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Highly pure Rh2P nanoparticles on N,P-codoped carbon were synthesized by a simple ‘‘mix-and-pyrolyze’’ method using one kind of low-cost nucleotide as the carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus source, which exhibits excellent bifunctional activity for the hydrogen reduction and hydrazine oxidation reactions, achieving energy-efficient hydrogen production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Channel estimation accuracy significantly affects the performance of orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) systems. In the literature, there are quite a few channel estimation methods. However, the performances of these methods deteriorate considerably when the wireless channels suffer from nonlinear distortions and interferences. Machine learning (ML) shows great potential for solving nonparametric problems. This paper proposes ML-based channel estimation methods for systems with comb-type pilot patterns and random pilot symbols, such as ATSC 3.0. We compare their performances with conventional channel estimations in ATSC 3.0 systems for linear and nonlinear channel models. We also evaluate the robustness of the ML-based methods against channel model mismatch and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) mismatch. The results show that the ML-based channel estimations achieve good mean squared error (MSE) performance for linear and nonlinear channels if the channel statistics used for the training stage match those of the deployment stage. Otherwise, the ML estimation models may overfit the training channel, leading to poor deployment performance. Furthermore, the deep neural network (DNN)-based method does not outperform the linear channel estimation methods in nonlinear channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing new adjuvants that can effectively induce humoral and cellular immune responses while broadening the immune response is of great value. In this study, we aimed to develop single-stranded RNA adjuvants expressing (1) granulocyte monocyte colony-stimulating factor or (2) interleukin 18 based on the encephalomyocarditis virus internal ribosome entry site; we also tested their efficacy in combination with ovalbumin or inactivated influenza vaccines. Notably, cytokine-expressing RNA adjuvants increased the expression of antigen-presenting cell activation markers in mice. Specifically, when combined with ovalbumin, RNA adjuvants expressing granulocyte monocyte colony-stimulating factor increased CD4+ T-cell responses, while those expressing interleukin 18 increased CD8+ T-cell responses. Cytokine-expressing RNA adjuvants further increased the frequency of polyclonal T cells with the influenza vaccine and reduced the clinical illness scores and weight loss of mice after viral challenge. Collectively, our results suggest that cytokine-expressing RNA adjuvants can be applied to protein-based or inactivated vaccines to increase their efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to optimize the composition of a liquid medium for Mycoplasma gallisepticum growth rate and density through statistical approach. The growth concentration of M. gallisepticum was determined by plotting a standard curve using Real-Time Quantitative PCR. The one-factor-at-a-time method and the Plakett-Burman design were initially applied to identify the factors that influenced the biomass of M. gallisepticum. The steepest ascent experiment and response surface methodology (RSM) with Box-Behnken design was employed to simultaneously assess the effects of multiple factors. Finally, optimization of the initial pH and validation of the model were done. The optimum concentrations of the critical components were obtained as follows: 203.96 mL/L of horse serum, 9.64 g/L of glucose, and 9.49 g/L of PPLO broth. The nucleic acid copy number of M. gallisepticum reached 1010.5147 copies/mL and the viable cell count reached a maximum of 109.8451 CCU/mL. This medium reduced the incubation time by approximately 6 h, and M. gallisepticum nucleic acid concentration and viable cell count were higher than those in the modified Frey medium (9.99 and 7 times, respectively). The new liquid medium is likely to improve productivity and reduce the production costs for vaccine-manufacturing companies in the future by reducing incubation times and increasing the growth rate and concentration of M. gallisepticum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A quantum image steganography algorithm based on edge detection is proposed. Firstly, a new fractal chaotic system with good chaotic properties is proposed to improve the security of the secret information. In addition, this study creates a new steganography algorithm with edge detection. By finding as many edge points in the image as possible through edge detection, the secret information is embedded in non-edge locations, which greatly improves the security and invisibility of the algorithm. Meanwhile, an efficient and secure quantum steganographic circuit is designed. The results of simulation experiments and numerical analysis show that the algorithm is securely complete and invisible and also has good robustness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) is a conserved protein machine mediating membrane remodeling and scission. In the context of viral infection, different components of the ESCRT-III complex, which serve as the core machinery to catalyze membrane fission, are involved in diverse viruses’ entry, replication, and/or budding. However, the interplay between ESCRT-III and viral factors in the virus life cycle, especially for that of large enveloped DNA viruses, is largely unknown. Recently, the ESCRT-III components Vps2B, Vps20, Vps24, Snf7, Vps46, and Vps60 were determined for entry and/or egress of the baculovirus Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV). Here, we identified the final three ESCRT-III components Chm7, Ist1, and Vps2A of Spodoptera frugiperda. Overexpression of the dominant-negative forms of these proteins or RNAi downregulation of their transcripts significantly reduced infectious budded viruses (BVs) production of AcMNPV. Quantitative PCR together with confocal and transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed that these proteins were required for internalization and trafficking of BV during entry and egress of nucleocapsids. In infected Sf9 cells, nine ESCRT-III components were distributed on the nuclear envelope and plasma membrane, and except for Chm7, the other components were also localized to the intranuclear ring zone. Y2H and BiFC analysis revealed that 42 out of 64 BV-related proteins including 35 BV structural proteins and 7 non-BV structural proteins interacted with single or multiple ESCRT-III components. By further mapping the interactome of 64 BV-related proteins, we established the interaction networks of ESCRT-III and the viral protein complexes involved in BV entry and egress. IMPORTANCE From archaea to eukaryotes, the endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT)-III complex is hijacked by many enveloped and nonenveloped DNA or RNA viruses for efficient replication. However, the mechanism of ESCRT-III recruitment, especially for that of large enveloped DNA viruses, remains elusive. Recently, we found the ESCRT-III components Vps2B, Vps20, Vps24, Snf7, Vps46, and Vps60 are necessary for the entry and/or egress of budded viruses (BVs) of Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus. Here, we demonstrated that the other three ESCRT-III components Chm7, Ist1, and Vps2A play similar roles in BV infection. By determining the subcellular localization of ESCRT-III components in infected cells and mapping the interaction of nine ESCRT-III components and 64 BV-related proteins, we built the interaction networks of ESCRT-III and the viral protein complexes involved in BV entry and egress. These studies provide a fundamental basis for understanding the mechanism of the ESCRTmediated membrane remodeling for replication of baculoviruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

