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Thunderstorm gusts are a common form of severe convective weather in the warm season in North China, and it is of great importance to correctly forecast them. At present, the forecasting of thunderstorm gusts is mainly based on traditional subjective methods, which fails to achieve high-resolution and high-frequency gridded forecasts based on multiple observation sources. In this paper, we propose a deep learning method called Thunderstorm Gusts TransU-net (TG-TransUnet) to forecast thunderstorm gusts in North China based on multi-source gridded product data from the Institute of Urban Meteorology (IUM) with a lead time of 1 to 6 h. To determine the specific range of thunderstorm gusts, we combine three meteorological variables: radar reflectivity factor, lightning location, and 1-h maximum instantaneous wind speed from automatic weather stations (AWSs), and obtain a reasonable ground truth of thunderstorm gusts. Then, we transform the forecasting problem into an image-to-image problem in deep learning under the TG-TransUnet architecture, which is based on convolutional neural networks and a transformer. The analysis and forecast data of the enriched multi-source gridded comprehensive forecasting system for the period 2021–23 are then used as training, validation, and testing datasets. Finally, the performance of TG-TransUnet is compared with other methods. The results show that TG-TransUnet has the best prediction results at 1–6 h. The IUM is currently using this model to support the forecasting of thunderstorm gusts in North China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the basis of first principles, the effect of sulfur (S) defects on the photoelectric and magnetic properties of transition metal, alkali metal, and rare earth element doped CrS2 systems is studied. The modification of certain atoms reduces the formation energy of the CrS2 system under S vacancy defects (VS), resulting in a more stable defect structure. Studies of the electronic structure of monolayer CrS2 reveal that it possesses magnetic metal properties. By substituting Cr atoms, the transition metal (TM) is incorporated into the system, and magnetic modulation is achieved. Magnetic semi-metallic properties are exhibited by both the VS-deficient system and the mixed system of VS-deficient monolayer CrS2 doped with Mn, V, and Fe atoms, respectively. The bandgap is effectively opened for the Ni-doped VS hybrid system, and the system exhibits magnetic semiconductor properties. The optical properties demonstrate that the optical response range of La-doped materials has been significantly expanded and can be employed effectively in both the infrared and visible spectra. In varying degrees, the dopant atoms enhanced the optical properties of the VS system in the infrared light spectrum. The aforementioned findings open up new avenues for the design and experimental investigation of this material, in particular, optoelectronic materials and spin devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: In this paper, we systematically studied the effects of non-metallic element (B, C, N, O, F) doping and biaxial stretching on the photoelectric properties of ZrS2/ZrSe2 heterostructures by using the first-principles calculation method based on density functional theory. The results show that the p-type doping is realized by B, C, and N atom doping, and the n-type doping is realized by O and F atom doping. The doping of B and C atoms produces impurity energy levels in the band gap, which affects the conductivity of the heterostructure. The band gap of N and O atom–doped heterostructures increases under tensile strain, but it is still a direct band gap. The analysis of the optical properties of the heterostructures shows that the doping of non-metallic atoms can adjust the optical absorption rate and reflectivity of the heterostructures. Under the action of tensile strain, the optical properties of the doped heterostructures have changed significantly in the low-energy region. This article provides a theoretical basis for the future application of ZrS2/ZrSe2 heterostructures. Method: This paper uses the first-principles calculation method based on density functional theory. The PBE exchange-correlation functional based on generalized gradient approximation (GGA) is selected for the specific calculation, and the crystal structure is geometrically optimized by the ultrasoft pseudopotential method. It is verified that when the cutoff energy of the ZrS2/ZrSe2 heterostructure is 500 eV, the K-point grid is selected to be 10 × 10 × 2 with the lowest energy, so the cutoff energy is selected to be 500 eV. The K-point grid is selected to be 10 × 10 × 2. The convergence limits for structural optimization are as follows: the maximum force between atoms is 0.01 eV/Å, the convergence threshold of the maximum energy change is set to 10−9 eV/atom, and the convergence threshold of the maximum displacement is 0.001 Å. In order to avoid the influence of atomic periodic motion between different atomic layers, a vacuum layer of 20 Å is added in the vertical direction. Considering the interaction of vdW between the interfaces, the DFT-D2 method is used to verify. The optical properties were calculated by the random phase approximation method, and the K-point grid was selected as 12 × 12 × 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medullary Carcinoma of the Colon (MCC) is a rare histological subtype of colon cancer, and there is currently no recognized optimal treatment plan for it, with its prognosis remaining unclear. The aim of this study is to analyze the independent prognostic factors for MCC patients and develop and validate nomograms to predict overall survival (OS). A total of 760 patients newly diagnosed with MCC from 2004 to 2020 were selected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. All patients were randomly allocated to a training group and a validation group in a 7:3 ratio. Univariate and multivariable Cox regression analyses were conducted to identify prognostic factors and construct nomograms. The nomogram prediction model was evaluated and validated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, calibration curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA). The study found that elderly women are more susceptible to MCC, and the ascending colon and cecum are the most common sites of involvement. MCC is poorly differentiated, with stages II and III being the most common. Surgery is the primary treatment for MCC. The prognosis for patients with stage IV MCC is poor, with a median survival time of only 10 months. Independent prognostic factors for MCC include age, N stage, M stage, surgery, chemotherapy, and tumor size. Among them, age < 75 years and completion of chemotherapy were protective factors for colon medullary carcinoma, while N2 (HR = 2.18, 95%CI 1.40–3.38), M1 (HR = 3.31, 95%CI 2.01–5.46), no surgery (HR = 27.94, 95%CI 3.69–211.75), and tumor diameter > 7 cm (HR = 1.66, 95%CI 1.20–2.30) were risk factors for colon medullary carcinoma. The results of ROC, AUC, calibration curves, and DCA demonstrate that the nomogram prediction model exhibits good predictive performance. We have updated the demographic characteristics of colon medullary carcinoma and identified age, N staging, M staging, surgery, chemotherapy and tumor size as independent prognostic factors for colon medullary carcinoma. Additionally, we have established nomograms for prognostic prediction. These nomograms can provide personalized predictions and serve as valuable references for clinical decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a malignant tumor originating from the epithelial cells of the renal tubules. The clear cell RCC subtype is closely linked to a poor prognosis due to its rapid progression. Circular RNA (circRNA) is a novel class of regulatory RNA molecules that play a role in the development of ccRCC, although their functions have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we identified a significant downregulation of circ-IP6K2 in ccRCC tissues based on data from the GSE100186 dataset. The decreased expression of circ-IP6K2 correlated with the progression of TNM stage and histological grade, and was also associated with decreased overall survival rates in ccRCC patients. Moreover, our findings revealed that circ-IP6K2 expression suppressed proliferation, migration, and invasion capabilities in vitro, and inhibited xenograft growth in vivo. Mechanistically, circ-IP6K2 acted as a sponge for miR-1292-5p in ccRCC cells, which in turn targeted the 3’UTR of CAMK2N1, leading to a decrease in its expression. CAMK2N1 was identified as a tumor suppressor that negatively regulated the β-catenin/c-Myc oncogenic signaling pathway. Additionally, we confirmed a positive correlation between the expression of circ-IP6K2 and CAMK2N1 in ccRCC. Circ-IP6K2 functions to impede the progression of ccRCC by modulating the miR-1292-5p/CAMK2N1 axis. These findings shed new light on the molecular mechanisms driving ccRCC progression and suggest potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of ccRCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influences of varying dosages of C-S-H seeding on the properties of cement were assessed through a variety of methodologies. Calorimetry results revealed that the presence of C-S-H seeding notably reduces the induction period and enhances the total heat release during the initial days of cement hydration. All of the systems studied followed similar hydration kinetics, encompassing nucleation and growth (NG), phase boundary reaction (I) and diffusion (D). As the dosage of C-S-H seeding increased, there was a quicker transition from NG to I to D. XRD-Rietveld analysis indicated that seeding markedly improves alite and C3A dissolution in the early stages of hydration, ultimately leading to the expeditious precipitation of portlandite (CH) and ettringite. Nonetheless, at later hydration stages, higher dosage of C-S-H seeding compromises the alite reaction, resulting in a decreased amount of portlandite in the system. The CH obtained by thermogravimetry exhibited a similar trend to XRD-Rietveld, signifying their reliability in measuring portlandite content in the hydrated cement paste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a first-principles study of the stability, electronic structure, and magnetic and optical properties of transition metal (TM)-doped monolayer TiS2 systems has been carried out based on the GGA + U methodology under density functional