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Memristor-type feedback provides a unique passage for chaos produced with easy control. In this work, a novel memristive map with amplitude control and coexisting hyperchaotic attractors is designed, in which two nonbifurcation parameters are extracted for partial amplitude control crossing the origin and total amplitude control. Attractor splitting and attractor merging are captured, which lead to five regimes of attractor self-reproducing. In this case, double-cavity attractors extend in the direction of 0 ∘ , 45 ∘ , 90 ∘ in negative x -axis, 90 ∘ in positive x -axis, 135 ∘ in x -axis forming a specific wall of self-reproduction. Furthermore, the FPGA-based hardware implementation is carried out showing consistent results with numerical simulation. Finally, a high-security chaotic encryption scheme is proposed for the orthogonal frequency division multiplexing transmission system, where the power division multiplexing technique and two-dimensional region joint encryption are effectively utilized. The security of the transmitted information is improved by the various coexisting attractors and nonbifurcation amplitude controllers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a chronic autoimmune cholangiopathy, characterized by the presence of some autoantibodies in the serum. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical significance of AMA‐M2, anti‐gp210 and anti‐sp100 antibody levels detected by multiplex bead‐based flow fluorescent immunoassay (MBFFI) in PBC. Methods: This study cohort included 238 PBC patients, 81 autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) patients, 62 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, and 118 healthy controls. Serum AMA‐M2, anti‐gp210 and anti‐sp100 antibody were detected by MBFFI and immunoblotting assay (IBT). The relationship between three antibody levels and cirrhosis, liver function, cholestasis markers and therapeutic effect to ursodesoxycholic acid (UDCA) was evaluated in PBC. Results: MBFFI were presented good coincidence rate (87.39%–95.38%) with IBT. The level of AMA‐M2, anti‐gp210 and anti‐sp100 antibodies in PBC patients were higher than other disease group and healthy controls (p ＜.01). When compared with the healthy controls group, the AUC of AMA‐M2, anti‐gp210 and anti‐sp100 antibodies were 0.9245, 0.7619, and 0.6789, respectively. In addition, gp210 antibody levels have diagnostic value in patients with liver cirrhosis (AUC: 0.7567). We found that when combine detect these three antibodies, the sensitivity was higher than individually detection. High level of serum anti‐gp210 antibody could be related to worse liver function and more severe cholestasis in PBC patients. Moreover, serum antibody levels may decrease or remained flat in patients who responded well to UDCA. Conclusion: The detection of AMA‐M2, anti‐gp210 and anti‐sp100 antibody levels by MBFFI showed good performance in the diagnosis of PBC. Serum anti‐gp210 antibody level is related to cirrhosis, poor liver function and severe cholestasis in PBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel wave energy harvester (WEH) that can recover energy in the direction of heave, sway, and surge is designed under the background of low recovery efficiency and complex installation of the existing wave energy harvester. The harvester consisted of four main components: energy input module, energy transfer module, energy conversion module, and energy store module. In the paper, to convert more wave energy into electrical energy and improve the energy conversion efficiency of WEH, the motion transfer module is divided into vertical and horizontal motion transfer modules, which are used to harvest vertical and horizontal wave energy, respectively. The vertical motion transfer module combined with the ball screw structure, planetary gear structure, and one-way gear units ensure the generator has high speed. The horizontal motion transfer module is mainly composed of three uniformly distributed one-way gear units, ensuring collect the wave energy in all horizontal directions. The dynamic model of the harvester is established, and the simulation experiment is carried out under wave conditions with periods of 2s, 2.5s, and 3s, respectively. The simulation results show that when the wave period is 2s, 2.5s, and 3s, the corresponding energy conversion efficiency of the WEH is 66.7%, 60.9%, and 57.1%, respectively. The proposed study provides a theoretical reference for modeling similar WEHs and can effectively balance energy supply and demand and further support the global agenda of UN-2030 for sustainable development, especially SDG-7. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human detection is the task of locating all instances of human beings present in an image, which has a wide range of applications across various fields, including search and rescue, surveillance, and autonomous driving. The rapid advancement of computer vision and deep learning technologies has brought significant improvements in human detection. However, for more advanced applications like healthcare, human–computer interaction, and scene understanding, it is crucial to obtain information beyond just the localization of humans. These applications require a deeper understanding of human behavior and state to enable effective and safe interactions with humans and the environment. This study presents a comprehensive benchmark, the Common Human Postures (CHP) dataset, aimed at promoting a more informative and more encouraging task beyond mere human detection. The benchmark dataset comprises a diverse collection of images, featuring individuals in different environments, clothing, and occlusions, performing a wide range of postures and activities. The benchmark aims to enhance research in this challenging task by designing novel and precise methods specifically for it. The CHP dataset consists of 5250 human images collected from different scenes, annotated with bounding boxes for seven common human poses. Using this well-annotated dataset, we have developed two baseline detectors, namely CHP-YOLOF and CHP-YOLOX, building upon two identity-preserved human posture detectors: IPH-YOLOF and IPH-YOLOX. We evaluate the performance of these baseline detectors through extensive experiments. The results demonstrate that these baseline detectors effectively detect human postures on the CHP dataset. By releasing the CHP dataset, we aim to facilitate further research on human pose estimation and to attract more researchers to focus on this challenging task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Observational studies have reported an inverse association of type 2 diabetes (T2D) with thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA). However, the causality of the association has not been established yet. The present study aims to clarify the causal relationship between T2D and TAA via a Mendelian randomization (MR) approach. Methods: Causality of associations were assessed using a two-sample MR framework. