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Transition metal oxides provide opportunities to induce and modulate the superconducting state, due to the delicate interplay between charge, spin, orbital, and lattice order. In this work, 5d transition metal oxide SrTaO3 films were deposited by pulsed laser deposition, and an anomalous negative resistance was observed. The negative resistance can be ascribed to the nonuniform conductivity, associated with nonuniform electronic states in the SrTaO3 thin films, as confirmed by conductive atomic force microscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Moreover, a sharp drop in the resistance together with a decrease in magnetization was observed at around 40 K. This might imply a possible superconducting state. The negative resistance can be well explained based on an equivalent circuit comprising normal and superconductive states, also supporting the possible superconducting state in SrTaO3 thin films. This work promotes the exploring and revealing of the mechanism in tantalates superconductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, we report a "two-in-one" strategy to construct single-linker-based pillar-layered metal–organic frameworks (PL-MOFs) guided by reticular chemistry via an in situ "one-pot" approach. Two carboxyl groups and one pyridine group are integrated into one molecular skeleton to form bifunctional organic linkers via the reaction of pyridine-containing aldehyde and bicarboxylate-containing o-phenylenediamine. During the synthesis of organic linkers, two zinc-based PL-MOFs, non-interpenetrated HIAM-3016-op and two-fold interpenetrated HIAM-3017-op, can be simultaneously constructed. The different interpenetrations for these two PL-MOFs can be attributed to the increased length of the pyridine-containing moiety. HIAM-3017-op can be utilized for Cr2O72− detection with excellent sensitivity and selectivity. The present work not only provides a novel insight to design and prepare PL-MOFs with specific structures guided by reticular chemistry, but also indicates the universality of the in situ "one-pot" strategy to construct porous materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rail corrugation will lead to noise pollution and abnormal vibration in the railway operation process which greatly influences the safety, comfort, and stability of the train operation. However, although the advantages of abrasive belt rail grinding in repairing rail diseases have been verified, there is still no relative grinding control strategy for rail corrugation repair process due to its characteristics of regionality and no grinding benchmark. Therefore, this paper analyzed the difference between the grinding process of rail corrugation and ideal rail surface, and established material removal model for repairing of rail corrugation. By comparing the average valid value of moving wave amplitude and the improvement degree of rail corrugation, the most suitable grinding control strategies for repairing different types of corrugation diseases were obtained, which can further improve the grinding quality and efficiency of abrasive belt rail grinding in repairing rail corrugation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is important to assess the relationship between specific HPV genotype or multiple infection and cervical cytology. The protection provided by the HPV vaccine is type-specific, and the epidemiology feature of coinfections needs to be investigated. The aim is to provide baseline information for developing HPV vaccination and management of HPV-positive populations in the region. Methods: A total of 3649 HPV-positive women were collected from 25,572 women who underwent 15 HR-HPV genotypes and ThinPrep cytologic test (TCT) results. Logistic regression was used to determine the correlation between the risk of cytology abnormalities and specific HPV infection. We calculated odds ratios (ORs) to assess coinfection patterns for the common two-type HPV infections. chi-squared test was used to estimate the relationship between single or multiple HPV (divided into species groups) infection and cytology results. Results: The results showed there was a positive correlation between HPV16 (OR = 4.742; 95% CI 3.063–7.342) and HPV33 (OR = 4.361; 95% CI 2.307–8.243) infection and HSIL positive. There was a positive correlation between HPV66 (OR = 2.445; 95% CI 1.579–3.787), HPV51 (OR = 1.651; 95% CI 1.086–2.510) and HPV58(OR = 1.661; 95% CI 1.166–2.366) infection and LSIL. Multiple HPV infections with α9 species (OR = 1.995; 95% CI 1.101–3.616) were associated with a higher risk of high-grade intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) compared with single HPV infection. There were positive correlations between HPV66 and HPV56 (α6) (OR = 3.321; 95% CI 2.329–4.735) and HPV39 and HPV68 (α7). (OR = 1.677; 95% CI 1.127–2.495). There were negative correlations between HPV52, 58, 16 and the other HPV gene subtypes. Conclusion: HPV33 may be equally managed with HPV16. The management of multiple infections with α9 may be strengthened. The 9-valent vaccine may provide better protection for the population in Chongqing currently. The development of future vaccines against HPV51 and HPV66 may be considered in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inorganic CsPbI3 perovskite has great potential to fabricate deep‐red light‐emitting diodes (LEDs) owing to excellent color purity, thermal stability, and carrier mobility. However, fabricating high‐quality CsPbI3 thin films for high‐performance LEDs remains challenging. While it is demonstrated that hydrogen bonds between organic ammonium cations and molecule additives can lead to high‐quality organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite films, this method cannot be applied to CsPbI3 thin films due to the absence of hydrogen bonds between Cs+ ions and additives. In this study, an amorphous complex‐seed‐crystal growth process to fabricate high‐quality γ‐CsPbI3 cuboid crystallite thin films, is reported. During the initial annealing, the metastable intermediates formed crystal nucleate seeds and transformed into amorphous complex intermediates, maintaining stability at an elevated temperature for perovskite crystallization. With prolonged annealing, the amorphous complex around the nucleate seeds gradually converts to γ‐CsPbI3 perovskite, enabling us to fabricate CsPbI3 thin films with high crystallinity and orientation. The resulting deep‐red LEDs exhibit a peak external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 16.5% and a high maximum luminance of 3158 cd m−2. Moreover, the devices show significantly suppressed efficiency roll‐off, maintaining an EQE of 14.8% even under a high current density of 500 mA cm−2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caries is the most common chronic disease among children. In Pennsylvania, a comprehensive oral health Basic Screening Survey and assessment of the association between caries and community water fluoridation (CWF) among children have not been conducted. From 2021 through 2022, the first Basic Screening Survey was conducted among third-grade students in Pennsylvania. Oral health and demographic data were collected. CWF data were provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. The relative risk of developing caries in association with CWF was assessed using the GENMOD procedure in SAS, Version 9.4 (SAS Institute) in this cross-sectional study. Caries prevalence was 59.7% among 4,120 screened students. Participation in the free or reduced lunch program and CWF were each significantly associated with risk of developing caries after adjustment for age, sex, and race and ethnicity. The risk of developing caries was 33% higher among students who participated in the free or reduced lunch program than those who did not participate (relative risk, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.24 to 1.42). Students with the highest CWF coverage had a nearly 16% lower risk of developing caries than those without CWF coverage (relative risk, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.75 to 0.94). CWF was significantly associated with a reduced risk of developing caries. Efforts are needed to increase CWF coverage, along with promotion of oral health education and healthy dietary habits among Pennsylvania children. Increasing CWF coverage will reduce caries burden among Pennsylvania children. Although