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In this research, the (2 + 1)-dimensional (D) variable-coefficient (VC) Caudrey–Dodd–Gibbon–Kotera–Sawada model used in soliton hypothesis and implemented by operating the Hirota bilinear scheme is studied. A few modern exact analytical outcomes containing interaction between a lump-two kink soliton, interaction between two-lump, the interaction between two-lump soliton, lump-periodic, and lump-three kink outcomes for the (2 + 1)-D VC Caudrey–Dodd–Gibbon–Kotera–Sawada equation by Maple Symbolic packages are obtained. By employing Hirota’s bilinear technique, the extended soliton solutions according to bilinear frame equation are received. For this model, the contemplated model can be got by multi-D binary Bell polynomials (bBPs). In addition, the analytical analysis of the high-order soliton outcomes to present the discipline of outcomes. The effect of the free parameters on the behavior of acquired figures of a few obtained solutions for the nonlinear rational exact cases was also discussed. The above technique could also be employed to get exact solutions for other nonlinear models in physics, applied mathematics, and engineering.

Yield to pedestrians has become a new trend of civilized transportation in the metropolis. In order to evaluate the influence of yield behavior on the comprehensive operation efficiency of signalized intersections in arterial, the efficiency of the subject who gives way and the subject who is given up in the process of yielding to pedestrians was considered in this study, and the comprehensive operation evaluation of intersection in arterial was given. First, based on the rule of pedestrians yield, the concept of a safe headway gap of pedestrians was introduced in the process of conflict analysis of traffic flows at the intersection, and 3 situations were discussed, which are no yield, yield to 1 flow and 2 flows, to calculate the departure rate of traffic flow at the intersection. Furthermore, models of 3 evaluation indices were established, which are number of people passing per unit time, average delay per people, and average yield number per people at intersection. Moreover, the entropy weight method was taken to decide the weight of these 3 indices, and to calculate the comprehensive efficiency evaluation of intersection operation, with the standardized matrix. Finally, case study work was carried out to evaluate the comprehensive efficiency of 4 types of intersections in arterial considering pedestrians yield rule, which is the intersection between arterial and arterial (IAA), intersection between arterial and subarterial (IAS), intersection with one-time (IAA-1, IAS-1), and two-time (IAA-2, IAS-2) crossing of pedestrians. The relevant results show that the impact of an increase in the number of pedestrians on the combined efficiency of arterial intersections can vary dramatically in different scenarios. Therefore, in the implementation process of “yielding to pedestrians,” the flow fluctuation characteristics and channelization of each intersection should be taken into account, and the corresponding phase changes should be based on pedestrian and vehicle volumes to improve the efficiency of all parts, such as pedestrians and drivers.

Abstract Hetero-element doped lithium orthosilicates have been considered as advanced tritium breeders due to the superior performances. In this work, Li4Si1−x Ti x O4 ceramics were prepared by proprietary hydrothermal process and multistage reactive sintering. The reaction mechanism of Li4Si1−x Ti x O4 was put forward. XRD and SEM analyses indicate that insertion of Ti leads to lattice expansion, which promotes the grain growth and changes the fracture mode. The compressive tests show that the crush load increases almost four times by increasing x from 0 to 0.2. However, the thermal conductivity and ionic conductivity are the best when x = 0.05 and x = 0.1, respectively. Thermal cycling stability of Li4Si1−x Ti x O4 pebbles was further appraised through investigating the changes of microstructure and crush load. After undergoing thermal cycling, the Li4Si1−x Ti x O4 still show higher crush load compared with Li4SiO4, despite Ti segregation in some samples. The x = 0.05 sample exhibits excellent thermal cycling stability. In summary, proper amount of Ti doping can improve the crush load, thermal and ionic conductivity, and thermal cycling stability of Li4SiO4.

Abstract Background Doxorubicin-loaded hollow gold nanospheres (Dox@HAuNS) are a promising technology for simultaneous trans-arterial tumor-targeted chemotherapy delivery and thermal ablation. We evaluated the efficacy of intra-arterial delivery of Dox@HAuNS followed by photothermal ablation (PTA) in a rabbit model of liver cancer. Adult New Zealand white rabbits (N = 25) were inoculated with VX2 tumors into the left lobe of the liver. The animals were then randomized to sham surgery (N = 5), PTA only (N = 3), Dox@HAuNS only (N = 5), HAuNS + PTA (N = 5), and Dox@HAuNS + PTA (N = 7). Nanoparticles were delivered as an emulsion with Lipiodol (Guerbet, France) via a trans-arterial approach. Following nanoparticle delivery, PTA was performed using an 808-nm fibered laser at 1.5 W for 3 min. Thermography during PTA demonstrated a sustained elevation in tumoral temperature in both HAuNS + laser and Dox@HAuNS + laser treatment groups relative to animals that underwent laser treatment without prior nanoparticle delivery. Results There was a significant decrease in tumor volumes in all three treatment arms relative to control arms (P = 0.004). Concentrations of intratumoral doxorubicin were significantly greater in animals treated with laser compared to those that were not treated with laser (P

ABSTRACT: In this paper, the models describing the charge transfer between two sand particles due to collisions are reviewed. By comparing the experimental results and the calculated results by the models carried on an individual particle due to a single collision, it indicates the Mosaic model is more reasonable to describe the collision charging mechanism. The Mosaic model cannot only describe the dependence of the collision charges on the relative collision speed and the particle size, but also reveal the relationship between the collision charges with the environmental temperature, the relative humidity and the material parameters, e.g., the absorption energy. Based on the Mosaic model, the model to describe the charges transfer due to multiple collisions is also developed, which can be used to calculate the charges carried by sand particles due to multiple collisions in the wind blown sand flux.

The aim of the present study was to determine the expression of MCP-1 in injured cartilage tissues, peripheral blood and synovial fluid from patients with cartilage injury of elbow joint of upper limbs, and try to understand its relationship with microRNA (miRNA or miR)-421. Twenty-eight patients and 26 healthy subjects were included. Injured cartilage tissues and peripheral blood were collected from all 28 patients. Synovial fluid was collected from 12 patients with elbow effusion. The expression of mRNA and miR-421 was determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR); the expression of MCP-1 protein in tissues, by western blotting; MCP-1 in serum or synovial fluid, by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Dual luciferase reporter assay was used to identify direct interaction between miR-421 and MCP-1. The migration of THP-1 cells was determined by transwell assay. The results showed that MCP-1 was elevated in patients with cartilage injury of elbow joint of upper limbs. By contrast, miR-421 was decreased. miR-421 could bind with the 3′-UTR seed region of MCP-1 mRNA to regulate its expression. Overexpression of miR-421 inhibited the expression of MCP-1 in HC-a cells, and the chemotaxis of THP-1 monocytes. This study demonstrates that the up-regulation of MCP-1 in injured cartilage tissues, serum and synovial fluid from patients with cartilage injury of elbow joint of upper limbs was related to the down-regulation of miR-421. In addition, miR-421 may affect the chemotaxis of monocytes via MCP-1, and regulate the local immune responses in injured cartilage site of elbow joint of upper limbs.

