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Although it is generally assumed that face recognition relies on holistic processing, whether face recognition deficits observed in Developmental Prosopagnosics (DPs) can be explained by impaired holistic processing is currently under debate. The mixed findings from past studies could be the consequence of DP’s heterogeneous deficit nature and the use of different measures of holistic processing—the inversion, part-whole, and composite tasks—which showed a poor association among each other. The present study aimed to gain further insight into the role of holistic processing in DPs. Groups of DPs and neurotypicals completed three tests measuring holistic face processing and non-face objects (i.e., Navon task). At a group level, DPs showed (1) diminished, but not absent, inversion and part-whole effects, (2) comparable magnitudes of the composite face effect and (3) global precedence effect in the Navon task. However, single-case analyses showed that these holistic processing deficits in DPs are heterogeneous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wood-rotting fungi are organisms that can decompose wood substrates and extract nutrients from them to support their growth. They play a crucial role in the material cycle of forest ecosystems. The genus Pluteus plays a significant role in wood decomposition. In this study, the morphology and molecular systematics of the sect. Celluloderma of the genus Pluteus were carried out. Pluteus brunneodiscus was identified as a new species, along with the discovery of two new records, P. cystidiosus and P. chrysophlebius, and a common species, P. romellii. Pluteus brunneodiscus is characterized by the brown center of the pileus that transitions to white towards the margins, with the surface cracking to form irregular granules. It is typically found in Populus forests growing on decomposing twigs or wood chips. Line drawings, color photographs, and phylogenetic analyses of related species within the genus Pluteus accompany the descriptions of these four species. The analyses are based on ITS + TEF1-α sequence data. Finally, a key for the twenty species within the sect. Celluloderma of the genus Pluteus, which has been documented in China, is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cambridge Face Memory Test (CFMT) is one of the most important measures of individual differences in face recognition and for the diagnosis of prosopagnosia. Having two different CFMT versions using a different set of faces seems to improve the reliability of the evaluation. However, at the present time, there is only one Asian version of the test. In this study, we present the Cambridge Face Memory Test – Chinese Malaysian (CFMT-MY), a novel Asian CFMT using Chinese Malaysian faces. In Experiment 1, Chinese Malaysian participants (N = 134) completed two versions of the Asian CFMT and one object recognition test. The CFMT-MY showed a normal distribution, high internal reliability, high consistency and presented convergent and divergent validity. Additionally, in contrast to the original Asian CFMT, the CFMT-MY showed an increasing level of difficulties across stages. In Experiment 2, Caucasian participants (N = 135) completed the two versions of the Asian CFMT and the original Caucasian CFMT. Results showed that the CFMT-MY exhibited the other-race effect. Overall, the CFMT-MY seems to be suitable for the diagnosis of face recognition difficulties and could be used as a measure of face recognition ability by researchers who wish to examine face-related research questions such as individual differences or the other-race effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a common complication after surgical anesthesia, mainly manifested as memory impairment, decreased attention, and cognitive function with mood and personality changes. Activated microglia (M1-type microglia) have been demonstrated to release inflammatory substances (IL-1β, TNF-α, etc.) that cause neuronal degeneration and death by activating the NF-κB signaling pathway and upregulating Caspase-3 and Bax. However, the pathogenesis of POCD is still not fully understood and needs further research. In the present study, we investigated the effect of M1-type microglia-derived extracellular vesicles (EVsM1−Microglia) in the pathological process of POCD. The levels of NF-κB phosphorylation and IL-1β protein expression in hippocampal neurons were significantly increased in the Surgery group, while PSD95 and MAP2 were significantly decreased. Surgery induced microglia activation, synapse-associated protein decrease, and neuronal degeneration in hippocampus. And the amount of spine and mushroom spine significantly decreased in surgical mice, which was reverted in the presence of IL-1R1 siRNA. In addition, EVsM1−Microglia promoted synaptic loss and neuron degeneration independent of surgery and microglia activation. Furthermore, EVsM1−Microglia promoted memory defects in surgical mice. We demonstrated that EVsM1−Microglia with high expression of IL-1R1 promote POCD development by regulating neuronal inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C17H13F4NO4, monoclinic, P21/n (no. 14), a = 5.470(4) Å, b = 26.141(17) Å, c = 11.689(8) Å, β = 90.01°, V = 1671.3(19) Å3, Z = 4, R gt (F) = 0.0612, w R ref (F2) = 0.1650, T = 296(2) K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While it is generally accepted that holistic processing facilitates face recognition, recent studies suggest that poor recognition might also arise from imprecise perception of local features in the face. This study aimed to examine to what extent holistic and featural processing relates to individual differences in face recognition ability (FRA), during face learning (Experiment 1) and face recognition (Experiment 2). Participants performed two tasks: (1) The "Cambridge Face Memory Test-Chinese" which measured participants' FRAs, and (2) an "old/new recognition memory test" encompassing whole faces (preserving holistic and featural processing) and faces revealed through a dynamic aperture (impairing holistic processing but preserving featural processing). Our results showed that participants recognised faces more accurately in conditions when holistic information was preserved, than when it is impaired. We also show that the better use of holistic processing during face learning and face recognition was associated with better FRAs. However, enhanced featural processing during recognition, but not during learning, was related to better FRAs. Together, our findings demonstrate that good face recognition depends on distinct roles played by holistic and featural processing at different stages of face recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A composite luminescent material consisting of perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) and MOF-5 using an in-situ growth method. The preparation of MOF-5 as a growth template was achieved via hydrothermal synthesis, with the addition of CTAB/TMB as a stencil agent to facilitate the formation of pores with an appropriate size. Subsequently, CsPbBr3 QDs were grown in situ on the MOF under mechanical grinding conditions. The prepared CsPbBr3@MOF-5 composite materials were characterized by various analytical techniques including BET, XRD, PL, TEM, SEM, and EDS. The results revealed that the average size of PQDs was only 4.9 nm, and the corresponding emission peak exhibited a blue shift of 11 nm. The photoluminescence intensity (PL) of CsPbBr3@MOF-5 was increased by 71% compared to the unmodified sample, and photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of solid powder increased to 48%. This is due to the fact that MOF-5 reduces the surface defects of quantum dots. Additionally, the Significantly improved PQDs stability after compounding MOF, both at room temperature and under thermal stress. These findings highlight the potential of this synthetic strategy as a means of preparing ultra-small composite light-emitting materials, with promising applications in LED and optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding nanodiamond structures is of great scientific and practical interest. It has been a long-standing challenge to unravel the complexity underlying nanodiamond structures and to resolve the controversies surrounding their polymorphic forms. Here, we use transmission electron microscopy with high-resolution imaging, electron diffraction, multislice simulations, and other supplementary techniques to study the impacts of