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The bearing capacity of shallow foundation is significantly affected by stratum uncertainty, mainly including geological uncertainty and spatial variability of soil properties. This paper aims to develop a general framework of shallow foundation to characterize the influence of two types of uncertainties on bearing capacity quantitatively. The geological uncertainty is simulated by Markov random field with different borehole schemes. The spatial variability is characterized using random field theory considering variations of the vertical scale of fluctuation. The bearing capacity of shallow foundation analysis is then conducted based on the proposed calculation framework. Borehole data and soil properties collected from Shenzhen Mawan are adopted as an example to illustrate the proposed framework. A reduction factor is developed to reveal the relationship of two category uncertainties on bearing capacity. A contribution rate indicator is defined to quantitatively evaluate the impact of two category uncertainties. Results show that the geological uncertainty greatly influences the calculation results when boreholes are sparse. However, spatial variability dominates in two kinds of uncertainties when having relatively more boreholes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The insertion of carbonyl into C(sp2)−Pd(II) σ‐bond (Grignard‐type addition) was not established until the 1990s. While this elemental reaction has been well explored since then, its application in Pd(0) asymmetric catalysis remain elusive. Herein, we report the Pd(0)‐catalyzed asymmetric intramolecular Grignard‐type reaction of vinyl iodide‐carbonyl in the presence of HCO2H additive, affording cyclic allylic alcohol with good to excellent enantioselectivity and diastereoselectivity. Mechanistic studies suggested that besides serving as an efficient reductant, HCO2H is also capable of facilitating protonation of the involved secondary alkoxyl‐Pd(II), thus completely suppressing the β‐H elimination. Moreover, no KIE was found in the competing reaction between vinyl iodide‐aldehyde and 1‐deuterated one, demonstrating the facile step of aldehyde insertion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new species of Leptobotia are here described as L. rotundilobus from the Xin'an‐Jiang of the upper Qiantang‐Jiang basin in both Anhui and Zhejiang Provinces and the Cao'e‐Jiang in Zhejiang Province, and L. paucipinna from the Qing‐Jiang of the middle Chang‐Jiang basin in Hubei Province, South China. Both have a plain brown body as found in L. bellacauda Bohlen & Šlechtová, 2016, L. microphthalma Fu & Ye, 1983, L. posterodorsalis Chen & Lan, 1992 and L. tientainensis (Wu, 1930). The two new species are distinct from these species in vertebral counts, further from L. posterodorsalis in vent placement and further from the other three species in pectoral‐fin length. Both differ in caudal‐fin coloration and shape, and dorsal‐fin location and coloration, and also in internal morphology. Their validity is confirmed by their own monophyly recovered in a phylogenetic analysis based on the mitochondrial cyt b and COI genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to uncertainties in future demands regarding product variety, manufacturers must maintain a balance between capacity investment costs and future demand satisfaction levels, which makes capacity management challenging for a high-value asset industry. Product–machine qualification, which is an essential process in configuring machines to produce new products, plays an important role in allocating appropriate capacity to different products. Motivated by the challenges presented by this real-world trade-off problem, this article develops effective "product–machine" production structures by introducing new process flexibility strategies. The product–machine qualification process is complex and very time-consuming, which generally causes processing machines to experience massive capacity loss. The more flexible a machine is, the more product–machine qualification steps are required and the more capacity will be lost. Traditional process flexibility strategies, such as the long chain strategy, cannot be used directly for product–machine qualification decisions because they all assume that the capacities of machines are constant and that only product demands vary. This article promotes the traditional process flexibility theory by introducing capacity loss into the model. The proposed strategies for balancing process flexibility and capacity loss have proven effective in satisfying uncertain demands by cost-effective capacity-demand matching structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Icariin (ICA) played an important role in the treatment of inflammatory bone defects. However, pharmacokinetic studies have shown that its poor bioavailability limited its application. In this context, we isolated bovine milk-derived sEV and prepared sEV-ICA to improve the osteogenic effect of ICA. In this study, we successfully constructed sEV-ICA. sEV-ICA was found to have significantly higher osteogenic efficiency than ICA in cell culture and cranial bone defect models. Mechanistically, bioinformatics analysis predicted that signal transducers and activators of transcription 5 (STAT5a) may bind to the GJA1 promoter, while luciferase activity assays and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) experiments confirmed that STAT5a directly binded to the GJA1 promoter to promote osteogenesis. We proved that compared with ICA, sEV-ICA showed a better effect of promoting bone repair in vivo and in vitro. In addition, sEV-ICA could promote osteogenesis by promoting the combination of STAT5a and GJA1 promoter. In summary, as a complex drug delivery system, sEV-ICA constituted a rapid and effective method for the treatment of bone defects and could improve the osteogenic activity of ICA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flow transport of supercritical fluids (SFs) in nanopores widely occurs in shale and deep geothermal systems. Pressure is an important parameter for describing SFs, but the effect of pressure on the flow and slip behaviors of SFs in nanochannels is unknown. In this study, molecular dynamics simulations of the Poiseuille flow of supercritical water (SCW) in graphene nanochannels are performed by applying a driving force to water molecules between two walls. Fluid pressure is realized by varying water density. The effect of pressure on the slip length under different surface wettability is investigated. The results show that the slip length nonmonotonically varies with the pressure, which is divided into three regions according to the three-regime-model of SFs. For the gas phase and gas-like SCW, the slip length gradually decreases with increasing pressure. For two-phase-like SCW, the slip length increases with pressure. For liquid-like (LL) SCW, the slip length decreases with increasing pressure. The slip length nonmonotonically varies due to the nonlinear variation of the fluid viscosity and interfacial friction with pressure. For LL SCW, the slip length is linearly related to the inverse of the density ratio, and the effect of pressure and wettability on the slip length is evaluated using the density ratio and energy barrier. Furthermore, the relationship between the slip length and pressure is verified for application to a wide range of wettability, different channel heights, and different fluid types and solid wall types. This study deepens the understanding of the microscale flow theory under supercritical conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environmental impact of plastic waste has had a profound effect on our livelihoods and there is a need for future plastic‐based epidermal electronics to trend toward more sustainable approaches. Infusing graphene into the culinary process of seaweed spherification produces core‐shell, food‐based nanocomposites with properties exhibiting a remarkably high degree of tunability. Unusually, mechanical, electrical, and electromechanical metrics all became decoupled from one another, allowing for each to be individually tuned. This leads to the formation of a general electromechanical model which presents a universal electronic blueprint for enhanced performances. Through this model, performance optimization and system miniaturization are enabled, with gauge factors (G) >108 for capsule diameters (D) ≈290 µm and produced at a record rate of >100 samples per second. When