When the coils of wireless power transmission system based on a traditional topology is physically offset, the coupling coefficient between the coils will change significantly, which further leads to drastic changes in the output power of the system. This problem limits the application and promotion of wireless power transmission. In order to solve the problem of output power imbalance caused by coils' offset, this paper takes the wireless power transmission system of LCC-S type as an example, and proposes an optimization scheme for anti-offset performance based on the optimization design of compensation topology parameters. This scheme uses two freely adjustable variables K1 and K2 to optimize the design of the compensation network parameters of the wireless power transmission system, so that the system can automatically adjust the transmit current of the primary coil to maintain relatively stable output power. Finally, we build a 120W experimental prototype. When the lateral offset percentage δ of the coil is less than 35%, the maximum fluctuation rate of the output power of the system is kept within 10%, and the efficiency of the whole machine is kept above 81%.

Abstract Introduction Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging may allow for microscopic characterization of white matter degeneration in early stages of Alzheimer's disease. Methods Multishell Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired from 100 participants (40 cognitively normal, 38 with subjective cognitive decline, and 22 with mild cognitive impairment [MCI]). White matter microscopic degeneration in 27 major tracts of interest was assessed using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging, and q‐space imaging. Results Lower DTI fractional anisotropy and higher radial diffusivity were observed in the cingulum, thalamic radiation, and forceps major of participants with MCI. These tracts of interest also had the highest predictive power to discriminate groups. Diffusion metrics were associated with cognitive performance, particularly Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test immediate recall, with the highest association observed in participants with MCI. Discussion While DTI was the most sensitive, neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging and q‐space imaging complementarily characterized reduced axonal density accompanied with dispersed and less restricted white matter microstructures.

Atomically precise control over elemental distributions presents a challenge in the preparation of catalytic nanomaterials. Here the authors report Pt-Ru bimetallic dimer structures through atomic layer deposition process and identify the roles of Pt and Ru in hydrogen evolution reaction.

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are a large class of highly conserved chaperons, which play important roles in response to elevated temperature and other environmental stressors. In the present study, 5 HSP90 genes and 17 HSP70 genes were systematically characterized in spotted seabass (Lateolabrax maculatus). The evolutionary footprint of HSP genes was revealed via the analysis of phylogeny, chromosome location, and gene copy numbers. In addition, the gene structure features and the putative distribution of heat shock elements (HSEs) and hypoxia response elements (HREs) in the promoter regions were analyzed. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analyses results indicated the potential transcriptional regulation between the heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) and HSPs and a wide range of interactions among HSPs. Furthermore, quantitative (q)PCR was performed to detect the expression profiles of HSP90 and HSP70 genes in gill, liver, and muscle tissues after heat stress, meanwhile, the expression patterns in gills under alkalinity and hypoxia stresses were determined by analyzing RNA-Seq datasets. Results showed that after heat stress, most of the examined HSP genes were significantly upregulated in a tissue-specific and time-dependent manners, and hsp90aa1.1, hsp90aa1.2, hsp70.1, and hsp70.2 were the most intense responsive genes in all three tissues. In response to alkalinity stress, 11 out of 13 significantly regulated HSP genes exhibited suppressed expression patterns. Alternatively, among the 12 hypoxia-responsive-expressed HSP genes, 7 genes showed induced expressions, while hsp90aa1.2, hsp70.1, and hsp70.2 had more significant upregulated changes after hypoxic challenge. Our findings provide the essential basis for further functional studies of HSP genes in response to abiotic stresses in spotted seabass.

Currently, stretchable hydrogel has attracted great attention in the field of wearable flexible sensors. However, fabricating flexible hydrogel sensor simultaneously with superstretchability, high mechanical strength, remarkable self-healing ability, excellent anti-freezing and sensing features via a facile method remains a huge challenge. Herein, a fully physically linked poly(hydroxyethyl acrylamide)-gelatin-glycerol-lithium chloride (PHEAA-GE-Gl-LiCl) double network organohydrogel is prepared via a simple one-pot heating-cooling-photopolymerization method. The prepared PHEAA-GE-Gl-LiCl organohydrogel exhibits favorable stretchability (970%) and remarkable self-healing property. Meanwhile, due to the presence of glycerol and LiCl, the PHEAA-GE-Gl-LiCl organohydrogel possesses outstanding anti-freezing capability, it can maintain excellent stretchability (608%) and conductivity (0.102 S/m) even at −40°C. In addition, the PHEAA-GE-Gl-LiCl organohydrogel-based strain sensor is capable of repeatedly and stably detecting and monitoring both large-scale human motions and subtle physiological signals in a wide temperature range (from −40°C to 25°C). More importantly, the PHEAA-GE-Gl-LiCl organohydrogel-based sensor displays excellent strain sensitivity (GF = 13.16 at 500% strain), fast response time (300 ms), and outstanding repeatability. Based on these super characteristics, it is envisioned that PHEAA-GE-Gl-LiCl organohydrogel holds promising potentials as wearable strain sensor.

Damage detection and evaluation are concerns in structural health monitoring. Traditional damage detection techniques are inefficient because of the need for damage detection before evaluation. To address these problems, a novel crack location and degree detector based on YOLOX is proposed, which directly realizes damage detection and evaluation. Moreover, the detector presents a superior detection effect and speed to other advanced deep learning models. Additionally, rather than at the pixel level, the detection results are determined in actual scales according to resolution. The results demonstrate that the proposed model can detect and evaluate damage accurately and automatically.

Biochar application is an important measure to regulate SOC. However, the effects of biochar application on soil respiration and SOC fraction of the saline soil have been scarcely investigated. Therefore, in this study, we monitored the annual SOC, nutrients, temperature, water content, and respiration rate under three maize-straw-derived biochar application doses (0, 15, and 30 t∙hm−2). Biochar enriched the soil in terms of fast-acting potassium and phosphorus, alkali-hydrolyzable N, NO3−-N, and NH4+-N to varying degrees. One-time biochar application in the trial year continued to fertilizer retention in the following year. Mineral-associated organic carbon and SOC contents increased with time after biochar application, whereas the changes in particulate organic carbon content were the opposite; soil respiration rate was reduced by 7.7–14.7%, and the reduction increased with the dose as well in successive years. The soil respiration rate and soil temperature showed a significant linear correlation, but the application of a high amount of biochar reduced the correlation between the two. Considering the soil respiration rate and physicochemical properties, the best biochar application rate for saline soil is suggested to be 30 t∙hm−2. This study is of great significance for soil carbon sequestration, emission reduction in saline areas, and the realization of a “carbon peak” in the sense of farmland.

