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Hydroxychloroquine sulfate is a common drug for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. However, the disadvantage of this drug is that it needs to be taken continuously for 3–6 months to be effective and compliance of patients is poor. In this work, four new salt forms of hydroxychloroquine are successfully prepared whose crystal structures and properties are confirmed by a series of solid‐state characterization methods, including infrared spectroscopy, single crystal X‐ray diffraction, powder X‐ray diffraction, thermal analysis, and dynamic vapor sorption analysis. The hygroscopicity, stability, equilibrium solubility, and intrinsic dissolution rate of the four new salts are also tested. The moisture absorption, solubility, and intrinsic dissolution rate of newly prepared salts are significantly reduced, and the dissolution rates of 1‐hydroxy‐2‐naphthoate and 1,5‐naphthalenedisulfonate salts are only 1/158 and 1/335 of that of the therapeutically used sulfates, respectively. It is expected that they are potentially useful to be developed into a sustained‐release formulation, which can greatly improve the dosing compliance for rheumatoid arthritis treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the malignant progression of tumors, there is deposition and cross-linking of collagen, as well as an increase in hyaluronic acid content, which can lead to an increase in extracellular matrix stiffness. Recent research evidence have shown that the extracellular matrix plays an important role in angiogenesis, cell proliferation, migration, immunosuppression, apoptosis, metabolism, and resistance to chemotherapeutic by the alterations toward both secretion and degradation. The clinical importance of tumor-associated macrophage is increasingly recognized, and macrophage polarization plays a central role in a series of tumor immune processes through internal signal cascade, thus regulating tumor progression. Immunotherapy has gradually become a reliable potential treatment strategy for conventional chemotherapy resistance and advanced cancer patients, but the presence of immune exclusion has become a major obstacle to treatment effectiveness, and the reasons for their resistance to these approaches remain uncertain. Currently, there is a lack of exact mechanism on the regulation of extracellular matrix stiffness and tumor-associated macrophage polarization on immune exclusion. An in-depth understanding of the relationship between extracellular matrix stiffness, tumor-associated macrophage polarization, and immune exclusion will help reveal new therapeutic targets and guide the development of clinical treatment methods for advanced cancer patients. This review summarized the different pathways and potential molecular mechanisms of extracellular matrix stiffness and tumor-associated macrophage polarization involved in immune exclusion and provided available strategies to address immune exclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs) hold great promise for large‐scale energy storage, but their performance requires further improvement. Herein, a design is proposed for vanadium colloid flow batteries (VCFBs) that integrates the redox chemistry of polyvalent vanadium‐based colloid suspensions with dispersed conductive agents into traditional vanadium electrolytes. The redox‐active colloids combine the advantages of nanoparticle suspensions and dissolved electrolytes, exhibiting good dispersibility, fluidity, conductivity, redox reversibility, and electrochemical kinetics. By leveraging a reversible dissolution/suspension process of high‐concentration vanadium‐based colloids, the VCFBs achieved an energy density of 48 Wh L−1, nearly double that of conventional VRFBs. This work presents a rational design for homologous active material colloids to enhance the energy density of aqueous redox flow batteries, thereby advancing the potential for grid‐scale and renewable energy storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The theory of Objective Self-Awareness (OSA) and related studies suggest that embodiment of personalised avatars may induce self-awareness and influence self-esteem. Additionally, the Computers Are Social Actors (CASA) paradigm suggests that humans may mindlessly respond to computers in ways that are similar to human interactions. Based on those assertions, it is plausible that virtual embodiment of a personalised avatar and interactions with a virtual agent can shift self-esteem. However, those effects on self-esteem have not been thoroughly examined in past studies. To address these research gaps, a 2 (avatar personalisation: personalised vs. non-personalised avatar) × 2 (virtual agent interaction valence: positive vs. negative) between-subjects experiment was conducted using a Virtual Reality (VR) simulation (N =171). Findings from the study showed that there was no effects of avatar personalisation and virtual agent interaction valence on state self-esteem change. However, the pairwise comparisons present some preliminary indications that avatar personalisation and positive interactions with a virtual agent may facilitate improvements in state self-esteem altogether. Implications of the study findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose Experimental Approach Key Results Conclusion and Implications Activation of the renin‐angiotensin system, as a hallmark of hypertension and chronic kidney diseases (CKD) is the key pathophysiological factor contributing to the progression of tubulointerstitial fibrosis. LIM and senescent cell antigen‐like domains protein 1 (LIMS1) plays an essential role in controlling of cell behaviour through the formation of complexes with other proteins. Here, the function and regulation of LIMS1 in angiotensin II (Ang II)‐induced hypertension and tubulointerstitial fibrosis was investigated.C57BL/6 mice were treated with Ang II to induce tubulointerstitial fibrosis. Hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α (HIF‐1α) renal tubular‐specific knockout mice or LIMS1 knockdown AAV was used to investigate their effects on Ang II‐induced renal interstitial fibrosis. In vitro, HIF‐1α or LIMS1 was knocked down or overexpressed in HK2 cells after exposure to Ang II.Increased expression of tubular LIMS1 was observed in human kidney with hypertensive nephropathy and in murine kidney from Ang II‐induced hypertension model. Tubular‐specific knockdown of LIMS1 ameliorated Ang II‐induced tubulointerstitial fibrosis in mice. Furthermore, we demonstrated that LIMS1 was transcriptionally regulated by HIF‐1α in tubular cells and that tubular HIF‐1α knockout ameliorates LIMS1‐mediated tubulointerstitial fibrosis. In addition, LIMS1 promotes Ang II‐induced tubulointerstitial fibrosis by interacting with vimentin.We conclude that HIF‐1α transcriptionally regulated LIMS1 plays a central role in Ang II‐induced tubulointerstitial fibrosis through interacting with vimentin. Our finding represents a new insight into the mechanism of Ang II‐induced tubulointerstitial fibrosis and provides a novel therapeutic target for progression of CKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The detection rate of Salmonella enterica serovar 1,4,[5], 12: i: - (S. 1,4,[5], 12: i: -) has increased as the most common serotype globally. A S. 1,4,[5], 12: i: - strain named ST3606 (sequence type 34), isolated from a fecal specimen of a child with acute diarrhea hospitalized in a tertiary hospital in China, was firstly reported to be resistant to carbapenem and ceftazidime-avibactam. The aim of this study was to characterize the whole-genome sequence of S. 1,4,[5], 12: i: - isolate, ST3606, and explore its antibiotic resistance genes and their genetic environments. Methods: The genomic DNA of S. 1,4,[5], 12: i: - ST3606 was extracted and performed with single-molecule real-time sequencing. Resistance genes, plasmid replicon type, mobile elements, and multilocus sequence types (STs) of ST3606 were identified by ResFinder 3.2, PlasmidFinder, OriTfinder database, ISfinder database, and MLST 2.0, respectively. The conjugation experiment was utilized to evaluate the conjugation frequency of pST3606-2. Protein expression and enzyme kinetics experiments of CTX-M were performed to analyze hydrolytic activity of a novel CTX-M-261 enzyme toward several antibiotics. Results: Single-molecule real-time sequencing revealed the coexistence of a 109-kb IncI1-Iα plasmid pST3606-1 and a 70.5-kb IncFII plasmid pST3606-2. The isolate carried resistance genes, including