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Surface acoustic wave (SAW) gas sensors based on the acoustoelectric effect exhibit wide application prospects for in situ gas detection. However, establishing accurate models for calculating the scattering parameters of SAW gas sensors remains a challenge. Here, we present a coupling of modes (COM) model that includes the acoustoelectric effect and specifically explains the nonmonotonic variation in the center frequency with respect to the sensing film's sheet conductivity. Several sensing parameters of the gas sensors, including the center frequency, insertion loss, and phase, were experimentally compared for accuracy and practicality. Finally, the frequency of the phase extremum (FPE) shift was determined to vary monotonically, and the range of selectable test points was wide, making the FPE an appropriate response parameter for leveraging in SAW gas sensors. The simulation results of the COM model were highly consistent with the experimental results. Our study is proposed to provide theoretical guidance for the future development of gas SAW sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechano-sensitive hair-like sensilla (MSHS) have an ingenious and compact three-dimensional structure and have evolved widely in living organisms to perceive multidirectional mechanical signals. Nearly all MSHS are iontronic or electronic, including their biomimetic counterparts. Here, an all-optical mechano-sensor mimicking MSHS is prototyped and integrated based on a thin-walled glass microbubble as a flexible whispering-gallery-mode resonator. The minimalist integrated device has a good directionality of 32.31 dB in the radial plane of the micro-hair and can detect multidirectional displacements and forces as small as 70 nm and 0.9 μN, respectively. The device can also detect displacements and forces in the axial direction of the micro-hair as small as 2.29 nm and 3.65 μN, respectively, and perceive different vibrations. This mechano-sensor works well as a real-time, directional mechano-sensory whisker in a quadruped cat-type robot, showing its potential for innovative mechano-transduction, artificial perception, and robotics applications. Hair-like sensilla are evolved widely in organisms that perceive mechanical signals. Here, the authors report an all-optical mechano-sensor that can detect the real-time, directional displacement and force at several nm and μN levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification of the ice channel is the basic technology for developing intelligent ships in ice-covered waters, which is important to ensure the safety and economy of navigation. In the Arctic, merchant ships with low ice class often navigate in channels opened up by icebreakers. Navigation in the ice channel often depends on good maneuverability skills and abundant experience from the captain to a large extent. The ship may get stuck if steered into ice fields off the channel. Under this circumstance, it is very important to study how to identify the boundary lines of ice channels with a reliable method. In this paper, a two-staged ice channel identification method is developed based on image segmentation and corner point regression. The first stage employs the image segmentation method to extract channel regions. In the second stage, an intelligent corner regression network is proposed to extract the channel boundary lines from the channel region. A non-intelligent angle-based filtering and clustering method is proposed and compared with corner point regression network. The training and evaluation of the segmentation method and corner regression network are carried out on the synthetic and real ice channel dataset. The evaluation results show that the accuracy of the method using the corner point regression network in the second stage is achieved as high as 73.33% on the synthetic ice channel dataset and 70.66% on the real ice channel dataset, and the processing speed can reach up to 14.58 frames per second. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To establish a three-dimensional finite element model of the upper palate, pharyngeal cavity, and levator veli palatini muscle in patients with unilateral complete cleft palate, simulate two surgical procedures that the two-flap method and Furlow reverse double Z method, observe the stress distribution of the upper palate soft tissue and changes in pharyngeal cavity area after different surgical methods, and verify the accuracy of the model by reconstructing and measuring the levator veli palatini muscle. Materials and methods: Mimics, Geomagic, Ansys, and Hypermesh were applied to establish three-dimensional finite element models of the pharyngeal cavity, upper palate, and levator veli palatini muscle in patients with unilateral complete cleft palate. The parameters including length, angle, and cross-sectional area of the levator veli palatini muscle etc. were measured in Mimics, and two surgical procedures that two-flap method and Furlow reverse double Z method were simulated in Ansys, and the area of pharyngeal cavity was measured by hypermesh. Results: A three-dimensional finite element model of the upper palate, pharyngeal cavity, and bilateral levator veli palatini muscle was established in patients with unilateral complete cleft palate ; The concept of horizontal projection characteristics of the palatal dome was applied to the finite element simulation of cleft palate surgery, vividly simulating the displacement and elastic stretching of the two flap method and Furlow reverse double Z method during the surgical process; The areas with the highest stress in the two-flap method and Furlow reverse double Z method both occur in the hard soft palate junction area; In resting state, as measured, the two flap method can narrow the pharyngeal cavity area by 50.9%, while the Furlow reverse double Z method can narrow the pharyngeal cavity area by 65.4%; The measurement results of the levator veli palatini muscle showed no significant difference compared to previous studies, confirming the accuracy of the model. Conclusions: The finite element method was used to establish a model to simulate the surgical procedure, which is effective and reliable. The area with the highest postoperative stress for both methods is the hard soft palate junction area, and the stress of the Furlow reverse double Z method is lower than that of the two-flap method. The anatomical conditions