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During oil-gas production, appropriate water injection to different production layers can effectively maintain stratum pressure and implement sustainable extraction of petroleum resources. Studying the performance of oil displacement by water is largely significant for researching the distribution of remaining-oil and adjusting the oilfield development plan. Nevertheless, the multidimensional time-varying injection-production data and 3D spatial structures of underground injection-production networks pose special challenges for effective injection-production correlation analysis. Therefore, we propose a digital-twin-driven visualization to explore and simulate the dynamic patterns of injectors and producers. First, digital twins of underground injection-production network are constructed with static 3D geospatial scenes and dynamic injection-production data, providing users with intuitive visual exploration and flexible interaction. Then, we apply the multi-step time-varying Long Short-term Memory (LSTM) model for dynamic analysis and recommendation of injection development. Furthermore, abstract information visualizations are combined with the 3D virtual environment to support the real-time monitoring and dynamic simulation of injection-production process. Case studies based on real-world datasets and interviews with domain experts have demonstrated the effectiveness of our system for intelligent injection-production analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The profound changes brought about by informatization and digitalization have given rise to the user-centered innovation concept, and value co-creation by enterprises has become an inevitable trend. It has become a pressing issue for scholars to analyze the mechanism of consumer participation in the value co-creation of innovative enterprises. In this paper, by establishing an evolutionary game model between consumers and innovative enterprises, we analyze in depth the mechanism of consumer participation in the value co-creation of innovative enterprises. The results show that the initial cooperation probability between consumers and innovative enterprises directly affects their strategic choices; the establishment of reward mechanisms makes consumers more inclined to choose active participation in value co-creation strategies; as the probability of non-cooperation between the two parties being reported increases, the probability of consumers and innovative enterprises choosing cooperation also increases. Studying the mechanism of consumer participation in the value co-creation of innovative enterprises has essential theoretical and practical significance for enterprises to achieve value creation, enhance competitiveness, and promote innovation. This study not only enriches and develops relevant theories but also provides guidance and support for the practice of enterprises, promoting sustainable development and successful co-creation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relation extraction is a vital task in constructing large-scale knowledge graphs, aiming to identify factual relations between entities from plain texts and generate triples. However, it is inevitable that a large amount of noise will be generated and should be given special attention; otherwise, they will seriously downgrade the performance of knowledge reasoning. In this paper, we propose a visual analytics system that facilitates automatic extraction and interactive optimization of relations between entities, enabling users to refine these extraction results with low confidence. First, a triple-based embedding method is designed to provide an overview of the triples by capturing the semantic similarity between entities and relations. Then, the contextual information in the embedding space is utilized to evaluate the correctness of triples and infer more probable relations for correction. Finally, a visual analysis system integrating the above method and multiple coordinated views is developed, enabling the higher-quality data corrected by users to assist in achieving iterative optimization of the relation extraction model in an interpretable way. Case studies based on real-world datasets and expert interviews further demonstrate the effectiveness of the system for effective analysis and exploration of the knowledge graph relation extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To analyze the independent risk factors for recurrent bleeding and death within 1 year after endoscopic treatment of esophagogastric varices hemorrhage (EGVB) in patients with liver cirrhosis, and to validate the predictive value of ALBI score for recurrent bleeding and death within 1 year after endoscopic treatment of EGVB in patients with liver cirrhosis. A total of 338 patients with EGVB who received endoscopic treatment for the first time in the Department of Gastroenterology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University from January 1, 2016 to March 1, 2020 were selected. A database was established to analyze the patients' demographic data, surgical variables and postoperative outcomes. All patients were contacted and followed up to verify the predictive value of ALBI score for recurrent bleeding and mortality. 130 patients had rebleeding within 1 year after surgery (38.5%). 66 patients died within 1 year after surgery (19.5%). Patients with ALBI grade 3 had significantly higher rebleeding and mortality rates than those with grades 1 and 2. The AUC was used to compare the predictive value of the four scores for rebleeding and mortality within one year after endoscopic surgery. Both ALBI scores had the largest AUC. The ALBI score has certain predictive value for rebleeding and mortality within 1 year after endoscopic therapy in patients with cirrhotic EGVB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanism of nickel-catalyzed selective hydroalkylation of 2-aryl-1,3-dienes has been studied using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. A reaction pathway was suggested, which involves the deprotonation of the amide substrate, ligand coordination with the nickel centre, ligand-to-ligand hydrogen transfer (LLHT) and finally nucleophilic attack. Analysis of the calculated energy profiles shows that the rate-determining step is the LLHT process. For the LLHT step, hydrogen transferring to the least sterically hindered C4 position of 1,3-diene to form a metal-π-allyl intermediate needs the lowest activation barrier because the allylic-Ni intermediate is the most stable. The allyl group binding to the metal centre in an η3 fashion also promotes the following nucleophilic attack owing to the electron-withdrawing capability of the metal. The subsequent nucleophilic attack leads to regio-divergent products with a different substrate. For a linear amide substrate, nucleophiles selectively attack the least hindered terminus carbon of the π-allyl–Ni species to form 1,4-addition products due to the steric effect. However, for a cyclic imide substrate, nucleophiles selectively attack the nonterminal carbon leading to 3,4-selective products, which is supposed to be a result of the electron-withdrawing capability of heteroatoms on the cyclic imide. Furthermore, on combining a cyclic imide substrate and a chiral ligand, a stereoselective 3,4-addition product is obtained due to steric effects. All the calculation results are in agreement with the experimental results. An alternative pathway which includes the step of hydrometalation from the nickel-hydride complex to the diene and the reductive elimination is ruled out due to the calculated high-energy barrier that cannot be achieved under the experimental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A magnetic molecularly imprinted probe (MMIP@QD) was synthesized by reverse microemulsion method using CdTe QDs, Fe3O4, and molecularly imprinted polymer as the fluorophore, magnetic carrier, and recognition sites, respectively. The nanoparticle was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). In the optimal experimental condition, fluorescent emission intensity (measured at excitation wavelengths of 350 nm) was quenched linearly with increasing malachite green (MG) concentration from 0.8 to 28.0 μM with LOD of 0.67 μM. Simultaneously, it was observed that the maximum absorption wavelength was blue shifted gradually with the increase of MG concentration. The inner filter effect, static quenching, and band gap transition were interpreted as the mechanisms of fluorescence quenching and wavelength shift. Thermodynamic studies indicated that the quenching reaction proceeded spontaneously. The developed sensor was applied to detect MG in seawater samples. Satisfactory recoveries of MG in spiked seawater ranged from 83.6 to 122.1% with RSD < 1.8%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is the most common complication after surgery for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and leads to extended hospital stays and increased mortality. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) in postoperative pericardial drainage fluid is associated with an increased risk of POAF; however, the correlations between MPO in intraoperative pericardial fluid and POAF remain largely unknown. The aim of the study was to evaluate whether MPO is associated with POAF. Methods: A total of 97 patients with no history of atrial arrhythmia who had undergone coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) were identified. We prospectively measured the levels of MPO in intraoperative pericardial fluid and blood using the human magnetic Luminex assay. Then, the occurrence of atrial fibrillation was continuously observed by postoperative ECG and telemetry strips until discharge. Results: Our data showed that POAF occurred in 24 of 97 patients (24.74%). MPO levels in blood were higher in the POAF group than the SR group (p = 0.064). Patients with POAF had significantly higher intraoperative pericardial fluid MPO levels than patients who remained in SR (p = 0.021). There was no significant correlation between pericardial fluid MPO levels and blood MPO levels (r = −0.47, p = 0.770). In a multivariable logistic regression model, pericardial fluid MPO levels were significantly associated with a higher risk of POAF (odds ratio = 1.016, 95% confidence interval, 1.001–1.031; p = 0.031). Conclusions: Higher intraoperative pericardial fluid MPO levels are linked with POAF in patients undergoing CABG. This finding provides insight into a possible mechanism of MPO in pericardial fluid increase susceptibility to developing POAF in patients undergoing CABG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: All the synthesis routes and surfaced-modified strategy of MXene-derived quantum dots (MQDs), the synthesis of MQDs-based nanocomposites, and advanced characterization techniques of MQDs are fully covered. Catalytic application is classified and discussed by judging the roles of MQDs. Current challenge and prospect are proposed for promoting the development and catalytic application of MQDs.It is well known that two-dimensional (2D) MXene-derived quantum dots (MQDs) inherit the excellent physicochemical properties of the parental MXenes, as a Chinese proverb says, “Indigo blue is extracted from the indigo plant, but is bluer than the plant it comes from.” Therefore, 0D QDs harvest larger surface-to-volume ratio, outstanding optical properties, and vigorous quantum confinement effect. Currently, MQDs trigger enormous research enthusiasm as an emerging star of functional materials applied to physics, chemistry, biology, energy conversion, and storage. Since the surface properties of small-sized MQDs include the type of surface functional groups, the functionalized surface directly determines their performance. As the Nobel Laureate Wolfgang Pauli says, “God made the bulk, but the surface was invented by the devil,” and it is just on the basis of the abundant surface functional groups, there is lots of space to be thereof excavated from MQDs. We are witnessing such excellence and even more promising to be expected. Nowadays, MQDs have been widely applied to catalysis, whereas the related reviews are rarely reported. Herein, we provide a state-of-the-art overview of MQDs in catalysis over the past five years, ranging from the origin and development of MQDs, synthetic routes of MQDs, and functionalized MQDs to advanced characterization techniques. To explore the diversity of catalytic application and perspectives of MQDs, our review will stimulate more efforts toward the synthesis of optimal MQDs and thereof designing high-performance MQDs-based catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An attribute-enhanced graph representation learning model is proposed to transform multivariate network nodes into vectors. • A scalable aggregation scheme is proposed to enhance the visual perception of large multivariate graph visualization. • A set of visual interfaces are provided enabling users to intuitively explore large multivariate networks. [Display omitted] It is a challenging task to explore large-scaled multivariate networks, since nodes of multivariate networks always contain rich information. We propose a novel visual abstraction method to adaptively aggregate nodes and layout multivariate graphs. First, a novel attribute-enhanced graph representation learning model is proposed to transform nodes into an attribute-enhanced vectorized space. Then, we propose a multi-scale aggregation scheme to classify nodes into hierarchical categories with respect to a set of metrics such as structure closeness, attribute homogeneity and cluster account. Further, we design and implement a visualization framework enabling users to conduct attribute-aware visual abstraction, exploration, and clustering of large-scale multivariate graphs. Case studies and quantitative comparisons with three datasets verify the effectiveness of our approach in enhancing the readability of large-scaled multivariate networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clean and safe water resources play a key role in environmental safety and human health. Recently, hydrogels have attracted extensive attention due to their non-toxicity, controllable performance, and high adsorption. Herein, a semi- interpenetrating network hydrogel (semi- IPN -Gel) adsorbent based on quaternary cellulose (QC) was prepared by the amino-anhydride click reaction between maleic anhydride copolymer and polyacrylamine hydrochloride (PAH), and its adsorption properties for Eosin Y were studied. First, a binary copolymer (PAM) of acrylamide and maleic anhydride was synthesized by free radical polymerization. Then, the PAM, QC and PAH were dissolved in water, and the pH of the solution was adjusted to alkaline. Semi-IPN-Gel was successfully prepared by fast anhydride-amino click reaction. The preparation conditions of hydrogels were optimized by single-factor experiments. Finally, taking Eosin Y as a model pollutant, the adsorption performance of Eosin Y was studied. The factors influencing the adsorption capacity of the absorbents such as initial concentration of the Eosin Y, temperature, the amount of absorbent, ionic strength and pH of the Eosin Y solutions were investigated. And adsorption data were analyzed via the kinetic model and the isothermal model, indicating that the adsorption process of the hydrogel is a single layer chemisorption process. • Quaternary cellulose Semi-IPN-Gel were prepared via amino-anhydride click reaction. • The reaction can carry out conveniently and rapidly in water. • The Semi-IPN-Gel has good adsorption properties for anionic dye. • The adsorption process is endothermic with spontaneous entropy increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DFT calculations have been conducted on Pd-catalyzed regioselective hydroaminocarbonylation of alkenes. The favored path I consists of styrene insertion, CO insertion, and nucleophilic attack, which is the rate determining step. In the PPh3-assisted system, the conjugation between the benzylic units and the acyl group stabilizes the branched transition state in the nucleophilic attack leading to the branched selectivity. On the other hand, in the xantphos-assisted system, the steric repulsion between the substrate and the ligand leads to a higher barrier for the branched transition state; therefore, linear selectivity is favored which is in line with the experimental observation. The analysis of the electronic and steric effects of ligands on the selectivity helps to develop a catalyst for hydroaminocarbonylation of alkenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Increased S. aureus colonization with rich microbial diversity in EP patients. • AMPs for hBD2, LL-37, RNase7 in EP keratinocytes were lower than those in PV, but higher than AD. • Serum levels of hBD2, LL-37, RNase7 in EP were similar to those in PV but significantly lower than in AD. Erythrodermic psoriasis (EP) is a severe and rare condition characterized by prominent erythema and scaling over 75 % of the body surface area. Unlike psoriasis vulgaris (PV), EP carries high risk of systemic involvement, including superficial skin infections and sepsis, particularly those caused by Staphylococcus aureus. To explore the microecological characteristics of EP and detect the levels of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in both skin and serum of EP patients. In this study, skin microbiomes of 10 EP patients were analyzed through 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The expressions of AMPs, Interleukin-4/13 (IL-4/13), Interleukin-17 (IL-17) and Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in skin were detected via immunohistochemical staining and serum levels of AMP were evaluated by ELISA. We also enrolled 10 AD and 10 PV patients as controls. EP patients retained rich microbial diversity, dominated by S. aureus. The AMPs of hBD2, LL-37, and RNase7 in EP keratinocytes were significantly lower than those in PV, but higher than those in AD. The expression levels of IL-4, IL-13 and IFN-γ in lesions are similar between EP and AD, but quite different from PV. What's more, the serum AMP levels in EP were similar to those in PV while significantly lower than in AD. We found EP patients have a rich microbial