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Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy (MNTI) is a rare, benign neoplasm of neural crest origin that predominantly involves the craniofacial region, involvement of the epididymis being extremely rare, with about 30 cases reported. We report an unusual case of a 5-month-old male with MNTI in the epididymis. The patient underwent orchiectomy. Half a year later, there was no sign of recurrence. Whether preoperative examination or intraoperative frozen examination, the tumor may easily be misdiagnosed as malignancy. Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy should be included in differential diagnosis in infants presenting with fast-growing scrotal swelling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advancement of micro- and nanomanufacturing technologies, electronic components and chips are increasingly being miniaturized. To automatically identify their packaging materials for ensuring the reliability of ICs, a hybrid deep learning framework termed as CNN–transformer interaction (CTI) model is designed on IC packaging images in this paper, in which several cascaded CTI blocks are designed to bidirectionally capture local and global features from the IC packaging image. Each CTI block involves a CNN branch with two designed convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for CNN local features and a transformer branch with two transformers for transformer global features and transformer local-window features. A bidirectional interaction mechanism is designed to interactively transfer the features in channel and spatial dimensions between the CNNs and transformers. Experimental results indicate that the hybrid framework can recognize three types of IC packaging materials with a good performance of 96.16% F1-score and 97.92% accuracy, which is superior to some existing deep learning methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, it is shown how the photoluminescence, scintillation, and optical thermometric properties are managed via the introduction of Gd3+ ions into Pr3+:Lu2Zr2O7. Raman spectra validate that partial replacement of Lu3+ with Gd3+ can promote the phase transition of Lu2Zr2O7 host from the defective fluorite structure to the ordered pyrochlore one. Upon 289 nm excitation, all the samples emit the 483 (3P0 → 3H4), 581 (1D2 → 3H4), 611 (3P0 → 3H6), 636 (3P0 → 3F2), and 714 nm (3P0 → 3F4) emissions from Pr3+ ions, which are enhanced with the addition of Gd3+ ions due to the modification of crystal structure. Dissimilarly, the X‐ray excited luminescence spectra consist of a strong emission located at 314 nm from Gd3+ ions (6P7/2 → 8S7/2), together with the typical emissions from Pr3+ ions, which exhibit different dependences on the Gd3+ concentration. When the luminescence intensity ratio between the 3P0 → 3H6 (611 nm) and 1D2 → 3H4 (581 nm) transitions is selected for temperature sensing, Pr3+:(Lu0.75Gd0.25)2Zr2O7 shows the optimal relative sensing sensitivity of 0.78% K−1 at 303 K, which is higher than that of the Gd3+‐free sample. Therefore, the developed Pr3+:(Lu, Gd)2Zr2O7 phosphors have the applicative potential for optical thermometry, X‐ray detection, and photodynamic therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To deal with the poor generalization of previous deep learning-based methods, a novel anchor-free deep learning framework called CA-CentripetalNet is proposed for hardhat wearing detection. Two novel schemes are proposed to improve the feature extraction and utilization ability of CA-CentripetalNet, which are vertical-horizontal corner pooling and bounding constrained center attention. The former is designed to realize the comprehensive utilization of marginal features and internal features. The latter is designed to enforce the backbone to pay attention to internal features, which is only used during the training rather than during the detection. Experimental results indicate that the CA-CentripetalNet achieves better performance with the 88.63% mAP (mean Average Precision) with less memory consumption at a reasonable speed than the existing deep learning-based methods, especially in case of small-scale hardhats and non-worn-hardhats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic pollution is one of the main sources of environmental pollution, which poses a serious threat to the ecological environment and human health. In this study, we synthesized a composite material consisting of biochar-supported magnetite nanoparticles (Bio/MNs) and collaborated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 (P. aeruginosa PAO1) to conduct a bio-chemical composite remediation approach for organic pollution. The results of the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffractometer (XRD) show that Bio/MNs composites have been prepared successfully. Under light conditions, the highest removal rate of organic pollution by Bio/MNs synergistic P. aeruginosa PAO1 reached 81.5%. Gradient experiments revealed a direct correlation between the removal rate of organic pollution and the dosage of P. aeruginosa PAO1, as well as the input of Bio/MNs, within a specific range. Moreover, due to the positively charged nature of organic pollution, its maximum removal rate reaches 98.6% at pH = 11, exhibiting a 1.76-fold increase compared to that at pH = 3. The experimental results show that the collaboration between Bio/MNs and P. aeruginosa PAO1 expedited the electron transfer rate and increased the generation of ·OH and O2−, consequently facilitating the efficient degradation of organic pollutants. These findings inspire Bio/MNs collaborative microorganisms for providing new methods for the green and sustainable removal of organic pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial-mineral interaction has a broad application prospect in the field of environmental remediation of organic pollutants. However, the disadvantages of long repair cycle and low repair rate limit its industrial application. In this study, natural hematite was used as an auxiliary material for soil remediation in a bio-electrochemical system. It was found that the power density of soil microbial fuel cell (SMFC) system composed of 2.0 mm hematite was 2.889 mW/m2, which is 2.7 times compared with the blank group (1.068 mW/m2) in the particle size optimization experiment. A similarly increased power density (1.068 to 2.467 mW/m2) was observed when the hematite content changed from 0 to 20% in the concentration optimization experiment. Under 20% and 2.0-mm hematite condition, the phenol removal rate was closed to 99% after 7 days, which is 1.9-folds compared with blank control (53%). These results suggest that addition of hematite enhances soil porosity and conductivity, and increases the number of electron acceptors in soil. These findings inspire that this economic and abundant natural mineral is expected to be a potential auxiliary material in the field of soil organic pollutant purification, and expand the understanding of interactions between hematite and microorganisms in nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces are vulnerable to lubricant depletion caused by three major factors encompassing, the evaporation, cloaking, and shearing. Herein, lubricant-infused iron palmitate surfaces (LI-IPSs) are presented addressing the challenges of (1) evaporation-driven lubricant depletion enabled by the immensely clustered micro-/nano-structures of iron palmitate surface (IPS), (2) completely suppressing the wetting ridge even with miscible water-oil combinations enabled by only the handful uptake of oil by IPS. The apparent contact angle θa and sliding angle α of water on LI-IPSs are 98° ± 2° and 3° ± 1°, respectively. Under evaporation-driven lubricant depletion analysis, the shelf-durability of LI-IPSs has been found to last for 10 days in partially open environment at the ambient temperature (25 °C). The heat fluxes and condensate fluxes have been determined. The highest condensate flux on LI-IPSs (14 kgh−1 m−2) is ascribed to the dropwise condensation mode with efficient droplet dynamics. However, the service durability of LI-IPSs has lasted only for 50 ± 5 min under rigorous condensation, which is further addressed by developing a LI-IPS prototype. Based on the excellent wicking capability of IPS, LI-IPS prototype is capable of maintaining the dropwise condensation unless the oil is available in the oil tub. The LI-IPS prototype has been subjected to open environment at ambient temperature for 168 h, and even after that, the stable dropwise condensation has been achieved with the same range of droplet speed as had been observed in the first hour. Meantime, the high condensation heat fluxes at various subcooling temperatures are obtained, justifying the promising ability of LI-IPS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-grade thermal energy conversion and utilization are important for sustainable energy strategies and environmental conservation. Technologies such as ocean thermal convertors, thermoelectric generators, organic Rankine cycles, and heat pumps are being used to convert low-grade thermal energy into useful forms like electricity or heating. Advancements in materials science, engineering, and renewable energy technologies are improving the efficiency of converting low-grade heat into electricity and integrating renewable and waste heat sources into the grid. Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) is particularly valuable for harnessing renewable energy from the oceans, while thermoelectric power generation converts waste heat into electricity. Organic Rankine cycles (ORCs) and loop heat pipes (LHPs) also play important roles in harnessing low-grade heat sources and thermal management systems. These technologies contribute to energy efficiency, reduced environmental impact, and enhanced resource utilization. [Extracted from the article]

Rare earth elements (REEs) are considered environmental pollutants that have received extensive attention recently. The accumulation of REEs in plants is important because REEs can eventually enter the human body via the food chain. Marigolds are widely utilized as medicinal and commercial plants in medicine, feed, and therapeutics. Due to the extremely high demand for marigold in global, it is urgent to investigate the accumulation and distribution of REEs in marigold plants to reduce human and animal health risks. Marigold leaves tended to bioaccumulate the highest amounts of REEs from soil compared with other tissues. The distribution patterns of REEs in marigold were similar to those in the rhizosphere soil, which was enriched in light rare earth elements. Cerium accumulated most in marigold and soil, accounting for nearly 50% of ΣREEs, followed by lanthanum, neodymium, and yttrium. Roots were the most susceptible tissue affected by soil REE concentration, and a significant positive correlation was observed for REEs in the roots of marigold and soils (R = 0.87), while no significant correlation was observed for REEs in soils and other tissues. REEs were poorly transferred from soil to marigold, with bioaccumulation factor values for all tissues of marigold less than one. Additionally, REEs exhibited a positive correlation with Al and Fe in the roots, stems, leaves, and flowers of marigold. The present research revealed the biological interactions between marigold and soil and the distribution of REEs in various parts of marigold. It provides a reference for large-scale commercial cultivation and potential environmental risk in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

YAP/TAZ transcriptional co‐activators play pivotal roles in tumorigenesis. In the Hippo pathway, diverse signals activate the MST‐LATS kinase cascade that leads to YAP/TAZ phosphorylation, and subsequent ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation by SCFβ‐TrCP. When the MST‐LATS kinase cascade is inactive, unphosphorylated or dephosphorylated YAP/TAZ translocate into the nucleus to mediate TEAD‐dependent gene transcription. Hippo signaling‐independent YAP/TAZ activation in human malignancies has also been observed, yet the mechanism remains largely elusive. Here, we report that the ubiquitin E3 ligase HERC3 can promote YAP/TAZ activation independently of its enzymatic activity. HERC3 directly binds to β‐TrCP, blocks its interaction with YAP/TAZ, and thus prevents YAP/TAZ ubiquitination and degradation. Expression levels of HERC3 correlate with YAP/TAZ protein levels and expression of YAP/TAZ target genes in breast tumor cells and tissues. Accordingly, knockdown of HERC3 expression ameliorates tumorigenesis of breast cancer cells. Our results establish HERC3 as a critical regulator of the YAP/TAZ stability and a potential therapeutic target for breast cancer. Synopsis: The activity of the Hippo pathway transcriptional co‐activators YAP/TAZ is regulated by several ubiquitin E3 ligases, including the SCFβ‐TrCP complex. This study identifies a non‐enzymatic role of the E3 ligase HERC3 in regulation of YAP/TAZ stability in breast cancer. HERC3 can promote YAP/TAZ activation independently of its catalytic activity.HERC3 directly binds to the β‐TrCP substrate recognition subunit to block its recruitment to YAP/TAZ, thus preventing YAP/TAZ ubiquitination and degradation.HERC3 promotes breast tumorigenesis in a YAP/TAZ‐dependent manner.HERC3 expression level correlates with that of YAP/TAZ and their target genes in breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a novel technique with a wide range of applications, microbial fuel cell (MFC) could simultaneously remove organic contaminants and heavy metals in complex wastewater, despite striking differences in physicochemical properties of these contaminant. But its wastewater treatment efficiency is restricted by its lower generation performance. However, approaches for the modification of MFCs' cathode with appropriate catalyst could effectively overcome this limitation. Herein, a new-type efficient cathode catalyst was invented through modifying natural molybdenite via one-step oxidation method. In this case, molybdenite had many changes in morphology (wave-shaped bending, fragmentation and decrescent diameter) during oxidation modification process, and oxidation-modified molybdenite could provide much more active sites for the cathode. After applying this novel cathode catalyst, the electric generation capacity of MFC system increased by 5.08 times, and its simultaneous degradation efficiency of methyl blue (MB) and Cr (VI) increased by 3.35 times (compared with graphite cathode