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The effects of Nb and Ni contents on the precipitation of the Ni16Nb6Si7-G phase and the resulting hardening behavior in Fe–20Cr ferritic alloys were systematically investigated using micro-hardness, electron microscopy, and atom probe techniques. The results demonstrate that an optimal Nb content of ∼0.75 wt. % promotes the precipitation of the Ni16Nb6Si7-G phase, leading to a maximum micro-hardness of approximately 430 H V when aged at 560 °C for 24 h. Excess Nb content (>0.75 wt. %) introduces the Fe2Nb-Laves phase at grain boundaries and within the grains, which competes with the G-phase for precipitation. Conversely, an increase in Ni content effectively raises the dissolution temperature of the Ni16Nb6Si7-G phase to approximately 850 °C. The austenite phase begins to form when the Ni content exceeds 4 wt. %. Finally, the strengthening effect of the Ni16Nb6Si7-G phase and its underlying competition precipitation with the Fe2Nb-Laves phase as well as the possible benefit of inducing austenite phase was discussed in the context of developing 20Cr ferritic alloys with high strength and good ductility. These findings provide valuable insights into the influence of Nb and Ni contents on the microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of the newly developed 20Cr alloy, which may be helpful in guiding the design of high performance ferritic alloys by optimizing composition and heat treatment processes.

Environmentally benign cerium-based catalysts are promising alternatives to toxic vanadium-based catalysts for controlling NOxemissions via selective catalytic reduction (SCR), but conventional cerium-based catalysts unavoidably suffer from SO2poisoning in low-temperature SCR. We develop a strongly sulfur-resistant Ce1+1/TiO2catalyst by spatially confining Ce atom pairs to different anchoring sites of anatase TiO2(001) surfaces. Experimental results combined with theoretical calculations demonstrate that strong electronic interactions between the paired Ce atoms upshift the lowest unoccupied states to an energy level higher than the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) of SO2so as to be catalytically inert in SO2oxidation but slightly lower than HOMO of NH3so that Ce1+1/TiO2has desired ability toward NH3activation required for SCR. Hence, Ce1+1/TiO2shows higher SCR activity and excellent stability in the presence of SO2at low temperatures with respect to supported single Ce atoms. This work provides a general strategy to develop sulfur-resistant catalysts by tuning the electronic states of active sites for low-temperature SCR, which has implications for practical applications with energy-saving requirements.

Red yeast rice (RYR), a natural lipid-lowering agent, is widely used in clinical practice. However, the existing meta-analyses concerning the safety of RYR preparations have yielded inconsistent results, and the credibility of the evidence has not been quantified.

Active sites in single-atom catalysis are characterized by individual metal atom centers, so their frontier orbitals are often described by the atomic orbital model, but that model is oversimplified and even disputed. We propose a frontier band orbital model to accurately describe the nature of the frontier orbitals of active sites by designing an electronically tunable single-atom catalysis system. The electron distributions at the silver frontier orbitals are tailored by modulating the catalyst’s energy bands via adjusting support MnO2tunnel ions. By transferring partial Ag 4d5s charge to 5p orbitals, Ag1@MnO2with tunnel potassium ions exhibits more effective adsorption behavior and higher surface reactivity, and hence, it shows a better CO oxidation activity than Ag1/MnO2without tunnel ions. The band-induced orbital-dependent activity reveals that the frontier orbitals of the active sites not only are the concrete atomic orbitals to dictate adsorption behavior but also bear the delocalized band feature to regulate surface reactivity.

Purpose: The paper aims to solve the problem of personnel intrusion identification within the limits of high-speed railways. It adopts the fusion method of millimeter wave radar and camera to improve the accuracy of object recognition in dark and harsh weather conditions. Design/methodology/approach: This paper adopts the fusion strategy of radar and camera linkage to achieve focus amplification of long-distance targets and solves the problem of low illumination by laser light filling of the focus point. In order to improve the recognition effect, this paper adopts the YOLOv8 algorithm for multi-scale target recognition. In addition, for the image distortion caused by bad weather, this paper proposes a linkage and tracking fusion strategy to output the correct alarm results. Findings: Simulated intrusion tests show that the proposed method can effectively detect human intrusion within 0–200 m during the day and night in sunny weather and can achieve more than 80% recognition accuracy for extreme severe weather conditions. Originality/value: (1) The authors propose a personnel intrusion monitoring scheme based on the fusion of millimeter wave radar and camera, achieving all-weather intrusion monitoring; (2) The authors propose a new multi-level fusion algorithm based on linkage and tracking to achieve intrusion target monitoring under adverse weather conditions; (3) The authors have conducted a large number of innovative simulation experiments to verify the effectiveness of the method proposed in this article.

