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Purpose: Dysthyroid optic neuropathy (DON) leads to vision loss. This study aimed to investigate a new method that can directly evaluate the change in muscle cone inner volume (MCIV) and distinguish DON orbits from non-DONs. Materials and methods: This study included 54 patients (108 orbits) who were diagnosed with thyroid eye disease and treated at the Beijing Tongren Hospital between December 2019 and September 2021. The extraocular muscle volume (EOMV), orbital fat volume (OFV), and bony orbit volume (BOV) of the patients were measured using three-dimensional reconstruction. MCIV was measured using artificially defined boundaries. The associations between these volumes and clinical indicators were studied, and the diagnostic efficacy of these volumes for DON was described using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results: The ROC curve showed that the area under the curve of MCIV/BOV (%) combined with EOMV/BOV (%) reached 0.862 (p < 0.001), with a sensitivity of 85.7% and a specificity of 76.1%. Conclusion: The combination of MCIV/BOV (%) and EOMV/BOV (%) is a good indicator for the diagnosis of DON, which aids in the early detection and intervention of DON. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two five‐coordinate mononuclear DyIII single‐molecule magnets [(TrapenTMS)Dy(L)] (Trapen=tris(2‐aminobenzyl) amine; TMS=SiMe3; L=OPMe31, OPEt32) have been synthesized by the reaction of [(TrapenTMS)Dy(THF)] and OPMe3, OPEt3, respectively. The molecular structures of 1 and 2 were fully established by single crystal X‐ray diffraction. The centre DyIII ions of both complexes exhibit distorted triangular bipyramid geometries, varying with different neutral ligands L on the apex. The TrapenTMS ligand forms the pyramid base of the trigonal bipyramid. Subtle structural modifications of the axial O‐ligand terminal substituent result in different dynamic magnetic behaviors. Magnetic data analysis reveals that 1 and 2 exhibit the characteristic behavior of SMM without a dc field, accompanying an unambiguous quantum tunneling of the magnetization. Field‐induced slow magnetic relaxation was observed for 1 and 2 under an applied bias dc field of 1000 Oe, the relaxation energy barriers are 107 K and 88 K for 1 and 2, respectively. We have investigated the differences in magnetism and magnetic anisotropy between the two complexes by ab initio calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Therapy-related leukemia carries a poor prognosis, and leukemia after chemotherapy is a growing risk in clinic, whose mechanism is still not well understood. Ikaros transcription factor is an important regulator in hematopoietic cells development and differentiation. In the absence of Ikaros, lymphoid cell differentiation is blocked at an extremely early stage, and myeloid cell differentiation is also significantly affected. In this work, we showed that chemotherapeutic drug etoposide reduced the protein levels of several isoforms of Ikaros including IK1, IK2 and IK4, but not IK6 or IK7, by accelerating protein degradation, in leukemic cells. To investigate the molecular mechanism of Ikaros degradation induced by etoposide, immunoprecipitation coupled with LC-MS/MS analysis was conducted to identify changes in protein interaction with Ikaros before and after etoposide treatment, which uncovered KCTD5 protein. Our further study demonstrates that KCTD5 is the key stabilizing factor of Ikaros and chemotherapeutic drug etoposide induces Ikaros protein degradation through decreasing the interaction of Ikaros with KCTD5. These results suggest that etoposide may induce leukemic transformation by downregulating Ikaros via KCTD5, and our work may provide insights to attenuate the negative impact of chemotherapy on hematopoiesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spliceosome, a large complex containing five conserved small ribonucleoprotein particles (snRNPs) U1, U2, U4, U5 and U6, plays important roles in precursor messenger RNA splicing. However, the function and mechanism of the spliceosomal snRNPs have not been thoroughly studied in the pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus deneoformans. In this study, we identified a U2A′ homologous protein as a component of the cryptococcal U2 snRNP, which was encoded by the LEA1 gene. Using the "suicide" CRISPR-Cas9 tool, we deleted the LEA1 gene in C. deneoformans JEC21 strain and obtained the disruption mutant lea1 Δ. The mutant showed a hypersensitivity to 0.03 % sodium dodecyl sulfate, as well as disordered chitin distribution in cell wall observed with Calcofluor White staining, which collectively illustrated the function of U2A′ in maintenance of cell wall integrity. Further examination showed that lea1 Δ displayed a decreased tolerance to lower or elevated temperatures, osmotic pressure and oxidative stress. The lea1 Δ still exhibited susceptibility to geneticin and 5-flucytosine, and increased resistance to ketoconazole. Even, the mutant had a reduced capsule, and the virulence of lea1 Δ in the Galleria mellonella model was decreased. Our results indicate that the U2A′-mediated RNA-processing has a particular role in the processing of gene products involved in response to stresses and virulence. • Cryptococcal U2A′ plays critical roles in maintenance of cell wall integrity. • The virulence of C. deneoformans is reduced due to U2A′ deficiency. • U2A′ protein has a selectivity in response to antifungal drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate effects of bone marrow sparing (BMS) radiotherapy on decreasing the incidence of acute hematologic toxicity (HT) for locoregionally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) patients treated by pelvic irradiation. Materials and methods: LACC patients were recruited prospectively from May 2021 to May 2022 at a single center and were evenly randomized into the BMS group and the control group. All patients received pelvic irradiation with concurrent cisplatin (40 mg/m2 weekly), followed by brachytherapy and BM V40 < 25% in the BMS group was additionally prescribed. Acute HT was assessed weekly. Binary logistic regression model and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used for predictive value analysis. The trial was registered with Chinese clinical trial registry (ChiCTR2200066485). Results: A total of 242 patients were included in the analysis. Baseline demographic, disease and treatment characteristics were balanced between the two groups. In the intention-to-treat population, BMS was associated with a lower incidence of grade ≥ 2 and grade ≥ 3 acute HT, leukopenia and neutropenia s(72.70% v 90.90%, P < 0.001*; 16.50% vs. 65.30%, P < 0.001*; 66.10% vs. 85.10%, P = 0.001*; 13.20% vs. 54.50%, P < 0.001*; 37.20% vs. 66.10%, P < 0.001*; 10.70% vs. 43.80%, P < 0.001*). BMS also resulted in decreased dose delivered to the organs at risk (OARs) including rectum, bladder and left and right femoral head. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that BM V40 was an independent risk factor for grade ≥ 3 acute HT (odds ratio [OR] = 2.734, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.959–3.815, P < 0.001*). Cutoff value was 25.036% and area under the curve (AUC) was 0.786. The nomogram was constructed, which was rigorously evaluated and internally cross-validated, showing good predictive performance. Conclusions: Receiving BMS pelvic irradiation could reduce the incidence of acute HT in LACC patients, and BM V40 < 25% may be a significant factor in reducing the risks of acute HT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The competition in the world has shifted from natural resources and capital resources to human resources. The human resources have become the real power source of the economic growth. Firstly, the price of human resources in China is calculated. Secondly, in order to measure the human resources quality adjustment index, the indicators system is constructed. Third, the Hedonic method is used to calculate the human resources "pure price" of 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government) in China. The "pure price" has no the factor of human resources quality. Lastly, comparing the price of human resources before and after quality adjustment. The results show that: first, the number of human resources in China increased continuously during 1995–2015 and decreased during 2016–2020. Second, the price of nominal human resources in China keeps rising. In 2020, the nominal price is 39,087 yuan per person which is 15.44 times as many as in 1995. Thirdly, after the quality adjustment, the price of human resources has decreased significantly. The multiple between the actual and nominal price of human resources is between 1.75 and 2.12. Fourthly, the province with high human resource quality adjustment index generally have high quality human resource level or quantity. Fifth, the top five provinces of actual human resource prices are Shanghai, Beijing, Guangdong, Tianjin, Zhejiang, the bottom five provinces are Guizhou, Yunnan, Henan, Xizang, Gansu. Finally, the paper puts forward some policy recommendations: Improving the data collection mechanism of human resources accounting to provide a basic guarantee for the accurate accounting of human resources. Improving the price of human resources in the central and western regions to attract the talents to transfer to the central and western regions. Enhancing the skills training of human resources to improve the quality of human resources in the western region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Salbutamol has been used to alleviate bronchospasm in airway disease for decades, while its potential risks have not been systematically investigated yet. The risk of any potential adverse events (AEs) in patients treated with salbutamol was assessed through systematic review and meta‐analysis. Methods: A systematic search of the literature was conducted, using EMBASE, PubMed and Cochrane library, until 3 April 