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This paper presents a novel higher‐order shear deformation beam theory for analyzing the stability and free vibration of functionally graded (FG) sandwich beams with emphasis on the effect of higher‐order moment (HOM) and cross‐sectional warping. The governing equation of axially loaded FG sandwich beams is derived from three‐dimensional equations of the theory of elastic waves in bodies with homogeneous initial stresses. The characteristic equations for typical end conditions are obtained exactly. The numerical results of the natural frequencies and critical loads are calculated and verified for special cases by comparing them with the existing solutions. The effects of gradient index, core thickness, HOM, and warping shapes on the natural frequencies and critical buckling loads are elucidated for different slenderness ratios and end constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diosgenin is an important steroidal precursor renowned for its diverse medicinal uses. It is predominantly sourced from Dioscorea species, particularly Dioscorea zingiberensis. Dioscorea zingiberensis has an ability to accumulate 2–16% diosgenin in its rhizomes. In this study, a diverse population of 180 D. zingiberensis accessions was used to evaluate the genomic regions associated with diosgenin biosynthesis by the genome wide association study approach (GWAS). Results: The whole population was characterized for diosgenin contents from tubers by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The individuals were genotyped by the genotyping-by-sequencing approach and 10,000 high-quality SNP markers were extracted for the GWAS. The highest significant marker-trait-association was observed as an SNP transversion (G to T) on chromosome 10, with 64% phenotypic variance explained. The SNP was located in the promoter region of CYP94D144 which is a member of P450 gene family involved in the independent biosynthesis of diosgenin from cholesterol. The transcription factor (TF) binding site enrichment analysis of the promoter region of CYP94D144 revealed NAC TF as a potential regulator. The results were further validated through expression profiling by qRT-PCR, and the comparison of high and low diosgenin producing hybrids obtained from a bi-parental population. Conclusions: This study not only enhanced the understanding of the genetic basis of diosgenin biosynthesis but also serves as a valuable reference for future genomic investigations on CYP94D144, with the aim of augmenting diosgenin production in yam tubers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the relationship between nocturnal levels of stress-related hormones and different sleep-wake states in chronic insomnia disorder (CID) patients. Thirty-three CID patients and 34 good sleepers were enrolled and completed assessment of sleep log, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Insomnia Severity Index. During a-overnight polysomnography monitoring, the patients' vein bleeds were continually collected at different time points (pre-sleep, deep-sleep, 5-min or 30-min waking, and morning waking-up). The control subjects' bleeds were collected only at 22:00 and morning waking-up. The serum hormones were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Compared with at pre-sleep, the level of cortisol was significantly higher at morning waking-up respectively in two-group subjects (Ps < 0.001), with insignificant inter-group differences in cortisol, corticotropin releasing hormone and copeptin at the two time-points. In the patients, the nocturnal secretion curves of three hormones were similar, with the highest concentration at morning waking-up, followed by 30-min waking, 5-min waking, pre-sleep, and deep-sleep. The patients' cortisol (Z = 79.192, P < 0.001) and copeptin (Z = 12.333, P = 0.015) levels were statistically different at different time-points, with higher cortisol at morning waking-up relative to deep-sleep, pre-sleep and 5-min waking (Ps < 0.05), and at 30-min waking relative to deep-sleep and pre-sleep (Ps < 0.05), and higher copeptin at morning waking-up relative to deep-sleep (P < 0.05). In CID, the nocturnal wakes were instantaneously accompanied by high level, and deep sleep was accompanied by the lowest levels, of stress-related hormones, especially in cortisol, supporting the insomniac hypothesis of increased nocturnal pulse-release of cortisol. [Display omitted] • The blood was collected according to sleep or waking states obtained with real-time monitor of overnight polysomnography in the chronic insomniacs. • 2.In both insomniac and good sleep subjects, the level of cortisol at morning waking-up was significantly higher than that at pre-sleep. • The levels of stress-related hormones (CRH, cortisol, and copeptin) varied with different states of sleep-waking during night. • Obviously, the level of cortisol was the lowest at deep sleep and the highest at long-time waking during sleep. • Our findings support the hypothesis of increased pulse-release of nocturnal cortisol under the insomniac condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aqueous reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel generates a considerable amount of plutonium alongside contaminated stainless steel, necessitating meticulous handling for safe decommission and long‐term management. The present work investigated the co‐immobilization of CeO2 (as an inactive surrogate for PuO2) with metallic Fe and Cr (representing a simplified stainless steel) within a zirconolite ceramic wasteform, nominally targeting Ca1−xCexZrTi2−2xFexCrxO7. After sintering at 1400°C under an air atmosphere, the zirconolite phase constituted 90.8–95.1 wt.% of the product across the solid solution range of 0.05 ≤ x ≤ 0.25, alongside perovskite and baddeleyite secondary phases in varying proportion; no evidence of the unincorporated CeO2 or metallic and oxidized Fe or Cr were identified. Above x = 0.30 CeO2 was detected inferring, the solubility limit was reached. A polytype transformation from zirconolite 2M to 3T was confirmed by X‐ray diffraction and selected area electron diffraction results, with the relative fraction of the 3T phase gradually increasing to 49.5 wt.% at x = 0.30. Deconvolution of X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy data revealed the partial reduction of Ce4+–Ce3+, whereas Fe and Cr species maintained trivalent, in agreement with the targeted substitution scheme. Benefitting from the excellent chemical flexibility of zirconolite structured compounds, the co‐immobilization approach may be an effective disposal pathway for Pu‐containing wastes and contaminated stainless steel residues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For a thickness-wise functionally graded (FG) beam, the midplane does not coincide with its physical neutral plane. This paper presents a consistent shear beam theory that guarantees the warping of the cross-section with vanishing shear stress on the surfaces and maximal shear strain/stress at the physical neutral plane. The governing equation of the free vibration of FG beams is derived. For typical end conditions, the characteristic equations are obtained exactly. The numerical natural frequencies are calculated and verified for special cases by comparing the existing solutions. Effects of the exponential gradient of material properties on the natural frequencies are elucidated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zirconolite wasteforms were designed for the co-immobilisation of CeO 2 (as a PuO 2 surrogate) and metallic iron, chromium, and aluminum, simulating contaminated FeCrAl alloy cladding. Zirconolite ceramics with the target composition Ca (1-3.87x) Ce 3.87x ZrTi (2-7.73x) Fe 5.73x Cr x Al x O 7 (x = 0–0.11), were synthesised via solid state reaction sintering at 1400 °C. Phase and microstructural evolution were investigated to ensure the oxidation of the metals, formation of zirconolite phase and densification of the final ceramics. It was found that both oxidation and solid-state reaction could be accomplished by processing at 900 °C and 1400 °C under ambient atmosphere, accompanied by the overall yield of zirconolite in the range 92.4–94.0 wt % between x = 0.01–0.07 f.u., with a dense microstructure observed. Polytype transitions from zirconolite-2M to -3T were evidenced, where the solubility limit was reached at substitution level of x = 0.11 and precipitation of CeO 2 was apparent. XPS analysis confirmed that an elevation in dopant concentration resulted in the partial reduction of Ce4+ to Ce3+, whereas Fe, Cr and Al metals were oxidised to the trivalent state. This study demonstrated the feasibility for designing advanced ceramic wasteforms for the co-immobilisation of actinides and metallic cladding residues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, manipulations of amplitudes and phases of circularly polarized (CP) waves using metasurfaces have attracted significant attention. However, most of the current works are limited to operating in reflection or transmission space, and the amplitude manipulations are mainly achieved through