Search

The recursive integral terminal sliding mode control with combined extended state observer (ESO) and adaptive Kalman filter (AKF) is proposed in this article for micromechanical system gyroscopes. To accurately estimate the unmeasured system states in the presence of measurement noises, external disturbances and system uncertainties, the special combination of ESO and AKF is proposed. The AKF is employed to deal with measurement noises and prepare necessary signals for the ESO, while the ESO constantly provides the updated estimate of the lumped disturbance for the AKF. Furthermore, a robust control scheme is designed by using the recursive integral terminal sliding mode variable. Simulation results verify that more accurate unmeasured state estimation and higher tracking accuracy are achieved under the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Recently, there have been attempts to improve prognostication and therefore better guide treatment for patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). In 2022, the International MTC Grading System (IMTCGS) was developed and validated using a multi‐institutional cohort of 327 patients. The aim of the current study was to build upon the findings of the IMTCGS to develop and validate a prognostic nomogram to predict recurrence‐free survival (RFS) in MTC. Methods and Results: Data from 300 patients with MTC from five centres across the USA, Europe, and Australia were used to develop a prognostic nomogram that included the following variables: age, sex, AJCC stage, tumour size, mitotic count, necrosis, Ki67 index, lymphovascular invasion, microscopic extrathyroidal extension, and margin status. A process of 10‐fold cross‐validation was used to optimize the model's performance. To assess discrimination and calibration, the area‐under‐the‐curve (AUC) of a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, concordance‐index (C‐index), and dissimilarity index (D‐index) were calculated. Finally, the model was externally validated using a separate cohort of 87 MTC patients. The model demonstrated very strong performance, with an AUC of 0.94, a C‐index of 0.876, and a D‐index of 19.06. When applied to the external validation cohort, the model had an AUC of 0.9. Conclusions: Using well‐established clinicopathological prognostic variables, we developed and externally validated a robust multivariate prediction model for RFS in patients with resected MTC. The model demonstrates excellent predictive capability and may help guide decisions on patient management. The nomogram is freely available online at https://nomograms.shinyapps.io/MTC_ML_DFS/. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors presents a low‐profile wideband circularly polarised (CP) millimetre‐wave (mmWave) elliptical integrated lens antenna (ILA) fabricated by dielectric 3D printing technology. The proposed lens is integrated with a dielectric polariser and an air cavity for phase compensation, which can transfer incident waves from linearly polarised (LP) to planar CP waves over a wide bandwidth. Compared to the classic bifocal ILA, the proposed lens has a low profile. The phase compensation is performed by introducing a specifically shaped air cavity, which greatly reduces the length and weight of the lens. The polariser causes the two electric field components Ex and Ey to degenerate with an orthogonal phase difference, which results in the wideband characteristics of the antenna. The polariser, air cavity and lens can be conveniently and precisely fabricated by low‐cost 3D printing technology. Measurements show that the proposed ILA has a wide axial ratio (AR) bandwidth of 21.9–32.6 GHz, while the gain reaches 22.54 dBic with a 38% size reduction and a 60.7% weight reduction. Benefiting from the low profile, high gain, wide bandwidth and low cost, the proposed ILA has great potential to be the candidate antenna for 5G applications and satellite communications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a special issue of Grass and Forage Science focused on grassland, forage, and turfgrass science in China. The issue highlights the developments in these areas in China and includes papers on topics such as genetics and grass breeding, forage production and utilization, grassland degradation, and turfgrasses. The article emphasizes the breadth of Chinese grassland science and notes an increase in the number of papers published from China in recent years. The authors express their gratitude to those who contributed to the special issue and anticipate continued growth in research from China in the future. [Extracted from the article]

The composite learning control with the heterogeneous estimator is proposed to deal with the multiple uncertainties of strict‐feedback nonlinear systems. The article applies the recorded data‐based neural learning and the disturbance observer (DOB) to learn the multiple uncertainties, including the nonlinear dynamics, the unknown control gain function (CGF), and the time‐varying disturbance. The lumped prediction error is constructed and included into the update law by neural approximation and disturbance observation. Furthermore, the asymmetric saturation nonlinearity (ASN) of the control input is represented by the smooth form model to ensure the input limitation, and a projection algorithm is adopted to avoid the singularity problem. The closed‐loop system stability is rigorously analyzed and the boundedness of the system tracking error is guaranteed. Through the tests of the third‐order nonlinear system and the autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), it is observed that the proposed approach can improve the system tracking accuracy with the expected learning performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peatland ecosystem restoration following oil mining activities in Alberta, Canada, aims at reestablishing crucial peatland functions, such as wildlife habitat, water storage and filtration, peat accumulation, and carbon sequestration. To reinstate peatland functions, characteristic hydrological conditions are necessary to support the establishment and growth of characteristic wetland vegetation. Following in situ oil sands well pad disturbances in the Peace River and Cold Lake Oil Sands regions in Alberta, we evaluated the efficiency of peatland restoration approaches including different groundwork and revegetation techniques. Groundwork techniques included the complete removal (CR) or partial removal (PR) of the former in situ well pads' mineral fill and revegetation included the spontaneous revegetation via natural ingress of diaspores from nearby peatlands, or managed revegetation via planting of Carex aquatilis, Larix laricina, and Salix lutea. We assessed the plant species composition, biochemical and hydrological properties of all study areas, including restored peatland areas, an unrestored area, and reference areas (REF) for comparison. Ten years post‐restoration, in the restored areas the mean total plant cover was 57% with an average of 35 vascular plant and bryophyte species, while in REF 68% mean total plant cover and an average of 64 plant species were recorded. Respectively, characteristic peatland species contributed to 61 and 100% of the species composition. PR and hydrological connection to the adjacent peatland resulted in near surface water table and the highest peatland plant species diversity, while CR promoted the formation of a shallow open water area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing solid‐state luminescent materials with bright long‐wavelength emissions is of considerable practical importance in light‐emitting diodes (LEDs) but remains a formidable challenge. Here, a novel structure engineering strategy is reported to realize solid‐state fluorescence (FL)‐emitted carbon dots (CDs) from visible to near‐infrared region. This is the first report of such an extended wavelength emission of self‐quenching‐resistant solid‐state CDs. Notably, the quantum yields of these CDs are remarkably improved up to 67.7%, which is the highest value for solid‐state CDs. The surface polymer chains of CDs can efficiently suppress the conjugated sp2 carbon cores from π–π stacking inducing aggregation caused FL quenching, and the redshift of FL emissions is attributed to narrowing bandgap caused by an enlarged sp2 carbon core. Using these CDs as conversion phosphors, the fabrication of white LEDs with adjustable correlated color temperatures of 1882–5019 K is achieved. Moreover, a plant growth LED device is assembled with a blue‐LED chip and deep‐red/near‐infrared‐emitted CDs. Compared with sunlight and white LEDs, the peanuts irradiated by plant growth LED lamp show higher growth efficiency in terms of branches and leaves. This work provides high‐quality solid‐state CD‐based phosphors for LED lighting sources that are required for