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Myelolipoma is a kind of benign lipoma containing myeloid cells. It is a rare type of tumor that typically presents as an occasional adrenal tumor, generally manifesting as a nonfunctional adrenal mass. Although it can occur in extra-adrenal tissues, its occurrence in bone tissue is extremely rare. Most cases are discovered accidentally during physical examinations of adults, and there are currently no reports of cases with pathological fractures as the main symptoms. We present a case of a 15-year-old teenager who developed a pathological fracture caused by femoral myelolipoma. The diagnosis of the specific type of bone tumor of the patient was determined through pathology and imaging. To treat the condition, we utilized a technique known as the "soft drill" to fully access the tumor space, remove the bone septum, and scrape away the diseased tissue. The fracture was then stabilized using a hybrid external fixation. After a 2-year follow-up period, there was no recurrence of the bone tumor. This case is the first case of intraosseous myelolipoma that occurred in a minor with the initial symptom of pathological fracture, filling the gap in our existing body of knowledge and providing a reference for the treatment of this type of intraosseous myelolipoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of pressure and environment on urban polyethylene (PE) gas pipeline makes structural deterioration and leaking to the pipeline and pipeline easy. This paper proposes an analysis method for optimizing Variational Mode Decomposition (VMD) algorithm. Firstly, the optimal bandwidth is obtained by using the adaptive weighted frequency band entropy (AFBE), and the optimal quadratic penalty factor is obtained by curve fitting. Then, the AFBE is used as the fitness function, and the optimal decomposition level is obtained by the optimized beetle whisker search algorithm. Experimental results show that the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is improved by 12.74% on average. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crumb rubber concrete (CRC) is a cementitious composite produced by incorporating rubber crumbs into normal concrete (NC), characterized by large deformation, high damping, high energy absorption, and lower Young's modulus than normal concrete. This article presents a study on the seismic performance of frame structures under four scenarios: one normal concrete frame and three CRC frames. The total lateral stiffness, fundamental period, lateral earthquake loading, and interstory lateral displacements are calculated and compared based on the standardized design procedure. The results indicate that CRC frame structures increase the fundamental period and reduce the lateral earthquake loadings. The fundamental period of the CRC columns and beams (S3) is increased by 5.48% against normal concrete beams and columns (S0). However, decrease in the total lateral stiffness and increase the interstory lateral displacements was observed. The lateral earthquake loading is reduced by more than 4% against S0. These two competing factors determine the plausibility and benefit of CRC in structural application regarding earthquake design. The inter-story lateral displacements of CRC structures are still within the permissible design limits, confirming CRC's plausibility in structural application. This study also lays the technical ground for further exploring CRC in concrete structural applications that may recycle large quantities of scrap automobile tires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PSI is a sophisticated photosynthesis protein complex that fuels the light reaction of photosynthesis in algae and vascular plants. While the structure and function of PSI have been studied extensively, the dynamic regulation on PSI oligomerization and high light response is less understood. In this work, we characterized a high light-responsive immunophilin gene FKB20-2 (FK506-binding protein 20-2) required for PSI oligomerization and high light tolerance in Chlamydomonas (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii). Biochemical assays and 77-K fluorescence measurement showed that loss of FKB20-2 led to the reduced accumulation of PSI core subunits and abnormal oligomerization of PSI complexes and, particularly, reduced PSI intermediate complexes in fkb20-2. It is noteworthy that the abnormal PSI oligomerization was observed in fkb20-2 even under dark and dim light growth conditions. Coimmunoprecipitation, MS, and yeast 2-hybrid assay revealed that FKB20-2 directly interacted with the low molecular weight PSI subunit PsaG, which might be involved in the dynamic regulation of PSI-light-harvesting complex I supercomplexes. Moreover, abnormal PSI oligomerization caused accelerated photodamage to PSII in fkb20-2 under high light stress. Together, we demonstrated that immunophilin FKB20-2 affects PSI oligomerization probably by interacting with PsaG and plays pivotal roles during Chlamydomonas tolerance to high light. FKB20-2 interacts with PSI small subunit PsaG in thylakoid lumen, ensuring the accumulation of PSI complexes and influencing the high light tolerance of Chlamydomonas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The compaction quality is directly related to the deformation and stability of the rockfill dam. Measuring the test pit volume efficiently and accurately is the most critical step during the compaction quality inspection. A new method for calculating the test pit volume based on point cloud data is proposed. An auxiliary device that can change the scanning distance and angle of the handheld 3D laser scanner is developed to collect the initial point cloud. The segmentation method of the initial point cloud data including the test pit and the compaction surface outside the pit is to divide the data into two parts according to the order number of the segmentation point, after slicing and sorting point clouds, which is the key to ensuring the computational precision. The segmentation points are the adjacent two points with the greatest order number difference in these point clouds whose distance from the line connecting the end points of the slicing point clouds is less than dz. The compaction surface point clouds are used to construct a plane by the least-squares algorithm so that the closed three-dimensional model is formed by registering it with the test pit point clouds. After converting the test pit surface to the horizontal plane by the Rodrigues formula, the test pit point clouds are divided into n2 parts with equal projection areas on the horizontal plane, and n2 prisms are constructed using them and their projection areas. The test pit volume is the sum of the intersection space volumes of all prisms and the test pit model, and the intersection space is determined by comparing the Z-values of point clouds. The new method was programmed in MATLAB and applied to the Shuangjiangkou rockfill dam with a height of 315 m. The relative error of volume results between the new method and the old water-filling method is 0.14–2.31%. The cause of the error is analyzed, and it is proved that the results of the new method are closer to the real volume of the test pit in theory. This method reduces the inspection cost but greatly improves the level of precision, efficiency, and intelligence for compaction quality inspection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid aluminum dialkylphosphinates were synthesized from mixed diethyl-, ethylisobutyl-, and diisobutylphosphinates and Al3+ in water. The XRD, DSC, and TGA results of these Al phosphinates established that phosphinate ligands are randomly distributed in the species. The thermal and thermoxidative stabilities of the hybrid phosphinates were easily adjustable by varying the ratio of phosphinate ligands, a desirable feature for efficient flame retardants. The hybrid aluminum dialkylphosphinates with a relatively low ratio of diethylphosphinate demonstrated higher efficiency than Al diethylphosphinate and Al diisobutylphosphinate in flame-retarding polyamide 66. Detailed investigations on the thermal and thermoxidative stabilities of Al dialkylphosphinates and the morphologies of char obtained in UL-94 tests revealed that timely vaporization of degradation products of hybrid dialkylphosphinates at a temperature which closely matches the degradation temperature of polyamides and their ability to promote char formation of polyamides are two key factors which contribute to the excellent performance of hybrid aluminum dialkylphosphinates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How atmospheric and oceanic circulations respond to