Critical Weight Research Articles

MiR-22-3p as a promising predictor of nutritional deficiencies in patients with head and neck cancer subjected to intensity-modulated radiation therapy.

Head and neck cancer (HNC) is the seventh most common cancer globally, with 20-60% of patients experiencing nutritional deficiencies. Recent studies indicate that microRNAs (miRNAs) may serve as molecular markers for malnutrition. This study evaluated miR-22-3p as a potential predictor of nutritional deficiencies and a prognostic factor in HNC patients undergoing intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). From 2014 to 2017, fifty-six advanced HNC patients at the Medical University of Lublin received IMRT, with miR-22-3p levels measured from peripheral blood before treatment. Statistical analysis using MedCalc 15.8 revealed that underweight patients had significantly lower miR-22-3p expression compared to non-underweight patients (0.89 vs. 2.47; p = 0.0233). Moderately or severely malnourished patients also showed reduced miR-22-3p levels compared to well-nourished individuals (1.42 vs. 11.04; p = 0.026). Additionally, patients with critical weight loss (CWL) had significantly lower miR-22-3p levels than those without CWL (0.96 vs. 4.91; p = 0.0015). Weak correlations were found between miR-22-3p levels, cancer stage, body mass index (BMI), and C-reactive protein (CRP), with lower miR-22-3p levels linked to advanced tumor stages and higher CRP levels. This study suggests miR-22-3p as a biomarker for nutritional deficiency risk in HNC patients, though further research is needed to validate its predictive capacity.

Hydrolysis of Poly(ester urethane): In-depth Mechanistic Pathway Determination through Thermal and Chemical Characterization

Many structure/property relationships of hydrolyzed poly(ester urethane) (PEU) – a thermoplastic polymer have been reported. Examples include changes in molecular weight vs. elongation at break and crosslink density vs. mechanical strength. However, the effect of molecular weight reduction on some physical, thermal, and chemical properties of hydrolyzed PEU have not been reported. Therefore, a large set of hydrolyzed PEU (Estane®5703) samples were obtained from two aging experiments: 1) accelerated aging conducted under various environments (air, nitrogen, moisture) and at 64°C and below for almost three years, and 2) natural aging conducted under ambient conditions for more than four decades. The hydrolyzed samples were characterized via multi-detection gel permeation chromatography (GPC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), modulated differential scanning colorimetry (mDSC), UV-vis spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy techniques. Hydrolysis of ester linkages in the soft-segments decreases both the molecular weight of the polymer and the melting point of Estane from ∼55°C to 39°C. Aging above this melting temperature (Tm), increased mobility of polymer chains and water diffusivity alter the PEU degradation pathway from those expected at aging temperatures below Tm and have significant bearing on the critical molecular weight (MC) at which the physical, chemical, thermal, and mechanical properties of Estane change abruptly. While a MC value of 20 kDa is found for PEU hydrolysis at mild temperatures (e.g., below 39°C), the MC increases with increasing aging temperature. To complement the existing structure/property relationships reported in the literature, more correlations are obtained, which include the effect of Mw on polydispersity, intrinsic viscosity (Mark-Houwink equation), UV extinction coefficient, and dn/dc (GPC analysis) values. Furthermore, we seek to augment previously reported aging models for PEU by developing a practical model with which the extent of degradation and material performance can be predicted based on aging under different temperature ranges both above and below the melting point of the hard-segments.

Weight loss, nutritional aspects and quality of life in head and neck cancer survivors.

ObjectivesComprehensive care is fundamental to cancer survivors enduring long-term side-effects of cancer treatment including nutrition impact symptoms and critical weight loss (CWL). The aim of our study was to address weight loss (WL), nutritional aspects, and quality of life (QoL) in head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors. Study DesignThis was a cross-sectional study of HNC patients treated at the Sapienza University-Hospital, 2018-2022. We administered a modified version of the EORTC-QLQ-H&N35, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for taste disorders, and the Fox Questionnaire for dry mouth. WL was recorded at T0 (before cancer treatment), T1 (right after treatment), and (at follow-up) T2. ResultsAll patients (n=63; 61.9% males) had a median WL of 16.7% (range: 1.4%-44.2%) at T1 and a median of 9.8% (range: 1.8%-45.6%) at T2. Patients with dysgeusia, poor dentition, and those who underwent major orofacial surgery had the highest WL (p<0.05). Patients who received multiple treatment regimens had a higher WL compared to those receiving fewer regimens (p<0.05). Patients with nutritional problems (71.4%) had a lower QoL throughout (p<0.05). ConclusionCWL is an important side effect of HNC treatment and may particularly affect survivors with xerostomia/dysgeusia, poor dentition, and those receiving multiple treatment regimens.