diverse optoelectronic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This article addresses an adaptive fuzzy practical fixed‐time tracking control for nonlinear systems with unknown actuator constraints and uncertainty functions. First, fuzzy logic systems (FLSs) are used to identify uncertain functions. Then, by utilizing FLSs, backstepping technique, and finite‐time stability theory, an adaptive fuzzy practical fixed‐time control is proposed to obtain satisfactory tracking performance even when the actuator faults. The theoretical analysis verified that the closed‐loop systems is practical fixed‐time stable under the proposed control strategy, the tracking error converges to a small neighborhood of the origin in a fixed time, and the convergence time is independent of the state conditions. Finally, both numerical simulation and physical example demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, an adaptive fuzzy finite‐time fault‐tolerant control (FTC) scheme for uncertain non‐linear systems under sensor faults is proposed. Compared with the existing methods, the considered system contains unknown time‐varying fault parameters, uncertain non‐linear functions, and can guarantee the performance of the system in finite time. The coupling between fault parameters and actual states is solved by the fault parameters separation method. The fuzzy logic system (FLS) is used to approximate the unknown functions, and combining the backstepping technology an adaptive fault‐tolerant controller is designed. The finite‐time stability of the closed‐loop system is proved by the Lyapunov theory. At last, the numerical simulation and the real physical system simulation verified the effectiveness of the proposed scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Few studies have performed detailed ultrasound measurements of medial epicondyle‐olecranon (MEO) ligament that cause the entrapment of ulnar nerve. This study aims to comprehensively evaluate dynamic ultrasonographic characteristics of MEO ligament and ulnar nerve for clinical diagnosis and accurate treatment of cubital tunnel syndrome (CuTS). Methods: Thirty CuTS patients (CuTS group) and sixteen healthy volunteers (control group) who underwent ultrasound scanning from October 2016 to October 2020 were retrospectively collected, with 30 elbows in each group. Primary outcomes were thickness at six points, length and width of MEO ligament. Secondary outcomes were thickness of ulnar nerve under MEO ligament at seven parts and the cross‐sectional area (CSA) of ulnar nerve at proximal end of MEO ligament (P0 mm). The thickness of MEO ligament and ulnar nerve in different points of each group was compared by one‐way ANOVA analysis with Bonferroni post hoc test, other outcomes were compared between two elbow positions or two groups using independent‐samples t test. Results: Thickness of MEO ligament in CuTS group at epicondyle end, midpoint in transverse view, olecranon end, proximal end, midpoint in axial view, and distal end was 0.67 ± 0.31, 0.37 ± 0.18, 0.89 ± 0.35, 0.39 ± 0.21, 0.51 ± 0.38, 0.36 ± 0.25 at elbow extension, 0.68 ± 0.34, 0.38 ± 0.27, 0.77 ± 0.39, 0.32 ± 0.20, 0.48 ± 0.22, 0.32 ± 0.12 (mm) at elbow flexion, respectively. Compared with control group, they were significantly thickened except for proximal end at elbow flexion. MEO ligament thickness at epicondyle end and olecranon end was significantly larger than midpoint in two groups. No significant difference was found in length and width of MEO ligament among different comparisons. Ulnar nerve thickness at 5 mm proximal to MEO ligament (P5 mm, 3.25 ± 0.66 mm) was significantly increased than midpoint of MEO ligament (Mid), distal end of MEO ligament (D0 mm), 5 mm (D5 mm), 10 mm (D10 mm) distal to MEO ligament at extension in CuTS group. Compared with control group, ulnar nerve thickness at P5 mm in CuTS group was significantly increased at extension position, at D5 mm and D10 mm was significantly decreased at flexion position. CSA of ulnar nerve at extension position (14.44 ± 4.65 mm2) was significantly larger than flexion position (11.83 ± 3.66 mm2) in CuTS group, and CuTS group was significantly larger than control group at two positions. Conclusions: MEO ligament in CuTS patients was thickened, which compressed ulnar nerve and caused its proximal end swelling. Ultrasonic image of MEO ligament thickness was a significant indicator for CuTS and can guide surgeons in selecting the appropriate treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The definition of papillary thyroid carcinoma, solid variant (PTC‐SV) varies from >50% to 100% of solid/trabecular/insular growth (STI). We aimed to identify prognostic factors and to establish an appropriate STI cutoff for PTC‐SV in this multi‐institutional study of 156 PTCs with STI. Results: Nodal metastases were seen in 18% and were associated with a higher percentage of papillary and STI. When substratified by infiltration/encapsulation status, the STI percentage did not impact the risk of nodal metastasis. pN1 stage was seen in 51% of infiltrative tumours and 1% of encapsulated lesions. Overall, PTC with STI had an excellent prognosis. The 10‐year disease‐free survival (DFS) was 87% in the entire cohort, 94% in encapsulated lesions, and 76% in infiltrative tumours. The STI percentage did not impact DFS. Fifty‐four patients had noninvasive encapsulated lesions with 2–100% STI. None developed recurrence. Encapsulated lesions were enriched with RAS mutations (54%), whereas infiltrative lesions lacked RAS mutations (4%). The BRAF V600E mutation was an infrequent event, being seen in 11% of the entire cohort. Conclusion: In PTC with STI, the determining factor for nodal metastasis and DFS is the encapsulation/infiltration status rather than the STI percentage. Encapsulated noninvasive tumours with STI follow an indolent course with a very low risk of nodal metastasis and recurrence. Overall, PTC with STI has an excellent prognosis, with a 10‐year disease‐specific survival (DSS) and DFS of 96% and 87%, respectively. Therefore, the classification of SV‐PTC as an aggressive PTC subtype may be reconsidered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Hypertensive nephropathy is embodied by kidney tissue fibrosis and glomerular sclerosis, as well as renal inflammation. The Hippo/YAP (yes‐associated protein, YAP) axis has been reported to promote inflammation and fibrosis and may participate in the pathogenesis of heart, vascular and renal injuries. However, the role of the Hippo/YAP pathway in hypertensive renal injury has not been reported so far. We explored the role of the Hippo/YAP signalling pathway in hypertensive renal injury and the effect of peptide 17 on its effects. Methods: Histopathological analyses were performed based on the Masson and Haematoxylin/eosin (HE) staining approaches. Biochemical indexes were determined and immunofluorescence and western blotting were used to detect protein expression levels. The mRNA expression levels were determined by qRT‐PCR. Results: Our results showed that peptide 17 reduced the systolic blood pressure (SBP) and urine protein/creatinine ratio in hypertensive rats. In addition, peptide 17 reduced the histopathological damage of kidneys in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Moreover, peptide 17 downregulated genes in the Hippo/Yap pathway in kidney tissue of SHRs and Ang II‐treated kidney cells. The expression levels of inflammatory factors TNF‐α, IL‐1β and MCP‐1 and the pro‐fibrotic factors TGF‐β1, fibronectin, and CTGF were increased in the kidney of hypertensive rats, but reversed by peptide 17 treatment. Silencing of YAP had effect similar to that of peptide 17 in vivo and in vitro. Conclusion: Peptide 17 alleviates early renal injury in hypertension by regulating the Hippo/YAP signalling pathway. These findings may be useful in the treatment of hypertensive renal injury. Summary at a Glance: Herein, we explored the effect of peptide 17 on hypertensive renal injury and its mechanism of action. The results hinted that peptide 17 attenuated the deleterious inflammatory and fibrotic effects of hypertensive renal injury via downregulating the Hippo/YAP axis. These findings may be relevant for treating hypertensive nephropathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selenium‐containing polymers have attracted considerable attention due to their unique redox responsiveness. Here, phenyl vinyl selenide (PVSe), as a functional selenium‐containing monomer, is polymerized with maleimide (MI) or its derivatives by reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer polymerization. The resulting polymers are characterized by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectroscopy and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectra, which particularly prove the obtaining of alternating polymers through