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In this paper, a coupled concrete‐filled multicellular steel tube composite shear walls structure (CCSSW) is proposed. A finite element model (FEM) is developed to investigate the seismic behavior of CCSSW, and the model was validated by the tests. The effects of four parameters including axial compression ratio (ACR) on the hysteretic behavior of the CCSSW were studied. Then, a theoretical model for predicting the ultimate shear capacity (USC) of CCSSW was established. The results show that the failure mode of coupled walls exchanged from flexural failure to flexural‐shear failure with increasing the ACR, and it is recommended that the ACR should less than 0.6 to ensure the ductility requirement. To better realize the function of the first line of defense of steel coupling beam (SCB), following recommendations are concluded: the span‐to‐depth ratio range of SCB is 4.0–6.0, the wall stiffness ratio is 2.4–4.7, and low yield strength material should be used for SCB. The maximum error on USC between FEM results and theoretical results is 12.8%, and most of them are less than 10%, indicating the effectiveness of the proposed theoretical model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a refractory hematologic malignancy that poses a serious threat to human health. Exploring alternative therapeutic strategies capable of inducing alternative modes of cell death, such as ferroptosis, holds great promise as a viable and effective intervention. Methods: We analyzed online database data and collected clinical samples to verify the expression and function of BMAL1 in AML. We conducted experiments on AML cell proliferation, cell cycle, ferroptosis, and chemotherapy resistance by overexpressing/knocking down BMAL1 and using assays such as MDA detection and BODIPY 581/591 C11 staining. We validated the transcriptional regulation of HMGB1 by BMAL1 through ChIP assay, luciferase assay, RNA level detection, and western blotting. Finally, we confirmed the results of our cell experiments at the animal level. Results: BMAL1 up-regulation is an observed phenomenon in AML patients. Furthermore, there existed a strong correlation between elevated levels of BMAL1 expression and inferior prognosis in individuals with AML. We found that knocking down BMAL1 inhibited AML cell growth by blocking the cell cycle. Conversely, overexpressing BMAL1 promoted AML cell proliferation. Moreover, our research results revealed that BMAL1 inhibited ferroptosis in AML cells through BMAL1-HMGB1-GPX4 pathway. Finally, knocking down BMAL1 can enhance the efficacy of certain first-line cancer therapeutic drugs, including venetoclax, dasatinib, and sorafenib. Conclusion: Our research results suggest that BMAL1 plays a crucial regulatory role in AML cell proliferation, drug resistance, and ferroptosis. BMAL1 could be a potential important therapeutic target for AML. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article critically examines the reduction mechanisms and energy transfer processes between trivalent europium ions (Eu3+) and divalent europium ions (Eu2+) in materials synthesized in an air atmosphere. It also encompasses various materials and conditions, including a critical analysis of the reduction mechanism and energy transfer between Eu3+ and Eu2+ in Eu-doped materials. Specific investigations include exploring the reduction process in BaMgSiO4:Eu, focusing on factors influencing the reaction. The article also covers low-temperature self-reduction, addressing conditions and mechanisms such as the charge compensation model and laser-induced reduction. Additionally, it explores the influence of charge compensation on luminescent properties, emphasizing enhancements in red emission. Investigations into the role of oxygen vacancies in the reduction of Eu3+ and their implications on material properties are presented. This article further digs into abnormal reduction processes and the formation of defect centers in Eu3+-doped pollucite, proposing a substitution defect model for the self-reduction of europium ions in silicate Ba(Eu)MgSiO4 phosphors. Unusual reduction phenomena, such as reduction via boiling water in Yb2Si2O7:Eu3+ phosphors, and reductions in various glass systems, including porous glass, ZnO–B2O3–P2O5 glasses, aluminoborosilicate glasses, europium-doped Li2B4O7 glass, and aluminosilicate oxyfluoride glass (AOG), are also thoroughly examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cat states, as an important resource in the study of macroscopic quantum superposition and quantum information applications, have garnered widespread attention. To date, preparing large-sized optical cat states has remained challenging. We demonstrate that, by utilizing interaction-free measurement and the quantum Zeno effect, even a fragile quantum microscopic system can deterministically control and become entangled with strong light fields, thereby generating large-amplitude optical cat states. During the entire preparation process, our method ensures that the microscopic system functions within a weak field environment, so that its quantum property can be protected. Furthermore, we show that the preparation of cat states is possible even when the quantum microsystem suffers from significant photon loss, provided that optical losses from classical devices are kept low, which implies that the fidelity of the cat state can be enhanced by improvements to and the perfection of the classical optical system. In quantum physics, superposition—illustrated by Schrödinger's cat being both dead and alive—inspires 'cat states', utilized in quantum technologies. The authors propose a theory where the optical state, through multiple indirect atom interactions in an interferometric setup, can generate large-amplitude optical cat states, advancing quantum applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the integration of edge computing frameworks and federated learning protocols, an increasing number of copyright protection methods for deep learning models have been proposed. However, solely verifying ownership from the sender's perspective does not provide assistance to the receiver. Numerous studies have indicated that in client-edge-cloud federated learning systems, malicious users attempt to gain access to pubic models without contributing or even poison the pubic models. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a model ownership verification scheme for the receiver. Building upon existing neural network watermarking schemes, this paper proposes a dual-verification model watermarking scheme based on certification files. It introduces a certification file generation step and implements dual ownership verification of the model through adjustments in the model structure. The feasibility, robustness, and improvement in watermark embedding rate of the scheme are verified through experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the leading cause of morality among all malignant tumors. Smoking is one of the most important causes of NSCLC, which contributes not only to the initiation of NSCLC but also to its progression. The identification of specific biomarkers associated with smoking will promote diagnosis and treatment. Methods: Data mining was used to identify the smoking associated gene SERPINB12. CCK8 assays, colony formation assays, a mouse xenograft model and transwell assays were performed to measure the biological functions of SERPINB12 in NSCLC. GSEA, luciferase reporter assays and immunofluorescence were conducted to explore the potential molecular mechanisms of SERPINB12 in NSCLC. Results: In this study, by data mining the TCGA database, we found that SERPINB12 was greatly upregulated in NSCLC patients with cigarette consumption behavior, while the expression level was positively correlated with disease grade and poor prognosis. SERPINB12 is a kind of serpin peptidase inhibitor, but its function in malignant tumors remains largely unknown. Functionally, knockdown of SERPINB12 observably inhibited the proliferation and metastasis of NSCLC cells in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, downregulation of SERPINB12 attenuated Wnt signaling by inhibiting the nuclear translocation of β-catenin, which explained the molecular mechanism underlying tumor progression. Conclusions: In conclusion, SERPINB12 functions as a tumorigenesis factor, which could be a promising biomarker for NSCLC patients with smoking behavior, as well as a therapeutic target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The efficacy of subsequent therapy after poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor maintenance treatment has raised concerns. Retrospective studies show worse outcomes for platinum-based chemotherapy after progression of PARP inhibitor-maintenance therapy, especially in BRCA-mutant patients. We aimed to describe subsequent therapy in ovarian cancer patients after PARP inhibitor-maintenance therapy and evaluate their response to treatment. We focused on chemotherapy for patients with a progression-free interval (PFI) of ≥ 6 months after prior platinum treatment, based on BRCA status. Methods: We analyzed real-world data from Peking University Cancer Hospital, subsequent therapy after progression to PARP inhibitor-maintenance therapy for epithelial ovarian cancer between January 2016 and December 2022. Clinicopathological characteristics and treatment outcomes were extracted from medical records. The last follow-up was in May 2023. Results: A total of 102 patients were included, of which 29 (28.4%) had a germline BRCA1/2 mutation and 73 (71.6%) exhibited BRCA1/2 wild-type mutations. The PARP inhibitors used were Olaparib (n = 62, 60.8%), Niraparib (n = 35, 34.3%), and others (n = 5, 4.9%). The overall response rate (ORR) was 41.2%, and the median time to second progression (mTTSP) was 8.1 months (95%CI 5.8–10.2). Of 91 platinum-sensitive patients (PFI ≥ 6 months) after progression to PARP inhibitor-maintenance therapy, 65 patients subsequently received platinum regimens. Among them, 30 had received one line of chemotherapy before PARP inhibitor-maintenance therapy. Analysis of these 30 patients by BRCA status showed an ORR of 16.7% versus 33.3% and mTTSP of 7.1 (95% CI 4.9–9.1) versus 6.2 months (95% CI 3.7–8.3, P = 0.550), for BRCA-mutant and wild-type patients, respectively. For the remaining 35 patients who had received two or more lines of chemotherapy before PARP inhibitor-maintenance therapy, ORR was 57.1% versus 42.9%, and mTTSP was 18.0 (95% CI 5.0–31.0) versus 8.0 months (95% CI 4.9–11.1, P = 0.199), for BRCA-mutant and wild-type patients, respectively. Conclusion: No differences in survival outcomes were observed among patients with different BRCA statuses. Furthermore, for patients who had undergone two or more lines of chemotherapy before PARP inhibitor maintenance therapy, no negative effects of PARP inhibitors on subsequent treatment were found, regardless of BRCA status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Severe spinal cord injury results in the loss of neurons in the relatively intact spinal cord below the injury area and skeletal muscle atrophy in the paralyzed limbs. These pathological processes are significant obstacles for motor function reconstruction. Objective: We performed tail nerve electrical stimulation (TNES) to activate the motor neural circuits below the injury site of the spinal cord to elucidate the regulatory mechanisms of the excitatory afferent neurons in promoting the reconstruction of locomotor function. Methods: Eight days after T10 spinal cord transection in rats, TNES was performed for 7 weeks. Behavioral scores were assessed weekly. Electrophysiological tests and double retrograde tracings were performed at week 8. Results: After 7 weeks of TNES treatment, there was restoration in innervation, the number of stem cells, and mitochondrial metabolism in the rats' hindlimb muscles. Double retrograde tracings of the tail nerve and sciatic nerve further confirmed the presence of synaptic connections between the tail nerve and central pattern generator (CPG) neurons in the lumbar spinal cord, as well as motor neurons innervating the hindlimb muscles. Conclusion: The mechanisms of TNES induced by the stimulation of primary afferent nerve fibers involves efficient activation of the motor neural circuits in the lumbosacral segment, alterations of synaptic plasticity, and the improvement of muscle and nerve regeneration, which provides the structural and functional foundation for the future use of cutting‐edge biological treatment strategies to restore voluntary movement of paralyzed hindlimbs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the proliferation of high-quality copying devices and the significant profits of counterfeit products, it is critical to establish an effective scheme for detecting and preventing the counterfeiting of goods. At present, most anti-faking schemes leave much to be desired in terms of cost, convenience, and ability to facilitate pre-sale authentication. The paper designs a unique textured pattern and proposes a triple anti-counterfeiting authentication (TACA). First, the textured pattern consists of triple encryptions (the first is that the key area of the QR code is covered, the second includes scale and Arnold transformation, and the third involves replacing the black areas of the pattern with random multi-level grayscales), the abundant details in the texture not only effectively conceal information, but also that their distortion will increase. Second, TACA comprises interpretability analysis (IA), spectral feature analysis (SFA), and spot matching analysis (SMA) in a cascaded way. In further detail, IA mainly exploits the positional transformation of individual pixels and the block features of local regions to restore interpretability. SFA uses the low-frequency subgraph of discrete wavelet transform (DWT) at a specified scale to capture macroscopic structural information. SMA is able to capture the detailed information of the pattern by utilizing SURF to detect the peak region rate positions and employing BRISK to accurately describe them before. Finally, this paper investigates the robustness of the proposed anti-counterfeiting scheme under a variety of copying methods (replicating, scanning-printing), capturing devices (smartphones), and attack scenarios (no attack, cropping, noise, blur). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Current methods utilizing preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)‐based radiomics for assessing lymphovascular invasion (LVI) in patients with early‐stage breast cancer lack precision, limiting the options for surgical planning. Purpose: This study aimed to develop a sophisticated deep learning framework called "Prior Clinico‐Radiological Features Informed Multi‐Modal MR Images Convolutional Neural Network (PCMM‐Net)" to improve the accuracy of LVI prediction in breast cancer. By incorporating multiparameter MRI and prior clinical knowledge, PCMM‐Net should enhance the precision of LVI assessment. Methods: A total of 341 patients with breast cancer were randomly divided into training and validation groups at a ratio of 7:3. Imaging features were extracted from T1‐weighted, T2‐weighted, and contrast‐enhanced T1‐weighted MRI sequences. Stepwise univariate and multivariate logistic regression were employed to establish a clinico‐radiological model for LVI prediction. The radiomics model was built using redundancy and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator. Then, two deep learning frameworks were developed: the Multi‐Modal MR Images Convolutional Neural Network (MM‐Net), which does not consider prior radiological features, and PCMM‐Net, which incorporates multiparameter MRI and prior clinical knowledge. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used, and the corresponding areas under the curves (AUCs) were calculated for evaluation. Results: PCMM‐Net achieved the highest AUC of 0.843. The clinico‐radiological features displayed the lowest AUC value of 0.743, followed by MM‐Net with an AUC of 0.774, and radiomics with an AUC of 0.795. Conclusions: This study introduces PCMM‐Net, an innovative deep learning framework that integrates prior clinico‐radiological features for accurate LVI prediction in breast cancer. PCMM‐Net demonstrates excellent diagnostic performance and facilitates the application of precision medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the chemical constituents of Salvia cavaleriei var. simplicifolia, a plant used for medicinal purposes by the Miao and Dong nations in Guizhou Province, China. The researchers isolated seven compounds from the plant, including dehydrodiisoeugenol and 14-formyl-2,7-dihydroxycadalene, which were isolated from the Salvia genus for the first time. The article provides detailed information about the extraction and purification processes used to obtain these compounds. The compounds were analyzed using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and their structures and characteristics were determined. Some of the compounds showed potential hemostatic activity. The research was supported by various funding sources. [Extracted from the article]