2023. Once the AE incidence was evaluated, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were eligible for review. The endpoints included the incidence of total AEs, severe AEs, treatment discontinuation and specific AEs. The pooled AEs incidence was analysed via random‐effects model in a single‐arm meta‐analysis. A subgroup study was carried out to examine whether the pooled incidence of AE differed by indications or formulations. Results: Of the 8912 studies that were identified, 58 RCTs met the inclusion criteria and involved 12 961 participants. The analysis showed the pooled incidences of total AEs, severe AEs and treatment discontinuation in patients treated with salbutamol were 34%, 2% and 3%, respectively. Subgroup analysis indicated that premature labour users and intravenous salbutamol users were more likely associated with total AEs. The most frequently observed specific AEs were palpitations or tachycardia. Conclusion: This meta‐analysis indicated that salbutamol was associated with a very common risk of palpitations or tachycardia. Clinical vigilance and research efforts are needed to optimize the safe use of salbutamol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of biomass-based glycerol to produce chemicals with high added value is of great significance for solving the problem of glycerol surplus and thus reducing the production cost of biodiesel. The production of 1,2-propanediol (abbreviated as 1,2-PDO) and 1,3-propanediol (abbreviated as 1,3-PDO) via the hydrogenolysis of glycerol is one of the most representative and highest-potential processes for the comprehensive utilization of biomass-based glycerol. Glycerol hydrogenolysis may include several parallel and serial reactions (involving broken C–O and C–C bonds), and therefore, the catalyst is a key factor in improving the rate of glycerol hydrogenolysis and the selectivities of the target products. Over the past 20 years, glycerol hydrogenolysis has been extensively investigated, and until now, the developments of catalysts for glycerol hydrogenolysis have been active research topics. Non-precious metals, including Cu, Ni, and Co, and some precious metals (Ru, Pd, etc.) have been used as the active components of the catalysts for the hydrogenolysis of glycerol to 1,2-PDO, while precious metals such as Pt, Rh, Ru, Pd, and Ir have been used for the catalytic conversion of glycerol to 1,3-PDO. In this article, we focus on reviewing the research progress of the catalyst systems, including Cu-based catalysts and Pt-, Ru-, and Pd-based catalysts for the hydrogenolysis of glycerol to 1,2-PDO, as well as Pt-WOx-based and Ir-ReOx-based catalysts for the hydrogenolysis of glycerol to 1,3-PDO. The influence of the properties of active components and supports, the effects of promoters and additives, and the interaction and synergic effects between active component metals and supports are also examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predicting SYM‐H index is significant in space weather because it quantifies the degree of perturbation of the geomagnetic field during storm. This study presents a composite model to predict SYM‐H index based on solar wind parameters by combining the empirical magnetospheric dynamical equation with neural networks. The formula for predicted SYM‐H originates from the well‐known empirical relationship between interplanetary conditions and the Dst index. In particular, the coefficients in the empirical relationship are determined by using neural networks that excel at approaching the function linking the coefficients and the solar wind parameters. The 1‐ and 2‐hr forecasts of SYM‐H during storm time are reliable, and the precision of some cases is even better than the latest models solely using deep neural networks. Based on the composite model, the dependence of loss time and injection rates of ring current energy on the solar wind parameters and SYM‐H are investigated. Plain Language Summary: Driven by the solar wind, geomagnetic fields can be strongly disturbed, which is called geomagnetic storm. The intensity of storm is quantified by SYM‐H index that denotes the disturbance of magnetic field near equator. Hence, it is important to predict SYM‐H index to provide avoiding space weather disasters. However, due to actively complex interaction between the solar wind and the magnetosphere, forecasting SYM‐H index with high accuracy is difficult. In this study, we propose a composite model to characterize such complex interaction and predict SYM‐H index accurately. The composite model derives the temporal variation of SYM‐H based on the conservation of energy in inner magnetosphere and uses neural network to specify quantitative variation depending on the solar wind parameters. The prediction accuracy generated by the composite model is comparable with the prediction based on deep neural networks, indicating that the composite model has great application potential for space weather forecast. Key Points: The magnetospheric dynamical equation combining the neural network is used to predict SYM‐H indexComposite model produces more precise prediction of SYM‐H, even better than models solely based on neural networksThe association of coefficients with the physical processes in the magnetosphere is discussed [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil salinization has become a major environmental factor severely threatening global food security. The application of porous minerals could significantly ameliorate soil fertility and promote plant productivity under salt stress conditions. However, the effects of porous minerals on improving the salt resistance of grain crops in coastal saline soils is not fully studied. In this work, the shoot growth and grain yield of wheat plants grown in coastal saline fields, respectively amended with the four naturally available porous minerals, diatomite, montmorillonite, bentonite and zeolite, were assessed. The application of porous minerals, especially zeolite, significantly improved the biomass and grain yield of wheat plants under saline conditions, as demonstrated by the augmented plant fresh mass (14.8~61.2%) and increased seed size (3.8~58.8%) and number (1.4~57.5%). Soil property analyses exhibited that porous-mineral amendment decreased soil sodium content and sodium absorption ratio, and increased soil nutrients in both the rhizosphere and nonrhizosphere of wheat plants. Further quantitative-PCR and 16S high-throughput sequencing analysis revealed that porous-mineral application also remarkably increased the abundance of bacterial 16S rRNA (0.8~102.4%) and fungal 18S rRNA (89.2~209.6%), and altered the composition of the soil microbial community in the rhizosphere of wheat. Our findings suggest that zeolite could be used as an ideal salt soil amendment, and the changes in soil properties and microorganisms caused by the application of porous minerals like zeolite improved the salt resistance of wheat plants in coastal saline land, leading to increased shoot growth and seed production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the technological innovation efficiency of industrial enterprises above designated size and its influencing factors under the China's economic census industry classification, using the stochastic frontier approach to estimates the innovation efficiency of the 34 industry from 2008 to 2018. Taking the sales revenue of new products as the dependent variable, R&D capital stock and R&D personnel equivalent are taken as the independent variable, control variables are reasonably selected. The characteristics and influencing factors of innovation efficiency between industries are analyzed. The results show that the innovation efficiency of all industries in China is steadily improving, and the difference between industries is gradually narrowing. Industries with high innovation efficiency are related to future competition and national economy and people's livelihood, while industries with low innovation efficiency are concentrated in mining and supply industry. The low input and low output industries are in the majority. The influence of innovation capital input on output is greater than that of personnel input. The proportion of state-owned property rights and capital constraints have a negative effect on innovation output, while the sales income has a positive effect on innovation output. Therefore, China should further improve the innovation efficiency of industrial industries, adopt classified policies, and increase the number of industries with low input and high output. The conclusion of the paper is of reference value to the development of China's 14th five-year industry and the medium and long term planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The paper aims to explore and examine the factors that influence the post-consumption behavioral intentions of education consumers with the help of online reviews from a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) platform in the knowledge payment context. Design/methodology/approach: The paper adopted a novel mixed-method approach based on natural language processing (NLP) techniques. Variables were identified using topic modeling drawing upon 14,585 online reviews from a global commercial MOOC platform (Udemy.com). The relationships among identified factors, such as perceived quality dimensions, consumption emotions, and intention to recommend, were then tested from a cognition-affect-behavior (CAB) perspective using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings: Results indicate that course content quality, instructor quality, and platform quality are strong predictors of consumers' emotions and intention to recommend. Interestingly, course content quality displays a positive effect on invoking negative emotions in the MOOC context. Additionally, positive emotions mediate the relationships between three perceived qualities and the intention to recommend. Originality/value: Limited research has been conducted regarding MOOC