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are a serious vascular disease. Currently, no effective methods are available for treating DFUs. Pro-protein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) regulates lipid levels to promote atherosclerosis. However, the role of PCSK9 in DFUs remains unclear. In this study, we found that the expression of PCSK9 in endothelial cells (ECs) increased significantly under high glucose (HG) stimulation and in diabetic plasma and vessels. Specifically, PCSK9 promotes the E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase NEDD4 binding to vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2), which led to the ubiquitination of VEGFR2, resulting in its degradation and downregulation in ECs. Furthermore, PCSK9 suppresses the expression and activation of AKT, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and ERK1/2, leading to decreased nitric oxide (NO) production and increased superoxide anion (O2._) generation, which impairs vascular endothelial function and angiogenesis. Importantly, using evolocumab to limit the increase in PCSK9 expression blocked the HG-induced inhibition of NO production and the increase in O2._production, as well as inhibited the phosphorylation and expression of AKT, eNOS, and ERK1/2. Moreover, evolocumab improved vascular endothelial function and angiogenesis, and promoted wound healing in diabetes. Our findings suggest that targeting PCSK9 is a novel therapeutic approach for treating DFUs.

Today, the commercial application of silicon oxides (SiOx, 1 < x< 2) in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) still faces the challenge of rapid performance degradation. In this work, by integrating hydrothermal and physicomechanical processes, water-soluble locust bean gum (LBG) and xanthan gum (XG) are utilized to in situ form an LBG@XG binder network to improve the performance of SiOx/C anodes. As a synergy of LBG and XG polysaccharides in hydrogel polymerization, LBG@XG can tightly wrap around SiOx/C particles to prevent plate damage. The flexible SiOx/C anode with the LBG@XG binder exhibits capacity retentions of 74.1% and 76.4% after 1000 cycles at 0.5 A g–1and 1 A g–1, respectively. The full battery capacity remains stable for 100 cycles at 1 C and the rate performance is excellent (103 mAh g–1at 3 C). This LBG@XG is demonstrated to be highly electronegative and has a strong attraction to SiOx/C particles, thereby reducing the expansion and increasing the stability of the SiOx/C anodes when coupled with the flexible binder network. In addition to the promising LBG@XG binder, this work also provides a research idea for developing green water-based binders suitable for application in the SiOx/C anodes of LIBs.

Adding alloying elements is always considered as an effective method to enhance the resistance against hydrogen embrittlement in steels. Nb and V were added into 22MnB5 hot stamping steel, and then their influences on hydrogen permeation of 22MnB5 steel suffering from corrosion in 3.5% NaCl aqueous solution were investigated. The results showed that the addition of Nb/V could reduce the hydrogen permeation content due to solution corrosion. Electrochemical techniques including electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and overpotential stepping hydrogen permeation test confirmed that compared to the original 22MnB5 steel, 22MnB5-Nb/V steel owned a higher corrosion resistance and a higher hydrogen diffusion resistance. Furthermore, it was confirmed that Nb–V-alloyed 22MnB5 steel showed higher resistance against hydrogen embrittlement than the Nb–V-free counterpart, which should be related to the presentence of nanoscaled Nb/V-containing precipitates as the irreversible trapping sites for hydrogen detected by thermal desorption spectroscopy. Finally, the lattice diffusion coefficient of hydrogen DLwas determined in steels with and without Nb and V.

Hysteretic switching of domain states is a salient characteristic of all ferroic materials and the foundation for their multifunctional applications. Ferro-rotational order is emerging as a type of ferroic order that features structural rotations, but control over state switching remains elusive due to its invariance under both time reversal and spatial inversion. Here we demonstrate electrical switching of ferro-rotational domain states in the charge-density-wave phases of nanometre-thick 1T-TaS2crystals. Cooling from the high-symmetry phase to the ferro-rotational phase under an external electric field induces domain state switching and domain wall formation, which is realized in a simple two-terminal configuration using a volt-scale bias. Although the electric field does not couple with the order due to symmetry mismatch, it drives domain wall propagation to give rise to reversible, durable and non-volatile isothermal state switching at room temperature. These results offer a route to the manipulation of ferro-rotational order and its nanoelectronic applications.