coalesced into quasi‐2D planar networks, microcapsules form the basis of discrete, recyclable electronic smart skins with areal independent sensitives for muscular, breathing, pulse, and blood pressure measurements in real‐time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In developing solid-state nanopore sensors for single molecule detection, comprehensive evaluation of the nanopore quality is important. Existing studies typically rely on comparing the noise root mean square or power spectrum density values. Nanopores exhibiting lower noise values are generally considered superior. This evaluation is valid when the single molecule signal remains consistent. However, the signal can vary, as it is strongly related to the solid-state nanopore size, which is hard to control during fabrication consistently. This work emphasized the need to report the baseline current for evaluating solid-state nanopore sensors. The baseline current offers insight into several experimental conditions, particularly the nanopore size. Our experiments show that a nanopore sensor with more noise is not necessarily worse when considering the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), particularly when the pore size is smaller. Our findings suggest that relying only on noise comparisons can lead to inaccurate evaluations of solid-state nanopore sensors, considering the inherent variability in fabrication and testing setups among labs and measurements. We propose that future studies should include reporting baseline current and sensing conditions. Additionally, using SNR as a primary evaluation tool for nanopore sensors could provide a more comprehensive understanding of their performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Headache disorders are widely prevalent and pose a considerable economic burden on individuals and society. Globally, misdiagnosis and inadequate treatment of primary headache disorders remain significant challenges, impeding the effective management of such conditions. Despite advancements in headache management over the last decade, a need for comprehensive evaluations of the status of primary headache disorders in China regarding diagnosis and preventative treatments persists. Methods: In the present study, we analyzed the established queries in the Survey of Fibromyalgia Comorbidity with Headache (SEARCH), focusing on previous diagnoses and preventative treatment regimens for primary headache disorders. This cross-sectional study encompassed adults diagnosed with primary headache disorders who sought treatment at 23 hospitals across China between September 2020 to May 2021. Results: The study comprised 2,868 participants who were systematically examined. Migraine and tension-type headaches (TTH) constituted a majority of the primary headache disorders, accounting for 74.1% (2,124/2,868) and 23.3% (668/2,868) of the participants, respectively. Medication overuse headache (MOH) affected 8.1% (231/2,868) of individuals with primary headache disorders. Over half of the individuals with primary headache disorders (56.6%, 1,624/2,868) remained undiagnosed. The previously correct diagnosis rates for migraine, TTH, TACs, and MOH were 27.3% (580/2,124), 8.1% (54/668), 23.2% (13/56), and 3.5% (8/231), respectively. The misdiagnosis of "Nervous headache" was found to be the most prevalent among individuals with migraine (9.9%, 211/2,124), TTH (10.0%, 67/668), trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias (TACs) (17.9%, 10/56), and other primary headache disorders (10.0%, 2/20) respectively. Only a minor proportion of individuals with migraine (16.5%, 77/468) and TTH (4.7%, 2/43) had received preventive medication before participating in the study. Conclusions: While there has been progress made in the rate of correct diagnosis of primary headache disorders in China compared to a decade ago, the prevalence of misdiagnosis and inadequate treatment of primary headaches remains a veritable issue. As such, focused efforts are essential to augment the diagnosis and preventive treatment measures related to primary headache disorders in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Exploring the role of OPN N‐glycosylation in osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Methods: Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of OPN in mice with apical periodontitis. The asparagine at position 79 of the OPN protein was mutated to glutamine, and the above plasmids were transfected into osteoblasts and osteoclasts. The effect of OPN N‐glycosylation on proliferation of osteoblasts and osteoclasts was detected by CCK8 assays. Western blotting was used to detect the expression of OPN N‐glycosylation on osteoclasts and osteoblasts. Detection of N‐glycosylation of OPN activated the NF‐κB signaling pathway to regulate osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Results: OPN increased the expression in a mice model of apical periodontitis. The expression curve of OPN resembled a reverse V shape. The OPN N‐glycosylation site was identified as 79 by MS. N‐glycosylation of OPN promoted the proliferation of osteoclasts. But the N79 glycosylation site of mutant OPN could not increase the proliferation of osteoblasts. OPN N‐glycosylation modulated the expression of osteoclast‐ and osteoblast‐associated factors through the NF‐κB signaling pathway. N‐glycosylation of OPN promoted nuclear translocation of NF‐κB in osteoclasts and osteoblasts. Conclusions: The N‐glycosylation site of OPN is 79. N‐glycosylation of OPN played an important role in the biological function of OPN protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nylon is a common engineering plastic that is easy to machine and can serve as a mechanical end-part. Ultrasonic testing is a highly efficient nondestructive testing method for the inspection of nylon materials. However, the curvature of the surface causes scattering or focusing of the ultrasonic beam bring difficulties to detect the inner defects. In addition, some configuration parameters, such as the water path depth, also affect the acoustic field distribution. It is necessary to predict the acoustic field distribution to achieve a better testing accuracy. An acoustic field simulation model based on a multi-Gaussian beam is established to predict the focused acoustic field in a multilayer medium under a curved interface. The relationship between the acoustic focusing area and the water path depth was explored, and the water path depth is selected by simulating the effective detection region. C-scan imaging of specimens with artificial flat-bottom holes are performed at different water path depths. By comparing the quantitative analysis results of different water path depths, the error of the FBH size obtained by selecting a water path depth is significantly less than others. The ultrasonic C-scan images of nylon bar with natural flaws are compared with the microscopic CT tomography reconstruction images, and the comparison shows that the defects can be detected in the C-scan images. The results show that the proposed method can optimize the configuration parameters to improve the accuracy of the flaw sizing. This study provides an efficient technique for the detection of nylon bars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Aging impairs cardiac function and increases susceptibility to myocardial ischaemic injury. Cardiac myosin light chain kinase (MLCK3) phosphorylates cardiac myosin regulatory light chain (MLC2), controlling sarcomere organization and cardiomyocyte contraction. Dysregulation of MLCK3 and phosphorylated MLC2 (p- MLC2) contributes to heart failure after myocardial infarction (MI). We aimed at exploring how the MLCK3– p -MLC2 axis changes in aging hearts post MI and at investigating the underlying regulatory mechanisms. Methods and results We generated adult (3 months) and aged (30 months) MI mouse models to compare their cardiac performance, and then detected MLCK3 expression and MLC2 activity. Aging increased the size of MI-induced infarctions and promoted cardiac contractile dysfunction. Furthermore, MLCK3 expression and MLC2 activity increased in adult hearts after MI, but not in aged hearts. miR-146a was found consistently increased in adult and aged hearts post MI. Mechanistic analyses performed in vitro demonstrated that miR-146a-5p down-regulated matrix metalloprotease (MMP)2/16 expression in cardiomyocytes. This down-regulation in turn increased MLCK3 expression and MLC2 activity. However, miR-146a-5p failed to regulate the MMP2/16–MLCK3– p -MLC2 axis in senescent cardiomyocytes or in cardiac miR-146a conditional knockout mice, with the latter experiencing an exacerbated deterioration of cardiac function post MI. Conclusion These results suggest that an increase of MLCK3 and p -MLC2 contents through decreasing MMP2/16 by miR-146a-5p represents a compensatory mechanism that can protect cardiac contractile function after MI. Aging impairs this miR-146a-5p-regulated MMP2/16–MLCK3– p -MLC2 contractile axis, leading to compromised contractile function and increased susceptibility to heart failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reductive elimination of alkyl−PdII−O is a synthetically useful yet underdeveloped elementary reaction. Here we report that the combination of an H‐bonding donor [PyH][BF4] and AgNO3 additive under toluene/H2O biphasic system can enable such elementary step to form alkyl nitrate. This results in the Pd0‐catalyzed asymmetric carbonitratations of (Z)‐1‐iodo‐1,6‐dienes with (R)‐BINAP as the chiral ligand, affording alkyl nitrates up to 96 % ee. Mechanistic studies disclose that the reaction consists of oxidative addition of Pd0 catalyst to vinyl iodide, anion ligand exchange between I− and NO3−, alkene insertion and SN2‐type alkyl−PdII−ONO2 reductive elimination. Evidences suggest that H‐bonding interaction of PyH⋅⋅⋅ONO2 can facilitate dissociation of O2NO− ligand from the alkyl−PdII−ONO2 species, thus enabling the challenging alkyl−PdII−ONO2 reductive elimination to be feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reductive elimination of alkyl−PdII−O is a synthetically useful yet underdeveloped elementary reaction. Here we report that the combination of an H‐bonding donor [PyH][BF4] and AgNO3 additive under toluene/H2O biphasic system can enable such elementary step to form alkyl nitrate. This results in the Pd0‐catalyzed asymmetric carbonitratations of (Z)‐1‐iodo‐1,6‐dienes with (R)‐BINAP as the chiral ligand, affording alkyl nitrates up to 96 % ee. Mechanistic studies disclose that the reaction consists of oxidative addition of Pd0 catalyst to vinyl iodide, anion ligand exchange between I− and NO3−, alkene insertion and SN2‐type alkyl−PdII−ONO2 reductive elimination. Evidences suggest that H‐bonding interaction of PyH⋅⋅⋅ONO2 can facilitate dissociation of O2NO− ligand from the alkyl−PdII−ONO2 species, thus enabling the challenging alkyl−PdII−ONO2 reductive elimination to be feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the feasibility of percutaneous intrauterine instillation of chilled saline to protect the endometrium during microwave ablation (MWA) treating types 1–3 uterine fibroids. Twenty-six patients with types 1–3 uterine fibroids were prospectively enrolled in an intrauterine saline instillation group (study group). The same number of patients with types 1–3 uterine fibroids who previously received MWA without endometrial protection were retrospectively included in a control group. Endometrial impairment was evaluated by hysteroscopy and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In the study group, hysteroscopy revealed an intact endometrium in 17 patients, congestion and reddening of the endometrium due to heat in 8 patients, and a burnt necrosis with a size < 1 cm on the functional layer of the endometrium in 1 patient. On MRI, in the study group, there were 17 (65.4%), 6 (23.1%), and 3 (11.5%) patients with grades 0, 1, and 2 endometrial impairment, respectively, but no grade 3 endometrial impairment. In the control group, there were 8 (30.8%), 8 (30.8%), 7 (26.9%), and 3 (11.5%) patients with grades 0, 1, 2, and 3 endometrial impairment, respectively. Endometrial impairment in the study group was significantly better than that in the control group (p = 0.006). One patient had puncture tunnel bleeding and no other complications occurred in the study group. Intraoperative percutaneous intrauterine instillation of chilled saline may be effective and safe in reducing the thermal damage to the endometrium caused by MWA for treating types 1–3 uterine fibroids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the electrical models of the membrane-based solid-state nanopores have been well established, silicon-based pyramidal nanopores cannot apply these models due to two distinctive features. One is its 35.3° half cone angle, which brings additional resistance to the moving ions inside the nanopore. The other is its rectangular entrance, which makes calculating the access conductance challenging. Here, we proposed and validated an effective transport model (ETM) for silicon-based pyramidal nanopores by introducing effective conductivity. The impact of half cone angle can be described equivalently using a reduced diffusion coefficient (effective diffusion coefficient). Because the decrease of diffusion coefficient results in a smaller conductivity, effective conductivity is used for the calculation of bulk conductance in ETM. In the classical model, intrinsic conductivity is used. We used the top-down fabrication method for generating the pyramidal silicon nanopores to test the proposed model. Compared with the large error (≥25% in most cases) when using the classical model, the error of ETM in predicting conductance is less than 15%. We also found that the ETM is applicable when the ratio of excess ion concentration and bulk ion concentration is smaller than 0.2. At last, it is proved that ETM can estimate the tip size of pyramidal silicon nanopore. We believe the ETM would provide an improved method for evaluating the pyramidal silicon nanopores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer has been the most common cancer in women worldwide, and metastasis is the leading cause of death from breast cancer. Even though the study of breast cancer metastasis has been extensively carried out, the molecular mechanism is still not fully understood, and diagnosis and prognosis need to be improved. Breast cancer metastasis is a complicated process involving multiple physiological changes, and lung, brain, bone and liver are the main metastatic targets. Exosomes are membrane-bound extracellular vesicles that contain secreted cellular constitutes. The biogenesis and functions of exosomes in cancer have been intensively studied, and mounting studies have indicated that exosomes play a crucial role in cancer metastasis. In this review, we summarize recent findings on the role of breast cancer-derived exosomes in metastasis organotropism and discuss the potential promising clinical applications of targeting exosomes as novel strategies for breast cancer diagnosis and therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a theoretical model, based on the Rayleigh-Ritz method, to analyze the dynamic response of circular micro-diaphragms in contact with a fluid. The fluid is assumed to be incompressible, inviscid, and irrotational. In the model, a linear combination of polynomials is utilized to construct the mode shapes, and the Rayleigh quotient for fluid-structure coupling system is implemented to obtain the dynamic characteristics of pre-stressed diaphragms. Theoretical calculations are well validated by a finite element model. The relationships of the natural frequencies and quality factors to the mode shape are systematically investigated. The investigation proves that it is necessary to adopt exact mode shapes, instead of approximate mode shapes, to ensure the accuracy in the theoretical evaluation of the vibration of the diaphragm in the fluid. Furthermore, the quality factor associated with acoustic radiation losses is mode dependent, and its dependency on the mode number shows plate, membrane, and plate-membrane transition behaviors as pre-stress varies. These findings can be useful in the applications of diaphragm-based resonators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The free vibration of circular diaphragms subjected to in-plane tensile biaxial stress while in contact with a fluid is analyzed using the Rayleigh-Ritz method, in which the linear superposition of a number of polynomial functions is used to describe the displacement of the diaphragm. The diaphragm is placed into a hole in an infinite rigid wall, and the fluid is assumed to be incompressible and inviscid. Analytical expressions for the nondimensional added virtual mass incremental factor and the quality factor are easily derived using the proposed method. Our numerical results are validated by comparisons with published theoretical results and a finite element model. This work demonstrates the thermal stress contribution