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To investigate the relationship between grain sizes, seepage capacity, and oil-displacement efficiency in the Liushagang Formation of the Beibuwan Basin, this study identifies the multistage pore-throat structure as a crucial factor through a comparison of oil displacement in microscopic pore-throat experiments. The two-phase flow evaluation method based on the LieHorne model is utilized to effectively characterize and quantify the seepage characteristics of different reservoirs, closely relating them to the distribution of microscopic pores and throats. It is observed that conglomerate sandstones at different stages exhibit significant heterogeneity and noticeable differences in seepage capacity, highlighting the crucial role played by certain large pore throats in determining seepage capacity and oil displacement efficiency. Furthermore, it was found that the displacement effects of conglomeratic sandstones with strong heterogeneity were inferior to those of conventional homogeneous sandstone, as evidenced by multiple displacement experiments conducted on core samples with varying granularities and flooding systems. Subsequently, core-based experiments on associated gas flooding after water flooding were conducted to address the challenge of achieving satisfactory results in a single displacement mode for reservoirs with significant heterogeneity. The results indicate that the oil recovery rates for associated gas flooding after water flooding increased by 7.3%e16.4% compared with water flooding alone at a gas eoil ratio of approximately 7000 m³/m³. Therefore, considering the advantages of gas flooding in terms of seepage capacity, oil exchange ratio, and the potential for two-phase production, gas flooding is recommended as an energy supplement mode for homogeneous reservoirs in the presence of sufficient gas source and appropriate tectonic angle. On the other hand, associated gas flooding after water flooding is suggested to achieve a more favorable development effect compared to a single mode of energy supplementation for strongly heterogeneous sandstone reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The membrane potential (MP) controls cell homeostasis by directing molecule transport and gene expression. How the MP is set upon epithelial differentiation is unknown. Given that tissue architecture also controls homeostasis, we investigated the relationship between basoapical polarity and resting MP in three-dimensional culture of the HMT-3522 breast cancer progression. A microelectrode technique to measureMP and input resistance reveals that the MP is raised by gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC), which directs tightjunction mediated apical polarity, and is decreased by the Na+/K+/2Cl-(NKCC, encoded by SLC12A1 and SLC12A2) co-transporter, active in multicellular structures displaying basal polarity. In the tumor counterpart, the MP is reduced. Cancer cells display diminished GJIC and do not respond to furosemide, implying loss of NKCC activity. Induced differentiation of cancer cells into basally polarized multicellular structures restores widespread GJIC and NKCC responses, but these structures display the lowest MP. The absence of apical polarity, necessary for cancer onset, in the nonneoplastic epithelium is also associated with the lowest MP under active Cl- transport. We propose that the loss of apical polarity in the breast epithelium destabilizes cellular homeostasis in part by lowering the MP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estrogen-related receptor alpha can significantly affect cell metabolism and play key regulatory roles in healthy and diseased organisms. ERRα is also related to the onset and progression of various cancer types. ERRα is primarily expressed in metabolically active tissues and regulates the transcription of metabolic genes in such tissues. It coordinates metabolism and energy demand, affects osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and chondrocytes, promotes muscle regeneration, participates in angiogenesis, and regulates cell aging. In this study, the literature related to the identification of ERRα in skeletal, muscular, and vascular systems was reviewed to further elucidate this receptor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dorsomedial posterior parietal cortex (dmPPC) is part of a higher-cognition network implicated in elaborate processes underpinning memory formation, recollection, episode reconstruction, and temporal information processing. Neural coding for complex episodic processing is however under-documented. Here, we recorded extracellular neural activities from three male rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) and revealed a set of neural codes of "neuroethogram" in the primate parietal cortex. Analyzing neural responses in macaque dmPPC to naturalistic videos, we discovered several groups of neurons that are sensitive to different categories of ethogram items, low-level sensory features, and saccadic eye movement. We also discovered that the processing of category and feature information by these neurons is sustained by the accumulation of temporal information over a long timescale of up to 30 s, corroborating its reported long temporal receptive windows. We performed an additional behavioral experiment with additional two male rhesus macaques and found that saccade-related activities could not account for the mixed neuronal responses elicited by the video stimuli. We further observed monkeys' scan paths and gaze consistency are modulated by video content. Taken altogether, these neural findings explain how dmPPC weaves fabrics of ongoing experiences together in real time. The high dimensionality of neural representations should motivate us to shift the focus of attention from pure selectivity neurons to mixed selectivity neurons, especially in increasingly complex naturalistic task designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface roughness ubiquitously prevails in natural faults across various length scales. Despite extensive studies highlighting the important role of fault geometry in the dynamics of tectonic earthquakes, whether and how fault roughness affects fluid-induced seismicity remains elusive. Here, we investigate the effects of fault geometry and stress heterogeneity on fluid-induced fault slip and associated seismicity characteristics using laboratory experiments and numerical modeling. We perform fluid injection experiments on quartz-rich sandstone samples containing either a smooth or a rough fault. We find that geometrical roughness slows down injection-induced fault slip and reduces macroscopic slip velocities and fault slip-weakening rates. Stress heterogeneity and roughness control hypocenter distribution, frequency-magnitude characteristics, and source mechanisms of injection-induced acoustic emissions (AEs) (analogous to natural seismicity). In contrast to smooth faults where injection-induced AEs are uniformly distributed, slip on rough faults produces spatially localized AEs with pronounced non-double- couple source mechanisms. We demonstrate that these clustered AEs occur around highly stressed asperities where induced local slip rates are higher, accompanied by lower Gutenberg-Richter b-values. Our findings suggest that real-time monitoring of induced microseismicity during fluid injection may allow identifying progressive localization of seismic activity and improve forecasting of runaway events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Abdominal pain is a frequent adverse event in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after transarterial chemoembolisation (TACE). However, there remains uncertainty regarding the determinants of post-TACE pain. Objectives: We aimed to create and verify a prediction model for postoperative pain in patients with HCC after TACE treatment. Methods: This prospective study included all patients with HCC undergoing TACE in our hospital. According to the time of treatment, the dataset was divided into two cohorts (development and validation) in a3:2 ratio. After TACE, the participants used a visual analog scale to quantify their pain level at rest over a 24-hour period. The age, gender, tumor location, tumor size and number, medication administration route, and presence of portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) were recorded in all patients. Results: In total, 137 (mean age: 60.3 ± 10.1 years; 78.1% male) and 91 (mean age: 61.1 ± 10.5 years; 73.6% male) patients were included in the development and validation cohorts, respectively. Furthermore, 46.0% and 39.6% of the patients experienced acute moderate to severe pain after TACE in the development and validation cohorts, respectively. The tumor location, the drug delivery method, and the presence of PVTT were independently associated with post-TACE pain, all of which were combined to develop a prediction model based on a logistic equation. The discrimination of this risk score was satisfactory in both the development (area under the curve (AUC): 0.693,95% confidence interval (CI): 0.609 to 0.769, P < 0.001) and validation (AUC: 0.652,95% CI: 0.544 to 0.748, P = 0.002) cohorts. There was no significant difference between the two cohorts (difference: 0.042,95% CI: -0.081 to 0.164, P= 0.506). The risk score had good specificity for predicting post-TACE pain in both the development (83.8% (95% CI: 73.4% to 91.3%)) and validation (76.4% (95% CI: 63.0% to 86.8%)) cohorts. Conclusions: The presence of PVTT, the tumor location, and the drug administration method were risk factors for post-TACE dis- comfort. A prediction model based on these risk factors was useful for identifying patients who were vulnerable to post-TACE pain. However, further studies are required to validate these findings and optimize the model's performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remote and noncontact surface temperature measurements are frequently required yet challenging to execute. One the most promising options consists in using rare earth or transition metal doped materials as optical (luminescence) temperature sensors. In this paper, a series of novel Tb3+/Mn4+ co-doped SrLaMgNbO 6 (SLMN) phosphors have been synthesized and thoroughly investigated for their structural, luminescence spectroscopic and decay kinetics properties as well as for temperature sensing performance. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis has shown that the prepared sample presents a double perovskite structure. Upon the UV excitation, emission spectra of SLMN:Tb3+, Mn4+ exhibit green and red emission bands for Tb3+ and Mn4+ dopants, respectively. Temperature-dependent photoluminescence (TD-PL) studies revealed sever thermal quenching of Mn4+ emission while that of Tb3+ was moderate providing well pronounced difference in fluorescence intensity ratios (FIR) of the ions. The maximum relative sensitivity (Sr) was found to be 3.27% K−1 and 1.92% K−1 for Mn4+ and Tb3+, respectively. This implies that SLMN: Tb3+, Mn4+ phosphor is a viable candidate material for a dual-mode optical temperature detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective • This study was aimed to investigate the application value of brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique, including arterial spin labeling (ASL) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and cognitive dysfunction (CDF). Methods • A total of 50 patients with SLE admitted to the hospital from September 2020 to December 2022 were selected and divided into the group with CDF (n = 21) and the group without CDF (n = 29) according to the score of Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA). Additionally, 10 healthy individuals who underwent physical examinations during the same period were recruited as controls. After the conventional MRI, DTI and ASL data of all subjects were collected, statistical parametric mapping software combined with voxel morphology is applied for gray matter volume, white matter and gray matter cerebral blood flow (CBF) analysis among different groups. Results • There is a statistically significant difference in conventional MRI findings between the SLE group and the control group (P < .05). However, There was no significant difference in white matter fractional anisotropy (FA) values between the two groups (P > .05). The apparent diffusion coefficients (ADC) of the right precuneus and the right Brodmann’s area 21 and 6 in SLE patients with CDF were significantly higher than SLE patients without CDF (P < .05). In comparison to the nonCDF group, the CDF group exhibited reduced gray matter volume, primarily in the anterior cingulate gyrus, left frontal lobe, and right insula (P < .05). Meanwhile, the white matter and gray matter cerebral blood flow (CBF) of SLE patients with CDF were significantly lower than those without CDF. (P < .05). Correlation analysis showed that the MoCA score was positively associated with the volume of gray matter in the right insula, bilateral frontal lobe, left temporal lobe, and cingulate gyrus (P < .05). Additionally, MoCA score was also found to be positively associated with the CBF of white matter and gray matter (P < .05). Conclusions • Alterations in gray matter volume and CBF in SLE patients are closely associated with combined CDF and can be observed by DTI and ASL techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Isolated congenital bilateral absence of vas deferens (iCBAVD) in men results in obstructive azoospermia and is mainly caused by pathogenic variants in cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) or adhesion G protein‐coupled receptor G2 (ADGRG2). Methods: The next‐generation sequencing (NGS) was used to screen the mutations in the proband, and Sanger sequencings were performed to validate the compound heterozygous variant of CFTR in his family members. Protein structure simulation was performed to discover the potential pathological mechanism. Results: This study reported novel compound heterozygous CFTR mutations (NM:000492.4, Intron: 5T; c.3965_3969dupTTGGG: p.R1325Gfs*5) in two brothers with obstructive azoospermia. The compound heterozygous CFTR mutations were first screened out by NGS in an infertile male patient who exhibited iCBAVD from a nonconsanguineous Chinese family. Histological analysis of the testicular biopsy from this patient revealed normal spermatogenesis and mature spermatozoa were observed in the seminiferous tubules. Surprisingly, the same compound heterozygous CFTR mutations were also observed in his brothers who also exhibited iCBAVD, with their parents being a heterozygous carrier for the mutations, as verified by Sanger sequencing. Protein structure simulation revealed that these mutations potentially led to impaired ATP‐binding ability of CFTR. Conclusion: We identified novel compound heterozygous CFTR mutations in two brothers and summarized the literature regarding CFTR mutation and male infertility. Our study may contribute to the genetic diagnosis of iCBAVD and future genetic counseling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Axially chiral N-arylindoles bearing a stereogenic C-N axis are unique important scaffolds in natural products, advance materials, pharmaceuticals and privileged chiral ligands or catalysts. Herein, we report the direct synthesis of C-N axially chiral N-arylindoles through a Pd-catalyzed free amine-directed atroposelective C-H olefination enabled by a spiro phosphoric acid (SPA) ligand. A wide range of enantioenriched N-aromatic amine indoles were obtained in high yields with good enantioselectivities (35 examples, up to 91% yield and up to 96% ee). The chiral products with free amine group offer an effective functional handle for down-stream diversity-oriented synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Athletics is in the basic position in sports, the improvement of sports quality, sports technology mastery is inseparable from athletics training, athletics training is an important way to improve the level of sports. China's amateur track and field training has played a major channel and role in the basic training of track and field, which has experienced nearly 50 years of development and achieved some excellent results, but it is not ideal. The economic development in the society has a great impact on the basic training of track and field, and only by solving the problems in the basic training of track and field well can we really improve the level of track and field in China. Youth amateur track and field training not only stimulates athletes' interest in sports and mastering track and field skills, but also lays the foundation for athletes' sports through physical training. At present, the physical training of our youth is not ideal. With the help of amateur training in track and field, it will bring continuous optimization to the athletes' physical training effect. To strengthen the attention and analysis of the basic and special strategies of physical fitness training in youth athletics amateur training, guide the development of the most reasonable physical fitness training plan and select the most suitable physical fitness training methods, so as to achieve the stable improvement of athletes' physical fitness and achieve the ideal goal of physical fitness training. Therefore, this paper introduces scientific quantitative and customized indexes into athletic training from the perspective of genetic algorithm, so as to improve the scientific and cutting-edge analysis of training effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In smart cities, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVS) play a vital role in surveillance, monitoring, and data collection. However, the widespread integration of UAVs brings forth a pressing concern: security and privacy vulnerabilities. This study introduces the SP-IoUAV (Secure and Privacy Preserving Intrusion Detection and Prevention for UAVS) model, tailored specifically for the Internet of UAVs ecosystem. The challenge lies in safeguarding UAV operations and ensuring data confidentiality. Our model employs cutting-edge techniques, including federated learning, differential privacy, and secure multi-party computation. These fortify data confidentiality and enhance intrusion detection accuracy. Central to our approach is the integration of deep neural networks (DNNs) like the convolutional neural network-long short-term memory (CNN-LSTM) network, enabling real-time anomaly detection and precise threat identification. This empowers UAVs to make immediate decisions in dynamic environments. To proactively counteract security breaches, we have implemented a real-time decision mechanism triggering alerts and initiating automatic blacklisting. Furthermore, multi-factor authentication (MFA) strengthens access security for the intrusion detection system (IDS) database. The SP-IoUAV model not only establishes a comprehensive machine framework for safeguarding UAV operations but also advocates for secure and privacy-preserving machine learning in UAVS. Our model's effectiveness is validated using the CIC-IDS2017 dataset, and the comparative analysis showcases its superiority over previous approaches like FCL-SBL, RF-RSCV, and RBFNNs, boasting exceptional levels of accuracy (99.98%), precision (99.93%), recall (99.92%), and F-Score (99.92%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: One of the plants that has long been considered by humans is Equisetum arvense L. Equisetum arvense L is now recommended for external use to heal wounds and for internal use to relieve urinary tract and prostate disorders. In the current study, the antioxidant, cytotoxicity, and anti-human lung cancer properties of Equisetum arvense were investigated in in vitro conditions. Material and methods: Total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, radical scavenging activity, and ferrous ion chelating were assessed to evaluate the antioxidant activity. 