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Label accuracy plays an important role in supervised hyperspectral image classification problems. However, labelling can be prone to various types of noise, mainly including human errors and incorrect pseudo-label predictions. Learning from datasets with noisy labels is a critical challenge in practice. To address this issue, we first propose a deep reinforcement learning method named HyperRefine to tackle the label noise problem for hyperspectral image classification. The method utilizes an agent to learn the accuracy of each sample label and determine its suitability to be used in training the classifier model. The agent is trained using a reinforcement signal based on the reward obtained from a small validation set that reflects performance on the target task, where the validation set is generated from the training set by a momentum-based recruiter. Compared to complex hand-crafted methods of label noise cleaning, HyperRefine is easy to implement, yet highly effective. The robustness of the model to different types of label noises is significantly improved by further combining a novel label refinement approach. Experiments on artificially added label noise and pseudo-label noise hyperspectral datasets show that the proposed method can achieve promising performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding elevation changes on the Tibetan Plateau is crucial to comprehend the changes in topography, landscape, climate, environmental conditions, and water resources. However, some of the current products that track elevation changes only cover specific surface types or limited areas, and others have low spatial resolution. We propose an algorithm to extract ICESat-2 crossover points dataset for the Tibetan Plateau, and form a dataset. The crossover points dataset has a density of 2.015 groups/km², and each group of crossover points indicates the amount of change in elevation before and after a period of time over an area of approximately 17 meters in diameter. Comparing ICESat-2 crossover points data with existing studies on glaciers and lakes, we demonstrated the reliability of the derived elevation changes. The ICESat-2 crossover points provide a refined data source for understanding high-spatial-resolution elevation changes on the Tibetan Plateau. This dataset can provide validation data for various studies that require high-precision or high-resolution elevation change data on the Tibetan Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: The precise diagnosis and treatment of cognitive impairment remains a major challenge in the field of schizophrenia (SCZ) research. Synaptic dysfunction and loss are thought to be closely related to the occurrence and development of SCZ and may be involved in cognitive dysfunction. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether neuronal pentraxins (NPTXs) plays a role in the etiology of SCZ and provide evidence of its possible therapeutic value a new target for drug development. Methods: We recruited 275 participants, of whom 148 were SCZ from psychiatric hospital and 127 healthy control (HC) subjects from communities. Plasma concentrations of NPTXs were measured in HC and SCZ at baseline and after 8 weeks of antipsychotic treatment. The MATRICS Cognitive Consensus Battery was used to evaluate cognitive function. Furthermore, the brain is parcellated into 246 subregions using the Brainnetome atlas, and we extracted regional white matter volumes from magnetic resonance images of the SCZ groups. Results: Plasma NPTX2 levels were significantly lower in SCZ compared with HC subjects, but were significantly raised in SCZ after 8 weeks of antipsychotic treatment compared to baseline. In addition, baseline plasma NPTX2 levels were positively correlated with cognitive performance. Conclusions: These findings indicate that NPTX2 may reveal novel aspects of disease etiology and act as a promising target for new drug development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An environmental risk factor for schizophrenia (SZ) is maternal infection, which exerts longstanding effects on the neurodevelopment of offspring. Accumulating evidence suggests that synaptic disturbances may contribute to the pathology of the disease, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. Erythropoietin‐producing hepatocellular B (EphB) receptor signaling plays an important role in synaptic plasticity by regulating the formation and maturation of dendritic spines and regulating excitatory neurotransmission. We examined whether EphB receptors and downstream associated proteins are susceptible to environmental risk factors implicated in the etiology of synaptic disturbances in SZ. Using an established rodent model, which closely imitates the characteristics of SZ, we observed the behavioral performance and synaptic structure of male offspring in adolescence and early adulthood. We then analyzed the expression of EphB receptors and associated proteins in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. Maternal immune activation offspring showed significantly progressive cognitive impairment and pre‐pulse inhibition deficits together with an increase in the expression of EphB2 receptors and NMDA receptor subunits. We also found changes in EphB receptor downstream signaling, in particular, a decrease in phospho‐cofilin levels which may explain the reduced dendritic spine density. Besides, we found that the AMPA glutamate, another glutamate ionic receptor associated with cofilin, decreased significantly in maternal immune activation offspring. Thus, alterations in EphB signaling induced by immune activation during pregnancy may underlie disruptions in synaptic plasticity and function in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus associated with behavioral and cognitive impairment. These findings may provide insight into the mechanisms underlying SZ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the critical global crises curbing world development and sustainability, air quality degradation has been a long-lasting and increasingly urgent one and it has been sufficiently proven to pose severe threats to human health and social welfare. A higher level of model prediction accuracy can play a fundamental role in air quality assessment and enhancing human well-being. In this paper, four types of machine learning models—random forest model, ridge regression model, support vector machine model, extremely randomized trees model—were adopted to predict PM2.5 concentration in ten cities in the Jing-Jin-Ji region of north China based on multi-sources spatiotemporal data including air quality and meteorological data in time series. Data were fed into the model by using the rolling prediction method which is proven to improve prediction accuracy in our experiments. Lastly, the comparative experiments show that at the city level, RF and ExtraTrees models have better predictive results with lower mean absolute error (MAE), root mean square error (RMSE), and higher index of agreement (IA) compared to other selected models. For seasonality, level