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Simple Summary: The genus Diploderma Hallowell, 1861 (Squamata, Agamidae), currently consists of 46 species, which are distributed across East Asia (inclusive of Japan) and the northern part of the Indochinese Peninsula, primarily inhabiting dry valley regions in Western China. This article introduces a novel species of Diploderma based on its unique morphological features and molecular evidence, discovered in the lower valley of the Dadu River in Sichuan Province, Western China. Phylogenetic analysis using ND2 data suggests that this new taxon is distinct from its congeners. Morphologically, the new species can be differentiated from other Diploderma species by an assemblage of 46 specific characteristics. Principal component analysis (PCA) further demonstrates that this new species is clearly distinguishable from its closest relative, D. splendidum. Given these multiple lines of evidence, we describe this species from the lower Dadu River valley as a newly identified species, D. daduense sp. nov. This discovery brings the total number of recognized species within the genus Diploderma to 47. This study describes a novel species of Diploderma (Squamata, Agamidae) from the lower valley of the Dadu River of the Sichuan Province of Western China based on its distinct morphological features and molecular evidence. D. daduense sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congeners by its tympanum concealed; head mainly green-yellow, supplemented by black; skin folds under the nuchal and dorsal crest obviously present in adult males only, its vertebral crest discontinuous between nuchal and dorsal sections with a distinct gap; transverse gular fold present but not obvious in some individuals; gular spot absent in both sexes; dorsolateral stripes green-yellow anteriorly, cyan in the center and blurry off-white posteriorly in adult males, the upper edge of dorsolateral stripes strongly jagged in adult males; no radial stripes around the eyes; inner-lip coloration smoky-white, and the coloration of the tongue and oral cavity as a light-flesh color in life; bright green-yellow transverse stripes on dorsal body in males; black patches are evenly distributed along the vertebral line between the dorsolateral stripes from the neck to the base of the tail in males; beech-brown or gray-brown line along the vertebral line with heart-shaped or diamond-shaped black patches on the dorsal body in females; and supratemporals fewer than four on at least one side. The phylogenetic tree based on mitochondrial ND2 sequences indicates that D. daduense sp. nov. forms an independent clade with strong support 1/100 in ML bootstrap/Bayesian posterior probability and is the sister group to D. splendidum. At the inter-species level, the p-distance is at least 6.95%, further confirming that an independent species had been identified. Our work raises the number of species within the genus Diploderma to 47. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses stability analysis and quantized stabilization of discrete‐time state‐dependent switching affine systems with quantized control inputs and state measurements. The employed controller is in a mode‐dependent affine form to improve the adaptation to the mode of the controlled system and then to acquire less conservative results. The quantization scheme is considered to be logarithmic and synchronized with the mode switching of the switching affine system and the controller. Aiming at achieving lower conservative criteria, a mode‐dependent Lyapunov function incorporating quantization uncertainties is constructed. Correspondingly, the stability analysis and the stabilizing control synthesis are implemented. In the end, the proposed quantized control strategy is applied to a vehicle path‐following problem to exemplify its effectiveness and robustness against data quantization in control inputs and state measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The intriguing connection between selenium and cancer resembles a captivating puzzle that keeps researchers engaged and curious. While selenium has shown promise in reducing cancer risks through supplementation, its interaction with epigenetics in cervical cancer remains a fascinating yet largely unexplored realm. Unraveling the intricacies of selenium's role and its interaction with epigenetic factors could unlock valuable insights in the battle against this complex disease. Result: Selenium has shown remarkable inhibitory effects on cervical cancer cells in various ways. In in vitro studies, it effectively inhibits the proliferation, migration, and invasion of cervical cancer cells, while promoting apoptosis. Selenium also demonstrates significant inhibitory effects on human cervical cancer-derived organoids. Furthermore, in an in vivo study, the administration of selenium dioxide solution effectively suppresses the growth of cervical cancer tumors in mice. One of the mechanisms behind selenium's inhibitory effects is its ability to inhibit histone demethylases, specifically JMJD3 and UTX. This inhibition is observed both in vitro and in vivo. Notably, when JMJD3 and UTX are inhibited with GSK-J4, similar biological effects are observed in both in vitro and in vivo models, effectively inhibiting organoid models derived from cervical cancer patients. Inhibiting JMJD3 and UTX also induces G2/M phase arrest, promotes cellular apoptosis, and reverses epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). ChIP-qPCR analysis confirms that JMJD3 and UTX inhibition increases the recruitment of a specific histone modification, H3K27me3, to the transcription start sites (TSS) of target genes in cervical cancer cells (HeLa and SiHa cells). Furthermore, the expressions of JMJD3 and UTX are found to be significantly higher in cervical cancer tissues compared to adjacent normal cervical tissues, suggesting their potential as therapeutic targets. Conclusions: Our study highlights the significant inhibitory effects of selenium on the growth, migration, and invasion of cervical cancer cells, promoting apoptosis and displaying promising potential as a therapeutic agent. We identified the histone demethylases JMJD3 and UTX as specific targets of selenium, and their inhibition replicates the observed effects on cancer cell behavior. These findings suggest that JMJD3 and UTX could be valuable targets for selenium-based treatments of cervical cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This paper investigates the fault‐tolerant control for quadcopter systems with the condition of reducing the bumps of system states. Allowing for the unavailable information of fault detection and identification (FDI) process in reality, a novel fault‐tolerant control scheme integrated with semi‐Markov stochastic process is considered, which stands in marked contrast to previous researches with the assumption of accurate FDI information. The emission probability satisfying piecewise homogeneous property is introduced to express the relationship between the obtained FDI information and real one, which covers more practical scenarios compared with existing ones. Afterwards, sufficient conditions on existence of the bumpless transfer controller reaching prescribed performance are obtained insuring that the quadcopter system is stable in the sense of mean square stability (MSS) and capable of dealing with the unavoidable bumps of states caused by stochastic switching dynamics. Eventually, simulations and comparative studies are performed to illustrate the advantages of the proposed strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with the problems of stability and stabilization for discrete‐time switched linear systems with a new class of switching signals. The considered switching signals are of random mode‐dependent sojourn‐time (RMST) property, which is capable of describing the mode‐dependent sojourn‐time period consisting of a fixed part with no switching and a random part with known sojourn‐time expectation. Compared with the previous studies assuming that the switching dynamics of the random part can be described by a Markov chain, the length of the random part is allowed to obey any distribution including geometric distribution. Besides, the mode switching of RMST switching is arbitrary indicating that it requires no statistical information of transition probabilities. The criteria of stability and stabilization are derived for the RMST switched systems. To further reduce the limitation of RMST switching on switching frequency, a concept of random mode‐dependent persistent sojourn‐time (RMPST) is proposed. Then, in the presence of asynchronous switching, the conditions of the existence of controllers are presented for the switched systems with persistent sojourn‐time expectation. A numerical example and a practical example of a space robot manipulator are given to demonstrate the effectiveness and applicability of the developed theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar is a potential porous carbon to remove the contaminants from aquatic environments. Herein, N-doped hierarchical biochar was produced by the combined approach of ammonia torrefaction pretreatment (ATP) and alkali activation. ATP could not only incorporate N element into poplar wood, but obtain the loose structure of poplar wood. The highest surface area of N-doped hierarchical biochar was 2324.61 m2 g−1 after ammonia wet torrefaction pretreatment, which was higher than that of activation carbon (1401.82 m2 g−1) without torrefaction pretreatment, the hierarchical biochar (2111.03 m2 g−1) without ammonia atmosphere. The N-doped hierarchical biochar presented the highest adsorption capacity (564.7 mg g−1) of methyl orange (MO), which was 14.64-fold of that on biochar without N doping. In addition, the pseudo-second-order and Langmuir model fitted well with the adsorption kinetics and isotherms of the N-doped hierarchical biochar. The incorporation of nitrogen element could not only tune the distribution of surface electrons on biochar, but optimize the ambient condition of adsorption active sites as well. The adsorption of MO might occur on the N-/O-containing functional groups through the electrostatic interaction, the π-π dispersion interaction, and the hydrogen bonding. The density functional theory showed that the graphitic-N and pyridinic-N were the dominant adsorption active sites. Highlights: Ammonia torrefaction pretreatment coupled with alkali activation was developed for the preparation of N-doped hierarchical biochar. AWTP had better performance on N-doping and increasing of BET than ADTP. Graphitic-N and pyridinic-N were dominant active sites for the adsorption of organic dye. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of health technologies and gamification to promote physical activity has increasingly been examined, representing an opportunistic method for harnessing social support inherent within existing social ties. However, these prior studies have yielded mixed findings and lacked long-term follow-up periods. Thus, a pilot cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted to gauge the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a digital gamification-based physical activity promotion approach among teams of insufficiently active adults with existing social ties. Methods: Teams (N = 24; 116 total participants) were randomized to either a 12-week intervention (Fitbit, step goals, app, feedback; TECH) or the same program plus gamification (TECH + Gamification). Mixed effects models were used to compare group differences in treatment adherence, and changes in social support, steps, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity at 12 weeks and 52 weeks from baseline, adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics and team size. Results: TECH had a lower mean number of days of Fitbit self-monitoring versus TECH + Gamification during the intervention (adjusted difference: -.30; 95% CI, -.54 to -.07; P =.01). Post-intervention, TECH had 47% lower odds of self-monitoring 7 days per week versus TECH + Gamification (.53; 95% CI,.31 to.89; P =.02). No differences were observed between TECH + Gamification and TECH in increases in social support (0.04; 95% CI, -.21 to.29; P =.76), ActiGraph-measured daily steps (-425; 95% CI, -1065 to 215; P =.19), or moderate-to-vigorous physical activity minutes (-3.36; 95% CI, -8.62 to 1.91; P =.21) from baseline to 12 weeks or in the regression of these improvements by 1 year (Ps >.05). Although not significant in the adjusted models (Ps >.05), clinically meaningful differences in Fitbit-measured daily steps (TECH, 7041 ± 2520; TECH + Gamification, 7988 ± 2707) and active minutes (TECH, 29.90 ± 29.76; TECH + Gamification, 36.38 ± 29.83) were found during the intervention. Conclusions: A gamified physical activity intervention targeting teams of adults with existing social ties was feasible and facilitated favorable, clinically meaningful additive physical activity effects while in place but did not drive enhanced, long-term physical activity participation. Future investigations should explore optimal team dynamics and more direct ways of leveraging social support (training teams; gamifying social support). Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03509129, April 26, 2018). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a life-threatening disease that currently lacks a cure. Although stem cell-derived small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) have shown promising effects in the treatment of ALI, their underlying mechanisms and responsible components have yet to be identified. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 6 (PCSK6) is a gene involved in inflammation and a potential target of miR-21-5p, a microRNA enriched in stem cell-derived sEVs. The current study investigated the role of PCSK6 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI and its interaction with miR-21-5p. Notably, our results showed that PCSK6 expression was positively correlated with LPS stimulation. Knockdown of PCSK6 ameliorated LPS-induced inhibition of proliferation and upregulation of permeability in human BEAS-2B cells, whereas PCSK6 overexpression displayed the opposite effects. BEAS-2B cells were able to actively internalize the cocultured bone mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived sEVs (BMSC-sEVs), which alleviated the cell damage caused by LPS. Overexpressing PCSK6, however, eliminated the therapeutic effects of BMSC-sEV coculture. Mechanistically, BMSC-sEVs inhibited PCSK6 expression via the delivery of miR-21-5p, which is directly bound to the PCSK6 gene. Our work provides evidence for the role of PCSK6 in LPS-induced ALI and identified miR-21-5p as a component of BMSC-derived sEVs that suppressed PCSK6 expression and ameliorated LPS-induced cell damage. These results reveal a novel molecular mechanism for ALI pathogenesis and highlight the therapeutic potential of using sEVs released by stem cells to deliver miR-21-5p for ALI treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Partly interval-censored (PIC) data arise frequently in medical studies of diseases that require periodic examinations for symptoms of interest, such as progression-free survival and relapse-free survival. The proportional hazards (PH) model is the most widely used model in survival analysis. This paper introduces our new R package, PICBayes, which implements a set of functions for fitting the PH model to different complexities of partly interval-censored data under the Bayesian semiparametric framework. The main function of PICBayes is to fit (1) the PH model to PIC data; (2) the PH model with spatial frailty to areally-referenced PIC data; (3) the PH model with one random intercept to clustered PIC data; (4) the PH model with one random intercept and one random effect to clustered PIC data; and (5) general mixed effects PH model to clustered PIC data. We also included the corresponding functions for general interval-censored data. A random intercept or random effect can follow both a normal prior and a Dirichlet process mixture prior. The use of the package is illustrated by analyzing two real data sets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Halide perovskites have attracted much attention because of their excellent optoelectronic properties, such as high light absorption, long carrier diffusion length, and high defect tolerance. Ion migration induced device performance degradation, which is not yet fully understood, has become the key obstacle for commercialization of halide perovskites. Here, a general mechanism is proposed, which can build up the connection between the ion migration barrier and the electronic density of states, to clarify the origin of low barrier for ion migration. Density functional theory (DFT) simulation results show that the low barrier is caused by a significant energy difference in band centers between Pb2+ and the isolating halogen anion or by the small number of density of states. Following the explored mechanism, two strategies are proposed to boost barriers via DFT combination CI‐NEB simulations: 1) halide double perovskites and 2) B‐site doping. Furthermore, the finding not only deepens the understanding of ion migration in halide perovskites but also paves a new path for the commercialization of halide perovskite optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug resistance causes failure of cancer treatment. Identifying drug sensitivity of tumors can guide therapeutic administration for cancer patients, however this approach lacks a facile, fast, and noninvasive evaluation platform. Herein, a gelatin‐coated ZnO array nanoplatform to isolate circulating tumor cells (CTCs) is developed, and their drug resistance for inspecting tumor sensitivity is assessed. The nanoplatform is comprised of a nanosubstrate of ZnO submicropillars (ZnO SMPs) for efficiently isolating cancer cells, and Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) based electrochemical probes for evaluating drug resistance of the captured cells. Gelatin, an extracellular matrix‐like and enzyme‐degradable material, is used to coat ZnO SMPs and AuNPs, endowing the nanoplatform with the ability to maintain cancer cell viability and realize enzyme‐responsive cell recovery for downstream bioanalysis. This nanoplatform is expected to noninvasively evaluate drug sensitivity of cancer patients through simple liquid biopsy of CTCs in peripheral blood and benefit the treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a global health challenge. Despite the availability of effective preventive vaccines, millions of people are at risk of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Current drug therapies inhibit viral replication, slow the progression of liver fibrosis and reduce infectivity, but they rarely remove the covalently sealed circular DNA (cccDNA) of the virus that causes HBV persistence. Alternative treatment strategies, including those based on CRISPR/cas9 knockout virus gene, can effectively inhibit HBV replication, so it has a good prospect. During chronic infection, some virus gene knockouts based on CRISPR/cas9 may even lead to cccDNA inactivation. This paper reviews the progress of different HBV CRISPR/cas9, vectors for delivering to the liver, and the current situation of preclinical and clinical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal management problems of traction drive systems for high-speed trains are of great importance for the operation reliability of high-speed trains. The thermal performance of transformer and traction rectifier are mainly affected by the aerodynamic performance of pantograph. Nine bowheads with different sawtooth structures on the lower surface are proposed and a CFD numerical model is built with Transition SST turbulence model. The influence of the number and height of sawteeth on the aerodynamic characteristics of the bowhead flow field are investigated. The results show that compared with the rectangular bowhead, the aerodynamic drag of the 5w3h-shaped bowhead is reduced by 8.6%, 8.7%, and 9.9% at train speeds of 250 km/h, 300 km/h, and 350 km/h, respectively. The