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Abstract With the expansion of floating photovoltaics, rigid connectors offer advantages over polyester ropes by reducing the relative motion of floats and simplifying the layout of the connection system. However, the overall stability and safety of the floating photovoltaic system may be compromised if a wave crest occurs at the connection point of the rigid connector during motion. Furthermore, the rigid connectors with different degrees of freedom significantly impact the motion of the floats and their connection loads. In this study, three types of single-rod rigid connector models with varying constraints are established through numerical simulation to explore the feasibility of applying single-rod rigid connectors with different degrees of freedom in photovoltaic systems. Based on their degrees of freedom, these connectors are classified as cardan, purely rigid, and hinged. An analysis of float motion and connector loads in two-floating, four-floating, and eight-floating systems shows that as the number of floats increases, the axial distance between them decreases, resulting in more intense motion. Despite this, the eight-floating system maintains a certain safety distance. The maximum load on the connectors occurs in the middle of the multi-floating system, and releasing degrees of freedom can help mitigate some of the load effects.

The research results regarding the threshold values for slope disasters caused by rainfall are crucial for geological disaster prevention. In this study，landslides induced by long-term heavy rainfall occurred in five counties within the Gansu section of the Bailongjiang Basin between 2004 and 2019. Using the frequency method, the rainfall thresholds for early warning of rainfall type landslides with different rock characteristics were investigated. A relationship model between event rainfall and the duration of rainfall leading to landslides was constructed under different probability levels, and a lower threshold for critical cumulative rainfall was provided. Through verification of landslide characteristics and rainfall data resulting from a flash flood disaster in Wudu District in 2020，the accumulated rainfall measured by the rainfall gauge before the landslide is found to be consistent with the threshold given by the model. This finding is of guiding significance for early warning of landslide disasters caused by sustained heavy rainfall.

Abstract Background and Objective Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive, heterogenous hematopoetic malignancies with poor long-term prognosis. T-cell mediated tumor killing plays a key role in tumor immunity. Here, we explored the prognostic performance and functional significance of a T-cell mediated tumor killing sensitivity gene (GSTTK)-based prognostic score (TTKPI). Methods Publicly available transcriptomic data for AML were obtained from TCGA and NCBI-GEO. GSTTK were identified from the TISIDB database. Signature GSTTK for AML were identified by differential expression analysis, COX proportional hazards and LASSO regression analysis and a comprehensive TTKPI score was constructed. Prognostic performance of the TTKPI was examined using Kaplan–Meier survival analysis, Receiver operating curves, and nomogram analysis. Association of TTKPI with clinical phenotypes, tumor immune cell infiltration patterns, checkpoint expression patterns were analysed. Drug docking was used to identify important candidate drugs based on the TTKPI-component genes. Results From 401 differentially expressed GSTTK in AML, 24 genes were identified as signature genes and used to construct the TTKPI score. High-TTKPI risk score predicted worse survival and good prognostic accuracy with AUC values ranging from 75 to 96%. Higher TTKPI scores were associated with older age and cancer stage, which showed improved prognostic performance when combined with TTKPI. High TTKPI was associated with lower naïve CD4 T cell and follicular helper T cell infiltrates and higher M2 macrophages/monocyte infiltration. Distinct patterns of immune checkpoint expression corresponded with TTKPI score groups. Three agents; DB11791 (Capmatinib), DB12886 (GSK-1521498) and DB14773 (Lifirafenib) were identified as candidates for AML. Conclusion A T-cell mediated killing sensitivity gene-based prognostic score TTKPI showed good accuracy in predicting survival in AML. TTKPI corresponded to functional and immunological features of the tumor microenvironment including checkpoint expression patterns and should be investigated for precision medicine approaches.

Abstract The lifetime of electronic coherences found in photosynthetic antennas is known to be too short to match the energy transfer time, rendering the coherent energy transfer mechanism inactive. Exciton-vibrational coherence time in excitonic dimers which consist of two chromophores coupled by excitation transfer interaction, can however be much longer. Uncovering the mechanism for sustained coherences in a noisy biological environment is challenging, requiring the use of simpler model systems as proxies. Here, via two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy experiments, we present compelling evidence for longer exciton-vibrational coherence time in the allophycocyanin trimer, containing excitonic dimers, compared to isolated pigments. This is attributed to the quantum phase synchronization of the resonant vibrational collective modes of the dimer, where the anti-symmetric modes, coupled to excitonic states with fast dephasing, are dissipated. The decoupled symmetric counterparts are subject to slower energy dissipation. The resonant modes have a predicted nearly 50% reduction in the vibrational amplitudes, and almost zero amplitude in the corresponding dynamical Stokes shift spectrum compared to the isolated pigments. Our findings provide insights into the mechanisms for protecting coherences against the noisy environment.

Combining periodic layered structure with three-dimensional cylindrical local resonators, a hybrid metastructure with improved wave isolation ability was designed and investigated through theoretical and numerical approaches. The metastructure is composed of periodic rubber layers and concrete layers embedded with three-dimensional resonators, which can be freely designed with multi local resonant frequencies to attenuate vibrations at required frequencies and widen the attenuation bandgap. The metastructure can also effectively attenuate seismic responses. Compared with layered rubber-based structures, the metastructure has more excellent wave attenuation effects with greater attenuation and wider bandgap.

Background: Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) exhibits a wide array of phenotypic manifestations, progression patterns, and heterogeneous responses to immunotherapies, suggesting involvement of complex immunobiological mechanisms. This investigation aimed to develop an integrated prognostic model for AML by incorporating cancer driver genes, along with clinical and phenotypic characteristics of the disease, and to assess its implications for immunotherapy responsiveness. Methods: Critical oncogenic driver genes linked to survival were identified by screening primary effector and corresponding gene pairs using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), through univariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. This was independently verified using dataset GSE37642. Primary effector genes were further refined using LASSO regression. Transcriptomic profiling was quantified using multivariate Cox regression, and the derived prognostic score was subsequently validated. Finally, a multivariate Cox regression model was developed, incorporating the transcriptomic score along with clinical parameters such as age, gender, and French-American-British (FAB) classification subtype. The ‘Accurate Prediction Model of AML Overall Survival Score’ (APMAO) was developed and subsequently validated. Investigations were conducted into functional pathway enrichment, alterations in the gene mutational landscape, and the extent of immune cell infiltration associated with varying APMAO scores. To further investigate the potential of APMAO scores as a predictive biomarker for responsiveness to cancer immunotherapy, we conducted a series of analyses. These included examining the expression profiles of genes related to immune checkpoints, the interferon-gamma signaling pathway, and m6A regulation. Additionally, we explored the relationship between these gene expression patterns and the Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) dysfunction scores. Results: Through the screening of 95 cancer genes associated with survival and 313 interacting gene pairs, seven genes (ACSL6, MAP3K1, CHIC2, HIP1, PTPN6, TFEB, and DAXX) were identified, leading to the derivation of a transcriptional score. Age and the transcriptional score were significant predictors in Cox regression analysis and were integral to the development of the final APMAO model, which exhibited an AUC greater than 0.75 and was successfully validated. Notable differences were observed in the distribution of the transcriptional score, age, cytogenetic risk categories, and French-American-British (FAB) classification between high and low APMAO groups. Samples with high APMAO scores demonstrated significantly higher mutation rates and pathway enrichments in NFKB, TNF, JAK-STAT, and NOTCH signaling. Additionally, variations in immune cell infiltration and immune checkpoint expression, activation of the interferon-γ pathway, and expression of m6A regulators were noted, including a negative correlation between CD160, m6A expression, and APMAO scores. Conclusion: The combined APMAO score integrating transcriptional and clinical parameters demonstrated robust prognostic performance in predicting AML survival outcomes. It was linked to unique phenotypic characteristics, distinctive immune and mutational profiles, and patterns of expression for markers related to immunotherapy sensitivity. These observations suggest the potential for facilitating precision immunotherapy and advocate for its exploration in upcoming clinical trials.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess the clinical importance of various biomarkers, including NLR, CEA, CA199, CA125, CA153, and HE4, through dynamic testing to evaluate the effectiveness of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) for individuals facing advanced ovarian cancer. This provides valuable information for tailoring treatment plans to individual patients, thereby leading to a more personalized and effective management of individuals facing ovarian cancer.MethodsThe levels of NLR, CA125, CA199, CEA, CA153, and HE4 were detected before chemotherapy and after 3 courses of chemotherapy. Patients were categorized into ineffective and effective groups according to the effectiveness of NACT. To evaluate the factors influencing NACT’s effectiveness in individuals facing advanced ovarian cancer, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, predictive modeling, and multifactorial regression analysis were employed.ResultsIn the effective group, the patients’ age, maximum tumor diameter, and CEA and HE4 levels of the patients were significantly higher compared to those in the ineffective group (P

