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To enhance the corrosion resistance of magnesium alloys, an anti-corrosion composite film was prepared by combining anodic oxidation and sol-gel technology. Experimental results indicate that after anodization at 17.5V for 3 min, the composite film obtained through sealing with an MPTMS-modified sol exhibited significant improvements in physical properties. The thickness of the film reached 24.3 μm, its hardness was measured at 164.7 HV, and it demonstrated good surface uniformity. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy revealed that the impedance modulus at low frequency (|Z| at 0.01 Hz) increased by nearly two orders of magnitude. Furthermore, this study thoroughly explores the corrosion protection mechanism of the composite film, highlighting the role of the sol-gel layer in occupying micro-pores and micro-cracks to form a denser and more uniform protective layer. The dual-layer protection provided by the combination of anodic oxidation and sol-gel layers significantly enhances the overall corrosion resistance of the magnesium alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tumor angiogenesis inhibitors have been applied for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) therapy. However, the drug resistance hinders their further development. Intercellular crosstalk between lung cancer cells and vascular cells was crucial for anti-angiogenenic resistance (AAD). However, the understanding of this crosstalk is still rudimentary. Our previous study showed that Glioma-associated oncogene 1 (Gli1) is a driver of NSCLC metastasis, but its role in lung cancer cell-vascular cell crosstalk remains unclear. Methods: Conditioned medium (CM) from Gli1-overexpressing or Gli1-knockdown NSCLC cells was used to educate endothelia cells and pericytes, and the effects of these media on angiogenesis and the maturation of new blood vessels were evaluated via wound healing assays, Transwell migration and invasion assays, tube formation assays and 3D coculture assays. The xenograft model was conducted to establish the effect of Gli1 on tumor angiogenesis and growth. Angiogenic antibody microarray analysis, ELISA, luciferase reporte, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), bFGF protein stability and ubiquitination assay were performed to explore how Gli1 regulate bFGF expression. Results: Gli1 overexpression in NSCLC cells enhanced the endothelial cell and pericyte motility required for angiogenesis required for angiogenesis. However, Gli1 knockout in NSCLC cells had opposite effect on this process. bFGF was critical for the enhancement effect on tumor angiogenesis. bFGF treatment reversed the Gli1 knockdown-mediated inhibition of angiogenesis. Mechanistically, Gli1 increased the bFGF protein level by promoting bFGF transcriptional activity and protein stability. Importantly, suppressing Gli1 with GANT-61 obviously inhibited angiogenesis. Conclusion: The Gli1-bFGF axis is crucial for the crosstalk between lung cancer cells and vascular cells. Targeting Gli1 is a potential therapeutic approach for NSCLC angiogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is conjectured that the base varieties of the Iitaka fibrations are bounded when the Iitaka volumes are bounded above. We confirm this conjecture for Iitaka ε$\epsilon$‐lc Fano type fibrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bacterial genome contains numerous repeated sequences that greatly affect its genomic plasticity. The Escherichia coli K-12 genome contains three copies of the TRIP1 repeat sequence (TRIP1a, TRIP1b, and TRIP1c). However, the diversity, distribution, and role of the TRIP1 repeat sequence in the E. coli genome are still unclear. In this study, after screening 6725 E. coli genomes, the TRIP1 repeat was found in the majority of E. coli strains (96%: 6454/6725). The copy number and direction of the TRIP1 repeat sequence varied in each genome. Overall, 2449 genomes (36%: 2449/6725) had three copies of TRIP1 (TRIP1a, TRIP1b, and TRIP1c), which is the same as E. coli K-12. Five types of TRIP1 repeats, including two new types (TRIP1d and TRIP1e), are identified in E. coli genomes, located in 4703, 3529, 5741, 1565, and 232 genomes, respectively. Each type of TRIP1 repeat is localized to a specific locus on the chromosome. TRIP1 repeats can cause intra-chromosomal rearrangements. A total of 156 rearrangement events were identified, of which 88% (137/156) were between TRIP1a and TRIP1c. These findings have important implications for future research on TRIP1 repeats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anti-disturbance control of quadrotor attitude tracking under saturation constraints is a difficult problem. In this paper, a neural network-based model predictive controller for quadrotor systems with input saturation and external disturbances is developed. The unmodeled dynamics and external disturbances of the system are simplified to the disturbance superimposed on the nominal system, and the gradient descent neural networks are used to complete the estimation and compensation of the disturbance. The adaptive model predictive controller is designed based on the nominal system. The disturbance value estimated by the neural network adaptively adjusts the control constraints in the model predictive controller. The robustness and anti-disturbance of the designed controller are analyzed. The experiments show that, compared to the robust model predictive control, the algorithm proposed in this paper reduces the steady-state mean errors of the yaw, pitch, and roll attitude channels of the Hover system. Specifically, the algorithm results in a decrease of 2.622%, 2.292%, and 1.192% without external disturbances and 2.056%, 4.17%, and 0.956% with outside disturbances. Experimental results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractIn this article, multipeak Mg(OH)2 slurries, that is, unimodal, bimodal, and trimodal, were prepared by blending Mg(OH)2 of distinct particle sizes (d50 of 1, 3, 7, 10, and 20 μm). The effects of particle gradation on the properties of Mg(OH)2 slurry, such as viscosity, stability, and rheological behavior, were investigated. Also, the packing efficiency was analyzed by the compartment packing model. The results revealed that viscosity and stability decrease with particle size or larger particle mixing in unimodal and bimodal schemes. However, trimodal slurry viscosity did not significantly change with particle size ratio. The packing efficiency calculated by the compartment packing model has the opposite trend of viscosity, but this trend is not so strictly consistent in the three-peak gradation scheme. Among the unimodal, bimodal, and trimodal slurries with better viscosity and stability (10, 3 + 10 (3:7), and 1 + 7 + 10 μm (3:1:6)), the trimodal slurry had the lowest viscosity and the highest stability. Its highest yield stress (4.66 ± 0.23 Pa) and flow stress (7.67 ± 0.38 Pa) indicated its structural stability, and it showed good structural recovery capability, reestablishing about 87% in 60 seconds. This might be explained by the fine particles forming a bridge between the coarse particles, resulting in a stable and networked structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The zeolitic imidazole framework (ZIF) is a novel metal-organic framework with distinctive properties, including crystalline form, controllable pore size, wide surface area and biocompatibility. ZIF-L is a good candidate for biological applications due to its outstanding thermal and chemical stabilities. The current study aimed to develop gemcitabine (GEM) encapsulated ZIF-L in a single pot and assess its anticancer efficacy against lung cancer. The GEM@ZIF-L nanoparticles were studied using microscopic and spectroscopic measurements. The outcomes of cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) demonstrated that two lung cancer cells were significantly cytotoxic to the IC50 values GEM@ZIF-L in A549 and H1299 cells were 9.12 ± 1.28 µg/mL, 5.47 ± 2.90 