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Previous research has largely lacked studies that explore the trajectories of Posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and the structure of comorbid psychiatric symptom networks following traumatic event, while controlling for the severity of traumatic exposure. The present study aims to explore the characteristic trajectories of PTSS, in the context of ensuring controlled levels of traumatic exposure. Furthermore, the PTSS, depressive, and anxiety comorbid symptom networks of different PTSS trajectory subgroups are also investigated. A total of 296 frontline rescue personnel were enrolled into our study. In an effort to control for variations in traumatic exposure severity, this study ensured that all participants had same responsibilities and cumulative operational duration at the post-disaster rescue circumstance. Growth mixture models (GMMs) were employed to scrutinize the trajectories of PTSS. Additionally, network analysis was used to examine the comorbid symptom network of PTSS, depression, and anxiety. Four distinct PTSS trajectories were identified, namely Persisting Symptom, Gradual Recovery, Gradual Aggravation, and Asymptomatic. Although both the Persisting Symptom and Gradual Aggravation groups belong to the high-risk subgroups for persistent PTSS, they exhibit differences in core symptoms within their respective networks. The core symptom for the Persisting Symptom Network is flashbacks, while for the Gradual Aggravation Network, it is sleep disturbances. To the best of our knowledge, the present study represents the first research endeavor to integrate longitudinal trajectory analysis of PTSS with longitudinal symptom network analysis, clarifying the evolving features of PTSS but also offering valuable insights for early screening and intervention strategies. • First longitudinal study linking PTSS trajectory with symptom network analysis. • Four PTSS trajectories identified: Persisting, Recovery, Aggravation, Asymptomatic. • Core symptoms in high-risk PTSS: Intrusion and sleep disturbances. • Insights for early PTSS screening and intervention provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aims of this study are to evaluate the effectiveness of different exercise interventions on patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and to provide evidence-based exercise prescriptions for this population. Methods: The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), VIP, andWanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform were searched until January 2023. The data were pooled and a meta-analysis was conducted. Results: A total of 19 studies were conducted with 778 participants. The Schroth exercises group (mean difference = -3.48, 95% confidence interval = -4.73 to -2.23, P < 0.00001) and strength training group (mean difference = -3.43, 95% confidence interval = -4.06 to -2.80, P < 0.00001) had better recovery of the Cobb angle than the other groups. The Cobb angle rehabilitation effect was good in the time of less than 60-min group. In addition, there was no significant difference found between the different intervention periods groups (P > 0.05). Conclusions: Schroth exercise and strength training significantly improved Cobb angle of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients; exercising for less than 60 mins is effective for Cobb angle rehabilitation, but prolonging exercise time cannot improve training effectiveness; 12 wks of exercise significantly improved Cobb angle, but prolonged training periods did not have a significant impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Located in the central part of the arid regions of Northwest China, the Heihe River Basin (HRB) plays an important role in wind prevention, sand fixation, and soil and water conservation as the second largest inland river basin. In the context of the warming and wetting climate observed in Northwest China, the situation of the ecological environment in the HRB is of significant concern. Using the data from meteorological observation stations, grid fusion and hydrological monitoring, this study analyzes the multi-scale climate changes in the HRB and their impacts on runoff. In addition, predictive models for runoff in the upper and middle reaches were developed using machine learning methods. The results indicate that the climate in the HRB has experienced an overall warming and wetting trend over the past 60 years. At the same time, there are clear regional variabilities in the climate changes. Precipitation shows decreasing trends in the northwestern part of the HRB, while it shows increases at rates higher than the regional average in the southeastern part. Moreover, the temperature increases are generally smaller in the upper reaches than those in the middle and lower reaches. Over the past 60 years, there has been a remarkable increase in runoff at the Yingluo Gorge (YL) hydrological station, which exhibits a distinct "single-peak" pattern in the variation of monthly runoff. The annual runoff volume at the YL (ZY) hydrological station is significantly correlated with the precipitation in the upper (middle) reaches, indicating the precipitation is the primary influencing factor determining the annual runoff. Temperature has a significant impact only on the runoff in the upper reaches, while its impact is not significant in the middle reaches. The models trained by the support vector machines and random forest models perform best in predicting the annual runoff and monthly runoff, respectively. This study can provide a scientific basis for environmental protection and sustainable development in the HRB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanopore sensor technology is widely used in biomolecular detection due to its advantages of low cost and easy operation. In a variety of nanopore manufacturing methods, controlled dielectric breakdown has the advantages of a simple manufacturing process and low cost under the premise of ensuring detection performance. In this paper, we have made enhancements to the applied pulses in controlled dielectric breakdown and utilized the improved dielectric breakdown technique to fabricate silicon nitride nanopores with diameters of 5 to 15 nm. Our improved fabrication method offers the advantage of precise control over the nanopore diameter (±0.4 nm) and enhances the symmetry of the nanopore. After fabrication, we performed electrical characterization on the nanopores, and the IV characteristics exhibited high linearity. Subsequently, we conducted detection experiments for DNA and protein using the prepared nanopores to assess the detection performance of the nanopores fabricated using our method. In addition, we also give a physical model of molecule translocation through the nanopores to give a reasonable explanation of the data processing results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the nonlinear dynamic behavior of suspension bridge subjected to multi-frequency boundary excitations. Firstly, the nonlinear dynamic model of the suspension bridge subjected to multi-frequency boundary excitations is established. The in-plane vibration equations are derived based on Hamilton’s principle, taking into account the effects of geometric nonlinearity of the girder-deck and main cable as well as the stiffness of hangers. Secondly, the Galerkin method is used to solve for the frequencies and corresponding mode shape functions. Thirdly, the corresponding modulation equations are obtained based on the multiple scales method, and the 3:1 internal resonance between two symmetrical modes is analyzed. Combined with numerical analysis, the nonlinear dynamic behavior between modes of the suspension bridge is demonstrated through the frequency–response, force–response, and time history curves. The results indicate that the drift phenomenon appears when perturbing the amplitude and frequency of the different excitations, and the system exhibits intricate dynamic responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are rare studies about the network structure of psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) and depressive symptoms among adolescents. Studies have widely acknowledged that PLEs in adolescents confer a higher risk of depressive symptoms, but the complex interactions remain inadequately understood. Our study aimed to examine the hierarchy and inter-associations of PLEs and depressive symptoms in a large adolescent sample from the network analysis perspective. A total of 5008 Chinese adolescents were enrolled in our sample. Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences-42 (CAPE-42) was applied to build the network. Centrality indexes were calculated to represent the significance of nodes in the network. Community detection was conducted to figure out the specific clustering of nodes. Demographic information was collected for the sub-network comparisons. Accuracy and stability of the network were also tested. "Failure", "External control", and "Lack of activity" were the most central nodes. The main bridge nodes linking PLEs and depressive symptoms were "Failure", "Guilty", and "No future". Positive PLE "Odd looks" and negative PLE "Unable to terminate" are the two PLEs that were most relevant to depressive nodes. Community detection further demonstrated the bias of depressive nodes in the data-driven clustering. Comparative sub-network analysis suggested that age was the only demographic factor related to the current network. In this study of a large adolescent sample, we first demonstrated the network structure and specific clustering preference of PLEs and depressive symptoms. Our findings may enhance the understanding of the relationship between PLE and depressive symptoms. • First network analysis of PLEs and depression in Chinese adolescents. • Central nodes in the network: "Failure", "External control", "Lack of activity". • Main bridge nodes between PLEs and depression: "Failure", "Guilty", "No future". • Bias in depression nodes distribution towards PLE nodes was observed. • Early-adolescents have denser PLE-depression networks than late-adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Desmoid tumor (DT) is a rare monoclonal, fibroblastic proliferation characterized by a variable and often unpredictable clinical course. Initial active surveillance is recommended by current guideline, and surgery is one of the main therapies for DT. Predicting the prognosis and outcome of active surveillance for intra-abdominal DT is pressing issue. Methods: The study included eighteen patients with intra-abdominal DT. Metabolic tumor volume (MTV), total lesion glycolysis (TLG), and maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) were measured. We analyzed their relationship with the outcome of active surveillance, as well as clinical, prognostic, and pathological data. Results: The MTV and TLG of recurrent DT were significantly higher than those of non-recurrent DT (P < 0.001 and P = 0.00, respectively). The ROC curve suggested that the appropriate cutoff values for distinguishing recurrent DT from non-recurrent DT were 760.8 for MTV (sensitivity = 1, specificity = 0.857 and AUC = 0.929), and 1318.4 for TLG (sensitivity = 1, specificity = 0.786, and AUC = 0.911). The cutoff values of MTV and TLG significantly correlated with PFS using the Kaplan–Meier method (P = 0.002 and P = 0.007, respectively). MTV and TLG could distinguish DTs with subsequent progression from stable ones (P = 0.004 and P = 0.004, respectively). The ROC curve suggested that the appropriate cutoff values for distinguishing DTs with subsequent progression from stable ones were 197.1 for MTV (sensitivity = 0.9, specificity = 1, and AUC = 0.900), and 445.45 for TLG (sensitivity = 0.9, specificity = 1, and AUC = 0.900). Conclusion: Volume-based 18F-FDG-PET can predict prognosis of intra-abdominal DT. MTV and TLG can predict the outcome of active surveillance for intra-abdominal DT. MTV and TLG can potentially be predictors of surgical risk and difficulty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long half‐life of 129I makes it useful for dating marine sediments aged 2–90 Ma. However, the lack of initial value dating hinders its application for dating terrestrial sediments. A large scatter of 129I/127I in prenuclear terrestrial samples has been reported; however, the key influencing factors remain unclear. This study presented iodine isotope data from three Argentine Entisol profiles and developed an iodine‐source model to determine the influence of the source on iodine isotopic composition. The temporal patterns demonstrated clear climate modulations in natural terrestrial iodine isotopes over the last ∼15 Kyr. The model identified rock weathering as a major source of iodine in continental sediments. Higher 129I/127I ratios at mid‐high latitudes arise from weak geomagnetic shielding of cosmic rays and thus a high production rate, implying limited meridional diffusion of atmospheric iodine. These findings reveal that environmental factors are significant for constraining the initial value of terrestrial 129I. Plain Language Summary: In terrestrial sediments, the absence of a specific initial value poses a challenge for 129I dating. Through examination of three profiles of Argentine Entisols, this study investigated how changes in the environment over the past 15 Kyr affected iodine isotopic composition. The climate modulations of iodine isotopes were indicated by comparing them with climatic proxies. A simple multi‐source model of iodine suggested that "old" iodine from catchment rock weathering was a major iodine provider, and decreased 129I/127I with the enhanced South American Summer Monsoon and South Westerly Wind indicated a low‐129I iodine input. The deviant 129I/127I of the most southern site was hypothesized to be caused by a greater cosmogenic 129I production rate at high latitudes than at mid‐low latitudes. Key Points: Natural 129I/127I was for the first time found to co‐vary with the summer monsoon and westerlies in South AmericaRock weathering contributes more iodine to terrestrial sediments than oceanic emissionsHigh 129I/127I values at mid‐high latitudes imply low geomagnetic shielding and limited meridional diffusion of atmospheric iodine [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a noncovalent backbone planarization strategy to fabricate a gas/phototheranostic nanocomposite (B-E-NO NPs) in the near-infrared-II (NIR-II, 1000–1700 nm) window by incorporating noncovalent conformational locks. B-E-NO NPs display a giant NIR-II extinction coefficient, realizing multimodal imaging-guided high-efficiency NIR-II photothermal therapy (η = 45.4%) and thermal-initiated nitric oxide combination therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peanut meal is a by-product of peanut oil extraction. It is rich in protein, soluble polysaccharides, vitamins, and other conventional nutrients, as well as a variety of functional factors, including flavonoids, antioxidant peptides, tannins, phenols, steroids, and triterpenoids. Peanut meal can be used directly as feed, and it can be processed through microbial fermentation and microbial enzyme synergistic treatment to improve the quality of peanut meal. Fermentation can make the proportion of amino acids in peanut meal more balanced, reduce or eliminate aflatoxin B1 and antinutritional factors in peanut meal. The direct substitution of peanut meal and fermentation products for part of soybean meal and fish meal in livestock and poultry feed can not only realize the reuse of peanut meal resources, but also improve the production performance of livestock and poultry, increase the economic benefits of livestock and poultry farms. Therefore, the paper introduces the nutritional composition of peanut meal, discusses its utilization in feed, its application in animal production, and its impact on the economic benefits of livestock and poultry breeding, so as to provide reference for the efficient utilization of peanut meal in the livestock and poultry breeding industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BAK permeabilizes the mitochondrial outer membrane, causing apoptosis. This apoptotic activity of BAK is stimulated by binding prodeath activators within its canonical hydrophobic groove. Parkin, an E3 ubiquitin (Ub) ligase, can ubiquitinate BAK, which inhibits BAK apoptotic activity. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the inhibition of ubiquitination remains structurally uncharacterized. Here, we utilize truncated and soluble BAK to construct a mimetic of K113-ubiquitinated BAK (disulfide-linked UbG76C ~ BAKK113C) and further present its NMR-derived structure model. The classical L8-I44-H68-V70 hydrophobic patch of the conjugated Ub subunit binds within the canonical hydrophobic groove of BAK. This Ub occludes the binding of prodeath BID activators in the groove and impairs BID-triggered BAK activation and membrane permeabilization. Reduced interaction between Ub and BAK subunits allows BID to activate K113-ubiquitinated BAK. These mechanistic insights suggest a nonsignaling function of Ub in that it directly antagonizes stimuli targeting Ub-modified proteins rather than by recruiting downstream partners for cellular messaging. An NMR study on K113-ubiquitinated BAK complex reveals that the conjugated ubiquitin subunit binds to the canonical hydrophobic groove of BAK, which prevents the binding of prodeath BH3 activators and impairs BH3-induced BAK apoptotic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Settlements and cultivated land are important production and living spaces in promoting rural revitalization. However, few studies have explored the relationship between rural settlements and cultivated land from spatiotemporal interaction perspective. This paper analyzed the spatiotemporal conversion and the interactive mechanism between rural settlements and cultivated land in a karst mountainous area (Qixingguan District of Guizhou Province) with fragile ecological environment in China during 2009–2018. The results showed that the expansion of rural settlements and the loss of cultivated land coexisted in Qixingguan District. Only 2.68% of the new cultivated land was reclaimed from rural settlements, whereas 85.45% of the new rural settlements occupied cultivated land. Six spatial expansion modes of rural settlements when occupying cultivated land were identified. Among these six modes, the area of the edge-expansion & along traffic roads (EA) mode accounted for 52.75%. The occupation by rural settlements made the cultivated land landscape more fragmented. The area ratio index of cultivated land to rural settlements (ARICR) of Qixingguan District averaged 18.75 in 2009 and 17.21 in 2018, respectively. The ARICR reduced in all township administrative regions. Cultivated land with suitable slope condition for farming or without rocky desertification was more likely to be occupied by rural settlements. The probability of cultivated land occupied by rural settlements increased with the decrease of the distance to traffic roads, towns, and old rural settlements. The better the economic and social development of the township administrative regions, the more the ARICR decreased, while the richer the agricultural resources and the better the rural development of the township administrative regions, the less the ARICR decreased. The optimal reconstruction path of rural settlements, the comprehensive conservation path of cultivated land and the urban-rural integration development path in karst mountainous area were proposed. The findings would contribute to our understanding of the spatiotemporal interaction between rural settlements and cultivated land, and would provide a theoretical basis for promoting the coordinated development of rural man-land relationship and rural revitalization in karst areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The goal of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of machine learning (ML) techniques in predicting survival for chordoma patients in comparison with the standard Cox proportional hazards (CoxPH) model. Methods: Using a Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database of consecutive newly diagnosed chordoma cases between January 2000 and December 2018, we created and validated three ML survival models as well as a traditional CoxPH model in this population-based cohort study. Randomly, the dataset was divided into training and validation datasets. Tuning hyperparameters on the training dataset involved a 1000-iteration random search with fivefold cross-validation. Concordance index (C-index), Brier score, and integrated Brier score were used to evaluate the performance of the model. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, calibration curves, and area under the ROC curves (AUC) were used to assess the reliability of the models by predicting 5- and 10-year survival probabilities. Results: A total of 724 chordoma patients were divided into training (n = 508) and validation (n = 216) cohorts. Cox regression identified nine significant prognostic factors (p < 0.05). ML models showed superior performance over CoxPH model, with DeepSurv having the highest C-index (0.795) and the best discrimination for 5- and 10-year survival (AUC 0.84 and 0.88). Calibration curves revealed strong correlation between DeepSurv predictions and actual survival. Risk stratification by DeepSurv model effectively discriminated high- and low-risk groups (p < 0.01). The optimized DeepSurv model was implemented into a web application for clinical use that can be found at https://hust-chengp-ml-chordoma-app-19rjyr.streamlitapp.com/. Conclusion: ML algorithms based on time-to-event results are effective in chordoma prediction, with DeepSurv having the best discrimination performance and calibration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public efficacy beliefs against COVID‐19 might affect a person's coping strategy toward infection control. This study presented a synthetic conceptual model based on the Integrative Model of Behavioural Prediction (IMBP). We examined inductively the relationships among media exposure, efficacy beliefs, attribution of responsibilities and recommended protective behavioural intention using a survey of 435 participants who experienced the epidemic in China. Results suggest that traditional media exposure could stably and consistently enhance people's self‐efficacy, collective efficacy as well as proxy efficacy, whereas social media exposure only increases the degree of self‐efficacy. Furthermore, we detect that protective behavioural intention is directly affected by self‐efficacy and indirectly affected by collective efficacy and proxy efficacy via the mediation of self‐efficacy. At the same time, the influence of self‐efficacy on attribution of responsibilities and protective behaviours can be moderated by collective efficacy and proxy efficacy, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are green technologies for bioenergy capture. Gram-negative bacteria have been shown as the dominant electrogenic functional microbes on the anode of MFC. However, how gram-positive bacteria perform in the mixed colonies remains unclear. In this study, specific classes of antibiotics are employed to characterize the properties of electroactive microorganisms in the sewage-fed MFC. Our results reveal that MFCs exhibit high efficiencies in degrading some widely used bacterial antibiotics and generating electricity, while being significantly influenced by gram-staining properties of microbial communities. The MFC is effective against the broad-spectrum bacterial antibiotic cefepime with a degradation efficiency of 92.5% (5 mg/L) and a maximum power density of 263.6 mW/cm2 (25 mg/L). Electrochemical analyses demonstrate that the gram-positive bacteria on anode are more resistant to their specific antibiotic vancomycin and the maximum power output of the system is enhanced by 13.7%. Furthermore, the exoelectrogens in the mixed colonies show insensitivity to fungi-specific antibiotics such as amphotericin with extremely low degradation rate (<4.5%). Our findings provide a new perspective on exploring the characteristics of functional exoelectrogens based on the microbial responses to antibiotics with specific antibacterial spectrum. It is also crucial to guide the application of bioelectrochemical systems in medical wastewater treatment for urban sustainable development. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Wufeng-Longmaxi Formation shales with burial depths > 3 500 m in the southern Sichuan Basin are believed to have large shale gas potentials. However, the reservoir properties and gas-in-place (GIP) contents of these shales exhibit variations across different sublayers. In this study, a set of Wufeng-Longmaxi shales with burial depths of 4 000–4 200 m was derived from the Well Y101H2 in the Luzhou area, and the differences in geological and geochemical characteristics, porosity, water saturation and GIP content of various sublayer shales were investigated. The results indicate that the TOC content and effective porosity of the upper (LMX1-4) and lower (LMX1-3) sublayer shales of the first member of the Longmaxi Formation are better than those of the Wufeng Formation (WF) shales, which results in the LMX1-4 and LMX1-3 shales having higher GIP contents than the WF shales. The GIP contents of the LMX1-3 shales are higher than those of the LMX1-4 shales, and this is likely because the organic matter of the LMX1-3 shales had more aquatic organisms and was preserved in a stronger reductive environment, which leads to a stronger gas generation potential. In contrast to the middle-shallow LMX1-4 shales in the Sichuan Basin, the deep LMX1-4 shales in the Luzhou area have advantageous reservoir properties and GIP contents, and thus it is promising to synchronously exploit the deep LMX1-4 and LMX1-3 shales in some regions of the southern Sichuan Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Topological semimetals have attracted flourishing interest as promising candidates for their unique advantages in achieving highly sensitive, low‐energy photodetection with ultrafast operation. Although various semimetals have been explored recently, new semimetals are still being pursued for high‐responsivity photodetectors with broadband response. Here, a pressure‐induced semiconductor–semimetal transition is observed in two‐dimensional wide‐band semiconducting lead iodide (PbI2). The photocurrent under visible light shows abrupt increases by two orders of magnitude at ≈25 GPa, where the crystalline structure transforms from the Pnma to I4/MMM phase. Meanwhile, the responding band expands from visible light to at least the telecom wavelength 1550 nm. The high‐pressure absorption spectra of PbI2 suggest that the electrical band is closed at the transition point, while the charge transport shows that the sample is still not metallic. Through first‐principles calculations, the photocurrent spurt and infrared band response are attributed to the appearance of a semimetal phase at high pressure, which well explains the nonmetallic transport. The prominent drop in lifetime to a few picoseconds in ultrafast spectroscopy under pressure further confirms the semiconductor–semimetal transition in PbI2. Pressure‐induced semimetallization opens a new strategy for designing a high‐performance photodetector with broadband response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study gauge theories between two parallel boundaries with non-trivial boundary conditions, which serve as a toy model for black hole background with two boundaries near the horizon and infinite, aiming for a better understanding of the Bekenstein–Hawking entropy. The new set of boundary conditions allows boundary modes and non-local modes that interplay between the two boundaries. Those boundary modes and Wilson lines stretched between the two boundaries are carefully analyzed and are confirmed as physical variables in the phase space. Along with bulk fluctuation modes and topological modes, the partition function and entropy of all physical modes are evaluated via Euclidean path integral. It is shown that there are transitions between the dominance of different modes as we vary the temperature. The boundary fluctuation modes whose entropy is proportional to the volume dominate at high temperatures, and the boundary-area scaled boundary modes and Wilson lines are the more important at low temperatures. At super-low temperatures, when all the fluctuation modes die off, we see the topological modes whose entropy is the logarithm of the length scales of the system. The boundary modes and non-local modes should have their counterparts in a black hole system with similar boundary conditions, which might provide important hints for black hole physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pleural mesothelioma (PM) with pericardial involvement is extremely rare. We now report a rare case of malignant PM with constrictive pericarditis as the first presentation. A 59‐year‐old male diagnosed with constrictive pericarditis underwent pericardiectomy and pericardial pathology revealed mesothelial hyperplasia. Eight months after surgery, the patient was admitted to the hospital with chest tightness and wheezing for 5 days. Computed tomography scan of the chest showed a left lung expansion insufficiency, limited bilateral pleural thickening, pericardial thickening with a small amount of pericardial effusion, and multiple enlarged lymph nodes in the mediastinum, bilateral supraclavicular fossa, bilateral cervical roots, and right axilla. The pleural malignancy should be possibly considered. Pathology after pleural puncture showed malignant PM. Pathology after left supraclavicular lymph node puncture biopsy showed metastatic malignant mesothelioma. The diagnosis of this patient was clear. Although malignant PM rarely involves the pericardial constriction, we cannot ignore the fact that malignant PM involves the pericardium. The patient has been diagnosed with constrictive pericarditis, accompanied by pleural thickening and pleural effusion. Without other pathogenic factors, pleural biopsy should be aggressively performed in patients with constrictive pericarditis to determine the cause. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) is a widely used inorganic powder, but its industrial applications are limited by its hydrophilicity and oleophobicity. Surface modification of CaCO3 can improve its dispersion and stability in organic materials and further improve its potential value. In this study, CaCO3 particles were modified with silane coupling agent (KH550) and titanate coupling agent (HY311) combined with ultrasonication. The oil absorption value (OAV), activation degree (AG), and sedimentation volume (SV) were employed to evaluate the modification performance. The results showed that the modification effect of HY311 on CaCO3 was better than that of KH550, and ultrasonic treatment played an auxiliary role. Based on response surface analysis, the optimal modification conditions were determined as follows: the HY311 dosage was 0.7%, the KH550 dosage was 0.7%, and ultrasonic time was 10 min. The OAV, AG, and SV of modified CaCO3 under these conditions were 16.65 g DOP/100 g, 99.27%, and 0.65 mL/g, respectively. The SEM, FTIR, XRD and thermal gravimetric analyses indicated successful coating of HY311 and KH550 coupling agents on the surface of CaCO3. The optimization of the dosages of two coupling agents and ultrasonic time improved the modification performance significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the role of global topological data associated to choices of holonomy for flat gauge fields in string compactification. Our study begins with perturbative string compactification on compact flat manifolds preserving 8 supercharges in 5 dimensions. By including non-trivial holonomy for Wilson lines in the heterotic string and for the B-field gerbe in the type II string we find worldsheet dualities that relate these backgrounds to other string compactifications. While our simple examples allow for explicit analysis, the concepts and some of the methods extend to a broader class of compactifications and have implications for string dualities, perturbative and otherwise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, the relationship between conjunctivitis and air pollutants has been widely concerned, but the conclusions are not very unified. This study aims to explore the short-term effects of ambient ozone (O3) on the conjunctivitis outpatient visits in Pudong New Area, Shanghai. A quasi-Poisson model combined with the distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM) was performed to study the short-term effects of O3 on the risk of outpatient visits for conjunctivitis, after controlling the effects of temperature, relative humidity and wind speed. Taking the median concentration of O3 as a reference, the moderate high O3 (75th percentile) showed the largest effect estimates for single and cumulative lag effects at lag 4 (RR 1.013, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.006–1.019) and lag 0–10 (RR 1.075, 95%CI 1.025–1.128), respectively. Our study suggested that the moderate high O3 increased the chances of conjunctivitis outpatient visits and had an evident lag effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymeric nitrogen at 120 GPa–180 GPa is known in two monatomic crystalline cubic gauche (cg-N) and layered polymeric (LP-N) phases and one amorphous modification (η-N), and all these high-pressure phases attract considerable attention for their potential application as a high energy density material. Here, we investigated the stability of these modifications at high pressures in the laser heated diamond anvil cell upon decompression from 161 GPa. Pure LP-N was synthesized above 152 GPa upon laser heating of η-N to 2500 K, while cg-N forms below 150 GPa. Upon laser heating at 129 GPa and 123 GPa, the LP-N clearly diminished, indicating that the synthesis of cg-N becomes more favorable in a mixed phase region below 129 GPa. Upon unloading, cg-N and LP-N were metastable to at least 71 GPa at up to 2500 K and at room temperature, respectively. These observations clarified a complicated polymorphism of monatomic nitrogen at high pressures and large hysteretic phenomena related to a transition to nonmolecular nitrogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying the role of psychological resilience in self-perceived stress and mental disorders among family members of medical workers can help us understand its importance in mental health care and guide us to develop psychological intervention strategies for family members of medical workers. A total of 671 family members of medical workers were enrolled. Self-perceived stress, resilience, depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms were measured in our research. The prevalence of anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms among relatives of medical workers were 49.0 %, 12.2 %, and 20.3 % respectively during the COVID-19 epidemic. According to the Multivariate regression model, compared with family members of doctor, family members of nurse and medical technologists were more likely to report anxiety