the polymerization of PVSe and MI or its derivatives. Properties of the resulting polymers are systematically investigated, such as glass transition temperature, thermal performance, and refractive indices. What's more, based on phenylseleno oxidation elimination, the alternating polymers are oxidized through 30% H2O2 to form precisely structured olefin copolymers with carboncarbon (CC) double bonds. The selective generation of double bonds in the alternating polymers is systematically studied. The efficiency of such oxidation is very high under mild conditions due to low electronegativity and bond energy of carbonselenium (CSe) bond, which provides a novel method to prepare precisely structured olefin copolymers with MI or its derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The finite time observer‐based output feedback control of MEMS gyroscopes with input saturation is addressed in this article. For the unmeasured speed signal, neural network (NN) learning‐based finite time observer is designed to observe the speed signal in finite time, where the adaptive NN is employed to approximate the nonlinear dynamics with system uncertainties. Considering the input saturation, an auxiliary system is introduced to design the anti‐saturation compensator, such that the actual controller can escape saturation with less time and faster convergence can be achieved. Then the anti‐saturation compensator further works together with output feedback controller to control the dynamics of MEMS gyroscopes. Simulation results are given to verify the faster speed observation and faster convergence of the proposed controller under input saturation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The finite‐time formation tracking control is investigated for a multi‐agent system (MAS) with obstacle avoidance. For the collision and obstacle avoidance problem in the formation process, the artificial potential field is used as the formation planning design, and the virtual structure is adopted to improve the organizational ability of the formation. The trajectory tracking control follows the back‐stepping scheme, and the finite‐time technique is developed in the control design. Considering the dynamics uncertainty of the agent system, a neural network is applied for estimating and the prediction error‐based adaptive law is established to achieve the precise estimation performance. Moreover, the predefined performance function is embedded to satisfy the output constraint. The uniformly ultimate boundedness of the system error signals and the finite‐time convergence of the MAS are guaranteed. The simulation study is performed to validate the proposed control for multiple autonomous underwater vehicles system, while the results manifest that the obstacle avoidance with high‐precision tracking and formation performance will be achieved under the formation trajectory tracking controller. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, our goal was to adapt the moss layer transfer technique (MLTT), first developed to restore degraded Sphagnum‐dominated peatland explicitly with a bryophyte layer, to a former in‐situ oil sands well‐pad constructed with nearby mineral fill in northwestern Alberta, Canada. Mineral fill was either completely removed or partially removed with residual fill buried under excavated and decompacted peat, followed by the transfer of donor moss collected from nearby linear features with different plant communities in peatlands. Three years after MLTT, peatland vegetation covers 63% of the site. Carex spp. dominate with 36% coverage, followed by mosses at 12%, including 3% Sphagnum spp. and 8% fen mosses, and shrubs at 8%. Different substrate adjustment treatments and types of donor moss had negligible impact on vegetation development although areas without MLTT remained devoid of mosses and had the lowest peatland species cover. Instead, surface elevation, moisture conditions, and substrate chemistry played important roles in shaping the vegetation communities. The prompt introduction and establishment of peatland donor species through MLTT was crucial to the overall re‐establishment of peatland vegetation. This is the first full pad scale study to prove that a flat, moist peat surface created by the removal and/or burial of mineral fill can support peatland vegetation development, particularly ground layer bryophytes. Overall, the reclaimed well‐pad appears to be on trajectory toward becoming a functional peatland and our approaches should be considered and tested in future well‐pad reclamation trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional assessment of stem cell‐mediated endogenous repair relies on animal studies. Here an in vitro assay is described that recapitulates important early steps of the in vivo skeletal muscle endogenous repair (MEndR) process. The assay is integrated with a custom semi‐automated image analysis pipeline to enable high‐content data analysis of donor‐derived muscle fiber content and morphology. Myotube sheets, generated by infiltrating a cellulose scaffold with myoblasts, are engrafted with muscle stem cells (MuSCs), injured to induce a regenerative microenvironment, and muscle repair is assessed. Significantly, the spatiotemporal dynamics of in vitro repair closely matched those observed in vivo, when both stem cells and injury are present. By exploiting the easy imaging geometry of the engineered tissue, cellular mechanisms of action driving the MuSC response to the regenerative template are explored. In vivo outcomes of two known modulators of MuSC‐mediated repair, measured by donor fiber production, MuSC niche repopulation, and response to a secondary injury, are phenocopied in the platform only when both the stem cells and injured 3D template are present. The MEndR platform represents a powerful opportunity to explore MuSC‐mediated repair and potentially compress the discovery pipeline by combining drug screening and validation in one step. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper proposes a coordinated adaptive control for the hypersonic reentry vehicle with channel coupling and system uncertainties. Using the hierarchical sliding mode scheme, the coordinated design is applied to ensure flight safety. Once the yawing moment is not enough to meet the control requirement, the system will coordinate the channel moment distribution, and furthermore, the flight attitude can be stabilized with yawing moment compensation. To obtain the high‐precision uncertain approximation, the online recorded data‐based prediction error is constructed as one learning performance index, which is introduced into the updated law. The uniformly ultimately boundedness of the system signals is guaranteed via the Lyapunov approach. Through the simulation test, the results show that the proposed approach can maintain a stable attitude and present the adaptation to the system uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: We aimed to study the clinicopathological and molecular features of high‐grade non‐anaplastic thyroid carcinomas (HGTCs), a carcinoma with a prognosis intermediate between those of well‐differentiated carcinoma and anaplastic carcinoma. Methods and results: This study included 364 HGTC patients: 200 patients (54.9%) were diagnosed with poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (PDTC), based on the Turin consensus (HGTC‐PDTC), and 164 were diagnosed with high‐grade features that did not meet the Turin criteria (HGTC‐nonPDTC). HGTCs are aggressive: the 3‐year, 5‐year, 10‐year and 20‐year disease‐specific survival (DSS) rates were 89%, 76%, 60%, and 35%, respectively. Although DSS was similar between HGTC‐PDTC and HGTC‐nonPDTC patients, HGTC‐PDTC was associated with higher rate of radioactive iodine avidity, a higher frequency of RAS mutations, a lower frequency of BRAF V600E mutations and a higher propensity for distant metastasis (DM) than HGTC‐nonPDTC. Independent clinicopathological markers of worse outcome were: older age, male sex, extensive necrosis and lack of encapsulation for DSS; older age, male sex and vascular invasion for DM‐free survival; and older age, necrosis, positive margins and lymph node metastasis for locoregional recurrence‐free survival. The frequencies of BRAF, RAS, TERT, TP53 and PTEN alterations were 28%, 40%, 55%, 11%, and 10%, respectively. TP53, PTEN and TERT were independent molecular markers associated with an unfavourable outcome, independently of clinicopathological parameters. The coexistence of BRAF V600E and TERT promoter mutation increased the risk of DM. Conclusions: The above data support the classification of HGTC as a single group with two distinct subtypes based on tumour differentiation: HGTC‐PDTC and HGTC‐nonPDTC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Radiation‐associated angiosarcomas (RT‐ASs) of the breast are rare tumours