2-Phenyl-1H-imidazole-1-sulfonate (PHIS) is used as an electrolyte additive, to scavenge H2O/HF and help to build a protective film on the interface of the electrodes/electrolyte, as a result, to enhance the high temperature performance of LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2/graphite batteries.

Lead halide perovskite nanocrystals (LHP NCs) are regarded as promising emitters for next-generation ultrahigh-definition displays due to their high color purity and wide color gamut. Recently, the external quantum efficiency (EQE) of LHP NC based light-emitting diodes (PNC LEDs) has been rapidly improved to a level required by practical applications. However, the poor operational stability of the device, caused by halide ion migration at the grain boundary of LHP NC thin films, remains a great challenge. Herein, we report a resurfacing strategy via pseudohalogen ions to mitigate detrimental halide ion migration, aiming to stabilize PNC LEDs. We employ a thiocyanate solution processed post-treatment method to efficiently resurface CsPbBr3NCs and demonstrate that the thiocyanate ions can effectively inhibit bromide ion migration in LHP NC thin films. Owing to thiocyanate resurfacing, we fabricated LEDs with a high EQE of 17.3%, a maximum brightness of 48000 cd m–2, and an excellent operation half-life time.

The effect of Mo addition on microstructure, impact property, and wear resistance of high boron Fe-4.5 wt% B surfacing alloy, which was developed by the three-arc double-wire welding method was investigated in this work. The phase structure and microstructure of the surfacing alloy were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and Electron Backscattered Diffraction (EBSD). Besides, a two-body abrasive wear test and impact fracture test was carried out to study the wear behavior and fracture mechanism of the surfacing alloy. The results show, hypereutectic Fe-4.5 wt% B surfacing alloys with different Mo additions are mainly composed of primary (Fe, Mo)2B boride, eutectic matrix, and FeMo2B2. With the increase of Mo content in Fe-4.5 wt% B surfacing alloy, the continuous growth of the eutectic structure is blocked, which can inhibit the formation and expansion of cracks in the surfacing layer. With the increase of Mo, the wear resistance of Fe-4.5 wt% B alloy increases from 16.70 g-1to 22.72 g-1. In the impact fracture experiment, Fe-4.5 wt% B surfacing alloy has high brittleness, the primary Fe2B is a transgranular fracture, and the interface between primary Fe2B boride and eutectic structure is an intergranular fracture. With the addition of Mo, the fracture mechanism of the surfacing alloy changes from transgranular fracture to transgranular fracture + ductile fracture, which reduces the fragmentation and spalling during the wear process, thereby improving its wear resistance.

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

The magnetization of a quantum magnet can be pinned at a fraction of its saturated value by collective effects. One example of such a plateau phase is found in spin-1/2 triangular-lattice antiferromagnets. They feature strong geometrical frustration and the plateau phase therein is often interpreted as arising from an order-by-disorder mechanism driven by quantum fluctuations. Here we observe a one-third magnetization plateau under an applied magnetic field in the spin-1 antiferromagnet Na3Ni2BiO6with a honeycomb lattice, which, with conventional magnetic interactions, would not be geometrically frustrated. Based on our elastic neutron scattering measurements, we propose the spin structure of the plateau phase to be an unusual partial spin-flop ferrimagnetic order. Our theoretical calculations indicate that bond-anisotropic Kitaev interactions are the source of frustration that produces the plateau. These results suggest that Kitaev interactions provide a different route to frustration and phases driven by quantum fluctuations in high-spin magnets.

Heavy metal contamination in groundwater is one of the most severe environmental issues in the area undergoing mining activities, but the underlying sources of heavy metals and the resulting health risk are not fully understood. In this study, 100 shallow groundwater samples and six mining wastewater samples were collected in a multi-mineral resource, North China. The results showed that the distribution of mine ore resources and hydrogeochemical processes were related to the enrichment of Cd, As, Cu, and Ni in groundwater in the piedmont sloping plain, the southwest of the study area, and enrichment of Pb, Zn, and Hg in eastern mountainous and river valley. Water–rock interaction was the primary underlying source of As, Pb, Ni, and Cr(VI) with the non-negligible influence of mining activities, while Cd, Zn, and Hg were potentially originated from the anthropogenic activities (mining or agriculture). A combination of self-organizing map (SOM) and health risk assessment demonstrated the carcinogenic risks of Cd, As, and Cr(VI) to children and adults (exceeding the unacceptable risk level, 1 × 10–6< CRtotal< 1 × 10–4), particularly in the piedmont sloping plain and mountain valleys. The total carcinogenic risks for children were much higher than adults, which followed the orders as Cr(VI) > As > Cd, whereas the total non-carcinogenic hazard index of Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, and Hg to children and adults was negligible. Therefore, there was a concern for carcinogenic risk that must be addressed in the multi-mineral resource area, with a particular focus on the Cr(VI) and As as the primary health risk management and control indexes in groundwater.