of pharyngeal cavity of Furlow reverse double Z method are better than that of two-flap method in the resting state. Clinical relevance: This article uses three-dimensional finite element method to simulate the commonly used two-flap method and Furlow reverse double Z method in clinical cleft palate surgery, and analyzes the stress distribution characteristics and changes in pharyngeal cavity area of the two surgical methods, in order to provide a theoretical basis for the surgeon to choose the surgical method and reduce the occurrence of complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To comprehend the relationship between the dopants, structure, and properties of EO materials, transparent ceramics of Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 doped with rare earth (RE) ions (Er3+, Eu3+, La3+, and Sm3+) were prepared via pressure-free sintering. The transmittance of completely dense and pore-free La-doped PMN-PT ceramics is significantly better than that of the other RE-doped PMN-PT. The optimal composition of 2-mol% La-doped 0.75PMN-0.25PT has the largest electro-optical (EO) coefficient of 42.1 × 10−16 m2·V−2 and highest transmittance of 69% in the near-infrared band, which exceeds the performance of the vast majority of PMN-PT ceramics reported in the past. As the dopants vary among Er3+, Eu3+, La3+, and Sm3+, the polar domain distribution undergoes a disorder–order–disorder transformation. The study investigated the effects of various dopants on the microstructure, transmittance, EO properties, domain structure, and polarization behavior of PMN-PT ceramics. On the macroscopic polarization scale, the exceptional EO performance observed in the La-doped PMN-PT ceramics is due to the presence of an ordered lamellar polar nanodomain structure, which facilitates easier and faster polarization switching. On the atomic-level scale in relation to the dopants, the largest ionic radii and tolerance factor with moderate electronegativity for La-doped case is believed to be favorable for the highest EO effect. These results suggest that a defect-engineered well-ordered distribution of polar nanoregions could enhance the EO effect. Overall, our research provides valuable insights for the design of high-performance EO materials based on domain configuration and doping engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Millions of people suffer from diabetes mellitus. Most of them endure diabetes peripheral neuropathy (DPN) at the same time. Objectives: To examine the impairment of sweat gland function in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with peripheral neuropathy (T2DM-DPN), and to explore the risk factors that may influence the impairment of autonomic function in T2DM-DPN patients by testing sweat gland function. Methods: Sweat gland function was tested with iodine and starch reagents on the sweat gland areas of the hands, feet and back of T2DM-DPN patients and healthy people. The ratio of the area in black spots to the whole tested area was calculated by ImageJ software. The participants' sweat gland function was also measured by SUDOSCAN conductance analyzer. The related hazard factors of the changes of sweat gland function was analyzed. Results: There was a significant difference in sweat gland function between the T2DM-DPN group and the healthy control group in hand area on the 1st and 2nd minute, in foot area on the 2nd minute (p < 0.05). The function of sweat glands in the hands, feet, and back of T2DM-DPN patients was weaker than that in healthy controls. Pearson correlation analysis showed that glucose (Glu) was correlated with sweat gland function significantly (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Sweat gland function was impaired in T2DM-DPN patients. The autonomic nerve may be injured in the T2DM-DPN patients at the same time. The injured degree of autonomic nerve in T2DM-DPN patients could be judged by sweat gland function test. Glucose may be one of the related hazard factors to the sweat gland function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, by studying the Bernstein degrees and Goldie rank polynomials, we establish a comparison between the irreducible representations of G = GLn(ℂ) possessing the minimal Gelfand–Kirillov dimension and those induced from finite-dimensional representations of the maximal parabolic subgroup of G of type (n − 1,1). We give the transition matrix between the two bases for the corresponding coherent families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetic cystopathy (DCP) is a prevalent etiology of bladder dysfunction in individuals with longstanding diabetes, frequently leading to bladder interstitial fibrosis. Research investigating the initial pathological alterations of DCP is notably scarce. To comprehend the development of fibrosis and find effective biomarkers for its diagnosis, we prepared streptozotocin-induced long-term diabetic SD rats exhibiting a type 1 diabetes phenotype and bladder fibrosis in histology detection. After observing myofibroblast differentiation from rats' primary bladder fibroblasts with immunofluorescence, we isolated fibroblasts derived exosomes and performed exosomal miRNA sequencing. The co-differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMis) (miR-16-5p and let-7e-5p) were screened through a joint analysis of diabetic rats and long-term patients' plasma data (GES97123) downloaded from the GEO database. Then two co-DEMis were validated by quantitative PCR on exosomes derived from diabetic rats' plasma. Following with a series of analysis, including target mRNAs and transcription factors (TFs) prediction, hubgenes identification, protein–protein interaction (PPI) network construction and gene enrichment analysis, a miRNA-mediated genetic regulatory network consisting of two miRNAs, nine TFs, and thirty target mRNAs were identified in relation to fibrotic processes. Thus, circulating exosomal miR-16-5p and let-7e-5p are associated with bladder fibrosis of DCP, and the crucial genes in regulatory network might hold immense significance in studying the pathogenesis and molecular mechanisms of fibrosis, which deserves further exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Renal ischemia–reperfusion injury (IRI) frequently occurs clinically. We investigated the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in the evaluation of renal IRI levels in mice. Methods: Thirty-six healthy adult male C57BL/6 mice (20–22 