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CO2-enhanced oil recovery (CO2-EOR) is a crucial method for CO2 utilization and sequestration, representing an important zero-carbon or even negative-carbon emission reduction technology. However, the low viscosity of CO2 and reservoir heterogeneity often result in early gas breakthrough, significantly reducing CO2 utilization and sequestration efficiency. A water-alternating-gas (WAG) injection is a technique for mitigating gas breakthrough and viscous fingering in CO2-EOR. However, it encounters challenges related to insufficient mobility control in highly heterogeneous and fractured reservoirs, resulting in gas channeling and low sweep efficiency. Despite the extensive application and research of a WAG injection in oil and gas reservoirs, the most recent comprehensive review dates back to 2018, which focuses on the mechanisms of EOR using conventional WAG. Herein, we give an updated and comprehensive review to incorporate the latest advancements in CO2-WAG flooding techniques for enhanced sweep efficiency, which includes the theory, applications, fluid displacement mechanisms, and control strategies of a CO2-WAG injection. It addresses common challenges, operational issues, and remedial measures in WAG projects by covering studies from experiments, simulations, and pore-scale modeling. This review aims to provide guidance and serve as a reference for the application and research advancement of CO2-EOR techniques in heterogeneous and fractured reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the widespread application of nuclear technology across various fields, ionizing radiation-induced injuries are becoming increasingly common. The bone marrow (BM) hematopoietic tissue is a primary target organ of radiation injury. Recent researches have confirmed that ionizing radiation-induced hematopoietic dysfunction mainly results from BM hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) injury. Additionally, disrupting and reshaping BM microenvironment is a critical factor impacting both the injury and regeneration of HSCs post radiation. However, the regulatory mechanisms of ionizing radiation injury to BM HSCs and their microenvironment remain poorly understood, and prevention and treatment of radiation injury remain the focus and difficulty in radiation medicine research. In this review, we aim to summarize the effects and mechanisms of ionizing radiation-induced injury to BM HSCs and microenvironment, thereby enhancing our understanding of ionizing radiation-induced hematopoietic injury and providing insights for its prevention and treatment in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tumor microenvironment (TME) significantly influences disease progression through immune infiltration, while ferroptosis, a recently discovered cell death mechanism, plays a crucial role in tumor suppression. However, its role in breast cancer is not clear. In this study, we analyzed bulk RNA and single‐cell RNA sequencing data from 1217 samples, including 1104 breast cancer patients and 113 controls, to identify ferroptosis‐related genes (FRGs) and construct a prognostic model. Using univariate cox regression, LASSO regression, and multivariate cox regression analysis, we discovered 21 FRGs and 3 TME‐related immune cell types with prognostic value. Dimensionality reduction clustering and visualization were performed using the UMAP method, while the immune infiltration process was calculated with the TIP online tool. We employed GSEA enrichment analysis, WGCNA clustering analysis, and correlation analysis to examine functional differences, and the mutation analysis of the best and worst prognosis groups was conducted using the maftools package. Our findings revealed that knocking down the expression of the hub gene SLC39A7 significantly impacted cancer cell apoptosis and combining ferroptosis and TME scores yielded high prognostic power. Epithelial cells and B cells exhibited higher ferroptosis scores, which were independently associated with immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) response and ICB gene expression. This study provides a foundation for further exploration of the relationship between ferroptosis and ICB response in breast cancer. In conclusion, we developed a prognostic model based on ferroptosis and infiltrated immune cells that effectively stratified breast cancer patients and demonstrated the role of SLC39A7 in breast cancer pathogenesis through the regulation of apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite breakthroughs in modern medical care, the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is even more prevalent globally. Increasing epidemiologic evidence indicates that emerging cardiovascular risk factors arising from the modern lifestyle, including psychosocial stress, sleep problems, unhealthy diet patterns, physical inactivity/sedentary behavior, alcohol consumption, and tobacco smoking, contribute significantly to this worldwide epidemic, while its underpinning mechanisms are enigmatic. Hematological and immune systems were recently demonstrated to play integrative roles in linking lifestyle to cardiovascular health. In particular, alterations in hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) homeostasis, which is usually characterized by proliferation, expansion, mobilization, megakaryocyte/myeloid-biased differentiation, and/or the pro-inflammatory priming of HSCs, have been shown to be involved in the persistent overproduction of pro-inflammatory myeloid leukocytes and platelets, the cellular protagonists of cardiovascular inflammation and thrombosis, respectively. Furthermore, certain lifestyle factors, such as a healthy diet pattern and physical exercise, have been documented to exert cardiovascular protective effects through promoting