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Abstract Diabetic neuropathic pain (DNP), one of the most common complications of diabetes, is characterized by bilateral symmetrical distal limb pain and substantial morbidity. To compare the differences is aimed at serum metabolite levels between 81 DNP and 73 T2DM patients without neuropathy and found that the levels of branched‐chain amino acids (BCAA) are significantly lower in DNP patients than in T2DM patients. In high‐fat diet/low‐dose streptozotocin (HFD/STZ)‐induced T2DM and leptin receptor‐deficient diabetic (db/db) mouse models, it is verified that BCAA deficiency aggravated, whereas BCAA supplementation alleviated DNP symptoms. Mechanistically, using a combination of RNA sequencing of mouse dorsal root ganglion (DRG) tissues and label‐free quantitative proteomic analysis of cultured cells, it is found that BCAA deficiency activated the expression of L‐type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1) through ATF4, which is reversed by BCAA supplementation. Abnormally upregulated LAT1 reduced Kv1.2 localization to the cell membrane, and inhibited Kv1.2 channels, thereby increasing neuronal excitability and causing neuropathy. Furthermore, intraperitoneal injection of the LAT1 inhibitor, BCH, alleviated DNP symptoms in mice, confirming that BCAA‐deficiency‐induced LAT1 activation contributes to the onset of DNP. These findings provide fresh insights into the metabolic differences between DNP and T2DM, and the development of approaches for the management of DNP.

Abstract Aims To assess the different imaging characteristics between corticosteroid‐sensitive (CS) and corticosteroid‐refractory (CR) immune checkpoint inhibitor‐associated myocarditis (ICIaM) with cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and the potential CMR parameters in the early detection of CR ICIaM. Methods and results Thirty‐five patients diagnosed with ICIaM and 30 age and gender‐matched cancer patients without a history of ICI treatment were enrolled. CMR with contrast was performed within 2 days of clinical suspicion. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) were assessed by CMR. LV sub‐endocardial (GLSendo) and sub‐epicardial (GLSepi) global longitudinal strains were quantified by offline feature tracking analysis. CS and CR ICIaM were defined based on the trend of Troponin I and clinical course during corticosteroid treatment. All 35 patients presented with non‐fulminant symptoms upon initial assessment. Twenty patients (57.14%) were sensitive, and 15 (42.86%) were refractory to corticosteroids. Compared with controls, 22 patients (62.86%) with ICIaM developed LGE. LVEF decreased in CR ICIaM compared with the CS group and controls. GLSendo (−14.61 ± 2.67 vs. −18.50 ± 2.53, P

Abstract Background Sarcopenia is highly prevalent among patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Computed tomography (CT)‐based assessment of low skeletal muscle index (SMI) is widely used for diagnosing sarcopenia. However, there are conflicting findings on the association between low SMI and overall survival (OS) in CRC patients. The objective of this study was to investigate whether CT‐determined low SMI can serve as a valuable prognostic factor in CRC. Methods We collected data from patients with CRC who underwent radical surgery at our institution between June 2020 and November 2021. The SMI at the third lumbar vertebra was calculated using CT scans, and the cutoff values for defining low SMI were determined using receiver operating characteristic curves. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to assess the associations between clinical characteristics and postoperative major complications. Results A total of 464 patients were included in the study, 229 patients (46.7%) were classified as having low SMI. Patients with low SMI were older and had a lower body mass index (BMI), a higher neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and higher nutritional risk screening 2002 (NRS2002) scores compared to those with normal SMI. Furthermore, patients with sarcopenia had a higher rate of major complications (10.9% vs. 1.3%; p

Abstract Aim Rates vary widely across hospitals globally and typically range from 3 to 11 falls per 1000 bed days and as 7–11 in Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University. This study determined to explore contributing factors and poor prognosis of fall in elderly tumour patients in China. Design A cross‐sectional study. Methods 161 older adults were invited to participate in this study and completed a self‐reported questionnaire, took blood tests, and received the exam of musculoskeletal ultrasound. Results Among 161 patients, falls occurred in 41 cases, accounting for 24.8%. 51.6% of older adults suffered from intermediate‐to‐high risk of falls. Fall history, reduced self‐care ability, sleep disturbance, hearing impairment, hyperkyphosis, chronic disease, platelet count, and the thickness of left muscle rectus femoris (LF‐MLT), and left cross‐sectional area (LF‐CSA) were all contributing factors of fall, and higher risk of fall indicating lower quality of life. A fall prediction model was established in this study based on above contributing factors with good prediction efficiency (AUC = 0.920). Patient or public contribution The patient volunteers participated in this study and provided valuable data for the final analysis and the acquisition of conclusion.

Abstract Sarcopenia is an age‐related disease and is often accompanied by other diseases. Now, many studies have shown that cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) may raise the incidence rate of sarcopenia. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta‐analysis to investigate the prevalence of sarcopenia in patients with CVDs compared with the general population, defined as relatively healthy non‐hospitalized subjects. The databases of PubMed, Embase, Medline and Web of Science were searched for eligible studies published up to 12 November 2022. Two assessment tools were used to evaluate study quality and the risk of bias. Statistical analysis was conducted using STATA 14.0 and R Version 4.1.2. Thirty‐eight out of the 89 629 articles retrieved were included in our review. The prevalence of sarcopenia ranged from 10.1% to 68.9% in patients with CVDs, and the pooled prevalence was 35% (95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 28–42%). The pooled prevalence of sarcopenia was 32% (95% CI: 23–41%) in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF), 61% (95% CI: 49–72%) in patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), 43% (95% CI: 2–85%) in patients with coronary artery disease, 30% (95% CI: 25–35%) in patients with cardiac arrhythmia (CA), 35% (95% CI: 10–59%) in patients with congenital heart disease and 12% (95% CI: 7–17%) in patients with unclassed CVDs. However, in the general population, the prevalence of sarcopenia varied from 2.9% to 28.6% and the pooled prevalence was 13% (95% CI: 9–17%), suggesting that the prevalence of sarcopenia in patients with CVDs was about twice compared with the general population. The prevalence of sarcopenia was significantly higher only in patients with ADHF, CHF and CA compared with the general population. There is a positive correlation between CVDs and sarcopenia. The prevalence of sarcopenia is higher in patients with CVDs than that in the general population. With global aging, sarcopenia has brought a heavy burden to individuals and society. Therefore, it is important to identify the populations with high‐risk or probable sarcopenia in order to do an early intervention, such as exercise, to counteract or slow down the progress of sarcopenia.