QR codes are widely used in the traceability of commodities, but the QR codes are easy to become blurred during the acquisition process of mobile phones, which affects their normal identification, so it is necessary to deblur them. This paper proposes a sub-regional deblurring method based on prior knowledge of the gradient and intensity of positioning patterns. Firstly, the QR code is divided into four regions according to the positions of three finder positioning patterns and one alignment positioning pattern. The content invariance of the four positioning patterns can avoid the interference of the content to the estimation of the blur kernel, and also take into account the non-uniformity of the QR code blur. Then the gradient and intensity priors are used to estimate the blur kernels of the position patterns in the four regions, and the calculated blur kernels are applied to the corresponding respective regions for deblurring. Finally, the four deblurred regions are stitched together to obtain the entire deblurring image. The experimental results show that the proposed method performs well in terms of deblurring effect and computational time, surpassing similar deblurring methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This article aims to present a direct solution to handle linear constraints in finite element (FE) analysis without penalties or the Lagrange multipliers introduced. Design/methodology/approach: First, the system of linear equations corresponding to the linear constraints is solved for the leading variables in terms of the free variables and the constants. Then, the reduced system of equilibrium equations with respect to the free variables is derived from the finite-dimensional virtual work equation. Finally, the algorithm is designed. Findings: The proposed procedure is promising in three typical cases: (1) to enforce displacement constraints in any direction; (2) to implement local refinements by allowing hanging nodes from element subdivision and (3) to treat non-matching grids of distinct parts of the problem domain. The procedure is general and suitable for 3D non-linear analyses. Research limitations/implications: The algorithm is fitted only to the Galerkin-based numerical methods. Originality/value: The proposed procedure does not need Lagrange multipliers or penalties. The tangential stiffness matrix of the reduced system of equilibrium equations reserves positive definiteness and symmetry. Besides, many contemporary Galerkin-based numerical methods need to tackle the enforcement of the essential conditions, whose weak forms reduce to linear constraints. As a result, the proposed procedure is quite promising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates an e-commerce supply chain comprising a supplier and an online retailer, wherein the supplier determines the quality improvement of products and the online retailer decides whether or not to acquire information on consumer preference. Consumer preference is ex-ante unknown to both the supplier and online retailer but can be resolved by the online retailer's information acquisition behavior. We consider two widely adopted information acquisition strategies, namely, the committed acquisition strategy and contingent acquisition strategy, which differ in whether the online retailer's information acquisition decision is made prior to or after the supplier's quality improvement decision. We find that, under either strategy, the online retailer acquires information only when the cost of information acquisition is relatively small. Moreover, compared with the contingent one, the committed acquisition scheme boosts the online retailer's motivation to gain information. Additionally, by comparing firms' equilibrium profits under these two acquisition strategies, we uncover that the supplier always prefers the committed acquisition scheme. However, the online retailer's preference toward these two information acquisition strategies is not unidirectional, that is, the online retailer prefers either the committed or the contingent strategy. Specifically, the online retailer is indifferent between these two acquisition strategies when the acquisition cost is either sufficiently low or high; otherwise, when the cost of information acquisition is moderate, the online retailer will shift her strategy from the contingent strategy to the committed strategy as the acquisition cost increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the salient feature of cutting operation, the numerical manifold method (NMM) can deal with an any-shaped problem domain by the simplest regular grid. However, this usually creates many irregularly shaped lower-order manifold elements. As a result, the NMM not only needs lots of integration points, but also encounters severe locking issues on nearly incompressible or bending-dominated conditions. This study shows a robust single-point integration rule to handle the above issue in the two-dimensional NMM. The essential idea is to separate the virtual work of an element in terms of moments to the center, so that a zero-order main term and higher-order stabilizing terms are obtained. Further, the volumetric locking and the shearing locking are avoided by modifications to the spherical part and shearing part of the stabilizing terms, and hourglass deformation is overcome since stabilizing terms are always non-zero. Consequently, in addition to fewer integration points, the rule improves accuracy since it is free from locking or hourglass issues. Numerical examples verify the robustness and accuracy improvement of the new rule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is currently no suitable autologous tissue to bridge large tracheal defects. As a result, no standard of care exists for long‐segment tracheal reconstruction. Tissue engineering has the potential to create a scaffold from allografts or xenografts that can support neotissue regeneration identical to the native trachea. Recent advances in tissue engineering have led to the idea of partial decellularization that allows for the creation of tracheal scaffolds that supports tracheal epithelial formation while preserving mechanical properties. However, the ability of partial decellularization to eliminate graft immunogenicity remains unknown, and understanding the immunogenic properties of partially decellularized tracheal grafts (PDTG) is a critical step toward clinical translation. Here, we determined that tracheal allograft immunogenicity results in epithelial cell sloughing and replacement with dysplastic columnar epithelium and that partial decellularization creates grafts that are able to support an epithelium without histologic signs of rejection. Moreover, allograft implantation elicits CD8+ T‐cell infiltration, a mediator of rejection, while PDTG did not. Hence, we establish that partial decellularization eliminates allograft immunogenicity while creating a scaffold for implantation that can support spatially appropriate airway regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the moving least squares based numerical manifold method (MLS-NMM) is firstly applied to discretize three-dimensional (3D) steady heat conduction problems of functionally graded materials (FGMs). In the 3D MLS-NMM, the influence domains of nodes in the moving least squares (MLS) are used as the mathematical patches to construct the mathematical cover (MC); while the shape functions of MLS-nodes as the weight functions subordinate to the MC. Compared with the traditional NMM using finite elements to form the MC, the cutting operations in generating the physical cover are unnecessary and the computation complexity is decreased significantly. Based on the Galerkin method, the discrete form of 3D heat conduction is derived. Finally, a series of numerical experiments concerning steady heat conduction problems are performed, suggesting that the proposed MLS-NMM enjoys advantages of both MLS and NMM in solving steady heat conduction. • Node influence domains in MLS are used to form mathematical cover in NMM. • The merits of combination of MLS and NMM are demonstrated. • The NMM model for analyzing the 3-dimensional heat conduction of FGMs is built. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a respiratory failure syndrome that can cause many complications, impacting patients' quality of life. Behavioral and cognitive disorders have attracted increasing attention in patients with ARDS, but its potential mechanisms are still elusive. Methods: Herein we transferred the faecal microbiota from patients with ARDS caused by community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) to antibiotics-treated recipient male mice to explore the microbiota-gut-brain mechanisms. Behavioral functions of mice were evaluated by the open field test, Morris water maze and Y-maze test. The structure and composition of the gut microbiota were analyzed by using 16S rRNA sequencing analysis. Microglia, astrocyte and neuron in the cortex and hippocampus were examined via immunofluorescent staining. Results: We found that the major characteristic of the intestinal flora in ARDS/CAP patients was higher abundances of Gram-negative bacteria than normal controls. The gut microbiota derived from ARDS/CAP patients promoted neuroinflammation and behavioral dysfunctions in mice. Mice who underwent fecal transplant from ARDS/CAP patients had increased systemic lipopolysaccharide (LPS), systemic inflammation, and increased colonic barrier permeability. This may adversely impact blood barrier permeability and facilitate microglia activation, astrocyte proliferation, and loss of neurons. Conclusions: Our study proposes the role of the microbiota-gut-brain crosstalk on ARDS/CAP-associated behavioral impairments and suggests the gut microbiota as a potential target for the protection of brain health in ARDS patients in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge is an intrinsic element of environmental management. Understanding what kinds of knowledge are needed and how to communicate them effectively is crucial for building environmental management capacity. Despite extensive research, knowledge and its exchange are commonly considered from the viewpoint of its creators and disseminators, rather than that of its recipients. This can lead to mismatches between supply of and demand for knowledge, and futile knowledge exchange that undermines the effectiveness of interventions. Research is needed that looks carefully at the contexts and consequences of such scenarios. Addressing this gap, we examine the implementation of National Environmental Programs (NEPs) in north-western China, drawing from interviews and questionnaires with scientists, grassroots implementers, and farmers and herders, to identify what and how knowledge has been exchanged and what their perspectives are about knowledge exchange with other actors. We ascertain the positive impacts of knowledge exchange during NEP implementation, as well as the consequences when it is lacking, by analysing the interfaces and interactions between actors, seeking explanation for successes and failures. We conclude that with changing socio-ecological systems, knowledge and its exchange also need to change accordingly, extending beyond the environmental domain to integrate local socioeconomic concerns. Such efforts are necessary to improve environmental management outcomes and advance sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spanwise wall oscillation is an easily implemented active control scheme. It can delay the transition to turbulent flows in incompressible boundary layers under appropriate control parameters. However, this delayed transition in compressible boundary layers has not yet been confirmed numerically. In this paper, we perform a series of direct numerical simulations of a spatially developing subsonic boundary layer with different spanwise wall oscillation periods and amplitudes. We numerically confirm the delay in the transition under appropriate control parameters. The delayed transition can be explained by the Stokes boundary layer induced by the spanwise wall oscillation affecting the streamwise vortices. The superposed spanwise velocity and streamwise vorticity observed in the Stokes boundary layer can weaken the development of instability in the original streamwise vortices under appropriate control parameters, leading to a delayed transition. Furthermore, the spanwise wall oscillation changes the flow compressibility, as can be inferred from the equation for the velocity divergence. The enhanced compressibility around the pre-transition regions also stabilizes the development of the streamwise vortices and causes a delayed transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To gain a better understanding of the use of sentinel lymph node mapping by Chinese oncologists for endometrial cancer staging and analyze factors influencing its application. Methods: Questionnaires were collected online before and by phone after the symposium to evaluate the general characteristics of oncologists who participated in the endometrial cancer seminar and factors associated with the application of sentinel lymph node mapping in endometrial cancer patients. Results: Gynecologic oncologists from 142 medical centers participated in the survey. 35.4% of doctors employed sentinel lymph node mapping for endometrial cancer staging, 57.3% chose indocyanine green as the tracer. Multivariate analysis revealed that cancer research center (odds ratio = 4.229, 95% CI 1.747–10.237), physician familiarity with sentinel lymph node mapping (odds ratio = 126.188, 95% confidence interval 43.220–368.425) and the use of ultrastaging (odds ratio = 2.657, 95% confidence interval 1.085–6.506) were related to the doctors' selection of sentinel lymph node mapping. There was a significant difference in the surgical procedure for early endometrial cancer, the number of removed sentinel lymph node, and the reason for not adopting sentinel lymph node mapping before and after the symposium. Conclusions: The theoretical knowledge of sentinel lymph node mapping, the use of ultrastaging, and cancer research center are related to a higher acceptance of sentinel lymph node mapping. Distance learning is conducive to the promotion of this technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article titled "The dynamics and outcomes of AKI progression during the COVID-19 pandemic" explores the impact of COVID-19 on acute kidney injury (AKI). COVID-19 is a systemic disease that affects multiple organs, including the kidneys. The study conducted by Ratnayake et al. examines mortality trends and the likelihood of AKI progression in COVID-19 patients. The findings suggest that factors such as age, peak AKI stage, use of inotropic agents, lymphocyte count, and inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein and ferritin are associated with poor outcomes. The study also discusses the role of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor and the safety of maintaining ACE inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) in COVID-19 patients. Overall, this research contributes to our understanding of the complex relationship between COVID-19 and AKI, emphasizing the importance of considering patient demographics and the evolving nature of the pandemic. [Extracted from the article]

Objective : The purpose of this study was to retrospectively assess the pattern, compliance, efficacy and safety of bevacizumab in Chinese ovarian cancer patients. Methods: We reviewed the clinicopathological data of patients with histologically confirmed epithelial ovarian cancer, fallopian tube cancer and primary peritoneal adenocarcinoma, who were diagnosed and treated at the Department of Gynecologic Oncology of Peking University Cancer Hospital between May 2012 and January 2022. Results: A total of 155 patients were eventually enrolled in this study, with 77 as first-line chemotherapy (FL) and 78 as recurrence therapy (RT) among which 37 patients were platinum sensitive and 41 were platinum resistant. Among the 77 patients in the FL group, 35 received bevacizumab during neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) alone (NT), 23 received bevacizumab during both neoadjuvant and first-line chemotherapy (NT + FL) and 19 received bevacizumab during first-line chemotherapy alone (FLA). Among the 43 patients of NT and NT + FL groups undergoing interval debulking surgery (IDS), 38(88.4%) patients achieved optimally debulking and 24 (55.8%) patients had no residual disease after IDS. The patients in the FL group had a median progression free survival (PFS) of 15(95%CI: 9.951–20.049) months, and the 12-month PFS was 61.7%. In the RT group, the overall response rate (ORR) was 53.8%. According to multivariate analysis, the patients' platinum sensitivity had a significant impact on the PFS in the RT group. 