Lead-free all-inorganic halide materials with different Mn2+-based crystal structures (Cs3MnBr5 and CsMnBr3) were obtained using a convenient synthetic method. Cs3MnBr5 had a bright green emission (522 nm), with a unique single-exponential lifetime (τavg = 236 µs) and a high photoluminescence quantum yield (82 ± 5%). A red emission was observed in the case of the CsMnBr3 structure with a two-exponential fluorescence decay curve, and the lifetime was 1.418 µs (93%) and 18.328 µs (7%), respectively. By a judicious tuning of the synthetic conditions, a mixed phase of Cs3MnBr5/CsMnBr3 was also produced that emitted white light, covering almost the entire visible spectrum. White-light-emitting diodes (WLEDs) with color coordinates (0.4269, 0.4955), a color temperature of (3773 K), and a color rendering index (68) were then fabricated using the as-prepared powder of mixed phases of Cs3MnBr5/CsMnBr3 with a commercial UV LED chip (365 nm).

Macrophages are one of the essential components of the tumour microenvironment (TME) of many cancers and show complex heterogeneity and functions. More recent research has been focusing on the characterisation of tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs). Previously, our study demonstrated that caerin 1.1/1.9 peptides significantly improve the therapeutic efficacy of combined specific immunotherapy and immune checkpoint blockade in a murine transplantable tumour model (TC-1). In this study, the mice inoculated with TC-1 tumour were immunised differently. The TAMs were isolated using flow cytometry and characterised by cytokine ELISA. The survival rates of mice with different treatments containing caerin 1.1/19 were assessed comparatively, including those with/without macrophage depletion. The single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data of previous studies were integrated to further reveal the functions of TAMs with the treatments containing caerin 1.1/1.9. As a comparison, the TAMs of stage I and II cervical cancer patients were analysed using scRNA-seq analysis. We demonstrate that caerin induced tumour clearance is associated with infiltration of tumours by IL-12 secreting Ly6C+F4/80+ macrophages exhibiting enhanced IFN-α response signalling, renders animals resistant to further tumour challenge, which is lost after macrophage depletion. Our results indicate that caerin 1.1/1.9 treatment has great potential in improving current immunotherapy efficacy.

Recent innovations are increasingly recognizing applications in precision agricultural systems that use data science techniques as well as so-called machine learning techniques. Big data analytics have created various data-intensive decision-making opportunities. This study reviews the big data analysis practices in the agriculture industry to resolve various problems to provide prospects and exciting fields of application in China. In the successful implementation of precise farming, the high-volume and complicated data generated present challenges for the economic growth of China. Emerging deep learning techniques seem promising and must be reinvented to meet current challenges. Thus, this paper suggests a big data analytics agriculture monitoring system (BDA-AMS) to ensure the highly accurate prediction of crop yield in precision agriculture and economic management using a deep learning algorithm. The convolution neural network gathers the raw images from UAVs and performs early predictions of crop yield. The simulation analysis using an open-source agricultural dataset resulted in a high parameter–precision ratio (98.8%), high accuracy (98.9%), a better performance ratio (95.5%), an improved data transmission rate (97.8%), a reduced power consumption ratio (18.8%), and an enhanced weather forecasting ratio (94.8%), production density ratio (98.8%), and reliability ratio (98.6%) compared to the baseline models.

Based on precipitation data from 60 stations in South China (SC) and NCEP reanalysis data, the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory model (HYSPLIT_4.9) is used to analyze the difference of water vapor transport tracks, water vapor sources, and their precipitation contribution rate to frontal/monsoon precipitation, with four combinations of ENSO and PDO phase for a period of 53 years (1960–2012). The results show that: (1) For the frontal precipitation, in the Pacific Decadal Oscillation positive phase (PDO+), there is a great positive water vapor difference between ENSO+ (the positive ENSO phase) and ENSO− (the negative ENSO phase) over the tropical Indian Ocean (IO), the Bay of Bengal (BOB), the South China Sea (SCS) and the western Pacific (WP), the distribution of the difference is adjusted for PDO− (the negative PDO phase). For monsoon precipitation, when PDO and ENSO are in phase resonance, water vapor gathers over IO-BOB-SCS. (2) For the frontal precipitation, both PDO+ and PDO−, compare with ENSO+, more water vapor from SCS for ENSO−, but the southward water vapor transport anomaly over the western part of BOB-SCS-ocean east of the Philippines, which leads a decline in precipitation contribution rate of SCS water vapor. Both ENSO+ and ENSO−, compare with PDO−, more water vapor comes from IO-BOB for PDO+, but their precipitation contribution rates are lower. (3) For the summer monsoon precipitation, SCS and IO are important rain contributor sources. Regardless of the PDO phase, compared with ENSO+, there is more water vapor from the IO and WP for ENSO−, the easterly anomaly in the south of the stronger subtropical high brings more water vapor from WP to SC, the strong westerly anomalies in the IO-BOB-SCS increases IO water vapor transporting to SC, so water vapor precipitation contribution rates of IO and WP are higher. Both ENSO+ and ENSO−, compare with PDO−, more water vapor comes from SCS and EC for PDO+, but their precipitation contribution rates are lower. (4) The water vapor transport process of precipitation in PFS over SC is jointly affected by ENSO and PDO.

Cracks are the main damages of concrete structures. Since cracks may occur in areas that are difficult to reach, non-contact measurement technology is required to accurately measure the width of cracks. This study presents an innovative computer vision system combining a camera and laser rangefinder to measure crack width from any angle and at a long distance. To solve the problem of pixel distortion caused by non-vertical photographing, geometric transformation formulas that can calculate the unit pixel length of the image captured at any angle are proposed. The complexity of crack edge calculation and the imbalance of data in the image are other problems that affect measurement accuracy, and a combination of the improved U-net convolutional networks algorithm and Canny edge detection method is adopted to accurately extract the cracks. The measurement results on the different concrete wall indicate that the proposed system can measure the crack in a non-vertical position, and the proposed algorithm can extract the crack from different background images. Although the proposed system cannot achieve fully automated measurement, the results also confirm the ability to obtain the crack width accurately and conveniently.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to play important roles in livestock fecundity, and many lncRNAs that affect follicular development and reproductive diseases have been identified in the ovary. However, only a few of them have been functionally annotated and mechanistically validated. In this study, we identified a new lncRNA (lncGSAR) and investigated its effects on the proliferation and steroidogenesis of ovine granulosa cells (GCs). High concentrations of glucose (add 33.6 mM glucose) caused high expression of lncGSAR in GCs by regulating its stability, and lncGSAR overexpression promoted GCs proliferation, estrogen secretion, and inhibited progesterone secretion, whereas interference with lncGASR had the opposite effect. Next, we found that the RNA molecules of lncGSAR act on MiR-125b as competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA), and SREBP-cleavage-activating protein (SCAP) was verified as a target of MiR-125b. LncGASR overexpression increased the expression of SCAP, SREBP, and steroid hormone-related proteins, which can be attenuated by MiR-125b. Our results demonstrated that lncGSAR can act as a ceRNA to activate SCAP/SREBP signaling by sponging MiR-125b to regulate steroid hormone secretion in GCs. These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms of nutrient-regulated follicle development in ewes.