Optimizing the incubation conditions of third-stage larvae of the camel nasal bot Cephalopina titillator (Diptera: Oestridae) for harvesting adult flies

Background and Aim: Understanding the developmental conditions of Cephalopina titillator larvae and their effect on the success of pupation and adult emergence can help prevent and control this disease in camels. Incubating C. titillator larvae in vitro requires optimized conditions that have not been adequately reported in the literature. This study aimed to optimize conditions for harvesting adult flies from third-stage larvae (L3). Materials and Methods: L3 collected from naturally infested camels was washed in sterile saline, weighed, and placed in vials containing local sand. The vials were covered with gauze and incubated at 30°C–36°C with 60%–62% relative humidity in an environmental chamber. Results: A minimum critical weight of 754 mg per larva was found to be essential for the successful eclosion of the adults, regardless of the sex of the emerged flies. The pupariation period lasted 1–8 days (d) and took 5–13 days. Most incubated L3 formed puparia, but most failed to emerge as adults. The success rate of eclosion was 37.1%. The hatched adults survived for up to 18 days, and the females survived longer (12 d; 6–18) than the males (8.1 d; 3–16). Conclusion: The higher eclosion success tendency of certain sand types might be influenced by the sand’s physical and/ or chemical characteristics. The current in vitro conditions resemble those during the hot seasons and are suitable for harvesting viable adults of C. titillator from L3. Keywords: camel nasal bot, Cephalopina titillator, eclosion success, in vitro incubation, life span, myiasis.

Sarcopenic obesity in patients with head and neck cancer is predictive of critical weight loss during radiotherapy.

The impact of computed tomography-defined sarcopenia on outcomes in head and neck cancer has been well described. Sarcopenic obesity (SO) (depleted muscle mass combined with obesity) may pose a more serious risk than either condition alone. We investigated SO and its impact on survival and critical weight loss (≥ 5 %) in patients with head and neck cancer who received curative radiotherapy (± other modalities). Retrospective analysis of computed tomography cross-sectional muscle at cervical (C3), thoracic (T2) and lumbar (L3) regions was conducted. Patients were grouped by BMI and sarcopenia status based on established thresholds. A total of 413 patients were included for analysis, the majority having oropharyngeal carcinoma (52 %), and 56 % received primary concurrent chemoradiotherapy. The majority of the cohort (65 %) was overweight or obese (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2). Sarcopenia was found in 43 %, with 65 % having SO (n 116), equating to 28 % of the whole cohort. Critical weight loss was experienced by 58 % (n 238). A significantly higher proportion of patients with SO experienced critical weight loss (n 70 v. 19, P < 0·001) and were four times more likely to do so during treatment (OR 4·1; 95 % CI 1·5, 7·1; P = 0·002). SO was not found to impact on overall or cancer-specific survival; however, in patients with sarcopenia, those with SO had better overall survival (median 9·1 v. 7·0 years; 95 % CI 5·2, 16·8; P = 0·021). SO at the time of presentation in patients with head and neck cancer is predictive of critical weight loss during treatment, and muscle evaluation can be useful in identifying patients at nutritional risk regardless of BMI and obvious signs of wasting.

