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Aim: To investigate the possible covariation of grey matter volume (GMV) and white matter fractional anisotropy in infants with spastic cerebral palsy (CP) and periventricular white matter injury. Method: Thirty‐nine infants with spastic CP and 25 typically developing controls underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging. Multimodal canonical correlation analysis with joint independent component analysis were used to capture differences in GMV and fractional anisotropy between groups. Correlation analysis was performed between imaging findings and clinical features. Results: Infants with spastic CP showed one joint group‐discriminating component (i.e. GMV‐fractional anisotropy) associated with regions in the cortico‐basal ganglia‐thalamo‐cortical loop and in the corpus callosum compared to typically developing controls and one modality‐specific group‐discriminating component (i.e. GMV). Significant negative correlations were found between loadings in certain regions and the motor function score in spastic CP. Interpretation: In infants with spastic CP, covarying GMV‐fractional anisotropy and altered GMV in specific regions were implicated in motor dysfunction, which confirmed that simultaneous GMV and fractional anisotropy changes underly motor deficits, but might also extend to sensory, cognitive, or visual dysfunction. These findings also suggest that multimodal fusion analysis allows for a more comprehensive understanding of the relevance between grey and white matter structures and its crucial role in the neuropathological mechanisms of spastic CP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiotherapy (RT) is one of the important treatment modalities for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the maximum radiation dose that NSCLC patient can receive varies little. Therefore, the exploitation of novel RT sensitization approaches is a critical need for the clinical treatment. RT resistance in NSCLC is linked to tumor microenvironment (TME) hypoxia, cell cycle arrest and associated genetic alterations. Here, we designed a novel method for targeted delivery of quercetin (QT) and CeO2 to enhance RT sensitivity. We loaded QT into CeO2@ZIF-8-HA nanoparticles to prevent its degradation in the circulatory system and successfully delivered QT and CeO2 targeted to NSCLC tumors. Under the protection and targeted delivery of Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 (ZIF-8), the nanocomplexes exhibited excellent catalytic mimetic activity in decomposing H2O2 into O2, thus significantly reversing the hypoxia of TME, while the radiosensitizer QT caused DNA damage directly after RT. In a subcutaneous tumor model, CeO2@ZIF-8-HA overcame radiation resistance and enhanced therapeutic efficacy. This multiple sensitization strategy combining delivery of QT and CeO2@ZIF-8-HA nanozymes opens a promising approach for RT of NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, the treatment of diabetic wounds in clinical practice is still unsatisfactory due to the risks of oxidative damage and bacterial infection during the healing process. An optimal wound dressing should exhibit robust capabilities in scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) and combatting bacterial growth. In this study, we utilized borax as a crosslinker and prepared a pH/glucose dual-responsive composite hydrogel based on poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), sodium alginate (SA), and tannic acid (TA). This hydrogel, loaded with cerium dioxide, serves as an effective ROS scavenger, promoting wound closure by reducing the level of ROS in the wound area. Additionally, the hydrogel can release the antibacterial drug ofloxacin in response to the low pH and high glucose microenvironment in infected wounds. Results from skin defect model in diabetic mice demonstrated this ROS-scavenging and antibacterial hydrogel can suppress inflammation and accelerate wound healing. In summary, our work provides a new perspective on a local and stimulus-responsive drug delivery strategy for treating diabetic wounds. Our study presents a pH/glucose-responsive Ofloxacin/CeO 2 -TA-SA-PVA/Borax hydrogel (OX-Ce-GEL) for diabetic wound healing. The hydrogel, crosslinked with borax, scavenges reactive oxygen species (ROS) and releases ofloxacin in response to low pH and high glucose levels. This dual-responsive hydrogel accelerates wound closure by reducing ROS and combating bacterial growth. In a diabetic mouse model, the hydrogel suppressed inflammation and promoted wound healing. Our work offers a localized and stimuli-responsive drug release strategy for diabetic wounds. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accuracy of conventional target-based camera calibration depends on the detection of feature points. To improve the calibration accuracy in the flat field, this paper proposes an innovative calibration method based on encoded phase-shifting fringe (PSF) patterns. By using arbitrary quadrilateral interpolation, the relationship between a point on the virtual phase plane and the corresponding four original phase points is determined, establishing a mapping between the simplified original phase field and the virtual phase field. This spatial relationship can be used for accurate camera calibration. The proposed research investigates the details of the PSF based camera calibration method and demonstrates its accuracy and effectiveness through experiments. The evaluation of this method includes the checkerboard edge length variance analysis and the linear distance analysis of the checkerboard fit, both of which serve as validation metrics. Camera distortion is described by the phase distribution, and the average phase error after correction is less than 0.001 pixels (px). • A method of accurately calibrating camera by virtual phase is proposed. • The high precision of the phase-shifting fringe ensures reliable calibration. • The phase distribution error was effectively described. • Two analysis methods of edge length variance and linear distance are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An adaptive neural network control with less computation