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Environmental regulation is the principal policy for the deterioration of the ecological environment, but it can also interfere with the green development efficiency of resource-based cities. However, the relationship between regulation and development is still unclear and how to realize the sustainable development of resource-based cities under environmental regulation becomes an important topic. This paper investigates the green economy efficiency of resource-based cities using the super-SBM model based on the panel data of 98 resource-based cities in China from 2006 to 2016. Then, we empirically test the effect of environmental regulation using the SYS-GMM estimation method and threshold model. This study finds that the green economy efficiency in different categories of resource-based cities is significantly different. Environmental regulation has a significant positive effect on the green economy efficiency in resource-based cities and significantly promotes the green economy efficiency in growing cities. The policy also plays a certain role in improving the green economy efficiency in grow-up cities, but the effect is not significant. In addition, environmental regulation has a negative impact on the green economy efficiency of recessionary cities and regenerative cities. Finally, some policy suggestions are put forward to realize the sustainable development of resource-based cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine pasteurellosis is an infectious disease caused by Pasteurella multocida (P. multocida), which seriously endangers the healthy development of pig breeding industry. Early detection of disease transmission in animals is a crucial early warning for humans. Therefore, predicting risk areas for disease is essential for public health authorities to adopt preventive measures and control strategies against diseases. In this study, we developed a predictive model based on multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) and assessed risk areas for porcine pasteurellosis in the Chinese mainland. By using principal component analysis, the weights of seven spatial risk factors were determined. Fuzzy membership function was used to standardize all risk factors, and weight linear combination was used to create a risk map. The sensitivity of the risk map was analyzed by calculating the mean of absolute change rates of risk factors, as well as calculating an uncertainty map. The results showed that risk areas for porcine pasteurellosis were predicted to be locate in the south-central of the Chinese mainland, including Sichuan, Chongqing, Guangdong, and Guangxi. The maximum standard deviation of the uncertain map was less than 0.01and the ROC results showed that the prediction model has moderate predictive performance with the area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.80 (95% CI 0.75–0.84). Based on the above process, MCDA was combined with WebGIS technology to construct a system for predicting risk areas of porcine pasteurellosis. Risk factor data was directly linked to the developed model, providing decision support for disease prevention and control through monthly updates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-scale rock-ice avalanches resulting from the interaction of tectonics and climate are characterized with high mobility, huge volumes of sediment, and rapid denudation, being a major agent of landscape evolution in high altitude mountainous regions. Specifically, the extreme glaciated slope failures often transform into extraordinarily large and mobile debris flows, resulting in disastrous consequences such as sedimentation and desertification. Due to a dearth of on-site observation data and experimental data collection, our comprehension of the geomorphic and kinematic characteristics of rock-ice avalanches remains poor. Here we report a cluster of ancient rock-ice avalanches spreading along the Chomolhari range of the China-Bhutan Himalayas. By integrating remote sensing image interpretation with detailed field investigations, we demonstrate the geomorphic and sedimentary characteristics of four events among the avalanches. The estimated volumes of the four are 23.73 Mm3, 39.69 Mm3, 38.43 Mm3, and 38.25 Mm3, respectively. The presence of pre-existing moraines or alluvial fans constrained their movement, resulting in deposition features such as marginal digitated lobes at higher elevations and large depressed areas in the interior. Applying the Savage-Hutter theory, we calculate the basal friction angle and travel angle of these ancient rock-ice avalanches that are both less than 10°, affirming the similarity of these avalanches in the study area to those occurring in other regions. Our study significantly contributes to understanding the geomorphic and kinematic characteristics of rock-ice avalanches in high-altitude mountainous regions, providing valuable insights into their response to the disproportionate growth of Himalayan peaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand the development status and frontier trends in the prevention and control of coal mine water hazards, a dataset of 962 articles indexed in Web of Science was used. Visualization maps were created using CiteSpace software to conduct statistical analyses on the publication volume, journal distribution, researchers, research institutions, keywords, and burst terms in the field of coal mine water hazard prevention and control in China from 2000 to 2023. The study reveals that the number of publications related to the prevention and control of coal mine water hazards in China has gone through rapid growth periods as well as stable fluctuations. The literature cooperation network in the field of coal mine water hazard prevention and control consists of two main collaboration groups and a series of independent authors, with the core research strength concentrated in institutions such as China University of Mining and Technology, Shandong University of Science and Technology, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), and Xi'an Research Institute of China Coal Technology and Engineering Group. Keywords such as "Coal mine water hazards," "Water inrush," "numerical simulation," "aquifer," and "risk assessment" collectively form larger clusters, primarily revolving around three main research directions: "water source," "water inflow pathways," and "water inflow intensity." In-depth exploration of the mechanisms of water inrush in coal mines, the revelation of water-conducting fracture evolution patterns, understanding underground water seepage characteristics, and hydraulic characteristics, along with the extensive use of new technologies like artificial intelligence and big data, will be the future hotspots in research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aim: Deep roots are important for crops to access water when the topsoil is dry. Root anatomy and activity play an important role in water uptake. However, little is known about the effects of root distribution and anatomical structure on water uptake and grain yield under different water conditions. This study aimed to reveal the contribution of deeper roots, root anatomy and root activity on grain yield and water use efficiency. Methods: A field experiment and Rhizobox experiment were performed to evaluate the effects of changes in root distribution, root anatomy and root activity on grain yield and water use efficiency under three water conditions. Three dryland wheat cultivars (BM1, CH58 and CH1) were compared. Results: BM1 formed a root system, which limited the acquisition of water in the subsoil, resulting in lower grain yield and water use efficiency in field and rhizobox experiments. In contrast, cultivars CH58 and CH1 exhibited greater root biomass and root length density in the subsoil, optimizing subsoil water uptake, thereby increasing grain yield and water use efficiency. CH58 had a smaller root diameter and vessel diameter, thicker cortex thickness, higher root cortex thickness-to-diameter ratio and higher root activity. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that, deeper roots, root anatomy and root activity are important traits in selecting wheat cultivars that maintain yield under low water conditions. Therefore, wheat crop development and breeding to improve grain yield should also consider optimizing root anatomy and improving root activity while promoting deep root development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pressure reducing valves (PRVs) are essentially used to reduce operational pressures in water distribution systems (WDSs) to minimize water leakage. However, water age in a WDS is an important variable describing the water quality and should be kept as low as possible. