Search

MgO–C refractories are of paramount importance in the converter side blowing system, requiring outstanding oxidation resistance under harsh conditions including high temperature, oxygen atmosphere, and high‐speed airflow. In this study, MgSiN2 phase reconstruction was used to improve the oxidation resistance of MgO–C refractories, as well as the mechanical properties and oxidation resistance of MgO–C refractories were evaluated. The results indicated that the cold modulus of rupture of the sample with 9 wt% MgSiN2 was increased by 93.3% compared with the MgO–C refractories without MgSiN2. After oxidation tests, the oxidation index and rate constant (k) of the sample with 9 wt% MgSiN2 were reduced by 38.9% and 35.3%. Furthermore, incorporating MgSiN2 facilitated the formation of layered dense structures consisting of plate‐like Mg‐Sialon and MgO–Mg2SiO4–MgAl2O4. This structural optimization effectively inhibited oxygen diffusion and reaction within the material, resulting in gradual oxygen potential mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the core component of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), the PEM serves as a channel for proton transport and a barrier for electrodes, ensuring efficient energy conversion and the integrity of the cell performance. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), with their hybrid organic-inorganic lattices, embody a paradigm of structural and chemical versatility, offering a promising avenue for PEM material innovation. In this work, a phosphorylated MOF (ZnL) synthesized from 1, 1′-piperazinedimethylene phosphate and zinc chloride was integrated into a cytosine-modified SPEEK matrix, yielding advanced composite PEMs. The composite enhanced thermal stability, and mechanical integrity and minimized swelling of the membranes. The incorporation of ZnL improved the proton conductivity, enhanced thermal stability and decreased methanol permeability. The strong interaction between the nucleobase and phosphoric acid in the membrane stabilized the acid, ensuring the membranes' stability and increasing proton conductivity. All PA-doped membranes exhibited satisfactory proton conductivity and mechanical properties. Notably, the SPEEK-C-1ZnL/PA membrane achieved a decomposition temperature of 230 °C and a maximum proton conductivity of 240.34 mS cm−1. During direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) testing, it demonstrated a power density of 70.67 mW cm−2 and maintained an open circuit voltage of 90.6% after 320 h. These results highlight the potential of this membrane for DMFC applications. This worked developed a cytosine-modified SPEEK matrix integrated with phosphorylated MOFs, achieving enhanced DMFC performance and durability. [Display omitted] • SPEEK-C- x ZnL/PA composites enhanced thermal stability and mechanical properties. • Ionic crosslinking and acid-base pairs in SPEEK-C- x ZnL/PA created efficient proton channels. • The SPEEK-C-1ZnL/PA membrane exhibited excellent proton conductivity. • The SPEEK-C-1ZnL/PA membrane demonstrated high power density and long-term stability in DMFCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The success of future 5G/6G communication relies heavily on efficient and low-latency wireless cellular device-to-device communication, which enhances network spectrum, energy efficiency, and data transfer rate. To achieve this, advanced technologies such as deep learning and swarm optimization are utilized to improve energy-efficient communication while considering latency. The fifth and beyond-generation networks require intelligent and efficient technologies to control and transfer data. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are employed to establish high-transfer-rate data communication between devices using minimal energy consumption. This study also focuses on integrating UAV-based D2D communication with other advanced technologies, highlighting the significance of integration with possible solutions to enhance network performance. The development of 5G/6G communication technologies aims to meet the increasing demands of wireless networks, such as faster data rates, lower latency, improved reliability, and more excellent device and application support. However, the current network advantages need to be enhanced to meet the needs of the upcoming digital environment. Thus, to address these challenges, we propose a novel approach that utilizes optimized deep learning models in three ways for UAV-based device-to-device communication: 1. Improved Hybrid Particle Swarm Optimization and Effective K-means clustering approach (IHPSO-K) 2. Hybrid Fuzzy C means (HFCM) approach, and 3—greedy algorithm to overcome the restrictions faced by UAVs in meeting the latest technological requirements. With the above considering features, we use two methods to execute the efficient performance of the proposed algorithm, namely the device-centric approach and the network-centric approach. Combining these techniques can help achieve a more accurate and efficient clustering of data points in UAV-based D2D communication. This can lead to improved performance in terms of throughput, latency, and energy consumption, which are critical factors in such communication scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The utilization of in-situ ceramic combination effectively addressed the issue of weak bonding at the interface in low carbon Al 2 O 3 –C refractories, enhancing the material service performances. In this study, nano-MgSiN 2 synthesized from molten salt was utilized for incorporation of Al 2 O 3 –C refractories, as well as in assessment of mechanical properties, thermal shock stability, oxidation resistance and corrosion resistance. The findings demonstrate that the molten salt medium can lower synthesis temperature and decrease particle size of nano-MgSiN 2. In addition, nano-MgSiN 2 undergone phase reconfiguration at 1500 °C to form Mg (g) and Si 3 N 4(s). The folding structure Mg-Sialon/MgAl 2 O 4 were formed through phase reconfiguration of Mg (g) and Si 3 N 4(s). This change enhanced interfacial bonding strength of Mg-Sialon/Al 2 O 3 and MgAl 2 O 4 /Al 2 O 3. The mechanical properties and thermal shock stability of refractories were enhanced by novel reconfiguration technology, resulting in CCS value of 176.9 MPa. Simultaneously, Mg-Sialon transformation facilitated the interconnection of the oxide layer, enhancing oxidation resistance and corrosion resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To explore the effectiveness of continuous home wound care on patients with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). Design: A non‐randomized parallel controlled non‐inferiority trial. Methods: Patients with Wagner grade I–III DFUs hospitalized in two distant campuses of the same hospital were included. All patients received infection treatment and wound bed preparation during hospitalization; after discharge, patients in one of the campuses received routine outpatient wound care, and those treated in the other received continuous home wound care. The per‐protocol analysis was performed to compare ulcer healing indicators, knowledge, health belief, self‐management behaviour and medical expenses of the two groups. Results: Between October 2021 and December 2022, 116 patients were enrolled in the study; 107 completed. The home care was not inferior in terms of ulcer healing rate and demonstrated significant enhancements in the understanding of warning signs, health belief and self‐management behaviour. Additionally, the home care saved 220.38 yuan (24.32 UK pounds) in direct medical expenses for each additional one square centimetre of ulcer healing. Conclusion: The continuous home wound care enhanced self‐management behaviour of the patients and saved their medical expenses while not compromising ulcer healing. Impact: This is to date the first study to conduct continuous home wound care practice for patients with DFUs and confirmed its safety and non‐inferiority in ulcer healing, and supported its superiority in improving self‐management behaviour and saving medical expenses. Reporting Method: We have adhered to the transparent reporting of evaluations with nonrandomized designs statements and the corresponding checklist was followed. Patient or Public Contribution: The patients and their primary caregivers were involved in intervention design, we received input from them about the factors that facilitate and hinder patient self‐management behaviours to develop intervention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Producing green carbon fiber from lignin is not only attractive to biorefineries for valorizing lignin but also contributes to the decarbonization of multiple industries. However, the difficulty of obtaining high-quality lignin-based carbon fibers at low cost remains the bottleneck and barrier to its commercial application. Previous approaches for chemically modifying lignin or blending with co-precursors were ineffective in delivering the carbon fiber with the desired quality. We discovered that introducing thermo-mechanochemistry of lignin to carbon fiber processing is a facile and green approach to overcome this challenge. Thermo-mechanochemistry can be introduced by properly integrating thermal heating and mechanical tension force applied to the spun fiber, which can manipulate the ordinary