blaNDM-5, sul1, qacE, aadA2, and dfrA12 in pST3606-1, blaTEM-1B, aac(3)-lld, and blaCTX-M-261, a novel blaCTX-M-1 family member, in pST3606-2, and aac(6')-Iaa in chromosome. The blaCTX-M-261 was derived from blaCTX-M-55 by a single-nucleotide mutation 751G>A leading to amino acid substitution of Val for Met at position 251 (Val251Met), which conferred CTX-M increasing resistance to ceftazidime verified by antibiotics susceptibility testing of transconjugants carrying pST3606-2 and steady-state kinetic parameters of CTX-M-261. pST3606-1 is an IncI1-α incompatibility type that shares homology with plasmids of pC-F-164_A-OXA140, pE-T654-NDM-5, p_dm760b_NDM-5, and p_dmcr749c_NDM-5. The conjugation experiment demonstrated that pST3606-2 was successfully transferred to the Escherichia coli recipient C600 with four modules of OriTfinder. Conclusion: Plasmid-mediated horizontal transfer plays an important role in blaNDM-5 and blaCTX-M-261 dissemination, which increases the threat to public health due to the resistance to most β-lactam antibiotics. This is the first report of blaCTX-M-261 and blaNDM-5 in S. 1,4,[5], 12: i: -. The work provides insights into the enzymatic function and demonstrates the ongoing evolution of CTX-M enzymes and confirms urgency to control resistance of S. 1,4,[5], 12: i: -. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is devoted to the study of a class of reaction-advection-diffusion equations of the form u t − Δ u + β (y) u x = f (t , u) in cylinders, where f is a tristable or multistable nonlinearity satisfying f (⋅ , 0) = f (⋅ , 1) = 0. We establish the alternative of wave solutions, that is, either there is a unique, asymptotically stable periodic traveling wave connecting 0 to 1 directly, or there is a unique propagating terrace connecting 0 to 1. Under the assumption that all wave speeds in propagating terrace are not equal to each other, we further obtain that the propagating terrace is asymptotically stable if it exists. Moreover, the sufficient and necessary conditions for the existence of periodic traveling waves connecting 0 to 1 are given respectively. Our arguments are based on the parabolic maximum principle, sliding method and the super- and sub-solution method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coherent nuclear wavepacket behavior obtained by time-resolved spectroscopy is a good choice to capture the real-time evolution of molecular configuration. Using femtosecond time-resolved photoelectron imaging, we investigate the real-time evolution of the vibrational wavepacket of 2,5-difluoroaniline following the coherent excitation of an out-of-plane vibrational mode in the S1 state at 289.8 nm. Probed by an accidental resonance with the Rydberg states, the periodic oscillations with the frequency of 99 cm−1 are observed from the photoelectron kinetic energy (PKE) distributions, corresponding to the energy difference between the out-of-plane mode X10 of C–F bond and the band origin. Moreover, phase reversal of π rad between 0.66–0.75 and 1.00–1.08 eV is also observed in the PKE region. Combined with the scan of the potential energy surface in the ground cationic D0 state, the observed two ionization channels corresponding to different phases are attributed to the periodic geometry changes between the planar and the non-planar structures when the coherent wavepacket evolves from the initial vertical Franck–Condon region toward the global minimum of the S1 potential energy surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Methods Results Conclusions To evaluate long COVID of gustatory dysfunction and the associated risk factors regarding onset and recovery in Chinese patients.We conducted a cross‐sectional study of patients with SARS‐CoV‐2 Omicron infection at Changxing Mobile Cabin Hospital in Shanghai, China, from March to May 2022. A prospective follow‐up of patients with gustatory dysfunction was conducted at 6 months after discharge.In total, 18.48% (241/1304) reported gustatory dysfunction. The 6‐month follow‐up response rate was 89.63% (216/241) and 74.02% recovered their taste sense within 1–3 weeks. A total of 20.37% of patients (44/216) presented with long COVID. Symptoms persisted for 12 patients (5.56%) after 6 months. Having multiple taste impairments (OR, 2.364; 95% CI, 1.286–4.348; p = 0.006) was associated with a higher risk of gustatory dysfunction with long COVID. Having received a COVID‐19 vaccine booster was positively associated with taste sensation recovery (HR, 1.344; 95% CI, 1.012–1.785; p = 0.041).About 20.37% of patients with COVID‐19 might develop long COVID of gustatory dysfunction and 5.56% with persisting changes in their sense of taste. Most patients recovered taste sensations within 1–3 weeks after COVID‐19 symptom onset and receiving a booster shot of the COVID‐19 vaccine presented a protective effect on the taste sensation recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Fusarium head blight (FHB) and the presence of mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) pose serious threats to wheat production and food safety worldwide. DON, as a virulence factor, is crucial for the spread of FHB pathogens on plants. However, germplasm resources that are naturally resistant to DON and DON‐producing FHB pathogens are inadequate in plants. Here, detoxifying bacteria genes responsible for DON epimerization were used to enhance the resistance of wheat to mycotoxin DON and FHB pathogens. We characterized the complete pathway and molecular basis leading to the thorough detoxification of DON via epimerization through two sequential reactions in the detoxifying bacterium Devosia sp. D6‐9. Epimerization efficiently eliminates the phytotoxicity of DON and neutralizes the effects of DON as a virulence factor. Notably, co‐expressing of the genes encoding quinoprotein dehydrogenase (QDDH) for DON oxidation in the first reaction step, and aldo‐keto reductase AKR13B2 for 3‐keto‐DON reduction in the second reaction step significantly reduced the accumulation of DON as virulence factor in wheat after the infection of pathogenic Fusarium, and accordingly conferred increased disease resistance to FHB by restricting the spread of pathogenic Fusarium in the transgenic plants. Stable and improved resistance was observed in greenhouse and field conditions over multiple generations. This successful approach presents a promising avenue for enhancing FHB resistance in crops and reducing mycotoxin contents in grains through detoxification of the virulence factor DON by exogenous resistance genes from microbes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the widely used ultraviolet (UV) filter, Ensulizole (ELZ), has been proven as an environmental hormone, development of useful techniques for eliminating ELZ is imperative. Since SO4·−-based oxidation technologies are promising for treating emerging contaminants, and cobalt (Co) appears to be an extremely useful catalyst for monopersulfate (MPS) activation, that would be critical to construct advantageous cobaltic catalyst of MPS activation. A unique activator would be derived from a special metal organic framework ([Co]pyrazine[Ni(CN)4]) which is carbonized to become a nanocluster comprised of CoNi alloy nanoparticles (NPs) confined in carbon nanospheres, and nanotubes, forming CoNi@Carbon (CNC). Such a CNC nanocomposite would exhibit several promising properties: (1) as Co is the extremely effective metal for MPS activation, CoNi is expected for offering superior performance for activating MPS; (2) high magnetization of CoNi alloy would equip CNC with a magnetically-controllability; (3) CoNi encapsulated in carbon is guarded to enhance its reusability; (4) the interlaced configurations of CNC also make it to show higher active sites for MPS activation. Thus, CNC exhibits a significantly stronger activating capability than Co3O4, which is the conventional heterogeneous catalyst for MPS. CNC/MPS also displays a lower activation energy (Ea) for ELZ degradation than literatures, showing advantages of CNC. Mechanisms for MPS activation and ELZ degradation were also elucidated to further understand elimination process of ELZ by MOF-derived cobaltic catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grover's algorithm has been widely used for quantum key search to attack block ciphers with a quadratic speedup as compared to classical brute-force attacks and also used for evaluating the post-quantum security of block ciphers against quantum computer attack. But, this quantum key search on block ciphers has a high quantum circuit