The endometrium is an important part of the uterus. The human endometrium is a complex and dynamic tissue that goes through phases of growth and regression during any menstrual cycle. A thin endometrium might be relevant to a lower rate of implantation as well as a higher rate of miscarriage. Several treatments have been developed for thin endometrium, such as granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, stem cell therapy, acupuncture and physical therapy, among others. These approaches have been shown to have effects on the endometrium related to reducing the area of fibrosis, increasing the number of glands, promoting angiogenesis, increasing endometrial thickness, improving tissue structure, and increasing pregnancy rates. This review summarizes the key role of these treatments in repairing thin endometrium and improving clinical pregnancy rates

Monascus pigments (MPs) have been used as food colorants for several centuries in Asian countries and nowadays in the whole world via Asian catering. The MPs biosynthetic pathway has been well-illustrated, however, the functions of a few genes including mrpigH in the MPs gene cluster of M. ruber M7 are still unclear. In current study, mrpigH was disrupted in Δmrlig4ΔmrpyrG, a highly efficient gene modification system, using mrpyrG as a selection marker, and ΔmrpigHΔmrlig4ΔmrpyrG::mrpyrG and ΔmrpigHΔmrlig4ΔmrpyrG have been obtained. Subsequently, their morphologies, biomasses, MPs and citrinin (CIT) production were analyzed, respectively. These results have revealed that the deletion of mrpigH has significant effects on the morphology and growth of M. ruber M7. Moreover, compared with M. ruber M7, the yields of MPs and CIT were drastically increased and decreased in mrpigH mutants, respectively.

A simple model has been used to investigate the nature of chemical order in Na-Pb and Na-Hg liquid binary alloy at 700K and 673K respectively. The energy parameter obtained from the model was used to calculate the concentration dependent mixing properties such as Gibb’s free energy of mixing, Concentration fluctuations in the long wavelength limit and the Warren-Cowley chemical short range order parameter. Results obtained showed that both alloys are hetero-coordinated throughout the entire concentration and there is tendency for segregation and demixing to take place in the liquid alloys. We observed that Na-Hg liquid alloy is more strongly interacting binary alloy and chemically ordered than Na-Pb liquid alloy.

The excessive intake of sodium (Na) and insufficient intake of potassium (K) are major concerns to prevent hypertension. Using low-Na/K seasonings (reducing 25% of the NaCl and adding K salt) may improve the dietary Na/K ratio and help prevent hypertension. To devise an intervention study using low-Na/K seasonings at a company cafeteria, we calculated the Na and K contents of the meals served at the cafeteria and estimated changes in the intakes when suitable low-Na/K seasonings were used. We also considered using milk as a good source of K. We used an ingredient list of a company cafeteria and calculated Na and K contents in each dish. The average amounts of NaCl and K per use were 5.04 g and 718 mg, respectively. Seasonings contributed 70.9% of the NaCl. With the use of low-Na/K seasonings, an estimated reduction in NaCl of 0.8 g/day and an estimated increase in K of 308 mg/day was achieved. An additional serving (200 mL) of milk, NaCl was reduced by 0.57 g/day and K was increased by 610 mg/day, with an overall decrease in the dietary Na/K ratio from 3.20 to 2.40. The use of low-Na/K seasonings and dairy may improve the dietary Na/K ratio among cafeteria users and help prevent hypertension.

Fractures are the most common large organ trauma in humans. The initial inflammatory re-sponse promotes bone healing during the initial post-fracture phase, but chronic and persistent inflammation due to infection or other factors does not contribute to the healing process. The precise mechanisms by which immune cells and their cytokines are regulated in bone healing remain unclear. The use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for cellular therapy of bones injury is a novel clinical treatment approach. Bone progenitor MSCs not only differentiate into bone, but also interact with the immune system to promote the healing process. We review in vitro and in vivo studies on the role of the immune system and bone marrow MSCs in bone healing and their interactions. A deeper understanding of this paradigm may provide clues to potential therapeu-tic targets in the healing process, thereby improving the reliability and safety of clinical applica-tions of MSCs to promote bone healing.

The atomic structures of Zn and Na borophosphate glasses were studied by X-ray and neutron diffraction. Peaks assigned to the B−O, P−O, and O−O distances confirm that only BO4 units co-exist with the PO4 tetrahedra. The Zn−O and Na−O coordination numbers are found to be a little larger than four. The narrowest peaks of the Zn−O first-neighbor distances exist for the glasses along a line connecting the Zn(PO3)2 and BPO4 compositions (50 mol% P2O5) which is explained by networks of ZnO4, BO4, and PO4 tetrahedra with twofold coordinated oxygens. Calculated amounts of the available oxygen support this interpretation. Broadened peaks occur for glasses with lower P2O5 contents, consistent with the presence of threefold coordinated oxygens. The two distinct P−O peak components of the Zn and Na borophosphate glasses differ in their relative abundances which is interpreted by Na+ cations that coordinate oxygens in some P−O−B bridges, something not seen for the Zn2+ ions.

This study investigated the influence and interaction of tobacco promotional and control information with adolescents’ current smoking and smoking susceptibility. 12,278 students were recruited from junior, senior and vocational high schools located in Shanghai, China. The exposure to tobacco promotional and control message of participants over the past 30 days were examined, as well as current smoking and never smokers’ initiation susceptibility. Complex sample analysis was applied. Descriptive and multivariate logistic regressions were conducted. 89.3% and 91.5% of adolescents investigated were exposed to tobacco promotional and control message respectively, which separately increased and decreased the risk of current smoking and never-smokers’ smoking susceptibility, especially among males and junior high school students. The risk changed in consistency with the exposure level（P_trend < 0.001）. Tobacco control message seemed to mitigate the influence of tobacco promotions in the risk of both current smoking (OR = 0.64, 95%CI: 0.41–0.99) and smoking susceptibility (OR = 0.65, 95%CI: 0.46–0.93). Tobacco-related message exposure was highly prevalent and associated with youth smoking risk and smoking susceptibility. It is important to enhance the comprehensiveness and enforcement of promotion bans. Given the improvement of tobacco control message on smoking risk brought by tobacco promotions, the publicity and dissemination of tobacco control information need to be consistently strengthened.

Background: Despite tremendous efforts to reduce neonatal mortality worldwide and in 24 Ethiopia, there is the country is one of the countries with highest neonatal morbidity and health 25 losses. Never the less, the past three decades’ national trend and subnational distribution of 26 neonatal morbidity and mortality and its health loss in Ethiopia, was not well documented. 27 Hence, this study had aimed to analyze the trend and distributions as well as health losses 28 resulting from neonatal morbidity in the past three decades in Ethiopia, 2019. 29 Objective: To assess the national trend and sub national distributions of neonatal morbidity and 30 neonatal mortality in the previous three decades by using Global Burden of Diseases, 2019 data. 31 Methods: The data sources were primary and secondary data related to risk factors, morbidity, 32 disability, deaths, Disability Adjusted Life Years, Years Lived with Disability and Years Life Lost 33 were collected form case studies and case series, household surveys, socio-demographic surveys 34 and surveillances, health facilities surveys, Health facility observations and interviews and 35 published and unpublished literatures. The prevalence, deaths and health losses were calculated 36 by using embedded model. The study period covered from 1990 to 2019. Results were presented 37 buy using texts, tables and graphs. 38 Results: Seventy percent of neonatal disorders had occurred among early neonates aged 0 to 6 39 days. Between 1990 and 2019, the national prevalence of neonatal disorders had increased by 40 47% in to 28,319 (95% UI, 25646-30,361). Bet Similarly, the highest number of neonatal deaths 41 caused by neonatal sepsis had shifted from Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples region to 42 Oromia region while Harari remains to bear the lowest burden in the last three decades. The 43 highest and the lowest YLL as a result of neonatal disorders had occurred in Oromia 44 [(2,753,038,95% UI, 2,184,142-3,497-926) and Amhara 1,360,847 [(95% UI, 95% UI, 45 1,062,660-1,762,028)] regions respectively. Unlike other regions, Addis Ababa had the highest 46 (52%) prevalence of preterm birth in 2019 47 Conclusion and Recommendation: About seven in ten of neonatal death had occurred among 48 early neonates indicating narrowed occurrence of the event. The highest and the lowest number 49 of neonatal death and health loss had occurred in Oromia and Harari regions respectively. The 50 main causes of death were neonatal sepsis and other infections, neonatal preterm, hemolytic 51 disease and other jaundice and neonatal encephalopathy and trauma. Hence, Contextualized, 52 locally accepted innovative early neonatal care is crucial to avert the event.

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether chronic undernutrition modifies the response to rostafuroxin in juvenile rats. Chronic undernutrition was induced in male rats using a multideficient diet known as Regional Basic Diet (RBD), mimicking alimentary habits in impoverished regions worldwide. Animals were given RBD – or a control/CTRL normal diet for rodents – from weaning to 90 days, and rostafuroxin (1 mg/kg body mass) or vehicle were orally administered during the last 30 days. Undernourished rats became hypertensive at 55–60 days of age (tail-cuff recording). During the last two days, the rats were hosted in metabolic cages to measure food/energy, water, Na+ ingestion, and urinary volume. Blood and kidneys were collected after euthanasia. Rostafuroxin increased food/energy and Na+ intake in CTRL and RBD rats but had opposite effects on Na+ balance (intake minus urinary excretion): negative in CTRL and positive in RBD. The drug normalized the decreased plasma Na+ concentration found in RBD rats, increased urinary volume in RBD but not in CTRL, and decreased and increased urinary Na+ concentration in the RBD and CTRL groups, respectively. Rostafuroxin decreased the ouabain-sensitive (Na++K+)ATPase and increased the ouabain-resistant, furosemide-sensitive Na+-ATPase from proximal tubule cells in both groups, and normalized the systolic blood pressure in RBD without effect in CTRL rats. We conclude that chronic undernutrition modifies the response of blood pressure, caloric metabolism, Na+ distribution in liquid compartments, mobilization of Na+ from non-osmotic compartments, Na+ and water balance, and activity of renal Na+-transporting ATPases to rostafuroxin.

The recent remarkable progress in Artificial Intelligence (AI) has renewed the discussion on the possibility of human-level AI. Despite the difficulty of the problem and the presence of many large gaps and challenges, most people working in the field think that human-level AI is achievable, but they disagree on the date. In this paper, I briefly discuss the possibility of human-level AI from the perspective of two traditions in the Islamic world, namely Kalam and Sufism, and despite their different mode of investigation, they converge to the same conclusion on this topic.

This paper aims to quantify the influence of hydrogen embrittlement on Wierzbicki and Xue (W-X) model parameters. This model has 4 parameters which have been obtained by tensile tests on smooth specimens, tensile notch specimens, single notch tensile specimens (SENT) and pure shear specimens. Hydrogen embrittlement has been obtained by electrolytic method. Application of the (W-X) model has been done to get the local resistance used to predict failure by the Volumetric Method (VM). An example is given for the case of an embedded pipe submitted to service pressure and lateral seismic displacement. The effect of this displacement is then assimilated to the shearing of the straight section of the pipe. The pipe shows a corrosion defect considered a semi-elliptical crack. The influence of hydrogen embrittlement on local strain resistance and safety factors is discussed.

(1) Background: in the context of sustainable development goals (SDGs), this work explores the repair direction of future cultivated land protection policies based on the Smith policy implementation model from the historical evolution to ensure that the cultivated land protection policy does not deviate during the implementation process. (2) Methods: this paper uses literature research and inductive deduction methods to sort out the evolution process of Chinese cultivated land protection policy, summarize the successful experience of transferring the focus of cultivated land protection in chronological order, and conclude the repair direction of Chinese cultivated land protection. (3) Results: although the Chinese cultivated land protection policy in the historical evolution has through three significant phases, there are still certain issues in the development trend of Chinese cultivated land protection policy based on regional division of labor for grain transportation and sales. (4) Conclusion: directly utilizing feedback from farmers as stakeholders will contribute to the maturity and improvement of cultivated land protection policies in the specific implementation of cultivated land protection policies.

Antarctic krill protein-iron complex and peptide-iron complex were obtained to investigate their iron bioavailability, expression of iron-regulated genes, and in vivo antioxidant capacity. Results indicated that Antarctic krill peptide-iron complex increased significantly the hemoglobin (Hb), serum iron (SI) and iron content in the liver and spleen in iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) mice (P < 0.05) compared with those of Antarctic krill protein-iron complex. Despite the gene expressions of divalent metal transporter 1(DMT1), transferrin (Tf) and transferrin receptor (TfR) could be better regulated by both Antarctic krill peptide-iron complex and protein-iron complex, the relative iron bioavailability of the Antarctic krill peptide-iron complex group (152.53±21.05%) was significantly higher than that of the protein-iron complex group (112.75±9.60%) (P<0.05). Moreover, Antarctic krill peptide-iron complex could enhance the antioxidant enzyme activities of superoxidase dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), reduce the malondialdehyde (MDA) level in IDA mice compared with the protein-iron complex, reducing the cell damage caused by IDA. Therefore, these results demonstrated that Antarctic krill peptide-iron complex could be used as a highly efficient and multifunctional iron supplement.

