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The continuous growth in global energy demand has led to extensive burning and overconsumption of fossil fuels, resulting in a rapid increase in greenhouse gas emissions, primarily carbon dioxide. On one hand, the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events have increased dramatically due to global climate change. On the other hand, renewable energy sources are rapidly developing. Therefore, CO 2 electrochemical reduction technology has attracted considerable attention as a sustainable solution for converting CO 2 into valuable chemicals. Copper-based catalysts can efficiently reduce CO 2 directly to high-value chemicals, making them one of the focal points in CO 2 electrochemical reduction (eCO 2 RR) research. Many factors influence the activity and selectivity of eCO 2 RR, and this paper systematically reviews the recent advances in CO 2 electrochemical reduction using Cu-based catalysts. Firstly, the fundamental principles and reaction mechanisms of CO 2 electrochemical reduction are outlined. Subsequently, the discussion delves into Cu catalyst structures and composition synergistic control strategies, covering monometallic copper catalysts, multimetallic copper-based catalysts, copper oxides and their derived catalysts, and copper-organic composite catalysts. Finally, we also analyzed the challenges faced by Cu-based catalyst research and provided an outlook on the prospects of CO 2 electroreduction technology in conjunction with emerging AI technology. • Summarized the mechanisms of C 1 and C 2+ products in eCO 2 RR. • Summarized the application of five types of copper-based catalysts in eCO 2 RR. • Discussed the development prospects and strategies of eCO 2 RR in combination with AI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes an innovative two-stage ejector with a needle blocking the main nozzle area within 0%-60% to control the mass flow rate of the inlet. Based on this, under certain liquid volume fraction in two-phase inlet fluids, the nozzle exit positions (NXP 1 and NXP 2) and constant-area mixing chamber lengths (L 1 and L 2) of the first and second stages were optimized with blocking area ratio (BAR) of primary nozzle throat by using CFD simulation, the working fluid is R134a. The main results are as follows: (1) The maximum increase rate of the entrainment ratio (ER) of the first and the second-stage with optimization of four geometries without needle blockage are relatively slight, in comparison, both of them with optimization of L 1 can reach 23.47% and 20.38%, which obtain the best improvement; (2) Under the condition of a needle blockage at the primary flow inlet of the first-stage ejector, the increase rate of ER 1 with optimization of NXP 1 and L 1 are close to that without needle blockage; (3) Under the condition of a needle blockage at the primary flow inlet of the second-stage ejector, the first-stage ejector can achieve relatively large improvement of ER, especially, the optimization of NXP 2 can increase the maximum ER 1 by 258.73% of initial value, and the optimization of L 2 can increase the maximum ER 1 by 239.38% of initial value. The study in this work is helpful to understand the two-stage ejector performance improvement by adjusting the blocking area ratio of primary nozzle throat under certain liquid volume fraction in two-phase inlet fluids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Homogeneous distribution and adequate accumulation of photosensitizer in tumor are essential for effective photodynamic therapy (PDT). However, the intricate tumor microenvironment (TME) often poses great challenges to the deep penetration and retention of therapeutic agents in tumor. Moreover, the important effect of PDT to induce specific antitumor immune response is impeded by multiple immunosuppressive mechanisms within TME. Confronting these issues, here a rationally designed nanosystem (SUN‐NPA) with acid‐responsive sphere‐to‐fiber transformation ability by leveraging the characters of drug molecules is proposed to achieve self‐delivery of photosensitizer Chlorin e6 (Ce6) and two small‐molecule immunomodulators, metformin (MET) and sunitinib (SUN). The spatiotemporal controlled transformation enables homogeneous distribution and high accumulation of drugs to achieve enduring PDT and complete tumor elimination. Meanwhile, the co‐delivered MET and SUN alleviate tumor immunosuppression from multiple aspects, effectively synergizing with PDT to ignite potent host immune response and long‐lasting immunological memory against tumor cells. The artful integration of enhanced PDT and activated antitumor immunity realized by SUN‐NPA leads to the significant inhibition of tumor growth and metastasis, exhibiting great potential for oncotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A liquid oxygen-compatible epoxy resin of fluorinated glycidyl amine (TFEPA) with a low viscosity of 260 mPa·s in a wide range of temperatures, from room temperature to 150 °C, was synthesized and used to decrease the viscosity of phosphorus-containing bisphenol F epoxy resins. And the forming process and application performances of this resin system and its composite were investigated. The viscosity of the bisphenol F resin was decreased from 4925 to 749 mPa·s at 45 °C by mixing with 10 wt.% TFEPA, which was enough for the filament winding process. Moreover, the processing temperature and time windows were increased by 73% and 186%, respectively. After crosslinking, the liquid oxygen compatibility was preserved, and its tensile strength, elastic modulus, and breaking elongation at −196 °C were 133.31 MPa, 6.59 GPa, and 2.36%, respectively, which were similar to those without TFEPA. And the flexural strength and modulus were 276.14 MPa and 7.29 GPa, respectively, increasing by 21.73% in strain energy at flexural breaking, indicating an enhanced toughness derived from TFEPA. Based on this resin system, the flexural strength and toughness of its composite at −196 °C were 862.73 MPa and 6.88 MJ/m3, respectively, increasing by 4.46% and 10.79%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome is an emerging viral hemorrhagic fever caused by a tick-borne bunyavirus, severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV), with a high case fatality. We previously found that SFTSV nucleoprotein (NP) induces macroautophagy/autophagy to facilitate virus replication. However, the role of NP in antagonizing host innate immunity remains unclear. Mitophagy, a selected form of autophagy, eliminates damaged mitochondria to maintain mitochondrial homeostasis. Here, we demonstrate that SFTSV NP triggers mitophagy to degrade MAVS (mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein), thereby blocking MAVS-mediated antiviral signaling to escape the host immune response. Mechanistically, SFTSV NP translocates to mitochondria by interacting with TUFM (Tu translation elongation factor, mitochondrial), and mediates mitochondrial sequestration into phagophores through interacting with LC3, thus inducing mitophagy. Notably, the N-terminal LC3-interacting region (LIR) motif of NP is essential for mitophagy induction. Collectively, our results demonstrated that SFTSV NP serves as a novel virulence factor, inducing TUFM-mediated mitophagy to degrade MAVS and evade the host immune response.Abbreviation: 3-MA: 3-methyladenine; ACTB: actin beta; co-IP: co-immunoprecipitation; CQ: chloroquine; DAPI: 4ʹ,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole, dihydrochloride; DMSO: dimethyl sulfoxide; FCCP: carbonyl cyanide 4-(trifluoromethoxy)phenylhydrazone; GFP: green fluorescent protein; HTNV: Hantan virus; IAV: influenza A virus; IFN: interferon; LAMP1: lysosomal associated membraneprotein 1; LIR: LC3-interacting region; MAP1LC3B/LC3B: microtubule associatedprotein 1 light chain 3 beta; MAVS: mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein; Mdivi-1: mitochondrial division inhibitor 1; MOI: multiplicity of infection; MT-CO2/COXII: mitochondrially encoded cytochrome C oxidase II; NP: nucleoprotein; NSs: nonstructural proteins; poly(I:C): polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid; RIGI: RNA sensor RIG-I; RLR: RIGI-like receptor; SFTSV: severe fever withthrombocytopenia syndrome virus; TCID50: 50% tissue culture infectiousdose; TIMM23: translocase of inner mitochondrial membrane 23; TOMM20:translocase of outer mitochondrial membrane 20; TUFM: Tu translation elongationfactor, mitochondrial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary impediments impeding the implementation of high-order methods in simulating viscous flow over complex configurations are robustness and convergence. These challenges impose significant constraints on computational efficiency, particularly in the domain of engineering applications. To address these concerns, this paper proposes a robust implicit high-order discontinuous Galerkin (DG) method for solving compressible Navier-Stokes (NS) equations on arbitrary grids. The method achieves a favorable equilibrium between computational stability and efficiency. To solve the linear