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Endometritis is a common postpartum disease of female animals that causes significant losses to the goat industry. High levels of cortisol induced by various stresses after delivery severely inhibit innate immunity and tissue repair. The repair ability of the endometrium is closely related to the reproductive performance of goats. Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element in animals that has powerful antioxidant and immunity-enhancing functions. In this study, we established a goat model of endometritis at high cortisol (Hydrocortisone) levels to investigate the effect of Se (supplement additive) on endometrial repair. The results showed that the clinical symptoms, %PMN in uterine secretions, morphological endometrial damage, and the gene expression of BAX were reduced in the goats with Se supplementation compared with those in the model group. Se increased the gene expression of BCL2, VEGFA, TGFB1, and PCNA and activated the PI3K/AKT and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways in goats with Se supplementation. In conclusion, Se reduced the inflammatory response, increased the proliferation, and decreased the apoptosis of endometrial cells to promote endometrial tissue repair in goats with endometritis at high cortisol levels. It probably achieved this effect of promoting repair by activating the Wnt/β-catenin and PI3K/AKT pathways and affecting the gene expression of VEGFA, TGFB1, PCNA, BCL2, and BAX. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Normally, aluminum-based (Al-based) anti-corrosion coatings are prepared by flame spraying and other coating technologies to improve the corrosion resistance of metal materials in the marine environment. However, the prepared coatings are usually found to be poor in quality owing to the shortcomings of traditional thermal spraying technologies, such as flame spraying, including the low jet temperature and low particle in-flight velocity. In this paper, pure Al coatings and Al/SiC composite coatings were prepared on the surface of low-carbon steel by innovatively adopting plasma transferred wire spraying technology and making full use of the technological advantages of plasma spraying. In addition, the experiments have shown that larger SiC particles play a role in shot peening during the spraying process, allowing Al droplets to spread and overlap more fully, effectively improving the density of the coating and reducing defects such as pores and cracks in the coating. However, there is no significant effect on improving the bonding strength of the coating. Therefore, the porosity of pure Al coating and Al/SiC composite coating is 3.9% and 2.5%, respectively; the microhardness is 36 HV0.1 and 102 HV0.1, respectively, increasing by about three times; the bonding strength with the matrix is 39.0 and 36.5 MPa, respectively; the corrosion resistance of Al/SiC composite coating is significantly better than that of pure Al coating, and the wear rate is reduced by 7 times compared to pure Al coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality of wheel rims has a strong impact to vehicle safety and reliability during steering. The objective of this work is to reveal the fatigue failure mechanism of the radial fatigue fracture in the flash butt welded joint of 590CL HSLA steel. Morphology and fractography were performed to analyze the microstructure and fatigue crack surface of the wheel rim. The results show that the fatigue crack is located near the region of rim-well radius where the thickness variation and stress level are relatively high. By means of microstructure comparative analysis of the flash butt welded joint on both failed rim and qualified rim, the cause of the fracture is mainly attributed to heat input of the flash butt welding process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a large ancient landslide, approximately 240,000 m3 of sediments were reactivated, posing a grave threat to the safety of iron ore stopes. To trace the deformation and evolution history of reactivated Landslide, we conducted geological surveys and combined real-time monitoring equipment to analyze the landslide data since 1986 and the deformation status of the reactivated Landslide. A multi-factor comprehensive landslide monitoring method and an Newton force early warning system (NFEWS) were established, focusing on underground stress, surface deformation information and landslide stability. Furthermore, we developed a four-level early warning grading standard, employing surface cracks and changes in underground stress thresholds as early warning indicators. This standard adds expert assessment to avoid false alarms and realize real-time dynamics of mining landslides during excavation and transportation. Through the case study and analysis of Nanfen open-pit mine, the NFEWS system offers valuable insights and solution for early warning of landslides in analogous open-pit mines. Finally, the evaluation index system of landslide hazard susceptibility was established by selecting the Newton force influence factor. A landslide susceptibility zoning map is constructed using the information value model. The rationality and accuracy are assessed from three perspectives: frequency ratio, landslide hazard point density, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The improved Newton force landslide early warning system provides a good reference for the analysis and monitoring of the creep landslide evolution process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ischemic stroke causes lethal damage to the brain. Identifying key regulators of OGD/R-induced cerebral injury is important for developing novel therapies for ischemic stroke. HMC3 and SH-SY5Y cells were treated with OGD/R as an in vitro ischemic stroke model. Cell viability and apoptosis were determined via CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry. Inflammatory cytokines were examined by ELISA. Luciferase activity was measured for evaluating the interaction of XIST, miR-25-3p, and TRAF3. Bcl-2, Bax, Bad, cleaved-caspase 3, total caspase 3, and TRAF3 were detected via western blotting. HMC3 and SH-SY5Y cells showed increased XIST expression and decreased miR-25-3p expression following OGD/R. Importantly, silencing of XIST and overexpression of miR-25-3p reduced apoptosis and inflammatory response following OGD/R. Furthermore, XIST worked as a miR-25-3p sponge, and miR-25-3p targeted TRAF3 to suppress its expression. Moreover, the knockdown of TRAF3 ameliorated OGD/R-induced injury. Loss of XIST-mediated protective effects was reversed by overexpression