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Nanogenerator technology provides a wide range of application prospects for the development of flexible devices. In recent years, the emergence of functional polymers such as piezoelectric and friction polymers has promoted the development and application of flexible nano-energy. This study proposes a new method to directly write magnetostrictive fiber ribbons onto biocompatible substrates using electrohydrodynamic printing technology. It not only meets the application needs of nano-energy, but also realizes the wireless “radiation” of electromagnetic energy to the receiving devices. Firstly, the Fe50Co50 alloy is deposited on a polyethylene terephthalate substrate using electrohydrodynamic printing. The reciprocated and loop structures of magnetostrictive ribbons are printed, with dimensions of 45 mm × 15 mm × 0.2 mm. Subsequently, the deformation of fiber ribbons is measured under the Helmholtz magnetic field to verify the magnetostrictive positive effect. The results validate that fiber ribbon exhibits the expected properties of magnetostrictive materials. Furthermore, its ability to harvest vibration energy and convert it into magnetic energy and electrical energy is further verified by applying sinusoidal vibration to fiber ribbon to test whether an induced voltage is generated. The results demonstrate that the magnetic domains within fiber ribbon deflect and move under the mechanical force, so fiber ribbon has the ability of magnetostrictive inverse effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cloud computing-based online education has played a vital role in enabling uninterrupted learning during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This study explored the key variables associated with cloud computing that can effectively support the operation of online education platforms. By analyzing real data from 63 online learning platforms, the study utilizes the unsupervised random forest (RF) method, ranking the importance of cloud computing-related variables using the Gini index and permutation importance and Boruta. The study's contributions include the application of innovative techniques such as Addcl1 and K-means clustering for data pre-processing, unsupervised RF dissimilarity calculated by partitioning around medoids (PAM) clustering and multidimensional scaling (MDS) plots, and the comparison of RF accuracy (98.4%) with other machine learning techniques using WEKA software. The results highlight variables such as public cloud, commercial sourcing, course number limitations, and synchronized tools as important factors in the successful implementation of cloud computing-based online learning platforms. The theoretical and practical implications of the study results can be used by researchers and practitioners to structure cloud computing-based online learning platforms that could successfully function for distance learning during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Sunitinib is a recommended drug for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC). However, the therapeutic potential of sunitinib is impaired by toxicity and resistance. Therefore, we seek to explore a combinatorial strategy to improve sunitinib efficacy of low-toxicity dose for better clinical application. Methods: We screen synergistic reagents of sunitinib from a compound library containing 1374 FDA-approved drugs by in vitro cell viability evaluation. The synergistically antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects were demonstrated on in vitro and in vivo models. The molecular mechanism was investigated by phosphoproteomics, co-immunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence and western-blot assays, etc. Results: From the four-step screening, nilotinib stood out as a potential synergistic killer combined with sunitinib. Subsequent functional evaluation demonstrated that nilotinib and sunitinib synergistically inhibit RCC cell proliferation and promote apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, nilotinib activates E3-ligase HUWE1 and in combination with sunitinib renders MCL-1 for degradation via proteasome pathway, resulting in the release of Beclin-1 from MCL-1/Beclin-1 complex. Subsequently, Beclin-1 induces complete autophagy flux to promote antitumor effect. Conclusion: Our findings revealed that a novel mechanism that nilotinib in combination with sunitinib overcomes sunitinib resistance in RCC. Therefore, this novel rational combination regimen provides a promising therapeutic avenue for metastatic RCC and rationale for evaluating this combination clinically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of vacuum and oxygen annealing on Sr2-xNbxIrO4 samples have been systematically investigated. The annealing under vacuum leads to an enhanced insulating state of the Sr2-xNbxIrO4 compounds, which could be due to the evaporation of oxygen atoms which breaks the superexchange interaction between Ir and O ions. The annealing under oxygen atmosphere results in substantial straightening of the in-plane Ir–O–Ir bond and rapid depression of the canted antiferromagnetic ordering state. Importantly, the insulator-to-metal transition has been achieved by oxygen annealing of the Sr2-xNbxIrO4 samples, which could be due to the enhanced hybridization of Ir 5d orbitals with the neighboring O 2p orbitals. The present results suggest that the annealing treatment could be an effective way for exploring of novel physical phenomena in Sr2IrO4 and related compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the experimental research on high-efficiency ortho-para (O-P) hydrogen conversion is carried out. By designing and building a low-temperature O-P hydrogen conversion experimental device, the low-temperature catalytic conversion and pressure drop flow characteristics are studied. The experimental data show that under the same conditions, the catalytic performance of iron hydroxide is the best among the three iron-based catalysts, and the hydrogen flow rate is an important factor affecting the conversion efficiency. The pressure drop formula for the porous region filled with catalyst suitable for the experimental device is proposed. This study has reference significance for the design of high-efficiency O-P hydrogen converter and the optimization design of hydrogen liquefaction process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synergistic remediation of heavy metal-contaminated soil by functional strains and biochar has been widely studied. However, the mechanisms by which urease-producing bacteria combine with pig manure biochar (PMB) to immobilize Cd and inhibit Cd absorption in vegetables are still unclear. In our study, the effects and mechanisms of PMB combined with the urease-producing bacterium TJ6 (TJ6 + PMB) on Cd adsorption were explored. The effects of TJ6 + PMB on the Cd content and pH of the leachate were also studied through a 56-day soil leaching experiment. Moreover, the effects of the complexes on Cd absorption and microbial mechanisms in lettuce were explored through pot experiments. The results showed that PMB provided strain TJ6 with a greater ability to adsorb Cd, inducing the generation of CdS and CdCO3, and thereby reducing the Cd content (71.1%) and increasing the pH and urease activity in the culture medium. TJ6 + PMB improved lettuce dry weight and reduced Cd absorption. These positive effects were likely due to (1) TJ6 + PMB increased the organic matter and NH4+ contents, (2) TJ6 + PMB transformed available Cd into residual Cd and decreased the Cd content in the leachate, and (3) TJ6 + PMB altered the structure of the rhizosphere bacterial and fungal communities in lettuce, increasing the relative abundances of Stachybotrys, Agrocybe, Gaiellales, and Gemmatimonas. These genera can promote plant growth, decompose organic matter, and release phosphorus. Interestingly, the fungal communities were more sensitive to the addition of TJ6 and PMB, which play important roles in the decomposition of organic matter and immobilization of Cd. In conclusion, this study revealed the mechanism by