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In recent years, with the development of deep learning, SAR image-based ship target-detection technology has become a current research hotspot. SAR images are characterized by complex backgrounds, significant speckle noise interference, and poor interpretability. To address this challenge, this study proposes a new Gaussian circle radius determination strategy and a multi-level feature fusion codec-based ship detection network (MFFC-SDN) for SAR images. Differing from CenterNet's corner-oriented Gaussian circle strategy, the Gaussian circle strategy proposed in this paper takes the centre point coordinates of the real target as the origin to define a circular region. This approach allows for more precise supervision of the training model. Meanwhile, we propose MFFC-SDN to solve the problem of the poor performance of CenterNet in SAR ship detection. MFFC-SDN is an anchor-free, single-stage target-detection method with a low computation cost. In MFFC-SDN, we introduce a Multilevel Feature Recapture Codec Module (MFR-CM) to enhance the feature extraction capability of the network by using the features of the encoding stage twice because of the easy loss of image features in the lengthy codec process of the CenterNet network backbone. A Residual Attention Pyramid Feature Fusion Module (RA-PFFM) is designed to enhance the feature map and obtain multi-scale features. Experimental results on the SSDD and SAR-ship-dataset show that MFFC-SDN significantly enhances SAR image target-detection performance, effectively addressing detection challenges related to large target size variations and complex environmental conditions. Compared with existing algorithms, MFFC-SDN achieves the highest $A{P^{50}}$ A P 50 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease that poses a serious threat to human health. It starts with the buildup of plaque in the artery wall, which results from the accumulation of pro‐inflammatory factors and other substances. In this paper, we propose a mathematical model of early atherosclerosis with a free boundary and time delay. The time delay represents the time required for macrophages to transit to foam cells through cholesterol accumulation. We obtain an explicit solution and analyze the stability of the model and the effect of the time delay on plaque size. We show that in the form of perturbation cos(nθ)$$ \cos \left( n\theta \right) $$ (where n$$ n $$ represents the mode of angle), when n=0$$ n=0 $$ or 1, the steady‐state solution (M∗,p∗,r∗)$$ \left({M}_{\ast },{p}_{\ast },{r}_{\ast}\right) $$ is linearly stable; when n≥2$$ n\ge 2 $$, there exists a critical parameter L∗$$ {L}_{\ast } $$ such that the steady‐state solution is linearly stable for LL∗$$ L>{L}_{\ast } $$. Moreover, we find that smaller plaque are associated with the presence of time delay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atherosclerosis, as a chronic inflammatory disease, has been a threat to human health. How to diagnose and prevent this disease has long been the focus of medical and biomathematics study. In this paper, we investigate a free boundary model of an atherosclerotic plaque formation in the presence of reverse cholesterol transport, which includes low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, endothelial stimulating cytokines, pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory macrophages, as well as foam cells. For this model, we use the Holling type-III response function instead of the usual Holling type-II to describe the change of the concentration of each substance. We first introduce the auxiliary function ξ (r) to prove the existence and uniqueness of small radially symmetric stationary plaque for appropriate L 0 and H 0 by using the contraction mapping principle and maximum principle, and then establish a condition to ensure their asymptotic stability behavior by expanding the corresponding steady-state solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a new boosting algorithm was proposed based on the traditional AdaBoost algorithm to better address classification problems. While preserving the core idea of AdaBoost, the proposed algorithm introduced a parameter-controlled adjustable function to further regulate the update strength of sample weights, enhancing its robustness and improving its ability to handle challenging classification tasks. The rationality and feasibility of the improved algorithm were theoretically proven, and the optimal formula for weak classifier weights was provided. Experimental results from numerical simulations demonstrated that the proposed method significantly improved performance compared to the traditional AdaBoost algorithm on datasets containing noise features and class imbalance, especially under sample insufficient conditions. Furthermore, when combined with the RFE-RF feature selection technique and applied to real atherosclerosis data, our algorithm achieved optimal performance while retaining six important features: total cholesterol (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), fasting blood glucose(FBG), white blood cell count (WBC), uric acid (UA), and left carotid artery early systolic pulse wave velocity (LCCAES). Notably, our algorithm outperformed the AdaBoost algorithm across all evaluation metrics, including accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and AUC, with values of 95.78%, 85.83%, 84.29%, 83.95% and 90.94%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the problem of continuous data assimilation of three dimensional primitive equations with magnetic field in thin domain is studied. We establish the well-posedness of the assimilation system and prove that the H 2 -strong solution of the assimilation system converges exponentially to the reference solution in the sense of L 2 as t → ∞. We also study the sensitivity analysis of the assimilation system and prove that a sequence of solutions of the difference quotient equation converge to the unique solution of the formal sensitivity equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To obtain novel high-energy density compounds with superior detonation properties and sensitivity to those of RDX, a series of furazan/tetrazole/tetrazine-tetrazole-N = N-tetrazole-furazan/tetrazole/tetrazine and furazan/tetrazole/tetrazine-tetrazole-NHNH-tetrazole-furazan/tetrazole/tetrazine-based energetic materials were designed. Their structures were optimised by Gaussian software with density functional theory at B3LYP/6-311G (d,p) level. Based on the optimised structures, their frontier orbital energies, heats of formation and detonation properties were calculated. The results indicate that the compound with tetrazole-tetrazole-N = N-tetrazole-tetrazole parent structure and -N3 energetic group has the highest value of heat of formation while the compound with tetrazine-tetrazole-NHNH-tetrazole-tetrazine parent structure and -C(NO2)3 energetic group possess the highest values of detonation velocity and detonation pressure. Most of the designed compounds have higher values of h50 than those of RDX (28 cm) and HMX (32 cm), and series E had higher average values of impact sensitivity. Finally, taking detonation properties and impact sensitivity into consideration, six compounds (A2, A8, C8, D2, F7 and F8) were selected as potential candidate materials for high-energy density materials, and their electronic and physicochemical properties were investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider a mathematical model of the initiation and development of atherosclerosis in the early stage, defined in different domains. The existence of nonnegative weak solutions is proved via studying an auxiliary system with absolute value terms and applying a novel semi-discrete, operator splitting numerical scheme. Numerical simulations were performed in an idealized two-dimensional geometry in order to verify our assumptions in model building and theoretical analysis. The framework we developed can also be