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Graphite/SiC composites with excellent tribological properties and chemical stability are ideal bearing materials for use in water-lubricated conditions. The composites can be fabricated rapidly by reactive melt infiltration (RMI) with near-net advantages. However, maintaining an adequate carbon content in the matrix after the violent reaction between carbon and liquid silicon is the critical requirement for wear rate and more stable friction coefficient. In this study, a carbon-composite-powder (PFC@G) constructed of graphite particles and glassy carbon derived from phenolic resin, was used as the main carbon source with a larger size (∼200 μm) to improve the carbon content of the graphite/SiC composites. The tribological properties of the composites were measured by a block-on-ring tribometer under water-lubricated conditions. The weight ratio of phenolic resin to graphite particles was adjusted to manipulate the microstructure of PFC@G, which can affect the carbon content of the composites in the course of RMI. The composites with high carbon content (34.47 vol%) were successfully fabricated when the weight ratio is 0.8, which exhibited the most outstanding tribological properties with low friction coefficient (∼0.014) and wear rate (∼10−6 mm3 N−1m−1) at a load of 15 N. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human Activity Recognition (HAR) refers to a field that aims to identify human activities by adopting multiple techniques. In this field, different applications, such as smart homes and assistive robots, are introduced to support individuals in their Activities of Daily Living (ADL) by analyzing data collected from various sensors. Apart from wearable sensors, the adoption of camera frames to analyze and classify ADL has emerged as a promising trend for achieving the identification and classification of ADL. To accomplish this, the existing approaches typically rely on object classification with pose estimation using the image frames collected from cameras. Given the existence of inherent correlations between human–object interactions and ADL, further efforts are often needed to leverage these correlations for more effective and well justified decisions. To this end, this work proposes a framework where Graph Neural Networks (GNN) are adopted to explicitly analyze human–object interactions for more effectively recognizing daily activities. By automatically encoding the correlations among various interactions detected through some collected relational data, the framework infers the existence of different activities alongside their corresponding environmental objects. As a case study, we use the Toyota Smart Home dataset to evaluate the proposed framework. Compared with conventional feed-forward neural networks, the results demonstrate significantly superior performance in identifying ADL, allowing for the classification of different daily activities with an accuracy of 0.88. Furthermore, the incorporation of encoded information from relational data enhances object-inference performance compared to the GNN without joint prediction, increasing accuracy from 0.71 to 0.77. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellwise outliers are widespread in real world data analysis. Traditional robust methods may fail when applied to datasets under such contamination. We introduce a variable selection procedure, that uses the Gaussian rank estimator to obtain an initial empirical covariance matrix among the response and potential predictors. We re-parameterize the classical linear regression model design matrix and the response vector such that we are able to take advantage of these robustly estimated components before applying the adaptive Lasso to obtain consistent variable selection results. The procedure is robust to cellwise outliers in low and high-dimensional settings. Empirical results show good performance compared with recently proposed robust techniques, particularly in the challenging environment when contamination rates are high but the magnitude of outliers is moderate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) membrane doped with two-dimensional conductive filler Ti3C2Tx is a fuel cell proton exchange membrane with high application potential. Experimental studies showed that the proton conductivity of Nafion/Ti3C2Tx composite membrane is improved significantly compared with that in pure Nafion. However, the microscopic mechanism of doping on the enhancement of membrane performance is remain unclear now. In this work, molecular dynamics simulation was used to investigate the microscopic morphology and proton transport behaviors of Nafion/Ti3C2Tx composite membrane at the molecular level. The results shown that there were significant differences about the diffusion kinetics of water molecules and hydroxium ions in Nafion/Ti3C2Tx at low and high hydration levels in the nanoscale region. With the increase of water content, Ti3C2Tx in membrane was gradually surrounded by ambient water molecules to form a hydration layer, and forming a relatively continuous proton transport channel between Nafion polymer and Ti3C2Tx monomer. The continuous proton transport channel could increase the number of binding sites of proton and thus achieving high proton conductivity and high mobility of water molecules at higher hydration level. The current work can provide a theoretical guidance for designing new type of Nafion composite membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As smartphones become increasingly prevalent worldwide, the relationship between smartphone addiction and subjective well-being has become a focal point in academic circles. Prior research predominantly delved into the direct correlation between smartphone addiction and subjective well-being, yet there remains a dearth in exploring its underlying mechanisms. This study investigated the mediating role of loneliness in the relationship between smartphone addiction and subjective well-being among Chinese university students. Conducted across 16 universities in eight provinces and municipalities in China, this study encompassed 1527 university students. Data collection utilized scales measuring smartphone addiction, loneliness, and subjective well-being. The findings revealed that: (1) demographic variables such as place of origin, educational level, and family income influenced university students' subjective well-being; (2) a significant negative correlation existed between smartphone addiction and subjective well-being among university students, coupled with a significant positive correlation between smartphone addiction and loneliness, indicating the significant negative predictive effect of smartphone addiction on subjective well-being; (3) loneliness partially mediated the relationship between smartphone addiction and subjective well-being among university students, suggesting that smartphone addiction could directly impact university students' subjective well-being, or indirectly through its effect on loneliness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Smart" multi-stimulus responsive NIR II theranotic agents with size transformable and charge reversal property is developed to augment tumor imaging precision and photothermal therapeutic efficacy. [Display omitted] Nanotheranostic agents combined the second near-infrared (NIR-II, 1000–1700 nm) fluorescence imaging with phototherapy strategy have attracted tremendous interest. However, the actual efficacy of NIR-II probes could be weakened by their limited accumulation and penetration in tumor tissues. Herein, a size-transformable NIR-II nanotheranostic agent (BBT-HASS@FPMPL NPs) is employed for simultaneously enhanced penetration and retention in deep tumor tissue to realize precise image and effective PTT therapy. BBT-HASS@FPMPL NPs were first formed by using hyaluronic acid (HA) chains and disulfide bonds as stimuli-responsive "lock" to efficiently load conjugated oligomer (BBTN+), and then folic acid (FA) modified polylysine (FPMPL) shell was stacked at the surface by electrostatic interaction. Dual targeting with HA and FA is expected to lead to more selective targeting and better accumulation of BBT-HASS@FPMPL NPs in tumor sites. Simultaneously, obvious particle size reduction and charge reversal can be triggered in acidic tumor microenvironment to achieve deep intratumor filtration through transcytosis. Following tumor penetration, size change was further initiated by overexpressed hyaluronidase and GSH in tumor. Free BBTN+ can be subsequently released from nanoparticles to promote specific intratumor retention, which synergistically enhance photothermal therapeutic efficacy. Owing to sufficient tumor accumulation and deep penetration, the NIR-II emission of BBTN+ could further be used for precise monitoring of subcutaneous tumor progression in mice for 6 days with just one dose injection. We expect that such nanotheranostic platform that combined the high resolution of NIR-II fluorescence with deep tumor penetration and long intratumor retention could be useful for real-time monitoring of tumor process, precise diagnosis, and enhanced phototherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By utilizing the abundant metal ions in modified vermiculite waste solution and doping with Ni ions, a Ni-based precursor like hydrotalcite was directly synthesized using co-precipitation method for methane dry reforming