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Background: Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) stands as the primary cause of heart failure and mortality among patients with diabetes. Nevertheless, conventional treatment approaches are limited in their ability to effectively prevent myocardial tissue damage itself. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy exhibits immense potential for treating DCM; however, the precise mechanisms involved in regulating inflammatory responses and pyroptosis processes, an emerging form of cellular death, within myocardial cells remain elusive. Hence, it is imperative to further elucidate the precise underlying mechanisms to facilitate the clinical implementation of MSC therapy. Methods: In vivo, we established a DCM mouse model by administering streptozotocin and fed the mice a high-glucose and high-fat diet, followed by MSC therapy. Cardiac function and myocardial injury were evaluated through echocardiography and histological analysis. Furthermore, the levels of inflammation and pyroptosis were assessed using ELISA, Western blotting, and qRT-PCR. In vitro experiments involved inducing H9C2 myocardial cell damage with high glucose treatment, followed by coculture with MSCs to investigate their role in modulating inflammation and pyroptosis mechanisms. Results: MSCs can maintain cardiac function and alleviate myocardial injury in mice with DCM. Moreover, they effectively suppress the activation of NLRP3 and reduce the release of inflammatory factors (such as IL-1β and ROS), thereby further downregulating the expression of pyroptosis-related proteins including NLRP3, Caspase-1, and GSDMD. Additionally, we experimentally validated that MSCs exert their therapeutic effects by promoting the expression of miR-223-3p in cardiac myocytes; however, this effect can be reversed by an miR-223-3p inhibitor. Conclusion: MSCs effectively mitigate the release of inflammatory factors and cell lysis caused by pyroptosis through the regulation of the miR-223-3p/NLRP3 pathway, thereby safeguarding cardiomyocytes against damage in DCM. This mechanism establishes a novel theoretical foundation for the clinical treatment of cardiac conditions utilizing MSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) and Parkinson's disease (PD), pose growing global health challenges. Socio-demographic and economic development acts paradoxically, complicating the process that determines how governments worldwide designate policies and allocate resources for healthcare. Methods: We extracted data on ADRD and PD in 204 countries from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 database. Health disparities were estimated using the slope index of inequality (SII), and concentration index (CIX) based on the socio-demographic index. Estimated annual percentage changes (EAPCs) were employed to evaluate temporal trends. Results: Globally, the SII increased from 255.4 [95% confidence interval (CI), 215.2 to 295.5)] in 1990 to 559.3 (95% CI, 497.2 to 621.3) in 2019 for ADRD, and grew from 66.0 (95% CI, 54.9 to 77.2) in 1990 to 132.5 (95% CI, 118.1 to 147.0) in 2019 for PD; CIX rose from 33.7 (95% CI, 25.8 to 41.6) in 1990 to 36.9 (95% CI, 27.8 to 46.1) in 2019 for ADRD, and expanded from 22.2 (95% CI, 21.3 to 23.0) in 1990 to 29.0 (95% CI, 27.8 to 30.3) in 2019 for PD. Age-standardized disability-adjusted life years displayed considerable upward trends for ADRD [EAPC = 0.43 (95% CI, 0.27 to 0.59)] and PD [0.34 (95% CI, 0.29 to 0.38)]. Conclusions: Globally, the burden of ADRD and PD continues to increase with growing health disparities. Variations in health inequalities and the impact of socioeconomic development on disease trends underscored the need for targeted policies and strategies, with heightened awareness, preventive measures, and active management of risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metallic glass is being gradually recognized for its unique disordered atomic configuration and excellent catalytic activity, so is of great significance in the field of catalysis. Recent reports have demonstrated that Fe-based metallic glass, as a competitive new catalyst, has good catalytic activity for the fields of environment and energy, including high catalytic efficiency and stability. This review introduces the latest developments in metallic glasses with various atomic components and their excellent catalytic properties as catalysts. In this article, the influence of Fe-based metallic glass catalysts on the catalytic activity of dye wastewater treatment and water-splitting is discussed. The catalytic performance in different atomic composition systems and different water environment systems, and the preparation parameters to improve the surface activity of catalysts, are reviewed. This review also describes several prospects in the future development and practical application of Fe-based metallic glass catalysts and provides a new reference for the synthesis of novel catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Areca nut, the seed of Areca catechu L., is one of the most widely consumed addictive substances in the world after nicotine, ethanol, and caffeine. The major effective constituent of A. catechu, arecoline, has been reported to affect the central nervous system. Less is known if it may affect pain and its related emotional responses. In this study, we found that oral application of arecoline alleviated the inflammatory pain and its induced anxiolytic and anti-depressive-like behavior. Arecoline also increased the mechanical nociceptive threshold and alleviated depression-like behavior in naïve mice. In the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), which acts as a hinge of nociception and its related anxiety and depression, by using the multi-electrode field potential recording and whole-cell patch-clamp recording, we found that the evoked postsynaptic transmission in the ACC of adult mice has been inhibited by the application of arecoline. The muscarinic receptor is the major receptor of the arecoline in the ACC. Our results suggest that arecoline alleviates pain, anxiety, and depression-like behavior in both physiological and pathological conditions, and this new mechanism may help to treat patients with chronic pain and its related anxiety and disorder in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the predictive value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) for early perforation of the appendix in patients with acute appendicitis (AA). Methods: Two hundred and 80eighty patients with the first episode of AA within 48 hours and not yet treated with antibiotics were included in this study retrospectively; divided into two groups by the presence or absence of perforation. The clinical data, traditional inflammatory indexes, and NLR were compared between the two groups. The predictive value of inflammatory indexes on the early appendiceal perforation was explored. Results: Patients in the perforated group were older, with higher blood WBC, NEU% and NLR, lower LYM% and PLT, higher serum CRP and PCT, and longer hospitalization time. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that high WBC, NEU%, NLR, CRP, PCT, and low LYM% were independent risk factors for early appendiceal perforation. The ROC curves revealed that the predictive value of WBC, CRP, and PCT for early appendiceal perforation was low. NLR, LYM%, and NEU% had a higher predictive value, with AUC values of 0.947, 0.928, and 0.920, respectively. NLR had the highest predictive value. The diagnostic Cut-off value of NLR is 10.83 with a sensitivity of 0.963, and a specificity of 0.850. Conclusion: NLR can be used as an effective and sensitive predictive maker of early appendiceal perforation in AA patients. It is easy to generate from existing routine clinical laboratory testing for AA and can be included in complete blood count (CBC) as a routine or add-on value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Zinc finger E-box binding homEeobox 1 (ZEB1) and ZEB2 are two anoikis-related transcription factors. The mRNA expressions of these two genes are significantly increased in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC), which are associated with poor survival. Meanwhile, the mechanisms and clinical significance of ZEB1 and ZEB2 upregulation in KIRC remain unknown. Methods: Through the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, expression profiles, prognostic value and receiver operating characteristic curves (ROCs) of ZEB1 and ZEB2 were evaluated. The correlations of ZEB1 and ZEB2 with anoikis were further assessed in TCGA-KIRC database. Next, miRTarBase, miRDB, and TargetScan were used to predict microRNAs targeting ZEB1 and ZEB2, and TCGA-KIRC database was utilized to discern differences in microRNAs and establish the association between microRNAs and ZEBs. TCGA, TIMER, TISIDB, and TISCH were used to analyze tumor immune infiltration. Results: It was found that ZEB1 and ZEB2 expression were related with histologic grade in KIRC patient. Kaplan-Meier survival analyses showed that KIRC patients with low ZEB1 or ZEB2 levels had a significantly lower survival rate. Meanwhile, ZEB1 and ZEB2 are closely related to anoikis and are regulated by microRNAs. We constructed a risk model using univariate Cox and LASSO regression analyses to identify two microRNAs (hsa-miR-130b-3p and hsa-miR-138-5p). Furthermore, ZEB1 and ZEB2 regulate immune cell invasion in KIRC tumor microenvironments. Conclusions: Anoikis, cytotoxic immune cell infiltration, and patient survival outcomes were correlated with ZEB1 and ZEB2 mRNA upregulation in KIRC. ZEB1 and ZEB2 are regulated by microRNAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The x%Ni/Sm2O3-MnO (x = 0, 10, 15, 20) catalysts derived from SmMn2O5 mullite were prepared by solution combustion and impregnation method; auto-thermal reforming (ATR) of acetic acid (HAc) for hydrogen production was used to explore the metal-support effect induced by Ni loadings on the catalytic reforming activity and product distribution. The 15%Ni/Sm2O3-MnO catalyst exhibited optimal catalytic performance, which can be due to the appropriate Ni loading inducing a strong metal–support interaction to form a stable Ni/Sm2O3-MnO active center, while side reactions, such as methanation and ketonization, were well suppressed. According to characterizations, Sm2O3-MnO mixed oxides derived from SmMn2O5 mullite were formed with oxygen vacancies; nevertheless, loading of Ni metal further promoted the formation of oxygen vacancies, thus enhancing adsorption and activation of oxygen-containing intermediate species and resulting in higher reactivity with HAc conversion near 100% and hydrogen yield at 2.62 mol-H2/mol-HAc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taro is a widely utilized starch resource plant. It is essential to quantify the expression levels of functional genes associated with taro growth using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). However, to obtain reliable RT-qPCR results, appropriate reference genes (RGs) are required for data normalization. In this study, we screened seven novel candidate RGs using transcriptome datasets from taro, encompassing data from growth corms and various tissues. The expression stability of these seven new RGs, along with the commonly used RGs Actin, EF1-α, and β-tubulin, was assessed using Delta Ct, BestKeeper, geNorm, and NormFinder algorithms. Furthermore, we conducted a comprehensive analysis using the RefFinder program and validated the results using the target gene, CeAGPL1. The findings revealed that ACY-1 and PIA2 were the optimal multiple RGs for normalization during corm growth, while COX10 and Armc8 were suitable for samples including various types of tissues. Furthermore, we found three RGs, Armc8, COX10 and CCX4L, were the optimal RGs for drought stress. This study assessed the suitability of RGs in taro for the first time. The identified RGs provide valuable resources for studying corm growth, diverse tissues, and drought stress. This study contributes to the advancement of our understanding of the underlying mechanisms that govern the growth of taro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer immunotherapy is an attractive strategy because it stimulates immune cells to target malignant cells by regulating the intrinsic activity of the immune system. However, due to lacking many immunologic markers, it remains difficult to treat glioma, a representative "cold" tumor. Herein, to wake the "hot" tumor immunity of glioma, Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) is customized with a coating to create an immunogenic tumor microenvironment and further prove the effect in combination with the immune checkpoint agent anti‐PD‐1, exhibiting elevated therapeutic efficacy. This is accomplished not by enhancing the delivery of PD‐1 blockade to enhance the effect of immunotherapy, but by introducing bacterial photothermal therapy to promote greater involvement of M1 cells in the immune response. After reaching glioma, the bacteria further target glioma cells and M2 phenotype macrophages selectively, enabling precise photothermal conversion for lysing tumor cells and M2 phenotype macrophages, which thereby enhances the positive feedback loop of cancer cells‐M1 macrophages‐T cells. Collectively, the bacteria synergized with PD‐1 blockade strategy may be the key to overcoming the immunosuppressive glioma microenvironment and improving the outcome of immunotherapy toward glioma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the low efficiency of antenna modeling and solving the problems of slow training speed and high resource consumption when multiple antenna structural parameters are optimized simultaneously, a new deep multi-layer convolutional neural network (DMCNN) is proposed. The DMCNN model uses four layers of ladder-type fully connected layers combined with convolutional layers to improve the learning and classification capabilities of data features. It adds a LeakyReLU activation function to solve the problem of neurons disappearing in negative value areas and alternately uses maximum pooling and average pooling operations to update training parameters to reduce the amount of calculation and maintain feature invariance. Apply Adam optimizer combined with dropout technology to adjust the learning rate and reduce weight fluctuations. The DMCNN model extracts samples from the geometric construction parameters of the ultra-wideband multiple-input multiple-output (UWB MIMO) antenna as feature input to predict the return loss S11 and insertion loss S21. Simulation results prove that the DMCNN model’s prediction fit for S11 and S21 reached 98.48% and 95.02%, respectively. Compared with the multi-layer perceptron (MLP) and Fully Connected Neural Network (FCNN) models, the training effect was improved by at least 11.66%. It solves the shortcomings of traditional methods, and has excellent UWB MIMO antenna modeling capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, optical fibers have found extensive use in special environments, including high-energy radiation scenarios like nuclear explosion diagnostics and reactor monitoring. However, radiation exposure, such as X-rays, gamma rays, and neutrons, can compromise fiber safety and reliability. Consequently, researchers worldwide are focusing on radiation-resistant fiber optic technology. This paper examines optical fiber radiation damage mechanisms, encompassing ionization damage, displacement damage, and defect centers. It also surveys the current research on radiation-resistant fiber optic design, including doping and manufacturing process improvements. Ultimately, it summarizes the effectiveness of various approaches and forecasts the future of radiation-resistant optical fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CircRNAs are covalently closed, single-stranded RNA that form continuous loops and play a crucial role in the initiation and progression of tumors. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are indispensable for cancer development; however, the regulation of cancer stem cell-like properties in gastric cancer (GC) and its specific mechanism remain poorly understood. We elucidate the specific role of Circ-0075305 in GC stem cell properties. Circ-0075305 associated with chemotherapy resistance was identified by sequencing GC cells. Subsequent confirmation in both GC tissues and cell lines revealed that patients with high expression of Circ-0075305 had significantly better overall survival (OS) rates than those with low expression, particularly when treated with postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for GC. In vitro and in vivo experiments confirmed that overexpression of Circ-0075305 can effectively reduce stem cell-like properties and enhance the sensitivity of GC cells to Oxaliplatin compared with the control group. Circ-0075305 promotes RPRD1A expression by acting as a sponge for corresponding miRNAs. The addition of LF3 (a β-catenin/TCF4 interaction antagonist) confirmed that RPRD1A inhibited the formation of the TCF4–β-catenin transcription complex through competitive to β-catenin and suppressed the transcriptional activity of stem cell markers such as SOX9 via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. This leads to the downregulation of stem cell-like property-related markers in GC. This study revealed the underlying mechanisms that regulate Circ-0075305 in GCSCs and suggests that its role in reducing β-catenin signaling may serve as a potential therapeutic candidate. Circular RNA Circ0075305 hinders gastric cancer stem cells by indirectly increasing the expression of RPRD1A. In turn, RPRD1A disrupts TCF4-β-catenin complex formation and promotes downregulation of SOX9 transcription. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer presents a formidable challenge in modern medicine due to the intratumoral heterogeneity and the dynamic microenvironmental niche. Natural or genetically engineered oncolytic bacteria have always been hailed by scientists for their intrinsic tumor‐targeting and oncolytic capacities. However, the immunogenicity and low toxicity inevitably constrain their application in clinical practice. When nanomaterials, characterized by distinctive physicochemical properties, are integrated with oncolytic bacteria, they achieve mutually complementary advantages and construct efficient and safe nanobiohybrids. In this review, we initially analyze the merits and drawbacks of conventional tumor therapeutic approaches, followed by a detailed examination of the precise oncolysis mechanisms employed by oncolytic bacteria. Subsequently, we focus on harnessing nanomaterial‐assisted oncolytic bacteria (NAOB) to augment the effectiveness of tumor therapy and utilizing them as nanotheranostic agents for imaging‐guided tumor treatment. Finally, by summarizing and analyzing the current deficiencies of NAOB, this review provides some innovative directions for developing nanobiohybrids, intending to infuse novel research concepts into the realm of solid tumor therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining background aerosol optical depth threshold value (BAOD) is critical to aerosol type identification and air pollution control. This study presents a statistical method to select the best BAOD threshold value using the VIIRS DB AOD products at 1 × 1 degree resolution from 2012 to 2019 as a major testbed. A series of multiple lognormal distributions with 1 to 5 peaks are firstly applied to fit the AOD histogram at each grid point, and the distribution with the highest correlation coefficient (R) gives preliminary estimations of BAOD, which is defined as either the intersection point of the first two normal distribution curves when having multiple