is proposed to compensate the system uncertainty. • The control system with proposed control law and adaptive law is proved as uniform ultimate bounded using Lyapunov method • The effects of the number of hidden nodes on adaptive neural network control of robot manipulators are discussed. • A new approach is proposed to obtain the optimal number of hidden nodes for the adaptive neural network control. In this paper, an adaptive neural network control with optimal number of hidden nodes and less computation is proposed for approximating the system uncertainty and tracking the trajectory of robot manipulators. Unlike the existing researches on adaptive neural network for robot manipulators, whose number of hidden nodes is fixed and determined through the trial and error, a new approach is proposed to obtain the optimal number of hidden nodes, in which the number of hidden nodes adapts to the trajectory variations and is capable of catching up with the optimal value and minimizing the tracking error. The proposed control scheme can avoid overfitting and underfitting problems and guarantee a better trajectory tracking. Mathematical proof for stability and convergence of the system is presented using Lyapunov method. In the end, simulations are performed to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct molecular simulation of nucleation from solution is a challenging task, requiring a combination of ‘rare events’ techniques and methods to control the chemical potential. Rare event methods usually keep the total number of molecules fixed, resulting in artificial free energy profiles due to the depletion of solute from the solution phase. In order to address this issue, we present a new approach that uses the string method in collective variables in the osmotic ensemble to obtain minimum free energy pathways for nucleation at constant supersaturation. Our method does not require using an explicit reservoir of solute molecules, or making additional assumptions about the activity coefficients in the solution. We apply the new method to the crystallisation of sulfamerazine from acetonitrile and methanol solutions, and compare the resulting potential of mean force profiles to those obtained using analytical corrections previously employed in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Two types of SFSs output spectra were constructed. [•] The radiation-induced power loss and spectra evolution of the SFSs were revealed. [•] The stability of single-peaked SFS is higher than that of the twin-peaked one. [•] The single-peaked spectrum SFS presents good radiation tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The abnormal local and long-range FCD in MCI compared with HCs. • The reversed FCD was found in MCI after treatments of acupoint-related moxibustion. • After moxibustion treatment, the MoCA scores of MCI were improved. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a general neurodegenerative disease. Moxibustion has been shown to have remarkable effect on cognitive improvement, however, less is known about the effect of moxibustion on MCI and its underlying neural mechanism. This study aimed to investigate the ameliorative brain network in MCI after treatments of acupoint-related moxibustion. Resting-state functional MRI were derived from 47 MCI patients and 30 healthy controls (HCs). Patients were randomized as Tiaoshen YiZhi (TSYZ, n = 27) and sham (SHAM, n = 20) acupoint moxibustion groups. Functional connectivity density (FCD) method and repeated-measures two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were performed to ascertain the interaction effects between groups (TSYZ and SHAM) and time (baseline and post-treatment). Abnormal FCD was examined between baseline and post-treatment in TSYZ and SHAM groups, respectively. Compared with HCs, MCI showed altered FCD in the middle frontal cortex (MFC), inferior frontal cortex, temporal pole, thalamus and middle cingulate cortex. After moxibustion treatment in MCI, 1) a significant time-by-groups interaction was observed in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC); 2) abnormal long-range FCD (lrFCD) in the mPFC and MFC were modulated in TSYZ group; 3) significantly improved clinical symptoms; 4) changed lrFCD in the MFC was significantly negatively correlated with the increased Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores in TSYZ group. These imaging findings suggest that treatments of acupoint-related moxibustion could improve lrFCD in certain regions related to self-related cognitive and decision making. Our study might promote understanding of MCI neural mechanisms and expand the clinical application of moxibustion in MCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The m-plane GaN (11¯00) epilayers have been grown on LiAlO2 (100) substrate by a two-step growth method using a metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) system. The GaN buffer layer is introduced to overcome the drawbacks of thermal instability of LiAlO2 (LAO), and to relieve the strains due to large thermal mismatch between LAO and GaN. The results of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and polarized Raman scattering spectra demonstrate that the GaN (11¯00) epilayer is single crystal as the growth temperature of the buffer layer is in the range of 850–950°C. Moreover, it is found that the surface nitridation process on LAO substrate can result in the formation of the GaN poly-crystalline films, which is due to the unintentional growth of a thin layer of c-phase AlN on LAO surface. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Highly dispersed WN quantum dots confined within porous BCN is prepared. • The composite as anode material exhibits high rate performance in Li ion batteries. • Porous BCN and ultra-small WN particles synergistically contribute to the high performance. Electrode materials play a paramount role in developing high-performance lithium ion batteries (LIBs). Nanostructured electrode materials can offer unique advantages, such as high rate capability. Here, we describe a strategy for synthesizing advanced anode materials with tungsten nitride (WN) quantum dots (2–5 nm) firmly anchored on mesoporous ternary borocarbonitride (BCN). A composite sample exhibited reversible capacities of 683.4 and 366.9 mAh g−1 at current densities of 0.1 and 4 A g−1, respectively, suggesting good rate capability. The electrode is also stable against cycling with only 2.7% capacity loss after 500 cycles at 1 A g−1. This high performance can be ascribed to the highly dispersed WN quantum dots, which provide a high active surface for lithium ions, and significantly shortened pathways for charge transport. In addition, the porous BCN framework facilitates transfer of the electrolyte and offers a strong binding interaction with the WN quantum dots to alleviate the volume expansion and particle agglomeration issues. Further analysis of lithium storage kinetics revealed the important role that the pseudocapacitive mechanism played in the charge storage process. This work demonstrates the great potential of tungsten-based composite as high-rate anode for high-performance LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faster-than-Nyquist signaling (FTNS) has emerged as a promising technique to increase communication capacity in bandwidth-limited channels. However, the presence of FTN-induced inter-symbol interference (FTN-ISI) in the received observations, is detrimental to channel estimation (CE) and data detection in terms of computational complexity and performance. This paper copes with these problems by incorporating linear pre-equalization (LPE) and composite precoding formed by linear spectral precoding and Tomlinson-Harashima precoding (THP), into the FTNS. Specifically, LPE completely pre-equalizes the FTN-ISI, while spectral precoding resolves the LPE-caused signal spectral broadening by introducing proper artificial ISI, which is pre-equalized by THP. Channel-induced ISI, as the only ISI component in the observations, is estimated and equalized using the classical frequency-domain low-complexity schemes. We show that there are four advantages of the LPE-aided CE over the CE designed for the FTN transmissions without FTN-ISI pre-equalization, namely lower pilot overhead, simpler yet optimal pilot sequence design, lower mean-squared error of CE, and more robust against the FTN-ISI. Simulation results show that our scheme improves the performance of CE and detection, compared to existing FTN frequency-domain CE and equalization schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A defective and N-doped Co 3 O 4 exposed with (110) facets is synthesized. • The obtained catalyst shows excellent activity for methane oxidation reaction. • The defective structure faciliates Co 3 O 4 with abundant active surface oxygen. • N doping plays important role of enhancing the C–H bond activation ability. Development of non-noble metal catalyst for low-temperature methane oxidation is extremely important yet is still a challenge. Here, we construct a defective N-doped Co 3 O 4 by a facial N 2 plasma engraving method. The obtained catalyst exhibits excellent catalytic activity with methane conversion rate of 6.5 μmol g−1 s-1 at reaction temperature of 342 °C and space velocity of 46,800 mL g−1 h−1, which is about 7.3 times that of pristine Co 3 O 4 , and is among the highest active non-noble metal catalyst. The catalyst also shows high stability under hydrothermal environment. By systematic characterization and theory calculations, the superior performance could be attributed to the defective structure, enhanced redox property and highly exposed active sites. Meanwhile, N doping plays significant role in activating Co 3 O 4 by improving the electrophilicity of surface oxygen and lowering C–H bond activation energy. The study will bring significative insight into the design of advanced Co 3 O 4 catalysts for methane oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of advanced carbon materials as metal-free catalysts holds great importance for mercury catalyst replacement in acetylene hydrochlorination. In this paper, we transform discarded cigarette butts into a porous nitrogen-doped carbon material (N-CB-800), exhibiting characteristics of high specific surface area, large N doping amount, defective structure and strong C2H2 chemical adsorption ability. These unique features endow N-CB-800 with a high catalytic performance with an acetylene conversion of 71.8% at 220 °C and an acetylene space velocity of 100 h−1, making it one of the most active metal-free catalysts. This work will be of great value for the recycling of living waste and provide meaningful guidance for the development of non-mercury catalysts for acetylene hydrochlorination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The radiation effects of three Er3+-doped superfluorescent fiber sources (SFSs), which are based on three segments of Er-doped fibers with different lengths, are studied experimentally. We observed that the radiation-induced attenuation of the signal light of the 1530 nm band for an SFS is less than that of the 1560 nm band. Thus, the trimming technique of the Gauss-like spectra is investigated to reduce the mean wavelength drift. A filter was customized and used in superfluorescent fiber sources. To further reduce output power loss, the method with feedback control of pump power was adopted in the SFS. Then, the trimming spectral SFS with pump feedback control was tested under irradiation environment at the dose rate of 2.988 Gy/h. The experimental results demonstrate that the mean wavelength drift is <40 ppm and the loss of output power is <0.2 dB under a total dose higher than 1000 Gy. These findings confirm the significance of the method in improving radiation-resistant capabilities of fiber sources under irradiation environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Random jump of network communication topology challenges the tracking accuracy of linear switched reluctance motor (LSRM) system. This paper studies the pilot‐following consensus control of the multiple direct‐drive motion system (MDDMS) with semi‐Markov jump topology. The mathematical model of LSRM is constructed and the multi‐phase excitation strategy is studied. The directed graph is used to model the information transmission among the leaders and follower, and a new mechanism consensus based on