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Reported herein is a Paternò–Büchi reaction of aromatic double bonds with quinones under visible light irradiation. The reactions of aromatics with quinones exposed to blue LED irradiation yielded oxetanes at −78 °C, which was attributed to both the activation of double bonds in aromatics and the stabilization of oxetanes by thiadiazole, oxadiazole, or selenadiazole groups. The addition of Cu(OTf)2 to the reaction system at room temperature resulted in the formation of diaryl ethers via the copper-catalyzed ring opening of oxetanes in situ. Notably, the substrate scope was extended to general aromatics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the booming fields of computer vision and natural language processing, cross‐modal intersections such as visual question answering (VQA) have become very popular. However, several studies have shown that many VQA models suffer from severe language prior problems. After a series of experiments, the authors found that previous VQA models are in an unstable state, that is, when training is repeated several times on the same dataset, there are significant differences between the distributions of the predicted answers given by the models each time, and these models also perform unsatisfactorily in terms of accuracy. The reason for model instability is that some of the difficult samples bring serious interference to model training, so we design a method to measure model stability quantitatively and further propose a method that can alleviate both model imbalance and instability phenomena. Precisely, the question types are classified into simple and difficult ones different weighting measures are applied. By imposing constraints on the training process for both types of questions, the stability and accuracy of the model improve. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of our method, which achieves 63.11% on VQA‐CP v2 and 75.49% with the addition of the pre‐trained model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wood-rotting fungi's degradation of wood not only facilitates the eco-friendly treatment of organic materials, decreasing environmental pollution, but also supplies crucial components for producing biomass energy, thereby reducing dependence on fossil fuels. The ABC gene family, widely distributed in wood-rotting fungi, plays a crucial role in the metabolism of lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose. Trametes gibbosa, as a representative species of wood-rotting fungi, exhibits robust capabilities in wood degradation. To investigate the function of the ABC gene family in wood degradation by T. gibbosa, we conducted a genome-wide analysis of T. gibbosa's ABC gene family. We identified a total of 12 Tg-ABCs classified into four subfamilies (ABCA, ABCB, ABCC, and ABCG). These subfamilies likely play significant roles in wood degradation. Scaffold localization and collinearity analysis results show that Tg-ABCs are dispersed on scaffolds and there is no duplication of gene sequences in the Tg-ABCs in the genome sequence of T. gibbosa. Phylogenetic and collinearity analyses of T. gibbosa along with four other wood-rotting fungi show that T. gibbosa shares a closer phylogenetic relationship with its same-genus fungus (Trametes versicolor), followed by Ganoderma leucocontextum, Laetiporus sulphureus, and Phlebia centrifuga in descending order of phylogenetic proximity. In addition, we conducted quantitative analyses of Tg-ABCs from T. gibbosa cultivated in both woody and non-woody environments for 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 days using an RT-qPCR analysis. The results reveal a significant difference in the expression levels of Tg-ABCs between woody and non-woody environments, suggesting an active involvement of the ABC gene family in wood degradation. During the wood degradation period of T. gibbosa, spanning from 10 to 35 days, the relative expression levels of most Tg-ABCs exhibited a trend of increasing, decreasing, and then increasing again. Additionally, at 20 and 35 days of wood degradation by T. gibbosa, the relative expression levels of Tg-ABCs peak, suggesting that at these time points, Tg-ABCs exert the most significant impact on the degradation of poplar wood by T. gibbosa. This study systematically reveals the biological characteristics of the ABC gene family in T. gibbosa and their response to woody environments. It establishes the foundation for a more profound comprehension of the wood-degradation mechanism of the ABC gene family and provides strong support for the development of more efficient wood-degradation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the adoption of direct seeding in rice cultivation due to its low cost and convenience. Topics include the need for rice varieties tolerant to submerged conditions for successful seed germination, the role of phytohormones such as abscisic acid (ABA), gibberellin (GA), jasmonic acid (JA), and auxin (IAA) in submerged germination, and the interaction between different hormone functions in ensuring seed germination under submerged conditions.

Summary: Seed germination is a critical trait for the success of direct seeding in rice cultivation. However, the underlying mechanism determining seed germination is largely unknown in rice.Here, we report that NAC transcription factor OsNAC3 positively regulates seed germination of rice. OsNAC3 regulates seed germination involving abscisic acid (ABA) pathway and cell elongation. OsNAC3 can directly bind to the promoter of ABA catabolic gene OsABA8ox1 and cell expansion gene OsEXP4, which consequently activates their expressions during seed germination.We also find that the expression of OsEXP4 is reduced by ABA during seed germination in rice. OsNAC3 regulates seed germination by influencing cell elongation of the embryo through directly affecting OsEXP4 expression and indirectly ABA‐medicated OsEXP4 expression. The OsNAC3 elite haplotype is useful for genetic improvement of seed germination, and overexpression of OsNAC3 can significantly increase seed germination.We therefore propose that OsNAC3 is a potential target in breeding of rice varieties with high seed germination for direct seeding cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between transformational leadership, innovative work behavior, and turnover intention among software engineers in China. A survey was conducted, and data were collected from 289 software engineers working in various Chinese software companies. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM), and the results indicated that transformational leadership had a significant negative impact on turnover intention, while innovative work behavior had a significant mediating effect on the relationship between transformational leadership and turnover intention. The results of the study showed a significant negative impact of transformational leadership on turnover intention among software engineers in China. This implies that when software engineers perceive their leaders as transformational, inspiring, and supportive, they are less likely to have the intention to leave their current job. Additionally, innovative work behavior had a significant negative impact on turnover intention. These findings suggest that transformational leadership and innovative work behavior can play crucial roles in reducing employee turnover intention in the software industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we establish the cohomology of relative Rota–Baxter operators on Lie-Yamaguti algebras via the Yamaguti cohomology. Then, we use this type of cohomology to characterize deformations of relative Rota–Baxter operators on Lie-Yamaguti algebras. We show that if two linear or formal deformations of a relative Rota–Baxter operator are equivalent, then their infinitesimals are in the same cohomology class in the first cohomology group. Moreover, an order n deformation of a relative Rota–Baxter operator can be extended to an order n + 1 deformation if and only if the obstruction class in the second cohomology group is trivial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The combinations of PD-1 inhibitors with paclitaxel/cisplatinum (PD-1 + TP) and fluoropyrimidine/cisplatinum (PD-1 + FP) both have been shown to improve overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with previously untreated, advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, there is no consensus on which chemotherapy regimen combined with PD-1 has better efficacy. To deal with this important issue in the first-line treatment of patients with ESCC, a network meta-analysis (NMA) was performed. Methods: Data were collected from eligible studies searched in Medline, Web of Science, PubMed, the Cochrane Library and Embase. The pooled hazard ratio (HR) for the OS, and PFS, odds ratio (OR) for the objective response rate (ORR) and ≥ 3 grade treatment-related adverse events (≥ 3TRAEs) were estimated to evaluate the efficacy of PD-1 inhibitors combined with TP or FP. Results: Five RCTs and one retrospective study involving 3685 patients and evaluating four treatments were included in this NMA. Compared to other treatments, PD-1 + TP was better. For the PFS, the HRs for PD-1 + TP compared to PD-1 + FP, TP and FP were 0.59 (0.44, 0.80), 0.56 (0.51, 0.61) and 0.45 (0.37, 0.56) respectively. For the OS, PD-1 + TP was also a better treatment compared to other treatments. The HRs were 0.74 (0.56, 0.96), 