depth and AES-128 is still secure against such attack. In this paper, we introduce a method called the depth–measurement trade-off method that reduces the overall quantum circuit depth of quantum key search to attack block ciphers by increasing the number of measurements of the circuit. This method is to introduce dummy keys in the quantum circuit as part of the correct key. This will reduce both quantum circuit resource and quantum circuit depth. Based on this technique, the quantum circuit depth of AES-128 is less than 2 64 , while NIST suggested circuit depth should be greater than MAXDEPTH, which is 2 40 , 2 64 and 2 96 in order to resist the respective attacks. In addition, we also simulated the depth–measurement trade-off method on the reduced SIMON block cipher algorithm as a proof of concept. Furthermore, we also apply the depth–measurement technique on various block ciphers, for example AES, PRESENT, SIMON, GIFT, SPECK, RECTANGLE, LowMC, KNOT, PIPO, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this study is to look into the factors that lead to death in patients with necrotizing soft tissue infections（NSTIs） in the intensive care unit and create a mortality risk model. The clinical data of 106 patients with necrotizing soft tissue infections admitted to intensive care unit(ICU) of the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University between January 2008 and December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Univariate analysis and multivariate analysis were performed to evaluate the risk factors impacting patient mortality. The regression coefficient in binary logistic regression analysis was converted into the item score in the model, and then the model score of each patient was calculated. Finally, an ROC curve was constructed to evaluate the efficiency of the model for predicting mortality. Thirteen patients with NSTIs admitted to ICU between January 2022 and November 2022 were used to validate the model. The death group had 44 patients, while the survival group had 62 patients. The overall mortality was 41.5%. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that risk factors for mortality were age≥ 60 years(OR:4.419; 95%CI:1.093–17.862; P = 0.037), creatinine ≥ 132μmol/L(OR:11.166; 95%CI:2.234–55.816; P = 0.003), creatine kinase ≥ 1104 U/L(OR:4.019; 95%CI:1.134–14.250; P = 0.031), prothrombin time ≥ 24.4 s(OR:11.589; 95%CI:2.510–53.506; P = 0.002), and invasive mechanical ventilation (OR:17.404; 95%CI:4.586–66.052; P＜0.000). The AUC of the model for predicting mortality was 0.940 (95% CI:0.894–0.986). When the cut-off value for the model was 4 points, the sensitivity was 95.5% and the specificity was 83.9%. The death risk model in this study for NSTIs patients in the intensive care unit shows high sensitivity and specificity. Patients with a score of ≥ 4 points have a higher risk of mortality. • Necrotizing soft tissue infections have a high mortality in intensive care units. • Age is a mortality factor for necrotizing soft tissue infections. • Renal insufficiency increases the mortality of necrotizing soft tissue infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The current guidelines recommend weight loss for patients with overweight or obesity and knee or hip osteoarthritis (OA); however, there is a paucity of data on the relation of weight loss to death among patients with OA. We aimed to examine the relation of the rate of weight loss induced by antiobesity medications over one year to all‐cause mortality among patients with overweight or obesity and knee or hip OA. Methods: Using the IQVIA Medical Research Database, we identified people with overweight or obesity and knee or hip OA. We emulated analyses of a hypothetical target trial to assess the effect of slow‐to‐moderate (2%–10%) or fast (≥10%) weight loss induced by the initiation of antiobesity medications within one year on all‐cause mortality and secondary outcomes over five years' follow‐up. Results: Among 6,524 participants, the five‐year all‐cause mortality rates were 5.3%, 4.0%, and 5.4% for weight gain or stable, slow‐to‐moderate weight loss, and fast weight loss arms, respectively. Compared with the weight gain or stable arm, hazard ratios of all‐cause mortality were 0.72 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.56–0.92) for the slow‐to‐moderate weight loss arm and 0.99 (95% CI 0.67–1.44) for the fast weight loss arm. We found dose–response protective effects of weight loss on incident hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and venous thromboembolism but a slightly higher risk of cardiovascular disease, albeit not statistically significant, in the fast rate of weight loss arm than in the weight gain or stable arm and no significant relations of weight loss to the risk of cancer. Conclusion: In this population‐based study, a slow‐to‐moderate, but not fast, rate of weight loss induced by antiobesity medications is associated with a lower risk of all‐cause mortality in people with overweight or obesity and knee or hip OA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibition is recognized for its evident renoprotective benefits in diabetic renal disease. Recent data suggest that SGLT2 inhibition also slows down kidney disease progression and reduces the risk of acute kidney injury, regardless of whether the patient has diabetes or not, but the mechanism behind these observed effects remains elusive. The objective of this study is to utilize a mendelian randomization (MR) methodology to comprehensively examine the influence of metabolites in circulation regarding the impact of SGLT2 inhibition on kidney function. Methods: We used a MR study to obtain associations between genetic proxies for SGLT2 inhibition and kidney function. We retrieved the most recent and comprehensive summary statistics from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) that have been previously published and involved kidney function parameters such as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR), and albuminuria. Additionally, we included blood metabolite data from 249 biomarkers in the UK Biobank for a more comprehensive analysis. We performed MR analyses to explore the causal relationships between SGLT2 inhibition and kidney function and two-step MR to discover potential mediating metabolites. Results: The study found that a decrease in HbA1c levels by one standard deviation, which is genetically expected to result in SGLT2 inhibition, was linked to a decreased likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) (odds ratio [OR] = 0.55 [95% CI 0.35, 0.85], P = 0.007). Meanwhile, SGLT2 inhibition also protects eGFR (β = 0.05 [95% CI 0.03, 0.08], P = 2.45 × 10− 5) and decreased UACR (-0.18 [95% CI -0.33, -0.02], P = 0.025) and albuminuria (-1.07 [95% CI -1.58, -0.57], P = 3.60 × 10− 5). Furthermore, the study found that of the 249 metabolites present in the blood, only one metabolite, specifically the concentration of small high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles, was significantly correlated with both SGLT2 inhibition and kidney function. This metabolite was found to play a crucial role in mediating the improvement of renal function through the use of SGLT2 inhibition (β = 0.01 [95% CI 0.005, 0.018], P = 0.001), with a mediated proportion of 13.33% (95% CI [5.71%, 26.67%], P = 0.020). Conclusions: The findings of this investigation provide evidence in favor of a genetically anticipated biological linkage between the inhibition of SGLT2, the presence of circulating metabolites, and renal function. The findings demonstrate that the protective effect of SGLT2 inhibition on renal function is mostly mediated by HDL particle concentrations in circulating metabolites. These results offer significant theoretical support for both the preservation of renal function and a better comprehension of the mechanisms underlying SGLT2 inhibition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoporosis is a major public health concern that significantly increases the risk of fractures. The aim of this study was to develop a Machine Learning based predictive model to screen individuals at high risk of osteoporosis based on chronic disease data, thus facilitating early detection and personalized management. A total of 10,000 complete patient records of primary healthcare data in the German Disease Analyzer database (IMS HEALTH) were included, of which 1293 diagnosed with osteoporosis and 8707 without the condition. The demographic characteristics and chronic disease data, including age, gender, lipid