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Aiming at the scenario of coordinated attack by gliding-guided projectiles in multi-artillery-salvo-shooting to strike fixed targets, the trajectory planning problem for collaboration schemes focusing on projectile groups is investigated to fully leverage the overall control capability and amplify the strike outcomes. Firstly, considering the differences in focal points and trajectory characteristics of fighting scheme when engaging targets at various distances, operational zone for gliding-guided projectiles is divided, and on this basis, a full trajectory cooperative programming model with optimization indicators varying by zone is established. Secondly, in response to the challenges posed by combat formation configurations in practical warfare, a universally applicable and straightforward method for delineating the scope of collaboration is introduced. Then, to overcome the restrictions pertaining to applicability or optimally encountered by existing methods of collaboration within multi-stage planning contexts, a bi-level adaptive cooperation strategy in proposed. Finally, the influence of additional constrains introduced by specific operational tasks on both the allocation of operational zone and the extent of cooperation in analyzed. Simulation results show that the proposed method can swiftly and effectively ascertain variable operating scenarios, thus aiding in combat formation arrangements; additionally, compared with conventional distributed strategies, it in evident that the proposed collaborative strategy yields superior trajectories within various operational zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-source fusion constitutes a research focus in the navigation domain. This article focuses on the online estimation of the mounting angles between the body frame and vehicle frame within low-cost embedded vehicle navigation modules and the lever arm between the global satellite navigation system (GNSS) antenna/odometer and the inertial measurement unit (IMU). An online mounting angle error estimation algorithm, using odometers and IMU speeds, has been developed to estimate the angle errors while vehicles are in motion. At the same time, an online estimation algorithm model for the GNSS antenna lever arm and odometer lever arm was constructed. These two types of lever arms are used as the estimated states, and then Kalman filters are used to estimate them. The algorithm can simultaneously estimate the IMU mounting angle error, GNSS antenna arm, and odometer arm online. The experimental outcomes demonstrate that the lever arm estimation algorithm presented herein is effective for tactical and MEMS-level inertial navigation, with an estimation error of less than 2 cm. Meanwhile, the proposed online estimation of the mounting angle algorithm has an accuracy comparable to that of the post-processing algorithm. After making up the mounting angle and lever arm, we found that the position and speed precision of the multi-source fusion navigation systems were significantly improved. The results indicate that the proposed online estimation of mounting angle error and lever arm algorithm are effective and may promote the practical and widespread application of integrated navigation systems in vehicles. It solves the shortcomings of traditional methods, including the cumbersome and inaccurate manual measurement of the lever arm. It provides a technical solution for developing a more accurate and convenient low-cost vehicle navigation module. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we proposed an improved Harris Hawks Optimization (IHHO) algorithm based on the Sobol sequence, Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA), and t-distribution perturbation. The improved IHHO algorithm was then used to optimize the BP neural network, resulting in the IHHO-BP model. This model was employed to predict the bonding strength of heat-treated wood under varying conditions of temperature, time, feed rate, cutting speed, and grit size. To validate the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed model, it was compared with the original BP neural network model, WOA-BP, and HHO-BP benchmark models. The results showed that the IHHO-BP model reduced the Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), and Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) by at least 51.16%, 40.38%, and 51.93%, respectively, while increasing the coefficient of determination (R2) by at least 10.85%. This indicates significant model optimization, enhanced generalization capability, and higher prediction accuracy, better meeting practical engineering needs. Predicting the bonding strength of heat-treated wood using this model can reduce production costs and consumption, thereby significantly improving production efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corporate sustainability development has emerged as a significant concern globally. However, there is an inherent conflict between the corporate's goals of maximization of profit and achievement of sustainable development. The increasing environmental responsibility offers a solution to reconcile this contradiction. Therefore, this paper aims to empirically investigate the influence of corporate environmental responsibility on corporate sustainable development and the mediator effect of corporate environmental strategy based on the nature of strategy that it can transform temporary and one-sided-focused activities into chronical and holistic actions. The study conducted two stages of data collection, gathering a total of 324 data sets from China in 2022, which were subsequently analyzed. The findings demonstrate that corporate environmental responsibility has a significant positive impact on corporate sustainable development, with corporate environmental strategy playing a crucial intermediary role. And this research offers theoretical contribution by extending literature on sustainable development and provides significant managerial implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to constraints in launch platforms and cost, the maneuverability of gliding-guided projectiles is limited, necessitating a rational design of their trajectory schemes. To reduce the sensitivity of trajectory schemes to uncertainties while ensuring compatibility between flight schemes and guidance control systems and fully exploiting the control capability of the projectile, a closed-loop robust trajectory planning method is proposed. Models of major uncertain factors and state deviation at the control start point are established. Based on the NIPCE method, the stochastic dynamic model is transformed into a high-dimensional deterministic model with PCE coefficients as state variables, and the uncertainty propagation law is obtained. A PID algorithm is employed to design a tracking guidance law based on position error feedback, and open-loop and closed-loop robust trajectory planning models are established accordingly. The optimal control problem is solved by transforming it into a nonlinear programming problem using the direct shooting method. Our simulation results indicate that the NIPCE method can significantly improve the computational efficiency of uncertainty propagation while ensuring accuracy; compared with parallel MCS, the computation time is reduced by 96.8%. Open-loop robust planning can effectively mitigate the sensitivity of gliding trajectories to uncertainties (the standard deviations of terminal altitude and lateral deviations are reduced by 23.6% and 35.3%, respectively, compared to deterministic planning) but cannot completely eliminate terminal dispersion. Closed-loop robust planning effectively improves control effort consumption on the basis of open-loop planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd) is a naturally occurring toxic heavy metal that adversely affects plant germination, growth, and development. While the effects of Cd have been described on many crop species including rice, maize, wheat and barley, few studies are available on cadmium's effect on Tartary buckwheat which is a traditional grain in China. We examined nine genotypes and found that 30 µM of Cd reduced the root length in seedlings by between 4 and 44% and decreased the total biomass by 7 to 31%, compared with Cd-free controls. We identified a significant genotypic variation in sensitivity to Cd stress. Cd treatment decreased the total root length and the