Dear Editor,I am Kunihiko Hirosawa of the Department of Ophthalmology at Juntendo University Hospital.I am writing to present a case of concomitant Coronavirus Disease 2019(COVID-19)with branch retinal artery occlusio...Dear Editor,I am Kunihiko Hirosawa of the Department of Ophthalmology at Juntendo University Hospital.I am writing to present a case of concomitant Coronavirus Disease 2019(COVID-19)with branch retinal artery occlusion(BRAO).BRAO presents as a sudden,painless loss of vision on the afflicted side and is most often focal in nature[1].展开更多
Automatic segmentation of medical images provides a reliable scientific basis for disease diagnosis and analysis.Notably,most existing methods that combine the strengths of convolutional neural networks(CNNs)and Trans...Automatic segmentation of medical images provides a reliable scientific basis for disease diagnosis and analysis.Notably,most existing methods that combine the strengths of convolutional neural networks(CNNs)and Transformers have made significant progress.However,there are some limitations in the current integration of CNN and Transformer technology in two key aspects.Firstly,most methods either overlook or fail to fully incorporate the complementary nature between local and global features.Secondly,the significance of integrating the multiscale encoder features from the dual-branch network to enhance the decoding features is often disregarded in methods that combine CNN and Transformer.To address this issue,we present a groundbreaking dual-branch cross-attention fusion network(DCFNet),which efficiently combines the power of Swin Transformer and CNN to generate complementary global and local features.We then designed the Feature Cross-Fusion(FCF)module to efficiently fuse local and global features.In the FCF,the utilization of the Channel-wise Cross-fusion Transformer(CCT)serves the purpose of aggregatingmulti-scale features,and the Feature FusionModule(FFM)is employed to effectively aggregate dual-branch prominent feature regions from the spatial perspective.Furthermore,within the decoding phase of the dual-branch network,our proposed Channel Attention Block(CAB)aims to emphasize the significance of the channel features between the up-sampled features and the features generated by the FCFmodule to enhance the details of the decoding.Experimental results demonstrate that DCFNet exhibits enhanced accuracy in segmentation performance.Compared to other state-of-the-art(SOTA)methods,our segmentation framework exhibits a superior level of competitiveness.DCFNet’s accurate segmentation of medical images can greatly assist medical professionals in making crucial diagnoses of lesion areas in advance.展开更多
Aiming at high cost and low efficiency of conventional branch bending method in the modern intensive planting and labor-saving cultivation mode of young pear trees,this paper provides a new branch bending method with ...Aiming at high cost and low efficiency of conventional branch bending method in the modern intensive planting and labor-saving cultivation mode of young pear trees,this paper provides a new branch bending method with wide source of raw materials,cheap price and simple operation,which is also suitable for the management of low-age branches in the process of high grafting and upgrading of traditional big trees.展开更多
BACKGROUND Left bundle branch pacing(LBBP)is a novel pacing modality of cardiac resynchronization therapy(CRT)that achieves more physiologic native ventricular activation than biventricular pacing(BiVP).AIM To explore...BACKGROUND Left bundle branch pacing(LBBP)is a novel pacing modality of cardiac resynchronization therapy(CRT)that achieves more physiologic native ventricular activation than biventricular pacing(BiVP).AIM To explore the validity of electromechanical resynchronization,clinical and echocardiographic response of LBBP-CRT.METHODS Systematic review and Meta-analysis were conducted in accordance with the standard guidelines as mentioned in detail in the methodology section.RESULTS In our analysis,the success rate of LBBP-CRT was determined to be 91.1%.LBBP CRT significantly shortened QRS duration,with significant improvement in echocardiographic parameters,including left ventricular ejection fraction,left ventricular end-diastolic diameter and left ventricular end-systolic diameter in comparison with BiVP-CRT.CONCLUSION A significant reduction in New York Heart Association class and B-type natriuretic peptide levels was also observed in the LBBP-CRT group vs BiVP-CRT group.Lastly,the LBBP-CRT cohort had a reduced pacing threshold at follow-up as compared to BiVP-CRT.展开更多
Branch number is an important agronomic trait in peach(Prunus persica)trees because plant architecture affects fruit yield and quality.Although breeders can select varieties with different tree architecture,the biolog...Branch number is an important agronomic trait in peach(Prunus persica)trees because plant architecture affects fruit yield and quality.Although breeders can select varieties with different tree architecture,the biological mechanisms underlying architecture remain largely unclear.In this study,a pillar peach(‘Zhaoshouhong’)and a standard peach(‘Okubo’)were compared.‘Zhaoshouhong’was found to have significantly fewer secondary branches than‘Okubo’.Treatment with the synthetic strigolactone(SL)GR24 decreased branch number.Transcriptome analysis indicated that PpTCP18(a homologous gene of Arabidopsis thaliana BRC1)expression was negatively correlated with strigolactone synthesis gene expression,indicating that PpTCP18 may play an important role in peach branching.Yeast one-hybrid,electrophoretic mobility shift,dual-luciferase assays and PpTCP18-knockdown in peach leaf buds indicated that PpTCP18 could increase expression of PpLBO1,PpMAX1,and PpMAX4.Furthermore,transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing PpTCP18 clearly exhibited reduced primary rosette-leaf branches.Moreover,lncRNA sequencing and transient expression analysis revealed that lncRNA5 targeted PpTCP18,significantly increasing PpTCP18 expression.These results provide insights into the mRNA and lncRNA network in the peach SL signaling pathway and indicate that PpTCP18,a transcription factor downstream of SL signaling,is involved in positive feedback regulation of SL biosynthesis.This role of PpTCP18 may represent a novel mechanism in peach branching regulation.Our study improves current understanding of the mechanisms underlying peach branching and provides theoretical support for genetic improvement of peach tree architecture.展开更多
