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Single-cell technologies enable researchers to investigate cell functions at an individual cell level and study cellular processes with higher resolution. Several multi-omics single-cell sequencing techniques have been developed to explore various aspects of cellular behavior. Using NEAT-seq as an example, this method simultaneously obtains three kinds of omics data for each cell: gene expression, chromatin accessibility, and protein expression of transcription factors (TFs). Consequently, NEAT-seq offers a more comprehensive understanding of cellular activities in multiple modalities. However, there is a lack of tools available for effectively integrating the three types of omics data. To address this gap, we propose a novel pipeline called MultiSC for the analysis of MULTIomic Single-Cell data. Our pipeline leverages a multimodal constraint autoencoder (single-cell hierarchical constraint autoencoder) to integrate the multi-omics data during the clustering process and a matrix factorization–based model (scMF) to predict target genes regulated by a TF. Moreover, we utilize multivariate linear regression models to predict gene regulatory networks from the multi-omics data. Additional functionalities, including differential expression, mediation analysis, and causal inference, are also incorporated into the MultiSC pipeline. Extensive experiments were conducted to evaluate the performance of MultiSC. The results demonstrate that our pipeline enables researchers to gain a comprehensive view of cell activities and gene regulatory networks by fully leveraging the potential of multiomics single-cell data. By employing MultiSC, researchers can effectively integrate and analyze diverse omics data types, enhancing their understanding of cellular processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomechanical signals, such as strain variations of the skin, vibrations of the chest and throat, as well as motions of the limbs, hold immense significance in healthcare monitoring, disease diagnosis, and human‐machine interface. Examples span from monitoring blood pressure and pulse waves for atherosclerosis diagnosis, to distinguishing between metatarsalgia patients and healthy individuals by tracking their walking postures, and to voiceprint recognition and hearing aid technology based on vibration sensing. Wearable biomechanical sensors play a crucial role in providing valuable insights into one's health condition and physiological features. However, the development of high‐performance sensors capable of prolonged monitoring poses challenges. Traditional batteries have limited lifespan and pose difficulty in replacement. Using self‐powered devices for the measurement of biomechanical signals represents an attractive solution to tackle the issues caused by batteries. This review focuses on the mechanisms of wearable self‐powered biomechanical sensors, and delves into recent advancements in their applications, covering areas of cardiovascular system monitoring, acoustic signals detection, human motion tracking, and many others associated with biomechanics. A concluding section outlines the potential future prospects in this evolving field of materials and biomedical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioartificial livers have showcased significant value in the treatment of acute liver failure (ALF). Current efforts are directed toward overcoming challenges in the development of microcarriers, with a specific emphasis on integrating higher‐density liver cells to enhance detoxification capabilities. Here, inspired by the radial filtration model in hepatic lobules, ion‐specific silk fibroin microcarriers are proposed with biomimetic niches for cultivating functional liver cells at high density. These biomimetic microcarriers are generated by capillary microfluidic device with controllable adjustments of ion type or concentration within the aqueous phase. When cultivating human induced pluripotent stem cell ‐differentiated mature liver cells on these recrystallized microcarriers, notably enhanced cell proliferation activity, as well as increased metabolic and secretory functionality is observed. Based on these features, the microcarrier‐integrated bioreactor can effectively reduce hepatic transaminase levels and significantly improve urea, albumin production, and survival rate in rabbit ALF models is demonstrated. Thus, it is believed that the biomimetic microcarriers and their derived bioreactor may hold potential for clinical applications in managing ALF and other liver diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The safe and stable operation of the transformer is the key to ensure the reliable operation of the power grid. Loose windings will produce a vibration acceleration signal with twice the power supply frequency signal, i.e., 100 Hz, as the main spectral component. The realization of transformer winding vibration acceleration detection can effectively determine the operating status of the transformer winding. In this report, a dual-cantilever beam Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) vibration acceleration sensor for transformer winding with a two-point package structure was designed based on theoretical analysis and finite element simulation of COMSOL Multiphysics software. Through the demodulation of the center wavelength change to achieve the detection of external vibration acceleration and to achieve the vibration acceleration sensitivity of 37.813 pm/g at 100 Hz, linearity up to 99.97%, cross-sensitivity is less than 17.4%. The resonant frequency of the sensor is 134 Hz, and the sensitivity of the vibration acceleration at the resonant frequency point is 425.52 pm/g. The sensor is installed under the transformer to measure the vibration acceleration of the transformer winding. The vibration component under 100 Hz frequency could be obviously captured, and the FFT of the center wavelength captured the amplitude signal to realize the measurement of the vibration acceleration of the transformer winding less than 0.02 g micro-vibration acceleration, which could satisfy the general vibration range of the transformer winding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims To reveal the inhibition mechanism of rose, mustard, and blended essential oils against Cladosporium allicinum isolated from Xinjiang naan, and investigate the effect of the three essential oils on oxidative damage and energy metabolism. Methods and results Rose and mustard essential oils significantly inhibited mycelial growth and spore viability in a dose-dependent relationship. After essential oil treatment, the cell membrane permeability was altered, and significant leakage of intracellular proteins and nucleic acids occurred. SEM observations further confirmed the disruption of cell structure. ROS, MDA, and SOD measurements indicated that essential oil treatment induced a redox imbalance in C. allicinum , leading to cell death. As for energy metabolism, essential oil treatment significantly reduced Na+K+-ATPase, Ca2+Mg2+-ATPase, MDH activity, and CA content, impairing metabolic functions. Finally, storage experiments showed that all three essential oils ensured better preservation of naan, with mustard essential oil having the best antifungal effect. Conclusions Rose and mustard essential oils and their blends can inhibit C. allicinum at multiple targets and pathways, destroying cell morphological structure and disrupting metabolic processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Along the development of ionic porous organic polymers, simple and efficient synthetic methods are actively pursued. Herein, the Debus–Radziszewski reaction is applied to synthesize ionic conjugated microporous polymers (iCMPs) in one step. A series of imidazolium‐linked iCMP‐X (X = 1, 2, 3) are developed for CO2 sorption and in situ conversion with epoxide into cyclic carbonates. The as‐synthesized iCMPs are characterized in detail by scanning electron microscope, solid‐state nuclear magnetic resonance, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction analysis, N2/CO2 sorption, and more. Among all synthesized iCMPs, iCMP‐1 possesses the highest specific surface area and in turn the strongest CO2 sorption capacity. Moreover, through a simple anion ion exchange reaction with halide, iCMP‐1 is transformed to iCMP‐1@Cl that embodies significant catalytic capability for converting CO2 into cyclic carbonates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The depression of pyrite in the flotation separation of molybdenum-sulfur (Mo-S) mixed concentrate has become a significant issue. This study aimed to examine the process of separating molybdenite and pyrite in the presence of sodium humate (NaHA). The results of micro-flotation tests indicated that NaHA exhibited significant pyrite depression capabilities and displayed remarkable selectivity toward both pyrite and molybdenite. Real ore flotation experiments have shown that adding 22.5 mg/L of NaHA to the pulp of Mo-S mixed concentrate at a pH of 6.5, the flotation indexes achieved 46.01% Mo grade and 90.11% Mo recovery. It is noteworthy that the dosage of NaHA was significantly lower compared to the 505 utilized in the mineral processing plant. Contact angle measurements revealed that NaHA effectively increased