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Metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of materials composed of coordinative interactions between metal ions and organic linkers, encompassing two‐dimensional (2D), and three‐dimensional (3D) architectures. Metal‐organic cages (MOCs), a special case of these species, are discrete molecular “capsules” with zero‐dimensional (0D) structures. Over the last two decades, MOFs and MOCs composed of organic perylene (P) and perylene diimide (PDI) linkers have gained much attention due to their versatile properties, which can be further enhanced after incorporation into frameworks. This minireview highlights recent progress in the construction and application of P/PDI‐based coordination framework materials. The text offers an overview of the synthesis of P/PDI organic linkers, proceeds to their integration into coordination frameworks of different dimensionalities – 2D and 3D MOFs, and 0D MOCs, and then explores potential applications. These include sensing, photocatalysis, electrochemical devices and photothermal conversion and focus on the apparent structure‐property relationships. Finally, the challenges and future prospects of P/PDI‐derived coordination frameworks will be addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The numerous first-line treatment regimens for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive advanced breast cancer (ABC) necessitate a comprehensive evaluation to inform clinical decision-making. We conducted a Bayesian network meta-analysis (NMA) to compare the efficacy and safety of different interventions. Methods: We systematically searched for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane Library and online abstracts from inception to June 1, 2023. NMA was performed to calculate and analyze progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), and adverse events of grade 3 or higher (≥ 3 AEs). Results: Out of the 10,313 manuscripts retrieved, we included 28 RCTs involving 11,680 patients. Regarding PFS and ORR, the combination of trastuzumab with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) was more favorable than dual-targeted therapy. If only using trastuzumab, combination chemotherapy is superior to monochemotherapy in terms of PFS. It is important to note that the addition of anthracycline did not result in improved PFS. For patients with hormone receptor-positive HER2-positive diseases, dual-targeted combined with endocrine therapy showed better benefit in terms of PFS compared to dual-targeted alone, but it did not reach statistical significance. The comprehensive analysis of PFS and ≥ 3 AEs indicates that monochemotherapy combined with dual-targeted therapy still has the optimal balance between efficacy and safety. Conclusion: Monochemotherapy (Docetaxel) plus dual-target (Trastuzumab and Pertuzumab) therapy remains the optimal choice among all first-line treatment options for ABC. The combination of trastuzumab with TKIs (Pyrotinib) demonstrated a significant improvement in PFS and ORR, but further data are warranted to confirm the survival benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The effectiveness and security of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in combination with toripalimab (anti‐PD‐1) for the treatment of recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was studied in this article. Methods: Total of 40 patients were enrolled in the study between September 2019 and November 2021. Data follow‐up ends in April 2022. The study's main focus is on recurrence free survival (RFS), while the secondary objectives was safety. Chi‐square tests, Kaplan‐Meier, and Cox proportional hazards models were utilized to analyze the data. Results: The median follow‐up period was 21.40 months, and the median RFS was 15.40 months in the group that received combination therapy, which was statistically significantly different (HR: 0.44, p = 0.04) compared with the RFA group (8.2 months). RFS rates (RFSr) at 6, 12 and 18 months in the combination therapy groups and RFA groups were 80% vs 65%, 62.7% vs 35% and 48.7% vs 18.8%, respectively. Between the two groups, significant difference of RFSr was found at 18 months (p = 0.04). No statistical differences were observed between the two groups in terms of safeness (p > 0.05). The subgroup analysis indicated that the combination of RFA and anti‐PD‐1 led to better RFS than RFA alone. Moreover, patients benefited more from combination therapy in the groups younger than 60 years (HR: 0.26, p = 0.018), male (HR: 0.32, p = 0.028) and Child‐Pugh grade A (HR: 0.38, p = 0.032). Conclusions: Combining RFA with anti‐PD‐1 showed improved RFS and was deemed safe for patients with recurrent HCC who had previously undergone RFA treatment alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyaniline is the most famous conducting polymer and also a promising organic cathode material for rechargeable batteries, however, it has demonstrated poor utilization of its theoretical capacity (294 mAh g−1) and inferior cycling stability in previous studies. Herein, for the first time, its fully reduced form, i.e., leucoemeraldine base (LB), is studied as an alternative to the commonly used emeraldine salt and base (ES and EB). For the three different forms, the precise structures are carefully determined, and the electrochemical performance are systematically investigated. Within 2.0−4.3 V, LB realizes almost full capacity utilization (92%) that is much superior to those of ES and EB. Within 2.0−4.2 V, it shows both high reversible capacity (277 mAh g−1) and cycling stability (84% capacity retention after 1000 cycles). The combination of electrochemical analysis, density functional theory calculation, and ex situ characterization reveals that the capacity utilization is positively associated with the pristine proportion of ─NH─ groups, and the capacity fading is caused by the irreversible electrochemical deprotonation at high charge potential. This work promotes both the electrochemical performance and mechanistic understanding of polyaniline to a new stage, towards practical application in energy storage devices as a low‐cost, high‐performance, sustainable, and green cathode material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contamination with pesticides has inflicted substantial harm on human health; therefore, developing rapid, ultra-sensitive, and non-labelling simultaneous detection methods for multiple pesticides is necessary. In this study, we demonstrated that α-hemolysin (α-HL) nanopore sensor can detect and discriminate organophosphorus pesticides of phoxim and omethoate in a single nanopore without requiring labels of the probes or purification of the pesticides in real samples. Aptamers specifically recognise and bind pesticides to obtain pesticide-aptamer complexes that produce characteristic current signals while passing through the nanopore. Phoxim and omethoate were accurately distinguished by a portable instrument within minutes, and their detection sensitivity was up to the femtomole level, whether detected alone or simultaneously. The detection limits of phoxim and omethoate were 8.13 × 10−16 M and 4.16 × 10−15 M. The recoveries of phoxim and omethoate from pear, tomato, and cucumber samples were 82.0–107.0 % and 81.9–118.3 % respectively, with coefficient of variable below 8.0 %. • The α-hemolysin nanopore sensor can detect and discriminate phoxim and omethoate in real samples. • The sensor enables simultaneously detection of phoxim and omethoate within minutes. • The detection limit of the sensor is up to the femtomole level. • The sensor is as reliable and accurate as UHPLC-MS/MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • We propose a framework to address externalities of regional ecosystem services. • The spatial distribution for ecosystem service externality varies significantly. • Ecological networks and externalities are closely linked. • The multi-scenario spatial optimization plans scheme constructed can balance efficiency and optimized area. Ecosystem services are dynamic, following specific paths between regions and generating externalities. However, research on these externalities and the mechanisms within ecological networks remains limited. The quantification, spatial patterns, and evolution of these externalities are still unclear and need further study. Utilizing land use, topography, precipitation, and socio-economic data from 2010 and 2020, the study aims to quantify the externalities of ecosystem services and analyze their spatial distribution and network transmission characteristics within the Territorial Ecological Space (TES) of Jintan District. Using the InVEST model, we assessed the externalities of ecosystem services and integrated these with an ecological network model to reveal the impact of network structure on the flow of externalities. We propose an ecological space optimization plan with various scenarios, offering a reference for regional ecological space optimization. Key findings indicate that ecosystem service externalities exist and display spatial differentiation, with ecological source areas and corridors participating in the flow and dissipation of these services. Based on these findings, an ecological space optimization plan is proposed, consisting of multiple scenarios, which offers a reference for regional ecological space optimization. The study contributes to the sustainable management of ecological spaces by providing new insights and methodological advancements, particularly in the context of optimizing ecological spatial structures and ensuring regional ecological security. By elucidating the spatial dynamics and network transmission of ecosystem service externalities, this research supports informed decision-making in ecological conservation and land use planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Scarless