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The effects of the solution's dielectric properties on the conformation and dynamics of star-shaped polyelectrolytes in shear flow are investigated using a hybrid simulation method coupling multi-particle collision dynamics and molecular dynamics. The simulation results showed that by modulating the dielectric properties of the solution, star-shaped polyelectrolytes showed a three-step dynamic behavior transition from tumbling to tank-treading to tumbling dynamics under shear flow. The analysis indicated that this distinct transition in dynamics could be attributed to the uneven distribution of counterions induced by shear on the chain, resulting in a change in the polyelectrolyte conformation and degree of segmental alignment in arms. These findings contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the non-equilibrium dynamics of star-shaped polyelectrolytes in shear flow and offer a viable approach for controlling the dynamic behavior of star-shaped polyelectrolytes by adjusting the dielectric properties of the solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the DPSIR framework, this study constructed an evaluation index system to assess the sustainable development levels of the tourism eco-security system (TESS-SDL) present in the Chengdu-–Chongqing urban agglomeration and synthesized multi-dimensional analysis methods to explore its spatiotemporal evolution characteristics and driving factors to provide an important theoretical and practical basis for promoting the sustainable development of the regional tourism eco-security system. The results showed the following: (1) From 2011 to 2021, the regional TESS-SDL was generally at a medium level and showed a trend of steady growth. Although the gap between cities was widening year by year, the speed of the TESS-SDL exceeded the speed of the widening gap, promoting the coordinated development of the regional TESS-SDL. (2) The spatial spillover effect of the regional TESS-SDL was obvious; however, the siphoning effects of Chongqing and Chengdu were strong, and the demonstration effect was insufficient. (3) The dynamic evolution process of the TESS-SDL shows a strong self-locking effect. The risk of downward development (lower sustainability) is greater than the potential for upward development (higher sustainability) and is significantly influenced by neighboring cities. (4) In terms for assessing the driving factors, open-door and green-development policies show positive facilitating effects, while the positive influencing capacities of information technology, economic development, and tourism are moving toward having negative effects; the influencing effect of technological innovation has transitioned from positive to negative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies, including our own, have demonstrated that arsenic exposure can induce liver fibrosis, while the underlying mechanism remains unclear and there is currently no effective pharmacological intervention available. Recent research has demonstrated that vitamin D supplementation can ameliorate liver fibrosis caused by various etiologies, potentially through modulation of the Nrf2 signaling pathways. However, it remains unclear whether vitamin D intervention can mitigate arsenic-caused liver fibrosis. As is known hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) activation and extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition are pivotal in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis. In this study, we investigated the intervention effect of calcitriol (a form of active vitamin D) on arsenite-triggered Lx-2 cells (a human hepatic stellate cell line) activation and ECM oversecretion. Additionally, we also elucidated the role and mechanism of Nrf2 antioxidant signaling pathway. Our results demonstrated that calcitriol intervention significantly inhibits Lx-2 cell activation and ECM oversecretion induced by arsenite exposure. Additionally, calcitriol activates Nrf2 and its downstream antioxidant enzyme expression in Lx-2 cells, thereby reducing ROS overproduction caused by arsenite exposure. Further investigation reveals that calcitriol activates the Nrf2 signaling pathway and inhibits arsenite-triggered Lx-2 cell activation and ECM oversecretion by targeting vitamin D receptor (VDR). In conclusion, this study has demonstrated that vitamin D intervention can effectively inhibit HSC activation and ECM oversecretion triggered by arsenite exposure through its antioxidant activity. This provides a novel strategy for targeted nutritional intervention in the treatment of arsenic-induced liver fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has resulted in more than 692 million cases worldwide and nearly 7 million deaths (August 2023). Severe COVID-19 is characterised in part by vascular thrombosis and a cytokine storm due to increased plasma concentrations of pro-thrombotic proteins such as von Willebrand factor and cytokines secreted from endothelial and T-cells. EFCAB4B is a gene that encodes for two proteins (CRACR2A and Rab46) that play important roles in endothelial and T-cell secretion. In this study, using patient data recorded in the UK Biobank, we demonstrate the importance of variants in the EFCAB4B genetic sequence with COVID-19 fatality. Using logistic regression analysis, we determined that three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the gene cause missense variations in CRACR2A and Rab46, which are associated with COVID-19 fatality (rs9788233: p = 0.004, odds ratio = 1.511; rs17836273: p = 0.012, odds ratio = 1.433; rs36030417: p = 0.013, odds ratio = 1.393). All three SNPs cause changes in amino acid residues that are highly conserved across species, indicating their importance in protein structure and function. Two SNPs, rs17836273 (A98T) and rs36030417 (H212Q), cause amino acid substitutions in important functional domains: the EF-hand and coiled-coil domain, respectively. Molecular modelling shows minimal impact by the substitution of threonine at position 98 on the structure of the EF-hand. Since Rab46 is a GTPase that regulates both endothelial cell secretion and T-cell signalling, these missense variants may play a role in the molecular mechanisms underlying the thrombotic and inflammatory characteristics observed in patients with severe COVID-19 outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Leukocyte Ig-like receptor B family 4 (LILRB4) as an immune checkpoint on myeloid cells is a potential target for tumor therapy. Extensive osteolytic bone lesion is the most characteristic feature of multiple myeloma. It is unclear whether ectopic LILRB4 on multiple myeloma regulates bone lesion. Methods: The conditioned medium (CM) from LILRB4-WT and -KO cells was used to analyze the effects of LILRB4 on osteoclasts and osteoblasts. Xenograft, syngeneic and patient derived xenograft models were constructed, and micro-CT, H&E staining were used to observe the bone lesion. RNA-seq, cytokine array, qPCR, the activity of luciferase, Co-IP and western blotting were used to clarify the mechanism by which LILRB4 mediated bone damage in multiple myeloma. Results: We comprehensively analyzed the expression of LILRB4 in various tumor tissue arrays, and found that LILRB4 was highly expressed in multiple myeloma samples. The patient's imaging data showed that the higher the expression level of LILRB4, the more serious the bone lesion in patients with multiple myeloma. The conditioned medium from LILRB4-WT not -KO cells could significantly promote the differentiation and maturation of osteoclasts. Xenograft, syngeneic and patient derived xenograft models furtherly confirmed that LILRB4 could mediate bone lesion of multiple myeloma. Next, cytokine array was performed to identify the differentially expressed cytokines, and RELT was identified and regulated by LILRB4. The overexpression or exogenous RELT could regenerate the bone damage in LILRB4-KO cells in vitro and in vivo. The deletion of LILRB4, anti-LILRB4 alone or in combination with bortezomib could significantly delay the progression of bone lesion of multiple myeloma. Conclusions: Our findings indicated that LILRB4 promoted the bone lesion by promoting the differentiation and mature of osteoclasts through secreting RELT, and blocking LILRB4 singling pathway could inhibit the bone lesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grape skin serves as a reservoir for many bacteria and fungi, which can affect grape health, quality, and safety. However, grape skin microbiota and mycobiota of table grapes remain largely understudied. This study investigated bacterial and fungal communities residing on different table grapevine cultivars ('Summer Black' and 'Kyoho') as well as the impact of potential contributors thereby, via culture-dependent and culture-independent (analysis of 16S rRNA gene and internal transcribed spacer sequences) methods with different purposes. Microbiota of both grapevine cultivars were dominated by Cladosporium, Alternaria, Aspergillus, Thauera, and Pantoea. In addition, yeast strains belonging to Hanseniaspora opuntiae, Pichia terricola, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, Candida stellimalicola, and Kodamaea ohmeri were enriched from the studied grapes, while some strains were considered as health-threatening pathogens. Differences in grapevine cultivars did not significantly affect their mycobiota and microbiota profiles. Nevertheless, their mycobiota exhibited significant variations across different grape-sampling sites in Shanghai, indicating the contribution of the grape-growing environment to grape skin mycobiota. Altogether, the current study demonstrated the contribution of the grape-growing environment to table grape skin mycobiota, and highlighted the importance of microbiota management in the production and consumption of table grapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulmonary fibrosis involves destruction of the lung parenchyma and extracellular matrix deposition. Effective treatments for pulmonary fibrosis are lacking and its pathogenesis is still unclear. Studies have found that epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of alveolar epithelial cells (AECs) plays an important role in progression of pulmonary fibrosis. Thus, an in-depth exploration of its mechanism might identify new therapeutic targets. In this study, we revealed that a novel circular RNA, MKLN1 (circMKLN1), was significantly elevated in two pulmonary fibrosis models (intraperitoneally with PQ, 50 mg/kg for 7 days, and intratracheally with BLM, 5 mg/kg for 28 days). Additionally, circMKLN1 was positively correlated with the severity of pulmonary fibrosis. Inhibition of circMKLN1 expression significantly reduced collagen deposition and inhibited EMT in AECs. EMT was aggravated after circMKLN1 overexpression in AECs. MiR-26a-5p/miR-26b-5p (miR-26a/b), the targets of circMKLN1, were confirmed by luciferase reporter assays. CircMKLN1 inhibition elevated miR-26a/b expression. Significantly decreased expression of CDK8 (one of the miR-26a/b targets) was observed after inhibition of circMKLN1. EMT was exacerbated again, and CDK8 expression was significantly increased after circMKLN1 inhibition and cotransfection of miR-26a/b inhibitors in AECs. Our research indicated that circMKLN1 promoted CDK8 expression through sponge adsorption of miR-26a/b, which regulates EMT and pulmonary fibrosis. This study provides a theoretical basis for finding new targets or biomarkers in pulmonary fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In urban areas with limited underground space, the new tunnel construction introduces additional loads and displacements to existing tunnels, raising serious safety concerns. These concerns become particularly pronounced in the case of closely undercrossing excavation at zero-distance. The conventional elastic foundation beam model, which assumes constant reaction coefficients for the subgrade, fails to account for foundation loss. In this study, the existing tunnel is modeled as an Euler-Bernoulli beam supported by the Pasternak elastic foundation, and the foundation loss caused by zero-distance undercrossing excavations is considered. Furthermore, an analytical solution is proposed to evaluate the mechanical response in segments, by establishing governing differential equations and boundary conditions for the excavation and neutral zones, and underpinning loads are also considered. The analytical solution is validated in two case studies. Finally, a parametric analysis is performed to explore the influence of various parameters on the mechanical response of the existing tunnel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designing an efficient hole–electron separation method is essential to improving the photocatalytic efficiency of photocatalysts. Herein, we constructed a 3D MoS2/MgIn2S4 S-scheme heterojunction material using a solvothermal method. The built-in electric field formed by the interaction between MoS2 and MgIn2S4 promoted the separation of electrons and holes, significantly improving the photocatalytic activity of 3D MoS2/MgIn2S4. The 3% MoS2/MgIn2S4 composite photocatalyst successfully achieved a 100% reduction of Cr-(VI) within 90 min and demonstrated good hydrogen production efficiency without using a sacrificial agent. Theoretical calculations confirmed the formation of S-scheme heterojunctions. Malondialdehyde and dehydrogenase tests showed that the Cr-(VI) solution after reduction was not harmful to plant growth. Furthermore, we systematically investigated the effects of different Cr-(VI) concentrations, catalyst dosages, ions, pH values, and organic acids on photocatalytic efficiency. The design of the S-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts provided a promising strategy for the photoreduction of Cr-(VI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A complete set of engineering blueprints often contains a wealth of design experience and a profound comprehension of the structure from the designers. Consequently, the analysis and study of the visual data contained in these blueprints are vital. Structure feature extraction refers to extracting the external contour lines and internal structure layout of the target structure from engineering blueprints. This study proposes the Edge Detection-based and multi-conditional filtering method (EDMFM), an innovative method utilizing Computer Vision Technology. The EDMFM uses image processing techniques to optimize traditional manual extraction methods, which rely heavily on keying software to remove the background of the image, with the disadvantage of time-consuming, labor-intensive and imprecise extraction results. Additionally, this study conducts a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the extraction results from three aspects, followed by ablation experiments on the functional modules of the proposed method. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method exhibits good applicability in extracting key structural features from blueprint images, providing a foundation for further exploration and analysis of structural features at an advanced level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arsenic is a well‐known environmental toxicant and emerging evidence suggests that arsenic exposure has potential skeletal muscle toxicity; however, the underlying mechanism has not yet been clarified. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation among adverse effects of subchronic and chronic environmental arsenic exposure on skeletal muscle as well as specific myokines secretion and angiotensin II (AngII)–melatonin (MT) axis in rats. Four‐week‐old rats were exposed to arsenite (iAs) in drinking water at environmental relevant concentration of 10 ppm for 3 or 9 months. Results indicated that the gastrocnemius muscle had atrophied and its mass was decreased in rats exposed to arsenite for 9 months, whereas, they had no significant changes in rats exposed to arsenite for 3 months. The levels of serum‐specific myokine irisin and gastrocnemius muscle insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1) were increased in 3‐month exposure group and decreased in 9‐month exposure group, while serum myostatin (MSTN) was increased significantly in 9‐month exposure group. In addition, serum AngII level increased both in 3‐ and 9‐month exposure groups, while serum MT level increased in 3‐month exposure group and decreased in 9‐month exposure group. Importantly, the ratio of AngII to MT level in serum increased gradually with the prolongation of arsenite exposure. It showed a certain correlation between AngII–MT axis and gastrocnemius muscle mass, gastrocnemius muscle level of IGF‐1 or serum levels of irisin and MSTN. In conclusion, the disruption of AngII–MT axis balance may be a significant factor for skeletal muscle atrophy induced by chronic environmental arsenic exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to tackle the issue of the degraded navigation accuracy of the inertial navigation system/global navigation satellite system (INS/GNSS) integrated navigation system in urban applications, especially under complex environments. This study utilizes historical state estimates and proposes a multi-step pseudo-measurement adaptive Kalman filter (MPKF) algorithm based on the filter performance evaluation. First, taking advantage of the independence between INS and GNSS, the enhanced second-order mutual difference (SOMD) algorithm is utilized for estimating the noise variance of the GNSS, which is decoupled from the estimate error of state and used as a module for filter performance evaluation. Then, the construction of the proposed method is presented, together with the analysis of the noise variance of multi-step pseudo-measurement. Ultimately, the efficacy of the MPKF is confirmed through a real-world vehicle experiment involving a tightly-coupled INS/GNSS integrated navigation application, demonstrating a noteworthy enhancement in navigation precision within densely wooded and built-up areas. Compared to the standard EKF and enhanced redundant measurement-based adaptive Kalman filter (ERMAKF), the proposed algorithm improves the positioning accuracy by 48% and 34%, velocity accuracy by 50% and 35%, and attitude accuracy by 38% and 48%, respectively, in the urban building segment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saline-alkali soil significantly impairs crop growth. This research employs the impacts of the modifier and water-soluble fertilizer, as well as their interaction, on the root systems of alfalfa and leymus chinensis in saline-alkali soil. The results exhibit that the hydrochar source modifier effectively enhances the root growth of both forage species. There are certain improvements in the root growth indicators of both crops at a dosage of 20 g/kg. Root enzyme activity and rhizosphere soil enzyme activity are enhanced in alfalfa, showing significant improvements in the first planting compared to the second planting. The application of water-soluble fertilizers also promotes root growth and root dehydrogenase activity. The root dehydrogenase activity of alfalfa and leymus chinensis are enhanced 62.18% and 10.15% in first planting than that of blank, respectively. Additionally, the two-factor variance analysis revealed a correlation between rhizosphere soil enzyme activity and changes in root traits. Higher rhizosphere soil enzyme activity is observed in conjunction with better root growth. The combined application of a modifier and water-soluble fertilizer has demonstrated a significant interaction effect on various aspects of the first planting of alfalfa and leymus chinensis. Moreover, the combined application of the modifier and water-soluble fertilizer has yielded superior results when compared to the individual application of either the modifier or the water-soluble fertilizer alone. This combined approach has proven effective in improving saline-alkali soil conditions and promoting crop growth in such challenging environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous deep/shallow level defects generated at the surface/grain boundaries of perovskite during uncontrollable crystallization pose a formidable challenge to the photovoltaic performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Herein, an organometallic cobaltocenium salt additive, 1‐propanol‐2‐(1,2,3‐triazol‐4‐yl) cobaltocenium hexafluorophosphate (PTCoPF6), is incorporated into the perovskite precursor solution to regulate crystallization and minimize holistic defects for high‐performance inverted PSCs. The cobaltocenium cations and PF6− in PTCoPF6 stabilize the Pb‐I framework and repair the shallow‐level defects of positively and negatively charged vacancies in the perovskite. The N═N in the triazole ring of PTCoPF6 can passivate the deep‐level defects of uncoordinated lead. The interaction between PTCoPF6 and perovskite materials delays perovskite nucleation and crystal growth, ensuring high‐quality perovskite with large grains, and suppressing non‐radiative recombination and ion migration. Therefore, the PTCoPF6‐incorporated PSC achieves an impressive power conversion efficiency of 25.03% and outstanding long‐term stability. Unencapsulated and encapsulated PTCoPF6‐incorporated PSCs maintain 93% and 95% of their initial efficiencies under 85 °C storage in a nitrogen atmosphere for 1000 h and maximum power point tracking for nearly 1000 h, respectively. Synergistic crystallization kinetic modulation and deep/shallow level defect passivation with ionized metal‐organic complex additives will become prevalent methods to improve the efficiency and stability of PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Prolactinoma is the most common subtype and composes about 40–66% of all pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs). Studies suggested that some other subtypes of PitNETs, such as Acromegaly and Cushing disease, could result in hypertension. However, this relationship remains unclear in prolactinoma. Our study revealed that in situ rat and xenograft nude-mice prolactinoma induced a significant BP increase, which was attenuated by cabergoline (CAB) treatment. In clinic, surgery decreased BP in prolactinoma patients both with or without hypertension. This BP-lowering effect was significantly associated with several variables, including age, sex, disease duration, tumor size, invasion, resistance to dopamine agonists (DAs), recurrence, and preoperative PRL levels. Several subtypes of pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs), such as acromegaly and Cushing's disease, can result in hypertension. However, whether prolactinoma is associated with this complication remains unknown. Moreover, the effect of treatment with surgery or drugs on blood pressure (BP) is unknown. Herein, a retrospective study reviewed 162 patients with prolactinoma who underwent transsphenoidal surgery between January 2005 and December 2022. BP measurements were performed 1 day before and 5 days after surgery. Accordingly, patients' medical characteristics were recorded. In addition, in situ rat and xenograft nude-mice prolactinoma models have been used to mimic prolactinoma. In vivo BP and serum prolactin (PRL) levels were measured after cabergoline (CAB) administration in both rats and mice. Our data suggest that surgery can effectively decrease BP in prolactinoma patients with or without hypertension. The BP-lowering effect was significantly associated with several variables, including age, sex, disease duration, tumor size, invasion, dopamine agonists (DAs)-resistance, recurrence, and preoperative PRL levels. Moreover, in situ and xenograft prolactinomas induced BP elevation, which was alleviated by CAB treatment without and with a statistical difference in rats and mice, respectively. Thus, surgery or CAB can decrease BP in prolactinoma, indicating that pre- and postoperative BP management becomes essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid sediment deposition induced by storm and reclamation has both positive and negative effects on the mangrove. In this study, the rapid sediment deposition is found to cause the mangrove mortality in the Tieshan Harbor of Guangxi Beibu Gulf (GBG). Based on modeling and observational results, the reduced tidal current velocity caused by the wharf construction is not the main reason for the mangrove mortality. The sediment generated from the