consumers' post-consumption intentions in the knowledge payment context. Findings of this study address the limited literature on MOOC qualities and consumer post-consumption behaviors, which contribute to a comprehensive understanding of MOOC learners' experiences at a meso-level for future paid-MOOC creators. Peer review: The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-09-2021-0482/ [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the technological innovation efficiency of industrial enterprises above designated size and its influencing factors under the China's economic census industry classification, using the stochastic frontier approach to estimates the innovation efficiency of the 34 industry from 2008 to 2018. Taking the sales revenue of new products as the dependent variable, R&D capital stock and R&D personnel equivalent are taken as the independent variable, control variables are reasonably selected. The characteristics and influencing factors of innovation efficiency between industries are analyzed. The results show that the innovation efficiency of all industries in China is steadily improving, and the difference between industries is gradually narrowing. Industries with high innovation efficiency are related to future competition and national economy and people's livelihood, while industries with low innovation efficiency are concentrated in mining and supply industry. The low input and low output industries are in the majority. The influence of innovation capital input on output is greater than that of personnel input. The proportion of state-owned property rights and capital constraints have a negative effect on innovation output, while the sales income has a positive effect on innovation output. Therefore, China should further improve the innovation efficiency of industrial industries, adopt classified policies, and increase the number of industries with low input and high output. The conclusion of the paper is of reference value to the development of China's 14th five-year industry and the medium and long term planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Premolar agenesis is a common subtype of tooth agenesis. Although a genome‐wide study (GWAS) has identified some variants involved in tooth agenesis in Europeans, the genetic mutation related to premolar agenesis in the Chinese population remains unclear. Materials and methods: We present a GWAS in 218 premolar agenesis cases and 1,222 controls using the Illumina Infinium® Global Screening Array. 5,585,618 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were used for tests of associations with premolar agenesis. Results: Four independent SNPs on chromosome 2 were identified as susceptibility loci, including rs147680216, rs79743039, rs60540881, and rs6738629. The genome‐wide significant SNP rs147680216 (p = 6.09 × 10−9) was predicted to change the structure of the WNT10A protein and interact with hedgehog signaling pathway components. Meta‐analysis showed that the rs147680216 A allele significantly increased the risk of tooth agenesis (p = 0.000). The other three SNPs with nominal significance are novel susceptibility loci. Of them, rs6738629 (p = 5.40 × 10−6) acts as a potential transcriptional regulator of GCC2, a gene playing a putative role in dental and craniofacial development. Conclusion: Our GWAS indicates that rs147680216 and additional three novel susceptibility loci on chromosome 2 are associated with the risk of premolar agenesis in the Chinese population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The behavior of somatic stem cells is regulated by their niche. Interaction between hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and their niches are a representative model to understand stem cell‐niche interplay. Here, we provide an overview of crosstalk between HSCs and their niches in bone marrow and extramedullary organs following the life journey of HSCs from emergence, development, maturation until aging. We highlight the unique differences of HSC niches in different life stages within various organs focusing on recent literature to propose new speculations and hypotheses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: The moss Physcomitrium patens is crucial for studying plant development and evolution. Although the P. patens genome includes genes acquired from bacteria, fungi and viruses, the functions and evolutionary significance of these acquired genes remain largely unclear. Killer protein 4 (KP4) is a toxin secreted by the phytopathogenic fungus Ustilago maydis that inhibits the growth of sensitive target strains by blocking their calcium uptake. Here, we show that KP4 genes in mosses were acquired from fungi through at least three independent events of horizontal gene transfer. Two paralogous copies of KP4 (PpKP4‐1 and PpKP4‐2) exist in P. patens. Knockout mutants ppkp4‐1 and ppkp4‐2 showed cell death at the protonemal stage, and ppkp4‐2 also exhibited defects in tip growth. We provide experimental evidence indicating that PpKP4‐1/2 affects P. patens protonemal cell development by mediating cytoplasmic calcium and that KP4 genes are functionally conserved between P. patens and fungi. The present study provides additional insights into the role of horizontal gene transfer in land plant development and evolution. Significance Statement: Plants are intimately associated with fungi. However, it remains largely unclear how fungi may have affected the biology of plant partners through genetic integration (e.g. horizontal gene transfer) following organismal interaction. In the present study, we show that KP4 genes in mosses were acquired from fungi through at least three independent horizontal gene transfer events and that the acquired KP4 genes affect the protonemal development of mosses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discharge process has undergone major changes in many river basins throughout the world as a result of the simultaneous influences of global climate change and human activity. Flow duration curves (FDCs) are crucial indicators of river basins' hydrological processes. However, it is challenging to compare FDCs in a quantitative way. This study will identify the best function with which to fit the flow duration curve in a semi-arid region of North China, so as to quantify the FDC, and parameterize the function of the FDC of the region in order to describe the FDCs of ungauged basins. In this work, six small- and medium-sized catchments in North China are selected as the study area, and three functions, i.e., log normal, generalized Pareto and H2018 functions, were chosen to fit the FDC at nineteen hydrological stations. The relationship between the parameters of the FDC and the basin characteristics, such as the climatic factors and geographical features, were analyzed. A regression formula of the parameters of the FDC function was established, and its spatial and temporal distributions were examined. Based on the evaluation of four indicators, the Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency, the root mean square relative error, the logarithmic Nash efficiency coefficient and the coefficient of determination, the results demonstrate that the H2018 function can match FDCs the best. Through the annual runoff, annual precipitation, precipitation in summer, potential evapotranspiration, catchment area, mean elevation, length of the main channel and maximum flow frequency, the parameters of a, b, and k in the H2018 function can be formulated. The regression formula constructed in this study can obtain a regional flow duration curve with satisfactory performance, which provides a reference for the validation of remote-sensing-based runoff data in ungauged regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining the nutrient requirements of industrial hemp to increase the yield requires quantifying variations in soil nutrients and enzyme activities in different growth stages, along with relevant soil microbial response. This study investigated the effects of different growth stages of industrial hemp on rhizosphere soil nutrients, enzyme activities, and microbial communities. The results showed that with the increase in the growth stages, the pH and available phosphorus (AP) decreased, while the soil organic matter (SOM), available nitrogen (AN), and available potassium (AK) increased substantially, indicating that the demand for nutrients of industrial hemp was constantly changing. Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Ascomycota, and Basidiomycota were found to be the keystone taxa to adapt to the nutrient requirements of industrial hemp at different growth stages by regulating soil enzyme activity. Furthermore, using the redundancy analysis and Spearman's correlation analysis, we found that microbial taxonomic composition was related to the variations in AN, AP, and pH. In general, we emphasized that the interaction between industrial hemp and soil is closely related to the growth stage, which increases plant adaptability and growth because of the change of soil microorganisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoantenna fusion photonics and nanotechnology can manipulate light through the ultra-thin structure composed of sub-wavelength antennas, and meet the important requirements for miniaturized optical components, completely changing the field of optics. However, the device design process is still time-consuming and consumes computing resources. Besides, the professional knowledge requirements of engineers are also high. Relying on the algorithm’s inference ability and excellent computing ability, artificial intelligence has great potential in the fields of material design, material screening, and device performance prediction. However, the deep learning (DL) requires a mass of data. Therefore, this article proposes a method for the forward and inverse design of nanoantenna based on DL. Compared with the previous work, the network uses a two-dimensional matrix as input, which has a simple structure