endoscopic thyroidectomy (ET) is increasingly accepted by the growing amount of surgeons. The target of this study is to assess the efficacy and summarise the experiences of total areola approach for ET (TAAET). Subjects and Methods: TAAET was performed on 529 patients between January 2016 and October 2021. All operated patients were divided into two groups according to the chronological order. Demographic data, perioperative data and post-operative complications were collected to assess the effectiveness of TAAET. Results: Five hundred and twenty-eight patients were successfully treated with TAAET, while 1 case was converted to open surgery due to bleeding. The surgical approach consists of lobectomy or total thyroidectomy with or without central lymph node dissection. The post-operative pathology of 433 (81.9%) patients was diagnosed with T1 ~2N0M0. The average number of unilateral lymph node dissection was 7.72 ± 2.44 while the bilateral lymph node was 10.70 ± 3.72. In terms of complications, 38 cases had transient hoarseness, 28 cases had tetany and numbness, 3 cases had post-operative bleeding, 1 case had infection and 33 cases had subcutaneous fluid. There were statistically significant differences between the two groups with respect to transient hoarseness (P < 0.001), tetany and numbness (P = 0.005), intraoperative blood loss (P = 0.003) and operation time for malignant tumour (P < 0.001) because of the accumulation of surgical experience and the maturation of technology. Conclusions: TAAET which conforms to the anatomical pathway of open thyroidectomy is a safe, effective and feasible technique and is highly suitable for novices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a low-cost multistep finite control set model predictive current control (FCS-MPCC) using a dc link single current sensor is proposed for permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM). In order to reduce the system cost, the single dc link current sensor is used to reconstruct the three-phase current. Different from the current reconstruction technology of field-orientated control strategy, there are some problems of the existed current reconstruction technology applied for finite control set model predictive control (FCS-MPC). First, the optimal switching state of FCS-MPC in each cycle is not fixed, and only contains at most one phase current information for reconstruction, which will cause the reconstruction failure. Therefore, a multiperiod sampling method is proposed to obtain the different two-phase current information to reconstruction. Second, the uncertainty of the two-phase reconstruction current interval will lead to current error, so this article proposes a variable period compensation method to solve this problem. Moreover, in order to improve the system closed-loop performance without significantly increasing the computational cost and enhance the system reliability, a low-cost multistep FCS-MPCC strategy based on the reconstructed three-phase current is proposed for PMSM. Finally, simulation and experimental results validate the effectiveness of the low-cost multistep FCS-MPCC method using a dc link single current sensor reconstruction for PMSM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The double pulse technology increases the energy transmission between the plasma plume and the target by coupling the laser beam, which greatly enhances the signal, reduces the detection limit of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and improves the ability of trace elemental analysis. In this paper, the emission characteristics of plasma in orthogonal double-pulse LIBS (DP-LIBS) are studied theoretically by using the hydrodynamics model, including the effects of pulse interval and spot position of the second laser pulse on the emission intensity of various species in the reheating mode. The results show that in the reheating mode, the pulse interval corresponding to the maximum intensity ratio of double pulse to single pulse occurs at 0.2–0.5 μs, while in the pre-ablation mode, it increases with the increase of pulse interval. According to the decrease of the number density of the background gas above the sample before the ablation pulse in the pre-ablation mode, the enhancement mechanism of spectral line intensity is explained from two aspects: plasma–plasma coupling effect and pressure effect. In addition, the spatial distribution and raising mechanism of plasma temperature in these modes are also explored. It shows that in the reheating mode, the plasma temperature is increased by directly absorbing laser energy, while in the pre-ablation mode, it is increased by reducing the energy loss between vapor plasma and gas plasma and weakening the shielding effect. The theoretical analysis of double pulse plasma provides a theoretical basis for the experimental research and application of DP-LIBS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • WUE increased significantly for main vegetation types in the Tibetan Plateau during 1982–2018; • Increased LAI boosted WUE in grassland while decreased VPD and elevated CO 2 derived WUE increase in broad-leaf forests; • Regression-based methods are too simplified and cannot fully reflect nonlinear effects of different drivers on WUE change. Ecosystem water use efficiency (WUE) is a key indicator for understanding the response of carbon–water processes to environmental changes. However, as affected by uncertainty of WUE estimation and attribution, the individual contributions of environmental drivers to WUE changes and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear on the Tibetan Plateau (TP). Here, a theory-based analytical WUE model was modified by introducing an optimal stomatal behavior model, and used to estimate monthly WUE and their drivers during 1982–2018 for main vegetation types on the Tibetan Plateau (TP). Rationality of three mainstream analytical attribution methods—analytical-based partial derivative method (APDM), regression-based partial derivative method (NPDM), and climate elasticity method (CEM)—was examined. Furtherly, the contributions of various environmental drivers to WUE variation trend were estimated for various vegetation types. Results indicate that: (1) The modified model performed well in estimating WUE against with observed WUE at five eddy-covariance (EC) flux stations, which decreased the uncertainty of WUE estimation. WUE increased significantly in the TP with a slope of 0.49 × 10-2 g C kg−1 H 2 O yr−1 during 1982–2018 with forests increased most rapidly; (2) Only APDM captured both the variation and magnitude of WUE trends, and both NPDM and CEM failed to reproduce the magnitude of WUE trends, though CEM was better than NPDM benefited from its nonlinear structure. Through comparing these methods, we found that the nonlinear direct effects of these forcing variables on WUE change could be higher than their indirect effects caused by their interactions. (3) There are some differences in the main drivers of WUE trends for various vegetation types. Increase in WUE was mainly driven by the increase in leaf area index (LAI) for both steppes and meadows, while decreased air water vapor pressure deficit (VPD) and elevated CO 2 showed higher positive effects for broad-leaf forests. The distinct response and extremely scarce EC observations of forests suggest that more attention should be paid to forests in the TP. This study could help in selection of attribution methods and understanding the mechanisms of carbon–water coupling of alpine ecosystems under a changing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A few long noncoding RNAs (long ncRNAs, lncRNAs) exhibit trophoblast cell type-specific expression patterns and functional roles in mouse placenta. However, the cell- and stage-specific expression patterns and functions of most placenta-derived lncRNAs remain unclear. In this study, we explored mouse placenta-associated lncRNAs using a combined bioinformatic and experimental approach. We used the FANTOM5 database to survey lncRNA expression in mouse placenta and found that 1600012P17Rik (MGI: 1919275, designated P17Rik), a long intergenic ncRNA, was the most highly expressed lncRNA at gestational day 17. Polymerase chain reaction analysis confirmed that P17Rik was exclusively expressed in placenta and not in any of the adult organs examined in this study. In situ hybridization analysis revealed that it was highly expressed in spongiotrophoblast cells and to a lesser extent in glycogen trophoblast cells, including migratory glycogen trophoblast cells invading the decidua. Moreover, we found that it is a polyadenylated lncRNA localized mainly to the cytoplasm of these trophoblast cells. As these trophoblast cells also expressed the neighboring protein-coding gene, pappalysin 2 (Pappa2), we investigated the effects of P17Rik on Pappa2 expression using Pappa2-expressing MC3T3-E1 cells and found that P17Rik transfection increased the messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels of Pappa2. These results indicate that mouse placenta-specific lncRNA P17Rik modulates the expression of the neighboring protein-coding gene Pappa2 in spongiotrophoblast and glycogen trophoblast cells of mouse placenta during late gestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For improving the convergence rate and time-varying disturbance rejection ability, an adaptive nonsingular terminal sliding mode controller based on disturbance compensation technique is proposed to control the position of magnetic levitation system in this article. First, the dynamical model of the magnetic levitation system is deduced, then a nonsingular terminal sliding mode control (NTSMC) is constructed. For reducing the chattering phenomenon, the time-varying disturbance estimation and compensation is cooperated into NTSMC controller using