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We begin with a degree m real homogeneous polynomial in n indeterminants and bound the distance from a given n-dimensional real vector to the real vanishing of the homogeneous polynomial. We then apply these bounds to the real homogeneous polynomial associated with a nonzero m-order n-dimensional weakly symmetric tensor which has zero as an eigenvalue. We provide "nested spheres" conditions to bound the distance from a given n-dimensional real vector to the nearest zero eigenvector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, an improved symmetric integral barrier function-based tracking control is addressed for a robotic manipulator in the presence of position error performance requirements and unknown uncertain terms. First of all, we construct an improved symmetric time-variant integral barrier function to solve the robotic system's constrained requirements. The novel barrier function is constructed by developing an integral upper limit function that can be used in conjunction with existing performance envelope functions. Then, the equivalent conversion error is taken as the upper limit of the integral function to achieve the specified steady-state as well as transient behaviors of the system. Additionally, a disturbance observer based on the velocity tracking error is introduced to compensate for unknown uncertain terms. In the end, a numeral simulation study on a robot with two degrees is performed to indicate that the present scheme is feasible in handling the performance constraint and uncertain terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atriplex canescens is widely cultivated as drought and salt-tolerant fodder in arid regions of Northwest China, which is used for photoremediation of degraded land and soil and water conservation. To explore the growth performance of A. canescens when exposed to drought and salt stress, seedlings were treated with a range of drought stress (WC1: 75 ± 3.6%, WC2: 49 ± 2.9% and WC3: 27 ± 2.5% of soil water content) and the corresponding drought stress with additional sodium salt supplementation (NaCl:Na2SO4 = 1:1 with the total concentration of Na+ set to 150 mM). The findings of this paper indicated that moderate sodium salt could stimulate the growth of A. canescens and effectively alleviate the deleterious impact of drought stress by increasing the turgor potential (ψt) and relative water content (RWC) and decreasing the leaf water osmotic potential (ψs). Furthermore, the photosynthetic capacity was improved and the negative effects of drought stress on photosystem II (PSII) were mitigated. The extra 150 mM sodium salt also markedly increased the contribution of Na+ to ψs and the contribution of betaine to ψs. In summary, these results indicate that A. canescens can adapt to drought stress by accumulating enough Na+ for osmotic adjustment (OA). Additionally, this paper is aimed to provide a fundamental basis for the utilization and cultivation of A. canescens as a favored pasture crop in the Qaidam basin, thus increasing the ecological and environmental benefits for arid regions worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The steel box arch bridge in this study will be subjected to various temperature effects from the construction to the operation stage, including the cement hydration heat effect and the sunshine temperature effect caused by an ambient temperature change. Therefore, it is very important to control the temperature effect of steel box arch bridges. In this study, the newly built Dafeng River Bridge is selected as the steel box arch bridge. This study aims to investigate the temperature effect including hydration heat and the sunshine temperature effect of the construction process of a rigid frame-tied steel box arch bridge. The manuscript presents that the heat dissipation performance of concrete decreases with the increase in the thickness of a mass concrete structure. The average maximum temperature values of layer No. 3 are about 1.3, 1.2, and 1.1 times the average maximum temperature value of layer No. 1 for the mass concrete of the cushion cap, main pier and arch abutment, respectively. The higher the molding temperature is, the higher the maximum temperature by the hydration heat effect is. With each 5 °C increase in the molding temperature, the maximum temperature at the core area increases by about 4~5 °C for the mass concrete. The pipe cooling method is conducive to the hydration heat control effect of mass concrete. Based on the monitored temperature change and displacement change, the influences of daily temperature change on the steel lattice beam and arch rib are analyzed. A temperature rise will cause the structure to have a certain camber in the longitudinal direction, and the longitudinal or transverse displacement caused by the sunshine temperature change is no less than the vertical displacement. Due to the symmetrical construction on both sides of the river, the arch rib deformation on both sides presents symmetrical synchronous changes. Based on 84 h of continuous temperature monitoring on-site, the changing trends of the arch back temperature and ambient temperature are consistent and their difference is small during 1:00~4:00 in the morning, which is determined as the appropriate closure time for the newly built Dafeng River Bridge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vinyl acetate (VAc) was polymerized to about 90% conversion in 9 h at 40°C from the colloidal microstructure of the VAc/fumed silica/cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) system. The glass transition ( T g ) of poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) polymerized in these emulsion gels with silica was higher ( T g = 41 ° C) than those of PVAc made from bulk polymerization at 60°C ( T g = 31 ° C) and the weight average molar mass ( M w ) was also larger ( M w about 300 kg/mol) than those from bulk polymerization ( M w = 125 kg / mol). Increased M w , T g , and lowered processing temperature for these composites could facilitate new applications for PVAc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The prognostic role of hemoglobin-to-red blood cell distribution width ratio (HRR) in HBV-related decompensated cirrhosis (HBV-DeCi) has not been established. The present study is aimed at determining the potential of HRR as a predictive factor for the prognosis of HBV-DeCi patients. Methods. The study included 177 HBV-DeCi patients. The clinical outcome was death at 30 days. Multivariate regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis were applied to assess the predictive value of HRR for poor outcomes. Results. A total of 26 patients (14.7%) had died by 30 days. Patients with unfavorable outcomes had lower HRR than patients with favorable outcomes. Multivariate analysis revealed that HRR and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score were independently