: The introduction of automated vehicles (AVs) is commonly expected to improve different aspects of transportation. A long transition period in which AVs will coexist with human-driven vehicles (HVs) is expected until AVs become prevalent. Dedicated lane strategy is considered an effective way to improve road capacity and promote AV use. However, there is a lack of comprehensive research on when and how to implement lane management strategies, and further verification is needed to determine to what extent lane management strategies will affect traffic flow. The dedicated lane strategy will first be applied in highway scenarios, and the merging area is an important zone prone to congestion on highways. There are many impacts of AVon the merging area of highways, but research on the issue that the traffic flow is continually affected after the completion of merging is still lacking. Therefore, this study establishes a lane control strategies framework to investigate the effect on road capacity on the multilane freeway after the merging area. This paper explores the traffic performance of three different lane control strategies with mixed AV/HV traffic flow and investigate when the tested strategies make sense and how sensitive they are to varying AV rates and demands. Specifically, using the open-source microscopic traffic simulation tool SUMO, this study investigates the impacts on traffic performance in terms of throughput, travel time and space mean speed on two-lane motorways at increasing penetration rates of AVs. Moreover, three different lane control strategies (two mixed lanes, one reserved AV lane, and one reserved HV lane) are compared under various demand and AV rates. The simulation results demonstrate that road capacity increases convexly with AV rates. In addition, the results show that the capacity on a one-way two-lane motorway road can be improved with appropriate lane control strategies, especially under high demand and at low to medium AV rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the relationship between dual learning (research learning and applied learning) and sustainable development performance evaluation in the sports sector. According to the basic theory of learning, the basic theory of continuous innovation ability, the basic theory of sustainable development performance evaluation, the cooperation theory and contingency theory, this paper discusses the harm of dual learning and complementation to the sports enterprise sustainable development performance evaluation under the dynamic environment. According to the empirical research on the questionnaire survey of 179 units in Jiangsu and Henan, dual learning and complementarity have a positive impact on innovation ability, and continuous innovation ability has a positive impact on sustainable development performance evaluation. Continuous innovation ability plays a part of the intermediary role in the impact of dual learning and complementation on the performance evaluation of sustainable development. The management plan obtained from scientific research reminds us that sports enterprises must "go forward" with dual learning to obtain excellent continuous innovation ability and sustainable development performance evaluation. Startups attach great importance to sustainable innovation capability, and pay more attention to the complementary effect of dual learning on sustainable innovation capability under the dynamic environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to a lack of reliable markers and therapeutic targets, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains the most lethal malignant tumor despite numerous therapeutic advances. In this study, we utilized cell-SELEX to isolate a DNA aptamer recognizing the natural conformation of the target on the cell surface. PAp7T8, an aptamer optimized by size and chemical modification, exhibited specific targeting to pancreatic cancer cells and orthotopic xenograft pancreatic tumors. To confer therapeutic functions to the aptamer, we adopted a drug-conjugated oligobody (DOligobody) strategy. Monomethyl auristatin E was used as a cytotoxic drug, digoxigenin acted as a hapten, and the humanized anti-digoxigenin antibody served as a universal carrier of the aptamer. The resulting PAp7T8-DOligobody showed extended in vivo half-life and markedly inhibited tumor growth in an orthotopic pancreatic cancer xenograft model without causing significant toxicity. Therefore, PAp7T8-DOligobody represents a promising novel therapeutic delivery platform for PDAC. [Display omitted] • Aptamer PAp7T8 selected via cell-SELEX binds to the cell surface of PDAC. • DOligobody consists of an anti-hapten antibody and MMAE conjugated with aptamer. • Humanized anti-digoxigenin antibody serves as a universal carrier in DOligobodies. • PAp7T8-DOligobody represents a promising novel therapeutic delivery platform for PDAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transfer RNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs) are fragments that originate from mature or precursor tRNAs and are a subclass of sRNAs. With the development of high-throughput sequencing techniques, the real feature of tsRNAs has gradually been revealed. tsRNAs are functional fragments of distinct lengths produced by the cleavage of mature or precursor tRNAs by different ribonuclease enzymes. tsRNAs exert extensive functions, including gene silencing, translational regulation, and reverse transcriptional regulation, affecting cell viability and differentiation and participating in pathological processes of various diseases, including central nervous system (CNS) diseases. Emerging sequencing evidence indicates that tsRNAs are expressed differently in various CNS diseases, preliminary suggesting that tsRNAs are involved in the occurrence and progression of neurodegenerative diseases, stroke, glioma, epilepsy, and other CNS diseases. In addition, significant differences expression of extracellular tsRNAs in circulating or cerebrospinal fluid between patients and normal individuals have demonstrated the diagnostic and prognostic value of tsRNAs as biomarkers for liquid biopsy. In this review,we provide a detailed summary of the biogenesis, function, and chemical modification of tsRNAs, focusing on the current status and prospects of research on tsRNAs in neurodegenerative diseases, stroke, glioma, epilepsy, and others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nonessential amino acid asparagine can only be synthesized de novo by the enzymatic activity of asparagine synthetase (ASNS). While ASNS and asparagine have been implicated in the response to numerous metabolic stressors in cultured cells, the in vivo relevance of this enzyme in stress-related pathways remains unexplored. Here, we found ASNS to be expressed in pericentral hepatocytes, a population of hepatic cells specialized in xenobiotic detoxification. ASNS expression was strongly enhanced in 2 models of acute liver injury: carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and acetaminophen. We found that mice with hepatocyte-specific Asns deletion were more prone to pericentral liver damage than their control littermates after toxin exposure. This phenotype could be reverted by i.v. administration of asparagine. Unexpectedly, the stress-induced upregulation of ASNS involved an ATF4-independent, noncanonical pathway mediated by the nuclear receptor, liver receptor homolog 1 (LRH-1; NR5A2). Altogether, our data indicate that the induction of the asparagine-producing enzyme ASNS acts as an adaptive mechanism to constrain the necrotic wave that follows toxin administration and provide proof of concept that i.v. delivery of asparagine can dampen hepatotoxin-induced pericentral hepatocellular death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The compacting force in the biomass pelletizing process has remarkable effects on energy consumption, equipment life, and pellet quality. This paper presents an experimental study on the mechanical behavior for the pelletizing process of rice straw, wheat straw, and wood shavings, under different levels of technological parameters, including moisture content, compacting velocity, and particle size. Effects of these parameters on the constant coefficients in the three equations were analyzed. The relationship between the coefficients and the pelletizing process was considered. Results showed that Peiyun Huang equation was more suitable for the whole compacting process compared with the other two equations, which meant it was feasible to estimate the required input of the pelletizing system by measuring the product density based on the Peiyun Huang equation. No specific relationships between the coefficients and pellet quality and energy consumption were observed. It is infeasible to predict the pellet quality and energy consumption only by the mechanical properties of the biomass in densification process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sleep/wake control involves several neurotransmitter and neuromodulatory systems yet the coordination of the behavioral and physiological processes underlying sleep is incompletely understood. Previous studies have suggested that activation of the Nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) receptor (NOPR) reduces locomotor activity and produces a sedation-like effect in rodents. In the present study, we systematically evaluated the efficacy of two NOPR agonists, Ro64-6198 and SR16835, on sleep/wake in rats, mice, and Cynomolgus macaques. We found a profound, dose-related increase in non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) sleep and electroencephalogram (EEG) slow wave activity (SWA) and suppression of Rapid Eye Movement sleep (REM) sleep in all three species. At the highest dose tested in rats, the increase in NREM sleep and EEG SWA was accompanied by a prolonged inhibition of REM sleep, hypothermia, and reduced locomotor activity. However, even at the highest dose tested, rats were immediately arousable upon sensory stimulation, suggesting sleep rather than an anesthetic state. NOPR agonism also resulted in increased expression of c-Fos in the anterodorsal preoptic and parastrial nuclei, two GABAergic nuclei that are highly interconnected with brain regions involved in physiological regulation. These results suggest that the N/OFQ–NOPR system may have a previously unrecognized role in sleep/wake control and potential promise as a therapeutic target for the treatment of insomnia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