reaction. Performance testing conducted at 750 °C showed that the catalyst exhibited excellent activity, with a CH 4 conversion rate of 85.76 % and a CO 2 conversion rate of 84.42 %. This outstanding performance can be attributed to the uniform distribution and appropriate particle size of the catalyst prepared from the hydrotalcite precursor, as well as the strong metal-support interaction between metal carriers due to the orderly distribution of nickel. • Hydrotalcite were prepared by the co-precipitation method using vermiculite waste solution. • Vermiculite-derived hydrotalcite promotes methane cracking. • The strong metal-support interaction were provided by the structure of Hydrotalcite. • 15 wt% Ni can be used as optimal concentration in order to obtain high performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To explore the effect of azvudine as compared to paxlovid for oral treatment of hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: We analyzed data from a cohort of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection in Shandong provincial hospital between February 15 and March 15, 2023. The primary outcome was time to sustained clinical recovery through Day 28 and secondary outcomes included the percentage of participants who died from any cause by Day 28, the average hospitilization time and expenses, the changes in liver and kidney function and adverse events. The Kaplan–Meier method and Cox regression model was used for statistical analysis. Results: There was no significant difference between azvudine and paxlovid in terms of time to sustained clinical recovery (p = 0.429) and death rates (p = 0.687). As for hospitalization time and fee, no significant differences were observed between azvudine group and paxlovid group (Hospitalization time: p = 0.633; Hospitalization fee: p = 0.820). In addition, there were no significant differences in the effects of the two drugs on liver and kidney function (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Among adults who were hospitalised with SARS-CoV-2 infection, azvudine was noninferior to paxlovid in terms of time to sustained clinical recovery, death rates, hospitalization time and cost, with few safety concerns. Trial registration: ChiCTR2300071309; Registered 11 May 2023. Level of evidence: Level III; Retrospective cohort study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The regulatory network between signaling pathways and transcription factors (TFs) is crucial for the maintenance of pluripotent stem cells. However, little is known about how the key TF OCT4 coordinates signaling pathways to regulate self‐renewal and lineage differentiation of porcine pluripotent stem cells (pPSCs). Here, we explored the function of OCT4 in pPSCs by transcriptome and chromatin accessibility analysis. The TFs motif enrichment analysis revealed that, following OCT4 knockdown, the regions of increased chromatin accessibility were enriched with EOMES, GATA6, and FOXA1, indicating that pPSCs differentiated toward the mesoendoderm (ME) lineage. Besides, pPSCs rapidly differentiated into ME when the WNT/β‐catenin inhibitor XAV939 was removed. However, the ME differentiation of pPSCs caused by OCT4 knockdown did not rely on the activation of WNT/β‐catenin signaling because the target gene of WNT/β‐catenin signaling, AXIN2 was not upregulated after OCT4 knockdown, despite significant upregulation of WLS and some WNT ligands. Importantly, OCT4 is directly bound to the promoter and enhancers of EOMES and repressed its transcription. Overexpression of EOMES was sufficient to induce ME differentiation in the presence of XAV939. These results demonstrate that OCT4 can regulate WNT/β‐catenin signaling and prevent ME differentiation of pPSCs by repressing EOMES transcription. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To verify the association between personality traits and academic performance in a university setting, we collected the grade point average (GPA) and six personality characteristics (honesty–humility, emotionality, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience) of 349 students at a university in China. According to the results, there were positive associations between GPA and honesty–humility, emotionality, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience. Additionally, honesty–humility, extraversion, agreeableness, and openness to experience explained 30.72% of the variance in GPA. On the basis of the above findings, two conclusions can be made: First, undergraduates' GPA is associated with these six personality traits; second, undergraduates' honesty–humility, extraversion, agreeableness, and openness to experience may help to explain the variance in their GPA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agent-based model (ABM) is a branch of artificial intelligence. Its specialty is to construct a complex macro-system model by describing the perception, decision, learning and action of micro-agents. This method is widely used in many fields from natural science to social science. We discuss ABM by collecting relevant academic papers which apply to the field of Library and Information Science (LIS). This article systematically reviews how ABM is applied to the LIS field and argues that ABM can provide an exploratory tool with quantifiability, repeatability, interpretability, contingency, adaptability and other types of advantages. Finally, it is pointed out that this method is a research tool worthy of careful exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In this research, we used RAD-seq genotyping data and GWAS to identify SNPs in the MITF gene that were significantly associated with hoof color in the Australian White (AUW) sheep. The results showed that the three genotypes of this SNP were linked to black, grey, and amber hoof color. These findings provide molecular markers that can be used in marker-assisted selection to select for hoof color of purebred AUW sheep. Studying the characteristics of mammalian hoof colors is important for genetic improvements in animals. A deeper black hoof color is the standard for breeding purebred Australian White (AUW) sheep and this phenotype could be used as a phenotypic marker of purebred animals. We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) analysis using restriction site associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq) data from 577 Australian White sheep (black hoof color = 283, grey hoof color = 106, amber hoof color = 186) and performed association analysis utilizing the mixed linear model in EMMAX. The results of GWAS demonstrated that a specific single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP; g. 33097911G>A) in intron 14 of the microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) gene was significantly associated with the hoof color in AUW sheep (p = 9.40 × 10−36). The MITF gene plays a key role in the development, differentiation, and functional regulation of melanocytes. Furthermore, the association between this locus and hoof color was validated in a cohort of 212 individuals (black hoof color = 122, grey hoof color = 38, amber hoof color = 52). The results indicated that the hoof color of AUW sheep with GG, AG, and AA genotypes tended to be black, grey, and amber, respectively. This study provided novel insights into hoof color genetics in AUW sheep, enhancing our comprehension of the genetic mechanisms underlying the diverse range of hoof colors. Our results agree with previous studies and provide molecular markers for marker-assisted selection for hoof color in sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumors in the digestive tract and originate from the interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC), which is the pacemaker for peristaltic movement in the gastrointestinal tract. Existing GIST cell lines are widely used as cell models for in vitro experimental studies because the mutation sites are known. However, the immortalization methods of these cell lines are unknown, and no Chinese patient-derived GIST cell lines have been documented. Here, we transfected simian virus 40 large T antigen (SV40LT) into primary GIST cells to establish an immortalized human GIST cell line (ImGIST) for the first time. The ImGIST cells had neuronal cell-like irregular radioactive growth and retained the fusion growth characteristics of GIST cells. They stably expressed signature proteins, maintained the biological and genomic characteristics of normal primary GIST cells, and responded well to imatinib, suggesting that ImGIST could be a potential in vitro model for research in GIST to explore the molecular pathogenesis, drug resistance mechanisms, and the development of new adjuvant therapeutic options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the unique optical responses induced by vertical atomic asymmetry inside a monolayer, two-dimensional Janus structures have been conceived as promising building blocks for nanoscale optical devices. In this paper, second harmonic generation (SHG) in Janus transition metal chalcogenide oxide monolayers is systematically investigated by the first-principles calculations. Second-order nonlinear susceptibilities are theoretically determined for Janus MXO (M = Mo/W, X = S/Se/Te) monolayers. The calculated values are comparable in magnitude with Janus MoSSe monolayer. X-M-O symmetry breaking leads to non-zero components in vertical direction, compared with the non-Janus