Abstract Background Head and neck squamous cancer (HNSCC) presents variable phenotype and progression features. Clinically applicable, high-accuracy multifactorial prognostic models for HNSCC survival outcomes are warranted and an active area of research. This study aimed to construct a comprehensive prognostic tool for HNSCC overall survival by integrating cancer driver genes with tumor clinical and phenotype information. Methods Key overall survival-related cancer driver genes were screened from among main effector and reciprocal gene pairs using TCGA data using univariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. Independent validation was performed using the GSE41613 dataset. The main effector genes among these were selected using LASSO regression and transcriptome score modeling was performed using multivariate Cox regression followed by validation analysis of the prognostic score. Next, multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed using the transcriptome score combined with age, grade, gender, and stage. An ‘Accurate Prediction Model of HNSCC Overall Survival Score’ (APMHO) was computed and validated. Enriched functional pathways, gene mutational landscape, immune cell infiltration, and immunotherapy sensitivity markers associated with high and low APMHO scores were analyzed. Results Screening 107 overall survival-related cancer genes and 402 interacting gene pairs, 6 genes: CRLF2, HSP90AA1, MAP2K1, PAFAH1B2, MYCL and SET genes, were identified and a transcriptional score was obtained. Age, stage and transcriptional score were found to be significant predictors in Cox regression analysis and used to construct a final APMHO model showing an AUC > 0.65 and validated. Transcriptional score, age, pathologic_N, pathologic_T, stage, and TCGA_subtype were significantly different in distribution between high and low APMHO groups. High APMHO samples showed significantly higher mutation rate, enriched tumor-related pathways including Hypoxia, unfold_protein_response, Glycolysis, and mTORC1 signaling, along with differences in immune cell infiltration and immune checkpoint, interferon-γ pathway and m6A regulator expression patterns. Conclusion The APMHO score combining transcriptional and clinical variables showed good prognostic ability for HNSCC overall survival outcomes and was associated with different patterns of phenotypical features, immune and mutational landscape, and immunotherapy sensitivity marker expression. Future studies should validate this score in independent clinical cohorts.

Abstract Keloids are a fibroproliferative skin disorder that develops in people of all ages. Keloids exhibit some cancer-like behaviors, with similar genetic and epigenetic modifications in the keloid microenvironment. The keloid microenvironment is composed of keratinocytes, fibroblasts, myofibroblasts, vascular endothelial cells, immune cells, stem cells and collagen fibers. Recent advances in the study of keloids have led to novel insights into cellular communication among components of the keloid microenvironment as well as potential therapeutic targets for treating keloids. In this review, we summarized the nature of genetic and epigenetic regulation in keloid-derived fibroblasts, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition of keratinocytes, immune cell infiltration into keloids, the differentiation of keloid-derived stem cells, endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition of vascular endothelial cells, extracellular matrix synthesis and remodeling, and uncontrolled angiogenesis in keloids with the aim of identifying new targets for therapeutic benefit. Video Abstract

Abstract Phycobilisomes (PBS) are the major light harvesting complexes of photosynthesis in the cyanobacteria and red algae. CpcL-PBS is a type of small PBS in cyanobacteria that transfers energy directly to photosystem I without the core structure. Here we report the cryo-EM structure of the CpcL-PBS from the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 at 2.6-Å resolution. The structure shows the CpcD domain of ferredoxin: NADP+ oxidoreductase is located at the distal end of CpcL-PBS, responsible for its attachment to PBS. With the evidence of ultrafast transient absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy, the roles of individual bilins in energy transfer are revealed. The bilin 1Iβ82 2 located near photosystem I has an enhanced planarity and is the red-bilin responsible for the direct energy transfer to photosystem I.

ObjectiveIn this study, we evaluated the role of a multidisciplinary team (MDT) in clinical practice for cervical cancer by analyzing the development of a single-case multidisciplinary consultation for cervical cancer.MethodsPatients in MDT consultations for cervical cancer were retrospectively analyzed for clinical information, decision content of MDT discussion, implementation, and follow-up results.ResultsOf the 392 patients who met the inclusion criteria, 359 had a first episode, of which 284 were stage IA-IIA2 (79.11%) and 75 were stage IIB-IVB (20.89%). Of these 392, 33 had a recurrence (8.42%). A total of 416 cases were analyzed, and neoadjuvant chemotherapy with surgery was recommended in 43 cases, of which 40 cases were implemented, and 36 of the 40 achieved the expected outcome. Surgical treatment was recommended in 241 cases, of which 226 underwent surgery, and 215 of them achieved the expected outcome. Radiotherapy was recommended in 31 cases, of which 26 cases underwent it, and 22 of them achieved the expected efficacy. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy was recommended in 57 cases, of which 49 underwent it, and 39 of them achieved the expected efficacy. Other treatments were recommended in 44 cases, of which 23 cases were implemented, and 10 of them achieved the expected efficacy, with statistically significant differences compared with cases without implementation (P 0.05). Some decisions were not fully implemented due to economic status and fear of certain treatments of the patient.ConclusionThe MDT plays an important role in clinical practice such as clinical staging, treatment plan, and the complete treatment management of patients with cervical cancer, which can significantly improve the near-term treatment effect, whereas its effect on a long-term prognosis needs further clinical observation and active exploration.

