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The aim of infrared and visible image fusion is to generate a fused image that not only contains salient targets and rich texture details, but also facilitates high-level vision tasks. However, due to the hardware limitations of digital cameras and other devices, there are more low-resolution images in the existing datasets, and low-resolution images are often accompanied by the problem of losing details and structural information. At the same time, existing fusion algorithms focus too much on the visual quality of the fused images, while ignoring the requirements of high-level vision tasks. To address the above challenges, in this paper, we skillfully unite the super-resolution network, fusion network and segmentation network, and propose a super-resolution-based semantic-aware fusion network. First, we design a super-resolution network based on a multi-branch hybrid attention module (MHAM), which aims to enhance the quality and details of the source image, enabling the fusion network to integrate the features of the source image more accurately. Then, a comprehensive information extraction module (STDC) is designed in the fusion network to enhance the network's ability to extract finer-grained complementary information from the source image. Finally, the fusion network and segmentation network are jointly trained to utilize semantic loss to guide the semantic information back to the fusion network, which effectively improves the performance of the fused images on high-level vision tasks. Extensive experiments show that our method is more effective than other state-of-the-art image fusion methods. In particular, our fused images not only have excellent visual perception effects, but also help to improve the performance of high-level vision tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The three‐dimensional printing titanium (3DPT) cage with excellent biomechanical properties and osseointegration capabilities has been initially used in spinal fusion, while the polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cage, a bioinert material device, has been a widely used for decades with relatively excellent clinical outcomes. This study was performed to investigate the early radiographic and clinical outcomes of 3DPT cage versus PEEK cage in patients undergoing anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) and transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF). Methods: This prospective controlled trial, from December 2019 to June 2022, included patients undergoing ACDF and TLIF with 3DPT cages and compared them to patients using PEEK cages for treating spinal degenerative disorders. The outcome measures included radiographic parameters (intervertebral height [IH], subsidence, fusion status, and bone‐cage interface contact) and clinical outcomes (Japanese Orthopaedic Association [JOA], Neck Disability Index [NDI], Oswestry Disability Index [ODI], Short Form 12‐Item Survey [SF‐12], Visual Analog Scale [VAS], and Odom's criteria). Student's independent samples t test and Pearson's chi‐square test were used to compare the outcome measures between the two groups before surgery and at 1 week, 3 and 6 months after surgery. Results: For the patients undergoing ACDF, the 3DPT (18 patients/[26 segments]) and PEEK groups (18 patients/[26 segments]) had similar fusion rates at 3 months and 6 months follow‐up (3 months: 96.2% vs. 83.3%, p = 0.182; 6 months: 100% vs. 91.7%, p = 0.225). The subsidence in the 3DPT group was significantly lower than that in the PEEK group (3 months: 0.4 ± 0.2 mm vs. 0.9 ± 0.7 mm p = 0.004; 6 months: 0.7 ± 0.3 mm vs. 1.5 ± 0.8 mm, p < 0.001). 3DPT and PEEK cage all achieved sufficient contact with the cervical endplates. For the patients undergoing TLIF, the 3DPT (20 patients/[26 segments]) and PEEK groups (20 patients/[24 segments]) had no statistical difference in fusion rate (3 months: 84.6% vs. 58.3%, p = 0.059; 6 months: 92.3% vs. 75%, p = 0.132). The subsidence was lower than that in the PEEK group without significantly difference (3 months: 0.9 ± 0.7 mm vs.1.2 ± 0.9 mm p = 0.136; 6 months: 1.6 ± 1.0 mm vs. 2.0 ± 1.0 mm, p = 0.200). At the 3‐month follow‐up, the bone‐cage interface contact of the 3DPT cage was significantly better than that of the PEEK cage (poor contact: 15.4% vs. 75%, p < 0.001). The values of UAR were higher in the 3DPT group than in the PEEK group during the follow‐up in cervical and lumbar fusion, there were more statistical differences in lumbar fusion. There were no significant differences in the clinical assessment between 3DPT or PEEK cage in spinal fusion. Conclusion: The 3DPT cage and PEEK cage can achieve excellent clinical outcomes in cervical and lumbar fusion. The 3DPT cage has advantage in fusion quality, subsidence severity, and bone‐cage interface contact than PEEK cage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical pressure from the isovalent substitution of Se by a larger Te atom in the epitaxial film of iron chalcogenide FeSe can effectively tune its superconducting, topological, and magnetic properties. However, such substitution during epitaxial growth inherently leads to defects and structural inhomogeneity, making the determination of alloy composition and atomic sites for the substitutional Te atoms challenging. Here, we utilize machine learning to distinguish between Se and Te atoms in scanning tunneling microscopy images of single-layer FeSe1−xTex on SrTiO3(001) substrates. Defect locations are first identified by analyzing spatial-dependent dI/dV tunneling spectra using the K-means clustering method. After excluding the defect regions, the remaining dI/dV spectra are further analyzed using the singular value decomposition method to determine the Se/Te ratio. Our findings demonstrate an effective and reliable approach for determining alloy composition and atomic-scale electronic inhomogeneity in superconducting single-layer iron chalcogenide films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human malignancies are composed of heterogeneous subpopulations of cancer cells with phenotypic and functional diversity. Among them, a unique subset of cancer stem cells (CSCs) has both the capacity for self-renewal and the potential to differentiate and contribute to multiple tumor properties. As such, CSCs are promising cellular targets for effective cancer therapy. At the molecular level, hyper-activation of multiple stemness regulatory signaling pathways and downstream transcription factors play critical roles in controlling CSCs establishment and maintenance. To regulate CSC properties, these stemness pathways are controlled by post-translational modifications including, but not limited to phosphorylation, acetylation, methylation, and ubiquitination. Conclusion: In this review, we focus on E3 ubiquitin ligases and their roles and mechanisms in regulating essential hallmarks of CSCs, such as self-renewal, invasion and metastasis, metabolic reprogramming, immune evasion, and therapeutic resistance. Moreover, we discuss emerging therapeutic approaches to eliminate CSCs through targeting E3 ubiquitin ligases by chemical inhibitors and proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTACs) which are currently under development at the discovery, preclinical, and clinical stages. Several outstanding issues such as roles for E3 ubiquitin ligases in heterogeneity and phenotypical/functional evolution of CSCs remain to be studied under pathologically and clinically relevant conditions. With the rapid application of functional genomic and proteomic approaches at single cell, spatiotemporal, and even single molecule levels, we anticipate that more specific and precise functions of E3 ubiquitin ligases will be delineated in dictating CSC properties. Rational design and proper translation of these mechanistic understandings may lead to novel therapeutic modalities for cancer procession medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of wearable technology, there are higher requirements for wearable sensors, such as multimodal sensing, superior mechanical properties, and simple and easy‐to‐fabricate structures. However, it is difficult for existing flexible sensors to possess all these advantages simultaneously. Herein, a flexible multimodal sensor based on sodium alginate/polyvinyl alcohol/graphene oxide double‐network hydrogel was prepared. The multiple hydrogen bonds between the two networks provided the gel with great mechanical properties. In addition, the flexibility and easy‐to‐fabricate simple structure of hydrogels were ideal for wearable sensors. In particular, the hydrogel sensors have a temperature sensitivity of up to 2.81 %/°C between −20 °C and 55 °C and pressure sensitivity of 0.03 kPa−1, both of which have excellent properties of stability and repeatability. Besides, the sensor also presented a humidity sensitivity of 0.027 % RH−1. This work also applied hydrogel sensors to practical applications and provided a new idea for wearable technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Because of the severity and fatal outcome of traumatic vertical atlantoaxial dislocation (AAD), most patients may die in the early post‐traumatic period. The post‐injury management of patients with vertical AAD has been rarely reported. Improper treatment may lead to disastrous outcome and further aggravate the neurologic symptoms. Case Presentation: This report describes the perioperative management and outcome of a rare improperly treated patient with traumatic vertical AAD. The severe pulmonary infection of this patient prevented further surgery for vertical AAD. After placement of a halo vest, combined with effective antibiotic drug treatment, the patient's pulmonary infection was brought under control. The patient underwent atlantoaxial fusion using C1 lateral mass screws and C2 pedicle screws with the assistance of the halo vest. A computed tomography scan at 1 year follow‐up indicated that the bone graft was fused and the patient was able to walk