The combined effects of lanthanum-modified bentonite and Vallisneria spiralis on phosphorus, dissolved organic matter, and heavy metal(loid)s.

The use of lanthanum-modified bentonite (LMB) combined with Vallisneria spiralis (V∙s) (LMB + V∙s) is a common method for controlling internal phosphorus (P) release from sediments. However, the behaviors of iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) under LMB + V∙s treatments, as well as the associated coupling effect on P, dissolved organic matter (DOM), and heavy metal(loid)s (HMs), require further investigations. Therefore, we used in this study a microelectrode system and high-resolution dialysis technology (HR-Peeper) to study the combined effects of LMB and V∙s on P, DOM, and HMs through a 66-day incubation experiment. The LMB + V∙s treatment increased the sediment DO concentration, promoting in-situ formations of Fe (III)/Mn (IV) oxyhydroxides, which, in turn, adsorbed P, soluble tungsten (W), DOM, and HMs. The increase in the concentrations of HCl-P, amorphous and poorly crystalline (oxyhydr) oxides-bound W, and oxidizable HMs forms demonstrated the capacity of the LMB + V∙s treatment to transform mobile P, W, and other HMs forms into more stable forms. The significant positive correlations between SRP, soluble W, UV254, and soluble Fe (II)/Mn, and the increased concentrations of the oxidizable HMs forms suggested the crucial role of the Fe/Mn redox in controlling the release of SRP, DOM, and HMs from sediments. The LMB + V∙s treatment resulted in SRP, W, and DOM removal rates of 74.49, 78.58, and 54.78 %, which were higher than those observed in the control group (without LMB and V∙s applications). On the other hand, the single and combined uses of LMB and V·s influenced the relative abundances of the sediment microbial communities without exhibiting effects on microbial diversity. This study demonstrated the key role of combined LMB and V∙s applications in controlling the release of P, W, DOM, and HMs in eutrophic lakes.

Sample Entropy Improves Assessment of Postural Control in Early-Stage Multiple Sclerosis.

Postural impairment in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) is an early indicator of disease progression. Common measures of disease assessment are not sensitive to early-stage MS. Sample entropy (SE) may better identify early impairments. We compared the sensitivity and specificity of SE with linear measurements, differentiating pwMS (EDSS 0-4) from healthy controls (HC). 58 pwMS (EDSS ≤ 4) and 23 HC performed quiet standing tasks, combining a hard or foam surface with eyes open or eyes closed as a condition. Sway was recorded at the sternum and lumbar spine. Linear measures, mediolateral acceleration range with eyes open, mediolateral jerk with eyes closed, and SE in the anteroposterior and mediolateral directions were calculated. A multivariate ANOVA and AUC-ROC were used to determine between-groups differences and discriminative ability, respectively. Mild MS (EDSS ≤ 2.0) discriminability was secondarily assessed. Significantly lower SE was observed under most conditions in pwMS compared to HC, except for lumbar and sternum SE when on a hard surface with eyes closed and in the anteroposterior direction, which also offered the strongest discriminability (AUC = 0.747), even for mild MS. Overall, between-groups differences were task-dependent, and SE (anteroposterior, hard surface, eyes closed) was the best pwMS classifier. SE may prove a useful tool to detect subtle MS progression and intervention effectiveness.

High arsenic pollution of the eutrophic Lake Taihu and its relationship with iron, manganese, and dissolved organic matter: High-resolution synchronous analysis.

Arsenic (As) is a metalloid that can accumulate in eutrophic lakes and cause adverse health effects to people worldwide. However, the seasonal process and dynamic mechanism for As mobilization in eutrophic lake remains effectively unknown. Here we innovatively used the planar optodes (PO), high-resolution dialysis (HR-Peeper) combined with fluorescence excitation-emission matrix coupled with parallel factor (EEM-PARAFAC) analysis technologies. We synchronously investigate monthly O2, As, iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and naturally occurring dissolved organic matter (DOM) changes in sediments of Lake Taihu at high resolution in field conditions. We find high As contamination from sediments with 61.88-327.07 µg m-2 d-1 release As fluxes during the algal bloom seasons from May to October 2021. Our results show that an increase in DOM, mainly for humic-like components, resulting in high electron transfer capacity (ETC), promoted the reductive dissolution of Fe and Mn oxides to release As. Partial least square-path modeling (PLS-PM) and random forest modeling analysis identified that Mn oxide reductive dissolution directly accelerated sediments As contamination, which is the crucial factor. Understanding crucial factor controlling As release is especially essential in areas of eutrophic lakes developing effective strategies to manage As-rich eutrophic lake sediments worldwide.

