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Purpose: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced (CE) ultrasound using Sonazoid (SNZ–CEUS) by comparing with contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CE–CT) and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CE–MRI) for differentiating benign and malignant renal masses. Materials and methods: 306 consecutive patients (from 7 centers) with renal masses (40 benign tumors, 266 malignant tumors) diagnosed by both SNZ–CEUS, CE–CT or CE–MRI were enrolled between September 2020 and February 2021. The examinations were performed within 7 days, but the sequence was not fixed. Histologic results were available for 301 of 306 (98.37%) lesions and 5 lesions were considered benign after at least 2 year follow-up without change in size and image characteristics. The diagnostic performances were evaluated by sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and compared by McNemar's test. Results: In the head-to-head comparison, SNZ–CEUS and CE–MRI had comparable sensitivity (95.60 vs. 94.51%, P = 0.997), specificity (65.22 vs. 73.91%, P = 0.752), positive predictive value (91.58 vs. 93.48%) and negative predictive value (78.95 vs. 77.27%); SNZ–CEUS and CE–CT showed similar sensitivity (97.31 vs. 96.24%, P = 0.724); however, SNZ–CEUS had relatively lower than specificity than CE–CT (59.09 vs. 68.18%, P = 0.683). For nodules > 4 cm, CE–MRI demonstrated higher specificity than SNZ–CEUS (90.91 vs. 72.73%, P = 0.617) without compromise the sensitivity. Conclusions: SNZ–CEUS, CE–CT, and CE–MRI demonstrate desirable and comparable sensitivity for the differentiation of renal mass. However, the specificity of all three imaging modalities is not satisfactory. SNZ–CEUS may be a suitable alternative modality for patients with renal dysfunction and those allergic to gadolinium or iodine-based agents. Key Points: This prospective multicenter study demonstrated that the diagnostic performance of SNZ–CEUS was comparable to CE–CT and CE–MRI. The three imaging modalities displayed desirable sensitivity, while the specificity needs to be further improved. CE–MRI may have better specificity than SNZ–CEUS for differentiating renal masses bigger than 4 cm [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanically interlocked molecules (MIMs) including famous catenanes show switchable physical properties and attract continuous research interest due to their potential application in molecular devices. The advantages of using spin crossover (SCO) materials here are enormous, allowing for control through diverse stimuli and highly specific functions, and enabling the transfer of the internal dynamics of MIMs from solution to solid state, leading to macroscopic applications. Herein, we report the efficient self-assembly of catenated metal-organic frameworks (termed catena-MOFs) induced by stacking interactions, through the combination of rationally selected flexible and conjugated naphthalene diimide-based bis-pyridyl ligand (BPND), [MI(CN)2]− (M = Ag or Au) and Fe2+ in a one-step strategy. The obtained bimetallic Hofmann-type SCO-MOFs [FeII(BPND){Ag(CN)2}2]·3CHCl3 (1Ag) and [FeII(BPND{Au(CN)2}2]·2CHCl3·2H2O (1Au) possess a unique three-dimensional (3D) catena-MOF constructed from the polycatenation of two-dimensional (2D) layers with hxl topology. Both complexes undergo thermal- and light-induced SCO. Significantly, abnormal increases in the maximum emission intensity and dielectric constant can be detected simultaneously with the switching of spin states. This research opens up SCO-actuated bistable MIMs that afford dual functionality of coupled fluorescence emission and dielectricity. Incorporating spin crossover motifs into mechanically interlocked molecules offers various switchable properties. Here, the authors report two FeII catenated metal-organic frameworks that exhibit spin dependent luminescence and dielectric switching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mercury (Hg) enrichments in ancient sediments have been used as a proxy of volcanism, especially large igneous province (LIP) eruptions. However, considering the existence of other potential Hg sources besides volcanoes and the diverse factors (e.g., organic matters, clay minerals, sulfide minerals and Fe oxides) that can affect Hg sequestration, there are considerable uncertainties to simply regard sedimentary Hg anomalies as signatures of volcanic activities. Mercury stable isotopes, a promising tool for tracing the origins and transformations of Hg, have been increasingly used for determining the causes of Hg spikes and understanding the geochemical behavior of Hg in the geologic record. To date, lots of researches have applied Hg concentrations and Hg isotopes to identify LIP volcanisms linking with significant geological events such as mass extinctions, ocean anoxic events and other environmental perturbations that mainly occurred in the Phanerozoic. However, the results in previous studies clearly show that not all Hg enrichments are derived from volcanic inputs, which emphasize the need for more caution in using Hg as a fingerprint of volcanism. With a better understanding of Hg isotopes in the future, there will be important implications for Hg isotopes to reconstruct volcanic activities in the rock records and their impacts on biological evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rotor interturn short circuit (RISC) is a common electrical fault in generators. Investigations about such fault on the rotor vibrations, magnetic field variations, and current/voltage changes have been widely carried out, while the thermal properties of the stator side have been rarely studied. This paper presents a comprehensive study on the stator thermal behavior in synchronous generators under different RISC position and varied power load cases. Such thermal behavior includes not only the core loss, copper loss and temperature variations of the stator, but also the mechanical responses of the stator core due to the unbalanced thermal distribution. The whole work is based on the magnetic flux density (MFD) analysis, the core loss and copper loss calculation. Theoretical analysis, finite element calculation, and experimental study are carried out, respectively, by taking a 5 kV A two-pole prototype generator as the case study. During the analysis, the reinforced excitation performance by the automatic control system of the generator set due to the voltage sag caused by RISC is fully considered. It is shown that RISC will significantly increase the stator temperature due to the reinforced excitation. The farther RISC position away from the big tooth is, the larger temperature/thermal risk will be. Besides, the stator temperature will also enlarge with the increase in power load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Portland cement (PC) is ubiquitously used in construction for centuries, yet the elucidation of its early-age hydration remains a challenge. Understanding the initial hydration progress of tricalcium aluminate (C3A) at molecular scale is thus crucial for tackling this challenge as it exhibits a proclivity for early-stage hydration and plays a pivotal role in structural build-up of cement colloids. Herein, we implement a series of ab-initio calculations to probe the intricate molecular interactions of C3A during its initial hydration process. The C3A surface exhibits remarkable chemical activity in promoting water dissociation, which in turn facilitates the gradual desorption of Ca ions through a metal-proton exchange reaction. The dissolution pathways and free energies of these Ca ions follow the ligand-exchange mechanism with multiple sequential reactions to form the ultimate products where Ca ions adopt fivefold or sixfold coordination. Finally, these Ca complexes reprecipitate on the remaining Al-rich layer through the interface-coupled dissolution-reprecipitation mechanism, demonstrating dynamically stable inner-sphere adsorption states. The above results are helpful in unmasking the early-age hydration of PC and advancing the rational design of cement-based materials through the bottom-up approach. The hydration of tricalcium aluminate is an important initial step in the structural build-up of Portland cement. Here the authors use ab initio and accelerated dynamics to describe the reactions and dynamics of this process at the molecular level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: We developed a