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Abstract When aiming at the direct use of CO2 for the preparation of advanced/value-added materials, the synthesis of CO2/olefin copolymers is very appealing but challenging. The δ-lactone 3-ethylidene-6-vinyltetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-one (EVP), synthesized by telomerization of CO2 with 1,3-butadiene, is a promising monomer. However, its chemoselective ring-opening polymerization (ROP) is hampered by unfavorable thermodynamics and the competitive polymerization of highly reactive C=C double bonds under usual conditions. Herein, we report the chemoselective ROP of EVP using a phosphazene/urea binary catalyst, affording exclusively a linear unsaturated polyester poly(EVP)ROP, with a molar mass (M n) up to 16.1 kg·mol−1 and a narrow distribution (Ð

Abstract Background Peri‐implantitis and periodontitis have similar immunological bioprocesses and inflammatory phenotypes. In the inflammatory process, the adaptive immune cells can drive the development of disease. This research investigated the differences and diagnostic significance of peri‐implantitis and periodontitis in adaptive immune responses. Methods We acquired four GEO datasets of gene expressions in surrounding tissues in healthy person, healthy implant, periodontitis, and peri‐implantitis patients. The structural characteristics and enrichment analyses of differential expression genes were examined. The adaptive immune landscapes in peri‐implantitis and periodontitis were then evaluated using single sample gene set enrichment analysis. The STRING database and Cytoscape were used to identify adaptive hub genes, and the ROC curve was used to verify them. Finally, qRT‐PCR method was used to verify the expression level of Hub gene in activated T cells on the titanium‐containing or titanium‐free culture plates. Results At the transcriptome level, the data of healthy implant, peri‐implantitis and periodontitis were highly dissimilar. The peri‐implantitis and periodontitis both exhibited adaptive immune response. Except for the activated CD4+T cells, there was no significant difference in other adaptive immune cells between peri‐implantitis and periodontitis. In addition, correlation analysis showed that CD53, CYBB, and PLEK were significantly positively linked with activated CD4+T cells in the immune microenvironment of peri‐implantitis, making them effective biomarkers to differentiate it from periodontitis. Conclusions Peri‐implantitis has a uniquely immunogenomic landscape that differs from periodontitis. This study provides new insights and ideas into the activated CD4+T cells and hub genes that underpin the immunological bioprocess of peri‐implantitis.

Abstract Northeast China (NEC) is the most prominent grain‐producing region in China. However, it is currently facing significant impacts from climate change. Since the climate‐related impacts on crop yield in this region are a major concern for society in the future, quantifying climate change impacts on crop yields in NEC is essential to ensure future food security. This study aimed to quantify the effects of future climate change on crop yields in NEC and explore adaptation strategies using the Crop Growth Model (PCSE) driven by downscaled CMIP6 climate projections under four Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) scenarios during 2015–2100. Results showed that there could be average reductions in crop yields of 21.4% for maize and 4.2% for soybean by the year 2100 under SSP585 compared to the 2015 baseline. The increasing temperature was the dominant factor in reducing yields, although elevated CO2 and precipitation offered partial compensation. The optimized planting date brought noticeable benefits for rice and soybean but had limited effects on maize due to heat stress. Relocating rice expansion eastward and implementing earlier planting increased yields by up to 50% but adversely decreased soybean and maize due to competition. This study enriches our comprehension of climate change impacts on NEC agriculture, while also quantifying potential benefits and constraints of evaluated adaptations. The proposed adaptations may help mitigate projected yield declines in other key agricultural regions across the globe. Adjusting crop management practices to capitalize on changing climate factors shows promise as a strategy for sustaining production globally.

Abstract This study develops an unstructured mesh generation tool for land surface modeling using a multi‐scale hexagon discrete mesh. The tool can automatically determine the required mesh resolution for different regions based on multi‐objective criteria such as elevation, slope, land cover, and land use. The refined unstructured meshes demonstrate significant enhancement in the representation of spatial heterogeneity. The tool is coupled with the Common Land Model (CoLM) to enable land surface simulations using unstructured meshes. Evaluations focused on runoff, river discharge, and inundation indicate improved model performance compared to traditional structured mesh‐based CoLM simulations under the same computational cost constraints. This tool provides new capabilities for more efficiently capturing localized land surface processes and extreme events.

Herein, I would like to provide an overview of this Special Issue, published in the Organic and Polymer Chemistry Section of Catalysis, comprising contributions from 18 of the journal’s Editorial Board Members [...]

Carcinogen exposure has been associated with enhanced cancer immunogenicity that is often attributed to neoantigen generation. However, the broader, neoantigen-independent impact of carcinogens on immune responses to cancer cells remains underexplored. In this issue of the JCI, Huang et al. uncover a mechanism wherein carcinogen-treated cancer cells exhibit an inability to establish an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) due to reduced M-CSF expression. Intriguingly, the so-called carcinogen-induced tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) within this TME exhibited anti-tumor properties instead of the conventional immunosuppressive phenotype. This phenomenon extended to human lung cancers, as evidenced by TAM reprogramming in smokers versus nonsmokers. This study substantially advances our understanding of carcinogen-mediated effects on cancer immunogenicity, potentially redirecting approaches to cancer immunotherapy.

