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Targeted mass spectrometry (MS) holds promise for precise protein and protein‐representative peptide identification and quantification, enhancing disease diagnosis. However, its clinical application is hindered by complex data analysis and expert review requirements. It is hypothesized that machine learning (ML) models can automate data analysis to accelerate the clinical application of MS. The approach involves an ML‐driven pipeline that extracts statistical and morphological features from an MS target region and feeds these features into ML algorithms to generate and assess predictive models. The findings demonstrate ML prediction models exhibit superior performance when trained on extracted features versus raw spectra intensity data and that random forest models exhibit robust classification performance in both internal and external validation datasets. These models remain effective across varying training dataset sizes and positive sample rates and are enhanced by a nested active learning approach. This approach can thus revolutionize clinical MS applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let G $G$ be an edge‐colored graph on n $n$ vertices. The minimum color degree of G $G$, denoted by δ c( G ) ${\delta }^{c}(G)$, is defined as the minimum number of colors assigned to the edges incident to a vertex in G $G$. In 2013, Li proved that an edge‐colored graph G $G$ on n $n$ vertices contains a rainbow triangle if δ c( G ) ≥ n + 1 2 ${\delta }^{c}(G)\ge \frac{n+1}{2}$. In this paper, we obtain several estimates on the number of rainbow triangles through one given vertex in G $G$. As a consequence, we prove counting results for rainbow triangles in edge‐colored graphs. One main theorem states that the number of rainbow triangles in G $G$ is at least 1 6 δ c( G )(2 δ c( G ) − n ) n $\frac{1}{6}{\delta }^{c}(G)(2{\delta }^{c}(G)-n)n$, which is best possible by considering the rainbow k $k$‐partite Turán graph, where its order is divisible by k $k$. This means that there are Ω( n 2 ) ${\rm{\Omega }}({n}^{2})$ rainbow triangles in G $G$ if δ c( G ) ≥ n + 1 2 ${\delta }^{c}(G)\ge \frac{n+1}{2}$, and Ω( n 3 ) ${\rm{\Omega }}({n}^{3})$ rainbow triangles in G $G$ if δ c( G ) ≥ c n ${\delta }^{c}(G)\ge cn$ when c > 1 2 $c\gt \frac{1}{2}$. Both results are tight in the sense of the order of the magnitude. We also prove a counting version of a previous theorem on rainbow triangles under a color neighborhood union condition due to Broersma et al., and an asymptotically tight color degree condition forcing a colored friendship subgraph F k ${F}_{k}$ (i.e., k $k$ rainbow triangles sharing a common vertex). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is a developmental disorder characterized by acetabular dysplasia leading to early osteoarthritis. This study examines the role of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) in chondrocyte apoptosis and cartilage degeneration within a DDH model. In the rat model of DDH, created using a swaddling technique, significant deformities in the femoral head and acetabulum were observed, alongside an upregulation of matrix metalloproteinase‐13 in acetabular cartilage. We also noted increased levels of apoptosis and ERS‐related factors in the acetabular cartilage of DDH models. Additionally, rat chondrocytes exposed to high‐magnitude cyclic tensile strain (CTS, 1 Hz, 10% equibiaxial strain) in vitro exhibited elevated ERS and increased apoptosis. Importantly, treatment with the ERS inhibitor 4‐phenylbutyric acid effectively suppressed apoptosis induced by CTS in chondrocytes. Our findings suggest that ERS contributes to the upregulation of apoptosis‐related factors in chondrocytes within the DDH model, indicating the potential of ERS modulation as a therapeutic approach for DDH‐related cartilage degeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: School principals usually have to sacrifice health and family obligations to obtain sufficient work time. This study investigates school principals' somatic and psychological discomfort related to their time allocation to diverse work contexts and life domains, so as to test the optimal allocation of time to each context and domain. METHODS: This study is based on survey data of 347 school principals, from the preexisting 2021 Survey of School Teachers' Living Conditions in Shanghai. Generalized linear regression modeling was adopted to analyze the data according to the research purpose. RESULTS: This study finds that school principals' daily time spent on work at home, sleep, breakfast, exercise, and family obligations significantly predict their somatic or psychological discomfort. However, their time spent on work at school, daytime napping, lunch, and dinner are not of significance. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals several unhealthy ways of working and lifestyle habits among school principals from a perspective of time allocation, such as extended periods working at home, sleep deficits, hurried breakfast, lack exercise, and failure to meet familial obligations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the counterpart of classical theorems on cycles of consecutive lengths due to Bondy and Bollobás in spectral graph theory, Nikiforov proposed the following open problem in 2008: What is the maximum C $C$ such that for all positive ε⌊n24⌋ $\rho (G)\gt \sqrt{\lfloor \frac{{n}^{2}}{4}\rfloor }$ contains a cycle of length ℓ $\ell $ for each integer ℓ∈[3,(C−ε)n] $\ell \in [3,(C-\varepsilon)n]$. We prove that C≥14 $C\ge \frac{1}{4}$, improving the existing bounds. Besides several novel ideas, our proof technique is partly inspired by the recent research on Ramsey numbers of star versus large even cycles due to Allen, Łuczak, Polcyn, and Zhang, and with aid of a powerful spectral