Flexible Film Bulk Acoustic Wave Filter Based on Poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluorethylene).

Poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluorethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)) has promising potential applications in radio-frequency filters due to their excellent piezoelectric properties, flexibility, and stability. In this paper, a flexible film bulk acoustic wave filter is investigated based on P(VDF-TrFE) as piezoelectric film. A new method based on three-step annealing is developed to efficiently remove the porosity inside the P(VDF-TrFE) films so as to improve its properties. The obtained film achieved high ß-phase content beyond 80% and a high piezoelectric coefficient of 27.75 pm/V. Based on the low porosity ß-phase films, a flexible wide-band RF filter is designed, which consists of a bulk acoustic wave resonator and lumped inductor-capacitor elements as a hybrid configuration. The resonator sets the filter's center frequency, while the lumped LC-based matching network extends the bandwidth and enhances out-of-band rejection. The testing results of the proposed wide-band filter show its good performance, with 12.5% fractional bandwidth and an insertion loss of 3.1 dB. To verify the possibility of folding and stacking the flexible bulk acoustic wave devices for high-density multi-filter integration in MIMO communication, bending tests of the filter are also conducted with the bending strain range up to 5500 µÎµ. The testing results show no noticeable performance degradation after four bending cycles. This work demonstrates the potential of ß-phase P(VDF-TrFE) bulk acoustic wave filters to expand the scope of future flexible radio-frequency filter applications.

Contrasting effects of a traditional material of polyaluminum chloride and an emerging material of lanthanum carbonate capping on sediment internal phosphorus immobilization.

Polyaluminum chloride (PAC) is a traditional material used for immobilizing sediment internal phosphorus (P) in field-scale experiment. Lanthanum carbonate (LC) is an emerging material which have been used in immobilizing sediment internal P in laboratory. To promote LC in practice, the premise is that it does have advantages over traditional material when used. Herein, a 90-day incubation experiment was conducted comparing the effectiveness and mechanism of LC and PAC capping in controlling sediment internal P. The results of isotherm experiment and XPS analysis indicated that the adsorption mechanism of P onto LC and PAC involved ligand exchange and formation of inner-sphere La/Al-O-P complexes. The incubation experiment revealed that PAC capping was more effective in reducing pore water soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), exhibiting a reduction of up to 81.32 % but showed a decrease trend. However, LC capping resulted in a reduction of pore water SRP up to 52.84 % and maintained stability. On average, LC and PAC capping reduced SRP flux by 0.27 and 0.32 µg·m-2d-1, respectively relative to the control sediment. Moreover, LC capping facilitated the formation of Fe(III)/Mn(IV) oxyhydroxides, leading to an increased P adsorption, whereas PAC capping facilitated the reduction of Fe(III)/Mn(IV) minerals with P release. Additionally, LC capping resulted in the reduction of a higher ratio of mobile P/TP to stable P forms than PAC capping, as compared to the control. In contrast to PAC capping which converted mobile P to stable NaOH-rP, LC capping transformed mobile P and NaOH-rP into more stable HCl-P and ResP. Both LC and PAC capping caused variations in sediment bacterial communities. Nevertheless, PAC capping heightened the risk of Co, Ni, Cu, and Pb releases in sediment compared to LC capping. In summary, this study suggested that LC capping surpassed PAC capping in immobilizing sediment internal P.

Combining lanthanum-modified bentonite and calcium peroxide to enhance phosphorus removal from lake sediments.