four models all have the best prediction performances in winter time and the worst in summer time, and RF models have the best prediction performance with the IA ranging from 0.93 to 0.98 with an MAE of 5.91 to 11.68 μg/m3. Consequently, the demonstration of how each model performs differently in each city and each season is expected to shed light on environmental policy implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intelligent manufacturing requires robots to adapt to increasingly complex tasks, and dual-arm cooperative operation can provide a more flexible and effective solution. Motion planning serves as a crucial foundation for dual-arm cooperative operation. The rapidly exploring random tree (RRT) algorithm based on random sampling has been widely used in high-dimensional manipulator path planning due to its probability completeness, handling of high-dimensional problems, scalability, and faster exploration speed compared with other planning methods. As a variant of RRT, the RRT*Smart algorithm introduces asymptotic optimality, improved sampling techniques, and better path optimization. However, existing research does not adequately address the cooperative motion planning requirements for dual manipulator arms in terms of sampling methods, path optimization, and dynamic adaptability. It also cannot handle dual-manipulator collaborative motion planning in dynamic scenarios. Therefore, in this paper, a novel motion planner named RRT*Smart-AD is proposed to ensure that the dual-arm robot satisfies obstacle avoidance constraints and dynamic characteristics in dynamic environments. This planner is capable of generating smooth motion trajectories that comply with differential constraints and physical collision constraints for a dual-arm robot. The proposed method includes several key components. First, a dynamic A* cost function sampling method, combined with an intelligent beacon sampling method, is introduced for sampling. A path-pruning strategy is employed to improve the computational efficiency. Strategies for dynamic region path repair and regrowth are also proposed to enhance adaptability in dynamic scenarios. Additionally, practical constraints such as maximum velocity, maximum acceleration, and collision constraints in robotic arm applications are analyzed. Particle swarm optimization (PSO) is utilized to optimize the motion trajectories by optimizing the parameters of quintic non-uniform rational B-splines (NURBSs). Static and dynamic simulation experiments verified that the RRT*Smart-AD algorithm for cooperative dynamic path planning of dual robotic arms outperformed biased RRT* and RRT*Smart. This method not only holds significant practical engineering significance for obstacle avoidance in dual-arm manipulators in intelligent factories but also provides a theoretical reference value for the path planning of other types of robots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work proposes a new parameter identification method based on the Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin (WKB) approximation for slow linear time-varying (LTV) dynamic systems. The considered time period is divided into a series of short time windows. In each time window, the assumption of "short time linearly varying" parameters is employed, and a nonlinear optimization problem is solved using the WKB results for the slow LTV dynamic system. A search algorithm is developed to find the optimal solution. In the identification process, only one type of response signal (displacement, velocity or acceleration) is required. Thus, numerical differentiation or integration of the measured signal, which leads to truncation or cumulative errors in noise environment, is avoided. The accuracy and robustness of the new identification method are validated by applying it to a particular LTV system with time-varying stiffness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the effect of finerenone on cardiovascular events in Kidney Disease and/or Diabetes. Methods: The ClinicalTrials.gov, Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library databases were systematically searched from the inception dates to December 20, 2021 in order to identify randomized controlled trials that evaluated the effect of finerenone on cardiovascular events in Kidney Disease and/or Diabetes, without language restriction. This meta-analysis collected data from 7 randomized clinical trials that evaluated the effect of finrrenone in 15,618 patients with kidney disease and/or diabetes. Risk of bias was assessed by Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool. Inconsistency among trial results was assessed by I2 statistic. The main endpoints included death from cardiovascular causes, death from any cause, incidence of myocardial infarction, rate of heart failure, hospitalization for any cause, rate of total advent events and study-drug-related adverse events. Results: A total of 7 randomized controlled trials involving 15,618 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The outcomes of this meta-analysis presented that finerenone significantly reduced the death from any cause (95% CI 0.82–0.99; P = 0.031), risk of heart failure (95% CI 0.67–0.92; P = 0.002) among patients with kidney disease and/or diabetes when compared to control group. Besides, finerenone could not reduce the incidence of death from cardiovascular, myocardial infarction and hospitalization for any cause among patients with kidney disease and/or diabetes (p > 0.05). In terms of safety, finerenone shared the same risk of total advent events with placebo among patients with kidney disease and/or diabetes (p > 0.05). However, finerenone had higher risk of study-drug-related advent events than placebo among patients with kidney disease and/or diabetes (95% CI 1.27–1.48; P < 0.001). Conclusions: In patients with kidney disease and/or diabetes, treatment with finerenone resulted in lower risk of death from any cause and heart failure than placebo. However, the study-drug-related advent events also increased significantly at the same time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A quasi-zero-stiffness (QZS) isolator with the new design of positive stiffness configuration is proposed in this paper. The positive stiffness configuration, composed of a pair of torsion springs, oblique bars and linear bearings, exhibits beneficial nonlinearity. In parallel with the negative stiffness provided by the oblique bars connected to linear springs in the direction perpendicular to motion, it can expand the effective displacement range of QZS. In the static analysis, the force and stiffness of the system are derived. A nonlinear optimization is also conducted to determine the structural parameters. The dynamic characteristics are then analyzed through the Lagrange's equation and averaging method. The displacement transmissibility is investigated through a numerical simulation. The results indicate a much better vibration isolation performance of the present design than that of the previous QZS isolator with the linear positive stiffness element. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Systemic sclerosis (SSc; also known as "scleroderma") is an autoimmune disorder characterized by extensive fibrosis, vascular changes, and immunologic dysregulation. Baicalein (phenolic flavonoid derived from Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi) has been used to treat the pathological processes of various fibrotic and inflammatory diseases. In this study, we investigated the effect of baicalein on the major pathologic characteristics of SSc: fibrosis, B-cell abnormalities, and inflammation. Methods: The effect of baicalein on collagen accumulation and expression of fibrogenic markers in human dermal fibroblasts were analyzed. SSc mice were produced by injecting bleomycin and treated with baicalein (25, 50, or 100 mg/kg). The antifibrotic features of baicalein and its mechanisms were investigated by histologic examination, hydroxyproline assay, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, western blotting and flow cytometry. Results: Baicalein (5–120 μM) significantly inhibited the accumulation of the extracellular matrix and fibroblast activation in transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1- and platelet derived growth factor (PDGF)-induced human dermal fibroblasts, as evidenced by abrogated deposition of total collagen, decreased secretion of soluble collagen, reduced collagen contraction capability and downregulation of various fibrogenesis molecules. In a bleomycin-induced model of dermal fibrosis in mice, baicalein (25–100 mg/kg) restored dermal architecture, ameliorated inflammatory infiltrates, and attenuated dermal thickness and collagen accumulation in a dose-dependent manner. According to flow cytometry, baicalein reduced the proportion of B cells (B220+ lymphocytes) and increased the proportion of memory B cells (B220+CD27+ lymphocytes) in the spleens of bleomycin-induced mice. Baicalein treatment potently attenuated serum levels of cytokines (interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-17A, tumor necrosis factor-α), chemokines (monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, macrophage inflammatory protein-1 beta) and autoantibodies (anti-scleroderma 70 (Scl-70), anti-polymyositis-scleroderma (PM-Scl), anti-centromeres, anti-double stranded DNA (dsDNA). In addition, baicalein treatment can significantly inhibit the activation of TGF-β1 signaling in dermal fibroblasts and bleomycin-induce mice of SSc, evidenced by reducing the expression of TGF-β1 and IL-11, as well as inhibiting both small mother against decapentaplegic homolog 3 (SMAD3) and extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) activation. Conclusions: These findings suggest that baicalein has therapeutic potential against SSc, exerting modulating B-cell abnormalities, anti-inflammatory effects, and antifibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common subtype of non‐small cell lung cancer and has a poor prognosis. RBR E3 ubiquitin ligases are a special class of E3 ubiquitin ligases which contain three zinc‐bing domains that catalyze ubiquitin to substrate proteins. The RBR family of E3 ubiquitin ligases has been reported in various human malignancies, but the roles of RBR E3 ubiquitin ligases in LUAD remain unclear. Methods: By using TCGA and Kaplan–Meier plotter databases, we examined the expression and prognostic value of RBR E3 ubiquitin ligases. cBioPortal was used to analyze genetic mutations. The STRING database was used to build a protein interactive network. GO, KEGG, and GSEA were performed to investigate the potential biological functions of RBR E3 ubiquitin ligases. Results: The expression of ARIH2, RNF144B, RNF216, and RNF217 was significantly related to the clinicopathological parameters and prognosis in LUAD patients. GSEA enrichment result showed ARIH2, RNF144B, RNF216, and RNF217 were all associated with NADH dehydrogenase complex assembly. GO functional enrichment analysis revealed that four RBR E3 ubiquitin ligases and their interactors were most correlated with ubiquitin‐protein transferase activity. KEGG pathway analysis indicated they were associated with cytosolic DNA‐sensing pathway, RIG‐I‐like receptor signaling pathway and NF‐kappa B signaling pathway. Conclusions: Our comprehensive bioinformatic analysis revealed that ARIH2, RNF144B, RNF216, and RNF217 may be new prognostic biomarkers and these findings will help to better understand the distinct roles of RBR E3 ubiquitin ligases in LUAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compressional and shear wave velocities (Vp and Vs, respectively) are important elastic parameters to predict reservoir parameters, such as lithology and hydrocarbons. Due to acquisition technologies and economy, the shear wave velocity is generally lacking. Over the last few years, some researchers proposed deep learning algorithms to predict the shear wave velocity using conventional logging data. However, these algorithms focus either on spatial feature extraction for different physical properties of rocks or on sequential feature extraction in the depth direction of rocks. Only focusing on feature extraction in a direction of rocks might lead to a decrease in prediction accuracy. Therefore, we propose a hybrid network of a two-dimensional convolutional neural network and the gated recurrent unit (2DCNN-GRU), which can establish more complex nonlinear relationships between the input and output data based on the spatial features extracted by 2DCNN and the sequential features extracted by GRU. In this study, two cases are used to validate the reliability and prediction accuracy of the proposed network. Comparing the prediction results of 2DCNN, GRU, and the proposed network, the proposed network shows better performance. Meanwhile, for improving the prediction accuracy of the proposed network, the relationship is analyzed between the prediction accuracy of the proposed network and the length of the input sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurophysiological research on the bilingual activity of interpretation or interpreting has been very fruitful in understanding the bilingual brain and has gained increasing popularity recently. Issues like word interpreting and the directionality of interpreting have been attended to by many researchers, mainly with localizing techniques. Brain structures such as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex have been repeatedly identified during interpreting. However, little is known about the oscillation and synchronization features of interpreting, especially sentence-level overt interpreting. In this study we implemented a Chinese-English sentence-level overt interpreting experiment with electroencephalography on 43 Chinese-English bilinguals and compared the oscillation and synchronization features of interpreting with those of listening, speaking and shadowing. We found significant time-frequency power differences in the delta-theta (1–7 Hz) and gamma band (above 30 Hz) between motor and silent tasks. Further theta-gamma coupling analysis revealed different synchronization networks in between speaking, shadowing and