theory. Formation energies, binding energies, phonon spectra, and molecular dynamics calculations indicate the stability of the systems. The Mn-, Fe-, and Co-doped systems exhibit magnetic narrow-band semiconductor properties, with Mn doping inducing the most sizable net magnetic moments. The V- and Mo-doped systems demonstrate magnetic-metallic properties, and incorporating Nb, Ta, and W gives the monolayer TiS2 system semi-metallic properties. The absorption band edges of the doped systems are all redshifted, in which V and Mo doping produces strong orbital hybridization at the Fermi energy level, generates new dielectric peaks in the low-energy region, and extends the absorption range of infrared light, which significantly enhances the optical response of the system. This study provides a theoretical reference for the application of monolayer TiS2 in nanospin and optoelectronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Two-dimensional semiconductor materials have received much attention in recent years due to their wide variety of applications in the field of nano-optoelectronic devices. In this project, we applied stresses ranging from −6 to +6% to the ZrSe2/HfSe2 heterostructure and systematically investigated its electrical and optical properties. It is discovered that stress can effectively modulate the forbidden bandwidth of the ZrSe2/HfSe2 heterojunction; whereas, under compressive stress, the forbidden bandwidth of the material decreases further until the bandgap is zero, leading to the material's transformation from semiconductor to metal. The forbidden band gap of the ZrSe2/HfSe2 heterojunction increases with increasing horizontal biaxial tensile strain. We discovered that the light absorption performance of this heterostructure is significantly better than that of its similar monomolecular layer and that its light absorption intensity can reach an order of magnitude of 104. Under compressive and tensile stresses, the ZrSe2/HfSe2 heterojunctions exhibit different degrees of red or blue shift. The results indicate that constructing ZrSe2/HfSe2 heterojunctions and applying horizontal biaxial stresses to them can significantly modulate the optoelectronic properties of the materials. ZrSe2/HfSe2 heterojunction is a new type of high-performance photogenerated carrier transport device with a wide range of applications. Methods: The calculations in this study are carried out the first principles approach of density functional theory, as implemented in the CASTEP module of Materials-Studio2019. The researchers used an ultrasoft reaction potential to calculate the interactions between the ion core and the electrons and applied the Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE) and the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) to perform the calculations. The Monkhorst-Pack technique was employed to create the k-point samples utilized for integration on the Brillouin zone, and the k-point grid was uniformly 6 × 6 × 1. In addition, in order to avoid interactions between the atomic layers affecting the properties and stability of the material, such interactions were prevented by adding a 30 Å vacuum layer. Using a plane-wave energy cutoff of 500 eV and the convergence accuracy of the iterative process was set to 1 × 10−5 eV to ensure the accuracy of the computational results, and in addition. The maximum stress in the lattice was limited to less than 0.05 GPa or the interaction force between neighboring atoms was lower than 0.03 eV/Å. For the calculation of the properties of the optical properties, a k-point grid of 18 × 18 × 1 is used for optimization, and the polarization direction of the material is not taken into account, considering that the material is isotropic. This study proposes to apply the Tkatchenko-Scheffler (TS) dispersion correction method in DFT-D to appropriately represent the interlayer van der Waals interaction forces to solve inaccuracies in the computation of van der Waals interactions via density functional theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Based on the first principles under the framework of density functional theory, it calculates the effect of vacancy defects in single Zr and single Se atoms and the replacement of Se atoms in ZrSe2 with O, Se, and Te atoms on the optoelectronic properties of monolayer ZrSe2, including geometry, energy band structure, electronic density of states, and optical properties. The doping of the three non-metallic atoms was n-type doping for the O and S atoms and p-type doping for the Te atom. Defects in the Zr atoms and O-atom doping significantly affect the peak reflectance and absorption coefficient of the ZrSe2 system. Methods: All Density Functional Theory calculations were carried out using the CASTEP module in the Materials-Studio (MS) software. The generalized gradient approximation plane-wave pseudopotential method and the Perdew-Burke-Ernzerfhof (PBE) generalized function were used for structural optimization and total energy calculation of the defect and doping systems. After convergence tests, the plane wave truncation energy was set to 500 eV, and the Brillouin zone K-point grid was set to 4 × 4 × 1. The atomic energy convergence criterion is 1.0 × 10−6 eV/atom, the interatomic interaction force convergence criterion is 0.02 eV/Å, the maximum atomic displacement convergence criterion is 0.001 Å, and the internal crystal stress convergence criterion is 0.05 GPa. In order to avoid the influence of the interaction forces between the layers, a vacuum layer of 15 Å is placed in the Z-axis direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: Classification and catalytic mechanism of nanozymes with different mimicking activities are dissertated. Activity prediction and rational design methods of nanozymes are highlighted, including density functional theory, machine learning, biomimetic and chemical design. The roles of nanozymes in different synergistic theranostic strategies for tumor are summarized and explained by representative examples in the past five years. Since the discovery of enzyme-like activity of Fe3O4 nanoparticles in 2007, nanozymes are becoming the promising substitutes for natural enzymes due to their advantages of high catalytic activity, low cost, mild reaction conditions, good stability, and suitable for large-scale production. Recently, with the cross fusion of nanomedicine and nanocatalysis, nanozyme-based theranostic strategies attract great attention, since the enzymatic reactions can be triggered in the tumor microenvironment to achieve good curative effect with substrate specificity and low side effects. Thus, various nanozymes have been developed and used for tumor therapy. In this review, more than 270 research articles are discussed systematically to present progress in the past five years. First, the discovery and development of nanozymes are summarized. Second, classification and catalytic mechanism of nanozymes are discussed. Third, activity prediction and rational design of nanozymes are focused by highlighting the methods of density functional theory, machine learning, biomimetic and chemical design. Then, synergistic theranostic strategy of nanozymes are introduced. Finally, current challenges and future prospects of nanozymes used for tumor theranostic are outlined, including selectivity, biosafety, repeatability and stability, in-depth catalytic mechanism, predicting and evaluating activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An extended (3+1)-dimensional Kadomtsev–Petviashvili–Boussinesq equation is studied in this paper to construct periodic solution, n-soliton solution and folded localized excitation. Firstly, with the help of the Hirota's bilinear method and ansatz, some periodic solutions have been derived. Secondly, taking Burgers equation as an auxiliary function, we have obtained n-soliton solution and n-shock wave. Lastly, we present a new variable separation method for (3+1)-dimensional and higher dimensional models, and use it to derive localized excitation solutions. To be specific, we have constructed various novel structures and discussed the interaction dynamics of folded solitary waves. Compared with the other methods, the variable separation solutions obtained in this paper not only directly give the analytical form of the solution u instead of its potential u y , but also provide us a straightforward approach to construct localized excitation for higher order dimensional nonlinear partial differential equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Monolayer NbS2 is a promising new two-dimensional material, and it is critical to develop effective methods to make NbS2 a material for nanodevices and photovoltaic applications. This study studied the strain rule of sulfur-deficient NbS2 structure by first principles. The results show that all defect structures introduce impurity states to enhance electron transport. The disulfide defect structure produces an indirect band gap under the action of tensile strain, which can reach up to 0.56eV and become a diluted semiconductor. The hybrid NbS2 exhibits high transparency under infrared, visible, and low-frequency ultraviolet light, improving the material's transmittance, optical response, and catalytic activity. The research results of this paper will provide a basis for the subsequent research of single-layer NbS2 and accelerate the research process of NbS2 as a new semiconductor material. Methods: We are on the surface perpendicular to the 3×3×1 NbS2 and use a 15 Å vacuum layer to avoid interacting with periodic images. The first-principles simulation uses the CASTEP module in Materials Studio to simulate the hypothetical model and relaxation optimization structure of single-layer NbS2 under strain and defect state. The calculation function is PBE (Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof) function under the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) for an approximate calculation to describe the interaction between electrons and the interaction between electrons and ions. The pseudopotentials of 3s23p4 and 4d45s1 valence electron configurations were used for S and Nb atoms, respectively. Van der Waals correction is considered in the simulation process. Moreover, it includes spin-orbit coupling (SOC) effects. For the plane wave truncation energy, we set it at 500eV. The arrangement of the Brillouin area is divided by 6×6×1 gamma-centered Monkhorst-Pack grids. The lattice deformation of all hybrid structures is less than 0.05 Gpa, and the interatomic force is less than 0.03 eV/Å. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a result of chloride ion erosion, corrosion of steel bars in coastal or deicing salt environments deteriorates reinforced concrete’s (RC) structural performance. At present, there were few studies involving both chloride ion erosion and shear walls with flange, which made it difficult to evaluate the performance of corroded shear wall structures in coastal environments. Consequently, seven high-rise RC shear walls with flange were tested by electrochemical chloride erosion (ECE) and low cyclic loading in this paper, and the influences of key parameters such as corrosion degree, axial compression ratio and reinforcement ratio of longitudinal reinforcement on the hysteretic characteristics of corroded shear walls with flange were investigated. This article assesses the seismic behavior of specimens by analyzing corrosion morphology and damage processes of concrete and rebars. In addition, scrutiny is placed on failure modes, bearing capability, deformability, and energy-dissipating capacity. Subsequently, according to the failure characteristics and test data, a numerical modeling analysis method based on fiber elements was proposed and validated to obtain the seismic response prediction of corroded shear walls with flange. Finally, based on the built numerical model, the effects of other parameters on the seismic property of corroded shear walls with flange were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An extended (3+1)-dimensional Kadomtsev–Petviashvili–Boussinesq equation is studied in this paper to construct periodic solution, n-soliton solution and folded localized excitation. Firstly, with the help of the Hirota's bilinear method and ansatz, some periodic solutions have been derived. Secondly, taking Burgers equation as an auxiliary function, we have obtained n-soliton solution and n-shock wave. Lastly, we present a new variable separation method for (3+1)-dimensional and higher dimensional models, and use it to derive localized excitation solutions. To be specific, we have constructed various novel structures and discussed the interaction dynamics of folded solitary waves. Compared with the other methods, the variable separation solutions obtained in this paper not only directly give the analytical form of the solution u instead of its potential u y , but also provide us a straightforward approach to construct localized excitation for higher order dimensional nonlinear partial differential equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the premature death of motor neurons. Serotonin (5-HT) is a crucial neurotransmitter, and its dysfunction, whether as a contributor or by-product, has been implicated in ALS pathogenesis. Here, we summarize current evidence linking serotonergic alterations to ALS, including results from post-mortem and neuroimaging studies, biofluid testing, and studies of ALS animal models. We also discuss the possible role of 5-HT in modulating some important mechanisms of ALS (i.e. glutamate excitotoxity and neuroinflammation) and in regulating ALS phenotypes (i.e. breathing dysfunction and metabolic defects). Finally, we discuss the promise and limitations of the serotonergic system as a target for the development of ALS biomarkers and therapeutic approaches. However, due to a relative paucity of data and standardized methodologies in previous studies, proper interpretation of existing results remains a challenge. Future research is needed to unravel the mechanisms linking serotonergic pathways and ALS and to provide valid, reproducible, and translatable findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The property transition between metal and semiconductor is the key to improving the properties of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs). The adsorption of the NbS2 compound in the defect state was adjusted for the first time. The hybrid system overwrites the original surface mechanism of NbS2 and induces indirect band gaps. This modulation mode makes NbS2 convert into a semiconductor and effectively improves the catalytic activity of the material in the system. In addition, the original local magnetic moment of the compound is concentrated in the vacancy region and is improved. The optical properties of the adsorption system indicate that NbS2 compounds can be effectively applied in visible and low-frequency ultraviolet regions. This provides a new idea for the design of the NbS2 compound as a two-dimensional photoelectric material. Methods: In the study, we assume that only one atom is adsorbed on the NbS2 supercell of the defect, and the distance between the two adjacent atoms exceeds 12.74 Å, so the interaction between atoms is ignored in the study. Adsorbed atoms include nonmetallic elements (H, B, C, N, O, F), metallic elements (Fe, Co), and noble metal elements (Pt, Au, Ag). The density functional theory (DFT) was used in the experiment. The non-conservative pseudopotential method was used in the calculation to optimize the crystal structure geometrically. The approximate functional is Heyd-Scuseria-Ernzerhof (HSE06). The calculation method includes the spin-orbit coupling (SOC) effect. The crystal relaxation optimization uses a 7 × 7 × 1 k point grid to calculate niobium disulfide's photoelectric and magnetic properties. A vacuum space of 15Å is introduced in the direction outside the plane, and the free boundary condition is adopted to avoid the interaction between atomic layers. For the convergence parameter setting, the interatomic force of all composite systems is less than 0.03 eV/Å, and the lattice stress is less than 0.05 Gpa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ensemble forecasting systems have become an important tool for estimating the uncertainties in initial conditions and model formulations and they are receiving increased attention from various applications. The Regional Ensemble Prediction System (REPS), which has operated at the Beijing Meteorological Service (BMS) since 2017, allows for probabilistic forecasts. However, it still suffers from systematic deficiencies during the first couple of forecast hours. This paper presents an integrated probabilistic nowcasting ensemble prediction system (NEPS) that is constructed by applying a mixed dynamic-integrated method. It essentially combines the uncertainty information (i.e., ensemble variance) provided by the REPS with the nowcasting method provided by the rapid-refresh deterministic nowcasting prediction system (NPS) that has operated at the Beijing Meteorological Service (BMS) since 2019. The NEPS provides hourly updated analyses and probabilistic forecasts in the nowcasting and short range (0–6 h) with a spatial grid spacing of 500 m. It covers the three meteorological parameters: temperature, wind, and precipitation. The outcome of an evaluation experiment over the deterministic and probabilistic forecasts indicates that the NEPS outperforms the REPS and NPS in terms of surface weather variables. Analysis of two cases demonstrates the superior reliability of the NEPS and suggests that the NEPS gives more details about the spatial intensity and distribution of the meteorological parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Establishing a research system for the pricing method of sea area resource assets is an important task to improve the property rights management of sea area resource assets. This paper presents a basic framework for pricing sea area resource assets and conducts an empirical study on China’s sea area resources. The methodology involves four different steps: i) division of China’s sea area into 25 spatial units based on the similarity of location, environment and resources; ii) division of the sea area resource assets into seven functional use types based on marine functional zoning; iii) assessment of the quality level for each functional use type in each spatial unit; and iv) measurement of the prices of the sea area resource assets for each quality level and each functional type, using the income method pricing model. Results indicate that the prices of sea area resource assets vary greatly between different quality levels and different functional use types in China. Factors such as location condition, natural and social attributes can affect the pricing, and the location condition is the most important one among others. Besides, the discount rate of sea area resource assets is determined considering both current economic benefits and future sustainable welfares. Therefore, the pricing of sea area resource assets can serve as the premise of optimal allocation of such assets, and can provide a value scale for sea area resource transactions that are necessary in the assessment of sustainable development pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the effect of substitutional doping of boron (B), carbon (C), nitrogen (N), oxygen (O), and phosphorus (P) at the S-site on the electronic structure of the monolayer TiS2 system is investigated using a first-principles calculation method. The effect of nonmetal doping on the band gap of TiS2 and its mechanism were studied by analyzing the stability, electronic structure, and charge transfer of the system. By calculating the electron cloud overlap population and formation energy, we confirmed that the system is stable, and the Ti–X bond length of the doped system undergoes different degrees of distortion. The properties of the B, C, and N doped system show different properties with different doping concentrations; the band gap of the O-atom system gradually expands with the rise of the doping rate. The hybridization positions of the impurity and the intrinsic atoms are found by comparing the DOS; combined with the charge density difference, we confirmed the interaction of impurity atoms with the system and revealed the bonding process of different systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) is commonly involved in various brain diseases. Tight junction proteins (TJs) are key components constituting the anatomical substrate of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Changes in cognitive function and BBB after CCH and their relationship need further exploration. To investigate the effect of CCH on cognition and BBB, we developed a bilateral common carotid artery stenosis (BCAS) model in Tie2-GFP mice. Mice manifested cognitive impairments accompanied with increased microglia after the BCAS operation. BCAS mice also exhibited increased BBB permeability at all time points set from D1 to D42. Furthermore, BCAS mice showed reduced expression of TJs 42 d