emergence and growth of lateral roots, and these changes were significantly greater in the Cd-sensitive genotypes than in tolerant genotypes. Cd resulted in greater wilting and discoloration in sensitive genotypes than in tolerant genotypes and caused more damage to the structure of root and leaf cells. Cd accumulated in the roots and shoots, but the concentrations in the sensitive genotypes were significantly greater than in the more tolerant genotypes. Cd treatment affected nutrient uptake, and the changes in the sensitive genotypes were greater than those in the tolerant genotypes, which could maintain their concentrations closer to the control levels. The induction of SOD, POD, and CAT activities in the roots and shoots was significantly greater in the tolerant genotypes than in the sensitive genotypes. We demonstrated that Cd stress reduced root and shoot growth, decreased plant biomass, disrupted nutrient uptake, altered cell structure, and managed Cd-induced oxidative stress differently in the sensitive and tolerant genotypes of Tartary buckwheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using detailed data on company visits by Chinese mutual funds, we provide direct evidence of mutual fund information acquisition activities and the consequent informational advantages mutual funds establish in local firms. Mutual funds are more likely to visit local and nearby firms both in and outside of their portfolios, but the ease of travel between fund and firm locations can substantially alleviate geographic distance constraints. Company visits by mutual funds are strongly associated with both fund trading activities and fund trading performance. Our results show that geographic constraints and costly information acquisition amplify information asymmetry in financial markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physical and mechanical properties of heat-treated wood are essential factors in assessing its appropriateness for different applications. While back-propagation (BP) neural networks are widely used for predicting wood properties, their accuracy often falls short of expectations. This paper introduces an improved Beluga Whale Optimisation (IBWO)-BP model as a solution to this challenge. We improved the standard Beluga Whale Optimisation (BWO) algorithm in three ways: (1) use Bernoulli chaos mapping to explore the entire search space during population initialization; (2) incorporate the position update formula of the Firefly Algorithm (FA) to improve the position update strategy and convergence speed; (3) apply the opposition-based learning based on the lens imaging (lensOBL) mechanism to the optimal individual, which prevents the algorithm from getting stuck in local optima during each iteration. Subsequently, we adjusted the weights and thresholds of the BP model, deploying the IBWO approach. Ultimately, we employ the IBWO-BP model to predict the swelling and shrinkage ratio of air-dry volume, as well as the modulus of elasticity (MOE) and bending strength (MOR) of heat-treated wood. The benefit of IBWO is demonstrated through comparison with other meta-heuristic algorithms (MHAs). When compared to earlier prediction models, the results revealed that the mean square error (MSE) decreased by 39.7%, the root mean square error (RMSE) by 22.4%, the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) by 9.8%, the mean absolute error (MAE) by 31.5%, and the standard deviation (STD) by 18.9%. Therefore, this model has excellent generalisation ability and relatively good prediction accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Diabetic nephropathy (DN), one of the most frequent complications of diabetes mellitus, is a leading cause of end-stage renal disease. However, the current treatment methods still cannot effectively halt the progression of DN. Jian-Pi-Gu-Shen-Hua-Yu (JPGS) decoction can be used for the treatment of chronic kidney diseases such as DN, but the specific mechanism of action has not been fully elucidated yet. Purpose. The aim of this study is to clarify whether JPGS alleviates the progression of diabetic nephropathy by inhibiting ferroptosis. Materials and Methods. We established a DN mouse model to investigate the therapeutic effect of JPGS in a DN mouse model. Subsequently, we examined the effects of JPGS on ferroptosis- and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) pathway-related indices. Finally, we validated whether JPGS inhibited ferroptosis in DN mice via the GPX4 pathway using GPX4 inhibitor and ferroptosis inhibitors. Results. The results indicate that JPGS has a therapeutic effect on DN mice by improving kidney function and reducing inflammation. Additionally, JPGS treatment decreased iron overload and oxidative stress levels while upregulating the expression of GPX4 pathway-related proteins. Moreover, JPGS demonstrated a similar therapeutic effect as Fer-1 in the context of DN treatment, and RSL3 was able to counteract the therapeutic effect of JPGS and antiferroptotic effect. Conclusion. JPGS has significant therapeutic and anti-inflammatory effects on DN mice, and its mechanism is mainly achieved by upregulating the expression of GPX4 pathway-related proteins, thereby alleviating iron overload and ultimately reducing ferroptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suppressing thermal deformation is an effective measure to reduce the thermal error of CNC (computer numerical control), and the machining accuracy of CNC directly determines the quality and accuracy of parts. A cooling pipe is designed for the non-heat source parts with large swing head deformation to restrain its thermal deformation. At present, there is a lack of research results in this field. Through the finite element simulation analysis of 5AS01 five-axis direct drive swing head, the thermal deformation of swing head and motorized spindle is compared. It has been determined that the thermal deformation of the shell in the Z- and X-axes has a significant impact on the precision of the swing head's machining; thus, steps must be taken to limit its deformation. The cooling position was determined by simulating the normal working condition of the shell and gray correlation analysis. Capillary copper tube was connected with water-cooling system for cooling, and the heat transfer performance between the shell and copper tube was improved by using heat conductive silica gel sheet. Comparing the shell cooling simulation with the shell cooling experiment, it is found that both of them have the same trend in restraining the thermal deformation of the shell, reducing the thermal deformation in X direction by more than 50% and in Z direction by more than 24%. It verifies the accuracy of the cooling simulation model and the effectiveness of this cooling method, which can effectively reduce the thermal deformation of the shell and improve the machining accuracy of the machine tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is the leading cause of death worldwide. Ginsenoside Rd (GRd) has cardioprotective properties but its efficacy and mechanism of action in myocardial I/R injury have not been clarified. This study investigated GRd as a potent therapeutic agent for myocardial I/R injury. Oxygen-glucose deprivation and reperfusion (OGD/R) and left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery ligation were used to establish a myocardial I/R injury model in vitro and in vivo. In vivo, GRd significantly reduced the myocardial infarct size and markers of myocardial injury and improved the cardiac function in myocardial I/R injury mice. In vitro, GRd enhanced cell viability and protected the H9c2 rat cardiomyoblast cell line from OGD-induced injury GRd. The network pharmacology analysis predicted 48 potential targets of GRd for the treatment of myocardial I/R injury. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that the cardioprotective effects of GRd were closely related to inflammation and apoptosis mediated by the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Furthermore, GRd alleviated inflammation and cardiomyocyte apoptosis in vivo and inhibited OGD/R-induced apoptosis and inflammation in cardiomyocytes. GRd also increased PI3K and Akt phosphorylation, suggesting activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway, whereas LY294002, a PI3K inhibitor, blocked the GRd-induced inhibition of OGD/R-induced apoptosis and inflammation in H9c2 cells. The therapeutic effect of GRd in vivo and in vitro against myocardial I/R injury was primarily dependent on PI3K/Akt pathway activation to inhibit inflammation and cardiomyocyte apoptosis. This study provides new evidence for the use of GRd as a cardiovascular drug. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we reported a successful cross coupling of aryl sulfonyl chlorides to forge thioether skeleton via Pd catalysis. This transformation proceeded in the presence of Xantphos. Preliminary mechanism studies demonstrated dual roles of Xantphos: (i) a reductant that reduced sulfonyl radical to thio radical; (ii) a ligand that promotes coupling reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the air quality monitoring data and meteorological data, the pollution characteristics of PM2.5 in southern Beijing and relationships between PM2.5 levels and meteorological features were analyzed. The results showed that during the investigation period, daily air quality was characterized as "excellent" and "favorable" (<75 µg m−3) on 77% of days in southern Beijing, and there were only two days with serious air pollution (>250 µg m−3). The PM2.5 concentration displayed obvious monthly variations with the highest concentration in November and the lowest concentration in August. When PM2.5 pollution episodes occurred (>75 µg m−3) in this area, the wind direction was often south and southeast with low wind speed (<3 m∙s−1), followed by southwest wind; in addition, the air temperature was low (<10 °C) and the relative humidity was high (>75%). The air quality of the study area was affected by the pollution transmission form the surrounding areas, especially the southeastern and the southern transmission paths. The PM2.5 concentration was positively correlated with SO2, NO2 and CO, and negatively correlated with O3. Therefore, to further improve the air quality in the study area, it is necessary to coordinate the control of PM2.5 and O3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-distance transport cadmium (Cd) from roots to shoots is a key factor for Cd phytoremediation. Our previous study indicated that heavy metal P1B2-ATPases, IlHMA2, was involved in improving the accumulation of Cd via mediated long-distance transport Cd, contributing to the phytoremediation in Cd accumulator Iris lactea. However, whether the overexpression of IlHMA2 could enhance the accumulation and tolerance to Cd remains unclear in plants. Here, we generated transgenic tobacco overexpressing IlHMA2 and tested its effect on the translocation and accumulation of Cd and zinc (Zn), as well as the physio-biochemical characteristics under 50 mg/L Cd exposure. The overexpression of IlHMA2 significantly increased Cd concentrations in xylem saps, resulting in enhanced root-to-shoot Cd translocation compared with wild-type. Meanwhile, overexpressing IlHMA2 promoted Zn accumulations, accompanied by elevating proline contents and antioxidant enzyme activity (SOD, POD, and CAT) to diminish the overproduction of ROS in transgenic tobacco. These pieces of evidence suggested that higher Zn concentrations and lower ROS levels could tremendously alleviate Cd toxicity for transgenic tobacco, thereby improving the growth and tolerance. Overall, the overexpression of IlHMA2 could facilitate Cd accumulation and enhance its tolerance in tobacco exposed to Cd contaminations. This would provide a valuable reference for improving Cd phytoremediation efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Worldwide, cervical cancer (CC) remains the most prevalent malignancy of the female reproductive system, posing a threat to women's life and health, and increasing the medical and economic burden on society. Therefore, the search for tumor biomarkers for CC remains an important research direction. Immunotherapy has significantly improved patient outcomes, and genes related to tumor immune infiltration have been clinically relevant and highly reproducible biomarkers that affect the prognosis and response to treatment of CC. 2,4‐dienoyl‐CoA reductase 1 (DECR1) was considered to be an oncogene in a previous study, but relationship between DECR1 and immune infiltration was not mentioned. Our study aimed to reveal the clinical value of DECR1 in CC and to investigate its relationship with immune infiltration. Methods: Human Protein Atlas was used to identify the localization of DECR1. The Ualcan database, TCGA, and IHC were used to assess the prognostic value of DECR1. GSEA was used to assess the possible signaling pathways of DECR1 in CC. The TIMER database was applied to reveal the relevance between DECR1 and immune infiltration. GEPIA was conducted to detect the co‐relationship among DECR1, immune markers, and typical molecules of apoptosis. Results: DECR1 was mainly distributed in the cytoplasm and overlapped with the endoplasmic reticulum. DECR1 was downregulated in CC compared to adjacent tissue. Survival analysis showed that patients with lower expression of DECR1 have a worse prognosis in CC. GSEA suggested that DECR1 was closely related to apoptosis signaling. TIMER showed that DECR1 was positively correlated with CD8+ T cell and CD4+ T cell but not with B cell in CC. Conclusion: DECR1 may be a potential cancer suppressor in CC and may be involved in apoptotic pathways and associated with immune infiltration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-speed motorized spindle is an important component of machine tool, and the influence of heat and deformation generated in the working process on the machining accuracy cannot be ignored. In order to reduce the temperature of the motorized spindle in the machining process, this paper first explores the influence of the flow rate of the motorized spindle cooling water on the cooling water jacket and the overall temperature change. The results indicate that when the flow rate exceeds a certain range, the overall temperature no longer drops, so there is an optimal flow rate in the choice of flow rate. Secondly, to solve the problem of uneven axial temperature distribution of the traditional spiral water jacket, four kinds of cooling water jackets with different structures were proposed. The simulation results show that the difference in temperature distribution inside the serpentine water jacket is small, the overall temperature was reduced by 1.8 °C and the pressure drop was reduced by 62.54 kPa. It shows that the serpentine cooling water jacket has better cooling performance and can effectively reduce the thermal deformation of the motorized spindle shafting, so as to achieve the purpose of improving the machining accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Miscanthus spp. show excellent application prospects due to its bioenergy potential and multiple ecological services. Annual N export with biomass harvest from Miscanthus, even without fertilizer supplement, do not reduce soil N levels. The question arises regarding how Miscanthus can maintain stable soil N levels. Metagenomic strategies were used to reveal soil N‐cycling‐related microbiome and their functional contributions to processes of soil N‐cycling based on the comparison among the bare land, cropland, 10‐year Miscanthus × giganteus, and 15‐year Miscanthus sacchariflorus fields. The results showed that, after long‐term cropland‐to‐Miscanthus conversion (LCMC), 16 of 21 bacterial phyla and all the archaeal phyla exhibited significant changes. Soil microbial denitrification and nitrification functions were significantly weakened, and N fixation (NF) was significantly enhanced. The biosynthesis of amino acids, especially alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism, in soil N‐cycling‐related microbiome was dramatically promoted. The genus Anaeromyxobacter contributed largely to the NF process after LCMC. Variations in the soil available potassium, available N, organic C, and total N contents drove a functional shift of soil microbiome from cropland to Miscanthus pattern. We conclude that Miscanthus can recruit Anaeromyxobacter communities to enhance NF benefiting its biomass sustainability and soil N balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The herbicide atrazine (ATZ) has a detrimental effect on the health of aquatic ecosystems and has become a global concern in recent years. But the understanding of its persistence and potential toxicity under combined pollution, especially in the coexistence of other emerging pollutants, remains limited. In this work, the dissipation and transformation of ATZ in combination with graphene oxide (GO) in water were investigated. Results showed that dissipation rates of ATZ dramatically increased by 15–95% with half-lives shortened by 15–40% depending on initial concentrations of ATZ, and the products were mainly toxic chloro-dealkylated intermediates (deethylatrazine (DEA) and deisopropylatrazine (DIA)), but their contents were significantly lower under the coexistence of GO compared to ATZ alone. In the presence of GO, the nontoxic dechlorinated metabolite hydroxyatrazine (HYA) was detected earlier than 2–9 days, and ATZ transformation into HYA was increased by 6–18% during 21-day incubation periods. This study indicated that the coexistence of GO enhanced the dissipation and detoxification of ATZ. From a remediation standpoint, GO-induced hydrolytic dechlorination of ATZ can reduce its ecological toxicity. But the environmental risks of ATZ for aquatic ecosystem under the coexistence of GO should still be given the necessary prominence due to the potential hazard of ATZ adsorbed on GO and the predominant degradation products (DEA and DIA). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to solve the problem that thermal deformation of CNC machine tools affects machining accuracy, a simulated internal cooling structure based on external copper tube is studied. Method of reducing thermal error of machine tool by cooling temperature sensitive position. Taking 5AS01 double swing angle milling head as the research object, the finite element simulation of temperature field and deformation field is carried out through three-dimensional modeling. It is analyzed that the thermal deformation of the swing head shell in X- and Z-directions has great influence on the thermal error of the motorized spindle, so the cooling of its temperature-sensitive position is studied. The thermal distribution of the shell under normal working conditions was simulated statically, and four temperature-sensitive positions were selected from 10 temperature measuring points by grey relational analysis. The straight capillary copper tube combined with thermal conductive silica gel was used for liquid cooling. Experiments show that the thermal deformation of the shell can be effectively reduced by about 50% by cooling the temperature sensitive points, which provides a reference for the optimization of the structure of the pendulum, and indirectly improves the machining accuracy of the motorized spindle, thus improving the machining accuracy of the machine tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extensive applications of graphene oxide (GO) inevitably lead to entry into the natural aquatic environment. However, information on its toxicity to emergent plants is still lacking. In this study, an emergent plant, Iris pseudacorus, was exposed to GO (1, 20, 80, and 140 mg·L−1) under hydroponic conditions for 15 weeks. Changes in plant growth were assessed by analyzing plant biomass and photosynthetic pigment contents; the photosynthesis response was verified by measuring chlorophyll a fluorescence; and the nutrient levels of the plant were evaluated. Results showed that GO at 20–140 mg·L−1 significantly increased plant dry weight by 37–84% and photosynthetic pigment contents by 26–178%, and 80 mg·L−1 was the optimal concentration. PSII activity, adjustment capacities of electron transport in PSII, the grouping or energetic connectivity between PSII units, light energy conversion efficiency, photosynthesis performance indexes (by 11–51%), and contents of several nutrient elements (N, Fe, and Cu) were increased by 49–69%, 34–84%, and 11–38%, respectively. These findings indicate that GO can enhance plant growth by promoting plant photosynthesis performance and improving plant nutrient levels, and has great application potential in promoting the growth and development of this emergent plant as a phytoremediation agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is a global epidemic of infectious disease; the purpose of our study was to explore new potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis and to use the biomarkers for further pan-cancer analysis. Methods. Four microarray gene expression sets were downloaded from the GEO public databases and conducted for further analysis. Healthy control (HC) samples and samples of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) were calculated with enrichment scores in folate biosynthesis pathways. The scores acted as a new phenotype combined with clinical information (control or PTB) for subsequent analysis. Weight gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to seek the modules mostly related to PTB and folate biosynthesis in training sets. Twenty-nine coexistence genes were screened by intersecting the genes in the green-yellow module of GSE28623 and the brown module of GSE83456. We used the protein-protein interaction network analysis to narrow the gene range to search for hub genes. Then, we downloaded the unified and standardized pan-cancer data set from the UCSC database for correlations between biomarkers and prognosis and tumor stage differences. Results. Eventually, RTP4 was selected as a biomarker. To verify the reliability of this biomarker, an area under the ROC (AUC) was calculated in gene sets (GSE28623, GSE83456, and GSE34608). Lastly, to explore the difference in RTP4 expression before and after antituberculosis treatment, the GSE31348 gene set was enrolled to compare the expressions in weeks 0 and 26. The results showed significant differences between these two time points (p < 0.001). RTP4 was significantly upregulated in the pulmonary tuberculosis group compared to the healthy control group in three gene sets and downregulated after antituberculosis therapy in one gene set. These results suggest that RTP4 can be used as a potential biomarker in diagnosing tuberculosis. The results of pan-cancer analysis showed that high expression of RTP4 in 4 tumor types was positively correlated with poor prognosis and high expression of RTP4 in 6 tumor types was negatively correlated with poor prognosis. We found significant differences in the expression of the RTP4 gene at different stages in 5 types of tumors. Conclusion. RTP4 might be a new potential biomarker for diagnosing pulmonary tuberculosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to compare the hot deformation behavior and microstructure evolution of the rack steels with and without segregation, hot compression tests are carried out in the temperature range of 1173–1423 K and the strain rate range of 0.01–10 s−1 on a DIL805A/D quenching and deformation dilatometer. The flow stress, constitutive relation, processing map, and microstructure characterization are investigated. The results show that the flow stress increases with the increase of strain rate and the decrease of deformation temperature. The calculated activation energy (Q) and stress exponent (n) for the segregated samples are 395.245 kJ mol−1 and 6.046, which are higher than segregated samples, showing 376.815 kJ mol−1 and 5.930. The processing maps show that the workability of the nonsegregated steel is significantly more excellent than segregated steel. The segregated steel shows a higher kernel average misorientation angle and local strain. Complete dynamic recrystallization occurs at a high strain rate, and high deformation temperature can refine the grains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by a novel virus of the beta-coronavirus genus (SARS-CoV-2), has spread rapidly, posing a significant threat to global health. There are currently no drugs available for effective treatment. Severe cases of COVID-19 are associated with hyperinflammation, also known as cytokine storm syndrome. The reduce inflammation are considered promising treatments for COVID-19. Necroptosis is a type of programmed necrosis involved in immune response to viral infection, and severe inflammatory injury. Inhibition of necroptosis is pivotal in preventing associated inflammatory responses. The expression of key regulators of the necroptosis pathway is generally up-regulated in COVID-19, indicating that the necroptosis pathway is activated. Thus, necroptosis inhibitors are expected to be novel therapeutic candidates for the treatment of COVID-19. Better knowledge of the necroptosis pathway mechanism is urgently required to solve the remaining mysteries surrounding the role of necroptosis in COVID-19. In this review, we briefly introduce the pathogenesis of necroptosis, the