13(8.4%) patients discontinued bevacizumab due to toxicity. Seven patients were in the FL group while 4 patients were in the RT group. The most common adverse event associated with bevacizumab therapy was hypertension. Conclusion: Bevacizumab is effective and well-tolerated in the real world setting of ovarian cancer treatment. Adding bevacizumab to NACT is feasible and tolerable. Receiving the regimen containing bevacizumab in the last preoperative chemotherapy did not result in increased intraoperative bleeding of IDS. Platinum sensitivity is the most important factor affecting the effectiveness of bevacizumab in recurrent patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge is limited on attendance and involvement of perceived participation of children with long-term health conditions. To evaluate the perceived participation of children with long-term health conditions and to compare their participation with that of healthy peers. A cross-sectional comparative study was designed using self-reported data from 65 children with long-term health conditions and from 65 healthy peers, utilising the simplified Chinese version of Picture My Participation (PMP-C; Simplified). The frequency scores of children with long-term health conditions were significantly lower than those of healthy peers in terms of attendance for the total domain and for 13 activity items. The involvement scores of children with long-term health conditions were significantly lower than those of healthy children in 3 items. There was a strong correlation between rank orders of the most important activities for the two groups (r = 0.83). Children with long-term health conditions participated less in activities compared to healthy children. Further studies are required to investigate factors of the participation of children. The PMP-C (Simplified) offered an opportunity for children to express their own perspectives of participation based on their individual experience of the activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investor sentiment and herding, as two important indicators of investors' beliefs, both have great impacts on stock market volatility. Based on the daily transaction data in the Chinese stock market, we measure investor sentiment and herding on monthly basis from 2005 to 2020. Then, two indicators are, respectively, introduced to GARCH-MIDAS model for volatility forecasting. Moreover, their forecasting abilities are compared with five GARCH-type models in four crisis periods and two up markets through the model confidence set (MCS) test. We find that herding can better explain the long-term component of volatility than investor sentiment in GARCH-MIDAS model. What is more, both investor sentiment and herding possess excellent out-of-sample forecasting performances. Finally, the forecasting ability of herding is overwhelming compared with investor sentiment in crisis periods, while investor sentiment presents better prediction accuracy than herding in up markets. Our research shows that the forecasting abilities of investor sentiment and herding on volatility may be related to the market states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To explore the value of human data from the Zhuang population via predicting the diameter of the hamstring tendon autograft in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction and determining the feasibility of preoperative ultrasound for prediction. Methods: In total, 24 Zhuang patients who underwent ACL reconstruction with a 4‐strand semitendinosus and gracilis tendon autograft (4 S‐STG) were enrolled in this study. Before the operation, the affected semitendinosus tendon (ST) was examined by ultrasonography, and its length, diameter, cross‐sectional area, and circumference were measured. The patients' basic information and body data, ie, height, weight, body mass index, lower limb length injured, and thigh circumference injured, were recorded. Their ST and gracilis tendon lengths and diameters and 4 S‐STG diameter were measured during the operation. A correlation analysis was conducted between the ultrasound measurement results and human data and intraoperative tendon measurements. Results: The ST diameter measured by ultrasound was correlated with the ST length and ST diameter measured during operation, and the ST circumference measured by ultrasound was correlated with the ST diameter measured during operation. The patients' body weight can be used to distinguish a 4 S‐STG diameter of ≥8 mm (P <.01, mean difference = 11.59). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of body weight was 0.829. The final graft diameter ≥8 mm could be predicted with a body weight of 61.5 kg as the cutoff point; the sensitivity and specificity were 72.2% and 83.3%, respectively. Conclusion: In Zhuang patients undergoing ACL reconstruction with 4 S‐STG, body weight more accurately predicted graft diameter than preoperative semitendinosus diameter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Salt stress is one of the major causes of reduced crop production, limiting agricultural development globally. Plants have evolved with complex systems to maintain the balance between growth and stress responses, where signaling pathways such as hormone signaling play key roles. Recent studies revealed that hormones are modulated by microRNAs (miRNAs). Previously, two sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) inbred lines with different salt tolerance were identified: the salt‐tolerant M‐81E and the salt‐sensitive Roma. The levels of endogenous hormones in M‐81E and Roma varied differently under salt stress, showing a different balance between growth and stress responses. miRNA and degradome sequencing showed that the expression of many upstream transcription factors regulating signal transduction and hormone‐responsive genes was directly induced by differentially expressed miRNAs, whose levels were very different between the two sweet sorghum lines. Furthermore, the effects of representative miRNAs on salt tolerance in sorghum were verified through a transformation system mediated by Agrobacterium rhizogenes. Also, miR‐6225‐5p reduced the level of Ca2+ in the miR‐6225‐5p‐overexpressing line by inhibiting the expression of the Ca2+ uptake gene SbGLR3.1 in the root epidermis and affected salt tolerance in sorghum. This study provides evidence for miRNA‐mediated growth and stress responses in sweet sorghum. Significance Statement: The interactions between plant hormones, miRNAs, and key transcription factors form a complex response network that balances the growth and stress responses in sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor). [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]

Radar reflectivity assimilation is often used to initialize hydrometeors, to which Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) is highly sensitive. To better initialize hydrometeors, this study further developed the background error covariance (BEC) with vertical and multivariable correlations of hydrometeor control variables (H-BEC) in the WRF three-dimensional variational data assimilation system (WRFDA-3DVar). The impacts of the H-BEC are discussed using single radar reflectivity tests and series of cycling data assimilation and forecasting experiments for five multi-type convective rainfall cases. The conclusions are summarized as follows: (1) The vertical correlations can speed up the minimization of the cost function, whereas the multivariable correlations further accelerate this minimization; (2) The vertical correlations slightly improve the precipitation forecasting and only in the first hour, while multivariate correlations lead to a larger improvement and persist into the third hour; (3) The application of H-BEC leads to a more reasonable thermodynamic and dynamical structure of the initial field, thereby improving the capability of short-term precipitation forecasting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bHLH domain transcription factor, Bombyx mori‐derived dimmed (Bmdimm), is directly regulated by the JH‐BmMet/BmSRC‐BmKr‐h1 pathway and plays a key role in regulating the expression of FibH, which codes the main component of silk protein. However, the other roles of Bmdimm in silk protein synthesis remain unclear. Here, we established a Bmdimm knockout (KO) line containing a 7‐bp deletion via CRISPR/Cas9 system, which led to the absence of the bHLH domain. The expression level of silk protein genes and silk yield decreased significantly in the Bmdimm KO line. Moreover, knocking out Bmdimm led to shortened larval stages and significant weight loss in larvae and adults. Bmdimm was found to be highly expressed in the silk gland, but it was also expressed in the fat body. The expression level of Bmkr‐h1 in the fat body was significantly downregulated in the Bmdimm KO line. Exogenous JHA