structure. Focusing on the SHG induced by incident light at 1064 nm, polarization-dependent responses of six Janus MXO monolayers are demonstrated. The symmetry of p-polarization changes from six-fold to three-fold with acute incidence angle. Moreover, the effects of biaxial strain on band structures and SHG are further investigated, taking MoSO as an exemplary case. We expect these results to bring in recipes for designing nonlinear optical devices based on Janus transition metal chalcogenide oxide monolayers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) is ongoing, and has necessitated scientific efforts in disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Interestingly, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been crucial in these developments. EVs are a collection of various nanovesicles which are delimited by a lipid bilayer. They are enriched in proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and metabolites, and naturally released from different cells. Their natural material transport properties, inherent long‐term recycling ability, excellent biocompatibility, editable targeting, and inheritance of parental cell properties make EVs one of the most promising next‐generation drug delivery nanocarriers and active biologics. During the COVID‐19 pandemic, many efforts have been made to exploit the payload of natural EVs for the treatment of COVID‐19. Furthermore, strategies that use engineered EVs to manufacture vaccines and neutralization traps have produced excellent efficacy in animal experiments and clinical trials. Here, the recent literature on the application of EVs in COVID‐19 diagnosis, treatment, damage repair, and prevention is reviewed. And the therapeutic value, application strategies, safety, and biotoxicity in the production and clinical applications of EV agents for COVID‐19 treatment, as well as inspiration for using EVs to block and eliminate novel viruses are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A microfluidic chip is adopted to study the droplet dynamic behaviors when flowing through the T-junction. Large ranges of initial length (Lo/w = 0.8–2.8), capillary number (Cao = 0.030–0.165), and viscosity ratio (λo = 0.16–5.90) are considered to identify the deformation characteristics and the breakup results. Three flow patterns are categorized in the T-junction, and critical conditions are expressed as power law relations between the normalized length and the capillary number. The coupling competition exists between outer neck thinning and inner droplet shifting, which influences the deformation process. A state diagram indicating the number of breakups is built through two key features of the shifting behavior, namely, the shifting distance and the shifting velocity. With increasing viscosity ratio, thresholds of both breakups decrease due to the reduced deformation resistance caused by vortex flow and the weakened coupling effect, resulting from the suppressed shifting behavior. The shell thickness via twice-breakup pattern depends solely on the viscosity ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residual stress greatly influences the warping behavior of lead frame copper alloys and can be evaluated by nanoindentation. In this study, the residual stresses are calculated by Suresh's model, Wang's model, and Ghanbari's model. In addition, an elastic work model, based on indentation unloading curve, is proposed. The results reveal that the residual stresses of all samples are determined to be compressive stresses. Furthermore, Wang's model and the elastic work model may be considered to be most appropriative for the residual stress assessments in lead frame copper strips. More importantly, for the lead frame copper alloys, there will be an obvious pile-up effect during the indentation process. This effect is utilized to correct residual stresses in Suresh's model, and identified that residual stresses decrease by about 300 MPa. This study has great significance for the development of the residual stress models by nanoindentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For geophysical inversion problems, deterministic inversion methods can easily fall into local optimal solutions, while stochastic optimization methods can theoretically converge to global optimal solutions. These problems have always been a concern for researchers. Among many stochastic optimization methods, particle swarm optimization (PSO) has been applied to solve geophysical inversion problems due to its simple principle and the fact that only a few parameters require adjustment. To overcome the nonuniqueness of inversion, model constraints can be added to PSO optimization. However, using fixed regularization parameters in PSO iteration is equivalent to keeping the default model constraint at a certain level, yielding an inversion result that is considerably aff ected by the model constraint. This study proposes a hybrid method that combines the regularized least squares method(RLSM) with the PSO method. The RLSM is used to improve the global optimal particle and accelerate convergence, while the adaptive regularization strategy is used to update the regularization parameters to avoid the influence of model constraints on the inversion results. Further, the inversion results of the RLSM and hybrid algorithm are compared and analyzed by considering the audio magnetotelluric synthesis and field data as examples. Experiments show that the proposed hybrid method is superior to the RLSM. Furthermore, compared with the standard PSO algorithm, the hybrid algorithm needs a broader model space but a smaller particle swarm and fewer iteration steps, thus reducing the prior conditions and the computational cost used in the inversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Due to the influence of spinal and respiratory movements, it is difficult to accurately measure the range of motion of each joint. OBJECTIVE: To conduct a three-dimensional (3D) measurement of each joint in the shoulder complex in different postures in the sagittal plane of the upper extremity. METHODS: Thirteen healthy adults with no history of shoulder surgery for trauma or chronic pain were enrolled in the present study. The computed tomography (CT) imaging data of the shoulder complex were acquired in four postures via the reconstruction and alignment of 3D images. The angles of the postural changes were measured, and rotation vectors were used for descriptions and statistical analyses. RESULTS: There was a statistical difference in the rotation angles between the dominant and non-dominant sides of the sternoclavicular joint when the posture changed from a resting position to a posterior inferior position. During the postural change from a resting position to a horizontal position, the regression coefficient (β) of the humerothoracic joint to the sternoclavicular joint was 0.191, and the β of the humerothoracic joint to the glenohumeral joint was 0.621. During the postural change from the horizontal position to the rear upper position, the β of the humerothoracic joint to the sternoclavicular joint was 0.316, and the β of the humerothoracic joint to the glenohumeral joint was 0.845. During the postural change from the resting position to the rear lower position, the β of the humerothoracic joint to the glenohumeral joint was 0.991. CONCLUSION: The application of the image alignment technique enabled the direct and accurate measurement of the bony structures of the shoulder joint. The helical approach accurately described the scapulohumeral rhythm during 3D motion. There was a scapulohumeral rhythm of the shoulder complex during 3D composite sagittal movement, with different ratios for different joints and postures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, microporous vermiculite‐based molecular sieves were etched into mesoporous vermiculite‐based molecular sieves by alkaline solution, and the mesoporous vermiculite‐based molecular sieves were supported by Ni or Ni‐Co alloy active components by oleic acid‐assisted method and impregnation method, respectively. And prepared catalysts were applied to the dry reforming of methane (DRM) reaction. Under the reaction conditions of T=750 °C and GHSV=30000 mL/(h gcat), the conversion rate of CO2 and CH4 of the Ni‐Co‐oa/VSiO2 bimetallic catalyst reached 84.7 % and 71.9 %, respectively. According to the analysis of the relevant characterization results, the Ni‐Co‐oa/VSiO2 catalyst has more nickel active sites and stronger interaction between metal and support due to the addition of oleic acid. Therefore, Ni‐Co‐oa/VSiO2 has better catalytic reactivity and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, power-sizing equations of rotor-permanent-magnet flux-switching (RPM-FS) machines are proposed and implemented, where the main decisive factors of the electromagnetic torque, namely electric loading and magnetic loading, are deduced, respectively. Although the topologies of RPM-FS machines are evolved from traditional stator-PM flux-switching machines, there are still seriously flux leakages between poles, and it is hard to derive the peak value of the air-gap flux density directly. Hence, a local simplified magnetic equivalent circuit is utilized to calculate the magnetic loading, which is crucial for the power-sizing equation. The influences of the pole-to-pole flux-leakages and harmonics in back-EMF are considered to improve the calculated accuracy of the power-sizing