disorder, cancer, COPD, hypertension, heart failure, CHD, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and stroke were collected from electronic health records. Ten different machine learning algorithms were employed to construct the predictive mode. The performance of the model was further validated and the relative importance of features in the model was analyzed. Out of the ten machine learning algorithms, the Stacker model based on Logistic Regression, AdaBoost Classifier, and Gradient Boosting Classifier demonstrated superior performance. The Stacker model demonstrated excellent performance through ten-fold cross-validation on the training set and ROC curve analysis on the test set. The confusion matrix, lift curve and calibration curves indicated that the Stacker model had optimal clinical utility. Further analysis on feature importance highlighted age, gender, lipid metabolism disorders, cancer, and COPD as the top five influential variables. In this study, a predictive model for osteoporosis based on chronic disease data was developed using machine learning. The model shows great potential in early detection and risk stratification of osteoporosis, ultimately facilitating personalized prevention and management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiphysics coupling simulations are of great importance and challenge in engineering and industrial applications. A new efficient full‐wave energy‐conservative projection method between two heterogeneous meshes is proposed in this article, for the analysis of electromagnetic‐thermal‐stress coupling in the printed circuit boards (PCBs) and antenna arrays. The projected variables are directly chosen as the electric fields instead of conventional thermal sources, and a scalable domain decomposition method is used to solve the projection problems. In addition, a bounding‐box algorithm and the spatial K‐dimensional Tree searching algorithm are developed for physical quantity projection between the two heterogeneous meshes. A series of numerical analysis of the electromagnetic‐thermal‐stress coupling process are conducted. In particular, a realistic PCB example is presented, where 144 CPU cores are used and two heterogeneous meshes of over 20 million grids are constructed. A realistic antenna array with 10 000 units is also presented, where 1200 CPU cores are used and two heterogeneous meshes of over 100 million grids are constructed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction:SMG5 is involved in tumor cell development and viewed as a potential target for immunotherapy. The purpose of this study was to systematically analyze the expression level, function, and prognostic value of SMG5 in pan-cancers. Methods: Differential expression of SMG5 in normal and tumor tissues was analyzed using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Genotype-Tissue Expression Database (GTEx) data. Survival analysis was performed by Kaplan-Meier method and Cox risk regression. The relationship between SMG5 expression and lymphocyte abundance, tumor cell immune infiltration level, molecular and immune subtypes as well as immune checkpoints was analyzed by tumor-immune system interactions database (TISIDB), Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER), and Sangerbox databases. The correlation between SMG5 and immune scores was studied using the Estimation of Stromal and Immune Cells in Malignant Tumours using Expression (ESTIMATE) data algorithm. Further, drug sensitivity analysis of SMG5 with low-grade glioma (LGG) was conducted using the CellMiner database. Results:SMG5 was highly expressed in 23 tumors and only had a significant impact on the prognosis of patients with LGG only. In addition, in tumor microenvironment and tumor immune analysis, we found that the level of immune infiltration, tumor mutational load, microsatellite instability, and immune checkpoints of LGG were significantly correlated with SMG5 expression. Furthermore, SMG5 was significantly associated with immune scores, stromal scores, and sensitivity of some drugs in LGG. Conclusion:SMG5 is differentially expressed in several cancers and is significantly associated with prognosis, immune microenvironment, and immune checkpoints in LGG patients. Therefore, SMG5 could be a potential pan-cancer biomarker and an immunotherapeutic target for LGG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Investigating the underlying molecular mechanisms responsible for endometrial dysfunction in women with PCOS is essential, particularly focusing on the role of hyperinsulinemia. Methods: We explored the role of insulin in the decidualization process using a synthetic decidualization assay. To dissect the effects of PI3K/AKT-NR4A signaling, we employed small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) targeting the NR4A genes and inhibitors of the PI3K/AKT pathway. We also investigated the disruption of AKT-NR4A1 signaling in the endometrium of PCOS female rats induced with dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot (WB) analyses were utilized to evaluate gene expression regulation. Results: Insulin was found to suppress the expression of decidualization markers in human endometrial stromal cells (hESC) in a dose-dependent manner, concurrently triggering an inappropriate activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway. Members of the NR4A family, as downstream effectors in the PI3K/AKT pathway, were implicated in the insulin-induced disruptions during the decidualization process. Moreover, the endometrium of PCOS models showed significantly elevated levels of phosphorylated (Ser473) AKT, with a corresponding reduction in Nr4a1 protein. Conclusions: Our research demonstrates that insulin negatively regulates decidualization in hESC via the PI3K/AKT-NR4A pathway. In vivo analysis revealed a significant dysregulation of the AKT-NR4A1 pathway in the endometrium of PCOS rats. These findings offer novel insights into the pathogenesis of infertility and endometrial disorders associated with hyperinsulinemia in PCOS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study a spatially periodic bistable-type reaction–diffusion equation in so-called exterior domains Ω = R N \ K , where K ⊂ R N is a compact set and denotes an obstacle. For any direction e ∈ S N - 1 , if the spatially periodic bistable reaction–diffusion equation in R N admits a moving pulsating front (i.e., the wave speed is nonzero), we first prove the existence and uniqueness of entire solution in the exterior domain Ω , which is emanated from the moving pulsating front. Assuming further that the propagation of the entire solution is complete (i.e., convergence to 1), we prove that the entire solution is a transition front connecting 0 and 1 and is trapped between two translates of the moving pulsating front as time goes to + ∞ . In particular, applying a Liouville-type result, we prove that the entire solution can eventually recover to the same moving pulsating front after crossing the obstacle K by providing some appropriate hypotheses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The friction factor is widely recognized as a pivotal parameter in the analysis of fluid–boundary interactions; however, a comprehensive grasp of friction mechanics remains elusive. This investigation revisits measurements from the benchmark Nikuradse measurements, furnishing indirect evidence of two critical points in pipe turbulence. It underscores that friction factors within laminar and turbulent regimes are intimately interconnected, bearing significant relations to subcritical and critical phenomena. The two critical points directing the laminar–turbulent transition consist of a standard non-equilibrium phase transition and a fully matured turbulent regime, accompanied by an extensive crossover to its asymptotic scaling. Relying on a mathematical model, the scaled friction factor for rough pipes converges into a unified curve. New formula of friction factor of pipe flow is derived, and it was illustrated that it can be derived as a geometric weighted parameter, bridging the laminar and turbulent friction factors. Conclusively, the proffered model was juxtaposed with pipe experimental data from the antecedent study and more contemporaneous transitional pipe data to authenticate the aptness of the suggested model, and it united the friction factor in all three regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anticipatory dynamics (AD) is unusual in that responses from an information receiver can appear ahead of triggers from the