Search

Utilization of residue is a challenge in engineering practice, because unreasonable cutting causes excess materials wasted and increases the production cost. This work considers the residual two-dimensional cutting stock problem with usable leftover in which unused parts of cutting patterns can be used for future orders. We propose an algorithm that combines the iterative sequential value correction heuristic with the beam search heuristic, considering both the accumulation and the reusability of leftovers to reduce the material consumption. Cutting plans are constructed iteratively and the best one are chosen as the solution. Cutting patterns in the cutting plan are generated sequentially by recursive techniques, and potentially usable leftover are accumulated by beam search heuristic. Item values are corrected after each pattern to diversify cutting plans. Three sets of simulations under different number of periods, over medium and large instances from the literature, are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the heuristics. Computational results show that the algorithm provides better solutions, which can save a considerable amount of plate in a long-term production period. The utilization of wastages can save a considerable amount of stock plate and contract the production cost of enterprises in the long-term production period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) have played an important role in the treatment of renal anemia in children, but cannot improve hemoglobin to target level in some cases. Roxadustat, a hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor, can stimulate endogenous erythropoietin production and regulate iron metabolism even in patients with kidney failure. However, roxadustat has not yet been approved for use in children. Case–diagnosis/Treatment: We report a case of refractory renal anemia in an 80-day-old boy, who was hyporesponsive to ESAs even in combination with iron supplementation and transfusion. Compassionate use of roxadustat successfully corrected the intractable anemia. Hyperkalemia is a manageable adverse event of concern during follow-up. Conclusion: The successful experience in this case may inform the clinical utility of roxadustat for refractory renal anemia in children, which should be further confirmed by well-designed prospective clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of NH2-functionalized nano-sized magnetic metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) were prepared in this study for Cr(VI) removal from wastewater. It was observed that not only the morphological, i.e., orientation growth of N-doped and iron-based metal–organic frameworks, but also the adsorption of magnetic MOFs is largely related to the used amount of ammonium hydroxide in preparation. For example, with increasing amounts of ammonium hydroxide used in preparation, the morphology of magnetic MOFs changed from spherical to cube and triangular cone. Moreover, the maximum adsorption capacity of spherical-magnetic MOFs, cubic-magnetic MOFs and triangular cone-magnetic MOFs could be up to 204.08 mg/g, 232.56 mg/g and 270.27 mg/g, respectively. Under optimal conditions, the adsorption process of magnetic MOFs for Cr(VI) was consistent with the pseudo-second-order rate equation (R2 = 1) and Langmuir isotherm model (R2 > 0.99). Therefore, magnetic MOFs developed in this work offered a viable option for the removal of Cr(VI) from wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is aimed at using a lookup table method to improve the scalar multiplication performance of elliptic curve cryptography. The lookup table must be divided into two polynomials and requires two iterations of point doubling operation, for which negation operations are needed. It is well known that an inversion operation requires a lot of multiplication time. The advantage of this paper is that we are able to reduce one inverse element calculation for this problem and also improve the basic operations of finite fields through segmentation methods. If the normal basis method is used in the design of the inverse element operation, it must be converted to the normal basis through the standard basis. However, the conversion process requires a lot of matrix operations. Though the anti-element operation has good speed performance, it also increases the computational complexity. Using number theory and grouping methods will greatly improve the performance of inverse element operations. With application of the two-time point doubling operation in the hardware implementation, the developed approach reduces the computing time by 48% as compared with the conventional approach. The computational time of the scalar multiplication using the presented method is further improved by 67% over the traditional algorithm with only an area increase of 12%. Finally, the proposed lookup table-based technique can be utilized for software and hardware implementation, as the developed arithmetic operations are simple and are consistent in their execution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work discusses the electric vehicle (EV) ordered charging planning (OCP) optimization problem. To address this issue, an improved dual-population genetic moth–flame optimization (IDPGMFO) is proposed. Specifically, to obtain an appreciative solution of EV OCP, the design for a dual-population genetic mechanism integrated into moth–flame optimization is provided. To enhance the global optimization performance, the adaptive nonlinear decreasing strategies with selection, crossover and mutation probability, as well as the weight coefficient, are also designed. Additionally, opposition-based learning (OBL) is also introduced simultaneously. The simulation results show that the proposed improvement strategies can effectively improve the global optimization performance. Obviously, more ideal optimization solution of the EV OCP optimization problem can be obtained by using IDPGMFO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The dosage of ovalbumin (OVA) during the sensitization stage is considered a crucial factor in the development of airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). However, the inconsistent dosages of sensitizing OVA used in current studies and the lack of research on their impact on AHR are notable limitations. Methods: We examined the impact of increasing sensitizing doses of OVA in a murine asthma model, which entailed initial sensitization with OVA followed by repeated exposure to OVA aerosols. BALB/c mice were primed with doses of OVA (0, 10, 20, 50, and 100 μg) plus 1 mg Alum on Days 0 and 7, and were challenged with OVA aerosols (10 mg/mL for 30 min) between Days 14 and 17. Antigen‐induced AHR to methacholine (MCh), as well as histological changes, eosinophilic infiltration, and epithelial injury were assessed. Results: The result indicated that there are striking OVA dose‐related differences in antigen‐induced AHR to MCh. The most intense antigen‐induced AHR to MCh was observed with sensitization at 50 μg, while weaker responses were seen at 10, 20, and 100 μg. Meanwhile, there was a significant increase in eosinophil count with sensitization at 50 μg. The changes of AHR were correlated with total cells count, lymphocytes count, eosinophils count, and basophils count in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid; however, it did not correlate with histological changes such as cellular infiltration into bronchovascular bundles and goblet cell hyperplasia of the bronchial epithelium. Conclusion: Overall, this study demonstrated that sensitization with 50 μg of OVA resulted in the most significant AHR compared to other dosages. These findings may offer valuable insights for future research on mouse asthma modeling protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe and fatal crashes involving large trucks result in significant social and economic losses for human society. Unfortunately, the notably low proportion of severe and fatal injury crashes involving large trucks creates an imbalance in crash data. Models trained on imbalanced crash data are likely to produce erroneous results. Therefore, there is a need to explore novel sampling approaches for imbalanced crash data, and it is crucial to determine the appropriate combination of a machine learning model, sampling approach, and ratio. This study introduces a novel cluster-based under-sampling technique, utilizing the k-prototypes clustering algorithm. After initial cluster-based under-sampling, the consolidated cluster-based under-sampled data set was further resampled using three different sampling approaches (i.e., adaptive synthetic sampling (ADASYN), NearMiss-2, and the synthetic minority oversampling technique + Tomek links (SMOTETomek)). Later, four machine learning models (logistic regression (LR), random forest (RF), gradient-boosted decision trees (GBDT), and the multi-layer perceptron (MLP) neural network) were trained and evaluated using the geometric mean (G-Mean) and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) scores. The findings suggest that cluster-based under-sampling coupled with the investigated sampling approaches improve the performance of the machine learning models developed on crash data significantly. In addition, the GBDT model combined with ADASYN or SMOTETomek is likely to yield better predictions than any model combined with NearMiss-2. Regarding changes in sampling ratios, increasing the sampling ratio with ADASYN and SMOTETomek is likely to improve the performance of models up to a certain level, whereas with NearMiss-2, performance is likely to