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Electrowetting presents a powerful technique for manipulating droplets, but its potential to enhance post-impact droplet rebound remains insufficiently understood and underutilized. In this study, we realize the regulation of rebound enhancement and suppression in impacting Galinstan and water droplets using square pulse electrowetting techniques. We numerically investigate the effects of pulse width, surface wettability, and liquid properties on rebound characteristics and demonstrate a phase diagram of rebound modes. Our findings reveal that a moderate pulse width facilitates rebound enhancement, whereas excessively small or large pulse widths lead to rebound suppression. Notably, a fascinating bubble entrapment phenomenon is identified under moderate pulse width, resulting in a distinctive tooth-like rebound shape and secondary liquid–solid contact. Contrary to conventional beliefs, we discover that the optimal rebound velocity occurs at approximately 1.5 times the spreading time, rather than solely at one spreading time. Through unraveling the energy conversion mechanism, we attribute this deviation to the trade-off between additional surface energy and total energy loss. Furthermore, this study highlights that compared to water droplets, the ultra-high surface tension of Galinstan increases additional surface energy while diminishing the viscous effect, leading to heightened rebound velocity, reduced contact time, and an expanded range of pulse widths for rebound enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest fire risk prediction is essential for building a forest fire defense system. Ensemble learning methods can avoid the problem of difficult model selection for disaster susceptibility prediction and can significantly improve modeling accuracy. This study introduces a stacking ensemble learning model for predicting forest fire risks in Yunnan Province by integrating various data types, such as meteorological, topographic, vegetation, and human activity factors. A total of 70,274 fire points and an equal number of randomly selected nonfire points were used to develop the model, with 70% of the data allocated for training and the remaining 30% for testing. The stacking model combined four diverse machine learning methods: random forest (RF), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM), and multilayer perceptron (MLP). We evaluated the model's predictive performance using metrics like accuracy, area under the characteristic curve (AUC), and fire density (FD). The results demonstrated that the stacking fusion model exhibited remarkable accuracy with an AUC of 0.970 on the test set, significantly surpassing the performance of individual machine learning models, which had AUC values ranging from 0.935 to 0.953. Furthermore, the stacking fusion model effectively captured the maximum fire density in extremely high susceptibility areas, demonstrating enhanced generalization capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The development trajectories of children's SER remain unknown. This study aimed to characterize spherical equivalent refraction (SER) trajectories during grades 1–4 in Chinese children. Methods: This prospective cohort study included 1226 first-grade non-myopic children from 12 public primary schools, randomly selected in two districts in Guangzhou, China. From November 2018 to March 2022, four-wave ocular examinations and questionnaire surveys have been completed. The group-based trajectory modeling was used to explore SER trajectories in grades 1–4. Results: All five trajectories showed an upward trend and rose faster after grade 2. Children in the sharp-developing (n = 44), high-developing (n = 136), and rapid-developing (n = 237) myopia groups developed myopia before grades 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Their SER development speed remained at a relatively high level after myopia, almost consistent with that before myopia. Children in the moderate-developing (n = 418) and low-developing (n = 391) non-myopia groups did not develop myopia before grade 4. Some characteristics in grade 1 were independently associated with SER trajectories, including sex, axial length, number of parents with myopia, residence, academic achievement, and the duration of outdoor activity. Based on the baseline characteristics, we established the model predicting the probability of children belonging to each group. Conclusions: Myopia interventions are best started in grade 1 or preschool age. If interventions are not taken in time, the latest intervention window might be in grades 1, 2, and 3 for children with a high probability of belonging to the sharp-developing, high-developing, and rapid-developing myopia groups, respectively. The above probabilities might be predicted using the model we established. Moreover, the interventions for myopic children shouldn't be ignored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The liver is one of the vital organs of the human body, and its location detection is of great significance for computer-aided diagnosis. There are two problems in applying the existing algorithms based on convolution neural network directly to liver detection. One is that pooling operation in the convolutional layer, characteristic of the existing algorithms, will result in local information loss, and the other is that direct calculation of area-based pre-defined anchor boxes will cause incomplete alignment of the generated anchor boxes with overall data distribution. As a solution, this paper suggests a liver detection algorithm based on local information fusion. First, area calculations are complemented with the target aspect ratio as a constraint term to generate a predefined anchor box more in line with actual data distribution. Second, the local feature fusion (LFF) structure is proposed to bridge local information loss caused by pooling operation. As the final step, LFF is used to optimize the neural network analyzed in YOLOv3 for liver detection. The experimental results show that the optimized algorithm achieves an average intersection over union (IoU) in liver detection three percentage points higher than the YOLOv3 algorithm. The optimized algorithm proves more accurate in portraying local details. In the object detection of the public data set, Average Precision for medium objects (APm) and Average Precision for large objects (APl) are 2.8% and 1.7% higher than their counterparts derived from the YOLOv3 algorithm, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the mediating role of personality traits in the correlation between multi-dimensional adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and depressive symptoms in older adults. This cohort study used data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, and included 4050 older adults without depressive symptoms in 2010–2011. Multi-dimensional ACEs were evaluated in 2006–2007. Personality traits were assessed using the Midlife Development Inventory in 2010–2011. Depressive symptoms were measured using the 8-item version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale during 2012–2019. Cox proportional hazard model was used to explore the associations between ACEs and depressive symptoms. The package named "mediation" in R was used to test mediating role of personality traits. ACEs in each dimension significantly increased the risk of depressive symptoms (all P -values < 0.05). The association of maltreatment (18.18 %) and household dysfunction (19.69 %) with depressive symptoms was significantly mediated by neuroticism. The correlation between poor parent-child bonding and depressive symptoms was significantly mediated by neuroticism (19.43 %), conscientiousness (4.84 %), and extroversion (8.02 %). ACEs were retrospectively assessed based on participants' memories, which may induce recall bias. Maltreatment and household dysfunction may induce depressive symptoms by increasing neuroticism. Poor parent-child bonding may induce depressive symptoms by increasing neuroticism and reducing conscientiousness and extraversion. In addition to reducing the occurrence of ACEs, reducing neuroticism of individuals with maltreatment and household dysfunction in childhood, and reducing neuroticism, and increasing conscientiousness and extraversion of individuals with poor parent-child bonding in childhood might help to decrease their risk of depressive symptoms. • Maltreatment and household dysfunction might increase the risk of depressive symptoms (DS) by enhancing neuroticism. • Poor parent-child bonding might induce DS by enhancing neuroticism and reducing conscientiousness and extraversion. • Reducing neuroticism of the elderly with maltreatment and household dysfunction might help to prevent DS. • Reducing neuroticism of the elderly with poor parent-child bonding might decrease the risk of DS. • Increasing conscientiousness and extraversion of the elderly with poor parent-child bonding might decrease the risk of DS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The American Heart Association recently updated its construct of what constitutes cardiovascular health (CVH), called Life's Essential 8. We examined the association of total and individual CVH metrics according to Life's Essential 8 with all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD)-specific mortality later in life. Methods: Data were from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005–2018 at baseline linked to the 2019 National Death Index records. Total