after the operation. In addition, correct entrances of mice in radial arm maze test had a moderate negative correlation with EB extravasation. Our data suggested that BCAS could lead to cognitive deficits, microglia increase and BBB dysfunction characterized by increased BBB permeability and reduced TJs expression level. BBB permeability may be involved in the cognitive impairments induced by CCH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: CD81 deficiency is an extremely rare primary immunodeficiency disease characterized by severe and recurrent infections, IgA-related nephropathy, and profound hypogammaglobulinemia. Only one patient has been reported so far, and the pathogenesis remains unclear. Here, we identified a new case of CD81 deficiency and described its pathogenesis. Methods: We analyzed the clinical, genetic, and immunological features of the patient with CD81 deficiency, and explored the pathogenesis of her antibody deficiencies. Results: The major manifestation of this patient was unexpectedly not recurrent infections but IgA nephropathy with aberrant serum galactose-deficient IgA1. Whole-exome sequencing revealed novel biallelic mutations in CD81 gene that abolished the surface expression of CD81. B cells from the patient lack membrane CD19 and showed reduced switched memory B cells and transitional B cells. Decreased expression of key molecules pY and pBTK in BCR signaling were demonstrated by confocal microscopy. RNA sequencing revealed that genes associated with BCR signaling and immunoglobulins were downregulated in CD81-deficient B cells. In addition, the patient showed increased frequency of T follicular helper cells that biased to Th1-like subsets. Conclusion: We reported the second patient with CD81 deficiency in the world and illustrated aberrant BCR signaling in the patient, therefore helping to unravel the mechanism of antibody deficiency in CD81-deficient patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A straightforward, largely instrument-free, smartphone-based analytical strategy for hexavalent chromium and lysine (Lys) on-site detection via exploitation of dual-emission carbon quantum dots (DECQDs) has been demonstrated. DECQDs show dual-emission peaks at 439 and 630 nm with the excitation at 375 nm. As a dual-mode detection probe, the fluorescence and ultraviolet adsorption spectra of DECQDs vary with hexavalent chromium concentrations. Most importantly, Lys can restore the fluorescence of the hexavalent chromium added DECQD nanoprobe and change the color of the probe under natural light. At the same time, based on the participation of smartphones, the prepared DECQD probes favor the establishment of visual smart sensors that can also be used for the in-situ detection of targets. The on-site quantitative analysis exhibited a linear range of 5.3–320 μM with a detection limit of 1.6 μM towards Cr(VI) and the differentiation of Lys variation from 1 to 75 mM with a detection limit of 0.3 mM. The probe has been applied for the first time to enable vision-based colorimetric in complex samples such as water, milk and egg. The recoveries of Cr(VI) and Lys in real samples were between 90 and 104%, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) was as low as 0.4%. This work offers new perspectives for fundamental understanding and new design of functional luminescent materials that are applicable for food-safety and rapid and intelligent inspection. A straightforward, large instrument-free, smartphone-based analytical strategy with dual-emission carbon quantum dots was developed for hexavalent chromium and Lys on-site detection via fluorescent and colorimetric twofold readout measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and hypothesis: We investigate the feasibility, safety, and clinical therapeutic effect of laparoscopic sigmoid vaginoplasty in women with Mayer–Rokitansky–Kuster–Hauser (MRKH) syndrome.We performed a retrospective case review cohort study of 56 patients with MRKHs undergoing laparoscopic sigmoid vaginoplasty in Wuhan Union Hospital between 2000 and 2020, and all patients were followed up.The median operating time was 165 min (120–420 min). The median hospital stay was 10 days (rang 7–15 days). A functional neovagina was created 11–15 cm in length and two fingers in breadth in all patients. No introitus stenosis was observed. No intra- or post-operative complications occurred. Two patients were lost to follow-up after 3 months of outpatient visits. Six patients had no intercourse and were required to wear a vaginal mold occasionally. None of the patients had complained of local irritation or dyspareunia. Patients who had post-surgery sexual intercourse were satisfied with their sexual life and the mean total Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) score was 25.17 ± 0.63. The cosmetic results were excellent.The laparoscopic sigmoid vaginoplasty can achieve the goal of making a functional neovagina. The main advantage of this surgical technique is that it is minimally invasive and that there are fewer complications post-operation. It is an acceptable procedure for patients with MRKH syndrome.Methods: We investigate the feasibility, safety, and clinical therapeutic effect of laparoscopic sigmoid vaginoplasty in women with Mayer–Rokitansky–Kuster–Hauser (MRKH) syndrome.We performed a retrospective case review cohort study of 56 patients with MRKHs undergoing laparoscopic sigmoid vaginoplasty in Wuhan Union Hospital between 2000 and 2020, and all patients were followed up.The median operating time was 165 min (120–420 min). The median hospital stay was 10 days (rang 7–15 days). A functional neovagina was created 11–15 cm in length and two fingers in breadth in all patients. No introitus stenosis was observed. No intra- or post-operative complications occurred. Two patients were lost to follow-up after 3 months of outpatient visits. Six patients had no intercourse and were required to wear a vaginal mold occasionally. None of the patients had complained of local irritation or dyspareunia. Patients who had post-surgery sexual intercourse were satisfied with their sexual life and the mean total Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) score was 25.17 ± 0.63. The cosmetic results were excellent.The laparoscopic sigmoid vaginoplasty can achieve the goal of making a functional neovagina. The main advantage of this surgical technique is that it is minimally invasive and that there are fewer complications post-operation. It is an acceptable procedure for patients with MRKH syndrome.Results: We investigate the feasibility, safety, and clinical therapeutic effect of laparoscopic sigmoid vaginoplasty in women with Mayer–Rokitansky–Kuster–Hauser (MRKH) syndrome.We performed a retrospective case review cohort study of 56 patients with MRKHs undergoing laparoscopic sigmoid vaginoplasty in Wuhan Union Hospital between 2000 and 2020, and all patients were followed up.The median operating time was 165 min (120–420 min). The median hospital stay was 10 days (rang 7–15 days). A functional neovagina was created 11–15 cm in length and two fingers in breadth in all patients. No introitus stenosis was observed. No intra- or post-operative complications occurred. Two patients were lost to follow-up after 3 months of outpatient visits. Six patients had no intercourse and were required to wear a vaginal mold occasionally. None of the patients had complained of local irritation or dyspareunia. Patients who had post-surgery sexual intercourse were satisfied with their sexual life and the mean total Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) score was 25.17 ± 0.63. The cosmetic results were excellent.The laparoscopic sigmoid vaginoplasty can achieve the goal of making a functional neovagina. The main advantage of this surgical technique is that it is minimally invasive and that there are fewer complications post-operation. It is an acceptable procedure for patients with MRKH syndrome.Conclusions: We investigate the feasibility, safety, and clinical therapeutic effect of laparoscopic sigmoid vaginoplasty in women with Mayer–Rokitansky–Kuster–Hauser (MRKH) syndrome.We performed a retrospective case review cohort study of 56 patients with MRKHs undergoing laparoscopic sigmoid vaginoplasty in Wuhan Union Hospital between 2000 and 2020, and all patients were followed up.The median operating time was 165 min (120–420 min). The median hospital stay was 10 days (rang 7–15 days). A functional neovagina was created 11–15 cm in length and two fingers in breadth in all patients. No introitus stenosis was observed. No intra- or post-operative complications occurred. Two patients were lost to follow-up after 3 months of outpatient visits. Six patients had no intercourse and were required to wear a vaginal mold occasionally. None of the patients had complained of local irritation or dyspareunia. Patients who had post-surgery sexual intercourse were satisfied with their sexual life and the mean total Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) score was 25.17 ± 0.63. The cosmetic results were excellent.The laparoscopic sigmoid vaginoplasty can achieve the goal of making a functional neovagina. The main advantage of this surgical technique is that it is minimally invasive and that there are fewer complications post-operation. It is an acceptable procedure for patients with MRKH syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) has been used for arthritis in China and elsewhere across the world. However, knowledge about the prevalence and profile of middle-aged and older women who used CHM for arthritis in China is limited. This study aims to identify potentially important insights into the factors associated with CHM use amongst middle-aged and older women with arthritis in China. Data were drawn from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), a population-based survey of Chinese adults aged 45 years or older, comprising 10,833 Chinese women who completed a questionnaire in 2015. Stepwise multiple logistic regression modeling was conducted to determine the key factors (demographic, health condition, and health services use) predicting the use of CHM for the treatment of arthritis. Results revealed that 17.2% of women with arthritis were taking CHM for their arthritic symptoms. Women with arthritis who used CHM were more likely to experience finger pain (OR = 1.70), had difficulty in stooping, kneeling, crouching (OR = 1.40), visited a Traditional Chinese hospital (OR = 2.22), consulted massage therapists (OR = 2.06) and/or had experienced a fall (OR = 1.41). The