drop significantly beyond a specific point. These findings provide valuable insights for selecting optimal strategies for treating the class imbalance issue in crash data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dual quaternions have wide applications in automatic differentiation, computer graphics, mechanics, and others. Due to its application in control theory, matrix equation A X B = C has been extensively studied. However, there is currently limited information on matrix equation A X B = C regarding the dual quaternion algebra. In this paper, we provide the necessary and sufficient conditions for the solvability of dual quaternion matrix equation A X B = C , and present the expression for the general solution when it is solvable. As an application, we derive the ϕ -Hermitian solutions for dual quaternion matrix equation A X A ϕ = C , where the ϕ -Hermitian extends the concepts of Hermiticity and η -Hermiticity. Lastly, we present a numerical example to verify the main research results of this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and safety of Dan'e Fukang soft extracts in moderate ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) for the simultaneous treatment of blood and fluid, guided by the traditional Chinese medicine principle of "triple prevention". Methods: This study conducted a retrospective analysis of clinical data from outpatients who underwent in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection embryo transfer (ICSI-ET). A total of 2245 cases were included and divided into a treatment group (1002 cases) and a control group (1243 cases). Patients in the treatment group were administered Dan'e Fukang soft extracts orally in addition to conventional Western medicine. Comparative assessments were made between the two groups on pelvic ascites volume, maximum ovary diameter, dysmenorrhea incidence post-oocyte retrieval, and safety indicators. Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the treatment group and the control group in terms of general characteristics or the levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteotropic hormone (LH), estradiol (E2), or progesterone (P) at the time of gonadotropin (Gn) initiation. The groups did not differ significantly when we compared the levels of LH, E2, or P on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) injection and during ovarian hyperstimulation protocols (P > 0.05 for all indicators). The differences in the volume of pelvic ascites, the maximum ovarian diameter, and the incidence of dysmenorrhea after oocyte retrieval were statistically significant between the treatment group and the control group (P < 0.05 in both). There were no instances of adverse reactions in either group. Conclusion: Based on the traditional Chinese medicine principle of "triple prevention", the use of Dan'e Fukang soft extracts for the simultaneous treatment of blood and fluid in moderate OHSS significantly improved the absorption of pelvic ascites, promoted ovarian recovery, and reduced the incidence of dysmenorrhea after oocyte retrieval. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To explore the potential of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) quantitative parameters in predicting severe acute radiation-induced rectal injury (RRI) in rectal cancer. Methods: This retrospective study enrolled 49 patients with rectal cancer who underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and rectal MRI including a DCE-MRI sequence from November 2014 to March 2021. Two radiologists independently measured DCE-MRI quantitative parameters, including the forward volume transfer constant (Ktrans), rate constant (kep), fractional extravascular extracellular space volume (ve), and the thickness of the rectal wall farthest away from the tumor. These parameters were compared between mild and severe acute RRI groups based on histopathological assessment. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to analyze statistically significant parameters. Results: Forty-nine patients (mean age, 54 years ± 12 [standard deviation]; 37 men) were enrolled, including 25 patients with severe acute RRI. Ktrans was lower in severe acute RRI group than mild acute RRI group (0.032 min−1 vs 0.054 min−1; p = 0.008), but difference of other parameters (kep, ve and rectal wall thickness) was not significant between these two groups (all p > 0.05). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of Ktrans was 0.72 (95% confidence interval: 0.57, 0.84). With a Ktrans cutoff value of 0.047 min−1, the sensitivity and specificity for severe acute RRI prediction were 80% and 54%, respectively. Conclusion: Ktrans demonstrated moderate diagnostic performance in predicting severe acute RRI. Clinical relevance statement: Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI can provide non-invasive and objective evidence for perioperative management and treatment strategies in rectal cancer patients with acute radiation-induced rectal injury. Key Points: • To our knowledge, this study is the first to evaluate the predictive value of contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) quantitative parameters for severe acute radiation-induced rectal injury (RRI) in patients with rectal cancer. • Forward volume transfer constant (Ktrans), derived from DCE-MRI, exhibited moderate diagnostic performance (AUC = 0.72) in predicting severe acute RRI of rectal cancer, with a sensitivity of 80% and specificity of 54%. • DCE-MRI is a promising imaging marker for distinguishing the severity of acute RRI in patients with rectal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To elucidate the variation characteristics of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) content and accumulation in cotton at different yield levels, a two-year experiment was conducted using cotton variety Lumianyan 24 under four N treatments (506, 402.5, 299, and 195.5 kg ha−1, designated as N1, N2, N3, and N4, respectively). The four P and K fertilization ratios were (PK-M1, 25% P and K applied at squaring stage (SS) and 75% at the bloom-bolling stages (BS)), 50%:50% (PK-M2, 50% P and K applied at each stage), 75%:25% (PK-M3, 75% P and K applied at SS and 25% at the BS) and 100%:0% (PK-M4, total P and K applied at SS). The results showed that the N content (Nc), P content (Pc), and K content (Kc) of cotton plants at high yield levels were 23.3%, 44.2%, and 31.6% higher than those at low yield levels. In addition, the reproductive organs maintained higher Pc and Kc at high yield levels, and the Nc, Pc, and Kc exhibited positive linear correlations with yield, while Nc/Pc, Nc/Kc, and Kc/Pc had significant negative correlations with yield. In conclusion, seed cotton yield was mainly limited by Nc at low yield levels and affected by Pc and Kc at high yield levels. Then, when 0.85 < Nc/Kc < 1.0 at the full squaring stage (FS), 0.8 < Nc/Kc < 1.0 at the full flowering stage (FF), 4.3 < Nc/Pc < 6.7 at the early-full bolling stage (EFB) and 4.9 < Nc/Pc < 7.1 at the late-full bolling stage (LFB), there is a high yield potential of 7000–9000 kg ha−1. Furthermore, yields can be improved by reducing the application of N during the growing period and increasing the application of P fertilizer during the later growth period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate prediction of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentration is crucial for improving environmental conditions and effectively controlling air pollution. However, some existing studies could ignore the nonlinearity and spatial correlation of time series data observed from stations, and it is difficult to avoid the redundancy between features during feature selection. To further improve the accuracy, this study proposes a hybrid model based on empirical mode decomposition (EMD), minimal-redundancy-maximal-relevance (mRMR), and geographically weighted neural network (GWNN) for hourly PM2.5 concentration prediction, named EMD-mRMR-GWNN. Firstly, the original PM2.5 concentration sequence with distinct nonlinearity and non-stationarity is decomposed into multiple intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) and a residual component using EMD. IMFs are further classified and reconstructed into high-frequency and low-frequency components using the one-sample t-test. Secondly, the optimal feature subset is selected from high-frequency and low-frequency components with mRMR for the prediction model, thus holding the correlation between features and the target variable and reducing the redundancy among features. Thirdly, the residual component is predicted with the simple moving average (SMA) due to its strong trend and autocorrelation, and GWNN is used to predict the high-frequency and low-frequency components. The final prediction of the PM2.5 concentration value is calculated by an artificial neural network (ANN) composed of the predictive values of each component. PM2.5 concentration prediction experiments in three representational cities, such as Beijing, Wuhan, and Kunming were carried out. The proposed model achieved high accuracy with a coefficient of determination greater than 0.92 in forecasting PM2.5 concentration for the next 1 h. We compared this model with four baseline models in forecasting PM2.5 concentration for the next few hours and found it performed the best in PM2.5 concentration prediction. The experimental results indicated the proposed model can improve prediction accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a low dropout bandgap voltage reference circuit that combines high output voltage accuracy and low temperature-coefficient in