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was chosen to investigate anticancer activity of the plant extract. Results: The plant extract scavenged 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) as a free radical with an IC50 of 12.3 ±0.7 µg/ml better than positive controls. The plant was also rich in phenolic compounds with an amount of 396.2 ±3.2 mg GAE/g for total phenolic content. In the MTT assay, human colorectal carcinoma (HCT-8 [HRT-18], Ramos.2G6.4C10, HT-29, and HCT 116) and normal cell lines (HUVEC) were used to study the cytotoxicity and anticancer potential of Equisetum arvense L against human colorectal cancer. Conclusions: The cell viability of Equisetum arvense L was very low against human colorectal carcinoma cell lines without any cytotoxicity towards the normal (HUVEC) cell line. The best anti-human colorectal carcinoma properties of Equisetum arvense L against the above cell lines were observed in the case of the HT 29 cell line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In wild-type phototrophic organisms, carotenoids (Crts) are primarily packed into specific pigment–protein complexes along with (Bacterio)chlorophylls and play important roles in the photosynthesis. Diphenylamine (DPA) inhibits carotenogenesis but not phototrophic growth of anoxygenic phototrophs and eliminates virtually all Crts from photocomplexes. To investigate the effect of Crts on assembly of the reaction center–light-harvesting (RC–LH) complex from the filamentous anoxygenic phototroph Roseiflexus (Rfl.) castenholzii, we generated carotenoidless (Crt-less) RC–LH complexes by growing cells in the presence of DPA. Here, we present cryoEM structures of the Rfl. castenholzii native and Crt-less RC–LH complexes with resolutions of 2.86 Å and 2.85 Å, respectively. From the high-quality map obtained, several important but previously unresolved details in the Rfl. castenholzii RC–LH structure were determined unambiguously including the assignment and likely function of three small polypeptides, and the content and spatial arrangement of Crts with bacteriochlorophyll molecules. The overall structures of Crt-containing and Crt-less complexes are similar. However, structural comparisons showed that only five Crts remain in complexes from DPA-treated cells and that the subunit X (TMx) flanked on the N-terminal helix of the Cyt-subunit is missing. Based on these results, the function of Crts in the assembly of the Rfl. castenholzii RC–LH complex and the molecular mechanism of quinone exchange is discussed. These structural details provide a fresh look at the photosynthetic apparatus of an evolutionary ancient phototroph as well as new insights into the importance of Crts for proper assembly and functioning of the RC–LH complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) takes the predominant malignancy of hepatocytes with bleak outcomes owing to high heterogeneity among patients. Personalized treatments based on molecular profiles will better improve patients’ prognosis. Lysozyme (LYZ), a secretory protein with antibacterial function generally expressed in monocytes/ macrophages, has been observed for the prognostic implications in different types of tumors. However, studies about the explicit applicative scenarios and mechanisms for tumor progression are still quite limited, especially for HCC. Here, based on the proteomic molecular classification data of early-stage HCC, we revealed that the LYZ level was elevated significantly in the most malignant HCC subtype and could serve as an independent prognostic predictor for HCC patients. Molecular profiles of LYZ-high HCCs were typical of those for the most malignant HCC subtype, with impaired metabolism, along with promoted proliferation and metastasis characteristics. Further studies demonstrated that LYZ tended to be aberrantly expressed in poorly differentiated HCC cells, which was regulated by STAT3 activation. LYZ promoted HCC proliferation and migration in both autocrine and paracrine manners independent of the muramidase activity through the activation of downstream protumoral signaling pathways via cell surface GRP78. Subcutaneous and orthotopic xenograft tumor models indicated that targeting LYZ inhibited HCC growth markedly in NOD/SCID mice. These results propose LYZ as a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for the subclass of HCC with an aggressive phenotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To determine the frequency of symptoms meeting Rome IV functional bowel disorder (FBD) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), investigate factors associated with FBD symptoms, and assess whether having FBD symptoms might influence AS disease activity. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we enrolled 153 AS patients without known colonic ulcers and 56 sex- and age-matched controls to evaluate FBD (or its subtypes) symptoms. Disease characteristics were also evaluated in the AS group. Results: Sixty (39.2%) of 153 AS patients had FBD symptoms, which were more prevalent than controls (23.2%). Besides, symptoms compatible with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and chronic diarrhoea were detected in 18 and 43 AS patients, respectively. For the AS group, multivariable logistic regression analyses showed that symptoms of FBD, IBS, and chronic diarrhoea were negatively associated with using non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs and positively associated with comorbid fibromyalgia, respectively. In exploration about the effects of FBD (or its subtypes) symptoms on AS disease activity by multivariable linear regression analyses, FBD symptoms and chronic diarrhoea had universal positive associations with assessments of AS disease characteristics, respectively. Conclusions: Patients with AS had frequent symptoms compatible with FBD, IBS, and chronic diarrhoea, proportions of which were lower in those with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug use. The improvement of FBD symptoms and chronic diarrhoea might be conducive to the disease status of AS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the introduction of a new Iris sanguinea cultivar named 'Donglin Shuying,' highlighting its distinctive flower type and color compared to its parents, I. sanguinea and I. sanguinea f. albiflora. Topics include the origin of the cultivar through seed collection and breeding, its morphological traits such as plant height, leaf dimensions, and flower characteristics, as well as cultivation techniques and landscape applications suitable for its growth in northern China.

Pesticide residue detection is an important work to ensure the quality safety of agricultural products. In the process of agricultural production, in order to prevent and control agricultural diseases and pests, a certain amount of pesticides need to be used. However, if pesticides are used excessively, there will be certain pesticide residues in crops and related products. Therefore, it is necessary to do a good job in pesticide residue detection. The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) detection methods have good results and can effectively detect pesticide residues in related products. This paper reviewed and analyzed the application of GC-MS and LC-MS in pesticide residue detection, and proposed optimization measures based on practical experience, hoping to provide reference for relevant scholars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of layers of 2D materials is of great significance for regulating the performance of nanoelectronic devices and optoelectronic devices, where the optimal thickness of the target sample should be determined before further physical research or device manufacturing steps. At present, a variety of different optical technologies have been proposed to determine the thickness of samples by using the relationship between the number of layers and optical properties, including optical contrast, optical imaging, Raman spectra, photoluminescence spectra, nonlinear spectra, near-field optical imaging, ellipsometry spectra, and hyperspectral imaging. In the past