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The sudden onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in January 2020 has affected essential global health services. Cancer-screening services that can reduce cancer mortality are strongly affected. However, the specific role of COVID-19 in cancer screening is not fully understood. This study aimed to assess the efficiency of global cancer screening programs before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and to promote potential cancerscreening strategies for the next pandemic. Electronic searches in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science, and manual searches were performed between January 1, 2020 and March 1, 2023. Cohort studies that reported the number of participants who underwent cancer screening before and during the COVID-19 pandemic were included. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Differences in cancer-screening rates were estimated using the incidence rate ratio (IRR). Fifty-five cohort studies were included in this meta-analysis. The screening rates of colorectal cancer using invasive screening methods (Pooled IRR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.42 to 0.65, p < 0.01), cervical cancer (Pooled IRR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.47 to 0.67, p < 0.01), breast cancer (Pooled IRR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.49 to 0.66, p < 0.01) and prostate cancer (Pooled IRR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.56 to 0.90, p < 0.01) during the COVID-19 pandemic were significantly lower than those before the COVID-19 pandemic. The screening rates of lung cancer (Pooled IRR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.58 to 1.03, p = 0.08) and colorectal cancer using noninvasive screening methods (Pooled IRR = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.50 to 1.09, p = 0.13) were reduced with no statistical differences. The subgroup analyses revealed that the reduction in cancer-screening rates varied across economies. Our results suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a noteworthy impact on colorectal, cervical, breast, and prostate cancer screening. Developing innovative cancer-screening technologies is important to promote the efficiency of cancer-screening services in the post-COVID-19 era and prepare for the next pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both entrainment and the direct effects of light are critically involved in the overt manifestation of circadian rhythms. The modern use of electric lights alters environmental lighting, leading to light exposure at inappropriate times to disturb circadian homeostasis for both human and wildlife. The light "pollution" and voluntary activities such as night shift work and transmeridian travelling have adverse consequences such as mood and metabolic disorders in humans. On the other hand, insufficient light exposure decreases neurotransmission from the locus ceruleus and dorsal raphe, leading to seasonal and nonseasonal affective disorders, while properly timed bright light is beneficial to mood and cognition. Given the critical and complex roles of light in mammalian physiology and behavior, it is essential to understand the underlying mechanisms. In this review, we discuss the neural mechanisms through which light regulates and dysregulates circadian rhythms in mammals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Konjac species (Amorphophallus spp.) are the only plant species in the world that are rich in a large amount of konjac glucomannan (KGM). These plants are widely cultivated as cash crops in tropical and subtropical countries in Asia, including China. Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum (Pcc) is one of the most destructive bacterial pathogens of konjac. Here, we analyzed the interactions between Pcc and susceptible and resistant konjac species from multiple perspectives. At the transcriptional and metabolic levels, the susceptible species A. konjac and resistant species A. muelleri exhibit similar molecular responses, activating plant hormone signaling pathways and metabolizing defense compounds such as phenylpropanoids and flavonoids to resist infection. Interestingly, we found that Pcc stress can lead to rapid recombination of endophytic microbial communities within a very short period (96 h). Under conditions of bacterial pathogen infection, the relative abundance of most bacterial communities in konjac tissue decreased sharply compared with that in healthy plants, while the relative abundance of some beneficial fungal communities increased significantly. The relative abundance of Cladosporium increased significantly in both kinds of infected konjac compared to that in healthy plants, and the relative abundance in resistant A. muelleri plants was greater than that in susceptible A. konjac plants. Among the isolated cultivable microorganisms, all three strains of Cladosporium strongly inhibited Pcc growth. Our results further elucidate the potential mechanism underlying konjac resistance to Pcc infection, highlighting the important role of endophytic microbial communities in resisting bacterial pathogen infections, especially the more direct role of fungal communities in inhibiting pathogen growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We construct scientific research cooperation networks in the field of public management to provide empirical support for exploring the trend in cooperation in the public administration domain. Based on the SSCI database, the co-authored papers in the field of public administration from 1921 to 2022 are selected as data sources. Ucient software is used to visualize the cooperation networks of countries, cities, institutions, and authors in public administration research, and to explore the spatial structure and driving factors of cooperation networks at different levels. The country-level cooperation in public administration research is closely related to geographical location and is affected by regional agreements to some extent. London and Washington are located at the center of the global public administration cooperation network, and the city-level cooperation network is affected by south-north differentiation and the east-west gap in global economic development and thus exhibits significant non-equilibrium. The institutions in the United Kingdom, America, and Canada are the main forces of international cooperation in the field of public administration and accordingly occupy a dominant position in cooperation networks. The authors' collaboration network in the public administration research shows strong centrality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The willingness of consumers to buy animal welfare products is an important support for the transformation of animal husbandry to animal welfare. However, animal welfare farming often means a considerable capital investment, which often increases the likelihood of price increases for the products. The main purpose of this study is to assist in the marketing of animal welfare products through the research results and then promote the transformation of animal husbandry to animal welfare-friendly agriculture. The analysis results showed that consumers' moral attitudes towards animal products significantly affect perceived higher prices and buying willingness, while perceived higher prices negatively affect buying willingness. Still, fortunately, the negative impact is not significant. Based on the findings, a discussion of academic and managerial implications is provided at the end of this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Demand-responsive feeder transit (DRFT) is an emerging urban public transport mode with the advantage of offering flexible door-to-door services in the high-speed railway hub area. However, the existing bus scheduling schemes can hardly meet personalized and diversified passenger transfer demands in the station-city integrated high-speed railway hub, reducing the attractiveness of DRFT. This paper studies the DRFT scheduling problem considering static and dynamic travel demands under the background of mobility as a service (MaaS). An information-based DRFT system framework is proposed, where the K-means clustering algorithm is implemented to select target bus stops from regional road networks for passengers to get on and off. A two-stage mixed integer programming model is first formulated to generate operational routes and optimize the static and dynamic scheduling before and after departure. The objective functions reflect the operating benefits of public transport enterprises and the travel costs of passengers, and the demand characteristics in different driving directions are taken into account in the model. Then, an improved genetic algorithm is developed to solve the model, which is called the genetic algorithm-exact algorithm (GA-EA) in this paper. Finally, the proposed model and algorithm are evaluated using the case study of the Nanjingnan Railway Station area. The experiment results show that the optimal scheme can provide a 100% demand-response rate, reasonable service time, and valid driving routes. In addition, compared with GA, the average search time of GA-EA is shortened by 43.5% and the total objective function value is increased by 2.16%. The findings in this paper can provide practical guidance on DRFT scheduling and improve the efficiency of bus feeder service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to high incidence of tuberculosis in Taiwan, there is a tendency for overdiagnosis of tuberculosis. Differential diagnosis between malignant diseases and pulmonary tuberculosis is extremely important for us. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regiocontrol in traditional cycloaddition reactions between unsaturated carbon compounds is often challenging. The increasing focus in modern medicinal chemistry on benzocyclobutene (BCB) scaffolds indicates the need for alternative, more selective routes to diverse rigid carbocycles rich in C(sp3) character. Here, we report a palladium-catalyzed double C–H activation of two adjacent methylene units in carboxylic acids, enabled by bidentate amide-pyridone ligands, to achieve a regio-controllable synthesis of BCBs through a formal [2+2] cycloaddition involving s bonds only (two C–H bonds and two aryl–halogen bonds). A wide range of cyclic and acyclic aliphatic acids, as well as dihaloheteroarenes, are compatible, generating diversely functionalized BCBs and hetero-BCBs present in drug molecules and bioactive natural products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electric buses are environmentally friendly with the features of zero emissions and low noise levels. Therefore, it is an inevitable trend to replace traditional fuel buses with electric buses. In the urban transportation system, the most common electric bus scheduling mode is single-vehicle-type scheduling, where crowdedness in peak hours could impair the bus service level. In contrast, a high vacancy rate in offpeak hours might lead to a waste of resources. To balance efficiency and the bus service level, this paper built an electric bus scheduling model with multiple vehicle types distinguished by vehicle configurations, such as bus capacity, battery capacity, purchase cost, charging power, and electricity consumption rate. The optimization objective was to minimize the bus system costs, including bus depreciation costs, charging costs, and congestion time costs. Then, a genetic algorithm was designed to solve the model, and the model is verified by a case study of one bus line in Nanjing, China. Compared with the single-vehicle-type scheduling schemes, including large and small vehicle types, the experimental results showed that the proposed model can reduce total bus system costs by 3.52% and 6.85%, respectively. The research results can provide references for bus companies to formulate driving plans and configure vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 50-year-old man was transferred to a level I trauma center for penetrating injury. Industrial metal had penetrated his trunk, and he was injured in internal organs. The injured internal organs were treated by the trauma surgery team. The peritoneum was reconstructed with artificial dermal matrix graft. The wound was managed with negative-pressure wound therapy, and several debridement procedures were performed. The full-thickness abdominal defect was covered with monofilament polypropylene mesh(Parietene mesh, 30×30 cm). A latissimus dorsi flap was elevated with a musculocutaneous flap measured 50×30 cm, and 6-cm thoracodorsal artery pedicle. Microvascular anastomosis was performed using the thoracodorsal and left femoral arteries. Two weeks later, we performed local flap rotation based on gluteal artery perforator in the sacral area. Polypropylene mesh was successfully inserted without complications. Combining a latissimus dorsi free flap on a polypropylene mesh can be an effective method for reconstructing large penetrating wounds on the trunk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sludge-water mixture in anaerobic reactors with confined sludge, such as the upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) with anaerobic sludge confined in a sludge bed and the internal reflux packed-bed anaerobic reactor with anaerobic sludge attached to a filler, can be mixed according to the designed hydraulic dynamic process. In this study, sludge-water mixing models of an UASB and an internal reflux packed-bed anaerobic reactor were established and validated using test models reported in the literature. The sludge-water mixing in the UASB consists of an advective diffusion unit and a water complete mixing output unit connected in series. The sludge-water mixing and reaction of the internal reflux packed-bed anaerobic reactor achieved that of a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) in large-scale reflux transport mode with cycle time as the mixing time scale. The internal mixing pattern, complete mixing time, and the volume participating in complete mixing were obtained for the UASB test with hydraulic retention time (HRT)=5 , 6, 8, and 10 h by model calculation to analyze the sludge-water mixing process. Its mixing achieved that of a CSTR under higher hydraulic load, and that of a series connected two-stage CSTR in advective diffusion mode under lower hydraulic load. The model analysis for the reported internal reflux packed-bed anaerobic reactor with HRT=72 , 48, 24, 12, 6, and 0.25 days showed that there existed mixing time scales shorter than the minimum reflux cycle time adopted in the test, in which the transport of the reflux alone made the sludge-water mixing and reaction stably equivalent to that of a CSTR. Both test reactors achieved CSTR at a lower mixing intensity with a velocity of 0.40–0.80 m/h and complete mixing time scale of 1.0–1.9 h for the UASB and an available velocity of 5.0 m/h and complete mixing time scale of 0.15 h for the internal reflux packed-bed anaerobic reactor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primula denticulata subsp. sinodenticulata is an endemic medicinal plant from China; however, its resources are extremely scarce due to a lot of obstacles such as scattered distribution, long natural renewal cycle, and overexploitation for medicinal value. In this study, a rapid propagation protocol in vitro of P. denticulata subsp. sinodenticulata was established, hoping to provide a possible way for resource protection. The leaves and petioles of different ages of the plant were selected as explants, and Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium were used as the basic medium. The appropriate types and concentrations of hormones for growth were selected via a single factor, and then the effects of types and concentrations of different hormones on callus induction and cluster bud occurrence were investigated by a complete combination experiment. The study showed that the callus with a strong redifferentiation capacity was obtained from 8-to 10-day old leaves and 10- to 20-day old petioles in MS medium with 0.5 mg/l 6-benzylaminopurine (BA) and 1.0 mg/l α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) after 30 to 40 days of culture. Subsequently, green cluster bud started to appear with 100% occurrence rate. The obtained cluster bud was subcultured in the aforementioned medium with 12.67 proliferation coefficient. The optimal rooting medium was the hormone-free 1/2MS medium; the rooting rate was 100%, and the survival rate was over 95%. In this study, micropropagation of P. denticulata subsp. sinodenticulata was established, which can provide an optional method for the protection of wild resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Linear referencing and dynamic segmentation are becoming important means of geographical information system (GIS) development, along with the continuous development of GIS technology. They have specific applications to road maintenance, railway operation and maintenance, and pipeline and urban road management. However, traditional GIS technology only considers space and attributes; it cannot express time, which is an important dimension in the field of rural highway maintenance. To solve the data management problem in the construction-management-maintenanceoperation process of rural highways and data sharing problems among business systems of rural highways, as well as to facilitate the perfection of the full-process management system of rural