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Wolfberry (Lycium barbarum) has a nearly thousand-year history of medicinal and dietary use in China. The separation methodology of its bioactive components has always received much attention. In this study, the free radical scavenging activity of each fraction of wolfberry was assessed via a DPPH assay, after which a high-purity free radical inhibitor (rutin) was prepared directly from wolfberry via a two-step chromatographic process (MCI GEL® CHP20P and Sephadex® LH-20 columns). The potential molecular interactions between rutin and target proteins (SREBP-1, HMGCR, AKT1, ACC, AMPK, PPAR, LPL, TNF-α, and FAS) were explored using computer simulation; among these interactions, TNF-α exhibited a strong binding affinity for rutin (-9.49 kcal/mol). In conclusion, these findings provide deeper insights into the bioactivity of wolfberry and advance the study of quality control systems for wolfberry. Moreover, it also provides a potential chromatographic option for future functional food research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Finding top-k items in data streams is a fundamental problem in data mining. Unbiased estimation is well acknowledged as an elegant and important property for top-k algorithms. In this paper, we propose a novel sketch algorithm, called WavingSketch, which is more accurate than existing unbiased algorithms. We theoretically prove that WavingSketchcan provide unbiased estimation, and derive its error bound. WavingSketchis generic to measurement tasks, and we apply it to five applications: finding top-k frequent items, finding top-k heavy changes, finding top-k persistent items, finding top-k Super-Spreaders, and join-aggregate estimation. Our experimental results show that, compared with the state-of-the-art Unbiased Space-Saving, WavingSketchachieves 10 × faster speed and 10 3 × smaller error on finding frequent items. For other applications, WavingSketchalso achieves higher accuracy and faster speed. All related codes are open-sourced at GitHub (https://github.com/WavingSketch/Waving-Sketch). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The safety and efficacy of robotic liver resection (RLR) for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been reported worldwide. However, the exact role of RLR in HCC patients with liver cirrhosis is not sufficiently determined. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study on consecutive patients with cirrhosis or non-cirrhosis who received RLR for HCC from 2018 to 2023. Data on patients' demographics and perioperative outcomes were collected and analyzed. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was performed. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the risk factors of prolonged postoperative length of stay (LOS) and morbidity. Results: Of the 571 patients included, 364 (64%) had cirrhosis. Among the cirrhotic patients, 48 (13%) were classified as Child–Pugh B. After PSM, the cirrhosis and non-cirrhosis group (n = 183) had similar operative time, estimated blood loss, postoperative blood transfusion, LOS, overall morbidity (p > 0.05). In addition, the intraoperative and postoperative outcomes were similar between the two groups in the subgroup analyses of patients with tumor size ≥ 5 cm, major hepatectomy, and high/expert IWATE difficulty grade. However, patients with Child–Pugh B cirrhosis had longer LOS and more overall morbidity than that of Child–Pugh A. Child–Pugh B cirrhosis, ASA score > 2, longer operative time, and multiple tumors were risk factors of prolonged LOS or morbidity in patients with cirrhosis. Conclusion: The presence of Child–Pugh A cirrhosis didn't significantly influence the difficulty and perioperative outcomes of RLR for selected patients with HCC. However, even in high-volume center, Child–Pugh B cirrhosis was a risk factor for poor postoperative outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universal and equitable access to affordable safely managed drinking water (SMDW) is a significant challenge and is highlighted by the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals-6.1. However, SMDW coverage by 2030 is estimated to reach only 81% of the global population. Solar water evaporation (SWE) represents one potential method to ensure decentralized water purification, but its potential for addressing the global SMDW challenge remains unclear. We use a condensation-enhanced strategy and develop a physics-guided machine learning model for assessing the global potential of SWE technology to meet SMDW demand for unserved populations without external electricity input. We find that a condensation-enhanced SWE device (1 m2) can supply enough drinking water (2.5 L day−1) to 95.8% of the population lacking SMDW. SWE can help fulfill universal SMDW coverage by 2030 with an annual cost of 10.4 billion U.S. dollars, saving 66.7% of the current investment and fulfilling the SDG-6.1 goal. Solar water evaporation is regarded as a promising toolset for decentralized drinking water purification. This study predicts the global drinking water supply potential via solar water evaporation, highlighting where and how to promote solar evaporation devices to fulfill the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6.1 with reasonable costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfide-based materials were widely investigated as electrolytes for all-solid-state lithium batteries owing to their good ionic conductivity and safety. However, their applications are hindered by the air sensitivity and Limited ionic conductivity. Here, a series of GeO2-doped Li3+xP1-xGexS4-2xO2x (x = 0,0.02,0.04,0.06,0.08) solid electrolytes were synthesized through a modified solid-state method and characterized comprehensively. The lithium ionic conductivity of Li3.04P0.96Ge0.04S3.92O0.08 solid electrolytes reached 3.54 mS cm–1 at room temperature and the H2S emission was only 0.31 cm−3 g when the electrolytes were exposed to air for 300 min. Importantly, the critical current density of Li3.04P0.96Ge0.04S3.92O0.08 electrolytes was 1.2 mA cm–2, which was twice of Li3PS4. In addition, the ASSLB of LiCoO2@SSEs/Li3.04P0.96Ge0.04S3.92O0.08/Li delivered an initial discharge capacity of 126.9 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C at room temperature, and it showed excellent rate performance, e.g., 126, 103, 55, 39, mAh g−1 at 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, and 1 C at RT. The cell achieved a reversible capacity of 84 mAh g−1 when the current reverted to 0.3 C. The electrochemical performance and chemical stability of Li3PS4 were improved by co-doping of Ge and O, and provided a promising approach to achieve excellent chemical and electrochemical stability for the large-scale application of sulfide-based solid state electrolytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamic regulation of circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) holds profound significance in various fields, such as high-level information storage and encryption. Here we developed a chiral amphiphilic molecule, CPSB-GLU-PEG350 (CGP), composed of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) chromophores (Z)-4-(1-cyano-2-phenylvinyl)benzoic acid (CPSB), a chiral linker Glutamic acid and polyethylene glycol (PEG) thermoresponsive