and individual CVH metric scores including diet, physical activity, nicotine exposure, sleep health, body mass index, blood lipids, blood glucose, and blood pressure were classified as 0–49 (low level), 50–74 (intermediate level), and 75–100 (high level) points. The total CVH metric score (the average of the 8 metrics) as a continuous variable was also used for dose–response analysis. The main outcomes included all-cause and CVD-specific mortality. Results: A total of 19,951 US adults aged 30–79 years were included in this study. Only 19.5% of adults achieved a high total CVH score, whereas 24.1% had a low score. During a median follow-up of 7.6 years, compared with adults with a low total CVH score, those with an intermediate or high total CVH score had 40% (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.60, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.51–0.71) and 58% (adjusted HR 0.42, 95% CI 0.32–0.56) reduced risk of all-cause mortality. The corresponding adjusted HRs (95%CIs) were 0.62 (0.46–0.83) and 0.36 (0.21–0.59) for CVD-specific mortality. The population-attributable fractions for high (score ≥ 75 points) vs. low or intermediate (score < 75 points) CVH scores were 33.4% for all-cause mortality and 42.9% for CVD-specific mortality. Among all 8 individual CVH metrics, physical activity, nicotine exposure, and diet accounted for a large proportion of the population-attributable risks for all-cause mortality, whereas physical activity, blood pressure, and blood glucose accounted for a large proportion of CVD-specific mortality. There were approximately linear dose–response associations of total CVH score (as a continuous variable) with all-cause and CVD-specific mortality. Conclusions: Achieving a higher CVH score according to the new Life's Essential 8 was associated with a reduced risk of all-cause and CVD-specific mortality. Public health and healthcare efforts targeting the promotion of higher CVH scores could provide considerable benefits to reduce the mortality burden later in life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The unbalanced capillary force provided by wettability patterns, non-uniform/asymmetric microtextures enables directional droplet transport, while macrotextures have shown potentials in reducing the contact time. Inspired by these findings, we design millimeter superhydrophobic stepped surfaces to simultaneously achieve highly steerable directional bouncing and contact time reduction of impacting droplets. The stepped surfaces are fabricated by computerized numerical control, chemical oxidation, hydrophobic treatment. Systematic impact experiments are conducted under Weber number ranging from 10.5 to 20.5, two step heights (0.5 mm and 1.0 mm) and extensive impact positions. Compared with known microtextured surfaces, the stepped surfaces exhibit excellent performance with the maximum lateral movement distance about 8 times of droplet radius, controllable rebound angle ranging from ∼ 32° to ∼ 90° and up to ∼ 30 % reduction in contact time. Particularly, we divide the directional bouncing characteristics into six regimes and attribute the variation of rebound velocity by the synergistic effects of viscous dissipation, excess surface energy, excess kinetic energy. It is demonstrated that the contact time is reduced by liquid mass redistribution and asymmetry enhancement. Predictive models of contact time that incorporate the coupling effects of impact position, impact velocity and step height are also established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthocyanins as natural pH-sensitive material can be used to determine the freshness of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) fillets. However, it is easily degraded. Using zein as the protective layer to improve the light blocking ability of the film, gellan gum (GG) and black rice extracts (BRE) as the sensing layer, a bilayer colorimetric indicator film for monitoring fish spoilage was developed. The functionality and stability of bilayer film and GG single film were compared. As compared to GG single film, Zein/GG bilayer film had stronger intermolecular interactions, higher mechanical properties, and higher optical barrier properties. Notably, Zein/GG-8 % BRE bilayer film exhibited higher stability than GG-8 % BRE film when the films were exposed to room temperature for 30 days. Zein/GG-8 % BRE bilayer film were further used to monitor freshness of largemouth bass fillets during storage. Zein/GG-8 % BRE bilayer film demonstrated a noticeable color change from red to brown when largemouth bass fillets spoiled. Moreover, the ∆ E of films showed a good correlation with TVB-N of largemouth bass fillets (R 2 = 0.985). Our research results show that the Zein/GG-BRE bilayer indicator film has great potential application prospects in monitoring fish freshness. • A new colorimetric bilayer film with the light blocking layer and indicator layer was developed. • Zein layer increased the color stability of film. • The bilayer film exhibited the freshness of largemouth bass fillets by color changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Described herein is the first application of perfluorinated solvent in the stereoselective formation of O-/S-glycosidic linkages that occurs via a Ferrier rearrangement of acetylated glycals. In this system, the weak interactions between perfluoro-n-hexane and substrates could augment the reactivity and stereocontrol. The initiation of transformation requires only an extremely low loading of resin-H+ and the mild conditions enable the accommodation of a broad spectrum of glycal donors and acceptors. The 'green' feature of this chemistry is demonstrated by low toxicity and easy recovery of the medium, as well as operational simplicity in product isolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The groundwater in nonkarst areas can be divided into two categories: pore water and fracture water. Unlike fracture seepage, sandstone pore seepage in deep mines manifests as a large area of "sweating," rather than an area of local "spray," and is difficult to plug via conventional grouting methods. This study focused on pore seepage in deep mine sandstone to improve the grouting effect. Taking the deep mine sandstone in the southwest Shandong coal field, where "large-area sweating" seepage occurs, as the study object, this study examined the pore structure, petrological characteristics, physical properties, and grain sizes of the sandstone by analyzing experimental data from thin sections and scanning electron microscopy samples. The formation mechanism of the "large-area sweating" seepage was then analyzed. The range of permeability in which "large-area sweating" seepage may occur in the sandstone was discussed. The results indicate that the process of "large-area sweating" seepage in deep mine sandstone can be divided into a matrix softening stage, a matrix erosion stage, and a "large-area sweating" water seepage formation stage. According to the case analysis on the "large-area sweating" seepage in the Tangkou coal mine of the Southwest Shandong coalfield, the lower limit of permeability of the "large-area sweating" sandstone is approximately 0.25 mD. Thus, this type of seepage can occur in deep mine sandstone with a permeability of greater than 0.25 mD and affect typical mining production. The results of this study provide information about the formation mechanism of "large-area sweating" water seepage from sandstone pores and can theoretically inform the development of a new permeation grouting technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Depressive symptoms (DS) can increase the risk of stroke, but it is unclear whether long-term DS trajectories are associated with incident stroke. This study aimed to explore the association of long-term DS trajectories with incident stroke.Methods: This prospective cohort study included 11,002 adults aged 50 and older from the Health and Retirement Study during 1994-2018. DS was assessed using the 8-item version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Stroke was obtained through self-report of doctors' diagnosis. The group-based trajectory model was used to determine DS trajectories from 1994 to 2000. Cox proportional hazard model was applied to explore the correlation of DS trajectories with incident stroke from 2000 to 2018.Results: We identified five distinct 6-year DS trajectories. Compared with the persistent no DS trajectory, the full-adjusted HRs (95% CIs) for the persistent mild, improving, worsening, and persistent high DS trajectories were 1.15 (1.01, 1.30), 1.27 (0.88, 1.84), 1.41 (1.17, 1.71), and 1.61 (1.21, 2.16), respectively. In addition, the persistent mild DS trajectories had the largest population attributable risk percent (PAR%).Limitations: There was a lack of information on stroke subtypes.Conclusions: This study suggests that compared with persistent no DS, persistent mild, worsening, and persistent high DS trajectories increase the risk of stroke in the elderly. Considering that the PAR% of stroke events in the persistent mild DS trajectory is the largest, we should pay attention not only to individuals with DS, but also to those being chronically close to the cut-off value of DS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • miR-21 is a significant non-invasive biomarker for diagnosis, prediction, and prognosis in liver diseases. • miR-21 affects many biological processes in chronic liver diseases, including glycolipid metabolism, hepatotropic virus infection, inflammation and