With the recent availability and upgrading of many emerging intestinal microbes sequencing technologies, our research on intestinal microbes is changing rapidly. A variety of investigations have found that intestinal microbes are essential for immune system regulation and energy metabolism homeostasis, which impacts many critical organs. The liver is the first organ to be traversed by the intestinal portal vein, and there is a strong bidirectional link between the liver and intestine. Many intestinal factors, such as intestinal microbes, bacterial composition, and intestinal bacterial metabolites, are deeply involved in liver homeostasis. Intestinal microbial dysbiosis and increased intestinal permeability are associated with the pathogenesis of many chronic liver diseases, such as alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), chronic hepatitis B (CHB), chronic hepatitis C (CHC), autoimmune liver disease (AIH) and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Intestinal permeability and dysbacteriosis often lead to Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and metabolites entering in serum. Then, Toll-like receptors activation in the liver induces the exposure of the intestine and liver to many small molecules with pro-inflammatory properties. And all of these eventually result in various liver diseases. In this paper, we have discussed the current evidence on the role of various intestinal microbes in different chronic liver diseases. As well as potential new therapeutic approaches are proposed in this review, such as antibiotics, probiotics, and prebiotics, which may have an improvement in liver diseases.

Abstract The development of highly efficient electrocatalysts toward the oxygen evolution reaction is imperative for advancing water splitting technology to generate clean hydrogen energy. Herein, a two dimensional (2D) nanosheet ammonium cobalt phosphate hydrate (NH4CoPO4·H2O) catalyst based on the earth‐abundant non‐noble metal is reported. When used for the challenging alkaline saline water electrolysis, the NH4CoPO4·H2O catalyst with the optimal thickness of 30 nm achieves current densities of 10 and 100 mA cm−2 at the record low overpotentials of 252 and 268 mV, respectively, while maintaining remarkable stability during the alkaline saline water oxidation at room temperature. X‐ray absorption fine spectra reveal that the activation of Co (II) ions (in NH4CoPO4·H2O) to Co (III) species constructs the electrocatalytic active sites. The 2D nanosheet morphology of NH4CoPO4·H2O provides a larger active surface area and more surface‐exposed active sites, which enable the nanosheet catalyst to facilitate the alkaline freshwater and simulated seawater oxidation with excellent activity. The facile and environmentally‐benign H2O‐mediated synthesis route under mild condition makes NH4CoPO4·H2O catalyst highly feasible for practical manufacturing. In comparison with noble metals, this novel electrocatalyst offers a cost‐effective alternative for economic saline water oxidation to advance water electrolysis technology.

Sintered silver (Ag) die-attach has attracted much attention in power systems with high power density and high operating temperature. In this paper, we proposed a novel surface modification method for Ag nanoparticles with organic amines as a coating agent for enhancing the pressureless sintering performance. This work systematically introduced the Ag nanoparticle modification process, Ag paste preparation, and sintering process and compared the changes in the sintering performance of Ag nanoparticles after modification with four different alkyl chain lengths of amines. The study showed that the sintered films of Ag nanoparticle pastes modified with n-octylamine (NOA) can achieve the lowest resistivity of the sintered film and the highest shear strength of the bonded joints. The resistivity of the sintered Ag film is affected by the grain size and microscopic morphology, and the strength of the bonded joints is also related to the sintering density and the amount of organic residues. The thermal behavior of the Ag particles coated with different amines is measured by thermal analysis. Finally, the mechanism of NOA-modified Ag nanoparticles to improve the sintering performance is proposed. This study can provide effective data and theoretical support for the further promotion and application of nano-Ag pressureless sintering.

The high-speed railway station symbol system, generated from regional culture translations, not only improves transfer efficiency but also reveals the area’s unique urban cultural context. In this study, we used an eye-tracking technique and virtual reality technology to examine the visual cognitive preferences of the existing cultural translation method used by the Beijing–Zhangjiakou high-speed railway. Then, considering the design and layout of the existing station symbol system, we analyzed the visual saliency of different elements such as images, words, and symbols in three types of spaces in the Taizicheng high-speed railway station. The experiment site was located in the physical laboratory of the School of Architecture and Design at Beijing Jiaotong University. A total of 94 students from different majors were selected to participate in the experiment, with 92 datapoints eventually being deemed valid. The experiment data showed the following. First, the overall significance ranking of three scenes in the Taizicheng station was: S1 (81.10%) > S2 (64.57%) > S3 (49.57%). The cognitive correctness rankings of the number positions of the three scenes were: S1: 5 > 2 > 3 > 1 = 4; S2: 4 > 2 > 3 > 1 > 5; S3: 1 > 3 > 2 > 5 > 4. Second, the significance ranking of the transliteration element in S1 was: Images > Words > Sculptures > Patterns > Colors; S2 was: Patterns > Colors > Words > Images > Sculptures; and S3 was: Colors > Images > Words > Patterns > Sculptures. The results underscore the validity of the Beijing–Zhangjiakou cultural translation and offer a reference for station layout and spatial optimization. Finally, they provide new ideas for the design and layout of station symbol systems.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest cancer types worldwide, with the lowest 5-year survival rate among all kinds of cancers. Histopathology image analysis is considered a gold standard for PDAC detection and diagnosis. However, the manual diagnosis used in current clinical practice is a tedious and time-consuming task and diagnosis concordance can be low. With the development of digital imaging and machine learning, several scholars have proposed PDAC analysis approaches based on feature extraction methods that rely on field knowledge. However, feature-based classification methods are applicable only to a specific problem and lack versatility, so that the deep-learning method is becoming a vital alternative to feature extraction. This paper proposes the first deep convolutional neural network architecture for classifying and segmenting pancreatic histopathological images on a relatively large WSI dataset. Our automatic patch-level approach achieved 95.3% classification accuracy and the WSI-level approach achieved 100%. Additionally, we visualized the classification and segmentation outcomes of histopathological images to determine which areas of an image are more important for PDAC identification. Experimental results demonstrate that our proposed model can effectively diagnose PDAC using histopathological images, which illustrates the potential of this practical application.