prevalence of CHM use is high amongst middle-aged and older Chinese women with arthritis. Given the high risk of functional disability and impaired mental health, further research is needed to explore the potential health benefits of CHM for women with arthritis in order to help facilitate the efficacious and safe use of CHM alongside conventional medical care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The non-enzymatic electrochemical sensor has the advantages of fast response and high sensitivity. In this study, the NiMoO4·xH2O nanowires were quickly grown in situ on the carbon cloth substrate (NiMoO4·xH2O NW/CC) in one step by using the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) micro-plasma method. With the benefits of the open network of 3D binary metal oxide NiMoO4 nanowire self-supporting electrode, large specific surface area, many active sites and the synergistic effect of Ni and Mo, NiMoO4·xH2O NW/CC show excellent electrocatalytic sensing performance for glucose with a high sensitivity of 4510 μA mM−1 cm−2, and a low detection limit of 63 nM (S/N = 3). There is also good selectivity, stability and practical application prospects. It has been shown that the modified DBD micro-plasma method has the advantages of being low in cost, simple and fast, green and environmentally friendly, and therefore it has good application prospects in the preparation of electrochemical sensing materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The heavy reliance on data is one of the major reasons that currently limit the development of deep learning. Data quality directly dominates the effect of deep learning models, and the long-tailed distribution is one of the factors affecting data quality. The long-tailed phenomenon is prevalent due to the prevalence of power law in nature. In this case, the performance of deep learning models is often dominated by the head classes while the learning of the tail classes is severely underdeveloped. In order to learn adequately for all classes, many researchers have studied and preliminarily addressed the long-tailed problem. In this survey, we focus on the problems caused by long-tailed data distribution, sort out the representative long-tailed visual recognition datasets and summarize some mainstream long-tailed studies. Specifically, we summarize these studies into ten categories from the perspective of representation learning, and outline the highlights and limitations of each category. Besides, we have studied four quantitative metrics for evaluating the imbalance, and suggest using the Gini coefficient to evaluate the long-tailedness of a dataset. Based on the Gini coefficient, we quantitatively study 20 widely-used and large-scale visual datasets proposed in the last decade, and find that the long-tailed phenomenon is widespread and has not been fully studied. Finally, we provide several future directions for the development of long-tailed learning to provide more ideas for readers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we assessed 26 economic characteristics and yields of the mature fruit of 40 superior Camellia oleifera Abel plants grown at the C. oleifera germplasm resource nursery in the low-hot valley area of Southwest Zuizhou, China, using principal component analysis (PCA). Correlations among the characteristics and the variability of the plants in these characteristics were also analyzed. Out of the 26 characteristics, 16 primary economic characteristics were selected for comprehensive assessment, based on the results of which the plants were ordered to obtain excellent C. oleifera germplasms. The data were subjected to PCA, and the 16 characteristics were integrated into 6 independent comprehensive indices, which included PV1 (single-fruit weight), PV2 (pericarp thickness), PV3 (seed rate), PV4 (total unsaturated fatty acids), PV5 (iodine value) and PV6 (dry seed rate). Then, the sum of the products of the contribution rates of the components and components scores was taken as the comprehensive score of each superior plant. In C. oleifera grown in the low-hot valley area, the oil yield exhibited very significant positive correlations with the dry seed rate and kernel rate but a very significant negative correlation with the 100-seed weight. The dry seed rate exhibited very significant negative correlations with the fruit diameter and fresh seed rate. Among the 26 characteristics, the variations of the acid value, peroxide value, number of fertile seeds, 100-seed weight and single-fruit weight were great; those of the fruit diameter, fruit height, kernel yield, oleic acid and total unsaturated fatty acid were small, showing strong genetic stability. According to the obtained comprehensive scores, the top 10 plants were ordered as follows: CY-6 > CY-13 > CY-31 > CY-11 > CY-16 > CY-22 > CY-28 > CY-23 > CY-24 > CY-29. This result was basically consistent with the ranking result according to the average yield per unit crown width within five years. In the low-hot valley area of Guizhou, C. oleifera exhibits excellent performance in single-fruit weight, total unsaturated fatty acids and kernel rate, 6 characteristics, i.e., acid value, peroxide value, single-fruit weight, the number of fertile seeds, 100-seed weight and α-linolenic acid possess high breeding potentials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution data provides important information on air quality, which can be used to assess the impact of atmospheric pollution on human health, the environment, and the economy, as well as to develop corresponding policies and measures to reduce pollutant emissions and improve air quality. In this paper, we propose a novel approach to improve the resolution of meteorological data via masked image modeling (PMIM) to generate high-resolution air pollution data. In order to apply the image masking modeling to process air pollution data, we convert the data format and use radial basis function visualization to generate smooth distribution maps of air pollution data. To generate high-resolution air pollution data, we design several different masking strategies and use the masked image modeling to simulate the reconstruction process from low-resolution grid data to high-resolution grid data, obtaining the reconstructed high-resolution grid images. Finally, we use the mapping relationship between the pixel colors of the reconstructed images and the air pollution data to generate high-resolution air pollution concentration data. In order to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, we conduct comparative experiments using different masking strategies and test air pollution data of different resolutions. The results show that our method has good applicability and effectiveness in different situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of planar biaxial strain on the stability, electronic structure, and magnetic properties of monolayer CrS2 systems doped with nitrogen group elements have been investigated based on first principles. Calculations of energy differences, formation energies, bond population, and binding energies indicate the relative stability of the system. Calculations of the electronic structure (energy band structure, density of states, and differential charge density distribution) and magnetic parameters (spin density profiles, single-atom magnetic moments, and total magnetic moments of the system) show that atomic doping in conjunction with strain induces several excellent electronic properties of the system, such as magnetic semiconductors and semimetals. The bandgap of the spin-down channel increases with tensile strain and decreases with compressive strain. In addition, we note that the total magnetic moments of the monolayer CrS2 system and the N atom-doped system decrease with tensile strain and show an increase with compressive strain. The above results provide a reference for further investigation of this material and its application in nanospin devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human parsing aims to partition humans in image or video into multiple pixel-level semantic parts. In the last decade, it has gained significantly increased interest in the computer vision community and has been utilized in a broad range of practical applications, from security monitoring, to social media, to visual special effects, just to name a few. Although deep learning-based human parsing solutions have made remarkable achievements, many important concepts, existing challenges, and potential research directions are still confusing. In this survey, we comprehensively review three core sub-tasks: single human parsing, multiple human parsing, and video human parsing, by introducing their respective task settings, background concepts, relevant problems and applications, representative literature, and datasets. We also present quantitative performance comparisons of the reviewed methods on benchmark datasets. Additionally, to promote sustainable development of the community, we put forward a transformer-based human parsing framework, providing a high-performance baseline for follow-up research through universal, concise, and extensible solutions. Finally, we point out a set of under-investigated open issues in this field and suggest new directions for future study. We also provide a regularly updated project page, to continuously track recent developments in this fast-advancing field: https://github.com/soeaver/awesome-human-parsing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: The accumulation of soil organic carbon (SOC) is a crucial process in mitigating climate change and ensuring soil quality. Subtropical plantations in China have shown high potential for enhancing SOC sequestration due to their high carbon sink capacity. However, the dynamics and compositions of SOC after long term afforestation are still poorly understood.We examined the dynamics of SOC and its fractions of different soil layers (0–5 cm, 5–10 cm, 10–20 cm, 20–40 cm, 40–80 cm, 80–100 cm) in a mixed broadleaf-conifer plantation (BCP), a Masson pine plantation (MP), and a Slash pine plantation (SP), and an enclosed forest (EF) in subtropical China. Both physical fractions (particulate organic carbon (POC), soil clay organic carbon (SOCclay), soil silt organic carbon (SOCsilt)) and chemical fractions (iron-aluminum-bound organic carbon (Fe/Al-OC), and calcium-bound organic carbon (Ca-OC)) were determined. Additionally, soil physicochemical properties were further analyzed.Our results showed the SOC storage in the EF, BCP, MP, and SP in 2019 increased