insights into the impact of mining activities. This study can provide reference for deformation of similar geological conditions and engineering situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A specific simulation mode has been implemented in the TRIPOLI-4® Monte Carlo code to deal with subcritical or critical configurations together with the use of variance reduction techniques usually dedicated to shielding studies. This multiple mode enables a coupling between the fixed-source criticality (or the criticality) mode with the shielding mode, within the Monte Carlo code, with the aims to simplify the calculation and help users run the code. Test cases with a fuel assembly in borated water are presented to illustrate the use of this feature in a subcritical case. An experimental setup is then investigated in a critical case. It is based on the Criticality Accident Alarm System benchmark experiment conducted in the SILENE critical assembly facility. Stability and efficiency issues are examined, and promising results are presented and discussed in both cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Evaluation of the TRIPOLI-4 radiation transport code for D-T fusion neutron deep penetration calculations. • Investigation of the neutron streaming through the maze entrance of JET-like Torus Hall. • Acceleration of the neutron transport calculations using the Adaptive Multilevel Splitting (AMS) variance reduction techniques. • Verification of the variance reduction performance of AMS options in TRIPOLI-4 code. • Calculation of the neutron flux and ambient dose equivalent maps around the JET-like maze entrance. For the future ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) operation needs, D-T fusion experiments named DTE2 will be conducted in 2020 at JET (Joint European Torus). During the DTE2 operations, 14 MeV fusion neutrons will be generated. One of the aims of the DTE2 neutronics experiments is to investigate the D-T neutron streaming along the penetrations of biological shield of the JET Torus Hall. The TRIPOLI-4 Monte-Carlo radiation transport code has been extensively used on radiation shielding analyses. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the variance reduction (VR) techniques of TRIPOLI-4 on the 14 MeV neutron streaming calculations for a JET-like maze entrance. A JET-like torus hall building of 40 m x 40 m x 4.2 m and a maze entrance of 11.8 m length in 5-section configuration of concrete were first modeled. The standard INIPOND VR method and the new developed VR method AMS (Adaptive Multilevel Splitting) were then presented and discussed. Using the single-step approach combined with AMS techniques, the TRIPOLI-4 calculations results including neutron flux and ambient dose equivalent maps, the VR performance, and the user-friendly AMS input of TRIPOLI-4 code are reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Collagen triple helix repeat containing‐1 (CTHRC1) is a highly conserved extracellular matrix glycoprotein that is overexpressed in two murine models of cholestatic liver fibrosis. Elevated CTHRC1 has been found to attenuate liver fibrosis in these murine models, thus we aimed to study the expression of CTHRC1 in patients with cholestatic liver diseases and its correlation with hepatic conditions. Methods: Ninety patients with chronic liver disease, including 48 had primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), 18 had primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and 24 had chronic hepatitis B (CHB), together with five healthy controls (HC), were recruited to this study. Participants' liver sections were analyzed using immunohistochemistry. Serum CTHRC1 levels in another cohort of 59 patients with PBC and 10 age‐matched HC were detected by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Results: CTHRC1 protein was primarily expressed in activated hepatic stellate cells (HSC). CTHRC1 expression was significantly increased in the PBC and PSC groups, compared with the HC and CHB groups. Importantly, the hepatic fibrosis stage of the PBC group was positively correlated with hepatic CTHRC1 expression (r = 0.425, P = 0.003). Meanwhile, there were significant correlations between serum CTHRC1 levels and both the degrees of hepatic inflammation and fibrosis stage in the PBC group (r = 0.300, P = 0.022; r = 0.321, P = 0.012). Conclusion: CTHRC1 may play a role in hepatic fibrogenesis in PBC and that serum CTHRC1 may be a potential novel noninvasive biomarker in the assessment of liver fibrosis and inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an effective feature extraction method, locality sensitive discriminant analysis (LSDA) utilizes the neighbor relationship of data to characterize the manifold structure of data and uses label information of data to adapt to classification tasks. However, the performance of LSDA is affected by outliers and the destruction of local structure. Aiming at solving the limitations of LSDA, a locality sensitive discriminant projection (LSDP) algorithm is proposed. LSDP minimizes the distance of intraclass neighbor samples to maintain local structure and minimizes the intraclass non-neighbor samples to increase the compactness of intraclass samples after projection. The problem of outliers is alleviated by increasing the compactness of intraclass samples in subspace. At the same time, we redefine the weights of interclass neighbor samples to maintain the neighbor relationship of different labels samples. Holding the local structure of interclass samples maintains the manifold structure of data. Experiments on face datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of the LSDP algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • This method realizes double encryption and improves security. • This method solves the key distribution of optical encryption. • This method has strong resistance to statistical analysis and iterative attacks, and it has strong robustness. • This method reduces the cost of building private channels. Abstract In this paper, according to the phase object in the ghost imaging has a stealth effect, we proposed