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Background: Wooden breast (WB) myopathy is a common myopathy found in commercial broiler chickens worldwide. Histological examination has revealed that WB myopathy is accompanied by damage to the pectoralis major (PM) muscle. However, the underlying mechanisms responsible for the formation of WB in broilers have not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the potential role of hypoxia-mediated programmed cell death (PCD) in the formation of WB myopathy. Results: Histological examination and biochemical analysis were performed on the PM muscle of the control (CON) and WB groups. A significantly increased thickness of the breast muscle in the top, middle, and bottom portions (P<0.01) was found along with pathological structure damage of myofibers in the WB group. The number of capillaries per fiber in PM muscle, and the levels of pO2 and sO2 in the blood, were significantly decreased (P < 0.01), while the levels of pCO2 and TCO2 in the blood were significantly increased (P < 0.05), suggesting hypoxic conditions in the PM muscle of the WB group. We further evaluated the PCD-related pathways including autophagy, apoptosis, and necroptosis to understand the consequence response to enhanced hypoxic conditions in the PM muscle of birds with WB. The ratio of LC3 II to LC3 I, and the autophagy-related factors HIF-1α, BNIP3, Beclin1, AMPKα, and ULK1 at the mRNA and protein levels, were all significantly upregulated (P < 0.05), showing that autophagy occurred in the PM muscle of the WB group. The apoptotic index, as well as the expressions of Bax, Cytc, caspase 9, and caspase 3, were significantly increased (P < 0.05), whereas Bcl-2 was significantly decreased (P < 0.05) in the WB-affected PM muscle, indicating the occurrence of apoptosis mediated by the mitochondrial pathway. Additionally, the expressions of necroptosis-related factors RIP1, RIP3, and MLKL, as well as NF-κB and the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, were all significantly enhanced (P < 0.05) in the WB-affected PM muscle. Conclusions: The WB myopathy reduces blood supply and induces hypoxia in the PM muscle, which is closely related to the occurrence of PCD including apoptosis, autophagy, and necroptosis within myofibers, and finally leads to abnormal muscle damage and the development of WB in broilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a case of Klebsiella pneumoniae invasive liver abscess syndrome (KPILAS) with endophthalmitis-caused blindness as the first symptom after enema. The patient had diabetes, and his blood glucose was poorly controlled. She developed hematuria after four enemas for cosmetic purposes and later became blind. The eye discharge was cultured, which revealed a Klebsiella pneumoniae infection. B ultrasound did not show liver lesions, but computed tomography exhibited abscesses in the right lobe of the liver. Magnetic resonance imaging of the head indicated abscesses. These confirmed the diagnosis of invasive liver abscess syndrome. The patient was given ophthalmic and systemic anti-infection treatments, and her condition was effectively controlled. Unfortunately, the diseased eye still needed to be removed. This case underlines the necessity of avoiding unnecessary risky procedures (such as enemas) in vulnerable populations, the importance of early detection of invasive liver abscess syndrome, and the advantage of computed tomography in detecting liver abscesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Channel equalization plays a crucial role in single-carrier underwater acoustic (UWA) communications. Recently, a frequency-domain turbo equalization (FDTE) scheme enabled by the vector approximate message passing (VAMP) algorithm, was proposed, and it outperformed classic linear minimum mean square error FDTE at acceptable complexity cost. The operation of the VAMP-FDTE requires knowledge of noise power, which is predetermined before the equalization starts. In practice, however, it is difficult to obtain prior knowledge of noise power due to factors of unknown channel estimation errors and dynamic underwater environments. Motivated by this fact, we propose an enhanced VAMP-FDTE scheme, which learns the noise power knowledge during the equalization process via the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm. The EM-based noise power estimation makes use of intermediate results of the VAMP-FDTE and, thus, only incurs a small extra computational overhead. The improved VAMP-FDTE, named EM-VAMP-FDTE, was tested by experimental data collected in shallow-sea horizontal UWA communication trials with MIMO configuration. It showed better performance than the existing VAMP-FDTE scheme, attributed to the online noise power learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is reported that pulmonary fibrosis has become one of the major long-term complications of COVID-19, even in asymptomatic individuals. Currently, despite the best efforts of the global medical community, there are no treatments for COVID-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Recently, inhalable nanocarriers have received more attention due to their ability to improve the solubility of insoluble drugs, penetrate biological barriers of the lungs and target fibrotic tissues in the lungs. The inhalation route has many advantages as a non-invasive method of administration and the local delivery of anti-fibrosis agents to fibrotic tissues like direct to the lesion from the respiratory system, high delivery efficiency, low systemic toxicity, low therapeutic dose and more stable dosage forms. In addition, the lung has low biometabolic enzyme activity and no hepatic first-pass effect, so the drug is rapidly absorbed after pulmonary administration, which can significantly improve the bioavailability of the drug. This paper summary the pathogenesis and current treatment of pulmonary fibrosis and reviews various inhalable systems for drug delivery in the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis, including lipid-based nanocarriers, nanovesicles, polymeric nanocarriers, protein nanocarriers, nanosuspensions, nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles and hydrogel, which provides a theoretical basis for finding new strategies for the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis and clinical rational drug use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synergistic regulation of the water–energy–food nexus in irrigation districts is important for promoting the sustainable management of agricultural resources in irrigation districts. In this paper, a new integrated optimization–evaluation modelling framework for the water–energy–food nexus in agricultural irrigation areas is developed. It can measure the synergistic effects of economic, social and environmental multidimensional objectives on the sustainable management of agricultural resources in irrigation areas. The model couples an optimisation module and an evaluation module, combines a multiobjective nonlinear planning model with an opportunity-constrained planning model and uses an entropy-weighted TOPSIS assessment approach to sustainably assess the multidimensional indicators of the water–energy–food nexus in irrigation districts, with full consideration given to the effects of uncertainty in agricultural water and soil resources and social systems. The feasibility of the constructed model is verified through a study of the Jinxi irrigation district. The results show that compared to the actual area, the optimised surface water and groundwater availability increased by 23.5% and 22.7%; the optimised total area increased by 4%, whereas corn decreased by 40%, rice increased by 34.6% and soybean decreased by 33.8%; the energy consumption decreased by 17.6% and the total recycled resources amounted to 8.97 × 109 kg, with a combined net economic benefit of CNY 1.25 × 109 more than the actual current amount. The synergistic development of the water–energy–food nexus (WEFN) in the district is relatively harmonious, suggesting that the district should focus on developing agricultural mechanisation and balancing economic benefits with environmental and ecological protection; furthermore, the model constructed should provide decision-making support for the efficient use of agricultural resources in the irrigation district. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food contamination caused by microorganisms is a significant issue in the food field that not only affects the shelf life of food, but also threatens human health, causing huge economic losses. Considering that the materials in direct or indirect contact with food are important carriers and vectors of microorganisms, the development of antibacterial food contact materials is an important coping strategy. However, different antibacterial agents, manufacturing methods, and material characteristics have brought great challenges to the antibacterial effectiveness, durability, and component migration associated with the use security of materials. Therefore, this review focused on the most widely used metal-type food contact materials and comprehensively presents the research progress regarding antibacterial food contact materials, hoping to provide references for exploring novel antibacterial food contact materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focused ultrasound (FUS) can be used to physiologically change or destroy tissue in a non-invasive way. A few commercial systems have clinical approval for the thermal ablation of solid tumors for the treatment of neurological diseases and palliative pain management of bone metastases. However, the thermal effects of FUS are known to lead to various biological effects, such as inhibition of repair of DNA damage, reduction in tumor hypoxia, and induction of apoptosis. Here, we studied radiosensitization as a combination therapy of FUS and RT in a xenograft mouse model using newly developed MRI-compatible FUS equipment. Xenograft tumor-bearing mice were produced by subcutaneous injection of the human prostate cancer cell line PC-3. Animals were treated with FUS in 7 T MRI at 4.8 W/cm2 to reach ~45 °C and held for 30 min. The temperature was controlled via fiber optics and proton resonance frequency shift (PRF) MR thermometry in parallel. In the combination group, animals were treated with FUS followed by X-ray at a single dose of 10 Gy. The effects of FUS and RT were assessed via hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining. Tumor proliferation was detected by the immunohistochemistry of Ki67 and apoptosis was measured by a TUNEL assay. At 40 days follow-up, the impact of RT on cancer cells was significantly improved by FUS as demonstrated by a reduction in cell nucleoli from 189 to 237 compared to RT alone. Inhibition of tumor growth by 4.6 times was observed in vivo in the FUS + RT group (85.3%) in contrast to the tumor volume of 393% in the untreated control. Our results demonstrated the feasibility of combined MRI-guided FUS and RT for the treatment of prostate cancer in a xenograft mouse model and may provide a chance for less invasive cancer therapy through radiosensitization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chaotic systems, especially hyper-chaotic systems are suitable for digital image encryption because of their complex properties such as pseudo randomness and extreme sensitivity. This paper proposes a new color image encryption algorithm based on a hyper-chaotic system constructed by a tri-valued memristor. The encryption process is based on the structure of permutation-diffusion, and the transmission of key information is realized through hyper-chaotic synchronization technology. In this design, the hash value of the plaintext image is used to generate the initial key the permutation sequence with the Hash table structure based on the hyper-chaotic sequence is used to implement pixel-level and bit-level permutation operations. Hilbert curves combining with the ciphertext feedback mechanism are applied to complete the diffusion operation. A series of experimental analyses have been applied to measure the novel algorithm, and the results show that the scheme has excellent encryption performance and can resist a variety of attacks. This method can be applied in secure image communication fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bupleurum chinense(B. chinense) is a plant that is widely distributed globally and has strong pharmacological effects. Though the chloroplast(cp) genome of B. chinense has been studied, no reports regarding the mitochondrial(mt) genome of B. chinense have been published yet. Results: The mt genome of B.chinense was assembled and functionally annotated. The circular mt genome of B. chinense was 435,023 bp in length, and 78 genes, including 39 protein-coding genes, 35 tRNA genes, and 4 rRNA genes, were annotated. Repeat sequences were analyzed and sites at which RNA editing would occur were predicted. Gene migration was observed to occur between the mt and cp genomes of B. chinense via the detection of homologous gene fragments. In addition, the sizes of plant mt genomes and their GC content were analyzed and compared. The sizes of mt genomes of plants varied greatly, but their GC content was conserved to a greater extent during evolution. Ka/Ks analysis was based on code substitutions, and the results showed that most of the coding genes were negatively selected. This indicates that mt genes were conserved during evolution. Conclusion: In this study, we assembled and annotated the mt genome of the medicinal plant B. chinense. Our findings provide extensive information regarding the mt genome of B. chinense, and help lay the foundation for future studies on the genetic variations, phylogeny, and breeding of B. chinense via an analysis of the mt genome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bupleurum chinense(B. chinense) is a plant that is widely distributed globally and has strong pharmacological effects. Though the chloroplast(cp) genome of B. chinense has been studied, no reports regarding the mitochondrial(mt) genome of B. chinense have been published yet. Results: The mt genome of B.chinense was assembled and functionally annotated. The circular mt genome of B. chinense was 435,023 bp in length, and 78 genes, including 39 protein-coding genes, 35 tRNA genes, and 4 rRNA genes, were annotated. Repeat sequences were analyzed and sites at which RNA editing would occur were predicted. Gene migration was observed to occur between the mt and cp genomes of B. chinense via the detection of homologous gene fragments. In addition, the sizes of plant mt genomes and their GC content were analyzed and compared. The sizes of mt genomes of plants varied greatly, but their GC content was conserved to a greater extent during evolution. Ka/Ks analysis was based on code substitutions, and the results showed that most of the coding genes were negatively selected. This indicates that mt genes were conserved during evolution. Conclusion: In this study, we assembled and annotated the mt genome of the medicinal plant B. chinense. Our findings provide extensive information regarding the mt genome of B. chinense, and help lay the foundation for future studies on the genetic variations, phylogeny, and breeding of B. chinense via an analysis of the mt genome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A multi-attribute group decision method based on the interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy set is proposed. • A sustainability evaluation of an agricultural water-land-energy-carbon nexus is provided. • Multidimensional indicators are combined through stability, coordinativity and connectivity. • The water, land, energy and carbon subsystems of the agricultural system are quantified based on dual uncertainty. • The model is shown to solve real-world relationship management problems. The interactions between agricultural subsystems, resource scarcity and ecological degradation increase the need for agricultural sustainability assessments in relation to water, land, energy and carbon emissions. In addition, uncertainties caused by natural factors and human activities complicate sustainability assessments. Therefore, this study proposes a regional agricultural sustainability assessment method based on the water-land-energy-carbon (WLEC) nexus system under high uncertainty. This method couples the interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy set (IVIFS) and multi-attribute group decision making (MAGDM) methods to quantitatively characterise and assess element management and corresponding relationships within the agricultural WLEC nexus system in a multidimensional manner. The paper is able to (1) clarify the role of the coupled agricultural "water-land-energy-carbon" nexus and (2) address the double ambiguity and uncertainty in the indicators and more objectively reflect the interval fluctuations of natural resources and social activities in both positive and negative scenarios. (3) Sustainability management of agricultural resources is carried out according to different regional conditions. The method was applied to Heilongjiang Province in northeast China, and the coupling of agricultural WLEC nexus system in 13 administrative regions of the study area was quantitatively analysed. The degree of agroecological sustainability from a multidimensional perspective is higher in Daxinganling and lower in the provincial capital, Harbin. The recommended range of groundwater use in the study area is [16%,28%] to ensure ecological sustainability when total agricultural output fluctuates between 285,395.18 and 404,495.33 billion yuan. This methodology helps policy makers understand the overall dynamics of agricultural sustainability in