polarization conversion or resistive loss, which will inevitably lead to cross‐polarization pollution and energy waste. Here, a transmission–reflection‐integrated metasurface that can manipulate the amplitudes and phases of the CP waves simultaneously in full space, which can not only realize arbitrary amplitude allocation of transmitted and reflected CP waves but also independently manipulate their phase responses is proposed. As proofs of concept, two integrated metasurfaces are designed and demonstrated, including a CP reflectarray antenna with simultaneously low side‐lobe level and low cross‐polarization level, and a meta‐grating that can arbitrarily control the intensity of transmitted diffraction wave while focusing the reflected wave. Both simulated and measured results agree very well with the theoretical predictions, demonstrating the powerful ability of the proposed metasurface to control the CP waves in full space, which is promising to be applied in future satellite communications, photonic meta‐devices, and so on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: How physical activity (PA) and different sleep traits and overall sleep pattern interact in the development of Parkinson's disease (PD) remain unknown. Objective: To prospectively investigate the joint associations of PA and sleep pattern with risk of PD. Methods: Included were 339,666 PD-free participants from the UK Biobank. Baseline PA levels were grouped into low (< 600 MET-mins/week), medium (600 to < 3000 MET-mins/week) and high (≥ 3000 MET-mins/week) according to the instructions of the UK Biobank. Healthy sleep traits (chronotype, sleep duration, insomnia, snoring, and daytime sleepiness) were scored from 0 to 5 and were categorized into "ideal sleep pattern" (≥ 3 sleep scores) and "poor sleep pattern" (0–2 sleep scores). Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of PD were estimated by Cox proportional hazards models. Results: During a median of 11.8 years of follow-up, 1,966 PD events were identified. The PD risk was lower in participants with high PA (HR = 0.73; 95% CI: 0.64, 0.84), compared to those with low PA; and participants with ideal sleep pattern also had a lower risk of PD (HR = 0.78; 95% CI: 0.69, 0.87), compared to those with poor sleep pattern. When jointly investigating the combined effect, participants with both high PA and ideal sleep pattern had the lowest risk of incident PD (HR = 0.55; 95% CI: 0.44, 0.69), compared to those with low PA and poor sleep pattern; notably, participants with high PA but poor sleep pattern also gained benefit on PD risk reduction (HR = 0.74; 95% CI: 0.55, 0.99). Conclusions: Both high PA and ideal sleep pattern were independently associated with lower risk of developing PD, and those with both high PA level and ideal sleep pattern had the lowest risk. Our results suggest that improving PA levels and sleep quality may be promising intervention targets for the prevention of PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the effects of the original thickness on the densification, microstructure, and nanoindentation hardness of silicon carbide (SiC) ceramics prepared by the spark plasma sintering (SPS) process. The densification of SiC ceramics with different initial thicknesses ranging from 50 to 2000 µm was investigated in combination with varying SPS sintering temperature at 1700–1900°C. The results indicated that the densification of SiC sample with the initial thickness of 50 µm was complete after sintering at 1700°C. On the contrary, when the initial thickness exceeded 50 µm, it resulted in a porous microstructure. When the initial thickness varied from 50 to 100 µm, dense SiC monolithic could be obtained after sintering at 1800°C. All the samples were fully densified after sintering at 1900°C. The predominant factors for the thickness effect were mainly derived from the unique characteristics of SPS. The hardness of SiC ceramics was measured using nanoindentation, and it was found to have a strong correlation with the initial thickness, mainly attributed to the densification status. The dense SiC product demonstrated nanoindentation hardness with high values of ∼28.0 GPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydrodynamic problem of a curved foil entering into water obliquely with varying speed is investigated through the boundary element method in time domain, and fully nonlinear boundary conditions on the deforming free surface are adopted. The process of foil entry begins with a single point at the lower edge; posing numerical challenges due to the extremely small wetted area, we utilize the stretched co-ordinate system method to address this. An auxiliary method is adopted to solve for pressure distribution. The whole process of the attached flow forming along the curved body and then detaching from the top edge is considered. We engage in extensive discussions on the effects of curvature, gravity, and acceleration, exploring their physical significance and potential applications, particularly within the context of surface-piercing propellers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incorporation of carbon black (CB) in natural rubber (NR) enhances the Mullins effect and Payne effect of their vulcanizates, but the strain softening mechanisms and the microstructure evolution in the vulcanizates have not been clearly concluded so far. We investigate the Mullins effect and Payne effect of CB filled NR vulcanizates by using cyclic tensile tests at different temperatures and dynamic rheological measurements combined with simultaneous electric conduction. During cyclic stretching, the normalized recovery hysteresis energy and accumulative softening energy for NR/CB vulcanizates with different loadings can be both superimposed on a master curve, indicating that the Mullins effect is mainly dominated by the rubber matrix. The irreversible simultaneous resistance evolution also reveals that the structural evolution of nanoparticles (NPs) network is not directly related to the Mullins effect. Moreover, the extension of linear viscoelastic region and the hysteresis of Payne effect for filled vulcanizates subjected to cyclic stretching indicate the destruction of CB aggregated structure and the interfacial layers between CB and rubber chains during cyclic stretching. This investigation would be illuminating for the microstructure evolution and strain softening of rubber nanocomposites under harsh service conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A palladium‐catalyzed reductive difluorocarbene transfer reaction that tames difluorocarbene to couple with two electrophiles has been developed, representing a new mode of difluorocarbene transfer reaction. The approach uses low‐cost and bulk industrial chemical chlorodifluoromethane (ClCF2H) as the difluorocarbene precursor. It produces a variety of difluoromethylated (hetero)arenes from widely available aryl halides/triflates and proton sources, featuring high functional group tolerance and synthetic convenience without preparing organometallic reagents. Experimental mechanistic studies reveal that an unexpected Pd0/II catalytic cycle is involved in this reductive reaction, wherein the oxidative addition of palladium(0) difluorocarbene ([Pd0(Ln)]=CF2) with aryl electrophile to generate the key intermediate aryldifluoromethylpalladium [ArCF2Pd(Ln)X], followed by reaction with hydroquinone, is responsible for the reductive difluorocarbene transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A palladium‐catalyzed reductive difluorocarbene transfer reaction that tames difluorocarbene to couple with two electrophiles has been developed, representing a new mode of difluorocarbene transfer reaction. The approach uses low‐cost and bulk industrial chemical chlorodifluoromethane (ClCF2H) as the difluorocarbene precursor. It produces a variety of difluoromethylated (hetero)arenes from widely available aryl halides/triflates and proton sources, featuring high functional group tolerance and synthetic convenience without preparing organometallic reagents. Experimental mechanistic studies reveal that an unexpected Pd0/II catalytic cycle is involved in this reductive reaction, wherein the oxidative addition of palladium(0) difluorocarbene ([Pd0(Ln)]=CF2) with aryl electrophile to generate the key intermediate aryldifluoromethylpalladium [ArCF2Pd(Ln)X], followed by reaction with hydroquinone, is responsible for the reductive difluorocarbene transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we re-investigate the static, soliton-like solutions in the model of the Einstein gravity coupled to a free and complex scalar field, which have been known as mini-boson stars. With the numerical methods, we have discovered a new family of solutions in addition to the typical single mini-boson star solution. These solutions can be interpreted as chains of boson stars, consisting of multiple boson stars along the symmetry axis. We demonstrate the configuration of two types of chains, one with an even number of constituents and the other with an odd number of constituents. Furthermore, we also study the effect of the frequency of the