Several observational studies have indicated the potential associations between calcium, vitamin D(Vit-D) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, the causal relationship deduced from these studies is subjected to residual confounding factors and reverse causation. Therefore, we aim to explore the bidirectional causal effects between serum calcium, Vit-D, PTH and IBS at the genetic level by a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. Sensitivity analyses were performed to evaluate the robustness. The estimates were presented as odds ratio (OR) with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The results of the inverse-variance-weighted method did not re-veal any causal relationship shared between genetically predisposed calcium (OR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.80-1.06, P = 0.25) and Vit-D (OR = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.83-1.19, P = 0.94) level and the risk of IBS. The bidirectional analysis demonstrated that genetic predisposition to IBS was associated with a de-creased level of PTH (beta: -0.19, 95%CI: -0.34 to -0.04, P = 0.01). In conclusion, the present study indicates no causal relationship between the serum calcium and Vit-D concentrations and the risk of IBS. The potential mechanisms by which IBS affects serum PTH need to be further investigated.

The initiation reactions of DNA synthesis are central processes during human chromosomal DNA replication. They are separated into two main processes: the initiation events at replication origins, the start of the leading strand synthesis for each replicon, and the numerous initiation events taking place during lagging strand DNA synthesis. In addition, a third mechanism is the re-initiation of DNA synthesis after replication fork stalling, which takes place when DNA lesions hinder the progression of DNA synthesis. The initiation of leading strand synthesis at replication origin is regulated at multiple levels, from the origin recognition to the assembly and activation of replicative helicase, the Cdc45-MCM2-7-GINS (CMG) complex. In addition, the multiple interactions of the CMG complex with the eukaryotic replicative DNA polymerases such as DNA polymerase α-primase (Pol α), DNA polymerase δ and ε at replication forks play pivotal roles in the mechanism of initiation reactions including the initiation of signalling unperturbed and stalled replication forks, ‘replication stress’ events, via ATR (ATM-Rad 3-related protein kinase). All these processes are essential for the accurate transfer of the cells’ genetic information to their daughters. Failures and dysfunctions in these processes gives rise to genome instability followed by genetic diseases including cancer. Thus, in their review ‘Hallmarks of Cancer: New Dimensions‘ Hanahan and Weinberg (2022) called genome instability a fundamental function in the development process of cancer cells. In recent years, the understanding of the initiation processes and mechanisms of human DNA replication has made substantial progress at all levels which will be discussed in the review.

The rapid retreat of coastal cliffs poses a profound risk to property, transport infrastructure and public safety both in Ireland and globally. This study combines historical data (maps and orthophotos, 1842 to 2000) with contemporary UAV surveys (2019 to 2023) to quantify cliff top and cliff face retreat along a 250 m wide coastal drumlin at Silverstrand in Galway Bay, Ireland. Retreat rates for the cliff top and cliff face were calculated using 2D mapping and 3D modelling, respectively. Critically, the choice of method appears to have a major impact on apparent rates of cliff top retreat, with output from the 2D mapping approach (0.14 +/- 0.02 m yr-1) being double that of the 3D modelling approach (0.08 +/- 0.02 m year-1). The aperiodic development of a talus cone, which offers temporary protection to the cliff from storm waves, also influences the estimation of cliff retreat. The repeat cycles of talus slope formation and removal in this high wave energy climate suggest that the drumlin transitions between a periodically transport-limited system and supply limited system over short- and long-time periods, respectively, on the continuum of cliff types. These results warrant further research to identify and quantify the rates, patterns, drivers (marine and subaerial processes), and timing of cliff retreat rates in response to climate change.

Silybin is a natural compound extensively studied for its hepatoprotective, neuroprotective and anti-cancer properties. Envisioning the enhancement of silybin potential by suitable modifications in its chemical structure, here, a series of new 7-O alkyl silybins derivatives were synthesized by Mitsunobu reaction starting from the silybins and tyrosol-based phenols, such as tyrosol (TYR, 3), 3-methoxytyrosol (MTYR, 4) and 3-hydroxytyrosol (HTYR, 5). This research sought to explore the antioxidant and anticancer properties of new eighteen derivatives and their mechanisms. In particular, the antioxidant properties of new derivatives outlined by DPPH assay, showed a very pronounced activity depending on the tyrosyl moiety (HTYR&gt;MTYR&gt;&gt;TYR). A significant contribution of the HTYR moiety was observed for silybins and 2,3-dehydro-silybin based derivatives. According to the very potent antioxidant activity, 2,3-dehydro-silybin derivatives 15ab, 15a and 15b exerted the most potent anticancer activity in human prostate cancer PC-3 cells. Furthermore, flow cytometric analysis for cell cycle and apoptosis revealed that 15ab, 15a and 15b induce strong G1 phase arrest and increase late apoptotic population in PC-3 cells. Additionally, western blotting for apoptotic marker cleaved caspase-3 confirmed apoptosis induction by these silybin derivatives in PC-3 cells. These findings hold significant importance in the investigation of anticancer properties of silybin derivatives and strongly encourage swift investigation in pre-clinical models and clinical trials.

With the economic recession and the deterioration of the ecological environment becoming more and more prominent in the world, the sustainable operation of enterprises is facing the most difficult choice in history. For each responsible enterprise, it is crucial to choose the market power expansive strategy that can improve the realistic viability or the technological innovation strategy that can improve the future development potential. This is of great significance to reduce the negative external effects of the corporate social environment and ensure their sustainable development. In this paper, we select the data of 18 large listed petrochemical companies from 2003 to 2018 as samples and construct a linear regression model for empirical analysis. Meanwhile, we put forward more practical business management strategies for the sustainable development of petrochemical enterprises in developing countries in further research.

Na⁺/H⁺ exchangers (NHEs) are known to be important regulators of pH in multiple intracellular compartments of eukaryotic cells. Sperm function is especially dependent on changes in pH and thus it has been postulated that NHEs play important roles in regulating the intracellular pH of these cells. For example, in order to achieve fertilization, mature sperm must maintain a basal pH in the male reproductive tract and then alkalize in response to specific signals in the female reproductive tract during the capacitation process. Eight NHE isoforms are expressed in mammalian testis/sperm: NHE1, NHE3, NHE5, NHE8, NHA1, NHA2, NHE10, and NHE11. These NHE isoforms are expressed at varying times during spermatogenesis and localize to different subcellular structures in developing and mature sperm where they contribute to multiple aspects of sperm physiology and male fertility including proper sperm development/morphogenesis, motility, capacitation, and the acrosome reaction. Previous work has provided evidence for NHE3, NHE8, NHA1, NHA2, and NHE10 being critical for male fertility in mice and NHE10 has recently been shown to be essential for male fertility in humans. In this article we review what is known about each NHE isoform expressed in mammalian sperm and discuss the physiological significance of each NHE isoform with respect to male fertility.

Under batch experiment conditions, this work seeks to successfully remove Diclofenac-Na (DCF-Na) from an aqueous solution utilizing a composite sorbent made of Bentonite, Kaolinite clay, and Worm casting (BKW). This study investigated the structural modification of the H₃PO₄ Modified Clay by X-ray fluorescence and the effect of selected adsorption factors – DCF-Na concentration and modified BKW composite dosage. The concentration equilibrium data was used to study six isotherm models. Freundlich isotherm model better explained the adsorption of DCF-Na onto modified BKW composite with a correlation coefficient close to 1. Kinetics models were examined, and the Elovich model gave a better fit than other kinetic models studied. Mass diffusion mechanisms and thermodynamics studies were successfully carried out. The enthalpy change values evaluated were negative, which revealed the spontaneity of DCF-Na remediation onto modified BKW, and that DCF-Na adsorption is exothermic and occurred through a physisorption process.

The Na+/K+ ATPase is a protein involved in the active transport of ions across the cellular membrane. Ouabain is a cardiotonic glycoside that, by inhibiting the Na+/K+ pump, interferes with cell processes mediated directly by the pump, but also indirectly influences other cellular processes, such as cellular cycle and proliferation, growth, cell differentiation, angiogenesis, migration, adhesion and invasion. We used the SK-BR-3 breast cancer cell line, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and tumor-associated fibroblasts (TAFs) in vitro for determining the changes induced by Ouabain in concentration of 10-5 M, 10-6 M, 10-8 M, 10-9 M on these cellular types, employing specific methods: SEM for morphological evaluation; immunocytochemistry, flowcytometry to assess immunophenotypical markers expression, cell cycle and Annexin V/PI assay for cellular proliferation and viability testing; flowchamber assay to evaluate functional adhesion behavior; RT-PCR for Na+/K+ ATPase subunits molecular expression. Being indicative of the pro-apoptotic and inhibitory effect of Ouabain on tumor invasion and metastasis, the results support the addition of Ouabain to the oncological therapeutic arsenal, trailing the “repurposing drugs” approach.

The concern about consuming eco-friendly products has motivated research in the development of new materials. Therefore, films based on natural polymers have been used to replace traditional polymers. This study consists of a production of films based on gelatin reinforced with black pepper essential oil-loaded nanoemulsions and Cloisite Na⁺. The films were characterized by water vapor permeability, mechanical and thermal properties, surface contact angle, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. It was observed that the films containing the nanoemulsion have higher permeability values and an increase in their mechanical resistance. The addition of nanoclay contributed to an increase in the surface hydrophobicity of the film and an increase in the tensile strength at break by about 150%. The addition of essential oil nanoemulsions led to an increase in thermal stability. The presence of clay dispersion contributed to the formation of a surface that was slightly rougher and grainier. The addition of the black pepper essential oil nanoemulsion resulted in an increase in porosity of the gelatin matrix. Through X-ray diffraction analysis, it was possible to conclude that both the polymeric gelatin matrix and the essential oils nanoemulsion are intercalated with the clay dispersion.

The multidrug resistance transporter NorM is an important drug resistance pump and plays a critical role in multidrug resistance in bacteria and mammals. In this study we carried out molecular dynamics simulation to study the mechanism of Na+ binding and dynamical structures of two long loops in the substrate-releasing process in substrate binding NorM. Our simulation study identified several key residues (D41, E261 D377) along the Na+ binding pathway and a multi-state ion-binding mechanism is proposed based on the simulation study. In this proposed model, the transport of Na+ is a multi-stage process with D41 being the first station for binding to Na+, followed by Na+ binding to the second station E262 and finally to the cation-binding site of E262 and D377. During the transport of Na+, the transmembrane components TM1, TM7 and TM2 are rearranged to facilitate the ion transport as well conformational changes of NorM to a closed state. Further, substrate-bound simulation revealed that Loop3-4 and Loop9-10 control the substrate-releasing process.

Although the signaling function of Na/K ATPase is been studied for decades, the chasm between the pumping function and the signaling function of Na/K – ATPase is still an open issue. This article explores the relationship between ion pumping and signaling with attention to the amplification of oxidants through this signaling function. Starting with some experimental observations published by our laboratories and others, we develop some predictions regarding cellular oxidant stress.

In the development of the safety-critical systems, it is important to perform Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) process to identify potential failures. However, traditional FMEA activities tend to be considered difficult and time-consuming tasks. To compensate for the difficulty of the FMEA task, various types of tools are used to increase the quality and the effectiveness of the FMEA reports. This paper explains an Automatic FMEA tool which integrates the Model-based Design (MBD), FMEA, and Simulated Fault Injection techniques in a single environment. The Automatic FMEA tool has the following advantages compared to the existing FMEA analysis tool. First, the Automatic FMEA tool automatically generates FMEA reports compared to the traditional spreadsheet-based FMEA tools. Second, the Automatic FMEA tool analyzes the causality between the failure modes and the failure effects by performing model-based fault injection simulation. In order to demonstrate the applicability of the Automatic FMEA, we used the electronic fuel injection system (EFI) Simulink model. The results of the Automatic FMEA were compared to that of the legacy FMEA.

The Shisa family is a type of single-transmembrane adaptor proteins containing an N-terminal cysteine-rich domain and a proline-rich C-terminal region. Nine Shisa subfamily genes have been proposed in most vertebrates; however, some of them might be species-specific. The number of Shisa genes present in zebrafish remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the evolutionary relationships among Shisa family genes in zebrafish (TU strain) using phylogenetic and syntenic analyses. The function of shisa-2 was preliminarily examined via CRISPR/Cas13d-mediated knockdown. Following identification in zebrafish,10 Shisa family genes, namely shisa-1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9a, and 9b, were classified into three main clades and six subclades. Their encoding proteins contained a cysteine-rich N-terminal domain and a proline-rich C-terminal region containing different motifs. A specific syntenic block containing atp8a2 and shisa-2 was observed to be conserved across all species. Furthermore, all these genes were found to be expressed during embryogenesis. shisa-2 was expressed in the presomitic mesoderm, somites, and so on. shisa-2 was identified as a regulator of the expression of the somite formation marker mesp-ab. Overall, our study provides new insights into the evolution of Shisa family genes and the control of shisa-2 over the convergent extension cells of somatic precursors in zebrafish.

