Search

Corydalis austroshaanxiensis, a new species of Corydalis sect. Incisae Fedde (Papaveraceae) from Shaanxi, China, is described. It is most similar to C. pseudoincisa C.Y. Wu, Z.Y. Su & Lidén, but differs in the outer petals being retuse to emarginate, with dorsal crest (versus acuminate, rounded to shortly mucronate, without crest), lowermost pedicels that are conspicuously elongating and basally recurved in fruit (versus slightly elongating, straight, erect‐spreading), sepals that are 3–4 × ca 3 mm (versus 1.5–2.0 × ca 1.5 mm), lower petals that usually have a linear reddish tint at base (versus without reddish tint), capsules that are narrowly to broadly elliptic to obovoid (versus linear to narrowly oblong), and by the racemes corymbose, forming a very dense cluster of upper fruits (versus racemes not corymbose‐like, flower dense in anthesis, lax in fruit). The original materials of C. pseudoincisa is shown to be mosaic, and the original descriptions and illustrations annotated as C. pseudoincisa only fit in part C. pseudoincisa. A revised circumscription for C. pseudoincisa is thus provided. We suggest the need for caution when identifying additional specimens as paratypes that differ from the holotype in distinct characters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remaining useful life (RUL) prediction has great importance in prognostics and health management (PHM). Relaxation effect refers to the capacity regeneration phenomenon of lithium-ion batteries during a long rest time, which can lead to a regenerated useful time (RUT). This paper mainly studies the influence of the relaxation effect on the degradation law of lithium-ion batteries, and proposes a novel RUL prediction method based on Wiener processes. This method can simplify the modeling complexity by using the RUT to model the recovery process. First, the life cycle of a lithium-ion battery is divided into the degradation processes that eliminate the relaxation effect and the recovery processes caused by relaxation effect. Next, the degradation model, after eliminating the relaxation effect, is established based on linear Wiener processes, and the model for RUT is established by using normal distribution. Then, the prior parameters estimation method based on maximum likelihood estimation and online updating method under the Bayesian framework are proposed. Finally, the experiments are carried out according to the degradation data of lithium-ion batteries published by NASA. The results show that the method proposed in this paper can effectively improve the accuracy of RUL prediction and has a strong engineering application value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In the publication of this article [1], there is an error in affiliation 1. The revised affiliation has now been included in this correction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: There has been no satisfactory treatment for advanced melanoma until now. Targeted radionuclide therapy (TRNT) may be a promising option for this heretofore lethal disease. Our goal in this study was to synthesize 131I-N-(2-(diethylamino)ethyl)-5-(iodo-131I)picolinamide (131I-5-IPN) and evaluate its therapeutic ability and toxicity as a radioiodinated melanin-targeting therapeutic agent. Methods: The trimethylstannyl precursor was synthesized and labeled with 131I to obtain 131I-5-IPN. The pharmacokinetics of 131I-5-IPN was evaluated through SPECT imaging, and its biodistribution was assessed in B16F10 tumor models and in A375 human-to-mouse xenografts. For TRNT, B16F10 melanoma-bearing mice were randomly allocated to receive one of five treatments (n = 10 per group): group A (the control group) received 0.1 mL saline; group B was treated with an equimolar dose of unlabeled precursor; group C received 18.5 MBq of [131I]NaI; group D and E received one or two dose of 18.5 MBq 131I-5-IPN, respectively. TRNT efficacy was evaluated through tumor volume measurement and biology study. The toxic effects of 131I-5-IPN on vital organs were assessed with laboratory tests and histopathological examination. The radiation absorbed dose to vital organs was estimated based on biodistribution data. Results: 131I-5-IPN was successfully prepared with a good radiochemistry yield (55% ± 5%, n = 5), and it exhibited a high uptake ratio in melanin-positive B16F10 cells which indicating high specificity. SPECT imaging and biodistribution of 131I-5-IPN showed lasting high tumor uptake in pigmented B16F10 models for 72 h. TRNT with 131I-5-IPN led to a significant anti-tumor effect and Groups D and E displayed an extended median survival compared to groups A, B, and C. The highest absorbed dose to a vital organ was 0.25 mSv/MBq to the liver; no obvious injury to the liver or kidneys was observed during treatment. 131I-5-IPN treatment was associated with reduction of expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and Ki67 and cell cycle blockage in G2/M phase in tumor tissues. Decreased vascular endothelial growth factor and CD31 expression, implying reduced tumor growth, was noted after TRNT. Conclusion: We successfully synthesized 131I-5-IPN, which presents long-time retention in melanotic melanoma. TRNT with 131I-5-IPN has the potential to be a safe and effective strategy for management of pigmented melanoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we demonstrate the broadband spectra and efficient laser performance of a disordered Nd:Sr0.7La0.3Mg0.3Al11.7O19 (Nd:ASL) crystal. The polarized absorption and emission spectra were characterized and calculated with the Judd–Ofelt (J–O) theory, and the results show that this crystal has relatively large σ polarized absorption and emission cross sections, with peak emission cross sections of 4.5 × 10−20 cm2 at 1051 nm and an emission width of 30 nm at 1074 nm, which are favorable for pulsed lasers. The laser-diode-pumped continuous-wave (CW) and passively Q-switched lasers at 1051 nm were realized for the first time to our best knowledge. For CW laser, the maximum output power was 1.95 W with the slope efficiency of 42.6%, and for the passive Q-switching, the maximum output power was 0.73 W with the pulse width of 7.96 ns and peak power of 5.64 W. The results demonstrate that Nd:ASL crystal is a potential candidate for lasers, especially high-peak pulsed lasers such as Q-switching and mode-locking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are regarded as a possible material platform for quantum information science and related device applications. In TMD monolayers, the dephasing time and inhomogeneity are crucial parameters for any quantum information application. In TMD heterostructures, coupling strength and interlayer exciton lifetimes are also parameters of interest. However, many demonstrations in TMDs can only be realized at specific spots on the sample, presenting a challenge to the scalability of these applications. Here, using multi-dimensional coherent imaging spectroscopy, we shed light on the underlying physics—including dephasing, inhomogeneity, and strain—for a MoSe2 monolayer and identify both promising and unfavorable areas for quantum information applications. We, furthermore, apply the same technique to a MoSe2/WSe2 heterostructure. Despite the notable presence of strain and dielectric environment changes, coherent and incoherent coupling and interlayer exciton lifetimes are mostly robust across the sample. This uniformity is despite a significantly inhomogeneous interlayer exciton photoluminescence distribution that suggests a bad sample for device applications. This robustness strengthens the case for TMDs as a next-generation material platform in quantum information science and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), including heart attack, stroke, heart failure, arrhythmia, and other congenital heart diseases remain the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The leading cause of deaths in CVD is attributed to myocardial infarction due to the rupture of atherosclerotic plaque. Atherosclerosis refers a condition when restricted or even blockage of blood flow occurs due to the narrowing of blood vessels as a result of the buildup of plaques composed of oxidized lipids. It is well-established that free radical oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in lipoproteins or cell membranes, termed lipid peroxidation (LPO), plays a significant role in atherosclerosis. LPO products are involved in immune responses and cell deaths in this process, in which previous evidence supports