Search

Liu, H.; Deng, J., and Wu, J., 2023. Benthic turbulence affected by various wave conditions in the surf zone. Journal of Coastal Research, 39(6), 1082–1093. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208. To understand turbulence and associated sediment transport in the surf zone, it is of crucial importance to explore the effect of wind waves consisting of non-breaking (low) and breaking (moderate) waves. A bottom-mounted instrumental tripod was deployed on a dissipative beach in the surf zone in the south China coast to examine the relative importance of wave-induced turbulence and bed-induced turbulence in the different hydrodynamic conditions. The data were collected in 0.5–3 m water depth from 20–29 July 2016. During the survey, a tropical storm attacked the nearby coast from 26–27 July. The Synchrosqueezed Wavelet Transform method was used to decompose the wave and turbulent data. The results show that the bed-generated turbulence dominated with weak wind waves during neap tide. The Reynolds shear stresses and turbulent kinetic energy was almost vertically uniform in this period. On the contrary, the degree of turbulence anisotropy became weak and various turbulence properties or scaling (e.g., Reynolds shear stresses, turbulent kinetic energy, dissipation rate, Froude-scaled turbulence) enhanced significantly with moderate waves during spring tide and storm period. The turbulent properties increased in magnitude away from the bed beneath waves breaking. The observations suggest that breaking waves are the dominant source of turbulence under strong onshore winds, which are significant and may dominate over bottom boundary layer process in the surf zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing deep learning-based image super-resolution (SR) algorithms have made great achievements on synthetic LR–HR pairs in a fully supervised manner. However, the real image degradation process is complicated and unclear, leading to a domain gap between the synthetic LR images and real LR images. To address this issue, the most widely used alternatives are GAN-based methods trained with unpaired data. But most GAN-based methods tend to follow complex multi-stage pipelines and still suffer from the vast cost of hyperparameter tuning on the loss function. In this paper, in contrast to complicated two-stage or multi-stage GAN, a straightforward and simple one-stage GAN-based framework is proposed. Different from the current one-stage GAN, our approach exclusively fits the CycleGAN pattern without any other restrictions, fully leveraging images from unpaired datasets. Specifically, our framework consists of a DegradeNet and an SRNet, which implicitly models the degradation and SR process between the source LR domain and target HR domain. Such a simple one-stage GAN allows us to flexibly learn the data distribution without any assumptions, greatly reducing the model complexity and training difficulty. To further address the inherent practice of empirically setting hyperparameters in previous methods, we propose an adaptive weighting network to automatically learn the contribution weights of different losses in a meta-learning manner. This flexible strategy could shorten the gap between various losses and meanwhile help the model to adaptively optimize in an efficient way. Extensive experiments demonstrate the superiority of our proposed method in terms of indicators and perceptual quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-speed driving is an underestimated dangerous behavior that may cause safety issues, such as speed dispersion and traffic flow bottlenecks. To investigate the influence mechanism of low-speed driving behavior, this study constructed the low-speed specific model (LSSM) by extending theory of planned behavior (TPB). The LSSM incorporated two factors, namely, risk perception and behavior habit, into the standard TPB components (attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, and behavior intention). Web-based questionnaires were used to collect data from a valid sample of 374, of which males accounted for 50%. The participants were aged from 18 to 65 years (M = 35.40, SD = 0.88). The structural equation model was applied to calculate and validate the interrelationships among the components of LSSM. Results showed that the LSSM could explain the variance in low-speed driving behavior and behavior intention by 46% and 76%, respectively. Meanwhile, attitude (β = 0.52, p < 0.001) and behavior habit (β = 0.48, p < 0.001) had the strongest positive influence and prediction power over low-speed driving behavior, respectively, whereas subjective norm (β = 0.05, p > 0.01) and perceived behavioral control (β = -0.12, p > 0.01) showed few significant in influencing the intention. LSSM also showed that people who were sensitive to driving risk perception would avoid low-speed driving behaviors and attitudes. Our findings may provide theoretical support for interventions on low-speed driving behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TWIK1 (K2P1.1/KCNK1) belongs to the potassium channels of the two-pore domain. Its current is very small and difficult to measure. In this work, we used a 100 mM NH4+ extracellular solution to increase TWIK1 current in its stable cell line expressed in HEK293. Then, the inhibition of magnolol on TWIK1 was observed via a whole-cell patch clamp experiment, and it was found that magnolol had a significant inhibitory effect on TWIK1 (IC50 = 6.21 ± 0.13 μM). By molecular docking and alanine scanning mutagenesis, the IC50 of TWIK1 mutants G229A, T225A, I140A, L223A, and S224A was 20.77 ± 3.20, 21.81 ± 7.93, 10.22 ± 1.07, 9.55 ± 1.62, and 7.43 ± 3.20 μM, respectively. Thus, we conclude that the inhibition of the TWIK1 channel by magnolol is related to G229 and T225 on the P2- pore helix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early-Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (Early-GDM) is a complex condition that may cause complications in infants of affected mothers. The aim of this case–control study was to analyze the effects of genetic-epigenetic interaction on Early-GDM and fetal development with respect to cytosine modifications (i.e., 5mC, 5-methylcytosines; and 5hmC, 5-hydroxymethylcytosines) and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of MTHFR, a key gene involving cytosine modifications. Peripheral blood samples were collected from 92 women in their first or second trimester of pregnancy (Early-GDM, n = 14; Controls, n = 78). Global DNA 5mC and 5hmC were quantified by HPLC-MS/MS, and MTHFR SNPs (rs1801133 C > T and rs1801131 A > C) were determined by TaqMan-qPCR. Association analysis suggested that MTHFR rs1801133 TT genotype was a risk factor of Early-GDM (OR [odds ratio] = 4.00; 95% CI [confidence interval]: 1.24, 12.86; p = 0.02). The C allele of rs1801131 appeared to be a protective factor for the 2-h OGTT (oral glucose tolerance test) (OR = -0.79; 95% CI: -1.48, -0.10; p = 0.03). Patients with Early-GDM had higher global 5mC and lower global 5hmC. The reduction of global 5hmC and the TT genotype of rs1801133 were associated with higher level of the 1st-FBG (fasting blood glucose in the first trimester) (p < 0.05). Additionally, global 5mC showed a positive correlation with birth weight, body length and head circumference of newborns, while global 5hmC showed a negative correlation with birth weight. The current study implicated MTHFR SNPs and cytosine modifications in the development of Early-GDM and potential complications in their newborns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Platelets are generated by specialized cells called megakaryocytes (MKs). However, MK's origin and platelet release mode have remained incompletely understood. Here, we established direct visualization of embryonic thrombopoiesis in vivo by combining multiphoton intravital microscopy (MP-IVM) with a fluorescence switch reporter mouse model under control of the platelet factor 4 promoter (Pf4CreRosa26mTmG). Using this microscopy tool, we discovered that fetal liver MKs provide higher thrombopoietic activity than yolk sac MKs. Mechanistically, fetal platelets were released from MKs either by membrane buds or the formation of proplatelets, with the former constituting the key process. In E14.5 c-Myb-deficient embryos that lack definitive hematopoiesis, MK and platelet numbers were similar to wild-type embryos, indicating the independence of embryonic thrombopoiesis from definitive hematopoiesis at this stage of development. In summary, our novel MP-IVM protocol allows the characterization of thrombopoiesis with high spatio-temporal resolution in the mouse embryo and has identified membrane budding as the main mechanism of fetal platelet production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mechanical ventilation is an important means of respiratory support and treatment for various diseases. However, its use can lead to serious complications, especially ventilator‐induced lung injury (VILI). The mechanisms underlying this disease are complex, but activation of inflammatory signalling pathways results in activation of cytokines and inflammatory mediators, which play key roles in VILI. Recent studies have demonstrated that nod‐like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation mediates VILI and also accompanied by cell proliferation and transdifferentiation to compensate for alveolar membrane damage. Type I alveolar epithelial cells (AECs I), which are involved in the formation of the blood‐air barrier, are vulnerable to damage but cannot proliferate by themselves; thus, replacing AECs I relies on type II alveolar epithelial cells (AECs II). Objective: The review aims to introduce the mechanisms of NLRP3 inflammasome activation and its inhibitors, as well as the mechanisms that regulate cell proliferation and transdifferentiation. Methods: A large number of relevant literature was searched, then the key content was summarized and figures were also made. Results: The mechanism of NLRP3 inflammasome activation has been further explored, including but not limited to pathogenic and aseptic inflammatory signals, such as, pathogenic molecular patterns and host‐derived danger‐associated molecular patterns activate toll‐like receptor 4/nuclear factor‐kappaB pathway or reactive oxygen species, cyclic stretch, adenosine triphosphate induce K+ efflux through P2X7, Ca2+ inflow, mitochondrial damage, etc, eventually induce NIMA‐related kinase 7/NLRP3 binding and NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Not only that, the review also described in detail the inhibitors of NLRP3 inflammasome. And the mechanisms regulating cell proliferation and transdifferentiation are complex and unclear, including the Wnt/β‐catenin, Yap/Taz, BMP/Smad and Notch signalling pathways. Conclusions: NLRP3 inflammasome activation mediated VILI, and VILI is alleviated after interfering with its activation, and inflammation and repair exist simultaneously in VILI. Clarifying these mechanisms is expected to provide theoretical guidance for alleviating VILI by inhibiting the inflammatory response and accelerating alveolar epithelial cell regeneration in the early stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adaptive inverse distance weighting (IDW) interpolation method shows improved computational advantages for building high-precision 3D geological models. However, in the case of varying geological borehole distribution characteristics, the statistical range of local adjacent points and the type of membership function are two important factors that affect the adaptive calculation of the weight power value in the IDW method. Therefore, this study attempts to build a general adaptive IDW model unaffected by the spatial distribution of geological boreholes sample data. This study uses a combination of nearest neighbor point statistics and membership function mapping to modify the IDW weights automatically. Moreover, it investigates the accuracy of IDW interpolation under two types of nearest neighbor point statistics ranges (fixed number and area) and three types of membership functions (triangle, trapezoidal, and Gaussian) interactions. The results showed that fixing the search window to determine the local neighbor statistics range and utilizing the triangle membership function to map adjustment weights exhibit strong distribution patterns. The minimum interpolation relative error for 10 sample boreholes reached 0.86%, whereas the average minimum interpolation relative error was 18.80%. Each borehole achieved optimal interpolation accuracy. The research findings significantly impact building adaptive spatial interpolation techniques and high-precision 3D geological models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, is one of the most notorious insect pests, and a major threat to maize (Zea mays) and other important crops, such as wheat (Triticum aestivum). Although the push–pull strategy based on intercropping has been reported to effectively prevent damage caused to maize, the potential of wheat-based intercropping systems for S. frugiperda management has rarely been assessed. In this study, the offspring performance, oviposition, and feeding preferences of S. frugiperda on four commonly planted crops—maize, pea (Pisum sativum), faba bean (Vicia faba), and alfalfa (Medicago sativa)—in wheat-based intercropping system were investigated to evaluate the roles of those host plants in the pest management. The results showed that S. frugiperda larvae performed poorly on pea and faba bean plants, as indicated by the longest duration for larval developmental, total pre-oviposition period, and mean generation time as well as the lowest pupal weight and larval survival rate. Lower offspring performance on pea and faba bean leaves coincided with lower efficiency of larval consumption. Preference tests revealed that female adults and larvae exhibited a stronger oviposition on, and feeding preference for maize than wheat, whereas no-preference was observed for faba bean plants. This study revealed the adaptability of S. frugiperda and its preference for wheat and its four common intercropped host plants and provided an insight into the management of S. frugiperda through the establishment of a push–pull strategy in wheat-based intercropping systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geogenic arsenic has become a globally-distributed groundwater contaminant, liberated from the weathering of arsenic-bearing sulfide minerals and often transported to aquifer sediments adsorbed to iron oxides. Among the iron oxides, goethite (α-FeOOH) is uniquely important for the fate of arsenic because of its widespread abundance, stability, and high affinity for binding arsenic. Goethite is ubiquitous in soils and sediments and often contains substituted elements, including manganese. Structural manganese may affect the surface reactivity and redox capacity of goethite and alter the mechanisms of recrystallization catalyzed by dissolved Fe(II), potentially affecting arsenic adsorption. This study examined the fate of As(V) during the interactions between dissolved Fe(II) and Mn-substituted goethites at pH 4 and 7 as well as associated changes in arsenic speciation. At pH 7, the addition of dissolved Fe(II) initially increases the adsorption of As(V) onto Mn-bearing and Mn-free goethites. For the Mn-substituted goethites, the adsorbed As(V) slowly releases to solution at longer aging times. Fe(II) addition at pH 4 slightly increases As(V) uptake by Mn-substituted goethites, with differences in total sorption correlating with the Mn content in goethite. The addition of Fe(II) releases substantial dissolved manganese but the amount solubilized is higher at pH 4 compared to 7, suggesting that the presence of adsorbed As(V) may substantially promote the Mn release at pH 4. X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy shows that arsenic is stabilized as As(V) in all the samples and adsorbed on goethite via a bidentate binuclear mechanism. Fitting results show that the binding distance and coordination numbers are stable in Mn-free goethite and Mn-substituted goethite samples; the effect of substituted Mn on the surface complex structure is minor. High resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction confirm that no secondary ferrous arsenate minerals precipitate under both pH conditions. This study improves our understanding of the Fe(II)-As(V) interactions on iron oxides, and demonstrates that the substituted cations such as manganese may quantitatively alter the geochemical fate of arsenic during the reaction of dissolved Fe(II) with Fe(III) oxides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the most promising candidate for luminescent semiconductor materials in the future environmentally friendly society, InP nanocrystals (NCs) have attracted strong attention in the past decade. Tremendous efforts have been devoted to address the unstable and poor optical properties of InP NCs for practical applications. An extensive and in‐depth summary of existing literatures can not only provide an important reference for further optimizing of the optical properties of InP NCs, but also lay a foundation for subsequent related applications. In this review, the methods for the synthesis with different P sources and different ZnE (E = Se, S) shells are briefly summarized. The research progress in the optical properties investigation of InP/ZnE and InP/ZnE/ZnE NCs, including absorption, fluorescence, carrier dynamics, and nonlinear optics, are summarized. The relevant applications based on InP/ZnE and InP/ZnE/ZnE NCs are also presented, ranging from light emitting diodes, bioimaging, and solar cells to photocatalytic hydrogen production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The L-H mechanism dominates the low-temperature induction stage. • Coexistence of M−K and L-H mechanisms in ammonia catalytic combustion. • (M−K) /(L-H) = 0.427 (Induction stage) and 0.627 (continuous combustion stage). • The NH and NH 2 are the key species for the two stages of N 2 production (i-SCR). • The CuO-CeO 2 achieves self-sustained catalytic combustion at NH 3 = 14%. Carbon-free hydrogen-rich ammonia (NH 3) is a potential next energy generation source, where a high ignition point and high nitric oxide contents, thereby limiting further development. This study aims to investigate the mechanism evolution during the catalytic ignition process of high NH 3 concentration over copper-cerium catalyst to address the demerits of flame combustion. The phase composition, elemental valence, and active species of the copper-cerium oxide (CuO-CeO 2) catalyst are investigated using various characterization techniques. The results indicated that Cu species are mainly present in copper-cerium solid solutions and highly dispersed CuO clusters, providing sufficient Cu sites to adsorb NH 3 and abundant reactive lattice oxygen. The catalytic ignition triggered a kinetic transition from low-rate to high-rate steady-state. During the induction process, the predominance of the L-H mechanism is implied by the kinetic modeling and transient experiments (low-rate induced phase). Combined with IR spectroscopy and isotope (18O 2)-transient response study, the results indicated that adsorbed NH 3 reacted with surface adsorbed oxygen, simultaneously pulling out lattice oxygen to react with adsorbed NH 3 , confirming the coexistence of L-H and M−K mechanism over CuO-CeO 2. The L-H mechanism (18O, contribution of adsorbed oxygen) plays a relatively dominant role in the induction stage, while the involvement of the M−K mechanism (16O, contribution of lattice oxygen) is significantly increased in the sustained combustion stage. At both stages, NH and NH 2 served as critical species for N 2 generation (i-SCR), respectively, playing an important role in N 2 selectivity. Moreover, in the self-sustained combustion stage for CuO-CeO 2 (14%NH 3), the rapid gas diffusion and mass transfer facilitated the adsorption and activation of NH 3. These results are envisaged to provide theoretical support for the handling and application of high concentrations of NH 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mung bean (Vigna radiata) production has been greatly threatened by numerous diseases. Infection with these pathogens causes extensive changes in gene expression and the activation of hormone signal transduction. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) is the most common technique used for gene expression validation. Screening proper reference genes for mung bean under pathogen infection and hormone treatment is a prerequisite for ensuring the accuracy of qRT-PCR data in mung bean disease-resistance research. In this study, six candidate reference genes (Cons4, ACT, TUA, TUB, GAPDH, and EF1α) were selected to evaluate the expression stability under four soil-borne disease pathogens (Pythium myriotylum, Pythium aphanidermatum, Fusarium oxysporum, and Rhizoctonia solani) and five hormone treatments (SA, MeJA, ETH, ABA, and GA3). In the samples from different treatments, the Ct value distribution of the six candidate reference genes was different. Under the condition of hormone treatment, the Ct value ranged from a minimum of 17.87 for EF1α to a maximum of 29.63 for GAPDH. Under the condition of pathogen infection, the Ct value ranged from a minimum of 19.43 for EF1α to a maximum of 31.82 for GAPDH. After primer specificity analysis, it was found that GAPDH was not specific, so the five reference genes Cons4, ACT, TUA, TUB, and EF1α were used in subsequent experiments. The software products GeNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper and RefFinder were used for qRT-PCR data analysis. In general, the best candidates reference genes were: TUA for SA, ABA, GA3, and Pythium myriotylum treatment; TUB for ETH treatment; ACT for MeJA and Fusarium oxysporum treatment; and EF1α for Pythium aphanidermatum and Rhizoctonia solani treatment. The most stably expressed genes in all samples were TUA, while Cons4 was the least stable reference gene. Finally, the reliability of the reference gene was further validated by analysis of the expression profiles of four mung bean genes (Vradi0146s00260, Vradi0158s00480, Vradi07g23860, and Vradi11g03350) selected from transcriptome data. Our results provide more accurate information for the normalization of qRT-PCR data in mung bean response to pathogen interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous SiC–Si 3 N 4 ceramics with various pore structures were prepared by adding different amounts and sizes of pore-forming agents (Polymethyl methacrylate, PMMA). The dielectric and wave absorption properties of porous ceramics were investigated over a wide temperature and frequency range. Increasing the porosity reduced the frequency dependence of complex permittivity. When the porosity increased from 50.97% to 54.59%, the loss tangent was slightly enhanced due to pore-induced polarization. An optimal pore size range enhanced the dielectric properties, beyond which a lower loss tangent was exhibited. Increasing the porosity reduced the temperature dependence of the loss tangent, and the peak of the change rate of the loss tangent moved to a higher temperature. The minimum reflection loss at room temperature can reach - 49.61 dB at 11.91 GHz for a 1.9 mm-thick sample. The minimum reflection loss at 9.72 GHz for 25 vol% PMMA-added porous ceramic with a 2.1 mm-thick material can be as low as - 65.92 dB at 300 °C. The porosity can be changed to achieve selective electromagnetic wave absorption at different temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authentic SARS-CoV-2 requires to be handled in Biosafety Level 3 laboratories, which restrains investigation by the broader scientific community. Here, we report the development of a novel SARS-CoV-2 viral vector composed of all 4 SARS-CoV-2 structural proteins, the packaging signal sequence of SARS-CoV-2, a reporter gene, and an RNA amplification component of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV). This VEE-SARS-CoV-2 viral vector transduces target cells in an ACE2-dependent manner, and all 4 structural proteins of SARS-CoV-2 are indispensable for its transduction activity. Comparative studies show that the incorporation of the VEEV self-amplification mechanism increases the gene expression level by ~ 65-fold and extends the transgene expression up to 11 days in transduced cells. Additionally, we demonstrated the significant applications of this new VEE-SARS-CoV-2 vector for neutralizing antibody quantification and antiviral drug testing. The VEE-SARS-CoV-2 vectors developed will be an important and versatile tool for investigating SARS-CoV-2 molecular virology, developing antiviral agents targeting receptor binding, and studying RNA genome packaging and function of the essential but not well studied structural proteins of SARS-CoV-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly densified Al 4 SiC 4 ceramics with a relative density of 96.1% were prepared by pressureless sintering using 2 wt% Y 2 O 3 as additives. The densification mechanism, phase composition, microstructures and mechanical properties of Al 4 SiC 4 ceramics were investigated. Y 2 O 3 in-situ reacted with the oxygen impurities in Al 4 SiC 4 powder to form a yttrium aluminate liquid phase during sintering, which promoted the densification and anisotropic grain growth. The final Al 4 SiC 4 ceramics were composed of equiaxed grains and columnar grains, and presented a bimodal grain distribution. The mechanical properties of the pressureless sintered Al 4 SiC 4 ceramics were better than those reported for hot pressed Al 4 SiC 4 , including a flexural strength of 369 ± 24 MPa, fracture toughness of 4.8 ± 0.1 MPa m1/2 and Vickers hardness of 11.3 ± 0.2 GPa. Pressureless sintering of Al 4 SiC 4 ceramics is of great significance for the development and practical application of Al 4 SiC 4 ceramic parts, especially with big size and complex shape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The field of early rehabilitation has developed slowly in mainland China and there are limited data on the implementation of early mobilisation (EM) practice in intensive care unit (ICUs) in China. Aims: To investigate the implementation of EM in ICUs in mainland China and to analyse its influencing factors. Study design: A cross‐sectional electronic survey was conducted in 444 ICUs across 11 provinces in China. Head nurses provided data on institutional characteristics and EM practice in ICUs. Logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with the implementation of EM. Results: In all, 56.98% (253/444) of ICUs implemented EM with comprehensive or complete implementation in 86 ICUs. Of the 191 ICUs that did not use EM, 136 planned to implement EM in the near future. Of the 253 ICUs that used EM, 21.34% of ICUs implemented EM for all eligible patients, while 24.90% would evaluate and carry out EM within 48 h after ICU admission, 39.13% had collaborative EM teams, 34.39% reported the use of EM protocols, 14.63% reported multidisciplinary rounds and 17.39% had medical orders and charging standards for all EM activities. Only 18.18% of ICUs conducted frequent professional training for EM, and abnormal events occurred in 15.41% of ICUs during EM practice. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that an economically strong province, the presence of a dedicated therapist team, more ICU beds and a higher staff‐to‐bed ratio favoured the implementation of EM. Furthermore, multidisciplinary rounds, well‐established medical orders and charging standards, and a high frequency of professional training can lead to the comprehensive promotion and development of EM practice in ICUs. Conclusions: Both the implementation rate and quality of EM practice for critically ill patients require improvement. EM practice in Chinese ICUs is still nascent and requires development in a variety of domains. Relevance to clinical practice: To facilitate the implementation of EM in ICUs, more human resources, especially the involvement of a professional therapist team, should be deployed. In addition, health providers should actively organize multidisciplinary rounds and professional training and formulate appropriate EM medical orders and charging standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A formula for characterizing the excitation condition of the nth-order Bragg resonance is derived. • The influence of various bed parameters on wave reflection, including Bragg resonant reflection, is investigated. • Zero reflections are closely related to the zero points of the Chebyshev polynomial of the second kind. • When there is no slope, there are N − 1 zero reflections between two Bragg peaks, otherwise all zero reflections disappear. • Higher-order Bragg resonance peaks beat faster, and the nth-order Bragg resonance peak has n local maxima. For water waves propagating over a finite periodic array of congruent