The awareness of ciliate importance in freshwater has changed dramatically in the last decades, reflecting methodological attempts. We analysed two decades (1994-2018) of data on the surface (0-3 m) ciliate assemblage in the Slapy reservoir (Vltava River, Czech Republic) during two different nutrient-load defined periods. We identified, quantified, and evaluated the biomass of ciliates in the quantitative protargol-stained preparations. We used water age, nutrients, bacteria, heterotrophic nanoflagellates and rhodomonads as the main explanatory background variables. The sampling median and interquartile range data analysis and a non-metric multidimensional scaling were applied. Ciliates were grouped according to their feeding behaviour. The picoplankton filtering species dominated the assemblages in an annual mean (halteriids and minute strobilidiids followed by peritrichs). Algae hunters Balanion planctonicum, urotrichs and nanoplankton filtering tintinnids were important before the spring phytoplankton peak when a maximum of ciliate biomass reflected mixotrophic nanoplankton filtering pelagostrombidiids. Only there, ciliate biomass tightly followed their quantified prey. Heterotrophic and mixotrophic Askenasia and Lagynophrya were typical raptorial/flagellate hunters; only Mesodinium spp. peaked during autumn. The oligotrophication increased the ciliate assemblage biomass in the surface layer during the stratification in concordance with the PEG model.

Since the discovery of graphene, due to its excellent optical, thermal, mechanical and electrical properties, it has a broad application prospect in energy, materials, biomedicine, electromagnetism and other fields. A great quantity of researches on the physical mechanism of graphene has been applied to engineering in electromagnetism and optics. To study the properties of graphene, different kinds of numerical methods have been developed for simulating the electromagnetic field effects of graphene, and equivalent boundary conditions have been employed to replace graphene in the computational domain. In this work, the numerical methods with equivalent boundary conditions are reviewed, and some examples are provided to illustrate their applicability.

(1) Background: The CEO message of hospital homepage contain various contents such as the hospital's future vision, promises with customers, upgraded services and public activities. The CEO’s message of the homepage includes non-financial information as well as financial information of corporates. Also, it provides useful information for not only company's goals and vision but also firm performance and strategies for the future. This study aims to investigate associations between CEO’s message of hospitals homepages and financial status. We used the balanced scorecard frame to analyze what content on the hospital's homepage is related to the hospital's various financial ratios. (2) Methods: We adopt a text mining method to extract significantly repeated keywords from the CEO’s message of hospital website. And we classify these keywords by a balanced scorecard frame. To examine the relationship between keywords of CEO’s message of the hospital homepage and hospital’s financial ratio, T-test is conducted for the difference in the TF-IDF (Term Frequency is Divided by Inverse Document Frequency) mean of the home page contents and its relationship with the views of the balanced scorecard framework. (3) Results: According to empirical results on 65 samples collected from local hospitals, there are some significant relationship between the qualitative content of the hospital's homepage and the quantitative financial ratio that indicates profitability, activity, leverage, liquidity, and transfer to essential business fund (EBF) income. (4) Conclusions: The introduction section of a homepage is most accessible to customers, containing the aims and ideals of hospitals and reflecting their values and visions [1]. In addition, in view of financial status, they can either emphasize financial strength or focus on other areas to mask weakness of financial information. This study reminds us of the importance of hospital website’s disclosure, and it can be inferred from the financial status of the hospital. It also highlights the need for harmonization between quantitative data, financial statements, and qualitative data, CEO’s messages. (5) Implications: To our best knowledge, this paper is the first research attempting to investigate the relation between text of hospital homepage and financial ratio of hospital through text mining technique and balanced scorecard frame. Hospitals take a crucial part in a country’s welfare and healthcare backbone industry. Nevertheless, in many countries, hospital organization sectors tend to remain a source of critical fiscal deficits due to its ineffective and sloppy management. We expect that the result of this paper can provide hospital managers to useful information.

Inflammation is known to be risk factors for metabolic diseases. The purpose of this study was to develop a Food-based Index of Dietary Inflammatory Potential (FBDI) and conduct its validation assessment. This study analyzed raw data from Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study 2012–2014 data of 17,771 people. We carried out the correlation analysis between 51 food groups and hs-CRP. The FBDI was developed by multiple regression method with hs-CRP and selected 17 food group. For the validation of FBDI, 7795 people in the 6th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHAES) was used. Binary logistic regression analysis was used for risk analysis of metabolic syndrome and FBDI. The FBDI model included that 7 were composed of anti-inflammatory food groups and 3 of inflammatory food groups. The FBDI was calculated by multiplying the intake of food group by β coefficients. KNHAES were included in the validation of FBDI. The risk of metabolic syndrome was found to be 2.152 times higher in the group with the highest FBDI than in the group with the lowest one (95% Cl:1.458–3.178, p for trend = 0.000). This study developed FBDI reflecting food intake for Koreans, which showed a significant relationship with the risk of metabolic syndrome.

In this study, we resequenced the mitogenomes of P. megacephalus from different regions using a “primer bridging” approach with Sanger sequencing technologies. The mitogenome of this species was found to contain two copies of the ND5 genes and three copies of the control regions. Furthermore, multiple tandem repeats were identified in the control regions. Notably, we observed that there was no correlation between the distribution of species and their genetic distance. However, our research revealed the discovery of the “missing” ATP8 gene in P. megacephalus as well as three other previously published Polypedates, as a result of manual data curation. Using the mitogenome, gene expression analysis was performed via RT-qPCR of liver samples and determined that COIII, ND2, ND4, and ND6 were reduced to 0.64±0.24, 0.55±0.34, 0.44±0.21 and 0.65±0.17 under the low-temperature stress (8℃), respectively, as compared with controls (P<0.05). Remarkably, the transcript of long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) between positions 8029 and 8612 decreased significantly with exposure to low-temperature stress (8℃). Antisense ND6 gene expression showed a downward trend but this was not significant. These results reveal that modulations of protein-coding mitogenomes genes and lncRNAs of P. megacephalus play a crucial part in the molecular response to cold stress.

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the major cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and increases the risk of cardiovascular events. Hemodynamic, inflammatory and metabolic factors, which share the convergent pathway of fibrosis, are considered to involve in the pathogenesis of DKD. In spite of the emerging of angiotensin receptors blockers (ARBs)/ angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI), sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, and nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptors antagonists (NS-MRAs), current therapies still couldn’t arrest the progression of DKD. Glucagon like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) are promising agents to play renoprotective roles in slowing the progression of DKD. Based on the treatment of heart failure, combined use of drugs is recommended for DKD rather than single use. Unearthing the mechanisms underlying DKD is urgent to investigate the management of DKD. Here, we elaborate on the potential mechanisms and the current therapies of DKD. We also discuss the additional value of the combined use of these drugs for DKD to establish novel concepts of treatment.

Two interesting compounds such as quaternary ammonium lignin(QAL) and 2-ethylhexyl phosphoric acid mono-2-ethylhexyl ester (P507) were synthesized as ionic liquids(QP-ILs) for the extraction of metal ions. The extraction behavior of Co(II) and Ni(II) from chloride solution was compared between QP-ILs and P507. The results showed that the extraction rates of Co(II) and Ni(II) in the two solutions varied with the extraction conditions, but QP-ILs has stronger extractability for cobalt than P507, while Ni is on the contrary. Under the same conditions, the Co/Ni separation performance(βCo/Ni) in QP-ILs is superior to that in p507. At pH4.0, 55℃, concentration of 20%, extraction time of 10 minutes, the βCo/Ni of QP-ILs reached to 2703, while that of P507 was only 164. In conclusion, QP-ILs was more efficient than P507 for separating Co from mixed solutions.

Remote video imagery using shoreline edge detection is widely used in coastal monitoring in order to acquire measurements of nearshore and swash processes. Some of these systems have very limited flexibility due to their rigid structures and require considerable investment in hardware. As such, there is a need for an autonomous low-cost system (~€500) that can be rapidly deployed in the field, while still producing the outcomes required for coastal monitoring. This research presents a sensitivity analysis of time-lapse intervals for two low-cost cameras located in a remote coastal area, overlooking a dissipative beach-dune system. The analysis shows that RMSD in the detected shoreline is similar to other studies for intervals ranging between 1 second and 30 seconds (i.e., RMSDmax for Camera 1 = 2.8 m and Camera 2 = 1.3 m). The increase of the sampling interval from 1 s to 30 s is shown to have no significant adverse effect on the precision of shoreline detection. The research found that the limitations of battery life and memory storage substantially decrease when sampling intervals increase without an effect on the data quality. This also has a positive effect for low-cost systems and removes the requirement for external battery and memory storage. On the systems used, the battery life increased from ~10 days to ~100 days when the sampling interval was increased from 1 to 5 s., As such, the current standard of producing Timex images from 1 s sampling intervals over 10 minutes can be changed depending on the application and requirements needed for analysis.

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether chronic undernutrition modifies the response to rostafuroxin in juvenile rats. Chronic undernutrition was induced in male rats using a multideficient diet known as Regional Basic Diet (RBD), mimicking alimentary habits in impoverished regions worldwide. Animals were given RBD – or a control/CTRL normal diet for rodents – from weaning to 90 days, and rostafuroxin (1 mg/kg body mass) or vehicle were orally administered during the last 30 days. Undernourished rats became hypertensive at 55–60 days of age (tail-cuff recording). During the last two days, the rats were hosted in metabolic cages to measure food/energy, water, Na⁺ ingestion, and urinary volume. Blood and kidneys were collected after euthanasia. Rostafuroxin increased food/energy and Na⁺ intake in CTRL and RBD rats but had opposite effects on Na⁺ balance (intake minus urinary excretion): negative in CTRL and positive in RBD. The drug normalized the decreased plasma Na⁺ concentration found in RBD rats, increased urinary volume in RBD but not in CTRL, and decreased and increased urinary Na⁺ concentration in the RBD and CTRL groups, respectively. Rostafuroxin decreased the ouabain-sensitive (Na⁺+K⁺)ATPase and increased the ouabain-resistant, furosemide-sensitive Na⁺-ATPase from proximal tubule cells in both groups, and normalized the systolic blood pressure in RBD without effect in CTRL rats. We conclude that chronic undernutrition modifies the response of blood pressure, caloric metabolism, Na⁺ distribution in liquid compartments, mobilization of Na⁺ from non-osmotic compartments, Na⁺ and water balance, and activity of renal Na⁺-transporting ATPases to rostafuroxin.

Liver cirrhosis is one of the most prevalent chronic liver diseases worldwide. In addition to viral hepatitis, genetic conditions such as steatohepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis, sclerosing cholangitis, and Wilson’s disease can also lead to cirrhosis. Moreover, alcohol can cause cirrhosis on its own and exacerbate chronic liver disease from other causes. The treatment of cirrhosis can be divided into addressing the cause of cirrhosis and reversing liver fibrosis. To this date, there is still no clear consensus on the treatment of cirrhosis. Recently, there has been a lot of interest in potential treatments that modulate the gut microbiota and gut-liver axis for the treatment of cirrhosis. According to recent studies, modulation of the gut microbiome by probiotics ameliorates the progression of liver disease. The precise mechanism for relieving cirrhosis via gut microbial modulation has not been identified. This paper summarizes the role and effects of the gut microbiome in cirrhosis based on experimental and clinical studies on absorbable antibiotics, probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics. Moreover, it provides evidence of a relationship between the gut microbiome and liver cirrhosis.

We employ another approach to quantize electromagnetic fields in the coordinate space, instead of the mode (or Fourier) space, such that local features of photons can be efficiently, physically, and more intuitively described. To do this, coordinate-ladder operators are defined from mode-ladder operators via the unitary transformation of systems involved in arbitrary inhomogeneous dielectric media. Then, one can expand electromagnetic field operators through the coordinate-ladder operators weighted by non-orthogonal and spatially-localized bases, which are propagators of initial quantum electromagnetic (complex-valued) field operators. Here, we call them QEM-CV-propagators. However, there are no general closed form solutions available for them. This inspires us to develop a quantum finite-difference time-domain (Q-FDTD) scheme to numerically time evolve QEM-CV-propagators. In order to check the validity of the proposed Q-FDTD scheme, we perform computer simulations to observe the Hong-Ou-Mandel effect resulting from the destructive interference of two photons in a 50/50 quantum beam splitter.

