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A gram-stain-positive, aerobic, rod-shaped bacterial strain capable of producing siderophores, named YIM B08730T, was isolated from a soil sample collected from Wumeng Mountain National Nature Reserve, Zhaotong City, Yunnan Province. Growth occurred at 10–45 °C (optimum, 35–40 ℃), pH 7.0–9.0 (optimum, 7.0) and in the presence of 0–5 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 0–1 %, w/v). A comparative analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence (1558 bp) of strain YIM B08730T showed the highest similarity to Solibacillus isronensis JCM 13838T (96.2 %), followed by Solibacillus silvestris DSM 12223T (96.0 %) and Solibacillus kalamii ISSFR-015T (95.4 %). The main polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine and one unidentified lipid. The main respiratory quinone of strain YIM B08730T was menaquinone 7 (MK-7). The major fatty acids were iso-C15:0 and C16:1ω7c alcohol. The digital DNA–DNA hybridization and average nucleotide identity values between strain YIM B08730T and the reference strain S. isronensis JCM 13838T were 24.8 % and 81.2 %, respectively. The G + C content of the genomic DNA was 37.1 mol%. The genome of the novel strain contained genes associated with the production of siderophores, and it also revealed other functional gene clusters involved in plant growth promotion and soil bioremediation. Based on these phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic analyses, strain YIM B08730T is considered to be a novel species of the genus Solibacillus, for which the name Solibacillus ferritrahens sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIM B08730T (= NBRC 116268T = CGMCC 1.60169T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pythium oligandrum-derived biomass-activated carbon/graphene oxide (POC/GO) nanohybrid material is prepared for the first time by direct carbonization using the two-dimensional graphene oxide (GO)-incorporated Pythiumoligandrum (PO). Note that the implanted GO is adsorbed and wrapped by the generated PO, which may be a feasible method to separate GO from aqueous systems. The obtained POC/GO exhibits special textural and high conductivity properties due to rapid electron transfer through the two-dimensional GO incorporated into carbonaceous network. Based on the functional POC/GO as a sensitizing substrate, the eosin Y dye-sensitized POC/GO@Pt photocatalysts show high-efficiency H2 evolution activity, which is 1.3 and 2.1 times higher than GO@Pt and POC@Pt. As well as the apparent quantum efficiency of POC/GO@Pt can reach to 32.2% at 430 nm. The superior catalytic activities for H2 evolution are attributed to the inner heat-treated GO which provided fast electron transport channels, while the outer POC with rich defect sites provided adsorption sites for the reactant H2O and co-catalyst Pt. Research ideas and design methods in this paper might provide a new way for preparing other biomass-based carbon materials and solar-driven high active photocatalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engine components, particularly exhaust valves, are manufactured by a specific forming process known as electric upsetting, which contributes to microstructures with finer grains which enhance the performance of these components. To this end, it is necessarily required to describe the grain evolution behaviors of heat-resistant alloys during the electrical-thermal-mechanical coupling forming process. The grain evolution behaviors of Ni80A superalloy including dynamic recrystallization (DRX) kinetics models and mesoscale cellular automaton (CA) model are solved from the acquired stress–strain curves in resistance heating isothermal compression tests. Following which, a multi-field and multi-scale coupling FEM model is established by embedding the multi-scale grain evolution models into the electrical-thermal-mechanical multi-field coupling compression model. Then the grain evolution behaviors in isothermal compressions with processing conditions are reproduced by simulations. The results reveal that during the isothermal compressions, recrystallized grains intend to bulge and generate around the original grain boundaries, representing as 'necklace' microstructures inhomogeneously distributed in the matrix, and then such grain morphology is gradually replaced by refined and equiaxed DRX grains. For a fixed strain, grain size decreases with decreasing temperature and increasing strain rate. Finally, the EBSD characterization results show that the developed FEM model can well describe the grain evolution behaviors of Ni80A superalloy in electrical-thermal-mechanical coupling compression process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cuproptosis is a new mechanism of cell death that differs from previously identified regulatory cell death mechanisms. Cuproptosis induction holds promise as a new tumour treatment. Therefore, we investigated the value of cuproptosis-related genes in the management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The cuproptosis-related gene Dihydrolipoamide S-Acetyltransferase (DLAT) were significantly upregulated in liver cancer tissues. High levels of DLAT were an independent prognostic factor for shorter overallsurvival (OS) time. DLAT and its related genes were mainly involved in cell metabolism, tumor progression and immune regulation. DLAT was significantly associated with the level of immune cell infiltration and immune checkpoints in HCC. HCC with high DLAT expression was predicted to be more sensitive to sorafenib treatment. The risk prognostic signature established based on DLAT and its related genes had a good prognostic value. The cuproptosis-related gene DLAT is a promising independent prognostic marker and therapeutic target in HCC. The new prognostic signature can effectively predict the prognosis of HCC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel aerobic mesophilic bacterial strain with capable of degrading chitin, designated YIM B06366T, was isolated and classified. The rod-shaped, Gram-stain-negative, on-spore-forming bacterium originated from rhizosphere soil sample collected in Kunming City, Yunnan Province, southwest PR China. Strain YIM B06366T exhibited growth at temperatures between 20 and 35 °C (optimum, 30 °C) and at pH 6.0–8.0 (optimum, pH 6.0). The analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity revealed that strain YIM B06366T was most closely related to type strain Chitinolyticbacter meiyuanensis SYBC-H1T (98.9%). Phylogenetic analysis based on genome data indicated that strain YIM B06366T should be assigned to the genus Chitinolyticbacter. The Average Nucleotide Identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA Hybridization (dDDH) values between strain YIM B06366T and the reference strain Chitinolyticbacter meiyuanensis SYBC-H1T were 84.4% and 27.7%, respectively. The major fatty acids included Summed Feature 3 (C16:1ω6c/C16:1ω7c), Summed Feature 8 (C18:1ω6c/C18:1ω7c), and C16:0. The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, aminophospholipids, and two unidentified phospholipids. The predominant menaquinone was Q-8, and the genomic DNA G + C content was 64.1%. Considering the polyphasic taxonomic evidence, strain YIM B06366T is proposed as a novel species within the genus Chitinolyticbacter, named Chitinolyticbacter albus sp. nov. (type strain YIM B06366T = KCTC 92434T = CCTCC AB 2022163T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new Gram-negative, rod-shaped, flagellated bacterium was isolated from soil in the Guishan, Xinping County, Yuxi City, Yunnan Province, China, and named YIM B01952T. Growth occurred at 10–40 °C (optimum, 30 °C), pH 6.0–9.0 (optimum, pH 7.5) and with up to ≤ 5.0% (w/v) NaCl on Tryptic Soy Broth Agar (TSA) plates. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene and draft-genome sequence showed that strain YIM B01952T belonged to the genus Pseudomonas, and was closely related to the type strain of Pseudomonas alcaligenes (sequence similarity was 98.8%). The digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH) value between strain YIM B01952T and the parallel strain P. alcaligenes ATCC 14909T was 49.0% based on the draft genome sequence. The predominant menaquinone was Q-9. The major fatty acids were summed feature 8 (C18:1ω6c and/or C18:1ω7c), summed feature 3 (C16:1ω6c and/or C16:1ω7c) and C16:0. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol, and phosphatidylglycerol. The genome size of strain YIM B01952T was 4.341 Mb, comprising 4156 predicted genes with a DNA G + C content of 66.4 mol%. In addition, we detected that strain YIM B01952T had some traditional functional genes (plant growth promotion and multidrug resistance), unique genes through genome comparison and analysis with similar strains. Based on genetic analyses and biochemical characterization, the strain YIM B01952T was identified as a novel species in the genus Pseudomonas, for which the name Pseudomonas subflava sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIM B01952T (=CCTCC AB 2021498T = KCTC 92073T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and hypothesis: Genome-wide association studies suggest that autophagy plays an important regulatory role in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Inflammation and immune regulation disorders are involved in the occurrence and development of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS). However, the changes and roles of autophagy in IC/BPS have not been reported. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate bladder autophagy and inflammation changes in patients with IC/BPS. Methods: Bladder specimens (n = 5) from patients with cystectomy due to end-stage IC/BPS were collected. The bladder samples of the control group (n = 5) were derived from the normal area bladder tissue after radical cystectomy. H&E and toluidine blue staining were used for histological evaluation. The co-location of LC3, alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and autophagosome was investigated with double-labeled immunofluorescence and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The expression of IL-6, TNF-α, Bax, caspase-3, and BCL-2 in the detrusor layer was analyzed using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blot (WB). Results: Compared with the control group, bladder tissue from IC/BPS patients revealed thinner and edematous epithelium with many mast cells (P < 0.05) infiltrating into the muscle layer. By using TEM (P < 0.05), double-labeled immunofluorescence (P < 0.05), and Western blot (P < 0.05) in IC/BPS patients, autophagy was also found and was significantly increased in detrusor myocytes. IHC and WB indicate the expression of BCL-2 (P < 0.05) was decreased, while IL-6, TNF-α, Bax, and caspase-3 expression was elevated (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The number of autophagosomes in detrusor cells was increased in IC/BPS. However, autophagy of detrusor muscle cells may not have sufficient phagocytic activity to effectively remove damaged proteins and mitochondria, which may lead to the continued deterioration of IC/BPS inflammation and apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new aerobic bacterial strain, designated strain YIM B02290T, was isolated from the soil of Machangqing, Dali city, Yunnan Province, China. Cells were Gram-stain-positive, sporogenous, rod-shaped, and motile with peritrichous flagella. Strain YIM B02290T showed the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with Brevibacillus laterosporus (97.6%) and Brevibacillus halotolerans (97.6%). The ANI and dDDH values between strain YIM B02290T and the two reference strains Brevibacillus laterosporus LAM00312T and Brevibacillus halotolerans DSM 25T are 72.6% and 72.2%, 20.2% and 19.5% based on the draft genome sequence, respectively. The major cellular fatty acids contain anteiso-C15: 0 and iso-C15: 0. The diagnostic diamino acid of the cell-wall peptidoglycan was meso-diaminopimelic acid. The predominant menaquinone was identified as menaquinone-7. The main polar lipids of strain YIM B02290T were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phospholipid, phosphatidyl monomethylethanolamine. The genomic DNA G + C content was 40.6 mol%. All results showed that strain YIM B02290T represents a novel species of the genus Brevibacillus, for which the name Brevibacillus daliensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIM B02290T (= CCTCC AB 2021094T = CGMCC 1.18802T = KCTC 43376T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser direct writing of polyimide (PI) film to induce porous graphene as a flexible electrode facilitates the development of efficient, low-cost, and large-scale preparation of flexible planar micro-supercapacitors (MSCs). Nevertheless, current flexible MSCs based on laser-induced graphene (LIG) face bottlenecks such as poor LIG electrode wettability, inhomogeneous doping of heterogeneous components, and limited electrochemical performance. In view of this, a simple and effective process for in situ fabrication of flexible FeOx nanoparticles embedded N-doped LIG (FeOx@NLIG) electrode is developed by laser direct writing in this study. The as-assembled in-plane FeOx@NLIG MSCs exhibit an excellent areal specific capacitance of 13.82 mF cm−2, a remarkable energy density of 1.228 mW h cm−2 at a high power density of 0.024 mW cm−2, good flexibility, and conspicuous cycling stability. Besides, these high-performance in-plane FeOx@NLIG MSCs as a vital micro-energy storage component can be easily miniaturized, modularized, and integrated to suit customized needs of wearable electronics due to great advantages in terms of identicality and stability of the as-fabricated FeOx@NLIG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: Through materials analysis and theoretical calculations, the defects of CsSnI3 nanowires (NWs) were effectively passivated via incorporating 1-butyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium chloride into perovskites. The high-performance CsSnI3 NW photodetectors (PDs) were achieved with a responsivity of up to 0.237 A W−1, a high detectivity of 1.18 × 1012 Jones and a linear dynamic range of 180 dB. These values are comparable to the reported high-performance Pb-based perovskite PDs and higher than those of the Pb-free perovskite PDs. Our unpackaged devices exhibit ultra-high stability with no degradation after 60 days of storage in air (25 °C, 50% humidity). In recent years, Pb-free CsSnI3 perovskite materials with excellent photoelectric properties as well as low toxicity are attracting much attention in photoelectric devices. However, deep level defects in CsSnI3, such as high density of tin vacancies, structural deformation of SnI6− octahedra and oxidation of Sn2+ states, are the major challenge to achieve high-performance CsSnI3-based photoelectric devices with good stability. In this work, defect passivation method is adopted to solve the above issues, and the ultra-stable and high-performance CsSnI3 nanowires (NWs) photodetectors (PDs) are fabricated via incorporating 1-butyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium chloride salt (BMIMCl) into perovskites. Through materials analysis and theoretical calculations, BMIM+ ions can effectively passivate the