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The impact of hypertension on tissue and organ damage is mediated through its influence on the structure and function of blood vessels. This study aimed to examine the potential of celastrol, a bioactive compound derived from Tripterygium wilfordiiHook F, in mitigating hypertension-induced energy metabolism disorder and enhancing blood perfusion and vasodilation. In order to investigate this phenomenon, we conducted in vivo experiments on renovascular hypertensive rats, employing indirect calorimetry to measure energy metabolism and laser speckle contrast imaging to evaluate hemodynamics. In vitro, we assessed the vasodilatory effects of celastrol on the basilar artery and superior mesenteric artery of rats using the Multi Wires Myograph System. Furthermore, we conducted preliminary investigations to elucidate the underlying mechanism. Moreover, administration of celastrol at doses of 1 and 2 mg/kg yielded a notable enhancement in blood flow ranging from 6 to 31% across different cerebral and mesenteric vessels in hypertensive rats. Furthermore, celastrol demonstrated a concentration-dependent (1 × 10–7 to 1 × 10–5 M) arterial dilation, independent of endothelial function. This vasodilatory effect could potentially be attributed to the inhibition of Ca2+ channels on vascular smooth muscle cells induced by celastrol. These findings imply that celastrol has the potential to ameliorate hemodynamics through vasodilation, thereby alleviating energy metabolism dysfunctions in hypertensive rats. Consequently, celastrol may hold promise as a novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excavation of a super-large foundation pit is a greatly risky project in coastal water-rich silt strata, and it is of great significance to establish a numerical model to analyze and predict the stability of the foundation pit retaining its structure for safe construction. Based on a geological investigation report and key node monitoring data, the model parameters have been modified. Subsequently, the random field theory and numerical analysis were employed to proceed with deterministic analysis and uncertainty analysis, respectively. Using the uniform distribution method, Gaussian distribution method and the covariance matrix method to generate a random field model, finite difference software was applied to analyze the impact of spatial variability of cohesion and the internal friction angle on structural deformation. The study shows that the overall distribution of axial force is small on both sides and large in the center, and the axial force is larger near the shaped region. Due to the principle of "lever", there is a tendency for the horizontal displacement of surrounding piles to partially rebound from the pit when the bearing platform pit is excavated. The spatial variability of the internal friction angle and cohesion has an important influence on the numerical value of the enclosure structure and surface deformation, and the variation pattern is basically unchanged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the continuous development of wireless sensor networks (WSNs), multi-directional energy harvesting technology has received widespread attention from scholars. In order to evaluate the performance of multi-directional energy harvesters, this paper uses a directional self-adaptive piezoelectric energy harvester (DSPEH) as an example, defines the direction of the excitation in three-dimensional space, and studies the influence of excitations on the key parameters of the DSPEH. The rolling angle and pitch angle are used to define complex excitations in three-dimensional space, and the dynamic response of the excitation changes in a single direction and multiple directions is discussed. It is noteworthy that this work presents the concept of "Energy Harvesting Workspace" to describe the working ability of a multi-directional energy harvesting system. The workspace is expressed by the excitation angle and voltage amplitude, and energy harvesting performance is evaluated by the volume-wrapping method and area-covering method. The DSPEH exhibits good directional adaptability in two-dimensional space (rolling direction); in particular, when the mass eccentricity coefficient is r = 0 mm, 100% of the workspace in two-dimensional space is obtained. The total workspace in three-dimensional space depends entirely on the energy output in the pitch direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims at developing a dissipation-preserving, linearized, and time-stepping-varying spectral method for strongly damped nonlinear wave system in multidimensional unbounded domains R d (d=1, 2, and 3), where the nonlocal nature is described by the mixed fractional Laplacians. Because the underlying solutions of the problem involving mixed fractional Laplacians decay slowly with certain power law at infinity, we employ the rational spectral-Galerkin method using rational basis (or mapped