with a poor prognosis. MYC gene amplification is considered to be the hallmark of RT‐AS, and is sometimes used as a diagnostic tool to distinguish it from other radiation‐associated vascular lesions. However, a small subset of RT‐ASs lacks MYC amplification, and this may be associated with better outcome. Loss of trimethylation at lysine 27 of histone 3 (H3K27me3) expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) has been recently postulated as an additional diagnostic marker for RT‐AS. The aims of this study were to evaluate the impact of MYC amplification as detected by fluorescence in‐situ hybridisation and/or next‐generation sequencing on clinicopathological features and outcome in a large cohort of RT‐ASs, compare outcome with those of radiation‐associated sarcomas (RT‐Ss) of the breast other than angiosarcoma, and evaluate expression of H3K27me3 IHC in these groups. Methods and results: Eighty‐one RT‐ASs were identified, including 73 that were MYC‐amplified and 8 (10%) that were MYC‐non‐amplified. MYC‐amplified RT‐ASs were diagnosed in older patients (median age, 69 years versus 61 years). The 5‐year disease‐specific survival and 5‐year overall survival rates were 56% and 47%, respectively. Older age, larger tumour size, positive margin and MYC amplification were associated with worse prognosis. None of the RT‐ASs showed complete loss of H3K27me3 IHC expression. All 18 RT‐Ss were MYC‐non‐amplified, and complete loss of H3K27me3 expression was seen in 2 cases. We found no difference in prognosis between RT‐AS and RT‐S. Conclusions: RT‐AS of the breast is associated with a poor prognosis. Older age at diagnosis, larger tumour size, positive margin at excision and MYC amplification are associated with worse prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The notion of stability margin (SM) plays an important role in control engineering. For multiple‐input multiple‐output (MIMO) systems, the classic SM is no longer applicable. The one‐loop‐at‐a‐time analysis method may lead to unreliable SMs. Although some robust SM analysis methods are popular in MIMO systems, they are model‐based or not easy‐to‐use in engineering sometimes. In this paper, ℒ2$$ {\mathcal{L}}_2 $$ gain margin and ℒ2$$ {\mathcal{L}}_2 $$ time‐delay margin are defined for linear MIMO systems, and a corresponding SM analysis method is proposed by utilizing a loop transformation and the small‐gain theorem. Most importantly, a data‐driven method for measuring the defined SMs is also presented. As a frequency‐domain method, this method can be used to experimentally obtain the SMs of MIMO systems on model‐free occasions. The proposed SM analysis method and measurement method are simple and practical. Two simulation studies and an experimental test are performed to illustrate the effectiveness and practicability of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The morphological variation in Schizothorax oconnori, Schizothorax waltoni, and their natural hybrids was examined using conventional and image‐based analysis approaches. In total, 38 specimens of S. oconnori, 35 of S. waltoni, and 37 natural hybrids were collected from the Shigatse to the Lhasa section of the Yarlung Zangbo River during June and July 2021. A total of 21 morphometric, 4 meristic, and 27 truss variables were employed for the classification of S. oconnori, S. waltoni, and natural hybrids. Principal component analysis (PCA) and factor analysis (FA), as well as discriminant function analysis (DFA) and cluster analysis (CA), were conducted to identify differences based on traditional and truss measurements. Four principal components explained 75.92% of the variation among the morphometric characters, while five principal components accounted for 79.69% of the variation among the truss distances. FA results showed that factor 1 was associated with head shape, and factor 2 was associated with fins based on morphometric characters. Among the truss characters, factor 1 was related to head shape, and factor 2 was related to chest shape. In DFA, morphometric measurements achieved higher accuracy (100%) compared to truss distances (94.55%). The head morphology of hybrids exhibited intermediate traits between S. oconnori and S. waltoni. Both morphometry‐based and truss‐based clustering indicated that the morphology of natural hybrids leaned toward S. oconnori. In conclusion, the combination of morphometric and truss analysis is beneficial for classifying S. oconnori, S. waltoni, and their natural hybrids. The presence of natural hybrids could be considered an evolutionary response to the differentiation of nutritional and spatial niches in the middle Yarlung Zangbo River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Kelch‐like ECH‐associated protein 1 (KEAP1) has been identified as a cancer driver gene in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), and increased evidence has given us clues about the association of KEAP1 mutation and immune characteristics. We assessed the association between KEAP1 mutation and tumor microenvironment in LUAD systematically. Methods: With the data collected from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), we evaluated the association of KEAP1 mutation with tumor infiltrating leukocytes (TILs), including dendritic cell, CD8 T cell, CD4 T cell, neutrophil, B cells, and macrophage. Expression differences of the markers of those immune cells were also measured. We further compared the expression of antigen presentation genes and chemokines and the enrichment score of immune‐related pathways. Results: KEAP1 mutation had significant association with lower TILs and cytotoxic T lymphocyte. Strikingly, almost all of antigen presentation genes and chemokine showed lower expression in KEAP1‐mutated tumors. Moreover, most of immune‐related pathways were less active in KEAP1‐mutated tumors. As expected, KEAP1‐wild type LUADs favored better overall survival after immunotherapy. Finally, one patient harboring KEAP1 mutation along with a lack of immune cells infiltration in tumor microenvironment failed to respond to checkpoint inhibitor despite high tumor mutational burden (TMB). Conclusions: KEAP1 mutation has a significant effect on the tumor immune milieu of LUAD and may play as a predictive biomarker of immunotherapy for LUAD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self‐trapped exciton (STE) emission of low‐dimensional metal halides has witnessed explosive developments in both display and illumination, due to its intriguing photoluminescence properties. As one typical feature, STE emission energy is commonly independent of excitation wavelength. Herein, a rare phenomenon of inverse excitation‐dependent dual‐band emission is achieved on 0D Cs2InBr5·H2O. Under initial compression, the contraction of inhomogeneously coordinated InBr5O octahedra gives rise to blue‐shifted STE emission with the decreased Stokes shift. As the phase transition occurs under higher pressure, considerable octahedral distortions generate a new defect‐related localized exciton emission. Notably, the high‐energy emission from the intrinsic STE state is only observed under the low‐energy excitation, which is believed to originate from the excitation‐dependent multiple excited states in high‐pressure Cs2InBr5·H2O. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Primary intraosseous rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a rare entity defined by EWSR1/FUS–TFCP2 or, less commonly, MEIS1–NCOA2 fusions. The lesions often show a hybrid spindle and epithelioid phenotype, frequently coexpress myogenic markers, ALK, and cytokeratin, and show a striking propensity for the pelvic and craniofacial bones. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinicopathological and molecular features of 11 head and neck RMSs (HNRMSs) characterised by the genetic alterations described in intraosseous RMS. Methods and results: The molecular abnormalities were analysed with fluorescence in‐situ hybridisation and/or targeted RNA/DNA sequencing. Seven cases had FUS–TFCP2 fusions, four had EWSR1–TFCP2 fusions, and none had MEIS1–NCOA2 fusions. All except one case were intraosseous, affecting the mandible (n = 4), maxilla (n = 3), and skull (n = 3). One case occurred in the superficial soft tissue of the neck. The median age was 29 years (range, 16–74 years), with an equal sex distribution. All tumours showed mixed epithelioid and spindle morphology. Immunohistochemical coexpression of desmin, myogenin, MyoD1, ALK, and cytokeratin was seen in most cases. An intragenic ALK deletion was seen in 43% of cases. Regional and distant spread were seen in three and four patients, respectively. Two patients died of their disease. Conclusions: We herein present the largest series of HNRMSs with TFCP2 fusions to date. The findings show a strong predilection for the skeleton in young adults, although we also report an extraosseous case. The tumours are characterised by a distinctive spindle and epithelioid phenotype and a peculiar immunoprofile, with coexpression of myogenic markers, epithelial markers, and ALK. They are associated with a poor prognosis, including regional or distant spread and disease‐related death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly efficient lead halide perovskites with tunable emission performance have become new candidate materials for light‐emitting devices and displays; however, the toxicity of lead and instability of halide perovskites greatly limits their application. Herein, rapid and large‐scale synthesis of highly emissive organic–inorganic manganese halide perovskites, (C5H6N)2MnBr4 and C5H6NMnCl3, are presented by a one‐pot solution‐based method, of which (C5H6N)2MnBr4 displays a high absolute photoluminescence quantum yield (95%) in the solid‐state. The developed (C5H6N)2MnBr4 perovskite noticeably exhibits high stability. Therefore both as‐synthesized green and red emissive manganese‐based phosphors with superior optical properties are used to fabricate blue light pumped white light‐emitting diodes (WLEDs), displaying excellent quality white light with a high color rendering index value of 91 and a correlated color temperature of 5331 K. This study not only presents the robust large‐scale production synthetic approach for organic–inorganic manganese halide perovskites, but also facilitates the development of high‐performance phosphors for future lighting and display technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Perioperative C‐reactive protein (CRP) levels have effects on the prognosis of cancer patients. We intended to determine the prognostic value of combining the two for gastric cancer (GC). Methods: Data were extracted from a clinical trial. By calculating the area under the curve (AUC) and the C‐index, the predictive value of CRPs among different time points, including preoperative (pre‐CRP), postoperative days 1, 3, and 5 (post‐CRPs), and postoperative maximum CRP (post‐CRPmax), was derived. Multivariate analysis was performed to further explore the independent variates for recurrence‐free survival (RFS). Results: Finally, 401 patients were available in the present study. For RFS, higher AUC (0.692) and concordance index (0.678) of pre‐CRP were observed when compared with those of post‐CRPs. Further, among post‐CRPs, post‐CRPmax had the highest predictive values (AUC: 0.591; concordance index: 0.585) among the other post‐CRPs. The threshold values in predicting RFS for pre‐CRP and post‐CRPmax were 3.1 mg/L and 77.1 mg/L. Multivariate analysis showed both pre‐CRP≥3.1 mg/L (high‐pre‐CRP) and post‐CRPmax≥77.1 mg/L (high‐post‐CRPmax) were risk factors for RFS. Postoperative chemotherapy benefit was further analyzed for patients with stage II/III GC and indicated that patients with pre‐CRP<3.1 mg/L had better prognosis without benefit from postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT), p = 0.557. In high‐pre‐CRP patients, only patients with post‐CRPmax≥77.1 mg/L but not post‐CRPmax<77.1 mg/L benefited from postoperative ACT (RFS: 33.2% vs 49.9% for non‐chemotherapy group and chemotherapy group, respectively, p = 0.037). Analyses for overall survival obtained the similar outcomes. Conclusions: Both high‐pre‐CRP and high‐post‐CRPmax are associated with worse prognosis in GC. ACT seems to only improve the prognosis for stage II/III GC with pre‐CRP≥3.1 mg/L and post‐CRPmax≥77.1 mg/L after radical gastrectomy. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and explore the potential mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

miRNAs are a class of small non‐coding RNAs that are involved in various biological processes. In the preliminary work of the laboratory, found that miR‐383‐5p was down‐regulated in the liver tissue of acute cold stress rats and has been shown to be an important regulatory factor in tumour proliferation, but there are very few studies involving the mediation of cold stress in rat liver tissues. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of miR‐383‐5p on the livers of cold stress rats by simulating the cold stress state of rat liver tissues in vitro using H2O2 to induce rat hepatocyte oxidative stress. The results showed that MDA content, Caspase 3 and Cyto C protein levels increased significantly; GPx activity and SOD1 protein levels decreased significantly and miR‐383‐5p expression was significantly down‐regulated in rat liver tissues after cold stress. Different concentrations of H2O2 was added to rat hepatocytes, and the results showed that the expression of miR‐383‐5p, the ROS level, and the apoptosis rate in rat hepatocytes was increased significantly in a concentration‐dependent fashion. Transfection of miR‐383‐5p inhibitor revealed that the apoptosis rate of rat hepatocytes, and the protein level of apoptosis‐related protein Caspase 3 were reduced; the results of the dual‐luciferase reporter gene assay showed that miR‐383‐5p targeted regulation of Bcl2. The results suggested that the expression of miR‐383‐5p was up‐regulated in oxidative stress rat hepatocytes and may aggravate the apoptosis of rat hepatocytes induced by targeting inhibition of Bcl2 translation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Barley has played a critical role in mankind civilisation. Despite being underexploited, highland barley (HB) is an economical crop demonstrating superior nutritional and health benefits compared to most common cereals. In recent years, germination has drawn a great attention because of its ability to increase nutrients in grains. This review aimed to elucidate the implication of germination in improving the qualities of HB. Because of germination, amelioration in nutrients and digestibility was observed in germinated HB (GHB) than ungerminated HB, due to activation of various enzymes. An increase in polyphenols and antioxidant activity was achieved in GHB. GHB‐based products exhibited better water‐holding capacity, water solubility index, oil‐holding capacity, sensory attributes and cooking time. However, excessive germination may have negative impact on starch‐protein network, which might be detrimental during food processing. Overall, controlled‐germination could be a viable approach to improve the digestibility, palatability, acceptability and shelf‐life of HB‐based products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brucine is a weak alkaline indole alkaloid with wide pharmacological activities and has been identified to protect against rheumatoid arthritis (RA) process. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are also reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of RA. Here, we aimed to probe the role and mechanism of Brucine and circ_0139658 in RA progression. The fibroblast‐like synoviocytes of RA (RA‐FLSs) were isolated for functional analysis. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, migration, as well as inflammatory response were evaluated by CCK‐8 assay, EdU assay, flow cytometry, transwell assay, and ELISA analysis, respectively. qRT‐PCR and western blotting analyses were utilized to measure the levels of genes and proteins. The binding between miR‐653‐5p and circ_0139658 or Yin Yang 1 (YY1), was verified using dual‐luciferase reporter and RNA pull‐down assays. Brucine suppressed the proliferation, migration, and invasion of RA‐FLSs, and alleviated inflammation by reducing the release of pro‐inflammatory factors and macrophage M1 polarization. RA‐FLSs showed increased circ_0139658 and YY1 levels and decreased miR‐653‐5p levels. Circ_0139658 is directly bound to miR‐653‐5p to regulate YY1 expression. Brucine treatment suppressed circ_0139658 and YY1 expression but increased YY1 expression in RA‐FLSs. Functionally, circ_0139658 overexpression reversed the suppressing effects of Brucine on RA‐FLS dysfunction and inflammation. Moreover, circ_0139658 silencing alleviated the dysfunction and inflammation in RA‐FLSs, which were reverted by YY1 overexpression. Brucine suppressed the proliferation, migration, invasion, and inflammation in RA‐FLSs by decreasing YY1 via circ_0139658/miR‐653‐5p axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