highways, a full-process management basic data model of rural highways based on dynamic linear location was proposed in this study in accordance with their management characteristics, great cardinal number, extensive distribution, and relatively weak management. A fullprocess management dynamic linear referencing system for the construction, management, and maintenance of highways was established by combining the linear location technology and introducing the time dimension. Finally, a rural highway management system based on linear location was developed, and its convenience was verified by the basic data updating of rural highways in Xianyang City, China. Results show that the proposed full-process management basic data model can realize dynamic changes and trace management of the linear referencing system, while conforming to characteristic of data on rural highway management and maintenance. The built rural highway management system meets the dynamic management requirements of rural highways and can inquire the path information in a timely manner. The proposed management system can improve the accuracy and completeness of basic data by 12% and by 24%, respectively, in the process of concrete application, effectively solving the lag of basic data of rural highway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable development evaluation is a complicated component of system engineering. In ecological economics, capital stock stability is used to evaluate sustainability; however, previous studies have used a single indicator to evaluate natural capital, which cannot reflect the sustainability of regional development. Here, we studied the theories of ecological economics, drew lessons from ecological efficiency and carbon intensity concepts, and introduce the concepts of capital flow and capital stock to analyze the utilization efficiency of natural capital in the Yangtze River Delta. A spatial error model was used to study the influencing factors and determine the sustainable development from 2000 to 2019. The results showed that: (1) From 2000 to 2014, natural capital in the Yangtze River Delta region was intensified and had low efficiency. From 2014 to 2019, capital use gradually balanced and showed sustainable development. (2) Natural capital utilization efficiency was affected by resource conditions, industrial structure, regional location. The higher the tertiary industry proportion, the closer the location to the central city, the better the economic development foundation, the higher the natural capital utilization efficiency, and the better the sustainable development. (3) Natural capital utilization change was due to the regulatory role of the government.The One Belt One Road strategy and urban integration strategy proposed by the Chinese government have greatly changed the market structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective • This study aims to explore the effect of the multidimensional nursing intervention for pain on the pain level in patients with lower extremity arteriosclerosis obliterans. Methods • From January 2020 to April 2021, 132 patients with lower extremity arteriosclerosis obliterans in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University in China were enrolled in this prospective study. According to the random number table method, the patients were divided into the study group (n = 66; receiving multidimensional nursing intervention for pain) and the control group (n=66; receiving routine nursing intervention). The pain level, sleep quality, and claudication distance were recorded before and after the intervention. The ankle brachial index before discharge and 1, 3 and 6 months after discharge was recorded. The getting out of bed time, length of hospital stay, satisfaction with pain control, and postoperative complications were also recorded. Results • The postoperative get out of bed time and hospital stay in patients in the study group were shorter than patients in the control group (P < .05). After the intervention, the pain level was lower and sleep quality higher in the study group than in the control group (P < .05), and the limp distance in the study group was longer (P<.05). Before discharge and at 1, 3 and 6 months after discharge, the ankle brachial index in the study group was higher than in the control group (P<.05). In addition, there were significant differences between the 2 groups (P<.05). Compared with the control group (10.606%), the incidence of postoperative complications in the study group (1.515%) was lower (P<.05). Conclusions • The multidimensional nursing intervention for pain may effectively reduce pain levels, improve sleep quality, increase claudication distance and improve satisfaction with pain control, thus improving patient prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalyst-controlled site-selective activation of b- and g-methylene carbon-hydrogen (C–H) bonds of free carboxylic acids is a long-standing challenge. Here we show that, with a pair of palladium catalysts assembled with quinoline-pyridone ligands of different chelate ring sizes, it is possible to perform highly site-selective monolactonization reactions with a wide range of dicarboxylic acids, generating structurally diverse and synthetically useful g- and d-lactones via site-selective b- or g-methylene C–H activation. The remaining carboxyl group serves as a versatile linchpin for further synthetic applications, as demonstrated by the total synthesis of two natural products, myrotheciumone A and pedicellosine, from abundant dicarboxylic acids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents the conjugate ionospheric disturbances triggered by the 2011 Tohoku‐Oki reflected tsunami oceanic waves using the ground‐based Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) total electron content (TEC) observations. We found that the equatorward and westward propagating nighttime medium‐scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (MSTIDs) occurred over Japan and Australia simultaneously following the tsunami oceanic waves reflected by the Emperor Seamount Chain in the northern hemisphere. The atmospheric gravity waves driven by reflected tsunami oceanic waves are hypothesized to be the source to trigger the conjugate MSTIDs by transporting the polarization electric fields along the field line to the conjugate hemisphere. Moreover, only the southwestward propagating MSTIDs have this conjugate effect, which could be due to the wavefront orientation. The Perkins instability could also be involved in the interhemispheric coupling process. This study provides the first observational evidence that the reflected tsunami can induce conjugate ionospheric disturbances through electrodynamic forcing. Plain Language Summary: The 2011 M 9.1 Tohoku‐Oki earthquake occurred near the east coast of Honshu, Japan, unleashing a savage tsunami traveling across the Pacific Ocean and beyond. Some tsunami oceanic waves were reflected by seafloor topography in the Pacific Ocean, thus propagating backward toward Japan. These reflected tsunami oceanic waves also excited gravity waves propagating upward into the upper atmosphere, causing plasma perturbations at the atmosphere‐space interaction region above Japan. Gravity wave‐driven variations in the neutral wind can move the plasma against the Earth's magnetic field lines, thus generating currents and electric fields. Since the Earth's magnetic field lines are conductive like electric power lines, the generated electric fields can transport along the magnetic field line from Japan to the southern hemisphere, causing plasma disturbances above Australia. This study provides observational evidence that the localized tsunami can also cause space plasma perturbations in the conjugate area. Key Points: Conjugate ionospheric disturbances associated with the 2011 Tohoku reflected tsunami‐driven gravity waves are observed for the first timeReflected tsunami‐driven gravity waves cause the conjugate ionospheric disturbances through polarization electric fieldsResulting conjugate ionospheric effect depends on the propagation direction of gravity waves [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sarcomere is the contractile unit of the myofibril in striated muscles such as cardiac and skeletal muscles. The assembly of sarcomeres depends on multiple molecules that serve as raw materials and participate in the assembly process. However, the mechanism of this critical assembly process remains largely unknown. Here, we found that the cell fate determinant Numb and its homolog Numblike regulated sarcomere assembly and maintenance in striated muscles. We discovered that Numb and Numblike are sarcomeric molecules that were gradually confined to the Z-disc during striated muscle