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As the basic unit and micro-site of grassroots governance, rural communities are facing many cultural obstacles that restrict rural modernization. Focused on rural communities, this study sorts out the requirements of Chinese-style modernization on rural communities and the actual performance of coping with the cultural obstacles of Chinese-style modernization. It finds that the causes of these cultural dilemmas are mainly due to the disconnection of the system in the process of modernization, the deviation between concept penetration and the actual situation. On this basis, this paper proposes the corresponding cultural solution strategies. These strategies start from the top-level design of the national system, cultivate the concept of modern cultural inheritance, construct a modern cultural development system, shape a modern cultural integration mechanism, and improve modern cultural governance and service models. They are of great significance to continuously cultivating the rural cultural self-confidence of the peasant masses, meeting the spiritual needs of the peasant masses, realizing the value goals of the peasant masses, and promoting the realization of Chinese-style modernization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the main region where charged particles are accelerated by the electric field and accumulated near the cathode, the near-cathode region has significant non-local equilibrium characteristics and plays a crucial role in exploring the energy and mass transport properties of the thermal plasma from the arc column region to the hot cathode surface. However, there is a lack of universally adopted models and accepted theories for the study of the near-cathode region due to the complexity of the physical mechanisms involved in the sheath. According to the physical characteristics of the arc discharge, an external circuit is usually used to regulate the total current applied to the electrodes to maintain stable discharge. Therefore, the energy and mass transport properties of atmospheric thermal plasma driven by a current source coupled to an external circuit are investigated in this work to explore the transport mechanism of charged particles in the near-cathode region based on an implicit particle-in-cell Monte Carlo collision method. Firstly, the current-driven model in this work is compared with the present voltage-driven model and fluid model to verify the correctness of this model. Then, the collisions between charged particles and gas atoms inside the sheath are analyzed, and the spatial distributions of particle current density and particle heating rate inside the sheath are also studied. Finally, the variations of typical parameters of thermal particles under different current densities (106–107 A m−2) are analyzed, including maximum particle number density, maximum particle spatially-averaged temperature, sheath thickness, charge density and electric field strength in the cathode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The magnetic bearing rotor system has the problem of positional coupling in the direction of the radial degrees of freedom. This paper proposes a linear output feedback method which decouples the multi-variable coupling system into four single-degree-of-freedom secondorder integral subsystems. Firstly, a five-degree-offreedom (5-DOF) mathematical model of active magnetic bearing rotor is derived. Then, a sliding mode variable structure controller is designed for the decoupled subsystems and the stability of system is guaranteed by the Lyapunov stability theory. The results of computer simulation show that the design controller of sliding mode variable structure controller can more effectively enhance the magnetic bearing rotor performance stability compared with the conventional PD controller, fuzzy PD controller, no matter in the position respond control and anti-disturbance control. Moreover, the sliding mode variable structure controller make the system have better tracking performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A subdivision transformation method evaluated for weakly singular integrals is proposed in this paper, and the method is implemented as follows: based on the position of the source points, the shape information of the elements and the nearest distance from the source point to the integral element, a subdivision technology is constructed at first. With this subdivision technology, the integral element can be divided into several integral blocks with good shapes. And then, a simpler coordinate transformation method is constructed to remove the weak singularities of the integral blocks obtained by the subdivision technology. Compared with the conventional polar coordinate transformation method, the present transformation method does not need to calculate their integral interval, which is simpler and more effective to implement. Finally, the paper gives three numerical examples to verify the accuracy and validity of the present method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Evidence showed that intermittent fasting may have beneficial effects on metabolic syndrome. However, the results are controversial and indefinite. This study intends to investigate and assess the effects of intermittent fasting (IF) on cardiometabolic risk factors in patients with metabolic syndrome. Methods and Study Design: We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases up to July 31, 2022. Primary outcomes included body mass index, fat mass, fat free mass, body weight, blood pressure, the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (IR), fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, and lipid profiles. Results: Of 4997 retrieved records, 6 met the inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis showed that IF can significantly reduce BMI (mean difference=-1.56 kg/m2, 95% CI: -2.62 to -0.51), fat mass (mean difference=-1.35%, 95% CI: -2.03 to -0.67), fat free mass (mean difference=-0.63%, 95% CI: -1.22 to -0.04), body weight (mean difference=- 2.49 kg, 95% CI: -3.11 to -1.88), waist circumference (mean difference=-3.06 cm, 95% CI: -4.21 to - 1.92), and HOMA-IR (mean difference=-0.62, 95% CI: -0.84 to -0.40) compared with non-fasting. However, no statistical difference was found in the SBP, DBP, TC, TG, LDL-C, HDL-C, fasting blood glucose, and fasting insulin comparing fasting and non-fasting group. Subgroup analyses suggested that study duration and sample size may be the source of heterogeneity for LDL-C. Sensitivity analysis indicated that our results are reliable and robust. Conclusions: IF could be used for patients with metabolic syndrome. Further studies with a larger sample size are needed to verify the effectiveness and safety of IF in patients with metabolic syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accumulation of swimming microorganisms at surfaces is an essential feature of various physical, chemical, and biological processes in confined spaces. To date, this accumulation is mainly assumed to depend on the change of swimming speed and angular velocity caused by cell-wall contact and hydrodynamic interaction. Here, we measured the swimming trajectories ofHeterosigma akashiwo (a biflagellate marine alga) near vertical and horizontal rigid boundaries.We observed that the probability of sharp turns is greatly increased near a vertical wall, resulting in significant changes in the distributions of average swimming speed, angular velocity, and rotational diffusivity near the wall (a quantity that has not previously been investigated) as functions of both distance from the wall and swimming orientation. These cannot be satisfactorily explained by standard hydrodynamic models. Detailed examination of an individual cell trajectory shows that wall contact by the leading flagellum triggers complex changes in the behavior of both flagella that cannot be incorporated in a mechanistic model. Our individual-based model for predicting cell concentration using the measured distributions of swimming speed, angular velocity, and rotational diffusivity agrees well with the experiment. The experiments and model are repeated for a cell suspension in a vertical plane, bounded above by a horizontal wall. The cell accumulation beneath the wall, expected from gyrotaxis, is considerably amplified by cell-wall interaction. These findings may shed light on the prediction and control of cell distribution mediated by gyrotaxis and cell-wall contact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Collagen VI family (COL6A) is a major member of extracellular matrix protein. There is accumulating evidence that COL6A is involved in tumorigenesis and tumor progression. In this study, we performed a systematic analysis of COL6A in pan-cancer based on their molecular features and clinical significance. Methods: Based on updated public databases, we integrated several bioinformatics analysis methods to investigate the expression levels of COL6A as well as the relationship between their expression and patient survival, immune subtypes, tumor microenvironment, stemness scores, drug sensitivity, and DNA methylation. Results: The expression levels of COL6A members varied in different cancers, suggesting their expression was cancer-dependent. Among COL6A members, COL6A1/2/3 were predicted poor prognosis in specific cancers. Furthermore, COL6A1/2/3 expression levels revealed a clear correlation with immune subtypes, and COL6A1/2/3 were associated with tumor purity, that is, gene expression levels were generally higher in tumors with higher stromal scores and immune scores. COL6A1/2/3 had a significantly negative correlation with RNA stemness scores, and meanwhile they were also related to DNA stemness scores in