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Objectives: To quantitatively assess the differences in parameters of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE–MRI) in HER2-zero, HER2-low, or HER2-positive tumors, and to build optimal model for early prediction of HER2-low breast cancer (BC). Materials and methods: Clinical and DCE–MRI data from 220 BC patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) were retrospectively analyzed. Quantitative and semi-quantitative DCE–MRI parameters were compared in the HER2-zero, HER2-low, or HER2-positive groups before and after early NACT. Empirical models were developed to predict HER2-low BC using logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results: Patients of HER2-low BC have a lower pCR rate compared with HER2-zero and HER2-positive (17.9% vs. 10.4% vs. 29.5%, p < 0.001), predominantly in the HR (hormone receptor) negative group (22.2% vs. 7.7% vs. 40.5%, p < 0.001). Before NACT, HER2-low BC exhibited higher Kep, Ktrans, Washin, and lower TME intratumoral perfusion characteristics, and higher Kep and lower TME in peritumoral region compared to HER2-zero and HER2-positive BC patients. Notably, after early NACT, changes in intratumoral perfusion (Kep) and in peritumoral perfusion (Ktrans, Washin) were more pronounced in the HER2-low group compared to HER2-zero and HER2-positive group. The ROC curves (AUC) for the pre-NACT intratumoral, peritumoral, and combined perfusion models were 0.675(95% CI 0.600–0.750), 0.661(95% CI 0.585–0.738), 0.731(95% CI 0.660–0.802). The combined pre-and-post-NACT perfusion model further improved predictive performance accordingly, with AUCs of 0.764 (95% 0.637–0.865), 0.795 (95% CI 0.711–0.878), 0.850 (95% CI 0.774–0.926). Conclusions: The study revealed perfusion heterogeneity between different HER2 statuses and identified the best imaging model as a non-invasive tool to predict HER2-low BC, which can help pre-treatment clinical decision-making. Highlights: In the NACT cohort, the pathological complete response (pCR) rates were notably lower in patients with HER2-low breast cancer compared to patients with other HER2 statuses, particularly within the HR(-) subtype. HER2-low breast cancers exhibit distinct perfusion characteristics on quantitative dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE–MRI). The combined baseline and early NACT perfusion model is expected to early predict HER2-low breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the impact of big data analytics investment on loss reserve accuracy in the U.S. property-liability insurance industry. Utilising a dataset of 1243 insurers from 2002 to 2016, we find a significant association between higher investment in big data analytics and more accurate loss reserve estimates. Our analysis distinguishes between over-reserving and under-reserving behaviours, revealing that big data analytics contributes to the reduction of both. The study employs entropy balancing, internal instrumental variable estimation and errors-in-variables regressions to enhance the robustness of the findings. This research not only fills a gap in the academic literature but also provides practical implications for enhancing the precision of loss reserve estimates through technological investments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the earnings management behavior of target insurers before mergers and acquisitions by investigating their reserving conservatism compared to control insurers. Contrary to the expectation that acquisition targets would manipulate their earnings to increase acquisition premiums, we find that target insurers are generally more conservative in their loss reserving practices before acquisitions than control firms. This finding provides support for the effectiveness of due diligence and the contractual risk shifting arguments, and the result holds regardless of whether acquirers are insurers or non‐insurers. Furthermore, we discover that target loss reserve conservatism is negatively associated with target CEO turnover post‐acquisition. In line with existing literature, we also find evidence suggesting that targets involved in stock acquisitions tend to adopt a less conservative reserving strategy than in deals that do not include stock payments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Space cameras play a pivotal role in various fields, such as astronomical exploration. When operating in orbit, these cameras encounter the relative motion between the target and the camera during the exposure, resulting in image motion, which affects the imaging quality. Therefore, it is necessary to compensate for this image motion. This paper investigates the in-orbit image motion compensation (IMC) method for space cameras with a long integration time based on a two-axis pointing platform. Firstly, the mechanical design of the camera is introduced. Secondly, the in-orbit IMC model for the camera is analyzed, and the angular motion needed for compensating for the image motion by the two-axis pointing platform are derived. Factors influencing the compensation accuracy are also analyzed. The effectiveness of the IMC model is verified through simulations. Finally, the in-orbit experimental results indicate that the energy concentration of the target star images obtained exceeded 70%, demonstrating excellent performance in space cameras and effectively enhancing imaging quality using IMC technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is a developed photosynthetic co‐culture system to alleviate the hypoxia and hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)‐injured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). The algae, Chlorella vulgaris, were encapsulated to slow their growth while not affecting the photosynthetic oxygen‐producing capacity by Layer‐by‐layer (LbL) using gelatin and sodium alginate as the positive and negative charges materials, respectively. Then, the photosynthetic co‐culture system of HUVECs and self‐oxygenating alginate hydrogel (Algae‐gel) was constructed in which the optimal ratios between algae and HUVECs were 5:1 and 20:1 for a 2D or 3D co‐cultured manner, respectively. It indicated that the 3D co‐cultured manner of HUVECs needed more O2 by the production of algae than it did in a 2D co‐cultured manner. The co‐cultured Algae‐gel could alleviate hypoxia and the oxidative stress injury of hypoxia and hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)‐treated HUVECs in the proliferation, intracellular ROS and cellular migratory ability. In addition, the Algae‐gel could downregulate the expression of hypoxia‐inducible factors 1α (HIF‐1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) of