system, an exact Jacobian matrix solving strategy is employed for preconditioning and matrix-vector generation in the generalized minimal residual (GMRES) method. This approach mitigates numerical errors in Jacobian solution during implicit calculations and facilitates the implementation of an adaptive Courant-Friedrichs-Lewy (CFL) number increasing strategy, with the aim of improving convergence and robustness. To further enhance the applicability of the proposed method for intricate grid distortions, all simulations are performed in the reference domain. This practice significantly improves the reversibility of the mass matrix in implicit calculations. A comprehensive analysis of various parameters influencing computational stability and efficiency is conducted, including CFL number, Krylov subspace size, and GMRES convergence criteria. The computed results from a series of numerical test cases demonstrate the promising results achieved by combining the DG method, GMRES solver, exact Jacobian matrix, adaptive CFL number, and reference domain calculations in terms of robustness, convergence, and accuracy. These analysis results can serve as a reference for implicit computation in high-order calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nacre is a classic model, providing an inspiration for fabricating high‐performance bulk nanocomposites with the two‐dimensional platelets. However, the "brick" of nacre, aragonite platelet, is an ideal building block for making high‐performance bulk nanocomposites. Herein, we demonstrated a strong and tough conductive nacre through reassembling aragonite platelets with bridged by MXene nanosheets and hydrogen bonding, not only providing high mechanical properties but also excellent electrical conductivity. The flexural strength and fracture toughness of the obtained conductive nacre reach ~282 MPa and ~6.3 MPa m1/2, which is 1.6 and 1.6 times higher than that of natural nacre, respectively. These properties are attributed to densification and high orientation degree of the conductive nacre, which is effectively induced by the combined interactions of hydrogen bonding and MXene nanosheets bridging. The crack propagations in conductive nacre are effectively inhibited through crack deflection with hydrogen bonding, and MXene nanosheets bridging between aragonite platelets. In addition, our conductive nacre also provides a self‐monitoring function for structural damage and offers exceptional electromagnetic interference shielding performance. Our strategy of reassembling the aragonite platelets exfoliated from waste nacre into high‐performance artificial nacre, provides an avenue for fabricating high‐performance bulk nanocomposites through the sustainable reutilization of shell resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nacre is a classic model, providing an inspiration for fabricating high‐performance bulk nanocomposites with the two‐dimensional platelets. However, the "brick" of nacre, aragonite platelet, is an ideal building block for making high‐performance bulk nanocomposites. Herein, we demonstrated a strong and tough conductive nacre through reassembling aragonite platelets with bridged by MXene nanosheets and hydrogen bonding, not only providing high mechanical properties but also excellent electrical conductivity. The flexural strength and fracture toughness of the obtained conductive nacre reach ~282 MPa and ~6.3 MPa m1/2, which is 1.6 and 1.6 times higher than that of natural nacre, respectively. These properties are attributed to densification and high orientation degree of the conductive nacre, which is effectively induced by the combined interactions of hydrogen bonding and MXene nanosheets bridging. The crack propagations in conductive nacre are effectively inhibited through crack deflection with hydrogen bonding, and MXene nanosheets bridging between aragonite platelets. In addition, our conductive nacre also provides a self‐monitoring function for structural damage and offers exceptional electromagnetic interference shielding performance. Our strategy of reassembling the aragonite platelets exfoliated from waste nacre into high‐performance artificial nacre, provides an avenue for fabricating high‐performance bulk nanocomposites through the sustainable reutilization of shell resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) faces limitations in its photocatalytic applications due to its inherently wide bandgap (2.7 eV), low utilization of visible light, and a high rate of recombination of photogenerated electron–hole pairs. Defect engineering can effectively enhance the ability of g-C3N4 photocatalysts to address environmental pollution. In this paper, g-C3N4 materials with N defects (AA-CN15) were successfully prepared by using urea as a hydrogen bond donor and ammonium acetate as a hydrogen bond acceptor. The catalyst exhibits a broader range of visible light absorption, a lower rate of photogenerated electron–hole recombination, and a larger specific surface area, thanks to the formation of N defects in the N1 (C=N–C) vacancy. The formation of N defects reduces the band gap width of AA-CN15 from 2.85 eV to 1.90 eV compared to U-CN. The degradation rate of AA-CN15 in a 30 mg/L MB solution under visible light irradiation can reach 91.4% within 100 min, which is 7.2 times higher than that of U-CN. This study addresses the limitations and drawbacks of traditional defect introduction methods, offering a novel approach for the synthesis of N defect g-C3N4 materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nacre has inspired fabrication of tough bulk nanocomposites for practical applications using inorganic nanomaterials as building blocks. We demonstrated tough and conductive nacre bulk nanocomposites by reassembling aragonite platelets exfoliated from natural nacre as "bricks" and liquid metal and sodium alginate as "mortar". The interfacial interaction of Ga O C coordination bonds induces conductive nacre with low porosity and high orientation. The resultant conductive nacre exhibits excellent mechanical properties, exceptional self-monitoring sensitivity for structural integrity, and photothermal conversion performance. [Display omitted] Nacre has inspired research to fabricate tough bulk composites for practical applications using inorganic nanomaterials as building blocks. However, with the considerable pressure to reduce global carbon emissions, preparing nacre-inspired composites remains a significant challenge using more economical and environmentally friendly building blocks. Here we demonstrate tough and conductive nacre by assembling aragonite platelets exfoliated from natural nacre, with liquid metal and sodium alginate used as the "mortar". The formation of Ga O C coordination bonding between the gallium ions and sodium alginate molecules reduces the voids and improves compactness. The resultant conductive nacre exhibits much higher mechanical properties than natural nacre. It also shows excellent impact resistance attributed to the synergistic strengthening and toughening fracture mechanisms induced by liquid metal and sodium alginate. Furthermore, our conductive nacre exhibits exceptional self-monitoring sensitivity for maintaining structural integrity. The proposed strategy provides a novel avenue for turning natural nacre into a valuable green composite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a main component of alkenes, 1-octene is the key important intermediate in the process of oxidation or pyrolysis of n-decane or higher alkanes. In this work, quantum chemistry calculations of the 1-octene combustion and pyrolysis were illustrated for the potential energy surface, including the H-abstraction reactions and subsequent isomerization and β -dissociation reactions. The primary β -dissociation reactions after the H-abstraction reaction involving H atoms and CH 3 /NH 2 /NO 2 radicals are detailed description with kinetic calculation. The rate constants of the primary pyrolysis reaction of 1-octene from 300 to 2000K were determined with the RRKM theory combined with CTST. The results indicated the H-abstraction reactions adhere to the Evans-Polanyi principle within the calculation uncertainty 1 kcal/mol. The 3-site exhibited the highest competitiveness in the 1-octene H-abstraction process and dominated, whereas the 1-site is lack of competitiveness due to overcome higher energy barriers (2–4 kcal/mol). The five-membered or six-membered ring in the H atom transfer process served as the most favorable structure for the isomerization reaction of 1-octenyl because of the lowest transition state energy. The dissociation channel for converting 1-octenyl to various octadienes and H atoms consumed the least 1-octenyl in the dissociation process. Following temperatures exceeding 570K, INT6 exhibits a preeminent 1-octenyl consumption ratio, attributed to the synergy between the enthalpy and entropy effects. The modified kinetic data of 1-octene H-abstraction reactions by four radicals and the subsequent isomerization and β -dissociation was expanded from 300 to 2000K, 0.01–100 atm. The modified model shows the better experimental prediction capabilities. • The potential energy surface and the dehydrogenation reaction rate of eight sites of 1-octene were calculated. • The potential energy surface and reaction rate of octenyl radicals isomerization were calculated. • The potential energy surface and reaction rate of the dissociation reaction of octenyl radicals were calculated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a case of tattoo granuloma with uveitis (TAGU), a condition characterized by inflammation in the skin and eyes. The patient, a 41-year-old male, had papules and nodules in his tattoos along with blurred vision and other eye symptoms. Treatment with the Janus kinase inhibitor abrocitinib resulted in the regression of skin lesions and improvement in eye symptoms. The article suggests that TAGU may be related to delayed type hypersensitivity reaction or a limited form of sarcoidosis, and that JAK inhibitors like abrocitinib could be a potential treatment option. Further research is needed to assess long-term efficacy and follow-up. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Cantharidin (CTD) is the active ingredient of Chinese medicine, which has been traditionally used in multiple cancers treatment, especially in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, a comprehensive analysis of the CTD-related molecular mechanism is still necessary to understand its functions in HCC treatment. This study aimed to reveal the novel molecular targets and regulatory networks of CTD in HCC. Methods: A model of H22 tumour-bearing mice was constructed, and the function of CTD in tumour growth was evaluated. An integrated approach of CTD associated transcriptional profiling and biological systems analysis was used to identify key regulators involved in antitumour pathways. The identified differential expression patterns were supported by the results of Gene Ontology (GO) term and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyse, and by protein-protein interaction (PPI) network construction. The relationships between gene expression and tumour immunity were evaluated using Tumour Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER). Prognostic value was analyzed with Kaplan-Meier plotter. Results: In the present study, the therapeutic effect of CTD on HCC was evaluated in vivo. We obtained the CTD-related transcriptional profiles, systematically and intuitively illustrated its possible pharmacological mechanisms in HCC through multiple targets and signalling pathways. These results revealed that the CTD-related differentially expressed genes were involved in autophagy, transcription factors (TFs) related transcriptional regulation, fatty acid metabolism and immune response in HCC. We found that MAPT, TOP2A, CENPF and MEFV were hub genes of CTD targets involved in autophagy regulation. Totally, 14 TFs have been confirmed to be critical for transcriptional regulation, and 33 TF targets were identified as the hub genes in transcriptional mis-regulation pathway in cancer. These TFs were associated with the immune response and immune cell infiltration. In addition, the downregulated genes were significantly enriched in metabolic regulation pathways, especially fatty acid metabolism after CTD treatment. Furthermore, the network of CTD associated miRNAs with these fatty acid metabolism-related targets was constructed in HCC. Conclusions: Taken together, our results comprehensively elucidated that CTD could act on multiple targets in HCC therapy, affecting autophagy, transcriptional regulation, the immune response and fatty acid metabolism. Our results provide a foundation for the study of the molecular mechanistic of CTD and its clinical application in the treatment of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. Nonhepatic hyperammonemia often occurs in patients with sepsis. Ammonia plays an essential role in the occurrence of hepatic encephalopathy. However, the relationship between nonhepatic serum ammonia levels and sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE) remains unclear. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the association between serum ammonia levels and patients with SAE. Methods. Data of critically ill adults with sepsis who were admitted to the intensive care unit were retrieved from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC IV) between 2008 and 2019 and retrospectively analyzed. Data of patients with sepsis patients and serum ammonia not related to acute or chronic liver disease were not included. Results. Data from 720 patients with sepsis were included. SAE was found to have a high incidence (64.6%). After adjusting for other risk factors, a serum ammonia level of ≥45 μmol/L (odds ratio (OR): 3.508, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.336–5.269, p < 0.001) was found to be an independent risk factor for patients with SAE; moreover, as the serum ammonia level increased, the hospital mortality of SAE gradually increased in a certain range (serum ammonia <150 μmol/L). Serum ammonia levels of ≥45 μmol/L were associated with higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores in patients with SAE. Besides, our study found that patients with SAE used opioid analgesics (OR:3.433, 95% CI: 1.360–8.669, p = 0.009) and the SOFA scores of patients with SAE (OR: 1.126, 95% CI: 1.062–1.194, p < 0.001) were significantly higher than those without SAE. Conclusions. Nonhepatic serum ammonia levels of ≥45 μmol/L evidently increased the incidence of SAE. Serum ammonia levels should be closely monitored in patients with sepsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyclic peptides have been excellent source of drug leads. With the advances in discovery platforms, the pharmaceutical industry has a growing interest in cyclic peptides and has pushed several into clinical trials. However, structural complexity of cyclic peptides brings extreme challenges for structure elucidation efforts. Isotopic fine structure analysis, Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and detailed tandem mass spectrometry rapidly provided peptide sequence for streptnatamide A, a cyclic peptide isolated from a marine‐derived Streptomyces sp. Marfey's analysis determined the stereochemistry of all amino acids, enabling the unambiguous structure determination of this compound. A non‐ribosomal peptide synthetase biosynthetic gene cluster (stp) was tentatively identified and annotated for streptnatamide A based on the in silico analysis of whole genome sequencing data. These analytical tools will be powerful tools to overcome the challenges for cyclic peptide structure elucidation and accelerate the development of bioactive cyclic peptides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Affective psychopathic traits have been associated with increased violence and aggression. The scholarly interest in the pathways leading to affective psychopathic traits in adolescence has been growing. Infant attachment security may be one of the early life factors that contribute to the development of affective psychopathic traits. In this study, we test the infant attachment styles measured with the Strange Situation Procedure as a predictor of adolescent affective psychopathic traits measured in three dimensions: remorselessness, unemotionality, and callousness, among 1149 families in the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD). Propensity scores for the four attachment styles were estimated with iterative tree-based regression models. After accounting for the potential confounding effects of demographic characteristics and child temperament with the inverse probability of treatment weighting, weighted generalized linear models revealed the association between insecure/avoidant attachment style measured one year after childbirth and higher levels of remorselessness, unemotionality, and callousness at 15 years. These findings provide insights into the long-term outcomes for attachment relationships established in early life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper a design methodology of fixed-time adaptive super twisting control is proposed for a class of multi-input nonlinear systems with matched and unmatched perturbations to solve the fixed-time regulation problems. The sliding surface is firstly designed, and then the super twisting controller is designed accordingly. The perturbation estimation and adaptive mechanisms are also embedded in the proposed control scheme, so that there is no need to know the upper bounds of perturbations as well as perturbation estimation error in advance. Hence applying excessive control input energy to systems is also avoided due to utilisation of perturbation estimator. Moreover, choosing appropriate design parameters is also addressed in detail in order to meet the required fixed-time convergent time. Finally, a numerical example is given for demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed control strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coupling between the quantum dots (QDs) and silicon-based microdisk resonator facilitates enhancing