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Background: Ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) has emerged as a promising strategy for the targeted delivery of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to the ischemic myocardium. However, the limited migration capacity and poor survival of MSCs remains a major therapeutic barrier. The present study was performed to investigate the synergistic effect of UTMD with platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB) on the homing of MSCs for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods: MSCs from male donor rats were treated with PDGF-BB, and a novel microbubble formulation was prepared using a thin-film hydration method. In vivo, MSCs with or without PDGF-BB pretreatment were transplanted by UTMD after inducing AMI in experimental rats. The therapeutic efficacy of PDGF-BB-primed MSCs on myocardial apoptosis, angiogenesis, cardiac function and scar repair was estimated. The effects and molecular mechanisms of PDGF-BB on MSC migration and survival were explored in vitro. Results: The results showed that the biological effects of UTMD increased the local levels of stromal-derived factor-1 (SDF-1), which promoted the migration of transplanted MSCs to the ischemic region. Compared with UTMD alone, UTMD combined with PDGF-BB pretreatment significantly increased the cardiac homing of MSCs, which subsequently reduced myocardial apoptosis, promoted neovascularization and tissue repair, and increased cardiac function 30 days after MI. The vitro results demonstrated that PDGF-BB enhanced MSC migration and protected these cells from H2O2-induced apoptosis. Mechanistically, PDGF-BB pretreatment promoted MSC migration and inhibited H2O2-induced MSC apoptosis via activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/serine-threonine kinase (PI3K/Akt) pathway. Furthermore, crosstalk between PDGF-BB and stromal-derived factor-1/chemokine receptor 4 (SDF-1/CXCR4) is involved in the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that UTMD combined with PDGF-BB treatment could enhance the homing ability of MSCs, thus alleviating AMI in rats. Therefore, UTMD combined with PDGF-BB pretreatment may offer exciting therapeutic opportunities for strengthening MSC therapy in ischemic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data are increasingly used in various fields such as topographic mapping, urban planning, and emergency management. A necessary processing step in the application of airborne LiDAR data is the elimination of mismatch errors. This paper proposes a new method for airborne LiDAR strip adjustment based on point clouds with planar neighborhoods; this method is intended to eliminate errors in airborne LiDAR point clouds. Initially, standard pre-processing tasks such as denoising, ground separation, and resampling are performed on the airborne LiDAR point clouds. Subsequently, this paper introduces a unique approach to extract point clouds with planar neighborhoods which is designed to enhance the registration accuracy of the iterative closest point (ICP) algorithm within the context of airborne LiDAR point clouds. Following the registration of the point clouds using the ICP algorithm, tie points are extracted via a point-to-plane projection method. Finally, a strip adjustment calculation is executed using the extracted tie points, in accordance with the strip adjustment equation for airborne LiDAR point clouds that was derived in this study. Three sets of airborne LiDAR point cloud data were utilized in the experiment outlined in this paper. The results indicate that the proposed strip adjustment method can effectively eliminate mismatch errors in airborne LiDAR point clouds, achieving a registration accuracy and absolute accuracy of 0.05 m. Furthermore, this method's processing efficiency was more than five times higher than that of traditional methods such as ICP and LS3D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to enhance the mechanical properties of UV-curable epoxy acrylate (EA)-based coatings, 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate modified aramid nanofibers (T-ANFs) were synthesized and used as nanofillers to prepare EA/T-ANF nanocomposite films. The morphology of T-ANFs was characterized by transmission electron microscopy. The chemical structure of T-ANFs was analyzed via infrared spectroscopy, confirming successful grafting of methyl methacryloyloxy groups onto the surface of aramid nanofibers (ANFs). Real-time infrared spectroscopy was employed to investigate the influence of ANFs and T-ANFs on the photopolymerization kinetics of the EA film. The results revealed that the addition of ANFs and T-ANFs led to a decrease in the photopolymerization rate during the initial stage but had little impact on the final double bond conversion, with all samples exhibiting a conversion rate of over 83%. The incorporation of ANFs improved the tensile strength of the films while significantly reducing their Young's modulus. In contrast, the addition of T-ANFs led to a substantial increase in both tensile stress and Young's modulus of the films. For instance, the tensile strength and Young's modulus of the 0.1 wt% of T-ANF film increased by 52.7% and 41.6%, respectively, compared to the pure EA film. To further study the dispersion morphology and reinforcement mechanism, the cross-sectional morphology of the films was characterized by scanning electron microscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Planar type docking enables a convenient underwater energy supply for irregularly shaped autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), but the corresponding control method is still challenging. Conventional control methods for torpedo-shaped AUVs are not suitable for planar type docking due to the significant differences in system structures and motion characteristics. This paper proposes a two-step adaptive control method to solve the planar type docking problem. The method makes a seamless combination of horizontal dynamic positioning and visual servo docking considering ocean current disturbance. The current disturbance is estimated and canceled in the pre-docking step using a current observer, and the positioning error is further compensated for by the vertical visual servo technique in the docking step. Reduced order dynamic models are distinctively established for different docking steps according to the motion characteristics, based on which the dynamic controllers are designed considering the model parameter uncertainties. Simulation is conducted with an initial distance of 10 m in the horizontal direction and 3 m in depth. Stable and accurate dynamic positioning under up to 0.4 m/s of current disturbances with different directions is validated. A 0.5 m lateral positioning error is successfully compensated for by the visual servo docking step. The proposed control method provides a valuable reference for similar types of docking application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many industrial practices, it needs a permanent magnet synchronous motor to provide enough torque, such as autonomous vehicle driving. In the operation of a permanent magnet synchronous motor, the nonlinearly parameterized-uncertainties degrade control performances, causing the instability of motor speed and output torques. Based on the analysis of temperature effects and friction torque model, a composite controller is proposed in this paper which considers model uncertainties and external disturbances. An adaptive controller involving an online time-varying scaling gain is employed to eliminate the influence of nonlinearly parameterized-uncertainties. In addition, an extended state observer (ESO) is used to estimate the disturbance in the control system in which the estimated value is used to compensate for the feed-forward. Numerical simulation and experiment are performed and the results show that the proposed method may alleviate the performance degradation due to nonlinearly parameterized-uncertainties and disturbances. Simultaneously, it may improve the stability and anti-disturbance capacities of the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a high-power eight-wavelength distributed feedback (DFB) laser array with 100 GHz spacing using the grating reflector (GR). The GR, which is a uniform sampled grating, can provide light reflection instead of high reflection (HR) facet coating. Thus, the front and rear facets are both coated with