hypoxia and H/R‐injured HUVECs due to the improvement of hypoxia and H/R injury. This photosynthetic co‐culture system could offer a promising approach for repairing hypoxia and H/R‐injured cells or tissue by providing safe and stable O2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the dynamic recrystallization (DRX) behavior of forged 42CrMoA steel during hot deformation, the hot deformation experiments of forged 42CrMoA steel under different deformation conditions (strain rate, temperature, and strain) were carried out in this paper. The hot deformation activation energy of forged 42CrMoA steel was determined to be 413627.2 J · mol - 1 . The constitutive model and DRX kinetic model of the steel were established. Analyzing the reconstructed parent phase grains reveals that when the strain is constant, as the deformation temperature increases and the strain rate decreases, the average size and DRX volume fraction of the parent phase grains gradually increase, and the peak stress gradually decreases. When the deformation temperature and strain rate are constant, as the strain increases, the average size of the parent phase grains gradually decreases, and the volume fraction of DRX gradually increases. Based on the cellular automaton theory model and considering the influence of grain deformation on the DRX process, a cellular automaton dynamic recrystallization (T-DRX-CA) model for forged 42CrMoA steel based on topological deformation technology was established, and the microstructure evolution under different deformation conditions was simulated. The microstructure evolution under different deformation conditions was simulated, which was compared with experimental results. The results showed that the average errors between the simulated and experimental values of the average grain size of the parent phase, the volume fraction of DRX, and peak stress were all less than 8%, and the simulated results were in good agreement with the experimental values, which indicates that the established model can accurately predict the DRX behavior of the forged 42CrMoA steel in the process of hot deformation. The hot deformation behavior of forged 42CrMoA steel under different deformation conditions was investigated by a cellular automaton dynamic recrystallization (T-DRX-CA) model based on topological deformation technique. The results showed that the average errors between the simulated and experimental values of the average grain size of the parent phase, the volume fraction of DRX, and peak stress were all less than 8%, and the simulated results were in good agreement with the experimental values, which indicates that the established model can accurately predict the DRX behavior of the forged 42CrMoA steel in the process of hot deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investors may underdiversify their portfolios by overweighting securities in which they perceive an informational advantage or by underweighting securities to hedge risks outside the portfolio. We investigate underdiversification in institutional portfolio construction by examining the under/overweighting of industries in U.S. property–liability (PL) insurers' equity portfolios. We find that PL insurers underweight both their own industry and highly correlated industries in their portfolios. This underweighting is larger for PL insurers exposed to higher underwriting risk. Although PL insurers have an informational advantage in investing in their peers, their underwriting risk drives them to underweight stocks in their industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Barrier-function-based adaptive fast-terminal sliding-mode control approaches have been devised to enhance the precision of speed regulation of permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs). Firstly, the speed loop utilizes fast-terminal sliding-mode control, which contributes to a faster convergence rate and enhances the robustness of the system. By adopting this control technique, the system can quickly reach the desired speed setpoint and effectively handle disturbances. Secondly, an adaptive law based on the barrier function is employed to adjust the control gain adaptively. The proposed adaptive law considers the magnitude of the disturbance and effectively mitigates chattering resulting from excessive switching gain. Unlike conventional control methods, the design of the adaptive fast-terminal sliding-mode control does not require attaining the upper limit of the lumped disturbances. Experimental results are presented to validate the proposed approach. These results demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms the conventional terminal sliding mode control technique in terms of handling both external and internal disturbances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the dissolution property of quercetin (QCT), the quercetin nanocrystals (QNCs) were prepared in this study. QNCs were prepared by a 100 μm diameter Y-shape microfluidic channel. Some impact factors affecting the generation of QNCs such as concentration and flow rate were investigated. Furthermore, the fluid mixing in the microfluidic channel was simulated by fluid software. XRPD and DSC analyses indicated that the prepared QNCs were amorphous. Stable QNCs with a particle size of 77.9 ± 3.63 nm and polydispersity index of 0.26 ± 0.02 were obtained. TEM showed that the as-prepared QNCs had a uniform spherical shape with an average particle size of about 100–300 nm. In the dissolution medium without cosolvent Tween −80, the dissolution of QCT was poor, its final accumulated dissolution was only 3.95%, while that of QNCs was 66%. When QCT was changed to QNCs by microfluidic technology, its dissolution property could be obviously improved. Therefore, microfluidic technology as a new method to prepare nanocrystals has a good applying prospect in improving dissolution property for poorly water-soluble drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precise deuterium incorporation of bioactive molecules is highly desirable in order to improve ADME properties and monitor pharmacokinetics. Organic electrochemistry offers a powerful tool for molecular editing using electrons as traceless reagents. We herein present an electrochemical deuteration that can specifically modify the α-position of amides via an H/D exchange reaction under mild neutral conditions. This protocol provides an efficient tool for the rapid synthesis of α-deuterated amides in moderate to high yields with excellent levels of deuteration. In addition, the late-stage modification of drug molecules has been well demonstrated. Furthermore, the reduction of amides provides an efficient route to β-bisdeuterated