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Nanocluster catalysts typically face challenges in balancing stability with catalytic efficiency. This study introduces a unique bismuth-oxo cluster, solely protected by two ring-opened calixarenes, which demonstrates not only enhanced structural stability but also superior catalytic performance in the sustained conversion of CO2to HCOOH via electrocatalysis. For the first time, we reveal that under specific solvothermal conditions, tert-butylcalix[8]arene (TBC[8]) can undergo in situ oxidative cleavage of its C–C bond, leading to ring-opened polyphenolic molecules. These molecules serve as protective ligands for the bismuth-oxo cluster, bestowing exceptional structural stability and offering a more flexible and diverse configuration compared to intact TBC[8]. This adaptability promotes the exposure of active bismuth sites on the cluster surface, enhancing catalytic efficiency. Notably, the Bi10cluster, featuring a monobismuth active site, achieves an exceptional formate production efficiency of 98.79% at −1.25 V vs RHE while maintaining superb durability over 8 h. The stability and catalytic processes of Bi10surpass those of the Bi13cluster, which is structurally reinforced by two intact TBC[8] molecules and stabilized by four benzoic ligands. Through in situ infrared spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations, we demonstrate that the monobismuth active site in Bi10more effectively stabilizes the *OCHO intermediate, thereby promoting the electrocatalytic reduction of CO2to HCOOH compared to Bi13. This comparative performance underscores the potential of ring-opened calixarene ligands in enhancing the functionality of nanocluster catalysts.

The sophisticated environment of chronic wounds, characterized by prolonged exudation and recurrent bacterial infections, poses significant challenges to wound recovery. Recent advancements in multifunctional wound dressings fall short of providing comprehensive, accurate, and comfortable treatment. To address these issues, a battery-free and multifunctional microfluidic Janus wound dressing (MM-JWD) capable of three functions, including exudate management, antibacterial properties, and multiple indications of wound infection detection, has been developed. During the treatment, the fully soft microfluidic Janus membrane not only demonstrated stable unidirectional fluid transport capabilities under various skin deformations for a longer period but also provided antibacterial effects through surface treatment with chitosan quaternary ammonium salts and poly(vinyl alcohol). Furthermore, integrating multiple colorimetric sensors within the Janus membrane’s microchannels and a dual-layer structure enabled simultaneous monitoring of the wound’s pH, uric acid, and temperature. The monitoring was facilitated by smartphone recognition of color changes in the sensors. In vivo and in vitro tests confirmed the exudate management, antibacterial, and sensing capabilities of the MM-JWD, proving its efficacy in monitoring and promoting the healing of wounds. Overall, this study provides a valuable method for the design of multifunctional wound dressings for chronic wound care.

The green peach aphid, Myzus persicae, is a worldwide agricultural pest. Chlorpyrifos has been widely used to control M. persicaefor decades, thus leading to a high resistance to chlorpyrifos. Recent studies have found that insect odorant binding proteins (OBPs) play essential roles in insecticide resistance. However, the potential resistance mechanism underlying the cross-link between aphid OBPs and chlorpyrifos remains unclear. In this study, two OBPs (MperOBP3 and MperOBP7) were found overexpressed in M. persicaechlorpyrifos-resistant strains (CRR) compared to chlorpyrifos-sensitive strains (CSS); furthermore, chlorpyrifos can significantly induce the expression of both OBPs. An in vitrobinding assay indicated that both OBPs strongly bind with chlorpyrifos; an in vivoRNAi and toxicity bioassay confirmed silencing either of the two OBPs can increase the susceptibility of aphids to chlorpyrifos, suggesting that overexpression of MperOBP3 and MperOBP7 contributes to the development of resistance of M. persicaeto chlorpyrifos. Our findings provide novel insights into insect OBPs-mediated resistance mechanisms.

The retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor γ (RORγ) is regarded as an attractive therapeutic target for the treatment of prostate cancer. Herein, we report the identification, optimization, and evaluation of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline derivatives as novel RORγ inverse agonists, starting from high throughput screening using a thermal stability shift assay (TSA). The representative compounds 13e(designated as XY039) and 14a(designated as XY077) effectively inhibited the RORγ transcriptional activity and exhibited excellent selectivity against other nuclear receptor subtypes. The structural basis for their inhibitory potency was elucidated through the crystallographic study of RORγ LBD complex with 13e. Both 13eand 14ademonstrated reasonable antiproliferative activity, potently inhibited colony formation and the expression of AR, AR regulated genes, and other oncogene in AR positive prostate cancer cell lines. Moreover, 13eand 14aeffectively suppressed tumor growth in a 22Rv1 xenograft tumor model in mice. This work provides new and valuable lead compounds for further development of drugs against prostate cancer.

The designed Co3O4/SiC catalyst, with its exquisite proportions of Co2+and Co3+, effectively reduces nitrates by utilizing Co3+to reduce NO3−to NO2−and Co2+for ammonia synthesis from NO2−.

The fermionic Hubbard model (FHM)1describes a wide range of physical phenomena resulting from strong electron–electron correlations, including conjectured mechanisms for unconventional superconductivity. Resolving its low-temperature physics is, however, challenging theoretically or numerically. Ultracold fermions in optical lattices2,3provide a clean and well-controlled platform offering a path to simulate the FHM. Doping the antiferromagnetic ground state of a FHM simulator at half-filling is expected to yield various exotic phases, including stripe order4, pseudogap5, and d-wave superfluid6, offering valuable insights into high-temperature superconductivity7–9. Although the observation of antiferromagnetic correlations over short10and extended distances11has been obtained, the antiferromagnetic phase has yet to be realized as it requires sufficiently low temperatures in a large and uniform quantum simulator. Here we report the observation of the antiferromagnetic phase transition in a three-dimensional fermionic Hubbard system comprising lithium-6 atoms in a uniform optical lattice with approximately 800,000 sites. When the interaction strength, temperature and doping concentration are finely tuned to approach their respective critical values, a sharp increase in the spin structure factor is observed. These observations can be well described by a power-law divergence, with a critical exponent of 1.396 from the Heisenberg universality class12. At half-filling and with optimal interaction strength, the measured spin structure factor reaches 123(8), signifying the establishment of an antiferromagnetic phase. Our results provide opportunities for exploring the low-temperature phase diagram of the FHM.