segments. Within the self-assembled supramolecular system formed by CGP, we have achieved in-situ temperature-responsive chiral structures, facilitating the thermal control switch of the CPL signal. Molecular dynamics simulations demonstrate the distinct behaviors of AIE and PEG units during the temperature-variable assembly process. Furthermore, by co-assembling achiral dye molecules with CGP, we have expanded the color range of the temperature-responsive CPL assembly system in situ and confirmed the occurrence of circularly polarized-Förster resonance energy transfer (C-FRET) phenomenon in this process, which successfully enriched the strategies for in-situ CPL control in aqueous phases. In addition, the contactless radiative energy transfer of CPL can also be realized in this system, exhibiting more flexible temperature regulation of the CPL signal. This study provides a convenient and universal strategy for the construction of dynamically smart chiroptical materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sn–Zn system and Sn–Ag–Cu system solders are considered promising lead-free solders. The reliability of the joints is a key factor in evaluating the performance of the solder. The microstructure evolution of the joints under aging treatment can affect the joint properties. The temperature of shear testing also affects the fracture mechanism, thereby determining the joint reliability. This study investigated the microstructure evolution and fracture mechanism of Sn–9Zn–2.5Bi–1.5In (Sn–Zn) and Sn–3Ag–0.5Cu (SAC) pastes joints with Cu-substrate under various conditions of different aging times and shear test temperatures. It is concluded that the IMC in SAC joints are scalloped Cu6Sn5 and planar Cu3Sn, and grow along with aging duration. The IMC in Sn–Zn joints are specific Cu5Zn8 layers with a slow growth rate as aging time increases. Many Zn phases react with Cu, forming Cu5Zn8 products in the aged solder matrix. The aged Sn–Zn joints tend to fracture at the solder/IMC interface. Both increasing aging time and high operating temperature of shear test lead to an increase in the tendency of transgranular fracture and brittle fracture for the two types of joints in the solder, and therefore, joint reliability is reduced. Furthermore, as the shear test temperature increases, the plasticity of the solder material increases as well, and the interface connection strength decreases. In summary, Sn–Zn joints have better reliability performance than SAC joints under the effects of increasing aging time and high operating temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoelectrochemical seawater splitting is a promising route for direct utilization of solar energy and abundant seawater resources for H2 production. However, the complex salinity composition in seawater results in intractable challenges for photoelectrodes. This paper describes the fabrication of a bilayer stack consisting of stainless steel and TiO2 as a cocatalyst and protective layer for Si photoanode. The chromium-incorporated NiFe (oxy)hydroxide converted from stainless steel film serves as a protective cocatalyst for efficient oxygen evolution and retarding the adsorption of corrosive ions from seawater, while the TiO2 is capable of avoiding the plasma damage of the surface layer of Si photoanode during the sputtering of stainless steel catalysts. By implementing this approach, the TiO2 layer effectively shields the vulnerable semiconductor photoelectrode from the harsh plasma sputtering conditions in stainless steel coating, preventing surface damages. Finally, the Si photoanode with the bilayer stack inhibits the adsorption of chloride and realizes 167 h stability in chloride-containing alkaline electrolytes. Furthermore, this photoanode also demonstrates stable performance under alkaline natural seawater for over 50 h with an applied bias photon-to-current efficiency of 2.62%. Here, the authors report a Si photoanode coated with a TiO2/stainless steel bilayer to inhibit chloride adsorption and facilitate stable alkaline seawater splitting for over 50 h with an applied bias photon-to-current efficiency of 2.62%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We aim to use the microRNA (miRNA, micro-ribonucleic acid) data of lung cancer tissues to establish a miRNA biomarker database for lung cancer that can be used for marker screening and analysis of lung cancer prognosis. Methods: We obtained lung cancer-related data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and analyzed the miRNA expression profiles of lung cancer tissues and normal tissues using bioinformatics techniques to develop a new composite miRNA-based model for the prognostic assessment of lung cancer. The predictive power of this model was verified and evaluated based on grouping of data. We also performed RT-qPCR using lung cancer tissues from patients diagnosed with lung cancer. Results: There was a significant difference between the miRNA expression profiles of lung cancer tissues and normal tissues adjacent to the cancerous lesions. The prognostic survival of patients with lung cancer was closely related to onset age and staging (p = 0.012) but was not related to gender (p = 0.39) and race (p = 0.51). Using three methods of survival model construction, we identified three miRNA composites, namely hsa-mir-21, hsa-mir-141, and has-mir-490, as markers for the prognosis of lung cancer. As confirmed by RT-qPCR, the expressions of hsa-miR-21-5p and hsa-miR-141-5p were upregulated, whereas hsa-miR-490-3p expression was downregulated in lung cancer lesion tissues. Conclusion: The three miRNA composites identified, namely hsa-mir-21, hsa-mir-141, and hsa-mir-490, have the potential to serve as novel prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) seawater splitting is a promising method for the direct utilization of solar energy and abundant seawater resources for hydrogen production. Photoelectrodes are susceptible to various ions in seawater and complicated competitive reactions, resulting in the failure of photoelectrodes. This paper proposes the design and fabrication of different sputtered stainless steel (SS) films deposited on silicon photoanodes, completely isolating the electrolytes and semiconductor substrate. Upon coupling with the PEC flow cell, the back-illuminated photoanode coated with 316 SS cocatalyst achieves stable operation for 70 h in natural seawater with a highly alkaline KOH (30 wt.