the role of programmed cell death (apoptosis) and necrosis. Ferroptosis is a newly identified form of regulated cell death characterized by the iron-dependent accumulation of lipid hydroperoxides to lethal levels, which exhibits distinct features from apoptosis, necrosis and autophagy in morphology, biochemistry and genetics. Emerging evidence appears to demonstrate that ferroptosis is also involved in CVD. In this review, we summarize the recent progress on ferroptosis in CVD and atherosclerosis, highlighting the role of free radical LPO. The evidence underlying the ferroptosis and challenges in the field will also be critically discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most frequently diagnosed histological subtype of lung cancer. Our purpose was to explore molecular subtypes and core genes for LUAD using multi-omics analysis.Methods: Methylation, transcriptome, copy number variation (CNV), mutations and clinical feature information concerning LUAD were retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas Database (TCGA). Molecular subtypes were conducted via the "iClusterPlus" package in R, followed by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Correlation between iCluster subtypes and immune cells was analyzed. Core genes were screened out by integration of methylation, CNV and gene expression, which were externally validated by independent datasets.Results: Two iCluster subtypes were conducted for LUAD. Patients in imprinting centre 1 (iC1) subtype had a poorer prognosis than those in iC2 subtype. Furthermore, iC2 subtype had a higher level of B cell infiltration than iC1 subtype. Two core genes including CNTN4 and RFTN1 were screened out, both of which had higher expression levels in iC2 subtype than iC1 subtype. There were distinct differences in CNV and methylation of them between two subtypes. After validation, low expression of CNTN4 and RFTN1 predicted poorer clinical outcomes for LUAD patients.Conclusion: Our findings comprehensively analyzed genomics, epigenomics, and transcriptomics of LUAD, offering novel underlying molecular mechanisms for LUAD. Two multi-omics-based core genes (CNTN4 and RFTN1) could become potential therapeutic targets for LUAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millimeter-wave (mmWave) and ultra-dense networks are two key technologies for the fifth-generation (5G) and beyond communication system. However, the ultra-dense deployment of small base stations (SBSs) might introduce severe interference to users that connect to SBSs. This paper analyzes the performance of 5G communication networks where the SBSs with coordinated beamforming, operating at mmWave frequency band and macro base stations (MBSs) operating at sub-6 GHz coexist. First, by utilizing a stochastic geometry approach, we obtain the cell association probability expressions in terms of different cell association biases, base station density ratios and probabilities of line of sight (LoS) link. Furthermore, we propose a clustering method to choose some SBSs to eliminate intra-cell interference. Then, we put forward an average distance from the Kth SBS to a user to obtain signal-to-interference-ratio (SINR) and rate coverage probability expressions. The simulation results validate the correctness of the expressions, and indicate that the optimal cardinality of coordinated SBSs increases with the density of SBSs. In addition, the relationship between the cluster size K and the average energy efficiency is obtained, which can be used to guide the coordination principle in 5G and beyond communication systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper develops an adaptive constrained tracking control technique for a class of 2 × 2 hyperbolic partial differential equation (PDE) systems with boundary actuator dynamics, which are described by a set of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) in the presence of unknown parametric nonlinearities. Since the control input only appears in the uncertain ODE subsystem rather than directly on the boundary of PDE subsystem, the control task becomes quite difficult and the existing direct boundary control approaches are ineffective. Moreover, in this paper, a more challenging problem is considered such that the controlled output and the states of ODE actuators are constrained. To this end, by utilizing finite and infinite dimensional backstepping techniques, barrier Lyapunov functions (BLFs) and adaptive methods, a novel adaptive tracking control approach is proposed. It is the first time that such a constrained tracking control problem is addressed for the PDE-ODE coupled systems considered in this paper. On the basis of the presented method, the rigorous theoretical proof is provided to show that the PDE controlled output and all the states of the ODE actuator stay within the predefined compact sets. Finally, the results are illustrated via a comparative numerical simulation. [Display omitted] • For a linear 2 × 2 hyperbolic PDE systems, the high-order unknown nonlinear actuator dynamics described by a set of ODEs are considered in the boundary point of the PDE. A tracking controller with adaptive dynamic compensation mechanism is developed such that the tracking control problem is addressed for the PDE-ODE coupled system considered in this paper. • For practical requirements for state constraints such as safe operations, physical limitations and so on, the Barrier Lyapunov function is employed to constrain the spatially distributed output of infinite-dimensional system and all the actuator states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this investigation, a pioneering approach involving the fusion of matrix fragments-related spectral data was proposed to improve the underperformance observed in raw meat and bone meal (MBM) when employed for species discrimination analysis. Initially, the MBM matrix was characterized as a binary mixture comprising bone fragment (BF) and meat fragment (MF). Subsequently, the disparities in near infrared (NIR), mid infrared (MIR), and Raman spectra between BF and MF samples were individually identified and elucidated. Following, the spectral fusion data related to matrix fragments were synthesized and subjected to analysis using principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) for species-specific evaluation. The suggested data fusion strategy was authenticated by its capacity to facilitate improved differentiation within the principal component space, along with reduced classification errors in PLS-DA. Further, complementarity of matrix fragments-related spectral variables for MBM species discrimination analysis was explicitly scrutinized and contributions to MBM derived from four species were meticulously traced. Additionally, the proposed analytical strategy for MBM could serve as a reference for the spectral characterization of other agricultural materials with complex matrices. • Spectral fusion data of MF and BF were firstly used to trace MBM species. • The proposed fusion strategy greatly improved the MBM species-specific analysis. • Contributions of fragments-related spectral variables for tracing MBM species were analyzed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work develops a network of adaptive boundary observers and studies the agreement between state and parameter estimates for a single target parabolic partial differential equation (PDE) system in the presence of structured and unstructured uncertainties. It is assumed that the unknown parameters take the form of either a structured uncertainty with unknown constant parameters or an unstructured uncertainty that can be neutralized by a radial basis function neural networks with unknown weights. The proposed adaptive observers consisting of m$$ m $$ agents in the network follow the structure of adaptive identifiers for the considered target PDE systems with the insertion of a penalty term in both the state and parameter estimates. Different from earlier efforts, the proposed adaptive laws include a penalty term of the mismatch between the parameter and state estimates generated by the other adjacent agents, which helps to accelerate the estimation of uncertainties. Additionally, the effects of these modifications on the agreement amongst the state and parameter estimates are investigated. Theoretical proofs are provided to show that the proposed approach guarantees the exponential convergence of estimation errors in the case of structured uncertainties and the ultimate boundedness of estimation errors