diversity dominated by S. aureus in lesions, while lower serum and skin AMPs expressions, which may account for the increased incidence of S. aureus cutaneous infections and sepsis in EP patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antifouling hydrogels have received extensive attention in the field of marine antifouling due to their excellent hydrophilicity and environmental friendliness. However, the antifouling applications of traditional hydrogels are limited by their poor antibacterial properties, and capsaicin derivatives, as nontoxic and environmentally friendly antifoulants, can be used to improve the antibacterial properties of hydrogels. From the perspective of practical application, hydrogels were obtained by crosslinking the copolymer of the capsaicin derivative N,N'-((4,5,6-trihydroxy-1,3-phenylene) bis (methylene)) diacrylamide (TPA), lipophilic monomers and hydrophilic monomers. This hydrogel exhibited anti-protein performance due to its hydrophilicity, and the capsaicin derivative caused the hydrogel coating to exhibit excellent algae inhibition performance (the minimum adhesion density of diatoms on the surface of the hydrogel coating was less than 440 cells/mm2), better algae anti-adhesion abilities than hydrogel reported in the other paper, and antibacterial effects (the antibacterial rate was more than 95%). After 73 d of panel testing in a real marine environment, there was still a good antifouling effect in the hydrogel coating. Hence, the antifouling performance was improved significantly by capsaicin derivative (TPA)-functionalized hydrogel coating. A new strategy is provided in this study for the preparation of hydrogels with superior marine antifouling properties. [Display omitted] • Hydrogel coating with grafted capsaicin derivatives prepared. • Good antifouling properties of the capsaicin modified hydrogel coating confirmed. • A preparation strategy for effectively combining two environmentally friendly antifouling mechanisms is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a group of malignant hematopoietic system diseases. Taurine-upregulated gene 1 (TUG1) is a long non-coding RNA that has been associated with human cancers, including AML. However, the role and molecular mechanisms of TUG1 in AML remains to be defined. Methods: Expression of TUG1 and miR-185 was detected using RT-qPCR. Cell viability and apoptotic rate were measured by MTT assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Glycolysis was determined by commercial glucose and lactate assay kits and Western blot. The target binding between TUG1 and miR-185 was predicted on Starbase online database and confirmed by luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation. Results: TUG1 was upregulated and miR-185 was downregulated in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of AML specimens and cells (HL-60, KG-1, MOLM-14, and MOLM-13). Both TUG1 knockdown and miR-185 overexpression via transfection could suppress cell viability, glucose consumption, lactate production, and hexokinase 2 expression, but promote apoptotic rate in HL-60 and KG-1 cells. Notably, TUG1 functioned as a sponge of miR-185 by target binding. Moreover, downregulation of miR-185 could partially overturn the effect of TUG1 knockdown on cell proliferation and glycolysis in HL-60 and KG-1 cells. Conclusion: Expression of TUG1 was upregulated in AML patients and cells, and its knockdown repressed cell proliferation and glycolysis in AML cells in vitro by targeting miR-185. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To explore the effect of aerobic training (AT), resistance training (RT) or a combination of AT and RT (AT+RT) on the function of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in mice with type 2 diabetes and the potential effective mechanisms Methods: Eight-week-old db/db male mice were used as type 2 diabetic animal models in this study. Mice were randomly assigned to the control group (n = 5), AT group (n = 5), RT group (n = 5) and AT+RT group (n = 5). Mice in the control group remained sedentary with no specific training requirement. Mice were motivated to perform AT, RT or AT+RT by a gentle pat on their body for 3 or 4 days/week for 14 days. AT was performed by treadmill running, RT was performed by ladder climbing and AT+RT involved both AT and RT. Bone-derived EPCs were isolated after 14 days of the intervention. EPC expression of CD31, CD34, CD133, CD144 and VEGFR2 was detected by immunofluorescence staining. Fluorescence detection was performed on attached mononuclear cells to detect double-positive EPCs. We then explored the effect of caveolin-1 knockdown (lentiviral vector with caveolin-1-siRNA) on the proliferation and adherence of EPCs and the concentration of caveolin-1 and PI3K/AKT via western blot analyses. Results: Compared to the mice in the control group, the mice in the AT, RT and AT+RT groups presented significant increases in proliferation and adherence after 14 days of intervention. AT+RT induced an increase in EPC adherence, which was greater than that of the control, RT and AT groups. Caveolin-1 knockdown inhibited the EPC proliferative and adherent abilities. The AT+RT group showed higher levels of caveolin-1 and p-AKT than the control group, but these changes were decreased by caveolin-1-siRNA transfection. Conclusion: Combined AT and RT is an effective way to improve EPC function through upregulation of caveolin-1 in mice with type 2 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a key determinant affecting yield and quality in pepper, inflorescence architecture is a significant feature of the ornamental plants. In our present study, a new mutant with fasciculate inflorescence named CL74 was derived from our germplasm resources. Genetic analysis of CL74 indicated that it was different from the fasciculate (fa) mutant, and its fasciculate inflorescence trait was controlled by a single recessive nuclear gene. A large F2 population was constructed and used for bulked segregant analysis (BSA) and linkage analysis. These findings revealed that the candidate gene was mapped to a segment with a physical distance of approximately 998 kb between Indel-197064077 and Indel-198110136. There were two agamous-like MADS-box protein genes Capanan11g001832 and Capanan11g001834 in the candidate region. Besides, two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) existed on the coding region of Capanan11g001832 in the CL74 mutant compared with the single-flower plants. In addition, the two SNPs were verified and fully co-segregated with fasciculate inflorescence phenotype in the F2 individuals. Collectively, Capanan11g001832 was a strong candidate gene for the fasciculate inflorescence. Furthermore, transcriptome analysis indicated that three WUSCHEL-like genes (Capana00g000667, Capana06g000476, and Capana11g000671) were downregulated and CLV1 (Capana04g000175) was upregulated in CL74. Moreover, we speculated that there was a complex relationship among the genes Capanan11g001832, Capanan11g001834, the three WUSCHEL-like genes, and CLV1, and these genes might co-regulate the formation of fasciculate inflorescence in pepper. Our study laid the foundation for the selection of high-yield, mechanized harvesting, or ornamental varieties of pepper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a most important step in geological interpretation, stratigraphic correlation plays important roles in reservoir estimation and geologic modeling. A variety of datasets are used for stratigraphic correlation, such as well-logging data and seismic data, which are collected by different kinds of sensors. However, much uncertainty will be generated in the traditional course of stratigraphic correlation, because the complex underground geological structures cannot be comprehensively depicted by single dataset. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a visualization system to present and reduce the uncertainty in stratigraphic correlation based on the fusion analysis of multi-source datasets. First, a synthetic seismogram is modeled for each drilling well and a traditional time-depth conversion is conducted to match the seismic data and logging data. Then, an uncertainty model is proposed to quantify the depth difference between seismic horizons and stratigraphic structures extracted from different datasets. Furthermore, a set of visual designs are integrated into an uncertainty visualization system, enabling users to conduct intuitive uncertainty exploration and supervised optimization of stratigraphic correlation. Case studies based on real-world datasets and interviews with domain experts have demonstrated the effectiveness of our system in analyzing the uncertainty of stratigraphic correlation and refining the results of geological interpretation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economical and high-efficiency synthesis of single-atom catalysts is a tremendous challenge hampering their large-scale industrialization, which is mainly attributed to the complex equipment and processes necessary for both top-down and bottom-up synthesis methods. Now, a facile three-dimensional printing approach tackles this dilemma. From a solution of printing ink and metal precursors, target materials with specific geometric shapes are prepared with high output, directly and automatically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aerobic and resistance training enhances endothelial progenitor cell function via upregulation of caveolin-1 in mice with type 2 diabetes. 7B and C. They had mistakenly duplicated the same statistical result data of p-PI3Kp85 when using GraphadPrim software to export the bar graph of Caveolin-1. [Extracted from the article]

