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Background: Platelet dysfunction plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Despite clinical observations indicating abnormalities in platelet parameters among IBD patients, inconsistencies persist, and these parameters lack standardization for diagnosis or clinical assessment. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted in the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases for relevant articles published up to December 16th, 2023. A random-effects model was employed to pool the weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of platelet count (PLT), mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), and plateletcrit (PCT) between IBD patients and healthy controls, and subgroup analyses were performed. Results: The meta-analysis included 79 articles with 8,350 IBD patients and 13,181 healthy individuals. The results revealed significantly increased PLT and PCT levels (WMD: 69.910, 95% CI: 62.177, 77.643 109/L; WMD: 0.046%, 95% CI: 0.031%, 0.061%), and decreased MPV levels (WMD: -0.912, 95% CI: -1.086, -0.739 fL) in IBD patients compared to healthy individuals. No significant difference was found in PDW between the IBD and control groups (WMD: -0.207%, 95% CI: -0.655%, 0.241%). Subgroup analysis by disease type and disease activity showed no change in the differences for PLT, PCT, and MPV in the ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease groups, as well as the active and inactive groups. Notably, the active group exhibited significantly lower PDW levels than the control group (WMD: -1.138%, 95% CI: -1.535%, -0.741%). Conclusions: Compared with healthy individuals, IBD patients display significantly higher PLT and PCT and significantly lower MPV. Monitoring the clinical manifestations of platelet abnormalities serves as a valuable means to obtain diagnostic and prognostic information. Conversely, proactive measures should be taken to prevent the consequences of platelet abnormalities in individuals with IBD. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42023493848. Key messages: • It is known that inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is related to various alterations in platelets, but there are variations in reported results of platelet parameters in the IBD population in clinical studies. • To elucidate the diagnostic and prognostic value of platelet parameters in IBD, we conducted a meta-analysis of 79 studies to provide more comprehensive conclusions on changes in platelet parameters in IBD. • This meta-analysis reveals that individuals with IBD exhibit significantly elevated platelet count (PLT) and plateletcrit (PCT), alongside a significant decrease in mean platelet volume (MPV) compared to healthy individuals. • The platelet parameters can offer reliable insights for assessing the severity of IBD and understanding potential pathophysiological mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: The low FODMAP diet is the most recommended dietary intervention for the clinical management of IBS symptoms. Bibliometrics analysis provides a comprehensive perspective and direction on global research trend and hotspot in the low FODMAP diet research. The restriction stage of the low FODMAP diet is superior to other dietary therapies for IBS in terms of symptom response, but it has a negative impact on the abundance of gut Bifidobacteria and diet quality. Identification of biomarkers to predict response to the low FODMAP diet has become the current research hotspot. Large, well-designed clinical research studies are needed in the future to investigate the long-term efficacy and safety of the low FODMAP diet, including FODMAP reintroduction and personalization stages. Background: According to national guidelines, a diet low in fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAP) is a second-line therapy option for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and improves functional intestinal symptoms. Numerous noteworthy results have been published in this field over the past fifteen years. This study aims to analyze the global research trend and hotspot of the low FODMAP diet research, and provide a comprehensive perspective and direction for researchers. Methods: The Science Citation Index-Expanded of the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) was used to identify low FODMAP diet-related articles and reviews. Three bibliometric programs (CiteSpace, VOSviewer, Scimago Graphic) were utilized to analyze and visualize the annual publications, authors, countries, institutions, journals, citations, and keywords. Results: In total, 843 documents related to the low FODMAP diet research were published in 227 journals by 3,343 authors in 1,233 institutions from 59 countries. The United States, which was the most engaged nation in international collaboration, had the largest annual production and the fastest growth. The most productive organization was Monash University, and the most fruitful researcher was Gibson PR. Nutrients ranked first in terms of the number of published documents. The article "A diet low in FODMAPs reduces symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome" (Halmos EP, 2014) received the most co-citations. Keywords that appear frequently in the literature mainly involve two main aspects: the clinical efficacy evaluation and mechanism exploration of the low FODMAP diet. The term "gut microbiota" stands out as the most prominent keyword among the burst keywords that have remained prevalent till date. Conclusion: The restriction stage of the low FODMAP diet is superior to other dietary therapies for IBS in terms of symptom response, but it has a negative impact on the abundance of gut Bifidobacteria and diet quality. Identification of biomarkers to predict response to the low FODMAP diet is of great interest and has become the current research hotspot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we establish a Moser-Trudinger type inequality with a special degenerate potential V. Specifically, we demonstrate that for any potentials V (x) satisfying the conditions (V 1) and (V 2) , the following inequality MT (V , α , p) ≔ sup u ∈ E , ‖ u ‖ ≤ 1 ⁡ ∫ R n Φ (α n (1 + α ‖ u ‖ p n) 1 n − 1 u n n − 1 ) d x < ∞ holds if α < λ 1 (V) ; where E is the usual weighted Sobolev space associated to the potential V , the norm ‖ u ‖ n : = ∫ R n | ∇ u | n + V (x) | u | n d x , and λ 1 (V) is the first Dirichlet eigenvalue of the corresponding operator − Δ + V. The potential conditions are as follows. (V 1) 0 ≤ m = inf x ∈ R n ⁡ V (x) < sup x ∈ R n ⁡ V (x) = lim | x | → ∞ ⁡ V (x) = M ≤ ∞. (V 2) V is radially symmetric, non-decreasing. Besides, we also prove that for any potentials V (x) satisfying the condition (V 1) merely and for p = n , the previous inequality is still valid. In addition, this inequality is sharp in the sense that if p > n and α ≥ λ 1 (V) , there holds MT (V , α , p) = ∞. Meanwhile, if α > λ 1 (V) , then MT (V , α , n) = ∞. Furthermore, via a subtle blow-up analysis, we also prove the existence of an extremal function for the inequality above when α is sufficiently small. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Soil microorganisms play a crucial role in promoting growth and development, nutrient absorption, and disease resistance in poplar plantations. Long-term planting decays soil nutrient contents and changes the microfloral structure, and pathogenic microorganisms accumulate. It is of great significance to clarify the distribution and synergistic relationships between beneficial and pathogenic microorganisms in plantation soil for solving the long-term planting obstacles of poplar plantation. Methods: High-throughput sequencing, culture, pure bacterial identification, functional verification, and bioinformatics methods were used to explore the population and functional characteristics of the soil microorganisms in the perennial poplar forest, identify the main pathogenic and beneficial microorganisms in the soil, and investigate the synergistic relationships among the microorganisms in the system. Results: An evaluation of soil from a perennial poplar plantation revealed the presence of many beneficial microbes, such as Bacillus, Sphingomonas, Variovorax, and Streptomyces, as well as pathogenic microorganisms, including Fusarium and Alternaria. Most of these microorganisms were enriched in the rhizosphere soil. The study found that phosphorus was the driving factor affecting soil microorganisms, with available phosphorus (K = 0.189) and pH value (K = 0.113) significantly affecting fungal phylogeny. Bacterial community assembly processes were deterministic (βNTI < − 2), while those of fungi were stochastic (− 1 > βNTI > − 2). The microbial network in the rhizosphere was more stable than that in the bulk soil. This study expands our knowledge of the functional microbial germplasm resources of forest plantations and provides a theoretical basis for soil remediation in perennial poplar plantations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rotating-arm axis box as the research object, we established a test method in the original place of damage of the axis box that can reproduce the suspension parameter conditions of the bogie frame. First, this method establishes a real axis box mechanical model based on the suspension parameters of the axis box assembly conditions and calculates the load distribution relationship of the axis box through this model. Second, through a comparison of test data under different tooling conditions, it was verified that the distribution relationship had a great influence on the strength evaluation of the axis box body. Then, the single-axis box test method was simulated and optimized to determine the distribution of test loads and constraint conditions. The calculation results better restored the axis box test data under in situ conditions and derived a single-axis box test method with high accuracy. The lowest damage coverage was 1.01. The mechanical modeling and test optimization approach not only improves damage-based life assessment but also tunes up the efficiency of axis box testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface fouling poses a significant challenge that restricts the analytical performance of electrochemical sensors in both in vitro and in vivo applications. Biofouling resistance is paramount to guarantee the reliable operation of electrochemical sensors in complex biofluids (e.g., blood, serum, and urine). Seeking efficient strategies for surface fouling and establishing highly sensitive sensing platforms for applications in complex media have received increasing attention in the past. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of recent research efforts focused on antifouling electrochemical sensors. Initially, we present a detailed illustration of the concept about biofouling along with an exploration of four key antifouling mechanisms. Subsequently, we delve into the commonly employed antifouling strategies in the fabrication of electrochemical sensors. These encompass physical surface topography (micro/nanostructure coatings and filtration membranes) and chemical surface modifications (PEG and its derivatives, zwitterionic polymers, peptides, proteins, and various other antifouling materials). The progress in antifouling electrochemical sensors is proposed concerning the antifouling mechanisms as well as sensing capability assessments (e.g., sensitivity, stability, and practical application ability). Finally, we summarize the evolving trends in the field and highlight some key remaining limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bladder cancer (BLCA) is a malignant tumor associated with unfavorable outcomes. Studies suggest that anoikis plays a crucial role in tumor progression and cancer cell metastasis. However, its specific role in bladder cancer remains poorly understood. Our objective was to identify anoikis-related genes (ARGs) and subsequently construct a risk model to assess their potential for predicting the prognosis of bladder cancer.The transcriptome data and clinical data of BLCA patients were sourced from The Cancer Genome Atlas and GEO database. We then performed the differential expression analysis to screen differentially expressed ARGs. Subsequently, we conducted non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) clustering analysis to establish molecular subtypes based on the differentially expressed ARGs. The CIBERSORT algorithm was used to estimate the quantification of different cell infiltration in BLCA tumor microenviroment. A prognostic risk model containing 7 ARGs was established using Lasso-Cox regression analysis. The nomogram was built for predicting the survival probability of BLCA patients. To determine the drug sensitivity of each sample from the high- and low-risk groups, the R package “pRRophetic” was performed. Finally, the role of LYPD1 was explored in BLCA cell lines.We identified 90 differential expression ARGs and NMF clustering categorizated the BLCA patientss into two distinct groups (cluster A and B). Patients in cluster A had a better prognosis than those in cluster B. Then, we established a ARGs risk model including CALR, FASN, FOSL1, JUN, LYPD1, MST1R, and SATB1, which was validated in the train and test set. The results suggested overall survival rate was much higher in low risk group than high risk group. The cox regression analysis, ROC curve analysis, and nomogram collectively demonstrated that the risk model served as an independent prognostic factor. The high risk group had a higher level TME scores compared to the low risk group. Furthermore, LYPD1 was low expression in BLCA cells and overexpression of LYPD1 inhibits the prolifearation, migration and invasion.In the current study, we have identified differential expression ARGs and constructed a risk model with the promise for guiding prognostic predictions and provided a therapeutic target for patients with BLCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addition to providing extra flap size, the tissue expansion process also brings changes in flap thickness. This study aims to identify the changes in the forehead flap thickness during the tissue expansion period. Patients undergoing forehead expander embedment from September 2021 to September 2022 were included. The thickness of the forehead skin and subcutaneous tissue were measured with ultrasound before and 1, 2, 3, and 4 months after expansion. Twelve patients were included. The average expansion period was 4.6 months, and the mean expansion volume was 657.1 mL. The thickness of skin and subcutaneous tissue in the central forehead changed from 1.09 ± 0.06 to 0.63 ± 0.05 mm and from 2.53 ± 0.25 to 0.71 ± 0.09 mm, respectively. In the left frontotemporal region, skin and subcutaneous tissue thickness changed from 1.03 ± 0.05 to 0.52 ± 0.05 mm and 2.02 ± 0.21 to 0.62 ± 0.08 mm. On the right side, skin and subcutaneous tissue thickness changed from 1.01 ± 0.05 to 0.50 ± 0.04 mm and 2.06 ± 0.21 to 0.50 ± 0.05 mm. This study measured the dynamic changes in the thickness of the forehead flap during expansion. The thickness of the forehead flap decreased the fastest in the first 2 months of expansion, and the changes in skin and subcutaneous thickness slowed down in the third and fourth months and tended to a minimum value. Additionally, the thickness of subcutaneous tissue decreased greater in magnitude than the dermal tissue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic values of serum platelet count (PC), mean platelet volume ratio (MPV), platelet count to mean platelet volume ratio (PVR), platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), platelet to neutrophil ratio (PNR), PC/Albumin-globulin ratio (PC/AGR), and PC/C-reactive protein (PC/ CRP) in the diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). Methods: The medical records were retrospectively analyzed of the 158 patients who had undergone hip or knee revisions from January 2018 to May 2022. Of them, 79 cases were diagnosed with PJI and 79 with aseptic loosening (AL). PJI was defined using the Musculoskeletal Infection Society criteria. The plasma levels of CRP, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), PC, MPV, PVR, PLR, PNR, PC/AGR, and PC/CRP in the 2 groups were recorded and analyzed. In addition, tests were performed according to different joint types. The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to calculate the sensitivity and specificity of each indicator. The diagnostic value for each indicator was calculated according to the area under the curve (AUC). Results: The PC, PVR, PLR and PC/AGR levels in the PJI group were significantly higher than those in the AL group, while PC/CRP levels were significantly lower (P < 0.001). The AUC for PC/CRP, and PC/AGR was 0.804 and 0.802, respectively, which were slightly lower than that of CRP (0.826) and ESR (0.846). ROC analysis for PC/CRP, and PC/AGR revealed a cut-off value of 37.80 and 160.63, respectively, which provided a sensitivity of 73.42% and 84.81% and a specificity of 75.95% and 65.82% for PJI. The area under the curve of PLR and PC was 0.738 and 0.702. The area under the curve values for PVR, PNR, and MPV were 0.672, 0.553, and 0.544, respectively. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that PC, PLR, PC/CRP, and PC/AGR values do not offer significant advantages over ESR or CRP values when employed for the diagnosis of PJI. PVR, PNR, and MPV were not reliable in the diagnosis of PJI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare the long-term (two-year) efficacy between transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) after prostatic artery embolization (PAE) and TURP only for patients with giant (>100 mL) benign prostatic hyperplasia. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from 61 and 150 patients with giant benign prostatic hyperplasia treated with PAE+TURP or TURP alone, respectively, from January 2015 to March 2020. We compared index changes before and after surgery. Results: The operative time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative bladder irrigation time, and catheter retention time in the PAE+TURP group were lower than those of the TURP group, while the speed of resection of the lesion and hospitalization costs were more significant (P < 0.05). International prostate symptom score (IPSS), quality of life (QoL), prostate volume, maximum urinary flow rate, detrusor pressure of maximum urinary flow rate, prostate-specific antigen, and urodynamic obstruction were better in the PAE+TURP group than the TURP group at 24 months (P < 0.05). Regarding IPSS and QoL scores at 24 months postoperatively compared with the preoperative period, the PAE+TURP group was better than the TURP group in terms of the storage period, voiding period, and QoL (P < 0.05). The distribution of postoperative adverse event severity classes was comparable between the groups (P = 0.984). Conclusion: In contrast to TURP alone, PAE + TURP is more expensive but provides better postoperative outcomes; there is no significant difference in terms of the severity grade distribution of postoperative complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distortion of polyhedra is frequently used in the structure–property analysis of inorganic materials. The commonly used Baur distortion index (BDI) loses efficacy in dealing with equi‐length polyhedra. This work provides an online calculator to characterize the polyhedral distortion on the basis of the best fitted idealized polyhedron (BFIP) method. This method can determine any subtle change between distorted and corresponding idealized polyhedra. It works by fitting an idealized oriented polyhedron of user‐selected type to a collection of center and vertex coordinates on an orthonormal basis. The input only needs the coordinates of the center and ligand atoms. It can be accessed at http://bfip.crystalstructure.cn. The function is demonstrated using a distorted MgO6 octahedron. Examples of the application and comparison with the BDI are given, including a tetrahedron, octahedron, eight‐vertex triangular dodecahedron/cube and cuboctahedron. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Song Zhen, Anxin Zhang, Jie Luo, Guanghai Xiong, Haibo Peng, Rang Zhou, Yuanfeng Li, Hongqiang Xu, Zhen Li, Wei Zhao, and Haoxiang Zhang. Prevalence of high-altitude polycythemia and hyperuricemia and risk factors for hyperuricemia in high-altitude immigrants. High Alt Med Biol. 24:132–138, 2023. Background: Few studies have investigated the epidemiology of chronic mountain sickness (CMS) in high-altitude immigrants. This study evaluated the prevalence of polycythemia and hyperuricemia (HUA) and risk factors for HUA in high-altitude immigrants. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 7,070 immigrants 15–45 years of age living on the Tibetan Plateau between January and December 2021. Information from routine physical examinations was obtained from each participant. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the correlation of several risk factors for HUA. Results: The prevalence of high-altitude polycythemia (HAPC) and HUA was 25.8% (28.7% in males and 9.4% in females) and 54.2% (59.9% in males and 22.5% in females), respectively. The highest prevalence of HAPC in males and females was observed in participants 26–30 and 21–25 years of age, respectively. The highest prevalence of HUA in both males and females was observed in participants 26–30 years of age. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that age, sex, and hemoglobin (Hb) concentration were risk factors for HUA, among which age was a negative factor and male sex and Hb concentration were positive factors. Conclusions: Immigrants are more susceptible to HAPC and HUA. The high prevalence of CMS of immigrants may be associated with Hb concentration, age, and sex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Based on its objective characteristics, laboratory markers have always been the research direction of clinical diagnosis and assessment of mental disorders including Alzheimer's disease. Methods: MTT Colorimetric Assay, ELISA, and quantitative PCR were used to investigate the responsiveness of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to mitogen Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and Phytohemagglutinin (PHA), PBMCs genomic methylation and hydroxymethylation levels, nuclear DNA and mitochondrial DNA damage, respiratory chain enzyme activities, and circulating cell-free mitochondrial DNA levels were detected in 90 patients with Alzheimer's disease. Results: In the Alzheimer's disease group, LPS stimulated PBMCs viability, TNF-α secretion, PHA stimulated IL-10 secretion, genomic DNA methylation levels, circulating cell-free mitochondrial DNA copies, citrate synthase activity were reduced compared to the control; while the LPS stimulated PBMCs IL-1α secretion, PHA stimulated IL-1α and IFN-γ secretion, plasma IL-6 and TNF-α, mitochondrial DNA damages were increased compared to the control. Conclusions: The reactivity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to mitogens, mitochondrial DNA integrity characteristics, and cell-free mitochondrial DNA copies may be used as candidate laboratory biomarkers to help clinical management of Alzheimer's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Expression levels of the protein USP15 correlated with slow proliferation and slow migration of HCC cells. In HCC patients, high expression of USP15 in tumor tissue was associated with significantly decreased risk for mortality and cancer relapse. Overexpression of USP15 led to reduced tumor growth in a mouse model. USP15 regulated indirectly tumor-related proteins through interactions mediated by other proteins. The functions "cell migration" and "cell proliferation" were significantly enriched in a network of pathway hierarchies that we found relevant for the regulatory role of USP15 in HCC. Six cluster of pathways described the link between experimental observed phenotypes and expression levels of USP15. Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) leads to 600,000 people's deaths every year. The protein ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase 15 (USP15) is a ubiquitin-specific protease. The role of USP15 in HCC is still unclear. Method: We studied the function of USP15 in HCC from the viewpoint of systems biology and investigated possible implications using experimental methods, such as real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), Western blotting, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR), and next-generation sequencing (NGS). We investigated tissues samples of 102 patients who underwent liver resection between January 2006 and December 2010 at the Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital (SRRSH). Tissue samples were immunochemically stained; a trained pathologist then scored the tissue by visual inspection, and we compared the survival data of two groups of patients by means of Kaplan–Meier curves. We applied assays for cell migration, cell growth, and wound healing. We studied tumor formation in a mouse model. Results: HCC patients (n = 26) with high expression of USP15 had a higher survival rate than patients (n = 76) with low expression. We confirmed a suppressive role of USP15 in HCC using in vitro and in vivo tests. Based on publicly available data, we constructed a PPI network in which 143 genes were related to USP15 (HCC genes). We combined the 143 HCC genes with results of an experimental investigation to identify 225 pathways that may be related simultaneously to USP15 and HCC (tumor pathways). We found the 225 pathways enriched in the functional groups of cell proliferation and cell migration. The 225 pathways determined six clusters of pathways in which terms such as signal transduction, cell cycle, gene expression, and DNA repair related the expression of USP15 to tumorigenesis. Conclusion: USP15 may suppress tumorigenesis of HCC by regulating pathway clusters of signal transduction for gene expression, cell cycle, and DNA repair. For the first time, the tumorigenesis of HCC is studied from the viewpoint of the pathway cluster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tanabe–Sugano diagram is a successful guideline for the energy levels of 3dn electrons for half a century. However, it is developed only under the regular octahedral crystal field. With the surging research interests in the near‐infra‐red luminescence of 3d block transition‐metal elements, it becomes an urgent demand to know the energy level diagram of Cr4 + and Mn5 + with 3d2 configuration, which are usually embedded in the tetrahedral site due to the smaller ionic size. Although the Tanabe–Sugano diagram of 3d8 configuration in octahedron is usually used as a substitution for that of 3d2 configuration in tetrahedron, the result mismatches with the crystal field strength and emission profile. In this work, irreducible tensor operator method is applied to derive the full analytical expressions of 3d2 energy levels in the tetrahedral crystal field, based on which the Tanabe–Sugano diagram of 3d2 configuration in tetrahedron is built for the first time. Also provided is a set of formulas for fast estimation of Dq/B$Dq/B$ values, which shows consistency between the crystal field strength and the emission profile among Cr4+, Mn5+‐doped luminescent materials. As it is hoped, this work could provide more deep insights into the luminescence of 3d2 elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cr3+/Cr4+‐activated near‐infrared (NIR) luminescent materials have attracted extensive attention owing to their tunable emission wavelength and widespread applications in plant growth, food analysis, biomedical imaging, night vision, and so on. Plenty of excellent NIR materials are developed by introducing Cr3+/Cr4+ ion to various inorganic hosts. Herein, the effect of crystal field on Cr3+/Cr4+ luminescence by combining the Tanabe–Sugano energy level diagram and configuration coordinate model is discussed. Research progress of Cr3+/Cr4+‐doped NIR luminescent materials, including the phosphors designed from structural models with octahedral, tetrahedral, and other coordination types, is then outlined. The luminescence properties of more than 200 kinds of Cr3+/Cr4+‐doped materials are summarized. In particular, several strategies for tuning emission wavelength, broadening emission band, enhancing NIR luminescence efficiency, and improving thermal stability, are listed. Finally, the current challenges and future prospects in the research of Cr3+/Cr4+‐doped NIR luminescent materials are presented. This review will contribute to a deeper understanding of not only Cr3+/Cr4+ luminescence mechanism but also the current research progress of chromium‐doped luminescent materials, so as to develop more Cr3+/Cr4+‐activated NIR luminescent materials with better performance and explore more applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug resistance is a significant factor that hinders the success of cancer chemotherapy. The widely recognized mechanisms of drug resistance include changes to cell proliferation, cycle/apoptosis, drug metabolism/transport, DNA damage and the epithelial to mesenchymal transition. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), short non-coding RNAs with lengths of approximately 19–25 nucleotides, are related to cancer drug resistance, which is regulated by the aforementioned mechanisms. Based on the importance of miRNAs in regulating drug resistance, it is also necessary to take appropriate miRNA detection methods into consideration. To date, a number of advanced miRNA detection methods with high specificity and sensitivity have been developed, such as isothermal amplification-based methods, nanomaterial-based methods, chromatography-based methods, mass spectrometry-based methods and so on. Herein, biogenesis of miRNAs, the relationship between miRNAs and cancer drug resistance, and miRNA detection methods are introduced and discussed to facilitate the development of non-invasive diagnosis and inhibition of cancer drug resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fractures greatly impact the hydraulic and mechanical characteristics of fault zones; thus, the hydraulic characteristics of single fractures are critical for better understanding the hydrology of regional fault zones. A number of geophysical methods are applicable on the in situ field measurement scale. Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) is a sensitive and nondestructive approach capable of imaging the spatiotemporal resistivity variations within a fractured medium. In this study, we conducted two water infiltration monitoring experiments along in situ single fractures within tight rock using the ERT method. First, we constructed a three-dimensional (3-D) variable-density model subdivided into tetrahedra identical to the in situ fracture and verified the feasibility and accuracy of the fracture-tracking ERT (FT-ERT) through numerical simulations. Second, based on the verification of FT-ERT, the fracture resistivity variations were obtained, and the spatial and temporal variations in electrical resistivity inside the fracture were used to delineate the internal water infiltration fronts. Finally, we depicted the infiltration fronts, calculated the water infiltration velocity, and estimated the fracture permeability. The electrical response characteristics of the fractured medium revealed obvious preferential flow during infiltration. Moreover, the results indicate that the internal structure of field fractures is discontinuous and heterogeneous and that FT-ERT monitoring can not only effectively capture the spatial structures of subsurface fractures but also provide quantitative data for assessing the water conductivity of discontinuous media with strong spatial anisotropy and heterogeneity. Studying the internal hydraulic characteristics of fractures is particularly valuable for understanding the water-conducting and water-resistive characteristics of fault zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR) is a rare retinal disorder characterised by incomplete retinal vascular development. Symptoms vary widely from none to blindness even within the same family. Multiple genes related to the Wnt pathway have been found to be associated with FEVR. Recent studies identified tetraspanin 12 (TSPAN12) as a cause of the autosomal dominant inheritance form of FEVR. Here, we describe a novel TSPAN12 mutation in a Chinese family with FEVR. Targeted next-generation sequencing was performed on the proband to define the TSPAN12 mutation. Sanger sequencing was used to confirm the mutation in five family members (I-1, II-2, II-3, II-4, and III-3) in a three-generation FEVR pedigree. Ophthalmologic examinations and diagnostic imaging related to FEVR were performed. The proband (II-3) was a 32-year-old man with early-stage peripheral retinal vascular anomalies, but no visual acuity problems. DNA sequencing identified a heterozygous missense mutation (c.241 G > A: p.Gly81Arg) in TSPAN12 in the proband. The mutation was in a highly conserved region and was predicted to affect the normal protein structure. The patient's father and daughter were also diagnosed with FEVR and carried the same mutation, with varying degrees of manifestations. Other family members had good vision and normal eye examinations with negative genetic testing. We identified a novel missense mutation in TSPAN12 associated with autosomal dominant FEVR. These results will facilitate the diagnosis, prognosis, and genetic counselling for this disease. Further studies are needed to identify the mechanisms underlying clinical variations among individuals in the family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stereotactic removal of intracerebral hematoma is a routine procedure for treating hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage, but the complex sequence of operations limits its adoption. We explored the application of a novel surgical technique for the removal of spontaneous intracerebral hematomas. The surgical technique based on computed tomography (CT) images was used in hematoma projection and surgical planning. Markers placed on the scalp based on an Android smartphone app allowed the installation of a stereotactic head frame to facilitate the selection of the best trajectory to the hematoma center for removing the hematoma. Forty-two patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage were included in the study, including 33 cases of supratentorial hemorrhage, 5 cases of cerebellum hemorrhage, and 4 cases of brain stem hemorrhage. The surgical technique combined with the stereotactic head frame helped the tip of the drainage tube achieve the desired position. The median surgical time was 45 (range 25–75) min. The actual head frame operating time was 10 (range 5–15) min. Target alignment performed by the surgical technique was accurate to ≤ 10.0 mm in all 42 cases. No patient experienced postoperative rebleeding. In 33 cases of supratentorial intracerebral hemorrhage, an average evacuation rate of 77.5% was achieved at postoperative 3.1 ± 1.4 days, and 29 (87.9%) cases had a residual hematoma of < 15 ml. The novel surgical technique helped to quickly and effortlessly localize hematomas and achieve satisfactory hematoma removal. Clinical application of the stereotactic head frame was feasible for intracerebral hemorrhage in various locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review compares the effects of peripheral dexamethasone and dexmedetomidine on postoperative analgesia. We included six randomized controlled trials (354 patients) through a systematic literature search. We found that analgesia duration was comparable between dexamethasone and dexmedetomidine (58.59 min, 95% CI (confidence interval), − 66.13, 183.31 min) with extreme heterogeneity. Secondary outcome was also compared and no significant difference was observed in sensory block onset and duration and motor block duration and also for postoperative nausea and vomiting. It is noteworthy that dexamethasone reduced analgesic consumption (fentanyl) by 29.12 mcg compared with dexmedetomidine. We performed subgroup analyses and found no significant difference between the following: (1) lidocaine vs ropivacaine (P = 0.28), (2) nerve block vs nerve block + general anesthesia (P = 0.47), and (3) upper limb surgery vs thoracoscopic pneumonectomy (P = 0.27). We applied trial sequential analysis to assess the risks of type I and II errors and concluded that the meta-analysis was insufficiently powered to answer the clinical question, and further analysis is needed to establish which adjuvant is better. In conclusion, we believe that existing research indicates that dexamethasone and dexmedetomidine have equivalent analgesic effects in peripheral nerve blocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on an unexpected effect of adhesives on the surface reconstruction of SrTiO 3. We used two types of commercially available high-temperature adhesives, the platinum (Pt) and carbon (C) pastes, to mount two identical SrTiO 3 (100) substrates onto the sample holders, respectively. Two different surface reconstructions, namely 2 × 1 and (√13 × √13)-R33.7°, were obtained using Pt and C paste under nominally identical annealing conditions in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV). We show that the same two surface reconstructions can be obtained separately with annealing in UHV and in an O 2 environment from identical substrates mounted without adhesives. Residual gas analysis of the adhesive outgassing suggests that the silicate binder in the C paste releases O 2 at high temperatures while the Pt paste does not. Due to the limited amount of O 2 that can be released from the C paste, a change of the surface reconstruction from (√13 × √13)-R33.7° to 2 × 1 was observed on the same substrate mounted with the C paste upon increasing the duration of annealing in UHV. Our study indicates that slight outgassing of certain adhesives may have a profound impact on the surface reconstruction of SrTiO 3. This finding also provides an interesting new knob to tune the surface reconstruction of SrTiO 3 in the same annealing environment. • Controlling the surface structure of SrTiO 3 is extremely important for tailoring the properties of the SrTiO 3 surfaces and interfaces with other materials for related applications. • Our study indicates that slight outgassing of certain adhesives may profoundly impact the surface reconstruction of SrTiO 3. • We provide a new method to control the surface reconstruction of SrTiO 3 with adhesive outgassing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on a dramatic effect of the surface reconstruction of the substrate on thin film growth. We prepared two types of surface reconstruction, namely 2 × 1 and (√13 × √13)-R33.7° reconstructions, by annealing the SrTiO 3 (001) substrates in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) and an oxygen environment, respectively. Subsequent co-depositions of Fe and Se atoms onto the 2 × 1 and (√13 × √13)-R33.7° reconstructed SrTiO 3 surfaces lead to the growth of thin films of distinct six-fold and four-fold symmetry, respectively, under nominally the same growth conditions. Based on in-situ angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) measurements of the electronic structure, we ascribe the aforementioned two types of thin film to the reported hexagonal and tetragonal phases of FeSe, respectively. The observation of the growth of hexagonal FeSe on the tetragonal SrTiO 3 surface with a 2 × 1 reconstruction is unexpected, the underlying mechanism of which remains an outstanding puzzle. Our finding adds a new dimension to the material phase control via the choice of surface reconstruction of the substrate used for thin film growth. • The impact of surface reconstructions of SrTiO 3 on the thin film growth has rarely been studied. • The surface reconstruction of SrTiO 3 could dramatically affect the growth of FeSe thin film. • Co-depositions of Fe and Se atoms onto the 2 × 1 and (√13 × √13)-R33.7° reconstructed SrTiO 3 surfaces lead to the growth of FeSe thin films of distinct six-fold and four-fold symmetry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Evaluated the original and modified UNIFAC for SLE prediction of ES systems. • Extended the UNIFAC models to cover novel salt-component-related functional groups. • Exemplified the theoretical design of novel ESs with the best UNIFAC extension. • Experimentally measured the SLE of four newly-designed ES systems. Although eutectic solvents (ESs) have received considerable attention as sustainable process fluids for various applications, discovering novel ESs remains challenging as computational methods for predicting the formation of eutectics are still scarce. In the present work, both the original and modified UNIFAC models are evaluated and extended for predicting the solid–liquid equilibria (SLE) of ES systems. The applicability of the two versions of UNIFAC models is first evaluated based on the SLE of 25 ES systems composed of only conventional components. Motivated by the good evaluation results, the SLE of 50 ES systems involving one salt component are employed to extend the UNIFAC models to include novel salt-component-related functional groups. The