ABSTRACT The pivotal roles of gut microbiota in severe acute pancreatitis-associated acute lung injury (SAP-ALI) are increasingly revealed, and recent discoveries in the gut-lung axis have provided potential approaches for treating SAP-ALI. Qingyi decoction (QYD), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), is commonly used in clinical to treat SAP-ALI. However, the underlying mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated. Herein, by using a caerulein plus lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced SAP-ALI mice model and antibiotics (Abx) cocktail-induced pseudogermfree mice model, we tried to uncover the roles of the gut microbiota by administration of QYD and explored its possible mechanisms. Immunohistochemical results showed that the severity of SAP-ALI and intestinal barrier functions could be affected by the relative depletion of intestinal bacteria. The composition of gut microbiota was partially recovered after QYD treatment with decreased Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio and increased relative abundance in short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs)-producing bacteria. Correspondingly increased levels of SCFAs (especially propionate and butyrate) in feces, gut, serum, and lungs were observed, generally consistent with changes in microbes. Western-blot analysis and RT-qPCR results indicated that the AMPK/NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway was activated after oral administration of QYD, which was found to be possibly related to the regulatory effects on SCFAs in the intestine and lungs. In conclusion, our study provides new insights into treating SAP-ALI through modulating the gut microbiota and has prospective practical value for clinical use in the future. IMPORTANCE Gut microbiota affects the severity of SAP-ALI and intestinal barrier function. During SAP, a significant increase in the relative abundance of gut pathogens (Escherichia, Enterococcus, Enterobacter, Peptostreptococcus, Helicobacter) was observed. At the same time, QYD treatment decreased pathogenic bacteria and increased the relative abundance of SCFAs-producing bacteria (Bacteroides, Roseburia, Parabacteroides, Prevotella, Akkermansia). In addition, The AMPK/NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway mediated by SCFAs along the gut-lung axis may play an essential role in preventing the pathogenesis of SAP-ALI, which allows for reduced systemic inflammation and restoration of the intestinal barrier.

Root architectural traits at the seedling stage have been demonstrated to be crucial for the efficient uptake of nutrients and drought tolerance in wheat. To dissect the genetic basis of these traits from the D genome, 182 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from the common wheat TAA10 crossed with resynthesized allohexaploid wheat XX329 possessed similar AABB genomes were used for QTL mapping of five root traits in hydroponic-cultured seedlings, including lateral root number (LRN), seminal root number (SRN), root hair length (RHL), root diameter (RD), and total root volume (TRV). A total of seven QTLs were identified for the five root traits, with six possible novel QTLs for LRN, RHL, RD and TRV, accounting for 4.98–12.17% of phenotypic variation. One QTL (QLrn.qau-5D.2), controlling lateral root number, was fine mapped an approximate 5.0-Mb interval harboring 80 annotated genes, including five auxin-related genes. We further validated that QLrn.qau-5D.2 in NILTAA10 significantly enhanced yield-related traits, such as plant height, spike length, spike compactness, tiller number per plant and grain yield per plant, as comparison with NILXX329. Collectively, these results provide vital insights for fine-mapping QTLs associated with LRN, SRN, RHL, RD and TRV and facilitate the root morphologic designs for enhancing yield performance.

In order to improve the wave energy capture rate of the buoy of a wave energy generation device, this paper proposes a multi-degree of freedom method to optimize the shape of the buoy with maximum wave energy capture. Firstly, a multi-degree of freedom wave energy converter was designed, and the buoy shape was defined using a B-spline curve to generate the shape vector; then, a numerical model of the multi-degree of freedom wave energy converter was established and numerical calculations were carried out using AQWA/WEC-Sim software; on this basis, the particle swarm optimization algorithm was introduced to find the buoy shape corresponding to the maximum wave energy capture. Finally, the optimization of the buoy shape was in irregular waves. The results show that as the wave energy capture increased, the buoy shape tended to be flatter, with a smaller taper, and the optimal buoy shape had a better motion response than the conventional cone buoy. Eventually, the correctness of the buoy shape optimization method was verified through experimental testing.

Abstract Background An outbreak of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), caused by a Hantavirus, affected nine adult males in the southwest area of Xi’an in November 2020 was analyzed in this study. Methods Clinical and epidemiological data of HFRS patients in this outbreak were retrospectively analyzed. The whole genome of a hantavirus named 201120HV03xa (hv03xa for short) isolated from Apodemus agrarius captured in the construction site was sequenced and analyzed. In addition, nine HFRS patients were monitored for the IgG antibody against the HV N protein at 6 and 12 months, respectively. Results In this study, inhalation of aerosolized excreta and contaminated food may be the main source of infection. Genome analysis and phylogenetic analysis showed that hv03xa is a reassortment strain of HTNV, having an S segment related to A16 of HTN 4, an M segment related to Q37 and Q10 of HTN 4, and an L segment related to prototype strain 76–118 of HTN 7. Potential recombination was detected in the S segment of hv03xa strain. The anti-HV-IgG level of all the patients persist for at least one year after infection. Conclusions This report documented an HFRS outbreak in Xi’an, China, which provided the basic data for epidemiological surveillance of endemic HTNV infection and facilitated to predict disease risk and implement prevention measures.

Abstract Background Saccharomyces cerevisiae is often used as a cell factory for the production of S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM) for diverse pharmaceutical applications. However, SAM production by S. cerevisiae is negatively influenced by glucose repression, which is regulated by a serine/threonine kinase SNF1 complex. Here, a strategy of alleviating glucose repression by deleting REG1 (encodes the regulatory subunit of protein phosphatase 1) and overexpressing SNF1 (encodes the catalytic subunit of the SNF1 complex) was applied to improve SAM production in S. cerevisiae. SAM production, growth conditions, glucose consumption, ethanol accumulation, lifespan, glycolysis and amino acid metabolism were analyzed in the mutant strains. Results The results showed that the multiple effects of REG1 deletion and/or SNF1 overexpression exhibited a great potential for improving the SAM production in yeast. Enhanced the expression levels of genes involved in glucose transport and glycolysis, which improved the glucose utilization and then elevated the levels of glycolytic intermediates. The expression levels of ACS1 (encoding acetyl-CoA synthase I) and ALD6 (encoding aldehyde dehydrogenase), and the activity of alcohol dehydrogenase II (ADH2) were enhanced especially in the presence of excessive glucose levels, which probably promoted the conversion of ethanol in fermentation broth into acetyl-CoA. The gene expressions involved in sulfur-containing amino acids were also enhanced for the precursor amino acid biosynthesis. In addition, the lifespan of yeast was extended by REG1 deletion and/or SNF1 overexpression. As expected, the final SAM yield of the mutant YREG1ΔPSNF1 reached 8.28 g/L in a 10-L fermenter, which was 51.6% higher than the yield of the parent strain S. cerevisiae CGMCC 2842. Conclusion This study showed that the multiple effects of REG1 deletion and SNF1 overexpression improved SAM production in S. cerevisiae, providing new insight into the application of the SNF1 complex to abolish glucose repression and redirect carbon flux to nonethanol products in S. cerevisiae.