We propose a M-QAM chaotic optical communication system under amplitude and phase encryption. In the legitimate transmitter (Alice), we first design an electro-optic nonlinear delay chaotic source which can provide chaotic optical intensity and phase carriers under ∼15 GHz bandwidth. The M-QAM plaintext signal is masked by both chaotic optical intensity and phase carriers for ensuring the safety of intensity and phase information of M-QAM signal. In the legitimate receiver (Bob), the chaotic encrypted M-QAM signal after chromatic dispersion compensation by dispersion compensation fiber is decrypted by open-loop chaotic synchronization operation. Subsequently, the decrypted signal is processed by offline digital signal processing (DSP) module for impairments equalization. The proposed scheme is numerically demonstrated in an 84 Gbit/s 8QAM chaotic optical communication system over 1100 km standard single-mode fiber (SSMF), and a 112 Gbit/s 16QAM chaotic optical communication system over 700 km SSMF. We believe that the proposed scheme represents a promising strategy for enhancing the security of high-speed and long-haul optical communication system.

Leucine, a branched-chain amino acid, participates in the regulation of lipid metabolism and the composition of the intestinal microbiota. However, the related mechanism remains unclear.

To better meet the requirements in loss-of-coolant accidents (LOCA) and conventional operating conditions in nuclear applications, this work prepared Cr, FeCrAl, and Cr/FeCrAl composite coatings on Zr alloys using plasma spraying technology. The microstructures, hardness, and high-temperature oxidation resistance of coatings are examined. The high-temperature oxidation of coatings was conducted at 1200 °C in air for 20, 40, and 60 min. All coatings exhibited characteristic lamellar microstructures accompanied by small pores. The inner layers of the coatings, benefiting from the “compacting effect” of subsequently deposited particles, displayed lower porosity and higher hardness. The order of high-temperature oxidation resistance among the coatings was determined as follows: Cr/FeCrAl coating > Cr coating > FeCrAl coating. Notably, the Cr/FeCrAl composite coating demonstrated exceptional durability even after a 60-min exposure, with no ZrO2formation and negligible Fe and Cr diffusion. However, oxygen could still reach the Zr substrate due to inherent pores and the lamellar structure in the as-sprayed coatings. Therefore, post-treatments are suggested to mitigate or eliminate these pores, thereby improving high-temperature oxidation resistance.

Introduction: Currently, the cause of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is unknown, and the effectiveness of current drug treatments is unsatisfactory. In March 2019, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved risankizumab, a humanized immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) monoclonal antibody targeting the p19 subunit of interleukin (IL)-23, for the treatment of PsA in adults. This study aimed to conduct a meta-analysis of double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of risankizumab in moderate-to-severe PsA. Methods: We conducted a thorough search of relevant databases from the establishment of the databases to October 1, 2023. We conducted a meta-analysis using Stata 12.0 and utilized I2and Egger tests to assess heterogeneity and publication bias among the studies. Bias assessment was performed using the risk bias map and bias risk summary diagram generated by Revman5.4 software. The review protocols were registered on PROSPERO (CRD42023451894) and adhered to the preferred reporting item of system evaluation (PRISMA) guideline. Results: Six randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 5038 patients with PsA treated with either risankizumab or placebo were included in the analysis. At 24 weeks, the risankizumab group demonstrated a significantly higher American College of Rheumatology-20 (ACR20) response rate compared to the placebo group (RR 1.760, 95% CI 1.568–1.977, P< 0.001). Additionally, the risankizumab group showed a significantly higher Minimal Disease Activity (MDA) response rate compared to the placebo group (RR 1.827, 95% CI 1.048–3.184, P< 0.05). The risankizumab group also exhibited improvement in Short Form 36 Questionnaire (SF-36) score (SMD 0.51, 95% CI 0.33–0.69, P< 0.001), with significantly lower Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI) score (SMD − 0.27, 95% CI − 0.37 to − 0.17, P< 0.001) and higher Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F) score (SMD 0.27, 95% CI 0.20–0.35, P< 0.001) compared to the placebo group. Moreover, the risankizumab group had a significantly lower Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score (SMD − 6.12, 95% CI − 10.02 to 2.23, P< 0.001). A study by Mease et al. indicated that patients receiving risankizumab generally demonstrated numerical improvements in the Leeds Enthesitis Index (LEI), although the small sample size limits the evidence. Further research is necessary to provide evidence-based guidelines. There were no significant differences in the incidence of serious adverse events (SAE) and serious treatment-emergent adverse events (STEAE) between the risankizumab and placebo groups (RR 0.76, 95% CI 0.45–1.28, P= 0.31; RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.49–1.99, P= 0.97, respectively), and the overall incidence of adverse events (AE) was not comparable (RR 1.10, 95% CI 0.63–1.94, P= 0.73). Conclusion: Risankizumab showed superior efficacy across multiple outcome measures compared to placebo, with no significant increase in adverse events. Our findings endorse risankizumab as an excellent treatment option for PsA, offering valuable insights for clinicians and patients when choosing appropriate therapeutic interventions. Trial Registration: Retrospectively registered (CRD42023451894, 16 August 2023).