g) were randomly divided into the sham, 10 min, 20 min, 30 min, 40 min, and 50 min groups based on the time of renal warm ischemia by blocking the left renal pedicle, approved by the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee. Time-intensity curve (TIC)-derived parameters such as peak enhancement (PE) and wash-in perfusion index (WiPI) were produced using CEUS at 1 h and 24 h after IRI. The severity of kidney injury was detected by the renal tubular necrosis rate which was analyzed by hematoxylin and eosin staining at 24 h after IRI. The Spearman correlation coefficient was used to describe the correlations between PE and WiPI values and the renal tubular necrosis rate. Results: The PE and WiPI values decreased after IRI in the groups with a warm ischemia time ≥ 20 min. The renal tubular necrosis rate was significantly correlated with the PE value at 1 h (ρ = -0.802) and 24 h (ρ = -0.861) after IRI and the WiPI value at 1 h (ρ = -0.814) and 24 h (ρ = -0.853) after IRI (all p < 0.001). Conclusion: TIC-derived parameters, including PE and WiPI values, can be used to evaluate the severity of renal IRI in mice. CEUS is a safe and effective technology for the detection of renal IRI. Relevance statement: CEUS can evaluate the severity of renal ischemia–reperfusion injury by peak enhancement and wash-in perfusion index values selected from various time-intensity curve-derived parameters. Key points: • Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography can evaluate the level of renal ischemia–reperfusion injury. • Peak enhancement and wash-in perfusion index are correlated with the renal tubular necrosis rate. • CEUS can detect changes in unilateral renal function without radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During ship operations, frequent heave movements can pose significant challenges to the overall safety of the ship and completion of cargo loading. The existing heave compensation systems suffer from issues such as dead zones and control system time lags, which necessitate the development of reasonable prediction models for ship heave movements. In this paper, a novel model based on a time graph convolutional neural network algorithm and particle swarm optimization algorithm (PSO-TGCN) is proposed for the first time to predict the multipoint heave movements of ships under different sea conditions. To enhance the dataset's suitability for training and reduce interference, various filter algorithms are employed to optimize the dataset. The training process utilizes simulated heave data under different sea conditions and measured heave data from multiple points. The results show that the PSO-TGCN model predicts the ship swaying motion in different sea states after 2 s with 84.7% accuracy, while predicting the swaying motion in three different positions. By performing a comparative study, it was also found that the present method achieves better performance that other popular methods. This model can provide technical support for intelligent ship control, improve the control accuracy of intelligent ships, and promote the development of intelligent ships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: After the implementation of the universal two-child policy in China, it was more frequent to have long interpregnancy intervals (IPIs) and advanced maternal age. However, the interactions between long IPIs and advanced maternal age on neonatal outcomes are unknown. Methods: The study subjects of this historical cohort study were multiparas with singleton live births between October 1st, 2015, and October 31st, 2020. IPI was defined as the interval between delivery and conception of the subsequent pregnancy. Logistic regression models were used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the risks of preterm birth (PTB), low birth weight (LBW), small for gestation age, and 1-min Apgar score ≤ 7 in different IPI groups. Relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI) was used to evaluate the additive interaction between long IPIs and advanced maternal age. Results: Compared with the 24 ≤ IPI ≤ 59 months group, the long IPI group (IPI ≥ 60 months) was associated with a higher risk of PTB (aOR, 1.27; 95% CI: 1.07–1.50), LBW (aOR, 1.32; 95% CI 1.08–1.61), and one-minute Apgar score ≤ 7 (aOR, 1.46; 95% CI 1.07–1.98). Negative additive interactions (all RERIs < 0) existed between long IPIs and advanced maternal age for these neonatal outcomes. Meanwhile, IPI < 12 months was also associated with PTB (aOR, 1.51; 95% CI 1.13–2.01), LBW (aOR, 1.50; 95% CI 1.09–2.07), and 1-min Apgar score ≤ 7 (aOR, 1.93; 95% CI 1.23–3.04). Conclusions: Both short and long IPIs are associated with an increased risk of adverse neonatal outcomes. Appropriate IPI should be recommended to women planning to become pregnant again. In addition, better antenatal care might be taken to balance the inferiority of advanced maternal age and to improve neonatal outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic materials could realize the intriguing quantum anomalous Hall effect and metal-to-insulator transition when combined with band topology or electronic correlation, which have broad prospects in quantum information, spintronics, and valleytronics. Here, we propose the approach of designing novel two-dimensional (2D) magnetic states via d-orbital-based superatomic lattices. Specifically, we chose triangular zirconium dichloride disks as superatoms to construct the honeycomb superatomic lattices. Using first-principles calculations, we identified a series of 2D magnetic states with varying sizes of superatoms. We found the non-uniform stoichiometries and geometric effect of superatomic lattice give rise to spin-polarized charges arranged in different magnetic configurations, containing ferromagnetic coloring triangles, antiferromagnetic honeycomb, and ferromagnetic kagome lattices. Attractively, these magnetic states are endowed with nontrivial band topology or strong correlation, forming an ideal Chern insulator or antiferromagnetic Dirac Mott insulator. Our work not only reveals the potential of d-orbital-based superatoms for generating unusual magnetic configurations, but also supplies a new avenue for material engineering at the nanoscale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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A structurally novel bi-nuclear Co(III) complex ([Co2(L)2(H2O)2]) was prepared by the reaction of a single-armed