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The weighted mean temperature ( Tm) is a critical parameter for precipitable water vapor (PWV) retrieval in global navigation satellite system (GNSS) meteorology. Reanalysis data are an important data source for Tm calculation and Tm empirical model establishment. This study uses radiosonde data to evaluate the accuracy and the spatiotemporal variation of Tm that is derived from four reanalysis data, namely, the release of the fifth-generation accurate global atmospheric reanalysis (ERA5), the modern-era retrospective analysis for research and applications version 2 (MERRA-2), the NCEP/DOE, and the NCEP/NCAR, from 2005 to 2019 in Greenland, due to the paucity of research on the performance of Tm in the polar region that is derived from reanalysis data, particularly on a long temporal scale. The results were as follows: (1) The 15-year mean bias errors (MBEs) and root mean square errors (RMSEs) of Tm that were obtained from the four reanalysis data are 0.267 and 0.691 K for the ERA5, −0.247 and 0.962 K for the MERRA-2, 0.192 and 1.148 K for the NCEP/DOE, and −0.069 and 1.37 K for the NCEP/NCAR. The Tm that was derived from the ERA5 (ERA5 Tm) has the highest accuracy, followed by the MERRA-2 Tm, the NCEP/DOE Tm, and the NCEP/NCAR Tm. (2) In the inter-annual stability of the Tm precision compared with the radiosonde data, the results of the ERA5 are the most stable, followed by the NCEP/DOE Tm, the NCEP/NCAR Tm, and the MERRA-2 Tm. The ERA5 Tm have improved from 2005 to 2019. (3) The Tm accuracy that was computed by the four reanalysis data exhibits significant seasonal variation characteristics in Greenland, as follows: the summer and the autumn accuracy is higher than that in the winter and the spring, which may be related to the variation of the surface temperature (Ts) accuracy. (4) The Tm that was estimated from the four reanalysis data exhibits a consistent spatial distribution, as follows: the Tm is smaller in the middle region of Greenland and is greater at the island’s edge. The comparative study of Tm that is obtained from the four reanalysis data can serve as a reference for future research on Tm model development and water vapor retrieval in polar regions by utilizing reanalysis data.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is one of the most common head and neck cancers. Early diagnosis plays a critical role in the treatment of NPC. To aid diagnosis, deep learning methods can provide interpretable clues for identifying NPC from magnetic resonance images (MRI). To identify the optimal models, we compared the discrimination performance of hierarchical and simple layered convolutional neural networks (CNN). Retrospectively, we collected the MRI images of patients and manually built the tailored NPC image dataset. We examined the performance of the representative CNN models including shallow CNN, ResNet50, ResNet101, and EfficientNet-B7. By fine-tuning, shallow CNN, ResNet50, ResNet101, and EfficientNet-B7 achieved the precision of 72.2%, 94.4%, 92.6%, and 88.4%, displaying the superiority of deep hierarchical neural networks. Among the examined models, ResNet50 with pre-trained weights demonstrated the best classification performance over other types of CNN with accuracy, precision, and an F1-score of 0.93, 0.94, and 0.93, respectively. The fine-tuned ResNet50 achieved the highest prediction performance and can be used as a potential tool for aiding the diagnosis of NPC tumors.

Cerebral radiation necrosis (RN), a complication of Gamma Knife radiosurgery, is difficult to treat, although bevacizumab seems to be effective. However, clinical data pertaining to bevacizumab treatment for RN are scarce, and its high price is problematic. This study explored the effectiveness of low-dose bevacizumab for RN caused by Gamma Knife. We retrospectively analyzed 22 patients who suffered cerebral RN post-Gamma Knife, and received bevacizumab treatment because of the poor efficacy of glucocorticoids. Low-dose bevacizumab (3 mg/kg) was administered for two cycles at 2-week intervals. T1- and T2-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images were examined for changes in RN status. We also monitored the dose of glucocorticoid, Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) score, and adverse drug reactions. The mean volume of RN lesions decreased by 45% on T1-weighted images with contrast enhancement, and by 74% on T2-weighted images. All patients discontinued the use of glucocorticoids. According to the KPS scores, all patients showed an improvement in their symptoms and neurological function. No side effects were observed. Low-dosage bevacizumab at a dose of 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks is effective for treating cerebral RN after Gamma knife for brain metastases.