Building change detection is critical for urban management. Deep learning methods are more discriminatory and learnable than traditional change detection methods. But in complicated backdrop environments, it is still difficult to precisely pinpoint change zones of interest. Most change detection networks suffer from inaccurate feature characterization during feature extraction and fusion. As a solution to these problems, we propose the use of multilevel feature fusion in conjunction with aware networks to detect building changes. To obtain multi-scale change characteristics, our Context-awareness network employs multi-scale patch embedding. Followed by multi-path Transformers to enhance learning and extract more suitable features. The multi-scale fusion module can ensure semantic consistency of change features, making detected change regions more accurate. Visual comparisons and quantitative evaluations of our method showed that it outperformed seven popular change detection methods on the LEVIR-CD dataset.

To discover new botanical products-based insecticide candidates, 14 triterpenoid saponins (1–14) including four new ones, obscurosides A-D (1–4), were isolated from Clematis obscuraMaxim as potential agrochemicals against Acyrthosiphon pisumHarris and Plutella xylostella(L.). Compounds 1–3were characterized by a rare ribose substitution at C-3, and 4was a bidesmoside glycosylated at the rare C-23 and C-28 positions of the oleanane aglycone. Compounds 10(median antifeeding concentration, AFC50= 1.10 mg/mL; half-lethal concentration, LC50= 1.21 mg/mL) and 13(AFC50= 1.09 mg/mL, LC50= 1.37 mg/mL) showed significant insecticidal activities against third larvae of P. xylostellaat 72 h. All saponins displayed antifeedant activities against A. pisumwith the deterrence index of 0.20–1.00 at 400 μg/mL. Compound 8showed optimal oral toxicity (LC50= 50.09 μg/mL) against A. pisum, followed by compounds 1, 5–7, 9, and 14(LC50= 90.21–179.25 μg/mL) at 72 h. The shrinkage of the cuticle and the destruction of intestinal structures of microvilli, nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum, and mitochondria were toxic symptoms of 8-treated A. pisum. The significantly declined Chitinase activity in 8-treated A. pisumwith an inhibition rate of 79.1% at LC70(70% lethal concentration) could be the main reason for its significant oral toxicities. Molecular docking revealed favorable affinities of compounds 1and 8with group I Chitinase OfChtI (Group I Chitinase from Ostrinia furnacalis) through conventional hydrogen bonds and alkey/π-alkey interactions by different patterns. These results will provide valuable information for the development of novel botanical pesticides for the management of insect pests, especially against A. pisum.

The trajectory planning module generates optimal collision-free paths, which is essential to automated driving. Existing approaches have focused on traffic flow situations and the geometrical feasibility of local trajectories. However, high nonlinearity of vehicle dynamics could cause handling instability or even severe accidents in cases of tracking dynamic infeasible paths. Meanwhile, the variety and complexity of driving environments bring intractable challenges to safe trajectory planning. This article aims to address this crucial issue and proposes a chassis global dynamics-oriented trajectory planning scheme. This work designs comprehensive performance indices to represent handling dynamic status based on chassis dynamics modeling. As the basis of trajectory planning, a reference path is extracted from global digital map data, and the curvilinear coordinate frame is exploited. Numerical optimization is proposed to solve the trajectory planning problem. Thus, an optimal and dynamically feasible trajectory, which satisfies geometrical smoothness, chassis global dynamics indices, and feasible safety, can be generated and transformed. Various scenarios are involved in carrying out simulation tests, and those results demonstrate the excellent capability and effectiveness of the proposed scheme to provide optimal trajectories in a variety of driving situations.

Extracting lithium from seawater has emerged as a disruptive platform to resolve the issue of an ever-growing lithium shortage. However, achieving highly efficient and durable lithium extraction from seawater in an energy-efficient manner is challenging, as imposed by the low concentration of lithium ions (Li+) and high concentration of interfering ions in seawater. Here, we report a facile and universal strategy to develop photothermal “ion pumps” (PIPs) that allow achieving energy-efficient, augmented, and durable lithium extraction from seawater under sunlight. The key design of PIPs lies in the function fusion and spatial configuration manipulation of a hydrophilic Li+-trapping nanofibrous core and a hydrophobic photothermal shell for governing gravity-driven water flow and solar-driven water evaporation. Such a synergetic effect allows PIPs to achieve spontaneous, continuous, and augmented Li+replenishment–diffusion–enrichment, as well as circumvent the impact of concentration polarization and scaling of interfering ions. We demonstrate that our PIPs exhibit dramatic enhancement in Li+trapping rate and outstanding Li+separation factor yet have ultralow energy consumption. Moreover, our PIPs deliver ultrastable Li+trapping performance without scaling even under high-concentration interfering ions for 140 h operation, as opposed to the significant decrease of nearly 55.6% in conventional photothermal configuration. The design concept and material toolkit developed in this work can also find applications in extracting high-value-added resources from seawater and beyond.

This article considers an unmanned aerial vehicle-based hybrid dual-hop free-space optical (FSO)/underwater optical wireless communication (UOWC) system with a decode-and-forward relay, where the FSO channel is influenced by atmospheric loss, turbulence, pointing error, and angle-of-arrival fluctuation, and the UOWC channel is affected by oceanic path loss, turbulence, and pointing error. Using direct detection and heterodyne detection, we obtain tractable analytical expressions of the outage probability (OP) and bit error rate (BER), respectively. We then derive asymptotic bounds of the OP and BER to reveal more insights into the effects of various parameters. As an extension, we also analyze the system performance over a more general channel model. After that, we consider a serial multirelay-based hybrid FSO/UOWC system, and jointly optimize the relay number and the relay distance vector to obtain a tradeoff between system cost and OP performance. Numerical results are provided to validate the accuracy of the derivations and the superiority of the proposed optimization scheme. We also discuss the influences of various parameters on system performance.