a wide temperature range. The low temperature-coefficient is achieved by an advanced high-order curvature compensation technique, which is implemented by a novel exponential piecewise compensation term in a high-temperature range. A supply noise self-regulation technique is proposed to realize an excellent power supply rejection ratio (PSRR) without using any amplifiers in this paper. The proposed high-accuracy voltage reference is designed in a 2 μ m bipolar process. The circuit generates a reference voltage of 3.3 V and can operate under a minimum supply voltage of 3.8 V, while consuming 44.8 μ A. The output voltage accuracy is ± 0.15%. The PSRR at 10 Hz and 1 MHz is − 6 4 dB and − 7 8 dB, respectively. The line regulation is 2.45 ppm/V in a supply voltage range from 3.8 V to 20 V. The average temperature coefficient is 11.9 ppm/∘C in a temperature range from − 5 5 ∘ C to +125∘C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the first-principles, the hydrogen storage, mechanical, electronic, optical, thermodynamic and kinetic properties of XPtH 3 (X = Li, Na, K, Rb) perovskites are investigated for the first time in this work. The lattice constants of the optimized LiPtH 3 , NaPtH 3 , KPtH 3 , and RbPtH 3 are 3.54, 3.63, 3.80, and 3.90 Å, respectively. The Cauchy's pressure and the ratio of the bulk modulus to shear modulus (B/G) consistently prove that the XPtH 3 hydrides all exhibit ductility. The investigation of electronic properties reveals that XPtH 3 compounds exhibit metallic nature. According to Poisson's ratio and charge density distribution, the bonding type of XPtH 3 hydrides is mainly ionic. The Bader partial net charges are also calculated to analyze the charge transfer in XPtH 3 perovskites. The results of the optical properties of XPtH 3 compounds reveal that they are high dielectric constant and high refractive index materials. It is found that the XPtH 3 perovskites exhibit thermodynamic, mechanical, and dynamic stability. The gravimetric hydrogen storage capacities are 1.45, 1.35, 1.26, and 1.06 wt% for LiPtH 3 , NaPtH 3 , KPtH 3 , and RbPtH 3 , respectively. The hydrogen desorption temperatures of LiPtH 3 , NaPtH 3 , KPtH 3 and RbPtH 3 are 237.77, 225.39, 162.43, and 80.11 K, respectively. Our results suggest that LiPtH 3 hydride is the most suitable material for hydrogen storage applications among the four compounds. Systematic calculation of the physical and hydrogen storage properties of XPtH 3 (X = Li, Na, K, Rb) for the first time. Moreover, XPtH 3 (X = Li, Na, K, Rb) hydrides are thermodynamically, mechanically, and dynamically stable. Our results provide new candidates for hydrogen storage materials. [Display omitted] • XPtH 3 (X = Li, Na, K, Rb) perovskites have been investigated using first-principles. • XPtH 3 compounds exhibit thermodynamic, mechanical, and dynamical stability. • The gravimetric hydrogen storage capacity is found to be 1.45 wt% for LiPtH 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Extensive evidence demonstrates correlations among gut microbiota, lipid metabolism and cognitive function. However, there is still a lack of researches in the field of late-life depression (LLD). This research targeted at investigating the relationship among gut microbiota, lipid metabolism indexes, such as total free fatty acids (FFAs), and cognitive functions in LLD. Methods: Twenty-nine LLD patients from the Cognitive Outcome Cohort Study of Depression in Elderly were included. Cognitive functions were estimated through the Chinese version of Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Blood samples were collected to evaluate serum lipid metabolism parameters. Fecal samples were evaluated for gut microbiota determination via 16S rRNA sequencing. Spearman correlation, linear regression and mediation analysis were utilized to explore relationship among gut microbiota, lipid metabolism and cognitive function in LLD patients. Results: Spearman correlation analysis revealed significant correlations among Akkermansia abundance, total Free Fatty Acids (FFAs) and MoCA scores (P < 0.05). Multiple regression indicated Akkermansia and total FFAs significantly predicted MoCA scores (P < 0.05). Mediation analysis demonstrated that the correlation between decreased Akkermansia relative abundance and cognitive decline in LLD patients was partially mediated by total FFAs (Bootstrap 95%CI: 0.023–0.557), accounting for 43.0% of the relative effect. Conclusion: These findings suggested a significant relationship between cognitive functions in LLD and Akkermansia, as well as total FFAs. Total FFAs partially mediated the relationship between Akkermansia and cognitive functions. These results contributed to understanding the gut microbial-host lipid metabolism axis in the cognitive function of LLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To analyze the predictive value of serum levels of procalcitonin (PCT) and cytokines on the prognosis of patients with COVID-19 at admission. Methods From November 2022 to February 2023, patients diagnosed with COVID-19 who were admitted to Beijing Chest Hospital were enrolled. Chemiluminescence was used to detect serum PCT levels, and flow microsphere array was used to detect serum cytokines IL- 1P, IL -2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-22, TNF-a, TNF- P, IFN-y level. ICU admission, mechanical ventilation and in-hospital death were defined as poor prognosis. After excluding patients with bacterial infection, the relationship between serum PCT and cytokine levels at admission and the prognosis of COVID-19 patients was analyzed. After excluding patients with bacterial infection, the relationship between serum PCT and cytokine levels at admission and the prognosis of COVID-19 patients was analyzed. Results A total of 176 patients with complete data were included, including 134 in the PCT-normal group and 42 in the PCT-elevated group, with a median age of 71.50 years and 71.59% males. Patients in the PCT elevated-group had significantly higher rates of ICU admission (38.41% vs. 13.11%, P < 0.05), mechanical ventilation (76.92% vs. 24.59%, P < 0.001) and in-hospital mortality (38.46% vs. 6.56%, P < 0.001) were significantly higher than those in the PCT-normal group. Serum levels of cytokines IL-6 (7.40 pg/mL vs. 4.78 pg/mL, P = 0.033 4) and IL-8 (10.97 pg/mL vs. 5.92 pg/mL, P < 0.001) were significantly higher in patients with poor prognosis than in those with good prognosis. The area under the curve for PCT, IL-6, and IL-8 to predict poor prognosis in COVID-19 patients was 0.687, 0.660, and 0.746, respectively; sensitivity was 52.78%, 55.17%, and 72.41%, respectively; and specificity was 81.58%, 74.19%, and 74.19%, respectively, as calculated from the ROC curve. When PCT, IL-6 and IL-8 jointly predict the prognosis of COVID-19 patients, the area under the curve is 0.764, the sensitivity is 70.00%, and the specificity is 80.00%. Conclusion Serum PCT and cytokines IL-6 and IL-8 could be used as predictive markers for poor prognosis in patients with COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apatinib was the first anti-angiogenic agent approved for treatment of metastatic gastric cancer (GC). However, the emergence of resistance was inevitable. Thus investigating new and valuable off-target effect of apatinib directly against cancer cells is of great significance. Here, we identified extra spindle pole bodies-like 1 (ESPL1) was responsible for apatinib resistance in GC cells through CRISPR genome-wide gain-of-function screening. Loss of function studies further showed that ESPL1 inhibition suppressed cell proliferation, migration and promoted apoptosis in vitro, and accordingly ESPL1 knockdown sensitized GC cells to apatinib. In addition, we found ESPL1 interacted with mouse double minute 2 (MDM2), a E3 ubiquitin protein ligase, and the combination of MDM2 siRNA with apatinib synergistically ameliorated the resistance induced by ESPL1 overexpression. In summary, our study indicated that ESPL1 played a critical role in apatinib resistance in GC cells. Inhibition of MDM2 could rescue the sensitivity of GC cells to apatinib and reverse ESPL1-mediated resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ion channels exhibit strong selectivity for specific ions over others under electrochemical potentials, such as KcsA for K+ over Na+. Based on the thermodynamic analysis, this study is focused on exploring the mechanism of ion selectivity in nanopores. It is well known that ions must lose part of their hydration layer to enter the channel. Therefore, the ion selectivity of a channel is due to the rearrangement of water molecules when entering the nanopore, which may be related to the hydrophobic interactions between ions and channels. In our recent works on hydrophobic interactions, with reference to the critical radius of solute (Rc), it was divided into initial and hydrophobic solvation processes. Additionally, the different dissolved behaviors of solutes in water are expected in various processes, such as dispersed and accumulated distributions in water. Correspondingly, as the ion approaches the nanopore, there seems to exist the "repulsive" or "attractive" forces between them. In the initial process (