in the case of unstructured uncertainties. Finally, numerical simulations are carried out to verify the effectiveness of the design methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wide range of applications and continuous demand for plastics is causing serious global environmental problems. Massive discharges of expanded polystyrene (EPS) are thought to be primarily responsible for the increased white pollution. Waste EPS has received wide attention in the development of innovative products. White light-emitting diodes pumped by a near-UV chip (n-UV WLEDs) are regarded as a very promising solid-state lighting. The performance of the n-UV WLED is largely determined by the properties of the tricolor luminescence materials. In this work, a blue-emitting polymer film for n-UV WLED applications was developed from waste EPS. First, using waste EPS as a raw material, benzimidazole groups were bonded to PS benzene rings by chemical reactions to obtain modified PS (PS-PBI). Then, a film based on PS-PBI was prepared by a simple solution drop-casting method. The PS-PBI film can emit intense blue light when irradiated with 365 nm light. An n-UV WLED pumped by a 365 nm UV chip was fabricated using PS-PBI film as the blue-emitting layer. The fabricated n-UV WLED shows excellent luminescence properties, such as a bright white light with color coordinates of (0.337, 0.331), a relatively low color temperature (CCT, 5270 K), and an especially high color rendering index (CRI, 93.6). The results prove that the blue-emitting PS-PBI film prepared from waste EPS is a very promising candidate for n-UV WLED applications. The strategy of converting waste EPS into a high-value-added blue-emitting film in this work provides a convenient and feasible approach for upcycling waste EPS, achieving significant environmental and economic benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of solar‐driven interfacial evaporation and electricity co‐generation is considered a promising approach to simultaneously alleviate freshwater scarcity and the energy crisis. However, affected by intermittent solar irradiation/uncontrollable weather, the overall performance of solar‐driven evaporation in the real world is greatly reduced. Herein, inspired by antifreeze proteins in beetles that survive in extreme climates, all‐weather solar‐driven interfacial evaporators with a sandwich structure are designed. The top and bottom layers composed of MnO2‐modified cotton cloth are used for photothermal conversion and water transport, meanwhile, the middle layer made of a phase change microcapsule/hydrogel composite serves for heat storage and release. Under 1 kW m−2 irradiation, the evaporator exhibits a high evaporation rate of 2.67 kg m−2 h−1 and an efficiency of 89.5%. In the dark, the heat released from the phase change layer supports an evaporation rate of 0.43 kg m−2 h−1, 3.6 times that of pure water. Additionally, assembled with a thermoelectric module, the hybrid device achieves a stable output electricity power of 0.42 W m−2 under 1‐sun illumination and a prolonged output for 30 min in the dark. This work provides a novel approach for full‐time solar‐powered steam‐electricity co‐generation and a proof of concept for biomimetic steam generation/heat management integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to derive sodium abundances and investigate the effects of non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) on the formation of H-band Na I lines, we update the sodium atomic model by incorporating collision rates with hydrogen from new quantum-mechanical calculations. The differential Na abundances for 13 sample stars are obtained by analyzing high-resolution H-band spectra from the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE) and optical spectra under both local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) and NLTE conditions. Consistent abundances from both bands suggest that our updated atomic model is valid for studying the formation of H-band Na I lines. Our calculations show that, in our stellar parameter space, NLTE effects are negative and can result in corrections larger than −0.4 dex on optical lines. The corrections on H-band Na I lines are typically small, within about 0.05 dex, but not negligible if accurate sodium abundance is desired. We note that the [Na/Fe] ratios favor the theoretical galactic chemical model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Device‐to‐device communication fulfils its potential in terms of high resource utilisation, thus it has been a hot topic in the recent long‐term evolution standardisation process. The general scenario with multiple resource pool multiplexing instead of the one‐time reusing is considered. Meanwhile, the optimisation target focuses on device energy efficiency under certain system throughput insurance rather than the traditional system throughput. A modified genetic algorithm‐based scheme is applied to address the facing non‐deterministic polynomial‐time hard problem with higher convergence and lower complexity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A review of the article discussing broken symmetry for giant spin polarization in a semiconductor by Jonathon Riley and colleague, which appeared in the periodical “Nature Physics" in November, 2014, is presented.

Bio-based flame retardants represent one of the most promising directions for next-generation flame retardants due to their sustainability, environmental benefits and comparable efficiency to current non-bio-based counterparts. Because of lignin's unique aromatic structure and high charring capability, recent years have witnessed the great flame-retardancy potential of pristine lignin and its derivatives in a wide range of polymeric materials. Unfortunately, to date there has been no critical review on the preparation, modification and application of lignin-derived flame retardants for polymeric materials. This review focuses on the flame-retardancy effects of pristine lignin and lignin chemically modified by introducing the elements phosphorus and/or nitrogen, as well as their synergistic effects with existing flame-retardant additives. This review also comprehensively compares the flame-retardancy performances of different lignin-derived flame retardants in various polymeric matrices, such as polylactic acid, polypropylene and polyamide 11. Following the conclusions, future perspectives are also presented along with new opportunities for the development of more efficient and effective lignin-based flame retardants for polymeric materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Confronted with the challenge of high performance for applications and the restriction of hardware resources for field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), partial dynamic reconfiguration technology is anticipated to accelerate the reconfiguration process and alleviate the device shortage. In this paper, we propose an integrated optimization framework for task partitioning, scheduling, and floorplanning on partially dynamically reconfigurable FPGAs. The partition, schedule, and floorplan of the tasks are represented by the partitioned sequence triple (P-ST) (PS, QS, RS), where (PS, QS) is a hybrid nested sequence pair for representing the spatial and temporal partitions, as well as the floorplan, and RS is the partitioned dynamic configuration order of the tasks. The floorplanning and scheduling of task modules can be computed from the P-ST in ${O}$ (${n}^{{2}}$) time. To integrate the exploration of the scheduling and floorplanning design space, we use a simulated annealing-based search engine and elaborate a perturbation method, where a randomly chosen task module is removed from the partition sequence triple and then reinserted into a proper position selected from all the ${O}$ (${n}^{ {3}}$) possible combinations of partition, schedule and floorplan. We also prove a sufficient and necessary condition for the feasibility of the partitioning of tasks and scheduling of task configurations, and derive conditions for the feasibility of the insertion points in a P-ST. The experimental results demonstrate the efficiency and effectiveness of the proposed framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a metabolic disorder. Numerous proteins have been identified that are associated with the occurrence and development of T2DM. This study aimed to identify potential core genes and pathways involved in T2DM, through exhaustive bioinformatic analyses using GSE20966 microarray profiles