an environment of multiple uncertainties and gives suggestions for better assessing management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assembly of transcriptomes encoding unique neuronal identities requires selective accessibility of transcription factors to cis-regulatory sequences in nucleosome-embedded postmitotic chromatin. Yet, the mechanisms controlling postmitotic neuronal chromatin accessibility are poorly understood. Here, we show that unique distal enhancers define the Pet1 neuron lineage that generates serotonin (5-HT) neurons in mice. Heterogeneous single-cell chromatin landscapes are established early in postmitotic Pet1 neurons and reveal the putative regulatory programs driving Pet1 neuron subtype identities. Distal enhancer accessibility is highly dynamic as Pet1 neurons mature, suggesting the existence of regulatory factors that reorganize postmitotic neuronal chromatin. We find that Pet1 and Lmx1b control chromatin accessibility to select Pet1-lineage-specific enhancers for 5-HT neurotransmission. Additionally, these factors are required to maintain chromatin accessibility during early maturation suggesting that postmitotic neuronal open chromatin is unstable and requires continuous regulatory input. Together, our findings reveal postmitotic transcription factors that reorganize accessible chromatin for neuron specialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil degradation has become a major global problem owing to the rapid development of agriculture. The problems of soil drought and decreased soil fertility caused by soil degradation severely affect the development of the agricultural and forestry industries. In this study, we designed sodium alginate (SA)/sodium lignosulfonate (SLS) hydrogel based on the activation and crosslinking of inert Ca2+. CaCO 3 and SA were mixed, and then, inert Ca2+ was activated to prepare a gel with a stable structure and a uniform interior and exterior. The crosslinking activated by inert Ca2+ enhanced the stability of the hydrogel, and the optimal swelling rate of the hydrogel reached 28.91 g/g, thereby effectively improving the water-holding capacity of the soil (77.6–108.83 g/kg). SLS was degraded into humic acid (HA) and gradually released, demonstrating a positive growth-promoting effect in plant growth experiments. The SA/SLS hydrogel can be used for soil water retention and mitigation to significantly decrease the water loss rate of soil. This study will assist in addressing soil drought and fertility loss. [Display omitted] • Sodium alginate/sodium lignosulfonate hydrogel (SA/SLS) prepared based on inert Ca2+ initiator technology. • SA/SLS has excellent stability and pH sensitivity. • SA/SLS has better soil water retention performance than commercially available soil amendments. • SA/SLS has a continuous effect on crop growth and can be applied to practical production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The V2X and cooperative vehicle infrastructure system (CVIS), which leverage the efficient information interactions through V2V, V2I, V2P, and V2N, are known as the advanced and effective technology in reducing traffic accidents and improving traffic efficiency. The complex technical characteristics of V2X and highly reliable service demand of typical V2X applications call for the test needs before the large-scale deployment of V2X. It indicates that the performance and function of V2X devices should be systematically tested and evaluated in extreme and boundary conditions of driving and communication environments before being broadly deployed and applied in infrastructures. Motivated by the previously mentioned needs, a performance and function testing scheme of V2X in a closed test field is studied. According to the analytical viewpoint from the physical layer and MAC layer, the proposed research systematically analyses the technical differences of DSRC and LTE-V, which are two typical V2X protocols, in terms of vehicle speed, communication distance, and channel adaptability. Based on the critical practical test needs from the analytical study, a function and performance test system of V2X specifically for the closed test field is proposed. The performance and typical application effectiveness in intersection environment of DSRC and LTE-V are evaluated. The limitation and proposed improvement strategies of these V2X protocols are analytically discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of wooden breast (WB) meat of commercial broiler chicken has been increasing in recent years. Histological examination found that the occurrence of WB myopathy was accompanied by the pectoralis major (PM) muscle damage. So far, the potential mechanisms are not fully understood. This study aimed to explore the underlying mechanism of the damage of WB-affected PM muscle caused by changes in mitochondrial function, mitochondrial redox status and Ca2+ homeostasis. A total of 80 market-age Arbor Acres male broiler chickens were sampled and categorized into control (CON) and WB groups based on the evaluation of myopathic lesions. PM muscle samples were collected (n = 8 in each group) for histopathological evaluation and biochemical analyses. Ultrastructural examination and histopathological changes suggested the occurrence of PM muscle damage in broiler chickens with WB myopathy. The WB group showed an increased level of reactive oxygen species and enhanced antioxidant capacities in mitochondria of PM muscle. These changes were related to impaired mitochondria morphology and mitochondrial dysfunction. In addition, abnormal expressions of Ca2+ channels led to substantial Ca2+ loss in SR and cytoplasmic Ca2+ overload, as well as Ca2+ accumulation in mitochondria, resulting in Ca2+ dyshomeostasis in PM muscle of broiler chickens with WB myopathy. Combined, these findings indicate that WB myopathy is related to mitochondrial dysfunction, mitochondrial redox status imbalance and Ca2+ dyshomeostasis, leading to WB-affected PM muscle damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A facile method of assembling oxindole and phthalide units through a Lewis based catalyzed allylic alkylation reaction of Morita–Baylis–Hillman carbonates of isatins and 3-cyanophthalides was recently developed. The method efficiently delivers a hybrid of 3,3′-disubstituted oxindole with a valuable phthalide pharmacophore. In the present study, we proved the deleterious effects of 5h2c, a screened synthesis compound, against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in both in vitro and in vivo models. 5h2c strongly decreased cell viability, caused over-release of lactate dehydrogenase, inhibited cell migration, and enhanced the apoptosis rate in HepG2 and PLC/PRF/5 cells. 5h2c led to an increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species levels and a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential. In HepG2-and PLC/PRF/5-xenograft tumor mouse models, treatment with 5h2c inhibited tumor growth without affecting the animals' bodyweight or organ functions. Proteome profiling of tumor tissues after 24-h exposure to 5h2c showed significantly enhanced expression levels of Bcl-2 associated X protein, cleaved caspase −3, −8, and −9, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), heme oxygenase-2, paraoxonase 2, catalase, and factor associated suicide ligand, and reduced the expression levels of B-cell lymphoma-2, B-cell lymphoma-extra large, heat shock protein 27, heat shock protein 60, and heat shock protein 70 in HepG2 and PLC/PRF/5 cells. All of our data confirmed that oxidative stress-mediated mitochondrial apoptosis (especially the Nrf-2/HO-1 pathway) is responsible for 5h2c-induced HCC damage. Highlights • 5h2c is a compound of 3,3′-disubstituted oxindole with a phthalide pharmacophore. • 5h2c induces apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. • 5h2c inhibited the growth of HepG2-and PLC/PRF/5-xenografted tumor in mice. • 5h2c-induced apoptosis via oxidative stress-mediated mitochondrial function. • 5h2c promotes apoptosis of HCC cells through Nrf-2/HO-1 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Maize is a globally important food, feed crop and raw material for the food and energy industry. Plant architecture optimization plays important roles in maize yield improvement. PIN‐FORMED (PIN) proteins are important for regulating auxin spatiotemporal asymmetric distribution in multiple plant developmental processes. In this study, ZmPIN1a overexpression in maize increased the number of lateral roots and inhibited their elongation, forming a developed root system with longer seminal roots and denser lateral roots. ZmPIN1a overexpression reduced plant height, internode length and ear height. This modification of the maize phenotype increased the yield under high‐density cultivation conditions, and the developed root system improved plant resistance to drought, lodging and a