Arctic warming at different timescales are revealed with idealized numerical simulations. Induced by local forcing and feedback, Arctic warming appears and leads to sea-ice melting. Deep-water formation is inhibited, which weakens the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). The flow and temperature in the upper layer does not respond to the AMOC decrease immediately, especially at mid-low latitudes. Thus, nearly uniform surface warming in mid-low latitudes enhances (decreases) the strength (width) of the Hadley cell (HC). With the smaller northward heat carried by the weaker AMOC, the Norwegian Sea cools significantly. With strong warming in Northern Hemisphere high latitudes, the long-term response triggers the "temperature-wind-gyre-temperature" cycle, leading to colder midlatitudes, resulting in strong subsidence and Ferrel cell enhancement, which drives the HC southward. With weaker warming in the tropics and stronger warming at high latitudes, there is a stronger HC with decreased width. A much warmer Southern Hemisphere appears due to a weaker AMOC that also pushes the HC southward. Our idealized model results suggest that the HC strengthens under both warming conditions, as tropical warming determines the strength of the HC convection. Second, extreme Arctic warming led by artificially reduced surface albedo decreases the meridional temperature gradient between high and low latitudes, which contracts the HC. Third, a warmer mid-high latitude in the Northern (Southern) Hemisphere due to surface albedo feedback (weakened AMOC) in our experiments pushes the HC northward (southward). In most seasons, the HC exhibits the same trend as that described above. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The L1 cell adhesion molecule (L1CAM, OMIM 308840) gene is primarily expressed in the nervous system and encodes the L1 adhesion molecule protein. Variations in L1CAM cause a wide spectrum of X‐linked neurological disorders summarized as the L1 syndrome. Methods: We report a 29‐year‐old pregnant woman who experienced multiple adverse pregnancy outcomes due to recurrent fetal hydrocephalus with an X‐linked recessive inheritance. Genomic DNA was extracted from the third aborted male fetus and analyzed via trio whole‐exome sequencing (WES). Total RNA was isolated from the pregnant woman to assess splicing variation at the mRNA level, and amniotic fluid was extracted from the woman for prenatal diagnosis on her fourth fetus. Results: All four male fetuses were affected by severe hydrocephalus. We identified a maternally derived hemizygous splicing variation NM_000425.5:[c.3046 + 1G > A]; NP_000416.1 p.(Gly1016AspfsTer6) (chrX:153130275) in Intron 22 of the L1CAM. This variation disrupts the donor splice site and causes the retention of Intron 22, which results in frame shift and a premature termination codon at position 1021 with the ability to produce a truncated protein without the fifth fibronectin‐repeat III, transmembrane, and cytoplasmic domains or to induce the degradation of mRNAs by nonsense‐mediated mRNA decay. The same hemizygous variant was also detected in the amniocytes. Conclusion: This report enhances our knowledge of genetic and phenotypic characteristics of X‐linked fetal hydrocephalus, providing a new genetic basis for prenatal diagnosis and pre‐implantation prenatal diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Whether smoking is a risk factor for ischemic stroke (IS) recurrence in IS survivors is still uncovered, and evidences are sparse. Meanwhile, an add-on effect of clopidogrel was observed in myocardial infarction patients who smoked, but whether the paradox exists in IS patients is still unsolved. The objectives of this study are to explore the association between smoking behavior after index stroke and IS recurrence and to explore whether the paradox exists. Methods: A prospective cohort of first-ever IS patients was conducted between 2010 and 2019. The prognosis and smoking features of enrolled patients were obtained via telephone follow-up every 3 months. Fine-gray model with interaction terms was applied to measure the relationships between stroke recurrence and smoking behaviors after index stroke and to explore the add-on effect of clopidogrel in smoking patients. Results: There were 171 (24.26%) recurrences and 129 (18.30%) deaths during follow-up in 705 enrolled IS patients. One hundred forty-six (20.71%) patients smoked after index stroke. The hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of interaction terms between antiplatelet drug and follow-up smoking (smoking status and daily smoking amount) were 1.092 (95% CI: 0.524, 2.276) and 0.985 (95% CI: 0.941, 1.031), respectively. A significantly higher risk of recurrence was observed in patients with a higher daily smoking amount during follow-up (per cigarette), with HR being 1.027 (95% CI: 1.003, 1.052). Conclusions: Smoking could elevate the risk of IS recurrence, and IS survivor should be advised to quit or smoke less. Add-on effect of clopidogrel may not exist in smoking strokers taking clopidogrel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For m ∈ N and β ∈ (1 , m + 1 ] , we consider the set U m , β consisting of unique β -expansions in { 0 , 1 , ⋯ , m } N ∖ { 0 ∞ , m ∞ }. Let k ∈ { 1 , ⋯ , m } with k > k ‾ where k ‾ : = m − k. We determine the bifurcation value of β 's, below which in any w ∈ U m , β the digit frequencies of k and k ‾ exist and are equal, and above which there are many w ∈ U m , β , consisting of a set of positive dimension, such that the digit frequencies of k and k ‾ in w do not exist. We also determine the bifurcation value of β 's, below which in any w ∈ U m , β the upper and lower frequencies of k are respectively equal to the upper and lower frequencies of k ‾ , and above which there exists c > 0 , such that for any r ∈ (− c , c) , there are many w ∈ U m , β , consisting of a set of positive dimension, such that the difference of the digit frequencies of k and k ‾ in w is exactly equal to r. For a video summary of this paper, please visit https://youtu.be/IJvlWTt5DIQ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method of urban pipeline leakage infrasound signal processing based on spectrum analysis is proposed in order to address the issues of low recognition rate of infrasound signal of urban nonmetallic pipeline leakage and the existence of false signal interference, which results in low accuracy of pipeline leakage location. Firstly, the frequency spectrum of leakage and nonleakage signals is analyzed on the basis of a large number of tests, and the frequency spectrum characteristics and leakage judgment criteria of urban nonmetallic pipeline infrasound leakage signals are summarized. Secondly, the improved complementary ensemble empirical mode decomposition (ICEEMD) method is used to decompose the infrasonic leakage signal into the effective signal component and noise signal component to remove the false signal. Finally, the fine composite multiscale entropy algorithm is used to screen and reconstruct the entropy value of each signal component to extract effective and pure infrasonic leakage signal data. The experimental application demonstrated that the proposed method's signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) increased from 13 to 25 dB and its average root-mean square error (RMSE) decreased from 24.82% to 3.39%. This significantly increases the accuracy of the identification of infrasound signals of urban nonmetallic pipeline leakage and provides a basis for pipeline leakage location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A good understanding driver behavior is significant in the development of chassis control system and autonomous vehicles. To better simulate human drivers, the driver model with the local path rolling planning decision is developed based on model predictive control algorithm. Firstly, three local path planning methods of straight-line driving, circular-arc driving and B-spline curve driving are designed to describe the different steering styles. Secondly, the linear time-varying (LTV) MPC controller is established to follow the local planned path. Finally, the two typical simulations are carried out and compared with the single-point preview driver model and the optimal preview driver model. And, the results indicate that the proposed driver model is suitable for simulating diversity of the human driver's driving characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teaching pendants with multiple buttons are commonly employed to control working robots; however, such devices are not easy to operate. As an alternative, gesture-based manipulation methods using the operator's upper