by 82%, 238%, 126%, and 103% respectively compared to 1984. The proportions of MAOC to SOC were respectively as follows: SP (65.9%) > BCP (64.9%) > EF (61.6%) > MP (53.9%). The mean proportions of SOCclay to MAOC were as follows: BCP (71.1%) > EF (66.9%) > MP (58.5%) > SP (51.0%). The mean proportions of Fe/Al-OC to MAOC were as follows: EF (53.3%) > SP (48.3%) > MP (47.9%) > BCP (39.8%). All these proportion increased with soil depth. RDA and PLS-SEM analysis revealed that soil nitrogen content and electrochemical properties (pH and EC) were the main factors that controlled SOC content and fractions.Subtropical plantations have significant soil carbon sequestration capabilities, but they are currently nearing saturation. Soil nitrogen content may be key factor limiting further enhancement of carbon sequestration. Due to the high proportion of MAOC and relative consistent SOC storage, BCP and SP are recommended as priorities for plantation regeneration in subtropical China.Methods: The accumulation of soil organic carbon (SOC) is a crucial process in mitigating climate change and ensuring soil quality. Subtropical plantations in China have shown high potential for enhancing SOC sequestration due to their high carbon sink capacity. However, the dynamics and compositions of SOC after long term afforestation are still poorly understood.We examined the dynamics of SOC and its fractions of different soil layers (0–5 cm, 5–10 cm, 10–20 cm, 20–40 cm, 40–80 cm, 80–100 cm) in a mixed broadleaf-conifer plantation (BCP), a Masson pine plantation (MP), and a Slash pine plantation (SP), and an enclosed forest (EF) in subtropical China. Both physical fractions (particulate organic carbon (POC), soil clay organic carbon (SOCclay), soil silt organic carbon (SOCsilt)) and chemical fractions (iron-aluminum-bound organic carbon (Fe/Al-OC), and calcium-bound organic carbon (Ca-OC)) were determined. Additionally, soil physicochemical properties were further analyzed.Our results showed the SOC storage in the EF, BCP, MP, and SP in 2019 increased by 82%, 238%, 126%, and 103% respectively compared to 1984. The proportions of MAOC to SOC were respectively as follows: SP (65.9%) > BCP (64.9%) > EF (61.6%) > MP (53.9%). The mean proportions of SOCclay to MAOC were as follows: BCP (71.1%) > EF (66.9%) > MP (58.5%) > SP (51.0%). The mean proportions of Fe/Al-OC to MAOC were as follows: EF (53.3%) > SP (48.3%) > MP (47.9%) > BCP (39.8%). All these proportion increased with soil depth. RDA and PLS-SEM analysis revealed that soil nitrogen content and electrochemical properties (pH and EC) were the main factors that controlled SOC content and fractions.Subtropical plantations have significant soil carbon sequestration capabilities, but they are currently nearing saturation. Soil nitrogen content may be key factor limiting further enhancement of carbon sequestration. Due to the high proportion of MAOC and relative consistent SOC storage, BCP and SP are recommended as priorities for plantation regeneration in subtropical China.Results: The accumulation of soil organic carbon (SOC) is a crucial process in mitigating climate change and ensuring soil quality. Subtropical plantations in China have shown high potential for enhancing SOC sequestration due to their high carbon sink capacity. However, the dynamics and compositions of SOC after long term afforestation are still poorly understood.We examined the dynamics of SOC and its fractions of different soil layers (0–5 cm, 5–10 cm, 10–20 cm, 20–40 cm, 40–80 cm, 80–100 cm) in a mixed broadleaf-conifer plantation (BCP), a Masson pine plantation (MP), and a Slash pine plantation (SP), and an enclosed forest (EF) in subtropical China. Both physical fractions (particulate organic carbon (POC), soil clay organic carbon (SOCclay), soil silt organic carbon (SOCsilt)) and chemical fractions (iron-aluminum-bound organic carbon (Fe/Al-OC), and calcium-bound organic carbon (Ca-OC)) were determined. Additionally, soil physicochemical properties were further analyzed.Our results showed the SOC storage in the EF, BCP, MP, and SP in 2019 increased by 82%, 238%, 126%, and 103% respectively compared to 1984. The proportions of MAOC to SOC were respectively as follows: SP (65.9%) > BCP (64.9%) > EF (61.6%) > MP (53.9%). The mean proportions of SOCclay to MAOC were as follows: BCP (71.1%) > EF (66.9%) > MP (58.5%) > SP (51.0%). The mean proportions of Fe/Al-OC to MAOC were as follows: EF (53.3%) > SP (48.3%) > MP (47.9%) > BCP (39.8%). All these proportion increased with soil depth. RDA and PLS-SEM analysis revealed that soil nitrogen content and electrochemical properties (pH and EC) were the main factors that controlled SOC content and fractions.Subtropical plantations have significant soil carbon sequestration capabilities, but they are currently nearing saturation. Soil nitrogen content may be key factor limiting further enhancement of carbon sequestration. Due to the high proportion of MAOC and relative consistent SOC storage, BCP and SP are recommended as priorities for plantation regeneration in subtropical China.Conclusions: The accumulation of soil organic carbon (SOC) is a crucial process in mitigating climate change and ensuring soil quality. Subtropical plantations in China have shown high potential for enhancing SOC sequestration due to their high carbon sink capacity. However, the dynamics and compositions of SOC after long term afforestation are still poorly understood.We examined the dynamics of SOC and its fractions of different soil layers (0–5 cm, 5–10 cm, 10–20 cm, 20–40 cm, 40–80 cm, 80–100 cm) in a mixed broadleaf-conifer plantation (BCP), a Masson pine plantation (MP), and a Slash pine plantation (SP), and an enclosed forest (EF) in subtropical China. Both physical fractions (particulate organic carbon (POC), soil clay organic carbon (SOCclay), soil silt organic carbon (SOCsilt)) and chemical fractions (iron-aluminum-bound organic carbon (Fe/Al-OC), and calcium-bound organic carbon (Ca-OC)) were determined. Additionally, soil physicochemical properties were further analyzed.Our results showed the SOC storage in the EF, BCP, MP, and SP in 2019 increased by 82%, 238%, 126%, and 103% respectively compared to 1984. The proportions of MAOC to SOC were respectively as follows: SP (65.9%) > BCP (64.9%) > EF (61.6%) > MP (53.9%). The mean proportions of SOCclay to MAOC were as follows: BCP (71.1%) > EF (66.9%) > MP (58.5%) > SP (51.0%). The mean proportions of Fe/Al-OC to MAOC were as follows: EF (53.3%) > SP (48.3%) > MP (47.9%) > BCP (39.8%). All these proportion increased with soil depth. RDA and PLS-SEM analysis revealed that soil nitrogen content and electrochemical properties (pH and EC) were the main factors that controlled SOC content and fractions.Subtropical plantations have significant soil carbon sequestration capabilities, but they are currently nearing saturation. Soil nitrogen content may be key factor limiting further enhancement of carbon sequestration. Due to the high proportion of MAOC and relative consistent SOC storage, BCP and SP are recommended as priorities for plantation regeneration in subtropical China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor suppressor p53, a critical regulator of cell fate, is frequently mutated in cancer. Mutation of p53 abolishes its tumor-suppressing functions or endows oncogenic functions. We recently found that p53 binds via its proline-rich domain to peptidase D (PEPD) and is activated when the binding is disrupted. The proline-rich domain in p53 is rarely mutated. Here, we show that oncogenic p53 mutants closely resemble p53 in PEPD binding but are transformed into tumor suppressors, rather than activated as oncoproteins, when their binding to PEPD is disrupted by PEPD knockdown. Once freed from PEPD, p53 mutants undergo multiple posttranslational modifications, especially lysine 373 acetylation, which cause them to refold and regain tumor suppressor activities that are typically displayed by p53. The reactivated p53 mutants strongly inhibit cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo. Our study identifies a cellular mechanism for reactivation of the tumor suppressor functions of oncogenic p53 mutants. Yang et al. report a mechanism of restoration of tumor suppressor activity of mutant p53 by disrupting its binding to peptidase D, leading to posttranslational modification, refolding and reactivation of the protein and its inhibition of cancer cell growth in vivo and in vitro. This finding presents a new possibility of "reactivating" mutant p53 and reveals a new therapeutic approach for a large number of human tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamics of entanglement measured by concurrence and quantum correlation described by quantum discord under Ornstein-Uhlenbeck noise are investigated in several different cases. Our study mainly found that for both anti-ferromagnetic and ferromagnetic cases, the value of concurrence could be increased significantly by the cooperative effect of XZX+YZY and XZY-YZX three-site interactions. For anti-ferromagnetic case, XZY-YZX interaction has a positive effect on increasing the value of concurrence, nonetheless, for the ferromagnetic case, the XZX+YZY interaction plays a major role in enlarging and sustaining the value of concurrence. Whereas XZY-YZX interaction has a negative effect on concurrence for small J. The Non-Markovian case is much more effective than short-time limit or Markov limit case to preserve both concurrence and quantum discord. For small dissipation, the short-time limit is better than the Markov limit to prolong the lifetime of concurrence and quantum discord. For large dissipation, the Markov limit case is a preferable approximation. The entanglement sudden death time could be prolonged in the ferromagnetic case more than in the anti-ferromagnetic case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two Co–Cr–O spinel catalysts with different stoichiometry were synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, N2 physisorption and temperature-programmed reduction in H2. Excess Co in Co1.5Cr1.5O4 existed as Co3+ that substituted for Cr3+ in the octahedral sites of the spinel lattice. High temperature treatment of the spinel catalysts in H2 resulted in stepwise reduction of Co3+ to Co2+ and eventually to Co metal. Both CoCr2O4 and Co1.5Cr1.5O4 catalysts were active and structurally stable in ethylene steam reforming under differential reaction conditions at 873 K, with the areal reforming rate over Co1.5Cr1.5O4 being one order-of-magnitude greater than that over CoCr2O4. The steady