of TRAF3. LncRNA XIST exacerbates OGD/R-induced cerebral damage via sponging miR-25-3p and enhancing TRAF3 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The driverless electric vehicle with electric wheels may generate the front wheel shimmy phenomenon more easily. How to mitigate or even eliminate the shimmy phenomenon by active control method is necessary. The current active shimmy control methods do not consider the sensor measurement error. But the sensor measurement error always exists in practice because of sensor design, manufacturing, and external disturbances. Therefore, this paper investigates this issue. Firstly, a one-degree-of-freedom shimmy model of the front wheel is built. The dynamic function of this model is obtained via Lagrange's theorem. Then, the shimmy control system with unknown sensor measurement error and nonlinearities is presented. A dual domination control method is proposed to construct a linear state observer as well as an output feedback control law for the shimmy control system. By the Lyapunov method, the designed controller is proved to stabilize the shimmy system globally asymptotically. Finally, simulations are carried out to verify the effectiveness of the one-degree-of-freedom shimmy model and proposed dual domination control method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A lanthanide coordination polymer (Ln-CP), {Pr2(PBA)3(H2O)3]·DMF·3H2O}n (1), was synthesized using 5-(4-pyridin-3-yl-benzoylamino)-isophthalic acid (H2PBA), a tripodal carboxylic ligand. Moreover, the relative expression of miR-107 was evaluated through RT-PCR. miR-107 effect was then detected with the CCK-8 assay. ROS detection and ELISA were used to assess the inflammatory response in retinal vascular cells. miR-107 downstream regulation was also investigated. TargetScan was applied to predict the latent proteins that bind to miR-107 via the 3′-UTR, which was demonstrated in-depth through luciferase activity assay. All outcomes indicated that the miR-107 level was lower in retinal vascular cells in a diabetic retinopathy (DR) model. miR-107 expression could further regulate the proliferation of retinal vascular cells and inhibit inflammation, thereby playing a protective role in the function of retinal vascular cells. Thus, miR-107 may be an upstream regulatory factor of high-mobility group box 1, and let 7-5p may be a latent molecular target to treat DR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ischemic stroke is a very dangerous disease with high incidence, fatality and disability rate in human beings. Massive evidence has indicated that oxidative stress and inflammation are intimately correlated with progression of ischemic stroke. Additionally, LncRNAs were reported to be involved in ischemic stroke. Here, we aim to explore the effects and molecular mechanism of lncRNA OIP5-AS1 on oxidative stress and inflammation in ischemic stroke. Methods: HMC3 and SH-SY5Y cells were under the condition of oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) treatment to establish cell models of ischemic stroke. Commercial kits were employed to detect the indicators of oxidative stress including ROS, MDA and SOD. The expression of OIP5-AS1, miR-155-5p and IRF2BP2 mRNA was determined using RT-qPCR. The protein levels of inflammatory factors including TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 and IRF2BP2 were assessed by western blot and/or ELISA. Luciferase activity assay was employed to validate their correlations among OIP5-AS1, miR-155-5p and IRF2BP2. Results: In OGD/R-induced HMC3 and SH-SY5Y cells, the expression of OIP5-AS1 and IRF2BP2 was reduced while miR-155-5p was elevated. OGD/R induction promoted oxidative stress and inflammatory response in HMC3 and SH-SY5Y cells, while OIP5-AS1 or IRF2BP2 sufficiency as well as miR-155-5p inhibitor attenuated OGD/R-induced these influences. In addition, IRF2BP2 knockdown abolished the suppressive impacts of OIP5-AS1 overexpression on oxidative stress and inflammatory response in OGD/R-induced HMC3 and SH-SY5Y cells. Mechanistically, OIP5-AS1 enhanced IRF2BP2 expression via sponging miR-155-5p. Conclusion: OIP5-AS1 suppressed oxidative stress and inflammatory response to alleviate cell injury caused by OGD/R induction in HMC3 and SH-SY5Y cells through regulating miR-155-5p/IRF2BP2 axis, which might offer novel targeted molecules for ischemic stroke therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study seeks cost-effective strategies for PM2.5 reduction to generate insights into minimizing pollution abatement costs subject to different scenarios. This study theorizes that the cooperation of PM2.5 abatement has potential gains for participants and develop an empirical way to compare the costs and efficiency of PM2.5 abatement involving the variation of environmental conditions. This study revises the cooperative game model in the context of threshold effects using data obtained from the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei metropolitan cluster in China. In general, the results support the key assertion that cooperation in the metropolitan cluster plays a vital role in optimizing the efficiency and costs of PM2.5 abatement. In addition to extending the application of the revised model, this study provides a way to estimate the costs and the mitigation benefits of meeting the pollution targets for each coparticipant and take the scenario of multiparty cooperation into account as well as the scenarios involving other types of pollutants. The empirical findings have important policy implications for regional shared governance, decentralization, and resource reallocation. Economic incentive-based shared governance and cost reallocation work better than traditional regulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Organic manure (OM) is an effective amelioration measure for acidic soils. Acid (ACP) and alkaline phosphatases (ALP) encoded by bacterial phoC and phoD genes, respectively, are responsible for organic phosphorus (P) mineralization. However, the short-term influence of OM application on phosphatase activity and organic P-mineralizing bacterial communities of bulk and rhizosphere soils in acidic soils is less known. Methods: Maize was grown in acidic soil (pH 4.40) supplied with 0, 1, 5, 10, 20 and 50 g OM kg− 1 dry soil for six weeks. Maize biomasses and nutrients, soil physicochemical properties and phosphatase activities, and P-mineralizing bacterial communities were observed. Results: Rhizosphere showed higher ACP and ALP activities than bulk soils, and the rhizosphere effects were stronger than OM application. The Shannon