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Controlling the size and distribution of potential barriers within a medium of interacting particles can unveil unique collective behaviors and innovative functionalities. We introduce a unique superconducting hybrid device using a novel artificial spin ice structure composed of asymmetric nanomagnets. This structure forms a distinctive superconducting pinning potential that steers unconventional motion of superconducting vortices, thereby inducing a magnetic nonreciprocal effect, in contrast to the electric nonreciprocal effect commonly observed in superconducting diodes. Furthermore, the polarity of the magnetic nonreciprocity is in situ reversible through the tunable magnetic patterns of artificial spin ice. Our findings demonstrate that artificial spin ice not only precisely modulates superconducting characteristics but also opens the door to novel functionalities, offering a groundbreaking paradigm for superconducting electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A triangle‐path in a graph G $G$ is a sequence of distinct triangles T1,T2,...,Tm ${T}_{1},{T}_{2},\ldots ,{T}_{m}$ in G $G$ such that for any i,j $i,j$ with 1≤ii+1 $j\gt i+1$. A connected graph G $G$ is triangularly connected if for any two nonparallel edges e $e$ and e′ $e^{\prime} $ there is a triangle‐path T1T2⋯Tm ${T}_{1}{T}_{2}\cdots {T}_{m}$ such that e∈E(T1) $e\in E({T}_{1})$ and e′∈E(Tm) $e^{\prime} \in E({T}_{m})$. For ordinary graphs, Fan et al. characterize all triangularly connected graphs that admit nowhere‐zero 3‐flows or 4‐flows. Corollaries of this result include the integer flow of some families of ordinary graphs, such as locally connected graphs due to Lai and some types of products of graphs due to Imrich et al. In this paper, Fan's result for triangularly connected graphs is further extended to signed graphs. We proved that a flow‐admissible triangularly connected signed graph admits a nowhere‐zero 4‐flow if and only if it is not the wheel W5 ${W}_{5}$ associated with a specific signature. Moreover, this result is sharp since there are infinitely many unbalanced triangularly connected signed graphs admitting a nowhere‐zero 4‐flow but no 3‐flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of new metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) thin films is important for expanding their functions and applications. Herein, we first report a new kind of MOF thin film by using aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) dicarboxyl ligand through a liquid‐phase epitaxial (LPE) layer‐by‐layer (LBL) spraying method (named AIE surface‐coordinated metal‐organic frameworks thin film, AIE‐SURMOF). The obtained AIE‐SURMOF Zn4O(TPE)3 (ZnTPE) has highly growth orientation and homogeneous thin film, showing strong fluorescent property. Furthermore, by loading chiral guest in the MOF pore, the formed chiral encapsulated AIE‐SURMOF can clearly indicate obvious circularly polarized luminescence performance with glum of 0.01. This study provides new MOF thin film and new strategy for expanding function and application of MOF materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical convolution computing is gaining traction owing to its inherent parallelism, multi‐dimensional processing, and energy efficiency. To handle input dimensions of N, conventional implementations necessitate N2 optical elements, such as Mach–Zehnder interferometers or micro‐ring resonators, to process multiply‐accumulate (MAC) operations, limiting scalability and resulting in elevated power consumption. Here, a direct convolution computing method based on wavelength routing, utilizing the unique sliding property of an arrayed waveguide grating router (AWGR) to perform the sliding window operation of the convolution in the wavelength–space domains is proposed. With two input vectors directly loaded onto two modulator arrays, the convolution result is instantaneously produced at a photodetector array. The entire convolution computation is executed within a single clock cycle without the need for preprocessing or decomposition into elementary MAC operations. The number of active elements is minimal, only needed for input/output. The proposed optical convolution unit has striking advantages of high scalability, high speed, and processing simplicity compared to those based on optical matrix‐vector multipliers. In the first experimental demonstration, a remarkable classification accuracy of up to 98.2% in handwritten digit recognition tasks using a LeNet‐5 neural network is achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing films of chiral metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with high circular polarization luminescence (CPL) is facing a great challenge for chiral sensing applications. Herein, a layer‐by‐layer chiral induction method is first reported to prepare enantiopure MOF films for CPL sensing. By layer‐by‐layer induction with the chiral inductor camphorsulfonic acid, fluorene‐based chiral MOF D/L‐ZnHF‐SO2 film (HF‐SO2 = 3,7‐Dibenzothiophenedicarboxylate, 5,5‐dioxide) with preferential growth orientation and homogeneous surface are prepared, which shows strong chiral feature and CPL with higher asymmetry factor of ±0.073. In addition, by mixed ligand approach, the isostructural fluorene ligand 9‐fluororenone‐2,7‐dicarboxylate is chosen to replace part of HF‐SO2 for preparing a series of chiral MOF films with tunable CPL emission. Furthermore, the prepared chiral MOF films with strong CPL performance are further utilized for enantiomers sensing. The CPL changes consisted with enantioselective adsorption results showed that D/L‐ZnHF‐SO2 film has good discrimination against chiral R/S‐phenylethylamine enantiomers, first reporting chiral MOF‐based candidates for the application in CPL sensing of enantiomers. This work provides a facile and effective approach for preparing chiral MOF films materials with high and tunable CPL performance, and also gives a new way to achieve CPL sensing of chiral enantiomers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dual transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the bilateral primary somatosensory cortex (PSC) has potential benefits in stroke. In addition, compared with traditional rehabilitation training, sensorimotor training can significantly improve the sensorimotor function of patients. However, the efficacy of dual‐tDCS combined with sensorimotor training in patients with subacute stroke is unknown. Objective: To assess whether dual‐tDCS may enhance the efficacy of sensorimotor training on the upper limb functions in patients with subacute stroke. In addition, this study aims to explore the potential clinical mechanism of this combination therapy. Methods: We randomized 52 individuals with first‐ever, unilateral subcortical stroke into the experimental group (n = 26) and the control group (n = 26). Patients in the experimental group received 20 min of dual‐tDCS over the PSC and 40 min of sensorimotor training each session, while patients in the control group received sham dual‐tDCS. The treatment cycle was a 1‐h session of therapy each day, 5 days per week for 4 weeks. The Fugl–Meyer Assessment of Upper Extremity (FMA–UE) subscale, Action Research Arm Test (ARAT), Box and Block test (BBT), Erasmus MC revised Nottingham sensory assessment scale (Em‐NSA), Neurometer sensory nerve quantitative detector (CPT), the Barthel index (BI), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were used to assess upper limb function, activities of daily living (ADL), and mental health before and after the 4‐week treatment period. In addition, functional near‐infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to explore potential clinical brain mechanisms. Results: Both groups showed significant improvement in all clinical scales (All p < 0.05) after treatment. Compared with sham‐tDCS plus sensorimotor training, active dual‐tDCS coupled with sensorimotor training can significantly improve the FMA‐UE, ARAT, Em‐NSA‐Stereognosis, and CPT‐2K Hz. In addition, dual‐tDCS combined with sensorimotor training can significantly activate the left pre‐Motor and supplementary motor cortex (PM–SMC) and enhance the functional connection between the left somatosensory association cortex (SAC) and RPM–SMC. Furthermore, the difference of FMA–UE in the experimental group was positively correlated with the functional connectivity of RPM‐SMC‐LSAC (r = 0.815, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Dual‐tDCS over the PSC combined with sensorimotor