and is more suitable for the advantages of deep netural network. Simultaneously, the small datasets can be used to achieve higher accuracy. In the forward prediction, 100% of the data error is less than 0.007; in the inverse prediction, the data with error less than 0.05 accounted for 90%, 99.8% and 100% of the length, height, and width’s datasets. It demonstrates that the method can improve the automation of the design process and reduce the consumption of computer resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The H2018 function fits the FDC and PDC better than other 2 functions in 7 watersheds on northern China. • The variations of parameters in PDC and FDC in the 7 watersheds have been analyzed by Mann-Kendall test. • The parameters of FDC are derived from the measured precipitation and climate factors through Random Forest model. Obtaining reliable hydrological data for ungauged watersheds has always been a significant challenge in the water resources management. The flow duration curve (FDC) and precipitation duration curve (PDC) are classical methods to address this challenge. However, traditional FDC and PDC methods mostly rely on pre-assumed probability distribution function form, which may result in sub-optimal model parameters and consequently sub-optimal simulation results of hydrological data, and the common function forms are not applicable to deal with the data including zero-values, which often occurs in the discharge data of arid region and daily rainfall data. To address the issues in FDC and PDC , this study firstly determines the most suitable function form to describe FDC and PDC from various distribution functions, i.e., Log Normal, Generalized Pareto Distribution and H2018 function, from 1960 to 2010 in 7 watersheds in the north of China. The multiple methods including Random Forest, polynomial, Multilayer Perceptron and K-Nearest Neighbor are employed to simulate the parameters of the functions, aiming to deduce the optimal parameters of FDC functions. The results show that, H2018 function form has the best performance in simulating the PDC and FDC and in general, parameter a and b of H2018 function indicate an opposite trend, and parameter k declines in mostly condition at the annual scale from 1960 to 2010. The results of different methods indicate that the Random Forest method is the most efficient and accurate approach to deduce FDC parameters from measured precipitation and climate factors, compared with polynomial, Multilayer Perceptron and K-Nearest Neighbor. Based on the relationship between PDC parameters and FDC parameters, the FDC of ungauged basins can be deduced from the observed precipitation data. The research findings provide a new method to estimate FDC for the water resources management in the ungauged basins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite a surge of empirical work on paid Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), a review of factors that drive the sales of them remains unexplored. The study aims to consolidate the existing fragmented knowledge by synthesizing the current literature on quality attributes, methodological approaches, theoretical foundations, and additional research opportunities for future studies on sales of MOOCs. Through an extensive literature search in Scopus and Web of Science, we evaluated 12 peer-reviewed articles across years. The results indicate that (1) most studies adopted quantitative approaches relied on online surveys or web crawling of platform databases, (2) there were three main groups of theoretical basis adopted, (3) quality attributes on courses, instructors and platforms were vital in influencing consumers’ purchasing behaviors and (4) however, their weights might vary based on their platform availability and visibility. This paper contributes to spur awareness and interest in continued research towards the sales of paid online courses and serves as a reference source for higher education (HE) practitioners to improve the quality of their online courses to meet the demands of consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing evidence reveals that circular RNA (circRNA) dysregulation is involved in retinoblastoma (RB) pathogenesis. To further realize the development of RB, we investigated the role and regulatory mechanism of circ_0075804 in RB. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and western blot were employed for expression analysis. CCK-8 assay, EdU assay, colony formation assay, flow cytometry assay and transwell assay were performed to monitor cell phenotypes. Xenograft models were established to monitor the role of circ_0075804 on tumor growth. Tumor growth was assessed by the expression of Ki67, N-cadherin, MMP2 and MMP9 via IHC assay. The predicted binding sites between miR-1287-5p and circ_0075804 or LIM and SH3 protein 1 (LASP1) were validated by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Upregulation of circ_0075804 and LASP1, and downregulation of miR-1287-5p were shown in RB tissues and cells. Circ_0075804 knockdown repressed RB cell growth, invasion and survival, and hindered tumor development in vivo. MiR-1287-5p was targeted by circ_0075804, and its repression largely reversed the functional effects of circ_0075804 knockdown. LASP1 was a functional target of miR-1287-5p. The inhibition of miR-1287-5p upregulation on RB cell proliferation, survival and invasion was reversed by LASP1 overexpression. Moreover, circ_0075804 knockdown weakened LASP1 expression via increasing miR-1287-5p. Circ_0075804 promotes LASP1 expression by targeting miR-1287-5p, thus acting as a contributor to RB carcinogenesis. Circ_0075804 is overexpressed in RB. Circ_0075804 knockdown inhibits RB cell malignant phenotypes and tumor growth in vivo. Circ_0075804 regulates RB cell behaviors by targeting miR-1287-5p. MiR-1287-5p affects RB cell behaviors by binding to LASP1. Circ_0075804 regulates LASP1 expression via targeting miR-1287-5p. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhenium is the third least abundant element of the Earth's upper continental crust, and typical aquatic concentrations are in the ng L−1 range. Despite these natural ultra-trace levels, Re is a powerful geochemical tracer for weathering and redox processes. Here, we report a simple chemical separation method (i.e., single column and single elution) using an anion exchange resin (1-X8) to quantify Re and four co-eluted elements (Ag, Cd, Pd, Zn) from fresh and seawater matrices. The method was tested for the three most used water certified reference materials (CRMs): freshwater SLRS-6 and seawaters CASS-6 and NASS-7; the pre-concentration factor was 25–50 times. In addition to validating the method for Cd and Zn against their certified concentrations, we report the concentrations for Re (6.0–6.4 ng L−1 for seawater CRMs and 13.8 ± 0.6 ng L−1 for SLRS-6) and Ag (0.7–1.1 ng L−1 for seawater CRMs and 2.7 ± 0.4 ng L−1 for SLRS-6) for QA/QC validation of future works. We also applied the method to natural coastal seawater similar to CASS-6 and NASS-7 at a pre-concentration factor of 1000 yielding adequately low limits of detection for Pd in the sub pg L−1 range. The concentrations of Ag, Cd, Re, Pd and Zn measured in fresh and seawater CRMs, and natural samples were consistent with their anticipated environmental backgrounds. The method outlined here allows the quantification of five trace and ultra-trace elements, each exhibiting contrasting biogeochemical behaviours, and thus could contribute to advancing our understanding of their environmental cycling by significantly simplifying analytical workflows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multimodal tasks based on attention mechanism and language face numerous problems. Based on multimodal hierarchical attention mechanism and genetic neural network, this paper studies the application of image segmentation algorithm in data completion and 3D scene reconstruction. The algorithm refers to the process of concentrating attention that humans subjectively pay attention to and calculates the difference between each pixel in the genetic neural network test image in the color space and the average value of the target image, which solves the problem of static feature maps and dynamic feature maps of image sequences. In addition, in view of the problem that the number of attention enhancement feature extraction modules is too large and the parameters are too large, the recursive mechanism is used as the feature extraction branch, and new model parameters are not added when the network depth is increased. The simulation results show that the accuracy of the improved image saliency detection algorithm based on the attention mechanism reaches 89.7%, and the difference between the average value of the single-point pixel and the target image is reduced to 0.132, which further promotes the practicability and reliability of the image segmentation model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under this background, this paper tries to find countermeasures and ways for carbon reduction by observing and analyzing the influencing factors of carbon emissions, designing ways to minimize carbon emissions and maximize resources and energy. In view of the above problems, the carbon emission prediction research is closely combined with the research of deep neural network, the carbon emission prediction models based on deep neural network are established, respectively, and the game theory is introduced to maximize the resource economy. Based on the analysis of the cost of energy resources, this paper puts forward a model based on game theory and makes an overall planning of the bidding online auxiliary decision-making system in combination with the actual market demand. Build a big data analysis platform based on the Internet of things, collect the data related to carbon emission for normalization, analyze the influencing factors related to carbon emission by using the principal component analysis method, select the data with higher