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The bamboo worm Omphisa fuscidentalis is a kind of popular edible insect in Indochina Peninsula, however, the genus affiliation of this insect is controversial. Previous taxonomic studies from China and Thailand using limited morphology and single mitochondrial gene evidence indicated that, those samples distributed in different areas from Asia could belong to different species in different genera. To understand its taxonomic status and phylogenetic relationship with related taxa, we first sequenced and characterised the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of the moth O. fuscidentalis’ mitogenome is 15,347 bp in size, and containing 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 2 rRNAs, 22 tRNAs, and a control region. Further, 23 of the 37 genes are encoded by the J-strand while 14 are encoded by the N-strand. Most of PCGs are initiated by ATN codons, but 3 of the 13 PCGs harboured the incomplete termination codon by ATT. In the gene order of O. fuscidentalis, the ancestor of Lepidoptera sequence trnI-trnQ-trnM morphed into trnM-trnI-trnQ, as observed in other Pyraloidea species. A phylogenetic tree was then constructed based on the nucleotide sequences of mitochondrial 13 PCGs from 39 Pyraloidea species and two Tortricoidea species (outgroups) using Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood, which determined that O. fuscidentalis belongs to Crambidae. Accordingly, the bamboo worm does not belong to the genus Chilo in the subfamily Crambinae, or to the subfamily Spilomelinae. This study provides fundamental data to clarify the taxonomic status and better understand the biology of this edible insect.

Exact closed-form solutions for the Darcy-Brinkman equation are considered. The assumptions are discussed. The existing solutions can be classified as parallel flow, flow in rotating system, stagnation flow, and transverse flow. Some solutions do not have a clear-fluid counterpart. The stagnation flow on a circular cylinder is introduced. A new class of solutions, which describe the flow in non-circular ducts, is presented.

The insulation resistance value is one of the important indexes for the safe operation of airport navigational lighting system. In this paper, a method based on deep learning and transfer learning is proposed to measure the insulation resistance value. To reduce the influence of high voltage environment and signal injection on the measurement accuracy, a multilayer LSTM model is established, in which the network convergence rate is accelerated by introducing a normalized layer in front of the first LSTM layer. Based on the constructed deep network, transfer learning is employed by sharing the weight parameters of the pretraining model to solve the problem of small data sample. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can effectively improve the measurement accuracy of the insulation resistance value.

Chronic kidney disease-associated pruritus (CKDaP) is an often under-diagnosed and under-recognized condition, despite its considerable prevalence within the chronic kidney disease (CKD) population. Universally accepted guidelines are also lacking. The true prevalence of CKDaP worldwide therefore remains unknown, although its negative impact on mortality and health-related quality of life outcomes is very clear. The pathophysiological mechanisms leading to the onset of CKDaP are only partly understood. CKDaP is currently believed to be caused by a multifactorial process, from local skin changes, metabolic alterations, the development of neuropathy and dysregulation of opioid pathways, and psychological factors. Much work has been carried out towards a more systematic and structured approach to clinical diagnosis. Various tools are now available to assess the severity of CKDaP. Many of these tools require greater validation before they can be incorporated into the guidelines and into routine clinical practice. Further efforts are also needed in order to increase the awareness of clinicians and patients so that they can identify the CKDaP signs and symptoms in a timely manner. Currently established treatment options for CKDaP focus on the prevention of xerosis via topical emollients, the optimization of dialysis management, early referral to kidney transplantation if appropriate, oral antihistamine, and a variety of neuropathic agents. Other novel treatment options include the following: topical analgesics, topical tacrolimus, cannabinoid-containing compounds, antidepressants, oral leukotrienes, opioids, and non-pharmacological alternative therapies (i.e., phototherapy, dietary supplements, acupuncture/acupressure). We provide an updated review on the evidence relating to the epidemiology, the pathophysiology, the clinical assessment and diagnosis, and the management of CKDaP.

The treatment landscape of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is evolving, with promising therapies entering clinical translation, yet patient responses remain heterogeneous, and biomarkers for tailoring treatment are lacking. To understand how disease heterogeneity links with therapy response, we determined the leukemia cell hierarchy makeup from bulk transcriptomes of more than 1,000 patients through deconvolution using single-cell reference profiles of leukemia stem, progenitor and mature cell types. Leukemia hierarchy composition was associated with functional, genomic and clinical properties and converged into four overall classes, spanning Primitive, Mature, GMP and Intermediate. Critically, variation in hierarchy composition along the Primitive versus GMP or Primitive versus Mature axes were associated with response to chemotherapy or drug sensitivity profiles of targeted therapies, respectively. A seven-gene biomarker derived from the Primitive versus Mature axis was associated with response to 105 investigational drugs. Cellular hierarchy composition constitutes a novel framework for understanding disease biology and advancing precision medicine in AML.