Machine learning approach for mapping the heat capacity of deep eutectic solvents for sustainable energy applications

This study introduces a breakthrough machine learning (ML) approach to predict the heat capacity of deep eutectic solvents (DESs), an emerging class of environmentally friendly solvents, for sustainable energy applications. Leveraging an extensive dataset of 2,696 data points across 55 DES mixtures with 389 unique compositions, the research significantly extends the scope of previous studies. The methodology employs group contribution-based critical properties to elucidate intricate molecular-level dynamics, enabling the models to decode complex interactions governing DES behavior. The multi-dimensional strategy encompasses conventional binary DESs, ternary DESs, and water + DES mixtures, providing a holistic understanding of these green solvents. The developed artificial neural network (ANN) exhibits exceptional performance, with an R2 value of 0.995 in training and 0.988 in testing, substantially surpassing existing models. Rigorous comparative analysis and applicability domain assessment confirm the robustness and superiority of this approach in predicting heat capacities for diverse DES compositions. Key findings include identifying the molecular factors influencing DES heat capacities, with critical volume, molecular weight, and critical temperature having the greatest impact. An open-source, user-friendly Excel tool based on the ANN model is developed to promote accessibility and practical application in energy and environmental sectors. This work revolutionizes the understanding and prediction of DES thermophysical properties, paving the way for their enhanced utilization in eco-friendly energy systems, thermal management, green materials development, and sustainable fuel processing.

On intermediate exceptional series

The Freudenthal–Tits magic square m(A1,A2)\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\mathfrak {m}(\\mathbb {A}_1,\\mathbb {A}_2)$$\\end{document} for A=R,C,H,O\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\mathbb {A}=\\mathbb {R},\\mathbb {C},\\mathbb {H},\\mathbb {O}$$\\end{document} of semi-simple Lie algebras can be extended by including the sextonions S\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\mathbb {S}$$\\end{document}. A series of non-reductive Lie algebras naturally appear in the new row associated with the sextonions, which we will call the intermediate exceptional series, with the largest one as the intermediate Lie algebra E7+1/2\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$E_{7+1/2}$$\\end{document} constructed by Landsberg–Manivel. We study various aspects of the intermediate vertex operator (super)algebras associated with the intermediate exceptional series, including rationality, coset constructions, irreducible modules, (super)characters and modular linear differential equations. For all gI\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\mathfrak {g}_I$$\\end{document} belonging to the intermediate exceptional series, the intermediate VOA L1(gI)\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$L_1(\\mathfrak {g}_I)$$\\end{document} has characters of irreducible modules coinciding with those of the simple rational C2\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$C_2$$\\end{document}-cofinite W-algebra W-h∨/6(g,fθ)\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$W_{-h^\\vee /6}(\\mathfrak {g},f_\ heta )$$\\end{document} studied by Kawasetsu, with g\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\mathfrak {g} $$\\end{document} belonging to the Cvitanović–Deligne exceptional series. We propose some new intermediate VOA Lk(gI)\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$L_k(\\mathfrak {g}_I)$$\\end{document} with integer level k and investigate their properties. For example, for the intermediate Lie algebra D6+1/2\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$D_{6+1/2}$$\\end{document} between D6\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$D_6$$\\end{document} and E7\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$E_7$$\\end{document} in the subexceptional series and also in Vogel’s projective plane, we find that the intermediate VOA L2(D6+1/2)\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$L_2(D_{6+1/2})$$\\end{document} has a simple current extension to a SVOA with four irreducible Neveu–Schwarz modules, and the supercharacters can be realized by a fermionic Hecke operator on the N=1\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$N=1$$\\end{document} Virasoro minimal model L(c16,2,0)\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$L(c_{16,2},0)$$\\end{document}. We also provide some (super) coset constructions such as L2(E7)/L2(D6+1/2)\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$L_2(E_7)/L_2(D_{6+1/2})$$\\end{document} and L1(D6+1/2)⊗2/L2(D6+1/2)\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$L_1(D_{6+1/2})^{\\otimes 2}\\!/L_2(D_{6+1/2})$$\\end{document}. In the end, we find that the theta blocks associated with the intermediate exceptional series produce some new holomorphic Jacobi forms of critical weight and lattice index.