index of phoC- and phoD-harboring bacteria responded differently to both rhizosphere effect and OM application, with a stronger influence from maize rhizosphere. The rhizosphere effect significantly affected both phoC- and phoD-harboring bacterial community structures, but OM application only influenced phoD-harboring bacterial community structure. Co-occurrence network of the phoD-harboring bacteria had higher average degree and more nodes and edges than phoC-harboring bacteria. PLS-PM results suggested that the rhizosphere effect exhibited greatest contribution to soil ACP and ALP activities than OM treatment. Conclusion: Compared with short-term OM application, maize rhizosphere effect showed stronger influences on soil phosphatase activities and P-mineralizing bacterial communities in acidic soils. The phoD-harboring bacteria showed the more sensitive response to the rhizosphere effect and OM application, while phoC-harboring bacteria was only influenced by rhizosphere effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficient and rapid removal of organic dyes from wastewater remains a complex and challenging task. In this study, UiO-66-NH2 was prepared by solvothermal synthesis, and then, UiO-66-NS was prepared by compounding l-cysteine with UiO-66-NH2 via the Ugi reaction for the efficient removal of methyl orange. UiO-66-NS was prepared by the addition of 1 mmol l-cysteine and showed good adsorption of methyl orange with 92.00% removal. Pseudo-second-order kinetics and Langmuir isotherms more accurately described the adsorption process of UiO-66-NS on methyl orange, which indicated that the adsorption process was dominated by monolayer adsorption of chemical reactions, and the maximum adsorption amounts of UiO-66-NS on methyl orange were 242.72 mg/g at 298 K. In addition, UiO-66-NS exhibited ultrahigh stability in acidic, neutral, and alkaline media (pH = 3–10), but its adsorption of methyl orange after 5 cycles was only 59.53% of the maximum adsorption amount. The adsorption mechanism is primarily electrostatic adsorption of UiO-66-NS with methyl orange, hydrogen bonding, and π-π interactions. This atomically economical Ugi multicomponent reaction provides new ideas for the preparation of structurally designable adsorbents with excellent performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Materials with a negative Poisson's ratio effect perform significantly better than traditional materials for rock mass impact resistance, shear resistance, and energy absorption. Based on these advantages, a negative Poisson's ratio anchor cable (NPR anchor cable) with high elongation and constant resistance was developed and successfully applied in the field of mine disaster control. However, theoretical and experimental research on the negative Poisson's ratio effect and peripheral strain characteristics of NPR anchor cables is currently incomplete. This study used several theories and methods, such as static tensile, peripheral strain measurement, and static negative Poisson's ratio measurement, to investigate the radial deformation law of an NPR anchor cable and the negative Poisson's ratio characteristics. Experimental results elucidated constant resistance changes in an NPR anchor cable during operation, the motion of the constant resistance body in the constant resistance sleeve, and the deformation law of the constant resistance sleeve. Negative Poisson's ratio characteristics of the NPR anchor cable and its superior energy absorption characteristics were verified and it provided a theoretical and experimental basis for energy absorption mechanisms of an NPR anchor cable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: From the viewpoint of ultrasound (US) physicians, an ideal thyroid US computer-assisted diagnostic (CAD) system for thyroid cancer should perform well in suspicious thyroid nodules with atypical risk features and be able to output explainable results. This study aims to develop an explainable US CAD model for suspicious thyroid nodules.Methods: A total of 2992 solid or almost-solid thyroid nodules were analyzed retrospectively. All nodules had pathological results (1070 malignancies and 1992 benignities) confirmed by ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology and histopathology after thyroidectomy. A deep learning model (ResNet50) and a multiple risk features learning ensemble model (XGBoost) were used to train the US images of 2794 thyroid nodules. Then, an integrated AI model was generated by combining both models. The diagnostic accuracies of the three AI models (ResNet50, XGBoost, and the integrated model) were predicted in a testing set including 198 thyroid nodules and compared to the diagnostic efficacy of five ultrasonographers.Results: The accuracy of the integrated model was 76.77%, while the mean accuracy of the ultrasonographers was 68.38%. Of the risk features, microcalcifications showed the highest contribution to the diagnosis of malignant nodules.Conclusions: The integrated AI model in our study can improve the diagnostic accuracy of suspicious thyroid nodules and output the known risk features simultaneously, thus aiding in training young ultrasonographers by linking the explainable results to their clinical experience and advancing the acceptance of AI diagnosis for thyroid cancer in clinical practice.Key Points: • We developed an artificial intelligence (AI) diagnosis model based on both deep learning and multiple risk feature ensemble learning methods. • The AI diagnosis model showed higher diagnostic accuracy for suspicious thyroid nodules than ultrasonographers. • The AI diagnosis model showed partial explainability by outputting the known risk features, thus aiding young ultrasonic doctors in increasing the diagnostic level for thyroid cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioma ranks first among the aggressive brain tumors all over the world. LncRNA LINC00689 has been confirmed to play key roles in the progression of cancers, and LINC00689 was upregulated in glioma. However, the biological function of LINC00689 in glioma is unclear. qRT-PCR was applied to detect the expressions of LINC00689 and miR-526b-3p in glioma cells. Dual-luciferase report was performed to examine the relation among LINC00689, miR-526b-3p, and insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 1 (IGF2BP1). Then, the growth, migration, and invasion of glioma cells were detected by colony formation, flow cytometry, and transwell assay, respectively. The expressions of p21, cleaved caspase 3, and MAPK signaling-related proteins in glioma cells were tested by western blotting. Finally, xenograft