different degrees. In addition, the expression of COL6A1/2/3 was significantly related to drug sensitivity of cancer cells. Finally, our study revealed that COL6A1/2/3 expression was mainly negatively correlated with gene methylation, and the methylation levels showed remarkable differences in various cancers. Conclusions: These findings highlight both the similarities and differences in the molecular characteristics of COL6A members in pan-cancer, and provide comprehensive insights for further investigation into the mechanism of COL6A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the blood loss, transfusion rates and complications between the aspirin and non‐aspirin group in unilateral and bilateral total knee arthroplasties (TKAs) with a nested case–control design. Methods: The present study retrospectively selected TKA cases from the Joint Arthroplasty Database at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2014 to December 2019 following strict inclusion and exclusion criteria, and divided them into the aspirin and non‐aspirin group based on the use of aspirin preoperatively. Bleeding was measured by blood loss, transfusion rate, drainage volume, hemoglobin (HGB) and hematocrit (HCT), while complications (cardiovascular events, venous thromboembolism events, cerebrovascular events and wound events) were compared between the groups. Student's unpaired t‐test and Mann–Whitney U‐test were used to compare the differences of continuous variables between the two groups while chi‐square test and Fisher's exact test were applied in categorical variables. Results: A total of 560 patients with unilateral TKA and 285 patients with bilateral TKA were extracted. Among these, 280 patients used aspirin preoperatively. No other differences were found in demographic and surgical characteristics between the two groups except for the proportion of coronary artery diseases (P < 0.001). For primary outcomes, there was no significant higher blood loss and transfusion rate in the aspirin group, while the drainage of aspirin group was higher than the control group in bilateral TKAs (P = 0.043). The HGB and HCT of the aspirin group was significant lower in both unilateral and bilateral TKAs at POD5 (P < 0.05). For complications, there was a lower vascular related complication rate in aspirin group after unilateral TKAs (P = 0.040), but the wound event rate in aspirin group was higher than the control group (P = 0.049). Conclusions: Preoperative use of aspirin could prevent vascular related events during the perioperative period of TKA. However, it might also increase the risk of bleeding and wound complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sound source identification is an important prerequisite for noise control. In recent years, new methods of sound source identification have been developed to improve the robustness of source identification. In this paper, a comprehensive review of noise source identification methods is developed to summarize its developing status and engineering applications. At first, a microphone array which is to acquire the sound pressure field is described. And then, the sound field visualization methods (beamforming and acoustic holography) and their advantages and disadvantages are reviewed. Finally, to improve the identification accuracy of the moving sound source, the hybrid acoustic holography methods with more generality and robustness are reviewed. Through the comparison and summary of the sound source identification methods, we expect this work may provide a potential guidance for the subsequent research studies in the field of sound source identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distributional properties of a multi-dimensional continuous-state branching process are determined by its cumulant semigroup, which is defined by the backward differential equation. We provide a proof of the assertion of Rhyzhov and Skorokhod (Theory Probab. Appl., 1970) on the uniqueness of the solutions to the equation, which is based on a characterization of the process as the pathwise unique solution to a system of stochastic equations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is common and causes many deaths worldwide. The aim of this study is to explore the mechanism by which long non‐coding RNA FGD5‐AS1 regulates HCC cell proliferation and stemness. Methods: Tumor and normal adjacent tissues were harvested from HCC patients. Real‐time quantitative reverse transcription‐PCR was applied to examine the expression of FGD5‐AS1, miR‐223, Epithelial cell transforming sequence 2 (ECT2) and FAT1. The protein levels of ECT2, FAT1, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), OCT4, CD133 and CD90 were analyzed by western blot. The localization of FGD5‐AS1 was examined by Fluorescence in situ hybridization. Cell proliferation was analyzed with CCK‐8 and colony formation assays. Spheroid formation was used for analyzing cell stemness. Gene interaction was examined by RNA immunoprecipitation and luciferase activity assays. A subcutaneous xenograft mouse model was established to analyze HCC growth and stemness in vivo. Immunohistochemistry staining was used to analyze the expression PCNA and OCT4 in subcutaneous tumors. Results: FGD5‐AS1 was upregulated in HCC and its high expression indicated poor prognosis of patients. High expression of FGD5‐AS1 enhanced HCC cell proliferation and stemness. Knockdown of FGD5‐AS1 restrained tumor growth and stemness in mice. FGD5‐AS1 directly sponged miR‐223 and promoted the expression of ECT2 and FAT1 in HCC. Both knockdown of miR‐223 and overexpression of ECT2 and FAT1 reversed FGD5‐AS1 silencing‐mediated suppression of HCC cell proliferation and stemness. Conclusion: FGD5‐AS1 directly sponged miR‐223 and promoted the expression of ECT2 and FAT1 in HCC, thus enhancing HCC cell proliferation and stemness. Our study identifies potential prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To determine the repair of LMPR lesions would improve the ACL graft maturation.Method: A total of 49 patients underwent ACL reconstruction were included in this study. Patients were furtherly sub-grouped according to the status of LMPR: intact (17), repair (16) and resected (16). Assessments performed pre- and 2 years post-operatively included patients-reported scores and arthrometer side-to-side difference. Magnetic resonance imaging was used 2 years after the surgery to compare the lateral meniscal extrusion (LME), anterior tibial subluxation of the medial compartment (ATSMC), anterior tibial subluxation of the lateral compartment (ATSLC), the difference of ATSMC and ATSLC, and signal/noise quotient (SNQ) of ACL graft.Results: In LMPR resected group, it showed greater post-operative ATSMC-ATSLC difference when compared with pre-operatively (P = 0.006) and with the other 2 groups (intact: P = 0.031; repair: P = 0.048). SNQ of ACL graft was higher in LMPR resected group than those in LMPR intact (P = 0.004) and repair group (P = 0.002). The LMPR repair group showed significant reduction in LME post-operatively (P = 0.001). Post-operative measures on ATSLC-ATSMC difference (β = 0.304, P = 0.049) and LME (β = 0.492, P = 0.003) showed significant association with graft SNQ.Conclusions: Transtibial repair of LMPR concomitant with ACL reconstruction restored translational stability, reduced meniscus extrusion, making it beneficial for ACL graft maturation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a novel Bayesian approach for hyperspectral image unmixing. The observed pixels are modeled by a linear combination of material signatures weighted by their corresponding abundances. A spike-and-slab abundance prior is adopted to promote sparse mixtures and an Ising prior model is used to capture spatial correlation of the mixture support across pixels. We approximate the posterior distribution of the abundances using the expectation-propagation (EP) method. We show that it can significantly reduce the computational complexity of the unmixing stage and meanwhile provide uncertainty measures, compared to expensive Monte Carlo strategies traditionally considered for uncertainty quantification. Moreover, many variational parameters within each EP factor can be updated in a parallel manner, which enables mapping of efficient algorithmic architectures based on graphics processing units (GPUs). Under the same approximate Bayesian framework, we then extend the proposed algorithm to semi-supervised unmixing, whereby the abundances are viewed as latent variables and the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm is used to refine the endmember matrix. Experimental results on synthetic data and real hyperspectral data illustrate the benefits of the proposed framework over state-of-art linear unmixing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: 18F-prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-1007 positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT) is an advanced molecular imaging evaluation method for prostate cancer (PCa). This study aimed to explore the early detection rate of recurrence and metastasis of patients with biochemical recurrence (BCR) after radical prostatectomy (RP) by 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT and its influence on clinical treatment decisions. Methods: From December 2018 to December 2020, the data of 51 PCa patients with BCR after RP by 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT were summarized and analyzed. Radioactive uptake of tumors was calculated semi-quantitatively by region of interest method and expressed by the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax). We assessed the detection rate of clinical recurrence and metastasis in BCR patients [local recurrence (prostatic bed), lymph node metastasis (pelvic, retroperitoneal and diaphragmatic), bone metastasis and visceral metastasis (such as lung)], and the difference in detection rate between prostate-specific antigen (PSA) groups and Gleason evaluation group was further compared respectively. Results: The median age of 51 patients was 66 years (52-80 years), and the median PSA was 35 ng/mL (6-224 ng/mL) at the time of initial diagnosis. All of them were prostatic acinar adenocarcinoma, including 1 case with intraductal carcinoma, 1 case with ductal adenocarcinoma, 1 case with mucinous adenocarcinoma, 1 case with signet ring-like component and 1 case with neuroendocrine differentiation. We found Gleason score ≤7 in 22 cases (43.14%) and Gleason score ≥ 8 in 29 cases (56.86%). The median time of BCR was 15 months (5-62 months), and the median PSA was 0.58 ng/mL (0.20- 110.00 ng/mL), including 21 (41.18%) cases with 0.20 ng/mL≤PSA<0.50 ng/mL, 12 (23.53%) cases with 0.50 ng/mL≤PSA< 1.00 ng/mL, 4 (7.84%) cases with 1.00 ng/mL≤PSA<2.00 ng/mL and 14 (27.45%) cases with PSA≥2.00 ng/mL. There were 7 cases (13.73%) with no local recurrence or metastasis, and 44 cases (86.27%) with local recurrence or metastasis, including 9 cases (20.45%) with recurrence in the operative area of prostate, 28 cases (63.64%) had lymph node metastasis at different sites, 31 cases (70.45%) had bone metastasis, and 2 cases (4.55%) had visceral metastasis. In addition, there were 2 cases of subcutaneous nodule metastasis and 1 case of penile root metastasis. The median SUVmax was 17.9 (1.4-110.9) for all recurrence or metastasis, 14.0 (3.2-110.9) for local recurrence, 10.2 (2.0-90.1) for lymph node metastasis, and 5.4 (1.4-109.6) for bone metastasis. The detection rates of recurrence or metastasis were 71.43% (15/21), 100.00% (12/12), 75.00% (3/4) and 100.00% (14/14), respectively, in the groups with 0.20 ng/mL≤PSA<0.50 ng/mL (21 cases), 0.50 ng/mL≤PSA<1.00 ng/mL (12 cases), 1.00 ng/mL≤PSA<2.00 ng/mL (4 cases) and PSA≥2.00 ng/mL (14 cases), and there was no statistically significant difference in the detection rate between groups with different PSA levels (P>0.05). The recurrence or metastasis detection rates of original Gleason score ≤7 group (22 cases) and Gleason score ≥8 group (29 cases) were 68.18% (15/22) and 100.00% (29/29), respectively, and there were statistically significant differences in the detection rate between groups with different Gleason scores (P<0.05). In clinical treatment, 4 cases (7.84%) were treated by observation, 18 cases (35.29%) by endocrinotherapy alone, 2 cases (3.92%) by salvage radiotherapy (SRT) alone, 24 cases (47.06%) by endocrinotherapy combined with SRT, 1 case (1.96%) by endocrinotherapy combined with docetaxel systemic chemotherapy, and 2 cases (3.92%) by salvage pelvic lymphadenectomy. Conclusion: 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT has a good value and efficacy in early diagnosis of clinical recurrence or metastasis of BCR patients after RP, which is conducive to accurate evaluation and optimal treatment plan for such patients, and significantly affects clinical treatment decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: 18F-prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-1007 positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT) is an advanced molecular imaging evaluation method for prostate cancer (PCa). This study aimed to explore the early detection rate of recurrence and metastasis of patients with biochemical recurrence (BCR) after radical prostatectomy (RP) by 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT and its influence on clinical treatment decisions. Methods: From December 2018 to December 2020, the data of 51 PCa patients with BCR after RP by 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT were summarized and analyzed. Radioactive uptake of tumors was calculated semi-quantitatively by region of interest method and expressed by the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax). We assessed the detection rate of clinical recurrence and metastasis in BCR patients [local recurrence (prostatic bed), lymph node metastasis (pelvic, retroperitoneal and diaphragmatic), bone metastasis and visceral metastasis (such as lung)], and the difference in detection rate between prostate-specific antigen (PSA) groups and Gleason evaluation group was further compared respectively. Results: The median age of 51 patients was 66 years (52-80 years), and the median PSA was 35 ng/mL (6-224 ng/mL) at the time of initial diagnosis. All of them were prostatic acinar adenocarcinoma, including 1 case with intraductal carcinoma, 1 case with ductal adenocarcinoma, 1 case with mucinous adenocarcinoma, 1 case with signet ring-like component and 1 case with neuroendocrine differentiation. We found Gleason score ≤7 in 22 cases (43.14%) and Gleason score ≥ 8 in 29 cases (56.86%). The median time of BCR was 15 months (5-62 months), and the median PSA was 0.58 ng/mL (0.20110.00 ng/mL), including 21 (41.18%) cases with 0.20 ng/mL≤PSA<0.50 ng/mL, 12 (23.53%) cases with 0.50 ng/mL≤PSA< 1.00 ng/mL, 4 (7.84%) cases with 1.00 ng/mL≤PSA<2.00 ng/mL and 14 (27.45%) cases with PSA≥2.00 ng/mL. There were 7 cases (13.73%) with no local recurrence or metastasis, and 44 cases (86.27%) with local recurrence or metastasis, including 9 cases (20.45%) with recurrence in the operative area of prostate, 28 cases (63.64%) had lymph node metastasis at different sites, 31 cases (70.45%) had bone metastasis, and 2 cases (4.55%) had visceral metastasis. In addition, there were 2 cases of subcutaneous nodule metastasis and 1 case of penile root metastasis. The median SUVmax was 17.9 (1.4-110.9) for all recurrence or metastasis, 14.0 (3.2-110.9) for local recurrence, 10.2 (2.0-90.1) for lymph node metastasis, and 5.4 (1.4-109.6) for bone metastasis. The detection rates of recurrence or metastasis were 71.43% (15/21), 100.00% (12/12), 75.00% (3/4) and 100.00% (14/14), respectively, in the groups with 0.20 ng/mL≤PSA<0.50 ng/mL (21 cases), 0.50 ng/mLCPSA< 1.00 ng/mL (12 cases), 1.00 ng/mL ≤ PSA <2.00 ng/mL (4 cases) and PSA ≥2.00 ng/mL (14 cases), and there was no statistically significant difference in the detection rate between groups with different PSA levels (P>0.05). The recurrence or metastasis detection rates of original Gleason score ≤7 group (22 cases) and Gleason score ≥8 group (29 cases) were 68.18% (15/22) and 100.00% (29/29), respectively, and there were statistically significant differences in the detection rate between groups with different Gleason scores (P<0.05). In clinical treatment, 4 cases (7.84%) were treated by observation, 18 cases (35.29%) by endocrinotherapy alone, 2 cases (3.92%) by salvage radiotherapy (SRT) alone, 24 cases (47.06%) by endocrinotherapy combined with SRT, 1 case (1.96%) by endocrinotherapy combined with docetaxel systemic chemotherapy, and 2 cases (3.92%) by salvage pelvic lymphadenectomy. Conclusion: 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT has a good value and efficacy in early diagnosis of clinical recurrence or metastasis of BCR patients after RP, which is conducive to accurate evaluation and optimal treatment plan for such patients, and significantly affects clinical treatment decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lateral stability control of the vehicle can avoid serious traffic accidents when it had a tire blowout during the operation. This article proposes a robust nonlinear control method for controlling vehicle lateral stability after a tire blowout. To be exact, a seven degree of freedom dynamic model of vehicle with modified Dugoff tire model is established. The yaw moment of vehicle is performed by differential braking once the tire blowout occurring. As for control strategy, taking the linear two degree of freedom vehicle model as the reference, using the deviation of yaw rate and the vehicle side angle between the actual value and the reference value as the controller input parameters, the fractional calculus theory is utilized for yaw moment controller which was investigated by regulating the brake moment of blowout vehicle for improving its stability. The results of computer simulation show that the design controller of fractional PID can more effectively enhance the blowout vehicle performance stability compared with the vehicle with the non-control, PID control, no matter in straight road or curve road. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this paper is to solve the complex symmetric linear systems generated from the discretization of the space fractional coupled nonlinear Schrödinger (CNLS) equations, whose coefficient matrix is equal to the sum of a symmetric positive definite Toeplitz matrix and a Hermitian positive definite complex diagonal matrix. In order to make the best use of the full Toeplitz structure of the coefficient matrix, a new Toeplitz and diagonal splitting (TDS) is given and the corresponding TDS iteration method is proposed to solve the discretized linear systems, then two circulant preconditioners based on Strang’s and T. Chan’s circulant approximation, are proposed to accelerate the convergence of the preconditioned conjugated gradient (PCG) method for solving the first linear sub-system in the TDS method. Theoretical analysis and numerical experiments demonstrate that the TDS method is unconditional convergence and the TDS-PCG inner-outer iteration method with two circulant preconditioners to solve the discretization linear systems of the space fractional CNLS equations is feasible and efficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Endometriosis is a common chronic gynecological disease greatly affecting women health. Prior studies have implicated that dysferlin (DYSF) aberration might be involved in the pathogenesis of ovarian endometriosis. In the present study, we explore the potential presence of DYSF mutations in a total of 152 Han Chinese samples with ovarian endometriosis. Methods: We analyze the potential presence of DYSF mutations by direct DNA sequencing. Results: A total of seven rare variants/mutations in the DYSF gene in 10 out of 152 samples (6.6%) were identified, including 5 rare variants and 2 novel mutations. For the 5 rare variants, p.R334W and p.G941S existed in 2 samples, p.R865W, p.R1173H and p.G1531S existed in single sample, respectively; for the two novel mutations, p.W352* and p.I1642F, they were identified in three patients. These rare variants/mutations were absent or existed at extremely low frequency either in our 1006 local control women without endometriosis, or in the China Metabolic Analytics Project (ChinaMAP) and Genome Aggregation Database (gnomAD) databases. Evolutionary conservation analysis results suggested that all of these rare variants/mutations were evolutionarily conserved among 11 vertebrate species from Human to Fox. Furthermore, in silico analysis results suggested these rare variants/mutations were disease-causing. Nevertheless, we find no significant association between DYSF rare variants/mutations and the clinical features in our patients. To our knowledge, this is the first report revealing frequent DYSF mutations in ovarian endometriosis. Conclusion: We identified a high frequency of DYSF rare variants/mutations in ovarian endometriosis for the first time. This study suggests a new correlation between DYSF rare variants/mutations and ovarian endometriosis, implicating DYSF rare variants/mutations might be positively involved in the pathogenesis of ovarian endometriosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the bioequivalence of 2 avapritinib tablets formulations. A randomized, open‐label, single‐center trial was conducted on fasting, healthy Chinese participants. The study utilized a partial replicated design with 3 sequences and 3 periods. Participants were assigned to 1 of 3 sequences, with each sequence receiving the reference formulation twice and the test formulation once. Plasma samples were collected and analyzed to determine pharmacokinetic parameters. The bioequivalence of the 2 avapritinib formulations was assessed using reference‐scaled average bioequivalence for the maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) and the average bioequivalence analysis for the area under the concentration‐time curve (AUC). Out of 39 participants, 38 completed the study. For Cmax, the 1‐sided 95% upper confidence interval (CI) bound from the scaled approach was −0.035 (<0) and the point estimate value was 0.958, falling inside the acceptance range of 0.8‐1.25. For both the AUC over all concentrations measured (AUC0‐t) and the AUC from time 0 to infinity (AUC0‐inf), the 90% CIs of geometric mean ratios (0.87‐1.01) also met the bioequivalence criteria of 0.8‐1.25. Consequently, the study demonstrated that the 2 avapritinib formulations were bioequivalent under fasting conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe ridged V-shaped dimple (RVD) is proposed to improve the thermal-hydraulic performance of the dimpled cooling passage by generating a ridge at the junction of the spherical dimple and V-shaped dimple. The impacts of arrangements (staggered, inline), geometric parameters (the length l/D of RVD leg, the angle α between two legs, the spacing s/D between the spherical dimple and V-shaped dimple in RVD, the depth-to-diameter ratio of dimple), and Reynolds number (Re = 8,500-50,000) on the thermal-hydraulic performance of RVD are investigated through numerical simulations. Results demonstrate that RVD significantly improves thermal-hydraulic performance by forming larger and stronger longitudinal vortexes and disrupting the boundary layer. The inline RVD has a higher thermal-hydraulic performance compared to the staggered RVD due to the stronger disturbance. Moreover, the RVD is appropriate for enhancing the thermal-hydraulic performance of deeper dimples, case 0.3-0.1 has the largest PEC (1.38-1.50) compared to other dimpled cases, and it achieves a 10.50%-18.18% increase over the corresponding typical VD. Finally, the correlations for Nu/Nu0 and f/f0 of inline RVD are proposed based on the numerical results, and the deviations between the predicted results and the simulated results are 10% for Nu/Nu0 and f/f0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate how collective behaviors of vibrations such as cooperativity and interference can enhance energy transfer in a nontrivial way, focusing on an example of a donor–bridge–acceptor trimeric chromophore system coupled to two vibrational degrees of freedom. Employing parameters selected to provide an overall uphill energy transfer from donor to acceptor, we use numerical calculations of dynamics in a coupled exciton–vibration basis, together with perturbation-based analytics and calculation of vibronic spectra, to identify clear spectral features of single- and multi-phonon vibrationally-assisted energy transfer (VAET) dynamics, where the latter include up to six-phonon contributions. We identify signatures of vibrational cooperation and interference that provide enhancement of energy transfer relative to that obtained from VAET with a single vibrational mode. We observe a phononic analogue of two-photon absorption, as well as a novel heteroexcitation mechanism in which a single phonon gives rise to simultaneous excitation of both the trimeric system and the vibrational degrees of freedom. The impacts of vibrations and of the one- and two-phonon VAET processes on the energy transfer are seen to be quite different in the weak and strong site–vibration coupling regimes. In the weak coupling regime, two-phonon processes dominate, whereas in the strong coupling regime up to six-phonon VAET processes can be induced. The VAET features are seen to be enhanced with increasing temperature and site–vibration coupling strength, and are reduced in the presence of dissipation. We analyze the dependence of these phenomena on the explicit form of the chromophore–vibration couplings, with comparison of VAET spectra for local and non-local couplings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Adenomyosis is a diffuse or localized disease. Our previous study has indicated that tanshinone IIA (TSIIA) inhibits the proliferation, migration, and induces apoptosis of ectopic endometrial stromal cells (EESCs) of adenomyosis. However, the complex molecular mechanism of TSIIA in adenomyosis remains unclear. The objective of this study was to explore the complex molecular mechanism of TSIIA on EESCs. Methods: In our present study, we used the proteomics approach iTRAQ (isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation) combined with LC–MS/MS (liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry) to investigate changes in the protein profile of EESCs treated with TSIIA. Differential proteins were analyzed by employing bioinformatics tools and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database. In TSIIA treated EESCs, the protein expression levels of TNFRSF10D, PLEKHM1, FECH, and TPM1A were detected by western blotting. Results: Quantitative results revealed 267 significantly differential proteins in TSIIA pretreated EESCs. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis presented an overview of dysregulated proteins in the biological process (BP), cell component (CC), and molecular function (MF) categories. Interestingly, we observed that differential proteins in the extracellular matrix (ECM)-receptor interaction pathway and estrogen signaling pathway were all involved in the focal adhesion pathway, which plays essential roles in the TSIIA-mediated inhibition of EESC proliferation and migration. Furthermore, some significantly differential proteins, which may be potential targets for the treatment of adenomyosis in the future, were validated by western blotting. Conclusions: Our study provides a useful method to detect the detailed mechanism underlying the efficacy of TSIIA on EESCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the efficiency of the modified QHSS (MQHSS) iteration method by Chen and the co-authors (Appl. Numer. Math. 2020; doi.org/10.1016/j.apnum.2020.01.018), we employ the iterative methods in the inner iteration process to accelerate the convergence speed and then obtain the inexact MQHSS (IMQHSS) iteration method. The asymptotically convergence conditions of the IMQHSS iteration method are analyzed in detail. Numerical experiments are performed to test the efficiency and robustness of the IMQHSS iteration method and the corresponding preconditioned Krylov subspace method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A two-level variational multiscale meshless local Petrov-Galerkin (VMS-MLPG) method is presented for incompressible Navier-Stokes equations based on two local Gauss integrations which effectively replace a unit operator (first level) and an orthogonal project operator (second level). The present VMS-MLPG method allows arbitrary combinations of interpolation functions for the velocity and pressure fields, specifically the equal-order interpolations that are easy to implement and satisfy the Babuska-Breezi (B-B) condition. The prediction accuracy and the numerical stability of the proposed method for the lid-driven cavity flow and the backward facing step flow problems are analyzed and validated by comparing with the SUMLPG method and the benchmark solutions. It is shown that the present VMS-MLPG method can guarantee the numerical stability and obtain the reasonable solutions for incompressible Navier-Stokes equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genome-wide epistasis analysis is a powerful tool to infer