µg/mL, respectively. A dose-dependent decrease of lung cancer cells (A549 and H1299) was found using GEM@ZIF-L. Additionally, remarkably induced apoptosis was observed in GEM@ZIF-L, validated by fluorescence staining techniques (including acridine orange and ethidium bromide) (AO-EB and nuclear DAPI staining). The mode of cell death was examined by flow cytometry (dual staining Annexin V-FITC/PI) methods. Further, the ELISA analysis confirmed that GEM@ZIF-L induced apoptosis through caspase activation. The multifunctional GEM@ZIF-L nanoparticles may be suitable for biological applications, as the current work demonstrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the associations between emerging lipid biomarkers (small dense low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol [sdLDL‐C), lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], and free fatty acids [FFA]), two ratios (sdLDL‐C/LDL‐C and the triglyceride–glucose [TyG) index), and the Gensini score (GS) in patients with premature coronary artery disease (PCAD) in relation to the extent of coronary stenosis. The authors evaluated a cohort of 2952 individuals undergoing coronary angiography (CAG), encompassing those with PCAD (n = 1749), late‐onset coronary artery disease (LCAD; n = 328), and non‐coronary artery disease (non‐CAD; n = 575). Noteworthy differences were observed in the levels of the novel lipid biomarkers and ratio indexes among the PCAD, LCAD, and non‐CAD groups (p <.05). Multiple logistic regression analyses pinpointed Lp(a) (OR = 2.62, 95% CI 1.22–5.63, p =.014) and the TyG index (OR = 2.53, 95% CI 1.08–5.93, p =.033) as independent risk factors for PCAD. Furthermore, these biomarkers and ratio indexes discerned substantial distinctions among PCAD patients with varying GS (p <.05). Consequently, these markers can proficiently anticipate the gravity of coronary artery stenosis (GS > 40) in PCAD patients, as evidenced by the ROC analysis. In conclusion, sdLDL‐C, Lp(a), FFA, and the sdLDL‐C/LDL‐C and TyG indexes have considerable potential as risk and diagnostic markers for coronary artery stenosis in individuals afflicted with PCAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To solve the attitude tracking control problem of small unmanned helicopters under unknown bounded disturbances, an attitude tracking backstepping controller based on adaptive radial basis function (RBF) neural network disturbance compensation is proposed in this paper. The unknown disturbance is estimated online and in real time through RBF neural network with a novel gradient descent weight update rate. A novel attitude tracking backstepping controller based on virtual control variables is designed, and the system stability is analyzed using the Lyapunov method. The experimental verification of the backstepping controller is carried out on the three-degrees-of-freedom helicopter. The experiments show the effectiveness and advancedness of the proposed adaptive neural network backstepping controller in suppressing unknown external disturbances compared with the robust adaptive integral backstepping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to investigate the optimal controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) protocol for patients aged 35 and above with poor ovarian response (POR), utilizing real-world data. This retrospective cohort study examined clinical information from a total of 4256 patients between January 2017 and November 2022. The patients were categorized into three groups: modified GnRH agonist protocol (2116 patients), GnRH antagonist protocol (1628 patients), and Mild stimulation protocol (512 patients). Comparative analysis was conducted on clinical variables and pregnancy outcomes across the three groups. The GnRH agonist protocol was associated with a higher number of oocyte number (4.02 ± 2.25 vs. 3.15 ± 1.52 vs. 2.40 ± 1.26, p < 0.001), higher number of transferable embryos (1.73 ± 1.02 vs. 1.35 ± 1.22 vs. 1.10 ± 0.86, p = 0.016), higher cumulative live birth rate 28.50(603/2116) vs. 24.94(406/1628) vs. 20.51(105/512), p < 0.001) than GnRH antagonist protocol and Mild stimulation protocol, the Mild stimulation protocol was associated with a higher miscarriage rates 16.27(62/381) vs. 16.61(48/289) vs. 32.22(29/90), p = 0.001) than the other two groups. Therefore, it can be concluded that all three protocols can be used in patients over 35 years old with poor ovarian response. However, if patients require more frozen-thawed embryo transfers to achieve better cumulative live birth rates, the modified GnRH agonist protocol may be the preferable option. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Hydration of MgO is a potential technology for economically preparing Mg(OH)2 slurry. Understanding the rheological behavior evolution of the slurry during MgO hydration, particularly in the presence of hydration agent, is essential for better control of the hydrated Mg(OH)2 slurry’s rheology. In this work, Mg(OH)2 slurry was prepared by hydrating MgO in the presence of glycine. The effect of glycine on the rheological behavior of the hydrated Mg(OH)2 slurry have been investigated by means of viscosity, shear stress, sedimentation measurements, particle size distribution, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance relaxometry and zeta potential. Results showed that shear thinning rheological slurry could be made by hydration at 80 °C for 1 h. The yield stress of the slurry is 27.49 ± 0.81 Pa, and no settling occurs within 7 days. Yet, in the absence of glycine, the structure of the slurry was unstable and easily settled even after 8 h of hydration. Glycine has multiple effects on the slurry’s solid loading, particle morphology, particle size distribution, and zeta potential of the slurry. In addition, the neutral zwitterionic form of glycine may serve as an inter-particle lubricant, reducing viscosity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipid droplet (LD) in vegetative tissues has recently been implicated in environmental responses in plants, but its regulation and its function in stress tolerance are not well understood. Here, we identified a Membrane Occupation and Recognition Nexus 1 (MORN1) gene as a contributor to natural variations of stress tolerance through genome‐wide association study in Arabidopsis thaliana. Characterization of its loss‐of‐function mutant and natural variants revealed that the MORN1 gene is a positive regulator of plant growth, disease resistance, cold tolerance, and heat tolerance. The MORN1 protein is associated with the Golgi and is also partly associated with LD. Protein truncations that disrupt these associations abolished the biological function of the MORN1 protein. Furthermore, the MORN1 gene is a positive regulator of LD abundance, and its role in LD number regulation and stress tolerance is highly linked. Therefore, this study identifies MORN1 as a positive regulator of LD abundance and a contributor to natural variations of stress tolerance. It implicates a potential involvement of Golgi in LD biogenesis and strongly suggests a contribution of LD to diverse processes of plant growth and stress responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visual perception is closely related to body movements and action, and it is known that processing visual stimuli is facilitated at the hand or at the hand-movement goal. Such facilitation suggests that there may be an attentional process associated with the hands or hand movements. To investigate the underlying mechanisms of visual attention at a hand-movement goal, we conducted two experiments to examine whether attention at the hand-movement goal is a process independent from endogenous attention. Endogenous attention is attention that is intentionally focused on a location, feature, or object. We controlled the hand-movement goal and endogenous attention separately to investigate the spatial profiles of the two types of attention. A visual target was presented either at the goal of hand movement (same condition) or at its