source, and direction of information flow (DIF) is needed to establish causality. Although it is believed that anticipatory dynamics is important for animals' survival, natural examples are rare. Time series (trajectories) from a pair of interacting zebrafish are used to look for the existence of AD in natural systems. In order to obtain the DIF between the two trajectories, we have made use of a special experimental design to designate information source. However, we have also used common statistical tools such as Granger causality and transfer entropy to detect DIF. In our experiments, we found that a majority of the fish pairs do not show any anticipatory behaviors and only a few pairs displayed possible AD. Interestingly, for fish in this latter group, they do not display AD all the time. Our findings suggest that the formation of schooling of fish might not need the help of AD, and new tools are needed in the detection of causality in AD system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenological responses to climate change frequently vary among trophic levels, which can result in increasing asynchrony between the peak energy requirements of consumers and the availability of resources. Migratory birds use multiple habitats with seasonal food resources along migration flyways. Spatially heterogeneous climate change could cause the phenology of food availability along the migration flyway to become desynchronized. Such heterogeneous shifts in food phenology could pose a challenge to migratory birds by reducing their opportunity for food availability along the migration path and consequently influencing their survival and reproduction. We develop a novel graph‐based approach to quantify this problem and deploy it to evaluate the condition of the heterogeneous shifts in vegetation phenology for 16 migratory herbivorous waterfowl species in Asia. We show that climate change‐induced heterogeneous shifts in vegetation phenology could cause a 12% loss of migration network integrity on average across all study species. Species that winter at relatively lower latitudes are subjected to a higher loss of integrity in their migration network. These findings highlight the susceptibility of migratory species to climate change. Our proposed methodological framework could be applied to migratory species in general to yield an accurate assessment of the exposure under climate change and help to identify actions for biodiversity conservation in the face of climate‐related risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To mitigate the effect of CO2 on climate change, significant efforts have been made in the past few decades to capture CO2, which can then be further sequestered or converted into value-added compounds, such as methanol and hydrocarbons, by using thermochemical or electrocatalytic processes. However, CO2 capture and conversion have primarily been studied independently, resulting in individual processes that are highly energy-intensive and less economically viable due to high capital and operation costs. To enhance the overall process efficiency, integrating CO2 capture and conversion into a single system offers an opportunity for a more streamlined process that can reduce energy and capital costs. This strategy can be achieved by employing dual function materials (DFMs), which possess the unique capability to simultaneously adsorb and convert CO2. These materials combine basic metal oxides with active metal catalytic sites that enable both sorption and conversion functions. In this review paper, we focus on the recent strategies that utilize mixed metal oxides as DFMs. Their material design and characteristics, reaction mechanisms, as well as performance and limitations will be discussed. We will also address the challenges associated with this integrated system and attempt to provide insights for future research endeavors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: High-power short-duration (HPSD) ablation strategy has emerged as a popular approach for treating atrial fibrillation (AF), with shorter ablation time. The utilized Smart Touch Surround Flow (STSF) catheter, with 56 holes around the electrode, lowers electrode-tissue temperature and thrombus risk. Thus, we conducted this prospective, randomized study to investigate if the HPSD strategy with STSF catheter in AF ablation procedures reduces the silent cerebral embolism (SCE) risk compared to the conventional approach with the Smart Touch (ST) catheter. Methods: From June 2020 to September 2021, 100 AF patients were randomized 1:1 to the HPSD group using the STSF catheter (power set at 50 W) or the conventional group using the ST catheter (power set at 30 to 35 W). Pulmonary vein isolation was performed in all patients, with additional lesions at operator's discretion. High-resolution cerebral diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (hDWI) with slice thickness of 1 mm was performed before and 24–72 h after ablation. The incidence of new periprocedural SCE was defined as the primary outcome. Cognitive performance was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test. Results: All enrolled AF patients (median age 63, 60% male, 59% paroxysmal AF) underwent successful ablation. Post-procedural hDWI identified 106 lesions in 42 enrolled patients (42%), with 55 lesions in 22 patients (44%) in the HPSD group and 51 lesions in 20 patients (40%) in the conventional group (p = 0.685). No significant differences were observed between two groups regarding the average number of lesions (p = 0.751), maximum lesion diameter (p = 0.405), and total lesion volume per patient (p = 0.669). Persistent AF and CHA2DS2-VASc score were identified as SCE determinants during AF ablation procedure by multivariable regression analysis. No significant differences in MoCA scores were observed between patients with SCE and those without, both immediately post-procedure (p = 0.572) and at the 3-month follow-up (p = 0.743). Conclusions: Involving a small sample size of 100 AF patients, this study reveals a similar incidence of SCE in AF ablation procedures, comparing the HPSD strategy using the STSF catheter to the conventional approach with the ST catheter. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT04408716. AF = Atrial fibrillation, DWI = Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, HPSD = High-power short-duration, ST = Smart Touch, STSF = Smart Touch Surround Flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the impact of calcium chloride (CaCl2) and magnesium chloride (MgCl2) at varying concentrations on a model milk formulation's physical and chemical properties after thermal treatment. The model milk was subjected to two-stage homogenization and pasteurization before being supplemented with different concentrations of CaCl2 or MgCl2. The findings revealed that elevating the concentration of either calcium or magnesium resulted in the milk emulsion having a higher viscosity and median particle size following heating. CaCl2 had a slightly stronger impact than MgCl2, particularly at higher concentrations. The milk samples also exhibited a reduction in the zeta potential as the ionic strength of the salt solution increased, with the CaCl2-fortified milk displaying a slightly lower negative surface charge than the MgCl2-fortified milk at the same dose. The model milk's viscosity was evaluated after adding various salt concentrations and a temperature ramp from 20 to 80 °C. Notably, the viscosity and particle size changes demonstrated a non-linear relationship with increasing mineral levels, where a significant increase was observed at or above 5.0 mM. An emulsion stability analysis also revealed that the de-stabilization pattern of the high salt concentration sample differed significantly from its low salt concentration counterparts. These findings could serve as a basis for the future development of fortified UHT milk with nutritionally beneficial calcium and magnesium in industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to discover new biomarkers to detect breast cancer (BC), which is an aggressive cancer with a high mortality rate. In this study, bioinformatic analyses (differential analysis, weighted gene co-expression network analysis, and machine learning) were performed to identify potential candidate genes for BC to study their molecular mechanisms. Furthermore, Quantitative Real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry assays were used to examine the protein and mRNA expression levels of a particular candidate gene (DLGAP5). And the effects of DLGAP5 on cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and cell cycle were further assessed using the Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, colony formation, Transwell, wound healing, and flow cytometry assays. Moreover, the changes in the JAK2/STAT3 signaling-pathway-related proteins were detected by Western Blot. A total of 44 overlapping genes were obtained by differential analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis, of which 25 genes were found in the most tightly connected cluster. Finally, NEK2, CKS2, UHRF1, DLGAP5, and FAM83D were considered as potential biomarkers of BC. Moreover, DLGAP5 was highly expressed in BC. The down-regulation of DLGAP5 may inhibit the proliferation, migration, invasion, and cell cycle of BC cells, and the opposite was true for DLGAP5 overexpression. Correspondingly, silencing or overexpression of the DLGAP5 gene inhibited or activated the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway, respectively. DLGAP5, as a potential biomarker of BC, may impact the cell proliferation, migration, invasion, cell cycle, and BC development by modulating the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reproductive isolation plays an important role in maintaining the species integrity of sympatric close relatives. For sympatric Arisaema species, interspecific gene flow is expected to be effectively prevented by pre‐pollination barriers, particularly strong pollinator isolation mediated by fungus gnats. However, due to the lack of quantitative studies combining multiple pre‐ and post‐pollination barriers, it is not known whether pre‐pollination isolation is complete, and whether post‐pollination barriers also contribute to reproductive isolation among some Arisaema species. In this study, we quantified the individual strengths and absolute contributions of four pre‐ and post‐pollination barriers (phenological isolation, pollinator isolation, hybrid fruit formation, and hybrid seed formation) among three sympatric Arisaema species (A. bockii, A. lobatum, and A. erubescens). Although phenological isolation and pollinator isolation reduced the frequencies of interspecific pollen transfer among these species, the partial overlap of flowering times and pollinator assemblages resulted in incomplete pre‐pollination isolation. Post‐pollination barriers also contributed to reproductive isolation at the hybrid fruit and seed formation stages. We propose that, although pre‐pollination barriers are expected to contribute more to total isolation than post‐pollination barriers in Arisaema, pre‐pollination barriers may not completely prevent interspecific pollen transfer among some Arisaema species. Post‐pollination barriers, which are generally ignored, may also have contributed significantly to reproductive isolation in Arisaema. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ultrafast nonradiative dynamics in the S1 electronic excited state and the corresponding photodissociation dynamics in propanal molecules have been studied with time-resolved photoelectron imaging and time-of-flight mass spectrometry at an excitation wavelength of 320 nm. The population of the S1 state undergoes ultrafast internal conversion (IC) to the highly vibrationally hot S0 state in a timescale of <100 fs and nonradiative deactivation by intersystem crossing (ISC) to triplet T1 state occurring with a time constant of about several hundreds of femtoseconds. The ISC process is then followed by the dissociation on the T1 surface because the excitation energy is higher than the dissociation barrier along the C–C(HO) bond length coordinate. The dissociation product of the CHO radical has an appearance time of about 540 fs, which agrees well with the measured ISC relaxation time constant of 430 fs. The CO molecule is proposed to form at about 170 fs after the excitation, supporting the dissociation mechanism via the molecular channel following the IC decay of the S1 state. The energy of the first excited electronic state of the C3H6O+ is obtained to be 12.25 eV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The activity of Pt(111) electrodes for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in 0.5M H2SO4 solution is found to increase with continuous potential cycling in the HER potential region. In addition, the basic cyclic voltammograms obtained in 0.5M H2SO4 saturated with N2 after HER show several characteristic changes: the current waves for hydrogen adsorption in the region of0.2 < E < 0.35 V and for sulfate adsorption at 0.35 < E < 0.5 V decrease and the current spike at 0.44 V for the phase transition of the sulfate adlayer gradually disappears. We suggest that these changes are caused by the absorption of a small amount of hydrogen in the subsurface layer and propose a mechanism by which this enhances hydrogen evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural integrity and esthetic appeal of concrete can be compromised by concrete cracks. Promise has been shown by microbe-induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) as a solution for concrete cracking, with a focus on urease-producing microorganisms in research. Bacillus cereus was isolated from soil and employed for this purpose in this study due to its high urease activity. The strain exhibited strong tolerance for alkaline media and high salt levels, which grew at a pH of 13 and 4% salt concentration. The repair of concrete cracks with this strain was evaluated by assessing the effects of four different thickeners at varying concentrations. The most effective results were achieved with 10 g/L of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC-Na). The data showed that over 90% repair of cracks was achieved by this system with an initial water penetration time of 30 s. The study also assessed the quantity and sizes of crystals generated during the bacterial mineralization process over time to improve our understanding of the process. Key points: • MICP using Bacillus cereus shows potential for repairing concrete cracks. • Strain tolerates alkaline media and high salt levels, growing at pH 13 and 4% salt concentration. • Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC-Na) at 10 g/L achieved over 90% repair of cracks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonsteroidal antiinf lammatory drugs (NSAIDs) remain the mainstay of the pharmacologic management for relieving osteoarthritis pain, and low-dose aspirin is often prescribed to osteoarthritis patients who are at high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). We conducted cohort studies using data from The Health Improvement Network (THIN) database (2000–2019) to assess whether the relationship of initiation of naproxen or ibuprofen vs. initiation of other NSAIDs (excluding both naproxen and ibuprofen), respectively, to the risk of CVD was modified by coprescription of low-dose aspirin among the participants with osteoarthritis. Among participants without coprescription of aspirin, the risk of CVD was lower in naproxen initiators (10.3/1000 person-years) than in other NSAIDs initiators (13.2/1000 person-years; hazard ratio = 0.71, 95% confidence interval: 0.60, 0.85). Among participants with coprescription of aspirin, however, the risk of CVD was higher among naproxen initiators (36.9/1000 person-years) than that among other NSAIDs initiators (34.8/1000 person-years; hazard ratio = 1.48, 95% confidence interval: 1.12, 1.84). The association was significantly modified by coprescription of aspirin (P  < 0.001). Similar findings were observed in the association of initiation of ibuprofen vs. other NSAIDs with the risk of CVD, which was significantly modified by coprescription of aspirin (P  < 0.001). These findings suggest that osteoarthritis patients and clinicians should be aware of the potential CVD risk of concurrently taking naproxen or ibuprofen and low-dose aspirin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foamy viruses are members of the Retroviridae family's Spumaretrovirinae subfamily. They induce cell vacuolation and exhibit a foamy pathogenic impact after infecting cells. DACH1 (dachshund family transcription factor 1) is a crucial cytokine linked to tumor development, and is associated with the growth of many different malignant tumor cells. Additionally, DACH1 suppresses pancreatic cell proliferation and is involved in diabetes insulin signaling. Prototype foamy viruses (PFVs) were used for the investigation of the regulatory mechanism of FVs on cellular DACH1 expression. The results show that