associated with poor outcomes. Combination of HRR and MELD score may improve prognostic accuracy in HBV-DeCi. Conclusions. The present findings indicate that low HRR may be a promising predictor for mortality in HBV-DeCi patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defect detection is critical in production systems. The traditional methods are primarily manual, prohibiting its large-scale industrial application. The current deep learning methods usually require a large amount of data, which is challenging in some cases. This paper presents a novel deep learning method to detect a large variety of defects based on small datasets only. Specifically, the method is based on the deep random chain combined with the adaptive Faster R-CNN. The idea behind this method is to fuse both common and different types of information among candidate groups to each defect candidate, which thus improves the model's generalization for small sample datasets with a wide variety of defects. Indeed, the deep random chains focus on learning the relationship among the pixels inside each defect, while many features are added to each defect using Faster R-CNN. Several experiments on industrial products demonstrate the merit of the proposed method for small sample datasets with yet a wide variety of defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Forced polyploidization is an effective strategy for acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (AMKL) therapy and factors controlling polyploidization are potential targets for drug development. Although bone morphology protein 2-inducible kinase (BMP2K) has been implied to be a potential target for fasudil, a potent polyploidy-inducing compound, the function of BMP2K in megakaryopoiesis and AMKL remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the role of BMP2K as a novel regulator in megakaryocyte polyploidization and differentiation and its implication in AMKL therapy. Results: BMP2K upregulation was observed in human megakaryopoiesis and leukemia cells whereas BMP2K was downregulated in AMKL cells forced to undergo terminal differentiation. Functionally, BMP2K suppressed MLN8237-induced megakaryocytic differentiation in AMKL cells and dampened megakaryocyte differentiation in primary mouse fetal liver cells. Furthermore, BMP2K overexpression conferred resistance to multiple chemotherapy compounds in AMKL cells. Mechanistically, cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) interacted with BMP2K and partially mediated its function. In transient MLN8237 and nocodazole challenge cell model, BMP2K reduced cell percentage of G2/M phase but increased G1 phase, suggesting a role of BMP2K antagonizing polyploidization and promoting mitosis by regulating cell cycle in megakaryopoiesis. Conclusions: BMP2K negatively regulates polyploidization and megakaryocyte differentiation by interacting CDK2 and promoting mitosis in megakaryopoiesis. BMP2K may serve as a potential target for improvement of AMKL therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to specifically prepare angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides rich in C-terminal proline from oyster proteins using chymotrypsin and proline-specific endopeptidases (PSEases). The hydrolysates were purified with Sephadex G25, Superdex™ 30 Increase 10/300 GL gel filtration chromatography and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). The ACE inhibitory IC50 of purified fraction (G1E1C1) was 0.032 ± 0.003 mg/mL. According to ESI–MS and ESI–MS/MS analyses, there were three novel ACE inhibitory peptides in G1E1C1 fraction. Their sequences were Ser-Ala-Pro, Ala-Met-Pro and Thr-Ser-Gly-Pro. Molecular docking of peptides to ACE was studied. Metal–acceptor interactions and conventional hydrogen bonds greatly promoted the stability of peptides to ACE interaction. Pyrrole ring of proline may lead to higher inhibitory activity of peptides. It easily formed a Pi–alkyl interaction with aromatic ring residues (His353, His387, His513, and Phe512). Pi interactions may promote the effect of peptides on ACE. Also, C atom adjacent to the N atom of the pyrrole ring easily formed a carbon hydrogen bond with Ala354. The research discovered three novel ACE inhibitory peptides and provided a method to obtain ACE inhibitory peptides with specific structure X-Pro. The research result played an important role in revealing the structure–activity relationship of ACE inhibitory peptides and designing novel peptides with enhanced biological activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Phenylenediamine (PDA) was chosen as a coordinating, reducing, and capping agent to effectively direct growth and protect against oxidation of Cu nanowires (Cu NWs) in an aqueous solution. PDA was found to reduce Cu (II) to Cu (I) at room temperature, and stabilize the resulting Cu (I) by forming a coordination complex. The presence of a stable, intermediate Cu (I) complex is an essential step in the synthesis of Cu NWs under mild conditions. Incorporation of different PDA isomers leads to different growth paths of forming Cu NWs. Both p PDA and m PDA-synthesized Cu NWs are covered with a thin layer of polyphenylenediamine and show excellent oxidation-resistant in boiling water (3 days), and long-term stability in water at room temperature (10 months). The polyPDA-coated Cu NWs are electrochemically active even after a long-term storage in water. The usefulness of the oxidation-resistant electrochemical-active Cu NWs prepared here for a variety of nanotechnology applications is discussed. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Cu nanowire/polyphenylenediamine core/shell structures were first time synthesized under a mild condition by forming a Cu (I) intermediate. • As-synthesized Cu nanowires show excellent oxidation-resistant in boiling water (3 days), and long-term stability in water at room temperature (10 months). • As-synthesized Cu nanowires are electrochemically active even after 10 months of storage in water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surfactant-catalyzed room-temperature radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) was conducted in the presence of fumed silica nanoparticles and water. Three types of surfactants, cationic (CTAB), nonionic (Triton X-100) or anionic (SDS), were used to catalyze the decomposition of the initiator, 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN). The surfactant-catalyzed decomposition rate constant for AIBN at room temperature was found to be independent of the surfactant type. However, the rates of polymerization of the MMA emulsion gels at room temperature were found to depend on the types of surfactant with: cationic > nonionic > anionic. An inhibition period was observed for the polymerizations with nonionic and anionic surfactants. The radical-inhibition was likely due to the reactions between the radicals and the silanol groups on fumed