On 17 October 1947, Niels Bohr was made a knight of the Order of the Elephant by the King of Denmark in view of his outstanding achievements and contributions to science. Bohr designed his own coat of arms that featured a pattern of Yin and Yang (Tai Chi symbol) to symbolize the wave-particle complementarity. However, Bohr’s Yin-Yang diagram (YYD) was neither drawn based on the principles of quantum mechanics, nor did it originate from the traditional Taoist YYD. Scientists still have doubts about the legitimacy of using YYD as the icon of the wave-particle complementarity, because the YYD belonging to quantum mechanics itself is unknown so far. This article reports the YYDs existing in quantum mechanics and justifies the role of YYD in the wave-particle duality by showing that any system, whether classical or quantum, has an ideal YYD as long as it satisfies Bohr’s principle of complementarity (BPC). The deviation of a deformed YYD from the ideal YYD indicates the extent to which a real system satisfies BPC. This article constructs the quantum YYD by the complex quantum trajectory of a particle tunneling via a step barrier, which displays the continuous transition between the wave behavior and the particle behavior. It appears that the YYD designed by Bohr in his coat of arms resembles the YYD generated by tunneling motion, not only in appearance but also in the governing equation.

Strangeness flavor is abundant and in chemical equilibrium in the primordial Quark-Gluon Plasma(QGP) filling the early Universe. Upon hadronization near to T=150 MeV one may think that relatively short lived massive strange hadrons decay rapidly and strangeness disappears. However, we show using detailed balance considerations for inverse decay reactions that the back reaction repopulate strangeness keeping it in chemical equilibrium at least to the time when strange antibaryons annihilate near T≃30-50 MeV. However, our present study is focused on the meson sector of the hadronic Universe. Specifically, we establish here the temperature range in which the expansion of the Universe becomes faster compared to the production processes which balance natural strangeness decay: In the temperature interval 33MeV<T<20MeV: μ±+νμ→K±, π+π→K and l−+l+→ϕ reactions in sequence become slower compared to the characteristic Hubble time.

Ganoderic Acid (GA), a major bioactive compound isolated from an oriental medicinal mushroom, i.e. Ganoderma tsugae, has traditionally been found to have significant medicinal properties. As a result of GA's poor solubility in water, formulation poses several challenges. Additionally, the traditional method of administering it via alcohol always results in unfavorable patient side effects. In order to overcome these problems, Ganoderma Tsugae extracts obtained by ethanol extraction were encapsulated in nanodispersions by ultrasonic cavitation and solvent evaporation to maximise bioavailability. Resultant nanodispersions contained Ganoderic acid in a hydrophobic core with a mean particle size of no more than 200 nm and a very narrow particle distribution. An analysis of the interactions between the control variables and the process optimisation was conducted using the Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Based on the results of the experiment, it was found that the particle size of nanodispersions was influenced by the Hydrophilic-Lipophilic Balance (HLB) number and the evaporation temperature. Moreover, the physical stability of micellar systems is generally determined by the organic phase within them. Regarding formulation stability, the zeta average of the nanodispersions remained virtually unchanged in solutions with different pH levels and short-term storage (14 days) at room temperature. Overall, it has been demonstrated that Ganoderic acid nanodispersions can be efficiently generated by combining ultrasound cavitation and solvent evaporation.

This paper develops a novel dynamic correction method for the reliability assessment of large oil-immersed power transformers. First, with the transformer oil-paper insulation system (TOPIS) as the target of evaluation and the winding hot spot temperature (HST) as the core point, an HST-based static ageing failure model is built according to the Weibull distribution and Arrhenius reaction law, in order to describe the transformer ageing process and calculate the winding HST for obtaining the failure rate and life expectancy of TOPIS. A grey target theory based dynamic correction model is then developed, combined with the data of Dissolved Gas Analysis (DGA) in power transformer oil, in order to dynamically modify the life expectancy calculated by the built static model, such that the corresponding relationship between the state grade and life expectancy correction coefficient of TOPIS can be built. Furthermore, the life expectancy loss recovery factor is introduced to correct the life expectancy of TOPIS again. Lastly, a practical case study of an operating transformer has been undertaken, in which the failure rate curve after introducing dynamic corrections can be obtained for the reliability assessment of this transformer. The curve shows a better ability of tracking the actual reliability level of transformer, thus verifying the validity of the proposed method and providing a new way for transformer reliability assessment. This contribution presents a novel model for the reliability assessment of TOPIS, in which the DGA data, as a source of information for the dynamic correction, is processed based on the grey target theory, thus the internal faults of power transformer can be diagnosed accurately as well as its life expectancy updated in time, ensuring that the dynamic assessment values can commendably track and reflect the actual operation state of the power transformers.

Predicting trip purpose from comprehensive and continuous smart card data is beneficial for transport and city planners in investigating travel behaviours and urban mobility. Here we propose a framework, ActivityNET, using machine learning (ML) algorithms to predict passengers’ trip purpose from smart card data and Points-of-Interest (POIs) data. The feasibility of the framework is demonstrated in two phases. Phase I focuses on extracting activities from individuals’ daily travel patterns from smart card data and combining them with POIs using the proposed ‘activity-POIs consolidation algorithm’. Phase II feeds the extracted features into an artificial neural network (ANN) with multiple scenarios and predicts trip purpose under primary activities (home and work) and secondary activities (entertainment, eating, shopping, child drop-offs/pick-ups and part-time work) with high accuracy. As a case study, the proposed ActivityNET framework is applied in Greater London and illustrates a robust competence to predict trip purpose. The promising outcomes demonstrate that the cost-effective framework offers high predictive accuracy and valuable insights into transport planning.

Compared with conventional methods of fault diagnosis for power transformers, which have defects such as imperfect encoding and too absolute encoding boundaries, this paper systematically discusses various intelligent approaches applied in fault diagnosis and decision making for large oil-immersed power transformers based on dissolved gas analysis (DGA), including expert system (EPS), artificial neural network (ANN), fuzzy theory, rough sets theory (RST), grey system theory (GST), swarm intelligence (SI) algorithms, data mining technology, machine learning (ML), and other intelligent diagnosis tools, and summarizes existing problems and solutions. From this survey, it is found that a single intelligent approach for fault diagnosis can only reflect operation status of the transformer in one particular aspect, causing various degrees of shortcomings that cannot be resolved effectively. Combined with the current research status in this field, the problems that must be addressed in DGA-based transformer fault diagnosis are identified, and the prospects for future development trends and research directions are outlined. This contribution presents a detailed and systematic survey on various intelligent approaches to faults diagnosing and decisions making of the power transformer, in which their merits and demerits are thoroughly investigated, as well as their improvement schemes and future development trends are proposed. Moreover, this paper concludes that a variety of intelligent algorithms should be combined for mutual complementation to form a hybrid fault diagnosis network, such that avoiding these algorithms falling into a local optimum. Moreover, it is necessary to improve the detection instruments so as to acquire reasonable characteristic gas data samples. The research summary, empirical generalization and analysis of predicament in this paper provide some thoughts and suggestions for the research of complex power grid in the new environment, as well as references and guidance for researchers to choose optimal approach to achieve DGA-based fault diagnosis and decision of the large oil-immersed power transformers in preventive electrical tests.

Abstract In order to solve the problem that it is difficult to obtain the accurate trigger signal moment when using the time difference of UAV flight acoustic signals collected by acoustic sensors arranged in advance to locate the position of UAVs when they cannot be tracked by radar and are difficult to be observed by the human eye, an acoustic source localisation method with improved empirical modal decomposition (REMD) under an adaptive frequency window is proposed. Firstly, the collected UAV flight signals are smoothed and filtered, then the robust empirical modal decomposition (REMD) is used for IMF modal decomposition and spectral analysis of the collected signals, and a panning frequency window with variable bandwidth is introduced for corresponding frequency locking and extracting the IMFs; the GWO optimisation is used and the sliding metrics are set to determine the position of the panning frequency window automatically; finally, the extracted Finally, the extracted IMF components are reconstructed according to the criterion, and the trigger signal moments in the reconstructed IMF components are resolved and recorded, and the algorithm is used to calculate the difference between the reception moments of different sensors; for the traditional sound source localisation algorithms with a small detection range, which are prone to fall into the no-solution or false-solution, i.e., unable to achieve the localisation, a weighted least-squares-based Chan-Taylor algorithm is proposed for the localisation computation, and a weighted least-squares algorithm is proposed for the localisation computation, through the Inputting the sensor delay parameter and solving the linear equation system to get the target position information; finally, this paper verifies the robustness and performance of the design method with simulated and actual signals. The results show that the maximum positioning error is no more than 5% in an area with a side length of 15m in the measurement area. With the improved accuracy of time delay estimation, the positioning simulation results meet the positioning requirements even though the positioning error is further expanded when the measurement area is further expanded.

In this paper, the effects of different food-grade enzymes on the antigenicity of casein (CN), β- lactoglobulin (β-LG) and ɑ-lactalbumin (ɑ-LA) in natural cow milk were studied. The degree of hydrolysis (DH), SDS-PAGE and molecular mas (MW) distribution of cow milk (CM) hydrolysates was assessed. Additionally, the residual antigenicity of CM hydrolysates was evaluated by using ELISA and western blotting with anti-CN, anti-β-LG and anti-ɑ-LA rabbit polyclonal antibody. The results showed that Alcalase and Protamex hydrolysis could efficiently reduce the antigenicity of CN, β-LG, ɑ-LA, showed a higher DH and the loss of density of CM proteins, as indicated by SDS-PAGE. The increasing of the low MW (<3 kDa) in CM hydrolysates was also presented. It was also found that Protamex, Alcalase could be more efficiently hydrolyzed major allergenic of CM than other enzymes for the development of hypoallergenic cow milk. Our research will lay a theoretical foundation for the study of hypoallergenic cow milk.

Thermally-assisted-occupation density functional theory (TAO-DFT) has been an efficient electronic structure method for studying the ground-state properties of large electronic systems with multi-reference character over the past few years. To explore the time-dependent (TD) properties of electronic systems (e.g., subject to an intense laser pulse), in this work, we propose a real-time (RT) extension of TAO-DFT, denoted as RT-TAO-DFT. Besides, we employ RT-TAO-DFT to study the high-order harmonic generation (HHG) spectra and related TD properties of molecular hydrogen H2 at the equilibrium and stretched geometries, aligned along the polarization of an intense linearly polarized laser pulse. The TD properties obtained with RT-TAO-DFT are compared with those obtained with the widely used time-dependent Kohn-Sham (TDKS) method. In addition, issues related to the possible spin-symmetry breaking effects in the TD properties are discussed.

Large-scale volumetric fracturing is generally used during shale gas development. The return rate of fracturing fluid is low, and a large amount of slickwater will be retained in the reservoir. The adsorption and desorption of partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM), an additive commonly used in slickwater, on the surface of shale was studied using Longmaxi Shale from the Sichuan Basin. The experimental results showed that the mass ratio of the HPAM solution to shale reached saturation adsorption at 20:1 when the concentration of HPAM solution was 1000 mg/L and 25:1 when the concentration of HPAM solution was 500 mg/L. The mass ratio of the HPAM solution to shale was fixed at 25:1, and the adsorption equilibrium was reached at a HPAM concentration of 1000 mg/L when the aqueous solution temperature was 30°C and 800 mg/L when the aqueous solution temperature was 60°C. The Langmuir adsorption model yielded a better fit than the Freundlich adsorption model. The adsorption equilibrium time at 30°C was at 60 min for a HPAM concentration of 500 mg/L, while for a concentration of 1000 mg/L, it was at 90 min. The adsorption equilibrium time at 60°C was 40 min for a HPAM concentration of 500 mg/L, whereas it was 60 min for a HPAM concentration at 1000 mg/L. The pseudo-second order kinetics model yielded better fits than the pseudo-first order kinetics model. The adsorption of HPAM on shale was strong, and the adsorbed HPAM resembled cobwebs adhering to the shale surface. HPAM on the surface of shale after adsorption could resist the desorption capacity of water. However, when the amount of adsorbed HPAM on shale increased significantly, the amount of residual HPAM on the surface of the shale decreased rapidly during desorption in deionized water. The desorption of HPAM on the shale surface followed a modified desorption model. The higher the concentration of HPAM adsorbed on the shale surface was, the easier it was to desorb, the easier it was to be removed from the shale.

For the ground-state properties of gas-phase nanomolecules with multi-reference character, thermally-assisted-occupation density functional theory (TAO-DFT) has been recently found to outperform the widely used Kohn-Sham density functional theory, when the conventional exchange-correlation energy functionals are employed. Aiming to explore solvation effects on the ground-state properties of nanomolecules with multi-reference character at a minimal computational cost, we combine TAO-DFT with the polarizable continuum model (PCM). To show its usefulness, TAO-DFT-based PCM (TAO-PCM) is employed to study the electronic properties of linear acenes in three different solvents (toluene, chlorobenzene, and water). According to TAO-PCM, in the presence of these solvents, the smaller acenes should have nonradical nature, and the larger acenes should have increasing polyradical nature, showing remarkable similarities to the past findings in the gas phase.