decade, the rapidly growing number of 2D materials and their heterostructures has exceeded the capacity of traditional experimental and computational methods. In recent years, machine learning (ML) is emerging as a powerful tool to support such traditional methods, which brings new opportunities to tap the potential of optical technology in a more perspicacious way. The application of optical technology has greatly facilitated the acquisition of optical information of materials, while ML algorithms provide a fast, high-throughput, and intelligent way to complete back-end data processing and inference. A profound integration of conventional optical technologies and ML algorithms significantly helps 2D materials progress in basic studies and practical applications and further promotes industrial manufacturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objectives] This study was conducted to understand the status of pesticide residues and dietary intake risk of Chinese chives in Tangshan area. [Methods] Sixty eight kinds of pesticide residues in 415 Chinese chive samples collected from Tangshan area were qualitatively and quantitatively determined by high -performance liquid chrom atograp hy -tan dem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) and gas chromatography (GC) in 2020. [Results] The results showed that 41 kinds of pesticide residues were detected in the 415 Chinese chive samples, and the detection rate was 69.4% (288/415), and there was a combination of pesticides in many samples. According to the National Food Safety Standard--Maximum Residue limits of Pesticides in Food (GB 2763-2019), the residues of 12 pesticides exceeded the maximum residue limits (MRLs), and the unqualified rate was 38. 07% (158 / 415). The highest detection rate of clothianidin was 41. 20% (171/415), but there was no MRL in GB 2763-2019. The next was procymidone, the detection rate of which was 35.42% (147/415), and the over-standard rate was 30.12% (125/415). Forbidden and restricted pesticides were detected in some samples. According to the dietary exposure risk assessment, the NEDI/ADI values were all less than 1 and the intake risk was within acceptable range. In Tangshan area, the types of pesticides used in Chinese chive production are complex, and there are risks of multi-residue pollution and use of banned and restricted pesticides and unregistered pesticides. It is suggested that routine monitoring of pesticide residues and management of pesticide use should be strengthened to ensure the quality and safety of agricultural products - [Conclusions] This study provides a theoretical basis for the safe production of Chinese chive and the standardized and rational use of pesticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studied the impact of new industrial activities on ecological security in agricultural and animal husbandry interlaced areas, and provided reference for eco-environmental protection and sustainable development. A pressure-state-response (PSR) assessment model was established in the case of Yanchi County, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. The comprehensive weights of the indexes were determined by AHP and entropy weight, and the ecological security status of agricultural and animal husbandry interlaced areas was evaluated. The results show that the index of pressure system fluctuated and decreased, and went through the stage from "Safe" to "Unsafe"; The index of the state system showed a rising trend, from "Extremely unsafe" to "Relatively safe", which showed the sensitivity characteristic; The response system index had been increasing year by year, and had stabilized at a "Safe" level in 2019;The overall ecosystem security index showed a fairly good development trend, with significant improvement in ecosystem functions in 2019. On the basis of the stable state system, we should ease the pressure index in the ecological security system of Yanchi County, control the scale of tourists, reduce the damage of farming and animal husbandry to the cultivated layer, and stabilize the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colonoscopy is an effective method for screening colorectal cancer and adenoma, but the adenoma detection rate depends on the quality of bowel preparation. Our study investigates the influencing factors of the quality of bowel preparation before colonoscopy in outpatients and the influence of the number of walking steps on the quality of bowel preparation. We prospectively collected the clinical data of 150 outpatients undergoing colonoscopy in our department in 2019. Ordinal logistic regression shows that the overweight, not drinking, the number of walking steps before colonoscopy, and the time interval between start PEG and colonoscopy (4–6 hours) were independent factors affecting bowel preparation quality. There was a curving relationship between the reciprocal of Ottawa score and the number of walking steps before colonoscopy, and the regression equation is 1/ Ottawa score = −0.198 + 0.062 × ln steps (p =.035), a minimum of 5,270 walking steps before a colonoscopy is required for a high quality of bowel preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To promote the harmonious development of the economy, resources, and the ecological environment, it is imperative to improve the green total factor productivity (GTFP) of the dairy farming industry (DFI) in China. In this paper, the Global Malmquist-Luenberger (GML) productivity index method based on the directional distance function was used to calculate the GTFP of the DFI in China and its three main regions from 2007 to 2017, and the generalized least squares (GLS) model was used to explore the influencing factors of the GTFP of the DFI. The results show that (1) the GTFP of dairy farming fluctuates, with an average annual growth of 0.23% from 2007 to 2017. The source of this growth mainly came from technological progress, while technical efficiency deteriorated. (2) The GTFP of different provinces and the eastern, central, and western regions was affected by carbon emissions. (3) The GTFP of the DFI in the central and western regions also decreased in turn. From 2007 to 2017, the dairy industry in the eastern, central, and western regions achieved environmentally friendly technological progress. The difference between regions is reflected in the degree of the technical efficiency recession, considering carbon emissions. (4) The five factors of breeding scale, industrial structure, breeding technology level, urbanization process, and environmental regulation have different influences on the GTFP of the DFI in China and its three main regions. Improving the GTFP of dairy farming can promote the green, efficient, and healthy development of the DFI in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HMA2 (heavy metal ATPase 2) plays a crucial role in extracellular and intracellular Zn2+ transport across biomembranes, maintaining ion homeostasis, and playing an important role in the normal physiological metabolism, growth, and development of plants. In our study, a novel HMA2 gene, named MaHMA2, was isolated and cloned from white mulberry (Morus alba L.). The gene sequence obtained was 1,342 bp long, with an open reading frame of 1,194 bp, encoding a protein of 397 amino acids, with a predicted molecular mass of 42.852 kD and an isoelectric point of 7.53. This protein belonged to the PIB-type ATPase transport protein family. We analyzed the expression of the MaHMA2 gene by quantitative real-time PCR. The results showed that the level of MaHMA2 gene expression decreased to a Zn concentration of 800 mg/kg. Malondialdehyde and proline levels increased and responded to increasing Zn when the MaHMA2 gene was silenced, whereas the activities of peroxidase and superoxide dismutase tended to increase in response to increasing Zn2+ ion stress concentrations but were lower in the gene-silenced plants. These findings suggested that the MaHMA2 gene played an active role in the tolerance response of mulberry to Zn stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The in situ efficient exploitation of low-mature organic-rich shale resources is critical for alleviating the current oil shortage. Convection heating is the most critical and feasible method for in situ retortion of shale. In this study, a thermo-hydro-mechanical coupling mathematical model for in situ exploitation of shale by convection heating is developed. The dynamic distribution of the temperature, seepage, and stress fields during the in situ heat injection of shale and the coupling effect between multiple physical fields are studied. When the operation time increases from 1 to 2.5 years, the temperature of most shale formations between heat injection and production wells increases significantly (from less than 400 to 500 °C), which is a period of significant production of shale oil and pyrolysis gas. The fluid pore pressure gradually decreases from the peak point of the heat injection well to the surrounding. Compared with shale formation, bedrock permeability is poor, pore pressure increases slowly, and a lag phenomenon exists. The pore pressure difference between bedrock and shale is minimal by 1 year. When the heat injection time is 2.5 years, the permeability coefficient of shale formation in the area from the heat injection well to the production wells increases nearly 100 