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Abstract The purpose of this study is to examine how economic development and stability are affected by carbon trading pilot programs. Using panel data from 31 Chinese provinces and autonomous regions between 2005 and 2021, two hypotheses were tested using the DID model. The findings indicate that (1) the carbon trading market pilot program has an immediate effect on economic stability. (2) High-quality economic development is positively and significantly impacted by the carbon trading market pilot program. Regional heterogeneity exists in the effects of carbon trading pilot programs on high-quality development and economic stability. The relationship between carbon trading pilot programs and economic development is not conclusive, despite the growing number of these policies. Given this, additional investigation into this connection is required. Understanding the results of carbon trading pilot programs can be used to gauge how successful these initiatives are. This research adds to the body of knowledge regarding the impact of the carbon trading pilot programs. It then makes policy recommendations that may serve as a guide for future “double carbon” research.

Abstract Sustainable Development Goal 8 proposes the promotion of full and productive employment for all. Intelligent production factors, such as robots, the Internet of Things, and extensive data analysis, are reshaping the dynamics of labour supply and demand. In China, which is a developing country with a large population and labour force, analysing the impact of artificial intelligence technology on the labour market is of particular importance. Based on panel data from 30 provinces in China from 2006 to 2020, a two-way fixed-effect model and the two-stage least squares method are used to analyse the impact of AI on employment and to assess its heterogeneity. The introduction and installation of artificial intelligence technology as represented by industrial robots in Chinese enterprises has increased the number of jobs. The results of some mechanism studies show that the increase of labour productivity, the deepening of capital and the refinement of the division of labour that has been introduced into industrial enterprises through the introduction of robotics have successfully mitigated the damaging impact of the adoption of robot technology on employment. Rather than the traditional perceptions of robotics crowding out labour jobs, the overall impact on the labour market has exerted a promotional effect. The positive effect of artificial intelligence on employment exhibits an inevitable heterogeneity, and it serves to relatively improves the job share of women and workers in labour-intensive industries. Mechanism research has shown that virtual agglomeration, which evolved from traditional industrial agglomeration in the era of the digital economy, is an important channel for increasing employment. The findings of this study contribute to the understanding of the impact of modern digital technologies on the well-being of people in developing countries. To give full play to the positive role of artificial intelligence technology in employment, we should improve the social security system, accelerate the process of developing high-end domestic robots and deepen the reform of the education and training system.

Cells are capable of sensing the mechanical microenvironment of tissues and responding accordingly by changing their transcriptional activity and modifying their behavior. To understand the role of mechanical stimulation in regulating stem cell fates, we prepared a novel liquid crystalline hydroxypropyl cellulose ester (CnPC) with viscoelastic features to mimic the mechanical properties of native tissue and guide stem cell behavior. The results revealed that the elastic modulus (G') and viscous modulus (G) of CnPCs were frequency-dependent and their rheological characteristic exhibited linear viscoelastic behavior in the frequency range of 0.1 ~ 100 rad/s. The CnPC soft matrices could induce appropriate cell activity and contraction in rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (rBMSCs) within a relatively low range of elastic modulus (6–13 kPa), which was attributed to their high flexibility and sensitivity to low forces. Therefore, the CnPC was able to sense small cell traction forces, far beyond the capabilities of synthetic polymers and composites. Moreover, the rBMSCs facilitated stiffer matrix (1–13 kPa in this work) during the soft contact process. Although the initial attachment of cells was tension-independent, subsequent processes such as adhesion, proliferation, spreading, and actin cytoskeleton formation significantly depended on mechano-transduction induced by the viscoelasticity of the CnPC. rBMSCs seeded on the CnPC with higher G and G' (C6PC-1, C8PC-2 and C8PC-1) exhibited enhanced cytoskeleton formation, stable nuclear Yeast Aspartyl Protease (YAP) localization and osteogenic differentiation. The soft liquid crystal model developed in this work provides a promising approach for studying the response of stem cell to mechanical stimulation and the consequent effects of mechanical transduction on cell behavior and function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between young people's music use and well-being has gained extensive interest in recent years. The relationship-building function of music is one of its most important functions. While many studies have documented the positive effects of this function, there is a lack of research discussing this topic from the perspective of social stratification. This study sampled 691(63.8% male, Mage = 19.43, SD = 1.42) Chinese university students to examine the social class differences among university students in acquiring well-being through the relationship-building function of music. The results revealed that university students from a higher social class are more likely to acquire well-being through the relationship-building function of music. In addition, interdependent self-construal plays a moderating role in the mediating model. The mediating effect was only significant when university students have a higher level of interdependent self-construal. These results indicated social class differences among university students in the building of relationships with music, underscoring the need for future research and interventions to address social inequality in the context of music's functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the clinical features, treatment strategies, and prognosis of neuroblastoma with bilateral blindness. Methods: The clinical data of five patients with bilateral blindness neuroblastoma admitted to Beijing Children's Hospital from April 2018 to September 2020 were retrospectively collected to summarize their clinical characteristics. Results: All patients were female and the median age at presentation was 25 (23, 41) months. The median intervention time from the onset of symptoms of bilateral blindness to the start of treatment was 10 (10, 12) days. All five cases were staged as stage M and grouped as high risk. Four cases were MYCN gene amplification and one case was MYCN acquisition. Five children were treated according to a high-risk neuroblastoma treatment protocol. Four children did not recover their vision after treatment, and one case improved to have light perception. All patients were effectively followed up for a median of 20 (12, 31) months, with three deaths, one tumor-free survival, and one recurrent tumor-bearing survival. Conclusion: Neuroblastoma with bilateral blindness is rare in the clinic, mostly in children of young age, and is often associated with MYCN amplification and multiple metastases. Early hormone shock therapy and optic nerve decompression are beneficial for preserving the child's vision. A joint multi-disciplinary treatment may help in the formulation of treatment decisions. Achieving a balance between good visual preservation and survival within the short optic nerve neurotherapeutic window is extremely challenging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic inequality can have significant political-social impacts, leading to social unrest and other negative consequences. With a high level of economic inequality and a remarkably contentious society, Hong Kong offers an intriguing case for investigating the political consequence of economic inequality. Based on an original random sampling survey in 2017, this study examines the political effects of perceived economic inequality in Hong Kong from three perspectives, namely, its impacts on citizens' preferences for redistribution, political autonomy, and social protests. This study yields several important findings. Citizens' perceived economic inequality is positively correlated with support for government redistribution and support for political autonomy. However, perceived economic inequality is not associated