the surface hydrophilicity of pyrite. Adsorption amount measurements, zeta potential measurements, and Fourier infrared spectroscopic (FT-IR) analysis indicated that the adsorption capacity of NaHA on pyrite was higher than on molybdenite. NaHA had a highly selective inhibitory capacity for Mo-S mixed concentrate and is an ideal separation depressant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defective decidualization of endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) in endometriosis (EM) patients leads to inadequate endometrial receptivity and EM‐associated infertility. Hypoxia is an inevitable pathological process of EM and participates in deficient decidualization of the eutopic secretory endometrium. Enhancer of zeste homology 2 (EZH2) is a methyltransferase which catalyses H3K27Me3, leading to decreased expression levels of target genes. Although EZH2 expression is low under normal decidualization, it is abundantly increased in the eutopic secretory endometrium of EM and is induced by hypoxia. Chromatin immunoprecipitation‐PCR results revealed that decidua marker IGFBP1 is a direct target of EZH2, partially explaining the increased levels of histone methylation modification in defected decidualization of EM. To mechanism controlling this, we examined the effects of hypoxia on EZH2 and decidualization. EZH2 mRNA showed decreased m6A modification and increased expression levels under hypoxia and decidualization combined treatment. Increased EZH2 expression was due to the increased expression of m6A demethylase ALKBH5 and decreased expression of the m6A reader protein YTHDF2. YTHDF2 directly bind to the m6A modification site of EZH2 to promote EZH2 mRNA degradation in ESCs. Moreover, selective Ezh2 depletion in mouse ESCs increased endometrial receptivity and improved mouse fertility by up‐regulating decidua marker IGFBP1 expression. This is the first report showing that YTHDF2 can act as a m6A reader to promote decidualization by decreasing the stability of EZH2 mRNA and further increasing the expression of IGFBP1 in ESCs. Taken together, our findings highlight the critical role of EZH2/H3K27Me3 in decidualization and reveal a novel epigenetic mechanism by which hypoxia can suppress EM decidualization by decreasing the m6A modification of EZH2 mRNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen blending of pulverized coal in boilers is a promising technology. However, there are few studies on hydrogen blending in coal-fired boilers. In order to reduce CO2 emissions from coal-fired boilers, this study investigates the co-combustion of pulverized coal and hydrogen in a swirl pulverized coal burner by numerical simulation. Itis shown that the burnout rate of fuel is 5.08% higher than that of non-hydrogen blended coal when the percentage of hydrogen blended is 5%. The water vapor generated by hydrogen blending not only leads to the formation of a low-temperature zone near the burner outlet; it also results in a prolonged burnout time of moist pulverized coal and a high-temperature zone near the furnace outlet. The greater the amount of hydrogen for blending, the higher the water produced. When 1–3% hydrogen is blended, the water vapor in the furnace reacts with the carbon to produce a large amount of CO. When the amount of hydrogen added to the furnace is more than 3%, the water content in the furnace rises, resulting in a lower temperature at the burner outlet and a decrease in the amount of CO produced. When 1–3% hydrogen is blended, the CO2 emission rises. The CO2 emission decreased by 1.49% for 5% hydrogen blending compared to non-hydrogen blending and by 3.22% compared to 1% hydrogen blending. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hereditary spastic paraplegias (HSP) are neurologic disorders characterized by progressive lower‐extremity spasticity. Despite the identification of several HSP‐related genes, many patients lack a genetic diagnosis. Objectives: The aims were to confirm the pathogenic role of biallelic COQ4 mutations in HSP and elucidate the clinical, genetic, and functional molecular features of COQ4‐associated HSP. Methods: Whole exome sequences of 310 index patients with HSP of unknown cause from three distinct populations were analyzed to identify potential HSP causal genes. Clinical data obtained from patients harboring candidate causal mutations were examined. Functional characterization of COQ4 variants was performed using bioinformatic tools, single‐cell RNA sequencing, biochemical assays in cell lines, primary fibroblasts, induced pluripotent stem cell–derived pyramidal neurons, and zebrafish. Results: Compound heterozygous variants in COQ4, which cosegregated with HSP in pedigrees, were identified in 7 patients from six unrelated families. Patients from four of the six families presented with pure HSP, whereas probands of the other two families exhibited complicated HSP with epilepsy or with cerebellar ataxia. In patient‐derived fibroblasts and COQ4 knockout complementation lines, stable expression of these missense variants exerted loss‐of‐function effects, including mitochondrial reactive oxygen species accumulation, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, and lower ubiquinone biosynthesis. Whereas differentiated pyramidal neurons expressed high COQ4 levels, coq4 knockdown zebrafish displayed severe motor dysfunction, reflecting motor neuron dysregulation. Conclusions: Our study confirms that loss‐of‐function, compound heterozygous, pathogenic COQ4 variants are causal for autosomal recessive pure and complicated HSP. Moreover, reduced COQ4 levels attributable to variants correspond with decreased ubiquinone biosynthesis, impaired mitochondrial function, and higher phenotypic disease severity. © 2023 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Chinese chest pain centers (CPCs) have been expanding and maturing for the past decade, but patient wait times for pre-hospital care remain long. OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate that the remote electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring system can ensure more efficient treatment for patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in CPCs, we compared patients with high-risk chest pain who used remote ECG monitoring systems to those who used conventional ECGs in retrospective cohort study. METHODS: Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 290 patients who visited our CPC between June 2019 and March 2022 with acute chest pain and a diagnosis of STEMI as well as patients who had undergone an emergency primary percutaneous coronary intervention were selected. Among them, 73 patients with STEMI had employed remote real-time dynamic 12-lead ECG monitoring devices, while 217 patients with STEMI (i.e., the controls) had used conventional ECG monitoring. The effectiveness of treatment procedures for the two groups was investigated. As statistical measures, the symptom onset-to-wire times, first medical contact (FMC)-to-wire times, door-to-wire times, major adverse cardiac events in hospital, and the troponin T levels were analyzed. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the patients with remote real-time dynamic 12-lead ECG monitoring devices showed shorter times for both symptom onset-to-wire (234.8 ± 95.8 min vs. 317.6 ± 129.6 min, P = 0.0321) and from symptom onset-to-FMC (170.5 ± 86.3 min vs. 245.3 ± 115.6 min, P = 0.0287); this group also had a lower 30-day mortality rate (2.73% vs. 4.14%, P = 0.003). The differences between the two groups were statistically significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: With remote real-time dynamic 12-lead ECG monitoring equipment, myocardial ischemia can be treated more quickly, leading to fewer possible cardiac events and a better prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, due to the increasing demand for cleaner energy sources, coal bed methane (CBM) has garnered substantial attention for its potential as an efficient energy resource. Extensive research has been conducted to explore various factors integral to the CBM extraction process. However, the roughness of the coal bed fracture system, a crucial conduit for gas transportation, significantly influences its efficacy. Additionally, the roughness of fracture surfaces has been inadequately addressed in the comprehensive analysis of multi-process coupling in CBM mining. Currently, the lack of progress in exploring this topic is that existing studies have neglected the influence of fracture surface roughness and the two distinct timescales in the fracture and coal matrix. In this paper, we propose a new multi-field coupling model that utilizes the finite element method. This model can account for the impact of fracture surface roughness, coupled multi-field effects, gas flow in fractures, and gas diffusion in the coal matrix. This study aims to quantify the relationship between fracture surface roughness, porous media, production parameters, and diffusion times. Existing models lack the capability to quantitatively analyze the extent of fracture roughness. To achieve this, we will apply a quantitative approach that considers the aforementioned factors. The model results demonstrate that the proposed model in this paper performs better than the current classical model in exploring gas flow, fracture surface