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Abstract.In the history of researching to estimate the unknown parameters that were in the uncertain differential equation (UDE), the problem of parameter estimation with known functional forms is often studied. However, in practical situations, its functional form is often unknown. In order to deal with this problem, this article proposes the cubic spline method to approximate the autonomous UDE, and perform non parametric estimation on it. The cross validation is introduced to determine the number of term (J), which is in the approximate cubic spline. In addition, the uncertain hypothesis testing is given to verify the rationality of this method. Finally, some numerical examples are given. Then this method is applied to a case study of the Beijing Air Quality Index, and a comparative analysis is given to verify the practicability and superiority of the cubic spline method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although power conversion efficiency (PCE) of solar cells (SCs) continues to improve, they are still far from practical application because of their complex synthesis process, high cost and inferior operational stability. Carbon quantum dots with high material stability and remarkable photoluminescence are successfully used in light‐emitting diodes. A good light emitter should also be an efficient SC according to the photon balance in Shockley–Quieisser formulation, in which all excitons are ultimately separated. However, the finite quantum‐sized sp2 domain leads to tight exciton bonding, and highly delocalized electron clouds in irregular molecular stacks form disordered charge transfer, resulting in severe energy loss. Herein, an axially growing carbon quantum ribbon (AG‐CQR) with a wide optical absorption range of 440–850 nm is reported. Structural and computational studies reveal that AG‐CQRs (aspect ratio ≈2:1) with carbonyl groups at both ends regulate energy level and efficiently separate excitons. The stacking‐controlled two‐dimensional AG‐CQR film further directionally transfers electrons and holes, particularly in AB stacking mode. Using this film as active layer alone, the SCs yield a maximum PCE of 1.22%, impressive long‐term operational stability of 380 h, and repeatability. This study opens the door for the development of new‐generation carbon‐nanomaterial‐based SCs for practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate jamming detection is a prerequisite and important support for efficient anti‐jamming communication in integrated sensing and communications. In recent years, the reactive follower jamming, characterized by the high jamming efficiency and the difficulty of detection, is seen as the main opponent for frequency hopping spread spectrum communication, which poses a threat to the reliability of wireless communication. Based on the background, a multiple‐nodes based cooperative jamming detection scheme is proposed for accurately detecting the reactive follower jamming. Specifically, the secondary nodes send the average energy of the suspected attacked symbols to the primary user as the uplink data in each detection period, and then the detection result is provided by the detection threshold. The optimal detection threshold is derived for the primary user according to the uplink data and channel conditions. In addition, the theoretical probability of detection under the optimal threshold is derived, and the complexity of the scheme is analysed. Simulation results show that the proposed multiple‐nodes based cooperative jamming detection scheme for reactive follower jamming can effectively improve the probability of detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is an inflammatory disease of the pancreas. Despite of a steadily increasing in morbidity and mortality, there is still no effective therapy. Gut microbial dysbiosis and its derived-metabolites disorder have been shown to play an important role in the development of AP, however, little is known regarding the crosstalk between gut microbiota and metabolites. In this study, we assessed the alterations in gut microbiota and metabolites by constructing three AP mouse models by means of metagenomic and metabolomic sequencing, and further clarified their relationship by correlation analysis. The results revealed that each model exhibited unique flora and metabolite profiles. KEGG analysis showed that the differential flora and metabolite-enriched pathway functions were correlated with lipid metabolism and amino acid metabolism. Moreover, two core differential bacterial species on Burkholderiales bacterium YL45 and Bifidobacterium pseudolongum along with eleven differential metabolites appeared to exert certain effects during the course of AP. In conclusion, further exploration of the crosstalk between microbiota and derived metabolites may provide novel insights and strategies into the diagnosis and treatment of AP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To tackle the issue of the traditional intelligent diagnostic algorithm's insufficient utilization of correlation characteristics within the time series of fault signals and to meet the challenges of accuracy and computational complexity in rotating machinery fault diagnosis, a novel approach based on a recurrence binary plot (RBP) and a lightweight, deep, separable, dilated convolutional neural network (DSD-CNN) is proposed. Firstly, a recursive encoding method is used to convert the fault vibration signals of rotating machinery into two-dimensional texture images, extracting feature information from the internal structure of the fault signals as the input for the model. Subsequently, leveraging the excellent feature extraction capabilities of a lightweight convolutional neural network embedded with attention modules, the fault diagnosis of rotating machinery is carried out. The experimental results using different datasets demonstrate that the proposed model achieves excellent diagnostic accuracy and computational efficiency. Additionally, compared with other representative fault diagnosis methods, this model shows better anti-noise performance under different noise test data, and it provides a reliable and efficient reference solution for rotating machinery fault-classification tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Rubik's cube PBA frameworks with infinite structural variations have been obtained by a simple coprecipitation method and exhibits enhanced cycling and rate performance when tested as the anode materials in alkali-ion batteries (LIBs, SIBs, and KIBs). More importantly, the storage mechanism of the Co-Zn PBA frameworks have also been explored by DFT, in-situ XRD, and XPS measurements. [Display omitted] • Successfully synthesized Rubik's Co-M PBAs and explored the storage mechanism of the anode in alkali-metal-ion batteries. PBA frameworks have stood out among metal–organic frameworks because of their easy preparation, excellent stability, porous structures, and rich redox properties. Unfortunately, their non-ideal conductivity and significant volume expansion during cycling prevent more widespread application in alkali-metal-ion (Li+, Na+, and K+) batteries. By changing the type and molar ratio of metal ions, Rubik's PBA frameworks with infinite structural variations were obtained in this study, just like the Rubik's cube undergoes infinite changes during the rotation. X-ray adsorption fine structure measurements have documented the existence and determined the coordination environment of the metal ions in the Rubik's PBA framework. Benefiting from the more stable Rubik's cube structures with diverse composition, enhanced conductivity, and greater adsorption capacity, the obtained Rubik's cubes CoM-PBA anodes, especially CoZn-PBA deliver the enhanced cycling and rate performance in all the alkali-metal-ion batteries. The findings are supported by density functional theory calculations. Ex-situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and in-situ X-ray diffraction measurements were undertaken to explore the storage mechanism of CoZn-PBA anodes. Our results further demonstrate that the Rubik's cube PBA framework-based materials