mice model was established to detect the effect of LINC00689 on tumor growth of glioma in vivo. LINC00689 was upregulated in glioma cells, while miR-526b-3p was downregulated. In addition, LINC00689 bound to miR-526b-3p, and IGFBP1 was targeted by miR-526b-3p. Moreover, LINC00689 knockdown or upregulation of miR-526b-3p inhibited the proliferation of glioma cells and induced the apoptosis. Consistently, the migration and invasion of glioma cells were notably reduced by LINC00689 shRNA/miR-526-3p mimics. miR-526b-3p inhibitor or IGF2BP1 upregulation could reverse the effect of LINC00689 knockdown or miR-526b-3p mimics. Finally, knockdown of LINC00689 inhibited the tumor growth of glioma in vivo through regulating miR-526b-3p/IGF2BP1/MAPK axis. In conclusion, silencing of LINC00689 could inhibit the tumorigenesis of glioma via mediation of miR-526b-3p/IGF2BP1 axis. LINC00689 may serve as a new target for the treatment of glioma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 is a promising research direction in resource utilization and sustainable energy development. However, there is still a lack of research on efficient selective catalysts. A spherical-ordered macroporous CuO (SOMa-CuO) nanocatalyst was developed in this work. SBA-15 with a mesoporous structure was prepared by a hydrothermal synthesis and loaded with Cu(NO3)2. After the Cu(NO3)2 was decomposed at a high temperature and the SBA-15 template was removed, a SOMa-CuO nanocatalyst was obtained and loaded on a copper foam electrode. The SOMa-CuO nanocatalyst has a large roughness coefficient, large pore size, large electrochemical specific surface area and excellent electrical conductivity; thus, it demonstrates excellent electrochemical performance. The SOMa-CuO nanocatalyst has a high current density of 52 mA·cm−2 at 0.9 V, a high roughness coefficient of 13.06 mF and a long-term stability in 0.1 mol/L KHCO3. Therefore, the excellent properties of the SOMa-CuO nanocatalyst contribute to the further development of efficient electrocatalytic reduction materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article titled "Treatment Activity of a New Pr(III) Coordination Polymer on Diabetic Retinopathy by Regulating miR-107/HMGB1 in Retinal Vascular Cells" has been retracted by the Editor-in-Chief and the Publisher of the Journal of Cluster Science. The retraction was prompted by an investigation that revealed evidence of systematic manipulation of the publication process, including issues with citations, phrasing, figures, and ethics approval statements. The Editor-in-Chief no longer has confidence in the results and conclusions of the article. One of the authors agreed to the retraction, while the remaining authors have not responded to correspondence regarding the retraction. Springer Nature, the publisher, maintains neutrality regarding jurisdictional claims and institutional affiliations. [Extracted from the article]

Bone formation represents a heritable trait regulated by many signals and complex mechanisms. Its abnormalities manifest themselves in various diseases, including sclerosing bone disorder (SBD). Exploration of genes that cause SBD has significantly improved our understanding of the mechanisms that regulate bone formation. Here, we discover a previously unknown type of SBD in four independent families caused by bi-allelic loss-of-function pathogenic variants in TMEM53, which encodes a nuclear envelope transmembrane protein. Tmem53-/- mice recapitulate the human skeletal phenotypes. Analyses of the molecular pathophysiology using the primary cells from the Tmem53-/- mice and the TMEM53 knock-out cell lines indicates that TMEM53 inhibits BMP signaling in osteoblast lineage cells by blocking cytoplasm-nucleus translocation of BMP2-activated Smad proteins. Pathogenic variants in the patients impair the TMEM53-mediated blocking effect, thus leading to overactivated BMP signaling that promotes bone formation and contributes to the SBD phenotype. Our results establish a previously unreported SBD entity (craniotubular dysplasia, Ikegawa type) and contribute to a better understanding of the regulation of BMP signaling and bone formation. Sclerosing bone disorder (SBD) includes a broad spectrum of monogenic diseases characterised by increased bone density. Here, the authors describe a previously unknown SBD in four families caused by mutations in TMEM53 and demonstrate the role this protein plays in BMP signalling during bone formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) could induce apoptosis and dysfunction of endothelial cells. We aimed to reveal the effects of macrophages on cell proliferation and apoptosis in LPS induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). THP-1 derived macrophages and HUVECs were co-cultured in the presence of LPS. Cell viability was measured by Cell Counting Kit-8 and apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry. Expression of Ang1, the NF-κB component p65 was evaluated by western blot and quantitative PCR. Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) were used to knockdown the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and p65 in HUVECs. Plasmid transfection-mediated overexpression of Ang1 was employed to see its effects on cell proliferation and apoptosis in HUVECs. Macrophages enhanced LPS-induced proliferation impairments and apoptosis in HUVECs, which could be attenuated by siRNA-mediated knockdown of cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-12p70 in macrophages. The dysfunction of HUVECs was tightly associated with reduced Ang1 expression and increased phosphorylated p65 (p-65). Overexpression of Ang1 in HUVECs significantly decreased p-p65, suggesting negatively regulation of p-p65 by Ang1. Overexpression of Ang1, adding recombinant Ang1 or silencing of p65 substantially attenuated the dysfunction of HUVECs in terms of cell proliferation and apoptosis. In conclusions, THP-1-derived macrophages enhance LPS induced dysfunction of HUVECs via Ang1 and NF-κB pathways, suggesting new therapeutic targets for sepsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A precipitation method was applied to produce high-purity thorium product from industrial grade Th(NO3)4·4H2O. The conditions of pH in the thorium solution, the contents of hydrogen peroxide, calcination temperature were investigated as well as calcination time. The hydrogen peroxide of 30% (v:v) was added into the thorium solution and was continually stirred. The concentration of hydrogen peroxide was exceeded over 0.1–0.5 mol/L after suitable reaction between Th(NO3)4·4H2O and hydrogen peroxide. The pH of the solution was