previous states is provided. A consensus system based on semi‐Markov jump topology is constructed and the problem of consensus is shifted into a problem of stability analysis. A sufficient condition for consensus problem is obtained by using semi‐Markov switching system theory and graph theory. The MDDMS achieves consensus in the form of exponential convergence under the designed consensus controller. Several groups of simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed consensus control method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microfluidic platform offers an exclusive environment compatible with different analytical tools to investigate crystallization processes. Moreover, microfluidic devices allow precise and convenient control of crystallization conditions at nano or meso scales, making them suitable for pharmaceutical and energy applications. These miniaturized screening devices can be effective during drug discovery stages for screening active ingredients available on micro/milligram scales. In this review, we discuss the advancements and applications of microfluidics platforms in the development of crystallization processes, including measurement of crystal growth and nucleation rates, screening of co-crystals, polymorphs and morphology, synthesis of nanocrystals, and determination of metastable zones and solubility. In addition, the latest microfluidics setups for high-throughput screening and lab-on-chip enhancements with sensors and automation are presented in this review. Lastly, an outlook on how microfluidic platforms can be adapted to improve workflow in crystallization process development is presented. [Display omitted] • Droplet-based microfluidics and microtiters cannot maintain supersaturation. • Continuous microfluidics with cyclonic flow can maintain supersaturation. • State-of-the-art of microfluidic platforms for crystallization is presented. • Parallel processing can improve the throughput of integrated microfluidics. • Microfluidics can be automated by hybridization with instrumentation and sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiotherapy resistance is a major obstacle to nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) therapy and contributes to tumour recurrence and metastasis. Lipid metabolism is a key regulatory mechanism in cancer biology; however, its role in NPC radiotherapy resistance remains unclear. In this study, we identified hypoxia-inducible lipid droplet-associated protein (HILPDA) as a newly discovered regulator of radioresistance that induces not only lipid droplet (LD) formation but also intracellular lipid remodelling, notably changing mitochondrial cardiolipin (CL) levels. Additionally, we found that the upregulation of CL promotes mitophagy in response to irradiation exposure. Mechanistically, HILPDA inhibits PINK1-mediated CLS1 ubiquitination and degradation. The combination of a mitophagy inhibitor and irradiation significantly increases the radiosensitivity of NPC cells. Human cancer-derived data confirmed that the HILPDA-CLS1 pathway promotes NPC radioresistance. Collectively, these findings suggest that HILPDA plays a critical role in promoting NPC radioresistance and might be targeted to overcome radiotherapeutic resistance in NPC patients in the clinic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: During the tumourigenesis and development of colorectal cancer (CRC), the inactivation of tumour suppressor genes is closely involved, although detailed molecular mechanisms remain elusive. Accumulating studies, including ours, have demonstrated that basic leucine zipper transcription factor ATF (activating transcription factor)‐like 2 (BATF2) is a capable tumour suppressor that localises in the nucleus. However, its different subcellular localisation, potential functions and underlying mechanisms are unclear. Methods: The translocation of BATF2 and its clinical relevance were detected using CRC samples, cell lines and xenograft nude mice. Candidate BATF2‐binding proteins were screened using co‐immunoprecipitation, quantitative label‐free liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry proteomic analysis, Western blotting and immunofluorescence. Recombinant plasmids, point mutations and siRNAs were applied to clarify the binding sites between BATF2 and chromosome region maintenance 1 (CRM1). Results: The present study found that BATF2 was mainly localised in the cytoplasm, rather than nucleus, of CRC cells in vitro and in vivo, while cytoplasmic BATF2 expression was inversely correlated with the prognosis of CRC patients. Furthermore, we identified the nuclear export and subsequent ubiquitin‐mediated degradation of BATF2 in CRC cells. Mechanistically, a functional nuclear export sequence (any amino acid) was characterised in BATF2 protein, through which BATF2 bound to CRM1 and translocated out of nucleus, ultimately enhancing CRC growth via inducing activator protein 1 (AP‐1)/cyclin D1/phosphorylated retinoblastoma protein (pRb) signalling pathway. Additionally, nuclear export of BATF2 can be retarded by the mutation of NES in BATF2 or the knockdown of CRM1, whereas CRM1 expression was negatively associated with nuclear BATF2 expression and the prognosis of CRC patients. Conclusion: These findings revealed the biological effects and underlying mechanisms of cytoplasmic localisation of BATF2. Furthermore, suppressing nuclear export of BATF2 via mutating its NES region or inhibiting CRM1 expression may serve as a promising therapeutic strategy against CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This study investigated altered functional connectivity (FC) of the periaqueductal gray (PAG) subregions in CD patients with and without abdominal pain. • This study found that FC between PAG and certain regions had correlation relationship with the pain degree. • This study revealed the disrupt communication between the PAG and default mode network (DMN) in CD patients with abdominal pain. Abdominal pain in Crohn's disease (CD) has been known to be associated with changes in the central nervous system. The periaqueductal gray (PAG) plays a well-established role in pain processing. However, the role of PAG-related network and the