salamo-like ligand H3L and Co(II) acetate tetrahydrates in methanol solution and characterized structurally. The crystallography data revealed that the Co(III) complex is bi-nuclear, and composed of two Co(III) atoms, two fully deprotonated ligand (L)3− units and two coordinated H2O molecules. This structurally novel Co(III) complex is different from the previously reported complexes derived from other similar single-armed salamo-like ligands. Each Co(III) atom partially occupies the N2O2 cavity of the ligand (L)3− unit and the NO3 cavity of another deprotonated ligand (L)3− unit. Significantly, divalent Co(II) ions are oxidized to trivalent Co(III) ions upon coordination with the ligand (L)3− units. Emission spectrum studies showed that the Co(III) complex is fluorescence quenched. Hirshfeld surfaces analyses revealed that H⋅⋅⋅H interaction contributes the most to the 2D fingerprinting map. The bi-nuclear Co(III) single-armed salamo-like complex [Co2(L)2(H2O)2] has been successfully synthesized and structurally characterized. The fluorescence properties and Hirshfeld surfaces analyses of H3L and its Co(III) complex were investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The antioxidant activities of flavonoid mixtures can be used to investigate the synergistic antioxidant mechanism of flavonoids. The antioxidant capacities of three flavonoids (quercetin, baicalein, and daidzein) and β-carotene in binary and ternary mixtures with kaempferol were analyzed using a 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) inhibition assay by means of absorption spectroscopy. The results showed that the number of hydroxyl groups and o-hydroxyl groups had a significant effect on the antioxidant activity of the flavonoids, and the mixture of kaempferol, quercetin, and baicalein showed optimal synergistic antioxidant activity. Compared with quercetin and baicalein, kaempferol had the fastest inhibition rate, and multiple prolonged kinetic processes associated with the scavenging of DPPH radicals occurred in mixtures of kaempferol with the other flavonoids and β-carotene. Kaempferol has a potential synergistic antioxidant effect when mixed with daidzein and β-carotene, and the results suggested that this may be due to the regeneration of kaempferol after antioxidation. By means of classic UV-Vis spectroscopy, reaction details of the synergistic antioxidant process of DPPH radical scavenging by flavonoids can be obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field measurements were conducted at a container harbor located in Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, China. Concentrations of fifty-three PAHs in airborne PM2.5 were quantified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The positive matrix factorization model and potential source contribution function analysis were used to evaluate the main sources of PAHs. The PM2.5-bound PAH–associated inhalation lung cancer risks were estimated using a point estimate approach based on relative potency factors. Average concentrations were recorded for PM2.5 (18 ± 6.0 μg/m3) and ∑53PAHs (8.83 ± 8.42 ng/m3). The 4–6 ring PAHs accounted for approximately 85% of the total PAH concentrations, with the majority of these compounds being deemed carcinogenic. Five sources and mass contributions were determined by the positive matrix factorization (PMF) model: gasoline and diesel exhaust emissions (24.8%); volatilization or spill of petroleum and petroleum-related products (22.3%); heavy fuel oil combustion (18.2%); the mixed combustion emissions composed of coal and biomass combustion (18.1%); and natural gas combustion (16.7%). The potential source contribution function analysis suggested that PAHs in the harbor were greatly affected by long-distance input, especially from the North China Plain and the Yellow Sea. The calculated incremental lifetime lung cancer risk of PAH exposure was 8.07 and 702 cases per million people using the inhalation unit risk of exposure to the BaP value recommended by the California Environmental Protection Agency and the World Health Organization, respectively. Gasoline and diesel exhaust emissions (52.1%) have contributed more to the lung cancer risk. From a health risk standpoint, this measure could help to identify relevant sources of controls in port regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some mites of the family Haemogamasidae can transmit a variety of zoonotic diseases and have important public health and safety implications. Currently, however, little attention has been paid to molecular data of Haemogamasidae species, limiting our understanding of their evolutionary and phylogenetic relationships. In this study, the complete mitochondrial genome of Eulaelaps huzhuensis was determined for the first time, and its genomic information was analyzed in detail. The mitochondrial genome of E. huzhuensis is 14,872 bp in length with 37 genes and two control regions. The base composition showed a distinct AT preference. Twelve protein-coding genes have a typical ATN as the start codon, and three protein-coding genes have incomplete stop codons. During the folding of tRNA genes, a total of 30 mismatches occurred, and three tRNA genes had an atypical cloverleaf secondary structure. The order of the E. huzhuensis mitochondrial genome arrangement is a new type of rearrangement in Mesostigmata. The phylogenetic analysis confirmed that the family Haemogamasidae is a monophyletic branch and does not belong to a subfamily of the Laelapidae. Our results lay the foundation for subsequent studies on the phylogeny and evolutionary history of the family Haemogamasidae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scale-free ferroelectric polarization of fluorite MO2 (M = Hf, Zr) due to flat polar phonon bands are promising for nonvolatile memories. Defects are also widely introduced to improve the emergent ferroelectricity. However, their roles are still not fully understood at the atomic-level. Here, we report a significant effect of point-defect-driven flattening of polar phonon bands with more polar modes and polarization contribution in doped MO2. The polar phonon bands in La-doped MO2 (M = Hf, Zr) can be significantly flattened, compared with pure ones. However, the lower energy barrier with larger polarization of VO-only doped MO2 compared with La-doped cases suggest that VO and local lattice distortion should be balanced for high-performance fluorite ferroelectricity. The