reclamation overflow, accompanied by the effect of entrance avenue, jointly lead to the rapid sediment deposition in the mangrove region and then contribute to the mangrove mortality. Gale process and drainage outlet also make a subsidiary contribution to the rapid sediment deposition. When the entrance avenue was excavated and the reclamation overflow port was moved as well as the drainage outlets were closed, the biomass and perched density of intertidal animals in the mangrove region obviously increased from January to July 2021, corresponding to the decrease of sediment deposition rate during the period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Here, we combined the photon antibunching analysis, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, and time‐domain fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (TD‐FLIM) to study the emission properties of a representative AIE‐luminogen—4,4'‐(benzo[c][1,2,5] thiadiazole‐4,7‐diyl)bis(N,N‐diphenylaniline) (TPA‐BT) at the single emitter level in a tetrahydrofuran (THF)/water solution where water is a non‐solvent for TPA‐BT. Our findings suggest that, at a constant water fraction in the solution, the size of TPA‐BT aggregates increases with the TPA‐BT concentration; TPA‐BT aggregates are not a quantum emitter at room temperature in the solution. Moreover, utilizing TD‐FLIM and a gel trapping technique allowed us to study the fluorescence lifetime of individual TPA‐BT aggregates. Adding a polar solvent like water does not result in an overall decrease in fluorescence lifetime. Rather, it causes the fluorescence lifetime distribution to become wider, and only some molecules experience a decrease in their fluorescence lifetime. These results could represent a step forward in further understanding the photophysics of AIE‐luminogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our study, Bacillus subtilis was disposed to a simulated microgravity (SMG) environment in high-aspect ratio rotating-wall vessel bioreactors for 14 days, while the control group was disposed to the same bioreactors in a normal gravity (NG) environment for 14 days. The B. subtilis strain exposed to the SMG (labeled BSS) showed an enhanced growth ability, increased biofilm formation ability, increased sensitivity to ampicillin sulbactam and cefotaxime, and some metabolic alterations compared with the B. subtilis strain under NG conditions (labeled BSN) and the original strain of B. subtilis (labeled BSO). The differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) associated with an increased growth rate, such as DNA strand exchange activity, oxidoreductase activity, proton-transporting ATP synthase complex, and biosynthetic process, were significantly upregulated in BSS. The enhanced biofilm formation ability may be related with the DEPs of spore germination and protein processing in BSS, and differentially expressed genes involved in protein localization and peptide secretion were also significantly enriched. The results revealed that SMG may increase the level of related functional proteins by upregulating or downregulating affiliated genes to change physiological characteristics and modulate growth ability, biofilm formation ability (epsB, epsC, epsN), antibiotic sensitivity (penP) and metabolism. Our experiment may gives new ideas for the study of space microbiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Targeted passivation of defects in perovskite is the primary consideration in the design of additives containing functional groups. However, the precise modulation of electron structure in functional groups and the structure‐activity relationship between electronic configuration and performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) still need to be explored. In this study, 5‐chloro‐2‐hydroxypyridine derivatives with –NH2 (HNCLP) and –F (HFCLP) end groups are selected to realize the push‐pull electronic structure configuration. Density functional theory demonstrates that, compared with HFCLP, HNCLP with the electron‐donating terminal of –NH2 has a long dipole moment and immobilize the interstitial I3−, and the N side of pyridine with high‐density electron cloud enables strong passivation with undercoordinated Pb2+ ions. The experimental results confirm that HNCLP with optimized electronic configuration emerges strong passivation ability, greatly suppresses the nonradiative recombination of perovskite absorber, and remarkably improves the film crystal quality along with the extraction and transfer process of photogenerated carriers. The HNCLP‐contained PSC exhibits a remarkable efficiency of 24.47%, and HNCLP helps to enhance the moisture‐proof of perovskite film and device storage stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When calculating the surface settlement caused by tunnel excavation, the conventional stochastic medium theory is complicated by integration. Particularly for tunnel undercrossing excavation, it shows large errors in calculating the surface settlement. In this paper, the conventional 2D stochastic medium theory is simplified by means of a nonuniform convergence. Based on the Sagaseta formula, the ground loss along the tunnel excavation direction is derived, and the 2D model is extended to calculate the 3D surface settlement. Furthermore, the effect of the existing tunnel is considered by the equivalent layered method, and the simplified 3D model is proposed for calculating the surface settlement induced by tunnel undercrossing excavation. The simulated and measured data are compared with the predicted results of the theoretical model, and the characteristics of the 3D surface settlement are investigated. The results show that compared with the surface settlement in the non-undercrossing section, the surface settlement in the undercrossing section has a larger lateral range. However, the maximum settlement value is significantly reduced, and the surface settlement trough curve is characterized as "wider and shallower." The results of the proposed model are in better agreement with the simulated and measured data than those of the conventional stochastic medium theory and have higher correlation and broader applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: The plant‐specific TOPLESS (TPL) family of transcriptional corepressors is integral to multiple angiosperm developmental processes. Despite this, we know little about TPL function in other plants. To address this gap, we investigated the roles TPL plays in the bryophyte Physcomitrium patens, which diverged from angiosperms approximately 0.5 billion years ago. Although complete loss of PpTPL function is lethal, transgenic lines with reduced PpTPL activity revealed that PpTPLs are essential for two fundamental developmental switches in this plant: the transitions from basal photosynthetic filaments (chloronemata) to specialised foraging filaments (caulonemata) and from two‐dimensional (2D) to three‐dimensional (3D) growth. Using a transcriptomics approach, we integrated PpTPL into the regulatory network governing 3D growth and we propose that PpTPLs represent another important class of regulators that are essential for the 2D‐to‐3D developmental switch. Transcriptomics also revealed a previously unknown role for PpTPL in the regulation of flavonoids. Intriguingly, 3D growth and the formation of caulonemata were crucial innovations that facilitated the colonisation of land by plants, a major transformative event in the history of life on Earth. We conclude that TPL, which existed before the land plants, was co‐opted into new developmental pathways, enabling phytoterrestrialisation and the evolution of land plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP)/albumin ratio have recently been used to predict early prognosis for intensive care unit (ICU) patients and patients undergoing major surgery. But there were few clinical studies in patients after lung transplantation (LTX). Aim/Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the association between PCT combined with CRP/albumin ratio and 30-day mortality and predict the accuracy of PCT combined with CRP/albumin ratio for 30-day mortality in patients after