state reforming rate after oxidation was comparable to that over the fresh catalyst for both CoCr2O4 and Co1.5Cr1.5O4, indicating the stability of the spinel structure against reduction under steam reforming conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spermathecal structure of the scorpionfly Sinopanorpa tincta (Navás, 1931) was investigated using light microscopy, scanning, and transmission electron microscopy. The spermatheca consists of a bean-shaped spermathecal reservoir and an elongated spermathecal duct. The spermathecal reservoir can be subdivided into a distal portion with well-developed muscles and a proximal transitional portion connected to the spermathecal duct. The spermathecal duct is slender for its basal three-fourths and is greatly thicker for its distal one-fourth, which is mainly responsible for secretory function. A spermathecal pump formed from longitudinal muscle fibers was attached to the reservoir to control the transport of sperm. The lumen of the spermathecal reservoir is lined with a cuticle and filled with spermatozoa after copulation. The epithelium of the distal reservoir comprises a single type of epithelial cells, while the epithelium of the proximal reservoir and the spermathecal duct has three types of cells: secretory cells, duct-forming cells, and common epithelial cells. The secretory cells are rich in mitochondria, rough endoplasmic reticulum, and electron-dense secretory vesicles. The duct-forming cells form cuticular ducts, which connect the secretory cells to the lumen of the spermatheca. The spermathecal reservoir mainly serves as the storage of sperm, but the proximal reservoir as well as the spermathecal duct serves as secretory functions that maintain sperm viability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonlinear grey Bernoulli model, abbreviated as NGBM model, has been validly used in real applications due to its high accuracy in nonlinear time series forecasting. However, there remain technical challenges to explain the mechanism of the accumulative sum operator in nonlinear grey modelling process and estimate structural parameters independent from the initial values. This paper aims to reconstruct the modelling process of the NGBM model so as to explain the modelling mechanism better by utilizing the integral matching approach, which consists of an integral formula and the numerical discretization-based least squares. First, the integral formula is employed to investigate the accumulative sum operator and further reconstruct the NGBM model to a generalized form, referred as to INGBM model. Then, a novel parameter estimation strategy, estimating structure parameters and initial values simultaneously, is developed by utilizing the numerical discretization-based least squares approach. Next, Monte Carlo simulation studies are designed to evaluate the finite sample performance of both models. Comparisons show that the INGBM model outperforms to the original one in terms of parameter estimation accuracy, forecasting accuracy and robustness to noise. Finally, we apply the INGBM model at a coal consumption in China study to further illustrate the usefulness of this model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-scale numerical simulations are capable of generating data up to terabytes or even petabytes. As a promising method of data reduction, super-resolution (SR) has been widely studied in the scientific visualization community. However, most of them are based on deep convolutional neural networks or generative adversarial networks and the scale factor needs to be determined before constructing the network. As a result, a single training session only supports a fixed factor and has poor generalization ability. To address these problems, this paper proposes a flow feature-enhanced implicit neural representation (FFEINR) for spatiotemporal super-resolution of flow field data. It can take full advantage of the implicit neural representation in terms of model structure and sampling resolution. The neural representation is based on a fully connected network with periodic activation functions, which enables us to obtain lightweight models. The learned continuous representation can decode the low-resolution flow field input data to arbitrary spatial and temporal resolutions, allowing for flexible upsampling. The training process of FFEINR is facilitated by introducing feature enhancements for the input layer, which complements the contextual information of the flow field. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method, a series of experiments are conducted on different datasets by setting different hyperparameters. The results show that FFEINR achieves significantly better results than the trilinear interpolation method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to develop and validate a deep learning radiomics nomogram (DLRN) for prediction of axillary lymph node metastasis (ALNM) in breast cancer patients. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 196 patients with non-specific invasive breast cancer confirmed by pathology, radiomics and deep learning features were extracted from unenhanced and biphasic (arterial and venous phase) contrast-enhanced CT, and the non-linear support vector machine was used to construct the radiomics signature and the deep learning signature, respectively. Next, a DLRN was developed with independent predictors and evaluated the performance of models in terms of discrimination and clinical utility. Results: Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the radiomics signature, deep learning signature, and clinical n stage were independent predictors. The DLRN accurately predicted ALNM and yielded an area under the receiver operator characteristic curve of 0.893 (95% confidence interval, 0.814–0.972) in the validation set, with good calibration. Decision curve analysis confirmed that the DLRN had higher clinical utility than other predictors. Conclusions: The DLRN had good predictive value for ALNM in breast cancer patients and provide valuable information for individual treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Word cloud is a common text visualization technique. With the ability of presenting the keywords of a document in a direct way, it has been widely applied in many real-world situations. However, to better represent the main idea of a document, a critical aspect for word cloud design is to set an appropriate font size to facilitate semantic expression. In this paper, we explore the influence of font scale on semantic expression and evaluate font size of word cloud in a more systematic approach. To quantify semantic information of a document, we utilize an LDA ensemble-based method to support interactive selection of topics and obtain the semantics of documents in a scientific way. We conducted two pilot studies to decide important attributes of word clouds for the formal study. Through formal study 1, we find that the scale affects the semantic expression of word cloud, including accuracy, time and confidence in making judgments. In study 2, we explored different semantic expression patterns of word clouds under different document categories. Our findings aimed at optimizing the scale of word cloud and improving its semantic expressing ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) represent the commonest limiting nutrients for microbial growth in terrestrial ecosystems. However, most of our understanding of how C:N ratios modulate microbial growth comes from short-term growth assays under controlled conditions. Methods: Four levels of N additions including control (CK, 0 kg·hm− 2·a− 1), low N (LN, 50 kg·hm− 2·a− 1), medium N (MN, 100 kg·hm− 2·a− 1), and high N (HN, 150 kg·hm− 2·a− 1) inputs were applied monthly in a pine forest (Pinus tabulaeformis). Three C management practices were further conducted in each N additions plot, namely aboveground litter and belowground root removal (LRR), aboveground litter removal (LR), and intact soils (non-removal, NR). Soil bacterial richness, diversity, community composition and soil properties were measured. Results: MN and HN significantly increased the relative abundance of copiotrophic taxa, but decreased that of oligotrophic taxa. Bacterial richness and diversity were not altered by N enrichment. LRR significantly increased the relative abundance of Gemmatimonadetes while decreased that of Actinobacteria. C management did not affect bacterial richness and community structure but LR significantly decreased bacterial diversity. Structural equation modeling showed that N addition induced the decrease in soil pH was responsible for the changes in the bacterial community structure. C management exhibited a direct negative effect on bacterial diversity and had an indirect positive effect on it via increasing soil moisture and microbial biomass C:N ratio. Conclusions: The findings highlight the contrasting impacts of N addition and C management on soil bacterial communities and emphasize the regulation of above- and below-ground C substrate supplies on the N responses of soil bacterial communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The initial boundary value problem for the nonlinear wave equations with damping and logarithmic nonlinearity is investigated in this paper. By making use of modified potential well theory and the technique of Logarithmic-Sobolev inequality, we establish global existence as well as asymptotic behavior of solution, under the assumption that the initial energy is small. Moreover, we obtain an exponential decay which is much faster than the decay in polynomial nonlinear case of Gazzola and Squassina (Ann I H Poincaré AN 23:185–207, 2006). These results generalize and extend work in application of potential well theory to wave equations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A microscale highly fluorescent Eu metal-organic framework (Eu-MOF) was synthesized with terephthalic acid and 1H-1,2,4-triazole-3,5-diamine by one-pot hydrothermal method. And it was characterized by scanning electron microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, fluorescence spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and energy dispersive X-ray mapping. The prepared Eu-MOF has high quantum yield of 30.99%, excellent water dispersibility, good fluorescence stability, and favorable thermal stability. Based on the distinctly different fluorescence responses of different emission, the prepared Eu-MOF was used as dual-mode visual sensor for the sensitive detection of berberine hydrochloride and