The propagation of electromagnetic waves beyond the line of sight can be caused by atmospheric ducts, which are a significant concerns in the fields of radar and communication. This paper utilizes data from seven automatic stations and five radio-sounding stations to statistically analyze the characteristics of the atmospheric ducts in the northwest region of the South China Sea (SCS). After verifying the practicality of numerical analysis data from NCEP CFSv2 and ERA5 in studying atmospheric ducts using measured data, we analyzed the space-time distribution characteristics of the height of the regional evaporation duct and the bottom height of the elevated duct. Using the parabolic equation model, we simulated electromagnetic propagation loss under different frequencies and radiation elevation angles in both uniform and non-uniform duct environments within a typical atmospheric duct structure. The study found that the NCEP CFSv2 data accurately captures the evaporation duct height and duct occurrence rate in the study area, and the elevated duct bottom height obtained from the inversion of ERA5 and the measured data has a good consistency. The occurrence rate and height of evaporation duct in coastal stations in the northwest of the SCS vary significantly by month, demonstrating clear monthly distribution patterns. Conversely, changes in the Xisha station are minimal, indicating good temporal uniformity. For lower atmospheric ducts, the difference in occurrence rates between 00:00 and 12:00 (UTC) is negligible. The occurrence probability of elevated ducts in the Beibu Gulf area is relatively high, mainly concentrated from January to April, and the Xisha area is dominated by surface ducts without foundation layer, mainly concentrated from June to August. The monsoon plays a critical role in the generation and evolution of atmospheric ducts in the northwest of the SCS, with the height of the evaporation duct increasing and the bottom height of the elevated duct decreasing after the onset of the summer monsoon. Electromagnetic propagation simulations demonstrate that higher frequency and lower elevation angles of radiation sources in the trapping layer of the evaporation duct make it easier to be trapped. As the evaporation duct height decreases, the amplitude of the "sinusoidal fluctuation" of the propagation loss also decreases. Frequency changes of the radiation source in the surface duct environment have minimal impact on electromagnetic propagation loss, but the elevation angle of the radiation source is a critical factor. The frequency of the "sinusoidal fluctuation" in propagation loss is higher in a hybrid duct environment compared to a uniform surface duct. Additionally, the propagation loss increases faster with distance at the height of the evaporation duct, resulting in greater electromagnetic propagation loss.

Climate warming profoundly affect vegetative growth, flowering phenology and sexual reproduction of plants, therefore the ornamental value of wild flowers. Despite this, the extent and mechanism of the impact remain unclear. Here, we conducted warming experiment for two growing seasons (1.89 ℃ in 2017 and 2.37 ℃ in 2018 increases) with infrared heaters to examine the effects of warming on ornamental value of wild flower I. oxyanthera, endemic to China, in Mount Emei. We fitted generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) and generalized linear model (GLM) to examine how warming affected plant morphology and floral traits. We evaluated comprehensive ornamental value based on plant morphology and flowering characteristics using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and disentangled the impact of the two traits on ornamental value using principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM) under the ambient and warming treatments. Warming decreased significantly plant height and crown width, while increased branch number and single leaf area. Warming also decreased vexillum length, corolla tube length, nectar spur length and pedicel length. In addition, warming shortened flowering duration per plant and reduced flower number, while there was no significant effect on flower longevity, flower color at full-bloom stage between the control and warming treatment. Therefore, comprehensive ornamental value under warming was lower than that under the control. Pedicel length, flower color, flower longevity and flowering duration per plant were the main factors of affecting comprehensive ornamental value. PLS-SEM showed that warming had an indirect negative effect on ornamental value via direct negative effects on flowering traits. Collectively, these results indicate that although promoting vegetative growth, short-term warming decreased significantly ornamental value of I. oxyanthera due to warming-caused smaller flowers and shorter flowering duration.

With the targets of petroleum exploration transferred to the deep and ancient strata, abundant oil and gas resources have been found in the Lower Paleozoic and older strata in central and western China. Due to complex evolutionary processes including multiple episodes of hydrocarbon accumulation and ubiquitously accompanied by secondary alterations, significant uncertainties were remained for the generation time and accumulation processes of these revealed petroleum. In this paper, relative pure Re and Os elements existing in the asphaltene fractions of Lower Cambrian solid bitumen collected from the Guangyuan area, western Sichuan Basin, SW China and another Middle–Lower Ordovician heavy oils in the Aiding area of the Tahe oilfield in the Tarim Basin, NW China were successfully obtained by the sample pre-treatments, and Re–Os isotopic analysis was subsequently carried out for the dating of these two petroleum. The Re–Os isotopic composition indicates a generation time of Guangyuan bitumen to locate between 572 Ma and 559 Ma, corresponding to the late Sinian period of Neoproterozoic era. By the means of Re–Os isochron ages, initial 187Os/188Os ratios, and carbon isotopic compositions, the Lower Cambrian bitumen is supposed to be originated from source rocks of the Doushantuo Formation in the Sinian strata and subsequently migrated into the reservoirs of Dengying Formation. These previously reserved petroleum had been transformed to present bitumen by the destruction of reservoirs caused by tectonic uplift. The Re–Os dating results of Middle–Lower Ordovician heavy oil of Tarim Basin supposed that it was formed between 450 Ma to 436 Ma, corresponding to the Late Ordovician–Early Silurian system, and the generated petroleum is likely to migrate into the Middle–Lower Ordovician karst reservoirs to form early oil reservoirs. With tectonic uplift, these oil reservoirs were degraded and reformed to be present heavy oil reservoirs.

Micro/Nano Robot is an intelligent and efficient microrobot that can perform specific tasks under the influence of external stimuli. Depending on the application scenarios, the microrobot can adaptively transform into appropriate functional forms under different external stimuli, thus perfectly matching the needs. To date, microbots have been widely used in targeted therapy, drug delivery, tissue engineering, environmental remediation, and other fields. Although the applications of microrobots are promising, there are only a few reviews that can focus on the preparation methods and driving mechanisms. Therefore, it is necessary to outline the current status of the development of these microrobots in order to provide some new insights for the further development of the field. Therefore, this paper reviews the research progress of microrobots in terms of preparation methods, stimulus response mechanisms and applications, and highlights the applicability of different preparation methods and stimulus types. Finally, the current challenges faced by microrobots are highlighted and possible solutions are proposed to facilitate the practical application of microrobots.

To study the anti-cracking performance of cast-in-place concrete inner shaft lining structure under the combined effects of temperature and constraint, this paper first developed a novel temperature stress test machine suitable for the shape of the inner shaft lining structure and with adjustable endpoint constraint, providing specialized experimental equipment for subsequent cast-in-place concrete inner shaft lining temperature stress simulation experiments. Then, this paper preliminarily studied the temperature, strain, and stress changes of the cast-in-place inner shaft lining under the condition of 100% endpoint constraint by simulating the internal hydration heating and cooling process of the cast-in-place inner shaft lining and using the temperature stress test machine to accurately control the endpoint constraint conditions of the inner shaft lining scaled model.

Intercropping significantly improves land use efficiency and soil fertility. This study examines the impact of three cultivation systems (monoculture sugarcane, peanut-sugarcane and soybean-sugarcane intercropping) on soil properties and diazotrophs. Sugarcane rhizosphere soil was sampled from the farmers’ field. Soil properties and nifH gene abundance were analyzed by high throughput sequencing. Moreover, a total of 436,458 nifH gene sequences were obtained and classified into the 3201 unique operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Maximum unique OTUs resulted with soybean-sugarcane intercropping (<375). The dominant groups across all cultivation were Alpha-proteobacteria and Beta-proteobacteria. On the basis of microbial community structure, intercropping systems were more diverse than monoculture sugarcane. In the genus level, Bradyrhizobium, Burkholderia, Pelomonas, and Sphingomonas were predominant in the intercropping systems. Moreover, diazotrophic bacterial communities of these cultivation systems were positively correlated to the soil pH and soil enzyme protease. Moreover, low available P recovered from intercropping system showed a strong correlation with higher nutrient uptake activity of soil microbes. Based on the results, our investigation concluded that intercropping system caused a positive effect on the growth of diazotrophic bacterial communities and it might boost the soil fertility and this kind of study helps to develop an eco-friendly technology for sustainable sugarcane production.

Talker variability has been reported to facilitate generalization and retention of speech learning, but is also shown to place demands on cognitive resources. Our recent study provided evidence that phonetically-irrelevant acoustic variability in single-talker (ST) speech is sufficient to induce equivalent amounts of learning to the use of multiple-talker (MT) training. This study is a follow-up contrasting MT versus ST training with varying degrees of temporal exaggeration to examine how cognitive measures of individual learners may influence the role of input variability in immediate learning and long-term retention. Native Chinese-speaking adults were trained on the English /i/-/ɪ/ contrast. We assessed the trainees’ working memory and selective attention before training. Trained participants showed retention of more native-like cue weighting in both perception and production regardless of talker variability condition. The ST training group showed long-term benefit in word identification, whereas the MT training group did not retain the improvement. The results demonstrate the role of phonetically-irrelevant variability in robust speech learning and modulatory functions of nonlinguistic working memory and selective attention, highlighting the necessity to consider the interaction between input characteristics, task difficulty, and individual differences in cognitive abilities in assessing learning outcomes.

Lemonomycin (1) was first isolated from the fermentation broth of Streptomyces candidus in 1964. The complete chemical structure was not elucidated until 2000 with extensive spectroscopic analysis. Lemonomycin is currently known as the only glycosylated tetrahydroisoquinoline antibiotic. Its potent antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis and complex architecture make it an ideal target for total synthesis. In this short review, we summarize the research status of lemonomycin for biological activity, biosynthesis and chemical synthesis. The unique deoxy aminosugar-lemonose was proposed to play a crucial role in biological activity, as shown in other antibiotics, such as arimetamycin A, nocathiacin I, glycothiohexide α, and thiazamycins. Given the self-resistance of the original bacterial host, the integration of biosynthesis and chemical synthesis to pursue efficient synthesis and further derivatization is in high demand for the development of novel antibiotics to combat antibiotic-resistant infections.

Background Successful treatment for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who failed to response to first-line treatment has been a challenge due to their low response rate for later-line treatment and poor progression free survival and overall survival. The application of dendritic cell-cytokine-induced killer cells (DC-CIK) immunotherapy combined with conventional treat-ment, either surgical resection or chemotherapy, showed improvement in survivals in first-line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer. In this retrospective study, we aimed to evaluate the benefit of dendritic cell-cytokine-induced killer cells (DC-CIK) immunotherapy for patient with refractory metastatic colorectal cancer. Methods A total of 20 patients with refractory metastatic colorectal cancer receiving cell-cytokine-induced killer cells (DC-CIK) immunotherapy were enrolled to this study. Among these patients, 11 patients responded to the treatment and the remaining 9 patients did not. All patients were followed for at least one years and the determination of treatment response was mainly based on image study at 6 months after the completion of treatment. Data were analyzed with Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. Results The treatment response rate of the study group is 55% (11/20). The median progression free sur-vival (PFS) and median overall survival (OS) of responsive patients was 7 months and 12 months, respectively. The median overall survival of irresponsive patients was 9.5 months. Four responsive patients received subsequent metastectomy or cytoreduction plus hyperthermic in-traperitoneal chemotherapy surgery (CRS + HIPEC). Conclusion DC-CIK cell-based immunotherapy may provide benefits for patients with refractory mCRC with improved response rate and progression free survival.

Tao and Ming (name) or Tao and Yan (language or speech) is an inseparable pair of important concepts in traditional Chinese language philosophy. In LaoTze’s opinion, Tao could not be spoken out, and language or speech could not reach Tao’s essence. Yan and Tao are separated from each other, and they are paradoxical. All the confusion derives from Yan regardless of how delicate they are. Tao can be expressed in words, but it will never be expressed through common languages. In this article, Tao is regarded as a human being’s thoughts or intentions and is even considered to be the origin of the real world. Language can express people’s thought, although it has some limitations. There exist some contradictions between the real word and the world expressed in words. To enable people to better understand the existence of the real world from multiple perspectives at the language or linguistic level without being constrained by words, this article studies LaoTze’s linguistic philosophy reflected in his opinion on the relationship between Tao and Yan and makes a comparative analysis of modern Western language philosophers’ stand on language (or speech) and existence.

The CuCrSn alloy is promising as high-strength and high-conductivity Cu alloy due to its relative low smelting requirement, while thus far reports on the CuCrSn alloy is still quite lacked. In this study, the microstructure and properties of Cu-0.20Cr-0.25Sn (wt%) specimens prepared under different rolling and aging combinations were comprehensively characterized, in order to reveal the effects of cold rolling and aging on the CuCrSn alloy. The results show that increasing the aging temperature from 400 ºC to 450 ºC can obviously accelerates the precipitation, and the cold rolling before aging significantly increases the initial microhardness and promotes the precipitation. Whereas, the deformation hardening will be eliminated during the aging process, making the microhardness even decrease monotonically when the aging temperature and the rolling ratio before aging are high. Performing the cold rolling after the aging can maximize the effects of precipitation strengthening and deformation strengthening, and its adverse impact on the conductivity is not serious. A tensile strength of 506.5 MPa and a conductivity of 70.33% IACS were obtained with such a treatment, only the elongation decreases. Different strength-conductivity combinations of the CuCrSn alloy can be achieved through appropriate combinations of the aging and post aging cold rolling conditions.

An immiscible blend of poly(hydroxy ether of bisphenol-A) (phenoxy) and poly(1,4-butylene terephthalate) (PBT) with phase separation was observed in as-blended samples. However, compatibilization of the phenoxy/PBT blends can be promoted through chemical exchange reactions of phenoxy with PBT upon annealing. In contrast to the as-blended samples, the annealed phenoxy/PBT blends had a homogeneous phase with a single T_g that could be enhanced by annealing at 260°C. Infrared (IR) spectroscopy demonstrated that phase homogenization could be promoted by annealing of the phenoxy/PBT blend, where alcoholytic exchange occurred between the dangling hydroxyl group in phenoxy and the carbonyl group in PBT in the heated blends. The alcoholysis reaction changes the aromatic linkages to aliphatic linkages in carbonyl groups, which initially led to the formation of a graft copolymer of phenoxy and PBT with an aliphatic/aliphatic carbonyl link. The progressive alcoholysis reaction resulted in the transformation of the initial homopolymers into block copolymers and finally into random copolymers, which promoted phase compatibilization in blends of phenoxy with PBT. Due to the fact that the amount of copolymers increased upon annealing, crystallization of PBT was inhibited by alcoholytic exchange in the blends.