anti-reflection coatings (AR/AR) to avoid the influence of a random grating phase at the HR facet. Therefore, more output power, better single-longitudinal-mode operation, and higher wavelength precision can be simultaneously achieved, compared with traditional DFB lasers with HR/AR facet coatings. The maximum output power and side mode suppression ratio of the fabricated eight-channel GR-DFB laser array as high as 70 mW and 55 dB can be achieved, which may benefit wavelength division multiplexing transmission systems, gas sensors, optical computing systems, and microwave photonic signal processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First-phase ejection fraction (EF1) is a novel measure of early changes in left ventricular systolic function. This study was to investigate the prognostic value of EF1 in heart transplant recipients. Heart transplant recipients were prospectively recruited at the Union Hospital, Wuhan, China between January 2015 and December 2019. All patients underwent clinical examination, biochemistry measures [brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and creatinine] and transthoracic echocardiography. The primary endpoint was a combined event of all-cause mortality and graft rejection. In 277 patients (aged 48.6 ± 12.5 years) followed for a median of 38.7 [26.8–45.0] months, there were 35 (12.6%) patients had adverse events including 20 deaths and 15 rejections. EF1 was negatively associated with BNP (β = −0.220, p < 0.001) and was significantly lower in patients with events compared to those without. EF1 had the largest area under the curve in ROC analysis compared to other measures. An optimal cut-off value of 25.8% for EF1 had a sensitivity of 96.3% and a specificity of 97.1% for prediction of events. EF1 was the most powerful predictor of events with hazard ratio per 1% change in EF1: 0.628 (95%CI: 0.555–0.710, p < 0.001) after adjustment for left ventricular ejection fraction and global longitudinal strain. Early left ventricular systolic function as measured by EF1 is a powerful predictor of adverse outcomes after heart transplant. EF1 may be useful in risk stratification and management of heart transplant recipients. • EF1 is a novel measure of early LV systolic function, our study found a strong association between EF1 and adverse outcomes in patients post HT. • EF1 is a powerful predictor of adverse outcomes post HT, which is superior to LVGLS and other measures of systolic function. • EF1 is a novel but simple marker of early left ventricular systolic function, which can be easily measured in clinical routine examinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been certified to play vital biological functions in glioma and have received considerable attention in the recent literature. Nonetheless, the role of LINC01158 in glioma remains to be elucidated. Methods: qRT-PCR, western blot and GEPIA database were applied for reporting the expression of CENPK and LINC01158 in glioma and the correlation between LINC01158 and CENPK expression. EdU, colony formation, CCK-8, caspase-3 activity and TUNEL assays probed the impacts of LINC01158 on glioma cell growth. Subcellular fractionation and FISH assays revealed the cellular distribution of LINC01158. Luciferase reporter and RIP assays examined ceRNA network of LINC01158, CENPK and miR-6734-3p. Results: LINC01158 and CENPK were both overexpressed in glioma and a positive regulation of LINC01158 on CENPK was corroborated. LINC01158 served a pro-proliferative and anti-apoptotic part in glioma by sponging miR-6734-3p to augment CENPK. Conclusion: LINC01158 enhances CENPK by serving as sponge for miR-6734-3p to facilitate glioma development, proposing LINC01158 as a new player in glioma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the single-loop structure, the problem of overcurrent protection for permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) is investigated in this paper. Due to the combination of speed loop and current loop, the q-axis current become a state of PMSM control system, instead of the output of current loop in the cascade control. As a consequence, the conventional controllers can not restrict the q-axis current into a safe zone. But an oversize transient current may lead to damage of hardwares and property loss. To this end, a new current-constrained controller is proposed to deal with the issue of over-current protection. Different from previous methods of state constraints, the effects of disturbance is taken into account of controller design. A reduced-order generalized proportional integral observer (RGPIO) is adopted to estimate the uncertainties and disturbances. Our method can be considered as a composition of current-constrained control plus feed-forward compensation based on RGPIO. A rigorous stability analysis for the closed-loop system is presented. Compared with the conventional PID controller, the proposed method not only limits q-axis current to a safe range, but also has a good anti-disturbance ability. The feasibility and efficiency of the proposed method is validated by both simulation and experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel decentralized exact tracking control approach for 2-degree of freedom (DOF) planar robot manipulators with disturbances and uncertainties has been proposed. The main idea of the proposed method is to partition the whole robot manipulator into single joint and lumped disturbance. A well designed extended high gain observer (EHGO) is adopted to observe the lumped disturbance of each joint, which includes coupling, load disturbance and uncertainty, and so forth. Rather than coping with the robot manipulator as a whole, the proposed method is locally designed to compensate the estimated coupling and stabilize the internal states of a single joint. By doing that, each joint can be virtually decoupled from the whole robot manipulator and functions in a relatively independent way. When joints are interconnected, the stabilization of the whole robot manipulator would be obtained by only guaranteeing the localized stability of individual joint. The theoretical analyses are rigorously conducted by utilizing Lyapunov stability theorem. Simulation results illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have attracted significant attention due to their excellent photoelectric properties. However, several key performance parameters of these devices still fall short of their theoretical limits. Among these parameters, the regulation of open‐circuit voltage (VOC) has been a focal point of intensive research efforts, playing a pivotal role in advancing the efficiency of PSCs. This review first provides an overview of the generation and loss mechanism of VOC. It then discusses the significance of interface engineering in VOC regulation. Recent developments in high‐efficiency PSCs realized via interface engineering have been summarized and categorized into three key areas: surface modification, interface structure optimization, and surface dimensional engineering. Finally, a comprehensive summary of past research in this domain and offered insights into the future prospects of enhancing VOC in PSCs is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Absolute threshold ETM and relative case are constructed for control input by using tanh function. • A complex adaptive compensation scheme is developed to estimate the unknown bounds of mismatched uncertainties, disturbances and cyberattacks. • The integral term is introduced in the controller to reduce triggering times caused by data jitters. This paper is concerned with the event-triggered security adaptive control of uncertain multi-area power systems. Adaptive laws are presented to estimate the unknown bounds of uncertainties, disturbances and cyber-attacks. With the help of tanh function, two event-triggered mechanisms are proposed in terms of integral state feedback controllers and adaptive controllers. With the help of Simpson rule and the Lyapunov stability theory, sufficient conditions are built in terms of linear matrix inequalities to ensure the mean-square boundedness of the resultant closed-loop systems. Finally, the validity of proposed schemes is verified by a simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quadrotor UAV is subject to wind disturbance during flight, which causes attitude deviation and oscillation. To improve anti-wind disturbance performance, this work offers a reduced-order generalized proportional–integral observer-based