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• The comprehensive lodging evaluation index (CLEI) of maize was constructed. • The CLEI was calculated by using the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (FCE) method. • The changes of the PH, LA, SPAD and CLEI in the field was explored. • The maize lodging severity in plot were evaluated according to the CLEI model. Lodging significantly reduces crop yield and grain quality. Timely and accurately monitoring crop lodging severity to help farmers to adjust the field management and settle reasonable insurance claim. The purpose of this paper is to effectively monitor maize lodging severity using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a multi-spectral camera. Considering the plant height (PH), lodging angle (LA) and SPAD, each agronomic trait was transformed into a membership matrix by giving each factor a weight. The comprehensive superiority of each evaluation result based on agronomic trait (PH, LA, SPAD) was calculated by using the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (FCE) method, and the comprehensive lodging evaluation index (CLEI) was constructed. The relationships between the spectral reflectance (SR), texture feature (TF), vegetation index (VI) and PH, LA, SPAD, CLEI were established. The CLEI was calculated and mapped by using the sensitive features derived from UAV-based multi-spectral imagery. According to the distribution of CLEI, the research area was divided into five grades, including non-lodging (NL), light lodging (LL), moderate lodging (ML), severe lodging (SL) and very severe lodging (VSL). The results showed that among the CLEI models constructed by single feature, VI performed best and the R2 of cross-validation was 0.66 which was higher than agronomic trait models (the R2 of PH, LA, and SPAD models were 0.56, 0.58, 0.41, respectively). The R2 and nRMSE of cross-validation of the CLEI model constructed by the top three sensitive features (CIre, NDRE, Re_Mea) were 0.80 and 23.78%, while the R2 of the PH, LA, and SPAD models were 0.74, 0.71, 0.46, respectively. The accuracy of the new comprehensive index (CLEI) model was better than that of single agronomic trait (PH, LA and SPAD) model. The CLEI proposed in this paper using UAV-based multi-spectral imagery can effectively monitor the lodging severity of maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene can be uniformly dispersed in water at high concentration (6 mg mL−1) with the assistance of the dispersant. The dispersion is highly reactive and can self-cross-link via dehydrate condensation after direct casting on a glass slide. The obtained graphene composite shows good mechanical strength and excellent solvent resistance due to the formation of cross-linked Si-O-Si network inside the composite. [Display omitted] Homogeneous dispersion of graphene is the precondition for constructing high performance graphene based composites. However, most of the current dispersants reported in literature still suffer excess usage to reach a desired graphene concentration. Residual of dispersant in composite may seriously affect its properties. Hence, it is expected to obtain effective dispersant with high reactivity to diminish its adverse impacts on graphene composites. A highly reactive graphene dispersant (DSiA) was synthesized by grafting silanol groups (Si-OH) onto adenine. Molecular structure and the performance of the dispersant were systematically characterized. Composites were fabricated by direct writing of the graphene dispersion on various substrates, and their features were evaluated by resistance, solvent erosion and tensile testing. Graphene concentration can reach up to 6 mg mL−1 in the presents of DSiA at the weight ratio of 1:1 (DSiA: graphene). DSiA also exhibited good performance for stabilizing multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Moreover, the dispersant is highly reactive. The graphene based composites showed good mechanical strength and excellent solvent resistance. Overall, the new dispersant provides an ideal choice to uniformly disperse graphene and suitable for fabricating high performance nanocarbon based composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid detection and identification of opioids are of great significance and an urgent need in drug regulation and forensic science. Fentanyl is an extremely potent synthetic drug of abuse that unfortunately cannot be accurately detected. Therefore, techniques combining fast, highly sensitive and portable for fentanyl detection need to be developed. Surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has emerged as a promising detection technique owing to its high sensitivity and selectivity. Here, we reported a nonmetal SERS substrate used for trace fentanyl detection. The lowest detectable concentration was 10−7 M, and the MoO2 substrate exhibited excellent thermal and chemical stability, which could even ensure high‐temperature heating, laser irradiation, and corrosion of strong acid or alkali. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent studies have shown that circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) can be used as diagnostic biomarkers for melanoma. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of circulating miRNAs for melanoma. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted and the quality of the included literature was evaluated using QUADAS-2 (Quality Assessment for diagnostic accuracy studies), and the diagnostic accuracy was assessed by pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and area under the curve (AUC). We used Deeks' funnel plot to evaluate publication bias. Results: The meta-analysis included 10 articles covering 16 studies, and the results showed that circulating miRNAs provide high diagnostic accuracy for melanoma. The overall pooled sensitivity was 0.87 (95% CI: 0.82–0.91), specificity was 0.81 (95% CI: 0.77–0.85), PLR was 4.6 (95% CI: 3.7–5.8), NLR was 0.16 (95% CI: 0.11–0.23), DOR was 29 (95% CI: 18–49), and AUC was 0.90 (95% CI: 0.87–0.92), respectively. Subgroup analysis showed better diagnostic value in miRNA clusters, European population, plasma miRNAs, and upregulated miRNAs compared to other subgroups. Conclusions: The results indicated that circulating microRNAs can be used as a non-invasive biomarker for the diagnosis of melanoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare immune disorder with rapid progression and high mortality. There have been few large cohort study comparisons of pediatric and adult HLH until now. This study was designed to explore the disparity of clinical presentations and evaluate the prognosis in pediatric and adult HLH patients. Methods: Totally, 525 newly diagnosed HLH patients were included and divided into 4 groups according to age: <6, 6–18, 18–60, and >60 years (geriatric patients). Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, χ2 test, and Bonferroni's adjustment were used to explore the difference between age groups. Overall survival (OS) was estimated by using Kaplan-Meier method. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to analyze the univariable and multivariable association between prognostic factors and OS. Results: Geriatric patients had the lowest levels of hemoglobin, platelet, albumin, and the highest level of creatinine, while patients <6 years of age had the lowest values of fibrinogen, IgA, IgM and highest values of triglyceride. The trigger of HLH in patients <18 years of age was mainly EBV infection. However, lymphoma and non-EBV-driven infection were the more frequent drivers in patients aged 18–60 and >60 years, respectively. Geriatric patients were associated with highest mortality (58.8%), and 5-year OS was 43%. By contrast, 5-year OS of patients <6, 6–18, and 18–60 years was 86.1%, 74%, and 58.9%, respectively. Additionally, among patients with different etiologies (EBV, non-EBV-driven infection, and uncertain causes) and treatment regimens (HLH-04, HLH-94, and glucocorticoid regimen), geriatric patients showed lowest 5-year OS. Multivariate analysis revealed that creatinine and alanine aminotransferase were independent risk factors affecting the survival of patients aged 0–6 years, while albumin and IgG were independent factors affecting survival of geriatric patients. Conclusion: Our study showed a wide heterogeneity of clinical presentations, etiology distribution, prognostic factors, and survival outcomes in pediatric and adult HLH patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A practical process was proposed to produce high-strength gypsum with spent CaCl 2. • α-HH precipitation by the reaction of Al 2 (SO 4) 3 and CaCl 2 was investigated. • AlCl 3 media plays an important role in growth and shape of α-HH crystal. • The high quality product of HH was produced in CSTR with no additives. Direct production of high-strength α-calcium sulfate hemihydrate (α-HH) with no additives was accomplished by the reaction of aluminum sulfate and waste CaCl 2 discarded from Solvay soda plant. For scaling-up this new process, the crystallization kinetics of α-HH was experimentally investigated under varying conditions including temperature (323–363 K), concentration of CaCl 2 (4–7 mol/kg), Al 2 (SO 4) 3 (0.6–3.0 mol/kg), and seed loading. The optimal operating conditions are 7 mol/kg CaCl 2 solution, 0.8 mol/kg Al 2 (SO 4) 3 solution, 5 wt% seed loading, 2 mol/kg AlCl 3 existing in the reactor, T = 353 K, and equilibrium time of 3 h. The α-HH with large columnar shape, as desired in industry, was successfully obtained at optimal conditions by use of a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) without the addition of any additives. The stability test of various CaSO 4 phases in aqueous AlCl 3 , CaCl 2 , and their