the light–matter interaction for the novel silicon-based light source. However, the typical circular microdisks embedded with Ge QDs still have several issues, such as wide spectral bandwidth, difficult mode selection, and low waveguide coupling efficiency. Here, by a promising structural modification based on the mature nanosphere lithography (NSL), we fabricate a large area hexagonal microdisk array embedded with Ge QDs in order to enhance the near-infrared light emissions by a desired whispering gallery modes (WGMs). By comparing circular microdisks with comparable sizes, we found the unique photoluminescence enhancement effect of hexagonal microdisks for certain modes. We have confirmed the WGMs which are supported by the microdisks and the well-correlated polarized modes for each resonant peak observed in experiments through the Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) simulation. Furthermore, the unique enhancement of the TE5,1 mode in the hexagonal microdisk is comparatively analyzed through the simulation of optical field distribution in the cavity. The larger enhanced region of the optical field contains more effectively coupled QDs, which significantly enhances the PL intensity of Ge QDs. Our findings offer a promising strategy toward a distinctive optical cavity that enables promising mode manipulation and enhancement effects for large-scale, cost-effective photonic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We tested the prospective associations between coparenting relationship quality and breastfeeding duration among 164 dual-earner, cisgender, heterosexual couples identifying as mothers and fathers at the transition to parenthood. We hypothesized that mothers who perceived higher quality (more supportive and less undermining) coparenting relationships would breastfeed for a longer duration. At 3 months after childbirth, mothers reported their perceptions of coparenting relationship quality using the Coparenting Relationship Scale. Mothers reported their breastfeeding behaviors at four time points—when their infant was 3, 6, 9 months and 12–36 months old. Survival analysis revealed that higher quality coparenting relationships were associated with longer breastfeeding duration. This association was only observed among families of girls. This study highlights the interactive role of coparenting relationship quality and infant sex as proximal contexts that may shape breastfeeding practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on communication accommodation theory (CAT), we investigated how physician (non)accommodation indirectly affects participants' intention to engage in advocated health behaviors through participant goal inferences and source appraisals. We conducted a 3 (language type: medical jargon, analogies, literal language) × 2 (health topic: coronary artery disease, influenza vaccine) web-based experiment. Participants recruited from an online research panel (N = 545) were randomly assigned to a condition and watched a video featuring a physician explaining medical information and providing health recommendations. In a serial mediation analysis, results suggested two parallel indirect effects (relational vs. informational). Relative to underaccommodation (i.e. medical jargon), physician accommodation (i.e. literal language, analogies) had positive, indirect effects on participant health behavioral intention through goal inferences and assessment of physicians (i.e. warmth, expertise). Compared to the use of literal language, physician use of analogies had a positive, indirect effect on participant behavioral intention solely through the relational path, not the informational path. These findings extend CAT by explicating a mechanism underlying physician (non)accommodation and patient outcomes, offering practical implications for physicians to foster relationships with patients and facilitate patient comprehension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by our previous finding that disesquiterpenoids showed more potent antihepatoma cytotoxicity than their corresponding parent monomers, natural product‐like guaianolide‐germacranolide heterodimers were designed and synthesized from guaianolide diene and germacranolides via a biomimetic Diels–Alder reaction to provide three antihepatoma active dimers with novel scaffolds. To explore the structure–activity relationship, 31 derivatives containing ester, carbamate, ether, urea, amide, and triazole functional groups at C‐14′ were synthesized and evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against HepG2, Huh7, and SK‐Hep‐1 cell lines. Among them, 25 compounds were more potent than sorafenib against HepG2 cells, 15 compounds were stronger than sorafenib against Huh7 cells, and 17 compounds were stronger than sorafenib against SK‐Hep‐1 cells. Compound 23 showed the most potent cytotoxicity against three hepatoma cell lines with IC50 values of 4.4 µM (HepG2), 3.7 µM (Huh7), and 3.1 µM (SK‐Hep‐1), which were 2.7‐, 2.2‐, and 2.8‐fold more potent than sorafenib, respectively. The underlying mechanism study demonstrated that compound 23 could induce cell apoptosis, prevent cell migration and invasion, cause G2/M phase arrest in SK‐Hep‐1 cells. Network pharmacology analyses predicted PDGFRA was one of the potential targets of compound 23, and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) assay verified that 23 had strong affinity with PDGFRA with a dissociatin constant (KD) value of 90.2 nM. These promising findings revealed that structurally novel guaianolide‐germacranolide heterodimers might provide a new inspiration for the discovery of antihepatoma agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs)/microdisks promise a unique system for comprehensive studies on cavity quantum electrodynamics and great potential for on-chip integrated light sources. Here, we report on a strategy for precisely site-controlled Ge QDs in SiGe microdisks via self-assembly growth of QDs on a micropillar with deterministic pits and subsequent etching. The competitive growth of QDs in pits and at the periphery of the micropillar is disclosed. By adjusting the growth temperature and Ge deposition, as well as the pit profiles, QDs can exclusively grow in pits that are exactly located at the field antinodes of the corresponding cavity mode of the microdisk. The inherent mechanism of the mandatory addressability of QDs is revealed in terms of growth kinetics based on the non-uniform surface chemical potential around the top of the micropillar with pits. Our results demonstrate a promising approach to scalable and deterministic QDs/microdisks with strong light–matter interaction desired for fundamental research and technological applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To select the appropriate polymer thin films for liquid oxygen composite hoses, the liquid oxygen compatibility and the cryogenic mechanical properties of four fluoropolymer films (PCTFE, ETFE, FEP and PFA) and two non-fluoropolymer films (PET and PI) before and after immersion in liquid oxygen for an extended time were investigated. The results indicated that the four fluoropolymers were compatible with liquid oxygen before and after immersion for 60 days, and the two non-fluoropolymers were not compatible with liquid oxygen. In addition, the cryogenic mechanical properties of these polymer films underwent changes with the immersion time, and the changes in the non-fluoropolymer films were more pronounced. The cryogenic mechanical properties of the two non-fluoropolymer films were always superior to those of the four fluoropolymer films during the immersion. Further analysis indicated that the fundamental reason for these changes in the cryogenic mechanical properties was the variation in the crystalline phase structure caused by the ultra-low temperature, which was not related to the strong oxidizing properties of the liquid oxygen. Analytical results can provide useful guidance on how to select the appropriate material combination to obtain a reasonable liquid oxygen composite hose structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species of Amanita sect. Vaginatae (Fr.) Quél. are challenging to delimitate due to the morphological similarity or morphostasis among different taxa. In this study, a multi-locus (nuc rDNA region encompassing the internal transcribed spacers 1 and 2 with the 5.8S rDNA, the D1–D3 domains of nuc 28S rDNA, partial sequences of translation elongation factor 1-a, and the second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II) phylogeny was employed to investigate the species diversity of the section in eastern China. Sixteen species were recognized, including four new species; namely, A. circulata, A. multicingulata, A. orientalis, and A. sinofulva. They were documented with illustrated descriptions, ecological evidence, and comparisons with similar species. A key to the species of the section from eastern China is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reaction of CF3COOAg, 3-bdppmapy (N,N-bis(diphenylphosphanylmethyl)-3-aminopyridine) and HTZ (1,2,4-triazole-3-thiol) in