Nanofluid minimum quantity lubrication(NMQL)is a green processing technology.Cottonseed oil is suitable as base oil because of excellent lubrication performance,low freezing temperature,and high yield.Al_(2)O_(3)nanop...Nanofluid minimum quantity lubrication(NMQL)is a green processing technology.Cottonseed oil is suitable as base oil because of excellent lubrication performance,low freezing temperature,and high yield.Al_(2)O_(3)nanoparticles improve not only the heat transfer capacity but also the lubrication performance.The physical and chemical proper-ties of nanofluid change when Al_(2)O_(3)nanoparticles are added.However,the effects of the concentration of nanofluid on lubrication performance remain unknown.Furthermore,the mechanisms of interaction between Al_(2)O_(3)nanoparti-cles and cottonseed oil are unclear.In this research,nanofluid is prepared by adding different mass concentrations of Al_(2)O_(3)nanoparticles(0,0.2%,0.5%,1%,1.5%,and 2%wt)to cottonseed oil during minimum quantity lubrication(MQL)milling 45 steel.The tribological properties of nanofluid with different concentrations at the tool/workpiece interface are studied through macro-evaluation parameters(milling force,specific energy)and micro-evaluation parameters(surface roughness,micro morphology,contact angle).The result show that the specific energy is at the minimum(114 J/mm^(3)),and the roughness value is the lowest(1.63μm)when the concentration is 0.5 wt%.The surfaces of the chip and workpiece are the smoothest,and the contact angle is the lowest,indicating that the tribological proper-ties are the best under 0.5 wt%.This research investigates the intercoupling mechanisms of Al_(2)O_(3)nanoparticles and cottonseed base oil,and acquires the optimal Al_(2)O_(3)nanofluid concentration to receive satisfactory tribological properties.展开更多
Plant branching development plays an important role in plant morphogenesis(aboveground plant type),the number and angle of branches are important agronomic characters that determine crop plant type.Effective branches ...Plant branching development plays an important role in plant morphogenesis(aboveground plant type),the number and angle of branches are important agronomic characters that determine crop plant type.Effective branches determine the number of panicles or pods of crops and then control the yield of crops.With the rapid development of plant genomics and molecular genetics,great progress has been made in the study of branching development.In recent years,a series of important branching-related genes have been validated from Arabidopsis thaliana,rice,pea,tomato and maize mutants.It is reviewed that plant branching development is controlled by genetic elements and plant hormones,such as auxin,cytokinin and lactones(or lactone derivatives),as well as by environment and genetic elements.Meanwhile,shoot architecture in crop breeding was discussed in order to provide theoretical basis for the study of crop branching regulation.展开更多
In this study, an approach was proposed to employ new target branched compounds(TBCs) including multiple antibiotic norfloxacin frameworks for intensified adsorption films to achieve super protection of mild steel in ...In this study, an approach was proposed to employ new target branched compounds(TBCs) including multiple antibiotic norfloxacin frameworks for intensified adsorption films to achieve super protection of mild steel in HCl medium. Thus, the TBCs containing bis/tri norfloxacin skeletons were synthesized by multi-step preparation route. In addition, the reference linear compound(RLC) including a single norfloxacin part was also synthesized. The chemical structures of these compounds were confirmed by various means. It was demonstrated that the TBCs could form the tough adsorption films on the surface of mild steel, which could be processed mainly through chemisorption effect. The electrochemical analysis suggested that the TBCs displayed superior corrosion inhibition performance for low carbon steel in1.0 mol·L^(-1) HCl solution over the RLC(RLC, 87.80%;TBC1, 97.63%;TBC2, 98.35%), which was further understood by the molecular modelling. The isotherm adsorption plots were employed to analyze the spontaneous adsorption process of the TBCs on low carbon steel surface, and a prominent chemisorption could be inferred by the standard Gibbs free energy changes of the adsorption.展开更多
The relatively uncommon masquerading bundle branch block(MBBB),a concept initially introduced in 1958 by UNGER,et al.[1]and colleagues,refers to a conduction abnormality that consists of the right bundle branch block(...The relatively uncommon masquerading bundle branch block(MBBB),a concept initially introduced in 1958 by UNGER,et al.[1]and colleagues,refers to a conduction abnormality that consists of the right bundle branch block(RBBB)pattern in the precordial leads,whereas in the limb leads it resembles a left bundle branch block(LBBB).展开更多
Graphene has superhigh thermal conductivity up to 5000 W/(m·K),extremely thin thickness,superhigh mechanical strength and nano-lamellar structure with low interlayer shear strength,making it possess great potenti...Graphene has superhigh thermal conductivity up to 5000 W/(m·K),extremely thin thickness,superhigh mechanical strength and nano-lamellar structure with low interlayer shear strength,making it possess great potential in mini-mum quantity lubrication(MQL)grinding.Meanwhile,ionic liquids(ILs)have higher thermal conductivity and better thermal stability than vegetable oils,which are frequently used as MQL grinding fluids.And ILs have extremely low vapor pressure,thereby avoiding film boiling in grinding.These excellent properties make ILs also have immense potential in MQL grinding.However,the grinding performance of graphene and ionic liquid mixed fluid under nano-fluid minimum quantity lubrication(NMQL),and its tribological mechanism on abrasive grain/workpiece grinding interface,are still unclear.This research firstly evaluates the grinding performance of graphene and ionic liquid mixed nanofluids(graphene/IL nanofluids)under NMQL experimentally.The evaluation shows that graphene/IL nanofluids can further strengthen both the cooling and lubricating performances compared with MQL grinding using ILs only.The specific grinding energy and grinding force ratio can be reduced by over 40%at grinding depth of 10μm.Work-piece machined surface roughness can be decreased by over 10%,and grinding temperature can be lowered over 50℃at grinding depth of 30μm.Aiming at the unclear tribological mechanism of graphene/IL nanofluids,molecular dynamics simulations for abrasive grain/workpiece grinding interface are performed to explore the formation mechanism of physical adsorption film.The simulations show that the grinding interface is in a boundary lubrication state.IL molecules absorb in groove-like fractures on grain wear flat face to form boundary lubrication film,and graphene nanosheets can enter into the grinding interface to further decrease the contact area between abrasive grain and workpiece.Compared with MQL grinding,the average tangential grinding force of graphene/IL nanofluids can decrease up to 10.8%.The interlayer shear effect and low interlayer shear strength of graphene nanosheets are the principal causes of enhanced lubricating performance on the grinding interface.EDS and XPS analyses are further carried out to explore the formation mechanism of chemical reaction film.The analyses show that IL base fluid happens chemical reactions with workpiece material,producing FeF_(2),CrF_(3),and BN.The fresh machined surface of workpiece is oxidized by air,producing NiO,Cr_(2)O_(3) and Fe_(2)O_(3).The chemical reaction film is constituted by fluorides,nitrides and oxides together.The combined action of physical adsorption film and chemical reaction film make graphene/IL nano-fluids obtain excellent grinding performance.展开更多