Maximum deviation global discrimination index (MDGDI) is a new item selection method for cognitive diagnostic computerized adaptive testing that allows for attribute coverage balance. We developed the maximum limitation global discrimination index (MLGDI) from MDGDI, which allows for both attribute coverage balance and item exposure control. MLGDI can realize the attribute coverage balance and exposure control of the item. Our simulation study aimed to evaluate the performance of our new method against maximum global discrimination index (GDI), modified maximum GDI (MMGDI), standardized weighted deviation GDI (SWDGDI), and constraint progressive with SWDGDI (CP_SWDGDI). The results indicated that (1a) under the condition of realizing the attribute coverage balance, MDGDI had the highest attribute classification accuracy; (1b) when the selection strategy accommodated the practical constraints of the attribute coverage balance and item exposure control, MLGDI had the highest attribute classification accuracy; (2) adding the item exposure control mechanism to the item selection method reduces the classification accuracy of the attributes of the item selection method; and (3) compared with GDI, MMGDI, SWDGDI, CP_SWDGDI, and MDGDI, MLGDI can better achieve the attribute-coverage requirement, control item exposure rate, and attribute correct classification rate.

Pt-based multimetallic nanorings with a hollow structure are attractive as advanced catalysts due to their fantastic structure feature. However, the general method for the synthesis of such unique nanostructures is still lack. Here we report the synthesis of Pd@PtM (M = Rh, Ni, Pd, Cu) multimetallic nanorings by selective epitaxial growth of Pt alloyed shells on the periphery of Pd nanoplates in combination with oxidative etching of partial Pd in the interior. In situ generation of CO and benzoic acid arising from interfacial catalytic reactions between Pd nanoplates and benzaldehyde are critical to achieve high-quality Pt-based multimetallic nanorings. Specifically, the in-situ generated CO promotes the formation of Pt alloyed shells and their epitaxial growth on Pd nanoplates. In addition, the as-formed benzoic acid and residual oxygen are responsible for selective oxidative etching of partial Pd in the interior. When evaluated as electrocatalysts, the Pd@PtRh nanorings exhibit remarkably enhanced activity and stability for ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) compared to the Pd@PtRh nanoplates and commercial Pt/C due to their hollow nanostructures.

This paper proposes a strategy to optimize the design of the substrate structures used in Additive Manufacturing (AM) by Directed Energy Deposition (DED) to minimize the residual stresses induced by this fabrication process. To this end, several numerical analyses were performed to analyse different substrate designs in order: (i) to reduce the sensitivity to the initial non-steady stage when the first layers of material are deposited, (ii) to optimize the heat flux through the substrate to reduce the Maximum Temperature Gradients (MTG) and, (iii) to modify the substrate stiffness and its mechanical constraining to the thermal deformations during the building process and the cooling phase. To ensure the reliability of the numerical simulations, an in-house software is calibrated to allow for an accurate analysis of DED. Thus, an experimental setting is undergone to feed the numerical model with suitable values of both material and process parameters through temperature and displacement measurements and numerical fitting. Once calibrated, the software is used to evaluate the performance of several substrate designs to mitigate the residual stresses induced by the DED process. A thin-walled rectangular part selected as industrial demonstrator showed a significant reduction (up to 62%) of the maximum tensile stresses.

Abstract Nearly 75% of breast cancers are hormone receptor‐positive (HR+) and human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2‐negative (HER2−), making endocrine therapy the mainstay of treatment for HR+ and HER2− combination. Although endocrine therapy, such as therapy with fulvestrant, is widely used in the clinic, endocrine resistance (primary or secondary) is inevitable and poses a serious clinical concern. However, the therapeutic landscape of HR+/HER2− breast cancer is rapidly changing and evolving. In recent years, molecular insights into the genome of HR+/HER2− breast cancer have helped to identify promising targets, such as alterations in signaling pathways [phosphatidylinositide 3‐kinase (PI3K/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)], dysregulation of the cell cycle (CDK4/6), and identification of new ESR1 mutations. These insights have led to the development of newer targeted therapies, which aims at significantly improving survival in these patients. This review summarizes the role and rationale of fulvestrant when used as a monotherapy or in combination with targeted therapies in patients with HR+/HER2− advanced breast cancer. We also discuss other novel agents and potential future combination treatment options.

Summary: Coastal seas account for >50% of the biogenic silica (BSi) production in marine environments. However, BSi sinking is poorly understood. Here, seasonal variations in the abundance and sinking flux of BSi were investigated in Daya Bay, in the northern South China Sea. The highest BSi concentrations occurred in summer, averaging 8.04 ± 5.48 μmol L−1 (±SD), followed by autumn (5.51 ± 3.11 μmol L−1) and spring (3.76 ± 3.06 μmol L−1). The lowest BSi concentration of 2.93 ± 1.34 μmol L−1 was observed in winter. Based on 234Th/238U disequilibria, the average BSi sinking fluxes were 7.08 ± 8.62, 10.01 ± 13.95, and 8.30 ± 13.06 mmol Si m−2 d−1 in spring, summer, and autumn, respectively. The lowest flux of 4.19 ± 3.98 mmol Si m−2 d−1 was measured in winter. Together with nitrogen fluxes, the Si:N sinking ratios were 0.8:1.0, 1.5:1.0, 1.6:1.0, and 1.4:1.0 in spring, summer, autumn, and winter, respectively, indicating that particle sinking induces the faster removal of Si compared to N in Daya Bay. Keywords: Biogenic silica, Dissolved silicate, Sinking flux, Thorium, Daya Bay

In this study, the impact of water-to-cement (w/c) ratios of belite calcium sulfoaluminate cement (BCSA) on the hydration kinetics and the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) parameters is studied. According to the analysis of classic hydration measurements, such as calorimetry tests, chemical shrinkage content, and chemically bound water content, it can be concluded that a higher w/c ratio clearly accelerates the hydration of BCSA cement paste. The electrical resistivity of BCSA0.35 cement paste is more than 4.5 times that of BCSA0.45 and BCSA0.5, due to the gradually densified micropore structure blocking the electrical signal transmission rather than the free charged-ion content. The porosity of BCSA0.5 is 27.5% higher than that of BCSA0.35 and 7.8% higher than that of BCSA0.45, which proves the resistivity is clearly related to the variation in microstructure, especially for the porosity and pore size distribution. The novelty of this study is the linear regression with logarithm terms of electrical resistivity and classic hydration parameters such as chemical shrinkage, cumulative hydration heat, and chemically bound water is established to extend the classical expression of cement hydration degree. It indicates that the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy can be taken as a nondestructive testing measurement to real-time monitor the cement hydration process of cement-based materials.

