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Catalytic conversion of CO2 to CO via the reverse water gas shift (RWGS) reaction has been identified as a promising approach for CO2 utilization and mitigation of CO2 emissions. Bare Pt shows low activity for the RWGS reaction due to its low oxophilicity, with few research works having concentrated on the inverse metal oxide/Pt catalyst for the RWGS reaction. In this work, MnOx was deposited on the Pt surface over a SiO2 support to prepare the MnOx/Pt inverse catalyst via a co-impregnation method. Addition of 0.5 wt% Mn to 1 wt% Pt/SiO2 improved the intrinsic reaction rate and turnover frequency at 400 °C by two and twelve times, respectively. Characterizations indicate that MnOx partially encapsulates the surface of the Pt particles and the coverage increases with increasing Mn content, which resembles the concept of strong metal–support interaction (SMSI). Although the surface accessible Pt sites are reduced, new MnOx/Pt interfacial perimeter sites are created, which provide both hydrogenation and C-O activation functionalities synergistically due to the close proximity between Pt and MnOx at the interface, and therefore improve the activity. Moreover, the stability is also significantly improved due to the coverage of Pt by MnOx. This work demonstrates a simple method to tune the oxide/metal interfacial sites of inverse Pt-based catalyst for the RWGS reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the widespread use of mulching film in cotton planting in China, residual mulching film mixed with machine-picked cotton poses a significant hazard to cotton processing. Detecting residual mulching film in seed cotton has become particularly challenging due to the film's semi-transparent nature. This study constructed an imaging system combining an area array camera and a line scan camera. A detection scheme was proposed that utilized features from both image types. To simulate online detection, samples were placed on a conveyor belt moving at 0.2 m/s, with line lasers at a wavelength of 650 nm as light sources. For area array images, feature extraction was performed to establish a partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) model. For line scan images, texture feature analysis was used to build a support vector machine (SVM) classification model. Subsequently, image features from both cameras were merged to construct an SVM model. Experimental results indicated that detection methods based on area array and line scan images had accuracies of 75% and 79%, respectively, while the feature fusion method achieved an accuracy of 83%. This study demonstrated that the proposed method could effectively improve the accuracy of residual mulching film detection in seed cotton, providing a basis for reducing residual mulching film content during processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: At present, the most effective treatment for symptomatic moyamoya disease (MMD) is surgery. However, the high incidence of postoperative complications is a serious problem plaguing the surgical treatment of MMD, especially the acute cerebral infarction. Decreased cerebrovascular reserve is an independent risk factor for ischemic infarction, and the pulsatility index (PI) of transcranial Doppler (TCD) is a common intuitive index for evaluating intracranial vascular compliance. However, the relationship between PI and the occurrence of ischemic stroke after operation is unclear. Objective: To explore whether the PI in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) could serve as a potential predictor for the occurrence of ischemic infarction after bypass surgery in MMD. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of data from 71 patients who underwent combined revascularization surgery, including superficial temporal artery-middle cerebral artery (STA-MCA) anastomosis and encephalo-duro-myo-synangiosis (EDMS). The patients were divided into two groups according to the median of ipsilateral MCA-PI before operation, low PI group (MCA-PI < 0.614) and high PI group (MCA-PI ≥ 0.614). Univariate and multivariate regression analysis were used to explore risk factors affecting the occurrence of postoperative cerebral infarction. Results: Among the 71 patients with moyamoya disease, 11 patients had cerebral infarction within one week after revascularization. Among them, 10 patients' ipsilateral MCA-PI were less than 0.614, and another one's MCA- PI is higher than 0.614. Univariate analysis showed that the lower ipsilateral MCA-PI (0.448 ± 0.109 vs. 0.637 ± 0.124; P = 0.001) and higher Suzuki stage (P = 0.025) were linked to postoperative cerebral infarction. Multivariate analysis revealed that lower ipsilateral MCA-PI was an independent risk factor for predicting postoperative cerebral infarction (adjusted OR = 14.063; 95% CI = 6.265 ~ 37.308; P = 0.009). Conclusions: A lower PI in the ipsilateral MCA may predict the cerebral infarction after combined revascularization surgery with high specificity. And combined revascularization appears to be safer for the moyamoya patients in early stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Tuned viscous mass damper with negative stiffness (TVMDNS) has higher damping efficiency and broadband characteristics for vibration control by utilizing dual benefits of the inerter and negative stiffness. And single-performance H∞ or H2 optimal methods are adopted to determine the optimal parameters of TVMDNS individually. However, the vibration mitigation performance of the TVMDNS under high-frequency or resonance excitation based on H∞ optimization is lesser than H2 optimization, and quasi-static or low-frequency displacement response based on H2 optimization will be greater than H∞ optimization. An analytical strategy considering a dual-performance of H∞ and H2 norms is lacking at present. Methods: For this reason, closed-form expressions are derived for the control of structural displacement responses based on hybrid H2/H∞ optimal approach. The vibration mitigation performance of the TVMDNS is evaluated considering harmonic, stochastic, and impulsive excitation using different optimal methods. Results: The initial static responses and ultra-low-frequency in hybrid H2/H∞ optimal methods are between H2 and H∞ optimal design, and the high-frequency and resonance dynamic responses are also between those, which indicates an excellent and balanced control performance combining the advantages of H2 and H∞ solutions. And the global vibration control can be achieved by this dual-performance-based optimal strategy. Conclusion: When designing the specific TVMDNS, hybrid H2/H∞ optimal design can be considered as the best choice for its compatibility and high adaptability for complex stochastic excitation. Furthermore, this approach can be extended for various topology connection forms of inerter and negative stiffness system for energy dissipation or vibration control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Drought is one of the major environmental constraints for wheat production world‐wide. As the progenitor and genetic reservoir of common wheat, emmer wheat is considered as an invaluable gene pool for breeding drought‐tolerant wheat.Combining GWAS and eGWAS analysis of 107 accessions, we identified 86 QTLs, 105 462 eQTLs as well as 68 eQTL hotspots associating with drought tolerance (DT) in emmer wheat.A complex regulatory network composed of 185 upstream regulator and 2432 downstream drought‐responsive candidates was developed, of which TtOTS1 was found to play a negative effect in determining DT through affecting root development.This study sheds light on revealing the genetic basis underlying DT, which will provide the indispensable genes and germplasm resources for elite drought tolerance wheat improvement and breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interfacial solar‐driven evaporation has attracted much attention due to its high photothermal conversion efficiency. The core technology of photothermal conversion is photothermal materials, biomass photothermal materials are characterized by low cost, large specific surface area, environmental friendliness, and renewability. Discarded tea leaf residue (TLR) is harmful to the environment and has good recycling potential. In this work, a high‐performance, low‐cost, environmentally friendly solar steam generation material is fabricated by combining polyvinyl alcohol hydrogels and biomass photothermal material TLR. TheTLR hydrogel utilizes solar energy as a renewable energy source for desalination. Under 1.0 kW m−2 simulated solar irradiation, the evaporation rate is 1.35 kg m−2 h−1 and the evaporation efficiency is 93.35%. The waste heat generated during solar water evaporation can be effectively used for synergistic water‐electricity cogeneration, thus