connection value, and take the time series data as the input of the deep neural network for simulation verification. The simulation results show that the game model of carbon emission minimization and energy resource economic maximization based on deep neural network can effectively improve the economic maximization of energy resources and reduce carbon emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrochemical performance of supercapacitors using porous carbon as electrodes is strongly affected by the fabrication process of carbon material. KOH is commonly used as an activator combined with urea as a nitrogen dopant. However, the roles of KOH and urea in pore structure configuration and the electrochemical behavior of porous carbon electrodes are still ambiguous. Herein, the optimum porous carbon is obtained when KOH and urea are used simultaneously. KOH is used as a pore-forming substance, whereas urea is employed as a nitrogen source for the nitrogen doping of porous carbon, which increases its defect sites while reducing the graphitization degree. More importantly, urea also expands pores as a pore-enlarging agent, inducing interconnected porous structures. As a result, a hierarchical porous structure is formed and ascribed to the synergistic effect of KOH and urea, and the specific surface area reached 3282 m2 g−1 for sample PC800-4. The specific capacitance is 319 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1 with excellent cycling stability over 2500 cycles. Furthermore, the symmetric supercapacitor reaches an excellent energy density of 11.6 W h kg−1 under 70.0 W kg−1 in a 6 M KOH electrolyte. Our work contributes to the rational designation of the porous carbon structure for supercapacitor applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tpeak–Tend/QT ratio (Tp–e/QT) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is reportedly associated with major adverse cardiac events (MACEs). However, Tp–e/QT measurement methods are controversial, and few studies have clarified the effect of different Tp–e/QT measures on prognosis. Our study is the first to investigate the advantages of the Tp–e/QT measured by infarct-related-lead method in predicting MACEs during hospitalization and long-term mortality in patients with STEMI. A total of 427 STEMI patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were included in this study. The Tp–e/QT before PCI was measured by traditional 12-lead method and infarct-related-lead method. Outcomes were tested using comparative statistics, logistic regression, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and Kaplan–Meier survival analysis. There were 62 (14.5%) patients who had MACEs in-hospital. Logistic regression showed that the Tp–e/QT in infarct-related-lead was an independent predictor (p < 0.001). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of the Tp–e/QT in infarct-related-lead was larger than that in the Tp–e/QT in traditional 12-lead (0.889 vs 0.741), and the optimal cutoff value was 0.32. The three-year survival rate of patients in the infarct-related-lead Tp–e/QT < 0.32 group was better than Tp–e/QT ≥ 0.32 group in Kaplan–Meier survival analysis (93.9 vs 87.0%). When stratified according to infarct-related arteries, the results showed that the common odds ratio of patients in Tp–e/QT ≥ 0.32 group occurred MACEs was 1.562, P = 0.038. The infarct-related-lead Tp–e/QT performed better than the traditional 12-lead Tp–e/QT in predicting poor prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In civil aviation flight path planning, in order to effectively reduce the safety threat caused by the volcanic ash area to the civil aviation flight, factors such as the speed and acceleration of the aircraft in the volcanic ash area must be considered. In this paper, we propose an improved A-star algorithm by adopting the concept of potential collision set and using the velocity vector idea of optimal reciprocal collision avoidance (ORCA). The improved A-star algorithm selects the optimal speed range of the aircraft from the limited elements, obtains the speed and acceleration set of the aircraft in the volcanic ash area, calculates the flight path through the displacement increment, continuously refreshes the global starting point to the target point, and finally obtains the final path planning results by calculating the total cost value. The improved A-star algorithm is used to plan two flight paths from Madrid to Cairo and Algiers to Rome in volcanic ash areas. The verification results show that the improved A-star algorithm optimizes the flight path planning in the volcanic ash area and has the advantages of less search nodes, a small search range, and short computing time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the Gram matrix is used to calculate the correlation of the filter response sets under different scale kernels learned by each layer of the network in the deconvolution, and the loss between the corresponding feature response correlations in the multilayer network is calculated. Linear summation is used to obtain a stable, multiscale image model representation. This paper extracts the contours of the salient areas of the image and adjusts the parameters of the deconvolution network to learn the salient area patterns of the image. At the same time, for the image to be generated, a shape template is used to limit the range of the area to be generated in order to obtain a shape image with similar patterns. When the spatial relative relationship characteristics of the image constituent objects are obvious, we appropriately add high-level semantic feature activation values for reinforcement. This paper solves the estimation of the unknown blur kernel by using image prior knowledge, filtering and gradient domain algorithms and other different technologies to obtain image jitter or scene movement information and estimate the size, location, and density of the blur kernel. This paper studies a relatively robust deconvolution model, which is insensitive to random noise, has stable effects, and can overcome the water ripple effect caused by the usual convolution process. This paper attempts to study the fuzzy model with variable space. The usual blur is a spatial invariant model; that is, a single kernel is used to describe the motion of all pixels on the image. By selecting different characteristic parameters, this paper conducts experimental research on some existing hydrophobic indicator function methods and calculates the relationship between characteristic parameters and hydrophobicity when different hydrophobic indicator functions are adopted. One characteristic of the hydrophobic image of composite insulators is low contrast. The traditional method of converting color images to grayscale images cannot improve the image contrast. This paper analyzes the hydrophobic image of the composite insulator, and the extracted B channel component image of the hydrophobic image improves the contrast of the image and facilitates the subsequent segmentation of water traces and background. In this paper, the water repellent image's watermark area is counted, and connected-domain wave processing is used to limit the area of water droplets retained, thereby improving the efficiency of filtering water droplets without having a big impact on the image as a whole. The problem of uneven illumination is an unavoidable problem in the field of image processing, and the resulting reflection problem brings difficulties to image processing. This article regards the reflective area of the watermark as a "hole" and uses the idea of "hole filling" to eliminate the reflective point, which weakens the reflection problem to a certain extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The single-phase unified power quality conditioner (UPQC) is widely used to improve power quality for sensitive end-users. However, the inherent instantaneous power difference between parallel and series converter will generate significant low-frequency dc-link voltage ripple and degrade the compensation performance of UPQC. The mechanism of dc-link voltage ripple generation and its influences on compensation voltage and current are analyzed in this article. To suppress the influence, a control strategy is proposed for the single-phase UPQC. For parallel converter, a notch filter is introduced in the outer voltage loop to prevent the voltage ripple entering the control loop, the specific order harmonics compensation is proposed in the inner-current loop to reduce the grid current harmonics. For the series converter, the dc-link voltage feedback is adopted to suppress the influence of voltage ripple on the compensation performance. Simulation and experimental results show that the grid current total harmonic distortion (THD) can be reduced effectively with the fixed dc-link capacitance compared with the traditional control strategy. More than half of the load voltage THD are also decreased by the dc-link voltage feedback control. Moreover, with the smaller dc-link capacitance, single-phase UPQC can maintain the better performance under the proposed control strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at addressing the economic dispatching challenges within the park-level integrated energy system (PIES), this study focuses on three PIES with distinct priorities. The proposed approach introduces a two-stage intelligent dispatching strategy for PIES based on a sharing mechanism. This strategy comprises a day-ahead intelligent dispatching method for PIES, grounded in a scenario threshold, and a real-time dispatching strategy for PIES based on the sharing mechanism. In the day-ahead phase, a scenario threshold concept is presented for an individual PIES and resolved through a novel modeling method and an intelligent algorithm to derive the day-ahead dispatching plan for the PIES. Subsequently, in the real-time phase, the synergy among the three PIESs is explored, and the sharing mechanism is leveraged to offset the uncertainty deviation observed