gene interactions, which can guide drug and vaccine development and lead to deeper understanding of microbial pathogenesis. We have considered all complete severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) genomes deposited in the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) repository until four different cutoff dates, and used direct coupling analysis together with an assumption of quasi-linkage equilibrium to infer epistatic contributions to fitness from polymorphic loci. We find eight interactions, of which three are between pairs where one locus lies in gene ORF3a, both loci holding nonsynonymous mutations. We also find interactions between two loci in gene nsp13, both holding nonsynonymous mutations, and four interactions involving one locus holding a synonymous mutation. Altogether, we infer interactions between loci in viral genes ORF3a and nsp2, nsp12, and nsp6, between ORF8 and nsp4, and between loci in genes nsp2, nsp13, and nsp14. The paper opens the prospect to use prominent epistatically linked pairs as a starting point to search for combinatorial weaknesses of recombinant viral pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Patients with haemophilia are prone to haemophilic arthropathy (HA). For end‐stage HA, total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is an effective procedure. However, limited data were available regarding complications of TKA in HA patients. Aim: To provide comprehensive comparisons of TKA complications among patients with osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or HA. Methods: The present study was a single‐surgeon cohort study including patients who underwent TKAs for OA, HA or RA from January 1997 to December 2017. The information of patients was extracted from medical records and follow‐up database. The primary outcome was complications. Potential risk factors of complications in HA patients were also evaluated. Results: A total of 1515 patients with 2083 TKAs were selected following the criteria. The overall complication rate in the HA group was 21.79%, which was much higher than the OA or RA group (7.08% and 8.70%, respectively, P <.05). The dominate complications were prosthetic loosening and wound dehiscence. For HA, more complications occurred in the period more than 1 year after TKA when compared with OA (33.33% vs 11.43%, P =.028). Among the potential risk factors, patients with haemophilia B and severe haemophilia had significantly higher complication rates (P <.05 for both). Conclusion: When compared with OA or RA, HA patients had different characteristics on complications, including the higher complication rate, different complication distribution and later occurring time. In HA patients who underwent TKA, haemophilia B and severe haemophilia were risk factors of complications which should be paid more attention to. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The characteristics of the haemophilia may endanger the patient with haemophilia (PWH) to higher ratio of wound complication, even lead to the refractory wound problem. The early wound complication in PWH has not been well studied in literature. Methods: Between the period from 2002 to 2018, 250 patients underwent 323 elective orthopaedic surgical procedures for the treatment of haemophilic musculoskeletal disorders. The medical records were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were evaluated for postoperative wound complications within 30 days. Risk factors related to wound complications were further analysed. The patients underwent vacuum sealing drainage (VSD) for refractory wound healing problem were further analysed. Results: Twenty‐four patients of 250 patients experienced early wound complication within postoperative 30 days. The incidence of wound complication in the patients without preoperative infection was 6.5%. Positive inhibitor and surgery for pseudotumour were associated with higher rate of wound complication after logistic regression, with the odds ratios (OR) of 5.7 (95% CI, 1.08 to 30.3) and 4.9 (95% CI, 1.3 to 18.5), respectively. Eight patients underwent VSD treatment for refractory wound healing problem and recovered uneventfully. The total VSD treatment cycle was 2.25 (from 2 to 4). The average factor consumption was 26.1 IU kg−1 d−1. The patients complicated with infection had higher, but not statistically significantly, treatment duration, factor consumption and peri‐VSD total blood loss than the patients without infection. Conclusions: PWH had an incidence of 6.5% of early wound healing problem after elective orthopaedic surgery for musculoskeletal disorder in the present study. The presence of positive inhibitor and surgical procedure for haemophiliac pseudotumour are associated with higher incidence of wound healing problem. The VSD is an effective alternative for the treatment of refractory wound healing problem for PWH, especially for the patients complicated with infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the failure to consider vehicle states in region of interest (ROI) prediction, we propose the use of a Kalman filter to estimate the position of vehicles relative to lanes by vehicle states on the basis of a vehicle–road micro traffic model in the world coordinate system. The central position of the ROI is determined through a combination of optimal preview time theory with the ROI prediction. The range of the ROI is determined by offsetting upward, downward, leftward, and rightward from the central position of the ROI. The left and right ROI are processed separately to detect lane lines. Simulation results show that the proposed prediction method reduces the ROI range, and the model predictive control controller can make the vehicle run smoothly from the initial position to the road centerline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The method of successive under-relaxation (SUR) is an effective way for numerically solving a nonlinear system of equations governing the fluid flow and heat transfer, resulting in stable convergence. So far, there is not any doable applied method to determine the best relaxation factor of SUR. In this article, the interrelation among the diffusion term, the convection term and the under-relaxation term is regarded as the key to calculate the under-relaxation factor. Then, the self-adaptive under-relaxation factor strategy is proposed. The test calculation of two typical problems, lid-driven cavity flow, and flow over a backward-facing step is carried out based on the proposed self-adaptive under-relaxation strategy. It is proved that the present method is efficient and robust compared to the fixed under-relaxation factor method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In indirect co-culture system, chondrocytes can induce differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) to chondrocytes without additional inducer. The participation of microRNAs (miRNAs) may take part in the chondrogenic differentiation. Present study aimed to investigate the effect and mechanism of chondrocytes-derived exosomal miRNA in BMSCs chondrogenic differentiation. Our data showed that miR-8485 was the exosomal miRNA derived from chondrocytes and transmitted to BMSCs. Functionally, miR-8485 silence in chondrocytes impaired exosome-induced chondrogenic differentiation of BMSCs. Mechanistically, exosomal miR-8485 targeted GSK3B to repress GSK-3β expression and targeted DACT1 to induce p-GSK-3β (Ser9), activating Wnt/β-catenin pathways. Our study firstly showed that chondrocytes-derived exosomal miR-8485 regulated the Wnt/β-catenin pathways to promote chondrogenic differentiation of BMSCs, providing innovative thoughts for cartilage reconstruction. • miR-8485, an exosomal miRNA, could be transmit from chondrocytes to BMSCs. • miR-8485 played a role in exosome-induced chondrogenic differentiation of BMSCs. • miR-8485 targeted GSK3B by repressing GSK-3β expression and inducing GSK-3β phosphorylation to active Wnt/β-catenin pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rewriting the complex-valued system to realvalued form (C-to-R) leads to a block two-by-two linear system of particular form. Axelsson et al. [Numer. Algorithm 66(2014)811-841] proposed the C-to-R method for nonsingular complex linear systems and illustrated its efficiency theoretically and experimentally. In this paper, we will use the C-to- R method for solving the singular symmetric complex linear systems based on the shift splitting (SS) and obtain an SSbased C-to-R (SS-C-to-R) method. Eigenvalue properties of the SS-C-to-R preconditioned matrix are analyzed. Numerical experiments are also used to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness by comparing with the existing preconditioned methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Animal trypanosomosis caused by Trypanosoma evansi is known as "surra" and is a widespread neglected tropical disease affecting wild and domestic animals mainly in South America, the Middle East, North Africa and Asia. An essential necessity for T. evansi infection control is the availability of reliable and sensitive diagnostic tools. While DNA-based PCR detection techniques meet these criteria, most of them require well-trained and experienced users as well as a laboratory environment allowing correct protocol execution. As an alternative, we developed a recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) test for Type A T. evansi. The technology uses an isothermal nucleic acid amplification approach that is simple, fast, cost-effective and is suitable for use in minimally equipped laboratories and even field settings. Methodology/Principle findings: An RPA assay targeting the T. evansi RoTat1.2 VSG gene was designed for the DNA-based detection of T. evansi. Comparing