Sn-related defects and reduce the dark current of CsSnI3 NW PDs. To further reduce the dark current of the devices, the polymethyl methacrylate is introduced, and finally, the dual passivated CsSnI3 NWPDs show ultra-high performance with an ultra-low dark current of 2 × 10–11 A, a responsivity of up to 0.237 A W−1, a high detectivity of 1.18 × 1012 Jones and a linear dynamic range of 180 dB. Furthermore, the unpackaged devices exhibit ultra-high stability in device performance after 60 days of storage in air (25 °C, 50% humidity), with the device performance remaining above 90%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chinese Journal of Polymer Science has published a special issue on charged polymers, which have attracted significant attention in recent years. The issue includes 14 contributions, including perspectives, reviews, and research articles, covering a wide range of topics in the experimental and theoretical study of charged polymers. The perspectives provide summaries of recent progress and potential future directions in important topics such as the study of inorganic polyoxometalates and the pH-responsive behavior of strong polyelectrolytes. The issue also includes a review on the fundamentals of density functional theories for polyelectrolyte systems. Overall, this special issue provides a snapshot of the research activities on charged polymers in China and showcases the breadth and depth of this research community. [Extracted from the article]

Anaerobic fungus–methanogen co-cultures from rumen liquids and faeces can degrade lignocellulose efficiently. In this study, 31 fungus–methanogen co-cultures were first obtained from the rumen of yaks grazing in Qinghai Province, China, using the Hungate roll-tube technique. The fungi were identified according to morphological characteristics and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences. The methanogens associated with each fungus were identified by polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. They were five co-culture types: Neocallimastix frontalis + Methanobrevibacter ruminantium, Neocallimastix frontalis + Methanobrevibacter gottschalkii, Orpinomyces joyonii + Methanobrevibacter ruminantium, Caecomyces communis + Methanobrevibacter ruminantium, and Caecomyces communis + Methanobrevibacter millerae. Among the 31 co-cultures, during the 5-day incubation, the N. frontalis + M. gottschalkii co-culture YakQH5 degraded 59.0%–68.1% of the dry matter (DM) and 49.5%–59.7% of the neutral detergent fiber (NDF) of wheat straw, corn stalk, rice straw, oat straw and sorghum straw to produce CH4 (3.0–4.6 mmol/g DM) and acetate (7.3–8.6 mmol/g DM) as end-products. Ferulic acid (FA) released at 4.8 mg/g DM on corn stalk and p-coumaric acid (PCA) released at 11.7 mg/g DM on sorghum straw showed the highest values, with the following peak values of enzyme activities: xylanase at 12,910 mU/mL on wheat straw, ferulic acid esterase (FAE) at 10.5 mU/mL on corn stalk, and p-coumaric acid esterase (CAE) at 20.5 mU/mL on sorghum straw. The N. frontalis + M. gottschalkii co-culture YakQH5 from Qinghai yaks represents a new efficient combination for lignocellulose biodegradation, performing better than previously reported fungus–methanogen co-cultures from the digestive tract of ruminants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped bacteria strain, named YIM B01951T, was isolated from a forest soil sample collected from Mopan Mountain National Forest Park, Xinping City, Yunnan Province, southwest PR China (101°58′06" N, 23°03′02" E). Growth occurred at 15–40 °C (optimum, 30 °C), pH 5.0–8.0 (optimum, pH 6.5) and with up to ≤ 3.0% (w/v) NaCl on Nutrient Agar plates. The results of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity analysis showed that strain YIM B01951T was closely related to the type strain of Cohnella arctica M9-62T (96.5%) and Cohnella lupini RLAHU4BT (96.3%). YIM B01951T contains anteiso-C15:0 and iso-C16:0 as the major cellular fatty acids; the main polar lipids are diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), lysylphosphatidylglycerol (PGL) and five aminophospholipids (APL). The MK-7 is the major respiratory quinone and the DNA G + C content is 49.2 mol%. Based on these phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic analyses, strain YIM B01951T is considered to be a novel species of the genus Cohnella, and named Cohnella mopanensis sp. nov. The type strain is YIM B01951T (= NBRC 115331T = KCTC 43370T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With finite line contact mixed elastohydrodynamic lubrication, rough contact can occur between the two contact surfaces, which can result in material wear. Variation in the surface morphology that are caused by wear also alter the local lubrication state between the contact surfaces, and the prediction of this coupling relationship can be difficult. For this study, a numerical simulation model was constructed for the evolution of surface tribological parameters under sliding wear based on the deterministic finite line contact lubrication model and the Archard's wear model. Variations in contact area ratio, coefficient of friction, accumulated wear, and other parameters were analyzed, and the effect of the rough surface wavelength ratio and roughness amplitude on the wear characteristics are discussed. The results of the research demonstrate that it is possible to predict lubrication and wear characteristics of multiple contact types. Considering the effect of rough surface morphology, reducing the wavelength ratio and increasing the roughness range can aggravate the wear of the rough surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we design and train a neural network controller for quadrotor attitude control to expand the application of quadrotors in more complex scenarios and challenging tasks. The neural network controller can allow the quadrotor to reject strong disturbance and realize high dynamic control. Because the quadrotor attitude control is a complex and high dimensional control problem, we propose a new framework that combines supervised learning and reinforcement learning (RL) to train the neural network controller. The neural network controller maps the states of the quadrotor to the control command of rotors in an end-to-end style. Besides, we propose the survival of the fittest principle for neural network preservation to obtain a better policy network during the RL training process. The numerical simulations demonstrate that: when the disturbance is more severe, the neural network controller trained by our method has better anti-disturbance ability than the proportion integration differentiation method and the incremental nonlinear dynamic inversion method, and the neural network controller supports high dynamic control to make the quadrotor achieves a large attitude angle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As for the electric upsetting process of large-scale valves, it is a significant issue to design and coordinate processing parameters aiming to achieve the control of deformation and grain size. Here, the multi-stage loading paths of variable parameters were proposed, and the principles of parameter loading path design in large-scale electric upsetting process were developed. Wherein the heating current and upsetting force were subdivided into multi stages with respect to upsetting cylinder displacement, and the astern speed of anvil is constant. Following which, the loading path patterns of variable parameters involving heating current, upsetting force, and anvil astern speed were designed, and their influence on deformation and grain size were