in the high-priority PIESs. To meet the energy requirements of each PIES, the energy storage system is configured within the lowest-priority PIES. Simulation results demonstrate that the dispatch model developed in this paper exhibits faster convergence and possesses the capability to compensate for uncertainty deviations, thereby fostering a balance between source-load supply and demand. Additionally, this model establishes a research foundation for the cooperative optimal dispatch of multiple PIESs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cigarette smoke and ozone (O 3) are two main pollutants in indoor environments and their mutual reaction can generate substantial detrimental substances having synergistic influences on the environment and human health. The aging process of cigarette smoke in the atmosphere is mainly gone through ozonolysis reaction attracting increasing attention in recent years. Herein, the ozonolysis reaction of cigarette smoke with indoor O 3 concentrations has been investigated in a Teflon chamber. The gas- and particle-phases of cigarette smoke are divided and their individual ozonolysis process can generate ultrafine particles (UFPs) with high number concentrations. The chemical compositions of the gas- and particle-phases of cigarette smoke as well as their nascent UFPs are measured and their differences during the ozonolysis have been clearly observed with vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photoionization mass spectrometry. In particular, several representative key species of cigarette smoke, i.e. , the gas-phase furan and 2,5-dimethylfuran and the particle-phase nicotine, as well as their ozonolysis products are definitely identified and play an important role in the nucleation formation of UFPs. Their ozonolysis reaction mechanisms are also discussed. In addition, this work demonstrates that the ozonolysis of the particle-phase of cigarette smoke contributes more UFPs than that of the gas-phase. [Display omitted] • Ozonolysis reactions of cigarette smoke with indoor O 3 concentrations investigated. • Gas- and particle-phases of smoke generate ultrafine particles (UFPs) via ozonolysis. • Ozonolysis of particle-phase of smoke generates more UFPs than that of gas-phase. • Key species of smoke and their ozonolysis products are identified in mass spectra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tigecycline resistance gene tet (X4) has been widely reported in animals and animal products in some Asian countries including China in recent years but only sporadically detected in human. In this study, we investigated the prevalence and genetic features of tet (X4)-positive clinical E. coli strains. A total of 462 fecal samples were collected from patients in four hospitals located in four provinces in China in 2023. Nine tet (X4)-positive E. coli strains were isolated and subjected to characterization of their genetic and phenotypic features by performing antimicrobial susceptibility test, whole-genome sequencing, bioinformatic and phylogenetic analysis. The majority of the test strains were found to exhibit resistance to multiple antimicrobial agents including tigecycline but remained susceptible to colistin and meropenem. A total of seven different sequence types (STs) and an unknown ST type were identified among the nine tet (X4)-positive strains. Notably, the tet (X4) gene in six out of these nine tet (X4)-positive E. coli strains was located in a IncFIA-HI1A-HI1B hybrid plasmid, which was an tet (X4)-bearing epidemic plasmid responsible for dissemination of the tet (X4) gene in China. Furthermore, the tet (X4) gene in four out of nine tet (X4)-positive E. coli isolates could be successfully transferred to E. coli EC600 through conjugation. In conclusion, this study characterized the epidemic tet (X4)-bearing plasmids and tet (X4)-associated genetic environment in clinical E. coli strains, suggested the importance of continuous surveillance of such tet (X4)-bearing plasmids to control the increasingly widespread dissemination of tigecycline-resistant pathogens in clinical settings in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autophagy plays a critical role in cancer, since it can either suppress tumorigenesis by inhibiting cancer cell survival, or facilitate tumorigenesis by promoting cancer cell proliferation and tumor growth. However, the role of genetic variants of autophagy-regulated key genes for bladder cancer risk remained unclear. Here, we aimed to explore the association of bladder cancer with genetic variants on genes involved in autophagy pathway. Gene-based analysis was performed with multi-marker analysis of genomic annotation (MAGMA) in 580 bladder cancer cases and 1101 controls. The logistic regression model was used to calculate the SNP effects on bladder cancer susceptibility. Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analysis was conducted by the genotype-tissue expression (GTEx) project. Gene expression was evaluated based on the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Three potentially functional SNPs RPS6KB1 rs1292038, PIK3R1 rs34303, and rs56352616 were demonstrated to be associated with risk of bladder cancer (OR = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.61–0.82, P = 7.88 × 10−6 for rs1292038; OR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.09–1.45, P = 2.11 × 10−3 for rs34303; OR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.62–0.90, P = 2.47 × 10−3 for rs56352616). An increasing number of risk genotypes of these three SNPs were associated with a higher risk of developing bladder cancer. Besides, rs1292038 exhibited an eQTL effect for RPS6KB1 in whole blood (P = 3.90 × 10−7). Furthermore, the higher expression of RPS6KB1 and lower expression of PIK3R1 were both significantly associated with bladder cancer risk. Our findings indicated that genetic variants in autophagy pathway genes RPS6KB1 and PIK3R1 confer bladder cancer susceptibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human mesenchymal stem cells from dental pulp (hMSC-DP), including dental pulp stem cells from permanent teeth and exfoliated deciduous teeth, possess unique MSC characteristics such as expression of specific surface molecules and a high proliferation rate. Since hMSC-DP have been applied in numerous clinical studies, it is necessary to establish criteria to evaluate their potency for cell-based therapies. Methods: We compared stem cell properties of hMSC-DP at passages 5, 10 and 20 under serum (SE) and serum-free (SF) culture conditions. Cell morphology, proliferation capacity, chromosomal stability, surface phenotypic profiles, differentiation and immunoregulation ability were evaluated. In addition, we assessed surface molecule that regulates hMSC-DP proliferation and immunomodulation. Results: hMSC-DP exhibited a decrease in proliferation rate and differentiation potential, as well as a reduced expression of CD146 when cultured under continuous passage conditions. SF culture conditions failed to alter surface marker expression, chromosome stability or proliferation rate when compared to SE culture. SF-cultured hMSC-DP were able to differentiate into osteogenic, adipogenic and neural cells, and displayed the capacity to regulate immune responses. Notably, the expression level of CD146 showed a positive correlation with proliferation, differentiation, and immunomodulation, suggesting that CD146 can serve as a surface molecule to evaluate the potency of hMSC-DP. Mechanistically, we found that CD146 regulates proliferation and immunomodulation of hMSC-DP through the ERK/p-ERK pathway. Conclusion: This study indicates that SF-cultured hMSC-DP are appropriate for producing clinical-grade cells. CD146 is a functional surface molecule to assess the potency of hMSC-DP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The olympicenyl radical (OR) has long been a fascinating spin doublet hydrocarbon radical that evoked theoretical and experimental research interests, but the chemistry of olympicenyl was limited by its inherent instability. Recently, this field was revived by the advent of stable, multi‐substituted ORs and the isolation of them in the crystalline phase. In this minireview, we summarize the early studies on the pristine OR, as well as the recent advances on the substituted OR derivatives, heteroatom‐containing OR derivatives, and OR‐based diradicals and polyradicals. The synthetic chemistry, stabilization strategies, self‐association behaviors, reactivities, and applications in the biological field of the abovementioned compounds were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to create higher benefits for enterprises in the university supply chain and make them meet the requirements of sustainable development, this study uses information ecology theory to study the cognitive management and transformation path of the green supply chain. Firstly, the related concepts of university supply chain management and green supply chain management are expounded, and the differences are mainly discussed. Then, the evaluation of supply chain greenness is studied. The fuzzy hierarchical comprehensive evaluation method combining quantitative and qualitative is used to establish the evaluation model. Finally, the proposed evaluation model is tested. The test results show that Suzhou University's greenness fuzzy evaluation score is 58.2 points, which is a medium level. The resource factor scored 61 points, the energy factor scored 52.9 points, the environmental factors scored 59.8 points, the economic factor scored 62.7 points, and the social factor scored 55.5 points. The company has obvious advantages in terms of resources and economy, but the level is not very high. The higher the cost synergy between enterprises and customers, the greater the environmental cost synergy. Therefore, manufacturing enterprises should strengthen communication and cooperation with customers. The higher the cost synergy control of manufacturing and waste recycling enterprises, the greater the