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Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) is a frequent cause of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children. The incidence of childhood pneumonia caused by M. pneumoniae infection has been rapidly increasing worldwide. M. pneumoniae is naturally resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics due to its lack of a cell wall. Macrolides and related antibiotics are considered the optimal drugs for treating M. pneumoniae infection. However, clinical resistance to macrolides has become a global concern in recent years. Therefore, it is imperative to urgently identify new targets and develop new anti-M. pneumoniae drugs to treat MMP. Previous studies have shown that deficiencies in HPrK/P kinase or phosphorylase activity can seriously affect carbon metabolism, growth, morphology, and other cellular functions of M. pneumoniae. To identify potential drug development targets against M. pneumoniae, this study analyzed the sequence homology and 3D structure alignment of M. pneumoniae HPrK/P. Through sequence and structure analysis, we found that HPrK/P lacks homologous proteins in the human, while its functional motifs are highly conserved in bacteria. This renders it a promising candidate for drug development. Structure-based virtual screening was then used to discover potential inhibitors among 2614 FDA-approved drugs and 948 bioactive small molecules for M. pneumoniae HPrK/P. Finally, we identified three candidate drugs (Folic acid, Protokylol and Gluconolactone) as potential HPrK/P inhibitors through molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MDs) simulations, and ADMET predictions. These drugs offer new strategies for the treatment of MPP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, Dolichandrone spathacea is a rare and endangered semi-mangrove plant species with an extremely small population, naturally distributed only in Zhanjiang City and the east coast of Hainan Island. Despite conservation concerns, the population status of D. spathacea has received little scientific attention. In this study, we evaluated the current status of D. spathacea on Hainan Island, China, in order to propose sustainable conservation strategies for future ecological restoration of its natural population. D. spathacea on Hainan Island can be divided into four populations. All the D. spathacea populations present a state of overall dispersion, local concentration, and occasionally sporadic existence, and they exist in geographical isolation. The young, middle, and old D. spathacea plants account for 20.42%, 66.20%, and 13.38%, respectively, indicating that the D. spathacea population on Hainan Island is declining. Furthermore, instead of temporal structure, we used diameter at breast height (DBH) to establish a static life table, draw a population survival curve, and quantify the future development trend through population dynamic analysis and time-series prediction. These results suggest that the D. spathacea population in the Bamen Gulf (Wenchang) and Qingmei Harbor (Sanya) on Hainan Island is sensitive to external disturbances and possesses two main increases in mortality rate—namely, in its juvenile and mature stages—due to competition and anthropogenic interferences, which might be the most important reasons for its endangered status. Depending on the current conditions of the D. spathacea population, we should conserve and expand mature trees in situ, preserve their germplasm resources, rehabilitate their habitats to promote provenance restoration, and conduct artificial cultivation and spreading planting in order to realize the sustainable conservation and management of D. spathacea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The treatment of tritiated nuclear wastewater is facing greater challenges with the continuous expansion of the nuclear industry. The key to solving the issue of detritium in low-abundance tritium water lies in developing highly efficient and cost-effective hydrogen isotope separation technology. Graphene oxide (GO) membrane separation method exhibits greater potential compared to other existing energy-intensive technologies for the challenging task of hydrogen isotope separation in nuclear wastewater. In recent years, researchers have explored few strategies to enhance the performance of graphene oxide (GO) membranes in hydrogen isotope water treatment, recognizing the current limitations in separation efficiency. In this study, the GO/g-C3N4 composite membrane has been successfully employed for the first time in the separation of hydrogen isotopes in water. A series of GO membranes were prepared and their performances were tested by a self-made experimental device. As a result, the separation performance of the GO membrane was enhanced by the modification with graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4). The permeation rate of the GO/g-C3N4 membrane was higher than that of the GO membrane, while maintaining a high separation factor. Our study also demonstrated that this phenomenon can be attributed to the changes in membrane structure at the microscopic scale. The H/D separation factor and the permeate flux of the composite membrane containing g-C3N4 of 6.7% by mass were 1.10 and 7.2 × 10−5 g·min−1·cm−2 are both higher than that of the GO membrane under the same experimental conditions, which is promising for the isotope treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research constructed a novel O3/CaO2/ HCO 3 − system to degrade antibiotic oxytetracycline (OTC) in water. The results indicated that CaO2 and HCO 3 − addition could promote OTC degradation in an O3 system. There is an optimal dosage of CaO2 (0.05 g/L) and HCO 3 − (2.25 mmol/L) that promotes OTC degradation. After 30 min of treatment, approximately 91.5% of the OTC molecules were eliminated in the O3/CaO2/ HCO 3 − system. A higher O3 concentration, alkaline condition, and lower OTC concentration were conducive to OTC decomposition. Active substances including ·OH, 1O2, · O 2 − , and · HCO 3 − play certain roles in OTC degradation. The production of ·OH followed the order: O3/CaO2/ HCO 3 − > O3/CaO2 > O3. Compared to the sole O3 system, TOC and COD were easier to remove in the O3/CaO2/ HCO 3 − system. Based on DFT and LC-MS, active species dominant in the degradation pathways of OTC were proposed. Then, an evaluation of the toxic changes in intermediates during OTC degradation was carried out. The feasibility of O3/CaO2/ HCO 3 − for the treatment of other substances, such as bisphenol A, tetracycline, and actual wastewater, was investigated. Finally, the energy efficiency of the O3/CaO2/ HCO 3 − system was calculated and compared with other mainstream processes of OTC degradation. The O3/CaO2/ HCO 3 − system may be considered as an efficient and economical approach for antibiotic destruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let A be a finite dimensional hereditary algebra over an algebraically closed field k. In this paper, we study the tilting quiver of A from the viewpoint of τ -tilting theory. First, we prove that there exists an isomorphism between the support τ -tilting quiver Q(s τ -tilt A) of A and the tilting quiver Q(tilt A ¯ ) of the duplicated algebra A ¯ . Then, we give a new method to calculate the number of arrows in the tilting quiver Q(tilt A) when A is representation-finite. Finally, we study the conjecture given by Happel and Unger, which claims that each connected component of Q(tilt A) contains only finitely many non-saturated vertices. We provide an example to show that this conjecture does not hold for some algebras whose quivers are wild with at least four vertices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Signal control, as an integral component of traffic management, plays a pivotal role in enhancing the efficiency of traffic and reducing environmental pollution. However, the majority of signal control research based on game theory primarily focuses on vehicular perspectives, often neglecting pedestrians, who are significant participants at intersections. This paper introduces a game theory-based signal control approach designed to minimize and equalize the