complex scalar field on the ADM mass M and the U(1) scalar charge Q. It is noteworthy that the existence of chains of boson stars does not require the introduction of a complex scalar field with self-interacting potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crystal chemical design principles were applied to synthesise novel U4+ dominant and titanium excess betafite phases Ca1.15(5)U0.56(4)Zr0.17(2)Ti2.19(2)O7 and Ca1.10(4)U0.68(4)Zr0.15(3)Ti2.12(2)O7, in high yield (85–95 wt%), and ceramic density reaching 99% of theoretical. Substitution of Ti on the A-site of the pyrochlore structure, in excess of full B-site occupancy, enabled the radius ratio (rA/rB = 1.69) to be tuned into the pyrochlore stability field, approximately 1.48 ≲ rA/rB ≲ 1.78, in contrast to the archetype composition CaUTi2O7 (rA/rB = 1.75). U L3-edge XANES and U 4f7/2 and U 4f5/2 XPS data evidenced U4+ as the dominant speciation, consistent with the determined chemical compositions. The new betafite phases, and further analysis reported herein, point to a wider family of actinide betafite pyrochlores that could be stabilised by application of the underlying crystal chemical principle applied here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We sought to explore a novel left atrial appendage (LAA) strain parameter which could represent the cumulative adverse impact of chronic Atrial fibrillation (AF) on the LAA function, and the relationship between the LAA strain parameter and thrombosis risk in patients with non‐valvular AF. Methods: We enrolled 268 patients with non‐valvular AF and 58 sinus rhythm subjects who underwent transesophageal echocardiography in the study. LAA longitudinal strain amplitude (LAA LSA) was defined as the sum of the value of the maximum positive peak strain (LAA PLS) and the absolute value of the minimum negative peak strain (LAA NLS). Dense spontaneous echo contrast (SEC) was defined as grade 3 or 4 SEC. Results: Compared to sinus rhythm group, the global LAA strain parameters were significantly lower in paroxysmal AF (n = 148), and the lowest of them were found in persistent AF (n = 120), which suggested that the global LAA strain parameters could evaluate LAA function in sinus rhythm, paroxysmal AF and persistent AF. Compared with patients in AF without SEC/thrombus (n = 113), the regional and global LAA strain parameters were significantly depressed in AF with SEC/thrombus (n = 155). Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that LAA global LSA (OR 0.768; 95% CI:0.569, 0.970; p = 0.027) was an independent predicter of the SEC/thrombus. Compared with patients in AF without dense SEC or thrombus (n = 210), the regional and global LAA strain parameters were significantly impaired in the patients with dense SEC/thrombus(n = 58). LAA global LSA (AUC 0.884) had the best predictable accuracy for dense SEC or thrombus, and outperformed LAA PLS, LAA NLS, CHA2DS2‐VASc score and conventional LAA functional parameters that have been used in the evaluation blood flow stasis in LAA. LAA LSA showed excellent interobserver and intra‐observer agreement beyond LAA PLS and LAA NLS. Conclusion: The novel LAA strain parameters, which were feasible and reproducible parameters for evaluation LAA mechanic function, had good predictive accuracy for blood flow stasis in LAA beyond conventional LAA functional parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, frequency‐multiplexed metasurfaces have received extensive attention due to the increasing demands for device integration and communication capacity. However, most of previously reported works can only manipulate either surface waves (SW) or spatially propagating waves (SPW). In this paper, a frequency‐multiplexed holographic‐reflective‐integration (HRI) coding metasurface is proposed, which can independently manipulate SW and SPW at different frequencies with a shared aperture. To be specific, the metasurface can act as a holographic metasurface to manipulate SW at low frequency and a reflective metasurface to manipulate SPW at high frequency. The performance of the frequency‐multiplexed HRI coding metasurface is validated by matched simulation and measurement results of versatile wavefront and polarization manipulations. Due to the advantages of low profile, high aperture usage, and multifunction integration, the proposed frequency‐multiplexed HRI coding metasurface is promising to be applied in wireless communications, radar detections, and holographic technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat-transfer deterioration is a thermal phenomenon existing one or multiple wall temperature fluctuation along the flowing direction on porous heat-transfer surface. Effects of condensate film on deterioration phenomenon for non-condensation heat-transfer process has been reported in the literature, but for condensation process is seldom proposed and specifically researched. Here, the condensation heat and mass-transfer characteristics on micro-porous ceramic membrane module is investigated experimentally and numerically, with absolute humidity of artificial flue gas, inlet temperature of cooling water, volume flux of cooling water covered the ranges of 0.6375 – 0. 6845 kg/m3, 294.4 –2 97.2 K , 0.32 – 0. 41 m3/s, respectively. Sudden temperature fluctuation and collapsing water-recovery efficiency are observed nearby 1/3 region of the ceramic membrane module, which corresponds to the fact that remaining condensate film induces large thermal resistance because of the low thermal conductivity of the gas-like phase, and causes fluctuation of temperature gradient (i.e. condensation heat-transfer deterioration) on membrane surface. It is found that, condensation-regime transition range decreases to 0.763 – 0.781 at 1/3 region of membrane module, which results in a more remarkable permeation hysteresis effect and a more dominant capillary condensation process. The present findings of this paper are helpful to optimize the design parameters and operation conditions of micro-porous ceramic membrane modules. • Condensation performance on local regions was researched by experiment and CFD. • Sudden temperature fluctuation and collapsing efficiency were investigated. • Condensation heat-transfer deterioration parameter on porous media was proposed. • Relationship between momentum force and capillary force was investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydrodynamic problem of an inclined finite plate entering into water obliquely is investigated through the velocity potential flow theory in the time domain, together with the fully nonlinear boundary conditions on the deforming free surface. A boundary element method is adopted. A stretched coordinate system method is used for the varying computational domain, which starts from a single point at the lower edge of the plate. The whole process of the flow attached on the plate and flow detached from its upper edge is considered, which may involve self-similar flow, transient flow, and steady flow. The gravity effect is also considered. Studies are further conducted for oblique water entry and varying speed entry. Extensive results are provided. Their physical implications and potential applications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although mechanical isolation mediated by shared pollinators has been considered as a classic model of pollinator‐mediated floral isolation in Pedicularis, a superdiverse genus in Hengduan Mountains, southwest China, there has been no empirical study of interspecific pollen flow between closely related species. We examined reproductive barriers at six different stages between Pedicularis cranolopha and Pedicularis tricolor, two sister species. The two sister species were geographically isolated from each other based on our field survey and the records of herbarium specimens. Translocation experiments showed that flowering phenology partly overlapped and bumblebee pollinators did not discriminate between flowers of the two species. Bumblebee interspecific moves could mediate interspecific pollination as traced using fluorescent powder, in which pollen analogs placed on one species were transferred to the stigmas of the other species in experimental plots containing both species. Heterospecific pollen tubes grew in the style as well as conspecific pollen in hand‐pollination experiments. Reciprocal hybridization between the two species could produce (partially) viable seeds, suggesting weak post‐pollination barriers. Our results showed that geographic isolation was an important barrier of two species, and the total reproductive isolation between two species was incomplete when without geographical isolation. The formation of Big Snow Mountains could introduce an important pre‐zygotic reproductive barrier between the two sister species of Pedicularis; such geographical isolation could be responsible for allopatric speciation, giving a clue to understanding the rapid radiation on mountain areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nerve injury can induce aberrant changes in ion channels, enzymes, and cytokines/chemokines in the dorsal root ganglia (DRGs); these changes