Solid porous materials, like zeolites, have been widely used in a variety of fields such as size and shape-selective absorption/separation and catalysis because of their porosity. But there are few liquid materials exhibit permanent porosity. Porous liquids are a novel material that combine the properties of fluidity and permanent porosity. It has potential applications in many fields such as gas separation, storage and transport. Herein, we report a novel Type 1 porous liquid prepared based on Silicalite-1. The pore size of this porous liquid was determined by positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS), and the CO2 capacities was determined by the intelligent gravimetric analyser (IGA). The unique properties of this porous liquid can promote its application in many fields such as gas storage and transport.

The Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) and the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) are two widely used scales to measure resilience. Although both scales seek to assess an individual’s ability to recover from and adapt to disruptions or stressful events, they may capture different aspects of resilience. While the CD-RISC focuses on resources that can help individuals recover from and adapt to disruptions or stressful events, the BRS directly measures one’s ability to bounce back or be resilient. The aim of this study is to empirically examine the differences between the CD-RISC and the BRS. Two samples (n = 202, 246) consisting of undergraduate students from Taiwan were used. The results of confirmatory factor analysis show that the CD-RISC and the BRS are highly correlated but still distinct. The results of regression analyses show that the CD-RISC and the BRS have unique predictive effects on depression and life satisfaction. The research findings suggest that the CD-RISC and the BRS capture different aspects of resilience. For future research on resilience, researchers should pay attention to the differences between these scales and choose the one that most closely fits their research purpose.

Outcome of redo-mitral valve replacement in the small mitral annulus with the use of the chimney technology is not well documented. From 2019 to 2020, 77 consecutive patients underwent redo-mitral valve replacement with the use of the chimney technology because of a small mitral annulus. To evaluate heart structural integrity and clinical outcomes, postoperative clinical data and echocardiograms were examined. Mean age was 56.7 ± 15.98 years. All patients underwent mitral valve surgery of which 62 were mitral valve replacements, 7 mitral valve repairs, and 8 double valve replacements. Preoperative Mitral valve mean gradient was 18.07 ± 9.40 mmHg. Postoperative mitral prosthesis size 28.51 ± 1.22 mm. The median increment of mitral size enlargement was 4 (0, 6) valve sizes. Mean mitral gradient coming out of the operating room was 10.34 ± 2.12 mmHg and at follow-up echocardiogram performed at 3 years after the procedure was 10.36 ± 1.70 mmHg. One-year survival was 93.3%, while 4-year survival was 89.3% with no reoperation. Use of the chimney technology in small mitral valve re-mitral valve replacement results in larger valve sizes. Moreover, the mean gradients over the mitral valve are acceptable intraoperatively and over time.

M87 is the best available source for studying the AGN jet-launching region. To enrich our knowledge of this region, with quasi-simultaneous observations using VLBA at 22, 43 and 86~GHz, we capture the images of the radio jet in M87 on a scale within several thousand R_s. Based on the images, we analyze the transverse jet structure and obtain the spectral-index distribution in the jet. We find that the absorption is enhanced at the collimation regions and the interruption of the jet. The external medium, which may not be uniform, may have contributed a lot to the absorption in the jet-launching region. Additionally, the temporal morphology of the jet in its launching region may be largely affected by the local, short-lived kink instability growing in itself.

We employed the Riemannian Face Manifold (RFM) as an alternative approach to the conventional linear Euclidean space for explaining the atypicality bias in face likeliness judgments. The RFM posits that the mental representation of faces is better captured as a manifold of stable states, accounting for the nonlinearity in the physical properties of faces. To examine the relationship between physical and psychological distance of morph and typical/atypical faces, we manipulated the parameter k and incorporated a weight function in the Riemannian metric. Our results indicate that the psychological distance between the morph and typical face was longer than that between the morph and atypical face, consistent with prior research on the atypicality bias in perceptual similarity. The RFM approach provides mathematical support and is a powerful tool for studying face perception and recognition, offering potential implications for explaining the other-race effect. Future research can utilize the RFM to investigate individual differences in face recognition abilities and expertise, and how they impact psychological distance and face processing.

Physical inactivity is a well-known risk factor for various non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Sufficient physical activity (PA) is essential for the prevention of NCDs and thus it is imperative to study the current status of PA and its influencing factors among rural residents in China. A population-based survey was conducted in rural areas of Shandong, Shanxi and Yunnan Provinces using a stratified random sampling method. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-S) was used to collect the data on PA. A total of 3780 rural residents participated in the survey. The result showed that 22.2% of rural residents were physical inactivity. The proportion of rural residents reporting practice of physical exercise was 54.4%. The most frequently performed physical exercise was walking/brisk walking(78.3%).Binary logistic regression analyses showed that being female, people at age between 15 to 34 years or 60 years old and above, employees of governmental departments/retirees, school students, the unemployed, people with NCDs were risk factors of PA and ethnic minority groups,smoking and alcohol consumption were risk factors of physical exercise. Health promotion programme aiming at increasing people’s PA in rural China is needed and it should focus on the populations groups of the female, people at age 60 years and above ,school students, the unemployed, and people with NCDs.

Cisplatin-based chemotherapy has long been viewed as the first-line chemotherapy for advanced and metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC). However, many patients with UC have been classified as “cisplatin-ineligible patient”, which requires alternative chemotherapy due to their poor responses. In fact, vast majority of those who initially responded to cisplatin-based chemotherapy eventually progressed. Understanding of UC tumor immunology provided an immunopathogenic bases for immune checkpoint inhibitors, targeting PD-1 and CTLA-4, to treat cisplatin ineligible metastatic UC and patients with platinum-refractory metastatic UC. In 2020, data from the trail further showed that PD-L1 inhibitors benefit prolonged survival and progression-free survival as maintenance therapy. Besides immune-targeting therapies, manipulation of tumor microenvironment via metabolic pathways alternation, such as inhibiting tumor glycolysis, lactate accumulation and exogenous glutamine uptake, has been investigated in the past few years. In this comprehensive review, we started by introducing traditional chemotherapy of UC, and summarized current evidences supporting the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors and highlighted ongoing clinical trials. Lastly, we reviewed the tumor metabolic characteristic and the anti-tumor treatments targeting metabolic pathways.

Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2(HER2) is a transmembrane glycoprotein receptor with intracellular tyrosine kinase activity. It is generally considered as a poor prognostic marker. Targeted therapies, such as small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), showed limited efficacy in HER2-mutant advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). In the 2023 NCCN guidelines for NSCLC, Antibody-Drug Conjugate(ADC) Trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) is recommended for the treatment of HER2-mutant Lung Cancer (LC). However, this medication is currently not approved in certain regions.So it is necessary to explore alternative treatment options for HER2-mutant NSCLC patients.In our study of a patient with HER2 exon 20ins Lung Adenocarcinoma who had previously failed multiple TKI treatments, we discovered that Sunvozertinib could stabilize the patient's condition, achieving a progression-free survival (PFS) of 87 days. This is a novel finding that may provide new treatment options for HER2 exon 20ins patients who have failed TKI therapy.

A co-curing resin system consisting of 9368 epoxy resin for prepreg and 6808 epoxy resin for resin transfer molding (RTM) was developed. A corresponding preparation method of novel polymer composite bolted T-joint with internal skeleton and external skin was proposed based on prepreg-RTM co-curing process, and novel T-joints were fabricated. A series of conventional configuration T-joints based on RTM process and T-joints made of 2A12 aluminum alloy were prepared simultaneously. Bending performances were studied on these T-joints experimentally. The results indicate that 9368 epoxy resin and 6808 epoxy resin exhibit good compatibility in rheological and thermophysical properties. The novel T-joints prepared with prepreg-RTM co-curing process show no obvious fiber local winding or resin-rich regions inside, and the interface quality between internal skeleton and external skin is excellent. The main failure modes of the novel T-joint under bending load include separation of skin and skeleton and fracture along the thickness on the base panel; the skeleton carries the main bending load, but there is still load transfer between external skin and internal skeleton through their interface. The internal damages of the novel T-joint are highly consistent with surface damages observed visually, facilitating the detection and timely discovery of damages. The initial stiffness, damage initiation load, and ultimate load of the novel T-joint are 1.65 times, 5.89 times, and 3.45 times that of conventional T-joint, respectively. When considering the influence of density, the relative initial stiffness and relative ultimate load of the novel T-joint are 1.44 times and 2.07 times that of aluminum alloy T-joint, respectively.

A set of polymer composite bolted T-joints with novel configuration consisting of internal skeleton and external skin was fabricated using a prepreg-RTM co-curing molding process. Experiments were conducted to study their mechanical properties under bending load. A finite element model with a polymer resin area between the skin and skeleton was established and verified by the experimental results. Then, the damage propagation process and failure mechanism of the joint and the influence of three factors related to the layer characteristics of the skin and skeleton were investigated by the validated models. The results show that the bending stiffness and the yield limit load of the novel composite T-joint are 0.81 times and 1.65 times that of the 2A12 aluminum T-joint respectively, while at only 55.4% of its weight. The damage of the joint initiates within the resin area and leads to a degradation of the joint bending performances. The preferred stacking sequence of the skeleton is [0/+45/90/-45]ns when primarily subjected to bending loads. The decrease in bending performances is within 5% with the inclining angle of the skeleton less than 12 degrees. The more layers of 90° in the skin, the better bending performances of the joints, while the more layer of 0°, the poorer bending performances.

Based on a modified dice-and-fill technique, a PIN-PMN-PT single crystal 1-3 composite with the kerf of 12 μm and pitch of 50 μm was prepared. The as-made piezoelectric composite material behaved with high piezoelectric constant (d33 = 1500 pC/N), high electromechanical coefficient (kt = 0.81), and low acoustic impedance (16.2 Mrayls). Using lithography and flexible circuit method, a 48-element phased array was successfully fabricated from such a piezoelectric composite. The array element was measured to have a central frequency of 20 MHz and a fractional bandwidth of approximately 77% at −6 dB. Of particular significance was that this PIN-PMN-PT single crystal 1-3 composite-based phased array exhibits a superior insertion loss compared with PMN-PT single crystal and PZT-5H-based 20 MHz phased arrays. The focusing and steering capabilities of the obtained phased array were demonstrated theoretically and experimentally. These promising results indicate that the PIN-PMN-PT single crystal 1-3 composite-based high frequency phased array is a good candidate for ultrasound imaging applications.

In this computational study, we investigate the electronic properties of zigzag graphene nano-parallelograms (GNPs), which are parallelogram-shaped graphene nanoribbons of various widths and lengths, using thermally-assisted-occupation density functional theory (TAO-DFT). Our calculations reveal a monotonic decrease in the singlet-triplet energy gap as the GNP length increases. The GNPs possess singlet ground states for all the cases examined. With the increase of GNP length, the vertical ionization potential and fundamental gap decrease monotonically, while the vertical electron affinity increases monotonically. Besides, as the GNP length increases, the symmetrized von Neumann entropy increases monotonically, denoting an increase in the degree of multi-reference character associated with ground-state GNPs. The occupation numbers and real-space representation of active orbitals indicate that there is a transition from the nonradical nature of the shorter GNPs to the increasing polyradical nature of the longer GNPs. In addition, the edge/corner localization of active orbitals is found for the wider and longer GNPs.

ALDH+ H1975 lung adenocarcinoma stem cells (LSCs) are a rare cell population identified in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). LSCs can self-renew, drive tumor initiation, growth, metastasis, and recurrence, and are also the predominant cause of poor prognosis due to their intrinsic resistance to drugs and chemotherapy. Consequently, LSCs are a promising target for LUAD therapy. Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNAs (miRNAs), long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs), exert many significant regulatory functions in the pathogenesis of human cancers, showing the necessity for a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms that underlie lung carcinogenesis. Nonetheless, research on many known transcripts and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) has already generated new information. Unknown biomarkers in ncRNAs and systematic and comprehensive interrelation with unknown ncRNAs and mRNAs may provide further insights into the biology of LUAD. Herein, a set of novel ncRNAs that include miRNAs, lncRNAs, circRNAs, were identified and differentially expressed patterns of ncRNAs and mRNAs in LSCs and ALDH- H1975 LUAD tumor cells (LTCs) were obtained using stringent bioinformatics pipelines. Through a meta-analysis of the identified landscapes, novel competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks were constructed to reveal the potential molecular mechanisms that regulate the hallmarks of LSCs and LTCs. This study presents a summary of novel ncRNAs and the fundamental roles of differentially expressed ncRNAs implicated in the activity of LSCs and LTCs. In addition, the study also provides a comprehensive resource for the future identification of diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic biomarkers in LUAD.

A variable speed anti-tangling reel mechanism was designed to address the problems of tangling, hanging and rewinding of the tassel wheel and the high paddling loss in the current Chinese rape combine harvester cutting table. The kinematic equations of the reel mechanism were developed, and the analysis showed that the speed in the entry stage is low and the speed in the exit stage is high, and the attitude of the reel teeth change with the rape plant movement during the whole paddling process. A single-factor test and a multi-factor regression orthogonal combination test were carried out using the cutting table loss rate of rape harvesting as the evaluation index. The main and secondary factors affecting the cutting table loss of the variable speed reel were obtained as the reel speed, the machine travel speed and the ground angle of the frame. A mathematical model of regression of cutter loss and the main influencing factors was established, with the coefficient of determination R2 = 0.9918. The optimal combination of parameters for the variable speed reel was obtained with the lowest cutting table loss rate in rape harvesting as the optimization target: reel speed 25r/min, frame parallel to the ground and implement travel speed 0.7m/s. Field validation tests and comparative tests of cutting table loss of the two reels were carried out. The test results show that the regression mathematical model of the cutting table loss is more accurate, and the cutting table loss is reduced by 13.9% with the variable speed reel compared to the cam-action reel, and there are no problems with the paddle teeth hanging and tangling during the paddling process.