relationship between necroptosis, cytokine storm, and COVID-19 also summarizes the progress of inhibitors of necroptosis. This research provides a timely and necessary suggest of the development of necroptosis inhibitors to treat COVID-19 and clinical transformation of inhibitors of necroptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Thoracoscopic lobectomy is a challenging procedure in children with congenital lung malformations (CLMs). This study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of thoracoscopic clockwise lobectomy (TCL) in CLMs in children and its potential to be a stylized procedure. Methods: All patients with CLMs who received TCL from 2015 to 2019 in our hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical information was extracted from medical records, including patient demographics, operative details, and outcomes. Results: A total of 184 patients with a median age of 6.8 months (range, 3–156) and a median weight of 9 kg (range, 6–45) received TCL. Lesions were all located in the lower lobe and included congenital pulmonary airway malformation (n = 133), intralobar sequestration (n = 44), bronchiectasis (n = 4), and congenital lobar emphysema (n = 3). The mean (±standard deviation [SD]) operating time was 46 ± 7.5 minutes (range, 35–113). The mean (±SD) blood loss was 3.5 ± 0.8 mL (range, 1–60). Three patients converted to thoracotomy, and 162 patients did not have a chest tube placed. The postoperative course was uneventful in all patients except 2 patients who developed air leaks and 23 patients who developed a mild fever. The median length of postoperative hospital stay was 2 days. A total of 163 patients were followed up for more than 1 year without any complications. Conclusion: TCL is suitable for lower lobectomy and is safe and effective in standard and complicated thoracoscopic lobectomy. It could be recommended as a stylized procedure in treating children with CLMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

San-Huang-Yi-Shen capsule (SHYS) has been used in the treatment of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) in clinics. However, the mechanism of SHYS on DKD remains unclear. In this study, we used a high-fat diet combined with streptozocin (STZ) injection to establish a rat model of DKD, and different doses of SHYS were given by oral gavage to determine the therapeutic effects of SHYS on DKD. Then, we studied the effects of SHYS on PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy and the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome to study the possible mechanisms of SHYS on DKD. Our result showed that SHYS could alleviate DKD through reducing the body weight loss, decreasing the levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), and improving the renal function, insulin resistance (IR), and inhibiting inflammatory response and oxidative stress in the kidney. Moreover, transmission electron microscopy showed SHYS treatment improved the morphology of mitochondria in the kidney. In addition, western blot and immunoflourescence staining showed that SHYS treatment induced the PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy and inhibited the activation of NLRP3 signaling pathway. In conclusion, our study demonstrated the therapeutic effects of SHYS on DKD. Additionally, our results indicated that SHYS promoted PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy and inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation to improve mitochondrial injury and inflammatory responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two industrial ship plate steels, one having delamination and the other having no delamination during the impact tests at − 60 and − 80 °C, were studied to clarify the effect of delamination on ductile fracture. The instrumented impact tests recorded the load and absorbed energy. The microhardness maps at the selective section of the broken specimen were drawn to display the tendency of strain hardening and the stress state during fracture. The delamination morphology was observed to clarify the reason for the delamination in heavy-gauge steel. The texture transform characteristics were correlated with the initial and deformed microstructures. The results demonstrated that the delamination formed before the main fracture surface and divided the stress concentration into two parts during the impact test. Furthermore, by transmitting much plastic deformation into the specimen far away from the fracture edge and giving full play to the characteristics of crystallographic texture rotation, the severe stress concentration and grain breakage could be avoided. At the same time, the region that should have been formed a radial zone with a plane strain state at the lower part of the fracture could be eliminated and still maintain a ductile fracture contributing to the absorbed energy of 63 J. The segregation of Mn element, different plastic deformation ability between ferrite and bainite, and the crystallographic texture of <001>//ND orientation caused the delamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-speed electric spindle is an important part of computer numerical control (CNC) machining equipment. The thermal displacement generated by the electric spindle during operation is the main reason that affects the machining stability and machining accuracy of the electric spindle. Compensating the thermal error of the high-speed electric spindle can effectively improve the CNC machining. Improve equipment processing performance. Therefore, it is particularly important to establish the accuracy of the thermal error prediction model. Taking the A02 high-speed electric spindle as the research object, ANSYS is used to analyze the thermal characteristics of the electric spindle, and the temperature and thermal displacement monitoring points of the electric spindle are arranged according to the simulation results, and the temperature and thermal displacement data of the monitoring points under different rotational speeds are collected; using K-means to classify temperature measurement points, uses the gray relation analysis degree to determine the correlation between the temperature measurement point and the thermal displacement data, and selects 4 temperature-sensitive points from 10 temperature measurement points. Finally, particle swarm optimization (PSO) is used to optimize the penalty factor and kernel function of support vector machine (SVM), and the PSO-SVM prediction model is established to compare with the neural network prediction model of SVM and genetic algorithm (GA) optimized SVM. The results show that PSO-SVM has better robustness, stability, and generalization ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bioenergy crop switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) has been recognized as friendly to the soil of cultivated land depending on the previous land use types and management practices. However, the effects of switchgrass establishment on soil properties at a broader depth when it is harvested annually without any fertilization in northern China largely remain unknown. To explore the impacts of unfertilized switchgrass on soil physical and chemical properties, 0–100 cm soil samples were collected from 7-year cropland-to-switchgrass conversion and the bare land (control). The results showed that switchgrass establishment increased soil total and capillary porosity, CFU numbers of the microbial communities (fungi, bacteria, and actinomycetes), contents of microbial biomass (carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus), and water-soluble organic carbon, and decreased soil bulk density, mostly at 0–60 cm depths, compared to the control values. Notably, the annual harvest of switchgrass insignificantly increased soil total and available nitrogen contents and slightly reduced available phosphorus and potassium contents. In conclusion, long-term cropland conversion to unfertilized switchgrass could ameliorate soil properties and does not cause soil depletion. The output of this study could inspire governments and farmers to make large-scale use of switchgrass in the ecological restoration of abandoned cropland in north China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal error of the motorized spindle is an essential factor affecting the machining accuracy of high-speed numerically controlled machines. The establishment of a high-speed motorized spindle thermal error model for thermal error