The northern part of the Jurassic Sichuan Basin has long been thought of as a foreland basin in relation to the post-collisional compression along the northern margin of the Yangtze block. However, the exact coupling mechanism between mountain building and basin formation remains unclear. Here, we integrate stratigraphic correlation, basin subsidence analysis and flexural simulation to quantitatively assess the extent to which the fold-thrust belts have controlled basin subsidence. Flexural backstripping of the stratigraphic record, spanning from 201 to 149 Ma, along two cross sections that are perpendicular to the Micangshan fold-thrust belt and the Dabashan fold-thrust belt, respectively, reveals a limited flexural control of mountain loading on basin subsidence. Owing to the short-wavelength nature of plate flexure, the basin-adjacent thrust belts exerted dominant control on basin subsidence only along its margin, with the width of the foredeeps not exceeding ca. 120 km, failing to drive subsidence in the forebulge and backbulge regions. Flexural modeling results suggest that crustal thickening was relatively weak during the Early to Middle Jurassic. This was followed by a more rapid and intense phase of crustal growth in the Late Jurassic, possibly extending into the earliest Early Cretaceous. Compared to the Micangshan region, the Dabashan region has experienced more intense compression during the Late Jurassic. Additionally, our results reveal spatial variations in plate rigidity along the northern margin of the Yangtze block, with greater plate stiffness in the Dabashan region. The presence of residual subsidence, an anomalous long-wavelength subsidence component corrected for both basin-adjacent thrust loading and associated sediment loading, highlights the necessity for an additional driving mechanism for basin subsidence. This residual subsidence was likely dynamic subsidence induced by the flat subduction of the Paleo-Pacific plate (the Izanagi plate) beneath East Asia as the flat slab progressively migrated inland.

Abstract Surface flux estimation is essential to land surface modeling in earth system models. In practice, parameterizations of surface turbulent fluxes are almost all based on the similarity theory. That is, the grid or subgrid mean surface‐layer flow is assumed at equilibrium with the underlying earth surface, and therefore some empirical relations can be used to estimate surface fluxes. In this paper, scale‐dependent estimability of turbulent flux in the unstable surface layer is systematically investigated based on high‐resolution large‐eddy simulation data over a flat and homogeneous domain, representing a typical land surface modeling grid. It is found that turbulent flow in the unstable surface layer inherently fluctuates over a wide range of scales. This kind of fluctuation affects the steady‐state relations between mean atmospheric quantities and underlying earth surface, and hence affects the estimability of surface fluxes. Sensitivity tests show that the relative root mean square error of the estimated surface friction velocity for a subdomain generally increases as the subdomain becomes smaller. The error can be as high as 35% as the subdomain size decreases to the order of the surface layer height. To achieve an error of 10% for all cases, the subdomain size should be at least on the order of the boundary layer height. These findings imply that estimability‐based strategies may be needed for representing subgrid heterogeneity for surface flux estimation in land surface modeling.

Permanent damage to hair cells (HCs) is the leading cause of sensory deafness. Supporting cells (SCs) are essential in the restoration of hearing in mammals because they can proliferate and differentiate to HCs. MDS1 and EVI1 complex locus (MECOM) is vital in early development and cell differentiation and regulates the TGF-β signaling pathway to adapt to pathophysiological events, such as hematopoietic proliferation, differentiation and cells death. In addition, MECOM plays an essential role in neurogenesis and craniofacial development. However, the role of MECOM in the development of cochlea and its way to regulate related signaling are not fully understood. To address this problem, this study examined the expression of MECOM during the development of cochlea and observed a significant increase of MECOM at the key point of auditory epithelial morphogenesis, indicating that MECOM may have a vital function in the formation of cochlea and regeneration of HCs. Meanwhile, we tried to explore the possible effect and potential mechanism of MECOM in SC proliferation and HC regeneration. Findings from this study indicate that overexpression of MECOM markedly increases the proliferation of SCs in the inner ear, and the expression of Smad3 and Cdkn2b related to TGF signaling is significantly down-regulated, corresponding to the overexpression of MECOM. Collectively, these data may provide an explanation of the vital function of MECOM in SC proliferation and trans-differentiation into HCs, as well as its regulation. The interaction between MECOM, Wnt, Notch and the TGF-β signaling may provide a feasible approach to induce the regeneration of HCs.