queued vehicles and pedestrians across the different phases. The Nash bargaining solution is employed to determine the optimal green duration for each phase within a fixed cycle length. Several simulation tests were carried out by SUMO software to assess the effectiveness of this proposed approach. We select the actuated signal control approach as the baseline to demonstrate the superiority and stability of the proposed control strategy. The simulation results reveal that the proposed approach is able to reduce pedestrian and vehicle delay, vehicle queue length, fuel consumption, and CO2 emissions under different demand levels and demand patterns. Furthermore, the proposed approach consistently achieves more equalized queue length for each lane compared to the actuated control strategy, indicating a higher degree of fairness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In pressurized water reactors (PWRs), flow-induced vibration (FIV) induces the fretting wear of fuel rods and supporting grids, and the process is accompanied by corrosion, which is called fretting corrosion. In this paper, fretting corrosion experiments were carried out in a simulated cladding service environment, and the fretting corrosion performance of AlCrNbSiTi coating cladding, Cr coating cladding and uncoated cladding with the supporting grids were investigated using a three-dimensional white light interferometer and a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results showed that the AlCrNbSiTi coating cladding has the strongest fretting corrosion performance, the Cr coating cladding has the second best fretting corrosion performance and the uncoated cladding has the worst fretting corrosion performance. The coating also changes the wear mechanism of the cladding and improves the corrosion resistance of the cladding, which is responsible for the improvement in the fretting corrosion performance of the cladding. By comparing the AlCrNbSiTi coating with the Cr coating, it was found that the AlCrNbSiTi coating has a better fretting corrosion performance than the Cr coating due to its higher hardness and stronger corrosion resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind power is growing rapidly as a green and clean energy source. As the core part of a wind turbine, the blades are subjected to enormous stress in harsh environments over a long period of time and are therefore extremely susceptible to damage, while at the same time, they are costly, so it is important to monitor their damage in a timely manner. This paper is based on the detection of blade damage using acoustic emission signals, which can detect early minor damage and internal damage to the blades. Instead of conventional piezoelectric sensors, we use fiber optic gratings as sensing units, which have the advantage of small size and corrosion resistance. Furthermore, the sensitivity of the system is doubled by replacing the conventional FBG (fiber Bragg grating) with a π-phase-shifted FBG. For the noise problem existing in the system, this paper combines the traditional WPD (wavelet packet decomposition) denoising method with EMD (empirical mode decomposition) to achieve a better noise reduction effect. Finally, small wind turbine blades are used in the experiment and their acoustic emission signals with different damage are collected for feature analysis, which sets the stage for the subsequent detection of different damage degrees and types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atriplex canescens is widely cultivated as drought and salt-tolerant fodder in arid regions of Northwest China, which is used for photoremediation of degraded land and soil and water conservation. To explore the growth performance of A. canescens when exposed to drought and salt stress, seedlings were treated with a range of drought stress (WC1: 75 ± 3.6%, WC2: 49 ± 2.9% and WC3: 27 ± 2.5% of soil water content) and the corresponding drought stress with additional sodium salt supplementation (NaCl:Na2SO4 = 1:1 with the total concentration of Na+ set to 150 mM). The findings of this paper indicated that moderate sodium salt could stimulate the growth of A. canescens and effectively alleviate the deleterious impact of drought stress by increasing the turgor potential (ψt) and relative water content (RWC) and decreasing the leaf water osmotic potential (ψs). Furthermore, the photosynthetic capacity was improved and the negative effects of drought stress on photosystem II (PSII) were mitigated. The extra 150 mM sodium salt also markedly increased the contribution of Na+ to ψs and the contribution of betaine to ψs. In summary, these results indicate that A. canescens can adapt to drought stress by accumulating enough Na+ for osmotic adjustment (OA). Additionally, this paper is aimed to provide a fundamental basis for the utilization and cultivation of A. canescens as a favored pasture crop in the Qaidam basin, thus increasing the ecological and environmental benefits for arid regions worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hong Kong is a typical global city with growing levels of substandard housing and a reduction in basic living quality. The government implemented a policy of transitional social housing (TSH) in 2018 to enhance the livelihood of low-income families. Nam Cheong 220 (NC220) is the first structural steel TSH project in Hong Kong. This study aims to evaluate the social impact and effectiveness of the project, and quantitative data were collected from individuals in three stages between 2020 and 2022. The first stage (T0) involved interviewing 106 successful applicants of NC220, followed by 91 participants in the second stage (T1) and 88 in the third stage (T2). Longitudinal analysis was implemented to scrutinize the changes observed over time, namely that the living area per capita substantially increased and housing expenses per capita decreased significantly due to residents' relocation to NC220. Housing conditions and community problems also showed significant improvement. Living satisfaction, neighbour and family relationships also demonstrated positive changes. The most difficult issue for residents was finding suitable housing after staying at NC220. The findings reveal that the first TSH in Hong Kong as an intervention significantly improved the housing circumstances of residents. The social dimensions of housing for enhancing residents' well-being is worth additional attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DLA-88 is a classical major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I gene in dogs, and allelic DLA-88 molecules have been divided into two categories named "DLA-88*0" and "DLA-88*5." The defining difference between the two categories concerns an LQW motif in the α2 domain helical region of the DLA-88*5 molecules that includes the insertion of an extra amino acid compared to MHC class I consensus length. We here show that this motif has been exchanged by recombination between different DLA-88 evolutionary lineages. Previously, with pDLA-88*508:01, the structure of a molecule of the DLA-88*5 category was elucidated. The present study is the first to elucidate a structure, using X-ray crystallography, of the DLA-88*0 category, namely DLA-88*001:04 complexed with β2m and a nonamer peptide derived from canine distemper virus (CDV). The LQW motif that distinguishes DLA-88*5 from DLA-88*0 causes a shallower peptide binding groove (PBG) and a leucine exposed at the top of the α2 domain helix expected to affect T cell selection. Peptide ligand amino acid substitution and pMHC-I complex formation and stability analyses revealed that P2 and P3 are the major anchor residue positions for binding to DLA-88*001:04. We speculate that the distribution pattern of the LQW motif among canine classical MHC class I alleles represents a strategy to enhance allogeneic rejection by T cells of transmissible cancers such as canine transmissible venereal tumor (CTVT). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purkinje cells (PCs), as a unique type of neurons output from the cerebellar cortex, are essential for the development and physiological function of the cerebellum. However, the intricate mechanisms underlying the maintenance of Purkinje cells are unclear. The O-GlcNAcylation (O-GlcNAc) of proteins is an emerging regulator of brain function that maintains normal development and neuronal circuity. In this study, we demonstrate that the O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) in PCs maintains the survival of PCs. Furthermore, a loss of OGT in PCs induces severe ataxia, extensor rigidity and posture abnormalities in mice. Mechanistically, OGT regulates the survival of PCs by inhibiting the generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). These data reveal a critical role of O-GlcNAc signaling in the survival and maintenance of cerebellar PCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) has been established as being an effective treatment for advanced gastric cancer (GC), while the predictive biomarker of NACT efficacy remains under investigation. Aspartate β-hydroxylase (ASPH) represents an attractive target which is a highly conserved transmembrane enzyme overexpressed in human GC, and participates in the malignant transformation by promoting tumor cell motility. Here, we evaluated the expression of ASPH by immunohistochemistry in 350 GC tissues (including samples for NACT) and found that ASPH expression was higher in patients undergoing NACT compared with patients without NACT pre-operation. The OS and PFS time of ASPH-intensely positive patients was significantly shorter than that of the negative patients in the NACT group, while the difference was not significant in patients without NACT. We showed that ASPH knockout enhanced the inhibitory effects of chemotherapeutic drugs on the cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro and suppressed tumor progression in vivo. Co-immunoprecipitation revealed that ASPH might interact with LAPTM4B to perform chemotherapeutic drug resistance. Our results suggested that ASPH might serve as a candidate biomarker to predict prognosis and a novel therapeutic target for gastric cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study linking the two economic and social phenomena of rural labor force migration and energy transition can help analyze the underlying causes of rural "Energy Poverty". However, how off-farm employment affects household low-carbon energy consumption and its potential mechanisms requires further research. Using 1351 sampled rural households from the "Rural Energy, Population Transfer and Well-being" survey in 2018 and 2021 to explore response mechanisms through which off-farm employment can influence low-carbon energy intensity. Utilizing the multivariate regression, Sobel test, and moderating effect test, the results demonstrate that off-farm employment, including short-term and long-term off-farm employment, significantly increases the intensity of low-carbon energy use among rural households. Specifically, long-term off-farm employment tends to have a greater positive contribution to the low-carbon energy intensity than short-term off-farm employment. Furthermore, off-farm employment can affect household low-carbon energy intensity through the total income, and effect of the surrounding people in the off-farm employment process also increases their consumption intensity. The research reveals that the rural energy revolution under the constraints of "Carbon Neutral" and "Carbon Peak" should relate to the off-farm development of rural households to achieve "Precise Energy Poverty Alleviation". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal management system of a power battery is crucial to the safety of battery operation; however, for the phase-change material (PCM) thermal management system of a battery, the thermal cycling of phase-change material under large discharge rate conditions will lead to thermal conductivity degradation and thermal stress problems. A method of manufacturing PCM containers with metal fins to package pure phase-change material is put forward to solve the problem. The system temperature under different conditions is studied using numerical and experimental methods. A thermal resistance model is built to analyze the thermal transfer performance of PCM containers with fins. The results show that the PCM container structure can effectively control the battery temperature within the suitable temperature range under the low discharge rate, but the maximum temperature of the battery pack at the high discharge rate of 3 C will exceed the optimum operating temperature range. Adding fins can reduce the maximum temperature and improve the system temperature uniformity. By combining fins with forced-air cooling, the maximum temperature and maximum temperature difference of the battery pack at a high discharge rate can be effectively reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Cutaneous melanoma is highly prone to metastasize to the brain, with a historically poor overall survival of only 4–5 months. Over the past decade, novel drugs such as targeted therapies and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized the treatment of advanced melanoma. However, most prospective studies have excluded patients with melanoma brain metastasis (MBM) or included only patients with stable (steroid-free) or asymptomatic MBM. To assess the impact of novel treatments in patients with MBM in a real-world setting, we studied a cohort of consecutive patients over a period of sixteen years (2005 to 2021) in a large, tertiary referral center for melanoma (Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands). We found a significant improvement in overall survival in the modern (post-2015) era, associated with stereotactic radiotherapy and especially ICIs. These findings support that ICIs, if clinically feasible, should be considered first in clinical practice after a diagnosis of MBM. Background: Melanoma brain metastasis (MBM) is associated with poor outcome, but targeted therapies (TTs) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized treatment over the past decade. We assessed the impact of these treatments in a real-world setting. Methods: A single-center cohort study was performed at a large, tertiary referral center for melanoma (Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands). Overall survival (OS) was assessed before and after 2015, after which TTs and ICIs were increasingly prescribed. Results: There were 430 patients with MBM included; 152 pre-2015 and 278 post-2015. Median OS improved from 4.4 to 6.9 months (HR 0.67, p < 0.001) after 2015. TTs and ICIs prior to MBM diagnosis were associated with poorer median OS as compared to no prior systemic treatment (TTs: 2.0 vs. 10.9 and ICIs: 4.2 vs. 7.9 months, p < 0.001). ICIs directly after MBM diagnosis were associated with improved median OS as compared to no direct ICIs (21.5 vs. 4.2 months, p < 0.001). Stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT; HR 0.49, p = 0.013) and ICIs (HR 0.32, p < 0.001) were independently associated with improved OS. Conclusion: After 2015, OS significantly improved for patients with MBM, especially with SRT and ICIs. Demonstrating a large survival benefit, ICIs should be considered first after MBM diagnosis, if clinically feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kandelia obovata (S., L.) Yong and Sonneratia caseolaris (L.) Engl. are two dominant mangrove species in the subtropical coastlines of the Pearl River Estuary, China. The main aim of this study was to investigate the specific causes of K. obovata mortality versus S. caseolaris vitality on the west coast of Bao'an, Shenzhen, China and to propose sustainable management strategies for mangrove protection and future ecological planting restoration. Results showed that although both mangroves possessed simple and unstable community structures, S. caseolaris had a more tenacious vitality than the native species K. obovata, indicating that the former possesses stronger adaptability under adversity conditions. Moreover, the salinity of the seawater collection point 5 from the K. obovata plot was found to be lower than that of seawater collection point 1–3 from the S. caseolaris sample plots, indicating that no hydrologic connectivity existed in the K. obovata plots. In addition, the location of the drain outlet (seawater