Pennsylvania has no state laws to regulate CWF, these findings are persuasive for local municipalities to consider expanding CWF coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multistage pore‐structured porous carbon (AFPC) was created by employing protein as a widely available carbon source and a simple pretreatment, carbonization, and KOH activation procedure. Based on the physical denaturation of protein, foam protein porous carbon with self‐doped nitrogen from the biomass was successfully created by adding air to the protein precursor. The AFPC‐600 exhibited a BET surface area of 443.52 m2 g−1 and an average pore diameter of 35 nm. The material demonstrated a high electrical capacitance of 798.5 F g−1 at a current density of 1 A g−1 in a three‐electrode system test, with 86 % capacitance retention after 4000 charge‐discharge cycles. This paper highlights the promise of improved porous carbon materials, taking advantage of the special qualities of abundant biomass found in nature, for energy storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All‐inorganic CsPbI3 perovskite semiconductor is attractive for deep‐red light‐emitting diodes (LEDs) because of its high photoluminescence, good thermal stability, excellent charge transport, and solution processability. However, the metastable phase of optically active CsPbI3 hinders the fabrication of efficient and bright deep‐red LEDs. Herein, a multifunctional ionic ligand regulation strategy using (2‐hydroxy‐5‐methylphenyl) triphenyl‐phosphonium iodide and 3‐(N, N‐dimethyloctylammonio) propanesulfonate is reported to regulate the optically active CsPbI3 crystallization and thus obtain high‐quality γ‐CsPbI3 thin films. The high crystallinity and preferential orientation of γ‐CsPbI3 arise from the strong bonding between the ionic ligands and ionic lead halide clusters. The obtained γ‐CsPbI3 thin films also possess suppressed defect densities, high luminescence, and high stability. Using this high‐quality thin film, an efficient and bright deep‐red LED with a peak external quantum efficiency of 13.34% and a maximum luminance of 2110 cd m−2 is successfully fabricated. The operational lifetime of the fabricated LED (time to half of the initial brightness, T50) reaches up to 40 min under a high current density of 50 mA cm−2 (corresponding to the initial brightness of 200 cd m−2). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decades, mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been extensively investigated as a potential therapeutic cell source for the treatment of various disorders. Differentiation of MSCs from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iMSCs) has provided a scalable approach for the biomanufacturing of MSCs and related biological products. Although iMSCs shared typical MSC markers and functions as primary MSCs (pMSCs), there is a lack of lineage specificity in many iMSC differentiation protocols. Here, a stepwise hiPSC‐to‐iMSC differentiation method is employed via intermediate cell stages of neural crest and cytotrophoblast to generate lineage‐specific MSCs with varying differentiation efficiencies and gene expression. Through a comprehensive comparison between early developmental cell types (hiPSCs, neural crest, and cytotrophoblast), two lineage‐specific iMSCs, and six source‐specific pMSCs, are able to not only distinguish the transcriptomic differences between MSCs and early developmental cells, but also determine the transcriptomic similarities of iMSC subtypes to postnatal or perinatal pMSCs. Additionally, it is demonstrated that different iMSC subtypes and priming conditions affected EV production, exosomal protein expression, and cytokine cargo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All‐inorganic CsPbI3 perovskite is a promising emitter for deep‐red light‐emitting diodes (LEDs). However, presently fabricated CsPbI3 polycrystalline films are composed of island‐like polycrystals, encountering the problems of serious interface current leakage and low‐efficiency carrier radiative recombination. Here, a CsPbI3‐xBrx quantum dots (QDs) matrix encapsulated CsPbI3 polycrystal film is reported to address the low‐efficiency issue of island‐like CsPbI3 polycrystalline film applied in deep‐red LEDs. The developed QDs matrix encapsulation strategy has two benefits. One is the filling of void space in the island‐like CsPbI3 polycrystal film to suppress the interface current leakage. The other more important benefit is utilizing the strong carrier confinement effect of QDs to strengthen the formation of excitons in the composite film and thus improve the electroluminescence efficiency. Moreover, interesting grain growth is found between CsPbI3‐xBrx QDs and CsPbI3 polycrystals, which further enhances the exciton transfer effect brought by the QDs matrix and optoelectronic properties of the fabricated composite films. Based on the obtained high‐quality QDs/polycrystal composite films, efficient and bright deep‐red LEDs are achieved with a peak external quantum efficiency of 15.24% and a maximum luminance of 3691 cd m−2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, by integrating the advantages of multi-granulation fuzzy rough set (MGFRS) and variable precision fuzzy rough set (VPFRS), we introduce a new model of multi-granulation granular variable precision fuzzy rough set (MGVPFRS) and study its basic properties. The new model includes three basic models: optimistic, pessimistic, and compromise variable precision model, so it has better tolerance and diversity. Later, by combining MGVPFRS with traditional TOPSIS method, we propose a novel multi-criteria decision-making method (MCDM). In which, MGVPFRS is applicable to acquire criterion weights. This acquisition method is more convincing, because the criteria weights are computed, not given by experts. Finally, we apply our novel method to the challenging bone graft selection problem. Through a series of experiments and comparative analysis, the validity and reliability of our model are tested. In particular, the three strategies of optimism, pessimism, and compromise enable doctors and patients to make decisions according to their personal preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenols are highly toxic chemicals that are extensively used in industry and produce large amounts of emissions. Notably, phenols released into the soil are highly persistent, causing long-term harm to human health and the environment. In this study, a gram-positive, aerobic, and rod-shaped bacterial strain, Z13T, with efficient phenol degradation ability, was isolated from the soil of sugarcane fields. Based on the physiological properties and genomic features, strain Z13T is considered as a novel species of the genus Rhodococcus, for which the name Rhodococcus sacchari sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is Z13T (= CCTCC AB 2022327T = JCM 35797T). This strain can use phenol as its sole carbon source. Z13T was able to completely degrade 1200 mg/L phenol within 20 h; the maximum specific growth rate was μmax = 0.93174 h−1, and the maximum specific degradation rate was qmax = 0.47405 h−1. Based on whole-genome sequencing and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis, strain Z13T contains a series of phenol degradation genes, including dmpP, CatA, dmpB, pcaG, and pcaH, and can metabolize aromatic compounds. Moreover, the potential of strain Z13T for soil remediation was investigated by introducing Z13T into simulated phenol-contaminated soil, and the soil microbial diversity was analyzed. The results showed that 100% of the phenol in the soil was removed within 7.5 d. Furthermore, microbial diversity analysis revealed an increase in the relative species richness of Oceanobacillus, Chungangia, and Bacillus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backward erosion piping, a soil erosion phenomenon induced by seepage, compromises the stability of water-retaining structures such as dikes. During floods, the seepage in the dike body increases due to high water levels, which directly affects the progression of the piping channel. The formation of the piping channel then impacts the stability of the dike. In this paper, an improved piping model that considers the impact of seepage in the dike body is proposed based on Wewer's model. Specifically, we added a seepage field of the dike body to the original model to account for the impact of dike-body seepage on