of pancreatic β-cells obtained from healthy controls and patients with T2DM. The original microarray data were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Data were processed by the limma package in R software and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. Gene Ontology functional analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis were carried out to identify potential biological functions and pathways of the DEGs. Key transcription factors were identified using the WEB-based GEne SeT AnaLysis Toolkit (WebGestalt) and Enrichr. The Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING) database was used to establish a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network for the DEGs. In total, 329 DEGs were involved in T2DM, with 208 upregulated genes enriched in pancreatic secretion and the complement and coagulation cascades, and 121 downregulated genes enriched in insulin secretion, carbohydrate digestion and absorption, and the Toll-like receptor pathway. Furthermore, hepatocyte nuclear factor 1-alpha (HNF1A), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) were key transcription factors in T2DM. Twenty important nodes were detected in the PPI network. Finally, two core genes, serpin family G member 1 (SERPING1) and alanyl aminopeptidase, membrane (ANPEP), were shown to be associated with the development of T2DM. On the whole, the findings of this study enhance our understanding of the potential molecular mechanisms of T2DM and provide potential targets for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let R (k 1 , ... , k r) denote the classical r -color Ramsey number for integers k i ≥ 2. The Diagonal Conjecture (DC) for classical Ramsey numbers poses that if k 1 , ... , k r are integers no smaller than 3 and k r − 1 ≤ k r , then R (k 1 , ... , k r − 2 , k r − 1 − 1 , k r + 1) ≤ R (k 1 , ... , k r). We obtain some implications of this conjecture, present evidence for its validity, and discuss related problems. Let R r (k) stand for the r -color Ramsey number R (k , ... , k). It is known that lim r → ∞ R r (3) 1 ∕ r exists, either finite or infinite, the latter conjectured by Erdős. This limit is related to the Shannon capacity of complements of K 3 -free graphs. We prove that if DC holds, and lim r → ∞ R r (3) 1 ∕ r is finite, then lim r → ∞ R r (k) 1 ∕ r is finite for every integer k ≥ 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Incorporated inter-building effects and energy consumption correlations. • Integrated building network and long short-term memory algorithm. • Five building groups on two campuses was used for validation. • The proposed model can forecast accurate energy dynamics at district-scale. With the development of data-driven techniques, district-scale building energy prediction has attracted increasing attention in recent years for revealing energy use patterns and reduction potentials. However, data acquisition in large building groups is difficult and adjacent buildings also interact with each other. To reduce data cost and incorporate the inter-building impact with the data-driven building energy model, this study proposes a deep learning predictive approach that fuses the building network model with a long short-term memory learning model for district-scale building energy modeling. The building network was constructed based on correlations between the energy use intensity of buildings, which can significantly reduce the computational complexity of the deep learning models for energy dynamic prediction. Five typical building groups with energy use data from 2015 to 2018 on two institutional campuses were selected to perform the validation experiment with TensorFlow. Based on the prediction error assessments, the results suggest that for total building energy use intensity prediction, the proposed model can achieve a mean absolute percentage error of 6.66% and a root mean square error of 0.36 kWh/m2, compared to 12.05% and 0.63 kWh/m2 of the conventional artificial neural network model and to 11.06% and 0.89 kWh/m2 for the support vector regression model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to rational adaptation approaches of language processing, readers adjust their expectations of upcoming information depending on the distributional properties of the preceding language input. However, adaptation to sentence structures has not been systematically attested, especially not in second-language (L2) processing. To further our understanding of adaptive processes, we recorded electroencephalogram (EEG) from L1-Mandarin–L2-English speakers while they read English sentences containing a coordination ambiguity. This ambiguity was always resolved toward a less-preferred clausal coordination in the first half of the study, and towards a noun-phrase coordination in the second half. Group-level results suggest that L2 readers adapted but at a slow rate and a coarse level. Individuals differed in that some changed their processing strategies, and some did not. These findings suggest that adaptation is not a direct function of fine-grained input distributions, and are problematic for the idea that adaptation is important for language learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite progress in the diagnosis and treatment of proliferative lupus nephritis (PLN), the prognosis remains unfavorable. Previous investigations have suggested that the deficiency of regulatory T cells (Tregs) is involved in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and lupus nephritis (LN). But the prognostic value of Tregs in PLN remains controversial. This study aimed to investigate the association of Tregs with renal outcomes in patients with PLN. Methods: The baseline and follow-up data of patients with biopsy-proven PLN were collected in this study. All patients were divided into two groups according to whether the renal endpoint event occurred. Clinicopathologic features and therapeutic responses were compared between the two groups. Cox regression analyses curve fitting and threshold effect analysis were implemented to investigate the relationship between Tregs level and the long-term renal outcomes. The renal endpoint was defined as end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) or doubling the SCr value. Results: A total of 405 PLN patients were included. After a follow-up of 71.53 (53.13–97.47) months, 42 (10.4%) patients reached the renal endpoint. The Treg cell counts (16/μL) in the renal endpoint group were significantly decreased than that in the non-renal endpoint group (p < 0.001). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses showed that the high level of Tregs was an independent protective factor for the long-term renal prognosis of PLN. Smooth curve fitting of the generalized additive mixed model analysis indicated that the risk of renal endpoint first decreased with Tregs and then slightly increased along with Treg cell levels. The segmented linear model revealed that when Treg cell counts <46/μL, the risk of renal endpoint decreased by 6.8% for every 1 μL increase in Treg levels (p = 0.0029). Conclusion: Treg cell counts are closely related to the long-term renal outcomes of patients with PLN, and increasing Treg cell levels may play an important role in improving the prognosis of the kidney, but there may be a turning point (i.e., threshold effect) at the Treg cell counts that leads to directional changes in the renal outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective exploration is the key to achieving high returns for reinforcement learning. Agents must explore jointly in multi-agent systems to find the optimal joint policy. Due to the exploration problem and the shared reward, the policy-based multi-agent reinforcement learning algorithms face policy overfitting, which may lead to the joint policy falling into a local optimum. This paper introduces a novel general framework called Learning Joint-Action Intrinsic Reward (LJIR) for improving multi-agent reinforcement learners' joint exploration ability and performance. LJIR observes agents' state and joint actions to learn to construct an intrinsic reward online that can guide effective joint exploration. With the novel combination of Transformer and random network distillation, LJIR selects the novel states to give more intrinsic rewards, which help agents find the best joint actions. LJIR can dynamically adjust the weight of exploration and exploitation during training and keep the policy invariance finally. To ensure LJIR seamlessly adopts