Background: Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is a severe form of acute pancreatitis with the potential to cause life-threatening complications. Patients with acute SAP require surgical intervention and are admitted to the intensive care unit for non-invasive ventilation. Dexmedetomidine (Dex) is currently used by intensive care clinicians and anaesthesiologists as an adjunctive sedative. Therefore, the clinical availability of Dex makes it easier to implement in SAP treatment than developing new drugs.Methods: Randomly dividing thirty rats into sham-operated (Sham), SAP, and Dex groups. The severity of pancreatic tissue injury in each rat was assessed by Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. Serum amylase activity and inflammatory factor levels were measured using commercially available kits. The expressions of necroptosis-related proteins, myeloperoxidase (MPO), CD68, and 4-hydroxy-trans-2-nonenal (HNE) were detected using immunohistochemistry (IHC). Transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) staining was utilized to identify pancreatic acinar cell apoptosis. The subcellular organelle structure of pancreatic acinar cells was observed using transmission electron microscopy. The regulatory effect of Dex on the gene expression profile of SAP rat pancreas tissue was investigated using RNA sequencing. We screened for differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) measured critical DEG mRNA expression in rat pancreatic tissues.Results: Dex attenuated SAP-induced pancreatic injury, infiltration of neutrophils and macrophages, and oxidative stress. Dex inhibited the expression of necroptosis-associated proteins RIPK1, RIPK3, and MLKL and alleviated apoptosis in acinar cells. Dex also mitigated the structural damage caused by SAP to mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum. Dex inhibited SAP-induced 473 DEGs, as determined by RNA sequencing. Dex may regulate SAP-induced inflammatory response and tissue damage by inhibiting the toll-like receptor/nuclear factor κB (TLR/NF-κB) signaling pathway and neutrophil extracellular trap formation.Conclusion: This study elucidated the remarkable effect of Dex against SAP and investigated the potential mechanism of action, providing an experimental base for the future clinical application of Dex in the treatment of SAP.

Replacing traditional manual sweeping with unmanned sweepers in closed parks can not only greatly reduce labor costs, but also improve sweeping efficiency. Efficient path planning is the key technology for unmanned sweepers to complete the sweeping task. Existing unmanned sweepers are often based on fixed path sweeping or completely traversing the sweeping mode, this mode does not have the environmental adaptability, in the actual sweeping is often high energy cost, and sweeping is not complete. In this paper, an environment-adaptive sweeping path planning method is proposed to improve the sweeping intelligence and environmental adaptability of unmanned sweepers, reduce the energy consumption of sweeping and improve the efficiency of sweeping. Specifically, in this paper, we first use YOLOv5 to complete the accurate identification of individual garbage and obstacles in the road, and then work with LIDAR and Gaussian Mixture Model(GMM) to remove redundant targets. We also propose a Permutation Entropy(PE) value-based discrimination method to complete the target distribution posture analysis of each complex garbage pile. Finally, the traditional path planning problem is transformed into a combinatorial optimization problem of garbage areas, and a sweeping path accurate method based on Simulated Annealing(SA) algorithm is proposed. Through comprehensive theoretical analysis and simulation study, the optimality and effectiveness of the proposed method are proved by comparing A star and Coverage Path Planning(CPP) algorithms in a variety of experimental scenarios.

Accurate terrain mapping information is very important for foot landing planning and motion control in foot robots. Therefore, a terrain mapping method suitable for an indoor structured environment is proposed in this paper. Firstly, by constructing a terrain mapping framework and adding the estimation of the robot’s pose, the algorithm converts the distance sensor measurement results into terrain height information and maps them into the voxel grid, and effectively reducing the influence of pose uncertainty in a robot system. Secondly, the height information mapped into the voxel grid is downsampled to reduce information redundancy. Finally, a preemptive random sample consistency (preemptive RANSAC) algorithm is used to divide the plane from the height information of the environment and merge the voxel grid in the extracted plane to realize the adaptive resolution 2D voxel terrain mapping (ARVTM) in the structured environment. Experiments show that the proposed mapping algorithm reduces the error of terrain mapping by 62.7% and increases the speed of terrain mapping by 25.1%. The algorithm can effectively identify and extract plane features in a structured environment, reducing the complexity of terrain mapping information, and improving the speed of terrain mapping.

Chestnut trees hold a prominent position in China as an economically significant forest species, offering both high economic value and ecological advantages. Identifying the distribution of chestnut forests is of paramount importance for enhancing efficient management practices. Presently, many studies are employing remote sensing imaging methods to monitor tree species. However, in comparison to the common classification of land cover types, the accuracy of tree species identification is relatively lower. This study focuses on accurately mapping the distribution of planted chestnut forests in China, particularly in the Huairou and Miyun regions, which are the main producing areas for Yanshan chestnuts in northeastern Beijing. We utilized the Google Earth Engine (GEE) cloud platform and Sentinel-2 satellite imagery to develop a method based on vegetation phenological features. This method involved identifying three distinct phenological periods of chestnut trees: flowering, fruiting, and dormancy, and extracting relevant spectral, vegetation, and terrain features. With these features, we further established and compared three machine learning algorithms for chestnut species identification: random forest (RF), decision tree (DT), and support vector machine (SVM). Our results indicated that the recognition accuracy of these algorithms ranked in descending order as RF > DT > SVM. We found that combining multiple phenological characteristics significantly improved the accuracy of chestnut forest distribution identification. Using the random forest algorithm and Sentinel-2 phenological features, we achieved an impressive overall accuracy (OA) of 98.78%, a Kappa coefficient of 0.9851, and a user’s accuracy (UA) and producer’s accuracy (PA) of 97.25% and 98.75%, respectively, for chestnut identification. When compared to field surveys and official area statistics, our method exhibited an accuracy rate of 89.59%. The implementation of this method not only offers crucial data support for soil erosion prevention and control studies in Beijing but also serves as a valuable reference for future research endeavors in this field.

The ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) was prepared by using the limestone coarse aggregate and ordinary Portland cement. The effects of sand ratio, water to cement ratio (W/C), cementitious materials, type and content of fiber, dosage of water reducer and defoamer on the mechanical and rheological properties of the UHPC were investigated. The correlations among influence factors and performances of UHPC were discussed. Moreover, the internal relationship between loading rate and elasticity modulus of UHPC was also studied. The results indicate that the compressive strength of UHPC first increases and then decreases with the increase of sand ratio, and a maximum compressive strength of UHPC was found at the sand ratio of 41%. The water reducer content of fresh UHPC firstly decreases and then increases with the increase of sand ratio. The compressive strength of UHPC firstly increases and then decreases with the increase of W/C, which also increases with the increase of cementitious materials. The elasticity modulus of UHPC decreases with increase of sand ratio and cementitious materials content, and the compressive strength and elasticity modulus of UHPC cured for 28 d increase with the increase of defoamer dosage. The slump flow of fresh UHPC first increases and then decreases with the increase of water reducer dosage. An optimum fiber content of UHPC can enhance the tensile strength and adhesive property, which can play the restraining deformation and toughening effect.