0.64 (0.57, 0.71), 0.53 (0.43, 0.67) respectively. For the ORR, there was no significant difference between PD-1 + TP and PD-1 + FP, and the ORs were 1.2 (0.69, 2.11). Compare with TP and FP, PD-1 + TP had an obvious advantage, ORs were 2.5 (2.04, 3.04) and 2.95 (1.91, 4.63). For ≥ 3TRAEs, PD-1 + TP compared to other treatments, ORs were 1.34 (0.74, 2.46) and 1.13 (0.92, 1.38) and 2.23 (1.35, 3.69). Conclusion: PD-1 + TP significantly improved both PFS and OS compared to PD-1 + FP. Taking into account both efficacy and safety, PD-1 + TP may be a superior first-line treatment option for ESCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cost control challenge in construction and installation projects has always been a critical concern for construction entities. The complexity of task collaboration among various equipment and nodes during the installation process leads to extended construction duration, resulting in increased construction costs. To address this issue, this paper proposes a heuristic two-stage optimal deployment approach called MERD. The MERD approach incorporates intelligent computing principles from computer science into the resource scheduling of the construction process, modelling the installation scheduling problem into a combinatorial optimisation problem. Designing the probability method based on Bayes theorem, the MERD approach carries out an installation provisioning mechanism to optimise personnel and device allocation in the selected area. As a result, the MERD approach minimises construction hours and reduces labour costs in the construction process. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the MERD approach in reducing work time and cost in engineering projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resistance training could counter hypertension and improve muscle quality (MQ), but current evidence about the correlation between MQ and hypertension is limited. The authors aimed to explore this correlation using the data of participants aged 20–59 from NHANES 2011–2014 via a cross‐sectional study. The MQ was quantified as handgrip strength (kg)/lean soft tissue mass (kg) of the dominant arm. Weighted multivariate logistic regression models were mainly utilized to investigate the MQ—hypertension association; linear trend tests and subgroup analysis were also conducted. Moreover, the authors employed weighted multivariate linear regression models to uncover the association between blood pressure (BP) and MQ. Four thousand four hundred and sixty‐nine individuals were enrolled, and 1167 were hypertensive. Hypertensive participants had a lower MQ than normotensive participants. In the totally adjusted model, each unit elevation in MQ was related to a 7% reduction in hypertension prevalence (p =.002). There was a decreasing trend in hypertension prevalence and in systolic BP as the MQ increased from the bottom to the top quartile across all three models (p for trend ≤.01), with a 28% difference (OR: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.54, 0.95) in hypertension prevalence and a 1.88 mm Hg (95% CI: −3.56, −0.20) difference in SBP between the top and bottom quartiles in the fully adjusted model. Subgroup analysis further confirmed the MQ—hypertension inverse association. In conclusions, the MQ was negatively associated with hypertension prevalence and systolic BP, which suggests the MQ may be a protective factor for hypertension and need to be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Excessive white adipose tissue accumulation in farm animal results in a lower meat percentage of the carcass, which may attenuate economic benefits. Moreover, consumers prefer to purchase lean meat without excessive subcutaneous fat. Thus, developing strategies to enhance skeletal muscle growth and maintain or decrease adiposity in farm animals is desirable. Guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) has been officially registered as an animal feed additive to promote the performance of animals. Currently, little is known about its effects on sheep adipose tissue accumulation. We found that dietary GAA supplementation could attenuate adipose tissue growth in sheep. Moreover, GAA inhibited proliferation and differentiation of sheep stromal vascular fraction (SVF) cells in vitro. Thus, these data could potentiate the application of GAA to sheep meat production. Guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) is an amino acid derivative, previously described in the skeletal muscle of vertebrates, that serves as an important regulator of cellular bioenergetics and has been widely used as a feed additive. Nevertheless, the effect of GAA on adipose tissue growth remains unclear. Here, we hypothesized that dietary GAA negatively affected adipose tissue development in lambs. Lambs were individually fed diets with (0.09%) or without GAA for 70 d ad libitum, and the subcutaneous adipose tissues were sampled for analysis. The results showed that dietary GAA supplementation decreased the girth rib (GR) value (p < 0.01) of lamb carcasses. Both real-time PCR and Western blot analysis suggested that dietary GAA inhibited the expression of adipogenic markers, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ, p < 0.05), CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α (C/EBPα, p < 0.01) and sterol-regulatory-element-binding protein 1c (SREBP1C, p < 0.01) in subcutaneous adipose tissue. In vitro, GAA inhibited sheep stromal vascular fraction (SVF) cell proliferation, which was associated with downregulation of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA, p < 0.05), cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK 4, p < 0.05) and cyclin D1 (p < 0.01). GAA suppressed adipogenesis of SVF cells. Furthermore, miRNA sequencing revealed that GAA affected the miRNA expression profile, and real-time PCR analysis confirmed that miR-133a expression in both subcutaneous adipose tissue and SVF cell was downregulated by GAA. Meanwhile, miR-133a promoted adipogenic differentiation of SVF cells by targeting Sirt1. miR-133a mimics alleviated the inhibitory effect of GAA on SVF cells' adipogenic differentiation. In summary, GAA attenuated adipogenesis of sheep SVF cells, which might occur through miR-133a-modulated Sirt1 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the accuracy and universality of the nonlinear viscoelastic-plastic mechanical behavior characterization method of asphalt mixture, a new criterion for the division of the creep process of materials was established based on the strain yield characteristics, and the coexistence mechanism of Viscoelastic–Viscoplastic strain was proposed in the subsequent yield phase; then, a viscoelastic element was constructed in the form of a parallel connection of two fractional viscoelastic elements based on fractional calculus theory, and its mathematical equations were derived; with novel viscoelastic elements, a constitutive model characterizing the whole creep process of asphalt mixtures was developed and its analytical expression was derived. The laboratory short-term creep test of Cement and Asphalt Mortar (CA mortar) and the simulation test data of asphalt mixtures from the references were used to verify the constitutive model. The results show that the creep constitutive model of asphalt mixture established in this paper has excellent fitting accuracy for different phases of the creep process of asphalt mixture under different stress levels, where the minimum fitting correlation values R2 for CA mortar, asphalt mixture (applied to pavement engineering), and asphalt sand are 0.9976, 0.981, and 0.979, respectively. Therefore, this model can be used to provide a theoretical reference for the study of the characterization of the mechanical behavior of asphalt materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circular synthetic aperture radar (CSAR) can obtain more complete scattering characteristics by observing the target with different azimuth angles. Therefore, extracting the complete structure of the target from CSAR images is of great significance for accurate interpretation. At present, the artificial target extraction based on CSAR images mostly uses anisotropic scattering features. For special targets such as buildings, as the walls and the ground form dihedral corner structures, there are also obvious strong scattering features such as double-scattering lines in SAR images. Therefore, combining the strong scattering features of buildings at specific aspects with anisotropic scattering characteristics at different aspects can obtain better extraction results, and how to extract these features accurately and efficiently is the key point. Based on this, this paper proposes a novel method for building contour extraction based on CSAR images. For strong scattering features, a fast fuzzy C-means (FCM) clustering algorithm was used to extract them. For anisotropic scattering features, aspect entropy was used to characterize the anisotropy degree, and K-means clustering was combined to extract. Finally, a more accurate result is obtained by merging the two feature extraction results. In order to verify the effectiveness and practicability of the proposed method, a lot of measured data acquired by the self-developed airborne L-band and Ku-band CSAR systems were processed. The experiments show that, compared with state-of-the-art algorithms, the proposed method can obtain more accurate results in less time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanozyme, with