used for nonlinear reaction–diffusion systems defined in other different domains with more complex coupling conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the asymptotic behavior of the nonlinear MGT plate equation in the unbounded domain. By using semigroup theory, we first establish the well-posedness result for the Cauchy problem related to the linear MGT plate equation. By using the energy method in the Fourier space, we then prove the optimal decay estimate results for the non-critical case, in which the optimality is analyzed by considering the asymptotic expansion of the eigenvalues. By using the contraction mapping, we also show the local existence for the Cauchy problem of the nonlinear plate in appropriate function spaces, based on which we prove a global existence result for small data by using a priori energy estimates. Finally, based on the decay estimation of linear problems, the decay results of nonlinear problems are obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Investigations elucidating the complex immunological mechanisms involved in colorectal cancer (CRC) and accurately predicting patient outcomes via bulk RNA-Seq analysis have been notably limited. This study aimed to identify the immune status of CRC patients, construct a prognostic model, and identify prognostic signatures via bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq). Methods: The scRNA-seq data of CRC were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). The UCSC Xena database was used to obtain bulk RNA-seq data. Differentially expressed gene (DEG), functional enrichment, and random forest analyses were conducted in order to identify core genes associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) that were relevant to prognosis. A molecular immune prediction model was developed using logistic regression after screening features using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO). The differences in immune cell infiltration, mutation, chemotherapeutic drug sensitivity, cellular senescence, and communication between patients who were at high and low risk of CRC according to the predictive model were investigated. The prognostic genes that were closely associated with CRC were identified by random survival forest (RSF) analysis. The expression levels and clinical significance of the hub genes were analyzed in vitro. The LoVo cell line was employed to ascertain the biological role of thyroid hormone receptor-interacting protein 6 (TRIP6). Results: A total of seven main cell subtypes were identified by scRNA-seq analysis. A molecular immune predictive model was constructed based on the risk scores. The risk score was significantly associated with OS, stage, mutation burden, immune cell infiltration, response to immunotherapy, key pathways, and cell–cell communication. The functions of the six hub genes were determined and further utilized to establish a regulatory network. Our findings unequivocally confirmed that TRIP6 upregulation was verified in the CRC samples. After knocking down TRIP6, cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of LoVo cells were inhibited, and apoptosis was promoted. Conclusions: The molecular predictive model reliably distinguished the immune status of CRC patients. We further revealed that TRIP6 may act as an oncogene in CRC, making it a promising candidate for targeted therapy and as a prognostic marker for CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Nonagonal Modular Multilevel Converter (MMC) is a new type of three‐port AC‐AC converter suited for applications in FFTS‐based offshore wind power. It can accommodate three AC ports with only nine branches, greatly reducing the cost and size of energy conversion. However, the multiplexing structure of nonagonal MMC inevitably increases the peak branch current resulting in high semiconductor ratings, which weakens its advantage in cost and size. Since the control degrees of freedom are reduced, traditional current attenuation methods are not applicable. To address this issue, in this paper, a parameter adjustment method is proposed for nonagonal MMC to reduce the current stress. By establishing the mathematical model of nonagonal MMC, phase angle difference between ports of nonagonal MMC is proved to be a key influencing factor of peak branch current. By adjusting phase angle difference, the average current stress of nonagonal MMC can be reduced by as great as 66.31%. Finally, the correctness of the conclusions of this paper is verified by RT‐LAB results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ischemic reperfusion injury, caused by oxidative stress during reperfusion, is an inevitable outcome of organ transplantation, especially when the organ preservation time is prolonged. Prolonged ischaemic preservation is a valuable technique for improving the success of organ transplantation, but numerous challenges remain. 3‐nitro‐N‐methyl salicylamide (3‐NNMS), an inhibitor of mitochondrial electron transport chain complex III, can be used to reduce reactive oxygen species production during blood reperfusion by slowing the electron flow rate of the respiratory chain. Based on this property, a novel preservation solution was developed for the preservation of isolated rat heart and its cardioprotective effect was investigated during an 8‐h cold ischaemia preservation time for the first time. For comparison, 3‐NNMS was also included in the histidine‐tryptophan‐ketoglutarate (HTK) solution. Compared to HTK, HTK supplemented with 3‐NNMS significantly improved the heart rate of isolated rat hearts after 8 h of cold storage. Both 3‐NNMS solution and HTK supplemented with 3‐NNMS solution decreased cardiac troponin T and lactate dehydrogenase levels in perfusion fluid and reduced reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde levels in the myocardium. The 3‐NNMS also maintained the membrane potential of myocardial mitochondria and significantly increased superoxide dismutase levels. These results showed that the new 3‐NNMS solution can protect mitochondrial and cardiomyocyte function by increasing antioxidant capacity and reducing oxidative stress in cryopreserved rat hearts during a prolonged preservation time, resulting in less myocardial injury and better heart rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Nonagonal modular multilevel converter (MMC) is a three‐port AC/AC converter promising as a soft open point (SOP) to connect different AC feeders or buses in distribution networks, owing to its flexible power control, transformerless structure, and low power component count and its capability of accommodating multiple AC ports of different frequencies. An SOP should be able to work under port reduction condition, which is often encountered when maintenance is required or the network structure is reconfigured. However, as a component reuse converter of circular structure, nonagonal MMC cannot turn off one or some of its branches to achieve this. To address this issue, a control scheme is proposed in this paper to enable nonagonal MMC to operate under port reduction condition by switching the nonagonal MMC to a hexagonal MMC, which is an AC/AC topology of a similar circular structure but has only two ports. Without inserting extra switches, the nine branches of nonagonal MMC is redistributed into six branches. By alternately operating the submodules, no submodules need to be shut down, reducing the submodule capacitor voltage fluctuation during port reduction operation. RTlab results verify the feasibility of the quasi‐hexagonal topology and the effectiveness of port reduction control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High efficiency and high quality machining of micro-bulged arrays on metal surfaces is a major technical challenge in the field of modern industry. In this paper, ultrasonic rolling pulse electrochemical micromachining (URPEMM) technology is proposed to prepare micro-bulged arrays on 304 stainless steel. Focusing on the widely used circular