A qualia role-based entity-dependency graph(EDG)is proposed to represent and extract quantity relations for solving algebra story problems stated in Chinese.Traditional neural solvers use end-to-end models to translat...A qualia role-based entity-dependency graph(EDG)is proposed to represent and extract quantity relations for solving algebra story problems stated in Chinese.Traditional neural solvers use end-to-end models to translate problem texts into math expressions,which lack quantity relation acquisition in sophisticated scenarios.To address the problem,the proposed method leverages EDG to represent quantity relations hidden in qualia roles of math objects.Algorithms were designed for EDG generation and quantity relation extraction for solving algebra story problems.Experimental result shows that the proposedmethod achieved an average accuracy of 82.2%on quantity relation extraction compared to 74.5%of baseline method.Another prompt learning result shows a 5%increase obtained in problem solving by injecting the extracted quantity relations into the baseline neural solvers.展开更多
Diffusion in narrow curved channels with dead-ends as in extracellular space in the biological tissues,e.g.,brain,tumors,muscles,etc.is a geometrically induced complex diffusion and is relevant to different kinds of b...Diffusion in narrow curved channels with dead-ends as in extracellular space in the biological tissues,e.g.,brain,tumors,muscles,etc.is a geometrically induced complex diffusion and is relevant to different kinds of biological,physical,and chemical systems.In this paper,we study the effects of geometry and confinement on the diffusion process in an elliptical comb-like structure and analyze its statistical properties.The ellipse domain whose boundary has the polar equationρ(θ)=b/√1−e^(2)cos^(2)θ with 0<e<1,θ∈[0,2π],and b as a constant,can be obtained through stretched radius r such that Υ=rρ(θ)with r∈[0,1].We suppose that,for fixed radius r=R,an elliptical motion takes place and is interspersed with a radial motion inward and outward of the ellipse.The probability distribution function(PDF)in the structure and the marginal PDF and mean square displacement(MSD)along the backbone are obtained numerically.The results show that a transient sub-diffusion behavior dominates the process for a time followed by a saturating state.The sub-diffusion regime and saturation threshold are affected by the length of the elliptical channel lateral branch and its curvature.展开更多
Branch identification technology is a key technology to achieve automated pruning of fruit tree branches, and one of its technical bottlenecks lies in the stitching of branch images. To this end, we propose a set of b...Branch identification technology is a key technology to achieve automated pruning of fruit tree branches, and one of its technical bottlenecks lies in the stitching of branch images. To this end, we propose a set of branch image stitching technology algorithms. The algorithm is based on the grey-scale prime centroid method to determine the detection feature points, and uses the coordinate transformation matrix H of the corresponding points of the image to carry out the image geometric transformation, and realises the feature matching through sample comparison and classification methods. The experimental results show that the matched point images are more correct and less time-consuming.展开更多
Direct collection of uranium from low uranium systems via adsorption remains challenging.Fibrous sorbent materials with amidoxime(AO)groups are promising adsorbents for uranium extraction from seawater.However,low AO ...Direct collection of uranium from low uranium systems via adsorption remains challenging.Fibrous sorbent materials with amidoxime(AO)groups are promising adsorbents for uranium extraction from seawater.However,low AO adsorption group utilization remains an issue.We herein fabricated a branched structure containing AO groups on polypropylene/polyethylene spun-laced nonwoven(PP/PE SNW)fibers using grafting polymerization induced by radiation(RIGP)to improve AO utilization.The chemical structures,thermal properties,and surface morphologies of the raw and treated PP/PE SNW fibers were studied.The results show that an adsorptive functional layer with a branching structure was successfully anchored to the fiber surface.The adsorption properties were investigated using batch adsorption experiments in simulated seawater with an initial uranium concentration of 500μg·L^(−1)(pH 4,25℃).The maximum adsorption capacity of the adsorbent material was 137.3 mg·g^(−1)within 24 h;moreover,the uranyl removal reached 96%within 240 min.The adsorbent had an AO utilization rate of 1/3.5 and was stable over a pH range of 4–10,with good selectivity and reusability,demonstrating its potential for seawater uranium extraction.展开更多
The recycling of carbon fibers and protection from unwanted microwave radiation are two important environmental issues that need to be addressed in modern society.Herein,branched carbon nanofibers(CNFs)were grown in-s...The recycling of carbon fibers and protection from unwanted microwave radiation are two important environmental issues that need to be addressed in modern society.Herein,branched carbon nanofibers(CNFs)were grown in-situ on recycled carbon fibers(RCFs)through the chemical vapor deposition method using nickel as catalysts and thiophene as aided-catalysts.The effect of thiophene on the growth morphology of CNFs was investigated.Correspondingly,branched CNFs-RCFs and straight CNFs-RCFs were respectively obtained in the presence and absence of thiophene.The microstructure and electromagnetic behaviour investigations have shown that the branched CNFs possess a typical multi-branched structure,with more defects,pores and a larger specific surface area than the straight CNFs,which lead to better impedance matching and adequate dielectric loss ability for the branched CNFs-RCFs.The reflection loss(RL)results show that the branched CNFs-RCFs exhibit an optimum RL of -23.6 dB at 1.5 mm and a best effective absorption bandwidth(EAB)of 7.5 GHz at 2.0 mm.This research provides an innovative microwave absorbing material with adequate absorbing strength and outstanding EAB,while also promoting the sustainable reuse of the RCFs resources.展开更多
The peripheral nervous system has an extensive branching organization, and peripheral nerve injuries that ablate branch points present a complex challenge for clinical repair. Ablations of linear segments of the PNS h...The peripheral nervous system has an extensive branching organization, and peripheral nerve injuries that ablate branch points present a complex challenge for clinical repair. Ablations of linear segments of the PNS have been extensively studied and routinely treated with autografts, acellular nerve allografts, conduits, wraps, and nerve transfers. In contrast, segmental-loss peripheral nerve injuries, in which one or more branch points are ablated so that there are three or more nerve endings, present additional complications that have not been rigorously studied or documented. This review discusses:(1) the branched anatomy of the peripheral nervous system,(2) case reports describing how peripheral nerve injuries with branched ablations have been surgically managed,(3) factors known to influence regeneration through branched nerve structures,(4) techniques and models of branched peripheral nerve injuries in animal models, and(5) conclusions regarding outcome measures and studies needed to improve understanding of regeneration through ablated branched structures of the peripheral nervous system.展开更多