post-amplification visualization by agarose gel electrophoresis and a lateral flow (LF) format reveals that the latter displays a higher sensitivity. The RPA-LF assay is specific for RoTat1.2-expressing strains of T. evansi as it does not detect the genomic DNA of other trypanosomatids. Finally, experimental mouse infection trials demonstrate that the T. evansi specific RPA-LF can be employed as a test-of-cure tool. Conclusions/Significance: Compared to other DNA-based parasite detection methods (such as PCR and LAMP), the T. evansi RPA-LF (TevRPA-LF) described in this paper is an interesting alternative because of its simple read-out (user-friendly), short execution time (15 minutes), experimental sensitivity of 100 fg purified genomic T. evansi DNA, and ability to be carried out at a moderate, constant temperature (39°C). Therefore, the TevRPA-LF is an interesting tool for the detection of active T. evansi infections. Author summary: Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) affecting humans and/or domestic animals severely impair the socio-economic development of endemic areas. One of these diseases, animal trypanosomosis, affects livestock and is caused by the parasites of the Trypanosoma genus. The most widespread causative agent of animal trypanosomosis is T. evansi, which is found in large parts of the world (Africa, Asia, South America, Middle East, and the Mediterranean). Proper control and treatment of the disease requires the availability of reliable and sensitive diagnostic tools. DNA-based detection techniques are powerful and versatile in the sense that they can be tailored to achieve a high specificity and usually allow the reliable detection of low amounts of parasite genetic material. However, many DNA-based methodologies (such as PCR) require trained staff and well-equipped laboratories, which is why the research community has actively investigated in developing amplification strategies that are simple, fast, cost-effective and are suitable for use in minimally equipped laboratories and field settings. In this paper, we describe the development of a diagnostic test under a dipstick format for the specific detection of T. evansi, based on a DNA amplification principle (Recombinase Polymerase Amplification aka RPA) that meets the above-mentioned criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nucleate pool boiling heat transfer experiments have been conducted to nanofluids on a horizontal cylinder tube under atmospheric pressure. The nanofluids are prepared by dispersing Al2O3 nanoparticles into distilled water at concentrations of 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1 and 2 wt.% with or without sodium, 4-dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS). The experimental results showed that: nanofluids at lower concentrations (0.001 wt.% to 1 wt.%) can obviously enhance the pool boiling heat transfer performance, but signs of deterioration can be observed at higher concentration (2 wt.%). The presence of SDBS can obviously enhance the pool boiling heat transfer performance, and with the presence of SDBS, a maximum enhancement ratio of BHTC of 69.88%, and a maximum decrease ratio of super heat of 41.12% can be found in Group NS5 and NS4, respectively. The tube diameter and wall thickness of heating surface are the influential factors for boiling heat transfer coefficient. Besides, we find that Rohsenow formula failed to predict the characteristics of nanofluids. The mechanism study shows that: the decrease of surface tension, which leads to the decrease of bubble departure diameter, and the presence of agglomerates in nanofluids are the reasons for the enhanced pool boiling heat transfer performance. At higher concentration, particle deposition will lead to the decrease of distribution density of the vaporization core, and as a result of that, the boiling heat transfer performance will deteriorate. Nucleate pool boiling heat transfer experiments were conducted with Al2O3/water nanofluids which were prepared by two-step method. The nanoparticle concentration and the presence of sodium, 4-dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS), as well as the tube diameter and wall thickness of main heater were found to be the influential factors on the heat transfer performance. The investigation on the bubbles generated on heating surface, the agglomerates and the boiling surface also confirmed the heat transfer mechanism which was found in the experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • 3D self-bonding carbon particles were fabricated by corncobs without adding binders. • Carbon particles achieved high mechanical strength, surface area and capacitance. • MFCs equipped with BC900 bioanodes achieved highest power density of 2066.7 mW m−2. • Conductivity and pore structure of 3D electrode dominant the MFC performance. Many researchers focus on regulating the structure and surface properties of electrode materials to improve their biocompatibility, promote the growth of electroactive bacteria and accelerate the efficiency of extracellular electron transfer, thus improving the performance of microbial fuel cells (MFCs). For the commonly used three-dimensional (3D) carbon-based electrode materials, it is important to explore the key factors that affect their performance as anode for the controllable customization of materials. In this study, a novel method suitable for common agricultural residue was developed to prepare self-bonding 3D spherical biochar particles with high mechanical strength after activation with sulfuric acid. The MFC with particles pyrolyzed at 900 °C as anode achieved the highest power density (2066.7 ± 7.0 mW m−2) and a higher abundance of electroactive bacteria (92.8%). Correlation analysis of environmental factors showed that the specific surface area, micropore area, total pore volume and capacitance of the material were positively correlated with the maximum power density, current density, biomass, accumulated charge of MFC and the abundance of Bacteroides , Geobacter , norank_PHOS-HE36 and Clostridium_sensu_stricto_10 on the bioanode. Desulfovibrio and Comamonas showed a higher affinity with oxygen-containing functional groups on materials. The conductivity and pore structure of 3D carbon materials were the dominant factors affecting MFC performance. The findings will provide guidance for the customized structure of 3D carbon electrode to improve the performance of MFCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the limiting behavior of singular values of a lag- τ sample auto-correlation matrix R τ ϵ of large dimensional vector white noise process, the error term ϵ in the high-dimensional factor model. We establish the limiting spectral distribution (LSD) that characterizes the global spectrum of R τ ϵ , and derive the limit of its largest singular value. All the asymptotic results are derived under the high-dimensional asymptotic regime where the data dimension and sample size go to infinity proportionally. Under mild assumptions, we show that the LSD of R τ ϵ is the same as that of the lag- τ sample auto-covariance matrix. Based on this asymptotic equivalence, we additionally show that the largest singular value of R τ ϵ converges almost surely to the right end point of the support of its LSD. Based on these results, we further propose two estimators of total number of factors with lag- τ sample auto-correlation matrices in a factor model. Our theoretical results are fully supported by numerical experiments as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal and oil shale are two common sedimentary energy sources which are often symbiotically developed in Mesozoic–Cenozoic continental fault basins. However, the mechanisms and characteristics of the symbiotic development are not yet clearly known. In this research study, the typical continental fault basins of eastern China were chosen as examples for the purpose of conducting an examination of the coal and oil shale symbiotic assemblage types, genetic environmental differences, and transformation mechanisms, as well as the development and occurrence characteristics of different assemblage types. Through a large number of investigations, systematic experimental testing, and sequence stratigraphy studies, the following conclusions were obtained: (1) There were five types of coal and oil shale symbiotic assemblages observed in the continental fault basins, (2) The development of coal and oil shale deposits requires a warm and humid climate, stable structure, abundant organic matter supply, a certain water depth, and a lower terrestrial source debris supply. The observed differences were that the water depth conditions were diversified in the study area, as well as the sources, types, and content of the organic matter. (3) The rapid transformations of the coal and oil shale genetic environments were mainly controlled by the tectonic settings and climatic conditions, which were determined to control the changes in the water depths, salinity, redox conditions, and lake productivity of the genetic environments. Also, in the symbiotic assemblages, genetic environment changes had induced the development of oil shale deposits, which gradually evolved into coal genetic environments. (4) In the isochronous sequence stratigraphic framework of the coal and oil shale symbiotic assemblages, the lake expansion system tracts (EST) were determined to be the most beneficial to the growth of all the types of assemblages and were characterized by more assemblage development phases and smaller bed thicknesses. From the early to the late stages of the EST, and from the lakesides to lake centers, the thicknesses of the coal seams in the symbiotic assemblages showed trends of thinning, while the thicknesses of the oil shale deposits