amines, which are difficult to access by the existing methods. We envision that this on-demand deuterium incorporation will provide unique opportunities in biological research and therapeutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drugs for acute postoperative pain and breakthrough cancer pain are still urgent in clinical. LPM3480392 is a G‐protein‐biased ligand at the μ‐opioid receptor and showed potent analgesia in nonclinical studies. Two phase I studies of LPM3480392 were conducted in healthy Chinese male volunteers to explore its tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics under single ascending doses (Study I 0.1–3.0 mg, 30 min) and different infusion times (Study II, 0.6–1.0 mg, 2–15 min). There was one serious adverse event (AE) observed in Study II, and the rest AEs were mild or moderate in severity and resolved by the end of the study. Plasma LPM3480392 maximum concentration (Cmax) (under lower infusion rate) and area under the plasma concentration‐time curve (AUCs) were generally increased with dose. Moreover, LPM3480392 at a dose of 0.6 mg under a 2 min infusion rate elicited effective analgesia as the peak effect within 10–30 min, which was measured by cold pain test and pupillometry. These findings suggest that LPM3480392 could be a potential treatment for acute pain management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microstructure evolution, phase development and mechanical property of AZ80 alloy cup with various processing temperatures (573 K, 613 K, 653 K) and rotating revolutions (N = 0, 5, 50, 100) during rotating backward extrusion (RBE) were explored. The study founded that reducing deformation temperature or increasing revolution could promote the grain refinement and DRX proportion. And the sample deformed at the condition of 573 K and N = 100 exhibited the best grain refinement effect (grain size was 2.5 μm, DRX ratio was up to 99.01%). The bulk eutectic phase existed at all deformation temperatures, while the dynamic precipitation was only precipitated at temperature of 573 K and 613 K. Increasing the deformation temperature or revolution could reduce the proportion of the second phase. And an increase in revolution or a reduction of temperature would reduce the average size of second phase, due to the phase could be broken by large strain and resolved with elevated temperature. Moreover, increasing the revolution and deformation temperature could promote the texture weakening, which would be contributed to the occurrence of new recrystallization grains with random orientation and the activation of non-basal slip system. The mechanical property of microhardness was significantly improved with rotating revolution increasing and deformation temperature decreasing. Supported by the grain refinement and dispersion strengthening, the sample deformed at condition of 573 K and N = 100 achieved maximum hardness values of 96.3 HV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM) surgery in patients aged over 80 years.Methods: Consecutive patients who underwent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) combined with ERM and internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling with retrobulbar anesthesia were recruited. Based on age, the patients were divided into the elderly group (≥ 80 years of age) and the control group (< 80 years of age). The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and surgical complications were regarded as the main measurement indicators.Results: This study included 43 eyes from 43 patients aged 80 to 91 years and 86 eyes from 86 patients aged 54 to 79 years. Surgical intervention substantially improved BCVA both in the elderly and control groups (p = 0.005 and p < 0.001, respectively). Statistical analyses showed no significant difference in the incidence of surgical complications between the two groups (p = 0.631). The operations in either group were not delayed or canceled for the reason of complications of retrobulbar anesthesia, severe anxiety, or physical discomfort in the perioperative period. Moreover, no patient required a second operation. Also, no stroke, myocardial infarction, or death occurred during the follow-up period. All the surgical complications were treated satisfactorily.Conclusion: Our outcomes indicate that PPV combined with ERM and ILM peeling with retrobulbar anesthesia is effective and safe in elderly patients aged 80 years or older. Based on age alone, we believe that advancing age should not be the risk factor for idiopathic ERM surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Fourth Industrial Revolution, also known as Industrial 4.0, has greatly accelerated inter-connectivity and smart automation in industrial control systems (ICSs), which has introduced new challenges to their security. With the fast growth of the Internet of Things and the advent of 5G/6G, the collaboration of Artificial Intelligence (Al) and the Internet of Things (loT) in ICSs has also introduced lots of security issues as it highly relies on advanced communication and networking techniques. Frequent ICS security incidents have demonstrated that attackers have the ability to stealthily breach the current system defenses and cause catastrophic effects to ICSs. Thankfully, trusted computing technology, which has been a popular research topic in the field of information security in recent years, offers distinct advantages when applied to ICSs. In this paper, we first analyze the vulnerabilities of ICSs and the limitations of existing protection technologies. Then, we introduce the concept of trusted computing and present a security framework for ICSs based on Trusted Computing 3.0. Finally, we discuss potential future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ideal wound dressing should adequately protect the wound from bacterial infection and provide a suitable healing environment for the wound. Thus, we prepared a biodegradable functional nanofiber dressing with good antibacterial and biocompatibility by electrospinning technology. The average diameter of the dressing was 354 ± 185 nm, and the porosity was 93.27%. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the dressing was smooth without beading. It was also characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The wettability and water vapor permeability of the dressing were tested; the results showed that the dressing had good wettability and permeability. The ability of drug release indicates that continuous release over a period of time is beneficial to wound healing. Finally, the antibacterial effect and in vivo pharmacodynamic evaluation of AS/CS/PLA nanofiber dressing were studied; the result showed that it had significant antibacterial activity and the ability to promote wound healing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), programmable logic controllers (PLCs) are becoming increasingly intelligent, leading to improved productivity. However, this also brings about a growing number of security vulnerabilities. As a result, efficiently identifying potential security vulnerabilities in PLCs has become a crucial research topic for security researchers. This article proposes a method for fuzzing industrial proprietary protocols to effectively identify security vulnerabilities in PLCs' proprietary protocols. The aim of this study is to develop a protocol fuzzing approach that can uncover security vulnerabilities in PLCs' proprietary protocols. To achieve this, the article presents a protocol structure parsing algorithm specifically designed for PLC proprietary protocols, utilizing information theory. Additionally, a fuzzing case generation algorithm based on genetic algorithms is introduced to select test cases that adhere to the format specifications of the proprietary protocol while exhibiting a high degree of mutation. The research methodology consists of several steps. Firstly, the proposed protocol structure parsing algorithm is used to analyze two known industrial protocols, namely Modbus TCP and S7Comm. The parsing results obtained from the algorithm are then compared with the correct results to validate its effectiveness. Next, the protocol structure parsing algorithm is applied to analyze the proprietary protocol formats of two PLC models. Finally, based on the analysis results, the PLCs are subjected to fuzzing. Overall, the proposed protocol fuzzing approach, incorporating the protocol structure parsing algorithm and the fuzzing case generation algorithm, successfully identifies two denial-of-service vulnerabilities in the PLCs' proprietary protocols. Notably, one of these vulnerabilities is a zero-day vulnerability, indicating that it was previously unknown and undisclosed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For space target images captured by a sky-based visible light camera, various conditions are influenced by the imaging system itself and the observation environment; these conditions include uneven image background intensity, complex noise, stray light composition, and diverse target forms. A mean wavelet transform algorithm is proposed. This algorithm initially performs mean filtering and wavelet transform filtering on the noise-containing space target images and then performs a wavelet inverse transform on the filtered results to generate the final image. The experimental results show that our algorithm has good denoising performance and can effectively maintain the image details. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tensile creep of Al-5Cu-0.8Mg-0.15Zr-0.2Sc(-0.5Ag) was tested at 150–250 °C and 125–350 MPa, and the effect of Ag on the high-temperature creep of Al-Cu-Mg alloys was discussed. After the addition of Ag, the high-temperature creep performances of the alloy were significantly improved at 150 °C/300 MPa and 200 °C/(150 MPa, 175 MPa). Then, constitutive relational models of the alloy during high-temperature creep were built, and the activation energy was calculated to be 136.65 and 104.06 KJ/mol. Based on the thermal deformation mechanism maps, the high-temperature creep mechanism of the alloy was predicted. After the addition of Ag, the creep mechanism of the alloy at 150 °C transitioned from lattice diffusion control to grain boundary diffusion control. At 250 °C, the mechanism was still controlled by grain boundary slip, but as the stress index increased and after Ag was added, the alloy fractures lead to the formation of dimples, thus improving the high-temperature creep performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ti/Al multilayered composites (LMCs) with 3-layers, 5-layers and 7-layers were prepared by hot‐pressing and hot‐rolling. The effects of the interface on the mechanical properties and stamping formability of LMCs were revealed. The results indicate that the TiAl3 phases at the interface thicken gradually with the increase of layers. As the layers of LMCs increases, both the grain size and the basal texture strength of Ti decrease, and Ti possesses a higher Schmid factors (SF) and more uniform SF distribution, which promotes the overall coordinated deformation of LMCs. The elongation (EL) of LMCs gradually increases at the expense of the strength with the increase of layers. The stress–strain transfer across the interface, the release of residual stress through interfacial microcracks, and the improvement of the interfacial metallurgical bonding strength are all conducive to the coordinated deformation between Ti and Al layers, thus the strength of LMCs decreases and the EL enhances. Both the yield strength ratio (σs/σb) and plastic strain ratio (r) decrease, while the strain-hardening exponent (n) increases with the increase of layers of LMCs, which are beneficial to improve the stamping formability of LMCs. The number of interface increases with the increase of layers, which hinders crack propagation. Moreover, the microcracks are easily induced by the brittle TiAl3 phase at the interface, and the main cracks deflect obviously and release part energy in the form of secondary microcracks, thus delaying the failure of LMCs and improving their stamping formability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tensile experiments were conducted for Al-7.0Zn-2.5Mg-2.0Cu-0.1Zr-0.2Sc alloy in different aging states (18 h, 24 h, 36 h) with temperature environments including room temperature, −10 °C and −30 °C. Comparative studies were made on the evolution of the precipitate phase in alloys at three kinds of aging times and the evolution of tensile properties in alloys under different ambient temperatures. The findings showed that the precipitates in Al-7.0Zn-2.5Mg-2.0Cu-0.1Zr-0.2Sc alloy were mainly in the GP zone after the solution + aging treatment η' phase, the secondary Al3 (Sc, Zr) phase and the θ' (Al2Cu) phase. As the aging time was prolonged, the η' phase gradually grew and the PFZ gradually widened. At the three test temperatures, the tensile strength (TS) and yield strength (YS) of the alloys both showed a trend of first increasing before decreasing with the extension of aging time, while the elongation (A) and section shrinkage (Z) showed a decreasing trend. As the test temperature decreased, the TS and YS of the alloys increased and the A and Z of the alloys decreased. At room temperature, alloys showed a ductile fracture mode, which changed to mixed ductile and brittle fracture with decreasing test temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamic recrystallization (DRX) behavior of the extruded AZ80A magnesium alloy during plastic deformation was studied by coupling the physical-based finite element (FE) method and the developed cellular automata (CA) model. Isothermal compression tests were conducted by Gleeble-3800 thermal simulator at different temperatures of 598 K, 623 K, 648 K, 673 K, 698 K, and 723 K, and different strain rates of 0.001 s−1, 0.01 s−1, 0.1 s−1, and 1 s−1 to obtain the corresponding flow stress–strain curves. The constitutive model was established based on the analysis of the flow stress–strain curves. Moreover, parameters of the CA model were found. Based on the CA model, the DRX model was built. The established constitutive model and the DRX model were embedded in DEFORM-3D software to simulate the grain evolution under various deformation conditions. This combined method was capable of predicting the evolution of flow stress, DRX volume fraction, and DRX grain size in various deformation conditions. The results show that the error between the recrystallization volume fraction predicted by the finite element simulation and the CA model and the experimental results is less than 12.0%, and the error between the peak stress predicted by the CA model and the measured value remains within 8.0%. The prediction results of the combined methodology of the CA model and the FE simulation are consistent with the experimental results, which verify the usefulness and the prediction prospect of the coupled method. This method was probably a feasible choice to predict the DRX grain refinement of the thermal deformation process of the extruded AZ80A magnesium alloy. The dynamic recrystallization (DRX) behavior of the extruded AZ80A magnesium alloy during plastic deformation was studied by coupling the physical-based finite element (FE) method and the developed cellular automata (CA) model. The results show that the error between the recrystallization volume fraction predicted by the finite element simulation and the CA model and the experimental results is less than 12.0%, and the error between the peak stress predicted by the CA model and the measured value remains within 8.0%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to prepare an antibacterial, antioxidant, and biocompatible bilayer nanofibrous wound dressing by using electrospinning. The micromorphology and bilayer structure characteristics of the GA-Qe-PVP-PCL nanofibers were analyzed by SEM. The physicochemical characteristics were analyzed by XRD and FTIR. The uptake, mechanical properties, water contact angle, water vapor transmission and in vitro drug release were evaluated. In addition, the effect of antibacterial, antioxidant and biocompatability of the nanofibers were evaluated, respectively. The SEM results showed that the GA-Qe-PVP-PCL nanofibers had a smooth surface, no beading phenomenon, and a prominent bilayer structure. The diameter and porosity of the drug-loading layer and waterproof support layer of the nanofibers were 842 ± 302 nm, 242 ± 50 nm, and 88.56 ± 1.67%, 94.49 ± 1.57%, respectively. Moreover, the water uptake, mechanical properties, water contact angle, and water vapor transmission showed ideal performance. The results of in vitro drug release indicated that GA and Qe were both released rapidly, which was conducive to accelerating wound healing. The GA-Qe-PVP-PCL nanofibers exhibited antibacterial effects against both bacteria as well as high antioxidant activity. Additionally, the GA-Qe-PVP-PCL nanofibers possessed good compatibility, could promote the proliferation, adhesion, and migration of L929 fibroblast cells. The nanofibers we developed met the requirements of ideal materials for wound dressing, which makes the nanofibers the potential to be a wound dressing for wound care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To investigate the effects of vitamin C on central retinal thickness and choroidal thickness.Methods: A total of 69 patients diagnosed with vitamin C deficiency and 1:1 age- and gender-matched 69 healthy individuals with normal serum vitamin C were included in this study. Demographic characteristics of the individuals were collected. All patients underwent a comprehensive ophthalmic examination. Subfoveal choroidal thickness and retinal thickness were measured using a swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT).Results: The average retinal thickness was 269.07 ± 13.51 μm in the vitamin C deficiency group and 276.92 ± 13.51 μm in the control group. The average choroidal thickness was 195.62 ± 66.40 μm in the in the vitamin C deficiency group and 238.86 ± 55.08 μm in the control group. There was a significant decrease in both average choroidal thickness and retinal thickness in vitamin C deficiency group compared with normal individuals (p < 0.001, and = 0.001 respectively).Conclusion: The central retinal and choroidal thickness were thinner in vitamin C deficiency group compared with normal individuals. These findings suggested that vitamin C deficiency might play an important role in retinal and choroidal diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, with the upgrading of the attack technology, stealthy DoS jamming attacks have become the primary factor to threaten the security of Industrial Cyber-Physical Systems (ICPS). Considering the complex industrial scenarios of ICPS, which are influenced by a variety of external and internal interference, a H ∞ controller designing problem is studied in this paper for an ICPS which deploys a hybrid-triggered mechanism (HTM) in the wireless channel encountering stealthy DoS jamming attacks. By employing a compensation mechanism which is employed in the controller to mitigate the impacts of attacks, external disturbance, limited channel capacity, wireless channel noise, we establish a closed-loop system and prove the closed-loop system is mean square exponentially stable and can achieve the desired H ∞ disturbance rejection level theoretically. Finally, simulation examples are used to demonstrate effectiveness of the proposed H ∞ controller. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To guarantee that a spectrometer can obtain effective solar spectral data, it is important that the two-dimensional turntable that carries the spectrometer tracks the sun with high accuracy for long time periods, such that the sun is always near the center of the field of view of the spectrometer. However, there is an offset lag problem for the tracking sensor, leading to an increase in the sun-tracking error and inaccuracies in solar spectrum data. To mitigate this problem, an on-axis tracking control algorithm—based on the orbital motion model—is proposed in this paper. First, the sun-tracking model of the spectrometer is established based on the coordinate transformation method, and the analytical relationship between the adjustment angle of the turntable and the solar vector in the orbit system is given by means of the inverse kinematics solution of the target model. Then, the predictive filtering algorithm of the target model is derived to acquire the target position, based on which, the on-axis tracking control algorithm of the spectrometer system is realized to compensate the offset lag and increase the sun-tracking accuracy. Finally, the simulation analysis and experimental verification were performed under the actual working conditions of an orbit. The simulation results demonstrate that the root-mean-square (RMS) of the target position deviation decreased from 2.08″ to 0.77″ after prediction filtering, and the RMS of the tracking error decreased from 7.14″ to 0.97″. The RMS of an orbit's sun-tracking error decreased from 5.72″ to 1.43″ in the ground test. The simulation and experimental results verify that the algorithm proposed in this paper can improve the tracking accuracy of the spectrometer, providing a reference for the design of a spectrometer in orbit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The present study investigates the protective effect of myricitrin (MCT) on the retinal tissues in diabetic retinopathy of diabetic rats. Objective: The diabetic rat model was created by treating the rats with streptozotocin along with high-energy diet. The blood glucose was evaluated by glucose estimation kit, and rats measuring glucose ≥ 12.00 mmol/L were considered diabetic and were selected for the study. The diabetes-induced rats were divided randomly as diabetic control rats (vehicle treated) (DB), diabetic rats MCT (100 mg/kg) (DB + MCT 100 mg/kg) and diabetic rats MCT 200 mg/kg (DB + MCT 200 mg/kg). Rats received MCT for 12 weeks via oral route daily. The rats after 12 weeks were sacrificed, and the eyes were removed. The retina tissue was evaluated for thickness, oxidative stress markers, levels of VEGF and Bax and Bcl-2. In silico docking analysis was done by Autodock Vina tools for target confirmation of MCT. Results: MCT decreased the serum glucose levels and also improved the body weight in diabetic rats. MCT improved thickness and apoptosis of cells. It was also found that MCT decreased oxidative stress, and improved levels of VEGF in retinal tissues of diabetic rats. MCT also exerted anti-apoptotic activity as shown by over-expression of Bcl-2 and suppression of Bax in retinal tissues of rats. Docking study confirmed potential binding affinity of MCT with VEGF. Conclusions: MCT could be a potential therapeutic molecule in treating diabetic retinopathy which could modulate glucose levels, oxidative stress and levels of VEGF in diabetic rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study whether and how pay disparities between chief executive officers (CEOs) and chief financial officers (CFOs) affect corporate policies. Consistent with the tournament theory, we find a positive association between the CEO–CFO pay disparity and aggressiveness in corporate financial and investment policies. Specifically, a firm with a large CEO–CFO pay disparity tends to have an aggressive capital structure and tilt toward high‐risk investments. Furthermore, we test the impact of the CEO–CFO pay disparity on firm value and show that the pay disparity is positively associated with firm value. Overall, we conclude that CEO–CFO pay disparities provide CFOs with tournament incentives to not only adopt aggressive corporate policies but also select better investment projects. Our research highlights the career‐enhancing and value‐creating effects of CEO–CFO pay disparities as well as the important role of CFOs' incentives on the treasurer side of their duties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microglia, the primary resident immunocytes in the retina, continuously function as immune system supervisors in sustaining intraocular homeostasis. Microglia relate to many diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and optic nerve injury. To further investigate their morphology and functions in vitro , a reliable culture procedure of primary human retinal microglia is necessary. However, the culture condition of microglia from the adult retina is unclear. Researchers created several protocols, but most of them were carried out on rodents and newborns. This study describes a protocol to isolate and characterize human primary retinal microglia from human post-mortem eyes. The whole procedure started with removing the retinal vessels, mechanical separation and enzymatic dissociation, filtration, and centrifugation. Then, we cultured the cell suspensions on a T-75 flask for 18 days and then shook retinal microglia from other retinal cells. We found numerous retinal microglia grow and attach to Müller cells 10 days after seeding and increase rapidly on days 14–18. Iba1 and P2RY12 were used to qualify microglia through immunofluorescence. Moreover, CD11b and P2RY12 were positive in flow cytometry, which helps to discriminate microglia from other cells and macrophages. We also observed a robust response of retinal microglia in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment with proinflammatory cytokines. In conclusion, this study provides an effective way to isolate and culture retinal microglia from adult human eyes, which may be critical for future functional investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) have thermotherapy effect on several kinds of solid tumors under the irradiation of near infrared light (NIR). It is caused by localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). In this study, we discovered a novel phenomenon accompanied with LSPR. Aurothioglucose, a gold ion complex drug, can be formed and released from thioglucose-loaded gold nanoparticles (S-glc-GNPs) by NIR irradiation. It has not been noticed by other researchers before we discovered it. The formation and releasing of aurothioglucose from S-glc-GNPs after NIR irradiation was confirmed via high resolution mass spectrometry. Due to the anti-cancer effect of aurothioglucose, S-glc-GNPs displayed a combined anti-cancer effect of thermotherapy and chemotherapy in cell experiment. Because NIR irradiation is the only switch for the drug release, it could be expected that S-glc-GNPs would have no risk of uncontrollable aurothioglucose burst release and leakage without NIR irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. To assess whether bone mineral density, indicated by the lumbar X-ray scan, is related to changes in choroid thickness in normal