Search

This paper examines the high-temperature oxidation behavior of Ni-based single-crystal turbine blade film cooling holes with varying inclination angles. Utilizing the theory of oxidation kinetics, the concept of an angle influence factor is introduced, and a novel oxidation kinetic equation is formulated. This allows for precise prediction of the oxide/γ′-free layer thickness in film cooling holes across different inclination angles throughout the oxidation process. It offers a new benchmark for future lifespan prediction models, significantly impacting the assessment of the operational life of air-cooled single crystal blades. more...

Abstract This paper studies the consensus problem for a class of unknown heterogeneous nonlinear multi-agent systems via a network with random packet dropouts. Based on the dynamic linearization technique, novel model-free adaptive consensus protocols with the data compensation mechanism are designed for both leaderless and leader-following cases. The advantage of this approach is that only neighborhood input and output data of the agents are required in the protocol design. For the stability analysis, a new Squeeze Theorem based method is developed to derive the theoretic results instead of the traditional contraction mapping principle used in model-free adaptive control. It is shown that the consensus can be achieved for both leaderless and leader-following cases if the communication topology is strongly connected. Finally, numerical simulations verifying the correctness of the theoretical results are given. more...

Abstract Background Zinc Finger Protein 337 (ZNF337) is a novel Zinc Finger (ZNF) protein family member. However, the roles of ZNF337 in human cancers have not yet been investigated. Methods In this study, with the aid of TCGA databases, GTEx databases, and online websites, we determined the expression levels of ZNF337 in pan-cancer and its potential value as a diagnostic and prognostic marker for pan-cancer and analyzed the relationship between ZNF337 expression and immune cell infiltration and immune checkpoint genes. We then focused our research on the potential of ZNF337 as a biomarker for diagnostic and prognostic in KIRC (kidney renal clear cell carcinoma) and validated in the E-MTAB-1980 database. Moreover, the expression of ZNF337 was detected through qRT-PCR and Western blotting (WB). CCK-8 experiment, colony formation experiment, and EDU experiment were performed to evaluate cell proliferation ability. Wound healing assay and transwell assay were used to analyze its migration ability. The qRT-PCR and WB were used to detect the expression of ZNF337 in tumor tissues and paracancerous tissues of KIRC patients. Results The pan-cancer analysis revealed that abnormal ZNF337 expression was found in multiple human cancer types. ZNF337 had a high diagnostic value in pan-cancer and a significant association with the prognosis of certain cancers, indicating that ZNF337 may be a valuable prognostic biomarker for multiple cancers. Further analysis demonstrated that the expression level of ZNF337 displayed significant correlations with cancer-associated fibroblasts, immune cell infiltration, and immune checkpoint genes in many tumors. Additionally, ZNF337 was observed to have a high expression in KIRC. Its expression was significantly associated with poor prognosis [overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS)], age, TNM stage, histologic grade, and pathologic stage. The high ZNF337 expression was associated with poor prognosis in the E-MTAB-1980 validation cohort. The in vitro experiments suggested that the expression of ZNF337 in KIRC tumor tissues was higher than in adjacent tissues, and ZNF337 knockdown inhibited the proliferation and migration of KIRC cells, whereas overexpression of ZNF337 had the opposite effects. Conclusions ZNF337 might be an important prognostic and immunotherapeutic biomarker for pan-cancer, especially in KIRC. more...

Abstract Field observations frequently demonstrate stress fluctuations resulting from the reservoir depletion. The development of reservoirs, particularly the completion of infill wells and refracturing, can be significantly impacted by stress changes in and around drainage areas. Previous studies mainly focus on plane fractures and few studies consider the influence of complex transport and storage mechanism and irregular fracture geometry on stress evolution in shale gas reservoirs. Based on the embedded discrete fracture model (EDFM) and finite-volume method (FVM), a coupled geomechanics/fluid model has been successfully developed considering the adsorption, desorption, diffusion and slippage of shale gas. This model achieves coupling simulation of natural fractures, hydraulic fractures with complex geometry, storage and transport mechanism, reservoir stress, and pore-elastic effect. The open-source software OpenFOAM is used as the main solver for this model. The stress calculation and productivity simulation of the model are verified by the classical poroelasticity problem and the simulation results of published research and commercial simulator with EDFM respectively. The simulation results indicate that σxx, σyy, σxy and Δσ changes with time and space due to the time effect and anisotropy of formation pressure depletion; Due to the influence of different mechanisms on shale gas storage and transport, the reservoir pressure and stress distribution under different mechanisms are different; Among them, the stress with full mechanisms differs the most compared to the stress without any mechanism. The reservoir with stronger stress sensitivity (smaller Biot coefficient) is less sensitive to formation pressure depletion, and the stress variation range is smaller. For reservoirs with weak stress sensitivity, formation pressure depletion is more likely to lead to stress reversal. Under the influence of fracture geometry, the pressure depletion regions caused by the three types of fracture geometry are approximately rectangular, parallelogram and square, respectively. The corresponding σxx, σyy and Δσ also have great differences in spatial distribution and values. Therefore, the time effect, shale gas storage and transport mechanism and the influence of complex fracture geometry should be considered when predicting pressure depletion induced stress under the condition of simultaneous production. This study is of great significance for understanding the evolution law of stress induced by pressure consumption, as well as the design of infill wells and repeated fracturing. more...

BackgroundCancer stem cells are characterized by self-renewal, clonal tumor initiation capacity, and treatment resistance, which play essential roles in the tumor progression of prostate cancer (PCa). In this study, we aim to explore the features of cancer stemness and characterize the expression of stem cell-related genes for PCa.MethodsWe downloaded RNA-seq data and related clinical information from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The mRNA stemness index (mRNAsi) was analyzed for various clinical features, overall survival (OS), and disease-free survival (DFS), and a weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was performed to identify crucial gene modules and key genes, which may play a role in CSCs. The key gene functions were verified using multiple databases, including the TCGA and Gene Expression Omnibus database (GEO). Next, we explored the potential function of the modules and genes obtained using WGCNA using an enrichment analysis. Finally, we performed in vitro experiments for further verification.ResultsWe found that mRNAsi were higher in PCa tissues than in normal tissues, and the mRNAsi were closely related to the clinical characteristics of PCa. A total of 16 key genes associated with the mRNAsi scores were identified by WGCNA analysis, including NCAPG, NEK2, DLGAP5, CENPA, CENPF, TPX2, GTSE1, KIF4A, NEIL3, CDC25C, UBE2C, CDCA5, MELK, SKA3, NUF2, and BIRC5. These genes were explicitly highly expressed in PCa across TCGA cancers and were validated in 3 independent GEO PCa datasets. The functional annotations of the key genes were linked with the cell proliferation processes. NUF2 may be a potential biomarker for PCa. In vitro experiments showed that knockdown NUF2 reduced the proliferation and migration of PCa cells.ConclusionThe 16 key genes identified in this study significantly correlate with PCa stem cell characteristics and showed prognosis-oriented effects in PCa patients. Further, the NUF2 gene may be used as a drug target for treating PCa. more...

Uncontrolled activation of c-Kit is closely related to the pathogenesis and progression of leukemia, gastrointestinal cancer, and other malignant diseases. Although there are several inhibitors available, due to the limitation of selectivity and the unfavorable side effects, designing and discovering highly selective inhibitors targeting c-Kit kinase, especially the gain of function mutation (for example c-Kit D816V), is still necessary. To identify novel c-Kit inhibitors, a metastable state-based virtual screening approach, which was successfully implemented in other kinase inhibitors, was employed in the current study. The results from our current study demonstrated the residues adjacent to the DFG motif within the activation loop could fold into short α-helices aside from the random coil, which was commonly found in the crystal structure. By expanding the conformation pool of the activation loop via PyRosetta-based ab initio folding protocol, we constructed a series of structural models of the c-Kit kinase intermediate between the inactive and active states. After evaluation of the thermal stability of the metastable state with molecular dynamics simulation, one structural model showed higher stability of α-helix, and the activation loop was retained. Considering the wild-type and D816V mutated KIT kinase shared similar metastable states during the kinase activation process, we developed a hypothesis that the identified intermediate might hold the potential to identify inhibitors targeting D816V mutations from the compound database. As expected, the intermediate structure showed higher selectivity to KIT D816V selective inhibitors, such as bezuclastinib, avapritinib, BLU-263, and elenestinib, than imatinib or masitinib. The virtual screening of the available KIT kinase inhibitor database further identified vorolanib, semaxanib, henatinib, and pexmetinib may possess potential inhibitory effects against wild type, as well as the mutated c-Kit kinase. The results from our current study not only proposed a novel structural model that could be used for the identification of selective c-Kit D816V inhibitors but also identified several potential inhibitors from available kinase inhibitors, which might shed new light on the design of new therapeutic approaches for c-Kit mutation-driven malignant diseases. more...

