The experiment of nanoparticles spontaneously agglomerating by difusion-limited aggregation on the 2D surface

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Impacts of Aggregation Methods and Trophospecies Number on the Structure and Function of Marine Food Webs

Aggregation of species with similar ecological properties is one of the effective methods to simplify food web researches.However,species aggregation will affect not only the complexity of modeling process but also the accuracy of models’outputs.Selection of aggregation methods and the number of trophospecies are the keys to study the simplification of food web.In this study,three aggregation methods,including taxonomic aggregation(TA),structural equivalence aggregation(SEA),and self-organizing maps(SOM),were analyzed and compared with the linear inverse model–Markov Chain Monte Carlo(LIM-MCMC)model.Impacts of aggregation methods and trophospecies number on food webs were evaluated based on the robustness and unitless of ecological net-work indices.Results showed that aggregation method of SEA performed better than the other two methods in estimating food web structure and function indices.The effects of aggregation methods were driven by the differences in species aggregation principles,which will alter food web structure and function through the redistribution of energy flow.According to the results of mean absolute percentage error(MAPE)which can be applied to evaluate the accuracy of the model,we found that MAPE in food web indices will increase with the reducing trophospecies number,and MAPE in food web function indices were smaller and more stable than those in food web structure indices.Therefore,trade-off between simplifying food webs and reflecting the status of ecosystem should be con-sidered in food web studies.These findings highlight the importance of aggregation methods and trophospecies number in the analy-sis of food web simplification.This study provided a framework to explore the extent to which food web models are affected by dif-ferent species aggregation,and will provide scientific basis for the construction of food webs.

A novel approach to Parkinson's disease treatment with a potentially dual-acting therapeutic agent that targetsα-synuclein aggregation and neuron death

Parkinson's disease(PD),a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder,is chara cterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons and the aggregation ofα-synuclein protein into Lewy bodies.While the current standards of therapy have been successful in providing some symptom relief,they fail to address the underlying pathophysiology of PD and as a result,they have no effect on disease progression.

RBC aggregation,deformation and adhesion to endothelium:Role of nitric oxide derived from L-Arginine and sodium nitroprusside

Red blood cells(RBCs)are the most abundant human blood cells.RBC aggregation and deformation strongly determine blood viscosity which impacts hemorheology and microcirculation.In turn,RBC properties depend on di®erent endogenous and exogenous factors.One such factor is nitric oxide(NO),which is mainly produced by endothelial cells(EC)from L-arginine amino acid in the circulatory system.Since the mechanisms of the RBC-endothelium interplay are not clear up to date and considering its possible clinical importance,the aims of this study are to investigate in vitro:(1)The effect of L-arginine induced NO on RBC aggregation and adhesion to endothelium;(2)the NO e®ect on RBC aggregation and deformation induced by L-arginine and sodium nitroprusside without the presence of endothelium in the samples.The RBC aggregation and adhesion to a monolayer of EC were studied using optical tweezers(OT).The RBC deformability and aggregation without endothelium in the samples were studied using the flow chamber method and Myrenne aggregometer.We confirmed that NO increases deformability and decreases aggregation of RBCs.We showed that the soluble guanylate cyclase pathway appears to be the only NO signaling pathway involved.In the samples with the endothelium,the "bell-shaped"dependence of RBC aggregation force on L-arginine concentration was observed,which improves our knowledge about the process of NO production by endothelium.Additionally,data related to L-arginine accumulation by endothelium were obtained:Necessity of the presence of extracellular L-arginine stated by other authors was put under question.In our study,NO decreased the RBC-endothelium adhesion,however,the tendency appeared to be weak and was not confirmed in another set of experiments.To our knowledge,this is the first attempt to measure the forces of RBC adhesion to endothelium monolayer with OT.

Disasters of gas-coal spontaneous combustion in goaf of steeply inclined extra-thick coal seams