silica. This inhibition can be reduced by using cationic surfactants to block these surface silanols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Homopolymers of n-butyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, styrene, and their random copolymers were prepared via interface-initiated polymerization of emulsion gels at 20 °C. The polymerization was conducted in a free radical polymerization manner without inert gas protection. Compared with the polymers synthesized at 60 °C, the polymerization of emulsion gels at 20 °C produced homo- and copolymers with a higher molecular mass and a narrower molecular mass distribution. The polydispersity indices for the polymers synthesized at 20 °C were found to be between 1.12 and 1.37. The glass transition temperatures for the as-synthesized butyl acrylate copolymers agree well with the prediction from the Gordon–Taylor equation. Interface-initiated room-temperature polymerization is a robust, energy-saving polymerization technique for synthesizing polymers with a narrow molecular mass distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Auxin plays an essential role in regulating Arabidopsis growth and development. YUCCA (YUC) family genes encode flavin monooxygenases, which are rate-limiting enzymes in the auxin biosynthetic pathway. Previous studies showed that YUC8 overexpression (YUC8 OE), as well as ectopic expression of YUC8 driven by GL2 (GLABRA 2) and TT12 (TRANSPARENT TESTA 12) promoters, which are specifically expressed in the epidermis and inner seed integument, respectively, produced larger seeds compared to the Col. However, the impact of these transgenic lines on the vegetative growth of Arabidopsis remains unclear. Here, we show that the GL2pro:YUC8-GFP and TT12pro:YUC8-GFP transgenic plants produce a moderate excessive auxin accumulation phenotype compared to the YUC8 OE. These two transgenic lines produced smaller rosette and leaf, higher plant height, fewer branches, and longer siliques. These data will provide a basis for the study of the relationship between the ectopic expression of auxin synthesis genes and crop yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A bipolar junction transistor (BJT)‐based CMOS temperature sensor exploiting the piecewise BJT process spread compensation property of the base recombination current is proposed to reduce the process variations of the base–emitter voltage (Vbe). The weighted combinations of different on‐chip resistors are explored to minimise their associated process spread. Fabricated in standard 0.18‐μm CMOS, the chip prototype occupies an active area of 0.036 mm2 and draws 3 μA from a 1.2 V supply, with a measured maximum inter‐/intra‐die variation in Vbe of <1.5 mV from −40 to 125°C from two batches. Using the measured Vbe, ΔVbe and the first‐batch‐only calibration parameters, the chip prototype demonstrates an untrimmed batch‐to‐batch inaccuracy of ± 1.5°C (3σ) within the same temperature range (24 samples from 2 batches). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a fractional-order chaotic system using a tri-stable locally active memristor. The characteristics of the memristor, dynamic mechanism of oscillation, and behaviors of the proposed system were analyzed, and then a visually meaningful image encryption scheme was designed based on the chaotic system, DNA encoding, and integer wavelet transform (IWT). Firstly, the mathematical model of the memristor was designed, which was nonvolatile, locally active, and tri-stable. Secondly, the stability, dynamic mechanism of oscillation, bifurcation behaviors, and complexity of the fractional-order memristive chaotic system were investigated and the conditions of stability were obtained. Thirdly, the largest Lyapunov exponent, bifurcation diagram, and complexity of the novel system were calculated and the coexisting bifurcation, coexisting attractors, spectral entropy, and so on are shown. Finally, a visually meaningful image encryption scheme based on the proposed system was designed, and its security was assessed by statistical analysis and different attacks. Numerical simulation demonstrated the effectiveness of the theoretical analysis and high security of the proposed image encryption scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical looping ammonia synthesis (CLAS) is an innovative and effective method for sustainable ammonia generation, in which efficient N release/fixation of nitrogen carriers (NC) is required for successive ammonia production. Herein, we report a two-step CLAS mediated by a Mo 2 N-Mo couple and experimentally validate its N fixation and N release steps under mild conditions. In the N-release step, the NH 3 production rate at 450 °C (> 4576 μmol g−1 h−1) was three times higher than that obtained via the thermo-catalytic ammonia synthesis route catalyzed by Mo 2 N. In the N-fixation step, the introduction of H 2 enhanced the reaction kinetics between Mo and N 2 , accelerating NC regeneration. In addition, only a slight deactivation of NC was observed during the 8-cycle stability test. This study confirmed the preliminary feasibility of using Mo 2 N as an NC during the CLAS process. [Display omitted] • Two-step CLAS mediated by a Mo 2 N-Mo couple was reported. • Mo-based nitrogen carriers (NC) were synthesized via a facile pyrolysis method. • Three times more NH 3 was produced via hydrogenation of NC than by thermocatalysis. • The presence of H 2 significantly improved the nitridation rate of Mo. • The NH 3 production rate kept at ~ 100 μmol g−1 h−1 during an 8-cycle stability test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loss of strength in human and animal models of aging can be partially attributed to a well-recognized decrease in muscle mass; however, starting at middle-age, the normalized force (force/muscle cross-sectional area) in the knee extensors and single muscle fibers declines in a curvilinear manner. Strength is lost faster than muscle mass and is a more consistent risk factor for disability and death. Reduced expression of the voltage sensor Ca2+ channel α1 subunit (Cav1.1) with aging leads to excitation-contraction uncoupling, which accounts for a significant fraction of the decrease in skeletal muscle function. We recently reported that in addition to its classical cytoplasmic location, fast skeletal muscle troponin T3 (TnT3) is fragmented in aging mice, and both full-length TnT3 (FL-TnT3) and its carboxyl-terminal (CT-TnT3) fragment shuttle to the nucleus. Here, we demonstrate that it regulates transcription of Cacna1s, the gene encoding Cav1.1. Knocking down TnT3 in vivo downregulated Cav1.1. TnT3 downregulation or overexpression decreased or increased, respectively, Cacna1s promoter activity , and the effect was ablated by truncating the TnT3 nuclear localization sequence. Further, we mapped the Cacna1s promoter region and established the consensus sequence for TnT3 binding to Cacna1s promoter. Systemic