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This study introduces an immersed boundary (IB) method based on coefficient array transformations of discrete equations for local cells and local flow pattern reconstruction, for the simulation of turbulent flow and combustion chemistry inside combustors with complex structure. This IB method is combined with a geometric scanning algorithm that traverses each fluid grid point in the vicinity of the wall, and based on the exact wall positions and normal vectors obtained from the scanning, the coefficient matrices of the individual grid points and their discrete forms of the governing equations are transformed, and the boundary conditions are added implicitly and exactly. The effectiveness of the method is validated through simulations of a cylinder, a gas turbine model combustor [Meier et al., "Spray and flame structure of a generic injector at aeroengine conditions," in Proceedings of the ASME 2011 Turbo Expo: Power for Land, Sea, and Air (American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2011), pp. 61–72 and Freitag et al., "Measurement of initial conditions of a kerosene spray from a generic aeroengine injector at elevated pressure," Atomization Sprays 21, 521 (2011)], and a specific aero-engine combustor, demonstrating precision comparable to traditional body-fitted mesh approaches, especially for complex combustor structures. The simulation demonstrates that the IB method achieves accuracy comparable to a fitted grid when it provides boundary information of similar quality and detail for control equations. The locally reconstructed IB method introduced in this paper successfully delivers high-precision boundary conditions, making it valuable for practical engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to Garfield and Priest’s interpretation, the positive use of the catuskoti by Nāgārjuna in Mūlamadhyamakakārikā (MMK) shows that he endorses a four-valued semantics similar to that of Belnap’s First-Degree Entailment (FDE), while the negative use of the catuskoti by Nāgārjuna in MMK indicates that what he really has in mind is a plurivalent five-valued semantics. This paper argues that their interpretation suffers from a number of problems: adequate logic, collapse of kotis, lack of literature support, and a suitable explanation of the third koti. The final part of the paper combines insights from Westerhoff, Cotnoir, Garfield and Priest together and describes the right interpretation of Nāgārjuna’s use of the catuskoti in MMK with the right semantics and the right logic of MMK. The authors argue that Nāgārjuna’s ‘rebuttal’ of all four kotis in a catuskoti should be understood as a mere denial or a mere rejection of these kotis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure and telomere length on lipids in coal miners. Methods Basic personal information of 637 coal miners was collected by questionnaire survey. Logistic regression, the Bayesian kernel machine regression model, and weighted quantile sum regression were used to analyze the effects of PAH metabolites and telomere length and their interactions on blood lipids. Results: High exposure to 9-hydroxyphenanthrene (OR = 1.586, 95% CI: 1.011–2.487) and telomere shortening (OR = 1.413, 95% CI: 1.005–1.985) were associated with dyslipidemia. Weighted quantile sum results showed that 9-hydroxyphenanthrene accounted for the largest proportion of dyslipidemia (weight = 0.66). The interaction results showed that high 9-hydroxyphenanthrene exposure and short telomeres were risk factors for dyslipidemia in coal miners (OR = 2.085, 95% CI: 1.121–3.879). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that 9-hydroxyphenanthrene and shorter telomeres are risk factors for dyslipidemia, and their interaction increases the risk of dyslipidemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol reduces surgery-related stress and hospital stays for complicated surgical patients. It speeds recovery, reduces readmissions, and lowers morbidity and mortality. However, the efficacy of ERAS in colorectal surgery is still debatable. Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the ERAS program for patients undergoing colorectal surgery. Material and methods: PRISMA-compliant searches were performed on Medline, Embase, PubMed, the Web of Sciences, and the Cochrane Database up to March 2023. The included articles compared ERAS protocol results for colorectal surgery patients to those of conventional care. RevMan was used for the meta-analysis, and the Cochrane RoB Tool was used to assess the study quality. Results: The meta-analysis included 12 randomized controlled trials with a total of 1920 participants. There were 880 individuals in ERAS care and 1002 in conventional care. Weighted mean difference: --1.07 days, 95% confidence interval (CI): --1.53 to --0.60, p = 0.00001), overall length of stay: --4.12 days, 95% CI: --5.86 to --2.38, p = 0.00001), and post-operative hospital stay: --1.91 days, 95% CI: --4.73 to --0.91, p = 0.00001). Readmissions were higher in the ERAS group than in the normal care group (odds ratio (OR) = 1.20, 95% CI: 0.82 to 1.75, p = 0.35). Post-operative complications were lower in the ERAS care group (OR = 0.42; 95% CI: 0.27 to 0.65, p < 0.0001) and SSIs (OR = 0.75; 95% CI 0.52 to 1.08, p = 0.00001) than in the routine care group. Conclusions: Care provided in line with the ERAS protocol has been shown to be successful and beneficial for patients following colorectal surgery, because it minimizes post-operative problems and length of hospital stay, and improves outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fatty acid oxidation (FAO) fuels many cancers. However, knowledge of pathways that drive FAO in cancer remains unclear. Here, we revealed that valosin-containing protein (VCP) upregulates FAO to promote colorectal cancer growth. Mechanistically, nuclear VCP binds to histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) and facilitates its degradation, thus promoting the transcription of FAO genes, including the rate-limiting enzyme carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT1A). FAO is an alternative fuel for cancer cells in environments exhibiting limited glucose availability. We observed that a VCP inhibitor blocked the upregulation of FAO activity and CPT1A expression triggered by metformin in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. Combined VCP inhibitor and metformin prove more effective than either agent alone in culture and in vivo. Our study illustrates the molecular mechanism underlying the regulation of FAO by nuclear VCP and demonstrates the potential therapeutic utility of VCP inhibitor and metformin combination treatment for colorectal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to address the problem of potato damage caused by the tubers dropping onto a separating sieve, this study utilized a potato drop test rig to conduct a single-factor drop test on fresh potatoes. The kinematic characteristics of the sieve rod (acceleration peak, velocity peak, displacement peak), the variation in potato damage, and the correlation between the two were analysed under different experimental conditions. The following conclusions were drawn: As the dropping height increases, both the kinematic characteristic parameters of the sieve rod and the volume of damage increase, it was found that the two are positively correlated. As the potato mass increases, the kinematic characteristic parameters of the sieve rod decrease, and the volume of damage increases, it was found that the two are negatively correlated. When potatoes are dropped vertically along different axial positions, the kinematic characteristic parameters of the sieve rod follow the order of the x-axis direction < y-axis direction < z-axis direction, while the volume of damage follows the order of the x-axis direction > y-axis direction > z-axis direction, it was found that the two are negatively correlated. As the sieve surface inclination increases, both the kinematic characteristic parameters of the sieve rod and the volume of damage first increase and then decrease, it was found that the two are positively correlated. When the potato variety is changed, the kinematic characteristic parameter ranking of the sieve rod is Jizhangshu 12 > Holland 15 > Holland 14 > Svante > Xuechuanhong, while the damage volume ranking is Holland 15 > Svante > Jizhangshu 12 > Holland 14 > Xuechuanhong, it was found that the two rankings are unrelated. The results of this study provide a data basis and technical support for future