collection point 8) might be another potential risk factor for the dead of near K. obovata forests, implying that they were badly affected by poor oxygen and serious inorganic pollution, such as ammonium nitrogen, total phosphorus, and other inorganic substances. Depending on local circumstances, we should consider strengthening infrastructure construction to activate hydrological connectivity, reinforcing the stability of man-made mangrove communities, and controlling the pollution sources for sustainable mangrove protection and management on the western coast of Bao'an, Shenzhen, China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The calcium ion (Ca2+), as a well-known second messenger, plays an important role in multiple processes of growth, development, and stress adaptation in plants. As central Ca2+ sensor proteins and a multifunctional kinase family, calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) are widely present in plants. In maize, the signal transduction processes involved in ZmCDPKs' responses to abiotic stresses have also been well elucidated. In addition to Ca2+ signaling, maize ZmCDPKs are also regulated by a variety of abiotic stresses, and they transmit signals to downstream target molecules, such as transport proteins, transcription factors, molecular chaperones, and other protein kinases, through protein interaction or phosphorylation, etc., thus changing their activity, triggering a series of cascade reactions, and being involved in hormone and reactive oxygen signaling regulation. As such, ZmCDPKs play an indispensable role in regulating maize growth, development, and stress responses. In this review, we summarize the roles of ZmCDPKs as a convergence point of different signaling pathways in regulating maize response to abiotic stress, which will promote an understanding of the molecular mechanisms of ZmCDPKs in maize tolerance to abiotic stress and open new opportunities for agricultural applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common primary glomerulonephritis worldwide, with varied clinical and histopathological features between individuals, particularly across races. As an autoimmune disease, IgAN arises from consequences of increased circulating levels of galactose-deficient IgA1 and mesangial deposition of IgA-containing immune complexes, which are recognized as key events in the widely accepted "multi-hit" pathogenesis of IgAN. The emerging evidence further provides insights into the role of genes, environment, mucosal immunity and complement system. These developments are paralleled by the increasing availability of diagnostic tools, potential biomarkers and therapeutic agents. In this review, we summarize current evidence and outline novel findings in the prognosis, clinical trials and translational research from the updated perspectives of IgAN pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neural-tube defects (NTDs) are one type of the most serious birth defects. Studies have shown that inositol deficiency is closely related to the occurrence of NTDs. Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-mediated Smad signaling pathways have been implicated in neurogenesis and neural-tube closure. However, the role of the BMP/Smad pathway in inositol-deficiency-induced NTDs remains unclear. Inositol-deficiency models in C57 mice and mouse neural stem cells (mNSCs) were induced with Li2CO3 treatment or inositol withdrawal. The role of the BMP/Smad pathway in the regulation of cell proliferation and the development of NTDs was determined utilizing qRT-PCR, HE staining, Western blot, immunostaining, MTT assay, EdU staining, and flow cytometry. The intraperitoneal injection of Li2CO3 at Embryonic Day 7.5 induced the occurrence of NTDs. The mRNA levels of Bmp2, Bmp4, Smad1, Smad5, Smad8 and Runx2, the phosphorylation of Smad1/5/8, and the nuclear translocation of Runx2 were significantly increased in NTD embryonic brain tissues and mNSCs exposed to Li2CO3 or an inositol-free medium, which were suppressed by BMP receptor selective inhibitor LDN-193189. The Li2CO3-induced phosphorylation of Smad1/5/8 was inhibited by inositol supplementation. Cell proliferation was significantly promoted by Li2CO3 exposure or the absence of inositol in mNSCs, which was reversed by LDN-193189. These results suggest that the activation of the BMP/Smad signaling pathway might play an important role in the development of NTDs induced by maternal Li2CO3 exposure via inositol deficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind power has become an important source of electricity for both production and domestic use. However, because wind turbines often operate in harsh environments, they are prone to cracks, blisters, and corrosion of the blade surface. If these defects cannot be repaired in time, the cracks evolve into larger fractures, which can lead to blade rupture. As such, in this study, we developed a remote non-contact online health monitoring and warning system for wind turbine blades based on acoustic features and artificial neural networks. Collecting a large number of wind turbine blade defect signals was challenging. To address this issue, we designed an acoustic detection method based on a small sample size. We employed the octave to extract defect information, and we used an artificial neural network based on model-agnostic meta-learning (MAML-ANN) for classification. We analyzed the influence of locations and compared the performance of MAML-ANN with that of traditional ANN. The experimental results showed that the accuracy of our method reached 94.1% when each class contained only 50 data; traditional ANN achieved an accuracy of only 85%. With MAML-ANN, the training is fast and the global optimal solution is automatic searched, and it can be expanded to situations with a large sample size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Offshore or drydock inspection performed by trained surveyors is required within the integrity management of an in-service marine structure to ensure safety and fitness for purpose. However, these physical inspection activities can lead to a considerable increase in lifecycle cost and significant downtime, and they can impose hazards for the surveyors. To this end, the use of a structural health monitoring (SHM) system could be an effective resolution. One of the key performance indicators of an SHM system is its ability to predict the structural response of unmonitored locations by using monitored data, i.e., an inverse prediction problem. This is highly relevant in practical engineering, since monitoring can only be performed at limited and discrete locations, and it is likely that structurally critical areas are inaccessible for the installation of sensors. An accurate inverse prediction can be achieved, ideally, via a dense sensor network such that more data can be provided. However, this is usually economically unfeasible due to budget limits. Hence, to improve the monitoring performance of an SHM system, an optimal sensor placement should be developed. This paper introduces a framework for optimising the sensor placement scheme to support SHM. The framework is demonstrated with an illustrative example to optimise the sensor placement of a cantilever steel plate. The inverse prediction problem is addressed by using a radial basis function approach, and the optimisation is carried out by means of an evolutionary algorithm. The results obtained from the demonstration support the proposal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shield tunnel is a common solution for natural gas pipelines crossing rivers. Consequently, the development of natural gas tunnel filling materials with excellent performance is crucial to the safe operation and maintenance of pipelines. The foam concrete offers a reasonable solution. Nevertheless, since its inherent compressive strength decreases almost proportionally with the decrease in density, obstacles remain concerning obtaining the high density and relatively low strength required for natural gas tunnel filling. Here, a synergistic optimization strategy was proposed involving the orthogonal test, univariate control, and comprehensive balance method. It involves modifying the