The utilization of Pig Emotion Recognition (PER) driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI) promises to mitigate labor costs and alleviate stress among domestic pigs, thereby minimizing the need for consistent human intervention. Nevertheless, this research acknowledges the inherent limitations within the raw PER datasets, which often include irrelevant porcine features, hence impeding genuine progress in real-world evaluations. A significant proportion of PER datasets derive from sequential pig imagery obtained from video recordings, and a common pitfall in these studies is the unregulated shuffling of data. This lack of control can result in the overlap of data samples between training and testing groups, thereby yielding skewed experimental evaluations. To address these challenges, this paper introduces a novel solution in the form of the Semi-Shuffle-Pig Detector (SSPD) for PER datasets, with the intent to facilitate a less biased experimental output. By applying the SSPD, we can ensure that all testing data samples remain distinct from the training datasets, and any superfluous information from raw images is systematically discarded. This optimized method enhances the true performance of classification, providing unbiased experimental evaluations. Notably, our approach has led to a remarkable improvement in the Isolation After Feeding (IAF) metric by 20.2\% and achieved higher accuracy in segregating IAF and Paired After Feeding (PAF) classifications exceeding 92\%. This methodology, thereby, ensures the preservation of pertinent data within the PER system and eliminates potential biases in experimental evaluations. Consequently, it elevates the accuracy and reliability of real-world PER applications, resulting in a tangible positive impact on both pig welfare management and food safety standards.

In this paper we consider Changhee polynomials of type two, which are motivated from the recent work of Kim and Kim. We investigate some symmetry identities for the Changhee polynomials of type two which are derived from the properties of symmtery for the fermionic p-adic integral on Zp.

Short-range Internet of Things (IoT) sensor nodes operating at 2.4 GHz need to provide ubiquitous wireless sensor networks (WSNs) with energy-efficient, wide-range output power (POUT) and fully integrated on a single chip for wireless body area networks (WBANs) and wireless personal area networks (WPANs) using low-power Bluetooth (BLE) and Zigbee standards. The proposed fully integrated transmitter (TX) utilizes a digitally controllable current-mode class-D (CMCD) power amplifier (PA) with a second harmonic distortion (HD2) suppression to reduce VCO pulling in an integrated system while meeting harmonic limit regulations. The CMCD PA is divided into 7-bit slices that can be reconfigured between differential and single-ended topologies. Duty cycle distortion compensation is performed for HD2 suppression, and an HD2 rejection filter and a modified C-L-C low-pass filter (LPF) reduce HD2 further. Implemented in a 28 nm CMOS process, the TX achieves a wide POUT range of from 12.1 to -31 dBm and provides a maximum efficiency of 39.8% while consuming 41.1 mW at 12.1 dBm POUT. The calibrated HD2 level is -82.2 dBc at 9.93 dBm POUT, resulting in a transmitter figure of merit (TX_FoM) of -97.52 dB. Higher order harmonic levels remain below -41.2 dBm even at 12.1 dBm POUT, meeting regulatory requirements.

State transition in the multiple-levels system has the great potential applications in the quantum technology. In this article we employ a deterministic approach in complex space to analyze the dynamics of the 1s-2p electron transition in the hydrogen atom. The electron’s spin motion is embodied in the framework of quantum Hamilton mechanics that allows us to examine the transition dynamics more precisely. The transition is driven by an oscillating electric field in the z-direction. The electron’s transition process can be visualized by monitoring its motion in the complex space. The quantum potential and the total energy proposed in this paper provide new indices to observe the dynamic changes of electrons in the transition process.

Probability is an open question in the ontological interpretation of quantum mechanics. It has been discussed in some trajectory interpretations such as Bohmian mechanics and stochastic mechanics. New questions arise when the domain of probability extends to the complex space, including the generation of complex trajectories, the definition of the complex probability, the relation of the complex probability to the real quantum probability, and so on. The complex treatment proposed here applies the optimal quantum guidance law to derive the stochastic differential (SD) equation governing the particle’s random motions in the complex plane. The ensemble of the complex quantum random trajectories (CQRTs) solved from the complex SD equation is used to construct the probability distribution ρc(t,x,y) of the particle’s position over the complex plane z=x+iy. The correctness of the obtained complex probability is confirmed by the solution of the complex Fokker-Planck equation. The significant contribution of the complex probability is that it can be used to reconstruct both quantum probability and classical probability, and to clarify their relationship. Although quantum probability and classical probability are both defined on the real axis, they are obtained by projecting complex probability onto the real axis in different ways. This difference explains why the quantum probability cannot exactly converge to the classical probability when the quantum number is large.

When overhead lines are impacted by lightning, the traveling wave of the fault contains a wealth of fault information. The accurate extraction of feature quantities from transient components and their classification is fundamental to the identification of lightning faults. The extraction process may involve modal aliasing, optimal wavelet base issues, and inconsistencies between the lightning strike distance and the fault point, which have the potential to impact the effectiveness of recognition. This paper presents a method for identifying lightning strike faults by utilizing Kullback-Leibler (KL) divergence enhanced Variational Mode Decomposition (VMD) and Symmetric Geometry Mode Decomposition (SGMD) improved with Permutation Entropy (PE) to address the aforementioned issues. A model of a 220 kV overhead line is constructed using real faults to replicate scenarios of winding strike, counterstrike, and short-circuit. The three-phase voltage is chosen and then sub-jected to Karenbaren decoupling in order to transform it into zero mode, line mode 1, and line mode 2. The zero mode voltage is decomposed using KL-VMD and PE-SGMD methods, and lightning identification criteria are developed based on various transient energy ratios. The research findings demonstrate that the criteria effectively differentiate between winding strike, counterstrike, and short-circuit faults, thus confirming the accuracy and efficacy of the lightning fault identification criteria utilizing KL-VMD and PE-SGMD.

The exponential growth of digital media content has introduced new challenges in managing and classifying internet traffic. Digital media traffic is composed of various applications such as video, audio, social media, and search, and its data structure is complex, incorporating a vast array of features. The classification of traffic data is a crucial aspect of internet traffic management and network security, and it forms the basis for several scenarios, including content distribution, advertising recommendations, and data analysis. Traditional classification methods rely mainly on deep packet inspection and port-based techniques, which have become increasingly ineffective due to the rapid evolution of network traffic. To address this issue, this study proposes a machine learning-based traffic classification method aimed at enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of digital media traffic classification to meet the current needs of traffic management and network security. The paper also analyzes and evaluates the classification effect and prediction capability of various algorithms under different training set sizes to validate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method. The result demonstrates that the neural network algorithm has superior classification and prediction capabilities compared to the decision tree and support vector machine algorithms. Furthermore, our proposed method achieves the highest accuracy of 96.88% with a large training sample of 40,000 data streams, proving its superiority in handling high-dimensional data and complex datasets. The research results are significant for the development of digital media traffic classification and prediction methods and are expected to be applied in practical scenarios.

Temper embrittlement is a major challenge encountered during the heat treatment of high-performance steels for large forgings. This study investigates the microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of Cr-Ni-Mo-V thick-walled steel, designed for new large forgings with a tensile strength of 1500 MPa, under different tempering cooling rates. Optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) were employed to analyze the microstructural features. The results demonstrate that the embrittlement occurring during air cooling after tempering is attributed to the concentration of impurities near Fe3C at the grain boundaries. The low-temperature impact toughness at -40°C after water quenching reaches 29 J due to the accelerated cooling rate during tempering, which slows down the diffusion of impurity elements towards the grain boundaries, resulting in reduced concentration and dislocation density, and increased stability of the grain boundaries, thereby enhancing toughness. the bainite content decreases and the interface between martensite and bainite undergoes changes after water quenching during tempering. These alterations influence the crack propagation direction within the two-phase microstructure, further modifying the toughness. These findings contribute to the understanding of temper embrittlement and provide valuable guidance for optimizing heat treatment processes to enhance the performance of high-performance steels in large forgings.

Nested structure is a structural feature that is conducive to system stability formed by the co-evolution of species in mutualistic ecosystems, and reflects the ability of ecosystem stability to be restored to a stable state again after being destroyed. The co-opetition relationship and value flow between industrial sectors in the global value chain are similar to the mutualistic ecosystem, and the pattern of the global economic system is always changing in dynamic equilibrium. Nestedness theory is used in this article to define the generalist and specialist sectors in the global value chain to analyze the changes in the global supply pattern. Then we study the mechanism of the global economic system to reach a stable equilibrium and the role of different sectors in the steady of the economic system, so as to provide countermeasures for enhancing the stability of the global economic system. At the end of the article, the domestic trade network, export trade network and import trade network of each country are extracted, and an econometric model is designed to analyze how the microstructure of the production system affects a country’s macroeconomic performance, thereby deriving the conclusion that the stability of the international trade network is crucial to a country's economic development.

In this paper, we define new kind of Daehee numbers, the degenerate Daehee numbers of the third kind, using degenerate log function as generating function. We obtain some identities for the degenerate Daehee numbers of the third kind associated with the Daehee, degenerate Daehee and degenerate Daehee numbers of the second kind. In addition, we derive a differential equation associated with the degenerate log function. We deduce some identities from the differential equation.

In this research, we developed a wearable temperature-sensing element by dip dyeing threads in poly (3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) (p-type conducting polymer) solution. The PEDOT:PSS was used to dye the textile and it exhibited negative temperature coefficient characteristics in which the resistance decreases as the temperature increases. The fabricated temperature-detection thread achieved a sensitivity of 167.1 W/°C with 99.8% linearity in the temperature range of -50 to 80 °C. We anticipate that temperature sensors that apply our technology will be made as stitch- or textile-type for wearable devices, and they will be widely adopted for different applications such as in fitness, leisure, healthcare, medical treatment, infotainment, industry, and military applications, among others.

In this study, dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced in vivo model and LPS-stimulated in vitro model were used to confirm whether ethanol extract of Cnidii Rhizoma (EtCR) could ameliorate UC. EtCR improved symptoms of UC, including body weight loss, colon length shortening, disease activity index (DAI), and colon mucosal damage. In addition, EtCR decreased inflammatory mediators, including cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), in colon tissue. To further confirm the UC improving mechanism, RAW 264.7 cells and HT29 human epithelial cells were used. EtCR reduced expression of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6) and inflammatory mediators (nitric oxide and prostaglandin E₂) via JNK and NF-κB signaling pathway in RAW 264.7 cells. In addition, EtCR increased expression of trefoil factor 3 (TFF3), which is an epithelial cell protective factor, in HT29 cells. Taken together, our study suggests that EtCR has treatment effect on UC and can be a therapeutic agent.

This study was aimed at investigating the effects of roasting and cryogenic milling on particle size, water solubility, and amount of bioactive components in ginseng root. Samples were pulverized by cryogenic milling, and one treatment condition was selected for each size range (10-50 μm, and >50 μm). The selected samples were roasted at different temperatures (160-200 °C) followed by cryogenic milling. Powdered samples were analyzed for their physicochemical characteristics. Results revealed that roasted samples exhibited significantly smaller particle size than controls (not roasted, p<0.05), and the particle size of roasted samples decreased with increase in roasting temperature until flocculation occurred around 180-190 °C. With decrease in particle size of ginseng; water solubility index, antioxidant activity, total polyphenol content, and total polysaccharide content were observed to increase. Ginseng samples showed an increasing trend in antioxidant activity with decreasing particle size (p>0.05) with significantly higher values for all roasted samples compared to the controls (p<0.05). Non-polar ginsenosides such as Rg2(S), Rg2(R), Rg3(S), Rg3(R), and Rh1(S) showed an increase in temperature-dependent manner. This study revealed that roasting at certain temperature range with cryogenic milling has positive effects on ginseng by reducing its particle size, and increasing water solubility and bioactive components.

This study aimed to decrease the particle size of ginseng by roasting and cryogenic milling to increase its water solubility and physiological activity. The samples were roasted for different times (9–21 min) and generated in different sizes (10–50, and > 50 μm). All roasted samples revealed significantly smaller particle sizes than did non-roasted samples based on Sauter mean diameter (D [3,2], p < 0.05). Further, the particle sizes of roasted samples decreased till roasting up to 15 min. In terms of the water solubility index (WSI), antioxidant activity, total polyphenol content (TPC), and total polysaccharides according to particle size, 10-20 μm-sized samples showed the highest values when compared with >50 μm-sized samples. Based on roasting time, WSI values of all samples roasted for up to 15 min were higher than those of the control (not roasted) (p < 0.05). Antioxidant activity and TPC also increased with increasing roasting time. Total polysaccharide content was the highest upon roasting for 15 min except for the 10-20 μm sample. Ginsenoside content of roasted samples >20 μm size was higher than that of the control (not roasted) except after 15 min of roasting. Therefore, roasting and cryogenic milling are effective in producing ginseng root powder.

Single cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) profiles conceal temporal and spatial tissue developmental information. De novo reconstruction of single cell temporal trajectory has been fairly addressed, but reverse engineering single cell 3D spatial tissue localization is hitherto landmark based, and de novo spatial reconstruction is a compelling computational open problem. Here we show that a new algorithm - named D-CE - for coalescent embedding of single cell transcriptomic networks can address this open problem. We rely merely on the spatial information encoded in the expression patterns of developmental signal transcription factor (DST) genes, and we find that D-CE of cell-cell association DST-transcriptomic networks reliably reconstructs the Geo-seq or single cell samples’ 3D spatial tissue distribution. Comparison to the novoSpaRC and CSOmap (recent and only available de novo 3D spatial reconstruction methods) on 16 datasets and 681 reconstructions, reveals a significantly distinctive superior performance of D-CE.

Nowadays, the study of preparing silica/rubber composites, which can be used in “green tire”, in energy saving method is fast-growing. In our work, silica modified by using alcohol polyoxyethylene ether (AEO) and 3-Mercaptopropyltriethoxysilane (K-MEPTS) together were investigated. Thermal gravimetric analyzer (TGA) result indicated that both AEO and K-MEPTS could be grafted on the silica surface. Raman spectroscopy confirmed that the AEO could generate a certain steric hindrance for the mercaptopropyl group on K-MEPTS. Silica modified by using AEO and K-MEPTS together can be completely co-coagulated with the rubber in preparing silica/natural rubber (NR) composites by latex compounding method. AEO can form a physical interface between silica and rubber; meanwhile, K-MEPTS can form a chemical interface between silica and rubber. The effects of chemical and physical interface between silica and rubber on dynamic and mechanical performances of silica/NR composites were also given in this research. A proper combination of physical and chemical interface between silica and NR can improve performances of silica/NR composites.