generalized proportional integral observer, the switching gain value could be chosen smaller, it could improve the system disturbance rejection, but the dynamic response is sacrificed to some extent. Thus, the adaptive NTSMC method is proposed for ensuring the dynamic and steady-state performance, the switching gain value could be tuned adaptively depending on the system states. When the system states are far away from the sliding mode surface, the gain value is large, else if the system states convergence to sliding mode surface, the value is small. Simulation and experimental results confirm the closed-loop performance both in dynamic response and disturbance attenuation, corresponding quantitative comparison could also show the advantages of the proposed control scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to its theoretically fast dynamic response with unlimited bandwidth for direct switch-driven-based induction machines, the finite control set predictive current control (FCS-PCC) method has been verified to be an effective solution in recent years. However, dynamic limitations of the outer speed PI controller exist, especially with high-order time-varying disturbances. In addition, hardware cost can be reduced. Using the universal proportional integral observer (UPIO) method, a robust deadbeat-like encoderless-based FCS-PCC control scheme is investigated for induction machine systems in this paper. The encoder is avoided using the proposed sensorless method. In addition, the system response and disturbance attenuation are enhanced in presence of time-varying unknown load torque and uncertainties. The squared norm is adopted for the cost function design to ensure system stability. Experimental results illustrate that it has good performance such as fast dynamics, good low-speed steady-state accuracy, and robustness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As cascaded proportional-integral controllers involve complicated tuning work, many efforts have been focused on direct controllers. Direct torque control and predictive torque control are both feasible solutions. However, bigger ripples or weighting factor designs are not easily solved. In this paper, a direct current controller that uses an extended high-gain state observer is proposed. The integral controller is removed from the system by using a disturbance estimation technique, which improves the system's performance with a variety of loads. A direct current controller without weighting factors is proposed as the inner controller. Unlike existing direct control methods, all phase currents are considered equally in the controller, which ensures a high current control quality. The simulation and experimental results verify that the proposed method performs well both in steady and transient states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing resolution of remote sensing images, semantic segmentation has become a challenging task for the extremely abundant textures and edges that existed in images. In this paper, an Orientation Attention Network (OANet) is proposed to learn both orientation features and global semantic features of ground objects for accurate segmentation. Firstly, an Asymmetrical Convolution (AC) is constructed to explore the directional anisotropy of objects. Then an Orientation Attention Module (OAM) is advanced to enhance the intrinsic geometric features of objects, by defining two branches with stacked asymmetrical convolutions along the coordinate axis and adaptively selecting features which are beneficial for segmentation. Finally, the OANet, which combines OAM with a Global Feature Module (GFM), is proposed for both structural and semantic sensitive representations of images. Extensive experiments on four well-known public datasets show the effectiveness of the OANet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates an extended state observer (ESO)‐based sliding mode control (SMC) approach for pulse‐width modulation‐based DC–DC buck converter systems subject to mismatched disturbances. By designing a novel sliding‐mode manifold incorporated with a disturbance estimation technique, an ESO‐based SMC method is designed to deal with mismatched disturbances. A rigorous stability analysis is also presented. As compared with the nominal SMC method, the proposed method obtains a better disturbance rejection ability even the disturbances do not satisfy the so‐called matching condition. Simulations and experimental comparison results are implemented to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Lake effect on TWSC was estimated using a newly developed long-term lake volume data. • Contributions of water storage components to TWSC were estimated using both RF model and water balance approach. • The RF method was used to estimate both TWSA and TWSC. • Regional TWSA decreased in the pre-mutation period and then quickly increased in the post-mutation period with an intensified hydrological cycle. Terrestrial water storage (TWS) and its change (TWSC) are extremely sensitive to climate change, and are good indicators of the response of the hydrological system to climate change in the Tibetan Plateau (TP). However, long-term variation in TWS and its components, as well as contributions of these component changes to TWSC, are still not well documented. In this study, we extended monthly TWS anomaly (TWSA) and TWSC from 1989 to 2019 using the random forest (RF) method, analyzed the long-term contribution rates of each component change to TWSC using a mass balance approach, and compared them with the rates estimated by the RF method. Our major findings are: (1) the warming and wetting trend in the entire analysis period (PA) and in the pre-mutation period (P1) was slowed down or even reversed in the post-mutation period (P2), which was caused mainly by the decrease in temperature and precipitation in the north-eastern Inner Basin (IB) and southern Qaidam Basin (QB); (2) the RF method is capable of estimating monthly TWSA and TWSC (0.872 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.957 in training data, 0.528 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.860 in test data). Variable selection has an important impact on the method, and TWSC can be used as an alternative when TWSA estimate is poor; (3) Significant annual TWSA increase (2.20 mm/a, P < 0.05) in the IB during PA comes from a higher increase during P2 (3.62 mm/a, P < 0.05) and a small variation during P1 (−0.65 m/a, P > 0.1). Spatially, the increase is attributed to the higher increase trends (> 4.50 mm/a, P < 0.05) in north-eastern IB during PA and P2, and slight decrease in western and southern IB during PA. The spatial and temporal heterogeneity was mainly caused by the differences in precipitation amount, glacier proportions, and permafrost types. (4) During PA, TWSC in the IB was mainly determined by lake water storage change (LWSC) with a contribution rate of 62 %, while in the QB it was mainly determined by soil water change (−43 %), and LWSC had a contribution rate of −27 %. LWSC impact on TWSC was more significant in the IB, especially in the southeastern sub-regions with regional water storage surplus (TWSC > 0). The overall increase in water storages and fluxes, and exchanges imply an intensified hydrologic cycle in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although microplastic (MP) pollution has been defined as a new global challenge by the United Nations Environment Programme, their abundance and composition has only been studied in-depth within farmland soil, while minimal attention has been placed on urban soil contamination. Accordingly, within the current study, MP abundance and composition is investigated within urban soil from green spaces in Nanjing, eastern China. The average MP abundance in soil was 461 ± 222 items/kg and primarily comprised fibers (39.1%) and fragments (37.7%). MPs <1000 μm in size accounted for 83.7% of the total content and white MPs were the most abundant (26.5%). The dominant polymers were polyethylene glycol terephthalate (32.0%) and polypropylene (20.5%). Moreover, relationship network analysis generated three distinct MP modules based on community similarity. Indeed, the degree of similarity increased by ∼26.8% per kilometer. Furthermore, application of a forward selective optimal multiple regression model identified clay, sand, longitude, and points of interest for recycling bins (RecyclePOI) as the primary spatial and soil environmental factors affecting MP abundance and composition. Additionally, five potential sources of MPs were identified based on the MP diversity integrated index fitting results, and point of interest density (MDII-POI) source analysis (R 2 = 0.21–0.62; P < 0.05). In particular, the point of interest of express delivery points (ExpressPOI) were important sources of plastic emissions as they are widely distributed throughout urban and fringe areas. Collectively, the findings of this study provide novel insights regarding quantitative source appointment and regional ecological control of MPs in urban soil. [Display omitted] • MP pollution of urban soil in Nanjing was investigated for the first time. • Relationship networks revealed the difference and modularity of MP communities. • Occurrence of MPs was result of interactions between source-sink factors. • Five types of sources were isolated based on MDII-POI source appointment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lakes are sensitive indicators of climate change in the Tibetan Plateau (TP), which have shown high temporal and spatial variability in recent decades. The driving forces for the change are still not entirely clear. This study examined the area change of the lakes greater than 1 km2 in the endorheic basins of the Tibetan Plateau (EBTP) using Landsat images from 1990 to 2019, and analysed the relationships between lake