times the initial permeability coefficient. With increasing formation temperature, the vertical stress gradually evolves from compressive stress to tensile stress. Meanwhile, the action area of tensile stress expands outward with time with the heat injection well as the center. In general, increasing tensile stress enlarges the pore volume. It extends the fracture width, creating favorable conditions for the injection of high-temperature fluids and the production of oil and gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Injection of CO2 and subsequent desorption of CH4 is considered to be the most efficient enhanced coalbed methane (ECBM) recovery technique to date. Meanwhile, CO2-ECBM is an excellent option for CO2 geo-sequestration for an extended period. Despite ongoing research efforts and several field applications of this technology, the mechanisms of the process have yet to be fully understood. The coalbed heterogeneity, the fluid interactions with coal, the CO2 induced swelling, and the continuous pressure and composition changes require outright insights for optimal application of the technique. Furthermore, intermolecular interactions of CO2 and CH4, their competitive adsorption on the dry/wet coal surface, and the dispersion and advection processes play an important role in defining the CO2-ECBM recovery process. An attempt has been made here to understand the key mechanisms of CO2-ECBM recovery in coalfields, particularly the adsorption of CO2 in the supercritical state at the recommended sequestration depth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the process of food testing, human operation is an important variable affecting the experimental results. In order to reasonably avoid the influence of human subjective operation behavior on the accuracy of detection results, the laboratory information management system was used as the information platform to de-sign a high-throughput laboratory automation pre-treatment system based on the deep integration of mechanical principles, visual analysis, high-speed conduction, intelligent storage and other technical systems. The experimental results showed that the system could shorten the sample circulation cycle, efectvely improve the laboratory biosafety, and meet the requirement of high-throughput procusing of samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The neocortex, the center for higher brain function, first emerged in mammals and has become massively expanded and folded in humans, constituting almost half the volume of the human brain. Primary microcephaly, a developmental disorder in which the brain is smaller than normal at birth, results mainly from there being fewer neurons in the neocortex because of defects in neural progenitor cells (NPCs). Outer radial glia (oRGs), NPCs that are abundant in gyrencephalic species but rare in lissencephalic species, are thought to play key roles in the expansion and folding of the neocortex. However, how oRGs expand, whether they are necessary for neocortical folding, and whether defects in oRGs cause microcephaly remain important questions in the study of brain development, evolution, and disease. Here, we show that oRG expansion in mice, ferrets, and human cerebral organoids requires cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6), the mutation of which causes primary microcephaly via an unknown mechanism. In a mouse model in which increased Hedgehog signaling expands oRGs and intermediate progenitor cells and induces neocortical folding, CDK6 loss selectively decreased oRGs and abolished neocortical folding. Remarkably, this function of CDK6 in oRG expansion did not require its kinase activity, was not shared by the highly similar CDK4 and CDK2, and was disrupted by the mutation causing microcephaly. Therefore, our results indicate that CDK6 is conserved to promote oRG expansion, that oRGs are necessary for neocortical folding, and that defects in oRG expansion may cause primary microcephaly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brain-related comorbidities are frequently observed in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and are related to increased disease progression and mortality. To date, it is unclear which mechanisms are involved in the development of brainrelated problems in COPD. In this study, a cigarette smoke and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure murine model was used to induce COPD-like features and assess the impact on brain and behavior. Mice were daily exposed to cigarette smoke for 72 days, except for days 42, 52, and 62, on which mice were intratracheally exposed to the bacterial trigger LPS. Emphysema and pulmonary inflammation as well as behavior and brain pathology were assessed. Cigarette smoke-exposed mice showed increased alveolar enlargement and numbers of macrophages and neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage. Cigarette smoke exposure resulted in lower body weight, which was accompanied by lower serum leptin levels, more time spent in the inner zone of the open field, and decreased claudin-5 and occludin protein expression levels in brain microvessels. Combined cigarette smoke and LPS exposure resulted in increased locomotion and elevated microglial activation in the hippocampus of the brain. These novel findings show that systemic inflammation observed after combined cigarette smoke and LPS exposure in this COPD model is associated with increased exploratory behavior. Findings suggest that neuroinflammation is present in the brain area involved in cognitive functioning and that blood-brain barrier integrity is compromised. These findings can contribute to our knowledge about possible processes involved in brain-related comorbidities in COPD, which is valuable for optimizing and developing therapy strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is often associated with intestinal comorbidities. In this study, changes in intestinal homeostasis and immunity in a cigarette smoke (CS)- and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced COPD model were investigated. Mice were exposed to cigarette smoke or air for 72 days, except days 42, 52, and 62 on which the mice were treated with saline or LPS via intratracheal instillation. Cigarette smoke exposure increased the airway inflammatory cell numbers, mucus production, and different inflammatory mediators, including C-reactive protein (CRP) and keratinocyte-derived chemokine (KC), in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and serum. LPS did not further impact airway inflammatory cell numbers or mucus production but decreased inflammatory mediator levels in BAL fluid. T helper (Th) 1 cells were enhanced in the spleen after cigarette smoke exposure; however, in combination with LPS, cigarette exposure caused an increase in Th1 and Th2 cells. Histomorphological changes were observed in the proximal small intestine after cigarette smoke exposure, and addition of LPS had no effect. Cigarette smoke activated the intestinal immune network for IgA production in the distal small intestine that was associated with increased fecal sIgA levels and enlargement of Peyer's patches. Cigarette smoke plus LPS decreased fecal sIgA levels and the size of Peyer's patches. In conclusion, cigarette smoke with or without LPS affects intestinal health as observed by changes in intestinal histomorphology and immune network for IgA production. Elevated systemic mediators might play a role in the lunggut cross talk. These findings contribute to a better understanding of intestinal disorders related to COPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased intracellular iron spurs mitochondrial biogenesis and respiration to satisfy high-energy demand during osteoclast differentiation and bone-resorbing activities. Transferrin receptor 1 (Tfr1) mediates cellular iron uptake through endocytosis of iron-loaded transferrin, and its expression increases during osteoclast differentiation. Nonetheless, the precise functions of Tfr1 and Tfr1-mediated iron uptake in osteoclast biology and skeletal homeostasis remain incompletely understood. To investigate the role of Tfr1 in osteoclast lineage cells in vivo and in vitro, we crossed Tfrc (encoding Tfr1)-floxed mice with Lyz2 (LysM)-Cre and Cathepsin K (Ctsk)-Cre mice to generate Tfrc conditional knockout mice in myeloid osteoclast precursors (Tfr1ΔLysM) or differentiated osteoclasts (Tfr1ΔLysM), respectively. Skeletal phenotyping by µCT and histology unveiled a significant increase in trabecular bone mass with normal osteoclast number in long bones of 10-week-old young and 6-month-old adult female but not male Tfr1ΔLysM mice. Although high trabecular bone volume in long bones was observed in both male and female Tfr1ΔLysM mice, this phenotype was more pronounced in female knockout mice. Consistent with this gender-dependent phenomena, estrogen deficiency induced by ovariectomy decreased trabecular bone mass in Tfr1ΔLysM mice. Mechanistically, disruption of Tfr1 expression attenuated mitochondrial metabolism and cytoskeletal organization in mature osteoclasts in vitro by attenuating mitochondrial respiration and activation of the Src-Rac1-WAVE regulatory complex axis, respectively, leading to decreased bone resorption with little impact on osteoclast differentiation. These results indicate that Tfr1-mediated iron uptake is specifically required for