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Immune checkpoint inhibitors provide a definite survival benefit for patients with driver‐negative advanced non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but predictors of efficacy are still lacking. There may be a relationship between immune inflammatory state and tumor immune response. We explored the relationship of serum neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) with infiltrating cells in the tumor tissues of patients with NSCLC as well as their relationship with the therapeutic efficacy of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD‐1) inhibitors. Serum myeloperoxidase (MPO)‐double‐stranded DNA (dsDNA) was detected as a marker of NET serum concentration. T cells were detected by immunohistochemical staining, and neutrophils were counted by MPO immunofluorescence staining. Of the 31 patients with NSCLC, a longer progression‐free survival after PD‐1 inhibitor treatment was associated with higher levels of CD3+ T cells, a lower neutrophil : CD3+‐T‐cell ratio (NEU/CD3+) and lower neutrophil : CD8+‐T‐cell ratio (NEU/CD8+) in tumor tissues. Patients with higher serum NETs were more likely to develop progressive disease after treatment (P = 0.003) and to have immune‐related adverse events (IrAEs) as well as higher NEU/CD3+ and NEU/CD8+. The combined model of serum NETs, CD8+ T cells, and tumor proportion score (TPS) significantly improved the prediction of PD‐1 inhibitor efficacy [P = 0.033; area under the curve (AUC) = 0.881]. Our results indicate that serum NETs are effective predictors of PD‐1 inhibitor response and reflect the tissue neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio and IrAE levels. The combined model of serum NETs, CD8+ T cells, and TPS is a powerful tool for predicting the efficacy of PD‐1 inhibitor treatment in patients with NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document provides brief biographical information about three individuals involved in the field of mathematics and systems science. The first individual is a professor at the ISS Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science, CAS, with research interests in system modeling, adaptive control, stochastic systems, and multi-agent systems. The second individual is a professor at Beijing Institute of Technology, specializing in adaptive control, quantized control, multi-agent systems control, and their applications to aircraft control systems. The third individual is a Ph.D. student at the Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science, with research interests in quantized control, adaptive control, and sparse identification. [Extracted from the article]

Pulmonary invasive fungal infection in immunocompromised hosts is difficult to diagnose, and current tools for diagnosis or monitoring of response to antifungal treatments have inherent limitations. Droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) has emerged as a promising tool for pulmonary pathogen detection with high sensitivity. This study presents a novel ddPCR panel for rapid and sensitive identification of pulmonary fungal pathogens. First, a ddPCR method for detecting three fungal genera, including Pneumocystis, Aspergillus, and Cryptococcus, was established and evaluated. Then, the clinical validation performance of ddPCR was compared with that of qPCR using 170 specimens, and the 6 specimens with inconsistent results were further verified by metagenomics next-generation sequencing, which yielded results consistent with the ddPCR findings. Finally, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the efficiency of ddPCR. While the qPCR identified 16 (9.41%) cases of Aspergillus and 6 (3.53%) cases of Pneumocystis, ddPCR detected 20 (11.76%) Aspergillus cases and 8 (4.71%) Pneumocystis cases. The AUC for Aspergillus, Cryptococcus, and Pneumocystis was 0.974, 0.998, and 0.975, respectively. These findings demonstrated that the ddPCR assay is a highly sensitive method for identifying pathogens responsible for invasive fungal pulmonary infections, and is a promising tool for early diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fatty acyl‐CoA reductase (FAR) is one of the key enzymes, which catalyses the conversion of fatty acyl‐CoA to the corresponding alcohols. Among the FAR family members in the brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens), NlFAR7 plays a pivotal role in both the synthesis of cuticular hydrocarbons and the waterproofing of the cuticle. However, the precise mechanism by which NlFAR7 influences the formation of the cuticle structure in N. lugens remains unclear. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate the impact of NlFAR7 through RNA interference, transmission electron microscope, focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB‐SEM) and lipidomics analysis. FIB‐SEM is employed to reconstruct the three‐dimensional (3D) architecture of the pore canals and related cuticle structures in N. lugens subjected to dsNlFAR7 and dsGFP treatments, enabling a comprehensive assessment of changes in the cuticle structures. The results reveal a reduction in the thickness of the cuticle and disruptions in the spiral structure of pore canals, accompanied by widened base and middle diameters. Furthermore, the lipidomics comparison analysis between dsNlFAR7‐ and dsGFP‐treated N. lugens demonstrated that there were 25 metabolites involved in cuticular lipid layer synthesis, including 7 triacylglycerols (TGs), 5 phosphatidylcholines (PCs), 3 phosphatidylethanolamines (PEs) and 2 diacylglycerols (DGs) decreased, and 4 triacylglycerols (TGs) and 4 PEs increased. In conclusion, silencing NlFAR7 disrupts the synthesis of overall lipids and destroys the cuticular pore canals and related structures, thereby disrupting the secretion of cuticular lipids, thus affecting the cuticular waterproofing of N. lugens. These findings give significant attention with reference to further biochemical researches on the substrate specificity of FAR protein, and the molecular regulation mechanisms during N. lugens life cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The objective of this multicenter study was to compare the diagnostic performance of lateral flow assay (LFA) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect the Dynamiker Aspergillus Galactomannan levels in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples for I. Methods: We registered 310 clinically suspected Aspergillus infection patients from December 2021 to February 2023 and classified them into subgroups as the "IA group" and "non-IA group" based on the latest EORTC/MSG guidelines. The immunoassays were analyzed by LFA and ELISA respectively. Results: Galactomannan was examined using LFA, and serum and BALF samples demonstrated sensitivities of 82.57% and 89.47%, specificities of 90.76% and 92.00%, PPVs of 89.11% and 96.23%, and NPVs of 85.04% and 79.31%, respectively. Galactomannan was observed using two assays in serum and BALF samples and showed PPAs of 95.11% and 93.33%, NPAs of 89.19% and 96.30%, and TPAs of 92.47% and 94.25%, respectively. The ROC curve demonstrated that LFA had optimum diagnostic value when the index value (I value) = 0.5, the sensitivity was 84.94%, and the specificity was 90.97%. Conclusion: Compared to the ELISA method, the LFA has shown excellent performance for the diagnosis of IA in serum and BALF sample and can be used as an assay for the early diagnosis of patients with IA. The dynamic change in galactomannan levels may be useful for assessing treatment response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fiber-reinforced recycled aggregate concrete (FRRAC) is renowned for its excellent mechanical properties and environmental benefits, making it a popular choice in construction engineering. However, the impact damage mechanisms of FRRAC remain unclear. This study leverages advanced in-situ 4D CT technology to investigate the fiber-reinforcing mechanisms of High-Toughness Recycled Aggregate Concrete (HTRAC) using construction waste as a sustainable building material. Under high strain-rate conditions, the dynamic mechanical behaviors of both plain recycled aggregate concrete (PRAC) and HTRAC were examined using the Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) method. The experiments revealed significant strain rate sensitivities in both materials, with HTRAC showing superior fiber reinforcement that markedly enhances its toughness. Quantitative models for dynamic increasing factors of key mechanical parameters, including peak stress, peak strain, initial elastic modulus, ultimate strain, and toughness index, were developed. These findings offer critical design insights for using HTRAC in impact load conditions and other extreme environments, promoting its wider adoption in the construction industry. [Display omitted] • Explored HTRAC's microstructure and reinforcing mechanism via In-Situ 4D CT tests. • Proposed models assessing HTRAC's strength and strain under high strain rates. • Suggested a dynamic toughness index model for HTRAC under different strain rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel performance-enhancement strategy for SLGHP geothermal system is proposed. • It relies on arousing inter-layer groundwater crossflow in