tetracycline. The limits of detection are 78 nM and 17 nM, respectively. The sensing mechanism was also discussed. Moreover, a filter paper sensor has been designed for sensing tetracycline with a notable fluorescence color change from blue to red. The prepared Eu-MOF is promising to be developed as a multi-mode luminescent sensor for visual detection in biochemical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel biomass carbon doped with dual-metal oxide mischcrystal (cobalt oxide and molybdenum oxide) was synthesized by using Enteromorpha (EP) of marine algae as carbon source. Multi-wrinkles biomass carbon (MWBC) with magnetic properties was obtained and formed highly dispersed CoOx/MoOy nanoparticles onto the surface of MWBC in situ via a simple impregnation and direct carbonization at 700 °C. The framework of CoOx/MoOy@MWBC was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscope, X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The as-prepared CoOx/MoOy@MWBC was applied as efficient adsorbents for selective removal methyl blue (MB) at pH 10 from water medium. For comparison, single metal-derived porous carbon, i.e., CoOx@MWBC and MoOy@MWBC, was also synthesized, characterized and tested for MB adsorption. The results exhibited that CoOx/MoOy@MWBC has the highest MB adsorption capacity (1587.3 mg g−1) and excellent selectivity. In addition, it could be easily separated from water by an external magnetic field without any organic reagent added. Adsorption equilibrium data were described by Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms, and kinetic data were described by pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order and intraparticle diffusion model. Moreover, CoOx/MoOy@MWBC also owned outstanding stability and renewability, which can be regenerated by an easy-going method of ethanol washing and reused at least 10 times without a significant loss in removal percentage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researches have revealed the vital roles of the generated immune environment via the response of immune cells growing on biomaterial surfaces in the bone healing process. HAS and novel constructed microgrooved patterns of HAS (HAS-G) are widely used as biocompatible ceramic, especially as a mimic of the natural bone matrix. However, it is unclear whether osteoimmune response induced by HAS and HAS-G affects the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs). RAW264.7 cells were seeded on different surface of materials and cytokines released by macrophages were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The cell viability and mitochondrial function of macrophages seeded on different surface of materials were detected. Then, the effects of modified inflammatory microenvironment by macrophages on osteogenesis of BMSCs were measured by performing ALP staining, Alizarin Red S staining, and western blot. We confirmed that HAS-G is more favorable for RAW cell attaching and subsequently regulated the expression and release of cytokines/chemokines. Decrease in interleukin-6 (IL-6) release was further confirmed for contributing significantly to improve mitochondrial function in RAW cells. HAS-G-conditioned medium promoted osteogenic differentiation in BMSCs and was reversed by IL-6 addition. Decrease in IL-6 contributes to downregulation of miR-214 and subsequently upregulated p38/JNK pathway, which is potentially contributes to osteogenic promotion by HAS-G. This study is the first report to reveal the effects of HAS-G on osteogenesis via immune response, which could lead to a new insight into novel material for the advantage of biomaterials for tissue engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The setting curve and control method of internal temperature in trains are studied in this paper to achieve energy saving control for air conditioning systems. First, a model of interior temperature that considers the heat transmission from infiltration air is established according to the relationship between the equivalent leakage area for the train body and the pressure difference between the internal and external carriage. Second, the interior temperature setting curve, which changes adaptively with the ambient temperature, is established considering the energy consumption of air conditioning systems and passengers' thermal comfort. Finally, an adaptive iterative learning control (AILC) algorithm is proposed and applied to control the interior temperature according to the periodicity of train operation. In this paper, meteorological data from a typical meteorological year are used for simulation analysis. Simulation results show that the AILC algorithm can effectively track the interior temperature setting value and has a better control effect when the train runs on the same line repeatedly. Under the action of the AILC algorithm, the root-mean-square error is reduced to 0.069 °C in the third iteration. Furthermore, the energy saving for a single carriage in a single process reaches up to 1.534 kW·h, thus achieving energy saving control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The acceleration capability of a centrifugal jet rotor plays a crucial role in achieving a high injection velocity of powder particles in the centrifugal impact moulding process. In this regard, the focus of this article is on optimization of the runner shape. To this end, the lengths of the first and second acceleration sections (L1 and L2), and the angles between the first and second acceleration sections and between the second and third sections (α1 and α2) are considered as the rotor parameters. Simulations were conducted using multiple discrete elements to explore the influence of multiple input parameters on the response value, and a regression model was established between the parameters and the particle injection rate. The experimental results show that the selected parameters significantly affect the rate of particle injection, and the interactions between the parameters L1 and L2, and between L2 and α2 have the largest effects. The results reveal that applying the optimized parameters improves the particle injection speed by 7.85% when compared to the pre-optimization model. This improvement in the rotor acceleration provides the basis for improving the efficiency of centrifugal impact moulding of metal powders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly environmentally friendly procedure was developed for the Knoevenagel condensation of aromatic aldehydes with diethyl malonate in the presence of FeCl3 and N-fluorobenzenesulfonimide as a source of electrophilic fluorine under solvent-free conditions. The scope of the reaction was explored using commercially available substrates. The reaction with substituted salicylaldehydes afforded the corresponding coumarin derivatives which attract interest due to their potential medicinal importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tensor field has been widely used in various applications, such as medical imaging, industrial manufacturing, high-dimensional data analysis, and so forth. However, it is a challenging task to understand tensor field intuitively. Therefore, tensor field visualization has become an important research topic. In this survey, we present a comprehensive survey for two kinds of visualization methods for tensor fields: glyphs and streamlines. For glyphs, the eigenvalues of tensor fields will be used to classify existing visualization methods. There are mainly three types of eigenvalues: diffusion tensor fields with all positive real eigenvalues; the tensor field with negative real eigenvalues; the tensor field with imaginary eigenvalues. The methods showing the difference between two tensors (glyphs) are also introduced. For streamlines, there are mainly three important issues: the selection of seed points (streamlines), interpolation of tensor fields, the singularity problem around isotropic tensors. Finally, we discuss challenges and open questions for future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Several S-containing organic compounds were used as ligands for Cu(I)-catalyzed acetylene hydration under mercury free condition. The results show that the minimum selectivity for acetaldehyde is significantly improved from 3.61 to 87.56%, while the minimum conversion of C2H2 is also enhanced from 14.45 to 34.92%, owing to the addition of mercaptosuccinic acid. The possible reasons for the improvement in acetaldehyde selectivity were studied by the density functional theory calculations. The results show that the addition of S-containing organic compounds improves the coordinating ability of Cu complex I with C2H2.Graphical Abstract: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Certification of trace metals in seawater certified reference materials (CRMs) NASS-7 and CASS-6 is described. At the National Research Council Canada (NRC), column separation was performed to remove the seawater matrix prior to the determination of Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, Mn, Mo, Ni, U, V, and Zn, whereas As was directly measured in 10-fold diluted seawater samples, and B was directly measured in 200-fold diluted seawater samples. High-resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HR-ICPMS) was used for elemental analyses, with double isotope dilution for the accurate determination of B, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, Mo, Ni, U, and Zn in seawater NASS-7 and CASS-6, and standard addition calibration for As, Co, Mn, and V. In addition, all analytes were measured using standard addition calibration with triple quadrupole (QQQ)-ICPMS to provide a second set of data at NRC. Expert laboratories worldwide were invited to contribute data to the certification of trace metals in NASS-7 and CASS-6. Various analytical methods were employed by participants including column separation, co-precipitation, and simple dilution coupled to ICPMS detection or flow injection analysis coupled to chemiluminescence detection, with use of double isotope dilution calibration, matrix matching external calibration, and standard addition calibration. Results presented in this study show that majority of laboratories have demonstrated their measurement capabilities for the accurate determination of trace metals in seawater. As a result of this comparison, certified/reference values and associated uncertainties were assigned for 14 elements in seawater CRMs NASS-7 and CASS-6, suitable for the validation of methods used for seawater analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]