interpreting, indicating an idea-formulation dependent mechanism. Moreover, interpreting incurred robust right frontotemporal gamma coactivation network compared with speaking and shadowing, which we think may reflect the language conversion process inherent in interpreting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of rotary rheological experiments were conducted for high-impact polystyrene (PS-HI) under different temperatures to analyze the precision of conventional obtained from usually used viscous models. Then, a flow theory based on Phan-Thien Tanner (PTT) model was established and the corresponding algorithm was constructed to study the viscoelastic characteristics of rubber-like state PS-HI. Both theoretical and numerical results indicated that the Cross and Carreau-Yasuda models could describe the rheological characteristics of PS-HI better compared to other viscous models. The viscoelastic PTT model exhibited a significant improvement in precision, indicating that PS-HI presented some elasticity in the rubber-like state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing speech authentication algorithms hash extracted speech features directly and saved them to the cloud, which is easy to cause speech feature leakage. In the process of constructing hashing, the utilization efficiency of speech feature is poor, and the short hashing sequence will lead to the lack of discrimination of hashing sequence and the deviation of authentication. In order to solve the above problems, a long sequence biometric hashing authentication algorithm based on two-dimensional Sine ICMI Cmodulation map (2D-SIMM) and constant Q cepstral coefficients (CQCC) cosine was proposed. First, this algorithm extracts the CQCC of the speech signal, then obtains the eigenvalue of the space cosine distance of the adjacent speech frame CQCC, and finally performs projection mapping between the eigenvalue and the pseudorandom matrix generated by 2D-SIMM to construct a biometric hashing sequence. This paper evaluates the proposed robust feature schemes of MFCC and CQCC space cosine distance through experiments. The experimental results show that CQCC spatial distance combined with 2D-SIMM biometrics characteristics can reach 10 - 21 . when the threshold is 0.35. The BER mean was only 0.0383 for maintaining the robustness of operation for different contents. When the SNR is -5 dB, the matching rate of different noises can reach 45%. At the same time, it also improves the security of the biological template, and the overall performance is greatly improved compared with the existing algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Few studies had described the health consequences of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) especially in those with severe infections after discharge from hospital. Moreover, no research had reported the health consequences in health care workers (HCWs) with COVID-19 after discharge. We aimed to investigate the health consequences in HCWs with severe COVID-19 after discharge from hospital in Hubei Province, China.Methods: We conducted an ambidirectional cohort study in "Rehabilitation Care Project for Medical Staff Infected with COVID-19" in China. The participants were asked to complete three physical examinations (including the tests of functional fitness, antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 and immunological indicators) at 153.4 (143.3, 164.8), 244.3 (232.4, 259.1), and 329.4 (319.4, 339.3) days after discharge, respectively. Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, t test, one-way ANOVA, χ2, and Fisher's exact test were used to assess the variance between two or more groups where appropriate.Results: Of 333 HCWs with severe COVID-19, the HCWs' median age was 36.0 (31.0, 43.0) years, 257 (77%) were female, and 191 (57%) were nurses. Our research found that 70.4% (114/162), 48.9% (67/137), and 29.6% (37/125) of the HCWs with severe COVID-19 were considered to have not recovered their functional fitness in the first, second, and third functional fitness tests, respectively. The HCWs showed improvement in muscle strength, flexibility, and agility/dynamic balance after discharge in follow-up visits. The seropositivity of IgM (17.0% vs. 6.6%) and median titres of IgM (3.0 vs. 1.4) and IgG (60.3 vs. 45.3) in the third physical examination was higher than that in the first physical examination. In the third physical examination, there still were 42.1% and 45.9% of the HCWs had elevated levels of IL-6 and TNF-α, and 11.9% and 6.3% of the HCWs had decreased relative numbers of CD3+ T cells and CD4+ T cells.Conclusion: The HCWs with severe COVID-19 showed improvement in functional fitness within 1 year after discharge, active intervention should be applied to help their recovery if necessary. It is of vital significance to continue monitoring the functional fitness, antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 and immunological indicators after 1 year of discharge from hospital in HCWs with severe COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With hydrophobic associating polymer (BCG-1) and anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) solution as the object, this work studies the different polymer concentration and surfactant concentration on the influence law of fluid properties and examines the sand sedimentation rate and the correlation of fluid properties. After the liquid was tested by electron microscope and rheometer, it was found that the interaction between the surfactant and the polymer is with phases, which provided different angles for revealing the change rule of the deposition rate of sand. When the concentration of SDBS solution is in the second phase (0.05–0.2%), although the system property changes slightly and the microscopic morphology does not change greatly, the deposition rate of sand still decreases significantly. Relaxation time spectrometry explains that the reduction in the sedimentation rate of the sand is caused by the shift of the polymer chain motion mode, whereas the phase angle can clearly manifest this change, and the phase angle is highly correlated with the deposition rate of sand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) affect a series of cellular biological processes, including oncogene function promotion. In this study, we explored the functions and mechanisms of FAM83A antisense RNA 1 (FAM83A‐AS1) in non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) progression. Methods: The expression of FAM83A‐AS1and FAM83A mRNA was analyzed using the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data. Proliferation, migration, invasion and Western blotting were measured after treatment with overexpressed or knockdown FAM83A‐AS1. To determine the relationship between FAM83A‐AS1 and FAM83A, RNase protection assay (RPA), amanitin treatment, RNA pulldown assay and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay were performed. Results: High expression of FAM83A‐AS1 in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) was closely associated with low overall survival (OS) and progression‐free survival (PFS). Functionally, high FAM83A‐AS1 expression increased LUAD cell proliferation and metastasis, indicating that FAM83A‐AS1 exerted its oncogenic functions. Furthermore, FAM83A‐AS1 promoted NSCLC progression via ERK signaling pathways. Mechanistically, FAM83A‐AS1 post‐transcriptionally increased FAM83A expression by enhancing pre‐mRNA stability. FAM83A‐AS1 enhanced FAM83A mRNA stability not only by forming an RNA duplex but also by binding to FBL. Conclusions: We determined that FAM83A‐AS1 increased FAM83A expression by enhancing FAM83A pre‐mRNA stability and promoted the tumorigenesis of LUAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A kind of JDL-1 thickener for betaine hydrophobic association polymer was prepared by aqueous solution polymerization of mixed micelles, AM, AA, AMPS and DM16 were used as raw materials, which was synthesized by redox initiator system. Friction tester and high-temperature rheometer were used to evaluate the resistance reduction and temperature and shear resistance of the thickener. The results show that the viscosity average molecular weight of the polymer prepared with AM, AA, AMPS and DM16 mass ratio of 70∶20∶5∶5 was higher than 12 million, and the dissolution time of the polymer was less than 3 min. When the surfactant is used for physical cross-linking, the apparent viscosity of the cross-linked fracturing fluid is larger than that of 60 mPa·s at 90 °C, 170 s-1 sheared 1 h; when metal cross-linking agent is used for coordination cross-linking, the apparent viscosity is larger than that of 80 mPa·s at 120 °C, 170 s-1 sheared 1 h. The drag reduction rate was 73%, the anti-swelling rate was higher than70%, and the damage rate was less than10%. The field trial was successful and confirmed the multifunctional effect of betaine-type hydrophobic associating polymer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work proposes a new calculation algorithm of the Wentzel–Kramers–Brillouin (WKB) solution for slow linear time-varying (LTV) systems based on the recursive formulation. For a linear dynamic system with time-varying (TV) mass, damping or stiffness, the recursive relations in real function form among the components of the WKB solution are obtained. The integral terms within the sampling intervals that cannot be solved analytically are approximated by simple algebraic calculations with high precision. Thus, the conventional expression of the WKB solution involving complex numerical integral terms is reduced to an analytical recursive formulation. An explicit function relationship between the TV system parameters and the dynamic response can be obtained when the external excitation is given. In the premise of similar accuracy, the recursive formulation has much higher efficiency than the conventional calculation process, which is verified by applying the proposed method to a particular LTV dynamic system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the most malignant cancers worldwide and its pathogenesis is not completely clear. In this study, we explored the functions and mechanisms of exosomes transferring miR‐3180‐3p in NSCLC progression. Methods: The expression levels of miR‐3180‐3p in NSCLC tissues and paracarcinoma tissues was obtained from the GEO database (GEO: GSE53882). Exosomes derived from A549 cells were identified. Proliferation, migration and invasion were measured after treatment with exosomal miR‐3180‐3p or transfection using miR‐3180‐3p mimics. The relationship between miR‐3180‐3p and forkhead box P4 (FOXP4) was predicted using a bioinformatic tool and measured using a dual‐luciferase reporter gene assay and western blotting. Finally, a mouse xenograft model of NSCLC cells was established to verify the function of exosomal miR‐3180‐3p in vivo. Results: We found that miR‐3180‐3p decreased in both NSCLC cell lines and patient tissues. Overexpression of miR‐3180‐3p or treatment with exosomal miR‐3180‐3p significantly suppressed cell proliferation and metastasis in NSCLC cell lines. Subsequently, we found miR‐3180‐3p downregulated FOXP4 protein expression levels. Furthermore, the volumes and weights of nude mouse tumors expressing exosomal miR‐3180‐3p were significantly reduced. Conclusions: Exosomal miR‐3180‐3p suppresses NSCLC progression by downregulating FOXP4 expression. Key points: Significant findings of the study: We found that exosomal miR‐3180‐3p suppressed NSCLC progression and also identified a miR‐3180‐3p target gene. These findings provide a foundation to determine innovative therapeutic strategies. What this study adds: This study contributes to research investigating exosomal containing miRNAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Schizophrenia (SZ) is a common and complex psychiatric disorder that has a significant genetic component. The glutamate hypothesis describes one possible pathogenesis of SZ. The solute carrier family 1 gene (SLC1A1) is one of several genes thought to play a critical role in regulating the glutamatergic system and is strongly implicated in the pathophysiology of SZ. In this study, we identify polymorphisms of the SLC1A1 gene that may confer susceptibility to SZ in the Han Chinese population. Methods: We genotyped 36 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) using Illumina GoldenGate assays on a BeadStation 500G Genotyping System in 528 paranoid SZ patients and 528 healthy controls. Psychopathology was rated by the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale. Results: Significant associations were found in genotype and allele frequencies for SNPs rs10815017 (p = 0.002, 0.030, respectively) and rs2026828 (p = 0.020, 0.005, respectively) between SZ and healthy controls. There were significant associations in genotype frequency at rs6476875 (p = 0.020) and rs7024664 (p = 0.021) and allele frequency at rs3780412 (p = 0.026) and rs10974573 (p = 0.047) between SZ and healthy controls. Meanwhile, significant differences were found in genotype frequency at rs10815017 (p = 0.015), rs2026828 (p = 0.011), and rs3780411 (p = 0.040) in males, and rs7021569 in females (p = 0.020) between cases and controls when subdivided by gender. Also, significant differences were found in allele frequency at rs2026828 (p = 0.003), and rs7021569 (p = 0.045) in males, and rs10974619 in females (p = 0.044). However, those associations disappeared after Bonferroni's correction (p 's > 0.05). Significant associations were found in the frequencies of four haplotypes (AA, CA, AGA, and GG) between SZ and healthy controls (χ 2 = 3.974, 7.433, 4.699, 4.526, p = 0.046, 0.006, 0.030, 0.033, respectively). There were significant associations between rs7032326 genotypes and PANSS total, positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and general psychopathology in SZ (p = 0.002, 0.011, 0.028, 0.008, respectively). Conclusion: The present study provides further evidence that SLC1A1 may be not a susceptibility gene for SZ. However, the genetic variations of SLC1A1 may affect psychopathology symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We systematically assessed the removal of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) and