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The empirical aspect of descriptor design in catalyst informatics, particularly when confronted with limited data, necessitates adequate prior knowledge for delving into unknown territories, thus presenting a logical contradiction. This study introduces a technique for automatic feature engineering (AFE) that works on small catalyst datasets, without reliance on specific assumptions or pre-existing knowledge about the target catalysis when designing descriptors and building machine-learning models. This technique generates numerous features through mathematical operations on general physicochemical features of catalytic components and extracts relevant features for the desired catalysis, essentially screening numerous hypotheses on a machine. AFE yields reasonable regression results for three types of heterogeneous catalysis: oxidative coupling of methane (OCM), conversion of ethanol to butadiene, and three-way catalysis, where only the training set is swapped. Moreover, through the application of active learning that combines AFE and high-throughput experimentation for OCM, we successfully visualize the machine's process of acquiring precise recognition of the catalyst design. Thus, AFE is a versatile technique for data-driven catalysis research and a key step towards fully automated catalyst discoveries. Descriptor design in catalyst informatics necessitates adequate prior knowledge for delving into unknown territories, particularly when confronted with limited data, thus presenting a logical contradiction. Here, the authors report a technique for automatic feature engineering that works on small catalyst datasets without reliance on pre-existing knowledge about the target catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, geodetic and seismic phenomena occurring in the subduction zone were observed with two tiltmeters that were installed in seafloor boreholes drilled in the Kumano Basin in the Nankai Trough, southwest Japan. We used one electrolytic-type tiltmeter and one pendulum-type tiltmeter installed 6 and 19 m below the seafloor, respectively. The two tiltmeters have been continuously operated since 2019 and 2021, respectively. The records of the two tiltmeters showed microseisms, seismic signals of normal earthquakes, and variations that correlated well with the M2 tide (tidal response). The noise environment relative to existing seafloor observatories was assessed by comparing the power spectral densities of the tiltmeters and broadband seismometers in the seismic frequency band. The two tiltmeters and the seismometers showed similar spectral peaks in the microseism band, and at lower frequencies below 10–2 Hz, the pendulum tiltmeter had a noise level that was up to 20 dB lower than that of the broadband seismometers. The tidal responses of the tiltmeters were analyzed to reveal corresponding mechanisms because a large amplitude of the tidal response makes it difficult to detect geodetic phenomena. Considerable azimuthal dependence was observed in the NW–SE direction for both tiltmeters. The principal direction was approximately the same as the down-slope direction of the local bathymetry. This tendency was thus interpreted to be caused by the differences in the thickness of the sedimentary layer along the direction of the slope. Furthermore, the validity of the tilt measurements for the two tiltmeters was demonstrated by in-situ loading experiments, where the theoretical response of an elastic half-space medium was computed and compared with the experimental results. The results of the loading experiments can be explained using theoretical values with a set of realistic elastic moduli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cementitious materials employed in deep-sea marine engineering must have excellent durability and fast setting for in-situ construction. In this study, the durability of a ternary binder mortar composed of Portland cement, calcium aluminate cement, and anhydrite was investigated after deep-sea exposure at a depth of 1680 m for 608 d and compared to a tap-water-immersed specimen. The recovered mortar showed significant expansion. However, the hydrate phases in the ternary binder exhibited no changes with the exception of the formation of Friedel's and Kuzel's salts. One reason for this was the transformation from unstable monosulfate to stable ettringite under low-temperature seawater conditions. However, the additional ettringite formation could lead to significant expansion of the sample and strength reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neonicotinoid pesticides are a class of insecticides that reportedly have harmful effects on bees and dragonflies, causing a reduction in their numbers. Neonicotinoids act as neuroreceptor modulators, and some studies have reported their association with neurodevelopmental disorders. However, the precise effect of neonicotinoids on the central nervous system has not yet been identified. Herein, we conducted in vivo Ca2+ imaging using a two-photon microscope to detect the abnormal activity of