peaks, or the midpoint between the peak AOD and the first AOD with non-zero probability when the mono peak is the best fit. Then, the lowest 1st to 100th percentile AOD distributions are compared with the preliminary BAOD distribution on a global scale. The final BAOD is obtained from the best cutoff percentile AOD distributions with the lowest bias compared with preliminary BAOD. Results show that the lowest 30th percentile AOD is the best estimation of BAOD for different AOD datasets and different seasons. Analysis of aerosol chemical information from MERRA-2 further supports this selection. Based on the BAOD, we updated the VIIRS aerosol type classification scheme, and the results show that the updated scheme is able to achieve reliable detection of aerosol type change in low aerosol loading conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The perception of tactile-stimulation locations is an important function of the human somatosensory system during body movements and its interactions with the surroundings. Previous psychophysical and neurophysiological studies have focused on spatial location perception of the upper body. In this study, we recorded single-trial electroencephalography (EEG) responses evoked by four vibrotactile stimulators placed on the buttocks and thighs while the human subject was sitting in a chair with a cushion. Methods: Briefly, 14 human subjects were instructed to sit in a chair for a duration of 1 h or 1 h and 45 min. Two types of cushions were tested with each subject: a foam cushion and an air-cell-based cushion dedicated for wheelchair users to alleviate tissue stress. Vibrotactile stimulations were applied to the sitting interface at the beginning and end of the sitting period. Somatosensory-evoked potentials were obtained using a 32-channel EEG. An artificial neural net was used to predict the tactile locations based on the evoked EEG power. Results: We found that single-trial beta (13–30 Hz) and gamma (30–50 Hz) waves can best predict the tactor locations with an accuracy of up to 65%. Female subjects showed the highest performances, while males' sensitivity tended to degrade after the sitting period. A three-way ANOVA analysis indicated that the air-cell cushion maintained location sensitivity better than the foam cushion. Conclusion: Our finding shows that tactile location information is encoded in EEG responses and provides insights on the fundamental mechanisms of the tactile system, as well as applications in brain–computer interfaces that rely on tactile stimulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua, the dried rhizome of Polygonum multiflorum from the Liliaceae family, is a widely used medicinal herb with a long history of application. Its main active ingredients are polysaccharides, which have been demonstrated in contemporary studies to effectively delay the aging process. In the present study, homogeneous polysaccharide (PCP-1) was obtained after the purification and isolation of polysaccharides from Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua (PCP). The anti-aging activities of both were compared, and the possible mechanism of action for exerting anti-aging activity was explored using Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). Research has indicated that PCP and PCP-1 exhibit potent anti-oxidant and anti-aging properties. Of particular note is that PCP-1 acts better than PCP. The two were able to prolong the lifespan of nematodes, improve the stress resistance of nematodes, reduce the accumulation of lipofuscin in the intestine, decrease the content of ROS and MDA in the body, increase the activity of the antioxidant enzymes SOD and CAT, promote the nuclear translocation of DAF-16, down-regulate the mRNA levels of the age-1 and daf-2 genes of the IIS pathway in nematodes, and up-regulate the expression of the daf-16, skn-1, sod-3, and hsp-16.2 genes. Based on the aforementioned findings, it is possible that the mechanism by which PCP and PCP-1 exert anti-aging effects may be through negative regulation of the IIS pathway, activation of the transcription factor DAF-16/FOXO, and enhancement of oxidative defenses and stress resistance in nematodes. Overall, the present study illustrated the great potential of polysaccharides from Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua in anti-aging and antioxidant activities. Specifically, PCP-1 demonstrated superior characteristics, which provides a reference for the future development of Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua polysaccharides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an era where digital technology is reshaping business landscapes, understanding the factors that drive corporate digital transformation is essential. In this paper we explore these influencing factors, focusing on Chinese A-share listed companies from 2007 to 2021. Our approach involved a comprehensive analysis of multiple variables through regression techniques to determine their impact on digital transformation. The findings reveal the drive for reform in the digital transformation endeavours of enterprises. Notably, companies with higher gearing, overhead, and accounts receivable ratios exhibit a stronger inclination towards digital transformation. Conversely, enterprises in monopolistic industries and those at the inception stage of their life cycle show less propensity for such transformation. The findings of this research not only shed light on the strategic decisions behind digital transformation in response to financial and competitive challenges but also provide actionable insights for policymakers and business strategists. This study underscores the importance of contextualizing digital transformation efforts within the unique framework of industry characteristics and company development phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With advanced science and digital technology, digital transformation has become an important way to promote the sustainable development of enterprises. However, the existing research only focuses on the linear relationship between a single characteristic and digital transformation. In this study, we select the data of Chinese A-share listed companies from 2010 to 2020, innovatively use the machine learning method and explore the differences in the predictive effects of multi-dimensional features on the digital transformation of enterprises based on the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) theory, thus identifying the main drivers affecting digital transformation and the fitting models with stronger predictive effect. The study found that: first, by comparing machine learning and traditional linear regression models, it is found that the prediction ability of ensemble earning method is generally higher than that of tradition measurement method. For the sample data selected in this research, XGBoost and LightGBM have strong explanatory ability and high prediction accuracy. Second, compared with the technical driving force and environmental driving force, the organizational driving force has a greater impact. Third, among these characteristics, equity concentration and executives’ knowledge level in organizational dimension have the greatest impact on digital transformation. Therefore, enterprise managers should always pay attention to the decision-making role of equity concentration and executives’ knowledge level. This study further enriches the literature on digital transformation in enterprises, expands the application of machine learning in economics, and provides a theoretical basis for enterprises to enhance digital transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital transformation has emerged as a powerful force in reshaping the business landscape and enabling organizations to enhance their capabilities. One critical aspect of this change is how it impacts an enterprise’s innovation ability. To explore this question, we select data regarding China’s A-share listed enterprises from 2007 to 2021 as the research sample. We employ crawler technology to gather keywords related to “digital transformation” from annual reports, portraying detailed journeys of enterprises’ digital transformation. Through descriptive statistics and multiple covariance tests, a linear relationship is established between digital transformation and innovation ability. Benchmark regression is conducted and a robustness test is utilized to determine the robustness of the benchmark regression. The mechanism, heterogeneity, and moderating effects of this study are also tested. The results reveal that digital transformation makes a significant positive contribution to the innovation capability of enterprises. Meanwhile, among different types of enterprises, the impact of digital transformation on enterprise innovation capability shows heterogeneity. In terms of the impact mechanism, digital transformation can enhance the innovation output of enterprises by reducing the agency cost and improving the risk-taking level of enterprises, so as to further improve the innovation capability of enterprises. The research results of this paper provide essential theoretical support for the digital transformation of enterprises and the government’s formulation of enterprises’ digitalization strategies. More profoundly, it provides significant reference for how to further promote the digital transformation of Chinese enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The precise determination of subsurface thermal properties is critical for ground-source heating systems. The geomaterials are inherently heterogeneous, and their thermal conductivity measured in laboratory and field tests often exhibits anisotropic behaviours. However, the accurate measurement of thermal responses in geomaterials presents a challenging task due to the anisotropy’s variation with the observed scale. Hence, a numerical method is developed