LTX. Method: From January 1, 2016 to December 1, 2020, the clinical data of 77 patients undergoing LTX who died within 30 days were retrospectively collected, we randomly collected 87 patients survived more than 30 days after LTX. ROC curve was used to evaluate the prognostic value of PCT combined with CRP/albumin in predicting mortality at 30 days after ICU admission, Cox proportional hazard model analysis was used to identify risk factors, subgroup analyses was conducted. Results: Postoperative PCT, CRP, albumin, CRP/albumin ratio, atrial fibrillation, primary graft dysfunction (PGD) grade, the hours of postoperative mechanical ventilation (MV) and length of ICU stay between survivor and non-survivor had a significant difference. On Cox proportional hazard regression analysis, both PCT [HR 1.02 (1.00–1.05), P = 0.037] and CRP/albumin ratio [HR 1.438 (1.26–1.65), P < 0.001] were independent predictors of 30-day mortality. In all patients after LTX, the area under the curve (AUC) of PCT combined with CRP/albumin ratio for predicting 30-day mortality was 0.76 (95% CI 0.69–0.83). In subgroup analysis, the AUC of PCT combined with CRP/albumin ratio for predicting 30-day mortality was 0.83 (95% CI 0.75–0.91) in patients undergoing LTX for interstitial pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Conclusion: The PCT combined with CRP/albumin ratio could be a predictor of the outcomes in patients undergoing LTX. The predictive efficacy was better in patients undergoing LTX for IPF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Steel spring floating slab track is a kind of vibration and noise reduction track structure widely used in urban rail transit. With the increase of track service time, the structure damage, steel spring failure and even fracture of floating slab track may occur. Currently, skylight time is used for detection, which is cumbersome and difficult to operate. Based on this, this paper proposes a new type of steel spring floating slab track structure for online monitoring, which can grasp the deformation data of floating slab track spring in real time. The static and dynamic characteristics of the new structure are analyzed by numerical simulation method, and the application effect of online monitoring is evaluated based on the field measured data. The results show that the mechanical strength of the new online monitoring steel spring floating slab track structure can meet the requirements of normal use, the maximum bending moment of the track plate is 149.7 kN·m, the maximum shear force is 279.5 N, and the maximum shear hinge stress is 186 MPa. The maximum stress of 146.1 MPa of the upper bearing plate appears in the contact position with the jacking equipment, and the maximum stress of the outer sleeve wall is 102.2 MPa. Adopting the new steel spring floating slab track and reasonably setting it in the transition area with other tracks can make the transition of track structure more gentle and reduce the maximum vertical displacement of rail by 0. 85-1.25 mm. The switching sensor and measuring sensor are inserted into the steel spring floating plate vibration isolator, which can measure the compression amount of the steel spring and judge whether the spring is broken or fatigue fault respectively. The new on-line monitoring steel spring floating slab track structure has been laid in Jurong metro line of Nanjing, and the field measurement data shows that the new structure can accurately monitor the track structure displacement in real time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cracks in concrete tunnel linings are inevitable during service life. It is necessary to keep abreast of the cracking condition of the lining and formulate reasonable inspection and maintenance measures to ensure operational safety. Considering the influence of train loads on the safety and service performance of cracked linings, the expansion process of lining cracks and the maintenance strategy of tunnels during the service period was investigated. The impact of detection probability and maintenance measures on the service life of tunnel lining and the cost of detection and maintenance of cracked lining in the whole life cycle was analyzed; the optimization calculation model of tunnel lining crack detection and maintenance strategy based on genetic algorithm was established with the multi-objective optimization function of maximizing the service life of detection and maintenance and minimizing the total cost of detection and maintenance of fatigue cracks. The optimization analysis of lining crack expansion, detection, and maintenance was carried out for an operational railroad tunnel. Finally, an optimization analysis of lining crack expansion and maintenance was carried out in a railway tunnel. The results show that the stress intensity factor at the tip of the lining cracks is the same as the train load waveform; the magnitude of the stress intensity factor approximately satisfies the exponential function relationship with the depth of cracks; the fatigue service life of cracked lining is positively correlated with the cost of inspection and maintenance; the adoption of the necessary maintenance and the increase in the number of inspections and maintenance have a better economy while meeting the expectation of the service life. According to the Pareto solution set, the management can formulate the inspection and maintenance strategy based on the tunnel's expected life and maintenance budget. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design of additives mainly involves selection of functional groups with coordination relationships with defects in perovskite materials. However, it is particularly important to further adjust the geometrical configuration and electronic structure of an additive. Here, the nicotinamide (NA) and its derivative 6‐Methylnicotinamide (CNA) with electron‐donor functional groups are comparatively analyzed to investigate the effect of molecular dipole and electronic configuration on the defect passivation of perovskite absorbers and the photovoltaic properties of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Theoretical calculations demonstrate that the CNA molecule with its large molecular dipole combine with the undercoordinated Pb2+ ions in perovskite to form a higher binding energy, which is beneficial to improve the formation energy of Pb‐related defects. Experimental characterization confirms that the CNA molecule significantly enhances the coordination effect between acylamino and undercoordinated defective Pb2+ cations, which is conducive to obtain high‐quality, low‐defect density of state, large grain size, and smooth surface perovskite absorbers. Thanks to the electronic configuration and electronic cloud distribution of CNA molecules, the PSCs yield impressive efficiency as high as 24.33% with excellent environmental storage, heat, and light stabilities. This research provides a research basis for designing additives with steric‐charge‐dependence to assist perovskite photovoltaics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-fed aquaculture is an important contributor to low environmental impact protein production. However, knowledge of spatiotemporal patterns of the fish community in non-fed fishery systems remains limited, despite their ecological importance for sustainable aquaculture and fisheries. To elucidate the status of the fisheries and their critical drivers in non-fed fishery systems, hydroacoustic surveys were conducted seasonally in Hongchaojiang Reservoir in two seasons (spring and autumn) of two consecutive years: 2018 and 2019. Results showed that the average fish density in Hongchaojiang Reservoir was 121.6 ind./1000 m3. Fish communities varied significantly between geographical locations and seasons. On the temporal scale, fish densities in October were higher than those in April. On the spatial scale, fish densities were higher in the upstream (S1 and S3) than those in the midstream (S2, S4, S5, S6), while the density of S7, S8 and S9 in the downstream was the lowest. Trophic level index, zooplankton, chlorophyll-a, and phytoplankton play vital roles in fish distributional