%, 7.64 mol/L) electrolyte due to the remarkable protection effect of the substrate from stainless steel, while the PEC seawater splitting system achieves a record hydrogen production rate of 600 μmol/(h·cm2). An appropriate Ni/Fe ratio in the SS ensures remarkable oxygen evolution activity, while chromic oxide ensures the effective anticorrosion effect by adjusting the microenvironment of the photoanodes. Moreover, fabricating PEC flow cells with photoanodes coated with SS cocatalysts are a viable strategy for PEC seawater splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a large number of organic compounds possessing two isoprene units, monoterpenes and monoterpenoids play important roles in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, agricultural, and food industries. In nature, monoterpenes are constructed from geranyl pyrophosphate (C10) via various transformations. Herein, the bulk C5 chemical—isoprene, is used for the creation of various monoterpenoids via a nucleophilic aromatization of monoterpenes under cascade catalysis of nickel and iodine. Drugs and oil mixtures from conifer and lemon can be convergently transformed to the desired monoterpenoid. Preliminary mechanistic studies are conducted to get insights about reaction pathway. Two types of cyclic monoterpenes can be respectively introduced onto two similar heterocycles via orthogonal C–H functionalization. And various hybrid terpenyl indoles are programmatically assembled from abundant C5 or C10 blocks. This work not only contributes a high chemo-, regio-, and redox-selective transformation of isoprene, but also provides a complementary approach for the creation of unnatural monoterpenoids. Organic compounds possessing two isoprene units play important roles in chemical industry. Herein, the authors use bulk C5 chemical—isoprene to synthesise various monoterpenoids via a nucleophilic aromatization of monoterpenes under cascade catalysis of nickel and iodine [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the Belle reaction Ξ c + → Ξ - π + π + looking at the mass distribution of π + Ξ , where clear signals for the Ξ (1620) and Ξ (1690) resonances are seen. These two resonances are generated dynamically from the interaction in coupled channels of π Ξ , K ¯ Λ , K ¯ Σ and η Ξ within the chiral unitary approach. Yet, the weak decay process at the quark level, together with the hadronization to produce pairs of mesons, does not produce the π π Ξ final state. In order to produce this state one must make transitions from the K ¯ Λ , K ¯ Σ and η Ξ components to π Ξ , and this interaction is what produces the resonances. So, the reaction offers a good test for the molecular picture of these resonances. Adding the contribution of the Ξ ∗ (1530) and some background we are able to get a good reproduction of the mass distribution showing the signatures of the two resonances as found in the experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of high-throughput omics technology has greatly promoted the development of biomedicine. However, the poor reproducibility of omics techniques limits their application. It is necessary to use standard reference materials of complex RNAs or proteins to test and calibrate the accuracy and reproducibility of omics workflows. The transcriptome and proteome of most cell lines shift during culturing, which limits their applicability as standard samples. In this study, we demonstrated that the human hepatocellular cell line MHCC97H has a very stable transcriptome (r = 0.983~0.997) and proteome (r = 0.966~0.988 for data-dependent acquisition, r = 0.970~0.994 for data-independent acquisition) after 9 subculturing generations, which allows this steady standard sample to be consistently produced on an industrial scale in long term. Moreover, this stability was maintained across labs and platforms. In sum, our study provides omics standard reference material and reference datasets for transcriptomic and proteomics research. This helps to further standardize the workflow and data quality of omics techniques and thus promotes the application of omics technology in precision medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanism of how interfacial wettability impacts the CO2 electroreduction pathways to ethylene and ethanol remains unclear. This paper describes the design and realization of controllable equilibrium of kinetic-controlled *CO and *H via modifying alkanethiols with different alkyl chain lengths to reveal its contribution to ethylene and ethanol pathways. Characterization and simulation reveal that the mass transport of CO2 and H2O is related with interfacial wettability, which may result in the variation of kinetic-controlled *CO and *H ratio, which affects ethylene and ethanol pathways. Through modulating the hydrophilic interface to superhydrophobic interface, the reaction limitation shifts from insufficient supply of kinetic-controlled *CO to that of *H. The ethanol to ethylene ratio can be continuously tailored in a wide range from 0.9 to 1.92, with remarkable Faradaic efficiencies toward ethanol and multi-carbon (C2+) products up to 53.7% and 86.1%, respectively. A C2+ Faradaic efficiency of 80.3% can be achieved with a high C2+ partial current density of 321 mA cm−2, which is among the highest selectivity at such current densities. The mechanism of how interfacial wettability impacts the CO2 electcgq Herein, the authors describe the design and realization of controllable equilibrium of kinetic controlled *CO and *H to reveal its contribution to ethylene and ethanol pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The determination of pathological grading has a guiding significance for the treatment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients. However, there is a lack of an accurate and safe method to obtain pathological grading before surgery. The aim of this study is to develop a deep learning (DL) model based on 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG-PET/CT) for a fully automatic prediction of preoperative pathological grading of pancreatic cancer. Methods: A total of 370 PDAC patients from January 2016 to September 2021 were collected retrospectively. All patients underwent 18F-FDG-PET/CT examination before surgery and obtained pathological results after surgery. A DL model for pancreatic cancer lesion segmentation was first developed using 100 of these cases and applied to the remaining cases to obtain lesion regions. After that, all patients were divided into training set, validation set, and test set according to the ratio of 5:1:1. A predictive model of pancreatic cancer pathological grade was developed using the features computed from the lesion regions obtained by the lesion segmentation model and key clinical characteristics of the patients. Finally, the stability of the model was verified by sevenfold cross-validation. Results: The Dice score of the developed PET/CT-based tumor segmentation model for PDAC was 0.89. The area under curve (AUC) of the PET/CT-based DL model developed on the basis of the segmentation model was 0.74, with an accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 0.72, 0.73, and 0.72, respectively. After integrating key clinical data, the AUC of the model improved to 0.77, with its accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity boosted to 0.75, 0.77, and 0.73, respectively. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first deep learning model to end-to-end predict the pathological grading of PDAC in a fully automatic manner, which is expected to improve clinical decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modulation of circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) is of importance for display and asymmetric chemical synthesis. However, the underlying mechanism of CPL transfer remains rarely studied. Herein, we rationally design a multipath transfer system including multistep chirality transfer (MCT) and sequential fluorescence resonance energy transfer (SFRET), and we are the first to fabricate memorable full-color CPL-active films with a high dissymmetry factor (∼10−2). Specifically, (P/M)-helical nanofibers are constructed by co-assembly between an achiral polymer, poly(9,9-di-n-octylfluorene) (PF8), and easy-to-remove R/S-limonene. When matching achiral emitters are added, the PF8 mediates MCT and simultaneously triggers the SFRET process. Furthermore, full-color CPL memory is realized after removing the chiral source. Molecular simulation and structure analysis indicate that the robust helical superstructure of PF8 provides chiral sites to accommodate emitters, which is essential for CPL transfer and memory. This work provides a novel strategy for constructing CPL-active materials in an aggregated state and insights into CPL transfer and memory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ammonia production via electrochemical nitrate reduction is essential for environmental protection and the emerging hydrogen economy. Complex nitrate wastewater with a wide pH range calls for flexible catalysts with high selectivity. A high Faradaic efficiency (FE) of NH3 cannot be obtained under strong acid or alkaline conditions due to the uncontrollable adsorption energy and coverage of hydrogen species (H*) on active sites. This article describes the design and fabrication of a copper-palladium (Cu-Pd) alloy nanocrystal catalyst that inhibits H2 and nitrite generation in electrolytes with different nitrate concentrations and varied pH. The interfacial sites of Cu-Pd alloys could enhance the adsorption energy and coverage of H* while increasing the reaction rate constant of NO2*-to-NO*, which achieves a rapid conversion of NO2* along with a decreased FE of NO2−. Under ambient conditions, optimal FE(NH3) is close to 100% at a wide pH range, with the solar-to-chemical conversion efficiency approaching 4.29%. The combination of thermodynamics and kinetics investigations would offer new insights into the reduction mechanism of NO2* for further development of nitrate reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantum random number generators (QRNGs) are able to generate numbers that are certifiably random, even to an agent who holds some side information. Such systems typically require that the elements being used are precisely calibrated and validly certified for a credible security analysis. However, this can be experimentally challenging and result in potential side-channels which could compromise the security of the QRNG. In this work, we propose, design and experimentally demonstrate a QRNG protocol that completely removes the calibration requirement for the measurement device. Moreover, our protocol is secure against quantum side information. We also take into account the finite-size effects and remove the independent and identically distributed requirement for the measurement side. More importantly, our QRNG scheme features a simple implementation which uses only standard optical components and are readily implementable on integrated-photonic platforms. To validate the feasibility and practicability of the protocol, we set up a fibre-optical experimental system with a home-made homodyne detector with an effective efficiency of 91.7% at 1550 nm. The system works at a rate of 2.5 MHz, and obtains a net randomness expansion rate of 4.98 kbits/s at 1010 rounds. Our results pave the way for an integrated QRNG with self-testing feature and provable security. Quantum random number generators should ideally rely on few assumptions, have high enough generation rates, and be cost-effective and easy to operate. Here, the authors show an untrusted-homodyne-based MDI scheme that does not rely on i.i.d. assumption and is secure against quantum side information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electroreductive coupling of biomass-derived benzaldehyde offers a sustainable approach to producing value-added hydrobenzoin. The low efficiency of the reaction mainly ascribes to the mismatch of initial formation and subsequent dimerization of ketyl intermediates (Ph-CH = O → Ph-C·-OH → Ph-C(OH)-C(OH)-Ph). This paper describes a strategy to balance the active sites for the generation and dimerization of ketyl intermediates by constructing bimetallic Pd/Cu electrocatalysts with tunable surface coverage of Pd. A Faradaic efficiency of 63.2% and a hydrobenzoin production rate of up to 1.27 mmol mg−1 h−1 (0.43 mmol cm−2 h−1) are achieved at −0.40 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode. Experimental results and theoretical calculations reveal that Pd promotes the generation of the ketyl intermediate, and Cu enhances their dimerization. Moreover, the balance between these two sites facilitates the coupling of benzaldehyde towards hydrobenzoin. This work offers a rational strategy to design efficient electrocatalysts for complex reactions through the optimization of specified active sites for different reaction steps.Electroreductive coupling of benzaldehyde is mainly hindered by the mismatch between initial formation and subsequent dimerization of the ketyl intermediates. Here the authors report a strategy to balance the active sites for the generation and dimerization of the ketyl intermediates, leading to promoted production rate of hydrobenzoin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoelectrochemical CO2 reduction reaction flow cells are promising devices to meet the requirements to produce solar fuels at the industrial scale. Photoelectrodes with wide bandgaps do not allow for efficient CO2 reduction at high current densities, while the integration of opaque photoelectrodes with narrow bandgaps in flow cell configurations still remains a challenge. This paper describes the design and fabrication of a back-illuminated Si photoanode promoted PEC flow cell for CO2 reduction reaction. The illumination area and catalytic sites of the Si photoelectrode are decoupled, owing to the effective passivation of defect states that allows for the long minority carrier diffusion length, that surpasses the thickness of the Si substrate. Hence, a solar-to-fuel conversion efficiency of CO of 2.42% and a Faradaic efficiency of 90% using Ag catalysts are achieved. For CO2 to C2+ products, the Faradaic efficiency of 53% and solar-to-fuel of 0.29% are achieved using Cu catalyst in flow cell. Conversion of CO2 into value-added products with renewable energy provides a promising route to realize carbon neutrality. Here, authors design and construct a Si photoelectrochemical flow cells for CO2 reduction reaction to achieve a high solar-to-fuel conversion efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate organ-at-risk (OAR) segmentation is critical to reduce radiotherapy complications. Consensus guidelines recommend delineating over 40 OARs in the head-and-neck (H&N). However, prohibitive labor costs cause most institutions to delineate a substantially smaller subset of OARs, neglecting the dose distributions of other OARs. Here, we present an automated and highly effective stratified OAR segmentation (SOARS) system using deep learning that precisely delineates a comprehensive set of 42 H&N OARs. We train SOARS using 176 patients from an internal institution and independently evaluate it on 1327 external patients across six different institutions. It consistently outperforms other state-of-the-art methods by at least 3–5% in Dice score for each institutional evaluation (up to 36% relative distance error reduction). Crucially, multi-user studies demonstrate that 98% of SOARS predictions need only minor or no revisions