obtained models cover widely-reported salt components of choline/tetraalkylammonium chloride/bromide and conventional components of fatty alcohols and fatty/dicarboxylic/α-hydroxy acids. A theoretical design of novel ESs in a large scale is performed with the best-performing model extension, wherein four designed ES systems are validated experimentally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiac alternans, a period-2 behavior of excitation and contraction of the heart, is a precursor of ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. One form of alternans is repolarization or action potential duration alternans. In cardiac tissue, repolarization alternans can be spatially in-phase, called spatially concordant alternans, or spatially out-of-phase, called spatially discordant alternans (SDA). In SDA, the border between two out-of-phase regions is called a node in a one-dimensional cable or a nodal line in a two-dimensional tissue. In this study, we investigate the stability and dynamics of the nodes and nodal lines of repolarization alternans driven by voltage instabilities. We use amplitude equation and coupled map lattice models to derive theoretical results, which are compared with simulation results from the ionic model. Both conduction velocity restitution induced SDA and non-conduction velocity restitution induced SDA are investigated. We show that the stability and dynamics of the SDA nodes or nodal lines are determined by the balance of the tensions generated by conduction velocity restitution, convection due to action potential propagation, curvature of the nodal lines, and repolarization and coupling heterogeneities. Our study provides mechanistic insights into the different SDA behaviors observed in experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the mechanism of the dynamic disaster of rockburst in a deep coal mine and the prevention and control measures of weakening shock, the MTS815.03 servocontrolled rock mechanics test system is used to test the coal, rock, and combined specimens with the buried depth of nearly 1200 m in Xinwen Mining Area. And their mechanical properties, energy evolution, and bursting properties are studied and analyzed. The rationality of the test results is also verified by the in-situ engineering practice. The key conclusions are as follows: (1) There is a relation between the ratio of elastic modulus Ee before peak strength to descending modulus Ed after peak strength and the bursting properties. For the fractured coal, the descending modulus Ed is relatively small, and the Ee/Ed is relatively large and presents progressive ductile failure with low probability and risk of rockburst. For the less fractured rock, the descending modulus Ed is relatively large, and the Ee/Ed is relatively small and presents brittle failure, which is very similar to the characteristics of rockburst. (2) For the same type of rock, with the increase of confining pressure, the Ee/Ed gradually increases, indicating the reduction of rockburst strength. Therefore, the greater the support strength provided to the surrounding rock surface of the roadway, the smaller the failure degree of rockburst. (3) With the increase of confining pressure, after peak strength, the elastic energy of coal specimens decreases slowly, and the dissipated energy increases slowly, indicating that the increase of confining pressure can effectively limit the energy dissipation and release after coal specimen failure. So, in the in-situ engineering practice, it is an important measure to improve the surface restraint and support strength of the coal roadway for reducing the occurrence intensity and probability of rockburst. (4) The combined measures of "the mining of double liberating seam + the implementation of large-diameter pressure relief borehole in advance of working face" is the very effective way to eliminate the rockburst accidents of working face in a protected coal seam and has an important guiding significance for the safe mining of rockburst mine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological excitable media, such as cardiac or neural cells and tissue, exhibit memory in which a change in the present excitation may affect the behaviors in the next excitation. For example, a change in calcium (Ca2+) concentration in a cell in the present excitation may affect the Ca2+ dynamics in the next excitation via bi-directional coupling between voltage and Ca2+, forming a delayed feedback loop. Since the Ca2+ dynamics inside the excitable cells are spatiotemporal while the membrane voltage is a global signal, the feedback loop is then a delayed global feedback (DGF) loop. In this study, we investigate the roles of DGF in the genesis and stability of spatiotemporal excitation patterns in periodically-paced excitable media using mathematical models with different levels of complexity: a model composed of coupled FitzHugh-Nagumo units, a 3-dimensional physiologically-detailed ventricular myocyte model, and a coupled map lattice model. We investigate the dynamics of excitation patterns that are temporal period-2 (P2) and spatially concordant or discordant, such as subcellular concordant or discordant Ca2+alternans in cardiac myocytes or spatially concordant or discordant Ca2+ and repolarization alternans in cardiac tissue. Our modeling approach allows both computer simulations and rigorous analytical treatments, which lead to the following results and conclusions. When DGF is absent, concordant and discordant P2 patterns occur depending on initial conditions with the discordant P2 patterns being spatially random. When the DGF is negative, only concordant P2 patterns exist. When the DGF is positive, both concordant and discordant P2 patterns can occur. The discordant P2 patterns are still spatially random, but they satisfy that the global signal exhibits a temporal period-1 behavior. The theoretical analyses of the coupled map lattice model reveal the underlying instabilities and bifurcations caused by the DGF for the genesis, selection, and stability of spatiotemporal excitation patterns. Author summary: Understanding the mechanisms of pattern formation in biological systems is of great importance. Here we investigate the dynamical mechanisms by which delayed global feedback affects excitation pattern formation and stability in periodically-paced biological excitable media, such as cardiac or neural cells and tissue. We focus on the formation and stability of the temporal period-2 and spatially in-phase and out-of-phase excitation patterns. Using models of different levels of complexity, we show that when the delayed global feedback is negative, only the spatially in-phase patterns are stable. When the feedback is positive, both spatially in-phase and out-of-phase patterns are stable, and the out-of-phase patterns are spatially random but satisfy that the global signals are temporal period-1 solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The quality and quantity of hematopoietic stem cells in apheresis products are essential to the success of peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (PB‐HSCT). While the flow cytometry measurement of CD34+ cells as a golden standard for stem cell count is labor and cost‐intensive, hematopoietic progenitor cell number evaluated by XN Sysmex series automated hematology analyzers (XN‐HPC) is suggested as a surrogate marker. Materials and methods: We evaluated the correlation and consistency of XN‐HPC and CD34+ cell count in apheresis samples from both allogeneic donors and autologous patients during PB‐HSCT. Results: Good correlation and consistency were observed between XN‐HPC and CD34+ cell counts in harvests collected from healthy donors (R =.852) rather than autologous patients (R =.375). Subgroup analysis showed that the correlation was especially poor when autologous patients used plerixafor as an additional mobilizer or were diagnosed with multiple myeloma (MM). In the setting of allogeneic transplantation, the correlation coefficients were even better in samples from non‐first‐round apheresis (R =.951), with high white blood cell (WBC) counts (R =.941), or having successful engraftment within 2 weeks (R =.895). ROC analysis suggested that an optimal XN‐HPC count of 1127 × 106/L best predicted a sufficient yield of CD34+ stem cells, with diagnostic sensitivity and specificity being 92% and 72%, respectively (AUC = 0.852). Conclusions: XN‐HPC is a sufficient quantitative marker for stem cell assessment of harvest yield in allogeneic but not autologous HSCT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Near‐infrared (NIR) phosphors are enablers for NIR phosphor‐converted light‐emitting diodes (pc‐LEDs). However, fewer NIR‐emitting phosphors with both high internal/external quantum efficiency (IQE/EQE) and thermal stability are discovered, which obstructs the promotion of NIR pc‐LEDs. Herein, by partially replacing Al3+ in K‐β‐Al2O3:2Cr3+ with Ga3+, the photoluminescence (PL) intensity of the solid solution K1+δ(Al0.4Ga0.6)11O17:2Cr3+, (KA0.4G0.6O:Cr) phosphor is increased 2.75 and 1.25 times that of end‐members K1+δAl11O17:2Cr3+ (KAO:Cr) and K1+δGa11O17:2Cr3+ (KGO:Cr). The IQE/EQE of optimal KA0.4G0.6O:Cr reaches 88.9%/50.8% with high thermal stability (77.4%@150 °C). The PL intensity enhancement is due to the Al/Ga‐6O octahedral volume and distortion variation caused by the substitution of Ga3+ for Al3+ in K1+δ(Al1‐y,Gay)11O17:2Cr3+ (KA1‐yGyO:Cr), which leads to the forbidden d–d transition being broken and crystal field strength varied. Finally, a NIR pc‐LED device fabricated based on KA0.4G0.6O:Cr NIR‐emitting phosphor and blue chip reaches an electro‐optical efficiency of 16.3% under a drive current of 100 mA. Meanwhile, non‐destructive detection and plant germination applications of the NIR pc‐LED are demonstrated. These results prove that KA0.4G0.6O:Cr is a promising NIR phosphor for diverse applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cybersecurity is of vital importance to industrial control systems (ICSs), such as ship automation, manufacturing, building, and energy automation systems. Many control applications require hard real-time channels, where the delay and jitter are in the levels of milliseconds or less. To the best of our knowledge, no encryption algorithm is fast enough for hard real-time channels of existing industrial