existing MARL algorithms, we also provide a flexible combination method for intrinsic and external rewards. Empirical results on the SMAC benchmark show that the proposed method achieves state-of-the-art performance in challenging tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to summarize the experience of precise nursing in 6 patients who experienced failed allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantations (allo-HSCTs) that underwent second allo-HSCT salvage treatment. The key points of nursing care included strictly implementing infection prevention and control measures to prevent secondary infections, precise symptom management to improve the graft survival rate of patients, formulating reasonable nutrition programs to meet their requirements, and paying attention to the psychological care of patients to enhance their self-confidence in overcoming diseases. The patients developed different degrees of complications in the process of transplantation. During the transplantation, 2 patients had oral mucositis, 2 had hemorrhagic cystitis, 3 had a perianal infection, and one had lower gastrointestinal bleeding. After careful treatment and nursing, the neutrophils transplanted in the 6 patients were alive at a median of 16.5 (13-20) days after the second allo-HSCT, and the patients were successfully transferred out of the laminar flow chamber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For a graph G and integers a i ≥ 1 , the expression G → (a 1 , ... , a r) v means that for any r-coloring of the vertices of G there exists a monochromatic a i -clique in G for some color i ∈ { 1 , ... , r } . The vertex Folkman numbers are defined as F v (a 1 , ... , a r ; H) = min { | V (G) | : G is H-free and G → (a 1 , ... , a r) v } , where H is a graph. Such vertex Folkman numbers have been extensively studied for H = K s with s > max { a i } 1 ≤ i ≤ r . If a i = a for all i, then we use notation F v (a r ; H) = F v (a 1 , ... , a r ; H) . Let J k be the complete graph K k missing one edge, i.e. J k = K k - e . In this work we focus on vertex Folkman numbers with H = J k , in particular for k = 4 and a i ≤ 3 . A result by Nešetřil and Rödl from 1976 implies that F v (3 r ; J 4) is well defined for any r ≥ 2 . We present a new and more direct proof of this fact. The simplest but already intriguing case is that of F v (3 , 3 ; J 4) , for which we establish the upper bound of 135 by using the J 4 -free process. We obtain the exact values and bounds for a few other small cases of F v (a 1 , ... , a r ; J 4) when a i ≤ 3 for all 1 ≤ i ≤ r , including F v (2 , 3 ; J 4) = 14 , F v (2 4 ; J 4) = 15 , and 22 ≤ F v (2 5 ; J 4) ≤ 25 . Note that F v (2 r ; J 4) is the smallest number of vertices in any J 4 -free graph with chromatic number r + 1 . Most of the results were obtained with the help of computations, but some of the upper bound graphs we found are interesting by themselves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In the current study, the epoxy/amine system is reinforced by the biodegradable Acacia Catechu (AC) particles on 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 wt (wt.) %. The AC/epoxy composites were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and mechanical properties. The increased hydrogen bonding for the AC/epoxy composites was observed by FTIR spectroscopy and DSC study confirmed the improved conversion of epoxy after the AC particles addition. 14% increase in the flexural strength and 94% improved impact strength were recorded on only 1.0 wt. % AC addition due to change in morphology and crosslink density. Moreover, slightly improved thermal stabilities were also recorded due to the aromatic tannin phenol structures of AC particles. The glass transition temperature values for AC/epoxy composites were observed at 143 and 148 °C by DSC and DMA, respectively; the decline in the values can be dedicated to the flexible segment of AC particles. The SEM analysis demonstrated shear banding phenomena between particles and matrix. Highlights • Epoxy resin was modified by using the acacia catechu (AC) particles. • FTIR analysis evidenced the progress of chemical reaction between particles and matrix. • The composites have high flexural stress and bending strain. • Shear banding phenomena and plasticization also increases impact strength. • TGA showed improved thermal stability on increasing the AC amount. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nd:LuAG transparent ceramics were fabricated by the solid-state reaction under vacuum sintering using SiO 2 and MgO as sintering aids, commercial Lu 2 O 3 , Al 2 O 3 and Nd 2 O 3 as raw materials. The Nd doping concentration was adopted from 0 at. % to 1.3 at. %. The phase transformation and microstructure evolution of 1.3 at. % Nd:LuAG ceramics under different sintering temperature was investigated in detail. Meanwhile, the effects of Nd 2 O 3 on the grain growth were surveyed. The results shown that when the samples were sintered at 1780 °C, the 1.3 at. % Nd:LuAG ceramic had clean gain boundary, and the transmittance of it reached 83.8% at 1064 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a low-power low-noise instrumentation amplifier (IA) for bio-potential recording. The proposed IA is based on a novel Gm-RSC structure, whose gain is determined by the transconductance (Gm) and the equivalent resistance (R) of the switched-capacitor (SC) load. The transconductance amplifier stage is based on the current-reuse telescope topology to achieve low noise at low-power dissipation. A resistor-controlled oscillator is designed to generate desirable operational frequency for SC load and to continuously tune the mid-band gain of the IA for different biomedical applications. Measurement results show that the input referred noise of the proposed IA is about 1.27μVRMS (BW=150Hz) and the noise efficiency factor is 3.3. The range of tunable gain is from 28 to 40dB. The common mode rejection ratio and power supply rejection ratio at 50Hz are 72 and 78dB, respectively. The IA consumes only 660nA current at 1.2V supply and the active area of the IA is only 0.035mm2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we demonstrate a SESAM mode-locked Tm:CaYLuAlO4 (a-cut) laser in the 2-μm spectral range. A birefringent filter (BF) is employed to shift the emission wavelength above 2 μm to support the stable mode locking through avoiding the structured water vapor absorption. Pulses as short as 288 fs are generated with a central wavelength of 2037 nm and an average power of 166 mW at a repetition rate of ~ 77.6 MHz. Moreover, wavelength tunable femtosecond laser with a tuning range from 2031.8 to 2081.1 nm is realized simply by rotating the birefringent filter around its surface normal. This work experimentally shows that birefringent filter is a simple and low-cost way to support the stable mode locking of Tm-bulk femtosecond lasers with an emission peak in the water vapor absorption region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation of crop wild relatives is critical for plant breeding and food security. The lack of clarity on the genetic factors that lead to endangered status or extinction create difficulties when attempting to develop concrete recommendations for conserving a citrus wild relative: the wild relatives of crops. Here, we evaluate the conservation of wild kumquat (Fortunella hindsii) using genomic, geographical, environmental, and phenotypic data, and forward simulations. Genome resequencing data from 73 accessions from the Fortunella genus were combined to investigate population structure, demography, inbreeding, introgression, and genetic load. Population structure was correlated with reproductive type (i.e., sexual and apomictic) and with a significant differentiation within the sexually reproducing population. The effective population size for one of the sexually reproducing subpopulations has recently declined to ~1,000, resulting in high levels of inbreeding. In particular, we found that 58% of the ecological niche overlapped between wild and cultivated populations and that there was extensive introgression into wild samples from cultivated populations. Interestingly, the introgression pattern and accumulation of genetic load may be influenced by the type of reproduction. In wild apomictic samples, the introgressed regions were primarily heterozygous, and genome-wide deleterious variants were hidden in the heterozygous state. In contrast, wild sexually reproducing samples carried a higher recessive