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Empowered by AI, chatbots are increasingly being integrated to interact with users in one-on-one communication. However, academic scrutiny on the impact of chatbots on online interaction is lacking. This study aims to fill the gap by applying selfpresentation theory (presenting the desired self-impression to others) to explore how the communicating agent (chatbot vs. human agent) in interactive marketing influences users’ interaction willingness, as well as the moderating roles of users’ public selfconsciousness (sense of apprehension over self-presentation concern) and sensitive information disclosure (private information linked to an individual). The results of three experimental studies indicate that chatbots can improve users’ willingness to interact by mitigating the self-presentation concern. Further, users’ public self-consciousness and sensitive information disclosure moderated the impact of chatbots in online interactions. These effects were particularly impactful for users with higher public selfconsciousness and in situations with sensitive information disclosure. The findings provide theoretical and practical implications for human-chatbot interaction, chatbot strategy, and the application of chatbots in online communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The clinical diagnosis and treatment of pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs) that invade the cavernous sinus are fraught with difficulties and challenges. Exploring the biological characteristics involved in the occurrence and development of PitNETs that invade the cavernous sinus will help to elucidate the mechanism of cavernous sinus invasion. There are differences between intrasellar tumors (IST) and cavernous sinus-invasion tumors (CST) in ultramicrostructure, tumor microenvironment (TME), gene expression, and signaling pathways. The microvascular endothelial cell is increased in CST. The VEGFR signaling pathway, VEGF signaling pathway, and chemokine signaling pathway are activated in CST. HSPB1 is upregulated in CST and promotes cell proliferation, cell viability, and migration. HSPB1 promotes the release of VEGF from GT1-1 cells and activates the VEGF signaling pathway in bEnd.3 cells. HSPB1 promotes the migration of bEnd.3 cells to GT1-1 cells and promotes the formation of blood vessels of bEnd.3 cells. bEnd.3 cells can release CCL3 and CCL4 and promote the vitality, proliferation, and migration of GT1-1 cells. HSPB1 promotes the formation of blood vessels of bEnd.3 cells and ultimately leads to tumor growth in vivo. HSPB1 acts as a key gene for invasion of the cavernous sinus in PitNETs, remodeling TME by promoting the formation of blood vessels of brain microvascular endothelial cells. The synergistic effect of tumor cells and microvascular endothelial cells promotes tumor progression. The mechanism by which HSPB1 promotes tumor invasion by inducing angiogenesis in PitNETs may be a new target for the treatment of PitNETs invading the cavernous sinus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cultivation processes of watermelon seed are often affected by issues such as empty shells and defects, resulting in significant losses. To obtain high‐quality seeds, the terahertz imaging technology combined with image smoothing and enhancement algorithm was proposed to reduce the noise and non‐obvious features caused by the influence in the imaging process and realize the non‐destructive, efficient, and accurate detection of the internal quality of watermelon seeds. Initially, a terahertz imaging system with a spatial resolution of 0.4 mm was used to acquire images of watermelon seeds with varying levels of fullness. Subsequently, denoising techniques, including Gaussian filtering, median filtering, bilateral filtering, discrete wavelet transformation denoising, wavelet denoising, and principal component analysis denoising, were used to handle the terahertz spectral images of watermelon seeds in the frequency range of 1–1.5 THz, respectively. Image enhancement operations, involving segmented linear gray‐level transformation and fractional‐order differentiation, were performed on the terahertz images of watermelon seeds after denoising. The optimal image processing approach was determined based on defect assessment through threshold segmentation. Finally, the validation was conducted at a spatial resolution of 0.2 mm. The images at a spatial resolution of 0.4 mm were subjected to wavelet denoising and window slicing in segmented linear gray‐level transformation (WS‐SLT) enhancement; the results exhibited the following improvements in defect accuracy compared with untreated THz images. A 7.74% increase in accuracy was observed for empty seeds, along with a 6.29% increase in the defect ratio for defective seeds 1. The defect ratio for intact seeds was 0, and there was no significant difference in defect ratio accuracy for defective seeds 2. At a spatial resolution of 0.2 mm, the average defect ratio error of THz imaging handled by wavelet denoising and WS‐SLT was approximately 5.04%. In conclusion, the terahertz imaging technology coupled with wavelet denoising and WS‐SLT methods can be used to enhance the accuracy of internal defect detection in watermelon seeds, and it provides a technical foundation and reference for assessing watermelon seed fullness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spermine synthase is an aminopropyltransferase that adds an aminopropyl group to the essential polyamine spermidine to form tetraamine spermine, needed for normal human neural development, plant salt and drought resistance, and yeast CoA biosynthesis. We functionally identify for the first time bacterial spermine synthases, derived from phyla Bacillota, Rhodothermota, Thermodesulfobacteriota, Nitrospirota, Deinococcota, and Pseudomonadota. We also identify bacterial aminopropyltransferases that synthesize the spermine same mass isomer thermospermine, from phyla Cyanobacteriota, Thermodesulfobacteriota, Nitrospirota, Dictyoglomota, Armatimonadota, and Pseudomonadota, including the human opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Most of these bacterial synthases were capable of synthesizing spermine or thermospermine from the diamine putrescine and so possess also spermidine synthase activity. We found that most thermospermine synthases could synthesize tetraamine norspermine from triamine norspermidine, that is, they are potential norspermine synthases. This finding could explain the enigmatic source of norspermine in bacteria. Some of the thermospermine synthases could synthesize norspermidine from diamine 1,3-diaminopropane, demonstrating that they are potential norspermidine synthases. Of 18 bacterial spermidine synthases identified, 17 were able to aminopropylate agmatine to form N¹ -aminopropylagmatine, including the spermidine synthase of Bacillus subtilis, a species known to be devoid of putrescine. This suggests that the N¹ -aminopropylagmatine pathway for spermidine biosynthesis, which bypasses putrescine, may be far more widespread than realized and may be the default pathway for spermidine biosynthesis in species encoding L-arginine decarboxylase for agmatine production. Some thermospermine synthases were able to aminopropylate N¹ -aminopropylagmatine to form N12- guanidinothermospermine. Our study reveals an unsuspected diversification of bacterial polyamine biosynthesis and suggests a more prominent role for agmatine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aims at predicting the remaining useful life of highly reliable and long-life products with multiple and multi-stage characteristics in the degradation process. Considering the unit-to-unit variability among the product units, a new bivariate and two-phase Wiener process model with random effects is established. Schwarz Information Criterion is used to identify the change points of the degradation model, and the analytical expressions of life and remaining useful life are given by the concept of first hitting time. Furthermore, the appropriate Copula function is selected to describe the correlation between the two quality characteristics based on Akaike Information Criterion. A bivariate degradation model is established and the unknown parameters of the model are estimated by Markov Chain Monte Carlo method. Finally, the applicability and effectiveness of the proposed method are verified by the comparative analysis of turbine engine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cucurbit[6]uril (Q[6]) could serve as a selective absorbent for the toxic anion Cr2O72-, which was demonstrated by the results of UVvis, ICP, XPS, SEM, and EDS experiments. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that capture capacity could be attributed to the outer-surface interactions of cucurbit[n]uril between Cr2O72- and the outer surface of Q[6]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the vulnerability of 1,1'-dihydroxy-5,5'-bistetrazole dihydroxylamine salt (HATO) based explosives, a comparative study of the bullet impact vulnerable characteristics of HATO-based explosives and HMX-based explosives were carried out by using the 12.7 mm bullet impact test method of the 700-group of the Military Mixed Explosives Formulation and Performance Test Methods. The results of the study indicate that due to the friction and impact sensitivities of the HATO and the HMX explosives are similar, and the bullet impact response degree and the safety performance of the HATO-based explosives and HMX-based explosives is equivalent too. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive disorder characterized by intricate structural and functional alterations in the kidneys, attributable to diverse causative factors. Notably, the therapeutic promise of miR-145-5p in addressing renal pathologies has been discerned. This investigation seeks to elucidate the functional role of miR-145-5p in injured kidneys by subjecting human glomerular mesangial cells (HGMCs) to stimulation with Angiotensin II (AngII). Materials and Methods: Cellular viability and the levels of inflammatory mediators were evaluated utilizing Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and western blot methodologies, both in the presence of AngII incubation and in scenarios of miR-145p overexpression and downregulation. Furthermore, the cell cycle dynamics were elucidated through Fluorescence-activated Cell Sorting (FACS) analysis. Results: AngII incubation induced an upregulation of miR-145-5p and inflammatory factors including Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1 (ICAM-1), Interleukin 6 (IL-6), Interleukin 8 (IL-8), and Interleukin 1β (IL-1β). Additionally, it elevated the expression of Cyclin A2, Cyclin D1, and the G2/M cell cycle ratio. Conversely, inhibition of miR-145-5p heightened the levels of inflammatory factors and cell cycle regulators induced by AngII incubation. Reduced expression of miR-145-5p correlated with a downregulation of Interleukin 10 (IL-10) expression, concurrently promoting HGMC proliferation under AngII stimulation. Moreover, ectopic miR-145-5p expression demonstrated a reduction in inflammatory factors, cell cyclin regulators, G2/M cell cycle ratio, and overall proliferation. Conclusion: MiR-145-5p exhibited inhibitory effects on the inflammatory response and proliferation induced by Angiotensin II in HGMCs, showcasing its potential as a therapeutic avenue for the treatment of kidney injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The single-well closed-loop heat extraction technology can realize efficient exploitation of mid-to-deep geothermal resources. A two-dimension heat transfer model is established. The effects of flow rate, inlet temperature, length and diameter of insulated tubing on heat extraction power and outlet temperature were investigated by the two-way absolute grey correlation analysis method. Results indicate that thermal power increases with the increase of displacement and length of insulated tubing, and decreases with the increase of injection temperature, outer diameter of insulated tubing and inner diameter of insulated tubing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Artificial neural network (ANN) model has been developed in prediction of serum drug concentration. The aim of this study was verifying the accuracy of ANN model in predicting vancomycin trough serum concentration in ARC adult patients. Methods: A total of 162 ARC patients (258 observations) who received vancomycin treatment (500-2000 mg) at the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University between Jan 2017 and Nov 2020 were included. The performance and accuracy of the ANN model was evaluated by mean absolute deviation (MAD), mean absolute percent error (MAPE), mean square error (MSE), and root mean squared error (RMSE). In addition, the vancomycin calculator and multivariable linear regressions were compared with the ANN model in predicting vancomycin concentration. Results: From results of linear regression analyses, dosage, dosage interval, age, creatinine clearance, sex, weight, total bilirubin (T-Bil), haemoglobin (HGB) and total protein (TP) were used as input variables to develop an ANN model for predicting vancomycin concentration in ARC patients. The MAPE, MSE, RMSE, MAD and R2 were 14.81%, 2.47%, 0.44%, 1.40% and 0.88%, respectively. The ANN model might be an useful tool to predict vancomycin concentration and help modify the dosing regimen accurately and in a timely manner to improve the clinical efficacy in ARC patients. In the future, ANN model could be developed to predict serum concentration and modify dosing regimens for more types of therapeutic drugs and patients with more complex diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment was to study the effect of astaxanthin and antimicrobial peptides on laying hens in the late laying period. A totaol of 700 healthy 56-week-old Hailan brown laying hens with similar weight were selected and randomly divided into seven groups, with five replicates in each group and 20 hens in each replicate. The hens in E0 group (control group) were fed a basal diet, the hens in E1~E6 were fed with a basal diet with different levels of astaxanthin (0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%) and antimicrobial peptides (300, 500 mg/kg). The pre-test period was 1 w and the trial period was 8 w. The results showed that compared with E0, the egg production rate in E1~E6 significantly increased (P<0.05), and E3 was significantly higher than that of the other experimental groups (P<0.05). The serum IL-2, IL-10, TNF-α and IFN-γ in E1~E6 were significantly increased compared to E0 (P<0.05). The jejunum villus height of E3 significantly increased compared to E0 (P<0.05), the jejunum crypt depth of E1~E6 significantly decreased compared to E0 (P<0.05), and the jejunum villi to crypt ratio of E1~E6 significantly increased compared to E0 (P<0.05). The ileum villus height of E1~E6 was significantly increased compared to E0 (P<0.05), the ileum crypt depth of E1~E6 significantly decreased compared to E0 (P<0.05), and the ileum villi to crypt ratio of E1~E6 significantly increased compared to E0 (P<0.05). The number of cecal Lactobacilli in E1~E6 significantly increased compared to E0 (P<0.05), and the number of cecal Escherichia coli in E1~E6 significantly decreased compared to E0 (P<0.05). The study indicates that adding astaxanthin and antimicrobial peptides to the diet can improve the feeding effect of laying hens in the late laying period, and adding 1.0% astaxanthin and 300 mg/kg antimicrobial peptides has better effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective • Generally autoimmune encephalitis (AE) cases present with central nervous system symptoms. Many types of autoantibodies are associated with autoimmune encephalitis, with anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor being the most commonly reported. However, autoimmune encephalitis cases with autoantibodies targeting unknown epitopes are increasingly recognized. This article aims to summarize the clinical experience and assess the feasibility of modified electroconvulsive therapy (MECT) as an adjunctive treatment method for autoimmune encephalitis patients with poor response to first-line immunotherapy and mainly displaying psychiatric symptoms. Methods • This work reports three cases of which two have been diagnosed as autoantibodies targeting unknown epitope autoimmune encephalitis while one has been diagnosed as anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis and all were effectively treated with MECT. Results • All three cases that otherwise failed to respond to standard immunotherapy for controlling psychiatric symptoms exhibited excellent clinical outcomes following MECT. The underlying mechanism of action of MECT is unclear and whether such an effect involves a neurotransmitter rebalance in the brain remains uncertain. At present, we have observed only a small number of clinical cases, warranting further research among a larger number of clinical cases and more systematic multicenter retrospective analysis. Conclusions • It should be noted that, while our experience supports the utility of MECT in the treatment of certain cases of AE, this option should be regarded as an adjuvant therapy after standard immunosuppressive therapy. Clinicians must be aware that patients should be provided with psychiatric or neurological services for timely diagnosis along with timely and appropriate treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the inadequacy of broadcasting right, information network transmission right, and rebroadcasting right, the number of infringing rebroadcasts of sporting events is rising. Combined with sophisticated mathematical analysis techniques, the research literature on the legal risk prediction of sports event rebroadcasting in the Internet era is scarce. This study examines the legal risk prognosis, prevention, and management of sports event rebroadcasting in the Internet era. The feature variable set of the sample set is subjected to feature filtering, reducing the prediction model's complexity. Stacking is used to integrate the LightGBM and Logistic regression models, and the Logistic regression legal risk prediction procedure is described. Based on LightGBM, this study predicts the legal hazards associated with Internet rebroadcasting of sporting events. Moreover, these research results validate the model's efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conditional reprogramming is a cell culture technique that effectively immortalizes epithelial cells with normal genotypes by renewing epidermal stem cells. Y-27632, a compound that promotes conditional reprogramming through an unknown mechanism, was developed to inhibit the two Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) isoforms. We used human foreskin keratinocytes (HFKs) to study the role of Y-27632 in conditional reprogramming and learn how ROCKs control epidermal stem cell renewal. In conditional reprogramming, Y-27632 increased HFK adherence to culture dishes, progression through S, G2 and M phases of the cell cycle, and epidermal stem cell marker levels. Although this correlated with ROCK inhibition by Y-27632, we generated CRISPR-Cas9-mediated HFK ROCK knockouts to test the direct role of ROCK inhibition. Knockout of single ROCK isoforms was insufficient to disrupt ROCK activity or promote HFK propagation without Y-27632. Although ROCK activity was reduced, HFKs with double knockout of ROCK1 and ROCK2 still required Y-27632 to propagate. Y-27632 was the most effective among the ROCK inhibitors we tested at promoting HFK proliferation and epidermal stem cell marker expression. Thus, the ability of Y-27632 to promote an epidermal stem cell state in conditional reprogramming not only depends upon ROCK inhibition but also acts via as-yet-unidentified mechanisms. Epidermal stem cell renewal might in part be regulated by ROCKs, but also involves additional pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxic effects of tribromomethane (TBM), a most used drinking water disinfection byproduct, on rotifers are unknown. we investigated the effects of TBM (0, 0.001, 15, 30, 45, 60, and 75 mg/L) on the life table demography of the freshwater rotifer, Brachionus calyciflorus, fed with three densities (1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 × 106 cells/mL) of Scenedesmus obliquus. It showed that the TBM exposure decreased survivorship and fecundity of the rotifer and significantly affected the developmental stages and life table demographic parameters of B. calyciflorus. Compared with the control, treatments with 30-75 mg/L TBM significantly prolonged the juvenile period of rotifer under different algal densities. Treatments with 0.001 and 15 mg/L TBM significantly decreased the net reproductive rate of rotifer under the algal density of 1.0 × 106 cells/mL, while increased and did not affect it under the algal density of 2.0 and 4.0 × 106 cells/mL, respectively. These results demonstrate that TBM is toxic to B. calyciflorus, and the increased algal density can reduce the toxic effects of TBM on rotifers. The current safety limit of TMB in natural water could affect the community structure of organisms in the aquatic system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conditional reprogramming is a cell culture technique that effectively immortalizes epithelial cells with normal genotypes by renewing epidermal stem cells. Y-27632, a compound that promotes conditional reprogramming through an unknown mechanism, was developed to inhibit the two Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) isoforms. We used human foreskin keratinocytes (HFKs) to study the role of Y27632 in conditional reprogramming and learn how ROCKs control epidermal stem cell renewal. In conditional reprogramming, Y-27632 increased HFK adherence to culture dishes, progression through S, G2 and M phases of the cell cycle, and epidermal stem cell marker levels. Although this correlated with ROCK inhibition by Y-27632, we generated CRISPR–Cas9-mediated HFK ROCK knockouts to test the direct role of ROCK inhibition. Knockout of single ROCK isoforms was insufficient to disrupt ROCK activity or promote HFK propagation without Y-27632. Although ROCK activity was reduced, HFKs with double knockout of ROCK1 and ROCK2 still required Y-27632 to propagate. Y-27632 was the most effective among the ROCK inhibitors we tested at promoting HFK proliferation and epidermal stem cell marker expression. Thus, the ability of Y-27632 to promote an epidermal stem cell state in conditional reprogramming not only depends upon ROCK inhibition but also acts via as-yet-unidentified mechanisms. Epidermal stem cell renewal might in part be regulated by ROCKs, but also involves additional pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The binary pattern family has drawn wide attention for texture representation due to its promising performance and simple operation. However, most binary pattern methods focus on local neighborhoods but ignore center pixels. Even if some studies introduce the center based sub-pattern to provide complementary information, existing center based sub-patterns are much weaker than other local neighborhood based subpatterns. This severe unbalance limits the classification performance of fusion features significantly. To alleviate this problem, this paper designs a multiple threshold center pattern (MTCP) to provide a more discriminative and complementary local texture representation with a compact form. First, a multiple threshold encoding strategy is designed to encode the center pixel that generates three 1-bit binary patterns. Second, it adopts a compact multi-pattern encoding strategy to combine them into a 3-bit MTCP. Furthermore, this paper proposes a completed multiple threshold encoding pattern by fusing the MTCP, local sign pattern, and local magnitude pattern. Comprehensive experimental evaluations on three popular texture classification benchmarks confirm that the completed multiple threshold encoding pattern achieves superior texture classification performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AdoMetDC/SpeD) is a key polyamine biosynthetic enzyme required for conversion of putrescine to spermidine. Autocatalytic self-processing of the AdoMetDC/SpeD proenzyme generates a pyruvoyl cofactor from an internal serine. Recently, we discovered that diverse bacteriophages encode AdoMetDC/SpeD homologs that lack AdoMetDC activity and instead decarboxylate L-ornithine or L-arginine. We reasoned that neofunctionalized AdoMetDC/ SpeD homologs were unlikely to have emerged in bacteriophages and were probably acquired from ancestral bacterial hosts. To test this hypothesis, we sought to identify candidate AdoMetDC/SpeD homologs encoding L-ornithine and L-arginine decarboxylases in bacteria and archaea. We searched for the anomalous presence of AdoMetDC/SpeD homologs in the absence of its obligatory partner enzyme spermidine synthase, or the presence of two AdoMetDC/SpeD homologs encoded in the same genome. Biochemical characterization of candidate neofunctionalized genes confirmed lack of AdoMetDC activity, and functional presence of L-ornithine or L-arginine decarboxylase activity in proteins from phyla Actinomycetota, Armatimonadota, Planctomycetota, Melainabacteria, Perigrinibacteria, Atribacteria, Chloroflexota, Sumerlaeota, Omnitrophota, Lentisphaerota, and Euryarchaeota, the bacterial candidate phyla radiation and DPANN archaea, and the δ-Proteobacteria class. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that L-arginine decarboxylases emerged at least three times from AdoMetDC/SpeD, whereas L-ornithine decarboxylases arose only once, potentially from the AdoMetDC/SpeD-derived L-arginine decarboxylases, revealing unsuspected polyamine metabolic plasticity. Horizontal transfer of the neofunctionalized genes appears to be the more prevalent mode of dissemination. We identified fusion proteins of bona fide AdoMetDC/SpeD with homologous L-ornithine decarboxylases that possess two, unprecedented internal protein-derived pyruvoyl cofactors. These fusion proteins suggest a plausible model for the evolution of the eukaryotic AdoMetDC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review discusses the application scenarios of the machine learning-supported performance prediction and the optimization efficiency of tunnel boring machines (TBMs). The rock mass quality ratings, which are based on the Chinese code for geological survey, were used to provide "labels" suitable for supervised learning. As a result, the generation of machine prediction for rock mass grades reasonably agreed with the ground truth documented in geological maps. In contrast, the main operational parameters, i.e., thrust and torque, can be reasonably predicted based on historical data. Consequently, 18 collapse sections of the Yinsong project have been successfully predicted by several researchers. Preliminary studies on the selection of the optimal penetration rate and cost were conducted. This review also presents a summary of the main achievements in response to the initiatives of the Lotus Pool Contest in China. For the first time, large and well-documented TBM performance data has been shared for joint scientific research. Moreover, the review discusses the technical problems that require further study and the perspectives in the future development of intelligent TBM construction based on big data and machine learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review summarizes the research outcomes and findings documented in 45 journal papers using a shared tunnel boring machine (TBM) dataset for performance prediction and boring efficiency optimization using machine learning methods. The big dataset was collected during the Yinsong water diversion project construction in China, covering the tunnel excavation of a 20 km-section with 199 items of monitoring metrics taken with an interval of one second. The research papers were the result of a call for contributions during a TBM machine learning contest in 2019 and covered a variety of topics related to the intelligent construction of TBM. This review comprises two parts. Part I is concerned with the data processing, feature extraction, and machine learning methods applied by the contributors. The review finds that the data-driven and knowledge-driven approaches in extracting important features applied by various authors are diversified, requiring further studies to achieve commonly accepted criteria. The techniques for cleaning and amending the raw data adopted by the contributors were summarized, indicating some highlights such as the importance of sufficiently high frequency of data acquisition (higher than 1 second), classification and standardization for the data preprocessing process, and the appropriate selections of features in a boring cycle. The review finds that both supervised and unsupervised machine learning methods have been utilized by various researchers. The ensemble and deep learning methods have found wide applications. Part I highlights the important features of the individual methods applied by the contributors, including the structures of the algorithm, selection of hyperparameters, and model validation approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The present experimental models of cystic diseases are not adequate and require further investigation. Aim: In this study, a new way of producing a tissue-mimicking model of cysts and cystic neoplasms was evaluated. Settings and Design: To simulate cysts and cystic neoplasms, ex vivo rabbit normal bladders and VX2-implanted tumor bladders were produced, fixed, and embedded in agarose gel. Methods and Materials: The samples were classified into four groups based on tumor features and the maximal transverse diameter of the rabbit bladder, which were assessed using computer tomography (CT) imaging and statistically analyzed. Statistical Analysis Used: Statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software. The t-test was used for analyzing enumeration data. Results: Twenty-one rabbit bladders (21/24) were successfully removed and prepped for this experiment, comprising eleven normal bladders (11/24) and ten implanted with VX2 tumors (10/24). The gelling ingredient used to form the visualization and fixation matrix was agarose at a concentration of 4 g/200 mL. The temperature of the agarose solution was kept constant at 40-45°C, which is the optimal temperature range for ex vivo normal bladder and implanted VX2 tumor bladder insertion. The average time required to embed and fix the bladders in agarose gel was 45.0 ± 5.2 minutes per instance. The gel-fixing matrix's strength and light transmittance were enough for building the models. Conclusion: We created an experimental tissue-mimicking model of cysts and cystic neoplasms with stable physicochemical features, a safe manufacturing method, and high repeatability. These models may be used to assist with cystic lesion diagnosis and treatment techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to shorten the design cycle of corn snapping mechanism, a case reuse design method of snapping devices based on user requirements was proposed. A matter-element model is used to build a case matterelement database and parametric model library together to form a case database; the case attributes are divided, the retrieval scope is narrowed through the matching of core parameters, and the similarity of matching parameters and performance evaluation parameters is calculated by using analytic hierarchy process and deviation maximization method to realize the retrieval of similar cases. The transformation relationship between the design requirements and the main driving parameters of the parametric model is established by using the rule association method to realize the case’s modification. The engineering discrete element method is used to simulate the reuse case, and an improved method is proposed according to the simulation results. The improved device is verified by simulation and field experiments. The results show that the operating performance of the improved snapping device is improved, and the feasibility and effectiveness of the design reuse method are verified, which can provide technical reference for the intelligent design of agricultural machinery and equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To observe the short-term outcome of plasma adsorption PA therapy in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Methods: 28 cases of ALS patients were recruited in this study, of which 20 were male and 8 were female with a mean age of 53.21 ±9.07 years and the average course of 33+23.35 months. The clinical manifestations were limb weakness (N=27), muscular atrophy (N=27), muscular tremor (N=5), dysphagia (N=12) and dysarthria (N=12). The clinical data of the patients recruited were graded by Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale Revised (ALSFRSR): <10 (N=1), 11-20 (N=4), 21-30 (N=6), 31-40 (N=12), >40 (N=5). All patients received PA therapy once a week for three successive times after examining the conditions of blood coagulation and virus infection. PA therapy was supplemented with neurotrophic therapy meanwhile. All patients' clinical manifestationsand scores of ALSFRSR before treatment and one week after treatment were evaluated and compared. The levels of serum superoxide dismutase (SOD), interleu kin-10 (IL-10), serum creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) before and after treatment were compared. Results: After PA therapy, 14 patients have improved obviously in muscle strength, 4 patients in hypermyotonia partially, 3 patients in muscular tremor, 5 patients in dysarthria, 3 patients in salivation to some extent and 2 patients in swallowing function. The score of ALSFRSR after PA treatment (31.89±10.36) was remarkably higher than that before PA treatment (30.68±10.52) (PcO.01). The levels of SOD (155.10±21.87 IU/L) and IL-10 (138.06±185.88 pg/mL) after PA treatment were significantly higher than the levels before PA treatment (143.08.3±19.16 IU/L and 46.34±75.31 pg/mL, respectively) (P<0.05). The levels of CK (168.86±113.50 IU/L) and LDH (152.07±32.65 IU/L) after PA treatment were significantly lower than the levels before PA treatment (356.68±25O.3O IU/L and 181.36±33.74 IU/L respectively) (P<0.01). At the end of follow-up period (November, 2019), five patients died of respiratoryfailure 16-21 months after PA treatment and two patents died of respiratory infection 15-20 months after PA treatment. 