MFC). This study provides a novel low-carbon and environmentally friendly way to prepare high efficiency cathode catalyst materials and provides a new idea of simultaneous purification for organic and metallic pollutants from complex wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: WRKY transcription factors play pivotal roles in regulating plant multiple abiotic stress tolerance, however, a genome-wide systematical analysis of WRKY genes in sweetpotato is still missing. Results: Herein, 84 putative IbWRKYs with WRKY element sequence variants were identified in sweetpotato reference genomes. Fragment duplications, rather than tandem duplications, were shown to play prominent roles in IbWRKY gene expansion. The collinearity analysis between IbWRKYs and the related orthologs from other plants further depicted evolutionary insights into IbWRKYs. Phylogenetic relationships displayed that IbWRKYs were divided into three main groups (I, II and III), with the support of the characteristics of exon-intron structures and conserved protein motifs. The IbWRKY genes, mainly from the group Ib, displayed remarkable and diverse expression profiles under multiple abiotic stress (NaCl, PEG6000, cold and heat) and hormone (ABA, ACC, JA and SA) treatments, which were determined by RNA-seq and qRT-PCR assays, suggesting their potential roles in mediating particular stress responses. Moreover, IbWRKY58L could interact with IbWRKY82 as revealed by yeast two-hybrid based on the protein interaction network screening. And abiotic stress-remarkably induced IbWRKY21L and IbWRKY51 were shown to be localized in the nucleus and had no transactivation activities. Conclusion: These results provide valuable insights into sweetpotato IbWRKYs and will lay a foundation for further exploring functions and possible regulatory mechanisms of IbWRKYs in abiotic stress tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper has explored the effects of different gases on the foam‐coarsening behavior and drainage process of APG, and combined with molecular simulation to analyze the molecular behavior and interaction between molecules of APG in different gas phases. The influence mechanism of different gases on APG was analyzed by radial distribution function (RDF), mean square displacement (MSD), interaction energy (IFE) and other results. The results show that due to the interaction between gas, water and APG, the hydrophilicity and molecular behavior of APG are affected, resulting in differences in coarsening behavior and drainage process of foam. CO2 has a significant impact on the stability of APG foam. When N2 is used as the foaming gas, APG foam has the most stable foam performance. This work provides relevant information about the factors affecting the foam stability and contributes to a better understanding of the foam stability mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The venation-finned porous network has been demonstrated as a promising method to maximize the thermal transport access. To improve the heat storage efficiency, an innovative venation-finned porous network is employed here to enhance the melting performance of phase change materials (PCMs). The venation-finned porous network is quantitatively described by Murray's law and Voronoi method, and a modified thermal lattice Boltzmann model of PCM melting processes in a square cavity is developed and numerically analyzed to optimize the venation-finned porous network. The melting performance of composite PCMs with three configurations (venation fin, porous network and venation-finned porous network) are compared and analyzed. Moreover, the effects of branching angle and Murray coefficient on melting performance are comprehensively studied. It indicates that venation-finned porous network is favorable to melting performance improvement due to venation's inherent efficient heat transfer paths. Compared to venation fins and porous networks, the melting duration time of venation-finned porous networks is reduced by 78.4% and 21.4%, respectively. Furthermore, the branching angle of 45 ∘ and Murray coefficient of 3 are suggested for maximizing the melting efficiency. Importantly, the melting mechanism is conduction and convective conjugated heat transfer in composite PCMs with venation fins, however, it is dominated by heat conduction for those with porous networks or venation-finned porous networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal performance of a heat pipe with axially trapezoidal grooves (HPATG) varies with inclination angles (the evaporator section is at lower position) under different heat loads is experimentally investigated in this paper. The inclination angles can be adjusted by a performance test system we built for this experiment. The axial temperature distribution of the HPATG under different working conditions (i.e., heat input as well as inclination angles) is obtained. The effects of heat loads and gravity caused by inclination on the thermal resistance as well as equivalent thermal conductivity of the HPATG are analyzed. Results indicate that the gravity exerts a vital effect on the axial temperature distribution of the HPATG under different heat loads. The heat transfer performance can be effectively enhanced under an appropriate inclination angle due to the well-matched relationship among the evaporation process of working liquid in grooves, condensation process of working medium and timely reflow of condensate liquid back to evaporator section. Additionally, the positive role of gravity on the evaporation heat transfer characteristics of HPATG becomes more obvious when the heat input keeps increasing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The plant-specific GRAS transcription factors play pivotal roles in various adverse environmental conditions. Numerous GRAS genes have been explored and characterized in different plants, however, comprehensive survey on GRASs in sweetpotato is lagging. Results: In this study, 72 putative sweetpotato IbGRAS genes with uneven distribution were isolated on 15 chromosomes and classified into 12 subfamilies supported by gene structures and motif compositions. Moreover, both tandem duplication and segmental duplication events played critical roles in the expansion of sweetpotato GRAS genes, and the collinearity between IbGRAS genes and the related orthologs from nine other plants further depicted evolutionary insights into GRAS gene family. RNA-seq analysis under salt stress and qRT-PCR detection of 12 selected IbGRAS genes demonstrated their significant and varying inductions under multiple abiotic stresses (salt, drought, heat and cold) and hormone treatments (ABA, ACC and JA). Consistently, the promoter regions of IbGRAS genes harbored a series of stress- and hormone-associated cis-acting elements. Among them, IbGRAS71, the potential candidate for breeding tolerant plants, was characterized as having transactivation activity in yeasts, while IbGRAS-2/-4/-9 did not. Moreover, a complex interaction relationship between IbGRASs was observed through the interaction network analysis and yeast two-hybrid assays. Conclusions: Our results laid a foundation for further functional identifications of IbGRAS genes, and multiple members may serve as potential regulators for molecular breeding of tolerant sweetpotato. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since its emergence, the pseudopotential lattice Boltzmann (LB) method has been regarded as a straightforward and practical approach for simulating single-component multiphase flows. However, its original form always results in a thermodynamic inconsistency, which, thus, impedes its further application. Several strategies for modifying the force term have been proposed to eliminate this limitation. In this study, four typical and widely used improved schemes—Li's single-relaxation-time (SRT) scheme [Li et al., "Forcing scheme in pseudopotential lattice Boltzmann model for multiphase flows," Phys. Rev. E 86, 016709 (2012)] and multiple-relaxation-times (MRT) scheme [Li et al., "Lattice Boltzmann modeling of multiphase flows at large density ratio with an improved pseudopotential model," Phys. Rev. E 87, 053301 (2013)], Kupershtokh's SRT scheme [Kupershtokh et al., "On equations of state in a lattice Boltzmann method," Comput. Math. Appl. 58, 965 (2009)], and Huang's MRT scheme [Huang and Wu, "Third-order analysis of pseudopotential lattice Boltzmann model for multiphase flow," J. Comput. Phys. 327, 121 (2016)]—are systematically analyzed and intuitively compared after an extension of the MRT framework. The theoretical and numerical results both indicate that the former three schemes are specific forms of the last one, which thus help further understand the improvements of these pseudopotential LB models for achieving thermodynamic consistency. In addition, we modified the calculation of the additional source term in the LB evolution equation. Numerical results for stationary and moving droplets confirm the higher accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a numerical investigation of the groove-embedded droplet dewetting process, namely the spontaneous transition from the Wenzel state to the Cassie state, using the multiphase lattice Boltzmann method. Numerical simulations are employed to reproduce the dynamic behaviors of extension, squeezing, rupture, and ejection of condensation droplets in a groove, allowing us to examine how the groove geometry and wettability affect the dewetting process. Our results identify three dewetting regimes, namely retention, partial dewetting, and complete dewetting. As the groove aspect ratio and hydrophilicity decrease, the dewetting regime changes from retention to partial dewetting, and then to complete dewetting. The partial dewetting and complete dewetting are two effective ways for droplet removing. In particular, a groove sidewall with enhanced hydrophobicity is desirable to stimulate the dewetting process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microbial extracellular electron transfer (EET) process plays an important role in biogeochemistry. Here, semiconducting minerals that participated in EET in high-altitude red soil were investigated for the first time. Semiconducting minerals and microbial communities were analyzed by XRD and 16S rRNA, respectively. The photoresponse and semiconducting mineral properties of red soil were characterized by linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and I–t curves, and well synchronous light-response properties were observed. Then, the EET process without light was explored in a dual-chamber system, the maximum power density of red soil cathode was nearly two times higher than graphite cathode, indicated that mineral serving as electron acceptor. Under light irradiation, the highest photo-current density (3.939 μA/cm2) was observed between red soil electrode and live bacteria, indicating the microbial EET process was significantly enhanced. Furthermore, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was employed to investigate the mechanism, results showed that the interface charge transfer resistance (Rct) of red soil electrode was obviously reduced from 396 to 316 Ω under light conditions. This study demonstrated that semiconducting minerals could participate microbial EET process via sunlight catalysis in high-altitude environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the fundamental mechanisms of vapor condensation on rough surfaces is crucial to a wide range of industrial applications. A hybrid thermal lattice Boltzmann model of the condensation heat transfer process on downward-facing rough surfaces characterized by the Cantor fractal is developed and numerically analyzed to investigate the condensation phase change behaviors on rough hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces. The dynamic behaviors of vapor condensation, including the evolutions of vapor–liquid interface, heat flux, condensate mass, and temperature distribution, on the hydrophilic and hydrophobic rough surfaces are presented and compared with corresponding smooth surfaces. The results indicate that the rough surface preferred a filmwise condensation under hydrophilic conditions but a hybrid dropwise–filmwise condensation under hydrophobic conditions. On the rough hydrophobic surface, the liquid film can rapidly adsorb droplets, maintaining a high-efficiency dropwise condensation. The absorption of droplets accelerates the liquid film growth and detachment process on the rough hydrophobic surface, which reduces the time-averaged thermal resistance of the filmwise region. These two behaviors together enhance condensation heat transfer on the downward-facing rough hydrophobic surface. Besides, stable dropwise condensation could also be formed on smooth hydrophilic surfaces and has better heat transfer performance than corresponding hydrophobic surfaces under the same heat transfer condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous thermocells that are eco‐friendly and capable of converting low‐grade heat into electricity continuously are promising candidates to power flexible and wearable devices in various application scenarios. However, challenges remain in their limited working temperatures, mechanical fragility, and poor thermoelectric performance, mainly due to the reduced entropy of both polymer chains and thermogalvanic ions at low temperatures. In this work, the challenges are addressed by introducing a synergistic chaotropic effect to destruct strong hydrogen bonds, increase polymers' entropic elasticity, and enlarge the entropy difference of thermogalvanic ions. An organohydrogel thermocell is designed with a chaotropic comonomer and a chaotropic cosolvent. The maximum normalized power density of the thermocell achieves 0.1 mW m−2 K−2, which is in the same order of magnitude as the highest record in current quasi‐solid thermocells. Even at −30 °C, the thermocell maintains the elongation at a break of more than 100% and a relatively high power density of 0.012 mW m−2 K−2. Furthermore, the thermocell shows the potential to light up a light‐emitting diode and stably works when compressed, bent, and stretched in a wide temperature range. This work provides insights on developing reliable power sources to drive flexible electronics continually in extremely cold environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Real-time volumetric particle tracking velocimetry (VPTV) equipped with field-programmable gate array (FPGA) cameras has been used for open-space, low particle density, and large-scale airflow measurements with