in this work and illustrated by taking a typical anisotropic structure of geomaterials with the porosity of 0.5 as an example. The differences in data from laboratory measurements and field tests are discussed to explore the scale effect on anisotropic thermal properties. A series of simulation tests are conducted on specimens with varying dimensions using the finite element method. Results indicate that the thermal properties show a substantial sensitivity to the observation scale, the variation of which decreases with the sample dimensions. By comparing in situ data and laboratory results, the values of average thermal conductivity and corresponding anisotropy ratio are lower than those at small scales, indicating that careful consideration should be given to the thermal properties to account for heterogeneity and anisotropy. In addition, four upscaling schemes based on the averaging method are discussed. This study sheds light on the gap between the laboratory results and the field’s inherent properties and provides guidelines for upscaling small-scale results to field-scale applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have indicated that the invasive apple snail (Pomacea canaliculata) exhibits tolerance to the salinity levels present in coastal agricultural soils, suggesting that apple snails could potentially invade salt-affected coastal agricultural areas. However, the effects of the alien snail Pomacea canaliculata invasion on coastal saline soils, such as in terms of soil properties, microbial diversity, and abundance, remain poorly understood. To fill this gap, we conducted experiments involving three salinity levels (0, 2‰, and 5‰, w/w), coupled with varying snail densities (0, 5, and 10 snails per box), applied to agricultural soil. We analyzed soil chemical properties, enzyme activities, and bacterial communities. The findings revealed that heightened soil salinity increased soil electrical conductivity (EC) (exceeding 1312.67 μS cm−1). Under saline conditions, snail treatments significantly increased the soil organic matter (SOM) content from 15.82 mg kg−1 to 18.69 mg kg−1, and concurrently diminished the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from 47.45 mg kg−1 to 34.60 mg kg−1. Both snail and salinity treatments resulted in ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N) accumulation, while nitrate nitrogen (NO3−-N) concentrations remained low in salt-affected soils. A notable positive correlation existed between the EC and the activities of hydroxylamine reductase (HR) and peroxidase (POD), where HR exhibited a positive correlation with NH4+-N, and POD displayed a negative correlation with NO3−-N. Salinity substantially decreased the diversity and altered the composition of soil bacterial community, with the phyla Bacteroidota, Proteobacteria, and Firmicutes adapting to salt-affected soil environment and proliferating. Structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis indicated that snails exerted a direct influence on soil-available nitrogen (including NO3−-N and NH4+-N), while salinity impacted available nitrogen by modulating soil enzyme activities and bacterial communities. Our findings provide insights into how soil responds to the concurrent impacts of snail invasion and soil salinization, establishing some references for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adenylyl cyclase 1 (AC1) is a selective subtype of ACs, which is selectively expressed in neurons. The activation of AC1 is activity-dependent, and AC1 plays an important role in cortical excitation that contributes to chronic pain and related emotional disorders. Previous studies have reported that human-used NB001 (hNB001, a selective AC1 inhibitor) produced analgesic effects in different animal models of chronic pain. However, the potential effects of hNB001 on learning and memory have been less investigated. In the present study, we found that hNB001 affected neither the induction nor the expression of trace fear, but selectively enhanced the relearning ability during the extinction in aged mice. By contrast, the same application of hNB001 did not affect recent, remote auditory fear memory, or remote fear extinction in either adult or aged mice. Furthermore, a single or consecutive 30-day oral administration of hNB001 did not affect acute nociceptive response, motor function, or anxiety-like behavior in either adult or aged mice. Our results are consistent with previous findings that inhibition of AC1 did not affect general sensory, emotional, and motor functions in adult mice, and provide strong evidence that inhibiting the activity of AC1 may be beneficial for certain forms of learning and memory in aged mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motion speed and direction are two fundamental cues for the mammalian visual system. Neurons in various places of the neocortex show tuning properties in term of firing frequency to both speed and direction. The present study applied a 32-channel electroencephalograph (EEG) system to 13 human subjects while they were observing a single object moving with different speeds in various directions from the center of view to the periphery on a computer monitor. Depending on the experimental condition, the subjects were either required to fix their gaze at the center of the monitor while the object was moving or to track the movement with their gaze; eye-tracking glasses were used to ensure that they followed instructions. In each trial, motion speed and direction varied randomly and independently, forming two competing visual features. EEG signal classification was performed for each cue separately (e.g., 11 speed values or 11 directions), regardless of variations in the other cue. Under the eye-fixed condition, multiple subjects showed distinct preferences to motion direction over speed; however, two outliers showed superb sensitivity to speed. Under the eye-tracking condition, in which the EEG signals presumably contained ocular movement signals, all subjects showed predominantly better classification for motion direction. There was a trend that speed and direction were encoded by different electrode sites. Since EEG is a noninvasive and portable approach suitable for brain–computer interfaces (BCIs), this study provides insights on fundamental knowledge of the visual system as well as BCI applications based on visual stimulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Base editors, which enable targeted locus nucleotide conversion in genomic DNA without double‐stranded breaks, have been engineered as powerful tools for biotechnological and clinical applications. However, the application of base editors is limited by their off‐target effects. Continuously expressed deaminases used for gene editing may lead to unwanted base alterations at unpredictable genomic locations. In the present study, blue‐light‐activated base editors (BLBEs) are engineered based on the distinct photoswitches magnets that can switch from a monomer to dimerization state in response to blue light. By fusing the N‐ and C‐termini of split DNA deaminases with photoswitches Magnets, efficient A‐to‐G and C‐to‐T base editing is achieved in response to blue light in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Furthermore, the results showed that BLBEs can realize precise blue light‐induced gene editing across broad genomic loci with low off‐target activity at the DNA‐ and RNA‐level. Collectively, these findings suggest that the optogenetic utilization of base editing and optical base editors may provide powerful tools to promote the development of optogenetic genome engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Transition metal layered double hydroxides have extremely high specific capacitances but suffer from poor rate performance and cycling stability due to their low conductivity and structural stability. In this study, cobalt-coordinated carbon quantum dots (CoCQDs) were designed and synthesized to enhance the energy storage performance of nickel–cobalt layered double hydroxides (NiCo-LDH). Nickel and cobalt ions were co-electrodeposited with the CoCQDs to form a NiCo-LDH based composite electrode (denoted as CoC@LDH). Since the CoCQDs participated in the formation of the NiCo-LDH, the carbon quantum dots could be strongly bonded to the NiCo-LDH nanosheets through coordination interactions. Thus, the conductivity as well as the structure stability of the NiCo-LDH was effectively improved, which greatly boosted the cycle stability and rate performance of the NiCo-LDH. Several CoCQDs with different Co contents (n CoCQDs, n = 0.5, 1.0, 2.0) were fabricated and their effects on the performance of the resultant electrodes n CoC@LDH were investigated. The 1.0CoC@LDH electrode exhibited an impressive specific capacitance of 1867 F g–1 at 1 A-g–1, along with a significantly enhanced capacitance retention of 84.6 % after 6000 cycles at 5 A g–1 (benchmark 49.5 %). This ingenious design provides a new avenue for fabricating pseudo-capacitive materials with unprecedented high performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel precast concrete composite wall connected by tooth groove and grouted sleeve was introduced, which is produced in factories by means of structure-insulation integrated prefabrication, and the prefabrication and assembly process were presented minutely. To verify the feasibility and reliability of this novel tooth groove and grouted sleeve connection method and explore the joint connection performance and the seismic performance of the precast concrete composite wall connected by tooth groove and grouted sleeve, low-cyclic reversed loading tests with an axial compressive ratio of 0.1 were performed on two full-scale precast concrete composite walls. Moreover, the failure mode, hysteretic curve, skeleton curve, stiffness degradation, displacement ductility, energy dissipation capacity, and