Soul is a master control gene governing the development of the Drosophila prothoracic gland

The prothoracic gland (PG) is a major insect endocrine organ. It is the principal source of insect steroid hormones, and critical for key developmental events such as the molts, the establishment of critical weight (CW), pupation, and sexual maturation. However, little is known about the developmental processes that regulate PG morphology. In this study, we identified soul, which encodes a PG-specific basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor. We demonstrate that Tap, also a bHLH protein, dimerizes with Soul. Both are expressed in the developing PG. Interfering with either soul or tap function caused strikingly similar phenotypes, resulting in small and fragmented PGs, the abolishment of steroid hormone-producing gene expression, larval arrest, and a failure to undergo metamorphosis. Furthermore, both soul and tap showed expression peaks just prior to the CW checkpoint. Disrupting soul- or tap-function before, but not after, the CW checkpoint caused larval arrest, and perturbed highly similar gene cohorts, which were enriched for regulators and components of the steroid hormone biosynthesis pathway. Intriguingly, a chitin-based cuticle gene, Cpr49Ah, and a POU domain transcription factor gene, pdm3, are direct target genes of the Soul/Tap complex, and disruption of either phenocopied key aspects of soul/tap loss-of-function phenotypes. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that the Soul/Tap heterodimer resides at the top of a complex gene hierarchy that drives PG development, CW establishment, and steroid hormone production.

Research on Multi-Parameter Optimization of Conical Roller Line Processing Technology Based on Satisfaction Function

In the process of conical roller line processing, there will be problems such as low precision of processing parameters, long processing time, low utilization rate of machine tools, high rejection rate, and high processing cost, which will lead to low production efficiency. In order to solve this problem, it is necessary to iteratively optimize the size parameters, including inner diameter, ovality, and taper. By obtaining the optimal parameter combination, the size parameters in the production process are kept consistent, that is, the accuracy and performance of the workpiece during the processing are guaranteed so as to avoid the problem of quality difference, improve the production efficiency and reduce the processing cost. In view of the fact that there are often some constraints on the accuracy and efficiency in the machining process of tapered roller lines, how to optimize the parameters affecting the accuracy and the parameters affecting the efficiency to achieve balance between accuracy and efficiency in order to better meet the needs of customers for multi-objective optimization of the machining process has become the focus of research. Based on the existing research, this paper explores the multi-parameter optimization modeling and application in the machining process of tapered roller lines by constructing a satisfaction function, and then uses a genetic algorithm to iteratively search for the optimal solution by simulating natural selection and the genetic mechanism. Based on Python software v3.12, the production process of tapered roller bearings is simulated. The AHP analytic hierarchy process and CRITIC weight method are used to redistribute the parameter weights respectively. After eight iterations, it is concluded that the weight value assigned by the AHP analytic hierarchy process makes the satisfaction function value reach the best value of 0.99795 and tend to converge stably. The optimized parameter configuration significantly improves the machining accuracy and production efficiency of the tapered roller line. The optimal parameter combination is obtained: inner diameter: 9.9982 mm, ovality: 0.7 mm, taper: 0.5 degrees, production efficiency: 101.0.97 piece/h. In order to verify the optimization effect, the single value (X) and moving extreme difference (Rs) control charts in the measurement value control chart are used to analyze and verify the tolerance values of important parameters in the processing technology of the tapered roller line. The results show that the data points are all within the control limit, indicating that the processing process is in a statistical control state.

HIF signaling in the prothoracic gland regulates growth and development in hypoxia but not normoxia in Drosophila.

The developmental regulation of body size is a fundamental life-history characteristic that in most animals is tied to the transition from juvenile to adult form. In holometabolous insects, this transition is ostensibly initiated at the attainment of a critical weight in the final larval instar. It has been hypothesized that the size-sensing mechanism used to determine attainment of critical weight exploits oxygen limitation as a larvae grows beyond the oxygen-delivery capacity of its fixed tracheal system; that is, developmentally induced cellular hypoxia initiates the synthesis of the molting hormone ecdysone by the prothoracic gland. We tested this hypothesis in Drosophila by assaying cellular hypoxia throughout the third larval instar at 21 and 10 kPa O2, using the activity of the HIF (hypoxia inducible factor)-signaling pathway as a measure of hypoxia. While HIF signaling was elevated at low levels of environmental O2, it did not markedly increase during development at either oxygen level, and was only suppressed by hyperoxia after feeding had ceased. Further, changes in HIF signaling in the prothoracic gland alone did not alter body size or developmental time in a way that would be expected if cellular hypoxia in the prothoracic gland was part of the critical weight mechanism. Our data do show, however, that reduced HIF signaling in the prothoracic gland decreases survival and retards development at 10 kPa O2, suggesting that prothoracic HIF signaling is a necessary part of the beneficial plasticity mechanism that controls growth and development in response to low oxygen level.