Abstract Background Central precocious puberty (CPP) is a precocious puberty due to premature activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary‐gonadal axis (HPG). MKRN3 defects are well‐known causes of CPP, while DLK1 mutations were recently identified in a few patients with CPP. Methods The study was approved by the Institutional Review and the scientific committee of the hospital. The clinical data were collected. Whole‐exome sequencing (WES) was performed to detect causative variants. Key words ‘DLK1’, ‘MKRN3’, and “central precocious puberty” were used for literature search in PubMed, Google Scholar, HGMD, and OMIM databases. Results The patient, a male, whose puberty began before age nine, had significant metabolic abnormalities including overweight, hyperlipidemia, and hyperuricemia. WES detected a recurrent frame‐shift mutation, NM_003836.5:c.479delC(p.P160fs*50) in DLK1 in the patient and his father. Conclusion The familial DLK1‐CPP was identified in China for the first time, which supported that short stature is predicted in patients with CPP without GnRHa treatment. Therefore, we recommend that children with DLK1‐CPP should be treated as early as possible to improve adult height. The patient in this study had persistent hyperuricemia, further suggests that this antiadipogenic factor represents a link between reproduction and metabolism.

Satellite-based leaf area index (LAI) products, such as the MODIS LAI, play an essential role in land surface and climate modeling research, from regional to global scales. However, data gaps and high-level noise can exist, thus limiting their applications to a broader scope. Our previous work has reprocessed the MODIS LAI Collection 5 (C5) product, and the reprocessed data have been widely used these years. In this study, the MODIS C6.1 LAI data were reprocessed to broaden its application as a successor. We updated the integrated two-step method that is used for MODIS C5 LAI and implemented it into the MODIS C6.1 LAI product. Comprehensive evaluations for the original and reprocessed products were conducted. The results showed that the reprocessed LAI data had better performance in validation against reference maps. In addition, the site scale time series of reprocessed data was much smoother and more consistent with adjacent values. The global scale comparison showed that, though the MODIS C6.1 LAI does have improvements in ground validation with LAI reference maps, its spatial continuity, temporal continuity, and consistency showed little improvement when compared to C5. In contrast, the reprocessed data were more spatiotemporally continuous and consistent. Based on this evaluation, some suggestions for using various MODIS LAI products were given. This study assessed the quality of these different versions of MODIS LAI products and demonstrated the improvement of the reprocessed C6.1 data, which we recommended for use as a substitute for the reprocessed C5 data in land surface and climate modeling.

Compared with straight tunnels, small-radius curved tunnels are more common and have more complex influencing factors in urban underground traffic. Therefore, the seismic evaluation of small-radius curved tunnels is of great significance for the safe operation of underground structures. This paper used numerical analysis and the response surface method to analyze the influence of buried depth, curve angle and curve radius on the seismic response of a small-radius curved tunnel. For this purpose, seventeen three-dimensional (3D) numerical analysis models of the small-radius curved tunnel considering different geometric parameters are established. In addition, the optimal geometric parameters of displacement response and acceleration response of the small-radius curved tunnel are studied by using the method of multi-objective optimization design. The results show that buried depth has a pronounced influence upon the displacement response of the small-radius curved tunnel, whilst the buried depth and curve radius are the key parameters affecting the acceleration response of the small-radius curved tunnel. The optimal parameter configuration of the small-radius curved tunnel is the maximum buried depth, the maximum curve angle and the maximum curve radius within the value domain.

Objective: To investigate the role of the periotic mesenchyme (POM) in the development of sensory cells of developing auditory epithelium. Methods: Developing auditory epithelium with or without periotic mesenchyme was isolated from mice at embryonic days 11.5 (E11.5), E12.5 and E13.5, respectively, and cultured in vitro to an equivalent of E18.5’s epithelium in vivo. Then, the explants were co-stained with antibodies targeting myosin VIIA, Sox2 and BrdU. Results: More hair cells in E11.5 + 7 DIV, E12.5 + 6 DIV and E13.5 + 5 DIV auditory epithelia were found upon culture with POM (225.90 ± 62.44, 476.94 ± 100.81, and 1386.60 ± 202.38, respectively) compared with the non-POM group (68.17 ± 23.74, 205.00 ± 44.23, and 1266.80 ± 38.84, respectively). Moreover, regardless of developmental stage, the mesenchymal tissue increased the amount of cochlear sensory cells as well as the ratio of differentiated hair cells to total sensory cells. Conclusions: The periotic mesenchyme promotes the development of cochlear sensory cells, and its effect depends on the developmental stage of the auditory epithelium.