training can improve upper limb sensory and motor dysfunction, enhance ADL, and alleviate depression and anxiety for subacute stroke patients. Our results indicated that RPM‐SMC‐LSAC may be potential therapeutic targets for dual‐tDCS in upper limb rehabilitation on stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Castleman's disease is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder that is often misdiagnosed because of its untypical clinical or imaging features except for a painless mass. Besides, it is also difficult to cure Castleman's disease due to its unclear pathogenesis. Case presentation: We present a Castleman's disease case with diagnostic significance regarding a 54-year-old Chinese male who has a painless mass in his left parotid gland for 18 months with a 30-years history of autoimmune disease psoriasis. Computed tomography scan showed a high-density nodule with clear boundaries in the left parotid and multiple enlarged lymph nodes in the left submandibular and neck region. General checkup, the extremely elevated serum interleukin-6 and lymph node biopsy in the left submandibular region gave us an initial suspicion of Castleman's disease. Then the patient underwent a left superficial parotidectomy. Based on histopathologic analysis, we made a certain diagnosis of Castleman's disease and gave corresponding treatments. In 18 months of follow-up, the patient showed no evidence of recurrence, with the level of serum interleukin-6 decreased. Conclusions: Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of Castleman's disease when faced with masses or enlarged lymph nodes in the parotid gland to avoid misdiagnosis, especially in patients with autoimmune diseases and elevated serum interleukin-6. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With increasing attention being paid to environmental issues, the application of natural fibers in fiber-reinforced composites has attracted more and more attention. Composite materials with basalt fibers (BFs) as reinforcement have excellent properties and are widely used in many fields. Hydrothermal aging crucially influences the durability of basalt fiber/epoxy resin composites (BF/ERCs). In this study, BFs were used as reinforcing materials, whose surfaces were modified with a rare earth modification solution (CeCl3). The density, mechanical performance, and chemical properties of BF/ERCs subjected to hygrothermal aging were analyzed by the weight method, static mechanical performance testing, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The effects of the modification solution with different Ce concentrations on the water absorption, tensile, bending and interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) of BF/ERCs were investigated. The test results showed that the water absorption of BF/ERCs treated with a modification solution that contained Ce 0.5 wt % as the minimum value and the retention rate of the mechanical properties of BF/ERCs reached maximum values after hygrothermal aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scaled boundary finite element method (SBFEM) is a semi-analytical numerical approach based on the scaled boundary coordinates. Recently, the method which uses interpolations in both the circumferential and radial directions has also been developed based on the scaled boundary representation. However, the stress fields are always discontinuous within the S-elements by both the original SBFEM and the latter method. In this paper, a new class of quadrilateral elements with interior smoothness is constructed by extending the B-net method based on the area coordinates into the S-net method based on the scaled boundary coordinates. In the S-net method, the Bernstein bases are separately applied to discretize both circumferential and radial directions in each sub-triangle of an S-element (or quadrilateral element), and the smoothness conditions between adjacent triangles can be simply represented in the form of linear equations. Then, by using the S-net method, we obtain a new class of quadrilateral elements with interior smoothness and high-order completeness. The shape functions or interpolation bases can be obtained explicitly and determined by the same interpolation nodes of the S-element as the original SBFEM. Some numerical tests also show that the proposed elements can obtain good results. • A new class of quadrilateral FEM elements is constructed in the scaled boundary coordinates with interior C 1 continuity. • The B-net method based on the area coordinates is extended into the S-net method based on the scaled boundary coordinates. • The new elements overcome the stress singularity at the scaling centre and stress discontinuity inside the S-element. • The high-order completeness of the new elements is proved theoretically and thus the convergence is guaranteed. • The extended S-net method can construct new polygonal elements with high-order continuity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel non-resonant harmonic piezoelectric motor is proposed. • The electromechanical coupling dynamic models and equations of the proposed non-resonant piezoelectric motor are developed. • The influence of parameters on natural frequency and resonant response is analyzed. • The natural frequencies of the motor are tested by building an experimental platform. Most of the traditional piezoelectric motors are driven by the resonance of piezoelectric ceramics and can achieve a large output torque. However, these motors also have the defects of high speed and difficulty to adjusting the speed when working. To overcome these issues, a novel non-resonant harmonic rotary piezoelectric motor operating at low speed is presented. Electromechanically coupled vibration has a great influence on the dynamic performance of the piezoelectric motor, which may lead to instability of the output performance of the motor. Therefore, the electromechanical coupling dynamic characteristics of the proposed non-resonant piezoelectric motor are studied in this paper. The working principle of the motor is illustrated, and the electromechanical dynamic model and nonlinear dynamic equations are established. Utilizing the dynamic equations, the coupled natural frequencies, amplitude-frequency characteristics, and dynamic responses of the motor are developed. Meanwhile, the influence of parameters on natural frequency and nonlinear response is analyzed. What's more, the natural frequencies of the system are tested by building an experimental platform. Results show the minimum coupled natural frequency of the motor is 11231 rad/s. The length of the piezoelectric stack, the length, and mass block of the harmonic rod have an important influence on the natural frequency of the proposed non-resonant harmonic piezoelectric motor. The nonlinear piezoelectric effect has a larger effect on the forced response amplitude when the excitation frequency is far away from resonance, but a smaller effect on the forced response amplitude when the excitation frequency is near resonance. What's more, the maximum error between the theoretical natural frequencies and the test frequencies is 3%, which verifies the correctness of the theoretical model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To manufacture dental restorations composed of lithium disilicate (LD) through the computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) process, thermal refinement is an essential process that can affect the optical and mechanical properties of ceramics. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the translucency and flexural strength of lithium disilicate glass–ceramic for CAD/CAM using different thermal refinement schedules and thicknesses by measuring the total transmission of light through the specimen and calculating the peak load of the specimen until fracture in a piston-on-three-ball test, respectively. The results showed that a lower translucency was exhibited in thicker specimens, and the flexural strength decreased in the order of 1.0, 0.5, and 2.0 mm (p < 0.05). The lithium disilicates thermally refined at a heat of 820 degrees were shown to have the highest biaxial flexural strength (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that it is possible to adjust transparency and strength according to the clinical situation by choosing an appropriate thickness and thermal refinement process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies have been designed to investigate the effect of serum choline on the risk of incident cancer. This study aims to explore the association between serum choline and the risk of new-onset cancer. We conducted a case–control study, including 199 patients with incident cancer and 199 matched controls during a median of 3.9 years of follow-up, nested within the China Stroke Primary Prevention Trial. Cubic spline regression (RCS) and conditional logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association of serum choline and incident cancer risk. We observed a positive dose–response association between serum choline levels and the risk of overall (p for overall = 0.046) and digestive system cancer (p for overall = 0.039). Compared with patients with the lowest choline levels (Q1 group), patients in the highest levels of choline (Q4) had a 3.69-fold and 6.01-fold increased risk of overall (OR = 3.69, 95% CI 1.17–11.63) and digestive system cancer (OR = 6.01, 95% CI 1.14–31.67). Elevated choline levels (per SD, 11.49 μg/mL) were associated with a higher risk of overall cancer among participants who were older, male, and smokers in the subgroup analyses. We found a positive association between elevated levels of serum choline with increased risk of incident cancer. Our findings have critical clinical implications for cancer prevention and diagnosis. Trial registration CSPPT, NCT00794885. Registered: November 20, 2008. https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT00794885https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT00794885. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main challenges in excavating roadways is implementing temporary supports that are powered by hydraulics and have high strength. The current temporary support system lacks active support and often causes separation between the top plate and the layer below. It is crucial to control the initial separation of the roadway roof for the stability of the surrounding rock, especially on roadways with loose and soft rock. This research focuses on the A4027 return airway in Sail Six Mine. The issues with the temporary support system in this airway have been identified. The concept and principle of using hydraulically driven, high-strength temporary support technology are proposed. A mechanical analysis model is created to study the stacked roof in the temporary support region, and the critical conditions for delamination of the top plate are determined. The relationship between the delamination difficulty parameter Q, the distance between temporary supports L, and the strength of the temporary supports q is quantified. Numerical simulation using Flac3d is used to model the relationship between the strength of the temporary supports and the deformation and stress of the rock on the roof. The overall strength of the temporary supports for the A4027 return airway is determined to be 10 kN/m2, with a distance of 2 m between the temporary supports. Hydraulically driven, high-strength temporary support devices are developed and tested for their strength. Field trials are conducted as well. The results show that the initial separation of the top plate is improved and that the support effect in the temporary support region is significant. The maximum separation of the top plate during excavation is only 34 mm, and the sinking of the top plate does not exceed 68 mm. This effectively limits the deformation of the surrounding rocks in the very soft coal seam, providing valuable insights for other roadways with similar conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article highlights a source from the Qing dynasty, published under various titles such as Shangyu tiaoli, Buyuan tiaozou, Gebuyuan tiaolice, and others, and describes its significance and usefulness for the study of Qing history. These publications are official compilations of regulations and legislations from the Qing government that were printed by various provincial governments since the early Qianlong reign to the end of the dynasty. They provide an alternative source for government documents that are sometimes missing from other official compilations such as the Veritable Records and the Shangyu dang. They also preserve elements of inter-agency communication that are routinely excised from these other official compilations, thus offering the historian a useful addition to the repository of sources that one could consult for various topics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postovulatory aging leads to the decline in oocyte quality and subsequent impairment of embryonic development, thereby reducing the success rate of assisted reproductive technology (ART). Potential preventative strategies preventing oocytes from aging and the associated underlying mechanisms warrant investigation. In this study, we identified that cordycepin, a natural nucleoside analogue, promoted the quality of oocytes aging in vitro, as indicated by reduced oocyte fragmentation, improved spindle/chromosomes morphology and mitochondrial function, as well as increased embryonic developmental competence. Proteomic and RNA sequencing analyses revealed that cordycepin inhibited the degradation of several crucial maternal proteins and mRNAs caused by aging. Strikingly, cordycepin was found to suppress the elevation of DCP1A protein by inhibiting polyadenylation during postovulatory aging, consequently impeding the decapping of maternal mRNAs. In humans, the increased degradation of DCP1A and total mRNA during postovulatory aging was also inhibited by cordycepin. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that cordycepin prevents postovulatory aging of mammalian oocytes by inhibition of maternal mRNAs degradation via suppressing polyadenylation of DCP1A mRNA, thereby promoting oocyte developmental competence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ocean waves contain a great deal of energy, and the collection and utilization of wave energy is of great significance for sustainable development. In this paper, a multi-direction piezoelectric and electromagnetic hybrid energy harvester (PEHEH) based on magnetic coupling is proposed that can collect low frequency vibration energy from multiple directions. The proposed PEHEH combines piezoelectricity and electromagnetism through magnetic coupling to collect energy in the same excitation. The mechanical model of the PEHEH is established, and finite element simulation software COMSOL and computational fluid dynamics are used to analyze and verify the feasibility and practicability of the PEHEH structure. An experimental platform is built to test the output performance of the PEHEH. The results show that the maximum energy generated by PEHEH is 19.4 mW when the magnetic distance is 16 mm and the excitation frequency is 9 Hz. The hybrid energy harvester can light 56 light emitting diodes, which verified the feasibility of practical application. Therefore, the proposed hybrid energy harvester can effectively collect low-frequency wave energy and has a broad application prospect as a power source for low-power electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the issue of numerically solving the nonnegative inverse eigenvalue problem (NIEP). At first, we reformulate the NIEP as a convex composite optimization problem on Riemannian manifolds. Then we develop a scheme of the Riemannian linearized proximal algorithm (R-LPA) to solve the NIEP. Under some mild conditions, the local and global convergence results of the R-LPA for the NIEP are established, respectively. Moreover, numerical experiments are presented. Compared with the Riemannian Newton-CG method in Z. Zhao et al. (Numer. Math. 140:827–855, 2018), this R-LPA owns better numerical performances for large scale problems and sparse matrix cases, which is due to the smaller dimension of the Riemannian manifold derived from the problem formulation of the NIEP as a convex composite optimization problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The genotype-phenotype relationships between TUBB8 variants and female infertility are difficult to clearly define due to the complex inheritance patterns and the highly heterogeneous phenotypes. This study aims to identify novel TUBB8 variants and relevant phenotypes in more infertile females. Methods: A total of 35 females with primary infertility were recruited from two reproductive centers and investigated for identifying variants in TUBB8. Pedigree analysis, in-silico analysis and molecular remodeling were performed to assess their clinical significance. The effects of the variants on human oocytes and embryos as well as HeLa cells were analyzed by