could be widely applied in the field of alkali-metal-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uncertain regression model with autoregressive time series errors studies the relations between response variables and explanatory variables when the errors are dependence. The estimations of the unknown parameters are worth exploring in further research. The least square (LS) estimations were proposed to estimate the unknown parameters. However, when the outliers appear, we find that the LS is not effective. So, in this article, the least absolute deviations (LAD) and the maximum likelihood estimations (MLE) are proposed to estimate the unknown parameters. Moreover, some examples are given to verify the applicability and practicability of these two methods. The comparative analysis is given to verify that the proposed methods are more advantageous and effective than the least square method when the observed data are affected by outliers. Finally, the example of exploring the relationships between GDP and related influencing factors for China, from 2004 to 2020, is given to testify the practicability of the methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim and Objectives Background Design Methods Results Conclusion Relevance to Clinical Practice Patient or Public Contribution To investigate the prevalence of dysphagia in patients with COPD, identify the risk factors for dysphagia, develop a visual clinical prediction model and quantitatively predict the probability of developing dysphagia.Patients with COPD are at high risk of dysphagia, which is strongly linked to the acute exacerbation of their condition. The use of effective tools to predict its risk may contribute to the early identification and treatment of dysphagia in patients with COPD.A cross‐sectional design.From July 2021 to April 2023, we enrolled 405 patients with COPD for this study. The clinical prediction model was constructed according to the results of a univariate analysis and a logistic regression analysis, evaluated by discrimination, calibration and decision curve analysis and visualized by a nomogram. This study was reported using the TRIPOD checklist.In total, 405 patients with COPD experienced dysphagia with a prevalence of 59.01%. A visual prediction model was constructed based on age, whether combined with cerebrovascular disease, chronic pulmonary heart disease, acute exacerbation of COPD, home noninvasive positive pressure ventilation, dyspnoea level and xerostomia level. The model exhibited excellent discrimination at an AUC of .879. Calibration curve analysis indicated a good agreement between experimental and predicted values, and the decision curve analysis showed a high clinical utility.The model we devised may be used in clinical settings to predict the occurrence of dysphagia in patients with COPD at an early stage.The model can help nursing staff to calculate the risk probability of dysphagia in patients with COPD, formulate personalized preventive care measures for high‐risk groups as soon as possible to achieve early prevention or delay of dysphagia and its related complications and improve the prognosis.No patient or public contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NaBH 4 -treatment endows Co-Ni spinel nanowires with oxygen vacancies and boron-containing oxygen functional groups, which synergistically improve the conductivity, enlarge the amounts of reactive centers, and enhance the hydrophilicity, finally boosting the OER performance. [Display omitted] Cobalt-based spinel oxides have excellent oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activities and are cheap to produce; however, they have limited commercial applications due to their poor electrical conductivities and weak stabilities. Herein, we soaked Co 3- x Ni x O 4 nanowires in NaBH 4 solutions, which endowed Co 3- x Ni x O 4 with significant oxygen vacancy content and decorated BO x motifs outside the Co 3- x Ni x O 4 nanowires. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and in situ Raman data suggest that these evolutions improved the conductivity, hydrophilicity, and increased active sites of the spinel oxides, which synergistically boosted their overall OER performances. This improved performance made the optimized BO x -covered Co 2.1 Ni 0.9 O 4 nanowires generate a current density of 10 mA cm−2 when used for the OER at an overpotential of only 307 mV, maintaining excellent stability at 50 mA cm−2 for 24 h. This study provides a facile method for designing cobalt-based spinel oxide OER catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe propose of uncertain time series is to explore the relationship between response variables and explanatory variables over time based on the imprecise observations. In order to more comprehensively describe the overall picture of the relationship between variables under the time series, a new uncertain quantile autoregressive model is proposed. By studying the uncertain quantile autoregressive model, the estimated method under different quantiles of its unknown parameters is proposed. Based on the fitted uncertain quantile autoregressive model, the residual is analyzed. Furthermore, uncertainty hypothesis testing are used to verify the reasonableness and accuracy of the estimates under different quantiles. Moreover, the point estimate and interval estimate of the predicted value are presented. Finally, the rationality and validity of the model are verified by two examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uncertain time series analysis is a method of predicting future values by analyzing imprecise observations. In this paper, the least absolute deviation (LAD) method is applied to solve for the unknown parameters of the uncertain max-autoregressive (UMAR) model. The predicted value and confidence interval of the future data are calculated using the fitted UMAR model. Moreover, the relative change rate of parameter is proposed to test the robustness of different estimation methods. Then, two comparative analyses demonstrate the LAD estimation can handle outliers better than the least squares (LS) estimation and the necessity of introducing the UMAR model. Finally, a numerical example displays the LAD estimation in detail to verify the effectiveness of the method. The LAD estimation is also applied to a collection of actual data with cereal yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, metal‐organic frameworks, especially MOF‐based derivatives, have been regarded as one of the best candidate electrode materials for the next generation of advanced materials, due to high porosity, large surface area, modifiable functional groups as well as controllable chemical composition. This review presents the corresponding synthesis methods, structural design, and electrochemical performance of MOF‐derived materials, including metal oxides, metal sulfides, metal phosphides, and carbon materials, in high‐performance lithium‐ion batteries. Subsequently, the problems that exist in the current application of MOF‐based derivatives as electrodes in lithium‐ion batteries are discussed along with possible and feasible solutions. At last, some reasonable pathways and strategies for the design of MOF derivatives are also suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the curved surface lapping processing by robot, the surface quality of the processed workpieces cannot be fully guaranteed because of the uncontrollability of lapping contact force. Therefore, the accurate control of the contact force between the tool and the workpiece is important to improve the processing quality. This paper proposes an impedance control strategy based on an optimized environmental model to address the serious constraints brought by the uncertainty of the environmental model in impedance control on the compensation accuracy of contact force and constructed a contact environmental model of elastic abrasives based on neural network algorithm, which improved the compensation accuracy of contact force through iterative iteration and prediction between the environmental model and the impedance model. Constant force control is achieved through accuracy compensation, which