synergy effect of environmental cost control. Therefore, increasing cooperation with waste recycling enterprises is conducive to developing environmental cost control and coordinated benefits. The proposed scheme provides some ideas for applying information ecology theory in the university supply chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The realization of high-efficiency desalination technologies is the key to the reuse of circulating cooling sewage in power plants. Desalination experiments were carried out on an electro-sorption device with an activated carbon fiber (ACF) plate as an electrode, using the mixed salt solution to simulate actual circulating cooling sewage. The effects of flow rate and voltage on desalination and ion selection performance were investigated in the paper. Experimental results show that different ions can be effectively removed using activated carbon fiber electrodes. Under the same adsorption conditions, the adsorption rate of ions is inversely proportional to the mass-to-charge ratio; the smaller the hydration radius of ions, the larger the ion removal rate; the ion selection performance is related to the pore size distribution of the selected electrode material. The experimental results can provide basic data and reference for the treatment of circulating cooling water using electro-sorption technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The interaction of DBP and DIBP with pepsin. • DIBP binds pepsin more strongly than DBP. • Computational study (including docking, MD and ESP) for pepsin-DBP and pepsin-DBP complex. • DBP was more toxic to Caco-2 cells than DIBP. The binding mechanisms of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP) with pepsin (PEP) were investigated by multispectral method and computational techniques (molecular docking, molecular dynamics, surface electrostatic potential), as well as cytotoxicity assay. Fluorescence studies revealed that both DBP and DIBP had a static bursting effect on PEP, forming a stable complex. Furthermore, the formation of PEP-DBP/DIBP complexes was observed to occur spontaneously (ΔG < 0), driven by the interactions of hydrogen bonding and van der Waals forces. PEP exhibits a higher binding constant K a of DBP (3.30 × 104 L·mol−1) compared to that of DIBP (2.37 × 104 L·mol−1). The higher stability of PEP-DBP complexes can be attributed to the different branching structures of DBP and DIBP, this observation was further supported by the larger negative surface area of DBP (125.90 Å2) in the ESP analysis, and were aligned with the MD simulations results of more stable RMSD and lower R g value in presence of DBP. Computational analysis revealed that both DBP and DIBP exhibited binding interactions with the fluorescent groups (Tyr 75, Phe 111, and Phe 117) by van der Waals forces. DBP/DIBP binds to the Asp 32 and Asp 215 motifs of the catalytic activity center of PEP. Combined with the lower R g values, CD tests suggested that the addition of DBP/DIBP caused the rise of α-Helix content thereby compacted the conformation structure of PEP into a compact shape. In addition, DBP generated more hydrogen bonds with PEP compared to DIBP, also as evidence to the higher stability of EPE-DBP. Finally, the IC 50 of DBP and DIBP on Caco-2 cells were determined to be 5.16 × 10-4 mol·L-1 and 1.37 × 10-3 mol·L-1, respectively confirming the higher level of toxicity of DBP. The present study elucidates the effect and binding mechanism of DBP/DIBP on PEP at the molecular level, providing fundamental data for the impact and potential risk assessment of PAEs on the human digestive system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing the membrane with splendid anti-fouling ability is urgently desired for the separation of high-viscosity crude oils emulsions. Herein, a novel GO-based membrane with anti-crude oil fouling and persulfate activation self-cleaning properties was fabricated by introducing g-C 3 N 4 /NH 2 -MIL-88B(Fe) (g-C 3 N 4 /NMB) heterojunction into graphene oxide (GO) sheets via a sample self-assembling process. Combing with micro-nano structures and hydrophilic properties of g-C 3 N 4 /NMB heterojunction, GO@g-C 3 N 4 /NMB membrane exhibited resplendently selective wettability and anti-crude oil adhesion performance. Based on this, the resultant membrane effectively realized the separation to different low-viscosity oily wastewaters (all rejections >98%). Facing high-viscidity crude oil emulsions, the permeate flux could reach 1611 ± 63 L m-2 h-1 bar-1 with 99.21% of reject rate, which increased almost 80 times than GO membranes. Moreover, profiting from the distinguished photocatalytic activity of g-C 3 N 4 /NMB and electron transport capacity of GO nanosheet, the catalytic degradation rate of GO@g-C 3 N 4 /NMB membrane was enhanced over 5 times compared to GO membrane under visible light radiation, reaching 0.1513 min-1 for MB under 0.6 mM peroxydisulfate (PDS). Hence, GO@g-C 3 N 4 /NMB membrane could reveal continuous purification of organic wastewater through the synergistic effect of filtration and photocatalysis. Similarly, the crude oil-fouled membrane also accomplished regeneration after 30 min of light irradiation and the R ir of GO@g-C 3 N 4 /NMB-3 membrane decreased to only 3.7% by persulfate activation self-cleaning strategy. Therefore, this work provided a beneficial avenue for developing sustainable, renewable separation membranes of crude oil emulsions. [Display omitted] • A GO@g-C 3 N 4 /NMB membrane with fast flux and photodegradation was constructed. • GO@g-C 3 N 4 /NMB membrane showed excellent anti-crude oil adhesion property. • The resultant membrane could separate the high-viscosity crude oily emulsions. • The crude oil-fouled membrane could accomplish regeneration by persulfate activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The repair of skeletal defects in maxillofacial region remains an intractable problem, the rising technology of bone tissue engineering provides a new strategy to solve it. Scaffolds, a crucial element of tissue engineering, must have favorable biocompatibility as well as osteoinductivity. In this study, we prepared berberine/polycaprolactone/collagen (BBR/PCL/COL) scaffolds with different concentrations of berberine (BBR) (25, 50, 75 and 100 μg/mL) through electrospinning. The influence of dosage on scaffold morphology, cell behavior and in vivo bone defect repair were systematically studied. The results indicated that scaffolds could release BBR stably for up to 27 days. Experiments in vitro showed that BBR/PCL/COL scaffolds had appropriate biocompatibility in the concentration of 25–75 μg/mL, and 50 and 75 μg/mL scaffolds could significantly promote osteogenic differentiation of dental pulp stem cells. Scaffold with 50 μg/mL BBR was implanted into the critical bone defect of rats to evaluate the ability of bone repair in vivo. It was found that BBR/PCL/COL scaffold performed more favorable than polycaprolactone/collagen (PCL/COL) scaffold. Overall, our study is the first to evaluate the capability of in vivo bone repair of BBR/PCL/COL electrospun scaffold. The results indicate that BBR/PCL/COL scaffold has prospective potential for tissue engineering applications in bone regeneration therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper aims to investigate the effect of a model's eye gaze direction on the information processing behavior of consumers varying based on their gender. Design/methodology/approach: An eye-tracking experiment and a memory test are conducted to test the research hypotheses. Findings: Compared to an averted gaze, a model with a direct gaze attracts more attention to the model's face among male consumers, leading to deeper processing. However, the findings show that when a model displays a direct gaze rather than an averted gaze, female consumers pay more attention to the brand name, thus leading to deeper processing. Originality/value: This study contributes to not only the existing eye gaze direction literature by integrating the facilitative effect of direct gaze and considering the moderating role of consumer gender on consumer information processing but also the literature concerning the selectivity hypothesis by providing evidence of gender differences in information processing. Moreover, this study offers practical insights to practitioners regarding how to design appealing webpages to satisfy consumers of different genders. Peer review: The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-01-2020-0025 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bone defects caused by many factors prompt further study of pathological process and restoration methods. This study was aimed to clarify the effect of erythropoietin on the repair of bone defect. We added the designated concentration of rhEPO to endothelial progenitor cells and marrow stromal cells, then detected its osteogenic and angiogenesis effects. The results showed that rhEPO promoted the proliferation of EPC and ST2 by promoting the mitosis without affecting cell apoptosis. The protein and mRNA levels of angiogenesis and osteogenic related factors exhibited higher expressions. Additionally, rhEPO encapsulated in PLGA scaffolds accelerated the new bone formation in rat calvaria bone defect model. Since the centre of bone defect was hypoxia environment, we cultured EPC and ST2 under hypoxia. SiRNA and an inhibitor of HIF-1 were used to interfere HIF-1, then the following changes of VEGF and EPO were detected. The results showed that all the factors were upregulated under the hypoxia environment. The expression of VEGF at protein and mRNA level decreased as HIF-1 was inhibited or interfered from 6 h, while the mRNA expression of EPO from 6 h and changed significantly at protein level from 12 h. Therefore, EPO is a promising factor for further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Total mercury levels and methylmercury levels were investigated for various grain parts (whole rice, rice husk, brown rice, polished rice, and bran) of 