inequality. We also derive an Erdős–Gallai‐type edge number condition for even cycles, which may be of independent interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, there is no "timber moment frame structural system," as the basic glulam beam‐to‐column connections (usually represented by the bolted connections with slotted‐in steel plates) offer limited rotational stiffness such that they are usually treated as pin connections. This paper proposes an innovative type of moment‐resisting glulam beam‐to‐column connection reinforced by long steel rods with screwheads (LSRSs) and long self‐tapping screws (STSs). The motivation is to provide a stiff yet resilient beam‐to‐column connection that could possibly be used for the mid‐rise timber moment frame structural system without the need of shear walls or braces. Six specimens with different diameters of LSRSs were designed and experimentally tested to explore their rotational stiffness, moment‐resisting capacities, hysteretic moment‐rotation responses, and the associated failure modes. Results indicated that the proposed connection could provide not only a satisfying moment resistance, but also the energy dissipation and fast repairability that is related with structural seismic resilience. The design procedures and recommendations for the proposed connection were also provided based on the tested results. The presented experimental study serves as a handy reference for future designs and applications of the proposed connection in practical engineering projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Automatic License Plate detection and Recognition (ALPR) is a key problem in intelligent transportation systems with wide applications in traffic monitoring, electronic toll collection (ETC), intelligent parking lots (IPLs), and elsewhere. Although numerous methods have been proposed in the literature, it is still challenging to strike a good balance between the accuracy and efficiency of ALPR. In this paper, a novel end‐to‐end CNN‐based model is proposed, called Fast and Accurate Network with Feature Enhancement (FAFEnet), to jointly detect the license plates and recognize the characters with high accuracy and efficiency. Specifically, the FAFEnet model seamlessly integrates two CNN‐based models, namely the detection and recognition modules, into a unified framework to reduce accumulated errors and computational overheads in two separate steps. The detection module is a lightweight model with only seven convolutional layers yet achieves over 99.8% accuracy rates for license plate detection across all datasets. The recognition module utilizes two feature enhancement blocks to compensate and enhance the shallow character features extracted by the detection module. Furthermore, the joint optimization of detection and recognition modules exploits the feature association in two modules, and thus improves the prediction accuracy while reducing the execution time. Finally, extensive experimental results on several real‐world datasets demonstrate that FAFEnet outperforms all the competitors in terms of both accuracy and efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aging of the immune system drives systemic aging and the pathogenesis of age‐related diseases. However, a significant knowledge gap remains in understanding immune‐driven aging, especially in brain aging, due to the limited current in vitro models of neuroimmune interaction. Here, the authors report the development of a human brain organoid microphysiological analysis platform (MAP) to discover the dynamic process of immune‐driven brain aging. The organoid MAP is created by 3D printing that confines organoid growth and facilitates cell and nutrition perfusion, promoting organoid maturation and their committment to forebrain identity. Dynamic rocking flow is incorporated into the platform that allows to perfuse primary monocytes from young (20 to 30‐year‐old) and aged (>60‐year‐old) donors and culture human cortical organoids to model neuroimmune interaction. The authors find that the aged monocytes increase infiltration and promote the expression of aging‐related markers (e.g., higher expression of p16) within the human cortical organoids, indicating that aged monocytes may drive brain aging. The authors believe that the organoid MAP may provide promising solutions for basic research and translational applications in aging, neural immunological diseases, autoimmune disorders, and cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early and precise detection of parathyroid glands (PGs) is a challenging problem in thyroidectomy due to their small size and similar appearance to surrounding tissues. Near‐infrared autofluorescence (NIRAF) has stimulated interest as a method to localize PGs. However, high incidence of false positives for PGs has been reported with this technique. We introduce a prototype equipped with a coaxial excitation light (785 nm) and a dual‐sensor to address the issue of false positives with the NIRAF technique. We test the clinical feasibility of our prototype in situ and ex vivo using sterile drapes on 10 human subjects. Video data (1287 images) of detected PGs were collected to train, validate and compare the performance for PG detection. We achieved a mean average precision of 94.7% and a 19.5‐millisecond processing time/detection. This feasibility study supports the effectiveness of the optical design and may open new doors for a deep learning‐based PG detection method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterostructural engineering of atomically thin 2D materials offers an exciting opportunity to fabricate atomically sharp interfaces for optoelectronic devices. Herein, GeSe/WS2 heterojunction devices composed of 2D WS2 (n‐type) and few‐layer GeSe (p‐type), are fabricated by transferring mechanically exfoliated