convolutional neural network (CNN) model to predict treatment outcomes of transforaminal epidural steroid injection (TFESI) for controlling cervical radicular pain due to cervical foraminal stenosis. Methods: We retrospectively recruited 293 patients with cervical TFESI due to cervical radicular pain caused by cervical foraminal stenosis. We obtained a single oblique cervical radiograph from each patient. We cut each oblique cervical radiograph image into a square shape, including the foramen that was targeted for TFESI, the intervertebral disc, the facet joint of the corresponding level with the targeted foramen, and the pedicles of the vertebral bodies just above and below the targeted foramen. Therefore, images including the targeted foramen and structures around the targeted foramen were used as input data. A favorable outcome was defined as a ≥ 50% reduction in the numeric rating scale (NRS) score at 2 months post TFESI compared to the pretreatment NRS score. A poor outcome was defined as a < 50% reduction in the NRS score at 2 months post TFESI vs. the pretreatment score. Results: The area under the curve of our developed model for predicting the treatment outcome of cervical TFESI in patients with cervical foraminal stenosis was 0.823. Conclusion: A CNN model trained using oblique cervical radiographs can be helpful in predicting treatment outcomes after cervical TFESI in patients with cervical foraminal stenosis. If the predictive accuracy is increased, we believe that the deep learning model using cervical radiographs as input data can be easily and widely used in clinics or hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The second law of thermodynamics dictates that entropy tends to increase, leading to a notion of disorder in thermostatistics. This principle applies to both quantum thermostatistics, where the von Neumann entropy is used, and nonextensive quantum thermostatistics, which employs the Tsallis entropy. In this work, we provide operational characterizations of general entropy measures by utilizing catalytic transformations or dephasing operations on unknown states. We introduce a catalytic principle that aligns with the second law of thermodynamics, encompassing both quantum thermostatistics and nonextensive quantum thermostatistics. This principle uncovers novel features that go beyond the second law of thermodynamics by maximizing the cross-entropy during irreversible catalytic procedures. Our findings have practical implications for asymptotic tasks such as universal quantum source encoding, even when only incomplete information is available. We apply these results to single-shot state transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to explore factors related to optical navigation that interfere with the accuracy of robot-assisted surgery, specifically focusing on the TIANJI Robot system. A measurement model was created to assess the accuracy of the TIANJI Robot system in simulated screw placement. Deviation between actual and planned positions was measured using a three-coordinate machine. Various experiments were conducted to investigate the impact of different optical navigation factors on screw placement accuracy. Deviations were measured at different distances (ranging from 1.2 to 2.2 m) between the optical navigation stereo camera and the tracker, with each distance being tested 50 times. The distance between the optical camera and patient tracker was set at 1.4 m. Deviations were also measured at different angles between the camera and robot tracker, repeated over 25 times for each angle. Data were analyzed using mean and standard deviation, with line charts illustrating deviation changes based on distance and angle details. Within the range of the TIANJI Robot system’s optical navigation (1.2–2.2 m), deviation increased as distance increased (χ2 = 479.107, P < 0.001). The robotic system demonstrated high and consistent accuracy (mean deviation: 0.332 mm ± 0.067 mm) when the relative angle between the optical camera and tracker was below 40°. The accuracy of the TIANJI Robot system was found to be influenced by relative distance and angle between the optical camera and tracker during screw placement procedures. Surgeons are recommended to set a relative distance of 1.4–1.5 m between the optical camera and patient tracker, with a relative angle below 40° when placing and adjusting optical tracking devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the process of network-based data flow transmission for various applications of information services, there are some problems, such as limited bandwidth and unclear priority level of business data, which affect the end-to-end reliable transmission efficiency because the system cannot perceive the link state. Traditional parallel link redundancy schemes have not fundamentally solved the problems of invulnerability and reliability. On the basis of sorting out the demand of service data flow transmission, this paper proposes a performance verification method of data flow packet scheduling algorithm based on QoS to solve the problems of network delay and congestion, and explores a reliable end-to-end service data flow transmission mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The soft theorem states that scattering amplitude in gauge theory with a soft gauge-boson emission can be factorized into a hard scattering amplitude and a soft factor. In this paper, we present calculations of the soft factor for processes involving two hard colored partons, up to three loops in QCD. To accomplish this, we developed a systematic method for recursively calculating relevant Feynman integrals using the Feynman-Parameter representation. Our results constitute an important ingredient for the subtraction of infrared singularities at N4LO in perturbative QCD. Using the principle of leading transcendentality between QCD and N = 4 super Yang-Mills theory, we determine the soft factor in the latter case to three loops with full-color dependence. As a by-product, we also obtain the finite constant f 2 3 in the Bern-Dixon-Smirnov ansatz analytically, which was previously known numerically only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a severe chronic interstitial lung disease with high mortality, and there is currently a lack of definite and effective treatment methods. Studies have found that gentiopicroside, a secoiridoid glycoside compound derived from plants of the Gentiana genus, can significantly improve pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis lesions in mice with pulmonary fibrosis. However, the mechanism of its anti-fibrotic effect is unclear. Therefore, in this study, we employed network pharmacology's virtual computer technology to investigate the potential mechanism underlying the anti-pulmonary fibrosis effect of Gentianae Radix et Rhizome (Longdan in Chinese, GRR). Our findings offer valuable theoretical insights and serve as a guiding reference for future experimental investigations. A total of 10 active compounds and 920 drug-target proteins were identified from the TCMSP database. The compound-target-pathway-disease network showed that GRR could potentially treat PF by regulating the MDM2, ERBB2 and VEGFA, signaling pathways through its key targets, including AKT1, TNF, and MAPK1. The protein‒protein interaction network revealed that these targets had strong interactions with each other, indicating a potential synergistic effect of GRR in treating PF. The GO and KEGG enrichment analyses further supported the potential anti-pulmonary fibrosis mechanisms of GRR, including regulating the inflammatory response, ECM-receptor interaction, and TGF-beta signaling pathways. Our study provides a systematic analysis of the potential anti-pulmonary fibrosis mechanisms of GRR based on network pharmacology. These findings could contribute to the development of novel treatments for PF and provide a basis for further experimental studies.Article highlights: The anti-pulmonary fibrosis mechanism of GRR was investigated using network pharmacology methods An effective pathway involving the interaction of compound-target-pathway-disease was identified Several key target proteins were successfully identified, providing a basis for subsequent pharmaceutical experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantum entropy is an important measure for describing the uncertainty of a quantum state, more uncertainty in subsystems for pure states implies stronger quantum entanglement