roughness, and fracture–matrix interactions in porous media. Furthermore, the permeability of the fracture is greatly influenced by the roughness of its surface. A smoother fracture surface results in higher permeability. The interdisciplinary model introduced in this study is versatile, making it applicable to CBM mining projects under diverse geological conditions. Interested practitioners and readers can easily modify the initial values of boundary conditions in the finite element simulation. This adjustment facilitates a comprehensive analysis of both fracture roughness and the gas production rate of the project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the age of big data, recipe recommendation is of great significance. It can recommend recipes in line with the user's eating habits in massive data. Compared with other recommendation tasks, recipe recommendation is influenced by multiple aspects and requires fine-grained learning to obtain entity representations. Therefore, the traditional recommendation method cannot meet people's requirements. In this paper, we propose the Collaborative Knowledge Propagation Graph Attention Network for Recipes Recommendation (CGRS). This method designs collaborative information propagation to make full use of user interaction and recipe attribute information to meet the needs of multiple influencing factors. Use the graph attention feature learning network to obtain the high-order feature information of the entity to meet the demand for fine-grained representation. Specifically, the method first obtains the multi-hop triplet sets of users and recipes through a collaborative message propagation strategy. Then utilises a graph attention feature learning layer to learn the topological proximity structure features of the triplet sets. Obtain high-level semantic information of entities by superimposing network layers. Design an attention aggregator at the prediction layer to refine the embedding representation of entities. Finally predict the user-recipe interaction probability. Experimental results prove the advancement and effectiveness of CGRS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Inverted papilloma (IP) is a sinonasal tumor with a well‐known potential for malignant transformation. The role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in its pathogenesis has been controversial. The purpose of this study was to determine the virome associated with IP, with progression to carcinoma in situ (CIS), and invasive carcinoma. Methods: To determine the HPV‐specific types, a metagenomics assay that contains 62,886 probes targeting viral genomes in a microarray format was used. The platform screens DNA and RNA from fixed tissues from eight controls, 16 IP without dysplasia, five IP with CIS, and 13 IP‐associated squamous cell carcinoma (IPSCC). Paired with next‐generation sequencing, 48 types of HPV with 857 region‐specific probes were interrogated against the tumors. Results: The prevalence of HPV‐16 was 14%, 42%, 70%, and 73% in control tissue, IP without dysplasia, IP with CIS, and IPSCC, respectively. The prevalence of HPV‐18 had a similar progressive increase in prevalence, with 14%, 27%, 67%, and 74%, respectively. The assay allowed region‐specific analysis, which identified the only oncogenic HPV‐18 E6 to be statistically significant when compared with control tissue. The prevalence of HPV‐18 E6 was 0% in control tissue, 25% in IP without dysplasia, 60% in IP with CIS, and 77% in IPSCC. Conclusions: There are over 200 HPV types that infect human epithelial cells, of which only a few are known to be high‐risk. Our study demonstrated a trend of increasing prevalence of HPV‐18 E6 that correlated with histologic severity, which is novel and supports a potential role for HPV in the pathogenesis of IP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quasi-monolithic interferometers play a crucial role in high-precision measurement experiments, including gravitational wave detection, inertial sensing, vibrometry, and seismology. Achieving high stability and accuracy in such interferometers requires a method for bonding the optical components to a baseplate. While optical contact bonding and silicate bonding are common methods, UV adhesives offer advantages such as controlled curing and low geometrical requirements for optical components and baseplates. This paper presents a detailed construction method for a quasi-monolithic compact interferometer based on UV-adhesive bonding. We built two types of interferometers using this method: a 100 × 100 × 20 mm3 Mach–Zender homodyne interferometer with unequal arm lengths of about 100 mm for laser frequency noise monitoring and a heterodyne interferometer as a displacement sensing head, sizing 20 × 30 × 20 mm3. Our Mach–Zender interferometer achieved a phase noise level of 2 μ r a d H z at 1 Hz and an equivalent laser frequency noise monitoring sensitivity of about 1 k H z / H z at 1 Hz. The compact heterodyne interferometer sensing head showed a sensitivity level of 1 p m / H z in translation and 0.2 n r a d / H z in two tilts above 0.4 Hz. Our tests demonstrate that quasi-monolithic compact interferometers based on UV-adhesive bonding can achieve high sensitivity levels at the pico-meter and nano-radian scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To meet the growing needs of public safety and sustainable development, it is highly desirable to develop flame-retardant polymer materials using a facile and low-cost method. Although conventional solution chemical synthesis has proven to be an efficient way of developing flame retardants, it often requires organic solvents and a complicated separation process. In this review, we summarize the progress made in utilizing simple ball milling (an important type of mechanochemical approach) to fabricate flame retardants and flame-retardant polymer composites. To elaborate, we first present a basic introduction to ball milling, and its crushing, exfoliating, modifying, and reacting actions, as used in the development of high-performance flame retardants. Then, we report the mixing action of ball milling, as used in the preparation of flame-retardant polymer composites, especially in the formation of multifunctional segregated structures. Hopefully, this review will provide a reference for the study of developing flame-retardant polymer materials in a facile and feasible way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving the fireproof performance of polymers is crucial for ensuring human safety and enabling future space colonization. However, the complexity of the mechanisms for flame retardant and the need for customized material design pose significant challenges. To address these issues, we propose a machine learning (ML) framework based on substructure fingerprinting and self-enforcing deep neural networks (SDNN) to predict the fireproof performance of flame-retardant epoxy resins. Our model is based on a comprehensive understanding of the physical mechanisms of materials and can predict fireproof performance and eliminate the needs for properties descriptors, making it more convenient than previous ML models. With a dataset of only 163 samples, our SDNN models show an average prediction error of 3% for the limited oxygen index (LOI). They also provide satisfactory predictions for the peak of heat release rate PHR and total heat release (THR), with coefficient of determination (R2) values of 0.87 and 0.85, respectively, and average prediction errors less than 17%. Our model outperforms the support vector model SVM for all three indices, making it a state-of-the-art study in the field of flame retardancy. We believe that our framework will be a valuable tool for the design and virtual screening of flame retardants and will contribute to the development of safer and more efficient polymer materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrating authentic research practices into introductory laboratory courses to prepare tomorrow's scientists has become increasingly prevalent over the past decade. However, an incomplete understanding of the nature of science (NOS) and authentic scientific inquiry (SI) precludes higher-level learning in undergraduate research experiences. In this article, we discuss a concise, low-cost, low-maintenance, hands-on activity--What's in the Box (WiB)--which is suitable for largeenrollment science courses at both the secondary and postsecondary levels and can help develop students' understanding of NOS and authentic SI. Analyses of the postlab reflective writing assignment showed a substantial increase in the students' appreciation for NOS and SI tenets; the top two NOS tenets were that scientific ideas are subject to change and that science demands evidence, identified in 20% and 18% of the reflective writings, respectively. The most appreciated authentic SI tenets were that SI is complex and iterative (reported in up to 32% of the reflective writings) and SI involves observation and exploration (reported in up to 12% of the reflective writings). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additive manufacturing is a promising technology that can directly fabricate structures with complex internal geometries, which is barely achieved by traditional manufacturing. However, the mechanical properties of fused deposition modeling (FDM)‐printed objects are inferior to those of conventionally manufactured products. To improve the mechanical properties of the printed products, a series of novel thermoplastic polyurethanes with self‐healing properties, intrinsic photothermal effects, and excellent printability are designed and synthesized by introducing dynamic oxime–carbamate bonds and hydrogen bonds into the polymer chains. On‐demand introduction of near‐infrared (NIR) irradiation, direct heating, and sunlight irradiation enhances interfacial bonding strength and thus improve the mechanical properties of the printed product. Additionally, mechanical anisotropy of the printed products can be sophistically manipulated by regulating the self‐healing conditions. Support‐free printing and healing of damaged printed products are also achieved owing to the self‐healing properties of the material. Moreover, the as‐prepared materials exhibit shape‐memory properties NIR irradiation or direct heating effectively triggers shape‐memory recovery and demonstrates their potential in 4D printing by printing a man‐like robot. This study not only provides a facile strategy for obtaining high‐performance printed products but also broadens the potential applications of FDM technology in intelligent devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tensile properties and microstructures of ZL114A alloy component with a complex shape are investigated at room temperature and 200°C, using the tensile tests, scanning electron microscopy and electron backscattering diffraction. Both thin wall and thick structure exhibit excellent properties, of which max ultimate tensile strength and elongation at break reach 314 MPa and 2.5% at room temperature, respectively. The ultimate tensile strengths of thin wall are 40 MPa and 25 MPa greater than those of thick structure at room temperature and 200°C, respectively. Moreover, the eutectic Si phases of thin wall exhibit a predominantly spherical morphology while of the morphology of thick structure are rod-like, resulting in the different mechanical properties between thin wall and thick structure. The fracture morphologies of thin wall and thick structure are studied to explain the difference in performance between thin wall and thick structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Reactivation of Epstein Barr virus (EBV) leads to modulation of the viral and cellular epitranscriptome. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification is a type of RNA modification that regulates metabolism of mRNAs. Previous reports demonstrated that m6A modification affects the stability and metabolism of EBV encoded mRNAs. However, the effect of reactivation on reprograming of the cellular mRNAs, and how this contributes to successful induction of lytic reactivation is not known. Methods: Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeRIP-seq), transcriptomic RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and RNA pull-down PCR were used to screen and validate differentially methylated targets. Western blotting, quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) and immunocytochemistry were used to investigate the expression and localization of different proteins. RNA stability and polysome analysis assays were used to detect the half-lives and translation efficiencies of downstream genes. Insertion of point mutation to disrupt the m6A methylation sites was used to verify the effect of m6A methylation on its stability and expression levels. Results: We report that during EBV reactivation the m6A eraser ALKBH5 is significantly downregulated leading to enhanced methylation of the cellular transcripts DTX4 and TYK2, that results in degradation of TYK2 mRNAs and higher efficiency of translation of DTX4 mRNAs. This resulted in attenuation of IFN signaling that promoted progression of viral lytic replication. Furthermore, inhibition of m6A methylation of these transcripts led to increased production of IFN, and a substantial reduction in viral copy number, which suggests abrogation of lytic viral replication. Conclusion: Our findings illuminate the significance of m6A modification in overcoming the innate immune response during EBV reactivation. We now report that during lytic reactivation EBV targets the RNA methylation system of the host to attenuate the innate immune response by suppressing the interferon signaling which facilitates successful lytic replication of the virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of the pivotal point of Marchantia polymorpha (M. polymorpha) in plant evolution, its auxin (mainly indole-3-acetic acid, IAA) levels could provide useful evidence for the study of the evolution of IAA. However, M. polymorpha could not be easily pretreated for electrochemical detection because they are at the entry level of land plants. Herein, we designed a three-dimensional (3D)-printed analytical device for seamless integration of sample treatment and electrochemical detection. Specifically, the electrochemical cell could be used as a mortar in which a tiny plant sample could be ground with a 3D-printed pestle, followed by mixing with the buffer solution under vibration for electrochemical detection of IAA with a disposable working electrode at the bottom of the cell. Using our strategy, the limits of quantification could reach 0.05 μmol L−1 after optimization of parameters. We were able to demonstrate that IAA in different tissues of wild-type and mutant M. polymorpha could be successfully differentiated after they were treated with the 3D-printed analytical device. The obtained results were comparable to the samples blended with zirconium beads while the differences of IAA levels in different tissues of M. polymorpha agreed well with previous reports. This study suggested the potential of sample treatment integrated with electrochemical detection for analysis of IAA using the 3D printing techniques and their possible applications in the research of plants and other fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the age of big data, recipe recommendation is of great significance. It can recommend recipes in line with the user's eating habits in massive data. Compared with other recommendation tasks, recipe recommendation is influenced by multiple aspects and requires fine-grained learning to obtain entity representations. Therefore, the traditional recommendation method cannot meet people's requirements. In this paper, we propose the Collaborative Knowledge Propagation Graph Attention Network for Recipes Recommendation (CGRS). This method designs collaborative information propagation to make full use of user interaction and recipe attribute information to meet the needs of multiple influencing factors. Use the graph attention feature learning network to obtain the high-order feature information of the entity to meet the demand for fine-grained representation. Specifically, the method first obtains the multi-hop triplet sets of users and recipes through a collaborative message propagation strategy. Then utilises a graph attention feature learning layer to learn the topological proximity structure features of the triplet sets. Obtain high-level semantic information of entities by superimposing network layers. Design an attention aggregator at the prediction layer to refine the embedding representation of entities. Finally predict the user-recipe interaction probability. Experimental results prove the advancement and effectiveness of CGRS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Latest published information is limited on agronomic responses of winter wheat to irrigation quantity and the necessity of irrigation at the anthesis stage. This study was conducted to (1) evaluate winter wheat yield, water use, assimilate redistribution and economic benefit with respect to water input and (2) quantify relationship between water input and yield to develop a standard for withholding irrigation at anthesis. A 4‐year long field experiment was conducted to evaluate winter wheat water use, yield formation pathway and farmers' income under three irrigation regimes: rainfed, irrigation at sowing and jointing (SJ‐W) and irrigation at sowing, jointing and anthesis (SJA‐W). The yield formation pathway was correlated with the water‐induced variation in assimilate redistribution and accumulation. Throughout the experimental period, wheat yield was 19–38% lower in rainfed than that under other irrigation treatments. Moreover, SJ‐W treatment substantially increased biomass accumulation at anthesis, accelerated assimilate redistribution in vegetative organs and eventually resulted in a similar wheat yield to that of SJA‐W. Simultaneously, the SJ‐W treatment had lower irrigation water, reduced additional irrigation cost, suppressed yield loss and obtained a similar farmer's net income to the SJA‐W treatment. Water‐induced variations in yield were determined by irrigation, rainfall and soil water storage. SJ‐W plots receiving 204–331 mm water input (rainfall + irrigation) before anthesis and holding 549–587 mm soil water during anthesis stage achieved higher irrigation water use efficiency and yield relative to the rainfed and SJA‐W plots. In contrast, water input under rainfed plots exceeded 200 mm before anthesis, limiting yield substantially even when seasonal soil water consumption exceeded 