Diaporthe species are significant pathogens, saprobes, and endophytes, with comprehensive host association and geographic distribution. These fungi cause severe dieback, cankers, leaf spots, blights, and stem-end rot of fruits on different plant hosts. This study, explored the occurrence, diversity and pathogenicity of Diaporthe spp. associated with Actinidia chinensis and A. deliciosa in the main kiwifruit production areas of China. Diaporthe isolates (284) derived from 106 diseased leaf and branch samples were examined. Multi-locus phylogenetic analyses and morphology of 43 representative isolates revealed that seven Diaporthe species were obtained, including D. alangii, D. compactum, D. eres, D. hongkongensis, D. sojae, D. tectonae, and D. unshiuensis. Pathogenicity tests were performed on kiwifruit fruits, leaves and branches. Koch’s postulates confirmed all species were pathogenic. D. alangii and D. tectonae were the most aggressive species, followed by D. eres, D. sojae, D. hongkongensis, D. unshiuensis, and D. compactum. Host range evaluation showed that the seven Diaporthe species could also infect apricot, apple, peach, pear, and plum. This is the first report of D. alangii, D. compactum, D. sojae, D. tectonae, and D. unshiuensis infecting kiwifruit in China, increasing understanding of the Diaporthe complex causing diseases of kiwifruit plants, to assist effective disease management.

The viscoelastic property of pile-soil interactions is modeled by fractional derivative method and is used to characterize the structural dynamics of pile and rheological behavior of a thawing frozen soil. A study of the thawing frozen soil impacts on pile structure’s dynamic characteristic is carried out. The frequency spectrum analysis and empirical modal decomposition are used to identify the pile structure dynamic properties. The rocking mode vibration in which pile behaviors like rigid body supported by viscoelastic soil is extracted to capture the viscoelastic property of pile-soil interactions. The rocking mode exhibiting time-varying frequency features is modeled with fractional derivative model and the fractional derivative order is identified. This study proposes a quick and reliable method to identify the viscoelastic property of pile-soil interactions.

Background: Increasing attention has been attracted by the role of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in ocular diseases. Previous study has revealed that circ_0005941 (also known as circFTO, an alpha-ketoglutarate–dependent dioxygenase) was upregulated in the vitreous humor of diabetic retinopathy (DR), while its underlying mechanism in DR remains unknown.Methods: Retinal vascular endothelial cells (RVECs) treated with high glucose (HG) were used to establish the DR cell model. The in vivo assays were conducted using streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. The circular structure and stability of circFTO were identified by Sanger sequencing and RNase R treatment. RT-qPCR analysis was used to detect the RNA expression. The levels of the mRNA-encoded protein thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) or angiogenesis-associated proteins (VEGFA, PDGF, and ANG2) and blood–retinal barrier (BRB)-related proteins (ZO-1, Occludin, and Claudin-5) were measured by Western blot. The viability of RVECs was measured using CCK-8 assays. The angiogenesis of RVECs was assessed using tube formation assays in vitro. Endothelial permeability assays were conducted to examine the function of the BRB. The binding between genes was explored using RNA pulldown and luciferase reporter assays.Results: CircFTO was upregulated in HG-treated RVECs. CircFTO deficiency reversed the HG-induced increase in the viability and angiogenesis of RVECs and alleviated HG-mediated impairment of the BRB. MiR-128-3p bound with circFTO and was downregulated in HG-treated RVECs. TXNIP was a downstream target gene of miR-128-3p. TXNIP was highly expressed in the DR cell model. Rescue assays revealed that circFTO promoted angiogenesis and impaired the blood–retinal barrier by upregulating TXNIP. In the DR mouse model, circFTO silencing inhibited angiogenesis and promoted BRB recovery in vivo.Conclusion: CircFTO promotes angiogenesis and impairs the blood–retinal barrier in vitro and in vivo by binding with miR-128-3p to upregulate TXNIP in DR.