thoroughly investigated based on the developed multi-field and multi-scale coupling FEM model in electric upsetting process of Nimonic80A superalloy. The results show that the coordination in deformation was achieved by adjusting the peaks of upsetting force and heating current as well as their locations. Under the specific loading patterns of upsetting force and anvil astern speed, the sunken defect in garlic head was eliminated by increasing heating current. Corresponding to various loading path patterns, the variations of maximal grain size and maximal temperature with time were analyzed. It indicates that higher heating current results in significant increase in temperature and grain coarsening, while higher upsetting force and slower anvil astern speed could decrease temperature thus exerting grain refinement. Physical experiment of large-scale electric upsetting process validated the optimized loading path pattern. It illustrates that the designed loading path pattern and developed FEM model can be utilized to guide the actual large-scale electric upsetting process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new phenylspirodrimane-type analog, named stachartin G (1), was isolated from the tin mine tailings-associated fungus Stachybotrys chartarum. Its chemical structure was determined using a combination of spectroscopic analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Gram stain-positive, rod-shaped, and subterminal endospore-forming bacterium, designated strain YIM B01967T, was isolated from a forest soil sample collected in Ailaoshan National Nature Reserve, Yuxi City, Xinpin county, Yunnan province, China. Strain YIM B01967T showed the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with Viridibacillus arvi (99.1%) and Viridibacillus arenosi (98.9%). Based on the phylogenetic and 16S rRNA gene sequence results, strain YIM B01967T was affiliated to the genus Viridibacillus. The growth of YIM B01967T was observed at 15–35 °C (optimum, 28 °C), pH 7.0–9.0 (optimum, pH 7.5) and in the presence of 0–2% (w/v) NaCl (optimum in 2% NaCl). The cell wall sugars include ribose, glucose, arabinose, galactose, and mannose. The quinone system consisted of the major compound MK-8 and moderate amounts of MK-7. The major fatty acids (> 10%) included iso-C15:0, anteiso-C15:0, C16:1ω10c. The major polar lipids profile included DPG, PME. The cell wall peptidoglycan was most likely of the type A4α with an l-Lys-d-Asp interpeptide bridge. The genomic DNA G + C content of strain YIM B01967T was 36.3 mol%. The ANI and digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH) values between strain YIM B01967T and Viridibacillus arvi DSM 16317 T, Viridibacillus arenosi DSM 16319 T were 61.0% and 32.1%, 60.0% and 33.1% based on the draft genome sequence. The results support the conclusion that strain YIM B01967T represents a novel species of the genus Viridibacillus, for which the name Viridibacillus soli sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain is YIM B01967T (= KCTC 43249 T = CGMCC 1.18436 T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Gram-stain-positive, coccus-shaped, facultatively anaerobic, non-motile bacterial strain, designated YIM S02567T, was isolated from a forest soil sample collected from Gejiu City, Yunnan Province, southwest PR China. Growth was observed at 10–45 °C, at pH 6.0–9.5, in the presence of up to 4.0% (w/v) NaCl on R2A medium. The results of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity analysis showed that strain YIM S02567T was most closely related to the type strain of Brevilactibacter sinopodophylli (95.4%) and Propioniciclava tarda (94.7%), and phylogenetic analysis based on genome data showed that strain YIM S02567T should be assigned to the genus Propioniciclava. The cell-wall diamino acid was meso-diaminopimelic acid. The major cellular fatty acids were identified as anteiso-C15:0 and C16:0, and the major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, and two unidentified glycolipids. The predominant menaquinone was MK-9(H4). The genomic DNA G + C content was 71.2 mol%. Based on the polyphasic taxonomic evidence, strain YIM S02567T is assigned to a novel member of the genus Propioniciclava, for which the name Propioniciclava soli sp. nov., (type strain YIM S02567T = CCTCC AB 2020128T = CGMCC 1.18504T = KCTC 49478T) is proposed. Furthermore, we propose the reclassification of Brevilactibacter as Propioniciclava gen. nov. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this report, we describe the molecular characterization of two novel mycoviruses coinfecting the plant pathogenic fungus Nigrospora sphaerica, which were designated "Nigrospora sphaerica fusarivirus 1" (NsFV1) and "Nigrospora sphaerica partitivirus 1" (NsPV1). NsFV1 has an undivided genome measuring 6,147 nt, excluding the polyA tail, and was predicted to contain two nonoverlapping open reading frames (ORF1 and 2). The larger ORF1 encodes a polyprotein containing a conserved RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and a helicase domain that has functions related to RNA replication, and the smaller ORF2 encodes a putative protein with an unknown function. NsPV1 consists of two genome segments, which measure 1,796 bp and 1,455 bp in length. Each of the two dsRNAs has a single ORF, and they are predicted to encode proteins with homology to viral RdRps and coat proteins of members of the family Partitiviridae. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that NsFV1 is a member of the recently proposed family "Fusariviridae", while NsPV1 was determined to belong to the genus Gammapartitivirus in the family Partitiviridae. To the best of our knowledge, this report is the first to describe mycoviruses infecting N. sphaerica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel Gram-stain positive, oval-shaped, and non-flagellated bacterium, designated YIM S02566T, was isolated from alpine soil in Shadui Towns, Ganzi County, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, PR China. Growth occurred at 23–35 °C (optimum, 30 °C) in the presence of 0.5–4% (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 1%) and at pH 7.0–8.0 (optimum, pH 7.0). The phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain YIM S02566T was most closely related to the genus Aestuariimicrobium, with Aestuariimicrobium kwangyangense R27T and Aestuariimicrobium soli D6T as its closest relative (sequence similarities were 96.3% and 95.4%, respectively). YIM S02566T contained LL-diaminopimelic acid in the cell wall. MK-9(H4) was the predominant menaquinone. The major fatty acid patterns were anteiso-C15:0 (60.0%). The major polar lipid was DPG. The genome size of strain YIM S02566T was 3.1 Mb, comprising 3078 predicted genes with a DNA G + C content of 69.0 mol%. Based on these genotypic, chemotaxonomic and phenotypic evidences, strain YIM S02566T was identified as a novel species in the genus Aestuariimicrobium, for which the name Aestuariimicrobium ganziense sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIM S02566T (= CGMCC 1.18751 T = KCTC 49,477 T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since December 2019, the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 pandemic (COVID-19) outbroke in Wuhan and spread in China. Here we aimed to investigate the clinical and radiological characteristics of COVID-19 cases. We collected and analyzed the clinical data of 172 hospitalized cases of COVID-19 who were diagnosed via qRT-PCR of nasopharyngeal swabs during January 2020 and February 2020. The chest images were reviewed by radiologists and respirologists. The older patients with COVID-19 in Henan Province had more