immune cell activation, hepatic stellate cells activation and tissue fibrosis, and autophagy. • miR-21 is a liaison in the deterioration of chronic liver disease to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). • In the development of HCC, miR-21 not only affects the proliferation, apoptosis, epithelial mesenchymal transition, and immune escape of hepatoma cells, but also participates in intercellular crosstalk. microRNAs (miRNAs), a class of non-coding RNA with 20–24 nucleotides, are defined as the powerful regulators for gene expression. miR-21 is a multifunctional miRNA enriched in the circulatory system and multiple organs, which not only serves as a non-invasive biomarker in disease diagnosis, but also participates in many cellular activities. In various chronic liver diseases, the increase of miR-21 affects glycolipid metabolism, viral infection, inflammatory and immune cell activation, hepatic stellate cells activation and tissue fibrosis, and autophagy. Moreover, miR-21 is also a liaison in the deterioration of chronic liver disease to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and it impacts on cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, angiogenesis, immune escape, and epithelial-mesenchymal transformation by regulating target genes expression in different signaling pathways. In current research on miRNA therapy, some natural products can exert the hepatoprotective effects depending on the inhibition of miR-21 expression. In addition, miR-21-based therapeutic also play a role in regulating intracellular miR-21 levels and enhancing the efficacy of chemotherapy drugs. Herein, we systemically summarized the recent progress of miR-21 on biosynthesis, biomarker function, molecular mechanism and miRNA therapy in chronic liver disease and HCC, and looked forward to outputting some information to enable it from bench to bedside. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel tactic for the regioselective O-alkylation of 2-pyridones has been realized through palladium catalysis in moderate to high yields. The coordination effect between palladium and nitrogen on the pyridine ring plays a versatile role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatic fibrosis (HF), a precursor to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, is caused by abnormal proliferation of connective tissue and excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix in the liver. Notably, activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is a key link in the development of HF. Phillygenin (PHI, C21H24O6) is a lignan component extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine Forsythiae Fructus, which has various pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-tumour effects. However, whether PHI can directly inhibit HSC activation and ameliorate the mechanism of action of HF has not been fully elucidated. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the in vitro anti-HF effects of PHI and the underlying molecular mechanisms. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-activated mouse HSCs (mHSCs) and human HSCs (LX-2 cells) were used as an in vitro model of HF and treated with different concentrations of PHI for 24 h. Subsequently, cell morphological changes were observed under the microscope, cell viability was analyzed by MTT assay, cell cycle and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry, and the mechanism of anti-fibrotic effect of PHI was explored by immunofluorescence, ELISA, RT-qPCR and western blot. The results showed that PHI suppressed the proliferation of TGF-β1-activated mHSCs and LX-2 cells, arrested the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase, decreased the levels of α-SMA, Collagen I, TIMP1 and MMP2 genes and proteins, and promoted apoptosis in activated mHSCs and LX-2 cells. Besides, PHI reduced the expression of inflammatory factors in activated mHSCs and LX-2 cells, suggesting a potential anti-inflammatory effect. Mechanically, PHI inhibited TGF-β1-induced HSC activation and inflammation, at least in part through modulation of the Bax/Bcl-2 and Wnt/β-catenin pathways. Overall, PHI has significant anti-HF effects and may be a promising agent for the treatment of HF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• EDTA-assisted sol gel method is employed to design calcium-based material for effective solar energy storage. • Mn elements are doped successfully into CaO crystal lattice rather than simply mixed. • Excellent performance with energy storage density decay of only 6.3% after 100 cycles. • The solar absorption capacity of modified CaO is greatly improved. Calcium-based material is a very promising candidate energy storage material for next generation concentrated solar power (CSP) plants with operation temperatures above 700 °C. However, performance decay and poor solar absorption capacity limit the large utilization of calcium-based material. Here, ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA)-assisted sol–gel method is first employed to modify CaO with magnesium (Mg) and manganese (Mn) elements. MgO and Ca 2 MnO 4 nanoparticles are attached to the surface of CaO particles to separate grains spatially to inhibit sintering. In addition to the external separation effect, Mn elements are found to be doped successfully into CaO crystal lattice rather than simply mixed, which restrains atomic diffusion and agglomeration inside CaO and thus further inhibits sintering more efficiently. The Mg and Mn co-doped sample (Ca:Mn:Mg = 9:1:2) synthesized by EDTA demonstrates exceptional thermal stability at 800 °C. The performance decay is only 6.3 % after 100 cycles and mainly manifests in the first ten cycles (4 %). Furthermore, by combining two-step calcination to avoid agglomeration and uneven doping, we also obtain the co-doped sample (Ca:Mn:Mg = 9:1:1) with nearly no performance decay in 100 cycles. The proposed materials possess an average solar absorptance of 67 %, about 4 times that of pure calcium material. This work not only designs energy storage materials with excellent performance expected to be applied in the next generation CSP plant but also provides a lattice doping route for calcium-based material modification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the process of constructionalization and constructional change of apparently noncanonical yet highly frequent V-NP expressions in Mandarin Chinese, which exist in other languages as well (e.g., Southeast Asian languages and African languages). A corpus-based survey of 20 frequently used monosyllabic verbs shows that both the token and the type frequency of the noncanonical V-NP expressions have on the whole been increasing throughout the history of the Chinese language. From a constructional perspective, it is proposed that the noncanonical V-NP structure has gone through a process of grammatical constructionalization and constructional change (Traugott & Trousdale 2013), which involves diachronic changes in productivity, schematicity and compositionality and which is manifested in the increasing number of the semantic types of postverbal NPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Micro/nanostructured and macro-pillar arrayed surfaces are fabricated by simple, low-cost methods. • A Leidenfrost point shift from 188 ℃ to 428 ℃ is obtained by micro/nanostructured surface. • A Leidenfrost point over 500 ℃ is obtained by macro-pillar arrayed surface. • High permeability and strong wicking of macro-pillar arrayed surface contribute to Leidenfrost suppression. • Macro-pillar arrays demonstrate a stronger cooling capability in transition boiling. Textured surface has shown great potential in inhibiting Leidenfrost phenomenon for the thermal management of high heat flux devices. Although diverse textured surfaces have been designed to achieve multi-fold increases in Leidenfrost point, the dominant physical mechanism of different surface structures remains elusive. In this study, three aluminum-based surfaces including bare aluminum surface, superhydrophilic micro/nanostructured surface, superhydrophilic macro-pillar arrayed surface are fabricated by simple, low-cost methods. The effects of surface structures with various scales on Leidenfrost point and the dynamic characteristics of water droplets are elucidated. The experimental results indicate that micro/nanostructures cause intermittent liquid-solid contact and trigger more vapor dispersion into micro/nanocavities. A thicker vapor layer generated above micro/nanostructures reduces the vapor pressure that supports the droplet and increases Leidenfrost point from 188 ℃ (for bare aluminum surface) to 428 ℃. A higher Leidenfrost point over 500 ℃ (the maximum heating temperature) is achieved by macro-pillar arrayed surface due to strong capillary wicking and high permeability. Theoretical models that integrate the influence of surface structures on Leidenfrost point are established through balancing vapor pressure with capillary pressure and gravitational pressure. The prediction of present model shows good agreement with the experimental results. Impact and heat transfer regime maps are also provided, where a unique explosive bouncing with a significant reduction in contact time and an extended temperature span of transition boiling are observed on structured surfaces. Furthermore, macrostructures are found to induce a larger and longer liquid-solid contact, thus demonstrating an excellent cooling capability in the transition boiling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene has been implicated in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). Most human genetic studies have focused on ACE insertion (I)/deletion (D) polymorphism and yielded conflicting results. In this work, we evaluated the relationships between cognitive function, serum ACE level, brain white matter (WM) integrity, and ACE I/D polymorphism in 48 patients with aMCI and 36 well matched control subjects from south China. In aMCI patients, D allele frequency was higher (D/I ratio = 0.51:0.49) than that of the control subjects (D/I ratio = 0.43:0.57); however, the difference was not statistically significant ( p > 0.05). The D carriers in aMCI subjects performed significantly poorer on auditory–verbal learning test (AVLT) -delayed recall than the I homozygous group ( p = 0.035). These carriers had higher serum ACE level than the I homozygous carriers of aMCI ( p = 0.037). In the aMCI group, D carriers showed significantly lower fractional anisotropy (FA) values in the left middle frontal gyrus, left anterior cingulate, right gyrus parahippocampalis, right inferior parietal lobule, and bilateral anterior central gyrus than the I homozygotes carriers. However, no significant difference was observed in FA values between I homozygotes and D carriers in the control subjects. The ACE D allele in aMCI patients may increase the risk of cognitive impairment. A high serum ACE level possibly plays an important role in the incidence of aMCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macrostructures exhibit excellent performance in coalescence-induced droplet jumping enhancement. Previous velocity prediction models were mainly established for flat plain surface, which usually set up the balance relationship between excess surface energy, kinetic energy and dissipation. But these models are no longer appropriate in macrostructure cases due to great variation of oscillational kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy caused by textures. In this work, coalescence-induced droplet jumping on macrostructures was investigated numerically on flat, sidewall, string, ridge and egg shape substrates. An energy conversion model based on energy efficiency rather than energy balance was established for departure velocity by proposing three sub-efficiencies to evaluate jumping enhancement. In this model, oscillational kinetic energy was distinguished from dissipation, gravitational potential energy induced by macrostructures were considered, and the real droplet morphology were used to calculate surface energy. By dividing the whole droplet jumping process into merge and contact stage, the influence of macrostructures on duration of each stage was closely connected to the macrostructure effects on dissipation and kinetic energy conversion. Pressure and velocity distributions near the macrostructure were also discussed to further explore the mechanism for droplet jumping enhancement. Further, the significant increase of initial surface energy for egg case points out a possible new approach to enhance jumping velocity. This model helps us understand the determinants of jumping enhancement with macrostructures and it also applies to flat plain. [Display omitted] • A new energy conversion model with three sub-efficiencies for macrostructure was established. • Shorter impact time linearly declines viscous dissipation in merge stage. • Velocity consistency caused by confined morphology is the main reason of enhancement. • Height of macrostructure has little effect on mechanical energy utilization. • Macrostructures may increase the excess surface energy to significantly enhance jumping velocity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxygen-ion conduction is generally considered the rate-determining step during the chemical looping combustion process, which is vital for the design of the oxygen carriers. However, the redox reaction is heavily influenced by gas diffusion, making it very difficult to derive convincing intrinsic kinetic data. This work aims to establish a methodology to evaluate the intrinsic kinetics of oxygen carriers for chemical looping combustion by using an ultra-thin oxygen conducting membrane to exclude the influence of gas diffusion. From mass balance and Fick's second law, a mathematical kinetics model describing the intrinsic oxygen conduction performance was established. The intrinsic activation energy took value of 77.84 kJ/mol for pure Fe 2 O 3. The kinetics parameters can be used for the high throughput design and screening of oxygen carriers. [Display omitted] • A strategy to decouple the gas diffusion and bulk oxygen conduction was established. • The intrinsic kinetics was derived from mass balance and Fick's second law. • The intrinsic activation energy took vaule of 77. 84 kJ/mol for pure Fe 2 O 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reviews the literature on air cargo operations and compares theoretical studies with the practical problems of airlines, freight forwarders, and terminal service providers. In particular, we review studies in which mathematical models were used to identify the essential characteristics of air cargo operations, such as the intrinsic differences from passenger operations, and to explore the service processes in air cargo operations. The typical models used in previous studies are summarized. We then highlight the insightful findings from an industrial interview and present the gaps between previous research and practical realities. We finally discuss the new research opportunities of air cargo operations according to the gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop an actionable data-driven approach to a periodic-review dual sourcing inventory management system in the presence of purchase price and demand uncertainties. The two supply sources differ in their lead times and prices due to, e.g., different transportation modes. We adopt robust optimization because the limited historical data is insufficient to construct meaningful distributions to characterize purchase price and demand fluctuations. Specifically, we build a robust rolling-horizon model and, in particular, construct the uncertainty sets from data and business insights. Using a real four-year data set, we show that our approach can yield significant cost savings compared to the other popular methods. Our experiments echo the earlier theoretical finding that a firm may incur a lower cost under a more volatile purchase price process. However, we find that under data-driven decision-making, in comparison with the theoretical results that assume complete distributional information, some interesting results arise. For example, first, considering a longer planning horizon may backfire. Second, some feasible region-reducing business constraints such as limited inventory capacity may lead to unintended benefits. These are consequences of protecting model performance from sampling error and our practically limited forecast ability, as almost always, to characterize uncertainties. Our research therefore calls for prudence in extending theoretical insights to data-driven decision-making scenarios. • Present a robust rolling-horizon model for dual sourcing inventory systems under purchase price and demand uncertainties • Develop a data-driven procedure to construct uncertainty sets and select parameters • A longer planning horizon may backfire under data-driven decision making. • Limited inventory capacity may lead to unexpected benefits under data-driven decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enantiomerically enriched sulfones occupy a prominent position in pharmaceutical chemistry and synthetic chemistry. Compared with conventional methods, a direct asymmetric sulfonylation reaction with the fixation of sulfur dioxide represents an attractive strategy for the rapid assembly of chiral sulfones with enantiopurity. In this highlight, we survey recent exciting advances in asymmetric sulfonylation by using sulfur dioxide surrogates, and discuss asymmetric induction modes, reaction mechanisms, substrate scope and opportunities for further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This graphic abstract describes the synthesis strategies, catalytic applications and challenges for the encapsulation of subnanometric metal clusters in zeolites. [Display omitted] • First systemic review on zeolite encapsulation of subnanometric metal clusters. • Firstly illustrating prerequisites for in situ hydrothermal encapsulation. • The challenges and perspectives for such encapsulation are accentuated. Subnanometric metal clusters encapsulated within zeolites are of great interests for the industrial catalysis. Herein we review for the first time the encapsulation of subnanometric metal clusters in zeolites. The concepts of both subnanometric metal clusters and zeolites are briefly introduced. The recent advancements of synthesis methods, such as impregnation, ion-exchange followed by post-treatment, template-guidance approach, in situ hydrothermal synthesis and interzeolite transformation are summarized. Further, the encapsulation effects including metal loading, ligand property, zeolite type and calcination condition for subdividing subnanometric metal clusters and nanoparticles in zeolites using quite similar synthesis procedures during in situ hydrothermal synthesis are firstly reviewed to explore the underlying mechanism. The important catalytic applications mainly contained propane dehydrogenation, formic acid decomposition, ammonia borane hydrolysis, cyclohexane oxidation, water–gas