Lanthanum-modified bentonite (LMB) and calcium peroxide (CP) are known for their effective removal phosphorus (P) capacities. The present study aims to investigate the effects of the combined use of LMB and CP（LMB + CP）on the sediment P, dissolved organic matter (DOM) and iron (Fe) concentrations through a 90-day incubation experiment. The combined treatment showed strong removal effects on sediment P and DOM. Indeed, the SRP and DOM concentrations in the 0-10 cm sediment layer decreased following the combined application of LMB and CP by 40.67 and 28.95%, respectively, compared to those of the control group (CK). In contrast, the HCl-P in the 0-5 cm sediment layer increased following the combined treatment by 13.28%. In addition, compared with the single application of LMB, the LMB + CP treatment significantly reduced the soluble Fe (Ⅱ) in the sediment pore water and promoted the oxidation of Fe. Therefore, LMB + CP can enhance the removal of internal P from sediments. The DOM removal and Fe oxidation in sediment pore waters are beneficial for enhancing the adsorption of P by LMB. On the other hand, the single and combined applications of LMB and CP increased the richness of the sediment microbial communities while exhibiting slight effects on their diversity. According to the results of this study, the combined use of LMB and oxidizing materials represents a novel method for treating lakes with high internal phosphorus and DOM loads in sediments.

Simultaneous immobilization of sediment internal phosphorus, arsenic and tungsten by lanthanum carbonate capping.

In this study, lanthanum carbonate (LC) was selected as a capping agent to examine its effectiveness in immobilizing sediment internal phosphorus (P), arsenic (As) and tungsten (W). With a 180-day incubation experiment, it was determined that LC capping efficiently reduced the concentrations of soluble reactive P (SRP), soluble As and soluble W in pore water, with the highest reduction rate of 83.39%, 56.21% and 68.52%, respectively. The primary mechanisms involved in the adsorption of P, As and W by LC were precipitation reactions and ligand exchange. Additionally, P, As and W were immobilized by LC capping through the transformation of fractions from mobile and less stable forms to more stable forms. Furthermore, LC capping led to an increase in the Eh value, which promoted the oxidation of soluble Fe (Ⅱ) and soluble Mn. The significantly positive correlation and synchronized variations observed between SRP, soluble As, soluble W, and soluble Fe (II) indicated that the effects of LC on Fe redox played a crucial role in immobilizing sediment internal P, As and W. However, the oxidation of Mn, promoted by LC, played a more significant role in immobilizing sediment internal As than P and W. These effects resulted in LC capping achieving the highest reduction of SRP, soluble As and soluble W flux at 145.22, 22.19, and 0.58 µg m-2d-1. It is of note that LC capping did not lead to an elevated release hazard of Co, Ni, Cu, and Pb, barring Cd. Besides, LC capping did not modify the entire microbial communities in the sediment, but altered the proportional representation of specific microorganisms. Generally, LC has potential as a capping agent capable of simultaneously immobilizing sediment internal P, As and W.

Left Atrial Decompression With the HeartMate3 in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction: Virtual Fitting and Hemodynamic Analysis.

Effective treatment of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) remains an unmet medical need. Although left atrial decompression using mechanical circulatory support devices was previously suggested, the heterogeneous HFpEF population and the lack of tailored devices have prevented the translation into clinical practice. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of left atrial decompression in HFpEF patients with a HeartMate 3 (HM3, Abbott Inc, Chicago, USA) in silico and in vitro . Anatomic compatibility of the HM3 pump was assessed by virtual device implantation into the left atrium through the left atrial appendage (LAA) and left atrial posterior wall (LAPW) of 10 HFpEF patients. Further, the efficacy of left atrial decompression was investigated experimentally in a hybrid mock loop, replicating the hemodynamics of an HFpEF phenotype at rest and exercise conditions. Virtual implantation without substantial intersection with surrounding tissues was accomplished through the LAA in 90% and 100% through the LAPW. Hemodynamic analysis in resting conditions demonstrated normalization of left atrial pressures without backflow at a pump speed of around 5400 rpm, whereas a range of 6400-7400 rpm was required during exercise. Therefore, left atrial decompression with the HM3 may be feasible in terms of anatomic compatibility and hemodynamic efficacy.