wind-disturbance control strategy for quad-rotor UAVs (RGPIO). To improve the disturbance rejection property of quadrotor UAV systems, this work offers a composite control approach based on reduced-order generalized proportional–integral observer (RGPIO) and nonsmooth control. To begin, an RGPIO is used to evaluate system disruptions. In the feed-forward compensation scheme, the anticipated value is used. Second, the feedback design employs a nonsmooth feedback control method. The controller's stability is then checked. When compared to the standard PID control technique, the experimental findings show that the suggested control method successfully suppresses the wind disturbance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Real-time shear-wave elastography (SWE) is a newly developed method which can obtain the stiffness of tissues and organs based on tracking of shear wave propagation through a structure. Several studies have demonstrated its potential in the differentiation between diseased and normal tissue in clinical practices, however the applicability to testicular disease has not been well elucidated. We investigated the feasibility and reproducibility of SWE in the detection of testicular torsion. This prospective study comprised 15 patients with complete testicular torsion. Results obtained from SWE along with conventional gray-scale and color Doppler sonography and post-operative pathology were compared. The results revealed that (i) the size of injured testis was increased and the twisted testis parenchyma was heterogeneous. The blood flow signals in injured testis were barely visible or absent; (ii) The Young’s modulus, including Emean, Emax, Emin and SD values in the border area of torsional testis were higher than those of normal testis (Emean, 78.07±9.01kPa vs 22.0±5.10kPa; Emax,94.07±6.53kPa vs 27.87±5.78kPa; Emin, 60.73±7.84 kPa vs 18.90±4.39kPa; SD, 7.67±0.60 kPa vs 2.30±0.36 kPa, [P<0.05]); The Emax and SD values in the central area of the torsional testis were higher than the corresponding area of the normal testis (Emax, 8.23±0.30 kPa vs 3.97±0.95kPa; SD, 1.5±0.26kPa vs 0.67±0.35kPa,[P<0.05]) and Emin values was lower than those of normal testicles(0.93±0.51kPa vs 1.6±0.36kPa; [P<0.05]); (iii) The Young's modulus measurement between two physicians showed good agreement. The pathological findings were accordance with SWE measurement. SWE is a non-invasive, convenient and high reproducible method and may serve as an important alternative tool in the diagnosis and monitoring the progression of the acute scrotums, in additional to conventional Doppler sonography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gene therapy has great potential for human diseases. Development of efficient delivery systems is critical to its clinical translation. Recent studies have shown that microbubbles in combination with ultrasound (US) can be used to facilitate gene delivery. An aim of this study is to investigate whether the combination of US-targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) and polyethylenimine (PEI) (UTMD/PEI) can mediate even greater gene transfection efficiency than UTMD alone and to optimize ultrasonic irradiation parameters. Another aim of this study is to investigate the biological effects of PHD2-shRNA after its transfection into H9C2 cells. pEGFP-N1 or eukaryotic shPHD2-EGFP plasmid was mixed with albumin-coated microbubbles and PEI to form complexes for transfection. After these were added into H9C2 cells, the cells were exposed to US with various sets of parameters. The cells were then harvested and analyzed for gene expression. UTMD/PEI was shown to be highly efficient in gene transfection. An US intensity of 1.5 W/cm2, a microbubble concentration of 300μl/ml, an exposure time of 45s, and a plasmid concentration of 15μg/ml were found to be optimal for transfection. UTMD/PEI-mediated PHD2-shRNA transfection in H9C2 cells significantly down regulated the expression of PHD2 and increased expression of HIF-1α and downstream angiogenesis factors VEGF, TGF-β and bFGF. UTMD/PEI, combined with albumin-coated microbubbles, warrants further investigation for therapeutic gene delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although aortography is well known as the “gold standard” for the diagnosis of coarctation of aorta (CoA), the method is invasive, expensive and not readily accepted by some patients. Ultrasound diagnosis for CoA is non-invasive, inexpensive, readily accepted by every patient, and can be repeated as frequently as necessary. The purpose of this presentation is to evaluate the applicability of transthoracic echocardiography for the diagnosis of CoA. The echocardiographic appearances of 53 patients with CoA who had undergone surgery during a 5-year period from January 2008 to October 2012 were analyzed retrospectively, and the results were compared with findings at surgery. Fifty-three patients with CoA include six with isolated CoA and 47 of CoA associated with other cardiac anomalies. Of the 53 operated patients, 48 were correctly diagnosed preoperatively by echocardiography, while two were misdiagnosed as interrupted aortic arch and the diagnosis were missed in three other patients. Thus the diagnostic accuracy rate was 90.6%, and the misdiagnosis rate was 9.4%. Preoperative echocardiographic evaluation offers very satisfactory anatomic assessment in most patients with CoA. It makes preoperative angiography unnecessary. Thus transthoracic echocardiography should be the first-line method for the diagnosis of coarctation of the aorta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Endometrial cancer is one of the three major gynecologic malignancies, and its incidence continues to rise. ATPase family AAA structural domain-containing protein 2 (ATAD2) is an ATPase protein, which is an independent factor for poor prognosis in endometrial cancer. However, its role in the disease is yet to be determined. Methods. The Tumor IMmune Estimation Resource (TIMER) database was used to assess ATAD2 expression in pan-cancer, and the relevance of ATAD2 expression in Uterine Corpus Endometrial Carcinoma (UCEC) in clinical settings was obtained using Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) and UALCAN analysis. In addition, the Human Protein Atlas database was used to assess ATAD2 protein expression in UCEC. Furthermore, in vitro molecular biology and in vivo functional experiments were employed to ascertain the effect of ATAD2 expression on tumor angiogenesis and tumor growth. UALCAN was used to screen for ATAD2 coexpressed genes, and Sangerbox was utilized to perform Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses of these coexpressed genes. Finally, the TIMER, Tumor Immune System Interaction and Drug Bank (TISIDB), and GEPIA databases were used to analyze the relationship between ATAD2 and immune infiltration. Results. ATAD2 is highly expressed in a variety of tumors, and in UCEC, it plays the role of a protooncogene. Basic experiments revealed that ATAD2 promotes vascular endothelial growth factor expression in endometrial cancer and affects tumor growth and angiogenesis. In addition, GO and KEGG enrichment analyses showed that ATAD2-associated genes were chiefly enriched in certain signaling pathways, such as herpes simplex virus 1 infection and that ATAD2 was associated with immune infiltration in UCEC. Conclusion. Our findings suggest that ATAD2 promotes tumor growth and angiogenesis in endometrial cancer. Furthermore, ATAD2 is associated with immune infiltration and is a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wide‐bandgap (WBG) perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have been widely used as the top cell of tandem solar cells. However, photoinduced phase segregation and high open‐circuit voltage loss pose significant obstacles to the development of WBG PSCs. Here, a two‐step small‐size A‐site and large‐size X‐site incorporation strategy is reported to modulate the lattice distortion and improve the film quality of WBG formamidinium‐methylammonium (FAMA) perovskite films for photostable PSCs based on two‐step deposition method. First, CsI with content of 0–20% is introduced to tune the lattice distortion and film quality of FAMA perovskite with a bandgap of 1.70 eV. Then, 4% RbI is incorporated to further modulate the perovskite growth and lattice distortion, leading to the suppression of photoinduced phase segregation in the resultant RbCsFAMA quadruple cation perovskites. As a result, the 