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This study aimed to explore the potential of employing machine learning algorithms based on intracranial pressure (ICP), ICP-derived parameters, and their complexity to predict the severity and short-term prognosis of traumatic brain injury (TBI). A single-center prospectively collected cohort of neurosurgical intensive care unit admissions was analyzed. We extracted ICP-related data within the first 6 hours and processed them using complex algorithms. To indicate TBI severity and short-term prognosis, Glasgow Coma Scale score on the first postoperative day and Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended score at discharge were used as binary outcome variables. A univariate logistic regression model was developed to predict TBI severity using only mean ICP values. Subsequently, 3 multivariate Random Forest (RF) models were constructed using different combinations of mean and complexity metrics of ICP-related data. To avoid overfitting, five-fold cross-validations were performed. Finally, the best-performing multivariate RF model was used to predict patients' discharge Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended score. The logistic regression model exhibited limited predictive ability with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.558. Among multivariate models, the RF model, combining the mean and complexity metrics of ICP-related data, achieved the most robust ability with an AUC of 0.815. Finally, in terms of predicting discharge Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended score, this model had a consistent performance with an AUC of 0.822. Cross-validation analysis confirmed the performance. This study demonstrates the clinical utility of the RF model, which integrates the mean and complexity metrics of ICP data, in accurately predicting the TBI severity and short-term prognosis. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous studies have demonstrated that NLRP3 inflammasomes are key players in the progression of atrial fibrillation (AF) in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). This study aimed to analyse the effect of pharmacological inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasomes using dapansutrile (DAPA), an oral NLRP3-specific inhibitor. Dahl salt-sensitive rats were fed a high-salt diet (HSD, 8% NaCl) to induce HFpEF. Either DAPA (200 mg/kg/day) or saline was administered daily via gavage for 4 weeks. Electrophysiological studies were performed to assess the AF inducibility. Confocal fluorescence microscopy and western blot analysis were used to study calcium handling. The DAPA-treated HFpEF rats were less prone to AF induction by programmed electrical stimulation. Atrial fibrosis and inflammation were attenuated in DAPA-treated HFpEF hearts. Dapansutrile treatment showed an increase in the Ca2+ transient sarcoplasmic reticulum-Ca2+ load, and protein expression of SERCA2; NCX1 and phosphorylation of PLB at Thr17 were decreased following DAPA treatment. The increased frequency of spontaneous Ca2+ spark in the HFpEF rats was related to the hyperphosphorylation of RyR2 at Ser2814, which was blunted in DAPA treatment. Dapansutrile treatment also decreased the phosphorylation of CaMKII expression in the HFpEF rats. Mechanistically, DAPA exerts an anti-arrhythmic effect, mainly by inhibiting activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. These data provide evidence that the beneficial cardiac effects of DAPA are associated with reduced atrial inflammation and improved CaMKII-dependent Ca2+-handling abnormalities via blunting activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, and DAPA may be beneficial in a rat model of HFpEF-induced AF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a new discontinuous sensor and a finite difference hybrid unequal-sized weighted essentially non-oscillatory (WENO) scheme with fifth-order accuracy for solving shallow water equations with or without source terms. The developed discontinuous sensor is directly designed based on the highest degree polynomial obtained from the five-point stencil in the unequal-sized WENO procedures, and can automatically identify the discontinuous region without manually adjusting the parameters related to the problem. Subsequently, a hybrid unequal-sized WENO scheme is developed through this newly designed discontinuous sensor, which uses the cheap linear scheme in the smooth regions and the existing expensive unequal-sized WENO scheme in the vicinity of discontinuous, thus achieving the goal of inheriting the excellent characteristics of the unequal-sized WENO scheme while reducing its computing time. Finally, some benchmark numerical examples are provided to verify the performance of this new WENO scheme for solving shallow water equations in terms of high-order accuracy, exact conservation property, shock capture capability, and computational efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• MCU complexes regulated efferocytosis by regulating Ca2+ concentration and ROS generation, and this can become a new therapeutic target. • Effective efferocytosis inhibited foam cell formation and inflammatory cytokine release. • These findings may offer new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of AS. Efferocytosis dysfunction contributes to the progression and rupture of atherosclerotic plaques. Efferocytosis is crucially modulated by intracytoplasmic Ca2+, and mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) complex proteins serve as key channels for regulating Ca2+ concentration. Therefore, it was speculated that MCU may affect the development of atherosclerosis (AS) by regulating efferocytosis. In the present study, we aimed to investigate whether MCU could affect foam cell formation by regulating efferocytosis. We stimulated primary macrophages (Møs) using oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) to mimic the atherosclerotic microenvironment and treated them with Ru360, an MCU-specific inhibitor, and UNC1062, an inhibitor of efferocytosis. Additionally, we conducted double staining to determine the Mø efferocytosis rate. We measured the expression of MCU complexes and efferocytosis-associated proteins using western blotting (WB) and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), respectively. In addition, we separately detected the Ca2+ level in the cytoplasm and mitochondria (MT) using Fluo-4 AM and Rhod-2 methods. We separately determined the reactive oxygen species (ROS) level in cytoplasm and MT using dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) fluorescent probing method and Mito-SOXTM superoxide indicator staining. Additionally, we conducted the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect the production of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-18 (IL-18), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). Oil Red O staining was performed to measure cytoplasmic lipid levels. Ru360 attenuated ox-LDL-induced efferocytosis dysfunction, and attenuated the upregulation of MCU and MCUR1 induced by ox-LDL, and meanwhile attenuated the downregulation of MCUb induced by ox-LDL. Ru360 attenuated the decrease of intracytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration induced by ox- LDL, Ru360 also attenuated the ROS production induced by ox- LDL, attenuated the release of IL-6, IL-18, IL-1β, and TNF-α induced by ox- LDL, and attenuated the increase of intracytoplasmic lipid content induced by ox-LDL. UNC1062 attenuated the effects of Ru360 in reducing inflammatory cytokines and intracytoplasmic lipid content. In this study, we found that MCU inhibition modulated intracytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration, improved impaired Mø efferocytosis, and reduced ROS generation. Macrophage efferocytosis removed apoptotic cells and prevented the release of inflammatory factor and foam cell formation, and this can be a potential new therapeutic target for alleviating atherosclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to explore the semantic computed tomography (CT) features associated with BRCA1 -associated protein 1 (BAP1) and/or tumor protein p53 (TP53) mutation in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Clinical characteristics and gene mutation information of 336 ccRCC patients were retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas–Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma database (TCGA-KIRC). Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to examine prognosis by gene mutation. The CT imaging data and gene mutation information of 156 ccRCC patients treated between January 2019 and January 2021 (the training cohort) were retrospectively analyzed. The CT imaging information and gene mutation data of 123 patients with ccRCC were downloaded from The Cancer Imaging Archive and The Cancer Genome Atlas database (the external validation cohort). Univariate Chi-square test and multivariate binary logistic regression analysis were performed to determine predictors of gene mutation; a nomogram was developed using these predictors. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and the Hosmer-Lemeshow test were performed to evaluate the performance of the nomogram. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that BAP1 and/or TP53 mutation was significantly correlated with worse survival outcome. Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis indicated ill-defined margin (P =.001), spiculated margin (P =.018), renal vein invasion (P =.002), and renal pelvis invasion (P =.001) were independent predictors of BAP1 and/or TP53 mutation. A nomogram containing these 4 semantic CT features was constructed; the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves was 0.872 (95% CI, 0.809-0.920). The Hosmer-Lemeshow test showed acceptable goodness-of-fit for the nomogram (X2 = 1.194, P =.742). The nomogram was validated in the validation cohort; it showed good accuracy (area under the receiving operating characteristic curve = 0.819, 95% CI, 0.740-0.883) and was well calibrated (X2 = 3.934, P =.559). Semantic CT features are a potential and promising method for predicting BAP1 and/or TP53 mutation status in ccRCC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dihydromyricetin (DMY) has poor solubility and stability in water, thus limiting its application. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Cordyceps militaris polysaccharide (CMP) on the solubility, stability and antioxidant activity of DMY. The solubility assay showed that the solubility of DMY in water increased approximately 3 times. The stability of DMY was increased by 1.34 times as determined by thermostatic acceleration method. The phase solubility assay showed that DMY could form AL-type inclusion complex with CMP. Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thermogravimetric assays of the CMP-DMY composition revealed that the binding of CMP to DMY should be attributed to the macromolecular structure, surface porous structure of CMP, and the formation of non-covalent bonding interactions. The results of in vitro antioxidant assays showed that the CMP-DMY inclusion complex inhibited DPPH, ABTS, superoxide and hydroxyl radicals by 67.24 %, 99.89 %, 41.38 % and 35.25 %, respectively. Therefore, CMP can be used as a new material to help DMY dissolution in the future, and the inclusion complex should have good prospects for application in terms of ABTS radical scavenging efficacy. [Display omitted] • Cordyceps militaris (CMP) could improve the solubility of dihydromyricetin (DMY). • CMP could improve the stability of DMY. • CMP and DMY could form the AL type of inclusion complex in water. • The CMP-DMY inclusion complex has good performance in clearing ABTS free radical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a novel treatment strategy for adolescents with major depressive disorder (MDD). However, its related neurobiological changes associated with ECT remain undetermined. To elucidate the impact of ECT on the regional cerebral blood flow (CBF), and to identify alterations in the CBF associated with clinical outcomes in adolescents with MDD. Fifty-two treatment-naive adolescents who had experienced their first episode of MDD and 36 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. To assess baseline parameters, all subjects were scanned with arterial spin labeling resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (ASL-fMRI) at the beginning of the study. Subsequently, 27 MDD adolescents were re-scanned after 2 weeks after ECT. CBF imaging was used for the prediction of specific clinical outcomes. Lastly, the associations between alterations seen on brain imaging alterations after ECT and ECT clinical efficacy (ΔHAMD scores) were determined. Relative to HCs, adolescents with MDD exhibited reduced CBF in the left medial superior frontal gyrus (SFGmed) (cluster = 243, peak t = −3.9373, and P < 0.001) and augmented CBF in the right percental gyrus (PerCG) (cluster = 321, peak t = 4.3332, and P < 0.001) at baseline. Following ECT, MDD adolescents exhibited reduced CBF in the right fusiform gyrus (FFG) (cluster = 309, peak t = −4.346, and P < 0.001) and left hippocampus (HIP) (cluster = 290, peak t = −4.706, and P < 0.001), and enhanced CBF in the left orbital part of the inferior frontal gyrus (ORBinf) (cluster = 214, peak t = 4.073, and P < 0.001). Correlation analysis suggested an inverse association between ΔHAMD scores and CBF values in the left ORBinf (R2 = 0.196, P = 0.021). It was found that ECT resulted in alterations in CBF in specific brain areas, highlighting the significance of ORBinf in ECT pathophysiology in MDD adolescents. • The fMRI neuroimaging showed that ECT was effective for treating first-episode MDD in treatment-naive adolescents. • This is the first ASL-based study showing a relationship between ECT treatment and altered CBF in these patients. • The results indicate that ORBinf is important for understanding the pathophysiology of cognitive issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent works found that deep neural networks (DNNs) can be fooled by adversarial examples, which are crafted by adding adversarial noise on clean inputs. The accuracy of DNNs on adversarial examples will decrease as the magnitude of the adversarial noise increase. In this study, we show that DNNs can be also fooled when the noise is very small under certain circumstances. This new type of attack is called Amplification Trojan Attack (ATAttack). Specifically, we use a trojan network to transform the inputs before sending them to the target DNN. This trojan network serves as an amplifier to amplify the inherent weakness of the target DNN. The target DNN, which is infected by the trojan network, performs normally on clean data while being more vulnerable to adversarial examples. Since it only transforms the inputs, the trojan network can hide in DNN-based pipelines, e.g. by infecting the pre-processing procedure of the inputs before sending them to the DNNs. This new type of threat should be considered in developing safe DNNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new fifth-order finite difference mapped unequal-sized weighted essentially non-oscillatory (MUS-WENO) scheme is proposed for solving Hamilton-Jacobi equations in multi-dimensions. This new MUS-WENO scheme uses the same widest spatial stencils as that of the classical same order finite difference WENO scheme [19] , and could obtain smaller truncation errors and optimal fifth-order accuracy in smooth regions. The MUS-WENO scheme uses a convex combination of a quartic polynomial with two quadratic polynomials. The linear weights can be artificially set as any positive constants on condition that their summation is one. Together with a new mapping function, associated new mapped nonlinear weights are proposed to reduce the difference with the linear weights. So it is a first time that the new finite difference MUS-WENO scheme with a very small ε could reach optimal accuracy order convergence even near extreme points in smooth regions and avoid spurious oscillations near strong discontinuities when solving Hamilton-Jacobi equations. Generally speaking, the main advantages of such new MUS-WENO scheme comparing with the classical WENO scheme [19] are its good convergence, robustness, efficiency and easy extension to multi-dimensions. Numerical experiments are proposed to show the good performance of this new MUS-WENO scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arogenate dehydratase (ADT) is key for phenylalanine (Phe) biosynthesis in plants. To examine ADT components and function in Akebia trifoliata , a representative of Ranunculaceae, we first identified eight ADTs (AktADT1 – 8 , encoding sequences varying from 1032 to 1962 bp) in the A. trifoliata reference genome and five proteins (AktADT1, AktADT4, AktADT7, AktADT8 and AktADT8s) with moonlighting prephenate dehydratase (PDT) activity and Km values varying from 0.43 to 2.17 mM. Structurally, two basic residue combinations (Val314/Ala317 and Ala314/Val317) in the PAC domain are essential for the moonlighting PDT activity of ADTs. Functionally, AktADT4 and AktADT8 successfully restored the wild-type phenotype of pha2 , a knockout mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In addition, AktADTs are ubiquitously expressed, but their expression levels are tissue specific, and the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50) of Phe for AktADTs ranged from 49.81 to 331.17 μM. Both AktADT4 and AktADT8 and AktADT8s localized to chloroplast stromules and the cytosol, respectively, while the remaining AktADTs localized to the chloroplast stroma. These findings suggest that various strategies exist for regulating Phe biosynthesis in A. trifoliata. This provides a reasonable explanation for the high Phe content and insights for further genetic improvement of the edible fruits of A. trifoliata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colletotrichum fructicola is a globally significant phytopathogenic fungus. Mycovirus-induced hypovirulence has great potential for biological control and study of fungal pathogenic mechanisms. We previously reported that the mycovirus Colletotrichum alienum partitivirus 1 (CaPV1) is associated with the hypovirulence of C. fructicola , and the present study aimed to further investigate a host factor and its roles in mycovirus-induced hypovirulence. A gene named CfKOB1 , which encodes putative protein homologous to the β-subunit of voltage-gated potassium channels and aldo–keto reductase, is downregulated upon CaPV1 infection and significantly upregulated during the early infection phase of Nicotiana benthamiana by C. fructicola. Deleting the CfKOB1 gene resulted in diminished vegetative growth, decreased production of asexual spores, hindered appressorium formation, reduced virulence, and altered tolerance to abiotic stresses. Transcriptome analysis revealed that CfKOB1 regulates many metabolic pathways as well as the cell cycle and apoptosis. Furthermore, enhanced apoptosis was observed in the Δ CfKOB1 mutants. Viral RNA accumulation was significantly increased in the CfKOB1 deletion mutant. Additionally, our findings demonstrated that CaPV1 infection in the WT strain also induced cell apoptosis. Collectively, these results highlight the diverse biological roles of the CfKOB1 gene in the fungus C. fructicola , while it also participates in mycovirus-induced hypovirulence by regulating apoptosis. • A gene named CfKOB1 was confirmed to regulate development and pathogenicity of C. fructicola. • The CfKOB1 gene is downregulated upon mycovirus CaPV1 infection. • Deletion of CfKOB1 enhances cell apoptosis of C. fructicola. • CfKOB1 plays a negative role in viral RNA accumulation in the CaPV1 infected host fungus. • CfKOB1 associated cell apoptosis participates in mycovirus-induced hypovirulence in C. fructicola. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research aims to investigate the application of photonic crystals and metal nanoparticles in the design of thin-film solar cell (TFSC). The propagation of electromagnetic waves in the vicinity of the cell and the light absorption process were simulated to analyze the performance variations of GaAs TFSC combining GaAs photonic crystals and Ti nanoparticles. By optimizing the cell model structure and doping concentration, we achieved high absorption across a broader wavelength spectrum. The research indicates that the incorporation of photonic crystals effectively extends the optical path length within the solar cell, while the integration of metal nanoparticles further enhances the cell's light absorption efficiency. Ultimately, the cell model proposed in this article achieves efficient light absorption in the wavelength range of 400–860 nm, with the absorption rates of the cell consistently exceeding 90% across all spectral bands. And nearly perfect absorption is realized in the wavelength range of 728–860 nm. Simultaneously, the performance of the cell exhibits significant improvements, culminating in a photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) of 34.48%. This research provides useful guidance for the development of solar cell technology and makes a positive contribution to the sustainable utilization of clean energy. We have significantly enhanced several key metrics of cell performance. • Within the wavelength range of 400–860 nm, the average absorption rate of the cell is 97.84%. • Absorption rates within the wavelength range of 728-860 nm have all exceeded 99%, achieving nearly perfect absorption. • The solar cell exhibits a short-circuit current of 34.11 mA/cm2, an open-circuit voltage of 1.132 V, a fill factor of 89.28%, and a photovoltaic efficiency of 34.48%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate and rapid human detection is crucial for emergency rescue in indoor fire scenarios, and surveillance video provides more possibilities for this work. However, smoke from fires reduces the visibility of humans in surveillance videos, which weakens the expression of human characteristics and makes it difficult to detect humans. To the best of our knowledge, existing studies do not include detecting human in smoke. However, human rescue often occurs in smoke scenarios in real-world settings. We introduce a new problem for human detection in this paper and propose an experimental investigation based on an enhanced relation-aware global–local attention network for escaping human detection in indoor smoke scenarios. First, we address the relationship of humans in smoke scenarios between the global body and local part based on a relation-aware global–local attention module, which can solve the problem of human disturbance by flowing smoke. Second, a prediction architecture considering interference is built to address human escape postures and video scales to obtain better human detection results. In addition, our method considers a faster frame rate for effective deployment. Finally, we propose a data simulation strategy for escaping humans in indoor smoke scenarios and establish a human detection dataset to prove the validity of our method. Accuracy and speed are used as evaluation criteria for the two testing datasets. Experimental results show that it is feasible and effective for human detection in smoke scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to validate the Academic Research Consortium for High Bleeding Risk (ARC-HBR) criteria in Chinese patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) who received both oral anticoagulants (OAC) and antiplatelet therapy (APT). 930 consecutive patients with AF and ACS or undergoing PCI receiving both OAC and APT were recruited and followed up for 1 year. The primary endpoint was BARC type 3 or 5 bleeding. The secondary endpoints included BARC type 2, 3, or 5 bleeding, TIMI major bleeding, TIMI major or minor bleeding, and major adverse cardiovascular events (a composite of all-cause death, stroke, non-central nervous system embolism, myocardial infarction, definite or probable stent thrombosis, and target vessel revascularization). Cox regressions were performed to evaluate the association between the ARC-HBR score and outcomes. Discrimination was evaluated through analysis of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, net reclassification improvement (NRI), and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI). Compared to patients with no HBR other than OAC, patients with HBR besides OAC tended to have more comorbidities and worse outcomes. The ARC-HBR score was significantly associated with the primary and secondary endpoints, both as a continuous variable and as a categorical variable. The ARC-HBR score performed better than the HAS-BLED score (c-statistic: 0.692 vs. 0.575, NRI = 0.313, IDI = 0.061) and the PRECISE-DAPT score (c-statistic: 0.692 vs. 0.616, NRI = 0.393, IDI = 0.049). In patients with AF and ACS or undergoing PCI receiving both OAC and APT, the ARC-HBR score was a significant predictor of 1-year bleeding and ischemic endpoints. The ARC-HBR score performed better than the HAS-BLED score and the PRECISE-DAPT score in BARC type 3 or 5 bleeding prediction. • The ARC-HBR score was a predictor of bleeding endpoints in patients with AF + ACS/PCI. • Discrimination of the ARC-HBR score was superior to the HAS-BLED and PRECISE-DAPT scores. • Calibration of the ARC-HBR score was good. • The ARC-HBR score is a promising risk evaluation tool for patients with AF + ACS/PCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Posterior fixation without fusion can treat thoracolumbar and lumbar traumatic fractures effectively in certain cases. However, whether patients benefit from implant removal and the correlation between the range of motion (ROM) of the involved segments and the removal time have not been determined. From 2018 to 2020, we retrospectively reviewed data of patients with AO spine type A or B thoracolumbar or lumbar traumatic fractures who underwent implant removal. A total of 17 patients (group A), 21 patients (group B), and 12 patients (group C) underwent implant removal after the index surgery within 12 months, between 12 and 24 months, and over 24 months, respectively. Clinical and radiological outcomes, including visual analog scale for back pain, patient satisfaction, Oswestry disability index, and EuroQol 5 dimensions questionnaire, for quality of life and segmental ROM were analyzed. The average follow-up time was 9.1 ± 5.7 months after implant removal. There were no significant differences in visual analog scale and patient satisfaction among the 3 groups at the same observation time point. Among the 3 groups, patients in group A gained the lowest Oswestry disability index and highest EuroQol 5 dimensions questionnaire scores after removal and at the final follow-up. The best ROM was obtained in group A followed by groups B and C (11.5° ± 6.2°, 5.5° ± 1.6°, and 2.4° ± 0.6°, respectively). Immobilization of the involved segments over 24 months may lead to loss of ROM. Regained segmental ROM is correlated negatively with implant removal time, and removal within 12 months promises a better ROM and quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study conducts an in-depth discussion on the Fano resonance phenomenon and its application in optical sensors. A circular split ring was proposed. By designing a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) waveguide structure with specific geometric parameters, we successfully excited the Fano resonance, which produced a unique asymmetric Fano through the coupling of discrete and continuous states. Resonance transmission spectroscopy. The sensitivity of Fano resonance is extremely sensitive to changes in structural parameters. This characteristic provides a theoretical basis for the development of highly sensitive optical sensors. The simulation results show that by optimizing the structural parameters, high sensitivity Fano resonance characteristics can be obtained, further enhancing the performance of the optical sensor. The calculated sensitivity is as high as 1250 nm/RIU, and the figure of merit (FOM) reaches 54, indicating that the designed MIM waveguide structure has excellent sensing capabilities. This study not only demonstrates the potential of Fano resonance in improving sensor sensitivity, but also provides valuable guidance for the design and development of future optical sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the gelation of scallop male gonad hydrolysates (SMGHs) modified with sodium dodecyl sulfonate (SDS) and three polysaccharides, including κ -carrageenan (KC), ι -carrageenan (IC), and gellan gum (GG), and the film-forming properties were further evaluated. The transparency of SMGHs was improved by SDS in a dose-dependent manner, while the gel properties were disrupted. In this case, the gelling properties could be improved by introducing KC, IC, and GG, as reflected by 3.1–5.1 folds increment in G′ , 1.5–1.9 folds increment in hardness, 4%–6% increment in springiness, 19%–24% reduction in T 23 , and higher proton densities. In addition, the blueshift of SMGHs/SDS/polysaccharide amide II bands suggested increased electrostatic interactions within SMGHs and each polysaccharide. These scenarios could be ascribed to the compact and well-distributed network of