Digital economy and the medical and health service supply in China.

The impact of the digital economy on the healthcare sector is becoming increasingly profound. This article focuses on the relationship between the development of China's digital economy and medical and health services supply. Based on panel data from 30 provinces in China from 2012 to 2021, the CRITIC weight method was applied to measure the supply capacity of medical and health services and the level of digital economy development, and the kernel density estimation method and Dagum Gini coefficient method was used to characterize the evolutionary trends and regional differences. Additionally, a two-way fixed-effects model is adopted to investigate the impact of digital economy development on medical and health services supply. The results show that both the supply capacity of healthcare services and the level of digital economy development have been increasing continuously in terms of evolutionary trends. From the perspective of regional differences, compared to the supply level of healthcare services, the regional differences in digital economy development are more significant. The intra-regional differences in medical and health services supply are greater than the inter-regional differences, while the development of the digital economy exhibits the opposite trend. The findings of this paper provide supports for China to enhance the development level of digital economy and improve supply of medical and health service.

Relationship Research between Digital Economy and High-Quality Economic Development on the view of Foreign Trade Opening

Digital Economy (DE), as a vital impetus for high-level openness, interacts with High-Quality Economic Development (HQED). Researching Coordination mechanism among these three aspects carries substantial weight in a country to achieve common prosperity and strategic goals. Based on this premise, this paper first uses provincial data from 2014-2021 as the research object, measuring the levels of Digital Economy and HQED Employing the comprehensive index, Entropy Weight Method and critic weight. It also employs the coefficient of variation, Theil index, and coefficient of dispersion to analyze the trends in regional disparities concerning the development of DE and HQED. Subsequently, the Dynamic interaction model, grounded in the entropy weight method, was employed to quantitatively assess the coupling coordination between DE and HQED. Then, the random forest model was used to explore the impact of constituent indicators regarding the coupling coordination between the two systems, with XGboost and LASSO models serving as supportive evidence. Empirical analysis results indicate that, on one hand, the disparities in HQED among regions showed an initial increase followed by a decrease, while the disparities in Digital Economy development among regions demonstrated a year-over-year decreasing trend. On the other hand, during 2014-2021, the disparities in harmony with DE and HQED among regions decreased annually. Additionally, foreign-trade dependence and share of foreign investment are found to be significantly important to Coupling efficiency.

Research on Prediction of Tennis Competition Fluctuations Based on CRITIC Weight Method and CNN-LSTM Model

Research on Prediction of Tennis Competition Fluctuations Based on CRITIC Weight Method and CNN-LSTM Model

Unified understanding of the impact of semiflexibility, concentration, and molecular weight on macromolecular-scale ring diffusion

Conformationally fluctuating, globally compact macromolecules such as polymeric rings, single-chain nanoparticles, microgels, and many-arm stars display complex dynamic behaviors due to their rich topological structure and intermolecular organization. Synthetic rings are hybrid objects with conformations that display both ideal random walk and compact globular features, which can serve as models of genomic DNA. To date, emphasis has been placed on the effect of ring molecular weight on their unusual behaviors. Here, we combine simulations and a microscopic force-level theory to build a unified understanding for how key aspects of ring dynamics depend on different tunable molecular properties including backbone rigidity, monomer concentration, degree of traditional entanglement, and molecular weight. Our large-scale molecular dynamics simulations of ring melts with very different backbone stiffnesses reveal unanticipated behaviors which agree well with our generalized theory. This includes a universal master curve for center-of-mass diffusion constants as a function of molecular weight scaled by a chemistry and thermodynamic state-dependent critical molecular weight that generalizes the concept of an entanglement cross-over for linear chains. The key physics is how backbone rigidity and monomer concentration induced changes of the entanglement length, interring packing, degree of interpenetration, and liquid compressibility slow down space-time dynamic-force correlations on macromolecular scales. A power law decay of the center-of-mass diffusion constant with inverse molecular weight squared is the first consequence, followed by an ultraslow activated hopping transport regime. Our results set the stage to address slow dynamics and kinetic arrest in different families of compact synthetic and biological polymeric systems.