Chemical components are one of the most significant traits and attributes of plant tissues, and lead to their different functions. In this study, the composition of Amomun tsao-ko essential oils (AEOs) from different regions was first determined by a combination of gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography–ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS). In total, 141 compounds were identified, of which terpenes and aldehydes were the main groups. Orthogonal partial least square discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) distinguished the samples from different regions clearly, and the main differences were terpenes, aldehydes, and esters. Meanwhile, AEOs showed strong antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) reached 0.20 mg/mL and 0.39–0.78 mg/mL, respectively. From correlation analysis, 1,8-cineole, (E)-dec-2-enal, citral, α-pinene, and α-terpineol were determined to be the potential antibacterial compounds. This study provides the basis for the variety optimization of A. tsao-ko and its application as a natural food preservative.

Three-dimensional (3D) nanostructures have attracted widespread attention in physics, chemistry, engineering sciences, and biology devices due to excellent functionalities which planar nanostructures cannot achieve. However, the fabrication of 3D nanostructures is still challenging at present. Reliable fabrication, improved controllability, and multifunction integration are desired for further applications in commercial devices. In this review, a powerful fabrication method to realize 3D nanostructures is introduced and reviewed thoroughly, which is based on atomic layer deposition assisted 3D assembly through various sacrificial templates. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of 3D nanofabrication based on atomic layer assembly (ALA) in multifarious sacrificial templates for 3D nanostructures and to present recent advancements, with the ultimate aim to further unlock more potential of this method for nanodevice applications.

Microvia interconnectors are a critical element of 3D packaging technology, as they provide the shortest interconnection path between stacked chips. However, low efficiency of microvia filling is a long-standing problem. This study proposed a two-step method to enhance the electroplating filling efficiency by pre-setting metal particles in microvias and later electroplating the Cu to fill the gaps among the pre-settled particles. Since these particles occupy a certain volume in the microvia, less electroplating Cu is needed for microvia filling, leading to a shorter electroplating period.

Photoinduced ultrafast phase transitions can generate quasiequilibrium states with novel emergent properties modulated by the interplay of electronic and lattice degrees of freedoms. Therefore, accurately probing transient atomic structures and their dynamics is crucial to understand and control the interaction of electrons and lattice but remains a central challenge of ultrafast science. Using MeV ultrafast electron diffraction on single crystals, we quantitatively reveal the photoinduced lattice distortion of the monoclinic M1 phase of VO_{2}. Our results resolve previous controversies concerning decoupled distortion components, as well as a proposed M2 intermediate phase. Further, we emphasize the importance of quantifying the transformed phase fraction into the metallic rutile phase, beyond previously reported analyses, and we also clarify the importance of thermal heating in assisting the insulator-metal transition. Our complementary ab initio molecular dynamics calculations support the experimental findings and identify the primary A_{g} phonon mode coupling to photoexcitation. Our study provides the critical and previously missing precise 3D and time-resolved structural evolution of the crystal structure of photoexcited M1 VO_{2}. These results provide the basis upon which to rationalize this archetypal photoinduced transition.

Oocyte in vitro maturation is crucial for in vitro embryo production technology, which provides oocytes resources for in vitro fertilization and somatic cell nuclear transfer. Previous studies proved that SIRT2, a member of the sirtuin family, plays a role in oocyte meiosis, but its role in sheep oocyte maturation and its regulating mechanism remains unknown. Firstly, we confirmed the role of Sirt2 in sheep oocytes maturation by supplementation of SIRT2 inhibitor and activator. To further explore the specific mechanism, we performed knockdown of Sirt2 in granulosa cells and then cocultured them with oocytes. Moreover, we determined the effects of Sirt2 on granulosa cell oxidative apoptosis, cell migration, and diffusion, and examined its effects on granulosa cell mitochondrial function, mitophagy, and steroid hormone levels. The results showed that supplementation of SIRT2 inhibitor decreased the oocytes maturation rate (69.28% ± 1.28 vs. 45.74% ± 4.74, p < 0.05), while resveratrol, a SIRT2 activator, increased its maturation rate (67.44% ± 1.68 vs. 78.52 ± 1.28, p < 0.05). Knockdown of Sirt2 in sheep granulosa cells also reduced the oocytes maturation rate (47.98% ± 1.43 vs. 33.60% ± 1.77, p < 0.05), and led to decreased cell migration and expansion ability, oxidative apoptosis, abnormal mitochondrial gene expression, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP level, and increased mitophagy level. Overexpression of Sirt2 improved mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP level and improved mitochondrial function. Furthermore, we found that Sirt2 knockdown in granulosa cells promotes the secretion of P4 through regulating p-ERK1/2. In conclusion the present study showed that SIRT2 is critical for sheep oocyte maturation through regulating the function of ovarian granulosa cells, especially affecting its mitochondrial function.

Abstract This paper presents a new way to calculate productivity of five-spot pattern at high water cut stages. In low permeability reservoirs, it is difficult for the reservoir fluid to flow, and the recovery factor is very low. Being based on the non-Darcy flow in low permeability reservoir, taking threshold pressure gradient into consideration, a new method to calculate the well pattern was built. This method is based on the two-parameter continuous model, and the method of flow line integrals and the numerical integration were used to build the productivity model. Productivity for the new method is validated by comparing with the actual data from field, and both the seepage theory and the reservoir engineering illustrate the correctness of the new method in this paper. The fracture length and pressure difference between the injection well and the production well have a significant effect on the productivity of the fractured five-point well pattern. The greater the length of the fracture is, the higher the productivity of the fractured five-point well pattern is. The greater the pressure difference is, the higher the productivity of the fractured five-point well pattern is.

Accelerating design and development of new materials by establishing process-structure-property (PSP) linkages is one of the core contents of materials science. One of the challenges is how to accurately forecast the property by the features including chemical compositions, experiment conditions, and structure information. In this study, with consistent features in statistics and materials science, we proposed a microstructure-informatic strategy to achieve the goal of accurately predicting Vickers hardness of austenitic steels. Feature engineering including correlations analysis, importance ranking and microstructural features extraction was employed to ensure the most information contained in the features related to the property. Through training and comparing six regression models with different input features, we demonstrated that one of the models inputting microstructural features obtained by two-point statistics combined with principal component analysis (PCA) maintains the highest accuracy (absolute error≤13.63 MPa, relative error≤8.86%) and predictive stability (minimum error range). The excellent generalization ability of this model was validated by eight experimental instances unseen in the original dataset. We believe that our strategy can be used to guide future experiments due to its high precision. Most importantly, the strategy can be generalized to predict other mechanical properties controlled by microstructures in more material systems.