Soft ionic conductors have emerged as a powerful toolkit to engineer transparent flexible intelligent devices that go beyond their conventional counterparts. Particularly, due to their superior capacities of eliminating the evaporation, freezing and leakage issues of the liquid phase encountered with hydrogels, organohydrogels and ionogels, the emerging solid-state, liquid-free ion-conducting elastomers have been largely recognized as ideal candidates for intelligent flexible devices. However, despite their extensive development, a comprehensive and timely review in this emerging field is lacking, particularly from the perspective of design principles, advanced manufacturing, and distinctive applications. Herein, we present (1) the design principles and intriguing merits of solid-state, liquid-free ion-conducting elastomers; (2) the methods to manufacture solid-state, liquid-free ion-conducting elastomers with preferential architectures and functions using advanced technologies such as 3D printing; (3) how to leverage solid-state, liquid-free ion-conducting elastomers in exploiting advanced applications, especially in the fields of flexible wearable sensors, bioelectronics and energy harvesting; (4) what are the unsolved scientific and technical challenges and future opportunities in this multidisciplinary field. We envision that this review will provide a paradigm shift to trigger insightful thinking and innovation in the development of intelligent flexible devices and beyond.

In order to help investors understand the credit status of target corporations and reduce investment risks, the corporate credit rating model has become an important evaluation tool in the financial market. These models are based on statistical learning, machine learning and deep learning especially graph neural networks (GNNs). However, we found that only few models take the hierarchy, heterogeneity or unlabeled data into account in the actual corporate credit rating process. Therefore, we propose a novel framework named hierarchical heterogeneous graph neural networks (HHGNN), which can fully model the hierarchy of corporate features and the heterogeneity of relationships between corporations. In addition, we design an adversarial learning block to make full use of the rich unlabeled samples in the financial data. Extensive experiments conducted on the public-listed corporate rating dataset prove that HHGNN achieves SOTA compared to the baseline methods.

The accurate detection of temperature is crucial in industry, agriculture, military, and so on. This work implements a temperature sensor based on the enhanced Vernier effect principle, which is comprised of a Fabry–Perot interferometer and a fiber optic Sagnac interferometer with slightly detuned free spectral ranges (FSRs). The increase in sensitivity to temperature is due to the shift of their wavelength in the opposite direction with temperature. Compared to conventional Vernier effect-based temperature sensors, this sensor achieves highly sensitive temperature measurements without the need for a complex fabrication process or the configuration of a temperature-insensitive interferometer for reference. It was concluded that the ultrahigh sensitivity of the detection device was 61.11 nm/°C in the detection interval from 30.4 °C to 34 °C, and it also had a high linear response and longtime stability.

Liver receptor homolog-1 (LRH-1), a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, is a ligand-regulated transcription factor that plays crucial roles in metabolism, development, and immunity. Despite being classified as an ‘orphan’ receptor due to the ongoing debate surrounding its endogenous ligands, recent researches have demonstrated that LRH-1 can be modulated by various synthetic ligands. This highlights the potential of LRH-1 as an attractive drug target for the treatment of inflammation, metabolic disorders, and cancer. In this review, we provide an overview of the structural basis, functional activities, associated diseases, and advancements in therapeutic ligand research targeting LRH-1.

Vehicle chassis coordinated control always has been an appealing topic in academia and industry because of the increasing number of chassis electronic actuators with the rapid development of automated vehicles. The optimization of multiple performance targets with multiactuators is intractable, which involves trajectory tracking and handling stability. Additionally, the optimization of tire friction usage remains a knotty problem. Therefore, this article develops a global chassis multiactuator integrated control framework, named by the chassis domain controller (CDC), to realize chassis global dynamics optimization for automated vehicles. Aiming at realizing more efficient, reliable, and flexible mobility, this framework defines each individual wheel to be fully adjustable and controllable to overcome the individual actuation limitation of traditional chassis structures. Global chassis dynamic modeling is formulated based on the analysis of distributed and controllable tire modules and vehicle dynamics motions. A game-theoretical control scheme is proposed to formulate chassis multiactuator integrated control, and the chassis global dynamics can be optimized by guaranteeing a Nash equilibrium for this game. Various experimental results demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed control method, and it suggests the CDC merits further studies to enhance the dynamics performance of automated vehicles in full situations.

This letter investigates the physical-layer security (PLS) of an indoor visible light communication system having a transmitter, a jammer, an intelligent reflecting mirror array (IRMA), a legitimate user, and an eavesdropper. Two scenarios are investigated for the non-negative input: one is having an average optical intensity constraint only, and the other is with both average and peak optical intensity constraints. By the entropy-power inequality and variational method, we derive closed-form expressions of secrecy-capacity lower bounds for the two scenarios, respectively. Based on the derived lower bound, we formulate a constrained secrecy-capacity maximization problem to further improve the PLS performance, and then transform it into a tractable problem by objective function approximation. After that, an optimization algorithm is proposed to solve the problem. Numerical results show the necessity of considering both IRMA and jammer, and also verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

In this paper, for solving the nonlinear control problem of the missile intercepting the maneuvering target, a novel nonlinear zero-sum differential game guidance law is proposed via the neuro-dynamic programming approach. First, the continuous-time nonlinear differential game problem is transformed into solving the nonlinear Hamilton–Jacobi–Isaacs (HJI) equation. Then, a critic neural network is designed to solve the corresponding nonlinear HJI equation. An adaptive weight tuning law for the critic weights is proposed, where an additional term is added to ensure the stability of the closed-loop nonlinear system. Furthermore, the uniform ultimate boundedness of the closed-loop system and the critic NN weights estimation error are proved with the Lyapunov approach. Finally, some simulation results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed differential game guidance law for nonlinear interception.