with citizens' propensity to join social protests. We find that political values and citizens' identities influence their demand for political autonomy and propensity to join protests. Our study thus sheds fresh light on the effect of economic inequality on a developed economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the multiplicity and fluidity of identities, measuring mixed identities is challenging. As an epicenter of identity conflicts, Hong Kong is an ideal place to study mixed identities. However, the conventional unidimensional measurement in Hong Kong surveys and statistical correlation analysis may not accurately estimate the prevalence of different combinations of identities. Therefore, this study reassesses the patterns of identity combinations from 2016 to 2022 through K-means clustering of multiple identity indicators. The clustering analysis identifies three clusters, namely dual identity, moderate hybrid identity, and predominant Hong Kong identity. The analysis suggests that the conventional single-item indicator underestimates the proportion of mixed identities in the population. Furthermore, this study documents the rise of a predominant Hong Kong identity, particularly among young people. The regression analyses illustrate that citizens who are older, non-supporters of the pan-democratic camp, and not born in Hong Kong are more likely to have dual identity. This study contributes to the literature on measuring mixed identities by arguing that multidimensional measurement is preferable to unidimensional measurement when the main research objective is to examine the proportion of various combinations of identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics, cell types, and molecular characteristics of the tumor microenvironment to better predict the prognosis of neuroblastoma (NB). The gene expression data and corresponding clinical information of 498 NB patients were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO: GSE62564) and ArrayExpress (accession: E-MTAB-8248). The relative cell abundances were estimated using single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) with the R gene set variation analysis (GSVA) package. We performed Cox regression analyses to identify marker genes indicating cell subsets and combined these with prognostically relevant clinical factors to develop a new prognostic model. Data from the E-MTAB-8248 cohort verified the predictive accuracy of the prognostic model. Single-cell RNA-seq data were analyzed by using the R Seurat package. Multivariate survival analysis for each gene, using clinical characteristics as cofactors, identified 34 prognostic genes that showed a significant correlation with both event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) (log-rank test, P value < 0.05). The pathway enrichment analysis revealed that these prognostic genes were highly enriched in the marker genes of NB cells with mesenchymal features and protein translation. Ultimately, USP39, RPL8, IL1RAPL1, MAST4, CSRP2, ATP5E, International Neuroblastoma Staging System (INSS) stage, age, and MYCN status were selected to build an optimized Cox model for NB risk stratification. These samples were divided into two groups using the median of the risk score as a cutoff. The prognosis of samples in the poor prognosis group (PP) was significantly worse than that of samples in the good prognosis group (GP) (log-rank test, P value < 0.0001, median EFS: 640.5 vs. 2247 days, median OS: 1279.5 vs. 2519 days). The risk model was also regarded as a prognostic indicator independent of MYCN status, age, and stage. Finally, through scRNA-seq data, we found that as an important prognostic marker, USP39 might participate in the regulation of RNA splicing in NB. Our study established a multivariate Cox model based on gene signatures and clinical characteristics to better predict the prognosis of NB and revealed that mesenchymal signature genes of NB cells, especially USP39, were more abundant in patients with a poor prognosis than in those with a good prognosis. Key messages: Our study established a multivariate Cox model based on gene signatures and clinical characteristics to better predict the prognosis of NB and revealed that mesenchymal signature genes of NB cells, especially USP39, were more abundant in patients with a poor prognosis than in those with a good prognosis. USP39, RPL8, IL1RAPL1, MAST4, CSRP2, ATP5E, International Neuroblastoma Staging System (INSS) stage, age, and MYCN status were selected to build an optimized Cox model for NB risk stratification. These samples were divided into two groups using the median of the risk score as a cutoff. The prognosis of samples in the poor prognosis group (PP) was significantly worse than that of samples in the good prognosis group (GP). Finally, through scRNA-seq data, we found that as an important prognostic marker, USP39 might participate in the regulation of RNA splicing in NB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hierarchical equations of motion (HEOM) approach can describe the reduced dynamics of a system simultaneously coupled to multiple bosonic and fermionic environments. The complexity of exactly describing the system-environment interaction with the HEOM method usually results in time-consuming calculations and a large memory cost. Here, we introduce an open-source software package called HierarchicalEOM.jl: a Julia framework integrating the HEOM approach. HierarchicalEOM.jl features a collection of methods to compute bosonic and fermionic spectra, stationary states, and the full dynamics in the extended space of all auxiliary density operators (ADOs). The required handling of the ADOs multi-indexes is achieved through a user-friendly interface. We exemplify the functionalities of the package by analyzing a single impurity Anderson model, and an ultra-strongly coupled charge-cavity system interacting with bosonic and fermionic reservoirs. HierarchicalEOM.jl achieves a significant speedup with respect to the corresponding method in the Quantum Toolbox in Python (QuTiP), upon which this package is founded. The hierarchical equations of motion approach is useful for the non-perturbative study of complex open quantum systems, which are simultaneously coupled to both bosonic and fermionic environments. To tackle these systems, the authors introduce an open-source software package (HierarchicalEOM.jl), characterized by a notable speed and accessibility to new users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regarding social class differences in redistributive preferences, previous research demonstrated the explanations of self-interest perspective were limited. From an ideology perspective, the present study uncovered that attributions for rich-poor gap could mediate the relation between social class and redistributive preferences. In study 1, we conducted a measurement-of-mediation design among adults (N = 448) with the results showing that compared with those from lower social classes, higher-class individuals were more likely to make internal attributions for rich-poor gap, in turn, had lower redistributive preferences. And these associations held controlling for self-interest. In study 2, we conducted an experimental-causal-chain design with the results showing that the experimentally induced higher social class increased internal attributions for rich-poor gap (study 2A, N = 128), and priming internal attributions for rich-poor gap lowered redistributive preferences (study 2B, N = 155). These findings expand the understanding of the psychological mechanisms of class-based policy preferences and shed some light on how to reduce social inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to improve bacterial inhibition in Pickering emulsions during storage using antimicrobial peptides. A peptide (ARHQGVMVGMGQK), designated SA6, isolated from the broth of salt-fermented shrimp (Penaeus vannamei). Peptide SA6 had a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 15.6 μg/mL against Staphylococcus aureus. The mean particle size of SPI-SA6 particles (417.4 nm) was significantly smaller compared with soybean isolate protein (SPI) (463.3 nm). Moreover, the polydispersity index (PDI) decreased with increasing peptide concentration, while the particles were stabilized by hydrogen bonding. SPI-SA6 Pickering emulsions were stable for the entire storage period (7 d) and had lower creaming index and droplet size compared with SPI Pickering emulsions. Further, SPI-SA6 Pickering emulsion could effectively inhibit bacterial growth and disrupt bacterial cell membrane structure, to significantly decrease bacteria (S. aureus) numbers to 2.83 CFU/mL during storage and therefore extending the inhibition time. Collectively, peptide SA6 could stabilize Pickering emulsion while exerting antibacterial effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Mangiferin is a natural free radical scavenging antioxidant that