Gegenbauer functions) for the spatial approximation. To capture the intrinsic dissipative properties of the model equations, we combine the Crank-Nicolson scheme with exponential scalar auxiliary variable approach for the temporal discretization. Based on the rate of nonlocal energy dissipation, we design a novel time-stepping-varying strategy to enhance the efficiency of the scheme. We present the detailed implementation of the scheme, where the main building block of the stiffness matrices is based on the Laguerre-Gauss quadrature rule for the modified Bessel functions of the second kind. The existence, uniqueness, and nonlocal energy dissipation law of the fully discrete scheme are rigourously established. Numerical examples in 3D case are carried out to demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the scheme. Finally, we simulate the nonlinear behaviors of 2D/3D dissipative vector solitary waves for damped sine-Gordon system I, for damped sine-Gordon system II, and for damped Klein–Gordon system to provide a deeper understanding of nonlocal physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Construction waste bricks (CWB) were simply pre-treated as fillers applied in different filler layers of bioretention facility. The removal effect of runoff pollutants in CWB-modified facilities was investigated and compared with traditional facility with gravel and sand. Leaching test shows that both CWB-modified and traditional bioretention facilities leach TN, and CWB-based facilities leach Cr. CWB-based facility shows good removal effect toward TP, NH4+-N and COD, with the removal ratio of 0.90, 0.80 and 0.70, respectively. CWB-based facility also shows good removal effects toward Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb and Mn, with the removal ratio of 0.55–0.82, 0.65–0.92, nearly 1.00, above 0.90 and nearly 0.98, respectively. Generally, the removal effect of both CWB and traditional facilities on runoff pollutants is basically stable and the removal ratio is relatively high after running for 40 days. Economic calculation shows that CWB-based facilities could reduce the cost of fillers by 67.2–88.4%, which further confirmed the replacement of traditional fillers by CWB. This study could not only enhance the removal ability of runoff pollutants by bioretention facilities, but also provide a new way for the utilization of CWB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we construct an efficient Hermite–Galerkin spectral method for the nonlinear reaction–diffusion equations with distributed-order fractional Laplacian in multidimensional unbounded domains. By applying Gauss–Legendre quadrature rule for the distributed integral term, we first approximate the original distributed-order fractional problem by the multi-term fractional-in-space differential equation. Applying Hermite–Galerkin spectral method in space and backward difference method in time, we establish semi-implicit fully discrete scheme. For two- and three-dimensional cases of the original fractional problem, the linear systems are solved by the preconditioned conjugate gradients method. The main advantage of our method is that the original fractional problem is directly solved in the unbounded domains, thus avoiding the errors introduced by the domain truncations. The stability analysis is rigourously established, which shows that our scheme is unconditionally stable under suitable assumption on the nonlinear term. Several numerical examples are presented to validate both stability and accuracy of the numerical method. The numerical results of the fractional Allen–Cahn, Gray–Scott, and Belousov–Zhabotinskii models show that our semi-implicit methods produce good numerical solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: This article provides basic knowledge and guidance for the application of construction waste bricks as filling materials in the infiltration facilities such as permeable pavements for the removal of heavy metals. Heavy metals such as Cu(II), if ubiquitous in the runoff, can have adverse effects on the environment and human health. Lime sand bricks, as low-cost adsorbents to be potentially applied in stormwater infiltration facilities, were systematically investigated for Cu(II) removal from water using batch and column experiments. In the batch experiment, the adsorption of Cu(II) to bricks reach an equilibrium within 7 h and the kinetic data fits well with the pseudo-second-order model. The sorption isotherm can be described by both the Freundlich and Langmuir model and the maximum adsorption capacity of the bricks is 7 ± 1 mg/g. In the column experiment, the best removal efficiency for Cu(II) was observed at a filler thickness of 20 cm, service time of 12 min with a Cu(II) concentration of 0.5 mg/L. The Cu(II) removal rate increases with the increasing bed depth and residence time. The inlet concentration and residence time had significant effects on the Cu(II) removal analyzed by the Box–Behnken