CH2Cl2/MeOH resulted in a dinuclear Ag/P/S complex [Ag2(TZ)2(3-bdppmapy)2]·xSol (1·xSol). Crystals of 1·xSol converted to 1·2MeOH in air at room temperature and further to 1 under vacuum upon heating. The solid-state, room-temperature photoluminescent emission of 1·xSol (510 nm) shifted to 494 nm (1·2MeOH) and 486 nm (1). Grinding solids of 1·2MeOH in air resulted in amorphous 1G characterized by solid-state emission at 468 nm, which converted to 1GR with 513 nm emission upon MeOH treatment. Grinding 1GR in air returned 1G, and this interconversion was reproducible over five cycles. The solid-state photoluminescence of 1G changed in response to vapors containing low–molecular weight alcohols but remained unchanged after exposure to other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or to water vapor. Test papers impregnated with 1G could detect methanol in vapors from aqueous solutions at concentrations above 50%. Complex 1G is, therefore, an example of a stimuli-responsive molecular sensor for the detection of alcohols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM) is a highly lethal malignancy that poses a significant threat to human health. Recent research has shown that competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory networks play a critical role in the development and progression of various types of cancer, including SKCM. The objective of this study is to investigate the ceRNA regulatory network associated with the transmembrane protein semaphorin 6A (SEMA6A) and identify the underlying molecular mechanisms involved in SKCM. Methods. Expression profiles of four RNAs, including pseudogenes, long non-coding RNAs, microRNAs, and mRNAs were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. The analysis was completed by bioinformatics methods, and the expression levels of the selected genes were verified by cell experiments. Results. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that the LINC00511–hsa-miR-625-5p–SEMA6A ceRNA network was associated with SKCM prognosis. Furthermore, immune infiltration analysis indicated that the LINC00511–hsa-miR-625-5p–SEMA6A axis may have an impact on changes in the tumor immune microenvironment of SKCM. Conclusion. The LINC00511–hsa-miR-625-5p–SEMA6A axis could be a promising therapeutic target and a prognostic biomarker for SKCM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gills are the major organ for Na+ uptake in teleosts. It was proposed that freshwater (FW) teleosts adopt Na+/H+ exchanger 3 (Nhe3) as the primary transporter for Na+ uptake and Na+-Cl− co-transporter (Ncc) as the backup transporter. However, convincing molecular physiological evidence to support the role of Ncc in branchial Na+ uptake is still lacking due to the limitations of functional assays in the gills. Thus, this study aimed to reveal the role of branchial Ncc in Na+ uptake with an in vivo detection platform (scanning ion-selective electrode technique, SIET) that has been recently established in fish gills. First, we identified that Ncc2-expressing cells in zebrafish gills are a specific subtype of ionocyte (NCC ionocytes) by using single-cell transcriptome analysis and immunofluorescence. After a long-term low-Na+ FW exposure, zebrafish increased branchial Ncc2 expression and the number of NCC ionocytes and enhanced gill Na+ uptake capacity. Pharmacological treatments further suggested that Na+ is indeed taken up by Ncc, in addition to Nhe, in the gills. These findings reveal the uptake roles of both branchial Ncc and Nhe under FW and shed light on osmoregulatory physiology in adult fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Recently, hyaluronic acid dissolving microneedles (HA-DMNs) have been widely used in antiwrinkle research studies. However, the comparison of HA-DMNs with nonablative fractional laser (NAFL), which is regarded as the gold standard in the treatment of facial wrinkles, is still lacking. Objective. The purpose was to compare the therapeutic effects and adverse effects of HA-DMNs and NAFL on infraorbital wrinkles. Methods. A prospective, randomized, split-face trial was performed with HA-DMNs on one side and NAFL on the other. The wrinkle numbers, photo-numeric scores, and VISIA assessment scores were compared at baseline and 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks post-treatment. Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) was used to monitor collagen fibers. Adverse effects and subjects' satisfaction scores were evaluated using scales. Results. The final analysis included 28 patients. The wrinkle numbers and photo-numeric scores decreased on both the HA-DMNs side and the NAFL side in week-2, 4, 8, and 12. The VISIA scores decreased on the HA-DMNs side in week-8 and on the NAFL side in week-2. There were no significant differences in these indexes between the two sides. The RCM images demonstrated a similar increase in collagen density on the two sides. Burning, erythema, edema, and crust scores were higher on the NAFL side than on the HA-DMNs side. There was no significant difference in the subjects' satisfaction scores of the two sides. Conclusion. HA-DMNs are effective treatment options for infraorbital rejuvenation. From the change of wrinkle numbers and scores, HA-DMNs provided comparable efficacy as NAFL in an observation period of 12 weeks. Meanwhile, HA-DMNs offered a more favorable adverse effect profile than NAFL therapy. Mild but persistent pain, erythema, and edema during the HA-DMNs therapy are noteworthy and require improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Energy crises and environmental pollution have become urgent problems with human civilization development. Photocatalysis technology is a green method to deal with these challenges. The key to improve photocatalytic efficiency lies in the effective separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs. In this work, we designed the Fe atom embedded N‐doped graphene oxide (Fe‐NGO) supporting on tantalum nitride (Ta3N5) catalyst, which was employed to improve the photocatalytic oxygen production activity. The oxygen production of 5 wt% Fe atom embedded N‐doped graphene oxide supporting on tantalum nitride (Fe‐NGO/Ta3N5) was 184.7 μmol·g−1, about 3.5 times higher than that of the pure Ta3N5. The introduction of the cocatalyst Fe‐NGO acting as an electron conductor in the Fe‐NGO/Ta3N5 accelerates the carrier migration of Ta3N5 and further enhances the photocatalytic oxygen production activity. N‐doping increases the conductivity of graphene oxide (GO), and Fe atoms are used as the reactive sites to promote the combination of electron and sacrificial agent in the system. This work may provide insights into the research of new carbon cocatalyst materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID) is a common motor complication in Parkinson disease (PD). Abnormal substantia nigra hyperechogenicity (SN+), detected by transcranial sonography (TCS), plays an important role in the differential diagnosis of PD. The purpose of this study was to investigate the predictive performance of quantitative SN+ evaluations for LID. Five hundred sixty-two individuals were included in our analysis, and 198 individuals were followed up. These individuals were divided into two groups at baseline: the PD with LID (PD+LID) group and the PD without LID (PD-LID) group. The association between total hyperechogenic area of the SN on both sides (SNT) and LID was analyzed by binary logistic analysis. A binary logistic regression model including SNT was applied to establish a model for discriminating LID. At baseline, 105 (18.7%) individuals were diagnosed with LID. The PD+LID group had a longer disease duration, shorter education duration, higher levodopa equivalent doses, greater disease severity and larger SNT. A model combining clinical features and SNT was further established with better efficiency (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.839). One hundred ninety-eight individuals were followed up; individuals with a larger SNT and a higher predicted probability were more likely to develop LID in our follow-up. Our study determined that quantitative TCS evaluation of SN echogenicity is useful in predicting LID in PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spermatogenesis associated serine rich 2 (SPATS2) is a member of RNA-binding protein in which the abnormal expression is linked with carcinogenesis in serval types of cancer. However, there is no systematic study on the differential expression, prognostic significance, epigenetic regulation, immune infiltration of SPATS2 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In the present study, we investigated the expression, prognosis, epigenetic regulation, and immune cell infiltration of SPATS2 in HCC. We found that the elevated expression of SPATS2 was unfavorably associated with the clinical pathological stage and prognosis. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that SPATS2 is associated with cell cycle, apoptosis and cancer cell metastasis processes in HCC. Our results confirmed that knockdown of SPATS2 will affect cell cycle, apoptosis and invasion of HCC cell lines. Moreover, the expression of SPATS2 is upregulated by epigenetic regulation, including DNA methylation, m6A and histone modification in HCC. In addition, SPATS2 expression was positively correlated with immune cell infiltration or expression of immune related gene markers in HCC. Taken together, our data demonstrated that SPATS2 is associated with progression and immune infiltration, and could serve as a prognostic biomarker for HCC. In conclusion, these results highlight the potential of SPATS2 to be used as a therapeutic target for HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, three key geometrical dimensions such as XL3 (constant pressure mixing chamber length), D5 (diameter of the throat of the ejector), and XL5 (length of the throat of the ejector) were separately or sequentially optimized under different lengths and angles of two sections of the primary nozzle. Furthermore, shock cluster number and shock chain length or area of low static pressure zone were used to analyze the effect of geometries on ejector performance, which is normally indicated by entrainment ratio (ER, or the ratio between the mass flow rate of secondary flow and the mass flow rate of primary flow). The results show that: (1) the improvement of ejector performance with only optimization of the primary nozzle is quite limited, in comparison, the impact of length and angle of nozzle diverging section on ejector performance is higher than that of converging section; (2) the relative sensitivity of ER to three key dimensions is much higher than that to the angles and lengths of the primary nozzle; (3) with the increase of XL3 and D5, ER needs a larger angle and smaller length of nozzle converging section; (4) the impact of key geometries on ejector performance can be analyzed with the help of shock cluster number and shock chain length or area of low static pressure zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ejector performance varies with the mixing chamber length which is largely dependent on the fluid liquid volume fraction at the inlet. In this study, numerical simulations are conducted to optimize two mixing chamber lengths of a two-phase ejector under varied liquid volume fractions of 0–0.1 in two inlet fluids. The main findings are as follows: (1) The two optimal lengths of constant-pressure and constant-area mixing chambers are identified within 23–44 mm and 15–18 mm, respectively, when the primary inlet fluid is in two-phase; (2) the two optimal lengths are 2–5 mm and 9–15 mm, respectively, when the secondary inlet fluid is in two-phase; (3) when both inlets are in two-phase, the two optimal lengths are ranged in 5–23 mm and 6–18 mm; (4) little liquid within inlet fluid has a significant influence on ejector performances; and (5) optimal constant-pressure mixing chamber length and the sum of the two optimal lengths increase with the primary flow inlet liquid volume fraction but decrease with that of the secondary flow inlet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, for a highly coupled two-stage ejector-based cooling cycle, the optimization of primary nozzle length and angle of the second-stage ejector under varied primary nozzle diameters of the second stage was conducted first. Next, the evaluation for the influence of variable back pressure on ER of the two-stage ejector was performed. Last, the identification of the effect of the variable back pressure on the key geometries of the two-stage ejector was carried out. The results revealed that: (1) with the increase of the nozzle diameter at the second stage, the ER of both stages decreased with the increases of the length and angle of the converging section of the second-stage primary nozzle; (2) the pressure lift ratio range of the second-stage ejector in the critical mode gradually increased with the increase of the nozzle diameter of the second-stage; (3) when the pressure lift ratio increased from 102% to 106%, the peak ER of the second-stage decreased, and the influence of the area ratio and nozzle exit position of the second-stage ejector on its ER was reduced; (4) with the increase of nozzle diameter of the second-stage, the influence of area ratio and nozzle exit position of the second-stage on the second-stage performance decreased; and (5) the optimal AR of the second stage decreased but the optimal nozzle exit position of the second stage kept constant with the pressure lift ratio of the two-stage ejector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigated the compression behaviors of square steel tube (SST) columns used in cold-region engineering structures. Twenty-eight SST columns were tested at low temperatures of 20, −30, −60, and − 80 °C. The studied parameters were low temperature (T) and slenderness ratio (λ) of SSTs. Under low-temperature compression, stub columns (λ = 5) failed in local buckling whilst slender columns (λ = 15 and 25) failed in global buckling. Low temperatures exhibited marginal effects on failure modes, and slightly improved (less than 12 %) the ultimate compressive resistance (P u) of SSTs. Decreasing T and λ values increased the compressive resistance of SSTs. Finite element (FE) models were established to simulate compression behaviors of SSTs at low temperatures, with accuracy confirmed by 28 test results. The FE parametric studies indicated that decreasing the width-to-thickness ratio of SSTs generally improved their compression capacity and ductility. Moreover, different code prediction formulae in GB50017, AISC 360–16, and Eurocode 3 for SSTs were checked to predict the P u. Finally, prediction equations were developed to predict the compression resistance of SSTs at low temperatures. The prediction equations provided reasonable estimations on P u with an average discrepancy of 4 %. • Low temperatures increases the strength and stiffness of square steel tubes (SSTs). • Increasing the slenderness ratio of SSTs reduces their low-temperature compression capacity. • Reducing the width-to-thickness ratio improves compression capacity and ductility of SSTs. • Prediction equations predict well the low-temperature compression resistance of SSTs. • Developed FEM simulates well the low-temperature compression behavior of SSTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper numerically studied the compression behaviours of ultra-high performance concrete - filled square high strength steel tubes (UFSHTs) at low temperatures. Firstly, finite element models (FEMs) were developed to simulate the ultimate strength behaviours of UFSHTs under bending and compression, which were extensively validated by bending and compression test results. Then, extensive FEM analysis were carried out to investigate the low-temperature eccentric-compression behaviours of UFSHTs at low temperatures. The studied parameters in this numerical analysis included low temperatures, eccentricities, and slenderness ratios. The FEM parametric studies showed that (1) reducing low temperatures improved the eccentric-compression capacities; (2) The load-displacement curves exhibited a more protracted hardening stage with higher eccentricity ratios; (3) the normalized N-M curves were shrunk inward with slenderness ratios increasing. Finally, modified code equations were proposed to estimate the N - M interactions of UFSHTs under low-temperature eccentric-compressions, and validations of the predictions against the test and numerical results confirmed that the modified Eurocode 4 code equations provided more reasonable estimations than AISC360 and GB50936. • FEMs on eccentric compression behaviours of UHPC-filled high-strength steel tubes (UFSHTs) at low temperatures are developed • Low temperatures improve eccentric compression behaviours of UFSHTs • Eurocode 4 predict well the N - M interactions of UFSHTs at low temperatures • Low temperatures do not affect generalized N - M interactions of UFSHTs at low temperatures [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Introducing a novel strut treatment approach, referred to as the longitudinal wavy strut, to enhance the aero-acoustic performance of nose landing gear. • Demonstrating that the longitudinal wavy strut significantly reduces the noise radiation of the landing gear when compared to the conventional circular strut. • Highlighting the optimal noise reduction achieved with the wavy strut featuring a medium wave height in the landing gear model. • Investigating the mechanisms behind the noise reduction in landing gear equipped with the wavy strut, focusing on the generation and evolution of vortices. The noise of landing gears is a major contributor to the overall airframe noise of an aircraft during approach and landing. In this paper, a novel strut treatment method, termed the Longitudinal Wavy Strut (LWS), is proposed to improve the aeroacoustics performances of nose landing gear. The simplified and complete landing gear model with wavy strut are respectively investigated by a hybrid approach combines with IDDES and FW-H equations. For the simplified configuration, four different setups in terms of wavy