the evolution of piping. The seepage field of the dike body is solved using Darcy's law and the continuity equation for unsaturated porous media. In addition, this approach also incorporates the coupling effect of seepage stress. The accuracy of the model was verified through comparing the calculated results with the IJkdijk experiment and Wewer's results. The effects of BEP on dike stability were investigated using the proposed improved piping model. The two major conclusions of the study are that (1) the incorporation of unsaturated seepage enhanced the performance of the piping model, allowing it to more accurately simulate the development of pipe length and the changing of pore pressure; and (2) the formation of the pipe impacted dike stability, leading to a substantial reduction in the safety factor of the dike slope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultra high voltage (UHV) transmission tower-lines systems (TTLSs) are responsible for the crucial function of transmitting and distributing electrical power over long distances, which inevitably traverse active tectonic faults when passing through seismic areas. This paper investigates the seismic behaviors of the fault-crossing UHV TTLSs, taking into account the traveling wave effects of fault-crossing ground motions. Furthermore, three scenarios (i.e. the fault located at the midspan, the side span, and the one side) according to the location of the faults relative to the TTLSs, are designated to investigate the effects of fault-crossing locations on the seismic behaviors of the fault-crossing TTLSs. The results indicate that the traveling wave effects may amplify or weaken the seismic responses and collapse of the near-fault and fault-crossing TTLSs, and the effects on the longitudinal displacement responses of the TTLS are significantly greater than those in the transverse direction, but they do not affect the distribution of the collapse weak position of the TTLSs across the fault. Besides, the effect of traveling waves on the seismic behaviors of the transmission tower further away from the fault is greater than that relatively closer to the fault. This study of the impact of the traveling wave effects and fault-crossing locations on the TTLSs serves as a valuable reference for seismic behaviors of the UHV TTLSs crossing faults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is an important complication of reperfusion therapy for acute myocardial infarction, extremely compromising the cardiac benefits of revascularization; however, specific and efficient treatment for cardiac I/R injury is still lacking. Isthmin-1 (ISM1) is a novel adipokine and plays indispensable roles in regulating glycolipid metabolism and cell survival. The present study aims to investigate the potential role and molecular mechanism of ISM1 in cardiac I/R injury using gain- and loss-of-function approaches. Methods and results Cardiac-specific ISM1 overexpression and silence were achieved using an adeno-associated virus serotype 9 system, and then these mice were subjected to I/R surgery, followed by biochemical test, echocardiography and histopathologic examinations, etc. Meanwhile, neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCMs) with ISM1 silence or overexpression also received simulated I/R (sI/R) injury to further verify its role in vitro. The potential downstream pathways and molecular targets of ISM1 were screened by RNA sequencing. We also treated injured mice and NRCMs with recombinant ISM1 (rISM1) to explore whether supplementation with ISM1 was sufficient to protect against I/R injury. Furthermore, acute myocardial infarction patients with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and paired healthy controls were included to reveal the clinical relevance of circulating ISM1. Cardiac-specific ISM1 silencing aggravated while ISM1 overexpression alleviated I/R-induced acute cardiac injury and cardiac remodelling and dysfunction. Mechanistically, ISM1 targeted αvβ5 integrin to facilitate the nuclear accumulation of nuclear transcription factor Y subunit alpha, transcriptionally increased soluble guanylyl cyclase beta subunit expression, and eventually enhanced cGMP generation. Besides, we confirmed that treatment with rISM1 before or after reperfusion could confer cardioprotective effects in mice. Clinically, lower ISM1 levels post-PCI was associated with worse outcome in patients. Conclusion ISM1 can protect against cardiac I/R injury through cGMP-PKG signalling pathway, and it is a promising therapeutic and predictive target of cardiac I/R injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seedling is a crucial stage in the growth and development of plants, and the expansion and persistence of plant populations can be achieved through seed regeneration. Sheep grazing, fertilization, light, soil moisture, vegetation diversity and biomass, and litter all have potential impacts on species regeneration. We measured vegetation diversity, annual net primary productivity (ANPP), litter, ground photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), and soil moisture of alpine meadows under sheep grazing and nitrogen addition treatments, and studied their effects on the dicotyledonous seedling abundance and diversity using linear regression models (LMs) and structural equation models (SEMs). We found that sheep grazing reduced ANPP, increased vegetation diversity and PAR, and decreased soil moisture. Fertilization increased ANPP and litter, decreased vegetation diversity and PAR, but had no effect on soil moisture. Sheep grazing and fertilization both reduced the abundance of dicotyledonous seedlings, and simultaneously fertilization can reduce the diversity of dicotyledonous seedlings, while sheep grazing had no effect on the diversity of dicotyledonous seedlings. LMs showed that vegetation diversity, ANPP, and litter, rather than light and soil moisture, affected dicotyledonous seedling abundance and diversity. SEMs revealed that sheep grazing and fertilization indirectly influenced seedling regeneration through vegetation diversity rather than ANPP and litter. Our research will increase our understanding of the dicotyledonous plant regeneration process in alpine grasslands and facilitate the development of strategies for management and protection of alpine grassland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Zishui‐Qinggan decoction (ZQD) is a classical traditional Chinese medicine formula (TCMF) for alleviating menopausal symptoms (MPS) induced by endocrine therapy in breast cancer patients. In the production of TCMF modern preparations, ethanol precipitation (EP) is a commonly but not fully verified refining process. Objectives: Chemical profiling/serum pharmacochemistry and network pharmacology approaches were integrated for exploring the rationality of the EP process in the production of ZQD modern preparations. Material and methods: Ultra‐performance liquid chromatography–quadrupole time‐of‐flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC‐QTOF‐MS/MS) was applied to identify the chemical profiles and absorbed components of ZQD. Network pharmacology was used to identify targets and pathways related to MPS‐relieving efficacy. Results: The chemicals of ZQDs without/with EP process (referred to as ZQD‐W and ZQD‐W‐P, respectively) were qualitatively similar with 89 and 87 components identified, respectively, but their relative contents were different; 51 components were detectable in the serum of rats orally administered with ZQD‐W, whereas only 19 were detected in that administered with ZQD‐W‐P. Key targets, such as AKT1, and pathways, such as the PI3K‐Akt signalling pathway, affected by ZQD‐W and ZQD‐W‐P were similar, while the neuroactive ligand–receptor interaction pathway among others and the MAPK signalling pathway among others were specific pathways affected by ZQD‐W and ZQD‐W‐P, respectively. The specifically absorbed components of ZQD‐W could combine its specific key targets. Conclusion: The EP process quantitatively altered the chemical profiles of ZQD, subsequently affected the absorbed components of ZQD, and then affected the key targets and pathways of ZQD for relieving MPS. The EP process might result in variation of the MPS‐relieving efficacy of ZQD, which deserves further in vivo verification. The ethanol precipitation process quantitatively altered the chemical profiles of ZQD, subsequently affected the absorbed components