achieving an evaporation rate and voltage of 0.91 kg m−2 h−1 and 58.8 mV under 1.0 kW m−2 solar irradiation, respectively. The prepared hydrogel can also be used as a good organic dye adsorbent material, which has a broad application prospect in wastewater treatment. This method for preparing solar absorbers reduces manufacturing costs environmentally friendly and guides the potential practical application using discarded waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The series tuned inerter dampers (STID) with distributed inerters are proposed in this paper to suppress seismic response for ground motion excited structures with broadband characteristics. In order to reveal the mechanism of the STID for vibration mitigation, the dimensionless displacement objective function of a single degree of freedom structure equipped with an STID under random Gaussian white noise base excitations is thereupon derived. Based on the principle of the reasonable distribution of inertance, the analytical optimal design parameters of STID are obtained under constraint for total inerter-mass ratio. The vibration mitigation performance of the STID is evaluated and further compared with the tuned inerter damper (TID), tuned mass damper (TMD) and typical series dampers using same mass ratio or inerter-mass ratio when structure is subjected to harmonic and random excitation. Results demonstrate that the performance of structural vibration control and broadband characteristics of STID outperform both the TMD and TID. On the condition of same inerter-mass ratio, the deformation enhancement of damping element can be further increased compared with TID because of dual-tuning effect of series inerters. The higher vibration control performance of STID is realized by using very small nominal damping ratio compared with the TMD and TID. Meanwhile, there exist two grounded inerters in STID compared to other series dampers, and both two subsystems are not affected by base random acceleration excitation which also brings STID a wider VSB and better seismic response mitigation effect. Substantially, due to STID is a type of dual-grounded inerter-based device, for force and base acceleration excited main system, the optimal expressions are identical. Hence, STID can adapt to more complex practical engineering and random and diverse excitations. Hence, the STID can be deemed to be a broadband, high effectiveness and high-performance inerter system. Meanwhile, considering low damping, lightweight and flexible install of STID, it is easier for implementation in practical engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

4‐Hydroxy‐2,5‐dimethyl‐3(2H)‐furanone (HDMF) is a flavor compound widely found in natural products and is used in food as a flavor‐enhancing agent. Quinone oxidoreductase (QOR) was verified as a key enzyme to synthesize HDMF in strawberry, while its impact on HDMF production by Zygosaccharomyces rouxii was still unknown. The QOR gene was cloned and overexpressed in Z. rouxii, and its impact on HDMF production by Z. rouxii was then further analyzed. At the same time, it is expected to obtain engineered strains of Z. rouxii with high HDMF production. The results showed that the engineered strains of Z. rouxii exhibit different levels of QOR gene expression and HDMF production; among them, the QOR6 strain exhibiting the highest gene expression level and HDMF production was named as ZrQOR. The HDMF production of the ZrQOR strain was significantly higher than that of wild‐type Z. rouxii at 3 and 5 days of culture, with 1.41‐fold and 1.08‐fold increases, respectively. At 3 days of fermentation, the highest HDMF yield of ZrQOR strain was obtained (2.75 mg/L), 2 days ahead of the reported highest HDMF production by Z. rouxii. At 3, 5, and 7 days, QOR gene expression was 4.8‐fold, 3.3‐fold, and 5.6‐fold higher in the ZrQOR strain than in the wild‐type Z. rouxii, respectively. Therefore, overexpression of the QOR gene facilitates HDMF synthesis. The genetic stability of the 0–20 generation ZrQOR strain was stable, and there was no significant difference in colony shape, QOR expression, or HDMF production compared to the wild type. In this study, the genetic engineering Z. rouxii strain was used to improve HDMF production. This research has laid the groundwork for further industrial production of HDMF via microbial synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lightweight and high-strength insulation materials have important application prospects in the aerospace, metallurgical, and nuclear industries. In this study, a highly porous silica fiber reinforced phenolic resin matrix composite was prepared by vacuum impregnation and atmospheric drying using quartz fiber needled felt as reinforcement and anhydrous ethanol as a pore-making agent. The effects of curing agent content on the structure, composition, density, and thermal conductivity of the composite were studied. The mechanical properties of the composite in the xy direction and z direction were analyzed. The results showed that this process can also produce porous phenolic resin (PR) with a density as low as 0.291 g/cm3, where spherical phenolic resin particles are interconnected to form a porous network structure with a particle size of about 5.43 μm. The fiber-reinforced porous PR had low density (0.372~0.397 g/cm3) and low thermal conductivity (0.085~0.095 W/m·K). The spherical phenolic resin particles inside the composite were well combined with the fiber at the interface and uniformly distributed in the fiber lap network. The composite possessed enhanced mechanical properties with compressive strength of 3.5–5.1 MPa in the xy direction and appeared as gradual compaction rather than destruction as the strain reached 30% in the z direction. This research provides a lightweight and high-strength insulation material with a simple preparation process and excellent performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The packing of hard segment in polyurethane hard domain has not been resolved or seen clearly yet. In this work, we prepared polyurethane blends, which were composed of different weight ratios of crystallizable 1195A and non‐crystallizable EG85A, to study the structural evolution and crystallization in mixed hard domain. Time and temperature dependent differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and x‐ray diffraction results were used to record the micro‐phase evolution and crystallization processes. It was very surprising to find that the multiple melting temperatures in these blends were similar. We deduced that the packing of hard segment tended to separate into different groups, probably dependent on their segmental length. The crystalline nucleus was consist of 1195A hard segments with similar length, and the out‐layer structure was consisted of mixed hard segments of varying lengths. The FTIR results demonstrated that crystallinity did not affect the degree of hydrogen bonding association (HBA), and the stacking of hard segments may be only differed in the degree of ordering. Moreover, the degree of HBA of the blends was always higher than the calculated number based on weight ratio of pure samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dyslexia and developmental language disorders are important learning difficulties. However, their genetic basis remains poorly understood, and most genetic studies were performed on Europeans. There is a lack of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on literacy phenotypes of Chinese as a native language and English as a second language (ESL) in a Chinese population. In this study, we conducted GWAS on 34 reading/language-related phenotypes in Hong Kong Chinese bilingual children (including both twins and singletons; total N = 1046). We performed association tests at the single-variant, gene, and pathway levels. In addition, we tested genetic overlap of these phenotypes with other neuropsychiatric disorders, as well as cognitive performance (CP) and educational attainment (EA) using polygenic risk score (PRS) analysis. Totally 5 independent loci (LD-clumped at r2 = 0.01; MAF > 0.05) reached genome-wide significance (p < 5e-08; filtered by imputation quality metric Rsq>0.3 and having at least 2 correlated SNPs (r2 > 0.5) with p < 1e-3). The loci were associated with a range of language/literacy traits such as Chinese vocabulary, character and word reading, and rapid digit naming, as well as English lexical decision. Several SNPs from these loci mapped to genes that were reported to be associated with EA and other neuropsychiatric phenotypes, such as MANEA and PLXNC1. In PRS analysis, EA and CP showed the most consistent and significant polygenic overlap with a variety of language traits, especially English literacy skills. To summarize, this study revealed the genetic basis of Chinese and English abilities in a group of Chinese bilingual children. Further studies are warranted to replicate the findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hyperlipidemia is characterized by abnormally elevated blood lipids. Quinoa saponins (QS) have multiple pharmacological activities, including antitumor, bactericidal and immune‐enhancing effects. However, the lipid‐lowering effect and mechanisms of QS in vivo have been scarcely reported. Methods: The effect of QS against hyperlipidemia induced by high‐fat diet in rats was explored based on gut microbiota and serum non‐targeted metabolomics. Results: The study demonstrated that the supplementation of QS could reduce serum lipids, body weight, liver injury and inflammation. 