symptoms. Female members of medical staff were more likely to have PTSD symptoms than male counterparts; and family members of medical technologist appeared to less likely have PTSD symptoms than family members of either doctor or nurse. The mediation analysis confirmed that mental resilience mediated the relationship between self-perceived stress and anxiety symptoms. Single cross-sectional study design without the follow-up comparative analysis, only self-reported measurements were adopted, and inadequate pre-set demographic variables. To the best of our knowledge, our study firstly demonstrated the risk of psychological distress present in the family members of medical providers during the COVID-19 epidemic. Meanwhile, our findings highlighted the importance of mental resilience in family members of frontline medical workers as it mediated the relationship between self-perceived stress and anxiety symptoms. • The prevalence of mental symptoms among the family members of medical workers during COVID-19 was firstly reported. • The mediating function of resilience in the family members of frontline medical workers during COVID-19 was demonstrated. • Our research suggested that psychological distress was present in the family members of medical workers during COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Culex pipiens molestus and Culex pipiens pallens are two distinct bioforms in the Culex pipiens complex that are important vectors of several pathogens and are widely distributed around the world. In the current study, we present a high‐quality chromosome‐level genome of Cx. pipiens f. molestus and describe the genetic characteristics of this genome. The assembly genome was 559.749 Mb with contig and scaffold N50 values of 200.952 Mb and 0.370 Mb, and more than 94.78% of the assembled bases were located on 3 chromosomes. A total of 19,399 protein‐coding genes were predicted. Many gene families were expanded in the genome of Cx. pipiens f. molestus, particularly those of the chemosensory protein (CSP) and gustatory receptor (GR) gene families. In addition, utilizing Hi‐C data, we improved the previously assembled draft genome of Cx. pipiens f. pallens, with scaffold N50 of 186.195 Mb and contig N50 of 0.749 Mb, and more than 97.02% of the assembled bases were located on three chromosomes. This reference genome provides a foundation for genome‐based investigations of the unique ecological and evolutionary characteristics of Cx. pipiens f. molestus, and the findings in this study will help to elucidate the mechanisms involved in species divergence in the Culex pipiens complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon quantum dots (CDs) with favorable luminescent features for biphotonic applications have attracted much interest in modulating their photoluminescence (PL) efficiency. A surface state with various defects is believed to play a key role in the emissive intensity. Here, pressure-induced quenching of PL is observed in red emissive CDs (R-CDs) and is ascribed to defects in carbon cores upon compression. In the power-law fitting to the excitation power-dependent PL of R-CDs at high pressure, the coefficient k parameter related to the emissive mechanism decreases from 1 under ambient pressure to much less than 1 under the application of pressure, suggesting a transition from single exciton recombination to defect-related emission. With the k parameter decreasing to 0.69 at 1.6 GPa, the pressure-induced defects reduce the PL intensity by approximately one order of magnitude. Furthermore, the attenuation and broadening of the G band characterizing the sp2 hybrid structure of carbon cores in the Raman spectra for R-CDs at high pressure support that the pressure-induced lattice relaxation impairs the crystalline symmetry of the carbon core and results in the dramatic quenching of PL. Our results highlight the importance of the well-crystallized carbon core in designing CDs with high quantum yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, an extended state observer‐based finite‐region control scheme is presented for two‐dimensional Markov jump systems with unknown mismatched disturbances. The mathematical model of the two‐dimensional Markov jump systems is built on the well‐known Roesser model. By establishing special recursive formulas and utilizing the 2‐D Lyapunov function theory, sufficient conditions are obtained, which prove that the resultant system is finite‐region bounded, if some linear matrix inequalities are achieved. Then, we provide an algorithm to solve the extended state observer‐based controller gains. With the proposed control scheme, the external disturbances can be actively rejected from the system outputs. To conclude, a numerical example based on the Darboux equation is provided to demonstrate the validity and effectiveness of the devised control scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Culex pipiens pallens (Diptera: Culicidae) can survive at low temperature for long periods. Understanding the effects of low-temperature stress on the gut microflora and gene expression levels in Cx. pipiens pallens, as well as their correlation, will contribute to the study of the overwintering mechanism of Cx. pipiens pallens. Methods: The gut bacteria were removed by antibiotic treatment, and the survival of Cx. pipiens pallens under low-temperature stress was observed and compared with the control group. Then, full-length 16S rRNA sequencing and the Illumina HiSeq X Ten sequencing platform were used to evaluate the gut microflora and gene expression levels in Cx. pipiens pallens under low-temperature stress. Results: Under the low-temperature stress of 7 °C, the median survival time of Cx. pipiens pallens in the antibiotic treatment group was significantly shortened by approximately 70% compared to that in the control group. The species diversity index (Shannon, Simpson, Ace, Chao1) of Cx. pipiens pallens decreased under low-temperature stress (7 °C). Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis divided all the gut samples into two groups: control group and treatment group. Pseudomonas was the dominant taxon identified in the control group, followed by Elizabethkingia and Dyadobacter; in the treatment group, Pseudomonas was the dominant taxon, followed by Aeromonas and Comamonas. Of the 2417 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 1316 were upregulated, and 1101 were downregulated. Functional GO terms were enriched in 23 biological processes, 20 cellular components and 21 molecular functions. KEGG annotation results showed that most of these genes were related to energy metabolism-related pathways. The results of Pearson's correlation analysis showed a significant correlation between the gut microcommunity at the genus level and several DEGs. Conclusions: These results suggest that the mechanism of adaptation of Cx. pipiens pallens to low-temperature stress may be the result of interactions between the gut bacterial community and transcriptome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In chemical graph theory, graph entropy is an essential parameter. It measures chemical graphs and complicated networks. In discrete mathematics, biology, and chemistry, graph entropy measures have specialized chemical uses. The purpose of this paper is to discuss graph entropies and the structure of Titanium dioxide (TiO2). We developed a new idea of computing entropies of titanium dioxide based on the degree of end vertices. Moreover, we have computed graph entropy indices for real systems, and made correlations with thermodynamic quantities like heat of formation and (thermodynamic) entropy. Also, curves have been fitted between entropy indices and thermodynamics properties (entropy, enthalpy) rational method using MATLAB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper concerns the issue of finite-time dissipative asynchronous output feedback control for a wind turbine system that can be modelled as Markov jump Lur'e systems. Due to quantisation, time delays and ubiquitous data dropouts, the actual controller modes in practical application cannot always operate synchronously with the plant modes. To conquer this difficulty, a hidden Markov model is employed to provide some estimated modes information for controlling. In addition, by the Lyapunov function approach and linear matrix inequality technology, sufficient conditions are developed to guarantee finite-time boundedness of the continuous-time closed-loop system subject to strictly (U , G , V) -α-dissipative performance. Finally, a simulation example of a wind turbine system is given to verify the correctness and applicability of the proposed controller. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Sexual dimorphism is a phenomenon commonly existing in animals. Chinese tongue sole Cynoglossus semilaevis is an economical marine fish with obvious female-biased size dimorphism. So, it is important to explore the molecular mechanism beyond gonadal development for sex control in aquaculture industry. RNA-binding protein Ewing Sarcoma protein-like (ewsr1) gene is important for mouse gonadal development and reproduction, however there are limited studies on this gene in teleost. In this study, two ewsr1 genes were cloned and characterized from C. semilaevis. The ewsr1-w gene, located in W chromosomes, showed female-biased expression during C. semilaevis gonadal development. In addition, knock-down effect and transcriptional regulation of Cs-ewsr1-w further suggested its essential role in ovarian development. This study broadened our understanding on ewsr1 function in teleost, and provided genetic resources for the further development of sex control breeding techniques in C. semilaevis aquaculture. Ewsr1 encodes a protein that acts as a multifunctional molecule in a variety of cellular processes. The full-length of Cs-ewsr1-w and Cs-ewsr1-z were cloned in Chinese tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis). The open reading frame (ORF) of Cs-ewsr1-w was 1,767 bp that encoded 589 amino acids, while Cs-ewsr1-z was 1,794 bp that encoded 598 amino acids. Real-time PCR assays showed that Cs-ewsr1-w exhibited significant female-biased expression and could be hardly detected in male. It has the most abundant expression in ovaries among eight healthy tissues. Its expression in ovary increased gradually from 90 d to 3 y with C. semilaevis ovarian development and reached the peak at 3 y. After Cs-ewsr1-w knockdown with siRNA interference, several genes related to gonadal development including foxl2, sox9b and pou5f1 were down-regulated in ovarian cell line, suggesting the possible participation of Cs-ewsr1-w in C. semilaevis ovarian development. The dual-luciferase reporter assay revealed that the -733/-154 bp Cs-ewsr1-w promoter fragment exhibited strong transcription activity human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293T cell line. The mutation of a MAF BZIP Transcription Factor K (Mafk) binding site located in this fragment suggested that transcription factor Mafk might play an important role in Cs-ewsr1-w basal transcription. Our results will provide clues on the gene expression level, transcriptional regulation and knock-down effect of ewsr1 gene during ovarian development in teleost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A transfer matrix method is used to study free vibration characteristics of an axial-loaded Euler–Bernoulli beam with variable cross sections and multiple concentrated elements in the article. The differential equation for bending vibrations of the beam element is solved by the Frobenius method, and the solution is in power series form. Then, the transfer matrix method is applied to establish the state vector equation for both ends of the beam. Combined with boundary conditions, the frequency equation is obtained and expressed in a two-order determinant. The numerical results in this article are compared with those of the finite element method, which illustrates the accuracy of the method we proposed. The influence of the size of each concentrated elements and axial force on the natural frequency coefficients and the influence of the concentrated elements on the first critical buckling load are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of science and technology, the college music big data management system also needs a computer-aided data model for optimization. In order to improve the efficiency of computer-aided teaching of the music big data management system in colleges and universities, this paper analyzes and processes the music database of music software based on the computer-aided Bayesian algorithm and establishes a Bayesian model. Firstly, this paper introduces the principle and function theorem of the Bayesian algorithm. The data is divided into original music and new music, and a college music data management system with search recommendations as the core is established. We iteratively calculate the optimal hidden semantic matrix and we finally select ReLU function as the activation function of this experiment. After the model of the music management system is established, it is applied to a university. The experimental results show that the experiment has reached the expected standard. When the hidden factor dimension is 11, the system model has the best representation of music features. Students' use of the music search and the recommendation system has greatly improved their music literacy and music coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing a scientific evaluation system of curriculum education quality is an important content to improve the effectiveness of curriculum ideological and political education. Starting from the practical significance of exploring the effectiveness evaluation system of curriculum ideological and political education, supported by analytic hierarchy process, this paper constructs the evaluation model of curriculum educational quality through the five dimensions of curriculum design, teaching staff, student cognition, development evaluation, and system design, clarifies the hierarchical relationship between the implementation elements of curriculum ideological and political education from the micro level, and defines the basic responsibilities, in order to provide reference for curriculum teaching reform and educational quality evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To attain microstructure transformation and the kinetics of phase transformation under stress during the annealing process, dilatometric curves of phase transformation for Q235 steel were tested using a Gleeble-3500 thermal-mechanical simulator under different uniaxial compressive stresses. The Johnson–Mehl–Avrami (JMA) model considering impingement correction was applied to study the phase-transformation kinetics during annealing. The results showed that the grain size increased with increasing uniaxial compressive stresses because it provided additional energy for grain growth. Furthermore, the interfacial migration velocity decreased with increasing stress owing to grain coarsening and a decrease in the density of the α/γ boundary. Meanwhile, the stress reduces the sum of the misfit accommodation energy and interface energy caused by the transformation, and the driving force required for the transformation of austenite to ferrite decreases. Hence, it was concluded that uniaxial compressive stress plays a complex role in the phase transformation, which inhibits interfacial migration and the transformation rate while providing additional energy for the transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to realize the sustainable development of energy, the combination of new energy power generation technology and the traditional offshore platform has excellent research prospects. The access to new energy sources can provide a powerful supplement to the power grid of the offshore platform, but will also create new challenges for the planning, operation, and control of the power grid of the platform; hence, it is very important to optimize the reactive power of the offshore platform with new study, a mathematical model was first built for the reactive power optimization of offshore platform power systems with new energy sources, and the Taguchi method was then used to optimize the parameters and population of particle swarm optimization, thereby addressing a defect in particle swarm optimization, namely, that it can easily fall into local optimal solutions. Finally, the algorithm proposed in this paper was applied to solve the reactive power optimization problem of the offshore platform power system with new energy sources. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm has stronger optimization ability, reduces the system active power loss to the greatest extent, and improves the voltage quality. These results provide theoretical support for the practical application and optimization of the deep-water semi-submersible production platform integrated with new energy sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tremendous progress has been made in the field of cartilage repair and regeneration, particularly with tissue-engineering approaches. This study aims to estimate the global status and current trends in the field of cartilage tissue engineering. Methods: Publications from 2011 to 2020 on tissue engineering for cartilage repair and regeneration were retrieved from Web of Science Core Collection database. The source data were statistically evaluated based on the bibliometrics. In terms of visualized analysis, some bibliometric indicators such as bibliographic coupling, co-citation, co-authorship and co-occurrence analysis were performed by VOSviewer software, to investigate the research trends in tissue engineering for cartilage repair and regeneration. Results: In total, 3715 papers were included. Since 2011, the amount of issued papers and relative research interest (RRI) have grown by leaps and bounds globally. The United States was the biggest contributor to the research in this field, due to the greatest citation frequency, the highest H index and the strongest total link strength. Romania had the highest average citation for each. The journal Tissue Engineering Part A published most articles in this field. For institutions, the largest contributors were Shanghai Jiaotong University, University of California System and Sichuan University. Studies could all be grouped into four main clusters: study of biomaterial scaffolds, study of seeding cells and growth factors, experimental animal model and clinical study, and mechanism research. Conclusion: Great efforts should be put into the study of biomaterial scaffolds, seeding cells and growth factors, considered to be the next hot topics in cartilage tissue engineering. This findings provide collaborative insights and research orientation for academic researchers, surgeons and healthcare practitioners to a certain extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The selective separation of Zr(IV) from a simulated waste solution containing U(VI) and Zr(IV) was investigated using the extraction method with N,N,N′′′′,N′′′′-tetraoctyl-N′′′,N′′′-(N′′,N′′-diethyl)-ethidene bisdiglycolamide (TOEE-BisDGA) dissolved in n-octanol. TOEE-BisDGA demonstrated outstanding kinetic performance, achieving quantitative (> 99%) and selective extraction of Zr(IV) during the extraction process. Slope analysis indicated the formation of a 1:1 complex between the ligand and Zr(IV). Furthermore, the application of density functional theory calculations confirmed the superior selectivity of TOEE-BisDGA towards Zr(IV) compared to U(VI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The investigation of the shale oil development potential of the lower third section–upper fourth section (ES33–ES41) of the Eocene–Oligocene Shahejie Formation in the Dongying Sag, Bohai Bay Basin, eastern China, continues to be a scientific challenge. A total of 23 shale samples was collected from these strata, and the organic petrology, organic geochemistry, mineral composition, porosity, and pore structure of these samples and their relationships with the retained oils were investigated. The results indicated that these shales with type I–IIa kerogen are rich in lamalginite and its debris, and the Ro values of these shales range from 0.70% to 1.00%. The non-micropores (>2 nm) that are mainly developed from inorganic minerals are greater than the micropores (<2 nm) that largely contributed from the organic matter of the shale. The retained oil contents presented by the free hydrocarbons (S1) and extracted organic matter (EOM) exhibited significantly positive relationships with the total organic carbon (TOC) contents and micropore volumes, which may indicate that the retained oils are largely stored in organic matter micropores resulting from the volume swelling of kerogen. The total oils and their light compositions, as well as the S1/TOC and EOM/TOC values, increase with the burial depth of the shales, indicating that the content and mobility of the retained oils are largely controlled by the maturity of shales. This study predicts that the burial depth of favorable shale oil reservoirs in the Dongying Sag should be greater than 3500 m (Ro > 0.90%), and the siltstone or carbonate rock interlayer, especially with laminated or layered textures, will further control the sweet spot intervals of shale oil. This study provides new geological evidence for revealing the retention mechanism of shale oils and has practical significance for shale oil exploration and development in the Dongying Sag, Bohai Bay Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve effective connection between each node of the Internet of Things (IoT), there is a great demand of precise positioning. The traditional firefly localization algorithm only considers part of the ranging information, and the positioning effect is not good. Therefore, an improved algorithm is proposed to take advantage of the ranging information between unknown nodes to achieve cooperative location. First, all ranging information is considered to construct a new objective function. The firefly optimization approach is then utilized to discover the best solution based on the new goal function. The starting location created by the random technique has a significant impact on the new algorithm's localization performance, thus the traditional firefly localization method's initial position is employed to increase cooperative localization performance. The simulation results demonstrate that the novel approach outperforms the classic firefly technique in terms of placement accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Justice has been widely studied by behavior researchers in recent years. However, it has not received very much attention in industrial symbiosis (IS) network research. This inductive study presents a synthetic conceptual model connecting justice to corporate collaborative actions in the context of IS through top management. Using structural equation modeling to analyze a survey of 209 firms in two eco‐industrial parks in China, we examined inductively the effects of distributive, procedural, and interactional justice on top management, IS collaboration, and environmental performance of firms. Results demonstrate that different aspects of justice have different direct and indirect effects on IS collaboration and environmental performance. Furthermore, we detected that top management beliefs (TMB) affect IS collaboration and influence environmental performance. The mediating effect of IS collaboration between TMB and environmental performance was examined and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Luzhou Block of the southern Sichuan Basin, the deep Longmaxi shales have become important exploration targets in recent years. However, the water-bearing properties of these shales are still unclear, which significantly limits evaluations of reservoir pore structures and gas-in-place (GIP) contents. In this study, twelve fresh shale core samples were collected at the well site, and the pore water (CPW) and equilibrium water (CEW) contents, as well as the pore structures of the shales, were analyzed under both as-received and dried conditions. The results indicate that the deep shales have low water-bearing extents with a pore water content (CPW) of 3.82–16.67 mg/g, and that both the organic matter (OM) and inorganic matter (IM) pores can be used for pore water storage. The extent of influence of pore water on nonmicropores and IM pore structures is more significant than that on micropores and OM pore structures. Meanwhile, the pore water obviously reduces the retention effects of nanopores and may block nanopores with pore widths < 0.5 nm. An average of 40% of pore spaces were taken up by pore water in the studied deep shales in the Luzhou Block, and the residual pore surface area and pore volume of the shales were mainly contributed from micropores and nonmicropores, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of humanity's three major infectious diseases. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disease characterized by hyperglycemia due to impaired insulin secretion or impaired insulin function. It has been reported that DM is a primary risk factor for TB disease. Given the increasing public health threat to people's health, more and more studies have focused on diabetes complicated by TB. Hyperglycemia can affect the function of human immune cells, promote primary infections and reactivation of TB, and increase the susceptibility and severity of TB. However, the immunological mechanism behind it is still not clear. By reviewing the related articles on tuberculosis complicated with diabetes published in recent years, this paper expounds on the effect of hyperglycemia on innate immunity and adaptive immunity of patients with TB. This review provides new insights for elucidating the immunological mechanism of TB complicated with DM and lays the foundation for finding potential targets for preventing and treating TB combined with DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the depth estimation problem in the image-based visual servoing (IBVS) control, this paper proposes a new observer structure based on Kalman filter (KF) to recover the feature depth in real time. First, according to the number of states, two different mathematical models of the system are established. The first one is to extract the depth information from the Jacobian matrix as the state