reservoirs of multi-aquifers. • A numerical model is developed to describe and study the enhanced SLGHP system. • Effects of related parameters are comprehensively studied. The super-long gravity heat pipe (SLGHP) is a novel down-hole heat exchanger (DHE), which is in fast-developing and extremely suitable for deep-earth geothermal energy exploitation. The SLGHP itself has very high heat transfer coefficient, making the poor heat transfer capability of the surrounding geothermal formulations become the bottleneck constraining the overall performance of the SLGHP geothermal system. Inspired by the enhancing effect of the flowing groundwater in the aquifers on the thermal performance of the traditional DHE system, the present work proposes a heat transfer enhancement strategy based on arousing inter-layer crossflow in wellbore-connected multi-aquifers for the SLGHP geothermal system. A detailed numerical study is conducted to examine the effects of key parameters like the permeability and thickness of aquifers, the distance and pressure difference between aquifers. It is found that: i) a larger aquifer permeability leads to larger heat extraction rate of the SLGHP, but the heat extraction rate increment decreases due to the marginal effect when the aquifer permeability is larger than 10−12 m2; ii) a larger pressure difference improves the heat extraction of the SLGHP, the groundwater flow pattern from the deep to the shallow aquifers rather than the reversed pattern is found to be more beneficial due to the geothermal gradient; iii) the distance between aquifers shows a composite impact on the heat extraction performance of the SLGHP. A larger distance not only enlarges the heat transfer area between the SLGHP and the groundwater, but also creates an impeding effect on the heat uptake of SLGHP from the geothermal formation owing to the presentence of temperature-lowered groundwater in the flow path ending-part in the wellbore. In addition, the aquifer's thickness is found to have great impacts on the SLGHP heat extraction rate, and the "cask" effect may be encountered when the thickness difference between the connected aquifers is considerably large. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recycled solvent-based green synthesis strategy for 2D/3D zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) has been developed to produce functional nanoporous carbons (NPCs) with tuneable morphology, graphitization, N-doping and high porosity via direct pyrolysis. These tailored NPCs show superior supercapacitance performance over typical NPC derived from MOFs and chemical activation/template-directed methods. [Display omitted] • Two important aspects of green synthesis and improved supercapacitance are reported. • A green synthesis route for ZIF-8 via recycling mother liquors (RMLs) is developed. • Rod-/sheet-/polyhedral-like 2D/3D microstructures are produced with RMLs. • 2D/3D NPCs deliver excellent capacitance values and device-level performance. Carbonized metal–organic frameworks (MOFs)-based nanoporous carbon materials (NPCs) offer attractive activities in electrochemical energy conversion and storage (EECS) applications; however, there is the need for scalable MOFs production under reduced energy/environmental impact. This study reports a green synthesis route for model zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-8) materials via recycling methanol-based mother liquors (ZIF-RML x) under room temperature stirring and their carbonized materials (CZC-RML x) for high-performance supercapacitors. Series of ZIF-RML x samples produced in four recycles offer rod-/sheet-/polyhedral-like 2D/3D microstructures with tuneable internal and external framework and morphological features. Accordingly, CZC-RML x , obtained by direct pyrolysis, with high microporosity and surface area of 1500 m2 g−1 deliver excellent capacitance values of 200–340 F g−1, compared to typical MOFs-derived or chemically activated/templated NPCs, produced via extended chemical processing. Structure-relevant and comparative performance analysis reveal insights for improved charge storage and carbonization-dependent graphitization, nitrogen-doping and microporosity-controlled capacitance characteristics in the CZC-RML x over typical NPCs in literature. The device-level performance with a long-term durability over 21,000 cycles is demonstrated. The practical potential of CZC-RML x is further evaluated by fabricating solid-state cells and their parallel and series circuit combinations result in overall capacitance and voltage boost to 450 F g−1 and 2.4 V, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SiC/multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composites are considered to be promising materials for high-temperature electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption due to their strong thermal stability and tunable dielectric properties. However, the EMW absorption performance of these composites is limited by poor impedance matching. This study proposes a novel multiscale structure synergistic regulation approach to enhance EMW absorption performance, which involves constructing a heterointerface structure and a triple periodic minimal surface (TPMS) meta-structure. The addition of a SiO 2 shell as an impedance layer to the SiC/MWCNT core to improve the intrinsic impedance. Meanwhile, the heterointerface between the core-shell structure leads to multiple interface polarization, significantly enhancing EMW energy dissipation. Consequently, the effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of SiO 2 –SiC/MWCNT composites increased from 0.88 to 4.56 GHz. Furthermore, a TPMS meta-structure, fabricated by three-dimensional (3D) printing and sol infiltration technology, is developed to further improve impedance matching with the equivalent electromagnetic effect. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate that the SiO 2 –SiC/MWCNT TPMS meta-structure exhibits broadband EMW absorption performance, with the EAB reaching 7.2 GHz. This improvement is attributed to the synergistic regulation of the heterointerface structure and TPMS meta-structure, which provides a good balance between the requirements of electromagnetic loss and impedance matching. Additionally, the composites exhibit excellent oxidation resistance, as their EAB remains almost unchanged after exposure to 1000 °C for 6 h. This research offers a new design paradigm for ultrabroadband design of the nonmagnetic high-temperature absorbing materials. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the influence of elevated temperatures on concrete's pore structure and moisture transfer mechanisms. Concrete samples exposed to temperatures of 200℃, 400℃, 600℃, and 800℃ were subjected to capillary water absorption (CWA) tests, and their properties were analyzed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) techniques employing different sequences (CPMG and SE-SPI). The results reveal after high temperature four distinct categories of pores within the concrete: micropores, mesopores, capillary pores, and macropores. Mesopores are in the highest abundance, followed by capillary pores, macropores, and micropores. As temperature increases, hydration reactions lead to an upsurge in micropores and a decline in the proportion of other pores. With further temperature escalation, the cement slurry's volume alteration causes pore expansion, resulting in a rise in capillary pores and macropores and a decrease in micropores. Furthermore, NMR technology, employing CPMG sequences, identifies three stages in the concrete's CWA process: rapid moisture transfer, moisture transfer rate descent, and moisture transition stage. SE-SPI sequence-based NMR results show that, following high-temperature exposure, moisture transfer within concrete progresses as follows: initially, water rapidly permeates mesopores and capillary pores from the exterior. As CWA time increases, these pores tend to saturate, and water gradually infiltrates micropores and macropores. High temperatures significantly impact the CWA process, enlarging pore sizes and altering the type of pore filling during capillary water absorption in concrete. • The transfer mechanism of water in concrete pores was analyzed in two and three dimensions based on different sequences of NMR technique tests such as Carr-Purcell-Mebum-Gill (CPMG) and Spin Echo Single Point Imaging (SE-SPI). • Based on NMR and SEM techniques to explore the types and percentage of concrete pores after high temperature. • After high temperatures, the distribution of pores in concrete was in the order of mesopores > capillary pores > macropores > micropores in terms of quantity. • There are three different stages in the process of water absorption in concrete: rapid moisture transfer, moisture transfer rate descent, and moisture transition stage. • After high temperature, water initially penetrates into the mesopores and capillary pores and then saturates and enters the micropores and macropores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrocardiogram (ECG) outcomes serve as early manifestations of cardiovascular functional or structural changes. While temperature fluctuation has been demonstrated to be a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, few epidemiological