of ZQD, and then affected the key targets and pathways of ZQD for relieving MPS. The ethanol precipitation process might result in variation of MPS‐relieving efficacy of ZQD, which deserves further in vivo verification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ionic liquids (ILs) are widely adopted as lubricating materials in engineering fields for steel sliding contacts, and the adsorption structure and kinematic state of friction surfaces are crucial for understanding the improvement of tribological properties in experiments. In this study, we employed molecular dynamics methods to examine the structure and shear dynamics of five ILs with the same cationic triethanolamine paired with carboxylate anions of different alkyl chain length, confined between two crystalline iron surfaces. The results show that the chain length of anions influence the quantity of hydrogen bonds formed, the distribution on the iron surfaces, the thickness of the adsorption layers during the sliding process and the overall motion state. Under elastohydrodynamic lubrication conditions, ILs with longer alkyl chain exhibit less friction on a macroscopic scale due to the weaker hydrogen bonds between the anions and cations, the formation of thicker adsorption layers between sliding surfaces, and the overall pronounced layering phenomenon. These atomic insights into the structure and state of motion during friction can help promote the use of ILs as lubricating materials in engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasma treatment as an effective strategy can simultaneously achieve surface modification and heteroatom doping. Here, an N/P-doped NiFeV oxide nanosheet catalyst (N/P-NiFeVO) constructed by Ar/PH3 plasma treatment is used to drive the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The introduction of V species leads to the formation of an ultrathin ordered nanostructure and exposure of more active sites. Compared to the 2D NiFeV LDH, the prepared N/P-NiFeVO by plasma treatment possesses multiple-valence Fe, V and Ni species, which regulate the intrinsic electronic structure and enable a superior catalytic activity for the OER in alkaline media. Specifically, the N/P-NiFeVO only require an overpotential of 273 mV to drive the current density of 100 mA cm−2. What's more, the electrode can maintain a stable current density in a long-term oxygen evolution reaction (∼120 h) under alkaline conditions. This work provides new insight for the rational design of mixed metal oxides for OER electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The most challenging aspect of rehabilitation is the repurposing of residual functional plasticity in stroke patients. To achieve this, numerous plasticity-based clinical rehabilitation programs have been developed. This study aimed to investigate the effects of motor imagery (MI)-based brain–computer interface (BCI) rehabilitation programs on upper extremity hand function in patients with chronic hemiplegia. Design: A 2010 Consolidated Standards for Test Reports (CONSORT)-compliant randomized controlled trial. Methods: Forty-six eligible stroke patients with upper limb motor dysfunction participated in the study, six of whom dropped out. The patients were randomly divided into a BCI group and a control group. The BCI group received BCI therapy and conventional rehabilitation therapy, while the control group received conventional rehabilitation only. The Fugl–Meyer Assessment of the Upper Extremity (FMA-UE) score was used as the primary outcome to evaluate upper extremity motor function. Additionally, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans were performed on all patients before and after treatment, in both the resting and task states. We measured the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF), regional homogeneity (ReHo), z conversion of ALFF (zALFF), and z conversion of ReHo (ReHo) in the resting state. The task state was divided into four tasks: left-hand grasping, right-hand grasping, imagining left-hand grasping, and imagining right-hand grasping. Finally, meaningful differences were assessed using correlation analysis of the clinical assessments and functional measures. Results: A total of 40 patients completed the study, 20 in the BCI group and 20 in the control group. Task-related blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) analysis showed that when performing the motor grasping task with the affected hand, the BCI group exhibited significant activation in the ipsilateral middle cingulate gyrus, precuneus, inferior parietal gyrus, postcentral gyrus, middle frontal gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, and contralateral middle cingulate gyrus. When imagining a grasping task with the affected hand, the BCI group exhibited greater activation in the ipsilateral superior frontal gyrus (medial) and middle frontal gyrus after treatment. However, the activation of the contralateral superior frontal gyrus decreased in the BCI group relative to the control group. Resting-state fMRI revealed increased zALFF in multiple cerebral regions, including the contralateral precentral gyrus and calcarine and the ipsilateral middle occipital gyrus and cuneus, and decreased zALFF in the ipsilateral superior temporal gyrus in the BCI group relative to the control group. Increased zReHo in the ipsilateral cuneus and contralateral calcarine and decreased zReHo in the contralateral middle temporal gyrus, temporal pole, and superior temporal gyrus were observed post-intervention. According to the subsequent correlation analysis, the increase in the FMA-UE score showed a positive correlation with the mean zALFF of the contralateral precentral gyrus (r = 0.425, P < 0.05), the mean zReHo of the right cuneus (r = 0.399, P < 0.05). Conclusion: In conclusion, BCI therapy is effective and safe for arm rehabilitation after severe poststroke hemiparesis. The correlation of the zALFF of the contralateral precentral gyrus and the zReHo of the ipsilateral cuneus with motor improvements suggested that these values can be used as prognostic measures for BCI-based stroke rehabilitation. We found that motor function was related to visual and spatial processing, suggesting potential avenues for refining treatment strategies for stroke patients. Trial registration: The trial is registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (number ChiCTR2000034848, registered July 21, 2020). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by motor neuron degeneration. The development of ALS involves metabolite alterations leading to tissue lesions in the nervous system. Recent advances in neuroimaging have significantly improved our understanding of the underlying pathophysiology of ALS, with findings supporting the corticoefferent axonal disease progression theory. Current studies on neuroimaging in ALS have demonstrated inconsistencies, which may be due to small sample sizes, insufficient statistical power, overinterpretation of findings, and the inherent heterogeneity of ALS. Deriving meaningful conclusions solely from individual imaging metrics in ALS studies remains challenging, and integrating multimodal imaging techniques shows promise for detecting valuable ALS biomarkers. In addition to giving an overview of the principles and techniques of different neuroimaging modalities, this review describes the potential of neuroimaging biomarkers in the diagnosis and prognostication of ALS. We provide an insight into the underlying pathology, highlighting the need for standardized protocols and multicenter collaborations to advance ALS research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants can adapt to environmental changes by adjusting their functional traits and biomass allocation. The size and number of flowers are functional traits related to plant reproduction. Life history theory predicts that there is a trade‐off between flower size and number, and the trade‐off can potentially explain the adaptability of plants. Elevation gradients in mountains provide a unique opportunity to test how plants will respond to climate change. In this study, we tried to better explain the adaptability of the alpine plant Gentiana lawrencei var. farreri in response to climate change. We measured the flower size and number, individual size, and reproductive allocation of G. lawrencei var. farreri during the flowering period along an elevation gradient from 3200 to 4000 m, and explored