Degradation of algae promotes the release of arsenic from sediments under high-sulfate conditions.

Sulfate concentrations in eutrophic waters continue to increase; however, the transformations of arsenic (As) in sediments under these conditions are unclear. In this study, we constructed a series of microcosms to investigate the effect of algal degradation on As transformations in sediments with high sulfate concentrations. The results showed that both the elevated sulfate levels and algal degradation enhanced the release of As from sediments to the overlying water, and degradation of algal in the presence of elevated sulfate levels could further contribute to As release. Sulfate competed with arsenate for adsorption in the sediments, leading to As desorption, while algal degradation created a strongly anaerobic environment, leading to the loss of the redox layer in the surface sediments. With high sulfate, algal degradation enhanced sulfate reduction, and sulfur caused the formation of thioarsenates, which may cause re-dissolution of the arsenides, enhancing As mobility by changing the As speciation. The results of sedimentary As speciation analysis indicated that elevated sulfur levels and algal degradation led to a shift of As from Fe2O3/oxyhydroxide-bound state to specifically adsorbed state at the sediment water interface. This study indicated that algal degradation increases the risk of As pollution in sulfate-enriched eutrophic waters.

Analysis of the clinical efficacy of laparoscopic middle pancreatectomy in the treatment of benign or low-grade malignant tumors of the pancreas.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical efficacy of laparoscopic middle pancreatectomy in the treatment of benign and junctional tumors of the pancreas. Methods: Retrospective analysis of basic data, tumor diameter, statistical analysis, and evaluation of efficacy-related indicators such as operative time, intraoperative bleeding, pathological findings, postoperative hospital stay, postoperative pancreatic fistula incidence, and pancreatic endocrine function was carried out on 17 patients diagnosed with benign or low-grade malignant tumors of the pancreas and laparoscopic middle pancreatic resection from January 2018 to January 2023 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University. Results: A total of 17 patients were screened. There were eight males and nine females; mean age was 42.8 ± 17.4 years (range: 15-69 years); BMI was 22.6 ± 2.5 kg/m2 (range: 18.4-27.5 kg/m2), and the tumor size was 3.4 ± 1.2 cm (range: 1.5-5.5 cm). Preoperative glycan antigen CA19-9 was negative and CA125 was negative. Surgical time was 393.2 ± 57.9 min; intraoperative bleeding was 211.7 ± 113.9 ml; tumor diameter size was 3.4 ± 1.2 cm; postoperative admission time was 19.4 ± 7.6 days; postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) grading was 17 cases, including nine cases of A-grade fistula, three cases of B-grade fistula, and none of C-grade fistula; postoperative pathology results were five cases of plasmacytoma, three cases of mucinous cystadenoma, four cases of SPN (solid pseudopapillary neoplasm), one case of Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasm (IPMN), three cases of pancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasm (pNEN), one case of inflammatory myofibroblastic osteoblastoma. All cases did not develop pancreatic origin diabetes or exacerbation of previous diabetes, and no cases presented symptoms of exocrine insufficiency such as dyspepsia and diarrhea. Conclusion: Laparoscopic middle pancreatectomy is safe and feasible in the treatment of benign or low-grade malignant tumors in the body of the pancreatic neck and is not accompanied by increased risk of intraoperative and postoperative complications and endocrine dysfunction of the pancreas.

Lake shrinkage-induced terrestrial ecological environmental quality degradation in a semiarid lake basin.