area and local and large-scale climate variables at different geographic scales. The results show that lake area in the EBTP has increased significantly from 1990 to 2019 at a rate of 432.52 km2·year−1. In the past 30 years, lake area changes in the EBTP have mainly been affected by local climate variables such as precipitation and temperature. At a large scale, Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) has correlations with lake area in western sub-regions in the Inner Basin (IB). While Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) has a significant connection with lake area, the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) does not. We also found that abnormal drought (rainfall) brought by the El Niño/La Niña events are significantly correlated with the lake area change in most sub-regions in the IB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loop-closure detection plays an important role in visual simultaneous localisation and mapping;it is an independent part of the visual odometer and can effectively reduce its accumulated error, in addition to helping with loop-closure detection for relocalisation. With the development of deep learning methods in recent years, the training models of convolutional neural networks for major data sets have been improved for loop-closure detection. Presently, some high-level engineering problems still rely on auxiliary equipment, such as panoramic cameras and radar lasers, which greatly increase the expensive extra cost; however, owing to the extreme appearance and viewpoint changes involved in such problems, loop-closure detection that relies on two-dimensional images is not applicable. Based on the two nearest neighbour vector of locally aggregated descriptors (TNNVLAD) method, a novel feature descriptor called two nearest neighbour local sensor tensor(TNNLoST) is proposed herein by combining the semantic features of high-level neural networks with dense descriptors. This approach introduces a semantic concept similar to human cognition for the surrounding environment, thus enabling better understanding of the environment. The proposed method was applied to publicly available benchmark datasets to show its performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All-solid-state lithium–sulfur (Li–S) battery, with solid state electrolyte (SSE) replacing liquid electrolyte, is considered as promising candidate for next-generation energy storage devices due to the high capacity and safety. However, the fabrication of SSE with high ion conduction and efficient dendrite suppression remains a daunting challenge. Herein, an asymmetric Li 0.33 La 0.557 TiO 3 (LLTO) framework with porous layer and dense layer is designed and fabricated, followed by impregnating poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) to prepare SSE. The continuous LLTO framework serves as rapid lithium ion (Li+) transfer pathway, imparting an excellent ionic conductivity of 1.49 × 10−4 S cm−1 at 30 °C, over 40 times higher than that of blank PEO. The presence of dense layer remarkably improves the compression strength of composite electrolyte and facilitates the Li+ uniform deposition, thus effectively suppressing the lithium dendrite growth. As a result, the assembled Li–S battery exhibits extraordinary cycling stability, which preserves a capacity of 907.6 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles with a Coulombic efficiency of ~ 99%. Meanwhile, the continuous PEO phase that rooted in the porous layer of framework also imparts composite electrolyte favorable flexibility and processability. [Display omitted] • Asymmetry-structure LLTO framework with porous and dense layers is fabricated. • Continuous LLTO framework acts as Li + transfer highway in composite electrolyte. • The dense layer promotes uniform Li + deposition and improves compression strength. • Continuous PEO phase rooted in porous layer affords electrolyte flexibility. • Superior Li–S battery performance (~ 907.6 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles) is achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new method, namely the normal stiffness matrix along contact line (NSMACL) method, for analysing gears, is proposed. The new method uses the static coagulation technique to coagulate the global stiffness matrix of all contact teeth into a lower-order NSMACL. By adding the concert deformation condition and equilibrate condition, the relation between the torque acting on the driving gear and the load along the contact lines can be established, and the contact stress and gear tooth deformation can also be obtained. Three-dimensional (3D) highly accurate solid models of gear teeth have been established, in which the contact range and the whole finite element model can be automatically adjusted with the change of meshing process. Spur and helical bevel gears can be analysed using these models. Example models and results are presented. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Right to be Forgotten gives a data owner the right to revoke their data from an entity storing it. In the context of federated learning, the Right to be Forgotten requires that, in addition to the data itself, any influence of the data on the FL model must disappear, a process we call “federated unlearning.” The most straightforward and legitimate way to implement federated unlearning is to remove the revoked data and retrain the FL model from scratch. Yet the computational and time overhead associated with fully retraining FL models can be prohibitively expensive. In this article, we take the first step to comprehensively investigate the way to settle the unlearning paradigm in the context of federated learning. First, we define the problem of efficient federated unlearning, including its challenges and goals, and we identify three common types of federated unlearning requests: class unlearning, client unlearning, and sample unlearning. Based on those challenges and goals, a general pipeline is proposed for federated unlearning for the above three types of requests. We revisit how the training data affects the final FL model performance and thereby empowers the proposed framework with the reverse stochastic gradient ascent (SGA) and elastic weight consolidation (EWC). Various experiments are conducted to verify effectiveness of the proposed method in both aspects of unlearning efficacy and efficiency. We believe the proposed method will perform as an essential component for future machine unlearning systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A flexible, ion-conducting PEO-LLTO framework solid electrolyte is prepared. • The vertically bicontinuous transfer channels act as Li+ conduction highways. • Ultrahigh ionic conductivity (2.04 × 10−4 S cm−1 at 25 °C) is achieved. • The interconnected network offers PLLF electrolyte excellent structural stability. • Superior cell performances (~97.2% retention after 150 cycles) are achieved. All-solid-state lithium batteries, featuring high security and volume energy density, hold great potential as next-generation energy storage device. However, their development needs the fabrication of ionic conductive and structural stable solid electrolyte. Herein, Li 0.33 La 0.557 TiO 3 (LLTO) framework with interlocked porous structure is synthesized by sintering the gel permeated nylon. Then, poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) is incorporated in the pores to produce PEO-LLTO framework solid electrolyte (PLLF electrolyte) with vertically bicontinuous phase. We demonstrate that LLTO framework fast transports Li+ through the intrinsic vacancy; meanwhile the confined PEO with low crystallization displays fast Li+ transfer ability, thus synergistically realizing efficient Li+ conduction. This novel PLLF electrolyte exhibits a remarkable ionic conductivity of 2.04 × 10−4 S cm−1, which is ~72 times higher than that of traditional PEO-based electrolytes and superior to most reported solid electrolytes. Moreover, the interconnected networks endow PLLF electrolyte with excellent structural stability. Thus, the LiFePO 4 (LFP)/Li cell exhibits extraordinary cycling stability: the discharge capacity of 154.7 mAh g−1 at 1 C after 150 cycles with capacity decay of only 0.03% per cycle. Briefly, such a vertically bicontinuous phase structure maximizes the cooperation between the conduction function of ceramic framework and the stability of polymer, offering a promising approach for all-solid-state batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global prevalence of microplastics (MPs) poses a potential threat and unpredictable risk to the function and health of environmental systems. However, the research progress of soil MPs is restricted by the inherent technical inconformity and difficulties in analyzing particles in complex matrices. Here, we reviewed a selection of papers and then extrapolated a tentative standardized method for such analyses. The multiple sources of soil MPs in soil need to be quantified. Global monitoring data of soil MPs is far from sufficient. The interaction between MPs and different properties and environmental factors controls the migration and retention of MPs in soil. The migration behavior and key mechanisms of MPs in real-world environments remain to be determined. The presence of MPs threatens soil microbial-plant-animal ecosystem function and health, and may enter the human body through the food chain, although the extent of these hazards is currently debated. In particular, attention should be paid to the potential transport and ecotoxicological mechanisms of contaminants derived and adsorptive from MPs and of harmful microorganisms (such as pathogens) attached as biofilms. Although there exist preliminary studies on soil MPs, it is urgent to consider the diversity of MPs as a suite of contaminants and to systematically understand