BACKGROUND The diagnostic value of combined methylated branched chain amino acid transaminase 1(BCAT1)/IKAROS family zinc finger 1(IKZF1)in plasma for colorectal cancer(CRC)has been explored since 2015.Recently,severa...BACKGROUND The diagnostic value of combined methylated branched chain amino acid transaminase 1(BCAT1)/IKAROS family zinc finger 1(IKZF1)in plasma for colorectal cancer(CRC)has been explored since 2015.Recently,several related studies have published their results and showed its diagnostic efficacy.AIM To analyze the diagnostic value of methylated BCAT1/IKZF1 in plasma for screening and postoperative follow-up of CRC.METHODS The candidate studies were identified by searching the PubMed,Embase,Cochrane Library,CNKI,and Wanfang databases from May 31,2003 to June 1,2023.Sensitivity,specificity,and diagnostic accuracy were calculated by merging ratios or means.RESULTS Twelve eligible studies were included in the analysis,involving 6561 participants.The sensitivity of methylated BCAT1/IKZF1 in plasma for CRC diagnosis was 60%[95%confidence interval(CI)53-67]and specificity was 92%(95%CI:90-94).The positive and negative likelihood ratios were 8.0(95%CI:5.8-11.0)and 0.43(95%CI:0.36-0.52),respectively.Diagnostic odds ratio was 19(95%CI:11-30)and area under the curve was 0.88(95%CI:0.85-0.91).The sensitivity and specificity for CRC screening were 64%(95%CI:59-69)and 92%(95%CI:91-93),respectively.The sensitivity and specificity for recurrence detection during follow-up were 54%CONCLUSION The detection of methylated BCAT1/IKZF1 in plasma,as a non-invasive detection method of circulating tumor DNA,has potential CRC diagnosis,but the clinical application prospect needs to be further explored.展开更多
AIM:To evaluate the predicative factors of visual prognosis using optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA)in ischemic branch retinal vein occlusion(BRVO)patients with macular edema(ME)after anti-vascular endothe...AIM:To evaluate the predicative factors of visual prognosis using optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA)in ischemic branch retinal vein occlusion(BRVO)patients with macular edema(ME)after anti-vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)treatment.METHODS:In this retrospective analysis,data from 60 patients(60 eyes)with a definite diagnosis of ischemic BRVO with ME by fundus fluorescein angiography(FFA)were studied.The eyes with ME according to spectral domain optical coherence tomography(SD-OCT)underwent intravitreal conbercept(IVC)and 3+pro re nata(PRN)regimen.The injection times were recorded.Two weeks after injection,fundus laser photocoagulation was performed in the non-perfusion area of the retina.The patients were followed up once a month for 6mo.The bestcorrected visual acuity(BCVA),foveal avascular zone(FAZ),and A-circularity index(AI),at 6mo and the baseline were compared.RESULTS:All patients showed significant improvement in BCVA from 0.82±0.32 to 0.39±0.11 logMAR(P<0.001).The mean central macular thickness(CMT)significantly decreased from 476.22±163.54 to 298.66±109.23μm.Both the FAZ area and AI at 6mo were significantly higher than those at the baseline:the FAZ area increased(0.38±0.02 vs 0.39±0.02 mm^(2),P<0.05);the AI increased(1.27±0.02 vs 1.31±0.01,P=0.000).The baseline BCVA showed a significantly positive correlation with the baseline FAZ area,FAZ perimeter(PERIM)and AI,final visual gain(FVG)and injection times,respectively(P<0.001).FVG showed a significantly negative correlation with the FAZ area,PERIM,AI and injection times,but a significantly positive correlation with vessel densities(VDs)300μm area around FAZ(FD-300;P<0.001).Injection times was positively correlated with the baseline FAZ area,and AI,but inversely correlated with the baseline FD-300(P<0.001).However macular ischemia was noted in 5 cases during follow-up.CONCLUSION:Using OCTA to observe macular ischemia and quantify parameters can better predict the final visual prognosis of patients before treatment.The changes in FAZ parameters may influence the visual prognosis and injection times.展开更多
To further clarify the proppant transport and placement law in multi-branched fractures induced by volume fracturing, proppant transport simulation experiments were performed with different fracture shapes, sand ratio...To further clarify the proppant transport and placement law in multi-branched fractures induced by volume fracturing, proppant transport simulation experiments were performed with different fracture shapes, sand ratios, branched fracture opening time and injection sequence of proppants in varied particle sizes. The results show that the settled proppant height increases and the placement length decreases in main fractures as the fracturing fluid diverts gradually to the branched fractures at different positions. The flow rate in branched fractures is the main factor affecting their filling. The diverion to branched fractures leads to low flow rate and poor filling of far-wellbore branched fractures. The inclined fracture wall exerts a frictional force on the proppant to slow its settlement, thus enhancing the vertical proppant distribution in the fracture. The increase of sand ratio can improve the filling of near-wellbore main fracture and far-wellbore branched fracture and also increase the settled proppant height in main fracture. Due to the limitation of fracture height, when the sand ratio increases to a certain level, the increment of fracture filling decreases. When branched fracture is always open(or extends continuously), the supporting effect on the branched fractures is the best, but the proppant placement length within the main fractures is shorter. The fractures support effect is better when it is first closed and then opened(or extends in late stage) than when it is first opened and then closed(or extends in early stage). Injecting proppants with different particle sizes in a specific sequence can improve the placement lengths of main fracture and branched fracture. Injection of proppants in an ascending order of particle size improves the near-wellbore fracture filling, to a better extent than that in a descending order of particle size.展开更多
文摘Dear Editor,I am Kunihiko Hirosawa of the Department of Ophthalmology at Juntendo University Hospital.I am writing to present a case of concomitant Coronavirus Disease 2019(COVID-19)with branch retinal artery occlusion(BRAO).BRAO presents as a sudden,painless loss of vision on the afflicted side and is most often focal in nature[1].