morphological observations, immunostaining and Western blot. Results: We totally identified five novel variants (p.G13R, p.Y50C, p.T136I, p.F265V and p.T366A) and five previously reported variants (p.I4L, p.L42V, p.Q134*, p.V255M and p.V349I) in TUBB8 from 9 unrelated females with primary infertility. These variants were rare and highly conserved among different species, and were inherited in autosomal dominant/recessive patterns, or occurred de novo. In vitro functional assays in HeLa cells revealed that exogenous expression of mutant TUBB8 proteins caused different degrees of microtubule structural disruption. The existence of these pathogenic TUBB8 variants finally induced oocyte maturation arrest or morphological abnormalities, fertilization failure, cleavage failure, embryonic development defects and implantation failure in the affected females. Conclusion: These findings enriched the variant spectrum of TUBB8 gene and could contribute to optimize genetic counselling and clinical management of females with primary infertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sensory stimulation can play a fundamental role in the activation of the primary sensorimotor cortex (S1-M1), which can promote motor learning and M1 plasticity in stroke patients. However, studies have focused mainly on investigating the influence of brain lesion profiles on the activation patterns of S1-M1 during motor tasks instead of sensory tasks. Therefore, the objective of this study is to explore the lesion-specific activation patterns due to different brain lesion profiles and types during focal vibration (FV). Methods: In total 52 subacute stroke patients were recruited in this clinical experiment, including patients with basal ganglia hemorrhage/ischemia, brainstem ischemia, other subcortical ischemia, cortical ischemia, and mixed cortical–subcortical ischemia. Electroencephalograms (EEG) were recorded following a resting state lasting for 4 min and three sessions of FV. FV was applied over the muscle belly of the affected limb's biceps for 3 min each session. Beta motor-related EEG power desynchronization overlying S1-M1 was used to indicate the activation of S1-M1, while the laterality coefficient (LC) of the activation of S1-M1 was used to assess the interhemispheric asymmetry of brain activation. Results: (1) Regarding brain lesion profiles, FV could lead to the significant activation of bilateral S1-M1 in patients with basal ganglia ischemia and other subcortical ischemia. The activation of ipsilesional S1-M1 in patients with brainstem ischemia was higher than that in patients with cortical ischemia. No activation of S1-M1 was observed in patients with lesions involving cortical regions. (2) Regarding brain lesion types, FV could induce the activation of bilateral S1-M1 in patients with basal ganglia hemorrhage, which was significantly higher than that in patients with basal ganglia ischemia. Additionally, LC showed no significant correlation with the modified Barthel index (MBI) in all patients, but a positive correlation with MBI in patients with basal ganglia lesions. Conclusions: These results reveal that sensory stimulation can induce lesion-specific activation patterns of S1-M1. This indicates FV could be applied in a personalized manner based on the lesion-specific activation of S1-M1 in stroke patients with different lesion profiles and types. Our study may contribute to a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of cortical reorganization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Pancreatitis resulting in extrahepatic biliary obstruction (EHBO) can cause substantial morbidity and mortality. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is utilized for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in humans; however, this is not available in veterinary medicine. Treatment options include medical management and biliary drainage procedures. The aim of this study was to describe the management of EHBO secondary to pancreatitis in dogs, treated medically and surgically and to determine whether the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) differ between the treatment groups. ANIMALS: 41 dogs treated for EHBO secondary to pancreatitis during the period of May 2015 to November 2021. METHODS: Records from 41 dogs diagnosed with EHBO secondary to pancreatitis were reviewed, and information extracted included clinical signs, ultrasound findings, NLR, PLR, histopathology, treatment, and outcomes. RESULTS: 18 of 19 (95%) surgical patients survived, while 12 of 21 (57%) medical patients survived. There was no difference in the length of hospitalization or time to return to adequate function between the groups; however, there was a significant difference in the 2- and 12-month survival between those treated surgically and medically. There was no difference in the NLR or PLR between surgically versus medically treated dogs or between survivors and nonsurvivors. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The mortality rate of surgery for EHBO secondary to pancreatitis may be lower than previously described, and in this cohort of dogs, those treated surgically had improved survival at 2 and 12 months compared to those treated medically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the effect of mining dynamic response characteristics on the footwall working face of the normal fault under the influence of the gob area, theoretical research, indoor experiment, and numerical simulation are adopted to analyze the stress manifestation characteristics, overburden movement, and energy evolution characteristics during the process of mining. The results show that: (1) In the process of mining toward the fault, the working face shows the change characteristics of "stable-activation mutation-final stability". At 20 m from the fault, the arch structure of the working face was damaged, fissures appeared near the high fault fracture zone, and the displacement of the overburden rock increased significantly; (2) the maximum value was reached at 4–8 m from the coal wall, and the superposition of tectonic stress and mining stress led to the concentration of the stress and energy accumulating on the top plate near the fault, and the data close to the gob area were even larger; (3) If the plastic damage zone of the high-level rock layer on the hanging wall and footwall of the fault appears to have a wide range of penetration, and the area formed between the shear displacement curve of the fault plane and the X-axis appears to have a significant enhancement, it is considered that the fault has been activated; (4) The size of the coal pillar of the fault is determined to be 40 m, and combined with the pressure unloading technique of the variable-diameter drilling hole, the validation is carried out through the micro-vibration monitoring, and the results of which can be used as a reference for the safety of the working face under similar conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We correlated the expression of growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible protein beta (GADD45B) in renal tissue with IgA nephropathy (IgAN) with clinical characteristics and mesangial hypercellularity. Materials and methods: Biopsies from IgAN children were divided into M0 and M1 groups based on the Oxford classification, and biopsies with minimal change disease (MCD) were selected as controls. The mesangial cell proliferation area was evaluated on PAS-stained tissues, and the relative level of GADD45B in renal tissue was assessed by immunohistochemical staining (IHC). Results: Compared with the MCD group, levels of GADD45B in the M0 and M1 groups were significantly higher (p < 0.05). Levels of GADD45B positively correlated with mesangial cell proliferation, proteinuria, and total cholesterol, negatively correlated with Alb levels. Conclusions: It is suggested that high expression of GADD45B may play a regulatory role in mesangial hypercellularity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the effects of weaning on the changes of digestive function could help to design efficient intervention strategies for promoting the development of the lamb during the early stages of life. In this study, 24 lambs were divided into two groups (control group, lambs were not weaned; and weaning group, lambs were weaned at 21 days of age). The growth, nutrient digestion, gastrointestinal enzyme activity, plasma biochemical indicators, and intestinal microbiota at 7–49 days were determined, as well as the impact of early weaning. The