induces excitation of the central nervous system. However, the mechanism of neuroprotective effect of mangiferin on focal cerebral ischemia has not been fully investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of mangiferin on focal cerebral ischemia in mice. Methods: Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was performed to investigate the effect of mangiferin on focal cerebral ischemia. Mice were randomly divided into 5 groups: sham, MCAO, MCAO + 5 mg/kg mangiferin, MCAO + 20 mg/kg mangiferin and MCAO + 5 mg/kg nimodipine. Neurobehavioral scores, brain edema, brain injury scores, relative infarct size and expression of some inflammatory factors in the brain were evaluated. NF-κB pathway was detected by Western blotting and immunofluorescence. Results: The results showed that mangiferin effectively attenuated MCAO-induced brain injury, including improvement of neurological impairment, reduction of brain edema, and reduction of infarct size. Compared with the MCAO group, mangiferin significantly inhibited MCAO-induced neuroinflammation, which can be proved by reduced expression levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, iNOS and COX-2. In addition, we found that phosphorylation of IκBα was inhibited and the expression of NF-κB p65 in the nucleus was reduced after the addition of mangiferin. Conclusion: Our study suggested that mangiferin exerts neuroprotective effects on focal cerebral ischemia in mice by regulating the NF-κB signaling pathway. Mangiferin may be an effective treatment for cerebral ischemia and other neurological disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of transanal endorectal pull-through (TEPT) and the long-term outcomes in newborns with Hirschsprung disease (HD).Methods: A total of 229 newborns with HD underwent one-stage TEPT between 2007 and 2020, and the diagnoses were confirmed by rectal biopsy. The perioperative clinical course for all patients was reviewed, and the postoperative short- and long-term outcomes were assessed.Results: A total of 229 neonates (187 male and 42 female) had a median age at TEPT of 17 days (range 6-28 days). Sixty-eight patients (29.7%) underwent TEPT combined with an abdominal approach or laparoscopy. Early postoperative complications (using the Clavien-Dindo grading system) were documented in 36 patients (15.7%), and late postoperative complications were noted in 9 patients (3.9%). The follow-up period in the remaining 165 children ranged from 1.2 to 14.0 years (median 5.0 years). A total of 106 of the patients older than four years old took part in an interview about bowel function, and 85 patients (80.2%) had bowel function scores (BFS) ≥ 18.Conclusion: TEPT is effective and safe for HD in the neonatal period and presents with a low rate of complications and an acceptable outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess the growth status of children with recurrent tracheoesophageal fistula (rTEF), and determine the possible risk factors of growth retardation (GR). Methods: The medical records of 83 patients with rTEF who underwent surgical repair were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were retrospectively divided into two groups according to whether they had GR. The clinical variables were compared between the GR and non-GR groups. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis were performed to identify the risk factors for GR. Results: Eighty-three children diagnosed with rTEF were included in this study. After a median follow-up of 31.4 (19.8, 48.7) months, GR occurred in 28 patients (33.7%). Among them, six patients with only weight for age Z score (WAZ) < -2SD, five patients with only height for age Z score (HAZ) < -2SD, and six patients with only BMI for age Z score (BAZ) < -2SD, while seven patients with both WAZ and HAZ < -2SD and four patients with both WAZ, HAZ and BAZ < -2SD. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that birth weight, anastomotic stricture and dysphagia after rTEF repair were independent risk factors with OR of 0.325 (0.119, 0.891), 4.396 (1.451, 13.324) and 5.341 (1.153, 24.752) for GR, respectively. Conclusions: GR is a common complication after rTEF repair. Birth weight, anastomotic stricture and dysphagia after rTEF repair are independent risk factors affecting growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Materials properties depend not only on their compositions but also their microstructures under various processing conditions. So far, the analyses of complex microstructure images rely mostly on human experience, lack of automatic quantitative characterization methods. Machine learning provides an emerging vital tool to identify various complex materials phases in an intelligent manner. In this work, we propose a "center-environment segmentation" (CES) feature model for image segmentation based on machine learning method with environment features and the annotation input of domain knowledge. The CES model introduces the information of neighbourhood as the features of a given pixel, reflecting the relationships between the studied pixel and its surrounding environment. Then, an iterative integrated machine learning method is adopted to train and correct the image segmentation model. The CES model was successfully applied to segment seven different material images with complex texture ranging from steels to woods. The overall performance of the CES method in determining boundary contours is better than many conventional methods in the case study of the segmentation of steel image. This work shows that the iterative introduction of domain knowledge and environment features improve the accuracy of machine learning based image segmentation for various complex materials microstructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We aim to share our experience of esophageal elongation by bougienage and delayed primary thoracoscopic anastomosis for pure esophageal atresia (EA) without tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF). Methods: Fifteen patients with pure EA treated with delayed primary thoracoscopic anastomosis combined with or without esophageal elongation by bougienage were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Four patients were managed without bougienage, and their surgical repair was performed thoracoscopically after natural esophageal growth. Among the remaining 11 patients, the average tension-free distance before elongation was 5 (4.5–6) vertebral bodies, and the mean age at the start and end of the bougienage period was 123 (63–280) days and 173 (106–350) days, respectively, with an average duration of 50 (29–82) days. The average age at the definitive operation in this series was 184 (107–385) days, with a mean operative duration of 186 (95–300) min. Neither anastomotic leakage nor TEF occurred, and oral feeding was partially or completely established in 13 patients during hospitalization. Among all patients, one was lost to follow-up, and others were followed up with an average duration of 47.7 (9.8–97.1) months. All patients had different degrees of anastomosis stricture, and 8 patients had gastroesophageal reflux. Oral feeding was completely established in 12 patients; however, tube feeding was required in 2 patients. Conclusions: The management of pure EA is complicated and inconclusive. Esophageal elongation by bougienage and delayed primary thoracoscopic anastomosis for long-gap pure EA without TEF is safe and effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking the GW190814 event as a clue, r-mode of 2.5 M ⊙ supermassive neutron star along with 1.4 M ⊙ canonical neutron star is investigated by using RNS code in the framework of rotating neutron star. Our conclusion further confirms that for the secondary star of GW190814, there exists a possibility that it is a rapid rotating supermassive neutron star in r-mode stable state. For super fast rotating neutron star with fixed spin frequency, the lower limit of its mass M min can be constrained by the critical spin frequency under r-mode. As the M min is EOS (equation of state) dependent, if the mass of neutron star with very high spin frequency can be observed in the future, the EOS of super-dense nuclear matter can be constrained by comparing the M min of different EOSs. At last, the effect of crust-core transition densities on r-modes of neutron stars is explored and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study was aiming to explore the risk factors contributing to enterostomy in neonates with Hirschsprung disease (HD) to provide a reference for clinicians to make treatment decisions. Methods: Medical records of 284 patients diagnosed with HD during the neonatal period were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into 2 groups based on operative intervention (one stage transanal pull-through, versus enterotomy and staged transanal pull-through). Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors contributing to enterostomy. Results: The incidence of enterostomy was 12.0% (34/284) in neonates with HD. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that serum albumin < 25.4 g/L, radiographic results as subphrenic free air, and level of aganglionosis with long-segment or total colonic aganglionosis (TCA) were independent risk factors of enterostomy in neonates, with OR of 42.045 (6.131, 288.319), 285.558 (26.651, 3059.694) and 15.573 (4.319, 56.157), respectively. Conclusions: The low serum albumin level, bowel perforation, and level of aganglionosis with long-segment or TCA could influence the occurrence of enterostomy in neonates with HD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM) is used to machine zirconium-based metallic glass. Metallic glass is very sensitive to temperature, and the surface of WEDM will crystallize. For machining defects, multi-cutting methods are used to reduce the impact on the machining of metallic glass. The main research is the effects of different cutting passes on the surface morphology, surface roughness, recast layer thickness, surface microhardness, carbonization, and crystallization of a workpiece. Results show that increasing the cutting passes reduces the size of craters and hard convex edges and produces a smoother surface, and the roughness Ra value is reduced from 3.228 to 0.586 μm. After first cutting, the thickness of the recast layer and the heat-affected zone (HAZ) reached 37.4 μm, and many microcracks appeared in the HAZ. The thickness of the recast layer and the HAZ decreased with the increasing the cutting passes. After the fourth cutting, the thickness of the recast layer and the HAZ decreased by 52% compared with the first cutting, and the surface showed a good amorphous state. Moreover, the WEDM is beneficial to improve the surface microhardness of the zirconium-based metallic glass. The hardness is the highest after the first cutting, and an increase in cutting passes will gradually decrease the surface microhardness. Multi-cutting can effectively improve the surface quality, and this processing method provides an effective method for zirconium-based metallic glass machining applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: G-protein coupled receptor (GPR 34) has been found to play important roles in some cancers and regulates the proliferation, apoptosis, and migration of these cancer cells. However, the mechanisms underlying how GPR34 functions to regulate growth and proliferation of colorectal cancer cells remains to be clarified. Methods: We employed stable GPR34 knockdown LS174T cell models, GPR34 Mab blocking, a CCK-8 kit, and a colony formation assay to characterize the effect of GPR34 on the proliferation of LS174T in vitro and xenograft tumor growth in vivo. The mRNA level of GPR34 was detected by RT-PCR in tumor tissues and adjacent normal tissues from 34 CRC patients. Results: Based on RT-PCR results, GPR34 exhibited high level in tumor samples compared with adjacent normal samples. Increased expression of GPR34 is more associated with poor prognosis of CRC as shown in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset by Kaplan–Meier survival analysis. Furthermore, we showed that GPR34 knockdown inhibited the proliferation of LS174T colon cancer cells and related xenograft tumor growth. Searching for the distinct molecular mechanism, we identified several contributors to proliferation of LS174T colon cancer cells: PI3K subunits/PTEN, PDK1/AKT, and Src/Raf/Ras/ERK. GPR34 knockdown inhibited the proliferation of LS174T cells by upregulating expression of PTEN, and downregulating expression of PI3K subunits p110-beta. Conclusion: Our findings provide direct evidence that GPR34 regulates the proliferation of LS174T cells and the growth of LS174T tumor xenografts by regulating different pathways. High expression of GPR34 mRNA could then be used to predict poor prognosis of CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early precision diagnosis and effective treatment of opsoclonus myoclonus ataxia syndrome (OMAS) patients presenting with neuroblastoma can prevent serious neurological outcomes.To assess the diagnostic value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging in pediatric OMAS with neuroblastoma.A retrospective evaluation of 45 patients diagnosed with OMAS who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT was performed. A univariate analysis was performed to compare clinical characteristics between OMAS with and without neuroblastoma. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were applied to identify independent risk factors for OMAS with neuroblastoma and to develop the clinical model. Finally, independent risk factors and PET/CT were fitted to build the combined model for the diagnosis of OMAS with neuroblastoma and presented as a nomogram. Receiver operating characteristic curve, decision curve, and calibration curve analyses were conducted to evaluate the performance of the models.Among 45 patients, 27 were PET/CT-positive, 23/27 lesions were neuroblastoma, and four were false positives. One of the false positive patients was confirmed to be adrenal reactive hyperplasia by postoperative pathology, and the symptoms of OMAS disappeared in the remaining three cases during clinical follow-up. The average maximal standardized uptake value of PET/CT-positive lesions was 2.6. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of PET/CT were 100%, 81.8%, 85.2%, 100%, and 91.1%, respectively. Age at diagnosis, lactate dehydrogenase, and neuron-specific enolase showed statistically significant differences between OMAS with and without neuroblastoma. Lactate dehydrogenase was identified as the independent risk factor to develop the clinical model, and the clinical model demonstrated an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.82 for the diagnosis of OMAS with neuroblastoma, with an AUC as high as 0.91 when combined with PET/CT. The decision curve analysis and calibration curve demonstrated that the nomogram had good consistency and clinical usefulness.In patients with OMAS, 18F-FDG PET/CT has a high diagnostic accuracy in detecting tumors of the neuroblastoma, especially when combined with the independent risk factor serum lactate dehydrogenase.Objective: Early precision diagnosis and effective treatment of opsoclonus myoclonus ataxia syndrome (OMAS) patients presenting with neuroblastoma can prevent serious neurological outcomes.To assess the diagnostic value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging in pediatric OMAS with neuroblastoma.A retrospective evaluation of 45 patients diagnosed with OMAS who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT was performed. A univariate analysis was performed to compare clinical characteristics between OMAS with and without neuroblastoma. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were applied to identify independent risk factors for OMAS with neuroblastoma and to develop the clinical model. Finally, independent risk factors and PET/CT were fitted to build the combined model for the diagnosis of OMAS with neuroblastoma and presented as a nomogram. Receiver operating characteristic curve, decision curve, and calibration curve analyses were conducted to evaluate the performance of the models.Among 45 patients, 27 were PET/CT-positive, 23/27 lesions were neuroblastoma, and four were false positives. One of the false positive patients was confirmed to be adrenal reactive hyperplasia by postoperative pathology, and the symptoms of OMAS disappeared in the remaining three cases during clinical follow-up. The average maximal standardized uptake value of PET/CT-positive lesions was 2.6. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of PET/CT were 100%, 81.8%, 85.2%, 100%, and 91.1%, respectively. Age at diagnosis, lactate dehydrogenase, and neuron-specific enolase showed statistically significant differences between OMAS with and without neuroblastoma. Lactate dehydrogenase was identified as the independent risk factor to develop the clinical model, and the clinical model demonstrated an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.82 for the diagnosis of OMAS with neuroblastoma, with an AUC as high as 0.91 when combined with PET/CT. The decision curve analysis and calibration curve demonstrated that the nomogram had good consistency and clinical usefulness.In patients with OMAS, 18F-FDG PET/CT has a high diagnostic accuracy in detecting tumors of the neuroblastoma, especially when combined with the independent risk factor serum lactate dehydrogenase.Materials and methods: Early precision diagnosis and effective treatment of opsoclonus myoclonus ataxia syndrome (OMAS) patients presenting with neuroblastoma can prevent serious neurological outcomes.To assess the diagnostic value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging in pediatric OMAS with neuroblastoma.A retrospective evaluation of 45 patients diagnosed with OMAS who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT was performed. A univariate analysis was performed to compare clinical characteristics between OMAS with and without neuroblastoma. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were applied to identify independent risk factors for OMAS with neuroblastoma and to develop the clinical model. Finally, independent risk factors and PET/CT were fitted to build the combined model for the diagnosis of OMAS with neuroblastoma and presented as a nomogram. Receiver operating characteristic curve, decision curve, and calibration curve analyses were conducted to evaluate the performance of the models.Among 45 patients, 27 were PET/CT-positive, 23/27 lesions were neuroblastoma, and four were false positives. One of the false positive patients was confirmed to be adrenal reactive hyperplasia by postoperative pathology, and the symptoms of OMAS disappeared in the remaining three cases during clinical follow-up. The average maximal standardized uptake value of PET/CT-positive lesions was 2.6. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of PET/CT were 100%, 81.8%, 85.2%, 100%, and 91.1%, respectively. Age at diagnosis, lactate dehydrogenase, and neuron-specific enolase showed statistically significant differences between OMAS with and without neuroblastoma. Lactate dehydrogenase was identified as the independent risk factor to develop the clinical model, and the clinical model demonstrated an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.82 for the diagnosis of OMAS with neuroblastoma, with an AUC as high as 0.91 when combined with PET/CT. The decision curve analysis and calibration curve demonstrated that the nomogram had good consistency and clinical usefulness.In patients with OMAS, 18F-FDG PET/CT has a high diagnostic accuracy in detecting tumors of the neuroblastoma, especially when combined with the independent risk factor serum lactate dehydrogenase.Results: Early precision diagnosis and effective treatment of opsoclonus myoclonus ataxia syndrome (OMAS) patients presenting with neuroblastoma can prevent serious neurological outcomes.To assess the diagnostic value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging in pediatric OMAS with neuroblastoma.A retrospective evaluation of 45 patients diagnosed with OMAS who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT was performed. A univariate analysis was performed to compare clinical characteristics between OMAS with and without neuroblastoma. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were applied to identify independent risk factors for OMAS with neuroblastoma and to develop the clinical model. Finally, independent risk factors and PET/CT were fitted to build the combined model for the diagnosis of OMAS with neuroblastoma and presented as a nomogram. Receiver operating characteristic curve, decision curve, and calibration curve analyses were conducted to evaluate the performance of the models.Among 45 patients, 27 were PET/CT-positive, 23/27 lesions were neuroblastoma, and four were false positives. One of the false positive patients was confirmed to be adrenal reactive hyperplasia by postoperative pathology, and the symptoms of OMAS disappeared in the remaining three cases during clinical follow-up. The average maximal standardized uptake value of PET/CT-positive lesions was 2.6. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of PET/CT were 100%, 81.8%, 85.2%, 100%, and 91.1%, respectively. Age at diagnosis, lactate dehydrogenase, and neuron-specific enolase showed statistically significant differences between OMAS with and without neuroblastoma. Lactate dehydrogenase was identified as the independent risk factor to develop the clinical model, and the clinical model demonstrated an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.82 for the diagnosis of OMAS with neuroblastoma, with an AUC as high as 0.91 when combined with PET/CT. The decision curve analysis and calibration curve demonstrated that the nomogram had good consistency and clinical usefulness.In patients with OMAS, 18F-FDG PET/CT has a high diagnostic accuracy in detecting tumors of the neuroblastoma, especially when combined with the independent risk factor serum lactate dehydrogenase.Conclusion: Early precision diagnosis and effective treatment of opsoclonus myoclonus ataxia syndrome (OMAS) patients presenting with neuroblastoma can prevent serious neurological outcomes.To assess the diagnostic value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging in pediatric OMAS with neuroblastoma.A retrospective evaluation of 45 patients diagnosed with OMAS who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT was performed. A univariate analysis was performed to compare clinical characteristics between OMAS with and without neuroblastoma. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were applied to identify independent risk factors for OMAS with neuroblastoma and to develop the clinical model. Finally, independent risk factors and PET/CT were fitted to build the combined model for the diagnosis of OMAS with neuroblastoma and presented as a nomogram. Receiver operating characteristic curve, decision curve, and calibration curve analyses were conducted to evaluate the performance of the models.Among 45 patients, 27 were PET/CT-positive, 23/27 lesions were neuroblastoma, and four were false positives. One of the false positive patients was confirmed to be adrenal reactive hyperplasia by postoperative pathology, and the symptoms of OMAS disappeared in the remaining three cases during clinical follow-up. The average maximal standardized uptake value of PET/CT-positive lesions was 2.6. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of PET/CT were 100%, 81.8%, 85.2%, 100%, and 91.1%, respectively. Age at diagnosis, lactate dehydrogenase, and neuron-specific enolase showed statistically significant differences between OMAS with and without neuroblastoma. Lactate dehydrogenase was identified as the independent risk factor to develop the clinical model, and the clinical model demonstrated an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.82 for the diagnosis of OMAS with neuroblastoma, with an AUC as high as 0.91 when combined with PET/CT. The decision curve analysis and calibration curve demonstrated that the nomogram had good consistency and clinical usefulness.In patients with OMAS, 18F-FDG PET/CT has a high diagnostic accuracy in detecting tumors of the neuroblastoma, especially when combined with the independent risk factor serum lactate dehydrogenase.Graphical abstract: Early precision diagnosis and effective treatment of opsoclonus myoclonus ataxia syndrome (OMAS) patients presenting with neuroblastoma can prevent serious neurological outcomes.To assess the diagnostic value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging in pediatric OMAS with neuroblastoma.A retrospective evaluation of 45 patients diagnosed with OMAS who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT was performed. A univariate analysis was performed to compare clinical characteristics between OMAS with and without neuroblastoma. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were applied to identify independent risk factors for OMAS with neuroblastoma and to develop the clinical model. Finally, independent risk factors and PET/CT were fitted to build the combined model for the diagnosis of OMAS with neuroblastoma and presented as a nomogram. Receiver operating characteristic curve, decision curve, and calibration curve analyses were conducted to evaluate the performance of the models.Among 45 patients, 27 were PET/CT-positive, 23/27 lesions were neuroblastoma, and four were false positives. One of the false positive patients was confirmed to be adrenal reactive hyperplasia by postoperative pathology, and the symptoms of OMAS disappeared in the remaining three cases during clinical follow-up. The average maximal standardized uptake value of PET/CT-positive lesions was 2.6. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of PET/CT were 100%, 81.8%, 85.2%, 100%, and 91.1%, respectively. Age at diagnosis, lactate dehydrogenase, and neuron-specific enolase showed statistically significant differences between OMAS with and without neuroblastoma. Lactate dehydrogenase was identified as the independent risk factor to develop the clinical model, and the clinical model demonstrated an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.82 for the diagnosis of OMAS with neuroblastoma, with an AUC as high as 0.91 when combined with PET/CT. The decision curve analysis and calibration curve demonstrated that the nomogram had good consistency and clinical usefulness.In patients with OMAS, 18F-FDG PET/CT has a high diagnostic accuracy in detecting tumors of the neuroblastoma, especially when combined with the independent risk factor serum lactate dehydrogenase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The time series of blood glucose concentration in diabetic patients are time-varying, nonlinear, and non-stationary. In order to improve the accuracy of blood glucose prediction, a multi-scale combination short-term blood glucose prediction model was constructed by combining the variational mode decomposition (VMD) method, the kernel extreme learning machine (KELM), and the AdaBoost algorithm (VMD-ELM-AdaBoost). Firstly, the blood glucose concentration series were decomposed into a set of intrinsic modal functions (IMFs) with different scales by the VMD method. On this basis, the KELM neural network and AdaBoost algorithm are combined to predict each IMF component. Finally, the cumulative blood glucose concentration prediction value is obtained by accumulating the KELM-AdaBoost prediction results of each IMF. The time series of measured blood glucose concentration were used for experimental analysis; the experimental results show that the proposed VMD-KELM-AdaBoost method has higher prediction accuracy compared with the classical prediction models such as ELM, KELM, SVM, and LSTM. The proposed VMD-KELM-AdaBoost model can still achieve high prediction accuracy 60 min in advance (the mean values of RMSE, MAPE, and CC are about 10.1422, 4.8629%, and 0.8737 respectively); in Clarke error mesh analysis, the proportion of falling into A region is about 95.7%; the sensitivity and false alarm rate of early alarm of hypoglycemia were 94.8% and 7.7%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Osteosarcoma, a malignant bone tumor, has the lowest survival rate among all pediatric cancers. NF-κB-activating protein-like (NKAPL) is highly homologous with NKAP. The expression of NKAPL is downregulated in primary liver cancer and breast cancer, and plays a role of tumor suppressor gene. However, the role of NKAPL in osteosarcoma has not been reported. Materials and Methods: We explored the effect of NKAPL on the proliferation of osteosarcoma cells by immunohistochemical, RT-PCR, Western blot, and double luciferase reporter gene analysis. Results: The low expression of NKAPL mRNA was correlated with distant metastasis (P = 0.017), tumor size (P = 0.023), and clinical stage (P < 0.001). The NKAPL expression level in MG63 and U2OS cells was lower than that in Nhost cells. Downregulation of NKAPL expression in Nhost cells could promote cell proliferation and upregulation of NKAPL expression in MG63 and U2OS cells could inhibit cell proliferation. miR-182-5p expression was negatively correlated with NKAPL mRNA expression (R2 = 0.1169, P = 0.0099). After upregulating NKAPL expression, the Notch1, hes1, hey2, and cyclin D1 expression levels were significantly decreased, with G0/G1 phase arrest and G2/M phase reduction. Conclusions: miR-182-5p targeted NKAPL and inhibit NKAPL expression in osteosarcoma. miR-182-5p could regulate cell cycle and promote tumor proliferation through upregulating Notch signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a systematic, comprehensive, up-to-date study of the various artificial intelligence (AI) techniques on the detection and classification of faults on power transmission line. We review the latest start of the art of various intelligent approaches and even discuss the differences and outcomes of implementing intelligent methods in the protection scheme and the integrated protection scheme. Besides, there has been an increase in demand and interest for the application of AI approaches in drone to aid in detection and classification of faults. However, there are not many surveys pertaining to the development of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for the application of intelligent methods in this field. Thus, we also include in this paper the literature relevant to the implementation of various intelligent approaches in the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for the fault detection and classification on power transmission line. Finally, we discuss the challenges and limitations faced in the implementation and propose ways to bridge the gap in the field for further research. This comprehensive study can act as a platform for new researchers to assess the possible different intelligent methods in detecting and classifying faults on power transmission line with a set of references that were dedicated to the attentive contributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Gram-positive, acid-fast and rapidly growing rod, designated S2-37 T, that could form yellowish colonies was isolated from one soil sample collected from cotton cropping field located in the Xinjiang region of China. Genomic analyses indicated that strain S2-37 T harbored T7SS secretion system and was very likely able to produce mycolic acid, which were typical features of pathogenetic mycobacterial species. 16S rRNA-directed phylogenetic analysis referred that strain S2-37 T was closely related to bacterial species belonging to the genus Mycolicibacterium, which was further confirmed by pan-genome phylogenetic analysis. Digital DNA-DNA hybridization and the average nucleotide identity presented that strain S2-37 T displayed the highest values of 39.1% (35.7–42.6%) and 81.28% with M. litorale CGMCC 4.5724 T, respectively. And characterization of conserved molecular signatures further supported the taxonomic position of strain S2-37 T belonging to the genus Mycolicibacterium. The main fatty acids were identified as C16:0, C18:0, C20:3ω3 and C22:6ω3. In addition, polar lipids profile was mainly composed of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylinositol. Phylogenetic analyses, distinct fatty aids and antimicrobial resistance profiles indicated that strain S2-37 T represented genetically and phenotypically distinct from its closest phylogenetic neighbour, M. litorale CGMCC 4.5724 T. Here, we propose a novel species of the genus Mycolicibacterium: Mycolicibacterium gossypii sp. nov. with the type strain S2-37 T (= JCM 34327 T = CGMCC 1.18817 T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) is a major long-term complication for post-surgery breast cancer survivors. Although several risk factors have been identified, lifestyle characteristics have been neglected in previous studies. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a nomogram for estimating this population's risk of developing lymphedema, taking into consideration their demographic, clinical, and personal lifestyle behaviors. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, we collected data from 775 post-operative breast cancer survivors who had attended a follow-up session in the recent 10 years (primary cohort). Lymphedema was assessed using the Norman telephone questionnaire, self-reported by patients. Multiple logistic regression was used to identify risk factors for lymphedema, including demographic, clinical, and lifestyle-related factors. A nomogram was constructed based on those factors and was validated using a separate group of 314 breast cancer patients (validation cohort). Results: The factors independently associated with lymphedema were higher body mass index (BMI), modified radical mastectomy (MRM), postsurgical infection, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, exercise of the affected arm, and the active participation in physical activity (P<0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) values of the primary and the validation cohorts were 0.721 (95% confidence interval: 0.685–0.756) and 0.702 (95% confidence interval: 0.646–0.759), respectively. Conclusions: BCRL risk factors include MRM, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and higher BMI, while the active physical activity behavior of patients appears to be a factor against lymphedema. The nomogram incorporating the patients' clinical and lifestyle factors might be useful for predicting lymphedema in breast cancer survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is necessary to consider the influence of the actual soil voltage distribution when establishing the consolidation equation to more realistically reflect the soil consolidation conditions during the vacuum preloading and electroosmosis process. The distribution of the soil voltage is analyzed by integrating previous results with independent experimental findings. The equation for the dissipation of the excess pore water pressure and the soil consolidation equation are derived based on the proposed model with a closed anode and an open cathode, and the analytical solution is verified by a model test. The results show that the measured excess pore water pressure values coincide with the calculated values, thereby proving the rationality of the consolidation equation established in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical smoke detectors are very prone to produce false alarms and cause a great economic loss when exposed to interference particles, i.e. non-fire aerosols. This paper aims to study the discrimination between fire smokes and two common nuisance