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the possibility and potential of simultaneously minimizing both pressure and water age by using PRVs. To determine the optimal location and setting of PRVs, a mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) problem is formulated with minimization of the sum of the weighted total water age and pressure as the objective function, where the weighting factor can be defined by the user's preference. The equality constraints consist of the hydraulic equations and water age functions to describe pressure and water age in the distribution network, while the inequality constraints ensure them in the defined operating ranges, respectively. Applying the proposed approach to two case studies, the results show that both water age and pressure can indeed be significantly reduced by the optimized position and setting of the PRVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capturing dynamic preference features from user historical behavioral data is widely applied to improve the accuracy of recommendations in sequential recommendation tasks. However, existing deep neural network-based sequential recommendation methods often ignore the noise information in user behavioral data that influence recommendation effectiveness, making recommendation models sensitive to noisy data. Additionally, these deep learning-based recommendation models often require a large number of parameters to capture user behavior patterns, leading to higher time complexity and susceptibility to overfitting due to noise fluctuations. To address these issues, in this paper, we apply the moving average concept from the field of time-series analysis to sequential recommendation tasks. The approach smooths sequence data, removes noise, making the data more stable and reliable, increases the model's insensitivity to noise information, and better understands the evolution of user interests and behavioral patterns. Specifically, in our experiments, the moving average algorithm effectively denoises sequential data with low time complexity. Therefore, we propose a Sequential Recommendation with Exponential Moving Average with MLP architecture that makes the model more competitive in terms of time complexity. Experimental results conducted on two datasets demonstrate that EMARec outperforms state-of-the-art sequential recommendation methods across various common evaluation metrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The size of pores or the grille spacing of water–sediment separation structures directly affects their regulation effect on the debris flow performance. A suitable pore size or grille spacing can effectively improve the water–sediment separation ability of the structure. The new funnel-type grating water–sediment separation structure (FGWSS) combines vertical and horizontal structures and provides a satisfactory water-sediment separation effect. However, the regulation effect of the grille spacing of the structure on the debris flow performance has not been studied. The regulation effect of the structure grille spacing on the debris flow performance is studied through a flume test, and the optimal structure grille spacing is obtained. An empirical equation of the relationship between the relative grille spacing of the structure and the sediment separation rate is established. Finally, the influence of the water–sediment separation structure on the regulation effect of debris flows is examined from two aspects: external factors (properties of debris flows) and internal factors (structural factors). The experimental results show that the gradation characteristics of solid particles in debris flows constitute a key factor affecting the regulation effect of the structure on the debris flow performance. The optimum grille spacing of the FGWSS matches the particle size corresponding to the material distribution curves d85∼d90 of the debris flow. The total separation rate of debris flow particles is related to the grille spacing of the structure and the content of coarse and fine particles in the debris flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An in-depth understanding of debris flow erosion is crucial for estimating debris flow magnitude and evaluating its risk. Although the mechanisms of debris flow erosion have been widely explored by previous studies, channel downcutting and lateral erosion of debris flows over irregular erodible beds are still poorly understood. Here, we investigate the debris flow erosion characteristics in non-uniform erodible beds with variable cross-sections based on a series of small-scale flume experiments. We quantify the effects of debris flow density, bed slope, bed fine particle content, and channel narrowness on downcutting and lateral erosion. Downcutting Erosion Depths (DED) first increased linearly with the debris-flow density and bed slope; however, it exhibited a decrease afterward and an increasing trend with the narrower channel. The maximum DED was observed when the channel narrowness was 0.7. Similarly, a total erosion efficiency was introduced to measure the intensity of debris flow erosion. The efficiency increased linearly with the flume slope and decreased with the fine particle content of the bed and debris flow density. On the other hand, the efficiency grew exponentially with the channel narrowness. A dimensionless parameter, defined as the ratio of downward erosion to lateral erosion, was utilized to assess the relative importance of the downward and lateral erosion of the debris flow. Experimental results show that the ratio is positively correlated with debris flow density and flume slope. Notably, the effect of bed fine particle content was relatively weak, and downward erosion overwhelmed lateral erosion for significant channel narrowing. Furthermore, the ratio increased logarithmically with the channel narrowness, whereas the lateral erosion exceeded the downward erosion for smaller narrowness and vice versa. Our experimental results demonstrate that the amount and mechanism of debris flow erosion may differ significantly in irregular erodible beds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An accurate prediction of complex product quality parameters from process time series by an end-to-end learning approach remains a significant challenge in machine learning. A special difficulty is the application of industrial batch process data because many batch processes generate variable length time series. In the industrial application of such methods, explainability is often desired. In this study, a 1D convolutional neural network (CNN) algorithm with a masking layer is proposed to solve the problem for time series of variable length. In addition, a novel combination of 1D CNN and class activation mapping (CAM) technique is part of this study to better understand the model results and highlight some regions of interest in the time series. As a comparative state-of-the-art unsupervised machine learning method, the One-Nearest Neighbours (1NN) algorithm combined with dynamic time warping (DTW) was used. Both methods are investigated as end-to-end learning methods with balanced and unbalanced class distributions and with scaled and unscaled input data, respectively. The FastDTW and DTAIDistance algorithms were investigated for the DTW calculation. The data set is made up of sensor signals that was collected during the production of plastic parts. The objective was to predict a quality parameter of plastic parts during production. For this research, the quality parameter will be a difficult or only destructively measurable parameter and both methods will be investigated for their applicability to this prediction task. The application of the proposed approach to an industrial facility for producing plastic products shows a prediction accuracy of 83.7%. It can improve the reverence method by approximately 1.4%. In addition to the slight increase in accuracy, the CNN training time was significantly reduced compared to the DTW calculation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to reveal harm of exposure to indoor air pollution to cognitive function through "gut-brain-axis" among rural elderly residents. There were 120 participants recruited in rural villages of northwest China from December 2021 to February 2022. The cognitive level was assessed by eight-item ascertain dementia (AD) questionnaire, and indoor air pollution exposure was measured by air quality sensor. Inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress-related index were detected in blood serum. Fecal samples were collected for gut microbiota analysis. The 120 participants were divided into impaired cognition (AD8) (81/67.5%) and cognition normal (NG) (39/32.5%). And there had more female in AD8 (FAD) (55/67.9%) than NG (FNG) (18/46.2%) (P = 0.003). Exposure of air pollution in FAD was higher than FNG (PM1, PM2.5, PM10, P < 0.001; NO2, P < 0.001; CO, P = 0.014; O3, P = 0.002). The risk of cognitive impairment increases 6.8%, 3.6%, 2.6%, 11%, and 2.4% in female for every 1 μg/m3 increased in exposure of PM1, PM2.5, PM10, NO2, and O3, separately. And GSH-Px and T-SOD in FAD were significantly lower than the FNG group (P = 0.011, P = 0.019). Gut microbiota in FAD is disordered with lower richness and diversity. Relative abundance of core bacteria Faecalibacterium (top 1 genus) in FAD was reduced (13.65% vs 19.81%, P = 0.0235), while Escherichia_Shigella and Akkermansia was increased. Correlation analysis showed Faecalibacterium was negatively correlated with age, and exposure of O3, PM1, PM2.5, and PM10; Akkermansia and Monoglobus were