long measurement periods. However, the particle detection accuracy of FPGA cameras is inevitably hindered by non-uniform illumination, resulting in a reduction in the particle detection ratio and positional accuracy. In this article, we propose to use both synchronized FPGA and grayscale cameras in a VPTV system, where grayscale cameras utilize a new algorithm based on two-frame centroid and corner extraction (TFCCE) under non-uniform white-light illumination. To keep the frame rate of the FPGA cameras the same, the TFCCE algorithm was accelerated by a graphics processing unit (GPU). The simulation results showed that the 2D particle detection ratio of TFCCE was enhanced to approximately 80% with a positional accuracy of 0.57 pixels, compared to 30% and 0.94 pixels for the single-frame centroid extraction used in the FPGA. The GPU version of TFCCE was 15.09 times faster than the CPU version, resulting in a calculation time of 4.55 ms per image, compared to 68.70 ms when using the CPU. This system was also validated by the measurement of a turbulent jet flow in real-time at 120 fps. The experimental results correspond well with data published in the literature. Therefore, this new algorithm can improve VPTV systems in terms of particle detection ratio and positional accuracy in real time under conditions of non-uniform illumination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors present a wideband circularly polarised antenna array consisting of a 10‐element ellipse dipole antenna and a feed network. A metal pillar is vertically loaded at the end of each ellipse dipole arm to extend the current path, thereby reducing the lateral dimension of the antenna element. For uniform coverage over the Earth's surface, antenna with an isoflux pattern is required due to its uniform power density over a wide coverage area. To obtain wideband and isoflux characteristics, the amplitude and phase distributions along the network are optimised by applying the hybrid of the genetic algorithm and particle swarm optimisation. Particularly, the feed network with broadband phase shifting performance is designed to attain a broad bandwidth requirement. The proposed antenna can achieve excellent impedance matching and axial ratio characteristics from 1.1 to 1.6 GHz. In addition, the isoflux radiation pattern is obtained with the beamwidth of ±21° where the gain is higher than 0 dBi in the elevation plane (xoz‐Plane). The realised gain is better than 10.2 dBi and the side lobes are below −14.2dB across the operating frequency. Finally, the antenna array is manufactured and measured, and good agreement is achieved between the simulation and measurement results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analog signal processing (ASP) circuit used for CMOS image sensor (CIS) readout is presented. The proposed ASP mainly includes a two-stage programmable gain amplifier (PGA), a sample-and-hold amplifier (SHA) merged by a pipelined analog–digital converter (ADC), and a digital-analog converter (DAC). Compared with conventional readout architecture, the proposed can provide finer gain, level shifting as well as offset calibrating function. A 1.5-Mpixel 60-fps CIS with the ASP is fabricated in a 0.13 μm 1P4M CMOS mixed signal process. The experiment results indicate the sensor can normally capture images without missing code. Moreover, the measured maximum gain error of the PGA is 1.6%, and the power dissipation is 16.5 mW for single ASP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient thermal management has become an important challenge for the integration and miniaturization of electronic devices with high power density. Phase change material (PCM)-based finned heat sink is an efficient passive cooling technology for an intermittent-use electronic device with high power density. The present work reports an experimental study on the transient thermal performance of PCM-based finned heat sinks for thermal management of electronic devices, with particular emphasis on the roles of heat load and PCM volumetric fraction. The temperature response and melting front evolution in heat sinks are analyzed and compared with the corresponding cavity. Moreover, the effects of heat load, fin geometry and PCM volumetric fraction on the melting performance of heat sinks are discussed. The results indicate the presence of fins effectively improves the thermal performance of PCM-based heat sinks, and a more fin number leads to a lower operating temperature and hence the duration of electronic devices is longer in an accepted temperature. Moreover, a higher input heat flux results in a higher operating temperature and a shorter duration of low operating temperature. The increase in PCM volumetric fraction enhances the thermal storage capacity of finned heat sinks and reduces the operating temperature. Therefore, the finned heat sinks filled with PCM ensure sufficiently low operating temperature for perfect reliability and duration of high-power-density electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present research conducts an experimental study on the thermal performance of the finned metal foam (FMF) heat sinks with phase change material. The dynamic temperature response of an FMF heat sink is analyzed and compared with the corresponding finned heat sink. The effects of porosity and pore density on the thermal performance of FMF heat sinks are analyzed. Furthermore, the enhancement ratio and heat exchange capability are evaluated for the optimization of FMF heat sinks. The results indicate that the thermal conduction enhancement caused by the addition of metal foam exceeds the heat transfer loss arising from the suppression of natural convection. A decrease in porosity leads to an increase in heat exchange capability and contributes to a higher enhancement ratio. Considering the tradeoff between the low operating temperature and longer duration of reliability, the porosity of 0.9 is the best choice for FMF heat sinks. Though the porosity is identical, the thermal performance of an FMF heat sink is better with the increase of pore density. Considering the maximum energy charging capacities are identical, the FMF heat sink with larger pore density is recommended for practical engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been discovered to dictate the development of various tumors. However, studies on the roles of miRNAs in the progression of gastric cancer (GC) are still lacking. Methods: Herein, by analyzing GC cell lines and patients samples, we observed that miR-148b-5p was significantly downregulated in GC. We also confirmed that miR-148b-5p overexpression significantly inhibited GC cell proliferation and invasion in vitro and in vivo. Results: Overexpression of miR-148b-5p not only reprogrammed the metabolic properties of GC but also regulated the immune microenvironment by shifting lymphocyte and myeloid populations. Mechanistically, ATPIF1, an important glycolysis-associated gene, was identified as a direct target of miR-148b-5p and mediated the effect of miR-148b-5p. Notably, the low level of miR-148b-5p was significantly related with poor prognosis of GC patients (P < 0.001). Importantly, the levels of miR-148b-5p significantly changed the sensitivity of GC cells to several anti-cancer drugs (Doxorubicin, P < 