their relationships using linear mixed‐effect models and the structural equation model. We found that with elevation increasing, individual size and flower number decreased and flower size increased, while reproductive allocation remained unchanged. Individual size positively affected flower number, but was not related to flower size; reproductive allocation positively affected flower size, but was not related to flower number; there is a clear trade‐off between flower size and number. We also found that elevation decreased flower number indirectly via directly reducing individual size. In sum, this study suggests that G. lawrencei var. farreri can adapt to alpine environments by the synergies or trade‐offs among individual size, reproductive allocation, flower size, and flower number. This study increases our understanding of the adaptation mechanisms of alpine plants to climate change in alpine environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the panel data of 30 provinces from 2011-2021, the tenacity of Chinese pig feed industry chain was measured by the entropy method, and the current development situation and regional characteristics of the tenacity of pig feed industry chain were analyzed. A bidirectional fixed effect model was used to explore the influencing factors of the resilience of Chinese pig feed industry chain. The restults showed that during the research period, the toughness of Chinese pig feed industry chain rose slowly, and showed a cyclical rising trend with the appearance of pig cycle. Based on a dimensional perspective, the improvement of the resilience of Chinese pig feed industry chain mainly benefits from the effective improvement of basic strength and resistance. From a regional perspective, the most resilient pig feed industry chain in China is in sustainable production areas, followed by restricted production areas, core production areas, and finally suitable production areas. From the perspective of influencing factors, the economic development level, technological innovation level, financial development level, and transportation convenience all had a significant role in improving the toughness of Chinese pig feed industry chain. The study indicates that exploring the practical path to enhance the resilience of Chinese pig feed industry chain can provide useful reference for accelerating the construction of a new pattern of Chinese pig feed industry chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a cotton precision seed-taking dibbler device was designed to address the problems of congestion and leakage of the hole-type dibbler during high-speed operation (more than 4 km/h). Firstly, the motion trajectory of the seed in the limited gear-shaped space was analyzed and a motion model was established to analyze the relationship between the motion trajectory and seed-filling performance. Secondly, a central combination test with four factors and five levels was implemented using the discrete element software EDEM2018, which simulated the seed-filling performance of the seed-holding space with different structural dimensions. The optimal parameters impacting the seed-filling behavior of the designed dibbler were derived via response surface optimization and multiple regression analyses. Under optimal conditions, three bench tests were repeatedly conducted, and the average qualified index was 93.67%, the leakage index Y3 was 2.67%, and the multiple index Y2 was 3.66%, which was close to the simulation results. Finally, for the speed adaptability test of the seed-holding space with optimal structural parameters, the qualified index was more than 90% when the rotating speed ranged from 1.0 to 2.0 r/s (the speed of the corresponding dibbler was 5.4 km/h to 7.2 km/h), indicating that the dibbler could meet the requirements of high-speed operation and had good speed adaptability. The results can not only provide a reference for the development of precision hole-type dibblers but also have theoretical significance for the quantitative separation of the individual from the population of irregularly rotating agricultural materials and ore materials such as cotton seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than 70% of the potash fertilizer globally is produced by the froth flotation process, in which 4-dodecylmorpholine (DMP) serves as a reverse flotation agent. As the potash fertilizer production rapidly rises, the increased DMP levels in discharged brine pose a threat to the production of high-value chemicals. In this paper, composite particles of basic magnesium sulfate@TiO2 (BMS@TiO2) were prepared using a simple and mild loading method. These particles were utilized for the adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of DMP in brine. Compared with normal powdered materials, the granular BMS@TiO2 in this study can be easily separated from liquid, and the degradation intermediates will not enter the brine without causing secondary pollution. BMS@TiO2 consists of 5·1·7 phase (5Mg(OH)2·MgSO4·7H2O) whisker clusters embedding 2.3% TiO2. The adsorption equilibrium of DMP on BMS@TiO2 particles was achieved through hydrogen bonding and pore interception with the adsorption capacity of approximately 5 mg g−1 after 6 h. The photodegradation efficiency of DMP adsorbed on BMS@TiO2 reached about 92% within 16 h, which is compared with that of pure TiO2 nanoparticles. Additionally, excellent stability and recyclability of BMS@TiO2 were also observed in five cycle tests of adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of DMP, and the possible photocatalytic degradation pathways and mechanism of DMP are proposed following molecular electrostatic potential analysis. This work provides a sustainable and environmentally friendly approach for eliminating organic micropollutants from water environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A light-induced method is developed for synthesizing azauracils. This method is independent from traditional methodology. Remarkably, this reaction can also be powered by sunlight. The applicability of this method is further demonstrated through its successful implementation in large-scale reactions and its use in synthesizing derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the application of titanium and titanium alloys in orthopedic implant materials, the antibacterial properties and cell biocompatibility determine whether the implant surgery is successful. In this study, a functional anodic oxidation (AO) coating was successfully prepared to modify the surface of Ti-Ag alloy. The surface characteristics of the anodized Ti-Ag alloy were analyzed using techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and contact angle measurements. The corrosion characteristics of Ti-Ag samples were tested by an electrochemical workstation. In addition, the antibacterial properties and cell activity were studied by the plate count method and MC3T3-E1 cell staining. The results indicate that the AO process can generate a multi-functional TiO2/Ag2O coating with a large number of block and flower-like structures on the surface of a Ti-Ag alloy. When the AO voltage of the sample is 120 V, the maximum roughness is 0.73 μm and the minimum wetting degree is 23°, which improves the biocompatibility. The corrosion test results show that AO treatment can improve the corrosion resistance of a Ti-Ag alloy. The oxidation voltage is 20 V and the coating has the best corrosion resistance. The corrosion open circuit potential (Eocp) is 107.621 mV and the corrosion current density (icorr) is 2.241 × 10−8 A·cm−2. This coating can promote ion release and show more than 99% of a strong antibacterial ability against S. aureus. The results of the compatibility evaluation by cultured cells showed that the multifunctional coating formed by the anodic oxidation process did not cause cytotoxicity and promoted the adhesion of MC3T3-E1 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), the deuterium evolution reaction (DER) has slower kinetics that causes unsatisfactory performance of conventional HER catalysts in DER. Herein, we report a Ni/V2O3‐500 catalyst with nanosheet morphology that shows excellent performance in both alkaline DER and HER with ultralow overpotential of 64 mV (in 1 M NaOD) and 32 mV (in 1 M NaOH) at 10 mA cm−2. The activity remains stable after accelerated durability test and 1000 h of chronopotentiometric test at 500 mA cm−2. The high performance