opposite side (opposite condition) while steady-state visual-evoked potential (SSVEP) was used to estimate the spatial distributions of the facilitation effect from the 2 types of attention around the hand-movement goal and around the visual target through EEG. We estimated the spatial profile of attentional modulation for the hand-movement goal by taking the difference in SSVEP amplitude between conditions with and without hand movement, thereby obtaining the effect of visual endogenous attention alone. The results showed a peak at the hand-movement goal, independent of the location of the visual target where participants intentionally focused their attention (endogenous attention). We also found differences in the spatial extent of attentional modulation. Spatial tuning was narrow around the hand-movement goal (i.e., attentional facilitation only at the goal location) but was broadly tuned around the focus of endogenous attention (i.e., attentional facilitation spreading over adjacent stimulus locations), which was obtained from the condition without hand movement. These results suggest the existence of two separate mechanisms, one underlying the attention at the hand-movement goal and another underlying endogenous attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enterovirus G (EV-G) is prevalent in pig populations worldwide, and a total of 20 genotypes (G1 to G20) have been confirmed. Recently, recombinant EV-Gs carrying the papain-like cysteine protease (PLCP) gene of porcine torovirus have been isolated or detected, while their pathogenicity is poorly understood. In this study, an EV-G17-PLCP strain, 'EV-G/YN23/2022', was isolated from the feces of pigs with diarrhea, and the virus replicated robustly in numerous cell lines. The isolate showed the highest complete genome nucleotide (87.5%) and polyprotein amino acid (96.6%) identity in relation to the G17 strain 'IShi-Ya4' (LC549655), and a possible recombination event was detected at the 708 and 3383 positions in the EV-G/YN23/2022 genome. EV-G/YN23/2022 was nonlethal to piglets, but mild diarrhea, transient fever, typical skin lesions, and weight gain deceleration were observed. The virus replicated efficiently in multiple organs, and the pathological lesions were mainly located in the small intestine. All the challenged piglets showed seroconversion for EV-G/YN23/2022 at 6 to 9 days post-inoculation (dpi), and the neutralization antibody peaked at 15 dpi. The mRNA expression levels of IL-6, IL-18, IFN-α, IFN-β, and ISG-15 in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were significantly up-regulated during viral infection. This is the first documentation of the isolation and pathogenicity evaluation of the EV-G17-PLCP strain in China. The results may advance our understanding of the evolution characteristics and pathogenesis of EV-G-PLCP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasingly serious trend of soil salinization inhibits the normal growth and development of soybeans, leading to reduced yields and a serious threat to global crop production. Microsomal ω-3 fatty acid desaturase encoded by the FAD3 gene is a plant enzyme that plays a significant role in α-linolenic acid synthesis via regulating the membrane fluidity to better accommodate various abiotic stresses. In this study, PfFAD3a was isolated from perilla and overexpressed in soybeans driven by CaMV P35S, and the salt tolerance of transgenic plants was then evaluated. The results showed that overexpression of PfFAD3a increased the expression of PfFAD3a in both the leaves and seeds of transgenic soybean plants, and α-linolenic acid content also significantly increased; hence, it was shown to significantly enhance the salt tolerance of transgenic plants. Physiological and biochemical analysis showed that overexpression of PfFAD3a increased the relative chlorophyll content and PSII maximum photochemical efficiency of transgenic soybean plants under salt stress; meanwhile, a decreased accumulation of MDA, H2O2, and O 2 • − , increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbic acid peroxidase (APX), as well as the production of proline and soluble sugar. In summary, the overexpression of PfFAD3a may enhance the salt tolerance in transgenic soybean plants through enhanced membrane fluidity and through the antioxidant capacity induced by C18:3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Antibiotics (ATBx) and acetaminophen (APAP) are widely used worldwide. APAP is the most common cause of acute liver injury (ALI) and might be used in combination with ATBx in clinics. However, the impact of ATBx on APAP‐induced ALI has rarely been studied. Methods: First, we compared the effects of seven ATBx on APAP‐induced ALI. Then, we analysed faecal, serum and liver samples to investigate the impact of the gut microbiota on this process. Finally, we assessed the role of short‐chain fatty acids in this process. Results: In this work, we found that the ALI was significantly aggravated in the mice treated with ampicillin (Amp) instead of other ATBx. Amp exposure reduced the diversity and altered the composition of gut microbiota. The altered gut microbiota aggravated APAP‐induced ALF, which was proven by faecal microbiota transplantation from ATBx‐treated mice. Metagenomic analysis showed a significantly decreased Lactobacillus abundance in Amp‐treated mice. Gavage with Lactobacillus, especially Lactobacillus rhamnosus, significantly reversed the severer ALF induced by APAP and Amp. Moreover, Lactobacillus supplementation increased butyrate‐producing clostridia and lowered butyrate levels in Amp‐treated mice. In accordance, butyrate supplementation could also alleviate Amp‐aggravated ALI. In addition, inhibition of nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 counteracted the protective effect of butyrate on aggravated ALI induced by Amp and APAP. Conclusion: Together, this study revealed a potential health impact of Amp that may exacerbate liver damage when co‐exposed to excess APAP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a study of top quark mass measurements at the t t ¯ threshold based on CEPC. A centre-of-mass energy scan near two times of the top quark mass is performed and the measurement precision of top quark mass, width and α S are evaluated using the t t ¯ production rates. Realistic scan strategies at the threshold are discussed to maximise the sensitivity to the measurements individually and simultaneously in the CEPC scenarios assuming a total luminosity limited to 100 fb - 1 . With the optimal scan for individual property measurements, the top quark mass precision is expected to be 9 MeV, the top quark width precision is expected to be 26 MeV, and α S can be measured at a precision of 0.00039, considering only the statistical uncertainty. Taking into account the systematic uncertainties from theory, width, α S , experimental efficiency, background subtraction, beam energy and luminosity spectrum, the top quark mass can be measured at a precision of 25 MeV optimistically and 59 MeV conservatively at CEPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is the design of a feedforward compensator based on deep reinforcement learning (DRL) for cooperative quadrotors in close crossing flight. Quadrotors are described by state-space models that include shearing airflow disturbance from other quadrotors. This disturbance is compensated in a feedforward way using DRL. Both value based compensator and policy based compensator algorithms are proposed for training purposes. Then, Lyapunov stability criteria are used to prove that the reference trajectory can be tracked boundedly even during the training process of the proposed algorithms, and that a smaller bound of tracking error can be achieved when the compensator converges. An indoor experimental system for online training has been developed for validation purposes. Both simulation and experimental results are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed compensator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ammonia