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How to effectively utilize edge nodes with limited computing resources to ensure quality of service is a key issue for many end users in Internet of Things. To address this problem, we propose a new cloud-edge computing network architecture, which enables the system to meet the requirements of computing resource and response time. The architecture consists of a powerful cloud computing center, multiple mobile edge computing servers and users in Internet of Things. We jointly optimize the task offloading and resource allocation of end users, thereby constructing a mixed integer nonlinear programming problem in the proposed architecture. To further solve this problem, a joint optimization strategy based on binary custom fireworks algorithm is proposed. This algorithm improves the Gaussian mutation operation in traditional fireworks algorithm by introducing Gaussian mutation probability and elite selection strategy, which makes the mutation directional. Finally, simulation results verify the effectiveness of our proposed joint optimization strategy. Compared with several other newer offloading strategies, the proposed joint optimization strategy can obtain significant performance gains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the influence of bulk nanobubbles (NBs) on the flocculation and filtration behavior of kaolin suspensions treated with cationic polyacrylamide (CPAM). Traditionally, flocculation relies on bridging mechanisms by polymers like CPAM. The present work examines the possibility of combining NBs with CPAM to achieve more efficient kaolin separation. The settling behavior of kaolin suspensions with and without bulk nanobubbles was compared. The results with 2 mL CPAM and 300 s settling time revealed that bulk NBs significantly enhanced flocculation efficiency, with supernatant zone height reductions exceeding 50% compared to CPAM alone, indicating a faster settling rate resulting from bulk NBs. This improvement in the settling rate is attributed to NBs' ability to reduce inter-particle repulsion (as evidenced by a shift in zeta potential from −20 mV to −10 mV) and bridge kaolin particles, complementing the action of CPAM. Additionally, the study demonstrated that bulk NBs improved dewatering characteristics by lowering the medium resistance and specific cake resistance during filtration. These findings pave the way for the utilization of bulk NBs as a novel and efficient strategy for kaolin separation in mineral processing, potentially leading to reduced processing times and lower operational costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing number of studies have indicated that extracellular vesicles (EVs), such as exosomes, are involved in the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Components of EVs with biological effects like proteins, nucleic acids, or other molecules can be delivered to recipient cells to mediate physio-/pathological processes. For instance, some aggregate-prone proteins, such as β-amyloid and α-synuclein, had been found to propagate through exosomes. Therefore, either an increase of detrimental molecules or a decrease of beneficial molecules enwrapped in EVs may fully or partly indicate disease progression. Numerous studies have demonstrated that dysbiosis of the gut microbiota and neurodegeneration are tightly correlated, well-known as the "gut–brain axis". Accumulating evidence has revealed that the gut bacteria-derived EVs play a pivotal role in mediating microbe–host interactions and affect the function of the "gut–brain axis", which subsequently contributes to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we first briefly discuss the role of EVs from mammalian cells and microbes in mediating the progression of neurodegenerative diseases, and then propose a novel strategy that employs EVs of plants (plant cell-derived exosome-like nanoparticles) for treating neurodegeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During embryonic development, 2 populations of multipotent stem cells, cranial neural crest cells (NCCs) and epibranchial placode cells (PCs), are anatomically adjacent to each other. The coordinated migration of NCCs and PCs plays a major role in the morphogenesis of craniofacial skeletons and cranial nerves. It is known that ethanol-induced dysfunction of NCCs and PCs is a key contributor to the defects of craniofacial skeletons and cranial nerves implicated in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). However, how ethanol disrupts the coordinated interaction between NCCs and PCs was not elucidated. To fill in this gap, we established a well-designed cell coculture system to investigate the reciprocal interaction between human NCCs (hNCCs) and human PCs (hPCs), and also monitored the migration behavior of NCCs and PCs in zebrafish embryos. We found that ethanol exposure resulted in a disruption of coordinated hNCCs-hPCs interaction, as well as in zebrafish embryos. Treating hNCCs-hPCs with exosomes derived from ethanol-exposed hNCCs (ExoEtOH) mimicked ethanol-induced impairment of hNCCs-hPCs interaction. We also observed that SDF1, a chemoattractant, was downregulated in ethanol-treated hPCs and zebrafish embryos. Meanwhile, miR-126 level in ExoEtOH was significantly higher than that in control exosomes (ExoCon). We further validated that ExoEtOH-encapsulated miR-126 from hNCCs can be transferred to hPCs to suppress SDF1 expression in hPCs. Knockdown of SDF1 replicated ethanol-induced abnormalities either in vitro or in zebrafish embryos. On the contrary, overexpression of SDF1 or inhibiting miR-126 strongly rescued ethanol-induced impairment of hNCCs-hPCs interaction and developmental defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because the traditional computing model can no longer meet the particularity of Internet of Vehicles tasks, aiming at its characteristics of high bandwidth, low latency and high reliability, this paper proposes a resource allocation strategy for Internet of Vehicles using reinforcement learning in edge cloud computing environment. First, a multi-layer resource allocation model for Internet of Vehicles is proposed, which uses the cooperation mode of edge cloud computing servers and roadside units to dynamically coordinate edge computing and content caching. Then, based on the construction of communication model, calculation model and cache model, make full use of idle resources in Internet of Vehicles to minimize network delay under the condition of limited energy consumption. Finally, the optimization goal is solved by two-layer deep Q network model, and the best resource allocation plan is obtained. The simulation results based on the Internet of Vehicles model show that the computational energy consumption and system delay of proposed strategy do not exceed 400 J and 600 ms, respectively. Besides, the overall effect of resource allocation is better than other comparison strategies and it has certain application prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Develop a safe and optimum energy trading structure among the solar-based AC, DC, and hybrid microgrids, as well as utilities. • Enhance the blockchain (BC) security using modified security structure through the addition of a security layer to the BC. • Propose a newly WOA algorithm to find the optimal solution in digital twin realistic model. • Introduces a new copula method for modeling the uncertainties of PVs and WTs of the HMG. Recent attention is focused on interlinked (networked) hybrid connected microgrids (MGs) because of their technical and economic benefits over traditional ones. A system like that would connect the DC resources, such as solar energy, to DC busses and the AC resources, such as wind turbines, to AC busses. Therefore, the system's overall performance is remarkably improved. In addition, it is cost-effective compared to traditional grids since no power electronics are required to convert DC to AC. While a system like this has numerous benefits, it also has numerous challenges. System-level energy management (EM), for example, presents greater challenges because each change in the subsystem (DC/AC sections) may potentially alter the EM for the whole grid. Therefore, the present study develops the whale optimization algorithm (WOA) for finding the optimum solution. Additionally, blockchain (BC) technology has been applied for increasing the security of power trading in hybrid MGs (HMGs). Stochastic load flow, according to a copula model, is used to create a realistic layout. According to the results, the suggested networked HMG-EM structure based on BC is demonstrated as being effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a potential anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), metal tin shows a high specific capacity. However, its inherent "volume effect" may easily turn tin-based electrode materials into powder and make them fall off in the cycle process, eventually leading to the reduction of the specific capacity, rate and cycle performance of the batteries. Considering the "volume effect" of tin, this study proposes to construct a carbon coating and three-dimensional graphene network to obtain a "double confinement" of metal tin, so as to improve the cycle and rate performance of the composite. This excellent construction can stabilize the tin and prevent its agglomeration during heat treatment and its pulverization during cycling, improving the electrochemical properties of tin-based composites. When the optimized composite material of C@Sn/NSGr-7.5 was used as an anode material in LIB, it maintained a specific capacity of about 667 mAh g−1 after 150 cycles at the current density of 0.1 A g−1 and exhibited a good cycle performance. It also displayed a good rate performance with a capability of 663 mAh g−1, 516 mAh g−1, 389 mAh g−1, 290 mAh g−1, 209 mAh g−1 and 141 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1, 0.2 A g−1, 0.5 A g−1, 1 A g−1, 2 A g−1 and 5 A g−1, respectively. Furthermore, it delivered certain capacitance characteristics, which could improve the specific capacity of the battery. The above results showed that this is an effective method to obtain high-performance tin-based anode materials, which is of great significance for the development of new anode materials for LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

3.2.2 Analysis of gas flow rate influence on bubble behavior Figure 8 shows the changes in the single bubble rising and bubble breaking coalescence zones when the gas flow rates were 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000, 3500, and 4000 L/min at a certain vacuum degree. Keywords: bubble evolution behavior; bubble residence time; bubble travel; RH refining; vacuum degree EN bubble evolution behavior bubble residence time bubble travel RH refining vacuum degree 1053 1064 12 11/02/22 20221001 NES 221001 1 Introduction The RH method (Ruhrstahl-Hereaeus), used in modern steel plants, is an external refining treatment technique that has advantages such as high production efficiency, a short treatment cycle, and simple operation. This was due to the increase in gas flow rate, because as the initial energy step to overcome the formation of bubbles increased, it caused the initial bubble radius to increase significantly; thus, the gas flow rate was the main factor that affected the initial radius of the bubbles. Under a certain control range of bubble travel distance and gas flow rate, and through extreme difference analysis, the range value of the gas flow rate was greater than the bubble travel distance (R SB gas flow rate sb = 80, R SB bubble travel distance sb = 40). [Extracted from the article]

The source apportionment of fine particulate matters, especially PM2.5, has drawn great attention worldwide. Since rare earth elements (REEs) and Nd isotopes can serve as source tracers, in this study, the characteristics and provenance implications of REEs and Nd isotopes in PM2.5 of four seasons in Xiamen city, China, were investigated. The range of the ratios of ΣREE to PM2.5 was 1.04 × 10−5 to 8.06 × 10−4, and the mean concentration of REEs in PM2.5 were in the order of spring > autumn > winter > summer. According to the geoaccumulation index (Igeo), spring was the season in which anthropogenic sources had the greatest impact on the REEs in PM2.5. The chondrite-normalized REE distribution patterns exhibited light rare earth elements (LREEs, including La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm and Eu) enrichment and a flat heavy rare earth elements (HREEs, including Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu) pattern. Significant negative Eu anomalies and no significant Ce anomalies were observed in the PM2.5. The results of La-Ce-Sm ternary plots indicated that the REEs in the PM2.5 might be related to both natural and anthropogenic sources. Combined with the Nd isotope, the 143Nd/144Nd versus Ce/Ce* plot further illustrated that the REEs in the PM2.5 seemed to mostly originate from multiple potential sources, in which vehicle exhaust emissions, coal burning and cement dust made a great contribution to REEs in PM2.5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumors employ various strategies to evade immune surveillance. Central nervous system (CNS) has multiple features to restrain immune response. Whether tumors and CNS share similar programs of immunosuppression is elusive. Here, we analyze multi-omics data of tumors from HER2+ breast cancer patients receiving trastuzumab and anti-PD-L1 antibody and find that CNS-enriched N-acetyltransferase 8-like (NAT8L) and its metabolite N-acetylaspartate (NAA) are overexpressed in resistant tumors. In CNS, NAA is released during brain inflammation. NAT8L attenuates brain inflammation and impairs anti-tumor immunity by inhibiting cytotoxicity of natural killer (NK) cells and CD8+ T cells via NAA. NAA disrupts the formation of immunological synapse by promoting PCAF-induced acetylation of lamin A-K542, which inhibits the integration between lamin A and SUN2 and impairs polarization of lytic granules. We uncover that tumor cells mimic the anti-inflammatory mechanism of CNS to evade anti-tumor immunity and NAT8L is a potential target to enhance efficacy of anti-cancer agents. [Display omitted] • CNS-enriched NAT8L is presented in cancer cells and associated with poor prognosis • NAT8L inhibits cytotoxic cells via NAA in both tumors and neuroinflammation • NAA induces acetylation of lamin A-K542 by increasing its binding with PCAF • Lamin A-K542 acetylation inhibits immunological synapse formation Li et al. reveal that tumor cells mimic the anti-inflammatory mechanism of central nervous system to evade anti-tumor immunity by expressing brain-enriched N-acetyltransferase 8-like (NAT8L) and its metabolite N-acetylaspartate (NAA). NAA impairs the formation of immunological synapse by cytotoxic immune cells. NAT8L is a potential target for cancer immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ethanol significantly inhibited NCC migration in vitro and in zebrafish embryos. • Exposure to ethanol reduced the mRNA and protein expression of Snail1 in NCCs. • Ethanol increased the expression of E-cadherin1 and inhibited EMT in NCCs. • Down-regulation of miR-34a prevented the repression of Snail1 and restored EMT. • Inhibition of miR-34a restored NCC migration in vitro and in zebrafish embryos. Prenatal ethanol exposure can impair neural crest cell (NCC) development, including NCC survival, differentiation and migration, contributing to the craniofacial dysmorphology in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays an important role in regulating the migration of NCCs. The objective of this study is to determine whether ethanol exposure can suppress NCC migration through inhibiting EMT and whether microRNA-34a (miR-34a) is involved in the ethanol-induced impairment of EMT in NCCs. We found that exposure to 100 mM ethanol significantly inhibited the migration of NCCs. qRT-PCR and Western Blot analysis revealed that exposure to ethanol robustly reduced the mRNA and protein expression of Snail1, a critical transcriptional factor that has a pivotal role in the regulation of EMT. Ethanol exposure also significantly increased the mRNA expression of the Snail1 target gene E-cadherin1 and inhibited EMT in NCCs. We also found that exposure to ethanol significantly elevated the expression of miR-34a that targets Snail1 in NCCs. In addition, down-regulation of miR-34a prevented ethanol-induced repression of Snail1 and diminished ethanol-induced upregulation of Snail1 target gene E-cadherin1 in NCCs. Inhibition of miR-34a restored EMT and prevented ethanol-induced inhibition of NCC migration in vitro and in zebrafish embryos in vivo. These results demonstrate that ethanol-induced upregulation of miR-34a contributes to the impairment of NCC migration through suppressing EMT by targeting Snail1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of deadly infections such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) highlights the need for effective infection control (IC) procedures in healthcare facilities. The aim of the study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of healthcare workers (HCWs) on IC procedures.A cross-sectional survey was conducted among HCWs in