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics were obtained for T2D, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting glucose (FG) and fasting insulin (FI) as exposures, and TAA, ascending aortic diameter (AAoD) and descending aortic diameter (DAoD) as outcomes. Four different methods (inverse variance weighted [IVW], weight median, MR-Egger and MR-PRESSO) were used to calculate causal estimates. Heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy were assessed using Cochran Q test and MR-Egger regression intercept, respectively. Results: Genetically predicted T2D was inversely associated with the risk of TAA (OR: 0.931, 95% CI 0.870 to 0.997, p = 0.040, IVW method) and AAoD (Beta: -0.065, 95%CI −0.099 to − 0.031, p = 1.7e−04, IVW method), but not with DAoD (p > 0.05). Genetically predicted FG level was inversely associated with AAoD (Beta: −0.273, 95% CI −0.396 to –0.150, p = 1.41e−05, IVW method) and DAoD (Beta: −0.166, 95% CI −0.281 to −0.051, p = 0.005, IVW method), but not with TAA (p > 0.05). The effect of genetically predicted HbA1c and FI on TAA, AAoD and DAoD did not reach statistical significance (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Genetic predisposition to T2D decreases the risk of TAA. Genetically predicted T2D is inversely associated with AAoD, but not with DAoD. Genetically predicted FG level was inversely associated with AAoD and DAoD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep learning has achieved unprecedented success in recent years. This approach essentially uses the composition of nonlinear functions to model the complex relationship between input features and output labels. However, a comprehensive theoretical understanding of why the hierarchical layered structure can exhibit superior expressive power is still lacking. In this paper, we provide an explanation for this phenomenon by measuring the approximation efficiency of neural networks with respect to discontinuous target functions. We focus on deep neural networks with rectified linear unit (ReLU) activation functions. We find that to achieve the same degree of approximation accuracy, the number of neurons required by a single‐hidden‐layer (SHL) network is exponentially greater than that required by a multi‐hidden‐layer (MHL) network. In practice, discontinuous points tend to contain highly valuable information (i.e., edges in image classification). We argue that this may be a very important reason accounting for the impressive performance of deep neural networks. We validate our theory in extensive experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early‐stage photoaging is characterized by skin laxity and wrinkling, which are mainly attributable to the ultraviolet (UV) irradiation‐mediated imbalance between matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) production and collagen degradation. Injectable platelet‐rich fibrin (i‐PRF) is a novel blood concentrate with potential effects on photoaging. Over the past few decades, platelet‐rich plasma (PRP) has been widely researched and used in different clinical fields as a first‐generation platelet concentrate. The aim of this study was to compare the antiphotoaging effects of i‐PRF in UVA‐irradiated human dermal fibroblasts with those of PRP by examining cell proliferation, migration and apoptosis, ROS generation, MMP‐1 and collagen I levels. The activation of the TGF‐β/Smad signaling pathway by i‐PRF and PRP was also investigated using western blotting. The results showed that i‐PRF was more effective than PRP in promoting cell proliferation and migration. Moreover, i‐PRF reduced ROS generation and cell apoptosis more effectively than PRP. With respect to the mechanism of collagen I upregulation, stronger stimulation of the TGF‐β/Smad signaling pathway and greater suppression of MMP‐1 expression were achieved by i‐PRF than by PRP. Our results suggest that i‐PRF can be a promising substitute for PRP in alleviating UVA‐induced photoaging and should be explored further for its anti‐photoaging properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, sinusoidal functions are introduced to a discrete map for hyperchaos generation and attractor self-reproduction. The constructed map shares a unique structure with controllable symmetry and conditional symmetry, which exhibits compound lattice dynamics, including 1-D and 2-D attractor growth. The direction of attractor growth can be controlled under polarity balance. STM32-based circuit realization verifies the results with numerical simulation and theoretical analysis. A pseudorandom number generator is built finally based on the newly proposed hyperchaotic map proving the high performance in application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bearing capacity of a shallow strip footing is investigated by a pseudodynamic method under earthquake conditions. A nonsymmetrical multiblock mechanism is herein adopted to describe the uplift failure of the foundations based on the kinematic theorem of limit analysis. This nonsymmetrical mechanism comprises a series of rigid triangular blocks that translate into the failure area. The seismic load, varying with time and space, is represented by a pseudodynamic method that considers the dynamic properties of earthquake waves. A slice method is proposed to adapt the variation in inertial force with time and depth for the convenience of calculating the earthquake-induced work rate. Then, equating the external work rate and the internal dissipation rate, the rigorous upper-bound solution of the seismic bearing capacity factors, which will be optimized by the sequential quadratic programming (SQP) in the MATLAB toolbox for searching for the optimal value, is explicitly derived. Comparisons between the present solution and previous works are made to validate the rationality and accuracy of the proposed methodology. A specific parametric analysis is conducted to reveal the influence of dynamic parameters on the bearing capacity of the strip footing. Numerical results are provided graphically as well as in the tabular form for reference in footing design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of rapid visual detection methods for heavy metal ions is significant for food safety and environmental protection. This work integrated copper nanoclusters and the organometallic framework ZrMOF into a nano detection system. The blue fluorescence of ZrMOF was used as a fluorescent internal standard. The visual and rapid detection of aluminum ions (Al3+) was achieved by Al3+ induced fluorescence enhancement of copper nanocluster aggregates. This nanoprobe has the advantages of high sensitivity, rapid response, and high visualization. The nanoprobe can detect Al3+ with a concentration of 0–60 μM (LOD was 139 nM) and can be used to detect Al3+ in environmental water samples. In addition, an instant detection platform for test paper and gel system based on the nanoprobe was constructed by using the smartphone's colorimetric acquisition and computational analysis application software (APP), which guides the application of multicolor fluorescent nanoprobes in the intelligent detection of fruit surfaces and flour additives. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, the effect of ball milling on the crystal structure of coal gangue (CG) was quantitatively analysed based on the Scheele and Hinckley formulas，and the trend of the crystals from 700–800 ℃ was analysed. The results indicate that ball milling decreases the crystallinity and increases the lattice distortion rate of kaolinite in CG. As the calcination temperature increases, the [SiO 4 ] and [ AlO 6 ] groups increase and so does the crystallinity. The conductivity change of the CG/ portlandite (CH) system was tested, and the volcanic ash activity of CG with different activation modes was quantified using the diffusion kinetic model. The results indicated that the volcanic ash activity of CG was higher as the calcination temperature decreased and as the ball milling time increased. CG blended cement (CGC) was analysed for compressive strength, heat of hydration, derivative thermogravimetry and X-ray diffraction tests, nuclear magnetic resonance tests as well as scanning electronic microscope tests. The results indicated that CGC exhibited higher strength than the pure cement test group at an early stage, and that their activity index (H 28) was greater than 1 (standard requirement is greater than 0.6) at 28 days at 30% dosing for each test group. In addition, the greater the lattice distortion rate of CG after ball milling, the more apparent the promotion effect on cement hydration. The higher the temperature after calcination, the more [SiO 4 ] and [AlO 6 ] groups occur as a result of recrystallisation in CG, leading to a weaker promotion of cement hydration. Response surface methodology was utilized to predict the optimum parameters of CG based on strength, The model has an R2 of 0.975 and shows good predictive performance. • Ball milling will increase the lattice distortion and decrease the crystallinity of CG. • Calcination temperature above 700℃ will