enzyme-mimicking activity and excellent stability, has attracted extensive attention. However, some inherent disadvantages, including poor dispersion, low selectivity, and insufficient peroxidase-like activity, still limit its further development. Therefore, an innovative bioconjugation of a nanozyme and natural enzyme was conducted. In the presence of graphene oxide (GO), histidine magnetic nanoparticles (H-Fe3O4) were first synthesized by a solvothermal method. The GO-supported H-Fe3O4 (GO@H-Fe3O4) exhibited superior dispersity and biocompatibility because GO was the carrier and possessed outstanding peroxidase-like activity because of the introduction of histidine. Furthermore, the mechanism of the peroxidase-like activity of GO@H-Fe3O4 was the generation of •OH. Uric acid oxidase (UAO) was selected as the model natural enzyme and covalently linked to GO@H-Fe3O4 with hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) as a linker. UAO could specifically catalyze the oxidation of uric acid (UA) to generate H2O2, and subsequently, the newly produced H2O2 oxidized the colorless 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) to blue ox-TMB under the catalysis of GO@H-Fe3O4. Based on the above cascade reaction, the GO@H-Fe3O4-linked UAO (GHFU) and GO@H-Fe3O4-linked ChOx (GHFC) were used for the detection of UA in serum samples and cholesterol (CS) in milk, respectively. The method based on GHFU exhibited a wide detection range (5–800 μM) and a low detection limit (1.5 μM) for UA, and the method based on GHFC exhibited a wide detection range (4–400 μM) and a low detection limit (1.13 μM) for CS. These results demonstrated that the proposed strategy had great potential in the field of clinical detection and food safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Abnormal activation of NLRP3 inflammasome is related to a series of inflammatory diseases, including type 2 diabetes, gouty arthritis, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and neurodegenerative disorders. Therefore, targeting NLRP3 inflammasome is regarded as a potential therapeutic strategy for many inflammatory diseases. A growing number of studies have identified tanshinone I (Tan I) as a potential anti-inflammatory agent because of its good anti-inflammatory activity. However, its specific anti-inflammatory mechanism and direct target are unclear and need further study. Methods: IL-1β and caspase-1 were detected by immunoblotting and ELISA, and mtROS levels were measured by flow cytometry. Immunoprecipitation was used to explore the interaction between NLRP3, NEK7 and ASC. In a mouse model of LPS-induced septic shock, IL-1β levels in peritoneal lavage fluid and serum were measured by ELISA. Liver inflammation and fibrosis in the NASH model were analyzed by HE staining and immunohistochemistry. Results: Tan I inhibited the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in macrophages, but had no effect on the activation of AIM2 or NLRC4 inflammasome. Mechanistically, Tan I inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome assembly and activation by targeting NLRP3-ASC interaction. Furthermore, Tan I exhibited protective effects in mouse models of NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated diseases, including septic shock and NASH. Conclusions: Tan I specifically suppresses NLRP3 inflammasome activation by disrupting the association of NLRP3 and ASC, and exhibits protective effects in mouse models of LPS-induced septic shock and NASH. These findings suggest that Tan I is a specific NLRP3 inhibitor and may be a promising candidate for treating NLRP3 inflammasome-related diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The generation of functional β-cells from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) for cell replacement therapy and disease modeling of diabetes is being investigated by many groups. We have developed a protocol to harvest and aggregate hPSC-derived pancreatic progenitors generated using a commercially available kit into near uniform spheroids and to further differentiate the cells toward an endocrine cell fate in suspension culture. Using a static suspension culture platform, we could generate a high percentage of insulin-expressing, glucose-responsive cells. We identified FGF7 as a soluble factor promoting aggregate survival with no inhibitory effect on endocrine gene expression. Notch inhibition of pancreatic progenitor cells during aggregation improved endocrine cell induction in vitro and improved graft function following implantation and further differentiation in mice. Thus we provide an approach to promote endocrine formation from kit-derived pancreatic progenitors, either through extended culture or post implant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tri-training expands the training set by adding pseudo-labels to unlabeled data, which effectively improves the generalization ability of the classifier, but it is easy to mislabel unlabeled data into training noise, which damages the learning efficiency of the classifier, and the explicit decision mechanism tends to make the training noise degrade the accuracy of the classification model in the prediction stage. This study proposes the Tri-training algorithm for adaptive nearest neighbor density editing and cross-entropy evaluation (TTADEC), which is used to reduce the training noise formed during the classifier iteration and to solve the problem of inaccurate prediction by explicit decision mechanism. First, the TTADEC algorithm uses the nearest neighbor editing to label high-confidence samples. Then, combined with the relative nearest neighbor to define the local density of samples to screen the pre-training samples, and then dynamically expand the training set by adaptive technique. Finally, the decision process uses cross-entropy to evaluate the completed base classifier of training and assign appropriate weights to it to construct a decision function. The effectiveness of the TTADEC algorithm is verified on the UCI dataset, and the experimental results show that compared with the standard Tri-training algorithm and its improvement algorithm, the TTADEC algorithm has better classification performance and can effectively deal with the semi-supervised classification problem where the training set is insufficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a new method, the solving fractional order dynamical systems using reservoir computing (RC-FODS) algorithm, for solving fractional order nonlinear dynamical systems using deep learning. The method is shown to have advantages over traditional methods, such as less calculation time and higher accuracy. This study also compares the RC-FODS algorithm with the traditional recurrent neural network and echo state network algorithms and finds that it has a higher accuracy and shorter computation time. The accuracy of the method is validated using the largest Lyapunov exponent, and the study also analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of different deep learning models. Our study concludes that the RC-FODS algorithm is a promising method for solving fractional order nonlinear dynamical systems with a high accuracy and low error rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cost control challenge in construction and installation projects has always been a critical concern for construction entities. The complexity of task collaboration among various equipment and nodes during the installation process leads to extended construction duration, resulting in increased construction costs. To address this issue, this paper proposes a heuristic two-stage optimal deployment approach called MERD. The MERD approach incorporates intelligent computing principles from computer science into the resource scheduling of the construction process, modelling the installation scheduling problem into a combinatorial optimisation problem. Designing the probability method based on Bayes theorem, the MERD approach carries out an installation provisioning mechanism to optimise personnel and device allocation in the selected area. As a result, the MERD approach minimises construction hours and reduces labour costs in the construction process. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the MERD approach in reducing work time and cost in engineering projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper mainly conducts a comparative study of body posture action feature extraction and recognition in three‐dimensional (3D) space through motion capture technology and virtual reality technology. Firstly, this paper proposes a body posture feature extraction method in 3D space to obtain joint point data and conduct body posture feature extraction research. At the same time, this method is used for action recognition research, which solves the difficulty of traditional methods in 3D scene feature extraction and motion recognition. In addition, this paper proposes two action comparison methods in 3D space. One is a 'distance threshold method' that calculates the distance between bones in the form of joint points and bones, which can finally provide the effect of dynamic display of sliders; the other is the 'feature plane method' that calculates the detailed information based on different skeletal joint point planes, and finally provides a text display effect with detailed body posture difference values. Finally, combined with virtual reality technology, an application platform for body posture feature recognition and comparison is designed and implemented, which solves the problems of poor visualization effect and weak interaction of traditional methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Obolodiplosis robiniae is an invasive species found across Eurasia. This species has now established itself as a common pest of black locust trees, with widespread infestations resulting in severe defoliation and substantial ecological and economic damage. Considering its biology and ecology, we applied a machine-learning algorithm based on the maximum entropy principle. The model's predictions are consistent with the known distribution of O. robiniae. The total potential suitable area is 10,896,309.16 km2. In the context of future climate warming, the suitable area will extend to high latitudes, whereas the area in the south will decrease slightly. Governments should be concerned about the potential spread of O. robiniae throughout Eurasia, and quarantine measures should be implemented as soon as possible to avoid astronomical maintenance costs later on. Obolodiplosis robiniae was discovered in Eurasia at the beginning of the 21st century. In this study, we explore the present and future (in the years 2050 and 2070) trends in the potential distribution of O. robiniae in Eurasia under diverse climate change scenarios based on a maximum entropy model. Our findings indicated that the current potential distribution area of O. robiniae is within the range of 21°34′ and 65°39′ N in the Eurasian continent. The primary factor controlling the distribution of O. robiniae is temperature. The highly and moderately suitable areas are mainly distributed in the semi-humid and semi-arid regions, which also happen to be the locations where the host black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) grows at its fastest rate. The forecast of the potential distribution area of O. robiniae revealed that the species would benefit from global warming. The region suitable for the habitat of O. robiniae is characterized by a large-scale northward expansion trend and an increase in temperature. This information would help the forestry quarantine departments of Asian and European countries provide early warnings on the probable distribution areas of O. robiniae and provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of O. robiniae spread and outbreaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This report describes the first successful use of 3D image-guided robot-assisted reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) and validates the feasibility of this technology. Methods: The clinical data, preoperative preparation, surgical procedure, and postoperative outcomes of a patient with proximal humerus fracture who underwent 3D image-guided robot-assisted RSA on May 18, 2023, at Beijing Jishuitan Hospital were summarized. Results: The patient underwent 3D image-guided robot-assisted RSA successfully. The surgery lasted for 2 h and blood loss was about 200 ml. No significant adverse events were observed during the procedure. Immediate postoperative joint range of motion was as follows: forward flexion 150°, abduction 90°, neutral rotation 50° externally and 60° internally, with no dislocation. The drainage tube was removed on the second postoperative day, and an X-ray examination confirmed the proper positioning of the prosthesis. Conclusion: In conclusion, we are the first to report the successful use of 3D image-guided robot-assisted RSA, demonstrating the feasibility of this technique. However, further upgrades and enhancements to the orthopedic robotic system are necessary to provide more assistance to surgeons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using standard DNA-damaging medicines with DNA repair inhibitors is a promising anticancer tool to achieve better therapeutic responses and reduce therapy-related side effects. Cell viability assay, neutral comet assay, western blotting (WB), and cell cycle and apoptosis analysis were used to determine the synergistic effect and mechanism of ML216, a Bloom syndrome protein (BLM) helicase inhibitor, and cisplatin (CDDP), a DNA-crosslinking agent, in PCa cells. Based on the online database research, our findings revealed that BLM was substantially expressed in PCa, which is associated with a bad prognosis for PCa patients. The combination of ML216 and CDDP improved the antiproliferative properties of three PCa cell lines. As indicated by the increased production of γH2AX and caspase-3 cleavage, ML216 significantly reduced the DNA damage-induced high expression of BLM, making PC3 more susceptible to apoptosis and DNA damage caused by CDDP. Furthermore, the combination of ML216 and CDDP increased p-Chk1 and p-Chk2 expression. The DNA damage may have triggered the ATR-Chk1 and ATM-Chk2 pathways simultaneously. Our results demonstrated that ML216 and CDDP combination therapy exhibited synergistic effects, and combination chemotherapy could be a novel anticancer tactic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Difenoconazole is a triazole germicide that is usually applied to prevent fungal diseases on crops with high efficiency and safety. Jujube is a spiny Rhamnaceous plant that originated in China more than 4000 years ago and is extensively cultivated in northern China nowadays. To evaluate the safety of difenoconazole in jujube, supervised field trials were carried out in six provinces of China, and the final residue and dissipation behavior of difenoconazole on jujube were determined by gas chromatography (GC). The results showed that when addition levels were 0.02, 0.2, and 2 mg·kg−1, average recoveries of the aforementioned method for difenoconazole in jujube can be put into the range of 73–108%, and relative standard deviation (RSD) was 3–9%. The limit of quantitation (LOQ) for this method was 0.02 mg·kg−1. In the final residue test, difenoconazole was sprayed to deal with the jujube at 100 and 150 mg·kg−1 doses twice or three times, respectively, while the dissipation test was applied only once at a 150 mg·kg−1 dose. Final residue testing results have revealed that when jujube samples were harvested and tested at 7, 14, and 21 days post-application, difenoconazole residues in samples were 0.11–1.59, 0.05–0.77, 0.04–0.63 mg·kg−1, respectively. The dissipation testing results showed that the digestion process of difenoconazole in jujube tends to be a gradual reduction process and the dynamic regularity of the residue dissipation proves consistent with the first-order dynamics reaction equation. The half-life (t1/2) for difenoconazole residue dissipation in Qingdao and Yuncheng was 13.1 days and 16.5 days, respectively. The risk quotient (RQ) was 84.9% lower than 100%, showing that dietary intake risk to difenoconazole was acceptable and the maximum residue limit (MRL) of difenoconazole on jujube is recommended to be 2 mg·kg−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Meningioma is the most common type of primary intracranial tumor with 0.1-1% of all primary meningiomas have been reported to develop into metastases. However, there is no proven therapeutic strategy for multiple metastases of meningiomas.Case Presentation: A 60-year-old female accepted total tumor resection of a right frontal lobe meningioma in September 2018, In October 2021, the patient was admitted to hospital because of cough and shortness of breath and diagnosed with metastatic meningiomas. The computed tomography (CT) scan revealed the presence of large masses in the right thoracic and abdominal cavity. After two cycles of anti-PD-1 and anti-VEGF treatment, the symptoms were relieved and the tumor was necrotic. Follow up to June 21, 2022, the patient has been given eleven cycles of the treatment every 3 weeks without tumor progression.Conclusions: This case showed combined anti-PD-1 and anti-VEGF treatment stimulates peripheral blood immune cells to kill metastatic meningioma cells. Whether combined immunotherapy is more effective for metastatic meningioma needs further exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Multicellular crosstalk within the brain tissue has been suggested to play a critical role in maintaining cerebral vascular homeostasis. Exosomes (EXs) mediated cell–cell communication, but its role in cerebral ischemic injury is largely unknown. Rab27a is one of the major genes controlling EX release. Here, we explored the role of Rab27a in regulating brain EXs secretion, and the effects of Rab27a‐mediated EXs on ischemia evoked cerebral vascular disruption and brain injury. Methods: Cerebral ischemia was induced in Rab27a knockout (Rab27a−/−) and wide type (WT) mice by transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO). Differential gene expression analysis was performed in ischemic brain tissue by using mRNA sequencing. EXs isolated from brain tissue of Rab27a−/− and WT mice (EXWT or EXRab27a−/−) were pre‐administrated into tMCAO operated Rab27a−/− mice or oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) treated primary brain vascular endothelial cells (ECs). Results: We demonstrated that Rab27a expression in the peri‐infarct area of brain was significantly elevated, which was associated with local elevation in EXs secretion. Rab27a deficiency dramatically decreased the level of EXs in brain tissue of normal and tMCAO‐treated mice, and Rab27a−/− mice displayed an increase in infarct volume and NDS, and a decrease in cMVD and CBF following tMCAO. Pre‐infusion of EXWT increased the brain EXs levels in the tMCAO operated Rab27a−/− mice, accompanied with an increase in cMVD and CBF, and a decrease in infarct volume, NDS, ROS production, and apoptosis. The effects of EXRab27a−/− infusion were much diminished although in a dose‐dependent manner. In OGD‐treated ECs, EXRab27a−/− showed less effectivity than EXWT in decreasing ROS overproduction and apoptosis, paralleling with down‐regulated expression of NOX2 and cleaved caspase‐3. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that Rab27a controls brain EXs secretion and functions, contributing to cerebral vascular protection from ischemic insult by preventing oxidative stress and apoptosis via down‐regulating NOX2 and cleaved caspase‐3 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is generally recognized that the fatigue failure of the cracked engineering components is a crucial issue, especially considering the sample thickness effect. Although numerous methods have been proposed, it is still unclear about the sample thickness effect on the fatigue crack growth (FCG) rate of metallic materials. Based on the plasticity‐induce crack closure and crack tunneling effect, we established an improved FCG model with a thickness factor T by the load analysis near the crack tip. The thickness factor could clarify the sample thickness effect on the FCG rate of high‐strength steels. Numerous fatigue data demonstrates that the improved model displays a fairly good relationship between the sample thickness and FCG rate. It would provide a new strategy to the FCG rate prediction of cracked structures through small size specimen. Highlights: We propose an improved model to illustrate the effect of specimen thickness on the FCG behavior.The thickness factor T provides a fairly accurate relation between the specimen thickness and FCG rate.The model would be an effective strategy to the fatigue life prediction of cracked components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the problems of low matrix permeability and low oil recovery in shale reservoirs, CO2 huff and puff technology is considered as an effective method to develop shale oil reservoirs. However, the production behaviors of actual shale reservoirs cannot be reproduced and the EOR potentials cannot be evaluated directly by scaled models in the laboratory. Conventional CO2 huff and puff has problems such as early gas breakthrough and gas channeling leading to inefficient development. In this article, with the help of a three-dimensional experimental simulation apparatus, a new method of CO2 huff and puff with a horizontal well assisted by pumping production and water injection disturbance is developed. The dynamic characteristic, pressure field distribution of soaking and the enhanced oil recovery effect are comprehensively evaluated. The results show that the soaking stage of CO2 huff and puff can be divided into three stages: differential pressure driving, diffusion driving and dissolution driving. According to the pressure field distribution, after water injection disturbance, the fluctuation boundary and distribution of pressure becomes more stable and uniform and the sweep rate is greatly improved. Water injection disturbance realizes the combination of CO2 injection energy enhancement and water injection energy enhancement and the CO2 injection utilization rate is improved. It has the dual effect of stratum energy increase and economic benefit. The new huff and puff method can increase the oil recovery rate by 7.18% and increase the oil–gas replacement rate to 1.2728, which confirms the potential of horizontal well pumping production and water injection disturbance-assisted CO2 huff and puff technology to improve oil recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article, titled "[Retracted] Reduced miR-202 levels enhanced oral cancer development via targeting Sp1," was published in the journal Experimental & Therapeutic Medicine in 2019. However, it has since been retracted due to concerns raised by a reader. The reader pointed out that certain data in the article appeared to be similar to data from other articles published by different authors at different research institutes. After discussing the matter with the authors, the editor decided to retract the paper. The editor apologizes for any inconvenience caused. [Extracted from the article]

Two Pt(IV) complexes that can effectively inhibit Raplb were designed and synthesized. Among them, complex-1 showed excellent cytotoxic, and effectively reversed cisplatin-inducted resistance of TE6 cells by increasing cellular accumulation of platinum and inhibiting cancer cell stemness. Significantly, complex-1 also exhibited strong ability to inhibit tumor growth in TE6/cDDP xenograft mice models, with a tumor growth inhibition rate of 73.3 % at 13 mg/kg. [Display omitted] • The first confirmed positive correlation between Rap1b expression level and ESCC cell stemness. • Complex-1 exhibited greater toxicity than cisplatin against many ESCC cells. • Complex-1 can effectively reverse cisplatin-induced resistance in TE6 cells. • Complex-1 can potently inhibit tumor growth in TE6/cDDP xenograft models. Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a malignant tumor that is highly susceptible to metastasis, recurrence and resistance, and few therapeutic targets have been identified and proven effective. Herein, we demonstrated for the first time that Rap1b can positively regulate ESCC cell stemness, as well as designed and synthesized a novel class of Pt(IV) complexes that can effectively inhibit Raplb. In vitro biological studies showed that complex-1 exhibited stronger cytotoxicity than cisplatin and oxaliplatin against a variety of ESCC cells, and effectively reversed cisplatin-induced resistance of TE6 cells by increasing cellular accumulation of platinum and inhibiting cancer cell stemness. Significantly, complex-1 also exhibited strong ability to reversal cisplatin-induced cancer cell resistance and inhibit tumor growth in TE6/cDDP xenograft mice models, with a tumor growth inhibition rate of 73.3 % at 13 mg/kg and did not show significant systemic toxicity. Overall, Rap1b is a promising target to be developed as an effective treatment for ESCC. Complex-1, as the first Pt(IV) complex that can strongly inhibit Rap1b, is also worthy of further in-depth study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Co-Fe/Al 2 O 3 was synthesized by the electroless plating-calcination method. • Co-Fe/Al 2 O 3 integrated high catalytic efficiency and low metal leaching. • OH• and SO•− 4 were identified as the predominant reactive species. • FeII promoted the regeneration of CoII to activate PMS. Peroxymonosulfate (PMS) based advanced oxidation processes are promising technologies for emerging contaminants removal and exploring catalysts with high catalytic activity and low metal leaching for PMS activation gets a lot of attention. Herein, Co-Fe/Al 2 O 3 was synthesized by electroless plating-calcination method. Characterizations indicated that Co and Fe were uniformly dispersed on the surface of Al 2 O 3. Results demonstrated that Co-Fe/Al 2 O 3 -PMS system could achieve 100 % sulfamethoxazole (SMX) removal with k obs of 0.0552 min−1 under optimal conditions of [PMS] = 0.20 mM, [Co-Fe/Al 2 O 3 ] = 50.0 mg/L, pH = 6.4. Compared with Co/Al 2 O 3 -PMS, Fe/Al 2 O 3 -PMS, Co-Fe/Al 2 O 3 alone, and PMS alone, the developed Co-Fe/Al 2 O 3 -PMS system achieved a combination of high decontamination efficiency, efficient PMS utilization and insignificant Co leaching. The electrochemistry tests proved the electron transfer speed of Co-Fe/Al 2 O 3 is much higher than that of Co/Al 2 O 3 and Fe/Al 2 O 3 , suggesting the synergistic effect of Co and Fe to enhance catalytic activity. The catalytic mechanisms were proposed that both CoII and FeII could react with PMS to initiate activation with SO 4 •- formation as the major active species and the coexistence of Fe and Co on Al 2 O 3 promoted the heterogeneous redox cycle of CoII/CoIII with CoII involving in PMS activation again. Furthermore, Cl− and H 2 PO 4 - facilitated SMX removal, while HCO 3 − and HA inhibited SMX removal. Co-Fe/Al 2 O 3 -PMS system could retain more than 80 % SMX removal within five cycles, indicating good stability and reusability of Co-Fe/Al 2 O 3 for PMS activation. Aniline ring oxidation and isoxazole ring oxidation were proposed as dominant degradation pathways according to the detected intermediates of SMX degradation. This research was instructive to the development of PMS activation induced by supported bimetallic catalysts for wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A well-designed multilayer core–shell UCNPs for generating orthogonal RGB luminescence with high color purity is proposed. • A simple approach for modulation of full-color upconversion luminescence in such UCNPs is introduced. • The display matrices based on UCNPs/epoxy AB glue can improve color pixel and optical resolution of color display. • The naked-eye-based volumetric/flat color display images with high color pixel and optical resolution can be achieved. Real three-dimensional (3D) volumetric display, as a pursuable ultimate goal in the field of display, have attracted extensive interest in both fundamental research and various frontier applications. In particular, the emergence of solid-state 3D display technology based on upconversion processes offers a versatile and powerful tool to achieve truly spatial naked-eye 3D displays. However, the