western Jamaica from May to August 2015. A questionnaire based on the Jamaican Health Facilities Infection and Control Policies and Procedures Manual was used to collect data on staff training in IC, and their KAP of IC. Summary statistics, ANOVA, and multiple linear regression were applied for data analyses.Among 227 participants, the mean knowledge scores were statistically higher among the younger HCWs, Physicians/Nurses, and those in clinical units. Older HCWs, non-physicians/nurses, non-clinical unit workers, HCWs at Western Regional Hospital A, and those who received ongoing IC training scored higher on attitude. The practice scores were significantly correlated with the attitude scores but not the knowledge scores. The attitude score was a significant predictor for IC practices.Six knowledge and three attitude variables were significant predictors of IC practices that the Western Regional Health Authority Officials can use to implement measures to improve IC practices among HCWs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a study comparatively investigating the total oxygen (TO) and nitrogen (N) contents, evolution of inclusions, variations in slag composition, and nozzle clogging during the production of an interstitial‐free (IF) steel and a P‐containing high‐strength (HS) IF steel is presented. The results show that during the production of both steels, the TO content gradually decreases after the deoxidation, with the TO content in the molten steel in the tundish below 30 ppm. There is no significant variance in the N content. The two steels have similar quantities of small inclusions of similar types and sizes. However, the P‐containing HS IF steel has a much higher content of large inclusions, which mainly come from the entrapped mold powder and peeled‐off nozzle clogging. Compared to the common IF steel, the P‐containing HS IF steel has a higher MnO content in the slag during the Ruhrstahl–Heraeus process, compromising cleanliness control; the P‐containing HS IF steel has more significant mold liquid‐level fluctuations and more nozzle clogging, which mainly consists of Al2O3 and TiO2. The cause of these issues during the production of the P‐containing HS IF steel is concluded to be related to the high P content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethanol-induced apoptosis in neural crest cells (NCCs), a multipotent progenitor cell population, is implicated in the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Studies have demonstrated that sulforaphane (SFN) can prevent ethanol-induced apoptosis in NCCs. The objective of this study is to investigate whether ethanol exposure can induce apoptosis in NCCs by inhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and whether SFN can prevent ethanol-induced apoptosis by epigenetically modulating the expression of Snail1, a key transcriptional factor that promotes EMT. We found that ethanol exposure resulted in a significant increase in apoptosis in NCCs. Co-treatment with SFN significantly reduced ethanol-induced apoptosis. Treatment with SFN also dramatically diminished ethanol-induced changes in the expression of E-cadherin and vimentin, and restored EMT in ethanol-exposed NCCs. In addition, ethanol exposure reduced the levels of trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4me3) at the promoters of Snail1. SFN treatment diminished the ethanol-induced reduction of H3K4me3 at the promoter regions of the Snail1 gene, restored the expression of Snail1 and down-regulated Snail1 target gene E-cadherin. Knockdown of Snail1 significantly reduced the protective effects of SFN on ethanol-induced apoptosis. These results demonstrate that SFN can protect against ethanol-induced apoptosis by preventing ethanol-induced reduction in the levels of H3K4me3 at the promoters of Snail1, restoring the expression of Snail1 and EMT in ethanol-exposed NCCs. • Ethanol exposure inhibited EMT in NCCs. • SFN diminished ethanol-induced inhibition of EMT in NCCs. • SFN diminished ethanol-induced reduction in the H3K4me3 at the promoter of Snail1. • SFN restored the expression of Snail1 and EMT in ethanol-exposed NCCs. • SFN reduced ethanol-induced apoptosis in NCCs through up-regulation of Snail1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MoSe 2 nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by hydrothermal method and treated with a novel dispersion method, ultrasonic dispersion in water. The tribological behaviors and wear mechanisms of MoSe 2 nanoparticles as oil additives were investigated using a reciprocating ball-on-disk tribo-meter. The results showed that the average friction coefficient and wear rate decreased by 43% and 87% respectively with the addition of the treated MoSe 2 nanoparticles compared with white oil. The lubrication mechanism was investigated and can be interpreted as that the MoSe 2 had smaller particle size after being ultrasonically dispersed in water, which were beneficial to the formation of the tribo-film. 1. This study proposed a method to treat MoSe 2 nanoparticles that were synthesized by hydrothermal method. 2. The lubrication effects of white oil were greatly enhanced with the addition of MoSe 2 nanoparticles. 3. The tribological mechanism was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To develop a fast and effective image deblurring method, the blind recovery of motion‐blurred images based on DeblurGAN(GAN, Generative Adversarial Networks) is researched.Firstly, the number of residual modules in the DeblurGAN network is changed, and an attempt is made to optimize the network structure to achieve better results in the blind recovery of motion‐blurred images. Secondly, an image deblurring method based on the improved DeblurGAN network is proposed.This paper makes corresponding adjustments to the generator and discriminator networks to change their input and output size to 512 × 512 while keeping the overall structure of the network unchanged, and the experimental results show that the quality of the restored images has been greatly improved. In addition, the images were divided into four classes of images,to achieve improved restoration of blurred images with specific content. Experimental results on the benchmark GoPro dataset validate that the improved DeblurGAN achieves more than 1.5 dB improvement than DeblurGAN in terms of peak signal‐to‐noise ratio (PSNR) as trained utilizing the same amount of data, and structural similarity assessment (SSIM) evaluation means and maximum values increased between 0.2 and 0.3. The improved DeblurGAN is more effective in terms of both blur removal and detail recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Platycladi Semen was recorded in Shen Nong's Herbal Classic and was considered a herbal medicine with low toxicity after long-term medication. Multiple traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions containing Platycladi Semen have been used to treat insomnia. Modern clinical practitioners commonly use Platycladi Semen to treat anxiety disorders, but there are few studies on its composition and anxiolytic mechanisms. To describe the main components of Platycladi Semen and investigate its anxiolytic effects and mechanisms. The main components of Platycladi Semen were characterized by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The anxiolytic effects of oral Platycladi Semen were evaluated in chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) induced mice. To explore the anxiolytic mechanisms of Platycladi Semen , serum non-targeted metabolomics combined with network pharmacology and molecular docking was performed. Fourteen compounds were identified in the 50% methanol extract and 11 fatty acid derivatives were identified in the methyl-esterified fatty oil of Platycladi Semen. In CUMS mice, both the aqueous extract and fatty oil of Platycladi Semen had anxiolytic effects, which were shown by the increase in the time and frequency of mice entering the open arm in the elevated plus maze (EPM) experiment. Through serum non-targeted metabolomics, 34 differential metabolites were identified, and lipid metabolic pathways such as sphingolipid metabolism, steroidogenesis, alpha-linoleic acid, and linoleic acid metabolism were enriched. Through network pharmacology, 109 targets of the main components in Platycladi Semen were identified, and the 'neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction' and 'lipid metabolism' were enriched. The molecular docking results showed that the main components in Platycladi Semen could bind to the key targets such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta (PPARD), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARA), fatty