to achieve clinical acceptance (reducing workloads by 90%). Moreover, segmentation and dosimetric accuracy are within or smaller than the inter-user variation. Accurate organ at risk (OAR) segmentation is critical to reduce the radiotherapy post-treatment complications. Here, the authors develop an automated OAR segmentation system to delineate a comprehensive set of 42 H&N OARs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a simple approach is presented to generate the dual-wavelength second harmonic(SH) with flexible conversion efficiency ratio and wavelength interval in nested quasi-periodic optical superlattice(NQOS) structure. The characteristics of dual-wavelength second-harmonic generation(SHG) is studied with a 10-mm-long NQOS devices base on 5% mol MgO:LiNbO3 crystal. The simulation results show that the ratio of the conversion efficiency of two wave peaks can be adjusted by altering the incident position of NQOS devices. Using the combination of type-0(o + o → o) and type-I(e + e → o) quasi-phase matching(QPM), the dual-wavelength SHG around 1.55 μm is achieved. By adjusting the operating temperature, the interval of two wave peaks in dual-wavelength SHG devices can continuously adjusted with the range of 0–352 nm. Furthermore, the central fundamental wavelength and the maximum interval range of dual-wavelength SHG devices depend on the period of the NQOS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was performed to evaluate the effect of temperature on the carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) nutrient budgets of adult steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) with different body sizes. A complete two-factor experiment was conducted at four temperatures, i.e., 9 °C (T9), 13 °C (T13), 16 °C (T16), and 19 °C (T19); and three body sizes, i.e., 0.65 kg ± 0.02 kg (S1), 1.22 kg ± 0.06 kg (S2), and 2.05 kg ± 0.09 kg (S3). The following properties of steelhead trout were determined: C, N, and P nutrient budgets; feed intake rate; fecal production rate; oxygen consumption rate; ammonia excretion rate; phosphorus excretion rate; scope of the growth of C, N, and P; and absorption efficiency of C, N, and P. Results showed no significant interaction between temperature and body size in terms of the nutrient budgets of steelhead trout. However, temperature and body size played important separate roles in the nutrient budgets except for the absorption efficiency of nitrogen. The feed intake rate, fecal production rate, ammonia excretion rate, phosphorus excretion rate, and scope of the growth of C, N, and P were the highest in the T16 treatments. The absorption efficiency of C and P decreased as temperature increased. Nonlinear multiple regression results indicated that 15 °C was the approximate optimal temperature for the feeding and growth of steelhead trout. The feed intake rate, fecal production rate, oxygen consumption rate, ammonia excretion rate, phosphorus excretion rate, and scope of the growth of C, N, and P per unit of the body weight of fish decreased as body size increased. The absorption efficiency of C increased as body weight increased, and the absorption efficiencies of P in the S2 and S3 treatments were significantly higher than those in the S1 treatment. During the culture of steelhead trout, the daily ratio should be adjusted with changes in the temperature and body size of fish. Furthermore, managers should focus on the risk of hypoxia at high water temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the current study was to investigate the inhibitory effects of benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) and 3-(methylthio) propyl isothiocyanate (MTPITC) on Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes). The comparison of the antibacterial potential of these two sulfur-containing flavors was performed by examining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Moreover, the relative gene expression levels of the major virulence-related factors in L. monocytogenes with co-incubation with BITC (or MTPITC) were measured using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis. In addition, the biofilm-forming rate of L. monocytogenes upon exposure to the tested two compounds was determined. Finally, the changes in the bacterial morphology in the presence of BITC (or MTPITC) were detected with the assistance of scanning electron microscopy. The antimicrobial potential of BITC in resistance to L. monocytogenes growth was much stronger than that of MTPITC. Both of the sulfur-containing compounds remarkably suppressed the gene expressions of inlA, hlyA, and prfA. Besides, these two flavors were capable of changing the formation rate of L. monocytogenes biofilms, whereas only slight wrinkles were observed in the bacterial morphology. Overall, both BITC and MTPITC might be promising antibacterial agents to prevent and control L. monocytogenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mounting evidence suggests that benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC), derived from cruciferous vegetables, could be an effective antimicrobial compound against a wide range of food-borne bacteria. This research investigated the antimicrobial activity of BITC against Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value, observing S. Typhimurium with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and measuring the intra- and extracellular ATP levels. Quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR) was further employed to evaluate the effect of S. Typhimurium at the genetic level. The MIC of BITC against S. Typhimurium was 1 mM. Moreover, BITC could affect the integrity of the cell membrane, inducing a decrease in the intracellular ATP level and an increase in the extracellular ATP level. At subinhibitory concentrations, BITC downregulated the expression levels of the virulence genes hilA, hilC, and hilD in a dose-dependent manner. These findings provide insights into the antimicrobial activity of BITC against S. Typhimurium, revealing its initial potential modes of antibacterial action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The axially chiral indole-aryl motifs are present in natural products and biologically active compounds as well as in chiral ligands. Atroposelective indole formation is an efficient method to construct indole-based biaryls. We report herein the result of a chiral phosphoric acid catalyzed asymmetric cycloaddition of 3-alkynylindoles with azonaphthalenes. A class of indole-based biaryls were prepared efficiently with excellent yields and enantioselectivities (up to 98% yield, 99% ee). Control experiment and DFT calculations illustrate a possible mechanism in which the reaction proceeds via a dearomatization of indole to generate an allene-iminium intermediate, followed by an intramolecular aza-Michael addition. This approach provides a convergent synthetic strategy for enantioselective construction of axially chiral heterobiaryl backbones. There is great interest in methods for catalytic enantioselective construction of axially chiral compounds found in natural products. Here, the authors develop a cycloaddition strategy for atroposelective construction of indole-based biaryls via chiral phosphoric acid-catalysed cycloaddition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subfraction F31 was performed on a silica gel column, chloroform-methanol as elution solvent, gradient elution was 15:5, 10:5, and 5:5, three components were detected and combined by TLC silica gel. The extraction solvent was recovered under vacuum pressure, and the extracted parts were freeze dried into powder solid, among which the petroleum ether part was 187.0 g, the ethyl acetate part was 355.0 g, and the I n i -butanol part was 197.3 g. During elution, TLC silica gel was used for detecting and combining to obtain a total of four subfractions (F21-F24). In our continuous efforts to explore potentially active ingredients from I A. oreophila i , 17 compounds, including seven flavonoids ( B 1-7 b ) and nine phenolic compounds ( B 8-16 b ) were obtained. [Extracted from the article]