We develop an action principle for producing a single fluid, two-constituent system with dissipation in general relativity. The two constituents in the model are particles and entropy. The particle flux creation rate is taken to be zero, while the entropy creation rate is non-zero. Building on previous work, it is demonstrated that a new term (the proper time derivative of the matter space ``metric'') is required in the Lagrangian in order to produce terms typically associated with bulk and shear viscosity. Equations of motion, entropy creation rate, and energy-momentum-stress tensor are derived. Using an Onsager approach of identifying thermodynamic ``forces'' and ``fluxes'' a model is produced which delivers the same entropy creation rate as the standard, relativistic Navier-Stokes equations. This result is then contrasted with a model generated in the spirit of the action principle, which takes as its starting point a specific Lagrangian and then produces the equations of motion, entropy creation rate, and energy-momentum-stress tensor. Unlike the equations derived from Onsager reasoning, where the analogs of the bulk and shear viscosity coefficients are prescribed ``externally'', we find that the form of the coefficients in the second example are a direct result of the specified Lagrangian. Furthermore, the coefficients are shown to satisfy evolution equations along the fluid worldline; also a product of the specific Lagrangian.

The EULAR Sjögren's Syndrome Disease Activity Index (ESSDAI), EULAR Sjogren’s Syndrome Patient Reported Index (ESSPRI), and other patient-reported outcomes (PROs), such as the visual analog scale (VAS) for symptoms and EULAR sicca score (ESS), are used to assess the disease activity of primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS). Recently, Clinical ESSDAI (ClinESSDAI) and Clinical Trials ESSDAI (ClinTrialsESSDAI) were developed for objective clinical disease activity indexes. However, the relationship of ClinESSDAI and ClinTrialsESSDAI with PROs as well as that between ESSPRI and other PROs and the objective parameters of glandular function in pSS have not been established. Herein, we investigated the correlation of ESSPRI and other PROs with the objective parameters of glandular function and the relationship of PROs with ClinESSDAI and ClinTrialsESSDAI in 66 patients with pSS. Correlations were calculated with Spearman’s correlation coefficient. ClinTrialsESSDAI was correlated with ESSPRI, dryness (ESSPRI-Dryness), fatigue, and pain domains of ESSPRI, VAS for oral dryness (oral-VAS), and patient’s global assessment. Although ESSPRI did not correlate with the objective parameters of glandular function, ESSPRI-Dryness, ESS, and oral- and ocular-VAS did. These results suggest that ESSPRI-Dryness, ESS, and VAS for symptoms, but not ESSPRI, reflect the glandular dysfunction and that ClinTrialsESSDAI correlates with PROs for dryness in pSS.

With more companies entering the realm of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL), and governments enacting policies to support the development of low-altitude economies, the commercial potential of eVTOL is being recognized by the public. However, true commercialization is still a long way off. This article analyzes the technologies, product features, potential markets, and government policies related to eVTOL, and constructs a four-stage, four-layer Policy-Technology Roadmap (P-TRM) model to guide the R&D process of eVTOL. Then transform it into a system structural model, and the Decision-making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method is used to identify several key nodes in the R&D process. Utilizing the Technology Adoption Life Cycle (TALC) theory for interpretation and analysis, the article concludes by proposing strategies in product, technology, and policy support for how eVTOL can successfully cross the chasm. This preliminary analysis of the development path, key nodes, and necessary measures for crossing the chasm provides insights for the R&D and commercialization of eVTOL.

The KcsA is a prokaryotic potassium-oriented channel, which is sourced from the Streptomyces lividans soil bacteria. From extensive studies that have been carried over the KcsA potassium channel, it has been proved that various factors enable the gating and shuttling of the potassium ions into and out of the cells. Some of the factors include the different concentration of protons in the inside and outside membrane. The other factor is the existence of the selectivity filter equipped in the exit of channel pore, which enables the movement of the K⁺ ions. Not only are potassium ions present in the channel but also sodium ions. Potassium and sodium ions are the ions that are essential in the conductivity of a cell because of their charge. An intuitive idea about why K⁺ ions are at least 10,000 times more permeant than Na⁺ ions is presented in various entities. The hypothesis is that the selectivity ratio is probably related to the successive entry of Na⁺ ions, based on the premise that the ratio seems to be relevant to unpredictable quantities caused by Brownian corrosion of ions.

Fluorescent bioprobes are invaluable tools for visualizing live cells and deciphering complex biological processes by targeting intracellular biomarkers without disrupting cellular functions. In addition to protein-binding concepts, fluorescent probes utilize various mechanisms, including membrane, metabolism, and gating-oriented strategies. This study introduces a novel fluorescent mechanism distinct from existing ways. Here, we developed a B-cell selective probe, CDrB, with unique transport mechanisms. Through SLC-CRISPRa screening, we identified two transporters, SLCO1B3 and SLC25A41, by sorting out populations exhibiting higher and lower fluorescence intensities, respectively, demonstrating contrasting activities. We confirmed that SLCO1B3, with comparable expression levels in T and B cells, facilitates the transport of CDrB into cells, while SLC25A41, overexpressed in T lymphocytes, actively exports CDrB. The observation suggests that SLC25A41 plays a crucial role in discriminating between T and B lymphocytes. Furthermore, it reveals the potential for reversible localization of SLC25A41 to demonstrate its distinct activity. This study is the first report to unveil a novel strategy of SLC by exporting the probe. We anticipate that this research will open up new avenues for developing fluorescent probes.

FeZnNa@SiO2-C catalyst with graphitized carbon (GC) modified mesoporous SiO2 support metal nanoparticles was prepared by sol-gel method. The effect of adding metal Na and Zn promoters as a dispersion on the CO2 hydrogenation to low olefins was systematically studied. The results showed that Zn-Na, as a combination, promoted the absorption of CO2 and improved the conversion rate of CO2. Na as an alkaline substance can improve the absorption of more acidic CO2, improving the conversion rate of CO2 to 59.03%. Meanwhiles, addition of secondary metal Zn into Fe-based catalysts to form a surface alloy could alter the adsorption of CO2 and the activation of C-O bonds, inhibit the subsequent hydrogenation of olefins to paraffins, facilitate the reduction of Fe2O3 and the formation of active Fe5C2 species. From TEM and XRD, the formation of active Fe5C2 species was found, the selectivity of the target product was 41.07%. The deep hydrogenation of olefins is inhibited, by inhibiting their deep hydrogenations, the STY of C2=-C4= was raised again, up to 0.0436. However, the corresponding STY does not increase infinitely with the increase of Na content, and when the Na content to 6.4%, which can be shown higher CO2 hydrogenation catalytic performance. Compared with Fe@SiO2-C catalyst, Na and Zn promoted Fe-based catalysts prepared by modified sol-gel method, can be used directly for highly efficient CO2 hydrogenation to low olefins and thus will be more promising in the future.

In today's highly digitized and globalized financial environment, the need to protect payment systems from risk is more urgent than ever. Artificial intelligence (AI) technology is rapidly becoming a key tool in this space, with machine learning algorithms, big data analytics, and real-time monitoring enabling AI to effectively detect and prevent fraudulent activity, optimize risk management processes, and deliver intelligent services. AI not only improves the security and efficiency of payment systems, but also significantly improves customer satisfaction and loyalty. With the continuous development of AI technology and financial payment technology, the financial payment industry will usher in more innovations and changes in the future, further optimizing the payment process, improving payment efficiency, and ensuring payment security.

Abstract Purpose: To analyze the correspondence between refractive astigmatism and corneal astigmatism in pseudophakic eyes with non-toric intraocular lenses. Setting: Yeouido St. Mary hospital, Seoul, South Korea Design: Evaluation of a diagnostic test instrument. Methods: This retrospective study included 95 eyes of 95 patients. Corneal astigmatism was measured with an automated keratometer (RK-5, Canon) and Scheimpflug tomography (Pentacam HR, Oculus). Refractive astigmatism was compared to keratometric astigmatism (based on anterior corneal measurements only), Equivalent K Reading and total corneal astigmatism (both based on anterior and posterior corneal measurements). Vector analysis was carried out by Næser’s polar value method. The accuracy was defined as the average magnitude of the vectorial difference in astigmatism (DA). Each corneal measurement was optimized in retrospect by a multiple linear regression equation between refractive and corneal astigmatism. Results: Keratometric astigmatism overestimated with-the-rule (WTR) refractive astigmatism and underestimated against-the-rule (ATR) refractive astigmatism. Several measurements based on both corneal surfaces values did not show any statistically significant difference with respect to refractive astigmatism. The mean corneal astigmatism by total corneal refractive power (TCRP) at 4.0 mm (zone/pupil) produced the lowest mean arithmetic DA and the highest percentage of eyes with a DA ≤0.50 diopter. After optimization, the accuracies of automated KA and TCRP 4.0 mm (zone/pupil) were similar. Conclusions: Total corneal astigmatism measured by the Scheimpflug tomography at 4.0 mm zone centered on pupil, accurately reflects the refractive astigmatism in pseudophakic eyes. However, the accuracy of total corneal astigmatism is not different from automated KA after optimization.

2.25Cr-1Mo steel with high strength at high temperatures and good hydrogen resistance is widely used for power generation boiler material in high temperature and pressure use environments. Following the test evaluation of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, specimens from the base metal of a boiler pipe were found to have impact toughness values of 285 and 21 ft-lb, which are drastically different values. The analysis of the fracture surface of the 21 ft-lb test specimen revealed MnS inclusions, and it was found that cracks initiated at the inclusions. Observation of the cross-section of the crack propagation front revealed that cracks propagated along the ferrite regions and precipitate voids. Inclusions were also found in the 285 ft-lb impact specimen; however, the volume fraction of the inclusions was significantly less than that of the 21 ft-lb specimen. It was also found that the ferrite and carbide content of the 285 ft-lb specimen was less than 21 ft-lb specimen. The reason that the inclusions, ferrite, and carbide content differed in the two adjacent impact test specimens was analyzed. The effects of micro-segregation, such as MnS inclusions on ferrite and carbide, were compared and analyzed.

During early embryonic development, fertilized one-cell embryos develop into preimplantation blastocysts and subsequently establish three germ layers through gastrulation during post-implantation development. In recent years, stem cells have emerged as a powerful tool to study embryogenesis and gastrulation without the need for eggs, allowing the generation of embryo-like structures known as synthetic embryos or embryoids. These in vitro models closely resemble early embryos in terms of morphology and gene expression and provide a faithful recapitulation of early pre- and post-implantation embryonic development. Synthetic embryos can be generated through a combinatorial culture of three blastocyst-derived stem cell types, such as embryonic stem cells, trophoblast stem cells, and extraembryonic endoderm cells, or totipotent-like stem cells alone. This review provides an overview of the progress and various approaches in studying in vitro embryogenesis and gastrulation using stem cells. Furthermore, recent findings and breakthroughs in synthetic embryos and gastruloids are outlined. Despite ethical considerations, synthetic embryo models hold promise for understanding mammalian (including human) embryonic development and have potential implications for regenerative medicine and developmental research.

BACKGROUND. Two sequelae of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), ESLD and HCC, have become the leading causes for liver transplantation in the Western. The present study aims to approach the cellular metabolic disturbances involved in NASH progression that are associated with microbiota community changes. METHODS. Metabolic effects and microbiota community changes were explored in the murine with NASH progression by blocking the Na/K-ATPase/Src/reactive oxygen amplification loop using the synthetic targeting peptide pNaKtide. DNA from the terminal ileum microbiota habitat was obtained and amplified by PCR to develop DNA bacterial phylogenic sequence analysis of wild type and treated animals at 12, 24 and 48 weeks. Induced changes by pSrc normalization at 24 weeks were correlated with liver morphological changes, intestinal CD4+/CD8+ ratio, and liver macrophage CD14+ expression. Differences among groups were evaluated by ANOVA/t-test and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). RESULTS. Microbiota communities varied significantly at all time points (12, 24 and 48 weeks), with an increase of Verrucomicrobia and a decrease of Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes in the HFD group. Microbiota community changes regressed to their wild-type state at 24 weeks on treated animals, and those changes were associated with a decrease in liver inflammation and senescence, lower ileum CD4+/CD8+ T cells and higher liver CD14+ cells (p<0.05). Concomitantly, the metabolic disturbances in our diet-induced NASH model were normalized by NKA/Src signaling blockage and exercise with a paucity of apoptotic activity, mitigation of cell senescence, and regression of liver fibrosis (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS. pSrc inhibition at caveolar α1-Na/K-ATPase rescinded NASH-related metabolic disturbances establishing resident physiological microbiota communities with concomitant paucity on apoptotic activity and regression of liver fibrosis; effects that were associated with both gut and liver T-lymphocyte responses.