independently. Conclusion: Skull traction is contraindicated in patients with traumatic vertical AAD. Application of a halo vest can be used for temporary fixation of the cervical spine and atlantoaxial fixation should be performed to maintain the stability of atlantoaxial articulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nb 17 Zr 33 Ti 17 W 33 high entropy alloy is a novel class of energetic structural material. In addition to exhibiting insensitivity and mechanical strength commensurate with inert metal materials, it demonstrates the capacity to release non-self-sustained chemical energy under high-speed dynamic load. In this study, the energy release characteristics of the Nb 17 Zr 33 Ti 17 W 33 high-entropy alloy material under impact were investigated using the dynamic energy release test method, which involves ballistic gun-induced bullet-target interaction in a quasi-closed reaction vessel. The energy release process and governing laws of the impact event have been meticulously analyzed, resulting in the development of a comprehensive impact compression chemical energy release model. The direct ballistic tests and the recovered products revealed that Nb 17 Zr 33 Ti 17 W 33 experienced chemical reactions during the impact loading, primarily the oxidation of the Zr element, which resulted in the release of significant chemical energy. This study elucidates the deformation response mechanism of Nb 17 Zr 33 Ti 17 W 33 under high-speed impact loading, providing a crucial reference for further insights and applications of high-entropy alloy materials. • The impact energy release characteristics of the newly developed Nb 17 Zr 33 Ti 17 W 33 high entropy alloy is experimentally verified to be outstanding. • A semi-empirical model linking the peak value of quasi-static pressure to energy release is established. • The critical projectile-target conditions is derived , including the minimum target-plate thickness and shock wave pressure threshold required for sufficient fragment reaction during the projectile-target coupling process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydrogen pressure inside tanks and its adjacent pipes can reach up to 70 MPa in fuel cell vehicles. This is the weak links of hydrogen leakage. The diagnosis time of mainstream hydrogen leakage diagnosis method based on hydrogen concentration sensors (HCSs) is easily affected by the number and location of installed sensors. In this study, a data-driven diagnosis method is proposed for the high-pressure hydrogen leakage. Fisher discrimination analysis and linear least squares fitting are used for data preprocessing, relevance vector machine is used for pattern recognition. When the total volume of tanks is 82 L and the hydrogen leakage flow rate is larger than 2 g/s, the diagnosis accuracy of the proposed method is higher than 95% and the diagnosis time is constant. When the leakage location is far away from HCSs, the proposed method can the diagnose hydrogen leakage in a shorter time than mainstream method. • A high-pressure hydrogen leakage diagnosis method for FCVs is proposed. • LLSF is used to estimate the change rates of the gas pressure. • Using FDA and RVM for the hydrogen leakage diagnosis and obtaining good results. • The proposed method can be used as a supplement to the existing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The eastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is an extreme topography transition zone, and characterized by significant vegetation zonation, in addition to geographic features (such as enormous topographic relief and active tectonics) that control the occurrence of debris flows, which are rapid, surging flows of water-charged clastic sediments moving along a steep channel and are one of the most dangerous mountain hazards in this region. There is thus an urgent need in this region to conduct a regional-scale debris flow susceptibility assessment to determine the spatial likelihood of a debris flow occurrence and guarantee the safety of people and property, in addition to the smooth operation of the Sichuan-Tibet transport corridor. It is, however, a challenging task to estimate the region's debris flow susceptibility while taking into consideration the comprehensive impacts of vegetation on the occurrence of debris flows, such as the positive effect of root anchoring and the negative effect of vegetation weight loads. In this study, a novel regional-scale susceptibility assessment method was constructed by integrating state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms (such as support vector classification (SVC), random forest (RF), and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGB)) with the removing outliers (RO) algorithm and particle swarm optimization (PSO), allowing the impacts of vegetation on debris flow initiation to be integrated with the topographical conditions, hydrological conditions, and geotechnical conditions. This method is finally applied to assess the regional-scale susceptibility of debris flows in the Dadu River basin on the eastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The study results show that (i) all hybrid machine learning techniques can effectively predict the occurrence of debris flows in the extreme topography transition zone; (ii) the hybrid machine learning technique RO-PSO-SVC has the best performance, and its accuracy (ACC) is 0.946 and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) is 0.981; (iii) the RO-PSO algorithm improves SVC, RF, and XGB performance (according to the ACC value) by 3.84%, 2.59%, and 5.94%, respectively; and (iv) the contribution rate of ecology-related variables is almost only one-tenth that of topography- and hydrology-related factors, according to the factor important analysis for RO-PSO-SVC. Furthermore, debris flow susceptibility maps for the Dadu River basin were created, which can be used to assess and mitigate debris flow hazards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lattice structures have been widely used in applications due to their superior mechanical properties. To fabricate such structures, a geometric processing step called triangulation is often employed to transform them into the STL format before sending them to 3D printers. Because lattice structures tend to have high geometric complexity, this step usually generates a large amount of triangles, a memory and compute-intensive task. This problem manifests itself clearly through large-scale lattice structures that have millions or billions of struts. To address this problem, this paper proposes to transform a lattice structure into an intermediate model called meta-mesh before undergoing real triangulation. Compared to triangular meshes, meta-meshes are very lightweight and much less compute-demanding. The meta-mesh can also work as a base mesh reusable for conveniently and efficiently triangulating lattice structures with arbitrary resolutions. A CPU+GPU asynchronous meta-meshing pipeline has been developed to efficiently generate meta-meshes from lattice structures. It shifts from the thread-centric GPU algorithm design paradigm commonly used in CAD to the recent warp-centric design paradigm to achieve high performance. This is achieved by a new data compression method, a GPU cache-aware data structure, and a workload-balanced scheduling method that can significantly reduce memory divergence and branch divergence. Experimenting with various billion-scale lattice structures, the proposed method is seen to be two orders of magnitude faster than previously achievable. [Display omitted] • A meta-mesh representation scheme of lattice structures that is lightweight and reusable to attain multiresolution triangulation. • A warp-centric GPU meta-meshing algorithm that can handle billion-scale lattice structures in minutes. • A CPU+GPU asynchronous meta-meshing pipeline that can hide CPU/GPU data transfer latency and attain high triangulation throughput. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) is emerging as an important way of designing microstructures. However, there has been limited use of commercial CAD/CAM/CAE software packages for TPMS design and manufacturing. This is mainly because TPMS is consistently described in the functional representation (F-rep) format, while modern CAD/CAM/CAE tools are built upon the boundary representation (B-rep) format. One possible solution to this gap is translating TPMS to STEP, which is the standard data exchange format of CAD/CAM/CAE. Following this direction, this paper proposes a new translation method with error-controlling and C 2 continuity-preserving features. It is based on an approximation error-driven TPMS sampling algorithm and a constrained-PIA algorithm. The sampling algorithm controls the deviation between the original and translated models. With it, an error bound of 2 ϵ on the deviation can be ensured if two conditions called ϵ -density and ϵ -approximation are satisfied. The constrained-PIA algorithm enforces C 2 continuity constraints during TPMS approximation, and meanwhile attaining high efficiency. A theoretical convergence proof of this algorithm is also given. The effectiveness of the translation method has been demonstrated by a series of examples and comparisons. The code will be open-sourced upon publication. [Display omitted] • An error-controlled model translation method for TPMS structures. • A C 2 continuity-preserving model translation method for TPMS structures. • A new constrained-PIA method for TPMS surface approximation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physically-based landslide susceptibility analysis has been extensively employed to predict the likelihood of landslides owing to its remarkable predictive capability. However, due to an insufficiently comprehensive analysis of the vegetation-disaster connection, this approach may face limitations in its application to regions where there is significant variation in vegetation diversity and topography. An integrated model was thus proposed for predicting landslide