The electron re-injection effect has revealed the great probability rate of photon generation due to the head-on collision between relativistic electrons and laser. We study the electron re-injection dynamics when the ultra-intense laser irradiates the near-critical-density plasma and successfully controls the photon radiation by means of the transversely tailored plasma. Starting from the relativistic corrected ponderomotive force, the critical strength of the laser field required by the refluxing effect is theoretically obtained. Then, the theoretical description of the wavefront formed by electron refluxing is given via plugging in the difference in the transverse phase velocity of the plasma wave. Simulation results display a curved surface of the refluxing electrons, which are in good agreement with the calculation results stemming from the physics model. The re-built phase space of the refluxing electrons illustrates that they gain energy mainly from the longitudinal electrostatic field on the re-injection path. Despite the energy of the refluxing electron being relatively low, it could radiate more photons via more efficient non-linear Compton scattering than the electron being accelerated in the positive direction. Furthermore, we employ a transverse density profile in the plasma and successfully achieve control of the electron re-injection effect and the properties of the resultant photons as well. Simulation results exhibit that overcritical electron beams are successively re-injected from the plasma density peaks. These backward electrons emit photons along the two maximal plasma densities as they collide with the laser pulse. Although the quality of the photons is not improved, their spatial distribution is changed, which is a big step toward manipulating light sources.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic joint disease with increasing prevalence. Chondrocytes (CHs) are highly differentiated end-stage cells with a secretory phenotype that keeps the extracellular matrix (ECM) balanced and the cartilage environment stable. Osteoarthritis dedifferentiation causes cartilage matrix breakdown, accounting for one of the key pathogenesis of osteoarthritis. Recently, the activation of transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) was claimed to be a risk factor in osteoarthritis by causing inflammation and extracellular matrix degradation. However, the underlying mechanism is still unknown. Due to its mechanosensitive property, we speculated that the role of TRPA1 activation during osteoarthritis is matrix stiffness-dependent. In this study, we cultured the chondrocytes from patients with osteoarthritis on stiff vs. soft substrates, treated them with allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), a transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 agonist, and compared the chondrogenic phenotype, containing cell shape, F-actin cytoskeleton, vinculin, synthesized collagen profiles and their transcriptional regulatory factor, and inflammation-related interleukins. The data suggest that allyl isothiocyanate treatment activates transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 and results in both positive and harmful effects on chondrocytes. In addition, a softer matrix could help enhance the positive effects and alleviate the harmful ones. Thus, the effect of allyl isothiocyanate on chondrocytes is conditionally controllable, which could be associated with transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 activation, and is a promising strategy for osteoarthritis treatment.

Cold-inducible RNA-binding protein (CIRP) is an intracellular stress-response protein and a type of damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) that responds to various stress stimulus by altering its expression and mRNA stability. Upon exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light or low temperature, CIRP get translocated from the nucleus to the cytoplasm through methylation modification and stored in stress granules (SG). During exosome biogenesis, which involves formation of endosomes from the cell membrane through endocytosis, CIRP also gets packaged within the endosomes along with DNA, and RNA and other proteins. Subsequently, intraluminal vesicles (ILVs) are formed following the inward budding of the endosomal membrane, turning the endosomes into multi-vesicle bodies (MVBs). Finally, the MVBs fuse with the cell membrane to form exosomes. As a result, CIRP can also be secreted out of cells through the lysosomal pathway as Extracellular CIRP (eCIRP). Extracellular CIRP (eCIRP) is implicated in various conditions, including sepsis, ischemia-reperfusion damage, lung injury, and neuroinflammation, through the release of exosomes. In addition, CIRP interacts with TLR4, TREM-1, and IL-6R, and therefore are involved in triggering immune and inflammatory responses. Accordingly, eCIRP has been studied as potential novel targets for disease therapy. C23 and M3, polypeptides that oppose eCIRP binding to its receptors, are beneficial in numerous inflammatory illnesses. Some natural molecules such as Luteolin and Emodin can also antagonize CIRP, which play roles similar to C23 in inflammatory responses and inhibit macrophage-mediated inflammation. This review aims to provide a better understanding on CIRP translocation and secretion from the nucleus to the extracellular space and the mechanisms and inhibitory roles of eCIRP in diverse inflammatory illnesses.

The mix proportion, phase diagram components and mechanical properties of ultra-high performance mortar (UHPM) based on simplex-centroid design method were investigated. The effects of material components, sand/binder ratio (S/B) and water/binder ratio (W/B) on the strength and fluidity of UHPM were studied. Simultaneously, the relationship between water reducer dosage and slump flow of UHPM was investigated as well as the mix proportion design and performance prediction. The results showed that the simplex-centroid design method can be used to determine the relationship between influence factors and performance of UHPM. The differences of strength phase diagram for different mix proportion of UHPM were manifested in central position of minimum strength, strength contours and gradient, and position of maximum strength. There has a quadratic function relationship between water reducer dosage, slump flow and W/B. The slump flow of UHPM increases with the increase of water reducer dosage. The UHPM can be prepared based on simplex-centroid experimental design method.

Cervical cancer is a major cause of cancer-associated mortality among women in developing countries. Orai1-mediated store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) is the primary mechanism underlying most of the non-excitable calcium influx into cells. There is at present limited evidence showing that Orai1 can function as an oncogene or a tumor suppressor depending on the cancer type. Furthermore, the exact biological functions of Orai1 in cervical cancer and the underlying mechanisms are still poorly understood. In this study, we found that Orai1 was upregulated in cervical cancer tissues, and promoted the growth of human cervical cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. Gene silencing of Orai1 in cervical cancer cells significantly decreased interleukin (IL)-6 secretion. Interestingly, exogenous IL-6 abrogated the effects of Orai1 silencing and restored the clonogenicity of cervical cancer cells. Furthermore, we also observed a positive correlation between Orai1 and IL-6 expression in human cervical cancer samples. Taken together, our findings indicate that Orai1 functions as an oncogene in cervical cancer and is a promising therapeutic target.

Lateral organ boundaries domain (LBD) proteins, a class of plant-specific transcription factors with a special domain of lateral organ boundaries (LOB), play essential roles in plant growth and development. However, there is little known about the functions of these genes in wheat to date. Our previous study demonstrated that TaLBD16-4D is conducive to increasing lateral root number in wheat. In the present work, we further examined important agronomical traits of the aerial part of transgenic wheat overexpressing TaLBD16-4D. Interestingly, it was revealed that overexpressing TaLBD16-4D could lead to early heading and multiple alterations of plant architecture, including decreased plant height, increased flag leaf size and stem diameter, reduced spike length and tillering number, improved spike density and grain width, and decreased grain length. Moreover, auxin-responsive experiments demonstrated that the expression of TaLBD16-4D in wild-type (WT) wheat plants showed a significant upregulation through 2,4-D treatment. TaLBD16-4D-overexpression lines displayed a hyposensitivity to 2,4-D treatment and reduced shoot gravitropic response. The expressions of a set of auxin-responsive genes were markedly different between WT and transgenic plants. In addition, overexpressing TaLBD16-4D affected the transcript levels of flowering-related genes (TaGI, TaCO1, TaHd1, TaVRN1, TaVRN2, and TaFT1). Notably, the expression of TaGI, TaCO1, TaHd1, TaVRN1, and TaFT1 displayed significant upregulation under IAA treatment. Collectively, our observations indicated that overexpressing TaLBD16-4D could affect aerial architecture and heading time possibly though participating in the auxin pathway.

