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This study presents a novel multistage expressway fast charging station (EFCS) planning problem coordinated with the dynamic regional power structure (PS) transformation. Under the prerequisite of the EFCS network's sustainable operation, network accessibility, and orderly construction, a three‐step planning method oriented to the enhancement of energy saving and emission reduction (ESER) benefits and rationalization of facility utilization is developed: (i) EV‐expanded network, (ii) multiagent‐based dynamic traffic assignment (MA‐DTA), and (iii) deployment refinement. Embedding the MA‐DTA and customized refinement strategy into the iterative planning structure enables the integration of operations and planning of the EFCS network. A numerical experiment and an empirical study in the Shandong Peninsula urban agglomeration are conducted. It demonstrates that the method can find a high‐quality solution within acceptable computation time and is applicable to realistic large‐scale EFCS planning. The planning method can effectively play the role of economy and facility in inducing EV users' charging demands, thus enhancing the overall ESER benefits. The integration of operation and planning is proven effective in reasonably matching the supply and demand of facility service and charging loads in a full‐time period. Further, the multistage EFCS planning schemes during 2025–2045 are explored, and some insightful policy implications are revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity is one of the most common metabolic diseases around the world, which is distinguished by the abnormal buildup of triglycerides within adipose cells. Recent research has revealed that autophagy regulates lipid mobilization to maintain energy balance. TIGAR (Trp53 induced glycolysis regulatory phosphatase) has been identified as a glycolysis inhibitor, whether it plays a role in the metabolism of lipids is unknown. Here, we found that TIGAR transgenic (TIGAR+/+) mice exhibited increased fat mass and trended to obesity phenotype. Non-target metabolomics showed that TIGAR caused the dysregulation of the metabolism profile. The quantitative transcriptome sequencing identified an increased levels of LRRK2 and RAB7B in the adipose tissue of TIGAR+/+ mice. It was confirmed in vitro that TIGAR overexpression increased the levels of LRRK2 by inhibiting polyubiquitination degradation, thereby suppressing macroautophagy and chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) while increasing lipid accumulation which were reversed by the LRRK2 inhibitor DNL201. Furthermore, TIGAR drove LRRK2 to interact with RAB7B for suppressing lysosomal degradation of lipid droplets, while the increased lipid droplets in adipocytes were blocked by the RAB7B inhibitor ML282. Additionally, fat-specific TIGAR knockdown of TIGAR+/+ mice alleviated the symptoms of obesity, and adipose tissues-targeting superiority DNL201 nano-emulsion counteracted the obesity phenotype in TIGAR+/+ mice. In summary, the current results indicated that TIGAR performed a vital function in the lipid metabolism through LRRK2-mediated negative regulation of macroautophagy and CMA in adipocyte. The findings suggest that TIGAR has the potential to serve as a viable therapeutic target for treating obesity and its associated metabolic dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this brief, a filtering power divider (FPD) with independently controllable four transmission zeros (TZs) and low insertion loss is designed and analyzed by using quad‐mode ring‐loaded resonator (QMRLR). The equivalent circuit of the proposed FPD is given, and the resonant characteristics of the resonator are analyzed. Due to the horizontal transmission interference of QMRLR, two TZs are realized. In addition, two TZs and one transmission pole are achieved by stepped impedance lines, achieving high selectivity within the passbands. The insertion loss is less than 0.5 dB, which is better than other FPDs. For demonstration, a prototype with center frequencies at 1.45 and 2.75 GHz is fabricated and measured. The measured and simulated results are presented with good agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)—a crucial modulator of neural development and plasticity—in the association between prenatal maternal anxiety, depression, and perceived stress and child neurodevelopment in a prospective cohort study. We included 526 eligible mother-child pairs from the Shanghai Birth Cohort in the study. Maternal mental health was assessed at mid-pregnancy using Zung's Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and Perceived Stress Scale. The concentration of BDNF in cord blood was measured by ELISA. The offspring neurodevelopment at 24 months of age was assessed using the Bayley Scales. Linear and non-linear regression models were used. The average cord blood BDNF levels were higher in female newborns and those born via vaginal delivery, full term, and normal birth weight. Prenatal maternal anxiety (β = −0.32; 95 % CI: −0.55, −0.09), depression (β = −0.30; 95 % CI: −0.52, −0.08), and perceived stress (β = −0.41; 95 % CI: −0.71, −0.12) scores were negatively associated with social-emotional performance at 24 months of age. However, no significant associations were found between prenatal maternal anxiety, depression, or perceived stress at mid-pregnancy and cord blood BDNF levels, as well as between cord blood BDNF levels and child neurodevelopment. Maternal mental health at different timepoints during pregnancy and generalizability of the results warrant further assessment. Prenatal mental health was not associated with cord blood BDNF level and that BDNF may not be a mediator in the association between prenatal mental health and child neurodevelopment. • No statistically significant correlations were found between prenatal maternal mental health and cord blood BDNF levels. • BDNF was not associated with neurodevelopment in 2-year-olds, except for a non-linear relationship with the cognitive domain. • BDNF may not mediate the link between maternal mental health during pregnancy and early childhood neurodevelopment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractArteriovenous fistula (AVF) is the most commonly used vascular access for hemodialysis in patients with end-stage renal disease. Vascular diseases such as atherosclerosis and thrombosis, triggered by altered hemodynamic conditions, are the main causes of access failure. Changes in blood viscosity accelerate access dysfunction by affecting local velocities and wall shear stress (WSS) distribution in the circulation. Numerical simulation was employed to analyze and compare the hemodynamic behavior of AVF under different blood viscosities (0.001–0.012 Pa∙s). An idealized three-dimensional model with end-to-side anastomosis was established. Transient simulations were conducted using pulsatile inlet velocity and outflow as boundary conditions. The simulation results reveal the blood flow state of AVF under different viscosity physiological conditions and derive the rule of change. When blood viscosity increases, the local velocity in the disturbed region slows down and the stagnation time becomes longer, resulting in increased deposition of substances. As blood viscosity increases, the level of shear stress on the entire wall of the fistula increases accordingly. WSS values at high viscosities above 0.007 Pa∙s showed significantly larger low-shear regions near the anastomosis and increased chances of inducing atheromatous plaques. This research has revealed the correlation between blood dynamic viscosity and the hemodynamic behavior of AVF. Elevated whole blood viscosity increases the incidence of access obstruction and vascular disease leading to fistula failure. The study provides a basis for optimizing the distribution of hemodynamic parameters in the fistula for hemodialysis patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The isolation technologies are adopted to protect the long-span space structures from serious damage under the action of earthquakes. When the isolation system is applied to the space structures, both horizontal and vertical vibration control effects on the structures should be concerned. In this paper, a two-dimensional earthquake isolation and mitigation device (TEIMD) composed of a high-damping viscoelastic (VE) core pad and VE dampers is proposed. Based on the dynamic shear experiment results of the VE damper, the energy dissipation capability of VE material is preferable. Then, the nonlinear equivalent stiffness and equivalent damping ratio of the TEIMD in horizontal and vertical directions are evaluated by using the numerical simulation method. The TEIMDs are arranged on the column top of a double-layer grid structure to assess the isolation effectiveness of the novel device. The dynamic analysis results of the double-layer grid structure with and without TEIMD reveal that this novel device can significantly reduce the acceleration response of the upper grid by relying on the strong energy dissipation performances in the horizontal and vertical directions. This research also verifies