increase the degree of polymerization of silica-oxygen and aluminum-oxygen bonds. • The lower the calcination temperature (700–800℃) and the higher the milling time, the higher the pozzolanic activity of CG. • The addition of 30%CG at 28 days increased strength by 38% compared to pure cement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postharvest sprouting is a major problem for the storage of sweet potato. This study compared the effect of D-fenchone with methyl naphthacetate (MENA) treatments on the sprouting of 'Yan 25′ sweet potato. The untreated control roots sprouted within 4 days however the roots fumigated with 200 μL / 23 L D-fenchone or MENA completely inhibited the sprouting of freshly harvested 'Yan 25′ during 14 days storage at 30 ℃. Furthermore, treating established sprouts (0.5 cm) with MENA or D-fenchone resulted in damaged sprouts after seven days following treatment with higher MDA content and these sprouts eventually died. Transcriptomic analyses revealed that both D-fenchone and MENA inhibited cell wall synthesis and disrupted auxin and cytokinin pathways in the storage roots, by which suppressed the sprouting. The RNA-seq results of established sprouts showed that both D-fenchone and MENA promoted ethylene and reactive oxidative species (ROS) pathways, which were correlated with the physical damage. In addition, D-fenchone and MENA inhibited auxin pathway, MENA changed cytokinin and D-fenchone disrupted polyamine, cell division and cellulose biosynthesis pathways which all may have contributed to sprout suppression. • D-fenchone works better than MENA in inhibiting sweet potato sprouting. • The inhibiting effect of D-fenchone on sprouting of sweet potato is reversible. • D-fenchone/MENA induced membrane damage and senescence in established shoots. • Plant hormones were associated with D-fenchone/MENA induced sprout suppression. • Transcriptional responses of established shoots to D-fenchone is quicker than MENA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evaluation of the operational lifespan of solder joints in electronic devices, especially when subjected to intricate mission profiles, stands as a pivotal imperative in the domain of electronic material design. In response to this critical concern, this study introduces an innovative methodology designed to discern between gradual and sudden failures, offering a nuanced exploration of the distinct failure mechanisms at play. Distinguishing itself through a sophisticated treatment of failure mechanisms—specifically, the incorporation of thermomechanical fatigue and vibration-induced mechanisms—within the context of solder joint degradation, the proposed approach significantly elevates the precision and accuracy of reliability evaluations. This refined methodology emerges as a valuable contribution to the field, promising more insightful and reliable results in the assessment of electronic device durability under diverse and complex operational conditions. • Ability to account for multiple failure mechanisms in the solder joint. • Utilizing a Bayesian Neural Network tool to dynamically define degradation states. • Delivering higher precise reliability assessment compared to conventional methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Initial condition-dominated offset boosting provides a special channel for coexisting orbits. Due to the nonlinearity and inherent periodicity, sinusoidal function is often introduced into a dynamical system for multistability design. Typically, the distance between two attractors or two petals of an attractor is fixed. Moreover, any chaotic signal and sequence need to be modified with amplitude and offset for a real application. In this paper, an initially-controlled double-scroll hyperchaotic map is constructed based on two sine functions. Four patterns of the double-scroll hyperchaotic orbits are found as 0-degree, 90-degree, 45-degree and 135-degree. Consequently, different modes for attractor growing are demonstrated. In this case, all the coexisting attractors are arranged in phase space in a direction defined by the initial value and the distance between two petals of any double-scroll orbit is adjusted. Finally, hardware experiments based on STM32 are carried out to verify the theoretical analysis and numerical simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this letter, a compact memristor structure unit is applied for constructing the discrete chaotic system and, consequently, a memristor-type chaotic mapping is designed. Two independent system parameters are proven to be partial and total amplitude controllers. Meanwhile, the internal memristor parameter returns the map a typical bifurcation. Finally, a hardware experiment based on STM32 is carried out by verifying the theoretical finding. To the best of our knowledge, the memristor-type chaotic mapping has not been previously reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1-Deoxy-D-sorbitol, the 1-deoxy analogue of D-sorbitol, has been detected in human urine as well as in natural herbs and spices. Although there are sporadic reports about 1-deoxy-D-sorbitol dehydrogenase, the complete catabolic pathway of 1-deoxy-D-sorbitol remains unsolved. Informed by the promiscuous activities of fructose-6-phosphate aldolase (FSA) which is involved in the sorbitol (glucitol) utilization (gut) operon and guided by the large scale bioinformatics analysis, we predicted and then experimentally verified the gut operon encoded by Bacillus licheniformis ATCC14580 is responsible for the catabolism of both D-sorbitol and 1-deoxy-D-sorbitol by in vitro activity assays of pathway enzymes, in vivo growth phenotypes, and transcriptomic studies. Moreover, the phylogenetic distribution analysis suggests that the D-sorbitol and 1-deoxy-D-sorbitol catabolic gene cluster is mostly conserved in members of Firmicutes phylum. • D-Sorbitol and 1-deoxy-D-sorbitol catabolic pathways in Bacillus licheniformis. • The integrated strategy for discovery of novel metabolic pathways. • D-Sorbitol and 1-deoxy-D-sorbitol catabolic pathways are conserved in Firmicutes. • Insight about the biological role of 1-deoxy-D-sorbitol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epilepsy is a chronic neurologic disorder characterized by abnormal functioning of brain networks, making it a complex research topic. Recent advancements in neuroimaging technology offer an effective approach to unraveling the intricacies of the human brain. Within different types of epilepsy, there is growing recognition regarding ongoing changes in the default mode network (DMN). However, little is known about the shared and distinct alterations of static functional connectivity (sFC) and dynamic functional connectivity (dFC) in DMN among epileptic subtypes, especially in children with epilepsy. Here, 110 children with epilepsy at a single center, including idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE), frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE), temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), and parietal lobe epilepsy (PLE), as well as 84 healthy controls (HC) underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scan. We investigated both sFC and dFC between groups of the DMN. Decreased static and dynamic connectivity within the DMN subsystem were shared by all subtypes. In each epilepsy subtype, children with epilepsy displayed significant and distinct patterns of DMN connectivity compared to the control group: the IGE group showed reduced interhemispheric connectivity, the FLE group consistently demonstrated disturbances in frontal region connectivity, the TLE group exhibited significant disruptions in hippocampal connectivity, and the PLE group displayed a notable decrease in parietal-temporal connectivity within the DMN. Some state-specific FC disruptions (decreased dFC) were observed in each epilepsy subtype that cannot detect by sFC. To determine their uniqueness within specific subtypes, bootstrapping methods were employed and found the significant results (IGE: between PCC and bilateral precuneus, FLE: between right middle frontal gyrus and bilateral middle temporal gyrus, TLE: between left Hippocampus and right fusiform, PLE: between left angular and cingulate cortex). Furthermore, only children with IGE exhibited dynamic features associated with clinical variables. Our findings highlight both shared and distinct FC alterations within the DMN in children with different types of epilepsy. Furthermore, our work provides a novel perspective on the functional alterations in the DMN of pediatric patients, suggesting that combined sFC and dFC analysis can provide valuable insights for deepening our understanding of the neuronal mechanism underlying epilepsy in children. • Decreased static and dynamic connectivity within the DMN subsystem were shared by all children with epilepsy • State-specific FC disruptions were observed in each patient group that were not detected by state FC • Epilepsy children in each subtype also showed unique connectivity patterns of the DMN that reflect their epilepsy types • The findings of static and dynamic functional abnormalities in DMN confirmed the essential role of DMN in children with epilepsy [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A multi-degree-of-freedom kinetic energy harvesting system is proposed for ships. • The harvester recovers ship kinetic energy in the surge, roll, sway, and pitch. • The effect of distinct influencing factors on output power is investigated. • The maximum power of the harvester is 173.10 μW while operating in a lake. The utilization of kinetic energy from the motion of small fishing boats to energize ship-borne wireless sensors offers a promising solution to address the power supply challenges of these sensors in the maritime environment. Nonetheless, the constrained scope of retrievable kinetic energy in the prevailing ship-borne kinetic energy harvester has evolved into a hindrance, curbing its progression. Hence, this paper proposed a novel multi-degree of freedom kinetic energy harvester for low-power applications in ships, where the harvester is harnessed by combining a ball rod, sliding bearing, and slider body. Relying on this mechanical device, the ship's kinetic energy in the surge, roll, sway, and pitch directions is transformed into the swinging motion of the mass ball, subsequently converted into the movement of the slider body. Under the influence of the magnetic force between the slider body and the piezoelectric beam, the piezoelectric beam experiences frequent oscillations, ultimately translating mechanical motion into electrical energy. The experimental results show that the harvester can charge capacitors with capacities of 220 μF, 470 μF, and 1000 μF to 1 V within time intervals of 15 s, 24 s, and 36 s. The prototype has been effectively deployed on a ship in an artificial lake, achieving an impressive maximum average power output of 173.10 μW. This study serves as compelling evidence that the harvesting of kinetic energy from ships presents a promising solution for self-powering low-energy applications onboard while also introducing a novel design concept for applying kinetic energy harvesters on fishing vessels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A copper-doped BiSe x nanozyme with NIR-II absorption was constructed. • Cu-BiSe x nanozyme induces cell apoptosis through photothermal effect and augmented oxidative stress. • Cu-BiSe x induces Cu2+-mediated cuproptotic cell death. • Synergistic effect with α-PD-L1 boosts antitumor immune responses. Cuproptosis is a newly recognized copper-dependent nonapoptotic form of cell death, which stimulate studies exploring copper-based nanomaterials to treat cancer through distinct mechanistic action. However, it remains a challenge to completely eradicate tumors via monotherapy. Herein, a copper-doped BiSe x (CBS) nanozyme was developed to boost αPD-L1-mediated immune checkpoint blocking (ICB) via synergetic apoptosis/cuproptosis-induced immunogenic cell death (ICD). The defect-engineered CBS nanozyme exhibits strong peroxidase-mimicking activities and generates abundant reactive oxygen species (ROS) production causing cell apoptosis, which could be further augmented by NIR photoirradiation. Meanwhile, the CBS could cause mitochondrial lipoylated protein aggregation, leading to cell cuproptosis. The photothermal/catalytic/cuproprosis synergistic therapy triggered by CBS nanozyme combined with αPD-L1 antibody effectively inhibits the growth of primary tumors and distant tumors in prostate cancer model. Furthermore, CBS nanozyme exhibited significant germicidal effect in wound infection. Collectively, this work provides a new insight into cancer treatment of copper-based nanozyme based on cuproptosis/apoptosis-related combined therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Stroke is one of the leading causes of substantial disability worldwide. Previous studies have shown brain functional and structural alterations in adults with stroke. However, few studies have examined the longitudinal reorganization in whole-brain structural networks in stroke.Methods: Here, we applied graph theoretical analysis to investigate the longitudinal topological organization of white matter networks in 20 ischemic stroke patients with a one-month interval between two timepoints. Two sets of clinical scores, Fugl-Meyer motor assessment (FMA) and neurological deficit scores (NDS), were assessed for all patients on the day the image data were collected.Results: The stroke patients exhibited significant increases in FMA scores and significant reductions in DNS between the two timepoints. All groups exhibited small-world organization (σ  >  1) in the brain structural network, including a high clustering coefficient (γ  >  1) and a low normalized characteristic path length (λ ≈ 1). However, compared to healthy controls, stroke patients showed significant decrease in nodal characteristics at the first timepoint, primarily in the right supplementary motor area, right middle temporal gyrus, right inferior parietal lobe, right postcentral gyrus and left posterior cingulate gyrus. Longitudinal results demonstrated that altered nodal characteristics were partially restored one month later. Additionally, significant correlations between the nodal characteristics of the right supplementary motor area and the clinical scale scores (FMA and NDS) were observed in stroke patients. Similar behavioral-neuroimaging correlations were found in the right inferior parietal lobe.Conclusion: Altered topological properties may be an effect of stroke, which can be modulated during recovery. The longitudinal results and the neuroimaging-behavioral relationship may provide information for understanding brain recovery from stroke. Future studies should detect whether observed changes in structural topological properties can predict the recovery of daily cognitive function in stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have shown that facial recognition among racial groups exhibits not only an other‐race effect but also an other‐ethnicity effect within the same racial group. To explore differences in facial recognition and visual scanning patterns due to the other‐ethnicity effect, behavioural and eye‐movement data were used to investigate the other‐ethnicity effect in the facial perception of Tibetan and Han Chinese individuals and whether the visual scanning patterns varied between them. Behavioural data revealed an other‐ethnicity effect on facial recognition of Tibetan and Han individuals. Eye‐movement data indicated that Tibetan and Han individuals fixated more on the eye and mouth regions when recognising Han faces and on the eye and nose regions when recognising Tibetan faces. The other‐ethnicity effect appeared to influence facial recognition in Tibetan and Han individuals, who adopted similar visual scanning patterns when scanning the faces of individuals of their own ethnicity and those of other ethnicities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: A new family of dibenzoullazine derivatives was synthesized through 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition of polycyclic aromatic azomethine ylides with alkynylbenziodoxoles followed by oxidation. The benziodoxole moiety in the resulting products was used as a versatile linchpin for the synthesis of structurally diverse functional dibenzoullazines that are difficult to access by other synthetic methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Verbal praise is often used to improve prospective memory performance in daily life. According to the motivation cognitive model, the promotional effect of verbal praise on prospective memory may depend largely on redeploying attentional resources, so its promotional effect is likely to be influenced by attention. Two groups of college students (n = 128, n = 117) participated in two experimental studies that examined this hypothesis. Experiment 1 manipulated attention load by changing the difficulty of the ongoing tasks to focus on the effect of verbal praise on prospective memory under different attention load conditions. The results showed that verbal praise promoted prospective memory performance under both attentional load conditions (low, high), but verbal praise mainly promoted the prospective component when the attentional load was low, meanwhile, verbal praise mainly promoted the retrospective component when the attention load was high. Experiment 2 altered the dependence of prospective memory tasks on attentional resources by manipulating the cue focality, further exploring the promotional effect of verbal praise on prospective memory with different types of cues under the low attention load condition. The results showed that verbal praise only promoted prospective memory when non-focal cues were used. The results of this study partially verified the motivation cognitive model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With Internet games increasingly prevailing among adolescents over the last decade, Internet gaming addiction (IGA) draws more and more attention from scholars and practitioners, and a consolidating line of research has linked some psychological factors to IGA. To contribute to the understanding of the mechanism underlying the effect of self-discrepancy on IGA, this study adopted a cross-sectional design to examine the effects of actual-ideal self-discrepancy, avatar identification, and locus of control on gamers' IGA risk. Data were collected over a 1-month period using a convenience sample of 508 university student gamers from three universities in Henan Province of China. The results of structural equation modeling analyses showed that avatar identification partially mediated the relationship between actual-ideal self-discrepancy and IGA among gamers; meanwhile, locus of control moderated the effects of actual-ideal self-discrepancy and avatar identification on IGA among gamers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reissner lamprey Lethenteron reissneri, belonging to the class Cyclostomata, serves as a bridge between invertebrates and jawed vertebrates, and is considered the sister group of jawed vertebrates. However, despite this evolutionary significance, the genetic mechanisms underlying the adaptive evolution of the lamprey lineage remain unclear. Here, we assembled a 1.06 Gb chromosome‐level draft genome of L. reissneri, with 72 chromosomes (ranging in length from 4.5 Mb to 25.9 Mb) and a scaffold N50 length of 13.23 Mb. Genome quality comparisons revealed that the reissner lamprey genome has higher completeness and contiguity than the previously published sea lamprey and Japanese lamprey genomes. Moreover, reissner lamprey, sea lamprey, and Japanese lamprey species share similar transposable element profiles and Hox gene cluster compositions, suggesting that a burst of transposable element activity and whole genome duplication occurred before their divergence. Additionally, the Lip gene copy numbers, which have been studied for their functions in the host defence system, were found to be expanded uniquely in lamprey lineages, suggesting key roles for these genes in lamprey evolution and adaptation. We also identified two neural‐related genes, Nrn1 and Unc13a, with copy number expansions in jawed vertebrates, which may be functionally relevant to the origin of lamprey brains. Hence, this study not only provides the first chromosome‐level reference genome for Cyclostomata, but also highlights features of the unique biology and adaptive evolution of the lamprey lineage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A facile approach to assemble catalase‐like photosensitizing nanozymes with a self‐oxygen‐supplying ability was developed. The process involved Fe3+‐driven self‐assembly of fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl (Fmoc)‐protected amino acids. By adding a zinc(II) phthalocyanine‐based photosensitizer (ZnPc) and the hypoxia‐inducible factor 1 (HIF‐1) inhibitor acriflavine (ACF) during the Fe3+‐promoted self‐assembly of Fmoc‐protected cysteine (Fmoc‐Cys), the nanovesicles Fmoc‐Cys/Fe@Pc and Fmoc‐Cys/Fe@Pc/ACF were prepared, which could be disassembled intracellularly. The released Fe3+ could catalyze the transformation of H2O2 enriched in cancer cells to oxygen efficiently, thereby ameliorating the hypoxic condition and promoting the photosensitizing activity of the released ZnPc. With an additional therapeutic component, Fmoc‐Cys/Fe@Pc/ACF exhibited higher in vitro and in vivo photodynamic activities than Fmoc‐Cys/Fe@Pc, demonstrating the synergistic effect of ZnPc and ACF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A facile approach to assemble catalase‐like photosensitizing nanozymes with a self‐oxygen‐supplying ability was developed. The process involved Fe3+‐driven self‐assembly of fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl (Fmoc)‐protected amino acids. By adding a zinc(II) phthalocyanine‐based photosensitizer (ZnPc) and the hypoxia‐inducible factor 1 (HIF‐1) inhibitor acriflavine (ACF) during the Fe3+‐promoted self‐assembly of Fmoc‐protected cysteine (Fmoc‐Cys), the nanovesicles Fmoc‐Cys/Fe@Pc and Fmoc‐Cys/Fe@Pc/ACF were prepared, which could be disassembled intracellularly. The released Fe3+ could catalyze the transformation of H2O2 enriched in cancer cells to oxygen efficiently, thereby ameliorating the hypoxic condition and promoting the photosensitizing activity of the released ZnPc. With an additional therapeutic component, Fmoc‐Cys/Fe@Pc/ACF exhibited higher in vitro and in vivo photodynamic activities than Fmoc‐Cys/Fe@Pc, demonstrating the synergistic effect of ZnPc and ACF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Generalized tonic‐clonic seizure (GTCS) is a condition that is characterized by generalized spike‐wave discharge in bilateral cerebral hemispheres during the seizure. Although previous neuroimaging studies revealed functional abnormalities in the brain activities of children with GTCS, the topological alterations in whole‐brain networks remain poorly understood. Methods: The present study used graph theory to investigate the topological organization of functional networks in 13 GTCS children and 30 age‐matched healthy controls. Results: We found that both groups exhibited a small‐world topology of the functional network. However, children with GTCS showed a significant decrease in nodal local efficiency and clustering coefficient in some key nodes compared with the controls. The connections within the default mode network (DMN) were decreased significantly, and the internetwork connections were increased significantly. The altered topological properties may be an effect of chronic epilepsy. As a result, the optimal topological organization of the functional network was disrupted in the patient group. Notably, clustering coefficient and nodal local efficiency in the bilateral temporal pole of the middle temporal gyrus negatively correlated with the epilepsy duration. Conclusion: These results suggest that the bilateral temporal pole plays an important role in reflecting the effect of chronic epilepsy on the topological properties in GTCS children. The present study demonstrated a disrupted topological