quiescence, bone marrow retention, balanced differentiation, and/or the anti-inflammatory priming of HSCs. Here, we review the current understanding of and progression in research on the mechanistic interrelationships among lifestyle, HSC homeostasis, and cardiovascular health. Given that adhering to a healthy lifestyle has become a mainstream primary preventative approach to lowering the cardiovascular burden, unmasking the causal links between lifestyle and cardiovascular health from the perspective of hematopoiesis would open new opportunities to prevent and treat CVD in the present age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hole collector in silicon heterojunction cells serves not only as an integral component of the p / n junction, determining the strength of the built-in electric field, but also as a layer responsible for hole transport, thereby affecting carrier transport capacity. To enhance carrier extraction and transport properties of the hole collector, various interface treatments have been employed on p -type nanocrystalline (p -nc-Si:H) hole collectors. Through an examination of characteristics such as dark conductivity, crystallinity, and contact resistance, the impact of interface treatment on p -nc-Si:H hole collectors is clarified. Furthermore, considering distinct requirements for the hole collector at different locations, interface treatment processes are optimized accordingly. The introduction of interface treatment on p -nc-Si:H hole collectors has demonstrated significant enhancement of both front and rear junction cell efficiencies, which increased from 17.74% to 21.61% and from 16.83% to 20.92%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although epidural analgesia is considered the gold standard for pain relief during labor and is safe for maternity and fetus, the association between the epidural analgesia and pelvic floor disorders remains unclear. Thus we estimate the association between epidural analgesia and early postpartum urinary incontinence (UI). Methods: A propensity score-matched retrospective cohort study was conducted at a university-affiliated hospital in Shanghai, China. Primiparous women with term, singleton, and vaginal delivery between December 2020 and February 2022 were included. UI was self-reported by maternity at 42 to 60 days postpartum and was classified by International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI SF). Using logistic regression models, the associations between epidural analgesia and early postpartum UI were assessed. Results: Among 5190 participants, 3709 (71.5%) choose epidural anesthesia during labor. Analysis of the propensity-matched cohort (including 1447 maternal pairs) showed epidural anesthesia during labor was independently associated with UI in early postpartum period (aOR 1.50, 95% CI 1.24–1.81). This association was mainly contributed to stress UI (aOR 1.38, 95% CI 1.12–1.71) rather than urge UI (aOR 1.45, 95% CI 0.99–2.15) and mixed UI (aOR 1.52, 95% CI 0.95–2.45). Furthermore, we observed that the association between epidural anesthesia and UI was more pronounced among older women (≥ 35 y) and women with macrosomia (infant weight ≥ 4000 g), compared with their counterparts (both P for interaction < 0.01). After further analysis excluding the women with UI during pregnancy, the results remained largely consistent with the main analysis. Conclusions: The findings support that epidural anesthesia was associated with SUI in the early postpartum period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The investigation of a two-phase flow in porous media has significant implications for a wide range of applications. Previous research has focused on exploring the variations in flow and phase fields in a two-phase flow using experimental and numerical methods. However, the complex structure of porous media introduces many uncertainties that can impact research outcomes. In recent years, some scholars have tried to study the dynamic mechanics of a two-phase flow through typical structures to eliminate these confounding factors. Therefore, this paper focuses on examining the flow patterns of dispersed phases with different sizes during the displacement process based on the typical micro-channel of porous media. Furthermore, the study examines various dimensionless parameters that impact alterations in the streamlines of a two-phase flow as well as the carrying capacity for dispersed phases. The findings suggest that the capillary number governs the ability of the continuous phase to transport the droplet. Consequently, the dispersed droplets tend to become trapped in weak flow regions. The dynamic mechanisms of the dispersive droplet trapping are systematically analyzed by combining the numerical simulation results and experimental evidence from previous studies. Based on these findings, the paper puts forth some mechanistic suggestions that could contribute to a more effective displacement of a two-phase flow in porous media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a common public health issue that negatively impacts the quality of life for women worldwide, of which early detection and rehabilitation are consequently pivotal. The aim of this study is to establish a simple nomogram for identifying women at risk of postpartum SUI. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in a tertiary specialized hospital in Shanghai, China. The study included only women with singleton, full-term, and vaginal deliveries. 