On the Inclusion Relations of Global Ultradifferentiable Classes Defined by Weight Matrices

We study and characterize the inclusion relations of global classes in the general weight matrix framework in terms of growth relations for the defining weight matrices. We consider the Roumieu and Beurling cases, and as a particular case, we also treat the classical weight function and weight sequence cases. Moreover, we construct a weight sequence which is oscillating around any weight sequence which satisfies some minimal conditions and, in particular, around the critical weight sequence (p!)1/2\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$(p!)^{1/2}$$\\end{document}, related with the non-triviality of the classes. Finally, we also obtain comparison results both on classes defined by weight functions that can be defined by weight sequences and conversely.

Study on the multifunctional spatial-temporal evolution and coupling coordination of cultivated land: A case study of Hebei Province, China.

The rational use of cultivated land can guarantee food security and thus is highly important for ensuring social stability, economic development and national security. The current study investigated the multifunctional temporal and spatial variation characteristics of cultivated land and explored the spatial and temporal characteristics of the multifunction and coupling coordination degrees of cultivated land throughout Hebei Province. Based on the administrative division data, statistical yearbook data and land use status data of the impacted areas, a multifunctional evaluation index system of cultivated land was established. The CRITIC weight method and entropy weight method were used to determine the weight of the index, the comprehensive index model was used to determine the production, social security, ecology and landscape functions of cultivated land of Hebei Province in different periods, the coupling coordination model was used to explore the multifunctional coupling coordination degree of cultivated land in each county, and spatial autocorrelation analysis was performed to determine the correlation of the multifunctional coupling coordination degrees. From 2000 to 2020, the production, social security and landscape function of cultivated land in Hebei Province trended upward; the ecological function trended slightly downward. The multifunctional coupling coordination degree of cultivated land in Hebei Province trended significantly upward and changed from limited coordination to intermediate coordination. Furthermore, it exhibited strong agglomeration and a significant positive spatial correlation, forming a 'V'-type change rule of first decreasing and then increasing. Hebei Province exhibited remarkable spatial and temporal characteristics of the multifunction and coupling coordination degrees of cultivated land. Regions could thus customize different cultivated land functions to maximize the benefits of cultivated land use. The findings of this study may provide a scientific basis and theoretical support for sustainably using and managing cultivated land resources in areas with similar human geographical environments.

Comparative fracture surface analysis of adhesively bonded dissimilar lap joints: Nanosilica effect

AbstractThis research presents a comparative analysis of the fracture surfaces of adhesively bonded dissimilar single lap joints (DSLJs) and investigates the effect of nanosilica (NS) additives on their fracture behavior and performance. The study focuses on DSLJs composed of aluminum (Al), stainless steel (SS), copper (Cu), and carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) adherends bonded with an epoxy adhesive. The fracture surface of DSLJs is further analyzed by introducing two parameters: fractional total fracture area (aT) and the surface sensitivity of each adherend (aSurface). These parameters serve as benchmarks to predict the final load capacity of the adhesive joints. It is found that a decrease in and an increase in the sensitivity of the adherend with a lower Young's modulus lead to higher load capacity. Tensile tests revealed that incorporating NS up to a critical weight percentage of 0.6 wt% improves the proposed surface parameters and significantly contributes to higher levels of load capacity and absorbing greater amounts of energy to failure. Furthermore, numerical simulations offer insights into stress distribution and the mechanism of plastic deformation propagation, providing additional support for the experimental findings.Highlights NS up to 0.6 wt% enhances the mechanical properties of DSLJs. NS–epoxy interactions characterized through Fourier transform infrared and transmission electron microscopy analysis. Fracture surface patterns help to predict the final load capacity of DSLJs. Plastic propagation in epoxy verifies fracture surface pattern in DSLJs.

Multiple isoforms of the Activin-like receptor baboon differentially regulate proliferation and conversion behaviors of neuroblasts and neuroepithelial cells in the Drosophila larval brain.