equation. Consequently, the electromagnetic torque can be predicted with acceptable accuracy. The feasibility of the power-sizing equation is verified by the finite element analysis and experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was aimed at exploring the risk factors for thoracotomy in patients undergoing thoracoscopic resection of lung cancer and further analyzing the factors affecting the prognosis of patients. Ninety-six patients with non-small-cell lung cancer who underwent thoracoscopic pulmonary resection were recruited as the subjects, and they were enrolled into the thoracoscopic group (n = 88) and the thoracotomy group (n = 8) according to whether thoracotomy was performed. Univariate analysis and logistic multivariate regression were performed to analyze the risk factors for conversion to thoracotomy, and nomogram prediction model was employed to analyze the prognostic factors. The results revealed that the proportion of patients over 65 years old, with history of coronary heart disease, diabetes, and pulmonary tuberculosis, etc., in the thoracotomy group and the thoracoscopic group was significantly different (P < 0.05). There were statistically significant differences in the development of interlobular cleft, pleural adhesion, tumor diameter > 3.5 cm, vascular and lymph node invasion, and tumor TNM stage between the thoracotomy group and the thoracoscopic group (P < 0.05). Overall, the age of patients ≥ 65 years old, tumor diameter > 3.5 cm, hypoplasia of interlobular fissure, history of pulmonary tuberculosis, pleural adhesion, and TNM stage IIIa were all independent risk factors for thoracoscopic resection of lung cancer to thoracotomy. Cox model and nomogram prediction model analysis showed that surgery methods, tumor diameter > 3.5 cm, chemotherapy cycle < 4 , chemotherapy, and TNM stage IIIa were all independent factors influencing the prognosis of patients undergoing thoracoscopic lung cancer resection. This nomogram prediction model had high application value in patient prognosis prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is one of the most lethal breast cancer subtypes. Due to a lack of effective therapeutic targets, chemotherapy is still the main medical treatment for TNBC patients. Thus, it is important and necessary to find new therapeutic targets for TNBC. Recent genomic studies implicated the Hippo / Yap signal is over activated in TNBC, manifesting it plays a key role in TNBC carcinogenesis and cancer progression. RBCK1 was firstly identified as an important component for linear ubiquitin assembly complex (LUBAC) and facilitates NFKB signaling in immune response. Further studies showed RBCK1 also facilitated luminal type breast cancer growth and endocrine resistance via trans-activation estrogen receptor alpha. Methods: RBCK1 and YAP protein expression levels were measured by western blotting, while the mRNA levels of YAP target genes were measured by RT–PCR. RNA sequencing data were analyzed by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. Identification of Hippo signaling activity was accomplished with luciferase assays, RT–PCR and western blotting. Protein stability assays and ubiquitin assays were used to detect YAP protein degradation. Ubiquitin-based immunoprecipitation assays were used to detect the specific ubiquitination modification on the YAP protein. Results: In our current study, our data revealed an opposite function for RBCK1 in TNBC progression. RBCK1 over-expression inhibited TNBC cell progression in vitro and in vivo, while RBCK1 depletion promoted TNBC cell invasion. The whole genomic expression profiling showed that RBCK1 depletion activated Hippo/YAP axis. RBCK1 depletion increased YAP protein level and Hippo target gene expression in TNBC. The molecular biology studies confirmed that RBCK1 could bind to YAP protein and enhance the stability of YAP protein by promoting YAP K48-linked poly-ubiquitination at several YAP lysine sites (K76, K204 and K321). Conclusion: Our study revealed the multi-faced RBCK1 function in different subtypes of breast cancer patients and a promising therapeutic target for TNBC treatment. C9ENSf2mfVdiRkeiVCEbaf Video abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the LaAlO3 perovskite with large specific surface area and abundant surface oxygen vacancies is prepared by the hard template method, on which Ni metal nanoparticles and CaO alkaline additives are loaded. The generated catalyst is applied to the study of methane dry reforming. By analyzing and characterizing all catalysts prepared through BET, XRD, TEM, XPS, H2-TPR and other test methods, the LaAlO3 Hperovskite prepared by the hard template method can obtain both larger specific surface area and more abundant surface oxygen vacancies than the LaAlO3-C perovskite prepared by the traditional sol–gel method. As a result, the Ni-based catalysts supported by LaAlO3-H perovskite exhibit more favorable anti-sintering and anti-carbon deposition ability than Ni/LaAlO3-C catalyst. (Adding) CaO can enhance the adsorption of CO2 on Ni-based catalysts, so N-CaO/LaAlO3 catalyst possesses the most excellent anti-carbon deposition ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead exposure may weaken the ability of learning and memory in the nervous system through mitochondrial paramorphia and dysfunction. However, the underlying mechanism has not been fully elucidated. In our works, with SD rats, primary culture of hippocampal neuron and PC12 cell line model were built up and behavioral tests were performed to determine the learning and memory insults; Western blot, immunological staining, and electron microscope were then conducted to determine endoplasmic reticulum stress and mitochondrial paramorphia and dysfunction. Co-immunoprecipitation were performed to investigate potential protein–protein interaction. The results show that lead exposure may cripple rats' learning and memory capability by inducing endoplasmic reticulum stress and mitochondrial paramorphia and dysfunction. Furthermore, we clarify that enhanced MFN2 ubiquitination degradation mediated by PINK1 may account for mitochondrial paramorphia and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Our work may provide important clues for research on the mechanism of how Pb exposure leads to nervous system damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N,O‐bidentate BF2 complexes with five‐ and six‐membered core rings have been thoroughly investigated. However, the development of seven‐membered N,O‐boron complexes is still an area to be explored. We have developed BF3 ⋅ OEt2‐induced self‐condensation and coordination reactions based on a single starting material, which had been elucidated by experiment and calculation. This parent asymmetric core‐expanded borondifluoride‐(Z)‐1,3‐di(1H‐pyrrol‐2‐yl)but‐2‐en‐1‐one (BOPYO) showed reactivity with a wide range of aldehydes, thus providing a series of conjugation BOPYOs. Moreover, a BOPYO derivative with a dimethylamino group was developed as a new NIR dye that responds to acid with favorable photophysical properties based on intramolecular charge transfer effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zhao, L., Su, P., & Yang, Y. (2023). The HEXACO personality traits as predictors of Chinese undergraduates' academic performance. Social Behavior and Personality: An international journal , 51 (12), e12650. https://doi.org/10.2224/sbp.12650 The above article has been retracted by agreement between the publisher of this journal, Scientific Journal Publishers Limited, the journal's Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Robert A. C. Stewart, and Managing Editor, Alexandra Cheyne, and the submitting author, Longlong Zhao. Concerns were raised by a reader about the reliability of the dataset, and after investigation and analysis of the item-level dataset by external reviewers and journal editors, discrepancies were revealed that cannot be explained by sampling errors or naturally occurring fluctuations. These anomalies in the Zhao data suggest that both the data and resulting conclusions cannot be considered reliable. For this reason, retraction was agreed upon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-light image enhancement is crucial in applications such as traffic safety and medical imaging. Besides having characteristics like low luminance and poor visibility, low-light images are inevitably affected by noise. Noise not only covers image details, introduces artifacts, and decreases image quality, but also interferes with downstream computer vision tasks like object detection, image segmentation, and object tracking. Previous methods in image enhancement often overlook noise handling or fail to accurately suppress noise in adaptive denoising processes, resulting in more severe noise artifacts in the enhanced images. To effectively suppress noise, this paper proposes a Channel Self-Attention Based Low-Light Image Enhancement Network (CAENet), which leverages Transformers and CNNs to model long-range and short-range pixel dependencies, extract global and local features, and construct a Noise Suppression Transformer Block that adaptively suppresses noise regions guided by signal-to-noise ratio priors and attention maps. After adaptive noise suppression, the resulting images exhibit fewer noise artifacts and improved details. The experimental results show that the network in this paper outperforms other state-of-the-art methods overall on