susceptibility with the consideration of the positive and negative effects of vegetation on slope stability. However, to accurately implement the slope failure process under the influence of vegetation, it is important to have a high temporal resolution rainfall scenario for simulating the interception process of vegetation crowns on rainfall. Analysis of vegetation hydrological processes is associated with difficulties in a regional area because of limited data availability. The stochastic simulation method for extreme rainfall scenarios, adopted in this study, is known to be effective in dealing with uncertainty caused by insufficient data. The method, which comprises the Gumbel model and Bounded Random Cascade Model (BRCM), was used to overcome the difficulties in integrating the comprehensive effects of vegetation, the results of which provide refined rainfall scenarios for landslide susceptibility prediction from the perspective of the failure mechanism of vegetated slopes. The application of the proposed method for landslide susceptibility zoning was validated using a confusion matrix and ROC curve analysis in a practical case. Results showed that the method performed effectively and reliably. Furthermore, this study investigated the influence of different extreme rainfall scenarios on slope stability. Results revealed that as the return period of extreme rainfall increased from 50 to 150 years, the overall proportion of susceptible areas for different rainfall durations exhibited an upward trend. Additionally, the study found that increasing vegetation biomass had a positive impact on slope stability in the study area. The findings of this study are significant for disaster prevention and mitigation in mountainous regions, providing scientific support for risk management strategies. • Consideration of the positive and negative effects of vegetation • Construction of random rainfall scenarios as a trigger • Statistical analysis of the impact of vegetation on landslide susceptibility [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Space‐time accessibility usually denotes the ability or potential to reach some destinations of value according to some given spatial and temporal constraints. While most of space‐time accessibility models so far recognize that space and time dimensions constrain the way humans might perform some activities at some given locations, additional semantics such as the ones exhibited by points of interest (POI) are most often not taken into account within the search space. Relying on concepts behind Time Geography, this article introduces a high‐dimensional space‐time network modelling approach that takes into account a series of POI constraints. We developed an Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers (ADMM) solution search process, and implemented a POI‐constrained accessibility model. The whole framework is practically implemented by an algorithmic approach. The potential of our work is finally illustrated by a practical example applied to the Beijing Happy Valley. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the cognitive ability of the mobile robot in an unknown environment, this paper proposes an episodic memory based self-organizing learning (EM-SOL) framework for robotic experiences learning, cognitive map building and navigation. This EM-SOL framework uses the spatial cells in the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex to path integrate the robotic kinesthetic cues for dead reckoning, and meanwhile extracts the visual cues to activate state neurons for state recognition. By updating the state neurons network, this framework constructs the robotic episodic memory to store these particular experiences created along the exploration process, and achieves the robotic self-organizing learning. The framework based map building method can optimize the cumulative error by introducing the spatial cells phase reset mechanism, and build an episodic-cognitive map that describes not only the topology relationship but also the cognition relationship between these particular experiences in the environment. Furthermore, a combined topological and metric vector navigation method is presented, which can locate the robot relative to its previous experiences in the memory space, anticipate a preferred global path to the target, and guide the mobile robot to navigate to the target accurately. Finally, the proposed EM-SOL framework based methods are evaluated in both the physical environments and the standard KITTI dataset. The results show that the mobile robot can keep on learning to adapt to the changes in an unknown environment, construct valid episodic memory to store these particular learned experiences, build an episodic-cognitive map and execute the target navigation task with high efficiency and accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the cognitive ability of the mobile robot in an unknown environment, this paper proposes an episodic memory based self-organizing learning (EM-SOL) framework for robotic experiences learning, cognitive map building and navigation. This EM-SOL framework uses the spatial cells in the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex to path integrate the robotic kinesthetic cues for dead reckoning, and meanwhile extracts the visual cues to activate state neurons for state recognition. By updating the state neurons network, this framework constructs the robotic episodic memory to store these particular experiences created along the exploration process, and achieves the robotic self-organizing learning. The framework based map building method can optimize the cumulative error by introducing the spatial cells phase reset mechanism, and build an episodic-cognitive map that describes not only the topology relationship but also the cognition relationship between these particular experiences in the environment. Furthermore, a combined topological and metric vector navigation method is presented, which can locate the robot relative to its previous experiences in the memory space, anticipate a preferred global path to the target, and guide the mobile robot to navigate to the target accurately. Finally, the proposed EM-SOL framework based methods are evaluated in both the physical environments and the standard KITTI dataset. The results show that the mobile robot can keep on learning to adapt to the changes in an unknown environment, construct valid episodic memory to store these particular learned experiences, build an episodic-cognitive map and execute the target navigation task with high efficiency and accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the workload characteristics, the anomaly behaviors in real workload have been recognized as a critical requirement for file system design. In this paper, a set of traces collected from typically realistic file system have been analyzed. The correlation study of I/O request inter-arrival times shows that it is necessary to examine the self-similarity in file system workload. Then the phenomenon of self-similarity which had been initially observed in network and disk I/O workload has also been visually and statistically observed in file system workload. In addition, we implement an I/O series generator in which the inputs are the measured properties of the available trace data. Experimental results show that this model can accurately emulate the complex access arrival behaviors of real file systems, particularly the heavy-tail characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Malassezia restricta, a lipophilic and lipodependent yeast belonging to the basidiomycetes group, is an opportunistic fungal pathogen associated with various skin diseases, including seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff. Typically, Malassezia infection in neonates manifests as fungemia or hematogenous dissemination to the bone or lungs. However, vertebral osteomyelitis caused by these fungi is rarely reported owing to non-specific clinical presentations and laboratory/imaging findings. The Pathogen Metagenomics Sequencing (PMseq) technique enables direct high-throughput sequencing of infected specimens, facilitating the rapid and accurate detection of all microorganisms in clinical samples through comprehensive reports. Case presentation: A 52-year-old male was admitted to our hospital on July 20, 2022 with a 3-month history of ambulatory difficulties and localized low back pain. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) examination of the spinal column revealed irregular bone destruction affecting the L2, L3, and L5 vertebral bodies. Additionally, low T1 and high T2 intensity lesions were observed at the intervertebral discs between L3 and L5. The presumptive diagnosis of tuberculous spondylitis was made based on the imaging findings, despite negative results in all mycobacterium tests. However, the patient exhibited no improvement after receiving regular anti-tuberculosis treatment for 3 months. Subsequent MRI revealed an expansive abnormal signal within the vertebral body, leading to progressive bone destruction. The absence of spinal tuberculosis or other infective microorganisms was confirmed through culture from blood and pathological tissue from the L4 vertebral body. Subsequently, PMseq was performed on the specimens, revealing M. restricta as the predominant pathogen with the highest relative abundance value. The pathological examination revealed the presence of fungal mycelium in the L4 vertebral body, with positive findings on periodic Schiff-methenamine and periodic acid-Schiff staining. The anti-tuberculosis treatment was discontinued, and an antifungal combination of fluconazole and voriconazole was administered. All symptoms were resolved after 7 consecutive months of treatment, and the patient was able to ambulate autonomously. Vertebral lesions were reduced on MRI during the 13-month follow-up. Conclusions: M. restricta is not a commonly recognized pathogen associated with infectious vertebral osteomyelitis. However, PMseq