positively correlated with exposure of PM1, PM2.5 and PM10; Escherichia_Shigella was significantly positively correlated with NO2. Indoor air pollution exposure impaired cognitive function in elderly people, especially female, which may cause systemic inflammation, dysbiosis of the gut microbiota, and ultimately leading to early cognitive impairment through the gut-brain axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the common plasticizers, di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) has been using in various daily consumer products worldwide. Since it is easily released from products and exists in the environment for a long time, it has a lasting impact on human health, especially male reproductive health. However, the detailed mechanism of testicular damage from DBP and the protection strategy are still not clear enough. In this study, we found that DBP could induce dose-dependent ferroptosis in testicular tissue. Mechanism dissection indicates that DBP can upregulate SP1 expression, which could directly transcriptionally upregulate PRDX6, a negative regulator of ferroptosis. Overexpression of PRDX6 or adding SP1 agonist curcumin could suppress the DBP-induced ferroptosis on testicular cells. In vivo, rats were given 500 mg/kg/day DBP orally for 3 weeks; elevated levels of ferroptosis were detected in testicular tissue. When the above-mentioned doses of DBP and curcumin at a dose of 300 mg/kg/day were administered intragastrically simultaneously, the testicular ferroptosis induced by DBP was alleviated. Immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time PCR of testis tissue showed that the expression of PRDX6 was upregulated under the action of DBP and curcumin. These findings suggest a spontaneous self-protection mechanism of testicular tissue from DBP damage by upregulating SP1 and PRDX6. However, it is not strong enough to resist the DBP-induced ferroptosis. Curcumin can strengthen this self-protection mechanism and weaken the level of ferroptosis induced by DBP. This study may help us to develop a novel therapeutic option with curcumin to protect the testicular tissue from ferroptosis and function impairment by DBP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the effects of macroscopic bending and microscopic contact loading in inhomogeneous materials using a semi-analytical model based on Eshelby's equivalent inclusion method. The model accounts for bending effects through the beam theory, with bending stress included in the Eshelby's equivalent inclusion equations. The macroscopic displacement resulting from bending effects is incorporated into the microscopic contact solver, and the final displacement is determined using the conjugate gradient method in an iterative solution. Computational efficiency can be improved by incorporating the discrete convolution and fast Fourier transform. The core scheme is validated using the finite element method, yielding accurate and efficient results for bending-contact problems in inhomogeneous materials. Simulations reveal the interplay between bending, contact loading, and inhomogeneity, as stress around the inhomogeneity alters and the stress concentration area expands under increasing bending moments. Conversely, low-magnitude negative bending moments reduce both contact pressure and stress around the inhomogeneity. The position where inhomogeneities are least affected shifts from the neutral surface depending on the coupling effect. The model provides a valuable bridge for connecting the macroscopic bending effect and microscale contact-inhomogeneity problems by visualizing stress fields and assessing pressure distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Antibiotics are widely prescribed among children and pregnant women, but their safety profile is controversial. This study aimed to summarize and appraise current evidence for the potential impact of antibiotic exposure on pregnancy outcomes and children's health. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched from inception to June 2022. Meta-analyses of any study design comparing the impact of antibiotic exposure with nonexposure among children, pregnant women and prepregnant women on adverse health outcomes of children and pregnancy were retrieved. The quality of evidence was assessed by a Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR2) and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE). Data were reanalyzed, and the credibility of the evidence was determined. Results: Out of 2956 studies identified, 19 articles with 39 associations were included. Totally 19 of the associations (48.72%) were statistically significant with a P value ≤ 0.05, while only six were supported by highly suggestive evidence. Children with postnatal antibiotic exposure had a higher risk of developing asthma odds ratio (OR): 1.95, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.76–2.17, wheezing (OR: 1.81, 95% CI 1.65–1.97) and allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (OR: 1.66, 95% CI 1.51–1.83), with prediction intervals excluding the nulls. Quality assessed by both AMSTAR2 and GRADE of included meta-analyses were very low in general. Conclusions: Antibiotic exposure in early life was associated with children's long-term health, especially in cases of allergic diseases. Prenatal exposure might also influence children's health in some aspects but requires more high-quality evidence. Potential adverse effects of antibiotics on pregnancy outcomes were not observed in our study. Studies with higher quality and better quantification of antibiotic exposure are needed in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A patented strain of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens C-1 in our laboratory could produce functional sodium selenite (Na2SeO3) under optimized fermentation conditions. With the strong stress resistance and abundant secondary metabolites, C-1 showed potential to be developed as selenium-enriched postbiotics. C-1 has the ability to synthesize SeNPs when incubated with 100 μg/ml Na2SeO3 for 30 h at 30 °C aerobically with 10% seeds-culture. The transformation rate from Na2SeO3 into SeNPs reached to 55.51%. After selenium enrichment, there were no significant morphology changes in C-1 cells but obvious SeNPs accumulated inside of cells, observed by scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope, verified by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. SeNPs had antioxidant activity in radical scavenge of superoxide (O2−), Hydroxyl radical (OH−) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazine (DPPH), where scavenging ability of OH− is the highest. Selenium-enriched C-1 had obvious anti-inflammatory effect in protecting integrity of Caco-2 cell membrane destroyed by S. typhimurium; it could preventing inflammatory damage in Caco-2 stressed by 200 μM H2O2 for 4 h, with significantly reduced expression of IL-8 (1.687 vs. 3.487, P = 0.01), IL-1β (1.031 vs. 5.000, P < 0.001), TNF-α (2.677 vs. 9.331, P < 0.001), increased Claudin-1 (0.971 vs. 0.611, P < 0.001) and Occludin (0.750 vs. 0.307, P < 0.001). Transcriptome data analysis showed that there were 381 differential genes in the vegetative growth stage and 1674 differential genes in the sporulation stage of C-1 with and without selenium-enrichment. A total of 22 ABC transporter protein-related genes at vegetative stage and 70 ABC transporter protein-related genes at sporulation stage were founded. Genes encoding MsrA, thiol, glutathione and thioredoxin reduction were significantly up-regulated; genes related to ATP synthase such as atpA and atpD genes showed down-regulated during vegetative stage; the flagellar-related genes (flgG, fliM, fliL, and fliJ) showed down-regulated during sporulation stage. The motility, chemotaxis and colonization ability were weakened along with synthesized SeNPs accumulated intracellular at sporulation stage. B. amyloliquefaciens C-1 could convert extracellular selenite into intracellular SeNPs through the oxidation–reduction pathway, with strong selenium-enriched metabolism. The SeNPs and selenium-enriched cells had potential to be developed as nano-selenium biomaterials and selenium-enriched postbiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Four Fanconi anemia (FA) genes (BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2 and RAD51C) are defined as breast cancer (BC) susceptibility genes. Other FA genes have been inconsistently associated with BC. Thus, the role of other FA genes in BC should be explored in specific populations. Methods: Mutations in 16 FA genes were screened with a 98-gene panel sequencing assay in a cohort of 1481 Chinese patients with high-risk hereditary BC. The association between mutations and clinicopathological characteristics as well as prognosis was analyzed. The risk of BC in carriers of FA gene mutations was assessed in the Genome Aggregation Database and the Westlake Biobank for Chinese cohort. Results: A total of 2.57% (38/1481) BC patients were identified who had 12 other FA gene germline mutations. Among them, the most frequently mutated gene was FANCA (8/1481, 0.54%). These 38 patients carried 35 distinct pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants, of