Abstract Over the past decades, low‐dose computed tomography (LD‐CT) screening has been widely used for the early detection of lung cancer. Increasing numbers of indeterminate pulmonary nodules are now being discovered. However, it remains challenging to distinguish malignant from benign pulmonary nodules, especially those considered to be small or ground‐glass (GGN) nodules. Liquid biopsies have been successfully applied in the diagnosis of advanced lung cancer, and the potential value for early detection of lung cancer has made great progress. Recent studies have demonstrated the value of various blood‐based tumor biomarkers in determining the nature of pulmonary nodules, including cell‐free DNA (cfDNA), microRNAs (miRNAs), circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and tumor‐associated autoantibodies (AAbs). In this review, we summarize the latest progress of liquid biopsies, and their potential applications and challenges in the diagnosis of malignant pulmonary nodules.

Abstract Endocrine therapies with SERMs (selective estrogen receptor modulators) or SERDs (selective estrogen receptor downregulators) are standard therapies for patients with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer. Multiple small molecule inhibitors targeting the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway or CDK4/6 have been developed to be used in combination with anti-estrogen drugs to overcome endocrine resistance. In addition to their direct antitumor effects, accumulating evidence has revealed the tumor immune microenvironment (TIM)-modulating effects of these therapeutic strategies, which have not been properly acknowledged previously. The immune microenvironment of breast tumors plays a crucial role in tumor development, metastasis and treatment response to endocrine therapy and immunotherapy. Therefore, in our current work, we comprehensively review the immunomodulatory effect of endocrine therapy and discuss its potential applications in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors in breast cancer treatment.

Abstract Reprogramming glycolysis for directing glycolytic metabolites to a specific metabolic pathway is expected to be useful for increasing microbial production of certain metabolites, such as amino acids, lipids or considerable secondary metabolites. In this report, a strategy of increasing glycolysis by altering the metabolism of inositol pyrophosphates (IPs) for improving the production of S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM) for diverse pharmaceutical applications in yeast is presented. The genes associated with the metabolism of IPs, arg82, ipk1 and kcs1, were deleted, respectively, in the yeast strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae CGMCC 2842. It was observed that the deletions of kcs1 and arg82 increased SAM by 83.3 % and 31.8 %, respectively, compared to that of the control. In addition to the improved transcription levels of various glycolytic genes and activities of the relative enzymes, the levels of glycolytic intermediates and ATP were also enhanced. To further confirm the feasibility, the kcs1 was deleted in the high SAM-producing strain Ymls1ΔGAPmK which was deleted malate synthase gene mls1 and co-expressed the Acetyl-CoA synthase gene acs2 and the SAM synthase gene metK1 from Leishmania infantum, to obtain the recombinant strain Ymls1Δkcs1ΔGAPmK. The level of SAM in Ymls1Δkcs1ΔGAPmK reached 2.89 g L−1 in a 250-mL flask and 8.86 g L−1 in a 10-L fermentation tank, increasing 30.2 % and 46.2 %, respectively, compared to those levels in Ymls1ΔGAPmK. The strategy of increasing glycolysis by deletion of kcs1 and arg82 improved SAM production in yeast.

Abstract Tyro3, Axl, and Mertk (TAM) receptors are a subfamily of receptor tyrosine kinases. TAM receptors have been implicated in mediating efferocytosis, regulation of immune cells, secretion of inflammatory factors, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in the tumor microenvironment, thereby serving as a critical player in tumor development and progression. The pro-carcinogenic role of TAM receptors has been widely confirmed, overexpression of TAM receptors is tied to tumor cells growth, metastasis, invasion and treatment resistance. Nonetheless, it is surprising to detect that inhibiting TAM signaling is not all beneficial in the tumor immune microenvironment. The absence of TAM receptors also affects anti-tumor immunity under certain conditions by modulating different immune cells, as the functional diversification of TAM signaling is closely related to tumor immunotherapy. Glioblastoma is the most prevalent and lethal primary brain tumor in adults. Although research regarding the crosstalk between TAM receptors and glioblastoma remains scarce, it appears likely that TAM receptors possess potential anti-tumor effects rather than portraying a total cancer-driving role in the context of glioblastoma. Accordingly, we doubt whether TAM receptors play a double-sided role in glioblastoma, and propose the Janus-faced TAM Hypothesis as a conceptual framework for comprehending the precise underlying mechanisms of TAMs. In this study, we aim to cast a spotlight on the potential multidirectional effects of TAM receptors in glioblastoma and provide a better understanding for TAM receptor-related targeted intervention. Video Abstract

A robust learning control strategy is presented for uncertain linear system with mismatched disturbance. A linear model with both mismatched uncertainty and disturbance is proposed firstly, in which the information of uncertainty and disturbance are unknown. Based on a reference model, a tracking error based linear model is built. What’s more, the input matrix of the linear model is assumed to be suffering from uncertainty. An extended state observer is built to approximate the uncertainty and disturbance online, and then a novel state tracking error based sliding surface is proposed. The stability of the sliding surface is guarantee by the designing parameter. A sliding mode based learning controller is designed for the closed-loop uncertain system. Moreover, a numerical simulation result on hypersonic flight vehicles is proposed to test the presented method.

Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP), one of the most serious abdominal emergencies in general surgery, is characterized by acute and rapid onset as well as high mortality, which often leads to multiple organ failure (MOF). Acute lung injury (ALI), the earliest accompanied organ dysfunction, is the most common cause of death in patients following the SAP onset. The exact pathogenesis of ALI during SAP, however, remains unclear. In recent years, advances in the microbiota-gut-lung axis have led to a better understanding of SAP-associated lung injury (PALI). In addition, the bidirectional communications between intestinal microbes and the lung are becoming more apparent. This paper aims to review the mechanisms of an imbalanced intestinal microbiota contributing to the development of PALI, which is mediated by the disruption of physical, chemical, and immune barriers in the intestine, promotes bacterial translocation, and results in the activation of abnormal immune responses in severe pancreatitis. The pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) mediated immunol mechanisms in the occurrence of PALI via binding with pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) through the microbiota-gut-lung axis are focused in this study. Moreover, the potential therapeutic strategies for alleviating PALI by regulating the composition or the function of the intestinal microbiota are discussed in this review. The aim of this study is to provide new ideas and therapeutic tools for PALI patients.