can aid in diagnosis, timely treatment, and decision making for some non-specific infectious diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A compact flexible fractal ultra‐wideband antenna with band notch characteristic is presented. The antenna is printed on a 12.5 μm flexible polyimide substrate, and an impedance bandwidth of 15.48 GHz (3.6‐19.08 GHz) is achieved along with an overall antenna size of 20.5 × 13.9 mm2. The design of the hexagonal radiator in the fourth iteration effectively enhances the impedance bandwidth of the antenna. By arranging two symmetrical complementary split ring resonators on the ground plane, the band rejection of the X‐band uplink frequency from 7.9 to 8.41 GHz is achieved. The average gain of the antenna can reach 3 dBi in the pass band, while the gain in the notch band is greatly reduced to below 0 dBi. Compared with the existing structure, the antenna has a larger bandwidth and a smaller size. Furthermore, the antenna is tested under bending effects. Test results show that this antenna can be used for integration on flexible electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this experiment was to prepare a new biological dressing for skin defect healing by electrospinning. Membranes consisting of egg white (EW) with 12% polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) solution (v/v, 60EW/40PVA, 50EW/50PVA, 40EW/60PVA) were obtained by electrospinning. The biological properties of the resulting fibrous membranes were tested in vitro and in vivo. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the EW/PVA nanofiber membranes had a uniformly porous and smooth fibrous structure. The fiber thickened with increasing EW proportion. X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that crosslinking improved the crystallinity of the composite fiber films. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy showed that PVA and EW existed independently in the composite fiber membranes after crosslinking. Mechanical tests showed that the tensile modulus and tensile strength of the fibrous membranes increased significantly after crosslinking. In vitro degradation experiments showed that crosslinking improved the stability of the EW/PVA nanofiber membranes in water. Cytotoxicity and cell proliferation tests proved the good biocompatibility of the fibrous membranes, with 60EW/40PVA significantly promoting cell proliferation. A full-thickness skin defect rat model confirmed that 60EW/40PVA significantly enhanced full-thickness skin wound healing and regeneration. This experiment verified the feasibility of using the EW/PVA composite material to prepare electrospun fiber dressings and promote skin defect repair and regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landslides and debris flows caused significant threat to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. This study introduced the spatial pattern of the relevant mountainous hazards and assessed the hazards risks, predicted the development trends, and proposed the relevant countermeasures as well. 584 landslides, 116 collapses, and 1669 mudslides in total were identified, which mainly distributed in the mountainous areas in the northern part of the corridor. The hazards were divided into five grades: extremely high, high, medium, low, and extremely low and the northern area is highly dangerous. The vulnerability assessment was carried out with traffic, economy, and population as indicators, and then the risk assessment results were comprehensively obtained. In general, the risk is higher in the northern part and lower in the southeast. In the future, as the intensity of earthquakes increases, the area of high-susceptibility landslides will gradually increase from 0.01% to 1.4% of the studied area, and these hazards are mainly distributed between the northern segment of Aikenert fault and Kazitaert fault, the northern segment of Miya fault and the central region of Bulunkou fault. According to the trend that rainfall and temperature increase, the susceptibility of debris flows in most river basins has increased. It is recommended to strengthen basic data collection and detailed investigation of key disaster points, and carry out early risk assessment and monitoring and early warning, while formulating emergency plans, which serves the safe construction of major projects along the Belt and Road. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The synthetic quantitative evaluation index system of community risk management capacity to debris flows is constructed. • Critical indicators include disaster prevention investment proportion, emergency skills diversity, and installed power capacity. • Public preference for prevention-oriented risk management patterns. • A participatory disaster management synergies framework is developed by examining sociodemographic and ethnocultural coupling effects. Disaster management often serves as the primary defense against ecological damage and threats to social well-being resulting from natural disasters. However, the quantitative research on unified disaster risk management capacity assessment has not been scrutinized. Based on the time series structure, this study proposes a novel framework and risk management contribution models for exploiting a community risk management capacity to debris flows (CRMCD) assessment system. A comprehensively improved method was utilized for indicator selection by combining R hierarchical clustering (RHC) and coefficient of variation methods (CV). Entropy-weighted grey correlation analysis (EGCA) and geographic information system (GIS) methods are employed to assign weights and visualize the disaster management capacity of research areas. Three risk management contribution models are constructed according to the criterion layers defined by CRMCD: prevention-oriented, emergency-oriented, and recovery-oriented. Furthermore, a questionnaire was designed by introducing multi-ethnic cultural scenarios to assess public risk awareness, avoidance behaviors, and management demands. A total of 3,060 survey samples were conducted among ethnic minority communities in Sichuan that issued debris flow disaster declarations in 2022. Social welfare and public satisfaction were examined to validate the applicability of the CRMCD assessment system and risk management contribution model. The results identified key indices contributing to enhancing CRMCD: The proportion of financial investment in disaster prevention and public security, Professional skills diversity of emergency responders, and Installed power capacity. The multinomial logistic regression analysis revealed public preference for the prevention-oriented type in the risk management contribution model, and interviewees demonstrated a more positive response regarding motivation and participation in disaster prevention under this model. Kruskal-Wallis H significance analysis highlighted that ethnic minorities and elderly populations exhibited lower levels of disaster knowledge reserves, avoidance awareness, and propensity to purchase disaster insurance. Unexpectedly, respondents with higher household income and education levels paid less attention to seeking assistance from professional community organizations. Disaster early warning emerged as a priority for respondents interested in strengthening community disaster management initiatives. Overall, this study outlines a systematic methodology to establish an objective index system and summarize management models, which provide breakthroughs in developing participatory disaster management frameworks and resilience communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excavation unloading of deep foundation pits in soft soil areas often produces negative excess pore water pressure. The rebound deformation of soil on the excavation surface of the foundation pit can be predicted reliably through the accurate expression of relevant variation laws. In combination with the principle of effective stress and the general equation of unidirectional seepage consolidation, an equation for calculating the rebound deformation from the bottom in the process of foundation pit excavation unloading was obtained. Additionally, a triaxial unloading test was adopted to simulate the excavation unloading processes for actual foundation pit engineering. After studying the variation law of the excess pore water pressure generated by excavation unloading, it was found that the negative excess pore water pressure increased with increasing unloading rate, while the corresponding peak value decreased with increasing confining pressure. The equation for rebound calculation was verified through a comparison with relevant measured data from actual engineering. Therefore, it is considered that the equation can reliably describe the rebound deformation law of the base. This paper aims to guide the design and construction of deep foundation pits in soft soil areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Equivalent staggered-grid (ESG) as a new family of schemes has been utilized in seismic modeling, imaging, and inversion. Traditionally, the Taylor series expansion is often applied to calculate finite-difference (FD) coefficients on spatial derivatives, but the simulation results suffer serious numerical dispersion on a large frequency zone. We develop an optimized equivalent staggered-grid (OESG) FD method that can simultaneously suppress temporal and spatial dispersion for solving the second-order system of the 3D elastic wave equation. On the one hand, we consider the coupling relations between wave speeds and spatial derivatives in the elastic wave equation and give three sets of FD coefficients with respect to the P-wave, S-wave, and converted-wave (C-wave) terms. On the other hand, a novel plane wave solution for the 3D elastic wave equation is derived from the matrix decomposition method to construct the time–space dispersion relations. FD coefficients of the OESG method can be acquired by solving the new dispersion equations based on the Newton