Cingulin, a cytoplasmic element of tight junctions (TJs), is involved in maintenance of the integrity of epithelial and endothelial cells. However, the role of cingulin in the development of auditory organs remains unclear. Zebrafish is popular as a model organism for hearing research. Using the whole mount in situ hybridization (WISH) experiment, we detected the expression of cingulin b in the posterior lateral line system (PLLs) of zebrafish. We traced the early development progress of zebrafish PLLs from 36 hpf to 72 hpf, and found that inhibition of cingulin b by target morpholinos resulted in severe developmental obstruction, including decreased number of neuromasts, reduced proliferative cells in the primordium, and repressed hair cell differentiation in the neuromasts. To examine the potential mechanism of cingulin b in the development of zebrafish PLL neuromasts, we performed RNA-seq analysis to compare the differently expressed genes (DEGs) between cingulin b knockdown samples and the controls. The KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that MAPK signaling pathway and cellular senescence were the key pathways with most DEGs in cingulin b-MO morphants compared to the Control-MO embryos. Furthermore, quantitative RT-PCR analysis confirmed the findings by RNA-seq that the transcript levels of cell cycle negative regulators such as tp53 and cdkn1a, were remarkably upregulated after inhibition of cingulin b. Our results therefore indicated an important role of cingulin b in the development of auditory organs, and MAPK signaling pathway was inhibited while cellular senescence pathway was activated after downregulation of cingulin b. We bring forward new insights of cingulin by exploring its function in auditory system.

Kif15, a kinesin family member, is powerful in the formation of bipolar spindles. There is emerging evidence indicating that Kif15 plays vital roles in influencing the growth of axons and interference with the progression of the tumor. However, the function of Kif15 in the auditory organs remains unknown. The Western blotting test was used to examine the effect of Kif15 downregulation by specific morpholino targeting Kif15 (Kif15-MO). The development of the inner ear and posterior lateral line (PLL) system in zebrafish was under continuous observation from spawns to 96 h postfertilization (hpf) to investigate the potential role of Kif15 in the auditory and vestibular system. We uncovered that Kif15 inhibition induced otic organ deformities in zebrafish, including malformed semicircular canals, abnormal number and location of otoliths, and reduced number of hair cells (HCs) both in utricle and saccule. Furthermore, a remarkable reduction in the number of PLL neuromasts was also explored in Kif15-MO morphants compared to the normal larvae. We also detected notably reduced activity in locomotion after Kif15 was knocked down. Additionally, we performed rescue experiments with co-injection of Kif15 mRNA and found that the Kif15 splicing MO-induced deformities in otic vesicle and PLL of zebrafish were successfully rescued, and the severely reduced locomotor activity caused by Kif15-MO was partially rescued compared to the control-MO (Con-MO) embryos. Our findings uncover that Kif15 is essential in the early development of auditory and vestibular organs using zebrafish as models.

Static environment is a prerequisite for most existing vision-based SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping) systems to work properly, which greatly limits the use of SLAM in real-world environments. The quality of the global point cloud map constructed by the SLAM system in a dynamic environment is related to the camera pose estimation and the removal of noise blocks in the local point cloud maps. Most dynamic SLAM systems mainly improve the accuracy of camera localization, but rarely study on noise blocks removal. In this paper, we proposed a novel semantic SLAM system with a more accurate point cloud map in dynamic environments. We obtained the masks and bounding boxes of the dynamic objects in the images by BlitzNet. The mask of a dynamic object was extended by analyzing the depth statistical information of the mask in the bounding box. The islands generated by the residual information of dynamic objects were removed by a morphological operation after geometric segmentation. With the bounding boxes, the images can be quickly divided into environment regions and dynamic regions, so the depth-stable matching points in the environment regions are used to construct epipolar constraints to locate the static matching points in the dynamic regions. In order to verify the preference of our proposed SLAM system, we conduct the experiments on the TUM RGB-D datasets. Compared with the state-of-the-art dynamic SLAM systems, the global point cloud map constructed by our system is the best.

With the rapid consumption of shallow coal resources, the depth of shaft lining construction continues to increase; huge formation pressure and complex geological conditions make the stress condition of shaft lining become more complex. The concrete strength grade is usually enhanced to improve the bearing capacity of shaft lining; however, high strength grades bring high brittleness. In order to solve the problem of high brittleness of high-strength concrete shaft lining in ultra-deep mine construction, a steel-polypropylene hybrid fiber high-performance reinforced concrete (SPHFRC) shaft model was developed. The SPHFRC with various mix proportions was prepared by optimizing the fiber content. The mechanical properties of SPHFRC were tested and compared with the reference concrete (PHSC). The results show that the SPHFRC can be obtained by adding the volume fraction in 1.2% steel fiber and 1.0% polypropylene fiber, which increases the tensile strength by 27.5% and the compressive strength of SPHFRC was similar to the reference concrete. By introducing a new brittleness evaluation index B to evaluate the brittleness of concrete, the results show the fiber greatly improves the brittleness problem of PHSC. Afterwards, a model test of PHSC and SPHFRC shaft lining was conducted, and the circumferential and axial load-stress-strain curves and load-displacement curves of concrete and steel bars are analyzed. Combining the failure characteristics of the two shaft lining models, the following conclusions are obtained: The ultimate bearing capacity of PHSC shaft lining is hardly affected by fibers, but the hoop displacement is significantly reduced and the circumferential stability of shaft lining has been greatly improved, the initial cracks appeared late, the speed of crack’s propagation is reduced, and no obvious concrete peeling and separation appeared during damage. The comprehensive performance of SPHFRC shaft lining is excellent, which has better ductility and anti-deformation ability.