other organic carbon using sequential biodegradation and ozonation in two soils (BM3 and BM4). We optimized the conditions for each step: 5% moisture content for ozonation and 10% moisture and circumneutral pH for biodegradation. For the relatively biodegradable TPH in BM3, preozonation and postozonation strategies were equally effective. In contrast, the more recalcitrant TPH in BM4 was better treated using postozonation. Carbon analyses along the treatment timeline revealed that dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was the dominant substrate for microbial consumption when readily biodegradable TPH was no longer available. The carbon in TPH was more reactive with O3 than was the rest of dichloromethane-extractable organic carbon (DeOC), and the fate of TPH dictated the changes of DeOC. However, the fate of total organic carbon was controlled mainly by the microbial mineralization of DOC. Ozonation did not directly enhance the biodegradation rate of the residual TPH after ozonation, but ozone converted TPH into DOC that was microbially mineralized. This is the first study that compares the efficiencies of pre- and postozonation of two distinctly different soils. This study provides insights regarding the fundamental mechanism through which biodegradation and ozonation integrate and reveals the dynamics between ozonation and biodegradation during treatment petroleum-contaminated soils. Multistage ozonation+biodegradation is a useful tool to achieve the regulatory TPH standard (10,000 mg/kg), and DOC should be measured alongside TPH to gauge the dynamics of the integrated process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new identification method based on QR decomposition for nonlinear time-varying systems is proposed in this paper, which is applied in a time-varying multiple-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) dynamic system to locate and estimate nonlinearities without a priori knowledge of them. This new procedure provides a continuous-time model with which a MDOF system can be partitioned into a number of different subsystems. After an orthogonalizing algorithm and an error reduction ratio (ERR) process, all information about the masses and linear and nonlinear connections in the subsystems can be detected and estimated with a high degree of accuracy. In this procedure, the time expressions of the time-varying parameters are also given. Because of its simplicity and efficiency, this new method will have wide application in practical engineering. The reliability of the identification method is demonstrated by a numerical example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Most recently, circular RNAs (circRNAs) were considered playing regulatory roles in tumor initiation and development. The specific function of circRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unknown. This study was designed to detect specific roles of a circRNA hsa_circ_0079299 in HCC. Methods: The expression of hsa_circ_0079299 in HCC and tumor cell lines was detected using quantitative PCR (qPCR). Cell proliferation, migration, cell cycle and apoptosis after overexpression of the circRNA were measured using cell counting kit-8 (CCK8) assay, colony formation, 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU) assay, wound healing assay, transwell culture system and flow cytometry. Western blotting assay detected the protein expression of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway and cyclin B1 (CCNB1). Overexpression of the circRNA in vivo was measured by nude mice tumorigenesis. Results: The expression of hsa_circ_0079299 was lower in HCC tissues. Overexpression of hsa_circ_0079299 suppressed tumor growth in vitro and in vivo, retarded cell cycle progression while had no effect on cell migration and apoptosis. The inhibitory effect of hsa_circ_0079299 was partly mediated by PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. Conclusion: Our study shows that tumor suppressive role of hsa_circ_0079299 in HCC provides new recognition of circRNAs in cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to determine a correlation between benign and malignant lung solitary pulmonary nodules (SPN), and analyze the association between circulating tumor cell (CTC) levels and different subtypes of lung adenocarcinoma. Methods: A total of 200 patients (80 with SPNs and 120 diagnosed with lung cancer) were included in the study. The CTC levels were quantified by identifying the folate receptor on the surface of tumor cells; clinical tumor specific markers were detected by biochemical immunization. The content of peripheral blood CTCs in benign and malignant lung SPN patients was detected and the differences in preoperative CTC levels in different pathological subtypes were analyzed. Based on the collected data, receiver operating characteristic curves were calculated and the rate of lung cancer was predicted. Results: The peripheral blood CTC levels in patients with malignant lung SPNs were higher than in patients with benign SPNs. The maximum nodule diameter, carcinoembryonic antigen, and CTC levels were independent risk factors for malignant lung SPNs. The peripheral blood CTC levels in patients with stage III–IV lung adenocarcinoma were higher than in stage I–II patients. The peripheral blood CTC levels in patients with microinvasive and invasive adenocarcinoma were higher than in adenocarcinoma in situ patients. The CTC levels in the peripheral blood of patients with maximum tumor diameter > 2 cm were higher than in patients with tumors < 2 cm. Conclusion: The detection of CTCs can be used as a biomarker for screening SPNs and diagnosing early‐stage lung cancer. Using the combination of CTC levels and CEA significantly improves the efficacy of lung adenocarcinoma diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-performance pseudocapacitive electrode with vertically oriented graphene nanosheet (GN) templating Ni-Co hydroxide (NCH) is fabricated through a facial electrodeposition way. The structural evolution of electrodes after cyclic voltammetry treatment at different scan rates (from 5 to 500 mV s−1) and its impact on the electrodes’ electrochemical performance are for the first time systematically investigated. The results reveal that the NCH/GN hybrid electrode exhibits ultrahigh electrochemical stability that the electrochemical properties of hybrid electrodes are not affected by the different rate-scanning treatments. GN grown on carbon cloth (CC) as nanotemplate for NCH pseudocapacitive material creates a rapid channel for ion/charge transfer between the electrolyte and electrode, and the robust interfacial bonding of hybrid structure is prerequisite for the high performance stability. Furthermore, asymmetric supercapacitor devices consisting of NCH/GN/CC as positive electrode and GN/CC as negative electrode were fabricated and electrochemically treated as well, further demonstrating the ultrahigh electrochemical stability of such NCH/GN/CC hybrid structures at various scan rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jingyue Quanshu (Jingyue's Complete