small sizes and defects on cubic diamond nanostructures. The experimental results show that common cubic diamond nanoparticles display the (200) forbidden reflections in their electron diffraction patterns, which makes them indistinguishable from new diamond (n-diamond). The multislice simulations demonstrate that cubic nanodiamonds smaller than 5 nm can present the d-spacing at 1.78 Å corresponding to the (200) forbidden reflections, and the relative intensity of these reflections increases as the particle size decreases. Our simulation results also reveal that defects, such as surface distortions, internal dislocations, and grain boundaries can also make the (200) forbidden reflections visible. These findings provide valuable insights into the diamond structural complexity at nanoscale, the impact of defects on nanodiamond structures, and the discovery of novel diamond structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification possesses new and essential roles in tumor initiation and progression by regulating mRNA biology. However, the role of aberrant m6A regulation in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) remains unclear. Here, through comprehensive analyses of NPC cohorts from the GEO database and our internal cohort, we identified that VIRMA, an m6A writer, is significantly upregulated in NPC and plays an essential role in tumorigenesis and metastasis of NPC, both in vitro and in vivo. High VIRMA expression served as a prognostic biomarker and was associated with poor outcomes in patients with NPC. Mechanistically, VIRMA mediated the m6A methylation of E2F7 30-UTR, then IGF2BP2 bound, and maintained the stability of E2F7 mRNA. An integrative high-throughput sequencing approach revealed that E2F7 drives a unique transcriptome distinct from the classical E2F family in NPC, which functioned as an oncogenic transcriptional activator. E2F7 cooperated with CBFB-recruited RUNX1 in a non-canonical manner to transactivate ITGA2, ITGA5, and NTRK1, strengthening Akt signaling-induced tumor-promoting effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper collected 22 cases of explosion accidents in laboratories in China in the past 10 years, analyzed the causes of the accidents, and put forward measures of preventing and mitigating the hazards of explosion accidents by identifying the explosion hazards in laboratories, assessing the explosion risks, minimizing the explosion hazards, and preparing for possible explosion accidents. Specific preventive measures are the DATS principles: keep the Distance as far as possible, use the minimum Amount of explosives, shorten the residence Time, and use appropriate Shielding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the low-frequency vibro-acoustic characteristics of a finite locally resonant (LR) plate. A dynamic model of the finite LR plate consisting of periodic arrays of beam-like resonators attached to a thin aluminum plate with simply supported boundary conditions is established, and the average vibration response and radiated efficiency are theoretically determined by using modal-superposition and harmonic-balance methods. In addition, the study investigates the influence of the parameters and number of additional resonators on the vibro-acoustic performance of the finite LR plate. Finally, a vibration experiment of a finite plate with 8 × 10 uniformly distributed beam-like resonators validates the theoretical analysis results. The numerical and experimental results show that the finite LR plate has a low-frequency bandgap that can suppress the vibration and radiated noise of the structure, and the bandgap position is close to the resonance frequency of resonators. The position and performance of bandgaps can be influenced by changing the parameters and number of resonators. The experimental results show a bandgap ranging from 370 to 425 Hz, which is consistent with the theoretical prediction. The finite LR plates proposed in this study can find potential applications in the attenuation of low-frequency vibration and noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blast furnace (BF) ironmaking is the predominating process for producing hot metal (HM). It consumes huge quantities of carbonaceous fuel materials and leads to massive CO 2 emissions. The injection of coke oven gas (COG) into the BF is considered a promising solution. It recovers the COG that is a kind of off-gas in the steelwork, and reuses the COG as an H 2 -intensive fuel in the BF to partially replace the use of carbonaceous fuel materials. However, thus far, the technology is not widely adopted, mainly due to the lack of understanding regarding the effects of key operational parameters of COG injection on BF performance. In addition, the coupling effect of COG injection and BF operation particularly the control at furnace top is not clear, leading to the low utilization efficiency. In this work, a continuum-based BF process model is developed and validated to consider the injection of COG into a commercial scale BF through the tuyere. The model is validated by comparing the calculated key performance indicators with those measured in production. The impact of COG injection rate is studied and its coupling effects with top burden distribution have also been clarified. The simulation results show that an increased COG injection rate leads to improved BF performance, in terms of increased productivity and decreased consumption of carbonaceous fuel materials. However, the utilization efficiency of COG and the replacement ratio of carbonaceous fuel materials by COG is decreased. An optimum top burden distribution can be identified, which can improve the utilization efficiency of injected COG and achieve a relatively high replacement ratio. The findings from this work should be useful to guide production of BF with H 2 -intensive fuel injection, which helps to save the use of carbonaceous fuel materials and reduce CO 2 emission. [Display omitted] • A BF model is developed that can consider simultaneous injection of various fuels. • Effects of COG injection rate on BF are studied based on a commercial scale BF. • Coupling effects of COG injection rate and furnace top control on the BF is clarified. • Optimum top burden distribution is identified to improve COG utilization efficiency. • Mechanism for key factors affecting utilization efficiency of injected COG is explained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laminated metal composites have become a key strategy for the design and manufacture of metal parts with multiple combinations of excellent properties. This paper utilizes the differences in mechanical properties and recrystallization behavior of component metals to prepare a novel 316 L/(316 L-2.5 wt%Gd)/316 L neutron shielding laminated metal composites (LMCs) through composite rolling and solution treatment processes. LMCs have an excellent combination of properties: high strength (tensile strength: 571.36 MPa), sufficient tensile ductility (fracture elongation: 60 %) and high neutron shielding properties (thermal neutron shielding rate: > 90 %). Specifically, compared to the non-composite 316 L-2.5 wt%Gd neutron shielding material, the strength of the hot-rolled LMCs has increased by 2.0 times, and the elongation at fracture has improved by 3.3 times. After solid solution treatment, the elongation of LMCs is further increased, which is 6 times higher than non-composite 316 L-2.5 wt%Gd neutron shielding materials. The specially designed soft-hard matched 316 L/(316 L-2.5 wt%Gd) heterogeneous interfaces achieved good metallurgical bonding, with significant differences in grain sizes and strains. The main reasons for the enhanced strength and plasticity of LMCs are the geometric constraints caused by the layered structure composed of ductile and brittle metallic components, as well as the back-stress strengthening and strain hardening induced by deformation incompatibility at the heterogeneous interface. • 316 L/(316 L-2.5 wt%Gd) heterogeneous interfaces with different grain sizes and obvious differences in strains were constructed. • Heterogeneous structure and interfacial constraints synergistically enhance the strength and plasticity of 316 L/(316 L-2.5 wt%Gd)/316 L laminated composites. • Provides a promising solution to the difficult problem of mutual constraints between neutron shielding properties and mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the influence of N-chlorosuccinimide (NCS) pretreatment on the antimicrobial effect of benzalkonium chloride (BZC, representative of QACs) against biofilm bacteria and its mechanisms. Results show that 0.04 − 0.07 mmol/L NCS pretreatment significantly increased the antimicrobial efficacy of 0.03 mmol/L BZC on biofilm cells by 30% − 70%. The main mechanisms involved membrane permeability, oxidative damage, and metabolic disorder. More precisely, NCS pretreatment increased the permeability of bacteria and reduced the activity of the electron transport system (ETS) and dehydrogenase (DHA). At the same time, the oxidative damage of both endogenous and exogenous ROS and the disorder of the antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase and catalase) further improved their combined antibacterial ability. Moreover, NCS pretreatment greatly reduced the resistance of biofilm Pseudomonas aeruginosa to BZC. The findings of the study provide a new method to effectively enhance the antimicrobial efficiency of quaternary ammonium cationic surfactants (e.g., BZC) and reduce bacterial resistance, as well as a scientific guidance for the development of new antimicrobial products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The activity of intracellular plant nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat (NB-LRR) immune receptors is fine-tuned by interactions between the receptors and their partners. Identifying NB-LRR interacting proteins is therefore crucial to advance our understanding of how these receptors function. A co-immunoprecipitation/mass spectrometry screening was performed in Nicotiana benthamiana to identify host proteins associated with the resistance protein Gpa2, a CC-NB-LRR immune receptor conferring resistance against the potato cyst nematode Globodera pallida. A combination of biochemical, cellular, and functional assays was used to assess the role of a candidate interactor in defense. A N. benthamiana homolog of the GLYCINE-RICH RNA-BINDING PROTEIN7 (NbGRP7) protein was prioritized as a Gpa2-interacting protein for further investigations. NbGRP7 also associates in planta with the homologous Rx1 receptor, which confers immunity to Potato Virus X. We show that NbGRP7 positively regulates extreme resistance by Rx1 and cell death by Gpa2. Mutating the NbGRP7 RNA recognition motif (RRM) compromises its role in Rx1-mediated defense. Strikingly, ectopic NbGRP7 expression is likely to impact the steady-state levels of Rx1, which relies on an intact RRM. Our findings illustrate that NbGRP7 is a pro-immune component in effector-triggered immunity by regulating Gpa2/Rx1 function at a posttranscriptional level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human bodily movements are primarily controlled by the contractions of skeletal muscles. Unlike joint or skeletal movements that are generally performed in the large displacement range, the contractions of the skeletal muscles that underpin these movements are subtle in intensity yet high in frequency. This subtlety of movement makes it a formidable challenge to develop wearable and durable soft materials to electrically monitor such motions with high fidelity for the purpose of, for example, muscle/neuromuscular disease diagnosis. Here we report that an intrinsically fragile ultralow-density graphene-based cellular monolith sandwiched between silicone rubbers can exhibit a highly effective stress and strain transfer mechanism at its interface with the rubber, with a remarkable improvement in stretchability (>100%). In particular, this hybrid also exhibits a highly sensitive, broadband-frequency electrical response (up to 180 Hz) for a wide range of strains. By correlating the mechanical signal of muscle movements obtained from this hybrid material with electromyography, we demonstrate that the strain sensor based on this hybrid material may provide a new, soft and wearable mechanomyography approach for real-time monitoring of complex neuromuscular–skeletal interactions in a broad range of healthcare and human–machine interface applications. This work also provides a new architecture-enabled functional soft material platform for wearable electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tri-(2,3-dibromopropyl) isocyanate (TBC), a new emerged persistent organic pollutant, is widely used in fields of flame retardant, textile, rubber and plastic with strong hepatotoxicity. Purple Sweet Potato Polysaccharide (PSPP) has antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects. This study aims to answer the scientific question whether PSPP has a protective effect on TBC induced liver injury. The effect of PSPP on the apoptosis of HepG2 cells was detected by MTT assay, the morphological changes were observed by morphological observation, and the apoptosis rate was determined by flow cytometry. The apoptotic genes were detected by qPCR assay, the relevant protein express was detected by western blot. The correlation between proteins and genes in the apoptosis pathway of HepG2 cells was calculated. To further reveal the apoptosis mechanism of TBC hepatotoxicity in vivo, 19 target genes and 14 apoptotic related proteins of inhibiting apoptosis via death receptor and mitochondria were discussed, all the above results proved that PSPP had protective effect on liver injury induced by TBC. This study not only provided a scientific basis for clarifying the mechanism of TBC hepatotoxicity and the protective effect of PSPP, but also generated the new point and method in terms of the prevention in advance and early intervention of diseases caused by environmental pollution. • TBC is a new emerged environmental pollutant with hepatotoxicity • PSPP is a plant polysaccharide with antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects • 19 target genes and 14 apoptotic related proteins were discussed • PSPP inhibited apoptosis via death receptor and mitochondria pathway • It provided a new idea and method for the prevention and early intervention [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To explore the predictive value of preoperative imaging in patients with spinal giant cell tumor of bone (GCTB) for postoperative recurrence and risk stratification. Methods: Clinical data for 62 cases of spinal GCTB diagnosed and treated at our hospital from 2008 to 2018 were identified. All patients were followed up for more than 2 years according to the clinical guidelines after surgery. Medical history data including baseline demographic and clinical characteristics, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of recurrent and non‐recurrent patients were compared. Two musculoskeletal radiologists read the images and were blinded to the clinical data. The imaging features associated with postoperative recurrence were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to determine the optimal cutoff value of the largest lesion diameter predicting recurrence after surgery. Results: According to whether the disease recurred within the follow‐up period, patients were divided into the recurrence group and the non‐recurrence group. Of 62 patients (29 males and 33 females), 17 had recurrence and 45 did not. The recurrence rate was 27.4%. The mean follow‐up time was 73.66 (± 32.92) months. The three major treatments were total en bloc spondylectomy (n = 26), intralesional spondylectomy (n = 20), and curettage(n = 16). A total of 16 CT and MRI features were analyzed. A univariate analysis showed no significant difference in age, sex, treatment, multi‐vertebral body involvement, location, boundary, expansile mass, residual bone crest, paravertebral soft tissue mass, CT value, and MRI signal on T1‐weighted imaging (WI), T2‐WI, and T2‐WI fat suppression (FS) sequences (P > 0.05). The largest lesion diameter [(4.68 ± 1.79) vs (5.92 ± 2.17) cm, t = 2.287, P = 0.026] and the vertebral compression fracture (51% vs 82%, χ2 = 5.005, P = 0.025) were significantly different between the non‐recurrence and recurrence groups. Logistic regression analysis showed that both largest lesion diameter (odds ratio [OR], 1.584; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.108–2.264; P = 0.012) and compression fracture (OR, 8.073; 95%CI, 1.481–11.003; P = 0.016) were independent predictors of postoperative recurrence. When we set the cutoff value for the largest lesion diameter at 4.2 cm, the sensitivity and specificity for distinguishing the recurrence and non‐recurrence of GCTB were 94.1% and 42.2%, respectively, and the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.671. The combined model achieved a sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 47.1%, 97.8% and 