To prepare silica/rubber composites for low roll resistance tires, a novel strategy was proposed in this study, in which autonomous monodisperse silica (AS) was prepared and modified using 3-mercaptopropyloxy-methoxyl-bis(nonane-pentaethoxy) siloxane (Si747), after which silica/emulsion styrene butadiene rubber (ESBR) master batches were produced using the latex compounding technique. Meanwhile, the commercial precipitated silica (PS) was introduced as a control. In this study, the effects of amount of Si747 and pH value on the properties of the silica/ESBR composites were systematically analyzed. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) results indicated that Si747 reduced the silanol group by chemical grafting and physical shielding, and the optimum amounts of Si747 for AS and PS modification were confirmed to be 15% and 20%, respectively. Under a pH of 9, ESBR/modified AS (MAS) composites with 15% Si747 presented better silica dispersion and a weaker Payne effect, compared with ESBR/modified PS (MPS) composites with 20% Si747. Meanwhile, in terms of dynamic properties, the ESBR/MAS composites exhibited a better balance of lower rolling resistance and higher wet skid resistance than the ESBR/MPS composites.

Rapid changes in the performance-related parameters of a pump during its startup operation lead to large pressure fluctuations and structural vibrations in it. In view of these problems, this study investigates the evolution of cavitation and the characteristics of fluctuations under pressure in a centrifugal pump during startup. We use the finite volume method to simulate this dynamic process. To characterize the acceleration, we assume that the rotational speed and rate of flow of the pump are not constant but vary with time. A steady-state numerical simulation is performed to examine the external characteristics of the pump to verify the accuracy of the numerical procedure. The evolution of fluctuations in the cavity and pressure over time is then analyzed in detail. We use the short-term Fourier transform for post-processing in light of its advantage in treating non-stationary signals. The results indicate that both the frequency and the amplitude of the fluctuations in pressure increase with the speed of the impeller. The transient operation causes the average pressure at the inlet of the impeller to decrease to the evaporation pressure, and this leads to an increase in the volume fraction of vapor. Moreover, both the impeller–tongue interaction and the impeller–diffuser interaction influence the fluctuations in cavitation.

Sintering-resistant Au nanoparticles are highly desirable due to their low Tammann temperature. Here, the authors report an ultrastable titania-supported Au nanocatalyst through an encapsulation strategy under oxidative atmosphere.

Abstract Soil thermal conductivity (STC) is an important physical parameter in modeling land surface processes. Previous studies on evaluations of STC schemes are mostly based on direct measurements of local conditions, and their recommendations cannot be used as a reference in selecting STC schemes for land modeling use. In this work, seven typical STC schemes are incorporated into the Common Land Model to evaluate their applications in land surface modeling. Statistical analyses show that the Johansen (1975) scheme and its three derivatives, Côté and Konrad (2005, https://doi.org/10.1139/t04‐106), Balland and Arp (2005, https://doi.org/10.1139/s05‐007), and Lu et al. (2007, https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2006.0041), are significantly superior to the other schemes with respect to both STC estimations and their applications in modeling soil temperature and the partitioning of surface available energy in the Common Land Model. The Balland and Arp (2005, https://doi.org/10.1139/s05‐007) scheme ranks at the top among the selected schemes. Uncertainty analyses based on single‐point and global simulations both show that the differences in STC estimations can induce significant differences in simulated soil temperature in arid/semiarid and seasonally frozen regions, especially at deep layers. The hydrology‐related variables are slightly affected by STC variations, but slight changes in these variables can induce notable changes in soil temperature by altering soil thermal properties. These results emphasize the important role of STC in modeling soil thermodynamics and suggest the necessity of further developing STC schemes based on land modeling applications. According to the evaluation analyses, we recommend the Balland and Arp (2005, https://doi.org/10.1139/s05‐007) scheme as a more suitable selection for use in land surface models.