administration of BDA-410, a specific calpain inhibitor, prevented TnT3 fragmentation, and Cacna1s and Cav1.1 downregulation and improved muscle force generation in sedentary old mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Planned and unplanned outages on distribution networks may cause major economic loss to customers and can result in substantial reparation payments by utilities. This paper analyzes the use of a battery energy storage system (BESS) to partially or completely avoid these outages. The analysis is conducted with a multiday high-demand scenario where the load demand at peak times exceeds the current capacity of the line. This would result in an outage unless the current from the substation can be reduced. Three basic scenarios representative of different degrees of sophistication of feeder automation were studied, i.e., a conventional feeder controlled by one or more reclosing breakers; a modern distribution feeder equipped with a limited number of remote-controlled breakers that will disconnect nonvital loads belonging to residential, commercial, and industrial customers; and a modern distribution feeder equipped with numerous remote-controlled breakers that will selectively disconnect commercial, industrial, and residential loads based on their degree of criticality. This paper concluded that the total or partial avoidance of outages by way of BESS usage is feasible; however, the use of “smart grid” control technology can provide more benefit than BESSs in the scenarios studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/silica/cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) composites were prepared through surfactant catalyzed free radical polymerizations at 40 °C. Fumed silica particles controlled the morphology of the polymeric composites producing porous structures. The internal structures of the porous composite were determined using temperature-modulated differential scanning calorimetry (TMDSC). The fumed silica particles were encapsulated by an incompletely covered CTAB monolayer, with a crystallization temperature, T C,CTAB = 76 °C, and a mixed PMMA/CTAB shell, with T C,CTAB = 63 °C. The fumed silica surfaces acted as inhibitors for PMMA free radical polymerizations. Much of the PMMA formed in the composites was adsorbed on the silica, as evidenced by its elevated glass transition temperature compared to bulk. The enhanced decomposition of the initiator was catalyzed by CTAB and resulted in free radical polymerization of PMMA at 40 °C, which is considerably lower than the temperatures normally used for PMMA synthesis by free radical means with thermal initiation. These lowered polymerization temperatures allow energy efficient production of composites, which can incorporate temperature sensitive materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polystyrene (PS)/cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)/silica composites were prepared by CTAB-catalyzed in-situ polymerization of high internal phase emulsion gels (HIPE gels) at room temperature. The room temperature approach in HIPE gels yielded mono-dispersed PS/CTAB/silica spherical composite particles with sizes of 121 and 155 nm. The complex microscopic internal structures of these particles were determined with the use of temperature-modulated differential scanning calorimetry (TMDSC). CTAB, in particular, was identified in different environments within the composite particles based on its different crystallization temperatures observed on cooling: a thin layer at the surface of the fumed silica ( T C , CTAB = 74 °C), multilayers ( T C , CTAB = 82 °C), and a mixed PS/CTAB shell ( T C , CTAB = 65 °C). The amounts of each component were estimated from the enthalpies of the crystallization. The PS/CTAB mixed shell contained CTAB on the surface of the particle plus internal CTAB domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NLRP3 is an important pattern recognition receptor in the innate immune system, and its activation induces a large number of pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL-1β and IL-18 which are involved in the development of various diseases. In recent years, it has been suggested that mitochondria are the platform for NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Additionally, exercise is considered as an important intervention strategy to mediate the innate immune responses. Generally, chronic moderate-intensity endurance training, resistance training and high-intensity interval training inhibit NLRP3 inflammasome activation in response to various pathological factors. In contrast, acute exercise activates NLRP3 inflammasome. However, the mechanisms by which exercise regulates NLRP3 inflammasome activation are largely unclear. Therefore, the mechanism of NLRP3 inflammasome activation is discussed mainly from the perspective of mitochondria in this review. Moreover, the effect and potential mechanism of exercise on NLRP3 inflammasome are explored, hoping to provide new target for relevant research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Auxins and their analogs are widely used to promote root growth, flower and fruit development, and yield in crops. The action characteristics and application scope of various auxins are different. To overcome the limitations of existing auxins, expand the scope of applications, and reduce side effects, it is necessary to screen new auxin analogs. Here, we identified 3,4-dichlorophenylacetic acid (Dcaa) as having auxin-like activity and acting through the auxin signaling pathway in plants. At the physiological level, Dcaa promotes the elongation of oat coleoptile segments, the generation of adventitious roots, and the growth of crop roots. At the molecular level, Dcaa induces the expression of auxin-responsive genes and acts through auxin receptors. Molecular docking results showed that Dcaa can bind to auxin receptors, among which TIR1 has the highest binding activity. Application of Dcaa at the root tip of the DR5:GUS auxin-responsive reporter induces GUS expression in the root hair zone, which requires the PIN2 auxin efflux carrier. Dcaa also inhibits the endocytosis of PIN proteins like other auxins. These results provide a basis for the application of Dcaa in agricultural practices. Physiological and molecular studies have shown that 3,4-dichlorophenylacetic acid (Dcaa) has auxin-like activity and acts through the auxin signaling pathway in plants. This provides a basis for the application of Dcaa in agricultural practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An elastic domain with multiple yield surfaces brings about huge troubles to numerical computations due to singularities, while non-associative plasticity leads further to the open issue of whether constitutive integration is well posed. This study reduces the constitutive integration of non-associative plasticity with multiple yield surfaces to a mixed complementarity