are due to or at least partly governed by transcription factors that contribute to the genesis of neuropathic pain. However, the involvement of transcription factors in neuropathic pain is poorly understood. In this study, we report that transcription factor (TF) ETS proto-oncogene 1 (ETS1) is required for the initiation and development of neuropathic pain. Sciatic nerve chronic constrictive injury (CCI, a clinical neuropathic pain model) increases ETS1 expression in the injured male mouse DRG. Blocking this upregulation alleviated CCI-induced mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia, with no apparent effect on locomotor function. Mimicking this upregulation results in the genesis of nociception hypersensitivity; mechanistically, nerve injury-induced ETS1 upregulation promotes the expression of histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1, a key initiator of pain) via enhancing its binding activity to the HDAC1 promotor, leading to the elevation of spinal central sensitization, as evidenced by increased expression of p-ERK1/2 and GFAP in the dorsal spinal horn. It appears that the ETS1/HDAC1 axis in DRG may have a critical role in the development and maintenance of neuropathic pain, and ETS1 is a potential therapeutic target in neuropathic pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose. Electroacupuncture (EA) is effective on rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an autoimmune disease, but the mechanisms involved remain poorly understood. This study was designed to investigate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of EA in a chronic inflammatory animal model of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) and its underlying molecular mechanisms. Experimental Approach. For the male Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats were immunized with bovine type II collagen followed by a booster injection 7 days later. Two weeks after the first immunization, EA stimulation (2/100 Hz, 1 mA, lasting for 30 min/day) was delivered to Zusanli (ST36), and Sanyinjiao (SP6) or OxPAPC (TLR2/TLR4 inhibitor, 1.5 mg/kg) was injected by tail vein for 28 days. After intervention, the analgesic effect was evaluated from the aspect of pain responses including thermal withdrawal latency (TWL) and mechanical withdrawal thresholds (MWT). The anti-inflammatory effect was assessed by paw edema detection, histopathological analysis, and Meso Scale Discovery (MSD) testing of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), and interleukin 6 (IL-6). The underlying molecular mechanism was analyzed through western blotting and double-immunofluorescence labeling. Results. EA intervention and OxPAPC injection could relieve mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia caused by CIA. Paw edema and pathological damage of synovium were significantly ameliorated after EA intervention and OxPAPC injection. Furthermore, EA intervention and OxPAPC injection markedly reduced the contents of serum TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, as well as the protein expression levels of synovial TLR2, TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB p-p65. In particular, the expression of TLR2 and TLR4 on synovial fibroblasts and macrophages in synovium was significantly reduced by EA intervention. Conclusions. Repeated EA stimulation at ST36 and SP6 can effectively relieve joint pain and synovial inflammation caused by RA in CIA rats. The analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect of EA may be closely related to the inhibition of innate immune responses driven by the TLR2/4-MyD88-NF-κB signaling pathway in the synovium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spin‐decoupled metasurfaces can realize independent phase controls of two orthogonally circularly polarized (CP) waves, and hence have attracted much attention in recent years. However, all previously reported metasurfaces capable of simultaneously manipulating the transmission and reflection of CP waves can only achieve two decoupled polarization conversion channels. In this work, a spin‐ and space‐multiplexing metasurface is proposed, that can achieve independent phase controls of four different CP conversion channels, including two cross‐polarized transmission channels and two co‐polarized reflection channels. The performance of the metasurface is experimentally validated by multi‐channel independent holographic imaging. The results show that four independent holograms are realized in four CP conversion channels by only using a single metasurface, which can greatly improve the information capacity of the metasurfaces and make full use of polarization and space resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a robust H ∞ / H 2 controller is proposed for the uncertainty problem of the riser recoil model caused by the degradation of the mechanical properties of the tensioner and the change of the installation inclination. First, an incremental riser recoil discrete-time state-space model with the uncertainty of the controller input matrix is established by considering the tensioner installation inclination change and the mechanical property degradation as permissible perturbations. Then, a discrete-time H ∞ / H 2 controller is designed to simultaneously improve the anti-disturbance performance and the dynamic performance of the tensioner. The state weight matrix and input weight matrix of the linear quadratic controller are used to construct the performance output equation, establish the linear matrix inequality constraints to satisfy the robust H ∞ performance index, minimize the upper bound of the quadratic performance index, obtain the gain matrix, and realize the robust H ∞ / H 2 guaranteed performance control. Finally, based on the field data, the control effects of the robust H ∞ / H 2 controller and the LQR are simulated and compared. The results verify the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed controller, showing that the tensioner has good dynamic and steady-state characteristics with the introduction of perturbations. • A novel discrete-time robust H ∞ /H 2 control strategy is presented for managing riser recoil in deepwater drilling operations to improve safety and efficiency. • Address the challenges of equipment performance loss or failure and extreme marine environments by improving the robustness and responsiveness of tensioner systems under model uncertainty. • Demonstrate the excellent anti-disturbance performance and dynamic performance of the proposed control strategy. • Validate the effectiveness of Discrete Robust H ∞ /H 2 Best Guaranteed Performance Control (DRHGPC) through simulation and emphasise its potential for practical application in improving the safety of deepwater drilling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to compare the effects of pectin and hydrolyzed pectin coating as pre-frying treatments on acrylamide content and quality characteristics of fried potato chips. The hydrolyzed pectin with molecular weight (Mw) of 8.81 ± 0.49 kDa was obtained through partial degradation of pectin (Mw: 747.57 ± 6.73 kDa) using pectinase. Results showed that both pectin and hydrolyzed pectin coating significantly inhibited acrylamide formation and inhibition rates exceeded 90 %. Hydrolyzed pectin had stronger inhibitory activity against acrylamide formation than pectin, especially when the concentration of hydrolyzed pectin was >2 %, its inhibitory rate exceeded 95 %. Compared to pectin coating, hydrolyzed pectin coating endow fried potato chips with smaller browning, higher crispness, less moisture but higher oil content. Overall, hydrolyzed pectin had better application prospects than pectin in inhibiting acrylamide formation of fried potato chips. [Display omitted] • Hydrolyzed pectin is obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis of pectin. • Hydrolyzed pectin rusults in less acrylamide formation than pectin during frying. • Hydrolyzed pectin endows potato chips with smaller browning and better texture than pectin. • Hydrolyzed pectin endows potato chips with less moisture but higher oil uptake than pectin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Closure of a wide-spaced multi-hole secundum atrial septal defect (MHASD) using a single occluder is difficult to accomplish. Multiple occluder implantation has risks such as incomplete endothelialisation, device embolisation, and residual shunt. Blade or balloon septotomy enables single device occlusion; however, the aforementioned may cause a short circumferential rim with subsequent device instability. This paper describes an inter-defect septal puncture technique for single device closure of different layouts of wide-spaced MHASDs via per-atrial or percutaneous approach under exclusive transoesophageal echocardiographic guidance. This technique combined with anti-tenting puncture equally befits a small caval atrial septal defect and MHASD with a floppy aneurysmal septum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at a series of problems such as detection accuracy, calculation blocking, display delay, and so on in the ship detection