the sources, flux and effects of these artificial pollutants in time and space from the perspective of plastic environmental cycle. More comprehensive quantification of their environmental fate is undertaken to identify risks to global human and ecological systems. From the perspective of controlling soil MP pollution, the responsibility assignment of government manage-producer-consumer system and the strategy of remediation should be implemented. This review is helpful for providing an important roadmap and inspiration for the research methods and framework of soil MPs and facilitates the development of waste management and remediation strategies for regional soil MP contamination. Unlabelled Image • We extrapolate a standardized protocol for soil MPs based on meta-analysis. • Data on the global distribution of soil MP pollution, including in China, are scarce. • Microplastics pose potential impacts on soil ecosystems and human food chains. • It is necessary to further improve soil MPs research framework and control measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lack of linear correlation between regional soil and rice heavy metal (HM) content aggravates the difficulty of risk management in farmland. Hence, an effective HM contamination risk control strategy is urgently required for rice paddy. Here, a novel integrated spatial interaction and risk identification methodology was proposed. Bivariate local indicators of spatial association (BL-LISA) was used to analyze the spatial interaction between soil and rice HM. The mechanism of the spatial interaction pattern was elucidated with lead isotope ratios and redundancy analysis. The rice HM risk was predicted via a Bayesian decision tree (BDT). The spatial interaction patterns were mainly High-Low and Low-High. Thus, there was antagonism between soil and rice HM. Emission sources and sinks accounted for the observed spatial interaction patterns. The parent material contributed 69% to the soil HM content but only 10.2% to that of rice. Seven risk rules and 13 security rules were identified by BDT. The risk identification accuracy of these rules was 96.8% for the overall sample. BL-LISA mapping was combined with BDT to demarcate and classify the risk zones and project differentiated and refined management modes. The risk, potential risk and clean zones comprised 7.8%, 14.1% and 46.6% of the farmland, respectively. The integrated method was superior to other traditional techniques in terms of farm HM risk management and may enhance decision-making in HM risk management for soil-rice system. Image 1 • An integrated method was proposed for managing HM risk in soil-rice systems. • BL-LISA mapping revealed the spatial HM interactions in soil-rice system. • Bayesian decision tree improved rice risk identification accuracy. • 7.8% of farmland including certain HH cluster regions was identified as risk zone. • Integrated method was superior to other methods for soil-rice HM risk management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The blood–cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCSFB) comprises the choroid plexus epithelia. It is important for brain development, maintenance, function, and especially for maintaining immune homeostasis in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Although previous studies have shown that the peripheral immune function of the body is impaired upon exposure to microgravity, no studies have reported changes in immune cells and cytokines in the CSF that reflect neuroimmune status. The purpose of this study is to investigate the alterations in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) immune homeostasis induced by microgravity and its mechanisms. This research is expected to provide basic data for brain protection of astronauts during spaceflight. Methods: The proportions of immune cells in the CSF and peripheral blood (PB) of SMG rats were analyzed using flow cytometry. Immune function was evaluated by measuring cytokine concentrations using the Luminex method. The histomorphology and ultrastructure of the choroid plexus epithelia were determined. The concentrations of intercellular junction proteins in choroid plexus epithelial cells, including vascular endothelial‐cadherin (VE‐cadherin), zonula occludens 1 (ZO‐1), Claudin‐1 and occludin, were detected using western blotting and immunofluorescence staining to characterize BCSFB injury. Results: We found that SMG caused significant changes in the proportion of CD4 and CD8 T cells in the CSF and a significant increase in the levels of cytokines (GRO/KC, IL‐18, MCP‐1, and RANTES). In the PB, there was a significant decrease in the proportion of T cells and NKT cells and a significant increase in cytokine levels (GRO/KC, IL‐18, MCP‐1, and TNF‐α). Additionally, we observed that the trends in immune markers in the PB and CSF were synchronized within specific SMG durations, suggesting that longer SMG periods (≥21 days) have a more pronounced impact on immune markers. Furthermore, 21d‐SMG resulted in ultrastructural disruption and downregulated expression of intercellular junction proteins in rat choroid plexus epithelial cells. Conclusions: We found that SMG disrupts the BCSFB and affects the CSF immune homeostasis. This study provides new insights into the health protection of astronauts during spaceflight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Early whitish gastric neoplasms can be easily misdiagnosed; differential diagnosis of gastric whitish lesions remains a challenge. We aim to build a deep learning (DL) model to diagnose whitish gastric neoplasms and explore the effect of adding domain knowledge in model construction. Methods: We collected 4558 images from two institutions to train and test models. We first developed two sole DL models (1 and 2) using supervised and semi‐supervised algorithms. Then we selected diagnosis‐related features through literature research and developed feature‐extraction models to determine features including boundary, surface, roundness, depression, and location. Then predictions of the five feature‐extraction models and sole DL model were combined and inputted into seven machine‐learning (ML) based fitting‐diagnosis models. The optimal model was selected as ENDOANGEL‐WD (whitish‐diagnosis) and compared with endoscopists. Results: Sole DL 2 had higher sensitivity (83.12% vs 68.67%, Bonferroni adjusted P = 0.024) than sole DL 1. Adding domain knowledge, the decision tree performed best among the seven ML models, achieving higher specificity than DL 1 (84.38% vs 72.27%, Bonferroni adjusted P < 0.05) and higher accuracy than DL 2 (80.47%, Bonferroni adjusted P < 0.001) and was selected as ENDOANGEL‐WD. ENDOANGEL‐WD showed better accuracy compared with 10 endoscopists (75.70%, P < 0.001). Conclusions: We developed a novel system ENDOANGEL‐WD combining domain knowledge and traditional DL to detect gastric whitish neoplasms. Adding domain knowledge improved the performance of traditional DL, which provided a novel solution for establishing diagnostic models for other rare diseases potentially. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Luenberger disturbance observer based control scheme for surface mounted permanent magnet synchronous motor (SPMSM) is proposed in this paper. First, an extended SPMSM model is given by considering the external disturbances and parameter mismatches. Second, a Luenberger observer is introduced to estimate the lumped disturbances in the speed and current loops, respectively. Third, based on the observed disturbances, a speed controller is designed, which is proved to be stable. Finally, an improved deadbeat-based predictive current control (DPCC) based on the estimated disturbances and the new SPMSM model is designed to control the current loop. The proposed method is implemented on a Xilinx Zynq SoC XC7Z020-CLG484-1 and field programmable gate array (FPGA) implementations of the improved DPCC and conventional DPCC are compared and analyzed in detail in terms of area utilization and time consumption. Although the execution time of both methods is very short, the improved DPCC takes less time than the conventional DPCC due to the parallel processing capabilities of FPGAs. The experimental results verify that the proposed method has good dynamic performance, load disturbance suppression performance, and parameter robustness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substance transportation and clearance in the brain extracellular space (ECS) is crucial to brain function, but simulated microgravity disrupts substance diffusion and clearance in the brain ECS and there is limited knowledge regarding these disruptions. This study employed a tracer-based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique to examine the impact of simulated microgravity on hippocampal ECS structure and the drainage of brain interstitial fluid (ISF) in a tail-suspended hindlimb-unloading rat model. The results demonstrated that under simulated microgravity conditions for 3, 7, and 14 days, the volume fraction of the hippocampal ECS increased in hindlimb unloading rats, and short-term (3 days) simulated microgravity expedited the drainage of the hippocampal ISF, but the drainage slowed under longer (7 or 14 days) simulated microgravity. These findings suggested that simulated microgravity alters the structure of the brain ECS and the speed of brain ISF drainage, which may have implications for space-flight-related brain injuries and relevant neuroprotective approaches via the brain ECS. • The tracer-based magnetic resonance imaging technique can measure structural and drainage of the brain extracellular space. • Volume fraction increases and tortuosity decreases in short-term simulated microgravity. • Impaired clearance of substances in simulated microgravity may be a mechanism leading to cognitive impairment in