severe disease and worse prognosis. The male sex, smoking history and Wuhan exposure of patients are not related to the severity or prognosis of COVID-19. Family gatherings were showed among 26.7% of patients. A greater proportion of patients in the severe group suffer from combined chronic diseases. CT results showed that most patients had bilateral lung lesions and multiple lung lobes. The lungs of severe patients are more damaged. Both the infection range and inflammatory factor levels are related to the poor prognosis. Antiviral drugs, immunoglobulin and traditional Chinese medicine are mainly used for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. The discharge rate of COVID-19 patients was 93.0%, and the mortality rate was 2.3%. Case type, lymphocyte ratio grade, and respiratory failure at admission are risk factors for poor prognosis, except for the number of infiltrating lung lobes. The results showed that severe disease process, lymphopenia and respiratory failure are risk factors for the COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To realize the integrated remediation of SW/GW and soil in the rural river network area, the integrated remediation in rural river network area project (IR-RRNA), funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China, has been launched. In eastern China, the rural river network area (RRNA) is an anthropic active area characterized by its rapid economic development and high gross national product. However, the water environmental pollution in these areas is increasingly severe, which has greatly hindered their sustainable development. Especially, the frequent interactions between surface/groundwater (SW–GW) have intensified the pollution migration and transformation in RRNA. The IR-RRNA (2019–2022) will apply the related interdisciplinary and methodological knowledge to elucidate the transportation and transformation of pollutants in water and soil during SW–GW interaction and develop remediation technologies of surface water, groundwater, and soil suitable for the RRNA. In this way, to realize the remediation technologies integration for surface/groundwater and soil in RRNA and implementing application demonstration. Meanwhile, a technical guideline will be compiled for the integrated remediation suitable for the RRNA. This project is conducive to addressing the urgent environmental problems as well as promoting rural economic revitalization and ecological environment optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A graphene-based flexible filter was obtained via one-step laser heating of a polyimide film. The key parameters of a laser have been confirmed by comparing simulated results and experimental data. High-frequency components of input signals were filtered out effectively for different waveforms, such as sine, rectangular, triangle and pulse waveforms. In order to study filtering performance, this paper focused on amplitude frequency curve, phase frequency curve, transient response and mechanical stability. The phase frequency curve is linear distribution, indicating that it is convenient to control phase shift. The mechanical stability of the device remains good even after 5000 bends, which is unreported in previous work. This paper demonstrated that a graphene-based flexible filter prepared by one-step laser heating has excellent performance and opens new way of thinking about flexible electronics in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moutai Jiuqu is a famous aromatic raw material of Maotai flavor liquor in China. It is brewed at high temperature and contains many kinds of bacteria, molds, and yeasts. There are many useful glycoside hydrolases in these microfloras, from which efficient glycoside hydrolases can be screened for biotransformation of natural saponins. In this study, an α-L-arabinofuranosidase gene (CaAraf51, 1524 bp, 507 amino acid, 55.07 kDa, and pI = 4.8) was cloned from Cellulosimicrobium aquatile Lyp51, which was isolated from the Maotai Jiuqu. The CaAraf51 was heterogeneously expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3) and purified by N-terminal His-tag with the Ni2+-affinity column chromatography. The results show that purified CaAraf51 has a 6.8-fold purification factor and specific activity of 15 U/mg. Under optimal conditions (pH 5.0, temperature 40 °C), kinetic parameters Km of CaAraf51 for pNPαAraf and Rc were 1.1 and 0.57 mM, the Vmax were 25 and 6.25 μmol/min/mg, respectively. 90% of 0.87 mg Rc substrate can be transformed by 9.6 U purified CaAraf51 in 1 mL reaction system under suitable conditions (30 °C, pH 7.5 phosphate buffer, 1 h). In addition, we also tested the effects of metal ions and chemical agents on the activity of CaAraf51. According to systematically studied its function and enzymatic properties, CaAraf51 has excellent value and potential of biotransformation Rc into Rd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate cooperative target tracking of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with a limited communication range. This is an integration of UAV motion control, target state estimation, and network topology control. We first present the communication topology and basic notations for network connectivity, and introduce the distributed Kalman consensus filter. Then, convergence and boundedness of the estimation errors using the filter are analyzed, and potential functions are proposed for communication link maintenance and collision avoidance. By taking stable target tracking into account, a distributed potential function based UAV motion controller is discussed. Since only the estimation of the target state rather than the state itself is available for UAV motion control and UAV motion can also affect the accuracy of state estimation, it is clear that the UAV motion control and target state estimation are coupled. Finally, the stability and convergence properties of the coupled system under bounded noise are analyzed in detail and demonstrated by simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infilling strategies play an important role in kriging based optimization, especially when computationally expensive simulations are involved. In order to improve the efficiency of constructing a high-precision kriging model, an improved expected improvement criterion (IEI) and a parallel infilling strategy are proposed based on the maximum expected improvement (EI) criterion. In the proposed parallel infilling strategy, new sample points are generated by employing IEI criterion coupled with EI criterion. During the improved sampling process, redundant and pseudo sample are deleted in order to avoid failure of constructing a kriging model. An improved weighted particle swarm optimization (WPSO) algorithm is proposed to improve optimization efficiency. The proposed parallel infilling strategy is applied to nonlinear function optimization and variable blank holder force (VBHF) optimization in a double-c stamped part. Based on the LHD and software DYNAFORM, kriging models between the VBHF and forming quality are constructed. Compared with the initial kriging models, the meat relative error of kriging models with the proposed parallel infilling strategy for the wrinkling and average thinning rate are reduced by 95% and 55%, respectively. The optimal VBHF is obtained by the WPSO. The results show that, cracking has been completely eliminated and wrinkling has been decreased, greatly improving the forming quality of the double-c stamped part. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder that affects the joint synovium. Anserine is a functional dipeptide containing methylhistidine and β-alanine, and is present in the brain and skeletal muscle of birds and mammals. Glucosamine is an amino sugar used in the synthesis of glycosylated proteins and lipids. We evaluated the effects of anserine and glucosamine on RA. Rats were assigned into the control group, RA group, anserine group (1 mg/kg), glucosamine group (200 mg/kg), or anserine plus glucosamine group (anserine, 1 mg/kg + glucosamine, 200 mg/kg). Treatment was continued for 45 consecutive days and was administered orally. The serum levels of catalase, glutathione peroxidase (Gpx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH), lipid peroxidation, uric acid, nitric oxide, ceruloplasmin, zinc, copper, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-3, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6 were assayed. The mRNA and protein levels of nuclear factor (NF)-κB and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in synovial tissue were also determined. Anserine plus glucosamine significantly increased the catalase, SOD, Gpx, GSH, and zinc levels compared to the control, anserine, and glucosamine groups. Also, anserine plus glucosamine significantly reduced the PGE2, MMP-3, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 levels compared to the control, anserine, and glucosamine groups. Furthermore, anserine plus glucosamine significantly reduced the mRNA and protein levels of NF-κB and iNOS compared to the control, anserine, and glucosamine groups. Therefore, supplementation of anserine plus glucosamine shows therapeutic potential for RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrilase-mediated biocatalysis reactions have been continuously arousing wide interests by scholars and entrepreneurs in organic synthesis over the past six decades. Since regioselective nitrilases could hydrolyze only one cyano group of dinitriles into corresponding cyanocarboxylic acids, which are virtually impossible by chemical hydrolysis and of interest for a variety of applications, it becomes particularly appealing to synthetic chemists. The aim of the current review is to summarize the recent advancements on regioselective nitrilases concerning their fundamental researches and applications in synthesis of a series of high-value fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Carbon chain lengths and substituent group positions of substrates are found to be two crucial factors in affecting regioselectivity of nitrilase. Practical applications of regioselective nitrilases in synthesis of 1,5-dimethyl-2-piperidone (1,5-DMPD), atorvastatin, gabapentin, (R)-baclofen, and (S)-pregabalin were systematically reviewed. Future perspectives clearly elucidating the mechanism of regioselectivity and further molecular modifications of regioselective nitrilases integrating within silico technology for industrial applications were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A self-healing hydrogel was synthesized via the multi-component reaction of azobenzene-methacrylamide, β-CD and 3-methacrylamido phenylboronic acid. The orthogonal method was applied to analyze the influence of host–guest inclusion complexation, cross-linker and phenylboronic acid monomers content on mechanical properties and healing efficiency of the hydrogel. The results indicated that hydrogel showed autonomic self-healing behavior. The hydrogel demonstrated light-switchable self-healing ability and pH-sensitive swelling ratio. It was found that hydrogel showed high elongation, excellent resilience and low elastic hysteresis. The design of the combined host–guest interactions and boronate esters on the hydrogel showed advantage for improving the mechanical, self-healing and recovery properties simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal and mechanical properties of the chemically imidized polyimide (CIPI) films and thermally imidized polyimide (TIPI) films were investigated systematically. Experimental results indicated that the CIPI films show dramatically enhanced tensile strength and modulus with obviously reduced coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) in comparison with TIPI films. These enhancements results from the high in-plane orientation and close packing of the CIPI backbones. Compared with thermal imidization which starts at about 140 °C, the chemical imidization activated by acetic anhydride and isoquinoline initiates the cyclization even at room temperature. The resulting imide rings restrict the mobility of polymer chains and lead to the in-plane orientation with solvent evaporation. Additionally, fewer small molecules remain in the films after treated at 120 °C by chemical imidization than by thermal imidization. The polymer chain plasticization caused by the evaporation of small molecules at high temperature is obviously restricted. Moreover, the partially imidized polymer inhibits the decomposition of mainchains that occurs at subsequent high temperature process, being beneficial to the formation of high molecular weight PI films. Hence, chemical imidization pathway shows apparent advantage to produce PI films with great combined properties, including high modulus, strength and toughness, as well as high thermal dimension stability etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Imbalanced data classification is often met in our real life. In this paper, a novel k-nearest neighbor (KNN)-based maximum margin and minimum volume hyper-sphere machine (KNN-M3VHM) is presented for the imbalanced data classification. The basic idea is to construct two hyper-spheres with different centres and radiuses. The first one contains majority examples and the second one covers minority examples. When constructing the first hyper-sphere, we remove some redundant majority samples using k-nearest neighbor (KNN)-based strategy to balance two classes of samples. Meanwhile, we maximize the margin between two hyper-spheres and minimize their volumes, which can result in two tight boundaries around each class. Similar to the twin hyper-sphere support vector machine (THSVM), KNN-M3VHM solves two related SVM-type problems and avoids the matrix inverse operation when solving the convex optimization problems. KNN-M3VHM considers not only the within-class information but also the between-class margin, then it achieves better performance in comparison with other state-of-the-art algorithms. Experimental results on twenty-five datasets validate the significant advantages of our proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motions of single poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) molecules during the formation of the dendrite crystals in ultrathin films are captured by single molecule fluorescence microscopy. The relationship of single molecule diffusion coefficient with the crystal growth rate, together with radius curvature, side-branch spacing of dendrite crystal and morphology are examined. The results support Mullins-Sekerka (MS) instability as the origin of lamellar branching induced by a diffusion field generated by a gradient of polymer segment density ahead of the crystal. Further analysis of the molecular trajectories has recognized different types of motions, depending on the distance to the crystal front: Fickian diffusion in regions far away from the crystal, sub-diffusion in regions adjacent to the crystal, and directed motion between these two regions. Anti-correlation of successive steps is discovered accompanying the sub-diffusion, providing a clear signature of macromolecule crowding at the crystal growth front. This anomalous diffusion process in polymer ultrathin films presents a new insight into the understanding of the retarded dynamics of interfacial