Enantiomers of chiral fungicides usually display different toxic effects on nontarget organisms in the surrounding environment, although there are rare reports on the enantioselective toxicity of metconazole (MEZ) to aquatic organisms, such as Microcystis flos-aquae (M. flos-aquae). To explore the enantioselective toxicity of MEZ in algae, the impact of various concentrations (0.001, 0.003, 0.01, 0.03 and 0.1 mg/L) of MEZ on M. flos-aquae over 8 days was investigated. Significant differences were observed between the four enantiomers in chlorophyll a (Chl a) contents, carotenoids, photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm), rapid light-response curves (RLCs), utilization efficiency of light energy (α) and protein contents during treatment time. MEZ can enantioselectively stimulate the chlorophyll fluorescence parameters (RLCs, Fv/Fm and α) and carotenoid and Chl a contents of M. flos-aquae, especially at low concentrations (0.001 or 0.003 mg/L). At high concentrations of 0.03 or 0.1 mg/L, the chlorophyll fluorescence parameters (RLCs, Fv/Fm and α), protein and Chl a contents of M. flos-aquae exposed to cis-enantiomers were lower than those of M. flos-aquae exposed to trans-enantiomers. These observations indicated that the enantiomers of MEZ pose different toxicities to M. flos-aquae, with the cis-enantiomers more toxic than the trans-enantiomers. These results are beneficial for understanding the enantioselective effects of MEZ enantiomers on nontarget organisms and helpful for evaluating their eco-environment risk.

Objectives In this preclinical investigation, the feasibility of using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to study contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CIAKI) is explored, comparing radiographic outcomes with histopathologic and immunohistochemical findings after repeated animal exposures to iodinated contrast agent. Materials and Methods Forty-five male wistar rats were allocated to three groups (n = 15 each), each receiving two separate injections 1 day apart: group 1 (iodixanol then saline); group 2 (iodixanol twice); and control group (saline twice). Five rats were then randomly selected from each group at three separate time points (1 h, 24 h, and 120 h) for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Upon MRI completion, the animals were sacrificed, examining renal tissue and serum creatinine level. DTI data served to calculate fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). Results FA values were significantly lower in group 2 than in the others. Compared with controls, FA assessments at 1 h, 24 h, and 120 h after injections commenced were significantly lower in group 2; and ADC was significantly more pronounced at 24 h. Serum creatinine levels at 24 h were markedly elevated in both groups 1 and 2. Pearson correlation analysis revealed significant negative correlations between FA (r = −0.730; p < 0.05) or ADC (r = −0.827; p < 0.05) and tubular injury and between FA (r = −0.563; p < 0.05) or ADC (r = −0.805; p < 0.05) and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α. Conclusions Analytic approaches to DTI with better reproducibility should aid in monitoring the early pathophysiologic derangements of CIAKI, thus facilitating timely reversal of the detrimental effects.

Progressive accumulation of tau neurofibrillary tangles in the brain is a defining pathologic feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Tau pathology exhibits a predictable spatiotemporal spreading pattern, but the underlying mechanisms of this spread are poorly understood. Although AD is conventionally considered a disease of the gray matter, it is also associated with pronounced and progressive deterioration of the white matter (WM). A link between abnormal tau and WM degeneration is suggested by findings from both animal and postmortem studies, but few studies demonstrated their interplay in vivo. Recent advances in diffusion magnetic resonance imaging and the availability of tau positron emission tomography (PET) have made it possible to evaluate the association of tau and WM degeneration (tau-WM) in vivo. In this study, we explored the spatial pattern of tau-WM associations across the whole brain to evaluate the hypothesis that tau deposition is associated with WM microstructural alterations not only in isolated tracts, but in continuous structural connections in a stereotypic pattern. Sixty-two participants, including 22 cognitively normal subjects, 22 individuals with subjective cognitive decline, and 18 with mild cognitive impairment were included in the study. WM characteristics were inferred by classic diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and a complementary diffusion compartment model – neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) that provides a proxy for axonal density. A data-driven iterative searching (DDIS) approach, coupled with whole-brain graph theory analyses, was developed to continuously track tau-WM association patterns. Without applying prior knowledge of the tau spread, we observed a distinct spatial pattern that resembled the typical propagation of tau pathology in AD. Such association pattern was not observed between diffusion and amyloid-β PET signal. Tau-related WM degeneration is characterized by an increase in the mean diffusivity (with a dominant change in the radial direction) and a decrease in the intra-axonal volume fraction. These findings suggest that cortical tau deposition (as measured in tau PET) is associated with a lower axonal packing density and greater diffusion freedom. In conclusion, our in vivo findings using a data-driven method on cross-sectional data underline the important role of WM alterations in the AD pathological cascade with an association pattern similar to the postmortem Braak staging of AD. Future studies will focus on longitudinal analyses to provide in vivo evidence of tau pathology spreads along neuroanatomically connected brain areas.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore if the surgical treatment will accelerate the progression of spinal cord injury (SCI) in patients with cervical Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) and if surgery will have better curative effect than conservative treatment. Methods: An extensive search of literature was implemented in PubMed, EMBASE, and other online databases. The quality of the included articles was evaluated according to the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale, as recommended by the Cochrane manual, and meta-analysis was performed using the review manage5.3 software. Results: No obvious statistical difference was observed in the rate of SCI progression (P > 0.05, OR 1.15 [0.66, 2.00]), cervical range of motion, (P > 0.05, weighted mean difference (WMD) 4.52 [−5.75, 14.79]), and Japanese Orthopedic Association scores before surgery (P > 0.05, WMD −2.78 [−7.87, 2.32]) between the surgical group and conservative treatment group. However the surgical group illustrated obviously higher neurofunctional recovery rate (P < 0.05, OR 6.07 [1.55, 23.78]) and postoperative JOA score of the surgery group (P < 0.05, WMD −0.77 [−1.21, −0.33]) than conservative group. Conclusions: Based on this meta-analysis, there is not enough evidence to indicate that surgery will accelerate the progress of SCI with OPLL. However, the superiority of surgical efficacy can be observed over conservative treatment in terms of relieving neurological symptoms.