Circular RNAs are a special type of RNAs which recently attracted a lot of research interest in studying its formation and function. RNA binding proteins (RBPs) that bind circRNAs are important in these processes but are relatively less studied. CLIP-Seq technology has been invented and applied to profile RBP-RNA interactions on the genome-wide scale. While mRNAs are usually the focus of CLIP-Seq experiments, RBP-circRNA interactions could also be identified through specialized analysis of CLIP-Seq datasets. However, many technical difficulties are involved in this process, such as the usually short read length of CLIP-Seq reads. In this study, we created a pipeline called Clirc specialized for profiling circRNAs in CLIP-Seq data and analyzing the characteristics of RBP- circRNAs interactions. In conclusion, this is one of the first few studies to investigate circRNAs and their binding partners through repurposing CLIP-Seq datasets to our knowledge, and we hope our work will become a valuable resource for future studies into the biogenesis and function of circRNAs. Clirc software is available at https://github.com/Minzhe/Clirc

In the first part of this talk we review some prerequisites for and essential arguments involved in the construction of the thermal-ground-state estimate for the deconfining phase in the thermodynamics of SU(2) Quantum Yang-Mills theory and how this structure supports its distinct excitations. The second part applies deconfining SU(2) Yang-Mills thermodynamics to the Cosmic Microwave Background in view of (i) a modified temperature-redshift relation with an interesting link to correlation-length criticality in the 3D Ising model, (ii) the implied minimal changes in the dark sector of the cosmological model, and (iii) best-fit parameter values of this model when confronted with the spectra of the angular two-point functions TT, TE, and EE, excluding the low-$l$ physics. The latter, which is treated in an incomplete way because of the omission of radiative effects, is addressed in passing towards future work.

In recent years, the emergence of spatiotemporal big data has made the transition of functional identification from the physical dimension to socioeconomic or human activities becoming more common. In the identification of urban functional areas, most studies considered only a single data source and a single division scale, the research results have problems such as low update frequency or incomplete information in a single data set, and overfitting or underfitting in a single spatial resolution. Using taxi trajectory data and point of interest (POI) data as the main data source, this study proposes a multi-scale recursive identification method for urban functional areas based on cross-validation. First, used the dynamic time warping (DTW) algorithm generates a time series similarity matrix, the CA-RFM model combines the clustering algorithm and random forest model is constructed, the model uses a clustering algorithm (K-MEDOIDS) to extract sig-nificant feature regions as input, which are imported into the random forest model for UFZ identification. Then, to overcome the shortcomings of single scale in expressing urban structural characteristics, a recursive model of different levels of urban road networks is established to classify multi-scale functional areas. Finally, cross-validation using the CA-RFM model and POI quantitative identification method, obtains the final identification results of urban functional areas. This paper selects Shenzhen as the study area for the case study, the results show that the com-bination of clustering algorithm and random forest model greatly reduces the error of manual selection of training samples. In addition, the research shows the superiority of the multi-scale recursive identification method that fuses multi-source data and performs cross-validation from two aspects, that is, the division speed of urban functional area identification results is accelerated and the accuracy is improved.

The utilization of smart IoT devices, commonly referred to as digital twins, is aimed at the digitalization of human knowledge within aquaculture processes. This involves the incorporation of cutting-edge technologies, including information-based management with big data and modeling, to automate machinery and gain comprehensive insights into the aquaculture environment and fish farm conditions. The ultimate objective is to empower farmers to make informed decisions, furnishing them with objective data to enhance their capacity in monitoring and controlling the various factors impacting fish production. As a result, farming decisions can be fine-tuned to enhance fish health and optimize farm output. In the context of large and modern aquaculture farms, technological innovation becomes imperative to automate processes, minimize labor requirements, and streamline fish feeding operations. Remarkably, the literature currently offers limited discussions on the digital transformation of aquaculture through the application of digital twin methodologies. A prior study underscores the critical influence of factors such as market prices and fish survival rates on the profitability of offshore caging culture. In this study, we embark on an analysis of the prerequisites for establishing a digital twin infrastructure tailored to intelligent fish feeding management. This infrastructure is designed to facilitate the integration of technology and data-driven decision-making, ultimately enhancing the efficiency of fish feeding processes. The proposed architecture for the fish feeding digital twin encompasses various digital twin components, encompassing water quality forecasting, fish population assessment, fish metrics estimation, fish feed prediction, and evaluation of fish feeding intensity. Furthermore, we optimize the daily fish feeding process through reinforcement learning algorithms. Finally, we implement a cloud-based AIoT system that provides the runtime environment for executing digital twins and controlling our intelligent fish feeding machinery. Experimental findings underscore the efficacy of the proposed digital twin system in significantly improving traditional fish feeding processes, notably in terms of reducing food costs and labor requirements.

This paper proposes a novel symmetrical active-switched coupled-inductor high-step-up DC/DC converter. A new active-switched coupled inductor is used to allow much higher voltage gain of the proposed converter. The symmetrical circuit structure of the proposed converter evenly divides large input currents and reduce input current ripple by operating in interleaved mode so power density is increased. The switches also have low voltage stress. The operating principle and design considerations for the converter topology are described. The proposed converter with an input voltage of 40 V, an output voltage of 400 V and an output of 1000 W at a switching frequency of 50 kHz is implemented. The simulations and experimental results are thus depicted to verify the theoretical analysis. The highest efficiency is 95.5% at 200 W measured by using a HIOKI 3390. Consequently, the proposed converter is suitable for renewable energy generation systems that require high power, high voltage gain and high efficiency.

Questions：SAP in mountainous cities of China serve as crucial carriers for species and wild food, constituting potential green infrastructure. These patches should be recognized as locally specific resources. This study investigates the transformation characteristics of the landscape patterns of SAP, along with their elements, across urban-rural gradients, providing foundational support for the planning of conservation and utilization strategies. Location: Yongchuan area of Chongqing in southwest China. Methods: The study investigated urban-rural gradient-based transformation of SAP. A four-direction transect space was selected and divided into uniform sample squares. Fragstats 4.3 calculated the landscape index of SAP, and Spearman correlation coefficients in SPSS were used to evaluate the influence of landform and artificial factors on agroforestry patch transformation. Results: 1) Patch area (PA), Plaque density (PD), and CLUMPY of SAP systematically transform, showing increased SAP areas and higher connectivity with greater distance from the city, resulting in reduced patch fragmentation. However, Edge density (ED) and Largest plaque index (LPI) exhibit irregular transformation patterns. 2) With increased distance from the city, woodland patch area and connectivity increase, leading to decreased fragmentation, dispersal, and lower fractal dimensions. Conversely, Cultivated land follows the opposite trend. garden land patch area, fractal dimension, fragmentation, and dispersal all increase, while connectivity decreases. 3) Landscape pattern transformations of SPA are significantly influenced by artificial factors. Woodland patches are influenced similarly by landform and artificial factors. In contrast, cultivated land and garden land patches are more significantly impacted by artificial factors. Conclusions: SAP exhibit differentiated conservation and utilization measures across urban-rural gradients. Small patches located far from urban centers may benefit from systematic conservation measures to prevent further fragmentation and erosion in peri-urban areas.

We present set-theoretical solutions of the Yang-Baxter equation in BCK–algebras. Some solutions in BCK−algebras are not solutions in other structures (such as MV −algebras). Related to our investigations we also consider some new structures: Boolean coalgebras and a unified braid condition – quantum Yang-Baxter equation. Finally, we will see how poetry has accompanied the development / history of the Yang–Baxter equation.

Quantum coherence is an important physical resource in quantum information science, and also as one of the most fundamental and striking features in quantum physics. In this paper, we obtain a symmetry-like relation of relative entropy measure $C_r(\rho)$ of coherence for $n$-partite quantum states $\rho$, which gives lower and upper bounds for $C_r(\rho)$. Meanwhile, we discuss the conjecture about the validity of the inequality $C_r(\rho)\leq C_{\ell_1}(\rho)$ for any state $\rho$. We observe that every mixture $\eta$ of a state $\rho$ satisfying $C_r(\rho)\leq C_{\ell_1}(\rho)$ and any incoherent state $\sigma$ also satisfies the conjecture. We also note that if the von Neumann entropy is defined by the natural logarithm $\ln$ instead of $\log_2$, then the reduced relative entropy measure of coherence $\bar{C}_r(\rho)=-\rho_{\rm{diag}}\ln \rho_{\rm{diag}}+\rho\ln \rho$ satisfies the inequality ${\bar{C}}_r(\rho)\leq C_{\ell_1}(\rho)$ for any mixed state $\rho$.

The United Nations' sustainable development goals have underscored the importance of enhancing supply chain sustainability while appropriately distributing orders. This study proposes a novel framework involving Z-number, game theory, indifference threshold-based attribute ratio analysis (ITARA), and combined compromise solution method (CoCoSo) to evaluate the sustainability of suppliers and order allocations. To better reflect the decision makers’ current choices for the sustainability of assessed suppliers and order allocations; enhance the comprehensiveness of decision-making, the importance parameter of the supplier is obtained through game theory objectively for transforming supplier performance into order allocation performance. The Z-numbers are involved in ITARA (so-called ZITARA) and CoCoSo (so-called ZCoCoSo) to overcome the issue of information uncertainty in the process of expert evaluation. ZITARA and ZCoCoSo are applied to assess the objective weight of criteria and the ranking of assessed order allocations, respectively. Afterwards, a case study of China’s company is illustrated the utility of the proposed framework and inform their decision-making process regarding the orders to be assigned to the assessed suppliers.

This study aimed at exploring what role artificial intelligence techniques could play in the futural numerical analysis. In this paper, a convolutional neural network techniques based on modified loss function is proposed as a surrogate of finite element method(FEM). Several surrogate-based physics-informed neural networks(PINNs) are developed to solve representative boundary value problems based on elliptic partial differential equations (PDEs). Results from the proposed surrogate-based approach are in good agreement with ones from conventional FEM. It is found that modification of the loss function could improve the prediction accuracy of the neural network. It is indicated that to some extent the artificial intelligence technique could replace conventional numerical analysis as a great surrogate model.

The investigation aims to analyze the effect of homogenization heat treatment on the quantity, distribution, morphology, and chemical composition of δ ferrite and sigma phase in the 316L austenitic stainless steel cast billet. Microstructures of the cast billet at different locations, center, 0.5 R, R, and the subsequent 2/6-hour homogenization heat treatment at 1240 oC were examined. The microstructure at the radius R was much more uniform and expected a better performance in the following hot/cold forging processes due to the highest cooling rate compared with those at 0.5R and center. The δ ferrite often accompanies the generation of the sigma phase, and the transformation of δ ferrite into the sigma/(austenite) and retained δ ferrite is strongly related to the cooling rate after homogenization heat treatment. The sigma phase is hard and detrimental to the subsequent hot/cold forgings. It must be removed from the homogenization heat treatment before forging. Fast air cooling from 850 oC to room temperature after homogenization heat treatment cannot prohibit the sigma phase formation. Rapid cooling between 850 and 1240 oC after homogenization treatment is required to avoid the sigma phase formation in the 316L stainless steel cast billet.

Aluminum wire is a common material for wire bonding due to its resistance to oxidation and low price. It does not melt when becoming a free air ball (FAB) during the electronic flame-off (EFO) process with wettability, and is applied by wedge bonding. This study used 20μm Zn-Coated Al-0.5wt.%Si (ZAS) wires to improve the FAB shape after the EFO process, while maintaining stability of the mechanical properties, including the interface bonding strength and hardness. In order to test circuit stability after ball bonding, the current-tensile test was performed. During the experiment, it was found that 80nm ZAS with wire bonding has lower resistance and higher fusing current. For the bias tensile test, the thicker Zn film diffused into the Al-Si matrix easily, after which the strength was reduced. The ball-bond interfaces had no change in their condition before and after the bias. Accordingly, ZAS could be a promising candidate for ball bonding in the future.

Patients with end stage liver disease (ESLD) undergoing liver transplantation are prone to thromboses both while on the waiting list or in the perioperative period. This hypercoagulability is associated with significant endothelial dysfunction (ED) due to nitric oxide dysregulation. ED in combination with increased thrombin generation are the main factors responsible for this hypercoagulability. Sepsis itself can significantly change the coagulation profile, but in combination with ESLD, sepsis, and septic shock is responsible for very complex changes in the patients coagulation making both assessment and management of coagulation in patients with ESLD very challenging. Viscoelastic testing (VET) is a preferred method of coagulation management in patients with cirrhosis because, as with standard laboratory testing, VET can assess the entire coagulation system including the interaction between both pro- and anticoagulants and platelets.