studies have reported its relationship with ECG outcomes. In this study, we employed temperature anomaly (TA) as an innovative indicator of temperature fluctuation to quantify its detrimental impacts on ECG outcomes. A longitudinal study design was conducted using the repeated ECG records of the China National Stroke Screening Survey from 2013 to 2019. Only individuals undergoing at least two ECG tests were included. The daily temperature was assimilated by combining three kinds of data: in situ observations, satellite remote sensing measurements and weather research forecast simulations. We used generalized estimating equations to control for autocorrelation among repeated records and to estimate the association between TA and the risk of ECG abnormalities. We found 6837 events of ECG abnormalities in 47,286 individuals with 102,030 visits. Each unit increment of TA increased the risk of ECG abnormalities [odds ratio (OR) = 1.009, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.001–1.017] and the risk of myocardial ischemia (OR = 1.061, 95% CI: 1.012–1.111). Hierarchic analyses presented a similar association of TA with both ECG abnormalities (OR = 1.017, 95% CI: 1.008–1.026) and myocardial ischemia (OR = 1.061, 95%CI: 1.011–1.114) in Northern China, but not in Southern China. The exposure-response relationship was estimated as a U-shaped curve centered at the TA value of zero. Sudden warming tended to increase the risk of ECG abnormalities and myocardial ischemia, and sudden cooling tended to increase the risk of atrial fibrillation. All these detrimental effects of TA could be modified by specific individual characteristics. In summary, ambient temperature fluctuation increased the risk of ECG abnormalities. This result indicated that regular ECG tests could be an early-warning measure for monitoring the adverse health effects of temperature fluctuations. • Temperature anomaly (TA) is an innovative index reflecting temperature fluctuations. • Each unit increment of TA increases the risk of ECG abnormalities. • The exposure-response curve is U-shaped which centered at the TA value of zero. • ECG tests can be used to monitor the health effects of temperature fluctuations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of high-speed rotating matter is a crucial research topic in physics due to the emergence of novel phenomena. In this letter, we combined cranking covariant density functional theory (CDFT) with a similarity renormalization group approach to decompose the Hamiltonian from the cranking CDFT into different Hermite components, including the non-relativistic term, the dynamical term, the spin-orbit coupling, and the Darwin term. Especially, we obtained the rotational term, the term relating to Zeeman-like effect, and the spin-rotation coupling due to consideration of rotation and spatial component of vector potential. By exploring these operators, we aim to identify novel phenomena that may occur in rotating nuclei. Signature splitting, Zeeman-like effect, and spin-rotation coupling are among the potential novelties that may arise in rotating nuclei. Additionally, we investigated the observability of these phenomena and their dependence on various factors such as nuclear deformation, rotational angular velocity, and magnetic field-like strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The risk dynamic evolution process of transportation hazardous chemicals on sea-crossing bridges is analyzed. • A novel method for risk analysis with a dynamic Bayesian network model incorporating vehicle dynamics is proposed. • Proposed method realizes short-term risk prediction and reveals the magnitude of the influence exerted by strong winds on transportation risks. • The risk assessment results and mitigation measures were obtained through a case. This study aims to analyze the risk of transporting hazardous chemicals on sea-crossing bridges using a dynamic Bayesian network (DBN) model that incorporates vehicle dynamics. Firstly, the cause-consequence relationship analysis is constructed using the bow-tie (BT) model, which is then translated into a Bayesian network (BN) by mapping algorithms. Based on the dynamic model, the occurrence probabilities of rollover and sideslip under different wind speeds are calculated as conditional probabilities. Secondly, a DBN model that satisfies the Markov assumption and time invariance is established to realize short-term risk prediction. Finally, the proposed model is applied to a sea-crossing bridge in Zhejiang, and other node parameters are obtained by combining the monitoring data of the vehicle-bridge transportation system (VBTS) monitoring platform and expert experience. The results indicate that vehicle failure has the highest impact on VBTS, and unsafe driver behavior and road alignment are the most vulnerable root causes, which should receive more attention. Additionally, wind sensitivity to VBTS is significant and cannot be ignored. The proposed method can effectively address the risks and challenges posed by hazardous chemical transportation on sea-crossing bridges and provides valuable insights with practical application to enhance transportation safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Currently, automatic esophagus segmentation remains a challenging task due to its small size, low contrast, and large shape variation. We aimed to improve the performance of esophagus segmentation in deep learning by applying a strategy that involves locating the object first and then performing the segmentation task. Methods: A total of 100 cases with thoracic computed tomography scans from two publicly available datasets were used in this study. A modified CenterNet, an object location network, was employed to locate the center of the esophagus for each slice. Subsequently, the 3D U-net and 2D U-net_coarse models were trained to segment the esophagus based on the predicted object center. A 2D U-net_fine model was trained based on the updated object center according to the 3D U-net model. The dice similarity coefficient and the 95% Hausdorff distance were used as quantitative evaluation indexes for the delineation performance. The characteristics of the automatically delineated esophageal contours by the 2D U-net and 3D U-net models were summarized. Additionally, the impact of the accuracy of object localization on the delineation performance was analyzed. Finally, the delineation performance in different segments of the esophagus was also summarized. Results: The mean dice coefficient of the 3D U-net, 2D U-net_coarse, and 2D U-net_fine models were 0.77, 0.81, and 0.82, respectively. The 95% Hausdorff distance for the above models was 6.55, 3.57, and 3.76, respectively. Compared with the 2D U-net, the 3D U-net has a lower incidence of delineating wrong objects and a higher incidence of missing objects. After using the fine object center, the average dice coefficient was improved by 5.5% in the cases with a dice coefficient less than 0.75, while that value was only 0.3% in the cases with a dice coefficient greater than 0.75. The dice coefficients were lower for the esophagus between the orifice of the inferior and the pulmonary bifurcation compared with the other regions. Conclusion: The 3D U-net model tended to delineate fewer incorrect objects but also miss more objects. Two-stage strategy with accurate object location could enhance the robustness of the segmentation model and significantly improve the esophageal delineation performance, especially for cases with poor delineation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lane-changing control is a crucial task to regulate the traffic flow in the intelligent transportation system efficiently, and manipulating the lane-changing maneuvers for many vehicles optimally and simultaneously in a congested traffic environment is a challenge. This study formulates a lane-changing model where the traffic lanes are discretized into cells, considers both mandatory lane-changing and discretionary lane-changing maneuvers and proposes a novel approach based on a deep Q-network with a request–respond mechanism. The modeled lane-changing system is divided into isolated and symmetry groups, then independent Q-learning and the concept "central agent" are integrated to simplify the training process. In the proposed approach, these groups can be classified into two categories: request group and respond group. The request group and respond group are trained separately during the training process. Specifically, the request group trains agents with only considering the states of the group, while the respond group also evaluates the superimposing actions (i.e., the request message) from the request group besides the states of the group. The execution process is also treated the same decentralized way as the training process. Then, the baselines such as a rule-based method, a game theory-based decomposition algorithm and a simple deep Q-learning method are compared with the proposed approach. Results reveal that the proposed approach performs as well as the game theory-based decomposition algorithm and outperforms the other two in terms of lane-changing efficiency. However, the computational time of the proposed approach in the execution process is far less than the game theory-based decomposition