This study investigates the spatial and temporal dynamics of Paomo restaurants in Xi'an's central urban area from 2012 to 2023, leveraging Point of Interest (POI) data through a series of sophisticated analytical techniques. Methods including nearest neighbor distance, kernel density estimation, and band set statistical analysis were employed to thoroughly examine the evolutionary patterns and key drivers influencing the spatial distribution of these eateries. Our results highlight a notable trend of expansion from the central city to the periphery, characterized by significant spatial agglomeration. Initially concentrated in the city center, the distribution of Paomo restaurants has progressively shifted towards multiple distinct cores, reflecting the dual influence of urban policy initiatives and the dynamics of market competition. Furthermore, the research identifies several pivotal factors shaping this spatial distribution, particularly transportation access, residential quality of life, and the availability of commercial services. These findings demonstrate the profound effects of urban spatial reconfiguration and socioeconomic development on the specialized catering industry. The insights gleaned from this analysis offer valuable guidance for urban planners and policymakers, providing strategic recommendations for the spatial planning of specialty catering services to optimize urban layouts and foster sustainable economic progress.

In this presented case, a 77 years old woman suffering from ongoing knee pain underwent a bone scan using 99mTc-hydroxydiphosphonate (HDP) in suspicious for bone infection. An incidental finding from this scan revealed diffuse cardiac uptake, necessitating further diagnostic procedures to exclude the possibility of cardiac amyloidosis. In the subsequent 99mTc-3,3-diphosphono-1,2-propanodicarboxylic acid (DPD) scan and SPECT images, no perceptible cardiac uptake was observed at all. Upon retrospective review of the patient’s medical records, she had received 1000mg of ferric carboxymaltose for iron-deficient anemia, the day before the 99mTc-HDP bone scan. Therefore, it is assumed that the diffuse and temporary cardiac activity was due to the transient iron overload. We present and share this bone scan images in order to avoid possible future misinterpretation of cardiac amyloidosis.

Due to the highly nonlinear, multi-stage, and strongly time-varying marine lysozyme fermentation process, it is difficult to assure the stability and prediction accuracy of the traditional single global soft sensor model on a global scale. This study innovatively proposed a soft sensor model based on an improved seagull optimization algorithm (ISOA) combined with Gaussian process regression (GPR) weighted ensemble learning. First, the sample data set is divided into multiple local sample subsets by the improved density peak clustering algorithm (ADPC). Second, the Gaussian process regression model is optimally altered with an improved seagull optimization algorithm for the purpose of establishing the corresponding sub-prediction model. Finally, the prediction model's fusion strategy is ultimately determined depending on the degree of connection between the test samples and a subset of local pieces. Simulation results show that the proposed soft sensor model, which searches GPR based on ISOA and combines various sub-models, can predict the key biochemical parameters of the marine lysozyme fermentation process better with less prediction error under the condition of fewer training data, and it can be expanded to the soft sensor models of general nonlinear systems, according to simulation results.

Amid escalating urbanization, devising rational commercial space layouts is a critical challenge. Leveraging machine learning, this study uses a Back-propagation (BP) neural network to optimize commercial spaces in Weinan City's central urban area. The results indicate an increased number of commercial facilities with a trend of multi-centered agglomeration and outward expansion. Based on these findings, we propose a strategic framework for rational commercial space development emphasizing aggregation centers, development axes, and spatial guidelines. This strategy provides valuable insights for urban planners in small and medium-sized cities in the Yellow River Basin and metropolitan areas, ultimately showcasing the power of machine learning in enhancing urban planning.

Aortic stenosis continues to be still the most frequently valvular pathology in the elderly population of the Western countries. According to the latest guidelines, the therapeutic choice of aortic stenosis depends on the age of the patient (&lt;75 years or &gt;75 years) and the risk class (STS-Prom/ Euroscore II &lt; o &gt; 4%). Therefore, if the surgical indication is clear in young and low risk patients and percutaneous treatment is the gold standard in older and high-risk patients, the therapeutic choice is still debated in intermediate-risk patients. In this group of patients the aortic valve stenosis treatment depends on the patient's global evaluation, on the experience of the center and no less important on the patient's will. Two main therapeutic options are debated: surgical aortic valve replacement with sutureless prosthesis versus transcatheter aortic valve implantation. In addition, the progressive development of mininvasive techniques for aortic valve surgery (right -anterior minitoracotomy) has also reduced the peri and post -operative risk in this group of patients. The goal of our review is to analyze the literature evidence of the best therapeutic choice in intermediate risk patients with severe aortic stenosis.

The escalation of mining activities in the karst regions of Guizhou Province has heightened the occurrence of water-inrush incidents in deep coal mines. This study focused on water-inrush phenomena within the Xinhua mining area of Jinsha County, Guizhou Province, aiming to investigate the sources of these incidents. The findings indicated that the overlying limestone of the Changxing Formation in the coal seam served as a vulnerable aquifer under certain conditions, leading to water inrushes. The analysis of the spatiotemporal distribution patterns of water-inrush incidents at the working face indicated that previous mining operations damaged the shallow Changxing Formation limestone, resulting in the accumulation of goaf water and the formation of numerous mining-induced fractures. These fractures served as rapid conduits for water inrushes from both atmospheric precipitation and underground sources at the deep working face. The examination of surface water and mine water quality demonstrated that both exhibited similar characteristics, predominantly featuring bicarbonate, sulfate, and sodium compositions. Investigation into the relationship between mine water inflow and atmospheric precipitation established that atmospheric precipitation influenced the mine water supply cycle, with a replenishment period of ~10 months during the operational phase of the Jinyuan Coal Mine and about one month post-closure. The fractures induced by mining activities within the Changxing Formation limestone facilitated water flow, with atmospheric precipitation serving as the primary water source for the mine. This study offered a valuable scientific foundation for addressing water-related damage resulting from atmospheric precipitation in mines susceptible to water inrushes under analogous hydrogeological conditions.

In the context of inclusive education, digitalization in higher education is designed to promote the ideals of cultural diversity, social inclusivity, and sustainable development through technological means. This study explores the strategies and practices of digitalization in achieving inclusive education goals in higher education, aiming to provide theoretical and empirical foundations for education policymakers, teachers, and technology developers. This study adopts a mixed-methods research design, combining quantitative and qualitative data analysis to assess the current state of digitalization in higher education from various perspectives, particularly its effectiveness in advancing educational inclusivity. Through surveys, in-depth interviews, and case studies, data were collected from teachers, students, and administrative personnel to reveal opportunities and challenges in digital education resources and practices. The results show that while digitalization has improved the accessibility of educational resources, facilitated information sharing and cultural exchange, there are still numerous challenges, such as unequal technology access, insufficient cultural sensitivity in content, and issues related to the depth and quality of online interactions. Furthermore, the study identifies key factors supporting inclusive education, including cross-cultural curriculum design, teacher professional development, and students' critical use of digital tools. Finally, the paper presents a series of strategic recommendations, including the development of multicultural education platforms, strengthening teacher training, and building an inclusive digital environment. These recommendations aim to promote a more coordinated and inclusive higher education digital ecosystem that emphasizes not only technological innovation but also humanistic care and social responsibility. Through these measures, digitalization in higher education can better serve individual growth and comprehensive societal development.

The existing PDC(Polycrystalline Diamond Compacts) -cone hybrid bit bearing adopts a unilateral support structure, which is prone to stress concentration in the journal area, resulting in fracture and wear failure of the bearing, thus reducing the service life of the hybrid bit. In this paper, a new type of double supported bearing hybrid bit is proposed. The static strength analysis of unilateral and bilateral support bearing structures is carried out by finite element simulation, and the stress and strain distribution of the two structures under the load of 20KN-100KN is obtained. Experimental devices for unilateral and bilateral support bearing structures are designed and manufactured to complete 50KN-100KN static pressure loading experiments. The results showed that the stress and strain of unilateral and bilateral support bearing increased linearly with the increase of load. Compared with unilateral bearing, when the load was 100KN, the maximum Mises stress of bilateral bearing decreased from 358.80MPa to 211.10MPa, with a decrease of 41.16%. The maximum contact stress decreased from 415.20MPa to 378.10MPa, decreased by 8.94%, and the maximum principal strain decreased from 11.01e-4 to 9.71e-4, decreased by 11.81%. The axial strain in the danger zone was reduced by 14.68% and 17.35%, respectively. It is found that the contact stress of the simulation data is highly correlated with the bearing life, and the service life of the bilateral bearing bit is increased by 8.94%. The simulation data and experimental results provide data support for the production of hybrid bits with bilateral bearing support.

The digital revolution has significantly impacted many Chinese Time-Honored businesses, particularly those slow to adapt to environmental changes, resulting in challenges related to long-term marketing capabilities and declining performance. This study explores the relationship between ambidextrous marketing capabilities and corporate performance. Utilizing a survey involving 91.8% of middle and upper-level managers across 47 Chinese time-honored firms, we construct a research model that demonstrates how the application of ambidextrous marketing capabilities can foster the development of Sustainable marketing capability, which in turn positively influence corporate performance. Sustainable marketing capability mediate the effect of ambidextrous marketing capabilities on corporate performance. Additionally, enhancements in market conditions or legislation may further amplify the impact of Sustainable marketing capability on business performance. In the context of Chinese time-honored firms, these findings offer managerial insights into building Sustainable marketing capability, enhancing performance, and achieving competitive advantages.

Abstract: Exercise has been repeatedly shown to be safe and beneficial for cancer survivors. However, there is no normative guideline for exercise prescription, and it is under exploration. Therefore, this literature review aims to provide some advice for the formulation of exercise prescriptions for patients with breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) from the perspective of reducing lymphedema severity. A review of relevant studies published before November 2023 was conducted using three scientific databases PubMed, Embase, and Scopus. A total of 2696 articles were found. Eventually, 13 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in this literature review. We concluded daily, or nearly daily exercise at home can be recommended. Moreover, reduced lymphedema severity may not be maintained after ceasing the exercise program, so exercise should be a lifelong practice.

The aim of the study was to test the significance of the EPT index in the water quality assessment of three types of water bodies in hilly and mountainous region of Serbia. The aquatic macroinvertebrate community was dominated by the group of insects, of which 95 taxa represent the EPT group. We compared the obtained values of biological indices used for the assessment of water quality according to the national legislation with the overall status assessment represented by the ecological quality classes (EQC). The results of the Spearman correlation test showed a negative correlation of EQC with the EPT index, BMWP score, H', total number of taxa and number of sensitive taxa, while a positive correlation was observed for the values of SI and Tubificinae %. The values of EQC and biological indices were subjected to principal component analysis (PCA). The results showed that the parameters that contributed most to the differences were the EPT index, the BMWP score and the number of sensitive taxa. The results indicate that the EPT index is an excellent indicator of changes in water quality and an important tool for the ecological categorization of water bodies in mountain regions.

Civic participation is of great significance to urban management decision-making. In order to facilitate citizens to participate in city management decision-making, this paper proposes a large-scale group decision-making (LSGDM) method based on multi-granular probabilistic linguistic preference relations (MG-PLPRs). First, each decision maker selects a language terms set from the multi-granularity language terms set to represent individual preference relations and the MG-PLPRs are obtained by statistical calculation to represent sub-group’s preferences information. Then, an optimization model based on the expected consistency of PLPR and consensus measure of groups is established to achieving consensus reaching processes, which can ensure satisfactory individual consistency and group consensus. Finally, the validity and applicability of the proposed method is verified by a case of a city "shared garden" site selection with the participation of citizens.

Carbon dots are carbon based nanoparticles, which have the characteristics of simple preparation process, photoluminescence, biocompatibility, adjustable surface function, water solubility, and low toxicity. They are widely used in biological applications such as imaging, biosensing, photocatalysis, and molecular transfer. It has also aroused great interest among researchers in agriculture and has made significant progress in improving crop growth and production. This review presents the physiological functions of carbon dots for crop growth and development, photosynthesis, water and nutrient absorption, and abiotic stress resistance and their applications in improving ecological environment and agriculture as biosensors, and the future application prospects and research directions of carbon dots in agriculture were prospected.

This study used Dutch potatoes at the end of dormancy as the material to explore the impact of menthol (0.2 and 0.5 g/kg based on potato mass) treatment on sprouting inhibition and potato quality. The findings revealed that a menthol concentration of 0.5 g/kg effectively inhibited potato tuber sprouting and significantly reduced glucoside alkaloids production. After a storage period of 15 days, the sprouting percentage and glucoside alkaloids content of potatoes treated with 0.5 g/kg menthol were observed to be significantly lower at 4.17% and 68.63 mg/kg, respectively, compared to the control group which exhibited values of 100% and 282.01 mg/kg, respectively (P < 0.05). Throughout the storage period, 0.5 g/kg of menthol promoted respiration, reduced malondialdehyde production in potatoes, inhibited polyphenol oxidase activity, and slowed down tissue browning. Additionally, it mitigated the decline in starch and soluble protein content, inhibiting the accumulation of reducing sugars.