507 rice samples from 15 main rice-producing areas of China. The average total mercury contents in brown rice samples and polished rice samples were 4.2 and 3.3 μg/kg, respectively, the percentages exceeding the national standard limit were 0.59% and 0.39%, respectively. The average methylmercury levels were 2.9 and 2.4 μg/kg in brown rice and polished rice, respectively. The order of total mercury contents in different parts of rice was bran > brown rice > whole rice > rice husk > polished rice, and the order for methylmercury was bran > brown rice > whole rice > polished rice > rice husk. Total mercury intakes and methylmercury intakes were estimated for the Chinese population and the associated health risks were assessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To date, there have been few investigations on Candidatus Rickettsia tarasevichiae in rodents carried out in China. In this study, we conducted surveillance for Candidatus R. tarasevichiae infection in rodents. A total of 463 rodents were captured at five survey sites in Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang province, where Candidatus R. tarasevichiae patients have been reported. PCR targeting citrate synthase and outer membrane protein genes was performed and positive amplicons were sequenced. Result:Candidatus R. tarasevichiae was detected in 1.29% of the 463 rodents sampled from the five survey sites in Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang province. Only 2 out of 13 (15.38%) Rattus norvegicus and 4 out of 80 (5%) Clethrionomys rufocanus collected from Dashigou forestry were positive for the gltA and ompA genes of Candidatus R. tarasevichiae DNA. The detected Candidatus R. tarasevichiae was in the same clade of sequences from patients in Mudanjiang based on phylogenetic analysis. Conclusion: Rodents are major host of ticks and also serve as reservoirs of spotted fever group (SFG) Rickettsia. Although this is the first confirmation of Candidatus R. tarasevichiae detected in rodents in China, further investigations are needed to clarify the distribution of Candidatus R. tarasevichiae in rodents elsewhere and what role they play as reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thrombolytic treatment is recommended for patients with high-risk pulmonary embolism. The present study compared thrombolytic therapy with urokinase and reteplase. A total of 37 patients presenting with acute high-risk pulmonary embolism at the Intensive Care Unit of Weinan Central Hospital of Shaanxi Province (Weinan, China) between June 2013 and January 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. According to their treatment, these subjects were assigned to the reteplase group (n=16) or the urokinase group (n=21). Systolic blood pressure (SBP), heart rate (HR) and respiratory rate (RR) were recorded prior to, and at 2, 4, 24 and 48 h after thrombolytic therapy. Complications, including bleeding, were closely monitored. Changes in blood gas analysis, troponin-T (TNT), pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (pro-BNP) and D-dimer (D-D) were observed. In the reteplase and urokinase group, 11 and 13 cases exhibited marked improvement, treatment was rated as effective in 4 and 6 cases, and 1 and 2 mortalities occurred, resulting in an overall effective rate of 93.8 and 90.5%, respectively (P>0.05). In the reteplase group, one patient was unsuccessfully resuscitated and died. In the urokinase group, one patient died of gastric hemorrhage after 22 h of thrombolysis, while another patient died of brain failure resuscitation. The treatment improved the SBP in each of the two groups (P<0.05), and this outcome was similar between these two groups (P>0.05). HR and RR were similar prior to and after thrombolytic therapy (P>0.05). In contrast to the urokinase group, TNT was significantly decreased after thrombolyis compared with the baseline in the reteplase group. Complications in the reteplase group were higher, but in contrast to the urokinase group, no life-threatening bleeding occurred. Although reteplase is as effective as urokinase in treating high-risk pulmonary embolism, reteplase may reduce myocardial damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capsidiol is a sesquiterpenoid phytoalexin produced in Nicotiana and Capsicum species in response to pathogen attack. Whether capsidiol plays a defensive role and how its biosynthesis is regulated in the wild tobacco Nicotiana attenuata when the plant is attacked by Alternaria alternata (tobacco pathotype), a notorious necrotrophic fungus causing brown spot disease, are unknown. Transcriptome analysis indicated that a metabolic switch to sesquiterpene biosynthesis occurred in young leaves of N. attenuata after A. alternata inoculation: many genes leading to sesquiterpene production were strongly up-regulated, including the capsidiol biosynthetic genes 5- epi - aristolochene synthase (EAS) and 5- epi - aristolochene hydroxylase (EAH). Consistently, the level of capsidiol was increased dramatically in young leaves after fungal inoculation, from not detectable in mock control to 50.68±3.10 µg g−1 fresh leaf at 3 d post-inoculation. Capsidiol-reduced or capsidiol-depleted plants, which were generated by silencing EAH s or EAS s by virus-induced gene silencing, were more susceptible to the fungus. In addition, this sesquiterpene when purified from infected plants exhibited strong anti-fungal activities against A. alternata in vitro. Furthermore, an ERF2-like transcription factor was found to positively regulate capsidiol production and plant resistance through the direct transactivation of a capsidiol biosynthetic gene, EAS12. Taken together, our results demonstrate that capsidiol, a phytoalexin highly accumulated in N. attenuata plants in response to A. alternata infection, plays an important role in pathogen resistance independent of jasmonate and ethylene signaling pathways, and its biosynthesis is transcriptionally regulated by an ERF2-like transcription factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultralow dielectric permittivity (k=2.58) nanohybrid dielectric film was obtained by dispersing 3.0 wt % mesoporous silicate (MCM-41) particles with nanosize hollow channels into polyimide (PI) polymer. The ultralow k value of the hybrid film can be mainly attributed to the low k value of MCM-41 itself and the small air gaps in the hybrid films. High volume resistivity and high breakdown strength were also observed for those films. At high concentration of MCM-41 loading (>3.0 wt %), the k values of the films increased significantly due to the contribution of strong interfacial polarization and interaction among MCM-41 particles. The ultralow k feature of the PI/MCM-41 nanohybrid films was explained well by Maxwell–Garnett and Bruggeman equations. The PI/MCM-41 nanohybrid film with good thermal stability as well as excellent dielectric properties can be considered as good candidate for advanced dielectric materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated demand response (IDR) is an integral part of the park-level integrated energy system (PIES). Most existing IDR strategies depend heavily on explicit forecasts of future uncertainties. Due to the randomness of wind power generation and load demands, these approaches are limited by forecasting response time or accuracy. A two-stage demand response strategy for multiple scenarios based on deviation compensation is proposed to consider prediction uncertainties arising in distributed wind power generation and multi-energy load. In the day-ahead stage, considering the impact of energy prices on the economy of PIES operation, it is proposed to divide PIES operation scenarios based on energy prices. It is also proposed to develop a day-ahead response plan considering the demand response capability of the load side. The real-time stage considers the uncertainty of wind power and load forecasting as well as the real-time response speed of the strategy, and proposes to use deviation compensation to change some day-ahead plans in order to solve the uncertainty of prediction. Finally, considering the synergy between energy storage and demand response strategies, the above demand response strategy is embedded into multi-objective Harris Hawk optimization (MOHHO) to work out the energy storage capacity. The simulation results show that the strategy considers multiple operational scenarios, is more economical, and only changes a portion of the day-ahead plan in the real-time phase, so it has faster real-time response speed. • A multi-scenario multi-level demand response strategy for multiple operation scenarios in the day-ahead stage is proposed to provide reference for control commands. A real-time multi-level demand response strategy based on deviation compensation is proposed to improve the real-time response speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The trans-critical CO 2 heat pump has a wider application prospect since its advantages of more friendly environment, higher heating temperature and more compact equipment volume. In this study, performance of a trans-critical CO 2 heat pump with flash tank vapor injection technique was experimentally studied. The effect laws of revolution ratio and expansion valve opening on the operating parameters were acquired to guide the design of an effective control strategy. Then influences of the discharge pressure, intermediate pressure and injection ratio on heating capacity, COP and heating temperature were analyzed at varied revolution ratio conditions. The results show that compared with revolution ratio = 1, varied revolution ratio can improve the COP by 7%, and decrease discharge pressure by 0.85 MPa. When revolution ratio <1, near revolution ratio ≈0.89, the COP reaches a peak value of 1.98. Compared with the simple two-stage compression cycle, improvements of the heating temperature, heating capacity and COP of the flash tank vapor injection cycle are 16.5%, 26.9% and 8.4%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]