The iron roughneck is an automated equipment utilized for the connection and removal of drilling tools. This paper presents the design of an integrated iron roughneck, providing a detailed introduction to its clamp body structure, along with an analysis of its structural characteristics and performance requirements. The study delves into the integration mode and working characteristics of the clamping mechanism and spin buckle mechanism for the integrated upper clamp body structure of the iron roughneck. Additionally, this paper conducts an in-depth theoretical study on the spin buckle mechanism. Firstly, it analyzes the actual working condition of the spin buckle roller from two perspectives: contact theory and rolling friction theory, determining the structural form of the spin buckle roller. Secondly, it investigates the relative displacement between the spin buckle mechanism and the drilling tool, proposing a design method for the floating device mounted on the spin buckle roller and establishing the kinematic equation of the spin buckle roller under the influence of the floating device. Furthermore, the kinematic equations of the spin buckle roller under the influence of the floating device are established. Finally, a dynamics simulation experiment is performed to simulate the working process of the spin buckle mechanism under actual working conditions, analyzing the dynamics and kinematics of the spin buckle mechanism and obtaining the relevant parameter curves of the spin buckle mechanism and drilling tools. Through data comparison and analysis, the correctness of the theoretical analysis results and the rationality of the performance and structure of the spin buckle mechanism are verified.

With the advance of generative AI, the text-to-image (T2I) model has the ability to generate various contents. However, the generated contents cannot be fully controlled. There is a potential risk that text-to-image model can generate unsafe images with uncomfortable contents. In our work, we focus on eliminating the NSFW (not safe for work) content generation from text-to-image model while maintaining the high quality of generated images by fine-tuning the pretrained diffusion model via reinforcement learning by optimizing the well-designed content-safe reward function. The proposed method leverages a customized reward function consisting of the CLIP (Contrastive Language-Image Pre-training) and nudity rewards to prune the nudity contents that adhere to the pretrained model and keep the corresponding semantic meaning on the safe side. In this way, the text-to-image model is robust to unsafe adversarial prompts since unsafe visual representations are mitigated from latent space. Extensive experiments conducted on different datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method in alleviating unsafe content generation while preserving the high-fidelity of benign images as well as images generated by unsafe prompts. Our method surpasses existing state-of-the-art (SOTA) baseline methods and achieves better performance on sexual content removal (14.5% higher than SafeGen) and image quality retention. In terms of robustness, our method outperforms Safe Latent Diffusion and SafeGen under the SOTA black-box attacking model SneakyPrompt by approximately 2x and 5.6x, respectively. Furthermore, our constructed method can be a benchmark for other methods aiming for anti-NSFW generation, high-level prompt-image safe alignment.

Electricity generation from renewable energy sources is emerging as a result of global carbon emission reduction policies. However, most renewable energy sources are non-dispatchable and cannot be adjusted to meet the fluctuating electricity demands of society. A flexible operation process has been proposed as an effective solution to compensate for the unstable nature of renewable energy sources. Thermal load fluctuations during flexible operation may cause creep-fatigue damage to the high-temperature components of thermal power plants, as they are designed with a focus on creep damage under a constant power level. This study investigated the residual life of high-temperature components, such as a superheater tube and a reheater header, to failure under flexible operation conditions using finite element analysis and empirical models. First, we determine an analytical solution for the straightened superheater tube under thermal conditions and compare it with the numerical solution to verify the numerical models. Through the verified finite element model, the creep-fatigue life of the reheater header is estimated by considering flexible operation factors and employing the Coffin-Manson and Larson-Miller models. Although fatigue damage increases with decreasing minimum load and ramp rate, we confirmed that creep damage significantly affects the residual life during flexible operation. In addition, a surrogate model was proposed to evaluate the residual life of the reheater as a function of the flexible operation factors using the machine learning methodology, based on the results of finite element methods. It can be used to predict its residual life without performing complex thermal-structure analysis and relying on empirical models for fatigue and creep life. We expect our findings to contribute to the efficient operation of thermal power plants by optimizing the flexible operation factors.

Accurate expression of bracket prescription is important for successful orthodontic treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of digital scan images of brackets produced by four different intraoral scanners (IOSs) in terms of the height, position, and angle of the bracket slot when scanning the surface of dental model attached with bracket materials made from different composition of materials. Brackets made from stainless steel, polycrystalline alumina, composite and composite/stainless steel slot were considered, which have been scanned from 4 different IOSs (Primescan, Trios, CS3600 and i500). SEM images were used as references. Each bracket axis was set in the reference scan image, and the axis was set identically by superimposing with the IOS image, and then only the brackets were divided and analyzed. The difference between the manufacturer's nominal torque and bracket slot base angle was 0.39 in SEM, 1.96 in Primescan, 2.04 in Trios, and 5.21 in CS3600 (P <0.001). The parallelism, which is the difference between the upper and lower angles of the slot wall, was 0.55 in SEM, 7.55 in Primescan, 6.74 in Trios3, 6.59 in CS3600, and 24.95 in i500 (p <0.001). This study evaluated the accuracy of the bracket only and it must be admitted that there is some error in recognizing slots through scanning in general

The horizontal flatbed electrophoresis system has been used for the electrophoresis of protein samples and is often preferred for a two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In currently available equipment, cathode and anode electrodes were placed on top of a gel at each end. An electric field entered from the top of a gel, and its strength was relatively weaker in the bottom part of the gel. Such configuration caused migrating protein bands to lie down forward in the migrating direction. New electrodes, i.e., the clamp-shaped and the double-deck electrodes, were developed to simultaneously apply an electric field from the top and bottom of a gel. Electrophoretic separation with these electrodes made protein bands more focused and improved protein band resolutions. When the FIGE technique was tested together with new electrodes, protein bands were aligned nearly vertically and showed the best electrophoretic resolutions.

OBJECTIVE: Although 3D-printed anatomic models are not new to medicine, the high costs and lengthy production times entailed have limited their application. Our goal was developing a new and less costly 3D modeling method to depict organ-tumor relations at faster printing speeds. METHODS: We have devised a method of 3D modeling using DICOM images. Coordinates are extracted at a specified interval, connecting them to create mesh-work replicas. Adjacent constructs are depicted by density variations, showing anatomic targets (ie, tumors) in contrasting color. RESULTS: An array of organ solid-tumor models were printed via Fused Deposition Modeling 3D printer at significantly less cost ($0.05/cm3) and time expenditure (1.73 min/cm3; both, p<.001). Printed models helped promote visual appreciation of organ-tumor anatomy and adjacent tissues. Our mesh-work 3D thyroidal prototype reproduced glangular size/contour and tumor location, readily approximating the surgical specimen. CONCLUSIONS: This newly devised mesh-type 3D printing method may facilitate anatomic modeling for personalized care and improve patient awareness during informed surgical consent.

The thermal stabilizers, lubricant, and plasticizers are three crucial additives for processing poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC). In this study, a new mannitol stearate ester-based aluminum alkoxides (MSE-Al) was designed and synthesized as a novel additive for PVC. The thermal stability and processing performance of PVC stabilized by MSE-Al were evaluated by Congo red test, conductivity measurement, thermal aging test, ultravioletevisible (UV-vis) spectroscopy test, and torque rheometer test. Results showed that the addition of MSE-Al can not only markedly improve the long-term thermal stability of PVC, but also greatly accelerate the plasticizing and decrease the balance torque which demonstrated that MSE-Al possesses the lubricating property. Thus, MSE-Al was demonstrated to be able to provide tri-functional additive roles, e.g., thermal stabilizer, plasticizer, and lubricant. The test results for the thermal stability of PVC indicated that the initial whiteness of PVC stabilized with MSE-Al was not good enough, thus the synergistic effect of MSE-Al with zinc stearates (ZnSt₂) on the thermal stability of PVC was also investigated. The results showed that there exhibited an appreciable synergistic effect between MSE-Al and ZnSt₂. The thermal stabilization mechanism and synergism effect of MSE-Al with ZnSt₂ were then discussed.

Traditional 3D reconstruction models have consistently encountered a challenge: attaining high recall of object edges while preserving precision. In this paper, we introduce a post-processing method Multi-Head Attention Refiner (MA-R) aimed at tackling this challenge by integrating a multi-head attention mechanism within the U-Net style refiner module. The 3D reconstruction model applying this method demonstrates excellence in parsing intricate image details, resulting in significant enhancement of boundary predictions and increased recall rates. In our experiments, our method significantly enhances the reconstruction performance of Pix2Vox++ when multiple images are utilized as input. Specifically, it achieves an enhanced Intersection Over Union score of approximately 1.1% compared to the original Pix2Vox++ model when 16-view images are employed.

This paper aims to build up a preference function to evaluate the public benefits of the type of agricultural farming, biodiversity, water provisions, land use type, ecotourism modes, and a monetary attribute (environmental trust fund and willingness to contribute) associated with an ecosystem service and land use program in a forest park. This study used the choice experiments to build a random utility model, analyze the average preference for the above land use attributes based on the conditional logit and used a latent class model to test the resident’s heterogeneous preferences for land use planning in the forest park. We also estimated the welfare derived from various land use programs. The empirical result had shown that: (1) increasing organic farming area, maintaining the status quo of species biodiversity, increasing the surface water provision, increasing the area of custom flora, increasing the wetland area, and setting up an integrated framework for ecotourism increase the public’s preference for the land use program; (2) we found that farmer and non-farmer haven’t the same land use preferences; (3) the ecotourism development program incorporating biodiversity, organic farming, ethnobotany, and wetland area with integrated ecotourism are more preferred than other land use program scenarios.

Recent prolonged dry periods and lack of irrigation water have severely affected the productivity of coffee farms’ in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. This paper analyzes the efficiency of irrigation water use for Robusta coffee (Coffea canephora) in Lam Dong province, Highlands, Vietnam. A Cobb-Douglas production function was used to determine coffee productivity’s response to the application of irrigation water and other production factors using data collected from 194 farmers while the Technical Efficiency (TE) and Irrigation Water Use Efficiency (IWUE) were analyzed using a Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model. The correlation of different factors to IWUE was determined using the Tobit model. The production function analysis using Cobb-Douglas shows that the volume of irrigation water, amount of working capital, labor and farm size significantly influence coffee productivity. It also shows that indigenous farmers are more efficient in utilizing irrigation water than the (mostly Kinh) migrant farmers. The Tobit result, on the other hand. indicates that farmers’ experience, education level, distance of farm to water source, security of access to water source, extension contact and credit access significantly affect IWUE. The study findings further suggest that mitigating water shortages in coffee farms require sub-regional and national policy support such as better access to credit and extension services, training, land management and household-level effort to improve farming practices, through the application of appropriate technologies and traditional knowledge.

Electrospun nanofiber-supported thin film composite membranes are among the most promising membranes for seawater desalination via forward osmosis. In this study, a high-performance electrospun polyvinylidenefluoride (PVDF) nanofiber-supported TFC membrane was successfully fabricated after molecular layer-by-layer polyelectrolyte deposition. Negatively-charged electrospun polyacrylic acid (PAA) nanofibers were deposited on electrospun PVDF nanofibers to form a support layer consisted of PVDF and PAA nanofibers. This resulted to a more hydrophilic support compared to the plain PVDF nanofiber support. The PVDF-PAA nanofiber support then underwent a layer-by-layer deposition of polyethylenimine (PEI) and PAA to form a polyelectrolyte layer on the nanofiber surface prior to interfacial polymerization, which forms the selective polyamide layer of TFC membranes. The resultant PVDF-LbL TFC membrane exhibited enhanced hydrophilicity and porosity, without sacrificing mechanical strength. As a result, it showed high pure water permeability and low structural parameter values of 4.12 Lm⁻²h⁻¹bar⁻¹ and 221 µm, respectively, significantly better compared to commercial FO membrane. Layer-by-layer deposition of polyelectrolyte is therefore a useful and practical modification method for fabrication of high performance nanofiber-supported TFC membrane.

The so-called “Chinese pyramids” are huge burial mounds covering the tombs of the Emperors of the Western Han dynasty. If we include also the mounds of the members of the royal families, these monuments sum up to more than 40, scattered throughout the western and the southern outskirts of modern Xi'an. They are mostly unexcavated and poorly known although, taken together, they form a fascinating sacred landscape, which was conceived as a perennial witness of one of the most magnificent Chinese dynasties. This sacred landscape is today encroached by the frenetic urban development of the Xi’an urban area. We discuss and elaborate here some of the results of a recent, new satellite-imagery survey of these monuments, highlighting the aspects which may contribute to solutions for a sustainable and compatible development within this important ancient landscape.

Wool quality and yield are important economic traits of livestock. In this study, the skin tissues of the upper scapula of Super Merino sheep (SM) and Small-Tailed Han sheep (STH) during the growing period were studied. Differentially expressed (DE) long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and messenger RNAs (mRNA) were identified via histopathological observation and high-throughput RNA sequencing. Gene ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) were used to analyze differentially expressed genes. Reverse transcription quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to verify nine selected DE lncRNAs and five DE mRNAs. Significant differences were found in the expression levels of LOC114113396 (KRTAP15-1), CRABP1, KRT10, KRTAP1-3, KRTAP4.3, KRT2, FGF1, IGF-1, and KIT in SM and STH skin tissues. These results indicate that these mRNAs may play an important role in the growth and development of hair follicles and the regulation of hair fiber traits. Differentially expressed lncRNA target genes and mRNAs were mainly enriched in biological processes and pathways related to skin development and fiber traits, which is consistent with previous studies. LncRNA MSTRG.9225.1, MSTRG.124320.1, MSTRG.96951.1, MSTRG.91685.1, MSTRG.122229.1, MSTRG.89255.1, MSTRG.98769.1, and MSTRG.84658.1 may indirectly participate in the growth and development of sheep hair follicles and the regulation of hair fiber diameter by regulating the expression of their respective target genes. These candidate lncRNAs and mRNAs may provide a basis for the study of sheep hair follicle growth and development and hair fiber traits.