GeSe to chemical vapor deposition (CVD)‐grown WS2. Excellent rectification behavior is observed from the I−V characteristics of the GeSe/WS2 heterojunction devices. The reverse photocurrent increases more rapidly than the forward photocurrent under a 635 nm laser illumination, indicating an effective separation of the photogenerated carriers under a minus bias. A large photocurrent on‐off ratio of 103 at −5 V bias, a high responsivity (Rλ) of 1.1 A W−1, a considerable specific detectivity (D*) of 1.3×1010 Jones, and a high external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 214.8%, are obtained. Owing to the large built‐in potential of the heterojunction, efficient charge transfer is achieved from the abrupt interfaces even though vastly different materials are used in the van der Waals (vdW) heterostructure. A convenient route is demonstrated for the preparation of ultra‐thin GeSe/WS2 vdW heterojunctions. The results reveal great potential of the present GeSe/WS2 vertical heterojunction for future applications in optoelectronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditionally virtual machine (VM) deployment is based on one or two resources on the hosts and rarely considers other resources as well as the resource preferences of different applications. This leads to the imbalance and inefficient utilization of the resources on the physical hosts which further results in the waste of the cloud resources. To solve this problem, a novel VM deployment strategy is proposed. In consideration of the features of applications, the strategy deploys VMs based on the resource preferences of applications as well as the remained resources of the hosts. Utilizing the resource preferences the weights of various resources are determined, and the weight tables for VMs are obtained. Combining the resources weights of VMs and the resource configurations of physical hosts the values whether the resources are used in balance are calculated. To verify the correctness and effectiveness of the proposed strategy, extensive experiments were carried out on Cloudsim. Experimental results show that the proposed strategy is correct and effective. It outperforms other algorithms in VM deployment and ensures that the cloud resources are more efficiently utilized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a promising dielectric material, tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5) exhibits multi‐phase co‐existing under common fabrication conditions, so it is highly desired to predict theoretically which phase is of the largest dielectric constant. Considering that the specific operations and parameters employed in ab initio calculations may lead to considerably different lattice structure, we set the experimental lattice constants as the criteria to select the functional and parameters in density of functional theory and calculated the dielectric tensors of crystalline δ‐, β‐, LSR‐, B‐, and Z‐Ta2O5, showing that the dielectric constant is very sensitive to the lattice constants and δ‐Ta2O5 possesses the largest dielectric constant, 375.1, which is about 10 times larger than those of the other four phases and the experimental measurement of common Ta2O5 samples with several phases co‐existed, and furthermore, the dielectric constant of δ‐ and β‐Ta2O5 could be enhanced to 1175.2 and 939.5, respectively, with the Ta atom replaced by Ti atom at a molar ratio of 7.14%, which is in qualitative agreement with the experimental observations of Ti‐doped β‐, LSR‐, and H‐Ta2O5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bipartite Turán number, denoted by ex(m,n,H), is the maximum number of edges in an H‐free bipartite graph with two parts of sizes m and n, respectively. In this article, we prove ex(m,n,C2t)=(t−1)n+m−t+1 for any positive integers m,n,t with n≥m≥t≥m2+1, which confirms (in a strong form) the unsolved case of a conjecture of Győri. Let G=(X,Y;E) be a bipartite graph with ∣X∣=n and ∣Y∣=m. Suppose that n≥m≥2k+2 for some k∈N. We prove that G contains cycles of all even lengths from 4 to 2m−2k if e(G)≥(m−k−1)n+k+2. This result sharpens a theorem on long cycles in bipartite graphs due to Jackson. As a main tool, for a longest cycle C in a bipartite graph, we prove an upper bound of the number of edges which are incident with at most one vertex in C, which is a bipartite analogue of a classical theorem of Bondy. Our proof technique is structural. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1990, Cvetković and Rowlinson conjectured that among all outerplanar graphs on n vertices, K1∨Pn−1 attains the maximum spectral radius. In 2017, Tait and Tobin confirmed the conjecture for sufficientlty large values of n. In this article, we show the conjecture is true for all n≥2 except for n=6. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composite powder coatings consisting of polyetheretherketone (PEEK), hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), and tungsten carbide cobalt chromium (WC‐CoCr) particles were prepared by mechanical grinding and applied on steel substrates by thermal fusion of the thermoplastic polymer. The coatings contained about 20–60 vol% of hBN and WC‐CoCr, and were designed to maximize modulus and hardness and minimize friction coefficient and wear rate. The mechanical and tribological properties of single‐ and double‐layered coatings were characterized using nanoindentation and sliding friction and wear measurements. When the hBN concentration was about 30 vol%, the PEEK–hBN composite modulus was lower than that of neat PEEK, which is attributed to the disruption of PEEK crystallization by the filler particles. Upon the inclusion of WC‐CoCr particles, the composite's modulus, and hardness showed a substantial increase beyond PEEK values. Elastic moduli of the mixed‐filler systems were closer to the Reuss bound