problem, represented by MiCP, a special case of finite-dimensional variational inequalities. By means of the projection–contraction algorithm for finite-dimensional variational inequalities and the idea of the Gauss–Seidel method, a new projection–contraction algorithm for MiCP is designed and denoted by GSPC. Applying the monotonicity of the mapping of the MiCP, GSPC is proved convergent theoretically for associative plasticity. For non-associative plasticity, the sufficient condition for GSPC to be convergent is also established if the tension part of the Mohr–Coulomb elastic domain is cut off. Typical examples are designed to illustrate GSPC is highly efficient, accurate and stable, some of which cannot be solved by the conventional return-mapping method. In all the cases, the computational efficiency of GSPC is apparently above the mapping return method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reliable and robust systems to detect and harvest fruits and vegetables in unstructured environments are crucial for harvesting robots. In this paper, we propose an autonomous system that harvests most types of crops with peduncles. A geometric approach is first applied to obtain the cutting points of the peduncle based on the fruit bounding box, for which we have adapted the model of the state-of-the-art object detector named Mask Region-based Convolutional Neural Network (Mask R-CNN). We designed a novel gripper that simultaneously clamps and cuts the peduncles of crops without contacting the flesh. We have conducted experiments with a robotic manipulator to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed harvesting system in being able to efficiently harvest most crops in real laboratory environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It has been shown that eosinophils are decreased and monocytes are elevated in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS), but the impact of eosinophil-to-monocyte ratio (EMR) on clinical outcomes among AIS patients remains unclear. We aimed to determine the relationship between EMR on admission and 3-month poor functional outcome in AIS patients.Methods: A total of 521 consecutive patients admitted to our hospital within 24 h after onset of AIS were prospectively enrolled and categorized in terms of quartiles of EMR on admission between August 2016 and September 2018. The endpoint was the poor outcome defined as modified Rankin Scale score of 3 to 6 at month 3 after admission.Results: As EMR decreased, the risk of poor outcome increased (p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis revealed that EMR was independently associated with poor outcome after adjusting potential confounders (odds ratio, 0.09; 95% CI 0.03-0.34; p = 0.0003), which is consistent with the result of EMR (quartile) as a categorical variable (odds ratio, 0.23; 95% CI 0.10-0.52; ptrend < 0.0001). A non-linear relationship was detected between EMR and poor outcome, whose point was 0.28. Subgroup analyses further confirmed these associations. The addition of EMR to conventional risk factors improved the predictive power for poor outcome (net reclassification improvement: 2.61%, p = 0.382; integrated discrimination improvement: 2.41%, p < 0.001).Conclusions: EMR on admission was independently correlated with poor outcome in AIS patients, suggesting that EMR may be a potential prognostic biomarker for AIS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The control of fouling deposition on the main equipment has always been an important issue concerned by scientific research and industrial application. However, severe fouling deposits on the induced fan blade and the low temperature economiser were found in a 1000 MW coal-fired power plant with ultra-low emission. The deposit samples were collected and analysed through X-ray diffraction spectrometer, X-ray fluorescence, elemental analyser and SEM with energy dispersive spectrometers. The result shows that the deposits are mainly composed of tschermigite (NH4)Al(SO4)2 ·12H2O, letovicite (NH4)3H(SO4)2, calcium sulphate CaSO4, and quartz SiO2. The ammonium sulphate is the main component of the fouling deposits. It acts as an adhesive and makes an important contribution to the deposition. The analysis shows that the ammonia slip from denitrification system and the unreasonable temperature setting are the main reasons for fouling deposition. It is suggested that the high concentration of ammonium slip at denitrification system and the rapid condensation of the sulphuric acid mist at heat exchanger should be paid more attention in coal-fired power plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CMOS compatibility and 8-inch manufacturability have been highly desired in MEMS technology. In this article, we demonstrate a MEMS pyroelectric IR detector using CMOS compatible AlN and 8-inch semiconductor wafer technology. This AlN pyroelectric detector detects IR over wavelength ranging from 5 $\mu \text{m}$ to 14 $\mu \text{m}$. In addition, this detector is designed to have added mechanical stiffness for improved device integrity. The detectors are fabricated with different sensing area dimensions to compare their performance. The best performing detector has an NEP $\sim \,\,8.87\times 10^{\text {-9}}\,\,\text {W/}\sqrt {\text {Hz}} $ and ${D} ^\ast \,\,\sim \,\,6.04\times 10^{{6}}\,\,{\text {cm}\sqrt {\text {Hz}}}/ \text {W}$. These pyroelectric detectors are designed and built with the consideration to enable ease of monolithic integration with other components to form an integrated gas sensor system. This includes enabling detection of illumination from the front side and using an absorber stack that consists of CMOS dielectric layers. Subsequently, they will form a crucial part of the architectures for miniature photonics-based gas sensors. Their performance is a first step towards 8-inch wafer level CMOS-compatible manufacturable photonics gas sensors. [2020-0157] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Posttransplantation diabetes mellitus (PTDM) is a known complication of transplantation that affects the prognosis. Tacrolimus (Tac or FK506) is a widely used immunosuppressant that has been reported to be a risk factor for PTDM and to further induce complications in heart and skeletal muscles, but the mechanism is still largely unknown. In our preliminary experiments, we found that after Tac treatment, blood glucose increased, and the weight of skeletal muscle declined. Here, we hypothesize that tacrolimus can induce PTDM and influence the atrophy of skeletal muscle. Methods. We designed preliminary experiments to establish a tacrolimus-induced PTDM model. Gene expression profiles in quadriceps muscle from this rat model were characterized by oligonucleotide microarrays. Then, differences in gene expression profiles in muscle from PTDM rats that received tacrolimus and control subjects were analyzed by using GeneSpring GX 11.0 