is a toxic and hazardous substance, as well as a valuable chemical. The gaseous ammonia are soluble in water, rendering some industrial wastewater contains high concentration of ammonia. These wastewater can be a direct source for the production of commercially concentrated ammonia solution via sweep gas membrane distillation (SGMD). Taking advantage of vapor-liquid equilibrium of ammonia-water binary system, ammonia can be recovered from these wastewater, and concentrated to several times higher concentration under optimized conditions. In this work, we have demonstrated the ammonia recovery by SGMD process, and comprehensively investigated the effect of different operation conditions on the SGMD performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Port loading automation systems can improve the efficiency of cargo transfer, save port operation time and create greater economic benefits. The recognition of ship hatch is the basis and premise of building an automatic loading system, it is a major time cost in the loading system meanwhile. How to identify the hatch quickly and accurately is an important problem that needs to be solved urgently under the actual production needs of ports. In order to save the time of ship hatch recognition, this paper proposes a fast hatch recognition algorithm based on point cloud contour extraction. The ship point cloud model generated by lidar scanning is preprocessed to remove the noise and isolated points in the model. Projecting the preprocessed point cloud on the XOY plane, converting the three-dimensional point cloud into a two-dimensional image, extracting the outline further getting the point cloud pixels with linear features of the two-dimensional image by α − shape algorithm. Projecting the feature point cloud to the X-axis to classify the hatches. According to the center point of each class of point cloud, searching for the nearest neighbor hatch edge feature points to calculate hatch coordinates in the world frame. An experimental study was carried out on the scan data of actual docked ships at Guoneng Tianjin Port. The results show that the algorithm can realize the hatch recognition quickly which the speed is increased by 424% compared with the previous algorithm and the identification accuracy meets the actual production needs of the port. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land surface albedo plays an extremely important role in the surface energy budget, by determining the proportion of incoming solar radiation, which is available to drive photosynthesis and surface heating, and that which is reflected directly back to space. In northern high latitude regions, the albedo of snow-covered vegetation and open, leafless forest canopies in winter, is quite high, while the albedo of boreal evergreen conifers can either be quite low (even with extensive snow lying under the canopy) or rather bright depending on the structure and density of the canopy. Here, we present the further development and evaluation of a 30 m Landsat albedo product, including an operational blue-sky albedo product, for application in the circumpolar domain. The surface reflectances from the Landsat satellite constellation are coupled with surface anisotropy information (Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function, BRDF) from the MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). The product is extensively validated across diverse land cover and conditions and performs well with root mean squared error of 0.0395 and negligible bias when compared to coincident tower-based albedo measurements. The development of this Landsat albedo products allows for better capture of ephemeral, heterogeneous and dynamic surface conditions at the landscape scale across the circumpolar domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is an immune-mediated inflammatory condition characterized by immune cell infiltration of the nasal mucosa, with symptoms of rhinorrhea, sneezing, nasal obstruction, and itchiness. Currently, common medication for AR is anti-inflammatory treatment including intranasal steroids, oral, or intranasal anti-histamines, and immunotherapy. These strategies are effective to the majority of patients with AR, but some patients under medication cannot achieve symptom relieve and suffer from bothersome side effects, indicating a demand for novel anti-inflammatory treatment as alternatives. Chemokines, a complex superfamily of small, secreted proteins, were initially recognized for their chemotactic effects on various immune cells. Chemokines constitute both physiological and inflammatory cell positioning systems and mediate cell localization to certain sites via interaction with their receptors, which are expressed on responding cells. Chemokines and their receptors participate in the sensitization, early phase response, and late phase response of AR by promoting inflammatory cell recruitment, differentiation, and allergic mediator release. In this review, we first systemically summarize chemokines and chemokine receptors that are important in AR pathophysiology and then discuss potential strategies targeting chemokines and their receptors for AR therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The importance of the composition of an energy-restricted diet in the treatment of metabolic syndrome (MetS) is unknown. Objectives In this study we aimed to investigate the benefits of a novel dietary treatment (50% calorie restriction diet composed of yogurt, fruit, and vegetables [CR-YD]) in mice with MetS. Methods Forty 7-wk-old male C57BL/6 J mice were randomly assigned to 4 groups (n = 10/group) that were fed for 14 wk ad libitum with a normal diet (ND; 10%:70%:20% energy from fat: carbohydrate: protein) or for 12 wk with a high-fat diet (HFD; 60:20:20) or the HFD followed by 2 wk of feeding with a 50% calorie-restricted HFD (CR-HFD) or YD (CR-YD, 21.2%:65.4%:13.4% energy). Body weight, fat deposition, hepatic steatosis, serum concentrations of inflammatory biomarkers, and glucose homeostasis were assessed. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) was used to validate the roles of gut microbiota in MetS. Results The HFD group had 50% greater body weight and 475% greater fat deposition than the ND group (P  < 0.05). Compared with the HFD group, the CR-HFD and CR-YD groups had 22% and 31% lower body weight and 49% and 75% less fat deposition, respectively (P  < 0.05). Compared with the CR-HFD group, the CR-YD group had 11% lower body weight, 96% less fat deposition, 500% less hepatic steatosis, 75% lower glucose, and 450% more hepatic Akkermansia bacteria (P  < 0.05). The CR-YD group also had 50% lower histopathology scores and 1.35-fold higher levels of Claudin4 than the CR-HFD group (P  < 0.05). The HFD + CR-YD fecal group had 10.6% lower body weight, 119% lower steatosis, and 17.9% lower glucose (P  < 0.05) than the HFD + CR-HFD fecal group. Conclusions Compared with CR alone, the CR-YD diet has a better therapeutic effect in mice with HFD-induced MetS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Redundancy resolution is a critical issue to achieve accurate kinematic control for manipulators. End-effectors of manipulators can track desired paths well with suitable resolved joint variables. In some manipulation applications such as selecting insertion paths to thrill through a set of points, it requires the distal link of a manipulator to translate along such fixed point and then perform manipulation tasks. The point is known as remote centre of motion (RCM) to constrain motion planning and kinematic control of manipulators. Together with its end-effector finishing path tracking tasks, the redundancy resolution of a manipulators has to maintain RCM to produce reliable resolved joint angles. However, current existing redundancy resolution schemes on manipulators based on recurrent neural networks (RNNs) mainly are focusing on unrestricted motion without RCM constraints considered. In this paper, an RNN-based approach is proposed to solve the redundancy