realization of a solid-state real 3D volumetric color display with high spatiotemporal resolution in upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) at a single nanoparticle level remains a great challenge. Herein, without multiple compositions of UCNPs and high excitation power density or complex pulse excitation modulation, a specifically well-designed nanostructures of multilayer core–shell UCNPs, by manipulating energy transfer pathways, enables us to realize excitation power density-independent orthogonal red–green–blue (RGB) emissions with high color purity by utilizing near-infrared multiwavelength excitations. Notably, full-color emissions, involving red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet, and white upconversion luminescence, can be dynamically regulated in this multilayer architecture by adjusting excitation wavelength and power density of the combined 980/808/1560 nm lasers. These emission profiles of multilayer UCNPs make them promising for a wide range of applications. As a proof of concept, we demonstrated their potential for application in real 3D volumetric full-color display. By incorporating such UCNPs into epoxy resin AB glue to construct transparent display matrices, the naked-eye-based 3D volumetric color display images with high color pixel and optical resolution can be achieved by moving the focal point of the laser beams within the stereo display matrices. These findings will benefit the future development of convenient and versatile optical technique for the fine tuning of full-color luminescence in a single nanoparticle level, and provide the possibility to construct true 3D volumetric full-color display technologies with high brightness, nanometer range display resolution, and multi-perspective display. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because thermal infrared sport targets have rich and complex semantic information, there is a high coupling between different types of features. In view of these limitations, we propose a Non-Glodal decoupled Attention, namely,local U-shaped attention decoupling network (LUANets), which aims to decompose the coupling relationship of different sport target features in thermal infrared images and establish effective spatial dependence between them. This method takes the captured multi-scale initial features according to different levels and inputs them into the local decoupling module with U-shaped attention structure to realize the decomposition of semantic details. At the same time, considering the correlation between different targets, in the process of feature decomposition, using prior knowledge as guiding information many times to establish effective spatial dependence. Secondly, we design a two-way cross-aggregation FPN module to cross-aggregate information flows in the front and back directions to achieve feature interaction while further reducing the coupling between different types of features. The evaluation results on data such as TIIs,SportFCs and FLIR show that the LUANets method we proposed has achieved the best detection performance, with mAP of 68.72%,59.51% and 65.29%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To evaluate the application of hydrogel scaffold materials and triple antibiotic paste in endodontic regeneration through literature review. Methods. An electronic search of the literature published on PubMed, Wangfang database, and CNKI database using the search terms "endodontic regeneration," "pulp blood flow reconstruction," "recanalization," "triple antibiotic paste," and "scaffold material" was conducted. The searched literature was used for analysis. Results and Conclusion. Hydrogels regulate stem cell fates, modulate growth factor release, and encapsulate antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs. The triple antibiotic paste is composed of metronidazole, ciprofloxacin, and minocycline, which exhibits promising antibacterial effects and duration at appropriate concentrations, with low cytotoxicity, and effectively promotes the preservation and regeneration of pulp tissues and the formation of dental hard tissues. However, issues such as tooth discoloration and bacterial drug resistance also exist. The present article reviews the progress of research on the application of hydrogel scaffold materials and triple antibiotic paste in endodontic revascularization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In‐plane biaxial fatigue tests of commercial pure titanium (CP‐Ti) were performed to investigate the effects of load ratio and phase shift on fatigue and ratcheting behavior. The results show that with the decrease of load ratio or the increase of phase shift, biaxial ratcheting strain effect is more significant, leading to the deterioration of fatigue resistance. Analysis of the crack morphology and fracture characteristic reveals that the crack propagation path becomes complex and the fracture morphology changes due to the enhanced non‐proportional hardening effect. Finally, current multiaxial life prediction models are evaluated to compare the applicability in the biaxial fatigue life prediction. Highlights: Effects of load ratio and phase shift on biaxial ratcheting behavior are discussed.Biaxial fatigue life is more sensitive to the variation of the phase shift.The crack morphology and fracture characteristics are analyzed.The applicability of different multiaxial life prediction models is evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This study is aimed at evaluating the diagnostic value of diffusion-weighted imaging combined with cervical vascular ultrasound in the elderly patients with multiple cerebral infarctions and at demonstrating whether the diagnostic value is affected by the history of diabetes. Methods. From January 2020 to November 2021, the case data of 30 elderly patients with multiple cerebral infarction diagnosed in our hospital were included. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) and cervical vascular ultrasound (CAU) were performed, respectively. The diagnosis rates of the simple diffusion-weighted imaging group, the simple cervical vascular ultrasound group, and the diffusion-weighted imaging combined with cervical vascular ultrasound group were compared. Results. The median onset time of 30 patients was 26.5 (4.75, 43.0) hours. There were 10 hyperacute patients and 20 acute patients. The proportion of diagnosable patients in the diffusion-weighted imaging group was 83.8% (25/30), which was lower than the proportion of diagnosable patients in the diffusion-weighted imaging combined with cervical vascular ultrasound group, which was 90% (27/30). The difference was statistically significant ( χ 2 = 16.667 ; P < 0.001). The ratio of diagnosable patients in the cervical vascular ultrasound group alone was 66.7% (20/30), which was lower than 90% (27/30) in the diffusion-weighted imaging combined with cervical vascular ultrasound group. The difference was statistically significant ( χ 2 = 6.7 ; P = 0.010). In the hyperacute phase, the proportion of diagnosable patients in the diffusion-weighted imaging combined with cervical vascular ultrasound group was higher than that in the diffusion-weighted imaging group alone ( χ 2 = 5.833 ; P = 0.016) and the cervical vascular ultrasound group alone ( χ 2 = 2.500 ; P = 0.004). In the acute phase, the proportion of diagnosable patients in the diffusion-weighted imaging combined with cervical vascular ultrasound group was also higher those that in the diffusion-weighted imaging group alone ( χ 2 = 9.474 ; P = 0.002) and the cervical vascular ultrasound group alone ( χ 2 = 3.158 ; P = 0.006). The diagnostic accuracy of diffusion-weighted imaging combined with cervical vascular ultrasound was not significantly different between patients with history of diabetes and without history of diabetes ( χ 2 = 1.014 ; P = 0.314) Conclusion. The combined application of diffusion-weighted imaging and cervical vascular ultrasound has important value in improving the diagnosis rate of multiple cerebral infarction in the elderly, regardless of diabetes history, and it is worthy of clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We propose a novel framework to design decoupled numerical algorithms. • The derived numerical schemes are linear and structure preserving. • Its applications on hydrodynamic models are elaborated to highlight its power. This paper presents a general numerical platform for designing accurate, efficient, and stable numerical algorithms for incompressible hydrodynamic models that obey thermodynamical laws. The obtained numerical schemes are automatically linear in time. It decouples the hydrodynamic variable and other state variables such that only small-size linear problems need to be solved at each time marching step. Furthermore, if the classical velocity projection method is utilized, the velocity field and pressure field can be decoupled. In the end, only a few elliptic-type equations shall be solved in each time step. This strategy is made possible through a sequence of model reformulations by exploring the models' thermodynamic structures. The generalized Onsager principle directly guides these reformulation procedures. In the reformulated but equivalent models, the reversible and irreversible components can be identified, guiding the numerical platform to decouple the reversible and irreversible dynamics. This eventually leads to decoupled numerical algorithms, given that the coupling terms only involve