limb movements have been studied as a way to operate the robots intuitively. Previous studies involving these methods have generally failed to consider the changing viewpoint of the operator relative to the robot, which may adversely affect operability. This study proposes a novel evaluation method and applies it in a series of experiments to compare the influence of viewpoint change on the operability of the gesture- and button-based operation methods. Experimental results indicate that the operability of the gesture-based method is superior to that of the button-based method for all viewpoint angles, due mainly to shorter non-operating times. An investigation of trial-and-error operation indicates that viewpoint change makes positional operation with the button-based method more difficult but has a relatively minor influence on postural operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since deformation modulus of rock mass is an important parameter for analyzing the mechanical properties of roadway surrounding rock in coal mines, accurate acquisition of the deformation modulus of roadway surrounding rock is essential for mining design, roadway support, and disaster prevention. To achieve this aim, the roadway surrounding rock in Chahasu Coal Mine was taken as the research case. First, uniaxial compression experiments and true triaxial compression experiments were carried out on coal and rock samples. The laboratory deformation modulus of rock mass was determined by stress–strain curves, and the in situ deformation modulus of rock mass in coring boreholes was obtained with the aid of the GY-75 borehole jack. Meanwhile, based on the results of rock mass quality evaluation, the estimated values of deformation moduli of roadway surrounding rock were obtained through an empirical equation. As displayed through the comparative study on the relations between deformation moduli obtained by different methods, with the increase of rock mass depth, in situ deformation modulus increases gradually with reduced growth amplitudes, and its spatial distribution characteristics can be expressed by an exponential function. For roadway surrounding rocks at the same depth, the relation between in situ deformation modulus and deformation moduli obtained from the uniaxial compression experiment and the true triaxial compression experiment can be given by an exponential function and a linear function, respectively. The empirical equation based on the single index RMR shows strong applicability in estimating the deformation modulus of roadway surrounding rock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hurricanes are one of the most devastating earth surface processes. In 2020 and 2021, Hurricanes Zeta and Ida pounded the Mississippi River Delta in two consecutive years, devastated South Louisiana, and raised tremendous concerns for scientists and stakeholders around the world. This study presents a high-resolution spatial-temporal analysis incorporating planialtimetric data acquired via LIDAR, drone, and satellite to investigate the shoreline dynamics near Port Fourchon, Louisiana, the eye of Ida at landfall, before and after the beach nourishment project and recent hurricane landfalls. The remote sensing analysis shows that the volume of the ~2 km studied beachfront was reduced by 240,858 m3 after consecutive landfalls of Hurricanes Zeta and Ida in 2020 and 2021, while 82,915 m3 of overwash fans were transported to the backbarrier areas. Overall, the studied beach front lost almost 40% of its volume in 2019, while the average dune crest height was reduced by over 1 m and the shoreline retreated ~60 m after the two hurricane strikes. Our spatial-temporal dataset suggests that the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority's (CPRA's) beach nourishment effort successfully stabilized the beach barrier at Port Fourchon during the hurricane-quiescent years but was not adequate to protect the shoreline at the Mississippi River Delta from intense hurricane landfalls. Our study supports the conclusion that, in the absence of further human intervention, Bay Champagne will likely disappear completely into the Gulf of Mexico within the next 40 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let (t n) n ≥ 0 be the well-known ± 1 Thue–Morse sequence + 1 , − 1 , − 1 , + 1 , − 1 , + 1 , + 1 , − 1 , .... Since the 1982–1983 work of Coquet and Dekking, it is known that ∑ k < n t k e 2 k π i 3 is strongly related to the famous Koch curve. As a natural generalization, for m ∈ ℕ , we use ∑ k < n δ k e 2 k π i m to define the generalized Koch curve, where (δ n) n ≥ 0 is the generalized Thue–Morse sequence defined to be the unique fixed point of the morphism + 1 ↦ + 1 , + δ 1 , ... , + δ m , − 1 ↦ − 1 , − δ 1 , ... , − δ m beginning with δ 0 = + 1 and δ 1 , ... , δ m ∈ { + 1 , − 1 } , and we prove that generalized Koch curves are the attractors of the corresponding iterated function systems. For the case that m ≥ 2 , δ 0 = ⋯ = δ ⌊ m 4 ⌋ = + 1 , δ ⌊ m 4 ⌋ + 1 = ⋯ = δ m − ⌊ m 4 ⌋ − 1 = − 1 and δ m − ⌊ m 4 ⌋ = ⋯ = δ m = + 1 , the open set condition holds, and then the corresponding generalized Koch curve has Hausdorff, packing and box dimension log (m + 1) / log | ∑ k = 0 m δ k e 2 k π i m | , where taking m = 3 and then δ 0 = + 1 , δ 1 = δ 2 = − 1 , δ 3 = + 1 will recover the result on the classical Koch curve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the set Γ consisting of univoque sequences, the set ʌ consisting of sequences in which the lengths of consecutive zeros and consecutive ones are bounded, and their frequency subsets Γa, Γa, Γa and ʌa, ʌa, ʌa consisting of sequences respectively in Γ and ʌ with frequency, lower frequency and upper frequency of zeros equal to some a ∊ [0, 1]. The Hausdorff dimension of all these sets are obtained by studying the dynamical system (ʌ(m), s) where s is the shiftmapandʌ(m) = Γ w ∊ {0, 1}N: w does not contain 0mor1m } for integer m = 3, studying the Bernoulli-type measures on ʌ(m) and finding out the unique equivalent s-invariant ergodic probability measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate knowledge of the distribution characteristics of structural planes in rocks is beneficial in the evaluation of rock mass quality and roadway support decision-making. In this study, in situ monitoring results were used to analyse the deformations and failure characteristics of the rock surrounding the main haulage roadway in the Huahong coal mine to establish a deformation and failure model for the surrounding rock affected by mining. According to an analytic hierarchy process, a comprehensive evaluation index for the degree of fracturing in the rock surrounding the coal seam roadways was proposed. Additionally, a classification method based on the comprehensive widths of the structural planes (CWSPs) inside the complete rock mass was proposed to determine the quality of the surrounding rock. The structures of the rocks surrounding the main haulage roadway in the mine before and after coal mining were observed in situ at monitoring station no. 22. Borehole imaging technology was used to classify the surrounding rock quality using the CWSP-based evaluation method. The results indicated that the roof rock was mildly affected by mining; the corner rock had a large degree of fracturing in the central part of the borehole and a small degree of fracturing at both ends; the rib rock was highly fractured. These evaluation results were consistent with the macroscopic characteristics of the surrounding rocks, indicating the reliability of the deformation and failure model for characterizing the surrounding rocks affected by mining. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aims to prepare a composite adsorbent with a fixed shape to improve the performance of carbon materials and to solve the problem of adsorbent in powder form which is difficult to recycle after use. The BC-ZnS composite system was successfully prepared by hydrothermal method based on the preparation of biomass carbon (BC) using alginate (Alg), while the ZnS component was grown in-situ on the surface of BC. The effects of Alg, Zn source, hydrothermal temperature and time on the synthesis of BC-ZnS were explored, the results indicated that ZnS was successfully grown in-situ on the BC surface, while the BC maintained its original morphology. BC-ZnS showed excellent adsorption capacity for methylene blue (MB), basic fuchsin (BF), and copper ions (Cu2+), reaching 301.50 mg/g for MB and exhibiting good cyclic stability. The adsorption of MB/BF/Cu2+ by BC-ZnS was characterized by the presence of multiple forces, where the BC component mainly depended on the electrostatic force of Alg residue, while the ZnS involves electrostatic forces, ion exchange and Lewis acid/base soft-soft interactions. The adsorption process conforms to pseudo-first-kinetics and is a spontaneous entropy-increasing process. BC-ZnS can be a candidate for reusable wastewater treatment and has excellent potential for application. [Display omitted] • One-pot hydrothermal preparation of BC-ZnS composite system • Realized the growth of ZnS on the surface of BC • Realized efficient synergistic adsorption of BC-ZnS • High adsorption capacity, stable performance, stable morphology, convenient recycling • The mechanism of dyes and heavy metal ion adsorption by BC-ZnS is revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the adsorption performance of MoS 2 , as well as to solve the problems of MoS 2 -powder in adsorption, which is prone to agglomeration and difficulty to be recycled, we prepared MoS 2 -nanoflowers(MoS 2 -NFs), and mixed them with sodium alginate/polyvinyl alcohol(SA/PVA) to prepare MoS 2 -NFs/SA/PVA xerogel(MSP) by freezing-lyophilization. Then two forms of xerogels - block-MSP(MSPB) and spherical-MSP(MSPS) were prepared, and they were used as methylene blue(MB) and Cu2+ adsorbent. It was found that MoS 2 -NFs were evenly dispersed inside the SA/PVA with no agglomeration, while the interior of MSPB/MSPS showed the structure of parallel-pores and radial-pores, respectively. The adsorption capacity of MSPB/MSPS on MB can reach 233 mg/g, which is five times higher than SA/PVA-gel, showing excellent synergistic-adsorption effect, and the adsorption capacity for Cu2+ reaches 271 mg/g. The adsorption mechanism indicated that the adsorption of MB by MSPB/MSPS conformed to pseudo-first-order model, with electrostatic force as the main force. And their adsorption of Cu2+ conformed to pseudo-second-order model and was dominated by Lewis acid/base soft-soft interactions. Notably, after long-term adsorption, MSPB/MSPS maintains its shape and more than 90 % of the adsorption capacity, ensuring the recovery and reuse of materials. So, MSPB/MSPS has great potential in adsorption, providing a new solution for sewage purification. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gastric cancer is more common in men than in women, but underlying reasons have not been completely understood. This study aimed to assess patterns of the sex difference in the incidence of gastric cancer in the United States.Methods: Using data from 13 cancer registries in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program, we analyzed the age-specific sex difference in the incidence of gastric cancer by ethnicity, anatomic site and histological type in the United States during 1992-2014. We assessed the temporal trends in the sex differences in the incidence of gastric cancer during the study period.Results: The male-to-female incidence ratio of cardia cancer increased with age until peaking at ages 55-69 years and decreased thereafter, while the ratio for non-cardia gastric cancer increased with age before ages < 60 years and remained stable onwards. The age-specific patterns in the sex difference of gastric cancer incidence varied between intestinal and diffuse histological types. The sex difference in the incidence of cardia cancer remained relatively stable except for that the absolute difference between the sexes in whites decreased on average by 0.8% per year from 1992 to 2014. The absolute incidence difference between the sexes in non-cardia gastric cancer decreased over time in whites, blacks, and Asian and Pacific islanders by approximately 4% per year. The male-to-female incidence ratio of non-cardia gastric cancer decreased over time in whites and blacks, but remained relatively stable in Asian and Pacific islanders.Conclusions: Both extrinsic and intrinsic factors may have contributed to the sex difference in gastric cancer. Sex hormones may play a role in the development of cardia cancer and intestinal type of gastric cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toes are expected to perform various tasks by bending and stretching movements. However, to our knowledge, few studies have examined toe movement for operation. In particular, the characteristics of toe movements when used for operation have not been clarified. To investigate these characteristics, we proposed a new experimental evaluation system using wire displacement sensors. In this system, operators can move a marker shown on a PC screen by toe flexion and extension movements. In the experiment, 16 different operation patterns were considered, and the time required to finish the operation with one or two toes was measured and evaluated based on the average operation time. A comparison between toe flexors and extensors in operation time indicated that toe movements with a large angle were easier than those with a small angle if only one toe was used, but became more difficult if two toes were used. These results suggest that the ease or difficulty of toe movements differed depending on whether one or two toes are used. These results were then compared with those of additional evaluation experiments we conducted using fingers. The results indicated that toe operation requires 3.51 times more time than finger operation if two toes or fingers are used. • A system for evaluating toes' movements and operability was developed. • The great toe has higher operability than the long toe when single toe is used. • One-toe operation time is about 1.5 times as long as one-finger operation. • Comparing with one-toe operation, two-toe operation time increases by about 150%. • Two-toe operation is much harder and requires 3.51 times longer time than fingers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The steady burning and stabilization of the boundary layer diffusion flame over a gasifying condensed fuel surface, commonly called the Emmons flame, is an important problem in the study of boundary layer combustion. We investigate herein, theoretically and numerically, the liftoff distance and blowout limit of the Emmons flame, through the corresponding response of the controlling triple flame in the leading edge of the bulk flame. An explicit solution of the flame liftoff distance and the critical blowout limit is derived, with the theoretical results agreeing well with the numerical simulation for an extensive range of the system parameters. In particular, it is shown that the transversal velocity gradient (TVG) ahead of the triple flame renders the flame harder to liftoff and blowout, with this effect increasing for increasing TVG and decreasing triple flame curvature, which is related to the mixture fraction gradient. Furthermore, the Spalding mass transfer number, B v , for the surface segment ahead of the flame front affects the flame stabilization and blowout limit by modifying the similarity structure of the flow and the location of stoichiometry. Thermal expansion of the flow around the triple flame together with the surface viscous drag also significantly promotes flame stabilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal mine goafs can be used to store and purify mine water; therefore, they are important for mitigating the environmental impact of mining on ecologically fragile areas in Western China. Coal gangue in goafs can reduce turbidity, suspended matter, total hardness, and chemical oxygen demand (COD) in mine wastewater. Because gangue in goaf areas is rich in clay minerals, they serve as ion exchange sites. We investigated the adsorption of heavy metal ions by silty mudstones in the Ulan Mulun mine. The adsorption kinetics and isothermal adsorption characteristics of four heavy metal ions, i.e., Pb(II), Cd(II), Cr(III), and Mn(II), were investigated using batch experiments. Under a pH of 6.75 and temperature of 20°C, the adsorption capacity of silty mudstone particles (<74 μm) was 6.3012 g, 1.5701, 1.2571, and 1.3729 mg/g for Pb(II), Cd(II), Cr(III), and Mn(II), respectively. Based on the experimental results, quantitative relationships between the adsorption quantity per unit of rock surface and the equilibrium concentration of heavy metals in solution were developed using Langmuir, Freundlich, and D–R equations. The relationships were used to obtain the equilibrium concentration of the solution. Finally, the ratio of the f value of the water-rock contact area in the goaf to the water volume was calculated and analyzed. The f value was inversely proportional to the average vertical opening of gaps between gangues in the goaf. The adsorption rate functions for Pb(II), Cd(II), Cr(III), and Mn(II) in the goaf were obtained, and the corresponding adsorption capacities were calculated. The adsorption capacities were controlled by