research concerning the mechanical damage mechanism of potatoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new Gd(III) coordination polymer, {[Gd(L1)3(H2O)2]∙L2}n (1) (HL1 = 6-phenylpyridine-2-carboxylic acid, L2 = 4,4’-bipyridine) was synthesized using 6-phenylpyridine-2-carboxylic acid, 4,4’-bipyridine, NaOH and GdCl3∙6H2O. The structure of Gd(III) coordination polymer has been characterized by IR and X-ray single crystal diffraction. The result of single crystal analysis indicates that fundamental unit of Gd(III) coordination polymer contains one Gd(III) ion, three L1 ligands, two coordinated water molecules and one uncoordinated 4,4’-bipyridine. In 1, the Gd(III) ion is eight-coordinated and surrounded by six O atoms from three L1 ligands and two O atoms from two coordinated water molecules, respectively. The complex 1 exhibits 1D chained structure by the bridging interactions of two carboxyl-oxygen atoms and O−H∙∙∙N hydrogen bonds interactions. The 1D chains are further connected by - stacking interactions to form 3D network architecture. The photocatalytic CO2 reduction activity of complex 1 has also been investigated. The complex 1 exhibits good CO2 reduction activity. With the increase of time, the yield of CO from 18.2 mmol/g in the first hour to 60.3 mmol/g in the third hour. And the CO selectivity has reached 100%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To solve the problem of multiple noise interference when tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) technology is used for gas concentration detection, the principles of Kalman, moving average, wavelet transform, and singular value decomposition four filtering algorithm principles and system noise sources are analyzed. MATLAB simulation software is used to simulate the relationship curve of thermal noise, shot noise, relative intensity noise of lasers, and the characteristic value of harmonic signals. Four filtering algorithms are used to process the noise, and the best filtering algorithm is selected. Moreover, a TDLAS experimental system with ethylene gas as the detection object is designed in this paper. The experimental results show that the singular value decomposition method among the four filtering algorithms has the best effect in removing thermal noise, shot noise, and laser noise. After filtering is performed, the accuracy of the continuous detection of the system is improved, and the purpose of reducing or even eliminating system noise can be achieved. After processing occurs, the signal-to-noise ratio of the detected signal of the system is improved by 57 dB, and the noise removal rate of the system reaches 66.7%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new nine-coordinated Yb(III) complex [YbL3(Phen)] (1) (HL = 2-(4-acetylphenoxy)acetic acid (APA), Phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) was synthesized with 2-(4-acetylphenoxy)acetic acid, YbCl3.6H2O, NaOH and 1,10-phenanthroline as materials. Complex (1) was characterized by IR and X-ray single-crystal diffraction analysis. The results show that the Yb(III) ion is nine-coordinated with seven carboxylate oxygen atoms from five different deprotonated APA ligands and two nitrogen atoms from one Phen ligand. Complex (1) forms a 3D supramolecular framework through the π-π stacking interactions between the Phen aromatic rings, The Hirschfeld surface analysis of complex (1) was also calculated. The CO2 photoconversion activity of complex (1) has been performed under UV-vis light irradiation. The complex (1) shows good photocatalytic activity with the yield of CO is closed to 146 μmol/g after three hours of UV-vis light irradiation, the CO selectivity has reached to 97.9%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiomics is widely used in adult tumors but has been rarely applied to the field of pediatrics. Promoting the application of radiomics in pediatric diseases, especially in the early diagnosis and stratified treatment of tumors, is of great value to the realization of the WHO 2030 "Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer." This paper discusses the general characteristics of radiomics, the particularity of its application to pediatric diseases, and the current status and prospects of pediatric radiomics. Radiomics is a data-driven science, and the combination of medicine and engineering plays a decisive role in improving data quality, data diversity, and sample size. Compared with adult radiomics, pediatric radiomics is significantly different in data type, disease spectrum, disease staging, and progression. Some progress has been made in the identification, classification, stratification, survival prediction, and prognosis of tumor diseases. In the future, big data applications from multiple centers and cross-talent training should be strengthened to improve the benefits for clinical workers and children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 has a huge negative impact on people's health. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has a good effect on viral pneumonia. It is of great practical significance to study its pharmacology. Methods: The ingredients and targets of each herb in Maxing Shigan Decoction which obtained from Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) database, and the related targets of COVID-19 were screened by GeneCards database based on the network pharmacology. Venn was used to analyze the intersection target between active ingredients and diseases. Cytoscape software was used to construct an active ingredient-disease target network. The protein-protein interaction network was constructed by STRING database and Cytohubba was used to screen out the key targets. Gene Ontology (GO) functional enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway analysis were performed by DAVID database. Results: In this study, a total of 134 active ingredients and 229 related targets, 198 targets of COVID-19 and 48 common targets of drug-disease were chosen. Enrichment items and pathways were obtained through GO and KEGG pathway analysis. The predicted active ingredients were quercetin, kaempferol, luteolin, naringenin, glycyrol, and the key targets involved IL6, MAPK3, MAPK8, CASP3, IL10, etc. The results showed that the active ingredients of Maxing Shigan Decoction acted on multiple targets which played roles in the treatment of COVID-19 by regulating inflammation, immune system and other pathways. Conclusions: The main contribution of this paper is to use data to mine the principles of the treatment of COVID-19 from the pharmacology of these prescriptions, and the results can be provided theoretical reference for medical workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hexacosalactone A (1) is a polyene macrolide compound featuring a 2- amino-3-hydroxycyclopent-2-enone (C5N)-fumaryl moiety. While compound 1 has been proposed to be assembled via a type I modular polyketide synthase (PKS) system, most of the putative biosynthetic steps lack experimental evidence. In this study, we elucidated the post-PKS tailoring steps of compound 1 through in vivo gene inactivation and in vitro biochemical assays. We demonstrated that the amide synthetase HexB and O-methyltransferase HexF are responsible for the installations of the C5N moiety and the methyl group at 15-OH of compound 1, respectively; two new hexacosalactone analogs, named hexacosalactones B (4) and C (5), were purified and structurally characterized, followed by anti-multidrug resistance (anti-MDR) bacterial assays, revealing that the C5N ring and the methyl group are necessary for the antibacterial bioactivities. Through database mining of C5N forming proteins HexABC, six uncharacterized biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), putatively encoding compounds with different types of backbones, were identified, providing potentials to discover novel bioactive compounds with C5N moiety. IMPORTANCE In this study, we elucidate the post-PKS tailoring steps during the biosynthesis of compound 1 and demonstrate that both C5N and 15-OMe groups are critical for the antibacterial activities of compound 1, paving the way for generation of hexacosalactone derivatives via synthetic biology strategy. In addition, mining of HexABC homologs from the GenBank database revealed their wide distribution across the bacterial world, facilitating the discovery of other bioactive natural products with C5N moiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study the variable-order generalized time fractional Oldroyd-B fluid model, use the reduced order method and the L2-1σ method to establish the differential format with second-order accuracy, prove the stability and convergence of the format, and give numerical examples to illustrate the effectiveness of the differential format. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The regional digital economy security risk warning system has been established to strengthen the construction of safety shields for the regional digital economy and promote the sound and steady development of the digital economy. Based on the PEST analysis method, a regional digital economy security risk evaluation index system including four first-level indicators, 13 second-level indicators, and 49 third-level indicators are constructed. The index weight is determined by CRITIC method, the regional digital economy security risk index (DESRI) is established by integrated operation, and the prediction and early warning are realized by EGA(1,1) model. Through the data collection and empirical analysis of Shaanxi Province, it is found that. (1) The DESRI of Shaanxi Province showed an overall rising trend from 2017 to 2020, but the risk level was reduced from dangerous to a general level; (2) In 2021 and 2022, the security risk of the digital economy in Shaanxi Province is generally at the security level, among which the policy risk index and social risk index were at the security level, the economic risk index was in the serious level and the crisis level respectively, and the technical risk index was in the crisis level. The results of the empirical analysis verify the feasibility and effectiveness of PEST·CRITIC-EGN(1,1) Method, which can be used for the assessment and early warning of regional digital economy risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rotating detonation combustor is promising to be a total pressure gain combustor and receives considerable attention in the past decade. Many studies have pointed out that the pressure gain performance is significantly related to the inlet area ratio, whereas no criterion for obtaining positive total pressure gain has been established until now. This study performed a series of numerical simulations to investigate the idealized total pressure gain performance of vapor kerosene/air rotating detonation combustor by varying the inlet area ratios and injection total pressures. A preliminary criterion for obtaining positive total pressure gain in vapor kerosene/air rotating detonation combustor is established and then validated with simulation cases and existing research. The results indicate that the total pressure gain increases with the increase of the inlet area ratio and chamber diameter, whereas it decreases with the increase of the injection total pressure. The established criterion can serve as a reference value for the design of the vapor kerosene/air rotating detonation combustor, above which a positive total pressure gain can be obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systematic biases and coarse resolutions are major limitations of current precipitation datasets. Many deep learning (DL) based studies have been conducted for precipitation bias correction and downscaling. However, it is still challenging for the current approaches to handle complex features of hourly precipitation, resulting in incapability of reproducing small scale features, such as extreme events. This study developed a customized DL model by incorporating customized loss functions, multitask learning, and physically relevant covariates to bias correct and downscale hourly precipitation data. We designed six scenarios to systematically evaluate the added values of weighted loss functions, multitask learning, and atmospheric covariates compared to the regular DL and statistical approaches. The model was trained and tested using the Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications version 2 (MERRA2) reanalysis and the Stage IV radar observations over northern coastal region of Gulf of Mexico. We found that all the scenarios with weighted loss functions performed notably better than the other scenarios with conventional loss functions and a quantile mappingbased approach at hourly, daily, and monthly time scales as well as extremes. Multitask learning showed improved performance on capturing hourly precipitation climatology, aggregated precipitation at daily and monthly scales, and detailed features of extreme events, while the improvement is not as large as from weighted loss functions. Accounting for atmospheric covariates further improved the model performance for capturing extreme events. We show that the customized DL model can better downscale and bias correct precipitation datasets and provide improved precipitation estimates at fine spatial and temporal resolutions where regular DL and statistical methods experiencing challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fundamental target of the present survey is to explore the clinical impact of resveratrol in treating polycystic ovary syndrome. A number of 104 cases suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome admitted to the hospital from January 2018 to December 2020 were chosen as investigation subjects. The cases were categorized into two groups, namely control and study groups through the random number table technique, with 52 patients in each group. Patients in the group of study were considered to receive 100 % pure resveratrol (once daily, 1000 mg) and cases in the group of control received matched placebo. 3 mo later, the treatment effects of the two groups were scrutinized. Following the treating process, the length of ovary, endometrial thickness and number of sinus follicles in the research group were improved and substantially superior to those in the group of control (all p<0.05). The improvement in menstrual cycle and hair loss in the group of observation was considerably greater than that in the group of control (both p<0.05). Following the treatment, the levels of luteinizing hormone, estradiol and testosterone in the group of observation were less than those in the group of control, with statistically meaningful discrepancies (all p<0.05), but the follicle-stimulating hormone levels had no significant difference. After 3 mo of treating, the expression level of mitofusin-2 in the study group was substantially enhanced in comparison to that in the control group (p<0.05). Resveratrol improved sex hormone levels, menstrual irregularities, hair loss and ovarian function in cases suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potassium (K+) is one of the essential macronutrients for plant growth and development. However, the available K+ concentration in soil is relatively low. Plant roots can perceive low K+ (LK) stress, then enhance high-affinity K+ uptake by activating H+ -ATPases in root cells, but the mechanisms are still unclear. Here, we identified the receptor-like protein kinase Brassinosteroid Insensitive 1-Associated Receptor Kinase 1 (BAK1) that is involved in LK response by regulating the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) plasma membrane H+ -ATPase isoform 2 (AHA2). The bak1 mutant showed leaf chlorosis phenotype and reduced K+ content under LK conditions, which was due to the decline of K+ uptake capacity. BAK1 could directly interact with the AHA2 C terminus and phosphorylate T858 and T881, by which the H+ pump activity of AHA2 was enhanced. The bak1 aha2 double mutant also displayed a leaf chlorosis phenotype that was similar to their single mutants. The constitutively activated form AHA2D98 and phosphorylation-mimic form AHA2T858D or AHA2T881D could complement the LK sensitive phenotypes of both aha2 and bak1 mutants. Together, our data demonstrate that BAK1 phosphorylates AHA2 and enhances its activity, which subsequently promotes K+ uptake under LK conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an improved three-dimensional conservation element and solution element method with chemical source terms is developed and applied to investigate the effects of different divergence inlet patterns on vapor kerosene/air rotating detonation engines. A two-step kerosene/air chemistry model is adopted and solved by a third-order Runge-Kutta method. A series of cases with varying the slot inlet width, in other words, 6, 4, and 2 mm, and divergence section length, in other words, 4, 6, and 10 mm, are simulated. The simulation results indicate the supersonic injection generated by the divergence section is helpful to decrease the disturbance from the downstream flow. Affected by the divergence section, the