SMGHs/SDS/polysaccharide. Furthermore, SMGHs-based ternary composite gels with desirable optical and mechanical properties could be applied as films in the food industry. [Display omitted] • A significant gel synergy was detected between polysaccharides and SMGHs/SDS. • SMGHs/SDS/polysaccharides exhibited shortened T 23 and higher proton densities. • SMGHs/SDS/polysaccharides were governed by hydrogen bonds and electrostatic forces. • SMGHs/SDS/polysaccharides composite gels exhibited dense and homogeneous microstructures. • SMGHs/SDS/GG film had good performance in both optical and mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes a thin-film solar cell composed of periodic plasmonic titanium nanoparticles (Ti NPs) and indium phosphide (InP) thin films. By adjusting the size and position of plasma Ti NPs and combining with the transparent conductive layer ITO and anti-reflection layer SiO 2 , the parameters of InP thin film solar cells can be improved. The experimental results show that the average absorption rate reaches 96 % in the wavelength range of 350–850 nm. The absorption rate reached 99.9 % in multiple wavelength ranges. This study has successfully increased the short circuit current to 31.996 mA / cm 2 , power conversion efficiency (PCE) to 29.634 % and open circuit voltage to 1.053 V of InP thin film solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• AutoML, time lag and parcel tracking functions were used to develop model. • The SHAP function was used to analyze feature importance. • Developed model has the potential to account for up to 96% of the total variance. • Waterbody, traffic and agriculture were improtant factors for NH 3 concentrations. Ambient ammonia (NH 3) plays an important compound in forming particulate matters (PMs), and therefore, it is crucial to comprehend NH 3 ′s properties in order to better reduce PMs. However, it is not easy to achieve this goal due to the limited range/real-time NH 3 data monitored by the air quality stations. While there were other studies to predict NH 3 and its source apportionment, this manuscript provides a novel method (i.e., GEO-AI)) to look into NH 3 predictions and their contribution sources. This study represents a pioneering effort in the application of a novel geospatial-artificial intelligence (Geo-AI) base model with parcel tracking functions. This innovative approach seamlessly integrates various machine learning algorithms and geographic predictor variables to estimate NH 3 concentrations, marking the first instance of such a comprehensive methodology. The Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) was used to further analyze source contribution of NH 3 with domain knowledge. From 2016 to 2018, Taichung's hourly average NH 3 values were predicted with total variance up to 96%. SHAP values revealed that waterbody, traffic and agriculture emissions were the most significant factors to affect NH 3 concentrations in Taichung among all the characteristics. Our methodology is a vital first step for shaping future policies and regulations and is adaptable to regions with limited monitoring sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2.85 μm band has garnered significant attention for its wide range of applications in the mid-infrared region, and Ho3+ doped fluorotellurite fiber shows great promise as a gain medium for the 2.85 μm fiber laser. To achieve efficient population inversion for Ho3+ ions at 2.85 μm, Ho3+/Nd3+ co-doped fluorotellurite glasses with low hydroxyl were synthesized. The deactivation effect of Nd3+ ions to Ho3+: 5I 7 levels was investigated through emission spectra and lifetime decay curves under 890 nm excitation. The results show that Nd3+ ions can effectively quench the Ho3+: 2.05 μm emission and help the Ho3+: 5I 6 → 5I 7 transition to overcome the bottleneck of particle population inversion. Ultimately, the particle population inversion corresponding to 2.85 μm luminescence was realized in the Ho3+/Nd3+ co-doped fluorotellurite glass, and indicates that a maximum of 1.64 W laser at 2.85 μm with a slope efficiency of 8.72 % can be realized under 890 nm pump by numerical simulations. • Achieved low hydroxyl absorption in fluorotellurite glass. • Overcoming the population inversion bottleneck of the Ho3+: 5I 6.→ 5I 7 transition • Energy transfer mechanisms between Ho3+ and Nd3+ ions are discussed. • One-watt mid-infrared laser achieved theoretically in Ho3+/Nd3+ co-doped glass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Existing large range evacuation simulation methods are challenging. • We proposed a mobile virtual reality simulation method for fire evacuation. • The reliability and accuracy of mobile virtual reality fire evacuation data have been improved. • Multi-person evacuation based on real environment provides participants with a better experience. Fire disasters present significant risks, emphasizing the need for effective evacuation drills. Traditional drills in real environments have limitations such as safety risks and poor repeatability. Immersive Virtual Reality (iVR) provides a safer, more engaging alternative, but early iVR-based drills were restricted due to hardware limitations. The advent of mobile virtual reality has overcome some of these restrictions. However, challenges remain in multi-person evacuation scenarios, such as difficulties in relative positioning and the real time interaction of evacuees. This study addresses these issues using pose estimation for accurate positioning in virtual reality devices. Furthermore, we developed a framework for conducting evacuation drills in a real environment using mobile virtual reality, ensuring consistency in participants' visual and perceptual experiences. Subsequently, we designed two experiments to validate this methodology and framework. The experimental results demonstrated that the evacuation process, using pose estimation, effectively eliminates cumulative error, maintaining an approximate error of 0.04 m between the real and virtual environments. Participants also reported having a better experience and found it easier to interact with others during the mobile virtual reality evacuation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An imaging vehicle-mounted lidar system exhibits a non-uniform distribution of resolution across the entire detection space. • The lidar system can discover and recognize target at a longer range than conventional systems. • The lidar has a larger optical receiving aperture in the center field of view and a stronger ability to collect the returning beam. Imaging lidar is an important sensor for use in vehicle environment perception systems, and its field of view (FOV) and instantaneous field of view (IFOV) determine the system's spatial coverage and the spatial resolution of detection, respectively. A smaller IFOV indicates that lidar can recognize a target over a greater distance. The FOV and the IFOV of conventional array-type lidar systems are constrained by the detector and cannot increase their target recognition distance while maintaining the same spatial coverage. To solve this problem, an imaging vehicle-mounted lidar system with a nonuniform IFOV distribution is proposed. By reducing the central IFOV while maintaining the same detection space, the system effectively doubles the available range for target discovery and recognition. Simultaneously, the central FOV has a larger entrance pupil, which matches the characteristic required to allow the central FOV to detect targets at greater distances. The proposed lidar system can recognize vehicle information at a longer range than conventional systems, and can play an important role in the 3D environmental perception field for intelligent vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the contemporary enterprise software market, there has been a notable surge in the utilization of SaaS products. This trend has prompted certain upstream suppliers of cloud resources, commonly referred to as cloud providers, to introduce their own SaaS offerings, thereby augmenting the competition within the industry. The matter of optimal releasing strategy encountered by software firms in this industry has been scarcely addressed in prior literature. Therefore, the present study employs the Hotelling model to depict the market segmentation in the context of a software firm's selection among three distinct strategies, namely on-premise, SaaS, and dual version strategies, to effectively manage competition. Through an examination of the optimal pricing and profit for each strategy, and a subsequent analysis of the resulting profits, we have managed to arrive at conclusive recommendations for optimal strategy selection. Based on the analytical findings, it can be inferred that the selection of the optimal strategy can be classified into two distinct scenarios, which are contingent upon the magnitude of the unit cloud rental fee. In a high-cost rental environment, the optimal release strategy shifts from the SaaS strategy and dual version strategy to the on-premise strategy, as the disparity in value between on-premise and SaaS versions increases. In a context of low rental fee and a widening value gap, the optimal strategy choice sequence is as follows: SaaS, on-premise, dual version, on-premise, dual version, and ultimately on-premise. Furthermore, we analyze and reveal the impact of various factors on the maximum profit that software companies can achieve. The findings we have derived have significant implications for software companies' decision-making in the face of the challenge posed by highly centralized public cloud supply. • Cloud providers' entrance intensity the enterprise software market competition. • We propose three releasing strategies, on-premise, SaaS, and dual version. • Hotelling