In light of the escalating global energy imperatives,mining of challenging-to-access resources,such as steeply inclined extra-thick coal seams(SIEC),has emerged as one of the future trends within the domain of energy advancement.However,there is a risk of gas and coal spontaneous combustion coupling disasters(GCC)within the goaf of SIEC due to the complex goaf structure engendered by the unique mining methodologies of SIEC.To ensure that SIEC is mined safely and efficiently,this study conducts research on the GCC within the goaf of SIEC using field observation,theoretical analysis,and numerical modeling.The results demonstrate that the dip angle,the structural dimensions in terms of width-to-length ratio,and compressive strength of the overlying rock are the key factors contributing to the goaf instability of SIEC.The gangue was asymmetrically filled,primarily accumulating within the central and lower portions of the goaf,and the filling height increased proportionally with the advancing caving height,the expansion coefficient,and the thickness of the surrounding rock formation.The GCC occurs in the goaf of SIEC,with an air-return side range of 41 m and an air-intake side range of 14 m,at the intersection area of the“<”-shaped oxygen concentration distribution(coal spontaneous combustion)and the“>”-shaped gas concentration distribution(gas explosion).The optimal nitrogen flow rate is 1000 m3/h with an injection port situated 25 m away from the working face for the highest nitrogen diffusion efficacy and lowest risk of gas explosion,coal spontaneous combustion,and GCC.It has significant engineering applications for ensuring the safe mining of SIEC threatened by the GCC.

Hydroxychloroquine: A Safe, Effective and Inexpensive Maintenance Therapy for Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria

Background: Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is an autoimmune skin disorder that lasts for >6 weeks and may last for years. It is a disabling skin disease that impairs quality of life. Set-up treatment with antihistamines, immunosuppressives, immune modulators and lately Omalizumab are expensive or have significant side effects. In this retrospective study, we describe our experience with the use of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) as a maintenance therapy for those with severe forms of CSU after Corticosteroids (C) induction phase. Patients and Methods: 16 adult patients (aged 44 ± 7) with severe CSU for 5 ± 1 months, were included in the study. Eight patients had attacks of angioneurotic oedema. Their previous treatments were antihistaminic and short-courses of C. Results: After 2 weeks of remission with C and HCQ 200 mg twice daily, the dose of C was tapered down and discontinued by the end of the first month. The seven days Urticaria Activity Score decreased from 30 ± 3 to 6 ± 1 by the first month and remained low at 3 ± 1 by the end of 2 years of follow-up. Moreover, IgE levels and CRP had similar trends. Remission persisted after 37 ± 9 months of follow-up. Conclusion: HCQ is a safe, efficacious and inexpensive drug for the treatment of CSU.

Small molecules to target tau amyloid aggregation

Protein aggregation has been linked with many neurodegenerative diseases,such as Alzheimer’s disease(AD)or Parkinson’s disease.AD belongs to a group of heterogeneous and incurable neurodegenerative disorders collectively known as tauopathies.They comprise frontotemporal dementia,Pick’s disease,or corticobasal degeneration,among others.The symptomatology varies with the specific tau protein variant involved and the affected brain region or cell type.However,they share a common neuropathological hallmark-the formation of proteinaceous deposits named neurofibrillary tangles.Neurofibrillary tangles,primarily composed of aggregated tau(Zhang et al.,2022),disrupt normal neuronal functions,leading to cell death and cognitive decline.

Navigating the pathways:TAR-DNA-binding-protein-43 aggregation,axonal transport,and local synthesis in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis pathology

Neurons are highly polarized cells with axons reaching over a meter long in adult humans.To survive and maintain their proper function,neurons depend on specific mechanisms that regulate spatiotemporal signaling and metabolic events,which need to be carried out at the right place,time,and intensity.Such mechanisms include axonal transport,local synthesis,and liquid-liquid phase separations.Alterations and malfunctions in these processes are correlated to neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS).

Effect and Mechanism of Rare Earth Hydrotalcite Inhibiting Coal Spontaneous Combustion

A hydrotalcite(layered double hydroxide, LDH) inhibitor which is suitable for the whole process of coal spontaneous combustion and a LDH inhibitor containing rare earth lanthanum elements were prepared. The inhibition effect and mechanism were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy(SEM),X-ray diffraction(XRD), thermal performance analysis, in-situ diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy and temperature-programmed experiment. The results have shown that the inhibitor containing lanthanum can play a good inhibitory role in every stage of coal oxidation. During the slow oxidation of coal samples, the inhibitor containing lanthanum ions can slow down the oxidation process of coal and increase the initial temperature of coal spontaneous combustion. At the same time, because the hydroxyl groups in LDHs are connected with-COO-groups on the coal surface through hydrogen bonds, the stability of coal is improved. With the increase of temperature, LDHs can remove interlayer water molecules and reduce the surface temperature of coal. CO release rate of coal samples decreases significantly after adding inhibitor containing lanthanum element, and the maximum inhibition rate of the inhibitor is 58.1%.