In June 2016, oil residues and sediment samples were collected from the shoreline of Chedabucto Bay, Nova Scotia, Canada, at sites affected by the 1970 Arrow oil spill. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence, fate, and behaviour of oil components 45 years post-spill by analysing polar naphthenic acid fraction components (NAFCs) through high-performance liquid chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC–HRMS). In all samples, the most abundant NAFC species were those having only oxygen as the heteroatom (Oo species, o indicating the number of oxygen atoms, from 1 to 8) and a high degree of saturation. NAFC species only containing two oxygen atoms (O2) accounted for 50–70% of all Oo species. The abundance of all remaining species was negligible compared with Oo species. NAFCs in most Arrow oil residues had higher levels of oxygen species than the oil remaining stored in the sunken tanker. Environmental sediment samples collected from near a marina away from the spill site contained a dominant biological, whereas all Arrow oil residues were mainly composed of NAFCs that are characteristic of petroleum. The abundance of NAFCs in the Arrow oil residues varied between sites, confirming that site-specific environmental conditions play a major role in controlling the fate and behaviour of oil components, including NAFCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuning the facet exposure of Cu could promote the multi-carbon (C2+) products formation in electrocatalytic CO2 reduction. Here we report the design and realization of a dynamic deposition-etch-bombardment method for Cu(100) facets control without using capping agents and polymer binders. The synthesized Cu(100)-rich films lead to a high Faradaic efficiency of 86.5% and a full-cell electricity conversion efficiency of 36.5% towards C2+ products in a flow cell. By further scaling up the electrode into a 25 cm2 membrane electrode assembly system, the overall current can ramp up to 12 A while achieving a single-pass yield of 13.2% for C2+ products. An insight into the influence of Cu facets exposure on intermediates is provided by in situ spectroscopic methods supported by theoretical calculations. The collected information will enable the precise design of CO2 reduction reactions to obtain desired products, a step towards future industrial CO2 refineries. Regulation of Cu facets to promote electrocatalytic CO2 reduction is interesting and challenging. Here the authors describe a deposition-etch-bombardment synthetic approach to prepare Cu(100)-rich thin film electrodes for CO2 electroreduction with over 50% ethylene Faradaic efficiency at a total current of 12 A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhancing the mechanical strength of highly conductive pure metals usually causes significant reduction in their electrical conductivity. For example, introducing phase/matrix interfaces or more grain boundaries, are common and effective methods to strengthen metals. But it simultaneously increases the electron scattering at the interface, thus reducing the electrical conductivity. In this study, we demonstrate that pure aluminum (Al)/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) nanocomposites prepared by friction stir processing have successfully broken through these limitations. The yield strength and tensile strength of Al/CNTs nanocomposites have improved by 104.7% and 51.8% compared to pure Al, while the electrical conductivity remained comparable to that of pure Al. To explore the potential mechanisms, the interface between CNTs and Al was examined and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy. Little interfacial reaction compounds were present and no visible physical gaps were observed at CNTs and Al interfaces. We defined it as a clean and tightly bonded interface. Although the quantity of phase interface has increased, the electrical conductivity of the nanocomposite remains approximately unchanged. We attribute the preserved electrical conductivity to the clean and tightly bonded CNTs/Al interface in the nanocomposite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an object recognition approach for synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images is addressed, which is based on the enhanced kernel sparse representation of monogenic signal. It consists of two main modules. In the first module, to capture the spatial and spectral properties of a target at the same time, a multi-scale monogenic feature extraction scheme is proposed. In the second module, an enhanced kernel sparse representation-based classifier (KSRC) is designed. Different from the traditional KSRC, in the enhanced KSRC, we first integrate the kernel principal component analysis (KPCA) as well as the kernel fisher discriminant analysis (KFDA) to generate an augmented pseudo-transformation matrix. Then, a new discriminative feature mapping approach is presented by exploiting the augmented pseudo-transformation matrix so that the dimensionality of the kernel feature space can be effectively reduced. At last, the ℓ1 -norm minimization is utilized to calculate the sparse coefficients for a test sample, and thus the inference can be reached in terms of the total reconstruction error. Experimental results on the public moving and stationary target acquisition and recognition dataset (MSTAR) demonstrate that the proposed method achieves high recognition accuracy for SAR automatic target recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formaldehyde (FA) has long been considered as a toxin and carcinogen due to its damaging effects to biological macromolecules, but its beneficial roles have been increasingly appreciated lately. Real-time monitoring of this reactive molecule in living systems is highly desired in order to decipher its physiological and/or pathological functions, but a genetically encoded FA sensor is currently lacking. We herein adopt a structure-based study of the underlying mechanism of the FA-responsive transcription factor HxlR from Bacillus subtilis, which shows that HxlR recognizes FA through an intra-helical cysteine-lysine crosslinking reaction at its N-terminal helix α1, leading to conformational change and transcriptional activation. By leveraging this FA-induced intra-helical crosslinking and gain-of-function reorganization, we develop the genetically encoded, reaction-based FA sensor—FAsor, allowing spatial-temporal visualization of FA in mammalian cells and mouse brain tissues. In order to understand the role of formaldehyde in living systems, real-time