which 21 were novel. We found one rare FANCB deleterious variant (c.1327-3dupT) in our cohort. There was a statistically significant difference in lymph node status between FA gene mutation carriers and non-carriers (p = 0.041). We observed a trend that mutation carriers had larger tumor sizes, lower estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) positivity rates, and lower 3.5-year invasive disease-free survival (iDFS) and distant recurrence-free survival (DRFS) rates than non-carriers (tumor size > 2 cm: 51.43% vs. 45.63%; ER positivity rates: 51.43% vs. 60.81%; PR positivity rates: 48.57% vs. 55.16%; 3.5-year iDFS rates: 58.8% vs. 66.7%; 3.5-year DRFS rates: 58.8% vs. 68.8%). The frequency of the mutations in FANCD2, FANCM and BRIP1 trended to be higher among BC cases than that in controls (p = 0.055, 0.08 and 0.08, respectively). Conclusion: This study comprehensively estimated the prevalence, clinicopathological characteristics, prognosis and risk of BC associated with deleterious variants in FA genes in Chinese high-risk hereditary BC patients. It enriches our understanding of the role of FA genes with BC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To analyze the clinical significance of MATN1-AS1 as ceRNA of Mir-200b in the tissues and serum of cervical cancer patients. A total of 50 patients with cervical cancer admitted to our hospital from March 2018 to March 2019 were selected as the research objects. All patients underwent surgical resection of cancer tissues in our hospital, and cervical cancer tissues and adjacent tissues more than 2 cm away from the edge of cancer tissues were retained. Patients with cervical cancer were selected as the research group, and 50 patients with benign uterine lesions were selected as the control group. The expressions of MATN1-AS1 and Mir-200b in cervical cancer tissues and serum were detected by real-time PCR, and the correlation between MATN1-AS1 and Mir-200b was analyzed. The relationship between MATN1-AS1, Mir-200b and clinical features was analyzed, and the 3-year survival rate of cervical cancer patients was analyzed. Compared with adjacent tissues, the relative expression levels of MATN1-AS1 and Mir-200b in cancer tissues were significantly increased (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the relative expression levels of MATN1-AS1 and mir-200b in the study group were increased (P < 0.05). The expression levels of matn1-as1 and mir-200b were higher in poorly differentiated, tumor ≥ 4 cm, FIGO stage iii–iv, and lymph node metastasis patients (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis showed that MATN1-AS1 was positively correlated with Mir-200b (r = 0.625, P = 0.001). Compared with blank control group, the relative expression levels of MATN1-AS1 and Mir-200b in MATN1-AS1 silencing group were decreased (P < 0.05). The 3-year survival rate of 48 patients with cervical cancer was 66.67% (32/48). The survival rate of patients with high expression of MATN1-AS1 was lower than that of patients with low expression of MATN1-AS1, and the survival rate of patients with high expression of Mir-200b was lower than that of patients with low expression of Mir-200b (x2 = 4.251, 5.244, P = 0.011, 0.008). There is a potential binding point between MATN1-AS1 and Mir-200b. The expressions of MATN1-AS1 and Mir-200b are increased in the tissues and serum of cervical cancer patients, and they are positively correlated. Silencing of MATN1-AS1 in cervical cancer cell lines can reduce the expression of Mir-200b. Matn1-as1 can regulate the expression of Mir-200b and participate in the occurrence and development of cervical cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Image-based flame detection (IBFD) algorithms are effective in flame detection, and their advantages and disadvantages directly affect the accuracy and timeliness of flame detection. However, based on the existing research in China, the IBFD algorithm still lacks a clear standard for distinguishing advantages and disadvantages. This study adopted a fuzzy comprehensive hierarchical analysis method to establish an evaluation method for IBFD and to define the rating standards for 29 third-level evaluation indexes. A three-level index system was installed for algorithm evaluation, and the masses of needles at all levels were determined. An index system was used to assign indexes to the two flame identification algorithms in the YOLOv3 series. The algorithm evaluation was completed according to the mass of the algorithm index, which indicated the reliability and validity of the algorithm evaluation method. Therefore, this study established a set of methods for the performance evaluation of IBFD and thus laid a theoretical foundation for improving relevant standards for image-based flame detectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary function of fire detection is to detect fires and raise the alarm early. A detection algorithm is a key element of image fire detection (IFD) technology because it directly determines the IFD's performance. In this study, an IFD algorithm based on the YOLOv3 network was developed to detect smoke and flame simultaneously. Subsequently, six improvements were applied to promote the algorithm's ability to detect fire early. The results demonstrated that the modified YOLOv3 network achieved an average accuracy of 95%, which is 14.1% higher than that of the same model without modifications. The detection speed reached 22 Frames Per Second (FPS), which satisfies the requirements of real-time detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Debris flow control structures based on water-sediment separation have been widely used in engineering practice; however, most existing water-sediment separation structures are unable to continuously achieve the water-sediment separation function. To realize the sustainability of the water-sediment separation function of the structure, a new debris flow water-sediment separation structure combining a horizontal grating structure with a vertical flexible structure (flexible barriers) is proposed in this paper. The water-sediment separation effect of the structure and the regulation effect of the structure on the performance of the debris flow are evaluated through flume tests. The results reveal that the structure has a good water-sediment separation capacity and can continuously perform the water-sediment separation function. After structural regulation, more than 30% of the solid particles in the debris flow are separated out, the density is reduced by at least 10%, the average particle size of solid particles can be reduced by approximately 40%, and the flow velocity is reduced by more than 20%. The scale, density, and velocity of the debris flow are reduced after the structure is regulated, and the debris flow can be effectively regulated in terms of material and energy. The structure exhibits a good sorting effect on debris flows with a density of ≤ 1800 kg/m3. The proposed new structure could provide a new idea for debris flow prevention and mitigation technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and Hypothesis: The objective was to explore the efficacy of micro-radiofrequency (micro-RF) therapy for treating non-Hunner interstitial cystitis (NHIC).Forty female NHIC patients were enrolled in this retrospective study from December 2021 to December 2023, with 20 receiving intravesical micro-RF therapy and 20 undergoing hydrodistension (HD). The primary evaluation index was the treatment success rate using the Global Response Assessment (GRA) scale. Secondary indexes included changes from baseline in the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, Interstitial Cystitis Symptom Index (ICSI) and Interstitial Cystitis Problem Index (ICPI), Pelvic Pain and Urgency/Frequency (PUF) patient symptom scale, and urination parameters. Outcomes were analyzed via t or nonparametric tests.All 40 patients completed the treatment and follow-up; the treatment success rate of the micro-RF group (70%, 14 out of 20) was slightly higher than that of the HD group (50%, 10 out of 20) at 12 weeks post-treatment, with no significant difference (20%, p = 0.197). The VAS, ICSI, ICPI, PUF, day-time frequency, urgency episodes, and nocturia significantly decreased in both groups after treatment (p < 0.05). Further, the median decline ranges of VAS (−4.0 vs −3.0; p = 0.017; 95% CI −1.45, −0.15) and ICPI (−5.0 vs −4.0; p = 0.011; 95% CI −2.02, −0.283) were significantly larger in the micro-RF group. There were no significant differences in ICSI (−6.5 vs −6.0, p = 0.407), PUF (−10.0 vs. −8.0; p = 0.071), and urgency episodes (−5.5 vs −4.5; p = 0.570).Our study showed that the short-term overall efficacy of micro-RF therapy was better than hydrodistension, particularly in managing pain, and might be a new alternative treatment option for patients with NHIC.Methods: The objective was to explore the efficacy of micro-radiofrequency (micro-RF) therapy for treating non-Hunner interstitial cystitis (NHIC).Forty female NHIC patients were enrolled in this retrospective study from December 2021 to December 2023, with 20 receiving intravesical micro-RF therapy and 20 undergoing