exhibited increasing trends. The early stages of high stand system tracts were found to be beneficial to the development of the symbiotic assemblages of coal seams overlying the oil shale. This tract type generally presented large bed thicknesses and distribution ranges. The low stand system tract and the late high stand system tract were determined to be unconducive to the development of the symbiotic assemblages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knee arthroplasty, including total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and unicondylar knee arthroplasty (UKA), is an effective procedure for patients with severe knee joint diseases. Arterial occlusion after knee arthroplasty is a rare but severe complication. However, there are few comprehensive reviews or analyses focusing on it. In this study, we presented a case of successful treatment of acute arterial occlusion of the popliteal artery after TKA by emergent balloon angioplasty, and conducted a review and analysis of published cases with this complication. After search and screening, 36 studies with 47 cases of arterial occlusion after knee arthroplasty in the past 35 years (1984–2018) were included. Among the 47 patients, there were 22 men and 25 women. The mean age was 68 years old. A total of 43 patients had primary TKA while 2 had revision surgery for TKA and 2 for UKA. For arterial occlusions, 66% presented symptoms in less than 1 day after knee surgery and 95% of the occlusion sites were around the popliteal artery. For treatment, 89% chose surgical treatment. Compared with conservative treatment, surgical treatment was more effective (P < 0.01). The patients who underwent surgical treatment less than 1 day after diagnosis had less sequelae (P < 0.05). For arterial occlusion after knee arthroplasty, we should pay attention to the perioperative risk factors and presentations, and diagnose and treat surgically at an early stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The radii and orbital periods of 4,000+ confirmed/candidate exoplanets have been precisely measured by the Kepler mission. The radii show a bimodal distribution, with two peaks corresponding to smaller planets (likely rocky) and larger intermediate-size planets, respectively. While only the masses of the planets orbiting the brightest stars can be determined by ground-based spectroscopic observations, these observations allow calculation of their average densities placing constraints on the bulk compositions and internal structures. However, an important question about the composition of planets ranging from 2 to 4 Earth radii (R⊕) still remains. They may either have a rocky core enveloped in a H2-He gaseous envelope (gas dwarfs) or contain a significant amount of multicomponent, H2O-dominated ices/fluids (water worlds). Planets in the mass range of 10-15 M⊕, if half-ice and half-rock by mass, have radii of 2.5 R⊕, which exactly match the second peak of the exoplanet radius bimodal distribution. Any planet in the 2- to 4-R⊕ range requires a gas envelope of at most a few mass percentage points, regardless of the core composition. To resolve the ambiguity of internal compositions, we use a growth model and conduct Monte Carlo simulations to demonstrate that many intermediate-size planets are "water worlds." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Magnetic superhydrophobic melamine sponges (MSMS) were prepared. • Absorption abilities of MSMS for various oils and organic solvents are good. • Oil-water separation can be realized by MSMS in different manipulation modes. Abstract In this work, hydrophobic magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were successfully synthesized by the one-pot solvothermal reaction at the presence of surface modifier for the first time and characterized by SEM, EDS, TEM, WAXD, TGA, FTIR, and XPS. The fabrication of the magnetic superhydrophobic melamine sponge was realized by the deposition of the as-synthesized hydrophobic MNPs on the melamine sponge using a simple drop-coating method with the aid of silicone adhesive to achieve a firm attachment. The resultant surface-modified durable melamine sponge exhibited not only the high absorption capacities for different oil and organic solvent ranging from 39.8 g/g to 78.7 g/g but also the good reusability for absorption even after 14 absorbing-squeezing cycles. The oil absorption ability of the magnetic superhydrophobic highly-porous melamine sponge was much better than that of the magnetic superhydrophobic polyurethane sponge with relatively low porosity. Moreover, it could be found from the demonstrating experiments that the as-prepared magnetic superhydrophobic melamine sponge had the abilities to (1) remove the floating peanut oil from water followed by convenient magnetic recovery, (2) separate CH 2 Cl 2 from water as a filter only driven by gravity, (3) absorb and collect peanut oil continuously from water surface assisted by a vacuum pump. We believe that the as-prepared magnetic superhydrophobic melamine sponge should have great potential in the effective oil-water separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A numerical gas-contributed thermal conductivity model of aerogels is proposed. • The structure of "an idealized aerogel" is reconstructed numerically. • The effect of the solid–gas coupling heat transfer in aerogels is quantified. • Cracks strongly influence the gas-contributed thermal conductivity of aerogels. Abstract Due to the complex microstructure in aerogels and the intricate heat transfer mechanism of solid-gas coupling heat conduction, modeling of the gas-contributed thermal conductivity of this type of material is quite difficult. The present work introduces a novel numerical methodology for computing the gas-contributed thermal conductivity of aerogels by analyzing their microstructural characteristics and heat transfer mechanism of the thermal coupling between the gas phase and the solid backbone of the system. Specifically, structures of aerogels are reconstructed by an improved three-dimensional diffusion-limited cluster-cluster aggregation (DLCA) method, and the contribution of the solid-gas coupling heat transfer to the gas-contributed thermal conductivity of aerogels is quantified. The present numerical model is fully validated by the available experimental data for different aerogels with porosity ranging from 78% to 97.7%. The proposed numerical method is flexible and versatile because it is capable to account for both the geometrical and topological details of the aerogel structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In the present work, the surface-modified graphene (SMG)/poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) fibrous membranes obtained from the electrospinning were treated by the hot pressing in the laminating mode to form the SMG/PVDF composites. The SMG was prepared by subjecting the graphene oxide to silane modification, NaBH 4 reduction, and PVDF grafting in sequence. The successful surface modification of graphene was confirmed by TEM, XPS, Raman spectroscopy, FTIR, WAXD, and TGA. Furthermore, the structures of SMG/PVDF composites fabricated by the electrospinning-hot pressing method were studied by SEM, FTIR, and WAXD, which exhibited the well dispersion of SMG in the PVDF matrix. Finally, the investigation showed that the dielectric permittivities of SMG/PVDF composites increased with the SMG content, which were significantly higher than that of pristine PVDF. The dielectric permittivity of SMG (16 wt%)/PVDF composite (83.8) at 1000 Hz was found to be ten-fold that of the corresponding value of pristine PVDF (8.3) with a relatively low dielectric loss factor (0.34) and a relatively high thermal conductivity (0.679 W/mK). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract For the purpose of oil-water separation, the magnetic superhydrophobic melamine (MA) sponge was coated with the fluoroalkylsilane-modified Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles by a drop-coating method, in which the silicone adhesive was utilized to strengthen the binding effect between the Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles and the MA sponge. The successful preparation of fluoroalkylsilane-modified Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles and magnetic superhydrophobic MA sponge were confirmed by SEM, TEM, two dimensional EDS mapping, TGA, FTIR, XPS, WAXD, VSM, and contact angle measurement. The as-prepared surface-modified MA sponge could effectively absorb different oils including pump oil, peanut oil, silicone oil, kerosene, and gasoline with the maximum absorption capacities ranging from 59 g/g to 77 g/g. Moreover, it was demonstrated that the surface-modified MA sponge had an excellent ability to separate oil and organic solvent from water by direct absorption under magnetic control or gravity-driving filtration. Graphical ABSTRACT Unlabelled Image Highlights • The magnetic superhydrophobic melamine (MSMA) sponge was prepared. • The absorption ability of MSMA sponge for different oils was good. • The MSMA sponge had an excellent ability to separate oil from water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Mechanical properties of coral concrete under quasi-static and dynamic compressions are investigated. • Coral concrete exhibits high-early strength and more brittle characteristics. • The compressive strength and failure pattern are sensitive to strain rate. • Energy dissipation and fractal dimension are calculated and found to be rate-dependent. • Differences of failure pattern and mechanism between coral and conventional concrete are analyzed. Abstract The uniaxial compressive behavior of coral aggregate concrete was experimentally investigated under quasi-static to dynamic loading