BackgroundMicrosurgical Transcranial approach (mTCA) is the primary choice for the resection of giant Tuberculum Sellae Meningiomas (TSM). The objective of this study is to explore surgical details of unilateral subfrontal approach.MethodsTen patients with giant TSM treated by unilateral subfrontal approach were included from January 2018 to June 2021. Demographic characteristics, surgical data, post-procedure complications and outcomes of patients have been descriptive analyzed, combined with systematic literature review to explore the surgical details and the prognosis of unilateral subfrontal approach.ResultsTen patients include six male and four females, age range from 35 to 77 years, duration of visual impairment from 1 to 12 months, were all performed unilateral subfrontal approach. Nine patients achieved radical resection (Simpson grades I-II) through post-operative imaging confirmation, and Simpson IV resection was performed in the remaining one due to cavernous sinus invasion. The postoperative visual acuity was improved or maintained in 8 patients. Visual acuity decreased in 2 cases, including 1 case of optic nerve atrophy and the other case of optic canal not opening. Five cases with frontal sinus opened were repaired during the operation and there was no postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leakage or intracranial infection. One patient suffered from postoperative anosmia, one patient developed left limb weakness, but their symptoms have improved in the follow-up.ConclusionSummarize the experience of our center and previous literature, unilateral forehead bottom craniotomy is a feasible surgical approach for giant tuberculum sellae meningioma. Intraoperative application of EC glue and pedicled fascia flap to repair the frontal sinus can prevent complications associated with frontal sinus opening. Optic canal unroofing has huge advantage in visual improvement.

In this study, we describe a novel positive, single-stranded (+ss) RNA mycovirus, named Botryosphaeria dothidea botrexvirus 1 (BdBV1), from a phytopathogenic fungus Botryosphaeria dothidea showing abnormal morphology and attenuated virulence. BdBV1 is phylogenetically related to Botrytis virus X (BotVX) and is the second potential member of the proposed genus Botrexvirus in the family Alphaflexiviridae. However, it differs from the monopartite BotVX in that BdBV1 possesses a bipartite genome comprised of two ssRNA segments (RNA1 and RNA2 with lengths of 5,035 and 1,063 nt, respectively). BdBV1 RNA1 and RNA2 encode putative RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and coat protein (CP) genes, which share significant identity with corresponding genes in both fungal and plant viruses. Moreover, open reading frames (ORFs) 2–4 of BdBV1 RNA1 shared no detectable identity with any known viral proteins. Immunosorbent electron microscopy (ISEM) analysis using an antibody against the virus CP generated in vitro revealed that BdBV1 is encapsidated in filamentous particles. A comparison of the biological effects of BdBV1 infection on symptoms and growth in isogenic lines of virus-free and virus-infected B. dothidea revealed that BdBV1 is probably involved in reduced growth and virulence of the host fungus. This study describes and characterizes a novel bipartite botrexvirus, which is closely related to uni- and multi-partite fungal and plant viruses and contributes useful information to a better understanding of virus evolution.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of covalently circular noncoding RNAs that have been extensively studied in recent years. Aging is a process related to functional decline that is regulated by signal transduction. An increasing number of studies suggest that circRNAs can regulate aging and multiple age-related diseases through their involvement in age-related signaling pathways. CircRNAs perform several biological functions, such as acting as miRNA sponges, directly interacting with proteins, and regulating transcription and translation to proteins or peptides. Herein, we summarize research progress on the biological functions of circRNAs in seven main age-related signaling pathways, namely, the insulin-insulin-like, PI3K-AKT, mTOR, AMPK, FOXO, p53, and NF-κB signaling pathways. In these pathways, circRNAs mainly function as miRNA sponges. In this review, we suggest that circRNAs are widely involved in the regulation of the main age-related pathways and are potential biomarkers for aging and age-related diseases.