algorithm, especially in a congested traffic environment. • A cellular lane-changing model is constructed mathematically. • A deep Q-learning method with the concept of "central agent" is implemented. • The "virtual agent" concept is introduced to train the group. • A novel deep Q-learning approach with a request and respond mechanism is proposed. • Baselines are compared and the proposed approach shows great potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five species of Unionicola Haldeman, 1842 (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Unionicolidae) were collected between 2018 and 2019. Notably, Unionicola (Armatax) armata Walter, 1929, previously unrecorded in China, is now documented for the first time in the country. Additionally, Unionicola newsumi Wiles, 1999 has been reclassified and assigned to the new subgenus Vespicola within the genus Unionicola Haldeman, 1842. These findings also led to the establishment of three new subgenera: Micronodusgen. nov., Vespicolagen. nov., and Lingshuiataxgen. nov. including four species: Unionicola soluplatussp. nov. U. jinisp. nov. U. caudipessp. nov. and U. armatallasp. nov. This marks the first description and documentation of these subgenera and species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shock drag and aeroheating are major problems faced by hypersonic vehicles. This study proposes a novel three-dimensional model combining spike-aerodisk with a bleed air channel featuring multiple lateral nozzles for drag and aeroheating reduction. The high-temperature and high-pressure air at the stagnation point of the aerodisk is introduced into the channel and ejected laterally through multiple nozzles to modify the flow field structure and reduce drag and aeroheating. In contrast to previous research employing a two-dimensional axisymmetric assumption, our innovation considers the structure of the exit nozzles and the spacing between nozzles. Due to multiple lateral nozzles, the connection thickness between nozzles can lead to asymmetric flow phenomena. Three-dimensional flow field simulation has been employed with the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations coupled with the shear stress transport (SST) k-ω turbulence model. The effects of the convergence half-angle of the channel inlet, the divergent angle of the nozzle, and the nozzle position on modifying the characteristics of the flow field are studied. Increasing the convergence half-angle of the channel inlet can further push away the reattachment shock, but when it exceeds 60°, the drag reduction performance degrades. Reducing the divergent angle of the nozzle and increasing the number of nozzles can reduce the drag coefficient and the peak value of the Stanton number. However, when the divergent angle is reduced to 10°, the performance of reducing drag and aeroheating is weakened. In the range of research parameters, when the convergence half-angle is 60°, the divergent angle is 15°, and the nozzles are located in the middle of the spike, compared with the plain spike-aerodisk model, the drag coefficient and peak Stanton number of the combined model are further reduced by 17.8 % and 34.8 %, respectively. Our findings confirm that a multi-nozzle can effectively reduce drag and aeroheating while the channel structure is viable in practice. • A new model of lateral jet without gas source is studied by 3-D numerical simulation. • The gas for the lateral jet is coupled with the outside flow. • A distribution form of multiple lateral nozzles is proposed. • A realistic 3-D simulation is conducted, enhancing its practical applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persistent organic pollutants pose a great threat to amphibian populations, but information on the bioaccumulation of contaminants in amphibians remains scarce. To examine the tissue distribution and maternal transfer of organic halogenated pollutants (OHPs) in frogs, seven types of tissues from black‐spotted frog (muscle, liver, kidney, stomach, intestine, heart, and egg) were collected from an e‐waste–polluted area in South China. Among the seven frog tissues, median total OHP concentrations of 2.3 to 9.7 μg/g lipid weight were found (in 31 polychlorinated biphenyl [PCB] individuals and 15 polybrominated diphenyl ether [PBDE], dechlorane plus [syn‐DP and anti‐DP], bexabromobenzene [HBB], polybrominated biphenyl] PBB153 and ‐209], and decabromodiphenyl ethane [DBDPE] individuals). Sex‐specific differences in contaminant concentration and compound compositions were observed among the frog tissues, and eggs had a significantly higher contaminant burden on the whole body of female frogs. In addition, a significant sex difference in the concentration ratios of other tissues to the liver was observed in most tissues except for muscle. These results suggest that egg production may involve the mobilization of other maternal tissues besides muscle, which resulted in the sex‐specific distribution. Different parental tissues had similar maternal transfer mechanisms; factors other than lipophilicity (e.g., molecular size and proteinophilic characteristics) could influence the maternal transfer of OHPs in frogs. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:1557–1568. © 2024 SETAC [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A brief introduction of Chinese Hygrobatidae taxonomy is reviewed. A new species, Sinibates xinyaoae Li, Smit & Guo sp. nov. from Hainan province is described representing a new genus Sinibates Li, Smit & Guo gen. nov. A second species, Hygrobates (Minibates) cf. dobriyali Pešić & Smit, 2019, from Hunan province represents a new subgenus, Minibates Li, Smit & Guo subgen. nov. in Hygrobates. The other new species, Mixobates neoamurensis Li & Guo sp. nov. from Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region adds a newly recorded genus, Mixobates Thor, 1905 from China.Text: LSIDhttps://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:3EF1A166-30A4-4761-A133-E00F40B68007Genus: Sinibates Li, Smit & Guo gen. nov.: LSID https://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:D4F94642-D47C-4200-B36B-C695A54166B4Species: Sinibates xinyaoae Li, Smit & Guo sp. nov.: LSID https://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:23C6986A-128D-4906-9027-926891B2C138Subgenus: Minibates Li, Smit & Guo subgen. nov.: LSID https://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:142B5C42-140C-4E6A-B38E-180F8C442B1BSpecies: Mixobates neoamurensis Li & Guo sp. nov.: LSID https://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:9B494E8C-81F7-4859-8DC3-88392DCDB67A [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In this work, soy protein isolates (SPIs) were subjected to microparticulation, turning soy protein ingredients into microparticles with improved thermal stability which could be used in high‐protein foods. The pH is a critical determinant in microparticulation. Our work is mainly to investigate the effect of pH on the formation and properties of protein microparticles. To clarify the effects of pH conditions on the properties of the resulting particles, microparticulation was performed at different pH conditions (7.0, 6.0 and 5.0). Aggregation behaviours described by the parameters calculated from the protein dispersion viscosity combined with the observation of the morphology change were used to analyse the particle formation process. For the microparticles prepared at pH 5.0, soy proteins were more inclined to aggregate into clusters on a micro‐scale which had a flexible conformation. After spray drying, This powder could be easily dispersed in water, creating a dispersion with a protein concentration of 10 wt%. At this concentration, the thermal gelation capacity of the proteins was observed to decrease. Conversely, the tendency of protein aggregation was largely restricted when soy protein microparticulation was carried out at pH 7.0. As these soy protein particles in nano‐scale were dispersed in water, a decrease rather than an increase was recorded in the viscosity of this dispersion after it was heated, suggesting that these particles had improved thermal stability. This work has demonstrated that implementing appropriate pH conditions during microparticulation can prepare soy protein particles with different sizes and rheological properties, which might meet the demands of various food processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary This article handles the probability‐guaranteed state estimation problem for a class of nonlinear memristive neural networks (MNNs) by using an event‐triggered mechanism. Both time‐varying delays and incomplete measurements are considered in the MNNs dynamics. To mitigate the impact of limited communication bandwidth, a communication protocol is proposed that incorporates an encoding–decoding technique in addition to an event‐triggered scheme. The aim is to devise a state estimator that can estimate the states of MNNs, ensuring that the state estimation error falls within the required ellipsoidal area with a desired chance. We obtain sufficient conditions for the feasibility of the addressed problem, where the requested gains can be found iteratively by solving certain convex optimization problems. On the basis of the proposed framework, some issues are further