the f value and adsorption properties of the gangue. These results can be used in future studies on mine wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We apply a novel method to estimate the magnitude of the 23 January 2018 M7.9 Alaska earth-quake using seismic stations recorded at local to regional distances in Alaska, US. We determine the source duration from back-projection results derived from the Alaska stations in a relatively compact azimuth range. Then we calculate the maximum P-wave displacements recorded on a wide azimuth range at distances of 8 to 15 degrees. Combining the source duration and the maximum P-wave displacements, we obtain magnitudes of 7.86–8.03 for the 23 January 2018 earthquake in 3–5 min, very close to the Mw 7.9 determined by the USGS and GCMT. This example validates the new approach for determining magnitude of large earthquakes using local to regional stations, and its time efficiency that magnitudes of large earthquakes can be accurately estimated within in 3–5 min after origin time. Therefore, further application of this new method would help accurate estimation of size of earthquakes that occur off shore and might cause tsunami hazards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dyeing and finishing industry inevitably produces a large amount of wastewater, and how to treat pollutants such as methylene blue (MB) in the wastewater is a huge challenge. In this paper, molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2) after simple ultrasonic treatment was added to the sodium alginate/Antarctic krill protein composite fiber (SAF) as an additive, and the MoS 2 -sodium alginate/Antarctic krill protein composite fiber (MSAF) was successfully prepared, which was used as an adsorbent for MB. The results indicated that MSAF had an excellent adsorption effect on MB, the maximum adsorption capacity in the experiment could reach 472.68 mg/g, which was 27 % higher than that of SAF, and the theoretical adsorption capacity calculated by fitting could reach 934.58 mg/g. Moreover, the MSAF still has high adsorption efficiency after five adsorption-desorption cycles. Based on the data of the present investigation, MSAF can be used as an efficient and reliable adsorbent and is expected to be used as a functional textile fabric in the fields of filtration and treatment of textile printing and dyeing wastewater. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Holocene hydrological regime on the Heixiazi Island is critical for understanding the evolution of the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) for the island's climate-sensitive location on the northern fringe of the EASM domain. In this paper, a marsh depression on the central island was selected to reconstruct the locally hydrological variation and to discuss its indications for the Holocene EASM evolution. This work is based on multi-proxy (magnetic susceptibility, grain size, loss-on-ignition, and carbonate content) analyses of 22 modern sedimentary samples with a water-level gradient of 0–66 cm and 100 cored sedimentary samples covering last ~ 9.0 ka BP. The proxies' hydrological significance was previously interpreted by the 22 modern samples using linear regression equations to construct their relationships to water-level changes. Among these proxies, the magnetic susceptibility, carbonate content, as well as the Md and sand fraction of grain size exhibit high-level relationships against the water-level changes with R2 > 0.6. Thus, these four proxies' linear-regression equations were selected and used on the 100 cored samples, and the Holocene water-level changes in the studied depression were quantitatively reconstructed. It shows that two relatively high water-level stages with strengthened EASM occurred during 8.0–4.5 ka BP and 3.0–1.4 ka BP, which were alternated by three low water-level stages with declined EASM during ~ 9.0–8.0 ka BP, 4.5–3.0 ka BP, and 1.4–0 ka BP, respectively. Among these fluctuations, the highest water-level stage with most strengthened EASM which is defined as the Holocene Monsoon Maximum occurred during 6.4–4.5 ka BP. Such a new evolution pattern of the EASM can be further supported by a large variety of records from monsoon-margin regions. We suggest the Holocene EASM evolution was generally associated with the thermal conditions in both the inner Eurasia landmass and the West Pacific Ocean, with an exception of the weak EASM before 8.0 ka BP due to the enhanced Siberia High with the dominance of the Eurasia ice sheet in the early Holocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract While the presence of an impermeable leading segment is normally inevitable for a boundary layer diffusion flame established over a fuel surface, it also offers an opportunity to control and stabilize the flame by design. In this study, the classical Emmons' problem with an impermeable leading section is investigated numerically and theoretically. The local similarity structure of the boundary layer is discussed and an explicit solution of the skin friction, local gasification rate, and flame characteristics is derived. It is shown that the existence of an impermeable leading section of length L reduces the skin friction and the gasification rate, while increases the flame height in the fuel plate section. This history effect of the flow on the boundary layer development is reduced as the streamwise distance, x , increases, and is negligible for x / L > ∼ 10. The theoretical results agree well with the numerical results, both qualitatively and quantitatively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flow structure and velocity fluctuation generated downstream from coaxial geometry dielectric-barrier-discharges are investigated at atmospheric pressure. The discharges are characterized using in-situ electrical measurements and optical diagnostics. Both streamers and glow-like discharges are detected in each alternating-current cycle. The flow structure is temporally and spatially resolved using tracer particles, and vortices are visualized in planar velocity distribution patterns. The flow upstream of the discharge is laminar; however, we discover that the spectrum of downstream fluctuation velocity exhibits a nearly Kolmogorov −5/3 slope, which is a typical feature for high Reynolds number turbulent flows. Based on the electron density measured through a line-ratio method, the dimensionless electrical body force derived from the Navier-Stokes equation is estimated to illustrate the generation of Reynolds stress. It is found that although less than 0.1% of the discharge power is converted into the fluctuation kinetic energy, the electrical body force rather than Joule heating plays a dominant role in flow fluctuation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal degradation of resorcinol bis(diphenyl phosphate) (RDP) and bisphenol A bis(diphenyl phosphate) (BDP) has been studied by 31 P NMR, Q-TOF, and GPC at normal and extreme heating conditions. The thermal degradation begins with the elimination reaction that generates reactive monomers and arynes. The aryne-bisphosphate adducts or their decomposition products were identified through Q-TOF analysis. Through the intertwined condensations, transesterifications, and elimination reactions, the reactive acid phosphates are formed and eventually convert the bisphosphates into volatile triphenyl phosphate, oligomeric aryl/acid polyphosphates, and non-volatile polyphosphoric acid. It is these reactions and products that provide the bisphosphates effective pathways for entry into the vapor phase or action in the condensed phase. The facility of these reactions, particularly the elimination reaction that is the initiation step, to occur is critical for the high efficiency of flame retardancy displayed by the bisphosphates. A thermal Melvin rearrangement of the bisphosphates to arylphosphonates has also been established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the face of rapidly changing climate and increasing natural and anthropogenic disturbances, the long-term dynamics of coastal ecosystems in relation to hurricanes and human activities has become a focus of research for ecologists and geomorphologists across the Gulf of Mexico. This study integrates diatom, remote sensing, geochemical, and hydrodynamic analyses to document the ecological and morphological development of the barrier-island and estuary-wetland complex bordering Galveston Bay, Texas, from the late Holocene to the Anthropocene. The multi-proxy dataset revealed two major ecological shifts between 1320 and 840 cal yr BP and between 230 cal yr BP and 2008 AD in Galveston Bay. The first shift was driven by the landfall of a backdoor