ultimately leads to an improvement in the surface quality of the workpiece. Through comparison experiments, it is found that compared with the unoptimized method, the force control tracking error is reduced by 60.9%, the contact force variance is reduced by 25.7%, the contact force error during curved surface force control lapping process is reduced by 58.3% and the contact force variance is reduced by 52.5%, and the workpiece roughness Ra value is reduced by 37.2%. Therefore, the robotic constant force control system based on optimized environmental model can achieve a better force control effect, which can realize accurate and stable control of contact force during curved surface lapping process by robot, and has certain potential for engineering application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Memristors are one of the most promising next-generation nonvolatile storage devices because of their unique structure and excellent performance. Transparent memristors with multifunctional coupling are one of the future development directions for functionally integrated electronics. Compared to other memristors, transparent memristors have enormous advantages in stability and optoelectronic devices due to their transparency. These advantages will enable transparent memristors to have more potential applications, such as in optoelectronic neuromorphic systems, artificial intelligence, and human visual systems. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze trends in transparent memristors in order to realize these applications. Here, we review three application areas : nonvolatile memory, artificial synapses, and neural networks. The resistive switching mechanism of transparent memristors is introduced through the overall and local effects. Finally, application prospects and challenges of transparent memristors are summarized, which provides an insightful guide to developing transparent electronic devices further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designing an excellent OER catalyst in an alkaline environment is severe yet essential for industrial H2 application under the electrochemical technique. This study has achieved multiple modifications on CoN nanowires, the classic OER catalyst, via a facile room-temperature NaBH4 spontaneous hydrolysis. This facile process simultaneously generates oxygen vacancies and robust BN species. It wraps hydrophilic BOx motifs on the OER response CoN nanowires, producing OER active Co–N–B species, increasing active numbers and guaranteeing structural stability. It suggests that a low NaBH4 concentration (0.1 mol L−1) treatment endows CoNNWAs/CC with excellent OER performance and robust structure, which can drive a current density of 50 mA cm−2 with only 325 mV overpotentials with more than 24 hours' durability. Even, the catalyst can drive 1000 mA cm−2 around 480 mV overpotential. This study allows a novel strategy for designing high-performance OER catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The uncertain vector autoregressive model is able to model the interrelationships between different variables, which is more advantageous compared to the traditional autoregressive model, when modeling real-life objects and where the observed values are imprecise. In this paper, the parameters of the uncertain vector autoregressive model are estimated by using least absolute deviation estimation (LAD) to obtain a fitted uncertain vector autoregressive model, and residual analysis is performed to obtain estimates of expected values and variances of the residuals. In addition, future values are modeled by using forecasting methods, i.e., point estimation and interval estimation. The order of the uncertain vector autoregressive model is also determined by the indicator summation of test errors (STE) in the cross-validation, and we also analyze that the least absolute deviation estimation outperforms the least squares estimation method in the presence of outliers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Uncertain time series analysis is an effective method to predict the variable with time index under imprecise observations. Sometimes, the time series model is built directly on the data which the prediction result is inaccurate. In this paper, an uncertain vector autoregressive smoothly moving average model (UVARSMA) is given. The least absolute deviation estimation and the least square estimation are given to estimate the unknown parameters. In order to predict effectively, we analyze the residuals and give the point estimation and interval estimation about the prediction. The relevant results are compared with those of the uncertain vector autoregressive model. Finally, a practical example about air index in Beijing, from 9 March 2022 to 23 April 2022, is given to verify the feasibility and accuracy of the new model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A common method of testing the reasonableness of estimates of unknown parameters in uncertain differential equations is to judge them by the α -path of the differential equation. If all observations fall between the α -paths, the estimates are considered reasonable. This paper introduces uncertain hypothesis testing into uncertain differential equations to test the reasonableness of the estimates, which is another new approach. Further, the concept of interval estimation of unknown parameters for uncertain differential equations is introduced. Some numerical examples are given to verify the feasibility of the method. The uncertain differential equations are also used to model global average temperature data, and the results are satisfactory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The machinability and wear reduction mechanism of self-repairing and self-lubricating ceramic tools sintered by vacuum hot-pressing method in the dry turning of 40Cr hardened steel was studied. By comparing the cutting performance and wear morphology of AT (Al2O3/TiC) ceramic tools under different cutting parameters, it was found that AT10B@5 (Al2O3/TiC/10 vol% TiB2/5 vol% h-BN@Al2O3) tool has a longer service life and better machining quality. Owing to the precipitation of solid lubricant during the cutting of AT10B@5 ceramic tool, the friction force during the cutting is reduced, thus decreasing the cutting force and cutting temperature of AT10B@5 ceramic tool during the cutting. The main cutting force decreased by 20.8%; the cutting temperature decreased by 22.2%; and the friction coefficient of front tool face decreased by 11.6% compared with AT tool. This effectively improved the surface quality of working parts, reduced the tool wear, increased the processing quality of work piece, and prolonged the tool life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dragon's Blood is a member of the Chinese medicinal herb, having anti‐oxygen and anti‐inflammatory activity for the photoprotective effect. However, the poor water solubility of raw Dragon's Blood powder has limited its intradermal delivery process. In this study, we evaluated nanosuspensions to enhance intradermal delivery of Dragon's Blood exerting a photoprotective effect. The prepared nanosuspension was added to a composite hydrogel patch matrix for better skin application. In the present research, we used biocompatible materials hyaluronic acid and amino acid surfactants as nanosuspension stabilizers and agar/gelatin/sodium polyacrylate as hydrogel patch matrix. The prepared Dragon's Blood nanosuspension had a particle size of 447.0 ± 48.6 nm. The micro‐structures morphology and viscoelasticity characteristics by SEM and rheological testing confirmed a sufficient crosslinked hydrogel network. The skin retention amount of Dragon's Blood nanosuspension was 1.48 times of raw Dragon's Blood powder water suspension, and the skin penetration amount of Dragon's Blood nanosuspension was only about 1/3 of Dragon's Blood DMSO solution. In the UVB‐irradiated HaCaT cell phototoxicity model, Dragon's Blood nanosuspension also significantly increased cell viability by about 1 time of the model group and decreased the production of reactive oxygen species about 1/2 times of model group. In vivo safety and