Abstract : Visualizations of machine learning models have developed rapidly during these days, attracting great interests of industry and researchers. However, a pipeline that visualizations are created from logged data is a time-consuming process. In this work, we adopt progressive visual analytics to propose a new pipeline to facilitate the visual analysis progress of gradient boosting regression tree (GBRT). Visualizations such as tree view, instances view, and cluster view are created according to different types of data in real time. Users can explore GBRT with different visualization components interactively through GBRTVis. Case studies demonstrate that our pipeline can improve the efficiency of the training process and understanding. Furthermore, we propose a mixed structure of GBRT to improve itself. Two tests on different datasets show the effectiveness of the improvement.Graphical Abstract: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Co 9 S 8 /Mo 2 S 3 nanorods on CoS 2 laminar arrays (CoS 2 -Co 9 S 8 /Mo 2 S 3 , defined as Co1Mo1) were synthesized via one step hydrothermal method for high performance supercapacitors. The Co1Mo1 hybrid was in-situ grown on Ni foam (NF). The nanorods and laminar arrays constructed 3D network with stable structure, maintaining high durability during electrochemical reactions. What’s more, this Co1Mo1 hybrid electrode combined the merits of both cobalt sulfides (the high capacity) and molybdenum sulfides (the excellent cycling stability). As expected, the Co1Mo1//NF hybrid exhibited excellent capacitance (2777.5 F g −1 at 1 A g −1 ), wonderful rate performance (81.46% from 1 to 50 A g −1 ), as well as superior stability (100% at 10 A g −1 after 8500 cycling) when used as single electrodes. The Co1Mo1//AC device was also assembled, showing high energy density (56.56 Wh kg −1 at the power density of 850 W kg −1 ). When combined two Co1Mo1//AC devices in series, six colored led bulbs which were in parallel can be lighted (green LED, working voltage greater than 3 V), further corroborated the possibility of the Co1Mo1 electrode for practical application. This study provided an easy and low-cost method for synthesizing electrode materials with excellent electrochemical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study utilized a mixed methods approach to compare the scoring of raters in assessing writing performance across three modes: paper-based, on-screen marking of scanned images, and online word-processed versions. six experienced raters evaluated the performances of 39 test-takers in each mode. The many-facet Rasch model was employed to analyze scoring differences among the rating modes; the semi-structured interview was used to collect raters' perceptions towards performance under the three modes. The findings indicated that the difficulty level was ranked in ascending order of on-screen marking of scanned images, paper-based text, and online word-processed text. Bias analysis revealed interactions between the rater and the mode, as well as between the criterion and the mode. Verbal reports from the raters highlighted four construct-irrelevant factors that could potentially influence scoring under the three modes: convenience for essay overview and word recognition, potential underestimation of word count, and raters' preference for essays in handwriting. Based on the results, recommendations were provided for rater training and essay scoring across different modes. • Three rating modes for writing compared under one ruler. • Various construct-irrelevant factors involved in the rating judgement. • Raters more consistent in the paper-based mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Density functional theory (DFT) study has been conducted to elucidate the key mechanistic transformations and the unique α-regioselectivity of alkylidene malonates towards the photoinitiated α-alkylation of aldehydes. The reaction between n -butyl aldehyde and diethyl methylenemalonate was chosen as model reaction and the possible reaction pathways were computed. Our calculations reveal that α-alkylation of aldehydes with alkylidene malonates proceeds through a radical–radical coupling pathway, instead of the radical chain or radical propagation pathway. This work demonstrates the details of the mechanistic framework and rationalizes the α-regioselectivity of alkylidene malonates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, a methodology merging photoredox catalysis with organocatalysis termed 'photoredox organocatalysis' has emerged to allow the direct, selective and efficient functionalization of the α/ β-C of carbonyl compounds under mild reaction condition. In this review, photophysics background of photoredox catalysis is introduced, followed by a report on recent advances in direct α- and β-functionalization of carbonyls with photoredox organocatalysis methodology. With this different reaction modes, valuable synthetic targets including different α/ β-functionalized carbonyls are accessible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing network visualizations support hierarchical exploration, which rely on user interactions to create and modify graph hierarchies based on the patterns in the data attributes. It will take a relatively long time for users to identify the impact of different attributes on the cluster structure. To address this problem, this paper proposes a visual analytical approach, called HybridVis, creating an interactive layout to reveal clusters of obvious characteristics on one or more attributes at different scales. HybridVis can help people gain social insight and better understand the roles of attributes within a cluster. First, an approximate optimal graph hierarchy based on an energy model is created, considering both data attributes and relationships among data items. Then a layout algorithm and a level-dependent perceptual view for multi-scale graphs are proposed to show the attribute-driven graph hierarchy. Several views, which interact with each other, are designed in HybridVis, including a graphical view of the relationships among clusters; a cluster tree revealing the cluster scales and the details of attributes on parallel coordinates augmented with histograms and interactions. From the meaningful and globally approximate optimal abstraction, users can navigate a large multivariate graph with an overview+detail to explore and rapidly find the potential correlations between the graph structure and the attributes of data items. Finally, experiments using two real world data sets are performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of our methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molybdenum carbide (Mo 2 C) was regarded as one of the most promising catalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) due to its Pt-like electronic structure. In practice, however, the catalytic performance of Mo 2 C is always hampered by the inevitable oxidation on its surface. Herein, we developed a simple and efficient strategy to improve the HER activity of Mo 2 C using sulfur as a "modifier", in which sulfur atoms were used to replace a portion of the oxygen atoms in the surface oxide layer to activate the surface. The experimental results demonstrated that a moderate sulfur modification could significantly improve the HER performance. Theoretical studies further revealed that the strong hydrogen bonding of Mo atoms in the oxide layer is the primary reason that impairs HER performance, whereas the S modification can shift down the d -band center of Mo, effectively weakening the Mo-H bond. As expected, the S-modified Mo 2 C exhibited superior performance, affording a low overpotential of 117 mV at 10 mA cm−2 for catalyzing the HER in 0.5 M H 2 SO 4. This work provides a convenient and effective way for the development of transition metal carbide catalysts. [Display omitted] • A surficial activation strategy was proposed to improve the HER performance of Mo 2 C. • Sulfur was employed as a "modifier" to achieve surface activation. • A moderate surficial sulfur modification could effectively improve HER performance of Mo 2 C. • DFT calculation revealed that the key to surface activation is the weakening of the surface Mo-H bond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Classical clustering algorithms use all features to partition a dataset, making it difficult for users to understand the clustering results. Some scholars have proposed interpretable clustering algorithms that use a few understandable features to explain clustering results. However, the existing algorithms can