2,441 women who delivered from July 2019 to November 2019 were included in the training cohort, and 610 women who delivered from January 2022 to February 2022 were included in the validation cohort. SUI was determined by the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI-SF). Univariate and multifactorial logistical regression were used to identify independent risk factors for postpartum SUI and further construct the nomogram accordingly. Based on concordance statistics (C-statistics), calibration curves, and decision curve analyses, we evaluated the performance of the nomogram in the training cohort and the validation cohort. In addition, the model was validated internally in the training cohort through cross-validation. Results: There were no significant statistically differences in important baseline data such as age, pre-pregnancy BMI, and parity between the training and validation cohorts. SUI was observed in 431 (17.6%) and 125 (20.5%) women in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. According to the regression analysis, age, parity, second stage of labor, infant weight, and forceps delivery were included in the nomogram. The nomogram had a C-statistic of 0.80 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.74–0.85) for predicting SUI. C-statistics were stable in both internally cross-validated training cohort (mean 0.81) and validation cohort (0.83 [95% CI 0.79–0.87]). The nomogram's calibration curve was near the ideal diagonal line. Additionally, the model exhibited a positive net benefit from the decision curve analysis. Conclusion: We have created a nomogram that can be utilized to quantify the risk of postpartum SUI for women with vaginal delivery. The model might contribute to predicting early postpartum SUI, thereby facilitating the management of SUI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study sought to explore the obstetric factors affecting early postpartum pelvic floor function of primiparas after vaginal delivery. Patients and Methods: We included 3362 primiparas who underwent postpartum re-examination in International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital at 42– 60 days after delivery. The Glazer Protocol was used to evaluate their pelvic floor function, and univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify obstetric factors that might affect it. Results: Forceps-assisted delivery significantly increased the risk of the decline in fast- and slow-twitch muscle strength in the early postpartum period when compared with natural vaginal delivery (P < 0.05). Women with a pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) of ≥ 18.5 kg/m2 had a decreased risk of decline in fast-twitch muscle strength than those with a pre-pregnancy BMI of < 18.5 kg/m2 (P < 0.05). Women who had a pre-pregnancy BMI of 24.0 to < 28.0 kg/m2 bore a decreased risk of decline in slow-twitch muscle strength than those with a pre-pregnancy BMI of < 18.5 kg/m2 (P < 0.05). The risk of decline in fast-twitch muscle strength and slow-twitch muscle in women with anemia during pregnancy was significantly increased (P < 0.05); women with second-stage labors of > 2 h had an increased risk of fast-twitch and slow-twitch muscle strength decline than those with < 2 h (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Both pre-pregnancy underweight and obesity may cause impairment of early postpartum pelvic floor function. Forceps delivery, anemia during pregnancy, and the length of second stage of labor are independent factors leading to pelvic floor function impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tight reservoirs are sensitive to stress changes during fracturing and oil and gas production. Facing different production modes, the variation characteristics of rock permeability and pore structure need to be further clarified. In this study, using a self-built high temperature and pressure physical simulation device and NMR equipment, the influence of the stress loading method, cyclic loading, and loading rate on rock permeability and pore characteristics were analyzed, and the relationship between them was clarified. The permeability sensitivity under variable confining pressure (63.3%) was greater than that of variable flow pressure (46.4%). The damage rate decreased with repeated loading (63.3%-35.8%) and increased loading rate (53.1%-42.3%). As for the pore features, when the net stress increased, the volume variation range of micropores was greater than that of mesopores. The damage rate of permeability (63.3%) was obviously larger than that of pore volume (10.4%). The slope of the fitted curve of permeability and pore volume decreased evidently with loading times. The structure deformation of rock skeleton and the migration of cement had a great influence on permeability in the first loading. Later, it was mainly the bulk deformation of rock particles, the particles' contact surface increasing and the seepage space shrinking slowly. Eventually, the permeability remained stable due to the limited pore compression. This study can provide a reference for designing reasonable production parameters and reducing formation damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a kind of promising drug carriers, smart polymers have attracted much attention due to the effective and controlled drug release in target cells. Herein, a reactive oxygen species (ROS)‐responsive thioether‐containing amphiphilic hyperbranched polymer prepared from MTPA and TMPTGE (HBPMT) is synthesized from 3‐(methylthio)propylamine (MTPA) and trimethylolpropane triglycidyl ether (TMPTGE) by the amine‐epoxy click reaction via A2 + B3 one‐pot approach. Benefiting from its inherent amphiphilic nature, HBPMT can self‐assemble into stable micelles in water. Triggered by H2O2, these micelles can be dissociated rapidly because hydrophobic thioether segments in their cores are oxidized into hydrophilic sulfoxide or sulfone groups. Additionally, the ROS produced by photosensitizer under light irradiation can also play the same role of H2O2. Such HBPMT micelles can be utilized to encapsulate anticancer drug paclitaxel (PTX) and photosensitizer chlorin e6 (Ce6) simultaneously for drug delivery and control release. The methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay toward MCF‐7 tumor cells (a human breast adenocarcinoma cell line) indicates that these micelles encapsulated with PTX and Ce6 exhibit a significant combinational efficacy of cell proliferation inhibition, which means the promising potential for synergistic chemo‐photodynamic cancer therapy. Such a novel nanocarrier based on amphiphilic to hydrophilic transition would provide a candidate for controlled drug release and cancer combination therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is very important to effectively describe the sweep characteristics of CO2 miscible flooding based on physical models for actual reservoir development. In this study, based on the geological characteristics of the Jilin ultra-low permeability reservoir, which has significant vertical heterogeneity, a two-dimensional double-layer heterogeneous visualization model with a permeability contrast of 10 and thickness contrast of 2 was designed to perform experimental research on the sweep law of CO2 miscible flooding with an injection-production mode of "united injection and single production". With the goal of determining the obvious differences in the gas absorption capacity and displacement power of the two layers, the CO2 dynamic miscible flooding characteristics were comprehensively analyzed, and the sweep law of CO2 miscible flooding, including the oil and gas flow trend, migration direction of the oil–gas interface, and distribution characteristics of the miscible zone, was further studied in combination with the oil displacement effect. In this experiment, the gas absorption capacity was the key factor affecting the sweep efficiency of the CO2 miscible flooding. Under the combined influence of the internal and external control factors of the reservoir thickness, permeability, and injection-production mode, the gas absorption capacity of the high-permeability layer was much greater than that of the low-permeability layer, resulting in the retention of a large amount of remaining oil in the low-permeability layer, which effectively displaced and swept the oil in the high-permeability layer. The gas absorption capacity of the reservoir, gravitational differentiation, and miscible mass transfer were key factors affecting the migration of the oil–gas interface and distribution of the miscible zone. The entire displacement process could be divided into three stages: ① The gas-free rapid oil production stage, which was dominated by the displacement; ② the low gas–oil ratio stable oil production stage, which was jointly affected by the displacement and miscible mass transfer; and ③ the high gas–oil ratio slow oil production stage, which was dominated by the effect of CO2 carrying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The polycaprolactone (PCL)-b-polyethylene glycol (PEG) oligomer (Oli) and its derivative containing ionic elements (ILs) were used as interfacial compatibilizers and regulators, and the polylactic acid (PLA)/PCL/Oli and PLA/PCL/ILs blends were prepared by solution blending. The effects of Oli and ILs on the phase interfacial properties, aggregated structure, crystallization and mechanical properties of PLA/PCL blends were systematically studied. The results show that the ILs with strong interfacial emulsification ability can improve the dispersion of PCL in PLA matrix, and enhance the two-phase interfacial adhesion. When the content of ILs is 5 %, ion clusters can form and alleviate the restricted crystallization of PCL, and promote the segment movement of PLA through the non-covalent bonding of ionic elements. So the crystallization ability of PLA and PCL improve simultaneously. ILs have a strong regulatory effect on the phase interfacial morphology and aggregated structure of PLA/PCL blends, and the PLA/PCL blends containing high content of 5 % ILs can significantly improve the mechanical properties of PLA/PCL blends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of wideband radar detectors can be further improved if the features of a target's high-resolution range profile (HRRP) are fully utilized. In this paper, a target adaptive double threshold detection method is proposed. First, the amplitude distribution parameters of the HRRP's range cells are extracted for data generation, and the detection probability is statistically calculated. The online gradient descent method is then used to adaptively adjust the second thresholds of the double threshold detector, thereby improving the detection performance with a given constant false alarm rate. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is verified using two sets of measured data. The proposed algorithm exhibits superior detection performance compared to traditional detection algorithms for range-spread targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a basic scattering element, arc-shaped structures can present considerable geometric information of the observed targets in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images. The arc-shaped structures of various artificial objects sometimes completely disappear in radar images, which dramatically degrades the applicability of SAR images. Conventionally, multi-aspect observation is required to recover the disappeared structures, but this method is not always effective in some cases. This paper proposes a parametric reconstruction of arc-shaped structures in SAR imaging. The proposed method has the ability to reconstruct disappeared arc-shaped structures via three observations. The core idea is to use the anisotropic phase feature to distinguish the endpoints of arc-shaped structures from multiple point-like targets in the image domain and restore the arc through the scattering model. The method basically includes