the feasibility of applying the TEIMD to the double-layer grid structure, which can effectively dissipate the vertical vibration energy of the structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Chronic inflammation is one of the key mechanisms of depression. Wenyang-Tianjin-Jie Decoction (WTJD) is an effective antidepressant found in the course of diagnosis and treatment, but the mechanism of therapeutic effect is not clear. The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of WTJD in the kidney yang deficiency (KYD) type of depression rats and reveal its mechanisms. Materials and Methods: We selected forty 6-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats for the study. We established a KYD [Phellodendron amurense Rupr (Huangbai) solution oral gavage and 4°C environments; 8 weeks] type of depression (chronic unpredictable mild stimulus; 6 weeks) rat model first. After successful modeling, we used WTJD or fluoxetine on rats for 3 weeks. Then we evaluated the depression and KYD behavior. Finally, we observed the expression of key inflammatory factors and proteins in peripheral blood and hippocampus, and further investigated the immune balance of Th17/Treg and Th1/Th2 cells and the activity of their main regulatory pathways JAK2/STAT3 and TLR4/TRAF6/NF-κB. Results: The imbalance of Th17/Treg and Th1/Th2 cells in rats were related to KYD and depressive symptoms. Through this study, we found that WTJD can inhibit the activity of JAK2/STAT3 and TLR4/TRAF6/NF-κB pathways, balance Th17/Treg and Th1/Th2 cell homeostasis, regulate the levels of inflammatory factors in the hippocampus and peripheral blood, and reverse KYD and depression. Conclusion: This study confirmed that WTJD had a reliable effect on depression rats with KYD, and its mechanism was to regulate the immune homeostasis of hippocampal T cells and related inflammatory factors to improve KYD and depression symptoms in rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To explore the mediating role of self-esteem in the relationship between childhood adverse experiences (ACEs) and depressive symptoms of junior high school students, and the regulatory effect of social support. Methods A total of 1 308 students from 3 junior middle schools in Xiangxi were selected by stratified random cluster sampling from February to April 2023. A questionnaire survey was conducted with the use of Childhood adverse experience questionnaire, Adolescent social support scale, PHQ-9 Depression symptom screening scale, and Rosenberg self-esteem scale. The data were analyzed by correlation analysis, intermediary analysis, and moderated intermediary model test. Results (1) ACEs positively predicted depressive symptoms of junior high school students (β=0.801, t=7.246, P<0.05), while self-esteem and social support negatively predicted depressive symptoms of junior high school students (β=-0.406, t=-14.276, P < 0.05; β =-0.027, t=-2.781, P < 0.05). (2) Self-esteem played a mediating role between ACEs and depressive symptoms (effect=0.468, P < 0.05), and the mediating effect accounted for 31.33% of the total effect. (3) Social support directly regulated the relationship between ACEs and depressive symptoms (β=-0.017, t=-3.043, P<0.01), and social support played a regulatory role in the latter half of the mediating pathway of "ACEs self-esteem and depressive symptoms" (β=-0.004, t=-2.887, P<0.01). Conclusion There is a mediating effect between ACEs and depressive symptoms of junior high school students, and self-esteem is the mediating variable of the relationship between them. Social support buffers the influence of ACEs on the risk of depressive symptoms of junior high school students and strengthens the relationship between self-esteem and depressive symptoms. Therefore, giving more care and social support to junior high school students with ACEs and improving their self-esteem will help prevent and reduce the occurrence of depressive symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving the fast-charging capabilities and energy storage capacity of electric vehicles presents a feasible strategy for mitigating the prevalent concern of range anxiety in the market. Nanostructure electrode materials play a crucial role in this process. However, the current method of preparation is arduous and yields restricted quantities. In view of this, we have devised an innovative approach that provides convenience and efficacy, facilitating the large-scale synthesis of CoS2 nanoparticles, which exhibited exceptional performance. When the current density was 1000 mA g−1, the discharging capacity reached 760 mAh g−1 after 400 cycles. Remarkably, even at an increased current density of 5000 mA g−1, the discharging capacity of CoS2 remained at 685.5 mAh g−1. The ultra-high performance could be attributed to the specific surface area, which minimized the diffusion distance of sodium-ions during the charging and discharging processes and mitigated the extent of structural damage. Our straightforward preparation techniques facilitate the mass production and present a novel approach for the development of cost-effective and high-performing anode materials for sodium-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work reports the construction of a miniaturized Ag/AgCl nanoelectrode on a nanopipette, which is capable of dual-functions of single-cell drug infusion and chloride detection and is envisioned to promote the study of chloride-correlated therapeutic effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon monoxide (CO) as an endogenous gaseous signaling molecule, is widely studied for its ability to inhibit cancer cell proliferation as gas therapy. However, the therapeutic efficiency of CO gas therapy is far from ideal due to the low availability of CO supply. Here, inspired by the band structure and Fenton‐related elements, MIL‐101(Cr)@CoOx nanoparticles are introduced for the first time to achieve ultrasound‐mediated synergistic therapy by combining CO gas therapy and chemodynamic therapy together effectively. MIL‐101(Cr)@CoOx can present substantial CO2 adsorption capacity for the BDC2− linkers and Co center, and enable to transformation of endogenous CO2 to CO efficiently under ultrasound irradiation due to the appropriate band structure and conduction band position. With the Co‐engaged Fenton‐like reaction, MIL‐101(Cr)@CoOx triggered the reactions to catalyze the over‐expressed intracellular H2O2 into cytotoxic hydroxyl radicals (·OH). The potential therapeutic outcome of chemodynamic therapy can be amplified by the ultrasonic cavitation‐induced conversion between Co3+ and Co2+ in vitro is demonstrated. The proliferation, ATP, and mitochondria functions of 4T1 mouse breast cancer cells are severely compromised by CO‐promoted ROS generation and the sono‐Fenton effect. Further, in vivo studies confirm that MIL‐101(Cr)@CoOx combined with ultrasound irradiation exhibits superior tumor suppression, and achieves the ultrasound‐mediated chemodynamic‐gas cancer therapy with higher precisions for personalized treatments. This new system offers a distinct concept for constructing smart ultrasound‐stimulus systems to realize synergetic cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatoblastoma (HB) is a common primary liver malignant tumor in children. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are closely engaged in HB progression. The role and regulatory molecule mechanism of lncRNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 1 (SNHG1) in HB remain unclear. Through qRT-PCR or western blot, we found that SNHG1 and proviral integration site for moloney murine leukemia virus 3 (PIM3) were elevated but miR-6838-5p was decreased in HB cells. Cell biology experiments revealed that SNHG1 depletion or miR-6838-5p upregulation suppressed cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of HB cells. Mechanistically, luciferase activity assay validated that miR-6838-5p could interact with SNHG1 or PIM3. SNHG1 up-regulated PIM3 expression via sponging miR-6838-5p. Moreover, miR-6838-5p inhibitor abolished SNHG1 depletion-mediated suppression of malignant behaviors in HB cells. PIM3 overexpression neutralized miR-6838-5p mimics-mediated repression of malignant phenotypes in HB cells. Furthermore, miR-6838-5p overexpression suppressed RhoA activation, which was restored by PIM3 upregulation. What's more, the results at the cellular level were further verified by nude mice tumor formation experiment. In conclusion, SNHG1 regulated miR-6838-5p/PIM3/RhoA axis to promote malignant phenotypes of HB, which might provide novel therapeutic target for HB treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sleep deprivation (SD) is commonplace in modern society and there are large individual differences in the vulnerability to SD. We aim to identify the structural network differences based on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) that contribute to the individual different vulnerability to SD. Methods: The number of psychomotor vigilance task (PVT) lapses was used to classify 49 healthy subjects on the basis of whether they were vulnerable or resistant to SD. DTI and graph theory