Lake water environmental problems caused by lake shrinkage in semiarid zones have attracted widespread attention, but few studies have quantified the impact of lake shrinkage on the terrestrial ecological environmental quality of watersheds. In this study, remote sensing image inversion, digital elevation modeling, and statistical analysis were applied to explore the impact of Lake Daihai shrinkage on the terrestrial ecological environmental quality of its receding water areas from 1986 to 2019. The results showed that the area of Lake Daihai shrank from 170.7 km2 in 1961 to 50.67 km2 in 2019, a shrinkage of 70.32%. The average annual shrinkage was 2.07 km2 during the period of 1986-2019 (r = -0.99, p < 0.01). The main conclusions of this study are as follows: The mean remote sensing ecological index values decreased significantly from 0.628 in 1986 to 0.441 in 2019 (r = -0.78, p < 0.05), which means that the terrestrial ecological environmental quality of the water receding area degraded from a good grade to a moderate grade. The increase in water use by residents in the basin was an important reason for the shrinkage of Lake Dahai. Approximately 90% of the wetlands in the receding water areas formed after the shrinkage of Lake Daihai were converted to farmland by local residents, which significantly degraded the terrestrial ecological environmental quality of these areas from good to moderate grade over the 34-year period (r = -0.83, p < 0.05). Correlation analysis indicated that the remote sensing ecological index was positively correlated with lake area (r = 0.85, p < 0.01). The results indicate that steps should be taken to decrease the impact of human activities on the terrestrial ecological environmental quality of lake basins in semiarid zones.

Mutational spectrum for guiding the decision of adjuvant treatment in patients with resected biliary tract carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Systemic chemotherapy or chemoradiation therapy has proven to be effective in treating advanced biliary tract carcinoma (BTC). However, its efficacy in the adjuvant setting remains controversial. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prognostic significance of genomic biomarkers in resected BTC and their potential role in stratifying patients for adjuvant treatment. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 113 BTC patients who underwent curative-intent surgery and had available tumor sequencing data. Disease-free survival (DFS) was the primary outcome examined and univariate analysis was used to identify gene mutations with prognostic value. Favorable and unfavoratble gene subsets were distinguished from the selected genes through grouping, respectively. Multivariate Cox regression was used to identify independent prognostic factors of DFS. RESULTS: Our results indicated that mutations in ACVR1B, AR, CTNNB1, ERBB3, and LRP2 were favorable mutations, while mutations in ARID1A, CDKN2A, FGFR2, NF1, NF2, PBRM1, PIK3CA, and TGFBR1 were unfavorable mutations. In addition to age, sex, and node positive, favorable genes (HR = 0.15, 95% CI = 0.04-0.48, p = 0.001) and unfavorable genes (HR = 2.86, 95% CI = 1.51-5.29, p = 0.001) were identified as independent prognostic factors for DFS. Out of the 113 patients, only 35 received adjuvant treatment whereas the majority (78) did not. For patients with both favorable and unfavorable mutations undetected, adjuvant treatment showed negative effect on DFS (median DFS: S441 vs. 956 days, p = 0.010), but there was no significant difference in DFS among those in other mutational subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: Genomic testing might be useful in guiding the decisions regarding adjuvant treatment in BTC.

Highly efficient and tunable polarization rotator based on lithium niobate on an insulator.

The lithium niobate on an insulator (LNOI) platform has greatly advanced the development of integrated photonics recently, where efficient polarization management components are indispensable. In this work, we propose a highly efficient and tunable polarization rotator based on the LNOI platform and the low-loss optical phase change material antimony triselenide (S b 2 S e 3). The key polarization rotation region is formed by a LNOI waveguide with a cross section of the double trapezoidal shape and a S b 2 S e 3 layer deposited atop the LNOI waveguide in an asymmetrical way, where an isolating layer of silicon dioxide is sandwiched between them to reduce the material absorption loss. Based on such a structure, we have achieved the efficient polarization rotation in a length of only 17.7 µm, where the polarization conversion efficiency and insertion loss are 99.6% (99.2%) and 0.38 dB (0.4 dB) for the trans-electric (TE)-to-trans-magnetic (TM) rotation. If we further change the phase state of the S b 2 S e 3 layer, other polarization rotation angles besides 90° can also be obtained for the same device, revealing a tunable function. We believe that the proposed device and design scheme could offer an efficient method for realizing the polarization management on the LNOI platform.

Impacts of calcium peroxide on phosphorus and tungsten releases from sediments.