16S rRNA sequencing demonstrated that QS mildly increased alpha‐diversity, altered the overall structure of intestinal flora, decreased the relative richness of Firmicutes, the ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (P < 0.05) and increased the relative richness of Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Bifidobacterium, Roseburia and Coprococcus (P < 0.05). Simultaneously, metabolomics analysis showed that QS altered serum functional metabolites with respect to bile acid biosynthesis, arachidonic acid metabolism and taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, which were closely related to bile acid metabolism and fatty acid β‐oxidation. Furthermore, QS increased protein levels of farnesoid X receptor, peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor α and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1, which were related to the screened metabolic pathways. Spearman correlation analysis showed that there was a correlation between gut microbiota and differential metabolites. Conclusion: QS could prevent lipid metabolism disorders in hyperlipidemic rats, which may be closely associated with the regulation of the gut microbiota and multiple metabolic pathways. This study may provide new evidence for QS as natural active substances for the prevention of hyperlipidemia. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stone cultural heritage is exposed to various environments, resulting in a diverse range of weathering types. The identification of these weathering types is vital for targeted conservation efforts. In this paper, a weathering type classification method based on hyperspectral imaging technology is proposed. Firstly, fresh sandstones are collected from Yungang Grottoes to carry out the simulated weathering experiments, including freeze-thaw cycles and wet-dry cycles with acid, alkali and salt solutions. Subsequently, the hyperspectral imaging system was used to collect the visible-near-infrared (VNIR) and short-wave infrared (SWIR) images of the sandstone samples with different weathering types and degrees. The surface spectral reflectance of sandstone samples with different weathering types were used as training data, with weathering types serving as the labels. Support vector machine (SVM), K-nearest neighbour (KNN), linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and random forest (RF) were used to establish weathering type classification models. The results show that the SVM model and LDA model based on both VNIR and SWIR spectra exhibit outstanding performance, with a best accuracy of 0.994. The framework proposed in this paper facilitates rapid and non-contact assessment of the weathering types of the superficial layers of stone cultural heritage, thereby supporting more targeted conservation work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Non‐operating revenue (NOR), derived from investments, contributions, government appropriations, and medical space rentals, can contribute to financial stability of hospitals by offsetting operating losses and improving profitability. NOR might benefit rural hospitals that often face intense financial pressures. However, little is known about how much rural hospitals rely on NOR and if certain organizational characteristics are associated with differences in NOR. Methods: Healthcare Cost Report Information System data from 2011 to 2019 were used to analyze sources of revenue among Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and Rural Prospective Payment System (R‐PPS) hospitals through descriptive statistics and regression models. Reliance on NOR was measured by the percentage of total revenue from non‐operating sources. Findings: Results indicate that both CAHs and R‐PPS hospitals rely on NOR; however, CAHs have a higher percentage of total revenue derived from non‐operating sources (3.2%) as compared to R‐PPS hospitals (1.9%) (p < 0.001). Government‐owned hospitals have significantly higher reliance on NOR than other ownership types. System affiliation also influences reliance on NOR. Lastly, results suggest that NOR may play a role in improving overall profit margins. Conclusions: As rural hospitals disproportionately face challenges related to declining profitability and the risk for closure, they may rely on NOR to continue to strengthen financial performance and provide health care to their communities. However, NOR is not guaranteed, and reliance on NOR further reiterates the value of stable, adequate reimbursement to guard against fluctuations in NOR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dombi operations have the advantage of flexible operations corresponding to a changeable parameter. Then, in the existing literature, the Dombi operations lack the periodic/multitemporal operation property, and also there are no trigonometric Dombi aggregation operators for multiple attribute decision making (MADM), which show their limitation and research gap in multiple periodic MADM applications. To address their limitation and research gap, the main objective of this paper is to propose some single-valued neutrosophic element (SvNE) trigonometric Dombi aggregation operators for MADM problems. Based on this motivation, this study mainly includes the following contexts. First, we propose the trigonometric Dombi operations and the trigonometric Dombi operation laws of SvNEs based on sine and arcsine functions. Second, we establish the SvNE arcsine and sine trigonometric Dombi weighted average (SvNEASTDWA) and SvNE arcsine and sine trigonometric Dombi weighted geometric (SvNEASTDWG) operators and discuss their features. Third, a MADM technique is developed in terms of the SvNEASTDWA and SvNEASTDWG operators to tackle periodic/multitemporal MADM problems. Finally, the proposed technique is applied to a case study on the selection of COVID-19 vaccines to validate its rationality and validity under the scenario of SvNEs. Comparative results reveal that the established MADM technique using the SvNEASTDWA and SvNEASTDWG operators can show the advantage of both periodicity and flexibility and meet the flexible and multitemporal MADM requirements in actual applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared with tuned mass damper (TMD), grounded tuned mass damper inerter (GTMDI) has higher damping efficiency and wider vibration control range. In the previous study of GTMDI design method, there was no clear basis for the determination of mass ratio and inerter-mass ratio simultaneously, and only the values of stiffness ratio and damping ratio can be determined in detail. For the deficiency, a global optimization design method of GTMDI is proposed in this paper with the two objectives of the performance demands of the original structure and the deformation performance of the damping element, namely, dual-demand-based optimal design method (DDOM). And the optimization objectives and optimization basis of the mass ratio and inerter-mass ratio are given in detail. After the target vibration mitigation ratio of the original structure is determined, four optimal design parameters of GTMDI can be obtained simultaneously by DDOM. The design concept of DDOM is that better energy dissipation effect is obtained through the deformation enhancement of damping element to control the vibration response of the main structure. At the same time, the values of optimal parameters of GTMDI are small, so the cost control can also be realized by DDOM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has become an important therapeutic strategy because it is highly controllable, effective, and does not cause drug resistance. Moreover, precise delivery of photosensitizers to tumor lesions can greatly reduce the amount of drug administered and optimize therapeutic outcomes. As alternatives to protein antibodies, peptides have been applied as useful targeting ligands for targeted biomedical imaging, drug delivery and PDT. In addition, other functionalities of peptides such as stimuli responsiveness, self-assembly, and therapeutic activity can be integrated