solution mixtures elucidated that Al3+ ion and total concentration of Cl− ion play an important role in the growth and shape of α-HH crystal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of aviation M50 steel under a novel quenching-electroshocking-tempering (Q-E-T) process were investigated. Microstructural observations indicate that the carbon concentration and volume fraction of retained austenite (RA) in Q-E-T specimens are higher than those in conventional quenching‐tempering (Q‐T) specimens due to the significant carbon partition induced by the introduced electroshocking treatment (EST). Meanwhile, the diameter of packets in the Q-E-T specimens is refined from 1.71 μm to 1.34 μm, which is attributed to the segmentation of blocky as-quenched RA by bainite transformation during EST. The mechanical analysis shows that an excellent combination of ultimate tensile strength and impact toughness is achieved for M50 steel subjected to the Q-E-T process. Compared with the conventional Q-T process, the impact absorbing energy of M50 steel is increased by 24.1% without any loss of tensile strength. Additionally, the thermal and mechanical stabilities of RA in the Q-E-T specimens are both improved. This work provides a novel strategy for improving the impact toughness of M50 by refining the microstructure and appropriately tailoring the stability of RA via an efficient Q-E-T process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Expert systems development using limited volume of field data. • Artificial well log generation for wells with complex trajectory. • Sweet spot characterization without using a numerical simulator. Characterization of oil reservoirs for effective field development strategies is an arduous task as it requires the integration of the field data collected in various forms (for instance, seismic survey, well log and field historical pressure/production/injection data, etc.) which requires challenging workflows. The implementation of high-fidelity numerical simulators plays a vital role in quantitively identifying the sweet spots for infill drilling and optimizing the field development strategies. However, the structuring of a reliable numerical simulation model requires gridding, property upscaling and history matching, which all could be considered as laborious and time-intensive processes. Moreover, when the availability of the field data is limited, the use of high-fidelity numerical model could be prohibitively difficult, which may necessitate the development of an alternative approach to effectively characterize, integrate and design the field development plans. This paper presents a class of artificial-neural-network based expert systems trained and tested using field data collected from an oil field in North America. The proposed expert system is capable of generating artificial well logs and assessing the hydrocarbon productivity at hypothetical infill drilling locations covered by the seismic survey. Taking advantages of the robust computational efficacies of the expert systems, high-resolution heat maps indicating the productivity sweet spots can be generated to assist the decision makers in selecting the most prolific infill drilling locations when the available field data is insufficient to structure a rigorous numerical simulation model. The expert systems are trained to adapt to the data structure as exhibited by the field exploration and production data and generate realistic predictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The sorption mechanism of Cd(II) in 49 soils was fully explored. • Cd(II) sorption capacities were closely related to soil physicochemical properties. • Cd in soils was mainly bound to metal (hydro)oxides or existed as CdCO 3. Soil cadmium (Cd) contamination has emerged as an alarming environmental issue worldwide. Chemical reactivity and bioavailability of Cd in soils are highly dependent on soil properties. However, the sorption mechanism of Cd(II) on soils is not yet fully explored. For this purpose, batch sorption experiments, statistical analysis, and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy were integrated to elucidate the Cd(II) sorption mechanism by investigating the Cd(II) sorption behaviors in 49 soils with contrasting physicochemical characteristics and to figure out the influence of soil properties on Cd(II) sorption in soils. The outcomes of this study revealed that the soils from different areas had large differences in their abilities to adsorb Cd(II), while the differences were closely related to the physicochemical properties of soils. Cd(II) sorption capacities were controlled together by pH, metal (hydro)oxides, organic matter, and cation exchange capacity. The soil pH was the most critical factor in connecting Q max with soil properties. EXAFS results indicated that Cd(II) adsorbed on soils was mainly bound with metal (hydro)oxides or existed as CdCO 3 precipitate. The findings of this study provide a theoretical basis for predicting the risk of soil Cd contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Diameter expansion methods are applied to improve the strength of Fe-SMA pipe joint. • Strength can be improved effectively by changing merely expansion method up to 24.7%. • The bending fracture strength of pipe joint is evaluated at various deformation rate. • The rate sensitivity of the strength could be changed by the expansion method. • The strength after unidirectional pressing method is larger at high deformation rate. Pipe joints made of iron-based shape memory alloys (Fe-SMAs) are very promising because of the low cost of raw materials compared to other shape memory alloys. However, their development is limited to a certain extent due to their inferior shape memory effect, which result in lower shape recovery stress. To minimize this drawback, different diameter expansion methods are applied to improve tightening pressure. Furthermore, deformation rates differ depending on the actual application environment of pipe joints. Hence, an investigation into the bending fracture strength of Fe-SMA pipe joints at various deformation rates is urgently required. In this study, Fe-SMA pipe joints were prepared with three different diameter expansion methods: radial expansion, unidirectional pressing, and bi-directional pressing. Afterwards, the bending fracture strength of the pipe joint specimens was evaluated through three-point bending tests with different deformation rates and showed consistent negative rate sensitivity. In addition, the bending fracture strength was effectively improved by choosing a suitable expansion method. Through a series of thorough experiments, a systematic understanding of the influence of the diameter expansion method and deformation rates on the bending fracture strength was developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of rare earth solid solutions, Tb 1- x Y x -PTC with pyridine-2, 4, 6-tricarboxylic acid (H 3 PTC), have been prepared using a hydrothermal synthesis method and characterized by single crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis techniques etc. Tb 1- x Y x -PTC are isomorphous with 1D zigzag metal-oxide chains and 2D coordination polyhedral layers, which are further interlinked into 3D framework by the connection of PTC3− ligands. The photoluminescent behaviors of the solid solutions Tb 1- x Y x -PTC were carefully studied. The QY of Tb 1- x Y x -PTC with appropriate amount of Y3+ ion is obviously enhanced due to reducing dipole–dipole and quadrupole–quadrupole interaction between emitters of Tb3+ ions. This study demonstrates that the formation of solid solutions by introducing optically inactive ions is an efficient strategy to get improved photoluminescent materials. In Tb 1- x Y x -PTC, there is an intrinsic "trade-off" effect among reducing concentration quenching and luminescence emitting centers reducing. [Display omitted] • A series of rare earth solid solutions, Tb 1- x Y x -PTC, were successfully synthesized. • The solid solutions Tb 1- x Y x -PTC are isomorphic to the parent Tb-PTC MOF. • The solid solutions Tb 1- x Y x -PTC have longer millisecond-grade luminescence lifetimes and higher quantum yields. • The QY of Tb 1- x Y x -PTC with appropriate amount of Y3+ ion is obviously enhanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solder wettability on substrate is an issue for the electronic devices. In this present, the heated Cu pads with ENIG finish was selected as the study object. Effect of Au layer thickness on ENIG surface morphology, Ni distribution and wettability of Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu solder was investigated. An acceptable morphology with nanoscale fluctuation for ENIG surface was achieved, with the absence of interface cracking, pits, holes. Ni diffused from Ni layer to Au surface during heating process, then reacted with the ambience to form Ni oxides, the fraction was increased with the increasing Au layer thickness. The Ni oxides inhibited the interfacial reaction between Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu and Ni during reflow, and remained to the interface. It resulted in the formation of "barren zones", where without any intermetallic compounds. With Au layer thickness increased, "barren zones" was shrunk until to disappear. The "barren zones" was responsible to the wettability of Sn solder. The more "barren zones", the poor wettability. • The effect of Au layer thickness on the wettability of SAC305 on heated ENIG pads was investigated. • Ni diffused to Au surface during heating process and reacted with the ambience to form oxides. • With the increasing Au layer thickness, the wettability of Sn solder increased. • The "barren zones" at the interface was owing to the formation of Ni oxides