Levels of synthetic musk fragrances (SMFs) and various personal care products (PCPs) were measured in the Han River and its tributaries in Seoul, Korea. The most abundant SMF in all river and PCP samples was 4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethyl-1,3,4,7-tetrahydrocyclopenta[g]isochromene (HHCB), followed by 1-(3,5,5,6,8,8-hexamethyl-6,7-dihydronaphthalen-2-yl)ethanone (AHTN), musk ketone (MK), and 1,1,2,3,3-pentamethyl-2,5,6,7-tetrahydroinden-4-one (DPMI). There was a significant correlation between the SMF concentration in the PCPs and the Han River samples. Moving from upstream to downstream in the Han River, the median SMF concentration was 6.756, 2.945, 0.304, and 0.141 μg/L in the sewage treatment plant (STP) influent, effluent, tributaries, and mainstream, respectively, implying that effective SMF removal was achieved during the sewage treatment process, followed by dilution in the receiving water. Four STPs using advanced biological treatment processes had removal efficiencies of 55.8%, 50.6%, 43.3% for HHCB, AHTN, and MK, respectively. The highest SMF concentrations in the tributaries were observed at locations close to the STPs. Our study confirmed that the main source of SMFs in the receiving water were sewage effluent containing untreated SMFs, which are largely originated from household PCPs, especially hair care products (e.g., shampoo) and perfumes.

The aim of this paper is to compare the taxonomic composition and species diversity of the macrozoobenthos in Maritsa River (Bulgaria) and Han River (South Korea). Samples were collected at 15 selected sites in each river, including some of their main tributaries in 2020 and 2021. The number of the taxa recorded in Maritsa River was more than twice as great as in Han River: 192 taxa belonging to 19 systematic groups compared to 88 taxa belonging to 18 groups respectively. The order Ephemeroptera had the highest species richness: 31 taxa in the Bulgarian rivers and 26 taxa in the South Korean ones. The macrozoobenthic communities responded and adapted to the various conditions and impacts in the water environment with changes in the species composition and structure. The analysis of the similarity in the taxonomic composition showed low resemblance between all study sites but displayed distinct separations between the rivers and the two years. In general, the species structure of the macrozoobenthic communities in Maritsa River and its studied tributaries was better than in Han River. In both years, high species diversity was recorded at the reference sites in the rivers, characterized by conditions closely resembling natural environments. The species richness and the evenness of macrozoobenthos were very low at sites downstream subjected to considerable anthropogenic pressure. Some of the communities in Han River were almost destroyed completely.

The COVID19 coronavirus SARS-CoV2 spreading in Wuhan and now worldwide has been shown to use angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 ACE2 as its host cell receptor, like the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Epidemiology studies found different sex and age groups have different susceptibility to infection, and very skewed severity and mortality of the virus infection, with male, old age, and comorbidity being the most inflicted. Here by analyzing GTEx and other public data in 30 tissues across thousands of individuals, we found significantly higher expression in Asian females compared to males and other ethnic groups, an age dependent ACE2 expression decrease and a highly significant decrease in type II diabetic patients. Consistently, the most significant expression quantitative loci (eQTLs) contributing to high ACE2 expression are close to 100% in East Asians, >30% higher than other ethnic groups. Together with the shockingly common enrichment of viral infection pathways among ACE2 anti-expressed genes, binding of virus infection-related transcription factors at ACE2 regulatory regions, the repression of ACE2 expression by inflammatory cytokines and by type 2 diabetes, and the induction by estrogen and androgen (both decrease with age) established a negative correlation between ACE2 expression and CovID19 fatality at both population and molecular levels. Our results will be instrumental when designing potential prevention and treatment strategies for ACE2 binding coronaviruses in general.

In an effort to enhance the efficiency and safety of open-pit mines, this study explores the optimization of end slope road parameters and slope structures, specifically focusing on unmanned driving lanes.A significant aspect of the study is the development of a truck trajectory offset model, which considers the different reaction times between automated sensors and human drivers in adapting to environmental changes. To test these concepts, the study uses numerical simulations to confirm the stability of the proposed end slope designs. Using Victory West Mine No. 1 as a case study, the research determines the optimized width for unmanned driving lanes and the maximum angle for safe steepening of end slopes. The findings indicate that the optimized unmanned lane width for NTE240 mining dump trucks is 1743 mm, allowing for a 2-degree increase in the slope angle at the south end slope. This optimization leads to a steep mining stripping volume of 3.2735 million m³ and a coal output of 2.49628 million tons, maintaining a stripping ratio of 1.31m³/t. These results demonstrate that the unmanned driving road width optimization not only ensures slope safety but also significantly boosts the economic benefits of steep mining in open-pit mines.

The purpose of this study is to develop and evaluate a self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS) to improve the oral absorption of poorly water-soluble Olaparib. Through the solubility test of Olaparib in various oils, surfactants and co-surfactants, pharmaceutical excipients for use in SMEDDS manufacturing were selected. Self-emulsifying regions were identified by mixing the selected materials at various ratios, and a pseudoternary phase diagram was constructed by synthesizing these results. Various physicochemical properties of microemulsion incorporating Olaparib were confirmed by investigating the particle morphology, particle size, zeta potential, drug content and stability. In addition, the improved dissolution and oral absorption of Olaparib were also confirmed through a dissolution test and a pharmacokinetic study. An optimal microemulsion was generated in the formulation of Capmul MCM EP/NF 10%, Labrasol 80% and PEG 400 10%. Fabricated nano-sized microemulsions were well-dispersed in aqueous solutions, and it was also confirmed that it was maintained well without any problems of either physical or chemical stability. The 5 min initial dissolution of Olaparib in fabricated formulations was improved by 10.6 times (pH1.2), 14.8 times (pH6.8) and 14.8 times (distilled water) compared to the values of Olaparib powder. The dissolution at 120min was 45.4±4.0%(pH1.2), 53.5±1.1% (pH6.8) and 58.1±1.00% (distilled water) in Olaparib powder but has been significantly improved by 1.7 times (74.8±1.9%), 1.6 times (84.2±0.3%) and 1.5 times (81.2±0.7%) in SMEDDS. Associated with the high dissolutions of Olaparib in fabricated microemulsions, the pharmacokinetic parameters were also greatly improved. The Cmax and AUCinf of Olaparib in the prepared microemulsion were increased 4.2- and 3.2-fold, respectively, compared to powder. Taken together with the results mentioned above, the microemulsion system could be an effective tool as an oral delivery formulation for Olaparib. Additionally, our results demonstrate that the SMEDDS systems comprising Capmul MCM, Labrasol and PEG 400 could be a useful option for improvement of several other poorly water-soluble drugs with physico-chemical properties similar to Olaparib.

Liver cirrhosis leads to hepatic dysfunction and life-threatening conditions. Though clinical efficacy of autologous bone marrow-drived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSC) transplantation in alcoholic cirrhosis (AC) was demonstrated, the relevant mechanism has not been elucidated. We aimed to identify predictive factors and gene/pathways for responders after autologous BM-MSC transplantation. Fifty-five patients with biopsy-proven AC underwent autologous BM-MSC transplantation. The characteristics of responders who showed improvement in fibrosis score (≥ 1) after transplantation were compared with those of non-responders. BM-MSCs were analyzed with cDNA microarrays to identify genes and pathways that were differentially expressed in responder after transplantation. Thirty-three patients (66%) were responders. In the multivariate analysis, initial high Laennec score (p=0.007, odds ratio 3.73) and performance of BM-MSC transplantation (p=0.033, odds ratio 5.75) were predictive factors for responder. Three genes (olfactory receptor 2L8, microRNA4520-2, and chloride intracellular channel protein 3) were upregulated in responders and 11 metabolic pathways (inositol phosphate, ATP-binding cassette transporters, protein kinase signaling, extracellular matrix-receptor interaction, endocytosis, phagosome, hematopoietic cell lineage, adipocytokine, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, fat digestion/absorption, and insulin resistance) were upregulated in non-responders (p<0.05). BM-MSC transplantation is warranted treatment for AC patients with high Laennec score. Cell-based therapy utilizing response-relating genes or pathway can be treatment candidate.

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.

Aiming at the problems of high labor intensity and high cost of manual picking, high loss rate of mechanical picking seeds, low mechanization level and difficult to guarantee the quality of picking plates in the process of picking plates of edible sunflower. Based on the principle of manual plate taking, a plate taking control system for sunflower harvesting table was designed. Through the research and analysis of the principle of taking the plate of the edible sunflower harvesting table. According to the actual operation requirements, the overall scheme of the sunflower plate control system is determined, and the control strategy of imitating artificial low loss harvesting is designed. To reduce the grain loss in the process of taking the plate and improve the control accuracy of the system on the movement speed and displacement of the key components in the process of taking the plate, a trapezoidal acceleration and deceleration control algorithm is designed as the control algorithm of taking the plate. To verify the working performance of the plate control system, with the absolute error, relative error and total loss rate of the harvest as objectives. The bench and field verification experiments were both carried out. The bench experiment showed that the speed error of the plate parts was not more than 0.028 m/s. In the bench experiments of the device, the maximum positioning error was 1.25 mm, the average relative error is only 0.94 %, and the grain loss rate was not more than 2.26 %. It result showed that the system algorithm was reliable, the positioning accuracy was high, and the taking plate operation can be completed well. The field verification experiment showed that the forward speed of the unit was in the range of 0.4~0.8 m/s, and the total loss rate of harvest was less than 5 %. When the forward speed is 0.6 m/s, the minimum harvest loss rate is 2.32 %, and which indicated the control system meets the requirements of sunflower harvesting operation.

Quantitative analysis of human gait is critical for early discovery, progressive tracking, and rehabilitation of neurological and musculoskeletal disorders, such as Parkinson’s Disease, stroke, and Cerebral Palsy. Gait analysis typically involves estimating gait characteristics, such as spatio-temporal gait parameters and gait health indicators (e.g., step time, length, symmetry, and balance). Traditional methods of gait analysis involve the use of cameras, wearables, and force plates, but are limited in operational requirements when applied in daily life - such as direct line-of-sight, carrying devices, and dense deployment. This paper introduces a novel approach for gait analysis by passively sensing footstep-induced floor vibrations during walking using vibration sensors mounted on the floor surface. Our approach is non-intrusive, scalable, and perceived as more privacy-friendly, making it suitable for continuous gait health monitoring in daily life. We developed a floor vibration-based gait analysis framework to estimate various gait parameters that are used as standard metrics in medical practices, including temporal parameters (step, stride, stance, swing, double-support, single-support time) and spatial parameters (step length, width, angle, stride length), and extracts gait health indicators (cadence/walking speed, left-right symmetry, gait balance, initial contact types). The main challenge is that floor vibrations are distinct across different floor types. To address this challenge, our approach develops floor-adaptive algorithms to extract floor-specific features and is designed to be generalizable to various settings, including homes, hospitals, and eldercare facilities. We evaluate our approach through real-world walking experiments with 20 adults with 12,231 labeled gait cycles across concrete and wooden floors. Our results show 90.5% (RMSE 0.08s), 71.3% (RMSE 0.38m), and 92.3% (RMSPE 7.7%) accuracy in estimating temporal, spatial parameters, and gait health indicators, respectively.

As metabolomics is widely used in the study of disease mechanisms, more and more studies have found that metabolites play an important role in the occurrence of diseases. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects and mechanisms of quercetin in high-fat-sucrose diet (HFD)-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) development using nontargeted metabolomics. A rat model of NAFLD was established by feeding with a HFD for 30 and 50 days. Results indicated quercetin exhibited hepatoprotective activity in HFD-induced NAFLD rats in 30 days by regulating fatty acids related metabolites (adrenic acid, etc.), inflammation related metabolites (arachidonic acid, etc.), oxidative stress related metabolites (2-hydroxybutyric acid) and other differential metabolites (citric acid, etc.). However, quercetin couldn’t improve NAFLD in 50 days maybe it couldn’t reverse the inflammation condition induced by long-term high-fat diet. These data indicate that dietary quercetin may be beneficial to NAFLD at early stages. Furthermore, combining metabolomics and experimental approaches opens up avenues of effects and mechanisms of drugs for complex diseases.

Objective: This study aimed to demonstrate the availability of portable devices for nasal FeNO measurement, which could replace exhaled NO measurement based on the continuous aspiration of multiple flow measurement systems. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study. The healthy subjects without rhinosinusis disorders (control group) and those with diagnosed allergic rhinitis (AR group) were enrolled in the study. They underwent nasal and bronchial FeNO measurements by both fixed flow NObreath® connected to nasal mask and multiple flows HypAir FeNO®. Results: A total of 153 people were recruited including 63 healthy subjects and 90 subjects with AR. There were no statistically significant differences in anthropometric characteristics between the two groups (P > 0.05). There were a significant increase in FeNO values in the AR group compared to the control group; concentrations of nasal and bronchial FeNO mearsured by NObreath® were 76.0 ± 50.7 ppb (vs 36.0 ± 28.1 ppb, P < 0.01) and 32.3 ± 15.4 ppb (vs 9.2 ± 5.6 ppb, P < 0.001), and those mearsured by NObreath® Hypair FeNO® were 1796.9 ± 523.3 ppb (vs 400.2 ± 123.1 ppb, P < 0.001) and 37.3 ± 23.0 ppb (vs 17.4 ± 18.3 ppb, P < 0.01). A weak correlation between the values measured by NObreath® and Hypair FeNO® devices was observed (r = 0.023 and r = 0.089, respectively; p < 0.05). Conclusions: The handheld NObreath® device is effective in measuring FeNO concentrations in both normal subjects and AR patients. The advantages in price and size, creating a compact, low-cost device that is convenient for use and research.