is attributed to uniform dispersion of Ni nanoparticles and synergistic effects between Ni and V2O3. Density functional theory modeling demonstrates that the synergistic effect optimizes the adsorption of H*/D* intermediate, promoting the reaction rate. This study provides valuable insights into metal‐support interactions in electrocatalysis which facilitates the development of superior DER/HER catalysts. The Ni/V2O3‐500 shows great potential for industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The YOLO-B infrared target detection algorithm is proposed to address the problems of incomplete extraction of detailed features and missed and wrong detection of infrared targets by YOLOv5s. The algorithm improves the SPPF of YOLOv5s feature extraction network by proposing the CSPPF structure to increase the sensory field of the model. The Bifusion Neck structure is invoked to fuse the shallow location information with deep semantic information to enhance the feature extraction capability of the model. Taking fully into account the different information of concern for classification and localization, the efficient decoupled head is used as the prediction head of this algorithm, which reduces the latency while maintaining the accuracy. WIoUv3 loss is used as a bounding box regression loss function to reduce the harmful gradient generated by low-quality examples and reduce the competitiveness of high-quality anchor frames. Comparative experiments were conducted for each of the four improvement points, and the experimental results showed that each improvement point had the highest detection accuracy in the comparative experiments of the same category. All improvement points are fused in turn and ablation experiments are performed. The YOLO-B algorithm improves 1.9% in accuracy, 7.3% in recall, 3.8% in map_0.5, and 4.6% in map_0.5:0.95 compared to YOLOv5s. When compared with YOLOv7 and YOLOv8s, the proposed algorithm has better performance in terms of the number of parameters and detection accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper probes into the market efficiency and relevant issues of copper options, the first industrial options product launched in China and currently the only non-ferrous metals option. Since its listing on 21 September 2018, the copper options market, developing on the fast track, has become the largest copper options market in the world, and thus it is of important meaning to study its market efficiency. Taking the data of China's copper options market from its debut to 30 April 2022 as a sample, this paper studies the efficiency of this market using three typical risk-free arbitrages such as put-call-future parity arbitrage, box spread arbitrage, and boundary arbitrage strategies. To better reflect the actual situation, this paper, when establishing options arbitrage strategy models, not only took into account various actual trading factors such as transaction costs, market impact costs, liquidity costs, margin, and capital opportunity costs but also combined daily and high-frequency data to present highly practical arbitrage strategies. According to empirical results, there are few arbitrage opportunities with a very low proportion when actual trading factors were considered. Overall, no evidence was found to prove that China's copper options market significantly violates the market efficiency rule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) with high nickel cathode have high specific energy, but as the nickel content in the cathode active material increases, batteries are suffering from temperature limitations, unstable performance, and transition metal dissolution during long cycling. In this work, a functional electrolyte with P‐phenyl diisothiocyanate (PDITC) additive is developed to stabilize the performance of LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM811)/graphite LIBs over a wide temperature range. Compared to the batteries without the additive, the capacity retention of the batteries with PDITC‐containing electrolyte increases from 23 % to 74 % after 1400 cycles at 25 °C, and from 15 % to 85 % after 300 cycles at 45 °C. After being stored at 60 °C, the capacity retention rate and capacity recovery rate of the battery are also improved. In addition, the PDITC‐containing battery has a higher discharge capacity at −20 °C, and the capacity retention rate increases from 79 % to 90 % after 500 cycles at 0 °C. Both theoretical calculations and spectroscopic results demonstrate that PDITC is involved in constructing a dense interphase, inhibiting the decomposition of the electrolyte and reducing the interfacial impedance. The application of PDITC provides a new strategy to improve the wide‐temperature performance of the NCM811/graphite LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor-derived exosomes have been shown to play a key role in organ-specific metastasis, and the androgen receptor regulates prostate cancer (PCa) progression. It is unclear whether the androgen receptor regulates the recruitment of prostate cancer cells to the bone microenvironment, even bone metastases, through exosomes. Here, we found that exosomes isolated from PCa cells after knocking down androgen receptor (AR) or enzalutamide treatment can facilitate the migration of prostate cancer cells to osteoblasts. In addition, AR silencing or treatment with the AR antagonist enzalutamide may increase the expression of circular RNA-deoxyhypusine synthase (circ-DHPS) in PCa cells, which can be transported to osteoblasts by exosomes. Circ-DHPS acts as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) against endogenous miR-214-3p to promote C-C chemokine ligand 5 (CCL5) levels in osteoblasts. Increasing the level of CCL5 in osteoblasts could recruit more PCa cells into the bone microenvironment. Thus, blocking the circ-DHPS/miR-214-3p/CCL5 signal may decrease exosome-mediated migration of prostate cancer cells to osteoblasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixed halide perovskite nanocrystals show great promise for high-performance light-emitting diodes (LEDs) due to their tunable band gaps, high photoluminescence efficiency, and excellent color purity. However, one major challenge in using mixed halide CsPbBrxCl3–x NCs for pure blue LEDs is the instability of their electroluminescence (EL) caused by halide segregation. Here, we report an effective pseudohalide tetrafluoroborate (BF4–) passivation approach to improve the EL stability of CsPbBrxCl3–x NC-based LEDs. Our approach involves the solution-processed treatment of CsPbBrxCl3–x NCs by the complex of tributylphosphine oxide and calcium tetrafluoroborate, which yields pseudohalide BF4–-passivated CsPbBrxCl3–x NCs. The BF4– fills the surface halide ion vacancy, providing dual benefits of surface passivation and halide migration suppression. By using these BF4–-passivated CsPbBrxCl3–x NCs as the emitting layer, we have successfully fabricated spectrally stable and pure blue LEDs with an emission peak at 468 nm, a maximum luminance of 275 cd/m2, and a maximum external quantum efficiency of 3.2%. Our proposed BF4–-passivated NCs strategy will pave the way for the development of efficient, stable, and pure blue perovskite LEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ketogenic diet (KD) alleviates refractory epilepsy and reduces seizures in children. However, the metabolic/cell biologic mechanisms by which the KD exerts its antiepileptic efficacy remain elusive. Herein, we report that KD-produced β-hydroxybutyric acid (BHB) augments brain gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and the GABA/glutamate ratio to inhibit epilepsy. The KD ameliorated pentetrazol-induced epilepsy in mice. Mechanistically, KD-produced BHB, but not other ketone bodies, inhibited HDAC1/HDAC2, increased H3K27 acetylation, and transcriptionally upregulated SIRT4 and glutamate decarboxylase 1 (GAD1). BHB-induced SIRT4 de-carbamylated and inactivated glutamate dehydrogenase to preserve glutamate for GABA synthesis, and GAD1 upregulation increased mouse brain GABA/glutamate ratio to inhibit neuron excitation. BHB administration in mice inhibited epilepsy induced by pentetrazol. BHB-mediated relief of epilepsy required high GABA level and GABA/glutamate ratio. These results identified BHB as the major antiepileptic metabolite of the KD and suggested that BHB may serve as an alternative and less toxic antiepileptic agent than