fieldbuses and, therefore, made mission-critical applications vulnerable to cyberattacks, e.g., delay and data injection attacks. In this article, we propose a novel recursive watermark (RWM) algorithm for hard real-time control system data integrity validation. Using a watermark key, a transmitter applies watermark noise to hard real-time signals and sends through the unencrypted hard real-time channel. The same key is transferred to the receiver by the encrypted nonreal-time channel. With the same key, the receiver can detect if the data have been modified by the attackers and take action to prevent catastrophic damages. We provide analysis and methods to design proper watermark keys to ensure reliable attack detection. We use a ship propulsion control system for the simulation-based case study, where our algorithm smoothly shuts down the system after attacks. We also evaluated the algorithm speed on a Siemens S7-1500 programmable logic controller (PLC). This hardware experiment demonstrated that the RWM algorithm takes about $2.8~\mu \text{s}$ to add or validate the watermark noise on one sample data point. As a comparison, common cryptic hashing algorithms can hardly process a small data set under 100 ms. The proposed RWM is about 32 to 1375 times faster than the standard approaches. Note to Practitioners—It is widely believed that the emerging Internet-of-Things (IoT) technologies will seamlessly connect countless smart devices, profoundly change the industry. Traditionally, field devices within the feedback control loops are isolated from the Internet by secure gateways. In the future, field devices will connect to the Internet in a more direct manner. To the best of our knowledge, no encryption algorithm is fast enough for hard real-time channels of existing industrial fieldbuses and, therefore, made mission-critical applications vulnerable to cyberattacks. We propose a novel recursive watermark (RWM) algorithm for hard real-time control system data integrity validation. This article serves industry practitioners in three ways. First, it is a timely caution to industrial IoT (IIoT) pilot users on the security challenges in real-time channels. Once a compromised edge device is connected to a field device, attackers have unlimited means to jeopardize valuable assets. In this article, we gave an example where attackers may damage shipboard assets by introducing millisecond-level delays. Second, since hard real-time encryption is not available, we propose a detour solution. With the proposed algorithm, even attackers may read the content in the real-time channel, and they cannot change it without being detected. We implemented the real-time RWM algorithms in structured control language (SCL) and tested on a Siemens S7-1500 programmable logic controller (PLC). Third, we provide theoretical analysis as design guidelines for practitioners to set up or customize the RWM algorithm per their specific applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• [BMIm][HSO 4 ] was employed as dual catalyst-solvent for BuHE formation. • Effect of [BMIm][HSO 4 ] as extractant on esterification was demonstrated by LLE. • Effect of [BMIm][HSO 4 ] as catalyst on esterification was experimentally investigated. • Reactive extraction conditions for BuHE formation were optimized. • Intensification mechanism of [BMIm][HSO 4 ] on reactive extraction was proposed. Butyl hexanoate (BuHE) is currently synthesized through the Fischer esterification with mineral acid as catalyst, which suffers from the problems of side reaction, difficult recycling, and corrosion. To overcome these disadvantages, ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate ([BMIm][HSO 4 ]) is employed as dual catalyst-solvent for the esterification of hexanoic acid (HeAc) with n-butanol (BuOH) in a reactive extraction process. The dual functions of [BMIm][HSO 4 ], extraction and catalysis, were confirmed by liquid-liquid equilibria for the two systems {[BMIm][HSO 4 ] + HeAc + BuHE} and {[BMIm][HSO 4 ] + BuOH + BuHE}, and by the comparison of esterifications with or without [BMIm][HSO 4 ], respectively. Moreover, the optimal reactive extraction conditions for BuHE formation were obtained. Finally, the possible mechanism of intensification of [BMIm][HSO 4 ] on BuHE formation in reactive extraction process was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce a structural descriptor, the tolerance factor, for the prediction and systematic description of the phase stability with the garnet structure. Like the tolerance factor widely adopted for the perovskite structure, it is a compositional parameter derived from the geometrical relationship between multi‐type polyhedra in the garnet structure, and the calculation only needs the information of the ionic radius. A survey of the tolerance factor over 130 garnet‐type compounds reveals that the data points are scattered in a narrow range. The tolerance factor is helpful in understanding the crystal chemistry of some garnet‐type compounds and could serve as a guide for predicting the stability of the garnet phase. The correlation between the tolerance factor and the garnet‐phase stability could be utilized by machine learning or high‐throughput screening methods in material design and discovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ras-like-without-CAAX-1 (RIT1) belongs to the RAS superfamily of small GTPases, which plays critical roles in tumor progression. However, little is known about the roles of RIT1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here we found that RIT1 expression was positively associated with the presence of intrahepatic metastasis and the histological grade of HCC and higher RIT1 expression indicated shorter overall survival in HCC patients. In vitro and in vivo studies revealed that RIT1 functioned as an oncogene, as overexpression of RIT1 enhanced HCC cell proliferation and aggressive behavior, whereas silencing RIT1 expression repressed the malignant behaviors. Furthermore, RIT1 deficiency increased drug sensitivity to sorafenib treatment. We further demonstrated that hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) directly transcriptionally upregulated RIT1, and its stableness was positively correlated with RIT1 expression in HCC tissues. Knockdown of RIT1 attenuated the invasion and migration induced by hypoxia. Collectively, our data highlight the significance of HIF-1α/RIT1 axis in driving HCC progression and sorafenib resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Novel heat exchangers for waste heat utilization of dusty flue gas are proposed. • The aligned elliptic tube and honeycomb circular tube bundles are presented. • Ash fouling and thermal-hydraulic characteristics in fouling state are examined. • The effects of transverse and longitudinal pitches are studied. • The correlations of Nu , f and fouling thermal resistance are obtained. In this paper, aiming at resolving the contradictions of heat transfer enhancement, resistance reduction and soot-blowing effect of common heat transfer surfaces, aligned elliptical tube bundle (AETB) and honeycomb tube bundle (HCTB) were proposed for the high dust content conditions, and the fouling characteristics and thermal-hydraulic performance before and after fouling were investigated. Firstly, the thermal-hydraulic performance of aligned circular tube bundle (ACTB), AETB, conventional staggered circular tube bundle (SCTB) and HCTB in the clean state were compared, and advantages of AETB and HCTB were verified. Secondly, based on the ash fouling model and prediction method established by the author's group, fouling distribution and morphology of AETB and HCTB were obtained, and ash fouling and thermal-hydraulic characteristics were examined by parameterization. Finally, in the range of geometry parameters studied in this paper, the correlations of the asymptotic value of fouling thermal resistance R f ∗ in fouling state, Nusselt number Nu and friction factor f in clean state were developed. Results show that the relative deviations between the predicted results and the numerical values is within 4%, which indicates that the proposed correlation is of sufficient accuracy for engineering purposes, and can accurately predict the thermal-hydraulic characteristics of flue gas heat exchanger. The results of this paper can provide a reference for development and engineering application of the heat-transfer surface for the efficient recovery of industrial flue gas waste heat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Permeability is a key parameter in describing the flow conductivity of rocks. But experimental measurements of the parameter not only consume time but also only provide us with limited data number. By analyzing digital images of cast thin sections of rock samples in micro-scale, this study presented a systematic method of extracting geometric parameters of fractures and applied it to the granite rock samples from fault F4 in Gansu Beishan, China, which have low permeability and poor water-containing property. With the extracted geometric parameters, the rock permeabilities were estimated by Kozeny-Carman equation and Lattice Boltzmann simulation and were compared with those obtained by pulse decay technique. The results show that although there exists abnormal values in the estimated porosities and permeabilities, in general the relative error is only about onefold for the conditions used in this study. The method proposed here would be useful in the permeability and porosity estimation for fractured rocks that have low hydraulic conductivity. • A systematic method was presented to extract geometric properties. • Multi technology coupling application on fractured media. • The presented method is used in low permeability granite media. • This method can be applied to multi-scale conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitride phosphors of Ca0.99−xSrxAl1.01Si0.99N3:0.01Ce3+ (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.9) were synthesized by conventional solid‐state method. XRD data analysis shows that all samples are single phase with CaAlSiN3‐type structure. Under blue or near‐ultraviolet (~400 nm) light excitation, the emission peak can be tuned largely from 615 to 568 nm by increasing Sr content, and the emission intensity is maximal at x = 0.8. With the Sr content increase, the emission