A 17-gene stemness (LSC17) score determines risk in acute myeloid leukaemia patients treated with standard chemotherapy regimens. The present study further analysed the impact of the LSC17 score at diagnosis on outcomes following allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Out of 452 patients with available LSC17 score, 123 patients received allogeneic HCT. Transplant outcomes, including overall (OS), leukaemia-free survival (LFS), relapse incidence (RI) and non-relapse mortality (NRM), were compared according to the LSC17 scored group. The patients with a low LSC17 score had higher OS (56.2%) and LFS (54.4%) at 2 years compared to patients with high LSC17 score (47.2%

Difference-in-differences analysis with staggered treatment timing is frequently used to assess the impact of policy changes on corporate outcomes in academic research. However, recent advances in econometric theory show that such designs are likely to be biased in the presence of treatment effect heterogeneity. Given the pronounced use of staggered treatment designs in applied corporate finance and accounting research, this finding potentially impacts a large swath of prior findings in these fields. We survey the nascent literature and document how and when such bias arises from treatment effect heterogeneity. We apply recently proposed methods to a set of prior published results, and find that correcting for the bias induced by the staggered nature of policy adoption frequently impacts the estimated effect from standard difference-in-difference studies. In many cases, the reported effects in prior research become indistinguishable from zero.

During intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD), due to endplate calcification, diminished oxygen and nutrient concentrations and accumulated lactate are present in the microenvironment of the nucleus pulposus (NP). The disadvantages of 3D layered culture include uneven oxygen and nutrient gradients. In the present study, to mimic the in vivo microenvironment of the NP, a 5-layered 3D culture was constructed using clinical haemostatic gelatine sponges and developed as a NP degeneration (NPD) model. Subsequently, cell distribution as well as expression of NP chondrogenic markers (type II collagen and aggrecan), glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and degeneration markers [e.g. matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 3] were measured from the top to the bottom layer. However, in a single NP-cell-loaded disc model, the chondrogenic potency in the middle or bottom layer was higher than that in the top layer. To further study the mechanism underlying the degeneration of NP cells in this NPD model, the contribution of secreted metabolites was examined. Lactate identified in the supernatant modulated GAG accumulation and MMP3 expression. Inhibition of lactate influx by the monocarboxylate transporter (MCT)-1 inhibitor, AZD3965, reversed the effect of lactate on GAG accumulation and MMP3 expression and further improved NP cell degeneration in the NPD model. Thanks to the homogenous expression of lactate in the model, it was possible to further identified that the combination of lactate and hypoxia enhanced MMP3 expression. Taken together, multilayered cell-loaded sponges, with oxygen and nutrient gradients as well as lactate accumulation, can represent a 3D multilayered NPD model for exploring potential agents for IVDD.

The fully stressed column with self-weight and supporting a top load is found. The equilibrium solution is unique, and the cross-sectional area tapers exponentially toward the top. Such an optimum column will be important in column design. The vibration frequency is obtained by first transforming the governing equation and then using an efficient initial-value numerical method. The problem depends on two non-dimensional parameters: One represents the column density, and one represents the product of rigidity and top load. Tables for the free top case and the sliding top case are presented.

The effective permeability of a composite composed of staggered slats embedded in a porous medium is determined. By concentrating on the intermediate (slat) scale, fluid permeation is analyzed by the exact fluid transport equations. Detailed pressure and velocity distributions are found by a semi-numerical eigenfunction expansion and point match method. It is found that both the geometry of the slats and the embedding porous medium contribute to the effective permeability, which is anisotropic in the three principal directions.

To better explore the pathophysiology of FA and its therapy, we aimed to establish a simple and practicable FA model with Freund's adjuvant and introduce an easy and reliable laboratory evaluation method for assessment of inflammation in intestinal segments at different anatomical locations. BALB/c mice were sensitized with ovalbumin combined with Freund's adjuvant. Complete Freund's adjuvant was chosen for the first sensitization and two weeks later incomplete Freund's adjuvant was used for a second sensitization. Two weeks later, the sensitized mice were challenged with 50 mg ovalbumin every other day. After the 6 challenge, all mice were assessed for systemic anaphylaxis, and then sacrificed for sample collection. All sensitized mice showed anaphylactic symptoms and markedly increased levels of serum ovalbumin-specific IgE and IgG1. The activity of mast cell protease-1 (mMCPT-1) was significantly increased in the serum and interstitial fluid of the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colon. A successful FA model was established, of which inflammation occurred in the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colon. This model provides a reliable and simple tool for analysis of the mechanism of FA and methods of immunotherapy. Moreover, combined detection of ovalbumin-specific antibody and local mMCPT-1 levels could potentially be used as the major indicator for assessment of food allergy.