Much attention has been paid to the coating of energetic materials to improve their properties. However, the present coating technology has drawbacks, and it fails to meet the requirements of engineering applications. In this study, observation of the toad spawning process gave an idea for efficient preparation of millimeter-sized coated granules by directly using unrefined HMX. In this technique, the preparation device was cheaper and requirements were simpler. The mechanism of formation mechanism and curing of the coated granules were studied. The preparation process and its formula were continuously optimized during the exploration process. The morphologies and properties of the granules coated with different binders were studied by various techniques and the industrial productivity was evaluated. The coated granules showed regular and full morphology after optimization of the formula and were not easily deformed. Compared with unrefined HMX, the flowability was significantly improved, the mechanical sensitivity was reduced, the response time for ignition was shorter, and the flame intensity was higher. This method solved the problems of sedimentation of particulates and curing of large-sized droplets, while its high production efficiency and little wastage provided a new reference for producing large-sized high-energy coated granules for use in engineering applications. more...

Abstract Background Cancer‐associated cachexia (CAC) is a debilitating syndrome associated with poor quality of life and reduced life expectancy of cancer patients. CAC is characterized by unintended body weight reduction due to muscle and adipose tissue loss. A major hallmark of CAC is systemic inflammation. Several non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been suggested for CAC treatment, yet no single medication has proven reliable. R‐ketorolac (RK) is the R‐enantiomer of a commonly used NSAID. The effect of RK on CAC has not yet been evaluated. Methods Ten‐ to 11‐week‐old mice were inoculated with C26 or CHX207 cancer cells or vehicle control (phosphate‐buffered saline [PBS]). After cachexia onset, 2 mg/kg RK or PBS was administered daily by oral gavage. Body weight, food intake and tumour size were continuously measured. At study endpoints, blood was drawn, mice were sacrificed and tissues were excised. Immune cell abundance was analysed using a Cytek® Aurora spectral flow cytometer. Cyclooxygenase (COX) activity was determined in lung homogenates using a fluorometric kit. Muscle tissues were analysed for mRNA and protein expression by quantitative real‐time PCR and western blotting analysis, respectively. Muscle fibre size was determined on histological slides after haematoxylin/eosin staining. Results Ten‐day survival rate of C26‐bearing animals was 10% while RK treatment resulted in a 100% survival rate (P = 0.0009). Chemotherapy resulted in a 10% survival rate 14 days after treatment initiation, but all mice survived upon co‐medication with RK and cyclophosphamide (P = 0.0001). Increased survival was associated with a protection from body weight loss in C26 (−0.61 ± 1.82 vs. −4.48 ± 2.0 g, P = 0.0004) and CHX207 (−0.49 ± 0.33 vs. −2.49 ± 0.93 g, P = 0.0003) tumour‐bearing mice treated with RK, compared with untreated mice. RK ameliorated musculus quadriceps (−1.7 ± 7.1% vs. −27.8 ± 8.3%, P = 0.0007) and gonadal white adipose tissue (−18.8 ± 49% vs. −69 ± 15.6%, P = 0.094) loss in tumour‐bearing mice, compared with untreated mice. Mechanistically, RK reduced circulating interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) concentrations from 334 ± 151 to 164 ± 123 pg/mL (P = 0.047) in C26 and from 93 ± 39 to 35 ± 6 pg/mL (P = 0.0053) in CHX207 tumour‐bearing mice. Moreover, RK protected mice from cancer‐induced T‐lymphopenia (+1.8 ± 42% vs. −49.2 ± 12.1% in treated vs. untreated mice, respectively). RK was ineffective in ameliorating CAC in thymus‐deficient nude mice, indicating that the beneficial effect of RK depends on T‐cells. Conclusions RK improved T‐lymphopenia and decreased systemic IL‐6 concentrations, resulting in alleviation of cachexia and increased survival of cachexigenic tumour‐bearing mice, even under chemotherapy and independent of COX inhibition. Considering its potential, we propose that the use of RK should be investigated in patients suffering from CAC. more...

Abstract Background Bone metastasis (BM) carries a poor prognosis for patients with upper-tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). This study aims to identify survival predictors and develop a prognostic nomogram for overall survival (OS) in UTUC patients with BM. Methods The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database was used to select patients with UTUC between 2010 and 2019. The chi-square test was used to assess the baseline differences between the groups. Kaplan–Meier analysis was employed to assess OS. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to identify prognostic factors for nomogram establishment. An independent cohort was used for external validation of the nomogram. The discrimination and calibration of the nomogram were evaluated using concordance index (C-index), area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA). All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 23.0 and R software 4.2.2. Results The mean OS for UTUC patients with BM was 10 months (95% CI: 8.17 to 11.84), with 6-month OS, 1-year OS, and 3-year OS rates of 41%, 21%, and 3%, respectively. Multi-organ metastases (HR = 2.21, 95% CI: 1.66 to 2.95, P 0.679. The calibration curve and DCA curve showed the accuracy and practicality of the nomogram. Conclusions The OS of UTUC patients with BM was poor. Multi-organ metastases was a risk factor for OS, while surgery and chemotherapy were protective factors. Our nomogram was developed and validated to assist clinicians in evaluating the OS of UTUC patients with BM. more...

Drimane-type sesquiterpenoids (DMTs) are characterized by a distinctive 6/6 bicyclic skeleton comprising the A and B rings. While DMTs are commonly found in fungi and plants, their presence in bacteria has not been reported. Moreover, the biosynthetic pathways for DMTs have been primarily elucidated in fungi, with identified P450s only acting on the B ring. In this study, we isolated and characterized three bacterial DMTs, namely 3β-hydroxydrimenol (2), 2α-hydroxydrimenol (3), and 3-ketodrimenol (4), from Streptomyces clavuligerus. Through genome mining and heterologous expression, we identified a cav biosynthetic gene cluster responsible for the biosynthesis of DMTs 2–4, along with a P450, CavA, responsible for introducing the C-2 and C-3 hydroxy groups. Furthermore, the substrate scope of CavA revealed its ability to hydroxylate drimenol analogs. This discovery not only broadens the known chemical diversity of DMTs from bacteria, but also provides new insights into DMT biosynthesis in bacteria. more...

Iron is a trace element that is indispensable for the growth and development of animals. Excessive iron supplementation may lead to iron overload and elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in animals, causing cellular damage. Nevertheless, the precise mechanism by which iron overload causes cell injury remains to be fully elucidated. In this study, 16 male SD rats aged 6 to 7 weeks were randomly assigned to either a control group (CON) or an iron overload group (IO). Rats in the iron overload group received 150 mg/kg iron dextran injections every three days for a duration of four weeks. The results indicated that iron treatment with iron dextran significantly increased the scores of steatosis (p < 0.05) and inflammation (p < 0.05) in the NAS score. The integrated transcriptomic and proteomic analysis suggests that HO-1 and Lnc286.2 are potentially significant in iron overload-induced liver injury in rats. In vitro experiments utilizing ferric ammonium citrate (FAC) were conducted to establish an iron overload model in rat liver-derived BRL-3A cells. The result found that FAC treatment can significantly increase the BRL-3A cell’s Fe2+ content (p < 0.05), ROS (p < 0.01), lipid ROS (p < 0.01) levels, and the expression of the HO-1 gene and protein (p < 0.01), aligning with proteomic and transcriptomic findings. HO-1 inhibition can significantly decrease BRL-3A cell vitality (p < 0.01) and promote ROS (p < 0.05) and lipid ROS (p < 0.01), thus aggravating FAC-induced BRL-3A cell iron overload damage. Using the agonist of HO-1 agonist cobalt protoporphyrin (CoPP) to induce HO-1 overexpression can significantly alleviate the decrease in FAC-induced BRL-3A cell viability (p < 0.01), ROS (p < 0.01), and lipid ROS (p < 0.01). In addition, siLnc286.2 treatment can increase HO-1 expression, alleviate the decline of FAC-induced BRL-3A cell activity, and increase lipid ROS (p < 0.05) content. In conclusion, the findings of this study suggest that by suppressing the expression of Lnc286.2, we can enhance the expression of HO-1, which in turn alleviates lipid peroxidation in cells and increases their antioxidant capacity, thereby exerting a protective effect against liver cell injury induced by iron overload. more...