presented to determine locally optimal estimator parameters according to different specifications. Finally, we utilize an illustrative numerical example to show the validity of our provided theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soluble starch synthases (SSs) play important roles in the synthesis of cassava starch. However, the expression characteristics of the cassava SSs genes have not been elucidated. In this study, the MeSSIII-1 gene and its promoter, from SC8 cassava cultivars, were respectively isolated by PCR amplification. MeSSIII-1 protein was localized to the chloroplasts. qRT-PCR analysis revealed that the MeSSIII-1 gene was expressed in almost all tissues tested, and the expression in mature leaves was 18.9 times more than that in tuber roots. MeSSIII-1 expression was induced by methyljasmonate (MeJA), abscisic acid (ABA), and ethylene (ET) hormones in cassava. MeSSIII-1 expression patterns were further confirmed in proMeSSIII-1 transgenic cassava. The promoter deletion analysis showed that the −264 bp to −1 bp MeSSIII-1 promoter has basal activity. The range from −1228 bp to −987 bp and −488 bp to −264 bp significantly enhance promoter activity. The regions from −987 bp to −747 bp and −747 bp to −488 bp have repressive activity. These findings will provide an important reference for research on the potential function and transcriptional regulation mechanisms of the MeSSIII-1 gene and for further in-depth exploration of the regulatory network of its internal functional elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuum robot has become a research hotspot due to its excellent dexterity, flexibility and applicability to constrained environments. However, the effective, secure and accurate path planning for the continuum robot remains a challenging issue, for that it is difficult to choose a suitable inverse kinematics solution due to its redundancy in the confined environment. This paper presents a collision-free path planning method based on the improved artificial potential field (APF) for the cable-driven continuum robot, in which the beetle antennae search algorithm is adopted to deal with the optimal problem of APF without the necessary for velocity kinematics. In addition, the local optimum problem of traditional APF is solved by the randomness of the antennae's direction vector which can make the algorithm easily jump out of local minima. The simulation and experimental results verify the efficiency of the proposed path planning method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of genus Pseudoscirus Wurlitzer & Rocha, 2021, P. menglaensis Chen & Jin sp. nov. is described, which represents a newly recorded genus Pseudoscirus to China. And a key to species (adult females) of Pseudoscirus is given in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Alteplase is the current standard of care for acute ischemic stroke. Tenecteplase is a newer fibrinolytic agent with preferable administration and lower costs; however, its comparative effectiveness to alteplase remains uncertain. We set out to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to establish the benefits and harms of tenecteplase versus alteplase for acute ischemic stroke. Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and ClinicalTrials.gov from inception to April 2023 for randomized and non-randomized studies that compared tenecteplase versus alteplase for acute ischemic stroke. Paired reviewers independently assessed risk of bias and extracted data. We performed both conventional meta-analyses and Bayesian network meta-analyses (NMA) with random-effects models and used the GRADE approach to evaluate the certainty of evidence. Our primary efficacy outcome was excellent functional outcome at 3 months, defined as a score of 0–1 on the modified Rankin Scale. Our primary safety outcomes were symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage and all-cause mortality. Results: Thirty-six studies were eligible for review, including 12 randomized (n = 5533) and 24 non-randomized studies (n = 44,956). Moderate certainty evidence showed that there was no difference between tenecteplase and alteplase in increasing the proportion of patients achieving excellent functional outcome at 3 months (odds ratio [OR], 1.10; 95% CI 0.98–1.23; risk difference [RD] 2.4%, 95% CI − 0.5 to 5.2), while moderate certainty evidence from NMA suggested that 0.25 mg/kg tenecteplase significantly improved excellent functional outcome at 3 months (OR, 1.16; 95% credible interval 1.02–1.32). Moderate certainty evidence showed that, compared to alteplase, tenecteplase may make little to no difference in the prevalence of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (OR, 1.12; 95% CI 0.79–1.59; RD 0.3%, 95% CI − 0.5 to 1.4), and probably reduces all-cause mortality (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.44; 95% CI 0.30–0.64; RD − 4.6%; 95% CI − 5.8 to − 2.9). Conclusions: Moderate certainty evidence suggested that there was little to no difference between tenecteplase and alteplase in increasing the proportion of patients achieving excellent functional outcome at 3 months and the risk of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, while compared to alteplase, tenecteplase probably reduce all-cause mortality. Administration of 0.25 mg/kg tenecteplase after acute ischemic stroke is suggestive of increasing the proportion of patients that achieve excellent functional outcome at 3 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryospheric responses to climate warming include glacier retreat, altitude‐dependent thermal instability, and abundant meltwater, which increase the frequency of catastrophic glacier hazard chain (CGHC) events. Here we investigated the formation mechanism of a special CGHC event in 2018, in the Sedongpu Glacier, Eastern Himalayas, China. Based on the multi‐source remote sensing, seismic signal analysis, and numerical simulation, we conducted long‐term retrospective analysis and co‐event process reconstruction. The results show that the event could be divided into two phases. First, the hanging glacier with a volume of 8.5 × 106 m3 collapsed onto the downstream trunk glacier. Next, ∼1.17 × 108 m3 eroded materials from the impacted glacier transformed into debris flow and traveled downstream 8 km. During the cascading process, ice‐rock avalanche momentum and glacier velocity are key factors in determining CGHC formation and eventual volume. Our study helps better understand the domino effects of the CGHC disaster. Plain Language Summary: Glacier instability in cryosphere is significantly influenced by global warming. The glacial lake outburst floods are the most widely studied and catastrophic events resulting from this instability, but they are not the only ones. In recent years, increasing catastrophic glacier hazard chain (CGHC) events have reminded us of disasters during climate warming, especially in the Himalayas region. Here, we report a typical CGHC event in the Eastern Himalayas, where the retreated glaciers are widely distributed. Based on our observations and simulations, we completed the retrospective analysis of CGHC through its formation conditions, evolution process, and specific kinematic process. These analyses help us understand the driving mechanism, the volume‐increasing effect, and the super‐fluidity of CGHC. Our findings help improve such hazard chain identification and mitigation in the Eastern Himalayas and glacierized environments elsewhere in the world. Key Points: New insights of Ice‐rock avalanche hazard chain on retreated hanging glacier in Eastern HimalayaErosion process on the trunk glacier led to a volume‐increasing and super‐fluidity of catastrophic glacier hazard chain (CGHC)The pre‐evolution and formation of CGHC were closely related to climate warming [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The manufacturing process parameters play a critical role in determining the quality of resin‐matrix composite structures. This study aims to investigate the impact of process parameters on void content and identify the stable and minimal void content of nano‐reinforced filament‐wound risers. Fourteen process parameters were initially designed, taking into account winding tension, speed, and curing time, based on the Box–Behnken design method. Subsequently, a void content model was developed using the response surface method, utilizing experimental data. The study further explores the effects of individual and combined process parameters on void content and establishes a stable process window through sensitivity analysis. Finally, the PSO‐GWO algorithm is employed to optimize winding tension, speed, and curing time with the objective of reducing void content. The results of the numerical analysis highlight the significant influence of curing time on void content, and the optimal parametric combination is determined to be 48.4 N winding tension, 12.6 m/min winding speed, and 6.7 h of curing time. Highlights: Winding tension and rate have a similar impact on porosity content.Void content sensitivity to tension is affected by feed rate and curing time.The stable process windows are winding tension [28 N, 53 N], feed rate [30%, 78%], and curing time [5.1 h, 8.4 h].The optimal parameters combination is 48.4 N, 