Abstract Objectives Developing a vaccine formula that alters the tumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes to be more immune active against a tumor is key to the improvement of clinical responses to immunotherapy. Here, we demonstrate that, in conjunction with E7 antigen‐specific immunotherapy, and IL‐10 and PD‐1 blockade, intratumoral administration of caerin 1.1/1.9 peptides improves TC‐1 tumor microenvironment (TME) to be more immune active than injection of a control peptide. Methods We compared the survival time of vaccinated TC‐1 tumor‐bearing mice with PD‐1 and IL‐10 blockade, in combination with a further injection of caerin 1.1/1.9 or control peptides. The tumor‐infiltrating haematopoietic cells were examined by flow cytometry. Single‐cell transcriptomics and proteomics were used to quantify changes in cellular activity across different cell types within the TME. Results The injection of caerin 1.1/1.9 increased the efficacy of vaccinated TC‐1 tumor‐bearing mice with anti‐PD‐1 treatment and largely expanded the populations of macrophages and NK cells with higher immune activation level, while reducing immunosuppressive macrophages. More activated CD8+ T cells were induced with higher populations of memory and effector‐memory CD8+ T subsets. Computational integration of the proteome with the single‐cell transcriptome supported activation of Stat1‐modulated apoptosis and significant reduction in immune‐suppressive B‐cell function following caerin 1.1 and 1.9 treatment. Conclusions Caerin 1.1/1.9‐containing treatment results in improved antitumor responses. Harnessing the novel candidate genes preferentially enriched in the immune active cell populations may allow further exploration of distinct macrophages, T cells and their functions in TC‐1 tumors.

Background. With the rapid development of transcatheter techniques and instruments, transcatheter occlusion for patients with perimembranous ventricular septal defect (pVSD) and aortic valve prolapse (AVP) was constantly being tried, while the efficacy and safety of pVSD with AVP remain controversial. Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate long-term efficacy and safety of transcatheter occlusion of pVSD with AVP. Methods. We retrospectively analyzed 164 children with pVSD and AVP who underwent transcatheter occlusion between January 2013 and November 2014. AVP was divided into 3 degrees according to right coronary leaflet morphology at end-diastole during aortic root angiography. Patient demographic and clinical data were collected. Results. There were 97 males and 67 females (median age, 40.0 (30.0–62.7) months; average weight, 16.94 ± 9.02 kg). Mild (n = 63), moderate (n = 89), and severe (n = 12) AVP success rates were 93.7%, 89.9%, and 58.3%, respectively. Immediately after procedure, there was no new-onset aortic regurgitation (AR) above trivial degree, residual shunt above mild degree, or complications requiring medication or operation, except for 1 patient who developed transient complete atrioventricular block. During follow-up, 1 mild AVP patient aggravated from mild to moderate AR and 1 moderate AVP patient aggravated from trivial to moderate AR. The new-onset AR in mild, moderate, and severe AVP was 2%, 1.8%, and 20%, respectively. AR disappeared in 17 patients. Residual shunt occurred in 9 patients after procedure, 4 of which disappeared during the follow-up period. No serious complications occurred in any patient during follow-up. Five-year cardiovascular event-free survival rates for mild, moderate, and severe AVP were 89.6%, 94.5%, and 80.0%, respectively. Conclusion. Transcatheter occlusion of pVSD with mild and moderate AVP has a high success rate and few complications, which is safe and effective in long-term follow-up. Transcatheter occlusion of pVSD with severe AVP has low success rates and high AR incidence. Therefore, transcatheter occlusion of pVSD with AVP is recommended for mild to moderate, but not severe, AVP.

This paper presents a numerical investigation of bird attitude angles affecting the soft-impact damage of a full fan assembly. Firstly, considering the geometry of a mallard, a real bird model is established by the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) method and calibrated with available test data. Then, complying with airworthiness requirements, simulations of a full-bladed fan assembly subjected to a real bird were conducted to determine the critical ingestion parameters (CIP). Furthermore, a real bird with different attitude angles aimed at a full fan assembly was simulated. Results show that attitude angles of the bird produce a significant impact on the effect of the bird strike on rotating blades and would increase the possibility of blade failures, especially for the yaw angle of -45° and the pitch angle of −60°. It is invaluable for commercial airlines and engine manufactures to provide safe flight and landing by adopting the real bird model with critical yaw and pitch angles in the design for resistance to bird ingestion.

The mechanical properties of soft soil are crucial for the design and construction of underground space excavation; however, the current design and numerical analysis of underground spaces consider the loading mechanical parameters, ignoring the influence of the unloading stress path resulting in frequent construction accidents in practice. Here, soft soil in Shenzhen, China, is taken as the research subject, and a series of consolidated-undrained unloading tests are performed. First, K0 consolidation is conducted. Then, unloading tests are performed with different unloading ratios to simulate different unloading stress paths. The test results show that the soft soil deformation characteristics are closely related to the stress path and unloading ratio. Under different unloading ratios, soft soil will undergo compression deformation or rebound deformation. Under unloading conditions, the deviator stress-strain curve satisfies a hyperbolic function and can be normalized with the average consolidation confining pressure. With the increase in the unloading ratio, the initial tangent modulus first decreases and then increases, the cohesion decreases, and the internal friction angle does not change significantly. The loading mechanical parameters are not suitable for numerical calculation in unloading engineering. In this paper, more unloading paths are considered, such as UU1.0 and UU0.5. The results of the study provide a theoretical basis for the calculation of the numerical analysis of the soil body at different depths in rich soft soil pits.

Aims. The aim of this study was to establish p53 immunohistochemistry (IHC) patterns to predict TP53 mutations in gastrointestinal neuroendocrine neoplasms (GI-NENs) and to determine whether p53 IHC patterns could be used for the differential diagnosis of neuroendocrine neoplasms. Methods. TP53 gene sequencing and p53 IHC were performed on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples from 92 patients diagnosed with GI-NENs from five medical centers. Results. The cohort included 35 well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors and 57 poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas. Gene sequencing revealed 38 wild-type TP53 and 54 TP53 mutations. p53 expression was interpreted as follows: pattern A, p53 was absent from all tumor cells; pattern B, scattered and weak p53 expression in 1-20% of tumor cells; and pattern C was subclassified as pattern C1: variable p53 staining intensity in 21-60% of tumor cells and tumor cell nests with focal strong positive p53 staining and pattern C2: strong p53 staining in more than 60% of tumor cells. p53 IHC patterns were evaluated as a binary classifier where pattern B predicted wild-type TP53, and patterns A and C predicted TP53 mutations. The sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy of this binary classification to predict TP53 status were 0.963, 0.868, and 0.924, respectively. p53 IHC patterns were also correlated with TP53 mutation types. Most cases with pattern A harboured loss-of-function (LOF) mutations, whereas patterns B and C tended to indicate wild-type TP53 and gain-of-function (GOF) mutations, respectively. Furthermore, most of the well-differentiated NETs showed pattern B, whereas pattern C2 was more common in poorly differentiated NECs. Finally, staining interpretation between different observers also yielded high reproducibility. Conclusions. p53 IHC patterns may be used as predictors of TP53 gene mutations and therefore could be potential surrogate markers for TP53 mutations in GI-NENs and could distinguish between well-differentiated NETs and poorly differentiated NECs.