Background: The need for radiotherapy among the elderly rises with increasing life expectancy and a corresponding increase of elderly cancer patients. Radiation-induced skin injury is one of the most frequent adverse effects in radiotherapy patients, severely limiting their life quality. Re-epithelialization and collagen deposition have essential roles in the recovery of skin injuries induced by high doses of ionizing radiation. At the same time, radiation-induced senescent cells accumulate in irradiated tissues. However, the effects and mechanisms of senescent cells on re-epithelialization and collagen deposition in radiation-induced skin injury have not been fully elucidated. Results: Here, we identified a role for a population of senescent cells expressing p16 in promoting re-epithelialization and collagen deposition in radiation-induced skin injury. Targeted ablation of p16+ senescent cells or treatment with Senolytics resulted in the disruption of collagen structure and the retardation of epidermal coverage. By analyzing a publicly available single-cell sequencing dataset, we identified fibroblasts as a major contributor to the promotion of re-epithelialization and collagen deposition in senescent cells. Notably, our analysis of publicly available transcriptome sequencing data highlighted IL-33 as a key senescence-associated secretory phenotype produced by senescent fibroblasts. Neutralizing IL-33 significantly impedes the healing process. Finally, we found that the effect of IL-33 was partly due to the modulation of macrophage polarization. Conclusions: In conclusion, our data suggested that senescent fibroblasts accumulated in radiation-induced skin injury sites participated in wound healing mainly by secreting IL-33. This secretion regulated the local immune microenvironment and macrophage polarization, thus emphasizing the importance of precise regulation of senescent cells in a phased manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

mRNA vaccines are becoming a feasible alternative for treating cancer. To develop mRNA vaccines against LUAD, potential antigens were identified and LUAD ferroptosis subtypes distinguished for selecting appropriate patients. The genome expression omnibus, cancer genome atlas (TCGA) and FerrDB were used to collect gene expression profiles, clinical information, and the genes involved in ferroptosis, respectively. cBioPortal was used to visualize and compare genetic alterations, GEPIA2 to calculate prognostic factors of the selected antigens, and TIMER to visualize the relationship between potential antigens and tumor immune cell infiltration. Consensus clustering analysis was utilized to identify ferroptosis subtypes and their prognostic value assessed by Log-rank and cox regression tests. The modules of ferroptosis-related gene screening were conducted by weight gene co-expression network analysis. The LUAD ferroptosis landscape was visualized through dimensionality reduction and graph learning. Six tumor antigens had obvious LUAD-mutations, positively correlated with different antigen-presenting cells, and might induce tumor cell ferroptosis. LUAD patients were stratified into three ferroptosis subtypes (FS1, FS2, and FS3) according to diverse molecular, cellular, and clinical characteristics. FS3 showed the highest tumor mutation burden and the most somatic mutations, deemed potential indicators of mRNA vaccine effectiveness. Moreover, different ferroptosis subtypes expressed distinct immune checkpoints and immunogenic cell death modulators. AGPS, NRAS, MTDH, PANX1, NOX4, and PPARD are potentially suitable for mRNA vaccinations against LUAD, specifically in patients with FS3 tumors. This study defines vaccination candidates and establishes a theoretical basis for LUAD mRNA vaccinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moutan Cortex (MC) is a traditional Chinese medicine that contains abundant medicinal components, such as paeonol, paeoniflorin, etc. Paeonol is the main active component of MC. In this study, paeonol was extracted from MC through an ultrasound-assisted extraction process, which is based on single-factor experiments and response surface methodology (RSM). Subsequently, eight macroporous resins of different properties were used to purify paeonol from MC. The main components of the purified extract were identified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography–quadrupole–time of flight–mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS). The results indicate the optimal parameters are as follows: liquid-to-material ratio 21:1 mL/g, ethanol concentration 62%, ultrasonic time 31 min, ultrasonic temperature 36 °C, ultrasonic power 420 W. Under these extraction conditions, the actual yield of paeonol was 14.01 mg/g. Among the eight tested macroporous resins, HPD-300 macroporous resin was verified to possess the highest adsorption and desorption qualities. The content of paeonol increased from 6.93% (crude extract) to 41.40% (purified extract) after the HPD-300 macroporous resin treatment. A total of five major phenolic compounds and two principal monoterpene glycosides were characterized by comparison with reference compounds. These findings will make a contribution to the isolation and utilization of the active components from MC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myofibrillar myopathies (MFMs) are a group of genetically heterogeneous diseases affecting the skeletal and cardiac muscles. Myofibrillar myopathies are characterized by focal lysis of myogenic fibers and integration of degraded myogenic fiber products into inclusion bodies, which are typically rich in desmin and many other proteins. Herein, we report a case of a 54‐year‐old woman who experienced bilateral thigh weakness for over three years. She was diagnosed with MFMs based on muscle biopsy findings and the presence of a novel mutation in exon 8 of the LDB3 gene. Myofibrillar myopathies caused by a mutation in the LDB3 gene are extremely uncommon and often lack distinct clinical characteristics and typically exhibit a slow disease progression. When considering a diagnosis of MFMs, particularly in complex instances of autosomal dominant myopathies where muscle biopsies do not clearly indicate MFMs, it becomes crucial for clinicians to utilize genetic test as a diagnostic tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The C-reactive protein/albumin ratio is a reliable indicator of outcome risk in several diseases. This study aims to evaluate prognostic power of the C-reactive protein/albumin ratio for in-hospital mortality and the dose-response relationship between the two in the oldest-old patients with acute ischemic stroke. Methods: A longitudinal observational study was conducted on patients with acute ischemic stroke (aged ≥80 years) from two tertiary hospitals between January 1, 2014, and January 31, 2020. Based on the tertiles of the C-reactive protein/albumin ratio, the patients were divided into three groups. Restrictive cubic spline and robust locally weighted regression analysis were performed on continuous variables to examine the dose-response relationship between the C-reactive protein/albumin ratio and in-hospital mortality risk. All-cause mortality during hospitalization was the outcome for this study. Results: The study included 584 patients (mean age = 84.6 ± 3.1 years; 59.6% men). The C-reactive protein/albumin ratio was divided into three groups, namely, T1 of <0.73, T2 of 0.73–2.03, and T3: >2.03. After adjusting for demographic and clinical characteristics, a higher C-reactive protein/albumin ratio was independently associated with in-hospital mortality. The hazard ratio for this association was 2.01 (95% confidence interval: 1.12–3.60, p = 0.019). A dose-response relationship between the C-reactive protein/albumin ratio and in-hospital mortality risk was observed. Sensitivity analysis found no attenuation in the hazard ratio in uninfected individuals, whereas no difference in the hazard ratio was noted in individuals with infections. Conclusions: When predicting in-hospital mortality in the oldest-old patients with ischemic stroke, the C-reactive protein/albumin ratio might be a helpful and convenient metric. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: There are some challenges to diagnosis in the context of similar diagnostic criteria for late-life depression (LLD) and adult depression due to cognitive impairment and other clinical manifestations. The association between gut microbiota and inflammation remains unclear in LLD. We analyzed gut microbiota characteristics and serum inflammatory cytokines in individuals with LLD to explore the combined role of these two factors in potential biomarkers of LLD. Methods: This was an observational cross-sectional study. Fecal samples and peripheral blood from 29 patients and 33 sex- and age-matched healthy controls (HCs) were collected to detect gut microbiota and 12 inflammatory factors. We analyzed differences in diversity and composition of gut microbiota and evaluated relations among gut microbiota, inflammatory factors, and neuropsychological scales. We extracted potential biomarkers using receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis to predict LLD utilizing the combination of the microbiota and inflammatory cytokines. Results: Elevated systemic inflammatory cytokine levels and gut microbiota dysbiosis were found in LLD patients. Relative abundance of Verrucomicrobia at the phylum level and Megamonas, Citrobacter, and Akkermansia at the genus level among LLD patients was lower than HCs. Abundance of Coprococcus, Lachnobacterium, Oscillospira, and Sutterella was higher in LLD patients. Notably, IL6, IFNγ, Verrucomicrobia, and Akkermansia levels were correlated with depression severity. Our study identified IL6, Akkermansia, and Sutterella as predictors of LLD, and their combination achieved an area under the curve of 0.962 in distinguishing LLD patients from HCs. Conclusion: This research offers evidence of changes within gut microbiota and systemic inflammation in