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To reduce greenhouse emission and achieve sustainability in the electric power industry, improved efficiency and energy conservation are key to finding a sound solution. Energy conservation through voltage reduction (CVR) is one such program. To implement effective CVR programs, load models are of utmost importance in determining proper feeders and methods to implement the CVR programs. Exponential and polynomial load models stand out as the most widely adopted models. The polynomial load model, often referred to as the ZIP (constant impedance, current and power) model, is especially notable for its ability to represent the relationship between the applied voltage and power consumption. This paper sheds light on the limitations of commonly used ZIP load model estimation methods and highlights the significance of using ap-propriate measurement samples and understanding the true nature of the load. Two distinct ZIP load models, i.e., the regular ZIP (RegZIP) and the Non-traditional ZIP (NTZIP) models, have been used for ZIP parameter estimation. The RegZIP load model consumes equal or more power when voltage increases, while the NTZIP model consumes equal or less power when voltage increases. It is emphasized that the RegZIP is an existing load model and the NTZIP is an artificial load model this research created for comparison purposes. The intention of this paper is not to propose any new load model, but to investigate the implications of choosing the wrong model and the impacts of measurement errors of voltage and power data. The research has shown that the two different models can fit the same measurement data equally well for some measured data. The results have demonstrated that simply using certain methods such as the optimization method for estimating load model parameters using unfiltered real time measurements may yield misleading and unreliable results. Wrong load models will inevitably lead to wrong CVR assessment. Identifying the correct measurement samples, obtained during natural or staged events causing substantial voltage variations, is critically important in calculating load parameters and ensure the soundness of the obtained results. The accurate load parameters will be important in the assessment of CVR program effectiveness and will ensure that power system analysis applications that utilize the load models will provide reliable results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitamin C (VC), also known as ascorbic acid, plays a crucial role as a water-soluble nutrient within the human body, contributing to a variety of metabolic processes. Research findings suggest that increased doses of VC demonstrate potential anti-tumor capabilities. This review delves into the mechanisms of VC absorption and its implications for cancer management. Building upon these foundational insights, we explore modern delivery systems for VC, evaluating its use in diverse cancer treatment methods. These include starvation therapy, chemodynamic therapy (CDT), photothermal/photodynamic therapy (PTT/PDT), electrothermal therapy, immunotherapy, cellular reprogramming, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and various combination therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Channel coding technology plays an important role in wireless communication systems, and it serves as a crucial mechanism to reduce interference during the transmission process. As the fifth-generation (5G) and sixth-generation (6G) wireless communication systems rapidly advance, requirements of the users on the quality and security of wireless service are increasing. To solve these problems, it calls for us to explore the new channel coding technologies. In this paper, a linear feedback coding scheme for fading multiple-access channels with degraded message sets (FMAC-DMS) is proposed. In this scheme, the transmitting beamforming and channel splitting are used to transform the channel with complex signals into scalar equivalent sub-channels. Then, the extended Schalkwijk-Kailath coding scheme (SK) is further applied to each sub-channel. The channel capacity, finite blocklength (FBL) sum-rate and FBL secrecy achievable sum-rate of the FMAC-DMS in single-input single-output (SISO) and multi-input single-output (MISO) cases are derived. Finally, we show that the proposed scheme not only provides a FBL coding solution but also guarantees physical layer security(PLS). The numerical and simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed scheme as a channel coding solution. The study of this paper provides a new method to construct a practical FBL scheme for the FMAC-DMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the ubiquity of chirality in nature, chiral self‐assembly involving self‐sorting behaviors has remained as one of the most important research topics of interests. Herein, starting from a racemic mixture of SEG‐based (SEG=SEGPHOS) chlorogold(I) precursors, a unique chiral butterfly‐shape hexadecanuclear gold(I) cluster (Au16) with different ratios of RSEG and SSEG ligands is obtained via homoleptic and heterochiral self‐sorting. More interestingly, by employing different chlorogold(I) precursors of opposite chirality (such as RSEG‐Au2 and SBIN‐Au2 (BIN=BINAP)), an unprecedented heteroleptic and heterochiral self‐sorting strategy has been developed to give a series of heteroleptic chiral decanuclear gold(I) clusters (Au10) with propellor‐shape structures. Heterochiral and heteroleptic self‐sorting have also been observed between enantiomers of homoleptic chiral Au10 clusters to result in the heteroleptic chiral Au10 clusters via cluster‐to‐cluster transformation. Incorporation of heteroleptic ligands is found to decrease the symmetry from S4 of homoleptic meso Au10 to C2 of heteroleptic chiral Au10 clusters. The chirality has been transferred from the axial chiral ligands and stored in the heteroleptic gold(I) clusters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the ubiquity of chirality in nature, chiral self‐assembly involving self‐sorting behaviors has remained as one of the most important research topics of interests. Herein, starting from a racemic mixture of SEG‐based (SEG=SEGPHOS) chlorogold(I) precursors, a unique chiral butterfly‐shape hexadecanuclear gold(I) cluster (Au16) with different ratios of RSEG and SSEG ligands is obtained via homoleptic and heterochiral self‐sorting. More interestingly, by employing different chlorogold(I) precursors of opposite chirality (such as RSEG‐Au2 and SBIN‐Au2 (BIN=BINAP)), an unprecedented heteroleptic and heterochiral self‐sorting strategy has been developed to give a series of heteroleptic chiral decanuclear gold(I) clusters (Au10) with propellor‐shape structures. Heterochiral and heteroleptic self‐sorting have also been observed between enantiomers of homoleptic chiral Au10 clusters to result in the heteroleptic chiral Au10 clusters via cluster‐to‐cluster transformation. Incorporation of heteroleptic ligands is found to decrease the symmetry from S4 of homoleptic meso Au10 to C2 of heteroleptic chiral Au10 clusters. The chirality has been transferred from the axial chiral ligands and stored in the heteroleptic gold(I) clusters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Exploration of the relationship between individual work immersion and perceived stress is critical for clinical nurses' effective psychological interventions and human resource management, as well as to alleviate nursing staff shortages. In order to further dissect the influencing factors of perceived stress among nursing staff, our study introduces the concepts of perfectionism and social connectedness to analyze the specific pathways that influence perceived stress in terms of an individual's intrinsic and external personality traits. This study provides relevant recommendations for the development of stress management measures for nursing staff. Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey. 993 registered clinical nurses were included from four hospitals in Guangzhou through a convenience sampling method. Clinical nurses' work immersion, perceived stress, perfectionism, and social connectedness were investigated using questionnaires based on latent profile analysis. The relationships between variables were analyzed using t-tests, analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation analysis, latent profile analysis, and moderated mediation analysis. Results: The results showed that (1) general influences on nurses' perceived stress included only child, labor relationship, labor allowance, and family support; (2) nurses' work immersion contained four subgroups: lowest (12.6%), medium-low (39.8%), medium-high (39.9%), and highest (7.7%); (3) positive and negative perfectionism played a mediating role between the association of work immersion and perceived stress; (4) social connectedness played a moderating role in the mediation model of perceived stress. Conclusions: Work immersion, perfectionism, and social connectedness have an important impact on clinical nurses' perceived stress. Nursing managers or leaders should pay attention to the differences of individual work immersion status, adopt reasonable stress management strategies, accurately identify positive perfectionist groups and strengthen the relationship between groups, so as to ensure the quality of nursing care, and reduce nursing turnover and alleviate the problem of staff shortage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synovial sarcoma (SS) is a rare malignant soft tissue sarcoma that originates from primitive mesenchymal cells with epithelial differentiation potential. It is most commonly found in the limbs and trunk. In the urinary system, it is mostly found in the kidneys. However, synovial sarcomas originating from the external urethra are extremely rare. Only one case of synovial sarcoma arising from the vulvar urethral orifice has been reported previously, and we report a second case of synovial sarcoma of the urethral orifice. In addition, a total of 16 vulvar synovial sarcomas were identified and the literature are analyzed in this