reinforcement strain were comprehensively discussed. The research results showed that under the vertical axial load and low-cyclic reversed load, the distributed reinforcements in the wall panel only played a structural role, while the connecting reinforcements at horizontal joints can always effectively transfer stress without bond failure, and the tooth groove and grouted sleeve connection performance was reliable. In addition, the hysteretic curves of the precast concrete composite wall connected by tooth groove and grouted sleeve were full, showing good ductile deformation capacity and energy dissipation capacity. In general, the precast concrete composite wall connected by tooth groove and grouted sleeve not only possessed favorable seismic performance but also showed obvious advantages such as green energy saving, high assembly rate, and less on-site wet operation, which can be applied to practical engineering under reasonable design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Myocardial ischemia (MI) can cause angina, myocardial infarction, and even death. Angiogenesis is beneficial for ensuring oxygen and blood supply to ischemic tissue, promoting tissue repair, and reducing cell damage. In this study, we evaluated the effects of Salvianolic acid B (Sal B) against myocardial ischemia and explored its underlying mechanism on autophagy. Methods: The anti-apoptosis effect of Sal B was conducted by staining Annexin V-FITC/PI and Hoechst as well as evaluating apoptosis bio-markers at protein level in H9c2 cells at glucose deprivation condition. HUVECs were co-cultured with H9c2, and the tube formation assay was used to monitor Sal B's impact on angiogenesis. The MI model of mice was induced by intraperitoneal injection of isoproterenol (ISO). The effect of Sal B on MI mice was evaluated by HE, Masson, immunohistochemistry, WB and kits. In addition, Atg5 siRNA was applied to verify whether the protective effect of Sal B was regulated to autophagy. Results: In H9c2, Sal B reduced the levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), improved the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and mitochondrial membrane potential, downregulated the expressions of Bax and cleaved-Caspase3, upregulated the expression of Bcl-2. Therefore, Sal B could significantly inhibit the damage of H9c2 caused by glucose deprivation. In the co-culture system of H9c2 and HUVECs, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) level in the supernatant was dramatically raised by Sal B. Sal B upregulated the expressions of VEGF, platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) and endothelial marker CD31. It implied that Sal B exerted a significant pro-angiogenic effect. Moreover, Sal B increased the expression of LC3, Atg5, and Beclin1, while reducing the level of P62. When the expression of Atg5 was inhibited, the protective effects of Sal B on apoptosis and angiogenesis was reversed. Conclusions: Sal B inhibited cardiomyocyte apoptosis and promoted angiogenesis by regulating autophagy, thereby improving MI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metallic glass, with its unique disordered atomic structure and high density of low‐coordination sites, is regarded as the most competitive new catalyst for environmental catalysis. However, the efficiency and stability of metallic glass catalysts are often affected by their atomic configuration. Thus, the design and regulation of the nanoscale structure of metallic glasses to improve their catalytic efficiency and stability remains a challenge. Herein, a non‐noble component, Fe75P15C10 amorphous ribbon, is used as a precursor to fabricate a hierarchical gradient catalyst with nanoscale heterogeneous and oxygenous amorphous structure by simple annealing and acid‐immersing. The resulting catalyst offers an ultrahigh catalytic ability of kSA•C0 = 3101 mg m−2 min−1 and excellent reusability of 39 times without efficiency decay in dye wastewater degradation. Theoretical calculations indicate that the excellent catalytic performance of the catalyst can be attributed to its unique heterogeneous nanoglass structure, which induces oxygen atoms. Compared to the FePC structure, the FeP/FePCO structure exhibits strong charge transferability, and the energy barrier of the rate‐determining steps of the conversion of S2O82− to SO4−• is reduced from 2.52 to 0.97 eV. This study reveals that a heterogeneous nanoglass structure is a new strategy for obtaining high catalytic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Severe peripheral nerve injury (PNI) often leads to significant movement disorders and intractable pain. Therefore, promoting nerve regeneration while avoiding neuropathic pain is crucial for the clinical treatment of PNI patients. However, established animal models for peripheral neuropathy fail to accurately recapitulate the clinical features of PNI. Additionally, researchers usually investigate neuropathic pain and axonal regeneration separately, leaving the intrinsic relationship between the development of neuropathic pain and nerve regeneration after PNI unclear. To explore the underlying connections between pain and regeneration after PNI and provide potential molecular targets, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing and functional verification in an established rat model, allowing simultaneous study of the neuropathic pain and axonal regeneration after PNI. Results: First, a novel rat model named spared nerve crush (SNC) was created. In this model, two branches of the sciatic nerve were crushed, but the epineurium remained unsevered. This model successfully recapitulated both neuropathic pain and axonal regeneration after PNI, allowing for the study of the intrinsic link between these two crucial biological processes. Dorsal root ganglions (DRGs) from SNC and naïve rats at various time points after SNC were collected for single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). After matching all scRNA-seq data to the 7 known DRG types, we discovered that the PEP1 and PEP3 DRG neuron subtypes increased in crushed and uncrushed DRG separately after SNC. Using experimental design scRNA-seq processing (EDSSP), we identified Adcyap1 as a potential gene contributing to both pain and nerve regeneration. Indeed, repeated intrathecal administration of PACAP38 mitigated pain and facilitated axonal regeneration, while Adcyap1 siRNA or PACAP6-38, an antagonist of PAC1R (a receptor of PACAP38) led to both mechanical hyperalgesia and delayed DRG axon regeneration in SNC rats. Moreover, these effects can be reversed by repeated intrathecal administration of PACAP38 in the acute phase but not the late phase after PNI, resulting in alleviated pain and promoted axonal regeneration. Conclusions: Our study reveals that Adcyap1 is an intrinsic protective factor linking neuropathic pain and axonal regeneration following PNI. This finding provides new potential targets and strategies for early therapeutic intervention of PNI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Staphylococcus aureus expresses numerous toxins, many of which are strongly believed to be responsible for specific symptoms and even diseases, making it significant in the pathogenesis of human health. Enterotoxins, which are vital toxins, are associated with foodborne illnesses that manifest through symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea. In the present study, 264 S. aureus isolates obtained from various retail foods in Hangzhou, China were further investigated the profiles of enterotoxin genes and genetic backgrounds. Results: Approximately, 64.02% of the isolates from diverse sources contained at least one Staphylococcal Enterotoxin (SE) genes, displaying a total of 36 distinct combinations. Enterotoxin gene cluster (egc) encoded enterotoxin genes, normally designated by seg, sei, sem, sen, seo and selu, plus with sep were more frequently detected (33.73%, each). In contrast, see, ses and set were absent in any of the isolates tested. A total of 44 sequence types (STs), 20 clonal complexes (CCs) and 66 different staphylococcal protein A (spa) types (including six novel types) were identified among those 169 SE-positive isolates. Moreover, nineteen methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates were identified. The majority of those isolates belonged to the CC59-Sccmec IVa cluster and carried the seb-sek-seq gene cluster. The egc cluster, either coexisting with or without other enterotoxin genes, was observed in all isolates allocated into CC5, CC9, CC20, CC25, CC72 and ST672. Irrespective of the spa types and origins of the food, it appeared that seh was a distinct genetic element present in isolates belonging to the CC1 clonal lineage. Conclusions: The results not only proposed a suspected relationship between distribution of enterotoxigenic strains and genetic backgrounds, but also attributed the presence of novel enterotoxins to potential hazards in food safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Porous organic polymers are considered as excellent candidates for the electrode materials in rechargeable battery due to their desirable properties including porosity, customizable structure, and intrinsic chemical stability. Herein a Salen-based porous aromatic framework (Zn/Salen-PAF) is synthesized through a metal directed method and further used as efficient anode material for lithium-ion battery. Attributing to the stable functional skeleton, Zn/Salen-PAF delivers a reversible capacity of 631 mAh·g−1 at 50 mA·g−1, a high-rate capability of 157 mAh·g−1 at 20.0 A·g−1 and a long-term cycling capacity of 218 mAh·g−1 at 5.0 A·g−1 even after 2000 cycles. Compared to the Salen-PAF without metal ions, Zn/Salen-PAF possesses better electrical conductivity and more active sites. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) investigation indicates that the coordination of Zn2+ with N 2 O 2 unit not only improves the conjugation of the framework but also contributes to the in situ cross-sectional oxidation of the ligand during reaction, which results in the electron redistribution of oxygen atom and the formation of C O bonds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of the reservoir architecture in braided river systems has significant implications for the exploitation of remaining oil and gas reserves. However, due to the complexity of the braided river deposition process, the architecture patterns are diverse and intricate. Limited by the quality of seismic data and well network density, the characterization of underground reservoir architecture often entails considerable uncertainty. This paper investigates the architecture elements, stacking patterns, and significance of oil and gas development in the braided river deposition of the Jin 58 well area in the northern part of the Ordos Basin through typical field outcrop and core observations, and by making full use of horizontal well data. The study reveals that the Jin 58 well area is mainly characterized by four types of architecture units: braided channel, channel bar, overbank, and flood plain. Based on the data from horizontal and vertical wells, four identification criteria for single sand bodies are determined, and the vertical stacking and lateral juxtaposition styles of the architecture units, as well as the architecture patterns and internal features of the channel bar, are summarized. It is confirmed that composite sand bodies have better productivity. A three-dimensional architecture model of the braided river is established based on the results of architecture analysis. The accuracy of the architecture analysis is validated through numerical simulation, providing a basis for subsequent well deployment and other related activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute liver failure (ALF) is characterized by rapid liver cell destruction. It is a multi-etiological and fulminant complication with a clinical mortality of over 80%. Therapy using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) or MSCs-derived exosomes can alleviate acute liver injury, which has been demonstrated in animal experiments and clinical application. However, similar to other stem cells, different cell sources, poor stability, cell senescence and other factors limit the clinical application of MSCs. To achieve mass production and quality control on stem cells and their exosomes, transfecting umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (UCMSC) with lentivirus overexpressing human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene, the hTERT-UCMSC was constructed as an immortalized MSC cell line. Compared with the primary UCMSC (P3) and immortalized cell line hTERT-UCMSC at early passage (P10), the hTERT-UCMSC retained the key morphological and physiological characteristics of UCMSC at the 35th passage (P35), and showed no signs of carcinogenicity and toxic effect in mice. There was no difference in either exosome production or characteristics of exosomes among cultures from P3 primary cells, P10 and P35 immortalized hTERT-UCMSCs. Inoculation of either hTERT-UCMSC (P35) or its exosomes improved the survival rate and liver function of ALF mice induced by thioacetamide (TAA). Our findings suggest that this immortalized cell line can maintain its characteristics in long-term culture. Inoculation of hTERT-UCMSC and its exosomes could potentially be used in clinics for the treatment of liver failure in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe convective weather is hugely destructive, causing significant loss of life and social and economic infrastructure. Based on the U-Net network with the attention mechanism, the recurrent convolution, and the residual module, a new model is proposed named ARRU-Net (Attention Recurrent Residual U-Net) for the recognition of severe convective clouds using the cloud image prediction sequence from FY-4A data. The characteristic parameters used to recognize severe convective clouds in this study were brightness temperature values TBB9, brightness temperature difference values TBB9−TBB12 and TBB12−TBB13, and texture features based on spectral characteristics. This method first input five satellite cloud images with a time interval of 30 min into the ARRU-Net model and predicted five satellite cloud images for the next 2.5 h. Then, severe convective clouds were segmented based on the predicted image sequence. The root mean square error (RMSE), peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), and correlation coefficient (R2) of the predicted results were 5.48 K, 35.52 dB, and 0.92, respectively. The results of the experiments showed that the average recognition accuracy and recall of the ARRU-Net model in the next five moments on the test set were 97.62% and 83.34%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Music seems promising as an adjuvant pain treatment in humans, while its mechanism remains to be illustrated. In rodent models of chronic pain, few studies reported the analgesic effect of music. Recently, Zhou et al. stated that the analgesic effects of sound depended on a low (5 dB) signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) relative to ambient noise in mice. However, despite employing multiple behavioral analysis approaches, we were unable to extend these findings to a mice model of chronic pain listening to the 5 dB SNR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a liquid crystal-modulated metastructure sensor (MS) is proposed that can detect the refractive index (RI) of a liquid and change the detection range under different applied voltages. The regulation of the detection range is based on the different bias states of the liquid crystal at different voltages. By changing the sample in the cavity that is to be detected, the overall electromagnetic characteristics of the device in the resonant state are modified, thus changing the position of the absorption peaks so that different RI correspond to different absorption peaks, and finally realizing the sensing detection. The refractive index unit is denoted as RIU. The range of the refractive index detection is 1.414–2.828 and 2.121–3.464, and the corresponding absorption peak variation range is 0.8485–1.028 THz and 0.7295–0.8328 THz, with a sensitivity of 123.8 GHz/RIU and 75.6 GHz/RIU, respectively. In addition, an approach to optimizing resonant absorption peaks is explored, which can suppress unwanted absorption generated during the design process by analyzing the energy distribution and directing the current flow on the substrate. Four variables that have a more obvious impact on performance are listed, and the selection and change trend of the numerical values are focused on, fully considering the errors that may be caused by manufacturing and actual use. At the same time, the incident angle and polarization angle are also included in the considered range, and the device shows good stability at these angles. Finally, the influence of the number of resonant rings on the sensing performance is also discussed, and its conclusion has guiding value for optimizing the sensing demand. This new liquid crystal-modulated MS has the advantages of a small size and high sensitivity and is expected to be used for bio-detection, sensing, and so on. All results in this work were obtained with the aid of simulations based on the finite element method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our work focuses on utilizing the Berends-Giele currents to construct differential operators and unifying relations for 1-loop Feynman integrands. We successfully reproduce the known results for the unifying relations between Yang-Mills theory and Yang-Mills scalar theory, and extend the discussion to the (A)dS case for the scalar theory with minimal coupling to gluons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Sexual attractants have emerged as a labor-saving and environmentally friendly technology for green pest control. The Oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis, a global agricultural pest, is often managed using sex attractants such as methyl eugenol as part of green control measures. However, the practical efficacy of these attractants in field applications is often challenged due to the high mating frequency exhibited by male B. dorsalis individuals. In this study, we aimed to investigate the reproductive capacity of B. dorsalis under continuous mating conditions and assess the variations in reproductive ability under different mating conditions. The study highlights the importance of continuous pest control measures due to the pests' strong reproductive ability under interval mating conditions. By comprehending these dynamics, researchers can develop improved strategies for green pest control, thus reducing the reliance on harmful pesticides and ensuring sustainable agricultural practices. These findings have valuable implications for society by promoting environmentally friendly pest management techniques, ultimately benefiting both crop production and the environment. At present, sexual attractants mainly control insect populations by killing males. However, the effect of sex attractants may be limited by the mating ability of the attracted insects. The Oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), has a strong reproductive capacity; it brings great losses to agricultural production, which can be controlled by methods using sex attractant methyl eugenol that mainly attracts males. Therefore, we studied the multiple and continuous (as well as consecutive) mating ability of B. dorsalis through behavioral experiments. The results show that male B. dorsalis can mate 11 times on average, with females mating only 1.93 times, and that 10.81% of males mate more than 20 times. The reproductive capacity of male B. dorsalis decreased significantly