low‐phosphate environment. IAA concentration, transport capacity determination and application of external IAA indicated that ZmPIN1a overexpression led to increased IAA transport from shoot to root. The increase in auxin in the root enabled the plant to allocate more carbohydrates to the roots, enhanced the growth of the root and improved plant resistance to environmental stress. These findings demonstrate that maize plant architecture can be improved by root breeding to create an ideal phenotype for further yield increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carnosic acid (CA), an important bioactive phenolic diterpene mainly found in labiate plants, exerts various biological functions, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and neuroprotective activities. In the present study, we proved the deleterious effects of CA against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in both in vitro and in vivo models. In vitro , CA significantly decreased cell viability, inhibited cell proliferation and migration, enhanced apoptosis, and increased caspase-3, -8, and -9 activities in HepG2 and SMMC-7721 cells. Specifically, CA led to a decreased mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and increases in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and apoptosis-related protein expression. Pre-incubation of HCC cells with N -Acetyl- l -cysteine (NAC), a ROS inhibitor, strongly suppressed CA-induced apoptotic phenomena, including reduced cell viability, excessive ROS levels, MMP decreases, and abnormal protein expression, suggesting an association of CA-induced apoptosis with oxidative stress-mediated mitochondrial pathways. In HepG2-and SMMC-7721-xenograft tumor mouse models, treatment with CA inhibited tumor growth and modulated apoptosis-related protein expression, confirming the anti-HCC effects of this chemical. Moreover, the CA-mediated anti-HCC effects associated with oxidative stress provide experimental evidence to support the potential use of CA as a drug therapy for HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The self-organizing map (SOM), an unsupervised artificial neural network model, has emerged as a tool for analyzing insect species assemblages associated with geographic regions. By comparing regions that share similar pest assemblages, SOM provides available information to rank potential invasive species. Scale insects, an important group of Hemiptera, attract a great deal of attention from researchers and quarantine authorities due to their significant threats to crops and ornamental plants. There are few studies on distribution pattern and predicting the invasion of scale insects at a global scale. In the present study, a global presence⁄absence dataset, including 2486 scale insect species in 157 countries, was extracted to assess the establishment risk of potential invasive species based on a self-organizing map (SOM). We provide preliminary establishment risk assessments of numerous scale insects at a global scale and confirm that SOM can be a reliable tool for analyzing a large number of species simultaneously. In the present study, a global presence/absence dataset including 2486 scale insect species in 157 countries was extracted to assess the establishment risk of potential invasive species based on a self-organizing map (SOM). According to the similarities in species assemblages, a risk list of scale insects for each country was generated. Meanwhile, all countries in the dataset were divided into five clusters, each of which has high similarities of species assemblages. For those countries in the same neuron of the SOM output, they may pose the greatest threats to each other as the sources of potential invasive scale insect species, and therefore, require more attention from quarantine departments. In addition, normalized ζi values were used to measure the uncertainty of the SOM output. In total, 9 out of 63 neurons obtained high uncertainty with very low species counts, indicating that more investigation of scale insects should be undertaken in some parts of Africa, Asia and Northern Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study combined Internet of Things technology with dairy farm management to set up a smart dairy farm system (SDFS). All kinds of data in the dairy farm will be intelligently captured by various sensors and transmitted to the SDFS in time for corresponding integration analysis. Nutritional grouping was demonstrated to improve production performance and methane and carbon dioxide emission reduction, which is also a hotspot of concern for the public and scientific research. The information from dairy herd improvement (DHI) analysis was used to predict the incidence of mastitis in dairy cows, which would lead to a new way to predict individual mastitis. By fully interpreting the hidden value of dairy farm data, SDFS could help in the better management of dairy farms and promote the application of intelligent systems in dairy farm production. In order to study the smart management of dairy farms, this study combined Internet of Things (IoT) technology and dairy farm daily management to form an intelligent dairy farm sensor network and set up a smart dairy farm system (SDFS), which could provide timely guidance for dairy production. To illustrate the concept and benefits of the SDFS, two application scenarios were sampled: (1) Nutritional grouping (NG): grouping cows according to the nutritional requirements by considering parities, days in lactation, dry matter intake (DMI), metabolic protein (MP), net energy of lactation (NEL), etc. By supplying feed corresponding to nutritional needs, milk production, methane and carbon dioxide emissions were compared with those of the original farm grouping (OG), which was grouped according to lactation stage. (2) Mastitis risk prediction: using the dairy herd improvement (DHI) data of the previous 4 lactation months of the dairy cows, logistic regression analysis was applied to predict dairy cows at risk of mastitis in successive months in order to make suitable measurements in advance. The results showed that compared with OG, NG significantly increased milk production and reduced methane and carbon dioxide emissions of dairy cows (p < 0.05). The predictive value of the mastitis risk assessment model was 0.773, with an accuracy of 89.91%, a specificity of 70.2%, and a sensitivity of 76.3%. By applying the intelligent dairy farm sensor network and establishing an SDFS, through intelligent analysis, full use of dairy farm data would be made to achieve higher milk production of dairy cows, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and predict in advance the occurrence of mastitis of dairy cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preparation of shape memory polymers (SMPs) with broad transition temperature was an effective method to realize multishape memory effect. In this study, a novel SMP with a broad glass transition temperature ( T) based on microcrystalline cellulose was prepared. The structure of the SMP was analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and proton nuclear magnetic resonance, which can prove the successful synthesis of the material. The thermal properties were investigated with differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The dual- and multishape memory effects were also quantificationally analyzed by DMA. Further, the influence of programming temperature within T on dual-shape memory effect was investigated, and a 1D model was built to explain their relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To improve the friction and wear behavior of carbon fabric reinforced polymer composites (CFRP), nano-SiO2 was deposited on the fabric surface. The friction and wear behavior of the resulting composites were investigated on a model ring-on-block test rig. Experimental results revealed that fiber surface treatment contributed to largely improve the tribological properties of the CFRP composites. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) investigation showed that the worn surface of the surface modified CFRP composite was smoother under given load and sliding rate. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), FTIR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies of the carbon fiber surface showed that nanostructured Sio2 thin film can be obtained by SiO2 sols deposition, which improved the adhesion between the fiber and phenolic matrix and hence to improve the friction-reduction and anti-wear properties of the CFRP composite. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Carbon fabric (CF) was surface treated with silane-coupling agent modification, HNO3 oxidation, combined surface treatment, respectively. The friction and wear properties of the carbon fabric reinforced phenolic composites (CFP), sliding against GCr15 steel rings, were investigated on an M-2000 model ring-on-block test rig. Experimental results revealed that combined surface treatment largely reduced the friction and wear of the CFP composites. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) investigation of the worn surfaces of the CFP composites showed that combined surface modified CFP composite had the strongest interfacial adhesion and the smoothest worn surface under given load and sliding rate. SEM and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) study of carbon fiber surface showed that the fiber surface became rougher and the oxygen concentration increased greatly after combined surface treatment, which improved the adhesion between the fiber and the phenolic resin matrix and hence to improve the friction–reduction and anti-wear properties of the CFP composite. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Rhabdomyolysis can present with a sepsis-like manifestation. • Rhabdomyolysis may be a result of a rare cause - empty sella syndrome. • Elevated procalcitonin levels may occur under noninfectious inflammatory conditions. We reported a case of a 68-year-old man who presented with recurrent fever and multiorgan dysfunction. His significantly elevated procalcitonin and C-reactive protein levels indicated recurrent sepsis. However, no focus of infection and no pathogens were identified through a variety of examinations and tests. Although the increase of creatine kinase was less than five times the upper limit of normal value, the diagnosis of rhabdomyolysis secondary to adrenal insufficiency resulting from primary empty sella syndrome was finally made, as supported by serum myoglobin elevation, serum cortisol, and adrenocorticotropic hormone deficiency, bilateral adrenal atrophy on computed tomography, and empty sella on magnetic resonance imaging. After the glucocorticoid replacement treatment, the patient's myoglobin gradually returned to normal range, and his condition continued to improve. Rhabdomyolysis resulting from a rare cause may be misdiagnosed as sepsis in patients who present with increased procalcitonin levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combining features of complex bonding scheme and multifarious structures, metal borides have received extensive attention as appealing contenders for novel superhard materials with superior electrical conductivity. Based on first-principles calculations, we predicted a metallic superhard boride CaB 12 , consisted by a high-density B−B covalent sublattice arranged in waffle-like B 32 clusters. This special B−B arrangement results in a hitherto maximum hardness value (H vmax) of 50.1 GPa in binary metal borides. Since the Ca atoms provide electrons to the B 32 cluster, it is beneficial to generating conductive channel in 3D boron network, playing a dominant role in conductivity for CaB 12. Through the electronic regulation by substituting the alkaline atom at the Ca positions, a superconducting superhard compound Ca 2 KB 36 (T c = 16.9 K; H v = 44.1 GPa) can be achieved. We then propose three strategies to design materials with superhard and excellent conductivity/superconductivity properties: (1) the strong average covalent bond strength; (2) the high density of covalent bonds; (3) with appropriate metal atoms to produce carriers. Our work provides innovative way to search for novel ultrahard compounds with favorable electrical conductivity/superconductivity. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The VIM (belonged to E3 ubiquitin ligase) gene family is crucial for plant growth, development, and stress responses, yet their role in salt stress remains unclear. We analyzed phylogenetic relationships, chromosomal localization, conserved motifs, gene structure, cis-acting elements, and gene expression patterns of the VIM gene family in four cotton varieties. Our findings reveal 29, 29, 17, and 14 members in Gossypium hirsutum (G.hirsutum), Gossypium barbadense (G.barbadense), Gossypium arboreum (G.arboreum), and Gossypium raimondii (G. raimondii), respectively, indicating the maturity and evolution of this gene family. motifs among GhVIMs genes were observed, along with the presence of stress-responsive, hormone-responsive, and growth-related elements in their promoter regions. Gene expression analysis showed varying patterns and tissue specificity of GhVIMs genes under abiotic stress. Silencing GhVIM28 via virus-induced gene silencing revealed its role as a salt-tolerant negative regulator. This work reveals a mechanism by which the VIM gene family in response to salt stress in cotton, identifying a potential negative regulator, GhVIM28, which could be targeted for enhancing salt tolerance in cotton. The objective of this study was to explore the evolutionary relationship of the VIM gene family and its potential function in salt stress tolerance, and provide important genetic resources for salt tolerance breeding of cotton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposed a novel anaerobic/pulse washout (APW) process that can rapidly inhibit nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) and enrich ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) to achieve the quick start-up of partial nitrification in an activated sludge system. The results showed that the start-up period of partial nitrification in the APW process (20 days) was shorter than that in the process operated without APW (45 days). Analysis of the microbial communities revealed that the activity and relative proportion of AOB (AOB/(AOB plus NOB)) in the APW process (88.64 mgN·L−1·d−1, 82%) were significantly higher than those in the process without APW (75.82 mgN·L−1·d−1, 62%). Furthermore, the directional change in the composition of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and intracellular polymeric substances of microorganisms under APW can affect the metabolic pattern and growth of nitrifiers, thereby, accelerating the start-up of partial nitrification. To further verify efficiency, the APW process was used to treat actual low carbon/nitrogen (C/N) sewage. The results showed that partial nitrification and denitrification were quickly achieved with high nitrogen removal capacity. Thus, this study offers a new process to improve partial nitrification and denitrification and develop a theoretical basis with which to solve low C/N issues in municipal wastewater treatment plants. Image 1 • A novel APW process to promote partial nitrification was proposed. • APW could quickly promotes AOB to be dominance. • APW accelerates the directional changes in EPS and intracellular polymers. • The directional changes accelerated the establishment of partial nitrification. • The performance in treating low C/N sewage proves the practicability of APW process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Ultrasound waves can be applied for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Focused ultrasound is approved for tissue ablation, e.g., in the treatment of uterine fibroids or essential tremors. Besides the non-invasive image-guided surgical intervention at temperatures above 55 °C, FUS is investigated in other fields like blood-brain barrier opening, hyperthermia, and neuromodulation. FUS offers potential as an adjuvant therapy in cancer treatment. Therefore, analysis of FUS effects on cancer cells is necessary. We performed studies on two human cancer cell line spheroids using a newly developed high-throughput in vitro FUS applicator with 32 individual transducers. This study aimed to perform basic experiments with a new in vitro FUS device on a 3D tumour model to acquire insight into the effects of FUS at the cellular level. These experiments may contribute to a better understanding and predictions of cancer treatment efficacy. Focused ultrasound (FUS) is a non-invasive technique producing a variety of biological effects by either thermal or mechanical mechanisms of ultrasound interaction with the targeted tissue. FUS could bring benefits, e.g., tumour sensitisation, immune stimulation, and targeted drug delivery, but investigation of FUS effects at the cellular level is still missing. New techniques are commonly tested in vitro on two-dimensional (2D) monolayer cancer cell culture models. The 3D tumour model—spheroid—is mainly utilised to mimic solid tumours from an architectural standpoint. It is a promising method to simulate the characteristics of tumours in vitro and their various responses to therapeutic alternatives. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of FUS on human prostate and glioblastoma cancer tumour spheroids in vitro. The experimental follow-up enclosed the measurements of spheroid integrity and growth kinetics, DNA damage, and cellular metabolic activity by measuring intracellular ATP content in the spheroids. Our results showed that pulsed FUS treatment induced molecular effects in 3D tumour models. With the disruption of the spheroid integrity, we observed an increase in DNA double-strand breaks, leading to damage in the cancer cells depending on the cancer cell type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focused ultrasound (FUS) has become an important non-invasive therapy for solid tumor ablation via thermal effects. The cavitation effect induced by FUS is thereby avoided but applied for lithotripsy, support drug delivery and the induction of blood vessel destruction for cancer therapy. In this study, head and neck cancer (FaDu), glioblastoma (T98G), and prostate cancer (PC-3) cells were exposed to FUS by using an in vitro FUS system followed by single-dose X-ray radiation therapy (RT) or water bath hyperthermia (HT). Sensitization effects of short FUS shots with cavitation (FUS-Cav) or without cavitation (FUS) to RT or HT (45 °C, 30 min) were evaluated. FUS-Cav significantly increases the sensitivity of cancer cells to RT and HT by reducing long-term clonogenic survival, short-term cell metabolic activity, cell invasion, and induction of sonoporation. Our results demonstrated that short FUS treatment with cavitation has good potential to sensitize cancer cells to RT and HT non-invasively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the requirement for self-powering functionality in wearable electronics, a small power range flexible photovoltaic micro-power system is evidently needed. Furthermore, non-flexibility, large volume/weight, power consumption constraints, and cost considerations make it impractical to directly use the large power range complex maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithm and hardware in wearable electronics. This work aims to design a fully flexible photovoltaic micro-power system for reliable energy supply within the low power range for wearable electronics. In this study, a customized fractional open circuit voltage (FOCV) algorithm and a performance-matching DC-DC converter are designed, and then integrated with a flexible perovskite solar module to develop a fully flexible photovoltaic micro-power system. Indoor and outdoor experiments are conducted to evaluate its performance. The designed MPPT system achieves a high tracking accuracy of 99.25% at a power of 0.539 W with a fast tracking time of 0.20 s, which is an effective improvement over the traditional algorithms. These values are 97.8% and 0.21 s under shaded lighting conditions. The MPPT system is lightweight (4.6 g) with a size of <3 × 3 cm2. Tracking experiments with flexible solar modules after bending also demonstrate the flexibility of the system, which also shows the high utilization and fast response capability for small power range photovoltaic outputs. The fully flexible photovoltaic micro-power system demonstrates great potential for future wearable electronics and expands the way to efficiently harvest solar energy in highly adaptive and dynamic applications. • A customized MPPT algorithm and hardware is proposed. • The customized MPPT exhibits a high power tracking accuracy of 99.25% and a fast tracking time of 0.20 s. • A fully flexible photovoltaic micro-power system is developed by integrating a flexible MPPT and a flexible solar module. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Thermal conductivity of SiC-water nanofluids is measured by a 3ω method. • Flow and heat transfer characteristics in micro-cylinder-groups are investigated using SiC-water nanofluids. • Viscosity of nanofluid dominates heat transfer characteristics. • Flow and heat transfer characteristics are evaluated by thermal enhancement factor. With the rapid development of electronic industry, more attention has been paid to the structure of micro-cylinder-groups and nanofluids in recent years. The flow and heat transfer characteristics of SiC-water nanofluids at different volume fractions in micro-cylinder-group have been investigated experimentally. SiC-water nanofluids without dispersant at different volume fractions of 0.02%, 0.05%, 0.08%, 0.11% and 0.14% are prepared by a two-step method. The thermal conductivity is measured accurately by the 3ω method and the viscosity is measured by the rheometer. It is found that the friction factor decreases with the increasing Reynolds number due to the endwall effect and flow boundary layer, and the friction factor and the pressure drop increase with the increase of the volume fraction because of the interaction between nanoparticles and the wall. The results also confirm that the Nusselt number decreases as the volume fraction increases due to the increasing viscosity of SiC-water nanofluids. The Nusselt number increases with the increasing Reynolds number and the trend is generally consistent with the experimental results in the reference. It is also found that the thermal enhancement factor exceeds 1 when the volume fractions are 0.02% and 0.05% while it falls below 1 when the volume fraction increases to 0.08%, 0.11% and 0.14%. What's more, the thermal enhancement factor decreases with the increasing volume fraction, and the heat transfer performance is better at the volume fraction of 0.02%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the effect of temperature on the mechanical properties of a sand–structure interface, a temperature-controlled interface shear test system based on a triaxial instrument was developed by placing a cylindrical structure inside a triaxial soil sample and connecting them to two individual thermostat water baths. Sand–aluminum interface shear tests under effective cell pressures of 50, 100, and 200 kPa and temperatures of 6, 19, 32, and 45 °C were carried out to evaluate the thermal effects on the interface strength under drained conditions. Constant vertical force–stiffness coupled with a thermal load applied to the aluminum top before the interface shearing was also considered. The results show that the new apparatus can serve a variety of thermomechanical load paths, including maintaining a constant rate of displacement and a constant vertical force–stiffness on the structure top prior to the shearing process. The apparatus also has advantages over other interface shear devices in controlling drainage conditions and measurement of volume change and excess pore pressure. A comparison with the previous literature on interface shear strength verifies the results in this study. Different thermomechanical load paths applied on the interface supplement the insignificant thermal effect on the sand–aluminum interface shear strength. However, it is the first time that the displacement of the aluminum is observed to be related to thermal variations and independent of the magnitude of the vertical force. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • MnO 2 nanosheets dispersed uniformly on CC, constructing a core-shell structure. • MnO 2 -CC exhibited Joule heat property and converted electrical energy to heat energy. • MnO 2 -CC exhibited long-term HCHO removal efficiency by electrothermal regeneration. • The close contacted interface between MnO 2 and CC was beneficial for heat transfer. • Additional O 2 − species were generated during electric regeneration process. Abstract Carbon-based materials (e.g., activated carbon) have been widely used as contaminant removal media due to their unique adsorption properties. However, some of their other characteristics, such as electrothermal properties, have been greatly ignored in the field of environmental remediation. Herein, a kind of carbon cloth (CC)-supported MnO 2 composite (MnO 2 -CC) was prepared and investigated for catalytic oxidation of gaseous formaldehyde (HCHO) under the assistance of electric power. The MnO 2 -CC composite exhibited unique Joule heat property and could efficiently convert electrical energy into heat energy. The surface temperature of MnO 2 -CC composite could be increased to as high as 138 °C within 20 s when 8 V input voltage was imposed. In addition, porous MnO 2 nanosheets dispersed uniformly on the surface of CC surface, forming a kind of hierarchical core-shell structure. The close contacted interface could reduce energy loss during heat transfer. As a result, the used MnO 2 -CC composite could exhibit long-term HCHO removal efficiency by highly effective electrothermal regeneration. This work represents a convenient and fast approach that allows direct utilization of electric power to accelerate the complete mineralization of HCHO. The in-situ fast electric heating process along with the uniform dispersion of porous MnO 2 on CC make the MnO 2 -CC fabric an excellent material for indoor HCHO abatement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large dynamic and high-speed flight of aerospace vehicle will bring unpredictable conditions to its navigation system, resulting in that its system random noise probability distribution will no longer meet the preconditions of Gaussian distribution preset by the existing filter algorithm, thus reducing the accuracy of the