The types of volcanic edifices and volcanic eruption patterns control the accumulation and distribution of oil and gas. By means of drillings, seismic data, and geochemical analysis, the types and distribution of the Carboniferous volcanic edifices in the Shixi area of Junggar Basin were studied, the formation mechanism of magma was clarified, and the eruption patterns of volcanoes were investigated. The results show that the types of the Carboniferous volcanic edifices in the Shixi area mainly include stratovolcanic edifices, shield basic volcanic edifices, and mound superimposed volcanic edifices. Stratovolcanic edifices and mound superimposed volcanic edifices are developed around the Shixi fault, while single stratovolcanic edifices are developed around the Mobei fault. Shield basic volcanic edifices are only developed in the south of the Shixi area. Vertically, volcanic edifices are mainly developed on the hanging walls of the faults. When the faults develop, the volcanic vents are dendritic, forming mound superimposed volcanic edifices in space. On the plane, there are more volcanic edifices in the Shixi salient than in the Mobei salient. Intermediate-acid volcanic edifices are distributed in beaded shapes along one side of the Shixi fault and the Mobei fault, while basic volcanic edifices are distributed in sheet shapes on both sides of the Dinan fault. In the early Carboniferous, the Shixi area was in the island arc environment under the subduction of the oceanic crust. The basic magma came from the melting of the subduction plate, and the intermediate-acid magma came from the partial melting of the crust. In the late Carboniferous, the extensional environment formed by the retraction of the subduction plate led to the formation of large-scale volcanic eruptions. The extensional environment formed by the retreat of the subduction plate in the later stage resulted in large-scale volcanic eruptions.

The details of the immunological microenvironment and its clinical implications for pancreatic cancer are still unclear. In this study, we obtained data from public databases, such as the Gene Expression Omnibus, the Cancer Genome Atlas Program, the International Cancer Genome Consortium Data Portal, the ArrayExpress Data Warehouse, and the cBioPortal for Cancer Genomics. We used these data to evaluate the pattern of immune cells infiltration in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tissues. We observed that the levels of M0 macrophages and activated dendritic cells in tumor tissues were significantly higher than that in para-tumor tissues. M0 macrophages, gamma delta T cells and naive CD4 T cells were independent predictive factors of a poor outcome for PDAC patients. An immune score determined by M0 macrophages, gamma delta T cells and naive CD4 T cells could predict the survival of patients. The results of this study suggest that the infiltration of immune cells, such as M0 macrophages, may be a possible target for the treatment of PDAC. However, these findings need to be confirmed by additional studies.

Abstract In situ CO2 foams (ISCF) are studied systematically by combining in situ CO2 gas reactants (carbonate anhydrous, hydrochloric acid) and bio‐based surfactant. Sandpack flooding experiments at 60°C along with PVT experiments were carried out to analyze the oil displacement mechanisms. The results showed that ISCF could increase oil recovery from heterogeneous multilayer formation of permeability ratio over 6, and displacement efficiency increased with the injection volume increased before the injection of 1 PV. The incremental oil recovery by ISCF was much greater than that of conventional foam or in situ CO2 (ISC) without foam under the same injection conditions. The generated CO2 foam could reduce the interfacial tension between displacement phase and displaced phase effectively which contributed to the great increase in capillary number. The CO2 dissolution greatly reduced the viscosity of crude oil, and the highest viscosity reduction rate at 60°C could be as high as 98%. The Ca2+ concentration of produced liquids analysis revealed the ISCF could distribute intelligently the acid in heterogeneous formations.

A large number of aerospace practices have confirmed that the aerospace microgravity environment can lead to cognitive function decline. Mitochondria are the most important energy metabolism organelles, and some studies demonstrate that the areospace microgravity environment can cause mitochondrial dysfunction. However, the relationships between cognitive function decline and mitochondrial dysfunction in the microgravity environment have not been elucidated. In this study, we simulated the microgravity environment in the Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats by -30° tail suspension for 28 days. We then investigated the changes of mitochondrial morphology and proteomics in the hippocampus. The electron microscopy results showed that the 28-day tail suspension increased the mitochondria number and size of rat hippocampal neuronal soma. Using TMT-based proteomics analysis, we identified 163 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) between tail suspension and control samples, and among them, 128 proteins were upregulated and 35 proteins were downregulated. Functional and network analyses of the DEPs indicated that several of mitochondrial metabolic processes including the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle were altered by simulating microgravity (SM). We verified 3 upregulated proteins, aconitate hydratase (ACO2), dihydrolipoamide S-succinyltransferase (DLST), and citrate synthase (CS), in the TCA cycle process by western blotting and confirmed their differential expressions between tail suspension and control samples. Taken together, our results demonstrate that 28-day tail suspension can cause changes in the morphology and metabolic function of hippocampus mitochondria, which might represent a mechanism of cognitive disorder caused by aerospace microgravity.

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in the digestive tract worldwide, with increased morbidity and mortality. In recent years, with the development of surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy, and the change of the medical thinking model, remarkable progress has been made in researching comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of PC. However, the present situation of diagnostic and treatment of PC is still unsatisfactory. There is an urgent need for academia to fully integrate the basic research and clinical data from PC to form a research model conducive to clinical translation and promote the proper treatment of PC. This paper summarized the translation progress of mass spectrometry (MS) in the pathogenesis, diagnosis, prognosis, and PC treatment to promote the basic research results of PC into clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a prevalent clinical condition of the digestive system, with a growing frequency each year. Approximately 20% of patients suffer from severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) with local consequences and multi-organ failure, putting a significant strain on patients’ health insurance. According to reports, the lungs are particularly susceptible to SAP. Acute respiratory distress syndrome, a severe type of acute lung injury (ALI), is the primary cause of mortality among AP patients. Controlling the mortality associated with SAP requires an understanding of the etiology of AP-associated ALI, the discovery of biomarkers for the early detection of ALI, and the identification of potentially effective drug treatments. Exosomes are a class of extracellular vesicles with a diameter of 30–150 nm that are actively released into tissue fluids to mediate biological functions. Exosomes are laden with bioactive cargo, such as lipids, proteins, DNA, and RNA. During the initial stages of AP, acinar cell-derived exosomes suppress forkhead box protein O1 expression, resulting in M1 macrophage polarization. Similarly, macrophage-derived exosomes activate inflammatory pathways within endothelium or epithelial cells, promoting an inflammatory cascade response. On the other hand, a part of exosome cargo performs tissue repair and anti-inflammatory actions and inhibits the cytokine storm during AP. Other reviews have detailed the function of exosomes in the development of AP, chronic pancreatitis, and autoimmune pancreatitis. The discoveries involving exosomes at the intersection of AP and acute lung injury (ALI) are reviewed here. Furthermore, we discuss the therapeutic potential of exosomes in AP and associated ALI. With the continuous improvement of technological tools, the research on exosomes has gradually shifted from basic to clinical applications. Several exosome-specific non-coding RNAs and proteins can be used as novel molecular markers to assist in the diagnosis and prognosis of AP and associated ALI.

Abstract The properties of the foam fluid in porous media depend on its dynamic structure. However, few studies have focused on the dynamic structural change in foam. In this research, a method based on the level set method is proposed for the simulation of aqueous foam transport in porous media. As a first step, we focus on the Jamin effect, and a concise relation is established which reveals that the resultant pressure is proportional to the capillary pressure. Second, the snap‐off process of foam in porous media is studied, and both the two stages, including partial disintegration, are revealed based on the results. Third, the conclusion that foam automatically selects a larger channel in which to continue flowing is obtained by studying the foam selectivity. Finally, experiments are carried out to verify the simulation results using different models. The simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental results. These results are expected to be helpful for further understanding the foam characteristics and their effective applications.