efficiency evaluation experiment illustrated that DB‐NS hydrogel patch processes have favorable safety and photoprotective effect with no skin irritancy and phototoxicity. Furthermore, DB‐NS and DB‐NS hydrogel patches could protect skin from UVA and UVB irritating skin reactions. Overall, our study of the combined use of biocompatible and biodegradable materials as excipients of nanosuspension and hydrogel patch could be used as an effective additive of Intradermal delivery and skin photoprotection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xanthatin (XAN), a xanthanolide sesquiterpene lactone, isolated from Chinese herb, Xanthium strumarium L , has various pharmacological activities, such as antitumor activity and anti-inflammatory. However, little is known about its potential toxicity and the mechanism. Here, zebrafish model was used to study the developmental toxicity in vivo. Our results indicated that xanthatin increased the mortality and led to the morphological abnormalities including pericardial edema, yolk sac edema, curved body shape and hatching delay. Furthermore, xanthatin damaged the normal structure and/or function of heart, liver, immune and nervous system. ROS elevation and much more apoptosis cells were observed after xanthatin exposure. Gene expression results showed that oxidative stress-related genes nrf2 was inhibited, while oxidative stress-related genes (keap1 and nqo1) and apoptotic genes (caspase3 , caspase9 and p53) were increased after xanthatin exposure. Mitophagy related genes pink1 and parkin , and wnt pathway (β-catenin , wnt8a and wnt11) were significantly increased after xanthatin exposure. Taken together, our finding indicated that xanthatin induced developmental toxicity, and the ROS elevation, apoptosis activation, dysregulation of mitophagy and wnt pathways were involved in the toxicity caused by xanthatin. [Display omitted] • Xanthatin can lead to a notably developmental toxicity on zebrafish embryo. • Xanthatin can affect the normal developing processes of the heart, liver, immune and nervous system in zebrafish. • Xanthatin can notably increase the ROS and apoptosis levels. • Xanthatin can affect the mRNA expressions of genes associated with oxidative stress, apoptosis, wnt and mitophagy pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characteristics of fibrosis include the abnormal accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins and abnormal tissue repair caused by injury, infection, and inflammation, leading to a significant increase in organ failure and mortality. Effective and precise treatments are urgently needed to halt and reverse the progression of fibrotic diseases. Exosomes are tiny vesicles derived from endosomes, spanning from 40 to 160 nanometers in diameter, which are expelled into the extracellular matrix environment by various cell types. They play a crucial role in facilitating cell-to-cell communication by transporting a variety of cargoes, including proteins, RNA, and DNA. Epithelial cells serve as the primary barrier against diverse external stimuli that precipitate fibrotic diseases. Numerous research suggests that exosomes from epithelial cells have a significant impact on several fibrotic diseases. An in-depth comprehension of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of epithelial cell-derived exosomes in fibrosis holds promise for advancing the exploration of novel diagnostic biomarkers and clinical drug targets. In this review, we expand upon the pathogenic mechanisms of epithelium-derived exosomes and highlight their role in the fibrotic process by inducing inflammation and activating fibroblasts. In addition, we are particularly interested in the bioactive molecules carried by epithelial-derived exosomes and their potential value in the diagnosis and treatment of fibrosis and delineate the clinical utility of exosomes as an emerging therapeutic modality, highlighting their potential application in addressing various medical conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With the global attack of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), cases with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) have been increasing steadily, which seriously affects the quality of life of patients and as such, seeking effective treatments is an urgent matter. Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) is a typical cognitive behavioral therapy targeting trauma-related psychological disorders and may be an effective intervention.Methods: A total of 111 COVID-19 patients near the discharge stage with positive screening results for posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) were randomly assigned (1:1) to either the study group or the control group. The study group received NET and personalized psychological intervention, while the control group only received personalized psychological intervention. PTSS, depression, anxiety and sleep quality were measured pre- and post-intervention to evaluate the effect of NET. This trial was registered with the International Standard Randomized Clinical Trial Registry (No. ChiCTR2000039369).Results: NET participants showed a significantly greater PTSS reduction in comparison with the control group after the intervention. Improvement in sleep quality, anxiety and depression after the intervention were pronounced but not significantly different between the two treatment groups.Limitations: The assessors weren't blinded for the convenience of measurement and protection of participants' psychological security.Conclusions: NET likely had a positive impact on PTSS of COVID-19 patients. Clinical staff should consider applying NET to improve the psychological well-being of patients who have experienced an epidemic such as COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactive symbol-level jammer has attracted attention due to its low energy cost and high jamming efficiency. With the development of software-defined radio (SDR), the implementation of reactive symbol-level jamming has become more practical and efficient. To combat the reactive jammer, this paper proposes an index modulation based frequency hopping spread spectrum (IM-FHSS) scheme. Specifically, the current available frequencies are determined by multiple orthogonal frequency hopping (FH) patterns, and bit information is transmitted through the index of the active FH pattern. At the receiving side, we design an energy detector to distinguish the active and idle frequencies. With such implementation, IM-FHSS can obtain the improved resistance of reactive symbol-level jammer. Subsequently, we propose the alternative spectral efficiency (SE) mode of IM-FHSS in order to meet the high SE and low-power jamming scenarios. Furthermore, we analyze the BER of this scheme for the reactive symbol-level jamming under the cases of energy correlation, jamming rate, and phase offset. Theoretical analysis and simulation results show that IM-FHSS exhibits enhanced resistance to reactive symbol-level jamming than traditional FH scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existence of intrinsic defects in organic coating easily causes the degradation of protective ability during long-term corrosion process. A novel two-dimensional MXene (Ti 3 C 2) nanofiller can effectively reduce the defect density and contribute to the enhancement of anticorrosion performance, while its high conductivity may accelerate the galvanic corrosion between the organic coating and underlying substrate. In this work, a kind of three-dimensional (3D) Ti 3 C 2 MXene/polypyrrole composites (TPC) hybrid epoxy (EP) coating has been successfully fabricated on Mg alloy, which exhibits the excellent corrosion resistance and antistatic performance. The enhanced conductivity and synergistic barrier/passivation effect enable the Ti 3 C 2 MXene/polypyrrole composites with low surface resistance and excellent anticorrosion ability. Based on the electrochemical tests, the TPC/EP coating possesses remarkable impedance value with 7.73 × 1010 Ω cm2 after immersion for 14 days, representing the ability to extend service life due to the excellent physical barrier of Ti 3 C 2 nanosheets and the migration of electrochemical interface related to electronic transmission derived from polypyrrole (PPy) nano-particles. Moreover, the surface resistivity of the obtained coating is reduced to 2.76 × 108 Ω, which can be ascribed to the transmission effect of electrolyte ions through interlayer of Ti 3 C 2 /PPy network structure, and thus improving its antistatic performance. This work not only highlights the application of 2D MXene material as effective anticorrosion filler, but pave a new avenue for the development of organic/inorganic hybrid coating of Mg alloy or other metallic materials. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • N,S-CS/CN achieved the high H 2 O 2 activity in acid, neutral and alkaline conditions. • The carbon-based heterostructures could effectively avoid the charge recombination. • The synergistic effect of S- and N-site was conducive to H 2 O 2 production. Photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) H 2 O 2 synthesis from water and oxygen is a prospective approach for the manufacture of solar fuels and value-added versatile chemicals. However, the development of the efficient photocathode remains a formidable challenge because of the inferior selectivity and yield of H 2 O 2 derived from the multiple electron transfers affected by pH conditions. Herein, we report a metal-free carbon-based heterostructure material with N, S co-doping, where binary heteroatom-doped carbon sphere (N,S-CS) is loaded on carbon nitride (C 3 N 4) polymer, achieving an efficient synthesis of H 2 O 2 in a wide pH range. DFT calculations and experimental results uncover that S- and N-site can suppress the O-O cleavage and facilitate the *OOH formation through their subtle microenvironment, mediating the superior 2e- oxygen reduction selectivity to H 2 O 2 in acids and alkalis, respectively. This work provides a cost-effective strategy for designing an efficient photocathode for H 2 O 2 production in a wide pH environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chelerythrine (CHE), a natural benzophenanthridine alkaloid, possesses various biological and pharmacological activities, such as antimicrobial, antitumor and anti-inflammatory effects. However, its adverse side effect has not been fully elucidated. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the developmental toxicity of CHE in zebrafish. We found that CHE could lead to a notably increase of the mortality and malformation rate, while lead to reduction of the hatching rate and body length. CHE also could affect the normal developing processes of the heart, liver and phagocytes in zebrafish. Furthermore, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis levels were notably increased. In addition, the mRNA expressions of genes (bax , caspase-9 , p53 , SOD1 , KEAP1 , TNF-α , STAT3 and NF-κB) were significantly increased, while the bcl2 and nrf2 were notably inhibited by CHE. These results indicated that the elevation of ROS and apoptosis were involved in the developmental toxicity induced by CHE. In conclusion, CHE exhibits a developmental toxicity in zebrafish, which helps to understand the potential toxic effect of CHE. [Display omitted] • Chelerythrine increased the mortality rate and malformation rate of the zebrafish embryos. • Chelerythrine impaired the normal development of the heart, liver and phagocytes in zebrafish embryos. • The activation of the ROS and apoptosis was involved in developmental toxicity induced by chelerythrine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optoelectronic devices, such as light‐emitting diodes, have been demonstrated as one of the most demanded forthcoming display and lighting technologies because of their low cost, low power consumption, high brightness, and high contrast. The improvement of device performance relies on advances in precisely designing novelty functional materials, including light‐emitting materials, hosts, hole/electron transport materials, and yet which is a time‐consuming, laborious and resource‐intensive task. Recently, machine learning (ML) has shown great prospects to accelerate material discovery and property enhancement. This review will summarize the workflow of ML in optoelectronic materials discovery, including data collection, feature engineering, model selection, model evaluation and model application. We highlight multiple recent applications of machine‐learned potentials in various optoelectronic functional materials, ranging from semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) or perovskite QDs, organic molecules to carbon‐based nanomaterials. We furthermore discuss the current challenges to fully realize the potential of ML‐assisted materials design for optoelectronics applications. It is anticipated that this review will provide critical insights to inspire new exciting discoveries on ML‐guided of high‐performance optoelectronic devices with a combined effort from different disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Co 3 O 4 , a type of transition metal oxide, is known as a promising anode material for high-performance Li-ion batteries (LIBs), attracting wide research attention because of its high theoretical specific capacity, high tapped density as well as stable chemical properties. In this review, we first discuss the synthesis of pure Co 3 O 4 with different morphologies, such as 1D nanostructures (nanorods and nanowires), 2D nanostructures (nanosheets), 3D nanostructures (nanocubes, nanoboxes, polyhedral and fusiform nanostructures), and multistage nanostructures (flower-like nanostructures). Then, we focus on the application of pure Co 3 O 4 and its composites, such as Co 3 O 4 /C, Co 3 O 4 /graphene, and Co 3 O 4 /metal oxide, in LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The magnitude of very fast transients (VFTs) generated in disconnector operation in gas-insulated substation (GIS) is mainly determined by breakdown voltage between stationary and movable contacts. Moreover, the initial phase angle of source voltage and the movable contact operation velocity of disconnector are two important factors of affecting the breakdown voltage. The combination of initial phase angle and contact velocity to suppress VFTs is theoretically studied. With 3-D electrostatic simulation model, the capacitance parameters are calculated at different separations between stationary and movable contacts. Taking measured relation between the breakdown voltage and the separation of contacts as criterion, VFTs can be analyzed under different combination of initial phase angle and movable contact velocity. The effectiveness of the method is verified by comparing with experimental data. Based on this method, the effect of initial phase angle, movable contact velocity, and residual charge on repeated breakdown voltage in GIS is discussed and analyzed, and the optimum phase angle for closing and opening operations are selected. The very fast transient over voltage is remarkably suppressed with selection of optimum initial phase angle when disconnect is operated under enough fast velocity of movable contact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The metal–organic framework (MOF) is a kind of porous material with lattice materials. Due to its large surface area and structural diversity, it has made great progress in the fields of batteries, capacitors, electrocatalysis, etc. Conductive MOF (c-MOF) increases the conductivity based on the original advantages of the MOF, which is more suitable for the development of batteries, capacitors, electrocatalysis, and other fields. This review summarizes the preparation of c-MOF and the research progress of conductive MOFs in the field of electrochemical energy storage and conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Very fast transient overvoltage (VFTO) generated by operating disconnect in gas insulated substations has great concern in high voltage rated substation. Because many effecting factors, including structure parameters and charge distribution, can be integrated into analysis of 3-D electromagnetic finite element method (FEM), this method is regarded as accurate method. VFTOs were analyzed based on electromagnetic FEM method with not only