rates. Quasi-static compression tests of coral concrete at different curing ages were performed at a constant strain rate of 10−5 s−1 using an electro-hydraulic servo-controlled test machine. Dynamic impact loading tests were conducted at stain rates from 101.48 s−1 to 102.16 s−1 utilizing a 100-mm-diameter split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) system. The strain rate effects on the mechanical properties of coral concrete were assessed in terms of the uniaxial compressive strength, energy dissipation, fractal dimension and failure pattern. The coral concrete exhibits high-early strength and the post-peak stress-strain curves behave in a more brittle manner than conventional concrete. A more remarkable rate-dependence in the compressive strength of coral concrete than other cement-based composites was observed as the dynamic increase factor (DIF) increased from 1.73 to 2.56 with the strain rate increasing from 30.12 s−1 to 143.32 s−1. Different from the failure pattern of conventional concrete, the fracture plane of coral concrete directly penetrated through the coral shingles rather than cracking in the interface between the cement mortar and the coarse aggregate under both quasi-static and dynamic loadings, ascribing to the low strength of coral aggregates and the high intensity of bonding interface. The ratio of the absorbed energy to incident energy is between 0.3–0.5 and tends to decrease with an increase in strain rate. A higher loading rate may lead to more energy absorption consumed by generating more fracture planes and smaller fragments, which is in consistent with a higher value of fractal dimension. The fractal dimension in the range of 2.027–2.302 for coral concrete was also found to be proportional to the logarithm of the loading strain rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are recently reported to regulate the homeostasis of cartilage in osteoarthritis (OA), but their regulatory roles in OA synovium remain elusive. This study aimed to identify the differentially expressed mRNAs and lncRNAs in OA synovium and further explore the function of differentially expressed lncRNAs in OA progression through bioinformatics analysis. We started with RNA-sequencing in 5 OA synovium samples and 5 healthy controls to compare the expression of mRNAs and lncRNAs. GO analysis and KEGG pathway analysis were performed to annotate the function of differentially expressed mRNAs. Then real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was admitted in 17 osteoarthritic synovium and 18 healthy controls to confirm the changes of the expression of the selected lncRNAs. LncRNA-mRNA co-expression network was constructed to predict the potential molecular regulatory mechanisms of specifically expressed lncRNAs in OA synovium. 384 mRNAs and 17 lncRNAs were detected to be differentially expressed in OA synovium. The expressions of 4 lncRNAs were confirmed by qRT-PCR. We found the differentially expression lncRNAs could potentially regulate OA progression through pathways regarding to immune response through the lncRNA-mRNA network and further annotation for co-expression mRNAs. Our results indicated that lncRNAs may play key roles in OA synovitis and may have potential value in OA diagnosis. Highlights • Reveal the expression pattern of mRNA and lncRNA in osteoarthritic synovium. • LncRNA-XIST may function as pro-inflammatory factor in OA. • LncRNA-MALAT1 may protect synovitis progression in OA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A series of single particle crushing tests were conducted on 400 coral particles with size ranges of 3–5 mm, 6.5–8.5 mm and 10–12 mm at loading rates of 0.1–50 mm/min. The effects of size and loading rate on the mechanical properties are assessed in terms of the frequency distribution of crushing strength, fragmentation mode, fractal dimension, and fracture energy density. It is proved that the crushing strength frequency distribution perfectly follows the Weibull statistics law, decreasing with an exponent of −0.286. A satisfying rate-dependent equation is proposed to account for the characteristic tensile strength enhancement regarding strain rate. The fragmentation behaviour in conjunction with monitored load-displacement curves were classified into four typical modes. As the size decreases, the fragmentation mode changes from asperities breaking and surface grinding to primary brittle splitting. A higher applied loading rate may lead to an increasing possibility of major splitting occurrence. The fractal dimension is 2.356 for coral particles, which is a bit larger than that of quartz sands and was found to be proportional to the natural logarithm of the strain rate. The fracture energy density tends to decrease as the particle size increases while to increase with increasing stain rates. Highlights • Size and loading rate effects on properties of single coral particles are studied. • The characteristic strength is calculated with Weibull statistics. • The breakage behavior with load-displacement curves are classified into four modes. • The fractal dimension is calculated and found to be rate-dependent. • Fracture energy is studied and depends on particle size and loading rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structural parameters, electronic and optical properties of chrysene have been investigated using the plane-wave ultrasoft pseudopotential technique based on the first principles density functional theory. The pressure dependence of the electronic band structure, density of states and partial density of states of chrysene were presented. Meanwhile, the complex dielectric function, refractive index, absorption coefficient, reflectivity, and the extinction coefficient are calculated and analysed. According to our work, we found that the optical properties of chrysene undergo a red shift with increasing pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A Cu/Fe-cocatalyzed cyclization of halobenzamides with azo reagents involving regioselective radical/radical cross-coupling toward functionalized isoquinolinediones was developed. Applying azo reagents as the coupling partner, in the presence of cheap, facile and ligand-free catalytic combination of CuI/Fe(NH 4) 2 (SO 4) 2 ·6H 2 O/air, the halobenzamide radicals generated by a prior radical addition/cyclization process underwent radical/radical cross-coupling via the cleavage of C-X (X = F, Cl, Br, I, OMe, OBn) bond with excellent site selectivity, leading to a series of isoquinolinediones furnished dual distal α-functional quaternary moieties. In addition, the theoretical calculation on the C-X bond cleavage and the positional selectivity using unrestricted density functional theory (DFT) was also conducted. Graphical abstract Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep learning-based speech enhancement approaches like deep neural networks (DNN) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) have already demonstrated superior results to classical methods. However, these methods do not take full advantage of temporal context information. While DNN and LSTM consider temporal context in the noisy source speech, it does not do so for the estimated clean speech. Both DNN and LSTM also have a tendency to over-smooth spectra, which causes the enhanced speech to sound muffled. This paper proposes a novel architecture to address both issues, which we term a conditional generative model (CGM). By adopting an adversarial training scheme applied to a generator of deep dilated convolutional layers, CGM is designed to model the joint and symmetric conditions of both noisy and estimated clean spectra. We evaluate CGM against both DNN and LSTM in terms of Perceptual Evaluation of Speech Quality (PESQ) and Short-Time Objective Intelligibility (STOI) on TIMIT sentences corrupted by ITU-T P.501 and NOISEX-92 noise in a range of matched and mismatched noise conditions. Results show that both the CGM architecture and the adversarial training mechanism lead to better PESQ and STOI in all tested noise conditions. In addition to yielding significant improvements in PESQ and STOI, CGM and adversarial training both mitigate against over-smoothing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Opacifiers are usually doped in the silica aerogels to reduce the radiative heat transfer at high temperature. However, the doped opacifiers will enhance the heat conduction in the solid phase and increase the density of silica aerogels dramatically. For developing lightweight and efficient opacifiers, in this paper, different types of core/shell opacifiers are designed, and their extinction performance is investigated, theoretically. Then the optimal temperature-dependent particle size and doping amount of these opacifiers are obtained by maximizing the Rosseland mean extinction coefficient and minimizing the total thermal conductivity of silica aerogel composite. The results show that the hollow carbon black opacifiers might greatly reduce the densities of the opacifier-doped silica aerogels without deteriorating appreciably their insulating capability, and the carbon/SiC, carbon/TiO 2 and carbon/Al 2 O 3 core/shell opacifiers exhibit excellent extinction performance and would be strong candidates for high temperature due to their high extinction performance, low density and high-temperature stability. Finally, a core/shell opacifier-gradient-doped silica aerogel based on the optimal opacifier types and doping amount is designed, which significantly improves the insulating performance and reduces the density of silica aerogel composite. The results of this paper present important references for the process design and improvement of comprehensive performance of opacifier-doped silica aerogels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]