maintained at 2 through adding ammonium hydroxide. The precipitation obtained in the form of Th2O7·4H2O. The high-purity thorium product was prepared after calcination for 2 h at 700 °C. The purity of the purified thorium product was above 99.8%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erosion wear will cause corrosion pits, local thinned area, micro-fracture and other defects for coiled tubing's, resulting in shortened service life. Discrete phase of sand particles was obtained under the Lagrangian coordinates. This model was applied to study the erosion law of CT's outer wall, such as curved tube and straight tube, the mass flow, the size of sand particle, the inject pressure, the volume of fracturing fluid injection and the viscosity of fracturing fluid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The RANKL/OPG/RANK signalling pathway is a major regulatory system for osteoclast formation and activity. Mutations in TNFSF11, TNFRSF11B and TNFRSF11A cause defects in bone metabolism and development, thereby leading to skeletal disorders with changes in bone density and/or morphology. To date, nine kinds of monogenic skeletal diseases have been found to be causally associated with TNFSF11, TNFRSF11B and TNFRSF11A mutations. These diseases can be divided into two types according to the mutation effects and the resultant pathogenesis. One is caused by the mutations inducing constitutional RANK activation or OPG deficiency, which increase osteoclastogenesis and accelerate bone turnover, resulting in juvenile Paget's disease 2, Paget disease of bone 2, familial expansile osteolysis, expansile skeletal hyperphosphatasia, panostotic expansile bone disease, and Paget disease of bone 5. The other is caused by the de-activating mutations in TNFRSF11A or TNFSF11, which decrease osteoclastogenesis and elevate bone density, resulting in osteopetrosis, autosomal recessive 2 and 7, and dysosteosclerosis. Here we reviewed the current knowledge about these genetic disorders with paying particular attention to the updating genotype–phenotype association in the TNFRSF11A-caused diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enterobacter cloacae strain HNR was found to grow well and denitrify aerobically at high NO3−—N concentrations. When the concentrations of NO3-—N were 200, 300 and 500 mg/L, the removal efficiencies of NO3-—N were 83%, 74.5% and 75%, respectively. More importantly, the intermediates accumulation of NO2-—N and NH4+—N was not obvious during the aerobic denitrification processes, resulting in a high TN removal of 82%, 74% and 70%, respectively. Meanwhile, strain HNR also presented the ability of heterotrophic nitrification. With initial NH4+—N concentrations of 20 and 80 mg/L, the NH4+—N removal efficiency reached 78% and 76%, respectively. The key nitrate reductase enzyme gene relating to denitrification was successfully amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from strain HNR, and identified it as napA, which encodings the large catalytic subunit A of periplasmic nitrate reductase (NAPA). The sequence analysis of napA indicates that NAPA is a hydrophilic, non-transmembrane protein. The existence of napA might be crucial for strain HNR to denitrify nitrate under aerobic conditions. This study showed prospect to develop novel technology for nitrogen removal by application of E. cloacae strain HNR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous roll forming (CRF) process utilizes two reconfigurable rollers as forming tools to manufacture 3D surface part. In order to investigate the longitudinal deformation of 3D curved surface part, the detailed mathematical methodology using a geometrical relationship is analyzed and described. The results show that the necessary condition for generating longitudinal bending deformation is the linear distribution of the longitudinal fiber. The deformation characteristics of CRF studied by simulation confirm that the ideal longitudinal deformation is generated when the distribution of longitudinal fibers satisfy the linear distribution principle, the maximum length difference of longitudinal fibers is the major factor determining the longitudinal curvature radius of formed part, and increasing maximum length difference of longitudinal fibers incurs an increasing longitudinal curvature. In addition, 3D surface parts with different longitudinal curvature were prepared by CRF process, which had verified the proposed linear distribution principle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pluripotent stem cells are increasingly used to model different aspects of embryogenesis and organ formation1. Despite recent advances in in vitro induction of major mesodermal lineages and cell types2,3, experimental model systems that can recapitulate more complex features of human mesoderm development and patterning are largely missing. Here we used induced pluripotent stem cells for the stepwise in vitro induction of presomitic mesoderm and its derivatives to model distinct aspects of human somitogenesis. We focused initially on modelling the human segmentation clock, a major biological concept believed to underlie the rhythmic and controlled emergence of somites, which give rise to the segmental pattern of the vertebrate axial skeleton. We observed oscillatory expression of core segmentation clock genes, including HES7 and DKK1, determined the period of the human segmentation clock to be around five hours, and demonstrated the presence of dynamic travelling-wave-like gene expression in in vitro-induced human presomitic mesoderm. Furthermore, we identified and compared oscillatory genes in human and mouse presomitic mesoderm derived from pluripotent stem cells, which revealed species-specific and shared molecular components and pathways associated with the putative mouse and human segmentation clocks. Using CRISPR–Cas9-based genome editing technology, we then targeted genes for which mutations in patients with segmentation defects of the vertebrae, such as spondylocostal dysostosis, have been reported (HES7, LFNG, DLL3 and MESP2). Subsequent analysis of patient-like and patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells revealed gene-specific alterations in oscillation, synchronization or differentiation properties. Our findings provide insights into the human segmentation clock as well as diseases associated with human axial skeletogenesis. A system involving in vitro induction of presomitic mesoderm recapitulates oscillatory expression of core segmentation clock genes and travelling-wave-like gene expression, suggesting that this system can be used to study the human segmentation