The TGACG motif-binding factor1 (TGA1) transcription factor, a significant protein in the bZIP transcription factor family, exhibits a myriad of functions, contributes to numerous biological events, and holds substantial application potential. In this study, our analysis revealed a diverse range of photoregulatory and hormone regulatory elements within the MtTGA1 promoter region. The expression profile of MtTGA1 indicated its highest expression in the root, with its regulation influenced by SA, ABA, BR, and GA. Under salt stress conditions, transgenic plants demonstrated significantly longer root lengths and heightened activities of antioxidant enzymes such as ascorbic acid catalase (APX), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in their roots and leaves compared to control plants. Simultaneously, the levels of endogenous hormones ABA and BR escalated in transgenic plants, with a marked change in the morphology of their leaf cells. Transcriptome analysis identified a total of 193 differentially expressed genes, implicating a wide array of biological processes. Furthermore, we found that MtTGA1 is able to interact with Medicago truncatula SPX domain containing protein 1 (SPX1). In conclusion, the MtTGA1 transcription factor plays a crucial role in enhancing salt tolerance, which provides new insights for improving plant survival under salt stress conditions.

In this paper, the sol−gel method was used to synthesize powders of LaMnO3 (LMO), La0.85Ca0.15MnO3 (LCM), and La0.85Sr0.15MnO3 (LSM). We investigated the impact of substituting Ca and Sr at the A−site on the perovskite crystal structure and electrochemical capabilities of LMO. LCM retained its orthogonal structure in comparison to the parent LMO components, whereas LSM transitioned to a rhombic structure. At 0.5 A/g, the specific capacitance of LCM and LSM electrodes is 185.5 F/g and 248 F/g, respectively.The specific capacitance of LCM was more three times than that of the LMO electrode. Among the three samples (LMO, 22.25 m2 g−1; LSM, 31.56 m2 g−1), the LCM sample exhibited the highest specific surface area of 38.79 m2 g−1. The charge transfer resistances of the LMO, LCM, and LSM are 0.48 Ω, 0.36 Ω, and 0.38 Ω, correspondingly. The LCM electrode exhibits the greatest capacitance performance due to its more refined morphology, increased concentration of oxygen vacancy, and more complete utilization of the perovskite bulk structure. The above results demonstrate that Ca or Sr substitution of A−site compounds has great potential for supercapacitor applications.

Falls, highly common in the constantly increasing global aging population, can have a variety of negative effects on their health, well-being, and quality of life, including restricting their capabilities to conduct Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), which are crucial for one’s sustenance. Timely assistance during falls is highly necessary, which involves tracking the indoor location of the elderly during their diverse navigational patterns associated with ADLs to detect the precise location of a fall. With the decreasing caregiver population on a global scale, it is important that the future of intelligent living environments can detect falls during ADL.s while being able to track the indoor location of the elderly in the real world. Prior works in these fields have several limitations, such as – the lack of functionalities to detect both falls and indoor locations, high cost of implementation, complicated design, the requirement of multiple hardware components for deployment, and the necessity to develop new hardware for implementation, which make the wide-scale deployment of such technologies challenging. To address these challenges, this work proposes a cost-effective and simplistic design paradigm for an Ambient Assisted Living system that can capture multimodal components of user behaviors during ADLs that are necessary for performing fall detection and indoor localization in a simultaneous manner in the real world. Proof of concept results from real-world experiments are presented to uphold the effective working of the system. The findings from two comparison studies with prior works in this field are also presented to uphold the novelty of this work. The first comparison study shows how the proposed system outperforms prior works in the areas of indoor localization and fall detection in terms of the effectiveness of its software design and hardware design. The second comparison study shows that the cost for the development of this system is the least as compared to prior works in these fields, which involved real-world development of the underlining systems, thereby upholding its cost-effective nature.

Background: Inflammasomes recognize cytosolic danger signals, including pathogens, and subsequently induce the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1β. Studying inflammasomes in the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is crucial from a wildlife veterinary and public health perspective, as it can be used to help control and prevent the transmission of zoonotic pathogens. The understanding of how diversity in inflammasomes across species affects pathogen carriage in the red fox is still limited. Methods: We investigated the activation and intracellular mechanisms of three inflammasomes (NLRP3, AIM2, and NLRC4) in fox peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), using established triggers and inhibitors derived from humans and mice. Results: Fox PBMCs exhibited normal activation and induction of IL-1β secretion in response to representative inflammasome triggers (ATP and nigericin for NLRP3, dsDNA for AIM2, flagellin for NLRC4). However, in inhibitor studies, MCC950, a selective NLRP3 inhibitor, suppressed IL-1β secretion mediated by the fox AIM2 and NLRC4 inflammasomes. Conclusions: These findings suggest that NLRP3 may have a common role in dsDNA- and flagellin-mediated inflammasome activation in the red fox. In conclusion, this fox inflammasome biology can be applied to the control of zoonotic infections and the treatment of inflammasome-mediated diseases in the red fox.

(1) Background : When placing implants in the maxillary posterior region with insufficient alveolar bone, a maxillary sinus elevation is necessary. Autogenous bone, though biologically ideal, poses risks and discomfort due to donor site harvesting. Block-type autogenous tooth bone graft material, made from the patient’s own extracted tooth, offers similar biological stability without these drawbacks; (2) Methods : This study observed the progress of 19 implant patients who were treated with maxillary sinus elevation procedures using block-type autogenous tooth bone graft material at the Daegu Catholic University Medical Center. Extracted teeth were processed into demineralized tooth block bone. After elevating the sinus membrane, implants and the tooth bone graft material were placed in the space, and the bony window was repositioned. Postoperative evaluations through clinical observation and radiographic imaging assessed sinus membrane elevation, alveolar bone height increase, and implant osseointegration; (3) Results : Results showed proportional increases in alveolar bone height to the graft material size, with long-term stability. No postoperative complications occurred, even with sinus membrane perforation, and implants remained stable; (4) Conclusions : The study concludes that maxillary sinus lifts using block-type autogenous tooth bone graft material provide excellent bone induction and biocompatibility, making it a highly beneficial method for both dentists and patients.

An effective approach to fabricate large-scale of conducting polyaniline (PANI) by an in situ anodic electrochemical polymerization on the nickel foam, which coated by a novel aryl diazonium salt (ADS)-functionalized graphene (ADS-G). In present work, ADS-G was used as a high surface area support material for electrochemical polymerization of PANI. Electrochemical performances of the ADS-G/PANI composites exhibited better suitability as supercapacitor electrode materials than that of the PANI. The ADS-G/PANI composites achieved the specific capacitance of 528 F g-1, which was higher than that of PANI (266 F g-1) due to the excellent electrode-electrolyte interaction and synergistic effect of electrical conductivity between ADS-G and PANI in the composites. These findings suggested that the ADS-G/PANI composites were a suitable composite for the potential supercapacitor applications.

The Range–Doppler (R-D) model is extensively employed for the geometric processing of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images. Refining the sensor motion state and imaging parameters is the most common method for achieving high-precision geometric processing using the R-D model, comprising a process that involves numerous parameters and complex computations. In this study, we introduce a novel approach to improve the positioning accuracy of the R-D model, implementing a low-order polynomial to compensate for the original imaging errors without altering the initial positioning parameters. We also design low-order polynomial compensation models with different parameters. The models are evaluated on various SAR images from different platforms and bands, including spaceborne TerraSAR-X and GF3-C images, manned airborne SAR-X images, and unmanned aerial vehicle-mounted miniSAR-Ku images. Furthermore, image positioning experiments involving the use of different polynomial compensation models and various numbers and distributions of Ground Control Points (GCPs) are conducted. The experimental results demonstrate that geometric processing accuracy comparable to that of the classical rigorous positioning method can be achieved even when applying only an affine transformation model to the images. Compared to classical refinement models, however, the proposed image-compensated R-D model is much simpler and easy to implement. Thus, this study provides a convenient, robust, and widely applicable method for the geometric positioning processing of SAR images, offering a potential approach for the joint-positioning processing of multi-source SAR images.

In-depth insights into the profound impacts of climate change and human activities on water resources are garnered through the dynamic changes in surface water, a crucial aspect of effective water resource management and the preservation of aquatic ecosystems. This paper introduces an innovative approach employing the random forest algorithm for the systematic extraction and monitoring of surface water at large regional or national scales. This method integrates spectral bands, spectral indices, and digital elevation model data, offering a novel perspective on this critical task. A data filling model is proposed to mitigate the impact of missing data due to cloud cover. Leveraging the capabilities of the Google Earth Engine (GEE), detailed information on surface water dynamics during the rainy and dry seasons in the Yangtze River Basin (YRB) from 1991 to 2021 is extracted using Landsat time series imagery. The analysis encompasses spatial-temporal variation characteristics and trends, with a specific focus on the intricate interplay between the areal extent of surface water and hydro-meteorological factors in each sub-basin of the YRB. Importantly, this includes considerations of potential groundwater contributions to surface water. Key findings from our research include: (1) Achieving a remarkable overall accuracy of 0.96 ± 0.03 in obtaining reliable surface water datasets with the support of GEE. (2) Identifying significant trends, such as a noteworthy increase in rainy season surface water bodies (+248.0 km2·yr−1) and a concerning decrease in surface ice/snow cover during both rainy and dry seasons, with change rates of −39.7 km2·yr−1 and −651.3 km2·yr−1, respectively. (3) Uncovering the driving mechanisms behind these changes, revealing positive correlations between the areal extent of rainy season surface water bodies and precipitation, as well as negative correlations between surface ice/snow cover area and average surface skin temperature. It is crucial to note that these driving factors exhibit variation among secondary river systems, underscoring the complexity of surface water dynamics. Furthermore, comparative analyses with existing surface water products are conducted, contributing to a deeper understanding of the advantages and uncertainties inherent in our proposed extraction method. The proposed method for large-scale surface water extraction not only enhances the monitoring of spatio-temporal surface water dynamics in the YRB but also provides valuable insights for the sustainable utilization and protection of water resources, considering the potential role of groundwater in supplementing surface water.

In recent years, due to the low energy utilization of the whole life-cycle of buildings and the di-minished indoor and outdoor comfort of buildings and the impact on the surrounding environ-ment caused by the carbon emissions of the building life-cycle, the establishment of a whole life- cycle carbon emission model for buildings to improve their energy utilization at all stages of their life-cycle has received unprecedented attention. In China, the construction industry has become a major carbon emitter, and traditional houses, as a green development building type, are an effec-tive way to achieve carbon neutrality in buildings, but the existing green building evaluation system lacks quantitative indicators of carbon emissions in the building life-cycle. The exclusive evaluation indexes for regional and characteristic buildings, such as traditional houses, are ne-glected; This study explored the formula for calculating the life-cycle carbon emissions model of traditional residential houses under a carbon emission intervention and used real measurements of the physical environment and comparative analysis of the limitations of existing local stand-ards; The results showed that the carbon emission calculation formulas for each stage of the life-cycle of traditional residential houses must be established by combining the selection of local building materials, and the materials for sustainable energy and carbon sinks of green systems. Based on the results of indoor and outdoor heat and humidity environmental tests of residential houses and an analysis of the limitations of existing evaluation indexes due to locality, four im-portant factors affecting locality green buildings in terms of energy utilization, site ecology and landscape, land saving and material saving were extracted; on this basis, the whole life-cycle carbon emission model of traditional residential houses is constructed by combining the existing green building evaluation standards with the carbon emission indexes of the life-cycle of tradi-tional residential houses.

ESBL-producing E. coli is a growing public problem in healthcare settings and the community. Between 2009 and 2018, a total of 187 ESBL-producing pathogenic E. coli isolates were confirmed, and clonal complex (CC) 10 was the predominant clone. This study aimed to characterize ESBL-producing pathogenic E. coli CC10 strains obtained from diarrheal patients to improve the understanding of CC10 distribution in the Republic of Korea. A total of 57 CC10 strains were selected for molecular characterizations, such as the identification of serotype, antibiotic resistance genes, genetic environments, plasmid profiles, and the genetic correlation between CC10 strains. In the CC10 isolates, the most prevalent serotype was O25:H16, followed by O6:H16. ESBL genes were identified as blaCTX-M, and the most dominant ESBL gene was blaCTX-M-15 (56%) and blaCTX-M-14 (30%). Most blaCTX-M genes were located on plasmids, and these plasmid profiles were confirmed as IncB/O/K/Z, IncF, IncI1 and IncX1. The mobile elements located up-and down-stream mainly included ISEcp1 (complete or incomplete) and IS903 or orf477 were found, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the CC10 strains were genetically diverse and divided into several distinct lineages. In this study, we found that CC10 ESBL-producing pathogenic E. coli has been steadily isolated; particularly, CTX-M-15-producing E. coli O25:H16 isolates were the major type related with distribution in CC10 clones during the last decade. Identification of ESBL-producing pathogenic E. coli CC10 isolates highlights the possibility of the emergence of resistant isolates with epidemic potential within this CC. Therefore, continuous monitoring will be conducted to prevent further spread of resistant ESBL-producing E. coli CC10 strains.

The iridoids of H. diffusa play an important role in the anti-inflammatory process, but the specific iridoid with anti-inflammatory effect and its mechanism is lack of study. An iridoid compound named scandoside (SCA) was isolated from H. diffusa and its anti-inflammatory effect was investigated in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 cells. Its anti-inflammatory mechanism was confirmed by in intro experiment and molecular docking analysis. As results, SCA significantly decreased the productions of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) and inhibited the levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), TNF-α and IL-6 mRNA expression in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. SCA treatment suppressed the phosphorylation of inhibitor of nuclear transcription factor kappa-B alpaha (IκB-α), p38, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). The docking data suggested that SCA had great binding abilities to COX-2, iNOS and IκB. Taken together, the results indicated that the anti-inflammatory effect of SCA is due to inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines and mediators via suppressing the nuclear transcription factor kappa-B (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways, which provided useful information for its application and development.