Abstract Herein, the first diversity‐oriented catalytic asymmetric dearomatization of indoles with o‐quinone diimides (o‐QDIs) is reported. The catalytic asymmetric dearomatization (CADA) of indoles is one of the research focuses in terms of the structural and biological importance of dearomatized indole derivatives. Although great achievements have been made in target‐oriented CADA reactions, diversity‐oriented CADA reactions are regarded as more challenging and remain elusive due to the lack of synthons featuring multiple reaction sites and the difficulty in precise control of chemo‐, regio‐, and enantio‐selectivity. In this work, o‐QDIs are employed as a versatile building block, enabling the chemo‐divergent dearomative arylation and [4 + 2] cycloaddition reactions of indoles. Under the catalysis of chiral phosphoric acid and mild conditions, various indolenines, furoindolines/pyrroloindolines, and six‐membered‐ring fused indolines are collectively prepared in good yields with excellent enantioselectivities. This diversity‐oriented synthesis protocol enriches the o‐quinone chemistry and offers new opportunities for CADA reactions.

Abstract Aims To describe the home care experience, challenges and coping strategies of caregivers with children on automatic peritoneal dialysis (PD) in mainland China during the early stage of the COVID‐19 outbreak. Design A qualitative descriptive approach was adopted. Semi‐structured telephone interviews were conducted among 14 families with children on automatic peritoneal dialysis from February 2nd to 10th, 2020. The care routine, stress and coping strategies of caregivers of children on peritoneal dialysis were collected. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. Methods Four key themes were defined: (1) concerns about PD treatment intertwined with worries about COVID‐19; (2) retaining a sense of normality in the middle of the challenges; (3) staying safe; and (4) staying positive and carrying on. Results Families with children on automatic PD addressed the stress from COVID‐19 and its containment measures by closely adhering to COVID‐19 preventative measures, actively adjusting mentality and maintaining a sense of normality during the outbreak. This implies that healthcare staff need to be more aware of the complex medical needs of families with children on automatic PD, advocate for them and facilitate their navigation through the repurposed healthcare system.

Abstract Background Early detection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) may improve the prognosis of patients. This study was to identify metabolic features of PDAC and to discover early detection biomarkers for PDAC by tissue and serum metabolomics analysis. Methods We conducted nontargeted metabolomics analysis in tissue samples of 51 PDAC tumors, 40 noncancerous pancreatic tissues (NT), and 14 benign pancreatic neoplasms (BP) as well as serum samples from 80 patients with PDAC, 36 with BP, and 48 healthy controls (Ctr). The candidate metabolites identified from the initial analysis were further quantified using targeted analysis in serum samples of an independent cohort of 22 early stage PDAC, 27 BP, and 27 Ctr subjects. Unconditional binary logistic regression analysis was used to construct the optimal model for PDAC diagnosis. Results Upregulated levels of fatty acids and lipids and downregulated amino acids were observed in tissue and serum samples of PDAC patients. Proline, creatine, and palmitic acid were identified as a panel of potential biomarkers to distinguish PDAC from BP and Ctr (odds ratio = 2.17, [95% confidence interval 1.34–3.53]). The three markers showed area under the receiver‐operating characteristic curves (AUCs) of 0.854 and 0.865, respectively, for the comparison of PDAC versus Ctr and PDAC versus BP. The AUCs were 0.830 and 0.852 in the validation set and were improved to 0.949 and 0.909 when serum carbohydrate antigen 19‐9 (CA19‐9) was added to the model. Conclusion The novel metabolite biomarker panel identified in this study exhibited promising performance in distinguishing PDAC from BP or Ctr, especially in combination with CA19‐9.

Abstract Background There were controversies for the association between computed tomography (CT)‐determined low skeletal muscle mass (SMM) and overall survival (OS) in gastric cancer (GC). In this study, we investigated whether cachexia could be a potential confounding variable for this issue. Methods We retrospectively collected the patients of GC in our institution between July 2016 and January 2021. Preoperative SMM was determined by analyzing the skeletal muscle index of L3 with abdominal CT, and the cut‐offs for low SMM were defined as

Abstract Objective Arytenoid dislocation (AD) after general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation (EI) is an iatrogenic injury that impairs patient function and requires reduction. We aimed to investigate the risk factors of AD following EI. Methods This retrospective case‐control study involved surgical adults who received EI for general anesthesia at a single institution from June 2010 to June 2020. Cases included all the patients who had AD. We used a ratio of 1:5 to identify patients in the propensity‐matched control group. Results Multivariate analysis of 49 cases with AD and 245 controls without AD demonstrated that the use of a nasogastric (NG) tube (odds ratio [OR], 23.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 6.8–84.1), undergoing abdominal surgery (OR, 3.7; 95% CI, 1.2–11.9), and an operative time longer than 3 h (OR, 5.2; 95% CI, 2.1–12.9) were risk factors for AD. We did not find significant independent associations between AD and 40 years or older age, gender, body mass index, whether a laryngeal mask airway was used, endotracheal tube size, and EI performers' experience. Conclusion The use of an NG tube, abdominal surgery, and longer operative time were risk factors for AD. Among these, the NG tube application showed a strong association with AD. Preventive measures of informing the patients of the increased risk and providing high‐level patient monitoring can reduce the incidence of AD. Level of Evidence III

Abstract Cuprous oxide (Cu2O) microcrystal is an excellent material for absorbing visible light and photo‐catalyzing various water pollutants. The photocatalytic performance of Cu2O crystal mainly depends on its morphology and exposure surface. In this study, Cu2O crystals have been successfully fabricated at room temperature. Morphology and the proportion of exposed crystal faces are regulated by a simple method with hydrazine hydrate as the reducing agent. The experimental results unveiled that high dosage of hydrazine hydrate tends to produce crystals with spherical and low (111) plane ratios, while low dosage of hydrazine hydrate provides an excellent condition for the formation of octahedral microcrystal with high proportion of (111) planes. The photocatalytic degradation efficiency of methylene blue (MB) in visible light increased with the proportion of (111) planes. Analysis shows that the better crystallinity and conductivity of the octahedron structure improved the utilization rate of photogenerated carriers, while the unsaturated Cu on the (111) planes as the active site promotes the decomposition of the pollutants.