83.9%, respectively. Conclusions: In spinal GCTB, maximum lesion diameter and the vertebral compression fracture are associated with tumor recurrence after surgery, which may provide helpful information for planning personalized treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, phase locking dynamics of vortices induced by spin transfer torque in bridge-coupled nanodisks are studied by micromagnetic simulations. In the presence of the bridge coupling, the required time for the phase locking is dramatically reduced, and the phase difference between the two vortices keeps at a nonzero value after the phase locking. Moreover, the phase difference is affected significantly by bridge coupling, Oersted field distribution, nanodisk size, as well as inplane bias magnetic field. In addition, the coupled gyrotropic frequency of vortices depends linearly on the perpendicular magnetic field. This systematic study of phase locking parameters, especially the phase difference, is important for the applications of vortex-based spin-torque nano-oscillators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we report a novel strategy for controllable preparation monodisperse alginate microcapsules with oil cores, where the thickness of the alginate shells, as well as the number and diversity of the oil cores can be tailored precisely. Monodisperse oil-in-water-in-oil (O/W/O) emulsions are generated in a microfluidic device as templates, which contain alginate molecules and a water-soluble calcium complex in the middle aqueous phase. Alginate microcapsules are produced by gelling O/W/O emulsions in oil solution with acetic acid, where the pH decreasing will trigger the calcium ions being released from calcium complex and cross-linking with alginate molecules. Increasing the alginate molecule concentration in emulsion templates affects little on the thickness of the microcapsules but improves their stability in DI water. The strength of alginate microcapsules can be reinforced by post cross-linking in calcium chloride, polyetherimide, or chitosan solution. Typical payloads, such as thyme essential oil, lavender essential oil and W/O emulsions are encapsulated in alginate microcapsules successfully. Furthermore, tailoring the thickness of the alginate shells, as well as the number and the diversity of the oil cores precisely by manipulation the emulsion templates with microfluidics is also demonstrated. The proposed method shows excellent controllability in designing alginate microcapsules with oil cores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A single-feed dual-band circularly polarised (CP) patch antenna is proposed. The antenna consists of a cornertruncated square patch antenna and a superstrate composed of a lattice of 2 × 2 metallic patches surrounded by parasitic elements. The driven patch generates one resonant mode. The metasurface with parasitic elements excites two additional resonant modes (TM10 and TM20). The combined resonances result in minimum axial ratio points, and a good dual-band CP operation is achieved. Simulations show that the antenna has a CP operating bandwidth of 40 MHz centred at 3.72 GHz (1.07%), and a CP operating bandwidth from 5.37 to 6.05 GHz (11.9%). The simulated gain is ~7.05-7.1 dBic for the lowfrequency band and 4.17-6.07 dBic for the high-frequency band, respectively. Measurements and simulations are in good agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the role of microRNA‐145 (miR‐145) in protection against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in mice by regulating expression of granzyme K (GZMK) with the treatment of sevoflurane. The mice model of myocardial I/R injury was established by left coronary artery ligation. The expression of miR‐145 and GZMK in myocardial tissues of mice was detected by Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis. The changes of the cardiac function and hemodynamics, pathological changes of myocardial tissues, the ultrastructure of cardiomyocytes, myocardial infarction area, and cardiomyocyte apoptosis were observed. The expression of the apoptosis‐related protein cleaved‐caspase‐3, Bax, and Bcl‐2 was detected by western blot analysis. The levels of malondialdehyde, myeloperoxidase, superoxide dismutase in myocardial tissues were detected by spectrophotometric colorimetry. The levels of interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), IL‐6, and tumor necrosis factor‐α in the serum of mice were detected by the enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. The level of oxidative stress and the expression of inflammatory factors increased in mice with myocardial I/R injury. Sevoflurane postconditioning could reduce myocardial I/R injury in mice. Sevoflurane postconditioning may protect myocardial I/R injury through miR‐145‐regulation of GZMK in mice. Inhibition of miR‐145 expression could reduce the protective effect of sevoflurane posttreatment on myocardial I/R injury in mice. Low expression of GZMK could attenuate the inhibitory effect of miR‐145 on myocardial I/R injury after sevoflurane treatment in mice. Our study suggests that sevoflurane postconditioning may protect against myocardial I/R injury by upregulating miR‐145 expression and downregulating GZMK expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research on ecological compensation has also been increasingly valued by scholars. This paper develops a new bilevel model and takes a case to test the feasibility of the model. Through the analysis of specific examples, this study found that: (1) The government will reduce enterprises' compensation and social welfare will decrease as the cost of consumption increases when consumers participate in the sewage treatment compensation; (2) Only when the sum of cost paid by consumers and the price compensation granted by the government increases, the enterprises' sewage treatment capacity will increase, so will the corporate profits. Therefore, this paper argues that it is necessary for the government to compensate the enterprises. Finally, based on the conclusions of the study, this paper puts forward the corresponding policy recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine if lower ambient temperatures in computed tomography (CT) rooms contribute to accidental hypothermia (=35°C) in trauma patients. Methods: Prospective, observational study of trauma patients undergoing a CT scan at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. Results: Among a cohort of 81 trauma patients, 54 met level 1 call-out criteria. Mean time in CT was 11 min. Longer time spent in CT contributes to greater decrease in body temperature (ΔT/t = -0.1483°C/min, P = 0.0026). Conclusion: Increasing time spent in CT leads to a decrease in body temperature in trauma patients. Clinicians should actively reduce time spent in the CT room and take active warming measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Non-Newtonian fluid flows through packed beds are very common in many industries; however, our understanding of this flow system is very limited. In this paper, a parallel Lattice-Boltzmann (LB) model is applied to simulate the power-law fluid flows through a packed bed of porosity 0.366 on a sub-particle scale. The packed bed is generated by means of discrete element method. The flows cover wide ranges of Reynolds numbers (0.1 < Re < 500) and power-law indices (0.6 < n < 1.4). In total, seventy sets of LB simulations are conducted under well-controlled conditions. The results indicate that the internal fluid velocity distribution within the packed bed shows that the flow behaviors vary for different flow regions and fluids corresponding to various pore structures. Also, both viscosity and shear stress show significant differences in pore and near-particle regions. Because of these complicated flow characteristics, the submerged objects model is selected to formulate a drag correlation with least assumptions. The comparison of the new correlation with others against experimental data shows that the new one is more accurate. The present framework provides a sound base to investigate the fundamentals governing the behaviors of non-Newtonian fluid flow through packed beds under different conditions. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • LB approach is applied to study non-Newtonian effects on flows through a packed bed. • Spatial and statistical distributions of velocity and other flow properties are examined. • Viscosity and shear stress show big differences between near-particle and pore regions. • A new correlation is proposed to estimate the mean drag force for non-Newtonian fluid flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Abstract Hydrolysis of fatty acid anhydrides involves fatty acid vesicle formation and autocatalytic hydrolysis. Previous studies focused on the effect of biopolymers on vesicle formation or on autocatalytic reactions, however, the influence of polysaccharides on a system where the self-assembly of fatty acid vesicles and the hydrolysis of fatty acid anhydrides coexist remains unknown. In this paper, three polysaccharides, sodium chondroitin sulfate (CSA), sodium alginate (SA) and 2-hydroxyethyl cellulose (2-HEC) were selected to investigate the effect of crowded media on the decanoic acid vesicle formation and the autocatalytic hydrolysis of decanoic anhydride. The results showed that the rate of hydrolysis of decanoic anhydride increased in CSA or SA but decreased in 2-HEC. Further investigation revealed that the size of vesicles in CSA decreased in the early stage of vesicle formation but increased in 2-HEC. In the CSA-vesicle system, elastic behavior dominates, while 2-HEC- and SA-vesicles show more viscous behavior. In addition, the significantly increased membrane fluidity in CSA or in SA supports self-assembly of decanoic acid vesicles and autocatalytic hydrolysis, which is the opposite in the case of 2-HEC. This research provides new insights into the self-assembly of fatty acid vesicles and vesicle-catalyzed reactions with polysaccharides in crowded conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of smart power grids, the demand for real-time voltage monitoring along overhead transmission lines (OTLs) has been growing. However, the existing voltage measurement of OTLs by using potential transformers involves formidable difficulties. This study proposes a non-contact measurement method in which the voltages on AC OTLs are inversely calculated on the basis of the measured data of the power frequency electric field under OTLs. To improve the accuracy and stability of the inverse calculation, an accurate mathematical model and modified inverse algorithms are investigated and then a set of feasible approaches are proposed. First, considering an overhead conductor's actual physical form and the meteorological conditions of its operating environment, a 3-D catenary model is built, and the mathematical relations between 3-D electric fields and the voltages on OTLs are identified. Second, the improved particle swarm algorithm is used to search the optimal measurement positions of the electric field to improve the ill-posedness of inverse problems. Third, the iterative Tikhonov regularization method, in which the number of iterations is considered as the variable, is adopted to further improve the ill-posedness of inverse problems and reduce the susceptibility of regular solutions to regularization parameter a. Fourth, root mean square values and phase parameters of AC voltages are identified from the sinusoidal fitting curves obtained by the real-time inverse calculation. Results of the simulation and experiment examples show that inverse solutions of high precision can be obtained under the condition with relatively high errors of electric field measurement. Moreover, the advantages of the proposed inversion method, such as fast computing speed and good stability, are demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shaft furnace based H 2 -intensive direct reduction process has the potential to realize "carbon neutrality" and can significantly reduce the CO 2 emission, compared to the traditional blast furnace process. To date, no commercial-scale shaft furnace using H 2 has been established, due to the lack of corresponding understanding. In this work, a continuum-based shaft furnace model is developed, which considers the multi-phase flows of gas and solid, heat and mass transfer as well as key chemical reactions in the direct reduction process. It is validated by comparing the simulated performance indicators with those measured in the plant. Using the model, the effects of the pressure at the cooling gas outlet have been studied. The results show that the pressure at the cooling gas outlet has a significant impact on in-furnace gas flow, which should be carefully controlled to separate the reducing and cooling gas effectively. As for the product, the carburization and metallization of direct reduced iron can also be optimized through proper control of the pressure at the cooling gas outlet. On this basis, under the same injection rate, the production using H 2 is compared with the normal one using reformed natural gas, under their respectively optimized conditions. It is shown that the production with H 2 delivers direct reduced iron with less carburization and metallization. Charging large-sized pellets into the furnace centre can solve the problems to a degree by improving the gas flow distribution in the reducing zone. This work should provide a deeper insight into the cleaner production of the shaft furnace based direct reduction process, particularly that operated with H 2. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacteria enter a viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state with low metabolic activity to cope with environmental stress (e.g., chlorine disinfection). Elucidating the mechanism and key pathway of VBNC bacteria maintaining low metabolic competence is of great significance to realize their effective control and reduce their environmental and health risks. This study discovered that the glyoxylate cycle is a key metabolic pathway for VBNC bacteria, but not for culturable bacteria. And blocking the glyoxylate cycle pathway inhibited the reactivation and led to the death of VBNC bacteria. The main mechanisms involved the breakdown of material and energy metabolism and the antioxidant system. Gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis showed that blocking the glyoxylate cycle led to a disruption of carbohydrate metabolism and fatty acid catabolism in VBNC bacteria. As a result, the energy metabolism system of VBNC bacteria collapsed and the abundance of energy metabolites (ATP, NAD+ and NADP+) decreased significantly. Moreover, the decrease in the level of quorum sensing signaling molecules (quinolinone and N-Butanoyl- D -homoserine lactone) inhibited the synthesis of extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) and biofilm formation. And the downregulation of glycerophospholipid metabolic competence increased the permeability of cell membranes, leading to the entry of large amounts of hypochlorous acid (HClO) into the bacteria. In addition, the down-regulation of nucleotide metabolism, glutathione metabolism, and the reduction of antioxidant enzyme content resulted in the inability to scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by chlorine stress. The large production of ROS and the reduction of antioxidants together led to the breakdown of the antioxidant system of VBNC bacteria. In short, the glyoxylate cycle is the key metabolism pathway of VBNC bacteria for stress resistance and maintaining cellular metabolic balance, and targeting the glyoxylate cycle represents an attractive strategy for developing new and efficient disinfection methods for the control of VBNC bacteria. [Display omitted] • Glyoxylate cycle is a key metabolic pathway of VBNC bacteria to maintain viability. • Blocking glyoxylate cycle pathway kills VBNC bacteria not culturable bacteria. • Lethal mechanisms involve the collapse of energy metabolism and antioxidant system. • Blocking glyoxylate cycle is an attractive strategy to control VBNC bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid triploid loaches (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) were generated from natural tetraploid and diploid loaches. We studied the gonads of parents and offspring from direct and reciprocal crosses through histological and transcriptome analyses. The triploid offspring had inferior ability to form sperm and egg cells compared with diploid forms. After sequencing the transcriptomes, 655,109,158 clean reads were obtained, and 62,821 unigenes and 178,962 transcripts were assembled. Of these unigenes, 23,189 were annotated in the GO database, 18,525 in the KEGG database and 24,661 in the KOG database. 