This paper draws upon the theory of turbulence in physics to explore the similarities and differences between volatility in financial markets and turbulent phenomena at a statistical physics level. By analogizing the dynamics of financial markets with fluid turbulence, we have developed an innovative analytical framework aimed at deepening the understanding of the complexity inherent in financial markets. Our research methodology includes a comparative analysis of simulated time series data for the Standard & Poor's 500 Index and fully developed turbulent velocity time series. We focus on the similarities in key statistical physical properties, including probability distributions, correlation structures, and power spectral densities. Furthermore, we have established a model of capital flow in financial markets and proposed corresponding solutions. Through computational simulations and data analysis, we find that while financial market volatility shares some statistical characteristics with turbulent phenomena, significant differences exist in the shapes of probability distributions and the temporal scales of correlations. This suggests that although financial markets exhibit patterns akin to turbulence, the behavior of this complex, multi-variable driven system does not completely correspond to natural turbulence, highlighting the limitations of directly applying turbulence theory to financial market analysis. Our study offers a new perspective for the theories of financial markets and the field of econophysics, providing fresh insights into the complexity of financial markets and contributing to the prevention and management of financial risk.

Gastric cancer, also known as stomach cancer, is a cancer which develops from the lining of the stomach. Accumulated evidences and epidemiological studies have been indicated that natural products play an important role in gastric cancer prevention and treatment, although its mechanism of action did not elucidate yet. Particularly, experimental studies have been showed that natural products displayed a protective effect against gastric cancer via numerous molecular mechanisms such as suppression of cell metastasis, anti-angiogenesis, inhibition of cell proliferation, induction of apoptosis, and modulation of autophagy. Although chemotherapy remains the standard treatment for advanced gastric cancer along with surgery, radiation therapy, hormone therapy and immunotherapy, but its adverse side effects including neutropenia, stomatitis, mucositis, diarrhea, nausea, and emesis are well documented. Additionally, intake of naturally occurring phytochemicals could increase the efficacy of gastric chemotherapy and chemotherapeutics resistance. However, natural product structural stability and powerful bioactivity are important to develop novel treatments for gastric cancer that may minimize such adverse effects. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to summarize the potential therapeutic effects of natural products on prevention and treatment of gastric cancer with intensive molecular mechanisms of action, bioavailability, and safety efficacy.

This paper presents the findings of an exploratory study on the continuously generating Big Data on Twitter related to the sharing of information, news, views, opinions, ideas, knowledge, feedback, and experiences about the COVID-19 pandemic, with a specific focus on the Omicron variant, which is the globally dominant variant of SARS-CoV-2 at this time. A total of 12028 tweets about the Omicron variant were studied, and the specific characteristics of tweets that were analyzed include - sentiment, language, source, type, and embedded URLs. The findings of this study are manifold. First, from sentiment analysis, it was observed that 50.5% of tweets had the ‘neutral’ emotion. The other emotions - ‘bad’, ‘good’, ‘terrible’, and ‘great’ were found in 15.6%, 14.0%, 12.5%, and 7.5% of the tweets, respectively. Second, the findings of language interpretation showed that 65.9% of the tweets were posted in English. It was followed by Spanish or Castillian, French, Italian, Japanese, and other languages, which were found in 10.5%, 5.1%, 3.3%, 2.5%, and <2% of the tweets, respectively. Third, the findings from source tracking showed that “Twitter for Android” was associated with 35.2% of tweets. It was followed by “Twitter Web App”, “Twitter for iPhone”, “Twitter for iPad”, “TweetDeck”, and all other sources that accounted for 29.2%, 25.8%, 3.8%, 1.6%, and <1% of the tweets, respectively. Fourth, studying the type of tweets revealed that retweets accounted for 60.8% of the tweets, it was followed by original tweets and replies that accounted for 19.8% and 19.4% of the tweets, respectively. Fifth, in terms of embedded URL analysis, the most common domains embedded in the tweets were found to be twitter.com, which was followed by biorxiv.org, nature.com, wapo.st, nzherald.co.nz, recvprofits.com, science.org, and other URLs. Finally, to support similar research and development in this field centered around the analysis of tweets, we have developed an open-access Twitter dataset that comprises tweets about the SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant since the first detected case of this variant on November 24, 2021.

Ammonium sulfate has been utilized in agriculture; however, there is a dearth of research on its application in maize cultivation subsequent to the implementation of nitrification inhibitors or coating. This study aims to analyze the impacts of various combinations of ammonium sulfate fertilizers on soil nutrients, plant nutrient uptake, yield, and fertilizer utilization efficiency in maize cultivation to ascertain the optimal and stabilized disposal method for ammonium sulfate. A completely randomized design was employed with five treatments (AU, the control using urea; AS, treatment using ammonium sulfate; ASN, treatment using ammonium sulfate with a nitrification inhibitor; ASG, treatment using oil-coated ammonium sulfate; ASD, treatment using oil-humic acid-coated ammonium sulfate). Results showed that: (1) Compared with AU and AS, ASN, ASG and ASD decreased the leaching rates of TN, NH4+-N and NO3-N to the 10-20 cm soil layer, and more residual N was obtained in 0-10 cm soil layer. The first-order kinetic equation Nt=N0(1-e-kt) can better fit the process of nitrogen accumulation and release, and the N release rate constant is AU>CK>AS>ASH>ASN>ASD; (2) Compared with AU and AS treatments, the plant dry weight, grain dry weight, spike width, spike length, and yields of maize increased by 8.85-11.08%, 12.98-14.15%, 2.95-3.52%, 5.50-5.65%, and 43.21-51.10% under ASG treatment respectively. The impact of effective spike number on maize yield was found to be significant, as demonstrated by the path analysis conducted in this study. Furthermore, the accumulation levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium within above-ground plants significantly increased under the ASG treatment compared to the AU and AS treatments. The partial productivity of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium increased by 1.43-1.51-fold under ASG treatment, while grain nitrogen balance, grain phosphorus balance, and grain potassium balance increased by 1.41-1.58-fold, 1.51-1.95-fold, and 1.15-l.96-fold respectively. The oil-coated ammonium sulfate, therefore, exhibited the optimal slow-release effect of nutrients, thereby achieving superior performance in enhancing maize production and efficiency.

This work compared the performance of three methods for constructing a regional ensemble prediction system (EPS) for wind speed forecasts: dynamical downscaling, breeding of growth modes (BGM), and blending method. The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model was used to downscale the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) EPS. In addition, as the BGM method needs observation data for generating scaling factors, an alternative method for generating scaling factors was proposed to eliminate dependence on observation data. One-month tests between October 1st and October 30th, 2020, were implemented to evaluate the performance of three methods in the Gansu province of China. The results demonstrate that the blending method outperforms the other two methods. Furthermore, the difference in performance is evident mainly in early forecast lead time and becomes negligible as forecast time increases.

Preproenkephalin (PPE) is a precursor molecule for multiple endogenous opioid peptides Leu-enkephalin (ENK) and Met-ENK, which are involved in a wide variety of modulatory functions in the nervous system. Despite the functional importance of ENK in the brain, the effect of brain-derived factor(s) on PPE expression is unknown. We report the dual effect of neural epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like-like 2 (NELL2) on PPE gene expression. In cultured NIH3T3 cells, transfection of NELL2 expression vectors induced an inhibition of PPE transcription intracellularly, in parallel with downregulation of protein kinase C signaling pathways and extracellular signal-regulated kinase. Interestingly, these phenomena were reversed when synthetic NELL2 was administered extracellularly. The in vivo disruption of NELL2 synthesis resulted in an increase in PPE mRNA level in the rat brain, suggesting that the inhibitory action of intracellular NELL2 predominates the activation effect of extracellular NELL2 on PPE gene expression in the brain. Biochemical and molecular studies with mutant NELL2 structures further demonstrated the critical role of EGF-like repeat domains in NELL2 for regulation of PPE transcription. These are the first results to reveal the spatio-specific role of NELL2 in the homeostatic regulation of PPE gene expression.

Several types of guided bone regeneration materials are available with various properties and clinical indications. Among them, dentin-derived matrix from extracted teeth is an excellent alternative to traditional graft materials, such as allografts and xenografts. Different clinical preparation protocols exist: block form versus powder form, demineralized versus non-demineralized form. Out of these methods, demineralization protocols for dentin-derived matrix from extracted teeth have been noted for a wide range of successful clinical outcomes. The purpose of this animal study was to find out the most effective method of demineralizing dentin-derived matrix to result in the highest regenerative ability in the bone graft material in rabbit calvaria. The study conducted a comparative histomorphometric analysis of four groups in distinguished matrix conditions: a control group without graft placement, a non-demineralized dentin-derived matrix graft placement group, a 15-minute demineralized dentin-derived matrix graft placement group, and a 30-minute demineralized dentin-derived matrix graft placement group. Regenerative processes were evaluated three times at 2, 4, and 8 weeks post-graft placement. These groups of rabbits were evaluated randomly in a blinded setting to prevent bias. Among the four groups compared, the group with a 15-minute demineralized dentin-derived matrix graft showed the most efficient bone regeneration in the histomorphometric analysis. Based on this animal study, it was apparent that a 15-minute demineralization of dentin-derived matrix is the preferred preparation protocol to maximize the regenerative potential in the matrix.

Ecological stoichiometry is an important index to reflect ecological interaction and the balance of various elements in ecological processes. At present, the stoichiometric spatial distribution of soil carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) in farmland and grassland of Inner Mongolia and its influencing factors are still unclear. In this study, the spatial distribution of soil nutrient content and stoichiometry and the effects of environmental factors on soil C:N:P:K stoichiometry were analyzed under different land use patterns in four agro-pastoral areas. The results showed that there was a geographical gradient in the ecological stoichiometric relationship between farmland and grassland. RCN, RCP, RCK, RNP and RNK showed an "N" distribution from west to east, while RPK showed a "V" distribution. The difference in spatial distribution was more significant than the difference in land use pattern. The ecological stoichiometric relationship of grassland was mainly affected by the content of C and N, and was related to the similarity of soil properties. The field ecological stoichiometry was mainly affected by the content of nitrogen and phosphorus, and had a great relationship with fertilization. The effects of MAT and MAP on soil ecological stoichiometry were related to the inter-regional environmental heterogeneity. The influence of MAP on farmland and MAT on grassland was more significant. It was of great significance for field management according to local conditions, rational utilization of land resources and sustainable development of agriculture to clarify the ecological stoichiometric characteristics of farmland and grassland in agro-pastoral ecotone.

During the high-speed flight of a vehicle in the atmosphere, surface friction with the air generates aerodynamic heating. The aerodynamic heating phenomenon can create extremely high temperatures near the surface. These high temperatures impact material properties and the structure of the aircraft, so thermal deformation measurement is essential in aerospace engineering. This paper revisits high-temperature deformation measurement using the digital image correlation (DIC) technique under high-intensity blackbody radiation with a precise speckle pattern fabrication and a heat haze reduction method. The effect of speckle pattern on the DIC measurement has been thoroughly studied at room temperature, but high-temperature measurement studies have not reported such effects so far. We found that the commonly used methods to reduce the heat haze effect could produce incorrect results. Hence, we propose a new method to mitigate heat haze effects. An infrared radiation heater was employed to make an experimental setup that could heat a specimen up to 950 ℃. First, we mitigated image saturation using a short-wavelength bandpass filter with blue light illumination, a standard procedure for high-temperature DIC deformation measurement. Second, we studied how to determine the proper size of the speckle pattern under a high-temperature environment. Third, we devised a reduction method for the heat haze effect. As proof of the effectiveness of our developed experimental method, we successfully measured the deformation of stainless steel 304 specimens from 25 ℃ to 800 ℃. The results confirmed that this method can be applied to the research and development of thermal protection systems in the aerospace field.

Aim: We estimated the correlation between serum bilirubin concentrations and insulin resistance in advanced maternal age without diabetes mellitus. Method: The cross-sectional study involved consecutive 50 women of advanced maternal age without diabetes mellitus, and insulin resistance (IR) was diagnosed according to the homeostatic model assessment insulin resistant (HOMA-IR) formula and the cut-off point was set to more than 2.5. Serum bilirubin and HOMA-IR were compared between the IR (+) and IR (-) groups. Results: We found that serum bilirubin levels in the IR subjects were significantly decreased compared to those without IR (p = 0.0252). Serum bilirubin concentrations were negatively correlated with the weight and the fasting insulin concentrations in all subjects (r=−0.282, p=0.047, r=-0.424, p=0.002). Additionally, serum bilirubin had a negatively correlation with HOMA-IR (r = -0.410, p = 0.003) in all subjects. The multiple linear regression analysis found that serum total bilirubin levels were independently correlated with HOMA-IR (beta = -0.392, p= 0.015) in these subjects. Conclusions: The study demonstrated that serum bilirubin concentrations had negatively correlation with insulin resistance in advanced pregnant women without diabetes mellitus, and decreased serum bilirubin may forebode increased gestational diabetes mellitus risk in our study population.

In this study, ozone oxidation experiment was carried out for the removal of fluorescent whitening agent which is widely used in textile dyeing and paper industry. The stilbene fluorescent whitening agent has been industrialized since the earliest, and the amount of current production is the highest. Due to the characteristics of the fluorescent whitening agent that cannot be removed by conventional wastewater treatment methods, the fluorescent whitening agent in wastewater treatment has difficulty in using as recycled water in the process. Pre-treatment ozone oxidation experiment was conducted prior to the introduction of Membrane Bio Reactor (MBR) treatment process by converting biodegradable materials into biodegradable materials. The removal efficiencies of fluorescent whitening agents, a diaminostilbene disulfonic acid derivative by ozone oxidation were evaluated by UV254 Scan, COD, T-N and color using a synthetic wastewater sample (COD=433.0 mg/ℓ) and paper and paper mill wastewater (COD=157.2 mg/ℓ).

In this study, effluent water was produced through Submerged Membrane Bio-Reactor (SMBR) process, which is a simple system and decomposes organic matter contained in wastewater with biological treatment process and performs solid-liquid separation, Especially, ozone oxidation treatment process is applied to effluent water containing fluorescent whitening agent, which is a trace pollutant which is not removed by biological treatment, and influences the quality of reused water. The concentration of COD in the SMBR was 449.3 mg/ℓ-COD, and the concentration of permeate water was 100.3 mg/ℓ-COD. The removal efficiency was about 70.1%. The amount of ozone re- quired for the removal of the fluorescent whitening agent in the permeated water in SMBR was 6.67 g-O3/min, and the amount of ozone required to remove COD relative to the permeate water was calculated to remove 0.997 mg-COD for 1 mg of O3.