Aggregation-regulated bioreduction process of graphene oxide by Shewanella bacteria

The bioreduction of graphene oxide(GO)using environmentally functional bacteria such as Shewanella represents a green approach to produce reduced graphene oxide(rGO).This process differs from the chemical reduction that involves instantaneous molecular reactions.In bioreduction,the contact of bacterial cells and GO is considered the rate-limiting step.To reveal how the bacteria-GO integration regulates rGO production,the comparative experiments of GO and three Shewanella strains were carried out.Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy,Raman spectroscopy,and atomic force microscopy were used to characterize the reduction degree and the aggregation degree.The results showed that a spontaneous aggregation of GO and Shewanella into the condensed entity occurred within 36 h.A positive linear correlation was established,linking three indexes of the aggregation potential,the bacterial reduction ability,and the reduction degree(ID/IG)comprehensively.

Online identification and extraction method of regional large-scale adjustable load-aggregation characteristics

This article introduces the concept of load aggregation,which involves a comprehensive analysis of loads to acquire their external characteristics for the purpose of modeling and analyzing power systems.The online identification method is a computer-involved approach for data collection,processing,and system identification,commonly used for adaptive control and prediction.This paper proposes a method for dynamically aggregating large-scale adjustable loads to support high proportions of new energy integration,aiming to study the aggregation characteristics of regional large-scale adjustable loads using online identification techniques and feature extraction methods.The experiment selected 300 central air conditioners as the research subject and analyzed their regulation characteristics,economic efficiency,and comfort.The experimental results show that as the adjustment time of the air conditioner increases from 5 minutes to 35 minutes,the stable adjustment quantity during the adjustment period decreases from 28.46 to 3.57,indicating that air conditioning loads can be controlled over a long period and have better adjustment effects in the short term.Overall,the experimental results of this paper demonstrate that analyzing the aggregation characteristics of regional large-scale adjustable loads using online identification techniques and feature extraction algorithms is effective.

Differentially Private Support Vector Machines with Knowledge Aggregation

With the widespread data collection and processing,privacy-preserving machine learning has become increasingly important in addressing privacy risks related to individuals.Support vector machine(SVM)is one of the most elementary learning models of machine learning.Privacy issues surrounding SVM classifier training have attracted increasing attention.In this paper,we investigate Differential Privacy-compliant Federated Machine Learning with Dimensionality Reduction,called FedDPDR-DPML,which greatly improves data utility while providing strong privacy guarantees.Considering in distributed learning scenarios,multiple participants usually hold unbalanced or small amounts of data.Therefore,FedDPDR-DPML enables multiple participants to collaboratively learn a global model based on weighted model averaging and knowledge aggregation and then the server distributes the global model to each participant to improve local data utility.Aiming at high-dimensional data,we adopt differential privacy in both the principal component analysis(PCA)-based dimensionality reduction phase and SVM classifiers training phase,which improves model accuracy while achieving strict differential privacy protection.Besides,we train Differential privacy(DP)-compliant SVM classifiers by adding noise to the objective function itself,thus leading to better data utility.Extensive experiments on three high-dimensional datasets demonstrate that FedDPDR-DPML can achieve high accuracy while ensuring strong privacy protection.

A non-probabilistic reliability topology optimization method based on aggregation function and matrix multiplication considering buckling response constraints

A non-probabilistic reliability topology optimization method is proposed based on the aggregation function and matrix multiplication.The expression of the geometric stiffness matrix is derived,the finite element linear buckling analysis is conducted,and the sensitivity solution of the linear buckling factor is achieved.For a specific problem in linear buckling topology optimization,a Heaviside projection function based on the exponential smooth growth is developed to eliminate the gray cells.The aggregation function method is used to consider the high-order eigenvalues,so as to obtain continuous sensitivity information and refined structural design.With cyclic matrix programming,a fast topology optimization method that can be used to efficiently obtain the unit assembly and sensitivity solution is conducted.To maximize the buckling load,under the constraint of the given buckling load,two types of topological optimization columns are constructed.The variable density method is used to achieve the topology optimization solution along with the moving asymptote optimization algorithm.The vertex method and the matching point method are used to carry out an uncertainty propagation analysis,and the non-probability reliability topology optimization method considering buckling responses is developed based on the transformation of non-probability reliability indices based on the characteristic distance.Finally,the differences in the structural topology optimization under different reliability degrees are illustrated by examples.