lignin chemistry to control the microstructure evolution from lignin. Under the influence of this newly known chemistry, lignin can transform into an oriented structure that can easily be graphitized at low temperatures. In this work, three precursors consisting of lignin or lignin blends were used to produce the carbon fibers with average tensile strength and modulus of 2.45 GPa and 236 GPa, 2.11 GPa and 215 GPa, 2.2 GPa and 225 GPa, respectively, using a surprisingly low carbonization temperature of only 700 °C. The preliminary techno-economic analysis suggests a low production cost. The discovery of the thermo-mechanochemistry of lignin will alter perceptions of lignin-based carbon fibers and provide opportunities to produce commercially viable low-cost green carbon fibers, advancing lignin valorization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel alkalizing strain Enterobacter sp. LYX-2 that could resist 400 mg/L Cd was isolated from Cd-contaminated soil, which immobilized 96.05% Cd2+ from medium. Cd distribution analysis demonstrated that more than half of the Cd2+ was converted into extracellular precipitated Cd through mobilization of the alkali-producing mechanism by the strain LYX-2, achieving the high immobilization efficiency of Cd2+. Biosorption experiments revealed that strain LYX-2 had superior biosorption capacity of 48.28 mg/g for Cd. Pot experiments with Brassica rapa L. were performed with and without strain LYX-2. Compared to control, 15.92% bioavailable Cd was converted to non-bioavailable Cd and Cd content in aboveground vegetables was decreased by 37.10% with addition of strain LYX-2. Available Cd was mainly immobilized through extracellular precipitation, cell-surface biosorption and intracellular accumulation of strain LYX-2, which was investigated through Cd distribution, Scanning Electron Microscope and Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) analysis. In addition, the application of strain LYX-2 significantly promoted the growth of vegetables about 2.4-fold. Above results indicated that highly Cd-resistant alkalizing strain LYX-2, as a novel microbial passivator, had excellent ability and reuse value to achieve the remediation of Cd-contaminated soil coupled with safe production of vegetables simultaneously. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acquiring disparity maps by dense stereo matching is one of the most important methods for producing digital surface models. However, the characteristics of optical satellite imagery, including significant occlusions and long baselines, increase the challenges of dense matching. In this study, we propose an end-to-end edge-guided multi-scale matching network (EGMS-Net) tailored for optical satellite stereo image pairs. Using small convolutional filters and residual blocks, the EGMS-Net captures rich high-frequency signals during the initial feature extraction phase. Subsequently, pyramid features are derived through efficient down-sampling and consolidated into cost volumes. To regularize these cost volumes, we design a top–down multi-scale fusion network that integrates an attention mechanism. Finally, we innovate the use of trainable guided filter layers in disparity refinement to improve edge detail recovery. The network is trained and evaluated using the Urban Semantic 3D and WHU-Stereo datasets, with subsequent analysis of the disparity maps. The results show that the EGMS-Net provides superior results, achieving endpoint errors of 1.515 and 2.459 pixels, respectively. In challenging scenarios, particularly in regions with textureless surfaces and dense buildings, our network consistently delivers satisfactory matching performance. In addition, EGMS-Net reduces training time and increases network efficiency, improving overall results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A three‐component reaction involving alkenes, N‐sulfonylhydrazones, and N‐bromosuccinimide (NBS) is described that uses Indium(III) triflate for the synthesis of bromoethyl sulfonyl hydrazones. Using N‐tosylhydrazones as a nitrogen source and NBS as a bromine source, this intermolecular aminobromination of alkenes is carried out under air in mild conditions. A mechanism of electrophilic addition is proposed based on the GC‐MS analytical result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Acetylacetone outperformed H 2 O 2 in degrading algal metabolites under xenon irradiation. • Protein-like constituents were more susceptible to photodegradation by acetylacetone. • The biological toxicity of microcystin-LR was greatly reduced after photooxidation. • The photoactivity of acetylacetone was limited by alkaline pH, not by inorganic ions. Inactivation of cyanobacterial cells and simultaneous control of secondary metabolites is of significant necessity for the treatment of cyanobacteria-laden water. Acetylacetone (AcAc) has been reported a specific algicide to inactivate Microcystis aeruginosa (M. aeruginosa) and an effective light activator to degrade pollutants. This study systematically investigated the photodegradation ability of AcAc under xenon (Xe) irradiation on the secondary metabolites of M. aeruginosa , mainly algal organic matter (AOM), especially toxic microcystin-LR (MC-LR). Results showed that AcAc outperformed H 2 O 2 in destructing the protein-like substances, humic acid-like matters, aromatic proteins and fulvic-like substances of AOM. For MC-LR (250 µg/L), 0.05 mmol/L AcAc attained the same degradation efficiency (87.0%) as 0.1 mmol/L H 2 O 2. The degradation mechanism of Xe/AcAc might involve photo-induced energy/electron transfer and formation of carbon center radicals. Alkaline conditions (pH > 9.0) were detrimental to the photoactivity of AcAc, corresponding to the observed degradation rate constant (k 1 value) of MC-LR drastically decreasing to 0.0013 min−1 as solution pH exceeded 9.0. The PO 4 3− and HCO 3 − ions had obvious inhibition effects, whereas NO 3 − slightly improved k 1 value from 0.0277 min−1 to 0.0321 min−1. The presence of AOM did not significantly inhibit MC-LR degradation in Xe/AcAc system. In addition, the biological toxicity of MC-LR was greatly reduced after photoreaction. These results demonstrated that AcAc was an alternative algicidal agent to effectively inactivate algal cells and simultaneously control the secondary metabolites after cell lysis. Nevertheless, the concentration and irradiation conditions should be further optimized in practical application. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proton exchange membranes (PEMs) with high proton conductivity, mechanical stability, and methanol barrier capability is urgently needed for direct methanol fuel cell (DMFCs). In response, a series of highly sulfonated polybenzimidazoles (SPBI) were synthesized, followed by the creation of a unique in-situ ionic self-crosslinking mechanism via acid-base pair interactions between –SO 3 - and protonated N within the imidazolium rings of SPBI in an acidic milieu. The in-situ ionic self-crosslinking not only significantly enhances the mechanical stability of the prepared membrane, but also constructs a microstructure with a free volume radius smaller than the molecular dimensions of methanol, subsequently imparting unparalleled resistance to methanol permeation. After being reduced to an ultrathin thickness of 15 μm, the optimal SPBI-SO 3 H-200 % membrane obtains remarkable high specific proton conductivity of 33.48 S cm−2. Furthermore, the assembled DMFC demonstrates an exceptionally low methanol crossover current density of 188.25 mA/cm2 alongside high power density of 109.92 mW cm−2 within 2 M methanol fuel, significantly outperforming the methanol crossover current density of 386.06 mA/cm2 and power density of 87.13 mW cm−2 achieved by a single cell assembled with Nafion 115 membrane. [Display omitted] • Methanol tolerable SPBI was synthesized via in-situ crosslinking strategy. • Optimized ultrathin PEM exhibits high specific proton conductivity of 33.48 S cm−2. • The assembled DMFC shows a low methanol crossover current density of 188.25 mA/cm2. • Achieving a maximum power density of 109.92 mW cm−2 within 2 M methanol fuel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) eventually suffer from cachexia. The Functional Assessment of Anorexia/Cachexia Therapy (FAACT) is a tool used to evaluate the quality of life of patients with cachexia related to various diseases, but its suitability for use in MHD patients has yet to be verified. This study aimed to explore the validation of the FAACT in MHD patients by conducting reliability and validity tests. Methods: Qualified MHD patients were selected to complete the FAACT and Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form 36 (KDQOL‐36) questionnaires, and their demographic data and biochemical test results were collected from electronic medical records. Next, the Cronbach's alpha coefficient, paired sample t test and ICC were used to analyze the scale consistency. Additionally, the association between the KDQOL‐36 and FAACT was analyzed using Bland–Altman plots and Pearson correlation analysis. Finally, the patients were divided into groups to evaluate discriminant validity. Results: A total of 299 patients were included in this study. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients of the FAACT and its anorexia–cachexia subscale (ACS) were 0.904 and 0.842, respectively, and their ICC exceeded 0.90. The correlation coefficients between the FAACT and its items ranged from 0.146 to 0.631, and the correlation coefficients between the FAACT and KDQOL‐36 dimensions ranged from 0.446 to 0.617. The Bland–Altman plots between the FAACT and KDQOL‐36 showed that only 3.3% of the points were outside the 95% limits of agreement. The effects of cachexia status (present or absent) on FAACT and ACS scores had effect sizes of 0.54 (P < 0.001) and 0.60 (P < 0.001), respectively. The FAACT and ACS also significantly discriminated between patients with and without inflammation (P < 0.001). Conclusions: The FAACT and ACS have acceptable reliability and validity in MHD patients and are suitable for measuring the quality of life of MHD patients with cachexia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method was developed for ketone synthesis via a photoredox‐assisted reductive acyl cross‐coupling (PARAC) using a nickel/photoredox dual‐catalyzed cross‐electrophile coupling of two different carboxylic acid esters. A variety of aryl, 1°, 2°, 3°‐alkyl 2‐pyridyl esters can act as acyl electrophiles while N‐(acyloxy)phthalimides (NHPI esters) act as 1°, 2°, 3°‐radical precursors. Our PARAC strategy provides an alternative and reliable way to synthesize various sterically congested 3°‐3°, 3°‐2°, and aryl‐3° ketones under mild and highly unified conditions, which have been otherwise difficult to access. The combined experimental and computational studies identified a Ni0/NiI/NiIII pathway for ketone formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method was developed for ketone synthesis via a photoredox‐assisted reductive acyl cross‐coupling (PARAC) using a nickel/photoredox dual‐catalyzed cross‐electrophile coupling of two different carboxylic acid esters. A variety of aryl, 1°, 2°, 3°‐alkyl 2‐pyridyl esters can act as acyl electrophiles while N‐(acyloxy)phthalimides (NHPI esters) act as 1°, 2°, 3°‐radical precursors. Our PARAC strategy provides an alternative and reliable way to synthesize various sterically congested 3°‐3°, 3°‐2°, and aryl‐3° ketones under mild and highly unified conditions, which have been otherwise difficult to access. The combined experimental and computational studies identified a Ni0/NiI/NiIII pathway for ketone formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium‐sulfur batteries (LSBs) are known as high energy density, but their performance deteriorates sharply under high/low‐temperature surroundings, due to the sluggish kinetics of sulfur redox conversion and Li+ transport. Herein, a catalytic strategy of phase reconstruction with abundant "electron‐Li+" reservoirs has been proposed to simultaneously regulate electron and Li+ exchange. As a demo, the 1T‐phase lithiation molybdenum disulfide grown on hollow carbon nitride (1T‐LixMoS2/HC3N4) is achieved via in situ electrochemical modulation, where the 1T‐LixMoS2 serves as an auxiliary "Li+ source" for facilitating Li+ transport and the HC3N4 acts as an electron donor for electronic supplier. From the theoretical calculations, experimental and post‐modern analyses, the relationship between the catalytic behaviors and mechanism of "electron‐Li+" reservoirs in accelerating the rate‐determining kinetics of sulfur species are deeply understood. Consequently, the cells with 1T‐LixMoS2/HC3N4/PP functional separator demonstrate excellent long‐term electrochemical performance and stabilize the areal capacity of 6 mAh cm−2 under 5.0 mg cm−2. Even exposed to robust surroundings from high (60 °C) to low (0 °C) temperatures, the optimized cells exhibit high‐capacity retention of 76.2% and 90.4% after 100 cycles, respectively, pointing out the potential application of catalysts with phase reconstruction‐assisted "electron‐Li+" reservoirs in LSBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to develop and validate a new model that focused on the risk of imminent vertebral fractures in women with osteoporosis.Data from 2,048 patients were extracted from three hospitals, of which 1,720 patients passed the inclusion and exclusion screen. The patients from Nanfang Hospital (NFH) were randomized at a 2:1 ratio to create a training cohort (n = 709) and an internal validation cohort (n = 355), with the patients from the other two hospitals (n = 656) used for external validation. The risk factors included in the imminent osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) prediction model (labelled TVF) were sorted by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator and constructed by logistic regression. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), the decision curve, and the clinical impact curves of the optimal model were analyzed to verify the model.There were 138 and 161 fresh fractures in NFH and the other two hospitals, respectively. The lowest BMD T value and the history of vertebral fracture were integrated into the TVF model. The prediction power of TVF was demonstrated by the AUCs of 0.788 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.728–0.849) in the training cohort and 0.774 (95% CI, 0.705–0.842) in the internal validation cohort, and 0.790 (95% CI, 0.742–0.839) and 0.741 (95% CI, 0.668–0.813) in the external validation cohorts.The TVF model demonstrated good discrimination to stratify the imminent risk of OVCFs. We therefore consider the model as a pertinent commencement in the search for more accurate imminent OVCFs prediction.Methods: This study aimed to develop and validate a new model that focused on the risk of imminent vertebral fractures in women with osteoporosis.Data from 2,048 patients were extracted from three hospitals, of which 1,720 patients passed the inclusion and exclusion screen. The patients from Nanfang Hospital (NFH) were randomized at a 2:1 ratio to create a training cohort (n = 709) and an internal validation cohort (n = 355), with the patients from the other two hospitals (n = 656) used for external validation. The risk factors included in the imminent osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) prediction model (labelled TVF) were sorted by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator and constructed by logistic regression. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), the decision curve, and the clinical impact curves of the optimal model were analyzed to verify the model.There were 138 and 161 fresh fractures in NFH and the other two hospitals, respectively. The lowest BMD T value and the history of vertebral fracture were integrated into the TVF model. The prediction power of TVF was demonstrated by the AUCs of 0.788 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.728–0.849) in the training cohort and 0.774 (95% CI, 0.705–0.842) in the internal validation cohort, and 0.790 (95% CI, 0.742–0.839) and 0.741 (95% CI, 0.668–0.813) in the external validation cohorts.The TVF model demonstrated good discrimination to stratify the imminent risk of OVCFs. We therefore consider the model as a pertinent commencement in the search for more accurate imminent OVCFs prediction.Results: This study aimed to develop and validate a new model that focused on the risk of imminent vertebral fractures in women with osteoporosis.Data from 2,048 patients were extracted from three hospitals, of which 1,720 patients passed the inclusion and exclusion screen. The patients from Nanfang Hospital (NFH) were randomized at a 2:1 ratio to create a training cohort (n = 709) and an internal validation cohort (n = 355), with the patients from the other two hospitals (n = 656) used for external validation. The risk factors included in the imminent osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) prediction model (labelled TVF) were sorted by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator and constructed by logistic regression. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), the decision curve, and the clinical impact curves of the optimal model were analyzed to verify the model.There were 138 and 161 fresh fractures in NFH and the other two hospitals, respectively. The lowest BMD T value and the history of vertebral fracture were integrated into the TVF model. The prediction power of TVF was demonstrated by the AUCs of 0.788 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.728–0.849) in the training cohort and 0.774 (95% CI, 0.705–0.842) in the internal validation cohort, and 0.790 (95% CI, 0.742–0.839) and 0.741 (95% CI, 0.668–0.813) in the external validation cohorts.The TVF model demonstrated good discrimination to stratify the imminent risk of OVCFs. We therefore consider the model as a pertinent commencement in the search for more accurate imminent OVCFs prediction.Conclusion: This study aimed to develop and validate a new model that focused on the risk of imminent vertebral fractures in women with osteoporosis.Data from 2,048 patients were extracted from three hospitals, of which 1,720 patients passed the inclusion and exclusion screen. The patients from Nanfang Hospital (NFH) were randomized at a 2:1 ratio to create a training cohort (n = 709) and an internal validation cohort (n = 355), with the patients from the other two hospitals (n = 656) used for external validation. The risk factors included in the imminent osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) prediction model (labelled TVF) were sorted by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator and constructed by logistic regression. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), the decision curve, and the clinical impact curves of the optimal model were analyzed to verify the model.There were 138 and 161 fresh fractures in NFH and the other two hospitals, respectively. The lowest BMD T value and the history of vertebral fracture were integrated into the TVF model. The prediction power of TVF was demonstrated by the AUCs of 0.788 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.728–0.849) in the training cohort and 0.774 (95% CI, 0.705–0.842) in the internal validation cohort, and 0.790 (95% CI, 0.742–0.839) and 0.741 (95% CI, 0.668–0.813) in the external validation cohorts.The TVF model demonstrated good discrimination to stratify the imminent risk of OVCFs. We therefore consider the model as a pertinent commencement in the search for more accurate imminent OVCFs prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A N CDs synthesized by citric acid and dopamine HCl with a quantum yield of 15.7 % was investigated. • N CDs exhibits excellent sensitivity and selectivity toward Fe3+ in a wide range of 40–500 μΜ. • The N CDs/PVA composite film with bright blue light emission exhibits excitation independence. The paper presents a green and easily prepared water-soluble fluorescent nitrogen doped carbon dots (N CDs) synthesized by one-step hydrothermal process. The N CDs displays brilliant blue fluorescence excited by UV light, with excellent water solubility, and a quantum yield of 15.7 %. The fluorescence intensity of N CDs remains unchanged after 48 h of exposure to ultraviolet light, exhibiting good photostability. Moreover, the ion sensing characteristics of these N CDs have been explored for more than a dozen anions and cations. The result reflects that this fluorescent CDs exhibits excellent sensitivity and selectivity for Fe3+ within a range spanning of 40 ∼ 500 μΜ with a limit of detection down to 0.22 μΜ. The principle of sensor sensing is likely related to the formation of the internal filtering effect (IFE), which leads to a decline in the fluorescence intensity of N CDs in aqueous solutions containing Fe3+. Due to the excellent water solubility, good photostability and high yield of N CDs, the application of prepared N CDs/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as fluorescent materials for white LED devices was explored. The prepared N CDs/PVA (NCP) composite film can also exhibit bright blue light under 365 nm excitation, indicating good application prospects in the area of white LED devices and agricultural films. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Carton was converted in THF to selectively decompose paper fraction. • Up to 19.2% of LGO and 8.6% furfural were produced in a single step. • PE and PA in carton were not affected by the conversion in THF. • High-quality PE was recovered by solvent dissolution. • Caprolactam with high selectivity was produced by pyrolysis. Billion tons of post-consumer Tetra Pak cartons are discarded annually as land and ocean wastes, creating significant environmental problems and resource losses. Recycling of the carton wastes is hindered by its multi-material compositions and low values of the recycled products. In this study, a novel upcycling of the cartons was investigated. A post-consumer carton consisting of paper, polyolefin, and polyamide was directly converted in 210–230 °C tetrahydrofuran containing 10–20 mM acid to produce up to 19.2% of levoglucosenone and 8.6% of furfural by selectively decomposing paper fraction. The remaining solids containing mostly intact polyethylene and polyamide but also a smaller fraction of paper-derived char were separated using a solvent-dissolution method. The xylene-soluble fraction was a recycled polymer similar to the original polyethylene, which was verified by its functional groups, the composition of the pyrolysis products, and the melt rheology results. The xylene-insoluble fraction was a mixture of polyamide and paper-derived char. Upon pyrolysis, caprolactam was produced as the only major vapor product. The remaining, thermally stable paper-derived char could be used as a high-quality solid fuel. Overall, the demonstrated recycling method could potentially maximize the values of the products recovered from carton wastes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• PCFNet makes use of domain knowledge related to tasks and correspondingly improves the performance of the base models. • We achieve state-of-the-art result on IDRiD dataset by applying task related Gabor filters in PCFNet. • That the proposed method performs better than the base models do on relatively smaller datasets of CIFAR10/100 is verified. Convolutional neural network (CNN) is a common framework that has been widely applied in many computer vision tasks. However, dealing with many real-world problems, especially problems of medical image analysis, requires the addition of some other task-specific information, which we call as domain knowledge. In this study, we propose a new framework named as Predefined Convolutional Filters Network (PCFNet), which replaces the kernel in the first layer convolution of conventional CNN with some learnable predefined filters. This framework is a modified version of the conventional CNN and, when using proper image filters, outperforms conventional CNN in solving many specific problems, such as medical image classification and handwritten digit recognition problems. As expected, this framework achieves state-of-the-art results on publicly available medical image (IDRiD) dataset and USPS dataset. In addition, PCFNet has fewer learnable parameters in the first layer convolution, meaning less training data will be required, and this effectiveness has been validated by experimental results on CIFAR10/100. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The shuttle effect and sluggish redox kinetics of polysulfides have hindered the development of lithium – sulfur batteries (LSBs) as premier energy storage devices. To address these issues, a high - entropy metal phosphide (NiCoMnFeCrP) was synthesized using the sol – gel method. NiCoMnFeCrP, with its rich metal species, exhibits strong synergistic effects and provides numerous catalytic active sites for the conversion of polysulfides. These active sites, possessing significant polarity, can bond with polysulfides. In situ ultraviolet–visible were conducted to monitor the dynamic changes in species and concentrations of polysulfides, validating the ability of NiCoMnFeCrP to facilitate the conversion of polysulfides. The batteries with the NiCoMnFeCrP catalyst as functional separators exhibited minimal capacity decay rates of 0.04 % and 0.23 % after 100 cycles at 0 °C and 60 °C, respectively. This indicates that the NiCoMnFeCrP catalyst possesses good thermal stability. Meanwhile, its area capacity can reach 4.78 mAh cm−2 at a high sulfur load of 4.54 mg cm−2. In conclusion, NiCoMnFeCrP achieves the objective of mitigating the shuttle effect and accelerating the kinetics of the redox reaction, thereby facilitating the commercialization of LSBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal shock stability and oxidation resistance of Al 2 O 3 –C refractories are of critical importance for iron and steel making processes. In rapid and repeated thermal shock environments, materials require excellent thermal shock stability and oxidation resistance. In this study, nano-BN synthesized was used to introduce Al 2 O 3 –C refractories, as well as in evaluating the oxidation resistance and thermal shock resistance of the materials. The results shows that B 2 O 3 was formed rapidly in the refractory containing nano-BN under low temperature oxidation, hence, it led to the decrease of the formation temperature of the dense insulating layer. As a result, the low temperature oxidation resistance of the material was improved. Simultaneously, at high temperatures, Al 18 B 4 O 33 enhanced the formation kinetics of Al 6 Si 2 O 13 by providing epitaxial nucleation sites, forming a synergistic structure of Al 18 B 4 O 33 and Al 6 Si 2 O 13. This change promoted the connection of the oxide layer, thereby greatly improving the oxidation resistance of the material. Moreover, the introduction of nano-BN was beneficial for improving the thermal shock stability of Al 2 O 3 –C refractories. • Oxidation resistance and thermal shock resistance of low-carbon Al 2 O 3 –C refractories were improved by synthesize nano-BN. • An oxidation model of the synergistic effect of mullite-type Al 18 B 4 O 33 and Al 6 Si 2 O 13 were proposed. • Oxidation resistance mechanism of low-carbon Al 2 O 3 –C refractories were clarified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The number of patients with peritoneal dialysis (PD) in China has been increasing year after year, but there are still some challenge in the management of PD patients, and the efficient and effective method has yet to be developed. Multidisciplinary team (MDT) is to create a standardized, individualized, and continuous integrated treatment program for the patients, to ensure the best efficacy and improve patient outcomes. 5E's renal rehabilitation was originally developed by the Life Options Rehabilitation Advisory Council in 1997 to achieve better management of PD patients. However, there is still no relevant study combining these 2 methods and applying to PD patients so far. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was undertaken in the nephrology department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University. We recruited 146 patients according to inclusion and exclusion criteria and divided them into study group (n = 73) and control group (n = 73) using SPSS random number. The control group received routine care and follow-up, while the study group received MDT care based on 5E's renal rehabilitation. The self-management scale for PD patients and the incidence of dialysis-related peritonitis were compared before discharge and 12 months after discharge. Results: T tests showed that there were no significant differences between the 2 groups in the 5 subscales of Self-management Scale for PD patients at the baseline measures (p > 0.05). However, after 12 months of intervention, the study group gained higher scores in the 5 subscales while the control group declined. And the study group improved statistically significant compared with the control group on "Solution bag replacement (t = 3.103, p = 0.002)," "Troubleshooting during operation (t = 3.978, p ≤ 0.001)," "Diet management (t = 3.201, p = 0.002),"and "Emotion management and return to social life (t = 3.552, p = 0.001)" subscales. Moreover, the peritonitis occurrence rate of the study group (1/68.1 patient month) was statistically significantly lower than that of control group (1/29.4 patient month; p = 0.047). Conclusions: MDT care based on 5E's renal rehabilitation is beneficial for patients undergoing PD and helpful to improve self-management ability and reduce the incidence of peritonitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon nano-onion (CNO) is a new class of carbon nanomaterials with various applications such as electronics, photovoltaics, energy storage, biosensing, biomedicine, and catalysts. However, its widespread applications are hindered due to the high costs associated with hydrocarbon precursors and synthesis conditions involving hazardous chemicals, catalysts, non-atmospheric pressures, and prolonged processing time at high temperatures. Herein, we report a joule heating-based synthesis of oxygen-functionalized low-cost CNO using biomass residues without catalysts, chemicals, and solvents. It shows that while the crystalline structure and surface functional groups of the CNO are controllable, CNO with similar particle sizes (33–36 nm) and electrical conductivity (between 3.73 and 3.95 S/m) could be produced using lignins and biochar. The CNO also demonstrated excellent dispersibility in common solvents, attributed to their functional groups. When a new application of CNO as polymer additives was explored, 0.5% CNO could increase the tensile strength and modulus of polylactic acid (PLA) by 43.7% and 128.4%, flexural strength and modulus by 9.4% and 20%, and impact strength by 60.4%. Adding 0.5% CNO also increased the glass transition temperature and the thermal decomposition temperature of PLA by 6.3 and 13.7 °C, reducing oxygen and water vapor permeability by 67.4% and 48.4%. The comparison showed that the oxygen-functionalized CNO additive is superior to other nanocarbons in improving PLA performance. The energy consumption for synthesizing CNO from biochar was 15.6 MJ/kg, providing an attractive pathway to obtain low-cost green CNO for broad applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we report an efficient and practical strategy for the synthesis of five types of imidazo[2,1-a]isoquinolines via Cp*RhIII-catalyzed [4+2] annulation of 2-arylimidazoles and α-diazoketoesters, whose structural and substituted diversity at 5- or 6-position can be precisely controlled by the α-diazoketoester coupling partners. Compared with previous reports, in this study, we merged two attractive C–C cleavage strategies (retro-Claisen and decarboxylation) into the classical C–H functionalization/condensation process by choosing appropriate ester groups (–COOEt, –COOtBu or –COOiPr) or inexpensive additives (HOAc or KOAc). Moreover, the synthetic efficacies of these methods were demonstrated by the concise synthesis of several bioactive compounds and the late-stage modification of representative drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Density functional theory calculations were performed to study the counterion effect and directing group effect in rhodium mediated concerted metalation deprotonation type C H bond activation of arenes. The use of different carboxylates as counterions results in changes to the activation energies over a narrow range. These changes are mainly attributed to the opposing effects of alkalinity and nucleophilicity of the substituted groups. The effects of directing groups were also considered. By introducing directing groups, the C H bond activation energy is greatly reduced. Our results show that different directing groups have similar effects and activation energies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly Graphitized and Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Nanotube-Encased FeNi Bimetallic Alloy Catalyst for Efficient Separator Modification in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries. [Display omitted] • A highly graphitized and carbon-tubule-rich FeNi@NC was successfully synthesized. • FeNi@NC with ultra-low resistivity can accelerate charge transfer kinetics. • FeNi@NC promotes the kinetics of redox reactions. Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) are constrained by the shuttle effect and slow kinetics of lithium polysulfides (LPSs). Herein, we introduces a novel FeNi bimetallic catalyst, encapsulated within a structure of highly graphitized and nitrogen-doped carbon tubules, denoted as FeNi@NC. The synthesis employs a straightforward high-temperature calcination and freeze-drying technique, tailored to modify the functional separator layer in LSBs. FeNi@NC includes a diverse range of carbon tube morphologies, facilitating quick electron and lithium-ion transfer. Notably, it displays remarkable catalytic activity towards LPSs. Specifically engineered, the FeNi@NC catalyst prompts the generation of S•3− radicals, providing an alternative pathway for polysulfide transformation, ultimately enhancing the redox kinetics of the polysulfides. As a result, a battery incorporating the FeNi@NC catalyst-modified separator layer attains a notable initial specific capacity of 1378.8 mAh/g at 0.1C, and a negligible capacity decay rate of only 0.11% per cycle after 500 cycles at 1C. The robust performance extends to areal capacity, which reaches a high value of 6.25 mAh cm−2 with a high sulfur loading of 4.99 mg cm−2. Even after 100 cycles, the areal capacity remains significant at 4.28 mAh cm−2. These findings showcase the promising potential for the application of bimetallic alloy catalysts in LSBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • VSe 2 /CNT are successfully synthesized using as advanced sulfur host. • VSe 2 /CNT functional materials can catalyze polysulfide conversion. • VSe 2 /CNT/S cathode exhibits highly stable electrochemical performance. Lithium-sulfur batteries are considered one of the most likely next-generation batteries to be commercialized because of their high theoretical energy density, but severe shuttle effects affect their practical application. Herein, two-dimensional layered vanadium diselenide is combined with carbon nanotubes (2D-VSe 2 /CNT) to act as advanced sulfur host to suppress the shuttling of lithium polysulfides. 2D-VSe 2 /CNT possesses sulfiphilic surface and high electrical conductivity, which is beneficial for chemisorption of polysulfides as well as the nucleation and growth of Li 2 S. In addition, the fast kinetic response is confirmed by the higher current density and the large lithium ion diffusion coefficient. Furthermore, VSe 2 /CNT/S cathode shows ultra-stable cycling performance with a capacity decay rate of only 0.03% after 500 cycle at 0.5C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development and widespread use of ZnO nanoparticles (nZnO) in various industries have raised concerns about their potential environmental impact. Therefore, understanding the fate and role of nZnO in the natural environment is crucial for mitigating their hazardous effects on the environment and human safety. The purpose of the present study was to provide scientific support for understanding and eliminating the joint risk of nanoparticle and heavy metal pollution in the soil environment by revealing the co-transport characteristics of Cd(II) and ZnO nanoparticles (nZnO) in soil under different ionic strength (IS) and pH. The impacts of different IS and pH on the co-transport of Cd(II) and nZnO in a 20 cm long with an inner diameter of 2.5 cm acrylic column packed with 10 cm high soil samples were investigated in the present study. In the above system, a 500 μg L−1 Cd(II) loaded nZnO suspension pulse with varying IS or pH was introduced into the soil column for leaching over 5 PVs, followed up by 5 PVs background solutions without nZnO. The IS was 1, 10, or 50 mM NaCl, with pH6, or the pH was 6, 7 or 8 with 1 mM NaCl. Meanwhile, Sedimentation experiments for nZnO, adsorption of Cd(II) on soil, and nZnO, DLVO theory calculation for the same background condition were conducted. The presence of nZnO significantly increased the mobility