nutrient digestion changed rapidly with age, especially at 14–28 days (p < 0.05). Weaning reduced the dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), and ether extract (EE) intake and digestion, but increased the starch, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) intake and digestion (p < 0.05). Weaning did not affect the overall jejunal microbiota (p > 0.05), but affected the relative abundance of certain bacteria taxa (p < 0.05). Lactic acid-producing bacteria, such as Olsenella, Bacillus, Sharpea, and Bifidobacterium are closely related to CP or EE digestion and growth performance (p < 0.05). In summary, we delineated the pattern of nutrient digestion and intestinal microbiota development in young lambs, and the impact of early weaning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-phase pressure drop oscillations during flow boiling of pure fluid R245fa in a horizontal microchannel with a diameter of 0.9 mm were experimentally investigated. Three mass fluxes G = 400, 630, and 1100 kg/m2 s with three different heat fluxes q = 40, 50, and 55 kW/m2 were tested under the inlet pressure of 211.72 kPa and inlet subcooling of 17 K. Flow instabilities were analyzed based on images and temporal oscillation results of two-phase mass flux (G), pressure drop (ΔP), and inlet pressure (Pin). Four types of high-amplitude/low-frequency are identified, the main reasons for which are found to be flow patterns in the test section and upstream compressible volume of vapor. The inlet pressure oscillation is attributed to the mixture between expansion vapor and subcooled liquid in the inlet plenum. Effects of mass flux and heat flux on the pressure drop oscillation are also discussed through the variation trends on ΔP vs q/G and the fast Fourier transform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modeling, analysis, and design are conducted to reveal the nonlinear forced and free vibration behaviors of the functionally graded (FG) sandwich beams with auxetic porous copper core and metal-ceramic facesheets. The copper foams with negative Poisson's ratio (NPR) are designed to be functionally distributed along the structural thickness direction and possess greater relative density in the adjacent sublayers to the facesheets. Meanwhile, the functionally graded material (FGM) facesheets are designed to be metal-rich in the inner surfaces. Through micromechanical modeling and following the Mori–Tanaka model, material properties of FGM facesheets are determined and further taken to be temperature-dependent with the consideration of thermal environments. Nonlinear finite element (FE) simulations are then conducted. From the results of numerical analysis, one can conclude that when compared with the counterpart having a non-auxetic core, the sandwich beam with an auxetic core has lower nonlinear-to-linear frequency ratios of free vibrations and smaller dynamic deflections under a sudden load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Segmented polyurethane (PU) block copolymers are widely used in implantable cardiovascular medical devices due to their good biocompatibility and excellent mechanical properties. More specifically, PU Biospan MS/0.4 was used in ventricular assist devices over the past decades. However, this product is being discontinued and it has become necessary to find an alternative PU biomaterial for application in cardiovascular devices. One important criterion for assessing cardiac biomaterials is blood compatibility. In this study, we characterized the surface properties of four medical-grade PU biomaterials: Biospan MS/0.4, BioSpan S, BioSpan 2F, and CarboSil 20 80A, including surface chemistry, topography, microphase separation structure and wettability, and then measured the blood plasma coagulation responses using bovine and human blood plasma. Results showed that BioSpan 2F contains high amounts of fluorine and has the lowest surface free energy while the other materials have surfaces with silicone present. An in vitro coagulation assay shows that these materials demonstrated improved blood coagulation responses compared to the polystyrene control and there were no significant differences in coagulation time among all PU biomaterials. The chromogenic assay showed all PU materials led to low FXII contact activation, and there were no significant differences in FXII contact activation, consistent with plasma coagulation responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different weakening buffer operators in a time-series model analysis usually result in different model sensitivities, which sometimes affect the effectiveness of relevant operator-based methods. In this paper, the stability of two classic fractional-order weakening buffer operator-based series models is studied; then, a new data preprocessing method based on a novel fractional-order bidirectional weakening buffer operator is provided, whose effect in improving the model's stability is tested and utilized in prediction problems. Practical examples are employed to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed method in improving the model's stability in noise scenarios. The comparison indicates that the proposed method overcomes the disadvantage of many weakening buffer operators in the subjectively biased weighting of the new or old information in forecasting. These expand the application of the proposed method in time series analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose an inexact linearized proximal algorithm with an adaptive stepsize, together with its globalized version based on the backtracking line-search, to solve a convex composite optimization problem. Under the assumptions of local weak sharp minima of order p (p ≥ 1) for the outer convex function and a quasi-regularity condition for the inclusion problem associated to the inner function, we establish superlinear/quadratic convergence results for proposed algorithms. Compared to the linearized proximal algorithms with a constant stepsize proposed in Hu et al. (SIAM J Optim 26(2):1207–1235, 2016), our algorithms own broader applications and higher convergence rates, and the idea of analysis used in the present paper deviates significantly from that of Hu et al. (2016). Numerical applications to the nonnegative inverse eigenvalue problem and the wireless sensor network localization problem indicate that the proposed algorithms are more efficient and robust, and outperform the algorithms in Hu et al. (2016) and some popular algorithms for relevant problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To increase the output displacement of the linear piezoelectric actuator, a linear piezoelectric actuator with large displacement and three operation modes is proposed. The operating principle of the piezoelectric actuator is presented. The magnification factor of the displacement amplification mechanism is deduced and verified by finite element analysis. To improve the output precision of the actuator, a feedforward PID control model is established. Based on the experimental test platform, the output characteristics of the piezoelectric actuator are tested. Results show the maximum output displacement of the piezoelectric actuator is 558.3 μm under a driving voltage of 150 V with two piezoelectric stacks. When the driving frequencies are less than 3 Hz, the control accuracy of feedforward PID is higher than that of PID, and the error between the measured displacement and the ideal value is less than 10% after applying the control to the piezoelectric actuator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis, is a valuable asset in integrated pest management (IPM); however, issues related to low-temperature storage and transportation have resulted in low hatching rate, while the use of pesticides may lead to non-target effects against this natural enemy during field application. Fluctuating thermal regimes (FTR) have been shown to be beneficial during the low-temperature storage, and the type and concentration of insecticides used are crucial for field application of H. axyridis. Despite this, little research has been conducted on the effects of FTR on the hatching rate of ladybird eggs, and the impact of pesticides on their egg viability remains unclear. To address these gaps, we investigated the effects of different thermal temperatures, recovery frequencies (the number of changes in temperature conditions per unit time), and recovery durations (the duration of the treated temperature condition) on egg hatching under constant low-temperature