20%CsI/4%RbI‐doped device obtains a promising efficiency of 20.6%, and the corresponding perovskite film shows good photothermal stability. Even without encapsulation, the device can maintain 92% of its initial efficiency after 1000 h of continuous operation under 1 sun equivalent white light‐emitting diode illumination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of screw placement and clinical outcomes in patients undergoing occipitocervical fusion. Methods Patients who underwent occipitocervical fusion with O-arm–based navigation were retrospectively reviewed between January 2015 and December 2017. The patients' characteristics, clinical and radiographic outcomes, and surgical complications were recorded and analyzed. Cervical screw insertion accuracy was evaluated using the Richter scale. Results Thirty consecutive patients (11 male and 19 female) with an average treatment age of 40.03 ± 15.19 years were studied. The most common cause was atlantoaxial instability combined with Chiari malformation (63.33%). Weakness (76.67%) and paresthesia (70.00%) were the most common symptoms. Eighty-six occipital and 139 cervical screws were placed using an O-arm–assisted navigation system. In total, 130 (93.53%) cervical screws were graded as group A and 9 (6.47%) as group B. The optimal accuracy rate was 88.41% (61 of 69 screws) in the first 15 patients and 98.57% (69 of 70 screws) in the subsequent 15 patients. The mean follow-up time was 7.50 ± 5.70 months. The mean Japanese Orthopedic Association scores were 13.30 ± 2.41 preoperatively and 15.30 ± 1.60 at final follow-up ( P < 0.001), and the mean recovery rate in the Japanese Orthopedic Association score was 53.26 ± 33.82%. Clinical improvement was seen in 25 patients (83.33%), whereas no change was observed in 5 patients (16.67%). The overall complication rate was 6.67% (2/30), with 1 intraoperative vertebral artery injury and 1 postoperative screw loosening. Conclusion Occipitocervical fusion with O-arm–based navigation is effective and safe for treating instability of the craniovertebral junction. Intraoperative navigation can help surgeons insert screws accurately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-wavelength distributed feedback laser array (DFB-MLA) based tunable semiconductor lasers have been widely used owing to the high mode stability and simple wavelength tuning scheme. In this paper, we proposed and experimentally demonstrated a matrix-grating tunable DFB laser array. And the reconstruction-equivalent-chirp (REC) technique is utilized to simplify grating fabrication and realize precise control of the grating phase. Traditionally, the laser is tuned by thermal-electric cooler (TEC), with large power consumption, slow wavelength tuning capability, and added device. To improve the wavelength tuning speed of laser, we varied laser’s injection current instead of adjusting TEC’s temperature. In addition, we analyzed the thermal influence of submount on the laser and then chose the SiO2 as the submount material for its low thermal conductivity and poor heat dissipation, resulting in wide wavelength tuning range via injection current. The DFB-MLA chip achieves a better tunable effect as the lasers can be tuned at 3.5–3.7 nm per channel from 50 to 120 mA with stable output power of over 3 mw as contrasted with the laser on the AlN submount being tuned at 1.4–1.5 nm per channel. And the chip has a side-mode suppressing ratio (SMSR) of over 35 dB and strong stability of wavelength in the repeated experiments. The proposed method may give a new way to realize the wide tuning range tunable DFB laser with a simple wavelength tuning mechanism in the future, especially for the applications of uncooled low-cost tunable lasers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein arginine methyltransferase (PRMT) plays essential roles in tumor initiation and progression, but its underlying mechanisms in the treatment sensitivity of endometrial cancer (EC) remain unclear and warrant further investigation. Here, a comprehensive analysis of the Cancer Genome Atlas database and Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium database identifies that PRMT3 plays an important role in EC. Specifically, further experiments show that PRMT3 inhibition enhances the susceptibility of EC cells to ferroptosis. Mechanistically, PRMT3 interacts with Methyltransferase 14 (METTL14) and is involved in its arginine methylation. In addition, PRMT3 inhibition‐mediated METTL14 overexpression promotes methylation modification via an m6A‐YTHDF2‐dependent mechanism, reducing Glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) mRNA stability, increasing lipid peroxidation levels, and accelerating ferroptosis. Notably, combined PRMT3 blockade and anti‐PD‐1 therapy display more potent antitumor effects by accelerating ferroptosis in cell‐derived xenograft models. The specific PRMT3 inhibitor SGC707 exerts the same immunotherapeutic sensitizing effect in a patient‐derived xenograft model. Notably, blocking PRMT3 improves tumor suppression in response to cisplatin and radiation therapy. Altogether, this work demonstrates that PRMT3 depletion is a promising target for EC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a surgical technique used in patients with chronic intractable pain, and its effectiveness and safety have been validated by multiple studies. However, to maintain an optimal and steady long-term effect is still challenging. Here, we report a new management paradigm integrating smartphone application and remote programming. Chronic pain patients with SCS implants can monitor their pain status on the phone and change stimulation parameters accordingly. The PreMaSy study is a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of this precise management system. Methods: Patients with chronic intractable pain will be screened for eligibility, and 82 participants are anticipated to be enrolled in this trial. After the electrode implantation, the stimulation effectiveness will be tested. Participants with a reduction of more than 50% in the visual analog scale (VAS) will receive implantation of an implantable pulse generator and randomized (1:1) into the experimental group or control group. All participants will be asked to take online follow-ups and complete assessments using a smartphone application. Daily pain characteristic assessments and monthly quality of life questionnaires are integrated into the App, and participants will be required to complete these assessments. The daily VAS for pain intensity will be monitored and a threshold will be set based on baseline VAS score. The interventional appointment will be scheduled once the threshold is reached. The primary outcome is the health condition and quality of life assessed by the five-level EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L). Utility values of EQ-5D-5L will be assessed at baseline and 1, 3, and 6 months post-operative. Discussion: The PreMaSy study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a novel App-based, patient-centered, self-assessment management system for chronic intractable pain. A randomized controlled trial is designed to test the non-inferiority of this precise management system compared to the monthly online follow-ups. It is also expected to yield valuable experiences regarding precision medicine. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05761392. Registered on March 07, 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study addresses the optimised tracking problem for motion control systems with multiple disturbances by a non‐linear‐disturbance‐observer‐enhanced continuous‐time model predictive control (MPC) method. The core is to predict the future tracking error and desired control input (including the lumped effects of disturbances/uncertainties) in the receding‐horizon by a higher‐order sliding mode disturbance observer, which is designed based upon a rough nominal system. Different from the direct compensation approach in most existing composite MPC methods, disturbance estimates are taken full advantage in the optimisation. The explicit relationship between asymptotic stability and weights in the performance index is provided. Simulations on position control of the robot arm system and experiments on speed regulation of the permanent magnet synchronous motor servo system are both presented to demonstrate the workability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is negatively affected by iodine (I2) impurities generated from the oxidation of iodide ions in the perovskite precursor powder, solution, and perovskite films. In this study, the use of potassium formate (HCOOK) as a reductant to minimize the presence of detrimental I2 impurities is presented. It is demonstrated that HCOOK can effectively reduce I2 back to I− in the precursor solution as well as in the devices under external conditions. Furthermore, the introduced formate anion (HCOO−) and alkali metal cation (K+) can reduce the defect density within the perovskite film by modulating perovskite growth and passivating electronic defects, significantly prolonging the carrier lifetime and reducing the J–V hysteresis. Consequently, the maximum efficiency of the HCOOK‐doped planar n–i–p PSCs reaches 23.8%. After 1000 h of operation at maximum power point tracking under continuous 1 sun illumination, the corresponding encapsulated devices retain 94% of their initial efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a surgical technique used in patients with chronic intractable pain, and its effectiveness and safety have been validated by multiple studies. However, to maintain an optimal and steady long-term effect is still challenging. Here, we report a new management paradigm integrating smartphone application and remote programming. Chronic pain patients with SCS implants can monitor their pain status on the phone and change stimulation parameters accordingly. The PreMaSy study is a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of this precise management system. Methods: Patients with chronic intractable pain will be screened for eligibility, and 82 participants are anticipated to be enrolled in this trial. After the electrode implantation, the stimulation effectiveness will be tested. Participants with a reduction of more than 50% in the visual analog scale (VAS) will receive implantation of an implantable pulse generator and randomized (1:1) into the experimental group or control group. All participants will be asked to take online follow-ups and complete assessments using a smartphone application. Daily pain characteristic assessments and monthly quality of life questionnaires are integrated into the App, and participants will be required to complete these assessments. The daily VAS for pain intensity will be monitored and a threshold will be set based on baseline VAS score. The interventional appointment will be scheduled once the threshold is reached. The primary outcome is the health condition and quality of life assessed by the five-level EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L). Utility values of EQ-5D-5L will be assessed at baseline and 1, 3, and 6 months post-operative. Discussion: The PreMaSy study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a novel App-based, patient-centered, self-assessment management system for chronic intractable pain. A randomized controlled trial is designed to test the non-inferiority of this precise management system compared to the monthly online follow-ups. It is also expected to yield valuable experiences regarding precision medicine. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05761392. Registered on March 07, 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing demand for positioning actuators with a higher resolution, accuracy, speed, and driving force. Various piezoelectric actuators have been proposed to meet these requirements; however, they all have inherent limitations. This paper presents a novel high-performance piezoelectric actuator that can overcome the limitations of existing designs. It is based on the stick–slip actuation principle and makes use of coupling motions of the proposed triangular driving mechanism to generate a clamping action during the “stick” phase and a releasing action during the “slip” phase. Unlike existing driving mechanisms based on similar principles, the proposed actuator can employ its unique structure to amplify the clamping force and the related driving force by using a large design triangular angle. Apart from its superior performance in driving force, it is interestingly found that its driving speed performance also improves when the design angle is increased. Finite-element analysis and experiments are carried out to justify the superior performance of the proposed actuator. In comparison with existing actuator prototypes based on similar principles, a prototype of the proposed actuator, even driven with a lower input voltage, achieves an 11 times larger driving load and a 3 times higher free-load driving speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The treatment of partial-thickness rotator cuff tears (PTRCT) remains controversial. Few studies have focused on the conservative and new measurements of small to medium PTRCT. The use of sodium hyaluronate (SH) or platelet-rich plasma (PRP) as a method for rotator cuff repair requires further investigation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the combined use of SH and PRP in the treatment of small to medium PTRCT. Study Design: A double-blinded randomized trial was used in this study. Methods: Individuals with PTRCT detected by clinical examination and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were included in this study. The patients were randomly assigned to receive subacromial injections of normal saline, SH, PRP, or SH + PRP once a week for 4 wk. The primary outcome measure was the Constant score, and the secondary outcomes included the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) and the visual analog scale scores. All of the clinical outcomes were assessed at pretreatment and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months posttreatment. MRI was used to evaluate the evolution of the cuff defect after 1 yr. Results: The PRP group and the SH + PRP group showed a significantly higher Constant score and ASES score after the treatments. There were significant differences between the SH + PRP group and the SH or PRP group at 12 months in the Constant, visual analog scale, and ASES scores. MRI results showed that the tear size significantly decreased in both the PRP and the SH + PRP groups, especially in the SH + PRP group. Conclusion: Our study provided evidence of the efficacy of PRP injection in the healing of small to medium PTRCT. Moreover, the combined injection of SH and PRP yielded a better clinical outcome than SH or PRP alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Spinal arteriovenous malformations (sAVM) are rare and heterogeneous group of blood vessel disorders that affect spinal cord function directly or indirectly; however, the pathogenesis of sAVM is still unclear. In this study, we compared four sAVM specimens obtained during surgery and donated control samples in a Tandem Mass Tag (TMT)-labeled proteomic analysis. We identified 3101 proteins, 654 of which were differentially expressed in sAVM samples compared with the controls. Of these, 96 proteins were upregulated and 358 proteins were downregulated. Gene ontology (GO) analysis revealed that extracellular matrix organization in the biological process category and integrin-binding proteins in the molecular function category were the most enriched items. Two significant differentially expressed proteins (MYLK and MMP9) were verified by Western blot analysis. The pathway analysis indicated that the differentially expressed proteins in the pathways of angiogenesis, focal adhesion and cytoplasmic ribosome contributed to sAVM. The changes in protein profiles identified in this proteomic study provide an improved understanding of the pathogenesis of sAVM. The proteomics data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD007982. Highlights • We identified 654 differentially expressed proteins in sAVM samples compared with the controls. • Proteins in angiogenesis, focal adhesion and cytoplasmic ribosome pathways contributed to sAVM. • Extracellular matrix organization was the most GO biological process category in bAVM. • Integrin-binding proteins were the most GO molecular function category. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective We sought to study the application of precise intraoperative localization of small intramedullary spinal cord tumors. Methods From November 2015 to August 2017, 5 patients with small intramedullary spinal cord tumors were arranged in this group. By using the O-arm image system, we acquired the intraoperative computed tomography images of all patients and sent them to the Stealth navigation system. Medtronic Synergy Cranial software was used to complete the image fusion with preoperative magnetic resonance images, and the fused images were used to localize the intramedullary spinal cord tumors by the navigation system. The navigation errors were evaluated by measuring the maximum distance between the end of the tumor in sagittal magnetic resonance imaging and its real position. Results Five patients accomplished the multimodal image fusion, and we successfully completed the image-guided surgeries. The mean diameter of tumors was 12.2 ± 3.1 mm in sagittal magnetic resonance imaging, and the mean incision length was 12.7 ± 3.3 mm. The time of image processing was between 13 minutes and 17 minutes, and the mean value was 15 ± 1.6 minutes. The navigation error was between 0.9 mm and 1.5 mm, and the mean value was 1.2 ± 0.2 mm. Conclusions The application of the multimodal image fusion combined with intraoperative O-arm image navigation system can be used to localize small intramedullary tumors. Highlights • By using the O-arm and Stealth navigation system, we completed the image fusion with preoperative MRI. • The fused images were used to localize the intramedullary spinal cord tumors aided by the navigation system. • Application of the multimodal image fusion combined with intraoperative O-arm image navigation system was completed. • Our results confirmed this technique's clinical feasibility and value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to explore the real-time navigation with guide template using an augmented reality head-mounted device (ARHMD) for pedicle screw placement. Methods: The spatial coordinate relationships between augmented reality images and real objects were established through the custom-made guide template, and the registration and tracking were completed using an ARHMD. The feasibility and accuracy of this method were verified by pedicle screw placement in 2 lumbar models. According to the Gertzbein–Robbins grading scale, the accuracy of pedicle screw placement was assessed. The navigation errors were estimated by measuring the deviation values of entry point and trajectory angle. Results: A total of 20 pedicle K-wires were placed into L1–L5 in 2 lumbar models, which were successfully completed, with an average time of 11.5 min per model and 69 s per screw. The overall K-wires placement accuracy was 100% (20 screws). The navigation error was 2.77 ± 0.82 mm for the deviation value of entry point, and 3.03° ± 0.94° for the deviation value of trajectory angle. Conclusions: The application of an ARHMD combined with guide template for pedicle screw placement is a promising navigation approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common and challenging joint disease that mainly affects the diarthrodial joints. Traditionally, except for surgery for severe cases, treatments for OA mainly focus on relieving pain and improving joint function. However, these treatments are not effective for cartilage repair and induce only symptomatic relief. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB, a member of the PDGF cytokine family, has been proved to have effects on protecting the chondrocytes via multiple mechanisms. In this study, we further focused on the effects of PDGF-BB on OA and found that PDGF-BB could attenuate OA development by inhibiting inflammation and enhancing cell proliferation via JAK2/STAT3, PI3K/AKT, and p38 signaling pathways and PKA-mediated regulation of SOX-9/RunX-2. This article demonstrates the feasibility of PDGF-BB application as a treatment for OA. This is the first article that reports that PDGF-BB attenuates OA development via PKA-mediated regulation of SOX-9 and RunX-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A giant ascending aortic aneurysm associated with a ruptured sinus of Valsalva is rare. A 53‐year‐old male patient successfully underwent Bentall procedure after multimodality imaging which enable the correct diagnosis to be established and intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography provides additional information on the surgical planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ubiquitin-binding enzyme E2T (UBE2T), a member of the E2 family of the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway, is associated with tumorigenesis of varioustumours; however, its role and mechanism in ovarian cancer remain unclear. Results: Our study revealed that UBE2T is highly expressed in ovarian cancer; this high expression was closely related to poor prognosis. Immunohistochemistry was used to validate the high expression of UBE2T in ovarian cancer. This is the first study to demonstrate that UBE2T expression is higher in ovarian cancer with BRCA mutation. Moreover, we demonstrated that UBE2T gene silencing significantly inhibited ovarian cancer cell proliferation and invasion. The epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) of ovarian cancer cells and phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K-AKT) pathway were significantly inhibited. Adding the mechanistic target of rapamycin activator MHY1485 activated the PI3K-AKT pathway and significantly restored the proliferative and invasive ability of ovarian cancer cells. Furthermore, a tumorigenesis experiment in nude mice revealed that tumour growth on mice body surface and tumour tissue EMT were significantly inhibited after UBE2T gene silencing. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that UBE2T regulates EMT via the PI3K-AKT pathway and plays a carcinogenic role in ovarian cancer. Moreover, UBE2T may interact with BRCA to affect ovarian cancer occurrence and development. Hence, UBE2T may be a valuable novel biomarker for the early diagnosis and prognosis and treatment of ovarian cancer. Further, UBE2T inhibition may be effective for treating ovarian cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ovarian cancer is one of the important factors that seriously threaten women's health and its morbidity and mortality ranks eighth among female cancers in the world. It is critical to identify potential and promising biomarkers for prognostic evaluation and molecular therapy of OV. Ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2S (UBE2S), a potential oncogene, regulates the malignant progression of various tumors; however, its role in OV is still unclear. Methods: The expression and prognostic significance of UBE2S at the pan-cancer level were investigated through high-throughput gene expression analysis and clinical prognostic data from TCGA, GEPIA, and GEO databases. 181 patients with OV were included in this study. Cell culture and cell transfection were performed on OV cell lines (SKOV3 and A2780) and a normal ovarian cell line (IOSE80). The expression level and prognostic significance of UBE2S in OV were verified by western blot, immunohistochemistry, and Kaplan–Meier survival analysis. Through cell transfection, CCK-8, Ki-67 immunofluorescence, wound healing, Transwell, clonogenic, and flow cytometry assays, the effect and detailed mechanism of UBE2S knockdown on the malignant biological behavior of OV cells were explored. Results: UBE2S exhibited abnormally high expression at the pan-cancer level. The results of RT-qPCR and Western blotting indicated that UBE2S was significantly overexpressed in ovarian cancer cell lines compared with normal cell lines (P < 0.05). Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and Immunohistochemistry indicated that overexpression of UBE2S was related to poor prognosis of OV (HR > 1, P < 0.05). Results of in vitro experiments indicated that UBE2S gene knockdown might inhibit the proliferation, invasion, and prognosis of OV cells by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, thereby blocking the cell cycle and promoting apoptosis (P < 0.05). Conclusion: UBE2S is a potential oncogene strongly associated with a poor prognosis of OV patients. Knockdown of UBE2S could block the cell cycle and promote apoptosis by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and ultimately inhibit the proliferation, migration and prognosis of ovarian cancer, which suggested that UBE2S might be used for molecular therapy and prognostic evaluation of ovarian cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute cardiac allograft rejection (ACAR) is one of the main reasons for mortality after heart transplantation. The timely diagnosis of treatment‐needed ACAR is of great importance in the clinic. Molecular imaging may make accurate diagnoses at the early stage to visualize the activity of specific pathological processes. The amount of CD4+‐lymphocyte infiltration is a crucial index in ACAR grading. CD4‐targeted nanobubbles (NBCD4) are fabricated to assess the infiltrating CD4+ lymphocytes, while isotype control nanobubbles (NBIso) are also fabricated. Animal models with ACAR grades from 0R to 3R are established. Ultrasound molecular imaging (USMI) is performed to distinguish different rejection grades with NBCD4. In the grade 2R and 3R groups, the USMI signals of NBCD4 are significantly higher than those of NBIso. The signals of NBCD4 in the 2R group are significantly lower than those in the 3R group and significantly higher than those in the 1R and 0R groups. Moreover, the signals of NBCD4 are strongly correlated with the rejection grades and the number of infiltrating CD4+ lymphocytes. As asymptomatic rejection with 2R or higher grades should be seriously treated, USMI with NBCD4 may be a new approach to timely diagnosis of treatment‐needed ACAR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We proposed a new kind of add-drop multiplexer based on $\pi $ phase-shifted antisymmetric Bragg grating ($\pi $ -ASBG). Light resonance is formed in the $\pi $ -ASBG with mode conversion between backward fundamental transverse electric (TE0) mode and the forward first order transverse electric (T1) mode. With the aid of the TE1 mode generated in the $\pi $ -ASBG, add-drop multiplexer can be designed. As examples, two multiplexer structures based on single- and dual-bus resonator, on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform have been studied in detail. Besides, no light is reflected to the input port, if the structure is carefully designed with critical coupling condition satisfied. For the fabricated add-drop multiplexer based on single-bus resonator, the extinction ratio is 23.90 dB and full width at half maximum (FWHM) is 0.33 nm at the through port. For the fabricated add-drop multiplexer based on dual-bus resonator, the extinction ratio is 17.22 dB and FWHM is 0.29 nm at through port. The results show that proposed structures provide a new method to realize add-drop multiplexer and other integrated optical filters for optical communications and sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the value of echocardiography in diagnosing papillary muscle rupture (PMR) of the mitral valve, and summarize the characteristic echocardiographic features of different types. Echocardiograms of 13 PMR patients confirmed by surgery in Wuhan Union Hospital between January 2009 and December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed and their preoperative transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) was compared with surgical findings. A total of 9020 patients underwent mitral valve repair or replacement surgery during the study period including 13 (0.14%) for PMR. Of the 13 PMRs, 8 cases were partial PMR(P-PMR), 5 cases were complete PMR(C-PMR); 3 cases were anterolateral PMR, and 10 were posteromedial PMR. The diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of the preoperative TTE were 99.9%, 53.8% and 99.9% respectively. Echocardiographic features of 10 patients (5-C-PMR and 5 P-PMR) with detailed TTE and intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) data included: both anterior and posterior leaflets prolapse (C-PMR 60% vs P-PMR 60%); flail leaflet (C-PMR100% vs P-PMR 40%); All C-PMRs and P-PMRs have severe, eccentric and lateral regurgitation; flail attachment (chordae tendinae and ruptured PM) at the tip of prolapsed leaflet (C-PMR100% vs P-PMR 60%); high-echo masses resembled "champagne glasses" in 100% of the C-PMR; high-echo masses resembled "lotus-seedpod" in 60% and "dumbbell-shaped" torn PM in remaining 40% of the P-PMR. Different PMR subtypes have different echocardiographic characteristics. Combining TTE and TEE can accurately identify the typical features of PMR such as ipsilateral hemipetal leaflet prolapse, high-echoic mass at the tip of the leaflet, massive eccentricity and lateral regurgitation. • Accurate diagnosis of mitral papillary muscle rupture (PMR) by sonographers is challenging due to its rarity. • Ipsilateral hemipetal leaflet prolapse, high-echoic mass at the tip of the leaflet, massive eccentricity and lateral regurgitation are typical features of PMR. • From an ultrasound perspective, a detailed typing of PMR for all types of anatomical variants of the papillary muscle was performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interaction between silty sand and temperature towards corrosion of carbon steel in CO 2 environment is investigated. The effect of silty sand is more complicated, while the effect of temperature is more remarkable. High temperature causes a more protective corrosion products layer. Silty sand physically adsorbs on the surface and embeds in the porous Fe 3 C layer at 40 ℃ to slightly reduce corrosion. At 80 ℃, silty sand delays FeCO 3 precipitation and significantly increases the porosity of corrosion products layer, thus promoting corrosion. At 120 ℃, silty sand increases the porosity and hinders the formation of Fe 3 O 4 to accelerate corrosion. • Interaction between silty sand and temperature towards corrosion is studied. • The effect of silty sand is more complex, that of temperature is more remarkable. • Silty sand slightly slows down corrosion at 40 ℃ but promotes at 80 and 120 ℃. • The effect of silty sand on corrosion mechanism at 40, 80 and 120 ℃ is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aim to elucidate the clinical characteristics of patients with primary spinal cord glioblastoma (PSC GBM) and prognostic factors for their outcomes. A cohort of 11 patients with pathologically diagnosed PSC GBM from our center were retrospectively reviewed. The clinical, radiologic, operative, and molecular information were recorded, and univariate analysis was performed to identify prognostic factors. The patient cohort included 5 males (45.5%) and 6 females (54.5%) with a median age of 26 years (range, 9–69 years). The median duration of the preoperative symptoms was 4.0 months (range, 0.5–120 months). Subtotal resection was achieved in 8 patients (72.7%) and partial resection in 3 (27.3%). Two patients (18.2%) underwent postoperative adjuvant chemoradiotherapy, 2 patients underwent (27.3%) chemotherapy only, and 6 patients (54.5%) neither. Two patients underwent additional therapy with bevacizumab. After a mean follow-up of 12.4 months (range, 1–33 months), Kaplan-Meier plot showed that the median progression-free survival and overall survival were 6.0 (range, 0.5–12.0) months and 12.0 (range, 1.0–33.0) months, respectively, and 1-year survival was 31.8%. Age at diagnosis and duration of the preoperative symptoms were confirmed as prognostic factors of progression-free survival and overall survival in univariate analysis (P < 0.05). Despite aggressive treatment, PSC GBM still has a dismal prognosis and leads to severe neurologic deficit. Age at diagnosis and duration of the preoperative symptoms were confirmed as prognostic factors, yet the role of adjuvant radiochemotherapy and extent of resection are still unclear, necessitating further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rubber reinforcement can effectively improve the swelling characteristics and shear strength of expansive soil. However, rubber-reinforced expansive soil has a more complex structure and mechanical properties, especially in a frozen state, and existing models have not been applied to fully characterize its shear deformation characteristics. In this paper, the updated binary medium model of rubber-reinforced expansive soil is proposed based on the theory of the binary medium model and the homogenization theory of heterogeneous material. The deformation and damage mechanism of frozen rubber-reinforced expansive soil is discussed by using the concept of the binary medium model at the microscopic level, and the updated binary medium model is verified by the triaxial tests of frozen rubber-reinforced expansive soil under confining pressure conditions. The main results obtained: (1) Based on the theoretical framework of rock and soil failure mechanics and the concept of updated binary medium model, saturated frozen rubber-reinforced expansive soil can be abstracted into cementing elements (ice-rubber-soil skeleton) with strong cementation properties, elastic friction elements (rubber) and elastic–plastic friction elements (ice-soil broken skeleton) without cementation properties. (2) The stress–strain curve of frozen rubber-reinforced expansive soil can be divided into three stages: linear elastic stage (ε < 1.33%), elastic–plastic stage (1.33 % < ε < 4.17%) and strain softening stage (ε > 4.17%), which can be interpreted by the conversion between the cementing elements and the friction elements in the updated binary medium model.