irreversible dynamics. To further demonstrate the numerical platform's power, we apply it to several specific incompressible hydrodynamic models. The energy stability of the proposed numerical schemes is shown in detail. The second-order accuracy in time is verified numerically through time step refinement tests. Several benchmark numerical examples are presented to further illustrate the proposed numerical framework's accuracy, stability, and efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the biomass–coal co-firing (BCC) production planning problem under the carbon emission quota allocation (CEQA) mechanism. However, carbon emission parameters are uncertain due to many factors, such as the type of power units and coal quality. To address this challenge issue, this paper proposes a new globalized robust bi-level optimization model, where the uncertain parameters are characterized by a pair of uncertainty sets. In the proposed model, the upper government as the leader decides the CEQA mechanism, while the lower power plants as the followers develop the production planning according to the given CEQA mechanism. Moreover, based on the Lagrange duality theory and Karush–Kuhn–Tucker (KKT) conditions, the proposed model is equivalently converted into a computationally tractable single-level model. Finally, a practical case study in Shandong Province demonstrates that compared with the nominal bi-level and robust bi-level models, the proposed optimization model can not only effectively resist parameter uncertainty, but also be less conservative. [Display omitted] • A bi-level GRO model for BCC production planning problem under CEQA mechanism is proposed. • The uncertain carbon emission parameters are characterized by a pair of uncertainty sets. • The established globalized robust counterpart is transformed equivalently into a finite convex system. • The effectiveness of the developed GRO approach is verified via a case study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. To compare two risk assessment strategies to identify individuals likely to benefit from further imaging testing in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and stable chest pain (SCP) suspected of obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods. 602 DM patients referred to coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) for SCP were included. They were divided into high- and low-risk groups according to the 2016 National Institute of Health and Care Excellence guideline-determined strategy (NICE strategy) which focused on symptom evaluation and 2019 European Society of Cardiology guideline-determined strategy (ESC strategy) which was based on pretest probability (PTP) sequentially determined by the ESC-PTP estimator and risk factor-weighted clinical likelihood (RF-CL) model, respectively. The associations of clinical outcomes with risk groups and net reclassification improvement (NRI) were evaluated. Results. The NICE and ESC strategy classified 44% and 39% patients into the low-risk group, respectively. Compared to the NICE strategy, the ESC strategy indicated stronger associations between risk groups and events (hazard ratios: 4.24 versus 1.91), intensive clinical management, and a positive NRI (27.71%, p < 0.0001). The application of the RF-CL model ameliorated the underestimation of risk in patients with borderline ESC-PTP, which principally account for the improvement of the ESC strategy. Conclusion. Compared to the NICE strategy, the ESC strategy seemed to be associated with greater efficiency in identifying high risk individuals in patients with DM and SCP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the problem of preview repetitive control with equivalent‐input‐disturbance for a class of continuous‐time linear systems in the presence of unknown external disturbances. First, an augmented delay system is constructed by using the nominal state equation with error system and the state equation of a modified repetitive controller, which is then transformed into a non‐delayed one by state transformation. Next, by using optimal control theory, a preview repetitive control law is obtained. It is composed of state feedback, tracking error compensation, output of modified repetitive controller and preview compensation. Furthermore, in order to achieve a good disturbance estimation and attenuation performance, by applying the results of the standard equivalent‐input‐disturbance theory, a preview repetitive control law with equivalent‐input‐disturbance is offered for the uncertain system with unknown external disturbance. Finally, the numerical simulation example is provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Esophageal carcinogenesis is a multifactorial process in which genetic and environmental factors interact to activate intracellular signals, leading to the uncontrolled survival and growth of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cells. The intracellular pathways of ESCC cells could be regulated by proteinase activated-receptors (PARs), which are comprised of four receptors (i.e., PAR-1, PAR-2, PAR-3, and PAR-4). Therefore, the function and possible mechanism of PAR1 and PAR4 in the progression of ECSS were explored in our study. Methods: First, we detected the expression levels of PAR1 and PAR4 in 27 cases of ESCC specimens and cell lines by RT-qPCR, IHC and western blot. Meanwhile, the correlation between PAR1/PAR4 expression levels, clinicopathological characteristics, and disease free survival was analyzed. Then, we constructed PAR1/PAR4 knockdown cell models and investigated the role of PAR1/PAR4 knockdown on the proliferation, apoptosis, changes of calcium flow, and metastasis of ESCC cells via MTT, flow cytometry, transwell and wound healing assays in vitro. Further, an experimental metastasis model in vivo was established to explore the role of stable PAR1/PAR4 knockdown on the growth and metastasis of ESCC cells. Finally, the role of nSMase2 in the activation of NF-κB induced by PAR4 and the role of NF-κB and STAT3 signaling pathways in the PAR1/PAR4-mediated tumor promoting or suppressive functions were measured by immunoprecipitation, western blot and immunofluorescence assays. Results: First, the integrated results demonstrated the expression levels of PAR1 and PAR4 are inversely proportional in ESCC. PAR1 potently enhanced tumor growth and metastasis, while PAR4 had an inhibitory effect. Further, the co-activation of STAT3 and NF-κB was involved in the PAR1 activation-induced tumor promoting effect, while only NF-κB participated in the PAR4 activation-induced tumor inhibitory effect in ESCC. To be specific, FAK/PI3K/AKT/STAT3/NF-κB signaling mediated PAR1 activation-induced tumor promoting effect and nSMase2/MAPK/NF-κB signaling mediated PAR4 activation-induced tumor inhibitory effect. Conclusions: Overall, the study has provided new insights into the potential implication of PAR1 and PAR4 in the pathogenesis of ESCC. Besides, FAK/PI3K/AKT/STAT3/NF-κB and nSMase2/MAPK/NF-κB pathways may be novel targets for regulating tumor growth and metastasis in ESCC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The first dorsal metacarpal artery flap, including dorsal digital nerves with or without dorsal branches of the proper digital nerves, can be used to reconstruct thumb pulp defects with good results. However, it is still unclear whether there are differences in the sensory outcomes between preserving or not preserving the dorsal branches of the proper digital nerves. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 137 thumb pulp defect patients who underwent first dorsal metacarpal artery flap reconstruction procedure from October 2015 to June 2019. Patients were divided into two groups according to whether the dorsal branches of the proper digital nerves were preserved. In the non-preservation group (n = 80), the dorsal digital nerves were included in the flap for sensory reconstruction. In the preservation group (n = 57), the dorsal digital nerves and the dorsal branches of the proper digital nerves of the index finger were included in the flap. The stump of the proper digital nerves in the defect was coaptated to the donor nerves of the flap using the end-to-end fashion. At the last follow-up, static two-point discrimination, Semmes–Weinstein monofilament scores, pain, cold intolerance of the reconstructed finger, and patient satisfaction in both groups were compared. Results: All patients were followed up for at least 17 months. No significant differences were found regarding pain of thumb pulp, static two-point discrimination, Semmes–Weinstein monofilament score, cold intolerance in the injured finger, and patient satisfaction. The non-preservation group presented slightly shorter operative times (p < 0.05). Conclusion: There are no differences at 2 years in postoperative clinical outcomes when dorsal digital nerves are used to reconstruct flap sensation regardless of preservation of the dorsal branches of the proper digital nerves in the first dorsal metacarpal artery flap. Level of evidence: Level III, retrospective comparative study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to optimize machine learning (ML) models for predicting in-hospital mortality in patients with ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI).Patients and Methods: A total of 5708 STEMI patients were enrolled and divided into two groups according to patients' hospital outcomes. Both groups were randomly split into a