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(2018AAA0102100)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.62376287)+3 种基金the International Science and Technology Innovation Joint Base of Machine Vision and Medical Image Processing in Hunan Province(2021CB1013)the Key Research and Development Program of Hunan Province(2022SK2054)the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province(No.2022JJ30762,2023JJ70016)the 111 Project under Grant(No.B18059).
文摘Automatic segmentation of medical images provides a reliable scientific basis for disease diagnosis and analysis.Notably,most existing methods that combine the strengths of convolutional neural networks(CNNs)and Transformers have made significant progress.However,there are some limitations in the current integration of CNN and Transformer technology in two key aspects.Firstly,most methods either overlook or fail to fully incorporate the complementary nature between local and global features.Secondly,the significance of integrating the multiscale encoder features from the dual-branch network to enhance the decoding features is often disregarded in methods that combine CNN and Transformer.To address this issue,we present a groundbreaking dual-branch cross-attention fusion network(DCFNet),which efficiently combines the power of Swin Transformer and CNN to generate complementary global and local features.We then designed the Feature Cross-Fusion(FCF)module to efficiently fuse local and global features.In the FCF,the utilization of the Channel-wise Cross-fusion Transformer(CCT)serves the purpose of aggregatingmulti-scale features,and the Feature FusionModule(FFM)is employed to effectively aggregate dual-branch prominent feature regions from the spatial perspective.Furthermore,within the decoding phase of the dual-branch network,our proposed Channel Attention Block(CAB)aims to emphasize the significance of the channel features between the up-sampled features and the features generated by the FCFmodule to enhance the details of the decoding.Experimental results demonstrate that DCFNet exhibits enhanced accuracy in segmentation performance.Compared to other state-of-the-art(SOTA)methods,our segmentation framework exhibits a superior level of competitiveness.DCFNet’s accurate segmentation of medical images can greatly assist medical professionals in making crucial diagnoses of lesion areas in advance.
基金Technology Innovation Special Project of Hebei Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences(2022KJCXZX-CGS-7,2023KJCXZX-CGS-11)Key Research and Development Program of Hebei Province(21326308D-1-2)+1 种基金Hebei Agriculture Research System(HBCT2024170406)China Agricultural(Pear)Research System(CARS-28-27).
文摘Aiming at high cost and low efficiency of conventional branch bending method in the modern intensive planting and labor-saving cultivation mode of young pear trees,this paper provides a new branch bending method with wide source of raw materials,cheap price and simple operation,which is also suitable for the management of low-age branches in the process of high grafting and upgrading of traditional big trees.
文摘BACKGROUND Left bundle branch pacing(LBBP)is a novel pacing modality of cardiac resynchronization therapy(CRT)that achieves more physiologic native ventricular activation than biventricular pacing(BiVP).AIM To explore the validity of electromechanical resynchronization,clinical and echocardiographic response of LBBP-CRT.METHODS Systematic review and Meta-analysis were conducted in accordance with the standard guidelines as mentioned in detail in the methodology section.RESULTS In our analysis,the success rate of LBBP-CRT was determined to be 91.1%.LBBP CRT significantly shortened QRS duration,with significant improvement in echocardiographic parameters,including left ventricular ejection fraction,left ventricular end-diastolic diameter and left ventricular end-systolic diameter in comparison with BiVP-CRT.CONCLUSION A significant reduction in New York Heart Association class and B-type natriuretic peptide levels was also observed in the LBBP-CRT group vs BiVP-CRT group.Lastly,the LBBP-CRT cohort had a reduced pacing threshold at follow-up as compared to BiVP-CRT.
基金This work was supported by the National Key Research and Develop-ment Program of China(2019YFD1000100)the Henan Province Outstanding Foreign Scholar Program(GZS2020007)+3 种基金the Mod-ern Agricultural Industry Technology Systems Project of Henan Province(HARS-22-09-G1)the Special Fund of Henan Province for Agro-scientific Research in the Public Interest(No.201300110500)the Youth Fund of Henan Province(No.30602313)the Inno-vation Fund of Henan Agricultural University(No.30500873).
文摘Branch number is an important agronomic trait in peach(Prunus persica)trees because plant architecture affects fruit yield and quality.Although breeders can select varieties with different tree architecture,the biological mechanisms underlying architecture remain largely unclear.In this study,a pillar peach(‘Zhaoshouhong’)and a standard peach(‘Okubo’)were compared.‘Zhaoshouhong’was found to have significantly fewer secondary branches than‘Okubo’.Treatment with the synthetic strigolactone(SL)GR24 decreased branch number.Transcriptome analysis indicated that PpTCP18(a homologous gene of Arabidopsis thaliana BRC1)expression was negatively correlated with strigolactone synthesis gene expression,indicating that PpTCP18 may play an important role in peach branching.Yeast one-hybrid,electrophoretic mobility shift,dual-luciferase assays and PpTCP18-knockdown in peach leaf buds indicated that PpTCP18 could increase expression of PpLBO1,PpMAX1,and PpMAX4.Furthermore,transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing PpTCP18 clearly exhibited reduced primary rosette-leaf branches.Moreover,lncRNA sequencing and transient expression analysis revealed that lncRNA5 targeted PpTCP18,significantly increasing PpTCP18 expression.These results provide insights into the mRNA and lncRNA network in the peach SL signaling pathway and indicate that PpTCP18,a transcription factor downstream of SL signaling,is involved in positive feedback regulation of SL biosynthesis.This role of PpTCP18 may represent a novel mechanism in peach branching regulation.Our study improves current understanding of the mechanisms underlying peach branching and provides theoretical support for genetic improvement of peach tree architecture.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.51806112,51975305)PhD Research Startup Foundation of Qingdao University of Technology,China(Grant Nos.JC2022-012,20312008).