than the Voigt bound and could be correlated well with the coating composition using volume‐fraction‐weighted powers of component properties. Fitted values of the exponent (called the microstructural coefficient) were consistent with the expected continuity and connectivity of the composite's hard and soft phases. Viscoplastic energy dissipation increased with an increase in the polymer‐filler interfacial area but decreased with the soft‐phase volume fraction. The plasticity index was found to increase logarithmically with the coating modulus. The specific wear rate increased sharply beyond a composition‐dependent critical value of the plasticity index. Mechanical polishing of the coating surfaces using abrasive slurries lowered the friction coefficient but increased the wear rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a highly contagious and potentially fatal disease of dogs, canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV‐2) usually causes severe myocarditis and gastroenteritis, while vaccine injection has greatly reduced the incidence of CPV‐2 diseases. However, there is currently a lack of simple and effective method for quantitative detection of CPV‐2 in vaccine. Therefore, this study aims to prepare an accurate method to determine the CPV‐2 antigen (CPV‐2‐Ag) in vaccine. Here, a sandwich time‐resolved fluorescence immunoassay (TRFIA) was established and optimized. Anti‐CPV‐2 antibodies were immobilized on 96‐well plates to capture CPV‐2‐Ag, and then bound together with the detection antibodies labeled with Europium(III) (Eu3+) chelates; finally, time‐resolved fluorometry was employed to measure the fluorescence intensity. Vaccination was performed to evaluate the relationship between CPV‐2‐Ag concentration and antibody titer. The sensitivity is 1.15 mEU/mL (LogY = 1.524 + 0.8667 × LogX, R2 = 0.9933), and the average recovery is among 91.00% to 106.39% without cross‐reactions with the other canine viral antigen. The correlation between ELISA assay and this method is up to 0.9861. And, there is high correlation between the CPV‐2‐Ag concentration and antibody titers (R2 = 0.9234). This immunoassay established has high sensitivity, accuracy, and specificity, which indicate that this method could be suitable for quantitative detection of CPV‐2‐Ag in vaccine evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fufang Xiling Jiedu capsule is an effective Chinese medicine widely used for the treatment of cold and influenza. However, its chemical constituents had not been determined, which entailed a huge obstacle to further pharmacological studies, clinical‐safe medication administration, and quality evaluation. To identify the chemical constituents in Fufang Xiling Jiedu capsule, an efficient and systematic approach using ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with a quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry in conjunction with a data mining strategy was adopted in this study. As a result, 145 compounds were qualitatively identified, including 26 phenolic acids, 46 flavonoids, 39 triterpenes, and 34 other compounds, among which 6 were potentially new and 144 were being reported from Fufang Xiling Jiedu capsule for the first time. This research not only provides useful information for quality control of Fufang Xiling Jiedu capsule and its involved single herbs but also serve as basis data for further study of Fufang Xiling Jiedu capsule in vivo. Moreover, it provides a reference for the characterization of the chemical constituents of other Chinese medicine preparations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chromatic polynomial P(G,x) of a graph G of order n can be expressed as ∑i=1n(−1)n−iaixi, where ai is interpreted as the number of broken‐cycle‐free spanning subgraphs of G with exactly i components. The parameter ϵ(G)=∑i=1n(n−i)ai∕∑i=1nai is the mean size of a broken‐cycle‐free spanning subgraph of G. In this article, we confirm and strengthen a conjecture proposed by Lundow and Markström in 2006 that ϵ(Tn)<ϵ(G)<ϵ(Kn) holds for any connected graph G of order n which is neither the complete graph Kn nor a tree Tn of order n. The most crucial step of our proof is to obtain the interpretation of all ai's by the number of acyclic orientations of G. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Papilla with hooknose or long protruding shape may increase the difficulty of cannulation during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). However, the relationship between papilla anatomy and complications of ERCP has not been fully understood. We aimed to investigate the effect of major duodenal papilla morphology on post‐ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) and the procedure of cannulation. Methods: Patients with native papilla who underwent ERCP were recruited to this multicenter study. Papilla‐related variables were collected, including the length of long axis (L), short axis (S) and opening width (OW), transverse fold, periampullary diverticulum (PAD), papilla location, orientation, swelling, and presence of duodenal stenosis. Demographic data and the procedure of cannulation were also prospectively evaluated. The primary outcome was PEP incidence. Multivariate analysis was used to identify high risk factors for PEP. Results: Six hundred and fifty‐eight patients were enrolled. Overall PEP incidence was 4.7% (31/658). The papilla of patients complicated with PEP had higher long to short axis (L/S) ratio (odds ratio [OR] 3.84, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.37–10.74, P = 0.010), higher long axis to opening width (L/OW) ratio (OR 1.35, 95%CI: 1.06–1.71, P = 0.014), more transverse folds (OR 2.53, 95%CI: 1.02–6.26, P = 0.044), and less periampullary diverticulum (OR 0.21, 95%CI: 0.06–0.70, P = 0.011). Multivariate analysis revealed that the indication of common bile duct stones, normal bilirubin, inadvertent pancreatic duct cannulation > 1, L/S ratio ≥ 1.5, and absence of PAD were independent risk factors for PEP. Conclusion: Besides patient‐related and procedure‐related factors, papilla‐related variables, such as L/S ratio and PAD, can be considered as a third type of factors associated with PEP (Clinicaltrials.gov number: NCT03550768). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The study explored the potential function of astrocyte elevated gene‐1 (AEG‐1) on angiogenesis in tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) in TSCC cell lines. Methods: The different degrees of angiogenesis were detected in TSCC cell lines expressing different levels of AEG‐1 by chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) experimental model. Next, we established xenografts of different TSCC cell lines with different expression levels of AEG‐1 in nude mice and conducted immunohistochemistry to evaluate the expression of the angiogenesis‐associated factor, that is, vascular endothelial growth receptor factor 2 (VEGFR‐2) and microvessel density (MVD). Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was detected by ELISA. Results: CAM assay showed that the number of vessels was significantly reduced in AEG‐1‐down um1 cell line (p <.05), whereas the number was significantly increased in AEG‐1‐over um2 cell line (p <.05). Moreover, up‐regulated AEG‐1 expression level was associated with higher tumor angiogenesis, which was reflected by augmented expression levels of VEGF (p <.01), VEGFR‐2 (p <.05), and MVD counting (p <.01). Conclusions: This study demonstrated that AEG‐1 can promote tumor angiogenesis in TSCC and inhibition of tumor angiogenesis by repressing the expression of AEG‐1 may be a novel potential treatment approach for TSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Arteriogenesis is an important mechanism that contributes to restoration of oxygen supply in chronically ischemic tissues, but remains incompletely understood due to technical limitations. This study presents a novel approach for comprehensive assessment of the remodeling pattern in a complex microvascular network containing multiple collateral microvessels. Methods: We have developed a hardware‐software integrated platform for quantitative, longitudinal, and label‐free imaging of network‐wide hemodynamic changes and arteriogenesis at the single‐vessel level. By ligating feeding arteries in the mouse ear, we induced network‐wide hemodynamic redistribution and localized arteriogenesis. The utility of this technology was demonstrated by studying the influence of obesity on microvascular arteriogenesis. Results: Simultaneously monitoring the remodeling of competing collateral arterioles revealed a new, inverse relationship between initial vascular resistance and extent of arteriogenesis. Obese mice exhibited similar remodeling responses to lean mice through the first week, including diameter increase and flow upregulation in collateral arterioles. However, these gains were subsequently lost in obese mice. Conclusions: Capable of label‐free, comprehensive, and dynamic quantification of structural and functional changes in the microvascular network in vivo, this platform opens up new opportunities to study the mechanisms of microvascular arteriogenesis, its implications in diseases, and approaches to pharmacologically rectify microvascular dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Matrix metalloproteinase‐9 (MMP‐9), or gelatinase B, has been hypothesized to be involved in the progression of atherosclerosis. In the arterial wall, accumulated macrophages secrete considerable amounts of MMP‐9 but its pathophysiological functions in atherosclerosis have not been fully elucidated. To examine the hypothesis that macrophage‐derived MMP‐9 may affect atherosclerosis, we created MMP‐9 transgenic (Tg) rabbits to overexpress the rabbit MMP‐9 gene under the control of the scavenger receptor A enhancer/promoter and examined their susceptibility to cholesterol diet‐induced atherosclerosis. Tg rabbits along with non‐Tg rabbits were fed a cholesterol diet for 16 and 28 weeks, and their aortic and coronary atherosclerosis was compared. Gross aortic lesion areas were significantly increased in female Tg rabbits at 28 weeks; however, pathological examination revealed that all the lesions of Tg rabbits fed a cholesterol diet for either 16 or 28 weeks were characterized by increased monocyte/macrophage accumulation and prominent lipid core formation compared with those of non‐Tg rabbits. Macrophages isolated from Tg rabbits exhibited higher infiltrative activity towards a chemoattractant, MCP‐1 in vitro and augmented capability of hydrolysing extracellular matrix in granulomatous tissue. Surprisingly, the lesions of Tg rabbits showed more advanced lesions with remarkable calcification in both aortas and coronary arteries. In conclusion, macrophage‐derived MMP‐9 facilitates the infiltration of monocyte/macrophages into the lesions thereby enhancing the progression of atherosclerosis. Increased accumulation of lesional macrophages may promote vascular calcification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exosomes are abundantly secreted extracellular vesicles that accumulate in the circulation and are of great interest for disease diagnosis and evaluation since their contents reflects the phenotype of their cell of origin. Tumor‐derived exosomes (TDEs) are of particular interest for cancer diagnosis and therapy, since most tumor demonstrate highly elevated exosome secretion rates and provide specific information about the genotype of a tumor and its response to treatment. TDEs also contain regulatory factors that can alter the phenotypes of local and distant tissue sites and alter immune cell functions to promote tumor