three procedures: arc-shaped structure recognition, parameter estimation, and target reconstruction. Computer simulations and a microwave anechoic chamber experiment are conducted to examine the effectiveness of the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A break of extracellular matrix (ECM) balance can cause several degenerative changes in soft tissues. To reverse the imbalance fundamentally, a recently developed treatment, gene therapy, came to attention. However, the efficiency of the approach is limited because long‐term localized presence and bioactivity are difficult to achieve. Here, reconstituted lysyl oxidase‐like 1 (LOXL1) plasmids (pLOXL1) are loaded into nanoliposomes by a microfluidic chip, followed by encapsulation into the core layer of core–shell nanofibers by microsol‐electrospinning to achieve local accumulation and biological availability of the constructs and enable rapid ECM response. Results show that the pLOXL1‐Lipo@PLCL‐HA achieves the sustained release of pLOXL1 over a 30‐day period, with its transfection efficiency maintained above 50%. In a rabbit model of abdominal hernia, the long‐term collagen remodeling density is raised by over 90% in the pLOXL1‐Lipo@PLCL‐HA implanted animals compared to the control animals. The expression levels of ECM gene (COL1A1, COL3A1, Elastin, Fubilin5) are significantly increased. Collectively, this study establishes that pLOXL1‐Lipo@PLCL‐HA accelerates local ECM reconstruction via effective and reliable gene delivery as a potential base material of a "patch" for pelvic floor repairment, and identifies the key principles for design of LOXL1‐incorporated scaffolds for ECM regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The edges of a target provide essential geometric information and are extremely important for human visual perception and image recognition. However, due to the coherent superposition of received echoes, the continuous edges of targets are discretized in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images, i.e., the edges become dispersed points, which seriously affects the extraction of visual and geometric information from SAR images. In this article, we focus on solving the problem of how to recover smooth linear edges (SLEs). By introducing multiangle observations, we propose an SAR parametric image reconstruction method (SPIRM) that establishes a parametric framework to recover SLEs from SAR echoes. At the core of the SPIRM is a novel physical characteristic parameter called the scattering-phase-mutation feature (SPMF), which reveals the most essential difference between the residual endpoints of a disappeared SLE and points. Numerical simulations and real-data experiments demonstrate the robustness and effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non‐invasive recovery of loose soft tissue caused by trauma, organ expansion, or compression has not been solved properly. Herein, a new approach of heat‐shrinkable electrospun fibrous tape (HS‐EFT) is constructed via electrospinning in which the contraction of the poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) HS‐EFT causes the relaxed fascia to pull back at body temperature while the mechanical force of retraction is transformed into an external signal that regulates the behavior of fibroblasts. As it contracts more than 40% within five days, the fast proliferation of fibroblasts on the contracted fibrous membrane is observed followed by the formation of more stress fibers, consequently promoting the nuclear transfer of mechanical stimulation‐sensitive co‐transcriptional molecule, yes‐associated protein (YAP), and eventually making new extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition, as well as tissue strengthen. Moreover, in the process of fascia defect repairing in rabbits, the loose tissue is gathered by fibrous tape which ends in a reduced wound area as well as tissue repairing. Therefore, the HS‐EFT provides great inspiration for the reconstruction of relaxed soft tissue both structurally and functionally in a non‐invasive way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sparse imaging methods are based on the point scattering model. However, this model is not suitable for many distributed targets with large variations in scattering characteristics at different angles, i.e., many distributed targets can no longer be considered as a combination of a series of ideal point scatterers under multi-angle observations. To solve this problem, by introducing the improved attributed scattering model into the traditional SAR echo model, we propose our multi-angle sparse image reconstruction method (MASIRM). Through modeling the illuminated scene with point scatterers and line-segment-scatterers, a multi-angle echo model is first presented. By generating an adaptive mixed dictionary and applying the pattern-coupled sparse Bayesian learning, the MASIRM obtains more geometric information of the distributed target with higher quality sparse SAR images. Real data experiments demonstrate that MASIRM performs favorably against traditional imaging methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The point target model is widely used in the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging simulation. Based on this model, the radar echo of a continuously distributed target can be expressed as the linear summation of the echo of many point targets which are known as scatters. However, the discretisation strategy is problematic. The discretisation grid must be very fine to assure convergence, thus the computation burden is heavy. Moreover, the result depends on how the target is discretised. It is shown that the SAR image generated from this model of the same target is inconsistent when using different sampling strategy. To overcome these drawbacks, a parameterised model is