deleterious burden. Furthermore, we also found that sexually reproducing samples were self-incompatible, which prevented the reduction of genetic diversity by selfing. Our population genomic analyses provide specific recommendations for distinct reproductive types and monitoring during conservation. This study highlights the genomic landscape of a wild relative of citrus and provides recommendations for the conservation of crop wild relatives. Author summary: Conservation genomics offers a comprehensive approach to understand the underlying genetic and environmental factors affecting the conservation of species. Despite its importance, the conservation genomics of most crop wild relatives remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the population fragmentation, inbreeding, gene flow, and genetic load of a citrus wild relative, Fortunella hindsii, using a combination of genomic, geographical, environmental, and phenotypic data, as well as forward simulations. Fortunella hindsii, listed on the registry of National Key Protected Wild Plants in China, has two types of reproduction, sexual and apomictic. Conservation genomics provided insights into the genetic diversity and structure, which are critical for developing effective conservation strategies. Our analysis also helped to assess the risks of hybridization and introgression from cultivated to wild populations. We found that different patterns of introgression and genetic load may be influenced by reproductive type; for example, deleterious variants may hide in the heterozygous state in apomictic populations. Sexually reproducing samples with the self-incompatibility mechanism can prevent rapid loss of genetic diversity caused by selfing. This study serves as an example of conservation genomics and the importance of utilizing important wild relatives of crops to inform broader conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, based on the information entropy and spatio-temporal correlation of sensing nodes in the Internet of Things (IoT), a Spatio-temporal Scope Information Model (SSIM) is proposed to quantify the scope of the valuable information of sensor data. Specifically, the valuable information of sensor data decays with space and time, which can be used to guide the system to make efficient sensor activation scheduling decisions for regional sensing accuracy. A simple sensing and monitoring system with three sensor nodes is investigated in this paper, and a single-step scheduling decision mechanism is proposed for the optimization problem of maximizing valuable information acquisition and efficient sensor activation scheduling in the sensed region. Regarding the above mechanism, the scheduling results and approximate numerical bounds on the node layout between different scheduling results are obtained through theoretical analyses, which are consistent with simulation. In addition, a long-term decision mechanism is also proposed for the aforementioned optimization issues, where the scheduling results with different node layouts are derived by modeling as a Markov decision process and utilizing the Q-learning algorithm. Concerning the above two mechanisms, the performance of both is verified by conducting experiments using the relative humidity dataset; furthermore, the differences in performance and limitations of the model are discussed and summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased gut permeability is implicated in the initiation and extent of the cytokine inflammatory response associated with exertional heat stroke (EHS). The primary objective of this study was to determine if a five amino acid oral rehydration solution (5AAS), specifically designed for the protection of the gastrointestinal lining, would prolong time to EHS, maintain gut function and dampen the systemic inflammatory response (SIR) measured during EHS recovery. Male C57/BL6J mice instrumented with radiotelemetry were gavaged with 150 μL of 5AAS or H2O, and ≈12 h later were either exposed to an EHS protocol where mice exercised in a 37.5°C environmental chamber to a self‐limiting maximum core temperature (Tc,max) or performed the exercise control (EXC) protocol (25°C). 5AAS pretreatment attenuated hypothermia depth and length (p < 0.005), which are indicators of EHS severity during recovery, without any effect on physical performance or thermoregulatory responses in the heat as determined by percent body weight lost (≈9%), max speed (≈6 m/min), distance (≈700 m), time to Tc,max (≈160 min), thermal area (≈550°C∙min), and Tc,max (42.2°C). EHS groups treated with 5AAS showed a significant decrease in gut transepithelial conductance, decreased paracellular permeability, increased villus height, increased electrolyte absorption and changes in tight junction protein expression pattern suggestive of improved barrier integrity (p < 0.05). No differences were witnessed between EHS groups in acute phase response markers of liver, circulating SIR markers, or indicators of organ damage during recovery. These results suggest that a 5AAS improves Tc regulation during EHS recovery through maintaining mucosal function and integrity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) is a heterogeneous group of inflammatory central nervous system disorders caused by a misdirected immune response against self‐antigens expressed in the central nervous system. The thymus is a central organ in the immune system and thymic tumors are thought to be possible initiators of many neurological disorders. Recently, there is growing evidence that thymomas are associated with autoimmune encephalitis. Aims: Our study initially explored the characteristics of patients with autoimmune encephalitis combined with thymoma. Methods: We used patient data from January 1, 2011 to October 1, 2021 from the PubMed, Web of Science, Ovid, and CNKI platforms to analyze overall demographics, frequency of symptoms and associations, and treatment prognosis outcomes. Results: A total of 68 patients were included. There were 39 female cases (57.4%). The mean age was 50 years (IQR 40–66 years). All had acute and subacute onset. The clinical manifestations were mostly cognitive changes (70.6%), mental disorders (57.4%), and epilepsy (50.0%). The most common neuronal antibody was alpha‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) abnormalities were present in 81.0% of patients, mostly in the hippocampus, temporal lobe, and some in cortical and subcortical areas. Abnormalities in the electroencephalogram (EEG) in 69.8% of patients. Treatment involved immunotherapy and thymoma treatment, with 79.7% of patients improving after treatment. While 20.3% of patients had a poor prognosis. Further, 14.8% of patients relapsed. Mental disorders, autonomic dysfunction, sleep disturbances, anti‐Ma2, and thymoma untreated were more frequent in patients with poor prognosis. Conclusion: Thymoma‐associated autoimmune encephalitis is a unique disease entity. Long‐term follow‐up of chest CT findings is recommended for patients with autoimmune encephalitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the TAG transparent ceramics doped with 0.4 wt.% TEOS and different concentration of MgO were fabricated by a reactive sintering process under vacuum sintering combined with hot isostatic pressing (HIP) treatment. The effect of MgO on the microstructure evolution and optical properties of delivered ceramics were investigated. The results showed that the TAG ceramics doped with 0.4 wt.% TEOS and 0.1 wt.