patterns, while the target strength, which reflects fish body size, was highly associated with water temperature, dissolved oxygen, total organic carbon, and phytoplankton. These results suggest that the spatiotemporal distribution of the fish community in Hongchaojiang Reservoir was jointly influenced by biotic and abiotic variables of water bodies, and highlight the importance of water nutrient levels and food availability in shaping fish distribution in the non-fed aquaculture system. This study should improve our understanding of ecological patterns and dominant drivers in fish stocks and provide information for successful sustainable management in non-fed purification fisheries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arsenic is a kind of widespread environmental toxicant with multiorgan-toxic effects, and arsenic exposure is associated with the occurrence and development of many chronic diseases. The influence of environmental arsenic exposure on skeletal muscle, which is a vital organ of energy and glucose metabolism, has received increasing attention. This study aimed to investigate the types of inorganic arsenic-induced skeletal muscle injury, and the potential regulatory effects of melatonin (MT) and erythropoietin (EPO) in young (3-month-old) and middle-aged (12-month-old) rats. Our results showed that 1 mg/L sodium arsenite exposure for 3 months could accelerate gastrocnemius muscle atrophy and promote the switch of type II fibers to type I fibers in middle-aged rats; however, it did not cause significant pathological changes of gastrocnemius muscle in young rats. In addition, arsenite could inhibit serum MT levels, and promote serum EPO levels but inhibit EPO receptor (EPOR) expression in gastrocnemius muscle in middle-aged rats, while serum MT levels and EPOR expression in gastrocnemius muscle showed an opposite effect in young rats. Importantly, exogenous MT antagonized the arsenite-induced skeletal muscle toxic effect and restored serum EPO and gastrocnemius muscle EPOR expression levels in middle-aged rats. There was a positive correlation among gastrocnemius muscle index, serum MT level, and gastrocnemius muscle EPOR protein level in arsenite-exposed rats. This study demonstrated that inorganic arsenic could accelerate skeletal muscle mass loss and type II fiber reduction in middle-aged rats, which may be related to decreased MT secretion and declined EPO sensitivity in skeletal muscle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new single-loop active learning Kriging method with probability of rejecting classification is proposed for solving time-dependent system reliability analysis problems. The proposed method aims at making full use of the response information of all potential failure time instants or failure modes to improve the sampling efficiency and algorithm interpretability. Firstly, the probability of rejecting classification of each candidate sample for single failure mode is derived based on the Kriging models that are used to approximate the performance functions. Then, both the joint probability of rejecting classification and cumulative probability of rejecting classification are constructed for time-dependent series system and time-dependent parallel system, respectively. Any potential failure information for multiple failure modes over the entire time interval is taken into account. On this basis, an effective active learning strategy is developed to identify the new training sample and the target Kriging model to be updated corresponding to a certain failure mode. The maximum real-time estimation error criterion for time-dependent system problem is utilized to stop refining Kriging models after fully exploiting the limit state surface. Finally, three examples are used to demonstrate the excellent efficiency and computational accuracy of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To further explore the mechanism of coal spontaneous combustion and better grasp the laws of spontaneous combustion, this article studied the adsorption behavior of O2 in coal. Materials studio software was applied to study the adsorption of oxygen under different water content, different pore sizes, and different oxygen-containing functional groups by means of grand canonical Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulation methods. The results show that the adsorption capacity of O2 decreases with the increase in water content. With the increase of molecular pore size of coal, the adsorption capacity of O2 increases, and the tight adsorption amounts decrease. The equivalent adsorption heat is less than 42 kJ/mol, indicating that the adsorption of O2 in coal pores is physical adsorption. The smaller the physical adsorption energy and charge transfer value of the hydroxyl group for O2, it indicates that the hydroxyl group is the active group for the physical adsorption of O2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein interactions with the microRNA (miRNA)-mediated gene silencing protein Argonaute 2 (AGO2) control miRNA expression. miRNA biogenesis starts with the production of precursor transcripts and culminates with the loading of mature miRNA onto AGO2 by DICER1. Here we reveal an additional component to the regulatory mechanism for miRNA biogenesis involving the adaptor protein, growth factor receptor-bound protein 2 (GRB2). The N-terminal SH3 domain of GRB2 is recruited to the PAZ domain of AGO2 forming a ternary complex containing GRB2, AGO2 and DICER1. Using small-RNA sequencing we identified two groups of miRNAs which are regulated by the binding of GRB2. First, mature and precursor transcripts of mir-17~92 and mir-221 miRNAs are enhanced. Second, mature, but not precursor, let-7 family miRNAs are diminished suggesting that GRB2 directly affects loading of these miRNAs. Notably, the resulting loss of let-7 augments expression of oncogenic targets such as RAS. Thus, a new role for GRB2 is established with implications for cancer pathogenesis through regulation of miRNA biogenesis and oncogene expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the problem of long time‐consuming and low accuracy of existing age estimation approaches, a new age estimation method using Gabor feature fusion, and an improved atomic search algorithm for feature selection is proposed. Firstly, texture features of five scales and eight directions in the face region are extracted by Gabor wavelet transform. The statistical histogram is introduced to encode and fuse the directional index with the largest feature value on Gabor scales. Secondly, a new hybrid feature selection algorithm chaotic improved atom search optimisation with simulated annealing (CIASO‐SA) is presented, which is based on an improved atomic search algorithm and the simulated annealing algorithm. Besides, the CIASO‐SA algorithm introduces a chaos mechanism during atomic initialisation, significantly improving the convergence speed and accuracy of the algorithm. Finally, a support vector machine (SVM) is used to get classification results of the age group. To verify the performance of the proposed algorithm, face images with three resolutions in the Adience dataset are tested. Using the Gabor real part fusion feature at 48 × 48 resolution, the average accuracy and 1‐off accuracy of age classification exhibit a maximum of 60.4% and 85.9%, respectively. Obtained results prove the superiority of the proposed algorithm over the state‐of‐the‐art methods, which is of great referential value for application to the mobile terminals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the principle of electromagnetic induction, this paper proposes a new sleeve structure of electromagnetic induction heating energy storage system, which converts the electrical energy that cannot be consumed by wind power, solar power and other power grids into heat energy. The electromagnetic induction heating model of the eddy current field is established by Ansoft/Maxwell, and the magnetic induction intensity, current penetration depth and current frequency are analyzed. The three-dimensional fluid temperature field and its corresponding temperature characteristics of the system are