progression. The abundance, information content, regulatory potential, in vivo half‐life, and physical durability of exosomes suggest that TDEs may represent a superior source of diagnostic biomarkers and treatment targets than other materials currently under investigation. This review will summarize current information on mechanisms that may differentially regulate TDE biogenesis, TDE effects on the immune system that promote tumor survival, growth, and metastasis, and new approaches understudy to counteract or utilize TDE properties in cancer therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crustal delamination induced by eclogitization of orogenic roots, in addition to plate subduction, is an important process that transfers crustal materials back into the mantle. Many previous studies have demonstrated a causal link between crustal delamination and eclogitization, but actual magmatic records of the process are rarely documented. Here we present detailed studies on two distinct late Paleozoic adakite suites in the Awulale Mountains (Chinese Western Tianshan), that is, the suites with high (HN) and low (LN) Nb/Ta ratios, to constrain the regional crustal delamination. Both igneous suites have adakitic affinity and formed by partial melting of the juvenile thickened lower crust with different residual mineral assemblages in their source regions. The late Carboniferous HN adakite has superchondritic Nb/Ta (21.4–23.3) and high Dy/Yb (2.66–2.88) ratios and may have formed via rutile‐bearing, eclogite‐controlled melting of the lower crust, implying crustal thickening and eclogitization. In contrast, the Permian LN adakites have varying and lower ranges of Nb/Ta (12.9–20.0) and Dy/Yb ratios (1.35–2.53), which were probably derived from mixing of garnet‐bearing amphibolite with minor rutile‐bearing, eclogite‐controlled melts, implying crustal thinning and the end of eclogitization. The succession of these two adakite suites suggests that during the late Carboniferous to early Permian, eclogitization of the orogenic root, accompanying successive crustal delaminations, occurred in this region. Accordingly, our results imply that adakites with different geochemical features are potential tracers for the mineralogy of orogenic roots and, importantly, provide convincing evidence for eclogitization‐induced crustal delamination in orogenic belts. Key Points: Two distinct adakite groups (with super/subchondritic Nb/Ta ratios) are present in the Awulale Mountains (Chinese Western Tianshan)Adakite geochemical features are controlled by the residual mineral assemblages in the magma sourcesAdakites in orogenic belts could be used to trace eclogitization‐induced crustal delamination events [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Premature ejaculation (PE) is one of the most common sexual dysfunctions in men. However, there has been little research evaluating alterations in brain structure related to PE. We aimed to investigate the characteristics of nonmedicated PE patients in terms of brain morphometry.Materials and Methods: The sample consisted with 32 medication-naïve adult men with clinical diagnosed PE and matched 31 healthy controls. All participants received diagnostic interviews and 3.0 Tesla MRI scans. Automatic segmentation processing of MRI structure images was performed using FreeSurfer software and cerebral cortical thickness between groups was compared.Results: The PE group had thicker cortex in widespread regions, including the frontal, parietal and occipital lobe, and limbic system, compared with the healthy control group (P < 0.05). Moreover, the duration is negatively correlated with the mean cortical thickness of the right medial orbitofrontal cortex, right precentral gyrus and left superior frontal cortex (R2 = 0.29, P < 0.003; R2 = 0.163, P < 0.04; R2 = 0.2, P < 0.02), while the Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool score is negatively correlated with the mean cortical thickness of the left caudal middle frontal cortex (R2 = 0.33, P < 0.005).Conclusion: The result highlights the structural features of PE and suggests the relationship with the severity of impairment is related to the severity of anatomic abnormality with the relevant brain region. These results support the value of imaging measures as markers for understanding the physiopathology of PE.Level Of Evidence: 1 Technical Efficacy: Stage 3 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2018;47:656-662. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV‐2), as a highly contagious and potentially fatal disease of dogs and many other carnivores, usually causes severe gastroenteritis and myocarditis. Therefore, it is very necessary and urgent to have an accurate method to determine the CPV‐2 antibodies (CPV‐2‐Ab) in canine samples. Here, a magnetic bead–based chemiluminescence immunoassay was established and optimized to detect the concentration of CPV‐2‐Ab in serum. And a commercial assay was also used to evaluate the consistency with our method. After optimization of the detective system, the CPV‐2‐Ab was captured by CPV‐antigen‐magnetic bead (8.3 µg/mL); then combined with the conjugation of anti‐canine IgG antibody‐acridinium ester (0.36 µg/mL). Finally, collected the signal (read the luminosity) after 1 H reaction time. The linear correlation coefficient (R2) is 0.9924. The limit of detection (sensitivity) is 0.36 ng/mL (the linear dynamic range: 1.32–93.75 ng/mL), and the average recovery is 100.89% without cross‐reactions with other canine viral antibodies. The results' correlation between commercial assays and this method is 0.9888. This immunoassay establishes that it has high sensitivity, accuracy, and specificity in clinical analysis, indicating that this method could be suitable for quantitative detection of CPV‐2‐Ab and evaluation of vaccination effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Artemisia pollen allergy is a major cause of asthma in Northern China. Possible associations between IgE responses to Artemisia allergen components and clinical phenotypes have not yet been evaluated. This study was to establish sensitization patterns of four Artemisia allergens and possible associations with demographic characteristics and clinical phenotypes in three areas of China. Methods: Two hundred and forty patients allergic to Artemisia pollen were examined, 178 from Shanxi and 30 from Shandong Provinces in Northern China, and 32 from Yunnan Province in Southwestern China. Allergic asthma, rhinitis, conjunctivitis, and eczema symptoms were diagnosed. All patients' sera were tested by ImmunoCAP with mugwort pollen extract and the natural components nArt v 1, nArt ar 2, nArt v 3, and nArt an 7. Results: The frequency of sensitization and the IgE levels of the four components in Artemisia allergic patients from Southwestern China were significantly lower than in those from the North. Art v 1 and Art an 7 were the most frequently recognized allergens (84% and 87%, respectively), followed by Art v 3 (66%) and Art ar 2 (48%). Patients from Northern China were more likely to have allergic asthma (50%) than patients from Southwestern China (3%), and being sensitized to more than two allergens increased the risk of allergic asthma, in which co‐sensitization to three major allergens Art v 1, Art v 3, and Art an 7 is prominent. Conclusions: Component‐resolved diagnosis of Chinese Artemisia pollen‐allergic patients helps assess the potential risk of mugwort‐associated allergic asthma. Component‐resolved diagnosis of Chinese Artemisia pollen allergic patients helps assess the potential risk of mugwort‐associated allergic asthma. Sensitization to more than two Artemisia pollen allergens resulted in higher risk of allergic asthma, in which co‐sensitization to Art v 1, Art v 3 and Art an 7 allergens is prominent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Melting and dehydration of subducted oceanic slabs dominate element recycling within the subduction factory, but the role of recycled oceanic crust in the source of intraplate magmas is poorly understood. In situ zircon O‐Hf isotope data from two Early Cretaceous alkaline A‐type granites that are genetically related to large‐scale extension of eastern China in the Late Mesozoic (circa 125 Ma) yield low δ18O (1.8 ± 0.3‰ to 5.1 ± 0.3‰, 2σ) and positive εHf(t) (1.5 ± 1.2 to 17 ± 1.2, 2σ). This suggests the contribution of altered oceanic crust and an enriched mantle component in the source region. Elevated initial 87Sr/86Sr and 206Pb/204Pb ratios, and εHf(t) whole rock values with relatively constant εNd(t) values beyond the normal mantle array, require a component that underwent seawater interaction in the source of protolith. The geochemical data require a complex source region for the alkaline A‐type granites in NE China involving more than 40% recycled oceanic crust. This altered oceanic crust beneath the Late Mesozoic lithospheric mantle likely represents remnants of multiple subduction and collision events between microblocks from the Late Paleozoic to Early Mesozoic in northeastern China. Recycling of subducted oceanic crust represents a novel exotic source for the origin of alkaline A‐type granites in intraplate extensional settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The layered structure of SiOx and SiNx is a good candidate to be gate insulator and passivation layers in IGZO TFT. However, this complex layered structure could introduce issues of transmittance, color shift and gamut change at aperture area in single glass of TFT side. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Bisphenol A (BPA) is an artificial environmental endocrine disrupter. Excess exposure to BPA may induce many disorders in the metabolism and cardiovascular system. However, the underlying toxicological mechanisms remain largely unknown. In this study, we administered genetically hyperlipidemic Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic (WHHL-MI) rabbits (male, 14 week old), which have more common features with humans than the mouse and rat especially in the metabolism and cardiovascular system, with BPA at 40 mg kg-1 day-1 for 8 weeks by gavage and compared their plasma lipids, glucose and insulin response with those of the vehicle group. All of the rabbits were sacrificed, and their pancreas, liver, adipose tissue, heart and aorta were analyzed using histological and morphometric methods. Furthermore, we treated human hepatoma HepG2 cells and human umbilical cord vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), with different doses of BPA based on the serum BPA levels in the WHHL rabbits for 6 h to investigate the possible molecular mechanisms. Our results showed that BPA-treated rabbits showed insulin resistance, prominent adipose accumulation and hepatic steatosis. Additionally, BPA exposure also caused myocardial injury and enhanced the development of atherosclerosis in the aortic arch with increased macrophage number (86%) and advanced lesion areas (69%). Increased expression of inflammatory genes found in the liver of BPA-treated rabbits along with the up-regulation of ER stress, lipid and glucose homeostasis and inflammatory genes in the cultured HepG2 cells and HUVECs suggest that BPA may induce metabolic disorders and enhance atherosclerosis through regulating above molecular pathways in the liver and endothelium. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new method, the artificially high soil cadmium (Cd) concentration method, was used to screen for Cd hyperaccumulators among winter farmland weeds. Galinsoga parviflora was the most promising remedial plant among 5 Cd accumulators or hyperaccumulators. In Cd concentration gradient experiments, as soil Cd concentration increased, root and shoot biomass decreased, and their Cd contents increased. In additional concentration gradient experiments, superoxide dismutase and peroxidase activities increased with soil Cd concentrations up to 75 mg kg−1, while expression of their isoenzymes strengthened. Catalase (CAT) activity declined and CAT isoenzyme expression weakened at soil Cd concentrations less than 50 mg kg−1. The maxima of Cd contents in shoots and roots were 137.63 mg kg−1 and 105.70 mg kg−1, respectively, at 100 mg kg−1 Cd in soil. The root and shoot bioconcentration factors exceeded 1.0, as did the translocation factor. In a field experiment, total extraction of Cd by shoots was 1.35 mg m−2 to 1.43 mg m−2 at soil Cd levels of 2.04 mg kg−1 to 2.89 mg kg−1. Therefore, the artificially high soil Cd concentration method was effective for screening Cd hyperaccumulators. Galinsoga parviflora is a Cd hyperaccumulator that could be used to efficiently remediate Cd-contaminated farmland soil. Environ Toxicol Chem 2014;33:2422-2428. © 2014 SETAC [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intragranular-porous ferroelectric ceramic was fabricated for the first time with carbon nanotubes as pore formers and the effects of intragranular pores on the ferroelectric and dielectric properties were investigated. It was found that compared with dense ceramic the introduction of a small amount of intragranular pores led to an enhanced remnant polarization, an improved bulk resistivity, higher dielectric breakdown strength, a lower dielectric constant, and thus an enhanced energy storage density by 20%. Plus, a shift of the Curie temperature of ceramics was found in intragranular-porous ferroelectric ceramic and possible reasons for these effects were interpreted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aqueous degradation of iodinated X‐ray contrast media (ICM) by the combination of ozone and ultrasound has been studied. Experiments were conducted at a constant ultrasound frequency of 20 kHz, at five power densities up to 0.235 W/mL, and various ozone centrations. In experiments involving dissolved ozone in solution, the addition of ultrasound significantly decreased the oxidation performance of the dissolved ozone, while the combination of dissolved oxygen and ultrasound gave a greater oxidation performance than ultrasound alone. However, the combination of gaseous ozone and ultrasound was found to give a higher degree of compound degradation than either ozone or ultrasound alone. In the experiments with final effluent, the degradation of ICM compounds by gaseous ozone and ultrasound was found to depend on the ozone dose applied. The degradation of ICM compounds in final effluent was modeled, which was found to moderately overestimate the observed compound degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inset is a cross-sectional SEM image of a double-layered coating that contained hexagonal-BN in the top layer for lowering friction, and WC cermet in the bottom layer, for mechanical reinforcement. This cover page designed by Lebga-Nebane and colleagues shows scanning electron microscopy images of the hexagonal boron nitride and tungsten carbide cermet particles used as functional fillers in polyetheretherketone-based powder composite coatings on steel. [Extracted from the article]

The article presents a study that evaluates the chemical product engineering and intercalation assembly of intercalated functional materials on the basis of the efficient utilization of magnesium resources in salt lakes in West China. The study is undertaken through separate nucleating and aging steps (SNAS). The results of the study conclude that the efficient utilization of magnesium resources is one of the problems in the utilization of salt lake resources.

B Description of the front cover image b : The cover image is based on the REVIEW ARTICLE I Tumor-derived exosomes (TDEs): how to avoid the sting in the tail i by MeiHua Wan et al., https://doi.org/10.1002/med.21623. B Credit b : Cover image © Bo Ning Images. [Extracted from the article]

In this work, we report a biopsy‐needle compatible rigid probe, capable of performing three‐dimensional (3D) two‐photon optical biopsy. The probe has a small outer diameter of 1.75 mm and fits inside a gauge‐14 biopsy needle to reach internal organs. A carefully designed focus scanning mechanism has been implemented in the rigid probe, which, along with a rapid two‐dimensional MEMS scanner, enables 3D imaging. Fast image acquisition up to 10 frames per second is possible, dramatically reducing motion artifacts during in vivo imaging. Equipped with a high‐numerical aperture micro‐objective, the miniature rigid probe offers a high two‐photon resolution (0.833 × 6.11 μm, lateral × axial), a lateral field of view of 120 μm, and an axial focus tuning range of 200 μm. In addition to imaging of mouse internal organs and subcutaneous tumor in vivo, first‐of‐its‐kind depth‐resolved two‐photon optical biopsy of an internal organ has been successfully demonstrated on mouse kidney in vivo and in situ. Optical biopsy calls for label‐free, in vivo and in situ interrogation of tissue at histopathological resolution. Considerable efforts have been made for enabling multiphoton microscopy imaging of internal organs, but they all involved surgical elevation of target organs to reduce motion artifact and most lacked depth scanning, which fell short of the in situ requirement for optical biopsy. In this work, we report a biopsy‐needle compatible rigid probe, capable of performing three‐dimensional two‐photon optical biopsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A diagram is presented which shows the Fe-mediated S-S bond cleavage including its application in the synthesis of α-arylthio carbonyl compounds.