acid binding protein 5 (FABP5), fatty acid binding protein 3 (FABP3), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARG), arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase (ALOX5) and fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH). This study indicated that Platycladi Semen has anxiolytic effects, and the anxiolytic mechanisms may be the regulation of lipid metabolism and the neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction. [Display omitted] • Both the components of 50% methanol extract and oil of Platycladi Semen were identified. • Both aqueous extract and oil of Platycladi Semen had anxiolytic effects. • Lipid metabolism and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction may be the potential anxiolytic mechanisms of Platycladi Semen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatial epidemic has increasingly become the focus of attention of the global population, and epidemics modeling is an important tool for its prevention and control. However, how to choose the better model has always the challenge faced by modelers. This paper provides a possible method of model selection based on two Turing's diffusive thresholds of a spatial epidemic model: the inherent diffusive threshold and the practical diffusive threshold. It is a new classification in terms of original Turing region obtained by linear analysis. The inherent diffusive threshold of the model is mathematical without realistic significance; on the contrary, the practical diffusive threshold is the physical diffusive threshold. The region between two thresholds has both realistic and mathematical significance. For a classical spatial epidemic model, we derive these two types of thresholds, and find that the larger the area size between two thresholds, the more models contain dynamical behaviors possibly describing spatial epidemic transmission dynamics which are also the models needed by modelers. Our approach may provide a new insight into the selection of spatial epidemic models. • Two types of thresholds are proposed on spatial epidemics: the inherent and practical diffusive thresholds. • The larger the area between two thresholds, the more dynamical behaviors models contain possibly describing spatial epidemic transmission dynamics. • A possible method of model selection on spatial epidemics is given based on two Turing's diffusive thresholds of a spatial epidemic model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of 38% silver diamine fluoride (SDF) on carious lesions of human deciduous teeth. Ten extracted deciduous incisors with caries were collected and treated with SDF. After the treatment, the teeth were sectioned through the center of the carious lesion. The extent of sliver precipitation was examined using quantitative backscattered electron scanning electron microscopy (qBSE-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). The qBSE-SEM images revealed that the silver particles could penetrate through the pellicle complex, along with the rod sheaths into the demineralized enamel rods and the dentinal tubules, and form silver-enriched barriers surrounding the carious lesions at depths up to 2,490.2 μm (mean 744.7 ± 448.7 μm) within the dentinal tubules of the carious lesions, but less likely in the sound enamel. The EDX spectrum analysis revealed that carbon, oxygen, phosphorus, chlorine, silver, and calcium were the main elements detected in the lesions treated with SDF. Additionally, sodium, magnesium, aluminum, silicon, zinc, sulfur, and fluorine were detected as the minor elements within the SDF precipitation "zone." The micro-CT analysis further showed that in the deep cavitated lesions, the silver precipitation could be observed in the pulp chamber. These findings provide new evidence defining the SDF mode of action for arresting caries and suggest that the application of a highly concentrated SDF solution on deciduous teeth should be used with caution for various carious lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract It is important to make sure that all components of a complex product are assembled correctly. Because in many cases, some components are enclosed in an opaque shell, X-ray imaging is currently used to extract their characteristics and match prior-known ones. However, X-ray imaging is not very robust in recognition of incorrect assembly of internal components, because some of them may overlap. To solve this problem, we propose a new method to detect internal component assembly fault, by X-ray computed tomography (CT) and convolutional neural network (CNN). Multi-view imaging is implemented by mechanical rotation of a product in respect with an X-ray CT machine to capture multiple projection information on each internal component, and then the component can be recognized by making use of deep learning. A CNN model is trained to classify the internal components and give the coordinates of each component. Based on the CNN recognition results and the CT projection sinogram, a projection corresponding to a reference in a projection data set of a standard product can be found. By comparing and matching the locations of each component, transposition or dislocation can be recognized. Both simulation and experiment show that this new method can effectively identify incorrect assembly, missing assembly, transposition, and other problems, improving the product quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Gallium-based liquid metals which hold high thermal stability and conductivity are promising lubricant candidates for harsh environment. In this study, the lubrication behaviours of Ga 76 In 24 (LM) were investigated for steel/steel contact under different contact stresses and sliding speeds. Surface texturing technique was proposed to enhance the lubrication behaviours of LM. Textured surfaces with different area ratios were fabricated by nanosecond laser texturing and characterized by scanning electron microscope and laser scanning confocal microscope. Tribological results demonstrate that applied load as well as sliding frequency can influence the LM's lubrication behaviours and that textured surface can improve LM's anti-friction and anti-wear abilities. Moreover, the relative lubrication mechanisms for untextured and textured surfaces are discussed. Highlights • Ga 76 In 24 was investigated as novel lubricant for steel/steel contact under different conditions. • Surface texturing technique was adopted to enhance the lubrication behaviors of LM. • High sliding speeds are beneficial for LM to exert its lubrication ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objectives: The present epidemiological study aimed to compare the prevalence and severity of developmental defects of enamel (DDE) and dental caries between urban and suburban Chinese preschool children. Methods: A total of 1351 3‐ to 6‐year‐old children were invited to participate in this study and received dental examinations. A modified DDE index was used to assess the prevalence and severity of DDE. The dental caries diagnosis was based on the World Health Organization (WHO) health survey methods for field studies and was recorded using the decayed, missing and filled tooth (dmft) index. The caries status was further classified as caries or severe caries according to a modification of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry definition. Results: Overall, the DDE prevalence was 48.3% among the 1351 preschool children. The DDE prevalence was higher in innercity children (54.1%) than in suburban children (42.0%; P < 0.001). In contrast, the suburban children had a higher prevalence of dental caries (65.2% vs 57.5%; P = 0.004) and a higher mean dmft score (3.5 ± 4.2 vs 2.9 ± 3.8; P = 0.005) than the innercity children. Only 23.9% of the children were free of both DDE and caries. The caries risk increased significantly and independently as DDE severity increased (linear trend, 95% confidence interval = [1.32, 1.69], age [1.60, 1.88], urban residence [1.18, 2.15] and breastfeeding experience [1.04, 1.60]) after controlling for other demographic risk factors. Conclusions: The study provides new evidence that DDE is a significant contributing factor for the highly prevalent and progressive dental caries observed in Chinese preschool children. These results highlight the importance of including DDE in caries risk assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Innovative domino effect accident risk assessment system. • Unique risk assessment method based on accident trigger mechanism. • Dynamically constructed accident sequences. • Modular design with great development potential. This