organization in children with GTCS. These findings provide new insight into our understanding of this disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ingredients of makeup removers are very complex, and it is difficult to distinguish the brand and authenticity of makeup removers simply by employing traditional ingredient analysis. In this work, based on the controlled self-assembly of perylene probes, a novel fluorescence sensing strategy was successfully developed to distinguish the brand and authenticity of makeup removers. Four charged perylene derivatives were synthesized and utilized as the sensing elements. It was found that the perylene probes were soluble and existed in equilibrium between their aggregated and free monomeric forms in neutral aqueous solution. The disaggregation of the probes occurred in the presence of surfactants or alcohols. Moreover, various degrees of disaggregation and the corresponding turn-on fluorescence were observed in the presence of different kinds of surfactants and alcohols. A novel four-channel sensor array based on the probes was then established, and successfully utilized for the discrimination of alcohols and surfactants. In addition, based on the fact that surfactants and alcohols are the main components of makeup removers, the sensor array was also successfully employed to discriminate makeup remover waters. Using our devised sensor array, makeup removers could be easily distinguished from the daily used liquid goods, and the nine brands of commercial makeup removers could also be easily differentiated from each other. The authenticity of makeup removers could also be identified with high accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a combination of cardiovascular risk-factors, including obesity, hypertension, hyperglycemia, and insulin resistance. MetS may induce senescence in mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSC) and impact their micro-RNA (miRNA) content. We hypothesized that MetS also alters senescence-associated (SA) miRNAs in MSC-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs), and interferes with their function. Methods: EVs were collected from abdominal adipose tissue-derived MSCs from pigs with diet-induced MetS or Lean controls (n = 6 each), and from patients with MetS (n = 4) or age-matched Lean controls (n = 5). MiRNA sequencing was performed to identify dysregulated miRNAs in these EVs, and gene ontology to analyze their SA-genes targeted by dysregulated miRNAs. To test for EV function, MetS and Lean pig-EVs were co-incubated with renal tubular cells in-vitro or injected into pigs with renovascular disease (RVD, n = 6 each) in-vivo. SA-b-Galactosidase and trichrome staining evaluated cellular senescence and fibrosis, respectively. Results: Both humans and pigs with MetS showed obesity, hypertension, and hyperglycemia/insulin resistance. In MetS pigs, several upregulated and downregulated miRNAs targeted 5768 genes in MSC-EVs, 68 of which were SA. In MetS patients, downregulated and upregulated miRNAs targeted 131 SA-genes, 57 of which overlapped with pig-EVs miRNA targets. In-vitro, MetS-MSC-EVs induced greater senescence in renal tubular cells than Lean-MSC-EVs. In-vivo, Lean-MSC-EVs attenuated renal senescence, fibrosis, and dysfunction more effectively than MetS-MSC-EVs. Conclusions: MetS upregulates SA-miRNAs in swine MSC-EVs, which is conserved in human subjects, and attenuates their ability to blunt cellular senescence and repair injured target organs. These alterations need to be considered when designing therapeutic regenerative approaches. Video abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Echinoderms are an exceptional group of bilaterians that develop pentameral adult symmetry from a bilaterally symmetric larva. However, the genetic basis in evolution and development of this unique transformation remains to be clarified. Here we report newly sequenced genomes, developmental transcriptomes, and proteomes of diverse echinoderms including the green sea urchin (L. variegatus), a sea cucumber (A. japonicus), and with particular emphasis on a sister group of the earliest-diverged echinoderms, the feather star (A. japonica). We learned that the last common ancestor of echinoderms retained a well-organized Hox cluster reminiscent of the hemichordate, and had gene sets involved in endoskeleton development. Further, unlike in other animal groups, the most conserved developmental stages were not at the body plan establishing phase, and genes normally involved in bilaterality appear to function in pentameric axis development. These results enhance our understanding of the divergence of protostomes and deuterostomes almost 500 Mya. Li et al. investigate the evolution and genetic basis of the adult pentameral body plan in echinoderms using genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic data. They determine that the last common ancestor of echinoderms contained an organized Hox cluster and endoskeleton genes, and suggest that cooption of bilateral development genes was involved in evolution of the pentameric body plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring and imaging glutathione (GSH) in living systems is an essential tool to determine the key roles of GSH in biological pathways, but most fluorescent sensors can only be used in vitro because of their potential biotoxicity. Here, a peptide-based fluorescent sensor, FP, has been successfully designed and synthesized based on the biocompatibility of the peptide backbone and low toxicity. The design strategy of FP contains a specific spatial structure of the peptide sequence which selectively binds to Cu2+, triggering fluorescence quenching. Interestingly, the fluorescence of FP can be fully restored by GSH, due to the strong binding between Cu2+ and the GSH sulfhydryl groups. Finally, the sensor is highly sensitive and selective for imaging GSH both in vitro and in vivo with low toxicity. Thus, FP with its strong "on-off-on" fluorescence changes is a powerful way to image GSH both in cells and zebrafish larvae to study the GSH pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To fill the previous research gap, focusing on two constructs, i.e. perceived supervisor support (PSS) and psychological capital (PsyCap), this study aims to explore the mechanism underlying the relationship between teaching–research conflict (TRC) and job burnout among university teachers using the lens of job demands–resources (JD-R) model. Design/methodology/approach: First, theoretically grounded hypotheses linking teaching–research conflict, PSS and PsyCap to job burnout were formulated. Then, a cross-sectional design was used to test the theoretical model presented in this study. Findings: The results showed that TRC was positively linked to emotional exhaustion (EE) and depersonalization (DP), but negatively linked to personal accomplishment; PSS moderated the effect of TRC on both EE and DP but did not act as a moderator in the relationship between TRC and personal accomplishment; and PsyCap moderated the effect of TRC on all the three dimensions of job burnout. Research limitations/implications: Given that the data were collected from single-source, the study was vulnerable to the common method variance. Besides, the relative small sample size limits the representativeness of the sample. Moreover, the cross-sectional design cannot confirm causal relationship between variables. Despite these limitations, the findings of this research can potentially inform effective interventions aimed at reducing the effect of TRC on job burnout among university teachers. Originality/value: Based on the JD-R model, PSS and PsyCap are used to explore the effect of TRC on job burnout for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To analyse clinical information from a cohort of 877 cochlear implant (CI) surgeries performed in patients with inner ear malformations and report our experience with this procedure. Methods: Clinical information on patients with inner ear malformation who underwent CI surgery in our department from