only generate one interpretation and fail to satisfy the diverse needs of different users. To address this challenge, the Clustering Customized Explanation Tree (CCET), a visual analytics system, was constructed in this paper. The system helps users modify existing explanations to obtain customized explanations. Firstly, a variety of views are designed to visualize the explanations and help users judge whether the existing explanations meet the requirements. Then, an explanations modification strategy based on cluster centroids splitting is proposed making it easy for users to revise explanations according to the requirement. We demonstrate the CCET using a case study and a user study. The results show that the system can deepen users' understanding of clustering results and make it easy for them to conduct further decision analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The O 2 /CO 2 atmosphere has more advantages in fuel modification than air. • Oxy-fuel preheating technology has more advantages in low-volatile fuel modification. • The main generation pathway of NO in the O 2 /CO 2 atmosphere was NH 3 -NH 2 -NH-HNO-NO. A comparative evaluation and analysis study of combustion characteristics, main pollutant emission behaviors, and fuel-N conversion paths of high- and low- volatility carbon-based fuels are conducted under O 2 /CO 2 atmospheres in a preheating combustion reactor, i.e., CFB. Compared with conventional air combustion, the oxy combustion with high oxygen concentrations from 21% to 27.3% is studied. The studies show that the net calorific value of the preheated coal gas of semi-coke in O 2 /CO 2 is up to 2 times that in air, and the net calorific value of the preheated coal gas of bituminous coal in O 2 /CO 2 is up to 1.3 times that in air. During the preheating process of semi-coke, CH 4 and HCN occupy a discreet proportions of preheating coal gas. Fuel characteristics and preheating atmosphere have no effect on the particle size of preheated coal char. Under an O 2 /CO 2 atmosphere, the highest BET surface area of preheated coal char of bituminous coal is up to 30 times that of raw coal and that of semi-coke is up to 40 times that of raw coal. The carbon structure modification ratio of preheated coal char during the preheating process of bituminous coal is larger than that during the preheating process of semi-coke. With the increase in the concentration of oxygen in the primary stream, the NO emission decreased during the bituminous coal combustion process but increased during the semi-coke combustion process. In addition, the main generation path of NO in the reduction zone in O 2 /CO 2 is NH 3 -NH 2 -NH-HNO-NO. In O 2 /CO 2 , the total promotion effect of reactions on NO formation in the combustion process of semi-coke preheated fuel is larger than that of bituminous coal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The presence of salts influenced negatively properties of fired brick. • Desalination is required for the reuse of fly ash in brick production. • Chemically bonding forms of heavy metals changed after firing. • Leaching of heavy metals below regulation standards. The introduction of municipal solid waste incineration fly ash (MSWIF) during manufacturing process of fired bricks is a promising disposal method. However, the quality of products is negatively reduced and environmental risk increased significantly with the addition of MSWIF. This study proposed a novel approach to enhance the quality and environmental safety of fired brick by adding electric arc furnace slag (EAFS) as the pore plugger, which could overcome disadvantages brought by the introduction of MSWIF. Results showed that linear shrinkage and bulk density increased with the addition of EAFS, while water absorption and apparent porosity are reduced by more than 50%. The fracture microstructure of fired brick changed from porous to smooth with the addition of EAFS. The thermal conductivity declined by 25% and 30% at 1050 and 950 °C, and compressive strength was enhanced by 50% with the addition of 30 wt% EAFS. The chemically combination reactions between raw materials, such as the formation of albite, are promoted remarkably with the addition of EAFS. The leaching concentrations of heavy metals are far lower than regulatory limitations and environmental safety are enhanced significantly. In all, the addition of EAFS can promote the quality and environmental safety of fired brick, and can be used as an effective way to solve problems caused by introducing heavy metal solid waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discovery and analysis of community structure in complex networks is a hot issue in recent years. In this paper, based on the fast greedy clustering algorithm CNM with the thought of local search, the introduction of the idea of node centrality and the optimal division of the central nodes and their neighbor nodes into correct communities, a new algorithm CNM-Centrality of detecting communities in complex networks is proposed. In order to verify the accuracy and efficiency of this algorithm, the performance of this algorithm is tested on several representative real-world networks and a set of computer-generated networks by LFR-benchmark. The experimental results indicate that this algorithm can identify the communities accurately and efficiently. Furthermore, this algorithm can also acquire higher values of modularity and NMI than the CNM, Infomap, Walktrap algorithms do. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The marine bacterium Acinetobacter sp. strain HC8-3S, capable of degrading petroleum hydrocarbons, was previously shown to be applicable for bioremediation. Here, we evaluated the performance of the strain during industrial-scale fermentation, long-term storage, and biodegradation processes. Fermentation parameters were optimized for industrial-scale culturing using lower salinity and fewer inorganic salts in the culture medium. The shelf-life of the fermentation broth was evaluated in different storage conditions. Biodegradation efficiency of the strain was evaluated using gas chromatography. Results indicated that the optimum conditions for one-ton scale fermentation were 30 °C, pH 7.4–7.8, and rotation speed 90 rpm; the cell density reached 3.6 ± 1.9 × 10 10 CFU ml −1 after 12 h. The low temperature can preserved fermentation broth for longer time. When the storage temperature was down to 4 °C from room temperature, half-life of strain HC8-3S extended from 9 days to 34 days. The biodegradation rate of the saturated hydrocarbon fraction of crude oil was 94% after treatment with the strain for 5 days. The results indicate that Acinetobacter sp. strain HC8-3S can be enriched efficiently on a large scale, making it a potentially useful industrial strain. This crude oil degradative capability of the strain HC8-3S provides possible application for the clean-up of crude oil-contaminated environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fibrillin 1 (Fbn1) mutations cause Marfan syndrome (MFS), with aortic root dilatation, dissection, and rupture. Few studies reported the blood calcium and lipid profile of MFS, and the effect of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) phenotypic switching on MFS aortic aneurysm is unclear. Here, we aimed to investigate the role of calcium-related VSMC phenotypic switching in MFS. We retrospectively collected MFS patients' clinical data, performed bioinformatics analysis to screen the enriched biological process in MFS patients and mice, and detected markers of VSMC phenotypic switching on Fbn1C1039G/+ mice and primary aortic vascular smooth muscle cells. We found that patients with MFS have elevated blood calcium levels and dyslipidemia. Furthermore, the calcium concentration levels were increased with age in MFS mice, accompanied by the promoted VSMC phenotypic switching, and SERCA2 contributed to maintaining the contractile phenotype of VSMCs. This study provides the first evidence that the increased calcium is associated with the promoted VSMC phenotype switching in MFS. SERCA may become a novel therapeutic target for suppressing aneurysm progression in MFS. [Display omitted] • Blood calcium levels were elevated in MFS patients and were increased with age in MFS mice. • VSMC phenotypic switching is promoted with age in the aorta of MFS mice. • SERCA2 contribute to maintaining the contractile phenotype of VSMCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microblog is a large-scale information sharing platform where retweeting plays an important role in information diffusion. Analyzing retweeting evolutions can help reasoning about the trend of public opinions. Information visualization techniques are used to demonstrate the retweeting behavior in order to understand how Internet topics diffuse on Microblogs. First, a graph clustering method is used to analyze the retweeting relationships among people of different occupations. Then a new algorithm based on electric field is proposed to visualize the layout of the relationship links. A prediction method based on three diffusion models is presented to predict the number of retweets over time. Finally, three real world case studies show the validity of our methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various methods on the display of dynamic information diffusion for social media have been proposed. Most of them use data mining approaches to explore the behaviors and interactions between users. Such approaches are unable to reveal the complex mechanism and the process of information diffusion. Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) models fluid behaviors at the microscopic scale, similar to the information diffusion in social media that is determined by the collective behavior of many personal retweeting of topics. We propose an information diffusion model inspired by the fundamental idea of LBM to analyze and simulate users' communicating behaviors and processes in Micro-blogging. The micro-blog space is regarded as an artificial physical system with social phenomena such as micro-blog bursting. The macroscopic properties of the information diffusion model are explored to simulate and predict the trend of information diffusion for any specific topic. A novel visualization style mimicking fluid dynamics is proposed to help understand the scale of information diffusion and the popularity of a topic. The flow visualization based on the speed of information diffusion is useful in discovering typical information diffusion patterns for different types of topics in social networks. Comparing with other approaches, our approach provides more effective yet intuitive simulation. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evaluation of node importance has great significance to complex network, so it is important to seek and protect important nodes to ensure the security and stability of the entire network. At present, most evaluation algorithms of node importance adopt the single-index methods, which are incomplete and limited, and cannot fully reflect the complex situation of network. In this paper, after synthesizing multi-index factors of node importance, including eigenvector centrality, betweenness centrality, closeness centrality, degree centrality, mutual-information, etc., the authors are proposing a new multi-index evaluation algorithm of identifying important nodes in complex networks based on linear discriminant analysis (LDA). In order to verify the validity of this algorithm, a series of simulation experiments have been done. Through comprehensive analysis, the simulation results show that the new algorithm is more rational, effective, integral and accurate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare the effects of topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on pupil dilation maintenance during phacoemulsification cataract surgery and quantify the relationships between pupil size change and nuclear hardness. Methods: This prospective randomized clinical observation study was single centered and double-masked. We studied 239 cases undergoing uneventful phacoemulsification cataract surgery in the absence of significant ocular comorbidity. Cases were randomly assigned to 1 of 6 groups receiving the following treatments: (1) diclofenac (0.1%); (2) pranoprofen (0.1%); (3) control, physiological normal saline solution; (4) diclofenac (0.1%) and epinephrine; (5) pranoprofen (0.1%) and epinephrine; (6) control, physiological normal saline and epinephrine solutions. Pupil diameter was measured at 3 intervals of cataract surgery: before the first incision, at the end of nucleus fragmentation, and at the end of cortex irrigation/aspiration. Results: Compared with patients who were not treated, there was a significant difference in maintaining pupil dilation throughout the operation when the patients were treated with either diclofenac or pranoprofen, P<0.001 and P<0.03, respectively. From the first incision to postnucleus fragmentation, the change in pupil size in both diclofenac and control groups was significantly associated with the hardness of the crystalline lens, P=0.001 and P=0.012, respectively. At the end of irrigation/aspiration, the change in pupil size in only the control groups was significantly associated with the hardness of the crystalline lens, P=0.022. Diclofenac treatment was most effective at inhibiting pupil miosis when the hardness of the nucleus was grade 3, P=0.009. Pupil miosis was not related to the hardness of the nucleus when the patients were treated with epinephrine. Conclusions: Both diclofenac and pranoprofen treatment inhibit surgical-induced miosis. There is a negative correlation between the hardness of the crystalline lens and pupil diameter maintenance at the early stage of phacoemulsification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is concerned with the problem of finite‐time boundedness analysis for switched delay systems with the average dwell time. By combining the Jensen inequality and the reciprocally convex approach, a sufficient condition is derived to guarantee the finite‐time boundedness of switched linear systems subject to time‐varying delays. It is shown that the obtained result can achieve better performance comparing with the previous ones. Finally, simulation examples are provided to demonstrate the theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the growth performance, immune status, gut morphology, and gut microflora modulation in growing-to-finishing pigs (n = 72; 24 pigs/group) after dietary supplementation with Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis; two groups (experiment 1 (E1) and experiment 2 (E2): 63 and 98 days, respectively) and control (Ct, basal diet). The results revealed that both 1–98 d and 1–63 d groups significantly improved growth performance, including an increase in midtest body weight (MBW) P = 0.0114 , final body weight (FBW) P < 0.0001 , and average daily gain (ADG) P < 0.0001 and a decrease in the ratio of feed to gain (F/G) P < 0.0001 . There was an increase in serum IgG and SOD levels after supplementation with B. subtilis P = 0.0074 . Furthermore, B. subtilis potentiated the integrity of intestinal morphology (villus height (VH) P < 0.0001 and villus height/crypt depth (VH/CD) P = 0.0009 ) in growing-to-finishing pigs. The LEfSe analysis identified 11 and 13 biomarkers in the fecal samples of the 1–63 d group and 1–98 d, respectively. The gut microflora alterations of growth-finishing pigs suggested that dietary B. subtilis could promote gut health by altering the relative abundances of different bacterial communities. A correlation analysis showed that B. subtilis could regulate the functional network of the intestine microflora and their interactions with its host. Taken together, dietary B. subtilis supplementation had a positive influence on the growth performance, gut health, and the composition of gut microorganisms, suggesting that B. subtilis can be used as a functional probiotic candidate for application in the production of growing-to-finishing pigs. Practical Applications. The addition of probiotics in the diet can modulate intestinal health, improve the digestibility of nutrients, and thus, help improve the nutrient utilization and production performance of pigs. It is one of the ideal substitutes for antibiotics. This study will help us understand the function of B. subtilis in the regulation of pig intestinal health, so as to provide scientific basis for the rational use of probiotics in the future pig industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible supercapacitors can be ideal flexible power sources for wearable electronics due to their ultra-high power density and high cycle life. In daily applications, wearable devices will inevitably cause damage or short circuit during bending, stretching, and compression. Therefore, it is necessary to develop proper energy storage devices to meet the requirements of various wearable electronic devices. Herein, Poly(vinyl alcohol) linked various content of phytic acid (PVA-PAx) hydrogels are synthesized with high transparency and high toughness by a one-step freeze-thaw method. The effects of different raw material ratios and agents on the ionic conductivity and mechanical properties of the hydrogel electrolyte are investigated. The PVA-PA21% with 2 M H2SO4 solution (PVA-PA21%-2 M H2SO4) shows a high ionic conductivity of 62.75 mS cm−1. Based on this, flexible supercapacitors fabricated with PVA-PA21%-2 M H2SO4 hydrogel present a high specific capacitance at 1 A g−1 after bending at 90° (64.8 F g−1) and for 30 times (67.3 F g−1), respectively. Moreover, the device shows energy densities of 13.5 Wh kg−1 and 14.0 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 300 W kg−1 after bending at 90° and for 30 times during 10,000 cycles. It provides inspiration for the design and development of electrolytes for related energy electrochemical devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evaluation of node importance in complex networks has been an increasing widespread concern in recent years. Seeking and protecting vital nodes is important to ensure the security and stability of the whole network. Existing clustering algorithms of complex networks all have certain drawbacks, which could not cover everything in calculation accuracy and time complexity, and need external supervision. To design a fast complex networks clustering method is a problem which requires to be solved immediately. This paper proposes a clustering algorithm of complex networks based on data field using physical data field theory, which excavates key nodes in complex networks by evaluating the importance of nodes based on a mutual information algorithm, and then uses it to classify the clusters. To verify the validity of the algorithm, a simulation experiment was conducted. The results indicated that the algorithm could analyze the cluster exactly and calculate with high-speed, it could also determine the granularity of a partition according to the actual demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Using enrichment culture technique, two isolates that brought a significant degradation and dispersion of crude oil were obtained from contaminated sediments of the Bohai Bay, China. 