63%, and 6.7 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible organic light-emitting diode display devices fabricated on polyimide (PI) substrates have more obvious residual image problems due to the abnormal threshold-voltage (Vth) shifts of a thin film transistor (TFT). In this paper, the Vth shift of TFT fabricated on a PI substrate was analyzed. We explained the worse bias stability and worse recovery of TFT with a PI substrate compared with TFT with a glass substrate, by an interlayer charging effect (Maxwell–Wagner effect) and a technology computer-aided design (Silvaco). When bias stress was applied for a long time, the interface between the PI substrate and the buffer layer will have a charging effect under the action of an electric field, and the charging charge will react on the channel and hinder the formation of the channel. We found that there are differences in the scale of charge under different voltage stress conditions, and this will result in different Vth shifts of driving TFTs for displays units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve predefined‐time trajectory tracking control of a flexible‐joint space robot(FJSR) with actuator constraints, a nonsingular predefined‐time dynamic surface control scheme is developed. The input saturation caused by actuator constraints is addressed via the designed predefined‐time anti‐saturation compensator. On this basis, two different control laws are designed for such high‐order nonlinear systems by utilizing the backstepping technique, and a novel nonlinear filter is constructed to filter the virtual control signals, thus avoiding the "differential expansion" phenomenon. Moreover, a singularity‐free auxiliary function is designed to solve the singularity issue generated by the derivative of fractional power terms in the predefined‐time control algorithm framework. The closed‐loop system is proven to be semi‐globally predefined‐timely uniformly ultimately bounded (SGPTUUB) via constructing the suitable Lyapunov function. The difference and effectiveness of the two designed control laws are illustrated by the conducted simulations. Both of them allow the FJSR system to track the desired trajectory in a reasonably predefined time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent identification of superconductive effects in multilayer graphene systems exhibiting coexistence of rhombohedral and Bernal structural phases has attracted great attention. Complex effects have been reported in the presence of dislocations and/or solitons between graphene layers. Local magnetic fields and percolative effects have also been identified in the presence of wrinkling and disclinations. Interestingly, a recent report has also demonstrated the local stabilization of disorder-rich rhombohedral phases in low dimensional systems comprising of multiwalled carbon nanotubes modified with sulfur. In this work we identify a variation in the predicted ABA Bernal graphitic ordering of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) fabricated in the presence of dichlorobenzene as a growth-promoter. The presented results highlight the stabilization of a high density of dislocations in samples produced by pyrolysis of low concentrations of ferrocene. We present an in-depth investigation of the dislocation-rich interfaces, especially by employing HRTEM analyses, evidencing a spontaneous local-insertion of low-dimensional atomic-lines (or solitons) into neighbouring atomic layers of curved graphene. Furthermore, by employing a methodology involving highly controllable cooling-rates and subsequential characterization through X-ray diffraction (XRD), we demonstrate a rapid migration of interstitial carbon, with relaxation of Fe3C into α-Fe and stabilization of local body centred tetragonal phases within the body centred cubic lattice of the nanowires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LATERAL ORGAN BOUNDARIES DOMAIN/ASYMMETRIC LEAVES2-LIKEs (LBDs/ASLs) are plant-specific transcription factors that function downstream of auxin-regulated lateral root (LR) formation. Our previous research found that PpLBD16 positively regulates peach (Prunus persica) LR formation. However, the downstream regulatory network and target genes of PpLBD16 are still largely unknown. Here, we constructed a PpLBD16 homologous overexpression line and a PpLBD16 silenced line. We found that overexpressing PpLBD16 promoted peach root initiation, while silencing PpLBD16 inhibited peach root formation. Through RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis of roots from PpLBD16 overexpression and silenced lines, we discovered that genes positively regulated by PpLBD16 were closely related to cell wall synthesis and degradation, ion/substance transport, and ion binding and homeostasis. To further detect the binding motifs and potential target genes of PpLBD16, we performed DNA-affinity purification sequencing (DAP-seq) analysis in vitro. PpLBD16 preferentially bound to CCNGAAANNNNGG (MEME-1), [C/T]TTCT[C/T][T/C] (MEME-2), and GCGGCGG (ABR1) motifs. By combined analysis of RNA-seq and DAP-seq data, we screened candidate target genes for PpLBD16. We demonstrated that PpLBD16 bound and activated the cell wall modification-related genes EXPANSIN-B2 (PpEXPB2) and SUBTILISIN-LIKE PROTEASE 1.7 (PpSBT1.7), the ion transport-related gene CYCLIC NUCLEOTIDE-GATED ION CHANNEL 1 (PpCNGC1) and the polyphenol oxidase (PPO)-encoding gene PpPPO, thereby controlling peach root organogenesis and promoting LR formation. Moreover, our results displayed that PpLBD16 and its target genes are involved in peach LR primordia development. Overall, this work reveals the downstream regulatory network and target genes of PpLBD16, providing insights into the molecular network of LBD16-mediated LR development. A plant-specific transcription factor controls root organogenesis, promotes lateral root formation, and participates in lateral root primordia development in peach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal upwelling currents such as the California Current System (CCS) comprise some of the most productive biological systems on the planet. Diatoms dominate these upwelling events in part due to their rapid response to nutrient entrainment. In this region, they may also be limited by the micronutrient iron (Fe), an important trace element primarily involved in photosynthesis and nitrogen assimilation. The mechanisms behind how diatoms physiologically acclimate to the different stages of the upwelling conveyor belt cycle remain largely uncharacterized. Here, we explore their physiological and metatranscriptomic response to the upwelling cycle with respect to the Fe limitation mosaic that exists in the CCS. Subsurface, natural plankton assemblages that would potentially seed surface blooms were examined over wide and narrow shelf regions. The initial biomass and physiological state of the phytoplankton community had a large impact on the overall response to simulated upwelling. Following on‐deck incubations under varying Fe physiological states, our results suggest that diatoms quickly dominated the blooms by "frontloading" nitrogen assimilation genes prior to upwelling. However, diatoms subjected to induced Fe limitation exhibited reductions in carbon and nitrogen uptake and decreasing biomass accumulation. Simultaneously, they exhibited a distinct gene expression response which included increased expression of Fe‐starvation induced proteins and decreased expression of nitrogen assimilation and photosynthesis genes. These findings may have significant implications for upwelling events in future oceans, where changes in ocean conditions are projected to amplify the gradient of Fe limitation in coastal upwelling regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diplogyniopsis fluctuosumsp. nov. associated with passalid beetles is described based on females from China on undermined passalid beetles, as well as on females and males from Thailand on Aceraius helferi (Coleoptera: Passalidae). The species represents the second known species of Diplogyniopsis Trägårdh, prompting us to redefine the genus diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the complex aerodynamic effects, the reentry trajectory optimization problem is highly nonlinear. When using sequential convex programming (SCP) methods to solve it, the iteration solution is difficult to converge. To improve this, we propose a hybrid-order soft trust region-based SCP method. We analyze the penalty effect of typical trust regions. Based on the analysis, we develop a hybrid-order soft trust region combining a small-weight first-order component and a higher-order components. To solve the subproblem reliably and effectively, we equivalently reformulate it as a second-order cone programming (SOCP) form through the relaxation technique. Combined with the line search method, we further design an SCP algorithm with guaranteed convergence under some assumptions. In the numerical simulations, the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed method have been verified using a nominal case and 200 Monte Carlo cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new spleenwort species, Asplenium guodanum, was found and described from Danxia landform region in Guangdong, China. The new species