type and proportion of cementitious matrix, in particular by incorporating fly ash and PVA fibers in the mix design, and synergetic determining the best mix ratio from the aspects of compressive strength, stability, and dry density. The obtained foam concrete has a compressive strength of 4.29 MPa (FC4) and a dry density of 1060.59 kg/m3 (A11), which meets the requirements of pipeline pressure and pipeline anti-floating. This study is applied to the Yangtze River shield crossing project of the Sino-Russian Eastern Gas Pipeline, and ANSYS was used to simulate the stress and deformation of the foam concrete. This work provides an efficient foam concrete optimization mix scheme, and supports the application of foam concrete in the filling of the long-distance cross-river natural gas tunnels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a new type of variable-cross-section replaceable link that can isolate the plastic deformation. The link and the frame beam connect with the expanding section by a bolt along the flange and web separately. It is easy to design an elastic bolt, reduce bolt slippage, and facilitate link replacement after an earthquake. Considering the large elastic deformation range of high-strength steel and the superior plastic deformation of the new type of replaceable link, a high-strength eccentrically braced steel frame with a variable-section replaceable link is raised by setting a new type of variable-section replaceable link in the eccentrically braced steel frame. Then, the existing end plate connection replaceable link test specimen is simulated and verified by using ABAQUS software. The finite element model of the high-strength eccentrically braced steel frame with a variable-cross-section replaceable link is established, and the bearing capacity, stiffness, plastic rotation, plastic distribution, and other bearing mechanisms of the structure are studied by cyclic loading. The length of the energy-consuming region (e), the steel strength of the link and other components, and the length of the replaceable link (e') are compared and analyzed with regard to the seismic performance of the structure. The results are of great significance for understanding and exploring the force mechanism, energy dissipation characteristics of the new variable-section replaceable link, and the seismic performance of the high-strength eccentrically braced steel frame, and it also provides a reference for subsequent research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Portal hypertension is a common manifestation in late-to-end-stage liver diseases and can cause severe complications such as ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, etc. However, an early diagnosis of portal hypertension is often difficult as it can be asymptomatic. Though the gold standard to diagnose portal hypertension is hepatic vein catheterization, ultrasound elastography is regarded as a noninvasive alternative that can be used to accurately predict portal hypertension and a few further complications such as gastro-esophageal varices. Since ultrasound elastography is available in most medical centers, and is cheaper and noninvasive, studying its function in predicting portal hypertension is of paramount importance. Therefore, this review generalized the results of recently published articles in order to establish the indicators that were related to diagnostic and prediction efficiency. Our study found that various technologies of ultrasound elastography could be used to predict portal hypertension with satisfactory diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and AUC. Meanwhile, we also recognized similar diagnostic efficiency of ultrasound elastography in gastro-esophageal varices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the mechanical properties of perforated steel plate reinforced concrete were studied. Through the compression test of the specimen, the failure mode, the compressive ultimate bearing capacity, and the stress–strain curve of the specimen were obtained. The results show that the compressive strength of perforated steel plate reinforced concrete is twice that of the same grade of plain concrete; through the pull-out test of the specimen, the failure mode and the ultimate uplift bearing capacity were obtained. The finite element software ANSYS was used to simulate the perforated steel plate reinforced concrete specimen, and the results show that the model is reliable. Through the range analysis method, the influence degree of the three factors of the thickness of the perforated steel plate, the hole diameter, and the hole spacing on the compressive strength and the ultimate bearing capacity of the pull-out was studied, and the optimal solution was obtained. The analysis results show that the order of the three factors on the compression and pull-out tests is: the plate thickness of the perforated steel plate > the hole diameter > the hole spacing; the optimal combination of the compressive strength of the perforated steel plate reinforced concrete specimen is that the thickness of the perforated steel plate is 0.75 mm, the diameter of the perforated steel plate is 15 mm, and the spacing of the perforated steel plate is 5 mm; the optimal combination of the ultimate bearing capacity of the pull-out is that the thickness of the steel plate with holes is 1.0 mm, the diameter of the steel plate with holes is 15 mm, and the spacing of the steel plate with holes is 15 mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is now treating the health of millions of people worldwide. The Chinese government now applies nucleic acid testing as a tool to detect patients from healthy people to control the spread of COVID-19. However, people may come to the nucleic acid testing stations simultaneously, leading to long queues and wasting time. In this paper, we proposed the reserved nucleic acid testing method, which could be easily implemented via Web applications associated with nucleic acid testing. Its key idea is to assign people to different pre-scheduled time slots so that the number of people arriving at a certain time slot can be controlled under the capacity, and thus congestion can be relieved. The key question is how to assign people in a fair manner. We propose a concise model to formalize and analyze the minimum total envy and pairwise fairness assignment problem for a variety of reservation-based applications, including nuclear acid testing. Its objective is to maximize the sum of each person's utility under the capacity constraints of time slots. The decision variables are the time slot assignment of each person. We show that the envy-freeness solution is usually unavailable. However, we can minimize the total envy through appropriate arrangements and realize pairwise fairness with equal-chance shuffling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the foamed-concrete-backfilled-gas-pipeline project, the fluidity of foamed concrete has a great impact on the construction quality. This research studied the fluidity of foamed concrete through laboratory tests. By changing the water–cement ratio, admixtures, additives, foaming-agent content and other test parameters, foamed concrete with different fluidities was prepared, and the effects of the above parameters on the fluidity of foamed concrete were analyzed. At the same time, the construction equipment was improved in the three steps of transportation, production and pouring. The results show the factors affecting the fluidity of foamed concrete are, in order of importance, foaming-agent content > water–cement ratio > water-reducer content > admixture content. According to the orthogonal-test results, the control scheme meeting the fluidity requirements of the actual engineering project had gains as follows: the water–cement-ratio range from 0.5 to 0.6, the amount of admixture from 35% to 40%, the water-reducer content at 1% and the foaming-agent content from 3% to 3.5% so as to ensure the automatic leveling of foamed concrete under the best flow state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foamed concrete is mostly used for backfilling of long-distance tunnels and compressive strength is an important technical index to