shift reaction and hydrogenation reaction are demonstrated. This review concludes with the challenges and status of both the stability issue under high temperature and advanced characterization techniques as well as the industrial perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effectively controlling the release behavior of silver bactericide to promote its antibacterial ability is highly important in the fields of chemical, biomedical and biotechnology industry. In this study, ultrasmall Ag clusters were successfully encapsulated into silicalite-1 zeolite through in situ hydrothermal approach, and the key to this success was choosing 3-mercaptopropyltriethoxysilane as ligand to facilitate Ag precursor involved into zeolite initial sol-gel system. The structure of prepared silicalite-1 zeolite encapsulation of Ag clusters (denoted as Ag@Silicalite-1) has been well defined with various characterizations and probe reactions. Benefiting from confinement effect and shape-selectivity of silicalite-1 zeolite, Ag@Silicalite-1 sample showed much better Ag+ controlled release performance than that of sample with Ag nanoparticles impregnated onto silicalite-1 zeolite (denoted as Ag/Silicalite-1). The release behavior of Ag+ in Ag@Silicalite-1 can be well described with ritger-peppas model. Taking killing Escherichia coli as an example, in comparison with Ag/Silicalite-1, Ag@Silicalite-1 sample displayed more efficient and sustainable antibacterial activity for its controlled release character. [Display omitted] • Ultrasmall Ag clusters were successfully in situ encapsulated into silicalite-1 zeolite. • Encapsulated Ag clusters displayed interesting controlled release behavior and well anti-poisoning property. • Silicalite-1 encapsulated Ag clusters showed sustainable and efficient antibacterial activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using relatively simple and widely used models, we illustrate how carbon emission concerns could be integrated into operational decision-making with regard to procurement, production, and inventory management. We show how, by associating carbon emission parameters with various decision variables, traditional models can be modified to support decision-making that accounts for both cost and carbon footprint. We examine how the values of these parameters as well as the parameters of regulatory emission control policies affect cost and emissions. We use the models to study the extent to which carbon reduction requirements can be addressed by operational adjustments, as an alternative (or a supplement) to costly investments in carbon-reducing technologies. We also use the models to investigate the impact of collaboration among firms within the same supply chain on their costs and carbon emissions and study the incentives firms might have in seeking such cooperation. We provide a series of insights that highlight the impact of operational decisions on carbon emissions and the importance of operational models in evaluating the impact of different regulatory policies and in assessing the benefits of investments in more carbon efficient technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incorporation of guest organic molecules into zeolites has attracted much more attention for its broad application prospect in the fields of sensing, detection, antibacterial and so on. In this study, indole and its derivatives were successfully incorporated into zeolite beta through in situ encapsulation approach for the first time, which can overcome the drawbacks brought by traditional impregnation method and ion-exchange method. Taking indole as an example, the structure of obtained zeolite beta encapsulation of indole (indole@beta) has been well characterized to confirm the location of indole at zeolite inner channels. Thanking to confinement effect of zeolite, the release of indole from indole@beta complexes showed much slower release rate than that of indole/beta complexes, and along with pH sensitivity and temperature dependence. Such release behavior can be described with ritger-peppas model to obey the Fick's Laws of diffusion. In comparison with indole/beta coating, indole@beta coating exhibited more sustainable and effective antibacterial activity for its controlled release properties. [Display omitted] • Indole and its derivatives were successfully in situ encapsulated into zeolite beta for the first time. • Benefiting from confinement effect, encapsulated indole exhibited well controlled release behavior. • Coating containing encapsulated indole showed more sustainable and effective antibacterial activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trade globalization has brought a surge in Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). Although trade agreements have been studied extensively from the economic point of view, there is very little operations management literature on the effect of FTAs at the firm level. In this work, we present a material sourcing model which can be used by companies. The model addresses local content or value-added requirements for trade concessions, and is motivated by the Japan-Singapore Economic Partnership Agreement FTA. We provide solution techniques for realistic problem sizes for the model which can be used by manufaturers located in any FTA country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The effectiveness of robotic‐assisted lobectomy (RAL) for patients with non–small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has not been fully evaluated. Methods: This retrospective study compared the perioperative outcomes of NSCLC patients who underwent RAL and video‐assisted lobectomy (VAL) using propensity score matching (PSM) analysis. Subgroup analyses were then performed. Results: A total of 822 NSCLC patients (359 RAL cases and 463 VAL cases) were included, and there were 292 patients in each group after PSM. Compared with the VAL group, the RAL group had a significantly higher number of lymph nodes (LNs) harvested (10 vs. 8, p < 0.001) and more LN stations examined (6 vs. 5, p < 0.001). The operative duration (95 minutes vs. 115 minutes, p < 0.001) and intraoperative estimated blood loss (65 mL vs. 80 mL, p < 0.001) were significantly reduced, and the drainage volume on postoperative day (POD) 1 (240 mL vs. 200 mL, p < 0.001) and hospitalization costs (¥81084.96 vs. ¥66142.55, p < 0.001) were significantly higher in the RAL group. Subgroup analysis indicated that the incidence of postoperative complications (17.9% vs. 26.7%, p = 0.042) was significantly reduced in the RAL group for overweight and obese patients (body mass index [BMI] ≥24 kg/m2), which became insignificant in the BMI < 24 kg/m2 subgroup (31.0% vs. 24.8%, p = 0.307). Conclusion: RAL might have potential advantages in terms of lymph node assessment, reducing intraoperative blood loss, and shortening operation duration. Overweight and obese patients could benefit more from RAL because of reduced risk of postoperative complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study numerically investigates the bouncing characteristics of impacting droplets on superhydrophobic sub-millimeter parallel grooves by the level-set method. Once the Weber number (We) is increased to a critical value (Wec), a unique petal-like droplet bouncing off the parallel grooves without horizontal retraction is found, dramatically reducing the contact time (tc) by up to ∼75%. Such a bouncing mode is attributed to the rectification of capillary energy stored in the penetrated liquids into upward motion. To achieve controllable petal bouncing, the coupling effects of impact velocity and surface geometric characteristics on tc and Wec are elucidated from the perspective of timescale, momentum, and energy. The numerical results indicate that narrowing the center-to-center spacing contributes to shortening tc and slowing down the growth of tc with We. In contrast, the effect of ridge height is negligible. By establishing the model of emptying time, the relationships of tc with impact velocity and geometric parameters are quantitatively identified. Furthermore, along with the strengthened anisotropic property, a large center-to-center spacing promotes the conversion of horizontal momentum into vertical momentum and suppresses the increment of surface energy, thus inducing the reduction in Wec. Distinct from known anisotropic surfaces in the previous work, the anisotropic property of parallel-grooved surface plays an opposite role in shortening tc. Finally, incorporating the energy balance approach, a semi-empirical model is developed to predict Wec, exhibiting good agreement with present simulation. This work provides physical insights into petal bouncing and inspires the design of textured surfaces to reduce contact time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) is a perioperative management protocol to accelerate patient recovery. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of ERAS protocols implemented in patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) before minimally invasive McKeown esophagectomy. Methods: This retrospective study compared the short-term clinical outcomes in esophagectomy patients from June 2018 to June 2021. Subjects were divided into two categories: those who underwent NACT (NACT group) and the non-NACT group. Results: There was no significant difference in total postoperative complication morbidity between the NACT and non-NACT groups (21.2% vs. 20.7%, P=0.936). In addition, the hospital length of stay post-surgery (7.90 vs. 7.71 days, P=0.424) was not significantly longer when compared to the non-NACT group. The time to chest tube removal (5.37 vs. 5.13 days, P=0.238) and first bowel movement (2.92 vs. 3.01 days, P=0.560) was also similar between the two groups. Conclusions: There was no significant difference in postoperative complications rate, postoperative hospital length of stay, and readmission rate between the two group. This study proved that ERAS protocols seemed to be safe and feasible for patients who received NACT before esophagectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Fourteen diterpenoids were isolated from Cephalotaxus fortunei var. alpina. • Novel cephalotane-type diterpenoids with CH 3 -17 migrating to C-15 and C-13 were found. • 5 – 11 exhibited different degree of cytotoxicity against four human cancer cell lines. • 6 displayed stronger cytotoxicity against PC-3 cancer cells than etoposide. Cephafortunoids A–D (1 – 4), four new compounds, together with ten known ones (5 – 14), were isolated from the branches and leaves of Cephalotaxus fortunei var. alpina. 1 and 2 represent the first examples of Cephalotaxus troponoid diterpenoids featured an intact C 20 skeleton with CH 3 -17 migrating to C-15 and C-13 respectively. 3 and 4 are novel cephalotane-type diterpenoids with an epoxy ring between C-12 and C-13. The structures of isolated compounds were established by extensive spectroscopic methods, electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations, and comparison with reported data. In in vitro bioassays, all isolated compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against human promyelocytic leukemia cells (HL-60), human acute monocytic leukemia cells (THP-1), human breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231), and human prostate cancer cells (PC-3). 5 – 9 exhibited prominent cytotoxicity against HL-60 and THP-1 with GI 50 values of 0.27–5.48 and 0.48–7.54 μM, respectively. 5 – 8 showed evident cytotoxicity against MDA-MB-231 and PC-3 with IC 50 values of 1.96–10.66 and 2.72–13.99 μM, severally. 6 with an IC 50 value of 2.72 ± 0.35 μM displayed stronger cytotoxicity against PC-3 than the positive control etoposide. The structure-activity relationship of these compounds and plausible biogenetic pathways for 1 – 4 were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have documented negative associations between somatic symptoms and remission of major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the correlations of specific somatic symptoms with remission remain uncertain. We aimed to explore the associations between specific somatic symptoms and remission focusing on sex differences among patients with MDD. We used data from patients with MDD in the Depression Cohort in China. At baseline, total somatic symptoms were evaluated using the 28-item Somatic Symptoms Inventory and were categorized into pain, autonomic, energy, and central nervous system (CNS) symptoms. To measure remission of MDD, depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 after 3 months of treatment. We ultimately included 634 patients. Compared with quartile 1 of total somatic symptom scores, the full-adjusted ORs (95% CIs) for remission from quartile 2 to quartile 4 were 0.52 (0.30, 0.90), 0.44 (0.23, 0.83), and 0.36 (0.17, 0.75), respectively (P -value for trend = 0.005). The restricted cubic spline showed no non-linear associations between total somatic symptoms with remission (P -value for non-linear = 0.238). Pain, autonomic, and CNS symptoms showed similar results. Sex-stratified analysis showed that total somatic symptoms, pain symptoms, and autonomic symptoms were negatively correlated with remission in females, whereas CNS symptoms were negatively associated with remission in males. Our findings indicate that specific somatic symptoms exert differential effects on remission of MDD. Therapeutic interventions that target pain, autonomic, and CNS symptoms may increase the probability of remission. Furthermore, interventions for somatic symptoms should be tailored by sex, and females deserve more attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The selective conversion of biomass-derived γ-valerolactone (GVL) to alternative green transportation fuels with high selectivity through a one-step synthesis process remains very challenging. The current procedures for GVL conversion to liquid fuels suffer from low selectivity or multiple operation steps with high energy consumption. Herein, we reported a simple and efficient way for the one-step synthesis of pentane fuel from GVL over the designed Co/HZSM-5 bifunctional catalyst in a single fixed-bed reactor under mild reaction conditions. The excellent catalytic performance of 99.9% conversion of GVL with 93.5% selectivity to pentane fuel and good stability for 100 h on stream was obtained. Combined experimental and theoretical studies demonstrated that the synergetic effect of interfacial active sites between metallic Co0 and proton acids of HZSM-5 is crucial for the high catalytic performance via providing a spontaneous carbonyl carbon–oxygen single bond cleavage path of GVL toward the selective synthesis of targeted pentane fuel through a series of subsequent reactions such as hydrogenation and hydrodehydration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent discovery of Leidenfrost droplet trampolining deviates from the traditionally accepted steady-state assumption and updates our understanding of Leidenfrost droplet state. However, the conditions of trampolining and its effect on heat transfer have not been fully understood. To address these issues, this study numerically investigates the dynamic behavior and heat transfer characteristics of Leidenfrost droplets under varying liquid viscosity and droplet size. A regime map for Leidenfrost droplet state with respect to Bond number and Ohnesorge is presented. Particularly, an unreported oscillation regime is discovered between equilibrium regime and trampolining regime. The results indicate that low viscosity and moderate droplet size favor the observation of trampolining. Besides, the oscillating droplet is modeled via a mass-spring-damper system in both equilibrium and oscillation regimes, with damping coefficient, spring constant and oscillation period quantitatively correlated with liquid viscosity and droplet size by simple scaling laws. In the trampolining regime, an intriguing phenomenon is observed as the maximum vapor layer thickness demonstrates two local maxima with increasing droplet size. We also quantitatively unravel that reducing liquid viscosity and increasing droplet size can lead to a thicker vapor layer thickness, thus inhibiting the heat transfer to the droplet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have demonstrated that sexual minorities are at a higher risk of experiencing depressive symptoms. However, few prior investigations have examined the potential mechanisms involved. This study aimed to employ the four-way decomposition approach that integrates the analysis of mediation and interaction to investigate the potential role of problematic internet use between sexual orientation and depressive symptoms. The participants were recruited through a multi-stage, stratified cluster, and random sampling method in China. Students who identified as "gay or lesbian" and "bisexual" were defined as "sexual minorities". The Young's Internet Addiction Test (IAT) was used to evaluate problematic internet use. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-20) was used to evaluate depressive symptoms. A total of 59,859 adolescents were included in this study, with 30,180 (53.25 %) boys and 29,679 (46.75 %) girls. Of these, 7263 (12.13 %) were identified as sexual minorities. Gender differences were observed in the association between sexual orientation, problematic internet use, and depressive symptoms. The mediating effect of problematic internet use was 28.80 % for boys and 36.84 % for girls, respectively. The interaction effect between problematic internet use and sexual minority status on depressive symptoms was 21.19 % and 9.65 % for boys and girls, respectively. The current study was limited by the cross-sectional design. These findings suggest that prevention and intervention programs aimed at improving mental health outcomes among sexual minority adolescents should prioritize considering the impact of problematic internet use and potential gender differences. • Sexual minorities have a higher risk of depressive symptoms. • Sexual minorities are more likely to develop problematic internet use. • Problematic internet use plays both mediating and interactive roles. • There are gender differences in these relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cholestasis is a disorder of bile secretion and excretion caused by a variety of etiologies. At present, there is a lack of functional foods or drugs that can be used for intervention. Forsythiaside A (FTA) is a natural phytochemical component isolated from the medicinal plant Forsythia suspensa (Thunb.) Vahl, which has a significant hepatoprotective effect. In this study, we investigated whether FTA could alleviate liver injury induced by cholestasis. In vitro, FTA reversed the decrease in viability of human intrahepatic bile duct epithelial cells, the decrease in antioxidant enzymes (SOD1, CAT and GSH-Px), and cell apoptosis induced by lithocholic acid. In vivo, FTA protected mice from 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC)-induced liver injury, abnormal serum biochemical indexes, abnormal bile