during the heating process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most studies on electrochemical CO 2 reduction reaction use pure CO 2 , which requires extra energy for CO 2 capture and enrichment from atmosphere. Herein, nanoconfined ionic liquids are introduced into porous atomically dispersed nickel-nitrogen-carbon (Ni-N-C) catalysts to enrich local CO 2 concentration and increase the CO 2 RR kinetics. A series of high-CO 2 -solubility ionic liquids (ILs) were impregnated into the pores of the columnar Ni-N-C catalyst to alter the CO 2 -Ni sites interactions and create a solid/liquid interface with high CO 2 concentration. The optimal Ni-N-C/[Bmim][PF 6 ] composite outperforms the Ni-N-C catalyst for pure CO 2 electroreduction with a maximum FE CO of 99.6% and 2.7-fold larger j CO. The high solubility of CO 2 in ILs compared to aqueous electrolyte enables direct electrolysis of CO 2 at low concentrations. When fed with 5–10% (v/v) CO 2 , the Ni-N-C/[Bmim][PF 6 ] composite exhibited up to 1.5-fold higher FE CO and a 68% increase of j CO , in comparison to Ni-N-C, and robust stability over 30 h. Highly efficient atomically dispersed Ni-N-C catalyst with nanoconfined [Bmim][PF 6 ] for electroreduction of diluted CO 2. [Display omitted] • A facile impregnation method was used to develop the Ni-N-C/ionic liquids (ILs) composites for CO 2 electroreduction. • High viscosity and low conductivity of bulk ILs electrolyte were addressed by confining ILs into porous Ni-N-C. • Nanoconfined ILs worked as a CO 2 concentrator, a co-catalyst, and a hydrogen evolution reaction suppressor. • Ni-N-C/[Bmim][PF 6 ] outperformed Ni-N-C with a 1.5-fold higher FE CO and a 68% increase of j CO at diluted 5% (v/v) CO 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer showing rising incidence over the past years. New insights into the mechanisms of melanoma progression contributed to the development of novel treatment options, such as immunotherapies. However, acquiring resistance to treatment poses a big problem to therapy success. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms underlying resistance could improve therapy efficacy. Correlating expression levels in tissue samples of primary melanoma and metastases revealed that secretogranin 2 (SCG2) is highly expressed in advanced melanoma patients with poor overall survival (OS) rates. By conducting transcriptional analysis between SCG2-overexpressing (OE) and control melanoma cells, we detected a downregulation of components of the antigen presenting machinery (APM), which is important for the assembly of the MHC class I complex. Flow cytometry analysis revealed a downregulation of surface MHC class I expression on melanoma cells that showed resistance towards the cytotoxic activity of melanoma-specific T cells. IFNγ treatment partially reversed these effects. Based on our findings, we suggest that SCG2 might stimulate mechanisms of immune evasion and therefore be associated with resistance to checkpoint blockade and adoptive immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the effect of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA)-mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT) combined with cisplatin (CDDP) on the apoptosis of human ovarian cancer cells and the mechanism of action of the combination therapy. Human ovarian cancer OVCAR-3 ​cells were cultured in vitro and divided into 5-ALA/PDT group, CDDP group and combined treatment group (5-ALA/PDT combined with different concentrations of CDDP). After administration of the corresponding drugs, a CCK-8 assay was used to detect the inhibition rate of cell proliferation. After Rhodamine 123 staining, mitochondrial membrane potential changes were observed under fluorescence microscopy. The apoptosis rate and reactive oxygen species (ROS) content were detected by flow cytometry. Western blotting was used to detect protein expression. The CCK-8 assay showed that CDDP in combination with 5-ALA/PDT significantly enhanced cytotoxicity compared to treatment with CDDP alone and that low doses of CDDP were sufficient to induce these combination effects. The mitochondrial membrane potential in each combination treatment group gradually decreased with increasing CDDP concentration, while the apoptosis rate and reactive oxygen species (ROS) content detected by flow cytometry gradually increased. Western blotting assay showed that the expression of bax, cleaved caspase-9, cleaved caspase-3, and cleaved PARP was increased, while the expression of bcl-2, caspase-9, caspase-3, and PARP was decreased, and the differences were statistically significant (P ​< ​0.05). In summary, 5-ALA/PDT combined with CDDP can effectively inhibit cell proliferation and promote apoptosis, and this combination may induce apoptosis by activating the mitochondrial pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron-based shape memory alloys (Fe-SMA) have been applied to structural members, such as pipelines and curved pipes, for underground structures due to their excellent properties. However, in the case of an earthquake or high winds, the resulting impact force causes a bending and twisting behavior in joints of the pipe. For this reason, a clear understanding of the relation between the deformation rate and joint strength is strongly needed. In this work, the specimen of a joint which a round bar made of SUS304 is tightened by a hollow cylinder made of Fe-SMA was prepared by first expanding the cylinder at a constant quasi-static rate and heating it up to the austenitization temperature. Then, a push-out test, which a compressive-shear combined force acts, was conducted at various deformation rate including the impact level to evaluate the axial joint strength. The results scientifically demonstrate that the axial strength would show the negative sensitivity with respect to deformation rate. However, when the deformation rate exceeds 8.3 mm/s, positive rate sensitivity can be found. This work may provide us with a systematic understanding of the deformation behavior of joints made of Fe-SMA and the safety design of the product. [Display omitted] • The axial joint strength of the joint made of Fe-SMA is evaluated during its push-out test at various deformation rate. • The evaluated joint strength is smaller than the maximum external force and its safer evaluation can be achieved. • The failure mechanism of the joint changes with increasing deformation rate. • The mechanism is manifesting as two kinds of rate sensitivity on the axial strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A distribution dynamics analysis is conducted to assess the effects of an ETS. • The findings derived from Hubei ETS pilot can serve as a positive example for developing countries. • The ETS promoted energy transition by reducing energy consumption and adjusting energy mix. • The effects of the ETS imply a switch in the energy mix from coal to electricity. • The ETS may realize the decoupling of economic growth from fossil energy and carbon emissions. The carbon emissions trading system (ETS) is expected to achieve energy transition and carbon-neutrality goals by theoretically reducing energy consumption and adjusting the energy mix. This study aims to provide firm-level evidence on these effects by adopting the distribution dynamics approach, which could reveal historical transition probabilities and predict long-term evolutions. By using the unique dataset from the Hubei ETS pilot in China, this study can serve as an example for promoting ETS. The results indicate that: (1) Most firms converge to a lower relative energy consumption under ETS, resulting in reduced total energy consumption. However, it would take a long time to achieve energy transition. (2) The primary peak of the relative coal consumption distribution reduces from 0.07 to 0.02 under ETS, implying a decline in coal use. Meanwhile, the share of electricity consumption increases, indicating a switch from coal to electricity. (3) ETS would place a limit on fossil energy, and an even stricter limit on coal for firms with high energy consumption. (4) Both the total and share of energy-induced carbon emissions also decrease, implying that ETS might realize the decoupling of economic growth from fossil energy and carbon emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper focus on continuum simulation of granular flow and heat transfer in DGT. • The temperature results of MPM are basically consistent with DEM in mesoscopic scale. • The influences of important parameters on the temperature field are investigated. • The MPM procedure developed in this paper would be of considerable help in DGT design. The Dense Granular-flow Target (DGT) proposed by Chinese Academy of Sciences has great potential compared with solid target and liquid metal target. In DGT, the number of metal grains is up to ten million. To study the flow and heat transfer behavior of such a large number of particles, experiments and Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulations are extremely expensive. Therefore, this paper focus on develop a continuum approach suitable for simulating the flow and heat transfer behavior in DGT. This approach is based on the Material Point Method (MPM) and chose the μ (I) rheology as the constitutive model for granular material. It can be concluded from this work that the μ (I) rheology implemented in MPM is able to reproduce quantitatively the granular behavior in hopper flow. The velocity distributions calculated by MPM are in good agreement with those calculated by DEM, although the fluctuation information in particle scale is filtered. The temperature results of MPM are basically consistent with DEM in mesoscopic scale, which is a great improvement compared with the results from uniform