White matter infarct induces demyelination and brain dysfunction. We previously reported that transplantation of brain microvascular endothelial cells improved the behavioral outcome and promoted remyelination by increasing the number of oligodendrocyte precursor cells in the rat model of white matter infarct. In this study, we investigated the effects of transplantation of vascular endothelial cells generated from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) on the rat model of white matter infarct. Seven days after induction of ischemic demyelinating lesion by injection of endothelin‐1 into the internal capsule of a rat brain, iPSC‐derived vascular endothelial cells (iVECs) were transplanted into the site of demyelination. The majority of iVECs transplanted into the internal capsule survived for 14 days after transplantation when traced by immunohistochemistry for a human cytoplasmic protein. iVEC transplantation significantly recovered hind limb rotation angle as compared to human iPSC or rat meningeal cell transplantation when evaluated using footprint test. Fourteen days after iVEC transplantation, the infarct area remarkably decreased as compared to that just before the transplantation when evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging or luxol fast blue staining, and remyelination was promoted dramatically in the infarct when assessed using luxol fast blue staining. Transplantation of iVECs increased the number of oligodendrocyte lineage cells and suppressed the inflammatory response and reactive astrocytogenesis. These results suggest that iVEC transplantation may prove useful in treatment for white matter infarct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A first‐principles‐based effective Hamiltonian is developed and employed to investigate finite‐temperature structural properties of a prototype of perovskite halides, that is CsPbI3. Such simulations, when using first‐principles‐extracted coefficients, successfully reproduce the existence of an orthorhombic Pnma state and its iodine octahedral tilting angles around room temperature. However, they also yield a direct transformation from Pnma to cubic Pm3¯m upon heating, unlike measurements that reported the occurrence of an intermediate long‐range‐tilted tetragonal P4/mbm phase in‐between the orthorhombic and cubic phases. Such disagreement, which may cast some doubts about the extent to which first‐principle methods can be trusted to mimic hybrid perovskites, can be resolved by "only" changing one short‐range tilting parameter in the whole set of effective Hamiltonian coefficients. In such a case, some reasonable values of this specific parameter result in the predictions that i) the intermediate P4/mbm state originates from fluctuations over many different tilted states; and ii) the cubic Pm3¯m phase is highly locally distorted and develops strong transverse antiphase correlation between first‐nearest neighbor iodine octahedral tiltings, before undergoing a phase transition to P4/mbm under cooling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CeO2 doped with various rare earth (RE) ions (Sm, Y, La and Nd) having a broom‐like hierarchical structure was successfully prepared by a template‐free hydrothermal method. The photooxidation performance of RE‐doped products was significantly better than that of pure CeO2, and comparative experiments showed that Sm‐doped CeO2 (SC) has superior photooxidation activity, resulting about 3.0‐times and 8.5‐times higher activities of bisphenol A (BPA) degradation and of acetaldehyde (CH3CHO) decomposition, respectively, than those of pure CeO2. Due to the incorporation of RE ions, the surface exposed cerium ions are partly substituted by those cations, resulting in a higher concentration of oxygen vacancies (Ov) in RE‐doped CeO2. The increased Ov can act as a trapping center for photo‐generated electrons to form a doping transition state between the conduction band (CB) and valence band (VB), which can restrict the recombination rate of electrons and holes effectively and lead to an outstanding enhancement of photooxidation performance. Furthermore, abundant highly reactive hydroxyl radicals (.OH) and superoxide radicals (.O2−), which are efficient intermediates with vivid oxidation ability, can further enhance the photocatalytic activity of RE‐doped CeO2. A cost‐effective strategy for designing CeO2‐based semiconductor photocatalysts doped with multitudinous RE ions that have enhanced photooxidation performance is presented in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Secretory carcinoma (SC) of the salivary gland typically harbours ETV6–NTRK3 fusion, which can be utilised clinically to assist with diagnosis. Pan‐Trk inhibitor therapy has demonstrated drastic responses in patients with NTRK‐translocated tumours, including SC. Pan‐Trk immunohistochemistry (IHC) is emerging as a sensitive and specific tool for detecting NTRK1, NTRK2 and NTRK3 fusions in various cancers. We aimed to establish the specificity and sensitivity of pan‐Trk IHC in diagnosing SC and detecting ETV6–NTRK3 fusion. A literature review on the utility of pan‐Trk IHC was conducted. Methods and results: Pan‐Trk IHC was performed on 83 salivary gland neoplasms (29 SCs and 54 non‐SCs). ETV6–NTRK3 fusion status was established in 25 cases. With any staining (nuclear or cytoplasmic) as a positive threshold, the sensitivity and specificity of pan‐Trk IHC were 90% and 70% in diagnosing SC, and 100% and 0% in detecting NTRK3 fusion. When only pan‐Trk nuclear staining was considered as positive, the sensitivity and specificity were 69% and 100% in diagnosing SC, and 92% and 100% in detecting NTRK3 fusion. Conclusions: Nuclear pan‐Trk IHC is highly specific for SC diagnosis, with a specificity approaching 100%, making it a useful and precise diagnostic tool for differentiating SC from its histological mimics. On the other hand, any pan‐Trk staining (nuclear or cytoplasmic) is highly sensitive for SC, and can serve as an attractive, cheap, fast and accessible screening tool for selecting patients to undergo confirmative molecular testing for clinical trials using TRK inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Salivary duct carcinoma (SDC) is an aggressive salivary malignancy that results in high mortality rates and is often resistant to chemotherapy. Anti‐programmed death‐1 (PD‐1)/programmed death ligand‐1 (PD‐L1) checkpoint inhibitors have led to dramatic improvements in patients with various cancers. Other immunotherapeutic approaches, e.g. cancer vaccines, have shown promising results. Cancer testis antigens, e.g. preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma (PRAME), are regarded as promising vaccine targets because of their tumour‐specific expression pattern. Methods and results: We analysed the immunoexpression of PD‐L1, PD‐1, major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC I) and PRAME in 53 SDCs. The immunoexpression levels of PD‐L1 in tumour cells (TCs) and immune cells (ICs), PD‐1 in ICs, PRAME in TCs and MHC I in TCs were analysed, and were correlated with outcome. PRAME expression was seen in 83% of SDCs. No PRAME staining was present in normal salivary gland tissue. With the three established diagnostic algorithms proposed for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, the criteria being a combined positive score of ≥1, TC% ≥1%, and TC% ≥25%, 35 (66%), 17 (32%) and three cases (6%), respectively, were deemed to be positive for PD‐L1. PD‐1‐positive ICs were seen in 35 (66%) cases. MHC I down‐regulation was seen in 82% of SDCs. There was a significant correlation among PD‐L1 expression in ICs, PD‐1 expression in ICs, and PRAME expression in TCs. PD‐L1 expression in TCs and lack of PD‐1 expression in ICs were associated with decreased disease‐specific survival in SDC patients. Conclusions: Alterations of the tumour immune microenvironment are common in SDCs, including expression of PD‐1/PD‐L1 and PRAME, which opens the way to potential novel immune therapies, such as cancer vaccination and PD‐1/PD‐L1 blockade, in these tumours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Lymph node metastases at the time of prostatectomy are an infrequent finding. The correlation of the pattern of nodal metastases with patient outcome has yet to be explored. Methods and results: Lymph node‐positive prostatectomies were retrospectively reviewed. The presence of cribriform carcinoma (CC), intraductal carcinoma (IDC) and ISUP grade (G) were documented. The largest nodal metastasis was assessed for the morphological patterns present. G was assigned to the metastasis based on percentage morphological patterns present. Statistical analysis used spss to assess disease‐specific survival (DSS), disease‐free survival (DFS) and distant metastasis‐free survival (DMFS). One hundred and ten cases were identified: G5 (n = 52), G4 (n = 8), G3 (n = 34), G2 (n = 10) and no G (n = 6; treatment effect). IDC or CC was present in 103 (94%) specimens. More than one positive node correlated with worse DFS [P = 0.012, hazard ratio (HR) = 1.951, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.142–3.331] and DMFS (P = 0.009, HR = 2.647, 95% CI = 1.239–5.651). G in the prostate and nodal metastasis were poorly correlated (kappa = 0.073, P = 0.195). The presence of pattern 5 was seen in 33 nodes (30%) and correlated with DFS (P = 0.020, HR = 1.903, 95% CI = 1.091–3.320), DSS (P = 0.021, HR = 5.937, 95% CI = 1.084–32.533) and DMFS (P = 0.007, HR = 2.695, 95% CI = 