paper introduces a highly versatile domino evaluation system-Hierarchical Analyst Domino Evaluation System (HADES)-incorporating the most advanced industrial risk assessment system for Domino Effect Accidents (DEAs). HADES differs from traditional DEAs risk assessment methods that use empirical formulas extensively to calculate the probability of risk or damage. Instead, it takes the DEAs triggering mechanisms as the core and the industrial process as the backbone, upgrades the QRA framework with AHP idea, evaluates the accidents' physical effects, and compares the target criteria database for forming accident sequence dynamically. The decommissioning of an offshore oil and gas facility in the North Sea was used as a case study to show how HADES works. In general, with approximately modifications, HADES can be widely used in many industries with little adaptation and modification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erythroid Krüppel-like factor (EKLF/KLF1) is an erythroid-specific transcription factor whose activity is essential for erythropoiesis. The underlying mechanisms for EKLF specifically restricted to erythroid cells are of great interest but remain incompletely understood. To explore the epigenetic regulation of EKLF expression by promoter DNA methylation, we investigated the methylation status of the EKLF promoter and EKLF gene expression from a panel of human tissues. We observed that erythroid-specific hypomethylation of the EKLF promoter in adult erythroid cells was positively associated with EKLF expression. Demethylation of the EKLF promoter by 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine led to elevated EKLF expression in non-erythroid cells. We further uncovered that EKLF promoter DNA methylation reduced the binding affinity for the transcription factors GATA1 and c-myb (MYB), which in turn silenced EKLF expression. These results suggest that hypomethylation of the EKLF promoter has functional significance in the establishment and maintenance of erythroid-specific gene expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Offshore facilities need to be decommissioned after completing their design lives. Quantity Risk Assessment (QRA) is usually compulsorily required in the offshore industry, but the current QRA technology for decommissioning projects still has some gaps that need to be filled. Most current QRA technologies can only be used for static risk assessment before the project starts, which may underestimate the risk involved in decommissioning operations. Therefore, sophisticated stationery and dynamic QRA techniques must be developed for offshore decommissioning projects. This paper proposes the Hierarchical Analyst Domino Evaluation System (HADES) for decommissioning, and it considers domino effect accidents (DEAs). Integrating the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) into QRA, multiple layers of domino accident analysis are carried out for each decommissioning procedure by taking the two triggering mechanisms of domino effect accidents as the core for obtaining more accurate QRA results. Furthermore, designing a causality matrix to classify and stratify identified hazards. Correspondingly, the targets criteria database established for judging triggering situations is also ground-breaking. To demonstrate the advantages of HADES, a decommissioning project in the North Sea platform North West Hutton is employed as the case study to analyze the risk in decommissioning procedures and identify the hazards in each process. These hazards are classified and stratified into one primary layer and several domino layers for further assessment. The risk assessment results are very close to those published, proving the HADES system's feasibility. • A Hierarchical Domino Accident Quantitative Evaluation System. • Used to provide quantitative decision-making basis for decommissioning options of offshore facilities for decision makers. • Modular system, can be changed according to needs and suitable for many scenarios. • Dynamically build domino accident sequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial communities are known to play important roles during the developmental stages of insects, but current knowledge of bacteria associated with the midgut of Apis dorsata, the giant Asian honeybee, is limited. Using polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis (PCR-DGGE) and 16S rRNA sequencing, the aim of this study was to determine the dynamics of bacterial community structure across four A. dorsata life stages in different geographical locations. The results reveal that bacterial diversity increased as the bee progressed through larval stage to newly emerged worker and old worker. However, in the pupal stage, no bands identified as bacteria could be observed. Overall, 2 bacterial phyla ( Proteobacteria and Firmicutes) and 4 classes ( Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, and Bacilli) were identified, but the frequency varied among the different stages and locations. The classes of Gammaproteobacteria and Bacilli dominated among larval, newly emerged worker and old worker developmental stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study characterizes the colonization and composition of bacterial flora in dwarf Asian honeybee ( Apis florea) larvae and compares bacterial diversity and distribution among different sampling locations. A. florea larvae were collected from 3 locations in Chiang Mai province, Thailand. Bacterial DNA was extracted from each larva using the phenol-chloroform method. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis was performed, and the dominant bands were excised from the gels, cloned, and sequenced for bacterial species identification. The result revealed similarities of bacterial community profiles in each individual colony, but differences between colonies from the same and different locations. A. florea larvae harbor bacteria belonging to 2 phyla (Firmicutes and Proteobacteria), 5 classes (Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Bacilli, and Clostridia), 6 genera (Clostridium, Gilliamella, Melissococcus, Lactobacillus, Saccharibacter, and Snodgrassella), and an unknown genus from uncultured bacterial species. The classes with the highest abundance of bacteria were Alphaproteobacteria (34%), Bacilli (25%), Betaproteobacteria (11%), Gammaproteobacteria (10%), and Clostridia (8%), respectively. Similarly, uncultured bacterial species were identified (12%). Environmental bacterial species, such as Saccharibacter floricola, were also found. This is the first study in which sequences closely related to Melissococcus plutonius, the causal pathogen responsible for European foulbrood, have been identified in Thai A. florea larvae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the milder clinical severity of Hb H patients compared with those of Hb Bart's hydrops fetalis or patients with β-thalassemia major (β-TM), a few cases of Hb H hydrops fetalis syndrome have been reported so far. Here, we describe, for the first time in the Chinese population, one case of a neonate with Hb H hydrops fetalis syndrome caused by the - -SEA (Southeast Asian) deletion in combination with the Hb Hirosaki (HBA2: c.132C>G, p.Phe43Leu) mutation. Our study highlights the importance of continuous fetal monitoring using ultrasonography and blood screening studies of fetuses. Appropriate genetic counseling and comprehensive clinical follow-up should be performed on a pregnant woman who carried an α0-thalassemia (α0-thal) deletion and had a Hb H or Hb Bart's hydrops fetalis offspring, especially if the woman's partner also carried a hemoglobinopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Curved molybdenum dichalcogenide embedding promoted the formation of robust hierarchical graphite oxide nanosheets. • The curved MoS2 with tailored electronic structure can strengthen the mechanical strength of GO nanosheets. • Hierarchical graphite oxide nanosheets benefited the electron/mass transmission for beneficial ORR electrocatalytic process. • The optimal hierarchical MoS2-NGO-10 exhibited superior electrocatalytic performance in zinc air battery. [Display omitted] The curved structure and hierarchical structure are two effective strategies to improve the efficiency of electrocatalysis. Herein, hierarchical nitrogen-doped curved MoS 2 embedded in graphite oxide nanosheets (MoS 2 -NGO) were developed via a flexible hydrothermal process and followed by nitrogen doping aiming to improve the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalytic activity. For the prepared MoS 2 -NGO, the curved MoS 2 with tailored electronic