Abstract Modeling land surface processes requires complete and reliable soil property information to understand soil hydraulic and heat dynamics and related processes, but currently, there is no data set of soil hydraulic and thermal parameters that can meet this demand for global use. In this study, we propose a fitting approach to obtain the optimal soil water retention parameters from ensemble pedotransfer functions (PTFs), which are evaluated using the global coverage National Cooperative Soil Survey Characterization Database and show better performance for global applications than our original ensemble estimations (median values of PTFs) as done in Dai et al. (2013, https://doi.org/10.1175/JHM‐D‐12‐0149.1). Soil hydraulic conductivities are still estimated as the median values of multiple PTFs, and the results are shown to perform comparably to the estimates from the existing precision‐advanced models. Soil thermal properties are estimated following the schemes identified by Dai et al. (2019a, http://arxiv.org/abs/1908.04579), which evaluated several highly recommended schemes based on their land modeling applications. Using these approaches, we develop two global high‐resolution data sets of soil hydraulic and thermal parameters based on Global Soil Dataset for Earth System Models (GSDE) and SoilGrids soil composition databases. The delivered variables include six basic soil properties, four soil hydraulic parameters in the Campbell (1974, https://doi.org/10.1097/00010694‐197406000‐00001) model, five soil hydraulic parameters in the van Genuchten (1980, https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1980.03615995004400050002x) model, and four soil thermal properties. The delivered data sets are available at a 30″ × 30″ geographical spatial resolution and provide four sets of vertical profiles following the resolutions of SoilGrids, Noah‐Land Surface Models (LSM), Joint UK Land Environment Simulator (JULES), and Common Land Model/Community Land Model (CoLM/CLM). The data sets can be used in both regional and global applications.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the effect of hearing and speech rehabilitation in patients with Nurotron® cochlear implants. Design: Ninety-eight paediatric patients with bilateral severe-to-profound sensorineural deafness who received cochlear implantation were divided into three groups according to age: group A (≤3 years), group B (4–7 years), and group C (8–16 years). All patients were followed up for one year for hearing and speech performance after the surgery. The comprehensive Auditory Perception Assessment, MAIS, CAP and SIR hearing and speech assessments and rating materials were used for assessment before the surgery and at 3, 6, and 12 months after implant activation. Results: The scores of patients in the open-set speech assessment, Chinese Auditory Perception Assessment, MAIS, CAP and SIR significantly improved after cochlear implantation in all age groups. The younger the age at implantation, the better the results. Moreover, the hearing and speech performance of cochlear implant recipients gradually improved with the extension of rehabilitation time. Conclusions: Nurotron® Venus™ cochlear implantation can improve the hearing and speech performance of patients with bilateral severe-to-profound sensorineural deafness. Keywords: Hearing loss, Sensorineural, Cochlear implant, Rehabilitation, Speech perception, Assessment

Wireless sensor networks, as a multi-hop self-organized network system formed by wireless communication, are vulnerable to malware diffusion by breaking the data confidentiality and service availability, owing to their low configuration and weak defense mechanism. To reveal the rules of malware diffusion in the really deployed wireless sensor networks, we propose a model called Malware Diffusion Based on Cellular Automaton to describe the dynamics of malware diffusion based on cellular automaton. According to the model, we first analyze and obtain the differential equations, which can reflect the various state dynamics of sensor nodes with cellular automaton. Then, we attain the equilibrium points of the model Malware Diffusion Based on Cellular Automaton to determine the threshold for whether malware will diffuse or die out in wireless sensor networks. Furthermore, we compute the basic regeneration number of the model Malware Diffusion Based on Cellular Automaton using the next-generation matrix and prove the stability of the equilibrium points. Finally, via experimental simulation, we verify the effectiveness of the model Malware Diffusion Based on Cellular Automaton, which can provide administrators with the theoretical guidance on suppressing malware diffusion in wireless sensor networks.

Transpiration represents more than 30% of the global land–atmosphere water exchange but is highly uncertain. Plant hydraulics was ignored in traditional land surface modeling, but recently plant hydraulics has been found to play an essential role in transpiration simulation. A new physical-based representation of plant hydraulic schemes (PHS) was recently developed and implemented in the Common Land Model (CoLM). However, it is unclear to what extent PHS can reduce these uncertainties. Here, we evaluated the PHS against measurements obtained at 81 FLUXNET sites. The transpiration of each site was estimated using an empirical evapotranspiration partitioning approach. The metric scores defined by the International Land Model Benchmarking Project (ILAMB) were used to evaluate the model performance and compare it with that of the CoLM default scheme (soil moisture stress (SMS)). The bias score of transpiration in PHS was higher than SMS for most sites, and more significant improvements were found in semi-arid and arid sites where transpiration was limited by soil moisture. The hydraulic redistribution in PHS optimized the soil water supply and thus improved the transpiration estimates. In humid sites, no significant improvement in seasonal or interannual variability of transpiration was simulated by PHS, which can be explained by the insensitivity of transpiration demand coupled to the photosynthesis response to precipitation. In arid and semi-arid sites, seasonal or interannual variability of transpiration was better captured by PHS than SMS, which was interpreted by the improved drought sensitivity for transpiration. Arid land is widespread and is expected to expand due to climate change, thus there is an urgent need to couple PHS in land surface models.

Ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is a class of high-performance engineering plastics, exhibiting a unique set of properties and applications. Although many advances have been achieved in recent years, the synthesis of UHMWPE is still a great challenge. In this contribution, a series of zirconium and hafnium complexes, [2,6-(R1)2-4-R2-C6H2-N-C(camphyl)=C(camphyl)-N-2,6-(R1)2-4-R2-C6H2]MMe2(THF) (1-Zr: R1 = Me, R2 = H, M = Zr; 2-Zr: R1 = Me, R2 = Me, M = Zr; 1-Hf: R1 = Me, R2 = H, M = Hf; 2-Hf: R1 = Me, R2 = Me, M = Hf), bearing bidentate NN ligands with the bulky camphyl backbone were synthesized by the stoichiometric reactions of α-diimine ligands with MMe4 (M = Hf or Zr). All Zr and Hf metal complexes were analyzed using 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, and the molecular structures of complexes 1-Zr and 1-Hf were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, revealing that the original α-diimine ligand was selectively reduced into the ene-diamido form and generated an 1,3-diaza-2-metallocyclopentene ring in the metal complexes. Zr complexes 1-Zr and 2-Zr showed moderate activity (up to 388 kg(PE)·mol−1(M)·h−1), poor copolymerization ability, but unprecedented molecular weight capability toward ethylene/1-octene copolymerization. Therefore, copolymers with ultrahigh molecular weights (>600 or 337 × 104 g∙mol−1) were successfully synthesized by 1-Zr or 2-Zr, respectively, with the borate cocatalyst [Ph3C][B(C6F5)4]. Surprisingly, Hf complexes 1-Hf and 2-Hf showed negligible activity under otherwise identical conditions, revealing the great influence of metal centers on catalytic performances.

Summary: DNA replication-coupled (RC) nucleosome assembly is mediated by histone chaperones and is fundamental for epigenetic inheritance and maintenance of genomic integrity. The mechanisms that promote this process are only partially understood. Here, we show that the histone chaperone FACT (facilitates chromatin transactions), consisting of Spt16 and Pob3, promotes newly synthesized histone H3-H4 deposition. We describe an allele of Spt16 (spt16-m) that has a defect in binding to H3-H4 and impairs their deposition onto DNA. Consistent with a direct role for FACT in RC nucleosome assembly, spt16-m displays synthetic defects with other histone chaperones associated with this process, CAF-1 and Rtt106. Importantly, we show that FACT physically associates with Rtt106 and that the acetylation of H3K56, a mark on newly synthesized H3, modulates this interaction. Therefore, FACT collaborates with CAF-1 and Rtt106 in RC nucleosome assembly. : Yang et al. show that mutation of Spt16, a FACT subunit, impairs the replication-coupled histone H3-H4 deposition. Mechanistically, FACT binds H3-H4 and cooperates with other histone chaperones, CAF-1 and Rtt106, to participate in replication-coupled nucleosome assembly.

Over the last years, the detection of pesticide residues in the official food surveillance programs of Chile has been increased, mainly in fresh vegetables such as tomatoes and lettuces. The Metropolitana Region of Chile presents the highest detections in the country. The lack of evaluations of toxicological risks in human health have increased uncertainty of the potential effects of pesticides exposures in the Chilean population. This research aims to determinate health risks assessment of pesticide residues associated to tomatoes and lettuces produced in Metropolitana Region. The findings of this study reveal that tomatoes and lettuces cultivated in the MR show more than 50% of samples with one or multiple pesticides residues. From the total samples, 16% were over the Chilean Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs). The main pesticides detected in tomatoes and lettuces were methamidophos, methomyl, difenoconazole, cyprodinil and boscalid. The results obtained using the official data of the Ministry of Health of Chile (MINSAL) compared to the World Health Organization (WHO), describe relevant risks through the Estimated Daily Intakes (EDI), Hazard Quotients (HQ) and Hazard Index (HI) for the Chilean population due to high concentrations of methamidophos, methomyl and cyprodinil. More restrictions for the use of methamidophos, methomyl, difenoconazole, cyprodinil and boscalid and effective control programs should be implemented in order to mitigate the impacts on the Chilean population.

Ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of cyclic esters/lactones by efficient catalysts is a powerful method for synthesis of biodegradable and biocompatible polyesters with well-defined structures. To develop catalytic systems that are fast, selective and controlled is a persistent effort of chemists. In this contribution, we report a binary urea/alkoxide catalytic system that could catalyze ROP of rac-LA in a fast (over 90% conversion within 1–2 min), stereoselective (Pi up to 0.93) and controlled manner, indicated by narrow MW distributions, linear relationship between the monomer conversions and Mns, end-group fidelity, and chain extension experiments. Remarkably, the catalytic system described here is simple, easily prepared, and structurally tunable and thus has versatile catalytic performances.

Objective This study aimed to describe preliminary experiences associated with removal of tracheobronchial foreign bodies (TFBs) by cystourethroscopy (CU). Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of 127 paediatric cases of TFB removal by CU at our centre from January 2009 to August 2016. Data that were extracted from the medical records included age, sex, location and nature of the TFBs, operation time, and complications. Results All TFBs were successfully removed by CU. The mean time of the procedure was 3.38 ± 2.86 minutes. A total of 102 (80.31%) patients had successful removal of TFBs by CU during the initial trial, 19 (14.96%) were successfully treated in the second trial, and six (4.72%) required a third trial. Otolaryngologists with 2, 5, and 7 years of professional CU training showed a mean TFB removal time of 3.38 ± 2.13, 3.40 ± 3.60, and 3.37 ± 2.86 minutes, respectively. In the operations, oxygen saturation fell below 90% at an average occurrence of 0.39 times, but no patients showed a decrease below 85%. Only one patient experienced laryngeal oedema after the procedure. Conclusion CU is a useful technique and minimizes complications and operational risks during removal of paediatric TFBs.