development. Conditional knockout of Numb and Numblike severely compromised sarcomere assembly and its integrity and thus caused organelle dysfunction. Notably, we identified that Numb and Numblike served as sarcomeric α-Actin-binding proteins (ABPs) and shared a conserved domain that can bind to the barbed end of sarcomeric α-Actin. In vitro fluorometric α-Actin polymerization assay showed that Numb and Numblike also played a role in the sarcomeric α-Actin polymerization process. Last, we demonstrate that Numb and Numblike regulate sarcomeric α-Actinin-dependent (ACTN-dependent) Z-disc consolidation in the sarcomere assembly and maintenance. In summary, our studies show that Numb and its homolog Numblike regulate sarcomere assembly and maintenance in striated muscles, and demonstrate a molecular mechanism by which Numb/Numblike, sarcomeric α-Actin, and ACTN cooperate to control thin filament formation and Z-disc consolidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over ten-year routine inspection results on organochlorine pesticide (OCP) residue were summarized, OCPs residues, including BHC isomers (α, β, γ, and δ-BHC), DDT analogs (p,p'-DDD, p,p'-DDE, o,p'-DDT, and p,p'-DDT), and pentachloronitrobenzene (PCNB) and its metabolites (pentachloroaniline and methyl pentachlorophenyl sulfide (MPCPS)), in 1,665 samples for 37 types of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) using the QuEChERS method coupled with the GC-ECD. Based on the maximal residue levels for OCPs set by Asian pharmacopeias, PCNB contamination in Ginseng radix as well as the total DDT and PCNB contamination in Panacis quinquefolii radix are of concern. OCP residues in different parts of Panax ginseng were also compared. The total BHC residue in leaf and fibrous root, as well as the total DDT and PCNB residue in all parts, exceeded MRL of 0.1 mg/kg. Overall, this study provided meaningful results about OCP residue in CHM for pharmaceutical industries and consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the comparison between the orbit electron density and total ion density measured by payloads of Tri-GNSS Radio-Occultation System (TGRS) and Ion Velocity Meter (IVM) onboard the FORMOSAT-7/COMSIC2 (F7/C2) satellites is presented. The collocated TGRS and IVM observations for each of the F7/C2 satellites at ~715 and ~540 km are evaluated during the whole year of 2020. Comparative analysis reveals that the TGRS and IVM density observations have high correlation coefficients of 0.92 - 0.96 for each of the F7/C2 satellites. The mean differences are around -0.03 × 104 to 0.02 × 104 cm-3 with standard deviations ranging from ~0.91 × 104 to 2.18 × 104 cm-3, demonstrating a good agreement between the independent TGRS and IVM observations. Furthermore, the collocated observations are utilized to examine the global spatial and temporal variations of the topside ionosphere. The results show that the morphologies of the topside ionosphere in TGRS orbit electron density are nearly identical to the IVM ion density, suggesting that both F7/C2 payloads reliably produce accurate topside ionosphere observations. We found that the TGRS orbit electron density tends to be 10 - 30% smaller than the IVM ion density in the daytime equatorial ionosphere region at both high and low orbits, but the density differences become smaller of approximately -30 - 0% during the nighttime. These density differences could be due to the error caused by the spherical symmetry assumption in TGRS orbit electron density estimation. Observing system simulation experiments are further performed to evaluate the relative errors between the TGRS and IVM density observations at high and low orbits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radio blackout during the re-entry has puzzled the aerospace industry for decades and has not yet been completely resolved. To achieve a continuous data link in the spacecraft's re-entry period, a simple and practicable communication method is proposed on the basis that (1) the electromagnetic-wave backscatter of the plasma sheath affects the voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) of the antenna, and the backscatter is negatively correlated to transmission components, and (2) the transmission attenuation caused by the plasma sheath reduces the channel capacity. We detect the voltage standing wave ratio changes of the antenna and then adjust the information rate to accommodate the varying channel capacity, thus guaranteeing continuous transmission (for fewer critical data). The experiment was carried out in a plasma generator with an 18-cm-thick and 30-cm-diameter hollow propagation path, and the adaptive communication was implemented using spread spectrum frequency, shift key modulation with a variable spreading factor. The experimental results indicate that, when the over-threshold of VSWR was detected, the bit rate reduced to 250 bps from 4Mbps automatically and the tolerated plasma density increased by an order of magnitude, which validates the proposed scheme. The proposed method has little additional cost, and the adaptive control does not require a feedback channel. The method is therefore applicable to data transmission in a single direction, such as that of a one-way telemetry system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The age-stage, two-sex life table was used to determine the effects of the novel ketoponic acid insecticide, spirotetramat, on Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) at a concentration of 30mg/L. The results showed that the egg hatch rate was significantly decreased. In addition, the duration of the egg stage was decreased by one day compared to the control cohort. The preadult duration, adult longevity, pre-oviposition period, and total pre-oviposition period of the spirotetramat-treated cohort were all shortened, as were the preadult survival rate, mean fecundity, and net reproductive rate. No significant differences were found in the finite rate of increase and intrinsic rate of increase between the spirotetramat-treated and control cohorts. However, our population projection based on basic data (i.e., survival rate, developmental rate, and fecundity) showed that the population size of F. occidentalis was lower in the spirotetramat-treated cohort than in the control cohort. Our results showed that treatment with spirotetramat (30mg/L) suppressed the population growth of F. occidentalis. Furthermore, by using basic life table data to project population growth, we were able to distinguish differences between the projected growth of the two populations despite not finding a significant difference in their intrinsic rate of increase or finite rate of increase. This novel insecticide can be considered as a suitable candidate for inclusion in pest management programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a common complication of diabetes. Acteoside is the main component of Rehmannia glutinosa leaves that shows renal protective effects. This study aimed to explore the protective role of acteoside on podocytes in DKD. Mouse podocyte cell line MPC-5 was stimulated with advanced glycation end products (AGEs) to establish an in vitro DKD model and, then, treated with or without acteoside. The expression levels of miR-27a, PPAR (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor), and β-catenin were measured at 24 h and 48 h posttreatment. Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: control; DKD; A-1 (DKD + low dose acteoside); A-2 (DKD + medium dose acteoside); and A-3 (DKD + high dose acteoside). The blood and urine biochemical indexes and the renal expressions of miR-27a, PPAR-1γ, and β-catenin were detected. Compared with the control group, the expressions of α-SMA, Snail-1, miR-27a, and β-catenin in AGE-stimulated cells were significantly higher. The effects of acteoside intervention significantly downregulated their expression in AGE-challenged group. The levels of PPAR and synaptopodin in AGE-stimulated cells were significantly lower than those in the control group, whereas acteoside treatment significantly restored the expressions of these genes. Acteoside alleviated podocyte injury by downregulating miR-27a expression, rescuing the reduction of PPARγ, and inhibiting the activation of β-catenin signaling in the kidney tissues of DKD rats. Acteoside ameliorated podocyte injury in DKD by inhibiting the activation of PPARγ/β- catenin signaling pathway and this process might involve the regulation of miR-27a expression. Our findings suggest a therapeutic potential of acteoside in treating podocyte injury in DKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate changes in neurological function and endothelin (ET) levels in cerebral infarction patients treated with combination of urinary kallidinogenase and edaravone. Methods: Two groups of acute cerebral infarction patients on admission in our hospital from May 2017 to July 2019 were enrolled in this study. The control group (44 patients) received edaravone, while the study group (44 patients) was given urinary kallidinogenase combined with edaravone. Hemorheological indices, NIHSS scores, cerebral edema area, and ET levels, as well as the clinical effects of the treatments were compared. Incidence of major cerebrovascular adverse events during the 26-month follow-up period after treatment was recorded. Results: Compared with the control group, the study group exhibited increase in shear whole blood viscosity, high shear whole blood viscosity and fibrinogen levels after the treatment (p < 0.05); however, lower NIHSS score, ET level and brain edema area were observed in the study group (p < 0.05). Total treatment effectiveness in the study and control groups was 95.45 and 79.55 %, respectively (p < 0.05). Fewer adverse cerebrovascular events were observed in patients in the study group (11.36 vs 29.55 %, p < 0.05). Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis revealed a mean event-free period of 16.12 months for the study group and 12.41 months for the control group (X2 = 14.868, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Urinary kallidinogenase combined with edaravone treatment yields a favorable effect in optimizing the hemorheological indices of cerebral infarction patients, reducing the degree of neurological deficits, and elevating ET levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Naval Research Laboratory first-principles ionosphere model SAMI3/ESF is performed to study the interaction between the nighttime medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (MSTIDs) and equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs). The synthetic dynamo currents are imposed into the potential equation to induce polarization electric fields for generating the MSTIDs. Simulations demonstrate that the MSTIDs can inhibit the upward growth of EPBs; however, MSTIDs alone are insufficient to explain the disappearance of EPBs. We found that the meridional winds likely contribute to the disappearance of MSTIDs by reducing the background electron density and polarization electric fields within the EPBs. Then, the MSTIDs transport plasma to fill the EPB depletions up via E × B drifts. Both MSTIDs and meridional winds are necessary to comprehend the underlying mechanism of EPB disappearance. Additionally, we also found that the zonal and vertical E × B drifts within the MSTIDs affect the morphology of EPBs, leading to a reverse-C shape structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents findings of the study related to Arginine methyltransferase PRMT5 negatively regulates cGAS-mediated antiviral immune response. It mentions that findings revealed an essential regulatory effect of PRMT5 on cGAS mediated antiviral immune response and provided a promising potential antiviral strategy by modulating PRMT5.

Context.--Serosal involvement (pT4a category) and lymphovascular invasion have prognostic significance in colorectal carcinoma, but are subject to interobserver variation in assessment. Objectives.--To provide the first large-scale assessment of interobserver variability in pT4a category and lymphovascular invasion reporting in real-world practice and to explore the impact of information from guidelines on variability in reporting these features. Design.--Analysis of 1555 consecutive synoptic reports of colorectal carcinoma was performed using multivariate logistic regression. Interobserver variability before and after the presentation of guideline information was assessed using an image-based survey. Results.--Significant differences in the odds of reporting pT4a versus pT3 category, detecting lymphovascular invasion of any type, and detecting large vessel invasion were identified among hospital sites and for individual pathologists compared with the median pathologist at the same site. Consistent with these results, interobserver agreement was only moderate in the image-based survey regarding T4a staging and lymphovascular invasion (all κ ≤ 0.57). The provision of information from guidelines did not tend to increase interobserver agreement in the survey, though responses in favor of using an elastic stain increased following recommendations for their use. However, when observers were provided with elasticstained images, interobserver agreement remained only moderate (κ = 0.55). Conclusions.--Real-world reporting of pT4a category and lymphovascular invasion shows substantial variability at both local and regional levels. Our study underscores the need to address these features in quality initiatives, and provides a novel method through which existing synoptic data can be harnessed to monitor reporting patterns and provide individualized feedback. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The B←N unit has a large dipole and it is isoelectronic to C−C moiety with no dipole. Incorporating B←N units into π‐conjugated system is a powerful strategy to design organic small molecules and polymers with intriguing opto‐electronic properties and excellent opto‐electronic device performance. However, it is unclear how the B←N unit affects electronic structures and opto‐electronic properties of large π‐conjugated molecules. In this work, to address this question, we developed three dibenzo‐azaacene molecules in which two B←N units were introduced at different positions. Although the dibenzo‐azaacene skeleton is fully π‐conjugated, the effect of B←N unit on the electronic structures of the adjacent rings is much stronger than that of the distant rings. As a result, the three molecules with isomerized B←N incorporation patterns possess different electronic structures and exhibit tunable opto‐electronic properties. Among the three molecules, the centrosymmetrical molecule exhibits higher LUMO/HOMO energy levels than those of the two axisymmetrical molecules. When used as the active layer in organic field‐effect transistors (OFETs), while the two axisymmetrical molecules show unipolar electron transporting property, the centrosymmetrical molecule exhibits ambipolar hole and electron transporting behavior. This work not only deepens our understanding on organoboron π‐conjugated molecules, but also indicates a new strategy to tune opto‐electronic properties of organic semiconductors for excellent device performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuberculosis has become a great global public health threat. Compared with drug-susceptible tuberculosis (TB), the treatment regimens for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) involve more severe adverse events and poorer treatment outcomes. Linezolid (LZD) is the first oxazolidinones used for TB. Thanks to its potent activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, LZD has become one of the key agents in the regimens against MDR/XDR-TB. However, this drug may cause intolerability and other adverse events. Contezolid, another novel oxazolidinone, can also inhibit M. tuberculosis, still with fewer adverse effects compared with LZD. This paper is to prospect the potentials of contezolid in the treatment of MDR/XDR-TB, with focus on its efficacy and possible adverse effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic compounds with selective near‐infrared absorption and visible transparency are very desirable for fabrication of transparent/semitransparent optoelectronic devices. Herein, we develop a molecule with selective near‐infrared absorption property, QBNA‐O, in which four B←N units are incorporated to the core and two benzodioxin groups are introduced at the termini of the dibenzo‐azaacene skeleton. QBNA‐O exhibits a small optical gap of 1.39 eV due to the strong electron‐donating benzodioxin groups and the strong electron‐withdrawing B←N units. In toluene solution, QBNA‐O shows a strong absorption peak at 856 nm with the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of only 41 nm as well as very weak absorption in the visible range from 380 nm to 760 nm. Thin films of QBNA‐O exhibit the average visible transparency (AVT) of 78 % at the thickness of 205 nm and 90 % at the thickness of 45 nm. Solution‐processed organic field‐effect transistors (OFETs) of QBNA‐O display ambipolar transporting behavior with the electron mobility of 0.52 cm2 V−1 s−1 and the hole mobility of 0.013 cm2 V−1 s−1 together with excellent air‐stability. The selective NIR absorbing property and excellent charge transporting property imply that QBNA‐O can be used to fabricate transparent organic optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Esophageal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) can