considering the structure of conductors and contacts but also considering the non-uniformity of initial electric field around the conductors at initial time. From simulation results we can see that VFTOs simulated by field based model were larger than that by electromagnetic transient program (EMTP) and the VFTOs by field method advance that by EMTP in time even through ratio of diameter to length is smaller. Comparisons of simulation results were made between circuit-based model and field-based model. The discussions about the key points for the use of field-based model were taken. For larger ratio of diameter to length in compact GIS the magnitude of simulated VFTOs is significantly affected by analysis methods. This field based analysis method will be used in research of phase-selection to suppress the VFTO, in modeling of arcing channel and in obtaining equivalent impedance of source line in GIS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a one-terminal fault-location method for interline and grounded faults of double-circuit transmission lines considering the distributed parameter. The influence of mutual inductances is taken into account in a six-sequence network of a distributed parameter model. And the compensation voltage with the help of a co-rotating zero-sequence compensation coefficient and reverse zero-sequence compensation coefficient is defined. Then, the phase and the amplitude of fault voltage are calculated by utilizing the relationship between measured reverse sequence current and fault reverse sequence current. Then, fault-location function is constructed by utilizing the measured voltage, measured current, and estimated fault voltage. Finally, the fault location is identified by solving the phase mutation point of fault-location function. The simulation results show that the method can be widely used for interline and grounded faults without the information of other substations. In addition, this method is merely influenced by fault location, transition resistance, source impedance, and is able to locate the fault accurately and is easy to implement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorus (P) is both a nutrient and a pollutant. For instance, excess P induces water eutrophication followed by death of fishes and other water life. Determination of organic P content in sediments is therefore important to study P cycling and environmental pollution. The most widely used method to determine organic P in sediments is NaOH-EDTA extraction followed by P-NMR detection. However, some organic P compounds are difficult to extract using NaOH-EDTA due to the low solubility, thus can not be detected by P NMR. Here, we used foam separation to determine organic P in sediment of North Canal of Tianjin City, China. Organic P was first enriched using foam separation coupled with NaOH extraction. The enriched organic P was then analyzed with P NMR. The results showed that, compared with the traditional extraction method, foam separation coupled with NaOH extraction enriched more P compound because P NMR detected an extra signal of teichoic acid at chemical shift 1.14. This teichoic acid signal was not detected in the extract prepared using only NaOH-EDTA. Our finding demonstrates that determination using foam separation followed by P NMR is feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bismuth vanadate (BiVO 4) is a famous photocatalyst and photoanode material. The epitaxial thin film is very helpful to understand the origin of these properties. Here we reported that the preparation of BiVO 4 (010) epitaxial thin film from different targets by carefully controlling the oxygen pressure. The oxygen pressure shows an exponential change with the Bi:V ratio. The coverage has a maximum value at 5:1 of Bi:V ratio in the target. The optical band gap is the same for the samples obtained from the low oxygen pressures, while the band gap becomes smaller as increasing the oxygen pressure for the stoichiometric target. The photocatalytic activity rises first and then reaches a platform with the increase of Bi:V ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zhang, H.; Shi, Y.; and Zhang, X., 2019. Optimization for logistics center location in coastal tourist attraction based on grey wolf optimizer. In: Gong, D.; Zhu, H., and Liu, R. (eds.), Selected Topics in Coastal Research: Engineering, Industry, Economy, and Sustainable Development. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 94, pp. 823–827. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. Facility Location Problem is a major issue in logistics system of coastal tourist attraction. This paper focuses on the impact of the location of logistics center on the vehicle routing scheme and establishes a location model which aims at minimizing the total transportation costs. Meanwhile, road steepness and congestion are added as the weight values and time window constraints are included. In this paper, a meta-heuristic algorithm GWO is been used for solving the location problem based on the proposed mathematical model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nickel-based single-crystal superalloys are widely used in aerospace and industrial gas turbine blades due to their excellent material properties. However, these alloys are also known for their difficulty in machining due to their superior physical properties. To improve the surface quality of machined parts, this study investigates the effects of different grinding conditions (dry grinding, flood, minimum quantity lubrication (MQL)) on the surface morphology, grinding-induced damage layer, and subsurface microstructure of nickel-based single-crystal superalloys. The experiments show that under MQL conditions, as the wheel speed increases, the grinding marks become more uniform, surface micro-defects decrease, and surface quality improves. A comparison of the thickness of the grinding-induced damage layer (D) obtained from dry grinding, flood, and MQL reveals that MQL cooling is more effective in reducing the damage layer thickness of nickel-based single-crystal superalloys compared to flood cooling. With an increase in wheel speed from 15 to 35 m/s, the thickness of the subsurface damage layer reduced from 14.2 to 11.4 µm using emulsion cooling and from 12.8 to 9.1 µm using MQL cooling. Unlike dry grinding, the use of grinding fluid significantly impacts the subsurface microstructure of the alloy, effectively suppressing work hardening and reducing the thickness of the grinding-induced damage layer, thereby improving the surface quality. It has important theoretical and practical significance to improve the quality of grinding surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present generalizing statistical surrogate models to select an optimized photosensitizer, TPP, which is subsequently loaded into autologous exosomes by ultrasonic mixing to achieve tumor targeting with enhanced therapeutic efficacy by photodynamic therapy (PDT). This work contributes to the exploration of PDT enhancement strategies, and provides new prospects for using autologous exosomes as a delivery system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis of organic photosensitizers with effective reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation remains one of the urgent needs for cancer therapy. In this study, a simple strategy is developed to endow the intrinsic non‐photosensitizer fluorophores with profound ROS‐generating ability upon light irradiation. This strategy is featured by introducing donor–acceptor (D‐A) structured fluorophores as auxiliary ligands into the Ir(III) metal complex, which provides the Ir(III) metal center‐based triplet state (T1) as an energy level springboard to efficiently enhance the energy transition to the D‐A ligand‐based triplet state (T1'). The energy level difference between T1 and T1' can be regulated through altering the cyclometalated ligands of Ir(III), facilitating the energy transfer from T1 to T1' for augmented ROS generation. To improve the pharmacological properties of the obtained D‐A coordinated Ir(III) complex, it is incorporated with the exosomes extracted from M1 phenotype macrophages (M1‐Exos). The generated nanocomplexes are able to trigger synergistic photodynamic therapy, facilitating the reprogramming of tumor‐associated macrophages and eradicating the tumors in mice. This study provides a general strategy to transform non‐photosensitizer fluorophores into effective photosensitizers for biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Sarcopenia is considered to be an important predictor of adverse outcomes following spinal surgery, but the specific relationship between the two is not clear. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to systematically review all relevant studies to evaluate the impact of sarcopenia on spinal surgery outcomes. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library for relevant articles published on or before January 9, 2023. The pooled odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) was calculated in a random effects meta-analysis. The main outcome was the risk of adverse outcomes after spinal surgery, including adverse events and mortality. This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines to evaluate the impact of sarcopenia on spinal surgery outcomes. In addition, we also conducted a subgroup analysis and leave-one-out sensitivity analyses to explore the main sources of heterogeneity and the stability of the results. Results: Twenty-four cohort studies, with a total of 243,453 participants, met the inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis showed that sarcopenia was significantly associated with adverse events (OR 1.63, 95% CI 1.17–2.27, P < 0.001) but was no significantly associated with mortality (OR 1.17, 95% CI 0.93–1.46, P = 0.180), infection (OR 2.24, 95% CI 0.95–5.26, P < 0.001), 30-day reoperation (OR 1.47, 95% CI 0.92–2.36, P = 0.413), deep vein thrombosis (OR 1.78, 95% CI 0.69–4.61, P = 0.234), postoperative home discharge (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.26–1.37, P = 0.002) and blood transfusion (OR 3.28, 95% CI 0.74–14.64, P = 0.015). Conclusion: The current meta-analysis showed that patients with sarcopenia have an increased risk of adverse events and mortality after spinal surgery. However, these results must be carefully interpreted because the number of studies included is small and the studies are significantly different. These findings may help to increase the clinicians' awareness of the risks concerning patients with sarcopenia to improve their prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The aim of the present review was to summarize our studies on the signaling pathways in cancer types that are involved in the development of oral cancer and several mitogen-activated protein kinase-related molecular targeting technologies combined with immune checkpoint therapies to provide new therapeutic strategies for oral squamous cell carcinoma. In addition, we have provided a reasonable outlook, with a systematic basis, for future diagnosis and accurate treatment. Oral squamous cell carcinoma accounts for 95% of human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cases. It is highly malignant and aggressive, with a poor prognosis and a 5-year survival rate of <50%. In recent years, basic and clinical studies have been performed on the role of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway in oral cancer. The MAPK signaling pathway is activated in over 50% of human oral cancer cases. Herein, we review research progress on the MAPK signaling pathway and its potential therapeutic mechanisms and discuss its molecular targeting to explore its potential as a therapeutic strategy for oral squamous cell carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to investigate the adhesion of municipal solid waste incinerator bottom ash (MSWIBA) and limestone to asphalt using the principles of surface energy theory. MSWIBA asphalt mixes are known for their satisfactory water stability, with adhesion being a crucial factor, as demonstrated in previous freeze-thaw splitting tests. Contact angles of ground MSWIBA and limestone were measured using a capillary rise test, eliminating the influence of material surface structure. Subsequently, adhesion work and spalling work were calculated to correlate with water-induced damage. The results showed that the sequence of adhesion work was fine MSWIBA > limestone > coarse MSWIBA, while the sequence of spalling work was coarse MSWIBA > limestone > fine MSWIBA. The adhesion of MSWIBA asphalt mixes was evaluated using the water boiling test image method to validate the findings of surface energy theory. In both asphalt tests, the spalling rate followed this sequence: coarse MSWIBA > limestone > fine MSWIBA. The Adhesion index ER ranked as follows: ER Fine MSWIBA > ER limestone > ER coarse MSWIBA. These results suggest that the water stability of MSWIBA asphalt mixes is influenced by the surface energy of the components. Consequently, indices derived from surface energy theory can be applied in formulating and predicting the properties of MSWIBA asphalt mixes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering that different regions and races have different skeletal development stages, it is imperative to adopt appropriate standards for the age assessment of specific populations. The study aimed to identify a suitable method for knee epiphysis grading and evaluate the feasibility of age estimation based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and X-ray in the Chinese population. MRI images and X-ray images of the knee were collected from 1018 volunteers and 833 volunteers aged 6–20 years old, respectively. A modified Kramer's classification method was used for the experiment. The minimum, maximum, mean, and standard deviation of radiography and MRI were defined for males and females in each age group. The ossification process in knee joints of the female volunteers occurred earlier compared to the male, and the X-ray grading was higher than that of the MRI during the same period. In the regression analysis, the R2 value with age of MRI was generally higher than the X-ray in males. MRI can be used as an effective, reliable, non-invasive, and non-radiation method for evaluating bone age. This study verified the feasibility of applying the knee epiphysis grading for forensic investigations in Chinese population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To develop and validate a radiomics nomogram for differentiating between malignant pulmonary nodules and benign nodules. 56 benign and 51 malignant nodules from 96 patients were analyzed using manual segmentation of the T2-fBLADE-TSE, while the nodules signal intensity (SIlesion), lesion muscle ratio (LMR) and nodule size were all measured and recorded. The maximum relevance and minimum redundancy (mRMR) and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) were used to select nonzero coefficients and develop the model in pulmonary nodules diagnosis. The radiomics nomogram was also developed. The clinical prediction value was determined by the decision curve analysis (DCA). The nodule size, SIlesion and LMR of the benign group were 1.78 ± 0.57 cm, 227.50 ± 81.39 and 2.40 ± 1.27 respectively, in contrast to the 2.00 ± 0.64 cm, 232.87 ± 82.21 and 2.17 ± 0.91, respectively, in the malignant group (P = 0.09, 0.60 and 0.579). A total of 13 radiomics features were retained. The Rad-score of the benign nodules group was lower than that of the malignant nodules group (P < 0.001 & 0.049, training & test set). The AUC of radiomics signature for nodules diagnosis was 0.82 (95% CI, 0.73–0.91) in the training set and 0.71 (95% CI, 0.51–0.90) in the test set. A nomogram, consisting of 13 radiomics features and nodule size, produced good prediction in the training set (AUC, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.73–0.91), which was significantly better than that of T2-based quantitative parameters (AUC, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.50–0.75, P = 0.003). In the test set, the performance of radiomics nomogram (AUC, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.51–0.90) was also better than that of T2-based quantitative parameters (AUC, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.25–0.67) (P = 0.145). The DCA showed that radiomics nomogram and T2-based quantitative parameter had overall net benefits, while the performance of nomogram was better. We constructed and validated a T2-fBLADE-TSE-based radiomics nomogram that can help to differentiate between malignant pulmonary nodules and benign nodules. • TSE with fast-BLADE, which also termed as PROPELLER, is used to depict and evaluate pulmonary nodules. • Rad-score was calculated by the mathematical model with the selected useful prediction radiomics features in pulmonary nodules diagnosis • We developed and validated the first radiomics nomogram based on the T2-fBLADE-TSE to differentiate between with malignant pulmonary nodules and benign nodules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Association analysis for ionomic concentrations of 20 elements identified independent genetic factors underlying the root and shoot ionomes of rice, providing a platform for selecting and dissecting causal genetic variants. Understanding the genetic basis of mineral nutrient acquisition is key to fully describing how terrestrial organisms interact with the non-living environment. Rice (Oryza sativa L.) serves both as a model organism for genetic studies and as an important component of the global food system. Studies in rice ionomics have primarily focused on above ground tissues evaluated from field-grown plants. Here, we describe a comprehensive study of the genetic basis of the rice ionome in both roots and shoots of 6-week-old rice plants for 20 elements using a controlled hydroponics growth system. Building on the wealth of publicly available rice genomic resources, including a panel of 373 diverse rice lines, 4.8 M genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphisms, single- and multi-marker analysis pipelines, an extensive tome of 321 candidate genes and legacy QTLs from across 15 years of rice genetics literature, we used genome-wide association analysis and biparental QTL analysis to identify 114 genomic regions associated with ionomic variation. The genetic basis for root and shoot ionomes was highly distinct; 78 loci were associated with roots and 36 loci with shoots, with no overlapping genomic regions for the same element across tissues. We further describe the distribution of phenotypic variation across haplotypes and identify candidate genes within highly significant regions associated with sulfur, manganese, cadmium, and molybdenum. Our analysis provides critical insight into the genetic basis of natural phenotypic variation for both root and shoot ionomes in rice and provides a comprehensive resource for dissecting and testing causal genetic variants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a new type of nanomaterial, carbon dots (CDs) have been recognized as a versatile nanoplatform with enormous potential for biomedical and optoelectronic applications because of low cytotoxicity, photostability, biocompatibility and versatility in addition to their tunable photoluminescence. In this review, we aim at updating the latest research on preparation, optoelectronic and chemical properties of CDs as well as their biomedical and optoelectronic applications. We highlight the applications of CDs for stem cell imaging, cell nucleus imaging, two‐photon fluorescence imaging, tumor diagnosis and therapy and their optoelectronic applications including light‐emitting diodes (LEDs), solar cells and electrocatalysis. Furthermore, we also discuss current challenges and breakthroughs on machine‐learning‐driven synthesis of CDs as well as nucleic acid detection with an eye towards the future. Finally, we hope that this review will give further impulses to target‐oriented research on CDs for biomedical and optoelectronic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new series of thiophenpiperazine amide derivatives as potent dual ligands for the μ-opioid (MOR) and sigma-1 (σ 1 R) receptors are reported. Compound 23 exhibited good affinity to σ 1 R (K i = 44.7 ± 7.05 nM) and high selectivity to σ 2 R. Furthermore, Compound 23 exerted MOR agonism and σ1R antagonism and potent analgesic activity in animal moldes (the abdominal constriction test (ED 50 = 3.83 mg/kg) and carrageenan-induced inflammatory hyperalgesia model (ED 50 = 5.23 mg/kg)). We obtained new dual ligands that might serve as starting points for preparing targeted tools. Furthermore, 23 may be a useful chemical probe for understanding more fully analgesic effects associated with MOR agonism and σ 1 R antagonism. • A series of thiophenpiperazine amide derivatives were synthesised. • The structure activity relationships of the targeted compounds were summarised. • Selected compounds exhibited the desirable potent σ 1 R antagonism and MOR agonism profiles. • The most active compound exerted potent analgesic activity in in vivo animal model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The management of skin wound healing is still a challenge. MicroRNA-21 (miR-21) has been reported to play important roles in wound repair; however, the underlying mechanism needs to be further clarified. The present study aimed to study the direct role of miR-21 in skin wound healing in miR-21 KO mice and to investigate the role of miR-21 in controlling the migration and proliferation of primary human skin cells and its underlying mechanism(s). miR-21 KO and wild-type (WT) mice were used for in vivo wound healing assays, while mouse and human primary skin cells were used for in vitro assays. miR-21 inhibitors or mimics or negative control small RNAs were transfected to either inhibit or enhance miR-21 expression in the human primary dermal fibroblasts or epidermal cells. RNA sequencing analysis was performed to identify the potential molecular pathways involved. We found that the loss of miR-21 resulted in slower wound healing in miR-21 KO mouse skin and especially delayed the healing of dermal tissue. In vitro assays demonstrated that the reduced expression of miR-21 caused by its inhibitor inhibited the migration of human primary dermal fibroblasts, which could be enhanced by increased miR-21 expression caused by miR-21 mimics. RNA-sequence analysis revealed that the inhibition of miR-21 expression downregulated the inflammatory response pathways associated with the decreased expression of inflammatory cytokines, and the addition of IL-1β into the culture medium enhanced the migration and proliferation of dermal fibroblasts in vitro. In conclusion, miR-21 in dermal fibroblasts can promote the migration and growth of epidermal and dermal cells to enhance skin wound healing through controlling the expression of inflammatory cytokines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This exploratory study examined whether central auditory tests show differences between people living with HIV (PLWH) treated with two predominant antiretroviral drug therapy (ART) regimens. Cross-sectional. 253 PLWH (mean age 39.8 years) from the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Centre, China. The Hearing in Noise Test speech reception threshold (SRT) assessed central auditory function and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) assessed cognition. The relationship between ART regimen and SRT was evaluated with multivariable linear regression incorporating age, HIV duration, and peripheral hearing ability. Multivariable logistic regression was used to ascertain if SRT and ART regimen predicted MoCA impairment. The two predominant ART regimens differed by one drug (zidovudine or tenofovir). Participants taking the zidovudine-containing regimen had poorer SRT performance (p=.012) independent of age and hearing thresholds. MoCA scores did not differ between drug regimens, but a negative relationship was found between SRT and MoCA impairment (p=.048). ART regimens differed in their association with central auditory test performance likely reflecting neurocognitive changes in PLWH taking the zidovudine-containing regimen. Central auditory test performance also marginally predicted cognitive impairment, supporting further assessment of central auditory tests to detect neurocognitive deficits in PLWH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]