velocity estimation. The influences of the effective thermal conductivity, proton current and flow rate on the temperature field are investigated. According to the MPM calculation, the maximum proton current that the target can withstand and the minimum velocity that the granular needs to be met can be estimated quickly. The MPM procedure developed in this paper would be of considerable help in predicting the flow and heat transfer behavior for DGT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Melanoma is a growing health issue in the 21st century. Due to early metastasis and the development of resistance, it still goes along with a poor prognosis. ADCK protein kinases have been shown to play a role during cancer development and metastasis. Here, we investigated the role of ADCK2 in melanoma. In our study, we showed that higher levels of intratumoral ADCK2 benefit patient survival, while a low expression of ADCK2 was associated with a higher motility and a dedifferentiated state of melanoma cells, which facilitates metastasis. Our results could give new insights into melanoma metastasis, and ADCK2 could qualify as a prognostic marker or a target for melanoma therapy in the future. Background: ADCK2 is a member of the AarF domain-containing kinase family, which consists of five members, and has been shown to play a role in CoQ metabolism. However, ADCKs have also been connected to cancer cell survival, proliferation and motility. In this study, we investigated the role of ADCK2 in melanoma. Methods: The effect of ADCK2 on melanoma cell motility was evaluated by a scratch assay and a transwell invasion assay upon siRNA-mediated knockdown or stable overexpression of ADCK2. Results: We found that high levels of intratumoral ADCK2 and MYL6 are associated with a higher survival rate in melanoma patients. Knocking down ADCK2 resulted in enhanced cell migration of melanoma cells. Moreover, ADCK2-knockdown cells adopted a more dedifferentiated phenotype. A gene expression array revealed that the expression of ADCK2 correlated with the expressions of MYL6 and RAB2A. Knocking down MYL6 in ADCK2-overexpressing cells could abrogate the effect of ADCK2 overexpression and thus confirm the functional connection between ADCK2 and MYL6. Conclusion: ADCK2 affects melanoma cell motility, most probably via MYL6. Our results allow the conclusion that ADCK2 could act as a tumor suppressor in melanoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ligands plays an important role in the extraction procedures for the determination of cadmium in rice samples by using flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). In the present study, comparative evaluation of 10 commercially available ligands for formation of Cd(II)-ligand complex and determination of cadmium in rice samples by ultrasound-assisted dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (UADLLME) combined with FAAS was developed. Sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (DDTC) provided a high distribution coefficient as well as a good absorbance signal, therefore DDTC was used as a ligand in UADLLME. A low density and less toxic solvent, 1-heptanol, was used as the extraction solvent and ethanol was used as the disperser solvent. In addition, the experimental conditions of UADLLME were optimized in standard solution first and then applied in rice, such as the type and volume of extractant and dispersant, pH, extraction time, and temperature. Under the optimal experimental conditions, the detection limit (3σ) was 0.69 μg/L for Cd(II). The proposed method was applied for the determination of Cd(II) in three different rice samples (polished rice, brown rice, and glutinous rice), the recovery test was carried out, and the results ranged between 96.7 to 113.6%. The proposed method has the advantages of simplicity, low cost, and accurate and was successfully applied to analyze Cd(II) in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The canopy chlorophyll density (CCD) of maize populations under lodging stress was constructed. • The internal relationship between CCD and canopy spectral feature under different lodging grades stress was explored. • The monitoring of maize lodging grade on the plot scale was realized. Lodging causes severe decreases in crop yield, reduces grain quality, and increases the difficulty of mechanical harvesting. Obtaining the spatial distribution information of maize lodging grades in a timely and accurate manner is essential for yield loss assessment, post-stress management, and insurance claims settlements. The purpose of this study is to explore the ability of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imaging technology to monitor maize lodging stress. With the support of maize lodging control experiments, the canopy chlorophyll density (CCD) of maize populations under stress from different lodging grades was used as the characterization index. The responses between hyperspectral characteristic parameters and CCD with different lodging grade stresses were analyzed. The monitoring model of the maize CCD under lodging stress was constructed using the sensitive characteristic parameters of original canopy spectra (OCS), first-order differential (FOD), wavelet coefficient (WC), and vegetation index (VI). The results showed that the reflectance of the stalk was significantly higher than that of the leaf in hyperspectral imagery, which was the main reason for the change in the original canopy spectra under lodging stress. The original canopy spectral reflectance increased with the severity of lodging stress. The accuracy of the CCD model was VI > WC > FOD > OCS (R2 = 0.63, 0.61, 0.59, 0.57, respectively), in which the accuracy of VI was the highest (R2 = 0.63, R M S E = 0.36 g/m3). This is because CCD considers not only the change in canopy spatial structure after maize lodging, but also the change in physiological activity of maize plants under lodging stress. The maize lodging grades were evaluated according to the CCD model based on the UAV hyperspectral imagery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RNA-binding proteins (RBP) regulate several aspects of co- and post-transcriptional gene expression in cancer cells. CSTF2 is involved in the expression of many cellular mRNAs and involved in the 3′-end cleavage and polyadenylation of pre-mRNAs to terminate transcription. However, the role of CSTF2 in human glioblastoma (GBM) and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study, CSTF2 was found to be upregulated in GBM, and its high expression predicted poor prognosis. Knockdown CSTF2 induced GBM cell apoptosis both in vitro and in vivo. Specific mechanism studies showed that CSTF2 unstabilized the mRNA of the BAD protein by shortening its 3' UTR. Additionally, an increase in the expression level of CSTF2 decreased the expression level of BAD. In conclusion, CSTF2 binds to the mRNA of the BAD protein to shorten its 3'UTR, which negatively affects the BAD mediated apoptosis and promotes GBM cell survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalysis can create a green way to produce clean energy resources, degrade pollutants and achieve carbon neutrality, making the construction of efficient photocatalysts significant in solving environmental issues. Conjugated polymers (CPs) with adjustable band structures have superior light‐absorption capacity and flexible morphology that facilitate contact with other components to form advanced heterojunctions. Interface engineering can strengthen the interfacial contact between the components and further enlarge the interfacial contact area, enhance light absorption, accelerate charge transfer and improve the reusability of the composites. In order to throw some new light on heterojunction interface regulation at a molecular level, herein we summarize CP‐based composites with improved photocatalytic performance according to the types of interactions (covalent bonding, hydrogen bonding, electrostatic interactions, π‐π stacking, and other polar interactions) between the components and introduce the corresponding interface building methods, identifying techniques. Then the roles of interfaces in different photocatalytic applications are discussed. Finally, we sum up the existing problems in interface engineering of CP‐based composites and look forward to the possible solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ischemia and reperfusion injury (IRI) is an ineluctable immune-related pathophysiological process during organ transplantation, which not only causes a shortage of donor organs, but also has long-term and short-term negative consequences on patients. Severe IRI-induced cell death leads to the release of endogenous substances, which bind specifically to receptors on immune cells to initiate an immune response. Although innate and adaptive immunity have been discovered to play essential roles in IRI in the context of organ transplantation, the pathway and precise involvement of the immune response at various stages has not yet to be elucidated. Methods: We combined "IRI" and "organ transplantation" with keywords, respectively such as immune cells, danger signal molecules, macrophages, neutrophils, natural killer cells, complement cascade, T cells or B cells in PubMed and the Web of Science to search for relevant literatures. Conclusion: Comprehension of the immune mechanisms involved in organ transplantation is promising for the treatment of IRI, this review summarizes the similarities and differences in both innate and adaptive immunity and advancements in the immune response associated with IRI during diverse organ transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A chemical investigation on the 90% EtOH extract of the fruiting bodies of Ganoderma applanatum led to the isolation of three new lanostane triterpenoids, designated as 25-methoxy-11-oxo-ganoderiol D (1), 3-oxo-25-methoxy-24,26-dihydroxy-lanosta-7,9(11)-diene (2), and 3β-acetyloxy-lucidone H (3). Structural elucidation of all the compounds were performed by spectral methods such as 1 D and 2 D (1H-1H COSY, HMQC, and HMBC) NMR spectroscopy. All the triterpenoids were in vitro evaluated for their antimicrobial activities against six pathogenic microorganisms. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited some activities against three Gram positive bacteria with MIC values less than 60 μg/ml. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to evaluate the possibility of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) discontinuation in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients who obtained sustained deep molecular response (DMR) and to explore the prognostic role of NK cells in treatment-free remission (TFR). Sixty CML patients who discontinued TKI treatment were enrolled, and we also investigated the immune profiles in 27 CML patients after TKI cessation. Of the 60 patients, the estimated TFR rate was 60.8% [95% CI: 49.5–74.8%] at 12 months. Patients who had longer TKI duration, major molecular response, and DMR maintenance time had a significantly higher TFR rate. And a higher percentage of NKG2A+NK cells and NKG2A+CD56brightCD16−NK cells were independent prognostic factors of TFR in multivariate analysis. These results indicate the practicality of the cessation of TKIs and patients with stable NK cell counts accompanied by higher cytotoxicity and increased killing capacity are more inclined to get sustained treatment-free survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The signal processing methods related to Ф-OTDR fiber monitoring system are unable to analyze the signal characteristics in terms of signal generation and propagation. These models lack the correspondence between the disturbance event parameters and the fiber structure parameters and cannot quantify the characteristics. Moreover, the signal processing methods are not targeted, and the accuracy of pattern recognition is low. In this work, we establish a complete theoretical model for the intrusion signal propagation process of the buried pipeline Ф-OTDR optical fiber monitoring system. The proposed model takes the signal generation, propagation in the medium to the optical fiber, and the entire process of the variations in light intensity in the optical fiber into consideration. The accuracy of the proposed model is verified by comparing the acquired field vibrations with simulation results. The results presented in this work provide a complete theoretical framework for the signal analysis and processing methods of the Ф-OTDR optical fiber monitoring system. Moreover, it also provides ideas for the study of pattern recognition algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerical simulation of fluid flow in fractured porous media is a challenging topic due to the intensive computational overhead brought by the complex and heterogeneous characteristics of fracture networks. In this paper, Laplace Transformation coupled Embedded Discrete Fracture Model (LTEDFM) protocol is proposed to simulate the fluid flow dynamics in fractured porous media, which employs the Laplace transformation to substitute the backward temporal Euler differentiation by a semi-analytical solution. Comparing to the conventional EDFM models, the LTEDFM model is Newton's iteration free, and the solution would be independent of the temporal discretization (progressive time-steps). Results of various numerical experiments demonstrate that the proposed LTEDFM is a more computational robust solution protocol to simulate the flow dynamics of undersaturated oil reservoirs in fractured porous media comparing to other versions of EDFM models. Moreover, the proposed LTEDFM can be employed to simulate the field responses of heterogeneous and anisotropic systems, reservoirs with the existence of complex fracture networks and reservoirs developed using multiple hydraulic fractured wells. • Laplace Transformation coupled Embedded Discrete Fracture Model (LTEDFM) is developed. • The proposed model couples both fracture flow and matrix flow in Laplace Space and characterizes fractures distribution. • The LTEDFM is successfully employed in reservoir production performance analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastroenteritis is a commonly diagnosed disease which sometimes may lead to hospitalization of the patients due to complications such as sepsis and dehydration. In the present study protective effect of AQU-019 against Salmonella enterica (S.enterica) induced gastroenteritis in rat model was investigated. Treatment of S.enterica infected rats with AQU-019 prevented intestinal tissue damage effectively in dose-dependent manner. The characteristic pathological features induced by S.enterica infection in rat intestines included, edema development, submucosal infiltration of leukocytes and cell necrosis. AQU-019 treatment at 1.25, 2.5, 5 and 10 mg/kg doses led to a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in MPO activity in the intestinal tissues of S.enterica infected rats. AQU-019 treatment effectively reversed S.enterica infection mediated reduction in ZO-1 and occludin expression in rat intestines. Urine volume of the AQU-019 treated rats increased significantly (p < 0.05) from day 2 to day 7 compared to the S.enterica infected group. Urine pH didn't showed any change in S.enterica infected rats on treatment with AQU-019 on day 1 to day 7. The bacterial numbers showed a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in S.enterica infected rat feces, urinary bladder and urethra on treatment with AQU-019. In summary, AQU-019 prevents intestinal epithelial damage and inhibits infiltration of neutrophils in S.enterica infected rats. Tight junction related protein expression was also regulated in S.enterica infected rats by AQU-019 treatment. Therefore, AQU-019 may be developed as a potent candidate for treatment of bacterial infection induced gastroenteritis. • Treatment of S.enterica infected rats with AQU-019 prevented intestinal tissue damage. • AQU-019 treatment led to a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in MPO activity in the intestinal tissues of S.enterica infected rats. • AQU-019 treatment effectively reversed S.enterica infection mediated reduction in ZO-1 and occludin expression in rat intestines. • Urine volume of the AQU-019 treated rats increased significantly (p < 0.05) from day 2 to day 7 compared to the S.enterica infected group. • The bacterial numbers showed a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in S.enterica infected rat feces, urinary bladder and urethra on treatment with AQU-019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The random motions of a ship due to the sea waves directly affects the safety and efficiency of marine operations. Accurate short-term ship attitude prediction plays a vital role in operational decision-making in future seconds. In this paper, a new hybrid prediction model of ship motion attitude is proposed based on Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) neural network and Gaussian Process Regression (GPR). When dealing with nonlinear regression problems, LSTM model can get high-accuracy point prediction results, while GPR model with lower prediction accuracy can obtain interval prediction results with probability distribution significance. The LSTM-GPR model successfully combines the advantages of LSTM and GPR, and can obtain high-accuracy point prediction results and reliable interval prediction results at the same time. The prediction experiments of ship rolling angle and pitch angle are carried out under both motion and static conditions. The results show that the LSTM-GPR hybrid model can obtain reliable interval prediction results without reducing the forecasting accuracy of LSTM model, which verifies the effectiveness and advancement of the hybrid model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many countries have set a goal for a carbon neutral future, and the adoption of solar energy as an alternative energy source to fossil fuel is one of the major measures planned. Yet not all locations are equally suitable for solar energy generation. This is due to uneven solar radiation distribution as well as various environmental factors. A number of studies in the literature have used multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) to determine the most suitable places to build solar power plants. To the best of our knowledge, no study has addressed the subject of optimal solar plant site identification for the Al-Qassim region, although developing renewable energy in Saudi Arabia has been put on the agenda. This paper developed a spatial MCDA framework catering to the characteristics of the Al-Qassim region. The framework adopts several tools used in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), such as Random Forest (RF) raster classification and model builder. The framework aims to ascertain the ideal sites for solar power plants in the Al-Qassim region in terms of the amount of potential photovoltaic electricity production (PVOUT) that could be produced from solar energy. For that, a combination of GIS and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) techniques were employed to determine five sub-criteria weights (Slope, Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI), proximity to roads, proximity to residential areas, proximity to powerlines) before performing spatial MCDA. The result showed that 'the most suitable' and 'suitable' areas for the establishment of solar plants are in the south and