treatment upregulated Bmkr‐h1 and rescued the phenotype of larval growth in the Bmdimm KO line. In conclusion, knocking out Bmdimm led to a shortened larval stage via the inhibition of Bmkr‐h1 expression, then reduced silk yield. These findings help to elucidate the regulatory mechanism of fibroin synthesis and larval development in silkworms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the correlations of affective and cognitive components of empathy with reward anticipation toward monetary and social incentives in individuals with social anhedonia (SocAnh). According to the scores on the Revised Social Anhedonia Scale, 109 participants were divided into high (n = 57) and low (n = 52) SocAnh groups. Empathy was assessed with the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE) and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) Scale. Social and non‐social reward anticipations were assessed by the Social and Monetary Incentive Delay Tasks, respectively. We performed independent‐sample t tests and repeated‐measures ANOVAs to examine the group differences on empathy and reward anticipation. Correlation analyses between empathy and reward anticipation were conducted. Results showed that the high SocAnh group reported reduced scores on empathy and reward anticipation for monetary and social incentives compared to their low SocAnh counterparts. Correlation analysis further indicated that monetary reward anticipation correlated with cognitive empathy, while social reward anticipation correlated with affective empathy. Our findings suggested that participants with high SocAnh exhibited poorer empathy and reduced reward anticipation than those with low SocAnh level. More importantly, social and non‐social reward anticipation may distinctly contribute to affective and cognitive components of empathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper designs a texture-hidden QR code to prevent the illegal copying of a QR code due to its lack of anti-counterfeiting ability. Combining random texture patterns and a refined QR code, the code is not only capable of regular coding but also has a strong anti-copying capability. Based on the proposed code, a quality assessment algorithm (MAF) and a dual feature detection algorithm (DFDA) are also proposed. The MAF is compared with several current algorithms without reference and achieves a 95% and 96% accuracy for blur type and blur degree, respectively. The DFDA is compared with various texture and corner methods and achieves an accuracy, precision, and recall of up to 100%, and also performs well on attacked datasets with reduction and cut. Experiments on self-built datasets show that the code designed in this paper has excellent feasibility and anti-counterfeiting performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronological and geochemical studies of adakites and adakitic rocks are important in understanding the tectonic evolution and geodynamic processes. We present new zircon U–Pb ages, Hf isotope, and geochemical analyses of adakitic rocks exposed in the Baishan area, southeastern Jilin Province, China. These new ages, together with existing age data, indicate that adakitic magmatism in southeastern Jilin Province can be subdivided into four stages: Early–Middle Triassic (251–235 Ma), Late Triassic (221–219 Ma), late Early–early Late Jurassic (176–156 Ma), and Early Cretaceous (ca. 130 Ma). Early–Middle Triassic adakitic rocks occur in a nearly E–W-trending belt within the northern margin of the northeastern North China Craton, indicating a compressional tectonic setting caused by the scissor-like closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean from west to east. Late Triassic adakitic rocks occur in the Tonghua area and formed in an extensional setting caused by delamination after subduction and collision between the Yangtze Craton and NCC. Late Early–early Late Jurassic adakitic rocks occur in the Baishan and Kaiyuan areas and originated from partial melting of thickened lower crust in a compressional setting related to subduction of the Paleo-Pacific Plate. Early Cretaceous adakitic rocks occur in the Baishan area and were derived from partial melting of thickened lower crust above the subduction zone and delaminated lower crust, indicating that the subducting Paleo-Pacific Plate retreated to the eastern part of southern Jilin Province during the Early Cretaceous (ca. 130 Ma) and that the tectonic setting of the northeastern part of the NCC changed from compression to extension, starting in the east and progressing westward. In summary, the northeastern part of the NCC has been affected by a series of tectonic events during the Mesozoic, such as the closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean, the collision between the NCC and YC, and the subduction of the Paleo-Pacific Plate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: We present a case of Trousseau's syndrome in a non-small cell lung cancer patient recurrently aggravated by pembrolizumab. The adverse events related to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) on thrombogenesis remain unclear. Case report: A 48-year-old woman was diagnosed with right lung adenocarcinoma (cT1bN3M1a, IVA) and with programmed cell death-1 positive. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed multiple asymptomatic bilateral cerebral infarctions as Trousseau's syndrome. After the patient was administered pembrolizumab, bilateral cerebral infarctions were aggravated. Management and outcome: Although the patient was given prophylactic anticoagulant therapy respectively before two doses of pembrolizumab, Trousseau's syndrome still aggravated recurrently. Discussion: Trousseau's syndrome is rarely reported following the administration of ICIs. It is possible that pembrolizumab may trigger disorders of the coagulation–fibrinolysis system in cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes an image tampering detection algorithm based on sample guidance and individual camera device's convolutional neural network (CNN) features (SGICD‐CF) to address the challenges in the authenticity and integrity of images. Due to the development of the digital image processing technology, which makes image editing and processing, image tampering and forgery easy and lot simplified, thus solving the problem of image tamper detection, to maintain information security. The principle of SGICD‐CF assumes that pixels of the pristine image come from a single camera device, but on the contrary, if an image to be tested is spliced by multiple images from different cameras, then the pixels from the multiple camera devices will be detected. SGICD‐CF divides the image to be tested into 64 × 64 pixel image patches, extracts the camera‐related features and some camera model‐related information of image patches by source camera identification network (SCI‐Net) which is proposed by us, and obtains the classification confidence degree of the image patch. Furthermore, it determines whether the image patch contains foreign pixels according to the obtained confidence degree and finally determines whether the image was tampered according to the classification results of all the image patches, thus locating the tampered area. However, the experimental results show that SGICD‐CF can detect and locate the tampered area of an image accurately and our methods have a better performance than other existing methods. Our algorithm can achieve an average correct rate of 0.855 on the synthetic data set based on Dresden, which is higher than other existing detection methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Failure of hypomethylation agent (HMA) treatments is an important issue in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML). Recent studies indicated that function of wildtype TP53 positively impacts outcome of HMA treatments. We investigated the combination of the HMA azacitidine (AZA) with DS-3032b and DS-5272, novel antagonists of the TP53 negative regulator MDM2, in cellular and animal models of MDS and CMML. In TP53 wildtype myeloid cell line, combinational effects of DS-3032b or DS-5272 with AZA were observed. In Tet2-knockout mouse model of MDS and CMML, DS-5272 and AZA combination ameliorated disease-like phenotype. RNA-Seq analysis in mouse bone marrow hematopoietic stem and progenitors indicated that DS-5272 and AZA combination caused down-regulation of leukemia stem cell marker genes and activation of pathways of TP53 function and stability. These findings demonstrate that combining an MDM2 antagonist with AZA has potential to improve AZA treatment in TP53 wildtype MDS and CMML. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the effects of local porous uniform blowing on the skin-friction drag reduction in the spatially developing compressible turbulent boundary layers through direct numerical simulations. Under the influence of uniform blowing, the skin-friction drag decreases drastically within the controlled regions, and the effect extends downstream. The drag reduction rate exceeds 10% for the uniform blowing velocities considered herein. The intrinsic mechanism of decreased skin-friction drag is further explored, in terms of the various contributions to this quantity, the Reynolds shear stress budget, and the multi-scale distributions and transfer of enhanced turbulent motions. The numerical results for the identity of Renard and Deck ["A theoretical decomposition of mean skin friction generation into physical phenomena across the boundary layer," J. Fluid Mech. 790, 339–367 (2016)] indicate that the decreased skin-friction drag is reflected in a negative contribution in the streamwise developing direction. The enhanced turbulent motion is investigated through the Reynolds shear stress budget, and uniform blowing is found to strengthen the magnitudes of all budget terms. We conclude that uniform blowing promotes the energy cascade process in the near-wall region, promoting the appearance of smaller turbulent structures and the formation of large outer scales. Similar skin-friction drag reduction in the subsonic case is also observed in a supersonic case. The upstream transition process is delayed, which leads to a relatively larger skin-friction drag reduction rate in a supersonic case. Finally, we investigate the porosity effects on the skin-friction drag and conclude that the blowing flux is a decisive factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To obtain a theoretical reference for understanding the changes in metabolites of Yigong tea leaves during different harvesting periods and to determine the optimal harvesting period, we performed a metabolome comparison using UPLC‐Q‐Exactive MS on Yigong tea leaves from different harvesting periods. The results indicated that a total of 41 metabolites were significantly altered during the growth of Yi Gong tea leaves. These involved 7 amino acids and their derivatives, 16 flavonols and flavonol glycosides, 4 organic acids, 3 catechins, 3 carbohydrates, 7 fatty acid esters, 1 terpene, and 3 substances from others. In particular, the levels of arginine and glutamine were higher in early‐harvested tea leaves than in late‐harvested tea leaves; the levels of flavonoids and flavonols were higher in late‐harvested tea leaves. Metabolic pathway analysis revealed that the caffeine metabolism and the flavonoid biosynthesis perform key roles in Yigong tea leaves from different harvesting periods. Practical Applications: At present, the application of metabolomics in tea research is focused on the study of pesticide residues, processing processes, environmental stresses, and regional differences. This study is to focus on the effect of the tea harvesting period on tea quality through metabolomics. Through metabolomics, we can better determine the optimal tea harvesting period, and this study can improve the quality of this tea product and may be able to bring some favourable favorable contributions contribution to the local tea marketing in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cruciform welded joint is a weak position of filter press to cause fatigue failure under cyclic conditions. In this study, cavitation jet peening (CJP) treatment is proposed to improve the fatigue life of SAF2205 cruciform welded joints. The effects of different CJP treatment positions on the residual stress, microstructure, and microhardness were studied. The results show that different CJP treatment positions have different on residual stresses and fatigue life. The order of the residual stress in fracture position from large to small is the fully treated specimen, untreated specimen, one‐sided treated specimen, and diagonal treated specimen, which is exactly opposite to the order of fatigue life from large to small. After the diagonal CJP treatment, the fatigue life is increased by up to 242.19%, and the residual stress at the weld toe is reduced by more than 80%. A strengthening layer with thicknesses of about 400 μm is formed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and aggressive form of brain cancer. Prognosis evaluation is of great significance in guiding individualized treatment and monitoring of GBM. By integrating different prognostic variables, nomograms simplify the statistical risk prediction model into numerical estimates for death or recurrence, and are hence widely applied in prognosis prediction. In the past two decades, the application of high‐throughput profiling technology and the establishment of TCGA database and other public data deposits have provided opportunities to identify cancer‐related molecules and prognostic biomarkers. As a result, both molecular features and clinical characteristics of cancer have been reported to be the key factors in nomogram model construction. This article comprehensively reviewed 35 studies of GBM nomograms, analyzed the present situation of GBM nomograms, and discussed the role and significance of nomograms in personalized risk assessment and clinical treatment decision‐making. To facilitate the application of nomograms in the prognostic prediction of GBM patients, a website has been established for the online access of nomograms based on the studies of this review, which is called Consensus Nomogram Spectrum for Glioblastoma (CNSgbm) and is accessible through https://bioinfo.henu.edu.cn/nom/NomList.jsp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A transcriptomic HMA resistance signature was obtained in a patient with CD34+ BM HSPCs. • Commonly downregulated genes in AZA and DAC non-responders were immunoglobulins. • Biological pathways in AZA and DAC non-responders were mostly drug specific. • Non-responders to AZA and DAC therapies shared 78 altered pathways in BM HSPCs. • GABA signal, upregulated in AZA and DAC non-responders, affected BM hematopoiesis. Hypomethylating agents (HMAs) are the standard of care for myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML). HMA treatment failure is a major clinical problem and its mechanisms are poorly characterized. We performed RNA sequencing in CD34+ bone marrow stem hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (BM-HSPCs) from 51 patients with CMML and MDS before HMA treatment and compared transcriptomic signatures between responders and nonresponders. We observed very few genes with significant differential expression in HMA non-responders versus responders, and the commonly altered genes in non-responders to both azacitidine (AZA) and decitabine (DAC) treatments were immunoglobulin genes. Gene set analysis identified 78 biological pathways commonly altered in non-responders to both treatments. Among these, we determined that the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor signaling significantly affected hematopoiesis in both human BM-HSPCs and mice, indicating that the transcriptomic signatures identified here could serve as candidate biomarkers and therapeutic targets for HMA failure in MDS and CMML. . [Display omitted]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The corrugated plate steel shear walls (CSPWs) are widely used as lateral force resistant members in high-rise buildings. However, buckling failure still easily occurred on corrugated steel plates subjected to earthquake loads, which is not good for the energy dissipation of structures. In this paper, the asymmetric diagonal stiffened beam-only-connected corrugated steel plate shear wall (ASW) is proposed. A test-validated FE modeling method is used to investigate the seismic performance of ASW, and the results are compared with the results of unstiffened corrugated steel plate shear wall (USW). Then parametric studies on the height-to-thickness ratio, wavelength, wave height of the corrugated plate and width-to-thickness ratio of the stiffeners are performed to investigate their effects on the seismic performance of ASW. Finally, a simplified theoretical model is developed to calculate the shear resistance of ASW, and the results are validated by tests and FE results. The results show that: (1) compared to the USW, the yield load and ultimate load of ASW increase 11.7% and 13.2%, respectively; (2) the theoretical calculation results are basically consistent with the FE and test