A series of lanthanide-containing water-resistant nitrates, namely RE(OH)2NO3(RE = Tb(1), Dy(2), Ho(3), and Er(4)), was obtained through the hydrothermal process. As possible nonlinear optical materials, they feature a layered isomorph composed of an [REO3(OH)6] polyhedron and an [NO3] triangle, and the synergistic arrangement of the [REO3(OH)6] and [NO3] groups in their structures leads to their obvious second-order nonlinear optical effect. Nevertheless, the unique optical absorption caused by the electronic transitions on 4f–4f orbitals of lanthanides results in their second harmonic generation responses of different strengths, with 1exhibiting 5.07 times that of KDP, but 2–4showing less than half of KDP. In addition, 1possesses an outstanding water-resistant capacity and a transparent cut-off edge around 300 nm, foreshadowing its potential value as a nonlinear optical crystal. Moreover, 1is found to emit characteristic green fluorescence due to the typical 5D4→ 7F5transitions of the excited Tb3+ions

Cervical cancer is one of the most common gynecologically malignancies worldwide. Although vaccine and cervical cancer screening including human papillomavirus testing, cytology testing, and colposcopy have developed rapidly in recent years, effectively reducing cervical cancer mortality, cervical cancer remains a malignancy with higher female fatality rates worldwide and has a high risk for socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. The combination of platinum-paclitaxel and chemotherapy, possibly with the addition of bevacizumab, is currently the treatment of choice for advanced cervical cancer, but it only has remission purposes. Therefore, new therapeutic strategies are needed for both locally advanced and metastatic cervical cancer. Here, we make a preliminary analysis of cervical cancer immunotherapy.

The present study compared the modulatory effects of different resistant starches (RSs) isolated from native (NP-RS), acid-hydrolyzed (AHP-RS), and pullulanase debranched (PDP-RS) pea starches on the corresponding in vivometabolic responses in high fat (HF)-diet-induced obese mice. The biochemical studies on serum lipid profile and antioxidant enzyme activities were supported by histological and gene expression analyses, which suggested a potential therapeutic role for RS in regulating obesity, possibly through the production of short-chain fatty acids and the proliferation of some beneficial colonic bacteria, including Allobaculum, Bifidobacterium, Odoribacter, Clostridium, and Prevotella. Particularly, a more pronounced effect of AHP-RS with a higher proportion of the crystalline region and a more ordered double-helical alignment on improving the hyperlipidemic symptoms in obese mice induced by a HF diet was observed. Our analysis revealed that the RS3 samples seemed to be more effective than RS2 in terms of attenuating obesity in mice that were fed a HF diet.

Perovskite oxides are a class of important metal oxide catalysts, the activities of which are explained largely by the delocalized band descriptor and the local orbital descriptor that are fundamentally debated. We solve this dispute by proposing a frontier band orbital descriptor that rationalizes catalytic activity trends over a series of perovskite oxides. The descriptor is defined as the energy difference (Δε) between the highest occupied band orbital and the lowest unoccupied band orbital, as determined by using valence-band X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and O K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy, respectively. Catalytic activity in CO or NO oxidation increases linearly as Δεvalue decreases, evidencing the validity of the descriptor. Owing to the frontier orbitals of catalytic sites being endowed with characteristics of delocalized bands of entire catalysts, this descriptor gives unified explanations to disparate reported results, providing a promising strategy for designing optimal semiconducting metal oxide catalysts, particularly for perovskite catalysts.

Stem cell organoids are powerful models for studying organ development, disease modeling, drug screening, and regenerative medicine applications. The convergence of organoid technology, tissue engineering, and artificial intelligence (AI) could potentially enhance our understanding of the design principles for organoid engineering. In this study, we utilized micropatterning techniques to create a designer library of 230 cardiac organoids with 7 geometric designs. We employed manifold learning techniques to analyze single organoid heterogeneity based on 10 physiological parameters. We clustered and refined the cardiac organoids based on their functional similarity using unsupervised machine learning approaches, thus elucidating unique functionalities associated with geometric designs. We also highlighted the critical role of calcium transient rising time in distinguishing organoids based on geometric patterns and clustering results. This integration of organoid engineering and machine learning enhances our understanding of structure-function relationships in cardiac organoids, paving the way for more controlled and optimized organoid design.