southwest of the region, representing about 17.53% of the study area. The 'unsuitable' areas account for about 10.17% of the total study area, which is mainly concentrated in the northern part. The rest of the region is further classified into 'moderate' and 'restricted' areas, which account for 46.42% and 25.88%, respectively. The most suitable area for potential solar energy, yields approximately 1905 Kwh/Kwp in terms of PVOUT. The proposed framework also has the potential to be applied to other regions nationally and internationally. This work contributes a reproducible GIS workflow for a low-cost but accurate adoption of a solar energy plan to achieve sustainable development goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power spectral density transmissibility (PSDT) has attracted widespread interests because it is insensitive to the nature of excitation and has no demand for measuring the input. The classical spectral estimation procedure is usually subject to measurement and spectral leakage errors, which might cause distortion in the estimation of PSDT. This study investigates how the error of PSD estimation propagates into PSDT estimation based on analytical approximation formulas. Based on perturbation theory in tandem with statistical moments of the ratio of random variables, both first- and second-order asymptotic expressions of the mean and variance of PSDT estimation are derived in terms of coherence functions, PSDT measurements, and the number of averages. Given these theoretical findings, it is further revealed that the variance of PSDT estimation around the system poles approaches zero, and the variances of the magnitude and phase of the mode shape decrease to local minima. The performance of the analytical error propagation formulas is validated through numerical and field test data. Parametric studies into the effects of recording durations, window types, and reference outputs on the statistics of PSDT estimation and mode shape estimation are also conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Citric acid-assisted ultrasmall monodisperse CeO 2 nanoparticles (NPs) are prepared. • They are firstly used for efficient photocatalytic degradation of glyphosate. • 2.1 nm CeO 2 NPs remove glyphosate in 5 and 20 min under UV and visible irradiation. • The possible photocatalytic mechanism is proposed by the detailed experiment study. Degradation of glyphosate has attracted much attention all over the world, since glyphosate has been demonstrated to affect the human health through the accumulation in food chain. Herein, we use citric acid as capping agent to synthesize highly-stable aqueous dispersions of monodispersed CeO 2 nanoparticles (NPs) with ultrasmall controllable size of 2.1–4.8 nm, high surface areas and rich oxygen defects, which were firstly used as photocatalyst for efficient degradation of glyphosate. The obtained CeO 2 NPs display a significantly size-dependent catalytic activity and a good stability performance. Ultrasmall 2.1 nm CeO 2 NPs have 6 times (UV) and 20 times (visible light) degradation rates of 4.8 nm counterpart, which can rapidly remove glyphosate from water at pH = 4 in 5 min (UV) and 20 min (visible light). And the related degradation kinetics data at pH = 4 are well related to the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. In this highly-efficient photocatalytic degradation process, the grafted citric acid can initiate the electron transfer to accelerate the regeneration of Ce3+ sites as electron donors and enhance photocatalytic performance via ligand-to-metal charge transfer. This work provides a new method to prepare high-performance CeO 2 photo-nanocatalysts for the removal of glyphosate and emphasizes the important role of modifier, oxygen defects and particle size in seeking efficient photocatalytic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The essential trace element selenium (Se) is needed for the biosynthesis of selenocysteine-containing selenoproteins, including the secreted enzyme glutathione peroxidase 3 (GPX3) and the Se-transporter selenoprotein P (SELENOP). Both are found in blood and thyroid colloid, where they serve protective functions. Serum SELENOP derives mainly from hepatocytes, whereas the kidney contributes most serum GPX3. Studies using transgenic mice indicated that renal GPX3 biosynthesis depends on Se supply by hepatic SELENOP, which is produced in protein variants with varying Se contents. Low Se status is an established risk factor for autoimmune thyroid disease, and thyroid autoimmunity generates novel autoantigens. We hypothesized that natural autoantibodies to SELENOP are prevalent in thyroid patients, impair Se transport, and negatively affect GPX3 biosynthesis. Using a newly established quantitative immunoassay, SELENOP autoantibodies were particularly prevalent in Hashimoto's thyroiditis as compared with healthy control subjects (6.6% versus 0.3%). Serum samples rich in SELENOP autoantibodies displayed relatively high total Se and SELENOP concentrations in comparison with autoantibody-negative samples ([Se]; 85.3 vs. 77.1 µg/L, p = 0.0178, and [SELENOP]; 5.1 vs. 3.5 mg/L, p = 0.001), while GPX3 activity was low and correlated inversely to SELENOP autoantibody concentrations. In renal cells in culture, antibodies to SELENOP inhibited Se uptake. Our results indicate an impairment of SELENOP-dependent Se transport by natural SELENOP autoantibodies, suggesting that the characterization of health risk from Se deficiency may need to include autoimmunity to SELENOP as additional biomarker of Se status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The basic principles and developments of hydrothermal pretreatment are reviewed. • The ultrastructural alterations during hydrothermal pretreatment are discussed. • The effects of hydrothermal pretreatment on bioethanol production are addressed. • The prospects for future developments are proposed and discussed. In recent years, visualization and characterization of lignocellulose at different scales elucidate the modifications of its ultrastructural and chemical features during hydrothermal pretreatment which include degradation and dissolving of hemicelluloses, swelling and partial hydrolysis of cellulose, melting and redepositing a part of lignin in the surface. As a result, cell walls are swollen, deformed and de-laminated from the adjacent layer, lead to a range of revealed droplets that appear on and within cell walls. Moreover, the certain extent morphological changes significantly promote the downstream processing steps, especially for enzymatic hydrolysis and anaerobic fermentation to bioethanol by increasing the contact area with enzymes. However, the formation of pseudo-lignin hinders the accessibility of cellulase to cellulose, which decreases the efficiency of enzymatic hydrolysis. This review is intended to bridge the gap between the microstructure studies and value-added applications of lignocellulose while inspiring more research prospects to enhance the hydrothermal pretreatment process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visual sentiment analysis which intends to predict the sentiment orientation of images and videos mainly focuses on building a mapping between visual content and sentiment results. Instead of using visual analysis models to bridge the semantic gap directly, a novel method for image sentiment prediction is proposed to translate images into textual description, and analyze visual sentiment by means of textual sentiment analysis indirectly. First, a deep learning based image caption framework consisting of a deep residual network and a long and short-term memory network is utilized to generate the initial textual description of images. Considering the fact that the initial textual description lacks vocabulary to express sentiment, adjective–noun–pair description for images is introduced through SentiBank, which is an image sentiment analysis library containing a large number of adjective-noun-pair concept detectors. Four sets of adjective noun pairs with the largest response values are added to the textual description obtained by images caption model to generate the final textual description of images. Then, the text used to describe visual content is processed by means of deleting redundant symbols, retaining part of the vocabulary and embedding word vectors. Finally, the word vectors are fed into a time series network to train a sentiment prediction model. The experimental results on the Twitter dataset show that this method improves the performance of image sentiment prediction compared with other methods. The accuracy rate has been increased by 2% and the precision rate has been increased by 3%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The porous THB functionalized UiO-66-NH 2 MMMs have been successfully synthesized via electrospinning. The prepared MMMs possesses the superior acid/alkaline resistance, durableness, stability and cyclicity owing to strong π-π interaction of THB, U6N and TPU. And its maximum adsorption capacity for Ga(III) is 96.18 mg g−1, which is higher than UiO-66-NH 2 and reported adsorbents. [Display omitted] • Porous MOF-based MMMs with excellent stability was fabricated by strong π-π interaction. • MMMs retains excellent stability after soaked in 5 mol L-1 HCl 7 days or after 9 cycles. • It has high water flux (greater than300 L m-2h−1) and rejection of Ga(III) after 12 h working. • It has better adsorption capacity (96.18 mg g−1) and selectivity than other sorbents. Reported powdery adsorbents with poor adsorption efficiency and stability make it imperative to develop novel materials to extract gallium ions (Ga(III)) from effluents. Herein, UiO-66-NH 2 -based mixed matrix membranes (TPU/0.1THB/U6N-1.5 MMMs) via