control the quality of foamed concrete. The influence factors on compressive strength of low-density foamed concrete were obtained by the single factor test method based on the targeted dry density and compressive strength. The results show that the HT composed of pollution-free animal protein oil and vegetable oil is an efficient foaming agent and can produce stable foams. The cementation ability of cement can be fully expressed when a water to cement ratio of 0.45~0.5 is employed, making foamed concrete have a compressive strength higher than 2 MPa. The foam content is inversely proportional to the compressive strength and dry density of foamed concrete, and the volume ratio of slurry to foam should be 2:1~3:1. The content of fly ash is also inversely proportional to the compressive strength but positively proportional to the dry density. When the content of admixture is 40~55%, the compressive strength of foamed concrete with low density is not less than 2 MPa. The mixing proportion can be changed in the reasonable range to meet the requirements of different projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a new form of composite beam: a multi-cavity steel-concrete composite beam. This composite beam uses internal perforated steel plate to connect the concrete with the steel structure, and shear connectors are no longer required, which is more suitable for industrial production. The mechanical properties of a multi-cavity steel-concrete composite beam in industrial applications are studied to avoid failures. In this paper, two multi-cavity steel-concrete composite beams with a size of 2500 mm × 200 mm × 300 mm were prepared, in which the angle of internal porous steel plate was set as 60° and 75°, respectively. A full-scale static load test was conducted on the beams to research its deformation and failure modes. The finite element software ANSYS was used to perform finite element modeling of multi-cavity steel-concrete composite beams and to analyze the influence of concrete strength, steel strength, porosity, and the angle of internal porous steel plate on the mechanical properties of composite beams. The results are as follows: before the composite beam reaches its serviceability limit state, its deformation basically shows a linear change; with the increase of load, the plastic deformation is gradually obvious, which can still provide a certain bearing capacity in the failure stage; the bearing capacity of the composite beam is positively correlated with the strength of concrete and steel, while negatively correlated with the porosity and the angle of internal porous steel plate; composite beams have large bearing capacity, good ductility and integrity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is a study on how to reduce shrinkage and improve crack resistance of foamed concrete. By selecting different curing temperatures and humidity, six different curing conditions were analyzed. The shrinkage deformation and maximum crack width of foamed concrete blocks with water–cement ratios of 0.4 and 0.5, under six curing conditions, were measured by a comparator and optical microscope, and the cracking time was recorded. The effects of curing temperature, humidity and water–cement ratio on the shrinkage and crack resistance of the foamed concrete were analyzed by comparing the experimental results of each group. We studied the primary and secondary order of the three factors affecting the drying shrinkage of foamed concrete. The results show that: temperature is the primary factor that changes the drying shrinkage performance of foamed concrete, followed by the water–cement ratio, and finally humidity. The interaction of these three factors is not obvious. The shrinkage of foamed concrete increases with the increase in temperature; increasing the humidity of curing can control the water loss rate of foamed concrete and reduce shrinkage. Lower humidity and higher temperature will make cracks appear earlier; with an increase in the water–cement ratio, the initial cracking time is shortened and the cracking property of foamed concrete is improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the coupled continuum pipe-flow framework for modeling contaminant transport in karst systems is critical for protecting water resources therein. This study simulated point and non-point source nitrate concentration in a karst spring and investigated the results generated from the flow and transport model with and without discrete conduit flow. CFPv2 and CMT3D models were integrated to address the changes in nitrate concentration at a monthly scale in a karst spring, and the results were compared with that from an equivalent porous media (EPM) model with high-hydraulic conductivity (K) zones set in the main karstified area to represent conduits. The results show that the CFPv2+CMT3D model is able to describe well the recession of nitrate concentration in spring discharge, and the relatively larger deviation (slower nitrate recession) from the observed trend for the EPM model is probably a result of the limitation of utilizing high hydraulic conductivity cells to represent conduit. Moreover, simulated hydraulic heads in poorly karstified areas from the two models both show slight differences from the observations (the head RMSE values of calibration/validation for CFPv2 and MODFLOW models are 0.16 m/0.25 m and 0.26 m/0.17 m, respectively), indicating the inclusion of conduits may not affect the simulation considerably, and the lower the proportion of karstic area, the slight effects brought from the inclusion of conduits in the model. For highly karstified areas, the CFPv2+CMT3D model could provide more accurate results (head RMSE of calibration/validation for CFPv2 and MODFLOW are 0.22 m/0.06 and 0.52 m/0.47 m, respectively), showing the coupled continuum pipe-flow framework may be more appropriate for applying to highly and maturely karstified areas where the variations in the behavior of flow and contaminant transport are more affected by turbulent flow regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive fructose intake is associated with the increased risk of mental illness, such as depression, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Our previous study found that high fructose diet (FruD)-fed mice exhibited neuroinflammation, hippocampal neurogenesis decline and blood–brain barrier (BBB) damage, accompanied by the reduction of gut microbiome-derived short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Here, we found that chronic stress aggravated these pathological changes and promoted the development of depressive-like behaviors in FruD mice. In detail, the decreased number of newborn neurons, mature neurons and neural stem cells (NSCs) in the hippocampus of FruD mice was worsened by chronic stress. Furthermore, chronic stress exacerbated the damage of BBB integrity with the decreased expression of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), claudin-5 and occludin in brain vasculature, overactivated microglia and increased neuroinflammation in FruD mice. These results suggest that high fructose intake combined with chronic stress leads to cumulative negative effects that promote the development of depressive-like behaviors in mice. Of note, SCFAs could rescue hippocampal neurogenesis decline, improve BBB damage and suppress microglia activation and neuroinflammation, thereby ameliorate depressive-like behaviors of FruD mice exposed to chronic stress. These results could be used to develop dietary interventions to prevent depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approximately 25% of the patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) who are clinically node negative have occult lymph node metastases at radical cystectomy (RC) and pelvic lymph node dissection. The aim of this study was to evaluate preoperative CT-based radiomics to differentiate between pN+ and pN0 disease in patients with clinical stage cT2-T4aN0-N1M0 MIBC. Patients with cT2-T4aN0-N1M0 MIBC, of whom preoperative CT scans and pathology reports were available, were included from the prospective, multicenter CirGuidance trial. After manual segmentation of the lymph nodes, 564 radiomics