vector of the system. The other is to use the depth information and the coordinate point information of the two-dimensional image plane as the state vector of the system. The KF is used to estimate the unknown depth information of the system in real time. And an IBVS controller gain adjustment method for 6-degree-of-freedom (6-DOF) manipulator is obtained using fuzzy controller. This method can obtain the gain matrix by taking the depth and error information as the input of the fuzzy controller. Compared with the existing works, the proposed observer has less redundant motion while solving the Jacobian matrix depth estimation problem. At the same time, it will also be beneficial to reducing the time for the camera to reach the target. Conclusively, the experimental results of the 6-DOF robot with eye-in-hand configuration demonstrate the effectiveness and practicability of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor lead iodide (PbI2) has recently attracted considerable attention owing to its favorable properties in both applications as photodetectors and as a precursor for lead halide perovskite solar cells. Although earlier experiments have investigated the structural stability of PbI2 below 20 GPa, the electric structures at high pressure remain ambiguous, as does the crystal structure at higher pressures. Herein, a structural phase transition and a semiconductor-metal transition are revealed in PbI2 through high-pressure femtosecond optical pump-probe spectroscopy combined with Raman spectra, synchrotron x-ray diffraction (XRD), and resistance measurements up to 70 GPa. Two discontinuities appear in the pressure-dependent amplitude of the ultrafast spectroscopy at approximately 24.8 and 37.6 GPa. Raman spectra and in situ XRD patterns confirm a structural phase transition from orthorhombic Pnma to tetragonal I4/MMM symmetry at the first discontinuity. The second discontinuity is ascribed to the closure of the bandgap and the enhanced electron-phonon interaction across the semiconductor-metal transition, which is also revealed by the temperature dependencies of resistance for PbI2 under pressure. Our results not only help to design optical devices based on lead iodide but also highlight that ultrafast spectroscopy is an efficient noncontact tool to investigate the crystalline and electric phase transition under pressures simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: As a key chemotactic factor during Eos recruitment on the allergic inflammation site, eotaxin is regarded as one of the important therapeutic targets. Aim: To address the expression and regulation mechanism of eotaxin, which constitutes an important procedure in skin allergic disease and a target for drug therapy. Material and methods: An allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) model of mouse was established. Immunohistochemical method (ICH) and flow cytometry method (FCM) were used to determine the amounts of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and their ratios. The eotaxin mRNA and protein were evaluated by real-time PCR, ICH and western-blotting method. Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) nuclear translocation and STAT6 phosphorylation were studied by EMSA and western-blotting methods. Results: We confirmed that both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in mouse blood and tissue increased during the allergic process, FBs was the main source for eotaxin under the allergic condition. Both TNF-α and IL-4 showed synergic effects on the up-regulation of eotaxin mRNA and protein in KC and FBs. Eotaxin can be expressed via NF-κB and STAT6 transcription after KC and FBs were stimulated by TNF-α and IL-4. Conclusions: The obvious up-regulation of eotaxin expression in skin tissue of the mouse ACD model was confirmed, the exact expression site and dynamic process was determined both in vivo and in vitro. The eotaxin expression ability of FBs outperformed that of KC, and eotaxin expression can be regulated by TNF-α and IL-4 via NF-κB and STAT6. The overall findings may pave the way for discovering targets for new drugs and new therapeutic drugs for treating allergic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Aedes albopictus originated in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia and can currently be found on all continents. As one of the main arboviral vectors, the control of Ae. albopictus requires novel strategies, informed by a deep knowledge of its biology. Little is known regarding mosquito long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), which are transcripts longer than 200 nucleotides that lack protein-coding potential and have roles in developmental regulation. Results: Based on RNA-seq data from five developmental time points, eggs, early larvae, late larvae, pupae, and adults (female and male) of Ae. albopictus, 21,414 lncRNAs were characterized in this study. Differential expression analysis revealed that lncRNAs exhibited developmental stage specificity. The expression of most lncRNAs was upregulated at the onset of metamorphosis developmental stages. More differentially expressed lncRNAs were observed between eggs and early larvae. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) further confirmed that the expression patterns of lncRNAs were obviously correlated with specific developmental time points. Functional annotation using co-expression analysis revealed that lncRNAs may be involved in the regulation of metamorphic developmental transitions of Ae. albopictus. The hub lncRNAs and hub gene clusters were identified for each module that were highly associated with specific developmental time points. Conclusions: The results of this study will facilitate future researches to elucidate the regulatory mechanisms of lncRNAs in the development of Ae. albopictus and utilize lncRNAs to assist with mosquito control. Author summary: Aedes albopictus is an invasive vector mosquito associated with substantial public health concerns. It is a vector of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses. High levels of ecological and physiological plasticity promote rapid global invasion. In the absence of effective vaccines or specific antiviral drugs for the majority of arbovirus diseases, vector control is based mostly on chemical insecticides. However, the extensive and intensive use of chemical insecticides for mosquito control has caused several environmental and human health concerns. As holometabolous insects, mosquitoes undergo considerable structural and functional remodeling during the metamorphosis. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to play roles in developmental regulation. To investigate the expression profiles of lncRNAs across the life cycle of Ae. albopictus, five developmental time points, eggs, early larvae, late larvae, pupae, and adults (female and male), covering all developmental stages were included in this study. Differences in lncRNA expression patterns and hub lncRNAs that were highly associated with specific developmental time points were identified. Hub lncRNAs could be used as targets to block the metamorphic process and facilitate the development of efficient and sustainable mosquito control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of mobile edge computing (MEC) into an ultra-dense network (UDN) can provide ubiquitous task offloading services to computation-demanding users leveraging densely deployed micro base stations. The conventional multi-user task offloading strategies are performed centrally, where a central node makes global task offloading decisions on server selection and resource allocation. In practice, the deployment becomes prohibitively complex with the increasing number of users as it involves high communication overhead and complex global optimization operations. In this paper, we develop a novel decentralized task offloading strategy in UDN, enabling users to independently make local task offloading decisions. We formulate the associated optimization problem to minimize the long-term average task delay among all users. On this basis, we develop a novel calibrated contextual bandit learning (CCBL) algorithm, where users can learn the computational delay functions of micro base stations and predict the task offloading decisions of other users in a decentralized manner. The convergence of the proposed CCBL algorithm is verified via the approachability theory. Moreover, we transfer the target of calibrated learning from all micro base stations to a single user and propose a user-oriented CCBL algorithm to further decrease the computational complexity and increase the convergence rate. Simulation results illustrate that our proposed algorithm outperforms the existing decentralized algorithms and approaches the centralized one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]