In this study, CaO2 was used as a capping material to control the release of Phosphate (P) and tungsten (W) from the sediment due to its oxygen-releasing and oxidative properties. The results revealed significant decreases in SRP and soluble W concentrations after the addition of CaO2. The mechanisms of P and W adsorption by CaO2 were mainly chemisorption and ligand exchange mechanisms. In addition, the results showed significant increases in HCl-P and amorphous and poorly crystalline(oxyhydr)oxides bound W after the addition of CaO2. The highest reduction rates of sediment SRP and soluble W release were 37 and 43%, respectively. Furthermore, CaO2 can promote the redox of iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn). On the other hand, a significant positive correlation was observed between SRP/soluble W and soluble Fe (II) and between SRP/soluble W and soluble Mn, indicating that the effects of CaO2 on Fe and Mn redox play a crucial role in controlling P and W releases from sediments. However, the redox of Fe plays a key role in controlling sediment P and W release. Therefore, CaO2 addition can simultaneously inhibit sediment internal P and W release.

Spatial-temporal evolution and convergence analysis of agricultural green total factor productivity-evidence from the Yangtze River Delta Region of China.

Measuring regional differences in agricultural green total factor productivity (AGTFP) provides a basis for policy guidance on agricultural green development in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region. By constructing a two-period Malmquist-Luenberger index under the carbon emission constraint, we measure the AGTFP of cities in the YRD region from 2001 to 2019. Furthermore, adopting the Moran index method and the hot spot analysis method, this paper analyzes the global spatial correlation and local spatial correlation of AGTFP in this region. Moreover, we investigate its spatial convergence. The results show that the AGTFP of 41 cities in the YRD region is on an increasing trend; the growth of AGTFP in the eastern cities is mainly driven by green technical efficiency, while this growth in the southern cities is mainly stimulated by green technical efficiency and green technological progress. We also find a significant spatial correlation between cities' AGTFP in the YRD region from 2001 to 2019, but with certain fluctuations, showing a U-shaped trend of "strong-weak-strong". In addition, absolute ß convergence of the AGTFP exists in the YRD region, and this convergence speed is accelerated with the addition of spatial factors. This evidence provides support for implementing the regional integration development strategy and optimizing the regional agricultural spatial layout. Our findings offer implications for promoting the transfer of green agricultural technology to the southwest of the YRD region, strengthening the construction of agricultural economic belts and agricultural economic circles, and improving the efficiency of agricultural resource use.

Flexible Film Bulk Acoustic Resonator Based on Low-Porosity ß-Phase P(VDF-TrFE) Film for Human Vital Signs Monitoring.

P(VDF-TrFE) is a promising material for flexible acoustic devices owing to its good piezoelectric performance and excellent stretchability. However, the high density of internal pores and large surface roughness of the conventional P(VDF-TrFE) results in a high propagation attenuation for acoustic waves, which limits its use in flexible acoustic devices. In this paper, a novel method based on two-step annealing is proposed to effectively remove the pores inside the P(VDF-TrFE) film and reduce its surface roughness. The obtained P(VDF-TrFE) film possesses excellent characteristics, including a high breakdown strength of >300 kV/mm, a high-purity ß-phase content of more than 80%, and high piezoelectric coefficients (d33) of 42 pm/V. Based on the low-porosity ß-phase P(VDF-TrFE) film, we fabricated flexible film bulk acoustic resonators (FBARs) which exhibit high sharp resonance peaks. The pressure sensor was made by sandwiching the FBARs with two PDMS microneedle patches. Heartbeat and respiration rate monitoring were achieved using the pressure sensor. This work demonstrates the feasibility of high-performance flexible piezoelectric acoustic resonators based on low-porosity P(VDF-TrFE) films, which could see wider applications in the wearable sensors for both physical and chemical sensing.

A combined study on Vallisneria spiralis and lanthanum modified bentonite to immobilize arsenic in sediments.