to the nondimensional added virtual mass incremental factor and the quality factor, which is important in the design of circular-diaphragm-based sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the low-Mach-number supersonic boundary layers, the oblique-breakdown regime may be the most efficient route to trigger the laminar–turbulent transition, because the most unstable Mack first mode always appears as an oblique wave. In this paper, we revisit this issue by use of the nonlinear parabolized stability equation (NPSE) approach and particularly focus on the extra amplification of the streak mode generated by the direct interaction of the introduced oblique modes. This mechanism is then well explained based on the weakly nonlinear analysis, and its predictions on the evolution of the streak mode and the two-dimensional traveling-wave mode are quantitatively confirmed by the NPSE calculations. Additionally, the important role of the streak mode, leading to the secondary instability, on triggering the transition onset is identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a set of direct numerical simulation results on Rayleigh-Bénard-Marangoni (R-B-M) flow of cold water in the cylindrical pools. The heat transfer between the free surface and the environment is considered. The aspect ratio Г of the cylindrical pool varies from 2 to 8. Rayleigh (Ra) and Biot (Bi) numbers are respectively confined in Ra ≤ 104 and 0 < Bi ≤ 50. The flow onset critical Ra is determined and the influences of Bi and the density inversion parameter (Θm) on the critical Ra are analyzed. The primary bifurcation flow structures of R-B-M flow are shown and the evolution of the flow structures with Ra and Bi at different Θm is observed. Furthermore, the heat transfer ability is estimated by Nusselt number. The results indicate that the critical Ra of the flow onset increases with increasing Bi and Θm. But it decreases with the increase of Г. The primary bifurcation pattern is multicellular flow. With increasing Г, the number of flow cells in multicellular flow increases fast. With increasing Ra, the up-triangular and up-quadrilateral flow structures appear at Г = 4, and finally transits to the up one-torus. With increasing Ra and Г, and decreasing Θm, average Nusselt number increases monotonically. However, with increasing Bi, it first increases, and then decreases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MIL-101(Cr) is one of the most well-studied chromium-based metal–organic frameworks, which consists of metal chromium ion and terephthalic acid ligand. It has an ultra-high specific surface area, large pore size, good thermal/chemical/water stability, and contains unsaturated Lewis acid sites in its structure. Due to the physicochemical properties and structural characteristics, MIL-101(Cr) has a wide range of applications in aqueous phase adsorption, gas storage and separation, and catalysis. In this review, the latest synthesis of MIL-101(Cr) and its research progress in adsorption and catalysis are reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) are an important component in the paracrine pathway. They can be used as a substitute for seed cells and have shown good application prospects in promoting bone regeneration. Cow's milk could be used as a source of sEVs with good biocompatibility and cost-effectiveness, with easy availability, low cost and low toxicity. This study focused on the role and mechanism of small extracellular vesicles derived from milk in bone repair. In order to explore the mechanism via which Milk-sEVs promote bone repair, we screened the differential gene GJA1 in Milk-sEV-treated osteoblasts through transcriptome chips, and verified the transcript AP3B1 of GJA1 through chromatin immunoprecipitation (CHIP). We have proved by in vivo and in vitro experiments that milk-derived sEVs (Milk-sEVs) increase the repair ability of bone tissue, and promote expression of the osteogenic gene GJA1 through the transcript AP3B1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structural morphing is an efficient means to enable the design of aircrafts for diverse requirements, such as high endurance and high speed; however, there may be side effects on the aerodynamic performance, which needs to be considered before its implementation. In this paper, we particularly focus on the impact of a representative morphing structure, a continuously extending wall in the chordwise direction, on the laminar-turbulent transition in subsonic boundary layers. The large-Reynolds-number asymptotic approach is employed, and both the mean-flow distortion and the perturbation field are described by the triple-deck theory, which leads to a great reduction in the number of the controlling parameters and shows clearly their interaction mechanisms. Two relevant mechanisms, namely, the local receptivity and local scattering mechanisms, are considered, whose effects on the development of the boundary-layer instability modes, leading to a change in the transition onset eventually, are quantified systematically by solving numerically the high-dimensional linear equation system. The receptivity efficiency is greater near the lower-branch neutral frequency, while the scattering effect increases with the frequency monotonically. Both the receptivity and scattering calculations show good agreement with the linear predictions when the extending-wall speed is sufficiently low, but for a moderate extending speed, both the receptivity efficiency and the scattering efficiency increase superlinearly with the extending speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frequency-domain dielectric spectroscopy (FDS) is widely used in the insulation assessment of oil-immersed power equipment, and the moisture in insulating paper could be qualitatively predicted by mathematical approximation. However, due to the still lots unexplored underlying mechanisms, until now, there is still no convincing and physical method for the diagnosis of moisture content. With the aid of spectral decomposition methods, this article aims to explore the effects and mechanism of moisture on the independent dielectric response spectra. First, the measured dielectric response curve is unfolded and reconstructed by derivation of the real part curve. Second, the independent polarization and conductance spectra of damp samples are extracted, and then, the relationships between moisture content in insulating paper and spectral parameters are established quantitatively. The results show that moisture introduces a new polarization in the midfrequency region at room temperature, and both polarization and conductance increase with the moisture content. The multiple adsorption model and the proton exchange model of moisture are employed to illustrate the changes of the polarization and the conductance spectra, respectively. This research provides a methodological reference for the moisture assessment of oil–paper insulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, light-disturbance grouting technology has been widely used in the rehabilitation project of large transverse deformation of existing shield tunnels. This paper aims to investigate the reinforcing effect of the grouting technology and the rehabilitation law of the tunnel. A model test of the grouting rehabilitation on the shield tunnels with large transverse deformation was carried out by utilizing the self-developed and designed constant-pressure grouting system and the laser measurement system. The response law of three key grouting parameters to the mechanical deformation of tunnels was investigated. The results indicate that grouting can significantly rehabilitate the large transverse deformation of the tunnel but the effect varies at different joints. The adverse dislocation and opening at the joints located below the spring-line of the tunnel were mitigated. On the contrary, the grouting exacerbates the dislocations at the joints located above the spring-line. Increasing the grouting pressure, decreasing the grouting distance, and increasing the grouting volume all increase the additional stresses in the tunnel spring-line and make a more significant rehabilitation of the transverse convergence of the tunnel. In addition, the deformation of the joints located above the spring-line of the tunnel is more sensitive to the variation of the grouting volume, while the joints located below the spring-line is more sensitive to the variation of the grouting distance. The results of this paper can provide a reference for similar