software (Agilent). Functional annotation and enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) helped us identify clues for the side effects of tacrolimus. Results. Our experiments found that the quadriceps in tacrolimus-induced PTDM group were smaller than those in the control group. The study identified 275 DEGs that may be responsible for insulin resistance and the progression of PTDM, including 86 upregulated genes and 199 downregulated genes. GO and KEGG functional analysis of the DEGs showed a significant correlation between PTDM and muscle development. PPI network analysis screened eight hub genes and found that they were related to troponin and tropomyosin. Conclusions. This study explored the molecular mechanism of muscle atrophy in a tacrolimus-induced PTDM model by bioinformatics analyses. We identified 275 DEGs and identified significant biomarkers for predicting the development and progression of tacrolimus-induced PTDM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To effectively interact with people, social robots need to perceive human behaviors and in turn display their own behaviors using social communication modes such as gestures. The modeling of gestures can be difficult due to the high dimensionality of the robot configuration space. Imitation learning can be used to teach a robot to implement multi-jointed arm gestures by directly observing a human teacher’s arm movements (for example, using a non-contact 3D sensor) and then mapping these movements onto the robot arms. In this paper, we present a novel imitation learning system with robot self-collision awareness and avoidance. The proposed method uses a kinematical approach with bounding volumes to detect and avoid collisions with the robot itself while performing gesticulations. We conducted experiments with a dual arm social robot and a 3D sensor to determine the effectiveness of our imitation system in being able to mimic gestures while avoiding self-collisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Golden jackal optimization (GJO) is inspired by the cooperative attacking behavior of golden jackals and mainly simulates searching for prey, stalking and enclosing prey, and pouncing on prey to solve complicated optimization problems. However, the basic GJO has the disadvantages of premature convergence, a slow convergence rate and low computation precision. To enhance the overall search and optimization abilities, an enhanced golden jackal optimization (EGJO) method with the elite opposition-based learning technique and the simplex technique is proposed to address adaptive infinite impulse response system identification. The intention is to minimize the error fitness value and obtain the appropriate control parameters. The elite opposition-based learning technique boosts population diversity, enhances the exploration ability, extends the search range and avoids search stagnation. The simplex technique accelerates the search process, enhances the exploitation ability, improves the computational precision and increases the optimization depth. EGJO can not only achieve complementary advantages to avoid search stagnation but also balance exploration and exploitation to arrive at the best value. Three sets of experiments are used to verify the effectiveness and feasibility of EGJO. The experimental results clearly demonstrate that the optimization efficiency and recognition accuracy of EGJO are superior to those of AOA, GTO, HHO, MDWA, RSO, WOA, TSA and GJO. EGJO has a faster convergence rate, higher computation precision, better control parameters and better fitness value, and it is stable and resilient in solving the IIR system identification problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dry electroencephalogram (EEG) systems have a short set-up time and require limited skin preparation. However, they tend to require strong electrode-to-skin contact. In this study, dry EEG electrodes with low contact impedance (<150 kΩ) were fabricated by partially embedding a polyimide flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) in polydimethylsiloxane and then casting them in a sensor mold with six symmetrical legs or bumps. Silver–silver chloride paste was used at the exposed tip of each leg or bump that must touch the skin. The use of an FPCB enabled the fabricated electrodes to maintain steady impedance. Two types of dry electrodes were fabricated: flat-disk electrodes for skin with limited hair and multilegged electrodes for common use and for areas with thick hair. Impedance testing was conducted with and without a custom head cap according to the standard 10–20 electrode arrangement. The experimental results indicated that the fabricated electrodes exhibited impedance values between 65 and 120 kΩ. The brain wave patterns acquired with these electrodes were comparable to those acquired using conventional wet electrodes. The fabricated EEG electrodes passed the primary skin irritation tests based on the ISO 10993-10:2010 protocol and the cytotoxicity tests based on the ISO 10993-5:2009 protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Auxin is indispensable to the fertilization‐induced coordinated development of the embryo, endosperm, and seed coat. However, little attention has been given to the distribution pattern, maintenance mechanism, and function of auxin throughout the process of seed development. In the present study, we found that auxin response signals display a dynamic distribution pattern during Arabidopsis seed development. Shortly after fertilization, strong auxin response signals were observed at the funiculus, chalaza, and micropylar integument where the embryo attaches. Later, additional signals appeared at the middle layer of the inner integument (ii1′) above the chalaza and the whole inner layer of the outer integument (oi1). These signals peaked when the seed was mature, then declined upon desiccation and disappeared in the dried seed. Auxin biosynthesis genes, including ASB1, TAA1, YUC1, YUC4, YUC8, and YUC9, contributed to the accumulation of auxin in the funiculus and seed coat. Auxin efflux carrier PIN3 and influx carrier AUX1 also contributed to the polar auxin distribution in the seed coat. PIN3 was expressed in the ii1 (innermost layer of the inner integument) and oi1 layers of the integument and showed polar localization. AUX1 was expressed in both layers of the outer integument and the endosperm and displayed a uniform localization. Further research demonstrated that the accumulation of auxin in the seed coat regulates seed size. Transgenic plants that specifically express the YUC8 gene in the oi2 or ii1 seed coat produced larger seeds. These results provide useful tools for cultivating high‐yielding crops. Significance Statement: The present study revealed the dynamic auxin distribution pattern and its establishment and maintenance mechanism throughout seed development in Arabidopsis thaliana and further