hydrodistension (HD). The primary evaluation index was the treatment success rate using the Global Response Assessment (GRA) scale. Secondary indexes included changes from baseline in the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, Interstitial Cystitis Symptom Index (ICSI) and Interstitial Cystitis Problem Index (ICPI), Pelvic Pain and Urgency/Frequency (PUF) patient symptom scale, and urination parameters. Outcomes were analyzed via t or nonparametric tests.All 40 patients completed the treatment and follow-up; the treatment success rate of the micro-RF group (70%, 14 out of 20) was slightly higher than that of the HD group (50%, 10 out of 20) at 12 weeks post-treatment, with no significant difference (20%, p = 0.197). The VAS, ICSI, ICPI, PUF, day-time frequency, urgency episodes, and nocturia significantly decreased in both groups after treatment (p < 0.05). Further, the median decline ranges of VAS (−4.0 vs −3.0; p = 0.017; 95% CI −1.45, −0.15) and ICPI (−5.0 vs −4.0; p = 0.011; 95% CI −2.02, −0.283) were significantly larger in the micro-RF group. There were no significant differences in ICSI (−6.5 vs −6.0, p = 0.407), PUF (−10.0 vs. −8.0; p = 0.071), and urgency episodes (−5.5 vs −4.5; p = 0.570).Our study showed that the short-term overall efficacy of micro-RF therapy was better than hydrodistension, particularly in managing pain, and might be a new alternative treatment option for patients with NHIC.Results: The objective was to explore the efficacy of micro-radiofrequency (micro-RF) therapy for treating non-Hunner interstitial cystitis (NHIC).Forty female NHIC patients were enrolled in this retrospective study from December 2021 to December 2023, with 20 receiving intravesical micro-RF therapy and 20 undergoing hydrodistension (HD). The primary evaluation index was the treatment success rate using the Global Response Assessment (GRA) scale. Secondary indexes included changes from baseline in the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, Interstitial Cystitis Symptom Index (ICSI) and Interstitial Cystitis Problem Index (ICPI), Pelvic Pain and Urgency/Frequency (PUF) patient symptom scale, and urination parameters. Outcomes were analyzed via t or nonparametric tests.All 40 patients completed the treatment and follow-up; the treatment success rate of the micro-RF group (70%, 14 out of 20) was slightly higher than that of the HD group (50%, 10 out of 20) at 12 weeks post-treatment, with no significant difference (20%, p = 0.197). The VAS, ICSI, ICPI, PUF, day-time frequency, urgency episodes, and nocturia significantly decreased in both groups after treatment (p < 0.05). Further, the median decline ranges of VAS (−4.0 vs −3.0; p = 0.017; 95% CI −1.45, −0.15) and ICPI (−5.0 vs −4.0; p = 0.011; 95% CI −2.02, −0.283) were significantly larger in the micro-RF group. There were no significant differences in ICSI (−6.5 vs −6.0, p = 0.407), PUF (−10.0 vs. −8.0; p = 0.071), and urgency episodes (−5.5 vs −4.5; p = 0.570).Our study showed that the short-term overall efficacy of micro-RF therapy was better than hydrodistension, particularly in managing pain, and might be a new alternative treatment option for patients with NHIC.Conclusions: The objective was to explore the efficacy of micro-radiofrequency (micro-RF) therapy for treating non-Hunner interstitial cystitis (NHIC).Forty female NHIC patients were enrolled in this retrospective study from December 2021 to December 2023, with 20 receiving intravesical micro-RF therapy and 20 undergoing hydrodistension (HD). The primary evaluation index was the treatment success rate using the Global Response Assessment (GRA) scale. Secondary indexes included changes from baseline in the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, Interstitial Cystitis Symptom Index (ICSI) and Interstitial Cystitis Problem Index (ICPI), Pelvic Pain and Urgency/Frequency (PUF) patient symptom scale, and urination parameters. Outcomes were analyzed via t or nonparametric tests.All 40 patients completed the treatment and follow-up; the treatment success rate of the micro-RF group (70%, 14 out of 20) was slightly higher than that of the HD group (50%, 10 out of 20) at 12 weeks post-treatment, with no significant difference (20%, p = 0.197). The VAS, ICSI, ICPI, PUF, day-time frequency, urgency episodes, and nocturia significantly decreased in both groups after treatment (p < 0.05). Further, the median decline ranges of VAS (−4.0 vs −3.0; p = 0.017; 95% CI −1.45, −0.15) and ICPI (−5.0 vs −4.0; p = 0.011; 95% CI −2.02, −0.283) were significantly larger in the micro-RF group. There were no significant differences in ICSI (−6.5 vs −6.0, p = 0.407), PUF (−10.0 vs. −8.0; p = 0.071), and urgency episodes (−5.5 vs −4.5; p = 0.570).Our study showed that the short-term overall efficacy of micro-RF therapy was better than hydrodistension, particularly in managing pain, and might be a new alternative treatment option for patients with NHIC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare the first-time success rate and prognosis of repairing vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) by transvaginal and transvesical approaches, and to highlight a modified transvaginal repair technique which only require single layer closure of an annular vaginal flap. Methods: Retrospective analysis of 57 consecutive patients who underwent VVF repair between 2007 and 2021. Fistula characteristics, operative factors, post-surgical complications and outcomes were analyzed. Results: A total of 57 women with a median age of 50.4 (27–75) years were included. The history ranged from 7 days to 8 years, with an average of 20 months. 56 cases (98.2%) of VVFs were caused by pelvic surgery, and only one resulted from difficult labour. 11 cases (19.3%) had a history of surgical repair failure. All 57 cases of surgery were smoothly completed. Among them, 17 patients underwent transvaginal repair, whereas 40 (70.2%) women had transvesical repair. Transvaginal approach had a significantly shorter operative time, less intraoperative blood loss, reduced postoperative hospital stay, less hospitalization cost and lower minor complication rates than transvesical group (p < 0.05). No serious complications occurred in the two groups. No cystostomy was performed in the transvaginal group, but 12 cases (30%) in the transvesical group. The average follow-up time was 18.5 (3–48) months. The first-time success rates of transvaginal and transvesical techniques were 82.3 and 75%, respectively. Conclusion: VVF repair with single layer closure of an annular vaginal flap is a technically feasible, simple and successful approach with significantly better operative parameters and lower complications rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fire is one of the most harmful hazards that affect daily life. Compared with sensor-based methods, vision-based methods have more advantages in fire detection. Existing approaches fail to achieve a good trade-off among fire locations, false alarms and model size. In this paper, we propose a fire detection method based on deep learning with anchor-free architecture. We apply a conditional convolution to boost the visual representation of fire and construct a lightweight backbone by using the proposed conditional ghost module. A color-weighted loss function is presented to obtain more valuable information by using the unique color of fire. Besides, we create an annotated dataset for fire detection. A series of experiments demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms other popular methods based on handcraft features and deep learning object detection. Furthermore, the model size of the proposed method is only 34.92 MB, 80.73% smaller than that of the suboptimal method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the over-parameterization of neural networks, many model compression methods based on pruning and quantization have emerged. They are remarkable in reducing the size, parameter number, and computational complexity of the model. However, most of the models compressed by such methods need the support of special hardware and software, which increases the deployment cost. Moreover, these methods are mainly used in classification tasks, and rarely directly used in detection tasks. To address these issues, for the object detection network we introduce a three-stage model compression method: dynamic sparse training, group channel pruning, and spatial attention distilling. Firstly, to select out the unimportant channels in the network and maintain a good balance between sparsity and accuracy, we put forward a dynamic sparse training method, which introduces a variable sparse rate, and the sparse rate will change with the training process of the network. Secondly, to reduce the effect of pruning on network accuracy, we propose a novel pruning method called group channel pruning. In particular, we divide the network into multiple groups according to the scales of the feature layer and the similarity of module structure in the network, and then we use different pruning thresholds to prune the channels in each group. Finally, to recover the accuracy of the pruned network, we use an improved knowledge distillation method for the pruned