Traditional villages in the Hakka region of Guangdong Province have attracted significant attention for their unique cultural heritage and traditional lifestyles. Their favourable audio-visual environments offer immersive and realistic experiences for both residents and visitors. Thus, we selected four representative villages and used semantic segmentation to extract the core visual elements (sky, vegetation, construction, and dynamic) from visual landscape images. Audio-visual interaction experiments and subjective surveys were conducted to investigate the participants’ evaluations of the visual landscape and soundscape to explore the mechanisms of audio-visual interaction. The results revealed that different audio-visual combinations significantly influenced the participants’ visual landscape satisfaction, acoustic comfort, and audio-visual harmony evaluations. Specifically, visual images of natural spaces with a high proportion of sky (24.54%) and vegetation (72.56%), matched with natural sounds (with a sound pressure level of approximately 55 dB) such as birdsong, wind, and flowing water, received excellent ratings for both visual landscape satisfaction and acoustic comfort evaluations. Moreover, the findings further revealed that coordination between visual and audio materials was crucial for enhancing the participants’ perceptions and assessments, highlighting the importance of audio-visual coordination in creating harmonious environments. These findings provide recommendations for spatial planning, landscape design, and soundscape optimisation in traditional villages. more...

Abstract Background and objective The effectiveness of immunosuppressive and corticosteroid treatments for Immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy (IgAN) remains thoroughly evaluated. We undertook a meta-analysis to investigate the efficacy and safety of low-dose corticosteroids plus leflunomide for progressive IgA nephropathy. Methods Eligible studies were obtained from PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases. We also searched the references of the included studies. Our protocol followed the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) checklist. Eligibility criteria were defined using a PICOS framework. Results Our study included three articles presenting 342 patient cases. Findings revealed that low-dose corticosteroids combined with the leflunomide group were effective in relieving urine protein excretion (UPE) [mean difference (MD) = -0.35, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.41 to -0.30, P 0.05). Regarding safety, low-dose corticosteroids combined with leflunomide significantly reduced the risk of serious adverse events [odds ratio (OR): 0.11, 95% CI: 0.01 to 0.91, P = 0.04]. Besides, no significant differences were observed between the two groups in the incidence of respiratory infection, abnormal liver function, diarrhea, herpes zoster, alopecia, pruritus, insomnia, pneumonia, diabetes, and urinary tract infection (P > 0.05). Conclusions Low-dose corticosteroids combined with leflunomide are a safe and effective treatment for progressive IgA nephropathy. Trial registration The PROSPERO registration number is CRD42022361883. more...

Abstract Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is characterized by high heterogeneity and recurrence rates, posing significant challenges for stratification and treatment. Basement membrane-related genes (BMGs) play a crucial role in tumor initiation and progression. Clinical and transcriptomic data of ccRCC patients were extracted from TCGA and GEO databases. We employed univariate regression and LASSO-Cox stepwise regression analysis to construct a BMscore model based on BMGs expression level. A nomogram combining clinical features and BMscore was constructed to predict individual survival probabilities. Further enrichment analysis and immune-related analysis were conducted to explore the enriched pathways and immune features associated with BMGs. High-risk individuals predicted by BMscore exhibited poorer overall survival, which was consistent with the validation dataset. BMscore was identified as an independent risk factor for ccRCC. Functional analysis revealed that BMGs were related to cell–matrix and tumor-associated signaling pathways. Immune profiling suggests that BMGs play a key role in immune interactions and the tumor microenvironment. BMGs serve as a novel prognostic predictor for ccRCC and play a role in the immune microenvironment and treatment response. Targeting the BM may represent an alternative therapeutic approach for ccRCC. more...

Abstract Over the past decade, a substantial body of research exploring soundscapes in religious historical buildings has emerged, yet a comprehensive summary of this work is lacking. This paper selects 74 typical studies of soundscapes in religious historical buildings published between 2011 and 2022 to conduct quantitative statistics and visualization analysis from a bibliometric perspective. The selected literature is categorized based on the type of religious building, Christian, Islamic, or Buddhist. The literature is further segmented according to the research subject, including sound field studies, sound analyses, and evaluations of the acoustic environment. The research methods employed are also differentiated and include sound field measurements, acoustic simulations, questionnaires and auralization procedures. The analysis reveals pronounced disparities in research foci depending on the type of religious historical building. For instance, studies on the soundscape in Christian churches tend to focus on objective sound field attributes and frequently employ sound field simulations to analyse the acoustic parameters of diverse church spaces and materials. Conversely, research on the soundscape in Islamic mosques prioritizes speech intelligibility and acoustic comfort, while studies of the soundscape of Buddhist temples gravitate towards the impact of natural and religious sounds on individuals. This paper anticipates the future direction of soundscape research on religious historical buildings. Graphical Abstract more...

In the realm of daily life, ensuring the safety of building structures and civil engineering projects remains a paramount research focus. The creep properties of materials significantly influence their long-term loading process. Specifically, creep load and creep time are pivotal factors that impact material creep damage, thereby playing a crucial role in assessing the safety of engineering endeavors and estimating aspects such as housing construction. This study undertakes creep damage tests on cement-based materials, subjecting them to varying creep loads and creep times, and subsequently conducts uniaxial compression tests on the specimens post-creep damage. The refined Nishihara model is employed for data fitting, facilitating the construction of a creep damage time-stress model. Concurrently, a Neural Network model is utilized to validate the experimental data. The findings indicate that both steady-state creep strain and steady-state creep rate exhibit discernible trends relative to creep load and creep time, effectively mirroring the alterations in creep damage experienced by the specimens. The refined Nishihara model proves adept at predicting and equating creep damage under diverse creep loads and creep times. Similarly, the trained Neural Network model demonstrates capability in measuring and estimating various creep damages. The study successfully explored the correlation between creep time and creep load, enabling the simulation of long-term creep damage within a shorter creep time and facilitating an analysis of its physical and mechanical properties, which is pivotal in predicting the safety of large-scale engineering projects. Concurrently, it advances research on material damage equivalence, offering insights and theoretical groundwork for developing a system to assess material damage equivalence under various damage conditions. more...

The indoor environment is widely acknowledged as a non-pharmacological tool for regulating residents’ mental health. In dormitory environments with relatively high residential density, the mental health of university students requires particular attention. This study surveyed 445 students from a northern Chinese university and used structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze the impact of perceived indoor environmental quality (IEQ)—including thermal, lighting, acoustics, indoor air quality, and overcrowding—on self-reported anxiety symptoms. The results indicated the following: (1) students’ perceptions of dormitory IEQ significantly affected anxiety symptoms, explaining 40% of the variance; (2) anxiety symptoms associated with the IEQ were mainly characterized by anxiety and panic (r = 0.91, p < 0.001); (3) subjective perceptions of the acoustic environment (r = −0.55, p < 0.001) and indoor air quality (r = −0.15, p < 0.05) were key predictors of anxiety, while thermal environment, lighting environment, and overcrowding were not significant. The findings enrich the IEQ system and provide directions for optimizing the dormitory indoor environment from the perspective of student mental health, with implications for other types of residential buildings. more...

Energetic materials pose challenges in preparation and handling due to their contradictory properties of high-energy and low-sensitivity. The emergence of co-crystal explosives is a new opportunity to change this situation. If the co-crystal explosive is coated into spherical particles with uniform particle size distribution, this contradiction can be further reduced. Therefore, binder-coated hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane/2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (CL-20/TNT) co-crystal microspheres were prepared by droplet microfluidic technology in this work. The coating effects of different binder formulations of nitrocellulose (NC) and NC/fluorine rubber (F2604) on the co-crystal spheres were studied. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results showed that the use of droplet microfluidic technology with the above binders can provide co-crystal microspheres with regular spherical morphology, uniform particle size distribution and good dispersion. X-ray diffraction (XRD), fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermo-gravimetric (TG) methods were employed to compare the properties of the co-crystal microspheres, raw material and pure co-crystal. The formation of CL-20/TNT co-crystal in the microspheres was confirmed, and the co-crystal microspheres exhibited better thermal stability than the raw material and pure co-crystal. In addition, the mechanical sensitivity and combustion performance of the co-crystal microspheres were further studied. The results showed that the co-crystal microspheres were more insensitive than CL-20 and pure co-crystal, and displayed excellent self-sustained combustion performance and theoretical detonation performance. This study provides a new method for the fast, simple and one-step preparation of CL-20/TNT co-crystal microspheres, with binder coating, uniform particle size distribution, and excellent performance level. more...