iteration method. Finally, we construct a new objective function to analyze P-wave, S-wave, and C-wave dispersion concerning frequencies. The dispersion analyses show that the presented method produces less modeling errors than the traditional ESG method. The synthetic examples demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of the presented method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ghostwriting has been reported as a particular problem in China, and this article aimed to discover the extent of ghostwriting activity and attitudes by surveying Chinese authors and editors. Three questionnaires were created and distributed via WeChat: an author questionnaire for healthcare professionals, an editor questionnaire for medical journal editors, and a questionnaire for ghostwriters. A total of 1,073 healthcare professionals, 78 medical editors, and 23 ghostwriters responded; 33 (3.075%, 95% confidence interval: 2.041–4.110%) authors reported hiring ghostwriters, most of whom were clinicians (5.06%) or nurses (7.86%) and were in the 31–50 years old group. There was a negative correlation with the level of education. Editors reported few papers identified as ghostwritten, and most of them would immediately reject such articles. The majority of ghostwriters reported working part time as a ghostwriter for less than 1 year and earning little money from the work. The majority of respondents recognized ghostwriting as unethical, but only on the edge of law and ethics, and with few repercussions for the authors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By considering the integrity of microcosmic and comprehensive geomorphological features, this article intends to develop a quantitative method for regional risk assessment of debris flow by analyzing the in-depth relations among hazard-forming environments, disaster factors and elements at risk. Taking the debris flows in the Longxi River Basin in China as a case study, an approach based on the hydrological response unit (HRU) is proposed by establishing both a model and system for regional risk assessment to analyze the hazard of debris flows and the exposure and vulnerability of elements at risk. The HRU-based approach consists of 11 disaster factors: topographic slope; relative elevation difference; lithology; channel gradient; fault; disturbed area; rainfall; and the type, location, fragility and economic value of the elements at risk. Specifically, a hazard integrated model is built by considering the hazard factors and their corresponding weights to evaluate the hazard level of debris flow. Through determining the type, quantity, distribution, economic value and fragility of hazard-affected objects in a region, methods are established to determine the exposure and vulnerability of different elements at risk. Validated by using a field study of actual debris flows, a debris-flow risk map is obtained, and the assessment results are in accordance with the actual disaster situation. The analyses show that the distributions of zones with high risk and above (i.e., where hazard densities and economic activities are considerably high) are closely correlated with the topographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the debris flow catchment. These findings suggest that the assessment results provide scientific support for planning measures to prevent or reduce debris flow hazards; thus, the presented method may serve as a pertinent guidance for regional risk assessment of debris flows in both the Longxi River Basin and beyond. • Hydrological response unit (HRU) can sufficiently describe the comprehensive characteristics of geomorphology and hazard-forming conditions related to debris flow. • A factor system was quantified and built to analyze the in-depth relations among natural environments, disaster factors and elements at risk. • An HRU-based and quantitative approach for evaluating regional risk debris-flow effectively improves the reasonability and applicability of risk assessment of debris flows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an actual hydrogen leakage process, heat exchange occurs between the gas in a high-pressure storage system and its surroundings. Therefore, the predictions of models that are established based on the isentropic process assumption have large errors. In this study, a high-pressure gas leakage process model including heat exchange (the HEC model) is established. It includes two parts; one is a high-pressure gas storage model without the isentropic process assumption, and the other is a leakage orifice model with the isentropic process assumption. Formulas for the pressure variation and temperature variation based on the mass and energy conservation equations, the Abel–Noble equation of state, and an enthalpy formula based on the Helmholtz free energy are used to establish the gas storage model. The leakage orifice model is built using a mass flow rate formula based on the van der Waals equation of state and Perry's flow coefficient formula. Finally, the proposed high-pressure gas leakage process model including heat exchange is compared with high-pressure hydrogen leakage process models with the isentropic process assumption based on the Abel–Noble and van der Waals equations of state. The results show that the proposed model can yield more promising results in predicting the gas leakage mass flow rate, gas pressure, and temperature inside hydrogen storage systems compared with previous models. • A new high pressure gas leakage process model including heat exchange is proposed. • The accurate hydrogen equation of state and enthalpy equation are used. • The new model can predict hydrogen state property during a leakage process. • The new model can give more encouraging results compared with previous models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid advances in 3D scanning and vision technologies, point clouds have seen a significant increase in their application to CNC machining. As an important way to generate tool paths from point clouds, point-based direct planning methods are, however, now restricted to high-quality point clouds. Most existing methods would have robustness issues if a noisy point cloud is given due to their reliance on the noise-sensitive estimation of differential properties from point clouds. Error control under noisy point clouds is also rarely considered. This paper presents a robust and error-controlled point-based iso-scallop tool path planning method for CNC machining with ball-nosed cutters. It casts the problem of searching for scallop/CL points to another problem of finding circle-sphere intersection points and the maximum/minimum among them. Both circle-sphere intersections and max/min comparisons are easy to implement and robust. It has also been theoretically proved that the intersections and comparisons can ensure an error bound of 2 ϵ on the final results if two conditions called ϵ -sampling and ϵ -covering are met. The effectiveness of the method has been demonstrated by a series of examples and comparisons. [Display omitted] • A truly point-based tool path planning methods for noisy point clouds. • A robust tool path planning method for noisy point clouds. • An error-controlled tool path planning method for point clouds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A conceptually new class of DNA logic gates for Hg2+ and Pb2+ ion simultaneous detection has been constructed based on the activity of DNAzyme dependent on metal ions. For sensitive and specific detection of Hg2+ and Pb2+ ions, we demonstrate a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-active platform by employing the oligonucleotide-functionalized and gold coated polystyrene microspheres (PSMPs). In this work, Hg2+ and Pb2+ were used as the input, and the SERS signals were the output. Hg2+ ions were captured by a mismatched T-Hg-T bridge. Pb2+ ions were bound to 8–17DNAzyme to break the cleavage substrate. The limit of detection (LOD) of Hg2+ is 0.1 nmol L−1 and Pb2+ is 1.0 nmol L−1, which is far below the limit of 10.0 ppb (31 nmol L−1) and 10.0 ppm (3.02 × 104 nmol L−1) for drinking water stipulated by the World Health Organization. Additionally, this system has the potential to be ideal candidates for intelligent DNA calculator design applications. Furthermore, the designed strategy could be extended to other multiplex metal ions that can be combined with DNA molecules, and can be applied to many other fields such as environmental detection, toxin detection and liquid analysis. Graphical abstract A novel DNA logic gate was constructed through the specific adsorption of Hg2+ and Pb2+ ions by DNAzyme. fx1 Highlights • A novel method was proposed to realize simultaneous detection of trace amounts of Hg2+ and Pb2+ ions based on DNAzyme and AuNPs. • A new structure of DNAzyme was proposed to construct a new class of DNA logic gates. • The extensible, facile and sensitive assay for detecting Hg2+ and Pb2+ ions has been successfully applied in complicated matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A flexible push-pull direct modeling tool for CAD model reuse. • A robust method to edit B-rep CAD models via push-pull direct modeling. • Ensure valid modeling results for push-pull direct modeling. • Attain continuous model shape changes throughout push-pull direct modeling. Abstract Direct modeling is a very recent CAD modeling paradigm featuring direct, intuitive push-pull interactions with the geometry of the model to much increase model editing flexibility. The major issue for push-pull direct modeling is the possible inconsistency between the altered geometry of the model and its unchanged topology. The challenge of resolving the geometry-topology inconsistency lies in ensuring that the resulting model remains as a valid solid model and that the model shape follows a continuous change pattern. Although push-pull direct modeling has been implemented in several CAD software packages, robustness towards generating valid modeling results and continuous shape changes