design (BBD). The Adams-Bohart model was in good agreement with the experimental data in representing the breakthrough curve. Copper fractions in the bricks descend in the order of organic matter fraction > Fe-Mn oxides fraction > carbonates fraction > residual fraction > exchangeable fraction, indicating that the lime sand bricks after copper adsorption reduce the long-term ecotoxicity and bioavailability to the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research examines whether there exists an appealing distribution for random jump amplitude, in the sense that with which the stochastic volatility double-jump-diffusions (SVJJ) model would potentially have a superior option market fit, meanwhile keeping a sound balance between reality and tractability. We provide a general methodology for pricing vanilla options, using the Fourier cosine series expansion method (i.e. the COS formula, see [F. Fang and C.W. Oosterlee,A novel pricing method for European based on Fourier-cosine series expansions, SIAM J. Sci. Comput. 31 (2008), pp. 826–848], in the setting of Heston's SVJJ (HSVJJ) model that may allow a range of jump amplitude distributions, including the normal distribution, the exponential distribution and the asymmetric double-exponential (db-E) distribution as special cases. An illustrative example examines the implications of HSVJJ model in capturing option ‘smirks’. This example highlights the impacts on implied volatility surface of various jump amplitude distributions, through both extensive model calibrations and implied-volatility impacting experiments. Numerical results show that, with the db-E distribution, the HSVJJ model not only captures the implied volatility smile and smirk, but also the ‘sadness’. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background & Aims The toll-like receptor-interferon ( TLR- IFN) signalling pathway plays a crucial role in HBV infection. Human leucocyte antigen ( HLA) polymorphisms are associated with chronic HBV infection by genome wide association study ( GWAS). We aimed to explore interaction between TLR- IFN and HLA gene polymorphisms in susceptibility of chronic HBV infection. Methods In the Chinese Southwest Han population, 1191 chronic HBV infection patients and 273 HBV clearance were selected. A total of 39 single nucleotide polymorphism loci in 23 genes of the TLR- IFN pathway and four HLA polymorphism loci associated with chronic HBV infection identified by GWAS were selected for genotyping. SNPStats, QVALUE, and multifactor dimensionality reduction were used for statistical analysis. Results A significant association was seen in several of the TLR- IFN pathway genes, TLR9 rs352140 ( OR = 0.70, P = 0.0088), IL1B rs16944 ( OR = 0.67, P = 0.016), IL12B rs3212227 ( OR = 1.38, P = 0.021), IFNGR1 rs3799488 ( OR = 1.48, P = 0.0048), IFNGR2 rs1059293 ( OR = 0.27, P = 0.011), MX1 rs467960 ( OR = 0.68, P = 0.022), as well as four loci in HLA, rs3077 ( OR = 0.55, P < 0.0001), rs2856718 ( OR = 0.60, P = 4e-04), rs9277535 ( OR = 0.54, P < 0.0001) and rs7453920 ( OR = 0.43, P < 0.0001). A synergistic relationship was seen between rs9277535 and rs16944 (0.13%), rs1143623 and rs6613 (0.10%). The combination of rs9277535 in HLA and rs16944 in IL1B was the best model to predict chronic HBV infection (testing accuracy = 0.6040, P = 0.0010, cross-validation consistency = 10/10). Conclusions TLR- IFN pathway gene polymorphisms are associated with chronic HBV infection. Interactions with polymorphisms in these genes may be one mechanism by which HLA polymorphisms influence susceptibility to chronic HBV infection, as specific single nucleotide polymorphism combinations are highly predictive of chronic HBV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dust-ion-acoustic (DIA) rogue waves are investigated in a three-dimensional magnetized plasma containing nonthermal electrons featuring Tsallis distribution, both positive and negative ions, and immobile dust grains having both positive and negative charges. Via the reductive perturbation method, a (3 + 1)-dimensional nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation is derived to govern the dynamics of the DIA wave packets. The modulation instability of DIA waves described by the (3 + 1)-dimensional NLS equation is investigated. By means of the similarity transformation and symbolic computation, both the first- and second-order rogue wave solutions of the (3 + 1)-dimensional NLS equation are constructed in terms of rational functions. Moreover, the dynamics properties and the effects of plasma parameters on the nonlinear structures of rogue waves are discussed in detail. The results could be useful for understanding the physical mechanism of rogue waves in laboratory experiments where pair-ion plasmas with electrons and dust grains can be found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: About 60-80 % of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers are characterized with persistently normal alanine