Acetylation tubulin is one of the major post-translational modifications of microtubules. Stable microtubules are well known to contain acetylated tubulin. Here, we examined the spatiotemporal expression of acetylated tubulin in the mouse cochlea during postnatal development. At postnatal day 1 (P1), acetylated tubulin was localized primarily to the auditory nerve inside the cochlea and their synaptic contacts with the inner and outer hair cells (IHCs and OHCs). In the organ of Corti, acetylated tubulin occurred first at the apex of pillar cells. At P5, acetylated tubulin first appeared in the phalangeal processes of Deiters’ cells. At P8, staining was maintained in the phalangeal processes of Deiters’ cells. At P10, labeling in Deiters’ cells extended from the apices of OHCs to the basilar membrane. Labeling was expressed throughout the cytoplasm of pillar cells. At P12, acetylated tubulin displayed prominent and homogeneous labeling along the full length of the pillar cells. Linear labeling was present mainly in the Deiters’ cell bodies underlying OHCs. Between P14 and P17, acetylated tubulin was strongly expressed in inner and outer pillar cells and Deiters’ cells in a similar pattern as observed in the adult, and labeling in these cells were arranged in bundles. In addition, acetylated tubulin was intensely expressed in stria vascularis, root cell bodies, and a small number of fibrocytes of the spiral ligament until the adult. In the adult mouse cochlea, immunostaining continued to predominate in Deiters’ cells and pillar cells. Immunolabeling formed cups securing OHCs basal portions, and continued presence of acetylated tubulin-labeled nerve terminals below IHCs was shown. Our results presented here underscored the essential role played by acetylated tubulin in postnatal cochlear development, auditory neurotransmission and cochlear mechanics.

Inner ear formation requires that a series of cell fate decisions and morphogenetic events occur in a precise temporal and spatial pattern. Previous studies have shown that transcription factors, including Pax2, Sox2, and Prox1, play important roles during the inner ear development. However, the temporospatial expression patterns among these transcription factors are poorly understood. In the current study, we present a comprehensive description of the temporal and spatial expression profiles of Pax2, Sox2, and Prox1 during auditory and vestibular sensory organ development in mice. Using immunohistochemical analyses, we show that Sox2 and Pax2 are both expressed in the prosensory cells (the developing hair cells), but Sox2 is later restricted to only the supporting cells of the organ of Corti. In the vestibular sensory organ, however, the Pax2 expression is localized in hair cells at postnatal day 7, while Sox2 is still expressed in both the hair cells and supporting cells at that time. Prox1 was transiently expressed in the presumptive hair cells and developing supporting cells, and lower Prox1 expression was observed in the vestibular sensory organ compared to the organ of Corti. The different expression patterns of these transcription factors in the developing auditory and vestibular sensory organs suggest that they play different roles in the development of the sensory epithelia and might help to shape the respective sensory structures.

Today’s engineering companies are facing unprecedented competition in a global market place. There is now a knowledge intensive shift towards whole product lifecycle support, and collaborative environments. It has become particularly important to capture information, knowledge and experiences about previous design and following stages during their product lifecycle, so as to retrieve and reuse such information in new and follow-on designs activities. Recently, with the rapid development and adoption of digital technologies, annotation and markup are becoming important tools for information communication, retrieval and management. Such techniques are being increasingly applied to an array of applications and different digital items, such as text documents, 2D images and 3D models. This paper presents a state-of-the-art review of recent research in markup for engineering design, including a number of core markup languages and main markup strategies. Their applications and future utilization in engineering design, including multi-viewpoint of product models, capture of information and rationale across the whole product lifecycle, integration of engineering design processes, and engineering document management, are comprehensively discussed.

The stoichiometric reactions of 8-(2,6-R1-4-R2-anilide)-5,6,7-trihydroquinoline (LH) with AlR3 (R = Me or Et) afforded the aluminum complexes LAlR2 (Al1–Al5,Al1: R1 = iPr, R2 = H, R = Me; Al2: R1 = Me, R2 = H, R = Me; Al3: R1 = H, R2 = H, R = Me; Al4: R1 = Me, R2 = Me, R = Me; Al5: R1 = Me, R2 = Me, R = Et) in high yields. All aluminum complexes were characterized by NMR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The molecular structures of complexes Al4 and Al5 were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffractions and revealed a distorted tetrahedral geometry at aluminum. In the presence of BnOH, complexes Al1–Al5 efficiently initiated the ring-opening homopolymerization of ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) and rac-lactide (rac-LA), respectively, in a living/controlled manner.