report reviews from 1966 to the present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Clinically, although chemotherapy is one of the most commonly used methods of treating tumors, chemotherapeutic drugs can induce autophagic flux and increase tumor cell resistance, leading to drug tolerance. Therefore, theoretically, inhibiting autophagy may improve the efficacy of chemotherapy. The discovery of autophagy regulators and their potential application as adjuvant anti-cancer drugs is of substantial importance. In this study, we clarified that Fangjihuangqi Decoction (FJHQ, traditional Chinese medicine) is an autophagy inhibitor, which can synergistically enhance the effect of cisplatin and paclitaxel on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. Methods: We observed the changes of autophagy level in NSCLC cells under the effect of FJHQ, and verified the level of the autophagy marker protein and cathepsin. Apoptosis was detected after the combination of FJHQ with cisplatin or paclitaxel, and NAC (ROS scavenger) was further used to verify the activation of ROS-MAPK pathway by FJHQ. Results: We observed that FJHQ induced autophagosomes in NSCLC cells and increased the levels of P62 and LC3-II protein expression in a concentration- and time-gradient-dependent manner, indicating that autophagic flux was inhibited. Co-localization experiments further showed that while FJHQ did not inhibit autophagosome and lysosome fusion, it affected the maturation of cathepsin and thus inhibited the autophagic pathway. Finally, we found that the combination of FJHQ with cisplatin or paclitaxel increased the apoptosis rate of NSCLC cells, due to increased ROS accumulation and further activation of the ROS-MAPK pathway. This synergistic effect could be reversed by NAC. Conclusion: Collectively, these results demonstrate that FJHQ is a novel late-stage autophagy inhibitor that can amplify the anti-tumor effect of cisplatin and paclitaxel against NSCLC cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This study aims to explore the mediation role of perceived stress between nonrestorative sleep (NRS) and emotional distress, as well as the moderation role of resilience among NRS, perceived stress, and emotional distress in university students. Method. We recruited 851 students from the Be Resilient to Nursing Career program (BRNC, registration number: NFYKDX002) in June 2022. Nonrestorative sleep scale (NRSS), 10-item perceived stress scale (PSS-10), 10-item Kessler psychological distress scale (K10), and 10-item Connor–Davidson resilience scale (CD-RISC-10) were administered through a paper questionnaire. Latent profile analysis and moderated mediation analysis were performed. Results. Three profiles of perceived stress were identified: high ability-low stress (24.5%), middle ability-high stress (65.0%), and low ability-middle stress (10.5%). The mediation role of perceived stress between NRS and emotional distress was significant (SE = 0.025; 95% confidence interval = −0.369, −0.269). The moderation role of resilience among NRS, perceived stress, and emotional distress was not significant. Conclusion. Heterogeneity exists in freshmen students' perceived stress. Perceived stress plays a significant mediating role between NRS and emotional distress, while resilience cannot significantly moderate the associations among NRS, perceived stress, and emotional distress. The trial is registered with ChiCTR2000038693. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing size and complexity of power systems, it is crucial to have an effective protection system in place to ensure its reliability. One of the important components of the protection system are relays. It is important for a relay to operate dependably and securely so that any fault can be cleared in time to minimize damages to the power network. However, it is important to test a relay in a realistic environment before commissioning it to the network. Testing a relay in the actual network can be expensive with limited fault scenarios. Hence, Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing is an efficient method to perform closed-loop testing of a relay since numerous fault cases can be simulated to provide a realistic operating environment for the relay under test. This paper sheds light on the HIL testing done for protective relays using a sample distribution system using RTDS. Two SEL-351 relays have been used in this experiment, and proper settings for the relays are calculated for coordination. The paper also describes the procedure of configuring the relay and other RTDS components crucial for interfacing of the relay with RTDS. After test setup, a pre-fault, fault, and post-fault analysis was done for the system. The results obtained from these analyses are cross-checked with the event history of the two SEL-351 relays, obtained with AcSELerator Quickset software. This paper provides thorough information for researchers to replicate the presented study or to develop new HIL experiments. It can also help in developing a fundamental understanding of the HIL testing setup that can be further applied to a more complex power system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stocking of silver carp [Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (Val.)] is a common tool used in eutrophic aquatic systems to control phytoplankton. As the mesh size of gill rakers undergoes change as growth proceeds, the particle selectivity and dietary importance of phytoplankton in younger fish may be different than those in older individuals. We conducted an enclosure experiment to assess how a gradient of fish size affected grazing pressure. The presence of fish strongly reduced zooplankton biomass and phosphorus (P) excretion, and P sequestered by fish could largely account for the lower total phosphorus (TP) concentrations observed in the presence of fish than in their absence. Moreover, the nutritional importance of phytoplankton in fish decreased with increasing fish size. Both the overall P excretion and grazing pressure decreased, whereas phytoplankton biomass and the yield of chlorophyll a per TP increased with increasing fish size. This suggested that phytoplankton might become more limited by P availability but less controlled by grazing with increasing fish size. Stocking with large silver carp would strongly reduce grazing pressure and increase the yield of phytoplankton per TP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ZIP load modeling has been used in various power system applications. The aggregate load modeling is common practice in utility companies. However, little research has been done on the theoretical formulation of the aggregate load and on various factors that affect accurate estimation of the parameters. This paper proposes new methods to systematically formulate the aggregate ZIP load model using the single ZIP load model and comprehensively examines the factors that may affect aggregate ZIP load estimation. Moreover, novel analysis of reactive power ZIP parameter calculation considering different compensating device modeling is presented. ZIP parameter estimation methods including least squares method, optimization method, and neural network method have been used in this paper to estimate ZIP parameters. The proposed new method was illustrated using the IEEE 13-bus and 34-bus systems built in OpenDSS. In addition, the ZIP parameter estimation is also performed using field data, and the conservation through voltage reduction (CVR) factor is further computed based on the estimated ZIP load model. The results provide guidance on calculation and interpretation of CVR estimates. Note that this paper was first presented at PAC world conference 2021 which provides no published conference proceedings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studiesan unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-assisted wireless network, where a UAV is dispatched to gather information from ground sensor nodes (SN) and transfer the collected data to a depot. The information freshness is captured by the age of information (AoI) metric, whilst the energy consumption of the UAV is seen as another performance criterion. Most importantly, the AoI and energy efficiency are inherently competing metrics, since decreasing the AoI requires the UAV returning to the depot more frequently, leading to a higher energy consumption. To this end, we design UAV paths that optimize these two competing metrics jointly and reveal the Pareto frontier. To formulate this problem, a multi-objective mixed integer linear programming (MILP) is proposed with a flow-based constraint set and we apply Bender’s decomposition on the proposed formulation. Numerical results show that the proposed method allows deriving non-dominated solutions among two competing metrics when designing the UAV path. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Novel multi-modal transport recommendation via graph neural networks. • Models travel behaviors with spatial and temporal data integration. • Introduces a contrastive learning framework to reduce bias. • CDHGNN: New de-biased recommendation framework tested in Beijing. • Demonstrates superiority over existing methods using 300,000 user records. Conventional uni-modal transportation recommendation systems focused on single modes of transportation are limited in providing satisfactory solutions since passengers often undertake journeys involving multiple modes. Multi-modal transportation recommendation systems are becoming increasingly popular within navigation applications. However, these systems face challenges from biased raw data, data sparsity and long-tail distribution, as well as complexities in representing large-scale graph structures, which collectively hinder their optimal performance. This study introduces a novel approach for enhancing multi-modal transportation recommendation systems: the C ontrastive D e-biased H eterogeneous G raph N eural N etwork (CDHGNN). By integrating contrastive learning, the model generates augmented samples to mitigate bias and overcome the data-skewing problem. The heterogeneous graph neural network adaptively captures temporal and spatial patterns among users and locations, as well as spatial adjacency and attribute relations, leading to enhanced representations of nodes, and consequently, improved model performance. The proposed method was evaluated using real-world data from over 300,000 users' records in Beijing over two months in 2018. The extensive experiments demonstrate that the approach outperforms four contemporary state-of-the-art methods. The results underscore the potential of the CDHGNN in large-scale city-level problems in practical applications, revealing a promising advancement for multi-modal transportation recommendation systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation through voltage reduction (CVR) aims to reduce the peak load and energy savings in electric power systems and is being deployed at various utilities. The effectiveness of the CVR program depends on the load characteristics, i.e., the sensitivity of the load to voltage variation, and voltage regulation device settings. In the current literature, there is a lack of discussion on the CVR factor calculation using different measurements, and there is a lack of method for active power loss estimation using substation measurements. This paper provides insights into CVR factor calculation based on the measurements captured at the substation and those at the load location. This paper also proposes a new method based on curve fitting and artificial neural network to estimate the active power loss using input active power, input reactive power and input voltage at the substation. The CVR comparison study conducted in this paper helps in understanding the factors affecting CVR factor and may provide guidance in CVR implementation and impact assessment. The proposed loss estimation method sheds light on the impacts of CVR in terms of load and loss reduction. The results based on simulation studies using the IEEE 13-bus and 34-bus systems are reported in this paper, noting that the proposed methods are applicable to larger systems, as long as the required measurements at the substation are available. Future research includes testing and refining the methods using large IEEE and utility distribution systems and considering the stochastic nature of the CVR factor with changing load and voltage regulator control schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estimations and applications of factor models often rely on the crucial condition that the number of latent factors is consistently estimated, which in turn also requires that factors be relatively strong, data are stationary and weakly serially dependent, and the sample size be fairly large, although in practical applications, one or several of these conditions may fail. In these cases, it is difficult to analyze the eigenvectors of the data matrix. To address this issue, we propose simple estimators of the latent factors using cross-sectional projections of the panel data, by weighted averages with predetermined weights. These weights are chosen to diversify away the idiosyncratic components, resulting in "diversified factors." Because the projections are conducted cross-sectionally, they are robust to serial conditions, easy to analyze and work even for finite length of time series. We formally prove that this procedure is robust to over-estimating the number of factors, and illustrate it in several applications, including post-selection inference, big data forecasts, large covariance estimation, and factor specification tests. We also recommend several choices for the diversified weights. for this article are available online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

UDP glucose dehydrogenase (UDP-GlcDH) can catalyze UDP glucose to UDP glucuronic acid, which is an essential precursor for the formation of polysaccharide. The UDP-GlcDH gene sequence of Aspergillus flavus was used as the template, and the cDNA sequence of UDP-GlcDH gene from Ganoderma lucidum was obtained by searching the EST library of Ganoderma lucidum through the electronic cloning method, and then verified by using the RT-PCR testing. The bioinformatics method was used to analyze the UDP-GlcDH gene, showing that the cDNA sequence was 1591 bp in length, which contained 471 amino acid sequences with the molecular weight of 51.8 kD and PI of 6.29. The UDP-GlcDH gene was found in the endoplasmic reticulum, which was highly homologous to the amino acid sequence encoded by UDP-GlcDH gene in the fungi such as Dichomitus squalens and Coriolus versicolor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Reverse IP strategy was proposed to fabricate TFC PA membranes. • Defect-free PA skin layer was constructed on hydrophobic PVDF/PTFE substrates. • The membranes exhibit excellent performance in aqueous and organic solutions. • Pure water permeances are over 11 LMH/bar with MgCl 2 rejections of over 95%. • Methanol permeances are over 3.3 LMH/bar with Congo red rejections of over 98.5%. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) porous membranes are ideal substrates for preparing thin-film composite (TFC) polyamide (PA) membranes with improved solvent resistance. However, it remains difficult to construct PA skin layers on PVDF and PTFE substrates via conventional interfacial polymerization (IP) due to the hydrophobic nature of these materials. To address this challenge, a reverse IP process was proposed to construct a defect-free PA skin layer on PVDF and PTFE substrates, in which the hydrophobic PVDF and PTFE substrates were soaked with the organic phase to ensure uniform coverage of reacted solution on the substrates. This novel strategy can effectively tackle the issue of uneven wetting of the aqueous phase on hydrophobic substrates in the conventional IP process. The resultant TFC membranes (i.e. M rev-PVDF and M rev-PTFE) exhibit excellent nanofiltration (NF) performance in both aqueous and organic solutions. M rev-PVDF and M rev-PTFE have MgCl 2 rejections of 96.12% and 95.17%, alongside the water permeances of 12.8 LMH/bar and 11.2 LMH/bar, respectively (M rev-PTFE was activated with DMF). It is further shown that M rev-PVDF and M rev-PTFE could also reject 99.4% and 98.5% of Congo red in methanol solution at solvent permeances of over 3.3 LMH/bar, while they also perform excellently in other polar protic solvents. Consequently, this work opens a new window for constructing high-performance TFC PA membranes on hydrophobic substrates and expands the application of the TFC PA NF membrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article titled "Assembly of Luminescent Chiral Gold(I)-Sulfido Clusters via Chiral Self-Sorting" explores the concept of chiral self-sorting, which is the selective arrangement of molecules based on their handedness. The authors, Vivian Wing-Wah Yam et al., investigate different combinations of axial chiral ligands that result in the formation of distinct chiral gold(I) sulfido clusters through various types of self-assembly and self-sorting processes. This research contributes to a better understanding of chiral selectivity and has potential applications in fields such as protein production, enzyme catalysis, and the development of chiral drugs. [Extracted from the article]

[Display omitted] • The Ni 3 ZnC 0.7 /Ni nanocomposites are fabricated for investigation of electrochemical behavior for HQ and CC. • The electrochemical determination mechanisms of HQ and CC on Ni 3 ZnC 0.7 /Ni were studied. • Ni 3 ZnC 0.7 /Ni composites displayed excellent electrocatalytic performance to HQ and CC, owing to the synergic effect of Ni/Zn and MOF. • The prepared sensor has wide linear range and low detection limit for HQ and CC. • The sensor has been successfully used for simultaneous detection of HQ and CC in environmental sample and obtained good recovery rate. Rational constructing metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) based composite materials with outstanding catalytic capability is vital to accomplish high-performance electrochemical sensors. In this paper, the precursor Ni/Zn-MOF was fabricated by a simple one-step solvothermal method, and then the Ni nanoparticle-supported porous microsphere composites (Ni 3 ZnC 0.7 /Ni) were obtained by pyrolysis in N 2 atmosphere. The physicochemical characteristics of the as-prepared Ni 3 ZnC 0.7 /Ni were studied by XRD, SEM, EDS, TEM, FTIR and XPS, and their electrocatalytic activity were tested by Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). On this basis, an electrochemical sensor strategy for the simultaneous determination of hydroquinone (HQ) and catechol (CC) with Ni 3 ZnC 0.7 /Ni modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was proposed. In addition, they were applied to the electrochemical simultaneous detection of HQ and CC for the first time. Compared with NiC and ZnC modified electrode, the Ni 3 ZnC 0.7 /Ni composites modified electrode can significantly enhance electrocatalytic activity and improve the selectivity and sensitivity of the detection of HQ and CC. The performance was due to increasing the active surface area of the modified electrode and the Ni atom has excellent electrocatalytic capability to dihydroxybenzene. The experimental results exhibits that the composite was used to achieve simultaneous detection of HQ and CC in single-component or two-component solutions with satisfactory result. It has a low limit of detections (LOD = 3σ/k) (HQ: 0.14 μM, CC: 0.21 μM) and a wide detection range (HQ: 0.3–100.0 μM, CC: 0.5–100.0 μM). Meanwhile, the constructed sensor has been successfully employed for determination of HQ and CC in Yellow River water and tap water, and obtains good recovery rate. This work develops a new approach for design and engineering of MOF materials for electrochemical sensors and environmental monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel copper-nanoparticle-decorated sulfur-based polymer, Cu@S-co-BIM, was designed and constructed for the chronoamperometric analysis of glucose with high sensitivity and selectivity. S-co-BIM was synthesized via inverse vulcanization as a stable conductive substrate that displayed extraordinary electrical