LLD. These findings possibly help elucidate functions of gut microbiota and systemic inflammation in LLD development and offer fresh ideas on biomarkers for clinical practise in the context of LLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the ship multi-scale phenomenon is very common in visible video, it is an important factor affecting the performance of visible video ship detection. Based on YOLOv5s, this paper proposes a real-time multi-scale ship detection algorithm. First, reparameterized convolution is adopted to increase the network width, thereby enhancing the network’s ability to express multi-scale ship features. Second, the depth of SPPF (Spatial Pyramid Pooling Fast) is adjusted to enhance the scale invariance of ship features extracted from the network. Third, the attention module is combined with feature pyramid network to enhance the network’s ability to focus on multi-scale ship features. Finally, confidence propagation cluster is used for post-processing to make the network generation more confident and closer to the boundary box of the real box. The experiment shows that our method can achieve state-of-the-art visible video ship detection performance on multiple evaluation indicators, such as mAP-IOU@0.5, mAP-IOU@[0.5:0.95], APS, APM, APL and so on. And it can meet the requirements of real-time detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a correction notice for an article titled "Resistance to FGFR1-targeted therapy leads to autophagy via TAK1/AMPK activation in gastric cancer" published in the journal Gastric Cancer. The correction addresses an error in the representative western blot images of mTOR and β-actin in Figures 4a and 5a of the article. The correct images are provided in the correction notice. The publisher, Springer Nature, maintains a neutral stance on jurisdictional claims and institutional affiliations. The authors of the article are Rui Peng, Yan Chen, Liangnian Wei, Gang Li, Dongju Feng, Siru Liu, Runqiu Jiang, Shaojiang Zheng, and Yun Chen. [Extracted from the article]

The defining feature of high-entropy alloys (HEAs) is their unprecedented degree of compositional inhomogeneity which influences their dislocation movements. We demonstrate differences between a HEA (Fe40Mn40Co10Cr10) and a conventional solution alloy (316L stainless steel) using acoustic emission (AE) spectroscopy. AE measurements under tension show the coexistence of two avalanche processes in Fe40Mn40Co10Cr10 HEA, whereby one avalanche process relates to the movement of dislocations and the other to detwinning/twinning processes. These two avalanche processes exhibit two branches of the E ∼ A2 correlation. The dislocation movements in Fe40Mn40Co10Cr10 HEA show systematically longer durations compared with the equivalent dislocation movements in the 316L stainless steel and a bias toward faster waiting times for subsequent dislocation movements. The aftershock rate, as identified by the Omori law, is the same for the two materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein a Pd(II)‐catalyzed C−H silylation of o‐alkynylanilines with hexamethyldisilane for the synthesis of disilylated 2‐phenyl‐1H‐indoles is reported. In this reaction, o‐alkynylanilines undergo an aminopalladation, C−H activation, and dealkylation sequence to form five‐membered C,C‐palladacycles, which then couple with hexamethyldisilane to construct one C−N bond and two C−Si bonds. This method provides an alternative strategy for C−H silylation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helicotylenchus comprises a significant group of plant-parasitic nematodes that primarily feed on plant roots. This study focuses on the description of a newly discovered species, Helicotylenchus zenchengensis n. sp., from China. The distinguishing characteristic of this species, as observed under a microscope, is the absence of head annulation. The stylet, measuring between 23.8 and 29.3 μm, exhibits anteriorly flattened or indented stylet knobs. The elongated tail has a c value ranging from 15.8 to 22.6 and a c' value between 1.9 and 2.4. It bears 15 to 18 tail annuli, presenting a conical shape with projections. The phasmids are located at the 4th to 10th body annulations posterior to the anus, while no males were observed. Three phylogenetic trees were constructed to determine the evolutionary relationships using the 18S rRNA, ITS, and 28S D2-D3 expansion segments of the newly discovered species and related Helicotylenchus sequences obtained from the database. Based on the ITS sequences, a phylogenetic tree revealed that H. zenchengensis n. sp. clustered with H. cuspicaudatus. However, it was distinguished from H. cuspicaudatus when examining the 18S and 28S rRNA sequences and morphological characteristics. Additionally, comprehensive and diagnostic tables for all known species of Helicotylenchus in China are provided for reference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acoustic emission, AE, spectroscopy identifies dislocation avalanches and crack propagation in high-purity Cu with self-stabilized dislocation networks. These samples were produced by additive manufacturing where thermal gradients form cellular structures. These structures confine avalanches of dislocation movements (∼confined dislocations) with an energy exponent ε = 1.82 ± 0.04. Free dislocation movement follows force-integrated mean-field behavior with ε = 1.6 ± 0.02. Additional crack propagation under tension exhibits a critical failure exponent of ε = 1.45 ± 0.01. These three mechanisms combine to generate sample failure under tension. We use this example to demonstrate how different avalanche mechanisms can be disentangled in AE spectroscopy of additive manufactured metal and how the specific self-stabilized dislocation networks influence these avalanche dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractYolk-shell SnO2 mesoporous double-layer nanotubes were synthesized in one-step by single nozzle electrospinning. Compared with the traditional electrospinning using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as the precursor polymer to obtain the single nanotube material, two PVPs (PVPK88-96 and PVPK23-27) with different molecular weights in solution coupled with Sn2+ easily form the core-shell structure nanofiber through phase separation. The yolk-shell double-layer SnO2 nanotubes were obtained after calcination at 600 °C for 2 h. The yolk-shell SnO2 mesoporous double-layer nanotube is a promising sensing material toward 3-hydroxy-2-butanone as it shows high sensitivity, cycling stability, and selectivity. Moreover, the response and recovery times of the yolk-shell SnO2 mesoporous double-layer nanotubes toward 1 ppm 3-hydroxy-2-butanone were 122 s and 117 s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change literacy (CCL) is recognized as a critical component in formulating and implementing effective climate change policies and actions. However, the degree of CCL among those entrusted with these very responsibilities – public officials, remains relatively unexplored. This study pioneers an investigation into the CCL of public officials in Taiwan through a national survey. Our findings indicate that while a majority of these officials are cognizant of climate change issues, their personal commitment to climate action leaves considerable room for growth. Furthermore, their general understanding of climate change, its impacts, and the necessary adaptation strategies is found wanting. A similar deficit is observed in their comprehension of the relevance of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to climate change. Our study, by establishing a framework for assessing CCL among public officials and providing preliminary data on the CCL of Taiwanese officials, not only fills a significant knowledge gap but also lays the groundwork for comparative studies across nations. Moreover, our findings underscore the need for governments to invest in enhancing the CCL of their personnel, thereby equipping them with the requisite knowledge and motivation to contribute effectively to global climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrochemical oxygen evolution reaction (OER) holds paramount significance as a pivotal stage within electrochemical water-splitting processes, particularly in hydrogen production. Highly efficient OER electrocatalysts with inherent capability to effectively lower the energy barrier and promote fast kinetics are in high demand. In this research, we have introduced a novel strategy of modifying the non-precious metal benchmark catalyst, NiFe layered double hydroxide (LDH), through multiple oxyanions. Our approach involved incorporating MoS 4 2− as a source of modified anions to enhance the performance of LDH in OER. Under specific conditions of the hydrothermal reaction, a majority of the sulfur (S) within the MoS 4 2− anions underwent oxidization, resulting in the formation of SO 4 2− and MoO x S 4-x 2- groups. As a result, NiFe LDH composites that were modified with multiple oxyanionic moieties, were successfully fabricated. Thanks to the synergistic effects of these oxyanions, which accelerate the generation of active NiOOH species, the optimized NiFe LDH-MoS 4 -0.1/NF sample exhibited a significantly low overpotential of 228 and 270 mV at current densities of 10 and 100 mA cm−2, respectively, along with a low Tafel slope of 35.5 mVdec−1 in 1 M KOH electrolyte solution. Our study underscored the importance of embracing diverse oxyanions modification strategy to amplify the performance of OER, opening up numerous opportunities for energy conversion and storage applications. A multiple