structure can strengthen the mechanical strength of GO nanosheets, promoting the formation of robust hierarchical GO nanosheets, which can accelerate electron/mass transmission for beneficial ORR electrocatalytic process. The optimal MoS 2 -NGO-10, with a close to four electron reaction pathway, showed sharply enhanced catalytic capability for ORR compared to most reported MoS 2 catalysts. As a cathode catalyst, a homemade MoS 2 -NGO-10-driven zinc air battery (ZAB) delivered a high peak power density of 150 mW cm−2 as well as robust catalytic durability when compared to commercial Pt/C-driven ZAB. This work highlighted the significance of monolithic structure comprising of curved MoS 2 and hierarchical GO nanosheets on enhancing the overall electrocatalytic performance for ZAB and other energy conversion systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early childhood caries (ECC) is a disease that globally affects pre-school children. It is important to identify both protective and risk factors associated with this disease. This paper examined a set of saliva samples of Thai mother–child dyads and aimed to analyze how the maternal factors and oral microbiome of the dyads influence the development of ECC. However, heterogeneous latent subpopulations may exist that have different characteristics in terms of caries development. Therefore, we introduce a novel method to cluster the correlated outcomes of dependent observations while selecting influential independent variables to unearth latent groupings within this dataset and reveal their association in each group. This paper describes the discovery of three heterogeneous clusters in the dataset, each with its own unique mother–child outcome trend, as well as identifying several microbial factors that contribute to ECC. Significantly, the three identified clusters represent three typical clinical conditions in which mother–child dyads have typical (cluster 1), high–low (cluster 2), and low–high caries experiences (cluster 3) compared to the overall trend of mother–child caries status. Intriguingly, the variables identified as the driving attributes of each cluster, including specific taxa, have the potential to be used in the future as caries preventive measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) signaling plays a vital role in mitogenesis, cell migration and angiogenesis. Sphingosine kinases (SphKs) catalyze a key step in sphingomyelin metabolism that leads to the production of S1P. There are two isoforms of SphK and observations made with SphK deficient mice show the two isoforms can compensate for each other’s loss. Thus, inhibition of both isoforms is likely required to block SphK dependent angiogenesis. A structure based approach was used to design and synthesize a series of SphK inhibitors resulting in the identification of the first potent inhibitors of both isoforms of human SphK. Additionally, to our knowledge, this series of inhibitors contains the only sufficiently potent inhibitors of murine SphK1 with suitable physico-chemical properties to pharmacologically interrogate the role of SphK1 in rodent models and to reproduce the phenotype of SphK1 (−/−) mice. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The technique of electrical conductivity relaxation (ECR) is a widely utilized method for obtaining oxygen chemical surface exchange (k) and bulk diffusion (D) coefficients for mixed ionic electronic conductors. Although the technique is conceptually simple, its practical application does not frequently produce reliably accurate values of k and D, and many examples of poor agreement can be found in the published literature. In this present paper, methods for enhancing the accuracy of the ECR technique relative to data processing are described in detail. Physically accurate determination of the actual starting time (t0) and improved methods for data fitting of ECR measurements are discussed. To test the methods described, generated relaxation data sets are analyzed by using non-linear-least-square (NLLS) methods. The results showed that fixing t0 based on an ideally stirred reactor model improves the fitted results compared to treating t0 as a fitted parameter. Additionally, evaluation of the global minimum in the fitted error is made by analyzing multiple samples of varying thickness, which improves parameter evaluation compared to analysis of a single relaxation data set. The improved accuracy of the computed values of k and D is described in comparison to conventional methods. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

To understand the corrosion behavior of solid oxide fuel cell interconnect under current effects, two ferritic alloys, Ebrite and SS430, were investigated with a 0.5 A/cm loading current. The samples were exposed to coal syngas (29.1CO+28.5H+11.8 CO+27·6HO+2.1N+0.01CH) at 800°C for 500 h. Surface and cross-section morphologies, chemical compositions, and conductivities of the oxide scales were studied. It was found that the oxide films formed on the different sides of the sample have similar phases. However, oxide films' thicknesses and surface morphologies are significantly different. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In recent years, various models have been developed for describing the reaction mechanisms in solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) especially for the cathode electrode. However, many fundamental issues regarding the transport of oxygen and electrode kinetics have not been fully understood. This review tried to summarize the present status of the SOFC cathode modeling efforts, and associated experimental approaches on this topic. In addition, unsolved problems and possible future research directions for SOFC cathode kinetics had been discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Electrical current flow is one of the important factors influencing high-temperature oxidation of SOFC interconnects. To understand the effect of electric current on corrosion behavior, Crofer 22 APU and Haynes 230//SS430 clad coupons were exposed to a simulated coal syngas at 800°C with a current density of 0.5 A/cm2, for 500 h. It was found that the scale formed on the positive side was thicker than that formed on the negative side. In particular, for Crofer 22 APU, the morphology of the scale formed on the positive side was whisker-like while the scale formed on the negative side was predominantly cubic-shaped crystals. For Haynes 230//SS430 clad sample, some grain-shaped crystals appeared on SS 430 (negative) side due to the breakaway oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Crofer 22 and Haynes 230 alloys, which are candidates for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) interconnects, were exposed at 800°C to a simulated coal syngas (29.1CO+28.5H2 +11.8CO2 +27.6H2O+2.1N2 +0.01CH4) and air. The samples were characterized by SEM/EDS, XRD and ASR. Results indicated that the compositions of the oxide scales in syngas and in air were similar. For Crofer 22, scales formed in both air and coal syngas were composed of (Cr,Fe)2O3, Mn–Cr compounds and Fe3O4. For Haynes 230 the main composition was Cr2O3. However, it was found that the morphologies of the scales formed in coal syngas were different from those formed in air. Besides, the cross section element distributions of oxide scales formed on Crofer 22 were disparate. In addition, the ASR values of the oxide scales formed in coal syngas and in air were similar at 800°C but the activation energies for electronic conduction of the oxide scales formed in coal syngas were higher. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The behavior of gas-liquid two-phase flow in a vessel under reduced pressure was evaluated, and the deviation between the theoretical and measured concentration in the ladle was measured using a water model. The fluid flow trajectory and mixing behavior between the fresh and stale solutions in the vessel under different degrees of vacuum were predicted. The flow in the up-leg changed from a dispersed bubble flow regime to a coalescence bubble flow regime as the degree of vacuum decreased. After reaching the ultimate degree of vacuum, the flow was a discrete bubble flow regime if the amount of liquid in the vacuum chamber was greater than the processing capacity of the chamber. There were many dead zones and local circulation phenomena in the ladle. Even in the best mixing case in the experiment, there was an obvious deviation between the measured and theoretical conductivity values in the upper part of the ladle, and the difference increased as the degree of vacuum decreased. • Fluid flow trajectory and mixing degree are different under different vacuum. • Flow regime in the up-leg changed from a dispersed bubble to a coalescence bubble. • Liquid in vacuum chamber gradually changes from splashing mode to oscillating mode. • A certain gap between stable conductivity value after mixing and theoretical value. • The mixing effect of upper ladle becomes worse as the degree of vacuum decreases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional machine learning algorithms are always trapped by the class-imbalance problem due to they are biased to the majority class. As one of the most efficient techniques to solve the class-imbalance problem, oversampling technique has attracted many researchers' attention. An obvious observation of an imbalanced dataset is that there is a clear density difference between minority class and majority class. In view of this, we propose a new density-adaptive space partition method called Dannoy. It can distinguish minority class from dataset easily. After that, a novel space partitioning based synthetic minority oversampling technique named SP-SMOTE is also proposed in this paper to deal with the class imbalance problem. Experiments on four synthetic and fifteen real-world datasets are performed and the results on all real-world datasets demonstrate that the average performances (Accuracy, F1-measure, G-mean and AUC) of SP-SMOTE is superior to the other existing popular algorithms SMOTE, ADASYN, K-means SMOTE, Borderline-SMOTE (1 & 2), polynom_fit_SMOTE and ProWSyn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Combining the processes of colloid chemistry and electrochemistry the anodic films were made in electrolytes with silica sol addition. Two basic electrolytes 1 M NaOH+10 vol.% silica sol and 1 M Na2SiO3 +10 vol.% silica sol were chosen to investigate the silica sol particle behavior during the anodizing process. The anodic films were prepared separately in the two basic electrolytes with various Na2CO3 or Na3PO4 additions at 2 A/dm2, 20 °C for 10 min. The micro-images and element contents of the specimen were characterized by SEM and EDS. The results showed that some cracks appeared on the films by adding PO4 3− in both of the two basic electrolytes. And the films became compact and uniform with the addition of CO3 2− in Na2SiO3 basic solution. Moreover, the film average thickness decreased with adding anions. It can be confirmed that the sol particle adsorbing behavior in the solution was influenced by the amount of anions'' charges, size and structure. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Novel tetrahydroisoquinolines have been developed as potent PPAR ligands. Evaluation of these compounds in PPARγ responsive models of type 2 diabetes is described. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

It is of significance that the wettability between the molten alloy and the Al 2 O 3 affects the inclusion removal, nozzle clogging and refractory erosion. In the present work, the wettability between the Al 2 O 3 substrate and Fe–P–Ti alloys with different Ti content was investigated by using the sessile droplets method. The interfacial characteristics were investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The contact angles between the sintered Al 2 O 3 substrate and Fe–P–Ti alloys with 0, 0.05, 0.10 and 0.15 ​wt% Ti are 100.1°, 97.3°, 94.5° and 90.5°, respectively. The oxidation of [Al] and [Ti] in the molten alloys leads to the formation of the oxides on the droplets. With the increase of Ti content in the Fe–P–Ti alloys, the formed oxides change from Al 2 O 3 to Ti-containing oxides. The reaction between [Ti] and Al 2 O 3 substrate in the interface results in the formation of Ti-containing oxides. The quantity of the interfacial oxides increases with the increase of Ti content in the alloys. As a result, the synergetic effect of the formation of the interfacial products and the oxides on the surface of droplets leads to the decrease of the contact angles between the Al 2 O 3 substrate and Fe–P–Ti alloys due to the increase of Ti content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of data imbalance is common in reality, which greatly affects the performance of classifiers. Most of the solutions are to balance the data set by generating new minority class samples, which are faced with the problems of selecting the appropriate area for generating samples, fuzzy classification boundary and uneven distribution of samples. To solve these problems, we propose a novel oversampling algorithm named space partitioning adaptive weighted synthetic minority oversampling technique (SPAW-SMOTE). We first divide the data space into boundary space and non-boundary space based on spatial partitioning techniques. The number of samples to be generated is assigned to different spaces by the designed adaptive weighting algorithm, which is used to solve the problems of uneven distribution of samples and easy to blur the classification boundary. Finally, we also endeavor to develop a new generation algorithm to reduce the probability of overlapping samples generated when synthesizing new samples and to ensure the diversity of new samples. Experimental results on 18 real-world data sets show that the average performance (G-mean, F1-measure and Area Under Curve) of SPAW-SMOTE is significantly better than other existing oversampling techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We developed an MS-based molecular networking method for depsipeptide detection • Our method efficiently detects enniatin and beauvericin variants in complex samples • Four enniatin- and three beauvericin-producing fungi were newly discovered • One new isomer of enniatin A and three new bassianolide analogues were discovered • Structures were tentatively determined by the product ions of sodium adducts • The new isomer of enniatin A was further confirmed by NMR spectra An untargeted LC-MS/MS-based molecular networking method was established for the automatic determination of variants of enniatin and beauvericin from both fungal cultures and naturally contaminated samples. Using this method, a large number of samples can be efficiently analyzed for the presence of enniatin- and beauvericin-related compounds. As proof of concept, 26 cultures, derived from 13 fungal strains in the genera of Fusarium, Beauveria , and Diaporthe , as well as 46 food samples were analyzed. Four enniatin- and three beauvericin-producing fungi were newly discovered. Among them, the production of beauvericin by Fusarium sp. 190-20-2 was further confirmed by the presence of a beauvericin biosynthesis gene cluster in its genomic sequence. Additionally, 17 enniatin congeners, including one new isomer of enniatin A, and three previously unreported bassianolide analogues were detected from an enniatin-producing fungus, Fusarium sp. 17-048, and a beauvericin-producing fungus, Beauveria sp. 186-069, respectively. The structures of the detected compounds were tentatively determined by a series of product ions of their sodium adducts. The new isomer of enniatin A was further confirmed by NMR spectra. A preliminary survey of food samples showed that enniatins were prevalent in the tested wheat flour and noodle samples, whereas beauvericin was only discovered in cornflour powder samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nonmetallic inclusions absorbed by ladle slags during secondary steelmaking operations and in the tundish and mold during casting are crucial to the production of interstitial‐free (IF) steel. However, little to no research has been conducted on the separation and dissolution of inclusions along with a focus on IF steel. Herein, a theoretical study of the separation of solid alumina at the steel–slag interface is conducted. The dissolution of alumina particles is observed in situ in different IF steel slags, and the dissolution mechanism is analyzed. The results show that the interfacial tensions and slag viscosity have a large influence on the predicted displacement, but for IF steel production, the dissolution of inclusions in the slags has a greater influence on the removal of inclusions than on inclusion separation. Using ladle slags with a proper CaO wt%/Al2O3 wt% is the most effective way to remove the Al2O3 inclusions compared with the other slags in IF steel production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Isatropolone A and C, produced by Streptomyces sp. CPCC 204095, belong to an unusual class of non-benzenoid aromatic compounds and contain a rare seven-membered ring structure. Isatropolone A exhibits potent activity against Leishmania donovani, comparable to the only oral drug miltefosine. However, its variably