[en] Objective: To assess the diagnostic value of MRI on multiple focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) of the liver. Methods: MR images of 9 cases with pathological-confirmed multiple FNH were retrospectively analyzed. MRI features of the lesions were correlated with pathological findings. Results: Multiple FNH was considered in all these 9 cases. Among them, the primary diagnosis was FNH in 5, hepatic adenoma in 3 and fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma in 1 case. A total of 31 lesions were detected in the 9 cases. On T₂WI, 19 lesions presented slightly high-signal intensity, and the other 12 presented iso-signal intensity. On T₁WI, 12 lesions presented slightly low-signal intensity, 7 presented iso-signal intensity, and the other 12 presented high-signal intensity. On opposed-phase, the signal intensity of 1 lesion dropped unevenly. After bolus injection of contrast agent Gd-DTPA, in hepatic arterial phase 18 lesions showed mild to marked heterogeneous enhancement, 11 showed marked homogeneous enhancement, 1 showed moderate ring-like enhancement, and the last one did not have obvious enhancement. In portal venous and delayed phase, all the lesions turned to iso- or slightly high-signal intensity gradually. Sixteen of 31 lesions presented central scar, which demonstrated mild star-like enhancement in delayed phase. Conclusion: Multiple FNH presented certain MRI features, which contributed to the preoperative diagnosis. (authors)

[en] In this paper, we obtain the quantitative bound of the exponential convergence rates of Markov chains under a weaken minorization condition, using the coupling method and the analytic approach. And also, we obtain the convergence rates for continuous time Markov processes.

[en] To realize intelligent obstacle avoidance and local path decisions for maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS) in uncertain environments, a navigation behavioural decision-making model based on deep reinforcement learning (DRL) algorithm improved by artificial potential field (APF) is proposed. Based on the analysis of navigation decision system and perception principle, the action space, reward function, motion search strategy and action value function are designed respectively for the purpose of steering to collision avoidance. The navigation behavioural decision-making model for MASS is improved by adding the prior information, the gravitational potential field and the obstacle repulsion potential field to update the initial action state value function and search path. Python and Pygame modules are used to build a simulation chart. Effectiveness of the algorithm is verified, with Tianjin Xingang port as a study case. The simulation results show that the APF-DRL algorithm is better than the DRL algorithm in training iteration time and piloting decision path, which improves the self-learning ability of MASS, and can meet the requirements of MASS path decision and adaptive obstacle avoidance. (paper)

[en] The mechanisms occurring when the switched temperature technique is applied, as an accelerated enhanced low dose rate sensitivity (ELDRS) test technique, are investigated in terms of a specially designed gate-controlled lateral PNP transistor (GLPNP) that used to extract the interface traps (Nit) and oxide trapped charges (Not). Electrical characteristics in GLPNP transistors induced by ⁶⁰Co gamma irradiation are measured in situ as a function of total dose, showing that generation of Nit in the oxide is the primary cause of base current variations for the GLPNP. Based on the analysis of the variations of Nit and Not, with switching the temperature, the properties of accelerated protons release and suppressed protons loss play critical roles in determining the increased Nit formation leading to the base current degradation with dose accumulation. Simultaneously the hydrogen cracking mechanisms responsible for additional protons release are related to the neutralization of Not extending enhanced Nit buildup. In this study the switched temperature irradiation has been employed to conservatively estimate the ELDRS of GLPNP, which provides us with a new insight into the test technique for ELDRS. (paper)

[en] In this Letter, we report a significant recovery of the linear baryonic acoustic oscillation (BAO) signature by applying the isobaric reconstruction algorithm to the nonlinear matter density field. Assuming only the longitudinal component of the displacement being cosmologically relevant, this algorithm iteratively solves the coordinate transform between the Lagrangian and Eulerian frames without requiring any specific knowledge of the dynamics. For dark matter field, it produces the nonlinear displacement potential with very high fidelity. The reconstruction error at the pixel level is within a few percent and is caused only by the emergence of the transverse component after the shell-crossing. As it circumvents the strongest nonlinearity of the density evolution, the reconstructed field is well described by linear theory and immune from the bulk-flow smearing of the BAO signature. Therefore, this algorithm could significantly improve the measurement accuracy of the sound horizon scale s. For a perfect large-scale structure survey at redshift zero without Poisson or instrumental noise, the fractional error $\mathrm{\Delta <!--\; ??\; -->}s/s$ is reduced by a factor of ∼2.7, very close to the ideal limit with the linear power spectrum and Gaussian covariance matrix.

[en] The effect of Y concentration on the slip and twinning mechanisms in binary Mg–Y alloys are investigated using transmission electron microscopy, electron backscattered diffraction, and visco-plastic self-consistent polycrystal constitutive modeling. Four concentrations of Y are studied in hot-rolled and recrystallized sheet material. The materials were deformed in tension and compression in the rolling direction and compression in the normal direction in order to invoke distinct proportions of slip and twin mechanisms with each test. Within the single crystal hardening model used in polycrystal modeling, a slip-twin interaction law is introduced to account for dislocation density reductions due to dislocation absorption during twin boundary migration. We show that increasing Y concentration reduces the intensities of both the initial and deformation textures. During deformation, the plastic anisotropy in yield stress, the tension-compression asymmetry, and amount of $\left\{10\bar{1}2\right\}⟨\bar{1}011⟩$ twinning is shown to decrease with increasing Y. For each alloy, the model identifies a single set of material parameters that successfully reproduced all measured stress-strain curves and achieved agreement with measured deformation textures and twin area fractions. Transcending texture effects, the model interpretation of the flow responses suggests that increased concentrations of Y increase the critical resolved shear stress for basal slip but have negligible effects on the other slip modes. The reduced plastic anisotropy with increases in Y is explained by a concomitant decrease in the prismatic-to-pyramidal slip critical resolved shear stress ratio. The model suggests that their nearly equivalent critical resolved shear stress values lead to the enhanced non-basal activity of Mg–Y alloys, which was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. The calculations suggest that beyond any texture differences, this reduction in twinning can be attributed to a slightly increased resistance for $\left\{10\bar{1}2\right\}⟨\bar{1}011⟩$ twin propagation, particularly in the binary with the highest Y content.