proposed in this study, which not only greatly reduce the amount of calculation, but also guarantee consistency of the results. Finally, the correctness of the proposed model is verified by SAR imaging results from the generated echo data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The point target model is widely used in the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging simulation. Based on this model, the radar echo of a continuously distributed target can be expressed as the linear summation of the echo of many point targets which are known as scatters. However, the discretisation strategy is problematic. The discretisation grid must be very fine to assure convergence, thus the computation burden is heavy. Moreover, the result depends on how the target is discretised. It is shown that the SAR image generated from this model of the same target is inconsistent when using different sampling strategy. To overcome these drawbacks, a parameterised model is proposed in this study, which not only greatly reduce the amount of calculation, but also guarantee consistency of the results. Finally, the correctness of the proposed model is verified by SAR imaging results from the generated echo data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a key process in electrocatalysis and is critical for achieving the cost-effective conversion of renewable electricity to chemicals and fuels. However, the high overpotential (η) originates from poor charge-transfer ability and low catalytic activity may lead to high power consumption. Herein, we alleviate these issues by introducing borate into the NiFe (oxy)hydroxide framework. Our density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrated that the borate could be efficiently adsorbed onto the Ni/NiFe (oxy)hydroxide surface. Microscopically, the adsorbed borate can induce a favorable electronic structure for the Ni active sites. Meanwhile, the macroscopic charge-transfer ability of this synthesized catalyst has been dramatically increased. Hence, the catalytic performance of this material is improved compared with its NiFe counterpart: we achieved a higher OER activity with an ultralow η of only 230 mV at 10 mA cm−2 on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) and of 200 mV at 10 mA cm−2 on Ni foam in alkaline medium. Moreover, this borate mediated NiFe (oxy)hydroxide is very stable: no appreciable degradation is observed after more than 110 hours of operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Hydrogen generation from overall water splitting in alkine media is a convenient and promising technology for solving global energy dilemma. As a key half reaction, the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) involves a complicated electrochemical process, and preparing high‐performance catalysts based on earth‐abundant elements is a matter of urgency. Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is a robust electrocatalyst that has been widely studied in acidic HER, but the low‐concentration of active sites and slow‐reaction rate limit its application in alkine electrolytes. To solve the above issues, we successfully fabricated a three‐dimensional Ni doped MoS2 (MoS2:Ni) catalyst by a simple two‐step approach for excellent catalytic performance. The X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results suggested that the nickel acted as new active sites, and the electronic interactions between nickel and molybdenum led to the redistribution of charge to promote the involved process. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) results indicated that MoS2:Ni performed a faster charge‐transfer. In addition, the developed catalyst showed a lower overpotential and 91 mV decrease compared to those of pure MoS2 at 10 mA/cm2 in 1.0 M KOH. The study reported here may inspire the synthesis of advanced nanomaterials and provide concepts for improving the HER capabilities of MoS2‐based catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 95 8-week-old male Kunming mice were randomly assigned into five groups and exposed to zearalenone (ZEA) at doses of 25, 50, and 75 mg/kg delivered by intra-peritoneal (i.p.) injection for 5 days. The testis and epididymis indices involving sperm quality and morphology, testis enzyme activities, serum concentrations of testosterone and estrogen, and the expression levels of the three gene and protein of N-cadherin, vimentin, and claudin 11 related to the blood testis barrier (BTB) were analyzed. Results showed that ZEA significantly decreased body weight and semen quality compared to the control group along with increased activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), acid phosphatase (ACP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and reduced serum concentrations of testosterone and estrogen. At the mRNA and protein levels, expression of N-cadherin, vimentin, and claudin 11 significantly increased; however, the mRNA and protein of N-cad expression decreased. These data suggest acute exposure to ZEA reduces sperm quality and significantly decreases the concentration of serum testosterone and estradiol. In addition, the activities of the testis marker enzymes and associated mRNA and protein expressions of the BTB were also significantly affected. Our results demonstrated that ZEA has a significant impact on the reproductive parameters of male mice which showed compensatory response to strengthen the barrier function of the BTB following ZEA exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zearalenone (ZEN) exerts a major effect on human and animal health and has led to serious worldwide economic problems. In this study, we investigated whether proanthocyanidin (PC) can prevent ZEN-induced testicular oxidative damage in male mice and explored the underlying mechanism. Kunming mice were injected