analyzed by Ansys/Fluent. The temperature field cloud diagram of the sleeve is analyzed. It is concluded that with the increase of air thickness, the loss of the internal iron pipe increases, and the loss of the middle iron pipe decreases. The characteristic curve of the resonant circuit of the electromagnetic induction heating power supply is simulated and analyzed to determine the optimal parameters of the resonant circuit of the induction heating. A 100 kW electromagnetic energy storage system is developed, and the effectiveness and practicability of the method are verified, which can be applied to high power thermal energy storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Injecting power plant flue gas into a goaf stores CO2 in the flue gas and effectively prevents the spontaneous combustion of the coal remaining in the goaf. Here, we investigated the adsorption behavior of three types of coal at normal temperature and pressure using a self-developed adsorption experimental device. We used a specific surface area and porosity analyzer to study the effects of pore structure, mineral content, and moisture content on CO2 adsorption in coal. Based on the experimental data, we designed a multifactor CO2 adsorption prediction model based on a backpropagation (BP) neural network. The results indicated that the pore size of most micropores in coal was in the range of 0.5–0.7 and 0.8–0.9 nm. The specific surface area and pore volume were positively correlated with the CO2-saturated adsorption capacity, whereas the mean pore diameter, mineral content, and moisture content were inversely associated with the CO2-saturated adsorption amount. The accuracy of the multifactor BP neural network prediction model was satisfactory: the determination coefficients (R2) of the training and test sets were both above 0.98, the root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) of the test set were both less than 0.1, and the prediction results satisfied the requirements. To optimize the prediction performance of the model, we used the random forest algorithm to calculate the importance of each factor. The sum of the importance weights of the specific surface area, moisture content, and pore volume was 91.6%, which was much higher than that of the other two factors. Therefore, we constructed an optimization model with specific surface area, moisture content, and pore volume as input variables. The R2 values of the training and test sets in the simplified model were improved compared with those of the multifactor model, the RMSE and MAE were reduced, and the fitting effect was ideal. The prediction model of CO2 adsorption in coal based on the BP neural network can predict the CO2 adsorption capacity of coal under different physical and chemical conditions, thereby providing theoretical support for the application of CO2 storage technology in goafs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quasi‐2D perovskites are promising emitters in light‐emitting diodes (LEDs) due to their natural quantum well (QW) structure and tunable exciton binding energy. Synergistic regulation of the defect passivation and QW width distribution of quasi‐2D perovskites is crucial to achieve high‐performance perovskite‐based LEDs. Herein, a combination of two additives, i.e., 3‐(diaminomethylidene)‐1,1‐dimethylguanidine (Metformin) and 1,4,7,10,13,16‐hexaoxacyclooctadecane (Crown) having preferential interactions with different quasi‐2D perovskite precursors is proposed to synergistically passivate the defects and regulate the QW width distribution of quasi‐2D perovskites. Metformin additive interacts strongly with lead bromide, mainly passivating the defects. Crown additive has preferential interactions with organic spacer phenethylammonium bromide, which dominates the QW width distribution and induces quasi‐2D perovskites with uniform dimensions. The dual additives of Metformin and Crown interact preferentially with distinct precursors, allowing to regulate the QW width distribution and defect density of quasi‐2D perovskites synergistically. A photoluminescence quantum yield as high as 91.5% is achieved for the quasi‐2D perovskite prepared with the dual‐additive strategy. Moreover, high‐efficiency quasi‐2D perovskite LEDs were successfully fabricated with a maximum external quantum efficiency of 21.3% and a maximum luminance over 30 000 cd m−2. This work provides a preferential interaction‐guided dual‐additive strategy to fabricate high‐efficiency quasi‐2D perovskite LEDs without anti‐solvent treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The resolution accuracy of the inertial navigation system/global navigation satellite system (INS/GNSS) integrated system would be degraded in challenging areas. This paper proposed a novel algorithm, which combines the second-order mutual difference method with the maximum correntropy criteria extended Kalman filter to address the following problems (1) the GNSS measurement noise estimation cannot be isolated from the state estimation and suffers from the auto-correlated statistic sequences, and (2) the performance of EKF would be degraded under the non-Gaussian condition. In detail, the proposed algorithm determines the possible distribution of the measurement noise by a kernel density function detection, then depending on the detection result, either the difference sequences–based method or an autoregressive correction algorithm's result is utilized for calculating the noise covariance. Then, the obtained measurement noise covariance is used in MCEKF instead of EKF to enhance filter adaptiveness. Meanwhile, to enhance the numerical stability of the MCEKF, we adopted the Cholesky decomposition to calculate the matrix inverse in the kernel function. The road experiment verified that our proposed method could achieve more accurate navigation resolutions than the compared ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The origin of embryo implantation in mammals ~148 million years ago was a dramatic shift in reproductive strategy, yet the molecular changes that established mammal implantation are largely unknown. Although progesterone receptor signalling predates the origin of mammals and is highly conserved in, and critical for, successful mammal pregnancy, it alone cannot explain the origin and subsequent diversity of implantation strategies throughout the placental mammal radiation. MiRNAs are known to be flexible and dynamic regulators with a well-established role in the pathophysiology of mammal placenta. We propose that a dynamic core microRNA (miRNA) network originated early in placental mammal evolution, responds to conserved mammal pregnancy cues (e.g. progesterone), and facilitates species-specific responses. Here we identify 13 miRNA gene families that arose at the origin of placental mammals and were subsequently retained in all descendent lineages. The expression of these miRNAs in response to early pregnancy molecules is regulated in a species-specific manner in endometrial epithelia of species with extreme implantation strategies (i.e. bovine and human). Furthermore, this set of miRNAs preferentially target proteins under positive selective pressure on the ancestral eutherian lineage. Discovery of this core embryo implantation toolkit and specifically adapted proteins helps explain the origin and evolution of implantation in mammals. Here 13 conserved miRNAs are identified that arose at the origin of placental mammals. Their expression is triggered by early pregnancy cues in a species-specific way, providing insights into the origin and evolution of implantation in mammals [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for eye-safe 1550 nm pulsed semiconductor laser-emission modules is increasing in the field of active laser detection, owing to their long range and high precision. The high power and narrow pulse of these modules can significantly improve the distance and accuracy of active-laser detection. Here, we propose an equivalent circuit model of a multiquantum-well laser based on the structure of a laser device. We developed a design method for 1550 nm pulsed semiconductor laser-emission modules according to the