with photosensitizers to yield versatile peptide-based nanosystems for PDT. In this article, we start with a brief introduction to PDT and peptide-based nanosystems, followed by more detailed descriptions about the structure, property, and architecture of peptides as background information. Finally, the most recent advances in peptide-based nanosystems for PDT are emphasized and summarized according to the functionalities of peptide in the system to reveal the design and development principle in different therapeutic circumstances. We hope this review could provide useful insights and valuable reference for the development of peptide-based nanosystems for PDT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With satellite laser communication, advantages can be achieved in high communication rate, precise beam pointing, high confidentiality, and light‐small terminal. Satellite–ground (SG) laser links also play a crucial role as trunk links. However, the SG link is influenced by atmospheric turbulence and platform vibration, these two factors will cause unstable link tracking. This paper focuses on the viewpoint of beam energy transmission, using the low‐frequency harmonic phase compensating method to establish the random phase screen. On the basis of this model, the laser beam energy distribution and the spot mass positioning error are analyzed considering turbulence taking vibration which is not considered in previous studies. The simulation results show that the spot mass center (SMC) is impressionable in strong turbulence under platform vibration, but in a weak turbulent environment, SMC is insensitive to vibration when turbulence and vibration are at the same noise level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotton processing is the process of converting harvested seed cotton into lint by cleaning, ginning, and cleaning the lint. The real-time acquisition of lint parameters during processing is critical in improving cotton processing quality and efficiency. The existing online inspection system cannot realize quantitative sampling detection, resulting in large fluctuations in the detection of moisture rate, and the impurity content of lint can only be measured according to the number of impurity grains and the percentage of impurity areas. This research developed a quantitative sampling device for cotton lint processing that can collect the right number of cotton samples and obtain the weight of the samples, laying the foundation for the accurate detection of cotton lint dampness and impurity rates. This research aimed to develop an online quantitative sampling device with a sampling plate as its core. The quantitative sampling procedure, consisting of a gas–solid two-phase flow in a cotton pipeline, was numerically simulated and experimentally analyzed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and the discrete element method (DEM). According to the coupling results, the maximum pressure differential between the top and bottom regions of the sampling plate when conveying was 1024.45 Pa. This pressure is adequate to allow for cotton samples to accumulate on the sampling plate. Simultaneously, the steady conveying speed of lint is 59.31% of the unloaded conveying wind speed, providing a theoretical foundation for the sampling time of the quantitative sample device in the processing chain. The results from testing the prototype indicate that the quantitative sampling device in the cotton flow can effectively perform the quantitative sampling of cotton lint under uniform conditions, with a sampling pass rate of 84%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the Helmholtz nozzle with higher natural frequency, a double Helmholtz pulse cavitation jet nozzle is designed. The effects of the cavity ratio, cavity distance, flow path diameter and fillet radius between the two resonators on their cavitation effect, turbulent kinetic energy and outlet velocity characteristics are analyzed by numerical simulation. The results show that the change of cavity ratio, cavity distance, flow path diameter and fillet radius will affect the cavitation effect in the nozzle. When the cavity ratio of the resonant cavity is 0.84, the cavity distance is 40 mm, and the flow path diameter between the cavities is 12 mm, the cavitation bubble generation effect in the two resonant cavities is good, the cavity void fraction is high, and the turbulent kinetic energy at the nozzle outlet is strong, which is more conducive to the improvement of the pulse cavitation cleaning efficiency. When the two chamber inlets of the nozzle are rounded, the internal cavitation of the nozzle decreases dramatically and the turbulent kinetic energy decreases, which inhibits the cavitation pulse performance of the nozzle and has a reaction to improve the nozzle cleaning effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The linkage mechanism of a cotton bundle fiber strength tester will have an unstable clamping force when clamping fiber bundle samples with uneven thickness, resulting in slippage or damage to the fibers increasing the pectin residue, leading to inaccurate test results and increased maintenance costs. To address this problem, according to the structural principle of the connecting rod-clamping mechanism, through the geometric relationship between the connecting rods to establish a parametric model of the mechanism and the use of the principle of virtual work on the mechanism to solve the force, the proposed new Dynamic Alternative Static Approximate Analysis Method (DASAAM) was based on Adams 2020. The Isight integrated Adams automatic optimization design framework was built. The variance of the change curve of the end force of the mechanism when clamping samples of different thicknesses was used as the evaluation function and the assembly conditions were used as the constraints. The dimensional parameters and angles of the mechanism were optimized using the multi-island genetic algorithm. The simulation results showed that when the thickness of the clamped sample varied in the range of 0–4 mm, the clamping force of the mechanism varied in the range of 8920–8630 N. Finally, the variance of the clamping force measured by the clamping force measurement component was 0.0367. The above results show that the DASAAM provided a new method for solving the static problem of mechanism morphological and position change, and the optimized linkage mechanism had better clamping force stability, which made the strength detection of cotton fiber more accurate, thus improving the quality of textile products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐performance organic neuromorphic devices with miniaturized device size and computing capability are essential elements for developing brain‐inspired humanoid intelligence technique. However, due to the structural inhomogeneity of most organic materials, downscaling of such devices to nanoscale and their high‐density integration into compact matrices with reliable device performance remain challenging at the moment. Herein, based on the design of a semicrystalline polymer PBFCL10 with ordered structure to regulate dense and uniform formation of conductive nanofilaments, we realize an organic synapse with the smallest device dimension of 50 nm and highest integration size of 1 Kb reported thus far. The as‐fabricated PBFCL10 synapses can switch between 32 conductance states linearly with a high cycle‐to‐cycle uniformity of 98.89% and device‐to‐device uniformity of 99.71%, which are the best results of organic devices. A mixed-signal neuromorphic hardware system based on the organic neuromatrix and FPGA controller is implemented to execute spiking‐plasticity‐related algorithm for decision-making tasks. Designing high performance organic neuromorphic devices remains a challenge. Here, Liu et al. report the development of an organic synapse based on a semicrystalline polymer PBFCL10 with device dimension of 50 nm and integration size of 1 Kb and a mixed‐signal neuromorphic hardware system based on the organic neuromatrix and FPGA controller for decision‐making tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the considerable research attention paid to block copolymer (BCP)-toughened epoxy resins, the effects of their terminal groups on their phase structure are not thoroughly understood. This study fills this gap by closely examining the effects of amino and carboxyl groups on the fracture toughness of epoxy resins at different temperatures. Through the combination of scanning electron microscopy and digital image correlation (DIC), it was found that the amino-terminated BCP was capable of forming a stress-distributing network in pure epoxy resin, resulting in better toughening effects at room temperature. In a 60 wt.