still remains an open issue. This paper proposes a systematic method to handle the resolution of any possible inconsistent situation. The method formulates the continuous shape change requirement as successive Boolean operations on the model volume, thereby guaranteeing valid solid models and continuous shape changes. Further, this formulation allows an easy implementation of push-pull direct modeling using existing CAD research and engineering results. In order to show the effectiveness of the proposed method, a software prototype is developed and the modeling results are compared with those of five leading CAD software packages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate based on Integrated Circuit (IC) process was designed, using photolithography, etching and other processes on the silicon wafer processing. Its surface morphology and Raman activity were characterized and tested. The relationship between the substrate’s photolithographic pattern and its Raman activity, stability and reproducibility has been analyzed and verified, and some suggestions for improvement of processing steps were given. This substrate can be used for the detection of biological proteins and provides a powerful research tool for life science and analytical chemistry research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] A mild and effective method for α-monobromination of various ketones using a combination of potassium bromide and ferric nitrate nonahydrate was developed. The expected products were afforded in good to excellent yields. Major advantages of this procedure include the use of cheap and readily available reagents, exclusion of the need of acids or catalyst, and broad functional group compatibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, in order to obtain the optimal fabricating condition, the influences of heating temperature and time on the fabrication of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires are clarified. During this process, the synthesis and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of ZnO nanostructures, produced by direct heating of metallic zinc, are presented. Besides, the SEM images and X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of products under different conditions are compared to analyze the surface morphology and composition of products. In the final observation, the best diameters of ZnO nanowires are achieved as 60–70 nm, which can be successfully applied as a substrate in Raman measurement. The optimal temperature is 450∘C, as well as the optimal time is 40–50 min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mountain highways in China are located in various natural geographical areas with intense tectonic activity, steep topography and a high frequency of extreme precipitation events. These conditions make the highways vulnerable to the occurrence of multiple large debris flows simultaneously during heavy rainfall. To manage this hazard risk, a broader understanding of the hazard effects of debris flows and the vulnerability of highways is needed to reduce the losses resulting from these hazardous events. Accordingly, we analysed the effects of debris flow hazards on mountain highways and established an updated systematic indicator system to describe the vulnerability of highway infrastructure and movable hazard-affected objects. Next, we proposed a new integrated model of highway vulnerability based on the environmental sensibility, structural properties and functional effects of the highway infrastructure and on the exposure probability and quantity of movable hazard-affected objects. By analysing the characteristics of elements affected by debris flows, we developed a systematic and quantitative method of vulnerability assessment for mountain highways. Finally, this implemented method was applied to a case study in the Xiqu section of the Sichuan-Tibet Highway, an area seriously affected by debris flows during each rainy season. The hazard characteristics of disasters were analysed, and the affected highway sections were divided into four vulnerability levels. The analysis of the results indicated that the calculated vulnerability coincides with the actual effects of the disaster, which strongly suggests that the vulnerability assessment generated by the proposed method can serve as a pertinent guide for route selection, road rehabilitation and hazard mitigation of highways affected by debris flows in mountainous regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, ZnO nanobelts were successfully fabricated by flash synthesis without any expensive catalyst at a relatively low temperature (600C). The whole process took just 30 min. Introducing a solution tank containing a mixture of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and Zn(AC)2, was an auxiliary process to elevate the quality of the products. The morphology of the ZnO nanobelts was systematically investigated by means of field emission scanning electron microscopy (FRSEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The products had an average width of 200nm and a length of more than 10. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that the ZnO nanobelts had a typical wurtzite structure. Finally, the growth mechanism of the unique morphology of the ZnO nanobelts is discussed. An assembly-line production method is also proposed based on the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parametric modeling is a computer-aided design (CAD) paradigm where a design can be created by defining geometric constraints with parameters. In design change as well as design optimization, the design is often edited by modifying the values of relevant parameters. Without guidance on allowable parameter ranges that can guarantee the intrinsic solvability of the geometric constraint system, the user could assign improper values to the model's parameters, which would further lead to a failure in model updating. However, current commercial CAD systems provide little support on such guidance. Existing methods, though able to compute allowable ranges for individual parameters, face difficulties in handling multi-parameter situations. To solve this problem, a systematic method is proposed, supporting decision-making in multi-parameter model editing by computing allowable parameter ranges. In the method, a set of variable parameters from the geometric constraint system are first selected by the user; these variable parameters are to be sequentially edited within several editing operations. Before each editing operation, 1D allowable ranges of the variable parameters are computed. By editing parameter values within the provided ranges, the solvability of the geometric constraint system can be guaranteed. The effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed approach is verified by several experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feature-based parametric modeling is the de facto standard in CAD. Boundary representation-based direct modeling is another CAD paradigm developed recently. They have complementary advantages and limitations, thereby offering huge potential for improvement towards an integrated CAD modeling scheme. Most existing integration methods are developed by industry and typically treat direct edits as pseudo-features, where little can be said about seamless integration. This paper presents an alternative method for seamless parametric/direct integration, which allows parametric and direct edits to work in a unified way. The fundamental issues and challenges of parametric/direct integration are first explained (i.e., parametric/direct edits will cause information inconsistencies among topological, geometric, and constraint information in the model, which consequently generates a non-solid and over-/under-constrained model, and resolving those information inconsistencies requires systematic decision-making among the many possible resolution options). A framework is then proposed to handle those information inconsistencies, based on a detection-then-resolution strategy. Algorithms that can systematically detect and resolve all possible types of information inconsistencies are also given to implement the framework. With them, model validity can be maintained during the whole model editing process, and then the discrepancy between direct edits and parametric edits can be resolved. The effectiveness of the proposed approach has been shown with a series of case studies and comparisons, based on a preliminary prototype. [Display omitted] • Identifying the fundamental research problem and challenges of parametric/direct integration. • Proposing a systematic framework for seamless parametric/direct integration. • Formulating high-level parametric/direct integration tasks into well-defined math problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The epithelial lining of the stomach undergoes rapid turnover to preserve its structural and functional integrity, a process driven by long-lived stem cells residing in the antral and corpus glands. Several subpopulations of gastric stem cells have been identified and their phenotypic and functional diversities linked to spatiotemporal specification of stem cells niches. Here, we review the biological features of gastric stem cells at various locations of the stomach under homeostatic conditions, as demonstrated by reporter mice, lineage tracing, and single cell sequencing. We also review the role of gastric stem cells in epithelial regeneration in response to injury. Moreover, we discuss emerging evidence demonstrating that accumulation of oncogenic drivers or alteration of stemness signaling pathways in gastric stem cells promotes gastric cancer. Given a fundamental role of the microenvironment, this review highlights the role reprogramming of niche components and signaling pathways under pathological conditions in dictating stem cell fate. Several outstanding issues are raised, such as the relevance of stem cell heterogeneity and plasticity, and epigenetic regulatory mechanisms, to