16S rRNA gene sequencing and phylogenetic analysis indicated that the two bacterial strains affiliated with the genera Vibrio and Acinetobacter. Subsequently, the bacterial cells were immobilized on the surface of cotton fibers. Cotton fibers were used as crude oil sorbent as well as a biocarrier for bacteria immobilization. Among the two isolates, the marine bacteria Acinetobacter sp. HC8-3S showed a strong binding to the cotton fibers, possibly enhanced through extracellular dispersant excreted by Acinetobacter sp. HC8-3S. Both planktonic and immobilized bacteria showed relatively high biodegradation (>60%) of saturated hydrocarbons fraction of crude oil, in the pH range of 5.6–8.6. The degradation activities of planktonic and immobilized bacteria were not affected significantly when the NaCl concentration reached 70 g/L. The immobilized bacterial cells exhibited an enhanced biodegradation of crude oil. The efficiency of saturated hydrocarbons degradation by the immobilized bacterial cells increased about 30% compared to the planktonic bacterial cells. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Taking a ten-year naked oats field experiment site in Zhangbei county of Hebei province as the test object, this paper studied the effects of different tillage modes (no tillage, subsoiling tillage, and conventional tillage) on the soil physical characteristics and naked oats growth in chestnut soil. The no tillage treatment soil was undisturbed from last year's harvesting to sowing, with 15-22 cm stubbles; broad-spectrum herbicide was used in soil treatment before planting and sprayed in seedling. The subsoiling tillage treatment plowed the soil after the previous year's harvest, used the self-developed 'Parallel rod without wall subsoiling plow' (Patent No.: 2011202468728) with a plowed depth of 15-22 cm, and was sowed and fertilized in the same manner as the no tillage treatment. The conventional tillage treatment plowed with a conventional spade plow after the previous year's harvest, with a plowed depth of about 18 cm; this treatment was also rotary tilled to a depth of 10 cm before sowing and sowed with ordinary seeder. The sowing rate and fertilization were the same as the no tillage treatment. The results showed that the subsoiling tillage and conventional tillage can significantly reduce the soil bulk density from the sowing to jointing stage; in the sowing stage, no-tillage soil bulk density was 1.49 g/cm3, subsoiling tillage and conventional tillage bulk densities were 1.31 and 1.30 g/cm3, respectively. The impact of tillage methods was similar on soil water content. No tillage significantly increased soil hardness. In the jointing stage, no tillage soil hardness was 58.51 kg/cm2, 1.74 times higher than with subsoiling tillage, and 2.53 times higher than with conventional tillage. The test data were analyzed with SAS software, and a model representing the relationship among soil hardness, soil bulk density, and soil water content was proposed. The model showed that under the condition of high soil bulk density (1.53 g/cm3), soil hardness is more sensitive to soil water content, decreasing with soil water content (3.44%-11.94%) from 79.06 kg/cm2 to 28.06 kg/cm2. Under the condition of low soil water content (3.44%), soil hardness is more sensitive to soil bulk density, rising with soil bulk density (1.23-1.53 g/cm3) from 12.46 kg/cm2 to 79.06 kg/cm2. No tillage decreased naked oats' height and leaf area index, and grain number per ear and ears per hectare were significantly reduced, with 413.79 kg/hm2 economic yield, 62.27% and 51.64% of the economic yields of subsoiling tillage and conventional tillage, respectively. Compared with subsoiling tillage and conventional tillage, no tillage was higher in soil bulk density, higher in soil hardness, and significantly reduced in the yield of naked oats. Among the three kinds of tillage, subsoiling tillage provides both ecological and economic benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastroenteritis is a commonly diagnosed disease which sometimes may lead to hospitalization of the patients due to complications such as sepsis and dehydration. In the present study protective effect of AQU-019 against Salmonella enterica (S.enterica) induced gastroenteritis in rat model was investigated. Treatment of S.enterica infected rats with AQU-019 prevented intestinal tissue damage effectively in dose-dependent manner. The characteristic pathological features induced by S.enterica infection in rat intestines included, edema development, submucosal infiltration of leukocytes and cell necrosis. AQU-019 treatment at 1.25, 2.5, 5 and 10 mg/kg doses led to a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in MPO activity in the intestinal tissues of S.enterica infected rats. AQU-019 treatment effectively reversed S.enterica infection mediated reduction in ZO-1 and occludin expression in rat intestines. Urine volume of the AQU-019 treated rats increased significantly (p < 0.05) from day 2 to day 7 compared to the S.enterica infected group. Urine pH didn't showed any change in S.enterica infected rats on treatment with AQU-019 on day 1 to day 7. The bacterial numbers showed a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in S.enterica infected rat feces, urinary bladder and urethra on treatment with AQU-019. In summary, AQU-019 prevents intestinal epithelial damage and inhibits infiltration of neutrophils in S.enterica infected rats. Tight junction related protein expression was also regulated in S.enterica infected rats by AQU-019 treatment. Therefore, AQU-019 may be developed as a potent candidate for treatment of bacterial infection induced gastroenteritis. • Treatment of S.enterica infected rats with AQU-019 prevented intestinal tissue damage. • AQU-019 treatment led to a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in MPO activity in the intestinal tissues of S.enterica infected rats. • AQU-019 treatment effectively reversed S.enterica infection mediated reduction in ZO-1 and occludin expression in rat intestines. • Urine volume of the AQU-019 treated rats increased significantly (p < 0.05) from day 2 to day 7 compared to the S.enterica infected group. • The bacterial numbers showed a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in S.enterica infected rat feces, urinary bladder and urethra on treatment with AQU-019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Treatment options for the progression of pulmonary fibrosis (PF), which ultimately causes respiratory failure, are limited. According to recent studies, recombinant human relaxin is potentially therapeutic against fibrosis and contraction during pulmonary damage. However, the production of recombinant H2 relaxin is laborious and expensive, limiting its extensive application. Thankfully, alternative research has revealed that treatment with a single-chain peptide of relaxin attenuates organ fibrosis in rodent models too, with the production of a single-chain peptide of relaxin simple and cheap; it could be therapeutic against idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Here, we explored the probable inhibiting effects of B7, a B chain of recombinant human relaxin, on bleomycin-induced pulmonary inflammation. Inhaled B7 efficiently reduced the number of inflammatory leukocytes and neutrophils in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of mice with bleomycin-induced PF, significantly improved the structure of the damaged alveolar, reduced collagen deposition, suppressed the main pathological features of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, i.e. the expression of both pulmonary α-smooth muscle actin and pulmonary vimentin, and inhibited the transcription of inflammation and collagen deposition-related mRNAs, including fibronectin, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and alpha-1 type 1 collagen (Col-1a), and the expression of inflammation-related proteins, such as IL-1β, IL-6, chemokines (KC), TIMP metallopeptidase inhibitor 1 (TIMP-1), and hydroxyproline (Hyp). Overall, our findings suggest that inhaled B7 exerts beneficial effects against pulmonary fibrosis via attenuating inflammation. It could be