monitoring is required. Here the authors report a genetically encoded, reaction-based formaldehyde sensor (FAsor) that enables visualisation of formaldehyde in mammalian cells and tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The active sites for CO2 electroreduction (CO2R) to multi-carbon (C2+) products over oxide-derived copper (OD-Cu) catalysts are under long-term intense debate. This paper describes the atomic structure motifs for product-specific active sites on OD-Cu catalysts in CO2R. Herein, we describe realistic OD-Cu surface models by simulating the oxide-derived process via the molecular dynamic simulation with neural network (NN) potential. After the analysis of over 150 surface sites through NN potential based high-throughput testing, coupled with density functional theory calculations, three square-like sites for C–C coupling are identified. Among them, Σ3 grain boundary like planar-square sites and convex-square sites are responsible for ethylene production while step-square sites, i.e. n(111) × (100), favor alcohols generation, due to the geometric effect for stabilizing acetaldehyde intermediates and destabilizing Cu–O interactions, which are quantitatively demonstrated by combined theoretical and experimental results. This finding provides fundamental insights into the origin of activity and selectivity over Cu-based catalysts and illustrates the value of our research framework in identifying active sites for complex heterogeneous catalysts. The active sites over oxide-derived copper (OD-Cu) catalysts for CO2 electroreduction are unclear. Here, the authors show atom-level product-specific active sites on OD-Cu surface models, where planar and convex square sites are responsible for ethylene while the step square site favours alcohols generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work is the first to synthesize the red-emitting Li3Bi3Te2O6 phosphors using the conventional high-temperature solid-state reaction. The phase purity, particle morphology, and luminescent properties are analyzed in detail. Upon the near-ultraviolet (n-UV) excitation on 395 nm, Li3Bi3Te2O6:Eu3+ phosphors show four emission peaks due to 5D0 → 7FJ (J = 1, 2, 3, 4) transitions and the strongest peak is at 610 nm (5D0 → 7F2). The best doping concentration of Eu3+ ions is found to be 0.45 mol. The critical transfer distance (Rc) of the energy transfer between the Eu3+ ions reaches 11 Å and the luminescence quenching is confirmed by the nearest-neighbor ions interaction. The commission international de l'Eclairage (CIE) chromaticity coordinates (0.655, 0.344) of Li3Bi3Te2O6:0.40Eu3+ phosphors are in the red region. The values of decay time are calculated in the millisecond time range from 0.878 to 0.493 ms. Phosphors show common thermal stability with activation energy (0.25 eV). All the properties indicate that Li3Bi3Te2O6:Eu3+ phosphors have potential applications in displays and photonic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tool rotation speed is one of the most important processing parameters that govern the performance of the friction stir welds. In this study, a novel variant of friction stir welding for T-joints, which is termed as corner stationary shoulder friction stir welding (CSSFSW), is investigated regarding the effect of tool rotation speed on the microstructure and tensile strength of the T-joints. T-joints with 5 mm thickness for AA 6082-T6 plates were fabricated via a two-pass welding process by using different tool rotation speeds. The microstructure and tensile strength of the defect-free and defective T-joints were analyzed. It is found that void defects appear on the advancing side when the tool rotation speed was 1200 rpm; defect-free T-joints are obtained in the range of tool rotation speeds from 1500 to 2000 rpm. Generally, high tool rotation speed is favorable for eliminating weld defects. In the case of CSSFSW, the lower limit of the tool rotation speed for defect-free welds is higher than that in the conventional FSW, because the heat input is reduced as the stationary shoulder contributes little to the heat generation. The tensile strength of the defect-free joint made at the tool rotation speed of 1500 rpm reached a maximum in both skin and stiffener direction, while are measured to be 113 MPa in L direction and 170 MPa in T direction. The fracture morphologies of the T-joints welded at different tool rotation speeds in both skin and stiffener directions when subjected to tensile loads are documented. A conceptual model is proposed in order to discuss the weld formation in the CSSFSW configuration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A great number of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) account for the majority of the genome. The translation of these ncRNAs has been noted but seriously underestimated due to both technological and theoretical limitations. Based on the development of ribosome profiling (Ribo-seq), full length translating RNA analysis (RNC-seq) and mass spectrometry technology, more and more ncRNAs are being found to be translated in different organism, and some of them can produce functional peptides. While recently, not only individual new functional proteins, but also a new proteome have been experimentally discovered to be encoded by endogenous lncRNAs and circRNAs. These new proteins are of biological significance, suggesting the connection of the translation of ncRNAs to human physiology and diseases. Therefore, an in-depth and systematic understanding of the coding capabilities of ncRNAs is necessary for basic biology and medicine. In this review, we summarize the advances in the field of discovering this new proteome, i.e. "ncRNA-coded" proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate a decentralized asymptotic cooperative control problem of multi-agent systems with leader-follower configuration. We firstly develop a new method using a proposed "interaction matrix" for the analysis of cooperation convergence of multi-agent systems, i.e. both consensus of the agents states and trajectory tracking of the whole group can be instantaneously concluded only by observing the minimum eigenvalue of the interaction matrix. For a multi-agent system, the external given desired trajectory can be partially obtained (through sensing or detecting) by the leaders, but higher-order derivatives such as acceleration and jerk of the desired trajectory cannot be obtained. In this case, by using some conventional control methods, the trajectory tracking performance is always not satisfactory when a trajectory varies aggressively w.r.t. time. For the sake of asymptotic tracking of an arbitrary given external trajectory of a multi-agent system, we develop a nonlinear cooperative controller based on the robust integral of signum of cooperative error (RISCE) technique, where the interaction matrix is used. The simulation results show asymptotic convergence of cooperation by using the proposed control, and better performance compared to composited nonlinear feedback based PD (CNF-PD) control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: A template approach for the synthesis of porous cobalt phosphide nanoarrays (Co2P/CoP NAs) is reported, which exhibits superior electrocatalytic activity and stability toward charge storage and hydrogen evolution. Using