training set (75%) and a testing set (25%). Four ML models were trained with data, which applied random under-sampling (RUS). The performance of optimized ML models was evaluated with respect to accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, G-mean and AUC. Two sets of features in chronological order were considered: a full set that included all variables during hospitalization and a simplified set that only included variables prior to reperfusion therapy, and the performance of the prediction models trained with these two sets of features was compared.Results: For the comprehensive metric - G-mean, the models trained with RUS outperformed those without, 80.54% vs 23.31% on average in the full set and 75.72% vs 35.76% on average in the simplified set. For models trained with the full set, the SVM achieved the best performance with 85.62% accuracy, 84.21% sensitivity, 85.66% specificity, 84.93% G-mean and 0.919 AUC. For models trained with the simplified set, the SVM achieved 83.48% G-mean, which was comparable to the models trained using the full set. For the most critical metric - sensitivity, the SVM trained using the simplified set achieved 89.47%, which even exceed the SVM (84.21%), DT (81.58%) and RF (81.58%) trained using the full set.Conclusion: Applying RUS can improve the performance of prediction models, and the models trained with simplified set, which only included variables prior to reperfusion therapy can accurately predict high-risk patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper concerns a Padé-approximation-based preview repetitive control (PRC) scheme for continuous-time linear systems. Firstly, the state space representation of the repetitive controller is transformed into a nondelayed one by Padé approximation. Then, an augmented dynamic system is constructed by using the nominal state equation with the error system and the state equation of a repetitive controller. Next, by using optimal control theory, a Padé-approximation-based PRC law is obtained. It consists of state feedback, error integral compensation, output integral of repetitive controller, and preview compensation. Finally, the effectiveness of the method is verified by a numerical simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rotating algal biofilm reactors (RABRs) are innovative systems designed to cultivate microalgae biofilms efficiently. In this paper, we have developed a novel mathematical model to accurately capture the growth dynamics of algae biofilms within RABR. By considering the spatial heterogeneity of the RABR, we introduce a PDE-based model that addresses the spatial variations across the substratum, enabling a more accurate simulation of biofilm growth in RABRs. The photosynthesis process is modeled through reactive kinetics, driving the growth of the algae biofilm. To analyze the system's behavior, we employ finite difference numerical methods to solve the complex PDE model. We then conduct extensive numerical simulations to understand algae biofilm growth in the RABR environment under various operational factors and environmental conditions. One primary focus in these simulations is to investigate the impact of various harvesting strategies, harvesting frequencies, light intensity, and light exposure on the overall biomass productivity of the algae biofilm. The numerical results provide valuable insights into optimizing algae biofilm growth and designing harvesting techniques in RABR systems. Our proposed novel mathematical model provides an effective platform for the theoretical investigation and design of RABRs for wastewater treatment. • New mathematical model simulates algae biofilm growth in RABRs accurately. • Incorporates photosynthesis and substratum surface heterogeneity. • Advances RABR efficiency in wastewater treatment and bioproducts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Likewise, elevations in stratum corneum (SC) pH can provoke/exacerbate cutaneous inflammation and compromise epidermal permeability barrier homeostasis. Keywords: epidermal permeability barrier; N-palmitoyl serinol; stratum corneum hydration EN epidermal permeability barrier N-palmitoyl serinol stratum corneum hydration 3157 3159 3 07/19/22 20220701 NES 220701 ETHICS STATEMENT This study was approved by the Institutional Review Boards of the First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei Medical University (approval No. 20190578), and carried out in accordance with Helsinki Declaration Principles. Either reductions in stratum corneum (SC) hydration or elevation in transepidermal water loss rate (TEWL) can induce epidermal proliferation and cutaneous inflammation. [Extracted from the article]

Proactive fault management is an important problem in many areas of data management, including cloud computing, big data, vision, machine learning and especially for the cross-domain research of distributed computing and AI (Artificial Intelligence). Unfortunately, most real-world online failure prediction is facing the problem that the used data are difficult to label although the failure prediction should be a supervised learning problem. We observe that, in many cases, the large-scale unlabeled data can be classified through feature extraction and clustering for available prediction, and thus ideas from their combination can be brought to bear. Based on this, we have proposed an online failure prediction framework approach UDFP (Unlabeled Data based online Failure Prediction). It introduces the clustering analysis method based on the combination of the KNN (k-nearest neighbor) and the modularity idea to achieve prediction modeling. It is shown analytically that UDFP can mitigate a supervised learning problem for failure prediction in our situation to some extent. Experimental results demonstrate that UDFP, as a framework approach, has avoided the manual tagging workload and the huge difficulties, improved the predictive accuracy, and reduced cost of data management in safety-aware distributed cloud data centers while enhancing fault-tolerant capabilities and robustness. • Develop an efficient online failure prediction technique for safety-aware cloud centers. • Propose a novel framework approach UDFP based on k-nearest neighbor and modularity. • Put forward an unlabeled data based method with the idea of time series for failure prediction. • The performance of UDFP has been verified using Ganglia and Tensorflow in real hosts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the Hubble constant H 0 and spatial curvature Ω K have been measured with very high precision, they still suffer from some tensions. In this paper, we propose an improved method to combine the observations of ultracompact structure in radio quasars and strong gravitational lensing with quasars acting as background sources to determine H 0 and Ω K simultaneously. By applying the distance sum rule to the time-delay measurements of seven strong lensing systems and 120 intermediate-luminosity quasars calibrated as standard rulers, we obtain stringent constraints on the Hubble constant (H 0 = 78.3 ± 2.9 km s−1 Mpc−1) and the cosmic curvature (Ω K = 0.49 ± 0.24). On the one hand, in the framework of a flat universe, the measured Hubble constant (⁠|$H_0=73.6^{+1.8}_{-1.6} \mathrm{\,km\,s^{-1}\,Mpc^{-1}}$|⁠) is strongly consistent with that derived from the local distance ladder, with a precision of 2 per cent. On the other hand, if we use the local H 0 measurement as a prior, our results are marginally compatible with zero spatial curvature (⁠|$\Omega _K=0.23^{+0.15}_{-0.17}$|⁠) and there is no significant deviation from a flat universe. Finally, we also evaluate whether strongly lensed quasars would produce robust constraints on H 0 and Ω K in the non-flat and flat Λ cold dark matter model, if the compact radio structure measurements are available from very long baseline interferometry observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although pleurodesis is usually used to reduce the recurrence rate for primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) in surgery, existing techniques cannot meet the higher requirements of little surgical injury and less relapse. Hence, we developed a new pleurodesis technique and named multipoint pleura cautery. Aim: In this study, we aimed to investigate the effectiveness and outcomes of the uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery C-shaped pleura cautery in the surgical treatment of PSP. To the best of our knowledge, this is a new surgical technique for pleurodesis and must be of concern. Patients and Methods: The medical records of 20 patients undergoing surgery for C-shaped pleura cautery between 2015 and 2017 were reviewed. The patients were evaluated with regard to age, gender, body mass index, smoking habit, operation time, duration of hospitalization, post-operative pain and follow-up. Results: We have performed a bullectomy combined C-shaped pleura cautery for 20 patients with PSP from January 2016 to December 2017. None of the patients suffered post-operative bleeding and haematothorax complications, and one was ipsilateral relapsed 5 months after surgery. The lung computed tomography showed that recurrence of pneumothorax was due to air leakage in the right lower lung, and there was no air leakage at the site where pleurodesis had been performed. Conclusions: Although this technique requires further investigation, it may be a useful method of pleurodesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]