Helicobacter pylori infection-initiated metaplasia-carcinogenesis cascades. With the development of spatiotemporal genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics, as well as multiplexed screening and tracing approaches, we anticipate that more precise definition and characterization of gastric stem cells, and the crosstalk with their niche will be delineated in the near future. Rational exploitation and proper translation of these findings may bring forward novel modalities for epithelial rejuvenation and cancer therapeutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lumbar disc herniation patients with increased pain exhibit greater gait asymmetry in stance time, swing time and single support time. Percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy, as a minimally invasive surgical procedure has been used to treat patients with lumbar disc herniation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the immediate impact of the percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy on gait asymmetry in spatiotemporal and kinetic parameters among lumbar disc herniation patients. Marker trajectories and ground reaction forces were measured during walking among 67 lumbar disc herniation patients and 15 healthy controls. Spatiotemporal gait parameters were analyzed via Visual3D. Muscle force and joint contact force were calculated with OpenSim. Gait asymmetry of those parameters were assessed with asymmetry index. After surgery, gait asymmetry in gait cycle time, step length, peak biceps femoris long head, tensor fasciae latae and rectus femoris muscle forces, and peak hip and knee joint contact forces reduced immediately. Postoperatively, increased gait cycle time and decreased step length were found in the affected side. Moreover, decreased peak biceps femoris long head, tensor fasciae latae and rectus femoris muscle forces, and peak hip joint contact force were observed in the contralateral side. These results suggested compensation strategy that biceps femoris long head, tensor fasciae latae and rectus femoris in the contralateral side were mainly used to compensate the affected side preoperatively in lumbar disc herniation patients, with less compensation between lower limbs after surgery, which may provide an insight into postoperative rehabilitation. • Gait asymmetry was estimated in lumbar disc herniation patients before and after surgery. • Gait asymmetry improved in lumbar disc herniation patients after surgery. • Postoperative lumbar disc herniation patients walked with less compensation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We used the Integrated Biological Responses version 2 (IBRv2) method to evaluate the biological effects of heavy metals in the sediments in Laizhou Bay, China on the benthic goby Acanthogobius ommaturus. In December 2018, gobies and sediments were collected from 15 stations. We measured the activities of defense enzymes and the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and metallothionein (MT) in the goby liver as well as the levels of heavy metals in the sediments and goby muscle tissue. Most of the heavy metal concentrations in sediment at each station were below the Class I criteria set by Chinese Standards for Marine Sediment Quality, and the Håkanson ecological risk index suggested low risk for the heavy metals. We found that A. ommaturus could effectively accumulate mercury, cadmium, arsenic, and zinc and that the contents of MT and MDA and the activities of glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase were suitable biomarkers of heavy metal pollution in this species. The IBRv2 method integrated these four biomarkers and discriminated stations according to heavy metal pollution. Higher IBRv2 values suggested more adverse effects in gobies, corroborating more serious heavy metal contamination. The stations with high IBRv2 values and high contents of heavy metals were mainly distributed in the west and northeast parts of the bay. These results show that the IBRv2 approach is a feasible strategy for assessing heavy metal pollution through biological response and biological status and that it can be implemented for environmental monitoring in Laizhou Bay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthetic dyes in the aquatic environment caused various ecological and health problems that are detrimental to sustainable development. To solve these problems, we designed a dense Fe 3 Ni 2 phase alloy film (FeNi-M) on copper substrate by the directional magnetic field-assisted wet chemical film formation method. The degradation and adsorption of Congo red (CR) in water were achieved by using the surface activity of the film. The degradation rate of FeNi-M alloy film reached 99.5% at 48 h and the k obs is 0.10982 h−1, which is 2.1 and 7.5 times of FeNi alloy film (0.05147 h−1) and Ni film （0.01465 h−1）, respectively. The degradation processes of all three films were in accordance with the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. In addition, FeNi-M alloy films have excellent cycling performance with more than 90% removal rate after 5 cycles. We also discussed the possible degradation mechanism and pathway of CR. We speculated that the main part of alloy responsible for providing electrons were iron atoms and very few electrons were produced by nickel. However, nickel was beneficial to increase the activity of iron atoms and played a catalytic role, thereby greatly enhancing the efficiency of iron atoms on the reaction. Synthetic dyes in the aquatic environment caused various ecological and health problems that are detrimental to sustainable development. To solve these problems, we designed a dense Fe 3 Ni 2 phase alloy film (FeNi-M) on copper substrate by the directional magnetic field-assisted wet chemical film formation method. The degradation and adsorption of Congo red (CR) in water were achieved by using the surface activity of the film. The degradation rate of FeNi-M alloy film reached 99.5% at 48 h and the k obs is 0.10982 h−1, which is 2.1 and 7.5 times of FeNi alloy film (0.05147 h−1) and Ni film （0.01465 h−1）, respectively. The degradation processes of all three films were in accordance with the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. In addition, FeNi-M alloy films have excellent cycling performance with more than 90% removal rate after 5 cycles. [Display omitted] The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

229 Chinese-language biomedical journals from A Guide to The Core Journals of China were investigated for their guidance on 14 ethical issues. The issues of authorship, duplicate submission, privacy and confidentiality, and integrity of the data were mentioned in more than 50% of the journals. Except for the issues of authorship and protection of animals in research, significant differences were found between Chinese Medical Association Publishing House (CMAPH) journals (n = 67) and non-CMAPH journals (n = 162) (P < 0.05). 66 of the 229 journals did not update their instructions for authors regularly. 196 journal instructions listed authorship criteria, while the other 33 did not. Clinical trial registration policy was required by 26 (11.3%) journals, among which the CONSORT statement for randomized trials was required by 23, and only one journal guided the authors to work in line with the EQUATOR Network. The study concludes that the situation of publishing ethics in the instructions for authors of Chinese biomedical journals is not favorable, and that Chinese biomedical editors should learn more about publishing ethics in order to reduce opportunities for publication problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the correlation of memory accesses in high-performance computer systems from a time dependence perspective, and concludes that correlations in memory access-arrival times are inconsistent, either with little correlation or with evident and abundant correlations. Thus neither independent identically distributed or self-similar is appropriate to characterize all memory activities. For memory workload with evident correlations, we present both pictorial and statistical evidence that memory accesses have self-similar like behavior. In addition, we implement a memory access series generator in which the inputs are the measured properties of the available trace data. Experimental results show that this model can accurately emulate the complex access arrival behaviors in both workloads with little and strong correlations, particularly for the burstiness characteristics in the memory workloads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The aim of tool path planning is to maximize the efficiency against some given precision criteria. In practice, scallop height should be kept constant to avoid unnecessary cutting, while the tool path should be smooth enough to maintain a high feed rate. However, iso-scallop and smoothness often conflict with each other. Existing methods smooth iso-scallop paths one-by-one, which make the final tool path far from being globally optimal. This paper proposes a new framework for tool path optimization. It views a family of iso-level curves of a scalar function defined over the surface as tool path so that desired tool path can be generated by finding the function that minimizes certain energy functional and different objectives can be considered simultaneously. We use the framework to plan globally optimal tool path with respect to iso-scallop and smoothness. The energy functionals for planning iso-scallop, smoothness, and optimal tool path are respectively derived, and the path topology is studied too. Experimental results are given to show effectiveness of the proposed methods. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Microalloyed steels have emerged to replace conventional plain-carbon steels to achieve longer wheel life on Chinese railroads. In this work, with the aim of preventing spalling, a mechanism that consists of ratcheting and shakedown theory correlated with steel properties is systematically investigated. Mechanical and ratcheting tests were carried out for microalloyed wheel steel to which vanadium was added in the range of 0–0.15 wt.