% silica-filled epoxy composite system, the addition of a carboxyl-terminated BCP showed little toughening effect due to the weaker filler/matrix interface caused by the random dispersion of the microphase of BCPs and distributed silica. The fracture toughness of the epoxy system at high temperatures was not affected by the terminal groups, regardless of the addition of silica. Their dynamic mechanical properties and thermal expansion coefficients are also reported in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying locations prone to exporting nitrogen (N), also called export control points, within residential landscapes, is key to determining N mitigation strategies. Within residential landscapes, lawns have the potential to act as either a sink of N via uptake and denitrification, or a source of N via additions such as fertilizer. Lawns draining to impervious surfaces are more likely to be sources of N loading to receiving water bodies through directly connected curb and sewer flow paths. We utilized small-scale rainfall experiments to examine whether hydrobiogeochemical measurements of potential denitrification and saturated infiltration rates were predictive of N mobilization, and how potential export control points (locations within the upper quartile of N mobilization values) varied spatially and temporally on residential lawns in Baltimore, Maryland. We found potential denitrification, but not infiltration, was predictive of N mobilization in runoff and leachate, only on fertilized lawns. Potential export control points occurred more often in the late summer and fall and 85% were on fertilized lawns. Applying fertilizer shortly before a rainfall event increased the N mobilization in runoff and leachate by an order of magnitude. Suburban front yards also had more potential export control points compared to backyards, which is notable as front yards are surrounded by impervious surfaces increasing their vulnerability to transporting N to downstream ecosystems. These findings highlight the spatial and temporal variability of N mobilization on lawns. Targeting locations such as vulnerable front yards, or behaviors, such as timing of fertilizer application, may be useful N mitigation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The measurement of seed cotton moisture regain (MR) during harvesting operations is an open and challenging problem. In this study, a new method for resistive sensing of seed cotton MR measurement based on pressure compensation is proposed. First, an experimental platform was designed. After that, the change of cotton bale parameters during the cotton picker packaging process was simulated through the experimental platform, and the correlations among the compression volume, compression density, contact pressure, and conductivity of seed cotton were analyzed. Then, support vector regression (SVR), random forest (RF), and a backpropagation neural network (BPNN) were employed to build seed cotton MR prediction models. Finally, the performance of the method was evaluated through the experimental platform test. The results showed that there was a weak correlation between contact pressure and compression volume, while there was a significant correlation (p < 0.01) between contact pressure and compression density. Moreover, the nonlinear mathematical models exhibited better fitting performance than the linear mathematical models in describing the relationships among compression density, contact pressure, and conductivity. The comparative analysis results of the three MR prediction models showed that the BPNN algorithm had the highest prediction accuracy, with a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.986 and a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.204%. The mean RMSE and mean coefficient of variation (CV) of the performance evaluation test results were 0.20% and 2.22%, respectively. Therefore, the method proposed in this study is reliable. In addition, the study will provide a technical reference for the accurate and rapid measurement of seed cotton MR during harvesting operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared with classical tuned mass damper (TMD), inerter system has higher damping efficiency and wider vibration control range. The traditional fixed-point theory of TMD have been used in most of the previous optimal parameter designs of inerter system, the optimized parameters obtained are expressed by the inerter-mass ratio, which may not be applicable to some specific inerter systems (such as tuned viscous mass damper, TVMD) or are too cumbersome. In this paper, the optimal parameters of the inerter system based on the characteristics of the grounded element and muti-performances demand are derived, and demand-based global optimal methods of the design parameters of the inerter system are proposed and compared. The correctness, feasibility and applicability of methods are verified by optimization examples and typical excitation including ground motions. The optimal parameters combinations of the inerter system derived based on the grounded element exist unique analytical expressions. When the value of the grounded element and the objective function are determined, the local optimal design of the inerter system can be realized. If the precise displacement vibration control of original structure is needed, the optimal parameters obtained by the stochastic displacement response that is taken as the objective function can be selected. If the demand is that total energy input of original structure requires is minimum, and the requirements for small displacement control effect are not strict, the optimal parameters of the inerter system obtained by the stochastic velocity response can be selected. If it is necessary to minimize the engineering cost and the control the peak and RMS displacement at the mean time, the optimal parameters of the inerter system obtained by deformation enhancement coefficient of damping element can be selected. The analytical expressions of the optimal design parameters of the inerter system based on the grounded element are concise and the processes of optimal design based on multiple performances objectives are simple, which can be applied to a variety of demands in practical engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The AlGaN photocathode with a superlattice emission layer was grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition. The existence of the superlattice structure was confirmed using a transmission electron microscope, and its optical and electrical properties were measured. The results showed that the introduction of a superlattice emission layer can reduce the transmittance and reflectance at 275 nm and improve the absorption of incident light. In particular, the Hall measurement results indicate that the introduction of a superlattice structure can significantly increase the concentration of holes in the AlGaN photocathode material. The activation experiment demonstrated that the photocurrent of the AlGaN photocathode subassembly with a superlattice structure increased significantly after Cs/O activation and that it showed better photoemission performance. The increase in the incident light absorption to produce more photoelectrons, the enhancement of photoelectron transport capacity by the polarized electric field generated by the superlattice structure, and the reduction in the surface barrier caused by the higher hole concentration were responsible for the significant improvement in photoemission performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultra‐low molecular weight (ULMW) CO2‐polyols with well‐defined hydroxyl end groups represent useful soft segments for the preparation of high‐performance polyurethane foams. However, owing to the poor proton tolerance of catalysts towards CO2/epoxide telomerization, it remains challenging to synthesize ULMW yet colorless CO2‐polyols. Herein, we propose an immobilization strategy of constructing supported catalysts by chemical anchoring of aluminum porphyrin on Merrifield resin. The resulting supported catalyst displays both extremely high proton tolerance (≈8000 times the equivalents of metal centers) and independence of cocatalyst, affording CO2‐polyols with ULMW (580 g mol−1) and high polymer selectivity (>99 %). Moreover, the ULMW CO2‐polyols with various architectures (tri‐, quadra‐, and hexa‐arm) can be obtained, suggesting the wide proton universality of supported catalysts. Notably, benefiting from the heterogeneous nature of the supported catalyst, colorless products can be facilely achieved by simple filtration. The present strategy provides a platform for the synthesis of colorless ULMW polyols derived from not only CO2/epoxides, but also lactone, anhydrides etc. or their combinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultra‐low molecular weight (ULMW) CO2‐polyols