The rank-3 antisymmetric tensors which are the magnetic monopoles of SU(N) Yang-Mills gauge theory dynamics, unlike their counterparts in Maxwell’s U(1) electrodynamics, are non-vanishing, and do permit a net flux of Yang-Mills analogs to the magnetic field through closed spatial surfaces. When electric source currents of the same Yang-Mills dynamics are inverted and their fermions inserted into these Yang-Mills monopoles to create a system, this system in its unperturbed state contains exactly 3 fermions due to the monopole rank-3 and its 3 additive field strength gradient terms in covariant form. So to ensure that every fermion in this system occupies an exclusive quantum state, the Exclusion Principle is used to place each of the 3 fermions into the fundamental representation of the simple gauge group with an SU(3) symmetry. After the symmetry of the monopole is broken to make this system indivisible, the gauge bosons inside the monopole become massless, the SU(3) color symmetry of the fermions becomes exact, and a propagator is established for each fermion. The monopoles then have the same antisymmetric color singlet wavefunction as a baryon, and the field quanta of the magnetic fields fluxing through the monopole surface have the same symmetric color singlet wavefunction as a meson. Consequently, we are able to identify these fermions with colored quarks, the gauge bosons with gluons, the magnetic monopoles with baryons, and the fluxing entities with mesons, while establishing that the quarks and gluons remain confined and identifying the symmetry breaking with hadronization. Analytic tools developed along the way are then used to fill the Yang-Mills mass gap.

Motivated by empirical observations, we propose a possible extension of Gibrat's law. By applying it into the random growth theory of income distribution (Gabaix, 2009), we find that the income distribution is described by a generalized Pareto-type distribution (GPD) with three parameters. We observe that there is a parameter /elta in the GPD that plays a key role in determining the shape of income distribution. By using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, we empirically show that, for typical market-economy countries, /elta is close to 0 significantly, such that the income distribution is characterized by a two-class pattern in which the bottom 90% of the population is approximated by an exponential distribution and the richest 1%~3% is approximated by an asymptotic power law. However, we empirically find that, for China both in planned economy period and in early stages of market reformation (from 1978 to 1990), /elta is significantly deviated from 0, such that the bottom of the population no longer conforms to an exponential distribution.

As the leader of the largest economy, President of the United States has substantive influence on addressing the global climate change problem. However, presidential election is often dominated by issues other than energy problems. This paper focuses on the on-going 2016 presidential election, examining the energy plans proposed by the leading Democrat and Republican candidates. Our data from the Iowa caucus survey in January 2016 suggests that voters are more concerned about terrorism and economic issues than environmental relative issues. We then compare the Democratic and Republican candidate’s view of American’s energy future, and evaluate their proposed renewable energy targets. We find that the view on renewable energy is polarized between Democratic and Republican candidates, while candidates from both parties agree on the need for energy efficiency. Results from our ordinal least squares regression models suggest that Democratic candidates have moderate to ambitious goals for developing solar and other renewable energy. The Republican candidates favor fossil fuel and they neglect to provide any plan for renewable energy. In addition, this trend of polarization has grown more significant when compared with the past three presidential elections. Our observation suggests that energy issues need to be discussed more to draw broader attention to salient issues of diversifying and decarbonizing the nation’s energy system.

This paper presents an optimized energy management strategy for Li-ion power batteries used on electric vehicles (EVs) at low temperatures. Under low-temperature environments, EVs suffer a sharp driving range loss resulted from the energy and power capability reduction of the battery. Simultaneously, because of Li plating, battery degradation becomes an increasing concern as temperature drops. All these factors could greatly increase the total vehicle operation cost. Prior to battery charging and vehicle operating, preheating battery to a battery-friendly temperature is an approach to promote energy utilization and reduce total cost. Based on the proposed LiFePO4 battery model, the total vehicle operation cost under certain driving cycles is quantified in the present paper. Then given a certain ambient temperature, a target temperature of preheating is optimized under the principle of minimizing total cost. As for the preheating method, a liquid heating system is also implemented on an electric bus. Simulation results show that the preheating process becomes increasingly necessary with a decreasing ambient temperature; however, the preheating demand declines as driving range grows. Vehicle tests verify that the preheating management strategy proposed in this paper is able to save total vehicle operation cost.

Accompanied by increasing population growth and urban sprawl, most coastal cities are unprecedentedly vulnerable to climate change and its impacts, such as sea level rise, increasing extreme storm events, and coastal flooding. Coastal resilience and sustainable development are antidotes to vulnerability; they aim to enhance the adaptive capability of absorbing disturbances and resisting uncertainty. This study explores building a quantitative assessment framework to measure resilience and provide an objective and comparable method to understand the strengths and weaknesses in a given region. The proposed 25 resilience indicators incorporate the aspects of essential livelihood protection, infrastructure and natural resource maintenance, emergency facilities and institutions, floodplain management regulations, and adaptive planning process. Each indicator is assigned the resilience quality that includes robustness, resourcefulness, redundancy, and rapidity. The aggregated resilience quality scoring reflects the systematic performance of the city to cope with the coastal hazards. The innovative part of this framework is combining hazard mitigation measures, climate adaptation strategies, and sustainable development goals together to achieve a comprehensive assessment method. In the case of New Haven, the resilience assessment is taken as a practical monitoring tool and decision-making support.

In this study, a composite flame retardant was created by combining fish scale (FS), fishery waste, and ammonium polyphosphate (APP), a commercially available flame retardant. The composite flame retardant was added to epoxy resin (EP) to form an EP/APP/FS composite that prevents burns and is environmentally friendly. The use of FS conforms to the concept of circular economy and lowers costs by reducing the consumption of APP. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), integral procedural decomposition temperature (IPDT), pyrolysis kinetics, limiting oxygen index (LOI), the Underwriters Laboratories 94 (UL94) flammability test, scanning election microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were used to determine the thermal properties, flame retardant properties, flame retardant mechanism, char morphology, and composition of the composites. The TGA results indicated that the addition of 40% flame retardant raised the char residue from 16.45 wt% (pure EP) to 36.07 wt%, IPDT from 685.6 °C (pure EP) to 1143.1°C, LOI from 21% (pure EP) to 30%, and UL94 classification from fail (pure EP) to V-0. These results suggest an increase in char residue, which indicates better protection of the polymer matrix material. The improvements in IPDT, LOI, and UL94 classification, which indicate greater thermal stability, lower flammability (from flammable to fireproof), and higher flammability rating (from fail to V-0), respectively, suggest that the composite material has favorable thermal properties and is less inflammable.

Porcine sapovirus (PoSaV) is a significant pathogen causing diarrhea with high morbidity and mortality rates. Given its zoonotic characteristics, this study conducts a comprehensive genetic evolutionary analysis of PoSaV. Results confirmed PoSaV as the primary RNA virus in piglet feces (27.54%). Phylogenetic analysis identifies the prevalent PoSaV strain SHCM/Mega2023 in the GIII genogroup, involving a recombinant event with MK962338 and KT922089. The time tree revealed that the GIII genogroup exhibits the widest divergence time span, indicating a high likelihood of viral recombination. Further selective pressure calculations demonstrate that PoSaV was under purifying selection (dN/dS &lt; 1), with seven positively selected sites in VP1 protein which might be related to the antigencity. In conclusion, this study presents a novel genomic evolution of PoSaV, offering valuable insights into antigenicity and vaccine research.

Retinal vein cannulation involves puncturing an occluded vessel on the micron scale. Even single millinewton force can cause permanent damage. An ophthalmic robot with a piezo-driven injector is precious enough to perform this delicate procedure, but the uncertain viscoelastic characteristics of the vessel makes it difficult to achieve the desired contact force without harming the retina. The paper utilizes a viscoelastic contact model to explain the mechanical characteristics of retinal blood vessels in order to tackle this issue. The uncertainty in the viscoelastic properties is considered an internal disturbance of the contact model, and an active disturbance rejection controller is then proposed to precisely control the contact force. The experimental results show that this method can precisely adjust the contact force at the millinewton level even when the viscoelastic parameters vary significantly (up to 403.8%). The root mean square (RMS) and maximum value of steady-state error are 0.32 mN and 0.41 mN. The response time below 2.51 s with no obvious overshoot.

An adaptive operation strategy for on-demand control of DMFC system is proposed as an alternative method to enhance the voltage stability. Based on a single-cell DMFC stack, a newly simplified semi-empirical model is developed from the uniform-designed experimental results to describe the I-V relationship. Integrated with this model, the multi-objective optimization method is utilized to develop an adaptive operation strategy. Although the voltage instability is frequently encountered in unoptimized operations, the voltage deviation is successfully decreased to a required level by adaptive operations with operational adjustments. Moreover, the adaptive operations are also found to be able to extend the range of operating current density or to decrease the voltage deviation according to ones requirements. Numerical simulations are implemented to investigate the underlying mechanisms of the proposed adaptive operation strategy, and experimental adaptive operations are also performed on another DMFC system to validate the adaptive operation strategy. Preliminary experimental study shows a rapid response of DMFC system to the operational adjustment, which further validates the effectiveness and feasibility of the adaptive operation strategy in practical applications. The proposed strategy contributes to a guideline for the better control of output voltage from operating DMFC systems.

Dravet syndrome (DS), also known as severe myoclonic epilepsy of infancy, is a rare and drug-resistant form of developmental and epileptic encephalopathies, which is both debilitating and challenging to manage, typically arising during the first year of life, with seizures often triggered by fever, infections, or vaccinations. It is characterized by frequent and prolonged seizures, developmental delays, and various other neurological and behavioral impairments. Most cases result from pathogenic mutations in the sodium voltage-gated channel alpha subunit 1 (SCN1A) gene, which encodes a critical voltage-gated sodium channel subunit involved in neuronal excitability. Precision medicine offers significant potential for improving DS diagnosis and treatment. Early genetic testing enables timely and accurate diagnosis. Advances in our understanding of DS's underlying genetic mechanisms and neurobiology have enabled the development of targeted therapies, such as gene therapy, offering more effective and less invasive treatment options for patients with DS. Targeted and gene therapies provide hope for more effective and personalized treatments. However, research into novel approaches remains in its early stages, and their clinical application remains to be seen. This review addresses the current understanding of clinical DS features, genetic involvement in DS development, and outcomes of novel DS therapies.

The modification of proteins by small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) molecules, SUMOylation, is a key post-translational modification involved in a variety of biological processes such as chromosomes organization, DNA replication and repair, transcription, nuclear transport, and cell signaling transduction. In recent years, emerging evidence has shown that SUMOylation regulates the development and homeostasis of the skeletal system, with its dysregulation causing skeletal diseases, suggesting that SUMOylation pathways may serve as a promising therapeutic target. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which SUMOylation pathways regulate skeletal cells in the physiological and disease contexts.

This paper develops a novel energy universal service bus system (EUSBS) based on emerging energy Internet (E-net) technologies. This EUSBS is a unified identification and plug-and-play interface platform to which high penetration distributed energy and equipment (DEE), including photovoltaic (PV), fans, electric vehicle charging stations (EVCSs), energy storage equipment (ESE), and commercial and residential users (CRUs), can access in a coordinated control and optimized utilization mode. First, the functions design, overall framework and topology architecture design of the EUSBS are expounded, among which the EUSBS is mainly composed of a hardware system and a software platform. Moreover, several future application scenarios are presented. Then, the hardware part of EUSBS is designed and developed, including the framework design of this hardware subsystem, and development of the hardware equipment for PV access, fans access, EVCS access, ESE access, and CRU access. The hardware subsystem consists of smart socket, and household/floor/building concentrators. Based on this, the prototypes development of EUSBS hardware equipment is completely demonstrated. Third, the software part of the EUSBS is developed as a cloud service platform for electricity use data analysis of DEE. This software subsystem contains the power quality & energy efficiency analysis module, optimization control module, information and service module, and data monitoring and electricity behavior analysis module. Based on this design, the software interfaces are developed. Finally, an application study on energy management and optimization of a smart commercial building is conducted to evaluate the functions and practicality of this EUSBS. The EUSBS developed in this paper is able to overcome difficulties in big data collection and utilization on sides of distribution network and electricity utilization, and eventually implement a deep information-energy fusion and a friendly supply-demand interaction between the grid and users. This contribution presents a detailed and systematic development scheme of the EUSBS, and moreover, the laboratory prototypes of the hardware and software subsystems have been developed based on E-net technologies. This paper can provide some thoughts and suggestions for the research of active distribution network and comprehensive energy management and optimization in power systems, as well as references and guidance for researchers to carry out research regarding energy management, optimization and coordinated control of the smart buildings.

With the global warming and the frequent occurrences of harsh environments, mooring line failures are frequent. Response analysis of the platform structure and its residual mooring system under multiple mooring line failures is needed. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the change law of platform motion response after mooring line failure to find out the reasons for the change. Studies for different failure combinations of mooring lines show that the variation of the steady-state equilibrium position of the platform is closely related to the stiffness, with a clear functional. The duration and amplitude of the transient response are mainly influenced by the Morison drag force. And it was found that the suspended mooring line reduced the motion responses. It is also found that the mooring line failure increased the effective tension and suspension length of the riser. Based on the improved Dezert-Smarandache theory (DSmT), it is calculated that mooring line failure has little effect on the failure probability in different zones of the riser.

To get a better knowledge of the effects of residual chlorothalonil on soil characteristics and soil microbial communities, we evaluated the dissipation of chlorothalonil and the effects of different chlorothalonil concentrations on soil respiration, enzyme activities, and microbial community structure in yellow-brown loam soils. Bacterial and fungal soil communities were examined using traditional plate counting and polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR–DGGE) methods. Soil properties and the results of DGGE band analysis were both used to estimate the status of the soil microbial ecosystem. The results show that residual chlorothalonil has considerable effects on soil respiration, enzymatic activities, and microbial community structure. In particular, soil respiration and phosphatase activities were increased, while saccharase activity, microbial biomass, and microbial community diversity were decreased by increasing levels of chlorothalonil treatment. Correlation analyses revealed that the application of chlorothalonil was significantly correlated with the change of the soil respiration, urease activity, sucrase activity, soil culturable bacteria and culturable fungi biomass. We conclude that residual chlorothalonil is directly related to soil respiration, enzyme activities, and microbial community structure.