which urease-producing bacteria combined with pig manure biochar immobilize Cd and provided a theoretical basis for safe pig manure return to Cd-polluted farmland. This study also provides technical approaches and bacterial resources for the remediation of heavy metal-contaminated soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper utilizes the theory of quantum diffusion to analyze the electron probability and spreading width of a wavepacket on each layer in a two-dimensional (2D) coupled system with edge disorder, aiming to clarify the effects of edge disorder on the stability of the electron periodic oscillations in 2D coupled systems. Using coupled 2D square lattices with edge disorder as an example, we show that, the electron probability and wavepacket spreading width exhibit periodic oscillations and damped oscillations, respectively, before and after the wavepacket reaches the boundary. Furthermore, these electron oscillations exhibit strong resistance against disorder perturbation with a longer decay time in the regime of large disorder, due to the combined influences of ordered and disordered site energies in the central and edge regions. Finally, we numerically verified the universality of the results through bilayer graphene, demonstrating that this anomalous quantum oscillatory behavior is independent of lattice geometry. Our findings are helpful in designing relevant quantum devices and understanding the influence of edge disorder on the stability of electron periodic oscillations in 2D coupled systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Double bubbles near a rigid wall surface collapse to produce a significant jet impact, with potential applications in surface cleaning and ultrasonic lithotripsy. However, the dynamic behaviors of near-wall bubbles remain unexplored. In this study, we investigate the jetting of a near-wall bubble induced by another tandem bubble. We define two dimensionless standoff distances, γ1, γ2, to represent the distances from the center of the near-wall bubble to the rigid wall and the center of controlling bubble to the center of the near-wall bubble, respectively. Our observations reveal three distinct jetting regimes for the near-wall bubble: transferred jetting, double jetting, and directed jetting. To further investigate the jetting mechanism, numerical simulations are conducted using the compressibleInterFoam solver in the open-source framework of OpenFOAM. A detailed analysis shows that the transferred jet flow is caused by the pinch-off resulting from the axial contraction velocity at the lower end of the near-wall bubble being greater than the vertical contraction velocity, leading to a maximum jet velocity of 682.58 m/s. In the case of double jetting, intense stretching between the controlling bubble and the wall leads to a pinch-off and a double jetting with a maximum velocity of 1 096.29 m/s. The directed jet flow is caused by the downward movement of the high-pressure region generated by the premature collapse of the controlling bubble, with the maximum jet velocity reaching 444.62 m/s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interplay between innate and adaptive immune cells is important for the antitumor immune response. However, the tumor microenvironment may turn immune suppressive, and tumor associated macrophages are playing a role in this transition. Here, we show that CD276, expressed on tumor-associated macrophages (TAM), play a role in diminishing the immune response against tumors. Using a model of tumors induced by N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl) nitrosamine in BLCA male mice we show that genetic ablation of CD276 in TAMs blocks efferocytosis and enhances the expression of the major histocompatibility complex class II (MHCII) of TAMs. This in turn increases CD4 + and cytotoxic CD8 + T cell infiltration of the tumor. Combined single cell RNA sequencing and functional experiments reveal that CD276 activates the lysosomal signaling pathway and the transcription factor JUN to regulate the expression of AXL and MerTK, resulting in enhanced efferocytosis in TAMs. Proving the principle, we show that simultaneous blockade of CD276 and PD-1 restrain tumor growth better than any of the components as a single intervention. Taken together, our study supports a role for CD276 in efferocytosis by TAMs, which is potentially targetable for combination immune therapy. Tumor associated macrophages (TAM) are playing an active role in tumor immune evasion in multiple cancer type. Here authors show that CD276 expression by TAMs may underpin this immune-suppressive role via promoting efferocytosis and suppressing MHC class II expression, which result in decreased CD4+ and CD8 + T cell infiltration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyhedral boranes are a class of well-known boron molecular clusters with unique physical and chemical properties, and great efforts have been made in the past decades to find more effective synthetic methods. However, the established synthetic methods suffer from low efficiency and low selectivity because the mechanism of the B–H bond condensation reaction, critical for the synthesis of the polyhedral boranes, is not well understood. Here we report highly selective and efficient synthetic methods of the salts of the tetradecahydridoundecaborate (1–) (B11H14−) and dodecahydrido-dodecaborates (2–) (B12H122−) anions by employing commercially available and inexpensive starting materials. Both theoretical and experimental investigations are carried out to elucidate the reaction mechanisms. We have found that the nature of the B–H bond condensation is the dihydrogen bonding interaction in which the positively charged hydrogens (bridged hydrogens) play a crucial role. The current study has not only led to more effective and selective synthetic methods for B11H14− and B12H122− but also unveiled the nature of the B–H bond condensation and the general formation mechanisms of polyhedral boranes. This finding will facilitate the development of more effective synthetic methods for polyhedral boranes and spur their wide application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Co-combustion of coal and biomass has the potential to reduce the cost of power generation in plants. However, because of the high content of the alkali metal of biomass ash, co-combustion of these two fuels leads to unpredictable ash fusion temperature (AFT). This study conducted experiments to measure the AFT of straw, sludge, and herb residue when they were blended with coal at different ratios. Additionally, a machine learning algorithm called tuna swarm optimization (TSO) was employed to optimize the support vector regression (SVR) model to predict the softening temperature (ST) of samples. The results indicate that straw and sludge were found to be suitable for blending in small proportions, while herb residue was suitable for blending in larger proportions. In comparison to the traditional grid search optimization model, the TSO algorithm significantly enhances the prediction accuracy of both training and test sets, and improves the generalization ability of SVR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt failures in children are devastating. The primary aims of this study are to, firstly, review our institutional series of ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) insertions and identify factors associated with shunt failure. Methods: This is a single-institution, retrospective study conducted over a 12-year period. All patients under 18 years old with VPS inserted were included. Variables of interest such as patient characteristics, hydrocephalus aetiology, shunt implant details, and outcomes were subjected to statistical analyses. Results: A total of 214 VPS patients were selected for this study. The mean age at VPS insertion was 6 months with a mean follow-up duration of 44 months. The most common type of hydrocephalus was obstructive (n = 142, 66.4%), and the most frequent aetiology was tumour-related (n = 66, 30.8%). The 30-day shunt failure rate was 9.3%: 9 infections (4.2%), 7 occlusions (3.3%), and 4 others (1.9%). After multivariable analysis, only recent central nervous system (CNS) infection prior to VPS insertion remained significant (OR 15.4 (1.3–175), p = 0.028). Conclusion: This is the first, large-scale local study focused on the shunt failure in Singaporean children. Significant findings in our study demonstrate that recently treated CNS infection is a factor associated with 30-day shunt failure while the values of CSF constituents were not contributory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research elucidates the enhanced electrochemical performance of a sensor, utilizing multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) modified with Au and 2,6-dioctadecylaminopyridine (DODMA) for the detection of quercetin and caffeic acid. The study highlights the importance of electrode modifications, indicating that MWCNT-Au and DODMA noticeably boost the sensor's electroactivity. For quercetin detection, an optimal pH of 4, an enrichment potential of 0.28 V, and an enrichment time of 15 min were established. For caffeic acid, the sensor showed optimum performance at pH 2.20. Moreover, the sensor demonstrated excellent linearity within two distinct ranges of caffeic acid concentration (0.005-5 µM and 6–50 µM). The DPV method showed recovery rates ranging from 98.20 to 102.42% for quercetin and 99.51–99.82% for caffeic acid in honeysuckle tea, underscoring the sensor's precision and reliability. The promising results of this study show potential applications for this sensor platform in the detection of other bioactive compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantum entanglement distribution network, serviced as the communication infrastructure which distributes quantum information among remote users, enables many applications beyond the reach of classical networks. Recently, the applications such as quantum key distribution and quantum secure direct communication, have been successfully demonstrated in the quantum entanglement distribution network. In this article, we propose a multi-user round-trip quantum clock synchronization (QCS) scheme in the quantum network, which can be implemented with one single entangled photon source located at the server. The server distributes the entangled photons to remote multiple users with the wavelength division multiplexing strategy, and each user feeds partial received photons back to the server. The clock difference between the server and each user is calculated from the one-way and round-trip propagation times, which are determined according to the time correlation of entangled photons. Afterwards, the demonstration has been conducted between the server and a user over a 75-km-long fiber link, where the measured clock difference uncertainty is 4.45 ps, and the time deviation is 426 fs with an average time of 4000 s. Furthermore, the proposed QCS scheme is linearly scalable to many users, with respect to user hardware and number of deployed fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dietary nutrients and the gut microbiota are increasingly recognized to cross-regulate and entrain each other, and thus affect host health and immune-mediated diseases. Here, we systematically review the current understanding linking dietary nutrients to gut microbiota-host immune interactions, emphasizing how this axis might influence host immunity in health and diseases. Of relevance, we highlight that the implications of gut microbiota-targeted dietary intervention could be harnessed in orchestrating a spectrum of immune-associated diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between magnetic order and the second harmonic generation (SHG) effect is a fundamental area of study in condensed matter physics with significant practical implications. In order to gain a clearer understanding of this intricate relation, this study presents a comprehensive classification scheme for the SHG effect in magnetically ordered materials. This framework offers a straightforward approach to connecting magnetic order and the SHG effect. The characteristics of the SHG tensors in all magnetic point groups are studied using the isomorphic group method, followed by a comprehensive SHG effect classification scheme that includes seven types based on the symmetries of the magnetic phases and their corresponding parent phases. In addition, a tensor dictionary containing the SHG and linear magneto-optic (LMO) effect is established. Furthermore, an extensive SHG database of magnetically ordered materials is also built up. This classification strategy exposes an anomalous SHG effect with even characteristics (i.e., invariant) under time-reversal symmetry, which is solely contributed by magnetic structure. Moreover, the proposed classification scheme facilitates the determination of magnetic structures through the SHG effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Getah virus (GETV) is an emerging zoonotic virus that can infect humans and many mammals through mosquitoes. In this study, a novel pathogenic GETV strain, GDQY2022, was isolated from a pig farm in Guangdong Province, China. Sequence comparisons and phylogenetic analysis showed that GDQY2022 belongs to group III (GIII) and was most closely related to strain HeN202009-2, with 99.78% nucleotide sequence identity. Histopathological examination revealed significant pathological changes, such as widened alveolar septum in the lungs with mild congestion and hemorrhage. Differences in viral load between tissues were assessed by real-time RT-PCR, and significantly higher levels of GETV were found in abdominal lymph nodes and lungs of subclinically and clinically affected pigs (P < 0.01). This study provides valuable data for understanding the risk of GETV infection in the pig industry and a reliable basis for studying the pathogenic mechanisms and diagnostic surveillance of GETV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gene editing is a promising alternative to traditional breeding for the generation of new mushroom strains. However, the current approach frequently uses Cas9-plasmid DNA to facilitate mushroom gene editing, which can leave residual foreign DNA in the chromosomal DNA raising concerns regarding genetically modified organisms. In this study, we successfully edited pyrG of Ganoderma lucidum using a preassembled Cas9-gRNA ribonucleoprotein complex, which primarily induced a double-strand break (DSB) at the fourth position prior to the protospacer adjacent motif. Of the 66 edited transformants, 42 had deletions ranging from a single base to large deletions of up to 796 bp, with 30 being a single base deletion. Interestingly, the remaining 24 contained inserted sequences with variable sizes at the DSB site that originated from the fragmented host mitochondrial DNA, E. coli chromosomal DNA, and the Cas9 expression vector DNA. The latter two were thought to be contaminated DNAs that were not removed during the purification process of the Cas9 protein. Despite this unexpected finding, the study demonstrated that editing G. lucidum genes using the Cas9-gRNA complex is achievable with comparable efficiency to the plasmid-mediated editing system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Codes on permutations and multi-permutations have been received much attention due to their potential applications in communications and storage systems. This paper proposes two constructions for balanced multi-permutation codes capable of correcting a single burst of deletions of length t and length up to t, respectively. For any target value of t, the first construction is based on the interleaving of t sub-codes on permutations, whereas the second one is based on the interleaving of t + 1 sub-codes on multi-permutations that are arranged in all possible orders using a stabilizer subgroup. The decoding methods are included in proofs and verified by examples. Numerical results show that both constructions can achieve higher code rates than existing ones while maintaining simple interleaving structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Penile squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC) with