with well‐defined hydroxyl end groups represent useful soft segments for the preparation of high‐performance polyurethane foams. However, owing to the poor proton tolerance of catalysts towards CO2/epoxide telomerization, it remains challenging to synthesize ULMW yet colorless CO2‐polyols. Herein, we propose an immobilization strategy of constructing supported catalysts by chemical anchoring of aluminum porphyrin on Merrifield resin. The resulting supported catalyst displays both extremely high proton tolerance (≈8000 times the equivalents of metal centers) and independence of cocatalyst, affording CO2‐polyols with ULMW (580 g mol−1) and high polymer selectivity (>99 %). Moreover, the ULMW CO2‐polyols with various architectures (tri‐, quadra‐, and hexa‐arm) can be obtained, suggesting the wide proton universality of supported catalysts. Notably, benefiting from the heterogeneous nature of the supported catalyst, colorless products can be facilely achieved by simple filtration. The present strategy provides a platform for the synthesis of colorless ULMW polyols derived from not only CO2/epoxides, but also lactone, anhydrides etc. or their combinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic photothermal materials can effectively convert solar energy into thermal energy in an environmentally friendly manner and have great potential for applications such as desalination and thermoelectric power generation. However, some organic photothermal materials have low photothermal conversion efficiency and a narrow range of solar absorption, limiting the improvement of photothermal performance. In this contribution, to achieve a lower energy gap and high photothermal conversion efficiency, a strong acceptor benzo[1,2-c:4,5-c′]bis([1,2,5]thiadiazole) (BBT) and the electron donor thiophene unit were introduced to synthesize a donor–acceptor (D–A) type organic conjugated molecule 4,8-bis(3-(2-ethylhexyl)-[2,2′-bithiophen]-5-yl)benzo[1,2-c:4,5-c′]bis([1,2,5]thiadiazole) (2TP-BBT). The atoms of C, N and S in BBT are essentially coplanar, attributed to the N atoms with higher electronegativity and C＝N groups with a lower-energy π-orbital, and benzothiadiazole exhibits strong electron-withdrawing properties. The 2TP-BBT solid shows a broad absorption spectrum ranging from 300 to 1400 nm. The 2TP-BBT solid has a high photothermal conversion efficiency of 22.38% under 1.0 kW m−2 simulated solar irradiation, and under laser irradiation at 980 nm, the solid photothermal conversion efficiency of the 2TP-BBT molecule reached 43.32%. Additionally, the 2TP-BBT/non-woven fabric is applied in solar-driven water evaporation with a water evaporation rate up to 1.35 kg m−2 h−1 under 1.0 kW m−2 simulated solar irradiation and a vapour conversion efficiency of 94.3%, which show superior water evaporation performance. The waste heat generated during solar water evaporation can be effectively used for synergistic thermoelectric power generation. This study demonstrates the application of photothermal D–A organic molecules in water purification and water–electric cogeneration application, therefore providing a valuable prospect of utilization in efficient solar thermal energy conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An infrared perfect absorber structure is designed based on GaAs/Au/SiO2 metamaterial with numerical simulation, in which gold split ring resonators (SRR) embedded in the GaAs layer. The absorption exceeds 99% at 1360 nm under the plane wave excitation with its polarization perpendicular to the opening direction of the SRR. When the polarization of the plane wave is parallel to the opening direction, the absorption exceeds 97% and 56% at 970 and 2070 nm, respectively, which realize dual-band absorption. The absorption peaks are effectively modulated by controlling surface current density distribution and resonant electromagnetic response. In addition, the resonant wavelengths are further manipulated by optimizing the resonant ring structural parameters, which achieve ultrawide-band absorption ranging from near-infrared to mid-infrared region. The absorber remains absorption peaks above 96% under wide-angle plane wave incidence, and the resonant peak positions are independent of the incident angle. This work exhibits the promise of GaAs-based metamaterial in practical applications in energy harvesting and night vision imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C-doped GaAs is considered a potential material for negative electron affinity photocathodes, where the p-type doped property is beneficial to photoemission. To clarify the stability and efficiency during Cs/O activation, the gradient concentration of Cs adsorption and Cs/O co-adsorption models of C-doped GaAs are established. The work function, adsorption energy, and surface dipole moment are intensified by first principles calculation based on density functional theory. Experimental results demonstrate that Cs/O activation effectively enhances the performance of C-doped GaAs photocathodes, resulting in high levels of quantum efficiency. Therefore, we conclude that C-doped GaAs photocathodes have the potential to significantly improve the photoelectric emission performance and stability of GaAs photocathodes, making them a viable candidate for future applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper-based nanoinks are emerging as promising low-cost alternatives to widely used silver nanoinks in electronic printing. However, the spontaneous oxidation of copper under ambient conditions poses significant challenges to its broader application. To address this issue, this paper presents an economical, large-scale, and environmentally friendly method for fabricating Cu@Ag nanoparticles (Cu@Ag NPs). The as-prepared nanoparticles exhibit a narrow size distribution of approximately 100 nm and can withstand ambient exposure for at least 60 days without significant oxidation. The Cu@Ag-based ink, with a 60 wt% loading, was screen-printed onto a flexible polyimide substrate and subsequently heat-treated at 290 °C for 15 minutes under a nitrogen atmosphere. The sintered pattern displayed a low electrical resistivity of 25.5 μΩ·cm (approximately 15 times the resistivity of bulk copper) along with excellent reliability and mechanical fatigue strength. The innovative Cu@Ag NPs fabrication method holds considerable potential for advancing large-scale applications of copper-based inks in flexible electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Top oil temperature (TOT) is an important parameter to evaluate the running state of a transformer. According to the variation trend of TOT, the internal thermal state of transformers can be predicted so as to arrange operation and maintenance reasonably and prevent the occurrence of accidents. However, due to the complex working environment in the field, there are often a large number of missing values in online monitoring data, which seriously affects the prediction of TOT. At the same time, it is affected by various factors such as load, ambient temperature, wind speed, and solar radiation, which cause the information of different time scales to be mixed in its monitoring data. Therefore, it is difficult to achieve the desired accuracy with a single model. In this article, a model for predicting TOT based on data quality enhancement is proposed. First, the Markov model is used to complete the online monitoring data containing missing values to obtain a complete and continuous time series. Then, using the ensemble empirical modal decomposition method, the time series of TOT is decomposed into multiple time series components to eliminate the interaction between different time scales of information, thus reducing the prediction difficulty. Finally, the sub-prediction model of the extreme learning machine is constructed, and the prediction results of all the sub-models are reconstructed to obtain the final prediction results of TOT. In order to verify the effectiveness of the model, the TOT of an operating transformer for the next two days is predicted in the article, and its mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) is 5.27% and its root mean square error (RMSE) is 2.46. Compared with the BP neural network model and the support vector machines (SVM) model, the MAPE is reduced by 69.56% and 61.92%, respectively, and the RMSE is reduced by 67.02% and 59.87%. The results of this study will provide important support for the fault diagnosis of the top oil temperature online monitoring system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health status assessment is the key link of transformer-condition-based maintenance. The health status assessment method of power transformers mostly adopts the method based on the health index, which has the problems of multiple parameters of each component