This paper proposed an optimal tracking control scheme through adaptive dynamic programming(ADP) for a class of partially unknown discrete-time nonlinear systems based on radial basis function neural network(RBF-NN). In order to acquire the unknown system dynamics, we use two RBF-NNs, the one is used to construct the identifier, and the another is used to directly approximate the steady-state control input, where a novel adaptive law is proposed to update neural network weights. While the optimal feedback control and the cost function are derived via feedforward neural networks approximating, it is proposed to regulate the tracking error, the critic network and the actor network are then trained online to obtain the solution of the associated Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman (HJB) equation being built under the ADP framework. Simulations verify the effectiveness of the optimal tracking control technique using the neural networks.

Invasive fungal infections by Candida albicans frequently cause mortality in immunocompromised patients. Neutrophils are particularly important for fungal clearance at the early phase of infections, yet little has been known regarding which surface receptor controls neutrophil phagocytic activities during systemic C. albicans infection. CD137, which is encoded by Tnfrsf9, belongs to the tumor necrosis receptor superfamily and has been shown to regulate neutrophils in Gram-positive bacterial infection. Here, we used genetic and immunological tools to probe the involvement of CD137 signaling in innate defense mechanisms against systemic C. albicans infection. We first found that Tnfrsf9-/- mice were susceptible to C. albicans infection, whereas injection of anti-CD137 agonistic antibody protected the host from infection, suggesting that CD137 signaling is indispensable for innate immunity against C. albicans infection. Priming of isolated neutrophils with anti-CD137 antibody promoted their phagocytic and fungicidal activities through phospholipase C. In addition, injection of anti-CD137 antibody significantly augmented restriction of fungal growth in Tnfrsf9-/- mice that received WT neutrophils. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that CD137 signaling contributes to defense mechanisms against systemic C. albicans infection by promoting rapid fungal clearance whereby harmful immunopathology-induced tissue injuries are minimalized.

The cancelation factor (CF) is a model for the ratio between gravity wave perturbations in the airglow intensity to that in the ambient temperature. The CF model allows to estimate the momentum and energy flux of gravity waves seen in nightglow images as well as the divergence of these fluxes due to waves propagating through the mesosphere and lower thermosphere region, where the nightglow and the Na layers are located. This study uses a set of T/W Na Lidar data and zenith nightglow image observations of the OH and O(1S) emissions to test and validate the CF model from the experimental perspective. The dataset analyzed was obtained during campaigns carried out at the Andes Lidar Observatory (ALO), Chile in 2015, 2016, and 2017. The CF modeled function was compared with observed points from an empirical method for vertically propagating waves that calculates directly the ratio of the gravity wave amplitude seen in nightglow images to the wave amplitude seen in lidar temperatures. We show that the CF analytical relationship underestimates the observed results generally. However, the O(1S) emission line has better agreement respect to the theoretical value due to simpler nightglow photochemistry. In contrast, the observed CF ratio from the OH emission deviates by a factor of two from the modeled asymptotic value.

In this paper, we present an experimental procedure to enhance the dimensional accuracy of fabrication via Stereolithography (SLA) of features at the micro-scale. Using a custom benchmark part, deviations in feature dimensions (micro-pores diameters and depths) were detected and measured by confocal microscopy. Samples characterization and experimental observations allowed the identification of inaccuracy sources, mainly due to the laser beam scanning strategy and to the incomplete removal of uncured liquid resin in post-processing (i.e., IPA washing). As a technology baseline, the measured dimensional errors on pores diameters were up to -46%. A compensation method of the nominal laser spot diameter (85m) was defined and implemented resulting in relevant improvements in dimensional accuracy of 9.8% and 11.3% on full-open pores diameter and depth, respectively. Further investigation was performed on a customized test part to adjust the calibration procedure. The measurements revealed that the estimate of the laser beam spot size is 968m. Measurements on micro-pores having different sizes revealed that a constant compensation parameter (i.e., C=85, 96, 120m) is not fully effective at the micro-scale, where average errors still remain at -24%, -18.8%, and -16% for compensations equals to 85, 96 and 120m, respectively. A further experimental campaign allowed the identification of an effective nonlinear compensation law where the compensation parameter depends on the micro-feature size C= f (D). Results show a sharp improvement in dimensional accuracy on micro-pore fabrication, with errors consistently below +8.2%. The proposed compensation method can be extended for the fabrication of any micro-features without restrictions on the specific technology implementation. Concerning the inaccuracy introduced by the laser path, experimentation with a customized part allowed the optimization of the part orientation to reduce the errors and their differences along the X and Y machine axes.

The influence of pH, temperature, biopolymer ratio, total concentration, and ionic concentration on the interaction between egg white protein (EWP) and chitosan (CS) was investigated through turbidity, zeta potential, and state diagram in our research. In addition, phase behavior was observed under various conditions. The turbidity of EWP remained low (turbidity&lt;0.03) and basically unchanged at a wide range of pH (4.0-8.0), while the turbidity of CS was slightly higher (turbidity&lt;0.2) after pH 7.0 than before. Moreover, under the same conditions, a sharply rising peak pattern was observed for the complex between EWP and CS. The maximum turbidity value was observed at 55°C, and the temperature had a mild effect on turbidity. The optimum EWP to CS ratio was found to be 12:1 based on the experiment of the turbidity curves and state diagrams influenced by different biopolymer mixing ratios. With the enhanced concentrations of total biopolymer, the maximum turbidity rose insignificantly above 0.1%.

Real-time object detection remains a pivotal topic in the realm of computer vision. Balancing the accuracy and speed of object detectors poses a formidable challenge for both academic researchers and industry practitioners. While recent transformer-based models have showncase the prowess of the attention mechanism, delivering remarkable performance improvements over CNNs, their computational demands can hinder their effectiveness in real-time detection tasks. In this paper, we elect to use YOLOX as our robust starting point and introduce a series of effective enhancements, culminating in a new high-performance detector named YOLOAX. To further exploit the power of the attention mechanism, we devise multi-dimensional attention-based modules that activate CNNs, emphasizing the most pertinent regions and bolstering the capacity to learn the most informative image representations from feature maps. Moreover, we introduce a novel leading label assignment strategy called STA, along with a groundbreaking loss function named GEIOU Loss, to further refine our detector's performance. We provide extensive ablation studies on the COCO and PASCAL VOC 2012 detection datasets to validate our proposed methods. Remarkably, our YOLOAX is trained solely on the MS-COCO dataset from scratch, without leveraging any prior knowledge, which achieves an impressive 54.2% AP on the COCO 2017 test set while maintaining a real-time speed of 72.3 fps, surpassing YOLOX by a significant margin of 3.0% AP. Our source code and pre-trained models are openly accessible at https://github.com/KejianXu/yoloax.

Saikosaponin (SS) a is a compound with various pharmacological properties and easily degraded into SSb1 and SSg in acid condition. In present work another two new degradation products of SSa formed under acid hydrolytic condition were detected and isolated by analytical and semi-preparative liquid chromatography technology, furthermore their structures were characterized as hydroxyl-saikosaponin a and SSb2 by spectral analysis, which is not only essential in stability-indicating method development and validation but also could be used as a worst case to assess the analytical method performance of SSa. Moreover their structural transformation pathways were also proposed.

Surface initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) is one of the most versatile technique to modify the surface properties of material. Recent developed metal free SI-ATRP makes such technique more widely applicable. Herein photo-induced metal-free SI-ATRP of methacrylates, such as methyl methacrylate, N-isopropanyl acrylamide, and N,N- dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate, on the surface of SBA-15 was reported to fabricate organic-inorganic hybrid materials. SBA-15 based polymeric composite with adjustable graft ratio was obtained. The structure evolution during the SI-ATRP modification of SBA-15 was monitored and verified by FT-IR, XPS, TGA, BET, and TEM. The obtained polymeric composite showed enhanced adsorption ability for the model compound toluene in aqueous. This procedure provides a low cost, ready availability, and facile modification way to synthesize the polymeric composites without the contamination of metal.

Obesity and overweight are associated with many metabolic diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia, which are closely related to a sedentary lifestyle and lack of exercise. Aerobic exercise effectively increases the high-density lipoproteins-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and decreases the triglyceride (TG) levels. The consumption of Cuban policosanol (Raydel®) is also effective in enhancing the HDL-C quantity and HDL functionality to treat dyslipidemia and hypertension. On the other hand, no study has examined the effects of a combination of high-intensity exercise and policosanol consumption in obese subjects to improve metabolic disorders. In the current study, 17 obese subjects (average BMI 30.0±1.1 kg/m2, eight male and nine female) were recruited to participate in a program combining exercise and policosanol (20 mg) consumption for 12 weeks. After completion, their BMI, waist circumference, total fat mass, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) decreased by approximately 15% (p=0.022), 12.7% (p=0.008), 33% (p=0.006), 11% (p<0.046), and 13% (p=0.007), respectively. In the serum lipid profile, at week 12, they showed a remarkable decrease in the total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) levels, up to 17% (p<0.019) and 54% (p<0.002) from the baseline, respectively. Although the serum HDL-C was increased by approximately +12% from the baseline, the percentage of HDL-C in TC, HDL-C/TC (%), was increased by up to +32% (p=0.007) at week 12. The serum coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) level was increased 1.2-fold in all participants at week 12 from the baseline. In particular, the male participants showed a 1.4-fold increase (p=0.027) from the baseline. The larger increase in serum CoQ10 was correlated with the larger increase in the serum HDL-C during 12 weeks. The hepatic function parameters were improved; the serum -glutamyl transferase decreased at week 12 by up to 55% (p<0.007), while the aspartate aminotransferase and alanine transaminase levels decreased within the normal range. In the lipoprotein level, the extent of oxidation and glycation were reduced significantly in VLDL and LDL, with a remarkable decrease in the TG content in particles. The antioxidant abilities of HDL2 and HDL3, such as paraoxonase (PON) and ferric ion reduction ability (FRA), were enhanced significantly by up to 1.8-fold (p<0.001) and 1.6-fold (p<0.001) at week 12. The particle size and number of HDL2 were increased up to +10% during the 12 weeks with a remarkable decrease in the TG content, glycation extent, oxidation up to 32% (p=0.032), 18% (p=0.043), and 11% (p=0.023), respectively. The particle number and diameter of HDL3 were increased by up to +9% with a remarkable increase in the PON activity, FRA activity, and TC content of +82% (p<0.001), +56% (p<0.001), and +32% (p=0.009), respectively. Expression of apolipoproteinA-I in HDL2 and HDL3 were significantly elevated more in both gender around 30~48% with more distinct band intensity and less glycation at week 12. These improvements in HDL quality and functionality were linked to the higher survivability of adult zebrafish and their embryos. Under the co-presence of carboxymethyllysine (CML), a microinjection of HDL2 to zebrafish embryo from week 0 resulted in approximately 47% survivability with developmental defects and attenuated speed. On the other hand, the HDL2 microinjection from week 12 resulted in remarkably higher survivability (~ 70%). In conclusion, 12 weeks of Cuban policosanol (Raydel®, 20 mg) consumption with high-intensity exercise showed significant improvement in blood pressure, body fat mass, blood lipid profile without liver damage, CoQ10 metabolism, and renal impairment. At week 12, all participants showed a remarkable decrease in oxidation and glycation extent in the VLDL and LDL with a decrease in the TC and TG content. Significant enhancement of the qualities and functionalities in HDL2 and HDL3 by the policosanol consumption were also detected: increase in apoA-I content, TC content, particle size, and particle numbers along with antioxidant abilities, such as PON and FRA.

In the end, this paper analyzed the economy from the investment in plant construction, raw material collection, product production and product sales. The resulting products include pyrolytic carbon, pyrolytic oil, pyrolysis gas. The results showed that when the treatment scale was 1 ton h−1, the pyrolysis plants with three loading modes will always be in a state of loss during the 20-year running time. When the processing scale was 9 ton h−1, the pyrolysis plant can be profitable in the first year. In the sensitivity analysis, the influence of three pyrolysis products on the total return on investment was explored. The results showed that the price change of pyrolysis oil has the greatest influence on the total return on investment (Total ROI) under the three loading methods, The price change of pyrolysis gas has minimal impact on the Total ROI. This study provides basic data and basis for the commercialization of coal-biomass co-pyrolysis technology and investment in plant construction.

As an outstanding information carrier, skyrmion is increasingly widely used in devices based on complex geometries. To achieve the skyrmion-based spintronic devices, a reasonable and feasible nanotrack is essential. In this paper, we conducted a study on the current-driven skyrmion movement in a circular-ring-shaped nanotrack. Our results suggest that the asymmetry of the inside and outside boundary of the circular ring changed the stable position of the skyrmion, causing it to move like the skyrmion Hall effect when driven by currents. Moreover, the asymmetric boundaries have advantages in enhancing or weakening the skyrmion Hall effect. Additionally, we also compared the skyrmion Hall effect from the asymmetric boundary of circular ring nanotracks with that from inhomogeneous DMI. It is found that the skyrmion Hall effect caused by the circular ring is significantly greater than that caused by the inhomogeneous DMI. These results contribute to our understanding of the skyrmion dynamics in confined geometries and offer an alternative method for controlling the skyrmion Hall effect of skyrmion-based devices.