clock and provide insights into diseases associated with human axial skeletogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extraction behavior of thorium from Baotou iron ore with primary amine N1923 levextrel resins by a micro-column was investigated under the decompression technology. Thorium was adsorbed on the micro-column conditioned by 3 mol L−1 HCl solution before use. The washing liquor of 0.5 mol L−1 H2SO4–0.1 mol L−1 H3PO4 solution was used to wash impurity elements and the solution of 3 mol L−1 HCl was used as the eluent for thorium. The method was applied to analyze thorium in the Baotou iron ore sample. The relative standard deviations of thorium in R-715 standard sample, Baotou main ore standard sample and Baotou west ore were of 0.49%, 1.63%, 1.16%, respectively. The accuracy of the method was satisfactory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cysteine-rich transmembrane bone morphogenetic protein regulator 1 (CRIM1) is a type I transmembrane protein involved in the organogenesis of many tissues via its interactions with growth factors including BMP, TGF-β, and VEGF. In this study, we used whole-exome sequencing and linkage analysis to identify a novel Crim1 mutant allele generated by ENU mutagenesis in mice. This allele is a missense mutation that causes a cysteine-to-serine substitution at position 140, and is referred to as Crim1C140S. In addition to the previously reported phenotypes in Crim1 mutants, Crim1C140S homozygous mice exhibited several novel phenotypes, including dwarfism, enlarged seminal vesicles, and rectal prolapse. In vitro analyses showed that Crim1C140S mutation affected the formation of CRIM1 complexes and decreased the amount of the overexpressed CRIM1 proteins in the cell culture supernatants. Cys140 is located in the internal region 1 (IR1) of the N-terminal extracellular region of CRIM1 and resides outside any identified functional domains. Inference of the domain architecture suggested that the Crim1C140S mutation disturbs an intramolecular disulfide bond in IR1, leading to the protein instability and the functional defects of CRIM1. Crim1C140S highlights the functional importance of the IR1, and Crim1C140S mice should serve as a valuable model for investigating the functions of CRIM1 that are unidentified as yet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an improved method for predicting the bearing capacity of single jacked pile based on piezocone penetration test (CPTu) data which contain tip resistance (qt), side friction (fs) and excess dynamic pore water pressure (u2). Firstly, the average value of qt was determined to calculate the pile unit base resistance according to the influence zone of the logarithmic spiral concerning the effect of soil types. Secondly, fs and u2 were used to calculate the pile unit shaft resistance considering the effect of friction fatigue. The pile jacking force was obtained in terms of unit base resistance and unit shaft resistance. The ultimate bearing capacity was finally determined using pile jacking force multiplied by a force ratio denoted as Rf. The ultimate bearing capacities calculated for two case projects show a good agreement with the measured results, which indicates that the proposed method is feasible and effective. Reliability assessment was carried out on the proposed method and other five estimation methods with respect to the reliability index obtained by advanced first-order second-moment (AFOSM) method. Comparison result showed that the method proposed in this study has a higher reliability index over other five existing methods. Therefore, the proposed method can be used as a reliable alternative to predict the bearing capacity in the engineering practice of jacked pile foundation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficacy of Metarhizium anisopliae strain (IMI330189) and Mad1 protein alone or in combination by feeding method to overcome immune-related enzymes and Toll-like pathway genes was investigated in migratory locust. M. anisopliae (IMI330189) is a potent and entomopathogenic fungal strain could be effectively used against insect pests. Similarly, Mad1 protein adheres to insect cuticle, causing virulence to insects. We confirmed maximum 55% of mortality when M. anisopliae (IMI330189) and Mad1 was applied in combination. Similarly, increased PO activity was observed in locust with combined dose of Mad1 + IMI330189 whereas PO, POD, and SOD activities reduced using Mad1 independently. Four Toll-like signaling pathway genes (MyD88, Cactus, Pelle, and CaN) were investigated from midgut and body of the migratory locust after 72 h of treatments. Subsequently, the expression of MyD88 in the midgut and body significantly decreased with the application of Mad1 and Mad1 + IMI330189. Performance of these treatments was absolutely non-consistent in both parts of insects. Meanwhile, IMI330189 significantly raised the expression of Cactus in both midgut and body. However, the combined treatment (Mad1 + IMI330189) significantly reduced the Cactus expression in both body parts. Pelle expression was significantly increased in the midgut with the application of independent treatment of Mad1 and IMI330189 whereas the combined treatment (Mad1 + IMI330189) suppressed the Pelle expression in midgut. Its expression level was absolutely higher in body with the application of IMI330189 and Mad1 + IMI330189 only. On the other hand, Mad1 significantly increased the expression of CaN in midgut. However, all three treatments significantly affected and suppressed the expression of CaN gene in body of locust. This shows that the applications of M. anisopliae and Mad1 protein significantly affected Toll signaling pathway genes, which ultimately increased level of susceptibility of locust. However, their effect was significantly different in both parts of locust which recommends that the Toll-related genes are conserved in midgut instead of locust body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil organic matter (SOM) is an important parameter related to soil nutrient and miscellaneous ecosystem services. This paper attempts to improve the performance of traditional partial least square regression (PLSR) model by considering the spatial autocorrelation and soil forming factors. Surface soil samples (n = 180) were collected from Honghu City located in the middle of Jianghan Plain, China. The visible and near infrared (VNIR) spectra and six environmental factors (elevation, land use types, roughness, relief amplitude, enhanced vegetation index, and land surface water index) were used as the auxiliary variables to construct the multiple