developed into a simple, highly effective therapeutic approach for pulmonary fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gastric neuroendocrine neoplasm (g-NEN) is a rare but heterogeneous neoplasm, with an increasing incidence yearly. Conventional prognostic markers of g-NEN remain limited which could only be detected after surgery. There is an urgent need to explore new prognostic markers for g-NEN patients. This study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of platelet-to-lymphocyte, ratio (PLR) and the association between PLR and body mass index (BMI) in patients with gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms (g-NEN). Methods: A retrospective cohort of patients with g-NEN from January 2001 through June 2016 was examined. The prognostic significance of PLR was determined by multiple regression analysis in different models. Stratified analysis was performed to examine the prognostic value of PLR at different BMI levels. Results: In total, 238 patients were enrolled. Those with higher PLRs tended to undergo open surgery, had larger tumor sizes, were diagnosed more frequently with neuroendocrine carcinoma, and had higher tumor grades. PLR was significantly associated with the survival of patients with g-NEN. With PLR increased per standard deviation, the all-cause mortality risk of patients with g-NEN increased by 67%, 63%, and 54% in the crude (HR = 1.67, 95% CI 1.32–2.12, P < 0.001), minimally adjusted (HR = 1.63, 95% CI 1.28–2.08, P < 0.001), and fully adjusted (HR = 1.54, 95% CI 1.202–1.98, P = 0.001) models, respectively. Patients with higher PLR (quartile 4, ≥ 187) had a 1.8-fold increase in all-cause mortality risk compared with those with lower PLR (quartile 1–3, < 187). Furthermore, there was a significant interaction effect between BMI subgroups and PLR in predicting the survival of patients with g-NEN (PLR regarded as a continuous variable: all P for interaction < 0.05 in the crude, minimally adjusted, and fully adjusted models; PLR regarded as a categorical variable: P for interaction < 0.05 in the fully adjusted model). Patients with g-NEN with the characteristics of higher PLR (quartile 4, ≥ 187) and non-obesity (BMI < 25 kg/m2) had worse survival than others (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The inflammation marker PLR has an independent prognostic value for patients with g-NENs, and high PLR combined with non-obesity increases the mortality risk of these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) is an integral cell membrane protein that protects cardiovascular disease by at least two mechanisms: by export of excess cholesterol from cells and by suppression of inflammation. ABCA1 exports cholesterol and phospholipids from cells by multiple steps that involve forming cell surface lipid domains, binding of apolipoproteins to ABCA1, activating signaling pathways, and solubilizing these lipids by apolipoproteins. ABCA1 executes its anti-inflammatory effect by modifying cell membrane lipid rafts and directly activating signaling pathways. The interaction of apolipoproteins with ABCA1 activates multiple signaling pathways, including Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (JAK2/STAT3), protein kinase A, Rho family G protein CDC42 and protein kinase C. Activating protein kinase A and Rho family G protein CDC42 regulates ABCA1-mediated lipid efflux, activating PKC stabilizes ABCA1 protein, and activating JAK2/STAT3 regulates both ABCA1-mediated lipid efflux and anti-inflammation. Thus, ABCA1 behaves both as a lipid exporter and a signaling receptor. Targeting ABCA1 receptor-like property using agonists for ABCA1 protein could become a promising new therapeutic target for increasing ABCA1 function and treating cardiovascular disease. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Advances in High Density Lipoprotein Formation and Metabolism: A Tribute to John F. Oram (1945–2010). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We propose and prove a theoretical scheme of realizing programmable and controlled remote quantum-state unambiguous discrimination (UD) based on nonlocal system-ancilla unitary evolution. By decomposing the evolution process from the initial state to the final state, we first construct the required nonlocal unitary evolution, which is a nonlocal conditional rotation. Utilizing the entanglement property of Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) class state, we then design a quantum network for implementing the controlled nonlocal conditional rotation gate, and thus provide a feasible physical means to realize the remote UD. The features of the scheme is that the particular pair of states of system (data register) that can be remotely and unambiguously discriminated is specified by the state of the ancilla (program register). Furthermore, a third side is included, who may participate the process of quantum remote implementation as a supervisor. When the quantum channel is partially entangled, the third one can rectify the state distorted by the imperfect quantum channel. The success probability of implementing this remote UD is also investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In order to overcome the disadvantages of appearing the free-rider phenomenon and security issues due to the characteristics of anonymity and voluntary contributions resources in P2P network, this article firstly proposes a new strategy that based on trust value and considers both the quality and the number of shared resources to avoid the phenomenon of free rider. In the new strategy, we can calculate the trust value of the files in accordance with the consumer nodes’ trust values, obtain nodes’ effective contribution values, and select the node that has bigger trust value as service provider node. Moreover, the network can be divided into several regions according to the physical distances between nodes in the network. The nodes locating nearer are allocated the same region that is called cluster. In every cluster, we can select several nodes that have good physical properties and stability as management node to store and process all the information in the cluster and communicate with other management nodes in other clusters. In order to reduce overhead of network communication, encourage the nodes to make more transactions in the same cluster. Simulations prove that this strategy can guarantee the quality of service as well as restrain free-rider phenomenon, so as to enhance the utilization of resources and the success rate of transaction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Modeling and Simulation Techniques focus on simulation modeling and analysis challenges to develop principles or gain in existing networking technologies, including simulation methodology or application in unstructured P2P network. In this paper, we focus on the simulation in the random unstructured P2P network. The correlation between topology and search algorithm is less paid attention to in unstructured P2P network, current techniques used in existing unstructured P2P system are often very inefficient because of the existence of large number of redundant messages. In this paper, we analyze the reason of engendering redundant data packet and focus on designing better search algorithm to adapt to the current network rather than to design the universal algorithm to adapt to a variety of network. Analyzing the characteristics that the flooding algorithm showing in different search stages in different network, we put forward the segment search algorithm. Furthermore, we present an effective simulation method in the random unstructured P2P network. Through simulation analysis, we find that our algorithm is better than the original flooding algorithm. In addition, we design our algorithm to be simple as a module, which can be easily applied to existing unstructured P2P systems for immediate impact. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) is a cell membrane protein that exports excess cholesterol from cells to apolipoprotein (apo) A-I, the major protein in high density lipoproteins. Genetic studies have shown that ABCA1 protects against cardiovascular disease. The interaction of apoA-I with ABCA1 promotes cholesterol removal and activates signaling molecules, such as Janus kinase 2 (JAK2), that optimize the lipid export activity of ABCA1. Here we show that the ABCA1-mediated activation of JAK2 also activates STAT3, which is independent of the lipid transport function of ABCA1. ABCA1 contains two candidate STAT3 docking sites that are required for the apoA-I/ABCA1/JAK2 activation of STAT3. The interaction of apoA-I with ABCA 1-expressing macrophages suppressed the ability of lysopolysaccaride to induce the inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α, which was reversed by silencing STAT3 or ABCA1. Thus, the apoA-I/ABCA1 pathway in macrophages functions as an anti-inflammatory receptor through activation of JAK2/STAT3. These findings implicate ABCA1 as a direct molecular link between the cardioprotective effects of cholesterol export from arterial macrophages and suppressed inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]