approaches were used to investigate the topologic organization differences of the brain structural connectome between SD‐vulnerable and ‐resistant individuals. We measured the level of global efficiency and clustering in rich club and non‐rich club organizations. Results: We demonstrated that participants vulnerable to SD had less global efficiency, network strength, and local efficiency but longer shortest path length compared with participants resistant to SD. Lower efficiency was mainly distributed in the right insula, bilateral thalamus, bilateral frontal, temporal, and temporal lobes. Furthermore, a disrupted subnetwork was observed that consisted of widespread connections. Moreover, the vulnerable group showed significantly decreased strength of the rich club compared with the resistant group. The strength of rich club connectivity was found to be correlated negatively with PVT performance (r = −0.395, p = 0.005). We further tested the reliability of the results. Conclusion: The findings revealed that individual differences in resistance to SD are related to disrupted topologic efficiency connectome pattern, and our study may provide potential connectome‐based biomarkers for the early detection of the vulnerable degree to SD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice effective panicle is a major trait for grain yield and is affected by both the genetic tiller numbers and the early tillering vigor (ETV) traits to survive environmental adversities. The mechanism behind tiller bud formation has been well described, while the genes and the molecular mechanism underlying rice-regulating ETV traits are unclear. In this study, the candidate genes in regulating ETV traits have been sought by quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping and bulk-segregation analysis by resequencing method (BSA-seq) conjoint analysis using rice backcross inbred line (BIL) populations, which were cultivated as late-season rice of double-cropping rice systems. By QTL mapping, seven QTLs were detected on chromosomes 1, 3, 4, and 9, with the logarithm of the odds (LOD) values ranging from 3.52 to 7.57 and explained 3.23% to 12.98% of the observed phenotypic variance. By BSA-seq analysis, seven QTLs on chromosomes 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, and 9 were identified using single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and insertions/deletions (InDel) index algorithm and Euclidean distance (ED) algorithm. The overlapping QTL resulting from QTL mapping and BSA-seq analysis was shown in a 1.39 Mb interval on chromosome 4. In the overlap interval, six genes, including the functional unknown genes Os04g0455650, Os04g0470901, Os04g0500600, and ethylene-insensitive 3 (Os04g0456900), sialyltransferase family domain containing protein (Os04g0506800), and ATOZI1 (Os04g0497300), showed the differential expression between ETV rice lines and late tillering vigor (LTV) rice lines and have a missense base mutation in the genomic DNA sequences of the parents. We speculate that the six genes are the candidate genes regulating the ETV trait in rice, which provides a research basis for revealing the molecular mechanism behind the ETV traits in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Whirligig beetles inhabit both fresh and brackish waters and possess a pair of split compound eyes. The dorsal eyes are situated above the water surface, whereas the ventral eyes are submerged beneath the water. Due to the difference in optical environments between water and air, we expected a difference in visual features and signal processing between the dorsal and ventral eyes. Using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and microcomputed tomography, we investigated the functional modifications of different features of the split compound eyes of Dineutus mellyi (Coleoptera: Gyrinidae). Both dorsal and ventral parts of the split compound eyes of D. mellyi are the superposition type, with the ommatidium of dorsal and ventral eyes comprised of a laminated corneal lens, bullet-shaped crystalline cone, upper distal rhabdom, a clear zone and lower distal rhabdom, a basal rhabdom, and an eight retinular cell just above the basement membrane. In contrast to the dorsal eyes, ventral eyes are characterized by a higher field of vision but exhibit similar spatial resolution. The functional anatomy of the split compound eyes of whirligig beetles Dineutus mellyi (Coleoptera: Gyrinidae) was examined by advanced microscopy and microcomputed tomography. We report the first 3D visualization and analysis of the split compound eyes. On average, the dorsal and ventral eyes contain 1913 ± 44.5 facets and 3099 ± 86.2 facets, respectively. The larger area of ventral eyes ensures a higher field of vision underwater. The ommatidium of the split compound eyes is made up of laminated cornea lenses that offer protection against mechanical injuries, bullet-shaped crystalline cones that guide light to the photoreceptive regions, and screening pigments that ensure directional light passage. The photoreceptive elements, made up of eight retinular cells, exhibit a tri-tiered rhabdom structure, including the upper distal rhabdom, a clear zone that ensures maximum light passage, and an enlarged lower distal rhabdom that ensures optimal photon capture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the content and calculation equations of each substance in diamond wire saw silicon powder (DWSSP) were determined. Initially, the presence of amorphous SiO2 was proven by crystal transformation. Then, the SiO2 content was determined by SiO2-CaO phase diagram analysis, and the SiOx content was determined by using the oxygen conservation rule. The variation trend between the SiO2, SiOx, and Si contents and the O content was determined, according to the calculated SiO2 and SiOx content. In addition, linear fitting was performed on the SiO2, SiOx, and Si contents of five DWSSP raw materials, and a calculation equation for SiO2, SiOx, and Si was obtained through the total O content. The three-layer structure of DWSSP was revealed, the DWSSP consisting of a Si core, an intermediate SiOx layer, and a SiO2 shell. This study can accurately identify the content of SiO2, SiOx, and Si in DWSSP based on the detected oxygen content, and provide a better theoretical basis for the process selection and design for silicon recovery or high value materials preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microwave sintering is a key technology for future lunar habitats, which has been verified by various lunar soil simulant experiments. However, nanophase iron (np-Fe0), a unique component of the real lunar regolith, has been ignored in previous studies of the microwave sintering of lunar soil simulants. In this study, microwave-sintering experiments of lunar soil simulant CLRS-2 with and without np-Fe0 at different temperatures were conducted. A comparison of the microstructure and chemical composition of sintered products indicates that all products of samples with 1.0 wt% np-Fe0 exhibit better properties than those without np-Fe0 after heating at equivalent temperatures. Adding np-Fe0 to the lunar soil simulant CLRS-2 couples well with microwaves, which may increase the real heating temperature in a sample, resulting in the product being solidified at 700 °C and a relatively dense product forming at 900 °C, thus improving the sintering efficiency. This study suggests that microwave sintering is an effective potential technology for future lunar habitats and road hardening because of the wide distribution of np-Fe0 in the lunar regolith. The technical parameters given in this study can provide an important guide for future lunar construction by microwave sintering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Blastocystis may cause diarrhea in humans and various animals. However, little information is available regarding the prevalence and genetic diversity of E. bieneusi and Blastocystis in donkeys. To fill this gap, we molecularly assessed E. bieneusi and Blastocystis in fecal samples from donkeys (n = 815) in Shanxi Province, north China. The overall prevalence of E. bieneusi and Blastocystis in donkeys was 8.1% and 0.2%, respectively. Region and age were risk factors associated with E. bieneusi infection in donkeys. Three internal transcribed spacer (ITS) genotypes of E. bieneusi were identified in the current study, including two previously described genotypes (D and Henan-IV) and one novel genotype (named SXD1). Of which, genotype D was found to be the most prevalent. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that the three genotypes belonged to group 1, implying a potential of zoonotic transmission. Multilocus sequence typing showed that 19, 15, 13, and 22 types were identified at the loci MS1, MS3, MS4, and MS7, respectively, forming six multilocus genotypes (MLGs) distributed in the genotype D. One Blastocystis subtype (ST33) was identified, which has previously been reported only in horses. This is the first molecular-based description of E. bieneusi and Blastocystis infections in donkeys in Shanxi Province, north China, contributing to a better understanding of transmission dynamics and molecular epidemiological characteristics of the two intestinal protozoa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Brain metastases (BMs) are the most frequent intracranial tumours associated with poor clinical outcomes. Radiotherapy is essential in the treatment of these tumours, although the optimal radiation strategy remains controversial. The present study aimed to assess whether whole brain radiation therapy with a simultaneous integrated boost (WBRT + SIB) provides any therapeutic benefit over WBRT alone. Methods: We included and retrospectively analysed 82 patients who received WBRT + SIB and 83 who received WBRT alone between January 2012 and June 2021. Intracranial progression-free survival (PFS), local tumour control (LTC), overall survival (OS), and toxicity were compared between the groups. Results: Compared to WBRT alone, WBRT + SIB improved intracranial LTC and PFS, especially in the lung cancer subgroup. Patients with high graded prognostic assessment score or well-controlled extracranial disease receiving WBRT + SIB had improved intracranial PFS and LTC. Moreover, WBRT + SIB also improved the long-term intracranial tumour control of small cell lung cancer patients. When evaluating toxicity, we found that WBRT + SIB might slightly increase the risk of radiation-induced brain injury, and that the risk increased with increasing dosage. However, low-dose WBRT + SIB had a tolerable radiation-induced brain injury risk, which was lower than that in the high-dose group, while it was comparable to that in the WBRT group. Conclusions: WBRT + SIB can be an efficient therapeutic option for patients with BMs, and is associated with improved intracranial LTC and PFS. Furthermore, low-dose WBRT + SIB (biologically effective dose [BED] ≤ 56 Gy) was recommended, based on the acceptable risk of radiation-induced brain injury and satisfactory tumour control. Trial registration: Retrospectively registered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants experience a variety of adverse environments during their vegetative growth and reproductive development, and to ensure that they complete their life cycle successfully, they have evolved specific defense mechanisms to cope with unfavorable environments. Flowering is a vital developmental stage and an important determinant of productivity in the lifetime of plants, which can be vulnerable to multiple abiotic stresses. Exposure to stress during this period can have dramatic effects on flower physiological and morphological development, which may ultimately lead to a substantial loss of yield in seed-producing plants. However, there has been increasing research evidence that diverse abiotic stresses, ranging from drought, low temperature, and heat stress can promote or delay plant flowering. This review focuses on how plants alter developmental direction to balance between survival and productivity under drought and extreme temperature conditions. Starting from the perspective of the functional analysis of key flowering-regulated genes, it is of great help for researchers to quickly gain a deeper understanding of the regulatory effects of abiotic stress on the flowering process, to elucidate the molecular mechanisms, and to improve the regulatory network of abiotic-stress-induced flowering. Additionally, the important agronomic significance of the interaction between abiotic stress and the flowering regulation of perennial plants under climate change conditions is also discussed after summarizing studies on the mechanisms of stress-induced flowering in annual plants. This review aims to clarify the effects of abiotic stresses (mainly drought and temperature) on plant flowering, which are significant for future productivity increase under unfavorable environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tissue stiffness of donor kidneys in transplantation may increase due to pathological changes such as glomerulosclerosis and interstitial fibrosis, and those changes associate worse outcomes in kidney transplantation recipients. Ultrasound elastography is a noninvasive imaging examination with the ability to quantitatively reflect tissue stiffness. Aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of ultrasound elastography for adverse kidney outcome in kidney transplantation recipients. Shear wave elastography (SWE) examinations were performed by two independent operators in kidney transplantation recipients. The primary outcome was a composite of kidney graft deterioration, all-cause re-hospitalization, and all-cause mortality. Survival analysis was calculated by Kaplan-Meier curves with the log-rank test and Cox regression analysis. A total of 161 patients (mean age 46 years, 63.4% men) were followed for a median of 20.1 months. 27 patients (16.77%) reached the primary endpoint. The mean and median tissue stiffness at the medulla (hazard ratio: 1.265 and 1.229, respectively), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and serum albumin level were associated with the primary outcome in univariate Cox regression. Adding mean or median medulla SWE to a baseline model containing eGFR and albumin significantly improved its discrimination (C-statistics: 0.736 for the baseline, 0.766 and 0.772 for the model added mean and median medulla SWE, respectively). The medullary tissue stiffness of kidney allograft measured by shear wave elastography may provide incremental prognostic value to adverse outcomes in kidney transplantation recipients. Including SWE parameters in kidney transplantation recipients management could be considered to improve risk stratification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring plants growth dynamics requires continuously tracing their evolution over time. When using point cloud data, such a process requires associating the individual organs among scans, spatially aligning them, and accounting for their evolution, decay, or split. It is common to address this challenge by abstracting the point cloud into its skeletal form and defining point correspondence by Euclidean measures. As the paper demonstrates, standard skeletonization approaches do not capture the actual plant topology, and Euclidean measures do not document its evolving form. To address this alignment challenge, we propose in this paper a registration model that traces high-degree deformations and accommodates the complex plant topology. We develop an embedded deformation graph-based solution and introduce manifold measures to trace the plant non-isometric development. We demonstrate how a path-seeking strategy and invariant features capture the plant topological form, and then use a probabilistic linear assignment solution to associate organs across scans. By minimizing deviations from rigidity, our registration form maintains elasticity, and by solving locally rigid transformations, regularized by structure-related constraints, we secure smoothness and optimality. We also demonstrate how data arrangement and linear path-finding models make our solution computationally efficient. Our model is applied on high quality laser triangulation data, commonly tested in 4-D plant registration studies, but is also verified on low resolution and noisy pointsets reconstructed from a limited number of images by multiview stereo (MVS). Our results demonstrate 0. 1 mm levels of accuracy when applied to plant species exhibiting complex geometric structures. They improve by tenfold or more state-of-the-art results and transform correctly the plants form. Paper related resources are available at PLANT4D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spontaneous droplet jumping on micro‐/nano‐structured superhydrophobic surfaces has been exploited as an efficient means for enhancing steam condensation heat transfer. However, the good performance of such surfaces quickly decays with raising the degree of subcooling, due to the mismatch between the characteristic length scales and droplet sizes when they grow up. Herein, a novel strategy for multiscale droplet regulation is proposed by combining sub‐millimeter fin structure with a hierarchical microporous superhydrophobic surface. A superior condensation heat transfer performance is attained on such hierarchical superhydrophobic finned tube (F‐SHB), in comparison to the baseline case of superhydrophobic non‐finned (SHB) tube under well‐controlled test conditions. Although the droplet jumping is not as vigorous as that on the SHB tube, the finned geometry of the F‐SHB tube leads to a condensation heat transfer enhancement even under high degrees of subcooling up to 36 K, because of the accelerated departure of large droplets by imposing Laplace force gradient in the presence of V‐shaped sub‐millimeter fins. This multiscale enhancement strategy is shown to enable a cascading regulation over the entire lifespan of condensate droplets. The fabrication of F‐SHB tubes is facile and easy to be scaled up, showing great potential in practical steam condensation applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic compounds that can respond to external stimuli and exhibit fluorescence changes have drawn