160 mm. Developing a standard for withholding irrigation at the anthesis stage should incorporate 204–331 mm of water input (rainfall + irrigation) before anthesis and 549–587 mm soil water storage at anthesis, which could achieve a high wheat yield and save water resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine organisms provide novel and broad sources for the preparations and applications of biomaterials. Since the urgent requirement of bio‐hydrogels to mimic tissue extracellular matrix (ECM), the natural biomacromolecule hydrogels derived from marine sources have received increasing attention. Benefiting from their outstanding bioactivity and biocompatibility, many attempts have been made to reconstruct ECM components by applying marine‐derived natural hydrogels. Moreover, marine hydrogels have been successfully applied in biomedicine by means of microfluidics, electrospray, and bioprinting. In this review, the classification and characteristics of marine‐derived hydrogels are summarized. In particular, their role in the development of biomaterials is also introduced. Then, the recent advances in bio‐fabrication strategies for various hydrogel materials are focused upon. Besides, the influences of hydrogel types on their functions in biomedical applications are discussed in depth. Finally, critical reflections on the limitations and future development of marine‐derived hydrogels are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium-ion batteries are increasingly employed for energy storage systems, yet their applications still face thermal instability and safety issues. This study aims to develop an efficient liquid-based thermal management system that optimizes heat transfer and minimizes system consumption under different operating conditions. A thermal-fluidic model which incorporates fifty-two 280 Ah batteries and a baffled cold plate is established. The reliability of battery heat generation is confirmed experimentally, with a maximum deviation of 14.8 %. Then, comparative studies are performed to evaluate the impacts of cold plate structure and attachment on thermal management performance. Results found that while side-attachment shows better heat transfer, bottom-attachment coupled with a baffled cold plate reduces the temperature gradient and power consumption at both cooling and preheating scenarios. Furthermore, the effects of flow rate and inlet temperature are studied systematically, and a decision making method is utilized to assist in multi-attribute optimization. Finally, a surrogate model is proposed to unveil the collaborative effects between these factors. Based on this, an optimal thermal management strategy with controllable flow rate and inlet temperature is obtained according to ambient temperatures. The proposed framework provides a feasible approach to improve the design and control of liquid-based battery thermal management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boiling heat transfer has become increasingly importance in a variety of industrial fields, but it involves chaotic nature phenomena that remain experimentally challenging. From the perspective of nucleation, bubble embryos emerge at the early stage on extremely small time and length scales. Therefore, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation is a popular and useful tool to uncover the distinctive boiling mechanisms at microscale. Recently, such method has yielded meaningful achievements, but there is still elusive on the current status and bottlenecks behind complex boiling processes. In this work, the state-of-the-art studies on bubble nucleation and boiling heat transfer that covers 129 papers up to 2024 have been comprehensively reviewed. Meanwhile, fundamental concepts of MD are briefly introduced, including MD principles, force fields, and determination of nucleation-related parameters. In contrast to microscopic boiling, bubble nucleation stems from the competition between potential and kinetic energies on micro/nano scale. Then, the key factors such as interfacial wettability and mixture component are thoroughly elucidated for bubble nucleation. In addition, both passive and active techniques are systematically discussed to unveil the underlaying mechanisms for boiling heat transfer enhancement. Finally, the ongoing trials needed for MD simulation are identified, together with an outlook for how to address these challenges. This review aims to offer an up-to-date summary of boiling mechanisms and draw more attention to the development of advanced MD techniques. [Display omitted] • A review of emerging molecular dynamics simulation on bubble nucleation and boiling heat transfer is presented. • Molecular dynamics simulation generates bubble nucleation spontaneously with no assumption and numerical artifacts. • The mechanism, enhancement methods and future insights of microscale boiling are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new organic-inorganic biomass composite aerogel was prepared by freeze-drying method with glucomannan, hydrophilic isocyanate, water-soluble flame retardant, and water glass as raw materials. Biomass Konjac glucose mannan (KGM) was used as the main network framework, KGM was chemically cross-linked and alkali-cross-linked with hydrophilic isocyanate and Na 2 SiO 3 solution, and flame retardant modified with water-soluble flame retardant and water glass. The microstructure showed an obvious organic-inorganic interpenetrating network structure. The compressive strength of sample K2S4P2 was 4.751 ± 0.089 MPa, and the compression modulus of sample K2S4P1B modified by boric acid hydrolysis of Na 2 SiO 3 was 63.76 ± 1.81 × 103 m2/s2. The introduction of boron ions contributes to the thermal stability of organic components. The peak and total heat release rates of sample K2S4P1A4 decreased by 80.3 % and 50.8 %, respectively. In addition, the thermal simulation calculation of the external wall in winter and summer using ANSYS software showed that the thickness of the insulation layer with the best insulation effect is 40–60 mm. The organic-inorganic composite aerogel provides a simple and environmentally friendly method for the application of external wall insulation systems in low-energy buildings with both mechanical properties and flame retardant properties. • A simple preparation method of organic-inorganic in-situ composite aerogel. • Preparation of biomass-based composite aerogel with water as dispersing medium. • Sodium silicate and water-soluble flame retardant modified to V-0 grade. • The optimal thickness of external wall insulation aerogels was 40–60 mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The two minerals were separated through alkali etching on the surface of lepidolite and feldspar, in conjunction with metal ion activation flotation. The activation of calcium (Ca2+) ion, magnesium (Mg2+) ion, copper (Cu2+) ion, and ferric (Fe3+) ion under alkali and non-alkali corrosion conditions was investigated, respectively. Micro-flotation experiments demonstrate that Ca2+ and Mg2+ can selectively recover lepidolite but not feldspar when the pH is above 6.5 during alkali etching. The activation of Cu2+ and Fe3+ flotation is not selective and can activate lepidolite and feldspar to some extent, irrespective of alkali etching. Through the valence bond theory, the selectivity of lepidolite and feldspar to dissolve and break bonds under alkali etching in a solution system was calculated. The adsorption differences and mechanisms of four types of metal ions were analyzed using solution chemistry, particle size analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) detections. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Vibration-induced phase change dynamics of R1336mzz(Z) nanofilm are studied. • Phase change mode depends on vibrational amplitude and frequency parameters. • Film boiling and cavitation are identified through the predominant mechanism of thermal momentum and mechanism tensioning. • Interfacial wettability affects the heat transfer rate and potential barrier for bubble nucleation. Vibration-induced evaporation and boiling has attracted great attention due to its prominent efficiency. However, the understanding of low-boiling-point refrigerant phase change on various vibration and wettability conditions remains to be investigated. In this study, molecular dynamics simulations are performed to explore the vibration-induced phase change performance of R1336mzz(Z) nanofilm over a copper substrate. Results found that the phase change mode of R1336mzz(Z) nanofilm can be divided into diffusive evaporation, nucleate boiling, and film boiling/cavitation. For one thing, the residual ratio of R1336mzz(Z) molecules lies on the vibrational amplitude (A) and frequency (f), with a linear relation to Af 3/2 when Af 3/2 is less than 150. For another, the molecular motion is originated from joint action of thermal momentum and mechanical tensioning, leading to film boiling or cavitation by tunning the predominant mechanism. In addition, the impacts of interfacial wettability on vibration-induced phase change are discussed in terms of the heat transfer ability and potential barrier for bubble nucleation. Results reveal that hydrophilic surface causes strong attraction at near-wall region to increase heat transfer, while hydrophobic surface shows