1.269–5.726). Nodal cribriform pattern showed no prognostic correlation and pattern 3 metastasis showed a significant trend towards better outcome (DMFS P = 0.033, HR = 0.431, 95% CI = 0.194–0.958). Conclusions: IDC or CC is identified in 94% of node‐positive prostate cancers. Although G in the largest nodal metastasis has prognostic significance, its G does not reflect that of the primary prostatic adenocarcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic CO2 reduction into carbonaceous feedstock chemicals is a promising renewable energy technology to convert solar energy and greenhouse gases into chemical fuels. Here, a covalent triazine‐based framework (CTF) is demonstrated as an efficient cocatalyst to reduce CO2 under visible‐light irradiation. The nitrogen‐rich triazine moieties in CTF contribute to CO2 adsorption, while the periodical pore structure of CTF favors the accommodation of CO2 and electron mediator. Immobilization of cobalt species onto CTF promotes the photocatalytic activity with a 44‐fold enhancement over pristine CTF and the optimal CO production rate of the obtained Co/CTFs was up to 50 μmol g−1 h−1. The results of solid‐state UV‐vis diffuse reflectance spectra (UV‐vis DRS), CO2 adsorption and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) illustrated that the increased activity was ascribed to the enhanced CO2 capture capacity, improved absorption of visible‐light and facilitated the transfer of charge from CTF to CO2 molecules. The CTF not only serves as a substrate for active Co species, but also bridges the photosensitizer with cobalt catalytic sites for the efficient transfer of photoexcited electrons. This work highlights the capability and ease of fabricating covalent organic framework‐based photocatalytic systems that are potentially useful for energy‐conversion applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) has an aggressive clinical course, and paclitaxel (PTX)‐based chemotherapy remains the main therapeutic drug. Metadherin (MTDH) acts as an oncogene that regulates proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and chemoresistance. This study aimed to investigate whether TNBC chemosensitivity to PTX was related to the MTDH/AKT/glycogen synthase kinase‐3beta (GSK‐3β) pathway. Clinical baseline characteristics and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were used to evaluate the expression and prognosis of MTDH and AKT (protein kinase B, PKB) in TNBC patient samples. MTDH shRNA, MTDH overexpression vector, MK‐2206, and PTX intervention were used in cell models and mouse tumor‐bearing models. Afterwards, mRNA and protein levels were assessed using quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. Evaluate the level of tumor cell apoptosis and cell cycle using flow cytometry. Cell viability was detected using Cell Count Kit 8. The in vivo imaging system is used to analyze the growth of tumors. We found that higher expression of MTDH or AKT resulted in poorer disease‐free survival and a lower Miller–Payne grade. MTDH promotes cell proliferation and increases p‐AKT and p‐GSK‐3β expression in TNBC cells. Notably, suppression of AKT terminated MTDH overexpression‐induced cell proliferation and apoptosis. MTDH knockdown or the AKT inhibitor MK2206 reduced the p‐AKT and p‐GSK‐3β ratio, reduced cell viability and proliferation, increased cell apoptosis, and increased chemosensitivity to PTX. In vivo, xenograft tumors of an MTDH knockdown+MK2206 group treated with PTX were the smallest compared to other groups. In short, MTDH inhibits TNBC chemosensitivity to PTX by activating the AKT/GSK‐3β signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryo‐electron microscopy (cryo‐EM), especially single‐particle analysis, has become a powerful technique for visualizing the structure of biological macromolecules at high resolution. However, data acquisition in cryo‐EM is time consuming because it requires the collection of thousands of images to achieve a high‐quality reconstruction. Real‐time preprocessing and display of the images can greatly enhance the efficiency and quality of data collection. This study presents AutoEMage, a new open‐source software package that automates data transfer, preprocessing and real‐time display in cryo‐EM experiments. AutoEMage also includes a real‐time data monitoring system that alerts users to issues with their data, allowing them to take corrective actions accordingly. The software is equipped with an easy‐to‐use graphical user interface that provides seamless data screening and real‐time feedback on data quality and microscope status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of single‐stranded non‐coding small RNA molecules, which participate in the regulation of many physiological processes, and play a crucial role in cancer, metabolism and other processes. Rno‐miR‐425‐5p has been shown to play a role in the response to cold stress. To explore the mechanism by which rno‐miR‐425‐5p regulates the response to cold stress, we analysed the candidate target genes of rno‐miR‐425‐5p. After verification in rat hepatocyte BRL cells and in rat liver tissue, we identified several target genes that were altered in expression in response to cold stress. In rat liver tissue, the expression of rno‐miR‐425‐5p was significantly increased and the expression levels of target genes DLST and SLC16A1 were decreased under cold stress. The miRNA and mRNA levels were analysed by quantitative real‐time PCR and the protein levels were detected by Western blot analysis. Combined with the results of bioinformatic analysis, we concluded that rno‐miR‐425‐5p reduced the expression of DLST and SLC16A1, inhibiting energy release from the tricarboxylic acid cycle and preventing the liver from being injured by excessive energy mobilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The title coordination polymer, poly[bis[μ3‐4‐(3,2′:6′,3′′‐terpyridin‐4′‐yl)benzoato]cadmium(II)], [Cd(C22H14N3O2)2]n or [Cd(3‐cptpy)2]n, (I), has been synthesized solvothermally and characterized by IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and single‐crystal and powder X‐ray diffraction. The structure is composed of 3‐cptpy− ligands bridging Cd atoms, with each Cd atom coordinated by six ligands and each ligand coordinating to three Cd atoms. Each Cd atom is in a slightly distorted trans‐N2O4 octahedral environment, forming a two‐dimensional layer structure with a (3,6)‐connected topology. Layers are linked to each other by π–π stacking, resulting in a three‐dimensional supramolecular framework. The strong luminescence and good thermal stability of (I) indicate that it can potentially be used as a luminescence sensor. The compound also shows a highly selective and sensitive response to 2,4,6‐trinitrophenol through the luminescence quenching effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper explores the feasibility of applying genetic programming (GP) to classify wear particles. A marking threshold filter is proposed to preprocess ferrographic images before optimising the feature space of wear particles using GP. Subsequently, evolved features by GP are quantitatively evaluated by the Fisher criterion and distance fitness function, and clustering performance is evaluated qualitatively. The evolved features are compared with a conventional feature set as the inputs to support vector machines, probabilistic neural networks, and k‐nearest neighbour. Results demonstrated that the evolved features indicated a significant improvement in classification accuracy and robustness compared with conventional features. Finally, 3 typical wear particles, sliding, cutting, and oxidative, are successfully classified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: To investigate the change in short‐term clinical outcomes and biomechanical properties of the knee in response to upper partial fibulectomy and to probe into the biomechanical mechanism underlying the clinical benefits of upper partial fibulectomy for medial compartment knee osteoarthritis (KOA). A total of 29 patients with medial compartment KOA underwent upper partial fibulectomy. Visual analog scale (VAS) pain, the hospital for special surgery knee score (HSS), hip‐knee‐ankle (HKA) angle (measured in the frontal plane), and flexion/extension range of motion of the knee were assessed before and up to 6 months after surgery. Patients and 20 healthy controls were evaluated by 3D gait analysis and dynamic lower limb musculoskeletal analysis. Both VAS pain and HSS score were significantly improved (p < 0.001) one day after surgery and steadily improved during the subsequent 6 months. HKA angle improved (p = 0.025) immediately and remained stable by 3 months after surgery. The decreased overall peak KAM (decreased by 11.1%) and increased HKA angle (increased by 1.80 degrees from a more varus to more neutral alignment) of affected