While the conversion of CO2 to high-value products provides a promising means to remove and utilize atmospheric carbon, few materials can do so without wasteful, sacrificial reagents. Here, authors prepare single-atom Co on Bi3O4Br nanosheets as CO2 reduction catalysts using water and light.

The application effect of the foam deliquification technology in horizontal wells is poor because the foaming agent fails to reach the target location. In view of this, the adaptability of the capillary foam deliquification technology in the Western Sichuan Gas Field in the Sichuan Basin was analyzed from the aspects of gas flow rate, liquid flow rate and casing program of gas wells, and the design of injection depth and the selection of capillary size, tool string parameters (the maximum length and the minimum counterweight) and foam deliquification parameters (foaming agent type selection, ground injection concentration and rate) were optimized. Then, a standardized capillary operation process was developed. Finally, a field application test was carried out. And the following research results were obtained. First, the capillary foam deliquification technology has a popularization potential in the horizontal wells of middle–shallow depth, low pressure and low liquid flow rate, but it is not suitable for the wells with too low gas flow rate, too high liquid flow rate or too high condensate content. Second, the well deviation angle at the injection depth shall be between 70° and 80°, the selection of capillary size shall satisfy the requirement for tension strength by the well depth, the foam deliquification parameters shall be optimized based on the specific well conditions and the liquid loading characteristics, and the capillary operation shall comply with the standardized process. Third, by the end of July 2017, the capillary foam deliquification technology had been successfully applied in 9 horizontal wells in the Western Sichuan Gas Field with a cumulative gas increment of 295 × 104 m3. Fourth, 4 supporting technologies of the capillary foam deliquification are formed, including capillary sticking prevention, integrated agent injection and pressure measurement, combined cleaning and deliquification and capillary wellhead suspension. In conclusion, the capillary foam deliquification technology provides a technological support for the deliquification and production stabilization of horizontal wells with middle–shallow depth, low pressures and low liquid flow rates in the Western Sichuan Depression, and also provides technological reference for the deliquification of horizontal wells in the similar type of gas reservoirs. Keywords: Horizontal well, Capillary, Deliquification, Bottom-hole cleaning, Pressure measurement, Sticking prevention, Suspension, Sichuan basin, Western sichuan gas field

This paper proposes a high-accuracy distortion correction method for optical imaging distortion mapping and computational image predistortion. Due to the establishment of the predistortion is based on the distortion evaluation in the common optical design software CODE V, it can be used in the broad field of optical imaging system. Two distortion correction methods considering radial and tangential distortion rates which defined by optical design are introduced to perform distortion correction, and the forward and inverse image warping interpolation methods are adopted, separately. Simulations are conducted to verify the effectiveness in correcting complex distortion for freeform off-axis optical system. Furthermore, we implement a distortion correction experiment for an augmented reality head-mounted display that suffers from an asymmetric distortion with the maximum tangential distortion over 7%. For the first method, fast and high-accuracy image warping is achieved, and the RMS error of the approximation predistortion image is less than 1 pixel. Meanwhile, the RMS errors of the corrected imaging points are approximately 1.93 pixels vertically and 2.16 pixels horizontally when using a 5-megapixel camera. The second method considers the additional influence of the actual machining and assembly errors of the optical system, and the RMS errors of 0.89 pixels vertically and 0.85 pixels horizontally are achieved.

Objective: Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) can lead to acute lung injury (ALI). This study investigated the therapeutic effect of emodin and its molecular mechanisms in a rat model of SAP-ALI.Methods: Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the groups: Control (CON), SAP (SAP), emodin (EMO), and C23 (C23). The latter three groups of rats were induced for SAP-ALI by retrograde injection of 5% sodium taurocholate into the biliary-pancreatic duct and were treated with vehicle, emodin or C23, respectively. One day post induction, their pancreatic and lung injury was assessed by histology and arterial blood gas analysis. In vitro, rat alveolar macrophages (NR8383 cells) were treated with recombinant rat CIRP in the presence or absence of TAK242 (a TLR4 inhibitor), C23 or emodin. The CIRP-mediated activation of the NLRP3/IL-1β/CXCL1 signaling in rat lungs and NR8383 cells was determined. Similarly, the role of IL-1β in the CIRP-induced CXCL1 expression was investigated.Results: Emodin treatment significantly reduced inflammation and tissue damages in the pancreatic and lung tissues in rats with SAP-ALI, accompanied by decreasing serum amylase, CIRP and IL-1β levels and improving lung function. Furthermore, emodin significantly mitigated the SAP-up-regulated CIRP expression in the pancreatic islets and lung tissues, and attenuated the SAP-activated NF-κB signaling, NLRP3 inflammasome formation and CXCL1 expression in lung resident macrophages as well as neutrophil infiltration in the lungs of rats. In addition, treatment with CIRP significantly activated the NF-κB signaling and NLRP3 inflammasome formation and induced IL-1β and CXCL1 expression and pyroptosis in NR8383 cells, which were abrogated by TAK242 and significantly mitigated by C23 or emodin. Moreover, CIRP only induced very lower levels of CXCL1 expression in IL-1β-silencing NR8383 cells and treatment with IL-1β induced CXCL1 expression in NR8383 cells in a dose and time-dependent manner.Conclusion: Emodin may inhibit the CIRP-activated NLRP3/IL-1β/CXCL1signaling to decrease neutrophil infiltration and ameliorate the SAP-ALI in rats.

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T (CAR-T) cell transfer has made great success in hematological malignancies, but only shown a limited effect on solid tumors. One of the major hurdles is the poor persistence of infused cells derived from ex vivo activation/expansion and repeated antigen encounter after re-infusion. Bcl-xL has been demonstrated to play an important role on normal T cell survival and function as well as genetically engineered cells. In the current study, we developed a retroviral CAR construct containing a second-generation carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)-targeting CAR with the Bcl-xL gene and tested the anti-CEA CAR-T cell immunotherapy for colorectal cancer. In vitro, the anti-CEA CAR-T cells destroyed CEA-expressing tumor cells and sustained survival. In vivo, adoptive cell transfer of anti-CEA CAR-T cells significantly enhanced the ability of the CAR-T cells to accumulate in tumor tissues, suppress tumor growth and increase the overall survival rate of tumor-bearing mice in a murine model of colorectal cancer. These results demonstrate a novel CAR-T platform that has the ability to increase the persistence of CAR-T cells in solid tumors through exogenous expression of persistent genes. The data provide a potentially novel approach to augment CAR-T immunotherapy for solid tumors.

A novel sliding mode learning controller is proposed for uncertain mechanical system in this paper. The model of uncertain mechanical system is listed first, and then extended state observer is designed for the estimation of the uncertainty. Then, an extended state observer–based sliding surface is constructed. The sliding surface parameters are solved by Lyapunov function approach. Then, a sliding mode learning controller is proposed for uncertain mechanical system to overcome the inherent chattering. Finally, a numerical simulation is given to show the effectiveness of the proposed sliding mode learning controller.