weak potential barrier, which promotes the occurrence of bubble nucleation. These findings deliver insights to broad the use of high-frequency vibration in industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spontaneous resolution leading to conglomerate crystals remains a significant challenge. Here we propose the formation of orthogonal homochiral supramolecular helices in at least two dimensions to allow spontaneous resolution. We suggest the design rationale that the chiral species is made into helical building blocks to allow the helix formation. As a proof‐of‐concept, acetylalanine was made into a helical short azapeptide, its N‐amidothiourea derivative containing a β‐turn structure, to which a halogen atom was further introduced at the phenylthiourea aromatic ring. The resultant folded species undergoes both intermolecular hydrogen and halogen bonding across the turn structure to form orthogonal intermolecular hydrogen‐bonded and halogen‐bonded supramolecular helices in two dimensions, and undergoes chiral resolution upon crystallization. Meanwhile, counterparts containing either an F‐substituent with weak halogen bonding or no halogen atom crystallize as racemic compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spontaneous resolution leading to conglomerate crystals remains a significant challenge. Here we propose the formation of orthogonal homochiral supramolecular helices in at least two dimensions to allow spontaneous resolution. We suggest the design rationale that the chiral species is made into helical building blocks to allow the helix formation. As a proof‐of‐concept, acetylalanine was made into a helical short azapeptide, its N‐amidothiourea derivative containing a β‐turn structure, to which a halogen atom was further introduced at the phenylthiourea aromatic ring. The resultant folded species undergoes both intermolecular hydrogen and halogen bonding across the turn structure to form orthogonal intermolecular hydrogen‐bonded and halogen‐bonded supramolecular helices in two dimensions, and undergoes chiral resolution upon crystallization. Meanwhile, counterparts containing either an F‐substituent with weak halogen bonding or no halogen atom crystallize as racemic compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Broadband surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates can achieve strong SERS enhancement at multiple excitation wavelengths, which is highly desirable in diverse fields. Here, a facile and reliable interfacial layer-by-layer self-assembly technique was proposed to construct broadband and sensitive Au@Ag nanorod (NR) monolayer film over nanosphere (MFON) substrate. The Au@Ag NR MFON substrate with ultra-broad spectrum from visible to near-infrared region was achieved by varying the shape of plasmonic nanoparticles, which exhibits excellent SERS activity at different excitation wavelengths. Besides, the size of Au@Ag NRs and polystyrene spheres, and the layer numbers of Au@Ag NR film were altered to optimize the sensitivity of SERS substrates. Notably, the SERS intensity of the optimally designed Au@Ag NR MFON substrate is 25-fold larger than that of Au@Ag NR monolayer film deposition on the plane Si wafer. Furthermore, the optimal Au@Ag NR MFON substrate presents excellent reproducibility and a much wider quantitative detection range, which enables a wide-linear-range analysis of thiram in grape juice by a portable Raman spectrometer. Therefore, we envision that this study opens a new avenue toward the design of ultra-sensitive and broadband SERS platforms with widespread applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin flap transplantations are common methods for covering and repairing tissue defects in surgery, while the survival rates of these skin flaps are still low due to the vascular crisis and necrosis. To improve this situation, herein a novel biohybrid scaffold is proposed by integrating the advantages of anisotropic fish scales and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for skin flap regeneration. The fish scale scaffold is obtained through its decellularization and decalcification processes, which reserved intact collagen, glycosaminoglycan, and other endogenous growth factors for MSCs and human vascular endothelial cells proliferation. As the scaffold maintains intrinsic anisotropic structures on both surfaces, the proliferative cells can be elongated along the aligned structures on the fish scale, which endow them the capacity to differentiate into multiple directions. Based on these features, it is demonstrated from an in vivo experiment that the MSCs‐loading fish scale scaffolds can effectively convert the activated inflammatory macrophages into anti‐inflammatory properties, reduce the inflammation around the flap, and improve the survival rate. These results indicate that the MSCs‐loading fish scale scaffold is suitable and has the potential for skin flap regeneration and functional recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complex morphological structure of Aspergillus niger influences its production of proteins, metabolites, etc., making the genetic manipulation and clonal purification of this species increasingly difficult, especially in aconidial Aspergillus niger. In this study, we found that N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc) could induce the formation of spore-like propagules in the aconidial Aspergillus niger SH2 strain. The spore-like propagules possessed life activities such as drug resistance, genetic transformation, and germination. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that the spore-like propagules were resting conidia entering dormancy and becoming more tolerant to environmental stresses. The Dac1 gene and the metabolic pathway of GlcNAc converted to glycolysis are related to the formation of the spore-like propagules, as evidenced by the CRISPRi system, qPCR, and semi-quantitative RT-PCR. Moreover, a method based on the CRISPR-Cas9 tool to rapidly recycle screening tags and recover genes was suitable for Aspergillus niger SH2. To sum up, this suggests that the spore-like propagules are resting conidia and the mechanism of their formation is the metabolic pathway of GlcNAc converted to glycolysis, particularly the Dac1 gene. This study can improve our understanding of the critical factors involved in mechanisms of phenotypic change and provides a good model for researching phenotypic change in filamentous fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glucoamylase has a wide range of applications in the production of glucose, antibiotics, amino acids, and other fermentation industries. Fungal glucoamylase, in particular, has attracted much attention because of its wide application in different industries, among which Aspergillus niger is the most popular strain producing glucoamylase. The low availability of NADPH was found to be one of the limiting factors for the overproduction of glucoamylase. In this study, 3 NADH kinases (AN03, AN14 , and AN17) and malic enzyme (maeA) were overexpressed in aconidial A. niger by CRISPR/Cas9 technology, significantly increasing the size of the NADPH pool, resulting in the activity of glucoamylase was improved by about 70%, 50%, 90%, and 70%, respectively; the total secreted protein was increased by about 25%, 22%, 52%, and 26%, respectively. Furthermore, the combination of the mitochondrial NADH kinase (AN17) and the malic enzyme (maeA) increased glucoamylase activity by a further 19%. This study provided an effective strategy for enhancing glucoamylase production of A. niger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemotherapy is one of the main therapeutic methods for tumor treatment. However, improving the accuracy of personalized medication for chemotherapy remains challenging. In this study, we developed a novel microfluidic chip that features herringbone protrusions and three-dimensional (3D) microcolumn holes created from microcolumn arrays. This design allows for precise control over the size and number of 3D tumor cell spheroids. As tumor cells aggregate into clusters within the chip, an integrated microfluidic mixer enhances liquid mixing and improves contact between the spheroids and the culture medium, promoting their growth. By combining this 3D spheroid approach with a concentration gradient mixer, we effectively conducted dynamic and high-throughput evaluations of anti-tumor drugs. The chip successfully identified varying sensitivities of tumor cells from different patients to these drugs, aligning with clinical observations from postoperative follow-ups. These features indicated that the tumor cell spheroid integrated microfluidic chip is effective for drug evaluation methodologies and holds promising implications for clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early-stage liver fibrosis can be reversed; however, the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. The intestinal tract hosts a substantial and diverse microbiota involved in various physiological activities and is closely linked to chronic liver disease. Previous studies have indicated that ursolic acid (UA), derived from herbal plants, possesses anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic properties; however, its precise mechanism remains to be elucidated. Consequently, liver fibrosis models were constructed utilizing both the methionine/choline deficieny (MCD) diet and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) intraperitoneal injections. 