Co2P/CoP NAs as a charge mediator, the H2 and O2 evolution of alkaline water electrolysis is separated effectively in time, thereby achieving a membrane-free pathway for H2 purification. Introduction of easily oxidized chemicals to replace water oxidation triggers a low energy consumption path toward H2 purification.Electrochemical reduction of water to hydrogen (H2) offers a promising strategy for production of clean energy, but the design and optimization of electrochemical apparatus present challenges in terms of H2 recovery and energy consumption. Using cobalt phosphide nanoarrays (Co2P/CoP NAs) as a charge mediator, we effectively separated the H2 and O2 evolution of alkaline water electrolysis in time, thereby achieving a membrane-free pathway for H2 purification. The hierarchical array structure and synergistic optimization of the electronic configuration of metallic Co2P and metalloid CoP make the Co2P/CoP NAs high-efficiency bifunctional electrocatalysts for both charge storage and hydrogen evolution. Theoretical investigations revealed that the introduction of Co2P into CoP leads to a moderate hydrogen adsorption free energy and low water dissociation barrier, which are beneficial for boosting HER activity. Meanwhile, Co2P/CoP NAs with high capacitance could maintain a cathodic H2 evolution time of 1500 s at 10 mA cm−2 driven by a low average voltage of 1.38 V. Alternatively, the energy stored in the mediator could be exhausted via coupling with the anodic oxidation of ammonia, whereby only 0.21 V was required to hold the current for 1188 s. This membrane-free architecture demonstrates the potential for developing hydrogen purification technology at low cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Superdislocation configurations in a [011]-oriented single crystal superalloy after creep at 1100 °C/150 MPa have been investigated. Besides a〈110〉 superdislocations, a[100] superdislocations are observed. TEM analysis shows that these a[100] superdislocations are pure edge dislocations and mainly lie on (100) plane with 〈011〉 directions. They form by the reactions of two matrix dislocations with different Burgers vectors, and they may move in a similar way to a〈100〉 dislocations in [001] specimens owing to the zero Schmid factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve superior advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), transitional state activators are of great significance for the production of active radicals by H2O2, while instability limits their activation efficiency. In this study, density functional theory calculation (DFT) results showed that Cu+ exhibits excellent H2O2 activation performance, with Gibbs free energy change (ΔG) of 33.66 kcal/mol, two times less than that of Cu2+ (77.83 kcal/mol). Meanwhile, an electro-Fenton system using Cu plate as an anode was proposed for in situ generation of Cu+. The released Cu with low-valence state can be well-confined on the surface of the exciting electrode, which was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman, and UV-vis spectroscopy. The hydroxyl radicals in this Cu-based electro-Fenton system were determined by the electron spin resonance (ESR). The nitrobenzene degradation ratio was greatly increased by 43.90% with the introduction of the proposed in situ electrochemical Cu+ generation process. Various characterization results indicated that the production of Cu+ was the key factor in the highly efficient Cu-based electro-Fenton reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ethnicity is characterized by genomic fragments, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and structural variations specific to it. However, the widely used 'standard human reference genome' GRCh37/38 is based on Caucasians. Therefore, de novo-assembled reference genomes for specific ethnicities would have advantages for genetics and precision medicine applications, especially with the long-read sequencing techniques that facilitate genome assembly. In this study, we assessed the de novo-assembled Chinese Han reference genome HX1 vis-à-vis the standard GRCh38 for improving the quality of assembly and for ethnicity-specific applications. Surprisingly, all genomic sequencing datasets mapped better to GRCh38 than to HX1, even for the datasets of the Chinese Han population. This gap was mainly due to the massive structural misassembly of the HX1 reference genome rather than the SNPs between the ethnicities, and this misassembly could not be corrected by short-read whole-genome sequencing (WGS). For example, HX1 and the other de novo-assembled personal genomes failed to assemble the mitochondrial genome as a contig. We mapped 97.1% of dbSNP, 98.8% of ClinVar, and 97.2% of COSMIC variants to HX1. HX1-absent, non-synonymous ClinVar SNPs were involved in 140 genes and many important functions in various diseases, most of which were due to the assembly failure of essential exons. In contrast, the HX1-specific regions were scantly expressible, as shown in the cell lines and clinical samples of Chinese patients. Our results demonstrated that the de novo-assembled individual genome such as HX1 did not have advantages against the standard GRCh38 genome due to insufficient assembly quality, and that it is, therefore, not recommended for common use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The location pattern of different commercial stores in Shichahai, a historic conservation area in Beijing, was investigated from a street centrality perspective. Many previous studies have investigated the relationship between street centrality and land use patterns or commercial activities at interurban or intraurban scales. We considered Shichahai in this study to determine if street centrality applied at the street scale and if the street network was the only factor influencing the selection of store location. First, the nearest neighbor index, nearest neighbor hierarchical spatial cluster (NNHSC), and kernel density estimation (KDE) methods were used to provide baseline spatial distributions of commercial stores. Second, urban network analysis (UNA) tools were used to measure the street centrality indices under two conditions, with and without the weighting of cultural relics calculated by a principal component analysis (PCA). Finally, both store locations and centrality values at nodes were transformed to one unit (raster pixel) for a correlation analysis. The results showed that three of the four store types were clustered and had their own hotspots that were mostly located in the eastern and central parts of city blocks. The most momentous findings were determined from the street centrality indices. Among the three store types with correlation coefficients above 0.5, all centrality indices with landmark weighting, except straightness, had higher correlations, with closeness with landmark weighting having the highest correlation, followed by betweenness with landmark weighting. Therefore, we statistically concluded that street centrality could apply at the street scale and that the street network was not the only factor that influenced store location pattern, with landmarks also playing a significant role. The results provide guidance in determining the selection strategy for stores in a historic conservation area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]