features were extracted. A combination of different machine-learning methods was used to develop various decision models to differentiate between patients with pN+ and pN0 disease. A total of 209 patients (159 pN0; 50 pN+) were included, with a total of 3153 segmented lymph nodes. None of the individual radiomics features showed significant differences between pN+ and pN0 disease, and none of the radiomics models performed substantially better than random guessing. Hence, CT-based radiomics does not contribute to differentiation between pN+ and pN0 disease in patients with cT2-T4aN0-N1M0 MIBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusarium pseudograminearum causes crown rot in wheat. This study aimed to assess the effects of the bacterial strain QTH8 isolated from Cotinus coggygria rhizosphere soil against F. pseudograminearum. Bacterial strain QTH8 was identified as Bacillus halotolerans in accordance with the phenotypic traits and the phylogenetic analysis of 16S rDNA and gyrB gene sequence. Culture filtrates of bacterial strain QTH8 inhibited the mycelial growth of F. pseudograminearum and resulted in mycelial malformation such as tumor formation, protoplast condensation, and mycelial fracture. In addition, bacterial strain QTH8 also inhibited the mycelial growth of Hainesia lythri, Pestalotiopsis sp., Botrytis cinerea, Curvularia lunata, Phyllosticta theaefolia, Fusarium graminearum, Phytophthora nicotianae, and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. The active compounds produced by bacterial strain QTH8 were resistant to pH, ultraviolet irradiation, and low temperature, and were relatively sensitive to high temperature. After 4 h exposure, culture filtrates of bacterial strain QTH8—when applied at 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, and 30%—significantly reduced conidial germination of F. pseudograminearum. The coleoptile infection assay proved that bacterial strain QTH8 reduced the disease index of wheat crown rot. In vivo application of QTH8 to wheat seedlings decreased the disease index of wheat crown rot and increased root length, plant height, and fresh weight. Iturin, surfactin, and fengycin were detected in the culture extract of bacterial strain QTH8 by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). Bacterial strain QTH8 was identified for the presence of the ituC, bacA, bmyB, spaS, srfAB, fend, and srfAA genes using the specific polymerase chain reaction primers. B. halotolerans QTH8 has a vital potential for the sustainable biocontrol of wheat crown rot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given their vital role in the homeostasis of the limbal stem cell niche, limbal melanocytes have emerged as promising candidates for tissue engineering applications. This study aimed to isolate and characterize a population of melanocyte precursors in the limbal stroma, compared with melanocytes originating from the limbal epithelium, using magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) with positive (CD117/c-Kit microbeads) or negative (CD326/EpCAM or anti-fibroblast microbeads) selection approaches. Both approaches enabled fast and easy isolation and cultivation of pure limbal epithelial and stromal melanocyte populations, which differed in phenotype and gene expression, but exhibited similar functional properties regarding proliferative potential, pigmentation, and support of clonal growth of limbal epithelial stem/progenitor cells (LEPCs). In both melanocyte populations, limbus-specific matrix (laminin 511-E8) and soluble factors (LEPC-derived conditioned medium) stimulated melanocyte adhesion, dendrite formation, melanogenesis, and expression of genes involved in UV protection and immune regulation. The findings provided not only a novel protocol for the enrichment of pure melanocyte populations from limbal tissue applying easy-to-use MACS technology, but also identified a population of stromal melanocyte precursors, which may serve as a reservoir for the replacement of damaged epithelial melanocytes and an alternative resource for tissue engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In cancer, regulatory regions of the genome are hijacked by the tumor cells for the activation of oncogenes that lead to cancer initiation and progression. One of the most salient regulatory elements of the genome are called enhancers, which are characterized by their ability to increase the expression of their target genes. In this study, we identified a novel enhancer that drives the expression of the oncogene CSF1 in triple-negative breast cancer patients, the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer. We demonstrate that this enhancer is specifically active in triple-negative breast cancer patients compared to other breast cancer subtypes and show that its target genes portend a worse clinical outcome in patients. We then use innovative CRISPR-based genome engineering techniques to systematically perturb various features of this enhancer to elucidate its mechanisms of action and determine the consequences on tumor cell growth. Furthermore, we test our model for CSF1 enhancer function in ovarian cancer cells and demonstrate that our findings can apply to other cancer types. These results demonstrate the significant impact of enhancers in cancer biology and highlight their potential as tractable targets for therapeutic intervention. Enhancers are critical regulatory elements in the genome that help orchestrate spatiotemporal patterns of gene expression during development and normal physiology. In cancer, enhancers are often rewired by various genetic and epigenetic mechanisms for the activation of oncogenes that lead to initiation and progression. A key feature of active enhancers is the production of non-coding RNA molecules called enhancer RNAs, whose functions remain unknown but can be used to specify active enhancers de novo. Using a combination of eRNA transcription and chromatin modifications, we have identified a novel enhancer located 30 kb upstream of Colony Stimulating Factor 1 (CSF1). Notably, CSF1 is implicated in the progression of breast cancer, is overexpressed in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines, and its enhancer is primarily active in TNBC patient tumors. Genomic deletion of the enhancer (via CRISPR/Cas9) enabled us to validate this regulatory element as a bona fide enhancer of CSF1 and subsequent cell-based assays revealed profound effects on cancer cell proliferation, colony formation, and migration. Epigenetic silencing of the enhancer via CRISPR-interference assays (dCas9-KRAB) coupled to RNA-sequencing, enabled unbiased identification of additional target genes, such as RSAD2, that are predictive of clinical outcome. Additionally, we repurposed the RNA-guided RNA-targeting CRISPR-Cas13 machinery to specifically degrade the eRNAs transcripts produced at this enhancer to determine the consequences on CSF1 mRNA expression, suggesting a post-transcriptional role for these non-coding transcripts. Finally, we test our eRNA-dependent model of CSF1 enhancer function and demonstrate that our results are extensible to other forms of cancer. Collectively, this work describes a novel enhancer that is active in the TNBC subtype, which is associated with cellular growth, and requires eRNA transcripts for proper enhancer function. These results demonstrate the significant impact of enhancers in cancer biology and highlight their potential as tractable targets for therapeutic intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flavonoid-rich leaves of the Ficus carica L. plant are usually discarded as waste. In this work, ultrasonic enzyme-assisted aqueous two-phase extraction (UEAATPE) was proposed as an innovative method to estimate the total flavonoids present in F. carica L. leaves. Total flavonoids were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively by UPLC-QTOF-MS. At 38% (w/w) ethanol/18% (w/w) ammonium sulfate, we achieved the optimum conditions in which to establish an easy-to-form aqueous two-phase extraction (ATPE) as the final system. The optimal UEAATPE conditions were set at an enzymatic concentration of 0.4 U/g, 150 min enzymolysis time, an enzymolysis temperature of 50 °C, a