after four to five instances of continuous mating. In different mating patterns, the reproductive fitness of polyandry is not the highest, rather, interval mating is the best. A limiting factor of the sex attractant effect was revealed in B. dorsalis through behavioral evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fault-tolerant control after phase loss is crucial in the studies of the six-phase permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM), and the one phase loss is the most frequent phase loss fault. To improve the system instability caused by nonlinear and time-varying perturbations of inductance parameters in a double-Y phase shifted 30° six-phase PMSM, an improved deadbeat predictive current fault-tolerant control (DPC-FTC) method is proposed in this study. The transformation matrix after single-phase open-phase is first reduced and reconstructed, and the reduced-dimensional voltage equation is derived. Based on this equation, the deadbeat current predictive control is then used to predict the expected voltage using the current feedback value and the reference value, so as to shorten the response time and improve the overall control effect. The voltage equation after parameter perturbation is rewritten, and the current discrete transfer function under constant expected voltage before and after parameter perturbation is calculated. Afterwards, to further improve the low stability of fault-tolerant control after phase loss, which is caused by the inductance parameter perturbation of the control system, the weight coefficient is introduced in order to enhance the deadbeat predictive current control so that it splits and optimizes the direct-quadrature axis current. The stability of the system is then analyzed. By changing the weight coefficient, the fault-tolerant control system has a wider stable working range. Finally, the simulation model and experimental platform are completed. The results show that the improved DPC-FTC method improves the permissible inductor parameter uptake range by a factor of 1/β, reduces the current static difference by 32.05% and 46.02% when the inductor parameter is mismatched by a factor of 2, reduces the current oscillation and effectively reduces the sensitivity of system stability to inductor parameter uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The North Konawe region in Indonesia, known for its lateritic nickel (Ni) deposits, holds significant potential for obtaining Ni resources. However, the complex topographic conditions of this area pose challenges. Exploring the application of remote sensing technology to reveal the spectral response mechanism of Ni grade from high-precision multispectral data and inversion of Ni grade represents a novel direction in future Ni resource exploration. Traditional remote sensing inversion methods solely consider the spectral characteristics of sample data and ignore vital geospatial location information. As a result, efficiently obtaining regional details of target substance content over large areas has become challenging. The introduction of the geographically weighted regression (GWR) method offers an opportunity for fine-grained Ni grade inversion based on remote sensing. This study focused on the E and K blocks within the lateritic Ni mining area in North Konawe. Through utilizing the WordView-3 multispectral data which exhibits immense potential in quantitative remote sensing inversion studies, GWR was employed to integrate spectral features and spatial information. The goal was to reveal the correlation between multispectral remote sensing data and Ni grade. The obtained results were then compared and analyzed with multiple linear regression (MLR) and back propagation neural network (BPNN) models. The findings revealed that GWR achieved the highest coefficient of determination R2 of 0.96, surpassing MLR and BPNN values of 0.05 and 0.17, respectively. Additionally, GWR exhibited the lowest root mean square error of 0.04, which was lower than those of MLR and BPNN with the values of 0.25 and 0.23, respectively. These results confirmed the enhanced stability and accuracy of the GWR method compared to MLR and BPNN. Furthermore, GWR effectively mapped the spatial distribution trends of Ni grades in the study area, providing evidence of the method's effectiveness in Ni grade inversion. The study also delved into the inversion effect of the GWR method in areas with varying weathering crust thickness and vegetation cover. The research revealed that higher values of weathering crust thickness negatively impacted the inversion effect. However, the influence mechanism of vegetation cover on Ni grade inversion necessitated further investigation. These results served as a significant demonstration of the remote sensing inversion of mineral resource grades in similar areas. They provided valuable insights for future exploration and decision-making processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field dynamic balancer is crucial to the applications of magnetically suspended turbomolecular pumps. Therefore, this paper presents a novel field dynamic balancing method based on autocentering control mode without any additional instrumentation. Firstly, the dynamics of the active magnetic bearing rotor system with unbalance are modeled. Through model analysis, it was found that making the rotor rotate around the geometric axis can improve the accuracy of dynamic balancing. Secondly, the relationship between the correcting masses and the synchronous currents based on the influence coefficient method is established. Then, an autocentering controller is designed to make the rotor rotate around the geometric axis. The synchronous currents can be detected and extracted by the current transducers to calculate the unbalance correction mass. Finally, the experimental results show that this novel field dynamic balancing method can effectively eliminate the majority of rotor unbalance. Compared with the original unbalance of a rotor, the synchronous current in the A-end has been reduced by 71.4% and the synchronous current in the B-end, by 90.8% with the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-scale sports events have become a good opportunity for major enterprises to promote due to their high social attention; however, they also force enterprises to confront the risks of uncertainty and extreme loss. During the 2018 Russia World Cup, Vatti Co., Ltd.'s promotion activity "If France Wins, Get a Full Refund" suffered double losses economically and reputationally due to France's victory and the company's failure to fulfill its promise. This paper uses option hedging theory, and the risk management tools to construct a risk management model. Case analysis and program improvement were carried out. The research results show that using the winning odds can effectively control the risks. Companies should determine their promotion plan based on sale returns and the maximum implicit income generated by promotional activities. The research paper opens a new field using derivative financial instruments to control corporate promotion risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The IL-36 cytokines are known to play various roles in mediating the immune and inflammatory response to tissue injury in a context-dependent manner. This study investigated the role of IL-36R signaling in mediating epithelial wound healing in normal (NL) and diabetic (DM) C57BL/6 mouse corneas. The rate of epithelial wound closure was significantly accelerated in IL-36 receptor-deficient (IL-36R−/−) compared to wild-type (WT) mice. Wounding increased IL-36α and -36γ but repressed IL-36R antagonist (IL-36Ra) expression in B6 mouse corneal epithelial cells. The wound-induced proinflammatory cytokines CXCL1 and CXCL2 were dampened, while the antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) S100A8 and A9 were augmented in IL-36R−/− mouse corneas. Intriguingly, the expression of AMP LCN2 was augmented at the mRNA level. LCN2 deficiency resulted in an acceleration of epithelial wound healing. IL-36R deficiency also greatly increased the healing rate of the corneal epithelial wound in DM mice. IL-36R deficiency also suppressed IL-1β, IL-1Ra, and ICAM expression in unwounded-DM mice and wounded NL corneas. Opposing IL-1β and ICAM, the expression of IL-Ra in DM corneas of IL-36R−/− mice was augmented. The presence of recombinant IL-1Ra and IL-36Ra accelerated epithelial wound closure in T1DM corneas of B6 mice. Our study revealed an unprecedented role of IL-36R signaling in controlling corneal epithelial wound healing in normal (NL) and diabetic (DM) mice. Our data suggest that IL-36Ra, similar to IL-1Ra, might be a therapeutic reagent for improving wound healing and reducing wound-associated ulceration, particularly in the cornea and potentially in the skin of DM patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrothermal rutile (TiO2) is a widely distributed accessory mineral in hydrothermal veins or alteration assemblages of porphyry deposits and provides important information for further understanding hydrothermal fluid signatures. This study determines the geochemical composition and U-Pb dates of hydrothermal rutile from the Yulong porphyry Cu-Mo deposit in east Tibet, China. Three types of TiO2 polymorphs have been identified based on their Raman spectroscopic, textural, and chemical characteristics. (1) Brookite and anatase pseudomorphs after titanite in a fine-grained matrix, indicating low-temperature hydrothermal fluids destabilizing primary Ti-bearing minerals during argillic alteration (type-I). (2) Elongated and prismatic rutile present in hydrothermal veins or in clusters in accompanying alteration envelope characterized by weak zoning (type-II). And (3) rutile intergrown with sulfides in hydrothermal veins, characterized by well-developed patchy and sector zoning (type-III). In contrast to the type-I