between subsystems. Our goal in this work is to quantify bipartite entanglement and quantum entangled networks using quantum dual entropy. We first propose a type of dual entropy from Shannon entropy. We define S t -entropy entanglement based on von Neumann entropy and its complementary dual. This implies an analytic formula for two-qubit systems. We show that the monogamy properties of the S t -entropy entanglement and the entanglement of formation (EOF) are inequivalent with S t -entropy entanglement for quantum entangled networks. We finally prove a new type of entanglement polygon inequality in terms of S t -entropy entanglement for quantum entangled networks. These results show new features of multipartite entanglement in quantum information processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the interface mechanical behavior of flexible piles with Lp/D>10 under lateral load and an overturning moment in monotonic loading conditions. To modify the beam-on-Winkler-foundation model of piles in offshore wind farms, the energy-based variational method is used. The soil is treated as a multi-layered elastic continuum with the assumption of three-dimensional displacements, the pile modeled as an Euler-Bernoulli beam. A series of cases using MATLAB programming was conducted to investigate the simplified equations of initial stiffness. The results indicated that the interaction between soil layers and the applied force position should be taken into account in calculating the horizontal soil resistance. Additionally, the distributed moment had a limiting effect on the lateral capacity of a flexible pile. Moreover, to account for the more realistic conditions of OWT systems, field data from the Donghai Bridge offshore wind farm were used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the therapeutic effect of gentisic acid (GA) on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) based on the miR-19b-3p/RAF1 axis. Methods: The cell counting kit-8 method was used to detect the growth inhibitory effect of different concentrations of GA on MH7A cells, and the drug concentration of GA was determined in the experiment. The quantificational real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of miR-19b-3p and RAF1. RAF1, extracellular regulated protein kinases1/2 (ERK1/2) and phospho-ERK1/2 (p-ERK1/2) were examined by Western blotting. Three methods (dual-luciferase assay, qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis) were used to verify miR-19b-3p targeting RAF1. Flow cytometry was performed to detect MH7A cell apoptosis. Transwell and wound healing assays were used to determine the invasion and migration capacities of MH7A cells. Results: The growth of MH7A cells was gradually inhibited with increasing GA concentration. When the GA concentration exceeded 80 mmol/L, GA was significantly cytotoxic to MH7A cells, so the half maximal inhibitory concentration of GA for MH7A cells was calculated as 67.019 mmol/L. GA upregulated miR-19b-3p expression, downregulated RAF1 expression, inhibited ERK1/2 phosphorylation, induced MH7A cell apoptosis and suppressed MH7A cell invasion and migration (P<0.05 or P<0.01). RAF1 was identified as the target of miR-19b-3p and reversed inhibitory effects on miR-19b-3p expression (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The miR-19b-3p inhibitor upregulated RAF1 expression and ERK1/2 phosphorylation, suppressed MH7A cell apoptosis and induced MH7A cell invasion and migration (P<0.01). Conclusion: GA regulated miR-19b-3p/RAF1 axis to mediate ERK pathway and inhibit the development of RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a correction notice for an article titled "Comparing Sonazoid contrast-enhanced ultrasound to contrast-enhanced CT and MRI for differentially diagnosing renal lesions: a prospective multicenter study" published in the World Journal of Urology. The correction addresses an error in the author's name, which was incorrectly published as Qin-xin Zhao instead of Qin-xian Zhao. The original article has been corrected accordingly. The document also includes contact information for the authors and their affiliations. [Extracted from the article]

Utilizing survey data from the 2010, 2014, and 2016 China family panel studies, this study examined the relationship between the social discrimination experienced at high school and college enrollment. It was found that administrative discrimination, such as unfair treatment from government cadres or arbitrary fee collection, negatively affected college enrollment, while gender discrimination encouraged high school students to pursue higher education, and college enrollment reduced the likelihood of social discrimination. Therefore, social-psychological factors should not be ignored in higher education demand studies. In particular, as high school student responses to social discrimination can affect their motivation to pursue higher education, stress and coping theory could have important theoretical value when studying the decision-making behaviors and patterns of high school student higher education aspirations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Using chemical penetration enhancers to improve the penetration effect is one kind of important strategies in transdermal drug delivery system. Azone is a widely used transdermal absorption enhancer for transdermal drug delivery. To shed light on the permeation-promoting mechanism of azone, we selected ternary systems formed by azacyclopentane-2-one and N-methylolacetamide (1: 2) and explored the synergetic effect of hydrogen-bonding interactions among them and their thermodynamic properties. The findings indicate that the synergetic effects can enhance the ability of azone to change the original conformation of ceramides and even break the original hydrogen bonds, which is more beneficial for azone to destroy the 3D network structure of ceramides. When azone interacts with ceramide, the order of action tends to interact with one molecule of ceramide first and then with another molecule of ceramide. Methods: The synergetic effects of hydrogen-bonding interactions in ternary systems were computed at the B3LYP/6–311 + + G** and MP2(full)/6–311 + + G** levels. Thermodynamic parameters for two ternary-complex routes were worked out at the B3LYP/aug-cc-pVDZ level. The shift of the electron density occurring simultaneously with trimer formation was analyzed at the MP2(full)/6–311 + + G** level. The above calculations were carried out using the Gaussian 03 program packages. Atoms in molecules (AIM) method and the AIMPAC program showed the topological charge density at the MP2(full)/6–311 + + G** level. The synergetic effects of hydrogen-bonding interactions and thermodynamic property in the 1: 2 (azacyclopentane-2-one: N-methylolacetamide) ternary systems were investigated using the B3LYP and MP2(full) methods [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to their high theoretical energy density, lithium metal batteries have generated great research interest. However, the development and utilization of lithium metal batteries is mainly hindered by the key issues (e.g., large volume change, dendrites growth, safety issues) from the Li anode. Therefore, it is of great significance to develop a protective layer with hydrophobic and high elastic properties for stable Li metal anode. Herein, a hydrophobic styrene–isoprene–styrene block copolymer protective layer with high elasticity for stable Li anode has been fabricated. Under the protection of the highly elastic water-repellent protective layer, Li anode showed 'dendrite-free' characteristics and exhibited a long cycle life of 1000 h in Li/Li symmetric batteries and a significant capacity retention rate enhancement of 23% in Li/LiFePO4 full batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interface mechanical behavior of a monopile is an important component of the overall offshore wind turbine structure design. Understanding the soil—structure interaction, particularly the initial soil—structure stiffness, has a significant impact on the study of natural frequency and dynamic response of the monopile. In this paper, a simplified method for estimating the interface mechanical behavior of monopiles under initial lateral loads is proposed. Depending on the principle of minimum potential energy and virtual work theory, the functions of soil reaction components at the interface of monopiles are derived; MATLAB programming has been used