oxyanions modification strategy was proposed for enhancing the OER performance of NiFe layered double hydroxide (LDH) materials via introducing MoS 4 2− as modified anion sources. Thanks to the synergistic effects of multiple oxyanions (SO 4 2− and MoO x S 4-x 2-), the optimized sample exhibited a remarkable OER activity. [Display omitted] • NiFe LDH materials modified with multiple oxyanions via hydrothermal synthesis. • Multiple oxyanions (SO 4 2− and MoO x S 4-x 2-) originated from MoS 4 2− degradation. • The optimized NiFe LDH-MoS 4 -0.1/NF sample showed outstanding OER activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Several publications suggest that UTP11 may be a promising gene engaged for involvement of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) pathology. However, there are extremely limited biological, mechanistic and clinical studies of UTP11 in HCC. Methods: To anayze the UTP11 mRNA expression in HCC and normal clinical samples and further investigate the correlation between UTP11 expression and pathology and clinical prognosis via the Cancer Tissue Gene Atlas (TCGA) database. The protein levels of UTP11 were checked using the Human Protein Atlas (HPA) database. GO-KEGG enrichment was performed from Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE) database and TCGA dataset. The levels of UTP11 were tested with qRT-PCR and western blotting assays. Cell viability, immunofluorescence and flow cytometry assays and animal models were used to explore the potential involvement of UTP11 in regulating HCC growth in vitro and in vivo. The correlation of UTP11 and tumor stemness scores and stemness-associated proteins from TCGA database. The mRNA stability was treated with Actinomycin D, followed by testing the mRNA expression using qRT-PCR assay. Results: UTP11 was highly expressed in HCC samples compared to normal tissues from TCGA database. Similarly, UTP11 protein expression levels were obviously elevated in HCC tissue samples from HPA database. Furthermore, UTP11 levels were correlated with poor prognosis in HCC patient samples in TCGA dataset. In addition, the UTP11 mRNA levels was notably enhanced in different HCC cell lines than in normal liver cells and knocking down UTP11 was obviously reduced the viability and cell death of HCC cells. UTP11 knockdown suppressed the tumor growth of HCC in vivo experiment and extended the mice survival time. GO-KEEG analysis from CCLE and TCGA database suggested that UTP11 might involve in RNA splicing and the stability of mRNA. Further, UTP11 was positively correlated with tumor stemness scores and stemness-associated proteins from TCGA database. Knockdown of UTP11 was reduced the expression of stem cell-related genes and regulated the mRNA stability of Oct4. Conclusions: UTP11 is potentially a diagnostic molecule and a therapeutic candidate for treatment of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere usually reduces Earth's outgoing longwave radiation (OLR). The unusual case of Antarctica, where CO2 enhances OLR and implies a negative forcing, has previously been explained by the strong near‐surface inversion or extremely low surface temperature. However, negative forcing can occasionally be found in the Arctic and tropics where neither of these explanations applies. Here, we examine the changes in infrared opacity from CO2 doubling in these low or negative forcing climate states, which shows the predominant role of the stratospheric contribution to the broadband forcing. Negative forcing in today's climate demands a combination of strong negative forcing caused by a steep stratospheric temperature inversion and a weaker positive forcing in the atmospheric window, which can be caused by a low surface temperature or a strong high cloud masking effect. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the near‐surface inversion has little impact on the forcing. Plain Language Summary: Carbon dioxide (CO2), as an important greenhouse gas, is known to reduce the Earth's longwave emission, provoking a positive forcing that increases the net flow of energy into the Earth system. In this study, we discuss the cause of negative forcing, where CO2 increases longwave emission that happens most commonly in Antarctica and in some rare conditions in the Arctic and tropics. In contrast to conventional arguments that a near‐surface temperature increase with altitude is key to a negative CO2 forcing, we show that the stratospheric temperature and, in the tropics, clouds play a more important role. The results are based on temperature modification experiments and an analysis of the vertical structure of atmospheric emission changes. While a negative forcing does not mean the surface would cool since there are other important adjustments involved in the re‐establishment of energy balance, the results show the values of resolving the spectral dimension of radiation to quantify the radiative sensitivity to the near‐surface and stratosphere temperature structure. Key Points: Outgoing longwave radiation increases with CO2 concentration in the Arctic and tropics in certain circumstances, in addition to commonly occurring in AntarcticaIn polar regions, negative CO2 forcing arises from stratospheric temperature inversions, while near‐surface inversions have a small effectCO2 forcing can be negative in other regions when high clouds block the tropospheric emission, leaving the stratospheric contribution [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light beam carrying spin angular momentum (SAM) and orbital angular momentum (OAM) have attracted great interest due to their great potential for high‐capacity optical communication, optical tweezers, and quantum information. However, the current detection methods suffer from the lack of robustness to misalignments in the optical system, which limits the detection accuracy and the application for off‐axis vortex array detection. Here, a high‐efficiency, broadband, and single‐layer metasurface design is proposed for alignment‐free angular momentum detection via spin‐independent astigmatic transformation (SIAT). The SAM and OAM states can be recognized from the diffraction direction and patterns, respectively. Proof‐of‐concept demonstrations are experimentally carried out on different incident beams including circular‐polarization, linear‐polarization, and vector vortex beams, as well as vortex beam arrays, showing a high diffraction efficiency of ≈81% at 1064 nm while operating within the broadband region of 900–1300 nm. The alignment‐free merit for the incident position, incident angle, and detector distance grants the device great potential for integrated quantum systems and multiparticle micromanipulation with optical tweezers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hematite (α-Fe 2 O 3) is considered one of the most promising materials for PEC water splitting under solar light. However, the drawbacks of lower charge transfer efficiency and slow oxygen evolution reaction (OER) kinetics seriously limited the practical application of α-Fe 2 O 3 photoanodes. In this work, a multilayer structure modified α-Fe 2 O 3 photoanode is proposed. Firstly, the In 2 O 3 nanolayers were loaded onto the surface of α-Fe 2 O 3 nanorods, significantly increasing the photoelectrochemical (PEC) water oxidation activity. The heterojunction form by the In 2 O 3 passivation layer with α-Fe 2 O 3 effectively promotes charge separation. Next, an electrodeposition method deposited a nanosheet combining ultrathin non-crystalline Co(OH) x and Mn 3 O 4 nanocrystals (Co–Mn) on the α-Fe 2 O 3 thin film. As an efficient co-catalyst, the Co–Mn nanosheets assisted the performance of α-Fe 2 O 3 PEC water oxidation. The optimized α-Fe 2 O 3 –In 2 O 3 –Co(OH) x -Mn 3 O 4 photoanode produces a high photocurrent density of 6.5 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V (vs. RHE), a maximum IPCE of 57.9% at 400 nm can reach. [Display omitted] • In 2 O 3 /α-Fe 2 O 3 heterojunction was constructed to achieve effective separation of photo-generated carriers. • Co(OH) x -Mn 3 O 4 (Co–Mn) nanosheet layer work as an efficient oxygen evolution co-catalyst. • Co(OH) x -Mn 3 O 4 (Co–Mn) is a selective capture site of photo-generated carriers that inhibits their recombination. • The interactions between α-Fe 2 O 3 , In 2 O 3 , and Co–Mn lead to an efficient photoelectrochemical water-splitting performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractBeef is an important source of protein for human consumption globally; in addition to beef, water buffalo and yak meat are widely consumed in Asia. Additionally, water buffalo horns are an integral part of traditional Chinese medicine. Adulteration of water buffalo horn with cattle and yak horn for economic gain has become a prevalent and pressing concern. This study used multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the simultaneous identification of meat and horns from water buffalo, cattle, and yaks within a single PCR test. Species-specific primers were designed for multiplex PCR based on a comprehensive comparison of mitochondrial gene sequences with those of commonly edible and horned animals. Multiplex PCR conditions were optimized by considering the concentration of components and the annealing temperatures for each set of species-specific primer pairs. A total of 220 bp amplicons were obtained for water buffalo, 269 bp for cattle, and 346 bp for yak. Validation measures were used to eliminate interference from other animal sources. Simultaneous identification of the three species in a single assay presents substantial advantages over conventional species-specific