In this paper, we have used magnetron sputtering to grow the high-quality GeSn layer on Ge (100) with Sn compositin up to 7%. The crystallinity of the GeSn layer is pretty good, and the strain relaxation degree of the GeSn layer is evaluated to be approximately 50%. The root mean square (RMS) value is 0.8 nm, and the averaged TDDs in the GeSn layer is 8.7×109 cm-2, which is obtained from the rocking curve of GeSn layer along (004) plane. PL measurement result shows the significant optical emission from the deposited high-quality GeSn layer, which also means that magnetron sputtering is an optional way to achieve the higher Sn composition GeSn luminescent material. To verify whether our deposited GeSn can used for optoelectronic devices, we fabricate the simple vertical p-i-n diode, and the room temperature current-voltage (I-V) characteristic was obtained. This result paves the way for future sputtered-GeSn optimization, which is critical for the optoelectronic application.

The treatment of large-area bone defects remains a challenge; however, various strategies have been developed to improve the performances of scaffolds in bone tissue engineering. In this study, poly(lactide-co-glycolide)/hydroxyapatite (PLGA/HA) scaffold was coated with Asp-Gly-Glu-Ala (DGEA)-incorporated collagen for the repair of rat skull defect. Our results indicated that the mechanical strength and hydrophilicity of PLGA/HA scaffold were clearly improved and conducive to cell adhesion and proliferation. The collagen-coated scaffold with DGEA significantly promoted the repair of skull defect. These findings indicated that a combination of collagen coating and DGEA improved scaffold properties for bone regeneration, thereby providing a new potential strategy for scaffold design.

Although numerous citrus varieties have recently been developed to enhance their quality, information on their quality characteristics is limited. We assessed the quality characteristics of Yellowball, a novel citrus variety, by evaluating its appearance, storability, sensory properties, functionality, and metabolite profiles and comparing these characteristics with those of its parent varieties: Haruka and Kiyomi. The metabolite profiles between the citrus varieties differed significantly, resulting in distinct physicochemical and functional qualities. The storability of Yellowball was significantly increased compared with that of its parent varieties owing to its strong antifungal activity and unique peel morphology, including the stoma and albedo layers. While we did not investigate the volatile compounds, overall functional activities, and detailed characteristics of each metabolite, our data provide valuable insights into the relationship between citrus metabolites, peel morphology, physicochemical properties, and storability and demonstrate the potential of Yellowball as a promising variety in the citrus industry.

Species have shown their habital variations in responding to climate change, especially during the spring and summer spawning seasons. The species distribution model (SDM) is considered the most favorable tool to study the potential effects of climate change on species distribution. Therefore, we developed the ensemble SDM to predict the changes in species distribution of Portunus trituberculatus among different seasons in 2050 and 2100 under the climate scenarios RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. The results of SDM indicate that the distribution of this species will move northward and have obviouse seasonal variations. Meanwhile, the suitable habitat for the species will be significantly reduced in summer, with loses rates ranging from 45.23% (RCP4.5) to 88.26% (RCP.8.5) by 2100s. Habitat reduction will mainly occur in the East China Sea and southern part of the Yellow Sea, while there will be a small increase in the northern Bohai Sea. These findings will be important to manage the ecosystem and fishery, provide an information forecast of this species in the future, and maintain species diversity if the seawater temperature rises.

The inhibition of alpha-glucosidase and alpha-amylase is one of clinic strategies for remedy the type II diabetes. Herbal medicines are reported to alleviate hyperglycemia. However, the constituents from those sources whether are targeted to the alpha-glucosidase and alpha-amylase still unexplored. This study attempted to select the compounds for efficacy of hypoglycemia via cellular and mouse levels. The results illustrated that the cytotoxicity in all tested compounds at various concentrations except the concentration of 16-hydroxy-cleroda-3,13-dine-16,15-olide (HCD) at 30 µM were not significant difference (p > 0.05) when compared with the untreated control. Acarbose (reference drug), Antroquinonol, Catechin, Quercetin, Actinodaphnine, Curcumin, HCD, Docosanol, Tetracosanol, Berberine, and Rutin could effectively inhibit the alpha-glucosidase activity of Caco-2 cells when compared with the control (maltose). The compounds (Curcumin, HCD, Tetracosanol, Antroquinonol, Berberine, Catechin, Actinodaphnine, and Rutin) could reduce blood sugar level at 30 min in tested mice. The effects of tested compounds on area under curve (AUC) were significant (p < 0.05) among Acarbose, Tetracosanol, Antroquinonol, Catechin, Actinodaphnine, and Rutin along with Berberine and Quercetin. In in vitro (alpha-glucosidase) with in vivo (alpha-amylase) experiments suggest that bioactive compounds can be a potential inhibitor candidate of alpha-glucosidase and alpha-amylase for the alleviation of type II diabetes.

This study analyzes the effect of economic growth and income distribution on health inequality using data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). A panel analysis was conducted by combining 21 years of data (from 2000 to 2020) from 38 OECD countries. Life expectancy and avoidable mortality were set as the dependent variables; gross domestic product and poverty gap were set as the independent variables; body mass index, consumption, smoking rate, healthcare personnel, number of beds in health service facilities, national medical expenses, and unemployment were set as control variables. First, economic growth and poverty gap significantly affect life expectancy and avoidable mortality. It has been confirmed that to resolve health inequality, growth during growth and distribution must be prioritized. Second, it has been confirmed that as the poverty gap increases, life expectancy increases and the avoidable mortality rate decreases. A mechanism different from the existence of a medical security system targeting the lowest class or an increase in the welfare of society worked. In conclusion, as a policy proposal to alleviate health inequality, this study suggests that policy intervention is necessary to block or alleviate the negative impact of income inequality in health care policies.

Little is known about the effect of statin use in lung cancer development in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). We analyzed the database of the National Health Insurance Service to further investigate the clinical impacts of statin on lung cancer development and overall survival (OS) in IPF patients. The analysis included 9,182 individuals diagnosed with IPF, of which 3,372 (36.7%) were statin users. Compared to statin non-users, the time from diagnosis of IPF to lung cancer development and OS were longer in statin users in IPF patients. In Cox proportional hazard regression models, higher statin compliance, statin use, and being female had an inverse association with lung cancer risk, while older age at diagnosis of IPF and smoking history were associated with higher risk of lung cancer in IPF patients. For OS, statin use, female sex, higher exercise frequency, and diabetes were associated with longer survival. In contrast, older age at diagnosis of IPF and smoking history were associated with shorter OS in IPF patients. These data from a large population indicate that statin had an independent protective association with lung cancer development and mortality in IPF patients.

We still do not have satisfactory answers about the inflationary and accelerating expansions of the universe, the missing mass problem, and the origins of the four fundamental forces and the quantum phenomena. Here, we introduce a new model of matter and space and a postulate on a constant of motion, and then show that an equation of motion derived from the constant of motion could provide new understandings of the above problems. For example, we show that there is a natural inflation scenario and that the co-moving distance to the closest accelerating supernova is clearly given as $c/(\sqrt{3} H)$ ($\sim$8.1 billion ly). In addition, we show that, in a system including a proton and an electron, the equation of motion has eight acceleration terms, some of which are suspected to be responsible for the four fundamental forces and the galaxy rotation anomaly. From further discussion, we conjecture that in order to understand the gravitational and strong interactions and the quantum phenomena, it is necessary to consider the expansion of the universe. The lensing mass distribution is explained, based on another postulate on a method of representing superposition.

Radio-dynamic therapy (RDT), as an emerging cancer treatment method, has attracted attention due to its remarkable therapeutic efficacy using low-dose, high-energy radiation (such as X-rays), and has shown significant potential in cancer treatment. The RDT system typically consists of scintillators and photosensitizers. Scintillators absorb X-rays and convert them to visible light, activating nearby photosensitizers to generate cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS). Challenges faced by the two-component strategy, including low loading capacity and inefficient energy transfer, hinder its final effectiveness. In addition, the tumor microenvironment (TME) with hypoxia and immunosuppression limits the efficacy of RDTs. Recent advances introduce one-component RDT systems based on nanomaterials with high-Z metal elements, which effectively inhibit deep-seated tumors. These novel RDT systems exhibit immune enhancement and immune memory, potentially eliminating both primary and metastatic tumors. This review comprehensively analyzes recent advances in the rational construction of RDTs, exploring their mechanisms and its application in the treatment of deep-seated tumors. Aimed at providing a practical resource for oncology researchers and practitioners, the review offers new perspectives for potential future directions in RDT research.

Concrete cracks and local damage can affect the bond performance between concrete and steel bars, thereby reducing the durability of reinforced concrete structures. Compared with general concrete crack repair methods, biomineralization repair not only has effective bonding capabilities but is also particularly environmentally friendly. In view of this, this study aimed to apply biomineralization technology to repair damaged fiber-reinforced lightweight aggregate concrete (LWAC). Two groups of LWAC specimens were prepared. The control group used lightweight aggregates (LWAs) without bacterial spores and nutrient sources, and the experimental group used LWAs containing bacterial spores and nutrient sources. These specimens were first subjected to compression tests and pull-out tests, respectively, and thus were damaged. After the damaged specimen healed itself in different ways for 28 days, secondary compression and pull-out tests were conducted. The self-healing method of the control group involved placing the specimens in an incubator. The experimental group was further divided into experimental group I and experimental group II. The self-healing method of experimental group I was the same as that of the control group. The self-healing method of experimental group II involved soaking the specimen in a mixed solution of urea and calcium acetate for two days, and then taking it out and placing it in an incubator for two days, with a cycle of four days. The test results showed that, compared with the control group specimens, the relative bond strength ratio of the experimental group II specimens increased by 17.9%. Moreover, the EDS and XRD analysis results confirmed that the precipitate formed at the crack was calcium carbonate, which improved the compressive strength and bond strength after self-healing. This indicates that the biomineralization maintenance method used in experimental group II is more effective.

Here, satellite images from 2006 to 2022 were collected to assess changes in the sandbar topography of the Nakdong River Estuary region, southeast of South Korea. The employed method of satellite image acquisition involves capturing images at the same time each year to facilitate a comparison of topographical changes over time. The shorelines of the islands in the study area, including Jinwoo Island, Shinja Island, and Doyo Sandbar, were analyzed. Shoreline analysis was performed using the digital shoreline analysis system (DSAS) package in ArcGIS. The results indicate that Jinwoo Island is expanding at 6.46 m/year in the direction of Nulcha Island. The western side of Shinja Island is expanding at 4.76 m/year, whereas the eastern side is retreating at a rate of 24.41 m/year. In the case of the Doyo Sandbar, the southern shoreline is retreating at a rate of 14.69 m/year; however, the speed is gradually decreasing. Marked topographical changes are evident in the Nakdong River Estuary, and the interlinked barrier islands undergo deposition and erosion, leading to alterations in the shoreline. These findings serve as foundational data for predicting and addressing environmental and social issues arising in the Nakdong River Estuary region due to climate change.

White spot lesions (WSLs), a side effect of orthodontic treatment, can result in reversible and unaesthetic results. Graphene oxide (GO) with a bioactive glass (BAG) mixture(BAG@GO) was added to Low Viscosity Transbond XT(LV) in a ratio of 1, 3, 5%. The composite’s characterization and its physical and biological properties were verified with scanning electron microscopy(SEM) and X-ray diffraction(XRD); its microhardness, shear bond stress (SBS), cell viability, and adhesive remnant index (ARI) were also assessed. Efficiency in reducing WSL was evaluated using antibacterial activity of S. mutans. Anti-demineralization was analyzed using a cycle of the acid-base solution. Adhesives with 3 or 5 wt.% of BAG@GO showed significant increase in microhardness compared with LV. The sample and LV groups showed no significant differences in SBS or ARI. The cell viability test confirmed that none of the sample groups showed higher toxicity compared to the LV group. Antibacterial activity was higher in the 48-hour group than in the 24-hour group; the 48-hour test showed that BAG@GO had a high antibacterial effect, which was more pronounced in 5 wt.% of BAG@GO. Anti-demineralization effect was higher in the BAG@GO-group than in the LV-group; the higher the BAG@GO concentration, the higher the anti-demineralization effect.

The critical period (CP) phenomenon in language development ranks among the 125 conundrums facing scientists in the 21st century, according to Science. While the phenomenon itself has been noncontroversial in first language acquisition, it still warrants an adequate explanation. Predicated on language acquisition as a complex process, questions among the first to be raised include: How do children accomplish this remarkable feat in such a short amount of time? And how do nature and nurture come together to influence language learning? In second language acquisition, however, both the notion of CP, albeit popular, and its empirical evidence have remained contested to this date - among the questions, whether the observed evidence counts as CP-specific and/or whether or not it warrants an isomorphic attribution to maturational constraints. Entwined in this debate are two well-established facets of inter-learner differential attainment. The first is that there exists a stark difference in ultimate attainment between younger and older learners. A second facet is the vast differences in ultimate attainment among older learners. In this article, adopting a social physics approach, we mathematically establish both the relationship between nature and nurture contributions and the presence of a critical period, and, at once, tender a parsimonious and probable theory for the twin phenomena of inter-learner differential attainment.