% MgO exhibited the optimum optical transmittance, which can reach about 81% in the visible and near-infrared (NIR) regions. The addition of MgO inhibited the grain growth and accelerated the densification of TAG ceramic at the sintering temperature reached about 1600 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report comparative studies on diode-pumped eye-safe Nd:LuAG ceramic lasers at 1.4 μm spectral region in continuous-wave regime. Six differently doped samples have been used to experimentally determine the optimized laser results. A maximum output power of 1.78 W is achieved with simultaneous dual-wavelength laser emission at 1418 and 1442 nm, which is believed the highest output power of Nd:LuAG ceramic at this specific wavelength. Using a V 3+ :YAG as saturable absorber, passively Q-switched Nd:LuAG ceramic laser is also realized, for the first time to our knowledge, with maximum average output power of 0.58 W and pulse width of about 34 ns at pulse repetition rate of 11.91 kHz, which lead to pulse energy of 49.3 μJ and pulse peak power of 1.43 kW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(Tb x Y 1−x ) 3 Al 5 O 12 (x = 0.2, 0.5, 0.8) transparent ceramics were synthesized by a solid-state reaction and HIP. All the samples were pre-sintered at 1650 °C for 4 h in a muffle and later HIPed at 1650 °C for 3 h. (Tb 0.2 Y 0.8 ) 3 Al 5 O 12 transparent ceramics exhibit best microstructure with an average grain size of approximately 5.22 μm and optical transmittance of over 65% in the region of 500–1600 nm. Additionally, average grain sizes of all the samples are less than 10 μm. XRD scanning patterns indicate that only the (Tb 0.8 Y 0.2 ) 3 Al 5 O 12 samples have little secondary phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 3-D integrated circuits (3-D ICs), through silicon via (TSV) is a critical technique to provide vertical connections. However, the yield and reliability challenge of TSV in industry is one of key obstacles to adopt the 3-D ICs technology. Various fault-tolerance structures by using additional spare TSVs (s-TSVs) to repair faulty functional TSVs (f-TSVs) have been proposed in literature for yield and reliability enhancement. However, these structures are formed in standard cell placement stage where all the f-TSVs are already placed. In reality, since the s-TSVs can be only inserted into the whitespace, the quality of the generated repair solution is strongly dependent on the whitespace distribution. In this paper, we propose an efficient TSV planning and repair framework in floorplanning stage, which takes nonuniform TSV distribution and clustered TSV defect-distribution into account. The proposed framework mainly consists of four stages: 1) a whitespace redistribution algorithm that uses a probability-based strategy to make the whitespace distribution more reasonable for the f-TSV planning. Subsequently, a convex-cost flow-based model for f-TSV allocation considering the fault clustering; 2) a top-down globally partitioning combined with a bottom-up locally merging to partition f-TSVs into groups with minimum hardware cost; 3) the min-cost max-flow algorithm for s-TSV allocation with minimum wirelength overhead; and 4) an integer linear programming-based model to form a fault-tolerance structure with minimum multiplexer delay overhead. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed repair framework can improve the yield with minimum hardware cost and multiplexer delay overhead. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tree crown diameter (CD) values, relating to the rate of material exchange between the forest and the atmosphere, can be used to evaluate forest biomass and carbon stock. To map tree CD values using meter-level optical remote sensing images, we propose a novel method that interprets the relationships between the spectral reflectance of pixels and the CD. The approach employs the spectral reflectance of pixels in the tree crown to express the diversity of inclination angles of leaves based on the radiative transfer model and the spatial heterogeneity of these pixels. Then, simulated and acquired GF-2 images are applied to verify the relationships between spatial heterogeneity and the tree CD. Meanwhile, filter-based and object-based methods are also employed to extract three types of variables (spectral features, texture features, and spatial heterogeneity). Finally, the tree CD values are mapped by four models (random forest (RF), K-nearest neighbor (K-NN), support vector machine (SVM), and multiple linear regression (MLR)), using three single types of variables and combinations of variables with different strategies. The results imply that the spatial heterogeneity of spectral reflectance is significantly positively correlated with tree CD values and is more sensitive to tree CD values than traditional spectral features and textural features. Furthermore, the ability of spatial heterogeneity to map tree CD values is significantly higher than traditional variable sets after obtaining stable features with appropriate filter window sizes. The results also demonstrate that the accuracy of mapped tree CD values is significantly improved using combined variable sets with different feature extraction methods. For example, in our experiments, the R2 and rRMSE values of the optimal results ranged from 0.60 to 0.66, and from 15.76% to 16.68%, respectively. It is confirmed that spatial heterogeneity with high sensitivity can effectively map tree CD values, and the accuracy of mapping tree CD values can be greatly improved using a combination of spectral features extracted by an object-based method and spatial heterogeneity extracted by a filter-based method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fe1+yTe1−xSex is characterized by its complex magnetic phase diagram and highly orbital-dependent band renormalization. Despite this, the behavior of nematicity and nematic fluctuations, especially for high tellurium concentrations, remains largely unknown. Here we present a study of both B1g and B2g nematic fluctuations in Fe1+yTe1−xSex (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.53) using the technique of elastoresistivity measurement. We discovered that the nematic fluctuations in two symmetry channels are closely linked to the corresponding spin fluctuations, confirming the intertwined nature of these two degrees of freedom. We also revealed an unusual temperature dependence of the nematic susceptibility, which we attributed to a loss of coherence of the dxy orbital. Our results highlight the importance of orbital differentiation on the nematic properties of iron-based materials. Despite a significant amount of research, there are still many unknowns about the underlying mechanisms of the superconductivity in Fe-based superconductors, in particular the roles of magnetism and nematicity. Here, the authors investigate the compositional dependence of the nematic susceptibility in Fe1+yTe1−xSex and the interplay between nematic and spin fluctuations, as well as the effect of orbital differentiation on nematic instability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

THZ1, a CDK7 inhibitor, has potent antitumor effects in several cancers; however, its role in Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is unclear. We explored the effects and potential mechanisms of THZ1, alone and in combination with azacitidine (AZA), in AML cells and xenograft models. THZ1 decreased cell viability, induced apoptosis in a dose and time-dependent manner, induced G0/G1 cell cycle arrest, decreased phosphorylated CDK1 and CDK2 expression, and inhibited RNA Pol II phosphorylation at multiple serine sites. The combination of AZA and THZ1 exhibited synergistic antileukemic effects in AML cell lines and primary cells with MCL1 and c-MYC downregulation. Moreover, the combination therapy significantly decreased tumor burden and prolonged animal survival in xenograft mice models. Our data demonstrate that CDK7 inhibition induces the apoptosis of AML cells and exerts a synergistic antileukemia effect with AZA in vitro and in vivo, which supports future exploration of this combination in clinical studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: CD34+ cells have been used to treat the patients with heart failure, but the outcome is variable. It is of great significance to scrutinize the fate and the mechanism of CD34+ cell differentiation in vivo during heart failure and explore its intervention strategy. Methods: We performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of the total non-cardiomyocytes and enriched Cd34-tdTomato+ lineage cells in the murine (male Cd34-CreERT2; Rosa26-tdTomato mice) pressure overload model (transverse aortic constriction, TAC), and total non-cardiomyocytes from human adult hearts. Then, in order to determine the origin of CD34+ cell that plays a role in myocardial fibrosis, bone marrow transplantation model was performed. Furthermore, to further clarify the role of CD34 + cells in myocardial remodeling in response to TAC injury, we generated Cd34-CreERT2; Rosa26-eGFP-DTA (Cre/DTA) mice. Results: By analyzing the transcriptomes of 59,505 single cells from the mouse heart and 22,537 single cells from the human heart, we illustrated the dynamics of cell landscape during the progression of heart hypertrophy, including CD34+ cells, fibroblasts, endothelial and immune cells. By combining genetic lineage tracing and bone marrow transplantation models, we demonstrated that non-bone-marrow-derived CD34+ cells give rise to fibroblasts and endothelial