effect of pain on the network in CD remain unclear.Resting-state functional magnetic imaging (fMRI) data were collected from 24 CD patients in remission with abdominal pain, 24 CD patients without abdominal pain and 28 healthy controls (HCs). Using the subregions of PAG (dorsomedial (dmPAG), dorsolateral (dlPAG), lateral (lPAG) and ventrolateral (vlPAG)) as seeds, the seed-based FC maps were calculated and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to investigate the differences among the three groups.Results showed that the group differences were mainly involved in the FC of the vlPAG with the precuneus, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) as well as orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), and the FC of the right lateral PAG (lPAG) with the precuneus, inferior parietal lobule (IPL), angular gyrus and premotor cortex. The FC values of all these regions decreased successively in the order of HCs, CD without abdominal pain and CD with abdominal pain. The pain score was negatively correlated with the FC of the l/vlPAG with the precuneus, angular gyrus and mPFC in CD patients with abdominal pain.This study implicated the disrupt communication between the PAG and the default mode network (DMN). These findings complemented neuroimaging evidence for the pathophysiology of visceral pain in CD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This paper studies the networked control systems (NCS) predictive output feedback control issue with random time delay and denial of service (DoS) attacks. The mathematical description of the random DoS attacks and time delays in controller‐to‐actuator (C‐A) and sensor‐to‐controller (S‐C) communication channels is researched based on Markov stochastic theory. Considering the random characteristics of network‐induced attacks and delays, the closed‐loop NCS is modeled as a discrete‐time linear system with Markov DoS attack and time delay. The stochastic stability criterion of a class of networked predictive control systems with random attack and delay is proposed based on Lyapunov stability theory and the predictive compensation control method. The networked model predictive output feedback controller is designed by applying the parameter compensation method and linear matrix inequality (LMI) technique. Numerical simulation results are proposed to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer with the poorest prognosis and its pathogenesis has yet to be fully elucidated. As key factors that regulate cellular homeostasis, both reactive oxygen species (ROS) and autophagy are involved in the development of melanoma, from melanomagenesis to progression and drug resistance. However, the interaction between ROS and autophagy in the etiology and treatment of melanoma is not well characterized. The present review examined the production of ROS and the role of oxidative stress in melanoma, and summarized the role of ROS-mediated autophagy in melanomagenesis and melanoma cell fate decision following treatment with various anticancer drugs. The present findings may lead to a better understanding of the pathogenesis and progression of melanoma, and suggest promising treatment options for this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faster-than-Nyquist signaling (FTNS) has already been shown to increase the communication capacity on certain channels such as additive white Gaussian noise and block flat multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) Rayleigh fading channels. The following issues, however, remain unresolved: 1) whether FTNS enables a capacity increase in generalized MIMO Rayleigh fading channels that are selective in time, frequency, and space; and 2) how channel selectivities affect the capacity and if present, the FTN capacity gain. To address the issues, this paper firstly investigates the ergodic capacity of MIMO-FTN transmission over triply-selective fading channels. We derive a low-complexity approximate capacity formula and also show how it degenerates in other channel models, such as doubly-selective single-input single-output fading channels, which can be considered as the special cases of triply-selective fading channels. The capacity evaluation results obtained under different channel conditions show that: 1) MIMO-FTN outperforms MIMO-Nyquist in terms of capacity; 2) the FTN gains are nearly consistent, while the FTN gains obtained in the frequency-selective fading channels are slightly higher than those obtained in the flat fading channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peony seed oil (PSO) is a new resource food rich in α-Linolenic Acid(ALA) (38.66%). The objective of this study was to assess the modulatory effect of PSO on lipid metabolism. Lard oil, safflower oil (SFO), and PSO were fed to wistar rats with 1% cholesterol in the diet for 60 d. Serum and liver lipids showed significant decrease in total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in PSO fed rats compared to lard oil and SFO fed rats. ALA, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), contents were significantly increased, whereas linoleic acid (LA), arachidonic acid (AA) levels decreased in serum and liver of PSO fed rats. Feeding PSO increased ALA level and decreased n-6 to n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) ratio. The hypolipidemic result of PSO indicated that PSO participated in the regulation of plasma lipid concentration and cholesterol metabolism in liver. The decreased expression of sterol regulatory element-binding proteins 1C (SREBP-1c), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), and fatty acid synthase (FAS)-reduced lipid synthesis; Activation of peroxisome proliferator-activator receptor (PPARα) accompanied by increase of uncoupling protein2 (UP2) and acyl-CoA oxidase (AOX) stimulated lipid metabolism and exerted an antiobesity effect via increasing energy expenditure for prevention of obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of efficient catalysts is pivotal for pollution abatement to guarantee a sustainable and green industrial production. Supported single atom catalysts (SACs) with the advantages of maximum atom utilization, unique electronic structure, and distinguished metal support interaction have recently become a hotspot in the catalysis community, and bring new opportunities for environmental catalysis. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the latest progress on the environmental SACs from both the fundamental and practical points of view. It starts with highlighting the state‐of‐the‐art synthesis strategies of great values for the practical use to construct challenging SACs. The applications of SACs in the environmental remediation processes are critically summarized, including CO oxidation, NOx decomposition, volatile organic compounds incineration, CO2 conversion, and water purification. Meanwhile, the topic also sketches out the recent progress for the non‐mercury catalyzed acetylene hydrochlorination reaction to address the environmental‐benign synthesis. Emphasis is placed on the elucidation of the structure–activity relationships and the underlying catalytic mechanisms to shed light on the guidelines for catalyst optimization and upgradation. Finally, the remaining challenges and perspectives for this flourishing field are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are porous crystalline structures that are composed of coordinated metal ligands and organic linkers. Due to their high porosity, ultra-high surface-to-volume ratio, and chemical and structural flexibility, MOFs have numerous applications. MOFs are primarily synthesized in batch reactors under harsh conditions and long synthesis times. The continuous depletion of metal ligands and linkers in batch processes affects the kinetics of the oligomerization reaction and, hence, their nucleation and growth rates. Therefore, the existing screening systems that rely on batch processes, such as microtiter plates and droplet-based microfluidics, do not provide reliable nucleation and growth rate data. Significant challenges still exist for developing a relatively inexpensive, safe, and readily scalable screening device and ensuring consistency of results before scaling up. Here, we have designed patterned-surface microfluidic devices for continuous-flow synthesis of MOFs that allow effective and rapid screening of synthesis conditions. The patterned surface reduces the induction time of MOF synthesis for rapid screening while providing support to capture MOF crystals for growth measurements. The efficacy of the continuous-flow patterned microfluidic device to screen polymorphs, morphology, and growth rates is demonstrated for the HKUST-1 MOF. The effects of solvent composition and pH modulators on the morphology, polymorphs, and size distribution of HKUST-1 are evaluated using the patterned microfluidic device. Additionally, a time-resolved FT-IR analysis coupled with the patterned microfluidic device provides quantitative insights into the non-monotonic growth of MOF crystals with respect to the progression of the bulk oligomerization reaction. The patterned microfluidic device can be used to screen crystals with a longer induction time, such as proteins, covalent-organic frameworks, and MOFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To analyze the abnormal amygdala structure and function in lifelong premature ejaculation (PE) patients compared with healthy controls (HCs). Methods: Forty-four lifelong PE patients and thirty-one HCs were enrolled in this study. Each subject was diagnosed with PE using a Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool (PEDT) and intravaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT) score. Based on t-tests and Pearson correlation analysis, the voxel-based morphometry and functional connectivity (FC) analyses were applied to evaluate brain structural and functional changes by using T1-weighted and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans. Results: Lifelong PE patients had decreased gray matter volume in the bilateral amygdala and increased FC between the amygdala and precuneus, posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), and middle temporal cortex (MTC), as well as decreased FC between the amygdala and precentral gyrus, insula, and inferior frontal gyrus. Moreover, significantly negative correlations between the IELT score and the mean z-score from amygdala-MTC (r = −0.49) and amygdala-PCC (r = −0.48) FC were found in lifelong PE patients. Conclusions: Our study investigated the abnormal amygdala-related structure and connectivity patterns in PE patients, which might provide novel perspective for understanding the crucial role of the amygdala in the neural mechanism of PE. Key Points: • As one of the most common diseases in men, PE may be related to abnormal brain mechanisms. • Functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging used to explore amygdala abnormalities in PE patients. • The correlation between clinical scores and functional connectivity was used to assess the reasonability of the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A flow-controlled microfluidic device for parallel and combinatorial screening of crystalline materials can profoundly impact the discovery and development of active pharmaceutical ingredients and other crystalline materials. While the existing continuous-flow microfluidic devices allow crystals to nucleate under controlled conditions in the channels, their growth consumes solute from the solution leading to variation in the downstream composition. The materials screened under such varying conditions are less reproducible in large-scale synthesis. There exists no continuous-flow microfluidic device that traps and grows crystals under controlled conditions for parallel screening. Here we show a blueprint of such a microfluidic device that has parallel-connected micromixers to trap and grow crystals under multiple conditions simultaneously. The efficacy of a multi-well microfluidic device is demonstrated to screen polymorphs, morphology, and growth rates of L -histidine via antisolvent crystallization at eight different solution conditions, including variation in molar concentration, vol% of ethanol, and supersaturation. The overall screening time for L -histidine using the multi-well microfluidic device is ∼30 min, which is at least eight times shorter than the