promotion of aerodynamic performance of pantograph is beneficial to improve the thermal characteristics of traction drive systems for high-speed trains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Partly interval-censored data often occur in cancer clinical trials and have been analyzed as right-censored data. Patients' geographic information sometimes is also available and can be useful in testing treatment effects and predicting survivorship. We propose a Bayesian semiparametric method for analyzing partly interval-censored data with areal spatial information under the proportional hazards model. A simulation study is conducted to compare the performance of the proposed method with the main method currently available in the literature and the traditional Cox proportional hazards model for right-censored data. The method is illustrated through a leukemia survival data set and a dental health data set. The proposed method will be especially useful for analyzing progression-free survival in multi-regional cancer clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An eco-friendly and stable metal-free acidic catalyst phosphorus-doped graphitic carbon nitride (P–UCN) synthesized for the highly efficient dehydration of fructose to 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) was presented. The acidic sites (P sites) were introduced into the g-C 3 N 4 structure via a simple thermal polycondensation of urea. A 91.7% HMF yield was achieved with optimal P–UCN catalyst under mild reaction conditions (160 °C, 3 h). XPS and NMR characterizations of P–UCN catalysts suggested that the P atoms may replace the corner and bay carbon sites, which could provide stable acidic sites for fructose dehydration into HMF. NH 3 -TPD analysis indicated that a moderate amount of P doped would provide higher catalytic activity for the dehydration reaction. Furthermore, the 1.0P–UCN (real content 1.83 wt %) catalyst was demonstrated high stability in the dehydration system and retained high reactivity after being recycled 5 times. The characterization results of recovered 1.0P–UCN further confirmed that the morphology and structure of the catalyst remained well after the dehydration reaction. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellulose-supported cobalt ferrite (CoFe 2 O 4 /RC) was synthesized via a facile one-pot hydrothermal method and demonstrated to be an efficient catalyst to activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for the degradation of sulfamethoxazole (SMX). The characterizations of CoFe 2 O 4 /RC catalysts revealed that an appropriate particle size of the cellulose support could promote the dispersion of CoFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles and consequently promote the catalytic activity of the resulting CoFe 2 O 4 /RC catalysts. The degradation of SMX reached 97.6 % within 20 min at 30 °C with the CoFe 2 O 4 /RC/PMS system. The mechanism of SMX degradation over CoFe 2 O 4 /RC-activated PMS was studied via EPR, XPS, and quenching tests. The results suggested that 1O 2 was the dominant reactive oxygen species and was accompanied by SO 4 −, OH, and O 2 − radicals for SMX degradation. The CoFe 2 O 4 /RC catalyst exhibited high stability and recyclability and maintained high catalytic activity after five experimental cycles. • NaOH acts as the additive to dissolute cellulose and the precipitant of CoFe 2 O 4. • Defibriled cellulose improved the dispersion of supported CoFe 2 O 4. • SMX degradation reached 97.6 % at optimized condition within 20 min. • Both free radical and non-radical processes were involved in the PMS activation. • 1O 2 was the dominating ROS responsible for the SMX degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Long non-coding RNA actin filament-associated protein1-antisense RNA 1 (AFAP1-AS1) was confirmed to be associated with tumorigenesis. However, the role of AFAP1-AS1 in breast cancer was little known. Materials and Methods: Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the levels of AFAP1-AS1, microRNA-497-5p (miR-497-5p), and Septin 2 (SEPT2) in breast cancer tissues and cells. The cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis were tested by Methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT), Transwell and Flow cytometry assays, respectively. The targeting relationship between genes was predicted by StarBase v.3.0 and confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Pearson's correlation coefficient was applied to examine the correlation between the two groups. SEPT2 protein expression was evaluated by Western blot. Xenograft models were established to investigate the role of AFAP1-AS1 knockdown in vivo. Results: AFAP1-AS1 was upregulated in breast cancer tissues and cells, and AFAP1-AS1 knockdown could hinder proliferation and migration of breast cancer cells, and contribute to cell apoptosis. MiR-497-5p, which was downregulated in breast cancer, was verified to be a target of AFAP1-AS1 and inversely correlated with AFAP1-AS1 expression. SEPT2, as a target gene of miR-497-5p, was negatively regulated by miR-497-5p and positively correlated with AFAP1-AS1 expression. Importantly, AFAP1-AS1 could upregulate SEPT2 expression by sponging miR-497-5p, and modulate cell progression by regulation of the miR-497-5p/SEPT2 axis in breast cancer. Conclusion: AFAP1-AS1 knockdown repressed the progression of breast cancer cells by sponging miR-497-5p and downregulating SEPT2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead‐free metal halides with 0D crystal structures have stimulated the interest of researchers due to their remarkable photoelectric capabilities, long‐term stability, and environmentally friendly nature. Here, an efficient cyan‐emitting copper(I)‐doped 0D cesium zinc halide is developed via a simple solution synthesis approach and valence stabilization strategy. The broad emission band, substantial Stokes shift, and relatively long decay time all point to extrinsic self‐trapped excitons as the source of the emission. The photoluminescence quantum yield increases from 85.3% to 93.6% after codoping with Al3+ at Zn sites, which can be attributed to an increase in distortion of [CuCl4]3‐ polyhedrons caused by a decrease in local structure symmetry. Meanwhile, the environmental stability of Cu+‐Al3+ codoped samples is also boosted significantly by the distortion‐assisted charge compensation effect. Density functional theory calculations and investigations of temperature‐dependent photoluminescence behaviors back up the luminescence mechanism proposed above. The current study provides new possibilities for developing copper(I)‐relevant metal halides with high luminescence efficiency and excellent environmental stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to deal with the problem of attitude tracking control for quadrotors subject to time-varying inertia and external disturbances, a finite-time bounded switched linear parameter-varying (LPV) control method is presented. The attitude dynamics is described by two subsystems, where the inner angular-velocity system is used to track the desired angular velocities that are generated by the outer attitude-angle system. The angular-velocity system of quadrotors is modeled as a switched LPV model, where a family of linear models is developed to approximate the original nonlinear system and the LPV method is applied to model the time-varying inertia. Specially, a mode-dependent persistent dwell-time (MPDT) switching logic, which is more general than the typically used dwell-time (DT) or average dwell-time (ADT) switching logic, is adopted to govern the switching behaviors among these linear models. A state-feedback controller for the switched LPV error-tracking system is designed, which ensures both finite-time boundedness and extended dissipative performance. Finally, the developed theoretical results are verified by numerical simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corydalis decumbens (Thunb.) Pers. was used as stasis-eliminating medicine traditionally to treat cardiovascular disease potentially attributed to its antithrombotic effect, but lack of pharmacological research on it. To investigate the antithrombotic effect of C. decumbens and its preliminary mechanism. A carrageenan-induced mouse thrombus model and adenosine diphosphate stimulated platelet aggregation of rabbits were used to confirm the inhibitory effect of C. decumbens extract and compounds on thrombosis in vivo. Then, H 2 O 2 -induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) injury model was further adopted to verify the effects of bioactive compounds in vitro. Moreover, in silico network pharmacology analyses and molecular docking were performed to predict the underlying mechanisms, targets, and pathways, and which were further confirmed through western blotting assay. The administration of total extract (TE), total alkaloids (TA) and tetrahydropalmatine (TET) resulted in a significant reduction in black tail thrombus and congestion, along with a decreasing in platelet aggregation of rabbits. A superior antithrombotic effect indicated the bioactive fraction, and then the isolated bioactive compounds, TET and protopine (PRO) increased cell survival, and decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release in H 2 O 2 -induced HUVECs injury model. Moreover, the two alkaloids targeted 33 major proteins and influenced 153 pathways in network pharmacology prediction. Among these, HSP90AA1, COX-2, NF-κB/p65, MMP1 and HIF-1α were the key proteins and PI3K-Akt emerged as the major signaling pathway. Further western blotting results supported that five key proteins were downregulated by the two bioactive compounds in H 2 O 2 -stimulated HUVECs model. C. decumbens exerted protective effect on thrombosis through inhibiting PI3K-Akt pathway and related key proteins, which supported the traditional use and presented potential antithrombotic alkaloids for further investigation. [Display omitted] • C.decumbens had a significant inhibition on thrombosis through regulating PI3K-Akt pathway. • Tetrahydropalmatine (TET) and protopine (PRO) were the active compounds. • C.decumbens could be used as potential candidates for antithrombotic drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The built-in electric field is established in the lattice-matched Delafossite-based heterogeneous interfaces, providing rapid and smooth charge migration and transfer via the Z-scheme pathways. [Display omitted] • The lattice-matched Delafossite-based core–shell CuRhO 2 @CuGaO 2 heterojunction was designed and constructed. • The Z-scheme charge transfer mechanism between CuRhO 2 and CuGaO 2 was proposed. • Lattice matching is beneficial for the rapid and smooth transfer and migration of charge carriers. • CuRhO 2 @CuGaO 2 shows high photocurrent density and photocatalytic activity for tetracycline antibiotics degradation. The establishment of heterojunctions at phase interfaces represents a pivotal strategy for enhancing photocatalytic performance. However, the inferior interfacial contact caused by the mismatch of crystal structure or lattice parameters seriously hampers the rapid and smooth migration of charge carriers in traditional heterojunctions. In this work, a tightly integrated Delafossite-based core–shell CuRhO 2 @CuGaO 2 heterojunction was judiciously designed and constructed via a hydrothermal approach. Experimental and density-functional theory calculation results co-unravel that the built-in electric field is established in the lattice-matched heterogeneous interfaces, thereby providing smooth interface charge separation and transfer via the Z-scheme pathways. Benefitting from the heterojunction effect and unique core–shell coupling architecture, the strong visible light absorption and fast spatial charge transfer are realized in the CuRhO 2 @CuGaO 2 heterostructure. The photocurrent density of the CuRhO 2 @CuGaO 2 heterojunction is nearly 1.25 and 3.75 times those of pristine CuRhO 2 and CuGaO 2 , respectively. As a result, the CuRhO 2 @CuGaO 2 heterostructure reveals an excellent photocatalytic degradation rate of tetracycline hydrochloride, achieving a 3.02 and 2.38-fold improvement than those of the CuRhO 2 and CuGaO 2 , respectively. This work is expected to pave the way for novel insights into the design of efficient heterojunction photocatalysts to steer the rapid photocarrier flows across the heterointerface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experiments of flow regime visualization and identification of air–water two-phase flow were conducted in a horizontal helically coiled rectangular channel. The test superficial liquid and gas velocities are 0.09–2 m/s and 0.18–16 m/s, respectively. Flow regimes were observed with a high-speed video camera and the corresponding local and average void fractions were measured with an electric conductivity probe method and with a quick-close valve method, respectively. Four main flow regimes including unsteady pulsating flow, bubbly flow, intermittent flow, and annular flow were observed. The bubbly flow identification criteria depend on more than 90% bubbles whose chord length was smaller than the channel equivalent diameter. The annular flow identification criteria is the local void fraction in the gas core larger than 0.97. Then the flow regimes and their transition mechanisms are analyzed. Furthermore, new transition criteria among these flow regimes have been proposed. The results show that the critical transition average void fraction from bubbly to intermittent flow is 0.23. A complete air–water flow regime map has been developed for the horizontal helically coiled rectangular channel and the map predicts the observed flow regimes well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interval-censored data arise frequently in medical studies of diseases that require periodic examinations for symptoms of interest, such as disease-free survival (DFS). This paper provides an introduction to the R package ICBayes which implements a set of programs for analyzing case 1 interval-censored data and case 2 interval-censored data under Bayesian semiparametric framework. The main function ICBayes fits commonly-used survival regression models: proportional hazards, proportional odds, and probit. A simulation study is conducted to compare the performance of the package with two R packages that fit Bayesian proportional hazards, proportional odds, and accelerated failure time models. The use of the package is illustrated through analyzing a case 2 interval-censored breast cosmesis data and a case 1 interval-censored animal tumorigenicity data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to determine the effective stress factor of proppants during the multi-stage hydraulic fracturing operation in horizontal wells and select the appropriate proppant type, the analysis of the effective stress characteristics of proppants is carried out. This analysis considers the geomechanics and long-term production characteristics of multi-stage fractured horizontal wells in reservoirs like Xinjiang Mahu shale oil and Southwest China shale gas. The analysis of influencing factors is also carried out. The results show that, during the multi-stage hydraulic fracturing operation in horizontal wells, the stress on proppants is not only related to geological factors such as reservoir closure stress, but also closely related to total injection volume, cluster spacing, liquid type, injection displacement and post fracture management. First, increasing injection intensity, reducing fracture spacing, using low viscosity fracturing fluid, adopting high injection displacement and utilizing reasonable flowback system can effectively supplement reservoir energy, postpone the effective stress peak of proppants, and increase the effective conductivity of proppants. Second, the production performance analysis results of nearly 300 horizontal wells (from Xinjiang oil field, Erdos tight oil reservoir, Sichuan shale gas reservoir, etc.) shows that: the effective stress of proppants in horizontal wells is only 50–60% of that in vertical wells, which results in a different proppant selection criterion in the volume stimulation of horizontal wells and provides the geomechanics basis of replacing ceramsite proppant with quartz sand to reduce cost and increase efficiency. Based on the above conclusions, the field test of replacing ceramsite proppant with quartz sand was carried out. The proportion of quartz sand increased from less than 30% in 2014 to 69% in 2019. Without any impact on production, the annual investment cost was decreased by more than 1 billion yuan, which set a great example for the promoted low-cost development of unconventional oil and gas reservoirs under low oil price background. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on the optical activation of Eu-doped KTiOAsO 4 (KTA) by ion implantation and the effect on luminescence activity during lattice recovery. Optical activation of KTA crystals implanted with 400 keV Eu ions at an ion fluence of 5 × 1015 ions/cm2 is investigated. Despite a high damage level induced by the implantation, doping of Eu into KTA results in a strong photoluminescence in the temperature range from 4 K to 300 K, the strongest peak appears at 612 nm, which corresponding to the 5D 0 -7F 2 transition. The lattice strain and Raman spectroscopy of the implanted KTA before and after annealing at 600°C and 700°C showed that the lattice defects are effectively recovered under annealing. Furthermore, the lattice damage effect on photoluminescence of ion-implanted Eu-doped KTA is negligible, indicating that ion implantation is an important method to obtain intense photoluminescence. The results reveal the optical activation properties of Eu implanted KTA and the attractiveness of its applications in waveguide quantum reservoirs. [Display omitted] • Robust photoluminescence of Eu doped KTiOAsO 4 at room temperature were obtained. • Temperature-dependent PL indicates weak interaction between electrons and holes. • Emission intensity of Eu-KTA is nearly 80 orders of magnitude larger than RTP and KTP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To analyze clinical characteristics, risk factors, pathogen distribution, and prognostic markers in primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) patients with severe pneumonia (SP) compared to those without severe pneumonia (NSP).This case–control study included 24 hospitalized pSS patients with SP and 96 NSP at the first affiliated hospital of Soochow university from June 2014 to May 2023. Data encompassing demographics, comorbidities, treatments, and laboratory results were retrospectively collected. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses, ROC curves, and statistical analyses using SPSS 23.0 assessed risk factors. The study retrospectively analyzed clinical features and risk factors, highlighting distinct parameters between pSS patients with and without SP.Marked differences were observed in several parameters: pSS activity(P < 0.001), white blood cell (P = 0.043), lymphocyte (P < 0.001), neutrophils (P = 0.042), C-reactive protein (P = 0.042), and CD8+ T cell (P = 0.017). Notably, lymphocyte count and SS activity demonstrated robust discrimination ability (AUC > 0.85). C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin, CD4+ T cell, and IgA showed significant associations with SP; higher CRP levels correlated with increased risk, while lower CD4+ T cell and IgA levels associated with increased risk. SS activity significantly impacted outcomes. Various biomarkers exhibited diverse discriminatory abilities but lacked strong predictive associations with outcomes.pSS patients with SP exhibited higher disease activity and altered immune profiles compared to those NSP. Lymphocyte count and SS activity emerged as robust discriminators. Higher CRP levels correlated with increased risk of SP, while lower CD4+T cell and IgA levels associated with increased risk. SS activity significantly impacted patient outcomes.Key Points• pSS patients with SP exhibited higher disease activity and altered immune profiles compared to those NSP.• Lymphocyte count and SS activity emerged as robust discriminators.