Abstract Introduction Renal colic is one of the most common urological emergencies, and is usually caused by ureteral colic spasms. Pain management in renal colic remains the central focus of emergency treatment. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to identify the efficacy and safety of ketamine versus opioids in the treatment of patients with renal colic. Methods We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases for published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that referred to the use of ketamine and opioids for patients with renal colic. The methodology was based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The mean difference (MD) or odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to analyze the data. The results were pooled using a fixed-effects model or random-effects model. The primary outcome measure was patient-reported pain scores 5, 15, 30, and 60 min after drug administration. The secondary outcome measure was side effects. Results The data analysis revealed that ketamine was similar to opioids in pain intensity at the time of 5 min post-dose (MD = − 0.40, 95% CI − 1.82 to 1.01, P = 0.57), 15 min post-dose (MD = − 0.15, 95% CI − 0.82 to 0.52, P = 0.67), 30 min post-dose (MD = 0.38, 95% CI − 0.25 to 1.01, P = 0.24). Also, the pain score of ketamine was better than that of opioids at 60 min after administration (MD = − 0.12, 95% CI − 0.22 to − 0.02, P = 0.02). As for safety, the ketamine group was linked to a significant decrease in the incidence of hypotensive (OR = 0.08, 95% CI 0.01–0.65, P = 0.02). The two groups did not statistically differ in the incidence of nausea, vomiting, and dizziness. Conclusions Compared with opioids, ketamine showed a longer duration of analgesia in renal colic, with satisfactory safety. Trial Registration The PROSPERO registration number is CRD42022355246. more...

Incorporating two organic ligands with different functionalities into a titanium-oxo cluster entity simultaneously can endow the material with their respective properties and provide synergistic performance enhancement, which is of great significance for enriching the structure and properties of titanium-oxo clusters (TOCs). However, the synthesis of such TOCs is highly challenging. In this work, we successfully synthesized a TBC4A-functionalized TOC, [Ti2(TBC4A)2(MeO)2] (Ti2; MeOH = methanol, TBC4A = tert-butylcalix[4]arene). By adjusting the solvent system, we successfully introduced 1,10-phenanthroline (Phen) and prepared TBC4A and Phen co-protected [Ti2(TBC4A)2(Phen)2] (Ti2-Phen). Moreover, when Phen was replaced with bulky 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (Bphen), [Ti2(TBC4A)2(Bphen)2] (Ti2-Bphen), which is isostructural with Ti2-Phen, was obtained, demonstrating the generality of the synthetic method. Remarkably, Ti2-Phen demonstrates good stability and stronger light absorption, as well as superior photoelectric performance compared to Ti2. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that there exists ligand-to-core charge transfer (LCCT) in Ti2, while an unusual ligand-to-ligand charge transfer (LLCT) is present in Ti2-Phen, accompanied by partial LCCT. Therefore, the superior light absorption and photoelectric properties of Ti2-Phen are attributed to the existence of the unusual LLCT phenomenon. This study not only deeply explores the influence of Phen on the performance of the material but also provides a reference for the preparation of materials with excellent photoelectric performance. more...

Stocking of filter-feeding fish (mainly Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and Aristichthys nobilis) is a common method used in lakes and reservoirs in (sub)tropical China to control phytoplankton, but the results are ambiguous and lack long-term data to support. We analysed a decade (2010-2020) of monitoring data from a subtropical plateau reservoir, southwest China, to which filter-feeding fish were stocked annually. We found that the total phytoplankton biomass, cyanobacteria biomass and average individual mass of phytoplankton decreased significantly during the study period despite absence of nutrient concentration reduction. However, the grazing pressure of zooplankton on phytoplankton also decreased markedly as judged from changes in the ratio of zooplankton biomass to phytoplankton biomass and Daphnia proportion of total zooplankton biomass. This is likely a response to increasing predation on zooplankton by the stocked fish. Our results also indicated that water temperature, total phosphorus and water level promoted phytoplankton growth. Our results revealed that filter-feeding fish contributed to the decline in the biomass of phytoplankton but that it also had a strong negative effect on the grazing pressure of zooplankton on phytoplankton, even in this deep reservoir where zooplankton may have a better chance of survival through vertical migration. The particular strong effect on zooplankton is most likely due to imbalance of stocking and harvesting of fish. In the management of eutrophic reservoirs, the reduction of external nutrient loading should have highest priority. In highland (low temperature) deep-water eutrophic reservoirs, stocking of filter-feeding fish may help to control filamentous phytoplankton provided that the fish stocking is properly managed. The optimal stocking intensity of filter-feeding fish that can help control phytoplankton in such reservoirs without excessive impact on large-bodied zooplankton is a topic for further elucidation, however. more...

BackgroundThe role of Eph receptors and related ephrin (EFN) ligands (as the largest family of transmembrane-bound RTKs) in immunomodulation in many types of cancer, especially bladder cancer (BLCA), is scarcely known.MethodsA pan-cancer dataset was retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to explore the relation between Eph receptor/EFN ligand family genes and immunomodulators and tumor-infiltrated immune cells (TIICs). Local BLCA, GSE32894, and GSE31684 cohorts were applied to validate. The IMvigor210 cohort was employed to explore the relationship between EPHB6 and immunotherapy response. Moreover, association between EPHB6 and molecular subtype was investigated to explore potential therapeutic strategies. Immunohistochemical staining of CD8 and CD68 was performed to validate the correlation between EPHB6 and TIICs.ResultsThe pan-cancer analysis revealed variations in the immunological effects of Eph receptor/EFN ligand family genes across different types of cancer. EPHB6 expression negatively correlated with the expression of the majority of immunomodulators (including HLA and immune checkpoints), and CD8 T cells and macrophages in both the TCGA-BLCA and validation BLCA cohorts, shaping a cold immune microenvironment with inhibited immunity. In the IMvigor210 cohort, patients with high-EPHB6 highly correlated with a non-inflamed, low PD-L1 expression immune phenotype, and correspondingly, with less responders to immunotherapy. The high-EPHB6 group, enriched with the basal subtype, presented significantly fewer TP53 and more FGFR3 genomic alterations. Finally, a novel EPHB6-related Genes signature, with reliable and robust ability in prognosis prediction, was constructed.ConclusionsThis study comprehensively investigated the immunological effects of Eph receptor/EFN ligand family genes pan-cancer, and specially identified the immunosuppressive role of EPHB6 in BLCA. Furthermore, EPHB6 may predict the molecular subtype and prognosis of BLCA, and serve as a novel therapeutic target to improve the sensitivity of immunotherapy. more...

The paper analyzes the correlation features between stress strength, multiple failure mechanisms, and multiple components. It investigates the effects of different correlation features on reliability and proposes a method for structural reliability analysis that considers the joint effects of multiple correlation features. To portray the stress–strength correlation structure, the Copula function is utilized and the influence of the correlation degree parameter on reliability is clarified. The text describes the introduction of time-varying characteristics of structural strength and correlation parameters. A time-varying Copula is then constructed to calculate the structural reliability under the stress–strength correlation characteristics. Additionally, a time-varying hybrid Copula is constructed to characterize the intricate and correlation features of multiple failure mechanisms and components. The article proposes the variational adaptive sparrow search algorithm (VASSA) to obtain optimal parameters for the time-varying hybrid Copula. The effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed method are verified through actual cases. The results indicate that multiple correlation features significantly influence structural reliability. Incorporating multiple correlation features into the solution of structural reliability yields safer results that align with engineering practice. more...

A mathematical model, fully coupling multiple porous media deformation and fluid flow, was established based on the elastic theory of porous media and fluid-solid coupling mechanism in tight oil reservoirs. The finite element method was used to determine the numerical solution and the accuracy of the model was verified. On this basis, the model was used to simulate productivity of multistage fractured horizontal wells in tight oil reservoirs. The results show that during the production of tight oil wells, the reservoir region close to artificial fractures deteriorated in physical properties significantly, e.g. the aperture and conductivity of artificial fractures dropped by 52.12% and 89.02% respectively. The simulations of 3000-day production of a horizontal well in tight oil reservoir showed that the predicted productivity by the uncoupled model had an error of 38.30% from that by the fully-coupled model. Apparently, ignoring the influence of fluid-solid interaction effect led to serious deviations of the productivity prediction results. The productivity of horizontal well in tight oil reservoir was most sensitive to the start-up pressure gradient, and second most sensitive to the opening of artificial fractures. Enhancing the initial conductivity of artificial fractures was helpful to improve the productivity of tight oil wells. The influence of conductivity, spacing, number and length of artificial fractures should be considered comprehensively in fracturing design. Increasing the number of artificial fractures unilaterally could not achieve the expected increase in production. more...