Lirianthe delavayi has valuable ornamental and medicinal value, is an important economic tree, and has a long history of cultivation. As important regulatory molecules, miRNAs are involved in important physiological processes, such as the plant stress response, organ morphogenesis, hormone secretion, and signaling. In this study, based on miRNA sequencing analysis of wild and cultivated Lirianthe delavayi, we explored the differences in posttranscriptional regulation during the cultivation of Lirianthe delavayi from the aspect of miRNA molecular regulation. The results revealed the following: 1. A total of 365 miRNAs were sequenced and identified, and their first bases had obvious uracil (U) base preferences. Among them, 242 miRNAs were classified into 32 miRNA families; 2. Analysis of miRNA expression differences revealed that 39 miRNAs had significant expression differences between wild and cultivated populations; 3. Bioinformatics target gene prediction and target gene enrichment analysis of significantly differentially expressed miRNAs revealed that the target genes were significantly enriched in plant‒pathogen interactions, sphingolipid metabolism, defense responses, and ADP binding. 4. The plant‒pathogen interaction pathway involves seven differentially expressed miRNAs and 30 miRNA‒target gene regulatory pairs, which are involved mainly in pathogen signature molecule recognition and binding, signal transduction, and the regulation of disease resistance molecules or gene expression; Ath-MIR169g-p3_2ss7AG19GA, ath-MIR169g-p5_2ss7AG19GA, and ath-miR408-3p_L-3 are expressed only in wild population, and it is hypothesized that the domestication process from wild to cultivation species may be accompanied by the loss of disease resistance-related miRNAs. This study provides a reference for exploring the posttranscriptional-level regulatory mechanisms of adaptive changes in Lirianthe delavayi from wild to cultivated.

Recently, electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reactions (ORRs) as well as oxygen evolution reactions (OERs) hinged on electrospun nanofiber composites have attracted wide research attention. Transition metal elements and heteroatomic doping are important methods used to enhance their catalytic performances. Lately, the construction of electrocatalysts based on metal-organic framework (MOF) electrospun nanofibers has become a research hotspot. In this work, bimetallic NixCoy-ZIF nanocrystals were synthesized in an aqueous solution, followed by NixCoy-ZIF/PAN electrospun nanofiber precursors, which were prepared by a simple electrospinning method. Bimetal (Ni-Co) porous carbon nanofiber catalysts doped with nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur elements were obtained at high-temperature carbonization treatment in different atmospheres (Ar, Air, and H2S), respectively. The morphological properties, structures, and composition were characterized by SEM, TEM, SAED, XRD, and XPS. Also, the specific surface area of materials and their pore size distribution was characterized by BET. Linear sweep voltammetry curves investigated catalyst performances towards oxygen reduction and evolution reactions. Importantly, Ni1Co2-ZIFs/PAN-Ar yielded the best ORR activity, whereas Ni1Co1-ZIFs/PAN-Air exhibited the best OER performance. This work provides significant guidance for the preparation and characterization of multi-doped porous carbon nanofibers carbonized in different atmospheres.

A series of penta-1,4-dien-3-one containing a H-phosphonate scaffold were designed and synthesized. The structures of all title compounds were determined by 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, 31P-NMR, and HRMS. Bioassay results showed that several of the title compounds exhibited remarkable antibacterial and antiviral activities. Among these, compounds 3c and 3o exhibited substantial antibacterial activities against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. Oryzae (Xoo) and Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri (Xac). In addition, compounds 3c, 3f, and 3r showed remarkable curative activities against tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), with 50% effective concentration (EC50) values of 290.0, 234.0, and 373.6 μg/mL, respectively. These were superior to that of ningnanmycin (386.2 μg/mL). Compound 3r exhibited comparative protective activity against TMV, with an EC50 value of 291.1 μg/mL, which was better than that of ningnanmycin (297.1 μg/mL). Notably, the solubility of all title compounds improved relative to the lead compound curcumin. These results suggest that penta-1,4-dien-3-one containing a H-phosphonate scaffold may be considered as an activator for antibacterial and antiviral agents.

In order to improve the wear resistance of copper contacts in high-voltage switches and improve the abnormal discharge phenomenon caused by wear gaps, laser remelting technology was used to strengthen the surface of copper contacts. The surface morphology, microhardness, and wear resistance of the remelted samples were tested and characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), microhardness tester, and friction and wear tester. The test results indicate that laser frequency, pulse width, and current parameters can directly affect the surface morphology and wear resistance of the sample, but their influencing processes vary. The laser frequency is achieved by the variation of the superposition relationship between the impact points, while the pulse width and current are achieved by the variation of the laser intensity at the impact points. When the pulse frequency is 10Hz, the pulse width is 10ms, and the current is 100A, the sample exhibits a more balanced surface morphology, microhardness, and wear resistance.

Autofocus is an essential part of the SAR imaging process. Multi-subaperture autofocus algorithm is a commonly used autofocus algorithm for processing SAR stripmap mode data. The multi-subaperture autofocus algorithm has two main steps, the first is to estimate the phase error gradient within the subaperture, the second is to splice the phase error gradient, that is, to remove the shift amount between the estimated adjacent subapertures’ error gradients. Previous gradient-splicing algorithms assume that the estimation of subaperture error is accurate, but when the estimation of subaperture phase error gradients is not accurate enough, these algorithm performance will be degraded. A new phase error gradient splicing algorithm is proposed in this paper. It roughly estimates the shift amount first, and then finely estimates the shift amount based on the minimum-entropy criterion, which can improve the robustness of splicing especially when the estimation of the phase error gradients of the subaperture is not accurate enough. To speed up the algorithm, a variable-step-size search method is used. Simulation and experimental results show that the algorithm has enough accuracy and still has good performance when other splicing algorithms doesn’t perform well.

EGFR mutations are heterogenous but all carry the same weighting in the Lung-molGPA. The aim of this study was to elucidate the different prognostic implications of molecular subtypes and frontline TKIs in EGFR-mutated lung adenocarcinoma with synchronous brain metastases (BM) using the Lung-molGPA. Medical records were searched in hospital databases from 2011 to 2015. Patients with EGFR-mutated adenocarcinoma and brain metastases who received TKIs were included. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate survival, and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A total of 256 patients were included with a median overall survival (OS) of 17.2 months. In multivariate analysis of OS, only age (70 versus &lt;70 years, HR:1.71, 95% CI:1.25-2.35, p&lt;0.001), KPS (&lt;70 versus 70, HR:1.71, 95% CI:1.26-2.31, p&lt;0.001), and rare mutations (other versus exon 19 deletions, HR:1.78, 95% CI:1.04-3.05, p=0.037) remained statistically significant. In patients with a Lung-molGPA score 2.5, EGFR molecular subtypes had different median OS (exon 19 deletions versus Leu858Arg versus other, 18.8 vs 12.4 vs 12.1 months, p=0.021). In conclusion, different molecular subtypes treated with frontline TKIs have different prognostic implications in the Lung-molGPA. Further prospective studies are warranted to validate these findings.

Understanding and evaluating urban investment environment is essential for effectively improving the efficiency of resource allocation between cities and promoting overall development of the regional economy. This paper takes 15 node cities on maritime Silk Road covered by the “Belt and Road” as the research object, establishes a dynamic evaluation index system for investment environment, and uses projection pursuit cluster to analyze and evaluate the investment environment of the cities. It is found that the investment environment potential of a city is directly related to the level of social development, economic development, and the degree of opening to the outside world. It is recommended that node cities should seize the important opportunity of the construction of the Maritime Silk Road, introduce world-wide human, financial and material resources to promote regional resources allocation and flow, and continuously improve and upgrade the investment environment quality.

A dual-platform colorimetric and ratiometric chemosensor, namely 6-(2-hydroxynaphthalen)-N-n-butyl-naphthalimide (HNA), based on Schiff base constructed from N-n-butyl-4-amino-1,8-naphthalimide and 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde has been designed and fabricated for detecting fluoride anion (F−) in DMSO solution. HNA is a colorimetic and ratiometric probe with superior selectivity and sensitivity. The color changes of HNA from yellow to purple was observed by the naked eyes in the presence of F−. The absorbance in the UV-Vis spectra of HNA was decreasing in 422 nm, while gradually increasing in 583 nm by adding F−. The limit of detection (LOD) of HNA for detecting F− is low to 0.61 μM and the binding model of HNA and F− is in 3:2 stoichiometry. Meanwhile, HNA can be used to detect F− in real samples. Finally, the mechanism of HNA for the detection of F− was investigated. The present work indicated that HNA would be a superior potential chemosensor in monitoring F− selectively and sensitively.

The integration of deep learning methods, especially Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), and Synthetic Aperture Radar Automatic Target Recognition (SAR ATR) has been widely deployed in the field of radar signal processing. Nevertheless, these methods are frequently regarded as black-box models due to the limited visual interpretation of their internal feature representation and parameter organization. In this paper, we propose an innovative approach named C-RISE, which builds upon the RISE algorithm to provide a post-hoc interpretation technique for black-box models used in SAR Images Target Recognition. C-RISE generates saliency maps that effectively visualize the significance of each pixel. Our algorithm outperforms RISE by clustering masks that capture similar fusion features into distinct groups, enabling more appropriate weight distribution and increased focus on the target area. Furthermore, we employ Gaussian blur to process the masked area, preserving the original image structure with optimal consistency and integrity. C-RISE has been extensively evaluated through experiments, and the results demonstrate superior performance over other interpretation methods based on perturbation when applied to neural networks for SAR image target recognition. Furthermore, our approach is highly robust and transferable compared to other interpretable algorithms, including white-box methods.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent cancers in human populations worldwide. Conversely, Huanglian Decoction is one of the most important Chinese medicine formulas, with the potential to treat cancer. Methods: To identify differentially expressed genes (DEG), we herein downloaded gene expression profile data from the TCGA (TCGA-LIHC) and GEO (GSE45436) databases. We obtained phytochemicals of the four constituent herbs of Huanglian Decoction from the traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology database and analysis platform (TCMSP). We also established a regulatory network of DEG and their drug target genes and subsequently analyzed key genes using bioinformatic approaches. Furthermore, we explored the effect of Huanglian Decoction by conducting in vitro experiments so as to verify the prediction. In particular, the CCNB1 gene was knockdown to verify the primary target of this Decoction. Results: Based on the results of network pharmacological analysis, we revealed that there are 5 bioactive compounds in Huanglian Decoction acting on HCC. In addition, our findings confirmed that CCNB1 was the primary key gene, which can be highly expressed in tumors and was significantly associated with a worse prognosis (P = 0.002) according to PPI network analysis of the target genes of these five compounds, as well as expression and prognosis analyses in tumors. We also noted that CCNB1 can be used as an independent prognostic indicator of HCC (P < 0.01). Moreover, in vitro experimental results demonstrate that Huanglian Decoction can significantly inhibit the growth, migration, and invasion of HCC cells. Finally, further analysis showed that this Decoction may inhibit the growth of HCC cells by down-regulating the expression level of CCNB1.

Marek’s disease (MD) is an important neoplastic disease caused by serotype 1 Marek's disease virus (MDV-1), which results in severe economic losses worldwide. Despite vaccination practices that have controlled the MD epidemic, current increasing MD-suspected cases indicate the persistent viral infections circulating among vaccinated chicken farms in many countries. However, the lack of available information about phylogeny and molecular characterization of circulating MDV-1 field strains in Taiwan reveals a potential risk in MD outbreaks. This study investigated the genetic characteristics of 18 MDV-1 isolates obtained from 17 vaccinated chicken flocks in Taiwan between 2018 and 2020. Based on the sequences of the meq oncogene, phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that the circulating Taiwanese MDV-1 field strains were predominantly in a single cluster that showed high similarity with strains/isolates from countries of East Asian region. Because the isolated strains were obtained from CVI988/Rispens vaccinated chicken flocks and the molecular characteristics of the Meq oncoprotein showed the features like vvMDV and vv+MDV strains, the circulating Taiwanese MDV-1 field strains may have higher virulence compared with vvMDV pathotype. In conclusion, the presented data demonstrate the circulation of hypervirulent MDV-1 strains in Taiwan and highlight the importance of routine surveillance and precaution strategies in response to the emergence of enhanced virulent MDV-1.

Our previous retrospective observational study demonstrated the safety of laparoscopically assisted subtotal colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis and preservation of the superior rectal artery (SRA), without instances of leakage, in patients with slow-transit constipation (STC). Thus, we extended the enrollment period and enlarged the sample size to detect the differences in the post-operative complications, and surgical and functional outcomes between patients who underwent laparoscopically assisted subtotal colectomy with and without SRA preservation. We conducted a retrospective single-center analysis of patients with STC who underwent laparoscopically assisted subtotal colectomy between 2016 and 2020. The diagnosis of STC was based on the colonic transit and anal functional tests, and barium enema to exclude secondary causes. Patients were divided into group A that underwent surgery with SRA preservation, and group B that underwent ligation of the SRA during surgery. Outcome assessments for both groups included the incidence of anastomotic breakdown, intraoperative complications, length of hospital stay, estimated blood loss, time to first flatus, and complications. Propensity-score matching allocated 34 patients to groups A and B each. Postoperative bowel function, including time to first flatus, stool, and oral intake, recovered better in group A than that in group B. Anastomotic leakage, a significant postoperative complication, was less frequent in patients with SRA preservation. Preservation of the SRA in patients undergoing laparoscopically assisted subtotal colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis for STC is associated with favorable postoperative bowel function recovery and lower anastomotic leakage rates.