trapezoidal bars on a sloping seabed or trenches dug on a sloping seabed, an analytical solution in terms of Taylor series to the modified mild-slope equation (MMSE) is constructed. Based on the analytical solution, influences of various topographic parameters (e.g., the slope of seabed, bar/trench number, bar height or trench depth, and bar/trench width) on the peak value, peak phase and zero reflection of Bragg resonances are investigated. Especially, starting from the original definition of Bragg resonances, a modified Bragg's law for characterizing the excitation condition of the n th order Bragg resonance is derived, which shows that the excitation of Bragg resonances depends entirely on the average phase velocity of the water wave within the bar/trench field. When the influence of the bar/trench field on the average phase velocity is quite small, the modified Bragg's law degenerates into the traditional Bragg's law borrowed from X-ray crystallography, which also reflects the essential difference between the water wave as a mechanical wave and the non-mechanical X-ray wave. In addition, for N bars/trenches on a flat seabed, there are at least N − 1 zero reflections between any two adjacent Bragg resonance peaks. When the bars are very low or the trenches are very shallow, the phase of the N − 1 zero reflections in those zero reflections is exactly the position of the N − 1 zero points of the Chebyshev polynomial of the second kind, U N − 1 (cos k 0 d) , where k 0 is the wavenumber on the flat seabed and d is the bar/trench spacing. However, once a sloping seabed is added, all these N − 1 zero reflections disappear possibly due to the destruction of the symmetry of the background bar/trench field. Finally, regardless of the number of bars/trenches, when the bar/trench width varies, the peak value of the n th order Bragg resonance oscillates periodically, leading to n local maxima. A comparative study shows that these characteristics are consistent with the band structure shown in the Bloch periodic gap map (PGM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alkenes and their related analogs are ideal starting materials for organic synthesis, and the selective difunctionalization of alkenes, which allows the simultaneous introduction of two neighboring bonds, has gained considerable attention in recent years. In particular, the photoredox-catalyzed difunctionalization of alkenes has also been accomplished, which has been regarded as an increasingly powerful tool for the synthesis of miscellaneous interesting molecular scaffolds in an environmentally benign and economical manner. Several exquisite strategies have been developed to facilitate this transformation, such as photosensitizer-catalyzed redox reactions, electron donor-acceptor (EDA) complexes-mediated photoreactions, and atom transfer radical addition (ATRA) reactions. This literature review briefly describes the most recent key progress on the photoredox-catalyzed 1,2-difunctionalization of various structurally diverse alkenes, including 1,2-dicarbofunctionalization, 1,2-carboheterofunctionalization, and 1,2-diheterofunctionalization, with a special emphasis on the mechanistic details. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vehicle-mounted ground-penetrating radar (GPR) has been used to non-destructively inspect and evaluate railway subgrade conditions. However, existing GPR data processing and interpretation methods mostly rely on time-consuming manual interpretation, and limited studies have applied machine learning methods. GPR data are complex, high-dimensional, and redundant, in particular with non-negligible noises, for which traditional machine learning methods are not effective when applied to GPR data processing and interpretation. To solve this problem, deep learning is more suitable to process large amounts of training data, as well as to perform better data interpretation. In this study, we proposed a novel deep learning method to process GPR data, the CRNN network, which combines convolutional neural networks (CNN) and recurrent neural networks (RNN). The CNN processes raw GPR waveform data from signal channels, and the RNN processes features from multiple channels. The results show that the CRNN network achieves a higher precision at 83.4%, with a recall of 77.3%. Compared to the traditional machine learning method, the CRNN is 5.2 times faster and has a smaller size of 2.6 MB (traditional machine learning method: 104.0 MB). Our research output has demonstrated that the developed deep learning method improves the efficiency and accuracy of railway subgrade condition evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Treatment of esophageal perforation or rupture is complicated and controversial, especially in advanced cases. In fact, it is generally accepted that this disease must be treated individually according to the location, causes and clinical features of rupture or perforation. A very rare case was admitted to our department, who was injured 5 days ago by high-pressure gas of a running air compressor and resulted in a long-term longitudinal rupture of the thoracic esophagus. Although the patient suffered from empyema and mediastinitis at the same time, and his condition was very serious, the debridement and desquamation of empyema were still implemented, followed by left thoracic esophagectomy and left neck approach esophagogastrostomy in the same period successfully. The patient got a good result finally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alexithymia is common and causes serious harm to people living with HIV/AIDS. Therefore, this study aimed to examine its prevalence and associated factors among people living with HIV/AIDS in China. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in two designated AIDS medical institutions in Harbin, China between January and December 2019. In total, 767 participants completed the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale, the University of California Los Angeles Loneliness short-form, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, the HIV Treatment Regimen Fatigue Scale, and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test‐Consumption. The participants responded to several questions regarding their demographic characteristics, life satisfaction, disease-related economic burden, and their antiretroviral therapy (ART) side effects. Multivariate logistic regression assessed the relationship between alexithymia and associated factors. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for OR were calculated. Results: Approximately 36.1% of the participants were classified as having alexithymia. After adjusted age and education, the logistic regression model indicated that disease-related economic burden (OR = 1.477, 95% CI = 1.155–1.888), ART side effects (OR = 1.249, 95% CI = 1.001–1.559), loneliness (OR = 1.166, 95% CI = 1.101–1.236), and HIV treatment regimen fatigue (OR = 1.028, 95% CI = 1.017–1.039) were positively associated with alexithymia. Conclusions: The mental health problems of people living with HIV/AIDS are essential to understand and deserve attention. Disease-related economic burdens are major associated factors. Multiple actors should provide better services and guarantees for patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Droplet microfluidics has emerged as a powerful technology to perform high-throughput experiments, while artificial intelligence (AI) serves as a functional tool to analyze a large set of multiplex data. Their convergence creates new opportunities in autonomous system optimization and control, enabling various innovative functions and applications. In this study, we elucidate the basic principles of AI and elaborate on its main functions. The intelligent microfluidic systems applied in droplet generation, material synthesis, and biological analysis are summarized, with their working mechanisms and enabled new functions highlighted. Moreover, we elucidate current challenges in a more widespread combination of AI and droplet microfluidics and offer our perspectives on potential strategies to tackle these challenges. We hope that this review can deepen our understanding of intelligent droplet microfluidics and inspire more functional designs tailored to emerging demands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a novel, efficient and metal-free multicomponent reaction of isocyanides, selenium powder and 3-aminooxetanes is reported. The reaction uses selenium powder as the selenium source and H2O as the sole reaction medium, delivering a series of 1,3-selenazolines under mild conditions. The transformation features good functional group compatibility, broad substrate scope and high atom economy, avoiding the use of unstable and toxic selenium agents, additional phase transfer catalysts and transition-metal catalysts, which is in line with the concept of green organic synthesis. In addition, the obtained selenazolines were easily applied to the derivatization of biologically active molecules, which provides a new avenue for the synthesis of drug-like organoselenium compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Similar patient retrieval has become increasingly important with the explosive growth of electronic health records (EHRs). A similar patient cohort identified from all patients can provide data-driven insights for personalized healthcare. However, the high dimensionality and heterogeneity of EHRs increase the difficulty of measuring patient similarity. How to accurately and efficiently retrieve similar patients from a large number of EHRs remains challenging. In this paper, we propose a novel similar patient