compensation can effectively improve the impact of thermal errors on the machining accuracy of the machine tool. This paper proposes a sparrow search algorithm to optimize the Elman neural network to predict thermal errors in motorized spindles. First is the simulation analysis on thermal characteristics of A02 high-speed motorized spindle. Based on the simulation results, the position of the temperature measuring points is arranged in the temperature and thermal error experiment of the motorized spindle. The temperature and thermal displacement data of high-speed motorized spindle at different rotational speeds were collected; secondly, the method of combining pedigree clustering and k-means clustering is used to perform cluster analysis on each temperature measurement point, and the grey correlation degree is used to determine the correlation between temperature measurement points and thermal error. Three temperature-sensitive points were screened from ten temperature measurement points, which reduced the collinearity between temperature measurement points and the number of independent variables of the model. Finally, the weights and thresholds of the Elman neural network are optimized by the sparrow search algorithm, and the thermal error prediction model of motorized spindle based on SSA-Elman neural network is established and compared with Elman neural network and Particle Swarm Optimized Elman Neural Network prediction model. The results show that the SSA-Elman neural network model has the highest prediction accuracy and exhibits good stability and generalization ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate combined effects of co-existed pesticides and nanomaterials on aquatic plants, the toxicity of herbicide atrazine (ATZ) on Iris pseudacorus in the presence and absence of Graphene oxide (GO) was investigated using chlorophyll a fluorescence transients. Results showed that GO reduced ATZ accumulation in plant. ATZ or ATZ combined with GO mainly blocked electron transport beyond QA at PSII as indicated by the sharp rise of the J-step level of fluorescence rise kinetics. The pronounced increase in Fm and the loss of I-step were observed when ATZ was at 2.0 mg·L− 1 implying the damage on the oxygen evolution complex and PSI. GO at environmentally relevant concentration did not exhibit significant photosynthetic inhibitory effects on I. pseudacorus. GO at 1.0 mg·L− 1 promoted photosynthesis of I. pseudacorus under ATZ stress at 2.0 mg·L− 1. These result indicated that the presence of GO alleviated the photosynthesis inhibition by ATZ at high levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multistep quench−lamellarization−tempering treatment (QLT) is designed for a low‐carbon high‐Ni martensitic steel to obtain extra high strength, low yield‐to‐tensile ratio, and extra high cryogenic toughness. A mixed microstructure composed of intercritical ferrite, tempered martensite, and Ni‐rich retained austenite (RA) is obtained under the QLT treatment process. The volume fraction of Ni‐rich RA is 13.6% in the QL655T sample. The QL655T sample has a yield strength of 915 MPa and tensile strength of 1080 MPa, leading to a lower yield‐to‐tensile ratio of 0.85. In addition, a total elongation to failure of 19.9% and Charpy impact toughness of 190 J at −196 °C are encouraging in comparison with the conventional counterparts. During tensile deforming, the blocky RA grains can transform easily with increasing strain, while the strain leads to rotations of the film‐like RA grains before the transformation. The RA grains with high thermal stability are attributed to the enrichment of Ni and the effect of size, which makes the ≈11.6% RA grains remain at −196 °C in the QL655T sample. During impact, the transformation‐induced plasticity (TRIP) effect of RA leads to the excellent cryogenic toughness of the QL655T sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combined pollution, instead of single pollution, has become a widespread contamination phenomenon in aquatic environment. However, little information is now available about the joint effects of the combined pollution, especially co-existed pesticides and heavy metals, on aquatic plants. In the present study, using continuous excitation chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and the OJIP transient, comparisons of herbicide atrazine (ATZ) phytotoxicity on Iris pseudacorus between in the presence and absence of cadmium (Cd) were evaluated over an exposure period of three weeks under laboratory conditions. Results showed that both ATZ and Cd were toxic to I. pseudacorus. The ratio Fv/Fo, specific electron transport energy (ET0/RC), and photochemistry efficiency (PIabs and PItotal) of this emergent plant species at individual ATZ and Cd concentrations were significantly lower than those of the control. ATZ mainly inhibited electron transport beyond QA at PSII acceptor side as indicated by the sharp rise of the J-step level of fluorescence rise kinetics. A pronounced K-step and the loss of I-step due to the damage on the OEC and PSI also occurred when ATZ was at or above 1.0 mg·L−1. In comparison to ATZ alone, ATZ combined with Cd resulted in a lower amplitude rise in J-step with apparent J-I and I-P phases; and significantly lower Fo with higher Fv/Fo, as well as greater ET0/RC with higher values of PIabs and PItotal. However, the adverse influences of ATZ combined with Cd on the above indicators were still significant as compared with the control. Therefore, the coexistence of Cd alleviated the individual phytotoxicities of ATZ, whereas combined pollution of ATZ and Cd still induced the decline in photosynthetic performance of I. pseudacorus, and its potential ecological impacts on the aquatic vegetation cannot be ignored. Our findings offer a better understanding of the joint effects of the pesticide and heavy metal on non-target aquatic plants, and provided valuable insights into the interaction of these pollutants in aquatic environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We test the hypothesis that investment constraints in delegated portfolio management may distort demand for stocks, leading to price underreaction to news and stock return predictability. We find that institutions tend not to buy more of a stock with good news that they already overweight; they are reluctant to sell a stock with bad news that they already underweight. Stocks with good news overweighted by institutions subsequently significantly outperform stocks with bad news underweighted by institutions. The impact of institutional investment constraints sheds new light on asset pricing anomalies such as stock price momentum and post–earnings announcement drift. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

3D printing, that is, additive manufacturing, has solved many major problems in general manufacturing, such as three-dimensional tissue structure, microenvironment control difficulty, product production efficiency and repeatability, etc., improved the manufacturing speed and precision of personalized bone implants, and provided a lot of support for curing patients with bone injuries. The application of 3D printing technology in the medical field is gradually extensive, especially in orthopedics. The purpose of this review is to provide a report on the related achievements of bone implants based on 3D printing technology in recent years, including materials, molding methods, optimization of implant structure and performance, etc., in order to point out the existing shortcomings of 3D printing bone implants, promote the development of all aspects of bone implants, and make a prospect of 4D printing, hoping to provide some reference for the subsequent research of 3D printing bone implants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recretohalophyte Karelinia caspia is of forage and medical value and can remediate saline soils. We here assess the contribution of primary/secondary metabolism to osmotic adjustment and ROS homeostasis in Karelinia caspia under salt stress using multi‐omic approaches. Computerized phenomic assessments, tests for cellular osmotic changes and lipid peroxidation indicated that salt treatment had no detectable physical effect on K. caspia. Metabolomic analysis indicated that amino acids, saccharides, organic acids, polyamine, phenolic acids, and vitamins accumulated significantly with salt treatment. Transcriptomic assessment identified differentially expressed genes