文摘Nanofluid minimum quantity lubrication(NMQL)is a green processing technology.Cottonseed oil is suitable as base oil because of excellent lubrication performance,low freezing temperature,and high yield.Al_(2)O_(3)nanoparticles improve not only the heat transfer capacity but also the lubrication performance.The physical and chemical proper-ties of nanofluid change when Al_(2)O_(3)nanoparticles are added.However,the effects of the concentration of nanofluid on lubrication performance remain unknown.Furthermore,the mechanisms of interaction between Al_(2)O_(3)nanoparti-cles and cottonseed oil are unclear.In this research,nanofluid is prepared by adding different mass concentrations of Al_(2)O_(3)nanoparticles(0,0.2%,0.5%,1%,1.5%,and 2%wt)to cottonseed oil during minimum quantity lubrication(MQL)milling 45 steel.The tribological properties of nanofluid with different concentrations at the tool/workpiece interface are studied through macro-evaluation parameters(milling force,specific energy)and micro-evaluation parameters(surface roughness,micro morphology,contact angle).The result show that the specific energy is at the minimum(114 J/mm^(3)),and the roughness value is the lowest(1.63μm)when the concentration is 0.5 wt%.The surfaces of the chip and workpiece are the smoothest,and the contact angle is the lowest,indicating that the tribological proper-ties are the best under 0.5 wt%.This research investigates the intercoupling mechanisms of Al_(2)O_(3)nanoparticles and cottonseed base oil,and acquires the optimal Al_(2)O_(3)nanofluid concentration to receive satisfactory tribological properties.
文摘Plant branching development plays an important role in plant morphogenesis(aboveground plant type),the number and angle of branches are important agronomic characters that determine crop plant type.Effective branches determine the number of panicles or pods of crops and then control the yield of crops.With the rapid development of plant genomics and molecular genetics,great progress has been made in the study of branching development.In recent years,a series of important branching-related genes have been validated from Arabidopsis thaliana,rice,pea,tomato and maize mutants.It is reviewed that plant branching development is controlled by genetic elements and plant hormones,such as auxin,cytokinin and lactones(or lactone derivatives),as well as by environment and genetic elements.Meanwhile,shoot architecture in crop breeding was discussed in order to provide theoretical basis for the study of crop branching regulation.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21376282, 21676035, 21878029)Chongqing Science and Technology Commission (2022NSCQ-MSX1298)+1 种基金China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (22012T50762 & 2011M501388)Graduate Student Research Innovation Project, Chongqing University (CYB18046)。
文摘In this study, an approach was proposed to employ new target branched compounds(TBCs) including multiple antibiotic norfloxacin frameworks for intensified adsorption films to achieve super protection of mild steel in HCl medium. Thus, the TBCs containing bis/tri norfloxacin skeletons were synthesized by multi-step preparation route. In addition, the reference linear compound(RLC) including a single norfloxacin part was also synthesized. The chemical structures of these compounds were confirmed by various means. It was demonstrated that the TBCs could form the tough adsorption films on the surface of mild steel, which could be processed mainly through chemisorption effect. The electrochemical analysis suggested that the TBCs displayed superior corrosion inhibition performance for low carbon steel in1.0 mol·L^(-1) HCl solution over the RLC(RLC, 87.80%;TBC1, 97.63%;TBC2, 98.35%), which was further understood by the molecular modelling. The isotherm adsorption plots were employed to analyze the spontaneous adsorption process of the TBCs on low carbon steel surface, and a prominent chemisorption could be inferred by the standard Gibbs free energy changes of the adsorption.
文摘The relatively uncommon masquerading bundle branch block(MBBB),a concept initially introduced in 1958 by UNGER,et al.[1]and colleagues,refers to a conduction abnormality that consists of the right bundle branch block(RBBB)pattern in the precordial leads,whereas in the limb leads it resembles a left bundle branch block(LBBB).
基金Supported by Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.ZR2022ME208,ZR2020QE181)National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.51705272,52005281)+1 种基金China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(Grant No.2018M642628)111 project(Grant No.D21017).
文摘Graphene has superhigh thermal conductivity up to 5000 W/(m·K),extremely thin thickness,superhigh mechanical strength and nano-lamellar structure with low interlayer shear strength,making it possess great potential in mini-mum quantity lubrication(MQL)grinding.Meanwhile,ionic liquids(ILs)have higher thermal conductivity and better thermal stability than vegetable oils,which are frequently used as MQL grinding fluids.And ILs have extremely low vapor pressure,thereby avoiding film boiling in grinding.These excellent properties make ILs also have immense potential in MQL grinding.However,the grinding performance of graphene and ionic liquid mixed fluid under nano-fluid minimum quantity lubrication(NMQL),and its tribological mechanism on abrasive grain/workpiece grinding interface,are still unclear.This research firstly evaluates the grinding performance of graphene and ionic liquid mixed nanofluids(graphene/IL nanofluids)under NMQL experimentally.The evaluation shows that graphene/IL nanofluids can further strengthen both the cooling and lubricating performances compared with MQL grinding using ILs only.The specific grinding energy and grinding force ratio can be reduced by over 40%at grinding depth of 10μm.Work-piece machined surface roughness can be decreased by over 10%,and grinding temperature can be lowered over 50℃at grinding depth of 30μm.Aiming at the unclear tribological mechanism of graphene/IL nanofluids,molecular dynamics simulations for abrasive grain/workpiece grinding interface are performed to explore the formation mechanism of physical adsorption film.The simulations show that the grinding interface is in a boundary lubrication state.IL molecules absorb in groove-like fractures on grain wear flat face to form boundary lubrication film,and graphene nanosheets can enter into the grinding interface to further decrease the contact area between abrasive grain and workpiece.Compared with MQL grinding,the average tangential grinding force of graphene/IL nanofluids can decrease up to 10.8%.The interlayer shear effect and low interlayer shear strength of graphene nanosheets are the principal causes of enhanced lubricating performance on the grinding interface.EDS and XPS analyses are further carried out to explore the formation mechanism of chemical reaction film.The analyses show that IL base fluid happens chemical reactions with workpiece material,producing FeF_(2),CrF_(3),and BN.The fresh machined surface of workpiece is oxidized by air,producing NiO,Cr_(2)O_(3) and Fe_(2)O_(3).The chemical reaction film is constituted by fluorides,nitrides and oxides together.The combined action of physical adsorption film and chemical reaction film make graphene/IL nano-fluids obtain excellent grinding performance.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos.62177024,62007014)the Humanities and Social Sciences Youth Fund of the Ministry of Education (No.20YJC880024)+1 种基金China Post Doctoral Science Foundation (No.2019M652678)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No.CCNU20ZT019).