In intracranial stenting, good stent apposition is crucial, and high-resolution C-arm computer tomography (CT) is utilized to assess whether stent apposition is complete. This study was aimed at finding optimal hypertonic or isotonic contrast media injection concentration for high-resolution C-arm CT to assess apposition of flow diversion (FD) after carotid artery stenting in swine.Twelve FD stents were implanted into the left carotid artery of Bama swine through the endovascular method. During high-resolution C-arm CT scanning, 6%, 8%, 10%, 12%, and 14% dilution percentages of hypertonic contrast media (iopromide 370 mg/ml) and 10%, 12%, 14%, 16%, and 18% dilution percentages of isotonic contrast media (iodixanol 320 mg/ml) were separately injected. A radiologist and a neuro-interventional specialist evaluated and qualitatively scored the post-processed images, and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) was used to verify the accuracy of these images.Overall, 12 FD stents were implanted into the left common carotid artery of 12 swine, with a technical success rate of 100%. The best reconstructed images used to observe stent apposition were achieved with iopromide diluted to a concentration of 12% (all P < .05) or iodixanol diluted to a concentration of 16% (all P < .05). Malapposition was noted in one case, and good apposition was noted in 11 cases. These results were consistent with IVUS observations.Injecting iopromide or iodixanol diluted to 12% or 16% during high-resolution C-arm CT scanning, respectively, can help evaluate FD stent apposition and obtain optimal image quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the angular deviation between the tunnel axis and the in-situ principal stress direction, the stress conditions of deep surrounding rocks become more notably intricate, giving rise to significant engineering geological disasters. This study aims to investigate the effect of the angle between principal stress and tunnel axis on the failure characteristics of surrounding rocks. To achieve this, a novel granite cuboid specimen featuring an oblique cylindrical hole was designed. The cylindrical hole was set at five angle levels (0°, 5°, 15°, 30°, and 45°) and two scenarios, including the rotation plane of the cylindrical hole parallel or perpendicular to the direction of the maximum principal stress σ 1 , were considered. A comprehensive investigation on the strain field around the hole and the mechanical response of the specimens was conducted through a series of biaxial compression tests, integrating acoustic emission and digital image correlation (DIC) detection, alongside the numerical simulations using discrete element method (DEM). The results revealed that the acoustic emission characteristics exhibited marginal variation as the rotation angle increased under biaxial compression. The predominant failure mode was a tension-shear failure, primarily governed by tensile cracks. The biaxial strength of the specimens exhibited a decreasing trend with the increase of horizontal rotation angle α. Conversely, the biaxial strength initially decreased, then increased, and ultimately decreased again with an increase in the vertical rotation angle β. An X-shaped high-strain band emerged around the hole when σ 1 exceeded 60% of peak stress. As the rotation angle increased, this high-strain band extended into the interior of the specimens, with only a small portion visible on their surfaces. Numerical results confirmed that the failure characteristics inside the specimens aligned with those observed in physical test results. The spatial variation of micro-cracks in different specimens was thoroughly analyzed to discern the influences of the hole rotation angle on the failure behaviors. Highlights: An innovative granite cuboid specimen featuring an oblique cylindrical hole was introduced. The strike direction effect of the cylindrical hole on the mechanical properties of granite specimens under biaxial compression was investigated. The experimental and numerical modeling approaches were employed to study the failure mode and microcrack distribution in rock specimens with an oblique cylindrical hole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Eosinophilic gastroenteritis is a rare gastrointestinal disease that is characterized by diffuse or localized eosinophil infiltration in the gastrointestinal tract, and is accompanied by increased peripheral blood eosinophils. Herein, a case of plasma membrane lesion-type total intestinal eosinophil enteritis is reported. Case presentation We report on a 20-year-old male patient who was admitted to the hospital with “abdominal distension for 15 days”. The infiltration of a large number of eosinophils was found by conducting an intestinal biopsy, routine ascites examination, blood routine, smear test, and a bone marrow puncture. A special feature of this patient was that a large number of eosinophils were found in the duodenum, small intestine, and colon. The final diagnosis was plasma membrane lesion type total intestinal eosinophilic enteritis. After four weeks of prednisone treatment, the symptoms disappeared completely and the entire intestinal mucosa was endoscopically observed as smooth. Conclusion Clinical practitioners must pay attention to gastrointestinal endoscopy and biopsy pathology results for patients presenting with abdominal distention and ascites. Combined with an abnormal increase of eosinophils in ascites, bone marrow, and peripheral blood, clinical practitioners must be highly vigilant against plasma membrane lesion type total intestinal eosinophilic enteritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estimation of passenger car unit (PCU) values is very important for traffic capacity analysis and other relevant applications such as determining the saturation flow rate and signal design. However, the usual methods are not completely analogous for mixed traffic due to the presence of a wide variety of vehicle types, poor lane discipline, variability of intraclass vehicles. The parameters required for PCU estimation under mixed traffic are relatively more complex to measure, causing a severe data limitation. The accurate estimation of PCUs relies on the collection of sufficient amounts of data, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) like drones are used in recent years by researchers as they significantly reduce efforts of data collection and extraction. This paper illustrates three methods for PCU estimation under mixed traffic on two signalized intersections of China using UAV monitoring data. The first method is based on the travel time of a vehicle while clearing the intersection. The second method is based on the average speed estimated in terms of different vehicle categories. The lagging headway ratio is used as the basis for PCU estimation in the third method. The author explores the effect of the driving direction and compared the PCU values at different time periods. The results show that the PCU value of vehicles turning left is always greater than that of going straight. The usage of a combined parameter is more appropriate than a single parameter in mixed traffic. The values are similar to those of India but are quite different from the United States. The values obtained in this study can be used as a guideline in the traffic analysis at signalized intersections in China and generally in other developing countries [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three dimensional graphene-carbon nanotube networks (3D-GC) have attracted great interests due to their superior thermal, optical, and hydrogen storage properties. In our work, the in-plane mechanical properties of nanoporous 3D-GC with different diameters of the joint carbon nanotube (CNT) and porosity have been studied. During in-plane tension, the fracture of 3D-GC first initiates at the heptagonal defects