liquid–solid ratio of 20:1 (mL/g), and 30 min ultrasonic time. The yields of the total flavonoids, i.e., 60.22 mg/g, obtained by UEAATPE were found to be 1.13-fold, 1.21-fold, 1.27-fold, and 2.43-fold higher than those obtained by enzyme-assisted ATPE (EAATPE), ultrasonic-assisted ATPE (UAATPE), ATPE, and soxhlet extraction (SE) methods, respectively. Furthermore, eleven flavonoids from the leaves of the F. carica L. plant were completely identified and fully characterized. Among them, ten flavonoids have been identified for the first time from the leaves of the F. carica L. plant. These flavonoids are quercetin 3-O-hexobioside-7-O-hexoside, 2-carboxyl-1,4-naphthohydroquinone-4-O-hexoside, luteolin 6-C-hexoside, 8-C-pentoside, kaempferol 6-C-hexoside-8-C-hexoside, quercetin 6-C-hexobioside, kaempferol 6-C-hexoside-8-C-hexoside, apigenin 2″-O-pentoside, apigenin 6-C-hexoside, quercetin 3-O-hexoside, and kaempferol 3-O-hexobioside. Therefore, F. carica L. leaves contain new kinds of unidentified natural flavonoids and are a rich source of biological activity. Therefore, this research has potential applications and great value in waste handling and utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coupling of ultrasound and heat–reflux extraction (UHRE) was developed for separation for quercetin (QU), kaempferol (KA), ginkgetin (GI) and sciadopitysin (SC) from Mairei Yew leaves. The Box–Behnken design was used to optimize the UHRE conditions for obtaining the maximum yield of flavonoids. The optimal extraction conditions were as follows: boiling 80% methanol (V/V) for extraction solvent, 20 min for the extraction time, 200 W for the ultrasonic power and 26 mL/g for the liquid–solid ratio. By UHRE, the yields of QU, KA, GI and SC were, respectively, 0.109, 0.406, 0.031 and 0.355 mg/g, and total yield of four flavonoids was 0.901 mg/g, which were, respectively, 1.25-fold and 1.23-fold higher than those by using ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) and heating reflux extraction (HRE). Moreover, the extraction time for the equilibrium yields of flavonoids using UHRE was 83.3% and 27.8%, respectively, less than the corresponding time using UAE and HRE. Compared with HRE and UAE, UHRE showed the increase of cell disruption degree as observed by scanning electron microscopy, which may be the reason for high yield and rapid extraction of target compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is an effective approach to use Steel Tube Slab (STS) structure combined with the Pile-Beam-Arch (PBA) method to construct a large-space underground station. Traditional construction methods cannot meet the requirement of construction because of the complicated soil layers and high building densities in urban areas. The STS method can effectively increase the rigidity of the supporting system by using steel tubes. Firstly, the stress of bolts and steel tubes are investigated in the construction process based on the field monitoring data. Subsequently, FLAC3D is used to establish a three-dimensional model, which is verified based on the in-situ monitoring data; the effect of excavation process on ground settlement, deformation of STS structure and bridge pile are studied by numerical results. Moreover, the key parameters such as welding of flanges and the step length are studied. The results show that the stress of the steel tubes and flanges does not exceed the designed strength during the construction process. Based on the numerical simulation data, it is indicated that the STS structure can be a very effective and dependable measure in controlling and reducing the surface settlement and the existing adjacent buildings. The numerical results can be used to guide the later construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cortisol awakening response (CAR) has been associated with depression and a broader range of internalizing problems. Emerging adulthood is characterized by numerous stressful transitional life events. Furthermore, the functioning of the neurobiological stress system changes across development. These considerations underscore the importance of evaluating the physiological stress system in emerging adults in identifying the extent to which cortisol levels vary with risk and protective factors for mental health. The present study evaluated the association between internalizing symptoms and perceived life satisfaction with CAR in 32 young adults. Three saliva samples were collected to measure cortisol levels upon awakening and participants completed the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS) and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). Results show a significant positive correlation between area under the curve for CAR with internalizing symptoms (DASS total) and the DASS-depression subscale, but not with life satisfaction. Study limitations, implications, and future directions for these finding were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Image segmentation is a key prerequisite for object-based classification. However, it is often difficult, or even impossible, to determine a unique optimal segmentation scale due to the fact that various geo-objects, and even an identical geo-object, present at multiple scales in very high resolution (VHR) satellite images. To address this problem, this paper presents a novel unsupervised object-based classification for VHR panchromatic satellite images using multiple segmentations via the latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) model. Firstly, multiple segmentation maps of the original satellite image are produced by means of a common multiscale segmentation technique. Then, the LDA model is utilized to learn the grayscale histogram distribution for each geo-object and the mixture distribution of geo-objects within each segment. Thirdly, the histogram distribution of each segment is compared with that of each geo-object using the Kullback-Leibler (KL) divergence measure, which is weighted with a constraint specified by the mixture distribution of geo-objects. Each segment is allocated a geo-object category label with the minimum KL divergence. Finally, the final classification map is achieved by integrating the multiple classification results at different scales. Extensive experimental evaluations are designed to compare the performance of our method with those of some state-of-the-art methods for three different types of images. The experimental results over three different types of VHR panchromatic satellite images demonstrate the proposed method is able to achieve scale-adaptive classification results, and improve the ability to differentiate the geo-objects with spectral overlap, such as water and grass, and water and shadow, in terms of both spatial consistency and semantic consistency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is one of the most common and dangerous mycotoxins in the world. Previous work indicated that OTA could elicit spontaneous HR-like lesions formation Arabidopsis thaliana, reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in OTA toxicity, and their major endogenous source is mitochondria. However, there has been no evidence as to whether OTA induces directly PCD in plants until now. In this study, the presence of OTA in Arabidopsis thaliana leaves triggered accelerated respiration, increased production of mitochondrial ROS, the opening of ROS-dependent mitochondrial permeability transition pores and a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential as well as the release of cytochrome c into the cytosol. There were 42 and 43 significantly differentially expressed proteins identified in response to exposure to OTA for 8 and 24 h, respectively, according to iTRAQ analysis. These proteins were mainly involved in perturbation of the mitochondrial electron transport chain, interfering with ATP synthesis and inducing PCD. Digital gene expression data at transcriptional level was consistent with the cell death induced by OTA being PCD. These results indicated that mitochondrial dysfunction was a prerequisite for OTA-induced PCD and the initiation and execution of PCD via a mitochondrial-mediated pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]