0.05, Paclitaxel, P < 0.01, Docetaxel, P < 0.05). Conclusions: Targeting miR-148b-5p inhibits immunity microenvironment and gastric cancer progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a high-performance mixed controlled crystal oscillator. The digital-controlled part is based on a Pierce topology with switched-capacitor bank. Wide tuning range and high linearity are simultaneously achieved by combining discrete capacitors and a continuous voltage tuning varactor. The pull ability is around 99 ppm output frequency variation range. For noise reduction, the supply voltage of the mixed controlled crystal oscillator is regulated at 2.5 V by using on-chip low-drop regulators. The measured phase noise is −145 dBc/Hz at 1 kHz offset frequency by using a 40 MHz fundamental AT–cut crystal. The chip area is 3.6 mm2 for a 0.35 μm standard CMOS process with 3.3 V supply voltage and the power dissipation is 7 mW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The performance enhancement of latent heat storage (LHS) units is of great consequence for the development of sustainable energy. In this article, the transient models of phase‐change heat transfer processes in LHS units with consideration of natural convection are developed and numerically analyzed, in an effort to explore the role of the fractal tree‐shaped fin in the energy charging performance. The solid‐liquid interface evolution and dynamic temperature response in the tree‐shaped finned LHS unit are presented and compared with the wheel‐shaped one. Moreover, the influence of the fin number is investigated for maximizing the energy charging performance. The results indicate that the tree‐shaped fin has merits of effective layout optimization for the point‐to‐area heat transfer and the time‐coordination of energy charging and discharging process. Compared with the wheel‐shaped fin, the melting duration time is decreased only a little for the presence of tree‐shaped fin, however, the solidification process is decreased significantly. The presence of tree‐shaped fin leads to a lower energy charging rate during the early and middle stages of the charging process due to the natural convection suppression, however, the energy charging rate is faster during the later stage due to the thermal conduction dominated interior heat transfer. For maximizing the melting performance, the appropriate fin number in practical applications is 16. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fractal Brownian motion is utilized to describe pore structures in porous media. A numerical model of laminar flow in porous media is developed, and the flow characteristics are comprehensively analyzed and compared with those of homogeneous porous media. Moreover, the roles of the fractal dimension and porosity in permeability are quantitatively described. The results indicate that the pore structures of porous media significantly affect their seepage behaviors. The distributions of pressure and velocity in fractal porous media are both non-uniform; the streamline is no longer straight but tortuous. When Reynolds number Re < 1, the dimensionless permeability is independent of Reynolds number, but its further increase will lead to a smaller permeability. Moreover, due to the higher connectivity and enlarged equivalent aperture of internal channel network, the augment in porosity leads to the permeability enhancement, while it is small and insensitive to porosity variation when ε < 0.6. Fractal dimension also plays a significant role in the permeability of porous media. The increase in fractal dimension leads to the enhancement in pore connectivity and a decrease in channel tortuosity, which reduces the flow resistance and improves the transport capacity of porous media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a free energy lattice Boltzmann model of vapor condensation on a surface with a wettability gradient is developed and numerically analyzed to understand the microscopic behaviors of self-propelled droplet condensation. The effect of wettability gradient on droplet self-motion and coalescence as well as vapor condensation is examined and investigated. The condensation rate is presented during the whole droplet condensation process to analyze the role of wettability gradient on droplet condensation. The results indicate that the surface with wettability gradient is preferred for vapor condensation owing to the appearance of self-propelled droplet condensation. Condensate film is initially spread on the high surface energy region, and liquid nucleation sites form, grow and, subsequently, coalesce with other droplets on low surface energy regions. The condensation rate is higher on a surface with a larger wettability gradient due to the more effective removal of condensate. In addition, the condensation rate fluctuates with time at the quasi-steady-state stage. During the condensation process, the droplet coalescence triggers a sudden peak of condensation rate, and the generation of new nucleation results in a rapid increase in the condensation rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The current latent heat storage (LHS) units are usually poor in energy charging and discharging efficiency. Given this, a two dimensional (2D) numerical model of the energy discharging process is presented and comprehensively analyzed to predict the role of metal foam in the solidification performance of LHS units. In the model, the fractal geometry reconstructed by the fractal Brownian motion is utilized for the pore characterization of the metal foam. The proposed model is validated through a melting experiment in copper foams from the reference. The temperature dynamic response and the solidification front evolution in metal foam are analyzed and compared to those in a corresponding cavity. The roles of the fractal dimension and porosity in the solidification behaviors are quantitatively analyzed. The results report that the presence of metal foam enhances the solidification performance. For the main goal of maximizing the latent storage, the appropriate porosity of an LHS unit is dependent on the duration time for the heat discharging process in the real application of thermal energy storage. Even if the porosity is the same, the fractal dimension also affects the solidification performance. A decrease in the fractal dimension (lower degree of disorder for pore distribution) provides greater access to heat flow through the phase change material‐foam composite and thus leads to improvement in the interstitial heat transfer, which in turn accelerates the rate of heat release. The fractal dimension is expected to be less than 1.5 for superior solidification performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a readout IC (ROIC), which consists of a capacitively coupled instrumentation amplifier (CCIA) and a discrete-time delta–sigma modulator. An active high-pass filter is embedded in the ripple reduction loop to suppress the noise ripple amplitude due to chop modulation. To accommodate the input with large electrode offset, dc-servo loop (DSL) and a 6 bit capacitive DAC are employed to suppress large electrode offset, while a positive feedback loop to boost its input impedance. The complete CCIA is implemented in a standard 0.18 μm 1P6M CMOS process. It occupies an area