five representative paired datasets as well as six unpaired datasets, improving the image quality while effectively suppressing the noise. [Display omitted] • To address the problem of diverse noise types and complex interference levels in low-light image enhancement, we propose an end-to-end network CAENet. • Since the severity of noise varies in regions with different luminance, we designed the NSTB based on channel self-attention. • Aiming at the different degree of interference of noise to the whole and details of the image in different sized regions, we design global and local branches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was aimed at exploring the risk factors for thoracotomy in patients undergoing thoracoscopic resection of lung cancer and further analyzing the factors affecting the prognosis of patients. Ninety-six patients with non-small-cell lung cancer who underwent thoracoscopic pulmonary resection were recruited as the subjects, and they were enrolled into the thoracoscopic group (n = 88) and the thoracotomy group (n = 8) according to whether thoracotomy was performed. Univariate analysis and logistic multivariate regression were performed to analyze the risk factors for conversion to thoracotomy, and nomogram prediction model was employed to analyze the prognostic factors. The results revealed that the proportion of patients over 65 years old, with history of coronary heart disease, diabetes, and pulmonary tuberculosis, etc., in the thoracotomy group and the thoracoscopic group was significantly different (P < 0.05). There were statistically significant differences in the development of interlobular cleft, pleural adhesion, tumor diameter > 3.5 cm, vascular and lymph node invasion, and tumor TNM stage between the thoracotomy group and the thoracoscopic group (P < 0.05). Overall, the age of patients ≥ 65 years old, tumor diameter > 3.5 cm, hypoplasia of interlobular fissure, history of pulmonary tuberculosis, pleural adhesion, and TNM stage IIIa were all independent risk factors for thoracoscopic resection of lung cancer to thoracotomy. Cox model and nomogram prediction model analysis showed that surgery methods, tumor diameter > 3.5 cm, chemotherapy cycle < 4 , chemotherapy, and TNM stage IIIa were all independent factors influencing the prognosis of patients undergoing thoracoscopic lung cancer resection. This nomogram prediction model had high application value in patient prognosis prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Catheter jamming is an emerging and possibly underrated complication.Objective: To find the criteria for determining if the catheter cannot be removed through the mechanical analysis of fracture tension and fracture strain (εf) of Peripheral Inserted Central Catheters (PICC).Method: We removed 30 pieces of PICC catheters from patients and recorded the indwelling time. Those with an indwelling time shorter than 12 weeks belonged to the short-term group. Those with an indwelling time longer than 12 weeks belonged to the long-term group. The first half of the same catheter is section A, and the second half is section B. The fraction tension and fracture strain of the catheter were measured, and statistical analysis was conducted.Results: The fracture tension of catheter in sections A and B were 5.8917 ± 1.0095 and 6.0670 ± 0.8066 Newtons respectively (p= 0.393) and the fracture strain of catheter in sections A and B were 6.0611 ± 1.0810 and 6.2543 ± 0.7187 Newtons respectively (p= 0.343). The fracture tension of catheter in short-term and long-term group were 6.0696 ± 0.9414 and 5.9192 ± 0.8972 Newtons respectively (p= 0.535) and the fracture strain of catheter in short-term and long-term group were 6.0067 ± 0.7227 and 6.2584 ± 1.0212 respectively (p= 0.301).Conclusion: It is objective and consistent to take the catheter fracture tension as the standard. This standard would be able to accurately define the concept of catheter failure and reduce the risk of catheter fracture and the misdiagnosis of catheter failure. The catheter fracture tension and fracture strain was not affected by the catheter indwelling time. It is recommended to set the tensile force as 5 Newtons and carry it out at a speed of 100 mm/min for the catheter drawing of the PICC single-lumen silicone catheter (4.0F) from Budd Company. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: FAI (femoroacetabular impingement syndrome) is a common cause of hip pain, resulting in a decreased life quality. This study aims to compare the postoperative clinical outcome between arthroscopic surgery (AT) and conservative treatment (CT). Method: The six studies were selected from PubMed, Embase and OVID database. The data were extracted and analyzed by RevMan5.3. Mean differences and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. RevMan5.3 was used to assess the risk of bias. Result: Six observational studies were assessed. The methodological quality of the trials indicated five of six studies had a low risk of bias and one article had a high risk of bias. The differences were statistically significant between AT and CT for HOS (follow-up for 6 months), iHOT-33 (follow-up for 6 months) improvement, iHOT-33 (follow-up for 12 months) improvement, iHOT-33 (follow-up for 12 months), EQ-5D-5L index score (follow-up for 12 months) and AT showed higher benefits than CT. Meanwhile no statistically significant were found in iHOT-33 (follow-up for 6 months), EQ-5D-5L index score (follow-up for 6 months), EQ5D-VAS (follow-up for 6 months) and EQ5D-VAS (follow-up for 12 months). Conclusion: AT and CT both can have clinical effects when facing FAI. In our meta-analysis, hip arthroscopy is statistically superior to conservative treatment in both long-term and short-term effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recently, automatically extracting biomedical relations has been a significant subject in biomedical research due to the rapid growth of biomedical literature. Since the adaptation to the biomedical domain, the transformer-based BERT models have produced leading results on many biomedical natural language processing tasks. In this work, we will explore the approaches to improve the BERT model for relation extraction tasks in both the pre-training and fine-tuning stages of its applications. In the pre-training stage, we add another level of BERT adaptation on sub-domain data to bridge the gap between domain knowledge and task-specific knowledge. Also, we propose methods to incorporate the ignored knowledge in the last layer of BERT to improve its fine-tuning. Results: The experiment results demonstrate that our approaches for pre-training and fine-tuning can improve the BERT model performance. After combining the two proposed techniques, our approach outperforms the original BERT models with averaged F1 score improvement of 2.1% on relation extraction tasks. Moreover, our approach achieves state-of-the-art performance on three relation extraction benchmark datasets. Conclusions: The extra pre-training step on sub-domain data can help the BERT model generalization on specific tasks, and our proposed fine-tuning mechanism could utilize the knowledge in the last layer of BERT to boost the model performance. Furthermore, the combination of these two approaches further improves the performance of BERT model on the relation extraction tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Dexmedetomidine combined with opioids has been extensively used to blunt cardiovascular responses to endotracheal intubation. To determine their interaction, we aimed to develop a response surface model between dexmedetomidine and sufentanil. Methods: One hundred and twenty patients undergoing scheduled gynaecological surgery were recruited. According to a simulation of slice design, patients received different dose pairs of dexmedetomidine (0 to 1.1 μg/kg) and sufentanil (.1 to.5 μg/kg). The mean arterial blood pressure and heart rate of patients were recorded just before endotracheal intubation, immediately after intubation, and during the first 3 min after intubation. The primary outcomes were haemodynamic changes. The full dose–response relationship between dexmedetomidine and sufentanil was analysed using a logit model. Results: This response surface model revealed that the interaction between dexmedetomidine and sufentanil was additive. The dose pairs that could effectively attenuate the haemodynamic response to endotracheal intubation primarily ranged from.3 to.4 μg/kg and.5 to 1.1 μg/kg for sufentanil and dexmedetomidine, respectively. Conclusion: When used propofol as the main hypnotic drug during anaesthesia induction, dexmedetomidine could effectively reduce the requirement of sufentanil in an additive manner. However, it is not an effective drug for ablating the cardiovascular response to endotracheal intubation when used alone. The clinical trial registry. The trial registry name: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry. Registration number: ChiCTR1800015273. URL:http://www.chictr.org.cn [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In recent years, emerging evidence has highlighted the role of vitamin D as an iron absorption enhancer by suppressing hepcidin concentration, albeit with an unclear underlying mechanism. Dietary-based approach in improving iron status has been widely practised, however, there is a scarcity in randomized controlled trials (RCT) to elucidate the effect of vitamin D-fortified juice on iron status recovery. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effect of an 8-week vitamin D3-fortified fruit juice supplementation on iron status indicators in childbearing-aged women with marginally low iron stores. Methods: In a placebo-controlled, double-blind, RCT, a total of 120 women aged between 19–40 with serum ferritin < 20 μg/l and fulfilled the eligibility criteria will be randomized into consuming either vitamin D3-fortified fruit juices containing 4000 IU (100 mcg) (vitamin D) or placebo-fruit juices (placebo) daily for eight weeks. At every 4-week interval, 10 ml fasting blood sample, information on dietary habit and anthropometric measurement will be collected. A mixed model repeated-measures analysis of variance will be performed to determine the effect of the intervention and the interaction with time points for all iron and vitamin D status blood biomarkers. Discussion: Vitamin D supplementation in food fortification as a novel iron absorption enhancer might be a future and relevant alternative management of iron deficiency as opposed to the oral iron therapy that has poor adherence. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov: registration number NCT04618289, registration date October 28, 2020, protocol ID JKEUPM-2020-033. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is to explore the smart city information (SCI) processing technology based on the Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud computing, promoting the construction of smart cities in the direction of effective sharing and interconnection. In this study, a SCI system is constructed based on the information islands in the smart construction of various fields in smart cities. The smart environment monitoring, smart transportation, and smart epidemic prevention at the application layer of the SCI system are designed separately. A multi-objective optimization algorithm for cloud computing virtual machine resource allocation method (CC-VMRA method) is proposed, and the application of the IoT and cloud computing technology in the smart city information system is further analysed and simulated for the performance verification. The results show that the multi-objective optimization algorithm in the CC-VMRA method can greatly reduce the number of physical servers in the SCI system (less than 20), and the variance is not higher than 0.0024, which can enable the server cluster to achieve better load balancing effects. In addition, the packet loss rate of the Zigbee protocol used by the IoT gateway in the SCI system is far below the 0.1% indicator, and the delay is less than 10 ms. Therefore, the SCI system constructed by this study shows low latency and high utilization rate, which can provide experimental reference for the later construction of smart city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryptochrome 2 (Cry2) gene regulates circadian rhythm and affects reproduction and pregnancy. Therefore, this study aimed to explore polymorphisms of the Cry2 gene and their associations with litter size at different parity in Australian White (AuW) ewes. Five putative insertion or deletion mutations within the Cry2 gene were selected to study their association with litter size. Two novel deletion mutations were identified in intronic region of Cry2 gene and were genotyped by agarose gel electrophoresis and DNA sequencing. The polymorphism information content (PIC) indicated that both mutations were low polymorphism in tested groups. Statistical analysis revealed that the P1-Del-6-bp was significantly correlated with litter size at third parity (P = 0.010), in which individuals with insertion/deletion (ID) genotype had larger litter size than insertion/insertion (II) genotype (P < 0.05). Whereas, the P2-Del-6-bp was significantly correlated with litter size at first parity (P = 0.036), in which individuals with insertion/insertion (II) genotype had larger litter size than insertion/deletion (ID) genotype (P < 0.05). Collectively, these findings may provide new insights to expedite molecular breeding in sheep through marker-assisted selection strategies (MAS). • The presence of InDel mutations in Cry2 was studied in Australian White sheep (n = 602). • These InDel loci P1-Del-6bp and P2-Del-6bp were significantly associated with Australian White sheep litter size. • These findings will provide new insights to expedite molecular breeding in sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Density functional theory was used to analyze the formation of InGaN. • Free energy was calculated for different temperatures. • DMInNH 2 has a stronger polymerization ability than DMGaNH 2. • The equilibrium temperature was calculated. Density functional theory was used to analyze the formation of InGaN from trimethyl indium (TMIn) and trimethyl gallium (TMGa) by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition in ammonia in terms of oligomerization reactions of the nitrides and the elimination reactions of the oligomers formed. The reaction pathways were assumed by reference to previous studies, and their free energy and energy barrier characteristics were calculated for different temperatures. The results indicated that, in the oligomerization reactions, the decomposition temperature of dimers is higher than that of trimers; dimethyl indium nitride (DMInNH 2) is more prone to polymerization than dimethyl gallium nitride (DMGaNH 2); and oligomerization of DMInNH 2 is more likely to occur. In the elimination reactions, when the reaction temperature is high, oligomers tend to generate [MMXNH 2 ][MMXNH 2 ] (MM = monomethyl; X = In or Ga) first by intramolecular elimination, and then generate the stable products [XNHNH 2 ][XNHNH 2 ] by intermolecular elimination of NH 3. However, when the reaction temperature is low, [X(NH 2) 3 ][X(NH 2) 3 ] is generated by intermolecular elimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Possible nucleation pathways are proposed for gas-phase InGaN nanoparticles. • The possibility of forming different cross-reaction products is discussed. • The self-polymerization of [MMXNH] n was most likely to occur. The nucleation mechanism of nanoparticles during the growth of InGaN by metal–organic chemical vapor deposition was investigated using density functional theory quantum chemical calculations to explore molecules that are most likely to become the cores of nanoparticles. On the basis of previous research on the nucleation mechanism of nanoparticles in the III-V system, several possible nucleation pathways are proposed for gas-phase InGaN nanoparticles, focusing on the cross-reaction between In and Ga. The possibility of forming different cross-reaction products is also discussed. Among the several reaction pathways examined, the possibilities of generating several cross-reaction products with similar configurations (i.e., [MMGaNHDMInNH 2 ] 2 and [MMInNHDMGaNH 2 ] 2 , [MMGaNHDMInNH 2 ] 3 and [MMInNHDMGaNH 2 ] 3) were similar; the self-polymerization of [MMXNH] n was most likely to occur, and [MMInNH] 4 and [MMInNH] 6 were most likely to become the core of nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Civil infrastructure plays an important role in daily life. If cracks are not found in time, they may cause immeasurable losses to people and property. Therefore, timely and accurate detection and localization of cracks is of great significance. Considering the possible loss of channel information and the lack of receptive field in the previous You Only Look Once (YOLO) series of algorithms, we design a Maintaining the Original Dimension-YOLO (MOD-YOLO) algorithm and apply it to crack detection in civil infrastructure. All the improved schemes in the algorithm are plug-and-play. First, we propose Maintaining the Original information-Deeply Separable Convolution (MODSConv), which solves the problem that we cannot interact with information between channels in the original feature layer (as seen in classical deeply separable convolutions). Second, we propose Global Receptive Field-Space Pooling Pyramid-Fast to obtain global perspective information and mitigate the impact of different scales. Third, Distinctive and Average Features-Coordinate Attention (DAF-CA) is proposed. This not only deals with the reference average information but also considers salient information. With this, we can find and enhance key information more accurately. In addition, we design Maintaining the Original information-Deeply Separable Layer (MODSLayer), which protects the rich information between channels in a way that does not reduce the dimensionality of the channel. At the same time, MODSLayer builds the backbone and neck of the network. The network is named Maintaining the Original information-Deeply Separable Network(MODSNet). Finally, Maintaining the Original Dimension Light-Head is designed for channel non-dimensionality reduction. It maintains as much feature layer information as possible before prediction under the premise of being as lightweight as possible, which significantly improves detection accuracy and detection speed. The experimental results show that our algorithm improves the accuracy by 27.5% to 91.1% on the crack dataset compared to the YOLOX algorithm with the crack detection time basically the same as the YOLOX algorithm, and with the parameter amount reduced by 19.7% and the computational complexity reduced by 35.9%. Meanwhile, experiments on COCO2017, VOC2007 and other datasets verify its