文摘A qualia role-based entity-dependency graph(EDG)is proposed to represent and extract quantity relations for solving algebra story problems stated in Chinese.Traditional neural solvers use end-to-end models to translate problem texts into math expressions,which lack quantity relation acquisition in sophisticated scenarios.To address the problem,the proposed method leverages EDG to represent quantity relations hidden in qualia roles of math objects.Algorithms were designed for EDG generation and quantity relation extraction for solving algebra story problems.Experimental result shows that the proposedmethod achieved an average accuracy of 82.2%on quantity relation extraction compared to 74.5%of baseline method.Another prompt learning result shows a 5%increase obtained in problem solving by injecting the extracted quantity relations into the baseline neural solvers.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos.11772046 and 81870345)。
文摘Diffusion in narrow curved channels with dead-ends as in extracellular space in the biological tissues,e.g.,brain,tumors,muscles,etc.is a geometrically induced complex diffusion and is relevant to different kinds of biological,physical,and chemical systems.In this paper,we study the effects of geometry and confinement on the diffusion process in an elliptical comb-like structure and analyze its statistical properties.The ellipse domain whose boundary has the polar equationρ(θ)=b/√1−e^(2)cos^(2)θ with 0<e<1,θ∈[0,2π],and b as a constant,can be obtained through stretched radius r such that Υ=rρ(θ)with r∈[0,1].We suppose that,for fixed radius r=R,an elliptical motion takes place and is interspersed with a radial motion inward and outward of the ellipse.The probability distribution function(PDF)in the structure and the marginal PDF and mean square displacement(MSD)along the backbone are obtained numerically.The results show that a transient sub-diffusion behavior dominates the process for a time followed by a saturating state.The sub-diffusion regime and saturation threshold are affected by the length of the elliptical channel lateral branch and its curvature.
文摘Branch identification technology is a key technology to achieve automated pruning of fruit tree branches, and one of its technical bottlenecks lies in the stitching of branch images. To this end, we propose a set of branch image stitching technology algorithms. The algorithm is based on the grey-scale prime centroid method to determine the detection feature points, and uses the coordinate transformation matrix H of the corresponding points of the image to carry out the image geometric transformation, and realises the feature matching through sample comparison and classification methods. The experimental results show that the matched point images are more correct and less time-consuming.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.11675247,22176194).
文摘Direct collection of uranium from low uranium systems via adsorption remains challenging.Fibrous sorbent materials with amidoxime(AO)groups are promising adsorbents for uranium extraction from seawater.However,low AO adsorption group utilization remains an issue.We herein fabricated a branched structure containing AO groups on polypropylene/polyethylene spun-laced nonwoven(PP/PE SNW)fibers using grafting polymerization induced by radiation(RIGP)to improve AO utilization.The chemical structures,thermal properties,and surface morphologies of the raw and treated PP/PE SNW fibers were studied.The results show that an adsorptive functional layer with a branching structure was successfully anchored to the fiber surface.The adsorption properties were investigated using batch adsorption experiments in simulated seawater with an initial uranium concentration of 500μg·L^(−1)(pH 4,25℃).The maximum adsorption capacity of the adsorbent material was 137.3 mg·g^(−1)within 24 h;moreover,the uranyl removal reached 96%within 240 min.The adsorbent had an AO utilization rate of 1/3.5 and was stable over a pH range of 4–10,with good selectivity and reusability,demonstrating its potential for seawater uranium extraction.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province,China(2021JJ40175)the Science Research Project of Hunan Provincial Department of Education(20C0630).
文摘The recycling of carbon fibers and protection from unwanted microwave radiation are two important environmental issues that need to be addressed in modern society.Herein,branched carbon nanofibers(CNFs)were grown in-situ on recycled carbon fibers(RCFs)through the chemical vapor deposition method using nickel as catalysts and thiophene as aided-catalysts.The effect of thiophene on the growth morphology of CNFs was investigated.Correspondingly,branched CNFs-RCFs and straight CNFs-RCFs were respectively obtained in the presence and absence of thiophene.The microstructure and electromagnetic behaviour investigations have shown that the branched CNFs possess a typical multi-branched structure,with more defects,pores and a larger specific surface area than the straight CNFs,which lead to better impedance matching and adequate dielectric loss ability for the branched CNFs-RCFs.The reflection loss(RL)results show that the branched CNFs-RCFs exhibit an optimum RL of -23.6 dB at 1.5 mm and a best effective absorption bandwidth(EAB)of 7.5 GHz at 2.0 mm.This research provides an innovative microwave absorbing material with adequate absorbing strength and outstanding EAB,while also promoting the sustainable reuse of the RCFs resources.