conditions. We also examined the toxicity and safety of seven commonly used insecticides on egg hatching. Our results indicate that the temperature during FTR application did not significantly affect egg hatching, but the interaction between temperature and recovery frequency can significantly affect egg hatching. Moreover, the recovery frequency and recovery duration had a significant impact on hatching. Under specific conditions, the hatching rate of eggs subjected to FTR was similar to that of eggs stored at 25 °C. Furthermore, we found that matrine (a kind of alkaloid pesticide isolated from Sophora flavescens) had low toxicity to ladybird eggs and is a safe pesticide for use in conjunction with this natural enemy. The study provides valuable information on effectively managing H. axyridis by taking into account both storage temperature and pesticide exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fabrication of ZSM-5 for the catalytic pyrolysis of biomass into highly selective valuable aromatics remains a challenge. This study investigates the product selectivity of rice straw pyrolysis without and with P-ZSM-5, alkali (0.4 M ZSM-5) and metal (8 wt% Ni-ZSM-5) modified catalysts via Py-GC/MS. Results revealed that the addition of catalysts significantly affected product distribution, with maximum selectivity of aromatics (47%) over 8 wt% Ni-ZSM-5 followed by P-ZSM-5 (44%) and 0.4 M ZSM-5 (42%). 8 wt% Ni-ZSM-5 exhibited the additive effect for monoaromatics with a maximum yield of BTX (67.23 mg/g) due to improved acidity responsible for the promotion of acid catalyzed reactions. Furthermore, the thermo-kinetics of rice straw without and with catalysts were investigated using thermogravimetric analysis. Thermogravimetric analysis shows that the degradation rate of rice straw reduced after the addition of catalysts. From the kinetic analysis, the value of activation energy of rice straw (114.43 kJ mol−1) decreased after the addition of catalysts, which was 102.48 kJ mol−1 (P-ZSM-5), 93.11 kJ mol−1 (0.4 M ZSM-5) and 61.89 kJ mol−1 (8 wt% Ni-ZSM-5). Thermodynamic parameters (Δ H a n d Δ G) show that catalytic pyrolysis of rice straw is an endothermic and nonspontaneous process. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a master regulator in cells, RNA-binding protein (RBP) plays critical roles in organismal development, metabolism and various diseases. It regulates gene expression at various levels mostly by specific recognition of target RNA. The traditional CLIP-seq method to detect transcriptome-wide RNA targets of RBP is less efficient in yeast due to the low UV transmissivity of their cell walls. Here, we established an efficient HyperTRIBE (Targets of RNA-binding proteins Identified By Editing) in yeast, by fusing an RBP to the hyper-active catalytic domain of human RNA editing enzyme ADAR2 and expressing the fusion protein in yeast cells. The target transcripts of RBP were marked with new RNA editing events and identified by high-throughput sequencing. We successfully applied HyperTRIBE to identifying the RNA targets of two yeast RBPs, KHD1 and BFR1. The antibody-free HyperTRIBE has competitive advantages including a low background, high sensitivity and reproducibility, as well as a simple library preparation procedure, providing a reliable strategy for RBP target identification in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the vibration suppression effect of the flexible beam system, active control based on soft piezoelectric macro-fiber composites (MFCs) consisting of polyimide (PI) sheet and lead zirconate titanate (PZT) is used to reduce the vibration. The vibration control system is composed of a flexible beam, a sensing piezoelectric MFC plate, and an actuated piezoelectric MFC plate. The dynamic coupling model of the flexible beam system is established according to the theory of structural mechanics and the piezoelectric stress equation. A linear quadratic optimal controller (LQR) is designed based on the optimal control theory. An optimization method, designed based on a differential evolution algorithm, is utilized for the selection of weighted matrix Q. Additionally, according to theoretical research, an experimental platform is built, and vibration active control experiments are carried out on piezoelectric flexible beams under conditions of instantaneous disturbance and continuous disturbance. The results show that the vibration of flexible beams is effectively suppressed under different disturbances. The amplitudes of the piezoelectric flexible beams are reduced by 94.4% and 65.4% under the conditions of instantaneous and continuous disturbances with LQR control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimental investigation of refrigerant R245fa flowing inside horizontal 1.62 mm and 2.43 mm tubes under different gravity levels were carried out to study effects of gravity level, tube diameter, and heat flux on flow boiling heat transfer and pressure drop. The experimental parameter range is the mass flux of 351 kg m−2 s−1, heat fluxes of 32 and 64 kW m−2, system pressure of 217.8 kPa, average vapor qualities of 0.007–0.915, and gravity levels from 1 to 2.77 g. The flow boiling heat transfer and pressure drop of R245fa in different tube sizes under hypergravity are first reported. The results show that the heat transfer was enhanced significantly for both tubes when the turntable starts to rotate (from 1 to 1.04 g), which attributes to the fluid disturbance and secondary flow generated by the Coriolis force. With the further increase in hypergravity (from 1.04 to 2.77 g), the heat transfer coefficient may be enhanced or deteriorated. The reason is that the effect of centripetal acceleration, which increases much faster with increasing rotational speed of the turntable than the Coriolis acceleration, offsets the contributions made by the Coriolis force. The effect of heat flux on flow boiling heat transfer interacts with other factors. It is possible for the heat transfer coefficient at lower heat flux to be greater than that at higher heat flux due to the compound flow and heat transfer mechanisms. Under hypergravity, the pressure drop in the small tube is slightly larger than that under normal gravity, while in the large tube it may be smaller than that under normal gravity. The experimental data are compared with the predictions of existing correlations of saturated flow boiling heat transfer and frictional pressure drop, and those which can provide the most agreeable predictions are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the postbuckling behaviors of pressure-loaded laminated cylindrical shells made of carbon nanotube reinforced composite (CNTRC) under thermal environmental conditions. The shell has negative in-plane or out-of-plane effective Poisson's ratio (EPR). The thermo-mechanical properties of CNTRCs are temperature dependent. The CNT volume fraction of the shell is in a piece-wise functionally graded (FG) distribution across the shell thickness. The extended rule of mixture (EROM) model is applied to determine the thermo-mechanical properties of CNTRCs. Based on the framework of the Reddy's third order shear deformation shell theory and the von Kármán-type of kinematic assumptions, the governing partial differential equations for pressure-loaded CNTRC laminated cylindrical shells are formulated. The thermal environmental condition effect is also included. The postbuckling solution for pressure-loaded FG-CNTRC laminated cylindrical shell is obtained in the asymptotic sense by means of a singular perturbation technique in associate with a two-step perturbation approach. Numerical investigations are carried out for the (10/60/10)S shell including in-plane NPR effect, and (20/-20/20)S and (70/-70/70)S shells including out-of-plane NPR effect. Assessment is presented through numerical comparisons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which has become one of the most significant malignancies causing cancer-related mortality, presents genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity that makes predicting prognosis challenging. Aging-related genes have been increasingly reported as significant risk factors for many kinds of malignancies, including HCC. In this study, we comprehensively dissected the features of transcriptional aging-relevant genes in HCC from multiple perspectives. We applied public databases and self-consistent clustering analysis to classify patients into C1, C2, and C3 clusters. The C1 cluster had the shortest overall survival time and advanced pathological features. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis was adopted to build the prognostic prediction model based on six aging-related genes (HMMR, S100A9, SPP1, CYP2C9, CFHR3, and RAMP3). These genes were differently expressed in HepG2 cell lines compared with LO2 cell lines measured by the mRNA expression level. The high-risk score group had significantly more immune checkpoint genes, higher tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion score, and stronger chemotherapy response. The results indicated that the age-related genes have a close correlation with HCC prognosis and immune characteristics. Overall, the model based on six aging-associated genes demonstrated great prognostic prediction ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate two topics of the constrained discrete KP hierarchy: the constraint on the tau functions and gauge transformations. For the constrained dKP hierarchy, the constraint on the Lax operator is shown to be equivalent to a constraint on the tau function, which provides another description of the constrained dKP hierarchy. We also find that there are two different choices of the generating functions in gauge transformation operators of the constrained discrete KP hierarchy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Over the past decade, many studies in the field of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in stroke have been published in scholarly journals. However, a scientometric analysis focusing on tDCS after stroke is still missing. The purpose of this study is to deliver a bibliometric analysis to investigate the global hotspots and frontiers in the domain of tDCS in stroke from 2012 to 2021. Methods: Articles and reviews related to tDCS in stroke were retrieved and obtained from the Web of Science core collection database from 2012 to 2021. Data visualization and analysis were conducted by using CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and Microsoft Excel 2019. Results: Finally, 371 publications were included in the scientometric analysis, including 288 articles and 83 reviews. The results showed that the number of publications per year increased from 15 to 68 in the last 10 years. Neurosciences was the main research hotspot category (n = 201). Frontiers in Human Neuroscience was the most published journal with 14 papers. The most productive author, institution, and country were Fregni F (n = 13), the League of European Research Universities (n = 37), and the United States of America (n = 98), respectively. A burstness analysis of keywords and the literature indicated that current studies in the field of tDCS in stroke focused on poststroke aphasia, tDCS combined with robotic therapy, and anatomical parameters. Conclusion: The research of tDCS in stroke is predicted to remain a research hotspot in the future. We recommend investigating the curative effect of other different tDCS closed-loop rehabilitation methods for different stroke dysfunctions. In conclusion, this bibliometric study presented the hotspots and trends of tDCS in stroke over the last decade, which may help researchers manage their further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquid viscosity measurement, especially the accurate detection of high-viscosity liquid, has been a hot research in biomedical, petrochemical, and other industries. In this article, a series resonant resistance response of quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) under the droplet model is introduced to characterize the density and viscosity of the liquid. The experimental results of water, glycerol solution with 50% water content, and pure glycerol show that the resonant resistance has a similar response to the resonant frequency and higher stability. Compared with the traditional method in which QCM contacts liquid on one side, this new method has the advantages of extremely high-quality factor, wide measurement range, and minimal reagent requirement, which has important guiding significance for the application of QCM in high-viscosity liquids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen dioxide is one origin of air pollution from fossil fuels with the potential to cause great harm to human health in low concentrations. Therefore, low-cost, low-power-consumption sensors for low-concentration NO2 detection are essential. Herein, heterojunction by SnO2 quantum wires, a traditional metal oxide NO2 sensing material, and Ti3C2Tx MXene, a novel type of 2D layered material, was synthesized using a simple solvothermal method for enhancing gas-sensing performance and reducing operating temperature. The operating temperature was reduced to 80 °C, with a best performance of 27.8 and a fast response and recovery time (11 s and 23 s, respectively). The SnO2 and Ti3C2Tx MXene composite exhibits high speed and low detection limit due to the construction of the heterojunction with high conductive Ti3C2Tx MXene. The selectivity and stability of gas sensors are carried out. This could enable the realization of fast response, high-sensitivity, and selective NO2 sensing under low operating temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, there are few articles about the timekeeping performance of domestic atomic clocks in their moving state. In this paper, the frequency stability changes of hydrogen atomic and cesium atomic clocks in stationary and moving states are compared and analyzed; the frequency stability of the atomic clock at the beginning of its transition from moving state to stationary state is tested and analyzed; the influence of three main noises of atomic clocks on frequency stability is analyzed; and finally, the difference in the predictability of atomic clocks in moving and stationary states is analyzed. The results show that: (1) in the moving state, the frequency stability of a hydrogen clock decreases by 1–2 orders of magnitude, and the frequency stability of a cesium clock decreases by 0.5 orders of magnitude; (2) in the recovery stage, the frequency stability of hydrogen and cesium clocks is between that in static and moving stages, but the frequency stability fluctuates greatly in this stage; (3) in the moving state, the three main noises of the atomic clock all increase, of which the increase in the white noise of phase modulation is the largest, indicating that it is the most sensitive to vibration and has the greatest impact on the frequency stability of the atomic clock during the moving period; (4) in the mobile state, the RMS of the prediction data of the hydrogen clock and cesium clock greatly increases compared with that in the static state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have developed a simple and effective method for the C-3 arylation of phosphorus-containing indole compounds in the presence of CuI under mild conditions. This reaction provides a reliable method for the modification of ligands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence for an association between the amount of particulate matter (PM) in the atmosphere and vitamin D status of pregnant women is limited. We aimed to examine the independent association between PM and maternal levels of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) during the second trimester and to explore possible modifications to the association by meteorological factors. 