High-speed steel (HSS) rolls modified by different additions of NbC were prepared. The microstructure of as-cast and heat-treated NbC-modified HSS rolls were observed by means of optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy spectroscopy (EDS), combining with the result of dissolution behavior of NbC particles and interface energy of NbC/γ-Fe calculated by dissolution kinetic and first-principle, the effect of addition of NbC on microstructure of HSS rolls were discussed. Results show that NbC particles do not dissolve in melt under experimental conditions, and the NbC particles even coarsen due to the absorption of alloying elements during the subsequent cooling process. The NbC particles can act as the heterogeneous nucleuses of pre-eutectic austenite to refine the as-cast microstructure of HSS rolls. However, the added amount of NbC particles influence the distribution of NbC. With the increase of the amount of NbC particles, the distribution of NbC particles changes from austenite inter-dendrite region to dendrite. The NbC particles distributed in austenite inter-dendrite region can restrain the movement of solid-liquid interface, and refine the as-cast microstructure. The distribution of NbC within the austenite dendrites enhances the potential of NbC as a non-homogeneous phase nucleus, thereby further refining the microstructure.

This experiment investigates the effect of Nb on the oxidation resistance of high-chromium cast iron by adding different contents of Nb to high-chromium cast iron. The experimental results show that the oxidation resistance of high-chromium cast iron with the addition of 1 wt% Nb is increased by 43% compared with high-chromium cast iron without the addition of Nb, which may be related to the formation of a large area of weak oxidation area on the surface of high-chromium cast iron. When more than 2.5 wt% Nb is added to high-chromium cast iron, the oxidation resistance of high-chromium cast iron deteriorates significantly due to a large amount of Fe oxide formed around the Nb2O5. However, as the subsequent Nb content continues to increase to 5 wt%, the oxidation resistance of high-chromium cast iron is improved compared to 2.5 wt% Nb because the dispersion of NbC in the matrix decreases.

Underwater networks rely primarily on acoustic waves for communication, but acoustic waves produce long propagation delays and have greater attenuation, posing a challenge for research of media access control (MAC) protocols. As self-interference (SI) cancellation techniques continue to mature, most existing underwater full-duplex (FD) MAC protocols do not take into account the actual system of FD modems, i.e., the long transmission delay. Accordingly, we propose an FD MAC protocol for both unidirectional link (U-Link) and bidirectional link (B-Link) within a channel access in underwater acoustic sensor networks (UASNs) and theoretically analyze its throughput performance. At the beginning of the phase, the handshake of control packets is carried out first, and the nodes obtain the delay between the neighbors and themselves and the delay table between the neighbors and their neighbors. Based on the time delay between nodes, the node selects the destination node with the best effect to establish an FD or half-duplex link. Accordingly, packet scheduling is performed, and the data packet sending process is judged to be delayed or not. Analysis and simulation results show that the full-duplex MAC protocol for both B-Links and U-Links in UASNs (FDBUL) protocol can achieve better performance in throughput, average packet reception delay, and average energy consumption. Taking slotted floor acquisition multiple access (SFAMA) as an example, FDBUL protocol has about 60%–80% performance improvement in throughput.

Grinding is one of the most widely used material removal methods at the end of many process chains. Grinding force is related to almost all grinding parameters, which has a great influence on material removal rate, dimensional and shape accuracy, surface and subsurface integrity, thermodynamics, dynamics, wheel durability, and machining system deformation. Considering that grinding force is related to almost all grinding parameters, grinding force can be used to detect grinding wheel wear, energy calculation, chatter suppression, force control and grinding process simulation. Accurate prediction of grinding forces is important for optimizing grinding parameters and the structure of grinding machines and fixtures. Although there are substantial research papers on grinding mechanics, a comprehensive review on the modeling of grinding mechanics is still absent from the literature. To fill this gap, this work reviews and introduces theoretical methods and applications of mechanics in grinding from the aspects of modeling principles, limitations and possible future trendencies.

Visual electrochemiluminescence (ECL) biosensors do not need complex instruments or well-trained operators, which is regarded as an ideal choice for portable and low-cost detection. But traditional visual ECL biosensors are based on the change in ECL intensity, which is easily affected by environmental factors and signal acquisition processes. In this work, a visual ECL biosensor chip based on distance readout has been developed for the first time. The chip is composed of a square detection region and a visual channel region, which are modified with graphene oxide (GO) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs)@Ti3C2nanocomposites, respectively. Target molecules can release aptamers adsorbed on the GO surface of the detection region and further change the electrode potential of the visual channel region, which can determine the length of the long channel that generates visible ECL signals. The application of AuNPs@Ti3C2nanocomposites can effectively enhance ECL intensity by six times. Through the unique design of the sensor chip, quantification detection can be achieved based on the length change instead of the traditional intensity change. This visual ECL sensor is successfully applied for deoxynivalenol toxin detection in actual samples, demonstrating that the introduction of the distance readout strategy into ECL sensing has a good prospect in on-site testing.

Perishable goods companies respond to competitive pressures through differentiated strategies, but pricing issues have become more complicated. This study analyses the optimal pricing of two companies offering vertically differentiated products to strategic customers who are intertemporal utility maximisers. It is assumed that incumbent companies respond to the entry threat of late-stage enterprises through pricing strategies. A two-period dynamic price game model is constructed under the price commitment and dynamic pricing strategies, and this problem is modelled based on the company's objective to maximise total expected profits and the optimal timing of the latecomer's entry. It is demonstrated through numerical examples that the timing of a latecomer entering the market under commitment pricing is delayed with the increase in a customers' strategic behaviour. It is also shown that an incumbent company adopting commitment pricing may have much higher profits than one that uses dynamic pricing. Interestingly, a lower customer pleasure level makes the incumbent company's revenue decline.