duct hyperplasia, and inflammatory infiltration. Furthermore, FTA treatment alleviated liver fibrosis by inhibiting collagen deposition and HSC activation. The metabonomic results showed that DDC-induced bile acid disorders in the liver and serum were reversed after FTA treatment, which may benefit from the activation of the FXR/BSEP axis. In addition, FTA treatment increased the levels of antioxidant enzymes in the serum and liver. Meanwhile, FTA treatment inhibited ROS and MDA levels and cleaved caspase 3 protein expression, thereby reducing DDC-induced hepatic oxidative stress and apoptosis. Further studies showed that the antioxidant effects of FTA were dependent on the activation of the BRG1/NRF2/HO-1 axis. In a word, FTA has a significant hepatoprotective effect on cholestatic liver injury, and can be further developed as a functional food or drug to prevent and treat cholestatic liver injury. [Display omitted] • FTA alleviated hepatic injury, fibrosis, and bile duct hyperplasia in mice. • FTA restored bile acids homeostasis in mice. • FTA relieved hepatic oxidative stress and apoptosis in mice. • FTA activated the FXR/BSEP and BRG1/NRF2/HO-1 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhancement of the fluidity and mechanical performance of grouting materials has proven to be an effective method of seepage prevention in geotechnical engineering. In this research, a microfine-cement-based grout mixed with microfine fly ash (MFA), nano-CaCO3 (NC), and superplasticizer (SP) was designed to improve the rheological and mechanical properties of grouting materials, and the particle size distribution, fluidity, spreading ability, bleed capacity, setting time, and mechanical properties were studied. A water/solid (W/S) ratio of 1.2 was selected, and the contents of MFA, NC, and SP by mass of microfine cement (MC) were 0–40%, 0–2.0%, and 1.5%, respectively. The results showed that MFA and 1.5% SP improved the fluidity and spreading ability of fresh grouts, while prolonging the setting time. The addition of NC can increase the yield stress and plastic viscosity and decrease the fluidity and spreading ability; nevertheless, it obviously enhances the stability and shortens the setting time of grouts. The addition of MFA and 1.5% SP reduced the compressive strength of hardened grouts; however, the addition of NC improved the mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The prevalence rates of HR-SMI and PTSD among refugees fluctuated at a high level during resettlement. • Financial hardship was consistently associated with mental ill-health for both male and female refugees over time. • Time or sex differences were more pronounced for time-varying associations between other SES factors and refugees' mental health. • For male refugees, a current paid job was negatively associated with HR-SMI and PTSD in waves 3–5. • A similar association between a current paid job and HR-SMI among female refugees was only observed in wave 5. Socioeconomic status (SES) is shown to be associated with refugees' mental health, but few studies have considered that these associations may vary over time. This study aimed to examine the dynamic contributions of SES to refugees' mental health during resettlement. We used five waves of data from a cohort study in Australia; 2399 refugees completed the interview in Wave 1, and the remaining waves had 2009, 1894, 1929, and 1881 participants, respectively. SES, high risk of severe mental illness (HR-SMI), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were assessed in each wave. Weighted multilevel regression models were performed, and analyses were stratified by sex. For both sexes, financial hardships were consistently positively associated with HR-SMI and PTSD across all five waves. However, time or sex differences were more pronounced for associations between other SES factors and mental health. For males, there were negative associations of current paid jobs with HR-SMI and PTSD in Waves 3–5. For females, the current paid job was negatively associated with HR-SMI only in Wave 5. Our findings highlight the dynamic associations and sex differences between SES and refugees' mental health. We recommend interventions focusing on increasing employment opportunities, particularly for male refugees in the later resettlement stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore the association of emotional and behavioral problems with sleep disturbance among Chinese adolescents, and to test whether these associations vary with adolescents' academic performance. Data were from the 2021 School-based Chinese Adolescents Health Survey using a multistage, stratified-cluster, and random-sampling method to collect information from 22,684 middle school students in Guangdong Province, China. Emotional problems (aOR = 1.34, 95 % CI = 1.32–1.36), conduct problems (aOR = 1.19, 95 % CI = 1.16–1.21), hyperactivity (aOR = 1.35, 95 % CI = 1.33–1.37), and peer problems (aOR = 1.06, 95 % CI = 1.04–1.09) were significantly associated with the increased risk of sleep disturbance among middle school students in Guangdong Province. The prevalence of sleep disturbance among adolescents was 29.4 %. There were significant interactions of emotional problems/conduct problems/peer problems/prosocial behavior with academic performance on sleep disturbance. Further stratification analyses by academic performance showed that adolescents with self-reported good academic performance had a higher risk of sleep disturbance than those students with self-reported average or poor academic performance. This study only included school students and used the cross-sectional design to preclude causality determination. Our findings suggest that emotional and behavioral problems elevate the risk of sleep disturbance in adolescents. Adolescent academic performance plays a modulating role in these above-mentioned significant associations for sleep disturbance. • Emotional and behavioral problems elevated the risk of sleep disturbance in adolescents. • Adolescent academic performance moderates the associations of the emotional and behavioral problems with sleep disturbance. • Associations in good academic performers were stronger than in corresponding groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), the branch point enzyme controlling the flow of primary metabolism into second metabolism, converts the L-phenylalanine (L-Phe) to yield cinnamic acid. Based on the sequencing data available from eight transcriptome projects, six PAL genes have been screened out, cloned, and designated as CsPALa - CsPALf. The phylogenetic tree showed that Cs PALs were divided into three subgroups, PALa and PALb, PALc and PALd, and PALe and PALf. All six Cs PALs exhibited indiscriminate cytosolic locations in epidermis cells and mesophyll cells. Then, the expression profiles of six PAL genes were qualitatively investigated and they displayed tissue-/induced-expression specificity in several tissues or under different exogenous treatments. Furthermore, in vitro enzymatic assays showed that all six recombinant proteins were characterized by the strict substrate specificity toward L-Phe, but no activity toward L-Tyr, and they displayed subtle differences in kinetics and enzymatic properties. These results indicate that CsPALs play both distinct and overlapping roles in plant growth and responses to environmental cues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical looping provides a novel route to enable efficient hydrogen generation but is limited by lacking highly active and stable oxygen carriers. Here, we proposed the one-dimensional nano-fiber Fe 2 O 3 /ZrO 2 for chemical looping water gas shift to produce hydrogen and studied the size effect on the redox chemistry. The results show that the reactivity and stability of nano-fibers is size dependent. Increasing the size can significantly strengthen the stability albeit reducing the activity. In particular, the nano-fiber with the diameter of ∼99 nm shows both high hydrogen yield (9.07 mmol.g−1) and stable performance over 60 redox cycles at 750 °C. Mechanism study manifests that the small size can enhance the reduction depth in the initial few cycles, leading to high hydrogen production, but at the expense of severe sintering after repetitive cycles. Therefore, the selection of an optimal size (99 nm in diameter) is key to simultaneously ensure high reactivity and stability. We anticipate that the size effect on the redox chemistry will have extensive implications for the development of efficient oxygen carriers. [Display omitted] • Redox performance of nano-fibers is size dependent. • Small size leads to high reduction depth and reversible phase change. • Small size results in severe sintering. • 99 nm is an optimal size to ensure high reactivity and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is challenging to establish single metal atoms with a uniform coordination environment at targeted sites of a zeolite. In this study, single platinum atoms were selectively encaged in the six‐membered rings of sodalite (SOD) cages within Y zeolite using a template‐guiding strategy. During the in situ synthesis process, template molecules were designed to occupy supercages and thereby force coordinated platinum species into SOD cages. Subsequent control of the post‐treatment conditions yielded the Y zeolite with selectively encaged single platinum atoms, denoted Pt@Y‐SOD. The Pt@Y‐SOD catalyst had good stability and excellent catalytic selectivity in the semihydrogenation reaction, and it exhibited interesting