subjects. Methods. This study included 355 patients with decreased bone mineral density and 355 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects. Lumbar BMD was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Choroidal thickness was measured using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT). Blood pressure (BP), cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) were recorded on the same day. Results. There was a significant difference in average choroidal thickness between low BMD subjects and normal subjects p = 0.003 . The BP, cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL, and LDL showed no significant difference between the two groups. The correlations showed that average choroidal thicknesses were associated with BMD in the entire population (r = 0.125, p = 0.001). Conclusion. The choroidal thickness is thinner in low BMD populations compared with normal individuals. There is a strong positive correlation of choroidal thickness with BMD, regardless of age, sex, and other demographic and clinical factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eupatilin, a strong biological activity compound, was isolated from Artemisia argyi and loaded onto hollow gold nanoparticles (E-HGNPs) for combined photothermal therapy and chemotherapy. In the cellular uptake assay under confocal laser scanning microscope observation, E-HGNPs can effectively pass through the cytomembrane and mainly locate around the nucleus through cell localization staining. The cell experiments indicated that the toxicity of HGNPs is negligible; E-HGNPs had a weak chemotherapeutic efficacy without NIR laser irradiation but showed excellent cytotoxicity under NIR laser irradiation due to the synergy of chemo-photothermal therapy. Based on the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) properties, NIR laser illumination would drive the photothermal effect to release free eupatilin, inducing a more efficient photothermal conversion and stronger tumor-cell killing ability. In short, a NIR-triggered and LSPR-responded gold nanoparticle is a promising targeted drug delivery system for combined photothermal therapy and chemotherapy, which is worthy of application in other natural products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Researches have confirmed that the retinal and choroidal thickness in patients with autoimmune disease-associated uveitis displays significant changes. However, the relationships between rheumatoid factor (RF) and thickness of the retina and choroid in individuals without ocular manifestations remain unclear. The aim of this study is to assess the associations of RF with retinal and choroidal thickness.Methods: The individuals enrolled in the cross-sectional research received full ocular examinations. The participants were classified as the RF (+) group (RF ≥ 15.0 IU/ml) and the RF (-) group (RF < 15.0 IU/ml) according to the serum RF titers. The thickness of the retina and choroid was measured by swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT).Results: The study covered 65 right eyes of 65 individuals that are RF-positive and 130 right eyes of 130 age- and sex-matched individuals that are RF-negative. The RF (+) group showed decreased choroidal thickness that achieved statistical significance only in the outer inferior and outer temporal sectors, as compared to the RF (-) group. There was no statistically significant difference regarding the retinal thickness between the two groups. Pearson's correlation analysis revealed that the RF was significantly negatively related to the choroidal thickness in all areas. However, there was no significant correlation between the RF and the retinal thickness.Conclusions: Serum RF titers are closely linked with choroidal thickness before the emergence of ocular symptoms. Research into the relationships may improve our understanding of the role of serum RF in the pathogenesis of uveitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the relationships between C-reactive protein (CRP) and retinal and choroidal thickness by swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT).Methods: The participants included in the prospective cross-sectional study underwent a comprehensive ophthalmic examination. Based on the CRP values, the subjects were divided into the CRP (+) group (CRP ≥ 8.2 mg/L) and the CRP (-) group (CRP < 8.2 mg/L). The retinal and choroidal thickness was compared between the two groups.Results: This study enrolled 43 right eyes of 43 subjects from the CRP (+) group and 86 right eyes of 86 gender- and age-match subjects from the CRP (-) group. The choroidal thickness in the CRP (+) group was thinner than that in the CRP (-) group except for the outer nasal sector of the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) grid. However, the retinal thickness only in the inner temporal sector showed a significant difference. According to Pearson's correlation analysis, the CRP was significantly negatively correlated with the choroidal thickness in all sectors and the retinal thickness only in the inner temporal and outer nasal sectors of the ETDRS grid.Conclusion: CRP levels are associated with retinal and choroidal thickness. The data related to the retinal and choroidal thickness changes may help understand the pathogenesis of specific ocular abnormalities in patients with systemic inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rotating backward extrusion (RBE) as a new severe plastic deformation technique is a continuous process to produce cylindrical tubes with fine grains and superior properties. In this study, the RBE process with an open punch was applied to the AZ80 alloy at 653 K, and the deformation mechanisms and the microstructure evolution were examined by the finite element method (FEM) and thermal simulation experiment. The results showed that the effective strain of the RBE process was higher than that of the conventional backward extrusion (CBE) process, and the strain increased with revolutions increasing. The strain improvement of the RBE process was related to the large cumulative plastic deformation imposed by the continuous rotation of the open punch. Furthermore, the extrusion load was reduced significantly in the RBE process comparing with the CBE process, due to the change of friction stress and stress state of the materials. And the maximum load reduction of the FEM and experiment was 47.33% and 31.6%, respectively. The average grain size of the RBE sample could be reduced by up to 90% in the region A at 30 N compared with the CBE sample. The maximum increase in microhardness of the RBE sample relative to the CBE sample was 23% at 30 N in the region A. Therefore, the grain refinement and mechanical properties of the materials can be substantially improved by the RBE process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dividend reduction theory suggests that during an economy-wide shock, a relatively early dividend reduction indicates that a firm reduces its cash outflows to pursue positive net present value projects, whereas a relatively late dividend reduction is due only to cash constraints rather than investment strategies. This paper directly tests the dividend reduction theory. Consistent with the theory, we find that during a recession, early-dividend reducers make 5% more firm investment than late-dividend reducers within the reduction year. Further, the investment levels are not significantly different between early and late reducers outside of recessions. The results also suggest that the signaling effect does not persist, implying that in a recession, the investment opportunities pursued by the early reducers are short-lived. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on high-temperature compression tests and focusing on the mechanical behaviour characteristics and microstructure evolution laws during high-temperature compression, laws relating to the strain-rate sensitivity index m and the activation energy of deformation Q-value at varying strain rates and deformation temperatures are clarified. Deformation mechanism maps involving dislocation quantity are plotted. Dislocation evolution laws and deformation mechanisms of the grain size with Burgers vector compensation, and the flow stress with modulus compensation during high-temperature deformation are predicted using the deformation mechanism maps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we developed a one-step method to prepare ibuprofen fast- and sustained-release complex preparation. It was based on a double jets electrospinning process. Ibuprofen, a poorly water-soluble drug, was electrospun into fibers with polyvinyl pyrrolidone and hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose by two jets, respectively. The complex preparation had an enough initial dose come from fast-release part and a maintenance dose come from sustained-release part. Through the study of X-ray diffraction, differential scanning colorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), it was confirmed that ibuprofen was highly dispersed in nanofibers (NFs) in amorphous state. Because one line of NFs was very thin and could only extend along two directions, it was difficult for ibuprofen to transform from amorphous to crystal in this kind of approximate one-dimensional structure. Additionally, it was confirmed by animal experiment that the complex preparation also had a benefit to reduce gastric irritation that usually caused by traditional oral ibuprofen preparation. Therefore, the method developed in this study was a convenient and good-quality approach for ibuprofen pain-alleviating preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Posterior scleritis is an uncommon vision-threatening disorder that is often recurrent and difficult to cure due to its complex etiology. In HIV patients, posterior scleritis may develop several months after significant rise in CD4+ T-lymphocyte, even after several years, which may be diagnosed as late-onset immune recovery scleritis.Case Presentation: Here we report a case of posterior scleritis in a HIV positive patient who presented with severe periocular pain and decreased vision in the left eye, with exudative retinal detachment and optic nerve involvement.Conclusions: Early differential diagnosis of immune recovery posterior scleritis and intensive corticosteroids treatment, can prevent vision loss effectively in HIV patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess the efficacy and safety of idiopathic macular hole (MH) surgery in elderly patients (≥ 80 years of age). Methods: Prospective study enrolled consecutive patients who underwent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling under retrobulbar anesthesia between February 2016 and May 2018. Twenty-eight eyes of 28 patients aged 80 years or older were classified into the elderly group, a matched group of 56 eyes from 56 younger patients as the control group. The main outcome measures included best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and intraoperative and postoperative complications. Results: Statistically, there was no significant difference in visual acuity improvement and incidences of complications between the elderly group and the control group (p =.784 and p =.712, respectively). No operation in either group was postponed or canceled due to complications associated with retrobulbar anesthesia, or physical discomfort before and during the operation. Moreover, no case suffered from myocardial infarction, stroke or death during the perioperative period. Except for one case of retinal detachment postoperatively in the control group, no case required a secondary surgery. All complications were successfully resolved or managed. Conclusions: The results from our study indicate the efficacy and safety of vitrectomy for idiopathic macular hole in patients aged 80 years or older, and idiopathic MH surgery should not be denied on basis of patient age alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monacolin K (MK) is a secondary metabolite synthesized by polyketide synthases of Monascus spp. In this study, the combined supplementation of three medicines, including Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (CRP), Fructus crataegi (FC), and Radix Angelicae Dahuricae (RAD), were mixed with nonglutinous rice and were optimized by response surface methodology to enhance the production of MK in fermented red mold rice (RMR). Under the optimum condition, MK production achieved 3.60 mg/g, which was 41.18% higher than RMR without medicines. The improved MK production was mainly caused by the up‐regulated transcription level of mokA, mokB, mokF, mokH, mokI, and mplaeA. Meanwhile, the inhibitory effect of Poria cocos (PC) on MK production (only 0.436 mg/g) was caused by significantly down‐regulated transcription of six tested genes. Therefore, this study is beneficial for better understanding of the possible mechanism of enhanced MK production by optimization of fermentation conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A diethyl phosphite mediated electrochemical oxidation strategy for the synthesis of 3,4-dihydroisoquinolin-1(2 H)-ones from tetrahydroisoquinolines under mild conditions has been developed. This protocol provides an environmentally friendly and simple way for the construction of C=O bonds in an undivided cell unit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]