Effective enhancement of ferroelectric properties in BiFe1-xCrxO3films prepared via the sol-gel method is crucial. Here, by adjusting the Cr content, BiFe1-xCrxO3films with smooth surfaces and uniform grain structures were successfully synthesized. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses revealed that Cr doping significantly reduces the concentrations of Fe2+and oxygen vacancies within the BFO films, thereby mitigating leakage currents and enhancing ferroelectricity. Additionally, we investigated the microstructure and electrical characteristics of BiFe0.98Cr0.02O3thin films subjected to post-annealing in different atmospheres (N2, Air, and O2). Notably, annealing in an O2atmosphere notably enhanced the crystallinity and grain uniformity of BiFe0.98Cr0.02O3thin films. This treatment resulted in superior ferroelectric polarization switching behavior, achieving the highest remanent polarization (Pr = 153.1 μC/cm2) due to reduced defect densities. Our findings underscore the critical roles of Cr3+ions and O2annealing atmospheres in suppressing leakage currents and boosting ferroelectric properties in BFO films.

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Herein, SiO2supported metallic Ni (Ni/SiO2) and bimetallic Ni-Zn (NixZn/SiO2) (xrepresents the Ni/Zn atomic ratio) catalysts were prepared by the incipient wetness impregnation method and their activities were tested in vapor phase hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of anisole under 0.1 MPa. The characterization results show that Ni-Zn alloy forms in NixZn/SiO2after reduction at 550 °C, and a suitable Ni/Zn atomic ratio (30) leads to smaller alloy particle size and consequently more H2adsorption amount than others. In the HDO reaction, the formation of Ni-Zn alloy facilitates the direct deoxygenation pathway and suppresses CO methanation and C−C bond hydrogenolysis, which is ascribed to the isolation effect of the Ni atoms by the oxophilic Zn ones. Ni30Zn/SiO2gives not only higher anisole conversion but also higher selectivity to benzene than Ni/SiO2. Therefore, the introduction of a suitable amount of oxophilic Zn in Ni/SiO2promotes the HDO of anisole to benzene. Finally, we propose that the Ni30Zn/SiO2deactivation is related to the oxidation of Ni-Zn alloy and carbon deposition on the catalyst surface.

The aim of this study was to comprehensively evaluate the efficacy of oblique lateral interbody fusion (OLIF) and transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) in the treatment of degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis by meta-analysis.A computer-based search of PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science Core Collection databases, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Biology Medicine, and Wanfang Digital Periodicals was conducted from the time of inception of each database to December 2021. The review process was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines and registered in the PROSPERO database. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software provided by the Cochrane Library.Thirteen studies were included in the statistical analysis. One randomized controlled study and 12 cohort studies with 954 patients were included. In terms of operation time, intraoperative blood loss, Oswestry disability index score, intervertebral height, and complications, the OLIF group was better than the TLIF group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of visual analogue scale score, lumbar lordosis or fused segment lordosis (P> 0.05).Both OLIF and TLIF are effective surgical modalities in the treatment of degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis. They achieve similar therapeutic effects, but OLIF is superior to TLIF in restoring intervertebral height. At the same time, OLIF has the advantages of short operation time and less intraoperative blood loss.

The microstructure, corrosion and cavitation erosion (CE) behaviors of the as-cast and four different heat treated nickel aluminum bronzes (NABs) in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution were investigated. The results show that after annealing, β′transformed into the eutectoid microstructure, and more κIVprecipitated from α. Less eutectoid microstructure and more β′were obtained after normalizing. The quenched NAB mainly consisted of αand β′phases, and fine, acicular αand κphases precipitated inside β′after subsequent aging. The largest proportion of the eutectoid microstructure, which underwent severe selective phase corrosion, was responsible for the lowest corrosion resistance of the annealed NAB. The quenched NAB possessed the most protective film and hence the highest corrosion resistance. The mechanical attack was primarily responsible for the CE damage for the as-cast, annealed and normarlized NABs. The quenched and quenched + aged NABs exhibited superior CE resistance because of the high hardness. The CE−corrosion synergy dominantly caused CE degradation, and it was largely attributed to corrosion-enhanced-CE.

Background: The present study aims to investigate whether malnutrition defined by the Global Leadership Initiative in Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria using hand-grip strength (HGS) adequately predict postoperative complications and long-term survival in patients underwent radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer in a similar manner to GLIM-defined malnutrition using skeletal muscle index (SMI). Methods: Patients who underwent radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer from August 2014 to June 2019 were included in this study. Clinical data were prospectively collected. Malnutrition was diagnosed based on the two-step approach following the GLIM criteria. Skeletal muscle mass was assessed using SMI based on abdominal computed tomography (CT) scans, or assessed using HGS. Results: A total of 1359 patients were included in this study, in which 36.2% of the patients were at risk of malnutrition (Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 scores ≥3). The incidence of malnutrition was 28.2% and 27.5% using SMI and HGS, respectively. There was a high agreement between the two criteria of malnutrition (kappa = 0.863, P&lt; 0.001). Both of the two criteria of malnutrition were independently associated with postoperative complications (SMI-GLIM, P= 0.041; HGS-GLIM, P= 0.023), overall survival (P&lt; 0.001, both), and disease-free survival (P&lt; 0.001, both), with similar odds ratio or hazard ratio after adjusting for the same confounding variables. HGS-GLIM malnutrition (P= 0.046) but not SMI-GLIM malnutrition (P= 0.270) was associated with a higher incidence of severe complications. Conclusions: GLIM criteria using HGS is a useful tool to diagnose malnutrition and has a similar or even better predictive value for postoperative complications and long-term survival after radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer compared with GLIM criteria using SMI.