conductivity. Copper nanoparticles were electrodeposited as the catalyst. Combining abundant active sites and the high conductivity of S-co-BIM with the excellent electrocatalytic abilities of copper nanoparticles, the Cu@S-co-BIM sensor significantly increased the selectivity and sensitivity towards glucose determination. The amperometric current linearly increased with the glucose concentration in the range of 1 μM–3.3 mM, with a detection limit of 0.32 μM. The proposed sensor exhibited high selectivity to glucose oxidation in the presence of various interfering species, such as ascorbic acid (AA), uric acid (UA), sodium chloride, fructose, xylose, and maltose. The as-prepared sensor also exhibited excellent reproducibility and long-term stability. This new method was successfully applied for the detection of glucose in serum and in commercial gluconate oral liquid with satisfactory results. In addition, the proposed composite materials might provide a new strategy for expanding the applications of sulfur-rich polymers in the field of sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transmission lines are built to span over long distances, to which they are frequently exposed to many different situations that can cause abnormal conditions known as electrical faults. Electrical faults, when isolated, can cripple the transmission system as power flows are directed around these faults therefore leading to other numerous potential issues such as thermal and voltage violations, customer interruptions, or cascading events. Accurate fault classification and location is essential in reducing outage times and enhancing system reliability. Diverse methods exist and have different strengths and weaknesses. This paper aims to investigate the use of an intelligent technique based on artificial neural networks. The neural networks will attempt to determine the fault classification and precise fault location. Different fault cases are analyzed on multiple transmission line configurations using various phasor measurement arrangements from the two substations connecting the transmission line. The results can provide guidance on choosing the most efficient neural network structure and input measurements for transmission line fault classification and location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer is a significant global public health issue with increasing morbidity and mortality rates. To address this challenge, novel drug carriers such as nano-materials, liposomes, hydrogels, fibers, and microspheres have been extensively researched and utilized in oncology. Among them, polymer microspheres are gaining popularity due to their ease of preparation, excellent performance, biocompatibility, and drug-release capabilities. This paper categorizes commonly used materials for polymer microsphere preparation, summarizes various preparation methods (emulsification, phase separation, spray drying, electrospray, microfluidics, and membrane emulsification), and reviews the applications of polymer microspheres in cancer diagnosis, therapy, and postoperative care. The current status and future development directions of polymer microspheres in cancer treatment are analyzed, highlighting their importance and potential for improving patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoparticles (NPs) have gained significant attention as a functional material due to their ability to effectively enhance pressure reduction in injection processes in ultra-low permeability reservoirs. NPs are typically studied in controlled laboratory conditions, and their behavior in real-world, complex environments such as ultra-low permeability reservoirs, is not well understood due to the limited scope of their applications. This study investigates the efficacy and underlying mechanisms of NPs in decreasing injection pressure under various injection conditions (25e85 °C, 10e25 MPa). The results reveal that under optimal injection conditions, NPs effectively reduce injection pressure by a maximum of 22.77% in core experiment. The pressure reduction rate is found to be positively correlated with oil saturation and permeability, and negatively correlated with temperature and salinity. Furthermore, particle image velocimetry (PIV) experiments (25 °C, atmospheric pressure) indicate that the pressure reduction is achieved by NPs through the reduction of wall shear resistance and wettability change. This work has important implications for the design of water injection strategies in ultra-low permeability reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic saw a shift toward a more traditional division of labor–one where women took greater responsibility for household tasks and childcare than men. We tested whether this regressive shift was more acutely perceived and experienced by women in countries with greater gender equality. Cross-cultural longitudinal survey data for women and men (N = 10,238) was collected weekly during the first few months of the pandemic. Multilevel modelling analyses, based on seven waves of data collection, indicated that a regressive shift was broadly perceived but not uniformly felt. Women and men alike perceived a shift toward a more traditional division of household labor during the first few weeks of the pandemic. However, this perception only undermined women's satisfaction with their personal relationships and subjective mental health if they lived in countries with higher levels of economic gender equality. Among women in countries with lower levels of economic gender equality, the perceived shift predicted higher relationship satisfaction and mental health. There were no such effects among men. Taken together, our results suggest that subjective perceptions of disempowerment, and the gender role norms that underpin them, should be considered when examining the gendered impact of global crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 5-Methyl-2-phenyl-1,2,3-triazole-5-hydrazid (PT) was synthesized by "click chemistry". • A new Schiff base of 1,2,3-triazole (PTSB) was satisfactory for detecting Al3+. • PTSB was applied to image Al3+ in HeLa cells with a lower cytotoxicity. A new compound, 5-methyl-2-phenyl-1,2,3-triazole-5-hydrazid (PT) was designed and synthesized based on "click chemistry". The fluorescence probe 5-methyl-2-phenyl-1,2,3-triazole-5-hydrazid Schiff base (PTSB) was further constructed by a chemical reaction between PT and 4-(diethylamino) salicylaldehyde. PTSB could be used to determine Al3+ in EtOH with high sensitivity and strong anti-interference performance by fluorescence and UV–vis spectroscopic methods. The limit of detection to Al3+ is 5.84 nM and it showed an obvious solvatochromic effect under ultraviolet light. Furthermore, the sensing mechanism of PTSB detecting Al3+ was confirmed in the form of planar structure and 1:1 complexation ratio based on MS, Job's plot, 1H NMR titration, DFT calculation, and the single-crystal structure of PTSB, respectively. PTSB showed less low cytotoxicity to HeLa cells and was successfully used for chromatic bioimaging Al3+ in HeLa cells. It is expected to be developed and utilized as a fluorescence probe for detecting Al3+ in vivo. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The mobility of mechanisms comprising spatial scissor units are analyzed. • The translational assembly has 4 DOFs, while the 4th DOF is infinitesimal. • The mirrored assembly has a single DOF and thus can be deployed in one mode. Mechanisms consisting of spatial scissor units have different kinematic behaviors than those of planar scissors. However, their kinematics, especially the mobility analysis, has not received enough attention. Two types of deployable assemblies are analyzed in this paper, namely the translational and mirrored assemblies. Both the assemblies are made of tripod scissor units, and their instantaneous mobility are examined using screw theory. The study starts on the configuration where all the members have the identical deployment angle. Firstly, the geometric property of each assembly was studied. Then, screw-loop equations were developed based on graph theory and closure equations. Finally, the mobility of each assembly was computed using linear algebra. Following the analysis, physical prototypes were constructed to validate the results, and several different motion modes were obtained for the translational assembly. The analysis reveals different kinematic behaviors of the two assemblies. In the given configuration, the translational assemblies have four instantaneous degrees of freedom, while the mirrored assemblies have only a single instantaneous degree of freedom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A transport model for 131I in MSRE was developed by combining the noble metal migration mechanism with a helium bubble distribution model. • Yield evaluation of a production method based on 131I extraction from a molten salt reactor. • Stability and economics of the 131I production method based on molten salt reactor off-gas extraction were evaluated. Isotope extraction methods based on molten salt reactor off-gas treatments can provide a new solution for the shortage of medical isotopes. Current research work involves only static estimation, which does not consider the influence of the variation of parameters brought about by the actual reactor operation and may lead to inaccurate estimation of the yield and cooling time. In this work, a model of species migration is developed, and a corresponding program based on Mathematica is constructed to estimate the above problem. Results reveal 2.50 TBq of 131I was delivered to the off-gas system after 50 days of routine operation. This accounts for only 0.041 % of the total 131I in the reactor, which is sufficient to support 4,000 doses of hyperthyroidism treatment. Compared to the extraction based on the main loop salt, 133I remains the main radioactive impurity and product would meet the medical limit for radioactivity impurity after 8 days of cooling. Changes in fuel composition due to normal reactor operation have a small impact on isotope production. The power and flow rate variations due to