hurricane at ∼1000 cal yr BP in combination with the aperiodic and intense long-shore current that caused the barrier complex to retreat over fluvial deposits while the Bolivar Peninsula was growing toward the west. These morphological changes resulted in a narrower inlet, hence, restricting the marine influence from entering the bay and converting Galveston Bay to a wave-dominated estuary that was shallower and fresher. The second shift was caused by increasing modification to the waterway and infrastructures since 1800 AD. As a result, rapid sediment accretion was induced near the North Jetty, forming the current Bolivar Flats and setting the stage for mangrove colonization. The warming climate and hurricanes in recent decades acted as catalysts that accelerated mangrove expansion on the Bolivar Peninsula. Our results imply that the proposed coastal barrier system will likely increase the sediment deficit, alter the biogeochemical environment, and impact the primary productivity in the bay. However, on a regional scale, more and more mangrove stands are expected to appear around estuaries and lagoons, and along man-made jetties and barriers along the Gulf. [Display omitted] • Galveston Bay experienced two major ecological shifts during the last 2000 years. • The shift from 1320 to 840 cal yr BP was driven by a hurricane landfall and the aperiodic and intense long-shore currents. • The second shift was caused by increasing modification to the waterway and infrastructures since 1800 AD. • The warming climate and storms in recent decades acted as catalysts that accelerated mangrove expansion in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Yao, Q.; Liu, K.-B., and Ryu, J., 2018. Multi-proxy Characterization of Hurricane Rita and Ike Storm Deposits in a Coastal Marsh in the Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, Southwestern Louisiana. In: Shim, J.-S.; Chun, I., and Lim, H.S. (eds.), Proceedings from the International Coastal Symposium (ICS) 2018 (Busan, Republic of Korea). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 85, pp. 841–845. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. In 2005 and 2008, Hurricanes Rita and Ike made landfalls as category 3 and 2 hurricanes to the west of Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge (RWR) in southwestern Louisiana. In 2013, three ~30 cm sediment monoliths dominated by brown clay were recovered along a ~30 m transect perpendicular to the shoreline from the RWR. Each monolith contains two distinct light-colored calcareous storm deposits that are attributable to these two landfalling hurricanes. Loss-onignition and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses were performed on all three sediment monoliths to study the sedimentological and geochemical characteristics of these two storm deposits. The geochemical results show that the storm deposits are characterized by higher-than-average values of Ca, Sr, Zr, and carbonates and low percentages of water and organics. In addition, remote sensing images show that the rate of average shoreline retreat at the RWR is ~14.5 m/yr from 1998 to 2017, and 19 m/year and 25.5 m/yr during the Hurricane Rita and Ike years, respectively. Both loss-on-ignition and XRF results also show that despite being a stronger storm, the Hurricane Rita layers are much thinner than those of Hurricane Ike in all monoliths. Remote sensing data support our interpretation that Hurricane Rita caused significant shoreline erosion and coastal recession in 2005, rendering the sampling locations at least 30 m closer to the ocean and thereby more susceptible to storm surges when Hurricane Ike struck in 2008. Thus, these results suggest that site-to-sea distance is an important factor in determining the thicknesses of storm deposits in coastal wetlands, particularly along shorelines undergoing rapid marine transgression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Expressions of Caspase-8 and Caspase-3 have been identified as important markers in many malignant tumors, but their roles in colorectal cancer (CRC) have not been confirmed. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of Caspase-8 and Caspase-3 in CRC. METHODS: We enrolled 470 CRC patients in this study. Archival paraffin-embedded CRC tissue samples were used to construct tissue microarray (TMA), expressions of Caspase-8 and Caspase-3 that were stained by immunohistochemistry. Prognostic and predictive role of Caspase-8 and Caspase-3 expressions, alone or united, were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analysis respectively. RESULTS: In comparison with adjacent normal tissues, Caspase-8 and Caspase-3 protein levels were upregulated in CRC tissues significantly, furthermore, high expressions of Caspase-8 and Caspase-3 were correlated with decreased overall survival (OS) ( p < 0.05), and also with unfavorable clinicopathologic characteristics. Cox regression analysis showed that high Caspase-8 and Caspase-3 expressions were independent negative markers of OS. CONCLUSION: Caspase-8 and Caspase-3 expressions in tumor tissues are novel candidate prognostic markers for CRC patients. It was the first time to be identified that Caspase-8 and Caspase-3 expressions had synergistic role as efficient prognostic indicators for CRC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yao, Q.; Liu, K.-B., and Ryu, J., 2018. Multi-proxy Characterization of Hurricane Rita and Ike Storm Deposits in a Coastal Marsh in the Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, Southwestern Louisiana. In: Shim, J.-S.; Chun, I., and Lim, H.S. (eds.), Proceedings from the International Coastal Symposium (ICS) 2018 (Busan, Republic of Korea). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 85, pp. 841–845. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. In 2005 and 2008, Hurricanes Rita and Ike made landfalls as category 3 and 2 hurricanes to the west of Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge (RWR) in southwestern Louisiana. In 2013, three ~30 cm sediment monoliths dominated by brown clay were recovered along a ~30 m transect perpendicular to the shoreline from the RWR. Each monolith contains two distinct light-colored calcareous storm deposits that are attributable to these two landfalling hurricanes. Loss-onignition and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses were performed on all three sediment monoliths to study the sedimentological and geochemical characteristics of these two storm deposits. The geochemical results show that the storm deposits are characterized by higher-than-average values of Ca, Sr, Zr, and carbonates and low percentages of water and organics. In addition, remote sensing images show that the rate of average shoreline retreat at the RWR is ~14.5 m/yr from 1998 to 2017, and 19 m/year and 25.5 m/yr during the Hurricane Rita and Ike years, respectively. Both loss-on-ignition and XRF results also show that despite being a stronger storm, the Hurricane Rita layers are much thinner than those of Hurricane Ike in all monoliths. Remote sensing data support our interpretation that Hurricane Rita caused significant shoreline erosion and coastal recession in 2005, rendering the sampling locations at least 30 m closer to the ocean and thereby more susceptible to storm surges when Hurricane Ike struck in 2008. Thus, these results suggest that site-to-sea distance is an important factor in determining the thicknesses of storm deposits in coastal wetlands, particularly along shorelines undergoing rapid marine transgression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric cancer (GC) poses a serious public health threat and the 5‑year survival rate of patients with GC is low. MicroRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) may serve oncogenic or tumor suppressor functions during tumorigenesis by regulating cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion and it has been demonstrated that they may be dysregulated in various types of cancer. The present study demonstrated that miR‑144 and GATA4 were downregulated in GC tissues and cell lines and suggested that this may be due to hypermethylation. Additionally, miR‑144 and GATA4 had synergistic effects on GC cells by repressing cell proliferation and inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. The results of bioinformatics and a luciferase reporter assay indicated that cyclooxygenase‑2 (COX‑2) is a direct target of miR‑144 and that miR‑144 negatively regulated the expression of COX‑2, which inhibits the viability of GC cells. GATA4 also induced a similar effect on COX‑2. Taken together, the results of the present study may improve understanding of the underlying mechanism of miR‑144 and