particles (i.e. dusts and water particles) based on the asymmetry ratio (AR, the ratio of forward to backward scattered light signals). The experiments were conducted using a home-made detector model and the forward- and backward-scattering angle are 45° and 135° respectively. The test process refers to the Society of Automotive Engineers Aerospace Standard 8036A. Fire smokes, standard dusts and water steam/mists were tested in this study. The effect of particles pollution was firstly studied. Due to the pollution of dust particles on the detector model, the forward signal increases significantly, leading to obvious deviation on the asymmetry ratio. Experiments of fire smokes show that a balance response between the soot and smoldering particles can be achieved based on the asymmetry ratio. By comparing the asymmetry ratios of fire smokes and nuisance aerosols, it is found that we can use the short wavelength (i.e. 405 nm) to distinguish the smoldering particles (the ARs range is 6.8–7.6) from nuisance aerosols, and long wavelength (i.e. 870 nm) to separate the soot particles (the ARs range is 2.2–3.5) and as well the cotton smoldering particles (the ARs range is 10.1–10.6) from nuisance aerosols. Moreover, results also show that nuisance aerosols cover wide ranges of asymmetry ratios, i.e. about 3.4–6.1 at 405 nm and 4.2–8.2 at 870 nm. This suggests that further work is needed to help the differentiation of aerosols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Main conclusion: Expression of TaSnRK2.7 promoter is strongly induced under abiotic stress and could be used as a valuable tool for improving plant stress resistance via transgenic techniques.The sucrose non-fermenting 1-related protein kinase 2 (SnRK2) gene family plays pivotal roles in response to abiotic stresses (drought, salinity and cold). Here, we studied the expression of five wheat TaSnRK2.7 promoter-5′-deletion constructs (− 2547, − 1621, − 806, − 599, and − 254) fused to beta-glucuronidase (GUS) in Arabidopsis. Tissue-expression analysis revealed that the − 254 to ATG fragment was sufficient for inducing GUS expression in hypocotyls. Additionally, the − 806 to − 599 and − 2547 to − 1621 fragments contained leaf- and root-specific elements, respectively. Deletion analysis showed that these fragments were unresponsive to ABA treatment, suggesting that TaSnRK2.7 participates in an ABA-independent signaling pathway. Assays examining stress responses of constructs demonstrated that the − 599 to − 254 and − 806 to − 599 fragments contained elements responsive to abiotic and osmotic stress, respectively. The TaSnRK2.7 promoter contained enhancers from − 806 to − 254 and − 2547 to − 1621, while the − 1621 to − 806 fragment contained negative regulatory elements that restrict root and leaf gene expression in response to abiotic stress. Furthermore, under drought and salt stress, the TaSnRK2.7 promoter conferred greater gene expression in leaves than the rd29A promoter, even though both were induced by abiotic stress. These findings enhance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind TaSnRK2.7 action, which should prove useful in transgenic studies investigating stress-induced gene expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hollow cylinder apparatus was used to simulate the stress paths induced in traffic-affected ground. A series of undrained shear tests was carried out. The inflection points on generalized shear strain curves were used to establish a damage criterion, which distinguished different damage characteristics under different stress levels. Tests were carried out to elucidate the effect of different initial deviator stress on soil shear stiffness. The variation of shear modulus with vibration times under different dynamic stress ratios was analyzed. Stiffness degradation and plastic cumulative deformations of soil were analyzed for the case where the initial deviator stress was equal to zero. The prediction models models can be used to investigate stiffness degradation patterns and axial plastic cumulative deformation patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hemocyanin, the multifunctional glycoprotein in the hemolymph of invertebrates, can generate various antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Given the rising interest in the use of natural therapeutic agents such as AMPs, alternative and more efficient methods for their generation are being explored. In this work, free online software was first applied to predict the generation of antimicrobial peptides from the large subunit of Litopenaeus vannamei hemocyanin. Twenty potential antimicrobial peptides ranging from 1.5 to 1.9 kDa were predicted, five of which had α-helical structures and were selected for antibacterial activity testing. The results indicated that these five peptides had antibacterial activity against seven different bacteria. Of the five peptides, one peptide, designated L1, had the strongest antibacterial activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Moreover, CD and NMR data showed that L1 had both α-helical and β-turns structural composition, and that these structures were essential for L1’s antibacterial activity. Furthermore, SEM analysis revealed that peptide L1 had broad-spectrum activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as it could destroy the bacterial cell walls and kill the bacteria. Thus, L1 is a very potent antimicrobial peptide that can be exploited and used in antibacterial therapeutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing high-performance film dielectrics for capacitive energy storage has been a great challenge for modern electrical devices. Despite good results obtained in lead titanate-based dielectrics, lead-free alternatives are strongly desirable due to environmental concerns. Here we demonstrate that giant energy densities of ~70 J cm-3, together with high efficiency as well as excellent cycling and thermal stability, can be achieved in lead-free bismuth ferritestrontium titanate solid-solution films through domain engineering. It is revealed that the incorporation of strontium titanate transforms the ferroelectric micro-domains of bismuth ferrite into highly-dynamic polar nano-regions, resulting in a ferroelectric to relaxorferroelectric transition with concurrently improved energy density and efficiency. Additionally, the introduction of strontium titanate greatly improves the electrical insulation and breakdown strength of the films by suppressing the formation of oxygen vacancies. This work opens up a feasible and propagable route, i.e., domain engineering, to systematically develop new lead-free dielectrics for energy storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RNAs are well-suited to act as cellular sensors that detect and respond to metabolite changes in the environment, due to their ability to fold into complex structures. Here, we introduce a genome-wide strategy called PARCEL that experimentally identifies RNA aptamers in vitro, in a high-throughput manner. By applying PARCEL to a collection of prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms, we have revealed 58 new RNA aptamers to three key metabolites, greatly expanding the list of natural RNA aptamers. The newly identified RNA aptamers exhibit significant sequence conservation, are highly structured and show an unexpected prevalence in coding regions. We identified a prokaryotic precursor tmRNA that binds vitamin B2 (FMN) to facilitate its maturation, as well as eukaryotic mRNAs that bind and respond to FMN, suggesting FMN as the second RNA-binding ligand to affect eukaryotic expression. PARCEL results show that RNA-based sensing and gene regulation is more widespread than previously appreciated in different organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines civic and political engagement in contemporary China by three recent cases where activists and citizens take full advantage of interactive information technologies and Web 2.0 tools to overcome obstacles and mobilize for public goods. The cases show how activists act strategically to mobilize mass-based support and use various technologies to ensure monetary transaction, resource allocation, public monitoring, and large-scale inter-organizational coordination. In addition, they also demonstrate how ordinary Chinese citizens take part in innovative civic initiatives, act upon their own decisions, and eventually contribute to the change of a failed policy and the solution to a public problem. Different forms of online mass political engagement have introduced new dynamism to public affairs in China, enhanced social autonomy, and thus can have accumulative impact on the asymmetric power relationship between the authoritarian state and society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the collapse characteristics of high-density silt under complex loads, three series of hollow-cylinder tests were conducted on high-density