The genetic diversity of coronavirus (CoV) is high, and its infection in animals has not yet been fully revealed. By RT-PCR detection of partial RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) gene of CoV, we screened a total of 502 small mammals belonging to 18 species in 12 genera and 4 orders collected in Dali and Nujiang Prefecture of Western Yunnan Province, China. The prevalence of β-CoV in Chevrieri's field mouse (Apodemus chevrieri) and Lancangjiang field mouse (A. ilex) were 3.54% (4/113) and 6.67% (6/90), respectively; the prevalence of α-CoV in White-footed Indochinese rat (Rattus nitidus) and long-tailed red-toothed shrew (Episoriculus leucops) was 75% (3/4) and 5.88% (1/17), respectively. The co-infection rates of β-CoV and α-CoV in Kachin red-backed vole (Eothenomys cachinus), Norway rat (R. norvegicus) were 2.22% (2/90), 3.85% (1/26) respectively. The identity of the partial RdRp genes obtained of 13 strains of β-CoV was 83.42%-99.23% at nucleotide level, and it is worth noting that the two strains from Kachin red-backed vole showed highly homology to BOV-36/IND/2015 from Indian bovine and DcCoV-HKU23 from one-humped camel (Camelus dromedarius) in Morocco, the nucleotide similarity between 97.86%-98.33%. Similarly, the identity of the 7 strains of α-CoV among the partial RdRp sequences was 94.00%-99.18% at nucleotide levels. The viral load in different tissues was measured by quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR). The average CoV viral load in small mammalian intestinal tissue was 1.25×106copies/g, differently, the mean CoV viral load in liver, heart, lung, spleen and kidney tissue was from 1.29×103 to 4.02×103copies/g, which revealed that CoV has extensive tropism of intestinal tissue in small mammals (P &lt; 0.0001). This result revealed the genetic diversity, epidemiology, and infective tropism of α-CoV and β-CoV in small mammals from Dali and Nujiang, which deepens the comprehending of the retention and infection of coronavirus in natural hosts.

This article utilized electrodeposition technology to fabricate Zn and Zn-Y₂O₃-Al₂O₃ composite coatings on Q235 steel plates. The composite coatings were obtained by adding Y₂O₃/Al₂O₃ nanoparticles (0, 5, 10, and 15 g/L) to acidic chloride solutions. This study then examined the impact of these nanoparticles on the microstructure, morphology, microhardness, hydrophobicity, and corrosion resistance of the composite coatings. The results indicate that the addition of the nanoparticles increased the nucleation sites on the surface of the coating, thereby refining the grain size and reducing the roughness of the coating surface. When 10g/L of Y₂O₃ and 10g/L of Al₂O₃ nanoparticles were added, the hardness of the composite coating (369 Hv) was 2.49 times higher than that of the pure Zn coating (148 Hv), which was attributed to the dispersion strengthening and grain refinement effects of the nanoparticles. The corrosion resistance of the Zn and Zn-Y₂O₃-Al₂O₃ composite coatings was studied using linear sweep voltammetry and AC impedance spectroscopy. The addition of the nanoparticles improved the corrosion resistance of the composite coating, and the composite coating prepared in an electrolyte containing 10 g/L of Y₂O₃ and 10 g/L of Al₂O₃ nanoparticles exhibited the best corrosion resistance. Meanwhile, the composite coating exhibited good hydrophobicity, with a contact angle of 120.9°, 1.94 times that of the pure Zn coating (62.2°). The Zn-Y₂O₃-Al₂O₃ nanocomposite coating material has significant potential advantages in the field of steel corrosion.

High dimensional statistical analysis for the yield of large-scale circuits is quite difficult due to expensive simulations, especially for the memory circuits with high sigma requirement (e.g., SRAM). In this paper, we developed an efficient sparse additive model to substitute simulations. To fit high sigma region accurately, the modeling center is moved to near failure boundary searched by scaling the shape of sampling function. To solve the model efficiently, the process variables are grouped by standard cells so that the model can be solved by our developed blockwise greedy algorithm. The experiments on the 28nm memory circuits validate that our method achieves high accuracy and efficiency compared with other state-of-art works.

In recent years, bone tissue engineering (BTE) has made significant progress in promoting the direct and functional connection between bone and graft, including osseointegration and osteoconduction, to facilitate the healing of damaged bone tissues. Herein, we introduce a new, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective method for synthesizing reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and hydroxyapatite (HAp). The method uses epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG) as a reducing agent to synthesize rGO (E-rGO), and HAp powder is obtained from Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus). The physicochemical analysis indicated that the E-rGO/HAp composites had exceptional properties for use as BTE scaffolds, as well as high purity. Moreover, we discovered that E-rGO/HAp composites facilitated not only proliferation, but also early and late osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). Our work suggests that E-rGO/HAp composites may play a significant role in promoting the spontaneous osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs, and we envision that the E-rGO/HAp composites could serve as promising candidates for BTE scaffolds, stem cell differentiation stimulators, and implantable device components due to their biocompatible and bioactive properties. Overall, we suggest a new approach for developing cost-effective and environmentally friendly E-rGO/HAp composite materials for BTE application.

The nonlinear dynamics exhibited by aircraft flying at high angle of attack (AOA) pose great challenges to the design of flight control. The control design based on nonlinear dynamic inversion (NDI) is to reversely find the required control input based on the current nonlinear dynamics of the aircraft and the control objectives to be achieved. Since it is derived from the nonlinear dynamics of the aircraft, a single NDI controller can cover the entire flight envelope without the need for controller switching or gain scheduling. This paper employs the layered structure of the flight control loop to implement the NDI controller through the combination of aerodynamic control and thrust vectoring control (TVC). The resulting NDI controller is applied to an experimental F-16 installed with TVC to verify its high AOA maneuverability in the post-stall region. The verification simulation shows that the experimental F-16 under the NDI control can effectively track the high AOA command and successfully demonstrate the Herbst maneuver by performing the heading reversal with 70° AOA.

Functional connectivity (FC) is a potential candidate that can increase the performance of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) in the elderly because of its compensatory role in neural circuits. However, it is difficult to decode FC by current machine learning techniques because of a lack of its physiological understanding. To investigate the suitability of FC in BCI for the elderly, we propose the decoding of lower- and higher-order FCs using a convolutional neural network (CNN) in six cognitive-motor tasks. The layer-wise relevance propagation (LRP) method describes how age-related changes in FCs impact BCI applications for the elderly compared to younger adults. Seventeen younger (24.5±2.7 years) and twelve older (72.5±3.2 years) adults were recruited to perform tasks related to hand-force control with or without mental calculation. CNN yielded a six-class classification accuracy of 75.3% in the elderly, exceeding the 70.7% accuracy for the younger adults. In the elderly, the proposed method increases the classification accuracy by 88.3% compared to the filter-bank common spatial pattern (FBCSP). LRP results revealed that both lower- and higher-order FCs were dominantly overactivated in the prefrontal lobe depending on task type. These findings suggest a promising application of multi-order FC with deep learning on BCI systems for the elderly.

Tsallis entropy has been widely used in image thresholding because of its non-extensive properties. The non-extensive parameter q contained in this entropy plays an important role in various adaptive algorithms and has been successfully applied in bi-level image thresholding. In this paper, the relationships between parameter q and pixels’ long-range correlations have been further studied within multi-threshold image segmentation. It is found that the pixels’ correlations are remarkable and stable for images generated by a known physical principle, such as infrared images and medical CT images. And the corresponding non-extensive parameter q can be evaluated by using self-adaptive Tsallis entropy algorithm. The results of this algorithm are compared with those of Shannon entropy algorithm and the original Tsallis entropy algorithm, in terms of quantitative image quality evaluation metrics PSNR (Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio) and SSIM (Structural Similarity). Furthermore, we observed that for image series with the same background, the q values determined by the adaptive algorithm are consistently kept in a narrow range. Therefore, similar or identical scenes during imaging would produce similar strength of long-range correlations, which provides potential applications for unsupervised image processing.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) systems rely on semantic symmetry similarity measuring between two sentences. To address the challenges of insufficient training data and limited domain-specific understanding in low-resource FAQs, this paper proposes a general framework, PDAMF-FAQ, to solve these issues. Firstly, we propose a paraphrasing-based data augmentation model that integrates syntactic information and edit vectors. Using a rule-based approach, it retrieves template sentences from a corpus and masks relevant words with special characters. Edit vectors between the original and paraphrase sentences are added to a pre-trained model's encoding layer to enhance the model's ability to learn the differences between the original and reference paraphrase sentences. Additionally, this paper presents a mixed-feature semantic matching model based on SimBERT. The model extracts keyword features from the text, replacing these keywords with special characters to construct intent features. These intent features, along with the user question and keyword features, are then concatenated to form the model's input. Experiments were conducted respectively on the paraphrasing-based data augmentation model, mixed-feature semantic matching model and their comprehensive application in a low-resource domain-specific FAQ. The experimental results show that the proposed framework effectively improve the performance of domain-specific FAQ system.

Since large articulated vehicles have uncertainties in trailer articulation angle as well as dynamic complexity, it is not easy to accurately establish a reliable motion plan. In this paper, two geometric path plans constructed based on the empirical rules of driving experts are presented so that articulated vehicles can automatically perform perpendicular parking on a reverse path. By analyzing the empirical parking methods of professional drivers, these path plans were constructed by appropriately combining several standardized simple basic motions to facilitate implementation in real vehicles. In addition, path plans included appropriate complementary motions to effectively respond to uncertainties arising from articulation angles, etc. The complementary motions developed in this study are based on the results of qualitative analysis on the behavior of articulated vehicles. The usefulness of the proposed articulated vehicle parking method has been proven through hundreds of experimental tests using a 1:10 ratio model automated vehicle.

Demand for development of the convergence industry, research studies on electrical conductivity, thermal characteristics, semiconductors, motors, and batteries using special materials have come to the fore. Meanwhile, molybdenum (Mo) exhibits relatively small inorganic qualities, and the thermal conductivity rate is applied to various fields. In this study, in-depth characteristics were considered regarding the concentration of thermal characteristics, IR car terminal characteristics, and IR ve-hicles. This study calculated each phase temperature of the molybdenum sputtered specimens in the steady state according to the heat transfer theory. When the molybdenum-sputtered fabric’s metal layer pointed to the outside air, the heat transfer rate (Q) was high at 5748.3W, In contrast, if the molybdenum sputtered film’s metal layer of the pointed toward the heat source, the heat transfer rate (Q) was low at 187.1W. As a result of measuring the IR transmittance, the infrared transmit-tance of the molybdenum sputtering-treated sample was significantly reduced compared to the untreated sample. In the case of untreated samples, the transmittance ranged from 92.7 to 42.0%. When only the cross part was treated with molybdenum sputtering and the molybdenum surface was directed toward the IR irradiator, the IR transmittance was 66.8~0.7%. It is believed that the molybdenum sputtering polyamide samples produced in this study can be applied to multifunc-tional military wear, biosignal detection sensors, semiconductor products, batteries, etc., by utilizing excellent electrical properties, stealth functions, IR blocking properties, and lightness for infrared thermal imaging detectors.

With the development of deep learning, several Graph Neural Networks (GNN)-based approaches have been utilized for text classification. However, GNNs encounter challenges in capturing contextual text information within a document sequence. To address this, a novel text classification model RB-GAT is proposed by combining RoBERTa-BiGRU embedding and a multi-head Graph ATtention Network (GAT). First, the pre-trained RoBERTa model is exploited to learn word and text embeddings in different contexts. Second, the Bidirectional Gated Recurrent Unit (BiGRU) is employed to capture long-term dependencies and bidirectional sentence information from the text context. Next, the multi-head graph attention network is applied to analyze this information, which serves as a node feature for the document. Finally, the classification results are generated through a Softmax layer. Experimental results on three benchmark datasets demonstrate that our method can achieve an accuracy of 71.48%, 98.45%, and 80.32% on Ohsumed, R8, and MR, which is superior to the existing nine text classification approaches.

In this letter we investigate if SARS-CoV-2 RNA is involved in the increased ageing of alveolar cells. Our in silico study is explorative. With the results we are able to outline experiments with AEC2 repair of bleomycin damaged alveolar cells. If AEC2 repair capability is diminished by spike RNA then perhaps this result provides a first step on a route to treat immortal lung cancer cells.

Currently, peptic ulcers are widely studied as an infectious disease caused by Helicobacter pylori primarily due to 3 supporting evidences, and this etiology may explain the other 3 observations, but cannot confront the challenges of the 15 major characteristics and the other 75 observations/phenomena of peptic ulcers. To address the challenges, a recently published Complex Causal Relationship with its accompanying methodologies was applied to analyze existing data. Peptic ulcers are identified as a psychosomatic disease triggered by psychological stress, where Helicobacter pylori plays a secondary role in only the late phase of ulceration. This new etiology elucidated all the 15 major characteristics and 81 observations/phenomena of peptic ulcers in a series of 6 articles. This sixth article focuses exclusively on the controversies surrounding the role of Helicobacter pylori in peptic ulcers. In-depth analyses find that all the 3 evidences supporting “peptic ulcers are an infectious disease caused by Helicobacter pylori” are deceiving, and 2 of the 3 explainable observations may have been misinterpreted. Meanwhile, the definitions of ‘etiological factor’ and ‘causality’ do not support ‘H. pylori infection is an etiological factor of peptic ulcers’, and existing literatures have presented a controversial view on the role of Helicobacter pylori in peptic ulcers. Interestingly, if “peptic ulcers are an infectious disease caused by Helicobacter pylori” is considered an illusion, all the characteristics of the disease, along with all the clinical, epidemiological, and laboratory observations/phenomena, can be fully understood. This illusion has misguided peptic ulcer research over the past 36 years with little progress in the field, and that may represent a widespread situation in modern medical research, resulting in a direct interference with the true understanding of disease. Evidently, keeping the concept “illusion” in mind may help remove a huge obstacle that impedes medical advance, thereby facilitating the in-depth study of disease.

This study examines the Willingness-To-Pay (WTP) of consumers and the determinants of eco-labeling for the organic cocoa powder produced in the Dong Nai UNESCO Biosphere Reserve (DNBR), Southern Vietnam. Eco-labels are designed according to Tiers of eco-labeling for biosphere reserves (BR) introduced by UNESCO include BR Destination (Tier 1), BR Quality Label (Tier 2), and Professional Certification Label (Tier 3). Questionnaires are delivered to 203 customers in the DNBR and nearby places, such as Dong Nai and HCMC. This study employs a hybrid approach using descriptive statistics, ANOVA test, and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that gender and educational level have a positive effect on consumers' preferences. Customers are willing to pay more for cocoa powder with an eco-label than one with an organic label. Perceived food safety and product knowledge lower customers’ WTP, whereas agricultural environment and pricing concerns increase it. Tier 2 is suggested for labeling cocoa powder in the DNBR. The DNBR Management Board, together with the federal and provincial governments, should all follow a similar certification process. Increased eco-label awareness is crucial for the future of environmentally responsible shopping and responsible business practices.