of surveillance video, an improved YOLOv5 algorithm is proposed in this paper. First, to improve the detection performance, it is proposed to optimize the anchor box algorithm in the YOLOv5 network according to the ship target characteristics. Then, the t‐SNE algorithm is used to reduce and visualize the data set label information and perform weighted analysis on the processed features for low‐dimensional data. The mapped kernel k‐means clustering algorithm adaptively selects a more appropriate anchor box and considers the detection performance of large and small ship targets. Secondly, to improve the problem of computational blocking and delay, the BN scaling factor γ is used to compress the YOLOv5 network, so that the model can be reduced without reducing the detection performance. The optimized YOLOv5 framework is trained on the self‐integrated data set. The accuracy of the algorithm is increased by 2.34%, and the ship detection speed reaches 98 fps and 20 fps in the server environment and the low computing power version (Jetson nano), respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: It is well known that microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) is associated with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) resistance in colorectal cancer. MSI-H is the phenotype of DNA mismatch repair deficiency (MMR-D), mainly occurring due to hypermethylation of MLH1 promoter CpG island. However, the mechanisms of MMR-D/MSI-H are unclear. We aim to investigate the pathway of MMR-D/MSI-H involved in 5-FU resistance.Experimental Approach: Human colorectal cancer specimens were diagnosed for MSI-H by immunohistochemistry and western blotting. Proteome microarray interactome assay was performed to screen nuclear proteins interacting with ATG5. Nuclear ATG5 and ATG5-Mis18α overexpression were analysed in ATG5high colorectal cancer bearing mice. The methylation assay determined the hypermethylation of hMLH1 promoter CpG island in freshly isolated human colorectal cancer tissue samples and HT29atg5 and SW480atg5 cancer cells.Key Results: In ATG5high colorectal cancer patients, 5-FU-based therapy resulted in nuclear translocation of ATG5, leading to MSI-H. Colorectal cancer in Atg5 Tg mice demonstrated 5-FU resistance, compared to Atg5+/- and WT mice. Proteome microarray assay identified Mis18α, a protein localized on the centromere and a source for methylation of the underlying chromatin, which responded to the translocated nuclear ATG5 leading to ATG5-Mis18α conjugate overexpression. This resulted in MLH1 deficiency due to hypermethylation of hMLH1 promoter CpG island, while the deletion of nuclear Mis18α failed to induce ATG5-Mis18α complex and MMR-D/MSI-H.Conclusions and Implications: Nuclear ATG5 resulted in MMR-D/MSI-H through its interaction with Mis18α in ATG5high colorectal cancer cells. We suggest that ATG5-Mis18α or Mis18α may be a therapeutic target for treating colorectal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of a highly-skewed seven-blade propeller operating underneath a free surface was simulated with different loading conditions using detached-eddy simulation and volume of fluid method. The presentation includes the hydrodynamic loads and distribution of the velocity, followed by a discussion of the vortex structure and free surface variation. Finally, the analysis delves into the power spectra of pressure and turbulence kinetic energy. The results suggest that there a decrease in the thrust, torque, and efficiency of the propeller. The blade tip vortex is observed to be distorted and delayed in merging in free surface condition. The shaft frequency, three times the shaft frequency, and blade frequency still make contributions in the far wake at J = 0.71 for free surface condition. • The variation of the velocity, vortex structure and free surface are presented. • The characteristics of the pressure spectrum as well as the kinetic energy spectrum are analyzed. • The mechanism of the free surface acting on the propeller wake is summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, solving differential equations by deep neural networks has attracted lots of attention, however, when the solution of differential equations has localized areas such as the rogue waves, the classical physics-informed neural networks (PINNs) cannot guarantee its prediction accuracy. In this paper, we propose two neural networks methods: mix-training physics-informed neural networks (MTPINNs) and prior information mix-training physics-informed neural networks (PMTPINNs), two deep learning models with more approximation ability based on PINNs. A series of numerical experiments show that the learning efficiency and absolute error accuracy of our proposed model can be improved significantly. The PMTPINNs model can so as to make up for the shortcomings of PINNs in this aspect. Furthermore, by testing the robustness of these two methods, for two kinds of rogue waves of the Hirota equation, it is surprising that these models also have good performance and thereby may provide more possibilities for solving mathematical physics problems better. • Two neural networks methods have been proposed to study the high-order rogue waves of the Hirota equation. • The MTPINNs and the PMTPINNs yield considerable improvement in accuracy and have good robustness. • We propose the adjusted PMTPINNs+, which further improves the learning and prediction ability of PMTPINNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anti-infection hydrogels have recently aroused enormous attraction, particularly in the treatment of chronic wounds. Herein, silver nanoparticle@catechol formaldehyde resin microspheres (Ag@CFRs) were fabricated by one-step hydrothermal method and subsequently encapsulated in hydrogels which were developed by Schiff base reaction between aldehyde groups in oxidized hyaluronic acid and amino groups in carboxymethyl chitosan. The developed polysaccharide hydrogel exhibited microporous structure, high swelling capacity, favorable mechanical strength, enhanced tissue adhesion and photothermal activities. Additionally, the hydrogel not only ensured long-term and high-efficiency antibacterial performance (99.9 %) toward E. coli and S. aureus, but also realized superior cytocompatibility in vitro. Moreover, based on the triple antibacterial strategies endowed by chitosan, silver nanoparticles and the photothermal properties of catechol microspheres, the composite hydrogel exhibited excellent anti-infection function, significantly downregulated inflammatory factors (TNF-α and IL-1β) and promoted in vivo infected-wound healing. These results demonstrated that the polysaccharide hydrogel containing Ag@CFRs has great potential for infected-wounds repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nonlinear interaction of waves with multiple bodies is one of the important factors considered in the safety structural design of the semi-submersible platform. A fully nonlinear method is proposed in this paper for simulating nonlinear interaction between steep waves and a semi-submersible platform. The method involves constructing a definite solution for the disturbed potential by separating the incident and scattering potentials using 3D potential flow theory. Using the boundary element method, several auxiliary functions are introduced for decoupling motion of semi-submersible platform from wave motion and nonlinear boundary conditions on free surface are adopted. Two schemes for tracking instantaneous free surface were evaluated and a multi-domain structured mesh automatically generation scheme was designed. The present method is validated for a cylinder and a semi-submersible platform, motion responses and wave loads of a semi-submersible are investigated for varying wave steepness. The evolution of the scattered wave field at typical moments and the location of local elevation peaks in each wave case are also discussed. Though viscous effect cannot be considered, the present method can simulate large deformation of free surface and solve nonlinear issues of multibody structures with complex shape in steep waves efficiently. • A fully nonlinear potential flow solver is developed for seakeeping application of a semi-submersible. • Nonlinear waves with large steepness and the complexity of the body shape are considered in the simulation. • The proposed total Lagrangian scheme can greatly enhance the numerical robustness in steep wave cases. • The motion of the platform leads to a notable increase of wave run-up amplitude and its nonlinearity. • The wave amplification between columns in specific wave steepness is more significant than that in steeper waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To reveal differences in the pattern of trabecular architecture in the epiphysis and metaphysis of the proximal tibia. Methods: The trabecular architecture of the proximal tibia was observed in 27 P45 plastinated knee specimens. Results: In the medial and lateral condyles, under the articular cartilage surrounded by the medial or lateral meniscus, the cancellous bone is formed by thick and dense trabecular bands, which run