China is rich in coal resources under water bodies. However, for a long time, the safety prediction of high-intensity mining under water bodies is one of the problems encountered by the coal industry. It is of great significance to realize safe mining under water bodies, improve the recovery rate of coal resources and protect reservoir resources. Therefore, this article takes the No. 5 coal seam and No. 11 mining area of Wangwa Coal Mine as the research object, and integrates physical simulation, numerical simulation, theoretical analysis and other methods to study the development height of water-conducting fracture zones in fully mechanized top coal caving mining. Solid-liquid coupling physical simulation test reveals the failure characteristics of overlying strata in goaf and the seepage law of reservoir water under the influence of mining. By comparing the monitoring data of borehole leakage, the measured data obtained by borehole peeping with the height data of water-conducting fracture zone obtained by the traditional empirical formula of three-under standard, the error between the two is as high as -29.39 %. In this case, the variance correction coefficient is used to correct the empirical formula, and on this basis, in order to effectively protect the surface water dam and water body, the mining height of coal seam in the working face with limited height mining is inversely derived. The research results provide a basis for the safety prediction of high-intensity mining under the reservoir dam in the ecologically fragile areas of western China and provide a scientific guarantee for the formulation of safety measures under such conditions.

Photodynamic therapy has been applied endoscopically to treat early esophageal cancer. However, the long-term survival outcome of this treatment option is unknown in literature. Patients and Method: The patients of early esophageal cancer (clinical stage I) treated with photophrin based photodynamic therapy were analyzed for their long-term survival outcome and compared to those patients undergoing esophagectomy by a single surgeon for stage I disease. Results: There were 15 and 16 patients undergoing PDT and esophagectomy enrolled in the current study respectively. Complete response was achieved in 10 (66.7%) patients after PDT. After adjuvant chemoradiation (CCRT) complete response was achieved in 13 patients (86%). There is no mortality after PDT. Severe complication was detected in 3 patients including trachea-esophageal fistulae, esophageal stenosis and skin photosensitivity respectively. With a median follow-up duration of 110.2 months (+9.6 months) for the patients after PDT, there were 4 and 3 recurrence in the primary tumor site and regional lymph node respectively with 73.3% of successful local control rate of the primary tumor. There were 7 (46.7%) patients died during clinical follow-up of this cohort with 5 (33.3%) from disease progression of esophageal cancer and two from other diseases respectively. The five-year survival rate after PDT is 64.3%, whereas 70.9% of the patients after esophagectomy without significant difference of these two group of patients (P=0.72). Conclusion: Our preliminary results suggested that PDT might provide an equivalent long-term oncological outcome as compared to that done by esophagectomy for early esophageal cancer. A prospective randomized clinical trial comparing the results with esophagectomy and other endoscopic abrasive therapies is warrant in the future.

In order to make full use of the complementarity of existing navigation systems to improve the navigation and positioning accuracy, this paper investigates the visual/INS integrated navigation system based on the factor graph optimization (FGO) algorithm. In the traditional visual/INS integrated navigation system, there is often the problem of image blurring due to the rapid change of light and shadow captured by the vision sensor and the attitude change of the carrier, which leads to the decrease of the positioning accuracy of the combined navigation system. Therefore, this paper firstly introduces Retinex algorithm and BID algorithm to carry out the design of image de-blurring method; then implements the visual/INS integrated navigation algorithm based on the factor graph optimization method; finally, the experimental scheme is designed, comparative experiments are carried out, and the researched method is verified by using the public dataset. The experimental results show that the combined navigation algorithm realized in this paper has high accuracy, and its positioning accuracy is improved by 40% compared with visual positioning.

Taiwan developing offshore wind power to promote green energy and self-electricity production. In this study, a Light Detection and Ranging (Lidar) was set up at Chang-Hua development zone one on the sea and 10km away from the seashore. At Lidar location, WRF (3.33km & 2km grid lengths) model and WAsP were used to simulate the wind speed at various elevations. Three days mean wind speed of simulated results were compared with Lidar data. From the four wind data sets, developed five different comparisons to find an error% and R-Squared values. Comparison between WAsP and Floating Lidar was shown good consistency. Lukang meteorological station 10 years wind observations at 5m height were used for wind farm energy predictions. The yearly variation of energy predictions of traditional and TGC wind farm layouts are compared under purely neutral and stable condition. The one-year cycle average surface heat flux over the Taiwan Strait is negative (-72.5 (W/m2) and 157.13 STD), which represents stable condition. At stable condition TGC (92.39%) and 600(92.44%), wind farms were shown higher efficiency. The Fuhai met mast wind data was used to estimate roughness length and power law exponent. The average roughness lengths are very small and unstable atmosphere.

It has been empirically observed that the upper tail of the firm size distribution follows either the Pareto distribution or the Zipf distribution, with both patterns being explained by Gibrat’s law (Gabaix, 1999). This article analyzed firm revenue data from China, spanning from 2005 to 2013, to examine the whole range of the firm size distribution. Our empirical analysis revealed that firm revenue data over these years is well fitted by a three-parameter generalized Pareto distribution, with the fitted parameters indicating a dichotomy: The size distribution of large-sized firms, namely the upper tail, is asymptotically characterized by a Pareto distribution or a Zipf distribution, whereas the size distribution of smaller and medium-sized firms is approximated by an exponential distribution. This finding suggests that Gibrat’s law should be extended to account for the emergence of a generalized Pareto distribution.

We reported previously that poly (3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) oligomer is an effective antimicrobial agent against gram-positive bacteria, gram-negative bacteria, fungi and multi-drug resistant bacteria. In this work, it was further found that polyethylene glycol (PEG) can promote the antimicrobial effect of PHB oligomer synergistically. Three hypothetic mechanisms were proposed, that is, generation of new antimicrobial components, degradation of PHB macromolecules and dissolution/dispersion of PHB oligomer by PEG. With a series of systematic experiments and characterizations of HPLC-MS, it was deducted that dissolution/dispersion of PHB oligomer dominated the synergistic antimicrobial effect between PHB oligomer and PEG. This work demonstrates a way for promoting antimicrobial effect of PHB oligomer and other antimicrobial agents through improving hydrophilicity.

Xinjiang, as a climate-sensitive region in northwest China, holds significant importance in studying extreme weather events for agricultural production and socioeconomic development. Based on data from 52 meteorological stations and 23 extreme climate indicators in Xinjiang from 1960 to 2021, the 5a moving average, linear trend estimation, climate tendency rate, and GIS spatial analysis methods are used to analyze the distribution and change characteristics of extreme climate. The results revealed that from 1960 to 2021, TXx, TNx, TXn, TNn, FD, ID, TN10p, TX10p, and WSDI showed a significant upward trend, while SU, TR, TN90p, TX90p, and CSDI showed a significant downward trend. What is more, the range of changes in the extreme temperature indexes from 1990 to 2021 is higher than that of 1960 to 1989. The high-value areas of extreme indexes are primarily concentrated in the northern part, while the high-value areas of cold event indexes are mainly distributed in the southern part. The upward/downward trends all accounting for over 80.00% of the entire region. The Rx1day, Rx5day, PRCPTOT, R95p, R99p, R10, R20, and R25 showed a significant growth trend from 1960 to 2021, and the range of change in the extreme precipitation indexes from 1990 to 2021 was lower than that from 1960 to 1989. Moreover, their high-value areas and high climate tendency areas are mainly concentrated in the northern and western parts of Xinjiang, with upward trends all accounting for over 71.00% of the entire region. The research results provide theoretical foundations for formulating climate risk strategies in the northwest region of China.

Simply Summary: Translation of new cancer treatments between pets and human were noticed in comparative oncological investigation. The current study aims at evaluating a polyacetylenic glucoside purified from an edible herb, Bidens pilosa, to present its anti-angiogenic effects. We innovatively find this polyacetylenic glucoside, cytopiloyne, shows anti-angiogenic effect on different in vitro assays and various in vivo animal models under hypoxia. Based on results of this study, cytopiloyne will be a prospective herb angiogenesis inhibitor candidate to control animal or human cancer formation as adjuvant therapy. Abstract: Anti-angiogenesis is a pivotal combination treatment approach in cancer therapy but rare using on companion animals. This study aimed at evaluating the anti-angiogenic effect of a B. pilosa sourced polyacetylenic glucoside, cytopiloyne, on various in vitro assays and in vivo models. We provide evidences showing that CP has anti-angiogenic activities. Firstly, CP inhibited sponge/ Matrigel plug angiogenesis from tumor cells and decreased the survival of tumor cells on hypoxic conditions. Besides, CP declined PKCα protein expression which a protein leads to the growth and spread of tumors under hypoxia. Secondly, inhibitory effects of CP on endothelial angiogenesis were confirmed by chick chorioallantoic membrane assay, tube formation of SVEC4-10 cells and Matrigel plug assay. A dose-dependent CP treatment inhibited 4T1 cells proliferation under hypoxia and migration. It also suppresses VEGF transcription under hypoxia. Finally, we found that CP decreased PDIA4, a novel regulator of cancer growth, expression in endothelial cells. This effect was confirmed by PDIA4 knockout mice with reduced angiogenesis in Matrigel plug assay. Taken together, these results suggest that CP might act as a promising anti-angiogenic herbal agent candidate to be used in animal hypervascularized cancer of veterinary medicine or in combination to control human cancer as adjuvant therapy.

Breast cancer is a complex and heterogeneous disease that displays diverse molecular subtypes and clinical outcomes. Although it is known that the location of tumors can affect their biological behavior, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. In our previous study, we found a differential methylation profile and membrane potential between left (L) and right (R)-sided breast tumors. In this current study, we aimed to identify the ion channels responsible for this phenomenon and determine any associated phenotypic features. To achieve this, experiments were conducted in mammary tumors in mice, human patient samples, and with data from public datasets. The results revealed that L-sided tumors have a more depolarized state than R-ones. We identified a 6-ion channel-gene signature (CACNA1C, CACNA2D2, CACNB2, KCNJ11, SCN3A, and SCN3B) associated with side: L-tumors exhibit lower expression levels than R-ones. Additionally, in silico analyses show that the signature correlates inversely with DNA methylation writers and with key biological processes involved in cancer progression, such as proliferation and stemness. The signature also correlates inversely with patients’ survival rates. In an in vivo mouse model, we confirmed that KI67 and CD44 markers were increased in L-sided tumors and similar tendency for KI67 was found in patient L-tumors. Overall, this study provides new insights into the potential impact of anatomical location on breast cancer biology and highlights the need for further investigation into possible differential treatment options.

For underwater vehicles navigating in Arctic Sea ice-covered waters, fatigue damage is a crucial issue. Many scholars have conducted low-temperature fatigue analysis on low-temperature ma-terials and substrate platforms for ships, and the results show that low-temperature is beneficial for improving the mechanical properties of materials. However, they mainly focus on low-temperature performance experiments and simulation analysis of standard components of materials, and there are very few fatigue life experimental studies on underwater vehicle me-chanical structures. This paper conducts experimental investigations on a scaled model of an underwater vehicle rudder mechanism in a polar environment laboratory. Using a comparative analysis method involving simulations and experiments, the low-temperature fatigue test data of the scaled underwater vehicle rudder mechanism are analyzed, and the quantified analysis be-tween fatigue and different low-temperature loading cycles, as well as the influence of icing on the fatigue life, is explored. It is indicated that the arctic environment can decrease the fatigue life of the underwater vehicle rudder mechanism by deteriorating its material properties. The paper builds the foundation for the fatigue life of an underwater vehicle rudder mechanism in arctic low-temperature environments.

The perturbations of DNA methyltransferase 3 alpha (DNMT3A) may cause uncontrolled gene expression, resulting in cancers and tumors. The DNMT inhibitors Azacytidine (AZA) and Zebu-larine (ZEB) inhibit the DNMT family with no specificities and consequently would bring side effects during the treatment. Therefore, it is vital to understand their inhibitory mechanisms in DNMT3A to inform the new inhibitor design for DNMTs. Herein, we carried out molecular dynamics (MD) and quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) simulations to investigate the inhibitory mechanisms of AZA and ZEB. The results were compared to the methyl transfer of cytosine. We showed AZA might stop the methyl transfer process, whereas the ZEB might be stuck in a me-thyl-transferred intermediate (IM3). Such IM3 state then fails the elimination due to the unique protein dynamics that result in missing the catalytic water chain. Our results brought atomic-level insights into the mechanisms of the two drugs in DNMT3A, which could benefit the new generation of drug design for the DNMTs.

This study aims to develop an in-situ field repair approach, special for aircraft composite structures, to enhance the interlaminar toughness of plain woven composites (PWCs) by adding multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). MWCNTs are dispersed at each interface between prepreg layers by means of solvent spraying with the density is 1.58 g/m2. And then, the layers are stacked with the predefined sequence and cured at 120℃ and 1 bar pressure using the heat repairing instrument. Moreover, double cantilever beam (DCB) standard test is used to investigate the interlaminar toughening effect due to the MWCNTs. For comparison, original samples are also prepared, the results indicate that the introduction of MWCNTs can favorably enhance the interlaminar toughness of PWCs at field repair approach and the Mode I fracture energy release rate GIC increases by 102.92%. Based on finite element method (FEM) of continuum damage mechanics, the original and MWCNTs toughening specimen under DCB Mode I fracture are modeled and analyzed. The simulation and experiment are in good agreement. Finally, the toughening mechanism of MWCNTs is explored by scanning electron microscope (SEM), it is founded that a large amount of Fiber-matrix (F-M) interface debonding and matrix cracking of mountain shape are the major modes of fracture accompanied with few fiber breakage and matrix peeling off for the MWCNTs toughening specimens.