This study provides the first large-scale study of the performance of expected-return proxies (ERPs) internationally. Analyst-forecast-based ICCs are sparsely populated and not robustly associated with future returns. Earnings-model-forecast-based ICCs are well-populated, but are unreliable outside the U.S. We adapt and extend the log-linear and present-value (LPV) framework—combining an accounting valuation anchor, its expected growth, and market prices—for estimating ERPs internationally, and implement a correction for the use of stale accounting data. An LPV ERP anchored on the book value of equity is positively associated with future returns in 26 of 29 equity markets, and largely subsumes the predictive ability of a broad set of firm characteristics previously shown to be associated with expected returns. JEL Classifications: D83; G12; G14; M41.

A screen composed of in-plane thin strips is embedded in a porous medium. The screen is either normal or parallel to the applied pressure gradient which forces a flow through the anisotropic porous medium. The principal axes of anisotropy are assumed to be aligned with that of the screen. The governing equation is fourth order and cannot be factored as in the isotropic case. The solutions are found by eigenfunction superposition (with complex eigenvalues) and point match. Anisotropy has first-order effects on the flow and the drag on the screen. Extrapolation yields fundamental results for the drag of a single slat in an anisotropic porous medium.

Investor-driven "short-termism" is said to harm EU public firms' ability to invest for the long term, prompting calls for the EU to better insulate managers from shareholder pressure. But the evidence offered---rising levels of repurchases and dividends---is incomplete and misleading: it ignores large offsetting equity issuances that move capital from investors to EU firms. We show that, over the last 30 years and the last decade, net shareholder payouts have been moderate, and investment and cash balances have increased. In sum, the data provide little basis for the view that short-termism in the EU warrants corporate governance reforms.

非酒精性脂肪性肝病（NAFLD）与心血管疾病有许多共同的致病因素，包括高血压、糖尿病、胰岛素抵抗、肥胖、血脂代谢异常、氧化应激、炎症以及脂肪因子谱改变等。近年研究发现，NAFLD促进了动脉粥样硬化的发展，是冠心病的独立危险因素，而心血管疾病尤其是冠心病又是NAFLD患者死亡的主要原因。NAFLD及其严重程度与冠心病发生发展之间的关联机制是一个热点问题。该文对NAFLD与冠心病的相关性进行了论述。.

The fully developed forced convection with H1 and/or H2 conditions in a semi-elliptic duct is studied. Such ducts model conduits attached to a flat surface and etched microfluidic channels. Due to differences in materials, the duct wall may be highly conductive (H1) or poorly conductive (H2) or a mixture of both. This paper presents analytic small aspect ratio asymptotic solutions and tables of Poiseuille and Nusselt numbers for various aspect ratios and boundary conditions.

The interesting problem of a flat elastic plate and a weight which would sink individually but may float as a system is presented. Using beam and plate theories, the two-dimensional strip and the circular disc are solved exactly for the minimum width for which the system would float. Three types of loading are considered: a centered point load, two symmetric point loads or a ring load, and a continuous uniform load. These problems represent a new class of stability problems which illustrate the interaction of load, elasticity, and hydrostatics.

This paper proposes a line-matching algorithm based on feature grouping and a line band descriptor (LBD) to address the insufficient reliability of individual line descriptors for line matching. First, the algorithm generates line-pairs according to geometrical relationships such as the distances and angles between line segments extracted from a single image. Subsequently, the algorithm employs the epipolar line of intersection between two lines in a reference line-pair to constrain candidate pairs corresponding to the reference line-pair. Thereafter, each line in the reference line-pair is considered individually, and its support region and the corresponding support region of each candidate line in the candidate pairs are established, following which an affine transformation is used for unifying the sizes of the reference support region and the candidate support region. Moreover, the LBD descriptor is then used for describing the reference and candidate lines. The Euclidean distances between the reference line and each candidate line descriptors are calculated, and the nearest neighbor distance ratio (NNDR) is used as a criterion for determining the final matching. Finally, the one-to-many and many-to-one line correspondences in matching results are transformed into one-to-one line correspondences by fitting multiple lines to the new line; simultaneously, incorrect matches are eliminated. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm yields reliable line-matching performance for close-range images.

After decades of de-prioritizing shareholders’ economic interests and low corporate profitability, Japan introduced the JPX-Nikkei400 in 2014. The index highlighted the country’s “best-run” companies by annually selecting the 400 most profitable of its large and liquid firms. We find that managers competed for inclusion in the index by significantly increasing return on equity (ROE), and they did so at least in part due to their reputational or status concerns. The ROE increase was predominantly driven by improvements in margins, which were in turn partially driven by cutting research and development (R&D) intensity. Our findings suggest that indexes can affect managerial behavior through reputational or status incentives.