band blue‐shifts due to the decreased crystal field splitting and the reduced centroid shift; while the thermal luminescence quenching resistance is almost unchanged. The quenching temperature (T50) is well above 500 K for all samples, which satisfies the requirement of commercial application. The quenching process is mainly attributed to the radiationless transitions by thermally activated crossover from the 5d excited state to 4f ground state in the configurational coordinate diagram. The luminescence properties show that the (Ca,Sr)AlSiN3:Ce3+ phosphors are very promising for use in blue and near‐ultraviolet light excited white‐light‐emitting diodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of chemical composition and structure on Stokes shift, an important luminescence property, has not been studied systematically. In this work, through statistical analysis of the structural and luminescent data of more than 60 compounds doped with Ce3+/Eu2+, the relationships between the Stokes shift, phonon energy, Huang-Rhys factor, chemical composition and structure of the compounds are revealed. Stokes shift has the positive correlation to the effective average coordination bond length R av. It decreases in going through the halogenide series from fluorides to bromides, and the chalcogenides from oxides to selenides, respectively; while it is almost irrelevant of the anion types in the same period (nitrides, oxides, and fluorides). We also verify that the Stokes shift has no obvious correlation with coordination number of the cation. This paper provides a feasibility to predict the emission spectrum of Ce3+/Eu2+ doped inorganic compounds and discover the suitable host lattice for required phosphors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flavor is one of the most significant characteristics of beef palatability and it can eventually affect the consumer's acceptance of a beef product and purchasing habits. Variation in beef quality is large and is due to many factors, such as differences in genetic background, sex, age, management and nutrition. The consumer's decision to purchase beef is guided by the perception of healthiness and a variety of sensory traits including color, tenderness, juiciness, and aroma or flavor. Apart from this, there are several factors including peptides, fatty acids, amino acids, vitamins, fat contents are also play a vital role in determining the taste and flavor of the meat. In this review, we try to explore and explain the potential role of these factors in modulating the flavor and taste of the meat in detail. Unlabelled Image • The novelty and significance of the work are as follows: • Sensory properties of the meat. • Effect of Maillard reaction in modulating the quality of the meat. • Role of secondary metabolites in taste and flavor of the meat. • Perception of the flavor in the meat quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving the tolerance to fatigue damage for bulk metallic glass (BMG) is of vital importance for its industrial applications during long-term mechanical service. In this work, the composition dependence of structure stability against thermal and mechanical stimuli are studied with Zr–Ni–Al BMGs from the perspective of atomic topological packing and chemical affinity. Large atomic size disparity and strong interactions between component elements facilitate the stability of glass structure, which impart BMGs with relatively higher glass transition temperature and yield strength. Fatigue failure of BMG initiates from the accumulation of inelastic shear transformation events on the sample surface under cyclic loading. The fatigue endurance limit of Zr–Ni–Al BMG is effectively improved by tailoring the chemical composition with increased structure stability, which is characterized by high mismatch entropy and mixing enthalpy. Aluminum plays a role in enhancing the fatigue tolerance of Zr–Ni–Al BMGs, which presumably arises from the covalent-like bond character of aluminum that promotes the formation of rigid atomic packing motifs with great resistance to shear rearrangement, and consequently mitigates the fatigue crack initiation process. [Display omitted] • Fatigue limit of metallic glass can be improved by increasing structure stability. • High atomic mismatch entropy and mixing enthalpy stabilize glassy structure. • Al enhances fatigue limit of metallic glass by mitigating damage accumulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Granular filters are a promising technology in hot gas clean-up for coal-based power generation systems. Numerical simulations are presented for the filtration characteristics of randomly packed granular filters. The effect of filter height is first investigated to obtain a unit height which can predict filtration characteristics of the entire filter, and it is found that the unit height should be at least 10 times the granule diameter. The filtration performance, including filtration efficiency, pressure drop and deposition uniformity are analyzed, and the effect of gas velocity, particle diameter and granule diameter are then investigated. The results show that the pressure drop increases rapidly with the increase of gas velocity and decrease with granule diameter. Increasing the gas velocity and particle diameter leads to increased filtration efficiency and decreased deposition uniformity. The effect of Stokes number on filtration efficiency and deposition uniformity can be divided into three regimes, and filter height and granule diameter need to be optimized according to Stokes number. A correlation of initial filtration efficiency is obtained for use in filter design and structural optimization. Unlabelled Image • Filtration characteristics of randomly packed granular filters are investigated. • A unit filter height is obtained, which can predict filtration performance of the entire filter. • An index is introduced to evaluate the deposition uniformity along the filter. • Effects of each factor on pressure drop, efficiency and deposition uniformity are studied. • A correlation of efficiency is obtained for use in filter design and structural optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The species richness and diversity of ammonium oxidizing bacteria increased. • The species richness and diversity of denitrifying bacteria decreased. • The correlations between environmental factors and functional bacteria were analysed. • The EFS had the biological effects of ammonia removal and nitrogen retention. Abstract The ectopic fermentation system (EFS) is an advanced technology for treating farm wastewater, and it reduces ammonia nitrogen emission and nitrogen loss of fermentation products. This study observed the functional bacteria succession related to nitrogen metabolism in EFS by high throughput sequencing, and evaluated their associations with environmental factors. Results revealed that with the changes of temperature, pH, moisture content, and nitrogen content during fermentation, the species richness and diversity of ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) with amoA increased, but those of denitrifying bacteria carrying nirK and nosZ decreased. During the fermentation process, the dominant bacterial populations of AOB and denitrifying bacteria changed significantly, and different bacterial populations showed different positive/negative correlations with the environmental factors. This study revealed the role of functional bacteria in ammonia removal and nitrogen conservation of EFS, and provided a theoretical basis for the improvement of microbial agents and EFS application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NADPH oxidases, encoded by rbohs (respiratory burst oxidase homologues), transfer electrons from NADPH to molecular oxygen (O2) to generate superoxide anion (O2•–), which is the first step in the formation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in the plant–pathogen interaction system. In the present work, six citrus rbohs (Csrbohs) genes were identified in citrus, and their possible involvement in resistance to Xanthomonas citri ssp. citri (Xcc) was examined. Inoculation with Xcc promoted the H2O2 production and induced expression of the Csrbohs , especially CsrbohD. Results showed that CsrbohD was markedly induced in the resistant genotype kumquat 'Luofu' [ Fortunella margarita (Lour.) Swingle] compared with grapefruit 'Duncan' [ Citrus paradisi (Linn.) Macf.]. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) of CsrbohD resulted in reduced resistance to Xcc in grapefruit, but not in kumquat. Compared with non-silenced plants, canker-like symptoms were observed earlier, and they were more extensive in the CsrbohD -silenced grapefruit. Silencing of CsrbohD also suppressed the Xcc induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst, and resulted in accumulation of more Xcc bacterial colonies. Taken together, these data indicate that CsrbohD promotes resistance to Xcc , especially in grapefruit. Plant rbohs constitute a multigene family that is involved in multiple signalling pathways, including defence response, but the citrus rbohs are poorly understood. Here, six Csrbohs were identified in citrus, of which CsrbohD was most highly expressed in both kumquat and grapefruit and participated in resistance to Xanthomonas citri ssp. citri (Xcc). This finding shows CsrbohD promotes resistance to Xcc and has the potential to be a new candidate to breed citrus varieties with Xcc tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional liquid crystal polarisation grating based on twist liquid crystal has been demonstrated and fabricated by polarisation holography in this paper. The maximal diffraction efficiency of the second order is up to 90%. And the two-dimensional liquid crystal polarisation grating has the properties of electrically tenability and polarisation tenability. The two-dimensional polarisation grating diffracts light into a spot array. Different direction diffraction light is with different polarisation states. The intensity of the different orders diffraction light is optically controlled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A novel finned tube heat exchanger is proposed for waste heat utilization. • The mechanism of heat transfer enhancement is revealed. • Response surface model is established by the central composite