36 fertility-related genes were found to be differentially expressed between the direct cross (2n × 4n) progenies and their parents, while 53 fertility-related genes between the reciprocal cross (4n × 2n) progenies and their parents. Following protein-protein interaction network analyses, 54 differentially expressed genes, including PLCB4, cyp17a1 and Pla2g4d, were mined, yielding candidate genes involved in the poor fertility of hybrid triploid loaches. This is the first report of transcriptomes of gonads of hybrid triploid loaches and their parents, offering a substantial contribution to sequence resources for this species and providing a deep insight into the molecular mechanism controlling the fertility of hybrid triploid fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on the synthesis of poly(diethylene oxide-alt-oxymethylene), P(2EO-MO), via cationic ring-opening polymerization of the cyclic ether monomer, 1,3,6-trioxocane. We use a combined experimental and computational approach to study ion transport in electrolytes comprising mixtures of P(2EO-MO) and lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide (LiTFSI) salt. Mixtures of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and LiTFSI are used as a baseline. The maximum ionic conductivities, s, of P(2EO-MO) and PEO electrolytes at 90 °C are 1.1 × 10-3 and 1.5 × 10-3 S/cm, respectively. This difference is attributed to the Tg of P(2EO-MO)/LiTFSI (-12 °C), which is significantly higher than that of PEO/LiTFSI (-44 °C) at the same salt concentration. Self-diffusion coefficients measured using pulsed-field gradient NMR (PFG-NMR) show that both Li+ and TFSI- ions diffuse more rapidly in PEO than in P(2EO-MO). However, the NMR-based cation transference number in P(2EO-MO) (0.36) is approximately twice that in PEO (0.19). The transference number measured by the steady-state current technique, t+,ss, in P(2EO-MO) (0.20) is higher than in PEO (0.08) by a similar factor. We find that the product st+,ss is greater in P(2-EO-MO) electrolytes; thus, P(2EO-MO) is expected to sustain higher steady-state currents under dc polarization, making it a more efficacious electrolyte for battery applications. Molecular-level insight into the factors that govern ion transport in our electrolytes was obtained using MD simulations. These simulations show that the solvation structures around Li+ are similar in both polymers. The same is true for TFSI-. However, the density of Li+ solvation sites in P(2EO-MO) is double that in PEO. We posit that this is responsible for the observed differences in the experimentally determined transport properties of P(2EO-MO) and PEO electrolytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Female sex is conventionally considered a risk factor for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and has been included as a poor prognostic factor in multiple cardiac operative risk evaluation scores. We aimed to investigate the association of sex and the long-term benefit of CABG in patients with ischemic left ventricular dysfunction enrolled in the prospective STICH trial (Surgical Treatment for Ischemic Heart Failure Study).Methods: The STICH trial randomized 1212 patients (148 [12%] women and 1064 [88%] men) with coronary artery disease and left ventricular ejection fraction ≤35% to CABG+medical therapy (MED) versus MED alone. Long-term (10-year) outcomes with each treatment were compared according to sex.Results: At baseline, women were older (63.4 versus 59.3 years; P=0.016) with higher body mass index (27.9 versus 26.7 kg/m2; P=0.001). Women had more coronary artery disease risk factors (diabetes mellitus, 55.4% versus 37.2%; hypertension, 70.9% versus 58.6%; hyperlipidemia, 70.3% versus 58.9%) except for smoking (13.5% versus 21.8%) and had lower rates of prior CABG (0% versus 3.4%; all P<0.05) than men. Moreover, women had higher New York Heart Association class (class III/IV, 66.2% versus 57.0%), lower 6-minute walk capacity (300 versus 350 m), and lower Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire overall summary scores (51 versus 63; all P<0.05). Over 10 years of follow-up, all-cause mortality (49.0% versus 65.8%; adjusted hazard ratio, 0.67; 95% confidence interval, 0.52-0.86; P=0.002) and cardiovascular mortality (34.3% versus 52.3%; adjusted hazard ratio, 0.65; 95% confidence interval, 0.48-0.89; P=0.006) were significantly lower in women compared with men. With randomization to CABG+MED versus MED treatment, there was no significant interaction between sex and treatment group in all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, or the composite of all-cause mortality or cardiovascular hospitalization (all P>0.05). In addition, surgical deaths were not statistically different (1.5% versus 5.1%; P=0.187) between sexes among patients randomized to CABG per protocol as initial treatment.Conclusions: Sex is not associated with the effect of CABG+MED versus MED on all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, the composite of death or cardiovascular hospitalization, or surgical deaths in patients with ischemic left ventricular dysfunction. Thus, sex should not influence treatment decisions about CABG in these patients.Clinical Trial Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00023595. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heteroanion (HA) moieties have a key role in templating of heteropolyoxometalate (HPA) architectures, but clusters templated by two different templates are rarely reported. Herein, we show how a cross-shaped HPA-based architecture can self-sort the HA templates by pairing two different guests into a divacant {XYW15O54} building block, with four of these building block units being linked together to complete the cross-shaped architecture. We exploited this observation to incorporate HA templates into well-defined positions within the clusters, leading to the isolation of a collection of mixed-HA templated cross-shaped polyanions [(XYW15O[sub 54])[sub 4](WO[sub 2])[sub 4]][sup 32-/36-] (X = H-P, Y = Se, Te, As). The template positions have been unambiguously determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction, NMR spectroscopy, and high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry; these studies demonstrated that the mixed template containing HPA clusters are the preferred products which crystallize from the solution. Theoretical studies using DFT calculations suggest that the selective self-sorting originates from the coordination of the template in solution. The cross-shaped polyoxometalate clusters are redox-active, and the ability of molecules to accept electrons is slightly modulated by the HA incorporated as shown by differential pulse voltammetry experiments. These results indicate that the cross-shaped HPAs can be used to select templates from solution, and themselves have interesting geometries, which will be useful in developing functional molecular architectures based upon HPAs with well-defined structures and electronic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wake behind a particle, namely particle wake, affects the interaction between particle and fluid. This effect of either single or two interactive particles is established for Newtonian fluid flow but not clear for non-Newtonian fluid flow. In this study, The particle wake behaviors and related particle-fluid forces in a power-law fluid flow are studied by a parallel three-dimensional lattice Boltzmann (LB) model over wide ranges of Reynolds number (0.1 < Re < 500) and power-law index (0.6 < n < 1.4). These ranges are well beyond those reported before. A new calibration model is proposed to reduce the discretization effects on the results analysis to most extents. The validity of the LB model with the calibration step is first examined by comparing the calculated fluid drag forces on a single particle against the measurements for different power-law fluid flows. On this basis, the model is used to study the flow and force characteristics resulting from the interaction of non-Newtonian fluid flow with a single particle or two interactive particles with fixed locations. From the simulation data, a new correlation is formulated to predict the drag coefficient of a single particle in power-law fluid flows. Also, the effect of placement distance between two particles is examined. The numerical results reveal the dynamic characteristics of the particle wake and particle-fluid forces, as well as their dependence on the power-law index, Reynolds number, and particles placement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lactobacillus plantarum, a probiotic, has a high survival rate and high colonization ability in the gastrointestinal tract. Tolerance to the gastrointestinal environment and adhesion to intestinal epithelial cells by some Lactobacillus species (excluding L. plantarum) are related to luxS/AI-2. Here, the role of luxS in tolerance to simulated digestive juice (SDJ) and adhesion to Caco-2 cells by L. plantarum KLDS1.0391 (hereafter, KLDS1.0391) was investigated. The KLDS1.0391 luxS mutant strain was constructed by homologous recombination. When luxS was deleted, acid and bile salt tolerance and survival rates in SDJ significantly decreased (𝑝 < 0.05 for all). The ability of the luxS deletion strain to adhere to Caco-2 cells was markedly lower than that of the wild-type strain (𝑝 < 0.05). The ability of the luxS mutant strain to adhere (competition, exclusion, and displacement) to Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 was significantly lower than that of the wild-type strain (𝑝 < 0.05 for all). A significant decrease was noted only in the exclusion adhesion inhibition of the luxS mutant strain to Salmonella typhimurium ATCC 14028 (𝑝 < 0.05). These results indicate that the luxS gene plays an important role in the gastrointestinal environment tolerance and adhesion ability of KLDS1.0391. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A dual-band planar antenna based on composite right and left handed (CRLH) metamaterial is presented. The proposed antenna is comprised of a host folded planar monopole antenna and a CRLH transmission line unit cell. Due to another resonance frequency generated from the loaded CRLH unit cell, the presented antenna is actually a planar antenna with dual resonance bands at the centre frequency of 2.50 and 5.80 GHz, respectively, which can be regulated independently. The developed antenna also has different polarisations, the linear polarisation at the lower band and the circular polarisation at the upper resonance band. Rather than the complicated structure as before, this antenna is fabricated easily for the simple configuration without holes and the interdigital capacitances. The results of this study show that the reflection coefficient and radiation pattern have a good agreement between the simulation and measurement, the simulated relative bandwidth is 22.8% (2.22-2.79 GHz) and 10.8% (5.42-6.04 GHz), which meet the Wi-Fi/Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) specification very well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, a novel scheme called the phase-merging enhanced harmonic generation (PEHG) free-electron laser (FEL) has been developed to achieve higher harmonic bunching in a single stage set up. However, previous studies of the PEHG mechanism ignored the practical lattice configuration, leaving out the impact of the intrinsic beam divergence on the phase-merging effect. In this paper, a new method based on the beam transport matrix is proposed to comprehensively study the optimization conditions of the harmonic generation FELs. On the basis of this method, the new optimization conditions of the PEHG are obtained by taking into account both the intrinsic horizontal beam size and the intrinsic horizontal beam divergence. The parameter optimization and three dimensional start-to-end simulations are carried out using the typical beam parameters of the Shanghai Soft X-ray Free Electron Laser user facility. The simulation results are in agreement with the theoretical analysis and demonstrate the validity of the PEHG-FEL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The past few years have seen a surge of novel applications of the Luria-Delbrück fluctuation assay protocol in bacterial research. Appropriate analysis of fluctuation assay data often requires computational methods that are unavailable in the popular web tool FALCOR. This paper introduces an R package named rSalvador to bring improvements to the field. The paper focuses on rSalvador's capabilities to alleviate three kinds of problems found in recent investigations: (i) resorting to partial plating without properly accounting for the effects of partial plating; (ii) conducting attendant fitness assays without incorporating mutants' relative fitness in subsequent data analysis; and (iii) comparing mutation rates using methods that are in general inapplicable to fluctuation assay data. In addition, the paper touches on rSalvador's capabilities to estimate sample size and the difficulties related to parameter nonidentifiability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalysis provides a sustainable way for NOx elimination. However, efficient and safe photocatalytic removal of NOx remain a great challenge due to the limited light-harvesting ability and quick recombination of charge carriers. Herein, holey sulfur-doped g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets (CNN–S) was reported by directly calcining a mixture of hydrolyzed dicyandiamide and thioacetamide. The specific surface area of the pristine g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets (CNN–S0) is 3–4 times higher than bulk g-C 3 N 4 (BCN), and the photocatalytic NO removal rate also increased from 17% (BCN) to 35% (CNN–S0). The effect of sulfur content on the photocatalytic performance was systematic studied, and CNN–S0.5 sample exhibits the highest NO removal rate (53%). The high photoreactivity of S-doped g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets can be attributed to enhanced visible light absorption, increased specific surface area, and effective separation and transfer of photo-generated charges owing to the synergistic effect of the nanosheet structure and sulfur doping. In addition, density functional theory calculations show that the doping of S is also beneficial to the adsorption and activation of the reactants on CN. [Display omitted] • Holey S-doped sheet-like g-C 3 N 4 was prepared by calcining the mixture of hydrolyzed dicyandiamide and thioacetamide. • Doping g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets with S greatly improves the light harvesting ability. • The BET surface area of S-doped g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets is 3 times larger than that of bulk g-C 3 N 4. • S-doped g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets exhibit enhanced photocatalytic activity towards NO oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autophagy inducers represent new promising agents for the treatment of a wide range of medical illnesses. However, safe autophagy inducers for clinical applications are lacking. Inhibition of cdc2-like kinase 1 (CLK1) was recently found to efficiently induce autophagy. Unfortunately, most of the known CLK1 inhibitors have unsatisfactory selectivity. Herein, we report the discovery of a series of new CLK1 inhibitors containing the 1H-[1,2,3]triazolo[4,5-c]quinoline scaffold. Among them, compound 25 was the most potent and selective, with an IC50 value of 2 nM against CLK1. The crystal structure of CLK1 complexed with compound 25 was solved, and the potency and kinase selectivity of compound 25 were interpreted. Compound 25 was able to induce autophagy in in vitro assays and displayed significant hepatoprotective effects in the acetaminophen (APAP)-induced liver injury mouse model. Collectively, due to its potency and selectivity, compound 25 could be used as a chemical probe or agent in future mechanism-of-action or autophagy-related disease therapy studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a simple method is proposed to extend the photon energy range of a soft x-ray self-seeding free-electron laser (FEL). A normal monochromator is first applied to purify the FEL spectrum and provide a coherent seeding signal. This coherent signal then interacts with the electron beam in the following reverse tapered undulator section to generate strong coherent microbunchings while maintain the good quality of the electron beam. After that, the pre-bunched electron beam is sent into the third undulator section which resonates at a target high harmonic of the seed to amplify the coherent radiation at shorter wavelength. Three dimensional simulations have been performed and the results demonstrate that the photon energy gap between 1.5 keV and 4.5 keV of the self-seeding scheme can be fully covered and 100 GW-level peak power can be achieved by using the proposed technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyurethane (PU) foams were prepared from microwave liquefied sugar beet pulp (LSBP) and polymethylene polyphenyl isocyanate (PAPI) by using a one-step method. The [NCO]/[OH] ratio was increased from 0.6 to 1.2, and the effect of this ratio on the mechanical, thermal and