work is believed to bridge the relation between point defects and the generally enhanced induced ferroelectricity in fluorite ferroelectrics at the atomic-level and inspire their further property optimization via defect-engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been proved that the modification and ratio of media can improve the pollutant purification and stormwater infiltration capacity effectively for bioretention system. However, the addition of solid waste or its recycled products modifiers may increase the risk of contaminants leaching, especially in situations of strong load impact or pollutant accumulation and the long-term operation. Thus affecting the health of the media ecosystem, benign growth of plants and reducing the purification effect. For problems with unclear leaching mechanism and influencing factors of solid waste modified bioretention media. In this study, representative solid wastes including leaf compost (LC), corn straw biochar (bio-char) water treatment residues (WTR), fly ash (FA), and recycled aggregate of construction waste (RACW) were used as modifiers to prepare bioretention improved media. The leaching mechanism and time-varying characteristics of these improved media were studied through static adsorption test and modern detection technologies; the adsorption capacity of WTR (natural air drying granulation or high-temperature pyrolysis to produce biochar) for ammonia (NH4+-N) and orthophosphate (PO43−) is stronger than that of other materials. In the dynamic adsorption experiment (intermittent pulse tests of desorption-adsorption-desorption process) of improved media, pollutants outflow concentration showed a trend of decreasing-increasing-decreasing under the influence of background content of pollutants, inflow load, and operation time, and the leaching of NO3−-N was the most obvious in the leaching process. The contents of TN, TP, and heavy metals (Cu, Zn, and Cd) after the experiment were all higher than those before the dynamic adsorption experiment, and the average pollutant concentration removal rates were 54.1%, 71.1%, 95.1%, 91.8%, and 94.2%, respectively. This indicates that the total cumulative amount during the study period is greater than the leaching amount, and WTR and RACW are more pronounced. The leaching characteristics of solid waste improved fillers from several aspects of media parameter, influence factors, detection method, and resistance-control technologies were revealed and elucidated their leaching-clogging interaction mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attribute-based encryption (ABE) is a promising approach to enables fine-grained access control for encrypted data in cloud storage. However, to design a flexible and effective revocation mechanism has always been a tricky problem for ABE, especially for the situations where revocation occurs frequently. In this work, we propose a practical attribute-based access control scheme by introducing ciphertext-policy attribute-based encryption (CP-ABE) that allows the trusted authority (TA) to efficiently manage the credentials of data users. The problem of revocation is solved efficiently by exploiting user binary tree. To achieve flexible revocation, our scheme supports both attribute revocation and user revocation to accommodate different revocation needs. Non-revoked users can still decrypt the ciphertext as long as his/her remaining attributes satisfy the access policy associated with the ciphertext. Moreover, verifiable ciphertext delegation is presented to reduce the heavy computation cost brought by frequent revocation. The merits of the proposed scheme are proved by comparing its performance and security with the related works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonvolatile electrical control of spin polarization in two-dimensional (2D) magnetic semiconductors is greatly appealing toward future low-dissipation spintronic nanodevices. Here, we report a 2D material VSeF, which is an intrinsic bipolar magnetic semiconductor (BMS) featured with opposite spin-polarized valence and conduction band edges. We then propose a general nonvolatile strategy to manipulate both spin-polarized orientations in BMS materials by introducing a ferroelectric gate with proper band alignment. The spin-up/spin-down polarization of VSeF is successfully controlled by the electric dipole of ferroelectric bilayer Al2Se3, verifying the feasibility of the design strategy. The interfacial doping effect from ferroelectric gate also plays a role in enhancing the Curie temperature of the VSeF layer. Two types of spin field effect transistors, namely multiferroic memory and spin filter, are further achieved in VSeF/Al2Se3 and VSeF/Al2Se3/Al2Se3 multiferroic heterostructures, respectively. This work will stimulate the application of 2D BMS materials in future spintronic nanodevices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The osteonecrotic area of steroid-induced avascular necrosis of the femoral head (SANFH) is a hypoxic microenvironment that leads to apoptosis of transplanted bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we explore the mechanism of hypoxic-induced apoptosis of BMSCs, and use the mechanism to improve the transplantation efficacy of BMSCs. Our results show that the long non-coding RNA AABR07053481 (LncAABR07053481) is downregulated in BMSCs and closely related to the degree of hypoxia. Overexpression of LncAABR07053481 could increase the survival rate of BMSCs. Further exploration of the downstream target gene indicates that LncAABR07053481 acts as a molecular "sponge" of miR-664-2-5p to relieve the silencing effect of miR-664-2-5p on the target gene Notch1. Importantly, the survival rate of BMSCs overexpressing LncAABR07053481 is significantly improved after transplantation, and the repair effect of BMSCs in the osteonecrotic area is also improved. This study reveal the mechanism by which LncAABR07053481 inhibits hypoxia-induced apoptosis of BMSCs by regulating the miR-664-2-5p/Notch1 pathway and its therapeutic effect on SANFH. Long non-coding RNA AABR07053481 is shown to inhibit hypoxia-induced apoptosis of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in rats by regulating the miR-664-2-5p/Notch1 pathway, promote the repair efficacy of BMSCs on early steroid-induced avascular necrosis of the femoral head. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the field investigation in five provincial regions of Southwest China between 2001 and 2019, the present paper reports the infestation and distribution of chigger mites on the Confucian white-bellied rat Niviventer confucianus in China for the first time. A total of 11,017 chigger mites were collected from the body surface of 911 N. confucianus rat hosts, and 10,161 of them were identified as 166 species and 16 genera in three subfamilies under two families with high species diversity (S = 166, H' = 3.19, E = 0.62). Of 911 N. confucianus rats, 341 individuals were infested with chiggers with high overall prevalence (PM = 37.43%), mean abundance (MA = 12.09 mites/rat) and mean intensity (MI = 32.31 mites/rat). On the body surface of N. confucianus, Ascoschoengastia sifanga was the most dominant chigger species followed by Walchia ewingi and Leptotrombidium rupestre. All the three dominant chigger species showed an aggregated distribution pattern among different individuals of N. confucianus. Chigger infestations on the same rat host (N. confucianus) showed some heterogeneity under different environmental conditions such as latitudes, longitudes, altitudes and landscapes. Based on Preston's lognormal model, the species abundance distribution of chiggers on N. confucianus conformed to a lognormal distribution pattern, and the predicted total species of chiggers on N. confucianus in Southwest China was estimated to be 228 species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples are routinely used in prospective and retrospective studies. It is crucial to obtain high-quality nucleic acid (NA) from FFPE samples for downstream molecular analysis, such as quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR), Sanger sequencing, next-generation sequencing, and microarray, in both clinical diagnosis and basic research. The current NA extraction methods from FFPE samples using chemical solvent are tedious, environmentally unfriendly, and unamenable to automation or field deployment. We present a tool for NA extraction from FFPE samples using a high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) technology. A cartridge strip containing reagents for FFPE sample deparaffinization and NA extraction and purification is operated by an automation tool consisting of a HIFU module, a liquid handling robot unit, and accessories including a thermal block and magnets. The HIFU module is a single concaved piezoelectric ceramic plate driven by a current-mode class-D power amplifier. Based on the ultrasonic cavitation effects, the HIFU module provides highly concentrated energy introducing paraffin emulsification and disintegration. The high quantity and quality of NA extracted using the reported system are evaluated by PCR and compared with the quantity and quality of NA extracted using the current standard methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a new technology, Internet of Vehicles (IoV) needs high bandwidth and low delay. However, the current on-board mobile terminal equipment cannot meet the needs of the IoV. Therefore, using mobile edge computing (MEC) can solve the problems of energy consumption and time delay in the IoV. In the MEC, task offloading can solve the problem of resource constraint on mobile devices effectively, but it is not optimal to offload all tasks to edge servers. In this paper, the vehicle computation task is regarded as a directed acyclic graph (DAG), and task nodes' execution location and scheduling order are optimized. Considering the energy consumption and delay of the system, the vehicle computation offloading is considered as a constrained multi-objective optimization problem (CMOP), and then a Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Strategy(NSGS) is proposed to solve the CMOP. The proposed algorithm can realize local and edge parallel processing to reduce delay and energy consumption. Finally, a large number of experiments are carried to prove the performance of the algorithm. The experimental results show that the algorithm can make the optimal decision in practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As the volume and fidelity of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain increase, observation of incidental findings may also increase. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the prevalence of various incidental findings. Methods: PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE and SCOPUS were searched from inception to May 24, 2021. We identified 6536 citations and included 35 reports of 34 studies, comprising 40,777 participants. A meta-analysis of proportions was performed, and age-stratified estimates for each finding were derived from age-adjusted non-linear models. Results: Vascular abnormalities were observed in 423/35,706 participants (9.1/1000 scans, 95%CI 5.2–14.2), ranging from 2/1000 scans (95%CI 0–7) in 1-year-olds to 16/1000 scans (95%CI 1–43) in 80-year-olds. Of these, 204/34,306 were aneurysms (3.1/1000 scans, 95%CI 1–6.3), which ranged from 0/1000 scans (95%CI 0–5) at 1 year of age to 6/1000 scans (95%CI 3–9) at 60 years. Neoplastic abnormalities were observed in 456/39,040 participants (11.9/1000 scans, 95%CI 7.5–17.2), ranging from 0.2/1000 scans (95%CI 0–10) in 1-year-olds to 34/1000 scans (95%CI 12–66) in 80-year-olds. Meningiomas were the most common, in 246/38,076 participants (5.3/1000 scans, 95%CI 2.3–9.5), ranging from 0/1000 scans (95%CI 0–2) in 1-year-olds to 17/1000 scans (95%CI 4–37) in 80-year-olds. Chiari malformations were observed in 109/27,408 participants (3.7/1000 scans, 95%CI 1.8–6.3), pineal cysts in 1176/32,170 (9/1000 scans, 95%CI 1.8–21.4) and arachnoid cysts in 414/36,367 (8.5/1000 scans, 95%CI 5.8–11.8). Conclusion: Incidental findings are common on brain MRI and may result in substantial resource expenditure and patient anxiety but are often of little clinical significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional (2D) superconducting states have attracted much recent interest, especially when they coexist with nontrivial band topology which affords a promising approach towards Majorana fermions. Using first-principles calculations, we predict van der Waals monolayered transition-metal monohalides MX (M = Zr, Mo; X = F, Cl) as a class of 2D superconductors with remarkable transition temperature (5.9–12.4 K). Anisotropic Migdal-Eliashberg theory reveals that ZrCl have a single superconducting gap ∆ ~ 2.14 meV, while MoCl is a two-gap superconductor with ∆ ~ 1.96 and 1.37 meV. The