network. Especially, we extract spatial attention information from the feature maps of specific scales in each group as knowledge for distillation. In the experiments, we use YOLOv4 as the object detection network and PASCAL VOC as the training dataset. Our method reduces the parameters of the model by 64.7% and the calculation by 34.9%. When the input image size is 416×416, compared with the original network model with 256MB size and 87.1 accuracies, our compressed model achieves 86.6 accuracies with 90MB size. To demonstrate the generality of our method, we replace the backbone to Darknet53 and Mobilenet and also achieve satisfactory compression results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social relationships play an important role in improving the quality of recommender systems (RSs). A large number of experimental results show that social relationship-based recommendation methods alleviate the problems of data sparseness and cold start in RSs to some extent. However, existing recommendation methods have difficulty in accurately obtaining user features and item features, which seriously affects recommendation system performance. To accurately model social relationships and improve recommendation quality, we use both explicit (e.g. user-item ratings, trust relationships) and implicit (e.g. social tags) social relationships to mine users' potential interest preferences; thus, we propose a social recommendation method incorporating trust relationships and social tags. The method maps user features and item features to a shared feature space using the above social relationship, obtains user similarity and item similarity through potential feature vectors of users and items, and continuously trains them to obtain accurate similarity relationships to improve recommendation performance. The experimental results demonstrate that our proposed approach achieves superior performance over the other social recommendation approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the use of edge computing to solve the problem of limited resources in the IoV has attracted more and more attention. Vehicles can upload tasks to the edge servers within their radio range for computing cooperation and offloading. However, due to shared resources among edge servers, the uneven distribution of vehicles may lead to many problems such as uneven tasks distribution, unbalanced load, and low computing efficiency on different edge servers. On the other hand, most of the existing works are proposed to address the load unbalance issue of edge servers with the help of remote cloud or vehicle cloud, but still leading to resource wasting problems especially for edge servers with a light load. To address this issue, a task transfer scheme has been proposed among different edge servers in this paper. First, we designed a partitioned and hierarchical software-defined network architecture for IoV. After that, a load balancing model is proposed under this network architecture, in which the global controller can manage and schedule the local tasks from each edge server. Next, we proved that the task allocation problem for our load balancing model under the proposed network architecture is an NP-hard problem. To solve this problem, a Deep Q-Network (DQN) model is proposed to minimize the mean square deviation of loads among different edge servers. Numerical results show that our proposed load balancing model can significantly improve the resource utilization of edge servers as well as reduce the computational latency of vehicular tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Debris flow deposits in natural channels typically have a wide grain size distribution (GSD). The effects of bed sediment GSD on the basal entrainment rate are neglected in current debris flow erosion models. Field investigations have detected three different vertical graded bedding structures: normal, inverse, and mixed-gradation, characterized by discontinuous gradation sediment and almost without intermediate-sized particles. This study conducted small-scale flume experiments to investigate the debris flow resistance forces and entrainment characteristics by incorporating the effects of discontinuous grading bed sediments. Discontinuous graded bed sediments with varying fine particle content, volumetric water content (VWC), and roundness were designed for comparison. Debris flow resistance in erodible beds generally increased in the group with gravel of larger-sized coarse particle, lower roundness, and higher bed sediment VWC. For discontinuous grading bed sediment, the entrained depths increased in the group with gravel of smaller coarse particle sizes, larger amounts of fine particles, and higher sediment roundness, and decreased with larger VWCs. This abnormality may be attributed to the disproportionately large effects of viscous flow resistance in our small-scale flume tests. The maximum erosion rates of the continuous bed sediment were higher than those of the corresponding discontinuous bed sediment with the same maximum coarse gravel size. This is because, for discontinuous grading bed sediments, localized failure of intermediate-sized sediment grains may cause a large-scale collapse of the solid grain skeleton and enhance basal entrainment rates. A revised formula for calculating the debris flow entrainment rate is proposed by incorporating the kurtosis coefficient, which describes the distribution of discontinuous bed sediments and fine particle content. Our revised formula could facilitate an elaborate estimation of basin erosion and sediment runoff and reveal the development and recession of debris flow fans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Carbon-coated Cu nanocapsules (Cu@C NCs) with controllable graphite-like shells were designed and synthesized for applications in wireless communication, military stealth or electronic devices. A modified arc plasma method was employed to prepare the NCs, where a solid carbon source was used to provide a carbon-saturated atmosphere, resulting in the constitution of core–shell nanostructures with thickness-controllable carbon shells. Formation mechanisms were involved in the nucleation and growth, adsorption–diffusion or secondary growth process. The Cu@C NCs with thicker graphite-like shells demonstrated the enhanced oxidation resistance, thermal stability and excellent electromagnetic absorption performance ranging between 2 and 18 GHz. A mass of hetero-interfaces and defects inside them strengthened dielectric polarizations and achieved impedance matching. The Cu@C NCs exhibited a minimum reflection loss of − 38.4 dB at 4.88 GHz. Benefiting from the structurally controllable core–shell nanostructure, the Cu@C NCs would become a potential candidate material for electromagnetic wave absorption applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tracking and associating different views of the same target across moving cameras is challenging as its appearance, pose and scale may vary greatly. Moreover, with multiple targets a management module is needed for new targets entering and old targets exiting the field of view of each camera. To address these challenges, we propose DMMA, a Distributed Multi-camera Multi-target Association for real-time tracking that employs a target management module coupled with a local data-structure containing the information on the targets. The target management module shares appearance and label information for each known target for inter-camera association. DMMA is designed as a distributed target association that allows a camera to join at any time, does not require cross-camera calibration, and can deal with target appearance and disappearance. The various parts of DMMA are validated using benchmark datasets and evaluation criteria. Moreover, we introduce a new mobile-camera dataset comprising six different scenes with moving cameras and objects, where DMMA achieves 92% MCTA on average. Experimental results show that the proposed tracker achieves a good association accuracy and speed trade-off by working at 32 frames per second (fps) with high definition (HD) videos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explicit co-simulation denotes a weak coupling of subsystems without iteration between the communication time points (macro-time points). Extrapolated polynomials are commonly used to represent coupling variables. The error introduced by the polynomials can induce instability. Partial derivatives of the interface variables are used in the iterative co-simulation (implicit or semi-implicit co-simulation) to enhance stability. However, repetition of macro-time step becomes a main drawback especially for practical applications. In this manuscript we approximate the interface Jacobian using a truncated matrix exponential and study the numerical behavior in the framework of explicit co-simulations. The stability is greatly improved compared to the classical explicit method. The error of the interface Jacobian approximation has been investigated. A supported pendulum is used to validate the proposed co-simulation method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses TRT-LBM coupled with the effective viscosity to predict squeeze