microstructural properties of the LSBP- PU foams was studied. The allophanate, isocyanurate and free isocyanate were detected in all the foams. The thermal degradation of these foams in air occurred in two main stages; the first one occurred at 200-350 °C and the second one occurred at 300-400 °C. The Tg of the foams increased when the [NCO]/[OH] ratio increased up to 0.9 above which it decreased. As the [NCO]/[OH] ratio increased, the less regular structure and broken cell shape (observed through SEM) indicated that severe damage in structural stability and mechanical properties of LSBP-PU foams occurred. The cellular structure of the foams could be controlled by controlling the gelling and blowing reactions through the control of NCO]/[OH] ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One peculiar type of aza-hetero-imidazolidinyl spirooxindole derivatives was efficiently constructed by the three-component [2+2+1] cascade reaction of 1,4-oxazepines with diazo-oxindoles. Iron(II) trifluoromethanesulfonate [Fe(OTf)2] or p-toluenesulfonic acid monohydrate ( p-TsOH⋅H2O) proved to be optimal catalysts for this transformation, providing the desired products in high yields (up to 94 %) with excellent diastereoselectivity (up to 99:1 dr). Experimental studies showed that the reaction rate of Brønsted acid catalysis was faster than that of Lewis acids. Furthermore, the mechanism was theoretically investigated for Brønsted acid as the catalyst and a reaction pathway was proposed. DFT calculations suggested that the diazo-oxindole can act as a 1,3-dipole to add to a C=N double bond of 1,4-oxazepine, which forms a 4,5-dihydro-1 H-1,2,3-triazole intermediate. Subsequently, the releasing of N2 is the rate-limiting step of the whole catalytic cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many Gram-negative pathogens enter the viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state to resist external environmental stress (such as disinfection). However, little is known about the metabolic properties, especially for the metabolic markers, of VBNC bacteria, which impedes the development of efficient disinfection technologies and causes more potential health risks. In this study, we analyzed the metabolic characteristics of chlorine stress-induced VBNC Pseudomonas aeruginosa at the population and single-cell levels. The overall metabolic activity of VBNC bacteria showed a downward trend, but the glyoxylate cycle, fatty acid and glycerophospholipid metabolism pathways were up-regulated. Based on the metabolic profiles of VBNC bacteria, nine metabolic markers (pyruvate, glyoxylate, guanine, glutamate, sn glycero-3-phos-phocholine, fatty acid, D-alanine, glutathione, N-Butanoyl-D-homoserine lactone) were determined. The results of single-cell Raman spectroscopy showed that the metabolic activity of VBNC bacteria was significantly reduced, but showed more significant metabolic heterogeneity. The redshift of the Raman peaks of 15N and 13C labeled VBNC bacteria was significantly weaker than that of the culturable bacteria, suggesting that the VBNC bacteria have a reduced ability to synthesize proteins, nucleotides, phospholipids, and carbohydrates. The result of this study can help to better understand the metabolic mechanisms and energy management strategy of VBNC bacteria, to achieve precise identification and effective control of VBNC bacteria. [Display omitted] • Viable but nonculturable (VBNC) bacteria sustain low metabolic activity with significant individual differences. • VBNC bacteria upregulate glyoxylate cycle and fatty acid metabolism to keep activity. • VBNC bacteria secrete more of the autoinducer N-Butanoyl-D-homoserine lactone. • VBNC bacteria maintain the low synthesis of proteins, nucleotides, and carbohydrates. • Nine metabolic biomarkers of VBNC bacteria were determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dysregulation of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) contributes to tumorigenesis by modulating specific cancerrelated pathways, but the roles of N6-methyladenosine (m6A)-enriched lncRNAs and underlying mechanisms remain elusive in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Here, we reanalyzed the previous genome-wide analysis of lncRNA profiles in 18 pairs of NPC and normal tissues as well as in ten paired samples from NPC with or without post-treatment metastases. We discerned that an oncogenic m6A-enriched lncRNA, LINC00839, which was substantially upregulated in NPC and correlated with poor clinical prognosis, promoted NPC growth and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, by using RNA pull-down assay combined with mass spectrometry, we found that LINC00839 interacted directly with the transcription factor, TATA-box binding protein associated factor (TAF15). Besides, chromatin immunoprecipitation and dual-luciferase report assays demonstrated that LINC00839 coordinated the recruitment of TAF15 to the promoter region of amine oxidase coppercontaining 1 (AOC1), which encodes a secreted glycoprotein playing vital roles in various cancers, thereby activating AOC1 transcription in trans. In this study, potential effects of AOC1 in NPC progression were first proposed. Moreover, ectopic expression of AOC1 partially rescued the inhibitory effect of downregulation of LINC00839 in NPC. Furthermore, we showed that silencing vir-like m6A methyltransferaseassociated (VIRMA) and insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNAbinding proteins 1 (IGF2BP1) attenuated the expression level and RNA stability of LINC00839 in an m6A-dependent manner. Taken together, our study unveils a novel oncogenic VIRMA/IGF2BP1-LINC00839-TAF15-AOC1 axis and highlights the significance and prognostic value of LINC00839 expression in NPC carcinogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case of an 85-year-old male patient with hypertension and atopic dermatitis (AD) who developed purpuric drug eruption during treatment with dupilumab. It informs that dupilumab has been shown to be effective in patients with moderate-to-severe AD with a low profile of side-effects, including conjunctivitis, reactivation of oral herpes simplex, and injection site reaction.

In order to calculate the fault current distribution when a single-phase to ground fault occurs in a transmission system with asymmetric parameters, this paper proposes an improvement on the traditional double-side elimination method based on the phase component model. The improved double-elimination method widens the range of the original method to the situation of multiple overhead ground wires and double power sources at both terminals. From the fault point, it divides the system into the left and right networks. Taking the left network as an example, the equations of all spans are formed. Then, the forward-backward recursive process of the theory is demonstrated. By optimizing the matrix calculation process, the calculation model for computers is formed, which can easily calculate the fault current on phase wires and overhead ground wires when a single-phase to ground fault occurs. By comparing the results from this theory and the results from the EMTP simulation software, the correctness of the theory is established. Furthermore, in this paper we give a detailed discussion on the influence of tower grounding resistance and overhead ground wire operation mode on the fault current distribution. © 2016 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are of increasing interest as bioelectrochemical systems for decomposing organic materials and converting chemical energy into electricity. The main challenge for this technology is that the low power and voltage of the devices restricts the use of MFCs in practical applications. In this paper, a power management system (PMS) is developed to store the energy and export an increased voltage. The designed PMS successfully increases the low voltage generated by an individual MFC to a high potential of 5 V, capable of driving a wireless temperature and humidity sensor based on nRF24L01 data transmission modules. With the PMS, MFCs can intermittently power the sensor for data transmission to a remote receiver. It is concluded that even an individual MFC can supply the energy required to power the sensor and telemetry system with the designed PMS. The presented PMS can be widely used for unmanned environmental monitoring such as wild rivers, lakes, and adjacent water areas, and offers promise for further advances in MFC technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]