detonation front is divided into two sections, in other words, the main detonation front and the banded detonation front. For the main detonation front, the detonation strength on the outer wall is significantly stronger than that on the inner wall, while it is not for the banded detonation front. The total pressure loss caused by the inlet normal shock significantly increases with the decrease of slot inlet width. A declining deflagration surface will appear when a small slot inlet width of 2 mm is used. The rotating detonation engine (RDE) performance analysis shows that the slot inlet width has a significant impact on the thrust, specific impulse, total pressure gain, and outlet Mach number. A bigger slot inlet area ratio contributes to a higher total pressure gain. The simulation results can get insight into rotating detonation behaviors and guide the development of the kerosene/air RDE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The slinger is an important configuration of an aeroengine combustion chamber. It is well matched to smaller gas turbines that are more sensitive to cost than larger and more sophisticated models. The slinger combustor is inherently low cost itself, by eliminating fuel injectors and much of the fuel tubing and manifolding and also reducing costs in the requirements of the main fuel pump by operating at fuel delta pressures significantly lower than conventional fuel systems. The slinger's inherent drawbacks of increased combustion liner surface area and less atomization are less of a concern in a lower temperature, lower cost small turbines. The slinger's internal flow is of great significance to fuel atomization. This paper conducts experiments and numerical simulations on the slinger fuel injector. Numerical analysis and high-speed photography of the fuel slinger were applied to investigate the film flow pattern inside the slinger and the liquid phase distribution inside the combustion chamber to predict the flow field in an aeroengine combustion chamber. The transient Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes method, the volume of fluid method, and the discrete phase method were adopted in the simulation, and a high-speed camera and the rotational rig were used to perform the experiments. The nonaxisymmetric flow was present in the slinger and the combustor space. In the simulation results, the total mass-flow rate varies with time. Each hole's mass-flow rate value in the slinger is also different at the same time. The Sauter mean diameter (SMD) difference for each injection orifice is relatively small compared with the SMD difference caused by a rotation rate. The spatial distribution of the spray is also uneven as shown in the result of different single discharge channels' mass-flow rates. The experimental photos confirmed the simulation outcomes. The general theoretical analysis was made that these nonaxisymmetric phenomena were driven by the combined action of centrifugal force, surface tension, and instability phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cultural tourism industry combines the similarities of the cultural industry and tourism industry, which can be the most effective way to meet people's spiritual and cultural needs as well as their leisure needs simultaneously, and has a vast development potential. However, there are numerous and dispersed areas where the market value of cultural tourism resources is clustered, and frequently, each city has the clustering area with the highest market value concentration of cultural tourism resources. This feature of the spatial distribution of the market value of cultural tourism resources is significant for promoting the development of cultural tourism as a whole and constructing the industry's overall structure. It has broad application potential for extracting and differentiating cultural tourism industry characteristics. Texture feature extraction is typically performed using dual-tree complex wavelet transform (DT-CWT) and Gabor wavelet. In this paper, we propose a multiscale DT-CWT and Gabor-based method for identifying the cultural tourism industry. The method first decomposes the images of cultural tourism into multiscale space using a Gaussian pyramid, then extracts the multiscale features of the images using DT-CWT and Gabor, and lastly achieves feature fusion. Using a support vector machine (SVM) classifier to achieve classification, the effectiveness of the feature extraction method is determined. The experimental findings demonstrate that the method proposed in this paper can achieve a high rate of recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Peucedanum praeruptorum Dunn (PPD) is a traditional Chinese medical herb of high medical and economic value. However, PPD is often adulterated by inexpensive plants. Objective: In order to establish an integrated and straightforward methodology to identify adulterated PPD products, handheld near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) combined with chemical pattern recognition techniques was employed. Method: The standard normal variate (SNV) was used to preprocess the original near-infrared spectra. Principal component analysis (PCA), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), and partial least-squares regression analysis (PLSDA) were used to construct the recognition models. Results: PCA analysis could not correctly distinguish PPD from non-PPD. However, based on absorbance in the spectral region of 1405-2442 nm and SNV pretreatment, the accuracy of the LDA model was above 90% at identifying genuine PPD. Compared with the LDA method, the PLSDA model is more stable and reliable, and its model prediction accuracy was 93.4%. Conclusion: The combination of NIRS and chemometric methods based on a hand-held near-infrared spectrometer is an efficient, nondestructive, and reliable method for validating traditional Chinese medicine PPD. Highlights: The advanced method based on a hand-held near-infrared spectrometer can be used for rapid identification and quality evaluation of PPD in the field, medicinal material markets, and points of sale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare postoperative opioid consumption, inflammatory biomarkers, cognitive function and safety profile of regional anesthesia (RA) versus general anesthesia (GA) in Chinese patients undergoing metastatic cancer surgery. Method: Chinese patients undergoing metastatic cancer surgery were enrolled and received either RA or GA) in allocation ratio of 1:1. The following efficacy variables were assessed: 1) pain score was measured on VAS scale; 2) post-operative consumption; 3) inflammatory biomarkers; 4) cognitive function; 5) clinical outcomes. Safety was also assessed. Results: Data for a total of 220 patients were analyzed. Compared to GA alone, the combination of RA and GA demonstrated significantly greater reduction in post-operative pain with decreased postoperative opioid consumption. Also, RA/GA combination inhibited inflammatory response when compared to patients who received GA only, indicating that RA + GA improved immune response in patient undergoing surgical intervention. The severity of signs and symptoms of dementia were similar at baseline visit (p > 0.05). Patients of RA/GA group had significantly greater relief in signs and symptoms of dementia/cognitive impairment, when compared to the GA-treated patients (p < 0.05). However, incidence of complications (including adverse events) was comparable for both groups (p > 0.05). Additionally, RA/GA was also associated with shorter length of hospital stay, compared to GA. Conclusion: RA/GA combination demonstrates significantly greater improvement in the level of clinical outcomes, decreases postoperative opioid consumption, and improves cognitive functions when compared to GA in Chinese patients undergoing metastatic cancer surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sub-Doppler CH-symmetric stretch (ν3) infrared absorption spectrum of a hydroxymethyl (CH2OH) radical is observed and analyzed with the radical formed in a slit-jet supersonic discharge expansion (Trot = 18 K) via Cl atom mediated H atom abstraction from methanol. The high sensitivity of the spectrometer and reduced spectral congestion associated with the cooled expansion enable first infrared spectroscopic observation of hydroxymethyl transitions from both ± symmetry tunneling states resulting from large amplitude COH torsional motion. Nuclear spin statistics due to exchange of the two methyl H-atoms aid in unambiguous rovibrational assignment of two A-type