Objective To investigate the effect of intermittent parathyroid hormone (PTH) on gut microbiota (GM) in ovariectomized (OVX) osteoporotic rats. Methods Thirty female Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into three groups: sham‐operation (SHAM) group, OVX group and PTH treatment group. After 3 months of treatment, the femurs, serum and feces were acquired for micro‐CT, biochemical analysis and 16S rRNA sequencing, respectively. For 16S rRNA sequencing, after raw reads filtrated and chimera sequences removed, the clean reads were obtained. According to these clean reads, the operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were clustered. Venn diagram analysis was conducted to explore common and unique GM among the three groups. The α‐diversity analysis including Shannon and Simpson indexes were used to evaluate the richness and diversity of the GM. The β‐diversity analysis was performed to estimate the structure of GM. The metabolic function was predicted by Tax4Fun analysis. Results With micro‐CT and biochemical analysis, significant improvements were found in the PTH group compared with the OVX group. In Venn diagram analysis, more unique OTUs were found in the SHAM and PTH groups than the OVX group. According to the rank abundance curve, the SHAM and PTH groups had similar richness and evenness, which were higher than the OVX group. Simpson and Shannon indexes were higher in the SHAM and PTH groups compared with the OVX group, indicating that the SHAM and PTH groups had higher microbiota complexity than the OVX group. In β‐diversity analysis, apparent separation was found in the OVX group from the PTH and SHAM groups, which suggested that osteoporosis is the critical factor influencing the GM composition and PTH treatment and can restore the structure of GM. Compared with the OVX group, treatment with PTH increased the abundances of GM which were reported to increase bone mass, such as Lactobacillus_reuteri, Muribaculaceae, Ruminococcaceae, and Clostridia, and inhibited the relative abundance of Rikenellaceae, which was reported to be potentially related to osteoporosis. GM function analysis showed that PTH could promote butyrate synthesis. In Tax4Fun analysis, the function of butanoate metabolism is more vital in the PTH group than the OVX and SHAM groups, suggesting PTH treatment could regulate microbial metabolic function, including butanoate metabolism. Conclusion Intermittent PTH can interact with GM through increasing the abundance of probiotics and reducing the abundance of the pathogenic bacteria to enhance the bone mass.

Abstract Introduction The main emphasis of the research about adjuvant imatinib for high‐risk gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) is prolonging the treatment duration and ignores the heterogeneous that 10‐year recurrence rates ranged from about 20%–100%. Thus, this study evaluated the effect of different durations of adjuvant imatinib on outcomes in high‐risk GISTs to explore the feasibility of individual treatment. Methods We analyzed 855 high‐risk GIST patients from three centers who underwent macroscopically complete resection between December 2007 and September 2020. The patients were divided into training (n =564) and two validation cohorts (n = 238 and53) based on their source. Recurrence‐free survival (RFS) was the primary point. Cox multivariate analysis was used to develop the nomogram. C‐index, time‐dependent area under the curves, and calibration plots were used to assess the performance of the nomogram. Results Univariate analysis showed that longer adjuvant imatinib was significantly associated with better 5‐year RFS (p

Abstract Background X‐linked adrenal hypoplasia congenita (AHC) is a rare disorder, often manifesting as primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI) and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH), and caused by variants of NR0B1, most of which are frame‐shifting variants, and few splice‐site variants. Methods and Results Here, a novel splice‐site variant of NR0B1 (NM_000475.4), c.1169‐2A>T (patient 1), and a stop‐loss variant of NR0B1 c.1411T>C (patient 2) are described in this study. We perform minigene assays for the splice‐site variant (c.1169‐2A>T) and determine that the variant causes exon 2 skipping. Moreover, the defect of NR0B1 protein may bring about the severe phenotype of the patient. Through 8 years of follow‐up, we compare the CT images from 8 years ago with the latest image, and observe the CT image change of adrenal in patient 2 (from the increased thickness of adrenal to adrenal atrophy). Conclusion X‐linked adrenal hypoplasia congenita is produced by variants of NR0B1. We report a case that presents a novel splice‐site variant, which has been verified that it could lead to the exon 2 skipping in the RNA splicing progress. Moreover, we report the adrenal CT image change of patient 2, which has never been referred to before, and expand the spectrum of X‐linked AHC characteristics.

Serum thymidine kinase 1 protein (STK1p) concentration has been used successfully as a reliable proliferating serum biomarker in early tumour discovery and clinical settings. It is detected by an enhanced chemiluminescence (ECL) dot blot assay with the biotin-streptavidin (BSA) platform (a gold standard) based on chicken anti-human thymidine kinase 1 IgY polyclonal antibody (hTK1-IgY-pAb). However, ECL dot blotting is a semiautomatic method that has been limited to large-scale applications due to the differences among batches of antibodies from individual hens, and the skill level of operation technicians sometimes results in unstable STK1p values. Therefore, a highly stable recombinant chicken full-length IgY monoclonal antibody in combination with a fully automated sandwich biotin-streptavidin (sandwich-BSA) platform was developed. Hens were immunized with 31-peptide, a key sequence of human TK1 (hTK1), before constructing an immune phage display scFv library. Finally, a recombinant full-length IgY monoclonal antibody (hTK1-IgY-rmAb#5) with high-affinity binding with human recombinant TK1 (rhTK1) (3.95×10−10 mol/L), high sensitivity with hTK1 calibrators (slope of linear curve: 89.98), and high specificity with low/elevated STK1p (r≈0.92-0.963) was identified. hTK1-IgY-rmAb#5 showed a specific immune response with thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) in TK1-positive/negative cell lysates by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry (IHC) in normal and cancer tissues. In particular, the detection of TK1 serum samples from health centres showed a high coincidence rate (r=0.988,n=90) between hTK1-IgY-rmAb#5 and hTK1-IgY-pAb and between the semiautomatic ECL dot blot BSA platform and the novel automatic chemiluminescence sandwich-BSA platform (r=0.857,n=292). hTK1-IgY-rmAb#5 is stable and highly sensitive for detecting the lowest STK1p value at 0.01 pmol/L (pM). The accuracy is high (SD

Abstract Centenarians, who show mild infections and low incidence of tumors, are the optimal model to investigate healthy aging. However, longevity related immune characteristics has not been fully revealed largely due to lack of appropriate controls. In this study, single‐cell transcriptomic analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) derived from seven centenarians (CEN), six centenarians’ offspring (CO), and nine offspring spouses or neighbors (Control, age‐matched to CO) are performed to investigate the shared immune features between CEN and CO. The results indicate that among all 12 T cell clusters, the cytotoxic‐phenotype‐clusters (CPC) and the naïve‐phenotype‐clusters (NPC) significantly change between CEN and ontrol. Compared to Control, both CEN and CO are characterized by depleted NPC and increased CPC, which is dominated by CD8+ T cells. Furthermore, CPC from CEN and CO share enhanced signaling pathways and transcriptional factors associated with immune response, and possesse similar T‐cell‐receptor features, such as high clonal expansion. Interestingly, rather than a significant increase in GZMK+ CD8 cells during aging, centenarians show accumulation of GZMB+ and CMC1+ CD8 T cells. Collectively, this study unveils an immune remodeling pattern reflected by both quantitative increase and functional reinforcement of cytotoxic T cells which are essential for healthy aging.