Background: As there are no randomized trials comparing twice-daily with sequential hypofractionated (sequential hypo) radiotherapy regimens for limited-stage small-cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC). This study aimed to compare these two regimens for LS-SCLC by propensity score-matched analysis (PSM). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 108 LS-SCLC patients between January 2015 and July 2019. All patients received concurrent twice-daily or sequential hypo radiotherapy. The survival, failure patterns, and toxicities were evaluated before and after PSM. Results: Before PSM, multivariate analysis showed that patients treated with sequential hypo had a significantly better overall survival (OS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) (HR = 0.353, p = 0.009; HR = 0.483, p = 0.039, respectively). Total radiotherapy time ≥ 24 days and stage III (HR = 2.454, p = 0.004; HR = 2.310, p = 0.004, respectively) were poor prognostic indicators for OS. Patients with a total radiotherapy time ≥ 24 days and N2–3 were more likely to recur than others (HR = 1.774, p = 0.048; HR = 2.369, p = 0.047, respectively). N2–3 (HR = 3.032, p = 0.011) was a poor prognostic indicator for DMFS. After PSM, being aged ≥65 years was associated with poorer OS, relapse-free survival (RFS) and DMFS (p < 0.05). A total radiotherapy time of ≥24 days was a poor prognostic indicator for OS and RFS (HR = 2.671, p = 0.046; HR = 2.370, p = 0.054, respectively). Although there was no significant difference, the patients in the sequential hypo group had a trend towards a better OS. The failure pattern between the two groups showed no difference. More patients had grade 1–2 esophagitis in the twice-daily group (p = 0.001). Conclusions: After propensity matching, no difference was shown in survival and failure. The sequential hypo schedule was associated with comparable survival and less toxicity and may be used as an alternative to concurrent twice-daily regimens.

The need for a vehicle to perceive information about the external environmental as an independent intelligent individual has grown with the progress of intelligent driving from primary driver assistance to high-level autonomous driving. The ability of a common independent sensing unit to sense the external environment is limited by the sensor’s own characteristics and algorithm level. Hence, a common independent sensing unit fails to obtain comprehensive sensing information independently under conditions such as rain, fog, and night. Accordingly, an extended network-based fusion target detection algorithm for millimeter-wave radar and vision fusion is proposed in this work by combining the complementary perceptual performance of in-vehicle sensing elements, cost effectiveness, and maturity of independent detection technologies. Feature-level fusion is first used in this work according to the analysis of technical routes of the millimeter-wave radar and vision fusion. Training and test evaluation of the algorithm are carried out on the nuScenes dataset and test data from a homemade data acquisition platform. An extended investigation on the RetinaNet one-stage target detection algorithm based on the VGG-16+FPN backbone detection network is then conducted in this work to introduce millimeter-wave radar images as auxiliary information for visual image target detection. We use two-channel radar and three-channel visual images as inputs of the fusion network. We also propose an extended VGG-16 network applicable to millimeter-wave radar and visual fusion and an extended feature pyramid network. Test results showed that the mAP of the proposed network improves by 2.9% and the small target accuracy is enhanced by 18.73% compared with those of the reference network for pure visual image target detection. This finding verified the detection capability and algorithmic feasibility of the proposed extended fusion target detection network for visually insensitive targets.

The early detection and grading of gliomas is important for treatment decision and assessment of prognosis. Over the last decade numerous automated computer analysis tools have been proposed, which can potentially lead to more reliable and reproducible brain tumor diagnostic procedures. In this paper, we used the gradient-based features extracted from structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) images to depict the subtle changes within brains of patients with gliomas. Based on the gradient features, we proposed a novel two-phase classification framework for detection and grading of gliomas. In the first phase, the probability of each local feature being related to different types (e.g., diseased or healthy for detection, benign or malignant for grading) was calculated. Then the high-level feature representing the whole MRI image was generated by concatenating the membership probability of each local feature. In the second phase, the supervised classification algorithm was used to train a classifier based on the high-level features and patient labels of the training subjects. We applied this framework on the brain imaging data collected from Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University for glioma detection, and the public TCIA datasets including glioblastomas (WHO IV) and low-grade gliomas (WHO II and III) data for glioma grading. The experimental results showed that the gradient-based classification framework could be a promising tool for automatic diagnosis of brain tumors.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is a significant health threat. Health care worker (HCWs) are at a significant risk of infection which may cause high levels of psychological distress. The aim of this study was to investigate the psychological impact of the COVID-19 on HCWs and factors which were associated with these stresses during the first outbreak in Shanghai.Methods: Between February 9 and 21, 2020, a total of 3,114 frontline HCWs from 26 hospitals in Shanghai completed an online survey. The questionnaire included questions on their sociodemographic characteristics, 15 stress-related questions, and General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12). Exploratory factor analysis was applied to the 15 stress-related questions which produced four distinct factors for evaluation. Multiple linear regression models were performed to explore the association of personal characteristics with each score of the four factors. Binary logistic analysis was used to explain the association of personal characteristics and these four factors with the GHQ-12.Results: There were 2,691 valid surveys received. The prevalence of emotional distress (defined as GHQ-12 ≥ 12) was noted in 47.7% (95%CI:45.7–49.6%) HCWs. Females (OR = 1.43, 95%CI:1.09–1.86) were more likely to have a psychological distress than males. However, HCWs who work in secondary hospitals (OR = 0.71, 95% CI:0.58–0.87) or had a no contact history (OR = 0.45, 95%CI: 0.35–0.58) were less likely to suffer psychological distress. HCWs who were nurses, married, and had a known contact history were highly likely to have anxiety. HCWs working at tertiary hospitals felt an elevated anxiety regarding the infection, a lack of knowledge, and less protected compared to those who worked at secondary hospitals.Conclusions: Our study shows that the frontline HCWs had a significant psychosocial distress during the COVID-19 outbreak in Shanghai. HCWs felt a lack of knowledge and had feelings of being not protected. It is necessary for hospitals and governments to provide additional trainings and psychological counseling to support the first-line HCWs.