astronauts in space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE) is a standard method for diagnosing and treating small bowel disease. However, DBE may yield false-negative results due to oversight or inexperience. We aim to develop a computer-aided diagnostic (CAD) system for the automatic detection and classification of small bowel abnormalities in DBE. Design and methods: A total of 5201 images were collected from Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University to construct a detection model for localizing lesions during DBE, and 3021 images were collected to construct a classification model for classifying lesions into four classes, protruding lesion, diverticulum, erosion & ulcer and angioectasia. The performance of the two models was evaluated using 1318 normal images and 915 abnormal images and 65 videos from independent patients and then compared with that of 8 endoscopists. The standard answer was the expert consensus. Results: For the image test set, the detection model achieved a sensitivity of 92% (843/915) and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.947, and the classification model achieved an accuracy of 86%. For the video test set, the accuracy of the system was significantly better than that of the endoscopists (85% vs. 77 ± 6%, p < 0.01). For the video test set, the proposed system was superior to novices and comparable to experts. Conclusions: We established a real-time CAD system for detecting and classifying small bowel lesions in DBE with favourable performance. ENDOANGEL-DBE has the potential to help endoscopists, especially novices, in clinical practice and may reduce the miss rate of small bowel lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Sulfurized poly(o-phenylenediamine) (SPoPDA) is a novel cathode for Li–S batteries. • SPoPDA can realize the highest content of covalently bonded sulfur (∼60 wt%). • SPoPDA can realize the solid-phase conversion of sulfur with ester-type electrolyte. • SPoPDA shows a reversible capacity of 589 mAh g−1 and stable cycling of 100 cycles. • The redox mechanisms of sulfurized polymers have been quantitatively revealed. The combination of sulfurized polymer cathode and ester-type electrolyte can realize the solid-phase conversion of sulfur cathode, which is a promising solution of the dissolution issue of Li–S batteries. In this regard, sulfurized polyacrylonitrile (SPAN) is the most famous material and few attempts have been made to challenge it in the past two decades. Herein, we report sulfurized poly(o-phenylenediamine) (SPoPDA) as its supplement or alternative for rechargeable lithium batteries. Compared with SPAN, SPoPDA shows higher ability to covalently bond with sulfur (from ∼50 to ∼60 wt%), similar reversible capacity (∼600 mAh g−1), better cycling stability (with only 2% loss of charge capacity during 100 cycles), and faster reaction kinetics. The molecular structures and electrochemical reaction mechanisms of them have been quantitatively analyzed, and the electrode structure variation of SPoPDA during discharge–charge process has been thoroughly investigated. This work provides not only a novel sulfurized polymer cathode material with low cost, easy synthesis, and high electrochemical performance, but also clearer mechanism understanding of solid-phase conversion sulfur cathode, which are of significant importance for the development of Li–S batteries towards practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) performed variously among test sets with different diversity due to sample selection bias, which can be stumbling block for AI applications. We previously tested AI named ENDOANGEL, diagnosing early gastric cancer (EGC) on single-center videos in man–machine competition. We aimed to re-test ENDOANGEL on multi-center videos to explore challenges applying AI in multiple centers, then upgrade ENDOANGEL and explore solutions to the challenge. Methods: ENDOANGEL was re-tested on multi-center videos retrospectively collected from 12 institutions and compared with performance in previously reported single-center videos. We then upgraded ENDOANGEL to ENDOANGEL-2022 with more training samples and novel algorithms and conducted competition between ENDOANGEL-2022 and endoscopists. ENDOANGEL-2022 was then tested on single-center videos and compared with performance in multi-center videos; the two AI systems were also compared with each other and endoscopists. Results: Forty-six EGCs and 54 non-cancers were included in multi-center video cohort. On diagnosing EGCs, compared with single-center videos, ENDOANGEL showed stable sensitivity (97.83% vs. 100.00%) while sharply decreased specificity (61.11% vs. 82.54%); ENDOANGEL-2022 showed similar tendency while achieving significantly higher specificity (79.63%, p < 0.01) making fewer mistakes on typical lesions than ENDOANGEL. On detecting gastric neoplasms, both AI showed stable sensitivity while sharply decreased specificity. Nevertheless, both AI outperformed endoscopists in the two competitions. Conclusions: Great increase of false positives is a prominent challenge for applying EGC diagnostic AI in multiple centers due to high heterogeneity of negative cases. Optimizing AI by adding samples and using novel algorithms is promising to overcome this challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The output voltage tracking problem of a disturbed buck converter is investigated in this paper via a GPI observer-based approach. Control performances of the converters are always influenced by undesirable effects of disturbances. These disturbances usually are of time-varying forms. Conventional backstepping schemes cannot achieve satisfactory performances in handling time-varying disturbances. By adding integral actions into the controller, only the slow-varying disturbances are asymptotically compensated in this way. In this paper, two GPI observers are constructed to estimate the lumped time-varying disturbances. By introducing the disturbance estimations into the design process, a composite GPI observer-based robust control scheme is developed. The proposed algorithm performs a promising disturbance rejection ability. Rigorous stability is guaranteed. Experimental results in the presence of time-varying disturbances are illustrated to show the feasibility of the proposed composite method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sensorless predictive current control (PCC) for an induction machine is proposed in this study. In the controller, the errors between the current references and the predicted values are evaluated; therefore, it guarantees good current behaviours which are essential to the low‐voltage drives. By designing proper adaptive scheme and gain matrix, a stable sensorless PCC system is achieved. Furthermore, the sensitives of parameters such as stator resistance and magnetic inductance are discussed with both experimental results and theoretic analysis. The sensorless system is carried out experimentally in a very wide‐speed range both with and without loads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This protocol is for a multi-centre randomised controlled trial to determine whether the computer-aided system ENDOANGEL-GC improves the detection rates of gastric neoplasms and early gastric cancer (EGC) in routine oesophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). Methods: Study design: Prospective, single-blind, parallel-group, multi-centre randomised controlled trial. Settings: The computer-aided system ENDOANGEL-GC was used to monitor blind spots, detect gastric abnormalities, and identify gastric neoplasms during EGD. Participants: Adults who underwent screening, diagnosis, or surveillance EGD. Randomisation groups: 1. Experiment group, EGD examinations with the assistance of the ENDOANGEL-GC; 2. Control group, EGD examinations without the assistance of the ENDOANGEL-GC. Randomisation: Block randomisation, stratified by centre. Primary outcomes: Detection rates of gastric neoplasms and EGC. Secondary outcomes: Detection rate of premalignant gastric lesions, biopsy rate, observation time, and number of blind spots on EGD. Blinding: Outcomes are undertaken by blinded assessors. Sample size: Based on the previously published findings and our pilot study, the detection rate of gastric neoplasms in the control group is estimated to be 2.5%, and that of the experimental group is expected to be 4.0%. With a two-sided α level of 0.05 and power of 80%, allowing for a 10% drop-out rate, the sample size is calculated as 4858. The detection rate of EGC in the control group is estimated to be 20%, and that of the experiment group is expected to be 35%. With a two-sided α level of 0.05 and power of 80%, a total of 270 cases of gastric cancer are needed. Assuming the proportion of gastric cancer to be 1% in patients undergoing EGD and allowing for a 10% dropout rate, the sample size is calculated as 30,000. Considering the larger sample size calculated from the two primary endpoints, the required sample size is determined to be 30,000. Discussion: The results of this trial will help determine the effectiveness of the ENDOANGEL-GC in clinical settings. Trial registration: ChiCTR (Chinese Clinical Trial Registry), ChiCTR2100054449, registered 17 December 2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• para -Dinitrobenzene (pDNB) has been studied as an organic cathode for Li batteries. • The energy density of pDNB is as high as 850 Wh kg−1 (319 mAh g−1 × 2.65 V). • The cycling stability of pDNB can be greatly improved just by cutoff voltage control. • The dissolution–redeposition behavior and electrode structure evolution are revealed. Small-molecule organic cathode materials (SMOCMs) with high energy density are promising for various energy storage devices including rechargeable lithium batteries, but it is a huge challenge to simultaneously satisfy