grouting rehabilitation projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the continuous development of high energy density cell technology, the electric transport industry proposed higher requirements for the accuracy and real-time performance of automotive lithium batteries (LIBs) health status assessment. A state of health (SOH) assessment is suggested based on electrochemical impedance at characteristic frequency in the study. The distribution of relaxation time is used to deconstruct the internal electrochemical reaction of the battery and the impedance value of electrochemical process is quantified as a feature to avoid the effect of state of charge (SOC) in the evaluation. The imaginary part of impedance feature is applied to characterize the internal temperature of the lithium battery based on the analysis of impedance differences. Thus, the correlation between the state of health and impedance characteristics is examined to obtain the SOH assessment model of lithium battery in the full SOC and wide temperature spectrum. In conclusion, the assessment demonstrates an exceptional goodness-of-fit, with an accuracy of 0.99 in evaluating the SOH of LIBs and internal temperature, thereby indicating the robustness and reliability of the approach. [Display omitted] • Exploring effects of different factors on the impedance characteristics. • Quantification and feature extraction of characteristic impedance. • Establish link between state of health and electrochemical impedance characteristics. • Rapid detection of state of health with high accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A numerical scheme, which hybridizes the element-level dual-field time-domain finite-element domain decomposition method (ELDDM) and the time-domain boundary integral (TDBI) method to accurately and efficiently analyze open-region transient electromagnetic scattering problems, is proposed. Element-level decomposition decouples Maxwell equations on a discretization element from those on its neighboring elements using equivalent currents defined on their faces. For any element inside the computation domain, the equivalent currents are obtained from fields in the neighboring elements. For any element on the boundary of the computation domain, the equivalent currents are obtained using the fields generated by TDBI. To generate these fields, TDBI “radiates” equivalent currents on a Huygens surface enclosing the scatterer. This approach when combined with a leapfrog-type time updates results in a fully explicit numerical scheme that allows ELDDM and TDBI to use different time steps. Numerical results that demonstrate the applicability of the proposed method to concave and disconnected scatterers are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Aspergillus fumigatus infection is difficult to diagnose clinically and can develop into invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, which has a high fatality rate. The incidence of Aspergillus fumigatus infection has increased die to widespread application of radiotherapy technology. However, knowledge regarding A. fumigatus infection following radiation exposure is limited, and the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we established a mouse model to explore the effect of radiation on A. fumigatus infection and the associated mechanisms. Methods: In this study, a mouse model of A. fumigatus infection after radiation was established by irradiating with 5 Gy on the chest and instilling 5 × 107/ml Aspergillus fumigatus conidia into trachea after 24 h to explore the effect and study its function and mechanism. Mice were compared among the following groups: normal controls (CON), radiation only (RA), infection only (Af), and radiation + infection (RA + Af). Staining analyses were used to detect infection and damage in lung tissues. Changes in protein and mRNA levels of pyroptosis-related molecules were assessed by western blot analysis and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Protein concentrations in the serum and alveolar lavage fluid were also measured. An immunofluorescence colocalization analysis was performed to confirm that NLRP3 inflammasomes activated pyroptosis. Results: Radiation destroyed the pulmonary epithelial barrier and significantly increased the pulmonary fungal burden of A. fumigatus. The active end of caspase-1 and gasdermin D (GSDMD) were highly expressed even after infection. Release of interleukin-18 (IL-18) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) provided further evidence of pyroptosis. NLRP3 knockout inhibited pyroptosis, which effectively attenuated damage to the pulmonary epithelial barrier and reduced the burden of A. fumigatus. Conclusions: Our findings indicated that the activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes following radiation exposure increased susceptibility to A. fumigatus infection. Due to pyroptosis in lung epithelial cells, it resulted in the destruction of the lung epithelial barrier and further damage to lung tissue. Moreover, we found that NLRP3 knockout effectively inhibited the pyroptosis and reducing susceptibility to A. fumigatus infection and further lung damage. Overall, our results suggest that NLRP3/GSDMD pathway mediated-pyroptosis in the lungs may be a key event in this process and provide new insights into the underlying mechanism of infection. 5XnWW3T8d7pfHQT93hi3ND Video abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the observations of a squall line on 11 May 2020 and stratiform precipitation on 6 June 2020 from two X-band dual-polarization phased array weather radars (DP-PAWRs) and an S-band dual-polarization Doppler weather radar (CINRAD/SA-D), the data reliability of DP-PAWR and its ability to detect the fine structures of mesoscale weather systems were assessed. After location matching, the observations of DP-PAWR and CINRAD / SA-D were compared in terms of reflectivity (ZH), radial velocity (V), differential reflectivity (ZDR), and specific differential phase (KDP). The results showed that: (1) DP-PAWR has better ability to detect mesoscale weather systems than CINRAD/SAD; the multi-elevation-angles scanning of the RHI mode enables DP-PAWR to obtain a wider detection range in the vertical direction. (2) DP-PAWR's ZH and V structures are acceptable, while its sensitivity is worse than that of CINRAD/SA-D. The ZH suffers from attenuation and the ZH area distribution is distorted around strong rainfall regions. (3) DP-PAWR's ZDR is close to a normal distribution but slightly smaller than that of CINRAD/SA-D. The KDP products of DP-PAWR have much higher sensitivity, showing a better indication of precipitation. (4) DP-PAWR is capable of revealing a detailed and complete structure of the evolution of the whole storm and the characteristics of particle phase variations during the process of triggering and enhancement of a small cell in the front of a squall line, as well as the merging of the cell with the squall line, which cannot be observed by CINRAD/SA-D. With its fast volume scan feature and dual-polarization detection capability, DP-PAWR shows great potential in further understanding the development and evolution mechanisms of meso-?-scale and microscale weather systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a power system, unlike some critical and standalone assets that are equipped with condition monitoring devices, the conditions of most regular in-group assets are acquired through periodic inspection work. Due to their large quantities, significant amount of manual inspection effort and sometimes data management issues, it is not uncommon to see the asset condition data in a target study area becomes unavailable or incomplete. Lack of asset condition data undermines the reliability assessment work. This paper tackles this important problem from an unconventional way – it explores how to generate numerical and non-numerical asset condition data based on condition degradation, condition correlation and categorical distribution models. Empirical knowledge from human experts can also be incorporated in the modeling process. Also, a probabilistic diversification step can be taken to make the generated numerical condition data probabilistic. This method can generate close-to-real asset condition data and has been validated systematically based on two public datasets. An area reliability assessment example based on cables is given to demonstrate the usefulness of this method and its generated data. This method can also be used to conveniently generate