A novel simplifying Volterra structure algorithm is proposed for intensity modulation direct detection (IM-DD) optical fiber short distance communication system by using the decision feedback equalization algorithm (DFE). Based on this algorithm, the signal damage for four-level pulse amplitude modulation signal (PAM-4) is compensated, which is caused by device bandwidth limitation and dispersion during transmission. Experiments have been carried out using a 25GHz Electro-absorption Modulated Laser (EML), showing that PAM-4 signals can transmit over 10km in standard single-mode fiber (SSMF). The 112Gbps and 128Gbps signals can reach the error rate threshold of KP4-FEC (BER=2*10-4) and HD-FEC (BER=3.8*10-3), respectively. The simplified principle and process of proposed Volterra-based equalization algorithm are presented. Experimental results show that the algorithm complexity is greatly reduced by 75%, which provides an effective theoretical support for the commercial application of this algorithm.

During the COVID-19 lockdown in Wuhan, transportation, industrial production and other human activities declined significantly, as did the NO2 concentration. In order to assess the relative contributions of different factors to reductions of air pollutants, sensitivity experiments were implemented by random forest (RF) model, with the comparison of contributions of meteorology, road traffic, and emission sources between different periods. Besides, an emulator was operated to suggest an appropriate limit for control of transportation. The RF models showed different mechanisms for air pollutants. Within-city Migration index (WMI) was more important in the normal, pre-lockdown and post-pandemic model while Out-Migration Index (OMI) was emphasized in the lockdown model. In the COVID-19 lockdown period, 73.3% of the reduction can be attributed to the decreased road traffic, showing massive impact of road traffic on the air quality. In the post-pandemic period, meteorology controlled about 42.2% of the decrease and emissions from industry and household controlled 40.0% while road traffic only contributed to 17.8%. It was suggested that priority of restriction should be given to road traffic within the city. A limit of less than 40% on the control of the road traffic can get a better effect, especially for cities with severe traffic pollution.

The rapid growth of the sharing economy has propelled shared mobility to the forefront of attention. The continuous advancement of autonomous driving technology also brings new opportunities and challenges to the shared mobility market. This study comprehensively analyzes the market potential concerning autonomous vehicles (AVs) to provide shared mobility services, utilizing SWOT analysis, PESTLE analysis, and Porter’s Five Forces. The findings reveal that AVs can provide improved shared mobility services by increasing transportation safety, reducing emissions, reducing costs, enhancing traffic efficiency, and increasing customer satisfaction and the profitability of shared mobility services. However, challenges such as technological and policy uncertainties, safety concerns, high initial costs, inadequate public communication infrastructure, and the absence of standardized regulations can hinder the widespread adoption of AVs. The benefits are also restricted with a low market penetration rate of AVs. To promote AVs in the shared mobility market, this study also provides implications for AV stakeholders tailored to the evolving shared mobility market dynamics.

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.

Natural products are an important source of antibacterial agents. Canthin-6-one alkaloids have displayed potential antibacterial activity based on our previous work. In order to improve the activity, twenty-two new 3-N-benzylated 10-methoxy canthin-6-ones were designed and synthesized through quaternization reaction. The in vitro antibacterial activity against three bacteria was evaluated by double dilution method. Four compounds (6f, 6i, 6p and 6t) displayed 2-fold superiority (minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) = 3.91 µg/mL) against agricultural pathogenic bacteria R. solanacearum and P. syringae than agrochemical propineb. Moreover, the structure–activity relationships (SARs) were also carefully summarized in order to guide the development of antibacterial canthin-6-one agents.

The growing interest in Na-ion batteries as a “beyond lithium” technologies for energy storage drives the research for high-performance and environment-friendly materials. Na2Ti3O7 (NTO) as an eco-friendly, low-cost anode material shows a very low working potential of 0.3 V vs Na+/Na but suffers from poor cycling stability, which properties can be significantly influenced by materials synthesis and treatment. Thus, in this work, the influence of the calcination time on the electrochemical performance and the reaction mechanism during cycling were investigated. NTO heat-treated for 48 h at 800 °C (NTO-48h) demonstrated enhanced cycling performance in comparison to NTO heat-treated for only 8 h (NTO-8h). The pristine material was thoroughully characterized by X-ray diffraction, laser granulometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and specific surface area measurements. The reaction mechanisms induced by sodiation/desodiation and cycling were investigated by opernado XRD. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was used to evidence the evolution of the solid electrolyte interface layer (SEI) and modification of charge transfer resistances as well as the influence of cycling on capacity decay. The evolution of the crystallographic structure of NTO-48h revealed a more ordered structure and lower surface contamination compared to NTO-8h. Moreover, the residual Na4Ti3O7 phase detected after the sodium extraction step in NTO-8h seems correlated to the lower electrochemical performance of NTO-8h compared to NTO-48h.

This study evaluated the effect of pig diet supplementation with an Olea europaea L. extract on the muscle fatty acid composition. Ten commercial hybrid pigs (Large White x (Landrace x Duroc)) were randomly assigned to two experimental treatments and fed either a standard diet (C) or diet with olive leaves extract (OL). For 90 days, the OL group received the olive leaf extract (300 mg/head/day), which mainly comprises oleuropein diglucoside, luteolin-7-glucoside, and verbascoside. The phenolic content, antioxidant activity, bioactive molecules’ characterization, and the fatty acids profile of meat and diet were performed. The results indicated that while the OL supplementation did not significantly alter the overall chemical composition of the meat or the pigs' performance, it did modify the lipid profile of the meat. The OL diet results in a significant reduction in SFA and an increase in oleic acid in meat, which correspondingly elevates the total MUFA content. Dietary treatment reduced the sum of n-6 PUFA in the meat of the OL group, and resulted in a significantly lower n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio. Therefore, these findings suggest that incorporating olive leaf extract into the pig diet enhances the nutritional and functional quality of the meat by improving its fatty acid profile.

In the present study, an attempt was made to induce rooting from single-node cuttings of hybrid aspen (Populus tremula L. ×P. tremuloides Michx.) with different concentrations of IAA, IBA and NAA during rooting. Among the three auxins used, NAA showed more effective induction on rooting as compared to IAA and IBA at the whole level. Thereafter, NAA was used further in experiments for anatomical and biochemical investigation. The results showed that it took 12 days from the differentiation of primordium to the appearance of young adventitious roots with NAA application. It was found that endogenous IAA, ZR and GA3 levels increased, but ABA decreased in cuttings with 0.54 mM NAA treatment. In contrast to the endogenous IAA level, NAA had negative effect on IAA-oxidase (IAAO) activity. Similarly, the decreased peroxidase (POD) activity, consistent with down-regulation of expressed levels of POD1 and POD2, was observed in NAA-treated cuttings. Whereas, NAA resulted in a higher activity in polyphenol oxidase (PPO) compared to the control cuttings. Collectively, the study highlighted that 0.54 mM NAA is efficient on rooting in hybrid aspen, and its effect on metabolic changes during rooting is discussed, which provide valuable information for propagating hybrid aspen.

Berberis koreana Palibin is an endemic plant native to Korea. In this study, we aimed to study seed germination in this species using a water imbibition experiment, gibberellic acid (GA3) treat-ment (0, 10, 100, or 1000 mg·L−1), cold stratification (0, 2, 4, 8, or 12 weeks at 4 °C), a move-along experiment, and phenology studies. In the water imbibition experiment, the weight of the seeds increased by more than 120% in 24 h. Analysis of the internal and external morphological char-acteristics of the seed revealed that the embryo was already fully grown from the fruit and did not grow thereafter. The final germination percentages for cold stratification at 0, 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks at 4 °C were 12, 32, 59, 59, and 71%, respectively. In the move-along experiment and phe-nology studies, a longer low-temperature treatment period resulted in a higher germination percentage. However, the GA3 treatment had little effect on seed germination. Our results indi-cate that B. koreana exhibits intermediate physiological seed dormancy.

Astroviruses (AstVs) have been detected in a wide range of animal species, including mammals and birds. Recently, a novel AstVs associated with neurological symptoms has been detected in the brain of some mammals. Raccoon dog AstV has been reported recently in China. However, there have been no reports in South Korea. Therefore, the present study aimed to detect and genetically characterize AstVs in intestine and brain tissues of 133 wild raccoon dogs collected in Korea between 2017 and 2019. Seven wild raccoon dogs were positive for AstV, four of which were also detected in brain tissue. Analysis of the capsid protein amino acid sequences of raccoon dog AstVs detected in Korea revealed a high similarity to canine AstVs, suggesting possible interspecies transmission between raccoon dogs and dogs. Phylogenetic and capsid protein amino acid sequence analysis of raccoon dog AstVs detected in brain 17-148B strain belonged to the HMO clade and exhibited conserved sequences found in neurotropic AstVs (NT-AstVs), indicating their potential as NT-AstVs. However, the pathogenicity and transmission routes of the raccoon dog AstV detected in Korea have not yet been elucidated, so further research and continued surveillance for AstV in wild raccoon dogs are needed.

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) has been used widely in strengthening of steel structures. Steel/CFRP systems subjected to elevated temperatures is realistic in a summer climate event in many countries where the temperature in steel may approach 50 °C or even higher, which will lead to the degradation of the bond performance between CFRP and steel. Therefore, predicting the bond behavior of the CFRP/steel system under elevated temperature is critical. This paper investigated the mechanical performance of CFRP/steel adhesively-bonded double strap joints at elevated temperatures. Thirty CFRP-steel double strap joints were tested to failure under temperatures between 10 °C and 90 °C. It was found that the joint failure mode changed from adherend failure to debonding failure as the temperature approached T_g. In addition, the ultimate load and joint stiffness decreased significantly at temperatures near to and greater than T_g. Based on the experimental results, a model is proposed to predict the bond stress of the CFRP/steel at different temperatures.

We study a two-echelon supply chain made up of a supplier and a manufacturer, both of which can reduce their component/product carbon emissions. With the vertical technology spillovers, we explore the optimal decisions of centralized and decentralized supply chains with price dependent demand and propose coordination strategy for the decentralized supply chain. Considering the cost contraction effectiveness of the technology spillovers, the centralized and decentralized game theoretic models of a two-echelon supply chain are developed to investigate optimal decisions of pricing and carbon emissions reduction. Through a systematic comparison and numerical analysis, we show that the profits of both players and the entire supply chain improve with the effect of technology spillovers increasing. Carbon emissions reduction will be taken by various protective measures so that the supplier and the manufacturer who do not innovate can hardly share the results of innovating via the “free-riding” methods when the technology spillover is relatively small. We also propose a revenue-cost sharing contract through bargaining to enhance the performance of the decentralized supply chain.

The eddy current loss should be optimized to be as less as possible for the stability of permanent magnet in high speed permanent magnet synchronous motor (HSPMSM) rotor and ensure the high efficiency and low temperature of the motor. This paper analyzes the eddy current distribution in rotor, with consideration of the conflict of the thickness of sleeve and diameter of the rotor, calculating the eddy current loss (ECL) and the thermal distribution via Separation of variables method for solving Maxwell's equations with analytical hieratical model of ECL constructed. The optimization result of ECL of the HSPMSM whose power and rated speed is 30kw 48000r/min can be got by multi-objective optimization method, combined weighting coefficient method and traversal algorithm based on chaotic local search particle swarm optimization (CLSPSO), utilizing ECL analytical model and other analytical constraints. Related experiment and measurement has been implemented with new approach of loss separation.

This paper aims at tackling with the task of fusion feature from images and its corresponding point clouds for 3D object detection in autonomous driving scenarios basing on AVOD, an Aggregate View Object Detection network. The proposed fusion algorithms fuse features targeted from Bird’s Eye View (BEV) LIDAR point clouds and its corresponding RGB images. Differs in existing fusion methods, which are simply the adoptions of concatenation module, element-wise sum module or element-wise mean module, our proposed fusion algorithms enhance the interaction between BEV feature maps and its corresponding images feature maps by designing a novel structure, where single level feature maps and another utilizes multilevel feature maps. Experiments show that our proposed fusion algorithm produces better results on 3D mAP and AHS with less speed loss comparing to existing fusion method used on the KITTI 3D object detection benchmark.