peak load operation and the corresponding changes in helium bubble surface area due to temperature–pressure fluctuations have essentially no effect on the cooling time of the product but partially affect the production in the off-gas system. Bubble removal efficiency has a large perturbation on the results, but this needs to be investigated in the future. The stability of the cooling time indicates that nuclide production can follow an established scheme, suggesting that a molten salt reactor tail gas-based production scheme is stable and a promising production method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a prefabricated concrete frame-eccentrically steel brace structure, a solid connection is needed between the shear link damper and the concrete member to ensure successful plasticity developments in the damper. A new cross-section-type (CST) shear connector connection has been proposed as the critical component of the assembly connection to improve shear resistance. Four cyclic shear tests were performed to investigate cyclic shearing performance and failure modes with different connector configurations. Failure modes, hysteretic shear strength developments, skeleton curves, and strain distributions at the CST shear connectors were analyzed. Parametric numerical simulations were conducted to investigate the extended influences of various design parameters on shear bearing performance. Nonlinear behaviors primarily begin with concrete cracking, and the failure of CST shear connectors mainly occurs due to concrete damage around CST shear connectors. Increasing concrete strength, connector number, and connector section dimensions can enhance shear stiffness and strength. However, the thickness of the connector endplate and the length of the connector have limited influence. A theoretical calculation method with clear physical meanings and comprehensive considerations for influencing factors was proposed for calculating the initial shear stiffness. The theoretical equation demonstrates high efficiency, with a maximum error of 7.69%. Finally, the design method of the proposed CST shear connector connection was proposed. • A new cross-section-type (CST) shear connector connection has been proposed as the critical component of the assembly connection to improve shear resistance. • Four cyclic shear tests and parametric numerical simulations were performed to investigate cyclic shearing performance and failure modes with different influences of various design parameters. • The increase of concrete strength connector numbers can effectively increase the initial shear stiffness and reduce the plastic displacement. The shear stiffness had slight increase as the increase of side plate height and middle plate height. • A theoretical calculation method with clear physical meanings and comprehensive considerations for influencing factors was proposed for calculating the initial shear stiffness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a tight polyethersulfone (PES) -based ultrafiltration (UF) membrane was fabricated to separate dye and salt of textile wastewater via a novel polyion complex assisted phase inversion method in one step. Thereinto, sulfonated polysulfone (SPSF) and poly-(diallyl dimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC) were added into the PES dope and coagulation bath, respectively. During the phase inversion process of the precast PES/SPSF film, polycation PDADMAC could assemble with anionic SPSF and facilitate SPSF enrichment on membrane surface, forming a dense barrier layer via the electrostatic interaction between quaternary ammonium and sulfonate groups. Morphology, chemical composition, surface charges and pore size analysis characterized via SEM, FTIR, XPS, Zeta potential and Dextran filtration experiment, respectively, testified that a nonporous skin layer comprising of polyion complex and enriched SPSF was successfully constructed on the top of the PES matrix with an effective pore radius of 1.44 nm, which is smaller than that of the reference membrane prepared without using polyion complex assisted phase inversion (2.74 nm). This resultant membrane exhibited a high pure water permeance of 94 LMH/bar. When it was utilized to separate a dye/salt mixture of 100 ppm Congo red (CR) and 2 g/L Na 2 SO 4 at 1 bar, the rejection of CR could reach 99.7%, alongside a very low Na 2 SO 4 rejection of 8.4%, while the water permeance of dye solution maintained 61 LMH/bar. In addition, the membrane also possessed excellent stability in the pH range of 1–13 due to the strong electrostatic interaction between SPSF and PDADMAC and long-term operation stability, demonstrating its application potential in textile wastewater treatment. [Display omitted] • Tight UF membranes were prepared via polyion complex assisted phase inversion. • The assembly between SPSF and PDADMAC made a thin and nonporous skin layer. • The membrane exhibited 99.7% and 8.4% of Congo red and Na 2 SO 4 rejections, respectively, alongside 61 LMH/bar water permeance. • The separation performance can maintain in the pH range of 1–13 and 12-h stability testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Enriched decoding of spontaneous speech achieves better recognition performance. • Part-of-speech features help to reduce the perplexity of language model. • Hierarchical prosodic model enriches the recognition output with break type and prosodic state information. • Reduplication-word language model help to suppress outputting redundant words. A deep neural network (DNN)-based automatic speech recognition (ASR) method for enriched decoding of Mandarin spontaneous speech is proposed. It adopts an enhanced approach over the baseline model built with factored time delay neural networks (TDNN-f) and rescored with RNNLM to first building a baseline system composed of a TDNN-f acoustic model (AM), a trigram language model (LM), and a recurrent neural network language model (RNNLM) to generate a word lattice. It then sequentially incorporates a multi-task Part-of-Speech-RNNLM (POS-RNNLM), a hierarchical prosodic model (HPM), and a reduplication-word LM (RLM) into the decoding process by expanding the word lattice and performing rescoring to improve recognition performance and enrich the decoding output with syntactic parameters of POS and punctuation (PM), prosodic tags of word-juncture break types and syllable prosodic states, and an edited recognition text with reduplication words being eliminated. Experimental results on the Mandarin conversational dialogue corpus (MCDC) showed that SER, CER, and WER of 13.2 %, 13.9 %, and 19.1 % were achieved when incorporating the POS-RNNLM and HPM into the baseline system. They represented relative SER, CER, and WER reductions of 7.7 %, 7.9 % and 5.0 % as comparing with those of the baseline system. Futhermore, the use of the RLM resulted in additional 3 %, 4.6 %, and 4.5 % relative SER, CER, and WER reductions through eliminating reduplication words. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are vital in the sustainable future of transport systems. Increased BEV adoption makes the realistic assessment of charging infrastructure demand critical. The current literature on charging infrastructure often uses outdated charging behavior assumptions such as universal access to home chargers and the "Liquid-fuel" mental model. We simulate charging infrastructure needs using a large-scale agent-based simulation of Sweden with detailed individual characteristics, including dwelling types and activity patterns. The two state-of-art archetypes of charging behaviors, "Plan-ahead" and "Event-triggered", mirror the current infrastructure built-up, suggesting 2.3–4.5 times more public chargers per BEV than the "Liquid-fuel" mental model. We also estimate roughly 30–150 BEVs served by a slow charger may be needed for non-home residential overnight charging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Nanomaterials of iron nanoparticles encapsulated in boron-nitrogen co-doped carbon nanotubes (Fe/BNC) prepared by a simple self-assembly and pyrolysis process. • The prepared nanocomposite has high oxidase-like activity, and an electrochemical sensor for the simultaneous and efficient detection of dopamine and uric acid has been successfully constructed. • The Fe/BNC sensor exhibits wide linear range for DA and UA ranged from 1 to 630 and 0.5 to 2065 μM, with detection limits of 0.8 and 0.28 μM, respectively. • The sensor is successfully used for testing DA and UA in the human serum samples. New carbon materials coordination transition metal as new biocatalytic systems for biosensing are among the desired goals. To reach those purposes, we prepared an oxidase-like active iron nanoparticle encapsulated in boron-nitrogen co-doped carbon nanotubes (Fe/BNC) as a nanozyme, which displayed fascinating oxidase activity and excellent stability. The morphology and structural composition of the as-synthesized Fe/BNC nanocomposites were characterized by scanning transmission electron microscopy and some spectroscopic instruments. Based on this, a new electrochemical sensor was fabricated for the simultaneous determination of DA and UA. Compared with electrode modified by BNC, the modified electrode by Fe/BNC can effectively enhance the electron transport ability of BNC and significantly improve the selectivity and sensitivity of the simultaneous determination of DA and UA. The results show that Fe/BNC can simultaneously detect DA and UA with a peak potential separation of 139 mV. The calibration curves for DA and UA ranged from 1 to 630 and 0.5 to 2065 μM, with detection limits of 0.8 and 0.28 μM, respectively. In addition, the proposed sensor has been successfully applied to the detection of DA and UA in human serum with satisfactory results, suggesting a fascinating potential application in biological analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the discovery of the oribatid mite species Scheloribates praeincisus on mushrooms in China and its potential impact on mushroom cultivation, emphasizing the need for further research to understand its role in causing damage and diseases in these mushrooms.