and strong subjectivity in the selection of weight value, which is easily causes misjudgment. However, the existing online monitoring system for dissolved gas in transformer oil (DGA) can judge the normal or abnormal state of the transformer according to the gas concentration in a monitoring cycle. Still, there are problems, such as fuzzy evaluation results and inaccurate judgment. This paper proposes a dynamic state evaluation method for power transformers based on the Mahalanobis–Taguchi system. First, the oil chromatography online monitoring time series is used to screen key features using the Mahalanobis–Taguchi system to reduce the problem of excessive parameters of each component. Then, a Mahalanobis distance (MD) calculation is introduced to avoid subjectivity in weight selection. The health index (HI) model of a single transformer is built using the MD calculated from all DGA data of a single transformer. Box–Cox transformation and 3 σ criteria determine the alert value and threshold value of all transformer His. Finally, taking two transformers as examples, we verify that the proposed method can reflect the dynamic changes of transformer operation status and give early warning on time, avoiding the subjectivity of parameter and weight selection in the health index, which easily causes misjudgment and other problems and can provide a decision-making basis for transformer condition-based maintenance strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to its noninvasiveness, high resolution, and high sensitivity, photoacoustic imaging has developed rapidly in the field of biomedicine. However, research on dermatosis detection by photoacoustic imaging is still lacking. In this paper, the skin is modeled as a multilayer planar medium based on the non-homogeneous, complex layered structure of the skin tissue. Then, the analytical expression for the photoacoustic signal of multilayer skin tissue was derived under the assumption that the thermal and optical parameters of the skin tissue do not vary with temperature. The expression not only considers the influence of optical, thermal, and mechanical parameters of the tissue on the photoacoustic signal but also, for the first time, the influence of the number of skin layers on the photoacoustic signal. The analytical expression of the photoacoustic signal containing the number of skin layers is also given. The numerical simulation results show that the difference between the photoacoustic signal of the seven-layer skin model and the single-layer skin model is 15.206 × 10−6 MPa when ω = 3.5 MHz and μa = 2.70 cm−1. Therefore, the increase in the number of model layers enhances the amplitude of its photoacoustic signal. This work provides a comprehensive study of photoacoustic mechanisms in dermatosis tissues and establishes a theoretical foundation for the application of photoacoustic imaging detection technology in the diagnosis and treatment of dermatosis, which may improve treatment plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused substantial losses worldwide in people's lives, health, and property. Currently, COVID-19 is still prominent worldwide without any specific drug treatment. The SARS-CoV-2 pathogen is the cause of various systemic diseases, mainly acute pneumonia. Within the pathological process, neutrophils are recruited to infected sites, especially in the lungs, for the first stage of removing invading SARS-CoV-2 through a range of mechanisms. Macroautophagy/autophagy, a conserved autodegradation process in neutrophils, plays a crucial role in the neutrophil phagocytosis of pathogens. NETosis refers to neutrophil cell death, while auto-inflammatory factors and antigens release NETs. This review summarizes the latest research progress and provides an in-depth explanation of the underlying mechanisms of autophagy and NETosis in COVID-19. Furthermore, after exploring the relationship between autophagy and NETosis, we discuss potential targets and treatment options. This review keeps up with the latest research on COVID-19 from neutrophil autophagy and NETosis with a new perspective, which can guide the urgent development of antiviral drugs and provide guidance for the clinical treatment of COVID-19. Abbreviations: AKT1: AKT serine/threonine kinase 1; AMPK: AMP-activated protein kinase; AP: autophagosome; ARDS: acute respiratory distress syndrome; ATG: autophagy related; BECN1: beclin 1; cfDNA: cell-free DNA; COVID-19: coronavirus disease 2019; CQ: chloroquine; DMVs: double-membrane vesicles; ELANE/NE: elastase, neutrophil expressed; F3: coagulation factor III, tissue factor; HCQ: hydroxychloroquine; MAP1LC3/LC3: microtubule associated protein 1 light chain of 3; MPO: myeloperoxidase; MTORC1: mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase complex 1; NETs: neutrophil traps; NSP: nonstructural protein; PI3K: class I phosphoinositide 3-kinase; PtdIns3K: class III phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; PtdIns3P: phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate; ROS: reactive oxygen species; SARS-CoV-2: severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; SKP2: S-phase kinase associated protein 2; TCC: terminal complement complex; ULK1: unc-51 like [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium nanoparticles and pyrethroid pesticides are now being widely used in industrial, agriculture, and biomedical applications. In recent years, their health safety profiles have aroused concerns among health scientists. This study mainly explored the combined effects of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) and cypermethrin (CYP) on reproductive toxicity in male rats by gavage for 90 days. Thirty-two male Sprague–Dawley rats were assigned to four groups: the control group, the TiO2NPs group, the CYP group, and the combined titanium dioxide nanoparticles with cypermethrin (TiO2NPs + CYP) group. The results of biochemical analysis on testicular tissue homogenate showed that TiO2NPs and CYP mixtures decreased the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase (CAT) while increasing the activity of malondialdehyde (MDA) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Meanwhile, the results of two-way factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed a significant effect on GSH-Px, CAT, LDH, testicular cell apoptosis, and sperm quality in rats after exposure. Furthermore, the combined exposure group exhibited apoptosis of testicular cells and DNA damage. The results indicated that exposure to a mixture of TiO2NPs and CYP had adverse effects on the reproductive status of male rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reverse water gas shift (RWGS) reaction is an attractive approach to convert CO2 with renewable H2 to produce CO. However, this reaction is always accompanied by undesirable methanation reaction lowering the CO selectivity, particularly, at low reaction temperature and on Ni catalysts. Herein, a strategy of deposition of inert Ag on the surface of Ni to block methanation reaction during RWGS for selective conversion of CO2 toward CO was reported. Characterizations showed that in contrast to formation of bulk Ni−Ag alloy, both Ag particle and highly dispersed Ag are direct contacting with Ni particle. Surface Ag modifies the property of Ni geometrically and electronically, resulting in reduced accessible surface Ni sites and Ni ensemble size, as well as electron transfer from Ni to Ag. Consequently, both the amount and strength of CO adsorption are reduced, which facilitates CO desorption and reduces CO methanation activity. The Ag modification tunes Ni/SiO2 from selective methanation to selective RWGS, with 100 % CO selectivity on Ni‐0.3 Ag/SiO2 (Ag/Ni=0.3) at 400 °C with gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) >300 L g−1 h−1 and CO selectivity is >80.7 % even at a low GHSV of 15 L g−1 h−1. Moreover, the Ni‐0.3 Ag/SiO2 appears to be very stable for RWGS reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma (HSTCL), mostly derived from γδ T cells, is a rare but very aggressive lymphoma with poor outcomes. In this study, we generated the first single cell landscape for this rare disease and characterized the molecular pathogenesis underlying the disease progression. Methods: We performed paired single cell RNA-seq and T cell receptor (TCR) sequencing on biopsies from a HSTCL patient pre- and post- chemotherapy treatments. Following by a series of bioinformatics analysis, we investigated the gene expression profile of γδ HSTCS as well as its tumor microenvironment (TME). Results: We characterized the unique gene expressing signatures of malignant γδ T cells with a set of marker genes were newly identified in HSTCL (AREG, PLEKHA5, VCAM1 etc.). Although the malignant γδ T cells were expanded from a single TCR clonotype, they evolved