In offshore drilling, accidents such as gas invasion, overflow, and kicks are inevitable, and they can escalate into blowouts and other catastrophic events that result in casualties and substantial economic losses. Therefore, maintaining drilling safety requires accurate monitoring of gas invasion and overflow. The majority of overflow monitoring methods currently utilized at drilling sites are threshold-based. However, monitoring parameters acquired during actual drilling operations frequently contain noise signals, making it difficult for threshold-based methods to strike a balance between improving accuracy and minimizing false positives. In this paper, Pattern Recognition-based Kick Detection (PRKD) is proposed as a novel method for diagnosing overflow in offshore drilling. This method utilizes the overflow evolution process by integrating multi-phase flow calculations, data filtering theory, pattern recognition theory, the Bayesian framework, and other theoretical models. The PRKD effectively detects and monitors gas intrusion and overflow based on single parameters by analyzing the shape and wave characteristics of the curves. The case analysis demonstrates that the proposed method for monitoring drilling overflow achieves high precision while maintaining a low false positive rate. By combining advanced computational techniques with pattern recognition algorithms, the PRKD improves the accuracy and reliability of kick detection, enabling proactive responses to potential risks, protecting the environment and human lives, and optimizing drilling operations.

The lack of defect image data is one of the main factors affecting the accuracy of supervised deep learning-based defect detection models. In response to the insufficient training data of defect images with complex backgrounds such as rust and surface oil leakage in substation equipment, leading to poor performance of the detection model, this paper proposed a novel adversarial deep learning model for substation defect generation: ADD-GAN. In comparison to existing generative adversarial networks, this model generates defect images based on effectively segmented local areas of substation equipment images, avoiding image distortion caused by global style changes. Additionally, the model utilizes a joint discriminator for overall image and defect image to address the issue of low attention to local defect areas, thereby improving the loss of image features. This enhances the overall quality of generated images as well as locally generated defect images, ultimately improving image realism. Experimental results demonstrate that the YOLOV7 object detection model trained on the dataset generated using the ADD-GAN method achieves an mAP of 81.5% on the test dataset, representing an improvement of 9.6% over the original dataset, 5.7% over traditional augmentation methods, and 7% over typical adversarial deep learning methods. This confirms that the ADD-GAN method can generate a high-fidelity dataset of substation equipment defects.

The use of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) in natural killer (NK) cells for cancer therapy is gaining momentum, marking a significant shift in cancer treatment. This review aims to explore the potential of CAR-NK cell therapy in cancer immunotherapy, providing a fresh perspective. It discusses the innovative approaches in CAR-NK cell design and engineering, particularly targeting refractory or recurrent cancers. By comparing CAR-NK cells with traditional therapies, the review highlights their unique ability to tackle tumor heterogeneity and immune system suppression. Additionally, it explains how novel cytokines and receptors can enhance CAR-NK cell efficacy, specificity, and functionality. The review underscores the advantages of CAR-NK cells, including reduced toxicity, lower cost, and broader accessibility compared to CAR-T cells, along with their potential in treating both blood cancers and solid tumors.

Although several carbon sequestration methods have been proposed according to theories from various disciplines, it is not known which method is the best. This study evaluated and summarized the advantage and disadvantages of several major carbon sequestration methods, including carbon capture and sequestration, ocean alkalinization, algal cultivation, and wood burial, based on the first principles, namely, sequestration scale and time, elemental stoichiometry, and energy use efficiency. This study suggested that, at present, wood burial may be a leading candidate for carbon sequestration because it can be implemented immediately on a large scale, is cost-effective and efficient, has a long sequestration time, has low technical requirements, and has a relatively low impact on agriculture. This study also discussed the implementation of wood burial from the perspective of nutrient requirements. To achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, the present study proposed a 25-year project starting in 2025 with an average sequestration rate of 3 Pg C per year, which includes burying 1.5 Pg of dead wood carbon and the creation of 9.7 × 10⁶ ha woodland.

The massive use of electronic equipment has raised concerns about electromagnetic (EM) pollution, leading to increased attention to EM shielding in both civil and military applications. EM absorption materials play a crucial role in reducing the energy of microwaves projected onto their surface. In this work, we propose a novel OTA (over-the-air) antenna test method to evaluate and analyze the functionality of EM absorption materials. This method offers a new and practical way to assess the effectiveness of these materials. Measured results indicate that the presence of the EM absorption material led to a decrease in antenna gain of approximately 2-3 dB, a reduction in efficiency of more than 10-15%, and a smaller radiation pattern during the actual testing process. These findings highlight the impact of EM absorption materials on antenna performance. Compared to the traditional S-parameter testing method, the gain comparison testing method exhibits the advantages of higher accuracy and simpler operation in the lower frequency experiment.

Assessing the quality of corn seeds necessitates evaluating their content of water, fat, protein, and starch. This study integrates hyperspectral imaging technology with chemometric analysis techniques to achieve non-invasive and rapid detection of multiple key components in corn seeds. Hyperspectral images of the embryo surface of maize seeds were collected within the wavelength range of 1100~2498nm. Subsequently, image segmentation techniques were applied to extract the germ structure of the corn seeds as the region of interest. Seven spectral data preprocessing algorithms were employed, and the Detrending Transformation (DT) algorithm was identified as the optimal preprocessing method through comparative analysis using the Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) model. To reduce spectral redundancy and streamline the prediction model, three algorithms were employed for characteristic wavelength extraction: Successive Projections Algorithm (SPA), Competitive Adaptive Reweighted Sampling (CARS), and Uninformative Variable Elimination (UVE). Using both the original spectra and the extracted characteristic wavelengths, four content detection models were constructed: PLSR, Back Propagation Neural Network (BPNN), Radial Basis Function Neural Network (RBFNN), and Least Squares Support Vector Machine (LSSVM). The experimental results demonstrate that the DT-CARS-LSSVM model exhibits exceptional accuracy and stability in predicting these four key components, with determination coefficients of 0.9877, 0.9344, 0.9827, and 0.9592, respectively. This study not only provides a scientific basis for evaluating the quality of corn seeds but also opens up new avenues for the development of non-invasive detection technology in related fields.

As a precious natural resource, forests are being destroyed. In previous studies, there is a lack of interactive assessment of its distribution that comprehensively considers multiple external disturbances. This paper takes the Barcelona Metropolitan Region as an example. Based on remote sensing, it analyzes the development process of the forest from 2006 to 2018 through multiple landscape indicators, and OLS models were established to analyze variables that have direct and indirect effects on forest distribution. In addition, the ecological structure of the forest was analyzed based on NDVI. It was found that the forest area is the largest but has been decreasing, becoming more complex in distribution structure. Much of the forest was converted to agricultural land and grassland. The green quality of forests was increasing, and the broad-leaved forest, the second largest area, contributes the most. NDVI is the most important positively correlated variable, and daytime surface temperature is an important inverse factor related to NDVI. In addition, NDBI is also a negative condition that inhibits forest development. In conclusion: The BMR forest area is decreasing and becoming more fragmented. NDVI and daytime LST are the two most significant factors. Climate warming may lead to worse forest development.

Few-shot object detection (FSOD) aims to address the challenge of requiring a substantial amount of annotations for training in conventional object detection, which is very labor-intensive. However, existing few-shot methods achieve high precision with the sacrifice of time-consuming for exhaustive fine-tuning, or take poor performance in novel-class adaptation. We presume the major reason is that the valuable correlation feature among different categories is insufficiently exploited, hindering the generalization of knowledge from base to novel categories for object detection. In this paper, we propose Few-Shot object detection via Correlation-RPN and Transformer Encoder-Decoder (CRTED), a novel training network to learn object-relevant features of inter-class correlation and intra-class compactness while suppressing object-agnostic features in the background with limited annotated samples. And we also introduce a 4-way tuple-contrast training strategy to positively activate the training progress of our object detector. Experiments over two few-shot benchmarks (Pascal VOC, MS-COCO) demonstrate that, our proposed CRTED without further fine-tuning can achieve comparable performance with current state-of-the-art fine-tuned works. The codes and pre-trained models will be released.

With the development of health service, animal husbandry, aquaculture and chemical industry, more and more pollutants are discharged into the water environment, including antibiotics and heavy metal ions. These hazard substances pose a great threat to environment safety and human health. As two kinds of new green solvents, ionic liquids (ILs) and deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are widely used in various fields including separation and environmental engineering, which are attracting huge attention from academia and industry. In this study, the optimal ionic liquid and deep eutectic solvent were selected and their complex with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) were firstly prepared by simple and effective inclusion way. After necessary characterization and analysis, two kinds of complex were applied to prepare a special sorbent disc with two different sides by adding diluent (excipient) and pressing under 5~15 MPa. As the result, the IL and DES could be stably immobilized on the disc and play the key role in selective adsorption for targets. Besides that, the experiments of different hazardous substances achieved the expected results. Based on this study, the complex disc showed a lot of merits in the separation performance, easy preparation and use, simple operation, and good stability. It was believed to be a useful tool for water purification and detection.

Developing and utilising of underground space is an vital direction for urban growth. Underground commercial streets, as a significant component of underground space accommodating extensive human social activities, and consequently necessitate the creation of human-scale spaces. In the evolution of urban design development towards greater refinement, applying architectural theories and excessively subjective designs has resulted in a deficiency of human-centered design and a disordered spatial environment. This study merges environmental psychology and architectural theory to determine the appropriate length of spatial scale. Two experiments focusing on spatial perception evaluation were conducted using a virtual experimental platform that featured varying dimensions of spatial scale combinations. These quantified combinations were correlated with perception evaluation, and regression analysis was employed to identify appropriate scale ranges, which were superimposed on the range of length selection. Finally, the optimal length and scale combination for underground commercial street spaces were established, providing a reference for the human-centered design of these environments.

Aiming to improve the flame retardancy performance of natural rubber (NR), we developed a novel flame retardant synergistic agent through grafting of MCM-41 to graphene oxide (GO)，named as GO-NH-MCM-41，as an assistant of intumescent flame retardants (IFR). The structure of GO-NH-MCM-41 was characterized by FTIR, TEM and SEM tests, which confirmed that a fine grafting had been applied between GO and MCM-41. The flame retardancy of NR/IFR/GO-NH-MCM-41 composites was evaluated by limited oxygen index (LOI), UL-94 and cone calorimeter test. The LOI value of NR/IFR/GO-NH-MCM-41 reached to 26.3%; the UL-94 ratings improved to V-0 rating. Moreover, the addition of GO-NH-MCM-41 obviously decreased the peak heat release rate (PHRR) and the total heat release (THR) of the natural rubber composites. And the addition of GO-NH-MCM-41 increased the thickness of char residue. The images of SEM indicated the char residue were more compact and continuous. The degradation of GO-NH-MCM-41 based NR composites completed with a mass loss of 35.57% at 600 ℃. The tensile strength and the elongation at break of NR/IFR/GO-NH-MCM-41 composites were 13.9 MPa and 496.7%, respectively. The results of rubber process analyzer (RPA) reached the maximum value, probably due to a better network of the fillers in the matrix.

The development of computational acoustics allows simulation of sound generation and propagation in complex environment. In particular, meshfree methods are widely used to solve acoustics problems through arbitrarily distributed field points and approximation smoothness flexibility. As a Lagrangian meshfree method, smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method reduce the difficulty in solving problems with deformable boundaries, complex topologies, or multiphase medium. The traditional SPH method has been applied in acoustic simulation. This study presents the corrective smoothed particle method (CSPM), which is a combination of SPH kernel estimate and Taylor series expansion. The CSPM is introduced as a Lagrangian approach to improve accuracy in solving acoustic wave equations in the time domain. Moreover, a boundary treatment technique based on the hybrid meshfree and finite difference time domain (FDTD) method is proposed to represent different acoustic boundaries with particles. To model sound propagation in pipes with different boundaries, soft, rigid, and absorbing boundary conditions are built with this technique. Numerical results show that the CSPM algorithm is consistent and demonstrates convergence with exact solutions. Main computational parameters are discussed, and different boundary conditions are validated to be effective for benchmark problems in computational acoustics.

In order to study the effects of irradiation on the physicochemical properties and digestion behavior of chickpea protein, chickpea protein concentrate (CPC) was treated with electron beam irradiation (EBI) at doses of 5, 10, 15 and 20 kGy, respectively. After irradiation, protein solubility first increased at 10 kGy and 15 kGy, and then decreased at higher dose of 20 kGy. This was supported by SDS-PAGE where the intensity of major protein bands first increased and then decreased. Increased does of EBI generally led to greater oxidative modification of proteins in CPC, indicated by reduced sulfhydryls and increased carbonyls. In addition, protein structure was modified by EBI shown by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis where α-helix generally decreased and β-sheet increased. Although the protein digestibility was not significantly affected by EBI, the peptidomic analysis of the digests revealed significant difference among CPC irradiated with varying doses. A total of 337 peptides were identified from CPC irradiated with 0 kGy, 10 kGy and 20 kGy, respectively, with 18 overlapping peptides and 60, 29 and 40 peptides specific to the groups of 0, 10 and 20 kGy respectively. Theoretical calculation showed that the distribution of peptide length, hydrophobicity, net charge, and C-terminal residues were affected by irradiation. The 2, 2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activity showed a marginal decrease with increasing dose of irradiation. In conclusion, EBI led to oxidative modification and structural changes of the chickpea protein, which subsequently affected the physicochemical properties of peptides obtained from in-vitro digestion of CPC despite of similar digestibility.