Ka = 0 ← 0 and Ka = 1 ← 1 bands out of each ± tunneling state, with additional spectral information obtained from spin-rotation splittings in P, Q, and R branch Ka = 1 ← 1 transitions that become resolved at low N. A high level ab initio potential surface (CCSD(T)-f12b/cc-pvnzf12 (n = 2,3)/CBS) is calculated in the large amplitude COH torsional and CH2 wag coordinates, which in the adiabatic approximation and with zero point correction predicts ground state tunneling splittings in good qualitative agreement with experiment. Of particular astrochemical interest, a combined fit of the present infrared ground state combination differences with recently reported millimeter-wave frequencies permits the determination of improved accuracy rotational constants for the ground vibrational state, which will facilitate ongoing millimeter/microwave searches for a hydroxymethyl radical in the interstellar medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spectrum technology has been widely used in crop non-destructive testing diagnosis for crop information acquisition. Since spectrum covers a wide range of bands, it is of critical importance to extract the sensitive bands. In this paper, we propose a methodology to extract the sensitive spectrum bands of rapeseed using multiscale multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis. Our obtained sensitive bands are relatively robust in the range of 534 nm-574 nm. Further, by using the multifractal parameter (Hurst exponent) of the extracted sensitive bands, we propose a prediction model to forecast the Soil and plant analyzer development values ((SPAD), often used as a parameter to indicate the chlorophyll content) and an identification model to distinguish the different planting patterns. Three vegetation indices (VIs) based on previous work are used for comparison. Three evaluation indicators, namely, the root mean square error, the correlation coefficient, and the relative error employed in the SPAD values prediction model all demonstrate that our Hurst exponent has the best performance. Four rapeseed compound planting factors, namely, seeding method, planting density, fertilizer type, and weed control method are considered in the identification model. The Youden indices calculated by the random decision forest method and the K-nearest neighbor method show that our Hurst exponent is superior to other three Vis, and their combination for the factor of seeding method. In addition, there is no significant difference among the five features for other three planting factors. This interesting finding suggests that the transplanting and the direct seeding would make a big difference in the growth of rapeseed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The quenching phenomenon of trigonal crystal field (CF), spin-orbit (SO) coupling operators, and orbital operators reflected in EPR g factors and electronic energy level splittings of ground level E 3/2 and excited levels 1 E 1/2 and 2 E 1/2 of 2 T 2g term observed in the experiments are explained plausibly by high-order perturbation formulas. Those formulas are derived by use of T 2 ⊗ e dynamic Jahn-Teller model and the contributions from upper 2 E g term are also taken into account. • The quenching phenomenon caused by dynamic Jahn-Teller effect are explained plausibly. • The Ham reduction factor, vibronic coupling constant and crystal field parameters are estimated. • The bond lengths and bond angles of local defect structure around impurity Ti3+ are determined. The quenching phenomenon of trigonal crystal field (CF), spin–orbit (SO) coupling operators, and orbital operators reflected in electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) parameters and energy splitting intervals observed in experiments of α - Al 2 O 3 :Ti3+ is theoretically investigated by the calculation of EPR g factors and the energy differences of the lowest three levers E 3/2 , 1 E 1/2 and 2 E 1/2 with the formulas derived with high-order perturbation method. In the calculation, the coupling of 2 T 2g and 2 E g with e vibrational model of dynamic Jahn-Teller effect are considered. The calculated results are in agreement with the experimental values. The local defect structure around Ti3+ ions (bond lengths and angles of [TiO 6 ]9-) and trigonal CF parameters ν and v ′ are determinedand the covalence effects on SO coupling parameters ζ, ζ' and orbital reduction parameters k 、 k ' are determined also. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aspergillus fumigatus is the main causative agent of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA), a severe disease that affects immunosuppressed patients worldwide. The fungistatic drug caspofungin (CSP) is the second line of therapy against IPA but has increasingly been used against clinical strains that are resistant to azoles, the first line antifungal therapy. In high concentrations, CSP induces a tolerance phenotype with partial reestablishment of fungal growth called CSP paradoxical effect (CPE), resulting from a change in the composition of the cell wall. An increasing number of studies has shown that different isolates of A. fumigatus exhibit phenotypic heterogeneity, including heterogeneity in their CPE response. To gain insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms of CPE response heterogeneity, we analyzed the transcrip-tomes of two A. fumigatus reference strains, Af293 and CEA17, exposed to low and high CSP concentrations. We found that there is a core transcriptional response that involves genes related to cell wall remodeling processes, mitochondrial function, transmembrane transport, and amino acid and ergosterol metabolism, and a variable response related to secondary metabolite (SM) biosynthesis and iron homeostasis. Specifically, we show here that the overexpression of a SM pathway that works as an iron chelator extinguishes the CPE in both backgrounds, whereas iron depletion is detrimental for the CPE in Af293 but not in CEA17. We next investigated the function of the transcription factor CrzA, whose deletion was previously shown to result in heterogeneity in the CPE response of the Af293 and CEA17 strains. We found that CrzA constitutively binds to and modulates the expression of several genes related to processes involved in CSP tolerance and that crzA deletion differentially impacts the SM production and growth of Af293 and CEA17. As opposed to the ΔcrzACEA17 mutant, the ΔcrzAAf293 mutant fails to activate cell wall remodeling genes upon CSP exposure, which most likely severely affects its macrostructure and extinguishes its CPE. This study describes how heterogeneity in the response to an antifungal agent between A. fumigatus strains stems from heterogeneity in the function of a transcription factor and its downstream target genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) has been demonstrated relating to vascular and inflammatory regulations not only the nerve systems. As the anti-inflammation factor and the most potent vasodilator, the CGRP holds therapeutic potentials for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases which was, however, limited by its peptide nature and short half-life. With advantages in improving the stability, circulation time and protection from degradation, the nanoparticles were promising as delivery carriers for the peptide. Nevertheless, few nanoparticulate systems were developed to deliver the CGRP peptide for the modulation of vascular or inflammatory functions instead of neural regulation. In this study, the CGRP was encapsulated into the poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticle for sustained release of CGRP in vivo. The nanoparticles recovered the systemic level of CGRP and the vascular inflammatory factors in the CGRP+/- rats comparing to the administration of (Dulbecco's Phosphate Buffered Saline) DPBS or peptide only. With the decrease of vascular wall thickness and the attenuation of the T cell infiltration in the lung, the polymer based CGRP delivery system showed potentials to facilitate the therapeutic effects of the CGRP which may help for the development of CGRP-based therapy in vascular and inflammatory disorder related diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distributions of HLA allele and haplotype are various in the populations. Currently, the data for HLA alleles and haplotypes at three fields resolution level in Chinese Han population is rare. Here, the HLA alleles and haplotypes of the 1734 cord blood samples from Zhejiang Han population, China were reported at three fields resolution. All