and type-II TiO2 polymorphs, tungsten is enriched in backscattered bright patches and sector zones in type-III rutile, which is due to the substitution of W6+ in the Ti4+ octahedral site. The mechanism of the enrichment of tungsten is efectively driven by the halogen-rich (F, Cl) aqueous fluids during hydrothermal mineralization. In situ U-Pb dating of the type-III rutile yields a lower intercept age of 41.8 ± 1.2 Ma, which brackets the timing of the Cu-Mo mineralization. The relationship between rutile textures and composition indicates that W-bearing rutile can serve as a recorder of hydrothermal processes in porphyry Cu deposits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil microbial community composition plays a key role in the decomposition of organic matter, while the quality of exogenous organic matter (EOM: rice straw, roots and pig manure) can influence soil chemical and biological properties. However, the evidences of the effect of combination of crop residues and pig manure on the changes in soil microbial community and enzymes activities are scarce. A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to investigate the potential effect of EOM by analyzing soil properties, enzyme activities and microbial communities. The experiment consisted of eight treatments: CK (control), S (1% (w/w) rice straw), R (1% (w/w) rice root), SR (1% (w/w) rice straw + 1% (w/w) rice root), and added 1% (w/w) pig manure to CK, S, R and SR, respectively. Results showed that the straw treatment significantly increased the microbial biomass (carbon and nitrogen) and total carbon and nitrogen contents, cellulase and β-1,4-glucosidase activities, bacteria (i.e., gram-positive bacteria and gram-negative bacteria) PLFAs contents relative to CK regardless of whether pig manure was added. Moreover, the interaction between crop residues (e.g., straw and roots) and pig manure significantly influenced the contents of microbial biomass nitrogen and microbial biomass phosphorus, and the ratio of gram-positive bacteria to gram-negative bacteria. Redundance analysis confirmed that pH, nitrate nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen and dissolve organic carbon contents were significantly associated with soil microbial community under crop residues without pig manure addition. Furthermore, the experiment results showed that pig manure application not only provided more abundant nutrients (C, N and P) but also induced higher microbial and enzymatic activity compared with no pig manure addition. Our findings suggest that the combination of above-ground straw and pig manure is a better option for improving the functions of soil ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Heart failure (HF) after myocardial infarction (MI) is a prevalent disease with a poor prognosis. Relieving pathological cardiac remodeling and preserving cardiac function is a critical link in the treatment of post-MI HF. Thus, more new therapeutic targets are urgently needed. The expression of ADAM17 is increased in patients with acute MI, but its functional role in post-MI HF remains unclear. Methods: To address this question, we examined the effects of ADAM17 on the severity and prognosis of HF within 1 year of MI in 152 MI patients with or without HF. In mechanistic studies, the effects of ADAM17 on ventricular remodeling and systolic function were extensively assessed at the tissue and cellular levels by establishing animal model of post-MI HF and in vitro hypoxic cell model. Results: High levels of ADAM17 predicted a higher incidence of post-MI HF, poorer cardiac function and higher mortality. Animal studies demonstrated that ADAM17 promoted the occurrence of post-MI HF, as indicated by increased infarct size, cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, myocardial interstitial collagen deposition and cardiac failure. ADAM17 knock down significantly improved pathological cardiac remodeling and cardiac function in mice with MI. Mechanistically, activated ADAM17 inhibited the cardioprotective effects of ACE2 by promoting hydrolytic shedding of the transmembrane protein ACE2 in cardiomyocytes, which subsequently mediated the occurrence of cardiac remodeling and the progression of heart failure. Moreover, the activation of ADAM17 in hypoxic cardiomyocytes was dependent on p38 MAPK phosphorylation at threonine 735. Conclusions: These data highlight a novel and important mechanism for ADAM17 to cause post-MI HF, which will hopefully be a new potential target for early prediction or intervention of post-MI HF. 1TH-7ttE8r63zZ3UeeV3ZM Video abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new, precast concrete frame beam-column connection is designed in this research. The connection adopts the assembly mode of the precast column and seam area jointly to maintain the integrity of the joint area and increase the assembly efficiency. Based on the conventional grouting sleeve connection, a disc spring device is constructed on the beam end to improve the ductility of the joint. Ten connecting specimens were tested under low cyclic loads, including two monolithic connections, four ordinary precast connections, and four new precast connections. The test parameters included the joint type and axial pressure ratio, and the difference in the seismic performance was determined by evaluating the failure mode, hysteresis characteristics, stiffness degradation, energy dissipation, and shear deformation of the joint area. Compared to monolithic connections, conventional precast connections display similar hysteresis characteristics. Although their ductility is slightly lower, their bearing capacity is higher. Compared with the previous two connections, the new connection with the built-in disc spring device has superior seismic performance. The axial pressure ratio is a significant aspect in determining the failure mode of the precast connection, and the specimen exhibits less shear damage at a larger axial pressure ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ENY2 (Enhancer of yellow 2 transcription factor) is a transcription nuclear protein and primarily participates in the course of mRNA export and histone deubiquitination to influence gene expression. Current studies have shown that the expression of ENY2 is significantly upregulated in multiple cancers. However, the exact association between ENY2 and pan-cancers has not been fully established. Here, we comprehensively analyzed ENY2 from the online public database and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, including gene expression level in pan-cancer, comparison of ENY2 expression in different molecular and immune subtypes of pan-cancer, targeted protein, biological functions, molecular signatures, diagnostic and prognostic value in pan-cancer. Moreover, we focused on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC) and explored ENY2 from the perspective of the correlations with clinical characteristics, prognosis, co-expression genes, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and immune Infiltration. Our findings showed that the expression of ENY2 differed enormously not only in most cancer types but also in different molecular and immune subtypes of cancers. High accuracy in predicting cancers and notable correlations with prognosis of certain cancers suggested that ENY2 might be a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker of cancers. In addition, ENY2 was identified to be significantly correlated with clinical stage, gender, histologic grade and lymphovascular invasion in HNSC. Overexpression of ENY2 could lead to a worse overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and progression-free interval (PFI) in HNSC, especially in different clinical subgroups of HNSC. Taken together, ENY2 showed strong correlation with the diagnosis and prognosis of pan-cancer, and was an independent prognostic risk factor of HNSC, which may serve as a potential target for cancer management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Probiotic spore germinator-based living biotherapeutics capable of specifically inhibiting Enterobacteriaceae growth and relieving acute colitis as well as colibactin-induced colonic cancerization was reported, which may propose a paradigm on gastrointestinal tract disease therapy by restoring gastrointestinal microenvironment. [Display omitted] The abnormal intestinal features like increased epithelial oxygenation, elevated inflammatory cascades and excess nitrate production can exacerbate colitis progression and even trigger colorectal cancer by promoting gut microbiota dysbiosis. Here, probiotic spores decorated with anti-inflammatory curcumin are encapsulated into cysteine-modified konjac glucomannan microspheres, to intervene colitis and colonic cancerization through remodeling gut microenvironment. Benefiting from the prolonged intestinal retention effect of polysaccharide microspheres, epithelial oxygenation is effectively restored into hypoxia in colon location due to spore germination-induced oxygen consumption, which blunts luminal Enterobacteriaceae overgrowth, and facilitates short chain fatty acids (SCFAs)-producing bacteria. By fermenting prebiotics of konjac glucomannan, the produced butyrate by SCFAs-producing bacteria further converts cell energy metabolism from glycolysis to oxygen-consumed β-oxidation by activating epithelial peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) signaling, resulting in thorough oxygen outage, nitrate production-related enzymes downregulation and inflammatory response elimination. In view of directed gut microbiota modulation and colonic epithelial cell functions normalization, the potent intervention effect of spore germinator-loaded polysaccharide microspheres is achieved in multiple colitis models and genotoxic colibactin-producing Enterobacteriaceae - induced colon tumorigenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]