increasing attention recently because of their potential applications in intelligent displays, optical data storage, anticounterfeiting, bioimaging, and sensors. Herein, we have synthesized two new organic compounds based on frameworks of anthracene and pyridine groups: 4‐(anthracen‐9‐yl) pyridine (AN9P) and 4‐(anthracen‐2‐yl) pyridine (AN2P). Both compounds, in solution and solid state, including polycrystals and single crystals, display reversible fluorescence transformations under alternate acid and base treatments. AN9P and AN2P solutions could be regulated to emit white‐light luminescence. The photoluminescence of the AN9P and AN2P polycrystals showed fast fluorescence changes with wide ranges (>300 nm) upon alternate acid and base stimuli and still exhibited remarkable fluorescence emission with almost no attenuation after 15 cycles of the reversible process. Both experimental and computational results suggested that the heteroatom nitrogen in the AN9P and AN2P molecules significantly influenced the intra‐ and intermolecular electronic interactions during the reversible protonation and deprotonation processes, resulting in changes in their frontier molecular orbitals and fluorescence emission characteristics. Our results provide a new facile approach to design molecular structures that realize highly dynamic photoluminescence changes in both liquid solution and solid crystal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to its high precision and flexibility, laser process system is widely used in laser marking, drilling, cutting and projection. Laser scanning machines are usually equipped with high-speed galvanometric scanning systems, which are inevitably accompanied by field distortion. The error compensation method can help improve the marking quality that minimizes inherent and random errors. This paper introduces a facile software compensation method for this purpose. Based on symmetry of field distortion, the length of four characteristic lines is required to determine the polynomial compensation function. The experimental results verified that the technique could effectively reduce the field-distortion errors in the galvanometer laser-machining system, which verifies the feasibility and effectiveness of the compensation method. Within the processing range of the experiment (100 × 100 mm), the average relative position accuracy is 0.00068 (＜1‰). In the light of these results, high-quality laser processing is promising for achieving by the compensation method. • Field distortion in laser marking were symmetric about the central origin of the projection. • A facile correction method was proposed based on interpolation with symmetric polynomials. • Compared with linear compensation, polynomial compensation is more effective in the entire marking area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is considered to be the major dietary source for choline, which is associated with atherosclerosis progress. Thus, phosphatidylglucose (PG) was prepared by enzymatic modification of PC to investigate the effects on atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E deficient (ApoE−/−) mice, as well as to investigate its dose–response relationship. RESULTS: The results showed that dietary PG significantly decreased the atherosclerotic lesion area in a dose‐dependent manner. Further studies found that intervention with a 0.8 g kg−1 and 2 g kg−1 PG diet for 4 months significantly decreased free cholesterol level and thus reduced total cholesterol levels in serum. The results of cholesterol distribution among lipoproteins showed that dietary PG significantly decreased low‐density lipoprotein levels in ApoE−/− mice. In addition, only administration of high‐dose PG significantly reduced total cholesterol levels in liver tissues by 31.2%. Furthermore, mice treated with high‐dose PG had an expanded bile acid pool and increased the ratio of conjugated bile acids to unconjugated bile acids in the liver, serum and gallbladder by increasing hepatic gene expression of primary and conjugated bile acid synthesis. Additionally, low‐dose and high‐dose PG significantly increased total fecal sterols by 20.8% and 11.9%, respectively, by increasing sitosterol and ethylcoprostanol levels. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that PG alleviated atherosclerosis in a dose‐dependent manner by increasing cholesterol alienation to bile acids and cholesterol efflux. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Asymmetric orthogonal arrays are very useful in theoretical studies and practical applications. However, it is difficult to construct such designs of high strength. In this article, we use the generator matrix method to obtain some asymmetric orthogonal arrays of strength three. Then we combine it with the general (further) replacement procedure to get more general asymmetric orthogonal arrays of high strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a promising candidate for next‐generation energy storage devices, Zn metal battery excels with their good safety, high specific capacity, and economic attractiveness. However, it still suffers from a narrow electrochemical window, notorious dendrite formation, and sluggish Zn ion transfer. Aqueous electrolyte engineering has been regarded as an effective way to improve these. It is shown that by adding sodium polystyrene sulfonate (PSS) polymers into a dilute 1 m Zn(OTf)2 aqueous electrolyte, compact water shells with stronger hydrogen bonding and more ordered structures are formed around the polymer chains. As a result, a fast transport channel to the zinc ions is provided. The PSS chains also protect the zinc electrode from directly contacting the water molecules and thus suppress water decomposition. With these merits, a Zn//Cu cell demonstrates a high coulombic efficiency of ≈99% after 1500 h cycling. Meanwhile, a record‐high cumulative Zn plating capacity of 10 000 mA h cm−2 is obtained using a Zn||Zn cell. In addition, the Zn//C@V2O5 full cell achieves almost 100% capacity retention after 1000 cycles. This work provides a new strategy for designing advanced electrolyte systems excelling in ion transport kinetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To establish a rat cardiovascular thrombosis model and to observe the fibrinolytic properties of the marine bisindole alkaloid FGFC1 (Fungi Fibrinolytic Compound 1) in dissolving rat cardiovascular thrombus, a rat cardiovascular thrombosis model was established using fluorescein 5-isothiocyanate (FITC )-labeled fibrin induction method. Myocardial tissue morphology was imaged by low-field NMR, fluorescence scanning of frozen sections and hematoxylin-eosin staining (HE) of paraffin sections. Plasma fluorescence intensity was measured in the blank group, control group, u-PA positive control group and FGFC1 low, medium and high dose groups., and plasma fibrin degradation product (FDP), D-dimer (D-D) and plasminogen (Pig) were measured by ELISA. FITC-FIB was successfully labeled as FITC-α, FITC-β, FITC-γγ peptide chains by reduced SDS-PAGE, and the FITC-fibrin showed green fluorescence under fluorescence microscopy. Low-field NMR imaging showed increased density of cardiac tissue in the modeling group, and fluorescence scanning of frozen sections showed the presence of fluorescent material plaques in cardiac vessels, indicating the establishment of a cardiovascular thrombosis model, while HE staining of tissue sections showed abnormal myocardial fibers in the modeling group, activity levels were significantly lower than those of the blank group, and FDP levels and D-D levels were significantly higher than those of the blank group. FITC-fibrin induced the formation of cardiovascular thrombosis model in rats, and the marine bisindole alkaloid FGFC1 could reduce the Pig activity and promote the degradation of thrombus fibrin in rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new compound, penicilliumone A (1) was isolated from Penicillium sp. HT-G-8, a fungal endophyte of Tripterygium hypoglaucum. The structure of 1 was elucidated by IR, MS, 1D and 2D NMR spectra. Monoamine oxidase (MAO), acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitory activities of 1 were also tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest growing stock volume (GSV) is an essential aspect of ecological carbon stock monitoring. The successive launches of spaceborne microwave satellites have provided a broader way to use microwave remote sensing to monitor forest accumulation. Currently, the inversion parameterization models of active microwave remote sensing stock volume mainly include the interferometric water cloud (IWCM), BIOMASAR, and Siberia. Among them, the IWCM introduces backscattering and coherence, the BIOMASAR model only introduces backscattering, and the Siberia model only introduces coherence. Although these three models combine the backscatter coefficient and coherence of SAR to estimate volume accumulation, the performance of the models has not been evaluated at the same time in the same area. Therefore, this article starts from the perspective of the three combinations of coherence and backscattering, relies on three