This paper proposed emotion recognition methods for consecutive facial images, and implements the inference of neural network model on a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). The proposed emotion recognition methods are based on a neural network model architecture that combines convolution neural networks (CNNs), long short-term memory (LSTM), and fully connected neural networks (FCNNs), called CLDNN or ConvLSTM-FCN. This type of neural network mod-el can analyze the local feature sequences obtained through convolution of data, making it suita-ble for processing time-series data such as consecutive facial images. In this paper, sequences of facial images are sampled from videos corresponding to various emotional state of subjects. The sampled images are then pre-processed with the processes includes facial detection, greyscale conversion, resize, and data augmentation if necessary. The 2-D CNN in ConvLSTM-FCN is used for feature extraction for these pre-processed facial images. These sequences of facial im-age features are time sequences with dependent properties between the elements within them. The LSTM is then used to model these time sequences followed by fully connected neural net-works (FCNNs) for classification. The proposed consecutive facial emotion recognition method achieves an average recognition rate of 99.51% on RAVDESS dataset, 87.80% on BAUM-1s dataset and 96.82% on eNTERFACE’05 data set, using 10-fold cross-validation on the PC. Some com-parisons of recognition accuracies between the proposed method and the other existing related works are conducted in this paper. According to the comparisons, the proposed emotion recog-nition methods outperform the existing related researches. The proposed emotion recognition methods are then implemented on an FPGA chip using the neural network model inference algo-rithms in this paper, and the accuracies of the experiments conducted on the FPGA chip are iden-tical to those obtained on the PC. This verifies that the proposed neural network model imple-mented on the FPGA chip performs well.

The power converter is the significant device in a wind power system. Wind turbine will be shut down and off grid immediately with the occurrence of the IGBT module open-circuit fault of power converter, which will seriously impact the stability of grid and even threaten personal safety. However, in the existing diagnosis strategies of power converter, there are few single and double IGBT modules open-circuit fault diagnosis methods producing negative results including erroneous judgment, omissive judgment and low accuracy. In this paper, a novel method to diagnose the single and double IGBT modules open-circuit faults of the permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) wind turbine grid-side converter (GSC) is proposed. Above all, collecting the three-phase current varying with wind speed of 22 failure states including a normal state of PMSG wind turbine GSC as the original signal data. Afterward, the original signal data are decomposed by using variational mode decomposition (VMD) to obtain the mode coefficient series, which are analyzed by the proposed method base on fault trend feature for extracting the trend feature vectors. Finally, the trend feature vectors are used as the input of deep belief network (DBN) for decision-making and obtaining the classification results. The simulation and experimental results show that the proposed method can diagnose the single and double IGBT modules open-circuit faults of GSC, and the accuracy is higher than the benchmark models.

Lectins, characterized by their carbohydrate-binding ability, have an extensive practical application. However, their industrial use is limited by low yields, and few active recombinant lectins have been reported. In this study, the algal lectin BPL-3 (Bryopsis plumosa lectin 3) was successfully produced using a bacterial expression system, BL21(DE3), with an artificial repeated structure (dimeric construct). Recombinant dimeric BPL3 (rD2BPL3) was confirmed by LC-MS/MS spectrometry. Expression efficiency was greater for the construct with the repeat structure (rD2BPL3) than the monomeric form (rD1BPL3). Optimal conditions for expression were 1 mM IPTG at 20 °C. Recombinant lectin was purified under denaturing conditions and refolded by the flash dilution method. Recombinant BPL3 was solubilized in 1× PBS containing 2 M urea. rD2BPL3 showed strong hemagglutination activity using human erythrocytes, similar to that of native BPL3. rD2BPL3 had a similar sugar specificity to that of the native protein, i.e., to N-acetyl-glucosamine (GlcNAc) and N-acetyl-galactosamine (GalNAc). Glycan array results showed that recombinant BPL3 and native BPL3 exhibited different binding properties. Both showed weak binding activity to α-Man-Sp. Native BPL3 showed strong binding specificity to the alpha conformation of amino sugars, and rD2BPL3 had binding activity to the beta conformation. The process developed in this study was suitable for the quality-controlled production of high amounts of soluble recombinant lectins.

This study investigated the impact of boron and copper on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Spheroidal graphite Cast Iron (SCI). The addition of boron increased the ferrite content, while copper increased the stability of pearlite. The interaction between boron and copper significantly increased the ferrite content. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) revealed that boron decreased the enthalpy change of the α + Fe3C -> γ transformation and increased the enthalpy change of the α -> γ transformation. The addition of boron and copper reduced the tensile and yield strength but increased elongation and impact energy. The findings provide valuable insights into the effect of boron and copper on SCI, facilitating the design and development of high-performance SCI materials.

Zearalenone is one of the most prevalent estrogenic mycotoxins produced mainly by Fusarium family fungi, and harmed the heath of animals. Zearalenone hydrolase is an important enzyme capable of degrading zearalenone into a non-toxic compound. Although previous research has investigated the catalytic mechanism of zearalenone hydrolase, information on its dynamic interaction with zearalenone remains unknown. This study aimed to develop a pipeline for identifying the allosteric pathway of zearalenone hydrolase. Using an identity analysis, we identified hub genes whose sequences can generalize a set of sequences in a protein family. We then utilized a neural relational inference (NRI) model to identify the allosteric pathway of the protein throughout the entire molecular dynamics simulation. The production run lasted 1 microsecond, and we analyzed residues 139-222 for the allosteric pathway using the NRI model. We found that the cap domain of the protein opened up during catalysis, resembling a hemostatic tape. We used umbrella sampling to simulate the dynamic docking phase of the ligand-protein complex and found that the protein took on a square sandwich shape. Our energy analysis using both MMPBSA and PMF analysis showed discrepancies, with scores of -8.45 kcal/mol and -1.95 kcal/mol, respectively. MMPBSA, however, obtained a similar score to that of a previous report.

Previous studies have quantified repolarization variability using time-domain, frequency-domain and non-linear analysis in mouse hearts. Here, we investigated the relationship between these parameters and ventricular arrhythmogenicity in a hypokalaemia model of acquired long QT syndrome. Methods: Left ventricular monophasic action potentials (MAPs) were recorded during right ventricular regular 8 Hz pacing during normokalaemia (5.2 mM [K+]), hypokalaemia modelling LQTS (3 mM [K+]) or hypokalaemia with 0.1 mM heptanol in Langendorff-perfused mouse hearts. Results: During normokalaemia, mean APD was 33.5±3.7 ms. Standard deviation (SD) of APDs was 0.63±0.33 ms, coefficient of variation was 1.9±1.0% and the root mean square (RMS) of successive differences in APDs was 0.3±0.1 ms. Low- and high-frequency peaks were 0.6±0.5 and 2.3±0.7 Hz, respectively, with percentage powers of 38±22 and 61±23%. Poincaré plots of APDn+1 against APDn revealed ellipsoid morphologies with SD along the line-of-identity (SD2) to SD perpendicular to the line-of-identity (SD1) ratio of 4.6±1.1. Approximate and sample entropy were 0.49±0.12 and 0.64±0.29, respectively. Detrended fluctuation analysis revealed short- and long-term fluctuation slopes of 1.62±0.27 and 0.60±0.18, respectively. Hypokalaemia provoked ventricular tachycardia in six of seven hearts, prolonged APDs (51.2±7.9 ms), decreased SD2/SD1 ratio (3.1±1.0), increased approximate and sample entropy (0.68±0.08 and 1.02±0.33) and decreased short-term fluctuation slope (1.23 ± 0.20) (ANOVA, P<0.05). Heptanol prevented VT in all hearts studied without further altering the above repolarization parameters observed during hypokalaemia. Conclusion: Reduced SD2/SD1, increased entropy and decreased short-term fluctuation slope are associated with ventricular arrhythmogenesis in hypokalaemia. Heptanol exerts anti-arrhythmic effects without affecting repolarization variability.

Resistance of tumor cells to anticancer drugs is a major obstacle in tumor therapy. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of cordycepin-mediated resensitization to cisplatin inT24R2, a derived T24 cell line. Treatment with cordycepin or cisplatin (2 g/ml) alone could not induce cell death of T24R2, but combination treatment of these drugs significantly induced apoptosis of the cells through mitochondrial pathway including depolarization of mitochondrial membrane, decrease of anti-apoptotic proteins, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, and Mcl-1, and increase of pro-apoptotic proteins, Bak and Bax. . High expression of MDR1 was the cause of cisplatin resistance in T24R2, and cordycepin significantly reduced MDR1 expression through inhibition of MDR1 promoter activity. MDR1 promoter activity was dependent on a transcription factor, Ets-1, in T24R2 cells. Although there is a correlation between MDR1 and Ets-1 expression in bladder cancer patients, active Ets-1, Thr-38 phosphorylated form (pThr-38), was critical to induce MDR1 expression. Cordycepin decreased pThr-38 Ets-1 level through inhibition of AKT, which reduced MDR1 transcription and induced the resensitization of T24R2 to cisplatin. The results suggest that cordycepin effectively resensitizes cisplatin-resistant bladder cancer cells to cisplatin, thus serving as a potential strategy for treatment of anti-cancer drug resistant patients.

: This study focuses on optimizing chlorophyll extraction techniques and strategically placing leaf disks to enhance chlorophyll concentration in sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) leaves. Thirty sesame genotypes, categorized into light green (LG), middle green (MG), and deep green (DG) pigment groups based on leaf coloration, were selected from a larger pool of field-grown accessions. The investigation involved determining optimal SPAD value index measurements, quantifying pigment concentrations, exploring extraction solvents, and selecting suitable leaf disk positions. Significant variations in chlorophyll content were observed across genotypes, greenness categories, and leaf disk positions. The categorization of genotypes into DG, MG, and LG groups revealed a correlation between leaf appearance and chlorophyll content. The study highlighted a consistent relationship between carotenoids and chlorophyll, indicating their role in adaptation to warm environments. Examination of leaf disk positions revealed a significant chlorophyll gradient along the leaf blade, emphasizing the need for standardized protocols. Chlorophyll extraction experiments identified DMSO and 96% ethanol, particularly the later incubated for 10 minutes at 85°C, as effective choices. This recommendation considers factors like cost-effectiveness, time efficiency, safety, and environmental regulations, ensuring consistent and simplified extraction processes. For higher chlorophyll extraction, focusing on leaf tips and the 75% position along the sesame leaf blade is suggested, consistently yielding higher chlorophyll content. Our findings therefore, underscores insightful knowledge on chlorophyll gradients and encouraging for standardized protocols, that enabling researchers to refine experimental designs for precise and comparable chlorophyll measurements. Recommended solvent choices ensure reliable outcomes in plant physiology, ecology, and environmental studies.

Plant height is significantly correlated with grain traits, which is a component of wheat yield. The purpose of this study is to investigate the main QTLs that control plant height and grain-related traits in multiple environments. In this study, we constructed a high-density genetic linkage map using the Wheat50K SNP Array to map quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for these traits in 198 recombinant inbred lines (RILs). The two ends of the chromosome were identified as re-combination-rich areas in all chromosomes except chromosome 1B. The middle area of the chro-mosomes was identified as the recombination-barren area. Both the genetic map and the physical map showed a significant correlation when p=0.001, with a correlation coefficient between 0.63 and 0.99. However, there was almost no recombination between 1RS and 1BS. In terms of plant height, 1RS contributed to the reduction of plant height by 3.43cm. In terms of grain length, 1RS contributed to the elongation of grain by 0.11mm. A total of 43 QTLs were identified, including 8 QTLs for Plant height(PH), 11 QTLs thousand grain weight(TGW), 15 QTLs for grain length(GL),and 9 QTLs for grain width(GW), which explained 1.36%–33.08% of the phenotypic variation. Seven were environment-stable QTLs, including two loci Qph.nwafu-4B and Qph.nwafu-4D that determined plant height. The explanation rates of phenotypic variation were 7.39%-12.26% and 20.11%-27.08%, respectively. One QTL, Qtgw.nwafu-4B, which influenced TGW, showed an explanation rate of 3.43%-6.85% for phenotypic variation, two co-segregating KASP markers were developed, the physical locations corresponding to KASP_AX-109316968 and KASP_AX-109519968 were 25.888344 MB and 25.847691 MB. Another QTL, Qgw.nwafu-4D, which determined grain width, had an explanation rate of 3.43%-6.85%. Three loci that affected the grain length were Qgl.nwafu-5A, Qgl.nwafu-5D.2 and Qgl.nwafu-6B, illustrating the explana-tion rates of phenotypic variation as 6.72%-9.59%, 5.62%-7.75%, and 6.68%-10.73%, respectively. Two QTL clusters were identified on chromosomes 4B and 4D.

This research investigates precision enhancement in regional quasi-geoid refinement through ADS80 tri-linear array scanning stereoscopic imagery for aerial triangulation, coupled with GNSS gravity-potential modeling. Acquiring stereoscopic imagery and analyzing triangulation accuracy with the ADS80 camera, we performed this study over the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau's elevated, desolate terrain, collecting 593 GNSS points following high-precision stereoscopic imagery model. Utilizing 12 gravity satellite models, we computed geoid heights and China 1985 Yellow Sea elevations for 28 benchmarks and GNSS points, thereby refining the Qinghai Province Quasi-Geoid Model (QPQM) using geometric techniques. The findings reveal that POS-assisted ADS80 stereoscopic imagery yields high-precision triangulation with maximal horizontal and elevation accuracies of 0.083/0.116 cm and 0.053/0.09 cm, respectively, across five control point arrangements. The RMSE of normal heights for 1985, processed via these GNSS points, achieved decimeter precision. By applying error corrections from benchmarks to the 1985 elevation data from gravity satellites and performing weighted averaging, the precision of EGM2008, SGG-UGM-2, and SGG-UGM-1 models improved to 8.61 cm, 9.09 cm, and 9.38 cm, respectively, surpassing the QPQM by 9.22 cm to 9.99 cm. This research demonstrates that the proposed methods can significantly enhance the precision of regional quasi-geoid surfaces. Additionally, these methods offer a novel approach for rapidly establishing regional quasi-geoid models in the uninhabited areas of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.