Cloud-Edge Collaborative Federated GAN Based Data Processing for IoT-Empowered Multi-Flow Integrated Energy Aggregation Dispatch

The convergence of Internet of Things(IoT),5G,and cloud collaboration offers tailored solutions to the rigorous demands of multi-flow integrated energy aggregation dispatch data processing.While generative adversarial networks(GANs)are instrumental in resource scheduling,their application in this domain is impeded by challenges such as convergence speed,inferior optimality searching capability,and the inability to learn from failed decision making feedbacks.Therefore,a cloud-edge collaborative federated GAN-based communication and computing resource scheduling algorithm with long-term constraint violation sensitiveness is proposed to address these challenges.The proposed algorithm facilitates real-time,energy-efficient data processing by optimizing transmission power control,data migration,and computing resource allocation.It employs federated learning for global parameter aggregation to enhance GAN parameter updating and dynamically adjusts GAN learning rates and global aggregation weights based on energy consumption constraint violations.Simulation results indicate that the proposed algorithm effectively reduces data processing latency,energy consumption,and convergence time.

Fake News Detection Based on Cross-Modal Message Aggregation and Gated Fusion Network

Social media has become increasingly significant in modern society,but it has also turned into a breeding ground for the propagation of misleading information,potentially causing a detrimental impact on public opinion and daily life.Compared to pure text content,multmodal content significantly increases the visibility and share ability of posts.This has made the search for efficient modality representations and cross-modal information interaction methods a key focus in the field of multimodal fake news detection.To effectively address the critical challenge of accurately detecting fake news on social media,this paper proposes a fake news detection model based on crossmodal message aggregation and a gated fusion network(MAGF).MAGF first uses BERT to extract cumulative textual feature representations and word-level features,applies Faster Region-based ConvolutionalNeuralNetwork(Faster R-CNN)to obtain image objects,and leverages ResNet-50 and Visual Geometry Group-19(VGG-19)to obtain image region features and global features.The image region features and word-level text features are then projected into a low-dimensional space to calculate a text-image affinity matrix for cross-modal message aggregation.The gated fusion network combines text and image region features to obtain adaptively aggregated features.The interaction matrix is derived through an attention mechanism and further integrated with global image features using a co-attention mechanism to producemultimodal representations.Finally,these fused features are fed into a classifier for news categorization.Experiments were conducted on two public datasets,Twitter and Weibo.Results show that the proposed model achieves accuracy rates of 91.8%and 88.7%on the two datasets,respectively,significantly outperforming traditional unimodal and existing multimodal models.

A novel predictor of unsustained return of spontaneous circulation in cardiac arrest patients through a combination of capnography and pulse oximetry: a multicenter observational study

BACKGROUND:Unsustained return of spontaneous circulation(ROSC)is a critical barrier to survival in cardiac arrest patients.This study examined whether end-tidal carbon dioxide(ETCO_(2))and pulse oximetry photoplethysmogram(POP)parameters can be used to identify unsustained ROSC.METHODS:We conducted a multicenter observational prospective cohort study of consecutive patients with cardiac arrest from 2013 to 2014.Patients’general information,ETCO_(2),and POP parameters were collected and statistically analyzed.RESULTS:The included 105 ROSC episodes(from 80 cardiac arrest patients)comprised 51 sustained ROSC episodes and 54 unsustained ROSC episodes.The 24-hour survival rate was significantly higher in the sustained ROSC group than in the unsustained ROSC group(29.2%vs.9.4%,P<0.05).The logistic regression analysis showed that the difference between after and before ROSC in ETCO_(2)(ΔETCO_(2))and the difference between after and before ROCS in area under the curve of POP(ΔAUCp)were independently associated with sustained ROSC(odds ratio[OR]=0.931,95%confi dence interval[95%CI]0.881-0.984,P=0.011 and OR=0.998,95%CI 0.997-0.999,P<0.001).The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve ofΔETCO_(2),ΔAUCp,and the combination of both to predict unsustained ROSC were 0.752(95%CI 0.660-0.844),0.883(95%CI 0.818-0.948),and 0.902(95%CI 0.842-0.962),respectively.CONCLUSION:Patients with unsustained ROSC have a poor prognosis.The combination ofΔETCO_(2) andΔAUCp showed signifi cant predictive value for unsustained ROSC.

Correction:Establishment of a prediction model for prehospital return of spontaneous circulation in out-of-hospital patients with cardiac arrest

This is an erratum to an already published paper named“Establishment of a prediction model for prehospital return of spontaneous circulation in out-ofhospital patients with cardiac arrest”.We found errors in the affiliated institution of the authors.We apologize for our unintentional mistake.Please note,these changes do not affect our results.