micro-bulges, distributions of electric field, temperature field and evolution processes of the circular, square and triangular sectional micro-bulges in URPEMM were analyzed by finite element analysis method(FEM). The simulation process of micro-bulges forming was experimentally verified. The results show that the current density and temperature increase first and then decrease, and the error between the experimental and simulation results of the micro-bulges is within 10%. The array micro-bulges with a diameter of 503.3 μm, a height of 33.5 μm, a roughness of 0.216 μm, and a microhardness of 305 Hv can be prepared in URPEMM. Furthermore, the surface tribological properties of circular micro-bulges decreases first and then increases with the increase of micro-bulged height, which was obtained through friction and wear tests, and the friction coefficient is minimum when the micro-bulged height is 10 μm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The severe toxicity of heavy metal ions (HMIs) to both the environment safety and human health makes it challenging to build a system that can simultaneously detect them. A method simultaneous electrochemical detection of Cd2+ and Pb2+ was developed here using amino-functionalized bismuth-based metal–organic frameworks (NH2-Bi-MOFs) and graphene aerogels (GAs) composites. The GAs/NH2-Bi-MOFs composites were made by ultrasonically depositing the NH2-Bi-MOF on the GAs. GAs support NH2-Bi-MOFs and boost their conductivity by accelerating electron transmission through the matrix. NH2-Bi-MOFs acted as a binding site for Cd2+ and Pb2+, because hydrophilic groups (-NH2) and bismuth metal active sites collaborated. The GAs/NH2-Bi-MOFs composite–modified electrodes detection capability was assessed. The proposed electrochemical sensor can be effectively used for individual and simultaneous detection of the Cd2+ and Pb2+ in aqueous solutions with outstanding sensitivity and interference used to simultaneously detect Cd2+ and Pb2+in river water and tap water samples with satisfactory accuracy and repeatability. This paper provides a unique technique for concurrently detecting Cd2+ and Pb2+ in practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil-based foam stabilized by dispersed asphaltene is potential in the oil recovery process of water-sensitive formations. But asphaltenes are prone to aggregate, which jeopardizes the stability of the foam. This paper investigated the effect of different VO79 (model asphaltene compound violanthrone-79) systems on the performance of oil-based foams through surface tension and foaming tests. And simulations were performed to investigate the microscopic mechanism of ODA (octadecyl amine) and Span20 (sorbitan monolaurate) on the dispersion effect of VO79 and the effect of their mixtures on the interfacial film formation. The experimental results showed that the mixed system of ODA, Span20, and VO79 significantly enhances the performance of the oil-based foam. According to simulative results, ODA and Span20 blending are able to form ODA: Span20 molecular pairs, inhibiting the aggregation of model asphaltenes. The blend of ODA, Span20, and VO79 tends to form a ternary supramolecular complex, assembling into a dense and stretchable interfacial film. The synergistic effect generated by the ternary blends is capable of optimizing the performance of oil-based foams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In ocean and atmospheric dynamics, the strong horizontal turbulent mixing tends to produce horizontal eddy viscosity, so the horizontal scale is much larger than the vertical scale. At the same time, as a fluid, the motion of the atmosphere or the ocean has a delayed property to some extent. In this paper, we consider 3D viscous primitive equations with only horizontal eddy diffusivity and delays in both convective and heat source terms. With some suitable assumptions on delay term, we prove the existence and uniqueness of strong solution with H2$$ {H}^2 $$ initial data and obtain the existence and uniqueness of the stationary solution. Moreover, we prove that the strong solution converges exponentially to the stationary solution under some suitable assumptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urea, a prevalent component found in wastewater, shows great promise as a substrate for energy-efficient hydrogen production by electrolysis. However, the slow kinetics of the anodic urea oxidation reaction (UOR) significantly hamper the overall reaction rate. This study presents the design and controlled fabrication of hierarchically structured nanomaterials as potential catalysts for UOR. The prepared MnO2@NiCo-LDH hybrid catalyst demonstrates remarkable improvements in reaction kinetics, benefiting from synergistic enhancements in charge transfer and efficient mass transport facilitated by its unique hierarchical architecture. Notably, the catalyst exhibits an exceptionally low onset potential of 1.228 V and requires only 1.326 V to achieve an impressive current density of 100 mA cm−2, representing a state-of-the-art performance in UORs. These findings highlight the tremendous potential of this innovative material designing strategy to drive advancements in electrocatalytic processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate a coupled system modeled by fluid and thermoelastic plate, while the heat effects are modeled by the Cattaneo's law giving rise to a "second sound" effect. We proved that the coupled system admits a unique global mild solution. Furthermore, we construct the second-order energy to control the term ‖ ∇ θ ‖ L 2 (Γ 0) so as to establish the exponential decay of the solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigates the effects of α‐amylase (6 and 10 ppm), xylanase (70 and 120 ppm), and cellulase (35 and 60 ppm) on the physicochemical characteristics and nutritional quality of Chinese steamed bun (CSB) incorporated with 15% wheat bran (WB). Compared to the single enzyme, the combined enzymes improved the specific volume of CSB up to the highest value (2.50 mL/g) and decreased the hardness to the minimum value (299.61 g) when the concentration was 6, 120, 35 ppm. Additionally, the combined enzymes (6, 120, and 35 ppm) significantly (p < 0.05) decreased the total dietary fiber from 14.65% to 13.10% and hence increased the area under the reducing sugar release curve during in vitro digestion from 302.12 to 357.26 mg/g. Consequently, enzymes combination can significantly improve the quality of WB CSB, whereas reduce the nutritional value of WB CSB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, surface properties of three types of carbon fibers (CCF300, CCM40J, and CCF800H) on the interface properties of carbon fiber/epoxy resin (CF/EP) were analyzed. The composites are further modified by graphene oxide (GO) to obtain GO/CF/EP hybrid composites. Meanwhile, the effect of the surface properties of CFs and the additive graphene oxide on the interlaminar shear properties and dynamic thermomechanical properties of GO/CF/EP hybrid composites are also analyzed. The results show that the higher surface oxygen-carbon ratio of carbon fiber (CCF300) has a positive effect on improving the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the CF/EP composites. The Tg of CCF300/EP is 184.4 °C, while the Tg of CCM40J/EP and CCF800/EP are only 177.1 °C and 177.4 °C, respectively. Furthermore, deeper and more dense grooves on the fiber surface (CCF800H and CCM40J) are more conducive to improving the interlaminar shear performance of the CF/EP composites. The interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) of CCF300/EP is 59.7 MPa, and that of CCM40J/EP and CCF800H/EP are 80.1 MPa and 83.5 MPa, respectively. For the GO/CF/EP hybrid composites, graphene oxide with abundant oxygen-containing groups is beneficial to improve the interfacial interaction. Graphene oxide can significantly improve the glass transition temperature and interlamellar shear strength of GO/CCF300/EP composites fabricated by CCF300 with a higher surface oxygen-carbon ratio. For the CCM40J and CCF800H with lower surface oxygen-carbon ratio, graphene oxide has a better modification effect on the glass transition temperature and interlamellar shear strength of GO/CCM40J/EP composites fabricated by CCM40J with deeper and finer surface grooves. Regardless of the type of carbon fiber, the GO/CF/EP hybrid composites with 0.1% graphene oxide have the optimized interlaminar shear strength, and the GO/CF/EP hybrid composites with 0.5% graphene oxide have the maximum glass transition temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We are interested in the well‐posedness and exponential decay of Moore–Gibson–Thompson equation with memory τ∂tttu+α∂ttu+ht(0)Au+bA∂tu−∫0∞ht′(s)Au(t−s)ds=0.