equivalent circuit model of an InGaAlAs laser. In this method, the module design was divided into laser chip and laser-driver levels for optimization and simulation. At the chip level, a high-output power laser chip with optimal cavity length and optical facet coating coefficients was obtained. At the laser-driver level, the model was applied to a drive circuit to provide direct narrow optical pulses. Finally, a laser-emission module was fabricated based on the optimal design results. In addition to the power-current features of the actual laser, the critical voltage of the emission module and laser pulses were tested. By comparing the test and simulation results, the effectiveness of the proposed method was confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human norovirus (HuNoV) is the leading foodborne pathogen causing nonbacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. The oyster is an important vehicle for HuNoV transmission, especially the GI.1 HuNoV. In our previous study, oyster heat shock protein 70 (oHSP 70) was identified as the first proteinaceous ligand of GII.4 HuNoV in Pacific oysters besides the commonly accepted carbohydrate ligands, a histo-blood group antigens (HBGAs)-like substance. However the mismatch of the distribution pattern between discovered ligands and GI.1 HuNoV suggests that other ligands may exist. In our study, proteinaceous ligands for the specific binding of GI.1 HuNoV were mined from oyster tissues using a bacterial cell surface display system. Fifty-five candidate ligands were identified and selected through mass spectrometry identification and bioinformatics analysis. Among them, the oyster tumor necrosis factor (oTNF) and oyster intraflagellar transport protein (oIFT) showed strong binding abilities with the P protein of GI.1 HuNoV. In addition, the highest mRNA level of these two proteins was found in the digestive glands, which is consistent with GI.1 HuNoV distribution. Overall the findings suggested that oTNF and oIFT may play important roles in the bioaccumulation of GI.1 HuNoV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The visceral adiposity index (VAI) is related to the occurrence of various cardiometabolic diseases, atherosclerosis, and stroke. However, few studies have analyzed the impact on the short-term prognosis of stroke. We assessed the effect of VAI on short-term prognoses in patients with acute ischemic stroke through a retrospective cohort study of 225 patients with acute stroke who were admitted to the neurological intensive care unit of our hospital. We collected metabolic indicators (blood pressure, fasting glucose, lipids), National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, and other disease evaluation indicators on 197 patients who were screened for inclusion. VAI was calculated by using baseline data (sex, height, weight, waist circumference (WC)). We assessed functional recovery according to modified Rankin scale scores after 90 days. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to calculate the VAI cutoff value that affects short-term outcomes. A nomogram that can predict the risk of short-term mortality in patients with acute ischemic stroke was drawn. In total, 28 patients died within 90 days. Those patients had higher VAI (p = 0.000), higher triglyceride (TG) (p = 0.020) and NIHSS scores (p = 0.000), and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (p = 0.000) than patients who survived. VAI had higher predictive value of short-term mortality than did body mass index (BMI), body fat mass index (BFMI), and WC. VAI and NIHSS scores were independent risk factors for the short-term mortality of patients with stroke. Patients with a VAI > 2.355 had a higher risk of short-term mortality. VAI has a predictive value higher than that of traditional metabolic indicators such as BMI, BFMI, and WC. The nomogram, composed of NIHSS, VAI, HDL-C, and TG, may predict the short-term mortality of cerebral infarction patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the efficiency of perovskite solar cell has skyrocketed to as high as 25.7%, their stability has become the biggest obstacle to commercialization. Preliminary analyses suggest that additive engineering may be effective in improving both solar cell efficiency and its stability. Herein, the plant‐derived natural green additive of l‐Theanine (Thea) is selected to improve the crystal quality of the perovskite absorber and obtain high‐performance perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with ultraviolet/ozone (UV/O3) resistance. The characterization results reveal that the CO group in Thea can effectively inhibit the precipitation of metal Pb0, passivate undercoordinated Pb2+ ions, and promote the nucleation and crystallization of perovskite. In addition, the combination of the NH group and I− in the form of a hydrogen bond cooperatively reduce the probability of nonradiative recombination of photogenerated carriers and effectively improves the extraction ability of carriers from perovskite absorber. With the cooperation of CO and NH2 groups in Thea, the champion efficiency is improved from 22.29% in the control device to 24.58%. More importantly, Thea significantly alleviates the perovskite phase transition and film decomposition induced by UV/O3 treatment. The study provides exploratory research for the application of plant‐derived green additives in the UV/O3 resistance field of perovskite photovoltaics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the breakthrough of deep learning in vibration-based damage detection, such methods have obtained high detection accuracy, especially supervised learning. However, the work of labelling data is tedious and challenging when facing complex structures and long-time monitoring. This paper proposes a damage detection method based on principal component analysis (PCA) and deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) with dynamic response measured by FBG (Fibre Bragg Grating) sensor arrays. Several FBG sensors are applied to form chainlike arrays along a steel beam and a reinforced concrete (RC) beam. The raw dynamic signal is recorded via FBG sensors in different damage states and analyzed by PCA-based method focusing on T2 and Q statistic as damage indices firstly. Then a priori knowledge of damage in each raw data is achieved according to calculated damage indices and the raw data are labelled. After the labelling procedure, DCNN-based models for steel beam and RC beam are constructed and trained. The DCNN models are evaluated and tested to predict the unknown damage levels. The results show that the DCNN-based damage detection method with the training data labelled by PCA-based model can accurately predict the damage levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The additive strategy has emerged as an effective approach to improving the performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Herein, a small acceptor-donor-acceptor type molecule indaceno[1,2-b:5,6-b′]dithiophene chloride (IDT-Cl) is designed and synthesized to advance both the efficiency and stability of FA0.85MA0.15PbI3 PSCs. Within the IDT-Cl molecule, the S-group with high electron density promotes chemical bonding with the lead cations in the perovskite, resulting in enlarged grain size and smoother surface topography of the perovskite absorber. In addition, the undercoordinated lead ions in the perovskite layer may be passivated by the carbonyl group in the 5-chloroindolin-2-one unit, thereby reducing the number of nonradiative recombination centers. Meanwhile, the IDT-Cl adjusts the energy level mismatch between the perovskite and two adjacent carrier transport layers, leading to easy charge collection. By the multifunctional effect of the IDT-Cl molecule, the modified device yields a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 24.46%, 8.8% higher than that of the control PSC (22.48%). More importantly, the hydrophobic alkyl side-chain of the IDT-Cl molecule further ensures enhanced humidity stability of the perovskite film and environmental, thermal, and light stabilities of the PSC devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]