to simplify the functions of the initial stiffness by fitting a large number of examples; then the functions are validated against the field test data and FDM results. This method can modify the modulus of the subgrade reaction in the p—y curve method for the monopile-supported offshore wind turbine system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To minimize surgical complications and staged procedures halo-traction is often used during deformity corrections. But the use of halo-traction in the treatment of refractory cervical kyphosis secondary to infections has never been reported. This study investigated the role of halo-traction in the treatment of cervical infection patients associated with refractory kyphosis. We retrospectively reviewed 48 patients with cervical infection associated with refractory kyphosis who were treated in our spine department. Patients were divided into two groups, the traction group (A) and the non-traction group (B). Group A underwent preoperative halo-traction followed by surgery, while group B underwent surgery alone. Between the two groups, we analyzed the kyphosis deformity correction, level of fusions, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), functional improvement by Neck disability index (NDI) score, and complications. Group A had a better correction of kyphosis deformity compared to group B (27.01 ± 11.54)0 versus (18.08 ± 10.04)0 (P = 0.01, Z = − 2.44). No statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of functional improvement, level of fusions, ESR and CRP. Group B had 3 revision surgery cases. Preoperative halo-traction followed by surgery is superior in kyphosis correction in the treatment of patients with cervical infections with refractory kyphosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of zinc adaptation on histological morphology and antioxidant and immune responses of grass carp(Ctenopharyngodon idella). A total of 180 young grass carp (20.0 ± 2.0 g) was equally distributed into 9 groups, and triplicate groups were subjected to 0 μg/L Zn2+ (control group), 200 μg/L Zn2+, and 300 μg/L Zn2+ solution for 42 days, respectively. The results indicated that the liver and gill have obvious pathological changes after long-term adaptation to zinc except the intestine; the zinc adaptation can positively influence intestinal morphology. The activities of GPX (glutathione peroxidase activity), SOD (superoxide dismutase), and CAT (Catalase) were significantly increased in zinc treatment groups (P < 0.05). The genes expression levels of CuZnSOD (copper zinc superoxide dismutase), CAT, Hsp70 (heat shock protein-70), IL-1b (interleukin-1-b), and TGF-β1 (transforming growth factor-β1) were upregulated in the gill and intestine of grass carp following waterborne adaptation to zinc solution for 42 days (P < 0.05). In conclusion, zinc adaptation has different effects on organs of grass carp and may reduce the inflammatory response of the body's gills and intestines by improving the body's antioxidant and anti-stress defense capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Entanglement of high-dimensional multipartite systems plays an important role both in quantum foundation and applications of quantum physics. Inspired by the genuine high-dimensional entanglement (Kraft et al. in Phys Rev Lett 120:060502, 2018), we first propose a new criterion to characterize genuine entangled states in arbitrary finite dimensional systems. We further define two decomposable models by using embedding method for featuring experimentally untrusted parties. We show that the equivalence of local decomposability and embedded decomposability holds under special conditions for entangled pure states. For mixed states, we show the decomposability may be changed in embedded space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to investigate the effect of diets supplemented with Spirulina and the mixture of Spirulina and ferrous fumarate on intestinal morphology and the diversity of gut microbiota of Yellow River carp. The results showed that the Spirulina and the mixture of Spirulina and ferrous fumarate could promote the development of intestinal villi, increase the thickness of intestinal muscular layer. Additionally, high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene revealed that the Spirulina and the mixture of Spirulina and ferrous fumarate could alter the composition, diversity, and richness of intestinal microbial communities. The relative abundances of the predominant phyla Firmicutes and Verrucomicrobia showed significant changes at the phylum level after fed with Spirulina and ferrous fumarate. At the genus level, the predominant genera with marked differences in abundances were Flavobacterium, Aeromonas, and Brevinema. In conclusion, this study indicated the Spirulina and the ferrous fumarate could alter the intestinal microbiota structure and could also cause positive impacts on the health of Yellow River carp. This study provides the valuable information for elucidating the mechanisms of Spirulina and ferrous fumarate in aquatic animals in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The components made out of hypereutectic high-chromium cast iron (HCCI), featured with high abrasion resistance and hardness, are usually subjected to destabilization treatment before use, to improve their hardness and wear resistance by destabilizing the retained austenite which transforms to martensite. This study investigates the effects of destabilization and tempering heat treatment on the microstructure and mechanical properties of an HCCI with and without modification of primary carbides. For the unmodified HCCI, the destabilization simultaneously increased both hardness and the transverse rupture strength (TRS). Increasing the destabilization temperature from 970 to 1090 °C led to a marginal decrease in hardness and slight increase in TRS. Destabilization at 1090 °C increased the transverse rupture strength (TRS) by 54% compared to the as-cast HCCI without reduction in wear resistance due to the coarsening of the secondary carbides. In addition, tempering within a temperature range from 200 to 280 °C after destabilization at 1090 °C led to a slight decrease in hardness, but an increase in TRS and wear resistance. Further increasing the tempering temperature to 310, 340 and 400 °C did not vary the properties. Tempering at 280 °C after destabilization at 1090 °C enabled more than 85% increase in TRS compared to the as-cast HCCI. The influence of destabilization temperature on the TiB2-modified HCCI is similar to the unmodified alloy. But, tempering after destabilization at 1090 °C decreased both hardness and TRS without significant variation of wear resistance even though a TRS peak was obtained at 310 °C tempering. Hence, to achieve the best performance an optimized heat treatment for the unmodified HCCI is destabilization at 1090 °C followed by tempering at 280 °C. For the TiB2-modified HCCI, tempering is not needed. Rationalizations of the mechanical properties are also discussed in terms of microstructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additive manufacturing (AM) creates digitally designed parts by successive addition of material. However, owing to intrinsic thermal cycling, metallic parts produced by AM almost inevitably suffer from spatially dependent heterogeneities in phases and mechanical properties, which may cause unpredictable service failures. Here, we demonstrate a synergistic alloy design approach to overcome this issue in titanium alloys manufactured by laser powder bed fusion. The key to our approach is in-situ alloying of Ti−6Al−4V (in weight per cent) with combined additions of pure titanium powders and iron oxide (Fe2O3) nanoparticles. This not only enables in-situ elimination of phase heterogeneity through diluting V concentration whilst introducing small amounts of Fe, but also compensates for the strength loss via oxygen solute strengthening. Our alloys achieve spatially uniform microstructures and mechanical properties which are superior to those of Ti−6Al−4V. This study may help to guide the design of other alloys, which not only overcomes the challenge inherent to the AM processes, but also takes advantage of the alloy design opportunities offered by AM. Additively manufactured Ti alloys exhibit spatially dependent microstructures and mechanical properties owing to the intrinsic thermal cycling. Here the authors develop new Ti alloys with uniform mechanical