has close resemblance to A. subcrenatum Ching ex S.H.Wu in morphology, but can be distinguished by having plants small, stipes and rachises not covered with fibrous scales, relatively fewer pairs of pinnae, pinnae short, pinna margin weakly biserrate, pinna apex acute and lower pinnae obviously reduced. Phylogenetic analyses, based on six plastid markers (atpB, rbcL, rps4 & rps4-trnS and trnL & trnL-F) of the new species and its relatives, support a close relationship between A. guodanum and A. subcrenatum. Only one population with no more than 50 individuals were found and, therefore, it is recommended to be classified as Critically Endangered (CR) following IUCN Red List Criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of this study was to establish a methodology for determining carboxymethyl lysine (CML) and carboxyethyl lysine (CEL) concentrations in human plasma using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The test results were also used for clinical aging research. Methods: Human plasma samples were incubated with aqueous perfluorovaleric acid (NFPA), succeeded by precipitation utilizing trichloroacetic acid, hydrolysis facilitated by hydrochloric acid, nitrogen drying, and ultimate re-dissolution utilizing NFPA, followed by filtration. Cotinine-D3 was added as an internal standard. The separation was performed on an Agela Venusil ASB C18 column (50 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) with a 5 mmol/L NFPA and acetonitrile/water of 60:40 (v/v) containing 0.15% formic acid. The multiple reaction monitoring mode was used for detecting CML, CEL, and cotinine-D3, with ion pairs m/z 205.2 > 84.1 (for quantitative) and m/z 205.2 > m/z 130.0 for CML, m/z 219.1 > 84.1 (for quantitative) and m/z 219.1 > m/z 130.1 for CEL, and m/z 180.1 > 80.1 for cotinine-D3, respectively. Results: The separation of CML and CEL was accomplished within a total analysis time of 6 minutes. The retention times of CML, CEL, and cotinine-D3 were 3.43 minutes, 3.46 minutes, and 4.50 minutes, respectively. The assay exhibited linearity in the concentration range of 0.025–1.500 μmol/L, with a lower limit of quantification of 0.025 μmol/L for both compounds. The relative standard deviations of intra-day and inter-day were both below 9%, and the relative errors were both within the range of ±4%. The average recoveries were 94.24% for CML and 97.89% for CEL. Conclusion: The results indicate that the developed methodology is fast, highly sensitive, highly specific, reproducible, and suitable for the rapid detection of CML and CEL in clinical human plasma samples. The outcomes of the clinical research project on aging underscored the important indicative significance of these two indicators for research on human aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A brief introduction of Chinese Limnesiidae taxonomy is provided. Adults of two new species, Limnesia (Limnesia) lupingae Li & Guo sp. nov. and Limnesia (Limnesia) macrophthalma Li & Guo sp. nov., from Heilongjiang and Hubei provinces respectively, are described in detail. Subtle structures are recorded with scanning electron micrographs. In addition, deutonymphs of two new species are also described in detail and compared with the adults in discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species, Momonides neolandbergi Li & Guo sp. nov. is described in detail, which is the fifth species all over the world in Momonidinae Lundblad, 1941, Momoniidae K. Viets, 1926. The family and subfamily are newly recorded for Chinese fauna. The new species are recorded by camera, optical microscope, and scanning electron microscope. Publication:New species: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The health effects of urbanization are controversial. The association between urbanization and reversible subclinical risks of cardiovascular diseases (e.g., electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities) has rarely been studied. This study aimed to assess the association between urbanization and ECG abnormalities in China based on the China National Stroke Screening Survey (CNSSS). We used changes in the satellite-measured impervious surfaces rate and nighttime light data to assess the level of urbanization. Every interquartile increment in the impervious surfaces rate or nighttime light was related to a decreased risk of ECG abnormalities, with odds ratios of 0.894 (95% CI, 0.869–0.920) or 0.809 (95% CI, 0.772–0.847), respectively. And we observed a U-shaped nonlinear exposure–response relationship curve between the impervious surfaces rate and ECG abnormalities. In conclusion, the current average level of urbanization among the studied Chinese adults remains a beneficial factor for reducing cardiovascular risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Keluoxin (KLX) capsules and provide validated evidence for the application of KLX in the treatment of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Methods: A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial design was used to screen 129 patients with DKD (urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio [UACR]: male, 2.5–30 mg/mmol; female, 3.5–30 mg/mmol) and with Qi and Yin deficiency and blood stasis symptoms. Written informed consent was obtained from all patients. The patients were randomly divided into KLX and control groups. The KLX group was orally administered KLX (6 g/day) and irbesartan tablets (150 mg/day), whereas the control group was administered KLX placebo (6 g/day) and irbesartan tablets (150 mg/day). Patients were observed for 24 weeks to evaluate the natural logarithm of the UACR (log-UACR), the odds ratio (OR) for a sustained increase in the UACR of at least 30% and 40%, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), changes in symptoms and quality–of-life scores, and adverse events. Results: The changes of the natural log-UACR during the 24 weeks compared with baseline in the KLX group were better than those in the control group (LS mean ± standard error, −0.26 ± 0.10 vs. 0.01 ± 0.09, p = 0.0292). The incidence of a sustained increase in the UACR of at least 30% and 40% was found to be significantly lower in the KLX group (OR, 0.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.09–0.75; OR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.10–0.82). Changes in symptoms and quality-of-life scores in the KLX group were better than those in the control group. There was no statistically significant difference in eGFR or the incidence of adverse events between the groups. Conclusions: Overall, these results suggest that KLX capsules combined with irbesartan can reduce microalbuminuria, relieve the symptoms, and improve the quality of life for patients with type 2 early DKD compared with the use of irbesartan alone. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, registration number: ChiCTR2100052764. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aging can cause degenerative changes in multiple tissues and organs. Gastrointestinal diseases and dysfunctions are common in the elderly population. In this study, we investigated the effects of Astragalus membranaceus polysaccharide (APS) and Astragalus membranaceus ethanol extract (AEE) on age-related intestinal dysfunction and gut microbiota dysbiosis in naturally aging mice. The energy expenditure and physical activity of 23-month-old C57BL6/J mice were recorded using a metabolic cage system. Pathological changes in the intestine were evaluated using Alcian blue staining. The protein levels of leucine-rich repeats containing G protein-coupled receptor 5 (Lgr5) and Stat3 in the small intestine were determined using immunohistochemistry. The intestinal cell migration distance was assessed using bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) immunofluorescence staining. The gene transcription levels of intestinal stem cell (ISC) markers and ISC-related signaling pathways were detected using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Microbiota analysis based on 16S rDNA was performed to evaluate the composition of the gut microbiota. APS and AEE improved a series of aging phenotypes in female but not in male aging mice. APS and AEE ameliorate intestinal dysfunction and histopathological changes in aging mice. APS had a more significant anti-aging effect than AEE, particularly on intestinal dysfunction. APS promotes ISC regeneration by activating the IL-22 signaling pathway. Cohousing (CH) experiments further confirmed that APS induced the IL-22 signaling pathway by increasing the abundance of Lactobacillus, thereby promoting the regeneration of ISCs. Our results show that APS may serve as a promising agent for improving age-related intestinal dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A known species, Scirula papilataLin, 1997 based on samples collected from Hubei Province, China, is redescribed with the detailed illustration and the first description of males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A data processing platform, HDPairFinder, was developed to automatically recognize H/D isotope labeled chemicals in HPLC-HRMS data. • Cross-correlation was proposed to address the RT shift caused by the deuterium isotopic effect. • A suite of bioinformatic algorithms was incorporated to effectively