be a curative treatment for superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SESCC). However, it is unclear whether the development of metachronous recurrence after ESD may be explained based on several risk factors. This study aimed to assess the incidence and the risk factors of metachronous recurrence of SESCC after ESD. This retrospective analysis was conducted at Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea, from April 2007 to May 2018. Two hundred and fifty-three SESCC patients treated with ESD were followed using surveillance endoscopy after the procedure. Risk factors for metachronous esophageal SCC were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox's proportional hazards model. Metachronous esophageal SCCs were found in 21 (8.3%) of the 253 patients. Six patients (2.4%) with extraesophageal recurrence such as lymph node metastasis confirmed by imaging were excluded from patients with metachronous recurrence and data were censored from the recurrence date. Univariate analysis revealed that the presence of many (>10) irregularly shaped multiform Lugol-voiding lesions (LVLs) around the main lesion, margin of the main LVL, and tumor differentiation were risk factors for the development of metachronous cancer. Multivariate analysis also revealed that many (>10) LVLs (hazard ratio [HR], 6.32; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.62–24.72; p = 0.047) and unclear or spiculated margin of the main LVL (HR, 6.51; 95% CI, 1.44–29.42; p = 0.029) were associated with the risk of metachronous recurrence. Metachronous esophageal SCC develops in patients treated with ESD for SESCC. A risk assessment is important for surveillance before and after ESD for SESCC. Number of LVLs and tumor edge type are associated with an increased risk of metachronous cancer in SESCC. Patients will benefit from careful endoscopic surveillance when endoscopists pay attention to these tumor characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s): To investigate the protective effect of S-nitrosoglutathione (SNG) pretreatment on acute lung injury (ALI) in septic rats. Materials and Methods: We constructed a rat model of sepsis by cecal ligation and perforation (CLP), and randomly divided into Sham, CLP, and CLP+SNG (0.25 and 0.5 mg/kg) groups. We used H&E staining and lung wet/dry ratio to assess the severity of lung injury, detected the levels of protein and cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and the levels of TNF-a, IL-1ß, TLR4 mRNA, and NF-κB p65 mRNA in the lung tissue, and assessed the levels of glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and catalase in the lung tissue. Results: A rat model of sepsis was successfully constructed by CLP, and pretreatment of SNG significantly increased the survival of septic rats (P<0.001) and decreased the lung tissue injury scores (P<0.001) and lung wet/dry ratio (P<0.01) in a dose-dependent manner. Furtherly, SNG pretreatment significantly reduced the number of total cells, total protein, neutrophils, and lympholytes (all P<0.001) in BALF, and which also decreased the levels of TNF-a, IL-1ß, TLR4 mRNA, and NF-κB p65 mRNA (all P<0.001) in the lungs of CLP-induced rats. Moreover, pretreatment of SNG significantly increased the levels of anti-oxidant enzymes GSH, SOD, GSH-Px, and catalase (all P<0.001) in the lung tissue of septic rats. Conclusion: SNG pretreatment has a protective effect on ALI in septic rats, and the specific mechanism may be related to anti-endotoxic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidative properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinically unpredictable retention following fat grafting remains outstanding problems because of the unrevealed mechanism of grafted fat survival. The role of autophagy, a process to maintain cellular homeostasis through recycling cellular debris, has yet been to be reported in fat grafting. This study aims to improve the survival of fat grafting through the autophagy. First, the relationship between cell death and autophagy in the early stage of fat grafting was evaluated through immunostaining, RNA sequencing, and western blot. Next, rapamycin, an autophagic agonist, was used for the culturing of adipose-derived stem cells and adipocytes during ischemia. Cell death, autophagy, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were assayed. Finally, rapamycin was used to assist fat grafting in nude mice. The results demonstrated that the peak of cell death at the early stage of fat grafting was accompanied by a decrease in autophagy. In vitro, during ischemia, 25 nM was confirmed as the optimal dose of rapamycin that reduces cell death with enhanced autophagy and mitophagy, improved mitochondrial quality as well as decreased ROS accumulation. In vivo, promoted mitophagy, alleviated oxidative stress, and decreased cell apoptosis of rapamycin-treated fat grafts were observed in the early stage. In addition, rapamycin increased the survival of fat grafts with increased neovascularization and reduced fibrosis. We suggested that moderate autophagy induced by rapamycin contribute to enhanced ischemic tolerance and long term survival of fat grafts through mitochondrial quality control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case report describes the presentation, workup, and management of a 73-year-old patient with multifocal extranodal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. The MALT lymphoma was identified through a process that began with routine fecal immunochemical testing, which is recommended in BC for screening averagerisk patients for colorectal cancer. The fecal immunochemical test (FIT) used for screening requires the patient to submit a stool sample collected at home using a simple kit. The sample is then analyzed for the presence of blood. However, because bleeding can occur with benign pathologies such as hemorrhoids, inflammatory bowel disease, and vascular lesions, further investigation is required when certain pathologies are found on colonoscopy done in the colon screening program. In this case, investigation included esophagograstroduodenoscopy and CT imaging. The results from all investigations eventually led to the detection of a rare gastric cancer. Despite the patient being from a part of the world with high rates of endemic Helicobacter pylori, the MALT lymphoma identified was not associated with H. pylori and was probably related to a systemic inflammatory disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The Wannan Black pig is a typical Chinese indigenous, disease-resistant pig breed with high fertility, and a crude-feed tolerance that has been bred by artificial selection in the south of Anhui province for a long time. However, genome variation, genetic relationships with other pig breeds, and domestication, remain poorly understood. Here, we focus on elucidating the genetic characteristics of the Wannan Black pig and identifying selection signatures during domestication and breeding. Methods: We identified the whole-genome variation in the Wannan Black pig and performed population admixture analyses to determine genetic relationships with other domesticated pig breeds and wild boars. Then, we identified the selection signatures between the Wannan Black pig and Asian wild boars in 100-kb windows sliding in 10 kb steps by using two approaches: the fixation index (FST) and p ratios. Results: Resequencing the Wannan Black pig genome yielded 501.52 G of raw data. After calling single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) and insertions/deletions (InDels), we identified 21,316,754 SNVs and 5,067,206 InDels (2,898,582 inserts and 2,168,624 deletions). Additionally, we found genes associated with growth, immunity, and digestive functions. Conclusion: Our findings help in explaining the unique genetic and phenotypic characteristics of Wannan Black pigs, which in turn can be informative for future breeding programs of Wannan Black pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim of the Study: The role of direct‑acting oral anticoagulants in the treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in cancer patients compared with the current standard of low‑molecular‑weight heparin (LMWH) treatment remains unclear. This meta‑analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of direct factor Xa inhibitors compared with those of LMWH in the treatment of cancer‑associated VTE. Materials and Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane library, and Web of Science for potential randomized controlled clinical trials and retrospective cohort studies. Data on recurrent VTE (efficacy) and major and minor bleeding events (safety) were extracted, and the odds risks (OR) were analyzed using a random‑effect model. Results: A