osteoclast function and is indispensable for bone remodeling in a gender-dependent manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complex interference complicates the description and interpretation of the depositional architecture of seismically thin-interbedded reservoirs. We introduce a proportion wavelength factor, k, which is the ratio of the actual thickness to the dominant wavelength, to replace the actual bed thickness in modeling. The featured design, using the equal k-step and multilayer nested loops, provides an efficient method to establish a synthetic seismogram database to assist in the interpretation of seismic amplitude and to understand the complex architectures associated with interbedded thin reservoirs. One of the notable advantages of the k model database is that it is comprehensive and independent from the wavelet frequency variation. Another advantage is that we can assemble any special or interesting architecture model similar to building blocks, by selecting and arranging each k series according to the customized orders. We have set up a case database of a simple three-bed interference model based on the 90°-phase Ricker wavelet and demonstrate the possibility to describe almost all depositional architectures between two thin coal seams. We further also defined three interference patterns of one trough, two troughs encasing one peak, and an interference-free pattern within a three-bed model and have built two identification templates. We draw some meaningful conclusions about amplitudes of tuning effect, valley effect, and monotone increasing trend to reduce the interpretation ambiguity in individual bed thickness, total thickness, and thickness difference. The efficiency of interference pattern identification and more accurate seismic signature interpretation of thin coal seams with great variation in bed thickness and interval distance is illustrated by applying our approach on Permian coal-bearing cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many previous cases have shown that port operations are susceptible to disruptive events. This paper proposes 2-stage Stochastic Programming (SP) for port users to reliably plan the hinterland-port intermodal freight network with consideration of risk aversion in cost. Probabilistic disruptions of intermodal terminals are considered as scenario-specific. In the 1st stage, intermodal paths are selected to obtain proper network capacities. In the 2nd stage, cargo flows are assigned for each disruption scenario on the planed network. The 2-stage model is firstly formulated in a risk-neutral environment to achieve the minimum expectation of total cost. Then, the Mean-Risk (MR) framework is adopted by incorporating a risk measure tool called Conditional Value-at-Risk (CVaR) into the expectation model, so as to reduce the cost of worst-case disruption scenarios. Benders' Decomposition (BD) is introduced to efficiently solve the exponential many problem. Some numerical experiments are performed under different risk aversion parameters. With this study, network planners can decide network capacities with reasonable redundancies to improve the freight reliability in a cost-effective way. The proposed method provides a simple approach for the planners to quantify their risk appetites in cost and to impose them in the planning process, hence to trade-off the Expected Cost (EC) and the worst-case cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To discuss the clinical therapeutic effect of Fu's subcutaneous needling therapy combined with tui na in the treatment of chronic nonspecific low back pain in pattern of qi stagnation and blood stasis. Methods: 92 cases of chronic nonspecific low back pain patients in pattern of qi stagnation and blood stasis were divided into the treatment group and the control group, with 46 cases in each group (n = 46). The patients in the control group were given routine treatment of modern medicine. Based on the treatment of the control group, patients in the treatment group were treated with Fu's subcutaneous needling therapy combined with tui na. The therapeutic effect of the two groups was compared after treatment. The modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) was used to evaluate the patient's condition. The subjective pain degree of patients was evaluated by visual analogue scale (VAS). The range of motion of extension, lateral flexion and flexion was compared between the two groups. The serum levels of Interleukin-1B (IL-1ß), substance P (SP) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) were measured before and after treatment. Results: The total effective rate of the treatment group was 95.65%. The total effective rate of the control group was 80.43%. The total effective rate of the treatment group was higher than that of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The mJOA scores of the two groups increased significantly after treatment, especially in the treatment group (P < 0.05). The VAS scores of the two groups significantly reduced after treatment, especially in the treatment group (P < 0.05). The range of motion of extension, lateral flexion and flexion in the two groups significantly improved after treatment (P < 0.05). The range of motion of extension, lateral flexion and flexion in the treatment group was higher than that in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). After treatment, IL-1ß and SP in the two groups decreased significantly, and 5-HT increased significantly (P < 0.05). The IL-1ß and SP in the treatment group were lower than those in the control group, and 5-HT in the treatment group was higher than that in the control group. Moreover, the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Fu's subcutaneous needling therapy combined with tui na can improve the curative effect of chronic nonspecific low back pain in pattern of qi stagnation and blood stasis. The treatment helps to control the condition of disease, reduce the degree of pain and improve the range of activity of the waist. Moreover, it can regulate the level of cytokines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microtubule-severing proteins (MTSPs), are a family of proteins which use adenosine triphosphate to sever microtubules. MTSPs have been shown to play an important role in multiple microtubule-involved cellular processes. One member of this family, fidgetin (FIGN), is also involved in male fertility; however, no studies have explored its roles in female fertility. In this study, we found mouse fidgetin is rich within oocyte zona pellucida (ZP) and is the only MTSP member to do so. Fidgetin also appears to interact with all three ZP proteins. These findings prompted us to propose that fidgetin might prevent polyspermy. Results from in vitro maturation oocytes analysis showed that fidgetin knockdown did cause polyspermy. We then deleted all three fidgetin isoforms with CRISPR/Cas9 technologies; however, female mice remained healthy and with normal fertility. Of all mouse MTSPs, only the mRNA level of fidgetin-like 1 (FIGNL1) significantly increased. Therefore, we assert that fidgetin-like 1 compensates fidgetin's roles in fidgetin knockout female mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To clarify the quality characters, understand the genetic diversity and screen elite lines among different oilseed sunflowers, the contents of crude fat, oleic acid, linoleic acid, palmitic acid and stearic acid of 525 oil sunflowers (including 375 germplasm accessions and 150 inbred lines) were detected by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS); the genetic variation and correlation analysis of quality traits were also performed. The results showed that oleic acid and linoleic acid had rich diversities with large variation ranges for each material type. Similar to the relation between crude fat content and palmitic acid content, significantly negative relation with high estimated value existed between oleic acid and linoleic acid content, while stearic acid content positively associated with oleic acid and palmitic acid content. Principal component analysis indicated that 5 quality traits were integrated into 2 principal component factors (linoleic acid negative factor and palmitic acid factor) with the contribution rate of 88.191%, which could be used for evaluating sunflower quality. 525 oilseed sunflowers were clustered into 3 groups with obvious differences of quality characters, materials in Group I had high contents of oleic acid and low crude fat, but the opposite was found in Group III. 59 superior quality accessions were obtained using large-scale and rapid near-infrared spectroscopy, and these excellent materials were verified by the traditional national chemical standard method. This research provided materials and significant reference for sunflower genetic research and quality breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article looks at a study which developed a kinetic diffusion–controlled method and synthesized intermetallic Pt2Mo nanocrystals with twin boundaries on mesoporous carbon. Topics discussed include formation of small-sized twinned intermetallic nanocrystals is associated with the strong Mo-C interaction; in situ aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope (TEM) at high temperature and present strategy paves the way for tailoring the interface structure of high–melting point.