longitudinally in the epiphysis and then pass through the epiphyseal line to terminate on the slanted cortex of the metaphysis. In the intercondylar eminence, the trabeculae are arranged basically in a network. In the central portion of the tibial metaphysis, cancellous bone consists of fine arcuate trabeculae, which extend to the anterior and posterior cortices, respectively. These trabeculae are intersected sparsely and form trusses over the medullary cavity. Near the areas of attachment of the iliotibial tract, tibial collateral ligament, anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments, and patellar ligament, the cancellous bone is locally reinforced with patchy trabeculae, dense radiating trabeculae, or two orthotropic trabecular bands. Conclusion: This study provides further accurate anatomical information on the trabeculae of the proximal tibia. The soft structures of knee joint, including the articular cartilage, menisci, and ligaments, and the slanted cortices of the metaphysis are important landmarks for the location of different arrangements of the cancellous architecture. The present results are beneficial for clinical diagnosis and treatment of pathologies of the knee joint, or the establishment of a finite element analysis model of the knee joint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Identifying predictive biomarkers for allergen immunotherapy response is crucial for enhancing clinical efficacy. This study aims to identify such biomarkers in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) undergoing subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) for house dust mite allergy. Methods: The Tongji (discovery) cohort comprised 72 AR patients who completed 1‐year SCIT follow‐up. Circulating T and B cell subsets were characterized using multiplexed flow cytometry before SCIT. Serum immunoglobulin levels and combined symptom and medication score (CSMS) were assessed before and after 12‐month SCIT. Responders, exhibiting ≥30% CSMS improvement, were identified. The random forest algorithm and logistic regression analysis were used to select biomarkers and establish predictive models for SCIT efficacy in the Tongji cohort, which was validated in another Wisco cohort with 43 AR patients. Results: Positive SCIT response correlated with higher baseline CSMS, allergen‐specific IgE (sIgE)/total IgE (tIgE) ratio, and frequencies of Type 2 helper T cells, Type 2 follicular helper T (TFH2) cells, and CD23+ nonswitched memory B (BNSM) and switched memory B (BSM) cells, as well as lower follicular regulatory T (TFR) cell frequency and TFR/TFH2 cell ratio. The random forest algorithm identified sIgE/tIgE ratio, TFR/TFH2 cell ratio, and BNSM frequency as the key biomarkers discriminating responders from nonresponders in the Tongji cohort. Logistic regression analysis confirmed the predictive value of a combination model, including sIgE/tIgE ratio, TFR/TFH2 cell ratio, and CD23+ BSM frequency (AUC = 0.899 in Tongji; validated AUC = 0.893 in Wisco). Conclusions: A T‐ and B‐cell signature combination efficiently identified SCIT responders before treatment, enabling personalized approaches for AR patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: GmFULa improved soybean yield by enhancing carbon assimilation. Meanwhile, different from known yield-related genes, it did not alter flowering time or maturity. Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) is highly demanded by a continuously growing human population. However, increasing soybean yield is a major challenge. FRUITFULL (FUL), a MADS-box transcription factor, plays important roles in multiple developmental processes, especially fruit and pod development, which are crucial for soybean yield formation. However, the functions of its homologs in soybean are not clear. Here, through haplotype analysis, we found that one haplotype of the soybean homolog GmFULa (GmFULa-H02) is dominant in cultivated soybeans, suggesting that GmFULa-H02 was highly selected during domestication and varietal improvement of soybean. Interestingly, transgenic overexpression of GmFULa enhanced vegetative growth with more biomass accumulated and ultimately increased the yield but without affecting the plant height or changing the flowering time and maturity, indicating that it enhances the efficiency of dry matter accumulation. It also promoted the yield factors like branch number, pod number and 100-seed weight, which ultimately increased the yield. It increased the palisade tissue cell number and the chlorophyll content to promote photosynthesis and increase the soluble sugar content in leaves and fresh seeds. Furthermore, GmFULa were found to be sublocalized in the nucleus and positively regulate sucrose synthases (SUSs) and sucrose transporters (SUTs) by binding with the conserved CArG boxes in their promoters. Overall, these results showed GmFULa promotes the capacity of assimilation and the transport of the resultant assimilates to increase yield, and provided insights into the link between GmFULa and sucrose synthesis with transport-related molecular pathways that control seed yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To compare the relative clinical efficacy of preoperative computed tomography (CT)-guided methylene-blue (MB) and coil localization for lung nodules (LNs). Between January 2013 and December 2018, a total of 89 patients with LNs underwent CT-guided MB or coil localization and subsequent video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS)-guided wedge resection in our hospital. We compared the technical success of localization and wedge resection between two groups. In MB group, 47 LNs in 39 patients were localized, with successful localization and wedge resection rates of 97.9% and 97.9%, respectively. In the coil group, 64 LNs in 50 patients were localized, with successful localization and wedge resection rates of 96.9% and 96.9%, respectively. There were no significant differences in technical success rates of localization and wedge resection between the two groups (p = 1.000 and 1.000). The coil group sustained a longer duration between localization and VATS relative to the MB group (14.4 h vs. 1.6 h, p =.001). Both MB and coil localization were safe and effective techniques to establish a high success rate of VATS-guided wedge resection for LNs. Relative to MB localization, coil localization might be compatible with a longer delay between localization and VATS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of zirconolite ceramics with composition CaZr1‐xThxTi2O7 (Δx = 0.10) were reactively sintered at 1350°C for 20 h, in air (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.60) and 5% H2/N2 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.40). A sample with composition corresponding to x = 0.20 was also produced by hot isostatic pressing (HIP) at 1300°C and 100 MPa for 4 hours. Th4+ immobilization was most readily achieved under oxidizing conditions, with Th4+ preferentially incorporated within a pyrochlore‐structured phase in the range 0.10 ≤ x ≤ 0.50, yet formation of the zirconolite‐4M polytype was not observed. We report the novel synthesis of single‐phase pyrochlore with nominal composition CaZr0.40Th0.60Ti2O7 when targeting x = 0.60. Th4+ incorporation under reducing conditions produced a secondary Th‐bearing perovskite, comprising 24.2 ± 0.6 wt% of the phase assemblage when targeting x = 0.40, alongside 8.8 ± 0.3 wt% undigested ThO2. Under reducing conditions, powder XRD data were consistent with zirconolite adopting the 3T polytype structure. The sample produced by HIP presented a nonequilibrium phase assemblage, yielding a major phase of zirconolite‐2M alongside accessory Th4+‐bearing phases ThTi2O6, ThO2, and perovskite. These data highlight the efficacy of Th4+ as a Pu4+ surrogate, with implications for the formation of Zr‐stabilized Th‐pyrochlore phases as matrices for waste with elevated Th4+ content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commercial areas, especially urban ones with numerous buildings, are becoming increasingly prone to congestion because of their popularity. Visual inspections show that interactions between pedestrians and building entrances affect the distribution of pedestrian trajectories, which influences the utility of pedestrian spaces and the design of urban shopping areas. Herein, we analyse the dynamics of pedestrian deviations around building entrances. We used a video recorded using an unmanned aerial vehicle to determine pedestrian trajectories in a Chinese commercial walking space. First, the candidate variables affecting deviation behaviours were determined via correlation testing. Second, two regression models were developed by considering the deviation behaviours of pedestrians walking past a building entrance. The models suggest that the starting position of a pedestrian's deviation, the total pedestrian flow at the building entrance, the density in an area in the vicinity of the entrance, and the number of interacting pedestrians impact the total distance traversed during path deviation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The fibula