GATA4 in GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce generalized Thue-Morse numbers of the form π β (θ) : = ∑ n = 1 ∞ θ n β n where β ∈ (1 , m + 1 ] with m ∈ N and θ = (θ n) n ≥ 1 ∈ { 0 , 1 , ⋯ , m } N is a generalized Thue-Morse sequence previously studied by many authors in different terms. This is a natural generalization of the classical Thue-Morse number ∑ n = 1 ∞ t n 2 n where (t n) n ≥ 0 is the well-known Thue-Morse sequence 01101001⋯. We study when θ would be the unique, greedy, lazy, quasi-greedy and quasi-lazy β -expansions of π β (θ) , and generalize a result given by Kong and Li in 2015. In particular we deduce that the shifted Thue-Morse sequence (t n) n ≥ 1 is the unique β -expansion of ∑ n = 1 ∞ t n β n if and only if it is the greedy expansion, if and only if it is the lazy expansion, if and only if it is the quasi-greedy expansion, if and only if it is the quasi-lazy expansion, and if and only if β is no less than the Komornik-Loreti constant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There have been civil disputes and complaints regarding the negative effects of blasting vibration on buildings around the blasting site. By considering the effect of blasting vibration on a human body as a process of energy transfer and conversion, the human body absorbed blasting vibration energy (ABVE) index has been developed for comfort evaluation. Using dynamic monitoring and theoretical analysis, the elevation amplification effect and selective amplification effect on different frequency components of the ABVE have been investigated. The elevation amplification factor and selective amplification coefficients on different frequency components of the ABVE index for a typical 4-storey brick and concrete building have been determined. Based on the results, the magnitude and frequency components of the ABVE index in different parts especially in different storeys for the typical building have been determined. According to the characteristics of human body’s response to vibrations of different frequencies, the frequency-based weighting method of ABVE index has been simplified. By calculating the combined effect of vibrations from all directions, the total human body ABVE and its frequency components at different floors of the building can be determined accurately. This can be used to evaluate the human body comfort against blasting vibration at different floors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sea level rise and the associated inland shift of the marsh-mangrove ecotone in south Florida have raised many scientific and management concerns in recent years. Holocene paleoecological records can provide an important baseline to shed light on the long-term dynamics of vegetation changes across this ecotone in the past, which is needed to predict the future. In this study, we present palynological, X-ray fluorescence, and loss-on ignition data from four sedimentary cores recovered from a 20-km marine-to-freshwater transect along the Shark River Estuary, southwest Everglades, to document the patterns and processes of coastal vegetation changes in response to sea level rise since the mid-Holocene. Our record indicates that freshwater marsh progressively replaced marl prairies at the Shark River Estuary between 5700 and 4400 cal yr BP. As marine transgression continued, marine influence reached the threshold necessary for mangroves to establish at the current mouth of the Shark River Slough at 3800 cal yr BP. During the next 3000 years, although sea level rise in the Western North Atlantic slowed down to 0.4 mm/yr, a spatial and temporal gradient was evident as the marsh-mangrove ecotone shifted inland by 20 km from 3800 to 800 cal yr BP, accompanied by a gradual landward replacement of freshwater marsh by mangrove forest. If sea level continues to rise at 2.33 mm/yr in the 21st century in south Florida, it is possible that marine influence will reach the threshold for mangroves to establish in the central Everglades, and we could expect a much more aggressive mangrove encroachment toward the northern and interior parts of south Florida in the next few centuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First-principles calculations have been performed to investigate the phase stability, elastic, and thermodynamic properties of Co 3 (Al,Mo,Nb) with the L1 2 structure. Calculated elastic constants show that Co 3 (Al,Mo,Nb) is mechanically stable and possesses intrinsic ductility. It is found that the shear and Young's moduli of Co 3 (Al,Mo,Nb) are smaller than those of Co 3 (Al,W). Calculated density of states indicate the existence of covalent-like bonding in Co 3 (Al,Mo,Nb). Temperature-dependent thermodynamic properties of Co 3 (Al,Mo,Nb) can be described satisfactorily using the Debye-Grüneisen approach, including entropy, enthalpy, heat capacity and linear thermal expansion coefficient, showing their significant temperature dependences. Furthermore the obtained data can be employed in the modeling of thermodynamic and mechanical properties of Co-based alloys to enable the design of high temperature alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• American mangroves reached their current range limits after the Industrial Era. • An over four-fold increase in mangrove cover was recorded after the 21st century. • Mangrove expansion at the boreal range limit is accelerated by warmer winters. • Mangrove expansion at the austral range limit is governed by habitat availability. Mangroves are expanding poleward in North and South America, but it is unclear whether such ecotonal-shift is an Industrial-Era phenomenon, or a recurring occurrence tied to Holocene climate variability. Our multi-proxy and remote sensing data from the U.S. Gulf Coast and southeastern Brazil suggest that the Industrial Era is the first time throughout the Holocene when mangroves were able to extend their distributions to the current boreal and austral range limits. A mangrove expansion of ∼1.3 ha (from 0.002 to 1.33 ha), 103 ha (from 23 to 126 ha), and 1.42 ha (from 0.39 to 1.81 ha) are documented at Bolivar Flats (Texas, U.S.A.), Mississippi River Delta (Louisiana, U.S.A.), and Apalachicola (Florida, U.S.A.), respectively, since the early 2000s, suggesting that mangrove expansion in North America is a 21st -century phenomenon and likely governed by warming winters. In contrast, the relatively slow mangrove expansion (from 96.1 to 106 ha between 2003 and 2019) at the austral range limit is controlled primarily by available habitats with suitable salinity and sediment substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminum matrix composites reinforced with mechanical alloying particles (SiCp) were fabricated by the semisolid stirring pouring method. The influence of mechanical alloying particles and Mg on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the composites was investigated by means of optical microscopy (OM), X-ray diffraction scanning (XRD), electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Results show that the addition of Mg converts the agglomerate mechanical alloying particles in ZL101 matrix composites into dispersed distribution in ZL101-Mg matrix composites, large matrix grains into fine equiaxed matrix grains, and eutectic phase into fine particles. So the mechanical properties of ZL101-Mg matrix composites are better than those of ZL101 matrix composites. The mechanical properties of ZL101/ZL101-Mg matrix composites are gradually increased with the increase of the volume fraction of mechanical alloying particles. When the volume fraction of mechanical alloying particles is 3%, the Vickers hardness and ultimate tensile strength of the ZL101/ZL101-Mg matrix composites reach their maximum values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of total disc arthroplasty (TDA) and anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) for treating cervical degenerative diseases.Methods: We conducted a comprehensive search in the electronic databases including Pubmed, Medline, EBSCO, Springer, Ovid, CNKI and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Two independent reviewers performed the data extraction from archives. All data were performed with Review Manager 5.2 software. The relative risk (RR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated for count data. Standardized mean difference (SMD) and corresponding 95% CI for continuous outcomes were pooled.Results: After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, nine papers were included in meta-analyses. The results of the meta-analysis indicated better neurological success, better overall success, lower incidence of secondary surgical procedures and lower incidence