[Display omitted] • Summarizing all typical and emerging layer structured materials for all possible catalytic processes – photocatalytic, electrocatalytic, and photoelectrocatalytic nitrogen fixation. • Integrating all known reaction mechanisms and introducing kinetics based theories associated with NH 3 synthesis. • Providing insights into all potential products in the nitrogen fixation, expanding translation of direct N 2 − to − NH 3 path into a more broadly promising nitrogen cycle process among various alternative products. Recently, the research of nitrogen fixation at ambient conditions has attracted wide attention due to its potential of relatively low energy consumption and environmental friendliness. The rational design of catalysts is one of the pivotal factors to achieve high nitrogen fixation efficiency. On account of the large exposed surfaces areas, continuous conducting pathways, open shortened diffusion distances, stable in−plane chemical bonds, expanded interlayer spacing, as well as weak van der Waals interaction within layers, it has been an extensive option to choose layer structured materials as potential nitrogen fixation materials in recent years. Notably, compared to other nitrogen − fixation catalysts, layered materials not only reduce the migration distances between the reaction interface and charge carriers, inhibiting the possibility of charge carrier recombination, but also enrich low–coordinated surface atoms. Moreover, most of them belonging to p –block materials show excellent hydrophobicity, strong chemical interaction with N 2 molecules, and low cost, which make them promising candidates for effectively limiting hydrogen evolution. Despite the favorable advantages of the layer structured materials on nitrogen fixation, more challenges and opportunities have arisen for the exploitation and fabrication of novel layered materials with unique properties and specific functions to achieve high selectivity and high yield. Up to now, although the research scope of layered structured materials has been expanded gradually and their structural feature supply an alternative way of improving nitrogen fixation properties while puting forwarding relative binding and effect mechanisms, the adsorption and catalysis mechanisms of these materials in nitrogen fixation are still controversial due to the lack of in situ/operando characterization and neglect of the complex reaction system and environment factors. In this review, we firstly summarize typical layered materials used in nitrogen fixation and categorize them into metal–containing and metal–free materials. The former includes transition metal dichalcogenides, MXenes, and metal–organic frameworks, as well as other emerging advanced materials such as layered double hydroxides, bismuth–based layered materials while the latter includes graphene, graphitic carbon nitride sheet, black phosphorus, boron–based layered materials, and covalent organic framework. Secondly, we briefly introduce the structural characteristics and the recently reported synthesis strategies based on the typical layer structured materials, and discuss their structure–performance relationship. Thirdly, insights into possible pathways, strategies, and products of nitrogen fixation are discussed to provide layer structured materials with corresponding suitable avenues in the future. More importantly, their up–to–date progress applied in photocatalytic, electrocatalytic, and photoelectrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reactions will be systematically presented, and the concomitant obstacles are also revealed. At last, the strategies, challenges, and prospects for future developments of nitrogen fixation materials at room temperature and pressure are summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to avoid erroneous braking responses when vehicle drivers are faced with a stressful setting, a K-order propagation number algorithm–Feature selection–Classification System (KFCS) is developed in this paper to detect emergency braking intentions in simulated driving scenarios using electroencephalography (EEG) signals. Two approaches are employed in KFCS to extract EEG features and to improve classification performance: the K-Order Propagation Number Algorithm is the former, calculating the node importance from the perspective of brain networks as a novel approach; the latter uses a set of feature extraction algorithms to adjust the thresholds. Working with the data collected from seven subjects, the highest classification accuracy of a single trial can reach over 90%, with an overall accuracy of 83%. Furthermore, this paper attempts to investigate the mechanisms of brain activeness under two scenarios by using a topography technique at the sensor-data level. The results suggest that the active regions at two states is different, which leaves further exploration for future investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ride-sourcing risks increasing GHG emissions by replacing public transit (PT) for some trips therefore, understanding the relation of ride-sourcing to PT in urban mobility is crucial. This study explores the competition between ride-sourcing and PT through the lens of big data analysis. This research uses 4.3 million ride-sourcing trip records collected from Chengdu, China over a month, dividing these into two categories, transit-competing (48.2%) and non-transit-competing (51.8%). Here, a ride-sourcing trip is labelled transit-competing if and only if it occurs during the day and there is a PT alternative such that the walking distance associated with it is less than 800 m for access and egress alike. We construct a glass-box model to characterise the two ride-sourcing trip categories based on trip attributes and the built environment from the enriched trip data. This study provides a good overview of not only the main factors affecting the relationship between ride-sourcing and PT, but also the interactions between those factors. The built environment, as characterised by points of interest (POIs) and transit-stop density, is the most important aspect followed by travel time, number of transfers, weather, and a series of interactions between them. Competition is more likely to arise if: (1) the travel time by ride-sourcing <15 min or the travel time by PT is disproportionately longer than ride-sourcing; (2) the PT alternative requires multiple transfers, especially for the trips happening within the transition area between the central city and the outskirts; (3) the weather is good; (4) land use is high-density and high-diversity; (5) transit access is good, especially for the areas featuring a large number of business and much real estate. Based on the main findings, we discuss a few recommendations for transport planning and policymaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• WT1 regulates the expression of IL-1β in Hacat cells. • IL-1β is a direct target gene of WT1. • Expression of WT1 mRNA was positively correlated with expression of IL-1β mRNA in psoriatic skin lesions. • WT1 regulates IL-1β expression by affecting histone acetylation levels in the promoter region. Psoriasis is a common inflammatory skin disease. Infiltration of inflammatory cells and excessive proliferation of keratinocytes are the histopathological markers of psoriasis. The transcription factor Wilms Tumor 1 (WT1) is overexpressed in several tumor types, and plays an important part in the proliferation and apoptosis of cells. Studies have found that, compared with normal skin, WT1expression in the skin lesions of patients with psoriasis are increased significantly. Knockdown of WT1 inhibited the proliferation of a human epidermal keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT cells) and promoted their apoptosis, whereas WT1 overexpression exhibited the opposite effect. WT1 was overexpressed or inhibited in HaCaT cells by transfection with the WT1 plasmid or WT1 small interferring RNA (siRNA) using Lipofectamine 2000. Transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis revealed significant differences in IL-1β expression between the experimental group and control group. Real-time reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays showed that expression of IL-1β and WT1 were consistent. Subsequently, IL-1β was demonstrated to be a target of WT1 by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-sequencing and luciferase reporter assay. ChIP-qPCR showed that WT1 regulated IL-1β expression by altering acetylation. Expression of WT1 mRNA was positively correlated with expression of IL-1β mRNA in psoriatic skin lesions. Our study suggested that WT1 likely promotes psoriasis development by regulating its target gene IL-1β, which shows high expression in psoriatic lesions and is involved in psoriasis development. These findings provide a new target for psoriasis treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly aggressive