$$ \tau {\partial}_{tt t}u&amp;#x0002B;\alpha {\partial}_{tt}u&amp;#x0002B;{h}_t(0)\mathcal{A}u&amp;#x0002B;b\mathcal{A}{\partial}_tu-{\int}_0&amp;#x0005E;{\infty }{h}_t&amp;#x0005E;{\prime }(s)\mathcal{A}u\left(t-s\right)\mathrm{d}s&amp;#x0003D;0. $$Here, the main feature is that the memory kernel ht(·)$$ {h}_t\left(\cdotp \right) $$ depends on time. By using the linear semigroup theory, we prove that the above system is global well‐posedness. In addition, the exponential decay of the related energy is shown to occur, provided that the memory kernel is controlled by a negative exponential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study the stabilization of a coupled wave system formed by one localized nonregular fractional viscoelastic damping of Kelvin–Voigt type and localized nonsmooth coefficients. Our main aim is to prove that the C0$$ {C}_0 $$‐semigroup associated with this model is strong stability and decays polynomially at a rate of t−1$$ {t}^{-1} $$. By introducing a new system to deal with fractional Kelvin–Voigt damping, we obtain a new equivalent augmented system, so as to show the well‐posedness of the system based on Lumer–Phillips theorem. We achieve the strong stability for the C0$$ {C}_0 $$‐semigroup associated with this new model by using a general criteria of Arendt–Batty and then turn out a polynomial energy decay rate of order t−1$$ {t}^{-1} $$ with the help of a frequency domain approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hot tearing is the most common and serious casting defect that restricts the light weight and integration of magnesium alloy components. In the present study, trace Ca (0–1.0 wt.%) was added to improve the resistance of AZ91 alloy to hot tearing. The hot tearing susceptivity (HTS) of alloys was experimentally measured by a constraint rod casting method. The results indicate that the HTS presents a ν-shaped tendency with the increase in Ca content, and reaches its minimum value in AZ91–0.1Ca alloy. Ca is well dissolved into α-Mg matrix and Mg17Al12 phase at an addition not exceeding 0.1 wt.%. The solid-solution behavior of Ca increases eutectic content and its corresponding liquid film thickness, improves the strength of dendrites at high temperature, and thereby promotes the hot tearing resistance of the alloy. Al2Ca phases appear and aggregate at dendrite boundaries with further increases in Ca above 0.1 wt.%. The coarsened Al2Ca phase hinders the feeding channel and causes stress concentration during the solidification shrinkage, thereby deteriorating the hot tearing resistance of the alloy. These findings were further verified by fracture morphology observations and microscopic strain analysis near the fracture surface based on kernel average misorientation (KAM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Membraneless microfluidic fuel cell (MMFC) has potential application prospects in micro-devices due to the characteristics of considerable output performance, superior cleanliness and easy miniaturization. Whereas, the performance of MMFC is restricted by the mass transfer of two-phase flow, which manifests as the inefficiency transportation in liquid phase and obstruction of gas phase. This paper proposes a novel sinusoidal corrugated channel (SCC) for MMFC though developing a three-dimensional two-phase model by coupling the multi-physics field to improve the cell performance in mass transfer, and further studies the two-phase flow characteristics of geometric parameters of SCC, including the amplitude A and angular frequency ω. Based on the optimal configuration in A of 0.5 mm and ω of 3 rad s−1, compared with the conventional straight channel, the increase ratios of maximum current density, power density, fuel utilization are 13.69%, 8.39% and 13.72%, respectively. Additionally, the gas volume fraction at the maximum power density decreases by 12.62%. This paper provides new insights and theoretical foundations for the study of MMFC flow field configurations, and furnishes references for the mass transfer intensification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate the Cauchy problem related to the standard linear solid model with thermoelasticity of type III in the whole space. By using semigroup theory, we first establish the well-posedness result under certain assumptions on the parameters. By applying the energy method in the Fourier space, we then prove the optimal decay estimate results for both the non-critical and critical cases. Specifically, the decay property of the system is not of the regularity-loss type. In addition, we study the asymptotic expansion of the eigenvalues to analyze the optimality of the decay results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A better understanding of dough rheology during processing is crucial in the bakery industry, since quality attributes of the final product are influenced by those properties. In this study, we investigated the effects of xylanase, α-amylase and cellulase on the rheological properties of bread dough enriched in oat bran. A DoughLAB was used to measure the mixing characteristics of dough. According to the results, adding a single enzyme did not significantly affect the water absorption, development time, or stability of oat bran dough. In contrast, when blended enzymes were used at high concentrations (10, 120, and 60 ppm), the water absorption, development time, and stability of the oat bran dough were significantly reduced compared to using the single enzyme (62.1%, 7.1 and 6.6 min). It was found that combining α-amylase, xylanase and cellulase resulted in better extensibility and stickiness (16.5 mm and 60.8 g) of oat bran dough than using these enzymes individually. As a result, α-amylase, xylanase and cellulase complemented each other in determining the rheology of bread dough. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Anthocyanins are important secondary metabolites in plants. They are important for human health because of their antioxidant activities and because their dietary intake reduces the incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and tumors. The biosynthesis of anthocyanins and its regulation in fruits and vegetables is a global research hotspot. Compared with cultivated apples, the red‐fleshed apple is a relatively new and popular commodity in the market. Previous studies on red‐fleshed apples have focused on the basis for the high anthocyanin content and the transcriptional regulation of anthocyanin synthesis. In the present study, we focused on the mechanism of microRNA‐mediated post‐transcriptional regulation of anthocyanin synthesis in red‐fleshed apples. We identified a microRNA (miRNA), designated mdm‐miR858, that is specifically expressed in the flesh of apple fruit. The expression level of miR858 was significantly lower in red‐fleshed apples than in white‐fleshed apples. The overexpression of mdm‐miR858 significantly inhibited anthocyanin accumulation, whereas the silencing of mdm‐miR858 promoted anthocyanin synthesis in STTM858 transgenic apple calli. Further analyses showed that mdm‐miR858 targets the transcription factor genes MdMYB9 and MdMYBPA1 to participate anthocyanin accumulation in apple. Our results also show that MdHY5, a transcription factor in