resolution issue with RCM constraints, developing a new general dynamic optimisation formulation containing the RCM constraints. Theoretical analysis shows the theoretical derivation and convergence of the proposed RNN for redundancy resolution of manipulators with RCM constraints. Simulation results further demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed method in end-effector path tracking control under RCM constraints based on an industrial redundant manipulator system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important part of the manufacturing industry, redundant robots can undertake heavy and tough tasks, which human operators are difficult to sustain. Such onerous and repetitive industrial manipulations, that is, positioning and carrying, impose heavy burdens on the load bearing for redundancy robots' joints. Under the circumstances of long-term and intense industrial operations, joints of redundant robots are conceivably to fall into functional failure, which may possibly cause abrupt joint lock or freeze at unknown time instants. Therefore, task accuracy by end-effectors tends to diminish considerably and gradually because of broken-down joints. In this paper, a sparsity-based method for fault-tolerant motion planning of redundant robots is provided for the first time. The developed fault-tolerant redundancy resolution approach is defined as L1-norm based optimization with immediate variables involved to avoid discontinuity in the dynamic solution process. Meanwhile, those potential faulty joint(s) can be located by the designed fault observer with the proposed fault-diagnosis algorithm. The proposed fault-tolerant motion planning method with fault diagnosis is dynamically optimized by resultant primal dual neural networks with provable convergence. Moreover, the sparsity of joint actuation by the proposed method can be enhanced by around 43.87% and 36.51%, respectively, for tracking circle and square paths. Simulation and experimental findings on a redundant robot (KUKA iiwa) prove the efficacy of the developed defect tolerant approach based on sparsity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung is the most important organ in the human respiratory system, whose normal functions are quite essential for human beings. Under certain pathological conditions, the normal lung functions could no longer be maintained in patients, and lung transplantation is generally applied to ease patients' breathing and prolong their lives. However, several risk factors exist during and after lung transplantation, including bleeding, infection, and transplant rejections. In particular, transplant rejections are difficult to predict or prevent, leading to the most dangerous complications and severe status in patients undergoing lung transplantation. Given that most common monitoring and validation methods for lung transplantation rejections may take quite a long time and have low reproducibility, new technologies and methods are required to improve the efficacy and accuracy of rejection monitoring after lung transplantation. Recently, one previous study set up the gene expression profiles of patients who underwent lung transplantation. However, it did not provide a tool to predict lung transplantation responses. Here, a further deep investigation was conducted on such profiling data. A computational framework, incorporating several machine learning algorithms, such as feature selection methods and classification algorithms, was built to establish an effective prediction model distinguishing patient into different clinical subgroups, corresponding to different rejection responses after lung transplantation. Furthermore, the framework also screened essential genes with functional enrichments and create quantitative rules for the distinction of patients with different rejection responses to lung transplantation. The outcome of this contribution could provide guidelines for clinical treatment of each rejection subtype and contribute to the revealing of complicated rejection mechanisms of lung transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nonlinear time-series analysis method, based on the recurrence plot theory, has received great attention from researchers and has been successfully used in multiple fields. However, traditional recurrence plots that use Heaviside step functions to determine the recursive behavior of a point in the phase space have two problems: (1) Heaviside step functions produce a rigid boundary, resulting in information loss; and (2) the selection of the critical distance, ε, is crucial; if the selection is inappropriate, it will result in a low-dimensional dynamics error, and as of now, there exists no unified method for selecting this parameter. With regard to the problems described above, the novelty of this article lies in the following: (1) when determining the state-phase point recursiveness, a Gaussian function is used to replace the Heaviside function, thereby solving the rigidity and binary value problems of the recursive analysis results caused by the Heaviside step function; and (2) texture analysis is performed on a recurrence plot, new ways of studying complex system dynamics features are proposed, and a system of complex system dynamic-like measurement methods is built. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OMSL is a passive, space-based spectrometer designed to obtain the vertical profiles of trace gases such as ozone, by measuring atmospheric radiation in limb-viewing mode. Due to the presence of internal components such as gratings and dichroic mirror, OMSL is sensitive to polarization of incident light, which can lead to errors in the radiometric measurements, especially when the incident light is fully polarized. To eliminate the errors, an on-orbit polarization correction method is applied to OMSL. The key to this method is to calculate the polarization correction factor by combining the on-orbit polarization measurement and the pre-flight polarization calibration. In this paper, the on-orbit polarization correction method is introduced in detail. Furthermore, the first results of the on-orbit correction are analyzed and compared with simulation of the SCIATRAN. • An on-orbit polarization correction method is introduced to reduce measurement errors. • The key to this method is to calculate the on-orbit polarization correction factor. • The first on-orbit correction is analyzed and compared with SCIATRAN simulation. • The polarization correction method is a good reference for hyperspectral instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce a variant of the effective adjunction conjecture for lc-trivial fibrations. This variant is suitable for inductions and can be used to treat real coefficients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current ATLAS Inner Detector will undergo a complete upgrade in order to meet the requirements of the High Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC). The new Inner Tracker (ITk) will be made completely of silicon sensors fabricated by Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. (HPK). Quality Assurance (QA) is focused on providing confidence that quality requirements will be fulfilled in production such as irradiation tolerance and testing specification for the mini sensors. The Associated Proton beam Experiment Platform (APEP) beam line at the China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS) was commissioned in 2022. This study focused on verifying the feasibility of CSNS as an ITk sensor QA irradiation site. A low-temperature Peltier cold box has been developed to keep the irradiation sensor samples at −15 ° C. Several fluence points have been studied from 5. 1 × 1 0 14 n eq /cm2 to 1. 