(3) The measured values of stress and strain of rubber-reinforced expansive soil match the calculated values of the model (R 2 = 0.92), and the peak point strain deviation and stress deviation of the model and test values are 9% and 3%, respectively, indicating that the updated binary medium model can better simulate the stress–strain relationship of rubber-reinforced expansive soil. (4) The fitting degrees of the unary medium model and the binary medium model are 0.74 and 0.36, respectively. Compared with the updated binary medium model, there are fewer parameters in the equations, the binary medium model species lacks rubber as an elastic material, and the unary medium model lacks elastoplastic and elastic materials, so it is not suitable for simulating the stress-strain relationship of frozen rubber-reinforced expansive soil. • Frozen rubber reinforced expansive soil is regarded as a binary medium. • The binary medium contains elasto-brittle cementing element, elasto-plastic friction element and elastic friction element. • An updated binary medium constitutive model suitable for frozen rubber-reinforced expansive soil is proposed. • The updated binary medium constitutive model can characterize the shear deformation process of sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to determine effects of potential probiotic Bacillus cereus EN25 (isolated from mud of sea cucumber culturing water bodies) on growth, immunity and disease resistance against Vibrio splendidus infection in juvenile sea cucumbers Apostichopus japonicus . Animals were respectively fed diets with B. cereus EN25 at 0 (control), 10 5 , 10 7 and 10 9 CFU/g for 30 days. Results showed that dietary B. cereus EN25 had no significant effects on growth, total coelomocytes counts and acid phosphatase activity of A. japonicus ( P > 0.05). Dietary EN25 at 10 7 CFU/g had significantly improved the phagocytosis, respiratory burst activity and total nitric oxide synthase activity of animals ( P < 0.05). Compared to control, dietary EN25 at 10 5 or 10 7 CFU/g had no significant effects on superoxide dismutase activity of A. japonicus ( P > 0.05), whereas dietary EN25 at 10 9 CFU/g had significantly decreased its activity ( P < 0.05). The cumulative mortality after V. splendidus challenge decreased significantly in sea cucumbers fed with EN25 at 10 7 CFU/g ( P < 0.05). The present study confirmed dietary B. cereus EN25 at 10 7 CFU/g could significantly improve immunity and disease resistance in juvenile A. japonicus . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The ductus arteriosus (DA) is one of the most important vessels of the fetal circulation. A variety of fetal congenital heart disease (CHD) may greatly influence the structure and flow patterns of the DA. This study was to investigate the structural characteristics of the DA and its value in the diagnosis of fetal CHD using fetal echocardiography combined with cardiovascular casting technology. Methods Twenty-six cases of a normal fetus and 20 cases of a fetus with CHD (10 cases of right-sided obstructive CHD and 10 cases of left-sided obstructive CHD) were enrolled in this study. The three-vessel view and the long axis view of the DA arch were chosen to observe the fetal DA. The diameters of the ascending aorta (AO) and the pulmonary artery trunk (PA) were measured on the left ventricular outflow tract view and the three-vessel view separately, and AO/DA and PA/DA values were calculated separately. The flow direction of the DA was recorded, and the blood flow peak velocity was measured using color and spectral Doppler technology. Cardiovascular cast specimens were made for fetuses secured from induced labor to facilitate further observations of the true form and connections of the DA. At the same time, heart and great vessel deformities were also recorded through careful observation of the cardiovascular cast. Results The following DA anomalies were observed: ① abnormal diameter (6 cases of stenosis and 9 cases of dilatation); ② abnormal blood flow direction (reverse flow in 5 cases); ③ abnormal blood flow speed (12 cases); ④ abnormal connection site (right-sided DA in 2 cases and a DA connection between the left pulmonary artery and the left subclavian artery in one case); and ⑤ absence of the DA in 2 cases. Compared with the control group, the DA diameter in the right-sided obstructive group was obviously narrowed; by contrast, the diameter of the DA in the left-sided obstructive group was obviously dilated. These differences were statistically significant ( p < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the AO/DA values in the right- and left-sided obstructive groups were significantly increased and decreased, respectively. Finally, relative to the control group, the PA/DA values of the right- and left-sided obstructive groups were significantly reduced. Conclusions DA enlargement was often associated with left-sided obstructive CHD, whereas a small DA and reverse blood flow often indicated the presence of right-sided obstructive CHD. DA connections can manifest with multiple anatomical variations. During fetal echocardiography, evaluation of the DA is very important; such analyses may help search for associated cardiac defects whenever a diagnosis of CHD is made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the subpopulations of coelomocytes of sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus were identified with differential-interference microscope and flow cytometry (FCM). The immunostimulatory potential of crude lentinan (cLNT) from shiitake mushrooms ( Lentinus edodes) on A. japonicus was then investigated both in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, the coelomocytes of A. japonicus were incubated with different concentrations of cLNT (0, 2.5, 7.5, 22.5 mg/L) for 1 h, and immuno assays were performed. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that phagocytic activity and viability of coelomocytes increased significantly with cLNT treatment. Biochemical analysis showed a significant increase in peroxidase and alkaline phosphatase activity in coelomocytes. In vivo, the immunostimulatory effect of cLNT on coelomocytes was investigated with FCM by feeding A. japonicus with cLNT-supplemented or control diet for 24 days. The phagocytic activity of coelomocytes in cLNT treatment group was significantly increased at 4, 8 and 12 days of feeding. The viability of coelomocytes was increased after 8 days of feeding. At 4, 8, 12 and 18 days of feeding, the number of small-sized and low granularity coelomocytes was reduced, while the number of large-sized and high granularity coelomocytes was increased compared to control diet. Collectively, our in vitro and in vivo studies suggest that cLNT derived from L. edodes clearly reveals immunostimulating effects on A. japonicus by increasing the viability and phagocytic activity of coelomocytes, and these findings suggest that dietary supplementation of cLNT might further improve the commercial production of sea cucumbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to optimize the control performance of the compliant actuator system, a generalized predictive control (GPC) method is introduced in the controller design. Compared with conventional predictive control methods which largely depend on the modeling, the proposed GPC method is almost model-free. The stability of closed-loop system has been rigidly proved. Various experimental tests of a series elastic actuator driven exoskeleton robot are verified the effectiveness of the proposed methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cardiac cavernous hemangioma is an extremely rare primary benign cardiac tumor. Herein, we report a case of cavernous hemangioma in the right atrium and close to the coronary sinus of an asymptomatic 56‐year‐old male who underwent multimodality imaging and successful resection of the cavernous hemangioma. Our case highlights that multimodality imaging plays an important role in characterizing cardiac hemangiomas and determining the surgical plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]