Interfacial solar evaporation has been widely regarded as a promising pathway to desalinate seawater without secondary pollution and additional carbon emission. However, one of the challenges rarely considered is the floating stability and remote controllability of the evaporator in the face of wind and waves at the seawater surface. Herein, we demonstrate magnetic Janus membranes (MJMs) with remotely magnetic controllability and wind‐resistant floatation for enhanced interfacial solar evaporation in airflow condition. These membranes are fabricated by sequential electrospinning of a hydrophobic Fe3O4‐embedded polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) layer and a hydrophilic polyacrylonitrile (PAN) layer. Due to the superparamagnetism of Fe3O4, our MJMs can be remotely manipulated by a magnet and can float in situ with the aid of a magnetic field, even facing the blast of airflow with a speed of 1.75 m/s. Moreover, the MJMs realize an enhanced vapor diffusion under airflow (v= 0.5 m/s) and show a water evaporation rate of 1.39 ± 0.06 kg∙m−2∙h−1under one sun, which is 40.4% higher than that in windless condition. This work provides a promising material solution with magnetic design for the practical offshore application of Janus membranes in interfacial solar evaporation.

Cellular longevity is regulated by both genetic and environmental factors. However, the interactions of these factors in the context of aging remain largely unclear. Here, we formulate a mathematical model for dynamic glucose modulation of a core gene circuit in yeast aging, which not only guided the design of pro-longevity interventions but also revealed the theoretical principles underlying these interventions. We introduce the dynamical systems theory to capture two general means for promoting longevity—the creation of a stable fixed point in the “healthy” state of the cell and the “dynamic stabilization” of the system around this healthy state through environmental oscillations. Guided by the model, we investigate how both of these can be experimentally realized by dynamically modulating environmental glucose levels. The results establish a paradigm for theoretically analyzing the trajectories and perturbations of aging that can be generalized to aging processes in diverse cell types and organisms.

•Thermal barrier coating reduces the uniformity of film cooling on the vane.•Analyzed the flow mechanism of blockage on film holes.•Laid-back fan-shaped hole has great resistance to blockage.•This work and its results can guide the design of turbine vane cooling structures.

To eliminate the negative effect of traditional metal-working fluids and achieve sustainable manufacturing, the usage of nano-enhanced biolubricant (NEBL) is widely researched in minimum quantify lubrication (MQL) machining. It’s improved tool wear and surface integrity have been preliminarily verified by experimental studies. The previous review papers also concluded the major influencing factors of processability including nano-enhancer and lubricant types, NEBL concentration, micro droplet size, and so on. Nevertheless, the complex action of NEBL, from preparation, atomization, infiltration to heat transfer and anti-friction, is indistinct which limits preparation of process specifications and popularity in factories. Especially in the complex machining process, in-depth understanding is difficult and meaningful. To fill this gap, this paper concentrates on the comprehensive quantitative assessment of processability based on tribological, thermal, and machined surface quality aspects for NEBL application in turning, milling, and grinding. Then it attempts to answer mechanisms systematically considering multi-factor influence of molecular structure, physicochemical properties, concentration, and dispersion. Firstly, this paper reveals advanced lubrication and heat transfer mechanisms of NEBL by quantitative comparison with biolubricant-based MQL machining. Secondly, the distinctive filmformation, atomization, and infiltration mechanisms of NEBL, as distinguished from metal-working fluid, are clarified combining with its unique molecular structure and physical properties. Furtherly, the process optimization strategy is concluded based on the synergistic relationship analysis among process variables, physicochemical properties, machining mechanisms, and performance of NEBL. Finally, the future development directions are put forward aiming at current performance limitations of NEBL, which requires improvement on preparation and jet methods respects. This paper will help scientists deeply understand effective mechanism, formulate process specifications, and find future development trend of this technology.

The performance-enhancing strategy of a single pathway for perovskite has been widely studied. In this work, the dual-pathway strategy of A-site Ce substitution and nitric acid selective dissolution was proposed. The catalytic oxidation performance of LaMnO3exhibits the characteristic of hierarchical regulation, that is, a steplike improvement, which avoids the limitation of performance improvement of the single pathway. The B-site Mn with catalytic activity was in situ reconstituted on the surface to build a Mn-rich surface. The obtained sdLa0.7Ce0.3MnO3has the advantages of good oxygen mobility, high Mn4+/Mn3+molar ratio, and large specific surface area, and this material showed excellent catalytic oxidation performance for organics, which can realize colorimetric chemical oxygen demand detection at room temperature. Here, Ce substitution improved the oxidation capacity by improving the oxygen mobility and the ratio of Mn4+/Mn3+, and further nitric acid treatment not only accelerated the in situ reconstruction of B-site Mn but also increased the specific surface area.

We have prepared GexGa4S96-x glasses for x=22.5, 27, 30 and 33.3 and GexGa8S92-x for x=32, 36 and measured their linear and nonlinear optical properties. The glasses exhibit broad transmission at a wavelength range from 1 to 12 μm. The evolution of linear, nonlinear index and two-photon absorption as a function of the content of Ge, and the relationship of n2 and β with linear refractive index and optical bandgap are analyzed. While the evolution of n2 and β is closer to the prediction by Sheik-Bahae et.al for optical nonlinearity of semiconductors. Eg of Ge-Ga-S is found to vary from 2.33 to 2.99eV, and the largest nonlinear index is 1.16×10-14cm2/W at composition of Ge32Ga8S60 .