models that do not require measured data, and evaluates the accuracy of the models' overall inversion of GSV. In addition, we combine precipitation meteorological information, vegetation types, and seasonal variation to separately explore model performance. The comparison results show that the IWCM model is relatively stable in the process of stock volume inversion and is more sensitive to the vegetation types of coniferous and deciduous forests. The influence of seasons and precipitation on the model is weak, and the accuracy of the multi-time-series model is slightly improved. The Siberia model has a good storage volume inversion effect in this study area, but the multiple time series did not improve the model accuracy. The BIOMASAR model is simple, and its performance was slightly inferior in this study area. Precipitation can negatively affect BIOMASAR. The model results for multiple time series outperform those for single time. In summary, the stability of IWCM is more suitable for research with unknown information. The BIOMASAR model is simple, does not require coherence calculations, and is ideal for the estimation of large-scale national or world-level storage distributions. The Siberian model performs better in small regions and smaller spatiotemporal baselines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The plant hormone auxin is widely involved in plant growth, development, and morphogenesis, and the TIR1/AFB and AUX/IAA proteins are closely linked to rapid auxin response and signal transmission. However, their evolutionary history, historical patterns of expansion and contraction, and changes in interaction relationships are still unknown. Results: Here, we analyzed the gene duplications, interactions, and expression patterns of TIR1/AFBs and AUX/IAAs to understand their underlying mechanisms of evolution. The ratios of TIR1/AFBs to AUX/IAAs range from 4:2 in Physcomitrium patens to 6:29 in Arabidopsis thaliana and 3:16 in Fragaria vesca. Whole-genome duplication (WGD) and tandem duplication have contributed to the expansion of the AUX/IAA gene family, but numerous TIR1/AFB gene duplicates were lost after WGD. We further analyzed the expression profiles of TIR1/AFBs and AUX/IAAs in different tissue parts of Physcomitrium patens, Selaginella moellendorffii, Arabidopsis thaliana and Fragaria vesca, and found that TIR1/AFBs and AUX/IAAs were highly expressed in all tissues in P. patens, S. moellendorffii. In A. thaliana and F. vesca, TIR1/AFBs maintained the same expression pattern as the ancient plants with high expression in all tissue parts, while AUX/IAAs appeared tissue-specific expression. In F. vesca, 11 AUX/IAAs interacted with TIR1/AFBs with different interaction strengths, and the functional specificity of AUX/IAAs was related to their ability to bind TIR1/AFBs, thus promoting the development of specific higher plant organs. Verification of the interactions among TIR1/AFBs and AUX/IAAs in Marchantia polymorpha and F. vesca also showed that the regulation of AUX/IAA members by TIR1/AFBs became more refined over the course of plant evolution. Conclusions: Our results indicate that specific interactions and specific gene expression patterns both contributed to the functional diversification of TIR1/AFBs and AUX/IAAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twenty new zinc(II) complexes with 8-hydroxyquinoline (H-Q1–H-Q6) in the presence of 1,10-phenanthroline derivatives (D1–D10) were synthesized and formulated as [Zn(Q1)2(D1)] (DQ1), [Zn(Q2)2(D2)]·CH3OH (DQ2), [Zn(Q1)2(D3)] (DQ3), [Zn(Q1)2(D4)] (DQ4), [Zn(Q3)2(D5)] (DQ5), [Zn(Q3)2(D4)] (DQ6), [Zn(Q4)2(D5)]·CH3OH (DQ7), [Zn(Q4)2(D6)] (DQ8), [Zn(Q4)2(D3)]·CH3OH (DQ9), [Zn(Q4)2(D1)]·H2O (DQ10), [Zn(Q5)2(D4)] (DQ11), [Zn(Q6)2(D6)]·CH3OH (DQ12), [Zn(Q5)2(D2)]·5CH3OH·H2O (DQ13), [Zn(Q5)2(D7)]·CH3OH (DQ14), [Zn(Q5)2(D8)]·CH2Cl2 (DQ15), [Zn(Q5)2(D9)] (DQ16), [Zn(Q5)2(D1)] (DQ17), [Zn(Q5)2(D5)] (DQ18), [Zn(Q5)2(D10)]·CH2Cl2 (DQ19) and [Zn(Q5)2(D3)] (DQ20). They were characterized using multiple techniques. The cytotoxicity of DQ1–DQ20 was screened using human cisplatin-resistant SK-OV-3/DDP ovarian cancer (SK-OV-3CR) cells and normal hepatocyte (HL-7702) cells. Complex DQ6 showed low IC50 values (2.25 ± 0.13 μM) on SK-OV-3CR cells, more than 3.0–8.0 times more cytotoxic than DQ1–DQ5 and DQ7–DQ20 (≥6.78 μM), and even 22.2 times more cytotoxic than the standard cisplatin, the corresponding free H-Q1–H-Q6 and D1–D10 alone (>50 μM). As a comparison, DQ1–DQ20 displayed nontoxic rates against healthy HL-7702 cells. Furthermore, DQ6 and DQ11 induced significant apoptosis via mitophagy pathways. DQ6 also significantly inhibited tumor growth in an in vivo SK-OV-3-xenograft model (ca. 49.7%). Thus, DQ6 may serve as a lead complex for the discovery of new antitumor agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Areca nut has been listed as one of the most addictive substances, along with tobacco, alcohol and caffeine. Areca nut contains seven psychoactive alkaloids; however, the effects of these alkaloids on embryonic development and motor behavior are rarely addressed in zebrafish embryo-larvae. Herein, we investigated the effects of exposure to three alkaloids (arecoline and secondary metabolites—arecaidine and arecoline N-oxide) on the developmental parameters, locomotive behavior, oxidative stress and transcriptome of zebrafish embryos. Zebrafish embryos exposed to different concentrations (0, 0.1, 1, 10, 100 and 1000 μM) of arecoline, arecaidine and arecoline N-oxide showed no changes in mortality and hatchability rates, but the malformation rate of zebrafish larvae was significantly increased in a dose-dependent manner and accompanied by changes in body length. Moreover, the swimming activity of zebrafish larvae decreased, which may be due to the increase in reactive oxygen species and the imbalance between oxidation and antioxidation. Meanwhile, transcriptome analysis showed that endoplasmic reticulum stress and the apoptosis p53 signaling pathway were significantly enriched after exposure to arecoline and arecoline N-oxide. However, arecaidine exposure focuses on protein synthesis and transport. These findings provide an important reference for risk assessment and early warning of areca nut alkaloid exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MXenes exhibit significant potential in thermoelectric materials owing to their exceptional electrical conductivity; however, their limited number of semiconductors restricts their application. Thus, it is highly desirable to expand the MXene family beyond carbides and nitrides to broaden their applications in thermoelectricity. In this work, we systematically investigate the thermoelectric transport of Ti2OX2 (X = F, Cl) MOene through comprehensively evaluating the electron–phonon coupling (EPC) from first principles. Our findings first emphasize the limitations of the deformation potential theory method and stress the importance of considering EPC. Ti2OF2 (Ti2OCl2) monolayer exhibits exceptional electronic transport, with Seebeck coefficients reaching 1483.87 (1206.22) μV/K and electrical conductivity reaching 9.5 × 105 (7.6 × 105) Ω−1 m−1 at room temperature for its N-type counterpart. Additionally, the presence of degenerate multiple valleys and peaks significantly enhances their electronic transport. For phonon transport, EPC results in a significant reduction in lattice thermal conductivity (kL) [e.g., at 300 K with 1.44 × 1015 (1.68 × 1015) cm−2 of hole, the reduction is 86.3% (73.3%) for Ti2OF2 (Ti2OCl2)]. Additionally, their kL demonstrates a strong correlation with the density of states at corresponding Fermi levels. Moreover, the kL and total thermal conductivity of P-type Ti2OF2 show T-independence, making it suitable for applications in aviation and thermal insulation materials. Finally, N-type Ti2OF2 and Ti2OCl2 demonstrate superior zT values of 0.63 and 0.9 at 900 K, respectively. This study provides in-depth insights into the superior thermoelectric properties of Ti2OX2 (X = F, Cl) MOene with considering EPC, providing a novel platform for the next-generation thermoelectric field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article titled "Wenyang-Tianjing-Jieyu Decoction Improves Depression Rats of Kidney Yang Deficiency Pattern by Regulating T Cell Homeostasis and Inflammation Level [Corrigendum]" discusses a correction to the original article. The authors have identified an error in the value for Huangbai solution gavage in the Experimental Design section and Figure 1. The correct value is 3.24 g/kg, not 0.36 g/kg as previously stated. The correction is reflected in the updated text and figure provided in the corrigendum. [Extracted from the article]