results, and the errors between them are within ± 15%. These results can be used for seismic enhancement of CSPWs and seismic design of ASW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alpha-synuclein (SNCA) is a pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease, known to be involved in cancer occurrence and development; however, its specific effects in breast cancer remain unknown. Data from 150 patients with breast cancer were retrieved from tissue microarray and analyzed for SNCA protein level using immunohistochemistry. Functional enrichment analysis was performed to investigate the potential role of SNCA in breast cancer. SNCA -mediated inhibition of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) was confirmed with western blotting. The effects of SNCA on invasion and migration were evaluated using transwell and wound-healing experiments. Furthermore, the potential influence of SNCA expression level on drug sensitivity and tumor infiltration by immune cells was analyzed using the public databases. SNCA is lowly expressed in breast cancer tissues. Besides, in vitro and in vivo experiments, SNCA overexpression blocked EMT and metastasis, and the knockdown of SNCA resulted in the opposite effect. A mouse model of metastasis verified the restriction of metastatic ability in vivo. Further analysis revealed that SNCA enhances sensitivity to commonly used anti-breast tumor drugs and immune cell infiltration. SNCA blocks EMT and metastasis in breast cancer and its expression levels could be useful in predicting the chemosensitivity and evaluating the immune microenvironment in breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fraction 9 (3.4 g) was purified with Sephadex LH-20 (CH SB 2 sb Cl SB 2 sb -MeOH, 1:1) and silica gel column chromatography (CH SB 2 sb Cl SB 2 sb -EtOAc, 11:1-0:1) to afford compounds B 6 b (20 mg) [[14]] and B 7 b (30 mg) [[15]]. The CH SB 2 sb Cl SB 2 sb fraction was subjected to silica gel column chromatography (CH SB 2 sb Cl SB 2 sb -MeOH, 90:1-0:1) to afford twelve fractions. The PE fraction was subjected to silica gel column chromatography (PE-EtOAc, 20:1-0:1) to afford twelve fractions. Fraction 9 (10 g) was subjected to Sephadex LH-20 (CH SB 2 sb Cl SB 2 sb -MeOH, 1:1) and silica gel column chromatography (CH SB 2 sb Cl SB 2 sb -MeOH, 40:1-1:1) to afford compounds B 3 b (44 mg) [[11]], B 4 b (16 mg) [[12]], and B 5 b (4 mg) [[13]]. [Extracted from the article]

Time-dependent deformation of rock affects the structural and hydrologic properties in terms of porosity and permeability, which can directly influence security and injectivity of CO2 geological storages in a saline aquifer. To investigate the time-dependent response of deep saline aquifer subjected to CO2 geological storage in terms of the permeability and deformation evolution of stratum rock skeleton under external stresses and pore fluid pressure, the rock permeability evolution under the flow-through of sodium chloride solution with mixed CO2 and creep curves of reservoir rock sample was studied after long-term hydro-mechanical laboratory testing. Furthermore, the time-dependent hydro-mechanical coupling mathematical model, including the porous creep constitutive equation and the time-dependent relationship between volumetric deformation and porosity, was proposed to characterize the long-term influences of evolving permeability and deformation in a saline reservoir. To verify this time-dependent hydro-mechanical coupling model, the coupled multicomponent multiphase flow and geomechanical simulator TOUGH-FLAC could be applied with the embedded user-defined constitutive model of porous creep constitutive equation and the corrected permeability as function of volumetric strain in the external module. In general, calculated results are akin to observed results, and the time-dependent hydro-mechanical coupling model has practical value. Highlights: Reservoir porosity and permeability change with mechanical deformation as the results of alteration of pore pressure or lithostatic stress. As the results of long-term hydro-mechanical laboratory test show, both the deformation of reservoir rock and hydraulic conductivity are time-dependent. Long-term deformation characteristic of rock skeleton in saline reservoir could be evaluated via porous creep constitutive model. The capability of of iterative calculation process between Tough2 and Flac3D is demonstrated on time-dependent hydro-mechanical coupled problems related to long-term geological storage of carbon dioxide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selective and efficient removal of trace heavy metals from drinking water has been a challenging problem. Herein, we report novel activated carbon fibers rich in S/N/O multiple active sites (ACF-S/N/O) obtained by hydrogen peroxide pretreatment and 2,5-dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole (DMTD) post-functionalization. The coexistence of -SH, =N-, -NH-, -NH 2 , -COOH and -OH functional groups in ACF-S/N/O greatly increased adsorption performance and selectivity for trace lead. The adsorbent prepared at optimum nominal mass ratio (9:11) of ACFs pretreated by hydrogen peroxide (ACF-O) to DMTD represented excellent and selective adsorption behavior for trace lead, and maximum adsorption capacity which effluent concentration met World Health Organization (WHO) standard attained 29.05 mg g−1, which was far above those of previously reported materials. Moreover, the adsorbent also exhibited rapid adsorption dynamics, superior selectivity for trace lead, and excellent adsorption performance under broad pH and concentration range, as well as in tap water. The adsorption data were well fitted to Freundlich and D-R isotherm models and pseudo-second-order kinetic model, respectively, suggesting chemical adsorption mechanism. The abundant S/N/O active sites greatly overcame mass transfer resistance of trace lead and promoted the chelation between the adsorption site and trace lead, making adsorbent exhibit excellent application prospects for drinking water purification. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel positive-sense single-stranded RNA mycovirus, designated as "Magnaporthe oryzae botourmiavirus 10" (MoBV10), was identified in the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae isolate HF04. MoBV10 has a single genomic RNA segment consisting of 2,448 nucleotides, which contains a single open reading frame encoding an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Genome comparison and phylogenetic analysis indicated that MoBV10 is a new member of the genus Betascleroulivirus in the family Botourmiaviridae. The 5'- and 3'-terminal sequences of the genomic RNA of MoBV10 have inverted complementarity and potentially form a panhandle structure, which is very rare in RNA viruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The GSCP (Gauss–Seidel based projection‐contraction) algorithm has been well established in solving elastoplastic mixed complementarity problems (MiCPs) or other problems which have similar mathematical form. However, the stability problems in the GSPC algorithm may cause nonconvergence or program crashes. Thus, the method of constructing and analyzing counterexamples is adopted to study the reasons for the instability of the GSPC algorithm. The R‐GSPC algorithm was developed by modifying the part of the GSPC algorithm that caused the crash to make the algorithm stable. In addition, this paper analyzes the convergence, compatibility, and initial value impact of R‐GSPC, and finds that the R‐GSPC algorithm greatly improves the robustness and stability without losing accuracy. This paper allows the GSPC algorithm to be better extended to more fields and to be suitabled for being introduced into commercial programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tremendous progress has been made in the field of nanomedicine for cancer treatment. However, most of the research to date has been focused on inhibiting primary tumor growth with comparatively less efforts directed towards managing tumor metastasis. Here, we introduce a polymeric conjugate P-DOX-iRGD that not only significantly suppressed primary tumor growth but also substantially inhibited pulmonary metastasis in an orthotopic mouse model of breast cancer. In addition, treatment with P-DOX-iRGD markedly reduced breast cancer-induced splenomegaly and liver hematopoiesis. Interestingly, contrasting results were seen for the free form and polymeric form of DOX in vitro and in vivo, which may be attributed to the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]