sequential screening process. The screening results are also compared with the conventional 96-well microtiter device, which significantly overestimates the fraction of stable form as compared to metastable form and shows high uncertainty in measuring growth rates. The multi-well microfluidic device paves the way for next-generation microfluidic devices that are amenable to automation for high-throughput screening of crystalline materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the participation of the existing treatment methods, the prognosis of advanced clear‐cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is poor. More evidence indicates the presence of methylation in ccRCC cancer cells, but there is a lack of studies on methylation‐driven genes in ccRCC. We analyzed the open data of ccRCC in The Cancer Genome Atlas database to obtain ccRCC‐related methylation‐driven genes, and then carried out pathway enrichment, survival, and joint survival analyses. More important, we deeply explored the correlation between differential methylation sites and the expression of these driving genes. Finally, we screened 29 methylation‐driven genes via MethylMix, of which six were significantly associated with the survival of ccRCC patients. This study demonstrated that the effect of hypermethylation or hypomethylation on prognosis is different, and the level of methylation of key methylation sites is associated with gene expression. We identified methylation‐driven genes independently predicting prognosis in ccRCC, which offers theoretical support in bioinformatics for the study of methylation in ccRCC and a new perspective for the epigenetic study of ccRCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract To intelligently control the parameters of a semiconductor pulsed seed source, a novel scheme is presented involving commercial electronic chips as switching devices to drive a semiconductor laser (SL). By combining theoretical analysis and rate-equation theory, we construct a mathematical model of the SL. Further, a pulsed laser module with real-time tunable optical pulse parameters is designed and implemented. The tunable pulse width ranges from 90 ps (PS) to continuous wave, and the tunable pulse repetition rate is 0–10 MHz. the SL temperature drift is less than 0.07 °C. The experimental results verify the feasibility of the design scheme, and the theoretical analysis and simulation results guide the generation of high-quality optical pulses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Using an erbium-doped photonic crystal fiber was used as a gain medium. • The stable laser output has wavelength step lengths below 0.02 nm. • The laser can align the acetylene absorption peak with high precision. • The laser had a maximum fluctuation in wavelength less than 6 pm (2h). • The peak power standard deviation was ∼0.03 dB during the 2 h experimental time. Abstract Narrow line-width fiber lasers are useful in gas-sensing, but systems that are both tunable and stable are rare. Here, we describe a single-wavelength ring cavity erbium-doped photonic crystal fiber laser (ED-PCFL) that can align the acetylene (C 2 H 2) gas absorption peak with high precision and a maximum deviation less than 0.012 nm. Rather than using a combination of erbium-doped fiber and a strong nonlinear fiber, ED-PCF was used as a gain medium to achieve a stable single-wavelength output based on the non-linear polarization rotation effect (NPR). This was selected because ED-PCF has a strong nonlinear effect. We added the dual polarization controllers (PCs) to weaken the homogeneous broadening based on the traditional tunable filter (TF) filtering structure. The results show that these steps improve the tunability of the laser wavelength and enhance the stability of the light source. The final laser had a side-mode suppression ratio as high as 60 dB over 45 nm with a maximum fluctuation in wavelength less than 6 pm. The peak power standard deviation was ∼0.03 dB during the 2 h experimental time. The peak power response of ED-PCFL was studied as a function of C 2 H 2 concentrations, and the calculated R-squared value was 0.993. This means that the ED-PCFL is suitable for C 2 H 2 sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This experiment demonstrated the resonance asymmetry phenomenon in the resonant fiber optic gyro. The asymmetry of resonant curve affects the system open-loop bias and its stability, which directly affects the accuracy of angular velocity measurement. In this paper, a new mathematic model is established. The influence of the coupler normal mode loss difference (the phase difference between the coupler cross port output optical field and direct port is less than the ideal π/2) on the symmetry of resonant curve, the resonant signal modulated by the triangular wave, and the demodulation curve are analyzed. Moreover, the asymmetry of the resonant curve leads to the asymmetry of the resonant signal, as modulated by the triangular wave and the demodulation curve from the theoretical simulation and the experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effect of gypenosides on porcine pancreatic lipase (PL) activity was determined in vitro. Gypenosides inhibited the PL activity in a dose-dependent manner at the concentrations of 0-1.0 mg/ml. The Lineweaver-Burk plots for gypenosides indicated that the inhibition on PL by gypenosides was noncompetitive. The conformation of PL was investigated by means of circular dichroism and fluorescence. The result revealed the decrease in α-helix contents, increase in β-sheet and the decrease in fluorescence intensity after gypenosides treatment. The incorporation of cholesterol into micelles was inhibited by gypenosides. A complex was observed by transmission electron microscopy, indicating interaction between cholesterol and gypenosides which led to the decrease in cholesterol micelle solubility. The result revealed the fact that gypenosides played a role in inhibiting PL activity and reducing intestinal cholesterol absorption via inhibition of micelle formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the hypocholesterolaemic effects of bitter melon aqueous extracts (BMAE) in vitro, the