Submerged plants and lanthanum-modified bentonite (LMB) have important applications for the remediation of contaminated sediments; however, their combined effect on arsenic (As) removal has not been comprehensively evaluated. In this study, the physicochemical properties and changes in soluble As in sediments treated with LMB, Vallisneria spiralis (V. spiralis), and LMB + V. spiralis were observed at three time points (days 15, 35, and 66), and the changes in microbial and As species in sediments on day 66 were analyzed. LMB + V. spiralis treatment was the most effective for As removal. On day 66, the average concentrations of soluble As at a depth of 0-100 mm decreased by 12.71%, 48.81%, and 59.73% following treatment with LMB, V. spiralis, and LMB + V. spiralis, respectively. Further analysis showed that LMB is more effective at removing As(V) than V. spiralis, while V. spiralis is more effective at removing As(III), and the combination of LMB + V. spiralis is more effective for removing both As(III) and As(V) than individual LMB and V. spiralis treatments. LMB + V. spiralis enhanced the transformation of mobile As to Fe2O3/oxyhydroxide-bound As in sediments and the activity of As-oxidizing microorganisms. LMB promoted the growth of V. spiralis and enhanced the removal of As. This study indicates that this combination is an effective method for removing mobile As from sediments, and could effectively inhibit the release of As from sediments to overlying water.

Optimization-Based Post-Training Quantization With Bit-Split and Stitching.

Deep neural networks have shown great promise in various domains. Meanwhile, problems including the storage and computing overheads arise along with these breakthroughs. To solve these problems, network quantization has received increasing attention due to its high efficiency and hardware-friendly property. Nonetheless, most existing quantization approaches rely on the full training dataset and the time-consuming fine-tuning process to retain accuracy. Post-training quantization does not have these problems, however, it has mainly been shown effective for 8-bit quantization. In this paper, we theoretically analyze the effect of network quantization and show that the quantization loss in the final output layer is bounded by the layer-wise activation reconstruction error. Based on this analysis, we propose an Optimization-based Post-training Quantization framework and a novel Bit-split optimization approach to achieve minimal accuracy degradation. The proposed framework is validated on a variety of computer vision tasks, including image classification, object detection, instance segmentation, with various network architectures. Specifically, we achieve near-original model performance even when quantizing FP32 models to 3-bit without fine-tuning.

Biasing the neurocognitive processing of videos with the presence of a real cultural other.

In the digital age, while short videos present vital events with powerful information, the presence of cultural cues may bias our processing of videos of foreign cultures. However, the underlying neurocognitive processes remain unclear. In this study, we hypothesized that cultural cues might bias video processing by either enhancing cultural perspective-taking or shifting cultural self-schema. To test these hypotheses, we used a novel paradigm in which the cultural cue was a real cultural other (the priming participants) who watched American/Chinese videos together with the primed participants. The results showed that when the cue was present, the right temporoparietal junction (rTPJ) response to videos with other cultural content was shifted, showing a priming effect. Moreover, the activity pattern in the rTPJ was more congruent with the primed culture than with the original culture, reflecting a neural biasing effect. Finally, intersubject representational similarity analysis indicated that the neural biasing effect in the rTPJ was more closely associated with cultural perspective-taking than with cultural self-schema. In summary, these findings support the perspective-taking hypothesis, suggesting that cultural cues can significantly bias our cultural mindset by altering cultural perspective-taking when we are exposed to culture-relevant naturalistic stimuli.

ECBC: Efficient Convolution via Blocked Columnizing.

Direct convolution methods are now drawing increasing attention as they eliminate the additional storage demand required by indirect convolution algorithms (i.e., the transformed matrix generated by the im2col convolution algorithm). Nevertheless, the direct methods require special input-output tensor formatting, leading to extra time and memory consumption to get the desired data layout. In this article, we show that indirect convolution, if implemented properly, is able to achieve high computation performance with the help of highly optimized subroutines in matrix multiplication while avoid incurring substantial memory overhead. The proposed algorithm is called efficient convolution via blocked columnizing (ECBC). Inspired by the im2col convolution algorithm and the block algorithm of general matrix-to-matrix multiplication, we propose to conduct the convolution computation blockwisely. As a result, the tensor-to-matrix transformation process (e.g., the im2col operation) can also be done in a blockwise manner so that it only requires a small block of memory as small as the data block. Extensive experiments on various platforms and networks validate the effectiveness of ECBC, as well as the superiority of our proposed method against a set of widely used industrial-level convolution algorithms.