properties through a rational alloy design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drinking alcohol is cited as a way for men to cope with stress, with most of the research emanating from western countries. However, in the East, limited scientific research has been conducted on the relationship between stress and alcohol consumption. Thus, this study aimed to explore the influence of life stress on alcohol use among Chinese men. Our data were drawn from the 2012 China Family Panel Studies that comprised representative samples of the Chinese population. In total, 15,373 Chinese men participated in this study, and their weekly alcohol intake and life stress were evaluated using computer-assisted personal interviews. It was found that the greater the overall life pressure experienced by the Chinese men, the less likely they were to engage in both general (OR = 0.977) and heavy drinking (OR = 0.975). Although severe life stress that interfered with daily life did not affect general drinking, it had a negative effect on heavy drinking. As for less severe life stresses, feeling down and sad had an inhibitory effect on male general and heavy drinking, and experiencing loneliness had a similar effect on general drinking but no effect on heavy drinking. Further, perceiving unfriendliness from others had no influence on male drinking behavior. Although feeling disliked by others had no effect on male drinking behavior, it had a significant, positive effect on male heavy drinking. This study found that in China, stress did not increase male alcohol consumption, but rather, inhibited it. Alcohol consumption is not a preferred strategy for Chinese men dealing with stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synergistic fluorescent spin crossover (SCO) bifunctional molecular materials have novel applications in the molecule-based magneto-optical switches. Herein, we report two novel three-dimensional (3D) Hofmann-type fluorescent SCO complexes [FeII-(tppe)MI(CN)2]ClO4·nSolv (tppe = tetra-(4-pyridylphenyl)ethene, M = Ag (tppe-Ag), Au (tppe-Au)). Both complexes show one-step abrupt SCO with the transition temperature of 230 K for tppe-Ag, and 245 K for tppe-Au accompanied by a color change from red to light yellow. The SCO process is confirmed by the variable-temperature single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis on tppe-Ag. For the first time, the abnormal increase in emission intensity and concomitant large bathochromic shifts in the fluorescence spectra during the SCO process are realized in the 3D Hofmann-type coordination polymers expanded by the tetradentate tppe ligand. Moreover, tppe-Ag exhibits the unprecedented fluorescence emission from green to the edge of yellow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The treatment of extremely severe and rigid spinal deformities was a great surgical challenge. Pulmonary impairment often occurred, which increased the challenges to already daunting surgical approaches. The present study was performed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of posterior-only surgical correction with heavy halo-femoral traction (HFT) for the treatment of extremely severe and rigid adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) of more than 130°. Materials and methods: From 2010 to 2017, 11 patients suffered from extremely severe and rigid AIS of more than 130° underwent posterior-only surgical correction with HFT. The preoperative mean coronal Cobb angle of major curve was 139.01° ± 5.83°, and the mean flexibility was 17.21% ± 3.33%; the mean angle of thoracic kyphosis (TK) and lumbar lordosis (LL) were 65.02° ± 7.21° and 39.05° ± 4.08°, respectively; the mean trunk shift (TS) and sagittal vertical axis (SVA) were 3.3 ± 0.97 cm and 3.97 ± 1.16 cm, respectively; moreover, the percent forced vital capacity (FVC%) and percent forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1%) were 50.08% ± 6.07% and 53.46% ± 5.96%, respectively; the mean body height and weight were 140.09 ± 4.95 cm and 37 ± 4.34 kg, respectively. Results: The mean duration of surgery was 335.91 ± 48.31 min and blood loss was 1590 ± 520.1 ml. The average period of follow-up was 32.18 ± 8.17 months. After heavy HFT, the mean coronal Cobb angle of major curve was reduced to 82.98° ± 6.91° with correction rate of 40.39%. After posterior-only surgical correction, the mean coronal Cobb angle was further reduced to 51.17° ± 5.4° with correction rate of 63.27%. The postoperative mean TK, LL, TS and SVA were improved to 23.85° ± 5.14°, 44.95° ± 2.26°, 1.32 ± 0.72 cm and 1.42 ± 0.83 cm, respectively. At the final follow-up, the corrective loss rate of Cobb angle was only 0.72%; moreover, the mean FVC% and FEV1% were increased to 65.45% ± 5.29% and 69.08% ± 5.32% with improvement of 15.36% and 15.62%, respectively; the mean body height and weight were increased to 154.45 ± 5.32 cm and 45 ± 4.02 kg with improvement of 14.36 cm and 8 kg, respectively. The spinal cord function was stable, and there were no new neurological symptoms after correction. Conclusions: Posterior-only surgical correction with heavy HFT could be safe and effective for the treatment of extremely severe and rigid AIS of more than 130° in reducing the incidence of complications and greatly improving curve correction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The parameterized entanglement monotone, the q-concurrence, is also a reasonable parameterized entanglement measure. By exploring the properties of the q-concurrence with respect to the positive partial transposition and realignment of density matrices, we present tight lower bounds of the q-concurrence for arbitrary q ≥ 2 . Detailed examples are given to show that the bounds are better than the previous ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical characteristics of 66 pediatric patients with B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods: Sixty-six pediatric patients with B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant of COVID-19 admitted to the hospital from July to August 2021 were classified into mild (n = 41) and moderate groups (n = 25). Clinical characteristics, laboratory data and dynamic trends in different time periods were analyzed retrospectively. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in age, gender ratios and clinical symptoms between the mild group and the moderate group. All the patients in the moderate group had clusters of onsets, and the incubation period was shorter than that of the mild group. Within 24 hours of admission, the levels of erythrocyte sedimentation rate, cardiac troponin I, D-dimer in the moderate group were higher than that in the mild group (P < 0.05). The titers of immunoglobulin (Ig) G and IgM antibodies gradually increased after disease onset. Thirty-five (53.03%) children were tested positive for antibodies in 4–12 days. IgG increased gradually, while IgM decreased obviously in about 15 days after disease onset. The cycle threshold values of open reading frame 1ab and nucleocapsid protein gene in the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 genomes increased gradually on the 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th days after disease onset, compared with those in day 0. Conclusions: The symptoms of children with B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant of COVID-19 were mild. The description and analysis of the clinical characteristics and laboratory data can help medical staff to evaluate the condition of children with COVID-19 and to accumulate more clinical experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro-calcium carbonate (MC) and nano-calcium carbonate (NC) have been employed to improve the microstructure and mechanical properties of cement and concrete at ambient temperature. This study focuses on investigating the effect of high temperatures (200°C to 1000°C) on the compressive strength and microstructure of cement paste modified by micro- and nano-calcium carbonate particles. Microstructural analysis was performed using differential thermogravimetric–thermal gravimetric analysis (TG/DTG), mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that NC and MC have a filling effect in the cement matrix. Furthermore, NC and MC act as "nuclei" in promoting the further hydration of unhydrated binder grains under hydrothermal conditions at high temperatures. Below 600°C, the compressive strengths of MC-modified cement paste (MCP) and NC-modified cement paste (NCP) increase with increasing temperature. NCP significantly changes with increasing temperature, and its microstructure remains relatively dense in the temperature range of 200°C to 600°C. Above 600°C, the decomposition of C-S-H (tobermorite) and CaCO3 cause a remarkable deterioration in the microstructure and compressive strength. The residual compressive strength and mass loss are related to the particle size of CaCO3 and the high temperature, and the NCP matrix displays better behavior at high temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are multipartite entangled states in many-body systems which may be potential resources in various quantum applications. In this paper, based on clustering theorems, we show that both the gapped ground state and thermal state at an upper-bounded inverse temperature have no genuine multipartite nonlocality when disjoint regions are far away from each other. The present n-particle system shows only biseparable quantum correlations when the propagation relations show exponential decay. Similar result holds for spin systems with product states as initial states. These results show interesting features of quantum many-body systems with exponential decay of correlations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing studies have primarily focused on the effect of cyclic load characteristics (namely, cyclic load ratio and amplitude ratio) on cyclic lateral response of monopiles in sand, with little attention paid to the effect of pile-soil relative stiffness (KR). This paper presents a series of 1-g cyclic tests aimed at improving understanding of the cyclic lateral responses of monopiles under different pile—soil systems. These systems are arranged by two model piles with different stiffness, including four different slenderness ratios (pile embedded length, L, normalized by diameter, D) under medium dense sand. The KR-values are calculated by a previously proposed method considering the real soil stress level. The test results show that the lateral accumulation displacement increases significantly with the increment of the KR-value, while the cyclic secant stiffness performs inversely. The maximum pile bending moment increases with the cycle number for the rigid pile—soil system, but shows a decreasing trend in the flexible system. For an uppermost concern, an empirical model is proposed to predict the accumulated displacement of arbitrary pile—soil systems by combining the results from this study with those from previous experimental investigations. The validity of the proposed model is demonstrated by 1-g and centrifuge tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissolution of minerals in water is ubiquitous in nature and industry, especially for the calcium silicate species. However, the behavior of such a complex chemical reaction is still unclear at atomic level. Here, we show that the ab initio molecular dynamics and metadynamics simulations enable quantitative analyses of reaction pathways, thermodynamics and kinetics of the calcium ion dissolution from the tricalcium silicate (Ca3SiO5) surface. The calcium sites with different coordination environments lead to different reaction pathways and free energy barriers. The low free energy barriers result in that the detachment of the calcium ion is a ligand exchange and auto-catalytic process. Moreover, the water adsorption, proton exchange and diffusion of water into the surface layer accelerate the leaching of the calcium ion from the surface step by step. The discovery in this work thus would be a landmark for revealing the mechanism of tricalcium silicate hydration. Dissolution of minerals in water is ubiquitous in nature, its mechanism at the atomic level still under debate. Here, the authors investigate the dissolution mechanism of tricalcium silicate at early stage by ab initio molecular dynamics and metadynamics simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bilateral endoscopic biliary stenting remains technically challenging, which limits its wider clinical application.Aims: We have developed a novel long (10-12 cm) and slimmer (6 mm) self-expanded metal stent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, efficacy, and safety of the new metal stent for palliative treatment of malignant hilar biliary strictures (MHBS).Methods: This retrospective study of prospectively collected data included 45 patients with unresectable malignant hilar biliary strictures of Bismuth type II or higher. A pair of long slimmer metal stents were sequentially placed into the intrahepatic duct using the stent-by-stent mode. The success rate and short- and long-term clinical outcomes were observed.Results: The technical success rate was 100%, with a mean procedure time of 43.7 ± 11.5 min. The clinical success was achieved in 44 patients (97.8%). Early adverse events included mild acute pancreatitis (n = 2) and cholangitis (n = 3). Later cholangitis occurred in 14 of the 45 patients due to stent occlusions. The median stent patency was 260 days (95% CI 228.3-291.7). Stent malfunctions occurred in 23 of the 45 patients, and 15 of them received bilateral endoscopic plastic stents placements. The technical success for the re-intervention was 100% with the mean procedure time of 24.3 ± 4.5 min. The median overall survival of the whole group was 229 days (95% CI 171.2-286.8).Conclusions: The long slimmer metal stent for bilateral endoscopic stent-by-stent placement proved to be safe, feasible, and effective for MHBS and facilitates endoscopic re-intervention as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The Cobb angle is a standard measurement to qualify and track the progression of scoliosis. However, the Cobb angle has high inter- and intra-observer variability. Consequently, its measurement varies with vertebrae and may even differ when the same vertebra is measured. Therefore, it is not constant and differs with measurements. This study aimed to develop a deep learning model that automatically measures the Cobb angle. The deep learning model for identifying vertebrae on spine radiographs was developed.The dataset consisted of 297 images that were divided into two subsets for training and validation. Two hundred and twenty-seven images (76.4%) were used to train the model, while 70 images (23.6%) were used as the validation dataset. Absolut error between the measurements by the observer and developed deep learning model and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).The average absolute error between the measurements was 1.97° with a standard deviation of 1.57°. In addition, 95.9% of the angles had an absolute error of less than 5°. The ICC was calculated to assess the model's reliability further. The ICC was 0.981, indicating excellent reliability.The authors believe the model will be useful in clinical practice by relieving clinicians of the burden of having to manually compute the Cobb angle. Further studies are needed to enhance the accuracy and versatility of this deep learning model.Methods: The Cobb angle is a standard measurement to qualify and track the progression of scoliosis. However, the Cobb angle has high inter- and intra-observer variability. Consequently, its measurement varies with vertebrae and may even differ when the same vertebra is measured. Therefore, it is not constant and differs with measurements. This study aimed to develop a deep learning model that automatically measures the Cobb angle. The deep learning model for identifying vertebrae on spine radiographs was developed.The dataset consisted of 297 images that were divided into two subsets for training and validation. Two hundred and twenty-seven images (76.4%) were used to train the model, while 70 images (23.6%) were used as the validation dataset. Absolut error between the measurements by the observer and developed deep learning model and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).The average absolute error between the measurements was 1.97° with a standard deviation of 1.57°. In addition, 95.9% of the angles had an absolute error of less than 5°. The ICC was calculated to assess the model's reliability further. The ICC was 0.981, indicating excellent reliability.The authors believe the model will be useful in clinical practice by relieving clinicians of the burden of having to manually compute the Cobb angle. Further studies are needed to enhance the accuracy and versatility of this deep learning model.Results: The Cobb angle is a standard measurement