The piers of girder bridges have a very important role on the safety of the structural system to earthquakes. This paper addresses the seismic fragility of double-column (DC) bridge piers by focusing on the influence of the straining beams and the direction of seismic waves. The seismic capacity of eight DC piers with different number and position of straining beams is first studied by pushover analyses. These results are used to derive empirical formulas for the seismic capacity of general DC piers and to define damage indices for prescriptive damage states. Finite element models of typical girder bridges with the different piers are carried out next to assess the seismic demand of these piers and to generate fragility curves by comparing their seismic demand and damage indices at the defined damage states. Results indicate that: (1) DC piers are more vulnerable when subjected to longitudinal ground motions compared with the case of transverse inputs; (2) the damage probability of the piers for transverse seismic inputs decreases with the increasing relative height of the straining beams; and (3) DC piers with two straining beams have enhanced performance in the transverse direction compared with those with a single straining beam.

Abstract Throughout this article, the conundrum on finite-time cluster synchronization is investigated for time-varying delayed complex dynamical networks using a kind of new hybrid control scheme. In the light of Lyapunov stability theorem and finite-time control theory, the finite-time cluster synchronization criteria can be achieved. Besides, we introduce the distinction between cluster synchronization and complete synchronization, which is how to select the controlling nodes. We discuss the differences among cluster synchronization with time-varying delays, complete synchronization with time-varying delays, cluster synchronization with a single delay, and cluster synchronization without delay, which is on constructing Lyapunov functional and designing the finite-time hybrid controllers. Finally, numerical simulations are presented to demonstrate the availability of the theoretical consequences.

After publication of this supplement [1, 2], it was brought to our attention that due to an error authors were missing in the following abstracts. This has now been included in this correction.

The fixed-time cluster synchronization problem for a class of directed community networks with linear couplings and discontinuous nodes is investigated in this paper. First, by means of reduction to absurdity and mathematical induction, two new and vital differential equalities are proposed and proved to study the fixed-time stability. Besides, by designing periodically switching controllers and aperiodically adaptive switching controllers, as well as using the theory of differential inclusions, some fixed-time cluster synchronization criteria are derived in which the settling time function is bounded for any initial values. Finally, the numerical simulations are performed to show the feasibility and effectiveness of the control methodology by comparing with the corresponding finite-time synchronization problem.

To further improve the energy economy of a four-wheel independent drive electric vehicle (FWIDEV) in the process of vehicle stability control, in this paper, the influence of different wheel torque distributions on vehicle stability and energy economy during vehicle steering is analyzed in depth. Then the wheel torque distribution scheme when the vehicle steering is established. Combined with the economic-based torque distribution strategy applied in the straight running condition, an optimal wheel torque distribution strategy is proposed for FWIDEV to adapt different driving conditions. And the controller designed in this paper adopts hierarchical control structure. The upper controller calculate the corrective yaw moment based on the sliding mode control. The lower controller implements wheel torque distribution according to the proposed strategy. Finally, the simulation results under different driving scenarios indicate that the proposed control strategy can achieve the same effect as the conventional control strategy in terms of vehicle stability, but the energy economy is improved by about 2.4%.

This paper presents a parameter-identification method for rod structures with different connections. In this method, the parameters of the structure are adjusted to match its analytical and measured displacements. The damage identification for truss structure and rigid frame were investigated. Previous studies often considered the cross-sectional area damage or joint damage; there are few studies on the simultaneous existence of these two types of damage. In this study, damage identification for a rigid frame with both cross-sectional and joint damage was performed. Based on the measured displacements, the proposed method can accurately identify the cross-sectional and joint damage for a rigid frame.