In Drosophila coordinated proliferation of two neural stem cells, neuroblasts (NB) and neuroepithelial (NE) cells, is pivotal for proper larval brain growth that ultimately determines the final size and performance of an adult brain. The larval brain growth displays two phases based on behaviors of NB and NEs: the first one in early larval stages, influenced by nutritional status and the second one in the last larval stage, promoted by ecdysone signaling after critical weight checkpoint. Mutations of the baboon (babo) gene that produces three isoforms (BaboA-C), all acting as type-I receptors of Activin-type transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) signaling, cause a small brain phenotype due to severely reduced proliferation of the neural stem cells. In this study we show that loss of babo function severely affects proliferation of NBs and NEs as well as conversion of NEs from both phases. By analyzing babo-null and newly generated isoform-specific mutants by CRISPR mutagenesis as well as isoform-specific RNAi knockdowns in a cell- and stage-specific manner, our data support differential contributions of the isoforms for these cellular events with BaboA playing the major role. Stage-specific expression of EcR-B1 in the brain is also regulated primarily by BaboA along with function of the other isoforms. Blocking EcR function in both neural stem cells results in a small brain phenotype that is more severe than baboA-knockdown alone. In summary, our study proposes that the Babo-mediated signaling promotes proper behaviors of the neural stem cells in both phases and achieves this by acting upstream of EcR-B1 expression in the second phase.

Research on the Consistency Evaluation of the Spindle Unit Stiffness Based on Comprehensive Weights

The spindle unit is the core component of a machine, and its stiffness is a key performance characteristic. The stiffness consistency is a key index to measure the stiffness of spindle units; however, there is a lack of unified evaluation methods for the spindle unit stiffness consistency. This paper proposes a comprehensive method for the evaluation of the spindle unit stiffness consistency based on fluctuations and comprehensive weights. First, the consistency of the spindle unit stiffness evaluation indices is expressed based on the fluctuations. Secondly, the subjective and objective weights of the spindle unit stiffness evaluation indices are given based on the AHP and CRITIC weight assignment methods. To obtain the comprehensive weights of the evaluation indices, the subjective and objective weights are synthesized based on the linear weighting method. Then, the consistency level of the spindle unit stiffness is obtained by the weighted summation of the comprehensive weights and fluctuations of the evaluation indices. Finally, the stiffness consistency of a group of spindle units is evaluated based on this method, and the evaluation result shows a 10.63% fluctuation, which indicates that its stiffness consistency level is class B, in line with the factory production requirements.

High-order dilated nested arrays with increased degrees of freedom and reduced mutual coupling

In a companion paper [32], a sparse array called the dilated nested array (DNA) was introduced, which owns the same number of uniform degrees of freedom (DOFs) as the nested array but has the first and third constituent sub-arrays dense, since their sensors are uniformly spaced out by the critical inter-sensor spacing (2×λ/2). Therefore, in this paper we introduce two further dilations to address this shortcoming. In the first dilation - referred to as the one-sided dilated nested array (OS-DNA), Qf possible high-order extensions starting from the 2nd-order extension (Q=2) to the (Qf+1)th-order extension are applied to the third parent sub-array, and in the second dilation - referred to as the two-sided dilated nested array (TS-DNA), an additional extension is applied to the first parent sub-array. While the high-order extensions of the OS-DNA as well as the TS-DNA strictly preserve the same number of uniform DOFs of the parent DNA, the first extension of the OS-DNA eliminates all the sensor pairs with separation 2 in the third parent sub-array, whereas the Qth-order extensions (for 2<Q≤Qf+1) increase the number of nonuniform DOFs as Q increases. The TS-DNA then eliminates all the sensor pairs with spacing 2 in the first sub-array of the (Qf+1)th-order extension and concurrently maintains the higher number of nonuniform DOFs of this parent order. As such, the TS-DNA, named the super dilated nested array (SDNA) as well, still retains the number of uniform and nonuniform DOFs of the highest-order extension of the OS-DNA and at the same time enjoys the ideal critical weights of the co-prime array. Many theoretical properties are proved and extensive simulations are included to demonstrate the superior performance of these arrays.