closely linked to the changes in above primary/secondary metabolites under salt stress. In particular, shifts in carbohydrate metabolism (TCA cycle, starch and sucrose metabolism, glycolysis) as well as arginine and proline metabolism were observed to maintain a low osmotic potential. Chlorogenic acid/vitamin E biosynthesis was also enhanced, which would aid in ROS scavenging in the response of K. caspia to salt. Overall, our findings define key changes in primary/secondary metabolism that are coordinated to modulate the osmotic balance and ROS homeostasis to contribute to the salt tolerance of K. caspia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Inflammation is one of major contributors of diabetic osteoporosis. Here, we combined adipose tissues derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs)-derived exosomes and microRNA-146a (miR-146a) to develop more effective anti-inflammation strategy in osteoclasts. Methods: miR-146a was overexpressed in AD-MSCs and miR-146a exosomes (miR-146a-Exo) were isolated and characterized. Cellular and animal diabetic osteoporosis models were created to evaluate the anti-inflammation effect of miR-146a-Exo by using ELISA, qRT-PCR, MTT, bone resorption assay, Western blot, and bone mineral content and density analysis in vitro and in vivo. Results: miR-146a-Exo administration presented the most potent effect on inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines production in high glucose-treated osteoclasts, restraint bone resorption, and restoration of the bone loss in streptozotocin-induced diabetic osteoporosis rats. Mechanistically, miR-146a-Exo suppressed the expression of TNF-α, IL-18, and IL-1β, induced the inactivation of inflammasome, and finally reduced bone resorption and recovered bone loss. Conclusion: Combination of AD-MSCs-Exo and miR-146a more effectively exert the anti-inflammation effect in osteoclasts, providing a potential drug for the treatment of diabetic osteoporosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to hesitant fuzzy sets and intuitionistic fuzzy sets, dual hesitant fuzzy sets can model problems in the real world more comprehensively. Dual hesitant fuzzy sets explicitly show a set of membership degrees and a set of non-membership degrees, which also imply a set of important data: hesitant degrees.The traditional definition of distance between dual hesitant fuzzy sets only considers membership degree and non-membership degree, but hesitant degree should also be taken into account. To this end, using these three important data sets (membership degree, non-membership degree and hesitant degree), we first propose a variety of new distance measurements (the generalized normalized distance, generalized normalized Hausdorff distance and generalized normalized hybrid distance) for dual hesitant fuzzy sets in this paper, based on which the corresponding similarity measurements can be obtained. In these distance definitions, membership degree, non-membership-degree and hesitant degree are of equal importance. Second, we propose a clustering algorithm by using these distances in dual hesitant fuzzy information system. Finally, a numerical example is used to illustrate the performance and effectiveness of the clustering algorithm. Accordingly, the results of clustering in dual hesitant fuzzy information system are compared using the distance measurements mentioned in the paper, which verifies the utility and advantage of our proposed distances. Our work provides a new way to improve the performance of clustering algorithms in dual hesitant fuzzy information systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) is considered the first-choice treatment for Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) in recipients of solid organ transplantation. However, this treatment is associated with various severe adverse events that might not be tolerable for some renal transplant recipients, and the optimal dose remains elusive. The present study assessed the efficacy of low-dose TMP-SMX in recipients of a deceased donor kidney. Methods: A total of 37 adult deceased donor kidney recipients who suffered PJP between January 2015 and June 2020 were included. The survival rates of the patients and grafts, the rate of invasive ventilation, and adverse events, including gastrointestinal discomfort, hematologic side effects, hyperkalemia, and renal function impairments, were assessed. Results: The patient and graft survival rates were both 100%. Two patients (5.4%) required invasive ventilation. Eight patients (21.6%) reported gastrointestinal discomfort, but none required dose reduction or discontinued treatment. The frequencies of hematologic side effects, hyperkalemia and impaired kidney function were 5.4% (2/37), 2.7% (1/37), and 2.7% (1/37), respectively. Conclusion: Optimization of TMP-SMX dose may reduce the risk of adverse events without compromising efficacy for the treatment of PJP in deceased donor kidney recipients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A waterborne rust conversion primer suitable for industrial corrosion protection is prepared by using acrylic emulsion, styrene acrylic emulsion and polyvinylidene chloride emulsion were used as the main film-forming materials respectively, polyphenol compound plant tannin system as the main rust transfer agent in addition to phosphate ester inhibitor, penetrant and rust preventive pigment, etc. The influencing factors of components in the formula are analyzed and discussed. The adhesion, water resistance, salt spray resistance and outdoor weather resistance of the film are tested. The experimental results show that the prepared waterborne rust conversion primer can transform rust into a stable complex which has good sealing ability and can effectively prevent the rust from spreading further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we examine corporate investment decisions in a model with short selling. We show that high short‐selling activities can cause firms to overinvest and that the agency problems between managers and shareholders drive this overinvestment. Empirically, we find that short interest is positively associated with subsequent corporate investment and that the effect of short‐selling activities on investment is stronger when the sensitivity of chief executive officer compensation to stock price performance is greater. The results are not explained by short‐sale constraints or firm overvaluation. Additionally, short‐selling‐induced corporate investments can partly explain the negative relation between both short interest and corporate investment with subsequent stock returns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

aimed to determine the prevalence of antibiotic resistance and virulence genes of Escherichia coli strains among patients with urinary tract infections (UTIs) after kidney transplantation from deceased donors. Methods: Between January 2014 and June 2018, 64 patients who received kidney transplants from deceased donors at our institution developed a UTI due to E. coli. Polymerase chain reaction was used to detect virulence genes in E. coli strains. The Kirby–Bauer method was used to evaluate the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of the isolates. Results: Among the study cohort, 46 (71.9%) UTIs were community-acquired (CA), and 18 (28.1%) were hospital-acquired (HA). The percentages of isolated E. coli strains that showed antibiotic resistance were as follows: 92.2% to ampicillin, 76.6% to cefalotin, 81.3% to carbenicillin, 29.7% to ciprofloxacin, 62.5% to cotrimoxazole, 35.9% to gentamicin, 34.4% to levofloxacin, 28.1% to norfloxacin, 68.8% to pefloxacin, 57.8% to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, and 20.3% to amikacin. HA E. coli showed higher resistance to ciprofloxacin, cotrimoxazole, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and amikacin, compared with CA E. coli (P< 0.05). The most prevalent virulence genes among the E. coli strains were fim (64.1%), followed by irp2 (56.3%), iroN (46.9%), pap GII (45.3%), sfa (31.3%), pap (25%), iuc (23.4%), pap GI (15.6%), pap GIII (14.1%), hly (9.4%), and cnf (4.7%). The irp2 and iroN genes were found more frequently in the HA E. coli than in the CA E. coli (P< 0.05). Conclusion: The E. coli strains, especially HA E. coli, isolated from UTI patients after kidney transplantation from deceased donors showed resistance to multiple antibiotics and harbored numerous virulence genes. These