Abstract Background Focal cortical dysplasia type 2 (FCD2) is a malformation of cortical development that constitutes a common cause of pediatric focal epilepsy. Germline or somatic variants in the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway genes are the pathogenesis of FCD2. Objective In this study, whole‐exome deep sequencing was performed on dysplastic cortex from focal epilepsy in children to explore genetic characteristics in FCD2. Methods Resected core lesions of FCD2 were confirmed by pathology, and peripheral blood was collected from 11 patients. Deep whole‐exome sequencing (>500X) was performed on derived genomic DNA, germline, or somatic variants in brain‐specific genes were analyzed and identified. Results In 11 patients, a heterozygous likely pathogenic germline variant of DEPDC5 was identified in one case, while somatic variants were found in four brain samples. The frequencies of the somatic variant allele were 2.52%–5.12%. Somatic variants in AKT3, TSC2, and MTOR (mTOR signaling pathway genes) were found in three samples. Besides, one somatic variant was detected in MED12 which has not been reported to associate with FCD2. Conclusion Our study expanded the variant spectrum in the mTOR‐GATOR pathway, and also detected a somatic variant in MED12 which was potentially associated with FCD 2.

Objective To investigate the biomechanical effect of different intervertebral reconstructive heights on adjacent segments following C5/C6 anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) through finite element analysis. Methods A finite element model of intact C4–C7 segments was developed and validated for the present study. Five additional C4–C7 postoperative models were constructed with 100%, 125%, 150%, 175%, and 200% of the benchmark height of C5/C6 on the basis of the intact model. The changes in intradiscal pressure (IDP) and range of motion (ROM) of adjacent segments before and after reconstruction of C5/C6 were analyzed. Results For the upper adjacent segment (C4/C5), the IDPs under the different loading conditions all increased after reconstruction. The maximum IDPs were 0.387, 0.489, 0.491, and 0.472 MPa under flexion, extension, axial rotation, and lateral bending, respectively, observed at the reconstructive height of 200%. The minimum IDPs were observed at 150% reconstructive height under all loading conditions except extension, and were 57, 86 and 81% of the maximum IDPs under flexion, axial rotation, and lateral bending, respectively. The minimum IDP under extension occurred when the reconstructive height is 125% of the benchmark height. For the lower adjacent segment (C6/C7), the IDPs of postoperative models under all loading conditions also increased compared to the preoperative model. The maximum IDPs after reconstruction under flexion, extension, axial rotation, and lateral bending were 0.402, 0.411, 0.461, and 0.497 MPa, respectively, when the height of the reconstruction was 200% of the benchmark. The minimum IDPs were observed after a reconstruction at 150% of the benchmark, and were 59%, 85%, 82%, and 81% of the maximum IDPs under flexion, extension, axial rotation, and lateral bending loading conditions. Conclusions The reconstructive height is an important factor affecting the IDP and the ROM of adjacent segments after ACDF. To delay the adjacent segment disease, an intervertebral reconstructive height of 150% is an appropriate height in C5/C6 ACDF.

Abstract Objective The purpose of this umbrella review was to assess the associations between sarcopenia and adverse health‐related outcomes. Design An umbrella review of meta‐analyses of observational studies. Setting and Participants Patients with sarcopenia and controls without sarcopenia were included. Measures The PubMed, Web of Science and Embase were searched for relevant systematic review and meta‐analysis. AMSTAR and GRADE system were used for methodological quality and evidence quality assessments, respectively. Results Totally 54 outcomes extracted from 30 meta‐analyses were analyzed. Twenty out of 21 prognostic outcomes indicated that sarcopenia was significantly associated with poorer prognosis of gastric cancer, hepatocellular cancer, urothelial cancer, head and neck cancer, hematological malignancy, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, esophageal cancer, and ovarian cancer. Besides, 10 out of 16 postoperative outcomes suggested that sarcopenia significantly increased the risk of multiple postoperative complications and prolonged the length of hospitalization of patients with digestive cancer. In age‐related outcomes, sarcopenia significantly increased the risk of dysphagia, cognitive impairment, fractures, falls, hospitalization, and all‐cause mortality of elderly populations. Moreover, sarcopenia was also associated with higher level of albuminuria, risk of depression, and several metabolic diseases. Conclusions and Implications Sarcopenia significantly affected a wide range of adverse health‐related outcomes, particularly in patients of tumor and elderly populations. Because evidences of most outcomes were rated as “low” and “very low,” more prospective cohort studies are required in the future.

Abstract Regional hybrid energy system (RHES) is an effective way to accommodate clean energy and reduce its uncertainty. It is also an important development direction for energy market reform, playing an important role in the field of energy supply and demand. Based on electricity price, thermal price, and the relationship between load supply and demand, the paper proposes an optimal scheduling model for regional energy systems to promote clean energy consumption. Firstly, the typical structure and system modules of the integrated regional energy system are introduced in detail, and the two subsystem operating models of electricity and heating are given. Secondly, a multi‐objective function that combines the economics and stability of the system is constructed. The model maximizes the economic benefits and minimizes the net load fluctuations on the basis of maximizing the consumption of clean energy. The multi‐objective singularity is realized by fuzzy membership function. The decision‐making risk caused by the uncertainty of clean energy output is analyzed by introducing robust optimization theory. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed model is verified based on a region in northwestern China. The results show that the proposed multi‐objective model can combine different optimization demands together, maximize the economic characteristics of clean energy while properly controlling risks, and provide reasonable support for decision makers to develop optimal operation plans.

The calculation of wind load of high-rise buildings depends on the wind pressure distribution data and wind pressure coefficient on the outer surface of the building, but the actual wind pressure measurement of high-rise buildings is difficult to carry out. In order to obtain the effective wind pressure coefficient of the building and the application of the extended lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) in the wind resistance of high-rise buildings, in this paper, the wall-adapting local eddy (WALE) model, dynamic Smagorinsky model (DSM), and Smagorinsky model (SM) are embedded into LBM with multiple-relaxation-time (MRT) format. Three LBM large eddy simulation models, MRT-LBM-WALE, MRT-LBM-DSM, and MRT-LBM-SM, which can simulate the flow around a bluff body with high Rayleigh number, are constructed by using the subgrid eddy viscosity to modify the kinematic viscosity of LBM. Finally, the three turbulence models are used to simulate and analyze the three-dimensional steady wind flow field of a single high-rise building of the standard CAARC high-rise building model in the atmospheric boundary layer, and the numerical results are analyzed and compared with the wind tunnel test results. The results show that the numerical simulation better reflects the flow characteristics and surface wind pressure of the wind environment around the high-rise building. On the windward side, it fits well with the test results. On the crosswind side and leeward side, the numerical simulation results are between the NPL and TJ-2 test results. The windward side is subject to positive pressure, which is the highest at 2/3 of the height of the windward side and low on both sides and below. The leeward and crosswind surfaces of the building are all under negative pressure. The simulation results of the three turbulence models have little difference, which provides a basis for the study of the flow around the bluff body of high-rise buildings. It is proved that the numerical solutions of the three models are in good agreement with the experimental solutions, and the real subgrid eddy viscosity near the wall can be obtained, which can accurately predict the development of turbulent flow.