model is adopted to analyze software firms' optimal releasing strategy. • Strategy selection depends on the cloud renting fee and two versions' value gap. • Effects of related factors on profits are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar can be used to improve the anaerobic digestion (AD) of agricultural wastes for higher methane production. However, the interaction of biochar addition with other factors of the anaerobic co-digestion (Co-AD) process has rarely been investigated. In this study, process models based on response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural network (ANN) were compared in modeling the methane yield (MY, mL CH 4 /g VS added) from the Co-AD of poultry litter and wheat straw with biochar addition. Box-Behnken design was applied, with the controlling parameters being carbon to nitrogen ratio (C/N), total solids (TS, %), and biochar addition (Biochar, % TS). Numerical optimization and genetic algorithm (GA) were used as optimization tools for RSM and ANN, respectively. A significant second-order quadratic model was built by RSM (R2 = 0.9981 and RMSE = 0.91), which demonstrated significant interactions between C/N and TS (p < 0.0001), and between C/N and Biochar (p < 0.05). The trained ANN (3−3−1) was less accurate (R2 = 0.9926, RMSE = 1.80) compared to RSM. The optimization results by RSM and ANN coupled with GA (ANN-GA) were both validated with prediction errors <0.5%. The optimization results by ANN-GA should be used since it generated a higher maximum MY of 290.7 ± 0.2 mL CH 4 /g VS added , under the optimal conditions of C/N ratio 24.46, TS 5.03%, and Biochar 8.73% TS, showing an improvement of 20.6% (compared to the control) through process optimization. The methods can also be applied in other scenarios for process modeling and optimization. The optimized results could support real applications of using additives including biochar, active carbon, nanoparticles, etc., to promote the bioenergy production from AD of agricultural wastes. [Display omitted] • Poultry litter and wheat straw were co-digested for bioenergy (methane) production. • Biochar-improved anaerobic co-digestion was modeled based on a Box-Behnken design. • Response surface methodology and artificial neural network (ANN) were compared. • RSM indicated a significant interaction between biochar addition and substrate carbon-to‑nitrogen ratio. • Optimal methane yield was determined by ANN coupled with genetic algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A general direct design method is proposed, enabling the joint design of the recording and imaging systems within a single optical model. • The method facilitates the design of imaging spectrometers with both recording and imaging systems containing complex freeform surfaces, leading to exceptional performance capabilities. • This method enables the flexibility to choose the complexity of the holographic grating recording path based on the specific performance requirements of the imaging spectrometer. • The initial systems obtained using the direct design method require only simple optimization to achieve their performance limits, providing an excellent starting point for further spectrometer optimization. The combination of holographic gratings with freeform surface technology has led to a significant breakthrough in terms of the performance of imaging spectrometers. In this paper, a general direct design method that is capable of designing imaging spectrometers that include holographic gratings based on a complex-shaped surface substrate and their corresponding recording systems is proposed. The most important feature of this method is that the recording and imaging systems are designed within one optical system model, thus allowing for an optimal balance to be achieved between the aberration correction capability and the manufacturability of the holographic grating. To illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method, three imaging spectrometers were designed that used holographic gratings manufactured by a recording system without auxiliary mirrors, a system with a spherical auxiliary mirror, and a system with a freeform auxiliary mirror. Ultimately, these three systems all achieved diffraction-limited imaging quality with minimal distortion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Weighted schatten- p norm regularization has been proposed for multichannel EEG signal recovery. • Welsch estimator has been used to retrain the impulsive noise which is included in the original signal. • An effect iterative optimization method is applied to exactly solve the resulting complicated optimization problem. • RCLR can achieve the superior performance compared with existing CS techniques in the open literature. Reducing noise is an urgent problem that solved in practical application, so designing robust signal recovery approach based on compressive sensing (CS) theory is critical for the multichannel electroencephalogram (EEG) signals. However, almost all the algorithms seldom regard noise or just take Gaussian noise emerged in transmission into account. When the original signal is affected by noise before compression and transmission, all these CS approaches will be out of effect. In order to abase the impact of impulsive noise, a new robust CS approach based on cosparse and low-rank priors is proposed to recover the clean original signal near perfectly. Specially, our model employs Welsch estimator to retrain the impulsive noise, and weighted schatten- p norm to efficiently utilize low-rank prior knowledge. Moreover, we present an iterative optimization strategy to reconstruct the signals. Experimental results have demonstrated that the proposed algorithm can exactly reconstruct the multichannel EEG signals under the impact of impulsive noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the classical WENO schemes [27] might suffer from slight post-shock oscillations (which are responsible for the numerical residual to hang at a truncation error level) and the new high-order multi-resolution WENO schemes [59] are successful to solve for steady-state problems, we apply these high-order finite volume multi-resolution WENO techniques to serve as limiters for high-order Runge-Kutta discontinuous Galerkin (RKDG) methods in simulating steady-state problems. Firstly, a new troubled cell indicator is designed to precisely detect the cells which would need further limiting procedures. Then the high-order multi-resolution WENO limiting procedures are adopted on a sequence of hierarchical L 2 projection polynomials of the DG solution within the troubled cell itself. By doing so, these RKDG methods with multi-resolution WENO limiters could gradually degrade from the optimal high-order accuracy to the first-order accuracy near strong discontinuities, suppress the slight post-shock oscillations, and push the numerical residual to settle down to machine zero in steady-state simulations. These new multi-resolution WENO limiters are very simple to construct and can be easily implemented to arbitrary high-order accuracy for solving steady-state problems in multi-dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Posterior pilon fracture is speculated to occur by a combination of rotation and axial load, which makes it different from rotational posterior malleolar fracture or pilon fracture, but is not validated in vitro. The aim of the current study is to investigate the injury mechanisms of posterior pilon fracture on cadaveric specimens. Eighteen cadaveric specimens were mounted to a loading device to undergo solitary vertical loading, solitary external rotational loading, and combined vertical and external rotational loading until failure, in initial position of plantarflexion with or without varus. The fracture characteristics were documented for each specimen. Vertical loading force combined with external rotation force diversified the fracture types resulting in pilon fracture, tibial spiral fracture, rotational malleolar fracture, talar fracture or calcaneal fracture. Vertical violence combined with external rotational loading in position of 45° of plantarflexion and 0° of varus produced posterior pilon fracture in specimens No. 13 and 14. Combination of vertical and external rotational force in plantarflexion position on cadaveric specimens produce posterior pilon fracture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to observe the correlation between the visceral fat/subcutaneous fat area ratio (VSR) and peripheral blood monocyte/high-density lipoprotein ratio (MHR) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and albuminuria. Based on the urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR), 89 T2DM patients were divided into normo-albuminuria group (n = 49, UACR <30 mg/g) and albuminuria group (n = 40, UACR ≥30 mg/g). Gender, age, body mass index (BMI), duration of T2DM, blood pressure, visceral fat area (VA), subcutaneous fat area (SA), biochemical indexes of blood serum and urinary were collected and compared between the two groups, and the relationship between VSR and MHR was analyzed in albuminuria group. No significant differences existed in gender, age, BMI, duration of diabetes, blood pressure, serum lipids, and hemoglobin Alc between the two groups. The levels of VA, VSR, MHR, and UACR were higher in the albuminuria group (P < 0.05). VSR was positively correlated with MHR (r = 0.39, P < 0.01), whereas VA was not significantly correlated with MHR in the albuminuria group. Compared with VA, VSR was significantly correlated with MHR, suggesting that VSR is more closely related to the occurrence of chronic inflammation in type 2 diabetics with albuminuria. • Type 2 diabetics with albuminuria showes higher visceral fat/subcutaneous fat area ratio