The present study investigated the relationship between the classroom environment (CE) and hidden dropout (HD), and the chain mediating role of college identification (CI) and academic achievement (AA) in that relationship. A total of 1 214 Chinese college students were participants. Specifically, 63.43% were female students, 15.90% were junior students, 35.17% were sophomore students, and 37.40% were freshmen students. The students completed the hidden dropout scale, as well as measures of the classroom environment and the college identification. Students' academic record of the previous semester served as the academic achievement measures. Road path analysis was used to examine the relationships between variables and to test the hypothesized mediating effects. Results indicated that a lower sense of CE was associated with higher HD dropout. The CE not only directly affected college students' HD but also indirectly affected their HD level through the chain intermediary role of college identification and AA. CI significantly mediated CE and DP, so that DP was lower. Similarly, higher AA mediated the CE and HD relationship so that HD was lower in students who were happier with the college environment and who had higher grades. Path road analysis revealed a chain mediating effect of CI and AA on the relationship between CE and HD because their joint effect was 0.23% higher than the mediating effect of CI, and 6.24% higher than the AA's mediating effect. These findings suggest a need for college student development offices to pay attention to college students, particularly male students, in terms of the importance of creating a positive classroom environment and supporting college identification and academic achievement to reduce the likelihood of college students becoming silent/hidden dropouts. Additionally, college student development offices should address the different mechanisms that may influence their reason for dropping out silently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To explore the diagnostic potential of texture analysis applied to native T1 maps obtained from cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) images for the assessment of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) among patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Methods: This study, conducted from June 2018 to November 2020, included 119 patients (35 on hemodialysis, 55 on peritoneal dialysis, and 29 with kidney transplants) in Renji Hospital. Native T1 maps were assessed with texture analysis, using a freely available software package, in participants who underwent cardiac MRI at 3.0 T. Four texture features, selected by dimension reduction specific to the diagnosis of HFpEF, were analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to examine the independent association between the selected features and HFpEF in ESRD patients. Results: Seventy-six of 119 patients were diagnosed with HFpEF. Demographic, laboratory, cardiac MRI, and echocardiogram characteristics were compared between HFpEF and non-HFpEF groups. The four texture features that were analyzed showed statistically significant differences between groups. In multivariate analysis, age, left atrial volume index (LAVI), and sum average 4 (SA4) turned out to be independent predictors for HFpEF in ESRD patients. Combining the texture feature, SA4, with typical predictive factors resulted in higher C-index (0.923 vs. 0.898, p = 0.045) and a sensitivity and specificity of 79.2% and 95.2%, respectively. Conclusions: Texture analysis of T1 maps adds diagnostic value to typical clinical parameters for the assessment of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in patients with end-stage renal disease. Key Points: • Non-invasive assessment of HFpEF can help predict prognosis in ESRD patients and help them take timely preventative measures. • Texture analysis of native T1 maps adds diagnostic value to the typical clinical parameters for the assessment of HFpEF in patients with ESRD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highway bridges in coastal areas are seriously affected by the marine environment, while most of the existing test methods for bridge-reinforced concrete beams considering both corrosion and fatigue factors are carried out in an alternating manner, which cannot reflect the actual service conditions of the bridge structure. This paper focuses on an experimental study of the coupled influence of reinforcement corrosion and fatigue loading in reinforced concrete T-shaped beams. A novel loading test device that can realize the corrosion–fatigue coupling effect is designed, and then six reinforced concrete T-shaped beams are fabricated and tested. For the corrosion–fatigue coupling test beams, the variation law of beam cracks, failure modes, steel strain development law, load-deflection relationship, and fatigue life are analyzed and compared with that of the simple fatigue test beams. The test results show that the cracks of the test beam develop continuously with the fatigue loading times under the corrosion–fatigue coupling environment. The fatigue failure modes are all brittle fractures of the main steel bars, which present the shape of uneven oblique section tearing. The new testing device and approach can provide direct insights into the interaction of reinforcement corrosion and cyclic loading on the fatigue behavior of T-shaped RC beams, which can be further used to understand the long-term performance of bridge structures under complex marine environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The classical four-equation γ − R e θ transition model has presented excellent accuracy in low-speed boundary layer transition prediction. However, once the incoming flow reaches hypersonic speed, the original model is no longer applicable due to the compressibility problem and the appearance of multiple instability modes. Recently, there has been widespread interest in data-driven modeling for quantifying uncertainty or improving model prediction accuracy. In this paper, a data-driven framework based on field inversion and machine learning is performed to extend the prediction capability of the original γ − R e θ transition model for the hypersonic boundary layer transition. First, the iterative regularized ensemble Kalman filter method is applied to obtain the spatial distribution of the perturbation correction term β for the switching function F onset 1 , and the effectiveness of this method is initially verified in the hypersonic flat plate case. Then, the random forest algorithm is adopted to construct a mapping from the average flow features to β. The generalizability of the well-trained learning model is fully validated in the blunt cone cases with different unit Reynolds numbers, free-stream flow temperature, and bluntness. The simulation results indicate that the performance of the original γ − R e θ transition model in the hypersonic boundary layer transition prediction is significantly improved, and the boundary layer transition onset location and the length of transition zone can be correctly obtained. In addition, the machine learning model investigates the importance of the input features and confirms that the effective length scale plays a significant role in the numerical simulation of the hypersonic boundary layer transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work is a continuation of our studies on the determination of activity coefficients at infinite dilution ( γ i ∞ ) for organic solutes (i ) in ionic liquids (ILs). New sets of experimental data for 32 organic solutes (alkanes, alkenes, aromatics, chlorinated alkanes, alcohols, and other polar organic solutes) in trialkyl-substituted imidazolium-based IL 1-propyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium thiocyanate ([PMMIM][SCN]) in the temperature range of 313.15–363.15 K were measured by gas–liquid chromatography (GLC). The partial molar excess enthalpies at infinite dilution ( H ¯ i E , ∞ ), entropies ( T ref S ¯ i E , ∞ ), and Gibbs free energies ( G ¯ i E , ∞ ) of organic solutes in [PMMIM][SCN] at a reference temperature T ref = 298.15 K were obtained from the γ i ∞ values. The density of [PMMIM][SCN] as a function of temperature at pressure p = 101.33 kPa was measured and gas–liquid partition coefficients ( K L ) were calculated. Moreover, the Hildebrand's solubility parameters of [PMMIM][SCN] were determined by the regular solution theory (RST) combined with Flory "combinatorial" equation. The selectivity ( S ij ∞ ) of [PMMIM][SCN] for n-hexane/benzene, cyclohexane/benzene, and the capacity ( k j ∞ ) at infinite dilution of benzene have been determined at T = 323.15 K and compared with literature data of [PDMIM][BF4], [PMMIM][NTf2], and of several ILs with thiocyanate anion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ionic polymer metal composite (IPMC) is an intelligent material that can bend rapidly to produce large deformation and large strain when subjected to external electrical stimulation. And it is widely used in the actuation of underwater bionic robots. In this paper, two sets of IPMCs were fabricated by chemical reduction on the surface of commercial Nafion films. An experimental platform was built, the maximum displacement of IPMCs was 13.07 mm and the maximum output force was 12.14 mN, and it is found that IPMCs with high driving performance could generate displacements of 3.47 mm∼0.26 mm under high frequency voltage. The piezoelectric bicrystal model of IPMC was constructed and validated by Pearson correlation, proving that the model can effectively predict