Populational change of CD4^(+)CD25^(+)Treg cells is responsible for the synergistic effect of the combination of RAMP2 with baicalin in treating recurrent spontaneous abortion mouse models

Background: The absence of a safe and effective therapy for recurrent spontaneous abortion due to a maternofetal failure in immunological tolerance remains an intractable clinical obstacle for surgeons. Recently, traditional Chinese medicine has become a feasible alternative for certain diseases, including recurrent spontaneous abortion. However, because of the complex composition of the traditional Chinese medicine formula, its action mechanism remains unclear. Methods: We selected two isolated active ingredients (RAMP and baicalin) from the traditional Chinese medicine formula and used an abortion-prone CBA/J × DBA/2 model to simulate human RSA and compared the changes in fetal resorption rate, Treg cell percentage, and relevant cytokines before and after combination therapy. In addition, The mechanisms were preliminarily discussed using in vitro differentiation models. Results: In CBA/J × DBA/2 abortion-prone mice, the combination therapy resulted in a lower embryo resorption rate compared to that obtained with individual delivery of either RAMP or baicalin, thereby playing an embryo-protective role through the increase in Treg cells for the maintenance of maternal-fetal immune tolerance. In in vitro primary cell differentiation experiments, the concentration of Treg cells significantly increased from 11% to 17.9% after the combination therapy compared to that of the single administration group. Conclusion: the synergistic effects of RAMP and baicalin were responsible for Treg differentiation. The present study provides a solid basis for improving the applicability of traditional Chinese herbs in the treatment of recurrent spontaneous abortion.

Straw return increases crop production by improving soil organic carbon sequestration and soil aggregation in a long-term wheat-cotton cropping system

Straw return is a promising strategy for managing soil organic carbon(SOC)and improving yield stability.However,the optimal straw return strategy for sustainable crop production in the wheat(Triticum aestivum L.)-cotton(Gossypium hirsutum L.)cropping system remains uncertain.The objective of this study was to quantify the long-term(10 years)impact of carbon(C)input on SOC sequestration,soil aggregation and crop yields in a wheat-cotton cropping system in the Yangtze River Valley,China.Five treatments were arranged with a single-factor randomized design as follows:no straw return(Control),return of wheat straw only(Wt),return of cotton straw only(Ct),return of 50%wheat and 50%cotton straw(Wh-Ch)and return of 100%wheat and 100%cotton straw(Wt-Ct).In comparison to the Control,the SOC content increased by 8.4 to 20.2%under straw return.A significant linear positive correlation between SOC sequestration and C input(1.42-7.19 Mg ha^(−1)yr^(−1))(P<0.05)was detected.The percentages of aggregates of sizes>2 and 1-2 mm at the 0-20 cm soil depth were also significantly elevated under straw return,with the greatest increase of the aggregate stability in the Wt-Ct treatment(28.1%).The average wheat yields increased by 12.4-36.0%and cotton yields increased by 29.4-73.7%,and significantly linear positive correlations were also detected between C input and the yields of wheat and cotton.The average sustainable yield index(SYI)reached a maximum value of 0.69 when the C input was 7.08 Mg ha^(−1)yr^(−1),which was close to the maximum value(SYI of 0.69,C input of 7.19 Mg ha^(−1)yr^(-1))in the Wt-Ct treatment.Overall,the return of both wheat and cotton straw was the best strategy for improving SOC sequestration,soil aggregation,yields and their sustainability in the wheat-cotton rotation system.

Intravascular photoacoustic and optical coherence tomography imaging dual-mode system for detecting spontaneous coronary artery dissection: A feasibility study

In this work,we present an intravascular dual-mode endoscopic system capable of both intravascular photoacoustic imaging(IVPAI)and intravascular optical coherence tomography(IVOCT)for recognizing spontaneous coronary artery dissection(SCAD)phantoms.IVPAI provides high-resolution and high-penetration images of intramural hematoma(IMH)at different depths,so it is especially useful for imaging deep blood clots associated with imaging phantoms.IVOCT can readily visualize the double-lumen morphology of blood vessel walls to identify intimal tears.We also demonstrate the capability of this dual-mode endoscopic system using mimicking phantoms and biological samples of blood clots in ex vivo porcine arteries.The results of the experiments indicate that the combined IVPAI and IVOCT technique has the potential to provide a more accurate SCAD assessment method for clinical applications.