Aluminized explosives are widely used in military applications. However, the easy agglomeration of aluminum (Al) powder and its high ignition temperature greatly hinder the reaction of nano aluminum (n-Al) in the process of explosion, thus affecting the combustion and explosion of aluminum-containing explosives. In the present study, copper (Cu) coated n-Al composite particles were introduced into aluminized explosives, and Cu coated n-Al composite particles and ball-milled octogen (HMX) energetic microspheres were prepared via droplet microfluidic technology using binder. The morphology, crystal form, thermal properties, combustion, and mechanical sensitivity of the microspheres were studied using a variety of techniques. The prepared microspheres had regular spherical morphology and uniform particle size, with an even distribution of particles. Using microfluidic technology will not destroy the crystal form of each particle. The introduction of Cu promoted the thermal decomposition of HMX. The mechanical sensitivity of the prepared Cu/Al microspheres was lower than that of the microspheres only containing n-Al. The Cu/Al microsphere samples exhibited excellent and stable combustion performance, and that the addition of Cu increased the combustion speed compared to the microspheres only containing n-Al. This technology represents an inexpensive and simple way to improve on existing aluminized explosives. more...

IntroductionAdvances in mobile computing platforms and the rapid development of wearable devices have made possible the continuous monitoring of patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and their daily activities. Such rich data can reveal more subtle changes in patients’ behavioral and physiological characteristics, providing new ways to detect MCI anytime, anywhere. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the feasibility and validity of digital cognitive tests and physiological sensors applied to MCI assessment.MethodsWe collected photoplethysmography (PPG), electrodermal activity (EDA) and electroencephalogram (EEG) signals from 120 participants (61 MCI patients, 59 healthy controls) during rest and cognitive testing. The features extracted from these physiological signals involved the time domain, frequency domain, time-frequency domain and statistics. Time and score features during the cognitive test are automatically recorded by the system. In addition, selected features of all modalities were classified by tenfold cross-validation using five different classifiers.ResultsThe experimental results showed that the weighted soft voting strategy combining five classifiers achieved the highest classification accuracy (88.9%), precision (89.9%), recall (88.2%), and F1 score (89.0%). Compared to healthy controls, the MCI group typically took longer to recall, draw, and drag. Moreover, during cognitive testing, MCI patients showed lower heart rate variability, higher electrodermal activity values, and stronger brain activity in the alpha and beta bands.DiscussionIt was found that patients’ classification performance improved when combining features from multiple modalities compared to using only tablet parameters or physiological features, indicating that our scheme could reveal MCI-related discriminative information. Furthermore, the best classification results on the digital span test across all tasks suggest that MCI patients may have deficits in attention and short-term memory that came to the fore earlier. Finally, integrating tablet cognitive tests and wearable sensors would provide a new direction for creating an easy-to-use and at-home self-check MCI screening tool. more...

The formation of hydrate will bring about a great challenge to the safe operation of submarine multiphase transportation pipelines, while the components of heavy crude oil, such as wax and asphaltene, will greatly affect the formation process of hydrate, which will further increase the complexity of fluid flow in pipelines. So, the kinetic model of hydrate formation in the oil-water system was analyzed, the study results on the effect of wax on hydrate nucleation and growth in waxy oil-water systems were reviewed, and the research progress on the influence law of asphaltene on hydrate formation was summarized. Through analysis, it is found that the composition of oil products is not considered in the kinetic model of hydrate formation in the existing oil-water system, and no consensus is formed for the influence of wax and asphaltene on hydrate formation. Finally, it is suggested to analyze the hydrate formation results in combination with the distribution of carbon number of waxes, the asphaltene composition and the functional groups, and to study the influence of crude oil components on hydrate formation by molecular-micro-macro multi-scale method. more...

The problem of wax deposition in crude oil pipelines is one of the important concerns for flow assurance in recent 50 years. Herein, the solid wax content in wax deposit was modeled with the precipitation enthalpy and precipitation entropy based on the wax precipitation characteristics to characterize accurately and quantitatively the change of solid wax content with temperature. Meanwhile, the solid wax content model expressed by crystallization activation energy of wax deposits was further derived according to the van't Hoff equation, which is helpful to understanding the precipitation process of wax crystal. In addition, the model was validated by comparing the model's calculation results with the experimental results of field pipeline wax deposits and using the experimental wax deposits at different oil-wax ratios to fit the model. Moreover, the mechanism of different influencing factors acting on the precipitation process of wax crystal in wax deposits was investigated on the basis of the solid wax content model. The results show that both the cooling rate and the carbon number-based composition of wax deposits affect the precipitation process of n-alkanes in wax deposit by changing the free energy of crystallization. Generally, the model can well describe the change of solid wax content in wax deposit with temperature, thus laying a theoretical foundation for the study of the strength of wax deposits and having the value for application in the field of pigging technology for crude oil pipelines. more...

Understanding the fish community structure and spatial distribution characteristics is essential for appropriate reservoir fishery management, especially in the early impoundment stage of the reservoir, which could help in obtaining basic data and performing artificial adjustments to biological communities. On the basis of this concept, we conducted a survey of the fish community and distribution at the newly constructed reservoir in southwest China by using a combination of methods, including hydroacoustic survey and fish sampling. Fish sampling showed a single fish community structure (six species belonging to four families) assembled in the reservoir, and the dominant species was Pseudorasbora parva which accounted for 98.79% of the fish population. In the hydroacoustic survey, the average fish density was 318.7 ± 256.1 individuals/1,000 m2. Irregular distribution of the fish was observed in the horizontal direction. The fish densities in the head area, middle area, and tail area of the reservoir were 168.5 ± 60.1, 306.8 ± 124.7, and 696.4 ± 288.9 individuals/1,000 m2, respectively, which showed a trend of increase in fish density with an increase in distance from the dam. More than 97.3% of the fish in the vertical direction were distributed in the water layer of depth 0 to 12 m. The average total length of fish was 75.4 mm, and the mean fish biomass in the reservoir was approximately 984.8 g/1,000 m2. According to Pearson correlation analysis, the main factors affecting the spatial distribution of fish were water depth, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, total nitrogen, and plankton density. Our results suggested that the fish community structure should be adjusted by releasing native carnivorous fish to control the abundance of small fish. Moreover, filter-feeding fish such as silver carp and bighead carp should be released in the reservoir to control the plankton community; this will enable the maintenance of the reservoir ecosystem in a healthy state while increasing the economic benefits to the local area. more...

BackgroundPostherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a common, complex, and refractory type of neuropathic pain. Several systematic reviews support the efficacy of acupuncture and related treatments for PHN. Nevertheless, the efficacy of various acupuncture-related treatments for PHN remains debatable.ObjectiveWe aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of acupuncture-related treatments for PHN, identify the most effective acupuncture-related treatments, and expound on the current inadequacies and prospects in the applications of acupuncture-related therapies.MethodsWe searched PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, Web of Science, Google Scholar, four Chinese databases (China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Biomedical, Chongqing VIP, and Wan Fang databases), clinical research registration platform (World Health Organization International Clinical Trial Registration platform, China Clinical Trial Registration Center) for relevant studies. We also examined previous meta-analyses; gray literature; and reference lists of the selected studies. We then evaluated the risk of bias in the included studies and performed a Bayesian multiple network meta-analysis.ResultsWe included 29 randomized controlled trials comprising 1,973 patients, of which five studies showed a high risk of bias. The pairwise meta-analysis results revealed that the efficacy of all acupuncture-related treatments for pain relief related to PHN was significantly better than antiepileptics. The network meta-analysis results showed that pricking and cupping plus antiepileptics were the most effective treatment, followed by electroacupuncture (EA) plus antiepileptics for pain relief in patients with PHN. EA plus antiepileptics ranked the best regarding reduced Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) scores in patients with PHN. No results were found regarding the total response rate or quality of life in this study. Acupuncture-related treatments showed a lower incidence of adverse events than that of antiepileptics.ConclusionAcupuncture-related therapies are potential treatment options for PHN and are safe. Pricking and cupping plus antiepileptics, are the most effective acupuncture-related techniques for pain relief, while EA plus antiepileptics is the best acupuncture-related technique for improving PHN-related insomnia and depression symptoms. However, owing to the limitations of this study, these conclusions should be cautiously interpreted, and future high-quality studies are needed.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42021226422, identifier CRD42021226422. more...