the light signaling pathway, can bind to the promoter of mdm‐miR858 to inhibit its transcription, thereby regulating anthocyanin synthesis. Based on our results, we describe a novel HY5‐miR858‐MYB loop involved in the modulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis. These findings provide new information about how plant miRNAs regulate anthocyanin anabolism and provide a basis for breeding new anthocyanin‐rich, red‐fleshed apple varieties. Significance Statement: Compared with cultivated apples, red‐fleshed apples have higher anthocyanin contents. The miRNA mdm‐miR858 is specifically expressed in the flesh of apples and targets two transcription factor genes, MdMYB9 and MdMYBPA1, to participate anthocyanin accumulation; further, a novel HY5‐miR858‐MYB loop participates in regulating anthocyanin synthesis in apple in response to light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long noncoding (lnc) RNAs regulate cancer progression. However, the importance of lncRNAs and how they are regulated in colorectal cancer (CRC) are unclear. We aim to evaluate the function of lncRNA ADAMTS9-AS2 in CRC and its fundamental mechanism. Levels of ADAMTS9-AS2, miR-27a-3p, and B-cell translocation gene 2 (BTG2) were measured by qPCR. Cell viability was analyzed by CCK-8 and colony formation. Migration and invasion were tested by transwell assay. The interactions among ADAMTS9-AS2, miR-27a-3p, BTG2, and YTHDF2 were analyzed by luciferase test, immunoblotting, RNA pull-down, or RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP). An animal model was adopted to assess ADAMTS9-AS2's function. Overexpressing ADAMTS9-AS2 inhibited cell migration, invasion, colony formation capacity, and proliferation in vitro. The direct targeting of miR-27a-3p by ADAMTS9-AS2 abrogated the latter's effect in CRC cells. BTG2 was identified a target of miR-27a-3p, and silencing BTG2 weakened miR-27a-3p's effect. Knocking down ADAMTS9-AS2 abolished sh-YTHDF2's inhibitory effect on cell proliferation and invasion. Finally, overexpressing ADAMTS9-AS2 restrained xenograft growth. M6A reader YTHDF2-mediated degradation of ADAMTS9-AS2 promotes colon carcinogenesis via miR-27a-3p/BTG2 axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main focus of China's science and technology (S&T) investment has shifted from the lack of total investment to solve the contradiction between the need for high-quality development and the inefficiency of investment. In order to enhance the efficiency of S&T investment, the structural, institutional, and managerial problems should be solved. Based on the requirement of "enhancing the efficiency of S&T investment" raised at the 20th National Congress of the CPC, the study analyzes the main contradictions in China's S&T investment and factors that restrict the efficiency of S&T investment, and puts forward policy suggestions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although perovskite wafers with a scalable size and thickness are suitable for direct X‐ray detection, polycrystalline perovskite wafers have drawbacks such as the high defect density, defective grain boundaries, and low crystallinity. Herein, PbI2‐DMSO powders are introduced into the MAPbI3 wafer to facilitate crystal growth. The PbI2 powders absorb a certain amount of DMSO to form the PbI2‐DMSO powders and PbI2‐DMSO is converted back into PbI2 under heating while releasing DMSO vapor. During isostatic pressing of the MAPbI3 wafer with the PbI2‐DMSO solid additive, the released DMSO vapor facilitates in situ growth in the MAPbI3 wafer with enhanced crystallinity and reduced defect density. A dense and compact MAPbI3 wafer with a high mobility‐lifetime (µτ) product of 8.70 × 10−4 cm2 V−1 is produced. The MAPbI3‐based direct X‐ray detector fabricated for demonstration shows a high sensitivity of 1.58 × 104 µC Gyair−1 cm−2 and a low detection limit of 410 nGyair s−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thousands of unique noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) exist within the genomes of higher eukaryotes. Upon virus infection, the host generates interferons (IFNs), which initiate the expression of hundreds of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) through IFN receptors on the cell surface, establishing a barrier as the host's antiviral innate immunity. With the development of novel RNA-sequencing technology, many IFN-induced ncRNAs have been identified, and increasing attention has been given to their functions as regulators involved in the antiviral innate immune response. IFN-induced ncRNAs regulate the expression of viral proteins, IFNs, and ISGs, as well as host genes that are critical for viral replication, cytokine and chemokine production, and signaling pathway activation. This review summarizes the complex regulatory role of IFN-induced ncRNAs in antiviral innate immunity from the above aspects, aiming to improve understanding of ncRNAs and provide reference for the basic research of antiviral innate immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence has revealed that transcription factors play essential roles in regulation of multiple cellular processes, including cell proliferation, metastasis, EMT, cancer stem cells and chemoresistance. Dysregulated expression levels of transcription factors contribute to tumorigenesis and malignant progression. The expression of transcription factors is tightly governed by several signaling pathways, noncoding RNAs and E3 ubiquitin ligases. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been validated in regulation of tumor metastasis, reoccurrence and chemoresistance in human cancer. Transcription factors have been verified to participate in regulation of CSC formation, including Oct4, SOX2, KLF4, c-Myc, Nanog, GATA, SALL4, Bmi-1, OLIG2, POU3F2 and FOX proteins. In this review article, we will describe the critical role of CSC-related transcription factors. We will further discuss which E3 ligases regulate the degradation of these CSC-related transcription factors and their underlying mechanisms. We also mentioned the functions and mechanisms of EMT-associated transcription factors such as ZEB1, ZEB2, Snail, Slug, Twist1 and Twist2. Furthermore, we highlight the therapeutic potential via targeting E3 ubiquitin ligases for modulation of these transcription factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autophagy is an intracellular recycling process that degrades harmful molecules and enables survival during starvation, with implications for diseases including dementia, cancer and atherosclerosis. Previous studies demonstrate how a limited number of transcription factors (TFs) can increase autophagy. However, this knowledge has not resulted in translation into therapy, thus, to gain understanding of more suitable targets, we utilized a systems biology approach. We induced autophagy by amino acid starvation and mTOR inhibition in HeLa, HEK 293 and SH-SY5Y cells and measured temporal gene expression using RNA-seq. We observed 456 differentially expressed genes due to starvation and 285 genes due to mTOR inhibition (PFDR < 0.05 in every cell line). Pathway analyses implicated Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases (PFDR ≤ 0.024 in SH-SY5Y and HeLa) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, PFDR < 0.05 in mTOR inhibition experiments). Differential expression of the Senataxin (SETX) target gene set was predicted to activate multiple neurodegenerative pathways (PFDR ≤ 0.04). In the SH-SY5Y cells of neuronal origin, the E2F transcription family was predicted to activate Alzheimer's disease pathway (PFDR ≤ 0.0065). These exploratory analyses suggest that SETX and E2F may mediate transcriptional regulation of autophagy and further investigations into their possible role in neuro-degeneration are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autophagy is an intracellular recycling process that degrades harmful molecules and enables survival during starvation, with implications for diseases including