of 0.56 mm2 (including DSL) and consumes 52 μA current from a 3.3 V supply voltage. Measurement results indicate that the input reference noise PSD is 53.8 nV√Hz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the multiphase lattice Boltzmann method, a transient model of vapor–liquid phase change in an enclosed narrow space during startup operation is developed and numerically analyzed to investigate the two-phase dynamics and heat transfer behaviors in the confined flat two-phase thermosiphon. The transient temperature distribution, vapor–liquid interface evolution and thermal performance are investigated over a wide range of heat load and liquid filling ratio. The results indicate that, as heat load increases, the intermittent nucleation boiling, fully developed nucleation boiling and film boiling sequentially takes place at the evaporator section of the confined flat two-phase thermosiphon. Correspondingly, the transient temperature evolution shows the periodic large-amplitude fluctuation, the random medium-amplitude fluctuation, and gentle small-amplitude fluctuation. The fully developed boiling is desirable for the heat transfer enhancement on the evaporator surface due to smaller temperature fluctuation and lower thermal resistance. The moderate liquid filling ratio ensures the desired interaction between the evaporator and condenser, resulting in superior thermal performance. To optimize the thermal performance, the optimal liquid filling ratio is about 40%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A theoretical model of unsteady melting heat transfer in a horizontal tube-shell TES unit is established and numerically solved based on the enthalpy-porosity method. In present research, the evolution of temperature field, velocity field, melting front and PCM enthalpy during the melting process under gravity and microgravity fields are compared and analyzed. The results indicate that the melting heat transfer under microgravity is dominated by heat conduction, while the natural convection dominates in the melting process under gravity. Consequently, melting performance under microgravity is weaker than that under gravity. Under gravity condition, vortices appear in the top half of the PCM and accelerate the melting process, and then the melting rate slows down gradually with the decrease of temperature gradient in PCM. However, due to no flow in the melting zone and the poor thermal conduction of PCM under microgravity, the melting area moves slowly outward in a circular type along the radial direction. In addition, the enthalpy difference of PCM under these two cases gradually enlarges as the melting goes on. At a typical time of 26,000 s, the enthalpy value of PCM under gravity is twice that under microgravity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A flow-focusing microfluidic chip based on assembled capillary method is developed and the solid-core encapsulation behaviors of double emulsion in a flow-focusing microchannel are visually observed via high-speed microscopic imaging system. The experimental results identify the encapsulation of single, double and triple cores in a flow-focusing microchannel arising from the competition among the inertial force of inner phase, the shear force of outer phase fluid, and the interfacial tension. In addition, the solid-core encapsulation of double emulsion in flow-focusing microchannel is either in the stable state or in the transition state, depending on the flow rates of inner and outer phase fluid. The stable microencapsulation includes the stable single-core, double-cores and triple-cores encapsulation states, while the transition microencapsulation includes the single-double-cores and double-triple-cores transition encapsulation state. Irrespective of encapsulation state, the solid-core encapsulation process can be classified into four stages, including entering, neck stretch, neck shrinking and breakup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by the snowflake structure, an innovative Koch-fractal fin is proposed to optimize the fin geometry of the latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) units. A model of unsteady heat transfer accompanied with phase change is developed and numerically analyzed to investigate the effect of fin structure on the discharging process of a LHTES unit. The dynamic response of heat release, the dynamic temperature response and solidification front evolution of a LHTES unit with Koch-fractal fins are discussed and compared with the corresponding radial fins. Furthermore, a comprehensive evaluation of thermal performance of LHTES units is conducted in terms of the TES capacity, TES rate and solidification time. The results indicate that the heat release rate of a LHTES unit with Koch-fractal fins is faster than that with radial fins. Moreover, because the Koch-fractal fins have advantages of higher specific surface area, faster heat flow path from point to surface and smaller thermal resistance arising from the reasonable spatial layout, the evolution of solidification front is faster and the temperature distribution is more uniform. The results of quantitative evaluation show that although the TES capacity is identical, the TES rate of a LHTES unit with Koch-fractal fins is six times that with radial fins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fractal geometry provides a new insight for the description for actual pore structure of metal foams. In this paper, the fractal grids are introduced to describe the pore structure of metal foams. A two-dimensional unsteady melting model of phase change material (PCM) in the cross-fractal metal foam is developed and numerically simulated. The transient temperature variation and melting front evolution during the charging process in the cross-fractal metal foam are analyzed. The effects of initial temperature difference, porosity and fractal dimension on the melting heat transfer in fractal metal foam are examined and analyzed. The results indicate that the temperature distribution is more uniform and the melting rate is faster in the cross-fractal metal foam compared with that in the corresponding cavity structure. Interestingly, the fractal metal foam with smaller fractal dimension provides a faster heat flow path and hence enhances the melting performance though the porosity is identical. The melting performance in fractal metal foam can be enhanced when the metal foams have a lower porosity, a smaller fractal dimension and a larger initial temperature difference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose When hydrogen evolution reaction occurs on a metal surface, on the one hand, the generated hydrogen atom may penetrate into the metal that causes the hydrogen embrittlement failure of materials; on the other hand, the hydrogen generation may increase the local pressure in the coating and cause coating blistering. The purpose of this study is to study the effect of NaCl concentration and pH on hydrogen evolution reaction of X60 steel.Design/methodology/approach A cathodic polarization curve 257E-2V vs OCP and EIS was obtained by conventional three-electrode system in different NaCl concentrations, 257E3.5 and pH. Second, various parameters such as hydrogen evolution, over-potential current–density polarization resistance