transaminase (ALT). Differences of cytokine expression are associated with the prognosis of HBV infection. We investigated the expression pattern of 30 cytokines associated with anti-HBV immunity in patients with normal ALT. Methods: Four patient groups (immune tolerance, inactive hepatitis B surface antigen carriers, resolved hepatitis B, and control; 10 subjects per group) were assigned. Thirty cytokines, including IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-7, IL-9, IL-10, IL-12p40, IL-12p70, IL-15, IL-17A, IL-17C, IL-21, IL-22, IL-23p19, IL-28A, IL-29, CCL5, CCL16, CCL20, CCL22, CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL11, TNFRSF8, TNFRSF18, IL-6R, gp130, and TGF-β1, were measured using a human cytokine antibody array. Signal intensities were obtained by laser scanner. Protein-protein interactions were analyzed by STRING (Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins). Results: Significant differences of signal intensities were observed for IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-7, IL-9, IL-10, IL-12p40, IL-12p70, IL-15, IL-21, IL-23p19, IL-28A, and IL-29. The lowest intensity was in controls. Among three HBV infection groups, significant differences were observed in IL-2, IL-4, IL-12p70, IL-15, IL-21, IL-23p19, and IL-29. The highest intensity was in the inactive group. All cytokines with significant differences were involved JAK-STAT signaling that up-regulate FOXP3, SOCS3 and MX1. Conclusion: Differential expression of cytokines in JAK-STAT signaling is an important factor associated with prognosis of HBV infection. The elevation of γC cytokines, IL-12p70, IL-23p19, and IL-29 may promote spontaneous HBeAg seroconversion and HBV clearance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By combining the effects of bounded cylindrical geometry, azimuthal and axial perturbations, the nonlinear dust acoustic waves (DAWs) in an unmagnetized plasma consisting of negatively charged dust grains, nonextensive ions, and nonextensive electrons are studied in this paper. Using the reductive perturbation method, a (3 + 1)-dimensional variable-coefficient cylindrical Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) equation describing the nonlinear propagation of DAWs is derived. Via the homogeneous balance principle, improved F-expansion technique and symbolic computation, the exact traveling and solitary wave solutions of the KdV equation are presented in terms of Jacobi elliptic functions. Moreover, the effects of the plasma parameters on the solitary wave structures are discussed in detail. The obtained results could help in providing a good fit between theoretical analysis and real applications in space physics and future laboratory plasma experiments where long-range interactions are present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatitis B e Antigen (HBeAg)-negative chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients have an active liver disease with a high risk of progression to decompensated cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The management strategy for HBeAg-negative CHB patients treated with nucleos(t)ide analogues (NUCs) is a topic of concern. To observe the outcomes for this population after NUCs withdrawal, HBeAg-negative CHB patients with loss of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) or sustained undetectable HBV DNA levels who had discontinued NUCs therapy were included in the study.Methods: A total of 66 patients (2 patients with HBsAg loss and 64 patients with sustained undetectable HBV DNA levels) were examined. HBV DNA levels and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were monitored regularly after discontinuation of NUCs therapy. Relapse was defined as HBV DNA levels >2,000 IU/mL while off therapy in at least two determinations more than 4 weeks apart.Results: The time to achieve undetectable HBV DNA levels was 14 weeks (interquartile range (IQR): 12-24 weeks). The time until consolidation therapy was 144 weeks (IQR: 96-168 weeks). No relapses occurred in either of the HBsAg loss patients. Among the 64 patients with undetectable HBV DNA levels, 19 (29.7%) patients demonstrated evidence of relapse. All the relapses occurred within 96 weeks after discontinuation. The median duration of relapse was 36 weeks (IQR: 12-48 weeks). Elevation of HBV DNA and ALT levels over baseline was only observed in 10% of the relapse patients. There were no significant differences among the baseline characteristics (sex, HBV genotype, age, or ALT level) or the time until consolidation therapy between relapse and sustained-response patients.Conclusions: NUC discontinuation is feasible after achieving undetectable HBV DNA levels in HBeAg-negative CHB patients. Prolonging the time until consolidation therapy may be a good strategy to decrease the rate of relapse. More than 96 weeks of sustained response is a predictive marker of long-term sustained response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]