16S rRNA was conducted to analyze the intestinal microbiota. Results indicated that UA attenuated liver injury and fibrosis, reduced indices related to liver fibrosis, and decreased the expression levels of NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2) and NOD like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3). Hepatic fibrosis was alleviated in post-model NOX2 and NLRP3 gene knockout (NOX2−/− and NLRP3−/−) mice in comparison to post-model wild-type (WT) mice. Nonetheless, neither UA treatment nor control treatment significantly improved liver fibrosis in comparison to post-model knockout mice. Furthermore, the liver of NOX2−/− mice exhibited lower levels of NLRP3 expression. Importantly, knockout mice displayed a higher diversity of intestinal microbiota, characterized by an increased presence of beneficial bacteria and a reduced presence of harmful bacteria compared to WT mice. In conclusion, UA exerts antifibrotic effects through the inhibition of the NOX2/NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway. UA has the potential to reverse liver fibrosis by modulating this signaling pathway, thereby enhancing the gut microbiota. • UA attenuated liver injury, fibrosis, and decreased NOX2 and NLRP3 in MCD and CCl4 models. • Liver fibrosis was less in NOX2−/− and NLRP3−/− mice compared to wild-type mice. • NLRP3−/− did not affect NOX2 expression, showing NOX2 is upstream of NLRP3. • NOX2−/− and NLRP3−/− mice had more diverse gut microbiota with more beneficial and fewer harmful bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the current miniaturization and cost reduction trend, many small imaging satellites are deployed in low Earth orbit (LEO). Efficient scheduling of transmission links is crucial for handling the large volume of imaging data in the time-varying inter-satellite broadband communication networks. This ensures optimal utilization of inter-satellite link resources and gives rise to a novel problem known as the L arge-volume LEO satellite I maging D ata N etworked T ransmission S cheduling P roblem (LLSIDNTSP). This problem requires the integrity of the imaging data received on the ground station. A S pecific T ime- E volving G raph (STEG) model is introduced to formulate this problem, while a highly effective S equential T wo- P hased H euristic A lgorithm (STPHA) is proposed to solve it. STPHA determines an optimized C ontact P lan (CP) with a C ontact- F ast C onstruction A lgorithm (CFCA) in the first phase. With this CP as input, it produces an optimal transmission schedule with Linear Programming in the second phase. The CFCA incorporates a novel heuristic called M ission R esidual V olume F actor(MRVF), which guides the selection of a proper inter-satellite and satellite-to-ground link at each construction step. Extensive simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed STPHA. In particular, it can achieve the optimal solution for small-sized scenarios with one-hundredth of the computing time used by the exact solver CPLEX. Also, it is consistently better than other heuristic algorithms adapted from the literature for large-sized scenarios. Additional experimental analysis is conducted to showcase the effectiveness of the innovative components of STPHA. • We study a new satellite imaging data transmission scheduling problem (LLSIDNTSP). • A Specific Time-Evolving Graph (STEG) model is proposed to formulate the LLSIDNTSP. • A Sequential Two-Phased Heuristic Algorithm(STPHA) is proposed to solve the problem. • Extensive experimental results demonstrate high efficiency of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Electrochemical and thermal inconsistencies of energy storage battery are unveiled using three-dimensional coupling model. • Full-size coupled model performs better than lumped model in describing thermal inconsistency. • An electro-thermal-fluidic model is developed to assess three cooling strategies at battery module-level. Energy storage batteries have emerged a promising option to satisfy the ever-growing demand of intermittent sources. However, their wider adoption is still impeded by thermal-related issues. To understand the intrinsic characteristics of a prismatic 280 Ah energy storage battery, a three-dimensional electrochemical-thermal coupled model is developed and experimentally verified. The purpose of this study is to explore the physiochemical and thermal behaviors of battery under different operational scenarios. Since electrochemical reactions show inhomogeneous distribution, the maximum heat generation and temperature position move from tab-near region towards central region during the discharge process. When the ambient temperature declines from 25 to 5 °C, total heat generation shows an increment ratio of 36.9 % because of the increase in ionic transport resistance and polarization effect. Additionally, five electrochemical-thermal coupled models that incorporate different levels of simplification are comprehensively discussed. In contrast to lumped model, full-size coupled model demonstrates superior prediction accuracy in describing temperature inconsistency. Furthermore, an electro-thermal-fluidic model is established to evaluate the efficacy of three cooling strategies at battery module level. Results reveal that the indirect liquid cooling provides a higher heat transfer efficiency than air cooling and immersion cooling, but adds 16.3 % to the weight of battery module. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How to efficiently extract lithium resources from raw ore plays an important role in promoting the development of new energy fields dominated by lithium. Therefore, this paper proposes a co-flotation process for lepidolite and spodumene. The process involves synergistic alkaline corrosion treatment synergistic with magnesium (Mg2+) ion activation. Micro-flotation experiments had proven the high efficiency of the process for recovering the two main lithium-containing minerals in this paper. Alkaline corrosion and Mg2+ synergistic action could effectively promote the adsorption of the collectors on the mineral surface using adsorption capacity detection, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy detections, and zeta potential measurement. At the same time, there were adsorption differences between the two minerals under different treatment conditions. Additionally, the influence of alkali corrosion conditions on the morphology of the two minerals, the flocculation state after synergistic activation, and the mechanism and difference of adsorption morphology were explored through particle size analysis, scanning electron microscope measurements, energy dispersive spectrometer detection, and atomic force microscope detection. [Display omitted] • The alkaline corrosion recovery technology of lepidolite and spodumene was proposed firstly. • Innovation of activation technology of difficult to recover lepidolite. • The activation mechanism of alkali corrosion treatment synergistic Mg2+ was studied and compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human protein kinases, the key players in phosphoryl signal transduction, have been actively investigated as drug targets for complex diseases such as cancer, immune disorders, and Alzheimer's disease, with more than 60 successful drugs developed in the past 30 years. However, many of these single-kinase inhibitors show low efficacy and drug resistance has become an issue. Owing to the occurrence of highly conserved catalytic sites and shared signaling pathways within a kinase family, multi-target kinase inhibitors have attracted attention. Results: To design and identify such pan-kinase family inhibitors (PKFIs), we proposed PKFI sets for eight families using 200,000 experimental bioactivity data points and applied a graph convolutional network (GCN) to build classification models. Furthermore, we identified and extracted family-sensitive (only present in a family) pre-moieties (parts of complete moieties) by utilizing a visualized explanation (i.e., where the model focuses on each input) method for deep learning, gradient-weighted class activation mapping (Grad-CAM). Conclusions: This study is the first to propose the PKFI sets, and our results point out and validate the power of GCN models in understanding the pre-moieties of PKFIs within and across different kinase families. Moreover, we highlight the discoverability of family-sensitive pre-moieties in PKFI identification and drug design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glucoamylase has a wide range of applications in the production of glucose, antibiotics, amino acids, and other fermentation industries. Fungal glucoamylase, in particular, has attracted much attention because of its wide application in different industries, among which Aspergillus niger is the most popular strain producing glucoamylase. The low availability of NADPH was found to be one of the limiting factors for the overproduction of glucoamylase. In this study, 3 NADH kinases (AN03, AN14 , and AN17) and malic enzyme (maeA) were overexpressed in aconidial A. niger by CRISPR/Cas9 technology, significantly increasing the size of the NADPH pool, resulting in the