Z2 band topology of 2D MX is further demonstrated that MoF and MoCl are candidates for realizing topological superconductivity. Moreover, the Dirac phonons of ZrCl and MoCl contribute w-shape phononic edge states, which are potential for an edge-enhanced electron-phonon coupling. These findings demonstrate that 2D MX offers an attractive platform for exploring the interplay between superconductivity, nontrivial electronic and phononic topology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Influenced by tectonic activities such as the Tan-Lu Fault and mantle uplift, frequent volcanic activity in the Eastern Sag of the Liaohe Basin has resulted in the widespread development of volcanic rocks, such as basalt and trachyte, in the third member of the Shahejie Formation. Exploration and development have confirmed the presence of large oil and gas displays in trachyte reservoirs. However, previous studies have focused on the whole Eastern Sag or the volcanic rocks in the north, middle, and south sections of the Eastern Sag, while the J34 block has rarely been examined. There are challenges associated with the exploration and development of the J34 block, such as difficulties with trachyte lithology identification, reservoir space identification, quantitative logging identification, and prediction of horizontal and vertical distribution of lithologic characteristics. Therefore, this study presents an investigation and analysis of the characteristics of trachyte reservoirs, and the identification and prediction of favorable reservoirs based on core data, core sampling analysis, well logging, seismic data, and development dynamic data. The results showed that the volcanic rocks in the study area mainly include three types of lithology: trachytic breccia, trachytic lava, and basaltic lava, with trachytic breccia being the most important and favorable reservoir lithology. The trachyte reservoir space is mainly fractured and vuggy, and the secondary reservoir space is often superimposed onto the primary reservoir space, which significantly increases reservoir performance. Using the logging response characteristics of different lithologies and optimizing sensitivity curves, the quantitative identification criteria of different types of volcanic rocks were established. At the same time, the distribution characteristics of favorable reservoirs were determined by reconstructed wave impedance inversion with sensitive parameters, which showed that favorable reservoirs are mainly distributed along faults. Further analysis of the controlling factors of trachyte reservoirs can effectively guide the oil and gas development in this block and provide a reference for the exploration and development of similar blocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate urinary outcomes of pelvic construction and lateral capsule sparing techniques in robot-assisted radical cystectomy with orthotopic ileal neobladder (RARC-OIN). Methods: A total of 107 male patients who underwent RARC-OIN during January 2017 and February 2021 in Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital were analyzed retrospectively. Standard RARC-OIN with or without nerve sparing technique was performed in 44 patients (standard group), lateral prostate capsule sparing technique was performed in 20 patients (LCS group), combined pelvic reconstruction (CPR) technique including anterior suspension and posterior reconstruction were performed in 43 patients (CPR group). The urinary function was assessed by the use of pads and the Bladder Cancer Index (BCI). Continence was defined as the use of 0–1 pad during daytime or night-time. Results: There was no statistical difference between the three groups regarding demographic, perioperative, and pathological data. Continence rates were 6.8, 50.0 and 34.9% for daytime, 4.6, 40.0 and 32.6% for night-time in the standard group, LCS group and CPR group at 1 month post-operation, respectively. Continence rates were 34.1, 80.0 and 69.8% for daytime, 27.3, 75.0 and 65.1% for night-time in the standard group, LCS group and CPR group at 3 month post-operation, respectively. No statistically significant difference was observed in the daytime and night-time continence rates at 12 months. Conclusions: Lateral capsule-sparing and combined pelvic reconstruction techniques are feasible to improve early daytime and night-time continence rates in RARC with orthotopic neobladder. Clinical trial registration: The trial registration number: ChiCTR2100047606. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Postmortem submersion interval (PMSI) estimation and cause-of-death discrimination of corpses in water have long been challenges in forensic practice. Recently, many studies have linked postmortem metabolic changes with PMI extension, providing a potential strategy for estimating PMSI using the metabolome. Additionally, there is a lack of potential indicators with high sensitivity and specificity for drowning identification. In the present study, we profiled the untargeted metabolome of blood samples from drowning and postmortem submersion rats at different PMSIs within 24 h by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). A total of 601 metabolites were detected. Four different machine learning algorithms, including random forest (RF), partial least squares (PLS), support vector machine (SVM), and neural network (NN), were used to compare the efficiency of the machine learning methods. Nineteen metabolites with obvious temporal regularity were selected as candidate biomarkers according to "IncNodePurity." Robust models were built with these biomarkers, which yielded a mean absolute error of 1.067 h. Additionally, 36 other metabolites were identified to build the classifier model for discriminating drowning and postmortem submersion (AUC = 1, accuracy = 95%). Our results demonstrated the potential application of metabolomics combined with machine learning in PMSI estimation and cause-of-death discrimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: While the existing knowledge base on the impact of prostate cancer (PC) and its treatment on sexuality and intimacy has been generated from Western populations, there is a lack of such evidence in the Asian context. This study aimed to explore men's experiences of sex and intimacy after PC treatment in China.Methods: This study adopted an interpretive descriptive design. Using purposive sampling, 13 PC patients were selected from a