dementia, cancer and atherosclerosis. Previous studies demonstrate how a limited number of transcription factors (TFs) can increase autophagy. However, this knowledge has not resulted in translation into therapy, thus, to gain understanding of more suitable targets, we utilized a systems biology approach. We induced autophagy by amino acid starvation and mTOR inhibition in HeLa, HEK 293 and SH-SY5Y cells and measured temporal gene expression using RNA-seq. We observed 456 differentially expressed genes due to starvation and 285 genes due to mTOR inhibition (PFDR < 0.05 in every cell line). Pathway analyses implicated Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases (PFDR ≤ 0.024 in SH-SY5Y and HeLa) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, PFDR < 0.05 in mTOR inhibition experiments). Differential expression of the Senataxin (SETX) target gene set was predicted to activate multiple neurodegenerative pathways (PFDR ≤ 0.04). In the SH-SY5Y cells of neuronal origin, the E2F transcription family was predicted to activate Alzheimer's disease pathway (PFDR ≤ 0.0065). These exploratory analyses suggest that SETX and E2F may mediate transcriptional regulation of autophagy and further investigations into their possible role in neuro-degeneration are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The grassland in the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region is one of the largest and most biodiverse mountain grassland types in the world, and its ecosystem service functions have profound impacts on the sustainable development of the HKH region. Monitoring the spatiotemporal distribution of grassland aboveground biomass (AGB) accurately and quantifying its response to climate change are indispensable sources of information for sustainably managing grassland ecosystems in the HKH region. In this study, a pure vegetation index model (PVIM) was applied to estimate the long-term dynamics of grassland AGB in the HKH region during 2000–2018. We further quantified the response of grassland AGB to climate change (temperature and precipitation) by partial correlation and variance partitioning analyses and then compared their differences with elevation. Our results demonstrated that the grassland AGB predicted by the PVIM had a good linear relationship with the ground sampling data. The grassland AGB distribution pattern showed a decreasing trend from east to west across the HKH region except in the southern Himalayas. From 2000 to 2018, the mean AGB of the HKH region increased at a rate of 1.57 g/(m2·yr) and ranged from 252.9 (2000) to 307.8 g/m2 (2018). AGB had a positive correlation with precipitation in more than 80% of the grassland, and temperature was positively correlated with AGB in approximately half of the region. The change in grassland AGB was more responsive to the cumulative effect of annual precipitation, while it was more sensitive to the change in temperature in the growing season; in addition, the influence of climate varied at different elevations. Moreover, compared with that of temperature, the contribution of precipitation to grassland AGB change was greater in approximately 60% of the grassland, but the differences in the contribution for each climate factor were small between the two temporal scales at elevations over 2000 m. An accurate assessment of the temporal and spatial distributions of grassland AGB and the quantification of its response to climate change are of great significance for grassland management and sustainable development in the HKH region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The advantages and disadvantages of different screening methods for screening thalassaemia were introduced. • The application and development prospects of some novel or less used screening methods in clinical practice are mentioned. • The clinical screening process of thalassaemia is summarized. • The importance and meaning of improving the accuracy for screening thalassaemia clinically is highlighted. Thalassaemia is a common hereditary haemolytic anaemia. Mild cases of this disease may be asymptomatic, while patients with severe thalassaemias require high-dose blood transfusions and regular iron removal to maintain life or haematopoietic stem cell transplantation to be cured, imposing an enormous familial and social burden. Therefore, early, timely, and accurate screening of patients is of great importance. In recent years, with the continuous development of thalassaemia screening technologies, the accuracy of thalassaemia screening has also improved significantly. This article reviews the current research on thalassaemia screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computer numerical control (CNC) machine tools, as advanced manufacturing equipment, have been widely used in modern manufacturing. The machining accuracy acting as a main index of performance has long been more concerned by the engineering and academic community. However, in practice, it is more important that the CNC machine tools should have the ability to maintain their original accuracy or keep the accuracy within an acceptable range under complex working conditions after long-term service. This paper presents an overview of the research progress on the accuracy decline mechanism and the accuracy retention approaches of the CNC machine tools. First, the leading theory of accuracy decline and the mechanism of accuracy decline, such as moving components, residual stress and deformation, bolt creep and looseness, interface morphology, and ambient temperature, are described in detail. The accuracy decline is evaluated well. Then, various retention accuracy approaches are comprehensively reviewed, and the evaluation of accuracy retention is introduced. Finally, the challenges and opportunities for industry and academia are discussed, and several principle conclusions are drawn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider a one-dimensional dissipative system of a Rayleigh beam coupled with two wave equations, modeling an active constrained layer beam which consists of a stiff layer, a viscoelastic layer and a piezoelectric layer actuated by a voltage source without magnetic effects. We prove the equivalence between observability at the boundary and exponential stability previously proved by Yang and Wang (J Math Anal Appl 448:1204–1227, 2017). This is achieved by using some ingenious calculus techniques and the multiplier method to establish two observable lemmas for the conservative system and the auxiliary system, respectively, so as to overcome the complexity of equations and the difficulties caused by the appearance of the coupling term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate the longterm properties of a one-dimensional thermoelastic laminated beam without structural damping, coupled in the rotation angle displacement with a heat equation modeling an expectedly only dissipative effect through heat conduction governed by Coleman-Gurtin thermal law. By using the semigroup theory, we first establish the existence of global weak and stronger solutions as well as their continuous dependence on the initial data in appropriate function spaces, under suitable assumptions on the relaxation function and the external force term. Then for the case of equal wave speeds, we prove that the system has a bounded absorbing set and is asymptotic smooth, and obtain the existence of a global attractor whose fractal dimension is finite. The existence of an exponential attractor of the system is also obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel technique is developed for measuring the free surface and surface velocity. • Measurement accuracy is verified by wave probes, planes and fringe projection method. • The measurement technique is applied to the flood propagation in a compound channel. River flooding can pose a significant threat to people's lives and properties on the floodplain. Due to the difficulty and potential danger of monitoring field river floods, laboratory