Hydroacoustics is a non-invasive fish stock assessment sampling technique that plays an important role in fishery science and management. However, non-standard hydroacoustic surveys could lead to biased results, and the factor of the sampling period (e.g., season and diel cycle) is extremely critical as it can greatly affect hydroacoustic results. Efforts to improve the accuracy and credibility of the hydroacoustic survey results are getting more and more attention. Thus, we conducted two diel hydroacoustic surveys in situ in summer and winter to detect whether there were diel and seasonal differences in density, Target Strength (TS) and vertical distribution of fish. The results indicated that nighttime had significantly higher fish mean density than daytime in summer and winter. No significant difference between summer and winter daytime, however, significant difference between summer and winter nighttime, but this bias could be accepted from the fisheries management perspective; The mean TS of the summer daytime was significantly higher than that of summer nighttime, winter daytime and winter nighttime, but there were no significant differences among summer nighttime, winter daytime, and winter nighttime, mainly due to mean TS may be overestimated from fish schooling behavior during summer daytime; The fish vertical distribution had significant seasonal correlations and was more dispersed in different water layers during the nighttime, proving that the assessment was better at nighttime than during the daytime. Consequently, the hydroacoustic surveys in Yudong Reservoir and other similar plateau deep water reservoirs should be performed at nighttime, which will yield relatively accurate density and TS, and dispersed vertical distribution of fish. more...

As two of the most complete existing examples of royal architecture and cultural World Heritage Sites in China, the Beijing Forbidden City and the Shenyang Imperial Palace are distinctive in terms of their spatial organization. This study used the relational diagram method of space syntax theory to quantitatively analyze the spaces of these two palaces. Furthermore, the characteristics of these spaces were explored by comparing the integration and depth value of each palace space, as well as the differences in architectural culture between the different times and nationalities that they reflect. The results show that in the Forbidden City, office space had the lowest degree of spatial enclosure (depth value), while living space had the highest spatial enclosure. Moreover, there was little difference in accessibility (integration value) among office space, living space, and recreation space. In the Shenyang Imperial Palace, the accessibility of office space, living space, and recreation space showed a decreasing trend, while their spatial enclosure showed an increasing trend. The depth values of office space, living space, and recreation space were higher in the Beijing Forbidden City than in the Shenyang Imperial Palace by 245%, 109%, and 35%, respectively. The integration value of office space was 22.2% higher in the Shenyang Imperial Palace than in the Forbidden City, while the integration values of living space and recreation space were higher in the Forbidden City than in the Shenyang Imperial Palace by 13.9% and 49.2%, respectively. The degree of enclosure of the recreation spaces in both palaces was very strong, indicating that the royal family paid attention to privacy during their leisure activities. In the process of use, the functional conversion of different palaces in the Forbidden City significantly improved the accessibility of both the emperor’s living space and the minister’s office space and simultaneously strengthened the connection between these two spaces. Factors in the construction sequence led to the unreasonable accessibility of recreation space in the Shenyang Imperial Palace. more...

Portunus trituberculatus (swimming crab) is an important breeding crab in China. The current breeding mode of swimming crab is still the traditional “spring seedling and winter harvest” breeding mode. In recent years, researchers have begun to explore a new off-season breeding mode through autumn seedling. In this study, the rate of embryonic development, embryo antioxidant ability and hatching rate of swimming crab in different water temperatures in an off-season breeding mode (breeding in early autumn) and digestive enzyme activity of newly hatched larvae were compared. The results showed that the duration of each development stage of swimming crab embryos was gradually reduced with increasing water temperature. The total development time was 9.43 d at 27°C and only 6.88 d at 33°C. These effects were accompanied by an increase in the development rate from 0.11 d-1 to 0.15 d-1. The total effective accumulated temperature under the 4 temperature conditions was basically maintained at about 150°C·d (147.08 ∼ 153.62°C·d), and there was no significant difference between different groups. The development of embryos at 27°C and 29°C was very synchronous, and no abnormal embryos were observed. Conversely, at 31°C, the later stage of development exhibited asynchrony, and diapause and death were noted in some embryos. At 33°C, more embryos died. The embryo hatching rate was approximately 70% at 27°C and 29°C, and the rate was significantly reduced at 31°C and 33°C. Specifically, the rate was only 13.89% at 33°C. As the water temperature increased, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) as well as the total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels of embryos increased first and then decreased, reaching the highest value at 31°C. Catalase (CAT) activity exhibited the opposite trend which was the lowest at 29 °C with a value of only 0.17 U/mg prot and the highest at 33°C with a value of up to 0.51 U/mg prot. At temperatures of 27°C, 29°C and 31°C, the differences in various digestive enzymes of newly hatched larvae primarily manifested as the high activities of pepsin (PEP) and α-amylase (AMS) at 31°C, and other differences were not obvious. At 33°C during embryonic development, the activities of various digestive enzymes were relatively low, especially the activities of trypsin (TPS) and cellulase (CL), which were significantly lower than those of the other three temperature groups. Therefore, judging from the antioxidant index of embryos and the digestive enzyme activity of newly hatched larvae, the embryonic development was still good when the water temperature was 31°C, accompanied by water temperatures above 31°C that seriously affected enzyme activity. Overall, a temperature below 31°C represents the appropriate temperature for embryonic development in autumn in swimming crabs. more...

Federated learning has become increasingly important for modern machine learning, especially for data privacy sensitive scenarios. Existing federated learning mainly adopts a central server-based network topology, however, the training process of which is susceptible to the central node. To address this problem, this article proposed a decentralized federated learning method based on node selection and knowledge distillation. Specifically, the central node in this method is variable, and it is selected by the indicator interaction between nodes. Meanwhile, the knowledge distillation mechanism is added to make the student model as close as possible to the teacher’s network and ensure the model’s accuracy. The experiments were conducted on the public MNIST, CIFAR-10, and FEMNIST datasets for both the Independent Identically Distribution (IID) setting and the non-IID setting. Numerical results show that the proposed method can achieve an improved accuracy as compared to the centralized federated learning method, and the computing time is reduced greatly with less accuracy loss as compared to the blockchain decentralized federated learning. Therefore, the proposed method guarantees the model effect while meeting the individual model requirements of each node and reducing the running time. more...

To explore the influence of different densities of Sinonovacula constricta on the composition of easily degradable organic matter and related functional bacteria, four experimental ecosystems were established: three polyculture systems (PMB1, PMB2, and PMB3) of Portunus trituberculatus and Marsupenaeus japonicus with different stocking densities of S. constricta (11.6, 23.1, and 34.7×104 ind./hm2, respectively) and a polyculture system with only P. trituberculatus and M. japonicus (PM). Among the easily degradable organic components in all aquaculture systems, protein content was the highest (0.74%~0.86%), followed by carbohydrates (0.16%~0.21%) and lipids (0.06%~0.13%). In the high-density (34.7×104 ind./hm2) S. constricta mixed culture system, the contents of carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins in the sediment were significantly lower than those of the other polyculture systems. The number of cellulose-decomposing bacteria in PMB3 was 3.79×106 cfu/g, which was significantly higher than that in the other systems. The number of starch-degrading bacteria and glutin-degrading bacteria was the lowest in PMB3, 1.26×104 cfu/g, and 160.00 cfu/g, respectively. The number of lipid-degrading bacteria in PMB3 was 0.77×104 cfu/g, which was significantly lower than that in the other systems. The easily degradable organics content in sediment was significantly positively correlated with the corresponding functional bacteria. The results showed that mixed culture of S. constricta could reduce the content of easily degradable organics in the sediment of mariculture ponds and change the number of functional bacteria in the sediment and the availability of degradable organic sediments may determine the abundance of corresponding degradable bacteria. more...

Based on the existing research, special plastic baskets were used as anti-injury shelters to explore the hidden behavior and molting growth of Portunus trituberculatus (Swimming crab) different initial body weights (Group A: 5.74 ± 0.11 g, Group B: 12.06 ± 0.15 g, Group C: 24.82 ± 0.41 g, Group D: 49.55 ± 1.12 g and Group E: 94.32 ± 1.19 g). The results showed that the shelter occupancy rate (SOR) during the daytime with all different body weights were significantly higher than that at night (P < 0.05), and the SOR was proportional to the crab’s body weight, among them, SOR in group E was as high as 71.52%. Meanwhile, the territorial consciousness of smaller body weight crabs (Groups A, B and C) was poor, and there was a phenomenon in which multiple individuals occupied the same shelter at the same time, while the individuals with the body weight of approximately 50 g and above (Groups D and E) had strong territorial consciousness, and most of them occupied one shelter alone. In all groups, more individuals chose to molt in the shelter on condition that there existed shelter, and the rate of molting in group B was high up to 81.15% and that in other groups was about 60%. Although the existence of shelter had no significant influence on the molting interphase (MI) of swimming crab in each group, the body weight growth rate (WGR) and carapace width growth rate (WGRC) after molting were increased by shelter compared with those without shelter. In addition, shelter could improve the survival rate (SR) in each group, and the effect of shelter on individuals with large body weight was relatively more obvious, in which the SR in Group D was significantly improved (P < 0.05). In general, the shelter can play a positive role in the whole growth of swimming crab. Therefore, it is necessary to set up the shelter in advance before the seedlings are put into production, which is helpful to increase the yield of swimming crab. more...

This meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of holmium laser enucleation of prostate (HoLEP) in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) with large volume. PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases (until March 2022) were used to search related randomized controlled trials. A total of 11 studies including 1,258 patients were involved. HoLEP could significantly decrease the length of hospital stay and accelerate recovery. In subanalysis, HoLEP had better perioperative outcomes than bipolar transurethral resection of the prostate (B-TURP) and bipolar transurethral enucleation of the prostate (BPEP). The improvement in operative time and enucleation time was better in thulium laser enucleation of the prostate (ThuLEP) than HoLEP. In the follow-up period, the HoLEP decreased post-void residual urine (PVR) in short-term intervals and improved patients’ maximum flow rate (Qmax) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in mid- and long-term intervals. In subanalysis, HoLEP presented significant improvements in Qmax, PSA, and quality of life (QoL) than B-TURP, and HoLEP could also improve Qmax than ThuLEP after 6 months of surgery. The HoLEP reduced the risk of postoperative bleeding compared with other surgeries in safety. In our study, we confirmed the advantages of HoLEP in treating BPH when the prostate size was larger than 80 mL, which indicated that HoLEP could be the best choice for treatment of large volume of prostate. more...

Objectives: We conducted meta-analysis to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of ketamine on postoperative catheter-related bladder discomfort (CRBD).Methods: A systematic search was performed through PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library to identify all randomized controlled trials that used ketamine in postoperative CRBD. This study was carried out by using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. We used RevMan version 5.3.0. to analyze the data.Results: Five RCTs involving 414 patients were included in the analysis. The incidence and severity of postoperative CRBD were assessed at 0, 1, 2, and 6 h. According to our results of meta-analysis, ketamine reduced the incidence of postoperative CRBD at 2 h (RR 0.39; 95% CI, 0.21–0.71; p = 0.002, I2 = 40%) and 6 h (RR 0.29; 95% CI, 0.16–0.50; p < 0.0001, I2 = 0%) significantly; however, there were no statistical differences at 0 h (RR 0.81; 95% CI, 0.35–1.88; p = 0.62, I2 = 96%) and 1 h (RR 0.57; 95% CI, 0.13–2.54; p = 0.46, I2 = 97%). In two studies, we compared the incidence of moderate-to-severe CRBD between groups according to the scaling system (none, mild, moderate, and severe), and data are presented as numbers. Patients in the ketamine group showed a significantly lower severity of CRBD than those in the placebo group at 1 h (RR 0.09; 95% CI, 0.03–0.31; p = 0.0001) and 2 h (RR 0.06; 95% CI, 0.01–0.44; p = 0.005). In contrast, there were no meaningful differences between the two groups in the severity of CRBD at 0 h (RR 0.18; p = 0.84) or 6 h (RR 0.20; 95% CI, 0.03–1.59; p = 0.13). There were no meaningful differences on the rate of adverse events between the ketamine group and control group, mainly including postoperative nausea and vomiting (RR 1.24; 95% CI, 0.89–1.72; p = 0.21), diplopia (RR 3.00; 95% CI, 0.48–18.67; p = 0.24), and hallucination (RR 3.00; 95% CI, 0.32–28.24; p = 0.34).Conclusion: Our meta-analysis demonstrated that a sub-hypnotic dose of ketamine administration can reduce the incidence and severity of postoperative CRBD without causing evident side effects. more...

In order to investigate the effects of razor clams (Sinonovacula constricta) on the food composition and isotopic niches of swimming crabs (Portunus trituberculatus) and kuruma shrimp (Marsupenaeus japonicus) in polyculture systems, this study analyzed 60 P. trituberculatus, 60 M. japonicus and 30 S. constricta to quantify the food sources, food source contributions, and isotopic niches of cultured organisms using 18S rDNA barcoding and stable isotope techniques. The results were as follows: (1) In the P. trituberculatus-M. japonicus (PM) polyculture system, the Sobs and Shannon-Wiener indices of the stomach contents of P. trituberculatus and M. japonicus were not significantly different (P > 0.05). In the P. trituberculatus-M. japonicus-S. constricta polyculture (PMS) system, the Sobs and Shannon-Wiener indices of the stomach contents of P. trituberculatus and M. japonicus were also not significantly different (P > 0.05), but the Sobs indices of P. trituberculatus in the PMS system were significantly higher than those in the PM system (P < 0.05), M. japonicus shows a similar pattern. (2) 18S rDNA barcoding analysis showed the dominant taxa in the stomach contents of both P. trituberculatus and M. japonicus in the PM system were Trebouxiophyceae, Embryophyta and Rotifera, and the food overlap between them was 0.8992, which was significant (Q > 0.6). In the PMS system, the dominant taxa in the stomach contents of P. trituberculatus were Chrysophyceae, Intramacronucleata, and Embryophyta, and in M. japonicus were Chrysophyceae, Embryophyta, and Bacillariophyceae, in this system the food overlap was 0.2061, which was not significant (Q < 0.6). (3) Stable isotope analysis suggested, in both systems, the main food sources of P. trituberculatus and M. japonicus were iced trash fish, zooplankton, phytoplankton, and organic particulate matter (POM). Iced trash fish accounted 77.67% of food sources for P. trituberculatus and 69.42% for M. japonicus in the PM system, and 60.82% and 57.60% in the PMS system. (4) The isotopic niche overlap between P. trituberculatus and M. japonicus was 5.69% in the PM system and 1.21% in the PMS system. These results suggested food competition between P. trituberculatus and M. japonicus, and S. constricta can reduce the competition and isotopic niche overlap, improve the contribution of food sources such as phytoplankton. Razor clams also serve to purify the water and improve the utilization of iced trash fish by filtering phytoplankton (51.10%), POM (32.25%), SOM (7.47%), and iced trash fish (9.18%). Thus, P. trituberculatus-M. japonicus-S. constricta is a healthy and sustainable culture model. more...

Background: Programmed death 1 (PD-1) inhibitors—tislelizumab, toripalimab, camrelizumab, and sintilimab—are used for advanced urothelial carcinoma (UC) in China. To date, the efficacy and adverse events (AEs) of these PD-1 inhibitors have been poorly reported for advanced UC.Methods: We reviewed 118 patients treated with PD-1 inhibitors for advanced UC from July 2019 to October 2021 at Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital. Patient data were obtained from hospital records and telephone follow-ups. The safety and efficacy of PD-1 inhibitors were assessed by RESIST and Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (version 4.0), respectively.Results: During a median follow-up period of 6 months, 112 patients (95%) experienced AEs; of these, 104 (88%) were grade 1–2 AEs, and 60 (51%) were grade 3–4 AEs. The most common AE was anemia, and no patients died as a result of treatment. A subanalysis according to treatment method (PD-1 inhibitor vs. PD-1 inhibitor plus chemotherapy) was performed. The incidence of grade 1–2 AEs was not different between the groups (85% vs. 94%), but combination therapy significantly increased grade 3–4 AEs (32% vs. 89%). Monotherapy and combination therapy also did not differ with regard to immune-related AEs of grades 1–2 (13% vs. 22%) or grades 3–4 (1% vs. 6%). In efficacy, complete response was not observed, but 33 patients (28%) had partial response, 30 (25%) had stable disease, and 47 had progressive disease (40%). The overall response and disease control rates were 28% and 53%, respectively. The preliminary efficacy of disease control was better with combination therapy versus monotherapy (78 vs. 43%).Conclusion: PD-1 inhibitors show promising tolerance and efficacy in advanced UC. PD-1 inhibitors combined with chemotherapy offered better disease control but had more grade 3–4 AEs. The clinical use of combination therapy warrants caution. more...