a poor prognosis lacks reliable biomarkers for stratifying patients. Fas-associated death domain (FADD) could regulate cell proliferation and has shown promising diagnostic and prognostic significance in multiple cancers. However, researchers have not determined how FADD exerts its effect on PSCC. In this study, we set out to investigate the clinical features of FADD and the prognostic impact of PSCC. Additionally, we also assessed the role of affecting the immune environment in PSCC. Immunohistochemistry was carried out to evaluate the protein expression of FADD. The difference between FADDhigh and FADDlow was explored by RNA sequencing from available cases. The immune environment evaluation of CD4, CD8, and Foxp3 was performed by immunohistochemical. In this study, we found that FADD was overexpressed in 19.6 (39/199) patients, and the overexpression of FADD was associated with phimosis (p=0.007), N stage (p<0.001), clinical stage (p=0.001), and histologic grade (p=0.005). The overexpression of FADD was an independent prognostic factor for both PFS (HR 3.976, 95% CI 2.413–6.553, p<0.001) and OS (HR 4.134, 95% CI 2.358–7.247, p<0.001). In addition, overexpression of FADD was mainly linked to T cell activation and PD-L1 expression combined with PD-L1 checkpoint in cancer. Further validation demonstrated that overexpression of FADD was positively correlated with the infiltration of Foxp3 in PSCC (p=0.0142). It is the first time to show that overexpression of FADD is an adjunct biomarker with poor prognosis in PSCC and could also serve as a tumor immune environment regulator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the association of computed tomography-assessed body composition with survival outcomes of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) received immunotherapy. Methods: In this multicenter, retrospective study, we reviewed 251 mRCC patients who received anti-PD1 from five centers. We analyzed the relationship between BMI, skeletal muscle area (SM), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), visceral adipose tissue (VAT), and subcutaneous adipose percentage (SAT%) with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The spatial localization T cells was investigated by multiplex immunofluorescence. Results: Among 224 evaluable patients, 23 (10.3%) patients were underweight, 118 (52.7%) had normal weight, 65 (29%) were overweight, and 18 patients (8%) were obese. The median age was 55 years and most patients were male (71%). No significant improvement in PFS (HR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.27–1.42) or OS (HR, 1.09; 95% CI, 0.38–3.13) was observed for the obese patients. Besides, SM, VAT, and SAT were not associated with survival outcomes (all p > 0.05). Interestingly, SAT% independently predicted PFS (as continuous variable, HR: 0.02; 95% CI, 0.01–0.11) and OS (HR:0.05; 95% CI, 0.01–0.39), which remained significant in multivariate modeling (as continuous variable, adjusted HR for PFS, 0.01; 95% CI, 0.00–0.04; adjusted HR for OS, 0.08; 95% CI, 0.01–0.72). These associations were consistent in subgroup analysis of different gender, BMI, PD-L1 positive, and sarcopenia group. Tumor of high SAT% patients had a higher intratumoral PD1+ CD8+ T cell density and ratio. Conclusion: High SAT% predicts better outcomes in mRCC patients treated with anti-PD1 and T cell location may account for the better response. Key Points: • CT-based subcutaneous adipose percentage independently predicted progression-free survival and overall survival. • Patients with a higher subcutaneous adipose percentage had a higher intratumoral PD1+CD8+T cell density and ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The heat transfer performance of spiral wound heat exchanger used in the floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) may be significantly affected by the sloshing conditions. In this paper, a three-dimensional numerical model combined with the dynamic mesh technology is conducted to study subcooled falling film heat transfer under static and sloshing conditions. The three-dimensional velocity distribution of the liquid film on the shell side is observed. The effects of cross-section shape of heat exchange tubes, Reynolds numbers and sloshing parameters on heat transfer characteristics are analyzed. The results indicate that the heat transfer performance of the egg-shaped tube is superior to that of the elliptical and circular tube under both static and sloshing conditions due to significant heat transfer improvement in the lower half of the tube. The heat transfer coefficients of three different kinds of tubes decrease under sloshing conditions. When the rolling amplitude is 6°, the average heat transfer coefficients of the circular tube, elliptical tube and egg-shaped tube are reduced by 2.1%, 3.7% and 4.9% respectively. Under the current sloshing parameters, increasing the rolling amplitude, the heat transfer coefficients of three different tubes are slightly increased, while the sloshing period has little effect on heat transfer. The egg-shaped tube and elliptical tube are greatly affected by sloshing motion at the low Reynolds number, while the effect is relatively small at the high Reynolds number. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As a complex vascular malformation, fibro-adipose vascular anomaly was first proposed in 2014. Its overlap with other vascular malformations regarding imaging and clinical features often leads to misdiagnosis and improper management. Objective: To construct a radiomics-based machine learning model to help radiologists differentiate fibro-adipose vascular anomaly from common venous malformations. Materials and methods: We retrospectively analyzed 178 children, adolescents and young adults with vascular malformations (41 fibro-adipose vascular anomaly and 137 common vascular malformation cases) who underwent MRI before surgery between May 2012 to January 2021. We extracted radiomics features from T1-weighted images and fat-saturated (FS) T2-weighted images and further selected features through least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and Boruta methods. We established eight weighted logistic regression classification models based on various combinations of feature-selection strategies (LASSO or Boruta) and sequence types (single- or multi-sequence). Finally, we evaluated the performance of each model by the mean area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (ROC-AUC), sensitivity and specificity in 10 runs of repeated k-fold (k = 10) cross-validation. Results: Two multi-sequence models based on axial FS T2-W, coronal FS T2-W and axial T1-W images showed promising performance. The LASSO-based multi-sequence model achieved an AUC of 97%±3.8, a sensitivity of 94%±12.4 and a specificity of 89%±9.0. The Boruta-based multi-sequence model achieved an AUC of 97%±3.7, a sensitivity of 95%±10.5 and a specificity of 87%±9.0. Conclusion: The radiomics-based machine learning model can provide a promising tool to help distinguish fibro-adipose vascular anomaly from common venous malformations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine association paths between prenatal androgens and cord blood androgens. The concentrations of T, FT, DHT, DHEA and SHBG in prenatal venous blood and cord blood were measured in 342 pregnant women and their neonates. The association paths between these hormones in prenatal and cord blood were revealed using Pearson correlation, multiple linear regression and path analysis. CB-T, CB-FT and CB-DHT in male neonates were higher than those in female neonates. In male and female neonates, P-FT was lower than CB-FT; however, P-DHT and P-SHBG were higher than CB-DHT and CB-SHBG, respectively. P-DHEA was lower than CB-DHEA in female newborns. In male neonates, there were association paths of P-T → CB-T → CB-FT → CB-DHT, P-T → CB-FT → CB-DHT, P-T → P-FT → CB-FT → CB-DHT, P-T → P-DHT, CB-DHEA → CB-DHT, CB-DHEA → P-DHT, and CB-DHEA → P-DHEA. In female neonates, there were association paths of P-T → CB-T → CB-FT → CB-DHT, P-T → P-FT → CB-FT → CB-DHT, P-T → P-FT → P-DHT, P-T → P-DHT, P-DHEA → P-DHT, CB-DHEA → P-DHEA, and CB-DHEA → CB-FT. There were differences in the T, FT and DHT concentrations in cord blood between male and female neonates and in the FT, DHT, DHEA, and SHBG concentrations between prenatal and cord blood. P-T and P-FT concentrations were positively associated with CB-T and CB-FT concentrations, while CB-DHEA concentration was positively associated with P-DHEA concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigate atom–dimer scattering within the framework of hyperspherical coordinates. The coupled-channel Schrödinger equation is solved using the R-matrix propagation technique combined with the smooth variable discretization method. In the matching procedure, the asymptotic wave functions are expressed in the rotated Jacobi coordinates. We apply this approach to the elastic scattering 3 He(T ↑ ) + 4 He 2 and H ↑ +LiH ↑ processes for testing. The convergence of the scattering length as a function of the propagation distance is studied. We find that the method is reliable and can provide considerable savings over previous propagators, so it is suitable for solving the atom–dimer scattering problem for important quantities such as the phase shift, cross section and scattering length. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum is an important manifestation of continuous cropping barrier, which causes the quality and yield of watermelon to decline. In early stage of this study, the organic fertilizer fermented by Bama pig manure applied in soil was proved to significantly inhibit the occurrence of disease by improving the structure of soil microbial community. However, the mechanism was not clear. The high-throughput sequencing technology, combined with network and PICRUSt2 function analysis was used to investigate it. MiSeq sequencing showed that the bacterial community of organic fertilizer treated soil was composed of 34 phyla and 768 genera, the number of genera was higher than that of sterile water treated soil. Fertilization significantly increased the diversity and changed the composition of bacterial community based on alpha, beta diversity, and ANOSIM/Adonis analysis. LEfSe species difference and network analysis showed that fertilization improved the relative abundance of bacteria with biological control or plant growth promotion characteristics in soil, such as Sphingomonas, Halobacillus, Nocardioides, and enhanced the interaction between rhizosphere bacteria, made the network structure more complex. PICRUSt2 also revealed fertilization promoted the bacterial function, such as metabolism and genetic information processing. These results showed that the pig manure organic fertilizer might reduce the occurrence of Fusarium wilt by regulating bacterial community, interaction, and functional metabolism in watermelon rhizosphere soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the pore structure characteristics of shales and its controlling factors were analyzed by means of total organic carbon (TOC) analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and low-pressure N2 adsorption (LPNA) analysis. Based on the grey relational analysis, the controlling factors of pore structure parameters were discussed. The results showed that the TOC contents range from 2.98 to 4.97%, the main minerals of shales are quartz and clay minerals with an average of 41.62 and 30.98%, respectively. The organic matter pores, the interparticle pores, the intraparticle pores, and the micro-fractures are the main pore types determined by the FE-SEM observation. The pore volume of shales is between 0.0637 and 0.1053 cm3/g, the specific surface area ranges from 16.44 to 37.61 m2/g, the average pore size is between 11.20 and 15.50 nm. The organic matter and the quartz have a positive influence on the specific surface area and total pore volume, whereas the clay minerals have a negative impact. The shales have a wide range of pore size, and the mesopores and macropores are the dominant contributor to the total pore volume while the mesoporous contribute the main specific surface area. The TOC contents and quartz contents have the most significant effect on the total pore volume and specific surface area, and the average pore size is mainly controlled by the quartz contents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In-hospital strokes account for 4–17% of all strokes and usually lead to urgent and severe conditions. However, features of in-hospital strokes have been scarcely reported in China, and the management systems of in-hospital strokes are unestablished. The study aims to analyze the characteristics of in-hospital strokes in comparison to community-onset strokes and provides evidence for the development of national in-patient stroke care systems. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed consecutive patients with in-hospital strokes (IHS group) and community-onset strokes (COS group) hospitalized in our hospital between June 2012, and January 2022. Clinical characteristics, care measures, and outcomes were compared between the two groups. Results: A total of 1162 patients (age 61 ± 16 and 65% male) were included, of whom 193 (16.6%) had an in-hospital stroke and 969 (83.4%) had community-onset stroke. Compared with COS group, patients in IHS group had higher NIHSS at onset (7.25 vs 5.96, P = 0.054), higher use of endovascular therapy (10.4% vs 2.0%, P < 0.001), and lower use of intravascular thrombolysis (1.6% vs 7.2%, P = 0.003). Also, in-hospital strokes were associated with lower rate of mRS0-2 at discharge (OR[95%CI] = 0.674[0.49, 0.926], P = 0.015) and increased in-hospital mobility (OR[95%CI] = 3.621[1.640, 7.996], P = 0.001), after adjusting for age, sex, and cardiovascular risk factors. Conclusion: Compared with community-onset strokes, the patients with in-hospital stroke had insufficient urgent treatment and poorer outcomes, reflecting the need for increased awareness of in-patient stroke, and strategies to streamline in-hospital acute stroke care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of acellular dermal matrices (ADMs) and mesh reopened the possibility for the prepectoral single-stage breast reconstruction (PBR). The complications of single-stage breast reconstruction after PRB are controversial. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the impact of implant plane on single-stage breast reconstruction. Our aim was to evaluate the different postoperative complications between patients receiving prepectoral breast reconstruction and subpectoral breast reconstruction (SBR) on single-stage breast reconstruction. Methods: A comprehensive research on databases including PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane libraries was performed to retrieve literature evaluating the effect of implant plane on single-stage breast reconstruction from 2010 to 2020. All included studies were evaluated the complications after single-stage breast reconstruction. Only studies comparing patients who underwent prepectoral reconstruction with a control group who underwent subpectoral reconstruction were included. Results: A total of 13 studies were included in the meta-analysis, with a total of 1724 patients. In general, compared with SBR group, the PBR significantly reduced the risk of total complications (including seroma, hematoma, necrosis, wound dehiscence, infection, capsular contraction, implant loss/remove, and rippling) after single-stage breast reconstruction (OR: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.44–0.67, p < 0.001). Compared with the SBR group, the PBR had remarkably decreased capsular contracture (OR: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.27–0.58, p < 0.001) and postoperative infection (OR: 0.58, 95% CI: 0.36–0.95, p = 0.03). Conclusion: The PBR is a safe single-stage breast reconstruction with fewer postoperative complications. It is an alternative surgical method for SBR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Grain for Green Project (GGP) is an important measure for the prevention of sloping farmland and the restoration of natural vegetation. This project