neuronal circuits in the brain after neonicotinoid application. The oral administration of acetamiprid (ACE) (20 mg/kg body weight (BW) in mature mice with a quantity less than the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) and a tenth or half of the median lethal dose (LD50) of nicotine (0.33 or 1.65 mg/kg BW, respectively), as a typical nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonist, increased anxiety-like behavior associated with altered activities of the neuronal population in the somatosensory cortex. Furthermore, we detected ACE and its metabolites in the brain, 1 h after ACE administration. The results suggested that in vivo Ca2+ imaging using a two-photon microscope enabled the highly sensitive detection of neurotoxicant-mediated brain disturbance of nerves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigation of the multiscale structural development of cementitious materials plays an essential role in understanding their drying behavior. Portland cement pastes with a fatty-alcohol-based shrinkage reducing agent (SRA) under practical hydration and evaporation conditions were used instead of ultimate states, which have already been reported. The results of small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) analysis showed that fractal disc-shaped agglomeration units of the calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) increased in size with the addition of the SRA. Water vapor sorption isotherms (WVSI) revealed that mesopores were formed between and/or within the agglomeration units of C-S-H, and the volume of mesopores increased with increasing SRA content. The agglomeration units containing mesopores were stable and reduced the drying shrinkage. This explanation may be extended to the macroscale structure, which predominantly contributes to drying shrinkage at very early ages. In addition, the first reported results of WVSI at extremely low relative pressures and SAXS indicated that the pore structure at the atomic level was not affected by the presence of the SRA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Luminescence and scintillation properties of Eu2+- and Ce3+-doped TlSr2Cl5 crystals are reported for large effective atomic number (Zeff = 63.7) that have potential applications in X-ray and gamma ray detection. We have previously developed TlSr2Cl5 crystalline scintillators. To improve the scintillation properties of TlSr2Cl5, Ce3+ and Eu2+ were doped into the crystals in this study. The scintillation emission bands of Eu2+-doped TlSr2Cl5 were observed at 420 nm and those for Ce3+-doped TlSr2Cl5 were observed at 380, 450, and 500 nm. Band peaks at 450 and 500 nm were similar to those of undoped TlSr2Cl5, which are characteristic of self-activated thallium-based chloride crystals. The light yields of Ce3+- and Eu2+-doped TlSr2Cl5 were estimated to be approximately 16,000 and 21,000 photons/MeV, respectively. The light yield of Eu2+-doped TlSr2Cl5 is higher than that of undoped TlSr2Cl5 crystals (19,000 photons/MeV). It was suggested that Eu2+ is more suitable dopant for TlSr2Cl5 than Ce3+. The higher light yield of Eu2+-doped TlSr2Cl5 is due to the emissions by Eu2+ ions, which makes it easier to distinguish peaks from noise and improve the energy resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electronic structures of Hf 1 - x Zr x S 3 and Hf 1 - x Zr x Se 3 trichalcogenides are investigated by first-principles calculation. In particular, step change of Zr concentration is intensively investigated. Our calculations reveal that doping of Zr atoms increase the strength of cohesion between the atoms in HfX 3 (X = S, Se) monolayers, and results in occurring of energetically more stable alloys. In addition, doping of Zr atoms in HfS 3 causes band gap bowing, which means the curve of band gap values shows quadratic nonlinearities while change from semimetal to semiconductor is observed in HfSe 3 case. The examined band structures indicate that Hf 1 - x Zr x S 3 monolayers have very suitable band gap values for water splitting and also their band edge potentials have sufficiently higher or lower positions than the required potential values for the reduction or oxidation potentials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The excessive systemic inflammatory response caused by surgery has been associated with the development of major complications, such as postoperative confusion and acute respiratory distress syndrome. The serum IL-6 has been used as a predictor in the extent of surgical trauma. Several trials have reported that steroid administration reduced excessive systemic response. We investigated the systemic response caused by surgical trauma in patients with cervical laminoplasty and evaluated the influence of steroid administration on systemic response. Materials and methods: Thirty patients were included in this study. The patients were divided into three groups of ten each: preoperative steroid group, intraoperative steroid group, and non-steroid group. The same dose of steroid was administered to the patients in preoperative group and intraoperative