with ZEN (40 mg kg) on the 11th day after intragastric administration of PC (75 or 150 mg/kg) for 10 days; the sperm quality of mice was then analysed statistically. Additionally, testicular morphology parameters related to oxidative damage, apoptosis and the expression of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-related genes (GRP78, CHOP and XBP-1) were all measured. Results showed that ZEN exposure significantly reduced the sperm density, improved the sperm aberration rate, increased the MDA level and reduced SOD and GSH-Px activities. Meanwhile, ZEN was attributed to the downregulation of the expressions of the gene and protein of Bcl-2 and upregulation of the expressions of the gene and protein of Bax and caspase-3. ZEN exposure also upregulated the mRNA expression of GRP78, CHOP and XBP-1; however, PC pre-treatment reduced ZEN-induced oxidative damage and tended to maintain normal testicular morphology. Furthermore, PC pre-treatment substantially downregulated the expressions of the GRP78, CHOP and XBP-1 and upregulated the expression of the Bcl-2 gene. In conclusion, PC, due to its anti-oxidative ability, could ameliorate ZEN-induced testicular reproductive toxicity in male mice by decreasing ER stress and testicular cell apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Healthy male Kunming mice received selenium yeast for 14 days prior to a single oral administration of zearalenone (ZEN). After 48 h, blood samples were collected for analysis and showed that mice in the ZEN-treated group has significantly decreased lymphocytes ( P < 0.05) and platelets ( P < 0.05) along with an increased white blood cell (WBC) count and other constituents ( P < 0.05). The serum biochemistry analysis of the ZEN group indicated that glutamic pyruvic transaminase (ALT), glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (AST), urea, and uric acid were significantly increased ( P < 0.05), whilst total bilirubin (TB) and albumin (ALB) were decreased along with serum testosterone and estrogen ( P < 0. 05). The level of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the serum of the ZEN group was significantly increased whilst glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) had significantly decreased ( P < 0.05). Treatment with selenium yeast had a significant effect on response with most of the experimental parameters returning to levels similar to those observed in the untreated control mice. From these data, it can be concluded that ZEN is highly poisonous in Kunming mice with high levels of toxicity on the blood, liver, and kidneys. High levels of oxidative stress were observed in mice and pre-treatment with selenium yeast by oral gavage is effective in the ameliorated effects of ZEN-induced damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are a large number of continuous line targets in the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images of land scenes. The traditional SAR processing, which makes the continuous line targets becomes two point targets in traditional SAR images, cannot reveal the complete features of continuous line targets and cause enormous difficulties for SAR image interpretation. This study analyses the reason why traditional SAR processing cannot embody the edge characteristics of continuous line targets based on the sidelobe features of the SAR echo. The authors propose a new identification method based on the difference of the echo amplitude between continuous line target and point targets, which will help to interpret the continuous line targets in SAR images. Numerical simulation experiment based on the classical strip SAR validates the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2014, a large outbreak of dengue occurred in Guangzhou, China. This outbreak prompted us to evaluate NS1 and RNA for the early diagnosis of acute dengue infection, in addition to the combination with IgM antibody. We aimed to find the differences of three assays about dengue diagnosis. This study was an evaluation of diagnosis test. Based on WHO criteria 2009, dengue RNA, NS1, and IgM/IgG were detected from 294 patients (180 dengue patients, 114 non-dengue patients) by three diagnostic kits made in China. The χ2 test, sensitivity, and specificity were used in statistical analysis. The ratios of dengue patients with low platelet counts (<100 × 109/L 32.2%) or white blood cell counts (<4.0 × 109/L 58.9%) were significantly higher compared to non-dengue patients ( P < 0.05). Dengue NS1 was shown sensitive (93.9%) for diagnostic use. RNA had a better performance with 98.1% of sensitivity from day 1 to day 4 after illness onset. IgM performed better at day 5 or more with 74.0% of sensitivity. The diagnostic rate using a combination of RNA and IgM was 97.8% and 96.7% using NS1 and IgM. A patient with low platelet and white blood cell counts needs additional tests for dengue during an epidemic. RNA and NS1 were most valuable for early diagnosis of dengue, whereas IgM was best suited as a supplementary method for patients at day 5 or more after illness onset. J. Med. Virol. 88:28-34, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on improving the performance of pin-type a-Si:H/a-SiGe:H/µc-Si:H triple-junction solar cells and corresponding single-junction solar cells in this paper. Based on wet-etching sputtered aluminum-doped zinc oxide (ZnO:Al) substrates with optimized surface morphologies and photo-electrical material properties, after adjusting individual single-junction solar cells utilized in triple-junction solar cells with various optimization techniques, we pay close attention to the optimization of tunnel recombination junctions (TRJs). By means of the optimization of individual a-Si:H/a-SiGe:H and a-SiGe:H/µc-Si:H double-junction solar cells, we compensated for the open circuit voltage ( Voc) loss at the a-Si:H/a-SiGe:H TRJ by adopting a p-type µc-Si:H layer with a low activation energy. By combining the optimized single-junction solar cells and top/middle, middle/bottom TRJs with little electrical losses, an initial efficiency of 15.06% was achieved for pin-type a-Si:H/a-SiGe:H/µc-Si:H triple-junction solar cells. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new filtering method is proposed to accurately estimate target state via decreasing the nonlinearity between radar polar measurements (or spherical measurements in three-dimensional (3D) radar) and target position in Cartesian coordinate. The degree of linearity is quantified here by utilizing correlation coefficient and Taylor series expansion. With the proposed method, the original measurements are converted from polar or spherical coordinate to a carefully chosen Cartesian coordinate system that is obtained by coordinate rotation transformation to maximize the linearity degree of the conversion function from polar/spherical to Cartesian coordinate. Then the target state is filtered along each axis of the chosen Cartesian coordinate. This method is compared with extended Kalman filter (EKF), Converted Measurement Kalman filter (CMKF), unscented Kalman filter (UKF) as well as Decoupled Converted Measurement Kalman filter (DECMKF). This new method provides highly accurate position and velocity with consistent estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GLO:OKZ/26aug21:adfm202105550-fig-0002.jpg PHOTO (COLOR): 7 Histological analysis of wound repair in PLLA, PLGA, and sham groups. a. B 2021 b , I 31 i , 2007440 DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202007440 In the originally published version of the article, the panels depicting the results for the PLLA and PLGA group in Figure 7a contained some accidental errors. Representative photographs of the PLLA and PLGA EFT implants and explants at weeks 1 and 4. b. Wound area in different groups at each time point. c. The explant thickness of different groups at each time point. d-e. Relative mRNA expression of Col 1, Col 3 of the rabbit abdominal wall defect treated with PLLA and PLGA EFTs. f-g. Western blot results to test the expression of Col 1, Col 3, CTGF, and the quantification of protein expression in each group. gl The authors sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused to the readers. [Extracted from the article]

ABSTRACT Aims The study aims to evaluate the pelvic floor muscle (PFM) function in patients with pelvic organ prolapse (POP) pre- and postoperatively using digital palpation and surface electromyography. Methods In this non-randomized prospective study, two groups of patients were recruited for assessment. The surgical group included 74 POP patients receiving the modified pelvic reconstructive surgery and the control group consisted of 30 non-POP patients. One physiotherapist conducted the digital palpation and SEMG evaluation. The scale of PFM strength, the duration and voltage of maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) as well as numbers and voltage of short, fast contractions (SFC) by SEMG were documented and compared in both groups. For statistical analysis, t-test, Mann-Whitney U test and Wilcoxon test were used with a significant level 0.05. Results A total of 68 POP patients finished the two follow-ups. Sixty-four patients were objectively cured with a 94.1% cure rate. Mesh erosions happened in three patients (4.8%). By digital palpation, the PFM strength increased significantly in POP patients after surgery but still lower than non-POP patients ( P < 0.001). By SEMG, the electrical activity of PFM increased significantly in the surgical group postoperatively ( P 0.001). Conclusion The PFM function was improved 3 months after the modified pelvic reconstructive surgery in POP patients based on digital palpation and SEMG. The evaluation of PFM function should be included in the overall assessment of pelvic reconstructive surgeries. Neurourol. Urodynam. 33:403-407, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and hypothesis: Patients with pelvic organ prolapse (POP) have lower pelvic floor muscle (PFM) function. We hypothesized that pelvic reconstructive surgery could improve PFM function and strength. Methods: The controlled, nonrandomized study recruited 37 POP patients in the Prolift group and 30 non-POP patients in the control group. Two urogynecologists performed the Prolift procedure. One experienced physiotherapist who was blinded to the grouping conducted the surface electromyography (SEMG) evaluation using an intravaginal probe. The patient was considered objectively cured if she had stage 0 or I according to the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification system (POP-Q) at the 3rd month postoperatively. Two types of contractions, namely maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) and short, fast contractions (SFC) in 6 s were performed at each SEMG measurement. The SEMG data were collected once in the control group on admission and twice in the Prolift group (on admission and at the 3rd month postoperatively). The t test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Wilcoxon test were used for statistical analysis. Results: A total of 36 POP patients were cured by the Prolift procedure. At the 3-month follow-up, the voltage and duration of MVC as well as the numbers and voltage of SFC increased significantly in the Prolift group. These variables were lower in POP patients compared to women without POP. Conclusions: The restoration of pelvic anatomy may account for the improved PFM function with increased electrical activity in POP patients verified by SEMG. Evaluation of PFM function may be used as a clinical tool in the overall assessment of pelvic reconstructive surgeries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]