Directional dithering of a laser beam potentially limits the detection accuracy of a laser triangulation displacement probe. A theoretical analysis indicates that the measurement accuracy will linearly decrease as the laser dithering angle increases. To suppress laser dithering, a laser triangulation displacement probe with laser beam pointing control, which consists of a collimated red laser, a laser beam pointing control setup, a receiver lens, and a charge-coupled device, is proposed in this paper. The laser beam pointing control setup is inserted into the source laser beam and the measured object and can separate the source laser beam into two symmetrical laser beams. Hence, at the angle at which the source laser beam dithers, the positional averages of the two laser spots are equal and opposite. Moreover, a laser dithering compensation algorithm is used to maintain a stable average of the positions of the two spots on the imaging side. Experimental results indicate that with laser beam pointing control, the standard variance of the fitting error decreases from 0.3531 to 0.0100, the repeatability accuracy can be decreased from ±7mm to ±5 μm, and the nonlinear error can be reduced from ±6 %FS to ±0.16 %FS.

COVID-19 is a highly infectious respiratory illness caused by SARS-CoV-2, and acute lung injury (ALI) is the major cause of COVID-19. The challenge in studying SARS-CoV-2 pathogenicity is the limited availability of animal models. Therefore, it is necessary to establish animal models that can reproduce multiple characteristics of ALI to study therapeutic applications. The present study established a mouse model that has features of ALI that are similar to COVID-19 syndrome to investigate the role of ACE2 and the administration of the Chinese herbal prescription NRICM101 in ALI. Mice with genetic modifications, including overexpression of human ACE2 (K18-hACE2 TG) and absence of ACE2 (mACE2 KO), were intratracheally instillated with hydrochloric acid. The acid intratracheal instillation induced severe immune cell infiltration, cytokine storms, and pulmonary disease in mice. Compared with K18-hACE2 TG mice, mACE2 KO mice exhibited dramatically increased levels of multiple inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α, and TGF-β1) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, histological evidence of lung injury, and dysregulation of MAPK and MMP activation. In mACE2 KO mice, NRICM101 could ameliorate the disease progression of acid-induced ALI. In conclusion, the established mouse model provided an effective platform for researchers to investigate pathological mechanisms and develop therapeutic strategies for ALI, including COVID-19-related ALI.

The black hole (BH) phenomenon is an intraluminal restenotic lesion. It was identified by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) after intracoronary brachytherapy and drug-eluting stent implantation. Despite the similarity in the mode of action of brachytherapy and drug-eluting stent implantation, the BH phenomenon appears to be uncommon after drug-eluting stent implantation. Specifically, the BH phenomenon is better identified by OCT than by IVUS. Herein, we present a case of in-stent restenosis with suspected BH phenomenon on IVUS confirmed by OCT.

Nutrition therapy is the best solution to human chronic diseases, especially beer and barley which play an important role in human health and civilization. We demonstrated the actional mechanism of functional ingredients in beer and barley to combat chronic diseases, based on PubMed, google, CNKI, and ISI Web of Science databases from 1997 to 2024. Beer is rich in functional ingredients that is a complex of barley malt and hops; the health effect of beer against 26 chronic diseases is highly similar to that of barley, due to molecular mechanism of polyphenols (phenolic acids, flavonoids), melatonin, minerals, bitter acids, vitamins, and peptides. The ancient German Beer Purity Law provides much scientific basis today, especially indirectly supporting the human one cell disease theory. Low purine beer can be produced by enzymatic and biological degradation and adsorption of purines as well as dandelion addition. Functional beer with low purine and high active ingredients made from Beer Purity and barley malt as well as functional foods addition will be the key and important development direction, such as ginger beer and ginseng beer, especially coix-lily beer at the ancestors ca. 9000 years ago. This review paper not only reveals the actional mechanism of beer overcoming human chronic diseases, but also provides scientific basis for the development of functional beer for the prevention and treatment of human chronic diseases.

The diagnosis of a rolling bearing for monitoring its status is critical for maintaining industrial equipment using rolling bearings. The traditional method of diagnosing faults of the rolling bearing has low identification accuracy, which needs artificial feature extraction to enhance the accuracy. 1D-CNN method not only can diagnose bearing faults accurately but also overcome shortcomings of the traditional methods. Different from machine learning and other deep learning models, the 1D-CNN method does not need pre-processing one-dimensional data of rolling bearing’s vibration. Thus, it enhances the processing speed and improves the network structure to have a reasonable design for small sample data sets. This study proposes and tests a 1D-CNN method for diagnosing rolling bearings. By introducing the dropout operation, the method obtains high accuracy and improves the generalizing ability. The experimental results show 99.52% of the average accuracy under a single load and 98.26% under different loads.

Brown-marbled grouper is one of the most important mariculture species in China, which is used as an important crossbreeding parent in grouper industry. Enhancing growth rates is a key target in fish breeding, and gaining insight into the underlying mechanisms responsible for growth differences among individuals can aid in the improvement of grouper growth rates. However, the mechanism behind this difference in growth in this fish is unclear. The difference of transcriptome profiles of muscle tissue between fast- and slow-growing brown-marbled grouper was analyzed by RNA-Seq. 77 significantly up-regulated genes and 92 significantly down-regulated genes were identified in the growth extreme groups. The up-regulated of ghr and tnni2 and the down-regulated of stc2 led to the growth advantages of brown-marbled grouper. The differently expressed genes (DEGs) were used for GO and KEGG enrichment analysis. The results of GO enrichments indicated that the significantly upregulated genes in the fast-growing group were involved in protein folding, actin cytoskeleton, myosin complex, etc. The results of KEGG enrichments indicated that the significantly upregulated genes in the fast-growing group were involved in glycolysis/ gluconeogenesis, adipocytokine signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, carbon metabolism, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, etc. To analysis the difference gene sets between fast- and slow-growing group, the RNA-seq data were used by gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). The results showed that the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway was up-regulated in the fast-growing group. The up-regulated of this pathway could lead to higher nutrient absorption efficiency and lead to muscle growth in the fast-growing group. These results contribute to understanding of the molecular mechanisms of fast growth and regulative pathways regulating growth in brown-marbled grouper.

Laser scanning 3D imaging technology, because it can get accurate three-dimensional surface data, has been widely used in the search for wrecks and rescue operations, underwater resource development, and other fields. At present, the conventional underwater rotating laser scanning imaging system maintains a relatively fixed light window. However, in low-light situations underwater, the rotation of the scanning device causes some degree of water fluctuation, which warps the light strip data that the system sensor receives about the object's surface. To solve the problem, this research studies an underwater 3D scanning and imaging system that makes use of a fixed-light window and a spinning laser (FWLS). A refraction error compensation algorithm is investigated that is based on the fundamentals of linear laser scanning imaging and the dynamic refraction mathematical model is established by the motion of the imaging device. During the imaging process, the incident angle between the laser and the light window varies due to the scanning mode of the system. The experimental results show that the reconstruction radius error is reduced by 60% (from 2.5 mm to about 1 mm) when the measurement data for a standard sphere with a radius of 20 mm are compensated. Moreover, the compensated point cloud data exhibits a higher degree of correspondence with the model of the standard spherical point cloud. This study has a specific reference value for the refractive error analysis of an underwater laser scanning imaging system, and it provides certain research ideas for the subsequent refractive error analysis of various scanning imaging modalities.

Optical network monitoring and soft failure identification such as optical filter shifting and filter tightening is increasingly significant in the future complex and dynamic optical networks. Center frequency shift of optical filtering device in optical network has a serious impact on the perfor-mance of multi-span transmission, especially in high spectrum efficiency faster-than-Nyquist (FTN) transmission systems with various optical switching and add/drop nodes. Existing moni-toring schemes generally have problem of high cost, high complexity and the inability to realize multi-channel online monitoring, which makes it difficult to be applied in wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) system with numerous nodes. In this paper, a monitoring scheme of fre-quency shift of optical filtering devices based on optical label (OL) is proposed and demonstrated. The signal spectrum of each channel is intentionally divided into many sub-bands with corre-sponding optical labels loading. The characters of spectrum power changing caused by frequency shift can be reflected on labels power changing of each sub-band, which are used to monitor and estimate the value of frequency shift by DSP algorithm. Simulation results shows that the that the monitoring errors of frequency shift can be kept below 0.5GHz reasonably after 10-span WDM transmission in FTN polarization multiplexing m-ary quadrature amplitude modulation (PM-mQAM) systems. In addition, 250km fiber transmission experiments are also carried out and the similar results are obtained, which further verify the feasibility of our proposed scheme. The characters of low cost, high reliability and efficiency make it a better candidate for practical ap-plication in the future FTN WDM networks.

The hospital indoor environment plays a significant role in shaping the microbial exposures that humans encounter. Resistance to antibiotics is one of the mechanisms employed by bacteria to develop resilience against stress in indoor environments. The extensive usage of antibiotics has been a key factor in driving changes in the ecological function of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and their acquisition by pathogenic bacteria. By integrating the 16S rRNA Illumina sequencing and high throughput-qPCR approaches with water and air dust samples across seven departments at Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, China, this study yielded intriguing findings regarding the department-specific variation, transmission, and correlation of bacteria, ARGs and MGEs within the hospital indoor environment. One notable observation was that the seasonal variation played a vital role in shaping the bacterial composition in the overall hospital indoor environment across seven studied departments. Nevertheless, a similar significant seasonal impact was only observed in the blood test room and emergency departments, rather than in the other five departments. Another intriguing finding was the correlation between ARGs and MGEs abundance. This correlation was evident in the overall hospital indoor environment, which was conversely not found in the emergency, pneumology and gynecology departments. Additionally, while there was no significant relationship that occurred between bacterial communities and ARGs/MGEs within the hospital, the gynecology department demonstrated a close link between bacterial communities and the presence of ARGs/MGEs. Notably, the gynecology department also stood out as an important source of bacteria and ARGs/MGEs for other departments. This study underscores the need for careful surveillance and monitoring of antibiotic resistance, particularly in Legionella spp. in man-made water systems. The findings also show the importance of monitoring and understanding the genetic elements such as Tp614 involved in gene transfer and recombination, as well as their impact on antimicrobial treatment efficacy.

The objective of this study was to synthesize 9-/13-position substituted berberine derivatives and evaluated their cytotoxic and photocytotoxic effects against three human cancer cell lines. Among all the synthesized compounds, 9-O-dodecyl- (5e), 13-dodecyl- (6e) and 13-O-dodecyl-berberine (7e) exhibited stronger growth inhibition against three human cancer cell lines, (HepG2, HT-29 and BFTC905), in compare with structurally related berberine (1). These three compounds also showed the photocytotoxicity in human cancer cells in a concentration-dependent and light dose-dependent manner. Through flow cytometry analysis, we found out a lipophilic group at 9-/13-position of berberine may have facilitated its penetration into test cell and hence enhanced its photocytotoxicity on human liver cancer cell HepG2. Further, in cell cycle analysis, 5e, 6e and 7e induced HepG2 cells to arrest at S phase and caused apoptosis upon irradiation. In addition, photodynamic treatment of berberine (1) and its derivatives 5e, 6e and 7e again showed a significant photocytotoxic effects on HepG2 cells, induced remarkable cell apoptosis, greatly increased intracellular ROS level and the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. These results over and again confirmed that berberine derivatives 5e, 6e and 7e greatly enhanced photocytotoxicity. Taking together, the test data led us to conclude that berberine derivatives with a dodecyl group at 9-/13-position could be great candidates for the anti-liver cancer medicines developments.

This paper provides attempts to formalize Hayek’s theory of knowledge. It has been theoretically shown that exponential income distribution is a spontaneous order of the well-functioning market economy. We show that this theoretical result is supported by the empirical evidence from the United Kingdom and China. In particular, we empirically show how the income structure of China evolved towards an exponential distribution after the market-oriented economic reformation. Furthermore, we strictly prove that, if the income structure of an economy obeys an exponential distribution, the income summation over all households leads to an aggregate production function with Hicks-neutral-like technical progress, in which the technology factor is exactly equal to society’s information stock that is a result of combining all of decentralized decisions.

The knowledge of protein function is essential for the study of biological processes, the understanding of disease mechanism and the exploration of novel therapeutic target. Apart from experimental methods, a number of in-silico approaches have been developed and extensively used for protein function prediction. Among these approaches, BLAST predicts functions based on protein sequence similarity, and machine learning predicts functional families from protein sequences irrespective of their similarity, which complements BLAST and other methods in predicting diverse classes of proteins including distantly related proteins and homologous proteins of different functions. However, their identification accuracies and the false discovery rate have not yet been assessed so far, which greatly limits the usage of these prediction algorithms. Herein, a comprehensive comparison of the performances among four popular functional prediction algorithms (BLAST, SVM, PNN and KNN) was conducted. In particular, the performance of these algorithms were systematically assessed by four metrics (sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and Matthews correlation coefficient) based on the independent test datasets generated from 93 protein families defined by UniProtKB Keywords. Moreover, the false discovery rates of these algorithms were evaluated by scanning the genomes of four representative model species (homo sapiens, arabidopsis thaliana, saccharomyces cerevisiae and mycobacterium tuberculosis). As a result, the substantially higher sensitivity and stability of BLAST and SVM were observed compared with that of PNN and KNN. But the machine learning algorithms (PNN, KNN and SVM) were found capable of significantly reducing the false discovery rate (SVM < PNN ≈ KNN). In summary, this study comprehensively assessed the performance of four popular algorithms applied to protein function prediction, which could facilitate the selection of the most appropriate method in the related biomedical research.