has been critical to the restoration of ecological environments in western China. However, the effect of the GGP on freshwater ecosystem services under extreme climates remains unclear. Thus, taking the middle and upper reaches of the Wujiang River Basin in western China as an example, this study assessed the variation of three freshwater ecosystem services (e.g., water yield, soil retention and nutrient retention) impacted by the GGP under drought stress by employing the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model. In addition, the trade-off/synergistic relationship between three freshwater ecosystem services was analyzed based on the Pearson correlation coefficient. As revealed from the results, the effect of the GGP on the water yield and nutrient retention under drought stress was significantly higher than that on the soil retention. With the increase in the drought degree, the variation rate of the water yield and nutrient retention impacted by the GGP increased, whereas that of the soil retention decreased. The GGP in droughts of different seasons resulted in a significant heterogeneity in the changes of three freshwater ecosystem services. The correlation coefficients between the water yield and soil retention as well as that between the water yield and the nutrient retention increased, and the correlation coefficients declined between soil and nutrient retention under different drought degrees following the GGP. Unlike for the summer drought case, there were no significant changes in the correlation coefficients between three freshwater ecosystem services in spring, autumn and winter droughts. The results suggest that the amount of farmland converted to shrubland should be regulated to reduce the trade-off intensity between freshwater ecosystem services. In addition, food security and ecological environment protection should be balanced during the implementation of the GGP, and the most concentrated distribution region of farmland-to-forest conversion will be the key area of ecological management in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese adolescents and young adults who migrate from rural to urban areas have many emotional problems such as low self-esteem, high levels of anxiety and depression due to the striking social and cultural differences between rural and urban China. To effectively assess their emotion regulation and promote their mental health and growth, this study aimed to explore the psychometric properties of the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) in Chinese rural-to-urban migrant adolescents and young adults. A total of 397 rural-to-urban migrant adolescents and young adults (age 16.78 ± 1.92 years old) were enrolled. Two common factors were obtained in exploratory factor analysis (EFA), which is similar to both the original English version and the Chinese version for college students. Besides, the ERQ was significantly correlated with subjective well-being, psychological well-being, and academic emotion, which indicated the criterion validity of the ERQ is good (r = 0.17 ~ 0.41, all ps < 0.01). The Cronbach's α of the ERQ total scores and subscales were acceptable (0.73 ~ 0.82), indicating that the ERQ had acceptable to excellent levels of internal consistency reliability. Therefore, ERQ is a valid and reliable measure to assess the emotion regulation of rural-to-urban migrant adolescents and young adults in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mis-regulated RNA modifications promote the processing and translation of oncogenic mRNAs to facilitate cancer progression, while the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Here we reveal that tRNA m7G methyltransferase complex proteins METTL1 and WDR4 are significantly up-regulated in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) tissues and associated with poor ESCC prognosis. In addition, METTL1 and WDR4 promote ESCC progression via the tRNA m7G methyltransferase activity in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, METTL1 or WDR4 knockdown leads to decreased expression of m7G-modified tRNAs and reduces the translation of a subset of oncogenic transcripts enriched in RPTOR/ULK1/autophagy pathway. Furthermore, ESCC models using Mettl1 conditional knockout and knockin mice uncover the essential function of METTL1 in promoting ESCC tumorigenesis in vivo. Our study demonstrates the important oncogenic function of mis-regulated tRNA m7G modification in ESCC, and suggest that targeting METTL1 and its downstream signaling axis could be a promising therapeutic target for ESCC treatment. Deregulation of METTL1-mediated N7- methylguanosine tRNA modification can promote oncogenesis. Here, the authors report that this modification regulates the translation of proteins in both the mTOR and negative regulators of autophagy pathways, resulting in the progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To describe the clinicopathological characteristics and determinants of survival of patients with mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) of the tongue. Method: Retrospective population-based study was conducted using the data of patients diagnosed with MEC of the tongue from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database between 2004 and 2016. Results: A total of 200 cases of MEC of the tongue were identified. The cohort was composed of 56.5% females. The mean age at diagnosis was 58.8 years. The base of the tongue was the most common primary site (72.5%). Most cases (80.9%) presented with T1 and T2. Lymph node metastases was present in 40.9% of cases, while distant metastases only observed in 2.2% of cases. Overall survival (OS) at 2, 5, and 10 years was 80.2%, 69.8%, and 52.4%, respectively. 77.5 percent of cases (155/200) underwent surgery, and 66 cases received both surgery and radiation therapy. Patients with post-operative radiation had much longer disease-specific survival (DSS). Advanced T stage, distant metastasis contributed independently to shorter OS, while the use of surgery is an independently favorable prognostic factor for OS. In addition, an OS-specific nomogram was established, and the C-index for OS prediction was 0.74 (95% CI 0.67–0.81). Conclusion: This rare malignancy is associated with a generally favorable prognosis, and T stage, distant metastasis as well as surgical therapy are independent predictors of OS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sr 2 IrO 4 hosts a J eff =1/2 Mott insulating state with antiferromagnetic ordering. It has been predicted that proper doping in Sr 2 IrO 4 could lead to possible high-temperature superconductivity. We present a systematic study on the lattice structure and the magnetic and transport properties of a series of Nb-doped Sr 2 IrO 4 samples. The incorporation of Nb leads to an increase of a-axis lattice constant and a decrease of c-axis lattice constant. A detailed structural refinement suggests that the in-plane Ir-O-Ir bond is significantly straightened with increasing Nb doping content. An unexpected robust insulating state has been found in all Nb-doped samples. The present results suggest that the tilted Ir-O-Ir bond angle alone does not explain its transport behavior in doped Sr 2 IrO 4 compound. The lack of sufficient amount of itinerant charge carriers could be responsible for the robust insulating behavior in Sr 2 - x Nb x IrO 4 samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We aimed to explore whether complete eradication of tumor burden with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) would affect the outcomes of oligometastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Materials and methods: Patients diagnosed with extracranial oligometastatic RCC (no more than five metastases) between 2007 and 2019 were reviewed. Those without nephrectomy were excluded. SBRT to all, some and no lesions were defined as complete, incomplete, and no SBRT. Progression-free survival (PFS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were analyzed using Kaplan–Meier method, Cox regression model and the Fine and Gray method. Result: A total of 101 patients