the experimental values and providing theoretical support for the subsequent research on the tail fin drive of IPMC miniature robot fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) induces electric fields that depolarise or hyperpolarise neurons. Intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS), a patterned form of TMS that is delivered at the theta frequency (~5 Hz), induces neuroplasticity in the hippocampus, a brain region that is implicated in memory and learning. One form of plasticity that is unique to the hippocampus is adult neurogenesis; however, little is known about whether TMS or iTBS in particular affects newborn neurons. Here, we therefore applied repeated sessions of iTBS to male and female mice and measured the extent of adult neurogenesis and the morphological features of immature neurons. We found that repeated sessions of iTBS did not significantly increase the amount of neurogenesis or affect the gross dendritic morphology of new neurons, and there were no sex differences in neurogenesis rates or aspects of afferent morphology. In contrast, efferent properties of newborn neurons varied as a function of sex and stimulation. Chronic iTBS increased the size of mossy fibre terminals, which synapse onto Cornu Ammonis 3 (CA3) pyramidal neurons, but only in males. iTBS also increased the number of terminal‐associated filopodia, putative synapses onto inhibitory interneurons but only in male mice. This efferent plasticity could result from a general trophic effect, or it could reflect accelerated maturation of immature neurons. Given the important role of mossy fibre synapses in hippocampal learning, our results identify a neurobiological effect of iTBS that might be associated with sex‐specific changes in cognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The level of phospholipid peroxidation in spinal cord is increased in ALS mouse model. • Anti-phospholipid peroxidation treatment reduces spinal motor neuron loss in ALS mice. • The expressions of GPX4 are decreased in lumbar spinal cords of ALS mice and patients. • Knockdown of Gpx4 results in loss of spinal motor neurons and abnormal neuromuscular connections. • Intrathecal injection of GPX4 -AAV to overexpress GPX4 alleviates the pathological phenomenon of ALS. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by oxidative stress that triggers motor neurons loss in the brain and spinal cord. However, the mechanisms underlying the exact role of oxidative stress in ALS-associated neural degeneration are not definitively established. Oxidative stress-generated phospholipid peroxides are known to have extensive physiological and pathological consequences to tissues. Here, we discovered that the deficiency of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), an essential antioxidant peroxidase, led to the accumulation of phospholipid peroxides and resulted in a loss of motor neurons in spinal cords of ALS mice. Mutant human SOD1 G93A transgenic mice were intrathecally injected with neuron-targeted adeno-associated virus (AAV) expressing GPX4 (GPX4 -AAV) or phospholipid peroxidation inhibitor, ferrostatin-1. The results showed that impaired motor performance and neural loss induced by SOD1 G93A toxicity in the lumbar spine were substantially alleviated by ferrostatin-1 treatment and AAV-mediated GPX4 delivery. In addition, the denervation of neuron-muscle junction and spinal atrophy in ALS mice were rescued by neural GPX4 overexpression, suggesting that GPX4 is essential for the motor neural maintenance and function. In comparison, conditional knockdown of Gpx4 in the spinal cords of Gpx4 fl/fl mice triggered an obvious increase of phospholipid peroxides and the occurrence of ALS-like motor phenotype. Altogether, our findings underscore the importance of GPX4 in maintaining phospholipid redox homeostasis in the spinal cord and presents GPX4 as an attractive therapeutic target for ALS treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab (PD-1/PD-L inhibitor) and adjuvant chemotherapy to treat NSCLC and provide evidence-based reference for clinical use. Methods. By searching the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, PubMed, and Web of Science, according to the inclusion criteria, literature selection, data extraction, and quality evaluation were carried out for the included literature. The I2 test was used to evaluate heterogeneity between studies, and the meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software provided by Cochrane. Results. Finally, 14 relevant documents meeting the standards were included. It is a statistical difference in one-year survival rate [ OR = 1.50 , 95% CI (1.28, 1.76), P < 0.00001 , I 2 = 0 %, Z = 4.99 ]; overall response rate[OR =1.57, 95% CI (1.29, 1.90), P < 0.00001 , I 2 = 0 %, Z = 4.58 ]; progression-free survival [ OR = 2.99 , 95% CI (2.29, 3.91), P < 0.00001 , I 2 = 26 %, Z = 8.00 ]; and overall survival [ OR = 1.38 , 95% CI (1.07, 1.78), P = 0.01 , I 2 = 46 %, Z = 2.50 ] and reduces the incidence of adverse drug reactions [ OR = 2.54 , 95% CI (1.99, 3.25), P < 0.00001 , I 2 = 69 %, Z = 7.43 ]. Conclusion. Pembrolizumab adjuvant chemotherapy is effective in the treatment of advanced NSCLC, but attention should be paid to the occurrence of adverse reactions in clinical. Due to the limitations of the methodology included in the study, this conclusion required more validation of large-sample RCT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis of glycoproteins and the comparison of protein N‐glycosylation from different eukaryotic origins require unbiased and robust analytical workflows. The structural and functional analysis of vertebrate protein N‐glycosylation currently depends extensively on bacterial peptide‐N4‐(N‐acetyl‐β‐glucosaminyl) asparagine amidases (PNGases), which are indispensable enzymatic tools in releasing asparagine‐linked oligosaccharides (N‐glycans) from glycoproteins. So far, only limited PNGase candidates are available for N‐glycans analysis, and particularly the analysis of plant and invertebrate N‐glycans is hampered by the lack of suitable PNGases. Furthermore, liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) workflows, such as hydrogen deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX‐MS), require a highly efficient enzymatic release of N‐glycans at low pH values to facilitate the comprehensive structural analysis of glycoproteins. Herein, we describe a previously unstudied superacidic bacterial N‐glycanase (PNGase H+) originating from the soil bacterium Rudaea cellulosilytica (Rc), which has significantly improved enzymatic properties compared to previously described PNGase H+ variants. Active and soluble recombinant PNGase Rc was expressed at a higher protein level (3.8‐fold) and with higher specific activity (~56% increase) compared to the currently used PNGase H+ variant from Dyella japonicum (Dj). Recombinant PNGase Rc was able to deglycosylate the glycoproteins horseradish peroxidase and bovine lactoferrin significantly faster than PNGase Dj (10 min vs. 6 h). The versatility of PNGase Rc was demonstrated by releasing N‐glycans from a diverse array of samples such as peach fruit, king trumpet mushroom, mouse serum, and the soil nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. The presence of only two disulfide bonds shown in the AlphaFold protein model (so far all other superacidic PNGases possess more disulfide bonds) could be corroborated by intact mass‐ and peptide mapping analysis and provides a possible explanation for the improved recombinant expression yield of PNGase Rc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC)'s water resources cooperation requires genuine multilateralism and diplomatic wisdom. It's essential for China's neighborhood diplomacy and the Belt and Road Initiative. A strategic narrative and corresponding practice are needed for unconventional cooperation. LMC governance integrates regional characteristics and coordinates people-to-people relations.

In this article, the secure event-triggered control problem is investigated for multiagent systems (MASs) compromised by Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks with multiple modes. With the rapid development of information technology, DoS attacks against communication topologies are more and more common in MASs with cyber-physical features. To actively reduce the influences caused by DoS attacks, a secure mode strategy is proposed to make agents switch into the secure mode when attacks occur. In this strategy, each agent accesses or terminates the secure mode with bounded time delays after DoS attacks begin or end. Based on the switched system theory, the secure mode strategy against DoS attacks is modeled as the asynchronous switching between agent models and topologies. Finally, we obtain the sufficient conditions on the frequency and duration of DoS attacks, under which the designed controller can guarantee the consensus of MASs. By practical examples, the MASs with the secure mode strategy are illustrated to have better attack-resistant effectiveness than the ones without the secure mode strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]