KD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to its high precision, phase-shifting interferometry (PSI) is a commonly used optical component detection method in interferometers. However, traditional PSI, which is susceptible to environmental factors, is costly, with piezoelectric ceramic transducer (PZT) being a major contributor to the high cost of interferometers. In contrast, two-frame random interferometry does not require precise multiple phase shifts, which only needs one random phase shift, reducing control costs and time requirements, as well as mitigating the impact of environmental factors (mechanical vibrations and air turbulence) when acquiring multiple interferograms. A novel method for wavefront reconstruction using two-frame random interferometry based on Swin-Unet is proposed. Besides, improvements have been made on the basis of the established algorithm to develop a new wavefront reconstruction method named Phase U-Net plus (PUN+). According to training the Swin-Unet and PUN+ with a large amount of simulated data generated by physical models, both of the methods accurately compute the wrapped phase from two frames of interferograms with an unknown phase step (except for multiples of π). The superior performance of both methods is effectively showcased by reconstructing phases from both simulated and real interferograms, in comprehensive comparisons with several classical algorithms. The proposed Swin-Unet outperforms PUN+ in reconstructing the wrapped phase and unwrapped phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) can significantly improve the turbine blades' high-temperature tolerance in turbine engines, the high surface roughness for the as-sprayed coating can have an adverse effect on engine performance. In order to reduce the roughness of the blade surface coating, for aero-engines and gas turbines blades, the industry's traditional method uses abrasive belts to polish the coating by manual pickup or robot clamping. The aero-engine blade studied in this paper, itself small size, the surface exhibits significant variations in curvature, the use of abrasive belt polishing method, difficult to control the polishing effect. For the current use of the model surface-based grid point division method, due to casting errors, the generated polishing path, and the actual blade, there is part of the accuracy error. To solve these problems, this paper proposes a polishing path planning method for surface TBCs applied to small blades of aero-engine turbines. By pre-processing and point cloud slicing the 3D point cloud of the blades, a polishing path is created using point cloud discretization and the B-spline curve fitting approach, guaranteeing that the accuracy error is within 0.1 mm. Simulation and experimental verification show that the method can reduce the surface roughness of blade coating to below Ra0.7 μm, which can meet the requirements and accuracy of polishing processing, while ensuring the effective thickness of the coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Π -shaped open section girder is a very common section, which has been widely used in the construction of modern bridges. However, compared with a streamlined box girder, it is easy to cause vortex-induced vibration (VIV) in bridges due to its bluff section shape and poor aerodynamic stability. In this paper, a typical open section with a height–width ratio of 10:1 is taken as the research object. Through wind tunnel tests and numerical simulation technology, the time-history data of VIV of the Π -shaped section are obtained. By selecting three different neural network models to establish the relationship between external parameters (wind attack angle, wind speed, turbulence) and structural response parameters (the onset wind speed of VIV, the length of the lock-in interval). After comparing different machine learning methods, the most suitable machine learning model is selected to predict the VIV response characteristics of the main girder. The research results show that the typical open section has a serious VIV phenomenon. The BP neural network model has the best performance in predicting the VIV performance of the open section in terms of calculation speed, prediction accuracy and solving nonlinear adaptability. At the same time, it is found that different characteristic parameters of the incoming wind field have different influences on the prediction results of the VIV response. Among them, the wind attack angle is the key parameter that affects the onset wind speed of VIV, but the turbulence intensity has a greater impact on the maximum amplitude of VIV. At the same time, the optimized BP model can predict the characteristic parameters of VIV response under unknown wind fields. This paper provides a new idea to study the effect of different incoming flow parameters on the performance of section VIV and further improves people's understanding of VIV system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment aimed to investigate the antibacterial activity of 4-substituted terpyridine zinc-metal complexes. The MICs of these metal complexes against Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and Streptococcus agalactiae were determined by the microbroth dilution method. The study observed the effects of the metal complexes on bacterial growth, bacterial cell morphology, cell membrane permeability, and intracellular protein expression after the interaction with the complexes, aiming to explore the antibacterial mechanism against Staphylococcus aureus. The results showed that 4-substituted terpyridine zinc-metal complexes exhibited the higher antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Following the interaction with the complexes, Staphylococcus aureus showed delayed growth, bacterial cells underwent shrinkage and rupture, increased cell membrane permeability, and reduced intracellular protein expression. The study indicates that 4-substituted terpyridine zinc-metal complexes may inhibit bacterial activity by disrupting the bacterial cells or suppressing protein expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Coupling membrane is used widely in the field of power transmission for misalignment reduction between the driving and the driven shafts. Knowledge of coupling dynamics is useful for improving the coupling membrane design. Traditional intrusive frequency measurement may lead to a disturbance in the coupling operation, which could cause its mechanical failure. Methods: Here we attempt to use high-speed imaging methods in the frequency study. An industrial six-bolt coupling membrane stack has been studying on John Crane Test Rig. Of the total of 14 study cases, Cases 1 to 4 are steady torque conditions, and the rest cases are cyclic torque conditions. Imaging-based measurement proposed here has successfully detected dynamic attributes of the coupling membrane in terms of rotation frequency (fr), cyclic frequency (fc) and vibration frequency (fv). Results: At 3036 Nm the coupling membrane stack was designed to bow for preventing its mechanical failure or the shaft bending. This bowing phenomenon has been observed successfully, and it is notable that the bowing areas have strong correlations with the bowing position and the frequency (fv) is found not to vary with the steady torque accordingly, even the torque increased significantly. The results show that taking advantage of the optical intensity variation reflected by the membrane stack is found to be effective in conjunction with imaging-based measurement for frequency detection. Conclusions: Imaging-based frequency measurement has been performed on a six-bolt coupling membrane stack, experimenting on Jhon Crane Test Rig. This simulates variable torque and vibration exerting on the couplings to validate the effectiveness of the proposed frequency measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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With the aim of developing potential anticancer drug candidates, a series of Fe(II) complexes were synthesized using nine 2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine ligands functionalized with substituted-phenyl groups, and their biological activities were systematically investigated. Their bis-terpyridine sandwich-like structures were determined by single crystal X-ray crystallography. In vitro antiproliferative experiments based on three human cancer cell lines, including human hepatoma cancer