The application of the neural network method in health monitoring and structural system identification has received extensive attention. A reasonable neural network structure is very important for its performance. This paper takes the pedestrian bridge of the Xingfu intersection in Urumqi, China, as the research object and uses MIDAS/Civil to establish a finite element analysis model. Taking the natural vibration frequency obtained from the dynamic test of the actual bridge as the target, two kinds of neural networks are used to predict the structural material parameters. An appropriate bridge model correction method is selected by comparing the prediction results of the BP neural network and the GRNN. The test results show that the pedestrian bridge model based on MIDAS/Civil has a high accuracy, but it still does not meet the actual needs. The modified model based on the BP neural network is close to the actual measured results, and a more accurate finite element analysis model can be established by this method, which makes the modified model closer to the real stress state of the structure.

The traditional financial informatics administration system risk assessment method in the evaluation of system risk can deal with less data throughput, and the system risk assessment effect is not good, so the study of the financial informatics administration system of the risk assessment method under the background of big data is a necessity. The method sets logical nodes according to system modules and builds risk estimation models by finding logical relationships between data. Based on the big data background, according to the utility theory and the risk preference function estimation, choose the big data batch calculation and streaming calculation methods to calculate the system programme risk index and financial data faithless risk index. According to the risk residual value, the probability of a system function failure in the main module and submodule of the system is adjusted, and the risk level is defined by the exponential function to realize the system risk estimation under the background of big data. Experimental results show that compared with the two traditional system risk estimation methods, the proposed method has a larger data throughput and a wider range of risk indicators. It can be seen that the proposed method meets the risk estimation requirements of the enterprise financial informatics administration system.

Background It is well established that postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is associated with adverse postoperative outcomes after major cardiac operations. The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence of new‐onset POAF after successful total arch repair surgery and the association between POAF and in‐hospital mortality. Methods and Results All consecutive patients undergoing total arch repair from September 2012 to December 2019 in Fuwai hospital were enrolled (n=1280). Patients diagnosed with preoperative atrial fibrillation were excluded. POAF was diagnosed as the new‐onset atrial fibrillation or flutter for more than 5 minutes based on continuous electrocardiogram monitoring. A logistic regression model was used to determine predictors of in‐hospital mortality. Multivariable adjustment, inverse probability of treatment weighting, and propensity score matching were used to adjust for confounders. POAF was diagnosed in 32.3% (411/1271) of this cohort population. The occurrence of new‐onset POAF was associated with age (odds ratio [OR], 1.05; 95% CI, 1.04–1.06; P

The current tumor node metastasis (TNM) staging system is inadequate for identifying high‐risk gastric cancer (GC) patients. Using a systematic and comprehensive‐biomarker discovery and validation approach, we attempted to build a microRNA (miRNA)‐recurrence classifier (MRC) to improve the prognostic prediction of GC. We identified 312 differentially expressed miRNAs in 446 GC tissues compared to 45 normal controls by analyzing high‐throughput data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Using a Cox regression model, we developed an 11‐miRNA signature that could successfully discriminate high‐risk patients in the training set (n = 372; P

Recently, the High-G MEMS accelerometer (HGMA) has been used in navigation, mechanical property detection, consumer electronics, and other fields widely. As the core component of a measuring system, it is very crucial to enhance the calibration accuracy of the accelerometer. In order to remove the noises in the accelerometer output signals to enhance its calibration accuracy, a combined denoising method which combines variational mode decomposition (VMD) with permutation entropy (PE) and wavelet threshold is given in this article. For the sake of overcoming the defect of signal distortion caused by the traditional denoising methods, this joint denoising method combines the good decomposition characteristics of VMD and the good denoising ability of wavelet threshold and introduces PE as a judgment criterion to achieve a good balance between denoising effect and signal fidelity. The combination of PE and VMD not only avoids the phenomenon of mode aliasing but also improves the ability to identify the noise components, which makes the wavelet threshold denoising more specific. Firstly, some intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) are obtained by using VMD to decompose the complex signal containing noise which is outputted from the accelerometer. Secondly, the IMF components can be divided into noise IMF components, mixed IMF components, and useful IMF components by PE algorithm. Thirdly, the noise IMF components can be discarded directly, and then the mixed IMF components can be denoised by wavelet threshold to obtain the noiseless IMF components; in addition, the useful IMF components need to be retained. Finally, the final denoising signal can be obtained by reconstructing the IMF components which have been denoised by the wavelet threshold and the useful IMF components retained before denoising. The experimental results prove that the combined denoising algorithm combines the merits of VMD, PE, and wavelet threshold, and this new algorithm has a good performance in the calibration denoising of accelerometer. Compared with the serious signal distortion caused by using only EMD or wavelet threshold, this method not only has a good denoising effect (the noises in the static part are eliminated by 99.97% and the SNR of the dynamic part is raised to 18.56) but also can maintain a good signal fidelity (the error of shock peak amplitude is 3.4%, the error of vibration peak amplitude is 0.4%, and the correlation coefficient between the denoising signals and dynamic part is as high as 0.982).