January 2010 to April 2017 was analysed. Results: Seven hundred and fifty‐four CI surgeries (86.0%) were uneventful but cerebrospinal fluid gusher occurred during surgery in 118 cases (13.5%). Not including the patients lost to follow‐up, postoperative Categories of Auditory Performance (CAP) and Speech Intelligibility Rating (SIR) scores were collected from 13 patients with common cavity deformity, 38 with IP‐I, 11 with hypoplasia, 13 with IP‐III, 285 with IP‐II and 43 with cochlear nerve deficiency. The mean CAP scores were 2.55, 3.39, 3.45, 3.77, 3.98, 2.95 and 2.90, and the mean SIR scores were 1.54, 3.68, 3.72, 3.54, 3.80, 2.31 and 2.32. Patients with common cavity deformity who underwent surgery using the traditional facial recess approach or transmastoid slotted labyrinthotomy approach had significantly better post‐activation scores on the CAP, SIR and Meaningful Auditory Integration Scale/Infant‐Toddler Meaningful Auditory Integration Scale, with no significant differences between the two approaches. Conclusion: The traditional facial recess approach can be successful, and several approaches may be used for electrode insertion and gusher control in patients with a severe deformity, particularly common cavity deformity and IP‐III. A gusher was the most common intraoperative finding and occurred most often in patients with IP‐III. Careful consideration of the type of electrode used is important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Offset boosting plays an important role in chaos application in electronic engineering. A direct variable substitution typically will destroy the dynamics of a discrete map even though the initial condition is well considered. The internal fundamental reason is that the left-hand side of a discrete system does not have the dimension of variable differentiation (DVD) like the one of a continuous system. When the key property of DVD is completely preserved, the offset boosting based on a parameter or the initial condition can be reasonably achieved like in a differential system. Consequently, by the initial condition-oriented offset boosting, flexible multistability like attractor self-reproducing or attractor doubling can be further realized. A circuit experiment is completed for the verification of reliable offset boosting. The systematic exploration of offset boosting in a map will cast a new light on chaos regulation and attractor transportation in a discrete map. As a simple case, a two-dimensional Hénon map is taken as the example demonstrating the achievement of offset boosting via the parameter or initial condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cycloheptatrienyl (tropyl) molecules are representative non‐alternant hydrocarbons that offer interesting chemistry because of their unique structures and properties. However, there have been a limited number of polycyclic aromatic tropyl cations and radicals reported in the literature. Herein, we report the synthesis of a series of azahomocorannulene derivatives, where the key reactions are a 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition of polycyclic aromatic azomethine ylides with dibenzotropone and a subsequent palladium‐catalyzed cyclization. X‐ray diffraction analysis revealed that the obtained azahomocorannulenyl cation and radical adopt planar structures and exhibit unique packing structures. Their electronic and optical properties were investigated experimentally and theoretically to reveal their aromatic character. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cycloheptatrienyl (tropyl) molecules are representative non‐alternant hydrocarbons that offer interesting chemistry because of their unique structures and properties. However, there have been a limited number of polycyclic aromatic tropyl cations and radicals reported in the literature. Herein, we report the synthesis of a series of azahomocorannulene derivatives, where the key reactions are a 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition of polycyclic aromatic azomethine ylides with dibenzotropone and a subsequent palladium‐catalyzed cyclization. X‐ray diffraction analysis revealed that the obtained azahomocorannulenyl cation and radical adopt planar structures and exhibit unique packing structures. Their electronic and optical properties were investigated experimentally and theoretically to reveal their aromatic character. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Huangjing contains no starch but rich in health-promoting compounds. The effects of Huangjing flour (HJF) on the physicochemical properties and quality of cookies were investigated by partially replacing wheat flour with HJF. The addition of HJF increased water solubility of the mixed flour and improved the crispness of cookies. The starch was lower approximately 69%, but obtained 8% higher protein and fat content than the control. The resistant starch increased from 23.74 to 41.37 g 100 g−1, which significantly reduced the in vitro digestibility of the cookies and resulted in a much lower estimated glycemic index (eGI) 53.67 (eGI<55) compared with 61.81 wheat flower control when 40% HJF was included. The microstructure of the products indicated that the exposure area of starch particles was greatly reduced by the addition of HJF. The onset temperature of gelatinization increased from 60.75 °C to 61.75 °C, and the enthalpy of gelatinization decreased from 1.68 to 0.88 J g−1 with the presence of 40% HJF, suggesting that the HJF could retard the gelatinization of the cookies. The above results demonstrate that inclusion of HJF into cookies improves the quality of cookies and also provides a strategy for the production of low-GI foods. • The addition of Huangjing flour improved the appearance and taste of the cookies. • The starch was entrapped by Huangjing flour resulting in lower exposure area. • The addition of Huangjing flour retarded the gelatinization of the starch. • The starch digestibility of cookies was reduced by Huangjing flour incorporation. • The eGI of the cookies was reduced below 55 with the present of 30% Huangjing flour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The significance of neuronal discharge symmetry lies in its reflection of the stability and orderliness within the neuron's activity. This symmetry is correlated with various issues, including the biophysical properties within neurons, network structures, and synaptic transmission. Memristors are highly analogous to neuronal synapses due to their unique memory properties, allowing them to emulate biological neural synapses. In this work, a memristor is employed into the Hindmarsh‐Rose (HR) neuron as a synapse for the construction of a memristive HR neuron. Accompanied with the introducing of the absolute value and signum function, the derived neurons exhibit complex coexisting symmetric firing patterns. The phenomenon of symmetric firing can effectively simulate the depolarization and hyperpolarization processes of neurons, providing a new approach to study the diversity of the brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Annulated 1,4,2,5-diazadiborinine 3 has been synthesized and fully characterized. Computational studies revealed that compound 3 features a relatively small HOMO–LUMO gap (2.61 eV). When 3 was treated with elemental grey selenium (Se), oxidative addition of Se proceeded regioselectively at the boron centres of 3 to give a bicyclo[2.2.2] molecule 4 involving a B–Se–Se–B unit, which can be deemed a heavier analogue of dibora-peroxide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Proteases, as one of the most significant kind of digestive enzymes, are closely related to a variety of physiological processes and diseases. Herein, a black phosphorus nanosheets (BPs) based sensitive fluorometric method for protease detection and inhibitor screening is proposed. The aqueous solution of perylene probe (probe 1) displays a strong fluorescence. BPs, as novel discovered two-dimensional (2D) materials, can adsorb probe 1 through electrostatic interactions, which causes fluorescence quenching of probe 1. Histone