• Higher CRP levels correlated with increased risk of SP, while lower CD4+ T cell and IgA levels associated with decreased risk.• SS activity significantly impacted patient outcomes.Key Points• pSS patients with SP exhibited higher disease activity and altered immune profiles compared to those NSP.• Lymphocyte count and SS activity emerged as robust discriminators.• Higher CRP levels correlated with increased risk of SP, while lower CD4+ T cell and IgA levels associated with decreased risk.• SS activity significantly impacted patient outcomes.Methods: To analyze clinical characteristics, risk factors, pathogen distribution, and prognostic markers in primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) patients with severe pneumonia (SP) compared to those without severe pneumonia (NSP).This case–control study included 24 hospitalized pSS patients with SP and 96 NSP at the first affiliated hospital of Soochow university from June 2014 to May 2023. Data encompassing demographics, comorbidities, treatments, and laboratory results were retrospectively collected. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses, ROC curves, and statistical analyses using SPSS 23.0 assessed risk factors. The study retrospectively analyzed clinical features and risk factors, highlighting distinct parameters between pSS patients with and without SP.Marked differences were observed in several parameters: pSS activity(P < 0.001), white blood cell (P = 0.043), lymphocyte (P < 0.001), neutrophils (P = 0.042), C-reactive protein (P = 0.042), and CD8+ T cell (P = 0.017). Notably, lymphocyte count and SS activity demonstrated robust discrimination ability (AUC > 0.85). C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin, CD4+ T cell, and IgA showed significant associations with SP; higher CRP levels correlated with increased risk, while lower CD4+ T cell and IgA levels associated with increased risk. SS activity significantly impacted outcomes. Various biomarkers exhibited diverse discriminatory abilities but lacked strong predictive associations with outcomes.pSS patients with SP exhibited higher disease activity and altered immune profiles compared to those NSP. Lymphocyte count and SS activity emerged as robust discriminators. Higher CRP levels correlated with increased risk of SP, while lower CD4+T cell and IgA levels associated with increased risk. SS activity significantly impacted patient outcomes.Key Points• pSS patients with SP exhibited higher disease activity and altered immune profiles compared to those NSP.• Lymphocyte count and SS activity emerged as robust discriminators.• Higher CRP levels correlated with increased risk of SP, while lower CD4+ T cell and IgA levels associated with decreased risk.• SS activity significantly impacted patient outcomes.Key Points• pSS patients with SP exhibited higher disease activity and altered immune profiles compared to those NSP.• Lymphocyte count and SS activity emerged as robust discriminators.• Higher CRP levels correlated with increased risk of SP, while lower CD4+ T cell and IgA levels associated with decreased risk.• SS activity significantly impacted patient outcomes.Results: To analyze clinical characteristics, risk factors, pathogen distribution, and prognostic markers in primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) patients with severe pneumonia (SP) compared to those without severe pneumonia (NSP).This case–control study included 24 hospitalized pSS patients with SP and 96 NSP at the first affiliated hospital of Soochow university from June 2014 to May 2023. Data encompassing demographics, comorbidities, treatments, and laboratory results were retrospectively collected. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses, ROC curves, and statistical analyses using SPSS 23.0 assessed risk factors. The study retrospectively analyzed clinical features and risk factors, highlighting distinct parameters between pSS patients with and without SP.Marked differences were observed in several parameters: pSS activity(P < 0.001), white blood cell (P = 0.043), lymphocyte (P < 0.001), neutrophils (P = 0.042), C-reactive protein (P = 0.042), and CD8+ T cell (P = 0.017). Notably, lymphocyte count and SS activity demonstrated robust discrimination ability (AUC > 0.85). C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin, CD4+ T cell, and IgA showed significant associations with SP; higher CRP levels correlated with increased risk, while lower CD4+ T cell and IgA levels associated with increased risk. SS activity significantly impacted outcomes. Various biomarkers exhibited diverse discriminatory abilities but lacked strong predictive associations with outcomes.pSS patients with SP exhibited higher disease activity and altered immune profiles compared to those NSP. Lymphocyte count and SS activity emerged as robust discriminators. Higher CRP levels correlated with increased risk of SP, while lower CD4+T cell and IgA levels associated with increased risk. SS activity significantly impacted patient outcomes.Key Points• pSS patients with SP exhibited higher disease activity and altered immune profiles compared to those NSP.• Lymphocyte count and SS activity emerged as robust discriminators.• Higher CRP levels correlated with increased risk of SP, while lower CD4+ T cell and IgA levels associated with decreased risk.• SS activity significantly impacted patient outcomes.Key Points• pSS patients with SP exhibited higher disease activity and altered immune profiles compared to those NSP.• Lymphocyte count and SS activity emerged as robust discriminators.• Higher CRP levels correlated with increased risk of SP, while lower CD4+ T cell and IgA levels associated with decreased risk.• SS activity significantly impacted patient outcomes.Conclusion: To analyze clinical characteristics, risk factors, pathogen distribution, and prognostic markers in primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) patients with severe pneumonia (SP) compared to those without severe pneumonia (NSP).This case–control study included 24 hospitalized pSS patients with SP and 96 NSP at the first affiliated hospital of Soochow university from June 2014 to May 2023. Data encompassing demographics, comorbidities, treatments, and laboratory results were retrospectively collected. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses, ROC curves, and statistical analyses using SPSS 23.0 assessed risk factors. The study retrospectively analyzed clinical features and risk factors, highlighting distinct parameters between pSS patients with and without SP.Marked differences were observed in several parameters: pSS activity(P < 0.001), white blood cell (P = 0.043), lymphocyte (P < 0.001), neutrophils (P = 0.042), C-reactive protein (P = 0.042), and CD8+ T cell (P = 0.017). Notably, lymphocyte count and SS activity demonstrated robust discrimination ability (AUC > 0.85). C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin, CD4+ T cell, and IgA showed significant associations with SP; higher CRP levels correlated with increased risk, while lower CD4+ T cell and IgA levels associated with increased risk. SS activity significantly impacted outcomes. Various biomarkers exhibited diverse discriminatory abilities but lacked strong predictive associations with outcomes.pSS patients with SP exhibited higher disease activity and altered immune profiles compared to those NSP. Lymphocyte count and SS activity emerged as robust discriminators. Higher CRP levels correlated with increased risk of SP, while lower CD4+T cell and IgA levels associated with increased risk. SS activity significantly impacted patient outcomes.Key Points• pSS patients with SP exhibited higher disease activity and altered immune profiles compared to those NSP.• Lymphocyte count and SS activity emerged as robust discriminators.• Higher CRP levels correlated with increased risk of SP, while lower CD4+ T cell and IgA levels associated with decreased risk.• SS activity significantly impacted patient outcomes.Key Points• pSS patients with SP exhibited higher disease activity and altered immune profiles compared to those NSP.• Lymphocyte count and SS activity emerged as robust discriminators.• Higher CRP levels correlated with increased risk of SP, while lower CD4+ T cell and IgA levels associated with decreased risk.• SS activity significantly impacted patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The catalytic transfer hydrogenation (CTH) of levulinate ester to γ-valerolactone is one of the important reactions for production of renewable fuels from biomass. An efficient and robust bimetallic Cu–Ru catalyst were developed for the hydrogenation of biomass-derived ethyl levulinate to γ-valerolactone. A series of bimetallic catalysts were prepared and characterized in detail. Subsequently, the as-prepared catalysts were evaluated in the hydrogenation system of ethyl levulinate. The results showed that Cu–Ru/ZrO 2 –SO 3 –SiO 2 -450 catalyst provided 100 % GVL yield in 12 h at 180 °C. Meanwhile, it also exhibited high catalytic hydrogenation activity for the various biomass-derived carbonyl compounds. The structure-reactivity relationship of catalysts was investigated in detail, and the results show the interaction between support and metal sites played an important role in the hydrogenation activity. The sulfur species could tune the electronic states of metallic sites to gain optimal activity. Besides, the Cu–Ru/ZrO 2 –SO 3 –SiO 2 -450 catalyst performed excellent recyclability in five reaction runs without an obvious loss of activity. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The catalytic transfer hydrogenation (CTH) of levulinate ester to γ-valerolactone is one of the important reactions for production of renewable fuels from biomass. An efficient and robust bimetallic Cu–Ru catalyst were developed for the hydrogenation of biomass-derived ethyl levulinate to γ-valerolactone. A series of bimetallic catalysts were prepared and characterized in detail. Subsequently, the as-prepared catalysts were evaluated in the hydrogenation system of ethyl levulinate. The results showed that Cu–Ru/ZrO 2 –SO 3 –SiO 2 -450 catalyst provided 100 % GVL yield in 12 h at 180 °C. Meanwhile, it also exhibited high catalytic hydrogenation activity for the various biomass-derived carbonyl compounds. The structure-reactivity relationship of catalysts was investigated in detail, and the results show the interaction between support and metal sites played an important role in the hydrogenation activity. The sulfur species could tune the electronic states of metallic sites to gain optimal activity. Besides, the Cu–Ru/ZrO 2 –SO 3 –SiO 2 -450 catalyst performed excellent recyclability in five reaction runs without an obvious loss of activity. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small‐molecule binding assays to target proteins are a core component of drug discovery and development. While a number of assay formats are available, significant drawbacks still remain in cost, sensitivity, and throughput. To improve assays by capitalizing on the power of DNA sequence analysis, we have developed an assay method that combines DNA encoding with split‐and‐pool sample handling. The approach involves affinity labeling of DNA‐linked ligands to a protein target. Critically, the labeling event assesses ligand binding and enables subsequent pooling of several samples. Application of a purifying selection on the pool for protein‐labeled DNAs allows detection of ligand binding by quantification of DNA barcodes. We demonstrate the approach in both ligand displacement and direct binding formats and demonstrate its utility in determination of relative ligand affinity, profiling ligand specificity, and high‐throughput small‐molecule screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small‐molecule binding assays to target proteins are a core component of drug discovery and development. While a number of assay formats are available, significant drawbacks still remain in cost, sensitivity, and throughput. To improve assays by capitalizing on the power of DNA sequence analysis, we have developed an assay method that combines DNA encoding with split‐and‐pool sample handling. The approach involves affinity labeling of DNA‐linked ligands to a protein target. Critically, the labeling event assesses ligand binding and enables subsequent pooling of several samples. Application of a purifying selection on the pool for protein‐labeled DNAs allows detection of ligand binding by quantification of DNA barcodes. We demonstrate the approach in both ligand displacement and direct binding formats and demonstrate its utility in determination of relative ligand affinity, profiling ligand specificity, and high‐throughput small‐molecule screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An on-chip nanopower RC relaxation oscillator is developed in a 180-nm standard CMOS process, consuming 300 nW while running at 10 kHz. Employing a frequency compensation scheme that reduces the frequency drift introduced by comparator offset and delay, the proposed oscillator achieves a significant low temperature coefficient. Furthermore, a supply regulation structure is used to reduce the frequency sensitivity to supply voltage variations. Post-simulation results show that the frequency variation against temperature is 105 ppm/ ∘ C in the temperature range from 0 to 85 ∘ C, and the line sensitivity is 2.19%/V with the supply voltage changing from 1.05 to 1.45 V. At offset frequencies of 100 Hz and 1 kHz, the simulated phase noises are −50 and −71 dBc/Hz, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gamma-valerolactone (GVL) is a versatile building block compound with wide applications and it can be obtained from biomass-derived chemical levulinic acid (LA). In this study, graphite carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4) were prepared from two different precursors (urea and melamine) and used as the support to anchor ruthenium (Ru) nanoparticle (Ru/g-C 3 N 4) for catalytic transfer hydrogenation of LA to GVL. The resulting catalyst prepared from urea precursor (Ru/UCN) showed 100% LA conversion and nearly theoretic GVL yield of 99.8% under mild condition. Detailed characterizations of the Ru/g-C 3 N 4 suggested that Ru showed different interactions with the g-C 3 N 4 supports from two different precursors. Ru nanoparticles exhibited smaller size and better dispersion on the g-C 3 N 4 support from urea (UCN) than that from melamine (MCN). The XPS result indicated that more electron rich Ru0 species on the Ru/UCN catalyst also contributed to the higher catalytic activity of the Ru/UCN. Furthermore, the Ru/UCN catalyst was demonstrated high stability in acidic reaction medium and remained highly reactive after recycled for 5 times. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a novel $\mathcal {H}_{\infty }$ state estimation scheme for a family of Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy semi-Markov jump systems with indirectly accessible mode information and nonideal data transmission. To address estimation of the indirectly accessible modes, the observed-mode sequence emitted by emission probabilities is utilized in this article. By extending the classic Lyapunov stability theory, a set of novel convex stability criteria is proposed by eliminating the nonconvex terms in stabilization conditions with the aid of certain techniques. The proposed stability criteria are utilized to ensure the $\mathcal {H}_{\infty }$ performance of the studied fuzzy systems. In addition, numerically checkable conditions on the existence of a fuzzy observed-mode-dependent estimator are formulated to guarantee the $\sigma $ -error mean square stability of the underlying error system with a guaranteed $\mathcal {H}_{\infty }$ disturbance attenuation level. The developed theoretical results are illustrated by an application of a single-link robotic arm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Survival data obtained from prevalent cohort study designs are often subject to length-biased sampling. Frequentist methods including estimating equation approaches, as well as full likelihood methods, are available for assessing covariate effects on survival from such data. Bayesian methods allow a perspective of probability interpretation for the parameters of interest, and may easily provide the predictive distribution for future observations while incorporating weak prior knowledge on the baseline hazard function. There is lack of Bayesian methods for analyzing length-biased data. In this paper, we propose Bayesian methods for analyzing length-biased data under a proportional hazards model. The prior distribution for the cumulative hazard function is specified semiparametrically using I-Splines. Bayesian conditional and full likelihood approaches are developed for analyzing simulated and real data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyrolysis polygeneration is one of the promising approaches to convert biomass into bio-gas, bio-char, and bio-oil. In this work, the comparison of the properties of pyrolytic products from terrestrial biomass (poplar wood, PW) and marine biomass (microalgae, Chlorella vulgaris, CV) was carried out. Then, three types of activation agents (e.g., KOH, H 3 PO 4, and ZnCl 2) were used to improve the SSA and pore structure of bio-char for the removal of tetracycline hydrochloride (HTC) from wastewater. The yield of bio-char decreased with pyrolytic temperature increasing, while the yield of bio-gas increased. The yield of bio-oil reached the maximum value of 500 ºC. The yields of bio-gas and bio-char of CV were higher than that of PW at different temperatures, while the yield of bio-oil presented an opposite trend. Several nitrogenous chemicals were observed in pyrolytic bio-oil of CV due to thermal degradation of proteins. Among the three type of activation agents (H 3 PO 4 , KOH, and ZnCl 2), KOH was the best activation agent to obtain activation carbon with highest SSA and pore volume. The CV-derived activated carbon by using KOH as activation agent presented highest specific surface area (1638.85 m2/g) and highest adsorption capacity of HTC (42.7 mg/g). Meanwhile, the CV-500-KOH still retained such high adsorption capacity of HTC (35.8 mg/g) after five cycles, suggesting that the N-doped bio-char possessed the excellent recyclability. In conclusion, compared to the PW-derived bio-char, CV-derived bio-char was a better precursor for production of activation carbon due to the higher N content in CV. • The comparison of the properties of pyrolytic products from terrestrial and marine biomass was investigated. • The yields of bio-gas and bio-char of CV were higher than that of PW, while the yield of bio-oil presented an opposite trend. • The CV-derived bio-char activated by KOH presented highest specific surface area and highest adsorption capacity of HTC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Partly interval-censored time-to-event data often occur in biomedical studies of diseases where periodic medical examinations for symptoms of interest are necessary. Recent decades have seen blooming methods and R packages for interval-censored data; however, the research effort for partly interval-censored data is limited. We propose an efficient and easy-to-implement Bayesian semiparametric method for analyzing partly interval-censored data under the proportional hazards model. Two simulation studies are conducted to compare the performance of the proposed method with two main Bayesian methods currently available in the literature and the classic Cox proportional hazards model. The proposed method is applied to a partly interval-censored progression-free survival data from a metastatic colorectal cancer trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead halide perovskite, as an emerging semiconductor, provides a fire‐new opportunity for high‐definition display and solid‐state lighting. Earthshaking improvements are implemented in green, red, and near‐infrared perovskite light‐emitting diodes (PeLEDs). However, blue PeLEDs are still far behind in performance, which restricts the development of PeLEDs in practical applications. Herein, a facile energy