DACH1 expression in PFV-infected cells was inconsistent at both the transcriptional and protein levels. At the transcriptional level, DACH1 was significantly activated by PFV transactivator Tas, and dual-luciferase reporter gene tests, EMSA, and ChIP assays found a Tas response element of 21 nucleotides in the DACH1 promoter. PFV and Tas did not boost the levels of DACH1 protein in a manner consistent with the high levels of DACH1 transcription expression. It was noted that Tas increased the expression of the Ser/Thr protein phosphatase PPM1E, causing PPM1E-mediated post-translational SUMOylation alterations of DACH1 to prompt DACH1 to degrade. The reason for DACH1 protein degradation is that DACH1 inhibits PFV replication. To sum up, these findings show that PFV upregulated the transcription of DACH1, while urging its protein into PPM1E-mediated SUMOylation, to eliminate the adverse effect of DACH1 overexpression of host cells on viral replication and promote virus survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Laccases are green biocatalysts with wide industrial applications. The study of efficient and specific laccase producers remains a priority. Cerrena species have been shown to be promising basidiomycete candidates for laccase production. Although two sets of Cerrena genome data have been publicly published, no comprehensive bioinformatics study of laccase gene family in C. unicolor has been reported, particularly concerning the analysis of their three-dimensional (3D) structures and molecular docking to substrates, like ABTS and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). Results: In this study, we conducted a comprehensive genome-wide analysis of laccase gene family in C. unicolor 87613. We identified eighteen laccase genes (CuLacs) and classified them into three clades using phylogenetic analysis. We characterized these laccases, including their location in contig 5,6,9,12,15,19,26,27, gene structures of different exon-intron arrangements, molecular weight ranging from 47.89 to 141.41 kDa, acidic pI value, 5–15 conserved protein motifs, signaling peptide of extracellular secretion (harbored by 13 CuLacs) and others. In addition, the analysis of cis-acting element in laccase promoters indicated that the transcription response of CuLac gene family was regulatable and complex under different environmental cues. Furthermore, analysis of transcription pattern revealed that CuLac8, 12 and CuLac2, 13 were the predominant laccases in response to copper ions or oxidative stress, respectively. Finally, we focused on the 3D structure analysis of CuLac proteins. Seven laccases with extra transmembrane domains or special sequences were particularly interesting. Predicted structures of each CuLac protein with or without these extra sequences showed altered interacting amino acid residues and binding sites, leading to varied affinities to both ABTS and AFB1. As far as we know, it is the first time to discuss the influence of the extra sequence on laccase's affinity to substrates. Conclusions: Our findings provide robust genetic data for a better understanding of the laccase gene family in C. unicolor 87613, and create a foundation for the molecular redesign of CuLac proteins to enhance their industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media sites have become ubiquitous, and firms turn to these sites as a tool for effective marketing. This study examined the effect of social media marketing on customer value and investigated whether customer engagement mediated this relationship. We analyzed data collected from 335 existing users of social media sites for sports shoes brands in China. Structural equation modeling was employed to test the research hypotheses. Results showed that social media marketing was positively related to customer value. Further, customer engagement played a mediating role in the relationship between social media marketing and customer value. The findings suggest that marketers should exert effort in using social media to foster customer engagement and enhance customer value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beryllium is an ablator material used in inertial-confinement fusion and hypervelocity impact studies. The thermoelastic properties, structural factors, and optical properties of beryllium are important in these studies. In this paper, the static structural factors, ion–ion dynamic structural factors, adiabatic velocity, and optical properties of beryllium along the Hugoniot were calculated by ab initio simulations. The static structural factors show that beryllium atoms were randomly distributed. The dynamic structural factors extracted the dispersion relation for collective excitation via the scattering function. By collecting the peak position of the dynamic structural factors, the dispersion relation and adiabatic sound velocity were derived by definition. Using the calculated equation of state, the thermoelastic properties and adiabatic sound velocity have been derived. The two calculated methods for adiabatic sound velocity were verified to be equivalent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A full solution‐based method is reported to fabricate multilayer thin film stacks for structural color applications. This is in contrast to the conventional fabrication methods that require high vacuum processes such as physical vapor deposition and magnetron sputtering, which significantly limits their practical use due to the high cost and long processing time. Copper/silicon dioxide/copper (Cu/SiO2/Cu) and copper/titanium dioxide/copper (Cu/TiO2/Cu) are chosen as the model system due to their simple structure and wide color tunability. A systematic investigation is carried out for each layer to ensure good film quality as well as its compatibility with all previous layers. Especially, a particulate Cu layer having optical properties distinct from that of bulk is obtained through such solution deposition, where the refractive index of Cu can be continuously tuned with deposition time. Both primary and secondary colors are achieved with a continuous manipulation of both the dielectric thickness and top Cu morphology on different substrates (e.g., silicon, glass, plastics, etc.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Gout is associated with a higher risk of fracture; however, findings on the associations of hyperuricemia and urate‐lowering therapy (ULT) with the risk of fracture have been inconsistent. We examined whether lowering serum urate (SU) levels with ULT to a target level (i.e., <360 μmoles/liter) reduces the risk of fracture among individuals with gout. Methods: We emulated analyses of a hypothetical target trial using a "cloning, censoring, and weighting" approach to examine the association between lowering SU with ULT to the target levels and the risk of fracture using data from The Health Improvement Network, a UK primary care database. Individuals with gout who were age 40 years or older and for whom ULT was initiated were included in the study. Results: Among 28,554 people with gout, the 5‐year risk of hip fracture was 0.5% for the "achieving the target SU level" arm and 0.8% for the "not achieving the target SU level" arm. The risk difference and hazard ratio for the "achieving the target SU level" arm was –0.3% (95% confidence interval [95% CI] –0.5%, –0.1%) and 0.66 (95% CI 0.46, 0.93), respectively, compared with the "not achieving the target SU level" arm. Similar results were observed when the associations between lowering SU level with ULT to the target levels and the risk of composite fracture, major osteoporotic fracture, vertebral fracture, and nonvertebral fracture were assessed. Conclusion: In this population‐based study, lowering the SU level with ULT to the guideline‐based target level was associated with a lower risk of incident fracture in people with gout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, cooperative transportation systems using multiple mobile robots have been studied. The advantage will be to transport objects that cannot be dealt with by a single robot and transport them by using smaller robots. Although cooperative transportation by a group of robots has been studied, the conventional transportation targets are limited to objects whose posture is stable. In this paper, we propose a system in which robots pile up on each other to support an object, aiming at a system for more versatile object transportation, including unstable objects. After deriving the conditions by modeling the support system in object