6 × 1 0 15 n eq /cm2, measured with the activation of the aluminium foils. The post-irradiation measurements (IV, CV, and CCE) are done under cold temperatures (−8 ° C for IV and CV, −20 ° C for CCE), after annealing for 80 min at 60 ° C. Test results show CSNS could be a suitable proton irradiation site for the ATLAS ITk sensor project, after formal site qualification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the inherent shortcomings of the direct micro-arc oxidation method, this study employed a combination of electroplating and micro-arc oxidation techniques. This approach successfully fabricated a hydrogen permeation barrier film on the surface of ZrH 1.8 , featuring a yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) composite oxide. The prepared composite film layer underwent thorough evaluations, encompassing assessments of its microstructure, phase structure, adhesion strength, thickness, barrier properties, and hydrogen permeation performance. The findings indicated that the electroplated yttrium layer contributes to the stabilization of the tetragonal phase of zirconia (T-ZrO 2) during the micro-arc oxidation process, thereby enhancing the discharge behavior of the film layer. By employing this treatment method, the content of T-ZrO 2 in the film layer increased to 26.70%, and the film became denser with a thickness of 60.93 μm. Additionally, the adhesion strength between the film layer and the substrate significantly improved, reaching 75.95 N, with a hardness of 393.24 HV. Furthermore, the film layer exhibited an increased hydrogen release temperature of 680 °C, demonstrating excellent performance as a hydrogen permeation barrier. [Display omitted] • Introduces yttrium-layered ECD-MAO on ZrH 1.8 for enhanced films. • Composite layer shows superior hydrogen resistance. • ECD-MAO film has more tetragonal ZrO 2 , fewer defects. • Discusses film formation, defect origins, hydrogen blocking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To find the risk of time thresholds of PROM for infectious diseases of term neonates. A multi-center prospective cohort study including pregnancies with PROM at term with a single fetus were conducted. Time thresholds of the duration from PROM to delivery were examined in 2-h increments to assess the rates of infectious neonatal diseases. 7019 pregnancies were included in the study. Neonatal pneumonia and sepsis were most frequent infectious diseases in neonates born from mother with PROM at term. Rates of early-onset pneumonia varied significantly when comparing length of time of PROM greater than 16 h vs. less than 16 h (for EOP in 3 days of life, adjusted OR 1.864, 95% CI 1.159 ~ 2.997, p = 0.010; for EOP in 7 days of life, adjusted OR 1.704, 95% CI 1.104 ~ 2.628, p = 0.016). Neonates born from mother of whom the length of time from PROM to delivery ≥ 16 h were at a higher risk of acquiring EOP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Perinatal complications are common burdens for neonates born from mother with pPROM. Physicians and parents sometimes need to make critical decisions about neonatal care with short- and long-term implications on infant's health and families and it is important to predict severe neonatal outcomes with high accuracy.Methods: The study was based on our prospective study on 1001 preterm infants born from mother with pPROM from August 1, 2017, to March 31, 2018 in three hospitals in China. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was applied to build a predicting model incorporating obstetric and neonatal characteristics available within the first day of NICU admission. We used enhanced bootstrap resampling for internal validation.Results: One thousand one-hundred pregnancies with PROM at preterm with a single fetus were included in our study. SNO was diagnosed in 180 (17.98%) neonates. On multivariate analysis of the primary cohort, independent factors for SNO were respiratory support on the first day,, surfactant on day 1, and birth weight, which were selected into the nomogram. The model displayed good discrimination with a C-index of 0.838 (95%CI, 0.802-0.874) and good calibration performance. High C-index value of 0.835 could still be reached in the internal validation and the calibration curve showed good agreement. Decision curve analysis showed if the threshold is > 15%, using our model would achieve higher net benefit than model with birthweight as the only one predictor.Conclusion: Variables available on the first day in NICU including respiratory support on the first day, the use of surfactant on the first day and birthweight could be used to predict the risk of SNO in infants born from mother with pPROM with good discrimination and calibration performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute lung injury (ALI) is the leading cause of bacterial sepsis-related death because of disrupted pulmonary endothelial barrier, resulting in protein-rich pulmonary oedema, an influx of pro-inflammatory cells and refractory hypoxaemia. Several studies have reported that C3a levels are significantly higher in organs with sepsis and their peripheral organs and are closely associated with organ dysfunction and poor prognosis in sepsis. However, the role of the C3a complement in sepsis ALI remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the important role and mechanism of C3a in preventing the occurrence of pyroptosis (a pro-inflammatory form of cell death) to protect the lung endothelial cells (ECs) in sepsis-induced ALI. A septic mouse model was established with cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), which demonstrated that C3a mediated EC pyroptosis through its C3aR receptor. Furthermore, inhibition of the C3a–C3aR axis could block both NLRP3/caspase-1 and caspase-11 pathways, thus preventing pulmonary EC from pyroptosis. These results indicate that inhibition of the C3A–C3AR complement axis can inhibit pulmonary vascular EC pyroptosis, a potential target for the treatment of ALI. [Display omitted] • The expression of C3/C3a and C3aR is increased in septic mice. • C3a-C3aR blockage can inhibit the lung ECs pyroptosis and improve ALI in CLP mic. • C3a-C3aR protects ALI by suppressing the NLRP3/caspase-1 and caspase-11. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, facile synthesis, characterization, and stability tests of highly luminescent Zn-doped CsPbBr3 perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) were demonstrated. The doping procedure was performed via partial replacement of PbBr2 with ZnBr2 in the precursor solution. Via Zn-doping, the photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of the NCs was increased from 41.3% to 82.9%, with a blue-shifted peak at 503.7 nm and narrower spectral width of 18.7 nm which was consistent with the highly uniform size distribution of NCs observed from the TEM image. In the water-resistance stability test, the doped NCs exhibited an extended period-over four days until complete decomposition, under the harsh circumstances of hexane-ethanol-water mixing solution. The Zn-doped NC film maintained its 94% photoluminescence (PL) intensity after undergoing a heating/cooling cycle, surpassing the un-doped NC film with only 67% PL remaining. Based on our demonstrations, the in-situ Zn-doping procedure for the synthesis of CsPbBr3 NCs could be a promising strategy toward robust and PL-efficient nanomaterial to pave the way for realizing practical optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mammary gland is present in all mammals and usually functions in producing milk to feed the young offspring. Mammogenesis refers to the growth and development of mammary gland, which begins at puberty and ends after lactation. Pregnancy is regulated by various cytokines, which further contributes to mammary gland development. Epithelial cells, including basal and luminal cells, are one of the major components of mammary gland cells. The development of basal and luminal cells has been observed to significantly differ at different stages. However, the underlying mechanisms for differences between basal and luminal cells have not been fully studied. To explore the mechanisms underlying the differentiation of mammary progenitors or their offspring into luminal and myoepithelial cells, the single-cell sequencing data on mammary epithelia cells of