experiments have become the main and key method for exploring flood propagation and evaluating potential flood risks. However, the complex three-dimensional flow state of floods in the compound channel makes current measurement techniques inadequate for meeting monitoring requirements. To this end, a new technique is developed in this study that can simultaneously monitor the flood free surface and the surface velocity in the laboratory compound channel. The developed measurement technique combines stereoscopy and the particle tracking velocimetry (PTV) method through the pixel coordinate fitting method, so that the coordinates of the tracer particles can be reconstructed in the three-dimensional state. This method can not only increase the basic data in the free surface construction but can also capture the complex three-dimensional flood flow behavior. The proposed technology was applied to measure the free surface of flood propagation in a laboratory compound channel. Water level, flow velocity, wave velocity, and wave height were simultaneously measured. The measurement accuracy was verified using wave probes, spatial planes, and fringe projection techniques. The results indicate that the water level measurement error is approximately 1.6 mm, and the flow velocity measurement error is around 3 %. The developed measurement system is simpler than previous methods based on light reflection or absorption. Most importantly, it can simultaneously measure both the flood free surface and surface velocity by only sowing tracer particles on the water surface. The current measurement technology offers a new tool for studying flood propagation in a laboratory compound channel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The mechanisms of various losses in microfluidic fuel cell are revealed. • Optimization strategies for enhancing electrocatalytic activity are summarized. • The optimization ideas of weakening ohmic polarization effect are determined. • A detailed review on alleviative concentration polarization is conducted. The microfluidic fuel cell is one of the most promising micro power sources for the portable electronic devices due to the low cost, environmental friendliness, and substantial power outputs. The practical voltage output is lower than that of thermodynamic theory prediction because of the unavoidable losses in practice, and the polarisation losses are formed from the electrochemical loss, ohmic loss, and concentration loss. Abundant optimisation investigations are conducted in previous articles for decreasing the polarisation loss and improving the cell performance. Researches show that the exchange current density is increased and activation reaction energy barrier is decreased via the decoration and modification of catalytic electrode, thereby reducing the electrochemical loss. Improving the electric conduction via the setting of current collector can effectively reduce the ohmic loss. Moreover, the ohmic loss is decreased by using the high concentration electrolyte and reducing the ion transport distances between the anode and cathode. Optimising the channel and electrode structures including the development of novel structure, the setting of microridge, and array anode can availably limit the fuel concentration and depletion effect, thus decreasing the concentration loss. Significantly, the reduced concentration polarisation is realized by increasing flow rate and employing counter flow configuration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Although probiotics have been shown to improve constipation-related symptoms, a clear consensus on the use of probiotics as a constipation-relieving agent has not been reached, which is attributed to the limited available evidence and inconsistent protocols used in existing studies. Method. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial is designed to study the efficiency and possible mechanism of action of probiotics for chronic constipation, in which 200 eligible volunteers with chronic constipation will be randomly assigned to a probiotic group (oral Lactobacillus plantarum P9 probiotic powder, 100 billion colony-forming units (CFUs)/day) or a placebo group. Volunteers, treatment distributors, data collectors, and data analysts will be blinded. The primary outcome is the weekly mean frequency of complete spontaneous bowel movements (CSBMs), and secondary outcomes include weekly mean frequency of CSBMs ≥3, weekly mean frequency of spontaneous bowel movements (SBMs), weekly mean stool appearance score, weekly mean difficulty of passing stool score, weekly percentage of volunteers who use auxiliary measures to assist with defecation (WPUAMA), quality-of-life (QOL) score, emotional status score, gut microbiome, and faecal metabolome. Each outcome measure will be assessed at the time points of preadministration (day 0), administration (day 14 and/or 28), and postadministration (day 42) to identify inter- and intragroup differences. Adverse events will be recorded to evaluate the safety of L. plantarum P9. Discussion. The protocol will provide methodological guidance for other similar studies, avoiding methodological bias and ultimately facilitating the formulation of consensus on the use of probiotics as a constipation-relieving agent. In addition, the results are more comprehensive than those of existing studies and may objectively and scientifically reflect the effectiveness of L. plantarum P9 on constipation. If the expected study findings are obtained, L. plantarum P9, taken as a probiotic, may become a complementary choice for chronically constipated patients. This trial is registered with Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR) (no. ChiCTR2000038396) registered on November 22, 2020, https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=54024. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) requires reduction in the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface antigen (HBsAg) in children to 0.1% by 2030, a key indicator for eliminating viral hepatitis as a major public health threat. Whether and how China can achieve this target remains unknown, although great achievements have been made. We aimed to predict the decline of HBsAg prevalence in China and identify key developments needed to achieve the target.Methods: An age- and time-dependent dynamic compartmental model was constructed based on the natural history of HBV infection and the national history and current status of hepatitis B control. The model was run from 2006 to 2040 to predict the decline of HBsAg prevalence under three scenarios including maintaining current interventions (status quo), status quo + peripartum antiviral prophylaxis (PAP, recommended by WHO in 2020), and scaling up current interventions + PAP.Results: Under the status quo, HBsAg prevalence would decrease steadily in all age groups, but the WHO's target of 0.1% prevalence in children aged < 5 years would not be achieved until 2037. The results are robust according to sensitivity analyses. Under the status quo + PAP, the HBsAg prevalence of children aged < 5 years would significantly decrease with the introduction of PAP, and the higher the successful interruption coverage is achieved by PAP, the more significant the decline. However, even if the successful interruption coverage reaches 90% by 2030, the 0.1% prevalence target would not be met until 2031. Under the scaling up current interventions + PAP, combined with scale-up of current interventions, the WHO's 0.1% target would be achieved on time or one year in advance if PAP is introduced and the successful interruption coverage is scaled up to 80% or 90% by 2030, respectively.Conclusions: It is difficult for China to achieve the WHO's target of 0.1% HBsAg prevalence in children by 2030 by maintaining current interventions. PAP may play an important role to shorten the time to achieve the target. A comprehensive scale-up of available interventions including PAP will ensure that China achieves the target on schedule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To investigate the correlation between CML, sRAGE, and esRAGE and the measure of atherosclerosis of coronary heart disease. Methods. From June 2019 to December 2021, there were 100 patients in all suffering from coronary heart disease (CHD) selected as the observation group. On the basis of Gensini score, they were divided into mild group (Gensini score < 12 points), moderate group (12 points ≤ Gensini score ≤60 points), and severe group (Gensini score > 60). Apart from that, 50 normal people staying in our hospital for physical examination were chosen as the control group in the meantime. N in each group was detected and compared ε-Carboxymethyl lysine (CML), soluble advanced glycation end product receptor (sRAGE), and endogenous secretory advanced glycation end product receptor (esRAGE). Pearson correlation coefficient was adapted to assay the relevance between CML, sRAGE, and esRAGE, as well as the degree of atherosclerosis in CHD. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve was applied to during the evaluation of the diagnosis of CML, sRAGE, and esRAGE, as well as their combined detection of severe atherosclerosis in CHD. Results. In contrast with the control group, the level of serum CML together with sRAGE in the observation group was considerably elevated, while the level of esRAGE appeared in a downward trend (P < 0.05). The level of serum CML and sRAGE was directly proportional to the measure of atherosclerosis in CHD, while the level of esRAGE was inversely proportional to the measure of atherosclerosis in CHD (P < 0.05). That is to say that serum CML and sRAGE were positive in matter of the measure of atherosclerosis in CHD, while esRAGE negatively appertains to the measure of atherosclerosis in CHD (P < 0.05). Serum CML, sRAGE, and esRAGE could effectively diagnose severe atherosclerosis in CHD, and the combined detection sensitivity (89.79%), specificity (77.16%), accuracy (86.12%), positive predictive value (86.63%), negative predictive value (88.59%), and area under ROC curve (AUC) (0.924) were higher (P < 0.05). Conclusion. CML and sRAGE, as well as esRAGE, are bound up with the degree of atherosclerosis in CHD, which is conducive to clinical diagnosis and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polysaccharides are the important active constituents of Radix Puerariae thomsonii. Numerous studies have shown that polysaccharides can regulate gut microbiota, repair intestinal barrier, and affect the microbiota-intestine-liver axis, thereby showing therapeutic effects on metabolic disorders. In this study, Radix Puerariae thomsonii polysaccharide (RPP) was extracted from Radix Puerariae thomsonii. The average Mw of RPP was determined to be 1.09 × 105 Da and the monosaccharide composition showed it consisted of glucose. The effects and underlying mechanisms of RPP on fatty liver were studied using C57/BL6J mice induced by alcohol and high-fat diet. The results showed that the oral supplementation of RPP could alleviate alcohol and high-fat diet-induced hepatic injury and steatosis. RPP also promoted intestinal barrier integrity and reduced inflammation through NF-κB signaling pathway. RPP could ameliorate the lipid peroxidation by AMPK/NADPH oxidase signaling pathway. Additionally, these improvements might be related to the enrichment of intestinal bacteria Parabacteroides (promote intestinal barrier integrity) and Prevotellaceae UCG 001 (activation of AMPK signaling pathway). These results demonstrated that RPP could improve inflammation and lipid peroxidation in the alcohol and high-fat diet mouse by restoring the intestinal barrier integrity and regulating the gut microbiota. This suggested that RPP was a potential food supplement for the treatment of fatty liver disease. • RPP is a relatively low molecular weight dextran. • RPP can improve the fatty liver disease. • RPP promotes intestinal barrier integrity and reduces inflammation through NF-κB signaling pathway. • RPP ameliorates lipid peroxidation by AMPK/NADPH oxidase signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: For patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms, the preferred treatment is proton pump inhibitor (PPI) administration for approximately 8 weeks. However, long-term use of PPIs can cause gut microbiome (GM) disturbances. This study is designed to evaluate the effect of probiotics combined with a PPI on the GM and gastrointestinal symptoms of patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD).Method: This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. A total of 120 eligible patients with GERD will be randomized into the experimental group or the control group. The treatment includes two phases: the initial treatment period lasts 8 weeks (weeks 1-8), and the maintenance treatment period lasts 4 weeks (weeks 9-12). During the initial treatment period, the experimental group will take rabeprazole and LiHuo probiotics, and the control group will take rabeprazole and a probiotic placebo; during the maintenance treatment period, the experimental group will take LiHuo probiotics, and the control group will take a probiotic placebo. The primary measure is the change in the GM. The secondary measures are the Reflux Disease Questionnaire (RDQ) score, Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) score, faecal metabolome (FM), body mass index, Los Angeles grade of oesophagitis, adverse event (AE) rate and treatment compliance. Each outcome indicator will be assessed at day 0 (before administration), day 28 and/or 56 (during administration), and day 84 (end of administration) to reveal intragroup differences. AEs will be monitored to assess the safety of LiHuo probiotics.Discussion: This will be the first trial to use the intestinal flora metagene method to analyse the effects of probiotics on patients with GERD receiving long-term PPI treatment. The goal is to provide evidence for the use of probiotics to reduce intestinal flora disorders and other symptoms of gastrointestinal discomfort in patients with GERD who have used PPIs for a long period.Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR) (NO. ChiCTR2000038409). Registered on November 22, 2020, http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=56358 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Membraneless microfluidic fuel cell has potential application prospects in portable electronics due to the characteristics of efficient energy conversion, clean power generation and easy miniaturization. However, carbon dioxide bubbles generated in acidic condition will cover the anode surface and increase the reactant transfer resistance. Herein, an air-exposed gas-emission anode for eliminating carbon dioxide accumulation and enhancing two-phase flow mass transfer is designed for membraneless microfluidic fuel cell, and the internal mechanism of gas-liquid separation is studied by numerical simulation. The membraneless microfluidic fuel cell with a gas-emission anode is proved to have considerable efficiency of carbon dioxide gas removal at the expense of generating parasitic effect in the anode. Thus, further optimization of the gas-emission anode is conducted by a cap design to reduce the parasitic current generation. Compared to the conventional anode, the optimal anode keeps the carbon dioxide gas removal rate of 76.75% and the maximum power density reaches 77.29 mW/cm2 with the increasing rate of 57.48%. The design and multi-evaluation of the gas-emission anode provides a theoretical basis for realizing the gas-liquid separation and enhancing the mass transfer of two-phase flow in fuel cells. [Display omitted] • A gas-emission anode is designed for microfluidic fuel cell. • The mechanisms of eliminating CO 2 gas and generating parasitic effect are studied. • The parasitic effect is reduced by the re-optimization on gas-emission anode. • The two-phase mass transfer in various electrode structures are compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]