Background. The number of patients with musculoskeletal pain, which seriously affects people’s quality of life, has increased. Traditional Chinese exercises are accepted and practiced to strengthen the body. Objective. This study aims to explore the efficacy of traditional Chinese exercises for the treatment of musculoskeletal pain. Methods. A comprehensive search of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) related to traditional Chinese exercises on patients with musculoskeletal pain was completed using PubMed, SinoMed, CNKI, VIP, and Wanfang Med Online databases. All RCTs published until February 2021 were considered. Two researchers independently screened the literature according to the predesigned inclusion and exclusion criteria, and data was extracted and assessed for their risk of bias via the Cochrane collaboration tool. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan5.2 and Rx64 4.0.2 software. Results. A total of 45 RCT studies with 3178 patients were included. Traditional Chinese exercises were able to effectively alleviate patients with musculoskeletal pain (MD = −1.54, 95% confidence interval (−1.88, −1.19), P

Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is the main type of laryngeal cancer with poor prognosis. Incidence of LSCC increases every year, posing a great threat to human health. The underlying mechanism needs further study. Neutrophils are the most prevalent type of immune cells, which play vital roles in crosstalk between the microenvironment and cancer cells. In our study, we aim to figure out the complex regulation between neutrophils and LSCC. Our experiments showed that LSCC cells could promote the activation and mobility of neutrophils. And, in return, neutrophils enhanced the proliferation, migration, and invasion of LSCC. The subsequent results showed that IL-17 was highly expressed in neutrophil conditioned medium. Block of IL-17 could effectively inhibit the progression of LSCC induced by neutrophils. What is more, the results showed that IL-17 activated the JAK/STAT3 pathway in LSCC. Inhibition of the JAK/STAT3 pathway could significantly block neutrophil-induced LSCC progression. Our research reveals the complex interaction between neutrophils and LSCC cells, providing new ideas for the treatment of LSCC.

To investigate the drying characteristics and mechanism during electrohydrodynamic (EHD) drying with ultrasonic pretreatment, the ultrasonic pretreatment-assisted EHD drying method at different power values was used to carry out the drying experiment of potatoes. To carry out this study, potato slices were pretreated with different ultrasonic power values (150, 180, 210, 240, and 270 W) or without ultrasound for 30 min at 30°C. The corresponding voltage was 18 kV during EHD drying. The moisture ratio, drying rate, color, shrinkage, and rehydration rate of potatoes were determined. The microstructure of potatoes was analyzed using infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Eight mathematical models were used to fit the drying of potatoes. Results showed that, compared with the control group, the ultrasonic pretreatment combined with the EHD drying group had improved the drying rate of potato slices, which was different at varying ultrasonic power values. Ultrasonic pretreatment had a remarkable effect on the color of the potato but had little effect on the shrinkage rate. The maximum rehydration rate is 5.7704 at 180 W. The minimum and maximum values of effective moisture diffusivity (Deff) were 3.4070 × 10−7 m2/s and 4.1160 × 10−7 m2/s, respectively. The effect of ultrasonic power pretreatment on the microstructure of potato in the EHD drying process was significant (p>0.05). According to the statistical parameter evaluation, eight mathematical models could satisfactorily describe drying curves of potato slices dried under EHD with ultrasonic pretreatment, and the logarithmic model was best suited. This work provides a theoretical basis and practical guidance to further understand the parameter characteristics and mechanism of ultrasonic pretreatment combined with the EHD drying technology.

Aim. To investigate the therapeutic effect of LiuJunZi decoction (LJZD) in an experimental model of asthma and uncover its potential mechanism. Materials and Methods. The ovalbumin (OVA) was applied to induce asthma in Balb/C mice, and LJZD was orally administrated to asthmatic mice. The lung function and histological lesion were evaluated by airway hyperresponsiveness assay, lung edema assay, and hematoxylin and eosin staining. The amounts of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ TReg cells were analyzed through combining fluorescent antibody staining with flow cytometry assay. The levels of inflammatory factors and immunoglobulins were detected by enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA). The expression of miR-21 and miR-146a was investigated by real-time PCR. The protein expression of activating protein-1 (AP-1), nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), and NF-κB inhibitor alpha (IκBα) was determined by western blotting. Results. LJZD improves OVA-induced asthma in Balb/C mice, which is manifested by decreasing lung edema, Penh levels, lung histological lesion, and inflammatory cell infiltration. LJZD increased the number of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ TReg cells in blood mononuclear cells from asthmatic mice. Furthermore, LJZD reduced the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin- (IL-) 4, IL-6, IgG1, and IgE, but increased interferon gamma (IFN-γ) expression, in serum of asthmatic mice, and also decreased the expression of IL-17a, IL-23, IL-25, and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (Tslp) in lung tissues. In addition, miR-21 and miR-146a expression and phospho (p)-NF-κB, p-IκBα, and AP-1 protein expression were inhibited by LJZD in lung tissues from asthmatic mice. Conclusion. LJZD improved OVA-induced asthma in Balb/C mice by inhibiting allergic inflammation and Th2 immunoreaction, which might be associated with the inactivation of the NF-κB signaling pathway.

It aims to improve the degree of visualization of building data, ensure the ability of intelligent detection, and effectively solve the problems encountered in building data processing. Convolutional neural network and augmented reality technology are adopted, and a building visualization model based on convolutional neural network and augmented reality is proposed. The performance of the proposed algorithm is further confirmed by performance verification on public datasets. It is found that the building target detection model based on convolutional neural network and augmented reality has obvious advantages in algorithm complexity and recognition accuracy. It is 25 percent more accurate than the latest model. The model can make full use of mobile computing resources, avoid network delay and dependence, and guarantee the real-time requirement of data processing. Moreover, the model can also well realize the augmented reality navigation and interaction effect of buildings in outdoor scenes. To sum up, this study provides a research idea for the identification, data processing, and intelligent detection of urban buildings.

In-flight ice accretion on typical pitot-static systems is numerically investigated to reveal their performance deterioration under both rime and glaze icing. Coupled with the open source computational fluid dynamics (CFD) platform, OpenFOAM, the numerical strategy integrates the airflow determination by the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations, droplet collection evaluation by Eulerian representation, and ice accumulation by mass and energy conservation. Under varying inflow conditions and wall temperatures, the calculated ice accretion performance indicates that the ambient temperature has the most significant effect on the icing-induced failure time, leading to an almost exponential growth. Meanwhile, the blocking time is found to be linearly proportional to the increase in wall temperature. With the increase in inflow velocity, the failure time follows a parabolic variation with glaze ice accretion while shows a monotonic reduction under rime icing conditions. In addition, when the angle of attack increases, failure accelerates under both the glaze and rime icing scenarios. These findings provide guidance for the protection design of pitot tubes. A nonlinear regression analysis is further conducted to estimate the failure performance. The predicated failure times show reliable consistency with numerical results, demonstrating the capability of the obtained empirical functions for convenient predictions of failure times within the applicable range.