remove false positive features. • AMINES, a library of over 38000 amino-containing chemicals, was constructed to facilitate compound annotation. • Over 1000 highly confident H/D-labeled amino-containing compounds can be identified from the data of environmental water samples. The combination of hydrogen/deuterium (H/D) formaldehyde-based isotopic methyl labeling with solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography–high resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-HRMS) is a powerful analytical solution for nontargeted analysis of trace-level amino-containing chemicals in water samples. Given the huge amount of chemical information generated in HPLC-HRMS analysis, identifying all possible H/D-labeled amino chemicals presents a significant challenge in data processing. To address this, we designed a streamlined data processing pipeline that can automatically extract H/D-labeled amino chemicals from the raw HPLC-HRMS data with high accuracy and efficiency. First, we developed a cross-correlation algorithm to correct the retention time shift resulting from deuterium isotopic effects, which enables reliable pairing of H- and D-labeled peaks. Second, we implemented several bioinformatic solutions to remove false chemical features generated by in-source fragmentation, salt adduction, and natural 13C isotopes. Third, we used a data mining strategy to construct the AMINES library that consists of over 38,000 structure-disjointed primary and secondary amines to facilitate putative compound annotation. Finally, we integrated these modules into a freely available R program, HDPairFinder.R. The rationale of each module was justified and its performance tested using experimental H/D-labeled chemical standards and authentic water samples. We further demonstrated the application of HDPairFinder to effectively extract N-containing contaminants, thus enabling the monitoring of changes of primary and secondary N-compounds in authentic water samples. HDPairFinder is a reliable bioinformatic tool for rapid processing of H/D isotopic methyl labeling-based nontargeted analysis of water samples, and will facilitate a better understanding of N-containing chemical compounds in water. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Al 0.71 CoCrFeNi near-eutectic high-entropy alloy was fabricated using LMD. • Al 0.71 mainly comprises FCC dendrites and lamellar FCC-BCC eutectic microstructure. • Both FCC phase and BCC phase in Al 0.71 alloy presented chaotic grain orientations. • The LMD Al 0.71 alloy can achieve a desirable balance of strength and plasticity. The microstructure and mechanical properties of a dual-phase near-eutectic high-entropy alloy Al 0.71 CoCrFeNi (Al 0.71) prepared by laser melting deposition (LMD) were investigated and compared with those of a single-phase FCC high-entropy alloy Al 0.38 CoCrFeNi (Al 0.38). The Al 0.71 consists of 65% FCC and 35% BCC phases, forming a near-eutectic microstructure that includes primary FCC dendrites with minor BCC precipitates, as well as a lamellar FCC-BCC eutectic microstructure. For Al 0.71 , the aluminum loss induced by evaporation during LMD process leads to a deviation from the intended eutectic composition. Both FCC and BCC phases in Al 0.71 display chaotic grain orientations, which can be attributed to the microstructural heterogeneity of the alloy and the complex temperature field generated by the reciprocating scanning during LMD process. The Al 0.71 achieved a desirable balance of strength and plasticity due to the synergetic strengthening effects of soft FCC phases and hard BCC phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly purified and uniformly distributed carbon nanotube (CNT) network is one of the key issues for developing advanced nanocomposites. However, the challenge for mitigation of the aggregation of CNT bundles during the CNT film fabrication still remained. In this work, debundling and reorganization of CNT bundles have been realized simultaneously by using a high-temperature thermal treatment. The debundling of large CNT bundles into small ones started after they were heat treated under 1400 °C and uniformly distributed CNT networks with small bundles were obtained after heat treated under 1800 °C. The tensile strength of the CNT film significantly increased by about 64% compared to the pristine film. Microstructural observations showed that the iron nanoparticles started to evaporate at 1400 °C and were completely removed at 1800 °C. Hollow amorphous carbon shells wrapped on the nanoparticles were left inside the CNT networks after the removal of the iron nanoparticles. Interestingly, these amorphous carbon shells act as carbon source for the deposition of a carbon layer on the CNT surface when the heat treatment temperature was up to 2000 °C, and they were completely consumed after being treated at 2800 °C. The microstructural evolution process of CNT bundles during heat treatment suggests the simple high-temperature treatment strategy could be applied for fabrication of highly purified CNT networks with well-distributed small bundles, enabling the development of advanced multifunctional nanocomposites in the near future. A high-temperature heat treatment is used to investigate the microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of CNT films. Benefiting from the high-purity and uniformly distributed CNT networks with small bundles after heat treated under 1800 °C, the tensile strength of the CNT film has significantly increased by ∼64% compared to the pristine film. When heat treated under 2800 °C, the hollow amorphous carbon shells are completely consumed and act as carbon source for deposition of carbon layer on the CNT surface. [Display omitted] • Debundling of large CNT bundles was observed after a high temperature treatment. • A regenerative carbon layer was deposited on CNT surface under high temperature. • The microstructural evolution of CNT networks under high temperature was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• In this paper, based on our research experience in this field and a survey of the development of crystalline Raman yellow lasers over the past two decades, the implementation methods, experimental results, and research progress of crystalline Raman yellow lasers in different fields and different types are briefly analyzed through typical work cases reported to date. It is a report on a comprehensive review of the field of crystalline Raman yellow lasers. Yellow light sources, emitting between 570 nm and 600 nm, are interesting for their potential in several application fields and are irreplaceable to a certain extent in certain characteristic domains. Therefore, it has been a research hotspot in the field of laser technology. A crystalline Raman yellow laser is an important approach to achieving yellow light sources. This paper focuses on an important branch of all-solid-state yellow laser, i.e. crystalline Raman yellow laser, and discusses its research progress in the past twenty years by summarizing a few classic works. The paper clarifies the implementation schemes of crystalline Raman yellow lasers for different application requirements, providing a reference for future research in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CT-derived fractional flow reserve (CT-FFR) has been widely applied in coronary hemodynamic assessment. However, the feasieablity and standardization measurement in intracranial artery stenosis (ICAS) remains to be defined. To demonstrate the feasibility of CT-FFR in ICAS functional assessment and explore the optimal CT-FFR measurement position with invasive FFR as reference standard. Nineteen patients (mean age, 58.6 years ± 1.9 [SD]; 13 men) with moderate to severe (≥50 %) ICAS undergoing guidewire-based pressure measurement and preoperative head CT angiography (CTA) were retrospectively enrolled. CT-FFR was measured in the following standard measurement positions, including the end of stenosis (D0), 1 cm distal to the stenosis (D1) and 2 cm distal to the stenosis (D2). Diagnostic performance of CT-FFR was assessed by the area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic curves by assuming invasive FFR ≤ 0.80 or 0.75 as hemodynamically significant stenosis. Excellent intra- and inter-observer agreement (ICC range, 0.930–0.992) was observed for CT-FFR measurement in different positions. Under different FFR thresholds, the diagnostic performance of CT-FFR D1 showed perfect prediction with AUC values of 1.000 (95 % CI: 0.824, 1.000). The sensitivity, specificity and AUC of CT-FFR D1 ≤ 0.80 in detecting FFR ≤ 0.80 was 0.94 (95 % CI: 0.68, 1.00), 1.00 (95 % CI: 0.31, 1.00) and 0.969 (95 % CI: 0.772, 1.000), respectively. Similar performance of CT-FFR D1 ≤ 0.75 was obtained for identifying FFR ≤ 0.75 with the AUC of 0.964. The strongest correlation (r = 0.915, p < 0.001) and agreement (mean difference: 0.02, 95 % limits of agreement: −0.16 to 0.19) were observed between CT-FFR D1 and FFR. Cerebral CT-derived fractional flow reserve (CT-FFR) measured 1 cm distal to stenosis achieved the most comparable results with invasive FFR, which indicated its potentially promising clinical application for evaluating the functional relevance of intracranial artery stenosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]