saturated silt samples taken from the sea entrance of the Yangtze River. In the first series of tests, samples with high density were isotropically consolidated and then sheared under undrained triaxial loads. In subsequent tests, samples with low and high densities were isotropically consolidated and then cyclically sheared by principal stress rotation of 0-180°. Collapse and liquefaction were clearly observed in all the samples tested under cyclic principal stress rotation when the pore water pressure was equal to the initial effective confining pressure. Two critical points, the graded phase transformation point and the cataclysmic phase transformation point (collapse point), were observed for the high-density samples before liquefaction; these divided the buildup of the pore water pressure into three or two stages depending the shear stress level. At low shear stresses, the characteristics of the transformation points were hardly influenced by load frequency. The isotropic consolidated high-density silt and low-density silt expressed similar behaviors. However, in the high-density silt, the strain development could be divided into two stages by the collapse point, which corresponds to the cataclysmic phase transformation point of the pore water pressure representing the state of structure collapse. The deviator strains were limited within a narrow range of 0.2-0.4% at the collapse state. The stress state of collapse can be normalized by the quasi-unstable line in the p'-q space. Finally, we introduce the modified Seed model to successfully estimate the development of pore water pressure in high-density silt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dielectric capacitors have been the major enabler for many applications in advanced electronic and electrical power systems because of their capability for ultrafast charging/discharging and ultrahigh power density. The low energy densities of polymer dielectrics used in these capacitors have not been able to meet the ever-increasing demands for compact, reliable, and efficient electrical power systems. Polymer nanocomposites, in which high-dielectric-constant (k) nanofillers are incorporated in the polymer matrix, have been actively pursued. In this article, we begin with two theoretical considerations for concomitantly increasing the dielectric permittivity and breakdown strength of nanocomposites: critical interfacial polarization and local electric-field distribution. In the framework of these considerations, we review recent progress toward polymer nanocomposites with high energy densities based on two approaches: core-shell-structured polymer nanocomposites and dielectric anisotropy. In addition, the potential for the enhanced elastic properties of nanocomposites to improve the dielectric strengths of capacitor films is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the neuroprotective effects of (2 R,3 S)-pinobanksin-3-cinnamate (PNC) in rats with occlusion-damaged bilateral common carotid arteries. Administration with PNC (5 and 10 mg/kg/day) for 5 weeks significantly improved the behavioral performance of rats with vascular dementia, as showed in the Morris water maze test by shortening the escape latency and latency of crossing, completing more platform crossings, as well as spending more time in the target zone. Further evaluations found that PNC could markedly decrease malondialdehyde levels, enhance superoxide dismutase activity and glutathione levels, and decrease the release of cytochrome c as well as the activities of caspases. Moreover, PNC increased Nrf2 and anti-apoptotic bcl-2 protein expression, while Nox1 and pro-apopotic bax protein expression was decreased. PNC may exert its neuroprotective effects through counteracting oxidative stress and has the potential to treat vascular dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of P2P applications, its consumption of bandwidth resources brought increasing pressures to ISPs. How to manage P2P traffic efficiently, both to improve the efficiency of network and to protect the interests of P2P users, is widely concerned by industry and academia. Although some traffic planning scheme to the P2P apps such as P4P can alleviate the pressure on bandwidth resources to some extent, it requires deep cooperation between ISPs and P2P service providers. Therefore it has some limitations to independent DPI strategies. In addition, there is no flow planning strategies which can rapidly response to ISPs' QOS requirements such as sudden changes of bandwidth reservation and so on. This paper analyses current mainstream P2P optimization strategies, and then put forward a network resources dynamic allocation (NRDA) technology based on the deployment of P2P traffic stand on the ISPs' position. This technology enables ISPs to have the ability to manage the P2P traffic on the specified links independently and efficiently, especially for the rapid response of unexpected resource requirements. NRDA implements an overall planning of network resources and makes the network flexible, provides the resource planning ability to the ISPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two destructive high-frequency sea level oscillation events occurred on June 13th, 2013 along the U.S. East Coast. Seafloor processes can be dismissed as the sources, as no concurrent offshore earthquakes or landslides were detected. Here, we present evidence that these tsunami-like events were generated by atmospheric mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) propagating from inland to offshore. The USArray Transportable Array inland and NOAA tide gauges along the coast recorded the pressure anomalies associated with the MCSs. Once offshore, the pressure anomalies generated shallow water waves, which were amplified by the resonance between the water column and atmospheric forcing. Analysis of the tidal data reveals that these waves reflected off the continental shelf break and reached the coast, where bathymetry and coastal geometry contributed to their hazard potential. This study demonstrates that monitoring MCS pressure anomalies in the interior of the U.S. provides important observations for early warnings of MCS-generated tsunamis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt is an important cellular pathway that has been shown to participate in various replication steps of multiple viruses. In the present study, we compared the phosphorylation status of Akt during infection of MARC-145 cells and porcine alveolar macrophages (PAMs) with highly pathogenic PRRSV (HP-PRRSV) strain HuN4. We observed that biphasic activation of Akt was induced in at both the early stage (5, 15 and 30 min postinfection) and the late stage (12 and 24 h postinfection) of HP-PRRSV infection of MARC-145 cells, while an early-phase activation of Akt was found exclusively in virus-infected PAMs in vitro. Analysis with the PI3K-specific inhibitor LY294002 confirmed that PI3K acted as the upstream activator for the virus-induced activation of Akt. UV-irradiation-inactivated virus still induced the early event in PAMs but not in MARC-145 cells, suggesting that different mechanisms are employed for the early-stage induction of phosphorylated Akt within different cell cultures. We further demonstrated that FoxO1 and Bad, which serve as downstream targets of Akt, were phosphorylated in virus-infected MARC-145 cells. Moreover, the suppression of phosphorylated Akt with LY294002 significantly inhibited the virus-induced cytopathic effect (CPE) on MARC-145 cells, but it had a negligible effect on virus propagation. Collectively, our data provide new evidence of a novel role for the PI3K/Akt pathway in PRRSV infection of MARC-145 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this research, conducted in the most southern part of Taiwan, was to create a new genotype: the 'Hengchun Black Goat' (HB). Nubian (NU) goats were first crossed with a local breed, the Taiwan native (TN), then the F1 females were crossed with the imported black Boer (BO) bucks. The upgraded genotypes were then compared with the parental breeds and Kinmen (KM), another local breed, for growth traits and body conformation. The study concerned 1,136 kids born between 2005 and 2007. The analysed traits were body weight (BW), average daily gain and three linear measurements, namely height at withers, body length and chest girth. The results indicated that environmental factors, sex, birth and rearing type, dam parity and birth year had significant effects from birth to 6 months of age. The same differences persisted to 1 year. At 6 months of age, the least square means of BW were 16.2, 19.2, 25.1, 32.0, 23.9, 23.8, 23.0 and 23.9 kg, for KM, TN, NU, 1/2BO, 3/4BO, 7/8BO, BO and HB, respectively. These first results also indicate that the growth performances of the newly created line, Hengchun Black, were equivalent to those of Boer goats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]