the demand of cycling stability. Herein, by taking nitro-based para -dinitrobenzene (pDNB) as an example, we propose a simple but effective voltage control strategy to improve the cycling stability, without energy density decrease or cost increase of the system as for many other complicated solutions. The highly reversible two-electron redox reaction of pDNB provides it full utilization of the theoretical capacity (319 mAh g−1) and high discharge plateau at 2.65 V vs Li+/Li, and thus an outstanding energy density of 850 Wh kg−1. Different voltage windows of 1.8/2.4–3.4/3.8 V are applied to test the cycling performance, and 2.4–3.8 V is selected as the optimized one endowing a high capacity retention of 86 % after 100 cycles (as a contrast, only 8 % within 1.8–3.4 V). Various electrochemical analyses and ex-situ characterization methods reveale that the influence is not in the depth of discharge/charge, but in the dissolution–redepostion behavior of active material and thus the electrode structure evolution. This work provides not only a novel strategy to improve the cycling stability of SMOCMs, but also a new perspective to understand the capacity fading mechanism of them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: White light (WL) and weak-magnifying (WM) endoscopy are both important methods for diagnosing gastric neoplasms. This study constructed a deep-learning system named ENDOANGEL-MM (multi-modal) aimed at real-time diagnosing gastric neoplasms using WL and WM data. Methods: WL and WM images of a same lesion were combined into image-pairs. A total of 4201 images, 7436 image-pairs, and 162 videos were used for model construction and validation. Models 1–5 including two single-modal models (WL, WM) and three multi-modal models (data fusion on task-level, feature-level, and input-level) were constructed. The models were tested on three levels including images, videos, and prospective patients. The best model was selected for constructing ENDOANGEL-MM. We compared the performance between the models and endoscopists and conducted a diagnostic study to explore the ENDOANGEL-MM's assistance ability. Results: Model 4 (ENDOANGEL-MM) showed the best performance among five models. Model 2 performed better in single-modal models. The accuracy of ENDOANGEL-MM was higher than that of Model 2 in still images, real-time videos, and prospective patients. (86.54 vs 78.85%, P = 0.134; 90.00 vs 85.00%, P = 0.179; 93.55 vs 70.97%, P < 0.001). Model 2 and ENDOANGEL-MM outperformed endoscopists on WM data (85.00 vs 71.67%, P = 0.002) and multi-modal data (90.00 vs 76.17%, P = 0.002), significantly. With the assistance of ENDOANGEL-MM, the accuracy of non-experts improved significantly (85.75 vs 70.75%, P = 0.020), and performed no significant difference from experts (85.75 vs 89.00%, P = 0.159). Conclusions: The multi-modal model constructed by feature-level fusion showed the best performance. ENDOANGEL-MM identified gastric neoplasms with good accuracy and has a potential role in real-clinic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through evolving a precise RNA nuclease, hpCas13d, we have successfully inhibited hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in a compound heterozygous model. However, further investigation is needed to assess the long-term therapeutic effects and safety profiles of hpCas13d treatment. AAV-hpCas13d[RQ] was subcutaneously injected into neonatal Myh6 RH/RQ mice. Sequential echocardiography analyses were conducted at 4 months and 12 months to evaluate the sustained therapeutic effects of hpCas13d. Electrocardiography was employed to assess cardiac arrhythmias, and mice were euthanized at 12 months. Quantification of Myh6RQ degradation induced by hpCas13d[RQ] was performed using digital droplet PCR and cDNA sequencing. Histological analysis, RNA sequencing, and proteomic analyses were utilized to examine the inhibitory effects on pathological phenotypes and downstream signaling pathways. Biodistribution, tissue damage, and host immune response to AAV-hpCas13d[RQ] were assessed to evaluate long-term safety profiles. The allele-specific RNA degradation persisted for 12 months in AAV-hpCas13d[RQ]-treated Myh6 RH/RQ mice. Partial degradation of pathogenic Myh6RQ transcripts proved adequate for the long-term inhibition of cardiac hypertrophy, arrhythmias, fibrosis, and cellular apoptosis in Myh6 RH/RQ mice. RNA sequencing and proteomic analyses revealed that hpCas13d[RQ] treatment impeded hypertrophy and fibrosis, mitochondrial dysfunction, and abnormalities in ion channels downstream of mutant Myh6. Prolonged treatment with AAV-hpCas13d from the neonatal stage did not induce significant tissue damage, liver toxicity, humoral responses, or cellular immune reactions against the AAV9 capsid and bacterial hpCas13d. These results underscore the promising translational potential of AAV-hpCas13d in treating cardiovascular diseases and advancing in vivo gene therapy. [Display omitted] • AAV-hpCas13d[RQ] enables long-term RNA degradation with high precision. • AAV-hpCas13d[RQ] inhibits cardiac hypertrophy and arrythmias long-term. • AAV-hpCas13d[RQ] treatment maintained transcriptional and proteomics homeostasis. • Sustained expression of hpCas13d results in no obvious tissue damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the global stabilization problem of controlling direct current–direct current switched power converters in the presence of coil magnetic saturation. A finite-time controller is investigated for the modified nonlinear system model by utilizing an adding a power integrator technique. With the finite-time control scheme, not only a faster convergence rate is obtained, but also better suppression ability to the inevitable disturbances is achieved for the closed-loop system. Simulation comparison results show the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Ecosystem water use efficiency (WUE) is a key indicator that depicts the carbon-water coupling relationship in terrestrial ecosystems. Separating the effects of climate change and human activities to the variation in WUE are essential for water resources and ecosystem management, especially for fragile ecosystems such as the Tibetan Plateau (TP). In this study, we introduced an analytical framework that combined the attribution approach with the elastic coefficient separation method to assess the impact of climate change and human activities on WUE variation in the TP from 1982 to 2015. The results are the following: (1) the multiyear mean annual WUE over the TP was 0.65 g C·kg−1 H 2 O and had a slightly increasing trend with a slope of 0.004 g C·kg−1 H 2 O yr−1 with about 87% of the vegetated area showed increasing trend. (2) WUE was positively correlated with temperature, precipitation and air pressure. The northwest TP tends to be a water-limited condition, while the thermal stress is spatially universal in the TP, climate warming and wetting promoted the gross primary productivity (GPP) and WUE enhancement in the TP. (3) WUE was more sensitive to GPP, and variation in WUE was mainly contributed by GPP. Climate change and human activities tend to cause more variations in GPP rather than evapotranspiration (ET), but great differences exist for different regions and vegetation types. (4) There was a good consistency between the WUE variation calculated by the framework and the actual WUE variation (R2 = 0.95). Climate change dominated the increase of WUE in the TP with a contribution rate of 79.8%, while human activities tend to reduce WUE (−20.2%). Ecological projects played a positive role in the ecological restoration of the TP, but there may be other human activities, which caused ecological degradation, that may need more attention in future ecological protections. Unlabelled Image • Individual effects of climate change and human activities on WUE variation in the Tibetan Plateau were quantified. • Climate change dominates the WUE increase in the TP with negative effects on ET and positive effects on GPP. • WUE is more sensitive to GPP compared with ET, and the variation in WUE is mainly controlled by GPP. • The variation in GPP and ET induced by environmental changes are not equal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Trilithium salt of tetrahydroxyanthraquinone (Li 3 THAQ) is a novel Li battery cathode. • The crystalline structure is stable in the conversion between Li 4 THAQ and Li 2 THAQ. • Li 3 THAQ has high discharge potential (2.93 V vs. Li+/Li) and capacity (192 mAh/g). • Li 3 THAQ exhibits exceptional high-rate and long-term cycling performance. • Besides Li metal, Li 3 THAQ can be matched with graphite to build a Li-ion full-cell. Organic cathode materials (OCMs) have drawn considerable attention for lithium batteries but suffer from unfavorable dissolution problem and thus inferior cycling performance. Salification is a simple approach to restrain the dissolution but most reported lithium-salt-type OCMs are still unable to achieve good cycling stability due to poorly conjugated and/or asymmetric structure. Herein, we report a novel air-stable, largely conjugated, and symmetric organic lithium salt synthesized from 1,4,5,8-tetrahydroxyanthraquinone (THAQ), namely Li 3 THAQ. It possesses a layered crystalline structure with large interlayer spacings, which is relatively stable in the reversible conversion between Li 4 THAQ and Li 2 THAQ. Benefiting from this, Li 3 THAQ exhibits exceptional electrochemical performance within 2.0–3.6 V, including high reversible capacity (192 mAh g−1), high discharge potential (2.93 V vs. Li+/Li), high rate capability (75 % capacity retention at 5000 mAh g−1 vs. 50 mAh g−1), and high cycling stability (95 % capacity retention after 500 cycles). Additionally, it can be also matched with natural graphite anode to construct a Li-ion full-cell, which was rarely reported for OCMs. In