good generalizability. The whole vehicle deployment scheme for crack detection is proposed and used to implement the algorithm to detect cracks while the vehicle is moving, and the accompanying experiments prove that our algorithm is able to complete the task of detecting cracks while the vehicle is moving very well. [Display omitted] • Design that maintains original information enhances correlation between channels. • Expanding receptive field of Space Pooling Pyramid-Fast to mitigate scale influence. • Giving distinctive detail to coordinate attention for better attention allocation. • Proposing a network with richer information to enhance crack detection performance. • Extensive experiments validate the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Sanitation and cleanliness are essential factors in reducing the spread of pathogens and preventing healthcare-associated infections. Disinfectants are associated with better hygiene outcomes to reduce pathogen transmission risk and minimize risks to healthcare workers (HCWs) and patients. Methods: A literature search was undertaken using the electronic databases Scopus, Web of Science, Ovid and Google Scholar. The inclusion criteria for this study are observational and original research studies dating from the five-year period 2017–2021. Other inclusion criteria are full text, English language, qualitative or quantitative studies relevant to the research question. The exclusion criteria are animal studies, systematic reviews, conference proceedings, abstracts, projection modelling studies, in-vivo or in-vitro studies, and books. Results: Five study nations included the United States of America (USA), the United Kingdom (UK), China, India and South Korea, together with Malaysia. These nations have existing policies, regulations and guidelines regarding the use of disinfectants. HCWs should be aware of the national laws and guidelines that govern the purchase, distribution and use of disinfectants. They should also understand the different roles of the agencies involved, so the context for the guidance provided is clear. Coordination and collaboration across various stakeholders are required for creating solid policies. Conclusion: Product research and innovation are indispensable, as appropriate personal protective equipment and safety measures for HCWs and patients have top priority in every nation. Hence, clear guidelines for handling disinfectants, in addition to health education about scientific-evidence-based disinfectants, are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study was carried out to quantify the selected bioactive compounds (i.e., chlorogenic acids, caffeine, and N-methylpyridinium) in instant coffee and to analyze its correlation with the gastric release effect of the HGT-1 cell line. Methods: Selected bioactive compounds in regular (REG), low sugar (LS), low fat (LF), white coffee (WC), white coffee low acid (WCA), decaffeinated (DC), and instant black coffee (BC) were quantified using HPLCDAD (high-performance liquid chromatography diode array detection) system and flow cytometry analysis for its gastric release effect when treated with HGT-1 cell. Results: The HPLC data showed the content of caffeine (60,212 ± 212 μg/ml) and chlorogenic acid (35,779 ± 3027 μg/ml) were significantly high in BC while the lowest caffeine value was found in DC coffee. Chlorogenic acid in other instant coffee samples showed insignificant content distinctions. As for N-methylpyridinium (NMP), the highest content was found in BC (565 μg/ml) and the lowest value was detected in WC (52 μg/ml) coffee. Gastric release activity by HGT-1 cells was significantly higher in DC and REG coffee treatment. Pearson correlation showed no significant correlation between the quantitative data and gastric release activity by HGT-1 cells. Conclusion: The selected bioactive compounds contained in instant coffees were unable to stimulate gastric release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical cyclones (TCs) and their associated intense rainfall are among the most significant natural disasters. Exploring the characteristics of tropical cyclone precipitation (TCP) has always been a challenging issue in TC research. This study utilized the TC track data from the International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship and precipitation data from the multi-source weighted-ensemble precipitation covering the years 1980–2019, to examine shifts in precipitation rates and peak precipitation levels before and after TC landfall. The results highlight several key findings: (1) Precipitation during the TC landfall process is relatively stable beforehand but tends to decrease slightly after landfall. Generally, the maximum precipitation occurs during the landfall. (2) From 1980 to 2019, the rate of precipitation changes before landfall has significantly increased. Conversely, after the year 2000, the rate of precipitation changes after landfall has significantly decreased. (3) Over the past 40 years, while peak precipitation levels of landfalling TCs have remained relatively constant, the total precipitation has shown an increasing trend, particularly in regions like the main island of Hainan, southern Zhejiang, and Shanghai, which are characterized by high peak precipitation. The results help clarify the TC processes and provide reference points for parameter selection in regional TCP modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AF4/FMR2 family member (AFF) proteins are a group of transcriptional regulators that can regulate gene transcription and play an important role in cellular physiological processes such as proliferation and differentiation. The transcriptome data of the lamprey spinal cord injury were analyzed in previous research. We then identified a hub gene, Lr-AFF3, from this dataset. Phylogenetic tree analysis determined the evolutionary relationships of the AFF gene family across different species. In addition, analysis of motifs, domains, and 3D structures further confirmed the conservatism of the AFF gene family. In particular, the gene structure of the AFF3 gene was not conserved, possibly because of intron insertion. It was also found that the neighboring genes of the Lr-AFF3 gene had a higher diversity than that in jawed vertebrates through synteny analysis. The results of the MTT and EdU experiments showed that the C-terminal homology domain (CHD) and N-terminal homology domain (NHD) of Lr-AFF3 promoted cell proliferation. In summary, our research will not only provide new insights into the origin and evolution of the AFF gene family in different species, but also provide new clues for the functions of Lr_AFF3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) as a means of prevention during the COVID-19 pandemic have gained increasing attention. NPIs are important to reduce infectious diseases and flatten the curve of infection. However, data or literature on the effectiveness of NPIs is scarce. In this review, we aim to investigate the effectiveness of NPIs in the community based on previous literature. A literature search was conducted on seven databases (OVID, EBSCOHOST, WOS, SCOPUS, TRIP, JSTOR, and PUBMED) using the PICO method which yielded 208 articles from 12th March to 1st April 2020. A PRISMA flow diagram and extraction tables were used to analyze the final 14 eligible articles spanning nine countries. There were nine articles on human surveillance, two on patient and contact management, two on community restrictions, and one article discussing the combination of NPIs (quarantine, closure of facilities, and transit site surveillance). With the use of NPIs, there was a significant reduction of infection episodes among the target population. There has been an increasing demand for scientific evidence on NPIs during the COVID-19 pandemic, and present policy recommendations rely heavily on expert judgement. Randomized trials are required to obtain better evidence for these interventions. However, this review will help experts create feasible and widely acceptable policies and protocols for mitigation plans in the absence of definitive evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to accurately measure the range of motion of the sternoclavicular (SC) joint using 3D reconstruction and image registration. The motion of the SC joint is analyzed by means of axial angle representation to identify the kinematical characteristics of this joint.Methods: A total of 13 healthy volunteers were enrolled in the study. The limit postures of four SC joint movements were scanned by computerized tomography. The images were integrated with reconstruction and registration techniques. The range of motion of the SC joint was measured using 3D modelling. The axial angle was used to indicate the range of motion of the SC joint. The difference between the dominant side and non-dominant side was compared and the differences in axial angle of the SC joint in different postures were compared.Results: The active axial angle of the SC joint on the dominant side was approximately 1∘ higher than that of the non-dominant side when the upper limb moved from a rest position to a posteroinferior position. In the sagittal motion of the upper limbs, the axial angle of the SC joint was greatest when moving from a horizontal position to a posterosuperior position, with an average of 23.55∘. Of the flexion and extension movements of the upper limbs from a rest position to a