% and the results were compared with that obtained for conventional plain-carbon wheel steel. The microstructure and precipitation were characterized via microscopy. As a result, the grain size was not obviously refined, and the pearlite lamellar spacing decreased from 148 nm to 131 nm in microalloyed wheel steel. Moreover, an increase in the number of vanadium carbide precipitates was observed, which were mainly dispersed and uneven, and precipitated in the pro-eutectoid ferrite region, in contrast to the observation of lower precipitation in the pearlite. It has been found that vanadium addition can lead to an increase in yield strength by precipitation strengthening, with no reduction or increase in tensile strength, elongation or hardness. The ratcheting strain rate for microalloyed wheel steel was determined to be lower than that for plain-carbon wheel steel via asymmetrical cyclic stressing tests. An increase in the pro-eutectoid ferrite content leads to beneficial wear, which can diminish spalling and surface-initiated RCF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deubiquitinases (DUBs) are a new class of drug targets, although the physiological function of only few DUBs has been characterized. Here we identified the DUB USP15 as a crucial negative regulator of T cell activation. USP15 stabilized the E3 ubiquitin ligase MDM2, which in turn negatively regulated T cell activation by targeting the degradation of the transcription factor NFATc2. USP15 deficiency promoted T cell activation in vitro and enhanced T cell responses to bacterial infection and tumor challenge in vivo. USP15 also stabilized MDM2 in cancer cells and regulated p53 function and cancer-cell survival. Our results suggest that inhibition of USP15 may both induce tumor cell apoptosis and boost antitumor T cell responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Due to the compute-intensiveness and the lack of robustness of the algorithms for reconstruction of meshes and spline surfaces from point clouds, there is a need for further research in the topic of direct tool-path planning based on point clouds. In this paper, a novel approach for planning iso-parametric tool-path from a point cloud is presented. Since such planning falls into the iso-parametric category, it intrinsically depends on the parameterization of point clouds. Accordingly, a point-based conformal map is employed to build the parameterization. Based on it, formulas of computing path parameters are derived, which are much simpler than the conventional ones. By regularizing parameter domain and on the basis of the previous formulas, boundary conformed tool-path can be generated with forward and side step calculated against specified chord deviation and scallop height, respectively. Experimental results are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Many mountain towns in China are located on the joint alluvial fans of multiple and adjacent past debris flows, making them vulnerable to large, multiple, and simultaneous debris flows during heavy rainfall. Without emergency management planning, such flows, often appearing with interconnecting and chain-reaction processes, can lead to extensive loss of life and property. In the Wenchuan earthquake-affected area, such disasters are common. We analyzed the compound effects of simultaneous debris flow events, and proposed three quantitative methods of debris risk assessment based on kinetic energy, flow depth, and inundation depth. Validated using a field study of actual debris flow disasters, these analyses are useful in determining the type, quantity, distribution, economic worth, and susceptibility of hazard-affected objects in a region. Subsequently, we established a method to determine the vulnerability of different hazard-affected objects, particularly concerning the susceptibility indexes of buildings or structures. By analyzing the elements underlying hazard formation conditions, damage potential, and the socio-economic conditions of mountain townships, we proposed a systematic and quantitative method for risk analysis of mountain townships. Finally, the proposed method was applied to a case study of Qingping Township, which was affected by 21 simultaneous debris flows triggered by a 50-year return period precipitation event. The proposed method analyzed the superposition and chain-reaction effects of disasters and divided the affected area of the township into three risk zones. The analysis indicated that the calculated risk zones coincide with the actual distribution and severity of damage in the debris flow event, which suggests that the risk assessment is consistent with results from the actual disaster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The dual-mode soft sensor is intrinsically embedded in different soft robots. • The dual-mode soft sensor can sense pressure and temperature simultaneously without mutual interference. • The soft robots can recognize size, weight, temperature variation and hardness of the contact object. • This work provides a new approach to integrate soft robots and soft sensors. [Display omitted] Soft sensing is indispensable for precisely manipulate and recognize objects in soft robotics. However, it is a challenge to better integrate soft robots with soft sensors because the sensing performances of soft sensors will be induced by mechanical stress and deformation to change and degrade. Herein, we propose a new design of intrinsically embedded pressure-temperature dual-mode soft sensors in soft robots to sense external stimuli. The soft sensor consists of a skin-inspired structure, the chief material prepared is equivalent to that of the soft robot, with high sensitivity, excellent repeatability and robustness. It can perceive the pressure and temperature of objects simultaneously and independently without mutual interference. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the soft sensor integrates with different soft robots to recognize the size, weight, temperature variation and hardness of the contact object. This work provides a new approach to integrate soft robots and soft sensors, which has great potential in vast robot-human and robot-environment applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although human pose estimation has achieved great success, the ambiguity of joint prediction has not been well resolved, especially in complex situations (crowded scenes, occlusions, and unnormal poses). We think that is caused by the noisy information introduced by combining multi-level features by simply adding features at each position. To alleviate this problem, we propose a new structure of gated multi-scale feature fusion (GMSFF). This module aims to selectively import high-level features to make up for the missing semantic information of low-resolution feature maps. Inspired by the prior knowledge that the position information of joints can refer to each other, we propose a new fine-tuning strategy for pose estimation—spatial mutual information complementary module (SMICM). It can assist the model in better adjusting the current joint's position by capturing the information contained in other joints and only adds a little computational cost. We evaluated our proposed method on four datasets: MPII Human Pose Dataset (MPII), COCO keypoint detection Dataset (COCO), Occluded Human Dataset (OCHuman), and CrowdPose Dataset. The experimental results show that with the deepening of the occlusion and crowding level of the datasets, the improvement becomes more and more obvious. In particular, a performance improvement of 2.2 AP was obtained on the OCHuman dataset. In addition, our modules are plug-and-play. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the basis of the disaster system theory and comprehensive analysis of flood risk factors, including the hazard of the disaster-inducing factors and disaster-breeding environment, as well as the vulnerability of the hazards-bearing bodies, the primary risk assessment index system of flood diversion district as well as its assessment standards were established. Then, a new model for comprehensive flood risk assessment was put forward in this paper based on set pair analysis (SPA) and variable fuzzy sets (VFS) theory, named set pair analysis-variable fuzzy sets model (SPA-VFS), which determines the relative membership degree function of VFS by using SPA method and has the advantages of intuitionist course, simple calculation and good generality application. Moreover, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was combined with trapezoidal fuzzy numbers to calculate the weights of assessment indices, thus the weights for flood hazard and flood vulnerability were determined by the fuzzy AHP procedure, respectively. Then SPA-VFS were applied to calculate the flood hazard grades and flood vulnerability grades with rank feature value equation and the confidence criterion, respectively. Under the natural disasters risk expression recommended by the Humanitarian Affairs Department of United Nations, flood risk grades were achieved from the flood hazard grades and flood vulnerability grades with risk grade classification matrix, where flood hazard, flood vulnerability and flood risk were all classified into five grades as very low, low, medium, high and very high. Consequently, integrated flood risk maps could be carried out for flood risk management and decision-making. Finally, SPA-VFS and fuzzy AHP were employed for comprehensive flood risk assessment of Jingjiang flood diversion district in China, and the computational results demonstrate that SPA-VFS is reasonable, reliable and applicable, thus has bright prospects of application for comprehensive flood risk assessment, and moreover has potential to be applicable to comprehensive risk assessment of other natural disasters with no much modification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]