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of blood flow restriction training (BFRT) in the treatment of patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Seven electronic databases were searched to identify trials comparing BFRT and conventional resistance training in a population with knee OA. Studies were selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) or risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated to compare outcome measures of the groups. The methodologic quality of selected studies and the quality of evidence were evaluated for included studies. A total of 5 studies were included in this meta‐analysis, with very low to moderate risk of bias. The pooled results showed no significant difference between BFRT and conventional resistance training for knee OA, including pain (SMD –0.04 [95% CI –0.31, 0.24], P= 0.79), physical function performance (SMD 0.12 [95% CI –0.55, 0.78], P= 0.73), self‐reported function (SMD 0.14 [95% CI –0.24, 0.52], P= 0.48), and adverse events (RR 0.45 [95% CI 0.20, 1.01], P= 0.05). In subgroup analysis, BFRT had a lower incidence of adverse events when compared with high‐load resistance training (HLRT). Data from pooled studies showed that BFRT may not have greater efficacy for treating patients with knee OA, and it is less likely to have a higher risk of adverse events. However, limited evidence supports the idea that BFRT is likely safer than HLRT. More evidence with high quality is needed in further research on efficacy and safety.

‘Corollas and spines’ is an important trait for fresh market cucumber. In a unique cucumber line, ‘6457’, the super ovary is much larger and corolla opening is delayed by 4–5 days, thus the resulting fruit has a flower that remains on the tip, which has a high commodity value. In this study, to better understand the molecular basis of corolla opening, mRNA and miRNA transcriptome analyses were performed during corolla development of the super and normal ovaries. A total of 234 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) and 291 differentially expressed target genes (DE-target genes) were identified from four developmental stages, and the greatest number of DEMs was found at the yellow bud stage. Thirty of the DE-target genes were regulated by more than five DEMs, among which, CsHD-Zipwas regulated by 28 DEMs, followed by DD2X(18). In addition, the expression patterns of miRNA_104, miRNA_157, miRNA_349, miRNA_242, and miRNA_98 were similar during corolla development, and they shared the same target gene, CsCuRX. Moreover, several critical candidate DEMs and DE-target genes were characterized and profiled by a qRT-PCR experiment. Three of the miRNAs, miRNA_157-CsCuRX, miRNA_411-CsGH3.6, and miRNA_161/297/257-CsHD-Zip, might be responsible for corolla opening in the cucumber super ovary. This integrated study on the transcriptional and post-transcriptional profiles can provide insights into the molecular regulatory mechanism underlying corolla opening in the cucumber.

In this paper, we present the first idea of using a DNA triple helix structure to inhibit CRISPR-Cas12a activity and apply it to the design of an electrochemiluminescent biosensor for the detection of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) gene in real samples and environmental surveillance. We employed a segment from the RdRp gene of SARS-CoV-2 by an entropy-driven reaction, which was paired with double-stranded DNA that can activate CRISPR-Cas12a activity by Hoogsteen pairing to form triple-stranded DNA, thereby inhibiting the binding interaction of the double-stranded DNA with CRISPR-Cas12a, which in turn inhibits the transcleavage activity of CRISPR-Cas12a. The inhibited CRISPR-Cas12a is unable to cut the nucleic acid modified on the electrode surface, resulting in the inability of the ferrocene (Fc) modified on the other end of the nucleic acid to move away from the electrode surface, and thus failing to cause electrochemiluminescence changes in GOAu–Ru modified on the electrode surface. The extent of the electrogenic chemiluminescence change can reflect the concentration of the gene to be tested. Using this system, we achieved the detection of the SARS-CoV-2 RdRp gene with a detection limit of 32.80 aM.

Capitalizing on its rich and profound historic heritage, distinctive local culture and thriving innovative industries, Beijing is approaching its goal of becoming an advanced cultural capital with Chinese characteristics, local officials said. The move will provide impetus for the protection of heritage and further promote Beijing's status as a national cultural center, said the city's cultural heritage authorities. [Extracted from the article]

Official statistics show that from 2012-21, the city's investment in research and development grew from 106.34 billion yuan ($15.08 billion) to 262.93 billion yuan; the number of State-level high-tech businesses rose from 3,300 to 27,600; and the added value of high-tech industries surged from 113.92 billion yuan to 1.09 trillion yuan. As a national scientific and technological innovation center, Beijing is riding high in key research fields and high-tech businesses, as the city has been pursuing an innovation-driven development strategy and expanded research facilities in the past decade. Over the past decade, Beijing has made historic achievements in sci-tech innovation. [Extracted from the article]

As a new electrochemical sensing concept, a self-powered sensor shows a good application prospect in the field of analysis. However, it is still a great challenge to improve the anti-interference capability of sensors through reasonable design. In this study, we investigated the difference between the single photoanode and photocathode self-powered sensor and combined the advantages of these two aspects to fabricate a mediator-free self-powered aptasensor based on the dual-photoelectrode system, which combined the biological events from the photocathode. The biological events occurred at the photocathode could avoid the interference caused by the generated hole oxidation of reducing small molecules in the real sample on the photoanode surface, which was helpful to enhance the anti-interference capability of the sensor. Moreover, due to the sufficient Fermi level differentiation between two photoelectrodes, the redox mediator was not necessary. This could avoid the redox reaction caused by the introduction of extra electron donors or electron acceptors occurring before the photoelectrical behavior, thus improving the accuracy of the sensor. According to the influence of the generated biological conjugate on the external circuit, electron transmission between interfaces, and the obstruction of visible light irradiation, the sensitive and accurate detection of the analytical model was achieved. This work provided a proof-of-concept for the establishment of a mediator-free dual-photoelectrode self-powered sensing platform with high sensitivity and strong anti-interference performance.