demonstrated that the accumulation of auxin in the seed coat regulates seed size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic neuropathic pain is a significant clinical challenge, and the mechanisms of neuropathic pain remain elusive. Previous studies have shown that spontaneous potential, which is triggered by Nav1.7 and Nav1.8 in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG), is crucial for the development of inflammatory and neuropathic pain. Functional coupling between the sympathetic nervous system and somatosensory nerves after a nerve injury has also been noted as an important factor in neuropathic pain. However, the relationship of sympathetic sprouting with Nav1.7 and Nav1.8 remains unclear. Therefore, we dynamically examined the mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT), changes in Nav1.7 and Nav1.8, and sympathetic sprouting after lidocaine treatment in the spared nerve injury (SNI) model of rats. After lidocaine treatment, the MWT obviously increased, showing that hypersensitivity was significantly relieved and the abnormal expression of Nav1.7 and Nav1.8 caused by SNI was also significantly reduced. In addition, lidocaine distinctly inhibited sympathetic nerve sprouting and basket formation around the Nav1.7 and Nav1.8 neurons in the DRG. These results indicate that lidocaine may alleviate neuropathic pain by inhibiting the expression of Nav1.7 and Nav1.8, and diminishing sympathetic sprouting in DRG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transcription factor, signal transducer, and stimulator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is a potential target in osteoarthritis (OA) treatment. Although xanthatin (XA), a biologically active substance derived from Xanthium strumarium L, specifically inhibits STAT3 phosphorylation at Tyr705, the mechanism underlying its inhibitory effect on OA progression remains unclear. In this study, our objective was to explore the therapeutic effects exerted by XA on OA and the underlying molecular mechanisms. The effects of XA treatment on mouse OA models subjected to destabilization of the medial meniscus using medial collateral ligament transection, as well as on interleukin-1β (IL-1β)-induced mouse chondrocytes, were examined. Histological changes in cartilage and subchondral bone (SCB), as well as changes in the expression levels of osteophytes, cartilage degeneration- and osteoclast differentiation-related factors, and the role of XA-related signaling pathways in human cartilage tissue, were studied using different techniques. XA inhibited STAT3 phosphorylation at Tyr705 and further attenuated the activity of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in chondrocytes and osteoclasts. In vitro , XA administration alleviated pro-inflammatory cytokine release, extracellular matrix catabolism, and RANKL-mediated osteoclast differentiation. In vivo , intraperitoneal injection of XA exerted a protective effect on cartilage degeneration and SCB loss. Similarly, XA exerted a protective effect on human cartilage tissue by inhibiting the STAT3/NF-κB signaling pathway. Overall, our study elucidated the therapeutic potential of XA as a small-molecule inhibitor of STAT3-driven OA progression. This discovery may help enhance innovative clinical interventions against OA. [Display omitted] • XA was identified as a specific STAT3 (Tyr705) inhibitor for OA treatment. • XA protects AC and SCB via STAT3/NFκB signaling. • XA selectively targets Tyr705 activation in STAT3. • XA prevents early SCB osteoporosis and cartilage decomposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastics are an extremely important class of materials that are prevalent in all facets of society; however, their widespread use over time, combined with limited end-of-life strategies, has led to increasing levels of waste accumulation. Although currently considered a burden, plastics waste is potentially an untapped feedstock for numerous chemical and manufacturing processes. In this review, we discuss the state of the art of approaches for valorization of plastics waste from a materials research perspective, including previous efforts to utilize plastics waste and recent innovations that have opportunities to add significant value. Although additional progress is necessary, we present several diverse capabilities and strategies for valorization that, when brought together, address end-of-life challenges for plastics at every stage of design and product consumption. In short, a materials research–based framework offers a unique perspective to address the urgent issues posed by plastics, unlocking the potential of polymers and plastics waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Natural Ti and V enriched magnetite was exploited as a catalyst in the UV/SR-AOPs. • BPS was completely removed within 20 min in the the UV/PMS/Ti-V-M system. • BPS was mainly degraded at the solution-Ti-V-M interface (pH = 3) and by alkali-activated PMS (pH = 11). • Fe circulation was accelerated by e– excited on Ti and transferred in V redox cycles. The use of natural ore, especially iron-based ore, in sulfate radical-advanced oxidation processes (SR-AOPs) for organic contaminant control has received increasing attention. However, the rapid exhaustion of Fe(II) in ore has become a bottleneck restricting persulfate activation and radical generation. Herein, a natural Ti- and V-enriched magnetite (Ti-V-M) was exploited both as an activator and catalyst for UV-facilitated peroxymonosulfate (PMS) degradation of bisphenol S (BPS) in a water treatment process. The results revealed superior performance in which 100% of BPS was removed within 20 min in the UV/PMS/Ti-V-M system, and its pseudo-first-order kinetic constant was almost 3.55 times, 42.73 times, and 52.22 times higher than that for the PMS/Ti-V-M, UV/PMS, and UV/Ti-V-M systems, respectively. Under the synergistic action of multi-metals, the photocatalytic activity of the Ti-V-M was greatly improved with relatively low valence band potential (1.88 eV) and charge transfer resistance (12.60 Ω). Meanwhile, distinct from conventional PMS processes activated by monometallic Fe, the Fe(III)/Fe(II) circulation was accelerated significantly, mainly due to the excited h+-e− pairs in photosensitive TiO 2 and subsequent electron transfer by V(III)/V(IV)/V(V) redox cycles. The above advantages strongly enhanced radical generation, and SO 4 –·, ·OH, O 2 –·, 1O 2 and h+ were confirmed to play vital roles in BPS degradation. Furthermore, this system displayed excellent recyclability and stability for water treatment. Our study highlights the mechanism of synergistic action of multi-metals in natural minerals for UV-facilitated PMS activation and sheds new light on using cost-effective ores for highly efficient treatment of highly acidic and alkaline organic wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the extremely intrinsic heterogeneity among