parameter are analyzed. The wavy strut with three parameters can reduce the noise in the simplified model and the medium wave height is the best noise reduction. Then, an assessment of the solutions obtained from complete landing gear is presented for wavy strut with medium wave height. The results indicate that the low and medium frequency noise can be reduced by the incorporation of wave strut, thereby substantiating the noise reduction efficacy of the wavy strut in complete landing gear. Moreover, the underlying noise suppression mechanisms of wavy strut are explored by the process of vorticity generation and evolution. The suppression of periodic vortex shedding in the wake of the wavy strut appears to be a pivotal factor contributing to noise reduction. Furthermore, the modification in the distribution of boundary enstrophy flux on the strut surface suggests that the wavy strut effectively hampers the generation of vorticity within the flow field. The alteration in Lamb vector and helicity distribution elucidates the noise reduction mechanism from the perspective of sound source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liuwei Dihuang (LWDH) is a multi-component and multi-target Chinese herbal compound widely used for treating chronic conditions such as diabetes, diabetic nephropathy, hypertension, osteoporosis, and chronic kidney disease. However, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) preparations like decoction and pill face limitations, including low active component concentration, limited bioavailability, short half-life, and the need for high dosage, which may increase the burden on liver and kidney functions and reduce clinical efficacy. In this study, LWDH was further purified using D101 macroporous adsorption resin, resulting in a soluble extract with an active component content 53.6 times higher than that of LWDH itself. The freeze-dried LWDH extract was then encapsulated within silk fibroin (SF) microspheres to significantly enhance the sustained release performance of the drug. In a human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) model cultured under high glucose conditions, methanol vapor-treated SF/LWDH microspheres demonstrated a decrease in the 24-hour drug release rate from 61.88 % to 34.81 %, augmenting their protective effect on endothelial cells. • Soluble active content 53.6 times higher than traditional Liuwei Dihuang decoction. • Uniform SF microspheres obtained by adjusting self-assembly conditions. • Enhancing sustained release of the extract-loaded SF microspheres. • Protecting endothelial cells cultured with extract under high glucose conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, three alcohol precipitation polysaccharides fractions (IOP40, IOP60, and IOP80) are isolated from Inonotus obliquus polysaccharides (IOP). In vitro starch digestion experiments suggest that IOP40 and IOP60 show stronger inhibitory effects than crude polysaccharides. Inhibition kinetics demonstrates that IOP60 has reversible and anti‐competitive inhibitory effect on α‐glucosidase. I. obliquus polysaccharides also have a significantly effect on the digestion of dough. Furthermore, in vivo studies prove IOP60 can inhibit the increase in postprandial blood glucose level. IOP60 is further purified to gain IOP‐2S. The results of monosaccharide composition show that IOP‐2S consisted of mannose, rhamnose, glucose, galactose, xylose, and arabinose in Moorbys of 0.521:0.511:1.551:0.793:0.567:0.232. IOP‐2S's molecular weight is 26.76 kDa. Congo red results reveal that IOP‐2S contains a triple helix structure. This study indicates that I. obliquus polysaccharides might be used in functional foods for postprandial hyperglycemia control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents an experimental rig of a multi-evaporator refrigeration system, in which the pressure difference between two evaporators can be maintained by using both the pressure-regulating valve (PRV) and electronic expansion valve (EEV)-based ejector. The proposed EEV-based ejector that is used to partially recover the throttling losses of the PRV consists of an EEV and the main body of an ejector. The established experimental system can work in both PRV-based mode and ejector-based mode by switching the valves. Via experimental means, the performances of both modes were evaluated by varying the cooling loads. Moreover, the effects of the spindle-blocking area percentage of the EEV-based ejector and the condensing temperature on the system performance were identified. The results showed that: (1) the system performance of the ejector-based mode was 3.6% higher than the PRV-based mode; (2) both entrainment ratio and coefficient of performance dropped along with the increase in ejector spindle-blocking area percentage; (3) compared to ejector spindle-blocking area percentage, the condensing temperature had a more evident influence on the system performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, by using three-dimensional numerical simulations, the optimization of the cross-sectional area and angle of the secondary flow inlet is first conducted. Then, to further improve the ejector performance, an auxiliary entrainment is proposed and the optimization of the relative position, cross-sectional area and angle of the auxiliary entrainment inlet is accordingly performed by using three-dimensional methods. The results show that: (1) the performance of the ejector with the secondary flow in a vertical direction to the primary flow is slightly better than that in a parallel direction to the primary flow; (2) the effect of the cross-sectional area of the secondary flow has a relatively evident influence on ER, but its effect becomes ignored when the inlet area increases to a certain value; (3) the relative position and axial width of the auxiliary entrainment inlet are important factors influencing ejector performance, and after the optimization of these two geometries, the ejector ER can be increased by 97.7%; and (4) the optimization of the auxiliary entrainment inlet has a substantial effect on the ejector performance as compared to that of the secondary flow inlet. The novelty of this study is that the effect of an auxiliary entrainment on the ejector's performance is identified by using a three-dimensional numerical simulation for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies a single-machine problem with resource allocation ( R A ) and deteriorating effect ( D E ). Under group technology ( G T ) and limited resource availability, our goal is to determine the schedules of groups and jobs within each group such that the total completion time is minimized. For three special cases, polynomial time algorithms are given. For a general case, a heuristic, a tabu search algorithm, and an exact (i.e., branch-and-bound) algorithm are proposed to solve this problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MXene, an emerging two‐dimensional nanomaterial, possessed large specific surface area good hydrophilicity and tunable interlayer spacing which had attracted the attention of scientists. However, MXene itself was very easy to stack. Here, we reported one MXene‐based composite, using Ti3C2 as a matrix, citric acid (CA) modifying alkalized Ti3C2 (Alk‐TC) were compounded to prepare citric acid‐alkalized Ti3C2 composite (CA‐Alk‐TC) which was used subsequently as an adsorbent for adsorbing basic red 46. The results of batch adsorption experience indicated that the adsorption kinetics conformed to the pseudo‐second‐order kinetic model, and the adsorption thermodynamics corresponded to the Langmuir isotherm model. When the reaction condition was 60 min, 5 mg, pH 5, 140 mg/L, and 308 K, the Langmuir monolayer adsorption capacity of basic red 46 reached 230.95 mg/g. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to develop a self-rating anxiety inventory for maintenance haemodialysis patients (AI-MHD) and perform preliminary validation to provide a simple, effective, and highly specific practical tool for effective anxiety disorder screening in haemodialysis patients. Based on existing general anxiety disorder screening scales and common symptoms of MHD patients as a reference and after expert discussions and preliminary validation at a single dialysis centre, a self-rating AI-MHD containing 12 items was developed. Subsequently, the AI-MHD was applied in 4 dialysis centres and compared with GAD-7 and HADS-A. Further multicentre validation showed that Cronbach's alpha for the scale was 0.918; the AI-MHD score not only significantly differed between the anxiety disorders group and the non-anxiety disorders group (p<0.001) but also correlated with GAD-7 and HADS-A scores (p<0.001). In addition, the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) score was 0.847, and Bartlett's test of sphericity was significant (x2=849.45, p<0.001). The anxiety disorder detection rate was 93%, and the specificity was 90%, which were significantly better than the screening results using the GAD-7 and HADS-A scales in the same groups. Although there were limitations, such as the sample size and regionality, the AI-MHD showed good efficacy and reliability in rating anxiety in MHD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a ridesharing scenario, multiple passengers with similar itineraries and time schedules take one vehicle to reduce travel cost, increase vehicle occupancy and ease traffic congestion. However, the existing studies ignore the effect of inequitable charging standard and malicious bidding behavior on passengers' ridesharing Quality of Experience (QoE). Considering the constraints of cost, vehicle capacity and detour distance, this paper proposes the problem of maximizing the fairness of matching results, and models the process of ridesharing pricing and matching as a two-stage Stackelberg game. Aiming at the above problems, a request division algorithm based on K-means++ is proposed to narrow the matching range and improve the matching efficiency. On the premise of satisfying all participant constraints, an iterative algorithm DPMA based on two-stage Stackelberg game is designed and its convergence is proved theoretically. Simulation experiments are carried out on the New York taxi dataset, and the convergence of the algorithm DPMA is verified under different parameter settings. Compared with two existing algorithms, DPMA improves the fairness index by 34.03% and 24.42%, respectively, while ensuring the drivers' benefits. The experimental results show that the designed mechanism can effectively avoid malicious bidding among drivers and improve the fairness of ridesharing matching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combination of κ‐Carrageenan (KC) and konjac gum (KGM) were introduced to examine the impact on gelation and microstructural behaviors of scallop male gonads hydrolysates (SMGHs) and the involvement of intermolecular forces. In terms of G′ response of SMGHs/KGM/KC, it obviously enhanced by 3.6‐ and 108.5‐fold than controls of KGM/KC and SMGHs/KC at 0.1 Hz, accompanying increasing melting temperatures from 27.9 (KGM/KC) and 30.0 (SMGHs/KC) to 33.7°C (SMGHs/KGM/KC), respectively. Additionally, SMGHs/KGM/KC with decreasing relaxation time T23 and blue shift of hydroxyl group than controls suggested higher water retention capacity and ordered conformation. Moreover, SMGHs/KGM/KC formed compact networks with thick walls as reflected by cryo‐SEM and showed rougher surface with more aggregation as reflected by AFM. Furthermore, electrostatic in couple with hydrophobic interactions were dominant interactions, while hydrogen bonds were involved in subordinately in SMGHs/KGM/KC. Practical Application: Scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis) male gonads are always discarded during processing despite high‐protein content and edibility. In the current research, scallop male gonad hydrolysates (SMGHs) exhibited gelation behavior, which have a potential role in developing marine source protein as a functional food base such as kamaboko gels, can, sausage and spread and even delivery vehicles for bioactive compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complex coacervation between scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis) female gonad protein isolates (SFGPIs) and sodium alginate (SA) was determined by the turbidimetric method. The impact of pH, total biopolymer concentration, biopolymer blend ratio, and various salt ionic on the mechanisms governing the complex coacervation of SFGPIs–SA complexes were also investigated. For the SFGPIs:SA ratio of 2:1 without adding NaCl, insoluble and soluble complexes were observed at pH 5.8 (pHφ1) and pH 8.2 (pHc) with the optimum biopolymer interactions appearing at pH 2.6 (pHopt). The maximum turbidity value increased with the increment of the total biopolymer concentration from 0.37 to 1.83 until attaining the critical value (0.75%). As the blend ratios rose from 1:3 to 12:1, the critical pH values (pHc, pHφ1, and pHopt) moved to higher pH. Furthermore, the addition of NaCl led to a remarkable decrease in turbidity over the whole pH region in SFGPIs–SA complexes. Moreover, monovalent ions (Na+ and K+) had the same effect on the formation of the SFGPIs–SA complex, whereas the divalent cations (Mg2+ and Ca2+) lessened the complex formation in comparison with the monovalent ions. This study offers a methodological and theoretical basis for the design of complex SFGPIs–SA systems by understanding the complex coacervation under different conditions. Practical Application: In recent years, several protein–polysaccharides complexes have been widely applied in food and biological systems. Scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis) female gonads are deemed as good marine sources for developing protein matrices on account of their high protein content and nutrients. In our study, the effects of different conditions on the mechanisms governing the complex coacervation of SFGPI–SA mixtures were investigated, and the instability of the system could be overcome by understanding the conditions for SFGPIs/SA complex formation, which have a feasible role in developing marine source‐protein as a functional food base such as kamaboko gels, can, sausage, fat substitutes, and delivery vehicles for bioactive compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A feasible calibration method to determine the value of viscous driving force. • Characterization of the mechanical response of the Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) using the viscoelastic PFF method. • Benchmark experiments such as uniaxial tension, three-point bending and compression tests. • Influence of strain rate and viscous driving force on mechanical response of PEEK. In the past few years, there has been considerable emphasis on investigating fracture behavior in composite materials using the phase-field fracture (PFF) method. However, accurately characterizing the viscoelasticity of the matrix necessitates employing the viscoelastic PFF method, and there remains an ongoing debate regarding the precise determination of the viscous driving force introduced in this methodology. This study aims to propose a feasible calibration method for quantifying the viscous driving force. To achieve this goal, benchmark experiments utilizing Polyetheretherketone (PEEK), a typical thermoplastic resin, are carried out by designing uniaxial tension tests, three-point bending tests, as well as compression tests at various strain rates. Through employing the viscoelastic PFF method, we discuss the effect of strain rate and viscous driving force on mechanical response. Our findings reveal a non-linear relationship between the influence of viscous driving force and strain rate with an initial increase followed by a subsequent decrease. By combining simulation results with experimental data analysis, the viscous driving force value is determined. The results demonstrate that our proposed approach is reliable for quantifying the viscous driving force in the viscoelastic PFF method, laying a foundation for investigating the mechanical response of composite materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Applications of concrete-filled square (or circular) stainless-steel tubes keep increasing in cold-region coastal engineering structures. However, their behaviours under low-temperature bending have not been fully investigated, which brings obstacles to their engineering applications. To address this issue, this paper investigated flexural behaviours of concrete-filled square/circular stainless-steel tubular beams (CFSSSTBs/CFCSSTBs) at low temperatures through eight four-point bending tests. The main studied parameters were low temperatures (20∼−60 ℃) and cross-section type (circular or square shape). Test results showed that both CFSSSTBs and CFCSSTBs exhibited flexural failure and exhibited excellent ductility under low-temperature bending benefiting from the excellent ductility of stainless steel; bending resistances of CFSSSTBs and CFCSSTBs were improved by 5% and 22%, respectively. This study also developed finite element models (FEMs) for simulations on flexural behaviours of CFSSSTBs/CFCSSTBs at low temperatures. The FEMs considered both low-temperature material and geometric nonlinearities. Validations against eight tests proved the capacities of FEM simulations on low-temperature flexural behaviours of CFSSSTBs/CFCSSTBs. Finally, the code equations in Eurocode 4 and AISC 360 were used to predict the stiffness and ultimate bending resistances of CFSSSTBs/CFCSSTBs. Validations showed that the code equations underestimated the bending resistances of CFSSSTBs/CFCSSTBs. This study provided fundamental information on the flexural bending mechanism of CFSSSTBs/CFCSSTBs) at low temperatures. • Low-temperature flexural behaviors of concrete-filled stainless-steel tubular beams (CFSSTBs) are reported. • Low temperatures improve stiffness and bending resistances of CFSSTBs. • Bending resistances of circular CFSSTBs are more improved than square ones as T decreases. • Code equations conservatively predict low-temperature bending resistances of CFSSTBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]