design. • Pareto optimal solution set is obtained by multi-objective genetic algorithm. • The overall performance of optimized structure is improved by 48–55%. Abstract Low-low temperature electrostatic precipitator technology is one of the important ways for energy saving and emission reduction of coal-fired power plants. In order to further improve the dust removal efficiency and enhance waste heat recovery performance, a novel H-type finned elliptical tube heat exchanger with longitudinal vortex generators is proposed. To achieve the maximum heat transfer enhancement with the minimum friction factor augmentation, the response surface model and multi-objective genetic algorithm are adopted to optimize the design parameters. Firstly, combined with the finite volume method and the central composite design method, the second-order response surface model between the design parameters (the length, height, angle, and position of longitudinal vortex generators) and the objective functions (Nusselt number and friction factor) is established. Then, based on the response surface model, the Pareto optimal solution set is obtained by the multi-objective genetic algorithm. Finally, by comprehensively comparing Nusselt number, friction factor and performance evaluation criteria of Pareto optimal solutions, the optimal combination is determined. Compared with the H-type finned tube heat exchanger, the performance evaluation criteria of the optimized novel heat exchanger is improved by 48–55%, which contributes to improve the overall performance of low-low temperature electrostatic precipitator system. The findings of this paper may provide practical guidelines for researchers and designers to develop efficient heat exchangers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract (Sr,Ca)AlSiN 3 :Eu2+ phosphors have been widely used in phosphor-converted white light emitting diodes. Herein, we reported the strong red persistent luminescence in (Sr,Ca)AlSiN 3 :Eu2+ under UV light excitation. The Sr 0.8 Ca 0.2 AlSiN 3 :0.15% Eu2+ shows the strongest red persistent luminescence with a peak emission wavelength at ~628 nm and a persistent time of ~9600 s at the 0.32 mcd/m2 threshold value. A new persistent luminescence mechanism, which is different to that of SrAl 2 O 4 :Eu2+,Dy3+, was proposed by comparing the thermoluminescence excitation spectrum (TLES) and the photoluminescence excitation spectrum (PLES) of Sr 0.8 Ca 0.2 AlSiN 3 :0.15% Eu2+. The electrons are directly excited from 4f ground states to the conduction band or from valence band to conduction band in (Sr,Ca)AlSiN 3 :Eu2+; while, in SrAl 2 O 4 :Eu2+,Dy3+, they are first excited to 5d level and then stimulated thermal process to the conduction band. The effect of Eu2+ concentration on red persistent luminescence in (Sr,Ca)AlSiN 3 :Eu2+ were discussed. The proposed mechanism of persistent luminescence can help us to design and find new persistent luminescence materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • CTGF was up-regulated in the intestinal mucosa tissues of UC patients. • The imbalanced intestinal flora and increased inflammation were showed in UC mice. • Suppression of CTGF improved DSS-induced inflammation and intestinal flora. • Inhibiting CTGF reversed DSS-induced intestinal injury in UC mice via ERK pathway. Abstract Objective To examine the effect of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF)-mediated ERK signaling pathway on the inflammatory response and intestinal flora in ulcerative colitis (UC). Methods CTGF expression was determined through immunohistochemistry in UC and colon polyp patients. Dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) was used to construct UC models. Wild-type (WT) and CTGF-deficient (CTGF−/−) mice were randomly divided into WT/CTGF−/− + saline, WT/CTGF−/− + DSS, and WT/CTGF−/− + DSS + U0126 (ERK pathway inhibitor) groups. HE staining was conducted to observe the pathological changes in intestinal mucosa. The quantity of intestinal flora was tested in the feces. ELISA, qRT-PCR, and Western blotting were used to detect related-molecules expressions. Results CTGF was up-regulated in the intestinal mucosa of UC patients in relation to the severity and grade. Moreover, UC patients showed enhanced the expressions of p-ERK/ERK and pro-inflammatory factors (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, MPO), increased the quantity of Bacteriodes fragilis (B. fragilis) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) , and decreased Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. CTGF and pERK/ERK expressions were increased in DSS-induced WT mice, but the pERK expression was lower in CTGF−/− + DSS group than that in the WT + DSS group. U0126 decreased the expressions of pro-inflammatory factors and improved the intestinal flora in WT mice induced with DSS. No significant differences were found in the above indexes between CTGF−/− + DSS group and WT + DSS + U0126 group. Conclusion Inhibiting CTGF could improve inflammatory response and intestinal flora to partially reverse DSS-induced UC via blocking ERK signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The interaction between pyridoxal hydrochloride (HQ) and apoCopC was investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), circular dichroism (CD), fluorescence spectroscopy, three-dimensional (3D) fluorescence spectroscopy, fluorescence lifetime, TNS fluorescence and docking methods. FTIR, CD, TNS fluorescence and fluorescence lifetime experiments suggested that the apoCopC conformation was altered by HQ with an increase in the random coil content and a reduction in the β-sheet content. In addition, the data from fluorescence spectroscopy, 3D fluorescence spectroscopy and molecular docking revealed that the binding site of HQ was located in the hydrophobic area of apoCopC, and a redshift of the HQ fluorescence spectra was observed. Furthermore, ITC and fluorescence quenching data manifested that the binding ratio of HQ and apoCopC was 1:1, and the forming constant was calculated to be (7.06 ± 0.21) × 105 M−1. The thermodynamic parameters Δ H and Δ S suggested that the formation of a CopC-HQ complex depended on the hydrophobic force. Furthermore, the average binding distance between tryptophan in apoCopC and HQ was determined by means of Förster non-radioactive resonance energy transfer and molecular docking. The results agreed well with each other. As a redox switch in the modulation of copper, the interaction of apoCopC with small molecules will affect the action of the redox switch. These findings could provide useful information to illustrate the copper regulation mechanism. Graphical Abstract The interaction between pyridoxal hydrochloride and apoCopC has been investigated in details by means of FTIR, CD, ITC, multi-spectroscopy and docking methods. Unlabelled Image Highlights • 1:1 complex formed from HQ and CopC was investigated. • The binding of HQ can result in the change of conformation of CopC. • Red shift of HQ fluorescence spectra was observed. • The distance between the unique Trp in CopC and HQ was measured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract To fabricate white-light-emitting diodes (white LEDs) with high color-rendering index or full light spectrum emission, the discovery of more efficient deep-red emitting phosphor materials is essential. In this paper, we have synthesized a series of Sr 2-2x Eu 2x Si 5 N 8 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) solid-solution compounds, and have systemically investigated effects of full-range Eu concentration on their luminescence. Their emission band maximum can be largely tuned from 610 to 725 nm by increasing Eu content. Reabsorption at low Eu2+ concentration while both the energy transfer and Stocks shift at high Eu2+ concentration account for this large spectral red-shift. Luminescent thermal quenching performance gets worse with Eu2+ concentration increasing. The compound with x = 0.15 possesses the best crystallinity and the highest luminescence intensity with the peak position around 660 nm, and still maintains 88.5% room-temperature intensity at 400 K, indicating that great potential for the application as a deep-red phosphor. Highlights • A full-range Sr 2-2x Eu 2x Si 5 N 8 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) solid solution was synthesized. • Largely tunable red emission band from 610 to 725 nm by adjusting Eu content. • High quenching concentration and high thermal quenching temperature for Eu2+ emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Nb-doped Li 7 La 3 Zr 2 O 12 (Nb-LLZO) is one of the promising electrolyte candidates in the Li-Garnet family due to its high Li-ion conductivity. The sintered Nb-LLZO ceramics, however, often exhibit abnormal grain growth with high porosity and poor mechanical properties. For advantaged electrochemical and mechanical properties, a uniform and dense microstructure is desired. In this research, MgO has been added as a secondary phase to inhibit abnormal grain growth in Nb-LLZO. The sintering process of the Nb-LLZO/MgO composite ceramics has been studied for different Nb doping levels (0.2–0.7 pfu) at sintering conditions of 1250 °C for 1–360 min. The ceramic density, microstructure, and Li-ion conductivity are reported. The composite ceramics have shown a very fast sintering speed. At 1250 °C, the 0.4Nb-LLZO/MgO composite can be well-sintered in 1 min. For sintering at 1250 °C for 40 min, ceramic samples showing relative density of 97%, conductivity of 6 × 10−4 S cm−1 at 25 °C, and activation energy of 0.40 eV are obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Herein we report the improvement in persistent luminescence of Eu2+ doped Sr 2 Si 5 N 8 nitride phosphor. A systematic experiment has been performed to investigate the influence of co-doping B3+, O2-, Tm3+ in Sr 2 Si 5 N 8 : Eu2+. It is found that B3+ and O2- co-doped Sr 2 Si 5 N 8 : Eu2+ phosphor exhibits better afterglow properties with higher afterglow intensity, which can be attributed to larger trap density. The afterglow luminescence mechanism in Sr 2 Si 5 N 8 : Eu2+, B3+, O2- is discussed on the basis of the host referred binding energy (HRBE) scheme of Sr 2 Si 5 N 8 , the relative energy level positions of 5 d and 4 f electron of Eu2+ and the trap depth in the host lattice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]