glioma patients, the outcomes of these patients are tremendously different. Therefore, the exploitation of novel biomarker classification of glioma is vitally important for deep insight into the essence and predicting the prognosis of glioma. We aim to analyze the correlation between TP73 mRNA expression, DNA methylated alteration and the prognosis of WHO grade II/III glioma, utilizing bioinformatics to evaluate its significance as a risk‐factor in predicting the prognosis of these glioma patients. The analysis found that TP73 expression was positively correlated with the grade of glioma, and showed a strong correlation with glioma molecular classification, which revealed significantly higher TP73 expression in IDH‐wildtype than in IDH‐mutant subtype of WHO grade II/III glioma. Cox regression analysis indicated that high expression of TP73 shared an independent high‐risk factor impacting the prognosis of WHO grade II/III glioma. We discovered 8 DNA promoter methylation sites with prognostic significance, which were negatively associated with TP73 expression, and positively associated with beneficial overall survival (OS) and progression‐free survival (PFS). Integrating with four independent glioma datasets, subsequent Meta‐analysis verified that low expression of TP73 was closely related to favorable OS, especially in IDH‐mutant subtype. Moreover, we found that 1p/19qCodel/TP73low subgroup shared the most favorable OS, 1p/19qNon−codel/TP73high subgroup suffered the worst OS. Meanwhile, the enrichment analysis of TP73‐related differential mRNAs demonstrated that TP73 aberration in WHO grade II/III glioma might be closely related to cell cycle and P53 signaling pathways. Finally, TP73 expression of 53 glioma specimens was measured by qRT‐PCR, which was consistent with the previous analytical result, and TP73 high‐expression subgroup suffered worse PFS than TP73 low‐expression subgroup. In summary, our funding supports that TP73 gene can perform as a reliable biomarker to evaluate the survival outcome of patients diagnosed with WHO grade II/III glioma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Haloxylon ammodendron and Nitraria roborowskii Kom are dominant groups characterised in Qaidam Basin. Elucidating the salt-tolerant mechanism of these two plants, which can grow successfully in this desert area affected by salinity and alkalinity, contributes to the protection and restoration of local vegetation. In this paper, seed germination feature responses in saline-alkali conditions were tested. H. ammodendron seeds retained 72% of germination percentage (GP) under high salinity up to 500 mmol L−1 saline solution and other germination parameters showed a significant decrease under increasing salinity without alkaline stress (P < 0.05). GP of N. roborowskii Kom was significantly accelerated from 0 to 200 mmol L−1 saline solution (P < 0.05), while other germination parameters were significantly accelerated from 0 to 100 mmol L−1 saline solution without alkaline stress (P < 0.05). Germination parameters of H. ammodendron under low concentration (concentration < 300 mmol L−1) alkali stress (pH < 8.78) were accelerated than non-alkali stress. Germination parameters of N. roborowskii Kom seeds were significantly inhibited under alkali stress (P < 0.05); moreover, the facilitation of low salinity was diminished by alkali stress (P < 0.05). The regression models of germination parameters and salinity under different pH values presented cubic curves, quadratic curves, and linear model and all models were significant (P < 0.05) in both plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Acute pancreatitis (AP), an inflammatory disorder of the pancreas with a high hospitalization rate, frequently leads to systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). However, therapeutic targets for effective treatment and early intervention of AP are still urgently required to be identified. Here, we have observed that the expression of pancreatic lincRNA‐EPS, a long intergenic non‐coding RNA, is dynamically changed during both caerulein‐induced AP (Cer‐AP) and sodium taurocholate‐induced severe AP (NaTc‐SAP). The expression pattern of lincRNA‐EPS is negatively correlated with the typical inflammatory genes such as IL‐6, IL‐1β, CXCL1, and CXCL2. Further studies indicate that knockout of lincRNA‐EPS aggravates the pathological symptoms of AP including more induction of serum amylase and lipase, severe edema, inflammatory cells infiltration and acinar necrosis in both experimental AP mouse models. Besides these intrapancreatic effects, lincRNA‐EPS also protects against tissue damages in the extra‐pancreatic organs such as lung, liver, and gut in the NaTc‐SAP mouse model. In addition, we have observed more serum pro‐inflammatory cytokines TNF‐α and IL‐6 in the lincRNA‐EPS‐/‐ NaTc‐SAP mice and more extracellular HMGB1 around injured acinar cells in the pancreas from lincRNA‐EPS‐/‐ NaTc‐SAP mice, compared with their respective controls. Pharmacological inhibition of NF‐κB activity by BAY11‐7082 significantly abolishes the suppressive effect of lincRNA‐EPS on TLR4 ligand‐induced inflammatory genes in macrophages. Our study has described a protective role of lincRNA‐EPS in alleviating AP and SAP, outlined a novel pathway that lincRNA‐EPS suppresses HMGB1‐NF‐κB‐dependent inflammatory response in pancreatic macrophages and provided a potential therapeutic target for SAP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the coupling of a droplet, keyhole, and molten pool, a three-dimensional transient model for the full penetration laser + metal inert gas (MIG) hybrid welding of thin copper alloy plate was established, which is able to simulate the temperature and velocity fields, keyhole behavior, and generation of the welding defect. Based on the experimental and simulation results, the weld formation mechanism for the hybrid butt welding of a 2 mm-thick copper alloy plate was comparatively studied in terms of the fluid dynamic feature of the melt pool. For single laser welding, the dynamic behavior of liquid metal near the rear keyhole wall is complex, and the keyhole has a relatively drastic fluctuation. An obvious spattering phenomenon occurs at the workpiece backside. Meanwhile, the underfill (or undercut) defect is formed at both the top and bottom surfaces of the final weld bead, and the recoil pressure is identified as the main factor. In hybrid welding, a downward fluid flow is strengthened on the rear keyhole wall, and the stability of the keyhole root is enhanced greatly. There are large and small clockwise vortexes emerging in the upper and lower parts of the molten pool, respectively. A relatively stable metal bulge can be produced at the weld pool backside. The formation defects are suppressed effectively, increasing the reliability of full penetration butt welding of the thin copper alloy plate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]