7 patients were still alive. The score of ALSFRS-R of these patients who survived at the end of follow-up (13.00±13.37) were significantly lower than before PA treatment (36.71±8.56) (P<0.05) and after PA treatment (38.14±8.82) (P<0.05). Conclusions: Plasma adsorption (PA) therapy has shortterm therapeutic effects on ALS. The effects might be attributed to the anti-oxygen free radical effect by increasing SOD level and the anti-inflammation effect by increasing IL-10 level. As the efficacy of PA therapy was obtained in a small sample size and short follow-up period, the longterm observation of PA efficacy in treating ALS should be further investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work investigates the impact of tropical sea surface temperature (SST) biases on the Subseasonal to Seasonal Prediction project (S2S) precipitation forecast skill over the contiguous United States (CONUS) in the Unified Forecast System (UFS) coupled model Prototype 6. Boreal summer (June-September) and winter (December-March) for 2011-18 were analyzed. The impact of tropical west Pacific (WP) and tropical North Atlantic (TNA) warm SST biases is evaluated using multivariate linear regression analysis. A warm SST bias over theWP influences the CONUS precipitation remotely through a Rossby wave train in both seasons. During boreal winter, a warm SST bias over the TNA partly affects the magnitude of the North Atlantic subtropical high (NASH)'s center, which in the reforecasts is weaker than in reanalysis. The weaker NASH favors an enhanced moisture transport from the Gulf of Mexico, leading to increased precipitation over the Southeast United States. Compared to reanalysis, during boreal summer, the NASH's center is also weaker and in addition, its position is displaced to the northeast. The displacement further affects the CONUS summer precipitation. The SST biases over the two tropical regions and their impacts become stronger as the forecast lead increases from week 1 to 4. These tropical biases explain up to 10%of the CONUS precipitation biases on the S2S time scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Viruses produce more viruses by manipulating the metabolic and replication systems of their host cells. Many have acquired metabolic genes from ancestral hosts and use the encoded enzymes to subvert host metabolism. The polyamine spermidine is required for bacteriophage and eukaryotic virus replication, and herein, we have identified and functionally characterized diverse phage- and virus-encoded polyamine metabolic enzymes and pathways. These include pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP)-dependent ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), pyruvoyl-dependent ODC and arginine decarboxylase (ADC), arginase, S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AdoMetDC/speD), spermidine synthase, homospermidine synthase, spermidine N-acetyltransferase, and N-acetylspermidine amidohydrolase. We identified homologs of the spermidine-modified translation factor eIF5a encoded by giant viruses of the Imitervirales. Although AdoMetDC/speD is prevalent among marine phages, some homologs have lost AdoMetDC activity and have evolved into pyruvoyl-dependent ADC or ODC. The pelagiphages that encode the pyruvoyl-dependent ADCs infect the abundant ocean bacterium Candidatus Pelagibacter ubique, which we have found encodes a PLP-dependent ODC homolog that has evolved into an ADC, indicating that infected cells would contain both PLP- and pyruvoyldependent ADCs. Complete or partial spermidine or homospermidine biosynthetic pathways are found encoded in the giant viruses of the Algavirales and Imitervirales, and in addition, some viruses of the Imitervirales can release spermidine from the inactive N-acetylspermidine. In contrast, diverse phages encode spermidine N-acetyltransferase that can sequester spermidine into its inactive N-acetyl form. Together, the virome-encoded enzymes and pathways for biosynthesis and release or biochemical sequestration of spermidine or its structural analog homospermidine consolidate and expand evidence supporting an important and global role of spermidine in virus biology [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, based on the engineering background of the No. 8222 working face of the Tashan coal mine in Shanxi Province, China, true triaxial experiments were carried out on Geotechnical Consulting and Testing Systems rock mechanics testing machine using cubic coal samples, and the numerical simulation was conducted through the FLAC3D software. Moreover, the stress evolution law of different layers of extra-thick coal seams and the failure mechanism of top coal in the fully mechanized caving were investigated, and the failure structure model of top coal was established. The results show that there are differences in the principal stress values at different layers of the top coal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The steel-concrete joint, serving as a transition zone between the steel and concrete girders, is the key component for transferring force among the hybrid girder systems. Despite the expected smooth transition of stiffness, high strength, easy fabrication, and verified static resistance, the structural performance of the steel-concrete joint under service loadings in a longterm period remains unclear. In this study, a FE model of a 1/2 steel-concrete joint from a real bridge is established to explore the long-term performance of the structure. Numerical results show that the minimal relative slip between the concrete infill and steel girder indicated the reliable capability of the steel-concrete joint, and the maximum concrete and steel stresses are 8.8 MPa and 192.8 MPa, respectively, which are far less than the material’s ultimate strength. The outcomes of this study can serve as a reference for analyzing the long-term performance of steel-concrete joints in hybrid girder bridges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Ultrasound-guided needle placement has revolutionized the thoracic paravertebral block technique and can be applied in thoracoscopic surgery. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the median effective volume (EV50) of an ultrasound-guided single shot of 0.3% ropivacaine used as a thoracic paravertebral nerve block for the radical thoracoscopic resection of lung cancer. METHODS: A total of 27 patients who received a single shot of ultrasound-guided thoracic paravertebral nerve block and underwent radical thoracoscopic resection of lung cancer were enrolled in this study between February 10 and August 13, 2018. All patients were rated as ASA grades I or II. Using ultrasound as a guide, the block needle was gradually pushed through the lateral costotransverse ligaments to the thoracic paravertebral space by the in-plane technique. After confirming the absence of blood or cerebrospinal fluid, 1-2 ml of 0.3% ropivacaine hydrochloride was injected to confirm that the position of the needle was appropriate, and a pre-determined volume of 0.3% ropivacaine hydrochloride was then administered to the patients. Sensory testing by pinprick was performed every 5 minutes for 30 minutes following the thoracic paravertebral block injection to identify the time segments during which the loss of sensation to the pinprick and its blocking effect occurred. RESULTS: All patients completed the study and 14 (51.8%) had a successful block. CONCLUSION: The EV50 of 0.3% ropivacaine was 18.46 ml (95% CI 17.09-19.95 ml) and the EV95 was 20.89 ml. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current energy systems face multiple problems related to inflation in energy prices, reduction of fossil fuels, and greenhouse gas emissions which are disturbing the comfort zone of energy consumers and the affordability of power for large commercial customers. These kinds of problems can be alleviated with the help of optimal planning of demand response policies and with distributed generators in the distribution system. The objective of this article is to give a strategic proposition of an energy management system for a campus microgrid (µG) to minimize the operating costs and to increase the self-consuming energy of the green distributed generators (DGs). To this end, a real-time based campus is considered that currently takes provision of its loads from the utility grid only. According to the proposed given scenario, it will contain solar panels and a wind turbine as non-dispatchable DGs while a diesel generator is considered as a dispatchable DG. It also incorporates an energy storage system with optimal sizing of BESS to tackle the multiple disturbances that arise from solar radiation. The resultant problem of linear mathematics was simulated and plotted in MATLAB with mixed-integer linear programming. Simulation results show that the proposed given model of energy management (EMS) minimizes the grid electricity costs by 668.8 CC/day ($) which is 36.6% of savings for the campus microgrid. The economic prognosis for the campus to give an optimum result for the UET Taxila, Campus was also analyzed. The general effect of a medium-sized solar PV installation on carbon emissions and energy consumption costs was also determined. The substantial environmental and economic benefits compared to the present situation have prompted the campus owners to invest in the DGs and to install large-scale energy storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