With the increasing development of integrated energy systems and the continuous promotion of integrated demand response (IDR) research, residential users with a large amount of demand response resources are drawing more and more widespread attention. In order to fully exploit the IDR potential of residential users and analyse the influence of user comfort and consumer psychology (UCCP) on IDR, the optimised operation study of load aggregator (LA) based on UCCP-IDR model is proposed. Firstly, a selforganising map algorithm for clustering is introduced, from which various types of users with differentiated consumption psychology are obtained. Secondly, user comfort and consumption psychology are taken into account to establish a user curtailable, shiftable and transformable load model. Thirdly, the user IDR optimisation model is established based on the load model considering the user response uncertainty. Finally, based on the optimisation strategy of user IDR, the total energy demand of LA is obtained, and thus the optimal operation model of LA equipment is established. The analysis shows that the proposed strategy can provide a more reliable and targeted integrated demand response strategy for residential users, and achieve a win--win situation for both LA and residential users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zearalenone (ZEN), one of the most prevalent non-steroidal oestrogenic mycotoxins, is primarily produced by Fusarium fungi. Due to its toxicity as an oestrogenic compound and wide distribution in feed and foods, the reproductive toxicology of ZEN exposure is of public concern. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of ZEN on Sertoli cells to identify apoptotic pathways induced by this compound. We found that ZEN reduced the viability and caused apoptosis in Sertoli cells in vitro. Notably, we observed that such effects were associated with a significant increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the number of cells that showed positive staining for γH2AX and RAD51, enzymes essential for repairing DNA damage. There was a parallel decrease in the expression of occludin and connex- in 43, proteins that are present in the testis--blood barrier and gap junctions of Sertoli cells, respectively. Overall, the present study confirms that ZEN exposure can have serious deleterious effects on mammalian Sertoli cells and offers novel insight about its molecular targets in these cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The abnormalities in the mine ventilation system can reflect the risks and hidden dangers during the mine production. By combining the basic information of the mine and the ventilation monitoring data with the production status, the gas concentration and wind speed are used as the calculation indicators, and the k-nearest neighbor (KNN) is used to study the abnormal change characteristics of calculation indicators of mine ventilation system in different ventilation periods, and a ventilation hazard warning model was constructed and the model results were compared and validated. In addition, the dominant factors of the warning level were obtained by combining the grey correlation analysis (GCA). The results show that under different ventilation periods (easy ventilation period and difficult ventilation period), the correct rates of calculation and verification in easy ventilation period and difficult ventilation period are 95.65% and 97.82% respectively. It can be seen that the accuracy of the warning model is over 95%, which has good application and promotion value. Furthermore, the correlation coefficient of the wind speed in two periods is relatively high, which is indicating that the speed is the main indicator that affects the warning level. The research of this paper can provide theoretical support for realizing the intelligent management of mine risk in advance and short-term early warning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Primary cutaneous amyloidosis (PCA) is apruritic and potentially disfiguring disorder; this disease is usually diagnosed clinically due to its common occurrence. However, for cases with atypical presentations or for those physicians not familiar with PCA, the diagnosis can be a challenge. Objective: To observe the characteristics of PCA under dermoscopy and reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) in order to gain experience and reference for clinicians to facilitate diagnosis. Methods: The typical lesions of 110 patients with primary cutaneous amyloidosis were observed by dermoscopy and RCM, and scanning results were recorded. Thirty patients followed by complete excision for histopathological analysis. Results: A total of 110 patients with clinically diagnosed PCA were enrolled. Forty‐seven patients had lesions consistent with macular amyloidosis and 63 with lichen amyloidosus. The dermoscopic findings of PCA shared a common feature, each 'macule' was composed of a central hub pattern surrounded by brownish pigmentation, The pattern of the central hub could be brown, white, scar‐like and structureless area. RCM features of total patients consisted of dermal papilla present cloud‐like agglomerate which are high refractive index. Conclusions: Dermoscopy and reflectance confocal microscopy can be used in the diagnosis of PCA, which can provide a basis for doctors to diagnose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atomistic simulations have been performed to investigate the effect of aliphatic chain length in tetraalkylphosphonium cations on liquid morphologies, microscopic ionic structures, and dynamical quantities of tetraalkylphosphonium chloride ionic liquids. The liquid morphologies are characterized by sponge-like interpenetrating polar and apolar networks in ionic liquids consisting of tetraalkylphosphonium cations with short aliphatic chains. The lengthening aliphatic chains in tetraalkylphosphonium cations lead to polar domains consisting of chloride anions and central polar groups in cations being partially or totally segregated in ionic liquid matrices due to a progressive expansion of apolar domains in between. Prominent polarity alternation peaks and adjacency correlation peaks are observed at low and high q range in total X-ray scattering structural functions, respectively, and their peak positions gradually shift to lower q values with lengthening aliphatic chains in tetraalkylphosphonium cations. The charge alternation peaks registered in the intermediate q range exhibit complicated tendencies due to a cancellation of peaks and anti-peaks in partial structural functions for ionic subcomponents. The particular microstructures and liquid morphologies in tetraalkylphosphonium chloride ionic liquids intrinsically contribute to distinct dynamics characterized by mean square displacements, van Hove correlation functions, and non-Gaussian parameters for ionic species in the heterogeneous ionic environment. Most tetraalkylphosphonium cations have higher translational mobilities than their partner anions due to strong coordination of chloride anions with central polar groups in tetraalkylphosphonium cations through strong Coulombic and hydrogen bonding interactions. The increase of aliphatic chain length in tetraalkylphosphonium cations leads to a concomitant shift of van Hove correlation functions and non-Gaussian parameters to larger radial distances and longer time scales, respectively, indicating the enhanced translational dynamical heterogeneities of tetraalkylphosphonium cations and the corresponding chloride anions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An axisymmetric two-phase lattice Boltzmann method is applied to simulate the dewetting dynamics of a thin liquid film on a substrate. Initially, a circular dry spot exists in the center of the liquid film. A contact line forms around the dry spot and expands outwards. The liquid films dewetting on smooth and rough substrates are investigated. For a smooth substrate, the effects of the contact angle (θeq), Ohnesorge number (Oh), and viscosity ratio (λl) are studied. It is observed that the contact line recedes with a constant velocity V and that if θeq>45°, V has a linear relationship with θeq, which has never been mentioned in previous literatures. For a rough substrate, well-distributed pillars are set up to represent the roughness. There are two states for the liquid film dewetting on a rough substrate: Cassie andWenzel states. By comparison, it is found that the speed of the liquid film dewetting on the rough substrate of the Cassie state is slightly faster than that on the smooth substrate but much faster than that on the rough substrate of the Wenzel state, i.e., Wenzel state can obviously hold back the movement of the receding contact line. The corresponding mechanism is analyzed. The effect of the geometric factors of the pillars on the dewetting speed is discussed in detail. It is indicated that both the width and the depth of the grooves in roughness can significantly affect the dewetting speed. The results are helpful to design structured substrates for controlling the dewetting process of the liquid film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objectives] This study was conducted to establish a mathematical model for supercritical CO2 extraction of curcumin. [Methods] With ginger as the experimental raw material, a quadratic polynomial mathematical model of the yield of curcumin extracted by supercritical CO2 was established by response surface methodology (RSM). The validity of the mathematical model was verified, and the effects of extraction temperature (60 - 70°C), pressure (30-50 MPa) and time (70 - 90 min) on curcumin yield were analyzed. [Results] According to the model, the process parameters were optimized. Taking curcumin yield as the index, the optimal process conditions for supercritical CO2 extraction obtained were: temperature 62.6°C, pressure 37.7 MPa, time 82.9 min, under which the yield of curcumin was as high as 7.34%. Under the optimal extraction conditions, curcumin had a certain reducing capacity, and showed strong scavenging capacities to · OH, O2 • and DPPH, and its IC50 values were 9. 