findings provide insight for genetic characterizations and epidemiological studies of E. coli strains causing UTIs in patients after kidney transplantation from deceased donors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the effect of the Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH) on the investment behavior of mutual fund managers. We show that managers who are more likely to be exposed to the ideas of EMH throughout their higher education are more "passive" than their unexposed peers: they are more likely to manage index funds, and when managing active funds, they hold portfolios with larger numbers of stocks and deviate less from their investment benchmarks. Exposed managers, however, take more systematic risks. Although academic exposure to the EMH does not result in better performance, it helps professional investors generate capital inflows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keeping through‐thickness homogeneity of mechanical properties has been a great challenge for producing heavy gauge steel plates. Herein, a superior homogeneity of microstructure and hence strength and toughness achieved in a quenched and tempered (QT) 210 mm‐thickness steel plate produced by advanced electroslag remelting casting and roller quenching (ESR–RQ) technologies are reported. Some comparisons are made with a QT 178 mm steel plate produced by conventional mold casting and immersion quenching in the water tank (MC‐IQ). The martensite of the as‐quenched ESR–RQ steel is distributed homogeneously across the thickness with a fraction of 39% at the 1/2 thickness, remarkable higher 34% than that of MC‐IQ steel. ESR–RQ steel appears excellent comprehensive mechanical properties even for the as‐quenched samples, as well as QT samples. Comparing with the MC‐IQ steel, the Charpy impact energy at −60 °C is 150 J (278%) higher for the samples tempered at 650 °C, and the yield strength is 137 MPa (18%) higher for the samples tempered at 600 °C than those of MC‐IQ steel, respectively. The considerable improvement can be attributed to homogeneous through‐thickness microstructures, including refined prior austenite grains, effective grain size, and carbide precipitates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand the influence of Cd on atrazine (ATZ) degradation in aqueous solution, the degradation of different initial levels of ATZ (0.1, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mg·L−1) was investigated in the presence and absence of Cd2+ in a 20-day laboratory experiment. It was found that Cd2+ caused a significant decrease in ATZ degradation and increased its half-life from 17–34 days to 30–57 days (p < 0.0001). Regarding the three most common metabolites of ATZ, deethylatrazine (DEA) and deisopropylatrazine (DIA) were detected in water earlier than hydroxyatrazine (HYA). The DEA content was several times higher than the DIA and HYA contents, regardless of the presence or absence of Cd2+. In the presence of Cd2+, the DIA content was significantly lower and the HYA content was significantly higher. Furthermore, Cd2+ had a dose-dependent effect on HYA formation. Our results indicated that the coexistence of Cd2+ and ATZ resulted in greater herbicide persistence, thereby possibly increasing the risk of environmental contamination. DEA was still the predominant ATZ degradation product detected in water under the combined pollution, which was similar to the ATZ tendency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At year-end, some allege that institutional investors try to mislead investors by placing trades that inflate performance (portfolio pumping) or distort reported holdings (window dressing). We contribute direct tests using daily institutional trades and find that year-end price inflation derives from a lack of institutional selling rather than institutional buying. In fact, institutional buying declines at year-end. Consistent with pumping, institutions tend to buy stocks in which they already have large positions. We find no evidence of window dressing, as institutions are not more likely to buy high-past return stocks or sell low-past return stocks at year- or quarter-end. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: The association between the premorbid use of statin and the early outcomes of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) after intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) remains uncertain. We performed a meta-analysis of observational studies to evaluate the influence of the premorbid use of statin on functional outcome and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (SIH) in AIS after IVT. Methods: Relevant studies were identified by search of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane's Library databases. Only studies with multivariate analyses were included. A random-effect model, incorporating inter-study heterogeneity, was used to pool the results. Results: Twenty observational studies with 20,752 AIS patients who were treated with IVT were included. The pooled results showed that the premorbid use of statin was not associated with improved 3-month favorable functional outcome [odds ratio (OR): 1.05, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.87–1.26, p = 0.60, I 2 = 52%), 3-month functional independence (OR: 1.13, 95% CI: 0.96–1.33, p = 0.15, I 2 = 52%), or 3-month mortality (OR: 1.12, 95% CI: 0.94–1.34, p = 0.20, I 2 = 20%). Moreover, the premorbid use of statin was associated with an increased risk of SIH in AIS after IVT (OR: 1.48, 95% CI: 1.12–1.95, p = 0.006, I 2 = 60%). Subgroup analyses according to study design, adjustment of baseline low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and definitions of SIH showed consistent results (p -values for subgroup difference all >0.05). Conclusions: The premorbid use of statin is not associated with improved functional outcomes or mortality but is associated with a higher risk of SIH in AIS patients after IVT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study how conflicts within a lending syndicate affect loan contract and syndicate formation. We argue that loan provisions serve an important dual function: In addition to moderating borrower–lender conflicts, they reduce within‐syndicate conflicts. We show that greater potential for within‐syndicate conflicts is associated with more and stricter covenants. Loans are less restrictive when the interests of participants and the lead arrangers are better aligned, for example, when participant–banks have stronger relationships with the lead arranger or hold borrower's equity (indirectly). Overall, our results show that covenant choice, syndicate formation, and lead arranger's loan allocation all play an important role in reducing within‐syndicate conflicts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circular RNA YAP1 (circYAP1) was reported to participate in progression of gastric cancer. However, the role of circYAP1 in acute kidney injury (AKI) remains obscure. We attempted to examine the effects of circYAP1 on ischaemia/reperfusion‐stimulated renal injury. AKI model was established by treating HK‐2 cells in ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) environment. CircYAP1 expression in blood of AKI patients and I/R‐treated HK‐2 cells was evaluated via RT‐qPCR. CCK‐8, flow cytometry, ELISA and ROS assay were executed to test the impact of circYAP1 on cell viability, apoptosis, inflammatory cytokines and ROS generation. Bioinformatic analysis was executed to explore miRNA targets. The relativity between circYAP1 and miR‐21‐5p was verified by RT‐qPCR and luciferase assay. The functions of miR‐21‐5p in I/R‐triggered injury were reassessed. PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway was detected by Western blot. Down‐regulated circYAP1 was observed in AKI blood samples and I/R‐treated HK‐2 cells. CircYAP1 overexpression expedited cell growth and weakened secretion of inflammatory factors and ROS generation in I/R‐disposed cells. Besides, we found circYAP1 could sponge to miR‐21‐5p. Interestingly, miR‐21‐5p overexpression overturned the repressive effects of circYAP1 on cell injury. Moreover, PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway was activated by circYAP1 via inhibiting miR‐21‐5p. We demonstrated that circYAP1 activated PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and secured HK‐2 cells from I/R injury via sponging miR‐21‐5p. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]