cascade channel strategy via one‐step self‐organized and controllable 2D/3D perovskite preparation by introducing guanidine hydrobromide (GABr) is developed that greatly improves the efficiency of blue PeLEDs. The 2D/3D perovskite structure boosts the energy cascade to induce energy transfer from the wide into the narrow bandgap domains and inhibit free charge diffusion, which increases the density of electrons and holes, and enhances the radiative recombination. Profiting from this energy cascade channels, the external quantum efficiency of blue PeLEDs, emitting at 492 nm, is considerably enhanced from 1.5% of initial blue device to 8.2%. In addition, device operating stability under ambient conditions is also improved by 2.6‐fold. The one‐step self‐organized 2D/3D hybrid perovskites induced by GABr pave a new and simple route toward high‐performance blue emission PeLEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low Foxp3+ regulatory T‐cell (Treg) presence in the tumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) is considered favorable in breast cancer, and numerous CD25‐targeting agents have been applied in the attempt to remove Foxp3+ Treg cells, which typically present CD4+CD25+/hi surface phenotype. However, CD25 is not Treg‐exclusive and can be upregulated by effector T cells. Hence, CD25 depletion may cause the elimination of activated T cells that are responding to tumor‐specific antigens. In this study, the composition and function of CD4+CD25+ cells inside the microenvironment of triple‐negative breast carcinoma (TNBC) were investigated. Directly ex vivo, the Foxp3+ Treg cells represented a minor subset in total CD4+CD25+ TILs. Significant differences were observed in the expression of Treg‐associated molecules between CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ TILs and CD4+CD25+Foxp3− TILs. While both the CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ and the CD4+CD25+Foxp3− TILs could express CTLA‐4 and LAG‐3, the expression levels were significantly higher in CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ TILs than in CD4+CD25+Foxp3− TILs. Upon TCR stimulation, the expression of TGF‐beta was significantly higher in CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ TILs, while the expression of IL‐10 was significantly higher in CD4+CD25+Foxp3− TILs. These differences were conserved in the blood counterparts of these cells. Interestingly, the level of CD25+Foxp3+ cells in circulating CD4+ T cells was positively correlated with the level of CD25+Foxp3+ cells in CD4+ TILs, but the level of CD25+Foxp3− cells in circulating CD4+ T cells was not associated with the level of CD25+Foxp3‐ cells in CD4+ TILs. Th17‐polarizing medium could readily remodel CD4+CD25+Foxp3−, but not CD4+CD25+Foxp3+, T cells into RORgammat and IL‐17‐expressing T cells, demonstrating stronger plasticity of the former subset. Together, these data demonstrated that the CD4+CD25+ TILs were composed of distinctive Foxp3− and Foxp3+ cells, with the former representing the major subset. The antigen specificity and effector molecule expression of the CD4+CD25+Foxp3− thus require further analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this paper, the issues of stability and stabilization for a class of discrete-time hidden semi-Markov jump linear systems (HS-MJLSs) are addressed. A stabilizing controller dependent on both the observed mode and the elapsed time is constructed. By virtue of the emission probability, the controller can stabilize the underlying system when a mode mismatch between the true system mode and its observed one occurs in the system operation. A Lyapunov function, which depends not only on the current system mode, but also on the time that the system has elapsed within the current mode is proposed for less conservativeness. In the sense of σ -error mean square stability (σ -MSS), numerically testable criteria on the basis of semi-Markov kernel (SMK) and emission probability of HS-MJLSs are obtained, with the aid of certain techniques that can eliminate the terms containing products of matrices are employed. A numerical example is provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy and the advantage of considering the observed-mode and elapsed-time-dependent in the proposed control scheme for HS-MJLSs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Microfluidic based isolating of circulating fetal nucleated red blood cells is proposed. • The enhanced isolation can be achieved by the microfluidic chaotic chip with multifunctional nanoparticle deposited. • The platform shows sensitivity in detection fNRBCs from maternal blood during early pregnancy. • Early diagnostic application of fNRBCs for fetal chromosomal disorders by our platform was confirmed. Abstract Fetal nucleated red blood cells (fNRBC) in maternal peripheral blood has the potential for non-invasive prenatal diagnostics (NIPD), given its intrinsic nature carrying total genetic information of the fetus. Unfortunately, the scarcity of fNRBCs in maternal blood circulation greatly hinders the effective isolation of fNRBCs and its further uses for clinical prenatal diagnostics. Herein, we developed a gelatin nanoparticles (GNPs) decorated microchip that modified with anti-CD147 as specific capture antibody to efficiently isolate fNRBCs from maternal peripheral blood. The corrugated GNP nanocoating on the walls of the channel, together with herringbone grooves in the continuous curved channel design, produced enhanced interactions between fNRBC and the device for better cell capture performance. Furthermore, the captured cells could be gently released for subsequent off-chip analyses, using an enzymatic treatment to dissolve the biodegradable GNP nanocoating. Significant target cell capture efficiency (>80%), release efficiency (∼89%) and purity (∼85%) as well as a high viability of >90% were achieved using simulated spiked samples. fNRBCs were detected from a series of maternal peripheral blood samples ranging from 7 to 13 weeks of gestation, and the diagnostic application for fetal chromosomal disorders was demonstrated. Our strategy may provide new insights into developing an approach to recover fNRBCs from early pregnancy for improved cell-based NIPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-adherent cells play key roles in various biological processes. Studies on this type of cell, especially at single-cell resolution, help reveal molecular mechanisms underlying many biological and pathological processes. The emerging microfluidics technology has developed effective methods for analyzing cells. However, it remains challenging to treat and monitor single live non-adherent cells in an in situ, long-term, and real-time manner. Herein, a microfluidic platform was set up to generate and anchor cell-laden water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) double emulsions (DEs) to investigate these cells. Within the device, W/O/W DEs encapsulating non-adherent cells were generated through two adjacent flow-focusing structures and subsequently anchored in an array of microchambers. These droplets maintained the W/O/W structure and the anchorage status in the continuous perfusion fluid for at least one week. The mass transfer of different molecules with suitable molecular weights and partition coefficients between the interior and exterior of W/O/W DEs could be regulated by perfusion fluid flow rates. These features endow this platform with potential to continuously supply encapsulated non-adherent cells with nutrients or small-molecule stimuli/drugs through fluid perfusion. Meanwhile, the confinement of cells in the anchored DEs favored long-term monitoring of cellular dynamic behaviors and responses. As a proof of concept, fluorescein diacetate (FDA) was employed to visualize the cellular uptake and biochemical metabolism of TF-1 human erythroleukemia cells. We believe that this W/O/W DE anchorage and perfusion platform would benefit single-cell-level studies as well as small-molecule drug discovery requiring live non-adherent cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Network- and cohesion-based social capital may play an important role in improving mental health. However, there is limited understanding about these relationships among adults in Taiwan. Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the association between individual-level network and cohesion-based social capital and depressive symptoms among a population-based sample of Taiwanese adults. Methods: Data were obtained from the 1997 Taiwan Social Change Survey (n = 2,598). The 20-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale was used to measure depressive symptom scores; ⩾16 represented high depressive symptoms. Network-based social capital was measured using a position generator. Two dimensions of cohesion-based social capital were assessed: cognitive (perceived neighborhood trust and reciprocity) and structural (local community participation and organizational participation). Multivariable log-binomial regression models, weighted to account for the complex sampling design and adjusted for confounders, estimated prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to examine the association between each social capital measure and depressive symptoms. Results: In this study, 29.6% of respondents were classified as having high depressive symptom scores. Higher scores of composite cognitive social capital (adjusted Prevalence Ratios (aPR)  = 0.92, 95% CI = [0.90, 0.95]) and structural social capital (aPR = 0.80, 95% CI = [0.65, 0.99]) were associated with a lower likelihood of high depressive symptom scores after controlling for confounders. However, there was no association between network social capital and depressive symptoms. Conclusion: The findings suggest that the relationship between social capital and depressive symptoms in Taiwan differs according to the specific dimension of social capital assessed. Differentiating between network- and cohesion-based social capital merits greater attention to inform our understanding of building social capital to promote