Many consumers and scholars currently focus on driving assistance systems (DAS) and intelligent transportation technologies. The distance and speed measurement technology of the vehicle ahead is an important part of the DAS. Existing vehicle distance and speed estimation algorithms based on monocular cameras still have limitations, such as ignoring the relationship between the underlying features of vehicle speed and distance. A multi-cue fusion monocular velocity and ranging framework is proposed to improve the accuracy of monocular ranging and velocity measurement. We use the attention mechanism to fuse different feature information. The training method is used to jointly train the network through the distance velocity regression loss function and the depth loss as an auxiliary loss function. Finally, experimental validation is performed on the Tusimple dataset and the KITTI dataset. On the Tusimple dataset, the average speed mean square error of the proposed method is less than 0.496 m2/s2, and the average mean square error of the distance is 5.695 m2. On the KITTI dataset, the average velocity mean square error of our method is less than 0.40 m2/s2. In addition, we test in different scenarios and confirm the effectiveness of the network.

Botryosphaeria spp. are important phytopathogenic fungi that infect a wide range of woody plants, resulting in big losses worldwide each year. However, their pathogenetic mechanisms and the related virulence factors are rarely addressed. In this study, seven lignin peroxidase (LiP) paralogs were detected in Botryosphaeria kuwatsukai, named BkLiP1 to BkLiP7, respectively, while only BkLiP1 was identified as responsible for the vegetative growth and virulence of B. kuwatsukai as assessed in combination with knock-out, complementation, and overexpression approaches. Moreover, BkLiP1, with the aid of a signal peptide (SP), is translocated onto the cell wall of B. kuwatsukai and secreted into the apoplast space of plant cells as expressed in the leaves of Nicotiana benthamiana, which can behave as a microbe-associated molecular pattern (MAMP) to trigger the defense response of plants, including cell death, reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst, callose deposition, and immunity-related genes up-regulated. It supports the conclusion that BkLiP1 plays an important role in the virulence and vegetative growth of B. kuwatsukai and alternatively behaves as an MAMP to induce plant cell death used for the fungal version, which contributes to a better understanding of the pathogenetic mechanism of Botryosphaeria fungi.

The Brillouin Optical Time-Domain Analyzer assisted by the AdaBoost Algorithm for Brillouin frequency shift (BFS) extraction is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The Brillouin gain spectrum classification under different BFS is realized by iteratively updating the weak classifier in the form of a decision tree, forming several base classifiers and combining them into a strong classifier. Based on the pseudo-Voigt curve training set with noise, the performance of the AdaBoost Algorithm is studied, and the influence of different signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), frequency range, and frequency step is also studied. Results show that the performance of BFS extraction decreases with the decrease in SNR, the reduction in frequency range, and the increase in frequency step.

Abstract Resistance to regulated cell death is one of the hallmarks of human cancers; it maintains cell survival and significantly limits the effectiveness of conventional drug therapy. Leukemia represents a class of hematologic malignancies that is characterized by dysregulation of cell death pathways and treatment-related resistance. As the majority of chemotherapeutic and targeted drugs kill leukemia cells by triggering apoptosis, the observed resistance indicates the need for novel therapeutic strategies to reactivate nonapoptotic cell death programs in refractory leukemia. Necroptosis is a regulated form of necrosis that is precisely modulated by intracellular signaling pathways and thus provides potential molecular targets for rational therapeutic intervention. Indeed, accumulating evidence indicates that many current antitumor agents can activate necroptotic pathways and thereby induce leukemia cell death. Elucidation of the complete regulatory mechanism of necroptosis is expected to accelerate the development of novel therapeutic strategies for overcoming apoptosis resistance in leukemia. Here, we review the latest research advances in the regulatory mechanisms of necroptosis and summarize the progression of necroptosis-based therapeutic strategies in leukemia.