transportation, we verify the transporting performance including the robotic pile-up effect through actual robot experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) as the novel kind of green solvents have been received widespread attention. After the addition of molecular solvents, a pseudo-binary system is set up with the advantages such as low cost. A kind of DES (1TEAB: 3EG) was prepared and confirmed, and it is mixed with acetonitrile, ethanol and water. Their density, surface tension and refractive index of the DES and its corresponding pseudo-binary mixtures are explored in depth. In addition to the excess molar volumes, the partial molar volumes, partial molar volume at infinite dilution and their excess molar volumes are also investigated. The molar Gibbs free energy and the corresponding molar surface enthalpy could be deduced from the improved Eӧtvӧs equation. It is suggested that the molar Gibbs free energy model is fit for that of DES and its pseudo-binary systems. In addition, the surface tension deviations and refractive index deviations are figured out. This illustrates that there are fairly strong interactions between DES (1TEAB: 3EG) and molecular solvents, which could attribute to mainly two sides: H-bonding and structural effect. Besides, refractive properties such as the molar refraction and free volume are advised that there are ion–dipole interactions between DES and molecular solvents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the impact mechanism of school climate on the well-being of secondary vocational students in China, we surveyed 1,427 secondary vocational students using the School Climate Scale, the PERMA-Profiler, the Chinese Positive Psychological Quality Scale for Primary and Secondary School Students, and the Parenting Styles Scale. The results showed that school climate, students' positive psychological quality, and well-being were all significantly and positively correlated with each other. Students' positive psychological quality partially mediated the relationship between school climate and their well-being. A positive parenting style moderated the relationship between positive psychological quality and well-being. The findings enhance understanding of the mechanisms underlying the relationship between school climate and well-being among secondary vocational students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with the propagation and blocking phenomenon of time periodic bistable reaction-diffusion equations in cylindrical domains. We first show that there is an entire solution originating from a time periodic planar traveling front in cylindrical domains. Here an entire solution is referred to a solution that is defined for all t ∈ R and all x ∈ Ω . Then we prove that it converges to the same planar traveling front as t → + ∞ uniformly in x ∈ Ω under the complete propagation if the underlying domain is a bilaterally straight cylinder. Furthermore, we give some sufficient conditions on the domain to ensure that whether there is a complete propagation or the propagation is blocked. Finally, we show that any transition front connecting 0 and 1 under the complete propagation has a unique global mean speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complex phase interactions of the two-phase flow are a key factor in understanding the flow pattern evolutional mechanisms, yet these complex flow behaviors have not been well understood. In this paper, we employ a series of gas–liquid two-phase flow multivariate fluctuation signals as observations and propose a novel interconnected ordinal pattern network to investigate the spatial coupling behaviors of the gas–liquid two-phase flow patterns. In addition, we use two network indices, which are the global subnetwork mutual information (I) and the global subnetwork clustering coefficient (C), to quantitatively measure the spatial coupling strength of different gas–liquid flow patterns. The gas–liquid two-phase flow pattern evolutionary behaviors are further characterized by calculating the two proposed coupling indices under different flow conditions. The proposed interconnected ordinal pattern network provides a novel tool for a deeper understanding of the evolutional mechanisms of the multi-phase flow system, and it can also be used to investigate the coupling behaviors of other complex systems with multiple observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with the propagation phenomena in a diffusion system with the Belousov–Zhabotinskii chemical reaction in ℝ N under the bistability assumption. We prove that there is a new type of entire solution originated from three moving planar traveling fronts, and evolved to a V-shaped traveling front as time changes, which means that the profile of this solution is not invariant at all. Here an entire solution is referred to a solution that is defined for all time t  ∈  ℝ and in the whole space x  ∈  ℝ N . Furthermore, we show that not only the entire solution but also all transition fronts share the same global mean speed by constructing suitable radially symmetric expanding and retracting super- and subsolutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An indoor vibrational dissolution scouring test was designed to investigate the effects of vibrational frequency, vibrational acceleration, environmental temperature, and dissolution medium on the dissolution characteristics of cement-stabilized macadam base material during water erosion. The results showed that the dissolution damage effect exists in cement-stabilized macadam, and dissolution is an important evaluation index of its base failure. The amount of calcium ion (Ca2+) dissolution and pH of cement stabilized gravel increased with increasing vibrational time. When the vibrational frequency was in the range of 80–180 Hz , the amount of dissolved Ca2+ and the pH of the solution first increased, and then decreased with the vibrational frequency. The Ca2+ concentration and pH of the solution reached their maximum at 140 Hz for 10 h. Of the four vibrational dissolution factors considered, vibrational acceleration produced the largest degree of dissolution of cement-stabilized macadam. The leached Ca2+ concentration increased with increasing temperature of the dissolution medium and the concentration of ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) solution, while increasing pH decreased dissolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Every fraction was further isolated by silica gel column chromatography, Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography to afford compounds B 1 b (88 mg), B 2 b (4.1 mg), B 3 b (5.6 mg), B 4 b (2.7 mg), B 5 b (3.2 mg), B 6 b (11.8 mg), B 7 b (13.3 mg), B 8 b (7.1 mg), B 9 b (40.3 mg), B 10 b (11.5 mg), B 11 b (13.8 mg), B 12 b (6.3 mg), B 13 b (10.5 mg), B 14 b (20.1 mg), B 15 b (8.8 mg), B 16 b (5.4 mg). The EtOAc fraction (380g) was chromatographed over a silica gel column eluted with petroleum ether-ethyl acetate and yielded six fractions (A-F). Especially the petroleum ether and ethyl acetate extracts exhibited significant inhibitory activities on human myeloid leukemia HL-60 (HL-60), with IC SB 50 sb values of 10.56 and 17.21 g/mL, respectively. [Extracted from the article]

Two-dimensional (2D) semi-Dirac systems, such as 2D black phosphorus and arsenene, can exhibit a rich topological phase transition between insulating, semi-Dirac, and band inversion phases when subjected to an external modulation. How these phase transitions manifest within the quantum transport and shot noise signatures remains an open question thus far. Here, we show that the Fano factor converges to the universal F ≈ 0.179 at the semi-Dirac phase and transits between the sub-Poissonian (F ≈ 1 / 3) and the Poissonian shot noise (F ≈ 1) limit at the band inversion and the insulating phase, respectively. Furthermore, the conductance of a 2D semi-Dirac system converges to the contrasting limit of G / G 0 → 1 / d and G / G 0 → 0 at the band inversion and the insulating phases, respectively. The quantum tunneling spectra exhibits a peculiar coexistence of massless and massive Dirac quasiparticles in the band inversion regime, thus providing a versatile sandbox to study the tunneling behavior of various Dirac quasiparticles. These findings reveal the rich interplay between band topology and quantum transport signatures, which may serve as smoking gun signatures for the experimental studies of semi-Dirac systems near the topological phase transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]