of the junctions between graphene sheets and CNTs where large tensile residual stress is observed. The in-plane tensile strength of 3D-GC decreases with the increasing of CNT parameter and porosity, and the tensile modulus is mainly determined by the porosity. Although the fracture strain decreases with the CNT diameter, it increases with the porosity. Compared to the nanoporous graphene, 3D-GC has larger in-plane tensile strength and fracture strain due to the additional support of CNTs. However, the in-plane tensile modulus of 3D-GC is usually smaller than that of the nanoporous graphene due to the wrinkled configuration of 3D-GC. By considering the stress concentration and additional support of CNTs, a theoretical model is proposed which can describe the molecular dynamics simulation results well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Cancer is the leading cause of death in the world. The mechanism is not fully elucidated and the therapeutic effect is also unsatisfactory. In our study, we aim to find new target gene in pan-cancer. METHODS: Differently expressed genes (DEGs) was screened out in various types of cancers from GEO database. The expression of DEG (TCEAL2) in tumor cell lines, normal tissues and tumor tissues was calculated. Then the clinical characteristics, DNA methylation, tumor infiltration and gene enrichment of TCEAL2 was studied. RESULTS: TCEAL2 expressions were down-regulated in most cancers. Its expression and methylation were positively or negatively associated with prognosis in different cancers. The tumor infiltration RESULTSrevealed that TCEAL2 was significantly related with many immune cells especially NK cells and immune-related genes in majority cancers. Furthermore, tau protein and tubulin binding were involved in the molecular function mechanisms of TCEAL2. Concl usi on: TCEAL2 may be a novel prognostic marker in different cancers and may affect tumor through immune infiltration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent nonapoptotic cell death, is a highly regulated tumor suppressing process. However, functions and mechanisms of RNA-binding proteins in regulation of evasion of ferroptosis during lung cancer progression are still largely unknown. Here, we report that the RNA-binding protein RBMS1 participates in lung cancer development via mediating ferroptosis evasion. Through an shRNA-mediated systematic screen, we discovered that RBMS1 is a key ferroptosis regulator. Clinically, RBMS1 was elevated in lung cancer and its high expression was associated with reduced patient survival. Conversely, depletion of RBMS1 inhibited lung cancer progression both in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, RBMS1 interacted with the translation initiation factor eIF3d directly to bridge the 3′- and 5′-UTR of SLC7A11. RBMS1 ablation inhibited the translation of SLC7A11, reduced SLC7A11-mediated cystine uptake, and promoted ferroptosis. In a drug screen that targeted RBMS1, we further uncovered that nortriptyline hydrochloride decreased the level of RBMS1, thereby promoting ferroptosis. Importantly, RBMS1 depletion or inhibition by nortriptyline hydrochloride sensitized radioresistant lung cancer cells to radiotherapy. Our findings established RBMS1 as a translational regulator of ferroptosis and a prognostic factor with therapeutic potential and clinical value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stringent emission regulations diesel engines are required to meet have resulted in the usage of multihole and ultramultihole injectors, nowadays. In this research study, a double-layered eight-hole diesel injection nozzle was investigated both numerically and experimentally. A three-dimensional model of the nozzle which was validated with experimental results was used to analyze the injection characteristics of each hole. The validation was conducted by comparing experiment and simulation injection rate results, acquired simultaneously from all the holes of the injector and the model. The fuel flow rates of the lower layered holes are higher than those of the upper layered holes. Two different needle eccentricity models were established. The first model only included the lateral displacement of the needle during needle lift. The needle reached maximum displacement at full needle lift. The second model considered the needle inelastic deformation into consideration. The needle radially displaces and glides along with the needle seat surface during needle lift. When the eccentricity reached a maximum in the radial direction, the needle began to lift upward vertically. The differences in injection characteristics under the different eccentricity models were apparent. The results indicated that the cycle injection quantity, fuel injection rate, and cavitation of each hole were affected during the initial lifting stages of the needle lift. As the eccentricity of the needle increases, the injection rate uniformity from the nozzle hole deteriorates. The result showed that the upper layered holes were affected by the needle eccentricity during needle lift. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the hydrothermal method was employed to synthesize TiO2 nanobelts, which performed enhanced photocatalytic activity compared with TiO2 nanoparticles. The structures, morphologies and surface chemical components of the as-prepared samples were systemically characterized, as well as the UV-Vis absorption properties. Also, the photocatalytic properties of the catalysts were evaluated through degrading MB dye under the simulated solar-driven irradiation. From the comparison, TiO2 nanobelts sample behaved a better photocatalytic degradation of 20 mg/L MB solution within 120 min, more than 0.2 times of TiO2 nanoparticles, which was attributed to more surface oxygen vacancies generated in TiO2 nanobelts during their synthesis process. This finding enables TiO2 nanobelts the feasibility to be used or to be constructed heterostructures applying in the field of water pollutant decontaminations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Translation of open reading frame 1b (ORF1b) in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) requires a programmed -1 ribosomal frameshift (-1 PRF) promoted by an RNA pseudoknot. The extent to which SARS-CoV-2 replication may be sensitive to changes in -1 PRF efficiency is currently unknown. Through an unbiased, reporter-based high-throughput compound screen, we identified merafloxacin, a fluoroquinolone antibacterial, as a -1 PRF inhibitor for SARS-CoV-2. Frameshift inhibition by merafloxacin is robust to mutations within the pseudoknot region and is similarly effective on -1 PRF of other betacoronaviruses. Consistent with the essential role of -1 PRF in viral gene expression, merafloxacin impedes SARS-CoV-2 replication in Vero E6 cells, thereby providing proof-of-principle for targeting -1 PRF as a plausible and effective antiviral strategy for SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the palatal bone and soft tissue thicknesses using a miniscrew-supported maxillary skeletal expander (MSE) in Class III malocclusion. Methods: The thicknesses of the palatal bone and soft tissue were measured in cone-beam computed tomography images obtained from 58 patients. All 20 points were crossing points between five levels, which were defined at 3 mm intervals relative to the line connecting the central fossae of the first molar (Level 0), and 2 mm and 4 mm lateral to the anteroposterior reference line (AP line). Results: The palatal bone was significantly thicker in males than females in the anterior palate up to Level 0, while there was no significant sex-related difference in the posterior palate. There was a tendency for the thickness to decrease in the posterior direction, except in females at 2 mm lateral to the AP line. The palatal soft tissue was significantly thicker in males than females in all positions. At 2 mm lateral to the AP line, the palatal soft tissue thickness decreased in the posterior direction. A 4 mm lateral to the AP line, it initially decreased in the posterior direction, and then increasing again at Level − 6 (6 mm posterior of Level 0). As the lateral distance from the AP line increased, the palatal bone thickness decreased while the palatal soft tissue thickness increased. Conclusions: These findings provide quantitative data on the palatal bone and soft tissue thicknesses for the miniscrew-supported MSE in the posterior palate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a combination of Ag-coated hollow glass spheres (HGS@Ag) and a small quantity of graphene sheets within the epoxy matrix, we have prepared a novel lightweight high efficiency microwave absorption composite. Compared with pure HGS@Ag and graphene composite, the -10 dB absorption bandwidth and the minimum reflection loss of the novel composite