and capacitance of double electric layer were obtained based on fitting of the experimental data. Finally, the reaction mechanism was determined by Tafel curves.Findings It was concluded that in different NaCl concentrations, diffusion layer induced by concentration polarization affects the diffusion process of H+ ions, which makes over-potential increase. Under great effect of concentration polarization, the reaction is different in acid and alkaline environments, and the dielectric layer shows the characteristic of meta-alkaline adsorption, which makes difference in mechanism.Originality/value This research not only has theoretical significance but also gains utilization prospect. Ultimately, this research could be applied to clear hydrogen evolution process and protect long-distance pipeline against delamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gravity–capillary evaporation phase change in microgrooves inside a heat pipe is experimentally investigated by a visualization system. The evaporation regime, startup temperature response, and evaporation thermal resistance for gravity–capillary evaporation are evaluated and compared with those for capillary evaporation. The results identify oscillatory motion of vapor–liquid interface for gravity–capillary evaporation in rectangular microgrooves arising from the competition between gravity, the capillary force, and the shear force. In addition, the presence of gravity introduces the transition from fin–film evaporation regime to corner–film evaporation regime in rectangular microgrooves, and hence results in an overshoot startup and temperature oscillation during the process of gravity–capillary evaporation. Interestingly, the corner–film evaporation improves the evaporation phase change performance in the microgrooves. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 65: 1119–1125, 2019 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioinspired self-healing carriers can cost-effectively repair crack damage in functional materials without detection, analysis, or any type of human intervention. In this study, an effective structured self-healing microcarrier is prepared through a single-step microfluidic method. These microcarriers are self-contained core-shell microcapsules with the healant and the curing agent encapsulated in separate chambers of a single capsule. Because microfluidics are versatile, our fabrication method generates unique structures in which the ratio of the agents can be precisely adjusted, and thus, the reaction kinetics and the cost can be well controlled. Such carriers can be embedded into various material matrices, including bulk pellets and film materials, which maintain satisfactory mechanical properties after being damaged and repaired. These attractive features may establish an approach for microfluidic preparation of self-healing materials and may open up avenues for the development of intelligent self-healing materials for military equipment, electronic products, architectural materials, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aneurysms of the aortic sinus are well‐known clinical entities that can bulge into adjacent heart chambers or vessels. They usually reside in the right ventricle and very rarely bulge into the left ventricle causing mitral valve deformation. A 47‐year‐old man was admitted for shortness of breath and chest pain after exertion. He was diagnosed with a noncoronary sinus of Valsalva aneurysm bulging into the mitral valve's anterior leaflet. The aortic valve and mitral valve annulus were severely damaged and irreparable. A Bentall procedure and mechanical mitral valve replacement were performed. The patient recovered uneventfully and was discharged 11 days later. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A numerical model was developed on the diffusion, migration and concentration distribution of exhausts and particles in atmospheric wind field at Antarctica. The characteristics of diffusion, migration and concentration distribution of exhausts and particles generated by fuel engine was studied using computational fluid dynamics combined with particle dynamics and DSMC (direct simulation Monte Carlo) method. The results show that the mass concentration of NO2 and exhaust temperature decrease rapidly near the exhaust pipe, while the exhaust diffusion decrease slowly away from the exhaust pipe. The collision and cohesion reduces the concentration of the particles in atmospheric wind field, with the reduction of the influence region by the diffusion of particles in the atmospheric environment It increases the mass concentration of particles in each location by the increase of mass flow rate and initial size of the particles and the decrease of the atmospheric wind velocity. Althrough the influence radius varies with the particle flow rate, initial size and wind velocity, the mass concentration of particles meets the national standard at the distance of about 40 m away from the particle diffusion source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Siyuan Liu, Chengbin Zhang and Fen Guo contributed equally to this work. Reference 1 Liu S, Zhang C, Guo F. A systematical genome-wide analysis and screening of WRKY transcription factor family engaged in abiotic stress response in sweetpotato. [Extracted from the article]

Chemisorption of NO and successive heterogeneous reduction mechanisms on the well-defined char models under carbon/char-CO2 gasification condition were investigated using density functional theory at the B3LYP/6-31G (d) level of theory. The characteristics of gasification process were concluded and incorporated into the theoretical calculations by establishing three gasification char models and taking into account the presence of CO in ambient gas pool. The results indicate that both the configuration of char model and adsorption mode have significant influence on the NO adsorption energy. Intensive gasification surface is likely to be thermally unfavorable and the O-down mode is regarded as the most inactive approach for NO’s adsorbing. Finally, NO heterogeneous reduction mechanisms on the three char models under gasification are proposed based on detailed analysis on thermodynamic data and atomic bond populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microfluidic systems with splitting structures are excellent for increasing emulsion production. However, traditional two-dimensional (2D) lithographic systems require complex modification of the microchannel surfaces and achieve only 2D splitting of the droplets. Herein, we present new glass capillary microfluidic devices that perform three-dimensional (3D) splitting of droplets. These devices are simply constructed using different structural glass capillaries as the collection microchannels of the droplet microfluidic systems. We demonstrate that the devices are able to produce a 3D split of both single emulsions and double emulsions into two and three portions, respectively. These emulsions, after the splitting process, still have high monodispersity. We believe that this new technique for 3D splitting could be widely used, not only in the field of microfluidics but also in chemical/biological applications (e.g., drug delivery, micro-dispersion, etc.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]