film air damping (SQFD) of micro-beam in the transition regime. The result shows that, in the transition regime, recent MC model underestimates the quality factor for ignoring the gas viscosity effect and recent Reynolds model overestimates it for ignoring the rarefaction effect. The TRT-LBM model proposed in this paper is more accurate than Reynolds and MC models in the transition regime. In addition, the end effect on SQFD is discussed, which shows that the constant ambient pressure condition on the edges would overestimate the quality factor of SQFD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TiO2 is an attractive anode material for lithium ion batteries (LIBs). However, the low theoretical capacity and poor conductivity greatly hinder its potential applications. In this work, TiO2/WO3 nanocomposites (NCs) are successfully synthesized by a one-step method of DC arc-discharge plasma. It is found that TiO2 and WO3 grains are closely combined into bigger particles by chemical/physical adherence, quite different from common connection ways of coating or mechanical mixing. In bigger particles, the combination of WO3 and TiO2 grains can reinforce their electrochemical activities, shorten the diffusion distance of Li+ ions inside, and effectively avoid side reactions happening at the interface between two phases. Moreover, the WO3 phase with a theoretical specific capacity of 694 mAh g−1 makes positive contributions to the TiO2-based materials in the capacity and conductivity. The TiO2/WO3 NCs electrode delivers a stable discharge specific capacity of 557.2 mAh g−1 at a current density of 0.1 A g−1 over 100 cycles, which recovers to 664.1 mAh g−1 after suffering from intense current impacts up to 2.0 A g−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Channel morphology and bed sediment erodibility are two crucial factors that significantly affect debris flow entrainment processes. Current debris flow entrainment models mostly hypothesize the erodible beds are infinite with uniform slopes. In this study, a series of small-scale flume experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of bed longitudinal inflexion and sediment porosity on basal entrainment characteristics. Experimental observations revealed that sediment entrainment is negligible at early stages and accelerates rapidly as several erosion points appear. Continual evolution of flow-bed interfaces changes interactions between debris flows and bed sediments, rendering the interfacial shear action involved into a mixed shear and frontal collisional action. Lower bed sediment porosity will change the spatial arrangement and orientation of particle mixture, strengthen the interlocking and anti-slide forces of adjacent sediment particles, and promote the formation of particle clusters, all of which will increase bed sediment resistance to erosion. By examining the post-experimental bed morphology, the slope-cutting amounts and topographic reliefs are determined to positively correlate with longitudinal transition angles. These high topographic reliefs may indicate the propensity of triangular slab erosion, rather than strip-shaped slab erosion, in non-uniform channels with relatively steep erodible beds. Empirical formulas are obtained that denote the relationships among bed sediment strength, channel curvature radius, and sediment porosity through a multi-parameter regression analysis. This study may aid in clarifying the complex coupling effects of spatial variations in debris flow dynamics as well as sediment erodibility and bed morphology in non-uniform channels with abundant seismic loose material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the multi-objective intelligent cooperative optimization for interference fit of conical sleeve. The influence of various factors on contact pressure of conical sleeve was quantitatively analyzed, and the relationship among multi-objectives and multivariables was comprehensively built. Take the cone sleeve of oil film bearing as the research object, the key factors of the cone sleeve were determined with a combination of actual situations, and its sample data was obtained by central composite test design. Considering the multi-objective involving yield strength, torque and mass, the approximate model of the response surface based on the kriging algorithm was given. Then, a multi-objective intelligent cooperative design method for interference fit of the cone sleeve was established by solving the NSGA-II algorithm. Example analysis has shown that such a method makes up for the deficiency of theoretical design to ignore the stress concentration problem, and its accuracy is 32 times that of the BP neural network algorithm. Finally, the experiments verified the correctness of this method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of holmium laser enucleation of prostate (HoLEP) for treating urinary retention in patients with advanced prostate cancer. Thirty-eight cases of advanced prostate cancer with urinary retention were enrolled in this retrospective study. All the 38 patients were treated with CAB as a basis. Among them, 21 cases chose HoLEP additionally (HoLEP group). Seventeen cases stuck to CAB alone (CAB group). Serum PSA level, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), quality of life score (QoLs), maximal flow rate (Qmax), and post-void residual volume (PVR) at 3, 6, 12, and 18 months after treatment were comparatively analyzed. The perioperative and postoperative parameters of HoLEP were assessed. Both groups demonstrated significant improvement in IPSS, QoLs, Qmax, and PVR during follow-up. But these parameters of HoLEP group improved more rapidly, significantly, and durably than CAB group. No serious complications were observed during and after HoLEP. PSA level of patients in both groups declined dramatically after surgery. But PSA in HoLEP group showed more dramatic and continuous drop. Besides, 1 of 21 patients in HoLEP group transferred into castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) at 18th month of follow-up. While in CAB group, 5 of 17 patients developed into CRPC at 12th month of follow-up (P = 0.02 < 0.05). HoLEP was minimally invasive, safe, and effective, and could serve as a palliative approach to rapidly restore the patients' urine and play a cytoreductive role in advanced PCa to improve the oncological prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Co-simulation allows the parallelization of several subsystems in a distributed manner with data exchanges at discrete user-defined communication points (macro-time points). Between two macro-time points, subsystems are integrated in a local circumstance using specified solvers. By adopting the technique, the computational efficiency can be enhanced greatly without exposure of inner information. As a weak coupling, communication between subsystems is usually approximated by extrapolated or interpolated polynomials that may induce instability. Implicit or semi-implicit co-simulation with iteration of macro-time steps can improve stability behavior significantly. However, reinitialization may be unfeasible for realtime simulation or not supported by most commercial tools. Therefore, stabilized non-iterative co-simulation has been more popular that can be achieved either by appropriate communication techniques or by interface error estimations. However, the influence of the coupling approximations on numerical stability is not well understood. In this paper, the numerical stability of explicit co-simulation will be studied using different approximations of coupling techniques. The influence of communication schemes (parallel and sequential coupling scheme), least square as well as relaxation techniques using an applied force coupling approach will be investigated quantitatively with the help of a linear two-mass oscillator. A quarter car model is used to validate the stability analysis of the linear oscillator. The results indicate that by adopting appropriate coupling techniques, stability improvement can be accomplished. Higher order of extrapolation (interpolation) introduces damping to the distributed system while relaxation and least square approaches might trigger artificial oscillations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperglycemia is one of the metabolic characteristics of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Considering that GDM is able to cause changes in the gut bacterial community and function in the mother's intestine compared with healthy pregnant women, we aimed to clarify the correlation between hyperglycemia and gut microbiota in a GDM mouse model. Mice were divided into four groups: CE0, GDME0, CE18, and GDME18. C and GDM represent the control (C) and GDM groups, while E0 and E18 represent early or late trimesters of embryo day 0 or 18, respectively. GDM mouse models were created by injecting streptozocin on embryo day 0. The gut microbiota was characterized using the Illumina MiSeq platform targeting the V3–4 region of the 16S rRNA. Operational taxonomic unit analysis revealed a significant difference between CE18 and CE0, in which Akkermansia and Prevotellaceae were more abundant in the early trimester group, CE0. Moreover, the