hypothetical asset condition data for research purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hierarchically porous MIL-101(Cr) (H-MIL-101(Cr)) with meso/macro-pores was directly prepared via nanofusion progress by using butyric acid as a modulating agent. In the methyl orange (MO) adsorption experiments, H-MIL-101(Cr) showed a high adsorption capability of 369.8 mg g−1, which was 1.52-fold greater than that of pristine MIL-101(Cr) (P-MIL-101(Cr)). While in the oxidation reaction of indene and 1-dodecene tests, H-MIL-101(Cr) presented much higher catalytic efficiency, with turnover frequency (TOF) values of 0.7242 mmol g−1 min−1 and 0.1492 mmol g−1 min−1, respectively, which were 28% and 34% greater than that in the case of P-MIL-101(Cr). Thus, compared with P-MIL-101(Cr), H-MIL-101(Cr) exhibited better removal efficiency and higher levels of activity in the oxidation reactions of indene and 1-dodecene. The unique structure of H-MIL-101(Cr) also contributed to its superior performance in these processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (sTREM2) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has been described as a biomarker for microglial activation, which were observed increased in a variety of neurological disorders.Objective: Our objective was to explore whether genetically determined CSF sTREM2 levels are causally associated with different neurological diseases by conducting a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study.Methods: Single nucleotide polymorphisms significantly associated with CSF sTREM2 levels were selected as instrumental variables to estimate the causal effects on clinically common neurological diseases, including stroke, Alzheimer's diseases, Parkinson's diseases, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, and epilepsy and their subtypes. Summary-level statistics of both exposure and outcomes were applied in an MR framework.Results: Genetically predicted per 1 pg/dL increase of CSF sTREM2 levels was associated with higher risk of multiple sclerosis (OR = 1.038, 95%CI = 1.014-1.064, p = 0.002). Null association was found in risk of other included neurological disorders.Conclusions: These findings provide support for a potential causal relationship between elevated CSF sTREM2 levels and higher risk of multiple sclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Our purpose was to investigate the role of recombinant protein flagellin A N/C (FlaA N/C) protein-mediated pyroptosis inhibition and related miRNA in radiation protection.Methods and Materials: Mice received 10 Gy irradiation after FlaA N/C pretreatment, IRAK-1/4 Inhibitor I treatment, or pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate treatment. Human intestinal epithelial cells (HIEC) received 10 Gy irradiation after FlaA N/C pretreatment, overexpressed miR-142a-3p with miR-142a-3p mimics, or inhibited miR-142a-3p with miR-142a-3p inhibitor. Mouse & Rat miRNA OneArray determined the change in relevant miRNA after FlaA N/C pretreatment; real-time polymerase chain reaction detected IRAK1 and miR-142a-3p expression; a CCK-8 assay evaluated cell viability; LDH release analyzed cytotoxicity; caspase-1 activity assay, interleukin-1β level, and flow cytometry analyzed pyroptosis in cells; hematoxylin-eosin staining evaluated the damage to intestinal tissue; CO-IP detected the inflammation activation; immunohistochemistry, Western blot analysis, and immunofluorescence analyzed activation of pyroptosis-related proteins and the activation of NF-kB signaling pathways; and luciferase reporter assay and fluorescence in situ hybridization detected the interaction between miR-142a-3p and IRAK1.Results: FlaA N/C reduced radiation-induced pyroptosis in vivo and in vitro, and miR-142a-3p expression increased after FlaA N/C pretreatment. Upregulating the expression of miR-142a-3p inhibited radiation-induced pyroptosis in HIEC, and downregulating the expression of miR-142a-3p led to radiation-induced pyroptosis in HIEC after FlaA N/C pretreatment. IRAK1 was a direct target of miR-142a-3p and played an important role in radiation-induced pyroptosis in HIEC. Inhibiting IRAK1 reduced radiation-mediated pyroptosis in mice intestines. miR-142a-3p downregulated IRAK1 and suppressed the NF-kB pathway. Inhibiting the NF-kB signaling pathway can reduce radiation-mediated pyroptosis in mice intestines.Conclusions: Our findings indicated this new radioprotectant protein regulates miR-142a-3p, effectively inhibiting radiation-induced pyroptosis mediated by the IRAK1/NF-κB signaling pathway in intestinal cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scale of fluctuation (SOF) is the critical parameter to describe the soil spatial variability, which significantly influences the embedded geostructures. Due to the limited data in the horizontal direction, horizontal SOF estimation is relatively challenging and not well studied yet. This paper aims to develop an efficient convolutional neural network (CNN)-based approach for estimating the horizontal SOF by coupling random field and limited CPT data. Two or three columns (i.e. pseudo-CPT) were selected from the simulated 2D random field with prescribed SOF at the same spacing and combined into a two-dimensional matrix as input data to train the CNN model, namely CNN2 and CNN3 models. The dataset of CNN2 and CNN3 models contains 196,670 and 149,420 samples. Results on the training and testing datasets show that the trained CNN model has a good estimation performance as the mean squared error value is less than 0.1 and the correlation coefficient value is larger than 0.99. The effectiveness of trained CNN models was further verified by the new simulated CPT data with untrained SOF from the random field and CPT data from real site in Hollywood, South Carolina. The excellent agreement indicates that the trained CNN model has the ability to capture the horizontal SOF for limited CPT data from the actual project. Finally, the collected CPT data from the Shanghai site was applied for application. The COV of the estimated results of CNN3 and CNN2 models for the Shanghai site is 0.09 and 0.40, indicating the estimation performance of the CNN3 model has less variability than the CNN2 model. The proposed method provides the potential to characterize the soil spatial variability using very limited CPT data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large-cavity carbazole macrocycle (1) is reported through condensation of a long and rigid monomer and paraformaldehyde. 1 exhibits highly selective binding of large-sized tetra(n-propyl) ammonium cation 3+. The complexation of 3+ by 1 is counter anion-dependent, where Cl− gives the highest association constant of 3010 ± 230 M−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utility companies have widely adopted the concept of health index to describe asset health statuses and choose proper asset management actions. The existing application and research works have been focused on determining the current asset health index based on the current condition data. For long-term preventative asset management, it is highly desirable to predict asset health indices in the next few years, especially for asset classes in which the assets share similar electrical, mechanical and condition degradation characteristics. This important problem has not been sufficiently addressed. This paper proposes a sequence learning based method to predict long-term health indices for power asset classes. A comprehensive data-driven method based on sequence learning is presented and solid tests are conducted based on real utility data. The proposed method revealed superior performance with comparison to other prediction methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starch-derived films exhibit significant potential for packaging applications owing to their low cost, biodegradable characteristics, and natural abundance. Nonetheless, there is a demand to enhance their mechanical properties and moisture resistance to broaden their use. In this study, high performing sorbitol-plasticized starch/Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene nanocomposites, reinforced with ultra-low filler contents, were fabricated for the first time in literature. The MXene nanoplatelets were well-dispersed within the starch matrix while there was a tendency for the fillers to align in-plane, as revealed by polarized Raman spectroscopy. The produced nanocomposite films demonstrate remarkable effectiveness in blocking UV light, offering an additional valuable