navigation system. So, it is very important to propose an effective method to solve the filter problem of the navigation system in non-Gaussian distribution to improve the accuracy of the navigation system. Therefore, an integrated navigation method of aerospace vehicle based on rank statistics (LRF) has been proposed in this paper. Firstly, based on the flight characteristics of aerospace vehicles, an accurate gravity calculation model has been established to improve the accuracy of system modelling. Then, the state equation and measurement equation of integrated navigation system have been established. In combination with the rank filter algorithm as well as the determined weights, sampling points are calculated and nonlinearly propagated through the transition matrix to achieve an accurate estimation about the predicted values of the state quantities and measurement quantities and the covariance matrix. In turn, it simulates the probability distribution of the system state effectively. Therefore, when the system random noise probability distribution of the aerospace vehicle does not meet the Gaussian distribution due to various interference factors in the actual flight process, the algorithm can simulate the probability distribution of the actual system to the greatest extent, to improve the accuracy of the integrated navigation system and enhance the reliability of the navigation system ultimately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the mechanical characteristics and seepage mechanism of the structural plane under the action of seepage water pressure, the shear–seepage coupling test was carried out. It was found that with an increase in seepage water pressure, the peak shear strength, and shear stiffness of the structural plane decreased, while the peak dilatancy angle, average dilatancy angle, peak shear displacement, initial flow rate, and peak flow rate increased. The profile JRC and 3D morphology parameters under different Y values increased as seepage water pressure increased, indicating that the wear degree of the structural plane decreased. The contact area, effective aperture, average aperture, and hydraulic aperture of the structural plane all increased in phase with the increase in shear displacement, and they all increased in trend with the increase in seepage water pressure. The distribution and evolution law of the structural plane aperture were analyzed by programming using scanning point cloud data and the normal displacement value of the structure plane. It was concluded that the aperture gradually increased with the increase in seepage water pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A biomimetic strategy to prepare supramolecular polyurethanes (SPUs) was described. • The polymer networks were significantly enhanced by H-bonds and coordination bonds. • SPUs showed ultrahigh modulus (146.92 MPa) and excellent self-healing (95%, 24 h). • A bilayer polymer film was designed to realize fast self-healing at room temperature. Developing a new generation of polymeric materials that integrate robust mechanical properties with ultra-high self-healing efficiency at ambient temperature remains a formidable challenge due to the proverbial trade-offs among strength, toughness, and self-healing ability. Herein, inspired by biological systems (titin protein molecular structure and Nereis jaws), a series of updated supramolecular polyurethanes have been successfully synthesized by incorporating hierarchical hydrogen-bonding motifs into the polymer matrix and subsequently coordinated with Zn2+ ions. Relying on collaborative reinforcement of optimized hierarchical hydrogen bonds and metal-ligand coordination bonds, the resulted supramolecular elastomers exhibited a robust strength of ∼14.15 MPa, an excellent toughness of ∼47.57 MJ m−3, and Young's modulus of ∼146.92 MPa. Benefiting from the rational design of hard domains, high mobility of chains, and the synergistic effect of multiple non-covalent interactions, the mechanical properties are far superior to the previously reported room‐temperature self‐healing materials. In addition, with the structural design of "inner soft and external hard" model, we also fabricated a bilayer polymer film with a gradient distribution that can achieve rapid self-healing, with an unexpectedly high self-healing efficiency of 95% at ambient temperature in 24 h. This work opens up a new avenue for fabricating room-temperature self-healing materials with robust mechanical strength and toughness at the same time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tricholoma matsutake, one of widely accepted functional mushrooms, possesses various pharmacological activities, and its antitumor effect has become an important research point. Our study aims to evaluate the cytotoxicity activities of T. matsutake aqueous extract (TM) in HepG2 and SMMC-7721 cells. In in vitro experiments, TM strikingly reduced cell viability, promoted cell apoptosis, inhibited cell migration ability, induced excessive generation of ROS, and caused caspases cascade and mitochondrial membrane potential dissipation in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. In in vivo experiments, 14-day TM treatment strongly suppressed tumor growth in HepG2 and SMMC-7721-xenografted nude mice without influence on their body weights and liver function. Furthermore, TM increased the levels of cleaved poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP), Bad, and Bax and reduced the expressions of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) in treated cells and tumor tissues. All aforementioned results suggest that caspase-dependent mitochondrial apoptotic pathways are involved in TM-mediated antihepatocellular carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Near‐infrared (NIR) light responsive shape memory polymers (SMPs) can realize remotely and regionally controlled shape changing that shows broad potential applications. Herein, an NIR‐responsive shape memory polymer (G/PNs) is prepared by introducing reduced graphene oxide to liquid crystal elastomers‐based polymer networks (PNs). The G/PNs present regulated reversible stress by tuning the NIR light irradiation. Furthermore, since the G/PNs are 3D‐printed with designed structure, the deformed 3D printing structure can be regionally patterned with varied shapes by controlling the moving path of NIR laser. In addition, the stress relaxation and cyclic stress–strain measurements are further studied to reveal the energy loss during the deformation and shape memory cycles. In compare with the previous work, the SMP networks provide a rather high reversible actuation stress and can realize remotely control by NIR. The NIR‐encoded shape memory effect can be used as actuators, artificial muscles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the antibacterial properties of 304 Cu-bearing stainless steel (SS) with different Cu contents (0, 2.5, 4.5 wt.%) against oral biofilms of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans), Streptococcus sanguinis (S. sanguinis), and their mixture. Methods: Bacterial biofilms on the surface of 304-Cu SS were characterized by plate counting, 4′, 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining with aid of sanning electron microscopy (SEM) and 2, 3-bis (2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide inner salt (XTT). In addition, the inhibition zone method was also employed to evaluate the antibacterial properties of 304-Cu SS. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and flow cytometry were used to assess the cytotoxicity and apoptosis rate of 304-Cu SS, respectively. Results: 304-4.5Cu SS could effectively inhibit the attachment, formation, activity, and metabolism of bacterial biofilm, possessing the best antibacterial properties exceeding 99.9% of antibacterial rate against S. mutans, S. sanguinis, and their mixture. The diameters of inhibition zones to S. mutans and S. sanguinis on the surface of 304-4.5Cu SS were 21.7 and 14.7 mm, respectively. The results of cell experiments in vitro showed that both 304-2.5Cu SS and 304-4.5Cu SS had no evident cytotoxicity with an identical grade 1. The apoptosis rate exhibited a gradually increased tendency with increase of the Cu content in 304 SS. Conclusions: 304-4.5Cu SS without cytotoxic effect on NIH3T3 cells has obvious antibacterial activity against S. mutans, S. sanguinis and their mixture. Clinical significance: The Cu-bearing stainless steel provides a new solution to be used as oral orthodontic devices for inhibiting oral microflora imbalance and enamel demineralization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional "top-down" methods for graphene preparation, like micromechanical cleavage and ultrasound methods, usually cannot preserve both efficiency and quality simultaneously. Herein, we provide an environmental-friendly graphene exfoliating method with high