brief, Li 3 THAQ shows great advantages in structure stability, electrochemical performance, and practicability compared to its counterparts, and the in-depth mechanism understanding provides important insights into the development of lithium-salt-type OCMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the heavy metal contamination and its transfer patterns in a wheat-rice rotation system in Dingshu, a typical industry county in China, 52 pairs of complete crop samples and corresponding soil samples (0–20 cm) were collected from this area. All samples were detected for the total concentrations of six heavy metals. Available factions and main soil properties were also analyzed. The results showed that Cd, Ni, Pb and Zn in both soil had moderate accumulation and these elements in corresponding grains exceeded their standard values to some extent. Most of these metals had higher concentrations in the eastern and central regions in both crop grains and the corresponding soils, which were related to the strong human activities in this region. In particular, the distribution of Cd in both soils and crops exhibited the most significant spatial correlation, whereas Cr had opposite trends. These elements in wheat and rice grains was related to different influencing factors and varied with different heavy metals. Cross-correlograms further quantitated the spatial influencing factors of elements in soils and various organs on crop gains. Cd prediction models for rice and wheat grains were stimulated based on nonedible organs and soil properties with a maximum r 2 of 0.748. These models are helpful to predict Cd accumulation in grains within wheat-rice rotation systems and thus allow farmers to reduce threats of heavy metals by adopting certain agronomic practices in different periods. • Cd was significantly accumulated in a wheat-rice rotation system. • Most of grain-metals had positive spatial distribution with soil available metals. • Effects of organ enrichment and soil on metal uptake of both grains were different. • A Cd prediction model of rice-wheat rotation based on PCS-SMLR was established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avobenzone (AB) is one of the most widely used UVA sunscreens, and it is viewed as a model compound for studying the photoisomerization process. In recent years, Miranda and co-workers studied photophysical and photochemical reactions of several AB derivatives. However, there is still a gap in the data of these compounds in the ultrafast time region. To get a better understanding of the photophysical and photochemical reaction mechanisms, selected AB derivatives of AB-Me, AB-Pr, AB-Br and AB-Cl were studied using ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations in the present study. It is unravelled that alkylated substituted AB compounds of AB-Me and AB-Pr exhibit an efficient intersystem crossing with the generation of the corresponding triplet state species, which further leads to the Norrish type II reaction for AB-Pr. On the other hand, AB-Br and AB-Cl prefer photochemical reactions via the singlet state surface. Based on the DFT calculations, the spin–orbit coupling constant between the singlet and triplet states, the energy difference between the singlet and triplet states and the natural transition orbital separations of the studied AB compounds were found to be the leading reasons accounting for their corresponding photochemical activities via singlet and triplet states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Total emissions of 16 PAHs generally decreased during 2001–2015 in the YRD. • We improve PAH emission spatial allocation accuracy using various satellite data. • Five spatial proxies of industrial PAH emissions are compared. • GDP 23 -NPP-VIIRS data shows the highest accuracy for industrial PAH emissions. Abstract An improved gridded polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission inventory for the lower reaches of the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region from 2001 to 2015 was developed using satellite data. Despite rapid increases in energy consumption, the annual total emissions of the 16 PAHs showed overall decreasing trends, from a maximum of 5445 t in 2001 to a minimum of 2619 t in 2015, with the largest decline (84.6%) observed in the residential sector. Different spatial allocation methods used in gridded PAH emission inventories have substantial influences on the distributions of PAHs; therefore, we improved the accuracy of the spatial allocation of industrial and open biomass burning PAH emissions using various satellite data. The gridded secondary and tertiary industrial GDP (GDP 23) calculated using corrected nighttime light data was the best spatial proxy for the spatial allocation of industrial PAH emissions in the YRD region. We generated a gridded burned area for 2001–2015 by coupling the MCD64A1 and MCD14ML fire products, which was used to allocate PAH emissions from open biomass burning. Finally, we found that changes in the spatial distribution of PAH emissions were mainly driven by energy consumption and degree of technological advancement in different regions during 2001–2015. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two quantitative methods (emission inventory and isotope ratio analysis) were combined to apportion source contributions of heavy metals entering agricultural soils in the Lihe River watershed (Taihu region, east China). Source apportionment based on the emission inventory method indicated that for Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn, the mean percentage input from atmospheric deposition was highest (62–85%), followed by irrigation (12–27%) and fertilization (1–14%). Thus, the heavy metals were derived mainly from industrial activities and traffic emissions. For Ni the combined percentage input from irrigation and fertilization was approximately 20% higher than that from atmospheric deposition, indicating that Ni was mainly derived from agricultural activities. Based on isotope ratio analysis, atmospheric deposition accounted for 57–93% of Pb entering soil, with the mean value of 69.3%, which indicates that this was the major source of Pb entering soil in the study area. The mean contributions of irrigation and fertilization to Pb pollution of soil ranged from 0% to 10%, indicating that they played only a marginally important role. Overall, the results obtained using the two methods were similar. This study provides a reliable approach for source apportionment of heavy metals entering agricultural soils in the study area, and clearly have potential application for future studies in other regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The treatment of dye wastewater is one of most important environmental problems in the world. In this work, the β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) was simply modified and copolymerized with acrylamide and acrylic acid to prepare a novel composite hydrogel as an efficient adsorbent for selective adsorption of cationic dyes. During the adsorption performance tests, the material exhibited excellent removal efficiency of towards of methylene blue (MB), reaching 94.9% in 30 min, and showed excellent selective adsorption in methylene blue/Congo red (CR), methyl blue/methyl orange (MO), methyl green (MG)/ Congo red, methyl green/methyl orange mixture solutions. Studies on the adsorption kinetics suggested that the adsorption behavior follows Pseudo-second-order kinetics model, while the adsorption isotherm of the hydrogel was more consistent with the Freundlich isotherm. In addition, desorption performance of these hydrogels was also investigated in detail, with the screening of the desorption conditions. Under the economical and eco-friendly conditions, it was found that the efficiency of desorption can reach 88% in 75% ethanol solution of oxalic acid, and the adsorption capacity of hydrogel in the next cycle of adsorption still reached 93.4%. Overall, the hydrogel is a potential adsorbent for the efficient cleaning of wastewater and recycling of dyes. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black carbon (char and soot) has attracted increasing attention due to its important role in the global carbon cycle, adsorption of pollutants (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals), climate effects and threats to human health. However, few studies have included source analysis of black carbon (char and soot). In this study, the levels of char, soot and PAHs in sediments of West Taihu Lake were assessed, and an absolute principal component analysis followed by multiple linear regression (APCA-MLR) receptor model was used to successfully analyze the material sources of char and soot, providing a new perspective and method for exploring the sources of char and soot. The contributions of coal combustion sources to char and soot are 62.0% and 43.2%, respectively, which are significantly higher than those of biomass combustion sources (13.7% and 19.8%). The contributions of oil combustion sources to char and soot are 24.3% and 37.0%, respectively. The contributions of coal, oil and biomass combustion to char and soot have similar spatial distributions: the coal combustion sources and biomass combustion sources are mainly affected by urban development, which is largely distributed in the northwest of the study area, whereas the oil combustion sources are mainly affected by automobile traffic and lake ports, which are mainly distributed in the west of the study area, and these effects decrease with an increase in offshore distance. Unlabelled Image • Quantitative analysis of pollutant sources of char and soot in sediment • Coal and oil were the dominant sources of char and soot in sediments. • The spatial distribution of char and soot is affected by human activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]