compared to normo-albuminuria group. • Visceral fat/subcutaneous fat area ratio is more closely related with chronic inflammatory compared to visceral fat area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flood visualization plays a pivotal role in understanding and predicting flood disasters, as it aids in the development of effective disaster mitigation measures and emergency response strategies. However, traditional methods of flood computation and visualization often suffer from poor timeliness and subpar visualization effects, particularly in virtual reality (VR) scenarios. Panoramic data, inherently suitable for VR visualization, offers a low data volume attribute that significantly reduces the time cost of data processing. This allows for the real-time overlay of flood simulation results with the actual environment. We proposed a multi-scale flood simulation method which is subsequently integrated with panoramic images or videos through a dimensionality reduction process, enhancing visualization effects. We developed a prototype system to validate the proposed methodology, and the results demonstrated improved visualization outcomes, rendering efficiency, and user experience in VR panoramic flood simulations. • The CA-PBD method enhances the visualization of floods across multiple spatial scales. • The real-time fusion of 3D flood data with panoramic data improves the timeliness. • User interaction with panoramic videos or images represents a new approach to disaster perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates a Fermi-level-reconfigurable terahertz wavefront modulator composed of a hybrid material comprising graphene, silver metal, and silicon dioxide. Through theoretical simulation, analysis, and experimental investigations, it is found that graphene plays a crucial role in enhancing the performance of the modulator. Specifically, the presence of graphene increases the limiting factor of the modulator by 0.281, reduces the normalized modal field area by 0.15, decreases the transmission loss, and lowers the gain threshold by 30097 cm−1, thereby improving the efficiency, reliability, and stability of the device. The silicon dioxide and silver metal in the structure act as the primary reflective materials, achieving the effect of a metallic lens and validating the modulator's capability for efficient defocusing. Further investigations reveal that the carrier concentration of graphene can be easily controlled, allowing for manipulation of its physical properties through Fermi-level modulation. When incident light passes through the graphene array, it induces phase variations, altering the transmission path of light and thereby affecting the position of the defocused focal point, enabling dynamic adjustability. Under low Fermi-level control, the modulator achieves a 2 π phase adjustment range with an average reflectivity of 75%. Thus, this provides potential for practical applications of more dynamic and tunable microdevices, particularly in the field of laser cutting technology and etching processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• As a multi-frequency optical switch. For the "on/off" state at 5.35 THz, the MD and IL are 95.6% and 0.315 dB. • Make band optical switch. The structures all maintain MD > 90% and IL < 0.35 dB in the 5.28–5.48 THz band. • The transmission plunge can exhibit a high refractive index sensitivity of 0.7 THz/RIU. A periodic metamaterial comprising three graphene-strips and four C-type graphene square-ring is proposed herein to realize plasmon-induced transparency (PIT). Based on the characteristics of graphene dynamic modulation, we effectively broaden of the transparent window the relative bandwidth to realize the broadband PIT. The influence of the polarized light angle on PIT is investigated, demonstrating that the polarization angle affects PIT significantly, the dynamic change from multiple plasma-induced transparency to single-PIT can be realized. By tuning the Fermi levels in the graphene, our proposed metamaterial structure allows preparing not only a multi-frequency optical switch with modulation degrees of the amplitude (MDA) up to 95.6% and insertion loss (IL) down to 0.315 dB at 5.35 THz but also preparing optical switches with MDA > 90% and IL < 0.35 dB in bands ranging from 5.28 to 5.48 THz. The refractive index sensitivity of metamaterials is also investigated, and the simulation results show that a sensitivity of 0.7 THz/RIU is achieved, meaning an excellent sensors can be prepared. Thus, the proposed structure provides a new idea for the design of terahertz multi-frequency switches and refractive index sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been widely recognised that near-fault ground motions can be distinctly different from far-fault ground motions, in terms of their amplitudes and spectral characteristics, and there are a number of studies investigating the effects of near-fault ground motions on the structural response. However, only a few studies focus on underground tunnels, and most of them consider vertically incident seismic waves, neglecting the wave passage effect which is critical for long tunnels. This paper investigates the consequences of near-fault pulse-like ground motions on the seismic tunnel response, with an example of a tunnel embedded in saturated poroelastic soil. The input motions are represented by obliquely incident P1 waves, and the wave passage effect along the longitudinal direction is considered by a 2.5D modelling technique. The seismic tunnel response for near-fault pulse-like and far-fault ground motions is compared. Additionally, artificial ground motions, which have consistent acceleration response spectra with the near-fault pulse-like ground motions, but without velocity pulses, are generated to gain further insight into the contribution of velocity pulses. It is shown that the near-fault pulse-like ground motions can noticeably increase the tunnel internal forces, due to large seismic energy associated with the velocity pulses. For pulse-like ground motions with similar acceleration response spectra, the fling-step velocity pulse can be more detrimental to the tunnel than the forward-directivity velocity pulse. Moreover, the amplification effect of the near-fault pulse-like ground motions on the tunnel internal forces tends to be more prominent for large vertical angles of incidence, highlighting the significance of considering the oblique incidence case for seismic design. • Interaction of the tunnel and saturated poroelastic soil for obliquely incident seismic waves. • The longitudinal tunnel response due to the wave passage effect. • Near-fault pulse-like ground motions tend to increase internal forces in the tunnel lining. • Effects of forward-directivity and fling-step velocity pulses. • Influences of pulse-like ground motions are more prominent for large vertical angles of incidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the cooperative attack tolerant tracking control problem for multi-agent systems under sensor attacks. A group of distributed adaptive state observers with a resilient switching scheme is proposed to reconstruct the states, then the tracking control strategy is designed based on the estimates. It is shown that both of the estimation and the attack tolerance control performances are ensured despite of multiple sensor attacks and the disturbances. Finally, the experimental results of networked multi-axis motion control show the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mirror therapy can facilitate ipsilesional motor cortical activations in patients with stroke. • Bilateral mirror therapy can induce greater cortical activations of patients. • Patients with severe motor deficit may still benefit from unilateral mirror therapy. This study aimed to investigate the differential effects of bilateral and unilateral mirror therapy (MT) on motor cortical activations in stroke patients by magnetoencephalography (MEG). Sixteen stroke patients and 16 right-handed healthy volunteers were recruited. All participants were required to perform 4 conditions: resting, no mirror with bilateral hand movements (Bilateral-No mirror), mirror with bilateral hand movements (Bilateral-Mirror) and mirror with unilateral hand movements (Unilateral-Mirror). Beta oscillatory activities in the primary motor cortex (M1) were collected during each condition using MEG. The percentage change of beta oscillatory activity was calculated for each condition to correct the baseline differences. In the stroke group, the percentage change of M1 beta oscillatory activity significantly decreased more in the Bilateral-Mirror condition than in the Bilateral-No mirror and Unilateral-Mirror conditions. In the healthy group, no significant differences in the percentage change of beta oscillatory activity were found among the 3 conditions. Further, a significant difference in the percentage change of beta oscillatory activity only in the Bilateral-Mirror condition was found between the 2 groups. This study provides new information on the differential cortical activations modulated by bilateral and unilateral MT. Bilateral MT led to greater M1 neural activities than unilateral MT and bilateral movements without a mirror in stroke patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new fifth-order finite difference well-balanced multi-resolution weighted essentially non-oscillatory (WENO) scheme is designed to solve for one-dimensional and two-dimensional shallow water equations with or without source terms on structured meshes. We only use the information defined on a hierarchy of nested central spatial stencils without introducing any equivalent multi-resolution representation once again. For the shallow flow problems with smooth or discontinuous