of Cd(II) as a result of its strong adsorption capacity for nZnO-associated Cd(II). However, with the increase of IS, the co-transport of nZnO and Cd(II) was decreased and the retention of nZnO in the soil column due to more nZnO attended to aggregate and sediment during the transport and the decrease in the adsorption capacity of nZnO for Cd(II) by competition of Na+. When pH was 6, 7, and 8, the co-transport of nZnO and Cd(II) increased with higher pH due to the lower electrostatic attraction between nZnO and soil under higher pH. Meanwhile, the DLVO theory was fitted to describe the above co-transport process of nZnO and Cd(II). More attention should be paid to the presence of nZnO on the migration of Cd(II) in the natural soil to control the potential risk of nanoparticles and heavy metals to the environment. The risk of co-transport of nZnO and Cd(II) might be controlled by adjusting IS and pH in the soil solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel palladium-catalyzed intermolecular ditrifluoromethoxylation of unactivated alkenes has been developed, using a new electrophilic reagent, Selectfluor[sup CN], as a strong oxidant, and AgOCF[sub 3] as a trifluoromethoxide source. Preliminary mechanistic studies revealed that the reaction was possibly initiated by Pd(IV) species, and an unusual cis-addition of CF[sub 3]O-Pd(IV) into the double bond leads to the formation of the first C -- OCF[sub 3] bond; in addition, the second C -- OCF[sub 3] bond was produced through reductive elimination at high-valent palladium center. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycosis fungoides (MF) is a low-grade lymphoma characterized by clonal expansion of atypical CD4+ skin-homing T lymphocytes. Herein, we examined the role of thymocytes selection associated HMG-box (TOX), a gene previously found to be unregulated in MF skin biopsies, in MF pathogenesis. TOX encodes a high-mobility group family (HMG) domain DNA binding nuclear protein, which regulates the differentiation of developing T-cells. First, we confirmed that TOX expression levels in MF were increased compared with those in benign inflammatory dermatitis (BID) and normal skin. In addition, TOX level increased with the progression MF from patch stage to tumor stage. Overexpression of TOX accelerated the proliferation and migration of MF cell lines in vitro, which were blocked by AKT inhibitors. In conclusion, our study confirmed that TOX was highly expressed in MF lesions and accelerates the proliferation and migration of MF. TOX is a diagnostic marker for MF and may play a pathogenic role in disease progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The serious shuttle effect and intrinsically sluggish oxidation–reduction reaction kinetics of polysulfides severely hinder the practical commercialization of lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries. Herein, oxygen‐defect‐rich WO3−x–W3N4 Mott–Schottky heterojunctions are designed as efficient catalysts. Based on theoretical calculations and comprehensive experimental characterization, WO3−x–W3N4 exhibits a lower free energy change (1.03 eV) and Li2S decomposition energy barrier (0.92 eV) than WO3 and W3N4, which significantly enhances the sulfur reduction reaction (SRR) activity. Furthermore, a relationship between the catalytic activity and the energy gaps in the d and p bands centers (Δd–p) is also established, with the low Δd–p of the heterojunction leading to a lower antibonding state energy, which promotes electron transfer and interfacial redox kinetics. Oxygen vacancies can improve the catalytic effect without affecting adsorption. Hence, the Li–S battery using WO3−x–W3N4@CC/S exhibited outstanding rate and duration performance (913.9 mAh g–1 at 2 C, stable 400 cycles at 1 C). Impressively, the battery achieves a high areal capacity of 5.0 mAh cm−2 under a high sulfur loading of 4.98 mg cm−2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] A facile Brønsted acid-promoted three-component reaction of 2-methoxythiophene, sulfinates and water at room temperature has been discovered. Under the mild conditions, a series of γ- mercapto -β- sulfonyl esters were obtained in moderate to good yields. The control experiments support the reaction mechanism involves in three processes: 1,5-H shift, Michael addition and ring opening in water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports on the status of the use of human resources management (HRM) practices in the hotel sector, more specifically, the strategic positioning of human resources (HR) as perceived by the hotels’ senior management, in New Zealand. A web survey was sent to 174 senior managers of 184 selected hotels throughout the country; 47 managers responded. The findings indicate that HRM practices are well adopted by hotels and, more importantly, the strategic potential of HR is well recognized by the senior management, although there is some way to go before the potential can be fully captured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tight thermal constraints of mobile devices, which limit sustainable performance, and the bursty nature of interactive mobile applications call for a new design focus: enhancing user responsiveness rather than sustained throughput. To that end, this article explores computational sprinting, wherein a mobile device temporarily exceeds sustainable thermal limits to provide a brief, intense burst of computation in response to user input. By enabling tenfold more computation within the timescale of human patience, sprinting has the potential to fundamentally change the user experience that an interactive application can provide. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

[Display omitted] • Polymer Al-, Fe-, and Ti- were compared for coagulation-ultrafiltration treatment. • Coagulant with stronger charge neutralization ability worked a better performance. • Re-stabilization phenomena at excessive doses also promoted filtration efficiency. • PAM composition accelerated filtration flux by promoting the aggregation of algae. • Increased PAM dose improved coagulation efficiency but deteriorated ultrafiltration. Coagulant is the key variable determining the coagulation-ultrafiltration efficiency. As commonly used coagulants, polymeric aluminum chloride (PAC), polymeric ferric sulfate (PFS), and titanium xerogel coagulant (TXC) exhibit different coagulation behaviors and mechanisms. This study investigated their coagulation-ultrafiltration efficiencies in algae-laden water. Results showed that PAC with the strongest charge neutralization ability performed the best in accelerating the filtration flux under neutral and alkaline conditions. PAC with dose of 8 mg Al/L effectively removed algae cells (> 95%) and organic matters (about 50%) during coagulation process, and subsequently improved the normalized flux (J / J 0) from 0.18 to 0.59–0.71. Under acidic condition, pre-coagulation with TXC (8 mg Ti/L) was slightly superior to the equal-dose of PAC and PFS in terms of filtration flux (J / J 0 was 0.90) and recovery rate (91%), since its flocs caused the minimal irreversible fouling resistance. Overdosed coagulant (30 mg M/L, M represents metal ion) under acidic condition also facilitated the subsequent membrane filtration (J / J 0 was 0.70–0.73), even though the pollutants were re-stabilized in solution. Co-coagulation with cationic polyacrylamide (CPAM) promoted the aggregation of algal cells, thereby reducing the reversible fouling resistance and then improving the filtration flux. Increasing CPAM dose did not further improve the ultrafiltration efficiency, due to its limited removal ability toward organic matter. For CPAM-enhanced coagulation-ultrafiltration treatment, the dose of CPAM must be strictly controlled at the least level corresponding to the effective removal toward turbidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) with high theoretical energy density and low cost have become one of the competitive candidates for next-generation energy storage devices. Nevertheless, the shuttle effect of polysulfide leads to rapid capacity decay and hinders the practical application of LSBs. Herein, a composite of heterogeneous bimetallic phosphide and graphene oxide (FeP-CoP/GO) is devised as a high-efficiency catalyst. FeP-CoP not only promotes the deposition of Li 2 S to improve the utilization of sulfur, but also offers adequate active sites for anchoring and catalyzing the transformation of polysulfide to restrain the shuttle effect. And GO plays a role of auxiliary enhancement because of its big specific surface area and good conductivity. Therefore, FeP-CoP/GO/S with 79 wt.