and improve mental health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human bladder cancer is one of the most aggressive tumours known and has shown resistance to traditional chemotherapy, which depends heavily on DNA-damaging drugs. β-elemene is one of the least cytotoxic antitumor agents that are extracted from Curcuma aromatica salisb and it exhibits antitumor effects in many carcinomas. β-elemene has attracted the attention of clinicians and scientists worldwide due to its few side effects and limited effect on the bone marrow. However, the antitumor mechanism of β-elemene remains largely unstudied. In the present study, the expression of the AKT serine/threonine kinase (AKT) signaling pathway in bladder cancer and normal bladder tissue was investigated, and the influence of β-elemene on bladder cancer cells and the mechanisms involved were assessed. The results showed that phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) was downregulated and phosphorylated-AKT (pAKT) was overexpressed in human bladder cancer. β-elemene significantly suppressed the viability of bladder cancer cells, while leaving normal bladder cells unaffected. In addition, there was an increased number of apoptotic bladder cancer cells following β-elemene treatment, and a significant reduction in cell invasion and migration. Subsequent western blot analyses revealed that bladder cancer cells treated with β-elemene had increased PTEN expression and decreased expression of pAKT. Taken together, these results suggest that β-elemene has an antitumor effect in bladder cancer cells through the upregulation of PTEN and suppression of AKT phosphorylation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The genus Gekko Laurenti, 1768, currently comprises approximately 86 species, of which 21 are native to China, that commonly live on walls, rocks, and trees, and are distributed across Southeast Asia, western Oceania, and Melanesia. This article describes a new species of Gekko (Squamata: Gekkonidae) based on its distinct morphological features and molecular evidence, which was identified in the Dabie Mountains on the border of Anhui and Henan provinces of Central China. The analysis of phylogeny based on a mitochondrial DNA fragment (16S, CYTB, and COI) indicated that the new taxon is different from its congeners. Morphologically, the new species can be diagnosed from the other subgenus Japonigekko species by a combination of 34 (14 mensural and 20 meristic) morphological characteristics, and Principal component analysis (PCA) and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that the new species can be clearly distinguished from its sister species G. hokouensis. Based on the above multiple lines of evidence, we describe this gecko from the Dabie Mountains as a new species, Gekko kaiyai sp. nov. The discovery of this species implies that there are now 87 identified species in the genus Gekko, 22 of which can be found within China. This study describes a novel species of Gekko (Squamata: Gekkonidae) based on its distinct morphological features and molecular evidence, which was identified in the Dabie Mountains on the border of Anhui and Henan provinces of Central China. Gekko kaiyai sp. nov. could be distinguished from its congeners owing to its morphological characteristics, such as being a medium body sized gecko species (snout–vent length, 56.98–64.99 mm, n = 4, females; 50.03–61.56 mm, n = 11, males); nostrils scale in contact with rostral scale; tubercles on the dorsal and limb, while the upper forelimb is smooth with no tubercles; 22–33 interorbital scales between the anterior corners of the eyes; 157–209 ventral scales between mental and cloacal slit; 90–121 midbody scale rows; 30–43 ventral scale rows; 7–9 sub-digital lamellae on first fingers, 8–13 fourth fingers, 7–9 first toes, and 7–11 fourth toes; free of webbing in the fingers and toes; 9–12 pre-cloacal pores in males, which are absent in females; post-cloacal unilateral tubercles 1 (few 2); and a dorsum that is greyish white to dark brown, with 6–7 brown markings between the nape and sacrum. The phylogenetic tree based on the mitochondrial DNA sequences (16S, CYTB, and COI) indicated that Gekko kaiyai sp. nov. form an independent clade with strong support (100/1) and are a sister group to G. hokouensis. At the inter-species level, the genetic distances were all large, further confirming that an independent species had been identified. The discovery of this species implies that there are now 87 identified species in the genus Gekko, 22 of which can be found within China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clustered partly interval-censored survival data naturally arise from many medical and epidemiological studies. We propose a Bayesian semiparametric approach for fitting a mixed effects proportional hazards (PH) model to clustered partly interval-censored data. The proposed method allows for not only a random intercept as most frailty models do for clustered survival data, but also random effects of covariates. We assume a normal prior for each random intercept/random effect, seeing the instability of a gamma prior for a frailty in this situation. Simulation studies with data generated from both mixed effects PH model and mixed effects accelerated failure times model are conducted, to evaluate the performance of the proposed method and compare it with the three methods currently available in the literature. The application of the proposed approach is illustrated through analyzing the progression-free survival data derived from a phase III metastatic colorectal cancer clinical trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Void fraction is an important parameter in designing and simulating the relevant gas-liquid two-phase flow equipment and systems. Although numerous experimental research and modelling of void fraction in straight circular channels have been conducted over the past decades, the experimental data and prediction methods for the average void fraction in helically coiled channels are limited and needed. Especially, there is no such information in helically coiled channels with rectangular cross section. Therefore, it is essential to advance the relevant knowledge through experiments and to develop the corresponding prediction methods in helically coiled rectangular channels. This paper presents experimental results of the average void fraction and new models for the void fraction in a horizontal helically coiled rectangular channel. First, experiments were conducted with air-water two-phase flow in the horizontal helically coiled rectangular channel at a wide range of test conditions: the liquid superficial velocity ranges from 0.11 to 2 m/s and the gas superficial velocity ranges from 0.18 to 16 m/s. The average void fractions were measured with a quick-closing valve (QCV) method. The measured void fraction ranges from 0.012 to 0.927 which cover four flow regimes including unsteady pulsating, bubbly, intermittent and annular flow observed with a high speed camera. Second, comparisons of the entire measured average void fraction data to 32 void fraction models and correlations were made. It shows a low accuracy of these models and correlations in predicting the experimental data for the void fraction smaller than 0.5 while the drift flux model of Dix (Woldesemayat and Ghajar, 2007) predicts 98.3% of the entire experimental data within ±10% for the void fraction larger than 0.5. Therefore, the Dix model is recommended for the void fraction larger than 0.5. Furthermore, the observed flow regimes in the coiled channels were compared to two mechanistic flow regime maps developed for horizontal straight circular tubes. The flow regime maps do not capture all flow regimes in the present study. Finally, the effects of the limiting affecting parameters on the void fraction models are analyzed according to the physical phenomena and mechanisms. Incorporating the main affecting parameters, new void fraction models have been proposed for the void fractions in the ranges of 0 <  α  ≤ 0.2 and 0.2 <  α  ≤ 0.5 respectively according to the slip flow model. Both models predict the experimental data reasonably well. Overall, the new proposed models and the recommended model predict 92.8% of the entire void fraction data within ±30%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Measurement of the local void fraction profiles for all observed flow regimes. • Effect of flow regimes and flow rates on the spatial phase distributions. • Analysis of the spatial phase distributions along the flow direction. • Measurement of single phase and gas liquid two phase frictional pressure drops. • Development of correlation for single phase frictional pressure drops. • Evaluation of the available two phase frictional pressure drop correlations. Spatial phase distributions for various flow patterns and two phase flow frictional pressure drops of air–water flow in a horizontal helically coiled rectangular tube were experimentally investigated at the liquid and gas superficial velocities of 0.11–2 m/s and 0.13–16 m/s. Local void factions in the helically coiled tube were measured with electric conductivity probes and the corresponding flow regimes were recorded with a high-speed video camera simultaneously. The local void fractions and spatial phase distributions for various flow regimes were analyzed according to the physical mechanisms. The spatial phase distributions of gas liquid two-phase flow in the helically coiled tube are mainly affected by the gravitational and centrifugal forces. The measured single-phase flow and two-phase flow pressure drops have been analyzed for various flow regimes. A correlation was proposed to predict the friction pressure drop of single-phase flow in the helically coiled tube. The existing gas–liquid two- phase pressure drop frictional correlations were compared to the experimental frictional pressure drop data. The Awwad et al. correlation [Int. J. Multiphase Flow, 21 (1995), 607–619] predicts 91 % of the experimental data within ± 30 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]