PCR methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The perovskite-type hydride compounds are potential candidate materials in the field of hydrogen storage. This paper presents a systematical study of XTiH 3 (X = K, Rb, Cs) using density functional theory. The analysis of formation energy, elastic properties and phonon dispersion curves indicate that all the studied materials are thermodynamically, mechanically and dynamically stable. By analyzing the B/G ratio, it is determined that these compounds are brittle materials. The electronic properties reveal that the XTiH 3 compounds exhibit semi-metallic characteristics. The charge transfer characteristics of these compounds were analyzed using Bader partial charges. Moreover, the thermodynamic characteristics of these compounds were investigated and the dependence of their free energy, entropy and heat capacity on the temperature were analyzed. Finally, the gravimetric hydrogen storage capacities of KTiH 3 , RbTiH 3 and CsTiH 3 were calculated to be 3.36, 2.22 and 1.65 wt%, respectively. The hydrogen desorption temperatures of KTiH 3 , RbTiH 3 and CsTiH 3 were found to be 209 K, 161 K and 107 K, respectively. To our knowledge, this study represents the very first investigation of XTiH 3 compounds and offers valuable references to this hydrogen storage material. [Display omitted] • XTiH 3 (X = K, Rb, Cs) perovskite have been investigated using first-principles. • XTiH 3 perovskite exhibit thermodynamic, mechanical and dynamical stability. • The gravimetric hydrogen storage capacity is found to be 3.36 wt% for KTiH 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitochondrial‐rich cells (MRCs) are one of the most significant canceled type of epithelial cells. Morphologically these cells are totally different from other epithelial cells. These cells primarily implicated in sea‐water and fresh‐water adaptation, and acid–base regulation. However, in this review paper, we explored some of the most intriguing biological and immune‐related functional developmental networks of MRCs. The main pinpoint, MRCs perform a dynamic osmoregulatory and immunological functional role in the gut and male reproductive system. The Na+/K+_ATPase (NKA) and Na+/K+/2Cl cotransporter (NKCC) are key acidifying proteins of MRCs for the ion‐transporting function for intestinal homeostasis and maintenance of acidifying the luminal microenvironment in the male reproductive system. Further more importantly, MRCs play a novel immunological role through the exocrine secretion of nano‐scale exosomes and multivesicular bodies (MVBs) pathway, which is very essential for sperm maturation, motility, acrosome reaction, and male sex hormones, and these an essential events to produce male gametes with optimal fertilizing ability. This effort is expected to promote the novel immunological role of MRCs, which might be essential for nano‐scale exosome secretion. Highlights: Mitochondrial rich cells (MRCs) are mostly observed in the fish and reptiles MRCs are canceled type of epithelial cells.MRCs perform biological and immunological advance networks.MRCs secret acidifying proteins in the male reproductive system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Swarm intelligence optimization algorithm has been proved to perform well in the field of parameter optimization. In order to further improve the performance of intelligent optimization algorithm, this paper proposes an improved and adaptive tunicate swarm algorithm (IMATSA) based on tunicate swarm algorithm (TSA). IMATSA improves TSA in the following four aspects: population diversity, local search convergence speed, jumping out of local optimal position, and balancing global and local search. Firstly, IMATSA adopts Tent map and quadratic interpolation to initialize population and enhance the diversity. Secondly, IMATSA uses Golden-Sine algorithm to accelerate the convergence of local search. Thirdly, in the process of global development, IMATSA adopts Levy flight and the improved Gauss disturbance method to adaptively improves and coordinates the ability of global development and local search. Then, this paper verifies the performance of IMATSA based on 14 benchmark functions experiment, ablation experiment, parameter optimization experiments of Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Gradient Boosting Decision Tree (GBDT), Wilcoxon signed rank test and image multi-threshold segmentation experiment with the performance metrics are convergence speed, convergence value, significance level P-value, Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) and Standard Deviation (STD). Experimental results show that IMATSA performs better in three kinds of benchmark functions; each component of IMATSA has a positive effect on the performance; IMATSA performs better in parameter optimization experiments of SVM experiment and GBDT; there is significant difference between IMATSA and other algorithms by Wilcoxon signed rank test; in image segmentation, the performance is directly proportional to the number of thresholds, and compared with other algorithms, IMATSA has better comprehensive performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is an opportunistic infection antigen in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. However, this phenomenon has received limited attention from epidemiologists. Our study aims to determine the HSV infection risk in SOT recipients. This was a nationwide population-based cross-sectional study based on the National Health Insurance Research Database from 2002 to 2015. We used propensity score matching to avoid selection bias and analyzed the association between HSV infection and SOT recipients with multiple logistic regression analysis. At a 3-year follow-up, SOT recipients had a higher risk of developing HSV, with an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 3.28 (95% confidence interval (CI), 2.51–4.29). Moreover, at 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year follow-ups, SOT recipients also had an increased risk of HSV than general patients with aORs of 3.85 (95% CI, 2.29–6.49), 4.27 (95% CI, 2.86–6.36), and 3.73 (95% CI, 2.74–5.08), respectively. In the subgroup analysis, lung transplant recipients (aOR = 8.01; 95% CI, 2.39–26.88) exhibited a significantly higher chance of HSV among SOT recipients, followed by kidney transplant recipients (aOR = 3.33; 95% CI, 2.11–5.25) and liver transplant recipients (aOR = 3.15; 95% CI, 2.28–4.34). HSV can develop at any time after organ transplantation. SOT recipients had a higher risk of HSV infection than the general population at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years after transplantation, with the highest chance at 1 year after. In addition, the patients who underwent lung transplantion were at higher risk for HSV infection than liver or kidney transplant recipients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Rate constants for reaction of 3-methylhexane and 2-methylheptane with Cl atoms were obtained. • Gas-phase products, particle-phase products, and SOA yield of 3-methylhexane and 2-methylheptane with Cl atoms were analyzed. • The reaction mechanism and atmosphere lifetime of several mono-methyl branched alkanes were deduced. Branched alkanes are ubiquitous in the troposphere and play an important role in the chemical processes. In this work, the rate constants and products for the reaction of Cl atoms with 3-methylhexane and 2-methylheptane were measured at room temperature (298 ± 0.2 K) and atmospheric pressure using a conventional relative rate method. The rate constants of 3-methylhexane and 2-methylheptane in units of cm3/(mol·sec) are (3.09 ± 0.31) × 10−10 and (3.67 ± 0.40) × 10−10, respectively. Furthermore, the corresponding atmospheric lifetime of the studied branched alkanes with Cl was 6.92-89.90 hours and 5.82-75.69 hours, respectively. The estimated atmospheric lifetimes indicated that the reaction with Cl atoms could be the most important atmospheric degradation pathway for 3-methylhexane and 2-methylheptane. Primary gas-phase products of the reactions were identified and quantified, and particle-phase products were also obtained. The atmosphere oxidation mechanism of Cl atoms with 3-methylhexane and 2-methylheptane is proposed. The SOA yields of 3-methylhexane and 2-methylheptane from the reaction of Cl atoms were determined to be 7.96% ± 0.89% and 13.35% ± 1.50% respectively. Overall, the results reveal that the primary loss process of branched alkanes is the reaction with Cl atoms, which impacts its degradation on a regional scale. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multicomponent supramolecular block copolymers (BCPs) have attracted much attention due to their potential functionalities, but examples of three‐component supramolecular BCPs are rare. Herein, we report the synthesis of three‐component multiblock 1D supramolecular copolymers of Ir(III) complexes 1–3 by a sequential seeded supramolecular polymerization approach. Precise control over the kinetically trapped species via the pathway complexity of the monomers is the key to the successful synthesis of BCPs with up to 9 blocks. Furthermore, 5‐block BCPs with different sequences could be synthesized by changing the addition order of the kinetic species during a sequentially seeded process. The corresponding heterogeneous nucleation‐elongation process has been confirmed by the UV/Vis absorption spectra, and each segment of the multiblock copolymers could be characterized by both TEM and SEM. Interestingly, the energy transfer leads to weakened emission of 1‐terminated and enhanced emission of 3‐terminated BCPs. This study will be an important step in advancing the synthesis and properties of three‐component BCPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multicomponent supramolecular block copolymers (BCPs) have attracted much attention due to their potential functionalities, but examples of three‐component supramolecular BCPs are rare. Herein, we report the synthesis of three‐component multiblock 1D supramolecular copolymers of Ir(III) complexes 1–3 by a sequential seeded supramolecular polymerization approach. Precise control over the kinetically trapped species via the pathway complexity of the monomers is the key to the successful synthesis of BCPs with up to 9 blocks. Furthermore, 5‐block BCPs with different sequences could be synthesized by changing the addition order of the kinetic species during a sequentially seeded process. The corresponding heterogeneous nucleation‐elongation process has been confirmed by the UV/Vis absorption spectra, and each segment of the multiblock copolymers could be characterized by both TEM and SEM. Interestingly, the energy transfer leads to weakened emission of 1‐terminated and enhanced emission of 3‐terminated BCPs. This study will be an important step in advancing the synthesis and properties of three‐component BCPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Shigella flexneri (S. flexneri) is a common intestinal pathogenic bacteria that mainly causes bacillary dysentery, especially in low socioeconomic countries. This study aimed to apply cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) on S. flexneri directly to achieve rapid, efficient and environmentally friendly sterilization. Methods: The operating parameters of the equipment were determined by plasma diagnostics. The plate count and transmission electron microscope were employed to calculate bacterial mortality rates and observe the morphological damage of bacterial cells. Measurement of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and superoxide anions were detected by 2,7-dichlorodihydrofluorescein (DCFH) and Dihydroethidium fluorescence probes, respectively. The fluorescence intensity (a. u.) reflects the relative contents. Additionally, the experiment about the single effect of temperature, ultraviolet (UV), and ROS on bacteria was conducted. Results: The peak discharge voltage and current during plasma operation were 3.92kV and 66mA. After discharge, the bacterial mortality rate of 10, 20, 30 and 40 s of plasma treatment was 60.71%, 74.02%, 88.11% and 98.76%, respectively. It was shown that the intracellular ROS content was proportional to the plasma treatment time and ROS was the major contributor to bacterial death. Conclusion: In summary, our results illustrated that the plasma treatment could inactivate S. flexneri efficiently, and the ROS produced by plasma is the leading cause of bacterial mortality. This highly efficient sterilization method renders plasma a highly promising solution for hospitals, clinics, and daily life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is a big country in the production and consumption of edible fungi, and the production and processing of by-product fungus bran has a huge output. The fungus bran is rich in crude fiber, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Na, Mn, Zn, Cu and other elements, and also contains polysaccharides, flavonoids, xylooligosaccharides, laccase, peroxidase, melanin, cordycepin and other active functional ingredients. If heavy metal, mycotoxin, pesticide residues and harmful microbial content meet the limit requirements, the fungus bran has the potential to be developed into a new type of feed for ruminants. After fermentation, probiotics were introduced into the fungus bran, which enriched the chemical and active components of the fungus bran, greatly improved the palatability, and further increased the applicability of the fungus bran as feed. In the paper, the nutritional composition, safety and application of various common fungi in ruminant breeding were discussed, so as to provide reference for the research and application of fungus bran feed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Clinical Message: Parathyroid lipoadenoma is a rare type of parathyroid adenoma, described as a single parathyroid adenoma with more than 50% fat on histologic examination and an unknown etiology, which is one of the rare causes of primary hyperparathyroidism. The difficulty of parathyroid lipoadenoma is mainly diagnosed by preoperative imaging localization. We hope to arouse attention to the parathyroid adenoma which is difficult to locate through our case report. The patient was a middle‐aged male with a body mass index of 38.4 kg/m2 who admitted to our hospital with a 40‐day history of an untreated thyroid nodule. We incidentally discovered parathyroid lipoadenoma in his thyroid surgery. His prognosis was good, and there were no signs of recurrence at his 12‐month follow‐up appointment. We believe that parathyroid lipoadenoma needs to rely on paraffin pathology to make a final diagnosis. This case report serves as a reminder that parathyroid lipoadenomas are also possible in patients who do not have primary hyperparathyroidism preoperatively and who have negative imaging. Clinicians must carefully examine the adipose tissue for the presence of parathyroid lipoadenomas during thyroid surgery to avoid postoperative hypoparathyroidism and persistent hypocalcaemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global tobacco industry has made significant strides in reducing the harmful emissions of tobacco by focusing on the development of non-burning cigarette products. Among these innovations, electrically heated noncombustible cigarette smoking sets have garnered attention. However, one of the challenges faced by these products is the reliance on empirical values for temperature control, resulting in subpar taste and low production rates. To address these issues, this research introduces an optimization strategy that utilizes advanced algorithms such as Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and traditional non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm-II (NSGA-II). By leveraging these algorithms, this study aims to optimize the performance of electrically heated noncombustible cigarette smoking sets. The research methodology encompasses a comprehensive review of relevant literature and the systematic introduction of a simulation method. Through the proposed approach, a finite element model verification is conducted, which demonstrates a minimal maximum relative error between the model values of the objective function and the simulation values of the optimized parameters. As a result, this multi-objective optimization approach proves to be highly effective in enhancing the performance of electromagnetic cigarette heaters. It not only addresses the taste and production rate issues associated with existing electrically heated noncombustible cigarette smoking sets but also provides a scientifically grounded method for optimizing these devices. This research paves the way for further advancements in the tobacco industry, contributing to the development of safer and more satisfying alternatives to traditional cigarettes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been over half a century since the discovery of hepatitis B virus (HBV) to now, but approximately 300 million patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) still live in the world, resulting in about one million deaths every year. Although currently approved antivirals (e.g., nucleoside analogues) are effective at reducing HBV replication, they have almost no impact on the existing HBV covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) reservoir. HBV cccDNA is a critical obstacle to the complete elimination of the virus via antiviral therapy. The true cure of HBV infection requires the eradication of viral cccDNA from HBV-infected cells; thus, the development of new agents directly or indirectly targeting HBV cccDNA is urgently needed due to the limitations of current available drugs against HBV infection. In this regard, it is the major focus of current anti-HBV research worldwide via different mechanisms to either inactivate/inhibit (functional cure) or eliminate (complete cure) HBV cccDNA. Therefore, this review discussed and summarized recent advances and challenges in efforts to inactivate/silence or eliminate viral cccDNA using anti-HBV agents from different sources, such as small molecules (including epigenetic drugs) and polypeptides/proteins, and siRNA or gene-editing approaches targeting/attenuating HBV cccDNA via different mechanisms, as well as future directions that may be considered in efforts to truly cure chronic HBV infection. In conclusion, no breakthrough has been made yet in attenuating HBV cccDNA, although a number of candidates have advanced into the phase of clinical trials. Furthermore, the overwhelming majority of the candidates function to indirectly target HBV cccDNA. No outstanding candidate directly targets HBV cccDNA. Relatively speaking, CCC_R08 and nitazoxanide may be some of the most promising agents to clear HBV infection in small molecule compounds. Additionally, CRISPR-Cas9 systems can directly target HBV cccDNA for decay and demonstrate significant anti-HBV activity. Consequently, gene-editing approaches targeting HBV cccDNA may be one of the most promising means to achieve the core goal of anti-HBV therapeutic strategies. In short, more basic studies on HBV infection need to be carried out to overcome these challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]