activity of glucoamylase was improved by about 70%, 50%, 90%, and 70%, respectively; the total secreted protein was increased by about 25%, 22%, 52%, and 26%, respectively. Furthermore, the combination of the mitochondrial NADH kinase (AN17) and the malic enzyme (maeA) increased glucoamylase activity by a further 19%. This study provided an effective strategy for enhancing glucoamylase production of A. niger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by the recent cocrystallization and theory of energetic materials, we theoretically investigated the intermolecular vibrational energy transfer process and the non-covalent intermolecular interactions between explosive compounds. The intermolecular interactions between 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20) and between 1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocane (HMX) and CL-20 were studied using calculated two-dimensional infrared (2D IR) spectra and the independent gradient model based on the Hirshfeld partition (IGMH) method, respectively. Based on the comparison of the theoretical infrared spectra and optimized geometries with experimental results, the theoretical models can effectively reproduce the experimental geometries. By analyzing cross-peaks in the 2D IR spectra of TNT/CL-20, the intermolecular vibrational energy transfer process between TNT and CL-20 was calculated, and the conclusion was made that the vibrational energy transfer process between CL-20 and TNTII (TNTIII) is relatively slower than between CL-20 and TNTI. As the vibration energy transfer is the bridge of the intermolecular interactions, the weak intermolecular interactions were visualized using the IGMH method, and the results demonstrate that the intermolecular non-covalent interactions of TNT/CL-20 include van der Waals (vdW) interactions and hydrogen bonds, while the intermolecular non-covalent interactions of HMX/CL-20 are mainly comprised of vdW interactions. Further, we determined that the intermolecular interaction can stabilize the trigger bond in TNT/CL-20 and HMX/CL-20 based on Mayer bond order density, and stronger intermolecular interactions generally indicate lower impact sensitivity of energetic materials. We believe that the results obtained in this work are important for a better understanding of the cocrystal mechanism and its application in the field of energetic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Long-term poor posture may affect the morphological development of the spine. However, there is no definite answer as to how writing posture affects students' spine. This study attempted to compare the sagittal curvature of the spine between sitting and standing postures in adolescents to reveal the variation rule of spinal sagittal curvature of students with learning posture, and to discover the key factors that may affect students' spinal health.Methods: 1138 participants (male, 604; female, 534; age range, 6-18 years) from three schools in Tianjin, China, including 570 primary school students and 568 secondary school students. This study used SpineScan and PA200 Station Posture Assessment System to assess the sagittal curvature of the spine for three postures: sitting on a chair in upright position, seated at a desk while reading/writing, and standing in natural relaxed position. Analyze the difference between spine angle of the three postures and the correlation between the sagittal plane angle of the spine and body posture.Results: The mean sagittal angle of the spine changed when the participants were in reading/writing position compared to standing position, with the lumbar lordosis angle significantly decreased (p < 0.05) and the thoracic kyphosis angle significantly increased (p < 0.05). The TKA and LLA angles were abnormal in 33 and 52% of students in reading/writing posture respectively. There was a significant correlation between sitting posture and standing spinal Angle and were positively correlated with the height of the teenager (p < 0.05). By contrast, a higher percentage of TKA and LLA subjects in the standard reading/writing posture reference range maintained normal spinal shape while standing.Conclusions: The angle of thoracic kyphosis significantly increased from standing posture to upright sitting, reading/writing posture, while lumbar lordosis significantly decreased or even disappeared. There was a significant correlation between sagittal angle of spine in different postures. The poor sitting posture associated with sagittal angle abnormalities impact the shape of the spine such that sagittal imbalance was also observed when students in natural standing posture. Height is an important factor affecting the sitting spine shape of students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the big data environment, the visualization technique has been increasingly adopted to mine the data on library and information (L&I), with the diversification of data sources and the growth of data volume. The previous research into the information association of L&I visualization network rarely tries to construct such a network or explore the information association of the network. To overcome these defects, this paper explores the visualization of L&I from the perspective of big data analysis and fusion. Firstly, the authors analyzed the topology of the L&I visualization network and calculated the metrics for the construction of L&I visualization topology map. Next, the importance of meta-paths of the L&I visualization network was calculated. Finally, a complex big data L&I visualization network was established, and the associations between information nodes were analyzed in detail. Experimental results verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bridgeless power factor correction (PFC) converter is popular for reducing the conduction losses of semiconductors. In this article, a novel bridgeless Cuk PFC converter is proposed. Compared with the conventional Cuk PFC converter, the number of conducting semiconductors in the proposed bridgeless Cuk PFC converter is reduced, contributing to lower conduction losses. Moreover, the conduction losses in the proposed converter are further improved compared with the pseudototem-pole bridgeless Cuk PFC converter. Meanwhile, the total number of the component in the proposed converter is less than other bridgeless Cuk PFC counterparts, especially for the big-volume magnetic component and electrolytic capacitor. In addition, all power switches in the proposed converter are common ground and can be driven by one control signal, availing simple drivers. The theoretical analysis of the proposed converter is presented in the discontinuous conduction mode with the merits of nature current-sharping ability, zero-current switching in semiconductors, and easy control. Finally, the simulation and a 100-W lab prototype are built to validate the feasibility of the proposed bridgeless Cuk PFC converter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of new‐type memristors with special performance is of great interest. Herein, an inorganic‐organic hybrid crystalline polyoxometalate (POM) with usual dynamic structures is reported and used as active material for fabricating memristor with unique temperature‐regulated resistive switching behaviors. The hybrid POM not only exhibits tunable thermochromic properties, but also thermal‐induced reversible aggregation and disaggregation reactions, leading to reversible structural transformations in SCSC fashion. Further, the memory device using the hybrid POM as active layer exhibits uncommon performance, which can keep resistive switching silent in the low temperature range of 30–150 °C, but show nonvolatile memory behavior in the high temperature range of 150–270 °C. Particularly, the silent and working states at three special temperatures (30, 150 and 270 °C) can be monitored by chromism. The correlation between structure and resistive switching property of the material has been discussed. The work demonstrates that crystalline inorganic‐organic hybrid POMs are promising materials for making memristors with superior performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of new‐type memristors with special performance is of great interest. Herein, an inorganic‐organic hybrid crystalline polyoxometalate (POM) with usual dynamic structures is reported and used as active material for fabricating memristor with unique temperature‐regulated resistive switching behaviors. The hybrid POM not only exhibits tunable thermochromic properties, but also thermal‐induced reversible aggregation and disaggregation reactions, leading to reversible structural transformations in SCSC fashion. Further, the memory device using the hybrid POM as active layer exhibits uncommon performance, which can keep resistive switching silent in the low temperature range of 30–150 °C, but show nonvolatile memory behavior in the high temperature range of 150–270 °C. Particularly, the silent and working states at three special temperatures (30, 150 and 270 °C) can be monitored by chromism. The correlation between structure and resistive switching property of the material has been discussed. The work demonstrates that crystalline inorganic‐organic hybrid POMs are promising materials for making memristors with superior performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]