BACKGROUND The Omixia nephrite deposit is located in the middle West Kunlun Orogenic belt. The deposit is hosted in Mg-skarn between granite and magnesian marble. The deposit is large and has a long exploration and large scale, but the research on ore genesis and age remains lacking. OBJECTIVES To understand the genesis and upper age of the Omixia nephrite deposit by collecting and analyzing typical samples. METHODS Petrological and bulk rock methods are used to investigate the ore genesis, whereas the age of the deposit is constrained by LA-ICP-MS U-Pb zircon dating of nephrite. RESULTS Petrographic observation shows that nephrite formed at multiple stages. The REE patterns of the nephrite indicate low REE concentration with the average ∑REE of 7.228 μg/g, and strong negative Eu anomalies (δEu=0.58-0.73) with declined LREE and flat HREE. Zircon in nephrite has 206Pb/238U ages ranging from 411.1±5.3 Ma to 489.6±10.5 Ma. CONCLUSIONS Omixia nephrite deposit is a typical contact metasomatic Mg-skarn nephrite deposit. The formation of gem-grade nephrite jade has undergone multiple processes, tremolite mineralization, diapolitization, fine granulation, and recrystallization. The formation age of this nephrite deposit is similar to other nephrite deposits in West Kunlun, and they are formed at the Late Caledonian and Early Hercynian. This study is helpful to understand the formation mechanism of nephrite in West Kunlun area of Xinjiang and provides new basic data for geological research in the West Kunlun.

Summary: The protein level of OCT4, a core pluripotency transcription factor, is vital for embryonic stem cell (ESC) maintenance, differentiation, and somatic cell reprogramming. However, how OCT4 protein levels are controlled during reprogramming remains largely unknown. Here, we identify ubiquitin conjugation sites of OCT4 and report that disruption of WWP2-catalyzed OCT4 ubiquitination or ablation of Wwp2 significantly promotes the efficiency of pluripotency induction from mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Mechanistically, disruption of WWP2-mediated OCT4 ubiquitination elevates OCT4 protein stability and H3K4 methylation level during the reprogramming process. Furthermore, we reveal that OCT4 directly activates expression of Ash2l-b, and that ASH2L-B is a major isoform of ASH2L highly expressed in ESCs and required for somatic cell reprogramming. Together, this study emphasizes the importance of ubiquitination manipulation of the reprogramming factor and its interplay with the epigenetic regulator for successful reprogramming, opening a new avenue to improve the efficiency of pluripotency induction. : In this article, Liao and colleagues show that five lysine residues are major ubiquitination sites of OCT4 catalyzed by WWP2, and that disruption of WWP2-catalyzed OCT4 ubiquitination or ablation of Wwp2 significantly promotes the efficiency of pluripotency induction. Mechanistically, disruption of WWP2-mediated OCT4 ubiquitination elevates OCT4 protein stability and H3K4 methylation level during the reprogramming process. Keywords: Oct4, pluripotency induction, protein stability, ASH2L, histone methylation, ubiquitination

Technology that measures bridge responses when a vehicle is crossing over it for structural health monitoring has been under development for approximately a decade. Most of the proposed methods are based on identification of the dynamic characteristics of a bridge such as the natural frequency, the mode shapes, and the damping. Specifically, many time–frequency domain approaches have been used to extract complex spectrum signatures from the complicated vibrations of a bridge due to the interactions of a vehicle with the bridge, which usually involves nonlinear, nonstationary, stochastic, and impact vibrations. In this paper, a method known as complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise is applied for the first time to analyze the acceleration response of a bridge to a moving vehicle, and the purpose is to extract the spectrum signature of the vehicle–bridge response for structural health monitoring. The time–frequency Hilbert-Huang transform (HHT) spectrum of the decomposed mode from complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise is presented. The results are well-correlated with finite element analysis. The advantages of the complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise method are demonstrated in comparing the data from conventional methods, including power spectra, spectrograms, scalograms, and empirical mode decomposition.