inhibitory effects of BMAE on pancreatic cholesterol esterase (CEase) and incorporation of cholesterol into micelles were investigated. BMAE decreased the in vitro micellar solubility of cholesterol in a dose-dependent manner. The conformation of CEase was investigated by means of circular dichroism (CD) and fluorescence. The result revealed the decrease of α-helix contents, increase of β-sheet and exposure of aromatic amino acid residuals. The incorporation of cholesterol into micelles was inhibited by BMAE. A complex was observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which indicated interaction between cholesterol and BMAE. The result revealed that BMAE can play a role in decreased intestinal cholesterol absorption via inhibition of CEase, and of micelle formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Establishing a symmetrical model of surrounding vehicles and accurately obtaining the driving state of the surrounding vehicles in the driving environment can improve the safety of driving, which is an important issue that needs to be considered in the automatic driving system or auxiliary driving system. Therefore, we propose an adaptive unscented Kalman filter algorithm based on Interacting Multiple Model (IMM) theory to estimate the state of target vehicle in the high-speed driving environment. To be specific, we use the Constant Turn Rate and Acceleration (CTRA) theory to establish the target vehicle kinematics model, simultaneously, in order to overcome the problem of estimator failure when the yaw rate is close to zero, a simplified version of the CTRA model is also introduced into the estimation process. In addition, the parameter adaptation strategy is added, so the proposed estimator can overcome the uncertainty of the noise model and improve its accuracy. Finally, the effectiveness of proposed state estimation algorithm is verified on the Carsim and Simulink co-simulation platform. The results of simulations and experiments show that the accuracy and stability of IMM-based algorithm is better than the single-model algorithm in different scenarios, and the parameter adaptation strategy brings performance improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing ultrasonic obstacle avoidance robot only uses an ultrasonic sensor in the process of obstacle avoidance, which can only be avoided according to the fixed obstacle avoidance route. Obstacle avoidance cannot follow additional information. At the same time, existing robots rarely involve the obstacle avoidance strategy of avoiding pits. In this study, on the basis of ultrasonic sensor obstacle avoidance, visual information is added so the robot in the process of obstacle avoidance can refer to the direction indicated by road signs to avoid obstacles, at the same time, the study added an infrared ranging sensor, so the robot can avoid potholes. Aiming at this situation, this paper proposes an intelligent obstacle avoidance design of an autonomous mobile robot based on a multi-sensor in a multi-obstruction environment. A CascadeClassifier is used to train positive and negative samples for road signs with similar color and shape. A multi-sensor information fusion is used for path planning and the obstacle avoidance logic of the intelligent robot is designed to realize autonomous obstacle avoidance. The infrared sensor is used to obtain the environmental information of the ground depression on the wheel path, the ultrasonic sensor is used to obtain the distance information of the surrounding obstacles and road signs, and the information of the road signs obtained by the camera is processed by the computer and transmitted to the main controller. The environment information obtained is processed by the microprocessor and the control command is output to the execution unit. The feasibility of the design is verified by analyzing the distance acquired by the ultrasonic sensor, infrared distance measuring sensors, and the model obtained by training the sample of the road sign, as well as by experiments in the complex environment constructed manually. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the crossing problem of complex terrain, to further improve the ability of obstacles crossing, this paper designs and develops an all-terrain wheel-legged hybrid robot (WLHR) with strong adaptability to the environment. According to the operation requirements in different road conditions, the robot adopts a wheel and leg compound structure, which can realize the transformation of wheel movement and leg movement to adjust its motion state. The straight and turning process of the robot is analyzed theoretically, the kinematics model is established and solved, and obstacle crossing analysis is carried out by establishing the mathematical model of front wheel obstacle crossing when the robot meets obstacles. To verify the analysis results, ADAMS software is used to simulate and analyze the process of robot running on the complex road surface and obstacles-crossing. Finally, a theoretical prototype is made to verify its feasibility. Theoretical analysis and experimental results show that the designed WLHR is feasible and has the stability of the wheeled mechanism and the higher obstacle crossing ability of the legged mechanism so that the robot can adapt to a variety of complex road conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fiber ring resonator (FRR) constructed using a Panda polarization-maintaining fiber does not effectively solve the problem of temperature-related polarization fluctuation, which considerably limits the detection accuracy of the resonant fiber optic gyro. The polarization-maintaining photonic crystal fiber (PM-PCF) can improve the thermal stability of the FRR. In this study, a structure that can simultaneously detect the polarization fluctuation of two FRRs is designed. We analyzed and verified the polarization phase shift errors of these two types of fibers, which are caused by the thermally induced birefringence changes. Theoretical simulation and experimental results confirm that a PM-PCF can be used to optimize the FRR, which can effectively suppress the polarization fluctuation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]