group. Venous blood samples were taken at the following times: before surgery, at the end of surgery, 6 h after the surgery, the first, the third and the seventh day after the surgery. Outcome measures were serum IL-6, IL-10, C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cells including neutrophil and lymphocyte counts. Results: The mean serum IL-6 levels on the first day in preoperative and intraoperative steroid groups were significantly lower than in control group. The serum IL-6 levels in preoperative steroid group were lower than the serum levels in the intraoperative steroid group from the end of surgery to the third day after surgery. The CRP levels in steroids groups were also lower than in control group on the third day. There were no significant differences in the postoperative neutrophil count between the three groups. There was no postoperative infectious complication or suture failure. Conclusions: This study shows that the preoperative administration of steroids modified the systemic inflammatory response caused by surgical trauma in patients with cervical laminoplasty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To analyze cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) predictive factors in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). Methods: Two hundred thirty-seven patients who visited for low back pain, lower limb pain and/or lower limb numbness and who were diagnosed with LSS were enrolled in this study. The ratio of males to females was 117-120, and the mean age was 68.8 years (range 45-87 years). LSS and CSM were diagnosed by characteristic symptoms, physical findings and MRI. We examined gender, age, Torg-Pavlov ratio (TPR), spondylolisthesis or spondylosis, LSS symptom types and number of stenosis segments with LSS to clarify predictive factors for CSM. Results: There were 21 (8.86%) patients with coexistent CSM among 237 LSS patients. CSM morbidity was significantly more common among males compared with females. TPR was 0.71 ± 0.09 in the CSM patients and 0.81 ± 0.10 in the non-CSM patients. TPR of the CSM patients was significantly smaller than that of the non-CSM patients. We analyzed to determine the predictive factors of CSM and TPR was identified. The predictive value of TPR for CSM was 0.78. Conclusion: Torg-Pavlov ratio was the most important predictive factor of CSM in patients with LSS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genomic and cDNA clones encoding the carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase) gene ( cel3A) of Polyporus arcularius were sequenced and characterized. The coding region of cel3A, composed of 1329 bp, was found to encode a polypeptide of 243 amino acids that has similarity with FI-CMCase of Aspergillus aculeatus. Expression of the cel3A cDNA in Escherichia coli led to production of a nonglycosylated protein as an active form; moreover, CMCase activity measured by the viscometric method was enhanced 4.47 times by addition of cellobiose. These results indicate that glycosylation and any modification of protein such as processing are not required for Cel3A activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein that synthesizes telomeric DNA onto chromosome termini and maintains the telomere length, and is expressed in immortal cells, stem cells, and germ cells. The objectives of the present investigation were to detect telomerase activity in the eyed embryos of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss using stretch polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay and to estimate the relative telomerase activity and compare it with the value found in HeLa cells. High levels of telomerase activity could be detected quantitatively in the embryos using stretch PCR assay. Telomerase activity in embryos completely vanished using pretreatments with heating and RNase A. Relative telomerase activity per cell in embryos was 19.3–50.7-fold higher than that in HeLa cells. Conversely, relative activity on the basis of the protein amount showed no significant difference between the embryos and HeLa cells. This finding supports previous results in which high level expressions of telomerase are demonstrated in the normal cells and organs of fish species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For molluscs, including bivalves, circulating hemocytes serve an important role in the principal mechanisms of the host defense. The hemocyte adherence and mobility are essential factors in processes such as phagocytosis against foreign particles and migration toward inflammatory sites. It is described in crustaceans that these immune responses dependent on hemocyte adherence are mediated by the membrane receptor, such as integrins. In this article, the article authors demonstrated that the RGD peptide treatment resulted in the C. gigas hemocyte apoptosis that was induced irrespective of whether the hemocyte integrin is activated and bound to the plasma. This result indicates that the apoptosis induction by the RGD peptide in the C. gigas hemocytes was a different mechanism from that of the anchorage-dependent cells.