Works) presented a comprehensive understanding of emergencies and other life-threatening conditions. Most of all, Zhang categorized the causes and mechanisms of these disorders according to his own understanding with reference to opinions of former experts. He also offered detailed and objective descriptions of their clinical manifestations. All of these have been valued references for later generations. In addition, Zhang emphasized the importance of prognostic care in the treatment of critically ill patients. This paper attempts to summarize the contribution of Jinyyue Quanshu to the critically ill subjects of TCM emergency treatment, and provide ideas and methods for clinical diagnosis and treatment of acute and severe diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Controllable layered MoS on 3D graphene aerogel (MoS/GA) was synthesized via a facial hydrothermal process. As-prepared MoS/graphene hybrid aerogels with desirable sizes serve directly as free-standing and binder-free anodes for lithium-ion batteries (LIB) without the need for mechanical cutting or mixing. The mechanical properties of MoS/GA samples were quantitatively investigated to demonstrate their high mechanical robustness with Young's modulus values up to 59.2 kPa and recoverable deformability of 90% elastic strain, indicating their ability to resist large-scale deformation or fatigue stress during LIB applications. Moreover, the effects of the MoS mass loading on both microstructure and electrochemical performance of MoS/GA were systematically investigated. Hierarchical nanostructures of MoS/GA with a mass ratio of MoS to graphene oxide as 1:2.5 exhibit a high specific capacity of 1360.5 mAh g at a current density of 100 mAh g. These materials also have desirable rate capability and good cyclic stability, demonstrating their utility in energy storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The light from the side surfaces of the test flip-chip light-emitting diode (FCLED) dies is reflected, refracted or absorbed by neighbour dies during the measurement of wafer-level FCLED dies in production lines. A notable measurement deviation is caused by the neighbour-die effect, which is not considered in current industry practice. In this paper, Monte Carlo ray-tracing simulations are used to study the measurement deviations caused by the neighbour-die effect and extension ratios of the film. The simulation results show that the maximal deviation of radiant flux impinging the photodiode can reach 5.5%, if the die is tested without any neighbour dies, or is surrounded by a set of neighbour dies at an extension ratio of 1.1. Moreover, the dependence between the measurement results and neighbour cases for different extension ratios is also investigated. Then, a modified calibration method is proposed and studied. The proposed technique can be used to improve the calibration and measurement accuracy of the test equipment used for measurement of wafer-level FCLED dies in production lines. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A hierarchical structure consisting of Ni-Co hydroxide nanopetals (NCHPs) grown on a thin free-standing graphene petal foam (GPF) has been designed and fabricated by a two-step process for pseudocapacitive electrode applications. The mechanical behavior of GPFs has been, for the first time to our knowledge, quantitatively measured from in situ scanning electron microscope characterization of the petal foams during in-plane compression and bending processes. The Young's modulus of a typical GPF is 3.42 GPa, indicating its outstanding mechanical robustness as a nanotemplate. The GPF/NCHP electrodes exhibit volumetric capacitances as high as 765 F cm−3, equivalent to an areal capacitance of 15.3 F cm−2 and high rate capability. To assess practical functionality, two-terminal asymmetric solid-state supercapacitors with 3D GPF/NCHPs as positive electrodes are fabricated and shown to exhibit outstanding energy and power densities, with maximum average energy density of ≈10 mWh cm−3 and maximum power density of ≈3 W cm−3, high rate capability (a capacitance retention of ≈60% at 100 mA cm−2), and excellent long-term cyclic stability (full capacitance retention over 15 000 cycles). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of HZSM-5 catalysts were synthesized by different methods. The physicochemical properties of the HZSM-5 catalysts were characterized by XRD, SEM, N2 isothermal adsorption-desorption, NH3-TPD, Py-IR and TGA, respectively. The results indicated that different preparation conditions lead to different morphologies, textures and the distribution of acid sites. The nanosized HZSM-5 catalysts exhibited better catalytic reactivity and coke capacity than the micro-sized HZSM-5 because nanosized HZSM-5 had larger specific surface area, higher pore volume, more exposed channels and more accessible acid sites. The large particles of NZ-3 in a reasonable range and the smooth surface were conducive to product diffusion; therefore, NZ-3 exhibited higher specific propylene yield and stability than the other nanosized catalysts. The moderate density and distribution of acid sites on NZ-3 also favored the formation of propylene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene oxide (GO) was used to modify the surface of carbon fiber layers through electrophoretic deposition, forming a multiscale reinforcement fabric. By adjusting the experimental parameters, the resulting GO-carbon fabric showed productive and homogenous distribution of thin and less-agglomerate GO platelets on carbon fiber surface, remarkably enlarging the surface area and roughness of carbon fabric. To investigate the effect of GO sheets on composites, GO-carbon fabric and carbon fabric-reinforced hierarchical epoxy resin composites were respectively manufactured. Mechanical tests demonstrated that after introducing GO flakes on carbon fabric, both the flexural strength and interlaminar shear strength of composite had achieved an increase, especially the interlaminar shear strength rising by 34%. Through fractography analysis, it was found that in pure carbon fabric-reinforced epoxy composite, the fiber/matrix debonding fracture mechanism predominated, while after the GO decoration on carbon fiber surface, the composite featured a stronger interfacial bonding, leading to the enhancement in mechanical properties of hierarchical epoxy resin composite. POLYM. COMPOS., 37:1515-1522, 2016. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ni–Co–Mn triple hydroxide (NCMTH) nanoneedles were coated on plasma-grown graphitic petals (GPs) by a facile one-step hydrothermal method for high-rate and long-cycle-life pseudocapacitive electrodes. Structural and compositional characteristics of NCMTHs indicate that the multi-component metal elements distribute homogeneously within the NCMTHs. Comparison of the electrochemical performance of the three-dimensional NCMTH electrodes to Ni–Co double hydroxides reveals that a synergistic effect of the hierarchical structure of GPs and NCMTHs enables their high rate capability and long cycle life. The NCMTH electrode maintains over 95% of its capacitance at a high charge/discharge rate of 100 mA cm−2 relative to its low-current (1 mA cm−2) capacitance; and it exhibits very high specific capacitance of approximately 1400 F g−1 (based on the mass of NCMTH), high specific energy density (≈30 W h kg−1) and power density (≈39 kW kg−1) at a high current density of 100 mA cm−2, and excellent long-term cyclic stability (full capacitance retention over 3000 cycles). To assess functional behavior, two-terminal asymmetric supercapacitor devices with NCMTHs on graphitic petals as positive electrodes were assembled and tested to reveal ultrafast charge/discharge rates up to 5000 mV s−1 (approx. two orders of magnitude faster than conventional asymmetric devices based on metal hydroxides) with high rate capabilities, and excellent long-term cyclic stability (full capacitance retention over 10 000 cycles). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Accumulated evidence has revealed that the dysregulation of micro ribonucleic acids (mi RNAs) may contribute to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma ( ESCC). Mi R-93, which is a member of the mi RNA cluster mi R-106b∼25, has been widely studied for its tumor promoting effect on different types of cancers. However, our knowledge of mi R-93 function in ESCC remains unclear. Methods The expression levels of mi R-93 in ESCC and the adjacent non-tumor tissues were measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Cell counting kit-8, flow cytometry, and 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine incorporation and transwell migration assays were employed to explore the effects of miR-93 on proliferation and migration capabilities in EC109 cells. To determine the possible target gene of mi R-93, cell transfection, Western blot analysis and luciferase reporter gene assays were performed. Results A significant upregulation of mi R-93 expression in ESCC tissues was determined, combined with a downregulation of the predicted target gene, disabled 2 ( DAB2). The introduction of mi R-93 significantly promotes cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, and the metastatic capability of EC109 cells. By cell transfection and luciferase reporter assay, DAB2 was confirmed as a direct target of mi R-93. In addition, the knockdown of DAB2 by small interfering RNA displayed a consentaneous phenocopy with miR-93 overexpression in EC109 cells. Conclusion Our results indicate that mi R-93 acts as a tumor promoter in ESCC, and its promotion effects on ESCC cell proliferation and migration depend largely upon DAB2 suppression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pd(ii)-catalyzed pyridine-directed carbonylative cycloamidation of ketoimines has provided an efficient protocol for assembly of pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-4-ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs are implicated in the regulation of various cellular processes, including proliferation, differentiation, cell death, and cell mobility, and can function either as oncogenes or tumor suppressors in tumor progression. The effects of the expression of miR-96 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain unclear. In our study, qRT-PCR (quantitative reverse transcription PCR) was performed to identify the miR-96 expression level in 68 paired NSCLC and adjacent normal lung tissues. Trans-well, cell counting kit-8, and apoptosis assays were used to evaluate the effects of miR-96 expression on cell invasion, proliferation, and apoptosis. Dual-luciferase reporter assay and Western blotting were used to verify whether FOXO3 was a potential major target gene of miR-96. Finally, the effect of FOXO3 on miR-96-induced cell survival was determined by transfection of the genes expressing FOXO3 lacking 3′UTR and miR-96. The expression level of miR-96 in NSCLC tissues was higher than that in adjacent normal lung tissues, and this increased expression was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis. In contrast to the cells in the blank and negative control groups, the number of cells migrating through the matrigel was significantly lower and the incidence of apoptosis was significantly higher in cells transfected with a miR-96 inhibitor. Western blotting and dual-luciferase reporter assays demonstrated that miR-96 can bind to the putative seed region in FOXO3 mRNA 3′UTR, and can significantly lower the expression of FOXO3. The introduction of FOXO3 cDNA without 3′UTR restored miR-96 induced cell apoptosis and invasion. MiR-96 is up-regulated in NSCLC tissues. Downregulation of miR-96 inhibits invasion and promotes apoptosis in NSCLC cells A549 and SPC-A-1 by targeting FOXO3. Therefore, our study improves our understanding of the mechanisms underlying NSCLC pathogenesis and may promote the development of novel targeted therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a core-shell molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was synthesized through sol-gel coating procedure by using silica beads, emodin, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, tetraethoxysilane and tetrahydrofuran as supporting matrix, template, functional monomer, cross-linker and solvent, respectively. The selective recognition property for emodin and its analogues (physcion and aloe emodin) of the resultant MIP was evaluated in a chromatographic column for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The retention time and imprinted factor of MIP column for emodin, physcion and aloe emodin were 5.11, 0.63, 0.69 min and 4.69, 0.75, 1.38, respectively. It showed that the MIP beads had a good binding ability for emodin. Finally, one-step separation of emodin from alcohol extract of Rheum palmatum L. at semi-preparative scale was achieved and 380 mg of emodin was collected in 5 days. The product was characterized by mass spectrometry and HPLC and its purity was 95 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Double-carbon microcoils and single-carbon nanocoils were selectively grown on the surface of carbon fibers (CFs) via decomposition of acetylene at the temperature of 680 °C using Ni and Ni/Al2O3 catalysts, respectively. The morphology and microstructure of the as-prepared carbon coils-CFs were studied by SEM and Raman spectra, and the microwave absorption properties were also examined. Different from the double-carbon microcoils, no catalyst is observed at the growth tip of single-carbon nanocoils. It is considered that the Ni/Al2O3 binary catalysts would induce base growth model where only one remaining side of the catalyst particle contributes to nanofiber's growth, resulting in the formation of single-carbon nanocoil. The single-carbon nanocoils-CFs composite shows lower complex permittivity, larger chirality admittance, as well as better microwave absorption properties than those of double-carbon microcoils-CFs. The maximum RL of the single-carbon nanocoils-CFs composite is −41.2 dB, and the bandwidth of RL less than −10 dB is up to 9.6 GHz, which are also better than those of other carbon nanomaterials in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]