and operated side by 6 months after surgery were observed. Muscle activity of biceps femoris caput longum of affected and operated side increased immediately and was equivalent to healthy controls by 6 months after surgery (p = 0.007). This pilot study provides biomechanical evidence of benefit from partial upper fibulectomy and indicates a plausible rationale for the improvement in clinical symptoms. Long‐term clinical outcomes and precise biomechanical mechanism of partial upper fibulectomy should be further investigated. © 2018 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:2099–2108, 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the first report on 2D Ti SB 3 sb C SB 2 sb in 2011, an escalating number of studies have been targeting synthesis, compelling properties, and versatile applications of MXenes. The structural configuration in which transitional metal atoms are arranged in a layered fashion with carbon or nitrogen atoms, allows MXenes to enjoy extraordinary compositional diversity and adjustable properties. Nguyen et al. (article number 1909504) review the inherent advantages of MXenes in actuator devices, covering the structural and compositional superiority of MXenes with a focus on state-of-the-art photothermal, electrothermal, and humidity-responsive MXene-based actuators. [Extracted from the article]

Abstract: The large‐scale fabrication of the flexible fiber‐shaped micro‐supercapacitors has received major attention from both industrial and academic researchers. Herein, conductive and robust polyaniline‐wrapped multiwall carbon tubes reduced graphene oxide/thermoplastic polyurethane (PANI/MCNTs‐rGO/TPU) composite fibers are successfully fabricated on a large scale via the combination of facile microfluidic‐spinning process and in situ polymerization of aniline. Initially, MCNTs‐rGO/TPU fibers are formed in a T‐shape microfluidic chip, relying on the fast material diffusion and exchange in the microfluidic channel. Then, PANI/MCNTs‐rGO/TPU hybrid fibers are synthesized through an in situ chemical oxidative polymerization of aniline. With the assistance of polyaniline, these PANI/MCNTs‐rGO/TPU hybrid fibers exhibit enhanced electrochemical properties in comparison with pure MCNTs‐rGO/TPU fibers, especially in high specific capacitance, which is dramatically increased from 42.1 to 155.5 mF cm−2. Moreover, the PANI/MCNTs‐rGO/TPU hybrid fibers can endure various blending stresses, contributing to its outperforming flexibility and weavability. The best of the excellent electrochemical and mechanical properties of these conductive fibers is made to construct the flexible supercapacitors and various complicated functional fabrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Photocatalysts that are responsive to visible light are necessary to utilize solar energy. We prepared reduced CeO2−x with absorption in the visible region by a simple solvothermal method. A new absorption band appearing at λ≈500 nm (surface plasmon resonance) could be ascribed to the high content of Ce3+. To elucidate the relationship between Ce3+ and activity, the decomposition of isopropyl alcohol (IPA) to generate acetone was performed under visible‐light irradiation. CeO2−x showed activity that was superior to that of pure CeO2. Ce3+ induced oxygen vacancies in the lattice of CeO2−x, and this resulted in an improvement in the activity. In addition, the introduction of Ce3+ resulted in an improvement in the absorption of CeO2−x in the visible‐light region. Also, the appearance of small tentacles (Confeito‐like) on the surface of CeO2−x not only provided more active sites but also prevented aggregation. Owing to its visible‐light responsiveness and unique morphology, the performance of this material was significantly improved relative to that of pure CeO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the modern era, a pathology report of thyroid carcinoma requires the inclusion of numerous prognostically relevant histopathological features, e.g. the presence and extent of vascular and capsular invasion, extrathyroidal extension, the surgical margin status and the characteristics of nodal metastasis. These pathological features are crucial components of the initial risk stratification to determine the need for completion thyroidectomy and/or postoperative radioactive iodine ablation therapy. The current review aims to summarise the diagnostic criteria, the controversies, the prognostic impacts and the challenges of these pathological characteristics, focusing specifically on the parameters that are incorporated into the American Joint Committee on Cancer ( AJCC) staging system, the College of American Pathologists ( CAP) reporting template, the American Thyroid Association ( ATA) and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network ( NCCN) guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Pleomorphic adenoma gene 1 ( PLAG1) gene rearrangement is the most common genetic abnormality in pleomorphic adenoma (PA), resulting in overexpression of PLAG1 protein. PA and carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma (CA ex-PA) can mimic various benign and malignant salivary gland tumours. The aims of this study are to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of PLAG1 immunohistochemistry (IHC) in the differential diagnosis of PA and CA ex-PA and to compare the PLAG1 immunohistochemical results to PLAG1 gene abnormalities as detected by fluorescence in-situ hybridisation (FISH). Methods and results PLAG1 immunostaining was performed on 83 salivary gland tumours, including 23 PA, 15 CA ex-PA and 45 other salivary gland tumours. In addition, PLAG1 FISH was performed in 44 cases for the presence of gene rearrangements/amplifications. The results showed high sensitivity of PLAG1 IHC in 96% of PA; however, discordant results between PLAG1 FISH abnormalities and IHC were noted in 15 of 44 cases (34%). Seven PA, four de-novo myoepithelial carcinomas and one basal cell adenocarcinoma had negative FISH results, but were positive for IHC; while three salivary duct carcinomas (SDC) ex-PA were positive for FISH but negative for IHC. PLAG1 IHC can differentiate CA ex-PA from de-novo SDC ( P = 0.02), but not from de-novo myoepithelial carcinoma. PLAG1 IHC is a sensitive marker for PA. This could be due to PLAG1 gene abnormalities beyond FISH resolution. Conclusions A negative PLAG1 IHC might be helpful in excluding a PA diagnosis. Interestingly, in the context of CA ex-PA, FISH is more sensitive than IHC in detecting PLAG1 abnormalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tissue-engineered human anterior hemi-cornea (TE-aHC) is a promising equivalent for treating anterior lamellar keratopathy to surmount the severe shortage of donated corneas. This study was intended to construct a functional TE-aHC with nontransfected human corneal stromal (ntHCS) and epithelial (ntHCEP) cells using acellular porcine corneal stromata (aPCS) as a carrier scaffold, and evaluate its biological functions in a dog model. To construct a TE-aHC, ntHCS cells were injected into an aPCS scaffold and cultured for 3 days; then, ntHCEP cells were inoculated onto the Bowman's membrane of the scaffold and cultured for 5 days under air-liquid interface condition. After its morphology and histological structure were characterized, the constructed TE-aHC was transplanted into dog eyes via lamellar keratoplasty. The corneal transparency, thickness, intraocular pressure, epithelial integrity, and corneal regeneration were monitored in vivo, and the histological structure and histochemical property were examined ex vivo 360 days after surgery, respectively. The results showed that the constructed TE-aHC was highly transparent and composed of a corneal epithelium of 7-8 layer ntHCEP cells and a corneal stroma of regularly aligned collagen fibers and well-preserved glycosaminoglycans with sparsely distributed ntHCS cells, mimicking a normal anterior hemi-cornea (aHC). Moreover, both ntHCEP and ntHCS cells maintained positive expression of their marker and functional proteins. After transplantation into dog eyes, the constructed TE-aHC acted naturally in terms of morphology, structure and inherent property, and functioned well in maintaining corneal clarity, thickness, normal histological structure, and composition in dog models by reconstructing a normal aHC, which could be used as a promising aHC equivalent in corneal regenerative medicine and aHC disorder therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: An amine‐methylchloroformate‐paraformaldehyde‐styrene condensation catalyzed by aluminium(III) triflate is described, leading to the synthesis of allylamides. This condensation provides an efficient method for the N‐carbonylation and N‐allylation of various aliphatic primary amines in good to excellent yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]