total of nine studies involving 4208 cancer patients with VTE were included in these analyses. Pooled analysis showed that direct factor Xa inhibitors were significantly superior to LMWH in reducing the risk of recurrent VTE (OR = 0.67; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.54–0.82). There was no significant difference in the rate of major bleeding between the direct factor Xa inhibitor and LMWH treatments (OR = 1.25; 95% CI: 0.94–1.65). However, the rate of minor bleeding events was higher when a direct factor Xa inhibitor was used instead of LMWH (OR = 1.80; 95% CI: 1.05–3.07). Conclusions: Direct factor Xa inhibitors are superior to LMWH in efficacy in the treatment of VTE in cancer patients, and the safety between the two regimens is comparable except for a slightly higher rate of minor bleeding when the former is used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: Proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use may alter the gut microbiome and increase the risk of cholangitis. However, the association of PPI use with the risk of incident cholangitis has not been evaluated. Aim: To evaluate whether PPI use was associated with a higher risk of cholangitis. Methods: This cohort study included a nationwide representative sample of the Korean general population followed up for 10 years (1 January 2003 to 31 December 2013). PPI use was identified from treatment claims and considered as a time‐varying variable. Incident cholangitis was identified from hospitalisation and out‐patient visit claims. Results: During 4 212 003 person‐years of follow‐up, 58,863 participants had at least one PPI prescription and 1 834 participants developed cholangitis. The age‐, sex‐, residential area‐ and income‐adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for incident cholangitis comparing PPI use with non‐use was 6.06 (95% CI, 4.64‐7.91). The association was essentially unchanged in fully adjusted models (HR 5.75; 95% CI, 4.39‐7.54). The risk was highest during PPI treatment and decreased gradually after PPI discontinuation (Ptrend <.001). Conclusions: In this large cohort, PPI use was associated with an increased risk of cholangitis. Physicians prescribing PPIs should consider cholangitis as a potential complication of PPI use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-9 has been reported to regulate energy balance in vivo. However, the mechanisms underlying BMP9-mediated regulation of energy balance remain incompletely understood. Here, we investigated the role of BMP9 in energy metabolism. In the current study, we found that hepatic BMP9 expression was down-regulated in insulin resistance (IR) mice and in patients who are diabetic. In mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD), the overexpression of hepatic BMP9 improved glucose tolerance and IR. The expression of gluconeogenic genes was down-regulated, whereas the level of insulin signaling molecule phosphorylation was increased in the livers of Adenovirus-BMP9-treated mice and glucosamine-treated hepatocytes. Furthermore, BMP9 overexpression ameliorated triglyceride accumulation and inhibited the expression of lipogenic genes in both human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells treated with a fatty acid mixture as well as the livers of HFD-fed mice. In hepatocytes isolated from sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP)-1c knockout mice, the effects of BMP9 were ablated. Mechanistically, BMP9 inhibited SREBP-1c expression through the inhibition of liver X receptor response element 1 activity in the SREBP-1c promoter. Taken together, our results show that BMP9 is an important regulator of hepatic glucose and lipid metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has been widely applied in superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SESCC) as a minimally invasive treatment, which has advantages over surgery, especially in the elderly who have high risk of surgery. This study elucidated the efficacy and safety of ESD for SESCC in the elderly.Methods: Between April 2007 and June 2016, a total of 176 patients with SESCC treated with ESD were analyzed. Clinical outcomes including En bloc, complete, and curative resection rates, procedure-related complication rates, and cumulative recurrence rates were compared between the elderly (n = 46, ≥70 years of age) and the non-elderly groups (n = 130, <70 years of age).Results: Between the two groups, sex, past medical history (hypertension and diabetes), body mass index, tumor characteristics (number, location, shape, maximal and circumferential size of the tumor and the resected specimen, and depth), and use of stricture prevention except for age (elderly vs non-elderly; 74.1 ± 2.78 vs. 61.1 ± 6.06 years, p < 0.001) did not differ. En bloc resection (elderly vs. non-elderly; 93.5 vs. 93.8%, p = 1.000), complete resection (elderly vs. non-elderly; 69.6 vs. 76.2%, p = 0.433), and curative resection rates (elderly vs. non-elderly; 54.3 vs. 60.0%, p = 0.602) did not differ significantly between the two groups. Procedure time and hospital stay were also similar between the two groups. Complications of ESD such as stricture (17.4 vs. 10.8%, p = 0.299) and perforation (13.0 vs. 6.2%, p = 0.083) occurred at a similar rate in the elderly and non-elderly groups. After curative ESD, cumulative recurrence rate of the elderly group (0%) did not differ significantly to that of the non-elderly group (5.1%) by the log-rank test (p = 0.307).Conclusion: ESD for SESCC is effective and safe in elderly patients as in non-elderly patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Internet of Vehicles, establishing swap zones in which vehicles can exchange pseudonyms is an effective method to enhance vehicles' location privacy. In this article, we propose a new scheme based on dynamic pseudonym swap zone, to protect location privacy of vehicles. For each vehicle, dynamic pseudonym swap zone allows it dynamically to establish a temporary pseudonym swap zone on demand to exchange the pseudonym with another random vehicle in the just formed zone. This randomness of choosing the pseudonym exchanging vehicles prevents dynamic pseudonym swap zone from the secure risk that the information of exchanging participants exposes to their group manager in some existing works in which each pair of pseudonym exchanging participants is assigned by the manager. To avoid the high communication and computation overhead of frequently swapping pseudonyms, dynamic pseudonym swap zone adopts a combination of swap and update to achieve the unlinkability between new and previous pseudonyms. Moreover, dynamic pseudonym swap zone can self-adapt to the varying surroundings to reduce the communication cost of forming pseudonym swap zones in high vehicle density areas. The analysis and simulation results show that our proposed dynamic pseudonym swap zone is a high location privacy preserving, secure, auditable scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microthrix parvicella is a filamentous bacterium that frequently causes severe bulking events in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) worldwide. In this study, sludge properties and dynamics of filamentous bacteria in a Beijing WWTP seasonally suffering from M. parvicella bulking were continuously monitored over a duration of 15 months, and the correlations between M. parvicella and operating parameters were evaluated. The predominance of M. parvicella was observed at low temperatures (14-18.8 °C) with the relative abundance of around 30% (estimated by both qPCR and FISH analysis). Using micromanipulation technology, 545 filaments of M. parvicella were micromanipulated from bulking sludge (SVI>180 mL g-1) on six different media. After 3-month purification and enrichment, six strains, phylogenetically closely related to Candidatus Microthrix parvicella, were successfully acquired on R2A medium (20 °C) in pure cultures. Considering the limitation and extremely slow growth rate of M. parvicella filaments, newly isolated strains represent valuable sources for further investigations on the physiology and behavior of this filamentous bacterium, with the focus on the establishment of bulking control strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this manuscript, we report a disk-type polyarene consisting of an all-hexagon π-framework and four B←N units. It exhibits intriguing electronic structures and opto-electronic properties, such as locally modulated (anti)aromaticity, strong red fluorescence and n-type semiconductor characteristics, thus representing a new kind of π-molecule containing B←N units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of controlling two parallel interconnected asynchronous sequential machines (ASMs) by a single corrective