to qualify and track the progression of scoliosis. However, the Cobb angle has high inter- and intra-observer variability. Consequently, its measurement varies with vertebrae and may even differ when the same vertebra is measured. Therefore, it is not constant and differs with measurements. This study aimed to develop a deep learning model that automatically measures the Cobb angle. The deep learning model for identifying vertebrae on spine radiographs was developed.The dataset consisted of 297 images that were divided into two subsets for training and validation. Two hundred and twenty-seven images (76.4%) were used to train the model, while 70 images (23.6%) were used as the validation dataset. Absolut error between the measurements by the observer and developed deep learning model and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).The average absolute error between the measurements was 1.97° with a standard deviation of 1.57°. In addition, 95.9% of the angles had an absolute error of less than 5°. The ICC was calculated to assess the model's reliability further. The ICC was 0.981, indicating excellent reliability.The authors believe the model will be useful in clinical practice by relieving clinicians of the burden of having to manually compute the Cobb angle. Further studies are needed to enhance the accuracy and versatility of this deep learning model.Conclusions: The Cobb angle is a standard measurement to qualify and track the progression of scoliosis. However, the Cobb angle has high inter- and intra-observer variability. Consequently, its measurement varies with vertebrae and may even differ when the same vertebra is measured. Therefore, it is not constant and differs with measurements. This study aimed to develop a deep learning model that automatically measures the Cobb angle. The deep learning model for identifying vertebrae on spine radiographs was developed.The dataset consisted of 297 images that were divided into two subsets for training and validation. Two hundred and twenty-seven images (76.4%) were used to train the model, while 70 images (23.6%) were used as the validation dataset. Absolut error between the measurements by the observer and developed deep learning model and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).The average absolute error between the measurements was 1.97° with a standard deviation of 1.57°. In addition, 95.9% of the angles had an absolute error of less than 5°. The ICC was calculated to assess the model's reliability further. The ICC was 0.981, indicating excellent reliability.The authors believe the model will be useful in clinical practice by relieving clinicians of the burden of having to manually compute the Cobb angle. Further studies are needed to enhance the accuracy and versatility of this deep learning model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work investigates the effect of different solutes on the formation of primary carbides in high chromium cast irons (HCCI) through thermodynamic modeling. Growth restriction factor, Q, for the growth of primary carbide in a multicomponent HCCI is evaluated with the assistance of the CALPHAD method. Thermodynamic modeling indicates that modification of the primary carbide by growth restriction through solute addition is ineffective because commonly used solutes in ferrous alloys such as Ti, Nb, and Mn, form carbides or other intermetallic compounds in the melt prior to the formation of primary carbide and non-reactive solutes, such as Cu, Ni, Si, and Co, cannot lead to the formation of sufficient constitutional undercooling zone at the front of the growing carbide to enable the new nucleation event. Hence, it is suggested that external addition or in-situ formation of inoculants to promote heterogeneous nucleation of primary carbides is a more effective approach to refine or modify the primary carbides in HCCIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to explore the imaging characteristics, diversity and changing trend in CT scans of pediatric patients infected with Delta-variant strain by studying imaging features of children infected with Delta and comparing the results to those of children with original COVID-19. Methods: A retrospective, comparative analysis of initial chest CT manifestations between 63 pediatric patients infected with Delta variant in 2021 and 23 pediatric patients with COVID-19 in 2020 was conducted. Corresponding imaging features were analyzed. In addition, the changing trend in imaging features of COVID-19 Delta-variant cases were explored by evaluating the initial and follow-up CT scans. Results: Among 63 children with Delta-variant COVID-19 in 2021, 34 (53.9%) showed positive chest CT presentation; and their CT score (1.10 ± 1.41) was significantly lower than that in 2020 (2.56 ± 3.5) (P = 0.0073). Lesion distribution: lung lesions of Delta cases appear mainly in the lower lungs on both sides. Most children had single lobe involvement (18 cases, 52.9%), 14 (41.2%) in the right lung alone, and 14 (41.2%) in both lungs. A majority of Delta cases displayed initially ground glass (23 cases, 67.6%) and nodular shadows (13 cases, 38.2%) in the first CT scan, with few extrapulmonary manifestations. The 34 children with abnormal chest CT for the first time have a total of 92 chest CT examinations. These children showed a statistically significant difference between the 0–3 day group and the 4–7 day group (P = 0.0392) and a significant difference between the 4–7 day group and the more than 8 days group (P = 0.0003). Conclusions: The early manifestations of COVID-19 in children with abnormal imaging are mostly small subpleural nodular ground glass opacity. The changes on the Delta-variant COVID-19 chest CT were milder than the original strain. The lesions reached a peak on CT in 4–7 days and quickly improved and absorbed after a week. Dynamic CT re-examination can achieve a good prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Schottky barrier at the interface between the semiconductor phase and the metal phase has excellent rectification effect which can greatly facilitate the formation of the electron accumulation region. The interface electronic modulation can promote the formation of electron depletion layer in the gas sensing process, which is a powerful strategy to improve the sensing performance. In this work, ZnO–TiC composites were successfully prepared. XRD, TEM, BET and XPS characterizations of the ZnO–TiC composites were proformed to investigate the compositions and structures. The as-synthesized samples were applied to fabricate gas sensors to investigate their gas sensing performance. Compared to pure ZnO and TiC, the composites achieved high sensitivity (232 for 100 ppm aniline) and linear detection (R2 = 0.986) of aniline. The improvement of sensor performance is mainly attributed to the electronic modulation of Schottky barrier at the interface between ZnO and TiC. Our results indicate that the construction of ZnO-TiC Schottky barrier is a promising strategy for enhancing the performance of gas sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Traditionally, the common belief has been that, all patients with Chiari I malformation (CM-1) and syringomyelia (SM) undergoing a neurosurgical procedure even if they are neurologically asymptomatic. As the pathology of CM-1 and SM has become better understood, the traditional concepts have been challenged. The objective of this study was to investigate the minimum 5-year follow-up clinical outcomes of surgical treatment of patients with scoliosis associated with CM-1 and SM and to evaluate the necessity of neurosurgical intervention before corrective surgery. Methods: This retrospective study was performed from May 2009 to September 2014. We enrolled 35 patients with scoliosis associated with CM-1 and SM who were undergoing spinal correction surgery without neurosurgical intervention. During the surgery, spinal cord monitor and wake-up test were used. Preoperative, postoperative, and final follow-up major curve coronary Cobb angle, correction rate, apical vertebral rotation (AVR), apical vertebral translation (AVT), thoracic kyphosis angle (T5–T12), lumbar lordosis angle (L1–S1) were analyzed on radiographs. Results: The mean follow-up period was 82.5 months. The preoperative and postoperative mean curve coronary Cobb angle was from 55.7 ± 7.5° to 20.1 ± 5.8°, correction rate was 63.9%, AVR from 2.8 ± 0.6° to 1.3 ± 0.5°, AVT from 5.1 ± 1.4 to 1.7 ± 0.7 