If there were to be a new international agreement to limit certain aspects of missile defense, it could reduce suspicion and competition among the United States, Russia, China, and other relevant parties. But the types of missile defense limitations that might be of interest to China – including agreements on numbers of missile interceptors, on the non-weaponization of space, and on elimination of ground-based midcourse defenses – involve policy changes that the United States has opposed in recent years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of high-entropy oxides (La 0.25 Sm 0.25 Gd 0.25 Yb 0.25) 2 Ce 2+x O 7+2x were synthesised adopting a improved sol-gel technique and fritting method. The crystal-lattice, microstructure, elemental constitution, and thermal-physical performances were studied. The results showed that the synthesised high-entropy oxides have a single-fluorite lattice structure. The bulk specimen exhibits a compact microstructure, and clear grain boundaries. The thermal conductivities of the obtained high-entropy oxides are lower than those of CeO 2 and 7YSZ due to lattice strains and numerous oxygen vacancies. The obtained high-entropy oxides have greater thermal expansion coefficients than 7YSZ. The thermal conductivity and expansion coefficient are elevated because of the addition of excess CeO 2. The synthesised high-entropy oxides also exhibit outstanding lattice steadiness up to 1200 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the combined terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) and chemometrics method is proposed to identify four different parts of Panax notoginseng rapidly and nondestructively. The research objects of the taproot, scissor, rib, and hairy root of P. notoginseng are taken. The refractive index, absorption coefficient, time-domain, and frequency-domain spectra of the samples are analyzed. It is found that the terahertz spectra of different parts of P. notoginseng are significantly different, so the absorption coefficient of samples is selected to establish models. Firstly, the baseline correction, multiple scattering correction, and normalization algorithms are used to preprocess the absorption coefficient in 0.5–2.0 THz to remove noise. Then, the Kennard–Stone (KS) algorithm is used to divide the model set and the prediction set at the ratio of 3:1, and the successive projection algorithm (SPA) is used to select the characteristic frequency points of the samples. Finally, the chosen characteristic variables are input into the support vector machine (SVM) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) algorithm to establish the qualitative analysis models, respectively. In the SPA-SVM models, the performance of the SPA-SVM model under the linear kernel function by baseline is best, the accuracy of the training set of it is 99.50%, and the accuracy of the test set of it is 99.25%. In the SPA-LDA models, the performance of the SPA-LDA model by baseline is best, and the accuracy of the training set of it is 100%, and the accuracy of the test set of it is 100%. And the value of cumulative variance contribution is proposed to assess whether the variable is good or bad to model. The results show that the combined THz-TDS and chemometrics method can be used to realize rapid, accurate, and nondestructive identification of different parts of P. notoginseng. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atomistic simulations have been performed to investigate the effect of aliphatic chain length in tetraalkylphosphonium cations on liquid morphologies, microscopic ionic structures, and dynamical quantities of tetraalkylphosphonium chloride ionic liquids. The liquid morphologies are characterized by sponge-like interpenetrating polar and apolar networks in ionic liquids consisting of tetraalkylphosphonium cations with short aliphatic chains. The lengthening aliphatic chains in tetraalkylphosphonium cations lead to polar domains consisting of chloride anions and central polar groups in cations being partially or totally segregated in ionic liquid matrices due to a progressive expansion of apolar domains in between. Prominent polarity alternation peaks and adjacency correlation peaks are observed at low and high q range in total X-ray scattering structural functions, respectively, and their peak positions gradually shift to lower q values with lengthening aliphatic chains in tetraalkylphosphonium cations. The charge alternation peaks registered in the intermediate q range exhibit complicated tendencies due to a cancellation of peaks and anti-peaks in partial structural functions for ionic subcomponents. The particular microstructures and liquid morphologies in tetraalkylphosphonium chloride ionic liquids intrinsically contribute to distinct dynamics characterized by mean square displacements, van Hove correlation functions, and non-Gaussian parameters for ionic species in the heterogeneous ionic environment. Most tetraalkylphosphonium cations have higher translational mobilities than their partner anions due to strong coordination of chloride anions with central polar groups in tetraalkylphosphonium cations through strong Coulombic and hydrogen bonding interactions. The increase of aliphatic chain length in tetraalkylphosphonium cations leads to a concomitant shift of van Hove correlation functions and non-Gaussian parameters to larger radial distances and longer time scales, respectively, indicating the enhanced translational dynamical heterogeneities of tetraalkylphosphonium cations and the corresponding chloride anions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the dynamic biointerface between mussel tissue and byssus, highlighting the role of this interaction in marine mussel adhesion. Topics include the chemical binding mechanism of mussel byssus; the connections between living tissue and byssus; and the release mechanism allowing mussels to detach from surfaces.

Replacing the sluggish oxygen evolution reaction (OER) with the hydrazine oxidation reaction (HzOR) has been proved to be an efficient approach to increase the hydrogen production efficiency through water electrolysis. Herein, NiOOH@cobalt copper carbonate hydroxide (NiOOH@CoCu CH) nanorods were designed for highly efficient water and hydrazine oxidation. Compared with NiOOH and CoCu CH directly grown on nickel foam, NiOOH@CoCu CH demonstrates enhanced electrocatalytic activities toward the OER and HzOR. To achieve a current density of 10 mA cm-2, the required potentials for the OER and HzOR are 1.49 V and -0.031 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), respectively. Also, it just needs an overpotential of -171 mV to acquire a current density of 10 mA cm-2 during the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) process. By assembling a two-electrode electrolyzer using NiOOH@CoCu CH as both the anode and cathode in an alkaline electrolyte with hydrazine, a rather low cell voltage of 0.087 V is required to realize a current density of 10 mA cm-2. This value is far smaller than that of 1.56 V required in pure KOH electrolyte, suggesting a more energy-saving approach for efficient hydrogen production. Moreover, NiOOH@CoCu CH also demonstrates excellent long-term operation stability during continuous OER, HER and HzOR processes. All these merits corroborate the promising practical applications of such non-noble metal-based electrocatalysts for large scale hydrogen production through water electrolysis with the assistance of the hydrazine oxidation reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anthracnose of Camellia oleifera is a very destructive disease that commonly occurs in the Camellia oleifera industry, which severely restricts the development of the Camellia oleifera industry. In the early stage of the Camellia oleifera suffering from anthracnose, only the diseased parts of the tree need to be repaired in time. With the aggravation of the disease, the diseased branches need to be eradicated, and severely diseased plants should be cut down in time. At present, aiming at the problems of complex experiments and low accuracy in detecting the degree of anthracnose of Camellia oleifera, a method is proposed to detect the degree of anthracnose of Camellia oleifera leaves by using terahertz spectroscopy (THz) combined with laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), so as to realize the rapid, efficient, non-destructive and high-precision determination of the degree of anthracnose of Camellia oleifera. Results: Mn, Ca, Ca II, Fe and other elements in the LIBS spectrum of healthy and infected Camellia oleifera leaves with different degrees of anthracnose are significantly different, and the Terahertz absorption spectra of healthy Camellia oleifera leaves, and Camellia oleifera leaves with different degrees of anthracnose there are also significant differences. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), support vector machine (SVM), and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) are used to establish the fusion spectrum anthracnose classification model of Camellia oleifera. Among them, the Root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) and the prediction determination coefficient R2p of THz-LIBS-CARS-PLS-DA of prediction set are 0.110 and 0.995 respectively, and the misjudgment rate is 1.03%; The accuracy of the modeling set of THz (CARS)-LIBS (CARS)-SVM is 100%, and the accuracy of prediction set is 100%, after preprocessing of the multivariate scattering correction (MSC), the accuracy of the THz-LIBS-MSC-CARS modeling set is 100%, and the accuracy of prediction set is 100%; The accuracy rate of THz-LIBS-MSC-CARS-LDA of modeling set is 98.98%, and the accuracy rate of the prediction set is 96.87%. Conclusion: The experimental results show that: the SVM model has higher qualitative analysis accuracy and is more stable than the PLS-DA and LDA models. The results showed that: the THz spectrum combined with the LIBS spectrum could be used to separate healthy Camellia oleifera leaves from various grades of anthracnose Camellia oleifera leaves non-destructively, quickly and accurately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CircRNAs is a novel type of endogenous RNA molecule that is produced from pre-mRNA without 5′cap and a tail of 3′polyA. It characterized by the presence of a covalent bond to form closed-loop structure. Recently, circRNAs have been identified in many species ranging from humans and animals to plants. It has several traits, such as evolutionary conservation, high stability, cell or tissue-specific expression, high abundance and so on, suggesting their potential biological significance. Current studies confirmed that circRNAs exert their functions in numerous ways including regulating the gene expression and protein translation, regulating other RNA transcripts by sponging miRNAs and proteins, and translating functional proteins or peptides and so on. This review summarized circRNAs molecular characteristics, biogenesis mechanism, prediction tools, database resources, main biological function of circRNAs, and research progresses of circRNAs in aquaculture. Our study provides the certain theoretical basis and reference for the researching the mechanism of circRNAs on aquaculture economic traits and vital functions in fish development, and providing novel techniques for aquaculture breeding in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rubber is the key component of a compression packer, which directly affects the success or failure of seals. Presently, the contact stress between the rubber and borehole walls is used as the main evaluation criterion for the sealing ability of the rubber of the compression packer. However, this evaluation criterion is imperfect. This study establishes the sealing performance and reliability evaluation system of a compression packer at 120°C. Considering the influence of time and temperature on the mechanical characteristics of rubber materials, the international advanced test technology was used to complete the uniaxial, planar and biaxial tensile tests and stress relaxation test for hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber (HNBR) of a compression packer under high temperature. Next, the hyperelastic and viscoelastic constitutive models of rubber materials based on high-temperature test data were established. Comprehensive sealing performance and reliability evaluation system for the compression packer rubber with compression rate, linear pressure, surface pressure and sealing performance coefficient were proposed. The evaluation system tested the rubber’s stress relaxation effect on the rubber’s sealing performance. The establishment of the evaluation system improved the shortcomings of the current packer-sealing performance evaluation system and provided a theoretical basis for the design and optimisation of the key structure of the packer-sealing system. Besides, based on the evaluation system, a platform for automatic structure simulation analysis and optimisation design of packer sealing system was developed and successfully applied to the actual design and optimisation process of packer. The system can effectively predict the sealing ability of the packer and guide field applications of the packer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to intensified land use, soil nitrogen cycling (N-cycling) and its ecological role are undergoing profound changes on a global scale. Currently, it is not clear how microbial involvement in nitrogen transformation is affected by land use conversion, including microbial diversity and environmental functions, which hinders the development of effective land management strategies. This study focused on microbial-mediated nitrogen cycling in converted black soil, transitioning from upland with maize to paddy with rice fields at two soil depths (0–15 cm and 15–30 cm). Functional gene (nifH , AOA, AOB, norB , and nosZ) abundances and critical functional groups were assessed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and Miseq sequencing. There were significant disparities in N-cycling gene abundance and microbial communities between paddy and upland fields at both soil depths, with these differences being influenced by soil properties. Notably, land use emerged as a more influential factor than soil depth in reshaping N-cycling abundance and microbial communities. Soil pH, soil moisture (SM), and nitrate nitrogen (NO 3 --N) content primarily influenced variations in the N-cycling microbial community structure. The rise in ecological niche resulted in a decrease in species migration of denitrifying communities, as confirmed by estimated migration rates (M). Land use conversion induced a transition from stochastic to deterministic processes in the assembly of norB - and nosZ -harbouring communities at deeper depths, primarily governed by heterogeneous selection. This conversion led to increased diversity and network stability within the nifH -, norB -, and nosZ -harbouring communities. In upland and paddy fields, the nosZ - and nifH -harbouring communities emerged as major players in the multi-kingdom networks, respectively. These results suggest that paddy ecosystems should be regarded as suitable environments for improving soil N-cycling functions in the context of agroecosystems facing severe environmental changes. [Display omitted] • Land use impacts N-cycling microbes more than soil depth. • Paddy fields show higher microbial diversity, except for AOA. • Land use and soil depth together shape norB- and nosZ -community assembly. • Land use stimulates key species, influencing their roles in ecological networks. • Core species' contribution to nifH and norB gene abundance declined in paddy soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Chemical structure and microcrystalline characteristics of different metamorphic coals. • Overall stability and local activity of different functional groups. • Models of slit pores with different functional groups were constructed. To study the influence of coalification on the microstructural properties of coal, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Density functional theory (DFT) simulations were used to analyse the microstructural properties of coal with different degrees of metamorphism. The results show that the degree of aromatic ring substitution of high-ranking coals is lower than that of low-ranking coals, and the lower the degree of aromatic ring substitution, the more stable the aromatic-substituted hydrocarbon structure. The phenolic hydroxyl group C O occupies a dominant position among the oxygen-containing functional groups of the coal samples, and the relative proportion of -COOH is the lowest. The O atoms linked by double bonds are more susceptible to electrophilic and nucleophilic reactions, but the structural stability is lower than that of the O atoms linked by single bonds. The aliphatic hydrocarbons in low-ranking coals are mainly in the form of long chains complemented by side chains, whereas high-ranking coals show the opposite tendency. The fatty chain structure of –CH 2 is more stable than that of –CH and -CH 3 , and the C and H atoms in -CH 3 are more susceptible to nucleophilic attack. The relative