thiophene and carbon monoxide resistance in this transformation because interactions with these poisons are weakened by the configuration of the encaged single platinum atoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is challenging to establish single metal atoms with a uniform coordination environment at targeted sites of a zeolite. In this study, single platinum atoms were selectively encaged in the six‐membered rings of sodalite (SOD) cages within Y zeolite using a template‐guiding strategy. During the in situ synthesis process, template molecules were designed to occupy supercages and thereby force coordinated platinum species into SOD cages. Subsequent control of the post‐treatment conditions yielded the Y zeolite with selectively encaged single platinum atoms, denoted Pt@Y‐SOD. The Pt@Y‐SOD catalyst had good stability and excellent catalytic selectivity in the semihydrogenation reaction, and it exhibited interesting thiophene and carbon monoxide resistance in this transformation because interactions with these poisons are weakened by the configuration of the encaged single platinum atoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Visualized fragmentation experiments were carried out by releasing molten lead into subcooled water under different experimental conditions. • Parameter effects on the fragmentation process and debris properties are investigated in detail. • The dominant factors influencing the fragment sphericity and debris porosity are the thermal parameters, namely melt temperature and water subcooling. • Maps of the fragment sphericity and debris porosity are established based on the experimental results. In the present work, to investigate the thermo-hydraulic characteristics of molten lead jet fragmentation in water, visualized fragmentation experiments are carried out by releasing superheated molten lead into subcooled water at different experimental conditions using the VTMCI (Visualized Thermo-hydraulic characteristics in Melt-Coolant Interaction) facility at Sun Yat-Sen University. The parameter effects, such as melt temperature, water subcooling, boiling mode, penetration velocity and water depth, on the fragmentation process and debris properties are analyzed in detail. It is found that the dominant factors influencing the fragment sphericity and debris porosity are the thermal parameters, namely melt temperature and water subcooling. Based on the experimental results, the maps of the fragment sphericity and debris porosity are established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A special issue on "technology-driven logistics and supply chain management for societal impacts" • 14 research studies discussed and categorized under technologies, ESG, and platforms. • A discussion paper is presented based on the studies in the special issues. • Five future directions derived. In recent years, there has been substantial growth in the utilization of technologies within the logistics and transportation industries. This growth has resulted in the emergence of numerous novel and exciting applications, offering researchers valuable opportunities to develop innovative solutions. The field of operations management is well-positioned to contribute significantly to this development and promote socially responsible values. This paper investigates the impact of technology-driven logistics and supply chain management on various aspects of social values, categorized as technologies, platforms, and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations. Additionally, it provides an introduction to the papers featured in this special issue. Lastly, the paper proposes future research directions to further advance the societal impacts of technologies in logistics and transportation applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiac hypertrophy is not only an adaptational state before heart failure but also is an independent risk factor for ischemia, arrhythmia, and sudden death. However, the direct effects of hypercholesterolemia on the myocardium and mechanisms are not completely understood. It has been demonstrated that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor- γ (PPAR γ) ligand agonists attenuate cardiac hypertrophy through anti-inflammatory effects. The present study investigated the effects of PPAR γ agonists on hypercholesterolemia-dependent, renin-angiotensin-system-related cardiac hypertrophy. The findings showed that left ventricular hypertrophy, eminent cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, and lipid deposits in myocardium were observed in the rats fed a cholesterol-rich diet for 6 months, while these characteristic pathological alterations and the increase in angiotensin II (ANG II) level and over-expression of angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) in the left ventricular tissues induced by the cholesterol-rich diet were significantly suppressed to equal extents by rosiglitazone and irbesartan. In contrast, expression of angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2R) was upregulated by these two drugs. In addition, lipid metabolism was markedly improved. The above findings suggest that the cardioprotection of the PPAR γ agonist against cardiac hypertrophy evoked by hypercholesterolemia in rats is mediated partially by the improvement of lipid profile, the reduction of ANG II level in the local tissue along with the downregulation of AT1R expression, and upregulation of AT2R expression. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is fundamentally significant to predict the maximum spreading of liquid droplets impact on textured surfaces. However, relevant work is very limited. Considering the effects of contact line pinning and liquid penetration into textures, a theoretical model to predict the maximum spreading factor on concentric ring-textured surfaces is developed. Validated with numerical simulations conducted by an effective, sharp-interface, continuum level modeling method, this model has shown a good predicting performance. It is demonstrated that in the viscous regime, the viscous dissipation arising from liquid penetration into textures has a considerable effect on the maximum spreading factor, whereas the effects of the contact line pinning and surface energy are negligible. Meanwhile, as viscous dissipation becomes more dominant, the effect of texture gap on maximum spreading is less visible. The phase diagram of the wetting state at maximum spreading is also provided. We indicate that the intermediate wetting state is favorable under small Reynolds number and narrow texture gap, while the partial wetting state is supported under the opposite conditions. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • One-step synthesis of gasoline fuels from γ-valerolactone was achieved. • Cu/HZSM-5 bifunctional catalyst with adjusting acidity and Cu loading content was designed. • The interfacial active sites composed of metallic Cu and proton acid of HZSM-5 determine the catalytic performance. • A spontaneous C O bond breaking path of γ-valerolactone was found. Direct synthesis of transportation liquid fuels from renewable biomass-based resources via γ-valerolactone (GVL) is a highly attractive but challenging target. The current conversion of biomass-derived GVL to liquid fuels suffers from low selectivity or multiple operation steps with high energy consumption. Herein, we reported a simple and efficient way for the high-selective conversion of GVL into gasoline fuels over designed Cu/HZSM-5 bifunctional catalyst in a single fixed-bed reactor. The excellent catalytic performance of 99.9 % conversion of GVL with 85.3 % selectivity to C 5+ hydrocarbons (mainly C 5 -C 12) and good stability were obtained. We demonstrated that the interfacial sites composed of metallic Cu and proton acid of HZSM-5 played a key role in determining the performance via providing a spontaneous C O bond breaking path of GVL, facilitating the formation of pentene intermediate that could be further converted to gasoline fuels through a series of aromatization, alkylation and oligomerization reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study adopts the phase-field method to investigate the dynamics of droplet impact on spherical surfaces at various Reynolds numbers Re and Weber numbers We. Five liquids are studied in the present simulation, which expands the research scope of viscosity (1–970 mPa·s) and surface tension (20–500 mN/m) compared with previous works. The temporal evolution of the spreading factor β and the dimensionless center thickness h * is systematically analyzed. The results indicate that β max ∝ We a suggested by previous works does not apply to viscous fluids. Thus, we adopt the impact factor P = We / Re 0.8, which has been used to study droplet impact on flat surfaces, to decide the dominating force of β max for impact on spheres. We first find that β max ∝ Re b exists in the viscous regime (P > 1), whereas β max ∝ We a mainly exists in the capillary regime (P < 1). Although the fluid properties of incident droplets vary widely, the variation in h * with dimensionless time τ always has three distinct phases. The first phase follows h * = 1- τ , and the second phase basically conforms to h * ∝ τ −1.6. The minimum dimensionless center thickness h * min scales as Re c . Furthermore, the exponents a , b , and c are found to b e strongly related to the diameter ratio of spheres and droplets, and prediction models of the three exponents are proposed. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]