horizontal position, 13.66% (the smallest proportion) were completed by the SC joint.Conclusion: The combination of 3D reconstruction and image registration is a direct and accurate method of measuring the motion of the SC joint. Axial angle representation is an intuitive method of expressing rotation in a 3D space that allows for more convenient comparison; it is also more in line with the characteristics of human anatomy and kinesiology and therefore more accurately reflects the characteristics of joint motion. It is therefore useful for guiding clinical practice. In a physical examination, the extension of the upper limb from the horizontal position to the posterosuperior position and from the rest position to the posteroinferior position can best reflect the rotation function of the SC joint in the combined motion of shoulder joints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Weekly iron-folic acid (IFA) supplements are recommended for all menstruating women in countries where anemia prevalence is ≥20%; however, it is unknown whether the inclusion of folic acid in weekly IFA supplements reduces anemia.Objectives: We examined whether the inclusion of folic acid in weekly IFA supplements conferred any benefit on hemoglobin (Hb) concentration, anemia reduction, or iron status [ferritin and soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR)], over iron alone.Methods: In this secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial in Malaysia, n = 311 nonpregnant women (18-45 y old) received 60 mg Fe with either 0, 0.4, or 2.8 mg folic acid once-weekly for 16 wk. Fasting blood was collected at baseline and 16 wk. A generalized linear model (normal distribution with identity link) was used to assess Hb concentration at 16 wk (primary outcome).Results: At baseline, 84% of women had low folate status (plasma folate < 14 nmol/L). At 16 wk, marginal mean (95% CI) Hb was 131 (130, 133), 131 (129, 132), and 132 (130, 133) g/L; ferritin was 58.2 (53.9, 62.5), 56.5 (52.2, 60.9), and 58.0 (53.7, 62.3) μg/L; and sTfR was 5.8 (5.5, 6.1), 5.8 (5.5, 6.1), and 5.9 (5.6, 6.2) mg/L in the 0, 0.4, and 2.8 mg/wk groups, respectively, with no differences between groups (P > 0.05). Baseline plasma folate concentration did not modify the effect of treatment on Hb concentration at 16 wk. Among all women, the risks of anemia [risk ratio (RR): 0.65; 95% CI: 0.45, 0.96; P = 0.03] and iron deficiency based on ferritin (RR: 0.30; 95% CI: 0.20, 0.44; P < 0.001) were lower at 16 wk than at baseline.Conclusions: Despite the low folate status among these nonpregnant Malaysian women, the inclusion of folic acid in weekly IFA supplements did not reduce anemia or improve iron status, over iron alone. However, the benefits of folic acid for neural tube defect prevention still warrant its retention in weekly IFA supplements.This trial was registered at www.anzctr.org.au as ACTRN12619000818134. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction combined with tibial tubercle osteotomy (TTO) and lateral retinacular release (LRR) is one of the main treatment methods for patellar instability. So far, few studies have evaluated the clinical effectiveness and assessed potential risk factors for recurrent patellar instability.Purpose: To report the clinical outcomes of MPFL reconstruction combined with TTO and LRR at least three years after operation and to identify potential risk factors for recurrent patellar instability.Methods: A retrospective analysis of medical records for patients treated with MPFL, TTO and LRR from 2013 to 2017 was performed. Preoperative assessment for imaging examination included trochlear dysplasia according to Dejour classification, patella alta with the Caton-Deschamps index (CDI), tibial tubercle-trochlear groove distance. Postoperative assessment for knee function included Kujala, IKDC and Tegner scores. Failure rate which was defined by a postoperative dislocation was also reported.Results: A total of 108 knees in 98 patients were included in the study. The mean age at operation was 19.2 ± 6.1 years (range, 13-40 years), and the mean follow-up was 61.3 ± 15.4 months (range, 36-92 months). All patients included had trochlear dysplasia (A, 24%; B, 17%; C, 35%; D, 24%), and 67% had patellar alta. The mean postoperative scores of Tegner, Kujala and IKDC were 5.3 ± 1.3 (2-8), 90.5 ± 15.5 (24-100) and 72.7 ± 12.1 (26-86). Postoperative dislocation happened in 6 patients (5.6%). Female gender was a risk factor for lower IKDC (70.7 vs 78.1, P = 0.006), Tegner (5.1 vs 6.0, P = 0.006) and Kujala (88.2 vs 96.6, P = 0.008). Age (p = 0.011) and trochlear dysplasia (p = 0.016) were considered to be two failure factors for MPFL combined with TTO and LRR.Conclusion: As a surgical method, MPFL combined with TTO and LRR would be a reliable choice with a low failure rate (5.6%). Female gender was a risk factor for worse postoperative outcomes. Preoperative failure risk factors in this study were age and trochlear dysplasia.Level Of Evidence: Level IV; Case series. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction is one of the important ways to convert solar energy into renewable hydrogen. In this work, the Co9S8 hollow polyhedron was formed after sulfidation and calcination with the metal‐organic framework ZIF‐67. The hollow polyhedron Co9S8 provides abundant support sites for Mn0.05Cd0.95S and effectively reduces the agglomeration degree of Mn0.05Cd0.95S. The Co9S8 hollow polyhedron as the reaction site has a large specific surface area and a mesoporous structure, which is beneficial to the progress of the photocatalytic reaction. A series of tests showed that the introduction of Co9S8 hollow polyhedron significantly improved the light‐trapping ability and exposed more reaction sites. Co9S8 hollow polyhedrons are used as electron capture sites, which can effectively collect electrons and induce the interface charge transfer of Mn0.05Cd0.95S to Co9S8. Because the Co9S8‐Mn0.05Cd0.95S composite catalyst had a strong light‐trapping ability, abundant reaction sites and Co9S8‐Mn0.05Cd0.95S heterojunction accelerate the separation and transfer of charges. Therefore, the hydrogen evolution rate of the 10%Co9S8‐Mn0.05Cd0.95S composite catalyst was relatively high, which was 13.369 mmol g−1 h−1. In addition, the 10%Co9S8‐Mn0.05Cd0.95S composite catalyst still has good hydrogen evolution stability after four cycles. This research may supply a new idea for the preparation of high‐efficiency photocatalysts with hollow structures. Novelty Statement: The Co9S8 hollow polyhedron provides abundant support sites for M0.05C0.95S particles, which effectively reduces the degree of agglomeration. The Co9S8‐M0.05C0.95S heterojunction catalyst not only accelerates the migration and transfer of electrons, but also provides abundant reaction sites. Therefore, the Co9S8‐M0.05C0.95S composite catalyst has good catalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To use image registration techniques to study the clavicular rotation of the shoulders in the sagittal plane. Methods: From 28 April 2019 to 20 May 2019, 13 healthy adults (7 males and 6 females) with no history of shoulder trauma surgery or chronic pain were recruited. Patients' ages ranged from 22 to 42 years, with a mean age of 26.5 years. Three‐dimensional composite images of the sternum–clavicle–humerus were taken using CT images of upper limb movement in the sagittal plane in the 13 healthy adults. Four different postures were registered: (i) anatomical supine position; (ii) elbow joints lifted anteriorly in the supine position; (iii) posterosuperior hyperextension of the elbow joints in the prone position; and (iv) posteroinferior hyperextension of the elbow joints in the prone position. Image data from the humerus and clavicle in three of the postures were processed to calculate Euler angles for movements in the sagittal plane. SPSS 19 was used to perform statistical analyses. Results: There was no significant difference in the angles of change in the clavicle and humerus between the dominant and non‐dominant sides under different movement patterns. For upper limb movements in the sagittal plane, the clavicle displayed different Euler angles in different postures. The rotation angle from the anatomical to the horizontal position was the smallest angle, with an average value of 7.1°, whereas the rotation angle from horizontal to posterosuperior hyperextension was the largest, with an average value of 37.2°. When the upper limb moved from anterior protraction to a posterosuperior extension, the intrinsic rotation angle of the clavicle reached its maximum, with an average value of 27.9°; when moved from the anatomical to the horizontal position, 9.1% of the sagittal rotation was executed by the clavicle. During rotation from the horizontal position to posterosuperior hyperextension and from the anatomical to posterior extension, the clavicle showed relatively higher weights at 29.5% and 37.0%, respectively. Conclusion: Our results showed that dominance was not a consideration when studying clavicular rotation. Image registration is an effective method that can be used to study upper limb scapular movements. Through comparing and analyzing the data, two postures had relatively large changes in the rotation angle. This can help improve indicators of clavicular rotational function during physical examinations and postoperative functional evaluations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]