[en] Previous studies have shown that subcellular Ca²⁺ redistribution is involved in Cd-induced autophagy inhibition in primary rat proximal tubular (rPT) cells, but the mechanism remains unclear. In this study, the status of autophagic flux was monitored by the GFP and RFP tandemly tagged LC3 method. Pharmacological inhibition of cytosolic Ca²⁺ concentration ([Ca²⁺]_c) with 2-APB or BAPTA-AM significantly alleviated Cd-elevated yellow puncta formation and restored Cd-inhibited red puncta formation, while thapsigargin (TG) had the opposite regulatory effect, demonstrating that Cd-induced [Ca²⁺]_c elevation inhibited the autophagic flux in rPT cells. Resultantly, Cd-induced autophagosomes accumulation was obviously modulated by 2-APB, BAPTA-AM and TG, respectively. Meanwhile, blockage of autophagosome-lysosome fusion and decreased recruitment of Rab7 to autophagosomes by Cd exposure was noticeably restored by 2-APB or BAPTA-AM, but co-treatment with Cd and TG further impaired Cd-induced autophagy arrest. Moreover, Cd-induced oxidative stress intimately correlated with cytosolic Ca²⁺ mobilization, and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) markedly rescued Cd-blocked autophagosome-lysosome fusion and recruitment of Rab7 to autophagosomes in rPT cells, implying that Cd-induced autophagy inhibition was due to [Ca²⁺]_c elevation-triggered oxidative stress. In summary, these results suggest that Cd-mediated autophagy inhibition in rPT cells is dependent on cytosolic Ca²⁺ overload. Elevation of [Ca²⁺]_c inhibited the autophagosome-lysosome fusion to block the degradation of autophagosomes, which aggravated Cd-induced cytotoxicity in rPT cells.

[en] Highlights: • Spartina alterniflora invasion significantly decreased soil fungal richness. • The fungal community became more homogenized with the invasion. • Soil pH and salinity were the shaping factors in the fungal community structure. • The fungal co-occurrence network was simplified with the invasion. • Saprotrophic fungi were increased but pathotroph were suppressed with invasion. Soil fungal communities drive diverse ecological processes and are critical in maintaining ecosystems' stability, but the effects of plant invasion on soil fungal diversity, community composition, and functional groups are not well understood. Here, we investigated soil fungal communities in a salt marsh ecosystem with both native (Suaeda salsa) and exotic (Spartina alterniflora) species in the Yellow River Delta. We characterized fungal diversity based on the PCR-amplified Internal Transcribed Spacer 2 (ITS2) DNA sequences from soil extracted total DNA. The plant invasion evidently decreased fungal richness and phylogenetic diversity and significantly altered the taxonomic community composition (indicated by the permutation test, P < 0.001). Co-occurrence networks between fungal species showed fewer network links but were more assembled because of the high modularity after the invasion. As indicated by the fungal Bray-Curtis and weighted UniFrac distances, the fungal community became homogenized with the invasion. FUNGuild database analyses revealed that the invaded sites had a higher proportion of saprophytic fungi, suggesting higher organic matter decomposition potential with the invasion. The plant invasion dramatically inhibited the growth of pathogenic fungi, which may facilitate the expansion of invasive plants in the intertidal habitats. Soil pH and salinity were identified as the most important edaphic factors in shaping the fungal community structures in the context of Spartina alterniflora invasion. Overall, this study elucidates the linkage between plant invasion and soil fungal communities and poses potential consequences for fungal contribution to ecosystem function, including the decomposition of soil organic substrates.

[en] A diode-end-pumped actively Q-switch intracavity Raman laser with a Tm:YLF laser gain medium and a ZnWO₄ Raman gain crystal is demonstrated for the first time. Under the pump power of 30 W at 793 nm, the average output power of 184 mW at first Stokes wavelength of 2254 nm was obtained at a pulse repetition of 2.5 kHz. The corresponding pulse width and output peak power are 5.8 ns and 12.79 kW, respectively. Near-diffraction limited beam quality was observed (M ²  ⩽  1.46). (paper)

[en] Highlights: ► Flame retarded epoxy resins with borates were prepared using POSS as a curing agent. ► Borates and POSS exhibited a synergistic effect on flame retardancy of epoxy resins. ► Incorporation of borates and POSS significantly reduced the heat release rate. - Abstract: A series of flame-retardant epoxy resins containing boron and silicon were obtained through a crosslinking reaction, using tris (2-hydroxypropyl) borate (THPB) together with octaaminophenyl POSS (OapPOSS) as the curing agents. The limiting oxygen index (LOI) reached 30.5% when the contents of boron and silicon in the cured system were 1.5% and 0.5%, respectively, indicating that THPB and OapPOSS exhibited good flame retardant effect on epoxy resins (EP). Microscale combustion calorimetry (MCC) results indicated that the peak heat release rate (PHRR) and total heat release (THR) of the cured systems were reduced by 69% and 46%, respectively, compared to those of pure EP. Moreover, the thermal degradation process and flame retardant mechanism of the composites were investigated by TGA, real time FTIR and TG-FTIR. The chemical components of the char residues were explored by XPS.