bed, we combine with the well-balanced procedure developed by Xing and Shu (2005) for balancing the flux gradients and the source terms, and then the new fifth-order well-balanced multi-resolution WENO scheme (Zhu and Shu, 2018) could satisfy the exact C-property for still stationary solutions, maintain the fifth-order accuracy in smooth regions, and keep essentially non-oscillatory property in non-smooth regions. Compared with the classical well-balanced WENO schemes (Xing and Shu, 2005), the new features of this finite difference well-balanced multi-resolution WENO scheme is its simplicity and hierarchical structure in obtaining higher-order accuracy and its linear weights could be arbitrarily chosen with one requirement that their summation is one. It is the first time that a series of unequal-sized hierarchical central spatial stencils are used in designing finite difference well-balanced WENO scheme for solving shallow water equations. This new well-balanced WENO scheme is simple to construct and can be easily implemented to arbitrary high-order accuracy and in higher dimensions. Some benchmark numerical examples are performed to illustrate the good performances of this new well-balanced WENO scheme which could get high-order accuracy, keep exact C-property, sustain good convergence property, and obtain sharp shock transitions in the whole computational field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of 3D-printed scaffolds in repairing bone defects remains unexplored. We aimed to determine whether the duration of electrochemical deposition (ECD) affects the properties of hydroxyapatite (HA) coatings on 3D-printed titanium (TI) scaffolds as well as the corresponding phenotype of MC3T3-E1 cells seeded on these surfaces.Methods: Five groups of HA-coated TI scaffolds were produced using different durations of ECD (0, 5, 10, 20, and 30 min) and examined under scanning electron microscopy (SEM). MC3T3-E1 cell adhesion to the HA-coated scaffolds and subsequent proliferation and viability were assessed using SEM, DAPI staining, EdU staining, and Alamar Blue assay, respectively. MC3T3-E1 cell expression of osteogenic genes was analyzed by fluorescence RT-PCR.Results: On SEM, longer ECD durations resulted in more compact HA crystals of differing morphology coated onto the TI scaffolds. MC3T3-E1 cell adhesion differed among the five groups (p < 0.05), with the largest number of cells adhered to the scaffolds prepared with 30 min of ECD, followed by the group prepared with 20 min of ECD. However, the ECD duration of 20 min was associated with the highest cell viability and proliferation rate (both p < 0.05) as well as the highest mRNA expression levels of alkaline phosphatase, collagen I, osteocalcin and runt-related transcription factor 2 among the five groups (p < 0.05).Conclusions: In the fabrication of HA-coated 3D printed TI scaffolds, an ECD duration of 20 min resulted in scaffolds that best promoted MC3T3-E1 cell viability, proliferation and osteogenic gene expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, high-order Runge-Kutta discontinuous Galerkin (RKDG) methods with multi-resolution weighted essentially non-oscillatory (WENO) limiters are designed for solving hyperbolic conservation laws on triangular meshes. These multi-resolution WENO limiters are new extensions of the associated multi-resolution WENO finite volume schemes [49,50] which serve as limiters for RKDG methods from structured meshes [47] to triangular meshes. Such new WENO limiters use information of the DG solution essentially only within the troubled cell itself which is identified by a new modified version of the original KXRCF indicator [24] , to build a sequence of hierarchical L 2 projection polynomials from zeroth degree to the highest degree of the RKDG method. The second-order, third-order, and fourth-order RKDG methods with associated multi-resolution WENO limiters are developed as examples, which could maintain the original order of accuracy in smooth regions and keep essentially non-oscillatory property near strong shocks or contact discontinuities by gradually degrading from the highest order to the first order. The linear weights inside the procedure of the new multi-resolution WENO limiters can be any positive numbers on the condition that their sum equals one. This is the first time that a series of polynomials of different degrees within the troubled cell itself are applied in a WENO fashion to modify the DG solutions in the troubled cell on triangular meshes. These new WENO limiters are very simple to construct, and can be easily implemented to arbitrary high-order accuracy and in higher dimensions on unstructured meshes. Such spatial reconstruction methodology improves the robustness in the simulation on the same compact spatial stencil of the original DG methods on triangular meshes. Extensive one-dimensional (run as two-dimensional problems on triangular meshes) and two-dimensional tests are performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of these RKDG methods with the new multi-resolution WENO limiters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the deteriorated positive definite and skew-Hermitian splitting (DPSS) preconditioner, we develop a parameterized DPSS (PDPSS) preconditioner for the nonsymmetric saddle point linear systems. The spectral properties of the PDPSS preconditioned coefficient matrix are analyzed. Moreover, an upper bound of the degree of the minimal polynomial of the PDPSS preconditioned matrix is also obtained. Inasmuch as the efficiency of the PDPSS preconditioner depends on the values of its parameters, we further derive a fast and effective method to compute the optimal parameter values of the PDPSS preconditioner. Finally, numerical examples are employed to illustrate the feasibility and the efficiency of the PDPSS preconditioner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To recapitulate progressive human dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and heart block in the Lmna R225X mutant mice model and investigate the molecular basis of LMNA mutation induced cardiac conduction disorders (CD); To investigate the potential interventional impact of exercise endurance. A Lmna R225X knock-in mice model in either heterozygous or homozygous genotype was generated. Electrical remodeling was observed with higher occurrence of AV block from neonatal and aged mutant mice as measured by surface electrocardiogram and atrio-ventricular Wenckebach point detection. Histological and molecular profiles revealed an increase in apoptotic cells and activation of caspase-3 activities in heart tissue. Upon aging, extracellular cellular matrix (ECM) remodeling appeared with accumulation of collagen in Lmna R225X mutant hearts as visualized by Masson's trichrome stain. This could be explained by the upregulated ECM gene expression, such as Fibronectin: Fn1, collagen: Col12a1, intergrin: Itgb2 and 3, as detected by microarray gene chip. Also, endurance exercise for 3 month improved the ventricular ejection fraction, attenuated fibrosis and cardiomyocytes apoptosis in the aged mutant mice. The mechanism of LMNA nonsense mutation induced cardiac conduction defects through AV node fibrosis is due to upregulated ECM gene expression upon activation of cardiac apoptosis. Lmna R225X mutant mice hold the potential for serving as in vivo models to explore the mechanism and therapeutic methods for AV block or myopathy associated with the aging process. • Despite high prevalence of LMNA-mutation related premature onset of heart block and/or dilated cardiomyopathy, the pathophysiogy the mutation to the arrhythmic manifestation have yet to be discovered. • In current study, a Lmna-R225X knockin mice model successfully served as a platform for the disease recapitulation and development of drug screening. • We understood that the presentation of heart block phenotype was accompanied by cardiac fibrosis, especially localized at AV node, which impeded electrical propagation. • Progression to DCM phenotype was observed after electrical modeling events from 18 months of age thereafter. • Surprisingly, endurance exercise by swimming seems to alleviate such phenotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Surface plasmon polarization waveguide based on graphene sense trace gases. • The interface between graphene and gas stimulate surface plasmon polarization. • Effective refractive index of waveguide can be changed to modify the emergent light. To improve the selectivity of carbon nanotubes for gas sensors, we design a surface plasmon polarization waveguide based on graphene that can sense trace gases. In addition, a gas concentration measurement system was designed for a sensor based on optical cavity ring-down spectroscopy. The gas concentration measurement system was composed of two loops, which were combined with the minimum mean square error algorithm to achieve an amplified spontaneous emission noise filter. The experimental results show that the gas concentration measurement error was significantly improved after CO filtering. The slope of the logarithmic ring-down curve and the ring-down time decreased with the increasing gas concentration. The gas concentration and ring-down time showed an improved linear relationship. The design system can detect trace gases as a single gas or a variety of toxic gases in special environments. The device provided a wide range of sensors and measurements. Moreover, the proposed device is relatively simple and easy to implement, with high detection sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A dense radiation fog event occurred at the Shouxian site, Anhui Province, China, from the evening of January 2 to noon on January 3, 2017. During this event, vertical profiles of particulate