electrospinning is firstly reported for separation and recovery of Ga(III). TPU/0.1THB/U6N-1.5 MMMs efficiently overcomes multiple bottlenecks of powder UiO-66-NH 2 , including poor stability, reusability and adsorption capacity. Its maximum adsorption for Ga(III) is 96.18 mg·g−1 at pH 10.0. It has superiority in selective adsorption of Ga(III) from Al(III), Cu(II), Zn(II), Co(II) coexistence solution. Adsorption capacity of TPU/0.1THB/U6N-1.5 for Ga(III) reaches more than 80% after 9 cycles. Specially, it still retains excellent mechanical strength, flexibility and structural integrity after 12 h filtration, or after 9 adsorption-desorption cycles, even soaked in 5 mol·L-1 HCl for a week. TPU/0.1THB/U6N-1.5 MMMs also improves the problem of low water flux. TPU/0.1THB/U6N-1.5 with high MOFs loading possess high water flux of 382.2 L·m−2·h−1 with a permance of 382.2 L·m−2·h−1·bar−1 and rejection rates of 90% for Ga(III). The main adsorption mechanism of TPU/0.1THB/U6N-1.5 is based on the chelation between phenolic hydroxyl groups of MMMs and Ga(III) at pH 10.0. Overall, the as-prepared TPU/0.1THB/U6N-1.5 has potential for water treatment through the process of membrane adsorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perilipin5 (Plin5) is a scaffold protein that plays an important role in lipid droplets (LD) formation, but the regulatory effect of leptin on it is unclear. Our study aimed to explore the underlying mechanisms by which leptin reduces the N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation of Plin5 through fat mass and obesity associated genes (FTO) and regulates the lipolysis. To this end, 24 Landrace male piglets (7.73 ± 0.38 kg) were randomly sorted into two groups, either a control group (Control, n = 12) or a 1 mg/kg leptin recombinant protein treatment group (Leptin, n = 12). After 4 weeks of treatment, the results showed that leptin treatment group had lower body weight, body fat percentage and blood lipid levels, but the levels of Plin5 mRNA and protein increased significantly in adipose tissue (p < 0.05). Leptin promotes the up-regulation of FTO expression level in vitro, which in turn leads to the decrease of Plin5 M6A methylation (p < 0.05). In in vitro porcine adipocytes, overexpression of FTO aggravated the decrease of M6A methylation and increased the expression of Plin5 protein, while the interference fragment of FTO reversed the decrease of m6A methylation (p < 0.05). Finally, the overexpression in vitro of Plin5 significantly reduces the size of LD, promotes the metabolism of triglycerides and the operation of the mitochondrial respiratory chain, and increases thermogenesis. This study clarified that leptin can regulate Plin5 M6A methylation by promoting FTO to affect the lipid metabolism and energy consumption, providing a theoretical basis for treating diseases related to obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrate plugging in pipes is a serious issue that affects flow safety in the trial production of offshore natural gas hydrates. Current research on hydrate flow assurance has primarily focused on conventional oil-and-gas production and transportation processes. Therefore, models for predicting the hydrate formation region and hydrate deposition in the trial production pipes of offshore natural gas hydrate were developed in the present study, which can be used to estimate the risk of hydrate plugging in the production pipes. The results revealed that hydrate formation conditions could be satisfied in the water production pipe at a low water production rate, and hydrate generation was possible in a certain region in the gas production pipe. The hydrate deposition layer formed in the gas production pipe grew in a non-uniform manner; the longer the production time, the more obvious was the non-uniform distribution; this resulted in a high risk of hydrate plugging after a certain process time. Additionally, as the rate of gas production increased, the hydrate formation region in the gas production pipe gradually moved upward and decreased in size, and the degree of hydrate deposition also slightly decreased. Finally, the installation of a heater at the bottom of the gas pipe at a high production rate was proposed to increase the gas temperature, thereby decreasing the possibility of hydrate formation and plugging. For the water production pipe, a low dose of kinetic inhibitors or anti-agglomerants could be injected to avoid the risk of hydrate plugging and reduce the corresponding prevention costs. This study can provide a theoretical basis and technical support for the efficient prevention of hydrate plugging during production trials or long-term production of offshore natural gas hydrates. • A model is proposed to predict hydrate risk for the gas hydrate trial production. • The accuracy of the model is verified by the field measured data. • Hydrate formation and plugging risk in the trail production pipes are analyzed. • The prevention methods of hydrate plugging are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A UPLC-MS/MS method was constructed for monitoring UA in urine. • Quantification limits of UA in human and mice urine were 58.3 and 108.7 ng/L. • UA could be detected in mice urine after dietary exposure. • It is the first time to report the presentation of UA in mammal urine. Due to global outbreak of rice false smut disease, ustiloxin A (UA) was detected in rice. However, accurate methods for monitoring UA in human body fluids were lacking. In this context, a UPLC-MS/MS method based on two-step SPE was constructed for measuring UA in urine. The limits of UA quantification in human and mice urine were 58.3 and 108.7 ng/L, respectively. The proposed method was applied to detect UA in urine samples collected from human and mice. After dietary exposure, the contents of UA in mice urine were from 6.03 to 16.76 μg/g of creatine, accounting for approximate 14% of daily intake dose. Furthermore, due to the trace residues in rice (78–109 ng/kg), no detectable UA was observed in the urine of 20 volunteers. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first time to report the occurrence of UA in mammal urine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • An excellent metallurgic bonding was achieved for NiTi/Cu with increased laser pulse duration. • Segregation like peninsula and beaches was in fusion zone for 5 and 8 ms, but it was absent for 15 ms. • Liquidus temperature in molten pool was the key for segregation due to increased pulse durations. • The fraction of Ni-Ti brittle IMCs in the fusion zone decreased, replaced by Cu-Ti IMCs. • It is potential to improve mechanical property of NiTi/Cu joint by adjusting laser pulse duration. In this study, laser microwelding was adopted to join NiTi and Cu wires using different laser pulse duration. The cross section of welded samples showed no visible defect, but some intermetallic compounds were formed inside the fusion zone. An excellent metallurgic bonding was achieved during laser welding for NiTi and Cu wires with increasing pulse duration. Local element segregation like peninsulas and beaches was observed in the fusion zone for the pulse duration of 5 and 8 ms, but the segregation was absent with the pulse duration increased to 15 ms. The liquidus temperatures of weld metals in molten pool had a significant effect on the segregation formation. If T LW < T LNiTi /T LCu , a NiTi/Cu peninsula can form near the fusion boundary of NiTi/Cu side, while a NiTi/Cu beach can form if T LW > T LNiTi /T LCu. With increasing pulse duration, the fraction of Ni-Ti brittle intermetallic compounds in the fusion zone decreased, but Cu-Ti intermetallic compounds with lower hardness increased. Little hardness variation was achieved and peak hardness values decreased (~630 → ~560 → ~490 HV). The joint with the pulse duration of 5 ms displayed poor mechanical properties due to uncompleted penetration. Fracture occurred in Cu base metal for the pulse duration of 8 ms and 15 ms. This study showed that it was potential to diminish the brittle intermetallic compounds and improve the mechanical properties of fusion zone by adjusting the laser pulse duration for the dissimilar laser welding of NiTi and Cu wires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ni-rich cathode material is considered to be a promising cathode for commercial applications in lithium-ion batteries because of its low cost and high capacity. However, its chemical, electrochemical, and mechanical instability at the cathode-electrolyte interface cause a series of problems, such as inferior electrochemical performance and serious safety concerns. To construct a stable interface, we develop a simple and reproducible method to encapsulate LiNi 0.8 Co 0.1 Mn 0.1 O 2 within ionic and electronic conductive half-cyclized polyacrylonitrile. The images of scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy prove that a continuous polymer layer formed on the surface of the cathode material. The organic coating layer is composed of both cyano groups that provide lithium-ion transport channels and cycled cyano groups that conduct electrons. At the same time, the elasticity of the coating polymer layer can maintain the mechanical stability of the cathode material during charge/discharge. Electrochemical studies demonstrate that the cycle and rate performances of LiNi 0.8 Co 0.1 Mn 0.1 O 2 are obviously improved. After 100 cycles at a current density of 200 mA•g−1, the capacity retention is increased from 83.93 to 96.24%. The design of this real conformal coating strategy provides a possible solution for the modification of other cathode materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Soymilk is a high‐quality source of protein and minerals, such as calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn). However, phytic acid in soymilk restricts mineral and protein availability. We here investigated the effects of removing phytic acid on the physicochemical properties, mineral (Ca, Fe, and Zn) bioaccessibility, and protein digestibility of soymilk. RESULTS: Physicochemical property analysis revealed that the removal of phytic acid reduced protein accumulation at the gastric stage, thereby facilitating soymilk matrix digestion. The removal of phytic acid significantly increased Zn bioaccessibility by 18.19% in low‐protein soymilk and Ca and Fe bioaccessibility by 31.20% and 30.03%, respectively, in high‐protein soymilk. CONCLUSION: Removing phytic acid was beneficial for the hydrolysis of high‐molecular‐weight proteins and increased the soluble protein content in soymilk, which was conducive to protein digestion. This study offers a feasible guide for developing plant‐based milk with high nutrient bioaccessibility. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior literature finds senior executives can influence auditor decision making. However, few studies have discussed the impact of employee's personal characteristics. Our research aims to fill the above research gaps by examining the impact of employee level education on audit costs. Taking A-share listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen from 2006 to 2021 as the research object, this paper examines the impact of employee education on audit fees. It is found that highly educated employees can effectively reduce the audit fees borne by the company, but the implementation of the Labor Protection Law weakens this inhibitory effect. In the case of low marketization level and weak Confucian culture intensity, employee education level has a more significant inhibitory effect on audit fees of listed companies. This study provides a basis for empirical research on the impact of employee attributes on auditor decision making, provides a new research perspective on the impact of labor protection law at the corporate micro level, and enriches the theoretical research on corporate governance rooted in traditional Chinese culture. We contribute to the practice that implications for evaluating the effectiveness of adopting labor protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Brachytherapy has been indicated as an alternative option for treating cystic craniopharyngiomas (CPs). The potential benefits of brachytherapy for CPs have not yet been clarified. The purpose of this work was to conduct a meta-analysis to analyze the long-term efficacy and adverse reactions profile of brachytherapy for CPs. Materials and methods: The relevant databases were searched to collect the clinical trials on brachytherapy in patients with CPs. Included studies were limited to publications in full manuscript form with at least 5-year median follow-up, and adequate reporting of treatment outcomes and adverse reactions data. Stata 12.0 was used for data analysis. Results: According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 6 clinical trials involving 266 patients with CPs were included in this meta-analysis. The minimum average follow-up was 5 years. The results of the meta-analysis showed that 1-year, 2–3 years and 5 years progression free survival rates (PFS) are 75% (95%CI: 66-84%), 62% (95%CI: 52-72%) and 57% (95%CI: 22-92%), respectively. At the last follow-up, less than 16% of patients with visual outcomes worser than baseline in all included studies. While, for endocrine outcomes, less than 32% of patients worser than baseline level. Conclusion: In general, based on the above results, brachytherapy should be considered as a good choice for the treatment of CP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-horizontal submerged jets stilling basins have been utilized in large-scale water conservancy and hydropower projects due to its stable flow pattern, high energy dissipation rate and less atomization. This study employs vorticity criterion, Q criterion, λ2 criterion and Ω criterion to investigate the characteristics of vortex formation and turbulent dissipation in multi-horizontal submerged jets stilling basins with various configurations, including crest overflowing orifice alone (COO), combination of crest overflowing orifice and mid-discharge orifice (COO-MO) and mid-discharge orifice alone (MO). The results indicate that the Q criterion and λ2 criterion are effective in identifying vortex structure within multi-horizontal submerged jets stilling basin. Specifically, the stronger intensity of vortex structure and vortex dissipation are mainly distributed in the vicinity of the vertical drop, which gradually weakens for the increasing distance to the vertical drop. Furthermore, the intensity and number of vortexes with COO-MO are the largest. This conclusion can provide guidance for energy dissipation and bottom protection of stilling pool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Combined forceps and cryoprobe biopsy during bronchoscopy are increasingly used. However, the adult standard cuffed endotracheal tube (SCETT) is can be limited by general anaesthesia and neuromuscular blockade. An adult uncuffed endotracheal tube (UCETT) might provide simple and safe airway support in stable patients during forceps and cryoprobe biopsy under spontaneous respiration. Methods: A retrospective review of stable patients undergoing forceps and cryoprobe biopsy was performed. They were divided into a UCETT group (N = 33) and a SCETT group (N = 27). The primary technical outcome was the successful intubation and completion of bronchoscopy. The primary safety outcome was the incidence of desaturation events. Recovery time and side effects were also recorded. Results: UCETTs and SCETTs were successfully inserted, and bronchoscopic procedures were completed in all patients. Only 3/33 (9.1%) patients in the UCETT group exhibited a drop of SPO2 < 90% during the bronchoscopy, compared to 2/27 (7.4%) patients in the SCETT group (P = 0.545). Patients recovered faster in the UCETT group than those in the SCETT group. Major bleeding, laryngospasm and major arrhythmias did not occur in either group. Incidences of sinus tachycardia, incidences of vomiting, minor and moderate bleeding and premature atrial contractions were not significantly different between the two groups. Nausea occurred in 5/33 (15.2%) patients in the UCETT group, compared to 11/27 (40.7%) in the SCETT group. Conclusion: This study suggests that UCETT under spontaneous respiration can provide satisfactory airway support and a shorter recovery time in stable patients; thus, it may be an option to assist forceps and cryoprobe biopsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron-based crystalline porous materials (CPMs) emerged as a new class of biodegradable and non-toxic materials of high interest for drug delivery systems (DDSs) due to their high loading capacity and controllable structures. This work constructed two kinds of Fe-CPM coordination polymers (CPM-83 and CPM-85) from typical oxo-centered trimers of the iron octahedra cluster [Fe3O(RCOO)3(TPT)] with two functional modules. The tri-topic pyridine ligand (TPT) occupied the open metal sites of the trinuclear cluster, precluding the attachment of neutralizing anions, leading to three-dimensional frameworks with a positive charge and higher stability. Moreover, the triazine ligand TPT divides the original columnar channel into small domains, improving the adsorption efficiency and maximizing the host–guest interaction. Hence, the suitable pore size and electrostatic force make the materials highly adsorption selective for the anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu). We show that Fe-CPM-83 and Fe-CPM-85 loaded with 5-Fu are efficient drug delivery vehicles with loading content as high as 60.5 (wt%) and 32.8 (wt%) within 2–5 h of loading time. Simultaneously, their sustained release kinetics can be up to 96 hours with a completely different pH-responsive controlled release. The released content is 77% or 85% for each complex, significantly prolonging the release process and decreasing the plasma concentration. The MTT assay was performed on mouse fibroblasts (L929) to demonstrate the satisfactory biocompatibility of the matrix. This work has momentous research significance and application value for developing novel drug-delivery materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we present a new configuration of opposed-contact vanadium-compensation semi-insulating (VCSI) 4H–SiC photoconductive semiconductor switch (PCSS) to reduce the input laser energy for operation. The configuration is made up of three parts: the PCSS with optical grating, the convex lens in front of PCSS, and the additional reflector behind PCSS. Periodic surface structures were fabricated on the VCSI 4H–SiC substrate by ultrafine femtosecond laser direct writing to etch optical gratings. The microstructure on the lower surface plays the role of reflection grating, so that the laser forms a specific distribution pattern and enhances the laser absorption. Experiments and simulations show that the triggering efficiency increased 3.7 times compared to PCSS without grating at 532 nm laser. And output voltage can reach 90 % of the input bias voltage. This SiC PCSS optical system significantly reduces the laser energy without reducing the electrodes spacing. • The designed SiC PCSS can increase the triggering efficiency by up to 3.7 times without increasing the laser energy. • Femtosecond laser direct writing technology can etch grating on the substrate of SiC PCSS. • Grating-type optical system can not only improve photoelectric conversion efficiency but also enhance integration level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]