efficiency and high quality that combines the microfluidization process (liquid phase) and supercritical carbon dioxide process (gas phase), namely the dual-phase exfoliating (DPE) method. The combination of effective tangential force (shearing force) and normal force (push and pull), which are originally from microfluidization and supercritical carbon dioxide process, respectively, maximizes the exfoliating efficiency. The DPE method offers a high yield of up to 70.25% for graphene preparation (941.04 g per day theoretically), while the graphene sheets could remain single or a few layers (> 80%) and around micron size. By molecular dynamic simulations, it is theoretically proved that carbon dioxide can intercalate between graphite layers and expand the interlayer spacing under supercritical conditions. This DPE method, by combining the advantages of different phase processes, provides an ideal process design perspective for large-scale preparation of other 2D materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When driving a 32‐m long multi‐set rubber‐tire transit in a manual driving mode, it is easy for the driver to feel tired due to the massive concentration, and it is hard to manually operate in a narrow and twist gauge. The authors introduce a six‐axle coordinated automatic all‐wheel steering control system and its design method is based on the visual perception and the geometric relationship. First, the functions of the two subsystems of the full‐axle automatic steering control system are introduced. One subsystem is a path tracking control system and the other subsystem is a trajectory following the control system. Secondly, the theoretical principles of the two control systems are introduced in detail. Then, the controller design method of the two subsystems is introduced. Finally, the simulation results of Trucksim and MATLAB/Simulink are compared with the actual vehicle test data to test the controller's perception and the follow‐up control effect. It can be concluded that the gap between the platform and the train is kept between a relatively 10∼20 cm narrow when the train pulls in and out of the station. When the train runs at a high speed, it is stabilised at 72 km/h, and the lateral deviation from the virtual track centreline is controlled within ±15 cm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To explore the protective effects and mechanism of mild hypothermia treatment in the treatment of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. Material and Methods. A total of 20 Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were assigned to 4 groups: the blank control group, sham operation group, ischemia reperfusion group, and mild hypothermia therapy group (each n = 5). Some indexes were detected. In addition, myocardial cell models of oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation injury (OGD) were established. The expression of mRNA IL-6 and TNF-α and the key enzyme levels of apoptosis (cleaved-Caspase-3) and the NLRP3 inflammasome/p53 signaling pathway in the models were determined. Results. The expression of serum IL-6 and TNF-α in the mild hypothermia therapy group was significantly lower than that in the ischemia reperfusion group. The mild hypothermia therapy group also showed a significantly lower TUNEL cell count and NLRP3 and p53 phosphorylation levels than the ischemia reperfusion group (all p < 0.05). The in vitro mild hypothermia + OGD group also showed significantly lower mRNA expression of IL-6 and TNF-α and levels of cleaved Caspase-3, NLRP3, and phosphorylated p53 protein than the OGD group (all p < 0.05). Conclusion. In conclusion, mild hypothermia therapy can inhibit the apoptosis and myocardial inflammation of cells induced by MI/R injury in rats and inhibiting the activity of the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway and p53 signaling pathway may be the mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shape memory epoxy resin (SMEP) with tailorable properties has gained wide attention. Herein, a series of photocured diphenyl epoxy with excellent shape memory effects, based on the epoxy monomer diglycidyl ether of biphenyl (DGEBP) and M‐xylylenediamine (MXDA), is fabricated. Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR) is used to verify the mix‐curing process. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), polarized light microscope (POM), and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) are applied to analyze the microstructure of the film. The molar ratio of the raw material and the post‐heating could tune the crosslinking density, which allows the prepared epoxy resin to present a tailorable shape memory effect. Besides, this epoxy resin exhibits an excellent triple‐shape memory effect due to the wide transition temperature. It is worth of noting that post‐heating induced the self‐assembly of biphenyl unit of the lamellar structure due to π–π interactions that causes an adjustable shape memory effect. This work offers a novel SMEP with potential application in the thermal history trace field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vehicle platooning is a perspective technique for intelligent transportation systems (ITS). Connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) use dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) to form a convoy, in which the following vehicles can receive the information from their preceding vehicles to achieve safe automated driving and maintain a short headway. Consequently, a vehicle platoon can improve traffic safety and efficiency, further reducing fuel consumption. However, emergency braking inevitably occurs when the platoon meets an accident or a sudden mechanical failure. It is more critical when the wireless communication got delays. Therefore, "how to predefine a minimum safe distance (MSD) considering communication delay" is a challenging issue. To this end, a series of field tests were carried out to measure the communication delay of IEEE 802.11p that is the underlying protocol of DSRC. Subsequently, MSD is modeled and analyzed when the platoon travels at accelerating, cruising, and decelerating states. More importantly, the results of field tests are applied in the models to investigate the impact of communication delay on MSD in practice. The simulation results verify that the proposed model can effectively maintain the platooning vehicles' safety even if emergency braking happens with certain communication delays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimal allocation of agricultural water rights is of great importance in promoting the efficient management of water resources in irrigation areas. In the process of agricultural water rights allocation, problems develop when the dynamics and uncertainties caused by changes in water cycle elements are ignored. To balance socioeconomic development and environmental protection, this study develops a model framework for evaluating and optimizing the synergistic management of agricultural water rights allocation trading under multiple uncertainties (AWRAS-TCME). The model is capable of reflecting the dynamic changes in meteorological and hydrological factors such as rainfall, evapotranspiration and runoff and quantitatively measures the synergistic effect of multidimensional objectives of the economy-society-resources-environment on water rights allocations and transactions. The AWRAS-TCME model integrates a two-level multiobjective nonlinear programming model and a projection tracking model into a framework to measure the fairness and economic benefits of water rights allocation based on an analysis of the sustainability of water rights prices in multiple dimensions, fully considering the influence of uncertainties in hydrological and social systems. The model was applied to an actual irrigation area, and the results showed that (1) total optimized water rights allocation was reduced by 4.7–20.9% at different levels of water supply and demand; (2) the total volume of water rights transfer among regions was increased by 4.8%−12.9%, and the trading volume of the water rights market was increased to account for 5%−16.2% of the total revenue; and (3) the optimal net income of water rights allocation was increased by 1.2%−3.3%, and the equity of water rights allocation was increased by 0.06–0.09. The developed model promotes the sustainable utilization of agricultural water resources in irrigated areas. • An evaluation-optimization system for agricultural water rights was constructed. • A two-level model for agricultural water rights allocation and trading was developed. • The joint influence of resource-socio-econ-eco-envir on water price was quantified. • The dynamics of the water cycle and natural-artificial uncertainty were considered. • The water-saving potential and economic performance were enhanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]