mass transport towards the crystal front. It is considered to play a decisive role in controlling the crystal growth and evolution of crystal morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chemerin, a known chemoattractant, participates in multiple biological events. However, its role in cancer remains largely unknown.Methods: Chemerin expression was evaluated by real-time PCR, western blot and immunohistochemistry. Forced expression, RNAi, immunoprecipitation, etc. were used in function and mechanism study. Mouse models of extrahepatic and intrahepatic metastasis were employed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of chemerin.Results: Chemerin expression was significantly downregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma, and associated with poor prognosis of HCC patients. Forced expression of chemerin inhibited in vitro migration, invasion and in vivo metastasis of HCC cells. Administration of chemerin effectively suppressed extrahepatic and intrahepatic metastases of HCC cells, resulting in prolonged survival of tumour-bearing nude mice. Chemerin upregulated expression and phosphatase activity of PTEN by interfering with PTEN-CMKLR1 interaction, leading to weakened ubiquitination of PTEN and decreased p-Akt (Ser473) level, which was responsible for suppressed migration, invasion and metastasis of HCC cells. Positive correlation between chemerin and PTEN, and reverse correlation between chemerin and p-Akt (Ser473) were also observed in HCC clinical samples and intrahepatic mouse model in vivo.Conclusions: Our study has revealed the suppressive role and therapeutic potential of chemerin in HCC metastasis, providing both a prognostic marker and drug candidate for HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer chain ends play an important role in the glassy dynamics of polymeric materials. In this study, a combination of single molecule defocus fluorescence microscopy and well-controlled atom transfer radical polymerization was used to investigate site-dependent segmental mobility of poly( n-butyl methacrylate). As the temperature increased, the rotation of fluorophores, which were selectively labelled in chain end and chain middle, was gradually activated. The power spectra of rotation trajectories, the distribution of angular displacement as well as the population of rotating fluorophores demonstrated that the local dynamics was more activated at the chain ends than the middles, showing the unique contribution of the chain end to the dynamics of the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Nonparallel support vector machine based on one optimization problem (NSVMOOP) aims at finding two nonparallel hyper-planes by maximizing the intersection angle of their normal vectors w and w . As maximum intersection angle preserves both compactness and separation of data, NSVMOOP yields good forecasting accuracy. However, as it solves one large quadratic programming problem (QPP), it costs high running time. In order to improve its learning speed, a novel nonparallel least square support vector machine (NLSSVM) is proposed in this paper. NLSSVM solves a linear system of equations instead of solving one large QPP. As both intersection angle and least square version are applied on our NLSSVM, it performs better generalization performance than other algorithms. Experimental results on twenty benchmark datasets demonstrate its validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The morbidity of bone metastasis (BM) from colorectal cancer (CRC) is increasing more than ever; however, insufficient research on BM from CRC leads to reduced awareness of the issue. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical features and prognostic risk factors of CRC patients with BM. Clinical data were retrospectively analyzed for a total of 242 CRC patients with BM. Of the 242 CRC patients with BM, 52 (21.5 %) had bone metastasis alone (BMA) and 190 (78.5 %) had both bone and visceral metastasis (BM&VM). The median survival time (MST) after the diagnosis of BM in all 242 patients was 15.6 months (95 % confidence interval [CI] 12.74-18.46 months). The MST of the BMA group was significantly longer than that of the BM&VM group (29.1 vs. 12.8 months, p = 0.003). Using a Cox proportional hazard model, we identified a high carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level and BMA as independent prognostic factors for CRC patients with BM. For the BMA group, the independent prognostic factors were elevated alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and perineural invasion of the primary cancer, which were distinct from the factors for the entire group of BM patients. Furthermore, we found that the BMA patients with multiple sites of BM had similar prognosis to the BM&VM patients. These findings together provide us with a further understanding of BM from CRC and reveal that BMA may be a distinct subset of BM from CRC that has unique independent prognostic factors and a good prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lateral diffusion of diblock copolymer residing on the interfaces between two immiscible liquids is investigated at single molecular level. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy was used to study the diffusion of fluorescence-labeled diblock copolymer, polystyrene- b-polyisoprene, at the interface formed between two immiscible liquids. The interfaces are formed between N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and a few immiscible liquids, n-alkane and polyisoprene. Interfacial diffusion coefficient of the diblock copolymer probe is found to decrease monotonously with the increase of the molecular length of the interface constituting liquids. The decrease of diffusion coefficient follows the prediction by Einstein relation using the viscosity of the constituting liquids as the variables only for interfaces between DMF and very small n-alkanes. For interfaces formed between DMF and bigger alkanes and especially between DMF and polyisoprene, the diffusion coefficient is much higher than the calculated value, indicating that the probe molecule starts to probe the much less viscous interfacial region because the interfacial width gets larger, whose thickness is comparable to the molecule size of the liquids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and most aggressive central nervous system tumor in adults. Due to GBM cell invasiveness and resistance to chemotherapy, current medical interventions are not satisfactory, and the prognosis for GBM is poor. It is necessary to investigate the underlying mechanism of GBM metastasis and drug resistance so that more effective treatments can be developed for GBM patients. sushi repeat-containing protein, X-linked 2 (SRPX2) is a prognostic biomarker in many different cancer cell lines and is associated with poor prognosis in cancer patients. SRPX2 overexpression promotes interactions between tumor and endothelial cells, leading to tumor progression and metastasis. We hypothesize that SRPX2 also contributes to GBM chemotherapy resistance and metastasis. Our results revealed that GBM tumor samples from 42 patients expressed higher levels of SRPX2 than the control normal brain tissue samples. High-SRPX2 expression levels are correlated with poor prognosis in those patients, as well as resistance to temozolomide in cultured GBM cells. Up-regulating SRPX2 expression in cultured GBM cell lines facilitated invasiveness and migration of GBM cells, while down-regulating SRPX2 through RNA interference was inhibitory. These results suggest that SRPX2 plays an important role in GBM metastasis. Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is one of the processes that facilitate GBM metastasis and resistance to chemotherapy. EMT marker expression was decreased in SRPX2 down-regulated GBM cells, and MAPK signaling pathway marker expression was also decreased when SRPX2 is knocked down in GBM-cultured cells. Blocking the MAPK signaling pathway inhibited GBM metastasis but did not inhibit cell invasion and migration in SRPX2 down-regulated cells. Our results indicate that SRPX2 facilitates GBM metastasis by enhancing the EMT process via the MAPK signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the effect of the temperature and the humidity on the indirectly-heated type microwave power sensor is researched in order to extend its application field, and their mechanism is revealed. The fabrication of this microwave power sensor is divided into a front side and a back side processing using GaAs MMIC process and MEMS technology. One advantage of this microwave power sensor consists in compatibility with MMIC devices and other planar connecting circuits structures with zero dc power consumption. The measurement results show that the environment temperature has a significant effect on the performance of the indirectly-heated type microwave power sensor, and the humidity has a little effect on its performance. The temperature dependent coefficient is about 0.6 mV/(W K), which has an important reference value to other thermoelectric microwave power sensor. The reason is that the accuracy microwave power measurement will be realized as long as the environment temperature is tracked in the testing process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the role of MRI in the early diagnosis of tubal ectopic pregnancy (EP).Methods: Clinical and MRI features of 27 cases of tubal pregnancy were reviewed.Results: A thick-walled gestational sac (GS)-like structure was demonstrated lateral to the uterus in all cases. On T2-weighted images, the thick wall typically exhibited 3 discrete rings in 22 cases (81 %), among which 17 cases (63 %) displayed small vessels and 6 cases (33 %) exhibited small areas of fresh haemorrhage inside the thick wall. The contents demonstrated non-specific liquid in 26 %, papillary solid components in 56 %, and fresh blood or fluid-fluid level in 19 % of the cases. Dilatation of the affected fallopian tube associated with hematosalpinx was demonstrated in 18 cases (67 %) and marked enhancement of the tubal wall was observed in 22 cases (81 %). No correlation was found between the size of the GS and the estimated gestational age (r = 0.056).Conclusion: MRI plays an important role in the early diagnosis and management of tubal pregnancy. The characteristic MRI features include a GS-like structure with a "three rings" appearance on T2-weighted images, presence of solid components in the sac, dilatation of the affected fallopian tube with hematosalpinx, and tubal wall enhancement.Key Points: • MR imaging has served as a problem-solving procedure in ectopic pregnancy. • MR imaging features can be criteria for early diagnosis of tubal pregnancy. • Detailed assessment of ectopic implantation is necessary for management decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a new time-constrained guidance approach for the multi-missile network by using the nonlinear model predictive control (MPC) technique. The objective is to coordinate the impact time of a group of interceptor missiles against the stationary target. The framework of a distributed MPC scheme is developed. Each missile is assigned its own finite-horizon optimal control problem (FHOCP) and only shares the information with its neighbors. The solutions of the local FHOCP are obtained by using the improved pigeon-inspired optimization method that serves as a convenient tool to deal with the equality and inequality constraints. Further, a safe distance-based penalty term is integrated into the local cost function to achieve no-fly zone avoidance for the multi-missile network. The numerical simulations show that the distributed MPC scheme is effective to implement the cooperative time-constrained guidance with satisfied accuracy of target capture. The Monte Carlo test also demonstrates the robustness of the proposed guidance approach in consideration of the no-fly zone constraint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the novel use of pigeon-inspired optimization (PIO) to generate the constrained gliding trajectory for hypersonic gliding vehicles. The velocity-dependent bank angle profile is developed in a quite simple formulation in order to reduce the searching space of the trajectory control command. The end-to-end trajectory and maximum-range trajectory are obtained by the enforced PIO algorithm which serves as an effective tool to deal with the typical path constraints and terminal conditions. Further, the forward and backward reversal logic is proposed to construct approximate footprints that can provide a fast decision in the mission deployment for nominal flights and abort situations. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the improved PIO algorithm is feasible and reliable to generate the constrained gliding trajectory for hypersonic gliding vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One rare dichlorinated aromatic lactone was isolated from the tin mine tailings-derived fungus Torula sp. YIM DT 10072. Its structure was determined by detailed analysis of spectroscopic data including 1H NMR, 13C NMR, 2D NMR, and HR-FAB-MS. The compound showed antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus with MIC value of 64 μg/mL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the unified cooperative strategies for the salvo attack of multiple missiles on the basis of the traditional proportional navigation (PN) algorithm. The cooperative guidance laws are developed in a quite simple formulation consisting of a PN component for target capture and a coordination component for simultaneous arrival. The centralized coordination algorithms have better performance when the global information of time-to-go can be obtained by each missile, whereas the decentralized coordination algorithms come into effect when the group member is only able to collect information from its neighbors. The cooperative strategies can achieve a simultaneous attack against both stationary and maneuvering targets. Numerical simulations are used to demonstrate that the proposed approaches are feasible and flexible for the salvo attack of multiple missiles. The capturability analyses of the cooperative guidance laws are also performed by discussing the selection of gain parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented about the enrichment and stability of circular RNA in exosomes.

We have developed a novel material with a hybrid multiwalled carbon nanotube-graphitic platelet architecture for lithium ion battery (LIB) anode that requires no additional aggregate and support materials such as polymeric binders and current collectors of copper or aluminum foils. The absence of these inhomogeneous additives signifies a weight increase of the anode active materials, which contributes to charge-discharge capacities and gives rise to increasing energy densities. The as-prepared materials were characterized by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and electrochemical measurements. Results reveal that these hybrid architecture materials with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and layered and honeycombed graphitic platelets not only show excellent performance as LIB electrode material but also lower the manufacturing costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]