were included, 51.5% of whom had < 3 metastases. Forty (39.6%) patients received complete SBRT, and 61 (60.4%) received no or incomplete SBRT. The 1-year LC rate was 97.3%. The complete SBRT group had significantly longer PFS (26.0 vs 18.8 months; p = 0.043) and CSS (not reached vs. 55.3 months; p = 0.012) compared with the no or incomplete SBRT group. In multivariate analysis, ECOG 0–1 (HR 0.389, 95% CI 0.167–0.906, p = 0.029) and complete SBRT were prognostic factors for CSS (HR 0.307, 95% CI 0.108–0.876, p = 0.027). Complete SBRT was associated with improved CSS in the subgroups of patients with age < 55 years, ECOG 0–1, clear-cell histology, IMDC intermediate/poor risk, metachronous metastasis, and < 3 lesions. Conclusion: Complete eradication of tumor burden with SBRT was associated with better survival in patients with oligometastatic RCC. The recommendation of SBRT to all lesions should be individualized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate whether amide proton transfer-weighted imaging (APTWI) and diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) can be used to evaluate endometrial carcinoma (EC) in terms of clinical type, histological grade, subtype, and Ki-67 index. Methods: Eighty-eight patients with EC underwent pelvic DKI and APTWI. The non-Gaussian diffusion coefficient (Dapp), apparent kurtosis coefficient (Kapp), and magnetization transfer ratio asymmetry (MTRasym (3.5 ppm)) were calculated and compared based on the clinical type (type I, II), histological grade (high- and low-grade), and subtype (endometrioid adenocarcinoma (EA) and non-EA). Correlation coefficients were calculated for each parameter with histological grades and the Ki-67 index. Results: The MTRasym (3.5 ppm) and Kapp values were higher in the type II group and high-grade group than in the type I and low-grade groups, respectively, while the Dapp values were lower in the type I and low-grade groups, respectively (all p < 0.05). The Kapp value was higher in the EA group than in the non-EA group (p = 0.022). The Kapp value was the only independent predictor for the histological grade of EA and the clinical type of EC. The AUC (DKI) was higher than the AUC (APTWI) in the identification of type I and II EC and high- and low-grade EA (Z = 2.042, 2.013, p = 0.041, 0.044), while in the identification of EA and non-EA, only the difference in Kapp was statistically significant. Moreover, the Kapp and MTRasym (3.5 ppm) values and Dapp values correlated positively and negatively, respectively, with histological grade (r = 0.759, 0.555, 0.624, and 0.462, all p < 0.05) and Ki-67 index (r = −0.704, −0.507, all p < 0.05). Conclusion: Both DKI- and APTWI-related parameters have potential as imaging markers in estimating the histological features of EC, while DKI shows better performance than APTWI in this study. Key Points: • DKI and APTWI can be used to preliminarily evaluate the histological characteristics of endometrial carcinoma (EC). • The Kappwas the only independent predictor for the histological grade of EA and the clinical type of EC. • The Kapp, MTRasym (3.5 ppm), and Dappcorrelated positively and negatively, respectively, with histological grade and Ki-67 index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The studied slope is located in the middle reach of the Yalong River in the eastern margin of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in Southwest China. A large hydropower station is planning to be built near the slope. Understanding the stability mechanism of the slope is important for dam site design. Under a combination of tectonic activity, unloading and weathering, the bedrock mass was fractured. On the basis of field investigation, the GSI classification system and Barton criterion were introduced to determine the strength of the rock mass. The kinematic, limit equilibrium and discontinuum modeling methods were carried out to comprehensively understand the stability of the slope. The kinematic analyses show that only wedge mode is possible for large rock mass failure. However, limit equilibrium analyses show that both wedge failure and circular slip are not expected for rock mass. The slope rock mass is now in the surface rebalance stage. The potentially unstable part is the covering deposit. The 40 million m3 surface deposit is now nearly in a limit equilibrium state. The possibility of failure reaches 41%. Mitigation measures must be put into effect on the deposit to assure the stability of the slope. The results indicated that the failure mechanism of the slope was not controlled by the discontinuities in the rock mass at present but depended on the stability of the surface deposit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: MRI is the standard imaging modality used for diagnosis, treatment planning, and post-treatment management of gliomas. Contrast-enhanced T1-weighted (CE-T1w) MRI is used to plan biopsy and radiation for grade IV gliomas but is less effective for grade II and III gliomas (i.e., low-to-intermediate grade gliomas) which may have minimal or no enhancement. Magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) is an advanced MRI technique that has been shown, to improve diagnostic yield of biopsy and target delineation for grade IV glioma. The purpose of this study is to determine if MRSI can improve characterization and tissue sampling of low-to-intermediate grade gliomas. Methods: Prospective grade II and grade III glioma patients were enrolled to undergo whole brain high-resolution MRSI prior to tissue sampling. Choline/N-acetyl-aspartate (Cho/NAA) maps were overlaid on anatomic imaging and imported into stereotactic biopsy software. Patients were treated with standard-of-care surgery and radiation. Volumes of spectroscopically abnormal tissue were generated and compared with anatomic imaging and areas of enhancing recurrence on follow-up imaging. Results: Ten patients had pathologic diagnosis of grade II (n = 4) or grade III (n = 6) with a median follow-up of 27.3 months. Five patients had recurrence, and regions of recurrence were found to overlap with metabolically abnormal regions on MRSI at the time of diagnosis. Conclusion: MRSI in low-to-intermediate grade glioma patients is predictive of areas of subsequent recurrence. Larger studies are needed to determine if MRSI can be used to guide surgical and radiation treatment planning in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of Zanclognatha Lederer, 1857 of the family Erebidae, Z. querciella sp.n., one species of Family Erebidea, Asota egens (Walker, 1854) and two species of Family Noctuidae: Meganephria retinea Gyulai and Ronkay, 1999 and Amphipyra subrigua Bremer and Grey, 1853, are reported for the first time from Korea. In addition, larval feeding habits with their host plants for three species are newly recognized from Korea. Illustration of adults, larvae for Zanclognatha querciella and Meganephria retinea, and the genitalia of male or female for all species are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The viscous flow transition of triblock copolymer styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS5562) was studied by rheological methods. A broad loss factor (tan δ ) peak at 152.5 ℃ appeared on the dynamic viscoelastic spectrum under experimental conditions. Some similar peaks had been attributed to order-order transition (OOT) or order-disorder transition (ODT) in some research. In this system, the SAXS, time-temperature superposition (TTS) and Han plots proved that the microstructure of the SIS5562 did not undergo OOT or ODT transition in the temperature range. It may be the viscous flow transition as we supposed previously. The rheology study by capillary and rotation rheometer verified that the viscous flow transition temperature (Tf) was around 150 ℃. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer-based thermal management composites have been widely utilized in the electronics industry for heat dissipation. Filled with thermal conductive fillers, binary blend polymer-based composite can obtain higher thermal conductivity than single polymer-based composite, however, with impaired mechanical performances. In this study, a tailor-made "core–shell" structure based on high-density polyethylene (PE), high-density polyethylene grafted with maleic anhydride (PE-g-MA) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was fabricated and introduced into boron nitride (BN) filled polyamide 6 (PA6). In the "core–shell" structure, PE domains acted as the "core," while CNTs and CNTs-localizing PE-g-MA constituted the "shell." As-fabricated composite exhibited thermal conductivity of 1.65 W/m K, which was 36.5% higher than that of PA6/PE/BN composite at the same BN loading, and maintained excellent electrical insulating. Meanwhile, benefited from the novel "core–shell" structure, the mechanical properties of PA6/PE-g-MA/PE/CNTs/BN composite were comprehensively balanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted a study of critical exponents to investigate the nature of paramagnetic to ferromagnetic phase transition in a La 0.67 Ba 0.33 MnO 3 (LBMO) film deposited on SrTiO 3 . To this end, we performed dc magnetization M (H, T) measurements around the Curie temperature ( T C ∼ 276.5 K) within a temperature range that includes the critical region | ε | = | T - T C | / T C < 0.05 . We found that the transition is a second-order transition. Three main critical exponents, namely β (0.387), γ (1.309) and δ (4.634), and the critical temperature T C = 276.6 K are derived from the modified Arrott plots. These exponents obey the Widom relation δ = 1 + γ / β and are able to collapse a bunch of isothermal magnetization data into two branches below and above T C based on the single scaling equation M( H , ε ) ε - β = f ± (H ε (- β + γ)) . The critical behavior in LBMO film is close to a 3D Heisenberg model, although certain long-range interactions still exist. Compared to a polycrystalline bulk sample, the long-range interactions are greatly suppressed, which may be attributed to the reduced dimensionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrate leaching is severe in greenhouse where excessive nitrogen is often applied to maintain high crop productivities. In this study, we investigated the effects of carbon amendment in the subsoil on nitrate leaching and the emission of greenhouse gases (CH4 and N2O) using a soil column experiment. Carbon amendment resulted in over 39% reduction in nitrate leaching and 25.3% to 60.6% increase of total N content in the subsoil zone as compared to non-amended control. Strikingly, the abundance of nirS, nosZ, and 16S rRNA were higher in the treatment than the corresponding controls while no significant effect was detected for nirK. Carbon amendment explained 14%, 10%, and 4% of the variation in the community of nosZ, nirS, and nirK, respectively. It also considerably (more than 7 times) enriched genera such as Anaerovorax, Pseudobacteroides, Magnetospirillum, Prolixibacter, Sporobacter, Ignavibacterium, Syntrophobacter, Oxobacter, Hydrogenispora, Desulfosporomusa, Mangrovibacterium, and Sporomusa, as revealed by the analysis of 16S rRNA amplicon. Network analysis further uncovered that carbon amendment enriched three microbial hubs which mainly consists of positively correlated nirS, nosZ, and anaerobic bacterial populations. In summary, carbon amendment in the subsoil mitigated nitrate leaching and increased the nitrogen pool by possible activation of denitrifying and anaerobic bacterial populations. Key points: • Carbon amendment in subsoil reduced NO3-leaching by over 39% under high N input. • Carbon amendment increased the total N in subsoil from 25.3% to 60.6%. • Carbon amendment enriched nirS- and nosZ-type denitrifying bacteria in subsoil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Body image dissatisfaction (BID) is a negative evaluation of personal physical characteristics, including dissatisfaction with body shape, gender, sexual organs, appearance and so forth, and it plays an important role in growth and development. The second-to-fourth digit ratio (2D:4D) is recognized as a putative indicator of intra-uterine testosterone to estrogen ratio exposure, and it has been observed that higher levels of fetal testosterone exposure are associated with a lower 2D:4D. The present paper contributes to a better understanding of the biological underpinnings of BID by analyzing BID and the digit ratio (2D:4D). We found that the 2D:4D was positively related to appearance dissatisfaction in boys with first spermatorrhea, which means that low prenatal androgen exposure may increase boys' dissatisfaction with their appearance. In girls with breast development being lower than Tanner stage II, their 2D:4D was negatively related to their body shape dissatisfaction, which means that high prenatal androgen exposure may increase girls' dissatisfaction with their body shape. These results suggest that the prenatal androgen exposure level might play an important role in the body image dissatisfaction of the offspring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wetland is an important carbon pool, and the degradation of wetlands causes the loss of organic carbon and total nitrogen. This study aims to explore how wetland degradation succession affects soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) contents in alpine wetland. A field survey of 180 soil-sampling profiles was conducted in an alpine wetland that has been classified into three degradation succession stages. The SOC and TN contents of soil layers from 0 to 200 cm depth were studied, including their distribution characteristics and the relationship between soil water content (SWC) and microtopography. The results showed that SOC and TN of different degradation succession gradients followed the ranked order of Non Degradation (ND) > Light Degradation (LD) > Heavy Degradation (HD). SWC was positively correlated with SOC and TN (p<0.05). As the degree of degradation succession worsened, SOC and TN became more sensitive to the SWC. Microtopography was closely related to the degree of wetland degradation succession, SWC, SOC and TN, especially in the topsoil (0–30 cm). This result showed that SWC was an important indicator of SOC/TN in alpine wetland. It is highly recommended to strengthen water injection into the wetland as a means of effective restoration to reverse alpine meadow back to marsh alpine wetland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolic responses are important for plant adaptation to abiotic stress. To investigate the responses of Phlox subulata L. to drought stress, we analyzed its physiological and metabolic changes using gas chromatography-mass spectrometer. Based on the physiological indices, P. subulata L. has tolerance to drought to some degree. Our results showed that there were a total of 30 key metabolites induced by drought stress, including amino acids, organic acids, sugars and sugar alcohols, nucleic acid and its derivatives, and other organic compounds. The glutamic acid-mediated proline biosynthesis pathway is continuously upregulated under drought stress, which could regulate osmotic pressure and maintain intracellular environmental stability. More secondary metabolites are used to increase glycolysis and tricarboxylic acid cycle, to accelerate energy production and to enhance the glutamic acid-mediated proline biosynthesis pathway, which are necessary to increase osmotic regulation. Prolonged drought stress induced progressive accumulation of compatible osmolytes, such as proline and inositol, sugars, and amino acids. Therefore, drought caused systemic alterations in metabolic networks involving transamination, TCA cycle, gluconeogenesis/glycolysis, glutamate-mediated proline biosynthesis, shikimate-mediated secondary metabolisms, and the metabolism of pyrimidine. These data suggest that plants may utilize these physiological and metabolomic adjustments as adaptive responses in the early stages of drought stress. These results deepen our understanding of the mechanisms involved in P. subulata L. drought tolerance, which will help improve the understanding of drought's effects on plant systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]