linear regression (MLR), PLSR and geographically weighted regression (GWR) models. Results showed that: 1) the VNIR spectra can increase about 39.62% prediction accuracy than the environmental factors in predicting SOM; 2) the comprehensive variables of VNIR spectra and the environmental factors can improve about 5.78% and 44.90% relative to soil spectral models and soil environmental models, respectively; 3) the spatial model (GWR) can improve about 3.28% accuracy than MLR and PLSR. Our results suggest that the combination of spectral reflectance and the environmental variables can be used as the suitable auxiliary variables in predicting SOM, and GWR is a promising model for predicting soil properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) underwater acoustic (UWA) communication has been intensively investigated in the past years, existing works mainly focus on open-water environment. There is no work reporting MIMO acoustic communication in under-ice environment. This paper presents results from a recent MIMO acoustic communication experiment which was conducted in Bohai Gulf during winter. In this experiment, high frequency MIMO signals centered at 10 kHz were transmitted from a two-element source array to a four-element vertical receiving array at 1 km range. According to the received signal of different array elements, MIMO acoustic communication in under-ice environment suffers less effect from co-channel interference compared with that in open-water environment. In this paper, time reversal followed by a single channel decision feedback equalizer is used to process the experimental data. It is demonstrated that this simple receiver is capable of realizing robust performance using fewer hydrophones (i.e. 2) without the explicit use of complex co-channel interference cancelation algorithms, such as parallel interference cancelation or serial interference cancelation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays many location service providers (LSPs) employ spatial databases outsourced from a third-party data owner (DO) to answer various users' queries, e.g., group nearest neighbor (GNN) queries that enable a group of users to find a meeting place minimizing their aggregate travel distance. Along with the benefits from LSPs and DO, protection of location privacy and authentication of query results become two major concerns for users while assessing GNN queries. This paper proposes a resource-aware approach that supports effective location privacy preservation and efficient query result authentication with a less storage, communication and computation overhead. Specifically, two centroid-based techniques are investigated to generate a centroid point, which initiates GNN query on behalf of the group members. Then, an authentication algorithm based on Voronoi diagram is proposed for spatial queries. Finally, we demonstrate how our approach is resistant to various attacks, and evaluate its performance by comparing with three competitive approaches. The results show the proposed approach is better and more economical in terms of resource overhead, while considering both privacy preservation and query authentication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, cyberspace has become a vital part of social infrastructure. With the rapid development of the scale of networks, applications and services have become enriched, and the bearing function of the underlying network devices (such as switches and routers) has also been extended. To promote the dynamics architecture, high-level security, and high quality of service of the network, control network architecture forward separation is a development trend of the networking technology. Currently, software-defined networking (SDN) is one of the most popular and promising technologies. In SDN, high-level strategies are deployed by the proprietary equipment, which is used to guide the data forwarding of the network equipment. This can reduce many complicated functions of the network equipment and improve the flexibility and operability of the implementation and deployment of new network technologies and protocols. However, this novel networking technology faces novel challenges in term of architecture and security. The aim of this study is to offer a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art research on novel advances of programmable SDN, and to highlight what has been investigated and what remains to be addressed, particularly, in terms of architecture and security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, while early diagnosis still represents an upmost priority. While platelet activation is critical for AMI pathogenesis, the role of platelet microRNAs (pmiRNAs) as biomarkers for AMI is unclear. Furthermore, correlations between the levels of pmiRNAs and indices of platelet activity are also unknown. Expression of platelet miR-1, miR-21, miR-126, miR-150 and miR-223 were prospectively assessed in 20 ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients, and 40 healthy volunteers. Platelet reactive units (PRU) were assessed with cartridge analyzer, and vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) was measured by flow cytometry. There were no significant changes in pmiR-1 expression. Expressions of pmiR-21 and pmiR-126 were decreased, while pmiR-150 and pmiR-223 were increased in STEMI patients when compared to controls (all p < 0.01). However, only pmiR-126 exhibited correlation with plasma cardiac troponin I (r = − 0.556, p = 0.011) in STEMI. There was no correlation between pmiRNAs with PRU or VASP during admission, or at 48 h post-stenting. Among tested pmiRNAs, pmiR-126 may serve as a potential novel biomarker for STEMI, while pmiR-1, pmiR-21, pmiR-150, and pmiR-223 were not particularly useful. Moreover, since assessed pmiRNA expression did not correlate well with platelet activity indices their potential diagnostic utility is quite limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous roll forming (CRF) is a novel technology for both single-piece and small-batch manufacturing of 3D surface sheet metal parts. In the CRF process, a pair of flexible rolls is placed to form a non-uniform roll gap. When the flexible rolls rotate in opposite directions with identical angular velocity, the sheet metal is bitten into the roll gap by frictional force, and the sheet metal is non-uniformly thinned in thickness direction and elongated in longitudinal direction. Thus, a 3D surface part with a desired shape is manufactured consecutively. In this paper, CRF is further developed and expanded into LB-CRF, which enables the CRF process to manufacture 3D surface parts not only with transverse and longitudinal bending deformation but also with lateral bending deformation (LB-CRF). The methods to design the curved profiles of flexible rolls and the distribution of the roll gap are provided. Through a series of numerical simulations on the LB-CRF processes, the proposed design methods are verified. The relationship between the distribution of the roll gap and radius of lateral bending curvature is discussed. The LB-CRF processes were presented through experiments, and the results validate the feasibility of adopting the LB-CRF process to manufacture 3D surface part with lateral bending. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High inspired oxygen concentration (FiO > 0.85) is administered to test pulmonary vascular reactivity in children with pulmonary hypertension (PH). It is difficult to measure oxygen consumption (VO) if the subject is breathing a hyperoxic gas mixture so the assumption is made that baseline VO does not change. We hypothesized that hyperoxia changes VO. We sought to compare the VO measured by a thermodilution catheter in room air and hyperoxia. A retrospective review of the hemodynamic data obtained in children with PH who underwent cardiac catheterization was conducted between 2009 and 2014. Cardiac index (CI) was measured by a thermodilution catheter in room air and hyperoxia. VO was calculated using the equation CI = VO/arterial-venous oxygen content difference. Data were available in 24 subjects (males = 10), with median age 8.3 years (0.8-17.6 years), weight 23.3 kg (7.5-95 kg), and body surface area 0.9 m (0.4-2.0 m). In hyperoxia compared with room air, we measured decreased VO (154 ± 38 to 136 ± 34 ml/min/m, p = 0.007), heart rate (91 $$\pm$$ 20 to 83 $$\pm$$ 21 beats/minute, p=0.005), mean pulmonary artery pressure (41 $$\pm$$ 16 to 35 $$\pm$$ 14 mmHg, p=0.024), CI (3.6 $$\pm$$ 0.8 to 3.3 $$\pm$$ 0.9 L/min/m, p = 0.03), pulmonary vascular resistance (9 $$\pm$$ 6 to 7 $$\pm$$ 3 WU m, p = 0.029), increased mean aortic (61 $$\pm$$ 11 to 67 $$\pm$$ 11 mmHg, p = 0.005), pulmonary artery wedge pressures (11 $$\pm$$ 8 to 13 $$\pm$$ 9 mmHg, p = 0.006), and systemic vascular resistance (12 $$\pm$$ 6 to 20 $$\pm$$ 7 WU m, p=0.001). Hyperoxia decreased VO and CI and caused pulmonary vasodilation and systemic vasoconstriction in children with PH. The assumption that VO remains unchanged in hyperoxia may be incorrect and, if the Fick equation is used, may lead to an overestimation of pulmonary blood flow and underestimation of PVRI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the analysis of the factors influencing the dynamic control of reservoir normal elevation in flood season (RNEFS), the evaluation index system on optimizing dynamic RNEFS schemes is established firstly. The flood disaster losses evaluation model of reservoir downstream is established with MIKE software manufactured by the DHI Company, Denmark. Then, the Biliuhe Reservoir is taken as an example, and the flood disaster risk losses of Chengzitan town in its downstream area is calculated and linked with the flood control risk, the mean annual generated energy, the utilization rate of water resources and the reliability of water-supply guaranteed rate after running up the RNEFS. Lastly, the RNEFS schemes are optimized by variable fuzzy optimization model. And the satisfying scheme obtained will provide an important reference and basis for dynamically controlling RNEFS during real-time operation of a reservoir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel aerobic denitrifier strain HNR, isolated from activated sludge, was identified as Enterobacter cloacae by16S rRNA sequencing analysis. Glucose was considered as the most favorable C-source for strain HNR. The logistic equation well described the bacterial growth, yielding a maximum growth rate (μ) of 0.283 h with an initial NO-N concentration of 110 mg/L. Almost all NO-N was removed aerobically within 30 h with an average removal rate of 4.58 mg N L h. Nitrogen balance analysis revealed that proximately 70.8 % of NO-N was removed as gas products and only 20.7 % was transformed into biomass. GC-MS result indicates that N was the end product of aerobic denitrification. The enzyme activities of nitrate reductase and nitrite reductase, which are related to the process of aerobic denitrification, were 0.0688 and 0.0054 U/mg protein, respectively. Thus, the aerobic denitrification of reducing NO to N by strain HNR was demonstrated. The optimal conditions for nitrate removal were C/N ratio 13, pH value 8, shaking speed 127 rpm and temperature 30 °C. These findings show that E. cloacae strain HNR has a potential application on wastewater treatment to achieve nitrate removal under aerobic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The risks associated with cardiac catheterization in children with pulmonary hypertension (PH) are increased compared with adults. We reviewed retrospectively all clinical data in children with PH [mean pulmonary artery pressure (mean PAp) ≥25 mmHg and pulmonary vascular resistance index (PVRI) ≥3 Wood units m] undergoing cardiac catheterization between 2009 and 2014. Our strategy included a team approach, minimal catheter manipulation and sildenafil administration prior to extubation. Adverse events occurring within 48 h were noted. Seventy-five patients (36 males), median age 4 years (0.3-17) and median weight 14.6 kg (2.6-77 kg), underwent 97 cardiac catheterizations. Diagnoses included idiopathic or heritable pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) (29 %), PAH associated with congenital heart disease (52 %), left heart disease (5 %) and lung disease (14 %). Mean PAp was 43 ± 19 mmHg; mean PVRI was 9.7 ± 6 Wood units m. There were no deaths or serious arrhythmias. No patient required cardiac massage. Three patients who suffered adverse events had suprasystemic PAp (3/3), heritable PAH (2/3), decreased right ventricular function (3/3), and pulmonary artery capacitance index <1 ml/mmHg/m (3/3) and were treatment naïve (3/3). No patient undergoing follow-up cardiac catheterization suffered a complication. In 45 % of cases, the data acquired from the follow-up cardiac catheterization resulted in an alteration of therapy. Three percent of children with PH undergoing cardiac catheterization suffered adverse events. However, there were no intra or post procedural deaths and no one required cardiac massage or cardioversion. Follow-up cardiac catheterization in patients receiving pulmonary hypertensive targeted therapy is safe and provides useful information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]