attribute in food packaging. The Young's modulus and tensile strength of starch films containing 0.75 wt% MXene increased from 439.9 and 11.0 MPa to 764.3 and 20.8 MPa, respectively. The introduction of 1 wt% MXene nanoplatelets reduced the water vapour permeability of starch films from 2.78 × 10−7 to 1.80 × 10−7 g/m h Pa due to the creation of highly tortuous paths for water molecules. Micromechanical theories were also implemented to understand further the reinforcing mechanisms in the biobased nanocomposites. The produced starch nanocomposites not only capitalize on the biodegradable and renewable nature of starch but also harness the unique properties of nanomaterials, paving the way for sustainable and high-performance packaging solutions that align with both consumer and environmental demands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effects of sustainable bio-based composite flame retardant (BCFR) on flame retardance and fume suppression of bitumen and establish unified combustion models of bitumen and BCFR bitumen, the mass loss and fume release during bituminous and BCFR bituminous combustion processes were studied using thermogravimetry-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TG-FTIR) tests. Results show that when bitumen burns out, BCFR bitumen remains the residue rates of 33%, 28% and 21% at 5, 10 and 15 °C/min, respectively. BCFR dilutes active free radicals involved in combustion at early bituminous combustion stage, thus reducing the reaction rate, and then inhibits bituminous combustion by forming intumescent char layer, increasing the char yield of bitumen, strengthening the thermal stability of char produced from bituminous combustion. BCFR does not reduce the kinds of fume constituents released from bituminous combustion but inhibits the release of aldehydes and phenols mainly by suppressing the oxidation reaction at early bituminous combustion stage. BCFR can effectively suppress the fumes release amount during bituminous combustion at lower heating rates. The proportions of alkanes and ketones released at the second and third stages of BCFR bituminous combustion are larger than those of bituminous combustion by 9.27% and 5.8% at 15 °C/min, respectively. Although BCFR has limited inhibitory effects on fume release amount at a larger heating rate, it inhibits the volatilization and combustion of alkanes in bitumen. Meanwhile, the combustion models of bitumen and BCFR bitumen established can better reproduce TG test results. This study develops a cleaner and more efficient bio-based flame retardant, and provides a reliable bituminous combustion model for large-scale fire simulation. [Display omitted] • BCFR hinders asphalt combustion at early stage through diluting many active free radicals. • BCFR suppresses asphalt combustion at later stage by forming porous intumescent char layer. • BCFR inhibits the release of aldehydes and phenols at the early stage of asphalt combustion. • BCFR can effectively impede the volatilization and combustion of the alkanes in the asphalt. • Combustion models of asphalt and BCFR asphalt are established through the GA algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traffic accidents in road tunnel often cause severe fires on asphalt pavement to release a lot of heat and harmful fumes. The composite flame retardant (CFR) containing four environmentally-friendly components was prepared and then loaded on porous warm mix agent (WMA) to prepare flame-retarded WMA (FWA). To reveal synergistic suppression mechanisms on the combustion behaviors of asphalt pavement between CFR and WMA, and among the four flame retardant components in CFR, the effects of FWA and CFR on combustion properties of asphalt mixtures were characterized. Results indicate that WMA has abundant well-developed mesopores or interstitial pores to load small CFR particles, facilitating CFR to play a better flame retarded role. Also, CFR shows obvious suppression effects on asphalt mixture combustion in both gas and condensed phases. FWA efficiently retards asphalt mixture combustion because of synergistic effect between CFR and WMA. Further, FWA has a stronger suppression effect on the combustion intensity of asphalt mixture than CFR. CFR and FWA promote asphalt mixtures to inflate, and catalyze the carbonization reaction of asphalt, increasing residual mass fraction and reducing mass loss rate of asphalt mixture. Finally, CFR and FWA reduce gaseous products, showing obvious fume suppression actions. WMA and CFR synergistically reduce the generation of toxic fume. FWA shows better fume suppression effects than WMA, providing more important opportunity for personnel escape, and reducing environmental pollution. • The warm mix-flame retardancy combined technology is developed for asphalt pavement. • Porous WMA can load CFR particles to improve the dispersion of CFR in asphalt mixture. • Effects of FWA and CFR on asphalt mixture combustion are assessed by cone calorimeter. • WMA and CFR synergistically suppress combustion and fume release of asphalt mixture. • FWA more efficiently reduces released heat and fumes during asphalt mixture combustion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epoxy resins are thermosetting polymers with an extensive set of applications such as anticorrosive coatings, adhesives, matrices for fibre reinforced composites and elements of electronic systems for automotive, aerospace and construction industries. Τhe use of epoxy resins in many high-performance applications is often restricted by their brittle and flammable nature, the relatively low fracture toughness and poor thermal and electrical properties. Various two-dimensional (2D) materials such as graphene (Gr), hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), transition metal dichalcogenides and MXenes, provide vast opportunities to endow multifunctional properties and reinforce epoxy resins for advanced applications. In this review, the current literature status of epoxy nanocomposites reinforced with 2D materials has been thoroughly examined. The structures and intrinsic properties of epoxy resins and two-dimensional materials have been briefly summarized. Recent advances in the strategies of incorporating 2D materials into epoxy matrices have also been presented. Most importantly, the mechanical, tribological, thermal, electrical, flame retardant and anticorrosive properties of epoxy nanocomposites reinforced with 2D materials have been reviewed in detail. Finally, the current status of the field along with future perspectives have been discussed with regards to the effectiveness of various 2D nanofillers towards reinforcement. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an electrostatic simulation, an equipotential condition with an undefined/floating potential value has to be enforced on the surface of an isolated conductor. If this conductor is charged, a nonzero charge condition is also required. While implementation of these conditions using a traditional finite element method (FEM) is not straightforward, they can be easily discretized and incorporated within a discontinuous Galerkin (DG) method. However, DG discretization results in a larger number of unknowns as compared to FEM. In this work, a hybridizable DG (HDG) method is proposed to alleviate this problem. Floating potential boundary conditions, possibly with different charge values, are introduced on surfaces of each isolated conductor and are weakly enforced in the global problem of HDG. The unknowns of the global HDG problem are those only associated with the nodes on the mesh skeleton and their number is much smaller than the total number of unknowns required by DG. Numerical examples show that the proposed method is as accurate as DG while it improves the computational efficiency significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the local receptivity of the Mack-mode instability to localized unsteady blowing and suction (UBS) in a chemical non-equilibrium (CNE) hypersonic boundary layer. The five-species CNE model is employed, and the receptivity efficiency is formulated by use of the residual theorem. Compared with the results for the calorically perfect gas (CPG) model, we find that the real-gas effect enhances the receptivity efficiency remarkably in the majority of the second-mode frequency band, and the enhancement is mainly attributed to the modification of the base flow due to the CNE effect, which is akin to the cold-wall effect in hypersonic boundary layers. Combined with the destabilizing role of the CNE