Abstract As one of the most promising cathodes for next‐generation lithium ion batteries (LIBs), Li‐rich materials have been extensively investigated for their high energy densities. However, the practical application of Li‐rich cathodes is extremely retarded by the sluggish electrode–electrolyte interface kinetics and structure instability. In this context, piezoelectric LiTaO3 is employed to functionalize the surface of Li1.2Ni0.17Mn0.56Co0.07O2 (LNMCO), aiming to boost the interfacial Li+ transport process in LIBs. The results demonstrate that the 2 wt% LiTaO3‐LNMCO electrode exhibits a stable capacity of 209.2 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C after 200 cycles and 172.4 mAh g−1 at 3 C. Further investigation reveals that such superior electrochemical performances of the LiTaO3 modified electrode results from the additional driving force from the piezoelectric LiTaO3 layer in promoting Li+ diffusion at the interface, as well as the stabilized bulk structure of LNMCO. The supplemented LiTaO3 layer on the LNMCO surface herein, sheds new light on the development of better Li‐rich cathodes toward high energy density applications.

In this paper, the DBR all-visible mercury-free high-temperature and high-pressure multifunctional formation fluid PVT analyzer developed and produced by Schlumberger company is used to conduct an experimental study on phase behavior characteristics of one offshore high CO2 condensate gas wells. The experiments include two-phase flash experiment, constant composition expansion experiment (CCE experiment), and constant volume depletion experiment (CVD experiment). Experimental results show that the higher the CO2 content in the condensate gas system, the higher the gas-oil ratio of condensate gas, the greater the density of condensate oil, the higher the dew point pressure of condensate gas, the greater the relative volume of condensate gas, the smaller the amount of retrograde condensate oil. And the higher the CO2 content in the condensate gas system, the phase diagram is shifted to the left and up, the critical point of the phase diagram is shifted to the lower left, the smaller the area of the two-phase envelope, the lighter the condensate gas system, the condensate oil recovery is higher. The above experimental results revealed that CO2 is well soluble with condensate gas, the expansion capacity of the condensate gas system was slightly enhanced, and because CO2 has a good extraction capacity, the light components of condensate gas were constantly extracted, the retrograde condensate rate of condensate oil decreases, and the maximum retrograde condensate volume also decreased. However, the condensate oil was produced along with the natural gas, and the higher the CO2 content, the stronger the extraction, the more condensate oil was produced. It is mainly because CO2 has the strong gasification and extraction capacity, on the one hand, the retrograde condensation of condensate gas was inhibited, and on the other hand, reverse evaporation of condensate oil was enhanced. The above experimental results indicate the law of the effect of CO2 on the phase behavior characteristics of condensate gas reservoirs, providing theoretical basis and guidance for the efficient development of condensate gas reservoirs at sea.

The integration of event-related potential (ERP) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) helps to obtain and study neural networks with high temporal and spatial resolution. EEG/fMRI data proves that in the visual tristimulus oddball paradigm, two P300 potentials (P3a and P3b) induced by target stimulation and novel stimulation are detected at the frontal-middle (Fz), center (Cz), and mid-apical (Pz) electrodes. Previous studies have shown that P3a and P3b have different spatial distributions of brain activation, but it is unclear whether they have the same neural mechanism. The purpose of this study is to determine the neuropsychological mechanisms of P3a and P3b, as well as the spatiotemporal differences in neurodynamics between the two ERP subcomponents. In a group of 25 subjects, P300 ERP induced by target stimulation and novel stimulation can be detected at the Fz, Cz, and Pz electrodes. At Cz and Fz, compared with P3b related to the target stimulus, the P3a related to the novel stimulus has a higher amplitude and the waveform declines more slowly. But at Pz, P3b has a higher amplitude than P3a. P3a appeared earlier than P3b at Cz and Fz, but the opposite phenomenon was observed at the Pz electrode. The activated brain regions of P3a included the left frontal-parietal lobe region, left anterior wedge lobe region, and right insula, while the target-driven P3b was significantly associated with BOLD changes in the bilateral fusiform gyrus, the left frontal region, and the bilateral insula. The results showed that the integration of the spatial and temporal information of the two imaging modes, namely, ERP and fMRI, proves the existence of the different brain function processes of the two P300 subcomponents. Through the analysis of the composition of P300, the results further proved that the top-down and bottom-up processing processes have played a role in the occurrence of attention capture. It is just that the modulation effects of the two processing mechanisms are different in different tasks. Therefore, it should be noted that the captured neural mechanism is not a single top-down or bottom-up processing process but should be the result of the interaction between the two.

This paper investigates the influence of mineral admixtures fly ash (FA) and ground-granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS), the byproducts of industry, on chloride ions migration and corrosion resistance performance. A novel preparation method of wire beam electrode (WEB) was also introduced to explore the excellent corrosion-resistant capacity of concrete with mineral admixtures. By comparing concrete specimens with and without FA and GGBS, the test result of wire beam electrode, rapid chloride migration (RCM), and electrochemical tests highlight the positive impact of fly ash and GGBS against chloride ions migration, respectively. Concrete with fly ash and GGBS supplies an advanced protection effect of ordinary Portland cement; meanwhile, CO2 emission amount can be significantly reduced. Moreover, homemade wire beam electrode was proved to be a novel and reliable test method against corrosion, which has agreement with the test result of an electrochemical device.

The energy spectrum is one of the most effective methods to characterise the quality of reference filtered X radiations. To obtain the energy resolution, the authors choose seven sealed standard radioactive sources to carry out energy calibration for high-purity germanium detector whose energy resolution is within 3%. Then they use this spectrometer to measure the reference filtered X radiations with its energy from 55 to 125 keV of low air-kerma rate series, meanwhile the BEAMnrc is used to simulate the spectra of the same four radiation qualities. By analysing the data of spectral distribution, they can determine mean energy and spectral resolution of these reference radiation qualities. By comparing simulation results with actual measurements, the result shows the spectra stimulated by the BEAMnrc are consistent with the spectra measured by high-purity germanium detector and the deviation of the mean energy is within 4.0%. The spectral resolution of the reference filtered X radiation is 22.8, 22.4, 22.5 and 22.8%, respectively.

In order to calibrate radiation protection instruments and determine radiation dose, it is critical to establish an X-ray narrow-spectrum series recommended by the standard ISO 4037-1 which is published by the International Standardisation Organisation (ISO). By experiment, the qualities of filtered X radiation of narrow-spectrum series in the range from 60 to 300 kV were established. The differences of the first half-value layer (HVL1) and the second HVL (HVL2) between experimental results and the values given in the standard ISO 4037-1 were all within 5%. What is more, the Monte Carlo code EGSnrc was used to simulate the spectra of these radiation qualities, which showed a good agreement with these spectra given in the standard ISO 4037-1. The spectral resolution, mean energy and effective energy of these reference qualities can be obtained, which are all have good agreement with the given values.