40, 9. 03 and 8. 04 mg/ml, respectively. Therefore, it is feasible to extract curcumin from ginger using supercritical CO2. [Conclusions] This study provides a theoretical bas is for the development and utilization of curcumin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objectives] This study was conducted to provide an accurate and reliable method for rapid high-throughput screening of veterinary drug preparations. [Methods] For the matrixes of veterinary drug preparations, high-performance liquid chromatography-high resolution quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF/ MS) was used to establish a fast screening method for 59 non-standard components in five categories of antiviral agents, aminoglycosides, quinolones, sulfonamides, and tetracyclines in veterinary drugs. The target drugs were separated by a Waters ACQUITY UPLC HSS TI chromatographic column ( 50 mm x 2. 1 mm, 1. 8 μm), and data were collected in the positive ion mode. Good separation of the 59 drugs was achieved within 7 min. [Results] In the concentration range of 0 -100 ng/ml, each drug showed a good linear relationship, and the correlation coefficients were all greater than 0. 999. The detection limits of the 59 drugs were in the range of 0. 1 - 0. 5 mg/ml, and the recovery under the addition concentration of 5 mg/ml was in the range of 85. 2% -103. 8%. [Conclusions] The method is fast, simple, accurate, and highly sensitive, and is suitable for high-throughput screening and qualitative identification of non-standard components in veterinary drug preparations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to investigate redshift space distortion effect on voids, VIDE (Void Identification and Examination toolkit) algorithm is used to find cosmic voids in real space and redshift space based on a mock galaxy catalog produced by the semi-analytical galaxy formation model. The voids can be divided into "collapsed" type and "expanded" type, according to the galaxy velocity on the void wall. The results show that the fraction of the "collapsed" voids decrease as the voids' size grows, while "expanded" voids are contrary. The effective radius of two type voids differs by 20% in real space, and the mean radial density profile of "collapsed" voids is significant higher than that of "expanded" voids. Using the member galaxies to match the voids in two spaces, the comparison of the voids' number distributions of two spaces shows that the difference of voids' number between them is related to the voids' size, and half of the voids in redshift space can not matched to the voids in real space. For the matched voids, the redshift space distortion has stronger effect on the density profile of the "collapsed" voids. For the unmatched ones, their density profile is clearly different, and the infall movement of galaxies on their shell is more obvious in real space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To investigate research hotspots and trends in nursing education from 2014 to 2020, and provide references for researchers to understand the research status and developing trends in this field. Design: A co-word analysis based on keywords. Methods: Data were obtained from nursing education-related academic research articles that were retrieved through a literature search using PubMed during the period of 2014-2020. Keywords included in the analysis of literature were considered as the research objects. Bibliographic Item Co-occurrence Matrix Builder (BICOMB) was employed to extract high-frequency keywords and generate co-occurrence matrix, graphical clustering toolkit (gCLUTO) was used to perform cluster analysis, and SPSS 25.0 was used to perform strategic diagram analysis. Results: Overall, 7857 articles were retrieved, from which 2679 keywords were obtained and 64 high-frequency keywords extracted. The results revealed seven hotspots in nursing education during the period of 2014-2020, which included research on: (i) continuing education in nursing, (ii) application and influence of the internet in nursing education, (iii) postgraduate nursing education, (iv) undergraduate nursing education and clinical quality training, (v) current development status and tendency of nursing education, (vi) nursing teaching methods and (vii) organization and management in nursing education. Conclusion: The seven research hotspots could reflect the publication trends in nursing education. By providing a co-word analysis--including cluster and strategic diagram analysis--an overall command of the latest hotspots can be depicted, and researchers conducting research in nursing education can have some hints. Impact: This study allows the development of future research on nursing education. Future researchers should explore the application of new network technologies in the process of nursing teaching, quality of postgraduate nursing education, innovative teaching methods as well as teaching strategies of improving students' clinical ability, current situation of economics and leadership in nursing education and ability of organization and management in undergraduate nursing education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 95GF/TPU show porous structure and outstanding conductivity of 36 S/cm. • Pressure sensor has ultra-high sensitivity of 275.8 kPa−1 and good repeatability. • As Joule heaters, the nanocomposites reaches to 211 °C at applied voltage of 3 V. • Applied to heat water and detect various body signals. The rapid growth of healthcare industry requires wearable devices of high performance. In this work, 95 % laterally compressed graphene foams (95GFs) were fabricated and reinforced with thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) to develop 95GF/TPU composites for Joule heating and piezoresistive sensing. The proposed pressure sensor exhibits high sensitivity of 275.8 kPa−1 (below 0.3 kPa), fast response time and good repeatability. As thermotherapy heaters, the nanocomposites can reach to 211 °C under 3 V applied voltage, which are among the best of electrothermal materials. This investigation reveals that highly compact and conductive graphene skeletons in horizontal direction play critical role in excellent sensing and heating performances. Demonstrations of sensing for vocalization, facile muscle movement and Joule heating suggesting great potentials for multifunctional wearable devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through filling the liquid crystal into the air holes of a dual-core holey fiber with a simple structure, the transmission mechanism of the fiber is changed from total internal reflection to photonic bandgap (PBG), and a polarization splitter based on the liquid crystal-filled dual-core PBG holey fiber is investigated. The results demonstrate that, by setting appropriate geometrical parameters, the polarization splitter possesses a short length of 890.5 μm, and its wide bandwidth of ~150 nm almost covers all the S, C, and L communication bands. Besides, it has an excellent electro-interference- resistance property and certain sensitivity to temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atomistic molecular dynamics simulations have been performed to investigate effective interactions of isolated water molecules dispersed in trihexyltetradecylphosphonium-orthoborate ionic liquids (ILs). The intrinsic free energy changes in solvating one water molecule from gas phase into bulk IL matrices were estimated as a function of temperature, and thereafter, the calculations of potential of mean force between two dispersed water molecules within different IL matrices were performed using umbrella sampling simulations. The systematic analyses of local ionic microstructures, orientational preferences, probability and spatial distributions of dispersed water molecules around neighboring ionic species indicate their preferential coordinations to central polar segments in orthoborate anions. The effective interactions between two dispersed water molecules are partially or totally screened as their separation distance increases due to interference of ionic species in between. These computational results connect microscopic anionic structures with macroscopically and experimentally observed difficulty in completely removing water from synthesized IL samples and suggest that the introduction of hydrophobic groups to central polar segments and the formation of conjugated ionic structures in orthoborate anions can effectively reduce residual water content in the corresponding IL samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]