urology outpatient unit of a hospital in South China and proceeded with individual semi-structured telephone interviews. Each interview was transcribed verbatim and analyzed using constant comparison analysis.Results: Four themes emerged from the interview data, including (a) encountering altered sexuality, (b) communication and sexual adjustments, (c) maintenance of quality intimate relationship, and (d) lack of sexual health support.Conclusions: The findings revealed that PC treatment significantly impaired patients' sexual functions, and their sexual health needs were mainly unmet by healthcare providers. There is a great need to design culturally relevant interventions to improve sexual health among this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two luminescent hetero-trinuclear complexes [Cu2Ca(L)(µ2-NO3)2] (1) and [{Cu2Sr(L)(µ2-NO3)(ƞ2-NO3)}2]·2EtOH·H2O (2) have been prepared by a flexible bis(salamo)-based ligand (H4L) with Cu(NO3)·3H2O and M(OAc)2·nH2O (M(II) = Sr, n = 2; Ca, n = 1), respectively. The structural characterizations were performed by physicochemical and spectroscopic methods. Two penta-coordinate Cu(II) atoms of complex 1 are sited at the N2O2-donor coordination environments of the (L)4− moiety, while tetra- and penta-coordinate Cu(II) atoms in complex 2 are also located in the N2O2 cavities of the (L)4− unit. Ca(II) and Sr(II) atoms are located in various O8 and O9 cavities, respectively. In the solid state, infinite 3D supra-molecular structures are formed in complexes 1 and 2 through the abundant intermolecular hydrogen bonds and π···π interactions. These interactions were quantitatively analyzed by Hirshfeld surface analyses. DFT calculations and fluorescence properties showed that complexes 1 and 2 have stable chemical properties and good luminescence properties. Two hetero-trinuclear complexes [Cu2Ca(L)(µ2-NO3)2] (1) and [{Cu2Sr(L)(µ2-NO3)(ƞ2-NO3)}2]·2EtOH·H2O (2) have been synthesized and characterized structurally. Two penta-coordinate Cu(II) atoms in complex 1 are located in the N2O2 cavities of the (L)4− unit, while tetra- and penta-coordinate Cu(II) atoms in complex 2 are also located in the N2O2 cavities of the (L)4− unit. There are eight and nine oxygen donor atoms coordinating to the Ca(II) and Sr(II) atoms. Infinite 3D supra-molecular structures are formed in complexes 1 and 2 through the intermolecular hydrogen bonds and π···π stacking interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bimetallic modified Fe–Sn/Beta was synthesized and examined as a solid acid catalyst for the transformation of glucose into methyl lactate in methanol. The catalysts were characterized by a combined characterization techniques i.e. X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, N2 physisorption, powder X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, NH3 temperature-programmed desorption, and pyridine adsorption Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. A high yield of methyl lactate of 67% was achieved upon conversion of 0.3 g glucose in 24 g methanol over 0.15 g catalyst at 220 ℃ under 2 MPa N2 for 6 h. The recyclability of the catalyst was also investigated, and the conversion of glucose remained constant; conversely, the yield of methyl lactate decreased slightly in five catalytic runs. The excellent catalytic performance of Fe–Sn/Beta was attributed to the presence of large amounts of Lewis acid sites. Besides, the rich mesoporosity in Fe–Sn/Beta improved mass transfer rates in the conversion of glucose to alkyl lactates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-021-01527-5 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presented here is a new Zn(II) coordination polymer, namely [Zn2(L)2(bpe)]n (1, H2L = 4-({2-[(4-carboxyphenoxy)methyl]phenyl}methoxy)benzoic acid, bpe = 1,2-bis(4-pyridinyl)ethane), which has been hydrothermally synthesized via the mixed-ligand strategy. Moreover, compound 1 emits intense luminescence at room temperature, and can be used as a luminescent sensor for the detection of Fe3+ in water solution with high selectivity and sensitivity. As representatives of natural polysaccharides, hyaluronic acid (HA) and carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) have good biocompatibility. A new type of HA/CMCS gel particles loaded with Paclitaxel drug metal-organic framework was prepared by chemical synthesis method and its micromorphology was studied. Finally, biological experiments were conducted to evaluate the new system’s effect on the activity of human lung cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In forensic practice, determining the postmortem submersion interval (PMSI) and cause-of-death of cadavers in aquatic ecosystems has always been challenging task. Traditional approaches are not yet able to address these issues effectively and adequately. Our previous study proposed novel models to predict the PMSI and cause-of-death based on metabolites of blood from rats immersed in freshwater. However, with the advance of putrefaction, it is hardly to obtain blood samples beyond 3 days postmortem. To further assess the feasibility of PMSI estimation and drowning diagnosis in the later postmortem phase, gastrocnemius, the more degradation-resistant tissue, was collected from drowned rats and postmortem submersion model in freshwater immediately after death, and at 1 day, 3 days, 5 days, 7 days, and 10 days postmortem respectively. Then the samples were analyzed with liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) to investigate the dynamic changes of the metabolites. A total of 924 metabolites were identified. Similar chronological changes of gastrocnemius metabolites were observed in the drowning and postmortem submersion groups. The difference in metabolic profiles between drowning and postmortem submersion groups was only evident in the initial 1 day postmortem, which was faded as the PMSI extension. Nineteen metabolites representing temporally-dynamic patterns were selected as biomarkers for PMSI estimation. A regression model was built based on these biomarkers with random forest algorithm, which yielded a mean absolute error (± SE) of 5.856 (± 1.296) h on validation samples from an independent experiment. These findings added to our knowledge of chronological changes in muscle metabolites from submerged vertebrate remains during decomposition, which provided a new perspective for PMSI estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]