matter (PM) and meteorological parameters within the lower troposphere (0–1000 m) were collected using a tethered balloon. This study assessed the evolution of the PM 2.5 profile with the planetary boundary layer (PBL) structure and the effects of fog on the PM 2.5 concentration. The results showed the following: (1) At the surface, the average diurnal variation in Aitken mode, accumulation mode and coarse mode particles had bimodal patterns before fog formation and was mainly influenced by diurnal variation in the mixing level depth (MLD). The aerosol number concentrations decreased remarkably, and the PM 2.5 was strongly scavenged from 150 μg/m3 to 45 μg/m3 during the fog process. (2) In the vertical direction, the PM 2.5 distribution was affected by the PBL height and the vertical fog structure. At 05:00 LT (local time) (i.e., early morning before the fog event), the PM 2.5 concentration was slightly higher in the stable layer (260 μg/m3) than in the residual layer (200 μg/m3). At 14:00 LT (haze period), PM 2.5 was well mixed below 500 m, with a concentration of 310 μg/m3. After 20:00 LT, when fog formed, PM 2.5 was scavenged from the surface to the upper layers, and the scavenging height was controlled by the fog top height. (3) The vertical development of fog was promoted by turbulent mixing and radiation cooling at the fog top. Turbulent mixing enhanced the particle scavenging efficiency of fog droplets by the collision-coalescence process. The PM 2.5 scavenging height was corresponded to the turbulence height. Therefore, turbulence development in the fog was the essential dynamic factor driving PM 2.5 reduction. Unlabelled Image • The vertical profile of PM 2.5 was affected by the planetary boundary layer(PBL) structure before the fog period. • Fog greatly scavenged PM 2.5 from the surface to the lower PBL during night of Jan. 2 and morning of Jan.3. • The PM 2.5 scavenging height was in agreement with the fog top height during the fog process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A noninvasive detection technique of diabetes via monitoring the concentration of acetone in exhaled breath (EB) has been approaching to groundbreaking innovations in the very recent years (2008–2018). Not only various methods of detection have been studied but also the performance of several functional materials has been investigated in this application, and in the current decade further attention has been given to the engineering aspects of devising a cost-effective hand-held 'exhaled breath acetone detector' (EBAD). Considering the rapid growth of advanced technology in recent years on devising a robust EBAD, this review is aimed to present a footnote on the major progress and prospects of EBAD ongoing in the current decade. This review exemplifies that an EBAD could potentially become a supplementary device with the conventional glucometer by the end of this decade and will eliminate the need for the continuous blood test for diabetes patients. Image 1 • Acetone in human exhaled breath is a potential biomarker of diabetes. • Noninvasive exhaled breath biosensor is the prospective alternative of glucometer. • An exhaled breath acetone detector (EBAD) could possibly appear in market by 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the thermoelectric effect of wear of alloy bearing is analyzed, and the change characteristics of thermoelectric signals of different types and different working conditions of alloy bearing are measured and analyzed. The results show that the thermoelectric signals of the alloy bearing start from scratch, and there are temperature difference potential and contact potential; the thermoelectric signals of the alloy bearing change in a good repeatability during steady-state operation, and the peak value of the thermoelectric signals of the alloy bearing corresponds to the number of cylinders in a working cycle; the mean, peak value of the thermoelectric signals correspond to the thickness of the oil film. The relationship among degree, temperature difference potential and contact potential can be used to judge accumulative wear and instantaneous wear of alloy bearing in real time, which proves the feasibility of on-line wear monitoring of alloy bearing based on thermoelectric effect. • The experimental results show that the thermoelectric signal increases from zero at the start of the diesel engine, and there exist the temperature difference potential and the contact potential. • The thermoelectric signal of sliding main bearing in steady state is well reproducible, and the peak number of the thermoelectric signal in a working cycle equals to the number of cylinders. • The cumulative wear and instantaneous wear of sliding main bearings can be judged in real time by means of the characteristics that the mean value of thermoelectric signal increases with the increase of temperature difference potential and the peak value increases with the increase of contact potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electron beam freeform fabrication (EBF3) has drawn increasing attention over the past decade due to its potential for time and cost savings. The microstructure and mechanical properties of EBF3- fabricated Ti–6Al–4V block have been investigated and discussed in this work. The microstructure of the as-fabricated block was found to be dominated by columnar grains and equiaxed grains. The phase constitutions were identified by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The results reveal that the as-fabricated Ti–6Al–4V samples consist of lamellar structure, basketweave structure and Widmanstätten structure. The graded Ti–6Al–4V microstructure was observed which mainly arise from the complex thermal cycles. The average width of lamellar α phase and element content of Al are decreased with the increasing of the building height. Graded mechanical properties of Ti–6Al–4V with microhardness and tensile strength were found. The microhardness and ultimate tensile strength increase while decreasing elongation as the increasing of build height. This work provides a better understanding of microstructural evolution during the EBF3 process, which will be conducive process control, improvement, and optimization. • The microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of a Ti–6Al–4V block fabricated using electron beam freeform fabrication are studied. • Graded Ti–6Al–4V microstructure including the width of lamellar α phase and volume fraction of β phase were analyzed and discussed. • The graded microhardness and tensile properties were observed along the building direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mechanochemical magnetic solid phase extraction (MCMSPE) method was developed for a one-pot extraction and enrichment of organochlorine pesticides in tea leaves to demonstrate the advantage of using magnetic nanoparticles in the sample preparation process. The enriched analytes were subsequently detected by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The presence of magnetic metal-organic-framework (MMOF) (Fe 3 O 4 @MIL-100 (Fe)) nanoparticles help to rupture the cell walls in solid plant samples more thoroughly, and at the same time, act as a selective sorbent for the enrichment of target analytes. Compared to traditional methods, this approach significantly shortens the sample processing time from tens of minutes to tens of seconds. The parameters of the procedure were systematically studied and optimized to achieve good limits of detection (0.62–3.92 ng g−1, LOD S/N = 3), significantly improved recoveries (81.46–113.59%), and good reproducibility (RSD 2.63–9.87%, n = 5). The results indicated that this method can be applied for high throughput determination of organochlorine pesticides in tea leaves, and can be used for other dried plant samples. Image 1 • Mechanochemical magnetic solid phase extraction for extraction and enrichment. • Trace amount of organochlorine pesticides in tea leaves determined by GC and LC. • Fe 3 O 4 @MIL-100 (Fe) nanoparticles help rupture plant cell wall and enrich analytes. • Total processing time including sample preparation and extraction less than a minute. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bay-substituted perylene diimide (PDI) dyes are a subject of great interest in both industrial and academic domains in the past decades. As important laterally extended derivatives of PDI dyes, benzo[ ghi ]perylenetriimides (BPTIs) have attracted much attention as non-fullerene acceptors, but their scope for applications has been limited by the lack of substitutions at the remaining two bay positions. Herein, we reported a facile synthesis of a novel, highly valuable synthon, 7, 8-dichlorobenzo[ghi]perylenetriimide (2), with two easy leaving chlorine groups at the remaining bay area, which can be further substituted by other functionalized groups through various synthetic strategies. Due to foreseeable applications of core-functionalized BPTIs, this unique synthon is anticipated to open up a fresh ground for optoelectronic materials. An unsymmetric and distorted 7, 8-dichlorobenzo[ ghi ]perylenetriimide has been developed, which is demonstrated to be a highly valuable synthon for new bay-substituted π-extended perylene dyes with tuneable optical and redox properties. Image 1 • A versatile synthon 7, 8-Dichlorobenzo[ ghi ]perylenetriimide has been synthesized for the first time. • Two chlorine groups in 7, 8-dichlorobenzo[ ghi ]perylenetriimide can be substituted by various synthetic strategies. • The proof-of-the-concept core-functionalized dyes with tuneable optical and redox properties have been demonstrated. • This research is of considerable realistic significance for design of other novel π-extended perylene dyes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]