gastric cancer (HAGC) is a gastric cancer characterized by bone marrow metastasis and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Information about the disease is limited. Here we employed single‐cell RNA sequencing to investigate peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), aiming to unravel the immune response of patients toward HAGC. PBMCs from seven HAGC patients, six normal advanced gastric cancer (NAGC) patients, and five healthy individuals were analysed by single‐cell RNA sequencing. The expression of genes of interest was validated by bulk RNA‐sequencing and ELISA. We found a massive expansion of neutrophils in PBMCs of HAGC. These neutrophils are activated, but immature. Besides, mononuclear phagocytes exhibited an M2‐like signature and T cells were suppressed and reduced in number. Analysis of cell‐cell crosstalk revealed that several signalling pathways involved in neutrophil to T‐cell suppression including APP‐CD74, MIF‐(CD74+CXCR2), and MIF‐(CD74+CD44) pathways were increased in HAGC. NETosis‐associated genes S100A8 and S100A9 as well as VEGF, PDGF, FGF, and NOTCH signalling that contribute to DIC development were upregulated in HAGC too. This study reveals significant changes in the distribution and interactions of the PBMC subsets and provides valuable insight into the immune response in patients with HAGC. S100A8 and S100A9 are highly expressed in HAGC neutrophils, suggesting their potential to be used as novel diagnostic and therapeutic targets for HAGC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

User-generated content based on customer opinions and experience has become a rich source of valuable information for enterprises. The purpose of aspect-based sentiment analysis is to predict the sentiment polarity of specific targets from user-generated content. This study proposes a component focusing multi-head co-attention network model which contains three modules: extended context, component focusing, and multi-headed co-attention, designed to improve upon problems encountered in the past. The extended context module improves the ability of bidirectional encoder representations from transformers to handle aspect-based sentiment analysis tasks, and the component focusing module improves the weighting of adjectives and adverbs, to alleviate the problem of average pooling, which treats every word as an equally important term. The multi-head co-attention network is applied to learn the important words in a multi-word target before acquiring the context representation and performs the attention mechanism on the sequence data. The performance of the proposed model is evaluated in extensive experiments on publicly available datasets. The results show that the performance of the proposed model is better than that of the recent state-of-the-art models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a gasotransmitter, carbon monoxide can induce tumor cell apoptosis by reversing the Warburg effect. Carbon monoxide-releasing molecules (CORMs) are a promising option for CO administration, but how to deliver the threshold concentration of CO into the tumor tissue remains a challenge. A series of novel targeted CORMs combining glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) derivative conjugates with a lipophilic mitochondriotropic triphenylphosphonium cation (TPP+) moiety were synthesized and evaluated for their antitumor activities. Among the complexes, complex 2 possessed excellent antitumor activities in HepG2 cells with IC50 values of 12.18 ± 4.66 μM compared with 5-FU. It caused the production of reactive oxygen species and reduced the mitochondrial membrane potential against HepG2 cells. Western blot analysis showed that complex 2 up-regulated the expression of the Bax protein and down-regulated the expression of Bcl-2, activated caspase-3, and HO-1. The docking study demonstrated that complex 2 can interact with the Bcl-2 protein through hydrophobic interaction and hydrogen bonds. The aforementioned results indicated that complex 2 triggered cell apoptosis through a mitochondrial pathway. These results suggest that the complexes may be promising anticancer agent candidates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The northeastern Sichuan area in the northern Yangtze margin has unique Ediacaran geological records, especially the Doushantuo Formation (DST), and become a hot research area in recent years. However, the Cryogenian-Ediacaran (C-E) boundary has not been precisely identified, which restricts the in-depth study of geological information during this crucial transitional period and is unfavorable for a systematic and complete understanding of the Yangtze Block and even the global paleogeographic pattern. This study conducted stratigraphy, sedimentology, and chronostratigraphy to establish the stratigraphic framework and sedimentary evolution of the C-E transition strata in northeastern Sichuan. The results showed that the Ediacaran sediments, without the cap dolomite, unconformably overlaid the Cryogenian sediments in the studied area. The Member II of the DST, characterized by 50e160 m of red-green sandstone (approximately equivalent to the original Chengkou "Guanyinya Formation"), directly overlaid the Cryogenian sediments and displayed a 623 ± 2.3 Ma maximum depositional age from the detrital zircon UePb dating. Regional stratigraphic correlations indicate that the C-E transition strata in northeastern Sichuan had a consistent lithological association and sedimentary sequence characteristics but differed from the Three Gorges. Typically, the upper Nantuo massive glacial diamictites transition to the icebergs rafted lonestone-bearing mudstones at the top, then change upward to DST barrier coast sandstones. The proposed DST of the northeastern Sichuan Basin was divided into three lithostratigraphic members without the regional Member I cap dolomite: (i) Member II purple-red, gray-green sandstone strata, (ii) Member III black mudstone strata, and (iii) Member IV P-Mn bearing strata. During the C-E transition, the study area experienced (i) the global deglaciation stage in the terminal Marinoan glaciation and (ii) the filling-leveling up stage with clastic rocks in the early Ediacaran. Overall, the early Ediacaran of northeastern Sichuan succeeded the paleogeographic features of the late Cryogenian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dual-phenotype hepatocellular carcinoma (DPHCC) is a new subtype of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the computerized tomography scan (CT) imaging and clinicopathologic features of DPHCC. The CT imaging and clinicopathologic data of 97 HCC cases who underwent radical resection were collected retrospectively. The CT imaging feature was evaluated by the ratio of the average CT value of tumor to liver (TLR) in the plain scan, arterial, portal vein and delayed phases. The association between CT imaging and clinicopathologic features was analyzed using the t-test or chi-square test. Univariate and multivariate recurrence-free survival (RFS) analysis and overall survival (OS) were performed. The positive rates of cytokeratin 7 (CK7) and CK19 were 35.1% and 20.6% respectively. The positive rate of CK19 was significantly higher in cases with age < 47 years (P = 0.005), tumor diameter > 4 cm (P = 0.016) or AFP ≥ 400 ng/ml (P = 0.007). The TLR in the portal vein phase was significantly lower in CK19 positive group (P = 0.024). The recurrence risk was significantly higher in cases with CK19 positive (HR: 2.17, 95% CI 1.16 to 4.04, P = 0.013), tumor diameter > 4 cm (HR: 2.05, 95% CI 1.11 to 3.78, P = 0.019), AFP ≥ 400 ng/ml (HR: 2.50, 95% CI 1.37 to 4.54, P = 0.002) or CA199 ≥ 37 U/ml (HR: 2.23, 95% CI 1.12 to 4.42, P = 0.020). However, imaging features, pathological subtype, CK7 or CK19 expression were not significantly related to HCC OS in the univariate and multivariate analysis (all P > 0.05). The expression of CK19 may be associated with the enhancement feature of the portal vein phase CT image, and CK19 positive may suggest a worse RFS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor heterogeneity and its drivers impair tumor progression and cancer therapy. Single‐cell RNA sequencing is used to investigate the heterogeneity of tumor ecosystems. However, most methods of scRNA‐seq amplify the termini of polyadenylated transcripts, making it challenging to perform total RNA analysis and somatic mutation analysis.Therefore, a high‐throughput and high‐sensitivity method called snHH‐seq is developed, which combines random primers and a preindex strategy in the droplet microfluidic platform. This innovative method allows for the detection of total RNA in single nuclei from clinically frozen samples. A robust pipeline to facilitate the analysis of full‐length RNA‐seq data is also established. snHH‐seq is applied to more than 730 000 single nuclei from 32 patients with various tumor types. The