Clostridiales_vadinBB60 group was more abundant, while Parasutterella was much lower in GDME18 than in CE18. The gut microbiota community structure correlated with the GDM state, and LEfSe and molecular ecological network analysis further confirmed these diversities. Our research shows that changes in the community structure of the gut microbiota from the early to late trimester correlate with the GDM state. Changes in the abundance of the probiotic bacteria Akkermansia, Prevotellaceae, and Parasutterella may be involved in the GDM state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution of semisolid microstructure during partial remelting of (CNTs + Sip)/AZ91D powder compacts prepared by cold pressing was studied. The results indicate that rapid grain coarsening is driven by the dissolution of eutectic β phase material during the initial heating period of 0–10 min, so the AZ91D powders with fine equiaxed grains surrounded by intergranular eutectic phases evolve into compact particles. As the heating time proceeds, α-Mg particles were gradually separated by liquid due to the phase transformations of α-Mg + β → L and α-Mg → L. The primary particles coarsened rather slowly and the as-received Mg powder evolved into nearly spheroidal particles surrounded by liquid phase after partial remelting. The in situ synthesized Mg2Sip were distributed homogeneously around the CNTs with maintained structural integrity during partial remelting. Moreover, this microstructural evolution was accompanied by densification through pore filling. An ideal semisolid ingot suitable for thixoforming can therefore be obtained by partially remelting a (CNTs + Sip)/Mg powder compact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explicit co-simulation is an increasingly popular technique for solver coupling of multidisciplinary systems in a distributed environment. Compared to implicit approaches, explicit coupling schemes are simpler to implement, since explicit methods allow the synchronization of different subdomains at user-defined discrete communication points without a reinitialization of the subsystem solvers. However, a typical disadvantage of explicit schemes is the reduced stability behavior, which is introduced by errors resulting from the approximation of the coupling variables. In the manuscript at hand, improved explicit co-simulation methods incorporating relaxation techniques are considered for the case that the coupling of the subsystems is realized by constitutive laws. We discuss three decomposition techniques, namely force/force coupling, force/displacement coupling and displacement/displacement coupling. Two novel explicit coupling approaches are analyzed. Within the first approach, classical co-simulation methods based on Lagrange polynomials for extrapolating the coupling variables are modified by incorporating a straightforward relaxation approach using only the current and previous coupling variables. Applying the second approach, predicted coupling variables are generated by using a constant or linear acceleration approach for the coupling bodies. With the predicted, current and previous coupling variables, special approximation polynomials are generated also using a relaxation approach. The numerical stability and convergence characteristics will be analyzed for two explicit co-simulation approaches. It will be shown that stability and convergence can be notably improved by a proper choice of the relaxation parameters. The stabilized co-simulation techniques will be verified using several numerical examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) with segmental renal artery clamping has become an important method to minimize the warm ischemia of the kidney during the surgery. In the present study, we adopted a new model of calculating surgery-related kidney volume loss (SKVL), which was derived from the imaging technology to predict the outcomes of LPN with segmental renal artery clamping. Methods: A total of 111 consecutive patients underwent LPN with available pre- and post-operation computed tomography (CT) scanning data were retrospectively analyzed. The SKVL was calculated using the parameter derived from the CT scan. The correlation between the SKVL and the perioperative outcomes as well as the renal function loss was estimated by the logistic regression analyses. Results: The mean SKVL was 8.99 cm3; kidney volume and tumor volume was 147.48 cm3 and 25.87 cm3, respectively. The SKVL was associated with maximum diameter of tumor (P = 0.001), tumor volume (P < 0.001), intraoperative blood loss (P < 0.001), and the warm ischemia time (P = 0.004), but not associated with the surgery time (P = 0.322) and complications (P = 0.638). Besides, the SKVL was associated with the renal function loss after LPN (P < 0.001). The multivariable logistic regression showed that SKVL was an independent parameter to predict the renal function loss. Conclusions: SKVL is a pre-operation parameter derived from the imaging data, which may be used to predict the perioperative outcomes and renal function loss of patients undergoing LPN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manufacturing errors of disks, namely, parallelism error and mass imbalance, cause complex bending and unbalance of rod-fastened rotor (RFR) after assembly, which act as original excitations and increase vibration. A method was introduced in this study to improve the vibration performance of an RFR. The method optimized the distribution of bending and unbalance and offered an improved assembly scheme. As a basic step, the quantitative relation of RFR bending and assembly angles of disks with parallelism errors was established. On this basis, dimensionless bending was proposed to evaluate the integral bending of an RFR. With respect to the unbalance of the RFR, the balance principle of rigid rotor was applied, that is, small equivalent reaction forces were considered better. The dynamic model of an RFR supported by elliptic bearings was established by using finite element method. Optimizations on the bending and unbalance were then performed individually, and related vibration responses of the RFR system were investigated. Results of single optimization on bending and unbalance proved the effectiveness in reducing the vibration responses of the RFR system. Moreover, results revealed that the bending and unbalance induced mainly the vibration of first order, which explained the difficulty to distinguish each other in actual balance of an RFR. Finally, the multioptimization on the bending and unbalance was performed, which greatly decreased the vibration responses of the RFR system. Optimizations on bending and unbalance in this study were independent with supporting conditions, which gave them a better application and provided a new way to improve the dynamic performance before assembly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The core of the contour-based corner detection is essentially performing a good curvature estimation on planar curves. Inspired by intuitive observation that the curvature of a point on a contour is proportional to the distance accumulation of its neighbors to the tangent of the point, we present a novel curvature estimator named Relative Tangent-to-Point Distance Accumulation (RTPDA) for contour-based corner detection. In the approach, we fit the curve segments with quadratic polynomials by employing least square technique to derive the tangent of the target point, and then accumulate the distance of its neighbors to the tangent, which is a good approximation of the discrete curvature. Experiments verify the effectiveness and the efficiency of the proposed detector in comparison with several influential corner detectors under three commonly used evaluation metrics, namely, Average Repeatability (AR), Localization Error (LE) and Accuracy index (ACU). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurosyphilis is a chronic central nervous system infectious disease caused by Treponema pallidum. Our aim was to study the metabolic profiling in the cerebrospinal fluid of neurosyphilis patients and identify specific potential biomarkers. Fifteen cerebrospinal fluid samples from neurosyphilis patients and 14 non-neurosyphilis samples were analyzed by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometer (LC–MS). The LC–MS data were preprocessed by supervised pattern recognition to obtain diagnostic models. Both orthogonal projections to a latent structures discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) and a t test were used to obtain specific metabolites for neurosyphilis. LC–MS data showed that the metabolites in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from neurosyphilis are different from the non-neurosyphilis group. The OPLS-DA model parameters R2Y and Q2Y are both more than 0.7 and indicated a satisfactory diagnostic performance. Bilirubin, l-histidine, prostaglandin E2, alpha-kamlolenic acid, and butyryl-l-carnitine and palmitoyl-l-carnitine were identified as novel potential biomarkers for neurosyphilis. The metabolic study of CSF may provide a new way to explore the pathogenesis of neurosyphilis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]