% sulfur content exhibits a high discharge capacity of 773 mAh g−1 at 0.5 C and displays favorable cycle stability of 481 mAh g−1 after 300 cycles with high coulombic efficiency of 96.6%. Bimetal phosphides as the catalyst offer a new perspective for high-specific-energy Li-S batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One-shot voice conversion (VC) has attracted more and more attention due to its broad prospects for practical application. In this task, the representation ability of speech features and the model's generalization are the focus of attention. This paper proposes a model called CLESSR-VC, which enhances pre-trained self-supervised learning (SSL) representations through contrastive learning for one-shot VC. First, SSL features from the 23rd and 9th layers of the pre-trained WavLM are adopted to extract content embedding and SSL speaker embedding, respectively, to ensure the model's generalization. Then, the conventional acoustic feature mel-spectrograms and contrastive learning are introduced to enhance the representation ability of speech features. Specifically, contrastive learning combined with the pitch-shift augmentation method is applied to disentangle content information from SSL features accurately. Mel-spectrograms are adopted to extract mel speaker embedding. The AM-Softmax and cross-architecture contrastive learning are applied between SSL and mel speaker embeddings to obtain the fused speaker embedding that helps improve speech quality and speaker similarity. Both objective and subjective evaluation results on the VCTK corpus confirm that the proposed VC model has outstanding performance and few trainable parameters. • SSL features are adopted to ensure the model's generalization. • Contrastive learning strategy enhances the representation ability of features. • Mel-spectrogram is introduced to compensate the speaker information in SSL features. • The proposed model has excellent performance in objective and subjective evaluations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lung cancer is a commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Cancer delay pose significant challenges for health systems globally, with patient delay being a primary factor contributing to late diagnoses, ultimately resulting in adverse outcomes and reduced survival rates. However, the underlying reasons for patient delay are not well understood, and there is a scarcity of studies that specifically examine the experiences related to patient delay among lung cancer patients. Therefore, this study aims to explore the experiences of lung cancer patients and identify potential strategies to mitigate their delays in seeking care. Methods: The interview framework was developed based on the Theory of Planned Behavior. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants. Data analysis was performed using Colaizzi's phenomenological analysis method. Results: A total of 30 lung cancer patients participated in the interviews, which lasted between 26 and 42 min (with an average duration of 33 min). The duration of patient delay varied from 90 to 213 days. Four themes were identified: (1) reasons for patient delay, (2) health-seeking triggers, (3) perception of patient delay, and (4) potential solutions. Conclusion: Lung cancer patients exhibited varying degrees of patient delay attributed to factors such as ignoring or dismissing symptoms, lack of family support, poor access to health services, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Promoting disease knowledge, optimizing resources and implementing technology-based solutions may serve as effective measures to address these issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore the connection between perfectionism and interpersonal sensitivity among nursing students and to examine the intermediary effects of coping style and subjective well-being within this association. Methods: Utilizing a cross-sectional approach, this study assessed 682 nursing students at two Henan Province universities in China, employing the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, Interpersonal Sensitivity Questionnaire, Coping Style Scale, and Subjective Well-being Scale. The data were subjected to descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and regression analysis with a macro process model. Results: Maladaptive perfectionism showed a strong positive link with interpersonal sensitivity (r = 0.42, p < 0.01) and a negative coping style (r = 0.18, p < 0.01), and a marked negative link with subjective well-being (r = − 0.23, p < 0.01). Coping style and subjective well-being acted as sequential mediators in the relationship between perfectionism and interpersonal sensitivity. Conclusion: Perfectionism has a direct impact on the interpersonal sensitivity of nursing students and also influences it indirectly through coping strategies and subjective well-being. These findings offer theoretical backing and direction for research into and enhancement of nursing students' interpersonal sensitivity, underscoring the significance of interventions designed to mitigate maladaptive perfectionism, foster constructive coping styles, and bolster subjective well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are severe adverse drug reactions with extensive keratinocyte death. Carbamazepine (CBZ), the most commonly implicated drug in SJS/TEN, is metabolized by the cytochrome P450 enzyme 3A4 (CYP3A4) into carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide (CBZE) in the liver. While CD8+ cytotoxic T cells play an important role in SJS/TEN, the underlying mechanism of exuberant immune response by CD8+ T cells in these conditions remains incompletely understood. To examine the expression of NLRP3 inflammasome and their skin migration in CBZE-induced SJS/TEN. The expression of the NLRP3 inflammasome complex in skin lesions, sera, and blister fluids of SJS/TEN patients were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. NLRP3 formation and CD8+ T cell activation status and their functions were examined by immunoblotting, immunofluorescence, and chemotaxis assays. The expression of the NLRP3 inflammasome complex was greatly increased in skin lesions of SJS/TEN patients. Moreover, IL-1β and IL-18 levels in sera and blister fluids of SJS/TEN patients were approximately 3-fold higher than those in healthy individuals, with a linear correlation between IL-1β levels and disease activity. CBZE induced NLRP3 inflammasome formation, upregulated CXCL9/CXCL10 levels, and activated CD8+ cytotoxic T cell functions via IL-1β/IL-1R or IL-18/IL-18R signaling in SJS/TEN keratinocytes, which promoted CD8+ cytotoxic T cell migration in SJS/TEN patients. This study showed that CBZE promoted NLRP3 inflammasome formation and strengthened the activation and function of CD8+ cytotoxic T cells in the skin, which contributed to the initiation and progression of SJS/TEN. • Expression of the NLRP3 inflammasome and IL-1β and IL-18 levels were increased in SJS/TEN patients. • CBZ is converted into CBZE via CYP3A4-mediated hepatic metabolism, and is distributed in the skin epidermis. • CBZE induced NLRP3 inflammasome formation, activated CD8+ cytotoxic T cell functions via IL-1β/IL-1R signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to carbon fibers made from conventional petroleum-based precursors, lignin-based carbon fibers can lower the production cost while enabling cleaner manufacturing. The use of lignin-based carbon fibers is currently hindered by their poor mechanical properties that are mainly attributed to the lack of orientability in lignin structure. Herein, we demonstrated a novel method of producing high-quality carbon fiber, by which lignin is first transformed into a new precursor polymer with a linear molecular orientation, and the precursor is subsequently melt-processed. Specifically, a raw red oak lignin bio-oil consisting of multifunctional compounds with distributed molecular weights was converted into a lightly branched, acrylate polymer via a hybrid functionalization followed by controlled radical polymerization. By carefully investigating different synthesis parameters and determining the effects of the intrinsic properties of the crude lignin bio-oil have on the polymerization, a melt-spinnable thermoplastic polymer could be obtained in high yield. The new polymer was then used to produce carbon fiber with average tensile strength of 1.70 GPa and tensile modulus of 182 GPa. Our analysis results indicated that the new precursor structure can improve the degree of graphitization and reduce structural defects in the resulting carbon fiber. Structural analyses showed that the carbon fiber contains a highly ordered and well-stacked turbostratic structure. Overall, this study presents a promising approach to produce low-cost, high-quality carbon fiber that may have applications in the automobile industries. • Lack of orientable structure in lignin causes carbon fiber with poor properties. • Orientable and melt-spinnable polymer was synthesized using lignin bio-oil. • The controlled polymerization process of lignin bio-oil was thoroughly evaluated. • High quality carbon fiber was produced using the new polymer as a precursor. • Carbon fiber showed significantly improved microstructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Successful synthesis of strongly adsorbed NC/CNT composites. • NC/CNT as an interlayer inhibits the sulfur shuttle effect. • NC/CNT enables the cell to have excellent cycle stability and rate performance. Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) are considered ideal for large-scale energy storage because of their high energy density and low cost, but it is necessary to solve their serious shuttle effects. In this paper, the melamine-formed nitrogen-doped carbon (NC) material is blended with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to eventually form the composite material NC/CNT, which is coated on the separator to inhibit shuttle effects. The intertwined structure of NC/CNT forms a continuous conductive network, providing a fast transmission channel for Li+/e-. Additionally, NC/CNT effectively enhances the redox reaction kinetics and inhibits the shuttle effect of lithium polysulfides. Consequently, the cells incorporating NC/CNT exhibit excellent electrochemical performance, boasting a high reversible capacity of 611.5 mAh/g at 2C after 400 cycles, with a capacity decay rate of only 0.07%. These results underscore the considerable potential of the modified material for practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Cu-g-C 3 N 4 with 2D layered structure is synthesized by a template method. • Cu-g-C 3 N 4 has abundant adsorption sites and fast charges transmission rate. • Cu-g-C 3 N 4 effectively shows bidirectional catalytic conversion of LiPSs. • The cell with Cu-g-C 3 N 4 separator delivers impressive performance at 0 °C and 60 °C. Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) as "post-lithium-ion battery" have gained a high level of visibility due to high energy density and specific capacity. Nevertheless, the commercial production of LSBs is hampered by the the most notorious trouble for shuttling effects of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs). To settle the inherent issues, copper-doped graphitic carbon nitride (Cu-g-C 3 N 4) catalysts with two-dimensional lamellar structures are synthesized using a template method as coating materials for LSBs separators. The substrate material g-C 3 N 4 has a high nitrogen content, which can augment the charge density and significantly enhance the affinity of the materials for LiPSs. Doping of copper atoms in the layered structure of g-C 3 N 4 significantly increases the electrocatalytic activity by creating additional active sites and expediting the redox kinetics of LiPSs for simultaneous S reduction as well as Li 2 S oxidation. With in-situ UV–vis and theoretical calculations, the efficient activation of bidirectional reaction substantially enhances the rate of solid–liquid-solid reaction, especially solid–solid (Li 2 S 2 -Li 2 S) conversion. As a consequence, the cell with Cu-g-C 3 N 4 shows a satisfied initial discharge capacity of 1469.36 mAh/g at 0.1C. In addition, a high areal capacity of 6.04 mAh/cm2 is achieved under a S loading of 5.10 mg/cm2. Most importantly, the cell with Cu-g-C 3 N 4 maintains stable cycling performance over the scope of a broad temperature (0 °C and 60 °C). This work demonstrates that Cu-g-C 3 N 4 catalysts can be realized for the design of low/high-temperature-resistant LSBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Serine metabolism is crucial for tumour oncogenesis and immune responses. S‐adenosyl methionine (SAM), a methyl donor, is typically derived from serine‐driven one‐carbon metabolism. However, the involvement of serine metabolism in psoriatic skin inflammation remains unclear. Objectives: To investigate the association between serine metabolism and psoriatic skin inflammation. Methods: Clinical samples were collected from patients with psoriasis and the expression of serine biosynthesis enzymes was evaluated. The HaCaT human keratinocyte cell line was transfected with small interfering RNA (siRNA) of key enzyme or treated with inhibitors. RNA sequencing and DNA methylation assays were performed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying serine metabolism‐regulated psoriatic keratinocyte inflammation. An imiquimod (IMQ)‐induced psoriasis mouse model was established to determine the effect of the SAM administration on psoriatic skin inflammation. Results: The expression of serine synthesis pathway enzymes, including the first rate‐limiting enzyme in serine biosynthesis, phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH), was downregulated in the epidermal lesions of patients with psoriasis compared with that in healthy controls. Suppressing PHGDH in keratinocytes promoted the production of proinflammatory cytokines and enrichment of psoriatic‐related signalling pathways, including the tumour necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α) signalling pathway, interleukin (IL)‐17 signalling pathway and NF‐κB signalling pathway. In particular, PHGDH inhibition markedly promoted the secretion of IL‐6 in keratinocytes with or without IL‐17A, IL‐22, IL‐1α, oncostatin M and TNF‐α (mix) stimulation. Mechanistically, PHGDH inhibition upregulated the expression of IL‐6 by inhibiting SAM‐dependent DNA methylation at the promoter and increasing the binding of myocyte enhancer factor 2A. Furthermore, PHGDH inhibition increased the secretion of IL‐6 by increasing the activation of NF‐κB via SAM inhibition. SAM treatment effectively alleviated IMQ‐induced psoriasis‐like skin inflammation in mice. Conclusions: Our study revealed the crucial role of PHGDH in antagonising psoriatic skin inflammation and indicated that targeting serine metabolism may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for treating psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the issue that the thermal instability of Ni-rich layered oxides (NRLOs) and Li-rich layered oxides (LRLOs) with high energy density, the failure mechanisms and safety issues of both are analyzed, and the effects of various strategies to improve the thermal stability of the materials and the corresponding mechanisms are elaborated. Research perspectives and promising modification strategies are proposed. [Display omitted] With the growing market demand for higher energy density in power supplies, the further industrialization of high-energy cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is imminent. Lithium-rich and nickel-rich oxides, as the most promising layered cathode materials with high energy potential, are capable of achieving higher capacity in a high state of charge (SOC), but are prone to safety problems due to poor thermal stability, which restricts the further marketable application of both. To enhance the thermal instability of these two high-energy cathode materials requires an in-depth comprehension of their associated failure mechanisms and improvement mechanisms. This review presents the current status of the development of high energy layered oxide cathode materials with thermal instability in existing laboratories. Firstly, several failure mechanisms of thermal instability of the two materials are clarified; secondly, the mechanisms of the three major modification on the materials, which are bulk doping, surface modification, morphological and structural design, are introduced respectively; finally, the significant challenges and prospects worth exploring for the commercialization of the two high-energy layered oxides are summarized to promote the development of safe high-energy LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ring‐opening addition reaction of activated vinyl cyclopropanes with N‐tosylhydrazones in the presence of palladium(0) and triphenylphosphine affords N‐tosylhydrazone butenylmalonate compounds. Aromatic aldehyde‐derived N‐tosylhydrazones produced terminal and internal N‐allylated products, in which the terminal products are the main. While ketone‐derived tosylhydrazones produced only terminal addition products. The transformation relationship of the terminal and internal N‐allylated products in the reaction was also observed. A reasonable mechanism is proposed based on preliminary experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of a mild and general method for C(sp3)−H functionalization of cyclic amines has been an ongoing challenge. In this work, we describe the copper‐catalyzed enantioselective C(sp3)−H alkynylation of unactivated cyclic 2‐iodo‐benzamide under photo‐irradiation by intramolecular 1,5‐hydrogen atom transfer (HAT). The employment of a new bisoxazoline diphenylamine ligand, in conjunction with 1,1′‐bi‐2‐naphthol, which significantly improved the reduction potential of the copper complex, was the key to success of this chemistry. Mechanistic and computational studies supported that the new copper complex served the dual role as a photoredox and coupling catalyst, the reaction went through a radical process, and the intramolecular 1,5‐HAT process was involved in the rate‐limiting step. Apart from the broad substrate scope including unprecedented benzocyclic amines, this method also showed excellent diastereoselectivity in 2‐monosubstituted cyclic amines via substrate control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of a mild and general method for C(sp3)−H functionalization of cyclic amines has been an ongoing challenge. In this work, we describe the copper‐catalyzed enantioselective C(sp3)−H alkynylation of unactivated cyclic 2‐iodo‐benzamide under photo‐irradiation by intramolecular 1,5‐hydrogen atom transfer (HAT). The employment of a new bisoxazoline diphenylamine ligand, in conjunction with 1,1′‐bi‐2‐naphthol, which significantly improved the reduction potential of the copper complex, was the key to success of this chemistry. Mechanistic and computational studies supported that the new copper complex served the dual role as a photoredox and coupling catalyst, the reaction went through a radical process, and the intramolecular 1,5‐HAT process was involved in the rate‐limiting step. Apart from the broad substrate scope including unprecedented benzocyclic amines, this method also showed excellent diastereoselectivity in 2‐monosubstituted cyclic amines via substrate control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]