are improved. Reflection loss exceeding -20 dB is obtained for composites in a wide frequency range and the minimum reflection loss reaches -46 dB while bandwidth less than -10 dB can reach up to 4.1GHz when an appropriate absorber thickness between 2 and 3.5mm is chosen. The enhanced microwave absorption performance of the novel composite is due to the enhanced dielectric response, enhanced conductivity, and the trap of electromagnetic radiation with increased propagation paths by multiple reflections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) finalized its next‐generation digital terrestrial broadcast standard in 2016, known as ATSC 3.0. In order to enhance spectral efficiency, the standard employs two‐dimensional non‐uniform constellations (2D‐NUCs) for signal mapping. As a result, a 2D demapper, with computational complexity much higher than one‐dimensional (1D) demappers, has to be designed for the receiver. In this paper, a suboptimal low‐complexity 2D‐demapping method is proposed for ATSC 3.0. The proposed method takes advantage of the 2D‐NUC's feature that constellation points with same most significant bits tend to locate in the same subregion. Simulation results show that compared with the conventional Max‐Log‐MAP 2D demapping, the proposed method achieves at least 74% complexity reduction with negligible performance loss. Moreover, compared with another 2D demapper specially designed for ATSC 3.0, the proposed method dispenses with high‐complexity exponential and logarithmic operations at a small performance cost of at most 0.14 dB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the influence of the perceived value of ballet performances (personal, artistic, and sociocultural) on consumer satisfaction, trust, and intention to rewatch (revisit). Participants included 240 Americans, 272 South Africans, and 227 Koreans, for a total of 739 (female = 50.2%) who watched a ballet performance in the last two years (2019–2020). Measures included perceived value of ballet performances (personal, artistic, and sociocultural) consumer satisfaction, trust, and intention to rewatch (revisit). Following structural equation model analysis (using SmartPLS) we found perceptions of personal, artistic, and sociocultural value to enhance consumer satisfaction. Sociocultural value had an enhanced consumer trust, while personal and artistic value did not. Consumer trust mediated the relationship between consumer satisfaction and intention to rewatch (revisit). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Design: Observational, anatomical, radiological study.Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the incidence and type of vertebral artery (VA) variation in patients with congenital cervical scoliosis and approach their clinical importance during surgery.Summary Of Background Data: Congenital scoliosis of the cervical spine is usually sporadic and caused by a variety of bone structural anomalies. Most of the cases remain asymptomatic. Surgical intervention is the main management for patients with neurological compromise or with cosmetic demands. The operation involved more screw insertion and osteotomy than the regular degenerative cases. The incidence and pattern of VA variants in these patients have not been reported.Methods: Patients with congenital cervical scoliosis treated in our department were reviewed. We measured Cobb angle of cervical spine. We observed bilateral VAs and recorded variants. We measured their diameter in each segment through CT angiography. The bilateral diameter in each patient was then compared respectively.Result: There is a total of 44 patients enrolled. The incidence of VA variation was 41% (18/44). Fifty percent (22/44) of patients had the dominant VA with no difference between concave side and convex side. Patients with a dominant VA had a larger Cobb angle than those who had not (30.25° vs. 23.24°, P < 0.05). The courses of VA were abnormal in 18 patients. Two patients had unilateral variant in V1 segment. Twelve patients had variants in V2 segment. Eight patients had variants in V3 segment. Three patients had VA variants in multiple sites.Conclusion: In patients with congenital cervical scoliosis, the dominance of VA is not related to the convex side or concave side, but patients with a dominance of VA have a larger Cobb angle. The incidence of variant in V2 and V3 segment is higher. A thorough evaluation of bilateral VAs is required before surgery. Extra cautions must be taken during surgery.Level of Evidence: 5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attentional biases to emotional stimuli are thought to reflect vulnerability for mood disorder onset and maintenance. This study examined the association between the endogenous sex hormone estradiol and emotional attentional biases in adolescent females with either current or remitted depression. Three groups of participants (mean age ± SD) completed the Emotional Interrupt Task: 1) 20 adolescent females (15.1 ± 1.83 years) currently diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), 2) 16 adolescent females (16.4 ± 1.31 years) who had experienced at least one episode of MDD in their lifetime but currently met criteria for MDD in remission, and 3) 30 adolescent female (15.4 ± 1.83 years) healthy controls. Attentional interference (AI) scores were calculated as differences in target response reaction time between trials with emotional facial expressions versus neutral facial expressions. Estradiol levels were assayed by Salimetrics LLC using saliva samples collected within 30 min of waking on assessment days. Robust multiple regression with product terms evaluated estradiol's main effect on AI scores, as well as hypothesized estradiol × diagnostic group interactions. Although neither mean estradiol levels nor mean AI scores in the current-MDD and remitted-MDD groups differed from controls, the relationship between estradiol and overall AI score differed between control adolescents and the remitted-MDD group. Specifically, the remitted-MDD adolescents performed worse (i.e., showed greater attentional interference) when they had higher estradiol; no significant relationship existed in the current-MDD group. Because this finding was driven by angry and not happy stimuli, it appears higher estradiol levels were associated with greater susceptibility to the attention-capturing effects of negatively-valenced emotional content in girls at risk for MDD from prior history. • Attentional biases to negative stimuli are a common feature of depression, while fluctuations in estradiol have been linked to depression. • The Emotional Interrupt Task (EIT) was used to examine the relationship between estradiol levels and attentional interference (AI). • Higher estradiol levels were associated with greater AI in adolescent girls with a prior history of depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the vibration and noise reduction effects of Propeller Boss Cap Fins (PBCF), the Large Eddy Simulation (LES) method has been employed in the noise performance estimation of a propeller-rudder system. The hydrodynamic performance of the propulsion system is predicted after the grid independence analysis, then further compared with the result of cavitation tunnel experiment. The acoustic simulation is performed based on Ffowcs Williams and Hawkings (FW-H) equation. After the observation of the hydrodynamic noise performance changes, the forces of propulsion systems and noise reduction effects of PBCF are analyzed. It's indicated from the research results that PBCF can not only improve the propulsion efficiency, but also reduce the radiation noise intensity significantly. Meanwhile, the lateral force fluctuation of hub cap can be decreased by suppressing the vibration of propeller shaft. In addition, the time-averaged value of the rudder lateral force has been decreased by about 15.5%. It has been well known that the radiation of propulsion noise is directional. Accordingly, it is found that the noise reduction effects due to PBCF are also directional, which is the most noticeable in the axial direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reef-building corals and their aragonite (CaCO3) skeletons support entire reef ecosystems, yet their formation mechanism is poorly understood. Here we used synchrotron spectromicroscopy to observe the nanoscale mineralogy of fresh, forming skeletons from six species spanning all reef-forming coral morphologies: Branching, encrusting, massive, and table. In all species, hydrated and anhydrous amorphous calcium carbonate nanoparticles were precursors for skeletal growth, as previously observed in a single species. The amorphous precursors here were observed in tissue, between tissue and skeleton, and at growth fronts of the skeleton, within a low-density nano- or microporous layer varying in thickness from 7 to 20 µm. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller measurements, however, indicated that the mature skeletons at the microscale were space-filling, comparable to single crystals of geologic aragonite. Nanoparticles alone can never fill space completely, thus ion-by-ion filling must be invoked to fill interstitial pores. Such ionby- ion diffusion and attachment may occur from the supersaturated calcifying fluid known to exist in corals, or from a dense liquid precursor, observed in synthetic systems but never in biogenic ones. Concomitant particle attachment and ion-by-ion filling was previously observed in synthetic calcite rhombohedra, but never in aragonite pseudohexagonal prisms, synthetic or biogenic, as observed here. Models for biomineral growth, isotope incorporation, and coral skeletons' resilience to ocean warming and acidification must take into account the dual formation mechanism, including particle attachment and ion-by-ion space filling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jetlag and travel fatigue can impair functioning, but it is unknown what strategies are used by travelers to minimize these consequences. Passengers on Qantas Airways flights were invited to take part in online surveys. Long-haul flights of ≥8 h into and out of Australia were targeted, which involved time differences of 1 to 18 h between the origin and destination. Passengers were queried about the use of travel booking choices before the flight, and the use of behavioral strategies before, during, and after flight for reducing jetlag and travel fatigue. Surveys were completed by N = 460 passengers aged 18 to 78 (43% male; mean age 50 y). Selecting a seat location (59%) and choosing a direct flight (52%) were the most common booking strategies. Almost all (99%) employed specific behavioral strategies during flight, with fewer implementing strategies before flight (73%) and after flight (89%). During the journey, 81% consumed or avoided caffeine and alcohol, 68% altered food intake, 68% used comfort/relaxation strategies, 53% light exposure, 35% physical activity, 31% compression stockings, 15% pharmaceutical sleep aids, and 8% melatonin. Surprisingly, only 1 of 460 passengers reported using a jetlag app. Younger travelers were more likely to adopt any strategy before the flight than older travelers (χ 22 = 14.90, p =.01), while female travelers appeared more likely than male travelers to use strategies before (77% vs. 68%) and after flight (91% vs. 85%). Reason for travel, flight cabin, leg of journey, and country of residence were not significantly associated with the use of behavioral strategies. Nearly all passengers took measures to improve the experience and consequences of long-haul flying. The results suggest that interventions around food/drink and physical activity may be highly acceptable to passengers for mitigating travel fatigue and that greater public education on evidence-based strategies may be helpful for reducing travel fatigue and jetlag. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing monocular depth estimation methods based on deep learning have difficulty in estimating the depth near the edges of the objects in an image when the depth distance between these objects changes abruptly and decline in accuracy when an image has more noises. Furthermore, these methods consume more hardware resources because they have huge network parameters. To solve these problems, this paper proposes a depth estimation method based on weighted fusion and point‐wise convolution. The authors design a maximum‐average adaptive pooling weighted fusion module (MAWF) that fuses global features and local features and a continuous point‐wise convolution module for processing the fused features derived from the (MAWF) module. The two modules work closely together for three times to perform weighted fusion and point‐wise convolution of features of multi‐scale from the encoder output, which can better decode the depth information of a scene. Experimental results show that our method achieves state‐of‐the‐art performance on the KITTI dataset with δ1 up to 0.996 and the root mean square error metric down to 8% and has demonstrated the strong generalisation and robustness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Due to its rarity and the lack of animal models for this disease, the etiology of bronchial artery aneurysm (BAA) is poorly understood. Aim: To investigate the effect of transcatheter artery embolization (TAE) with coils, spherical polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and gel foam in patients with BAA. Material and methods: From June 2015 to November 2018, 5 patients diagnosed with BAA with massive hemoptysis after undergoing bronchial arteriography and receiving TAE therapy in the Department of Interventional Radiology were enrolled in this study. Post-embolization angiography was used to demonstrate total occlusion of the BAAs and bronchiectatic engorged vessels. The patients' follow-up was conducted 1--16 months after TAE. Results: All 5 patients were cured by the TAE treatment, during which PVA, coils, and gel foam were applied. The patients also received successful TAE via a microcatheter. Hemoptysis disappeared in all patients. No special or severe complications occurred, and no patient experienced a recurrence during the follow-up. Conclusions: Overall, TAE is the best choice for patients with hemoptysis and BAA due to its effectivity and reliability. Thorough and complete embolization of the bleeding arteries is the key to successful treatment. Though PVA and coils are the most common materials for embolization, gel foam strips can also be applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated changes in the cranial/cephalic index of the Korean population in millennia, centuries, and recent decades. Secular changes of Korean's cephalic index in history were studied using the data of archaeology literature and our measurement data of different adult skull sets for the fifteenth–nineteenth century Joseon people, the Korean War victims (1950–1953), and the Korean skeletons collected by medical schools in the 1960s. A change in head shape during the last century was also estimated by the analysis on Korean cephalometric datasets of Korean Research Institute of Standards and Science. In brief, over the past 2000 years, the crania of Korean people have steadily changed from mesocephalic to brachycephalic, mainly due to the cranial length shortening. Brachycephalization accelerated at the beginning of the twentieth century and continued until the early twenty-first century, largely caused by increased cephalic breadth. We also note that debrachycephalization began in birth cohorts around 1965 for males and around 1970 for females. Taken together, we figure out that the head shape of Korean people has been gradually shortened over millennia and then has undergone dramatic shortening in the last century. In recent decades, however, the changing pattern has reversed to debrachycephalization, for which we discussed about the possible causes in the present report. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanical behavior of the biomass densification process has noticeable influences on energy consumption and pellet quality. In the authors' previous work, a method was proposed to determine the inner pressure by testing the circumferential strain of the outer die wall. Based on this method, a device was developed with strain gauges in the form of a single pellet unit. With this device, experiments were conducted with wood shavings, rice straw, and wheat straw under different levels of particle size, compression rate, and moisture content. The effects of these factors on the inner pressure were analyzed. The relationships among the inner pressure, pellet density, and specific energy consumption were obtained. Results showed that the pressure ratio increased linearly and then decreased and became constant during the relaxation period. The pressure change during the relaxation period was isotropic. The results could provide mechanical explanations for the phenomena in biomass densification processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), an important gasotransmitter, regulates cardiovascular functions. Mitochondrial damage induced by the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) results in myocardial injury with a diabetic state. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of exogenous H2S on mitophagy formation in diabetic cardiomyopathy. In this study, we found that exogenous H2S could improve cardiac functions, reduce mitochondrial fragments and ROS levels, enhance mitochondrial respiration chain activities and inhibit mitochondrial apoptosis in the hearts of db/db mice. Our results showed that exogenous H2S facilitated parkin translocation into mitochondria and promoted mitophagy formation in the hearts of db/db mice. Our studies further revealed that the ubiquitination level of cytosolic parkin was increased and the expression of USP8, a deubiquitinating enzyme, was decreased in db/db cardiac tissues. S-sulfhydration is a novel posttranslational modification of specific cysteine residues on target proteins by H2S. Our results showed that the S-sulfhydration level of USP8 was obviously decreased in vivo and in vitro under hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia, however, exogenous H2S could reverse this effect and promote USP8/parkin interaction. Dithiothreitol, a reducing agent that reverses sulfhydration-mediated covalent modification, increased the ubiquitylation level of parkin, abolished the effects of exogenous H2S on USP8 deubiquitylation and suppressed the interaction of USP8 with parkin in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes treated with high glucose, oleate and palmitate. Our findings suggested that H2S promoted mitophagy formation by increasing S-sulfhydration of USP8, which enhanced deubiquitination of parkin through the recruitment of parkin in mitochondria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous lines of evidence have shown that cognitive processes engaged during response inhibition tasks are associated with structure and functional integration of regions within fronto-parietal networks. However, while prior studies have started to characterize how intrinsic connectivity during resting state differs between boys and girls, comparatively less is known about how functional connectivity differs between males and females when brain function is exogenously driven by the processing demands of typical Go/No-Go tasks that assess both response inhibition and error processing. The purpose of this study was to characterize adolescent sex differences and possible changes in sexually dimorphic regional functional connectivity across adolescent development in both cortical and subcortical brain connectivity elicited during a visual Go/No-Go task. A total of 130 healthy adolescents (ages 12-25 years) performed a Go/No-Go task during functional magnetic resonance imaging. High model-order group independent component analysis was used to characterize whole-brain network functional connectivity during response inhibition and then a univariate technique used to evaluate differences related to sex and age. As predicted and similar to previously described findings from non-task-driven resting state connectivity studies, functional connectivity sex differences were observed in several subcortical regions, including the amygdala, caudate, thalamus, and cortical regions, including inferior frontal gyrus engaged most strongly during successful response inhibition and/or error processing. Importantly, adolescent boys and girls exhibited different normative profiles of age-related changes in several default mode networks of regions and anterior cingulate cortex. These results suggest that cortical-subcortical functional networks supporting response inhibition operate differently between sexes during adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective measures of circadian disruption are difficult to capture in a free-living environment hence the importance of validating subjective measures of jetlag. We aimed to assess the internal consistency of the 15-item Liverpool Jetlag Scale and its convergent and divergent validity with indicators of fatigue and anxiety in a large sample of air passengers. Online survey of passengers was conducted after travel on a range of long-haul flights. Jetlag was captured using the Liverpool scale, fatigue was measured using the Vitality subscale of the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), and the presence of anxiety or worry before, during, and after flight was self-reported. Inter-item correlations and Cronbach's alpha were calculated to assess the internal consistency of the scale. Exploratory factor analysis was used to examine whether the scale was consistent with one underlying construct of circadian disruption. Correlations between fatigue and anxiety (flying, situational, symptoms) with jetlag were used to assess convergent and divergent validity. Linear regression was used to determine the most important symptoms contributing to subjective jetlag rating. N = 460 passengers (57% female, mean age 50, SD 16 years) were surveyed. Cronbach's alpha indicated high internal reliability (alpha = 0.85). Jetlag was more strongly correlated with fatigue (rho = 0.47) than any type of anxiety (rho = 0.10–0.22). Exploratory factor analysis indicated responses were consistent with four factors: (i) fatigue/daytime impairment, (ii) sleep disturbance, (iii) changes in appetite and (iv) changes in bowel function. Regression analysis indicated that only changes in concentration, sleep time, fatigue, sleep quality and frequency of bowel motions were independent correlates of subjective jetlag (R2 = 27%). The Liverpool Jetlag Scale is internally consistent and demonstrates the expected relationships with fatigue and anxiety. Patterns of response are not consistent with all items being derived from one underlying factor, i.e. circadian disruption. Further, not all items contributed to the jetlag rating, suggesting the single-item rating may be useful for capturing the subjective experience of jetlag, whilst a total jetlag score is useful for also capturing circadian symptoms considered by passengers to be unrelated to jetlag. Validation of subjective jetlag against objective measures of circadian disruption is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A pipeline leakage detection sensor based on microfiber is proposed and fabricated. • Compared with piezoelectric acoustic sensor, it has more electrical safety. • Compared with piezoelectric acoustic sensor, it is anti-electromagnetic interference. • The sensor is small in size and simple in structure. Gas pipeline leakage can have significant environmental and industrial consequences, making it crucial to safely and efficiently detect such leaks. This study introduces a novel microfiber sensor based on the Mach-Zehnder structure, designed specifically for detecting small gas pipeline leaks. Initially, simulations were conducted to analyze the electric field distribution of the microfiber and the changes in sound pressure caused by pipeline leakage. Subsequently, the sensor was developed by encasing the microfiber in a double layer of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and utilizing a nut with a hole as an external fixation device. To ensure accurate measurement of low-frequency acoustic pressure changes, the sensor's installation structure was integrated into the pipeline branch pipe. Experimental results demonstrate sensor's capability to detect acoustic signals generated by small leakage apertures measuring 0.1 mm in diameter. The received voltage signal exhibited a strong linear relationship with the size of the leakage aperture within the range of 0.1-6 mm, with a correlation coefficient exceeding 0.97. In addition, the sensor has reliable electrical safety and anti-electromagnetic interference capability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benzimidazole derivatives can effectively treat nematode parasitic infections; however, some derivatives demand distinct administrative strategies depending on plasma concentration and patient conditions. Numerous studies have examined the potential of natural extracts to exert parasiticidal activity with minimal side effects. Herein, we examined the potential parasiticidal effects of Torreya nucifera extract. The pericarps of T. nucifera were extracted with methanol, dried, and the pellet was dissolved in hot water (Tn-Phw). We designed four individual mouse experiments to clarify the prophylactic and therapeutic effects of Tn-Phw on Trichinella spiralis infection. Also, 100 L1 larvae were isolated and treated with Tn-Phw (10 mg/mL) in vitro to confirm the killing effect. Furthermore, we microscopically examined the morphology of L1 larvae to confirm the parasite-killing effect and analyzed the morphology using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The expression of three molting-related genes was confirmed to determine whether Tn-Phw induced morphological changes in L1 larvae. Following treatment with Tn-Phw, L1 larvae death was observed after 16 h. Following SEM examination, the healthy muscle larvae showed striated ridges and wrinkles; this was not observed in extract-treated muscle larvae. Expression levels of the three molting-related genes did not differ between the Tn-Phw-treated and control groups. T. spiralis-infected mice pretreated with Tn-Phw showed significantly reduced muscle larva infection when compared with control mice. In all experiments, treatment