retrieval method based on interactive patient labeling and automatic model updating. Combined with the knowledge and experience of physicians, it can be adaptively modified for different patients and diseases. We also develop a visual analytics system to assist patient labeling through pairwise comparisons and support outcome analysis of similar patients. The case studies on two real-world datasets in collaboration with physicians demonstrate the effectiveness and usefulness of our method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fractional derivative with nonsingular kernel has been widely used to many physical fields which was shown to offer a new insight into the mathematical modeling of natural phenomena. In this paper, we first study the well‐posedness and regularity of the multidimensional variable‐order time‐fractional reaction–diffusion equation with Caputo–Fabrizio fractional derivative and then present and analyze a Galerkin finite element approximation to the proposed model based on the proved smoothing properties of the solutions. To improve the computational efficiency of the variable‐order Caputo–Fabrizio derivative, we approximate the kernel of the fractional derivative by the K‐term truncation of its Taylor expansion at a fixed fractional order to develop a fast evaluation scheme which significantly reduces the memory requirement from O(N) to O(K) and the computational complexity from O(N2) to O(K2N) where N refers to the number of time steps. We accordingly develop a fast Galerkin finite element method to the proposed model. Numerical experiments are carried out to substantiate the theoretical findings and to show the performance of the fast method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an electrocatalytic process, the cognition of the active phase in a catalyst has been regarded as one of the most vital issues, which not only boosts the fundamental understanding of the reaction procedure but also guides the engineering and design for further promising catalysts. Here, based on the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), the stepwise evolution of the dominant active phase is demonstrated in the LaNiO3 (LNO) catalyst once the single‐crystal thin film is decorated by LNO nanoparticles. It is found that the OER performance can be dramatically improved by this decoration, and the catalytic current density at 1.65 V can be enhanced by ≈1000% via ≈109 cm−2 nanoparticle adhesion after extracting the contribution of surface enlargement. Most importantly, a transition of the active phase from LNO to NiOOH via surface reconstruction with the density of LNO nanoparticles is demonstrated. Several mechanisms in terms of this active phase transition are discussed involving lattice orientation‐induced change of the surface energy profile, the lattice oxygen participation, and the A/B‐site ions leaching during OER cycles. This study suggests that the active phases in transition metal‐based OER catalysts can transform with morphology, which should be corresponding to distinct engineering strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Goethite and modified goethites have been found as good photocatalysts because their conduction band can mediate electron transfer in various redox processes. Many kinds of metal elements can be incorporated into the structure of goethite to form solid solutions in nature, but their optoelectronic properties have not been well disclosed. Mn-substituted goethite is one of the potential photocatalysts, which can exhibit high-photocatalytic activity in many Earth's surface processes. Based on the first-principles calculation, pairwise interaction energies and static lattice energies of goethitegroutite solid solution were computed, and the most thermodynamically stable configurations of Mn-substituted goethite were determined. The results indicate that Mn3+ ion tends to distribute within the cation layer parallel to the (001) plane. Phase relations of goethite-groutite solid solution were derived by subsequent configurational statistics with energies of all 232 configurations of a 2 × 1 × 4 supercell with 32 exchangeable cations. The phase diagram shows that no more than 3 mol% Fe of goethite can be substituted by Mn ions. Therefore, Mn-substituted goethite is thermodynamically metastable or bears groutite-like clusters/lamellae. Furthermore, the effects of Mn substitutions on the band gap were experimentally and theoretically investigated. It is found that a small amount of Mn-substitution can reduce the band gap of goethite significantly, and the decrease ceases when the Mn content is higher than 3–4 mol%. Such a decrease in band gap causes red-shift to the photo response wavelength of goethite and improves the responding capability. This improvement was confirmed in the experiments of photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB). Such kind of photocatalytic reaction probably can happen widely in natural environments. Therefore, the contribution of photocatalysis of natural goethites to geochemical processes on Earth's surface should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Flexible pressure sensor arrays have promising applications in analog haptics, reconfiguration of sensory functions, artificial intelligence, wearable devices and human-computer interaction. The force disturbance generated by the connecting material between the sensor array units will reduce the detection accuracy of the unit. The purpose of this paper is to propose a flexible pressure sensor with interference immunity capability. A C-type bridge flexible piezoelectric structure is used to improve the pressure perturbation. The interference immunity capability of the sensor has been improved. Design/methodology/approach: In this paper, a C-type pressure sensor array structure by rapid injection moulding is manufactured through the positive piezoelectric effect of a piezoelectric material. The feasibility of C-type interference immunity structure in a flexible sensor array is verified by further analysis and experiment. A flexible pressure sensor array with C-type interference immunity structure has been proposed. Findings: In this paper, we present the results of the perturbation experiment results of the C-type pressure sensor array, showing that the perturbation error is less than 8%. The test of the flexible sensor array show that the sensor can identify the curved angle of up to 120 °, and the output sensitivity of the sensor in the horizontal state reaches 0.12 V/N, and the sensor can withstand the pressure of 80 N. The flexible sensor can work stably in the stretch rate range of 0–8.6% and the stretch length range of 0–6 mm. Originality/value: In this paper, C-type pressure sensor array structure is fabricated by rapid injection moulding for the first time. The research in this paper can effectively reduce the disturbance of input pressure on the sensor's internal array and improve the output accuracy. The sensor can intuitively reflect the number of fingers sliding on the sensor by the order in which the maximum voltage appears. Due to the strong interference immunity capability and flexibility of the flexible sensor array mechanism, it has a broad application prospect in the practical fields of haptic simulation, perceptual function reconstruction, artificial intelligence, wearable devices and human–computer interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: 5-Aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is a natural and environmentally benign multifunctional plant growth regulator involved in the regulation of plant tolerance to various environmental stresses. This research aimed to explore the molecular mechanisms of salt tolerance in Populus wutunensis induced by exogenous ALA using physiological and transcriptomic analyses. Results: Physiological results showed that 50 mg·L− 1 ALA-treatment significantly reduced the malondialdehyde (MDA) content and the relative electrical conductivity (REC) and enhanced antioxidant activities of enzymes such as SOD, POD and CAT in salt-stressed P. wutunensis seedlings. Transcriptome analysis identified ALA-induced differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associating with increased salt-tolerance in P. wutunensis. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses showed that ALA activated the jasmonic acid signaling and significantly enhanced the protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum and the flavonoid biosynthesis pathways. Results of the hormone-quantification by LC-MS/MS-based assays showed that ALA could increase the accumulation of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) in salt-stressed P. wutunensis. Induced contents of soluble proteins and flavonoids by exogenous ALA in salt-treated seedlings were also correlated with the MeJA content. Conclusion: 5-aminolevulinic acid improved the protein-folding efficiency in the endoplasmic reticulum and the flavonoid-accumulation through the MeJA-activated jasmonic acid signaling, thereby increased salt-tolerance in P. wutunensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faults divide the strata into discontinuous blocks, making describing the spatial relationship between geological bodies more difficult. However, the literature still lacks simplification methods for addressing this issue. Long-term geological information research has accumulated many spatial models for building engineering geological objects. The low degree of sharing of various geological models and complex data operations has weakened the spatial analysis ability of three-dimensional geological information models. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate a new data structure and algorithm to maintain its consistency before and after the three-dimensional fault modeling so that it is possible to conduct geological analysis. This study develops a three-dimensional stratum model based on the previous research results and the GTP (generalized triangular prism) model. It includes fault data to simulate stratum fracture and proposes a three-dimensional fault modeling method under GTP element reconstruction. First, the types of GTP elements for fault cutting are analyzed. Auxiliary lines and nodes are inserted into the polyhedron with a complex shape generated after the GTP element is sectioned. The polyhedron is reconstructed into the GTP model, maintaining the consistency of the data structure. This method achieves good results in building three-dimensional geological structure models of faults at different spatial positions, indicating that the GTP model and its reconstruction method are very flexible in data storage and expression and are suitable for geological modeling. The results have significant implications for modeling and sharing operations of complex geological structures, including faults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plumbagin (5-hydroxy-2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone, PLB), a naturally occurring naphthoquinone mainly isolated from the plant Plumbago zeylanica L., has been proven to possess anticancer activities towards multiple types of cancer. Although there has been an increasing amount of research regarding its anticancer effects, the association between oxidative stress, genotoxicity and the cell cycle arrest induced by PLB still remains unclear. Therefore, it is important to investigate their potential connections and the involvement of DNA damage and the ataxia telangiectasia mutated protein (ATM)-p53 signaling pathway in PLB's anticancer mechanism. The present study showed that PLB exposure significantly reduced HCC cell viability and colony formation. In addition, PLB-induced G2/M cell cycle arrest, oxidative stress, and DNA damage was detected, which could be almost blocked by NAC pretreatment. PLB could trigger a DNA damage response by activating cell cycle checkpoints such as ATM, checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1), checkpoint kinase 2 (Chk2) and p53. Meanwhile, the key modulator of the G2/M transition factor, Cell Division Cycle 25C (cdc25C), was significantly downregulated in an ROS-dependent manner. Furthermore, pretreatment with ATM and p53 inhibitors (KU55933 and Pifithrin-α) could reduce the occurrence of G2/M cell cycle arrest by inhibiting the activation of the ATM-p53 pathway. Taken together, these results indicate that ROS-mediated oxidative stress plays a key role in PLB-induced G2/M cell cycle arrest mediated by the ATM-p53 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ion-adsorption rare earth element (REE) deposit, a valuable type of REE deposit, has been thought to be derived from the release and enrichment of REE during granite weathering. Understanding the REE occurrence in regolith-hosted deposits is crucial for more eficient extraction. We investigated a weathering granite profile of a regolith-hosted REE deposit located in South China. X-ray difraction (XRD) and X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) analysis of the clay fractions reveal that the highest Ce(IV) content located in intensely weathered layers and cerianite nanoparticles (CeNPs) can be observed, besides invisible adsorbed REEs. Interestingly, most of the CeNPs scatter on halloysite basal surface and exhibit preferred orientation. Detailed analysis demonstrates that the diagonal plane of cerianite matches with the exposed basal surfaces (Si-O tetrahedron) of halloysite. Such a lattice match may contribute to the nucleation and growth of CeNPs after oxidation of the adsorbed Ce(III), which results in great REE enrichment by clays. The findings provide new insight into the mechanism of Ce precipitation and REE mineralization during granite weathering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 150-day experiment was performed to investigate the stimulatory effect of a promising phytoremediation strategy consisting of Suaeda heteroptera (S. heteroptera), Nereis succinea (N. succinea), and oil-degrading bacteria for cleaning up total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) in spiked sediment. Inoculation with oil-degrading bacteria and/or N. succinea increased plant yield and TPH accumulation in S. heteroptera plants. The highest TPH dissipation (40.5%) was obtained in the combination treatment, i.e., S. heteroptera + oil-degrading bacteria + N. succinea, in which the sediment TPH concentration decreased from an initial value of 3955 to 2355 mg/kg in 150 days. BAF, BCF, and TF confirmed the role of N. succinea and oil-degrading bacteria in the amelioration and translocation of TPHs. In addition, TPH toxicity of S. heteroptera was alleviated by N. succinea and oil-degrading bacteria addition through the reduction of oxidative stress. Therefore, S. heteroptera could be used for cleaning up oil-contaminated sediment, particularly in the presence of oil-degrading bacteria + N. succinea. Field studies on oil-degrading bacteria + N. succinea may provide new insights on the rehabilitation and restoration of sediments contaminated by TPHs. Our study attempted to investigate the stimulatory effect of a promising phytoremediation strategy consisting of Suaeda heteroptera (S. heteroptera), Nereis succinea (N. succinea), and oil-degrading bacteria for cleaning up TPH in spiked sediment. Planting S. heteroptera can greatly increase sediment TPH removal, and its removal was enhanced greater after inoculation with oil-degrading bacteria and/or N. succinea. Moreover, the promising phytoremediation strategy developed in the current work can serve as an efficient, novel approach to removal TPH in sediment/soil. In our opinions, these findings provide insights into the assessment of their ecological risks in the environments that are of interest to broad readership of International Journal of Phytoremediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water shortage crisis has been paid attention to and many efforts have been conducted to find proper and applicable solutions to it through developing desalination systems. Commonly, being simple in construction and easy operation, solar stills (SSs) have been developed to meet the freshwater need; especially, in arid areas. However, their productivity and efficiency improvement are still a challenge. Accordingly, the current work aimed to enhance the thermo-economic performance of a pyramid SS (PSS) by augmenting the evaporation and condensation processes. For obtaining high vapor generation, evacuated tubes and ultrasonic foggers were integrated into the developed PSS (DPSS) as a first case (DPSS-I), in which different operation times of the foggers were tested. Then, Co 3 O 4 nanofluid (1.5 wt%) was added as a basin fluid in the second case (DPSS-II). Finally, in the third case (DPSS-III), a glass cooling was used for boosting the condensation rate. Besides the experiments, a complete thermo-economic performance analysis was done via calculating the energetic and exergetic efficiencies and freshwater cost (per liter). All these performance indicators of DPSS were compared to that of traditional PSS (TPSS). As resulted, integrating all the proposed additives (DPSS-III) could enhance freshwater production, energy efficiency, and exergy efficiency by 83.87%, 18.29% and 38.86%, respectively. Additionally, the production cost, per freshwater liter, was reduced by 11.61%. These results showed the applicability, sustainability, and feasibility of the proposed additives in the field of solar desalination, particularly SSs. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste heat and organic contaminants are significant issues in water pollution, which has caused ecological problems and threatened human health. To provide an effective solution for wastewater recovery, we designed a novel type of multifunctional phase-change microcapsule. This type of microcapsule was synthesized using n-docosane as a core and a SiO2/Fe3O4 composite as a base shell through in situ interfacial polycondensation with the assistance of a Fe3O4 nanoparticle as a Pickering emulsion stabilizer, followed by the deposition of BiOI nanosheets on the surface of the SiO2/Fe3O4 composite shell. Benefiting from the n-docosane core, the resultant microcapsules obtained phase-change enthalpies of 46.8–115.7 J/g for absorbing waste heat from wastewater. The deposited BiOI nanosheets promoted photocatalysis for the microcapsules to degrade organic contaminants in wastewater. Owing to the magnetic response of the Fe3O4 nanoparticles, the separability and recyclability of the microcapsules were improved significantly by magnetic separation. Moreover, the microcapsules demonstrate outstanding phase-change reversibility, thermal cycling stability, and shape stability due to the tight SiO2/Fe3O4 composite shell. This study provides a promising approach for designing and developing multifunctional phase-change microcapsules for waste heat recovery and wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supported Cu nanoparticle catalysts are the main players in hydrogenation of CO 2 to methanol, however, the challenges in selectivity and catalyst stability have not been properly addressed due to the reverse water-gas shift reaction initiated by Cu nanoparticles and their sintering/oxidation. Here, we have developed a series of Cu,Zn-codoped ZrO 2 catalyst, in which Cu and