27,768 pregnant women presenting for prenatal examination who were tested for serum 25OHD concentration during the second trimester between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2020, were included in this retrospective analysis. Exposure to PM was evaluated based on daily average PM with an aerodynamic diameter of ≤ 2.5 μm (PM2.5) and PM with an aerodynamic diameter of ≤ 10 μm (PM10). Corresponding meteorological data for daily average atmospheric temperature, atmospheric pressure, relative humidity, sunshine duration, and wind speed were collected. The maximum cumulative effects of PM2.5 occurred at lag 45 days, and the maximum cumulative effects of PM10 occurred at lag 60 days. In crude models, 45-day moving daily average PM2.5 concentrations were negatively associated with 25OHD levels (β, − 0.20; 95% CI − 0.21 to − 0.19), as were 60-day moving daily average PM10 concentrations (β, − 0.14; 95% CI − 0.15 to − 0.14). After adjusting for temporal and meteorological factors, the effect values were drastically reduced (adjusted β of PM2.5, − 0.032; 95% CI − 0.046 to − 0.018; adjusted β of PM10, − 0.039; 95% CI − 0.049 to − 0.028). Our study showed there was a small, independent, negative association between PM in the atmosphere and maternal serum 25OHD levels during the second trimester of pregnancy after adjusting for temporal and/or meteorological factors, which indicates that PM may have a limited influence on maternal serum 25OHD levels. Besides taking vitamin D supplements, pregnant women should keep participating in outdoor activities while taking PM protection measures to improve their vitamin D levels when PM levels are high in winter and spring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motor function assessment is essential for post-stroke rehabilitation, while the requirement for professional therapists' participation in current clinical assessment limits its availability to most patients. By means of sensors that collect the motion data and algorithms that conduct assessment based on such data, an automated system can be built to optimize the assessment process, benefiting both patients and therapists. To this end, this paper proposed an automated Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) upper extremity system covering all 30 voluntary items of the scale. RGBD sensors, together with force sensing resistor sensors were used to collect the patients' motion information. Meanwhile, both machine learning and rule-based logic classification were jointly employed for assessment scoring. Clinical validation on 20 hemiparetic stroke patients suggests that this system is able to generate reliable FMA scores. There is an extremely high correlation coefficient (r = 0.981, p < 0.01) with that yielded by an experienced therapist. This study offers guidance and feasible solutions to a complete and independent automated assessment system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: The performance of mass spectrometry (MS) analysis is often affected by the presence of salt ions. To achieve optimal MS detection results, desalting is necessary for samples with high salt concentrations. We report a rapid, low‐cost and flexible online desalting method using Nafion‐coated sponge. This method is easy to perform and can be implemented to a wide range of customized fluidic systems. Methods: Nafion‐coated melamine sponge was fabricated by soaking a glass tube containing a melamine sponge in Nafion solution and then drying overnight. The online desalting workflow is comprised of three major parts: (1) Syringe pump, which provides a continuous flow for the online fluid system; (2) Nafion sponge in a glass tube, where the online desalting of sample solution happens; (3) Capillary Vibrating Sharp‐Edge Spray Ionization (cVSSI), which is an ionization technique to ionize the desalted analytes. Results: Effective online desalting of a 10 mM NaCl solution was demonstrated for a wide range of molecules including small molecules, peptides, DNAs, and proteins using a flow rate of 10 μL/min. By incorporating multiple pieces of the Nafion‐coated sponge, effective desalting for ubiquitin and cytochrome c (Cyt‐c) from physiological buffers, including phosphate‐buffered saline (PBS) and tris‐buffered saline (TBS), were also achieved. For molecules that are sensitive to low pH conditions after desalting, a R‐SO3NH4‐type Nafion‐coated sponge was fabricated. Desalting of ubiquitin, oligosaccharide, and DNA oligomers from 10 mM NaCl or 10 mM KCl solutions was demonstrated. Conclusions: Flexible, low‐cost, and efficient online desalting was achieved by the Nafion‐coated sponge. A variety of molecules ranging from small molecules, peptides, proteins to oligosaccharides and DNAs can be desalted for MS analysis. The desalting by Nafion sponge has great potential for desalting applications that require customized fluidic design and rapid analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The molecular diversity of aggregation‐induced emission remains a challenge due to the limitation of conventional synthesis methods. Here, a series of novel neutral and cationic conjugated polymers composed of various ratios of tetraarylethylene (TAE) containing a bridged oxygen (O) and fluorene (F) units is designed and synthesized via the geminal cross‐coupling (GCC) of 1,1‐dibromoolefins. The incorporation of TAE segments into the conjugated backbone of polyfluorene produces pronounced aggregation‐induced ratiometric fluorescence, i.e., aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) at 520–600 nm and grows synergistically with aggregations‐caused quenching (ACQ) at 400–450 nm. The content of fluorene unit in the polymer backbones determines the intensity of the initial fluorescence in the blue light region. The huge distinction (about 150 nm) in dual emission wavelengths caused by the environment change makes these conjugated polyelectrolytes particularly suitable for ratiometric fluorescence sensing. Based on electrostatic interaction mechanism, the gradual addition of heparin into the cationic conjugated polymers aqueous solutions can induce dual‐color fluorescence changes with a detection limit of 9 × 10−9m. This work exhibits the great facility of using GCC reaction to synthesis the conjugated TAE polymers with superior AIE properties and special functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rumen development is critical for the development of early lambs. This work aims to evaluate the effects of abrupt weaning at day 21 on rumen fermentation, histomorphological traits and the ruminal microbiota compared with continuous suckling. Twelve pairs of artificially reared full-sib neonatal male Hu lambs were allocated to two groups, one of which was weaned at day 21 (EW group) and the other which was not weaned (CON group). At day 26 and day 49, six lambs from each group were randomly selected and sacrificed to collect ruminal contents and rumen tissue samples. Results showed that weaning influenced the fermentation parameters in the rumen, and altered the microbial community composition on day 49 (p < 0.05). Several genera were associated with rumen fermentation parameters (p < 0.05). Volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration is the key parameter impacting microbiota composition. Weaning influenced the expression of genes associated with VFA metabolism and regulation of cell proliferation (p < 0.05). In conclusion, weaning significantly influenced the morphological and functional development of the rumen, and bacterial community composition. The microbial community composition was strongly associated with rumen weight and fermentation profiles, but not with morphological development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aflatoxin is a threatening mycotoxin primarily present in the agricultural environment, especially in food and feedstuff, and poses significant global health risks. Aflatoxins are produced mainly by Aspergillus flavus. Conidia germination is the first step for A. flavus development. In this study, the transcriptome of A. flavus conidia was analyzed at three different stages of conidia germination, which were characterized by two different microscopes. Dormant conidia grew isotropically with the cell size increasing up to 5 h of after being inoculated in a liquid medium. Conidia changed towards polarized growth from 5 to 10 h of germination, during which germ tubes formed. Moreover, transcriptome analyses revealed that a larger number of genes changed in the isotropic growth stages compared to polarized growth, with 1910 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) up-regulated and 969 DEGs down-regulated in isotropic growth. GO and KEGG pathway analyses and pathway enrichment demonstrated that, in the isotropic growth stage, the top three pathways were translation, amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism. The ribosome was a key pathway in translation, as RPS28e, RPL53 and RPL36e were the top three DEGs. For polarized growth stage, lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism were the top three most active pathways. POX1 from alpha-linolenic acid metabolism was a DEG in lipid metabolism as well. Genes related to the antioxidant system were crucial for conidia germination. Furthermore, RT-PCR results showed the same trends as the transcriptome for redox genes, and essential oils have a significant inhibitory effect on germination rate and redox gene expression. Therefore, redox genes play an important role during germination, and the disruption of redox genes is involved in the mechanism of action of coumalic acid and geraniol against A. flavus spore germination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]