is only indirectly involved in the composition of the human knee joint and has therefore been neglected in the research on knee osteoarthritis. Nonuniform settlement of the proximal tibia plateau is clinically defined as when the height of the medial tibial plateau is lower than that of the lateral side in medial compartment knee osteoarthritis (KOA). The non-uniform settlement of the proximal tibia plateau may be caused by fibular support on the lateral side. Orthopedic surgeons practice partial fibulectomy based on the clinical manifestation of nonuniform settlement, and this technique has been shown to reduce pain and improve function in patients with medial compartment KOA. However, this hypothesis of the mechanism of nonuniform settlement lacks an anatomical basis. Methods: The P45 polyester plastination technique was used to prepare sections of the proximal tibiofibular joint to investigate the distribution of the bone trabeculae in the region of the lateral tibial plateau. Results: There was uneven distribution of trabeculae in the lateral condyle of the tibia and the head and neck of the fibula. The fibula and the posterolateral cortex of the shaft of the tibia united to form an arch beam via the tibiofibular joint. Many thick, dense trabeculae were present in a longitudinal direction above the tibiofibular arch. Conclusions: The fibula supports the lateral tibial plateau, and the trabeculae were concentrated above the tibiofibular arch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key points: Extracellular spikes recorded in the visual cortex (Area 17/18, V1) are commonly classified into either regular‐spiking (RS) or fast‐spiking (FS).Using multi‐electrode arrays positioned in cat V1 and a broadband stimulus, we show that there is also a distinct class with positive‐spiking (PS) waveforms.PS units were associated mainly with non‐oriented receptive fields while RS and FS units had orientation‐selective receptive fields.We suggest that PS units are recordings of axons originating from the thalamus. This conclusion was reinforced by our finding that we could record PS units after cortical silencing, but not record RS and FS units.The importance of our findings is that we were able to correlate spike shapes with receptive field characteristics with high precision using multi‐electrode extracellular recording techniques. This allows considerable increases in the amount of information that can be extracted from future cortical experiments. Extracellular spike waveforms from recordings in the visual cortex have been classified into either regular‐spiking (RS) or fast‐spiking (FS) units. While both these types of spike waveforms are negative‐dominant, we show that there are also distinct classes of spike waveforms in visual Area 17/18 (V1) of anaesthetised cats with positive‐dominant waveforms, which are not regularly reported. The spatial receptive fields (RFs) of these different spike waveform types were estimated, which objectively revealed the existence of oriented and non‐oriented RFs. We found that units with positive‐dominant spikes, which have been associated with recordings from axons in the literature, had mostly non‐oriented RFs (84%), which are similar to the centre‐surround RFs observed in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN). Thus, we hypothesise that these positive‐dominant waveforms may be recordings from dLGN afferents. We recorded from V1 before and after the application of muscimol (a cortical silencer) and found that the positive‐dominant spikes (PS) remained while the RS and FS cells did not. We also noted that the PS units had spiking characteristics normally associated with dLGN units (i.e. higher response spike rates, lower response latencies and higher proportion of burst spikes). Our findings show quantitatively that it is possible to correlate the RF properties of cortical neurons with particular spike waveforms. This has implications for how extracellular recordings should be interpreted and complex experiments can now be contemplated that would have been very challenging previously, such as assessing the feedforward connectivity between brain areas in the same location of cortical tissue. Key points: Extracellular spikes recorded in the visual cortex (Area 17/18, V1) are commonly classified into either regular‐spiking (RS) or fast‐spiking (FS).Using multi‐electrode arrays positioned in cat V1 and a broadband stimulus, we show that there is also a distinct class with positive‐spiking (PS) waveforms.PS units were associated mainly with non‐oriented receptive fields while RS and FS units had orientation‐selective receptive fields.We suggest that PS units are recordings of axons originating from the thalamus. This conclusion was reinforced by our finding that we could record PS units after cortical silencing, but not record RS and FS units.The importance of our findings is that we were able to correlate spike shapes with receptive field characteristics with high precision using multi‐electrode extracellular recording techniques. This allows considerable increases in the amount of information that can be extracted from future cortical experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As urban public spaces attract more pedestrians, it is essential to prevent excessive pedestrian aggregation. Use of a walking behavior model is crucial to predict the distribution of pedestrian density. In earlier studies, the modeling of walking behavior generally focused on straight walking or aimless strolling. In recent years, more complex models of walking behavior, including turning behavior, have increasingly gained attention. Because the majority of models are calibrated using data gathered from experimental settings, research on the prediction of turning behavior of multi-scale walking passages in life scenarios remains in its development. The aim of this paper is to develop a turning behavior model suitable for multi-scale pedestrian passages. The expected walking direction was predicted by combining the global path planning model with a gradually changing expected direction with the local path planning model based on the attention field. Then, it was integrated with social force model to predict the pedestrian walking behavior and density distribution. Settings in the turning behavior model such as adaptively changing the expected walking direction according to the particular circumstance, approaching the inner curve upstream of the passage intersecting space, and appropriate pedestrian heterogeneity traits were found to help make predictions more accurately. The proposed turning behavior model is applicable to physical environments with different widths without recalibrating parameters and is suitable for predicting the distribution of pedestrian density in urban life scenarios with a variety of passage widths, which helps in the effective design and renovation of pedestrian space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The entry of a circular cylinder into water represents the problem of the coupling of multiphase flow with highly unsteady and nonlinear dynamics. Few studies have examined the influence of the initial angles of inclination of the object on the evolution of the cavity and the multiphase flow field under impact-induced loads in the presence of currents and wind. In this study, we develop a three-dimensional numerical model in OpenFOAM® to simulate and analyze this entire process. An overset mesh technique was used to reproduce the entire process of the entry of a circular cylinder into water as well as the formation, pinch-off, and collapse of the cavity. A comparison between our numerical results and previously published test data from the laboratory confirmed that the proposed numerical model can accurately simulate the dynamic characteristics of the multiphase flow field. The mode and time series of the closure of the cavity varied with the initial angles of inclination of the cylinder, and in turn influenced its translational and rotational characteristics of motion. The pressure, velocity and vortex structures suggest that the evolution and distribution of multiphase flow field for upstream and downstream water entry cases have varied characteristics. • The water entry of an inclined cylinder considering current and wind effect was fully investigated. • The inclined angles can significantly change the cavity closure pattern. • The multiphase flow field presents unsteady dynamic evolution. • The influence of inclined angles on the motion characteristics was also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objects entering water is a complex multiphase flow event that exhibits nonlinear and transient characteristics. This study examines the impact cavities, multiphase flow characteristics, and motion behaviors of a cylinder during vertical water entry, considering different flow and entry velocities. A three-dimensional model was carried out using OpenFOAM® framework, taking into account the effects of wind and linearly sheared flow through newly customized initial and boundary conditions. The overset mesh technique was applied to capture the water