can control the interactions between the perylene probe and BPs, which can be further regulated by the introduction of a protease. Thus, the protease activity can be monitored by detecting the fluorescence intensity changes of probe 1. The method is label free, sensitive and selective. As low as 1 ng/mL trypsin can be easily detected. Graphical abstract fx1 Highlights • Black phosphorus nanosheets were used as the quencher for a fluorometric assay. • A label-free method for protease detection and inhibitor screening. • Histone controlled interactions between a perylene probe and black phosphorus nanosheets were used for signal transduction. • No covalent modifications were needed, and the assay is simple, sensitive and selective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel sensing strategy for acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is developed, based on the perylene probe monomer to excimer fluorescence transformation induced by the in situ generation of a metal coordination polymer. In the presence of AChE, acetylthiocholine chloride was hydrolyzed to thiocholine. Ag+ and the produced thiocholine formed a positively charged metal coordination polymer, which induced the aggregation of a negatively charged perylene probe and the formation of probe excimer emission. The intensity ratio of excimer to monomer emission was proportional to the AChE concentration. A sensing method for AChE was thus established with a detection limit of 0.02 mU mL−1. The excimer emission with a large Stokes shift could avoid the interference of background fluorescence from complex biological samples, and thus achieved selective and sensitive detection of AChE. In addition, a fluorescence immunoassay strategy for AFP was then developed. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) co-immobilized with acetylcholinesterase and the AFP antibody as the capture and amplification probe were first prepared. In the presence of AFP, the sandwich structure was formed by immunological recognition. The hydrolysis of acetylthiocholine was catalyzed by AChE on the AuNPs, and the metal coordination polymer was then formed which resulted in the aggregation of the perylene probe and the formation of the excimer emission. The proposed sensing method offers a new strategy for the detection of other biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The surgical approach of acoustic neuroma includes translabyrinthine, transcranial fossa, suboccipital retrosigmoid sinus, and presigmoid retrolabyrinthine approach. Aims/Objective: To provide the anatomical basis for the surgical selection of presigmoid retrolabyrinthine approach by measuring the anatomical parameters of retrolabyrinthine space of the petrous bone by high-resolution CT. Material and methods: A retrospective study of 208 high-resolution CT (HRCT) images of 104 patients examined in our hospital were analyzed retrospectively. Forty-nine males and 55 females were included in this study. Lines were drawn on the HRCT to measure the morphological data for pre-operational assessment. Result: Morphological data were retracted from HRCT, for preoperational assessment. Conclusion and significance: Using the standard postprocessing images of temporal bone HRCT can predict the size of the retrolabyrinthine space and the degree of exposure to the inner auditory canal, providing an important anatomical index for the choice of presigmoid retrolabyrinthine approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the fault diagnosis rate and efficiency of diesel engine, the PCA-RBF neural network as a new algorithm was constructed by combing the character extraction ability of PCA with the nonlinear approximation ability of RBF neural network. Firstly, eight factors which affected the fault types of diesel engine were analyzed and three principal components were extracted by PCA. Secondly, the data obtained from the three principal components were taken as the input of RBF neural network which was trained and tested. Finally, the PCA-RBF neural network was verified through simulation. The simulation results show that the network has fewer training steps, less training and higher training accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical translation of curcumin has been highly obstructed by the rapid degradation and poor tissue absorption of this agent. Herein, we report on the generation of supramolecular curcumin nanoagents through amino acid coordination driven self‐assembly to simultaneously increase the biological stability and tumor accumulation of curcumin. The biological stability of curcumin was significantly improved both through coordination and through molecular stacking. The sizes of these nanoagents can be readily manipulated to facilitate tumor accumulation. These favorable therapeutic features, together with high drug‐loading capacities and responses to pH and redox stimuli, substantially enhanced the antitumor activity of curcumin without discernible side effects. Hence, supramolecular curcumin nanoagents may hold promise in moving forward the clinical application of curcumin as an effective anticancer drug. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical translation of curcumin has been highly obstructed by the rapid degradation and poor tissue absorption of this agent. Herein, we report on the generation of supramolecular curcumin nanoagents through amino acid coordination driven self‐assembly to simultaneously increase the biological stability and tumor accumulation of curcumin. The biological stability of curcumin was significantly improved both through coordination and through molecular stacking. The sizes of these nanoagents can be readily manipulated to facilitate tumor accumulation. These favorable therapeutic features, together with high drug‐loading capacities and responses to pH and redox stimuli, substantially enhanced the antitumor activity of curcumin without discernible side effects. Hence, supramolecular curcumin nanoagents may hold promise in moving forward the clinical application of curcumin as an effective anticancer drug. Special agents on the job: Supramolecular curcumin nanoagents were fabricated by amino acid coordination driven self‐assembly (see picture). The biological stability of curcumin was significantly improved through both coordination and molecular stacking in the nanoagents, the size of which could be readily manipulated. These favorable therapeutic features substantially enhanced the antitumor activity of curcumin without discernible side effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • We analyze the sources of automatic weighing error of belt weigher in detail. • We select key parameters as the input and output of the BP model. • We imitate the actual using condition to design experiment and obtain sample date. • We validate the feasibility and practicability of the BP model. • The error outputted by BP model is significantly lower than the original error. Abstract A belt weigher is widely used in industrial production and trade settlement; however, it is difficult to maintain its nominal measuring accuracy in service. With the belt weigher indication, average speed of belt, variation in belt sag, running deviation of belt, environmental temperature, and humidity as inputs, and the control instrument indication as output, a BP neural network model to compensate the automatic weighing error of the belt weigher is built. We obtained the sample data depending on the test system for the type evaluation of the belt weigher in the Jiangsu Institute of Metrology, as well as supplemental relevant parameters for the monitoring devices. The BP model is trained and validated using MATLAB. The validation results show that the absolute value of the maximum relative automatic weighing error output by the BP model is less than 0.5%, significantly lower than the error before using the BP model for compensation. The BP model is effective, feasible, and practical for compensating the automatic weighing error of the belt weigher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]