cell line (Bel-7402), human esophageal cancer cell line (Eca-109), and human cervical squamous cancer cell line (SiHa), indicate the high antiproliferation activities of these complexes compared with commercial cisplatin. And their toxicity to normal cells was estimated based on human normal hepatocyte (HL-7702) cell line. In particular, when the phenyl in terpyridine ligand was modified by a carboxyl group, the corresponding complex 3 exhibited much higher antiproliferation to cancer Bel-7402 cells (IC50 = 3.653 μmol L−1) than cisplatin and low toxicity to normal HL-7702 cells (IC50 = 99.92 μmol L−1), implying a significant selectivity for 3 in killing hepatoma cancer cells. Combined with the fact that iron element is more accessible than platin, this series of Fe(II) complexes comprises potential candidates for anticancer drugs with specific inhibition of hepatoma cancer. UV titration experiments and circular dichroism (CD) showed a strong binding affinity between these nine complexes and CT-DNA. However, molecular docking simulation revealed the competitive binding of DNA and protein to these complexes. Further, the interactions between these complexes and bovine serum albumin (BSA) have been studied by fluorescence titration and CD spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nine undescribed carotane sesquiterpenes and rare rearranged guaiane sesquiterpenoids (1–9), along with two known analogues (10–11), were obtained from the aerial parts of Daphne penicillata. Their structures and absolute configurations were determined by extensive spectroscopic analyses, NMR/ECD calculations, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. All the compounds were evaluated for anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activities. The inhibitory effect of several active sesquiterpenoids against the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme was also examined by an in vitro enzyme inhibition assay. Furthermore, molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, and binding free energy calculations were applied to further analyze the interactions, stability, and affinity, among which compounds 3 and 4 exhibited high binding affinities and stable binding to the active site of COX-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) is the most effective technology to control NO emission using commercial V2O5–WO3/TiO2 catalysts, but the nature of active catalytic sites remains under debate. Here we provide evidence demonstrating that dinuclear vanadium–tungsten sites are the most active catalytic sites of conventional V2O5–WO3/TiO2 catalysts, inconsistent with a prevailing view that dimeric vanadium sites are the active sites. The dinuclear vanadium–tungsten sites have inherently stronger acidity than the dimeric vanadium sites, favoring NH3 adsorption. Meanwhile, the vanadium 3d electrons of the dinuclear vanadium–tungsten sites are richer than those of the dimeric vanadium sites, facilitating O2 activation in SCR. Hence, the dinuclear vanadium–tungsten sites have higher SCR activity than the dimeric vanadium sites under identical reaction conditions. This work settles a long dispute on the identification of active sites of conventional V2O5–WO3/TiO2 SCR catalysts, thus having implications for a unified explanation of disparate SCR reaction mechanisms and rational design of improved SCR catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A functional electrolyte containing propyl 4-methylbenzenesulfonate (PMBS) additive is developed to improve the performance of the LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM811)/graphite pouch full cells, especially the cycling lifetime under low temperature. It is indicated that the addition of PMBS into the electrolyte facilitates the formation of stable and low impedance interfacial films of the NCM811 cathode and graphite anode due to the preferential decomposition of PMBS over solvent molecules. Compared to the cells without additives, the cells containing 2% PMBS exhibit enhanced performance, and the capacity retention rate increases from 55.97% to 87.20% after 1200 cycles at 25 °C. And under the temperature condition of −10 °C, the capacity retention rate increases from 55.37% to 98.02% after 100 cycles, indicating the unique effect of PMBS on the low-temperature cycling performance of high-nickel lithium-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To characterize demographics, birth parameters, and social determinants of health among mother-infant dyads affected by neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) in Pennsylvania. Methods: We linked 2018–2019 NAS surveillance data to birth record data using probabilistic methods and then geospatially linked to local social determinants of health data based on residential address. We generated descriptive statistics and used multivariable mixed-effects logistic regression to model the association between maternal characteristics, birth parameters, social determinants of health, and NAS. Results: In adjusted models maternal age > 24, non-Hispanic white race/ethnicity, low educational attainment, Medicaid as payor at delivery, inadequate or no prenatal care, smoking during pregnancy, and low median household income were associated with NAS. We found no significant associations between NAS and county-level measures of clinician supply, number of substance use treatment facilities, or urban/rural designation. Conclusions for Practice: This study characterizes mother-infant dyads affected by NAS using linked non-administrative, population data for Pennsylvania. Results demonstrate a social gradient in NAS and inequity in prenatal care receipt among mothers of infants with NAS. Findings may inform implementation of state-based public health interventions. Significance: This article is the first to characterize Pennsylvania mother-infant dyads affected by NAS that is not reliant on administrative data. Findings demonstrating a social gradient in NAS and inequity in receipt of care will inform state-based public health practice to better support pregnant people using opioids. Additionally, Pennsylvania was among the first states to initiate NAS surveillance. While data are from 2018 to 2019, they represent the first datasets available, and the methods and limitations described in the article may be instructive to other jurisdictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The high proportion of HCC in CEUS LR-M decreases the sensitivity of LR-5 for the diagnosis of HCC. However, when modifying LR-M criteria to further improve the sensitivity of LR-5, it is also important not to compromise the diagnostic performance (especially sensitivity) of LR-M for non-hepatocellular carcinoma malignancies (non-HCCMs). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of CEUS LI-RADS (2017 version) for non-HCCMs and to explore the impact of modified CEUS LI-RADS on the diagnostic performance of LR-M. Methods: In this retrospective study, patients with pathologically confirmed non-HCCMs were evaluated. Two radiologists independently interpreted the major CEUS features and categorized the liver lesions. New LR-M criteria were applied: early washout (< 45 s) or marked washout (< 5 min). The sensitivity values of the current and modified CEUS LR-M were assessed and then compared using a paired χ2 test. Cohen's κ was used to compare the inter-reader agreement of the LI-RADS categories. Results: A total of 131 non-HCCMs were ultimately selected, including 71 intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas, 26 combined hepatocellular cholangiocarcinomas, 29 metastases, and 5 other non-HCCMs. The numbers of LR-M, LR-5, LR-4, and LR-3 in liver lesions were 111, 18, 1, and 1, respectively. The inter-reader agreement of the LI-RADS categories for non-HCCMs was 0.59. The sensitivity of the current CEUS LR-M in diagnosing non-HCCMs was 84.7%. By adjusting the early washout time to < 45 s, the sensitivity of LR-M was 80.9%. By adjusting the marked washout time within 5 min, the sensitivity of LR-M was 72.5%. Conclusion: CEUS LR-M has high sensitivity in diagnosing non-HCCMs. For LR-M nodules with nonrim arterial phase hyperenhancement and early washout, advancing the time of early washout to < 45 s has a minimal impact on the sensitivity of LR-M in diagnosing non-HCCMs compared to the condition of increasing the marked washout within 5 min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]