The printed circuit heat exchanger (PCHE) is the key equipment of the supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle applied to sodium cooled fast reactor. It is required that the equipment not only can operate in high temperature and high pressure environment but also has high efficiency and compact structure. The China Institute of Atomic Energy has carried out the research on a sodium-supercritical carbon dioxide PCHE and has designed and manufactured a heat exchanger prototype with the heat transfer power of 50 kW. In addition, the supercritical carbon dioxide test loop and sodium test loop have been built to test the performance of the heat exchanger prototype. The conclusions are as follows: 1) The heat exchange power of the heat exchanger under rated working condition is 54.2 kW, and the deviation is around 8%, which meets the design requirements; 2) With the increase of the flow ratio of sodium to carbon dioxide, the temperature difference at the high temperature end decreases, and the temperature difference at the low temperature end increases; 3) The change of flow rate of the carbon dioxide has a great influence on heat transfer power; 4) The total heat transfer coefficient of the heat exchanger increases with the increase of the pressure of carbon dioxide; when the pressure increases from 15.5 to 20 MPa, the total heat transfer coefficient increases by 12.8%. more...

In this study, the mating behavior of Portunus trituberculatus under indoor conditions and the role of shelters in its mating process were systematically studied by using behavioral observation methods. The results showed that the mating behavior of P. trituberculatus was divided into four stages: courtship and pre-copulatory guarding, reproductive moulting, copulation, and post-copulatory guarding. P. trituberculatus in the no shelter group (NSG) usually preferred to gather at the edges or corners of the cement tank, while P. trituberculatus in the shelter group (SG) preferred to hide in the shelters. During the whole experiment, the shelter occupancy rate of P. trituberculatus during the day (57.40%) was significantly higher than that at night (38.08%) (P more...

Razor clams (Sinonovacula constricta) are one of the major polyculture species in mariculture ponds, along with swimming crabs (Portunus trituberculatus), in the coastal zones of China, and their effect on CO2 fluxes are poorly studied. CO2 fluxes from mariculture ponds with swimming crabs, kuruma shrimp (Marsupenaeus japonicus) (CS) and mariculture ponds with swimming crabs, kuruma shrimp and razor clams (with different clam densities from low to high, CSB1, CSB2, CSB3, respectively) were measured during the farming season. The CO2 fluxes of CS, CSB1, CSB2, and CSB3 were −25.37, −30.23, −28.81 and −12.18 mg m−2 h−1, respectively. All the ponds acted as CO2 sinks across the water-air interface. Our results showed that water pH was a good indicator of the CO2 flux, and a pH value of 8.24 was the critical value dividing the dataset into influxes or effluxes in the mariculture ponds. Net primary production was also significantly correlated with the CO2 flux and is considered a key driver regulating the CO2 flux. Our findings indicate that the low clam stocking density used in this study could enhance the CO2 sink across the water-air interface by promoting phytoplankton biomass and net primary production, whereas the CO2 sink may be weakened with an increase in clam density due to a decline in phytoplankton biomass and net primary production. more...

In contemporary society, mental health issues have received increasing attention. Moreover, how people perceive the acoustic environment affects mental health. In religious places, the unique religious soundscape, composed of the acoustic environment and sounds, has an obvious effect on mental health. In China, Han Chinese Buddhism has a long history and is currently the religion with the largest number of believers. The soundscape of temples has always been an important component of creating a Buddhist atmosphere. For this study, questionnaires were distributed to believers and tourists inside and outside several well-known Han Chinese Buddhist temples in China to analyse the relationship between evaluations of temple soundscapes (including the overall acoustic environment and preferences for typical sounds) and mental health and the role of religious belief-related factors in this relationship. The results indicated that for the respondents, the overall acoustic environment of Buddhist temples was significantly correlated with mental health and that a preference for three sounds in Buddhist temples, i.e., bells, wind chimes and chanting sounds, was significantly correlated with mental health. Among religious belief-related factors, attitudes toward Buddhist thought, frequency of temple visitation and purpose for visiting temples can affect the correlation between personal evaluations of temple soundscapes and mental health. For people who partially believe in Buddhist thought, people who visit Buddhist temples twice or less per year, or people who visit temples for tourism purposes, the correlations between evaluations of the overall acoustic environment and mental health are higher than for people without these religious characteristics. For people who fully believe in Buddhist thought or who visit temples neither to worship Buddha nor for tourism purposes, the correlations between the preferences for bells and wind chimes and mental health are higher than for people without these religious characteristics. For people who partially believe in Buddhist thought, the correlation between the preference for chanting and mental health is higher than for people with other attitudes toward Buddhist thought. more...

Myeloid cell leukemia-1 (Mcl-1) is a crucial member of Bcl-2 family protein and is recognized as a promising therapeutic target for cancer treatment. Here, based on the lead compound we reported earlier, a focused library of analogues was designed, synthesized and evaluated for the inhibitory activity against Mcl-1. 2-oxy-3-phenylacrylic acid derivative III-2, turned out to be the most potent compound with good binding affinity for Mcl-1 and anti-proliferative activities. In addition, the effective inhibition of cell migration, the improvement of apoptosis and the decreased expression of Mcl-1 by compound III-2, as well as the molecule docking elucidated its mechanism of action. Taken together, 2-oxy-3-phenylacrylic acid derivatives may represent a new class of Mcl-1 inhibitors and deserve further study. more...

Subtropical monsoon climates, high-density and heterogeneous urban built environments, as well as coastal–mountainous geographical environments influence the development of urban heat island (UHI) effects in Hong Kong. For better weather control of in situ observations and spatial analysis of UHI effects, it is necessary to quantitatively understand the influence of weather conditions on UHI development in Hong Kong and establish weather-based UHI estimation models. Meteorological records of four urban stations, one rural reference station, and one wind reference station at an hourly interval during the period of 2002–2012 were collected from Hong Kong observatory. A frequency analysis of the mean values of multiple meteorological elements and UHI parameters in urban stations was conducted to examine the prevailing and critical weather conditions, as well as the associated UHI conditions in Hong Kong. Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) was used to estimate the daily maximum UHI intensity (UHImax) based on a set of meteorological elements including cloud amount, wind speed, wind direction, relative humidity, and air temperature, as well as a UHI parameter of the daily maximum UHI intensity of the previous day (UHIpre-max). The results showed that MLR-based models can explain 33% and 56% variations of the UHImax in the summer and the whole year, respectively. The relative importance of each meteorological element on UHI development differed in the summer and annual periods, and the UHImax tended to be intensified under high temperature conditions in the summer. more...

Background and Objective: Over the past few years, mirabegron has been increasingly used as a therapeutic option for neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction. Here, we carried out a meta-analysis to investigate the efficacy and safety of mirabegron for the treatment of neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction.Methods: We used a range of databases to retrieve randomized controlled trials (RCTs) relating to mirabegron in patients with neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction: PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library; our strategy conformed to the PICOS (populations, interventions, comparators, outcomes, and study designs) strategy.Results: Our analyses involved four RCTs involving 245 patients. We found that mirabegron treatment resulted in a significant improvement in bladder compliance [mean difference (MD) = 19.53, 95% confidence interval (CI): 14.19 to 24.87, P < 0.00001], urinary incontinence episodes (MD = −0.78, 95% CI: −0.89 to −0.67, P < 0.00001) and Incontinence Quality of Life (I-QOL) (MD = 8.02, 95% CI: 3.20 to 12.84, P = 0.001). Significant differences were detected in terms of Patient Perception of Bladder Condition (PPBC) (MD = −0.54, 95% CI: −1.46 to 0.39, P = 0.26) and urinary urgency episodes (MD = −0.72, 95% CI: −3.1 to 1.66, P = 0.55). With regard to safety, there were no significant differences between mirabegron and control groups in terms of the incidence of drug-related adverse events [odds ratio (OR): 0.83, 95% CI: 0.43 to 1.59, P = 0.57], arrhythmias (OR: 1.27, 95% CI: 0.37 to 4.38, P = 0.70), hypertension (OR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.13 to 3.82, P = 0.68), or post-voiding residual volume (MD: 1.62, 95% CI: −9.00 to 12.24, P = 0.77).Conclusion: Mirabegron is an efficacious and safe treatment for patients with neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction. more...

Urothelial carcinoma (UC) occupies a high incidence among all the genitourinary malignancies. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), as alternative treatments of metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC), have been applied in the treatment of mUC after chemotherapy failure, with comparable efficacy and safety. ICIs can enhance anti-tumor T cell reactivity and promote immune control over the cancerous cells by blocking cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) or the combination of PD-1 and PD-L1. In the treatment of urothelial carcinoma, ICIs show obvious advantage and can enhance survival rates. However, their adverse effects are gradually manifested with increasing clinical applications. Therefore, we review the adverse effects and toxicity of ICIs in patients with UC, aiming to provide sound theoretical references and therapeutic strategies for their clinical application. more...