effect on the Mack second mode, it is concluded that the CNE effect would lead to a greater linearly accumulated perturbation amplitude, implying premature of transition to turbulence in a high-enthalpy hypersonic boundary layer subject to localized perturbations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• BBB damage is a sustained trigger for demyelination during white matter ischemia. • Vessel-adjacent microglia co-activated by myelin and plasma LDL in white matter ischemia. • LDL-stimulated vessel-adjacent microglia showed compromised microglial regenerative properties. • Lowering circulating LDL may show therapeutic potentials in white matter ischemia. The role of microglia in triggering the blood–brain barrier (BBB) impairment and white matter damage after chronic cerebral hypoperfusion is unclear. Here we demonstrated that the vessel-adjacent microglia were specifically activated by the leakage of plasma low-density lipoprotein (LDL), which led to BBB breakdown and ischemic demyelination. Interestingly, we found that LDL stimulation enhanced microglial phagocytosis, causing excessive engulfment of myelin debris and resulting in an overwhelming lipid burden in microglia. Surprisingly, these lipid-laden microglia exhibited a suppressed profile of inflammatory response and compromised pro-regenerative properties. Microglia-specific knockdown of LDLR or systematic medication lowering circulating LDL-C showed protective effects against ischemic demyelination. Overall, our findings demonstrated that LDL-stimulated vessel-adjacent microglia possess a disease-specific molecular signature, characterized by suppressed regenerative properties, which is associated with the propagation of demyelination during ischemic white matter damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Multicomponent alkene 1,2‐dicarbofunctionalizations (DCFs) have emerged as a powerful strategy to rapidly incorporate both two carbon subunits across one C—C double bond in one step for enhancing molecular complexity and diversity. To the best of our knowledge, there is only one report on photoredox‐catalyzed three‐component DCFs with malonates through the radical−radical cross‐coupling, while photoredox‐catalyzed radical‐polar crossover (RPC)‐type DCFs with malonates were still rare. Herein, we describe a redox‐neutral RPC‐type 1,2‐dialkylation of styrenes with malonates and aldehydes through the synergistic Brønsted base/photoredox catalysis system. This transition‐metal‐free strategy provides an efficient and clean approach to a broad variety of δ‐hydroxy esters and also features exceptionally mild conditions, wide compatibility of substrate scope and functional groups, and high atomic economy. Moreover, three‐component 1,2‐alkylacylation from the same starting materials was achieved in one‐pot manner through such RPC‐type coupling and subsequent two‐electron oxidation process, providing a set of δ‐keto esters of interest in pharmaceutical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), is characterized by immune-mediated demyelination and neurodegeneration. NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation aggravates spinal cord inflammation in EAE. Autophagy is associated with alleviation of systemic inflammation, including that encountered in EAE. However, the effects of autophagy on NLRP3 in EAE are still unclear. Here, we evaluated the effects of the autophagy activator AZD8055 on EAE. EAE model mice were established, histological examination was performed to assess the degree of inflammatory cell infiltration and demyelination. And the levels of autophagy and NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis in spinal cords were assessed. Western blotting and immunofluorescence analyses were performed to evaluate protein expression and localization. AZD8055 significantly enhanced autophagy in the spinal cords of EAE model mice, coupled with decreased abnormal clinical behavior scores and increased body weights. The degree of inflammatory cell infiltration and demyelination was mild in AZD8055-treated EAE model mice. Meanwhile, the pathway of ROS/NLRP3 was downregulated, and LC3 and NLRP3 were colocalized. AZD8055 ameliorated EAE through anti-inflammatory and anti-pyroptosis effects via the mammalian target of mTOR/ROS/NLRP3 pathway. These findings provide insights into the interactions between autophagy and pyroptosis and may facilitate the development of novel treatments for MS. • Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a mouse model of MS. • The effects of the autophagy activator AZD8055 on EAE were evaluated. • AZD8055 significantly enhanced autophagy in the spinal cords of EAE model mice. • AZD8055 ameliorated EAE through anti-inflammatory and anti-pyroptosis effects. • Autophagy and pyroptosis may have an interaction via mTOR/ROS/NLRP3 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is a common subtype of non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), accounts for about 30% of all lung cancer, and has unique clinical and histologic characteristics. The predominant treatment of LSCC is surgical intervention. The purpose of this study was to explore the survival rates of the patients with primary LSCC after surgical treatment and the factors affecting prognosis. And also to analyze the molecular typing of local advanced LSCC of patients with various survival periods. We retrospectively evaluated the files of 170 patients with squamous NSCLC who were treated at the Department of Lung Cancer Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, between January 2008 and December 2011. Univariate (Cox regression analysis) and multivariate (likelihood ratio) analyses were carried out for overall survival (OS) and the median survival duration. A P‐value of <.05 was defined as significant. And then, we detected the mutation of 56 genes related to lung cancer by next‐generation sequencing for two groups of lung squamous cell cancer patients, in which the OS was more than 3 years in one group and less than 1 year in the other group. In addition, we analysis the relationship between the molecular typing and the survival period. Next, we used the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database to compare the different patients' clinical information with the genes, which have been analyzed in our patients' tumor tissue samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this minireview we discuss the role of the more subtle conformational change—protein conformational sampling and connect it to the classic relationship of protein structure and function. The theory of pre-existing functional states of protein are discussed in context of alternate protein conformational sampling. Last, we discuss how temperature, ligand binding and mutations affect the protein conformational sampling mode which is linked to the protein function regulation. The review includes several protein systems that showed temperature dependent protein conformational sampling. We also specifically included two enzyme systems, thermophilic alcohol dehydrogenase (ht-ADH) and thermolysin which we previously studied when discussing temperature dependent protein conformational sampling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking the real-world Internet platform "Tao Factory" of Alibaba as an example, the order matching mechanism between manufacturers and retailers is studied. This platform first collects multi-variety small batch orders from retailers and modular production resources from manufacturers, and then matches production orders according to the needs of both parties. Considering the characteristics of the matching process, we take the qualifications of all manufacturers matched to the orders and total transportation costs as optimization goals and establish an order matching model. In order to expand the search space algorithm, we introduce the niche strategy, which can remove crowded particles and make the particle swarm evenly distributed. In addition, the local search method is combined to improve the particle swarm algorithm, and the double-object ZDT test function set is used to verify the superiority of the improved multi-objective particle swarm algorithm (IMOPSO). Finally, based on the order matching model and IMOPSO, simulation experiments are conducted to determine the factors that affect the use of manufacturers' idle capacity and provide some constructive suggestions for small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMEs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]