samples were randomly collected from the Zhejiang Cord Blood Bank, China. HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1, -DQB1, -DRB3/4/5 loci was genotyped using next generation sequencing method. The genotypes of the samples were assigned using the HLA TypeStream Visual Software version 1.2.0. The frequency of alleles, haplotype estimation and linkage disequilibrium analysis were performed with the Arlequin software 3.5.2.2. It was found that the top three frequent alleles of HLAA, -B, -C, -DRB1, -DQB1, -DRB3/4/5 loci were A*11:01:01 (25.81%), A*24:02:01 (16.70%), A*02:01:01 (10.61%); B*40:01:02 (15.97%), B*46:01:01 (11.48%), B*58:01:01 (7.96%); C*07:02:01 (19.03%), C*01:02:01 (17.65%), C*03:04:01 (10.41%); DRB1*09:01:02G (17.96%), DRB1*12:02:01 (9.57%), DRB1*08:03:02 (9.54%); DQB1*03:01:01G (21.05%), DQB1*03:03:02 (19.15%), DQB1*06:01:01G (12.08%); DRB4*01:03:01 (25.72%), DRB3*02:02:01 (20.27%), DRB5*01:01:01 (10.96%), respectively. A total of 1528 distinct A~C~B~DRB3/4/5~DRB1~DQB1 haplotypes were estimated, and the top three most common haplotypes were A*33:03:01~C*03:02:02~B*58:01:01~DRB3*02:02:01~DRB1*03:01:01~ DQB1*02:01:01 (4.02%), A*30:01:01~C*06:02:01~B*13:02:01~DRB4*01:03:01~ DRB1*07:01:01 ~DQB1*02:02:01 (3.11%) and A*02:07:01~C*01:02:01~B*46:01:01 ~DRB4*01:03:01~DRB1*09:01:02G~DQB1*03:03:02 (3.05%). Some alleles of different HLA loci were shown strong linkage disequilibrium. In conclusion, the data of allele and haplotype of HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1, -DQB1 and -DRB3/4/5 loci at three fields resolution level were obtained in Zhejiang Han population, thus contributing to analyze the HLA ploymorphism in the populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Sarcopenia has garnered extensive attention in clinical practice since its high prevalence and significant impact on clinical outcomes. Multiple organizations have published guidance documents on sarcopenia, offering evidence-based recommendations for clinical practice and/or research. We aimed to appraise the methodological quality of the included documents and synthesize available recommendations for the screening, diagnosis, and intervention of sarcopenia. Methods and Study Design: We conducted a search on PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, guideline database, and guideline organizations and professional societies websites for clinical practices, consensus statements and position papers in terms of sarcopenia, muscle atrophy or muscle loss published before April 17, 2023. The AGREE II instrument was used by three independent reviewers to assess the methodological quality of these documents. Results: Thirty-six guidance documents published between 2010 and 2023 were included. Seven documents fulfilled = 50% of all the AGREE II domains. Seven underwent a Delphi process and six graded the strength of the recommendations. The process of screening (n=21), early diagnosis of sarcopenia (n=12), diagnosis of sarcopenia and severe sarcopenia (n=10), and management (n=21) were increasingly recommended. SARC-F (n=14) was the most recommended screening tool, and the assessment of muscle function was considered the first step in diagnosing sarcopenia. The management strategy for both age-related and disease-related sarcopenia mainly focused on exercise and nutrition intervention. Conclusions: The guidance documents have provided referential recommendations that have great guiding significance. But the inconsistency in recommendations and variation in methodological rigour suggests that high-quality evidence is lacking yet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cold stress is a major abiotic factor that affects plant growth and geographical distribution. Pinus sibirica is extremely frigostable tree species. To understand the molecular mechanisms of cold tolerance by P. sibirica, physiological responses were analyzed and transcriptome profiling was conducted to the plants treated by cold stress. The physiological data showed that membrane permeability relative conductivity (REC), reactive oxygen species (ROS), malonaldehyde (MDA) content, peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) activity, soluble sugar, soluble protein and proline contents were increased significantly (p < 0.05) in response to cold stress. Transcriptome analysis identified a total of 871, 1397 and 872 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) after cold treatment for 6 h, 24 h and 48 h at -20°C, respectively. The signaling pathway mediated by Ca2+ as a signaling molecule and abscisic acid pathways were the main cold signal transduction pathways in P. sibirica. The APETALA2/Ethylene-Responsive Factor (AP2/ERF) and MYB transcription factor families also play an important role in the transcriptional regulation of P. sibirica. In addition, many genes related to photosynthesis were differentially expressed under cold stress. We also validated the reliability of transcriptome data with quantitative real-time PCR. This study lays the foundation for understanding the molecular mechanisms related to cold responses in P. sibirica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. The aim of the research is to determine the effect of the addition of soybean dregs treated with ultrafine grinding and microwave irradiation on the quality of crispy pastry. Materials and methods. The moist soybean dregs were dried at 50 °C for 48 hours and ground in an ultrafine grinding machine KCW- 701S at a frequency of 30 Hz. Obtained soybean flour was processed in a microwave oven, the ratio of beans to water was set to 1:7, at a high level of heating for 6 min, then dried in an oven at 50 °C for 48 h and sieved at 80 mesh. The color (L*, a*, b*) values of the crackers were determined by portable color difference meter (Cr-400 chromatic aberration meter Minolta, Japan). was determined using chromatic aberration meter Cr-400; texture was determined by the TA-XT Plus Texture Analyzer; sensory evaluation was conducted by 100-point hedonic scale for color, flavor, texture and overall acceptability. Results and discussion. The increase of the amount of soybean dregs powder (SDP) decreased L* and increased a* values of crispy biscuits, meanwhile b* values were not changed significantly. The color of crispy biscuits became darker (lower L*), more reddish (higher a*), and less yellowish (lower b*) when soybean dreg powder was added at amount of 15-25%. The hardness of crispy biscuits increased gradually with the increase of bean dregs. The hardness reached the maximum of 2328.49 N at addition of SDP 15%. With the addition of SDP at 20%, the firmness of the biscuits decreased slightly. With increasing addition of SDP, the content of dietary fiber in the crispy biscuit increased, thereby reducing the gluten content in the dough and affecting the formation of the gluten network, which led to an increase in the hardness of the crispy biscuit. Increasing of the dietary fiber content ensures retaining of oil in the crispy biscuits, which results in a reduction of the product hardness. The addition of soybean dregs powder affected the sensorial properties of the product. However, there was no significant difference in the overall quality rating of the crispy biscuits containing 15 and 20% SDP. Conclusion. The addition of bean dreg powder had significant effects on the color, texture and sensorial properties of crispy biscuits compared with control. However, crispy biscuits with the addition of soybean dregs powder in the amount of 15-20% prepared by proposed technology had the crispy taste, golden color, and pleasant soybean flavor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the protective effect of S-allyl cysteine (SAC) against cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury (CRI) in rats. Methods: The protective effect of SAC was determined in a male Wistar rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO)-stimulated transient focal ischemia, followed by reperfusion. Cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury was induced via 90 min of MCAO, followed by 24-h reperfusion. The cerebral infarct size was determined by staining with 2,3,5- triphenyl tetrazolium chloride. The onset of cellular derangement, neurological deficit score and neuronal oedema were determined. In addition, the expressions of CRI markers and inflammatory cytokines were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Rats subjected to CRI showed marked increases in cellular oxidative stress, as evidenced by significant increase in the levels of inflammatory markers, including