基金University of Wyoming Startup funds,United States Department of Defense,No. W81XWH-17-1-0402 (to JSB)the University of Wyoming Sensory Biology COBRE under National Institutes of Health (NIH),No. 5P20GM121310-02 (to JSB)+2 种基金the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the NIH,No. P20GM103432 (to JSB)DOD AFIRM III,No. W81XWH-20-2-0029 (to GDB)a Lone Star Paralysis Foundation gi?t (to GDB)。
文摘The peripheral nervous system has an extensive branching organization, and peripheral nerve injuries that ablate branch points present a complex challenge for clinical repair. Ablations of linear segments of the PNS have been extensively studied and routinely treated with autografts, acellular nerve allografts, conduits, wraps, and nerve transfers. In contrast, segmental-loss peripheral nerve injuries, in which one or more branch points are ablated so that there are three or more nerve endings, present additional complications that have not been rigorously studied or documented. This review discusses:(1) the branched anatomy of the peripheral nervous system,(2) case reports describing how peripheral nerve injuries with branched ablations have been surgically managed,(3) factors known to influence regeneration through branched nerve structures,(4) techniques and models of branched peripheral nerve injuries in animal models, and(5) conclusions regarding outcome measures and studies needed to improve understanding of regeneration through ablated branched structures of the peripheral nervous system.
基金Supported by Natural Science Foundation of Sichuan Province,No.2023NSFSC0729Wu Jieping Foundation Special Fund for Clinical Research,No.320.6750.2022-19-100+1 种基金Foundation of Key Clinical Specialty of Sichuan Province,No.2022School Foundation of Chengdu Medical College,No.CYZYB21-05.
文摘BACKGROUND The diagnostic value of combined methylated branched chain amino acid transaminase 1(BCAT1)/IKAROS family zinc finger 1(IKZF1)in plasma for colorectal cancer(CRC)has been explored since 2015.Recently,several related studies have published their results and showed its diagnostic efficacy.AIM To analyze the diagnostic value of methylated BCAT1/IKZF1 in plasma for screening and postoperative follow-up of CRC.METHODS The candidate studies were identified by searching the PubMed,Embase,Cochrane Library,CNKI,and Wanfang databases from May 31,2003 to June 1,2023.Sensitivity,specificity,and diagnostic accuracy were calculated by merging ratios or means.RESULTS Twelve eligible studies were included in the analysis,involving 6561 participants.The sensitivity of methylated BCAT1/IKZF1 in plasma for CRC diagnosis was 60%[95%confidence interval(CI)53-67]and specificity was 92%(95%CI:90-94).The positive and negative likelihood ratios were 8.0(95%CI:5.8-11.0)and 0.43(95%CI:0.36-0.52),respectively.Diagnostic odds ratio was 19(95%CI:11-30)and area under the curve was 0.88(95%CI:0.85-0.91).The sensitivity and specificity for CRC screening were 64%(95%CI:59-69)and 92%(95%CI:91-93),respectively.The sensitivity and specificity for recurrence detection during follow-up were 54%CONCLUSION The detection of methylated BCAT1/IKZF1 in plasma,as a non-invasive detection method of circulating tumor DNA,has potential CRC diagnosis,but the clinical application prospect needs to be further explored.
文摘AIM:To evaluate the predicative factors of visual prognosis using optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA)in ischemic branch retinal vein occlusion(BRVO)patients with macular edema(ME)after anti-vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)treatment.METHODS:In this retrospective analysis,data from 60 patients(60 eyes)with a definite diagnosis of ischemic BRVO with ME by fundus fluorescein angiography(FFA)were studied.The eyes with ME according to spectral domain optical coherence tomography(SD-OCT)underwent intravitreal conbercept(IVC)and 3+pro re nata(PRN)regimen.The injection times were recorded.Two weeks after injection,fundus laser photocoagulation was performed in the non-perfusion area of the retina.The patients were followed up once a month for 6mo.The bestcorrected visual acuity(BCVA),foveal avascular zone(FAZ),and A-circularity index(AI),at 6mo and the baseline were compared.RESULTS:All patients showed significant improvement in BCVA from 0.82±0.32 to 0.39±0.11 logMAR(P<0.001).The mean central macular thickness(CMT)significantly decreased from 476.22±163.54 to 298.66±109.23μm.Both the FAZ area and AI at 6mo were significantly higher than those at the baseline:the FAZ area increased(0.38±0.02 vs 0.39±0.02 mm^(2),P<0.05);the AI increased(1.27±0.02 vs 1.31±0.01,P=0.000).The baseline BCVA showed a significantly positive correlation with the baseline FAZ area,FAZ perimeter(PERIM)and AI,final visual gain(FVG)and injection times,respectively(P<0.001).FVG showed a significantly negative correlation with the FAZ area,PERIM,AI and injection times,but a significantly positive correlation with vessel densities(VDs)300μm area around FAZ(FD-300;P<0.001).Injection times was positively correlated with the baseline FAZ area,and AI,but inversely correlated with the baseline FD-300(P<0.001).However macular ischemia was noted in 5 cases during follow-up.CONCLUSION:Using OCTA to observe macular ischemia and quantify parameters can better predict the final visual prognosis of patients before treatment.The changes in FAZ parameters may influence the visual prognosis and injection times.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (52074332,52204024)Outstanding Youth Foundation of Shandong Province (ZR2020YQ36)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (M710225)。
文摘To further clarify the proppant transport and placement law in multi-branched fractures induced by volume fracturing, proppant transport simulation experiments were performed with different fracture shapes, sand ratios, branched fracture opening time and injection sequence of proppants in varied particle sizes. The results show that the settled proppant height increases and the placement length decreases in main fractures as the fracturing fluid diverts gradually to the branched fractures at different positions. The flow rate in branched fractures is the main factor affecting their filling. The diverion to branched fractures leads to low flow rate and poor filling of far-wellbore branched fractures. The inclined fracture wall exerts a frictional force on the proppant to slow its settlement, thus enhancing the vertical proppant distribution in the fracture. The increase of sand ratio can improve the filling of near-wellbore main fracture and far-wellbore branched fracture and also increase the settled proppant height in main fracture. Due to the limitation of fracture height, when the sand ratio increases to a certain level, the increment of fracture filling decreases. When branched fracture is always open(or extends continuously), the supporting effect on the branched fractures is the best, but the proppant placement length within the main fractures is shorter. The fractures support effect is better when it is first closed and then opened(or extends in late stage) than when it is first opened and then closed(or extends in early stage). Injecting proppants with different particle sizes in a specific sequence can improve the placement lengths of main fracture and branched fracture. Injection of proppants in an ascending order of particle size improves the near-wellbore fracture filling, to a better extent than that in a descending order of particle size.