low productivity represents a limitation for this lead compound in the future development of new anti-leishmaniasis drugs to meet unmet clinical needs. Results: Here we first elucidated the regulatory cascade of biosynthesis of isatropolones, which consists of two SARP family regulators, IsaF and IsaJ. Through a series of in vivo and in vitro experiments, IsaF was identified as a pathway-specific activator that orchestrates the transcription of the gene cluster essential for isatropolone biosynthesis. Interestingly, IsaJ was found to only upregulate the expression of the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase IsaS, which is crucial for the yield and proportion of isatropolone A and C. Through targeted gene deletions of isaJ or isaS, we effectively impeded the conversion of isatropolone A to C. Concurrently, the facilitation of isaF overexpression governed by selected promoters, prompted the comprehensive activation of the production of isatropolone A. Furthermore, meticulous optimization of the fermentation parameters was conducted. These strategies culminated in the attainment of an unprecedented maximum yield—980.8 mg/L of isatropolone A—achieved in small-scale solid-state fermentation utilizing the genetically modified strains, thereby establishing the highest reported titer to date. Conclusion: In Streptomyces sp. CPCC 204095, the production of isatropolone A and C is modulated by the SARP regulators IsaF and IsaJ. IsaF serves as a master pathway-specific regulator for the production of isatropolones. IsaJ, on the other hand, only dictates the transcription of IsaS, the enzyme responsible for the conversion of isatropolone A and C. By engineering the expression of these pivotal genes, we have devised a strategy for genetic modification aimed at the selective and high-yield biosynthesis of isatropolone A. This study not only unveils the unique regulatory mechanisms governing isatropolone biosynthesis for the first time, but also establishes an essential engineering framework for the targeted high-level production of isatropolone A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyber Range is an experimental platform based on virtualization technology to construct a controlled simulation environment, providing a real-world simulation environment for cybersecurity personnel to conduct various practical exercises. The problem is that generating a virtual environment satisfying the requirements is labor-intensive and time-consuming. To resolve the above problem, this paper proposes a system to automate the deployment of a cyber range. In our method, the first step is to collect virtual machines (VMs) related to cybersecurity and extract relevant features. Then, machine learning is used to classify VMs to reduce the cost of manual VMs selection. Lastly, leveraging the popular OpenStack cloud platform as the deployment platform enhances the applicability of the cyber range. When it comes time to deploy a virtual environment, the instructor only needs to provide some brief description information of a virtual environment. Then, the system will automatically parse the description file to complete the automated deployment of the virtual environment. This system has been successfully applied to the cyber range of Sichuan University for daily teaching tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multispectral CT is a promising method in material characterization, nondestructive evaluation, and other applications. For multispectral CT, the method of projection domain separation can make multispectral CT reconstruction less complex and easier to implement. But X-ray spectrum should be known. By blind separation of projection sequences with different X-ray energy, the ray spectrum is not known in advance, and narrow-spectrum projections can be captured too. However, the proposed blind separation is a signal processing method, without energy constraint. The energy directivity and component characterization accuracy are weaker. To address this problem, this article uses X-ray basis-effect decomposition to propose a new separation model. Both simulation and actual samples are tested to verify and evaluate the proposed method. The experimental results show that the proposed separation model has stronger energy spectrum directivity. The reconstructed attenuation coefficient has smaller error and superior narrow-spectrum characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the malware detection process, obfuscated malicious codes cannot be efficiently and accurately detected solely in the dynamic or static feature space. Aiming at this problem, an integrative feature extraction algorithm based on simhash was proposed, which combines the static information e.g., API (Application Programming Interface) calls and dynamic information (such as file, registry and network behaviors) of malicious samples to form integrative features. The experiment extracts the integrative features of some static information and dynamic information, and then compares the classification, time and obfuscated-detection performance of the static, dynamic and integrated features, respectively, by using several common machine learning algorithms. The results show that the integrative features have better time performance than the static features, and better classification performance than the dynamic features, and almost the same obfuscated-detection performance as the dynamic features. This algorithm can provide some support for feature extraction of malware detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Haploinsufficiency of erythroid Krüppel-like factor (EKLF/KLF1) has been shown recently to ameliorate the clinical severity of β-thalassemia by increased expression levels of fetal hemoglobin (HbF). The underlying mechanisms for role of EKLF in regulating HbF are of great interest but remain incompletely understood. In this study, we used a combination of in silico, in vitro, and in vivo approaches to identify microRNAs (miRs) involved in EKLF regulation and to validate the role of miR-326 in HbF modification. We found that miR-326 suppresses EKLF expression directly by targeting its 3' untranslated region. miR-326 overexpression in K562 cells or CD34 + hematopoietic progenitor cells resulted in reduced EKLF protein levels and was associated with elevated expression of γ-globin, whereas inhibition of physiological miR-326 levels increased EKLF and thus reduced γ-globin expression. Moreover, miR-326 expression is positively correlated with HbF levels in β-thalassemia patients. Our results suggest that miR-326 plays a key role in regulating EKLF expression and in modifying the HbF level, which may provide a new strategy for activating HbF in individuals with β-thalassemia or sickle cell disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As there are no targeted medicines or vaccines for newly emerging infectious diseases, isolation among communities (villages, cities, or countries) is one of the most effective intervention measures. As such, the number of intercommunity edges (NIE ) becomes one of the most important factor in isolating a place since it is closely related to normal life. Unfortunately, how NIE affects epidemic spread is still poorly understood. In this paper, we quantitatively analyzed the impact of NIE on infectious disease transmission by establishing a four-dimensional SIR edge-based compartmental model with two communities. The basic reproduction number R 0 (⟨ l ⟩) is explicitly obtained subject to NIE ⟨ l ⟩ . Furthermore, according to R 0 (0) with zero NIE , epidemics spread could be classified into two cases. When R 0 (0) > 1 for the case 2, epidemics occur with at least one of the reproduction numbers within communities greater than one, and otherwise when R 0 (0) < 1 for case 1, both reproduction numbers within communities are less than one. Remarkably, in case 1, whether epidemics break out strongly depends on intercommunity edges. Then, the outbreak threshold in regard to NIE is also explicitly obtained, below which epidemics vanish, and otherwise break out. The above two cases form a severity-based hierarchical intervention scheme for epidemics. It is then applied to the SARS outbreak in Singapore, verifying the validity of our scheme. In addition, the final size of the system is gained by demonstrating the existence of positive equilibrium in a four-dimensional coupled system. Theoretical results are also validated through numerical simulation in networks with the Poisson and Power law distributions, respectively. Our results provide a new insight into controlling epidemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]