cm, thoracic kyphosis angle from 18.7 ± 4.0° to 32.2 ± 2.7°, lumbar lordosis angle from 36.3 ± 4.1° to 43.8 ± 3.2°. No neurological deficits occurred during the operation and follow-up. Conclusions: Our minimum 5-year follow-up outcomes showed that in a distinct patient population of neurologically asymptomatic individuals with CM-1, SM and progressive scoliosis, posterior instrumented spinal deformity surgery can be safely done without neurosurgical interverventions with the help of preoperative flexibility evaluation and intraoperative neuromonitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Design is a goal-oriented planning activity for creating products, processes, and systems with desired functions through specifications. It is a decision-making exploration: the design outcome may vary greatly depending on the designer's knowledge and philosophy. Integrated design is one type of design philosophy that takes an interdisciplinary and holistic approach. In civil engineering, structural design is such an activity for creating buildings and infrastructures. Recently, structural design in many countries has emphasized a performance-based philosophy that simultaneously considers a structure's safety, durability, serviceability, and sustainability. Consequently, integrated design in civil engineering has become more popular, useful, and important. Material-oriented integrated design and construction of structures (MIDCS) combine materials engineering and structural engineering in the design stage: it fully utilizes the strengths of materials by selecting the most suitable structural forms and construction methodologies. This paper will explore real-world examples of MIDCS, including the realization of MIDCS in timber seismic-resistant structures, masonry arch structures, long-span steel bridges, prefabricated/on-site extruded light-weight steel structures, fiber-reinforced cementitious composites structures, and fiber-reinforced polymer bridge decks. Additionally, advanced material design methods such as bioinspired design and structure construction technology of additive manufacturing are briefly reviewed and discussed to demonstrate how MIDCS can combine materials and structures. A unified strength-durability design theory is also introduced, which is a human-centric, interdisciplinary, and holistic approach to the description and development of any civil infrastructure and includes all processes directly involved in the life cycle of the infrastructure. Finally, this paper lays out future research directions for further development in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hypereutectic high chromium cast iron (HCCI) is featured with high abrasion resistance and hardness, making it one of the most widely used materials in mining, minerals and cementation industries. However, the alloy is also naturally brittle partially due to the coarse needle-shaped primary M7C3 carbides. The present work challenges one of the long-term issues associated with HCCIs to modify the primary carbide through addition of a newly discovered additive, TiB2. Addition of 300 ppm such particles led to a significant decrease in the fraction of needle-shaped primary carbides by 35% and reduction in average size of the carbide by 32% in length for the needle-shaped carbide and by 32% in diameter for the equiaxed carbide. As a result, the transverse rupture strength (TRS) of the alloy after heat treatment was increased by 37% together with no noticeable loss in wear or hardness. Although excess TiB2 addition up to 8000 ppm continued reducing the amount of needle-shaped carbide, the improvement in TRS was annulled by the embrittlement of TiB2. Detailed microstructural examination showed that upon addition, TiB2 decomposed in the melt, leading to the formation of TiN particles with fresh surfaces, which acted as M7C3 carbide refiner through promotion of the heterogenous nucleation of the carbide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Matching the velocity model to the actual engineering and geological conditions and improving the accuracy and stability of the microseismic (MS) source location remain challenges for scientists. An MS source location method based on a velocity model database and statistical analysis, named LM-VMD-SA, is proposed in this study. The method firstly divides the monitoring area into different subareas based on four influencing factors and creates an initial velocity model database by assigning an initial velocity to each sensor combination. Secondly, blasting tests are carried out in each subarea, where the velocity model database is inverted using a location error optimization method based on the pattern search algorithm (LEOM-PSA). The initial velocity model database for each subarea is updated by the velocity model database of the blasting events in the same subarea, and a velocity model database is constructed. Then, the velocity models for all sensor combinations of an MS event are called from the velocity model database for the corresponding subarea by matching the sensor combination of the MS event, and all corresponding solutions of the MS event are solved by the ND-N method. Finally, the three-dimensional coordinates of MS source are identified by utilizing the log-logistic (3P) distribution probability density function. According to blasting tests in the Beiminghe Iron Mine, the location accuracy of the proposed method is 20.88% and 18.24% higher than that of the traditional method and subarea method, respectively. The application of the proposed method to the Beiminghe Iron Mine revealed the illegal mining activities at −125 m and −155 m level, providing effective technical support for mineral resources protection and mining safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of pramipexole plus levodopa/benserazide (P+LB) combination therapy in the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD) compared to that of LB monotherapy, in order to confer a reference for clinical practice. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of P+LB for PD published up to April 2020 were retrieved. Heterogeneity and sensitivity analysis were executed. Twenty-nine RCTs with 3017 participants were included. Clinical efficacy of P+LB combination therapy was significantly better than LB monotherapy (RR 1.27, 95% CI 1.22 to 1.32, P<0.00001). Compared with LB monotherapy, the pooled effects of P+LB combination therapy on UPDRS score were (SMD −1.41, 95% CI −1.71 to −1.11, P<0.00001) for motor UPDRS score, (SMD −1.65, 95% CI −2.25 to −1.04, P<0.00001) for activities of daily living UPDRS score, (SMD −2.20, 95% CI −3.32 to −1.09, P=0.0001) for mental UPDRS score, and (SMD −1.60, 95% CI −2.06 to −1.15, P<0.00001) for complication UPDRS score. The HAMD score showed significant decrease in the P+LB combination therapy compared to LB monotherapy (SMD −1.32, 95% CI −1.80 to −0.84, P<0.00001). In contrast to LB monotherapy, P+LB combination therapy decreased the number of any adverse events obviously in PD patients (RR 0.53, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.63, P<0.00001). In conclusion, P+LB combination therapy is superior to LB monotherapy for improvement of clinical symptoms in PD patients. Moreover, the safety profile of P+LB combination therapy is better than that of LB monotherapy. Further well-designed, multi-center RCTs needed to identify these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the preservation of quantum coherence and entanglement carried by the three non-interacting qubits during their evolution in the presence of an external fluctuating field characterized by a classical Gaussian noise. Initially, the three non-interacting qubits are considered in two different maximally entangled states, namely Greenberger–Horne–Zeilinger ( X G ) and Werner (X W) state. Besides this, we study the time evolution of the two states in three different schemes, namely: common, mixed, and independent system–environment couplings. By deploying different measures, we show that the system–environment coupling and the Gaussian noise greatly affected the quantum correlation and coherence. We also found that the non-local correlation and coherence remain more dominant and robust in common system–environment coupling for the X G state under the Gaussian noise. Hence, this kind of feature of the X G state is a vital resource for the transmission of quantum information with reduced loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]