The carboxyl‐terminal binding proteins (CtBP) are transcriptional corepressors that regulate the expression of multiple epithelial‐specific and pro‐apoptotic genes. Overexpression of CtBP occurs in many human cancers where they promote the epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition, stem cell‐like features, and cell survival, while knockdown of CtBP in tumor cells results in p53‐independent apoptosis. CtBPs are recruited to their target genes by binding to a conserved PXDLS peptide motif present in multiple DNA‐binding transcription factors. Disrupting the interaction between CtBP and its transcription factor partners may be a means of altering CtBP‐mediated transcriptional repression and a potential approach for cancer therapies. However, small molecules targeting protein–protein interactions have traditionally been difficult to identify. In this study, we took advantage of the fact that CtBP binds to a conserved peptide motif to explore the feasibility of using peptides containing the PXDLS motif fused to cell‐penetrating peptides (CPP) to inhibit CtBP function. We demonstrate that these peptides disrupt the ability of CtBP to interact with its protein partner, E1A, in an AlphaScreen assay. Moreover, these peptides can enter both lung carcinoma and melanoma cells, disrupt the interaction between CtBP and a transcription factor partner, and inhibit CtBP‐mediated transcriptional repression. Finally, the constitutive expression of one such peptide, Pep1‐E1A‐WT, in a melanoma cell line reverses CtBP‐mediated oncogenic phenotypes including proliferation, migration, and sphere formation and limits tumor growth in vivo. Together, our results suggest that CPP‐fused PXDLS‐containing peptides can potentially be developed into a research tool or therapeutic agent targeting CtBP‐mediated transcriptional events in various biological pathways.

Purposes. Mesenteric venous thrombosis (MVT) is a serious condition. The current study aimed to identify risk factors of intestinal necrosis (IN) in patients with MVT to predict the onset of patients. Methods. Data pertaining to patients diagnosed with MVT between 2014 and May 2018 were reviewed. Patients’ characteristics and risk factors of IN were assessed. Results. Seventy-eight patients were included in our study, of whom all cases were diagnosed as superior mesenteric venous thrombosis. There were fifty-eight cases (74%) with intestinal necrosis and twenty cases (26%) without intestinal necrosis. Multivariate analysis of factors associated with IN was organ failure (odds ratio (OR): 4.1; 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 1.26–8.59; P=0.028), elevated serum lactate (OR:3.6; 95% CI: 1.51–5.47; P=0.024), bowel loop dilation on computerized tomography (CT) scan (OR: 2.8; 95% CI: 1.32–7.23; P=0.031), and the time between onset of symptoms and operation (OR: 4.8; 95% CI: 1.36–9.89; P=0.012). Area under the receiver operating characteristics curve for the diagnosis of IN with MVT was 0.901 (95%CI: 0.809–0.993; P=0.000) depending on the different number of predictive factors. Conclusion. Predictive risk factors for IN with MVT were organ failure, elevated serum lactate level, bowel loop dilation on CT, and the time between onset of symptoms and operation. However, this result is from a retrospective study and further long-term, large-sample prospective studies are required to confirm this finding.

This article presents a time-varying modal parameter identification method based on the novel information criterion (NIC) algorithm and a post-process method for time-varying modal parameter estimation. In the practical application of the time-varying modal parameter identification algorithm, the identified results contain both real modal parameters and aberrant ones caused by the measurement noise. In order to improve the quality of the identified results as well as sifting and validating the real modal parameters, a post-process procedure based on density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN) algorithm is introduced. The efficiency of the proposed approach is first verified through a numerical simulation of a cantilever Euler-Bernoulli beam with a time-varying mass. Then the proposed approach is experimentally demonstrated by composite sandwich structure in a time-varying high temperature environment. The identified results illustrate that the proposed approach can obtain real modal frequencies in low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) scenarios.

Infantile cystinosis (IC) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by a defect in the lysosomal-membrane transport protein, cystinosin. It serves as a prototype for lysosomal transport disorders. To date, several CTNS mutations have been identified as the cause of the prototypic disease across different ethnic populations worldwide. However, in Asia, the CTNS mutation is very rarely reported. For the Chinese population, no literature on CTNS mutation screening for IC is available to date. In this paper, by using the whole exome sequencing and Sanger sequencing, we identified two novel CTNS splicing deletions in a Chinese IC family, one at the donor site of exon 6 of CTNS (IVS6+1, del G) and the other at the acceptor site of exon 8 (IVS8-1, del GT). These data give information for the genetic counseling of the IC that occurred in Chinese population.

Rapid development of urbanization and automation has resulted in serious urban traffic congestion and air pollution problems in many Chinese cities recently. As a traffic demand management strategy, congestion pricing is acknowledged to be effective in alleviating the traffic congestion and improving the efficiency of traffic system. This paper proposes an urban traffic congestion pricing model based on the consideration of transportation network efficiency and environment effects. First, the congestion pricing problem under multimode (i.e., car mode and bus mode) urban traffic network condition is investigated. Second, a traffic congestion pricing model based on bilevel programming is formulated for a dual-mode urban transportation network, in which the delay and emission of vehicles are considered. Third, an improved mathematical algorithm combining successive average method with the genetic algorithm is proposed to solve the bilevel programming problem. Finally, a numerical experiment based on a hypothetical network is performed to validate the proposed congestion pricing model and algorithm.

The transcriptional nuclear factor binding to the Y box of human leukocyte antigen genes (NF-Y) for the C5a receptor (C5aR) gene is active in erythroblasts. However, the roles of the C5aR in erythropoiesis are unclear. We have previously demonstrated that apoptotic cell-derived ribosomal protein S19 (RP S19) oligomers exhibit extraribosomal functions in promoting monocyte chemotaxis and proapoptosis via the C5aR without receptor internalisation. In contrast to the extraribosomal functions of the RP S19, a proapoptotic signal in pro-EBs, which is caused by mutations in the RP S19 gene, is associated with the inherited erythroblastopenia, Diamond-Blackfan anaemia. In this study, we detected C5aR expression and RP S19 oligomer generation in human erythroleukemia K562 cells during haemin-induced erythropoiesis. Under monocell culture conditions, the differentiation into K562 erythrocyte-like cells was enhanced following the overexpression of Wild-type RP S19. Conversely, the differentiation was repressed following the overexpression of mutant RP S19. An RP S19 oligomer inhibitor and a C5aR inhibitor blocked the association of the K562 basophilic EB-like cells and the THP-1 macrophage-like cells under coculture conditions. When bound to RP S19 oligomers, the C5aR may exhibit dual functions as a connector for the EB-macrophage island and as a sensor for EB differentiation in the bone marrow.