cells, while bone-marrow-derived CD34+ cell turned into immune cells only in response to pressure overload. Interestingly, partial depletion of CD34+ cells alleviated the severity of myocardial fibrosis with a significant improvement of cardiac function in Cd34-CreERT2; Rosa26-eGFP-DTA model. Similar changes of non-cardiomyocyte composition and cellular heterogeneity of heart failure were also observed in human patient with heart failure. Furthermore, immunostaining showed a double labeling of CD34 and fibroblast markers in human heart tissue. Mechanistically, our single-cell pseudotime analysis of scRNA-seq data and in vitro cell culture study revealed that Wnt-β-catenin and TGFβ1/Smad pathways are critical in regulating CD34+ cell differentiation toward fibroblasts. Conclusions: Our study provides a cellular landscape of CD34+ cell-derived cells in the hypertrophy heart of human and animal models, indicating that non-bone-marrow-derived CD34+ cells differentiating into fibroblasts largely account for cardiac fibrosis. These findings may provide novel insights for the pathogenesis of cardiac fibrosis and have further potential therapeutic implications for the heart failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Lymphatic vessels are low-pressure, blind-ended tubular structures essential in maintaining tissue fluid homeostasis, immune cell transport, and lipid transport. More and more evidence showed that lymphangiogenesis might be closely related to the development of many diseases, and the intervention of lymphangiogenesis may be a new direction of disease treatment. This review aims to discuss the molecular mechanisms of lymphangiogenesis, the effect of lymphangiogenesis on tumor immune tolerance, the emerging role of meningeal lymphatics and cardiac lymphatics, and the promising applications of lymphangiogenesis in immunotherapy and bioengineering materials. The lymphatic system is a channel for fluid transport and cell migration, but it has always been controversial in promoting and suppressing cancer. VEGFC/VEGFR3 signaling has long been recognized as a major molecular driver of lymphangiogenesis. However, many studies have shown that the neural network of lymphatic signaling is complex. Lymphatic vessels have been found to play an essential role in the immune regulation of tumor metastasis and cardiac repair. This review describes the effects of lipid metabolism, extracellular vesicles, and flow shear forces on lymphangiogenesis. Moreover, the pro-tumor immune tolerance function of lymphatic vessels is discussed, and the tasks of meningeal lymphatic vessels and cardiac lymphatic vessels in diseases are further discussed. Finally, the value of conversion therapy targeting the lymphatic system is introduced from the perspective of immunotherapy and pro-lymphatic biomaterials for lymphangiogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Transplant arteriosclerosis is a major complication in long-term survivors of heart transplantation. Increased lymph flow from donor heart to host lymph nodes has been reported to play a role in transplant arteriosclerosis, but how lymphangiogenesis affects this process is unknown. Methods: Vascular allografts were transplanted among various combinations of mice, including wild-type, Lyve1 -CreERT2;R26-tdTomato, CAG -Cre-tdTomato, severe combined immune deficiency, Ccr2 KO, Foxn1 KO, and lghm / lghd KO mice. Whole-mount staining and 3-dimensional reconstruction identified lymphatic vessels within the grafted arteries. Lineage tracing strategies delineated the cellular origin of lymphatic endothelial cells. Adeno-associated viral vectors and a selective inhibitor were used to regulate lymphangiogenesis. Results: Lymphangiogenesis within allograft vessels began at the anastomotic sites and extended from preexisting lymphatic vessels in the host. Tertiary lymphatic organs were identified in transplanted arteries at the anastomotic site and lymphatic vessels expressing CCL21 (chemokine [C-C motif] ligand 21) were associated with these immune structures. Fibroblasts in the vascular allografts released VEGF-C (vascular endothelial growth factor C), which stimulated lymphangiogenesis into the grafts. Inhibition of VEGF-C signaling inhibited lymphangiogenesis, neointima formation, and adventitial fibrosis of vascular allografts. These studies identified VEGF-C released from fibroblasts as a signal stimulating lymphangiogenesis extending from the host into the vascular allografts. Conclusions: Formation of lymphatic vessels plays a key role in the immune response to vascular transplantation. The inhibition of lymphangiogenesis may be a novel approach to prevent transplant arteriosclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tb3Al5O12 ( TAG) transparent ceramics were prepared by a reactive sintering method using presintering in a muffle furnace combined with hot isostatic pressing ( HIP) sintering. The dilatometric, differential scanning calorimetry-thermogravimetric ( DSC- TG) curves and optical quality were investigated. The microstructure evolution of the TAG ceramic samples was clarified. Two successive transformations were found to generate a TAG phase, as observed in the dilatometric and DSC- TG curves and XRD patterns of TAG ceramics sintered at different temperature. The changes in average grain size and densification suggest that a 1600°C presintering temperature is suitable for HIP. The optical transmittance of the obtained 0.4 wt% TEOS: TAG transparent ceramics, which were fabricated by a new two-step sintering of presintering at 1600°C in a muffle furnace followed by HIP at 1650°C, can reach above 80% in the visible (vis) and near-infrared ( NIR) regions. Its transmittance was very close to the theoretical limit. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that TAG transparent ceramics with ideal optical quality were obtained without vacuum sintering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spectral properties of lightly doped Er:CaF 2 and Er,Pr:CaF 2 single crystals were investigated. Benefited from particular clustering effect, 2.79 μm continuous-wave (CW) laser operation was demonstrated in lightly doped 3 at.% Er:CaF 2 crystal. After co-doping small amount of Pr 3+ , the lifetime gap between Er 3+ : 4 I 11/2 and Er 3+ : 4 I 13/2 was shortened from 7.86 ms to about 1 ms. Moreover, the near-infrared and up-conversion fluorescence were significantly quenched. Thus, the CW laser performance was greatly improved. The slope efficiency was effectively improved from 8.0% to 15.8%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite excellent ductility and dimension stability, the relatively low mechanical strength and stiffness of PA612 extremely restrict its engineering applications. We herein have demonstrated the fabrication of high-performance PA612 composites combining superior mechanical and abrasion resistance properties by choosing two dimensional alumina platelets with a relatively low aspect ratio (∼35). Infrared spectra show that Al 2 O 3 forms strong hydrogen-bond interactions with PA612. Tensile results demonstrate that adding 30 wt% of Al 2 O 3 platelets increases the tensile strength and elastic modulus of PA612 by 55% (∼73 MPa) and 128% (∼3.38 GPa), respectively. In addition, the specific wear rate is reduced by about 61%. Such remarkable improvements in mechanical and abrasion resistance properties are mainly due to the high strength and stiffness of alumina platelets and the strong interfacial interactions with the PA612 matrix. This work offers one new methodology for creating advanced polymer composites by choosing suitable building blocks and by regulating the interfacial interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we describe a thulium-doped (Lu,Y) 3 Al 5 O 12 mixed crystal that was designed and grown to achieve a large pulse energy in Q-switched laser operation. Its absorption cross-sections at 781.3 nm and 1629.2 nm were calculated to be 3.4 × 10 −21 cm 2 and 5 × 10 −21 cm 2 , respectively, and the emission cross-section at 2018.3 nm was calculated to be 1.92 × 10 −21 cm 2 . The highest single pulse energy of 1.4 mJ near 2.02 μm was realized in an actively Q-switched solid-state laser, and further power scaling was just limited by the damage of the crystal coating. Based on the calculated spectrum parameters, theoretical simulation of the single pulse energy that considering the cross-relaxation process was proposed, which was well consistent with the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]