pan‐cancer study enables it to comprehensively profile data on the tumor transcriptome, including expression levels, mutations, splicing patterns, clone dynamics, etc. New malignant cell subclusters and exploring their specific function across cancers are identified. Furthermore, the malignant status of epithelial cells is investigated among different cancer types with respect to mutation and splicing patterns. The ability to detect full‐length RNA at the single‐nucleus level provides a powerful tool for studying complex biological systems and has broad implications for understanding tumor pathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) is one of the common complication of pregnancy, bringing heavy burden to the patients and their families. The study aimed to explore the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network associated with recurrent spontaneous abortion. Methods: By transcriptome sequencing, we detected differences in lncRNA, miRNA and mRNA expression in villus tissue samples collected from 3 patients with RSA and 3 normal abortion patients. Differentially expressed lncRNAs, miRNAs and genes (DELs, DEMs and DEGs, respectively) were identified, and Geno Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were used to determine the functions of DELs and DEGs, which were analysed by Fisher's test. We also observed the regulatory relationships between miRNA-mRNA and lncRNA-miRNA by Cytoscape 3.6.1. Results: The results showed that 1008 DELs (523 upregulated and 485 downregulated), 475 DEGs (201 upregulated and 274 downregulated) and 37 DEMs (15 upregulated and 22 downregulated) were identified. And we also constructed a novel lncRNA-related ceRNA network containing 31 lncRNAs, 1 miRNA (hsa-miR-210-5p) and 3 genes (NTNG2, GRIA1 and AQP1). Conclusions: lncRNA-related ceRNA network containing 31 lncRNAs, 1 miRNA (hsa-miR-210-5p) and 3 mRNAs (NTNG2, GRIA1 and AQP1) was constructed. The results may provide a basic theory for elucidating the mechanism underlying RSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Kimura disease (KD) is a rare chronic inflammatory disorder involving the Th2 pathway. Although medical treatment with steroids or other immunosuppressants is available, they may cause developmental issues in the pediatric population. Surgical intervention has also been suggested; however, it is associated with high recurrence rates. Case Presentation: A 14‐year‐old boy presented with left retroauricular lymph node enlargement at the age of 5 years. At the age of 7 years, he was diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome which subsided after steroid treatment for approximately 6 years. The retroauricular lymph node was surgically excised, and KD was confirmed. However, recurrent enlargement of the left retroauricular and neck lymph nodes occurred after 2 years. Persistently high IgE levels and fluctuating eosinophil counts were observed following steroid treatment. Dupilumab was prescribed because of the difficulty in tapering the steroid dosage. A loading dose of 600 mg was administered, followed by a maintenance dose of 300 mg every 2 weeks. The IgE level decreased after 3 months, and a low eosinophil count was maintained after steroid discontinuation. Follow‐up computed tomography revealed a decrease in the size of the lymph nodes with no side effects such as conjunctivitis. Conclusion: Traditional treatments have raised developmental concerns in the pediatric population and are associated with high recurrence rates. Dupilumab targets the Th2 pathway and provides effective results, with few adverse effects. Dupilumab may be a therapeutic option for KD and other diseases involving the Th2 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: 'Chujv', 'Fubai jv', 'Hangbai jv', 'Jinsi huangjv', and 'Nannong jinjv' are the five most popular tea chrysanthemum cultivars in China. Sustained monoculture often leads to plant growth inhibition and quality deterioration, causing significant economic losses to farmers. Endophytic microbes play pivotal roles in plant growth, development, and diversification. However, the effects of endophytes in various tea chrysanthemum cultivars under field conditions remain unknown. In the present study, the community composition and diversity of endophytic bacteria and fungi in five commercially popular tea chrysanthemums were characterized using high-throughput sequencing and culture-dependent methods. The endophytic microbiomes significantly differed across tea chrysanthemum cultivars and organs (stems and leaves). Importantly, it was indicated by the field study that 4 of 42 isolated endophytes could significantly promote tea chrysanthemum yield. These findings offer novel insights into the endophytic microbiomes of tea chrysanthemums and their potential applications in sustainable cultivation. The endophytic microbiomes significantly differed across tea chrysanthemum cultivars and organs (stems and leaves). The most abundant endophytic bacterial genera were Pseudomonas, Masillia, and Enterobacter in the leaves and Sphingomonas and Curtobacterium in the stems of the five cultivars. Meanwhile, the most abundant endophytic fungal genera in the leaves and stems of the five tea chrysanthemums were Alternaria, Cladosporium, and Sporobolomyces. Specifically, Rhodotorula was dominant in the leaves of 'Jinsi huangjv' and Paraphoma was dominant in the stems of 'Jinsi huangjv'. In all cultivars, the diversity and richness of endophytic bacteria were higher in leaves than in stems (p < 0.05). The highest diversity and richness of endophytic bacteria were recorded in 'Chujv', followed by 'Jinsi huangjv', 'Fubai jv', 'Nannong jinjv', and 'Hangbai jv'. Meanwhile, endophytic fungi were less pronounced. Twenty-seven and 15 cultivable endophytic bacteria and fungi were isolated, four isolated endophytic bacteria, namely, CJY1 (Bacillus oryzaecorticis), CY2 (Pseudomonas psychrotolerans), JSJ7, and JSJ17 (Enterobacter cloacae) showed higher indole acetic acid production ability. Further field studies indicated that inoculation of these four endophytic bacteria not only promoted plant growth and yield but also increased total flavonoids, chlorogenic acid, luteolin, and 3,5-dicoffeylquinic acid levels in the dry flowers of tea chrysanthemums. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To examine the mediating effect of sleep quality on the relationship between lower urinary tract symptoms and health‐related quality of life in women with type‐II diabetes. Design: A cross‐sectional study. Methods: A study questionnaire comprising three valid instruments was used to obtain data about lower urinary tract symptoms, sleep quality and physical and mental component summary health‐related quality of life between July 2017 and December 2018 (n = 343). Pearson's correlation coefficients were estimated initially to examine the relationships between the three variables. Multiple regression models were tested using a regression‐based approach Hayes PROCESS macro for SPSS to examine the significance of proposed mediation effects. Results: Most participants experienced at least one urinary symptom (n = 268, 78.1%). The total number of types of lower urinary tract symptoms experienced by participants was significantly inversely correlated with physical and mental component summary health‐related quality of life, and sleep quality. Participants' sleep quality was significantly correlated with physical and mental component summary health‐related quality of life. The relationships of lower urinary tract symptoms with physical and mental component summary health‐related quality of life were, respectively, fully and partially mediated by sleep quality. Conclusion: Sleep quality played a mediating role on the relationship between lower urinary tract symptoms and health‐related quality of life. Our findings could lead to improvements of diabetes care in nursing and healthcare practices. Impact Understanding the role of sleep quality in the adverse effects of lower urinary tract symptoms on health‐related quality of life contributes to the development and delivery of appropriate strategies to promote optimal health‐related quality of life. We recommended including assessments of lower urinary tract symptoms, sleep and health‐related quality of life in routine diabetes management. Nurses and healthcare professionals should concurrently reduce lower urinary tract symptoms and improve sleep to achieve this population's optimal health‐related quality of life. Patients or public contribution: We recruited a sample of older women with type‐II diabetes at the endocrinology and metabolism outpatient departments of two hospitals. Study participants provided responses on the study questionnaires. The two hospitals provided needed supports (e.g., height/weight scales, suitable places for interview) during the data collection process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]