of secondary surgical procedures in TDA group than in ACDF group. After removing a study with considerable weight, TDA group displayed lower incidence of dysphagia and dysphonia than ACDF group.Conclusion: This meta-analysis revealed that the clinical outcomes of TDA are equivalent or superior to ACDF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ionic self-diffusion in the non-crystalline aluminum oxide is not well understood for the scarcity of experimental and simulation investigation. In this paper, the molecular dynamics (MD) simulation is employed to investigate the diffusion mechanism of Al cations and O anions in the vitreous Al 2 O 3 . According to the trajectories of ions, three moving modes are defined, including local vibration, fast jumping and slow collective moving. The collective motion is very important for the ionic diffusion in the vitreous configurations. The diffusion of O anions in vitreous Al 2 O 3 is greatly enhanced attributed to the collective moving between Al cations and O anions. If the Al cations are pinned, the oxygen diffusivity drops more than three orders. The collective motion also reduces the energy barrier of diffusion, thus resulting in the non-Arrhenius effect of temperature on diffusivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to analyze the research trends of medical informatics over the last 12 years. A new method based on MeSH terms was proposed to identify emerging topics and trends of medical informatics research. Informetric methods and visualization technologies were applied to investigate research trends of medical informatics. The metric of perspective factor (PF) embedding MeSH terms was appropriately employed to assess the perspective quality for journals. The emerging MeSH terms have changed dramatically over the last 12 years, identifying two stages of medical informatics: the 'medical imaging stage' and the 'medical informatics stage'. The focus of medical informatics has shifted from acquisition and storage of healthcare data by integrating computational, informational, cognitive and organizational sciences to semantic analysis for problem solving and clinical decision-making. About 30 core journals were determined by Bradford's Law in the last 3 years in this area. These journals, with high PF values, have relative high perspective quality and lead the trend of medical informatics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palynological, loss-on-ignition, and X-ray fluorescence data from a 5.25 m sediment core from a mangrove forest at the mouth of the Shark River Estuary in the southwestern Everglades National Park, Florida were used to reconstruct changes occurring in coastal wetlands since the mid-Holocene. This multi-proxy record contains the longest paleoecological history to date in the southwestern Everglades. The Shark River Estuary basin was formed ~ 5700 cal yr BP in response to increasing precipitation. Initial wetlands were frequently-burned short-hydroperiod prairies, which transitioned into long-hydroperiod prairies with sloughs in which peat deposits began to accumulate continuously about 5250 cal yr BP. Our data suggest that mangrove communities started to appear after ~ 3800 cal yr BP; declines in the abundance of charcoal suggested gradual replacement of fire-dominated wetlands by mangrove forest over the following 2650 yr. By ~ 1150 cal yr BP, a dense Rhizophora mangle dominated mangrove forest had formed at the mouth of the Shark River. The mangrove-dominated coastal ecosystem here was established at least 2000 yr later than has been previously estimated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rigid steric hindering spiro-bisphosphates (PDMPDP and PDBPDP) were synthesized from spiro-pentaerythritol chlorophosphate and 2,6-dimethylphenol and o-tert-butylphenol respectively in order to investigate the effect of steric hindering groups on the flame retardant mechanism of bisphosphates and the effect of rigid spiro-pentaerythritol structure on the heat distortion temperature (HDT) of polycarbonate. A comparison of the steric hindering spiro-bisphosphates with the simplest phenyl spiro-bisphosphate (PDPDP) and commercial resorcinol bis(diphenyl phosphate) (RDP) on the flame retardancy of polycarbonate reveals that the presence of a thermally stable steric hindering group not only changes the efficiency but also shifts the mode of flame retardancy. In spite of low phosphorus content, PDMPDP and RDP show the highest efficiency of flame retardancy toward polycarbonate as evidenced by UL-94 combustion results with RDP exhibiting the strongest vapor phase action, PDMPDP the second, and PDPDP the least as judged from the phosphorus distribution in the vapor and the condensed phase. This is parallel to the tendency of chemical interactions between polycarbonate and flame retardants with PDPDP demonstrating the greatest interaction as proven by TGA study in air. It is suggested that the charring process of PDPDP interferes with that of polycarbonate and leads to microporous char that is seen in SEM and partially responsible for the poor flame retardancy of PDPDP. Compared to PC/RDP, PC/PDMPDP has a high HDT value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We used seismic data recorded at local and teleseismic distances to analyze the May 22, 2021 Mw 7.3 Madoi, China earthquake sequence, which occurred along a low‐slip‐rate (0.3–1.0 mm/yr) and small‐cumulative‐displacement (4–5 km) fault—the Kunlun Mountain Pass‐Jiangcuo Fault (KMPJF). We first restored the clipped waveforms recorded at local distances, and obtained more accurate phase arrivals for relocating the earthquake sequence. The relocated earthquakes illuminate a ∼170 km‐long complex northwest‐southeast (NW‐SE) striking ruptured fault with apparent bifurcated ends at both tips and variations in dip angles along strike. We further performed backprojection analyses to image the rupture process of the mainshock using seismic data recorded at four teleseismic arrays (Europe, Australia and Southeast Asia, Japan, and Alaska). The results show that the earthquake propagated bilaterally in the NW and SE directions with maximum rupture speeds of ∼4.0 km/s. This observation was further refined by multiple array backprojections onto the fault that was determined by the fine relocations of the earthquake sequence. Synthetic and realistic tests validated the resolutions of the backprojection analyses (within 5–20 km). The fast supershear rupture speeds were only transient but exhibited spatial correlation with the geometric complexities of the KMPJF. This suggests that the transient supershear ruptures are due to the varying geometry of the KMPJF, which is likely an immature fault. Our results suggest that the potential for supershear ruptures along immature strike‐slip faults should be emphasized in earthquake hazard assessment. Plain Language Summary: On May 22, 2021 (local time), an Mw 7.3 earthquake occurred in Madoi County, Qinghai province and on the Kunlun Mountain Pass‐Jiangcuo Fault (KMPJF) in the Bayan Har block of the Tibetan Plateau. We examined the earthquake sequence with high‐resolution relocation of aftershocks and backprojection analyses using seismic data recorded at local distances, and four regional arrays in Europe, Australia and Southeast Asia, Japan, and Alaska. The relocated earthquakes indicate a ∼170 km‐long complex NW‐SE striking rupture, with bifurcation at both ends and variations of dips along the fault. Backprojection analyses show several episodes of transient supershear ruptures that corresponded to the segmentation of the KMPJF. This segmentation, along with the low slip rate of 0.3–1.0 mm/yr and small cumulative displacement of 4–5 km, implies that the KMPJF is an immature fault. If so, this might be the first example of transient supershear ruptures along an immature strike‐slip fault. Supershear ruptures could generate strong ground motion and cause extensive damage surrounding the ruptured faults. Previously, supershear ruptures were considered to occur mainly along straight and mature strike‐slip faults. Yet, our results suggest that the potential for supershear ruptures along immature strike‐slip faults should also be emphasized in earthquake hazard assessment. Key Points: Relocated aftershocks for the Madoi earthquake delineate a ∼170 km‐long NW‐SE striking fault with variations of dips along strikeBackprojection analyses show that the mainshock propagated bilaterally in the NW and SE directions with a maximum speed of ∼4.0 km/sThe Madoi earthquake is the first known example of transient supershear rupture along a presumed immature strike‐slip fault [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]