an optical encryption method based on compressive ghost imaging and public key cryptography. This method solves the key distribution problem of ghost imaging encryption, and reduces the additional cost of establishing security channels. The simulation results verify the feasibility, security and robustness of the proposed encryption scheme. This technique can be immediately applied to encryption and data storage with the advantages of high-safety, high-robustness and low-cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The frequency components of vibration signal in vibration isolation system under multiple excitations are quite complex.Self-adaptive feedforward control method based on Least Mean Square algorithm has strict requirements for reference signal, which results in a certain restriction on its practical application. Sliding mode variable structure control method needs neither complicated reference signal nor accurate mathematical model. It has the strong robustness for external disturbance and system parameter perturbation, and the physical implementation is simple. To this end, application of sliding mode variable structure control method is studied. First, mathematical model of the control channel through system is established for identification. Second, the discrete sliding mode variable structure controller based on state-space model is designed to carry out simulation and experiment. The experimental result indicates that root mean square value of vibration signal after control is decreased by 57.90%, of which the amplitudes of two main frequency components 17 and 25 Hz reduce by 42.66 and 72.71%, respectively. This shows that sliding mode variable structure control is an effective control method for active vibration isolation of floating raft under multiple excitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Validation of the TRIPOLI-4 Monte Carlo radiation transport code for ITER fusion neutronics applications. • Evaluation of the nuclear heating profile on 8 m height toroidal field coils at the inboard. • Calculation of the neutron flux attenuation through the equatorial port with thick port plugs and shield. • Acceleration of the neutron transport calculations using the TRIPOLI-4 "surface attractor" variance reduction techniques. • Test of the parallel calculations performance of the TRIPOLI-4 display tool. Abstract The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) is currently under construction in France. From the radiation shielding and radiation protection points of view, an intense and large neutron source with energy around 14.1 MeV will be generated from the D-T plasma zone during the ITER operation and diverse gamma-ray sources from neutron activation of the reactor structure materials and coolant should be considered for the reactor operation and maintenance. To decrease the radiation impacts caused by these neutron and gamma sources, iterative designs and nuclear analyses of ITER components are currently performed with three dimensional Monte Carlo radiation transport calculations. Due to the important dimensions of ITER, the thick tokamak blanket modules, and the diagnostic and functional port openings, variance reduction techniques are essential in these Monte Carlo neutron transport calculations. To verify the reactor components design models and to check the radiation transport calculation results, advanced graphic features of the calculation tool are also necessary. With the growing interest in using the TRIPOLI-4® Monte Carlo radiation transport code for ITER applications, the aim of this paper is to study the feasibility to use variance reduction features of TRIPOLI-4 code on a 3D ITER benchmark model which is a 40° toroidal segment including 5796 vol cells. The calculation results reported in this paper include the axial and radial profiles of the inboard TF coil heating and the neutron flux attenuation through the equatorial port plugs and shield. The performance of the TRIPOLI-4 graphic tool under its parallel computing mode was also evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A chaotic laser has good time controllable randomness and second-order temporal relevance. It is widely used in chaotic encryption. Temporal ghost imaging is a non-local imaging method, and its characteristics determine that it has strong application prospects in encryption. In this paper, temporal ghost imaging with a chaotic laser is used in optical encryption. The excellent cryptographic properties of the chaotic laser and the non-linear encryption of ghost imaging are combined. The simulation results show that this encryption system has high security and anti-noise capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conclusion:The cochlear length (CL) and cochlear height (CH) measured through MPR will provide for more accurate quantitative diagnosis of inner ear malformation, and are subsequently convenient for calculating cochlear duct length (CDL) before cochear implant. Objectives:Qualitative and quantitative diagnosis of inner ear malformation in deaf patients through multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) was performed to provide a reference for cochlear implants. Methods:One hundred and two cases without sensorineural deafness and 560 patients with sensorineural deafness had MPR of temporal bone computed tomography performed to obtain the standardized cochlear-view and oblique coronal-view images. The inner ear radial lines were measured to formulate normal values for inner ear malformation diagnosing, and the CDL was estimated based on CL. Results:The normal range values of inner ear radial lines were measured and formulated, of which CL was 8.1–9.59 mm and CH was 3.28–3.90 mm. According to inner ear morphology and the normal values measured above, 61 cases of incomplete partition-type II (IP-II) and a high percentage (27/110, 24.5%) of hypoplasia of cochlea (HC) were diagnosed. The HC group was further divided into 1-turn, 1.5-turn, and 2-turn sub-groups, which had CDL of 15.98 ± 1.48 mm, 21.36 ± 0.96 mm, and 26.56 ± 0.60 mm, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]