proportion of cyclic hydrogen bonds in coal samples is high, and the relative proportion of OH OH and OH-π hydrogen bonds increases with the degree of coalification. Stacking degree (L c), number of aromatic layers (N ave) and aromaticity (f a-XRD) increase with increasing metamorphic degree, and interlayer spacing (d 002) decreases with increasing coalification degree. Based on the results of FTIR and XRD analyses, coal slit-hole models with different structures are constructed, providing model construction methods and reference values for researchers in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluid flow plays a significantly important role in the continuous casting process which has a great influence on the steel quality. Electromagnetic stirring (EMS) has become a fairly established technology to control the flow behaviour within the mould. However, there still exist two important questions need to be answered, that is, what kind of flow pattern is the best one to achieve the high steel quality under EMS, and how to determine the optimal EMS parameters. Therefore, in order to clarify these questions, a methodology based on numerical simulation in an actual slab continuous casting mould has been developed to select an optimal EMS current, and three evaluation criteria are proposed in this paper, including: 1) a free surface rational criterion, 2) a uniformity criterion of the flow velocity distribution, 3) an inclusion removal criterion. By synthetically considering these evaluation criteria, the optimal EMS current is determined under different operating parameters. Meanwhile, this methodology can also be applied to optimize other operating conditions of continuous casting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The success of overseas Chinese entrepreneurs’ transnational businesses has long been attributed to these immigrants’ dual embeddedness between China and their countries of settlement in cultural, social capital, and institutional terms. However, the embeddedness approach focuses mainly on opportunity structures, and less so on resources and commodity flows in transnational businesses. This empirical study will hence turn to the Chinese newcomer entrepreneurs who arrived and set up businesses in Japan from the 1990s, investigating how these immigrants’ transnational enterprises developed step by step with different transnational flows. Based on my fieldwork in Tokyo in 2019 and digital interviews in 2020, the study shows that the development of Chinese newcomers’ transnational businesses includes three phases characterized respectively by uni-/bidirectional transnational flows of financial support, social capital, and commodities. Moreover, it also illustrates that the various noncommercial factors emerging between China and Japan have the potential to cause instability in transnational businesses. The paper aims herewith to provide empirical data aiding our understanding of the establishment of overseas Chinese entrepreneurs’ transnational businesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heteroleptic zinc(I) complexes L1,2Zn-ZnCp* (L¹ = HC[C(CF3)- NC6F5]2 1; L² = HC[C(Me)NDipp]2; Dipp = 2,6-i-Pr2C6H3 2) are synthesized by reactions of Cp*2Zn2 with L¹H and L²ZnH. 2 reacts with t-BuNCO to give unprecedented carbamate complex (4), while reactions with RN3 gave bis-hexazene, triazenide, and trimeric azide complexes (5-7). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc deficiency has been linked to human diseases, including cancer. MDMX, a crucial zinc-containing negative regulator of p53, has been found to be amplified or overexpressed in various cancers and implicated in the cancer initiation and progression. We report here that zinc depletion by the ion chelator TPEN or Chelex resin results in MDMX protein degradation in a ubiquitination-independent and 20S proteasome-dependent manner. Restoration of zinc led to recovery of cellular levels of MDMX. Further, TPEN treatment inhibits growth of the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line, which is partially rescued by overexpression of MDMX. Moreover, in a mass-spectrometry-based proteomics analysis, we identified TRPM7, a zinc-permeable ion channel, as a novel MDMX-interacting protein. TRPM7 stabilizes and induces the appearance of faster migrating species of MDMX on SDS-PAGE. Depletion of TRPM7 attenuates, while TRPM7 overexpression facilitates, the recovery of MDMX levels upon adding back zinc to TPEN-treated cells. Importantly, we found that TRPM7 inhibition, like TPEN treatment, decreases breast cancer cell MCF-7 proliferation and migration. The inhibitory effect on cell migration upon TRPM7 inhibition is also partially rescued by overexpression of MDMX. Together, our data indicate that TRPM7 regulates cellular levels of MDMX in part by modulating the intracellular Zn2+ concentration to promote tumorigenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The C--H bond activation catalyzed by a manganese(I) complex has achieved significant development but is limited to C(sp²)--H bonds. In this work, an efficient manganese(I)-catalyzed direct nucleophilic addition reaction of C(sp³)--H bonds to aromatic aldehydes has been developed. This is the first example of manganese(I)-catalyzed C(sp³)--H bond transformation. A manganacycle complex was isolated and proved to be the key active intermediate in the catalytic cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of green analytical chemistry (GAC) has been established and recognized by the analytical chemist community. The 12 principles of GAC are acknowledged as common guidance for the optimization of the development of analytical chemistry methodologies toward environmental friendliness. Mass spectrometry (MS) is one of the most essential instrumentation tools in modern analytical chemistry. It plays a fundamental role in a wide range of research areas as well as in daily life, from the bleeding edge of biomedical science to the authentication of our everyday food. The widespread use of MS makes it a necessary part of the development of GAC. In this review article, GAC and the SIGNIFICANCE principles will be briefly introduced and their relevance to MS will be debated. Mass spectrometry intrinsically complies with GAC, while there is also much room for further green improvement. Aspects, where contradictions lie between MS and GAC, will be focused on, namely sample preparation, energy consumption, throughput, and usage of solvent. Employment or optimization of MS regarding these aspects will be discussed. Ambient MS, as the MS technique most in line with GAC currently, will be highlighted. This review aims to bring more awareness of GAC to the communities of MS and calls for the application of green MS over a wider area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impaired endometrial receptivity is a major factor contributing to infertility in patients with endometriosis (EM), but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Qur study aimed to investigate the role of Kruppel-like factor 15 (KLF15) in endometrial receptivity and its regulation in EM. We observed a significant decrease in KLF15 expression in the mid-secretory epithelial endometrial cells of EM patients compared to normal females without EM. To confirm the role of KLF15 in endometrial receptivity, we found a significantly reduced KLF15 expression and a significant decrease in embryo implantation number in the rat model via uterine horn infection with siRNA. This highlights the importance of KLF15 as a regulator receptivity. Furthermore, through ChIP-qPCR, we discovered that the progesterone receptor (PR) directly binds to KLF15 promoter regions, indicating that progesterone resistance may mediate the decrease in KLF15 expression in EM patients. Additionally, we found that the mid-secretory endometrium of EM patients exhibited impaired epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Knockdown of KLF15 upregulated E-cadherin and downregulated vimentin expression, leading to inhibited invasiveness and migration of Ishikawa cells. Qverexpression KLF15 promotes EMT, invasiveness, and migration ability, and increases the attachment rate of JAR cells to Ishikawa cells. Through RNA-seq analysis, we identified TWIST2 as a downstream gene of KLF15. We confirmed that KLF15 directly binds to the promoter region of TWIST2 via ChIP-qPCR, promoting epithelial cell EMT during the establishment of endometrial receptivity. Qur study reveals the involvement of KLF15 in the regulation of endometrial receptivity and its downstream effects on EMT. These findings provide valuable insights into potential therapeutic approaches for treating non-receptive endometrium in patients with EM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]