Shared autonomous vehicles (SAVs) are rapidly emerging as a viable alternative form of public transportation with the potential to provide adequate and user-friendly, on-demand services without having vehicle ownership. It has been argued that SAVs could revolutionize transportation systems and our current way of life. Although SAVs are likely to be introduced in developed countries first, there is little doubt that they would also have a significant effect and enormous market in developing nations. This study aimed to investigate the factors that influence public acceptance of SAVs, as well as the current public attitude toward SAVs, in two developing countries, namely, Pakistan and China. A stated preference survey was conducted to understand respondents’ travel patterns, preferences, and sociodemographic data. A total of 910 valid responses were gathered: 551 from Lahore, Pakistan, and 359 from Dalian, China. A multinomial logit model and a mixed multinomial logit model with panel effect were used for data analysis. The results suggested that generic attributes, such as respondents’ waiting time, travel time, and travel cost were found to be significant in both cities. The results indicate that sociodemographic characteristics, such as education, income, travel frequency in a week, and people who had driver’s licenses, are significantly correlated with respondents’ interest in using SAV in Lahore. The results also showed that people who had a private car indicated a greater interest in SAVs in Dalian. The study provides a new perspective to understand the public preferences toward SAVs in developing countries with different economies and cultures, as well as a benchmark for policymakers to make effective policies for the future implementation of SAVs.

The atomization process of a liquid jet in supersonic crossflow with a Mach number of 1.94 was investigated numerically under the Eulerian-Lagrangian scheme. The droplet stripping process was calculated by the KH (Kelvin-Helmholtz) breakup model, and the secondary breakup due to the acceleration of shed droplets was calculated by the combination of the KH breakup model and the RT (Rayleigh-Taylor) breakup model. In our research, the existing KH-RT model was modified by optimizing the empirical constants incorporated in this model. Moreover, it was also found that the modified KH-RT breakup model is applied better to turbulent inflow of a liquid jet than laminar inflow concluded from the comparisons with experimental results. To validate the modified breakup model, three-dimensional spatial distribution and downstream distribution profiles of droplet properties of the liquid spray in the Ma=1.94 airflow were successfully predicted in our simulations. Eventually, abundant numerical cases under different operational conditions were launched to investigate the correlations of SMD (Sauter Mean Diameter) with the nozzle diameter as well as the airflow Mach number, and at the same time, modified multivariate power functions were developed to describe the correlations.

Small communities in remote areas of the United States often lack adequate water treatment services. Adsorption by granular activated carbon (GAC) is a vital drinking-water purification approach in small water treatment plants and point-of-entry and point-of-use systems. This study shows that rural communities can utilize a simple approach, thermal air oxidation (TAO), to produce their own GAC from locally available biomass materials. Unlike commercial GAC production processes that require high temperatures and activating gasses, activation of charcoals (biochars) by TAO can be achieved at moderate temperatures of 400‒500 °C without a regulated supply of activating gasses. After a brief TAO for 30‒40 min, charcoals/biochars showed significant increases in the surface area by up to 80-fold, oxygen-containing functional groups, porosity, and adsorption of test organic contaminants, including one anionic herbicide, two neutral triazine herbicides, and one natural estrogen. The GAC produced by the TAO process had a N2 B.E.T. surface area of up to approximately 850 m2/g, which is comparable to that of commercial GAC. The pore size distribution (PSD) of TAO-generated GAC was narrow and peaked at an approximate pore width of 0.8‒0.9 nm. Both the surface area and PSD were significantly affected by the conditions of TAO. GAC made from walnut/almond charcoals exhibited the highest adsorptivity, despite a relatively low surface area. This simple, innovative GAC production approach is suitable for use in small community- and household-scale applications, and therefore may benefit rural communities, water treatment professionals, farmers, and the GAC industry as a whole.

Embryo-endosperm interaction is the dominant process controlling grain filling, thus being crucial for yield and quality formation of the three most important cereals worldwide, rice, wheat, and maize. Fundamental science of functional genomics has uncovered several key genetic programs for embryo and endosperm development, but the interaction or communication between the two tissues is largely elusive. Further, the significance of this interaction for grain filling remains open. This review starts with the morphological and developmental aspects of rice grain, providing a spatial and temporal context. Then, it offers a comprehensive and integrative view of this intercompartmental interaction, focusing on (i) apoplastic nutrient flow from endosperm to the developing embryo, (ii) dependence of embryo development on endosperm, (iii) regulation of endosperm development by embryo, and (iv) bidirectional dialogues between embryo and endosperm. From perspective of embryo-endosperm interaction, the mechanisms underlying the complex quality traits are explored, with grain chalkiness as an example. The review ends with three open questions with scientific and agronomic importance that should be addressed in the future. Notably, current knowledge and future prospects of this hot research topic are reviewed from a viewpoint of crop physiology, which should be helpful for bridging the knowledge gap between the fundamental plant sciences and the practical technologies.