MDA (p < 0.05), MPO (p < 0.05) and nitric oxide (p < 0.01). In addition, CRI increased the mRNA expression levels of the marker genes TLR4, syndecan-1, CSF, aquaporin-1, OCT3, and RFX1. In contrast, rats pre-treated with SAC prior to CRI displayed reduced levels of inflammatory cytokines, with a near-normal cellular arrangement. SAC treatment significantly reduced the mRNA expression levels of the marker genes in CRI rats. Conclusion: These findings suggest that SAC may protect the brain of rats from cerebral ischemiareperfusion injury caused by amplification of oxidative stress and inflammatory signaling. Thus, S-allyl cysteine is a potential therapy for the management of CRI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: One of the most noticeable integrated care-related policies in China is the growth and proliferation of County-level Integrated Health Organizations (CIHOs), which take over a set of primary healthcare institutions to form an integrated delivery network in order to achieve an ordered hierarchical delivery system by strengthening primary care. Objectives: This paper presents emerging findings from an ongoing evaluation of the early impacts of the demonstrator site, Deqing CIHO, in Zhejiang Province, in order to examine the extent to which the implementation has achieved its core objectives: (1) establishing the hierarchical referral system, (2) capacity building of primary healthcare providers, and (3) reducing the costs. Design: This case study was conducted to determine institutional and managerial processes. Settings: Data were collected and analyzed at the CIHO and county level. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Primary and secondary outcome measures: Indicators were selected from the existing database of the county health system and arranged into three segments to assess (1) service utilization among each level of care; (2) capacity-building progress for primary care centers, (3) cost-related indicators for both levels of care. Results: Service utilization data show that one year after CIHO implementation, the proportion of patients who chose to get inpatient care outside of the county decreased from 27.3% to 24.5%. Hospital admissions were retrieved from outside the county, while service volume slightly shifted from hospitals to primary care sites. Capacitybuilding indicators for township health centers show that 6 out of 12 items showed better performance compared to the national average growth rate, and a moderated growth rate appeared in terms of per capita cost. Conclusion: Progress evaluation results from Deqing CIHO indicated some positive effects on three main outcomes, which reveal the potential of CIHOs in not only strengthening primary care but also controlling cost as a result of early implementation. Further emphases of evaluation are required to determine the impacts on the quality and experience of care that are estimated using claim-based data at the individual level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bar-headed geese (Anser indicus) are renowned for high-altitude migratory flights and they must fly over the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau for their annual migration. Through comparing the high-altitude bar-headed geese with the other closely related low-altitude species, many efforts have been made to reveal the unique adaptations at physiological, biochemical, and behavioral levels that help bar-headed geese living and flying in high-altitude conditions. Nonetheless, little is known about the transcriptome level changes of the bar-headed geese adaptation to low-altitude environment. To explore the variations of gene expression that were induced by low-altitude environment in the bar-headed geese, we conducted the first comparative transcriptomic analysis of heart tissues between bar-headed geese reared in high-altitude regions (~3000 m), and the bar-headed geese reared at the low-altitude regions (~30 m) for nearly three years. A total of 76 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected in the low-altitude bar-headed geese compared with the high-altitude bar-headed geese. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis showed that these DEGs were mainly involved in the focal adhesion, extracellular matrix (ECM) - receptor interaction, the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway, wingless-type (Wnt) signaling pathway, and glycosaminoglycan degradation etc. The results will be useful for understanding the divergent adaptation of the bar-headed geese to different altitude environment, and the transcriptome data provides a valuable resource for future functional studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulmonary surfactant protein D (SP-D) is an important component of the pulmonary innate immune system with the ability to dampen cigarette smoke-induced lung inflammation. However, cigarette smoking mediates translocation of SP-D from the lung to the blood, and serum SP-D (sSP-D) has therefore previously been suggested as marker for smoke-induced lung injury. In support of this notion, associations between high sSP-D and low lung function measurements have previously been demonstrated in smokers and in chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD). The present investigations employ a 12-yr longitudinal Danish twin study to test the hypothesis that baseline sSP-D variation has the capacity to identify smokers with normal baseline lung function who are at high risk of significant future smoke-induced lung function decline. We find that sSP-D is significantly increased in those with normal lung function at baseline who develop lung function decline during follow-up compared with those who stay lung healthy. Moreover, we demonstrate that it is the smoke-induced baseline sSP-D level, and not the constitutional level, which has capacity as biomarker, and which is linearly increased with the decline in lung function during follow-up. In conclusion, we here present first observation of increased sSP-D for identification of high-risk smokers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Scavenger receptor class B (SRB) is a multifunctional protein in animals that participates in physiological processes, including recognition of a wide range of ligands. Astaxanthin is a major carotenoid found in shrimp. However, the molecular mechanism of astaxanthin and SRB protein binding has not been reported. Results: In the present study, a member of the SRB subfamily, named PmSRB, was identified from the transcriptome of black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon). The open reading frame of PmSRB was 1557 bp in length and encoded 518 amino acids. The structure of PmSRB included a putative transmembrane structure at the N-terminal region and a CD36 domain. Multiple sequence alignment indicated that the CD36 domain were conserved. Phylogenetic analysis showed four separate branches (SRA, SRB, SRC, and croquemort) in the phylogenetic tree and that PmSRB was clustered with SRB of Eriocheir sinensis. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction showed that the PmSRB gene was widely expressed in all tissues tested, with the highest expression level observed in the lymphoid organ and brain. Subcellular localization analysis revealed that PmSRB-GFP (green fluorescent protein) fusion proteins were predominantly localized in the cell membrane. The recombinant proteins of PmSRB showed binding activities against astaxanthin in vitro. Conclusions: PmSRB was identified and characterized in this study. It is firstly reported that PmSRB may take as an important mediator of astaxanthin uptake in shrimp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rare-earth permanent magnetic nanoflakes and nanoparticles have drawn great attention due to their potential applications in fabricating permanent magnets with high performance. In this work, the anisotropic PrCo5 nanoflakes were fabricated via surfactant-assisted ball milling at low temperature and room temperature, and the morphology, microstructure, and magnetic properties were investigated systematically. It is found that, compared with the sample milled at room temperature, the PrCo5 nanoflakes prepared at low temperature have a better crystallinity, stronger [001] out-ofplane texture, more regular shape with smaller thickness, and excellent magnetic properties, especially a higher degree of grain alignment and larger remanence ratio (Mr/Ms). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To describe the diagnostic criteria used and their application accuracy in the practice of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) caring among obstetricians and gynaecologists across China. Methods: This was an Online cross-sectional survey of Obstetricians and gynecologists involved in PCOS caring conducted via the largest continuing education platform of obstetrics and gynecology across China from September 2019 to November 2019. Results: A total of 2,328 respondents were eligible for the final analysis. Of these, 94.5 % were general obstetricians and gynaecologists (Ge-ObGyn), and 5.5 % were reproductive endocrinologists (Re-ObGyn). Overall, the most frequently used criteria were the Androgen Excess and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Society (AE-PCOS) criteria (48.2 %), followed by the Rotterdam criteria (35.7 %) and NIH criteria (12.1 %). Of the respondents, 31.3 % used their diagnostic criteria in their clinical practice. More respondents who chose the Rotterdam criteria could accurately apply the diagnostic criteria than those who chose the AE-PCOS criteria (41.2 % vs. 32.1 %, P < 0.001). Compared with Ge-ObGyn, Re-ObGyn were less likely to use the AE-PCOS criteria (adjusted odds ratio, 0.513; 95 % CI, 0.328–0.802; P < 0.05) and 1.492 times more likely to accurately use their criteria (95 % CI, 1.014–2.196; P < 0.05). Conclusions: Less than one-third of obstetricians and gynaecologists across China could accurately use the diagnostic criteria they choose to diagnose PCOS. There is an urgent need to train obstetricians and gynaecologists on PCOS diagnosis in an effort to improve the medical care quality of patients with PCOS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19's significant impact on economic and social life has rightfully garnered the attention of citizens and policymakers alike. In response to the pandemic, governments have issued strict guidelines and restrictions to shut down some cities and many rural villages in China. With no cure or vaccine on the horizon, governments are working to mitigate the damage of the lockdowns on rural cultural village. Over the past two decades, rural village has been negatively impacted by terrorism, lack of funding and loss of population. COVID-19 has had similar effect, but in an incredibly short period of time. During the control period of COVID-19, traditional data are widely used in village protection and renewal. Collect and sort out the original data of Huizhou culture to prepare for the subsequent calculation. After the data is ready, the data is processed as the basis of mining its potential application value. In this paper, the key words of Huizhou cultural resources are summarized. The data analysis platform is established. This paper analyzes people's preference for Huizhou cultural resources. To better realize the more effective and far-reaching development and exploitation of Huizhou cultural resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When direct experience is unavailable, animals and humans can imagine or infer the future to guide decisions. Behavior based on direct experience versus inference may recruit partially distinct brain circuits. In rodents, the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) contains neural signatures of inferred outcomes, and OFC is necessary for behavior that requires inference but not for responding driven by direct experience. In humans, OFC activity is also correlated with inferred outcomes, but it is unclear whether OFC activity is required for inference-based behavior. To test this, we used noninvasive network-based continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) in human subjects (male and female) to target lateral OFC networks in the context of a sensory preconditioning task that was designed to isolate inference-based behavior from responding that can be based on direct experience alone. We show that, relative to sham, cTBS targeting this network impairs reward-related behavior in conditions in which outcome expectations have to be mentally inferred. In contrast, OFC-targeted stimulation does not impair behavior that can be based on previously experienced stimulus-outcome associations. These findings suggest that activity in the targeted OFC network supports decision-making when outcomes have to be mentally simulated, providing converging cross-species evidence for a critical role of OFC in model-based but not model-free control of behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate keratocyte viability and proinflammatory cytokine secretion induced by HSV-1 infection. Methods: Keratocytes were separated from corneal tissues obtained with the SMILE procedure, and an in vitro system was established to study HSV-1 infection in human keratocytes. Cell viability, HSV-1 genomic DNA copy number, and the expression levels of α-SMA, ALDH1A1, phospho-p38, p38, phospho-IRF3, and IRF3 were evaluated. Antibody array and ELISA kits were used to measure the production of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Results: We found that HSV-1 infection reduced cell viability and activated keratocyte transdifferentiation into corneal fibroblast-like cells. Furthermore, p38 inhibition improved cell viability and IFN-β production and played an anti-inflammatory role by reducing the production of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Conclusions: Our study reveals an important role played by keratocytes during innate immune responses and identifies p38 inhibition as a potential therapeutic approach to control ocular HSV-1 infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A common issue with traditional warheads is the presence of a central blind zone when vertically striking targets. In this study, we proposed an axially reinforced warhead with different filler materials at the front end. Through experimental testing and simulations of single-point detonation at the bottom of the axially reinforced warhead, the fragmentation characteristics of the shell at the front end were analyzed, along with the fragment velocity and fragment distribution. The results showed that compared to traditional cylindrical warheads, the axially reinforced warhead filled with explosives or inert filler demonstrated significant improvements in fragmentation characteristics, the quality of the fragments, and the distribution of the fragments. Moreover, the fragment velocities showed greater similarity, and as the density of the inert filler increased, the improvement became more significant. In conclusion, the axially reinforced warhead with inert fillers at the front end produced evenly distributed fragments in the central damage area, which effectively improved the energy utilization of the warhead. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inter-facility transfer of patients with type A aortic dissection (AD) requires timely and efficient medical care. However, the quality of care provided during the transfer remains largely unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of care of patients with type A AD who underwent inter-facility transfer at a single medical center in Taiwan. This retrospective cohort study enrolled all patients with type A AD who underwent interfacility transfer between January 2017 and December 2019. Patients with complete transfer records and electronic medical charts in the emergency department (ED) were included. Patients who experienced a cardiac arrest episode before transfer were excluded due to poor outcomes. Patients were divided into two groups based on their hemodynamic status: the ideal group with values within the desirable range heart rate (HR) <60 bpm and systolic blood pressure (SBP): 100-120 mmHg and the control group with values out of range (HR >60 bpm or SBP <100 or >120 mmHg) before the transfer. We conducted an analysis of variations of hemodynamic status after the transfer. Among the 378 patients transferred with type A AD, 36 (31.9%) in the ideal group and 255 (96.2%) in the control group experienced hemodynamic deterioration after the transfer. In the ideal group and control group, the presence of nurses and emergency physicians assisting in the transfer accounted for only 6.2% and 7.95%, respectively. The ideal group had a significantly better survival outcome (adjusted OR (aOR): 1.25, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.12-2.45) compared to the control group. The quality of interfacility transfer in patients with type A AD is inadequate. Hemodynamic deterioration should be managed by ambulance crews during the transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]