with Tn-Phw afforded preventive and therapeutic effects against T. spiralis infection and parasitism. Natural substances against nematode parasites could be developed as therapeutic agents with few side effects and enhanced parasiticidal efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of Glacial Isostatic Adjustment (GIA) on the shape and gravity of the Earth is usually described by numerical models that simultaneously solve for glacial evolution and Earth's rheology, being mainly constrained by the geological evidence of local ice extent and global sea level, as well as by geodetic observations of Earth's rotation. In recent years, GPS and GRACE observations have often been used to improve those models, especially in the context of regional studies. However, consistency issues between different regional models limit their ability to answer questions from global scale geodesy. Examples are the closure of the sea level budget, the explanation of observed changes in Earth's rotation, and the determination of the origin of the Earth's reference frame. Here, we present a global empirical model of present-day GIA, solely based on GRACE data and on geoid fingerprints of mass redistribution. We will show how the use of observations from a single space-borne platform, together with GIA fingerprints based on different viscosity profiles, allows us to tackle the questions from global scale geodesy mentioned above. We find that, in the GRACE era (2003-2016), freshwater exchange between land and oceans has caused global mean sea level to rise by 1.5 ± 0.3 mm/yr, the geocentre to move by 0.5 mm/yr, and the Earth's dynamic oblateness (J2) to increase by 6.7 × 10-11/yr. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although junctional adhesion molecule-like protein (JAML) has recently been implicated in leukocyte recruitment during inflammation and wound repair, its role in atherosclerosis remains to be elucidated. Methods and results: First, we showed that JAML was strongly expressed in atherosclerotic plaques of cardiovascular patients. Similar results were obtained with atherosclerotic plaques of ApoE-/- mice. Co-immunofluorescence staining showed that JAML was mainly expressed in macrophages. Enhanced expression of JAML in cultured macrophages was observed following exposure of the cells to oxLDL. The functional role of JAML in atherosclerosis and macrophages function was assessed by interference of JAML with shRNA in vivo and siRNA in vitro. Silencing of JAML in mice significantly attenuated atherosclerotic lesion formation, reduced necrotic core area, increased plaque fibrous cap thickness, decreased macrophages content and inflammation. In addition, histological staining showed that JAML deficiency promoted plaques to stable phenotype. In vitro, JAML siRNA treatment lowered the expression of inflammatory cytokines in macrophages treated with oxLDL. The mechanism by which JAML mediated the inflammatory responses may be related to the ERK/NF-κB activation. Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that therapeutic drugs which antagonize the function of JAML may be a potentially effective approach to attenuate atherogenesis and enhance plaque stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sleep laboratory studies find that restricted sleep duration leads to worse short-term cognition, especially memory. Observational studies find associations between self-reported sleep duration or quality and cognitive function. However self-reported sleep characteristics might not be highly accurate, and misreporting could relate to cognition. In the Sleep Study of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP), a nationally representative cohort of older US adults (2010–2015), we examined whether self-reported and actigraph-measured sleep are associated with cross-sectional cognitive function and 5-year cognitive decline. Cognition was measured with the survey adaptation of the multidimensional Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-SA). At baseline (n = 759), average MoCA-SA score was 14.1 (standard deviation, 3.6) points of a possible 20. In cross-sectional models, actigraphic sleep-disruption measures (wake after sleep onset, fragmentation, percentage sleep, and wake bouts) were associated with worse cognition. Sleep disruption measures were standardized, and estimates of association were similar (range, −0.37 to −0.59 MoCA-SA point per standard deviation of disruption). Actigraphic sleep-disruption measures were also associated with odds of 5-year cognitive decline (4 or more points), with wake after sleep onset having the strongest association (odds ratio = 1.43, 95% confidence interval: 1.04, 1.98). Longitudinal associations were generally stronger for men than for women. Self-reported sleep showed little association with cognitive function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: It is well known that obesity is related to vitamin D deficiency (VDD). We investigated the response to vitamin D replacement in normal-weight and overweight children. Methods: This was a prospective study including 62 Korean children with VDD. VDD was defined as a serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25(OH)D) concentration <20 ng/ mL. Overweight was defined as a body mass index (BMI)≥the 85th percentile (n=21), and normal weight as a BMI between the 5th and 84th percentiles (n=41). All participants received vitamin D3 supplementation (2,000 IU/day) for 8 weeks. The serum levels of 25(OH)D, PTH and biochemical parameters were measured before and after treatment. Results: The mean age was 10.0±1.4 years in normal-weight children and 10.0±2.1 years in overweight children (P=0.93). After 8 weeks of treatment, 61.9% of normalweight children and 47.6% of overweight children achieved vitamin D sufficiency (P =0.30). The mean serum 25(OH)D levels after vitamin D replacement were 33.8±7.6 ng/mL and 30.3±6.6 ng/mL in normal-weight and overweight children, respectively (P =0.10). The mean calcium/creatinine ratios after treatment were 0.09±0.07 and 0.08±0.06 in the normal-weight and overweight groups, respectively, and no hypercalciuria was found. In multiple regression analysis, the response to vitamin D replacement was influenced by the BMI (β=-1.0, P=0.03) and sex (β=-4.0, P=0.04). Conclusion: Eight weeks of vitamin D replacement (2,000 IU/day) is sufficient to overcome vitamin D deficiency in normal-weight and overweight children without any complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focused on the reuse of wheat straw and waste engine oil by producing pellets with mixtures of the two products. Oxidative thermogravimetric experiments were carried out after blending the wheat straw with different amounts of the waste engine oil additive. Based on the results of these experiments, the effects of additive contents on the pyrolysis properties were obtained. Based on a single pellet unit, experiments were conducted to make pellets from wheat straw blended with the waste engine oil additive under different moisture content, temperature, and pressure conditions. The influences of additive content on the specific energy consumption, pellet density, tensile strength, and higher heating value (HHV) were investigated based on the experimental data. Finally, comparisons were made between the effects of waste engine oil additive and the additives used in other studies. The results showed that the use of waste engine oil additives had few effects on the pellet density but increased the HHV, and decreased the ignition temperature, specific energy consumption, and tensile strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlorpyrifos, one of the common broad-spectrum insecticides, can damage the human nerve system - even to the point of death under long-term exposure. In addition, chlorpyrifos is hard to be naturally degraded because of its strong combination with soil particles and long half-life. So repairing the polluted soil is urgently needed. In this study, the embedding and crosslinking immobilization techniques were used to determine the degradation of chlorpyrifos in soil. After 16SrDNA analysis, the results showed that LLBD2 is Bacillus cereus and LLBD4 is bacillus sp., and bacteria immobilized on the degradation of chlorpyrifos were significantly better than the free bacteria. The degradation rate reached 83.28% after LLBD2 being immobilized within 72 h. Furthermore, the environmental factors influenced with LLBD2 showed that immobilized bacteria were more adapted to the changed environment than the free one. Although the initial concentration, pH, and temperature were significantly changed, the degradation rate of chlorpyrifos by immobilized bacteria was stable, suggesting that environmental factors had little influence on the immobilized bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]