Objective To compare the staining quality between rapid hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and routine H&E staining of frozen breast tissue sections.Methods In this cross-sectional observational study, 120 frozen breast tissue sections were randomly assigned to rapid or routine H&E staining (n = 60 per group). Rapid H&E staining used a 7:1 mixture of modified Gill’s hematoxylin and alcohol-soluble 1% eosin Y. The staining quality of each section was evaluated and scored. A score of >7 was considered excellent, a score of 6 to 7 good, and a score of ≤5 poor.Results The staining time for rapid staining was approximately 3 minutes, whereas that of routine staining was approximately 12 minutes. There were no significant differences in the staining quality scores or proportions of sections in each grade between the two staining methods. The proportions of sections that were classified as excellent or good were 96.7% and 98.3% for rapid and routine staining, respectively.Conclusions In frozen breast tissue sections, rapid H&E staining may provide staining quality that is comparable to that of routine staining, while markedly reducing the staining time.

• The power law model for semi-solid metals suffers major drawbacks. • The flow exponents of power law model in (–1/3,0] are physically nonsensical. • The irrational flow exponents stem from neglecting yield stress. • The drawbacks cause over-optimistic predictions on blistering and misrun. • HB model taking yield stress into consideration is more accurate. The power law model is the most widely used model for the rheological behavior of semi-solid metals (SSMs) in the numerical simulation of semi-solid processing. However, it is still not known why the anomalous negative flow exponent exists in the power law model for SSMs and its influence on the simulation. In this research, the rheological behavior of semi-solid Al-7Si-0.3Mg aluminum alloy is experimentally studied followed by modeling. The power law model fitting results show flow curves deviate from the experimental data and negative flow exponents, which are physically nonsensical and inapplicable to the simulation of SSMs flow proved by hydrodynamic analysis. This drawback of the power law model stems from neglecting the yield stress of SSMs. By contrast, the model referring Herschel-Bulkley (HB) theory which takes yield stress into consideration has reasonable flow exponent and yields good agreement between the fitting and experimental results. Furthermore, the simulation of die filling process is conducted, suggesting that the power law model over-optimistically predicts the tendency of blistering and misrun defects at low temperature and high filling velocity during semi-solid processing. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Searching for novel magnetoelectric (ME) materials has been one of the major issues of multiferroics. In this work, we present a systematic research study on garnet Mn3Al2Ge3O12, including structural, magnetic, heat capacity, and ME characterizations. Below the Néel temperature TN∼ 6.8 K, Mn2+spins form a long-range antiferromagnetic order, and a magnetic field H-driven electric polarization Pis identified simultaneously. The relationship between Pand His nonlinear under low Hand becomes linear under high H. Such transition is believed to originate from the H-induced variation of the magnetic structure. In addition, the Preaches 0.6 μC/m2under μ0H= 9 T, corresponding to an ME coupling coefficient of αME∼ 0.08 ps/m under high H. The small αMEis attributed to the weak spin–orbit coupling and weak magnetic interactions in Mn3Al2Ge3O12. Furthermore, we realize the stable control of Pby periodically varying H, which is crucial for potential application. We provide a rare case that a garnet material shows a first-order ME effect.

1,2,3,4-Tetrakis(2-cyanoethoxy)butane (TCEB) is first evaluated as a functional electrolyte additive to increase the charge cutoff voltage and energy density of pouch LiCO2(LCO)/artificial graphite (AG) lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) at a high temperature of 45 °C. The charge (0.7 C) and discharge (1 C) tests show that TCEB effectively improves the cycle stability of cells under a high charge cutoff voltage of 4.5 V. At 25 °C, the capacity retention of the cells with TCEB increases from 0.0% to 72.1% after 1200 cycles. At 45 °C, the capacity retention of the cells without TCEB after 50 cycles is close to 0.0%, while the capacity retention of the cells with TCEB is still 81.6%, even after 350 cycles. The spectroscopic characterization results demonstrate that the TCEB electrolyte additive participates in the construction of a self-repair electrode/electrolyte interface film. Subsequently, low impedance and strong protective layers are formed on the two electrode surfaces. The quantitative analysis results and a theoretical calculation also show that TCEB effectively inhibits the dissolution of Co3+and maintains the structural integrity of electrode materials. These results indicate that TCEB endows LIBs with excellent cycle stability and is a promising electrolyte additive for the high-voltage and high-temperature conditions of LCO-based LIBs.