entry trajectories of the moving cylinder. Numerical results for the cavity evolution and cylinder motion behaviors were validated against published laboratory tests. The cavity closure patterns were classified into four categories based on the evolution characteristics, which were found to be more complex than those observed under calm water and uniform current conditions. Furthermore, the rapid closure of the splash dome results in a unique cavity flow phenomenon, which creates a suction air channel. The velocities of the flow and water entry have a noticeable impact on the closure modes and time of the cavity. This, accordingly, affects the motion characteristics of the cylinder, as well as the evolution of the velocity field, pressure field, and vortex structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hand gesture plays an important role in many circumstances, which is one of the most common interactive methods in daily life, especially for disabled people. Human–machine interaction is another popular research topic to realize direct and efficient control, making machines intelligent and maneuverable. Here, a special human–machine interaction system is proposed and namedas computer‐vision (CV) based gesture‐metasurface interaction (GMI) system, which can be used for both direct beam manipulations and real‐time wireless communications. The GMI system first needs to select its working mode according to the gesture command to determine whether to perform beam manipulations or wireless communications, and then validate the permission for further operation by recognizing unlocking gesture to ensure security. Both beam manipulation and wireless communication functions are validated experimentally, which show that the GMI system can not only realize real‐time switching and remote control of different beams through gesture command, but also communicate with a remote computer in real time by translating the gesture language to text message. The proposed non‐contact GMI system has the advantages of good interactivity, high flexibility, and multiple functions, which can find potential applications in community security, gesture‐command smart home, barrier‐free communications, and so on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Textured high-entropy boride ceramics were fabricated for the first time. • Nearly pure high-entropy boride (Hf 0.2 Zr 0.2 Ta 0.2 Cr 0.2 Ti 0.2)B 2 ceramics were prepared by SPS. • Grains of the product grew along the a,b -axis to form platelet-like morphology. • The surface perpendicular to the pressing direction showed an improved toughness. Textured high-entropy boride ceramics, prototypically (Hf 0.2 Zr 0.2 Ta 0.2 Cr 0.2 Ti 0.2)B 2 , with nearly single phase were fabricated for the first time by spark plasma sintering (SPS) of the corresponding powder, which was derived from boron/carbothermal reduction. Lotgering orientation factor calculation and the pole figures revealed that the c -axis of high-entropy boride grains aligned parallel to the SPS pressing direction after sintering and grains grew along the a,b -axis to form platelet-like morphology. The remarkably high Vickers' hardness of ∼29 GPa was observed on both of the side surface and the top surface of textured ceramics. The surface perpendicular to the SPS pressing direction demonstrated an improved fracture toughness owing to the oriented elongated grains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The substitution limit for Ce and Cr within zirconolite was systematically defined. • Single-phase zirconolite-2M was formed for x ≤ 0.15 in Ca 1-x Ce x ZrTi 2-2x Cr 2x O 7. • Zirconolite-2M polytype was maintained over the solid solution. • Local environment of Ce and Cr was investigated by XANES. A series of Ca 1-x Ce x ZrTi 2-2x Cr 2x O 7 zirconolite ceramics (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.35) were reactively sintered in air at 1350 °C for 20 h. Single phase zirconolite-2M was formed for x ≤ 0.15, with Cr 2 O 3 and an undesirable Ce-bearing perovskite phase present above x = 0.20. Electron diffraction analysis confirmed that the zirconolite-2M polytype was maintained over the solid solution. X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) data determined that between 10–20% Ce was speciated as Ce3+, and Cr was present uniformly as Cr3+ with near edge features consistent with occupation of octahedral sites within the zirconolite-2M structure. A sample corresponding to x = 0.20 was processed by reactive spark plasma sintering (RSPS), with a rapid processing time of less than 1 h. XANES data confirmed complete reduction to Ce3+ during RSPS, promoting the formation of a Ce-bearing perovskite, comprising 19.3 ± 0.4 wt. % of the phase assemblage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing evidence indicates that exposure to inflammation during pregnancy intensifies the offspring's cognitive impairment during aging, which might be correlated with changes in some synaptic plasticity-related proteins. In addition, an enriched environment (EE) can significantly exert a beneficial impact on cognition and synaptic plasticity. However, it is unclear whether gestational inflammation combined with postnatal EE affects the changes in cognition and synaptic plasticity-related proteins during aging. In this study, pregnant mice were intraperitoneally injected with lipopolysaccharides (LPS, 50 μg/kg) or normal saline at days 15–17 of pregnancy. At 21 days after delivery, some LPS-treated mice were randomly selected for EE treatment. At the age of 6 and 18 months, Morris water maze (MWM) and western blotting were, respectively, used to evaluate or measure the ability of spatial learning and memory and the levels of postsynaptic plasticity-related proteins in the hippocampus, including postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95), α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) GluA1 subunit, and Homer-1b/c. The results showed that 18-month-old control mice had worse spatial learning and memory and lower levels of these synaptic plasticity-related proteins (PSD-95, GluA1, and Homer-1b/c) than the 6-month-old controls. Gestational LPS exposure exacerbated these age-related changes of cognition and synaptic proteins, but EE could alleviate the treatment effect of LPS. In addition, the performance during learning and memory periods in the MWM correlated with the hippocampal levels of PSD-95, GluA1, and Homer-1b/c. Our results suggested that gestational inflammation accelerated age-related cognitive impairment and the decline of PSD-95, GluA1, and Homer-1b/c protein expression, and postpartum EE could alleviate these changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The long-term insulin therapy for type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) fails to achieve optimal glycemic control and avoid adverse events simultaneously. Stem cells have unique immunomodulatory capacities and have been considered as a promising interventional strategy for T1DM. Stem cell therapy in T1DM has been tried in many studies. However, the results were controversial. We thus performed a meta-analysis to update the efficacy and safety of stem cell therapy in patients with T1DM. Methods. We systematically searched the Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, ClinicalTrials.gov, Web of Science, Wan Fang Data, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP database, and the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (SinoMed) for relevant studies published before March 19, 2019. The outcomes included parameters for glycemic control (i.e., glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and insulin dosages), β cell function (i.e., fasting C-peptide levels and area-under-curve of C-peptide concentration (AUCC)), and relative risk of adverse events. Statistical analysis was conducted by using RevMan 5.3 and Stata 12.0. Results. Five randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and eight nonrandomized concurrent control trials (NRCCTs) with a total of 396 individuals were finally included into the meta-analysis. Among RCTs, stem cell therapy could significantly reduce HbA1c levels (MD = − 1.20 , 95% CI -1.91 to -0.49, P = 0.0009) and increase fasting C-peptide levels (MD = 0.25 , 95% CI 0.04 to 0.45, P = 0.02) and AUCC (SMD = 0.66 , 95% CI 0.13 to 1.18, P = 0.01). Stem cell therapy could also reduce insulin dosages (SMD = − 2.65 , 95% CI -4.86 to -0.45, P = 0.02) at 6 months after treatment. NRCCTs also had consistent results. Furthermore, RCTs showed stem cell therapy did not increase relative risk of gastrointestinal symptom (RR = 0.69, 95% CI 0.14 to 3.28, P = 0.64) and infection (RR = 0.97, 95% CI 0.40 to 2.34, P = 0.95). However, NRCCTs showed stem cell therapy increased relative risk of gastrointestinal symptom (RR = 44.49, 95% CI 9.20 to 215.18, P < 0.00001). Conclusion. Stem cell therapy for T1DM may improve glycemic control and β cell function without increasing the risk of serious adverse events. Stem cell therapy may also have a short-term (3-6 months) effect on reducing insulin dosages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]