virgin and pregnant mouse was deeply investigated in this work. We evaluated features by using Monte Carlo feature selection and plotted the incremental feature selection curve with support vector machine or RIPPER to find the optimal gene features and rules that can divide epithelial cells into four clusters with different cell subtypes like basal and luminal cells and different phases like pregnancy and virginity. As representations, the feature genes Cldn7, Gjb6, Sparc, Cldn3, Cited1, Krt17, Spp1, Cldn4, Gjb2 and Cldn19 might play an important role in classifying the epithelial mammary cells. Notably, seven most important rules based on the combination of cell-specific and tissue-specific expressions of feature genes effectively classify the epithelial mammary cells in a quantitative and interpretable manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryoprotective agents (CPAs) are routinely used to vitrify, attain an amorphous glass state void of crystallization, and thereby cryopreserve biomaterials. Two vital characteristics of a CPA-loaded system are the critical cooling and warming rates (CCR and CWR), the temperature rates needed to achieve and return from a vitrified state, respectively. Due to the toxicity associated with CPAs, it is often desirable to use the lowest concentrations possible, driving up CWR and making it increasingly difficult to measure. This paper describes a novel method for assessing CWR between the 0.4 × 105 and 107 °C/min in microliter CPA-loaded droplet systems with a new ultrarapid laser calorimetric approach. Cooling was achieved by direct quenching in liquid nitrogen, while warming was achieved by the irradiation of plasmonic gold nanoparticle-loaded vitrified droplets by a high-power 1064 nm millisecond pulsed laser. We assume "apparent" vitrification is achieved provided ice is not visually apparent (i.e., opacity) upon imaging with a camera (CCR) during cooling or highspeed camera (CWR) during warming. Using this approach, we were able to investigate CWRs in single CPA systems such as propylene glycol (PG), glycerol, and Trehalose in water, as well as mixtures of glycerol-trehalose-water and propylene glycol-trehalose-water CPA at low concentrations (20-40 wt %). Further, a phenomenological model for determining the CCRs and CWRs of CPAs was developed which allowed for predictions of CCR or CWR of single component CPA and mixtures (within and outside of the regime their constituents were measured in), providing an avenue for optimizing CCR and CWR and perhaps future CPA cocktail discovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let (X , Δ) / U , Δ ∈ Q be klt pairs with Q a convex set of divisors. Assuming that the relative Kodaira dimensions of such pairs are non-negative, then there are only finitely many log canonical models when the boundary divisors vary in a rational polytope in Q ∘ . As a consequence, we show the existence of the log canonical model for a klt pair (X , Δ) / U with real coefficients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Confined liquid crystals (LCs) exhibit complex and intriguing structures, which are fascinating fundamental problems in soft matter. The helical structure of cylindrical cavities is of great importance in LC studies, particularly for their application in optical devices. In this study, we employ molecular dynamics simulations to explore the behavior of achiral smectic-B LCs confined in narrow cylindrical cavities, where geometric frustration plays an important role. By increasing the cylinder size, LCs exhibit a transition from multi-helical to layered structures. Notably, we observe two stable structures, namely the helical structure and the layered structure, at moderate cylinder size. We also investigate the effects of the arrangement of cylindrical wall particles (hexagonal or square array) and anchoring strength on the LC structure. Our findings reveal that both the hexagonal array and strong anchoring strength promote the formation of helical structures. Our study provides novel insights into the confinement physics of LCs and highlights the potential for achieving helical structures in achiral LCs, which will expand the future applications of LCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Iron-ore slag has an inhibitory effect on SNCR at low temperatures and high NSR. • Copper slag has a positive effect on SNCR at low NSR. • Both gas-phase and gas–solid reactions are concerned in IWRA-added groups. • IWRA promote gas–solid ammonia oxidation at low temperatures. • Gas-solid NH 3 oxidation is more sensitive to NH 3 concentration than gas-phase. The rapid development of cement plants necessitates the involvement of IWRA to improve the production performance of cement, which leads to the suppression of SNCR de-NO x process. However, the specific performance and mechanism of iron-rich waste materials on SNCR remain unclear. This study specifically addresses the effects of iron-ore slag (Fe 2 O 3) and copper slag (Fe 3 O 4) on the SNCR de-NO x process using fixed bed reactor in a simulated precalciner atmosphere ranging from 400 to 1000 °C. The results show that iron-ore slag had a strong inhibitory effect on the SNCR de-NO x process at low-medium temperatures (400 ∼ 800 °C), whereas copper slag could promote the NO x reduction reactions under slightly excessive NH 3 /NO ratio (NSR) conditions (NSR = 1.3). Both types of slag exhibited a more significant restraining effect on SNCR as ammonia concentration increased. In addition, the influence of trace elements in IWRA is not significant, which proved IWRA has incomparable substitutability and better economy than traditional catalysts. Consequently, these findings offer theoretical guidance for the subsequent implementation of IWRA in actual cement production processes. Additionally, it is advisable to avoid using Fe 2 O 3 -containing IWRA and ensure that ammonia injection points are positioned in the high-temperature region (900 ∼ 1000 °C) to achieve higher de-NO x efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To accurately judge the irradiation test cycle of nuclear fuel and material in-pile irradiation, and provide precise design inputs for the post-irradiation performance evaluation of fuel and material, the NIT-Rh self-powered neutron detector has been designed and developed. The sensitivity characteristics of the detector have been simulated and verified. This study introduces the basic structure and working principle of the rhodium self-powered neutron detector for irradiation of nuclear fuel and materials in the reactor. Additionally, a new computational model has been constructed by the Monte Carlo method, and the current sensitivity of different sizes of emitters and insulators has been analyzed. The model considers a more realistic neutron source and β-electron energy spectrum, accounts for the space charge effect on the signal in the insulator, and compares the simulated sensitivity with the reactor test sensitivity. The results show that the new rhodium self-powered neutron detector calculation model is more accurate, and the relative deviation between the simulated and reactor test sensitivities is only 3.06 %. It can be used for the in-heap irradiation test and provides a method for the application of the irradiation of nuclear fuel and material reactors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Low activity tritium induced microbial abundance differences in freshwater. • Low-activity tritium did not affect the growth of microalgae and aquatic plants. • OBT was significantly enriched in microalgae and two aquatic plants. • Environmental factors can modify OBT accumulation in microalgae. The ecological risk of tritiated wastewater into the environment has attracted much attention. Assessing the ecological risk of tritium-containing pollution is crucial by studying low-activity tritium exposure's environmental and biological effects on freshwater micro-environment and the enrichment potential of organically bound tritium (OBT) in microalgae and aquatic plants. The impact of tritium-contaminated wastewater on the microenvironment of freshwater systems was analyzed using microcosm experiments to simulate tritium pollution in freshwater systems. Low activity tritium pollution (105 Bq/L) induced differences in microbial abundance, with Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota , and Desulfobacterota occupying important ecological niches in the water system. Low activity tritium (105–107 Bq/L) did not affect the growth of microalgae and aquatic plants, but OBT was significantly enriched in microalgae and two aquatic plants (Pistia stratiotes, Spirodela polyrrhiza), with the enrichment coefficients of 2.08–3.39 and 1.71–2.13, respectively. At the transcriptional level, low-activity tritium (105 Bq/L) has the risk of interfering with gene expression in aquatic plants. Four dominant cyanobacterial strains (Leptolyngbya sp., Synechococcus elongatus, Nostoc sp., and Anabaena sp.) were isolated and demonstrated good environmental adaptability to tritium pollution. Environmental factors can modify the tritium accumulation potential in cyanobacteria and microalgae, theoretically enhancing food chain transfer. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A ternary DES was prepared, explored and compared with binary ones. • Microwave-assisted DES pretreatment was applied for lignin processing. • Lignin has been improved such as purity, dispersity and thermal stability. • The interaction between ternary DES and lignin was analyzed by MD simulation. • Dissolution mechanism of microwave-assisted ternary DES on lignin was proposed. Lignin is the most abundant natural aromatic macromolecule in the nature, but its high value-added utilization has been seriously hindered by the highly random and branched structures and the high difficulty in separation and purification. A microwave-assisted ternary deep eutectic solvent (DES) composed by formic acid, lactic acid and choline chloride was developed for lignin pretreatment. The effects of three types of DES on main characteristics of lignin were investigated, and the corresponding dissolution mechanism was proposed. The results showed that, the microwave-assisted ternary DES pretreatment showed an obvious improvement on main characteristics of regenerated lignin, e.g., a higher purity, lower molecular weight with reduced dispersity, improved thermal stability, higher phenolic hydroxyl content, and increased antioxidative activity in comparison with control. It is expected that the lignin macromolecular can be facile regulated and upgraded by the proposed ternary DES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the density and hydrogen barrier performance of the anodic oxide layer on the surface of ZrH 1.8 , anodization of the ZrH 1.8 substrate was performed under a constant current mode. In an alkaline electrolyte environment, the film growth process was investigated under varying current densities (233, 280, 326, and 373 A/m2). The morphology, phase structure, thickness, and adhesion of the film were analyzed. The hydrogen barrier properties of the films at different current densities were evaluated through dehydrogenation experiments. The barrier properties of the film were further analyzed via electrochemical tests. The results indicate that zirconia hydrogen barrier coatings with thicknesses of 12.77, 18.74, 23.16 and 22.26 µm can be fabricated on the surface of ZrH 1.8 at different current densities. The coatings contain both monoclinic zirconia (M-ZrO 2) and tetragonal zirconia (T-ZrO 2) phases, among which M-ZrO 2 prevails. The current density has no substantial effect on the phase composition of the coatings. At a current density of 280 A/m2, a more homogeneous and compact film with superior dense adhesion and the thickness of 18.74 µm was fabricated on the ZrH 1.8 surface. The hydrogen permeation temperature reached 660 °C, demonstrating a relatively good hydrogen barrier performance. • A dense oxide film is generated via anodic oxidation on the surface of ZrH 1.8. • This film significantly enhances the hydrogen desorption temperature of ZrH 1.8. • The influence of varying current density on the properties of the anodic oxide film was explored. • The microscopic and mesoscopic hydrogen resistance mechanisms of the zirconia film were studied. • New possibilities for the use of ZrH 1.8 in high-temperature environments are opened up, promoting the application of the material in nuclear engineering fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is one of the most important oil and industrial crops. However, heavy-metal pollution and frequent soil diseases, poses a significant threat to the production of green and healthy peanuts. Herein, we investigated the effects of heavy metal Cd2+ toxicity to the peanuts, and screened out two peanut cultivars H108 and YZ 9102 with higher Cd2+-tolerance. RNA-seq revealed that N atural resistance-associated macrophage proteins (NRAMP) -like genes were involved in the Cd2+ stress tolerance in H108. Genome-wide identification revealed that 28, 13 and 9 Nramp-like genes existing in the A. hypogaea , A. duranensis and A. ipaensis , respectively. The 50 peanut NRAMP genes share conserved architectural characters, and they were classified into two groups. Expressions of AhNramps , particularly AhNramp4 , AhNramp12 , AhNramp19 , and AhNramp25 could be greatly induced by not only cadmium toxicity, but also copper and zinc stresses. The expression profiles of AhNramp14 , AhNramp16 and AhNramp25 showed significant differences in the H108 (resistance) and H107 (susceptible) under the infection of bacterial wilt. In addition, we found that the expression profiles of AhNramp14 , AhNramp16 , and AhNramp25 were greatly up- or down-regulated by the application of exogenous salicylic acid, methyl jasmonate, and abscisic acid. The AhNramp25 , of which expression was affected by both heavy metal toxicity and bacterial wilt infection, were selected as strong candidate genes for peanut stress breeding. Our findings will provide an additional information required for further analysis of AhNramps involved in tolerance to heavy metal toxicity and resistance to bacterial wilt of peanut. [Display omitted] • The peanut cultivar H108 was screened to be tolerant to Cd2+ stress..• Nramp-like genes were identified to be involved in the Cd2+ tolerance of H108. • Expression profiling were employed for identification of Nramp-like genes in peanut. • AhNramp25 responses to both of Cd2+ toxicity and bacterial wilt infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification of human malicious behaviors is a demanding problem in nuclear security due to its potential to cause huge personnel and economic casualties. With the visibly rapid development of deep learning technology especially computer vision, the automatic identification of human malicious behaviors become feasible, offering significant savings in human resources. However, there is few research focusing on the explainable reasoning process based on the calculation results of computer vision. In this paper, an innovative framework is proposed, which contains two modules called computer vision module and reasoning module. Among them, the computer vision module could extract and detect human actions by some computer vision technologies, while these actions would be comprehensively utilized in reasoning module to derive the reasoning results. Furthermore, within the reasoning module, three novel reasoning methods are developed which are data-based reasoning method, language-based reasoning method and graph-based reasoning method. For evaluating the practicality and effectiveness of these methods, experiments are conducted on four typical scenarios in nuclear security, which are normal status, fence climbing, wire cutting and weapon holding. The results show that the proposed language-based reasoning method turns out to be the best one, which obtain a higher precision value of 0.7917 and a perfect recall value of 1.0000. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]