into two transcriptionally distinct tumor subtypes during the disease progression. The Tumor_1 subtype was dominant in pre-treatment samples with highly aggressive phenotypes. While the Tumor_2 had relative mild cancer hallmark signatures but expressed genes associated with tumor survival signal and drug resistance (IL32, TOX2, AIF1, AKAP12, CD38 etc.), and eventually became the main tumor subtype post-treatment. We further dissected the tumor microenvironment and discovered the dynamically rewiring cell–cell interaction networks during the treatment. The tumor cells had reduced communications with the microenvironment post-treatment. Conclusions: Our study reveals heterogenous and dynamic tumor and microenvironment underlying pathogenesis of HSTCL and may contribute to identify novel targets for diagnosis and treatment of HSTCL in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the mechanized harvesting of cotton in Northwest China, problems result from the presence of a residual film, and it is difficult to remove the residual film in the cotton processing stage. In this study, a needle roller electrostatic separation device was designed for use with unginned cotton residual films, and a series of experiments was carried out. Through force analyses and charge testing of the seed cotton and the residual film, a theoretical basis was provided for separating them. Taking the residual film separation rate as the response index, the optimal parameter combination was determined with a response surface analysis of three factors and three levels, and a mathematical model was established. The test results showed that the optimal parameter set included a 25.3° corona electrode angle, a 172.3 mm corona electrode distance, and a 5.25 W discharge power. After optimization of the parameters for separation, the average residual film separation rate was 91.7%. This research provides data and technical support for the design of the machinery and the selection of the parameters used in treating machine-picked cotton and separating the residual film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Icariin is the main component of the Chinese herb Epimedium. A number of studies have shown that it alleviates abnormal lipid metabolism. However, it is not clear whether and how icariin can ameliorate hepatic steatosis with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This study was designed to explore the anti-hepatosteatosis effect of icariin in rats with polycystic ovary syndrome. (2) Methods: Female Sprague Dawley(SD)rats were treated with a high-fat diet and letrozole for 21 days to make nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in the polycystic ovary syndrome model. Then model rats were treated with icariin (by gavage, once daily) for 28 days. Serum hormones and biochemical variables were determined by ELISA or enzyme. RNA-sequence analysis was used to enrich related target pathways. Then, quantitative Real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot were performed to verify target genes and proteins. (3) Results: Icariin treatment reduced excess serum levels of Testosterone (T), Estradiol (E2), Luteinizing hormone (LH), Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), LH/FSH ratio, insulin, triglycerides (TG), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in high-fat diet (HFD) and letrozole fed rats. Meanwhile, icariin ameliorated HFD and letrozole-induced fatty liver, as evidenced by a reduction in excess triglyceride accumulation, vacuolization, and Oil Red O staining area in the liver of model rats. Results of RNA-sequencing, western blotting, and qRT-PCR analyses indicated that icariin up-regulated fatty acid translocase (CD36), in mitochondria, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) expression, which led to the enhancement of fatty acid oxidation molecules, such as cytochrome P450, family 4, subfamily a, polypeptide 3 (CYP4A3), carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 α (CPT1α), acyl-CoA oxidase 1 (ACOX1), medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD), and long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (LCAD). Besides, icariin reduced lipid synthesis, which elicited stearoyl-Coenzyme A desaturase 1 (SCD1), fatty acid synthase (FASN), and acetyl-CoA (ACC). (4) Conclusion: Icariin showed an ameliorative effect on hepatic steatosis induced by HFD and letrozole, which was associated with improved fatty acid oxidation and reduced lipid accumulation in the liver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) and cypermethrin (CPM) are widely used in various fields, and they can enter the environment in different ways. Combined exposure of TiO2NPs and CPM may increase the accumulation of pollutants in organisms and affect human health. This study was undertaken to evaluate the oxidative and inflammatory parameters associated with the combined exposure of TiO2NPs and CPM in rats. Twenty-four healthy male adult SD rats were randomly divided into four groups. The first group served as the control, while groups 2, 3, and 4 were treated with TiO2NPs (450 mg/m3); CPM (6.67 mg/m3) or combined exposure of TiO2NPs and CPM by inhalation for 90 days. We investigated the oxidative damage induced through combined exposure of TiO2NPs and CPM in rats by evaluating hematology of the rats and determining the blood biochemical index. Our results demonstrated that inhalation of TiO2NPs and CPM increased the levels of oxidative stress markers such as malondialdehyde and alkaline phosphatase in the serum of rats. These were accompanied by a decreased glutathione peroxidase and total superoxide dismutase levels. Furthermore, the level of glutathione peroxidase was further decreased while malondialdehyde was increased in the combined exposure of TiO2NPs and CPM. Interestingly, pathological sections showed that different degrees of tissue injury could be seen in the liver and lung tissues of each exposure group. In summary, the combined exposure of TiO2NPs and CPM can cause increased oxidative damage in rats and damage the tissue structure of the liver and lung. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) radar suffers from severe performance degradation in range-velocity estimation in high mobility scenarios. In this paper, a novel intercarrier interference (ICI)-free parameter estimation method for OFDM radar is proposed. By employing a scale discrete Fresnel transform (SDFnT), the OFDM radar signals are converted to the scale Fresnel domain, and the orthogonality of subcarriers can be recovered with the optimal scale factor. Furthermore, due to the compatibility of the SDFnT and the discrete Fourier Transform (DFT), the proposed method has low computational complexity and high feasibility for OFDM radar implementation. Simulation results show that the proposed SDFnT-based scheme effectively eliminates the ICI effect for single and multiple targets and achieves high accuracy delay-Doppler estimation for OFDM radar systems in circumstances of high velocity and low SNR with consistency and robustness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research proposes a seawater desalination system driven by photovoltaic and solar thermal energy for remote regions such as islands and seaside villages where fresh water is not accessible. The performance of this system is demonstrated through experiments, and the main concerns are the output of the photovoltaic power generation system, power quantity, water yield, and the loads under different solar irradiance and temperature. In this system, a PLC is used as the controller to adjust the water pump by the collection and processing of sensor data. A load switching time system is designed to select different operating schemes under different environments in order to save energy. The control method of this system is developed to ensure that the photovoltaic power generation system does not undervoltage while maintaining the normal operation of the desalination system. An improved Perturbation and Observation (P&O) algorithm is also proposed as a new Maximum Point Power Tracking (MPPT) method to solve the problem of misjudgment and oscillation after tracking the maximum power point (MPP) in the traditional P&O algorithm. The simulation test in the MATLAB/Simulink environment shows that when external irradiance changes, the improved P&O algorithm can track the MPP faster than the traditional P&O algorithm, and the amplitude of oscillation on the MPP is smaller. The hardware experiments show that this system can operate stably and flexibly, and it is capable of producing 5.18 kWh of electric energy and 335.81 kg of freshwater per day. The maximum yield of the unit can reach 565.75 kg per day and the maximum daily power generation is 8.12 kWh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]