controller is studied. The objective is to realise immediate recovery against transient faults that cause unauthorised state transitions to each ASM. Since only output feedback is available to the controller, the correction procedure must be able to accommodate state uncertainty underlying the composite machine. A computationally efficient scheme of controller synthesis is presented in the framework of corrective control theory. To validate the practicality of the scheme, the authors apply the proposed controller to a faulty asynchronous FPGA system in parallel connection. Experimental results confirm the instantaneous fault recovery of the closed-loop system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a wide band gap semiconductor material silicon carbide, with a stable chemical properties and good thermal conductivity of physical properties, in addition to the mechanical properties of the material also has a strong advantage. In order to explore more scientific and practical nanomaterials, this paper studies the preparation process of silicon carbide nanomaterials and the optical characterization of the materials, and analyzes the properties of the materials, 3C-SiC nanowires and 3C-SiC micron polyhedra, XRD patterns, infrared spectra, Raman spectra, thermogravimetric curves and room temperature photoluminescence spectra. By studying the experimental results of optical properties, it is concluded that silicon carbide products have great application prospect in optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article in view of the Compound 1 to Compound 6 (six) kinds of organic small molecule photovoltaic material preparation, thermal properties, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, electrochemical properties and its ontology with PC60BM heterostructure of solar cell device is analyzed, in order to explore the performance differences of different organic small molecules, provide theoretical guidance for the preparation and development of photovoltaic materials. The results show that increase in the compound rigid structure helps to improve its thermal stability. The UV absorption spectra and fluorescence spectra of organic photovoltaic small molecules are mainly determined by receptor units, when the receptor cell contains three different kinds of donor cells of organic small molecule optical performance difference is not very big, and the UV absorption spectrum of DPP series is wider than that of the benzothiadiazole series. The bandgap size of the six compounds containing triphenylamine depends mainly on the narrow band gap in the small molecule; the triphenylamine is stronger than the carbazole hole transport capacity and fluorene, but its solubility is relatively poor; the DPP series of optical performance and benzothiadiazole is better, but the PV performance is not as benzothiadiazole series. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to solve the problem of aggregation and quenching of fluorescent materials, four kinds of zinc complexes of Schiff base were designed and synthesized, and the IR spectra and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy were analyzed. The photo-physical properties of ligands and complexes were analyzed. The results show that the four complexes have good aggregation-induced luminescence enhancement properties. The oxidation potentials of the four complexes are, respectively, the energy gap obtained by UV absorption, and the four complexes level is located in between the energy level, so the four complexes can be used for hole transport materials, can also be used for electronic transmission materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the study, we investigate determinants of individual fishing quota (IFQ) lease price and transfer of permanent share in the General Category Scallop fishery of the Northeastern United States. A unique micro data set on individual IFQ transactions and related vessel-level fishing profit information for the six-year time period, fishing years 2010–2015, was used to estimate models of aggregate IFQ lease markets and individual transactions. We find that IFQ lease price is affected by the marginal profit of scallop fishing as well as macro-economic conditions. Results of the analysis also suggest that the price for IFQ asset transfers captures the capitalized profits in the fishery over time. Overall, IFQ market performance is in general agreement with economic theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type-2 fuzzy sets characterized by three-dimensional membership functions that are themselves fuzzy have been attracting many interests in recent years. Type-2 fuzzy sets can simultaneously handle randomness and fuzziness until final decision-making. Fuzzy K-nearest neighbor classifier is commonly used for pattern classification, and it generally performs on the Euclidean metric space. In this study, we will explore the effectiveness of an addressed interval type-2 fuzzy K-nearest neighbor classifier (IT2FKNNC) in four distance metric spaces. Three benchmark hyperspectral image datasets with hundreds of dimensions are employed to evaluate the performance of some KNN type classifiers. The experimental results show that the IT2FKNNC outperforms other classifiers in the four distance spaces. Importantly, we find that classifiers perform better in the cosine and cityblock distance spaces than in the Euclidean distance space for high-dimensional data classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fibrolamellar carcinoma is a rare primary hepatocellular malignancy arising in noncirrhotic livers of young individuals. Patients commonly present with a large solitary liver mass and nonspecific symptoms. Characteristic histologic features include large polygonal cells with oncocytic cytoplasm and prominent nucleoli separated into trabeculae and cords by dense parallel bands of collagen. Important differential diagnoses include classical hepatocellular carcinoma and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, which may be distinguished by a judicious panel of immunohistochemical studies, including cytokeratin 7, CD68, and hepatocyte paraffin 1 (HepPar-1). In addition, fibrolamellar carcinomas are characterized by activation of protein kinase A. Prognosis of fibrolamellar carcinoma is similar to classical hepatocellular carcinoma occurring in the absence of liver cirrhosis and is strongly correlated with tumor resectability. Other treatment options include liver transplant, chemotherapy, and hepatic artery embolization. In this article, we review the clinical features, gross and microscopic pathology, molecular genetics, differential diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of this rare and interesting tumor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Asian-Australian monsoon (AAM) has far-reaching impacts on global and local climate. Accurate simulations of AAM precipitation and its variabilities are of scientific and social importance, yet remain a great challenge in climate modeling. The present study assesses the performance of the newly developed Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology Earth System Model version 3 (NESMv3), together with that of 20 Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 (CMIP5) models, in the simulation of AAM climatology, its major modes of variability, and their relationships with El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). It is concluded that NESMv3 (1) reproduces, well, the observed features of AAM annual mean precipitation; (2) captures the solstice mode (the first annual cycle mode) of AAM realistically, but has difficulty in simulating the equinox mode (the second annual cycle mode) of AAM; (3) underestimates the monsoon precipitation intensity over the East Asian subtropical frontal zone, but overestimates that over the tropical western North Pacific; (4) faithfully reproduces the first season-reliant empirical orthogonal function (SEOF) mode of AAM precipitation and the associated circulation anomalies, as well as its relationship with ENSO turnabout, although the correlation is underestimated. Precipitation anomaly patterns of the second SEOF mode and its relationship with El Nino are poorly simulated by NESMv3 and most of the CMIP5 models as well, indicating that the monsoon variability prior to the ENSO onset is difficult to reproduce. In general, NESMv3's performance in simulating AAM precipitation ranks among the top or above-average compared with the 20 CMIP5 models. Better simulation of East Asian summer monsoon and western Pacific subtropical high remains a major target for future improvement, in order to provide a reliable tool to understand and predict AAM precipitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]