Zn are highly dispersed into the matrix of ZrO 2. The optimal Cu,Zn-codoped ZrO 2 catalyst demonstrates outstanding performance compared with Cu-doped ZrO 2 , Zn-doped ZrO 2 and Cu-doped ZnO catalysts. Chemisorption, H 2 -D 2 exchange and in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy analyses reveal that the synergy interaction between the doped Zn and Cu plays a crucial role in boosting the selective production of methanol synthesis via promoting CO 2 adsorption and H 2 dissociation. This study provides an intriguing example for the development of selective and stable Cu-catalyst for the CO 2 hydrogenation via metal-doping strategy. [Display omitted] • An efficient CO 2 -to-methanol catalyst were prepared by co-doping Cu/Zn in ZrO 2. • Co-doping Cu/Zn improved the catalytic performance of methanol formation. • Synergy interaction of Cu/Zn sites promoted CO 2 adsorption and H 2 dissociation. • Methanol formation proceeded via HCOO* -intermediated path way. • The hydrogenation of HCOO* to CH 3 O* were enhanced by co-doping Cu and Zn sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated circuits and optoelectronics are currently dominated by silicon technology. However, silicon's response wavelength is typically less than 1,100 nm, limiting the application of silicon in machine vision, autonomous vehicles, and night vision. For infrared photodetectors, HgTe colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) are promising materials. Because of the adjustable bandgap, it responds over a wide spectral range. However, the construction of a high-quality junction between Si and HgTe CQDs continues to be difficult, thus restricting the scope of its application. In this article, we describe the synthesis, characterization, and correlation of HgTe CQDs with reaction temperature and nanocrystal size. We then fabricated HgTe-CQDs/silicon infrared photodiodes and discussed how the silicon resistivity affected their performance. We found that the devices prepared from 9.1 nm HgTe quantum dots synthesized at 80°C and a silicon substrate with a resistivity of 20–50 Ω·cm has optimal performance parameters. This results in a responsivity of 0.2 mA/W for 1,550 nm incident light at room temperature. These results provide a direction for future silicon-compatible HgTe quantum dot infrared optoelectronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assemblies of as called "chitosan hydrogel-liposome" are expected for overcoming the burst effect in drug release from chitosan (CS) hydrogels. Herein, a hydrogel delivery system made of chitosan incorporated fatty acid vesicles was constructed for protective sustained release of curcumin (Cur). The curcumin was encapsulated in the prepared oligo-conjugated linoleic acid vesicles (OCLAVs), and then the drug-embedded vesicles were constructed to Cur-OCLAVs-CS hydrogels with CS solution. The fabricated Cur-OCLAVs-CS hydrogel was fluidic at room temperature and could be rapidly gelled at 37 °C. Morphology study proves that the OCLAVs stayed as nano-vesicles in the gel. The Cur-OCLAVs-CS hydrogels effectively declined the burst effect with enhanced antioxidant activity. The Cur (400 μM)-OCLAVs-CS gel presented a cumulative release rate of 51.23 % of curcumin in 96 h, comparing to 93.37 % of that from the Cur-CS gel. Moreover, the corporation of OCLAVs and CS made the gel exhibited strong synergistic effect on the antioxidant activity, with an enhancement of up to 148.1 % on the ferric reducing power. Therefore, the hydrogel carrier made of incorporated fatty acid vesicles-chitosan can be served as an injectable or 3D printable drug delivery system, which may provide a hint to overcome the burst effect that existed in chitosan and other polysaccharide-based gels. • An injectable chitosan (CS) incorporated liposome hydrogel was constructed. • The oligo-conjugate linoleic acid vesicles (OCLAVs) stay as liposome in the gel. • The OCLAVs-CS gel provided protective sustain release of curcumin. • The OCLAVs-CS gel has synergistic antioxidant activity with curcumin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As mentioned in Biondini et al. (Commun Math Phys 348:475–533, 2016), the complete theory of the inverse scattering transform for the multi-component focusing nonlinear Schrödinger equation with nonzero boundary conditions still remains open. In this paper, we attempt to investigate the above problem with a particular class of nonzero boundary conditions. The direct problem is shown to be well posed for potential q such that q (· , t) - q ± lies in the L 1 , 1 (R ±) space. By introducing two modified Lax pairs and generalized cross product operations in C N + 1 , the analyticity properties and the symmetries of a complete set of eigenfunctions and scattering data are obtained. The inverse problem is characterized in terms of a 3 × 3 block matrix Riemann–Hilbert problem, whose solution exists uniquely due to the growth conditions at branch points and the symmetries of jump matrices, residue conditions and asymptotics at two infinities of Riemann surface. In the reflectionless case, some special solutions including soliton and breather are displayed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pathogenesis of hypertension is related to many factors including active angiotensin-I-converting enzyme (ACE) and excess reactive oxygen species (ROS), the combination of ACE inhibition and antioxidant activity in one compound might be useful for the treatment of hypertension. Sipunculus nudus L contain high protein content, which can be used as a valuable raw material to prepare bio-active peptides. In this study, two novel tripeptides, LPK and PRP, with dual bioactivity of ACE inhibition and antioxidant were purified and identified from the worm. The antioxidant activities of LPK and PRP are dose-dependent, including 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), superoxide anion and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities. Moreover, the antioxidant activity of PRP was stronger than that of LPK. In addition, LPK and PRP also show higher ACE inhibitory activity, with IC50 of 6.54 and 0.42 mM, respectively. Molecular docking simulation showed that both the peptides could interact with the active ACE sites via hydrogen bonds, which can reduce the production of Ang II, thereby; LPK and PRP treatment could decrease Ang II-triggered superoxide production, and meanwhile, the peptides treatment could directly remove excess reactive oxygen species. The above-mentioned advantageous effects appeared to involve the stress of the RAS and scavenging ROS, both were benefit to treat hypertension. This research showed that LPK and PRP had potential to be developed as antihypertension agents, which might be a new strategy for high value utilization of Sipunculus nudus L as functional food material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characteristics and pre‐Devonian tectonic evolution between the North and South Wuyi terranes are important for understanding the tectonic framework and aggregation of the micro‐terrenes in the Cathaysia Block, as well as the evolution of the South China Block. This paper provides systematic studies on the petrologic features, zircon U–Pb geochronology and geochemical characteristics of the low‐grade meta‐volcanic and metasedimentary rocks between the North and South Wuyi terranes, and proposes an alternative model for their tectonic evolution. Geochronological data show that the metasedimentary rocks have detrital zircon U–Pb ages ranging from 583 to 3284 Ma with a record of the Nanhua period (764–722 Ma). The meta‐volcanic rocks have centralized ages ranging from 720 to 760 Ma and yield weighted average ages of 746–733 Ma. Geochemical studies of the meta‐volcanic rocks show similar characteristics to island arc magmatic rocks, with relatively high SiO2, K2O and Al2O3, low TFeO and MgO contents, and enrichment of Rb, Ba, Th, Pb and Hf elements, and depletion in Ti, Nb, Sr and Ta. These features indicate that the North and South Wuyi terranes may have collided at about 746–733 Ma and eventually pieced together at 583 Ma, with the protoliths of the meta‐volcanic rocks and the metasedimentary rocks formed in the same tectonic setting of an island arc during Nanhua island arc magmatism related to the collision. The occurrence of Nanhua island arc activity between the North and South Wuyi terranes suggests that multi‐micro‐terranes and multi‐stage collisions may be major characteristics of the tectonic evolution process in the Cathaysia Block. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: Amorphous MoOx with pre-insertion of Al3+ was prepared via ion-exchange protocol. Al-MoOx anode had remarkable capacity and record-level cycling stability for proton battery. The proton battery using Al-MoOx anode achieved a high voltage of 1.37 V. Developing advanced electrode materials is crucial for improving the electrochemical performances of proton batteries. Currently, the anodes are primarily crystalline materials which suffer from inferior cyclic stability and high electrode potential. Herein, we propose amorphous electrode materials for proton batteries by using a general ion-exchange protocol to introduce multivalent metal cations for activating the host material. Taking Al3+ as an example, theoretical and experimental analysis demonstrates electrostatic interaction between metal cations and lattice oxygen, which is the primary barrier for direct introduction of the multivalent cations, is effectively weakened through ion exchange between Al3+ and pre-intercalated K+. The as-prepared Al-MoOx anode therefore delivered a remarkable capacity and outstanding cycling stability that outperforms most of the state-of-the-art counterparts. The assembled full cell also achieved a high voltage of 1.37 V. This work opens up new opportunities for developing high-performance electrodes of proton batteries by introducing amorphous materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead sulfide (PbS) quantum dots (QDs) have attracted a great deal of attention in recent decades, due to their value for applications in optoelectronic devices. However, optimizing the performance of optoelectronic devices through ligand engineering has become a major challenge, as the surfactants that surround quantum dots impede the transport of electrons. In this paper, we prepared PbS QD films and photoconductive devices with four different ligands: 1,2-ethylenedithiol (EDT), tetrabutylammonium iodide (TBAI), hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), and sodium sulfide (Na2S). A series of characterization studies confirmed that using the appropriate ligands in the solid-state ligand exchange step for thin film fabrication can significantly improve the responsivity. The devices treated with sodium sulfide showed the best sensitivity and a wider detection from 400 nm to 2300 nm, compared to the other ligand-treated devices. The responsivity of the champion device reached 95.6 mA/W under laser illumination at 980 nm, with an intensity of 50 mW/cm2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ganoderma (Ganodermaceae) is a genus of edible and medicinal mushrooms that create a diverse set of bioactive compounds. Ganoderma lingzhi has been famous in China for more than 2000 years for its medicinal properties. However, the genome information of G. lingzhi has not been characterized. Here, we characterized its 49.15-Mb genome, encoding 13,125 predicted genes which were sequenced by the Illumina and PacBio platform. A wide spectrum of carbohydrate-active enzymes, with a total number of 519 CAZymes were identified in G. lingzhi. Then, the genes involved in sexual recognition and ganoderic acid (GA, key bioactive metabolite) biosynthesis were characterized. In addition, we identified and deduced the possible structures of 20 main GA constituents by UPLC-ESI-MS/MS, including a new special ganochlearic acid A. Furthermore, 3996 novel transcripts were discovered, and 9276 genes were predicted to have the possibility of alternative splicing from RNA-Seq data. The alternative splicing genes were enriched for functional categories involved in protein processing, endocytosis, and metabolic activities by KEGG. These genomic, transcriptomic, and GA constituents' resources would enrich the toolbox for biological, genetic, and secondary metabolic pathways studies in G. lingzhi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, highly efficient Ti-containing zeolite catalyst (Ti/Al-HSZ) has been prepared by an active catalysis species surface implanting strategy (ACS-SIS) through the combination of precedent acid treatment and subsequent recrystallization. Compared with commercial titanosilicate zeolite catalysts and Ti-HSZ catalyst synthesized by one-step method, Ti/Al-HSZ- c - 3.5d-AT catalyst presents highly enhanced catalytic activity and turnover number values in the epoxidation of linear and cycloalkenes by using 30% H 2 O 2 as oxygen agent under mild reaction conditions. Particularly for the conversion of bulky linear alkene and cycloalkene (1-dodecene and cycloheptene), the catalytic activity of Ti/Al-HSZ- 4M‐3.5d‐AT can attained more than three times than that over Ti-HSZ- 3.5d-AT. Based on systematical comparison and analysis, on one hand, the excellent catalytic performance of Ti/Al-HSZ is ascribed to its unique hollownest morphology that acts as ideal reaction space by providing with plenty of hierarchical porous structure and high external surface, which is beneficial for the diffusion and mass transfer of bulky substrate. On the other hand, the high content of active open Ti species locating on the surface of catalyst is particularly beneficial for the formation of transition state to accelerate the epoxidation reaction. Not only the Ti source utilization rate but also the Ti open incorporated rate of Ti/Al-HSZ- 4M‐3.5d‐AT prepared by ACS-SIS is much higher than that of Ti-HSZ prepared by one-step hydrothermal synthesis route. The effects of acid treatment and recrystallization on the zeolite framework, morphology, chemical composition, and Ti coordination states have been thoroughly discussed. The ACS-SIS is believed to be an effective route to construct excellent solid heterogeneous catalyst to meet the urgent need of green chemistry for sustainable development. [Display omitted] • Construction of Ti-containing zeolite by active species surface implanting strategy. • Highly enhanced Ti source utilization efficiency and catalytic activity. • Synergistic effect of acid treatment and recrystallization. • Nanosheets with high content of active open Ti species and hollownest morphology. • Epoxidation of linear and cycloalkenes with 30% H 2 O 2 under mild condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To identify the ideal entry point for pediatric C2 pedicle screw and to obtain parameters of it for the indication of pediatric atlantoaxial fusion arthrodesis. Methods: The pediatric cervical CT images were reconstructed into the 3D digital models and the C2 vertebrae were separated. The location of ideal entry point and screw placement related linear and angular parameters were assessed on the 3D digital models. Results: A total of 214 pedicles from 107 C2 digital models were analyzed. The average entry point for C2 was 3.80 ± 2.78 mm medial to the lateral notch (LN) and 2.57 ± 1.70 mm superior to the LN. The average pedicle diameter (PD) was 6.02 ± 1.31 mm, and the average pedicle screw length (PSL) was 25.63 ± 3.46 mm. Statistical differences were found between different sex for PD and PSL (P < 0.05). As patient age increases, using the most lateral and inferior edge of the lateral mass as a reference marker, the entry point tends to move medial and cephalad, when using the LN as a reference marker, the entry point tends to move medial and slightly caudad. Univariate linear regression analysis suggested that these linear parameters were associated with age (P < 0.01). Conclusion: In this study, we found that the measurement results of C2 pedicle screw varied based on sex, laterality, and ages for children younger than 18 years. The entry point of the screws facilitating ideal trajectory tends to change in a linear way as a function of age. This information helps the surgeon to establish the specific anatomy related to C2 pedicle screw placement to facilitate fixation in the pediatric patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic roles of Tetrandrine (TET) on traumatic brain injury (TBI) and the underlying mechanism. Method: Traumatic injury model of hippocampal neurons and TBI mouse model were established to evaluate the therapeutic effects. The expression of neuron‐specific enolase (NSE), Caspase 3, and Caspase 12 was detected by immunofluorescence. The expression of TNF‐α, NF‐κB, TRAF1, ERS markers (GADD34 and p‐PERK), IRE1α, CHOP, JNK, and p‐JNK were evaluated by western blot. Flow cytometry was used to determine the apoptosis of neurons. Brain injury was assessed by Garcia score, cerebral water content, and Evan blue extravasation test. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to determine the morphological changes of hippocampal tissue. Apoptosis was assessed by TUNEL staining. Result: In traumatic injury model of hippocampal neurons, TET downregulated NSE, TNF‐α, NF‐κB, TRAF1, GADD34, p‐PERK, IRE1α, CHOP, and p‐JNK expression. TET reduced Caspase 3 and Caspase 12 cleavage. Apoptosis rate was inhibited by the introduction of TET. TET improved the Garcia neural score, decreased the cerebral water content and Evans blue extravasation, and reduced NSE, TNF‐α, NF‐κB, TRAF1, IRE1α, CHOP, and p‐JNK expression in mice with TBI, which was significantly reversed by Anisomycin, a JNK selective activator. Conclusion: TET alleviated inflammation and neuron apoptosis in experimental TBI by regulating the IRE1α/JNK/CHOP signal pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ordinal regression methods are widely used to predict the ordered labels of data, among which support vector ordinal regression (SVOR) methods are popular because of their good generalization. In many realistic circumstances, data are collected by a distributed network. In order to protect privacy or due to some practical constraints, data cannot be transmitted to a center for processing. However, as far as we know, existing SVOR methods are all centralized. In the above situations, centralized methods are inapplicable, and distributed methods are more suitable choices. In this paper, we propose a distributed SVOR (dSVOR) algorithm. First, we formulate a constrained optimization problem for SVOR in distributed circumstances. Since there are some difficulties in solving the problem with classical methods, we used the random approximation method and the hinge loss function to transform the problem into a convex optimization problem with constraints. Then, we propose subgradient-based algorithm dSVOR to solve it. To illustrate the effectiveness, we theoretically analyze the consensus and convergence of the proposed method, and conduct experiments on both synthetic data and a real-world example. The experimental results show that the proposed dSVOR could achieve close performance to that of the corresponding centralized method, which needs all the data to be collected together. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]